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Ranma 1/2: New Challenges
Bonds and Connections
Chapter 3
Miyo stepped back into her library with a heavy heart. She had
just returned from the hospital where Ariko lay in a coma. Hikaru had
begged and pleaded with Miyo, hoping the fortuneteller could see
something in Ariko's future, but she could not.
For the first time in her life, Miyo was unable to see a future
for someone and that shook her confidence greatly.
She hung up her coat and placed her bag on the round table
where she normally told fortunes to those who came to see her. [Now why
is that out? I thought I put it away.] Her crystal ball was resting in
it's stand in the middle of the table.
Sighing, she reached out with both hands and attempted to pick
it up. As soon as her finger touched the smooth, cool surface however,
the ball flashed purple and the world around her swirled and
disappeared.
Her senses were now attuned to another place and time
entirely...
"AKARA!" All of Tenma's insides were screaming for him to jump
forward and kill the one who held his iinazuke in a death grip.
Tenma, Ryo, and Tateyama were braced at the edge of the
clearing. Behind them, Konisha and Shan Po lay in wait.
"STAY BACK!" he yelled. "Or I'll snap her neck!" He increased
the pressure slightly, to show he was serious.
"Tenma..." Akara gasped, fear and terror swimming in her
vulnerable brown eyes.
"'Tis nothing but a cowardly cur, who would hide behind a frail
flower!" Kuno spouted.
If the situation wasn't so serious, Tenma would've snickered.
[Frail is not a word I would use to describe her...] Nevertheless, he
felt his blood began to boil. "Let. Her. Go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," the ninja replied. "She is Tendo's
daughter, and as such, a valuable hostage against him."
"Who are you!?" Ryo demanded.
"Let's just say you've met my partner, Kae," the man told them.
"I am called Kage."
Tenma inwardly seethed. The last he had seen of the ninja
woman, she had betrayed him, enabling the dark army to capture both he
and Ryo. Because of that, Tenma no longer had the physical strength he
had before.
Ryo cracked his knuckles. "Well like Kuno said, you must be a
coward and weakling to hide behind Akara-san like that! I don't think
you have the guts to face a real man."
An evil sneer appeared on Kage's face. "Be careful what you
wish for, boy!" He eyed the three youths arrayed against him. "Then
again, it isn't often I am able to test my skills against worthy
opponents. I guess I see no harm in having a fun little exercise first."
His left hand snaked out and squeezed a nerve bundle on Akara's
neck. She promptly stopped struggling as she lost consciousness.
"Stay back!" the ninja master commanded. "She still lives. Just
rendered... more agreeable for the time being." He handed her off to one
of his men.
Tenma could feel his boiling blood elevate and would've
attacked right then and there, if not stopped by Kage's threat. Also,
there was something else about the man, some danger he just couldn't put
his finger on.
"Now, shall we get down to business?" Kage said almost casually.
Kuno snarled and charge, actions duplicated by Ryo a split-
second later.
Tenma finally realized what it was that was bothering him about
Kage, as he got a good reading on the ninja's aura. "Guys, wait!" he
called, unfortunately too late.
The ninja blurred as Tateyama's katana sliced down. The elder
Kuno shook like a rag doll as Kage landed punch after punch to his body.
The sword slipped from the samurai's hand as the black-clad man finished
with a roundhouse that sent the other boy sailing over the treetops.
Ryo, undeterred by how quickly Kuno was taken care of, charged
in. Kage flipped over the berserked boy, then hit him in the back with
an open palm strike that violently shoved Ryo into a tree. The bandanna
boy recovered quickly, and lashed out with a mid-level sweep kick, but
Kage virtually danced around it.
He blurred in and struck several times with both hands, using
only the first and middle fingers in knife like thrusts. When he backed
up, it was obvious to all that Ryo was obvious pain. His body was
trembling, his face contorted in anguish. Ryo doubled over, arms crossed
over his chest.
Kage sneered. "Heh, not so tough I guess-"
Ryo screamed in pain and anger, then thrust his hands outward.
Tenma, recognizing the familiar stance, hit the ground and yelled for
Shan Po and Konisha to do the same. They did, but just barely in time.
"Shishi Houkodan!"
The beam of yellowish-greenish ki lanced out, nearly catching
the ninja unprepared. Still, Kage thrust himself to the side, so that
the blast merely clipped his arm, ripping the fabric off and most likely
bruising the arm.
The ninja seethed after the blast died down. "You actually
managed to hurt me! That's quite surprising." He spotted Kuno's
discarded katana and lazily plucked it from the ground, seeing as how
Ryo was frozen in his post-blast position, breathing heavily.
The world slowed as Tenma beheld Kage blur forewords, katana
raised menacingly. "No!" Thinking quickly, the young Saotome plucked a
small rock from the ground and chucked it at the ninja.
The rock hit the Kage's sword hand, altering where the sword
was pointing. Instead of driving it though Ryo's heart, it was thrust
above his shoulder. Ryo reacted instinctively, pushing off from the tree
and bringing his knee up, using the momentum of his adversary and his
considerable body mass to put the needed power behind the attack.
Kage 'oofed' and let go of the sword, rolling out of the way of
Ryo's follow up double-fisted slam. He grabbed and arm and easily tossed
the bigger boy over to land near Tenma.
"That wasn't very nice," he told the two boys. "Allow me to
repay the favor by showing you the little gift the Dark Shogun gave me."
A black aura began to build around the ninja. "Take this!"
He thrust out his palm as the two boys regained their feet, a
dark wave billowing outward. Because he was in front, Ryo took the brunt
of the attack, acting more like a shield for Tenma. He screamed in
torment once more as the wave engulfed him, his shirt shredding.
Tenma felt like his body was on fire as the darkness hit him.
Even though it was only a partial attack since Ryo's body was shielding
him somewhat, it was more painful then anything he had ever felt in his
life. In the back of his mind, he realized how much worse it must be for
Ryo.
The attack ended and Tenma looked up to Ryo still standing,
though just barely. His shirt gone, Tenma got a look at Ryo's back, and
at something else. There was a small mark between the other boy's
shoulder blades, and Tenma recognized it immediately from the old charts
Satsu had shown him. Instantly, he knew what was afflicting him, and how
to counter it.
The moxibustion of weakness.
"Sorry... Akara-san..." Ryo groaned as he fell backwards, though
Tenma was there to catch him. Ryo cast his gaze upwards into the face of
the man he considered his rival. "You better... save her, Tenma. Or...
so help me... I'll kill you."
Saotome nodded solemnly. "You have my word."
He laid Ryo down on the grass and picked up a pebble from the
ground while standing up. Using his other hand, he tore off the shredded
remains of his outer cloak and shirt, leaving him in only a pair of
black pants. He focused his ki into the hand holding the pebble, and
smiled grimly as it began to heat up.
Despite the situation, both Shan Po and Konisha couldn't help
but gaze in admiration at Tenma's muscular chest.
"Well, are you ready to try your luck, boy?" Kage taunted. "If
you're anything like your friends, I suggest you don't bother. It would
be wasting my time."
"Oh, I think you'll find me a worthy challenge," Tenma returned
evenly.
Sensing the pebble was hot enough, Tenma reached behind his
back, knowing exactly what to reach for. He braced himself, then pressed
the red-hot pebble into his back. There was a sickening sizzling sound,
and steam wafted up from the small point on Tenma's back. He grimaced,
but fought against the waves of pain and nausea until he felt his
strength return.
Dropping the pebble, Tenma grinned at Kage's wide and confused
eyes. "Now I'm ready. Let's dance."
"As you wish," Kage replied, sliding into his attack stance.
Tenma mirrored it, and for the next minute, neither man moved.
Finally, Kage grew impatient and charged, closing the distance in the
span of second. Tenma was ready for him, parrying his rapid-fire
attacks, but barely. Kage was good, very good. Tenma saw that even
before Kuno and Ryo attacked, and that's why he tried to warn them.
Plus, he got a distinct sense of... something unnatural from the man,
that almost made his skin crawl.
All these factors made this fight different then all his
previous confrontations..
Tenma continued to mirror Kage's moves, matching block for
block, punch for punch, and kick for kick. His opponent was easily
duplicating Tenma's incredible speed. To Konisha, Shan Po, and Ranko,
the two men were virtually blurs as they danced around the small
clearing.
Kage tilted his head to the side as Tenma's fist flew by,
clipping the edges of his short black hair. In return, the ninja slipped
inside his opponent's guard, hammering his chest with four quick,
precision strikes.
Tenma reeled under the assault, the top half of his body
bending backwards. Quickly regaining his wits, he displayed his extreme
flexibility by continuing to twist his upper half down. Planting his
hands on the ground behind him, Tenma whipped his feet upwards, catching
Kage under the chin and sending him sailing away.
The young Saotome completed the maneuver by flipping to his
feet, while the ninja twisted in mid-air to land a short distance at the
same time. As soon as he touched down, he sprang foreword once more,
hoping to catch his adversary off-guard.
It nearly worked. Tenma barely had time to bring his arms up to
block. He tweaked his wrist, grabbing ahold of Kage's arm and cocked his
right fist. The ninja tried to break out of the hold, but Tenma's newly
returned strength held. The ninja braced for the attack, already
preparing a counter.
The martial artist surprised him however, as he jerked the arm,
bringing Kage slightly foreword and into the path up his rising knee,
the clenched fist being merely a feint. The dark ninja doubled over as
the air was driven from his lungs. Tenma then let go of the arm,
bringing his fists together, then slamming them down on his enemy's
backside.
Kage hit the ground, hard, and Tenma placed his foot on his
opponent's neck, applying just enough pressure to let the other man know
his neck could be snapped in an instant. He then raised his eyes to the
ninja underling that held Akara.
By now, she had awakened, but was unable to move as the man
that held her had a knife positioned under her neck. Her face was
sweating with sheer terror the likes of which Tenma had never seen her
display, and she was mumbling softly, incoherently. It literally tore at
his heart to see how she was suffering.
Tenma spoke the words again. "Let. Her. Go." The authority in
his voice conveyed volumes about what would happen if the man did not
comply.
"He won't do it unless I order it," Kage hissed from the ground.
"Release me, and the girl lives."
Tenma's confidence wavered a little. "Let her go first."
"Release me or she dies!" the other man commanded.
Even with all his skill and speed, Tenma knew he would never be
able to free Akara before the ninja who held her slit her throat. He
couldn't count on Akara for any help either, since her fear was keeping
her immobile and useless. He could also see Ryo was still out of it.
Tenma almost wished for Tateyama's help and wondered where the swordsman
was.
He knew that when he let Kage go, he would disappear with
Akara. He also knew in order to save her life, he had no choice. The
pressure his foot was applying let up a little, as he prepared to let
his enemy go.
"That not very nice!" Shan Po's high-pitched voice resonated
around them. "Evil man not fight fair!"
A whip snaked out of the darkness and coiled around the ninja's
knife hand, yanking it away before any could react. Then a large, multi-
colored ball hit the man over the head, banishing his mind to
unconsciousness. Shan Po materialized out of the darkness, holding onto
the staff attached to the melon-sized mace. Konisha appeared several
feet away as well, her whip recoiling back to her.
Kage's squad sprang into action, but the mighty Amazon warrior
and the daughter of the Kuno Daiymo were too much for them. Konisha's
whip kept them at bay, while Shan Po flowed through their midst and sent
them to join their comrade in dreamland. Soon, all five were out cold.
"Tenma!" Akara screamed, her head now cradled by the somewhat-
recovered Ranko. "Look out!"
Kage had not been idle, but flicked his wrists sending twin
long knives sliding out of his sleeves and into his hands. He rolled out
from under Tenma's foot while the boy was distracted, slicing a long
gash in his leg.
Saotome hissed in pain and recoiled while the ninja leader
struck like a serpent, the twin daggers flashing foreword with
incredible speed. Tenma took several slashes to his arms and chests as
he worked frantically to dodge.
"I was going to just head back with the girl," Kage told him as
he continued his attacks. "But know I think presenting your broken body
to the Dark Shogun will be a bigger reward."
Tenma gathered as much bravado as he could. "Just try it!"
Growing tired of being forced on the defensive, Tenma blocked a
knife thrust on his left bracer, snapping up a kick to knock the other
knife out of Kage's hand. The weapon shot up into the sky from the force
of the attack, even as the young Saotome lanced out with a fist at
blinding speed.
Kage's head jerked to the side from the force of the blow,
blood and spittle flying. A chop disarmed him of the last knife before
Tenma brought the same hand up and backhanded his enemy, twisted the
man's face in the opposite direction. The younger martial artist then
crouched slightly, his leg whipping up and blurring over the ninja's
front. When it was over, Kage collapsed backwards.
The airborne knife chose that moment to begin its decent, just
as Kage recovered enough of his wits to see it coming down, point first,
heading straight for his neck. As his body was still stunned from his
opponent's attack, Kage closed his eyes and braced for the end.
*Thunk!*
Realizing that he wasn't dead, the ninja master opened his
eyes. The knife had stopped an inch above his neck, with Tenma holding
the handle.
The martial artist's eyes were hard as they bore into the
downed ninja. Tenma struggled with an inner conflict to just let the
knife continue its work. After all, HE had hurt Akara. HE had threatened
her life.
Tenma forced his breathing into calmer territory, but his eyes
never lost their fury. "You've lost," he said simply. "Take a message to
you master and to Kae. Tell them if they don't call off this stupid war,
I'll kill them both."
Kage blinked. "You're letting me go?"
"Tenma, you coward!" Ryo yelled, obviously awake now. "For what
he did to Akara, he-"
"SHUT UP, RYO!" Tenma barked, his tone commanding and deathly
serious. He turned back to his downed adversary. "Yes, I'm letting you
go. But if I ever see your face again, I will kill you... slowly. Do not
let your path cross mine again." He backed off, pulling the knife away.
The black-clad ninja stood up slowly. "You're a fool, Saotome!
You're all fools! The Dark Shogun will crush all who stand in his path.
Your only hope for survival is join him, like I did."
"Is that why Kae betrayed us?" Tenma asked darkly.
He shrugged. "Possibly. Her reasons are her own." Kage turned
to go, muttering under his breath. "Fools." Then he disappeared into
the forest.
Only then did Tenma let himself even start to relax, allowing
the knife to slip from his fingers and land softly upon the ground. He
sensed Ryo's footsteps come up behind him, while Shan Po and Konisha
went to help the downed Amazon warriors.
"I hope you know you're doing, Tenma," Ryo said in a low voice.
Tenma's gaze turned toward his fiancee, as Ranko helped her up.
He couldn't believe the anger he felt at the man who had dared to hurt
her. It scared just how much he wanted to tear Kage apart. It was the
first time in a long while he had ever lost his hard-earned iron
control, and he still found himself trembling and frightened at what he
was prepared to do.
He stared off into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "So do I."
Ranko carefully adjusted her left arm's sling and winced
slightly, while pondering all that she had just been told. Her heart
went out to Akara, now knowing what her friend had been holding in all
this time. Apparently, this latest confrontation had brought to the
surface, feelings and fears that Akara had long sought to bury.
After returning to the Amazon encampment by the shore, Ranko's
sore arm was treated and put into a sling so it would heal faster. A
couple of male Amazon healers tried to lead the youngest Tendo away to
treat her wounds as well, but Akara frantically fought them away in
fear, preferring to stay with the red-head.
Confused, Ranko told the Amazons to leave them alone in the
tent while she treated Akara's cuts and bruises. As she washed and
cleaned them, Ranko couldn't help but feel an odd kinship with the
raven-haired girl. She had come to know Akara well in the past few days,
and it almost felt like meeting a long lost sister.
As she finished up, Akara finally broke down and began to cry,
telling the surprised pig-tailed girl an unhappy story that happened
when she was younger. Shock, fear, outrage, and understanding crossed
Ranko's face as Akara sobbed out her worst fears.
In the end, Ranko had her right arm around Akara, rocking the
other girl back and forth as she cried herself out. She understood now
the barriers Akara had erected around herself, not allowing anyone to
get close to her. The only reason Ranko was able to get this close, was
because of how much she reminded Akara of her mother.
In her emotionally vulnerable state, Akara had hinted at
another person who had managed to work their way inside her shell. Even
though she didn't mention the person by name, Ranko knew the who other
girl was talking about. It was someone who the frightened girl had come
to care about, but was too scared to know what to do about it.
Akara finally stopped talking, looked up at the redhead, and
for the first time that day, smiled. "Thank you, for... listening to me.
I'm sorry I made such a scene."
Ranko observed the puffy eyes and tear-streak cheeks, and felt
that odd sense of sisterhood again. "You're welcome and, don't be
sorry." She gave Akara's shoulders a squeeze with her one-armed hug.
"When you share your pain with another, you give them some of the
burden, that's what my adoptive mother used to tell me." Her gaze
changed slightly. "Now, I think you should find this other person and
tell them at least most of what you told me."
The smile disappeared. "I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
Akara sputtered. "Because.. because..." The only reason she
could come up with was fear, but she didn't want to admit that.
Unfortunately, Ranko knew this. "Exactly." She tried not to
sound too triumphant. "If you don't take steps to deal with this fear
now, it will control you for the rest of your life. I know you care
about... him, so he's as good a person to start with as any."
The other girl sighed in defeat. "I suppose..." The smile
returned half-heartily. "But if he makes fun of me, I'll bash his skull
in."
"Now that's the right attitude! Good girl!"
The two girls smiled at each other and Akara felt a renewed
sense of happiness return to her. Further conversation was stalled as
the sound of many women cheering could be heard outside. Curious, the
pair of female martial artists walked to the tent entrance and pulled
the flap back, stepping outside.
A large group of Amazons were gathered around an open section
of the camp. Akara and Ranko glanced at each other, then shot through
the crowd, trying to get close enough to find out what was going on.
When they finally reached the site of the big commotion, their jaws
dropped simultaneously.
Shan Po had glomped onto Tenma and was hugging him as
affectionately as barnacle hugs the hull of a ship. She pulled her head
back slightly and started foreword, and it was obvious to everyone what
she was about to do.
"Tenma!" Akara screeched.
His head jerked to the side at his fiancee's voice, just as
Shan Po's lips completed their journey, hitting his cheek instead of his
mouth. This was too much for the trembling Akara, and she turned and
fled.
"No, Akara, wait!" Tenma called. "This isn't what it looks
like!" He managed to squirm out of the Amazon's grip and took off after
her.
"What was THAT all about!?" Ranko demanded of Ryo.
"I don't really know," Ryo replied. "Shan Po was asking if Tenma
was alright, and he said yes, and then she just attacked him." He
scratched his head, recalling what had happened next. "Tenma barely
avoided the swings of her mace-thingys and kicked one into her face,
knocking her out. When she came to, she just jumped him. The rest you
saw."
"Is kiss of marriage!" Another Amazon in her teens told them.
Ryo and Ranko, startled, turned to face the newcomer. "When outsider
male beats Amazon in combat, she become his wife by law."
"That's crazy!" Ranko protested.
"Yes!" Ryo exulted. "That means Tenma can't marry Akara now! And
now Akara is free to-" Ranko's elbow found his gut and he doubled over
from the blow. "Ow!"
"This isn't funny!" Ranko admonished him, slightly hurt. Her
gaze turned to where Tenma and Akara had departed. "I hope those two
will be okay..."
"Akara, wait!" Tenma called again as he witnessed her disappear
into the forest. Growling in frustration, he took to the treetops in an
effort to overtake her.
Akara ran, new tears forming in eyes, which was why she didn't
see the obstacle appear in her path. She bumped into him, and a pair of
hands found her shoulders. Her insides wound up in fright, and her arm
wound up for a punch.
*Pow!*
Tenma rubbed his jaw from where he sat on the ground, and Akara
looked at both him and her fist somewhat guiltily. Her face then settle
into a scowl.
"Why aren't you with Shan Po?" she asked accusingly. "It looked
like you two were getting along real well!"
"Knock it off, Akara!" Tenma returned, getting to his feet. "She
just suddenly attacked me, and when I knocked her out, she jumped me! I
don't know what got into her!"
Akara crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him
suspiciously, unsure whether to believe him. She then let out her breath
in a long exhale, turned her back to him, and in a quiet voice she
asked, "So why did you come after me?"
Tenma blinked, somewhat surprised by the question. "Well, your
father did make you my fiancee, so-"
"Is that all?"
He blinked again, unsure of whether he actually heard a bit of
sorrow in her voice. He sighed and sat down on a nearby log. "You wanna
know the truth?"
She turned, eyes showing she was a bit surprised, and nodded.
"Look, when I was training with Satsu-sensei, nothing else
mattered much to me except the Art. Even when my old master tried to
drop hints about getting to know girls and possibly finding a wife, the
only thing that I cared about was practicing the Art. I met a few of the
girls from the nearby village, but frankly didn't think much of them,
except as a distraction. They just didn't seem to matter much to me." He
paused, and Akara took the moment to sit down next to him. His eyes were
closed, as if he recalling another time and place entirely.
"I didn't tell you this before," Tenma continued. "But in the
same note that my sensei left after he died, where he told me to meet
with Tendo-san, he also told me of a deal he struck with your father. He
didn't go into details, but he told me to honor the proposition Tendo-
san would make when I met him. I had no idea that meant a fiancee. And
then you were elected to fill that role, and as opposed to the girls I
knew in the village, you didn't seem to like me very much."
Akara looked down at her toes, guilt ringing in her heart.
"I...don't hate you, Tenma... I never really did. It was just... what
you represented..."
He brought his head up to look at her, some confusion on his
face. "Akara?"
"Because of... an incident that happened when I was younger,
I... didn't really like boys." Akara could feel herself tremble as she
recalled the event. For some reason, it wasn't as bad, now that she had
told Ranko. "I was almost 12 at the time, and was out after dark, coming
home from a friend's house. I was happier then, and carefree, believing
all was right and good."
That was before the Dark Shogun started his war of conquest,
Tenma realized. The land was a bit more peaceful then, with only the
occasional border skirmish between the various Daiymo.
"I never really saw them, it was so dark," Akara was saying.
"They grabbed me, restrained me, covered my mouth so I couldn't even
scream, then dragged me into an alley." She felt herself begin to shake
again, but then she felt Tenma's hand squeeze her shoulder and the
contact seemed to calm her, despite the fact that she expected it to
have the opposite effect. "They tore off my clothes, and I knew what
they were going to do..." Her eyes were clamped shut by this time.
"But then someone was there, fighting them off all by himself.
He draped a blanket around me, and I realized it was my father. He
carried me home where I cried myself to sleep. I had been doing only
light training, learning from my father, but the next day I asked him to
teach me all he knew. I wanted to be strong enough so that no boy could
ever take advantage of me."
"I... I don't know what to say," Tenma whispered. What was one
supposed to say when someone tells you something like that?
"And then you showed up, and you didn't try and take advantage
of me, even when father made you my fiance. You were... different then
the boys I knew." She shook her head, then continued a bit more
nervously. "But now you know. I... I won't blame you if you don't want
to continue the engagement. I think I can get Kimiko to help me talk
father out of it."
"Well, what if I said... what if I said, it didn't matter?" he
supplied just as nervously.
Akara blinked, clearly surprised. "What?"
"You weren't like any of the village girls I used to know," he
told her quickly, before he lost his nerve. "You were tough, and
skilled, and weren't afraid to tell me what you thought, as opposed to
the village girls who kept pushing themselves on me. And then I heard
that Tateyama was going to marry you, and I got so... angry for some
reason. The same thing happened when Kage threatened your life. Then
I... well, I realized that you... well, matter to me and I don't want to
lose you."
"Tenma..." Her heart, going a million miles a minute, seemed to
melt at the statement.
"I don't know about you, but I'd kinda like to try and make this
work, that is if want to... If you don't, that's okay, too." He
completed his spiel and sat nervously studying his toes. Some part of
him thought the whole thing was stupid and inane, the way he was
practically going to pieces for some girl.
Then he felt her slip her hand into his, and suddenly, it
didn't seem so stupid anymore. "I... wouldn't mind seeing where this
goes, either," she told him shyly.
He gulped. "A-Akara?"
"After all," she continued with a grin, "I couldn't do much
worse for a fiance."
Tenma's emotions underwent rapid readjustment, into more
familiar territory. "Hey I think you should be thankful to have me
engaged to you, with me being so good looking, and you being so
uncute..."
*Bop!* "Oh really!?"
He gingerly rubbed the bump on his head. "Well, that is-" A
pair of fingers fell on his lips, but that's not what stopped him from
saying more. It was the sight of her twinkling, big brown eyes, lush,
full lips, and pink-tinged skin only inches away when he turned his head
to look at her, that rendered him speechless.
"Shut up, before you say any more stupid things," she chided
him.
As Tenma continued to gaze at her, his mouth suddenly felt dry,
so he swallowed. Why hadn't she looked this cute before? Had he just not
noticed? "Well, um, so... what now?" he asked, because he couldn't think
of anything else.
Her blush intensified, and she could swear her ears were
burning. "Well, normally, an engaged couple get closer by, uh, kissing."
She couldn't believe what she had just said, since the whole concept
hadn't much occurred to her in the past several weeks.
Tenma blinked, then he backed up a foot.. "You want me to kiss
you!?" It came out more forceful then he intended.
"What's the matter!?" she demanded to know.
"Nothing!" he insisted, hands waving in front of him in warding
gestures.
Akara smiled suddenly. "Oh ho, I get it. You don't know how to
kiss, do you?"
"What!?"
She grinned wider. "That's it! So it's understandable you'd be
too scared to try it!" A part of her knew that she was goading him, and
knowing Tenma, that part of her mind knew what the outcome would be.
Strangely, she wasn't as scared at the prospect as she thought she'd be.
"I am not!" he retorted. "You better take that back, or else!"
"Or else what?" She batted her eyes at him, in a move that she
hoped would fluster him. It partially worked. "You're going turn chicken
and run off?"
He shoved down the nervousness and surprise he had been
feeling, his face hardening as if for battle. "No, 'cause something like
that should mean something!"
"What makes you think it won't, Mr. Chicken?"
And then she began to cluck.
For Tenma, it was the last straw, and suddenly his lips were
hot on hers.
She sucked breath in through her nose. She hadn't even seen him
move! She froze, the only sound in her ears being the intense beating of
her heart that she swore he could probably feel, since his chest was
pressed up against hers.
It was nice, she decided at last, if a bit clumsy. Then it was
over, and he was pulling back, his face as flushed as hers, blood
pounding in their ears, and both breathing heavily. She swallowed once,
trying to find her voice.
"Well, not bad," she said at last, her breath returning.
"Not bad!?" He sounded insulted, and Akara giggled, suddenly
feeling like a younger, care-free girl again.
"I'll admit there's some potential, but...." she trailed off,
suggestively.
"Listen you-!"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "So, I guess you'll just
have to practice until you get it right."
He stopped, as that sounded like an open invitation to him. Did
she really want to-? Did she really feel-? He tilted his head towards
her again, slower this time, giving her time to back out. He felt more
self-conscious and scared this time, even though he had just kissed her
once and was still alive to remember it.
She saw his approach this time, gathered her courage and closed
the distance. Their lips brushed against each other, tentatively at
first, but then Akara applied pressure, pushing them more firmly
together. Her fingers laced themselves through her fiance's pony-tail,
not even realizing she was holding it. His hands were on her shoulders,
gripping firmly as the rush of feelings and emotions consumed them both.
That would've continued for quite some time, if they hadn't
been disturbed.
"TENCHAN!"
The screech galvanized Tenma's instincts and he firmly shoved
Akara backwards. She tumbled clumsily off the log and fell into the
grassy brush behind it, even as he rolled backwards, thus avoiding the
metal projectiles that lodged themselves in log where the couple had
been sitting.
Again, letting his training and instinct guide him, he placed
his hands on the log and flipped backwards into a standing position,
narrowly avoiding the swish of the large weapon that was aiming for him.
Only then, did he finally see their assailant, as she touched down on
the log in front of him, holding her unusual weapon with both hands.
He blinked, recognizing both the weapon and the girl, and
uttered one name in total surprise.
"Yu-chan!?!?"
---------------------------------
Author's notes:
Although it may seem to be a bit too soon for it, remember that these
two, although they have a lot in common with Ranma and Akane, aren't the
same people. Before Shampoo showed up in the manga, R&A came very close
to kissing (if not for their voyeur family watching and taping it, they
would have kissed). Also, Tenma has almost lost Akara twice already, and
these two are older (19, as opposed to 16), are somewhat more mature,
and Akara has Ranko for support, helping her.
Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000
Ranma 1/2: New Challenges
Bonds and Connections
Chapter 3
Miyo stepped back into her library with a heavy heart. She had
just returned from the hospital where Ariko lay in a coma. Hikaru had
begged and pleaded with Miyo, hoping the fortuneteller could see
something in Ariko's future, but she could not.
For the first time in her life, Miyo was unable to see a future
for someone and that shook her confidence greatly.
She hung up her coat and placed her bag on the round table
where she normally told fortunes to those who came to see her. [Now why
is that out? I thought I put it away.] Her crystal ball was resting in
it's stand in the middle of the table.
Sighing, she reached out with both hands and attempted to pick
it up. As soon as her finger touched the smooth, cool surface however,
the ball flashed purple and the world around her swirled and
disappeared.
Her senses were now attuned to another place and time
entirely...
"AKARA!" All of Tenma's insides were screaming for him to jump
forward and kill the one who held his iinazuke in a death grip.
Tenma, Ryo, and Tateyama were braced at the edge of the
clearing. Behind them, Konisha and Shan Po lay in wait.
"STAY BACK!" he yelled. "Or I'll snap her neck!" He increased
the pressure slightly, to show he was serious.
"Tenma..." Akara gasped, fear and terror swimming in her
vulnerable brown eyes.
"'Tis nothing but a cowardly cur, who would hide behind a frail
flower!" Kuno spouted.
If the situation wasn't so serious, Tenma would've snickered.
[Frail is not a word I would use to describe her...] Nevertheless, he
felt his blood began to boil. "Let. Her. Go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," the ninja replied. "She is Tendo's
daughter, and as such, a valuable hostage against him."
"Who are you!?" Ryo demanded.
"Let's just say you've met my partner, Kae," the man told them.
"I am called Kage."
Tenma inwardly seethed. The last he had seen of the ninja
woman, she had betrayed him, enabling the dark army to capture both he
and Ryo. Because of that, Tenma no longer had the physical strength he
had before.
Ryo cracked his knuckles. "Well like Kuno said, you must be a
coward and weakling to hide behind Akara-san like that! I don't think
you have the guts to face a real man."
An evil sneer appeared on Kage's face. "Be careful what you
wish for, boy!" He eyed the three youths arrayed against him. "Then
again, it isn't often I am able to test my skills against worthy
opponents. I guess I see no harm in having a fun little exercise first."
His left hand snaked out and squeezed a nerve bundle on Akara's
neck. She promptly stopped struggling as she lost consciousness.
"Stay back!" the ninja master commanded. "She still lives. Just
rendered... more agreeable for the time being." He handed her off to one
of his men.
Tenma could feel his boiling blood elevate and would've
attacked right then and there, if not stopped by Kage's threat. Also,
there was something else about the man, some danger he just couldn't put
his finger on.
"Now, shall we get down to business?" Kage said almost casually.
Kuno snarled and charge, actions duplicated by Ryo a split-
second later.
Tenma finally realized what it was that was bothering him about
Kage, as he got a good reading on the ninja's aura. "Guys, wait!" he
called, unfortunately too late.
The ninja blurred as Tateyama's katana sliced down. The elder
Kuno shook like a rag doll as Kage landed punch after punch to his body.
The sword slipped from the samurai's hand as the black-clad man finished
with a roundhouse that sent the other boy sailing over the treetops.
Ryo, undeterred by how quickly Kuno was taken care of, charged
in. Kage flipped over the berserked boy, then hit him in the back with
an open palm strike that violently shoved Ryo into a tree. The bandanna
boy recovered quickly, and lashed out with a mid-level sweep kick, but
Kage virtually danced around it.
He blurred in and struck several times with both hands, using
only the first and middle fingers in knife like thrusts. When he backed
up, it was obvious to all that Ryo was obvious pain. His body was
trembling, his face contorted in anguish. Ryo doubled over, arms crossed
over his chest.
Kage sneered. "Heh, not so tough I guess-"
Ryo screamed in pain and anger, then thrust his hands outward.
Tenma, recognizing the familiar stance, hit the ground and yelled for
Shan Po and Konisha to do the same. They did, but just barely in time.
"Shishi Houkodan!"
The beam of yellowish-greenish ki lanced out, nearly catching
the ninja unprepared. Still, Kage thrust himself to the side, so that
the blast merely clipped his arm, ripping the fabric off and most likely
bruising the arm.
The ninja seethed after the blast died down. "You actually
managed to hurt me! That's quite surprising." He spotted Kuno's
discarded katana and lazily plucked it from the ground, seeing as how
Ryo was frozen in his post-blast position, breathing heavily.
The world slowed as Tenma beheld Kage blur forewords, katana
raised menacingly. "No!" Thinking quickly, the young Saotome plucked a
small rock from the ground and chucked it at the ninja.
The rock hit the Kage's sword hand, altering where the sword
was pointing. Instead of driving it though Ryo's heart, it was thrust
above his shoulder. Ryo reacted instinctively, pushing off from the tree
and bringing his knee up, using the momentum of his adversary and his
considerable body mass to put the needed power behind the attack.
Kage 'oofed' and let go of the sword, rolling out of the way of
Ryo's follow up double-fisted slam. He grabbed and arm and easily tossed
the bigger boy over to land near Tenma.
"That wasn't very nice," he told the two boys. "Allow me to
repay the favor by showing you the little gift the Dark Shogun gave me."
A black aura began to build around the ninja. "Take this!"
He thrust out his palm as the two boys regained their feet, a
dark wave billowing outward. Because he was in front, Ryo took the brunt
of the attack, acting more like a shield for Tenma. He screamed in
torment once more as the wave engulfed him, his shirt shredding.
Tenma felt like his body was on fire as the darkness hit him.
Even though it was only a partial attack since Ryo's body was shielding
him somewhat, it was more painful then anything he had ever felt in his
life. In the back of his mind, he realized how much worse it must be for
Ryo.
The attack ended and Tenma looked up to Ryo still standing,
though just barely. His shirt gone, Tenma got a look at Ryo's back, and
at something else. There was a small mark between the other boy's
shoulder blades, and Tenma recognized it immediately from the old charts
Satsu had shown him. Instantly, he knew what was afflicting him, and how
to counter it.
The moxibustion of weakness.
"Sorry... Akara-san..." Ryo groaned as he fell backwards, though
Tenma was there to catch him. Ryo cast his gaze upwards into the face of
the man he considered his rival. "You better... save her, Tenma. Or...
so help me... I'll kill you."
Saotome nodded solemnly. "You have my word."
He laid Ryo down on the grass and picked up a pebble from the
ground while standing up. Using his other hand, he tore off the shredded
remains of his outer cloak and shirt, leaving him in only a pair of
black pants. He focused his ki into the hand holding the pebble, and
smiled grimly as it began to heat up.
Despite the situation, both Shan Po and Konisha couldn't help
but gaze in admiration at Tenma's muscular chest.
"Well, are you ready to try your luck, boy?" Kage taunted. "If
you're anything like your friends, I suggest you don't bother. It would
be wasting my time."
"Oh, I think you'll find me a worthy challenge," Tenma returned
evenly.
Sensing the pebble was hot enough, Tenma reached behind his
back, knowing exactly what to reach for. He braced himself, then pressed
the red-hot pebble into his back. There was a sickening sizzling sound,
and steam wafted up from the small point on Tenma's back. He grimaced,
but fought against the waves of pain and nausea until he felt his
strength return.
Dropping the pebble, Tenma grinned at Kage's wide and confused
eyes. "Now I'm ready. Let's dance."
"As you wish," Kage replied, sliding into his attack stance.
Tenma mirrored it, and for the next minute, neither man moved.
Finally, Kage grew impatient and charged, closing the distance in the
span of second. Tenma was ready for him, parrying his rapid-fire
attacks, but barely. Kage was good, very good. Tenma saw that even
before Kuno and Ryo attacked, and that's why he tried to warn them.
Plus, he got a distinct sense of... something unnatural from the man,
that almost made his skin crawl.
All these factors made this fight different then all his
previous confrontations..
Tenma continued to mirror Kage's moves, matching block for
block, punch for punch, and kick for kick. His opponent was easily
duplicating Tenma's incredible speed. To Konisha, Shan Po, and Ranko,
the two men were virtually blurs as they danced around the small
clearing.
Kage tilted his head to the side as Tenma's fist flew by,
clipping the edges of his short black hair. In return, the ninja slipped
inside his opponent's guard, hammering his chest with four quick,
precision strikes.
Tenma reeled under the assault, the top half of his body
bending backwards. Quickly regaining his wits, he displayed his extreme
flexibility by continuing to twist his upper half down. Planting his
hands on the ground behind him, Tenma whipped his feet upwards, catching
Kage under the chin and sending him sailing away.
The young Saotome completed the maneuver by flipping to his
feet, while the ninja twisted in mid-air to land a short distance at the
same time. As soon as he touched down, he sprang foreword once more,
hoping to catch his adversary off-guard.
It nearly worked. Tenma barely had time to bring his arms up to
block. He tweaked his wrist, grabbing ahold of Kage's arm and cocked his
right fist. The ninja tried to break out of the hold, but Tenma's newly
returned strength held. The ninja braced for the attack, already
preparing a counter.
The martial artist surprised him however, as he jerked the arm,
bringing Kage slightly foreword and into the path up his rising knee,
the clenched fist being merely a feint. The dark ninja doubled over as
the air was driven from his lungs. Tenma then let go of the arm,
bringing his fists together, then slamming them down on his enemy's
backside.
Kage hit the ground, hard, and Tenma placed his foot on his
opponent's neck, applying just enough pressure to let the other man know
his neck could be snapped in an instant. He then raised his eyes to the
ninja underling that held Akara.
By now, she had awakened, but was unable to move as the man
that held her had a knife positioned under her neck. Her face was
sweating with sheer terror the likes of which Tenma had never seen her
display, and she was mumbling softly, incoherently. It literally tore at
his heart to see how she was suffering.
Tenma spoke the words again. "Let. Her. Go." The authority in
his voice conveyed volumes about what would happen if the man did not
comply.
"He won't do it unless I order it," Kage hissed from the ground.
"Release me, and the girl lives."
Tenma's confidence wavered a little. "Let her go first."
"Release me or she dies!" the other man commanded.
Even with all his skill and speed, Tenma knew he would never be
able to free Akara before the ninja who held her slit her throat. He
couldn't count on Akara for any help either, since her fear was keeping
her immobile and useless. He could also see Ryo was still out of it.
Tenma almost wished for Tateyama's help and wondered where the swordsman
was.
He knew that when he let Kage go, he would disappear with
Akara. He also knew in order to save her life, he had no choice. The
pressure his foot was applying let up a little, as he prepared to let
his enemy go.
"That not very nice!" Shan Po's high-pitched voice resonated
around them. "Evil man not fight fair!"
A whip snaked out of the darkness and coiled around the ninja's
knife hand, yanking it away before any could react. Then a large, multi-
colored ball hit the man over the head, banishing his mind to
unconsciousness. Shan Po materialized out of the darkness, holding onto
the staff attached to the melon-sized mace. Konisha appeared several
feet away as well, her whip recoiling back to her.
Kage's squad sprang into action, but the mighty Amazon warrior
and the daughter of the Kuno Daiymo were too much for them. Konisha's
whip kept them at bay, while Shan Po flowed through their midst and sent
them to join their comrade in dreamland. Soon, all five were out cold.
"Tenma!" Akara screamed, her head now cradled by the somewhat-
recovered Ranko. "Look out!"
Kage had not been idle, but flicked his wrists sending twin
long knives sliding out of his sleeves and into his hands. He rolled out
from under Tenma's foot while the boy was distracted, slicing a long
gash in his leg.
Saotome hissed in pain and recoiled while the ninja leader
struck like a serpent, the twin daggers flashing foreword with
incredible speed. Tenma took several slashes to his arms and chests as
he worked frantically to dodge.
"I was going to just head back with the girl," Kage told him as
he continued his attacks. "But know I think presenting your broken body
to the Dark Shogun will be a bigger reward."
Tenma gathered as much bravado as he could. "Just try it!"
Growing tired of being forced on the defensive, Tenma blocked a
knife thrust on his left bracer, snapping up a kick to knock the other
knife out of Kage's hand. The weapon shot up into the sky from the force
of the attack, even as the young Saotome lanced out with a fist at
blinding speed.
Kage's head jerked to the side from the force of the blow,
blood and spittle flying. A chop disarmed him of the last knife before
Tenma brought the same hand up and backhanded his enemy, twisted the
man's face in the opposite direction. The younger martial artist then
crouched slightly, his leg whipping up and blurring over the ninja's
front. When it was over, Kage collapsed backwards.
The airborne knife chose that moment to begin its decent, just
as Kage recovered enough of his wits to see it coming down, point first,
heading straight for his neck. As his body was still stunned from his
opponent's attack, Kage closed his eyes and braced for the end.
*Thunk!*
Realizing that he wasn't dead, the ninja master opened his
eyes. The knife had stopped an inch above his neck, with Tenma holding
the handle.
The martial artist's eyes were hard as they bore into the
downed ninja. Tenma struggled with an inner conflict to just let the
knife continue its work. After all, HE had hurt Akara. HE had threatened
her life.
Tenma forced his breathing into calmer territory, but his eyes
never lost their fury. "You've lost," he said simply. "Take a message to
you master and to Kae. Tell them if they don't call off this stupid war,
I'll kill them both."
Kage blinked. "You're letting me go?"
"Tenma, you coward!" Ryo yelled, obviously awake now. "For what
he did to Akara, he-"
"SHUT UP, RYO!" Tenma barked, his tone commanding and deathly
serious. He turned back to his downed adversary. "Yes, I'm letting you
go. But if I ever see your face again, I will kill you... slowly. Do not
let your path cross mine again." He backed off, pulling the knife away.
The black-clad ninja stood up slowly. "You're a fool, Saotome!
You're all fools! The Dark Shogun will crush all who stand in his path.
Your only hope for survival is join him, like I did."
"Is that why Kae betrayed us?" Tenma asked darkly.
He shrugged. "Possibly. Her reasons are her own." Kage turned
to go, muttering under his breath. "Fools." Then he disappeared into
the forest.
Only then did Tenma let himself even start to relax, allowing
the knife to slip from his fingers and land softly upon the ground. He
sensed Ryo's footsteps come up behind him, while Shan Po and Konisha
went to help the downed Amazon warriors.
"I hope you know you're doing, Tenma," Ryo said in a low voice.
Tenma's gaze turned toward his fiancee, as Ranko helped her up.
He couldn't believe the anger he felt at the man who had dared to hurt
her. It scared just how much he wanted to tear Kage apart. It was the
first time in a long while he had ever lost his hard-earned iron
control, and he still found himself trembling and frightened at what he
was prepared to do.
He stared off into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "So do I."
Ranko carefully adjusted her left arm's sling and winced
slightly, while pondering all that she had just been told. Her heart
went out to Akara, now knowing what her friend had been holding in all
this time. Apparently, this latest confrontation had brought to the
surface, feelings and fears that Akara had long sought to bury.
After returning to the Amazon encampment by the shore, Ranko's
sore arm was treated and put into a sling so it would heal faster. A
couple of male Amazon healers tried to lead the youngest Tendo away to
treat her wounds as well, but Akara frantically fought them away in
fear, preferring to stay with the red-head.
Confused, Ranko told the Amazons to leave them alone in the
tent while she treated Akara's cuts and bruises. As she washed and
cleaned them, Ranko couldn't help but feel an odd kinship with the
raven-haired girl. She had come to know Akara well in the past few days,
and it almost felt like meeting a long lost sister.
As she finished up, Akara finally broke down and began to cry,
telling the surprised pig-tailed girl an unhappy story that happened
when she was younger. Shock, fear, outrage, and understanding crossed
Ranko's face as Akara sobbed out her worst fears.
In the end, Ranko had her right arm around Akara, rocking the
other girl back and forth as she cried herself out. She understood now
the barriers Akara had erected around herself, not allowing anyone to
get close to her. The only reason Ranko was able to get this close, was
because of how much she reminded Akara of her mother.
In her emotionally vulnerable state, Akara had hinted at
another person who had managed to work their way inside her shell. Even
though she didn't mention the person by name, Ranko knew the who other
girl was talking about. It was someone who the frightened girl had come
to care about, but was too scared to know what to do about it.
Akara finally stopped talking, looked up at the redhead, and
for the first time that day, smiled. "Thank you, for... listening to me.
I'm sorry I made such a scene."
Ranko observed the puffy eyes and tear-streak cheeks, and felt
that odd sense of sisterhood again. "You're welcome and, don't be
sorry." She gave Akara's shoulders a squeeze with her one-armed hug.
"When you share your pain with another, you give them some of the
burden, that's what my adoptive mother used to tell me." Her gaze
changed slightly. "Now, I think you should find this other person and
tell them at least most of what you told me."
The smile disappeared. "I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
Akara sputtered. "Because.. because..." The only reason she
could come up with was fear, but she didn't want to admit that.
Unfortunately, Ranko knew this. "Exactly." She tried not to
sound too triumphant. "If you don't take steps to deal with this fear
now, it will control you for the rest of your life. I know you care
about... him, so he's as good a person to start with as any."
The other girl sighed in defeat. "I suppose..." The smile
returned half-heartily. "But if he makes fun of me, I'll bash his skull
in."
"Now that's the right attitude! Good girl!"
The two girls smiled at each other and Akara felt a renewed
sense of happiness return to her. Further conversation was stalled as
the sound of many women cheering could be heard outside. Curious, the
pair of female martial artists walked to the tent entrance and pulled
the flap back, stepping outside.
A large group of Amazons were gathered around an open section
of the camp. Akara and Ranko glanced at each other, then shot through
the crowd, trying to get close enough to find out what was going on.
When they finally reached the site of the big commotion, their jaws
dropped simultaneously.
Shan Po had glomped onto Tenma and was hugging him as
affectionately as barnacle hugs the hull of a ship. She pulled her head
back slightly and started foreword, and it was obvious to everyone what
she was about to do.
"Tenma!" Akara screeched.
His head jerked to the side at his fiancee's voice, just as
Shan Po's lips completed their journey, hitting his cheek instead of his
mouth. This was too much for the trembling Akara, and she turned and
fled.
"No, Akara, wait!" Tenma called. "This isn't what it looks
like!" He managed to squirm out of the Amazon's grip and took off after
her.
"What was THAT all about!?" Ranko demanded of Ryo.
"I don't really know," Ryo replied. "Shan Po was asking if Tenma
was alright, and he said yes, and then she just attacked him." He
scratched his head, recalling what had happened next. "Tenma barely
avoided the swings of her mace-thingys and kicked one into her face,
knocking her out. When she came to, she just jumped him. The rest you
saw."
"Is kiss of marriage!" Another Amazon in her teens told them.
Ryo and Ranko, startled, turned to face the newcomer. "When outsider
male beats Amazon in combat, she become his wife by law."
"That's crazy!" Ranko protested.
"Yes!" Ryo exulted. "That means Tenma can't marry Akara now! And
now Akara is free to-" Ranko's elbow found his gut and he doubled over
from the blow. "Ow!"
"This isn't funny!" Ranko admonished him, slightly hurt. Her
gaze turned to where Tenma and Akara had departed. "I hope those two
will be okay..."
"Akara, wait!" Tenma called again as he witnessed her disappear
into the forest. Growling in frustration, he took to the treetops in an
effort to overtake her.
Akara ran, new tears forming in eyes, which was why she didn't
see the obstacle appear in her path. She bumped into him, and a pair of
hands found her shoulders. Her insides wound up in fright, and her arm
wound up for a punch.
*Pow!*
Tenma rubbed his jaw from where he sat on the ground, and Akara
looked at both him and her fist somewhat guiltily. Her face then settle
into a scowl.
"Why aren't you with Shan Po?" she asked accusingly. "It looked
like you two were getting along real well!"
"Knock it off, Akara!" Tenma returned, getting to his feet. "She
just suddenly attacked me, and when I knocked her out, she jumped me! I
don't know what got into her!"
Akara crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him
suspiciously, unsure whether to believe him. She then let out her breath
in a long exhale, turned her back to him, and in a quiet voice she
asked, "So why did you come after me?"
Tenma blinked, somewhat surprised by the question. "Well, your
father did make you my fiancee, so-"
"Is that all?"
He blinked again, unsure of whether he actually heard a bit of
sorrow in her voice. He sighed and sat down on a nearby log. "You wanna
know the truth?"
She turned, eyes showing she was a bit surprised, and nodded.
"Look, when I was training with Satsu-sensei, nothing else
mattered much to me except the Art. Even when my old master tried to
drop hints about getting to know girls and possibly finding a wife, the
only thing that I cared about was practicing the Art. I met a few of the
girls from the nearby village, but frankly didn't think much of them,
except as a distraction. They just didn't seem to matter much to me." He
paused, and Akara took the moment to sit down next to him. His eyes were
closed, as if he recalling another time and place entirely.
"I didn't tell you this before," Tenma continued. "But in the
same note that my sensei left after he died, where he told me to meet
with Tendo-san, he also told me of a deal he struck with your father. He
didn't go into details, but he told me to honor the proposition Tendo-
san would make when I met him. I had no idea that meant a fiancee. And
then you were elected to fill that role, and as opposed to the girls I
knew in the village, you didn't seem to like me very much."
Akara looked down at her toes, guilt ringing in her heart.
"I...don't hate you, Tenma... I never really did. It was just... what
you represented..."
He brought his head up to look at her, some confusion on his
face. "Akara?"
"Because of... an incident that happened when I was younger,
I... didn't really like boys." Akara could feel herself tremble as she
recalled the event. For some reason, it wasn't as bad, now that she had
told Ranko. "I was almost 12 at the time, and was out after dark, coming
home from a friend's house. I was happier then, and carefree, believing
all was right and good."
That was before the Dark Shogun started his war of conquest,
Tenma realized. The land was a bit more peaceful then, with only the
occasional border skirmish between the various Daiymo.
"I never really saw them, it was so dark," Akara was saying.
"They grabbed me, restrained me, covered my mouth so I couldn't even
scream, then dragged me into an alley." She felt herself begin to shake
again, but then she felt Tenma's hand squeeze her shoulder and the
contact seemed to calm her, despite the fact that she expected it to
have the opposite effect. "They tore off my clothes, and I knew what
they were going to do..." Her eyes were clamped shut by this time.
"But then someone was there, fighting them off all by himself.
He draped a blanket around me, and I realized it was my father. He
carried me home where I cried myself to sleep. I had been doing only
light training, learning from my father, but the next day I asked him to
teach me all he knew. I wanted to be strong enough so that no boy could
ever take advantage of me."
"I... I don't know what to say," Tenma whispered. What was one
supposed to say when someone tells you something like that?
"And then you showed up, and you didn't try and take advantage
of me, even when father made you my fiance. You were... different then
the boys I knew." She shook her head, then continued a bit more
nervously. "But now you know. I... I won't blame you if you don't want
to continue the engagement. I think I can get Kimiko to help me talk
father out of it."
"Well, what if I said... what if I said, it didn't matter?" he
supplied just as nervously.
Akara blinked, clearly surprised. "What?"
"You weren't like any of the village girls I used to know," he
told her quickly, before he lost his nerve. "You were tough, and
skilled, and weren't afraid to tell me what you thought, as opposed to
the village girls who kept pushing themselves on me. And then I heard
that Tateyama was going to marry you, and I got so... angry for some
reason. The same thing happened when Kage threatened your life. Then
I... well, I realized that you... well, matter to me and I don't want to
lose you."
"Tenma..." Her heart, going a million miles a minute, seemed to
melt at the statement.
"I don't know about you, but I'd kinda like to try and make this
work, that is if want to... If you don't, that's okay, too." He
completed his spiel and sat nervously studying his toes. Some part of
him thought the whole thing was stupid and inane, the way he was
practically going to pieces for some girl.
Then he felt her slip her hand into his, and suddenly, it
didn't seem so stupid anymore. "I... wouldn't mind seeing where this
goes, either," she told him shyly.
He gulped. "A-Akara?"
"After all," she continued with a grin, "I couldn't do much
worse for a fiance."
Tenma's emotions underwent rapid readjustment, into more
familiar territory. "Hey I think you should be thankful to have me
engaged to you, with me being so good looking, and you being so
uncute..."
*Bop!* "Oh really!?"
He gingerly rubbed the bump on his head. "Well, that is-" A
pair of fingers fell on his lips, but that's not what stopped him from
saying more. It was the sight of her twinkling, big brown eyes, lush,
full lips, and pink-tinged skin only inches away when he turned his head
to look at her, that rendered him speechless.
"Shut up, before you say any more stupid things," she chided
him.
As Tenma continued to gaze at her, his mouth suddenly felt dry,
so he swallowed. Why hadn't she looked this cute before? Had he just not
noticed? "Well, um, so... what now?" he asked, because he couldn't think
of anything else.
Her blush intensified, and she could swear her ears were
burning. "Well, normally, an engaged couple get closer by, uh, kissing."
She couldn't believe what she had just said, since the whole concept
hadn't much occurred to her in the past several weeks.
Tenma blinked, then he backed up a foot.. "You want me to kiss
you!?" It came out more forceful then he intended.
"What's the matter!?" she demanded to know.
"Nothing!" he insisted, hands waving in front of him in warding
gestures.
Akara smiled suddenly. "Oh ho, I get it. You don't know how to
kiss, do you?"
"What!?"
She grinned wider. "That's it! So it's understandable you'd be
too scared to try it!" A part of her knew that she was goading him, and
knowing Tenma, that part of her mind knew what the outcome would be.
Strangely, she wasn't as scared at the prospect as she thought she'd be.
"I am not!" he retorted. "You better take that back, or else!"
"Or else what?" She batted her eyes at him, in a move that she
hoped would fluster him. It partially worked. "You're going turn chicken
and run off?"
He shoved down the nervousness and surprise he had been
feeling, his face hardening as if for battle. "No, 'cause something like
that should mean something!"
"What makes you think it won't, Mr. Chicken?"
And then she began to cluck.
For Tenma, it was the last straw, and suddenly his lips were
hot on hers.
She sucked breath in through her nose. She hadn't even seen him
move! She froze, the only sound in her ears being the intense beating of
her heart that she swore he could probably feel, since his chest was
pressed up against hers.
It was nice, she decided at last, if a bit clumsy. Then it was
over, and he was pulling back, his face as flushed as hers, blood
pounding in their ears, and both breathing heavily. She swallowed once,
trying to find her voice.
"Well, not bad," she said at last, her breath returning.
"Not bad!?" He sounded insulted, and Akara giggled, suddenly
feeling like a younger, care-free girl again.
"I'll admit there's some potential, but...." she trailed off,
suggestively.
"Listen you-!"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "So, I guess you'll just
have to practice until you get it right."
He stopped, as that sounded like an open invitation to him. Did
she really want to-? Did she really feel-? He tilted his head towards
her again, slower this time, giving her time to back out. He felt more
self-conscious and scared this time, even though he had just kissed her
once and was still alive to remember it.
She saw his approach this time, gathered her courage and closed
the distance. Their lips brushed against each other, tentatively at
first, but then Akara applied pressure, pushing them more firmly
together. Her fingers laced themselves through her fiance's pony-tail,
not even realizing she was holding it. His hands were on her shoulders,
gripping firmly as the rush of feelings and emotions consumed them both.
That would've continued for quite some time, if they hadn't
been disturbed.
"TENCHAN!"
The screech galvanized Tenma's instincts and he firmly shoved
Akara backwards. She tumbled clumsily off the log and fell into the
grassy brush behind it, even as he rolled backwards, thus avoiding the
metal projectiles that lodged themselves in log where the couple had
been sitting.
Again, letting his training and instinct guide him, he placed
his hands on the log and flipped backwards into a standing position,
narrowly avoiding the swish of the large weapon that was aiming for him.
Only then, did he finally see their assailant, as she touched down on
the log in front of him, holding her unusual weapon with both hands.
He blinked, recognizing both the weapon and the girl, and
uttered one name in total surprise.
"Yu-chan!?!?"
---------------------------------
Author's notes:
Although it may seem to be a bit too soon for it, remember that these
two, although they have a lot in common with Ranma and Akane, aren't the
same people. Before Shampoo showed up in the manga, R&A came very close
to kissing (if not for their voyeur family watching and taping it, they
would have kissed). Also, Tenma has almost lost Akara twice already, and
these two are older (19, as opposed to 16), are somewhat more mature,
and Akara has Ranko for support, helping her.