Chapter 2
Waking up was comparable to trying to claw my way out of quicksand when I was already under. As I slowly opened my eyes, I took in everything at once. I was back in my room at home, laying on my bed.
Slowly I got up and raised my arms above my head, arcing my back to help get the kinks out. Walking out of the room, I noticed how stiff I was and decided to workout a bit before breakfast.
Walking past the kitchen, I noted that there were no sounds coming from inside. Shrugging, I decided that Kasumi had decided to sleep in. As I entered the dojo, I noticed something was amiss. Looking around, I finally noticed what it was. The bloodstains. There were blood stains on the wall.
I walked cautiously to the center of the dojo and stepped in a puddle of something that was like a cooling liquid. Dread filling me, I looked down and immediately doubled over and vomited, sobbing.
Lying in a pool of dark blood, his blood, was Ranma. His throat was ripped out and there were deep and shallow gashes covering his entire body, and his clothes were ripped, barely covering a thing.
My heart felt as if ripped in two by agiant hand and as my knees gave, I sobbed. After the initial sobbing of grief and disbelief I screamed out in rage and pain, "WHO DID THIS?!?!?!"
I was surprised when a voice answered me, "I did."
Turning sharply, my tears drying in the heat of my sudden battle aura, I gaze at the woman standing before me. She has waist-length blue-black hair and was wearing ebony, skin-tight bell-bottom jeans and a black skin-tight shirt with a high collar and sleeves that ended just where her thumbs began. In one of her hands she holds a katana. It has a black hilt, the shape of a dragon. The blade was shimmering silver with a rose vine carved upon it. It was covered in blood though, which made the beauty dark, evil.
"Who are you?" I hiss dangerously. Of course it was a stupid question. You could tell who she was by looking at her.
She takes a sensual step forward, "I'm your dark side," She whispers softly, gently. Then she locks her eyes with mine.
Involuntarily I fall back a few steps, my eyes widening. Her gaze was almost exactly like Ryouga's. Except there was no fear, and the Hunger was on a leash.
As she started walking towards me, her form seemed to shimmer and suddenly, Ranma took her place.
"R-Ranma?" I ask uncertainly. My heart lurches and I shoot a quick glance behind mw, where the corpse should be. Should be, but isn't. Shakily I look back at him and begin, "I-I thought y-you were... but how..."
My heart races as he stops in front of me and leans down, whispering, "Join me."
I feel his warm mouth gently kissing down my jaw line, stopping at my chin, then kissing me full on the lips. Wait... is that his _tongue?_ I thought dizzily.
As I start getting really into the kiss, I feel a cold, dark spark shine through my soul that rapidly expands. It was then that I realized what was happening to me. I was turning evil. Funny thing was that it didn't alarm me at all. That, however, did alarm me, because while I couldn't muster up the motivation to actually give a damn, I knew I was supposed to be feeling something. Oh well, I thought, drowning into the kiss.
He started to pull back and I pouted. As he opened his eyes and took in my expression he asks innocently, "What?" It was then that I noticed that I seemed to hunger for this, and for other things.
Reaching a hand behind his head I say throatily, "Get back here." With that I pull him down for another kiss, this one much longer and, if possible, much more passionate.
When we part this time, I note gladly, it's Ranma that seems...fuzzy, I guess the word is.
"Whoa." He said softly. I grin. And _then_ I wake up. This time it was all at once. I sensed someone's hand reaching for me and in an instant I deflected the hand, sat bolt upright, and had my hand around the person's throat.
Then I open my eyes. Oops. Sheepishly, I let go of Ranma's throat. He scowls at me.
"Geez, I try to help you and what do you do? You try to kill me! Uncute tomboy." He says grouchily.
"Sorry." I say throatily. I stand up in front of him and press my body against his. I lean in and kiss him full on the mouth, tongue and all. I feel Ranma's body stiffen and then slowly relax as he starts to kiss back. Kami-sama, he's even better than in my dream!
When I pull back this time, I notice that the Hunger is sated. "Take me shopping." I say cutely. Ranma nods dizzily and then falls down on his back, apparently unconscious. Sighing, I pick him up and put him on the bed.
Then I notice all the stares directed at me. I turn around scowling. "What is it?" I ask venomously, hands on my hips. There was silence. Sighing I walk over to the couch and drape myself over it lazily. Then I notice that my hair's longer. About waist length. Just like the dream-Akane. Shrugging, I dismiss it as unimportant.
"So how long have I been unconscious, and what exactly happened during that time?" I ask disinterestedly.
"Half an hour. After you passed out your body was finally done changing. You were a wolf. Then something weird started happening." Heero began.
"Your color kept changing between black and silver. Finally it stayed on black. Then you changed back to your human form, with longer hair and also black nails." Nabiki concluded. Looking down at my finger nails I notice that, yes, they're black and longer. I shrug. All a part of being evil, I guess.
"Doesn't _any_ of this bug you?" Wufei asks.
"Nope."
"HOW CAN YOU NOT FREAKING CARE, WOMAN?!?! ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING?!? YOU FREAKING CHANGED BODIES AND THEN YOU'RE OWN BODY CHANGED!!!!" exploded Wufei. That woke Ranma up. He sits bolt upright in the bed, fully awake and alert.
"Don't care." I smirk. "Besides, I'm evil." Ranma blinks, then is next to me faster then I could blink. I sit up and face him. Sitting behind me, somehow, he slides his arms around me and brings me not a millimeter in front of him.
"No, no, no. You can't be evil. Please, please don't be evil. Saffron was evil and I had to kill him because of it. I can't do the same to you." He whispers hoarsely. Turning in his lap I put my arms around him, I place his head on my shoulder as warm wetness slowly trickles down my shoulder.
"Sh, it's alright. I'm not that kind of evil. I would never make you go through that. It's alright." I say gently in his ear, rocking him like a scared little child.
**** **** ****
After the whole incident with Ranma was over, we head out to the mall after severe protests from all men involved. Afore mentioned protests were quickly lost to the threat of going to the lingerie department.
So we happily went to the mall. Did you know that they have JC Penny outlets in Japan? So anyway, I happily went about choosing my clothes.
I decide to try on my combo first. Checking in the mirror, I admire what looks back.
I'm wearing glossy, skin-tight black leather pants and a matching halter that's barely a millimeter past my breasts. Taking some make-up from a purse I got from the same place I get my mallet from, I apply a little of some blood-red lipstick I bought and a bit of eye shadow. Winking at my reflection, I walk out of the women's dressing room. I could feel the eyes on me as I walk sensuously towards Ranma and the gang.
"Akane?" I hear Ranma's weak voice whisper. I smile cutely.
"You like?" Various nods from all males present show their consent.
"Little sister?" I hear Nabiki ask from behind me. How the hell had she gotten behind me without me noticing?
"Mm?" I noise.
"Why are you wearing that?"
"Cause I look good in it and I know it." I turn around and say to her. Then I notice the clothes _she's_ wearing.
Glossy black leather mini-skirt and an inches below her feminine assets mid-rift shirt with Chinese-style collar and loose sleeves all the way to her wrist, where it ends in a cuff. All in all, she looks as good, if not better, than I do. Oh yeah, I can't forget the just-below-her-knees leather boots and fishnet stockings. Or the black velvet choker with a large diamond in the center.
"Like it?" She asks. I nod.
"Nice choice."
I walk back into the changing room and switch to my next outfit. A sleeveless leather t-shirt, Chinese-style collar, with an embroidered blood-red dragon with midnight-blue trimmed scales is coiled thrice around the shirt, it's head ending at my left shoulder, just above my heart. Next goes the capris. They have the same style and color dragon except it goes down the sides of my pants. Then I put on the ankle-boots and the armband of the exact same dragon coiled thrice around my upper arm. Looks good.
I walk out of the dressing room and notice all males are staring at me and Nabiki, who is wearing the exact same clothes as me except with a silver dragon with gold-trimmed scales. Upon catching sight of me, she smirks. I smirk back.
"Looks like we like the same clothes." She said.
"Looks like it."
After we get settled with our clothes, we head back to the apartment. By the time we get there it's 8:00. Gee, we musta spent a lot of time shopping. Nabiki and I find somewhere that we can change and put on our leathers, as I call them. You know, the ones with the capris.
Walking into the living room, I slide over to Ranma and ask cutely, "Can we go out on the town tonight?"
Shrug. "Sure, I guess." I glance over in Nabiki's direction and see that she somehow managed to convince the Ice King (Heero) to go out with us tonight.
Smiling happily, Nabiki and I walk out the door, our dates right behind us.
After a good amount of time searching, we found the perfect place. It was a dance club. You know, the ones with the lights swirling and changing and the type of dancing you see in the movie 'Save the Last Dance.' Oh, and the very, very loud music.
Swaying my hips to the beat, I drag Ranma by the hand to the center of the dance floor. Turning and facing Ranma, I allow my body to do what comes naturally. As I relax and get into it, I notice Nabiki and Heero dancing as well. Somewhere in the back of my mind I note that Ranma is a very good dancer.
As the music stops, I am once again aware of what my body was doing. Noticing the position Ranma and I are in blood rushes to my face as I sheepishly step back from him. Looking up into his face I see he has a weird expression on his face. Kind of a mix of shock, amusement, enjoyment, and embarrassment.
Finally his face is neutral, but there's an unmistakable blush staining his cheeks. I look over in the direction of Nabiki and Heero and see them in a similar position, both unmoving. Thinking it weird, I look more closely at them.
It was then that I notice Nabiki's glazed expression. As if on cue, Nabiki gasps and puts a hand over the left side of her abdomen, just as a dark red liquid begins gushing between her fingers. As she begins to collapse, Heero catches her and gently places her on the floor.
Concern and rage shoot through my being as I watch people running around me, shouting things that seem unintelligible and pointless. My eyes narrow and an idea sets itself firmly in my mind. Kill him. Kill the person who did this to her. Make them PAY!
My aura expands upwards and outwards, looking for all the world like a black dragon. Then I notice someone. Some one holding a gun. Some one aiming for me.
As a primal scream of rage tears itself from my throat, I lunge at him, my hands clawing.
I barely notice as my body shifts and I begin sprinting on all fours, my aura mimicking my every movement.
Opening a maw full of sharp teeth I almost crush his head, but he turns and runs before I reach him.
Snarling, I chase after him. As he turns into and alleyway in an attempt to loose me, I close in behind him and slash his back with my clawed, but faintly human hands. He falls to his knees and looks at me in sheer horror.
"W-what the hell are you?" he asks in a hysterical voice.
I bare my fangs and reply in a deep rumbling voice, "Your worst nightmare." Yeah, kinda B movie, but it fit.
He scrambles uselessly to get away as I pin him down with my entire body weight, grinning merciless, I plan out the most painful way to die. And then put it to action.
**** **** ****
Back to human form now, I stand in the alleyway licking the blood off my mouth. Before me lay the mangled corpse of the man who harmed my sister.
Amazingly my outfit was clean, but I can't say the same for my mouth or hands. Well, at least it was fun.
Turning, I walk sensuously out of the alley and walk towards the dance club, readying myself for acting like the worried younger sister. While I was worried, I knew Nabiki would survive. She's tough.
Waking up was comparable to trying to claw my way out of quicksand when I was already under. As I slowly opened my eyes, I took in everything at once. I was back in my room at home, laying on my bed.
Slowly I got up and raised my arms above my head, arcing my back to help get the kinks out. Walking out of the room, I noticed how stiff I was and decided to workout a bit before breakfast.
Walking past the kitchen, I noted that there were no sounds coming from inside. Shrugging, I decided that Kasumi had decided to sleep in. As I entered the dojo, I noticed something was amiss. Looking around, I finally noticed what it was. The bloodstains. There were blood stains on the wall.
I walked cautiously to the center of the dojo and stepped in a puddle of something that was like a cooling liquid. Dread filling me, I looked down and immediately doubled over and vomited, sobbing.
Lying in a pool of dark blood, his blood, was Ranma. His throat was ripped out and there were deep and shallow gashes covering his entire body, and his clothes were ripped, barely covering a thing.
My heart felt as if ripped in two by agiant hand and as my knees gave, I sobbed. After the initial sobbing of grief and disbelief I screamed out in rage and pain, "WHO DID THIS?!?!?!"
I was surprised when a voice answered me, "I did."
Turning sharply, my tears drying in the heat of my sudden battle aura, I gaze at the woman standing before me. She has waist-length blue-black hair and was wearing ebony, skin-tight bell-bottom jeans and a black skin-tight shirt with a high collar and sleeves that ended just where her thumbs began. In one of her hands she holds a katana. It has a black hilt, the shape of a dragon. The blade was shimmering silver with a rose vine carved upon it. It was covered in blood though, which made the beauty dark, evil.
"Who are you?" I hiss dangerously. Of course it was a stupid question. You could tell who she was by looking at her.
She takes a sensual step forward, "I'm your dark side," She whispers softly, gently. Then she locks her eyes with mine.
Involuntarily I fall back a few steps, my eyes widening. Her gaze was almost exactly like Ryouga's. Except there was no fear, and the Hunger was on a leash.
As she started walking towards me, her form seemed to shimmer and suddenly, Ranma took her place.
"R-Ranma?" I ask uncertainly. My heart lurches and I shoot a quick glance behind mw, where the corpse should be. Should be, but isn't. Shakily I look back at him and begin, "I-I thought y-you were... but how..."
My heart races as he stops in front of me and leans down, whispering, "Join me."
I feel his warm mouth gently kissing down my jaw line, stopping at my chin, then kissing me full on the lips. Wait... is that his _tongue?_ I thought dizzily.
As I start getting really into the kiss, I feel a cold, dark spark shine through my soul that rapidly expands. It was then that I realized what was happening to me. I was turning evil. Funny thing was that it didn't alarm me at all. That, however, did alarm me, because while I couldn't muster up the motivation to actually give a damn, I knew I was supposed to be feeling something. Oh well, I thought, drowning into the kiss.
He started to pull back and I pouted. As he opened his eyes and took in my expression he asks innocently, "What?" It was then that I noticed that I seemed to hunger for this, and for other things.
Reaching a hand behind his head I say throatily, "Get back here." With that I pull him down for another kiss, this one much longer and, if possible, much more passionate.
When we part this time, I note gladly, it's Ranma that seems...fuzzy, I guess the word is.
"Whoa." He said softly. I grin. And _then_ I wake up. This time it was all at once. I sensed someone's hand reaching for me and in an instant I deflected the hand, sat bolt upright, and had my hand around the person's throat.
Then I open my eyes. Oops. Sheepishly, I let go of Ranma's throat. He scowls at me.
"Geez, I try to help you and what do you do? You try to kill me! Uncute tomboy." He says grouchily.
"Sorry." I say throatily. I stand up in front of him and press my body against his. I lean in and kiss him full on the mouth, tongue and all. I feel Ranma's body stiffen and then slowly relax as he starts to kiss back. Kami-sama, he's even better than in my dream!
When I pull back this time, I notice that the Hunger is sated. "Take me shopping." I say cutely. Ranma nods dizzily and then falls down on his back, apparently unconscious. Sighing, I pick him up and put him on the bed.
Then I notice all the stares directed at me. I turn around scowling. "What is it?" I ask venomously, hands on my hips. There was silence. Sighing I walk over to the couch and drape myself over it lazily. Then I notice that my hair's longer. About waist length. Just like the dream-Akane. Shrugging, I dismiss it as unimportant.
"So how long have I been unconscious, and what exactly happened during that time?" I ask disinterestedly.
"Half an hour. After you passed out your body was finally done changing. You were a wolf. Then something weird started happening." Heero began.
"Your color kept changing between black and silver. Finally it stayed on black. Then you changed back to your human form, with longer hair and also black nails." Nabiki concluded. Looking down at my finger nails I notice that, yes, they're black and longer. I shrug. All a part of being evil, I guess.
"Doesn't _any_ of this bug you?" Wufei asks.
"Nope."
"HOW CAN YOU NOT FREAKING CARE, WOMAN?!?! ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING?!? YOU FREAKING CHANGED BODIES AND THEN YOU'RE OWN BODY CHANGED!!!!" exploded Wufei. That woke Ranma up. He sits bolt upright in the bed, fully awake and alert.
"Don't care." I smirk. "Besides, I'm evil." Ranma blinks, then is next to me faster then I could blink. I sit up and face him. Sitting behind me, somehow, he slides his arms around me and brings me not a millimeter in front of him.
"No, no, no. You can't be evil. Please, please don't be evil. Saffron was evil and I had to kill him because of it. I can't do the same to you." He whispers hoarsely. Turning in his lap I put my arms around him, I place his head on my shoulder as warm wetness slowly trickles down my shoulder.
"Sh, it's alright. I'm not that kind of evil. I would never make you go through that. It's alright." I say gently in his ear, rocking him like a scared little child.
**** **** ****
After the whole incident with Ranma was over, we head out to the mall after severe protests from all men involved. Afore mentioned protests were quickly lost to the threat of going to the lingerie department.
So we happily went to the mall. Did you know that they have JC Penny outlets in Japan? So anyway, I happily went about choosing my clothes.
I decide to try on my combo first. Checking in the mirror, I admire what looks back.
I'm wearing glossy, skin-tight black leather pants and a matching halter that's barely a millimeter past my breasts. Taking some make-up from a purse I got from the same place I get my mallet from, I apply a little of some blood-red lipstick I bought and a bit of eye shadow. Winking at my reflection, I walk out of the women's dressing room. I could feel the eyes on me as I walk sensuously towards Ranma and the gang.
"Akane?" I hear Ranma's weak voice whisper. I smile cutely.
"You like?" Various nods from all males present show their consent.
"Little sister?" I hear Nabiki ask from behind me. How the hell had she gotten behind me without me noticing?
"Mm?" I noise.
"Why are you wearing that?"
"Cause I look good in it and I know it." I turn around and say to her. Then I notice the clothes _she's_ wearing.
Glossy black leather mini-skirt and an inches below her feminine assets mid-rift shirt with Chinese-style collar and loose sleeves all the way to her wrist, where it ends in a cuff. All in all, she looks as good, if not better, than I do. Oh yeah, I can't forget the just-below-her-knees leather boots and fishnet stockings. Or the black velvet choker with a large diamond in the center.
"Like it?" She asks. I nod.
"Nice choice."
I walk back into the changing room and switch to my next outfit. A sleeveless leather t-shirt, Chinese-style collar, with an embroidered blood-red dragon with midnight-blue trimmed scales is coiled thrice around the shirt, it's head ending at my left shoulder, just above my heart. Next goes the capris. They have the same style and color dragon except it goes down the sides of my pants. Then I put on the ankle-boots and the armband of the exact same dragon coiled thrice around my upper arm. Looks good.
I walk out of the dressing room and notice all males are staring at me and Nabiki, who is wearing the exact same clothes as me except with a silver dragon with gold-trimmed scales. Upon catching sight of me, she smirks. I smirk back.
"Looks like we like the same clothes." She said.
"Looks like it."
After we get settled with our clothes, we head back to the apartment. By the time we get there it's 8:00. Gee, we musta spent a lot of time shopping. Nabiki and I find somewhere that we can change and put on our leathers, as I call them. You know, the ones with the capris.
Walking into the living room, I slide over to Ranma and ask cutely, "Can we go out on the town tonight?"
Shrug. "Sure, I guess." I glance over in Nabiki's direction and see that she somehow managed to convince the Ice King (Heero) to go out with us tonight.
Smiling happily, Nabiki and I walk out the door, our dates right behind us.
After a good amount of time searching, we found the perfect place. It was a dance club. You know, the ones with the lights swirling and changing and the type of dancing you see in the movie 'Save the Last Dance.' Oh, and the very, very loud music.
Swaying my hips to the beat, I drag Ranma by the hand to the center of the dance floor. Turning and facing Ranma, I allow my body to do what comes naturally. As I relax and get into it, I notice Nabiki and Heero dancing as well. Somewhere in the back of my mind I note that Ranma is a very good dancer.
As the music stops, I am once again aware of what my body was doing. Noticing the position Ranma and I are in blood rushes to my face as I sheepishly step back from him. Looking up into his face I see he has a weird expression on his face. Kind of a mix of shock, amusement, enjoyment, and embarrassment.
Finally his face is neutral, but there's an unmistakable blush staining his cheeks. I look over in the direction of Nabiki and Heero and see them in a similar position, both unmoving. Thinking it weird, I look more closely at them.
It was then that I notice Nabiki's glazed expression. As if on cue, Nabiki gasps and puts a hand over the left side of her abdomen, just as a dark red liquid begins gushing between her fingers. As she begins to collapse, Heero catches her and gently places her on the floor.
Concern and rage shoot through my being as I watch people running around me, shouting things that seem unintelligible and pointless. My eyes narrow and an idea sets itself firmly in my mind. Kill him. Kill the person who did this to her. Make them PAY!
My aura expands upwards and outwards, looking for all the world like a black dragon. Then I notice someone. Some one holding a gun. Some one aiming for me.
As a primal scream of rage tears itself from my throat, I lunge at him, my hands clawing.
I barely notice as my body shifts and I begin sprinting on all fours, my aura mimicking my every movement.
Opening a maw full of sharp teeth I almost crush his head, but he turns and runs before I reach him.
Snarling, I chase after him. As he turns into and alleyway in an attempt to loose me, I close in behind him and slash his back with my clawed, but faintly human hands. He falls to his knees and looks at me in sheer horror.
"W-what the hell are you?" he asks in a hysterical voice.
I bare my fangs and reply in a deep rumbling voice, "Your worst nightmare." Yeah, kinda B movie, but it fit.
He scrambles uselessly to get away as I pin him down with my entire body weight, grinning merciless, I plan out the most painful way to die. And then put it to action.
**** **** ****
Back to human form now, I stand in the alleyway licking the blood off my mouth. Before me lay the mangled corpse of the man who harmed my sister.
Amazingly my outfit was clean, but I can't say the same for my mouth or hands. Well, at least it was fun.
Turning, I walk sensuously out of the alley and walk towards the dance club, readying myself for acting like the worried younger sister. While I was worried, I knew Nabiki would survive. She's tough.