I realize that I haven't left any author notes on the past few
chapters…sorry! I get in such a hurry and am so excited to see what you
guys have to say that I just forget. 0_o
I'm sorry if it seems I am dragging the story out, but I've been trying to lay out the ground work for future chapters. I need to start things now so that the plot makes sense later. (If I knew when I started how complicated this story line was going to turn out I would have chosen a different one!) Anyways, don't worry guys! Ranma and Akane are going to get together in the next few chapters! I just couldn't rush things because I needed to give Akane enough time to improve…
Starry Night
Chapter Twelve
The swirling mists once again surround the pair as they walked on in silence. They dared not stopped because they knew what the mist wanted, to separate them. Even if they only hesitated for a split second the mist would take advantage of the situation and start to grasp onto their arms and legs, always pulling them away from each other. So they held onto each other's hands and kept their pace quick. Once they reached the clearing they would be safe from the mist. For some reason that was the one boundary it could not cross, no matter how hard the mist tried it could never enter the clearing.
They were close to the clearing now, Akane could see the blue of the sky through the breaks that were starting to form in the trees. They quickened their pace to a run, trying to escape what they knew was coming. In a last ditch effort to keep the couple out of the clearing, the mist made on last grab at Akane, barely missing her ankle.
Ranma reached down a hand and Akane grasped it, marveling at the energy she felt flowing between them. She quickly squashed the fluttery feeling in her stomach, and smiled at Ranma as he helped her to her feet. If the heat she felt washing over her was any indication, then her face was probably beet red. When she finally looked up from the ground Ranma was standing right in front of her with an amused look in his eyes. Silently he held his hand out and waited for her to take it. When she did, he gently took hold and led her over to the log to sit down. Why couldn't the real Ranma be like her dream Ranma?
"You know Akane, if we are going to train today you are going to have to relax a little," Ranma said to her. He had the smile on his face that always took her breath away.
"I'm just not used to training with someone," Akane said before realizing how dumb the excuse must have sounded.
"You mean your just not used to training with me yet, right?" Ranma asked while turning to look at the forest. "I can leave if you want me too."
"No! Please don't leave me! It's just that, I'm not used to you being so kind to me. I mean we have been training for three days now and you have yet to tell me how ugly or klutzy I am. I'm just not use to it." Akane said, she was also staring into the trees. She couldn't say those kinds of things to Ranma while looking him in the eye; she would lose her nerve.
"I can start saying those things if they would make you feel more comfortable," Ranma responded with a hint of mirth in his voice.
"No, please don't." Akane said in a weak voice. She had never been able to tell the real Ranma how his name-calling had made her feel, but maybe she could tell this Ranma. After all he was just a part of her dream, and getting the problem off of her chest would probably help her feel better.
"Ranma, I don't like the way you make me feel when you call me those names," Akane faltered, unsure of what words to say. She soon found she had no problem though, she just said what she felt. "I feel like I am inadequate in every way. What am I compared to your other fiancées? Ukyou is cute, Shampoo has half the men in Nerima after her, and all I am is uncute. I'm not all right, I'm not barely passable, I am just uncute."
"Akane, I don't," Ranma started to say as he saw the tears well up in her eyes, but she held up a hand to stop him from saying any more.
"Please hear me out. I need to tell you this," Akane closed her eyes and took a deep breath in order to regain control. "I used to be the best martial artist in all of Nerima. No one could come close to touching me, except for maybe Kuno. Then all of a sudden here you come, and you were so good at the arts. Then Ryoga comes, followed by Shampoo and Ukyou. The next thing you know, I am constantly surrounded by people who could wipe the ground with me in a heartbeat. I ask you to train me so I can be at their level and regain my sense of security, but you just call me a klutz and tell me you don't hit girls. You know what though, I know that you have fought with Shampoo and I'm pretty sure you have trained with Ukyou, I just can't prove it."
Akane stopped to take a deep shuddering breath before continuing. "I know that I must sound like I am rambling to you, but what can you expect. After all I am just a dumb as a box of rocks and I am built like an ox to boot. Wait a minute, I forgot the part about my thighs and how I don't look as good as your girl side. Do you know the part that hurt the most though? I hear the other fiancées repeating these things that you say to me. Then I stop and take a good look at myself. I mean, what do I really have to offer compared to them?"
Tears started to flow freely down Akane's face even though she tried to stop them. This imitation Ranma of hers had slowly chipped away at her resolve to be strong and left her feeling weak and exposed to the world. None of this really mattered anyways, they were just in her dream world. No one would ever know how she really felt, her secret was safe.
Soon she felt Ranma's strong arms wrap around her body and pull her into the safety of his warm embrace. The comfort she found there was beyond explanation, it was a mixture of security, contentment and something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever the feeling was, it was quickly calming her down though.
She soon found her sobs reduced to sniffles, as she closed her eyes, and relaxed on his chest. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest was having a hypnotic effect on her and she quickly became aware of how closely he was holding her. The faint stirrings of a strange feeling were beginning to come to life within her, leaving her yearning for more. More than just a mere embrace, much more than just comfort.
Slowly she lifted her gaze to Ranma's face just as he was looking down at her, he have been feeling the same thing. His eyes were turning a smoky gray and his face held an expression she had never seen before, it was all very exhilarating.
The look in his eyes grew in intensity as he bent his head towards hers. He was going to kiss her! She had been dreaming of this moment for so long, and now it was finally going to happen! Akane closed her eyes and moved to meet him half way. Everything was just so perfect, they were all alone, and the woods were so still and quiet. Here she was with Ranma, her Ranma, and he was finally going to take their so-called relationship to the next level.
Her heart started racing as she felt his warm breath on her face, he was so close to her. In her mind she could see Ranma dressed-up as Romeo. The look on his face was close to the one she had seen right before she had closed her eyes, but there was one difference, one thing she hadn't thought of. Her Romeo Ranma was real, her dream Ranma wasn't.
Akane knew she needed to do something before the situation went any farther than it already had. There was no way she could kiss this dream Ranma, it just didn't feel right, it just wasn't, it just wasn't Ranma. Quickly, before her emotions got the best of her, Akane turned her head. With a deep, heart-wrenching regret she felt Ranma's lips touch her cheek just to the right of her lips. Quietly, she lifted her hand and gently laid it on the spot he had just kissed, caressing it as she turned to look at him. The hurt she saw on his face was almost more than she could bear, but it wouldn't change her decision.
"Akane, I," Ranma started to say, but Akane cut him off before he could finish.
"Ranma, please don't." Akane said. "It wasn't anything you did. I wanted to kiss you, I just couldn't."
"I don't understand," Ranma said, looking away from her once again.
"I want my first kiss to be a special thing that I share with the man I love," Akane said with her eyes closed. She couldn't look at him, not now.
"You may be Ranma, but only here in my dreams."
"What?" Ranma asked in total confusion.
"You look like Ranma, feel like Ranma, you even smell like Ranma, but you are not Ranma. You're not my Ranma."
"You've lost me. If I look, feel and smell like Ranma, then how can I not be Ranma?"
"You are in my dream, or at least I think this is a dream. Anyways, I only come here while I am sleeping so this must be a dream world, and you are in it, so you must be part of my dream."
"So if I am in your dream, and I'm Ranma, why can't you kiss me?"
Akane looked at her dream Ranma and wondered that he didn't get it. How could he not understand how kissing him would make her feel?
"You may be a dream, but you are a little to real for me. When I was getting ready to kiss you I felt like I was betraying the real Ranma. I could never, no I would never do that to him. I want my first kiss to be with Ranma."
Akane sat in silence, staring into the forest, waiting for a remark from Ranma. While she waited, she watched the mist as it weaved around the trunks of the trees, looking for a way to enter their haven. The mist would start to push in towards the center just to be repelled back to the trees. The way the mist kept trying to intrude into the haven started to make Akane wonder if this was indeed a dream world, or if she was somewhere else. If she were in charge of the dream couldn't she make the mist and her other self go away? She had tried to on occasion, but they never left. They were always lurking in the shadows, laying in wait, but for what?
"Well, if we are going to train we had better get started Ranma. It is almost dawn and the creature should be here soon." With that Ranma and Akane squared off in their ready stances and started another night of sparing.
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The embers in the dying fire cast an eerie glow across the campsite, till every little thing seemed frightening. Off in the distance an owl called into the night, causing the poor girl to jump in fright. Tonight was not the first night that she had ever stayed in the open. For that matter, most of her young life had been spent on the road, she was used to it by now. Tonight was different though, something just wasn't right. The soft breeze had a slight chill to it, the animals were too quiet, and every now and then she could swear she felt something slimy crawl across her leg. Every time she felt this thing, she would shine her flashlight into her sleeping bag, but there was never anything there.
Just as she started to drift to sleep for the twentieth time, Kurumi felt something on her leg again. She didn't bother to look this time though, she knew nothing would be there. After calming herself down, she looked towards the figure sleeping on the other side of the fire. How Natsume was able to sleep on a night like tonight was beyond her, but then her sister had been obsessed with defeating Ranma and Akane for so long that nothing seemed to bother her anymore. Or at least she didn't notice much anymore.
Revenge could be such an all-consuming thing; Kurumi had learned this first hand, it had changed her sister so much. Natsume was no longer the caring sister that was concerned with her well-being, no she hadn't been that in a long time. All that mattered to her now was her conquest of the Tendo dojo. She really didn't understand why her sister wanted to take it away from Akane and Ranma in the first place, there really was no reason. They had discovered that Soun wasn't their real father after all. That was just some lie that Happosai had told; something he had said in an attempt to motivate them towards a goal, and it had been a good goal. Look at all they had accomplished! They were both highly skilled martial artist, they had learned how to take care of themselves, and they had developed a strong sense of honor. Well, Kurumi thought they had, but look at Natsume now. How could she find the conquest of the Tendo dojo an admirable goal? The Tendos and the Saotomes were their friends, they had taken care of them. After the sister's had tried to take over the dojo under the misconception that Soun was their father, they had forgiven them. They were the closest thing to a family that they had.
Kurumi had thought about leaving Natsume's side for some time now. She was tired of following her sister on this course action, but she couldn't do that. Maybe if she stayed around and talked to her sister long enough, then she could change her mind. If that didn't work though, then she could rush back to Japan and warn the Tendo's of Natsume's plan. Whatever needed to be done she would do.
Just on the edges of the light cast by the campfire, Kurumi thought she saw something lurking about. She reached out with her senses, but could feel nothing there. Yet there it was, a kind of shadow that seemed to moved effortlessly between the variances of light. A cold chill filled her body, as the shadow seemed to move closer to her side of the campfire. Was there really anything there though? With the way the dying fire was flickering it was hard to tell. Her mind was probably just playing tricks on her, she had been psyching herself up for it. Wasn't she just thinking how odd everything felt?
Kurumi closed her eyes for a second, willing the thing to be gone. When she opened her eyes again, the shadow was nowhere to be seen. The thing had to have been a figment of her imagination. Nothing on this planet could have disappeared so quickly. Feeling just a little better than she had before, Kurumi lay back down and attempted to go to sleep again, but she just couldn't seem to shake that feeling that something was wrong.
*********************
Akane woke in a grim mood that morning, the events in her dream had been unexpected. When Ranma had first appeared in the forest she had been so happy, but now she wasn't so sure. The whole reason she had left Nerima was to forget about Ranma, put him behind her. How could she do that if she saw him every night?
Leaving had been the hardest thing she had ever done, she had walked away from everything. The main reason she had was Ranma. She figured that the longer she was away, the less she would think about her fiancée. What a laugh that was! The longer she stayed away from Nerima, the more she thought about him. If that wasn't bad enough, he started appearing in her dreams. Each time she saw him in the clearing, he played more of an active role, until he became her teacher. What a wonderful feeling that had been! Ranma was finally respecting her, taking her martial arts abilities seriously, but then he was only a dream. He was her dream, and didn't dreams do what you wanted them to? So of course he would stop dodging and start giving her pointers that was what she wanted.
Things had gotten better from there. This dream Ranma of hers was charming. He had never once called her a name, he did really silly things to make her laugh, and he was always ready with a compliment. He did everything that she had always dreamt of Ranma doing, he was perfect! That was her problem, he was perfect.
If her dream Ranma had been more like her real fiancée then she probably would have let him kiss her, and she probably would have enjoyed it. He wasn't Ranma though. He was different. Every moment she spent with her dream man drove her deeper into despair, she felt as if she were cheating on her one true love. How could that be though? How could kissing Ranma in a dream be cheating? She knew there was an answer to that question somewhere; she just didn't know where to begin looking.
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This was not supposed to be happening! The whole situation angered Cologne beyond belief. Ranma should have been spending the voyage bonding with Shampoo, but instead he dreamed of the Tendo girl. Things were not looking good!
According to what Dr. Tofu had said, Ranma's ki was mixed with another persons. She had never doubted Dr. Tofu before, the man had an amazing ability to read ki, better than most people she knew. Maybe she shouldn't have trusted his evaluation so blindly, maybe she should see for herself.
This was going to be hard. She wasn't as young as she used to be, her facilities weren't as sharp. In order to accurately read Ranma's ki, she would have to get close to him, and keep him from finding out what she was trying to accomplish. There had to be a way to distract the boy without him getting suspicious.
She was pretty sure there was nothing to worry about though. Shampoo was the only Amazon around his age that he knew, so it had to be her. Still, if his ki was mixing with hers, and they were supposed to be the fated couple in the prophecy, shouldn't he be showing some interest in her? The Tendo girl seemed to preoccupy his every waking moment, and if she was to believe what the Hibiki boy had told her before he disappeared again, then Akane was dominating his dreams too. This was something that Cologne just couldn't leave to chance, she had to be sure. The future of her family line was at stake, and they needed Ranma to maintain their high position in the council.
She needed to maintain her composure for now, and focus on one problem at a time. How was she going to distract the boy? The idea of sending Shampoo to talk to the boy had briefly crossed her mind, but she had quickly discounted it. For some reason he avoided Shampoo like she had a disease or something. After a seconds thought, she realized that she really couldn't blame the boy for not wanting to be around her granddaughter, she had been very annoying lately. Every time she saw her fiancée, she would act as if he was her possession. Subtlety was an art form that the poor girl desperately needed, but, unfortunately, had never mastered. Hopefully she would learn one day soon.
Cologne shook her head in dismay as she thought about the follies of youth. She couldn't help but smile as some of her own escapades came to mind, but now was not the time to be reminiscing. First she must find a solution to the task at hand, how was she going to distract Ranma.
*********************
Ranma lay on the bunk in his cabin smiling over the events of last nights dream. Akane had not wanted to kiss him because that would make her untrue to him. His heart had stopped when he heard those words come out of her mouth. Now he knew that when he saw her next he wouldn't have to worry about how to tell her that he loved her, because she felt the same way.
In the hallway outside the door, he could hear soft footsteps going up and down the hall, not to far in either direction. The smile started to leave his face, but then came back; no one was going to ruin his day.
Shampoo was out there, and she was obviously waiting for him to make an appearance so she could try to hang all over him, the girl was so annoying. The thought of just staying in bed all day crossed his mind, but that was not a viable option with this girl. If he didn't get out there soon, she would probably break down the door again. Why did Ryoga have to go and get lost? He really could have used him as a decoy just about now.
With an audible sigh, Ranma got out of his bunk and opened the door to his room. Sure enough, just as he had predicted, Shampoo was standing there waiting for him, a slutty look on her face. He briefly wondered if she knew how badly he wanted to laugh at her. He could not allow himself that pleasure though. If he wanted to get into the area around the Amazon village he would need their help, and they would be less likely to help him if they were mad at him. For now he would just have to keep his emotions to himself.
"Good morning, Shampoo!" Ranma said with a fake enthusiasm. "You really don't have to meet me at my door every morning you know."
"Oh, is no problem!" Shampoo replied with a giggle. "Shampoo only too happy to wait for husband."
"Why can't you just wait for me outside?"
"Is privilege for husband to have wife wait. It show he is good husband, no other woman can touch."
"I don't want to be a good husband, Shampoo. I just want to be left alone for a while."
"Shampoo understand," Shampoo said with tears in her eyes, "you no want Shampoo? Shampoo make good wife, not like violent girl and cook girl. Shampoo take good care of you!"
"I don't want you to take care of me!" Ranma said vehemently even as he felt his resolve start to weaken. Why did the sight of a girl in tears always have to make him want to back down? He couldn't though, not any more. He had to let these girls know that he wasn't going to play their games anymore!
"I'm sorry Shampoo, but I don't want to be bothered right now. Go find something to do and maybe I will see you later, but for right now leave me alone," Ranma said as he started to walk down the hallway.
He knew that she would probably follow him, but at least he had put his foot down, that was a good place to start. As soon as he reached the stairs he increased his speed. Hopefully he could find a good place to hide. He really didn't want to be bothered by Shampoo today.
************************
The quiet period at the Nekohatten, between lunch and dinner, was the perfect time to rest, so Mousse was sitting quietly at a table. He made sure he was facing the door so he would know when Nabiki arrived, so he could talk with her. There was no particular subject that he wanted to discuss, no pressing matter that needed to be handled, just curiosity.
When Nabiki had arrived home from school yesterday she had been very distressed, and had gone straight to her room. When she emerged, over an hour later, her eyes were red rimmed, as if she had been crying. Something major had to have happened to her yesterday for her to be behaving this way, he had never known her to cry.
What worried him the most was that she didn't seem to have anyone she could talk to about her problem. Akane had run off to China, Kasumi was busy with school and Dr. Tofu, and, in the past week, he had yet to see her bring a friend over. People did come by to see her on occasion, but they were normally there to pay on a bill, or to conduct business. No one ever came by on a purely social call.
He had also noticed that her cell phone seemed to ring a lot. At first he thought that her friends had gone off to college and just called her, but he soon learned other wise. The pieces of conversation that he had been able to overhear were all business calls. People were calling her, giving her information that she needed, or reporting that some job had been completed. From what he had learned he figured that she must be real lonely and in need of a good friend to talk to, and that was what he intended to be.
A few minutes after the clock in the corner struck two, Nabiki came through the door in a huff. Filling the teacups that he had already prepared, Mousse call to Nabiki.
"Good afternoon, Nabiki" Mousse said in an even tone, "would you like some tea?"
As she heard the words, Nabiki came to an abrupt halt, wondering what the deal was. No one ever offered something for free.
"If you need some information or want to place a bet, you will have to come see me later," Nabiki said over her shoulder. She was just about to walk away when she heard Mousse's response.
"I just thought you might like a few minutes to unwind. Yesterday I noticed that you did not look like your usual self, and today you look just as stressed. Come have some tea with me."
Nabiki wasn't sure how to respond, the only person who had ever taken notice of her emotional state was Kasumi. Akane was always to busy with Ranma, her dad was always in his own little world, and she never had any real friends. This was also the first time someone had offered her something without expecting something in return, it was all very unnerving for the girl.
Placing her book bag on a table by the stairs, she slowly made her way over to the table Mousse was at and had a seat. She wasn't sure how to act in a normal social situation. What would she talk about if there was no business involved? Quietly she accepted the cup that Mousse passed to her, and hoped that he would start the conversation. For once in her life, Nabiki was at a loss for words.
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Akane was on her way to the stream for the last time. She had decided that she had already spent too much time in this one spot and had better be moving on before Ranma showed up. She didn't want to be found, not yet.
A euphoric feeling spread through her as she thought of Ranma, she missed him. The dream last night had made the fact all too evident. Needing another person in every day life as much as she needed Ranma was a possibility that she had never considered before, yet alone experienced. The whole idea left her a little unnerved. She never wanted to be dependent on another person, she had wanted to stand on her own.
The sound of a twig snapping brought Akane back to reality. She quickly looked up from the path she was walking down only to discover that she was surrounded by a group of five women. They all varied in height and size, but they were all equally muscled. Judging by the serious expression on their faces, she was in for a world of hurt.
*******************
Tauro Pantyhose (PT for short these days) was on a mission of vengeance. A while back, he had gone to Japan in search of Master Happosai. He needed a new name and the master was the only person who could give him the name, but of course the old pervert refused. Master Happosai had actually told him, PT, that he should be proud to have such a name! The old man was obviously insane! Who in their right mind would want to go through life being called Pantyhose?
The other choices that the weird old man had thought off were no good either, for some reason they all had something to do with women's under things. Compared to brassier and garter belt, Pantyhose was starting to sound good.
PT couldn't let the situation lie though, no he had to challenge the master's student, one Ranma Saotome. Well, he had learned from his past mistake, he would not touch the Tendo girl this time. No, he would just find the femboy and throttle him until he produced Master Happosai, and then PT would have his new name, a name he could be proud of.
*****************
Akane assumed a very loose battle stance that she had often seen Ranma in so she could be prepared for a fight without threatening the other girls. She stood her ground as the eldest lady in the group stepped forward and looker her up and down. The situation seemed to be escalating, and she didn't like where it was heading.
The lady just stared at Akane for a second longer before saying something in Chinese. Some of the words Akane recognized from her Chinese classes at school, and what she heard she didn't like, protect, forest and now. As far as Akane was concerned she needed to prepare for the fight of her life.
She had been expecting all of the girls to jump her at once, but that was not to be. The lady, who Akane had deemed as the leader of the group, stepped back as the youngest of the girls stepped forward. Fiercely, she looked Akane in the eyes as if she thought she could scare her off without breaking a sweat, but that was not going to happen. If Akane was going to prove herself, she was going to have to start now.
The girl nodded her head and gave Akane a very grim looking smile before reaching behind her back. At first Akane thought that the girl had trained in the same school of fighting that Mousse had, and was anticipating a barrage of weapons to come flying at her, but that never happened. Instead the girl quickly whipped her hands back around her body and produced a pair of deadly looking bonbori.
Akane couldn't believe her eyes! What a stroke of luck this was! She was sure that the leader would have chosen another girl to attack her if she had known about Akane's encounters with Shampoo. She had become quite adept at avoiding their blows over the past year.
"We have a small match to determine your fate," the leader said matter of factly to Akane.
"Why don't you just let me leave the forest," Akane said, trying to avoid the confrontation, "and I will never bother you again."
"You walk on Amazon land without permission, now you pay!" The leader stated while motioning towards the girl with the bonbori. Akane dug her heels into the forest floor and waited for the girl to make her move.
I'm sorry if it seems I am dragging the story out, but I've been trying to lay out the ground work for future chapters. I need to start things now so that the plot makes sense later. (If I knew when I started how complicated this story line was going to turn out I would have chosen a different one!) Anyways, don't worry guys! Ranma and Akane are going to get together in the next few chapters! I just couldn't rush things because I needed to give Akane enough time to improve…
Starry Night
Chapter Twelve
The swirling mists once again surround the pair as they walked on in silence. They dared not stopped because they knew what the mist wanted, to separate them. Even if they only hesitated for a split second the mist would take advantage of the situation and start to grasp onto their arms and legs, always pulling them away from each other. So they held onto each other's hands and kept their pace quick. Once they reached the clearing they would be safe from the mist. For some reason that was the one boundary it could not cross, no matter how hard the mist tried it could never enter the clearing.
They were close to the clearing now, Akane could see the blue of the sky through the breaks that were starting to form in the trees. They quickened their pace to a run, trying to escape what they knew was coming. In a last ditch effort to keep the couple out of the clearing, the mist made on last grab at Akane, barely missing her ankle.
Ranma reached down a hand and Akane grasped it, marveling at the energy she felt flowing between them. She quickly squashed the fluttery feeling in her stomach, and smiled at Ranma as he helped her to her feet. If the heat she felt washing over her was any indication, then her face was probably beet red. When she finally looked up from the ground Ranma was standing right in front of her with an amused look in his eyes. Silently he held his hand out and waited for her to take it. When she did, he gently took hold and led her over to the log to sit down. Why couldn't the real Ranma be like her dream Ranma?
"You know Akane, if we are going to train today you are going to have to relax a little," Ranma said to her. He had the smile on his face that always took her breath away.
"I'm just not used to training with someone," Akane said before realizing how dumb the excuse must have sounded.
"You mean your just not used to training with me yet, right?" Ranma asked while turning to look at the forest. "I can leave if you want me too."
"No! Please don't leave me! It's just that, I'm not used to you being so kind to me. I mean we have been training for three days now and you have yet to tell me how ugly or klutzy I am. I'm just not use to it." Akane said, she was also staring into the trees. She couldn't say those kinds of things to Ranma while looking him in the eye; she would lose her nerve.
"I can start saying those things if they would make you feel more comfortable," Ranma responded with a hint of mirth in his voice.
"No, please don't." Akane said in a weak voice. She had never been able to tell the real Ranma how his name-calling had made her feel, but maybe she could tell this Ranma. After all he was just a part of her dream, and getting the problem off of her chest would probably help her feel better.
"Ranma, I don't like the way you make me feel when you call me those names," Akane faltered, unsure of what words to say. She soon found she had no problem though, she just said what she felt. "I feel like I am inadequate in every way. What am I compared to your other fiancées? Ukyou is cute, Shampoo has half the men in Nerima after her, and all I am is uncute. I'm not all right, I'm not barely passable, I am just uncute."
"Akane, I don't," Ranma started to say as he saw the tears well up in her eyes, but she held up a hand to stop him from saying any more.
"Please hear me out. I need to tell you this," Akane closed her eyes and took a deep breath in order to regain control. "I used to be the best martial artist in all of Nerima. No one could come close to touching me, except for maybe Kuno. Then all of a sudden here you come, and you were so good at the arts. Then Ryoga comes, followed by Shampoo and Ukyou. The next thing you know, I am constantly surrounded by people who could wipe the ground with me in a heartbeat. I ask you to train me so I can be at their level and regain my sense of security, but you just call me a klutz and tell me you don't hit girls. You know what though, I know that you have fought with Shampoo and I'm pretty sure you have trained with Ukyou, I just can't prove it."
Akane stopped to take a deep shuddering breath before continuing. "I know that I must sound like I am rambling to you, but what can you expect. After all I am just a dumb as a box of rocks and I am built like an ox to boot. Wait a minute, I forgot the part about my thighs and how I don't look as good as your girl side. Do you know the part that hurt the most though? I hear the other fiancées repeating these things that you say to me. Then I stop and take a good look at myself. I mean, what do I really have to offer compared to them?"
Tears started to flow freely down Akane's face even though she tried to stop them. This imitation Ranma of hers had slowly chipped away at her resolve to be strong and left her feeling weak and exposed to the world. None of this really mattered anyways, they were just in her dream world. No one would ever know how she really felt, her secret was safe.
Soon she felt Ranma's strong arms wrap around her body and pull her into the safety of his warm embrace. The comfort she found there was beyond explanation, it was a mixture of security, contentment and something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever the feeling was, it was quickly calming her down though.
She soon found her sobs reduced to sniffles, as she closed her eyes, and relaxed on his chest. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest was having a hypnotic effect on her and she quickly became aware of how closely he was holding her. The faint stirrings of a strange feeling were beginning to come to life within her, leaving her yearning for more. More than just a mere embrace, much more than just comfort.
Slowly she lifted her gaze to Ranma's face just as he was looking down at her, he have been feeling the same thing. His eyes were turning a smoky gray and his face held an expression she had never seen before, it was all very exhilarating.
The look in his eyes grew in intensity as he bent his head towards hers. He was going to kiss her! She had been dreaming of this moment for so long, and now it was finally going to happen! Akane closed her eyes and moved to meet him half way. Everything was just so perfect, they were all alone, and the woods were so still and quiet. Here she was with Ranma, her Ranma, and he was finally going to take their so-called relationship to the next level.
Her heart started racing as she felt his warm breath on her face, he was so close to her. In her mind she could see Ranma dressed-up as Romeo. The look on his face was close to the one she had seen right before she had closed her eyes, but there was one difference, one thing she hadn't thought of. Her Romeo Ranma was real, her dream Ranma wasn't.
Akane knew she needed to do something before the situation went any farther than it already had. There was no way she could kiss this dream Ranma, it just didn't feel right, it just wasn't, it just wasn't Ranma. Quickly, before her emotions got the best of her, Akane turned her head. With a deep, heart-wrenching regret she felt Ranma's lips touch her cheek just to the right of her lips. Quietly, she lifted her hand and gently laid it on the spot he had just kissed, caressing it as she turned to look at him. The hurt she saw on his face was almost more than she could bear, but it wouldn't change her decision.
"Akane, I," Ranma started to say, but Akane cut him off before he could finish.
"Ranma, please don't." Akane said. "It wasn't anything you did. I wanted to kiss you, I just couldn't."
"I don't understand," Ranma said, looking away from her once again.
"I want my first kiss to be a special thing that I share with the man I love," Akane said with her eyes closed. She couldn't look at him, not now.
"You may be Ranma, but only here in my dreams."
"What?" Ranma asked in total confusion.
"You look like Ranma, feel like Ranma, you even smell like Ranma, but you are not Ranma. You're not my Ranma."
"You've lost me. If I look, feel and smell like Ranma, then how can I not be Ranma?"
"You are in my dream, or at least I think this is a dream. Anyways, I only come here while I am sleeping so this must be a dream world, and you are in it, so you must be part of my dream."
"So if I am in your dream, and I'm Ranma, why can't you kiss me?"
Akane looked at her dream Ranma and wondered that he didn't get it. How could he not understand how kissing him would make her feel?
"You may be a dream, but you are a little to real for me. When I was getting ready to kiss you I felt like I was betraying the real Ranma. I could never, no I would never do that to him. I want my first kiss to be with Ranma."
Akane sat in silence, staring into the forest, waiting for a remark from Ranma. While she waited, she watched the mist as it weaved around the trunks of the trees, looking for a way to enter their haven. The mist would start to push in towards the center just to be repelled back to the trees. The way the mist kept trying to intrude into the haven started to make Akane wonder if this was indeed a dream world, or if she was somewhere else. If she were in charge of the dream couldn't she make the mist and her other self go away? She had tried to on occasion, but they never left. They were always lurking in the shadows, laying in wait, but for what?
"Well, if we are going to train we had better get started Ranma. It is almost dawn and the creature should be here soon." With that Ranma and Akane squared off in their ready stances and started another night of sparing.
************************
The embers in the dying fire cast an eerie glow across the campsite, till every little thing seemed frightening. Off in the distance an owl called into the night, causing the poor girl to jump in fright. Tonight was not the first night that she had ever stayed in the open. For that matter, most of her young life had been spent on the road, she was used to it by now. Tonight was different though, something just wasn't right. The soft breeze had a slight chill to it, the animals were too quiet, and every now and then she could swear she felt something slimy crawl across her leg. Every time she felt this thing, she would shine her flashlight into her sleeping bag, but there was never anything there.
Just as she started to drift to sleep for the twentieth time, Kurumi felt something on her leg again. She didn't bother to look this time though, she knew nothing would be there. After calming herself down, she looked towards the figure sleeping on the other side of the fire. How Natsume was able to sleep on a night like tonight was beyond her, but then her sister had been obsessed with defeating Ranma and Akane for so long that nothing seemed to bother her anymore. Or at least she didn't notice much anymore.
Revenge could be such an all-consuming thing; Kurumi had learned this first hand, it had changed her sister so much. Natsume was no longer the caring sister that was concerned with her well-being, no she hadn't been that in a long time. All that mattered to her now was her conquest of the Tendo dojo. She really didn't understand why her sister wanted to take it away from Akane and Ranma in the first place, there really was no reason. They had discovered that Soun wasn't their real father after all. That was just some lie that Happosai had told; something he had said in an attempt to motivate them towards a goal, and it had been a good goal. Look at all they had accomplished! They were both highly skilled martial artist, they had learned how to take care of themselves, and they had developed a strong sense of honor. Well, Kurumi thought they had, but look at Natsume now. How could she find the conquest of the Tendo dojo an admirable goal? The Tendos and the Saotomes were their friends, they had taken care of them. After the sister's had tried to take over the dojo under the misconception that Soun was their father, they had forgiven them. They were the closest thing to a family that they had.
Kurumi had thought about leaving Natsume's side for some time now. She was tired of following her sister on this course action, but she couldn't do that. Maybe if she stayed around and talked to her sister long enough, then she could change her mind. If that didn't work though, then she could rush back to Japan and warn the Tendo's of Natsume's plan. Whatever needed to be done she would do.
Just on the edges of the light cast by the campfire, Kurumi thought she saw something lurking about. She reached out with her senses, but could feel nothing there. Yet there it was, a kind of shadow that seemed to moved effortlessly between the variances of light. A cold chill filled her body, as the shadow seemed to move closer to her side of the campfire. Was there really anything there though? With the way the dying fire was flickering it was hard to tell. Her mind was probably just playing tricks on her, she had been psyching herself up for it. Wasn't she just thinking how odd everything felt?
Kurumi closed her eyes for a second, willing the thing to be gone. When she opened her eyes again, the shadow was nowhere to be seen. The thing had to have been a figment of her imagination. Nothing on this planet could have disappeared so quickly. Feeling just a little better than she had before, Kurumi lay back down and attempted to go to sleep again, but she just couldn't seem to shake that feeling that something was wrong.
*********************
Akane woke in a grim mood that morning, the events in her dream had been unexpected. When Ranma had first appeared in the forest she had been so happy, but now she wasn't so sure. The whole reason she had left Nerima was to forget about Ranma, put him behind her. How could she do that if she saw him every night?
Leaving had been the hardest thing she had ever done, she had walked away from everything. The main reason she had was Ranma. She figured that the longer she was away, the less she would think about her fiancée. What a laugh that was! The longer she stayed away from Nerima, the more she thought about him. If that wasn't bad enough, he started appearing in her dreams. Each time she saw him in the clearing, he played more of an active role, until he became her teacher. What a wonderful feeling that had been! Ranma was finally respecting her, taking her martial arts abilities seriously, but then he was only a dream. He was her dream, and didn't dreams do what you wanted them to? So of course he would stop dodging and start giving her pointers that was what she wanted.
Things had gotten better from there. This dream Ranma of hers was charming. He had never once called her a name, he did really silly things to make her laugh, and he was always ready with a compliment. He did everything that she had always dreamt of Ranma doing, he was perfect! That was her problem, he was perfect.
If her dream Ranma had been more like her real fiancée then she probably would have let him kiss her, and she probably would have enjoyed it. He wasn't Ranma though. He was different. Every moment she spent with her dream man drove her deeper into despair, she felt as if she were cheating on her one true love. How could that be though? How could kissing Ranma in a dream be cheating? She knew there was an answer to that question somewhere; she just didn't know where to begin looking.
***************************
This was not supposed to be happening! The whole situation angered Cologne beyond belief. Ranma should have been spending the voyage bonding with Shampoo, but instead he dreamed of the Tendo girl. Things were not looking good!
According to what Dr. Tofu had said, Ranma's ki was mixed with another persons. She had never doubted Dr. Tofu before, the man had an amazing ability to read ki, better than most people she knew. Maybe she shouldn't have trusted his evaluation so blindly, maybe she should see for herself.
This was going to be hard. She wasn't as young as she used to be, her facilities weren't as sharp. In order to accurately read Ranma's ki, she would have to get close to him, and keep him from finding out what she was trying to accomplish. There had to be a way to distract the boy without him getting suspicious.
She was pretty sure there was nothing to worry about though. Shampoo was the only Amazon around his age that he knew, so it had to be her. Still, if his ki was mixing with hers, and they were supposed to be the fated couple in the prophecy, shouldn't he be showing some interest in her? The Tendo girl seemed to preoccupy his every waking moment, and if she was to believe what the Hibiki boy had told her before he disappeared again, then Akane was dominating his dreams too. This was something that Cologne just couldn't leave to chance, she had to be sure. The future of her family line was at stake, and they needed Ranma to maintain their high position in the council.
She needed to maintain her composure for now, and focus on one problem at a time. How was she going to distract the boy? The idea of sending Shampoo to talk to the boy had briefly crossed her mind, but she had quickly discounted it. For some reason he avoided Shampoo like she had a disease or something. After a seconds thought, she realized that she really couldn't blame the boy for not wanting to be around her granddaughter, she had been very annoying lately. Every time she saw her fiancée, she would act as if he was her possession. Subtlety was an art form that the poor girl desperately needed, but, unfortunately, had never mastered. Hopefully she would learn one day soon.
Cologne shook her head in dismay as she thought about the follies of youth. She couldn't help but smile as some of her own escapades came to mind, but now was not the time to be reminiscing. First she must find a solution to the task at hand, how was she going to distract Ranma.
*********************
Ranma lay on the bunk in his cabin smiling over the events of last nights dream. Akane had not wanted to kiss him because that would make her untrue to him. His heart had stopped when he heard those words come out of her mouth. Now he knew that when he saw her next he wouldn't have to worry about how to tell her that he loved her, because she felt the same way.
In the hallway outside the door, he could hear soft footsteps going up and down the hall, not to far in either direction. The smile started to leave his face, but then came back; no one was going to ruin his day.
Shampoo was out there, and she was obviously waiting for him to make an appearance so she could try to hang all over him, the girl was so annoying. The thought of just staying in bed all day crossed his mind, but that was not a viable option with this girl. If he didn't get out there soon, she would probably break down the door again. Why did Ryoga have to go and get lost? He really could have used him as a decoy just about now.
With an audible sigh, Ranma got out of his bunk and opened the door to his room. Sure enough, just as he had predicted, Shampoo was standing there waiting for him, a slutty look on her face. He briefly wondered if she knew how badly he wanted to laugh at her. He could not allow himself that pleasure though. If he wanted to get into the area around the Amazon village he would need their help, and they would be less likely to help him if they were mad at him. For now he would just have to keep his emotions to himself.
"Good morning, Shampoo!" Ranma said with a fake enthusiasm. "You really don't have to meet me at my door every morning you know."
"Oh, is no problem!" Shampoo replied with a giggle. "Shampoo only too happy to wait for husband."
"Why can't you just wait for me outside?"
"Is privilege for husband to have wife wait. It show he is good husband, no other woman can touch."
"I don't want to be a good husband, Shampoo. I just want to be left alone for a while."
"Shampoo understand," Shampoo said with tears in her eyes, "you no want Shampoo? Shampoo make good wife, not like violent girl and cook girl. Shampoo take good care of you!"
"I don't want you to take care of me!" Ranma said vehemently even as he felt his resolve start to weaken. Why did the sight of a girl in tears always have to make him want to back down? He couldn't though, not any more. He had to let these girls know that he wasn't going to play their games anymore!
"I'm sorry Shampoo, but I don't want to be bothered right now. Go find something to do and maybe I will see you later, but for right now leave me alone," Ranma said as he started to walk down the hallway.
He knew that she would probably follow him, but at least he had put his foot down, that was a good place to start. As soon as he reached the stairs he increased his speed. Hopefully he could find a good place to hide. He really didn't want to be bothered by Shampoo today.
************************
The quiet period at the Nekohatten, between lunch and dinner, was the perfect time to rest, so Mousse was sitting quietly at a table. He made sure he was facing the door so he would know when Nabiki arrived, so he could talk with her. There was no particular subject that he wanted to discuss, no pressing matter that needed to be handled, just curiosity.
When Nabiki had arrived home from school yesterday she had been very distressed, and had gone straight to her room. When she emerged, over an hour later, her eyes were red rimmed, as if she had been crying. Something major had to have happened to her yesterday for her to be behaving this way, he had never known her to cry.
What worried him the most was that she didn't seem to have anyone she could talk to about her problem. Akane had run off to China, Kasumi was busy with school and Dr. Tofu, and, in the past week, he had yet to see her bring a friend over. People did come by to see her on occasion, but they were normally there to pay on a bill, or to conduct business. No one ever came by on a purely social call.
He had also noticed that her cell phone seemed to ring a lot. At first he thought that her friends had gone off to college and just called her, but he soon learned other wise. The pieces of conversation that he had been able to overhear were all business calls. People were calling her, giving her information that she needed, or reporting that some job had been completed. From what he had learned he figured that she must be real lonely and in need of a good friend to talk to, and that was what he intended to be.
A few minutes after the clock in the corner struck two, Nabiki came through the door in a huff. Filling the teacups that he had already prepared, Mousse call to Nabiki.
"Good afternoon, Nabiki" Mousse said in an even tone, "would you like some tea?"
As she heard the words, Nabiki came to an abrupt halt, wondering what the deal was. No one ever offered something for free.
"If you need some information or want to place a bet, you will have to come see me later," Nabiki said over her shoulder. She was just about to walk away when she heard Mousse's response.
"I just thought you might like a few minutes to unwind. Yesterday I noticed that you did not look like your usual self, and today you look just as stressed. Come have some tea with me."
Nabiki wasn't sure how to respond, the only person who had ever taken notice of her emotional state was Kasumi. Akane was always to busy with Ranma, her dad was always in his own little world, and she never had any real friends. This was also the first time someone had offered her something without expecting something in return, it was all very unnerving for the girl.
Placing her book bag on a table by the stairs, she slowly made her way over to the table Mousse was at and had a seat. She wasn't sure how to act in a normal social situation. What would she talk about if there was no business involved? Quietly she accepted the cup that Mousse passed to her, and hoped that he would start the conversation. For once in her life, Nabiki was at a loss for words.
************************
Akane was on her way to the stream for the last time. She had decided that she had already spent too much time in this one spot and had better be moving on before Ranma showed up. She didn't want to be found, not yet.
A euphoric feeling spread through her as she thought of Ranma, she missed him. The dream last night had made the fact all too evident. Needing another person in every day life as much as she needed Ranma was a possibility that she had never considered before, yet alone experienced. The whole idea left her a little unnerved. She never wanted to be dependent on another person, she had wanted to stand on her own.
The sound of a twig snapping brought Akane back to reality. She quickly looked up from the path she was walking down only to discover that she was surrounded by a group of five women. They all varied in height and size, but they were all equally muscled. Judging by the serious expression on their faces, she was in for a world of hurt.
*******************
Tauro Pantyhose (PT for short these days) was on a mission of vengeance. A while back, he had gone to Japan in search of Master Happosai. He needed a new name and the master was the only person who could give him the name, but of course the old pervert refused. Master Happosai had actually told him, PT, that he should be proud to have such a name! The old man was obviously insane! Who in their right mind would want to go through life being called Pantyhose?
The other choices that the weird old man had thought off were no good either, for some reason they all had something to do with women's under things. Compared to brassier and garter belt, Pantyhose was starting to sound good.
PT couldn't let the situation lie though, no he had to challenge the master's student, one Ranma Saotome. Well, he had learned from his past mistake, he would not touch the Tendo girl this time. No, he would just find the femboy and throttle him until he produced Master Happosai, and then PT would have his new name, a name he could be proud of.
*****************
Akane assumed a very loose battle stance that she had often seen Ranma in so she could be prepared for a fight without threatening the other girls. She stood her ground as the eldest lady in the group stepped forward and looker her up and down. The situation seemed to be escalating, and she didn't like where it was heading.
The lady just stared at Akane for a second longer before saying something in Chinese. Some of the words Akane recognized from her Chinese classes at school, and what she heard she didn't like, protect, forest and now. As far as Akane was concerned she needed to prepare for the fight of her life.
She had been expecting all of the girls to jump her at once, but that was not to be. The lady, who Akane had deemed as the leader of the group, stepped back as the youngest of the girls stepped forward. Fiercely, she looked Akane in the eyes as if she thought she could scare her off without breaking a sweat, but that was not going to happen. If Akane was going to prove herself, she was going to have to start now.
The girl nodded her head and gave Akane a very grim looking smile before reaching behind her back. At first Akane thought that the girl had trained in the same school of fighting that Mousse had, and was anticipating a barrage of weapons to come flying at her, but that never happened. Instead the girl quickly whipped her hands back around her body and produced a pair of deadly looking bonbori.
Akane couldn't believe her eyes! What a stroke of luck this was! She was sure that the leader would have chosen another girl to attack her if she had known about Akane's encounters with Shampoo. She had become quite adept at avoiding their blows over the past year.
"We have a small match to determine your fate," the leader said matter of factly to Akane.
"Why don't you just let me leave the forest," Akane said, trying to avoid the confrontation, "and I will never bother you again."
"You walk on Amazon land without permission, now you pay!" The leader stated while motioning towards the girl with the bonbori. Akane dug her heels into the forest floor and waited for the girl to make her move.