--
Chapter Four
"That wasn't the worst of it?"
Ranma stepped off the boat, whistling away as she practically skipped off to the nearest portside inn. Well before they had set out, it was her decision to get some rest in a real room on real land in a real bed upon their arrival. Considering that she had been a raging bull on making the decree, she was met with more support than opposition. Of course, the fourteen total hours later found her with a smile of her face -- the stressful voyage had ended and Ranma was on the top of her game.
The first thing she had done upon discovering that the pain had, while gradually, quickly disappeared, was smack P-Chan around a bit when she found the swine in a less-than-bitter turn of luck. Of course, she was quick to find that Akane was not happy -- even after the . . . pleasant rest they had shared. While Ranma didn't really want to bring it up, she could swear that Akane had been hugging her pretty tightly when she'd woken up.
The rest of the troupe soon followed off the ferry, Akane giving Ryouga a pat on the back as he stumbled to dry land. "She hit me so hard," he whimpered. The raven-haired girl sighed, guiding him to the nearby inn to which she saw Ranma retreat. She tugged at her newly changed clothes, sighing slightly.
"Well, whatever it was, I'm sure you only deserved part of it."
Ryouga gave a murderous glance to his umbrella as he broke from Akane's gentle guiding. Patting it against his hand, he pardoned himself to go the bathroom. You're mine next time, you redheaded creep. . .
Moaning as her tired mind shook hands with her weary body, Akane sat down in the lobby with an exhausted slump. Not only was it far too sunny outside, but the heat that followed the clouds was also unbearable. Monsoon season indeed -- she was baking!
Looking around to the cathedral lobby of the two-story motel, she took in the pleasant mixture of navy drapery against rose, white splashed walls. Below the red stood a high white baseboard against which many oak tables sat, each complimented by one or two cushioned chairs. The style broke down at the furniture -- mixes of fabrics, colors and ornaments swarmed around the room and over the large, white floor rug. It covered a tile floor, making the area she sat in appear to be an all-for-one auction. Lamps, sofas, chairs and tables were spread all over, order coming to chaos where she sat. Further back, under the second floor balcony sat a few doors, leading to rooms, bathrooms and what she hoped was a nice onsen. Across from the entrance were the clerk's desk and a set of stairs leading up to the long second floor.
She was just a little surprised by the port-town's motel. It was a bit more luxurious than she had been expecting from its cracking facade. From the outside, it definitely didn't appear to be the most expensive place in Nanking -- not to say that it was, but for comparison's sake, it looked pretty grotty. As she watched the rest of her crew filter in through the door and nearly drop dead on the floor, she grinned almost happily to be alone to her thoughts for a few moments. Watching Ukyou fall onto a couch shortly after Shampoo did left her stifling giggles, neither of them realizing that they were now sharing the same sofa. Saotome asked about the nearest onsen and was just as quickly gone, grimacing as Cologne refused to leave his side. The old bag was probably the best rested of them all, having taken part in none of the excitement.
Idling with her fingers, Akane sat back in the chair, watching the few patrons go back and forth. She debated as to whether this stop was truly necessary, wondering if they should get right into to jungle. After all, the longer he was a she. . .
"Well, it's not for me. This is for Ranma. If she wants to waste time here, then so be it." Furtively, she sniffed her arm. "Actually, I could use a bath. . ." She was suddenly overtaken by a yawn as she found the chair to be much more comfortable than when she'd first taken a seat. Agreeably, the ruckus that had occurred on the ferry left the teenagers drained; why it started, however, was still a mystery to her.
"Ranma," she said sleepily, "what did you do. . . "
--
What do you mean?
They're words, you moron, she cried, don't you get it?
Why are you so upset?! Excuse me if I don't understand!
Fine! If you don't understand, I take it back!
Then we don't have a problem!!
FINE!
"Akane!" Ranma woke with a start, panting slightly, her chest rising quickly under a stream of light cast in by the porthole. She tried to still her breath, bits and pieces of the dreams floating away in an instant, others remaining painfully clear in her mind. Nearly choking on the idea, Ranma gravely mumbled the last few things she could recall. "I love you. . . ?" Paling, she rubbed her eyes, a few hours rest not doing her much justice. The ferry ride was taking far longer than expected as monsoon season was coming in -- high winds were threatening on the Chinese coast for a while more. The ferry couldn't clear yet so it was up to the passengers to play the waiting game. Frankly, that game sucks.
"I gotta pee. . ." For a moment, she was sure everything was okay. She could see the floor, she could see her feet, and she could see her feet touching the floor. But for some ungodly reason, she was not yet standing up. "Wait a second." Another look down gave her the finalized realization that two arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and that a body was very closely pressed to her back. As her senses came to, the feel of a soft breath along her ear and a soft curve on her body gave her a small chill. "I swear t'God, if Ryouga tried something--" Looking back, ready to knock P-Chan's human block off, Akane's sleeping visage startled the life out of her. After a few moments of a shocked stare, Ranma wormed herself out of the amorous grasp, resting her hand on her chest where her heart was suddenly pounding.
"Akane. . ." On cue, the girl curled up and, having lost her pillow, hugged herself with a slight whine. Like she was smacked in the face with the scene, Ranma bit her finger, looking away to the floor. "Wh-when did she get so cute. . . ?" Sighing, she shuffled back over to her, pulling a blanket up from the foot of the bed. She spread it out, pulling it up to Akane's shoulder, unable to even think as she couldn't help but gaze at the girl below her.
"Ran-chan?" She whipped around, jumping slightly when she saw Ukyou stand in the door. "What're you doin'? It's dinner time."
"Right! Ri- I'll be there in a minute." The chef gave her a suspicious glance, but unable to see Akane, gave up and went back into the hall.
"Oh! One more thing," Ukyou said cheerfully as she peeked back in, giving Ranma somewhat of a wry grin. "Could you get Ryouga for me? I can't find him anywhere."
". . . Do you need me to get anyone else. . . ?"
Ukyou smiled, plain as day. "Nah." She turned and left, footfalls disappearing as she made her departure. Saotome glanced back down, seeing her fiancée squirm slightly, pawing out for her leg. Ranma jumped back, toggling between leaving or not. "I don't. . . wanna go. . . "
She took one step closer before she froze, hearing her name whisper through the room like a sough of wind. She gulped and backed up, scared out of her wits. "Ranma. . ." Akane called again, a ring of urgency in the whimper.
Her insides going to goo, Ranma was on the retreat, nearly slamming the door behind her as her emotions began to kick into a well-unwanted overdrive. Her back to the door, she held a hand up to her forehead, trying to settle her nerves. "Why do I feel like I got somthin' to tell her. . . ?"
She closed her eyes for a moment, snarling a bit. "Damnit, why do I gotta look for that runt, anyway?" She stepped off the wooden door, bringing her hands up to rest behind her head. "At least my. . . body calmed down. Don't hurt too much no more." Making a run-down face, she half-heartedly looked about the dank below-decks, not really searching for a damn thing outside of her own person's thoughts. She irked away from the unwelcoming walls, the coat of grime nearly hopping off to grab her. She was a hardass, sure, but no one likes to feel gross. "Girls have it rough -- I better get to that spring fast or I might have to re-'valuate my opinions." She perked up as the smell of food suddenly struck her nose, a delicious, piquant scent that she figured she hadn't wafted in a long time. "That's funny, Ukyou was cooking in her own room." She took a long sniff, eyebrows arching a bit as the savory nature of it made her mouth water.
"Twice cooked pork. . . ?" She broke into a run, racing for the galley. "Ryouga!!" It was a short race before she burst through the short door, a billow of steam escaping from the room. She covered her face, hissing as the hot air burned her eyes. Coughing and struggling to see though the mist, she stumbled forward into the miasma without even a floor to view. A misplaced footfall, however, left her stepping on an overturned wok and seconds later, writhing on her backside. "Y'eouch!" she cried as fluid wicked into her pants, the entire floor warmed by a hot-water spill. She froze for a moment however, when she felt a cold blast move through the white that surrounded her. She quickly stabbed her hand into the air, saying, "HAH! No you don't!"
"Augh!!" Ryouga crashed right to the floor when Ranma snatched his ankle, puling it off the ground. He gave a sharp cry as the redhead gathered herself to her feet, looking painfully up to her as the steam began to clear.
With a cat's grin, Ranma brought her foot up and planted it on Ryouga's chest. "Nice to see you again. Did they try to make you the main course or were you just hungry yourself?" Ryouga glanced to the side to where a stack of spatulas had fallen but Ranma followed his eye. "I wouldn't if I were you." She let her eyes fall below the belt for just a moment before she met again his gaze. "Unless you want my foot to be somewhere else."
"What do you want?" he asked calmly, remaining still.
"Eh! What are you, stupid?" She cracked her knuckles, lifting her foot and stepping back. "I'm getting back at you, P-Chan."
"Shut up!" he hollered as he jumped to his feet, pointing her way. "At least I'm not bleeding!"
Ranma began to walk towards him, her head cast down, her eyes just as fiercely locked upon him. "Actually, Ryouga, I'm feeling much better. . ." She crossed her arms, stopping about a meter before him. "Y'know, things would be going a lot smoother if you weren't here. I don't need your help to get to the springs so why don't you leave?"
Ryouga grinned, gathering his effects out of a nearby basket. The kitchen staff that had captured him was awfully nice to have also picked up his things. "Then why is Akane here? Or Ukyou? Or Shampoo? Why not go alone if it's all about you?"
"I didn't say I didn't need their help. I just said I don't need a moron to slow me down!"
Ryouga's fist shot out but Ranma snatched it, sending it to the side. "Watch it, Ran-chan." Pulling his backpack on, he took a long breath. "I know why Akane's here, so don't play dumb." He smiled. "I know exactly how you feel about her."
"Bullshit! I don't feel nothin'!" She screamed, rocketing a kick straight for Ryouga's crotch. Ryouga quickly hopped up and landed on a nearby stove, taunting her with a laugh.
"Then why do you get so mad when I try to take her?"
"Because she deserves better than you! You play the nice guy in front of her but you're a goddamn liar." She clenched her fist, snorting. "And she doesn't love you. She loves a pig! Why would she love you if you can't even tell her the truth?"
"Bitch!" Ryouga shouted, standing on the appliance. "It's still closer than you'll get!"
Ranma paused for a moment, almost worried, until a memory struck her like a baseball whacked towards the grandstands. She gave him a sly grin and tapped the wok with her foot. "Somehow, I think you're wrong." She stomped her foot down, flipping the wok up, and kicked it over to Ryouga with a resounding bang. He quickly swatted it away, sending it flying into a nearby sink. The faucet was ripped off with the shred of metal and suddenly, a jet stream of icy water knocked Ryouga off his perch and into Ranma's hands. She lifted P-Chan into the air and brought back her fist. "This is gonna be sweet--"
"RANMA!!"
Shit.
She dropped the squealing pig instantly, whipping around as Ryouga bounced off the floor. "Ree!" he squealed, skittering over to hug Akane's leg.
"W-wait!" Ranma cried, pointing between the sink and the stove. "Didn't you see? C'mon, tell me you saw. I know you saw it!" She neared a whine as she got more frantic, Ranma's heart racing even more than it had when they were in her room.
"I saw. And I told you not to be jealous of him anymore! God, Ranma," she sighed, cradling the animal. "It's just a pig! I mean, I don't even love love it, if that's what you're worried about." She managed a laugh, looking down at the shocked-looking animal. "I love it like you love a pet." She motioned for Ranma with her fingers. "Come here, right now."
Demurely, Ranma stepped close, her guard disabled as Akane gave her a soft gaze. Of course, it left her wide open for the thwack to the head Akane gave her as she turned to leave. "Ukyou's been shouting for you. It's dinnertime. C'mon." She was soon gone, leaving Ranma to sink to the floor, cold, damp clothes clinging to her body and a soft throb ringing in the back of her skull. She watched the door, confused, as she heard a creak behind her. The kitchen staff carefully climbed out of the pantry and gave her an 'is it okay?' look.
"I'm gonna get that damned pig. . ."
The meal wasn't exactly tense enough until gentle prodding from everything around her caused Ranma to nearly explode. She, Akane and the pig arrived just a few minutes late, a platter of okonomiyaki piled high in the center of the small kotatsu. Genma had eaten fast and had soon left, leaving Cologne to be the only chaperone. It was only five minutes later when she too slipped out on the basis of needing air. Ucchan was a little disappointed that the Tendo girl had shown up but made up for it by taking a commanding place next to Saotome Ranma. The redhead, however, was not as pleased as a bit of food bumped into her lips again.
"C'mon, Ran-chan, eat up." Growling internally, Ran-chan turned her head away and resisted the urge to reach up and snap the chopsticks to splinters.
"Not hungry," she mused. Shampoo grinned at Ukyou with a stolen triumph.
"Ranma no like food? Not surprised!"
"Watch it, honey. . ." Audibly displaying her apathy with the two battle-doers, she put her furtive attention across the table. Akane sat as isolated as she could, gently coaxing the swine into finishing his little meal. Even Ranma could admit that it was sickeningly cute. Shampoo, lacking just a bit more tact that the King-Saotome himself, voiced her opinions.
"Ew! Feeding pig like little baby! What next? Breast-feeding?"
Sneering, Akane turned her back to the onlookers. She glanced back and snidely remarked, "Would it get you to shut up?" As she looked back down, a grin came to smear across her face. As Ranma was nearly nodding off, Ukyou's clamoring having left her so that she may further bicker with the Amazon, a squeal not of pig origin brought her eyes up.
"Awll! That's my cute widdle P-Chan!! You're Akane's little baby! Yes you are!"
Shampoo gagged slightly, busying herself with food, now. "Disgusting. Tendo-girl have no tact."
"Huh," Ukyou mumbled, rolling her eyes, "a revelation. . ."
Paying them no mind, Akane continued with her cooings and motherly mannerisms, knowing well enough that her point had been made. She looked back again, catching Ranma staring at her, a twitch in her shaded eye. "Akane, cut it out, already."
She responded by sticking out her tongue, tickling P-Chan's tummy all the while. Ran-chan's teeth began to grind as she slowly gathered up the warm teakettle. "Akan--"
"-- my iddy biddy P-Chan. . ."
Ranma poured a steaming glass of water, her fingers trembling against the cup. "Ah--"
"--So kee-yute!" She jumped suddenly when Ranma pounded her fist on the table, snapping a pair of chopsticks below her hand. The rest of the table looked up to him, all pulled out of personal reveries.
"IT'S NOT EVEN A DAMN PIG!!" Startled, Akane screamed when she was doused with the glass, her clothes sodden with an uncomfortable wetness. P-Chan, who had jumped away seconds before, watched with a snicker.
"Ranma!!" Akane roared, rising to her feet, pulling the edge of the kotatsu up with her.
"Uh oh," Ukyou squeaked.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She threw the table on its side, slamming it into Ranma's face. Like a crack of lightning, the table was shattered when Ranma's fist shot through the table. Splinters and pancakes went everywhere along with more splashes of hot and cold water. Shampoo shrieked, pouncing away and landing sprightly on the nearby bed, her tail twitching nervously. Akane walked through the explosion, pushing a raging Ukyou from her path and belting Ranma square in the face. Hissing, she stumbled back as the last bits of table and food fell from the air and layered on the floor. Stopping herself, she slowly rubbed her tender cheek. "Screw you!" Akane cried, her fists clenched at her sides.
"I'm getting tired of seeing you bathe that traitor in all dat affection, alright?! It's disturbing!!" Ranma screamed.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Akane bellowed, her teeth tightly gnashing. "It's a pig, you brainless, spineless, NOT masculine idiot!"
From the floor, Ukyou slowly gathered herself, shaking under the stress of nearing the brink of an atomic meltdown. "MORON!"
Akane turned to her, prepared to clock her too if she had to, but was startled out of her anger to see her facing Ranma. Equally as perplexed, Ranma tripped over an 'Uh?' as she absently picked some cilantro from her ear.
"Alright," Kuonji began quietly, also pulling bits of food from where they shouldn't have been, "that's the last straw. Ran-chan, I can understand fighting with Akane. Hell, it's all I hear you two do. I dunno how I'm losing to he--"
"Get to the point," Akane muttered.
"Shut yer trap for a second." She turned her fire-laden eyes back to the redhead, holding up a soggy platter of wood and okonomiyaki. "But you don't ruin my meal! You do not cause all this trouble over a freakin' pig! If she wants to get off on the damn thing, who cares?! What kind'a pansy cares about a pig?!" Ranma opened her mouth to interject but Ukyou barked at him. "Quiet! I know the secret so just shut up! The fact that you got so riled up is excusable, at best, but you went and screwed up some perfectly good food! You're. . . " she sighed, struggling for the words. "Pathetic!"
Blinking, Akane stumbled back and fell onto the bed next to a very stunned cat. Ukyou just sucked her teeth, looking away while Ranma was trapped, staring forward, stuttering wildly. After a minute without a coherent response, Ukyou gave up and left, storming from her room. Ranma quieted down, wobbling in place as she tried to form any sort of an answer. She took in a shaky breath, causing Akane's attention to perk up as Ran-chan finally took an unsteady step.
"I. . . I'm goin' to my room. . . " Before Akane could blink in surprise, she had left, nearly slamming into the doorframe. She merely glanced down to the pink cat, mouth agape.
"What the hell was that?"
Hugging a sleepy P-Chan to her chest, Akane gave a quick rap to Ranma's door. "Open up -- right now." There was a pitiful 'no' from the other side, causing Akane to suffer a deathly shiver. "Ranma, you're scaring me! You've got to be putting me on! How can you possibly be getting so emotional?"
"Look, what she said was true, alright?"
". . . You're crying again, aren't you." There was a bump and a sniffle. Akane nearly banged her head off the door. "Alright, I'll break the damn lock, Ranma. Don't you get that I wanna help you?"
A pause lasted for a few moments before the door creaked open, revealing Ranma's slightly damp cheeks and glimmering eyes. "You're not mad?"
"Yeah, I'm mad. All my changes of clothes are underdeck. I had to borrow this off'a Saotome-san." Ran-chan glances down, seeing the oversized folds of her dad's gi drape like curtains off Akane's physique. Ranma bit back a snicker, letting the door open the rest of the way.
"What happened to the rest of 'em?"
"They're working off their steam with a sparring match on the above-deck." She tugged at the gi, grumbling. Ranma whistled, calling Akane's attention back to her.
"Alright, help me."
"Give me clothes, first. This is embarrassing."
Ranma murmured, fishing a pair of pants from her bag. "Can't help you, otherwise."
Snorting, Akane set her little pig down on the floor. "Give me your shirt, then."
"Eh?" Ranma turned, hands behind her head. "Get real."
"C'mon, I know you're wearing a bra. Don't be embarrassed."
"You're wearing a bra, too! You don't be embarrassed." Akane grinned, shutting the door.
"Ranma. . . I had to touch your--"
"ALRIGHT!!" Darkly, Ranma slipped off her jacket. "Here."
"Black bra again?"
"Get off it, s'all I own," she darkly muttered. Turning, she took a deep breath as she waited for Akane to finish changing. It had been a few minutes before Ranma called back, too swift to actually look. "You done yet-AH!" She hopped to a sharp slap to the butt, turning, confused, to stare at Akane's sullen face.
"Ranma, you're turning into such a girl. This is really worrying me."
Growling, Ranma sat down, arms laced over her chest. "Yeah, no kiddin'." She dropped back, laying flat on her back. ". . . I liked bein' at least a part time guy way more than this. I'm freaking out in my mind so much that I can't even enjoy this."
"What's to enjoy?" Akane asked plainly, milling about the room, looking at the blank dressings. P-Chan watched them like a lifeguard, unblinking and silently stewing.
"Are you kiddin' me?" Ranma sat up, giving Akane a good, long look. "Every guy dreams about what it would be like to be a girl."
Momentarily, Akane made a face. "But. . . you could be a girl when ever you wanted, before--"
"Duh." Ranma rolled her eyes. "When have I ever changed back immediately? Y'never noticed that I changed with the circumstances? You know, I fall in the pond, I don't necessarily get right into the bathroom. . . " her eyes glazed over for a moment as she stared off to the side. "It's 'cause I wanted to see exactly what bein' a girl was like without all the real crap you guys go through. I mean, I didn't let on that I liked it 'cause 'a pride, but at the same time it's nice to go for a swim without having to wear a bikini.
"Now, though, I got nothin' to return to. If I gotta leave behind seventeen years of livin', startin' now is gonna be really hard."
". . . Whoa."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. Get it? So what if this is gettin' to me. You think you can ask me to stop being a wimp when I wouldn't normally react this way in the first place? You heard the old bag -- I'll get even more girly as time goes on -- so just let me alone, huh?" Ranma covered her eyes, groaning. "This cryin' stuff bothers me. . . but I feel better, afterwards."
Ignoring the first few jabs, Akane settled her nerves and processed the parts that made sense. "I know. . . I'm just perturbed that Ukyou got to you so easily."
". . ."
"Ranma," Akane asked gently, sitting down, "was all that really about P-Chan?" Ranma turned onto her side, staring at her pillow. "Ranma. . .?" She curled up a bit more, trying not to shiver. She was startled, however, when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder soon followed by her jacket. She looked back to see Akane wrapping the gi around her again, giving her a reassuring smile. "I promise I won't hit you."
"You've said that before," she muttered, pulling the sleeves down. "But. . . y-yeah. . . it's the pig." The said personality squeaked, looking around.
"It's harmless, Ranma, what bothers you so much?" Akane sat back, watching Ranma mull over her words as the hands on the nearby desk-clock ticked by. She gave no further prodding, knowing that the poor girl had gotten enough for tonight. If however, Ranma decided to call her 'fat' or something, Akane wouldn't give punching her a second thought--
"What?" Akane asked.
"I said that I can't protect him anymore. He's a lyin', backstabbin' jerk and you need to know." She gave her first real grin of the evening to the spot across the room, but frowned when she didn't see her target. "Where'd P-Chan go?-"
Chomp!
"KYYAHH!" Akane watched, stupefied, as the piglet bit down on Ranma's hand, the said appendage now flailing wildly through the air. "GET THIS LITTLE FREAK OFF ME!!"
Gasping, Akane sat up. "P-p-Chan! Let her go!" A ping almost sounded through the air as the little black swine looked at her with an astonished gaze. "You heard me!" Obediently, he released his prey and looked to Akane with question in his eyes. She gave his rear a swat and set him on the floor. "You get out of here -- you had no right to do that."
Shocked, both the pig and the girl with her hand in her mouth looked to Akane as she spoke with a note of command in her voice. "Go!" she ordered succinctly, shoving the little guy away with her foot. It stumbled to the door, looking back with wide eyes before it slowly slipped through the crack in the port. Ranma stammered, licking her wounds at the same time.
"What?" Akane asked, shrugging. "He bit you for no reason. Unless you developed telekinesis, it wasn't your fault this time."
"Akane," she mumbled in awe, blowing on her hand. ". . . Th-thanks."
Instinctively, Akane reached out and tugged Ranma down into her lap. She set to work smoothing her hair, quietly calming her nerves. "Just do me a favor. Find the spring, get back to being a boy and let's get back to being how we always were."
Swallowing, Ranma stiffened to the touch, her nerve bunching and twisting around in a mad, constricted dance. "Always were. . .?"
"Hey, if you wanna stop fighting, say the word, wuss."
"That's not what I meant!" Ranma yelled, sweat popping out on her forehead. "Have you. . . " She hushed up, looking at Akane's crossed feet. "Forget it."
"Will do." Akane grinned slightly. She knew that if it was important, Ranma would tell her when it was necessary. Then again, if it was what she thought it was, she figured with a bit of a painful realization, then she'd probably never say it. "Ah, on second thought, Ranma, what is it?"
". . . Can you give me a massage?" she puled slightly, her mewl disgustingly wimpy.
". . . I swear, if you ever use that voice again--"
"I'm just kiddin', you prude," she said brashly, wincing as nails dug into her scalp.
"Don't push it." The fell back into silence, Akane letting her hand glide over the other girl's head. She was nearly fascinated -- here, in her lap, she held what on any normal day she would call the bane of her existence. Now, however, she had no other desire than to just quiet her down and put the thing to bed. Admittedly, she'd had a tough few days and that maybe Akane had been a little hard on her. Purring, almost, Ranma got comfortable.
"That's. . . nice. . . "
"I'm not a prude," she mused to herself, scritching behind Ranma's ear like she would a cat. "I mean, I'm touching you, aren't I?" She laughed wickedly to herself, a little disappointed that she did not get a response. "Actually, I'm right," she said surely. "I'm not a prude at all. . . um. . . you. . . smell nice, for one--" she gave herself a sharp slap, her other hand never leaving Ranma's head. "What am I saying?!" She chuckled, sitting back, slipping into her own lazy doze. "She can't hear me, so I guess it doesn't matter. . ." Her eye popped open as a little whimper sounded from the redhead's mouth, Ranma still struck with shivers.
"You're still cold. . . ?" She leaned forward, a blush floating to her face as she saw that Ranma had not done up her shirt. Another sharp clap of skin sounded. "Stop blushing." She tipped over a bit more, reaching down to fasten all the clasps, shirking away as her hands accidentally pressed against what one could confuse for mountains.
"Stop being so dumb, Akane. . ." She managed to do the last one with as little contact as possible, still tormented, however, by the gentle noises that floated from Ranma's throat. "Ran-chan. . . " Akane blinked, swallowing. "Ranma. . . what do you really think of me?" She watched as her face twitched, giggling as her brow slopped into a brief look of confusion before it resettled into a peaceful vista of slumber. "She can be cute, sometimes. . ." She blinked again, feeling a red stain take residence on her face. Looking around, as if to check for spectators, she grinned to herself with a quiet sigh. ". . . He. . . can be cute. . . sometimes." She immediately shut her eyes, bringing a hand to her mouth. "I must be tired."
Her eyes opened again, focusing on soft lips, Ranma slow breathing hypnotic to the mind. Akane stared, the light from moon casting a sheen on what Akane watched. It was the dead of night already -- it must have been an hour or two since dinner. As Akane peered from the porthole back to Ranma's face, a black ear poked through the ajar door.
". . . Come back to me, please. . ." She swallowed, leaning down as far as she could, her breath washing over Ranma's face. She quivered, moving down to press her lips to Ranma's cheek, eyes flying open when Saotome suddenly turned like a lathe, presses her sleeping face right into Akane's crotch.
"RAAAAAAAN!!--"
--
"--MA!" Akane, fuzzy from sleep, was startled from her rest as a weight resettled into her lap. She looked around, seeing herself alone in the lobby. She tried to control her unfettered breathing, swallowing a lump from her throat as she saw it had reached nightfall already. The desk clerk looked up, startled, saying something she didn't understand. She struggled to get up, looking down in surprise. "P-Chan! There you are!"
"I say be quiet!"
She looked back, giving an apologetic glance to the short Chinese girl. "S-sorry." Whispering, she picked up the startled piglet, giving it a check-up. "Did you keep me company, you funny little thing. . .?" She reached the desk, inquiring about the Saotome party. Thanking the clerk, she was about to walk to the rooms when P-Chan squirmed out of her hands. "P-Chan!" The swine raced off, back whence he came. Akane was about to run after but the clerk stopped her.
"Yes, yes, pig be fine! You party say need rest, so go sleep now. No wake up rest of hotel with pig-chase. He be with you in the morning."
"Are, are you sure?" Akane asked quietly.
"Yes, yes. Good night!"
Akane mumbled a return sentiment and walked off, constantly glancing back over her shoulder. The clerk sighed, pulling a net up from under the desk. "Mm. . . twice-cooked pork. . ." She was about to exit her post when a disheveled young man approached from the shadows, a gleam in his fang and a crack in his knuckles.
"'Scuse me. . . could you tell me where Saotome Ranma is sleeping?"
Ranma's eyes opened, her senses fuzzed as she awoke from a peaceful sleep. Another whisper of wind sounded in her ear as the undetectable click of her door closing confirmed her awaking suspicion. "Who's there," she mumbled. "Ukyou, if it's you again, I'll send you home--"
"No cigar, Ranma." She 'erked', turning from her side to look behind her. Upside down, feet on the wall and hands on the bed frame in a bizarre act of balance, Ryouga was there, giving her a sharp grin. "Sleep well?"
She sat up, pulling the blanket around her shoulders. "What do you want? It's. . . two in the morning."
"You tried to blow my cover."
Ranma gulped. There was an unusual amount of calm in Ryouga's voice and, added to that, she did not feel like fighting in her underwear. "Yeah, so what about it?"
"Do you know what this means?" He kicked off the wall, launching himself up and landed on the foot of the bed. Ranma instinctively scooted back, yanking the blanket out from under his feet. He tripped up, off guard, and crashed to the floor below. "Yeouch!"
"Get outta here, you freak! Why don't you go fawn over your master?" She grinned, standing on the bed, the covers acting as a cloak.
Ryouga hopped off the floor and back onto the bed, sending a kick around the take out Ranma's stance. Still not at her best, she fell down with a yelp, her blankets falling off her shoulders. Ryouga, about the go into rage, stopped to blink. "What the hell are you wearing. . . ?"
The girl looked down and froze, caught in a skin-showing set of undies. She squeezed her legs together, bringing her arms up to cover her chest. "Didn't I already explain it? It's just more comfortable! Don't get the wrong idea!"
"There's a difference between comfort and scandal. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were wearing a thong."
She spat. "Are you kidding? When have you ever seen a thong?"
Ryouga's eyes narrowed as he shot forward, his strong arm-muscles flexing as he quite suddenly pulled her legs open. An outraged gasp caught in her throat as she struggled to react. "Looks like I'm seeing one now."
"It. . . it's a bikini cut," she muttered before she shook her head, her well-toned legs kicking his grip away. "Let go of me, dickwad!"
Ryouga loomed over her still, a fierceness carved into his face. "All this doesn't matter. The point is that you tried to show Akane the truth without my being ready! Ranma, you're the backstabber! You're the ass!!"
She growled, aiming a foot for his neck. He caught it with his hand however, giving it a sharp pull. " Ah!" she cried as he pushed it over the side, catching her thigh under his foot, body-blocking her other knee.
"You're not going anywhere until I . . . pay you back."
"Ouch," she grunted as her legs were spread further apart. "I'm tired 'a you lyin' to her." She her hand shot out and cracked him in the forehead but he barely flinched, catching the rebound with his free hand. She made a strained face as he tightened his grip around her wrist. "If you do anything perverted I swear I'll knock your face in. . ."
"Not as strong now, are you? What happened to all that speed?" He turned the skin under his hand, burning her flesh. She refused to wince, watching his face. "You love her, don't you?"
"Yeah."
". . . Wh‑what?"
"You heard me," she whispered, relaxing against his hold on her. "I can't take it anymore ‑‑ all this crap just keeps makin' me realize it more n' more. Watching her pamper you and knowing that you're head over heels in love with her hurts, alright?" Dumbstruck, Ryouga's arms draped loosely at his sides as he suffered a round of blinks and confused noises. He watched, astounded as she grinned at him, tipping her head down. "Gotcha!" Her other palm, which was slowly creeping down by her side, rocketed up and smacked his nose in, causing him to reel back with a shout, letting her go to hold his face in pain.
"Agh!" he cried as he pulled back to punch her, her hands having been raised to block. "I'll kill you!"
"You couldn't kill time!" He put two fingers up, a sinister, murderous look in his eyes. She followed as his fingers launched towards her, turned her hand to the side. Before he got past 'bakusai,' she pushed forward and divided his attack in two, stopping it; a finger rested to either side of her palm. She smiled triumphantly as his unbalanced body weight followed, causing his other hand to push forward to stop his fall. It was then that her smile cracked into a twitching, slightly agape mouth, her pupils small and her cheeks crimson as his hand closed around her breast.
"What's all that damned racket?!" Akane roared as she opened the door, still in the clothes she was wearing when she got off the boat. Her eyes shot open as she sobered out of her slumber. Her gaze caught the blood, the blushing, the half‑nudity and the contact reserved for those making out and she immediately assumed the painfully obvious.
--
They all set out the next morning, just after the rise of the sun. Birds chirping all around them as the tree count rose, it wasn't long before they hit the thick of the forest under Cologne's guiding. For much of the venture no one spoke, Akane taking an unusual lead with Ranma in a quiet tow while Ryouga hung back with the two other girls. Amazed at how he was bamboozled, Genma trudged along with the skeleton herself on his shoulders. Hefting her pack slightly, Akane cracked her neck with a sigh. "When can we take a break?"
Cologne laughed, her rasp surprisingly loud in the swishy, noisy surroundings. "It's only been a few hours, girl, if you don't have the endurance, I should have warned you to not come along." Akane sighed again, glancing back for a moment.
"Did you say something, pervert?"
Ranma grumbled, pulling a canteen up to treat herself to a drink. "No."
Further back, Ryouga also walked in silence as both Ukyou and Shampoo giggled at his sides. They had been gently prodding him for the duration of the hike, his seclusion too tight for him to notice. Although, hearing Akane say the word 'pervert' made his face burn.
"So, Ryouga-kun," Ukyou said slyly, patting him on the back as a shimmer of forest rain made the leaves above ring like rice, "we heard that you tried to have your way with Ran-chan last night. . ."
"Aiya, Ryouga. . . Shampoo think she have enough competition, yes?"
"Oh, God," he groaned, holding his head in his hands. The forest began to darken as the canopy above thickened, a cool mist sweeping down from ahead on the path. The sounds of a gentle rainfall were evident above, and what little liquid that made it down was warm to the touch. Ryouga placed a hand to where one had hit his head as he looked around to the dark, green, and humid surroundings.
"Honestly," Ukyou sighed, "I didn't think that you were gay. Maybe Mousse, but--"
"How does that make me gay?! She's a girl!"
"I can hear you," Ranma muttered.
Ryouga rechecked his words, storming ahead of the two. "I didn't even do anything!" As he stepped closer to Ranma, she ducked to the side, covering her head.
"Ah, Ryouga-sama! Don't hit me again!"
"SHUT UP!" About to say the same thing, Ryouga looked up to see Akane heaving in breath. "No more! Drop it already!" The four behind her looked in all other directions, mumbling quiet apologies. She huffed and turned as Genma sank back, Cologne hopping off to Akane's pack, the furious girl going without notice.
"Alright, boy, I've been watching for long enough."
"What'a'ya want, old man."
Genma sniffed, curling his fist in the air. "I just need to know one thing."
"I'm not answerin' any questions about Ryouga. I don't want him, got it?"
"That wasn't it, but I'm glad."
"I can hear you," Ryouga mocked. Ranma gave him a bash to the head before he even realized it. "Ouch. . ."
"Now what do you want?" Ranma barely gave him a look, focusing on Akane in the dim light. Somewhere a cacophony of birds squawked and squabbled, causing her to hold her hands to her head. "Well?"
"You're still going to take over the school, right?--"
"Give me a break. . . "As the Father-Son-pair-turned-Father-Daughter-pair continued on about the fate of the Anything Goes school and as Ryouga snuck up to the front to try and talk to the icy Tendo girl, the two remaining in the back gave each other knowing glances.
"We're still doin' it, right?" Ukyou asked quietly, checking to be sure that Ranma wasn't listening. She glanced down to her timepiece, suspecting that Cologne would soon offer them a break. The Amazon was still far off. She readjusted her blue jumpsuit, rolling her sleeves up to reveal sweat-coated forearms. "The plan's a go?"
Shampoo gave her a grin, pushing a lock of purple hair from her face. "Of course is go. We plan from start -- get rid of Akane!"
"Quiet!" Ranma looked back for a moment but her attention was pulled to the front where Ryouga was still pleading with Akane. "Look," Ukyou murmured, "just keep it down. We'll make it so that she and Ryouga won't be able to come along."
"Aiya," Shampoo agreed, shaking Kuonji's outstretched hand, "can be one evil pancake-girl. . ."
Ranma plopped down on her overturned pack and sighed. "Damn, it's nice to sit down for a change!" Her elation was short lived as she pulled her jacket open, shaking the collar to give her some air. Her body was a mess of sweat and while it wasn't exactly new, the place under her chest was giving her a much less appreciated hell. Nearly gasping for a breath that wasn't choked with moisture, she swept her hand back through her wet hair, making a face as her fingers got stuck in a few tangles. She dropped backward as the rest of the gang finally caught up with her, Ryouga and Akane, all but Cologne settling down in wheezing, sweating, dizzy heaps. Her back arched over her backpack, Ranma watched Akane for a few moments before she spoke up.
"You've gotta be hot."
"What?" Ranma pointed to her, noting that she hadn't once removed her sweatshirt, nor had she at least given herself a break by rolling up the sleeves. Akane looked down at herself, holding her arms up a bit. "What's the problem?" She looked back to her and suddenly clucked her tongue in disgust, crossing her arms and looking away. "Look at you, you're gonna give Ryouga an ear-bleed."
"Eh?" She craned her neck up and saw that the shirt had managed to lodge to either side of her chest, her stretching causing things to pull and push. Accordingly, Ryouga couldn't help but stare. "Damnit, Ryouga, take a walk of something!" She whipped a small stone at him but he caught it amidst giving himself a short slap.
"What is wrong with me. . . ?" he muttered, walking off to sit by himself.
Turning back to Akane as she clasped her shirt, Ranma was a bit surprised to see that she had gotten up and was gone. "Hey. . . Ukyou," she mumbled, standing as she swiveled to face her and Shampoo, "d'jou see where Akane went?" She blinked.
"What is it?" Ukyou asked cutely.
". . . Wasn't Shampoo with you just a moment ago?" Ukyou looked to her side, giving a shrug to no one in particular. She flashed Ranma a reassuring smile as she stumbled over to her on tired legs.
"Ran-chan, I can't really say I care about either of 'em but I'm sure they're fine. They probably had to go to the bathroom." The very mention of the idea caused Ranma's eyes to flash, her knees suddenly turning inward. It occurred to her at that moment that she was remembering one particular trait of a boy by having held it in for so long.
"That uh. . . that reminds me. . ." Before Ukyou got her arms around her, Ranma darted off through the trees, swatting branches from her path like a madwoman. Ukyou gave a frustrated sigh as Ryouga walked up behind her.
"Hey, do you know where Akane is?"
Ukyou glanced back and suddenly seized his hand. "Of course! Follow me."
Shampoo peaked out from behind a thicket of green, yellow and red plant life, swatting at one when it snapped at her finger. "You no eat Shampoo. . . she not fly. . ." She listened for the sounds of footfalls, tugging on a vine to make sure it was secure. Grinning to herself, she began to hum a quiet Chinese tune as she hid down below the underbrush. Her rather makeshift and intricate network of vines wasn't meant to kill, per se, but possibly sprain an ankle. The group was still close enough so that the intended victims wouldn't need much in the way of escorts, but far enough to eliminate them from following the trip through.
"So pancake-girl getting a little vicious. . . at least this take few people out of picture!" Shampoo shielded her mouth with her hand to keep in a bunch of giggles and backed up slightly, resting peacefully against a tree. She looked around idly, not yet hearing an approach but knowing that Akane was on her way. She looked to a creeper near her foot, thinking about her sudden burst of insight. Of course, it was Akane's direction that helped her out. Smiling, she counted the points off on her fingers as she mentally reviewed the plan. The trap itself was self-activating, a small vine set at the opening of the clearing for which Shampoo was sure Tendo was aiming. Once severed, two springy roots to either side of the clearing were able to snap back to rest, allowing rocks tied to stretched vines to release from little burrows. Accordingly, rocks in the trees attached to the other ends of the creepers could then come down, pulling another line from the branches and into the clearing in one big sweep. The line would easily topple the legs out from under a body and send them careening down a small pit the Amazon had managed to unearth and later cover with brush. In the said hole sat a stable of jagged rocks that would easily rip a tendon, ligament or crack a bone. Of course, after a test, she found that one of the bigger, boulder-like rocks always seemed to roll right into the pit, and as she looked to the vine near her foot, she figured that she was ready to pull the safety line that would halt the boulder's drop. Of course, their being crushed wouldn't be that terrible, but it was highly unlikely in any case. It was a complicated set-up for just ten minutes of work.
"God, a whole forest and I can't find a decent place to take a wizz." Shampoo's head snapped up from her misty thoughts as a certain redhead's voice blared through the trees. Wiping sweat from her forehead and dabbing the love out of her eyes, Shampoo dove up into the trees and followed her beloved along as Ranma found a place to settle.
Ranma pulled up her trousers and sighed, a mile's worth of pressure finally relieved. "I wonder what it's like to pee as a boy. . ." She cracked her neck to the side and walked back through the ferns and fronds, sweeping leaves from her path. ". . . Wait a minute. . . " Sighing, she threatened herself with a slap but settled to just give herself a gentle, mental reminder. She was about to pick up the pace when she felt a twitch in the air, the rain above dripping down to hit her in the head. "Ah!" she cried, wiping at her neck. "Yuck. . ."She turned to look up into the branches, stopping suddenly when a flash caught her eye.
"Uh oh. . . " Shampoo whispered, disappearing into the foliage. Ranma stared right into her eyes for a moment before the other girl turned again.
"That was Akane's voice. . ." Shampoo also darted her head up, seeing the brighter green of Akane's top against the forest and the blaring yellow of Ryouga's attire.
"Shampoo feel she forgetting something. . ." She turned her attention back to Ranma who had slipped behind her tree, watching as Akane and Ryouga passed by on the path Shampoo had first followed. Ranma gazed after them closely, her ears pricked to their conversation.
"Akane-san, please! The only thing I want out of Ranma is to beat him up!"
"Ryouga, will you get away from me?" she snarled, picking up her pace. "I don't think molesting her counts as putting her outta her misery! I don't know what she did to get you after her, but you can both take a long walk off a short cliff for all I care!"
". . . YEAH!" Ryouga suddenly cried, running up to catch her shoulders. "I was seduced!"
Akane turned, stopping inches from the clearing. "I'm sure." She turned back around and walked, stumbling as something snagged her foot. "Yah!" Ryouga wobbled after, the two of them stopping to look around as the cracks and rips of bark and leaves tore through the air.
Shampoo's eyes widened as she watched her previous post go unchecked. "Whoops."
The trap worked like clockwork, dual booms crashing through the air as the two fairly large stones plummeted from the trees. Like a razor through the air, a green whip shot up and snagged Ryouga's legs, pushing both himself and the girl he held into the air. Ranma gasped as she ducked from behind the tree, racing to the clearing.
"Akane!!" she shouted, watching as the two yelped, Ryouga reaching back for his umbrella. The brush below fell away when the boulders shook the earth, revealing the stones below. He pushed his umbrella down, a clang sounding when the two landed safely in the pit. Akane, shaken, could barely breathe as Hibiki gave a slight laugh.
"That was close!"
". . . What's th-that rumbling?"
"GET DOWN!!" Ryouga, who had peeked up, did as he was told as Ranma swept in and launched off the rock that settled after its fall. She shot through the air, over the boulder as it rolled on its speedy beeline to squash the two. Ryouga tried to pull his umbrella back up but strained against the surrounding root structured that had trapped the edges of his weapon. Unable to unearth it, he hopped back down and crouched tightly near whom he was sure would be the last person he ever saw. Akane gave one look to the looming shadow and made her internal peace with everyone she knew.
It was a quick hop off the rolling speed-demon before Ran-chan snagged the vine still tied around it; she used the momentum to swing her legs around, pulling the vine taut to her body. The safety vine that Shampoo was supposed to pull had been yanked up and now hung in a casual loop. Shutting her eyes tight, Ranma slipped her feet into the hole, closed her knees around the creeper and felt her body snap against the vines. The creepers cracked and strained but the stillness in the air indicated that the branch that the vine had wrapped around was strong enough to halt the passage of the huge rock. Ranma, her eyes still clamped shut, made a small whine, gritting her teeth against the pain. Quick as they could recall their minds from their respective shocks, Ryouga and Akane climbed up and into the clearing seconds before Ranma's legs gave way, sending her and the boulder to the ground. She yelped, holding her back as Shampoo slowly slunk into the area. Akane pushed Ryouga from her path as she raced over, stooping down by her still form.
"Ouch. . . "
"Ranma. . . you okay?"
Ranma turned her head to the other side, spitting. "Agh. . ." she strained to sit up, flashing her an obnoxious grin. "Of course. . ." She fell back in a daze, holding her head, moaning slightly. "Wow, that smarts. . ."
"What the hell just happened?!" Ukyou cried as she thrashed her way into the clearing. She had watched the trap go off from deep within the forest but had not seen the end result until she made her way onto the path. So startled to find Ryouga and Akane fine, apart from Ryouga being slightly stunned, Ukyou was past the point of being sensible.
"Why the hell is Ranma the one who got hurt?!"
Shampoo grimaced, her effort to sneak away blown to smithereens as all three turned a death's glare to the okonomiyaki chef.
Ranma was suddenly back on her feet, wincing as she took each step towards the fleeing girls. Ryouga fell in pursuit nearby as the redhead rolled her sleeves up a bit further. "What?"
--
Akane walked away from the campfire, hugging herself as her ripped sweatshirt no longer gave her the warmth it had delivered during the day. The tumble she had taken earlier had torn some of her wares but the emotional pit she climbed out of left her a little too high off the ground. As she glanced back, her look hardened when it fell upon Ukyou and Shampoo, the two bandits under Ryouga's watchful eye. He too regarded them with a stone face, the two feeling quite uncomfortable under the myriad of stares. The elders had retreated to an early bed when the teenagers returned, Ranma carted on Ryouga's back. Not yet satisfied with his retribution, however, Ryouga quickly pledged to do whatever Ranma wanted in exchange for his life. The girl merely requested that he not let the troublemakers leave his sight. Knowing that it would lead to alone time for Akane and Ranma, Ryouga was not quick to accept, but reasoned that she'd been having a tough couple of days.
We'll see who gets her, Ranma. . .
Shivering slightly, Akane sat down on an unusually dry log, scooting closer to where Ranma's form rested. "Ranma. . . y. . . thank you."
"Don't mention it," she mumbled, folding her hands between her knees. "Hard to believe that I still wanted you around?" She grinned slightly before she caught Akane returning it, the flicker from the fire casting an evil shadow over her face.
"How do I know you weren't just saving Ryouga?"
"Akane. . ."
"I'm kidding," she reassured softly, teeth chattering as she looked between Ranma and the blaze. She too had no desire to go near neither Shampoo nor Ukyou but was also freezing her butt off. She was startled when Ranma's hands fell on her shoulders, her jacket closing around her.
"It's not that bad," Ranma said calmly, crossing her arms over her undershirt. She swallowed, holding back a shiver as Akane quietly thanked her.
"I'm sorry, you know, about the whole Ryouga thing. I don't care what it was about but I know it wasn't what I thought it was. . . Sorry for teasing you."
As much as she wanted to comment on how little Akane ever apologized, Ranma just smiled, shrugging. "I guess I deserved it. The point it that you're okay." Akane, a little startled, just eyed her as Ranma's face slowly turned to a 'what did I just say' facade. An awkward silence settled in, the crackle of the fire sounding like snapping twigs. Akane's finger suddenly slithered out and poked Ranma in the back. "Achigghh!!" She clenched her fists and clamped her teeth shut, her body convulsing a bit before Akane caught her by the shoulders.
"Geeze, Ranma, you're dyin', aren't you?"
"Let's just say. . ." she wheezed, "that if you don't yell for the rest of the trip, that we'll be even."
"That's kinda lofty." Akane smiled slightly as Ranma gave her a dry look, trying to sit up. Akane didn't budge, draping the shirt over her somewhat. "Don't kid a kidder, either. I know you're cold."
Ranma stopped squirming, resting back into Akane's arms. "Thanks," she muttered, shutting her eyes. Another pause settled in as Akane found herself stroking the redhead's hair, eerily relaxed despite the puzzling amount of contact they made. Ranma's eyes creaked open as a sudden fatigue swept over her as she made a small, pleased noise to Akane scratching behind her ear as if she were a kitten. Stricken with a brief déjà-vu, Akane shook her head as the familiarity of situation was beat down in the name of it meaning a whole lot more. Fighting a purr, Ranma looked up to her. That's right, Ranma was awake, this time. "What'a'ya doin'. . . ?"
Guiltily, Akane stopped and looked away. "Nothing," she said quickly. What was she doing? It wasn't the first time Ranma had saved her ‑‑ what the hell changed?
"Hey," she suddenly voiced, shifting to sit up, "you don't gotta stop." Akane let her go, watching as Ranma faced her, the curves of her cheeks shining in the firelight. All right, so Ran‑chan was cute. Blinking the thought away, Akane tipped her head to the side as Ranma's gaze diverted from hers. Her mouth opened to speak but suddenly tightened, closing into a relaxed pout. Sweat popped off her forehead as Akane prodded her on, nudging her with her finger. Without words, Ranma pulling in a jagged breath and pressed forward, her lips laying to rest on a rough patch of skin.
Akane, oblivious, clapped her hand over Ranma's mouth, listening intently. Confused, almost angry, Ranma questioned with a 'hmn'? Akane craned her neck back and looked to the campfire. "Where did everyone go?" Pulled out of her narrow‑mindedness, Ranma perked up and looked around, shrugging her shoulders.
"I dunno‑‑"
The fall to the ground wasn't nearly as painful as the blows to the backs of their head.