1 Lija, you are so right! I asked by friend with the manga (I don't own
any) and Pantyhose Taro never spoke in his cursed form. I'm thinking maybe
I read that in a fic somewhere. Oh well, I will try to get that fixed
asap.
Thank you for all of the reviews! They were so motivating that I already started chapter 15. Please review and let me know how you like the story so far. ^_^
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6 Starry Night
Chapter 14
Looking through the glass on the exam room door, Tofu could see Kasumi clearly as she said goodbye to the last patient of the day and locked the door to the clinic. The setting sun shone through the plate glass making her black, sequenced evening gown sparkle and her hair glow. Turning towards the door he stood behind, Kasumi smiled radiantly at Tofu, almost causing him to go into one of his idiotic fits again. She was breathtaking.
Crossing the only physical boundary that kept him from the love of his life, Tofu returned Kasumi's smile and took her hand in his.
"You look simply stunning, Kasumi," Tofu said.
"Thank you, Tofu," Kasumi replied as a blush spread across her face. "That tuxedo looks very good on you."
Just then the limo that Tofu had arranged for pulled up to the curb outside of the clinic. Dropping her hand, he stepped forward and held the door open for her, noting the surprised look on her face. Tonight was very important so he was trying to do his best to make it special in every way.
"You go first," Tofu said to Kasumi as the driver opened the door for them. He noted that she sat in the middle of the back seat, leaving enough room for him on either side. That was all the invitation he needed as he sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Where are we going?" Kasumi asked as she watched the limo pass by all the nice restaurants in the area.
"I have something special planned for tonight," Tofu said with a smile. "We should be there shortly, enjoy the ride for now."
"Tell me where we are going, please," Kasumi said with the playful pout on her face.
Tofu looked at her and almost lost his resolve to keep their destination a secret, so he did the first thing that came to mind, he kissed her. This managed to distract her just long enough. When they finally moved away from each other, they had arrived.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said in her usual fashion. "Look, all the cherry trees are blooming!"
"Yes, aren't they pretty?" Tofu asked. "I thought you would like to see them."
Kasumi leaned back in her seat, contented just to gaze at the cherry trees that lined the street. Slowly the limo wound it's way through the park, until, finally, it reached the bluff that overlooked Tokyo Bay. The sight that greeted Kasumi there completely astounded her.
The small circular plaza was a sight to see! A garden of deep, red roses, which surrounded the plaza, had four pathways that led the center. Each entryway had a trellis with climbing roses trained to it, and strings of lights intertwined with the roses. Then, in the plaza, there was a fountain that ran the perimeter of the circle. Different colored lights gave the water and ethereal glow as it shot up into the air and arced back down to the fountain bed. In the center of all this beauty was an elegant table set for two with candelabras on either side. To top everything off, in the center of the table was the most gorgeous floral arrangement Kasumi had ever seen. Two blood red poppies were in the middle with a white candle in-between them. Around the poppies was an assortment of pink and white calla lilies and hydrangea with a kind of feathery fern mixed in.
The soft, flickering light of the candles cast dancing shadows across the fine china that was laid on the table. The crisply folded, white napkins were placed in the exact center of each plate. The silverware was neatly set on either side of the plates. The crystal, that was set at the top of the plates, seemed to have it's own individual light burning in each facet on it's surface. The whole atmosphere was so romantic that Kasumi could barely keep her bubbling emotions at bay.
Gently, Tofu took Kasumi's hand and led her into the plaza. When he came to the table, he led her around to the side that was by the bay and turned so his back was to it. The lights from the harbor down below merrily lit her eyes. Keeping a hold of her hand, he knelt down on one knee and looked up into her face. She could feel his hand tremble as he reached into the pocket on his jacket to produce a ring box.
"Kasumi, I remember the first time we met like it was yesterday. Akane had hurt herself training, she had those big tears running down her face, and there you stood holding her hand with a patient smile on your face. Never once did you scold her, or admonish her to be quiet. All you did was love and support her." Tofu said as he gazed lovingly into her eyes.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think the seeds of love were planted that very day. Every time I saw you, every time I talked to you, every time you did something nice for me the seed would grow more and more." Tofu stopped there, wanting to see how Kasumi would react before continuing.
"I need you in my life Kasumi, I need to love you. When I am away from you the only thing I can think of is the next time I will be able to see your smile again. I don't ever want you to leave my side! What I'm trying to say is, Kasumi, would you marry me?"
The tears that Kasumi had been holding back started to slowly make their way down her face as her hands came up to her mouth. She had dreamed of this day for so long and now it was here! Tofu had finally gotten over his silliness and asked her to marry him!
She glanced down when she felt a firm pressure as Tofu slide the engagement ring on her finger. She hadn't realized that she had been nodding her head until then. Words hadn't been necessary.
As she watched the man she loved stand back up, Kasumi new she could wait no longer to be with him.
"Let's get married tomorrow, Tofu," Kasumi whispered.
*********************
The rustic, old building that was slowly appearing on the road in front of Ranma looked anything but promising. He was hoping to find assistance in his search for Akane, he didn't think he would find it here though. The only things that this building brought to mind were endless rolls of red tape.
"Shampoo, son-in-law, wait for me in the village commons. I must address the council on an urgent matter," Ranma was so preoccupied with he thoughts that he almost didn't hear Cologne speak.
"Is okay Shampoo train for tournament?" Shampoo excitedly asked Cologne.
"Yes child, it will do my old heart good to see you win another championship," Cologne said with a warm smile.
"Tournament?" Ranma said with an involuntary shudder, "Weren't you guys having a tournament the first time I came to the village?"
"You mean when Shampoo was giving you kiss of death?" Shampoo asked with a giggle.
"Please, don't remind me," Ranma quickly said.
Cologne couldn't help but chuckle at the look on the young boy's face, and yet she was saddened by it. All she wanted in life was a secure position in the village for her granddaughter, and marrying Ranma would have guaranteed that, if only he weren't so stubborn. He refused to abide by the village law, he refused to be swayed by her granddaughter's beauty, and he refused to submit to them.
During the trip to China, while on the boat, she had sat down with Shampoo for a talk. She had told the silly girl to open her eyes and look at the situation. Ranma didn't want to be chased by a girl, and he definitely could not be dominated. If she wanted a chance at Ranma, she would have to stop being so annoying.
After watching the pair walk off towards the training fields in the square, Cologne turned and continued towards the elders hut. The task before her was not a welcome one, but it had to be done. She would resume her seat on the council, and she would advise them of the dark days that lay ahead.
*************************
Sweat rolled down Akane's face as she gasped to regain her breath. The training sessions she had been through with Wu Shan the past few days had been intensive, but none of them compared to today. She was thankful that the whole thing was over for the day.
Earlier this morning, Wu Shan had sent her a few yards away from the camp and told her to meditate and focus for that evenings activities. So Akane had done that, thinking she was preparing for another one-on-one session with her adoptive mother, but that was not to be. As soon as she re-entered the camp, a gong sounded and the four elite fighters that comprised the guard ran at her.
Without a second thought, Akane disregarded the fact that she had formed friendships with these girls and went on the offensive. Methodically, she block, parried and retaliated until they fell. Mai Tsu was the first to fall, then Guai Guai, Yang Yang, and finally Xian Nam. She had won the battle, but at what cost?
Now here she was, bent over with her hands on her knees gasping for breath, wondering what was going to happen next. With a caution born of experience, she kept an eye on all of the Amazon's that surrounded her, waiting for one of to take the next step. The ball was now in their court.
"Congratulations Akane!" Wu Shan exclaimed as she embraced her adopted daughter. "You are now officially a part of the tribe. We have all witnessed you defeat four of our best warriors. All we have to do now is to put our seals on the papers."
"So, that was what all of this was about? Is this the only way a person can join the tribe?" Akane asked.
"No, most people just put a petition before the council of the elders. Only the strongest fighters can choose this option," Wu Shan said with a smile.
"Well, thank you for your confidence in my abilities, but why didn't you just petition the council?" Akane asked in confusion.
"There is something I wanted to ask you, but you had to be a member of the tribe first."
"What is it? Is something wrong mother?"
"Every year the best warriors of the tribe compete in a tournament to find the strongest and most skilled female. No one in my family has ever competed, but I think you have a good chance at winning. Will you represent our family tomorrow in the tournament?"
Akane looked at her adoptive mother in surprise. She really thought that Akane had a chance of winning! No one had ever thought that she was this skilled before, well, no one that mattered anyways.
"I would be honored to represent the family in the tournament." Akane said as she bowed to Wu Shan.
"Good, we are just an hour from the village. We will head home so we can register you for the competition." Wu Shan said as the women began to break down their temporary camp.
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The main room in the old hut was dimly lit as the shudders on the windows had been closed for this discussion. Cologne had felt that the general populace of the village did not need to know about the up coming events right at this moment in time. She had advised the council of this as she spoke to them about the prophecy, and now she waited.
Silence reigned in the room as the elders each took a turn reading the scroll that had once belonged to Cologne's mother. There was nothing written on the scroll about defeating the evil that was coming into the world, just the prophecy. At least that was a starting point.
Cologne stood as the last elder received the scroll, and prepared for the upcoming discussion on how to best handle the situation. She would then tell the council of Ranma and Shampoo.
Suddenly the door to the inner sanctum opened and Choon Li burst through, a look of jubilation on his face.
"I have found them honored elders! I felt the presence of the fated ones, and they are both in the village!" Choon Li said as he gasped for breath.
A calculating smile formed on Cologne's face as she realized what this piece of information meant for her granddaughter. Shampoo would be married to Ranma before the week was over.
******************
Kasumi and Nabiki huddled under an umbrella in a vain attempt to stay dry. The main storm had already drifted off to the west, but the residual showers were supposed to linger around all day. This was not the picture perfect day that Kasumi had always dreamed of for the wedding, but she was not going to wait for the good doctor any longer.
After she had walked through the door of the courthouse, Kasumi stopped to inspect her white dress. When she had awoke to rain that morning she knew she should have worn a different color, but she wanted to look pure for her groom. So she had chosen to wear her white sundress for the occasion. Thankfully, there were no visible stains on the garment.
"Hurry up Kasumi," Nabiki scolded her sister, "Tofu and Mousse are upstairs waiting for us. We are fifteen minutes late you know."
Kasumi didn't answer Nabiki as she rushed for the stairs. She knew how far Tofu had come in the past few weeks, and she didn't want to ruin all the progress she had made with him.
After reaching the second floor, Kasumi rushed around the corner just in time to see that Tofu and Mousse had just reached the window of the registers office. She was just in time.
"Excuse me." Kasumi politely said to Mousse as moved next to her husband-to-be and took his hand. As one, they stepped up to the window and waited for the clerk to ask their business.
Mousse felt a lump form in his throat as he heard the couple tell the clerk their names. This is what he had dreamed of doing with Shampoo for so long, but that was just not meant to be. He had known that he would never win Shampoo's heart for a long time, but had refused to admit it to himself.
Over the years he watched Shampoo as she grew, not only in ability and beauty, but also in cruelty. Recently he had begun to distance himself from Shampoo as she became more and more cruel. The final straw that had broken the camels back was the bombing of Ranma and Akane's wedding. At that point in time he knew that he could never be with Shampoo. He could never be with a person who so obviously didn't care about other people.
He watched as first Kasumi and then Dr. Tofu affixed their stamps to the documents the clerk was handing them, and felt the emptiness in his heart. There was a hole there that had been left by Shampoo, and he wasn't sure if he would ever find anyone to fill it. For that matter, he didn't even know if he wanted someone to fill the space that she had occupied for so long.
Feeling something on his hand, Mousse looked down in time to see Nabiki take a hold of his hand. She was watching her sister place her stamp on the final paper with a smile on her face, one of her genuine smiles. Gently, he squeezed her hand in reassurance and watched as the couple in front of him kissed. He may not have Shampoo, but at least he had a good friend.
******************
Akane and Wu Shan listened as the council guard was reading off the names for the first round of matches. They had both decided that if Akane were to be an official part of the tribe that she would need a new name, and they had registered her as Yung Ji.
Self-doubt and worry began to flood her mind when her name was read. She was going to be competing in the third match and she wasn't sure if she was up to the task. All of her past failures were flashing before her eyes pushing the guards voice into the back of her mind.
A familiar name brought her back to her senses. Quickly her head came up and started to search the crowd for the face. If she had heard right she would need to disguise her face somehow.
Wu Shan was quite amused with a couple on the other side of the square. They were causing quite a commotion with their game. The lavender haired Amazon was trying to grab a hold of a boy that was desperately trying to escape her.
A small laugh came from the woman as she turned to see if Akane had also seen the pair. Her amusement was quickly replaced by worry as she caught a glimpse of Akane's ashen face.
"What is wrong daughter?" Wu Shan asked.
"That boy and girl over there," Akane said, turning her worried filled chocolate brown eyes towards Wu Shan, "I don't want them to know that I am here."
"Is that…"? Wu Shan asked Akane with a meaningful glance.
"Yes, that is Cologne's granddaughter and Ranma." Akane said as she turned to face the other direction.
"Well, we will just have to find a way to keep your face hidden from them then."
Wu Shan gave a whistle and soon the girls of the guard were there, surrounding Akane. Hastily, Wu Shan told them of the problem and what she was planning. The girls quickly got to work.
******************
Kurumi sat on a rock by the brook sullenly looking into its crystal clear depths. Her sister had been sick for days now and she was starting to get worried. This was not like Natsume at all, even when she was sick she would still get up and walk around. She hated to be stuck in bed.
Pulling the string of fish she had caught out of the water, Kurumi started to head back for camp. Her sister had been refusing to eat the past few days, but Kurumi was hopeful that she would change her mind tonight. She had managed to catch three of her sister's favorite fish and she was going to prepare them the way Natsume loved so much.
Kurumi was looking for the skillet in the pack by the tent when she heard a soft rustle. She looked over in time to see Natsume crawl out of the tent and stand up, stretching her arms over her head.
"Sister!" Kurumi yelled, forgetting about dinner as she hugged the other girl. "You're better!"
"Yes, I do feel a lot better." Natsume said with a sheepish smile. She still didn't quite feel like her old self, but she didn't want to worry Kurumi any further.
"I bet you are hungry," Kurumi replied as she reached for the skillet. "I'm going to make you a good supper, and then in the morning we can leave."
"Yes, that would be a good idea." Natsume answered her sister. She wasn't sure why, but she had a sudden urge to head towards Nerima. "We should leave in the morning. How would you like to go back to Japan?"
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Ranma watched intently as the young Amazon named Yung Ji headed to the ring for her fifth and final match. He could feel his heart start to race as soon as he caught sight of her long, tanned, muscular leg. Except for Akane, no girl had ever had this kind of effect on him. He felt as though he was cheating on his fiancée, but he just couldn't take his eyes off of this girl. Slowly his eyes traveled up her legs to the tight camouflage shorts that covered her well formed behind. After letting his gaze linger on her bottom for a few seconds, he moved up to her bare midriff and the well-conditioned abs that so wanted to touch.
Moving his gaze up even further, he came to the hem of the tight, camouflage half-shirt that the girl wore. The fabric in the shirt seemed to want to rip just from the walking movement of her arms. Ranma was amazed that the shirt was still there for that matter, and blushed as he realized that he wouldn't mind at all if it did rip down the middle and fall to the ground.
The next sight that caught his eyes was the girls shoulder length blue- black hair and the way the sun seemed to gleam off of it. He was surprised to notice that she was facing his direction, and found himself looking at her long slender neck. He started to think of all the different places on her neck that he wouldn't mind kissing before looking up to her face. For the first time that day he started wishing that she wasn't wearing all of that camouflage makeup. Something was stirring deep down within him, and he felt a strong urge to see this girls face.
Hopefully he glanced at her face, wanting her to be looking his way and found that she was. She had a beautiful smile on her face that literally took his breath away, but that wasn't what caused his heart to skip a beat. He had seen her eyes. Those beautiful, deep, chocolate brown eyes lined by thick, long curling lashes were what had done the trick.
Suddenly, he knew who this girl was. He had lost himself in those eyes so many times, how could he not know. An urge to run to her and hold her in his arms filled him, but he wouldn't do that yet. She had fought her way to the final round of this tournament, and he was not about to ruin her focus. She would need it as she fought Shampoo.
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Akane could feel his eyes on her again, and thrilled in the realization that he found her sexy. All day long she had been avoiding him and had refused to look his way, but now her confidence was running so high that she just couldn't resist.
She watched his expression as he slowly moved his gaze up her body. Purposely she put a little more swing in her hips for his benefit, and was rewarded by a slight blush that spread across his cheeks.
Patiently, she waited for his eyes to reach her face. The thing that she missed most about Ranma was his gorgeous cerulean eyes. She swore that she could see his soul reflected in them, and felt this deep-seated need to see them one more time before she carried out her impromptu plan.
The mere seconds it took for his eyes to reach hers agonizingly seemed like hours to Akane. Finally, she was rewarded for her patience as his gray flecked, blue eyes came to rest on hers. She fought to control her expression as she felt her skin tingle and butterflies in her stomach. There was no way she was going to let him know what kind of an effect he was having on her, not yet.
Finally, Akane reached the ring and her opponent. Walking to the middle, Akane looked up and could see that Shampoo was seething. She had obviously noticed the little exchange between Ranma and her. This was all for the better. The madder Akane could get Shampoo, the less focused she would be. Now was the perfect time to confront this girl.
"I have a proposition for you," Akane said in Chinese to Shampoo.
"Tell me what it is before I pound you for flirting with my future husband," Shampoo hissed through clenched teeth. The crowd around the ring suddenly got very quiet so they could hear the exchange between the two girls.
"That boy over there, the one with the pig-tail, is he your future husband?" Akane asked.
"That is him," Shampoo responded with hate-filled eyes. She was angry because Ranma had never looked at her the way he looked at the girl in front of her.
"Why don't we sweeten the champions prize," Akane said with a saccharin sweet smile on her face. "I have heard that you are the best warrior in the village and no one can beat you, so you have nothing to worry about anyways."
"Tell me what it is you want," Shampoo said a little more complacently now that Akane had stroked her ego.
"If I lose you can have the gem around my neck," Akane said wanting Shampoo to take the bait. Earlier, when Akane had discussed her plans with Wu Shan, she had purposely chosen the two karat amethyst necklace knowing that Shampoo would vainly think how pretty the gem would look with her hair. Akane relaxed a little when she realized that Shampoo was interested in the gem.
"And if I lose, what do you get?" Shampoo asked the girl, never once taking her eyes off of the amethyst.
"I get you husband to be," Akane said. Behind her she could hear the spectators gasp. She could also hear Ranma ask what was happening and Cologne answer him.
As Shampoo thought the offer over, dark clouds began to cover the sky in the east and a light rain began to fall. Looking into the crowd, Shampoo spotted Ranma as he changed into a girl and felt the familiar shudder of her revulsion to his girl side. That was all the persuasion that Shampoo needed.
"You have a deal, now let's fight."
Outwardly Akane showed no emotion as she assumed her stance, but inwardly she was pleased with herself. Now all she had to do was stoke the fire under Shampoo's temper and win the match.
A small smirk formed on Akane's face as she noticed Shampoo's leg muscles tense. The girl was going to charge her before she had her bonbori in her hands. She couldn't help throwing in one last barb to insure that she did indeed forget her weapons.
"That's good, because I can't wait to feel his taut muscles with my fingers."
Finally, Ranma and Akane have come face to face! Hope that was enough to satisfy you guys until the next chapter. I hope I haven't made any of you mad with that cliffhanger, but the story wouldn't be any fun without it. ^_~
I could really use a pre-reader. If anyone is interested please send me an e-mail.
Please remember to review. I read all of them, and they motivate me to write future chapters instead of doing the other things I love to do.
Till the next chapter,
Seong Mi
Thank you for all of the reviews! They were so motivating that I already started chapter 15. Please review and let me know how you like the story so far. ^_^
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6 Starry Night
Chapter 14
Looking through the glass on the exam room door, Tofu could see Kasumi clearly as she said goodbye to the last patient of the day and locked the door to the clinic. The setting sun shone through the plate glass making her black, sequenced evening gown sparkle and her hair glow. Turning towards the door he stood behind, Kasumi smiled radiantly at Tofu, almost causing him to go into one of his idiotic fits again. She was breathtaking.
Crossing the only physical boundary that kept him from the love of his life, Tofu returned Kasumi's smile and took her hand in his.
"You look simply stunning, Kasumi," Tofu said.
"Thank you, Tofu," Kasumi replied as a blush spread across her face. "That tuxedo looks very good on you."
Just then the limo that Tofu had arranged for pulled up to the curb outside of the clinic. Dropping her hand, he stepped forward and held the door open for her, noting the surprised look on her face. Tonight was very important so he was trying to do his best to make it special in every way.
"You go first," Tofu said to Kasumi as the driver opened the door for them. He noted that she sat in the middle of the back seat, leaving enough room for him on either side. That was all the invitation he needed as he sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Where are we going?" Kasumi asked as she watched the limo pass by all the nice restaurants in the area.
"I have something special planned for tonight," Tofu said with a smile. "We should be there shortly, enjoy the ride for now."
"Tell me where we are going, please," Kasumi said with the playful pout on her face.
Tofu looked at her and almost lost his resolve to keep their destination a secret, so he did the first thing that came to mind, he kissed her. This managed to distract her just long enough. When they finally moved away from each other, they had arrived.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said in her usual fashion. "Look, all the cherry trees are blooming!"
"Yes, aren't they pretty?" Tofu asked. "I thought you would like to see them."
Kasumi leaned back in her seat, contented just to gaze at the cherry trees that lined the street. Slowly the limo wound it's way through the park, until, finally, it reached the bluff that overlooked Tokyo Bay. The sight that greeted Kasumi there completely astounded her.
The small circular plaza was a sight to see! A garden of deep, red roses, which surrounded the plaza, had four pathways that led the center. Each entryway had a trellis with climbing roses trained to it, and strings of lights intertwined with the roses. Then, in the plaza, there was a fountain that ran the perimeter of the circle. Different colored lights gave the water and ethereal glow as it shot up into the air and arced back down to the fountain bed. In the center of all this beauty was an elegant table set for two with candelabras on either side. To top everything off, in the center of the table was the most gorgeous floral arrangement Kasumi had ever seen. Two blood red poppies were in the middle with a white candle in-between them. Around the poppies was an assortment of pink and white calla lilies and hydrangea with a kind of feathery fern mixed in.
The soft, flickering light of the candles cast dancing shadows across the fine china that was laid on the table. The crisply folded, white napkins were placed in the exact center of each plate. The silverware was neatly set on either side of the plates. The crystal, that was set at the top of the plates, seemed to have it's own individual light burning in each facet on it's surface. The whole atmosphere was so romantic that Kasumi could barely keep her bubbling emotions at bay.
Gently, Tofu took Kasumi's hand and led her into the plaza. When he came to the table, he led her around to the side that was by the bay and turned so his back was to it. The lights from the harbor down below merrily lit her eyes. Keeping a hold of her hand, he knelt down on one knee and looked up into her face. She could feel his hand tremble as he reached into the pocket on his jacket to produce a ring box.
"Kasumi, I remember the first time we met like it was yesterday. Akane had hurt herself training, she had those big tears running down her face, and there you stood holding her hand with a patient smile on your face. Never once did you scold her, or admonish her to be quiet. All you did was love and support her." Tofu said as he gazed lovingly into her eyes.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think the seeds of love were planted that very day. Every time I saw you, every time I talked to you, every time you did something nice for me the seed would grow more and more." Tofu stopped there, wanting to see how Kasumi would react before continuing.
"I need you in my life Kasumi, I need to love you. When I am away from you the only thing I can think of is the next time I will be able to see your smile again. I don't ever want you to leave my side! What I'm trying to say is, Kasumi, would you marry me?"
The tears that Kasumi had been holding back started to slowly make their way down her face as her hands came up to her mouth. She had dreamed of this day for so long and now it was here! Tofu had finally gotten over his silliness and asked her to marry him!
She glanced down when she felt a firm pressure as Tofu slide the engagement ring on her finger. She hadn't realized that she had been nodding her head until then. Words hadn't been necessary.
As she watched the man she loved stand back up, Kasumi new she could wait no longer to be with him.
"Let's get married tomorrow, Tofu," Kasumi whispered.
*********************
The rustic, old building that was slowly appearing on the road in front of Ranma looked anything but promising. He was hoping to find assistance in his search for Akane, he didn't think he would find it here though. The only things that this building brought to mind were endless rolls of red tape.
"Shampoo, son-in-law, wait for me in the village commons. I must address the council on an urgent matter," Ranma was so preoccupied with he thoughts that he almost didn't hear Cologne speak.
"Is okay Shampoo train for tournament?" Shampoo excitedly asked Cologne.
"Yes child, it will do my old heart good to see you win another championship," Cologne said with a warm smile.
"Tournament?" Ranma said with an involuntary shudder, "Weren't you guys having a tournament the first time I came to the village?"
"You mean when Shampoo was giving you kiss of death?" Shampoo asked with a giggle.
"Please, don't remind me," Ranma quickly said.
Cologne couldn't help but chuckle at the look on the young boy's face, and yet she was saddened by it. All she wanted in life was a secure position in the village for her granddaughter, and marrying Ranma would have guaranteed that, if only he weren't so stubborn. He refused to abide by the village law, he refused to be swayed by her granddaughter's beauty, and he refused to submit to them.
During the trip to China, while on the boat, she had sat down with Shampoo for a talk. She had told the silly girl to open her eyes and look at the situation. Ranma didn't want to be chased by a girl, and he definitely could not be dominated. If she wanted a chance at Ranma, she would have to stop being so annoying.
After watching the pair walk off towards the training fields in the square, Cologne turned and continued towards the elders hut. The task before her was not a welcome one, but it had to be done. She would resume her seat on the council, and she would advise them of the dark days that lay ahead.
*************************
Sweat rolled down Akane's face as she gasped to regain her breath. The training sessions she had been through with Wu Shan the past few days had been intensive, but none of them compared to today. She was thankful that the whole thing was over for the day.
Earlier this morning, Wu Shan had sent her a few yards away from the camp and told her to meditate and focus for that evenings activities. So Akane had done that, thinking she was preparing for another one-on-one session with her adoptive mother, but that was not to be. As soon as she re-entered the camp, a gong sounded and the four elite fighters that comprised the guard ran at her.
Without a second thought, Akane disregarded the fact that she had formed friendships with these girls and went on the offensive. Methodically, she block, parried and retaliated until they fell. Mai Tsu was the first to fall, then Guai Guai, Yang Yang, and finally Xian Nam. She had won the battle, but at what cost?
Now here she was, bent over with her hands on her knees gasping for breath, wondering what was going to happen next. With a caution born of experience, she kept an eye on all of the Amazon's that surrounded her, waiting for one of to take the next step. The ball was now in their court.
"Congratulations Akane!" Wu Shan exclaimed as she embraced her adopted daughter. "You are now officially a part of the tribe. We have all witnessed you defeat four of our best warriors. All we have to do now is to put our seals on the papers."
"So, that was what all of this was about? Is this the only way a person can join the tribe?" Akane asked.
"No, most people just put a petition before the council of the elders. Only the strongest fighters can choose this option," Wu Shan said with a smile.
"Well, thank you for your confidence in my abilities, but why didn't you just petition the council?" Akane asked in confusion.
"There is something I wanted to ask you, but you had to be a member of the tribe first."
"What is it? Is something wrong mother?"
"Every year the best warriors of the tribe compete in a tournament to find the strongest and most skilled female. No one in my family has ever competed, but I think you have a good chance at winning. Will you represent our family tomorrow in the tournament?"
Akane looked at her adoptive mother in surprise. She really thought that Akane had a chance of winning! No one had ever thought that she was this skilled before, well, no one that mattered anyways.
"I would be honored to represent the family in the tournament." Akane said as she bowed to Wu Shan.
"Good, we are just an hour from the village. We will head home so we can register you for the competition." Wu Shan said as the women began to break down their temporary camp.
*********************
The main room in the old hut was dimly lit as the shudders on the windows had been closed for this discussion. Cologne had felt that the general populace of the village did not need to know about the up coming events right at this moment in time. She had advised the council of this as she spoke to them about the prophecy, and now she waited.
Silence reigned in the room as the elders each took a turn reading the scroll that had once belonged to Cologne's mother. There was nothing written on the scroll about defeating the evil that was coming into the world, just the prophecy. At least that was a starting point.
Cologne stood as the last elder received the scroll, and prepared for the upcoming discussion on how to best handle the situation. She would then tell the council of Ranma and Shampoo.
Suddenly the door to the inner sanctum opened and Choon Li burst through, a look of jubilation on his face.
"I have found them honored elders! I felt the presence of the fated ones, and they are both in the village!" Choon Li said as he gasped for breath.
A calculating smile formed on Cologne's face as she realized what this piece of information meant for her granddaughter. Shampoo would be married to Ranma before the week was over.
******************
Kasumi and Nabiki huddled under an umbrella in a vain attempt to stay dry. The main storm had already drifted off to the west, but the residual showers were supposed to linger around all day. This was not the picture perfect day that Kasumi had always dreamed of for the wedding, but she was not going to wait for the good doctor any longer.
After she had walked through the door of the courthouse, Kasumi stopped to inspect her white dress. When she had awoke to rain that morning she knew she should have worn a different color, but she wanted to look pure for her groom. So she had chosen to wear her white sundress for the occasion. Thankfully, there were no visible stains on the garment.
"Hurry up Kasumi," Nabiki scolded her sister, "Tofu and Mousse are upstairs waiting for us. We are fifteen minutes late you know."
Kasumi didn't answer Nabiki as she rushed for the stairs. She knew how far Tofu had come in the past few weeks, and she didn't want to ruin all the progress she had made with him.
After reaching the second floor, Kasumi rushed around the corner just in time to see that Tofu and Mousse had just reached the window of the registers office. She was just in time.
"Excuse me." Kasumi politely said to Mousse as moved next to her husband-to-be and took his hand. As one, they stepped up to the window and waited for the clerk to ask their business.
Mousse felt a lump form in his throat as he heard the couple tell the clerk their names. This is what he had dreamed of doing with Shampoo for so long, but that was just not meant to be. He had known that he would never win Shampoo's heart for a long time, but had refused to admit it to himself.
Over the years he watched Shampoo as she grew, not only in ability and beauty, but also in cruelty. Recently he had begun to distance himself from Shampoo as she became more and more cruel. The final straw that had broken the camels back was the bombing of Ranma and Akane's wedding. At that point in time he knew that he could never be with Shampoo. He could never be with a person who so obviously didn't care about other people.
He watched as first Kasumi and then Dr. Tofu affixed their stamps to the documents the clerk was handing them, and felt the emptiness in his heart. There was a hole there that had been left by Shampoo, and he wasn't sure if he would ever find anyone to fill it. For that matter, he didn't even know if he wanted someone to fill the space that she had occupied for so long.
Feeling something on his hand, Mousse looked down in time to see Nabiki take a hold of his hand. She was watching her sister place her stamp on the final paper with a smile on her face, one of her genuine smiles. Gently, he squeezed her hand in reassurance and watched as the couple in front of him kissed. He may not have Shampoo, but at least he had a good friend.
******************
Akane and Wu Shan listened as the council guard was reading off the names for the first round of matches. They had both decided that if Akane were to be an official part of the tribe that she would need a new name, and they had registered her as Yung Ji.
Self-doubt and worry began to flood her mind when her name was read. She was going to be competing in the third match and she wasn't sure if she was up to the task. All of her past failures were flashing before her eyes pushing the guards voice into the back of her mind.
A familiar name brought her back to her senses. Quickly her head came up and started to search the crowd for the face. If she had heard right she would need to disguise her face somehow.
Wu Shan was quite amused with a couple on the other side of the square. They were causing quite a commotion with their game. The lavender haired Amazon was trying to grab a hold of a boy that was desperately trying to escape her.
A small laugh came from the woman as she turned to see if Akane had also seen the pair. Her amusement was quickly replaced by worry as she caught a glimpse of Akane's ashen face.
"What is wrong daughter?" Wu Shan asked.
"That boy and girl over there," Akane said, turning her worried filled chocolate brown eyes towards Wu Shan, "I don't want them to know that I am here."
"Is that…"? Wu Shan asked Akane with a meaningful glance.
"Yes, that is Cologne's granddaughter and Ranma." Akane said as she turned to face the other direction.
"Well, we will just have to find a way to keep your face hidden from them then."
Wu Shan gave a whistle and soon the girls of the guard were there, surrounding Akane. Hastily, Wu Shan told them of the problem and what she was planning. The girls quickly got to work.
******************
Kurumi sat on a rock by the brook sullenly looking into its crystal clear depths. Her sister had been sick for days now and she was starting to get worried. This was not like Natsume at all, even when she was sick she would still get up and walk around. She hated to be stuck in bed.
Pulling the string of fish she had caught out of the water, Kurumi started to head back for camp. Her sister had been refusing to eat the past few days, but Kurumi was hopeful that she would change her mind tonight. She had managed to catch three of her sister's favorite fish and she was going to prepare them the way Natsume loved so much.
Kurumi was looking for the skillet in the pack by the tent when she heard a soft rustle. She looked over in time to see Natsume crawl out of the tent and stand up, stretching her arms over her head.
"Sister!" Kurumi yelled, forgetting about dinner as she hugged the other girl. "You're better!"
"Yes, I do feel a lot better." Natsume said with a sheepish smile. She still didn't quite feel like her old self, but she didn't want to worry Kurumi any further.
"I bet you are hungry," Kurumi replied as she reached for the skillet. "I'm going to make you a good supper, and then in the morning we can leave."
"Yes, that would be a good idea." Natsume answered her sister. She wasn't sure why, but she had a sudden urge to head towards Nerima. "We should leave in the morning. How would you like to go back to Japan?"
*********************
Ranma watched intently as the young Amazon named Yung Ji headed to the ring for her fifth and final match. He could feel his heart start to race as soon as he caught sight of her long, tanned, muscular leg. Except for Akane, no girl had ever had this kind of effect on him. He felt as though he was cheating on his fiancée, but he just couldn't take his eyes off of this girl. Slowly his eyes traveled up her legs to the tight camouflage shorts that covered her well formed behind. After letting his gaze linger on her bottom for a few seconds, he moved up to her bare midriff and the well-conditioned abs that so wanted to touch.
Moving his gaze up even further, he came to the hem of the tight, camouflage half-shirt that the girl wore. The fabric in the shirt seemed to want to rip just from the walking movement of her arms. Ranma was amazed that the shirt was still there for that matter, and blushed as he realized that he wouldn't mind at all if it did rip down the middle and fall to the ground.
The next sight that caught his eyes was the girls shoulder length blue- black hair and the way the sun seemed to gleam off of it. He was surprised to notice that she was facing his direction, and found himself looking at her long slender neck. He started to think of all the different places on her neck that he wouldn't mind kissing before looking up to her face. For the first time that day he started wishing that she wasn't wearing all of that camouflage makeup. Something was stirring deep down within him, and he felt a strong urge to see this girls face.
Hopefully he glanced at her face, wanting her to be looking his way and found that she was. She had a beautiful smile on her face that literally took his breath away, but that wasn't what caused his heart to skip a beat. He had seen her eyes. Those beautiful, deep, chocolate brown eyes lined by thick, long curling lashes were what had done the trick.
Suddenly, he knew who this girl was. He had lost himself in those eyes so many times, how could he not know. An urge to run to her and hold her in his arms filled him, but he wouldn't do that yet. She had fought her way to the final round of this tournament, and he was not about to ruin her focus. She would need it as she fought Shampoo.
******************
Akane could feel his eyes on her again, and thrilled in the realization that he found her sexy. All day long she had been avoiding him and had refused to look his way, but now her confidence was running so high that she just couldn't resist.
She watched his expression as he slowly moved his gaze up her body. Purposely she put a little more swing in her hips for his benefit, and was rewarded by a slight blush that spread across his cheeks.
Patiently, she waited for his eyes to reach her face. The thing that she missed most about Ranma was his gorgeous cerulean eyes. She swore that she could see his soul reflected in them, and felt this deep-seated need to see them one more time before she carried out her impromptu plan.
The mere seconds it took for his eyes to reach hers agonizingly seemed like hours to Akane. Finally, she was rewarded for her patience as his gray flecked, blue eyes came to rest on hers. She fought to control her expression as she felt her skin tingle and butterflies in her stomach. There was no way she was going to let him know what kind of an effect he was having on her, not yet.
Finally, Akane reached the ring and her opponent. Walking to the middle, Akane looked up and could see that Shampoo was seething. She had obviously noticed the little exchange between Ranma and her. This was all for the better. The madder Akane could get Shampoo, the less focused she would be. Now was the perfect time to confront this girl.
"I have a proposition for you," Akane said in Chinese to Shampoo.
"Tell me what it is before I pound you for flirting with my future husband," Shampoo hissed through clenched teeth. The crowd around the ring suddenly got very quiet so they could hear the exchange between the two girls.
"That boy over there, the one with the pig-tail, is he your future husband?" Akane asked.
"That is him," Shampoo responded with hate-filled eyes. She was angry because Ranma had never looked at her the way he looked at the girl in front of her.
"Why don't we sweeten the champions prize," Akane said with a saccharin sweet smile on her face. "I have heard that you are the best warrior in the village and no one can beat you, so you have nothing to worry about anyways."
"Tell me what it is you want," Shampoo said a little more complacently now that Akane had stroked her ego.
"If I lose you can have the gem around my neck," Akane said wanting Shampoo to take the bait. Earlier, when Akane had discussed her plans with Wu Shan, she had purposely chosen the two karat amethyst necklace knowing that Shampoo would vainly think how pretty the gem would look with her hair. Akane relaxed a little when she realized that Shampoo was interested in the gem.
"And if I lose, what do you get?" Shampoo asked the girl, never once taking her eyes off of the amethyst.
"I get you husband to be," Akane said. Behind her she could hear the spectators gasp. She could also hear Ranma ask what was happening and Cologne answer him.
As Shampoo thought the offer over, dark clouds began to cover the sky in the east and a light rain began to fall. Looking into the crowd, Shampoo spotted Ranma as he changed into a girl and felt the familiar shudder of her revulsion to his girl side. That was all the persuasion that Shampoo needed.
"You have a deal, now let's fight."
Outwardly Akane showed no emotion as she assumed her stance, but inwardly she was pleased with herself. Now all she had to do was stoke the fire under Shampoo's temper and win the match.
A small smirk formed on Akane's face as she noticed Shampoo's leg muscles tense. The girl was going to charge her before she had her bonbori in her hands. She couldn't help throwing in one last barb to insure that she did indeed forget her weapons.
"That's good, because I can't wait to feel his taut muscles with my fingers."
Finally, Ranma and Akane have come face to face! Hope that was enough to satisfy you guys until the next chapter. I hope I haven't made any of you mad with that cliffhanger, but the story wouldn't be any fun without it. ^_~
I could really use a pre-reader. If anyone is interested please send me an e-mail.
Please remember to review. I read all of them, and they motivate me to write future chapters instead of doing the other things I love to do.
Till the next chapter,
Seong Mi