Eloping
By JoPa-kun
I don't own Ranma, or any of its chast. They belong to someone else. Really. I swear.
This is a continuation of sorts. I will try not to let the characters get to much out of character, but then again I'm lazy. I tried more to bring the story on paper, then spending time developing characters.
chapter 4 Saffinkusu
"Ranma?" She turned in her lovers embrace, to look him in the eyes.
"Hm?" He looked into her uncertain gaze, smiled and brushed his lips against her forehead.
"I'm sorry." Ranma blinked at her sudden statement. He draw back enough to look her in the eyes again.
"Whatever for?"
"For not trusting you, being so dense, and not understanding that you were trying to protect me from P., Ryoga." She slid her arms around her torso, and pressed herself to him. Ranma smiled, and nuzzled her hair.
"It's okay. You don't have to apologize for it. Just promise to listen to my side, before you draw conclusions."
"I promise, Ranma. Husband mine." She genuily smiled into his chest and snuggled closer to him.
"So what are our plans for our Honeymoon?" She asked.
"Er.well you want me to train you, so we'll do that, which means spending lots of time camping, but I want to visit some of the larger cities, too. I was six when I last travelled Japan, and after that me 'n' pops were everywhere but here, so I want to see what life outside Nerima has to offer. That's as far as I thought about it."
"UhHm. Sounds like a plan." They were silent for a little while just enjoying the others warmth. Then Akane rolled on top of him, with a wicked grin on her face.
"So, Now that we're married we need names for each other."
"We already have names. We're Ranma and Akane Saotome. You don't like them?"
"That's not what I meant. More like what your father calls your mother. No- chan instead of Nodoka. Nicknames."
"Oh. So what do you want to be called?"
"How about you call me Akchan and I call you Ranchan?"
Ranma thought for a moment, a troubled expression crossing his face.
"Um. I don't know, I think I'd always be reminded of Uc.Ukyo. I really don't want to think about her when I'm with you. Not that I think about her at all, or sumthin'." He added in an afterthought. Akane's grin grew wider. He could be so cute sometimes, and he had just played into her hands.
"Well we just have to create another assoziation with them, don't we, Ranchan?" She kissed him deeply.
"My Ranchan" she repeated over and over while kissing him along his cheekbone and down his neck, over his neck, and past the tropic of the Capricorn.
The weekend in the hotel, had been educational for both, to say the least. Ranma could not believe that Daisuke and Hiroshi were right about anything concerning girl. The experience was breathtaking and addictive. It had changed the way Ranma viewed Akane and how he treated her completely. Maybe those were the dangers women presented, his father always talked about. Ranma snorted in disgust, that would mean the stupid old tard was right about something, and that was next to impossible.
Akane also treated Ranma differently. She accepted that Ranma was a moron, and couldn't help his smart mouth, at least he was trying not to insult her. Besides insulting him, might result in prohibition of. A smile crept on her face. He had been so naïve. He knew what it meant being to share intimacy with her, but the theory and putting it to use, were two different things. He was like a lost cub, and she had taken him in. She shook of the reminiscing and concentrated on the Kata Ranma had shown her, earlier that morning. Suddenly the world around her went black.
Akane awoke, and wished immediately to not have done so. She had a headache, and it was not one of those, that would go away with a few aspirins either. She would probably still feel it a few weeks on. She sat up, and said the first thing that shot through her head.
"Ow. Pain." She held both sides of her head, afraid it would crack if she moved around more.
"hErE lEt mE hElp yOU."
Akane whipped her head around to look at the owner of the voice. Stupid move.
"Yeaargh." She cried out.
"rElAx yOUng OnE. yOU'll fEEl bEttEr"
Akane felt someone touch the top of her head, and warmth spread from it, flooding the pain away. Slowly Akane moved her head from left to right, then up and down.
"Thank You." She said, then turned her head to look at her saviour. She couldn't make out the person, only its outline. She squinted her eyes to get a better look, it didn't help. She turned around to look were she was. It wasn't her campsite.
"Where are we?" She said turning to the Ironbars blocking the entrance of the small cave.
"In A prIsOn. thAt bAstArd mAdE It, And trIckEd mE IntO hErE."
Outside the cell she saw, well a huge cavern. And it was a very nice one in fact, as cave go that is. Smooth dry walls, luminescent stones set into them, to light it, Furniture carved straight out of the wall, a huge fury ball.
'A huge fury ball?' Akane thought and stared at it.
"thAt Is Our tOrmEntOr, rAndAl."
"What dos he want from us?"
"I Am A grEAt thrEAt tO hIm, If I gEt OUt Of hErE I'll kIck hIs bUtt, And If hE kIlls mE, my brOthErs wIll AvEngE mE. yOU. wEll hIs brOthEr wAs hErE And tOld Im hE hAd A vEry dElIscIOUs mEAl yEstErdAy, thAt Is yOUr rEAsOn tO bE hErE."
"He wants me to cook?" She hadn't taken her eyes of the furry creature yet. Maybe she wasn't in to much trouble after all, it wants *her* to cook for him, and his name was Randal. What kind of Evil had a name like Randal.
"nOt rEAlly, yOUr tO bE cOOkEd."
"What?" she turned around to face her companioun.
"nO nEEd tO bE frightened. yOU hAvE AbOUt A wEEk tO lIvE, hE thInks yOUr nOt fAt EnOUgh, yEt."
Akanes mouth opened at that remark, but bit it back. Had she just been insulted or complimented. She closed her mouth and nodded dumbly.
She stared at the direction her companion sat. She had not seen him yet, and was obviously dangerous, if even the huge Randal was frightened. She did not know why she trusted the stranger, but she did. The only thing she knew for sure, was his voice. His voice it was like, sounded like. She knew she had not heard it before, but it sounded familiar. The way he said the consonants, from the back of his throat it seemed, and he did not put stress on syllables, only on vowels alone. As if they were more important, or if he wasn't used saying them, or maybe he was used to pronouncing them differently. Akane shook her head. There was too much going on and it made her head spin. She turned back to look through the Ironbars.
Ranma ran into the huge cavern and stopped.
He suddenly understood why the tracks had made him uneasy, why they had seemed all too familiar. He backed away trying to suppress the fear that was gripping his heart, it in response started to pound faster and faster. His mind lost focus, something, IT, he had not felt in months, returned ready to pounce on its chance to be free once again.
"RANMA!!"
He whipped his head around, his mind focusing once again. He could almost hear IT cursing as it had to retreat."Don't worry Akane! I'll be over in a minute."
Ranma, saw her nod from within her confinement, he looked from her back to it. He silently cursed, why had it to be a cat, out of all things. And such a huge one too. He watched it, as it slept, its head turned away from him, resting on a paw the size of Ranma, its body curled into a tight ball. A vicious yellow brown killer ball.
Ranma pressed himself to a wall and inched his way towards his wife.
He was meters away from her now, almost there. He jumped straight up, a paw the size of a fridge struck were he was seconds before, blasting away parts of the wall. Ranma sommersaulted over it and landed safely a few yards away.
"So the mortal wants to play? I warn you I'm Saffinkusu *new* god of the feline, undefeated Warrior of hell, and *your* personal nightmare."
"yOU lIAr. yOU sOrry ExcUsE Of A pEt." The stranger spit out, teeth grounding in anger, muttering something about contradictions, gods and hell. He turned around to the crying girl.
Ranma stared at the huge cat, just it wasn't a cat, well not only a cat. It was easily two to three stories high, stood on its hind legs, its arms hanging loosely at its sides, almost dragging on the floor. The pads on its front paws were curled up fingers, they did not look right though, they looked more like they were made by someone, who had only heard of hands and fingers, never actually seeing one. Scars covered its upper body, making little bald patches in its fur. Fangs sprouted from its mouth at odd angles. The thing sat down, or actually it crouched, its ears laid back, its tongue flicked out and wiped its nose.
Ranma froze, unsure what to do.
"Run Ranma, Run. Save yourself." Ranma didn't move. The things tail banged against Akanes jail, throwing her back, sobing.
"What is it human. Afraid of a little cat?" It mocked. Ranma didn't move.
"I had hoped you were more enjoyment then that." A paw decended towards Ranma, he rolled out of the way, at the last second.
"Let her go. Now" He shifted into a oppresive stance.
"Ho Ho so the human does fight. I shall enjoy this." A paw swiped low for Ranma, who jumped clear and right into the way of the second paw. He flew against a wall. Hard.
"Pathetic Kid. Just allow me to end your misery" It spat. Ranma slowly stood up. His body was shaking, hurting too, but mainly it was shaking. He was fighting down the urge to give in to his fear. Akane needed him, he couldn't loose control. He wouldn't loose control. He wouldn't loose.
"N-Not bad for a sp-spaded ca-c-cat." He stuttered.
"A Backbone too I see. You do know I will have to kill you for that one, right? And I'll have to do your girl, to prove my ... completeness." The Cat smirked, its Tail flailing wildly.
Ranma charged.
"Ranma you fool." She said sobbing. She hurt and she was afraid, if Ranma couldn't beat it, she surely couldn't, and Ranma couldn't beat it because of its feline nature, and if he went into Neko-ken. well that thing had far more experience in being a cat, and Ranma would attack, without a plan, without a stategy. 'Why couldn't he have run, better me then both of us.' She thought.
"nOw, nOw my dEAr, dOn't cry. At lEAst hE dIEd hOnOrAbly."
"He isn't dead yet.
"." the girl had a point there, and besides his Uncle had not shown up yet, either. He shook his head, no ordinary Human could ever dream of defeating Saffinkusu.
He jumped over the first paw swipe, and rebounded of the second, aimed towards the cats face.
"KACHUU TENCHIN"
The Cat stood staright up, so Ranma wouldn't fly in its face, but rather in his chest. It brought its paws up to swat the human.
"AMAGURIKEN"
Ranmas fist blurred hitting the cat again and again. With his last Punch he aimed up and grabbed for the fur, then pulling him up. The Paws impacted right were he was no second ago. Ranma pushed of and landed away from the creature.
"MOUKO TAKABAHASHI!" Ranma threw a Ki ball at the beasts haunch. But the beast was faster it brought its knee up prottecting his privats.
The self proclaimed Cat god crouched on all four paws, its tail started to swing faster, ears cocked upfront, the pupils growing in size. It grinned.
"You impress me human. I am having the most fun I had in the last couple centuries. It saddens me that I have to finish it now."
It jumped.
Akane watched Ranma intently. She saw that he was distracted, and not concentrating, due to his fear.
"Please, Ranma, please you have to beat him for me, please keep focused and don't go Neko-ken on me." She pleaded.
Her companion perked up at that last statement. "whAt dId yOU sAy, child?"
SHE SAID 'PLEASE, RANMA, PLEASE YOU HAVE TO BEAT HIM FOR ME, PLEASE KEEP FOCUSED AND DON'T GO NEKO-KEN ON ME', HU-PAO
Both Akane and Hu-Pao, turned towards the new arrival.
"W-Where.?"
"nEkO-kEn?"
Both exclaimed at the same time. Then the other turned to Akane.
"yOU cAn sEE, my UnclE?" he asked surprised. Akane nodded.
"Your Uncle?" she tried to get a better look at the new Arrival, but her eyes almost teared up instantly, and her eyes were fighting there own war, to avoid seeing the man.
"Ah, yEs. AkAnE thIs Is my UnclE, thE Gr..."
BILL
Hu-Pao looked at his Uncle. "bIll?"
YES I THINK I HAVE CHOSEN A GOOD NAME, IT BEATS THE DESCRIPTION OF MY BUSINESS. PEOPLE ARE MORE RELAXED AROUND A BILL
"sO On graveyArds pEOplE wIll start tO crYIng 'hE wAs tO yOUng tO bIll lIke thAt'?" the distracted nephew asked.
NO BILL IS MY NAME IT IS NOT MY JOB DESCRIPTION
Akane looked from Uncle to nephew, and blinked, as the meaning of the exchange finally settled in.
"You're, You're Death?" she asked.
YES
Her eyes grew wide, shock written over her face, then fear, then determination, and her eyes grew to little slits. She attacked him.
"I will not let you take him." She cried.
Bill effortlessly sidestepped her, and for a moment his scythe and his sword reflected the little light there was.
She rounded on him, getting ready to launch another attack, but suddenly something touched the back of her head, and she instantly was to tired to even stand.
"What?"
"I Am sOrry bUt It Is fOr yOUr Own gOOd." Hu-Pao apologized.
"Who are you?" she asked, more out of surprise than curiosity. Why hadn't she asked earlier.
"hU-pAO! true gOd Of All fElInE. gIvEr Of mIlk And tUnA. And tO AnswEr yOUr nExt questions. my fAthEr, bIlls brOthEr Is thE kAmI-sAmA. And thAt IdIOt rAndAl, sAffInkUsU, whAtEvEr Is my nEphEw, sOrt Of, sOn Of my brOthers, thE sElf prOclAImEd lOrd Of dEstrUctIOn, fOrmErly known As tEUfEl."
Before the girl could respond, Hu-Pao sat down and concentrated. If this boy truly was master of the cat-fist, he would have a chance. Normally he wouldn't be able to exert power over humans, but the Cat-fist, was a Cat technique, so he could extort some power on the human. He opened his mind intent on finding the young boy that bore his mark.
The cat launched itself at Ranma, who desperately jumped away, but a paw hit him in the back nonetheless.
Before Ranma could recover, he was flung against a wall, and again, and again... Finally the cat stopped. The toy wasn't reacting anymore, three of its four limbs broken, probably dead.
Ranmas Ki flared up, then dimnished.
The new Cat God sat still. He wasn't sure what this human was doing, but he was curious, he'd sit and wait, The human could do nothing to him anyway.
Again the boys Ki flared up, to just extinguish again.
~I cannot loose...~ A first Voice said.
Akane... A second added.
/Let me out I'll fight forrr us.../ A third came.
{NO. Unpredictable. Pain. Fear.} More voices started to speak up.
/Must.../
@ Boy I will teach you a technic that is unbeatable. @
/prrrotect.../
% I love you Ranma %
/Mate.../
{NO}
~...loose...~
/Victorrry.../
Akane...
%...love...%
/Safety/
@...unbeatable...@
/I am.../
{NO}
/@...unbeatable, I will...@/
{No}
/~...not loose, will protect...~/
{no}
/%...our mate, love, Akane.%/
{...no}
/I am.../
{...}
/...you/
{yes}
@{Yes}@
%@{YEs}@%
///~%@{YES}@%~///
The cat god sat on his haunches. This human was most peculiar. First he had put up a fight, no human had done before him. Hu-Pao wanted to help, but he died before the god could do anything, to help. And when the boy had died he started glowing, faster and faster. His Uncle had not even bothered to go check on the boy he had just waited. And why had he sidestepped the girl? It was not like humans could actually touch him. So why did he evade her attack? Could it be, that thes two. The cat slowly moved its paws in front of its face. Due to the high frequency of the flaring, it seemed like it was moving in stop motion. A smile spread over the beasts face, as it waved its paw faster.
Then the flaring seased.
Akane looked over to Ranma. Why wasn't he moving? Was he .? She started crying. Then the lightshow had begun. First she thought it was the Things doing, but after looking at its face, she knew it was as surprised, as she was. Then understanding dawned on her.
Ranma was not dead. But what was he doing? Shortly after the light had started to flash like a stroboscope, it ended. Akane blinked in surprise and tried to get used to the darker cave once again.
She gasped. Ranma was counscious again and he was standing on all fours, his back arched.
"MeORROOOAAAAWWWWRRR!" Ranma stood slowly up, then mirrored the stance the false God had used at the beginning. Kiblades sprouting from his hands. His hair blowing around his head in the windless Cavern. His own Ki, glowing faintly around him, stabilized seriously violated body parts.
"This fight is giving me more pleasure by the minute. Just maybe I will not kill you and your mate, but make you my willing slaves after all."
A deep growl came from Ranma as he did something he had never done before, while using the Neko-ken, something so out of the ordinary (, well for Ranma's standards anyway,) that it frightened Akane even more, but fed her hope at the same time.
"Neverrrr" the cat boy said.
The false God laughed as it drew back a paw to swat the boy, the paw was blocked by Ranma effortlessly. The god drew back fast, and jumped at the human. Ranma threw himself at the beast at the same time.
Bill put the scythe back inside of his robe, then covered his sword with it, he wouldn't need them after all. He drew something else out of a small hidden pocket. He turned it, the small metal petals, reflecting the light. He went to do his job.
Saffinkusu was perplex the human was fast, faster then him, and stronger, and the wounds, the broken bones did not slow him down at all.
He felt like fighting air itself. Wherever he struck, the boy was not where he was supposed to be. Wounds started to open all over his body, and he could not do anything about it. Then something caught his eye. There was Uncle, Greatuncle whatever, and he did not carry his scythe or sword, but the metal daisy. And all hope left his system, had he believed, that human would just kill him, and he would come back after the humans death, he now knew, once this human was through with him, he would never live again. He nodded as his neck, his very being; his eternal spirit was snapped in two by the boy.
The daisy struck his stomach, his spiritual centre, and he was gone forever.
Ranma stood still, ready to continue his attack at any given time. His attacker, challenger, enemy, lay still before him. Suddenly the corpse radiated heat, it grew and grew Ranma had to back away, in order to keep his fur from smouldering. He shook his head, his hair not fur. Then the body exploded. It was an odd explosion Ranma thought. He expected everything to be covered in the beasts gore, a deafening sound, a shockwave of compact air. He was disappointed. The body exploded with a wet 'plop' the explosion never left the confines the body presented. Like a mousse exploding in a small glass cubicle. Ranma abounded that thought, it made him hungry. Then the body seemed to explode backwards and concentrated in to a single point. With a final 'Pling' something fell and it was all over.
Ranma stood the enemy was gone; it was time to get his mate and leave.
Energy slowly returned to Akane, so she was already standing at the bars, when Ranma came over.
"Step back!" she did as he told her. He flicked his wrists, and turned the Iron to confetti.
Akane ran to her husband in a tight hug.
"I was worried about you, Baka. Why didn't you save yours.?" She was cut short when Ranma pressed his lips to hers, hungrily and forcefully. Akane did not need a second invitation. Responded immediately, trying to meet him with as much ferocity as he radiated. She loved this kiss, it was their best kiss, yet, because he was kissing her unrestrained. Their tongues met, circled each other, and then explored the respective homes. Her eyes opened when she noticed his Ki being forced into his tongue, which was in her mouth, and suddenly his tongue was everywhere in her mouth, caressing and tickling everything from the space between her front teeth and her lips all the way back to her gum.
They were interrupted by clapping. Akane broke the kiss, while Ranma wanted to keep kissing, he growled when he could not feel her lips anymore. They both turned to Hu-Pao, as for the first time since Akane met him, stepped out of the shadows.
Akane was not surprised, seeing a Cat-man, garbed in gold, red and blue clothes his ankles and wrists bandaged, she had suspected as much by now.
Ranma on the other hand slid into a defensive position in front of Akane.
"Ranma!" she scolded him, "He's ok! He was another prisoner of Saffinkusu!"
She turned and bowed. "Hu-Pao-sama, may I introduce you to my Fia. I mean husband Ranma Saotome."
"nO nEEd tO bE sO fOrmAl AkAnE. sO yOU ArE RAnmA SAOtOmE, hUh? I ImAgInEd yOU wErE tAllEr."
"Akane?" Ranma asked quite irritated.
"His name is Hu-Pao. And I think he is a kami?"
"I never heard of a kami, Hu-Pao." Akane slapped him upside the head, and the deity chuckled.
"I Am A kAmI, bUt nO hUmAn prAys tO mE. I Am thE gOd Of fElInEs, thEy ArE thE OnEs thAt bElIEvE In mE."
"So I guess that it's a good bye then." Ranma turned around and dragged Akane behind him.
"wOn't yOU stAy AwhIle. It hAs been cEntUrIEs sIncE I hAd hUmAn cOmpAny. And I cOUld tEll yOU AbOUt sAffInkUsU And thE nEkO-kEn. And thE lEAst I cOUld dO Is trEAt yOUr wOUnds."
Ranma blinked. He couldn't remember getting wounded. He looked down himself. His left leg wasn't entirely straight anymore, something white poked through the fabric of his right sleeve, and his left shoulder shouldn't be so long either, should it? He blinked again, also letting go of any concentration he was holding. He asked himself if he shouldn't be hurting, in the same moment the protective layer of Ki too extinguished, without his concentration feeding it. He nodded to himself, as the pain pierced his mind; yes, that was more like it. Then he sagged together unconscious.
Ranma awoke to the smell of freshly grilled meat. That was not so bad he mused. He slowly sat up.
"Don't. You're not completely healed yet."
He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at his wife.
"I could get used to awake to such beauty." He said. Akane beamed at him broadly, tears running down her face.
"Ranma, don't ever worry me like that again. Do you know in what a bad shape your body was?" Ranma raised his right arm to cup her check and wipe away her tears. She leaned into his hand without thinking about it. He frowned slightly, trying to remember what had exactly happened during the fight after a moment he answered.
"My leg was broken, my right arm and left shoulder too, I think." He looked at the hand that cupped Akane's check and the arm that was attached to it, and flexed his legs at the same time. He lightly rolled his left shoulder.
"But then I could be wrong."
"No that happened. Hu-Pao-sama said you broke them during the fight, and then you tapped in to the Neko-ken, and well sort of did first Aid using your Ki, so you could keep fighting."
Ranma dropped his right hand and gripped Akane's own, and gave it a squeeze. His left hand came to his face absentmindedly he licked the side of it and rubbed it over his face.
Akane was about to comment on the awkward behaviour, but held back favouring another topic.
"You were out for three days, when it was apparent you were going to be out cold for some time, Hu-Pao-sama sent out a Tiger to get our stuff. He temporarily redirected your Ki, to help the healing process. He taught me some of it too. That Saffinkusu you fought was a demon one of twelve brothers, few of the strongest fighters of hell. You killed him Ranma, he said no human would be able to do so, but you are special, and I am too. His Uncle Bill, the Grim Reaper, was there at your fight. I recognized him for what he truly was, only blessed ones, like witches, wizards, Kings and such could do that, and he had to sidestep *me* you know seems unlike blessed ones I can also touch him, if he wants it or not. That is why Hu- Pao-sama asked us if we would allow him to introduce us to somebody to train us." Akane stopped she was tired, but she would not show it. Ranma had just woken up. He needed her.
"Not so fast Akane, give me some time to get back my wits, okay. Where is he anyways?" He smelled the air.
"He's out visiting his brother, er. Ratsass."
His Mate was weak, and full of fear, he could tell it was in her scent. There was something else too. It smelled like burning meat. "Uhm. Akane, why don't you take the meat of the fire and cuddle up with me for a little while I'm still tired and wouldn't mind your hot bod' warmin' mine a bit."
She smiled and nodded then stood up lifted the deer of the fire and went back to Ranma. She lay down on the blanket beside of him, his body automatically cupped hers from behind, offering his arm to her as pillow, soon they fell asleep.
By JoPa-kun
I don't own Ranma, or any of its chast. They belong to someone else. Really. I swear.
This is a continuation of sorts. I will try not to let the characters get to much out of character, but then again I'm lazy. I tried more to bring the story on paper, then spending time developing characters.
chapter 4 Saffinkusu
"Ranma?" She turned in her lovers embrace, to look him in the eyes.
"Hm?" He looked into her uncertain gaze, smiled and brushed his lips against her forehead.
"I'm sorry." Ranma blinked at her sudden statement. He draw back enough to look her in the eyes again.
"Whatever for?"
"For not trusting you, being so dense, and not understanding that you were trying to protect me from P., Ryoga." She slid her arms around her torso, and pressed herself to him. Ranma smiled, and nuzzled her hair.
"It's okay. You don't have to apologize for it. Just promise to listen to my side, before you draw conclusions."
"I promise, Ranma. Husband mine." She genuily smiled into his chest and snuggled closer to him.
"So what are our plans for our Honeymoon?" She asked.
"Er.well you want me to train you, so we'll do that, which means spending lots of time camping, but I want to visit some of the larger cities, too. I was six when I last travelled Japan, and after that me 'n' pops were everywhere but here, so I want to see what life outside Nerima has to offer. That's as far as I thought about it."
"UhHm. Sounds like a plan." They were silent for a little while just enjoying the others warmth. Then Akane rolled on top of him, with a wicked grin on her face.
"So, Now that we're married we need names for each other."
"We already have names. We're Ranma and Akane Saotome. You don't like them?"
"That's not what I meant. More like what your father calls your mother. No- chan instead of Nodoka. Nicknames."
"Oh. So what do you want to be called?"
"How about you call me Akchan and I call you Ranchan?"
Ranma thought for a moment, a troubled expression crossing his face.
"Um. I don't know, I think I'd always be reminded of Uc.Ukyo. I really don't want to think about her when I'm with you. Not that I think about her at all, or sumthin'." He added in an afterthought. Akane's grin grew wider. He could be so cute sometimes, and he had just played into her hands.
"Well we just have to create another assoziation with them, don't we, Ranchan?" She kissed him deeply.
"My Ranchan" she repeated over and over while kissing him along his cheekbone and down his neck, over his neck, and past the tropic of the Capricorn.
The weekend in the hotel, had been educational for both, to say the least. Ranma could not believe that Daisuke and Hiroshi were right about anything concerning girl. The experience was breathtaking and addictive. It had changed the way Ranma viewed Akane and how he treated her completely. Maybe those were the dangers women presented, his father always talked about. Ranma snorted in disgust, that would mean the stupid old tard was right about something, and that was next to impossible.
Akane also treated Ranma differently. She accepted that Ranma was a moron, and couldn't help his smart mouth, at least he was trying not to insult her. Besides insulting him, might result in prohibition of. A smile crept on her face. He had been so naïve. He knew what it meant being to share intimacy with her, but the theory and putting it to use, were two different things. He was like a lost cub, and she had taken him in. She shook of the reminiscing and concentrated on the Kata Ranma had shown her, earlier that morning. Suddenly the world around her went black.
Akane awoke, and wished immediately to not have done so. She had a headache, and it was not one of those, that would go away with a few aspirins either. She would probably still feel it a few weeks on. She sat up, and said the first thing that shot through her head.
"Ow. Pain." She held both sides of her head, afraid it would crack if she moved around more.
"hErE lEt mE hElp yOU."
Akane whipped her head around to look at the owner of the voice. Stupid move.
"Yeaargh." She cried out.
"rElAx yOUng OnE. yOU'll fEEl bEttEr"
Akane felt someone touch the top of her head, and warmth spread from it, flooding the pain away. Slowly Akane moved her head from left to right, then up and down.
"Thank You." She said, then turned her head to look at her saviour. She couldn't make out the person, only its outline. She squinted her eyes to get a better look, it didn't help. She turned around to look were she was. It wasn't her campsite.
"Where are we?" She said turning to the Ironbars blocking the entrance of the small cave.
"In A prIsOn. thAt bAstArd mAdE It, And trIckEd mE IntO hErE."
Outside the cell she saw, well a huge cavern. And it was a very nice one in fact, as cave go that is. Smooth dry walls, luminescent stones set into them, to light it, Furniture carved straight out of the wall, a huge fury ball.
'A huge fury ball?' Akane thought and stared at it.
"thAt Is Our tOrmEntOr, rAndAl."
"What dos he want from us?"
"I Am A grEAt thrEAt tO hIm, If I gEt OUt Of hErE I'll kIck hIs bUtt, And If hE kIlls mE, my brOthErs wIll AvEngE mE. yOU. wEll hIs brOthEr wAs hErE And tOld Im hE hAd A vEry dElIscIOUs mEAl yEstErdAy, thAt Is yOUr rEAsOn tO bE hErE."
"He wants me to cook?" She hadn't taken her eyes of the furry creature yet. Maybe she wasn't in to much trouble after all, it wants *her* to cook for him, and his name was Randal. What kind of Evil had a name like Randal.
"nOt rEAlly, yOUr tO bE cOOkEd."
"What?" she turned around to face her companioun.
"nO nEEd tO bE frightened. yOU hAvE AbOUt A wEEk tO lIvE, hE thInks yOUr nOt fAt EnOUgh, yEt."
Akanes mouth opened at that remark, but bit it back. Had she just been insulted or complimented. She closed her mouth and nodded dumbly.
She stared at the direction her companion sat. She had not seen him yet, and was obviously dangerous, if even the huge Randal was frightened. She did not know why she trusted the stranger, but she did. The only thing she knew for sure, was his voice. His voice it was like, sounded like. She knew she had not heard it before, but it sounded familiar. The way he said the consonants, from the back of his throat it seemed, and he did not put stress on syllables, only on vowels alone. As if they were more important, or if he wasn't used saying them, or maybe he was used to pronouncing them differently. Akane shook her head. There was too much going on and it made her head spin. She turned back to look through the Ironbars.
Ranma ran into the huge cavern and stopped.
He suddenly understood why the tracks had made him uneasy, why they had seemed all too familiar. He backed away trying to suppress the fear that was gripping his heart, it in response started to pound faster and faster. His mind lost focus, something, IT, he had not felt in months, returned ready to pounce on its chance to be free once again.
"RANMA!!"
He whipped his head around, his mind focusing once again. He could almost hear IT cursing as it had to retreat."Don't worry Akane! I'll be over in a minute."
Ranma, saw her nod from within her confinement, he looked from her back to it. He silently cursed, why had it to be a cat, out of all things. And such a huge one too. He watched it, as it slept, its head turned away from him, resting on a paw the size of Ranma, its body curled into a tight ball. A vicious yellow brown killer ball.
Ranma pressed himself to a wall and inched his way towards his wife.
He was meters away from her now, almost there. He jumped straight up, a paw the size of a fridge struck were he was seconds before, blasting away parts of the wall. Ranma sommersaulted over it and landed safely a few yards away.
"So the mortal wants to play? I warn you I'm Saffinkusu *new* god of the feline, undefeated Warrior of hell, and *your* personal nightmare."
"yOU lIAr. yOU sOrry ExcUsE Of A pEt." The stranger spit out, teeth grounding in anger, muttering something about contradictions, gods and hell. He turned around to the crying girl.
Ranma stared at the huge cat, just it wasn't a cat, well not only a cat. It was easily two to three stories high, stood on its hind legs, its arms hanging loosely at its sides, almost dragging on the floor. The pads on its front paws were curled up fingers, they did not look right though, they looked more like they were made by someone, who had only heard of hands and fingers, never actually seeing one. Scars covered its upper body, making little bald patches in its fur. Fangs sprouted from its mouth at odd angles. The thing sat down, or actually it crouched, its ears laid back, its tongue flicked out and wiped its nose.
Ranma froze, unsure what to do.
"Run Ranma, Run. Save yourself." Ranma didn't move. The things tail banged against Akanes jail, throwing her back, sobing.
"What is it human. Afraid of a little cat?" It mocked. Ranma didn't move.
"I had hoped you were more enjoyment then that." A paw decended towards Ranma, he rolled out of the way, at the last second.
"Let her go. Now" He shifted into a oppresive stance.
"Ho Ho so the human does fight. I shall enjoy this." A paw swiped low for Ranma, who jumped clear and right into the way of the second paw. He flew against a wall. Hard.
"Pathetic Kid. Just allow me to end your misery" It spat. Ranma slowly stood up. His body was shaking, hurting too, but mainly it was shaking. He was fighting down the urge to give in to his fear. Akane needed him, he couldn't loose control. He wouldn't loose control. He wouldn't loose.
"N-Not bad for a sp-spaded ca-c-cat." He stuttered.
"A Backbone too I see. You do know I will have to kill you for that one, right? And I'll have to do your girl, to prove my ... completeness." The Cat smirked, its Tail flailing wildly.
Ranma charged.
"Ranma you fool." She said sobbing. She hurt and she was afraid, if Ranma couldn't beat it, she surely couldn't, and Ranma couldn't beat it because of its feline nature, and if he went into Neko-ken. well that thing had far more experience in being a cat, and Ranma would attack, without a plan, without a stategy. 'Why couldn't he have run, better me then both of us.' She thought.
"nOw, nOw my dEAr, dOn't cry. At lEAst hE dIEd hOnOrAbly."
"He isn't dead yet.
"." the girl had a point there, and besides his Uncle had not shown up yet, either. He shook his head, no ordinary Human could ever dream of defeating Saffinkusu.
He jumped over the first paw swipe, and rebounded of the second, aimed towards the cats face.
"KACHUU TENCHIN"
The Cat stood staright up, so Ranma wouldn't fly in its face, but rather in his chest. It brought its paws up to swat the human.
"AMAGURIKEN"
Ranmas fist blurred hitting the cat again and again. With his last Punch he aimed up and grabbed for the fur, then pulling him up. The Paws impacted right were he was no second ago. Ranma pushed of and landed away from the creature.
"MOUKO TAKABAHASHI!" Ranma threw a Ki ball at the beasts haunch. But the beast was faster it brought its knee up prottecting his privats.
The self proclaimed Cat god crouched on all four paws, its tail started to swing faster, ears cocked upfront, the pupils growing in size. It grinned.
"You impress me human. I am having the most fun I had in the last couple centuries. It saddens me that I have to finish it now."
It jumped.
Akane watched Ranma intently. She saw that he was distracted, and not concentrating, due to his fear.
"Please, Ranma, please you have to beat him for me, please keep focused and don't go Neko-ken on me." She pleaded.
Her companion perked up at that last statement. "whAt dId yOU sAy, child?"
SHE SAID 'PLEASE, RANMA, PLEASE YOU HAVE TO BEAT HIM FOR ME, PLEASE KEEP FOCUSED AND DON'T GO NEKO-KEN ON ME', HU-PAO
Both Akane and Hu-Pao, turned towards the new arrival.
"W-Where.?"
"nEkO-kEn?"
Both exclaimed at the same time. Then the other turned to Akane.
"yOU cAn sEE, my UnclE?" he asked surprised. Akane nodded.
"Your Uncle?" she tried to get a better look at the new Arrival, but her eyes almost teared up instantly, and her eyes were fighting there own war, to avoid seeing the man.
"Ah, yEs. AkAnE thIs Is my UnclE, thE Gr..."
BILL
Hu-Pao looked at his Uncle. "bIll?"
YES I THINK I HAVE CHOSEN A GOOD NAME, IT BEATS THE DESCRIPTION OF MY BUSINESS. PEOPLE ARE MORE RELAXED AROUND A BILL
"sO On graveyArds pEOplE wIll start tO crYIng 'hE wAs tO yOUng tO bIll lIke thAt'?" the distracted nephew asked.
NO BILL IS MY NAME IT IS NOT MY JOB DESCRIPTION
Akane looked from Uncle to nephew, and blinked, as the meaning of the exchange finally settled in.
"You're, You're Death?" she asked.
YES
Her eyes grew wide, shock written over her face, then fear, then determination, and her eyes grew to little slits. She attacked him.
"I will not let you take him." She cried.
Bill effortlessly sidestepped her, and for a moment his scythe and his sword reflected the little light there was.
She rounded on him, getting ready to launch another attack, but suddenly something touched the back of her head, and she instantly was to tired to even stand.
"What?"
"I Am sOrry bUt It Is fOr yOUr Own gOOd." Hu-Pao apologized.
"Who are you?" she asked, more out of surprise than curiosity. Why hadn't she asked earlier.
"hU-pAO! true gOd Of All fElInE. gIvEr Of mIlk And tUnA. And tO AnswEr yOUr nExt questions. my fAthEr, bIlls brOthEr Is thE kAmI-sAmA. And thAt IdIOt rAndAl, sAffInkUsU, whAtEvEr Is my nEphEw, sOrt Of, sOn Of my brOthers, thE sElf prOclAImEd lOrd Of dEstrUctIOn, fOrmErly known As tEUfEl."
Before the girl could respond, Hu-Pao sat down and concentrated. If this boy truly was master of the cat-fist, he would have a chance. Normally he wouldn't be able to exert power over humans, but the Cat-fist, was a Cat technique, so he could extort some power on the human. He opened his mind intent on finding the young boy that bore his mark.
The cat launched itself at Ranma, who desperately jumped away, but a paw hit him in the back nonetheless.
Before Ranma could recover, he was flung against a wall, and again, and again... Finally the cat stopped. The toy wasn't reacting anymore, three of its four limbs broken, probably dead.
Ranmas Ki flared up, then dimnished.
The new Cat God sat still. He wasn't sure what this human was doing, but he was curious, he'd sit and wait, The human could do nothing to him anyway.
Again the boys Ki flared up, to just extinguish again.
~I cannot loose...~ A first Voice said.
Akane... A second added.
/Let me out I'll fight forrr us.../ A third came.
{NO. Unpredictable. Pain. Fear.} More voices started to speak up.
/Must.../
@ Boy I will teach you a technic that is unbeatable. @
/prrrotect.../
% I love you Ranma %
/Mate.../
{NO}
~...loose...~
/Victorrry.../
Akane...
%...love...%
/Safety/
@...unbeatable...@
/I am.../
{NO}
/@...unbeatable, I will...@/
{No}
/~...not loose, will protect...~/
{no}
/%...our mate, love, Akane.%/
{...no}
/I am.../
{...}
/...you/
{yes}
@{Yes}@
%@{YEs}@%
///~%@{YES}@%~///
The cat god sat on his haunches. This human was most peculiar. First he had put up a fight, no human had done before him. Hu-Pao wanted to help, but he died before the god could do anything, to help. And when the boy had died he started glowing, faster and faster. His Uncle had not even bothered to go check on the boy he had just waited. And why had he sidestepped the girl? It was not like humans could actually touch him. So why did he evade her attack? Could it be, that thes two. The cat slowly moved its paws in front of its face. Due to the high frequency of the flaring, it seemed like it was moving in stop motion. A smile spread over the beasts face, as it waved its paw faster.
Then the flaring seased.
Akane looked over to Ranma. Why wasn't he moving? Was he .? She started crying. Then the lightshow had begun. First she thought it was the Things doing, but after looking at its face, she knew it was as surprised, as she was. Then understanding dawned on her.
Ranma was not dead. But what was he doing? Shortly after the light had started to flash like a stroboscope, it ended. Akane blinked in surprise and tried to get used to the darker cave once again.
She gasped. Ranma was counscious again and he was standing on all fours, his back arched.
"MeORROOOAAAAWWWWRRR!" Ranma stood slowly up, then mirrored the stance the false God had used at the beginning. Kiblades sprouting from his hands. His hair blowing around his head in the windless Cavern. His own Ki, glowing faintly around him, stabilized seriously violated body parts.
"This fight is giving me more pleasure by the minute. Just maybe I will not kill you and your mate, but make you my willing slaves after all."
A deep growl came from Ranma as he did something he had never done before, while using the Neko-ken, something so out of the ordinary (, well for Ranma's standards anyway,) that it frightened Akane even more, but fed her hope at the same time.
"Neverrrr" the cat boy said.
The false God laughed as it drew back a paw to swat the boy, the paw was blocked by Ranma effortlessly. The god drew back fast, and jumped at the human. Ranma threw himself at the beast at the same time.
Bill put the scythe back inside of his robe, then covered his sword with it, he wouldn't need them after all. He drew something else out of a small hidden pocket. He turned it, the small metal petals, reflecting the light. He went to do his job.
Saffinkusu was perplex the human was fast, faster then him, and stronger, and the wounds, the broken bones did not slow him down at all.
He felt like fighting air itself. Wherever he struck, the boy was not where he was supposed to be. Wounds started to open all over his body, and he could not do anything about it. Then something caught his eye. There was Uncle, Greatuncle whatever, and he did not carry his scythe or sword, but the metal daisy. And all hope left his system, had he believed, that human would just kill him, and he would come back after the humans death, he now knew, once this human was through with him, he would never live again. He nodded as his neck, his very being; his eternal spirit was snapped in two by the boy.
The daisy struck his stomach, his spiritual centre, and he was gone forever.
Ranma stood still, ready to continue his attack at any given time. His attacker, challenger, enemy, lay still before him. Suddenly the corpse radiated heat, it grew and grew Ranma had to back away, in order to keep his fur from smouldering. He shook his head, his hair not fur. Then the body exploded. It was an odd explosion Ranma thought. He expected everything to be covered in the beasts gore, a deafening sound, a shockwave of compact air. He was disappointed. The body exploded with a wet 'plop' the explosion never left the confines the body presented. Like a mousse exploding in a small glass cubicle. Ranma abounded that thought, it made him hungry. Then the body seemed to explode backwards and concentrated in to a single point. With a final 'Pling' something fell and it was all over.
Ranma stood the enemy was gone; it was time to get his mate and leave.
Energy slowly returned to Akane, so she was already standing at the bars, when Ranma came over.
"Step back!" she did as he told her. He flicked his wrists, and turned the Iron to confetti.
Akane ran to her husband in a tight hug.
"I was worried about you, Baka. Why didn't you save yours.?" She was cut short when Ranma pressed his lips to hers, hungrily and forcefully. Akane did not need a second invitation. Responded immediately, trying to meet him with as much ferocity as he radiated. She loved this kiss, it was their best kiss, yet, because he was kissing her unrestrained. Their tongues met, circled each other, and then explored the respective homes. Her eyes opened when she noticed his Ki being forced into his tongue, which was in her mouth, and suddenly his tongue was everywhere in her mouth, caressing and tickling everything from the space between her front teeth and her lips all the way back to her gum.
They were interrupted by clapping. Akane broke the kiss, while Ranma wanted to keep kissing, he growled when he could not feel her lips anymore. They both turned to Hu-Pao, as for the first time since Akane met him, stepped out of the shadows.
Akane was not surprised, seeing a Cat-man, garbed in gold, red and blue clothes his ankles and wrists bandaged, she had suspected as much by now.
Ranma on the other hand slid into a defensive position in front of Akane.
"Ranma!" she scolded him, "He's ok! He was another prisoner of Saffinkusu!"
She turned and bowed. "Hu-Pao-sama, may I introduce you to my Fia. I mean husband Ranma Saotome."
"nO nEEd tO bE sO fOrmAl AkAnE. sO yOU ArE RAnmA SAOtOmE, hUh? I ImAgInEd yOU wErE tAllEr."
"Akane?" Ranma asked quite irritated.
"His name is Hu-Pao. And I think he is a kami?"
"I never heard of a kami, Hu-Pao." Akane slapped him upside the head, and the deity chuckled.
"I Am A kAmI, bUt nO hUmAn prAys tO mE. I Am thE gOd Of fElInEs, thEy ArE thE OnEs thAt bElIEvE In mE."
"So I guess that it's a good bye then." Ranma turned around and dragged Akane behind him.
"wOn't yOU stAy AwhIle. It hAs been cEntUrIEs sIncE I hAd hUmAn cOmpAny. And I cOUld tEll yOU AbOUt sAffInkUsU And thE nEkO-kEn. And thE lEAst I cOUld dO Is trEAt yOUr wOUnds."
Ranma blinked. He couldn't remember getting wounded. He looked down himself. His left leg wasn't entirely straight anymore, something white poked through the fabric of his right sleeve, and his left shoulder shouldn't be so long either, should it? He blinked again, also letting go of any concentration he was holding. He asked himself if he shouldn't be hurting, in the same moment the protective layer of Ki too extinguished, without his concentration feeding it. He nodded to himself, as the pain pierced his mind; yes, that was more like it. Then he sagged together unconscious.
Ranma awoke to the smell of freshly grilled meat. That was not so bad he mused. He slowly sat up.
"Don't. You're not completely healed yet."
He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at his wife.
"I could get used to awake to such beauty." He said. Akane beamed at him broadly, tears running down her face.
"Ranma, don't ever worry me like that again. Do you know in what a bad shape your body was?" Ranma raised his right arm to cup her check and wipe away her tears. She leaned into his hand without thinking about it. He frowned slightly, trying to remember what had exactly happened during the fight after a moment he answered.
"My leg was broken, my right arm and left shoulder too, I think." He looked at the hand that cupped Akane's check and the arm that was attached to it, and flexed his legs at the same time. He lightly rolled his left shoulder.
"But then I could be wrong."
"No that happened. Hu-Pao-sama said you broke them during the fight, and then you tapped in to the Neko-ken, and well sort of did first Aid using your Ki, so you could keep fighting."
Ranma dropped his right hand and gripped Akane's own, and gave it a squeeze. His left hand came to his face absentmindedly he licked the side of it and rubbed it over his face.
Akane was about to comment on the awkward behaviour, but held back favouring another topic.
"You were out for three days, when it was apparent you were going to be out cold for some time, Hu-Pao-sama sent out a Tiger to get our stuff. He temporarily redirected your Ki, to help the healing process. He taught me some of it too. That Saffinkusu you fought was a demon one of twelve brothers, few of the strongest fighters of hell. You killed him Ranma, he said no human would be able to do so, but you are special, and I am too. His Uncle Bill, the Grim Reaper, was there at your fight. I recognized him for what he truly was, only blessed ones, like witches, wizards, Kings and such could do that, and he had to sidestep *me* you know seems unlike blessed ones I can also touch him, if he wants it or not. That is why Hu- Pao-sama asked us if we would allow him to introduce us to somebody to train us." Akane stopped she was tired, but she would not show it. Ranma had just woken up. He needed her.
"Not so fast Akane, give me some time to get back my wits, okay. Where is he anyways?" He smelled the air.
"He's out visiting his brother, er. Ratsass."
His Mate was weak, and full of fear, he could tell it was in her scent. There was something else too. It smelled like burning meat. "Uhm. Akane, why don't you take the meat of the fire and cuddle up with me for a little while I'm still tired and wouldn't mind your hot bod' warmin' mine a bit."
She smiled and nodded then stood up lifted the deer of the fire and went back to Ranma. She lay down on the blanket beside of him, his body automatically cupped hers from behind, offering his arm to her as pillow, soon they fell asleep.