Chapter 5 –  Death of Innocence

Ranma walked in his chambers closing the panel from the tunnel behind him. Xian Pu was in his bed waiting and he felt the usual irritation of these last few days. Something he did not understand nor did he try to.
"Please return to your chambers. I prefer to be alone tonight," he told her, already undressing. Xian Pu gritted her teeth and stamped out and then she suddenly stopped in the doorway looking back at him with a strange smile.
"Good-night Ranma," she murmured with a strange smile and left in a flurry of robes. Something in that smile made Ranma very ill at ease but he shrugged off the feeling and got in bed, letting sleep overtake him to meet in the safety of his dreams the woman with the brown eyes. The lover of his dreams.

Xian Pu banged the door shut behind her. An old wizened woman came hopping on a stick, her long white hair floating down to the floor.

"What is it Xian Pu?" she demanded.

"Great grandmother, I have enough of waiting!" she fumed.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" the old woman regarded her granddaughter with a smirk.

"Let's just get rid of the stupid bitch once and for all!" she threw over her shoulder pacing the length of the old woman's chamber.

"And then you will be princess of a ruined kingdom," Cu Lon mocked. "What are you thinking of!" she snapped.

"Ranma spends all his nights with her," Xian Pu now pouted like a child.

"Yet he has not yet bedded her!" Cu Lon answered back. Xian Pu's face showed real surprise at Cu Lon's statement.

"There is something you will have to do Xian Pu," Cu Lon continued, "You will have to make sure that Ranma impregnates her soon or else I fear that he will start to care for her."

"No!" Xian Pu's denial was immediate.

"Then find a way soon, grand daughter because if she captures his heart, it will all be too late," Cu Lon reminded her and then she chuckled, "Use the Tendo name. It will do." She chuckled at the idea and Xian Pu felt a smile growing on her face. She had watched the stupid bitch from afar. The bitch seemed to like Shinosuke just like the Cold One liked her. She had never seen Shinosuke smile at anyone like he smiled at the bitch. In fact she had never seen him show as much feeling as he showed to the bitch. Shinosuke had refused her and yet he laughed with the bitch. Shinosuke never laughed. And jealousy had eaten her inside out when even Ranma had seemed so taken by the stupid bitch. She rubbed her hands delightedly together as she smiled at Cu Lon.

"I know just the way to do it," she smiled at the wizened woman and Cu Lon could see herself in her grand daughter.

"Be careful how you do it," she warned her grand daughter. Xian Pu just smiled and left, closing the door gently behind her. Cu Lon watched her leave and chuckled to herself. Xian Pu must have a good plan to feel so confident. But sometimes Cu Lon feared that her grand daughter was too impatient. They had too much to risk to lose that battle. If Xian Pu became the princess, then the Amazons would no longer be a clan but they would be part of a kingdom and they would have enough power to rise again, to be as powerful as the other kingdoms. But Ranma must never find out that Xian Pu was an Amazon, nor that she was Cu Lon's granddaughter, at least not until it was too late. Once Ranma was married to Xian Pu, there would be no way out for him. But first, the war needed to be avoided. If the Tendo girl became pregnant, then the war would definitely be a thing of the past. Then, the simple thing would be to get rid of the Tendo girl. That would not be very difficult. Of course, Soun Tendo would want to investigate but accidents happened so easily. And Ranma would need a period of grieving. And finally it would be time for Xian Pu to make her move. Cu Lon had already prepared a love potion for Ranma. It was a security measure. Cu Lon cackled, as she finally understood Xian Pu's plan.

"Not a bad one," she mused. "Not a bad one." And she went back to her potions, her mind at ease.

Ranma stepped into his bedchamber, only to find Xian Pu already there. It's time to stop that, he decided. He no longer wanted her. It has been a long time now that he had no longer wanted her.

"What is it you want?" he asked, his mind already on his visit to Akane. The evening had dawned and he had not been able to think about anything else but her all through dinner. He found himself looking forward more and more to his nightly visits to her. She made him smile, she listened to him and surprisingly, he believed that she even had faith in him. But she is a Tendo, his mind reminded him. He pushed away that thought. He was started to get very bothered by it these days.

"Well?" He lifted his eyes to her.

"You are going to her again, aren't you?" she asked and he could see pity and anger in her eyes. Pity? What was going on?

"Yes and it is none of your concern," he replied.

"Don't you see it Ranma?" her voice was passionate as she clasped her hands together before her.

"See what?" Ranma stilled.

"That she is playing with you?" Ranma's long footsteps ate the distance between them in record time. He grasped her shoulders and she lifted pained eyes to him.

"What do you mean?" He shook her.

"She spends her time with another man," Shampoo stared up at him and her eyes showed the rightful anger that shone for him.

"I know. She spars with Shinosuke each morning," Ranma let go of her to turn away.

"And her afternoons?" He whirled to face her.

"She spends her afternoons with a man." Xian retorted gently refraining from mentioning Shinosuke as Ranma stared at her and there was this terrible look in his eyes.

"No," he gasped. "She would have told me."

"Not if it was something that you shouldn't know," she replied gently.

His hair fell forward as he shook her head in denial. No, Akane was not that kind of woman. No.

"But she is a Tendo Ranma," Xian Pu reminded him and something in his heart died. Yes, she was a Tendo woman and he knew how the Tendo women were. He had always known it but then his stupid heart had refused to believe that of Akane. No, not Akane, he had thought. She was different. Well, not so different after all, his thoughts mocked him.

"Do your duty Ranma and show her that a Saotome is not as gullible as she thought," Xian Pu touched that cord of pride that he valued so much and pride reared up. Yes, he would show her what a Saotome was made of. Pride came to the rescue of his hurting heart. He was seeing hell and it was because of her. She had manipulated him, had made a fool of him. How she must have laughed at him behind his back! How her lover must have laughed. No more, his mind whispered, no more. He turned to Xian Pu, "Do not wait for me!" and reached for the secret panel. Xian Pu's soft hand on his arm stopped him and as he stared down as her.

"Take care of yourself, Ranma," she said softly. And he nodded and left. Xian Pu watched him go and the smile grew on her face. Tonight, it all began.

Ranma had never felt that kind of hurting before. He had wounds from battles but never that kind of wound. Never the hurt that ate you up, that made you want to die. His pace increased and yet a slowly, he grew colder and colder. A deep hatred settled in his heart towards Akane. Hatred for having played with him. Hatred for having touched his heart with her lies and her guiles. Hatred for having made him believe that his life could be different, that the sunshine could be brighter. And that hatred burned in him and consumed him. He gently opened her door and she was waiting for him. A smile blossomed on her face and he hated her even more for that smile. His returning smile was cruel.

"Hello Akane," he drawled.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"How about you tell me of your afternoons Akane?" he drawled and watched as realization opened her eyes wide. He had never hated anyone as he hated her at that moment.

"Who told you?" she whispered. She had known that he would be angry when he found out but she believed that Shinosuke would tell him one of these days. The fury burning in his eyes scorched her.

"So it's true. You bitch!" his hand hit her face and snapped her head back. And she lifted her face to him again. There was a red imprint on her cheek and yet no shame in her eyes. How could she be so shameless? But she is a Tendo, his mind mocked again and again.

"Tonight, the time has come Akane," he whispered tauntingly.

"No," her answering whisper fed his hurting. He wanted her to hurt as much as he was hurting. He made a grab for her but she was already jumping away from him.

She had known that this would happen but that never meant that she would lie back and accept it. She would fight, she would fight for all she had. Ranma disappeared from her view and the next thing that she knew was that she was hauled up and thrown on the bed. She had never seen him move that fast, even with her increased abilities, she had not seen him move. He was on top of her less than a second later. He yanked her arms up, holding them down with one hand at her wrists and grabbed her chin with the other, his body holding hers down even as she wriggled furiously and fought against his weigh and strength. Akane had a strange sense of déja-vu and started to fight him harder. His mouth came down on her hard, crushing her lips back, forcing them open and slipping in his tongue. Akane bit down, hard, as hard as she could. He gasped and reared back staring at her, eyes half-closed, desire taking him over. He tasted the rusty taste of blood in his mouth and dropped his head kissing her again, letting his blood mix with her saliva and Akane closed her eyes against it all. Against his onslaught, against his blood. He pulled back a little, nibbling her lips and then suddenly bit her lip, bit her and drew blood. It spilled down her lip, trickling down her chin and he smiled down in the eyes regarding him. The cruel smile that made her hurt even more. The cruel smile of a man she did not know anymore. Ranma lowered his head and slowly his tongue came out and he started to lick up her blood moving up from her chin to her puffed-up lip. He licked up the blood and she watched as he swallowed it. He tugged on his buttons with his free hand and shed his shirt. His chest was strong and muscular and his shoulders wide. "No," Akane whispered.

"Too late Akane," he grinned back at her. Yes, it was much too late now and deep inside the thought saddened him.

"You are just like your mother, Akane," he whispered in her ear. She jumped. What did he mean? And turned her face to him. He cupped her cheek and slowly his hand descended down her chin, her neck, her collarbone and came to rest on her breast. A tiny gasped escaped Akane and her eyes widened. He watched the swirl of emotions in her eyes as he slowly closed his palm around her breast and cupped. Gently. He watched entranced, the play in her face as desire warred with reserve, curiosity warred with shyness. He lost himself in the wonder of it all and then cynicism broke though and he spoke his thoughts aloud to her, "Your mother must have been just as a good actress when she seduced my father," he drawled and Akane closed her eyes against the pain.

"No. My mother would never have done such a thing," her eyes opened and the trust that Ranma saw in them was unshakable. And it angered him, angered him to the bottom of his soul.

"Yes. Yes, she seduced my father and when my mother found out, she killed him and then committed suicide," he rasped out.

"No, you're wrong," Akane's answer was unwavering and fury rose in Ranma. What an actress! He really admired her acting abilities. Never had anyone been able to fool him before.

He grasped the front of her tunic and pulled. It tore right down to the hem. He lifted a booted foot and pulled out a small dagger. Slowly he slipped it down the bindings around her chest and they gave way beneath the sharp blade. He slowly pushed them away and feasted his eyes on the small firm breasts. They looked so untouched, so beautiful. He ran a gentle hand over them and felt Akane's gasps and desire coursed harder in his veins. God, he wanted her! Wanted her now! His mouth was hot and urgent when he took her breast in his mouth and suckled. Slowly at first and then harder and harder. She was writhing beneath his hands and his mouth. And he loved it. He pushed off his boots with his feet and unbuttoned his pants with his free hand before pushing them off down his legs. He was so hard and he wanted so much to take her right then. And then he heard her whispering words. His hand found the buttons of her pants and opened and pushed them down and when they got tangled, he tore them off and threw them on the floor like the pieces of her tunic.

"No, not like that," she whispered and he lifted his head to stare down at her, "Yes, just like that, like the slut you are," the words escaped him and his free hand slipped down her waist to rest between her legs and slowly he parted her petals to caress the tiny bud as he took one nipple in his mouth and suckled.

"No," Akane's scream rented his heart but he was too lost in desire, in want, to stop. He lifted a heavy head to stare down at her and he felt like he was dying when he saw the hate in her eyes. The utter hate that ate at his soul. And he buried his face in her breasts. Hate me Akane, hate me. It will make things easier, he thought.

He kneed open her legs and she fought him, fought him with all she had. And then the fight suddenly left her as he plunged deep into her. She was so tight and he tore her as he pushed. And then she fit him like a glove and Ranma was lost in his pleasure, completely and wholly lost. God, she was heavenly, he thought as he moved deep inside of her. Akane clamped her teeth into her injured lip and swallowed the scream. She closed her eyes and let the pain take her over. The red hot pain between her legs and her bleeding heart. Ranma's body's exploded into a million pieces and pleasure made him close his eyes and shout out. His body shuddered and trembled as he gasped and then he was falling forward. Falling on top of Akane and his mouth searched hers and instead met her salty cheek. His eyes slowly opened then, his mind receding from the pleasure and he saw her wet cheeks, the tears slowly and silently coursing down. His hand let go of her wrists and slowly came down to wipe the tears away. And she just lay there unmoving, the silent tears slipping from closed eyes. And Ranma felt himself break, he had never seen Akane cry, even in the worst circumstances, she had never cried.

"Akane," he called out and got no answer. It did not matter then what had happened between their parents. It did not matter then that she would prevent a war. It did not matter then that he should hate her. It did not matter that she had hurt him so much. What mattered right then was the ultimate feeling of doom that had settled down in his heart.

"Akane! Look at me!" His voice had grown urgent and slowly, so slowly the long lashes swept up. He lifted himself to look down and he would have cried if he had known how. Her beautiful eyes were dead. There was no hate, no anger, no passion, no fury. None of those things that had always been present. There was nothing but emptiness and pain engulfed Ranma. Pain even sharper than before, even stronger than before. Pain that no mistake in his life had ever brought him before. And he tore his eyes from her and slowly, ever so slowly, he withdrew from her. There was blood between her legs, over her thighs, on him.

"Oh God!" the gasp escaped him.