As the world turns, season changes. When season changes, people watch, as each passing day of their lives is so different from others. Similarities may ensue, but never identically the same to the extent that one's life is just a carbon copy of the other.
The Sakura season has once again appeared. It reminded people once again in of their pasts, whether they want to or not...
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"Ran-chan!" Yuka called, waving her small arms towards the young boy in front of her.
"Yuka-chan!" Ranma replied, waving his own small arms, and waited for his friend. Yuka ran towards him, and Ranma had his little arm out, reaching towards her.
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Ranma and Yuka watched the tree with fascination as the wind blew. The Sakura petals came down, following the wind, and the two kids were awe at what they saw.
"Yuka-chan?" Ranma called.
"Hai, Ran-chan?" Yuka replied.
"Momma told me that there is a story about Sakura Trees," Ranma began.
"What was the story?" Yuka asked, looking at Ranma.
"It says that when people make a wish under a sakura tree, the wish would hold out forever," Ranma said excitedly. "They say a fairy lives inside the sakura trees, and hears wishes of sincere people. And it is said that the fairy would do everything it can to make wishes come true."
Yuka smiled. "Wow! That is so nice! Let's try it, Ran-chan! Let us make a promise under the tree!"
Ranma looked at his friend curiously. He looked liked he considered the idea. "That would be so cool... but what can we wish for?" Ranma asked. Yuka suddenly looked thoughtful too, as she tried to think of a good promise. Finally, she had one.
"I know!" Yuka said. "Let us promise that we shall always be together!"
Ranma smiled. "Yey! That's a good promise!"
Yuka took out her pinky, and showed it to Ranma. "Shall we?"
Ranma nodded, and took out his pinky as well. The two friends shook each other's pinky, stating one promise; "We shall remain together, always!"
Yuka suddenly stood up awake, sweat visible in her forehead. The first thing she did was glance at her clock, and saw that it was still 4:30 AM, still much too early. She sighed. "Stupid dream..." she muttered.
Sakura Season: True Love
Chapter 02: Connections
Yuka had slept once again, this time giving her a dreamless sleep. She was thankful for that.
Why, one might ask. To be frank, no one except Yuka really knows. The dream, she knew, was a fragment of her past that she was ashamed of. A past she always tried to hide. A past, that she had blamed, only to one person. Ranma.
Yuka woke up again, this time nearing 6:00 AM, perfect time to get ready. Going towards the bathroom, she took of her clothes, and peered at herself naked in the mirror.
She checked her breasts, her sides, and her arms. She raised her legs, and checked it out, as she tried to look for bruises.
She did this everyday, a bit conscious with her looks. Why, she too had no idea. It was like a habit that stuck to her to the very end. Looking at the mirror, she sighed again as her mind wandered towards Ranma.
Ranma had been her friend... once. A boy who had been her companion, her friend, and maybe even her first love. They did everything together, everything under the sun. It wasn't until the time...
Yuka shuddered, and scolded herself. It was not the time to think such things, as she opened the faucet of cold water and splashed herself repeatedly in the face.
"YUKA-CHAN!" a female voice called. "BREAKFAST!"
Yuka glared at her own image in the mirror. Drops of water were sliding down her cheek towards her chin, and fell off, drop by drop. Yuka sighed again. "COMING!"
=Tokyo U; Afternoon; Martial Arts Club=
"AGAIN!" Ranko shouted. "ONE!"
"HYA!" the girls shouted as they punched the air with their right hand.
"TWO!" Ranko ordered.
"HYA!" the girls shouted as they kicked with their left foot, twisting it a bit, then slowly shifting their body, turning 180 degrees around when their feet landed back on the floor.
"GOOD!" Ranko said, nodding. "Everyone is improving. It won't be long, ladies, that we, the Female Clan of the Martial Arts Club will take over!"
"YEAH!" most of the females shouted.
Ranko smiled, as she looked around them. "We have all seen what kind of perverts this University has! We all saw men, joining the martial arts club just because of us. We saw men leering at us while we practiced, spoiling the good name of the Art. And now that we have successfully made our own faction, what SHALL WE DO?!"
"WE TAKE OVER THE WHOLE CLUB!" one of the females shouted. The others cheered loudly.
Ranko smiled widely this time, feeling proud again. Yet, there were a few more problems in taking over. For Ranko, she wanted complete control over the Martial Arts Club. Sure, she was able to get funds and enough supporters so the University would allow them to have a separate faction from the male group, but it was not enough. Ranko wanted the whole Martial Arts Club to be female-only.
She knew once the females have disappeared from the males views, the male faction would literally lose most of their members. Now, only a few males are dedicated towards the art, and most of them are weaker than the girls Ranko was teaching. Except maybe three males.
"B... but I heard that Mu Tsu and Tarou are still in the club!" one of the females said nervously. The girls suddenly began to chatter among themselves.
"Not to mention 'him'!" another girl cried. The others suddenly nodded, and bowed their heads.
Ranko shivered. There were three boys who she had respected so far as 'martial artists'. Mu Tsu, practitioner of Kung Fu; Tarou, freestyle street fighting; and not to least, 'him'.
'He' was one of the best martial arts group of the male faction. Best in the whole of Japan, actually. Tokyo U was usually awarded with medals on martial arts thanks to 'him'. Many had said that 'he' was a monster, able to manipulate his wooden staff like magic, taking hits and not go down, and even laugh like a maniac during fights.
Ranko had met 'him' once. She shivered. It was one of the worst experiences she had in her life. So it was a surprise when one of the females in the group suddenly stood up and began shouting.
"WHAT ARE YOU? COWARDS?!" a girl with short brown hair and red eyes glared at them. "HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN RANKO'S ULTIMATE PLAN?!"
Another girl stood up. "REIKO IS RIGHT! I, XIAN PU, SHALL TAKE CARE OF MU TSU!"
"AND I SHALL TAKE CARE OF THAT BASTARD AARON!" the girl named 'Reiko' who has short brown hair and red eyes. The other girls gasped. Reiko just said 'his' name. Not only that, she had called him a bastard. They looked around, nervous.
"AND I KNOW THAT TAROU!" another girl with pink hair done in a bun. Other girls stared at her. "You know me, I too know, and studied Tarou's style when we were still part of the Ranma ½ crew."
Yuka twitched at the mention of the name.
The girl continued, "And I will defeat him, or else my name is not Kiima!"
Ranko applauded, and soon, most of the girls followed. Some few were still skeptical, but were still ready to support Ranko. There was one girl who clapped hard, but it was seen in her body form that something was bothering her. Ranko saw it, and raised her eyebrows.
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Yuka sighed as she took out her practice clothes, and began to change to her normal clothes. Her thoughts were still all heavy and chaotic, that she didn't hear Ranko approach her from behind.
"Yuka," Ranko called. Yuka jumped up a few centimeters, before turning around, and facing Ranko.
"Ranko-sempai!" Yuka bowed down. "Sorry! I wasn't paying attention."
Ranko waved her hand. "Forget it. I'm more curious about your thoughts of today, as I sensed your mind wandering around."
Yuka bowed her head down. "It's... nothing, Ranko-sempai. Just thinking something."
"What is it, Yuka?" Ranko asked. Yuka shook her head. "Tell me, Yuka-chan. We've been friends since the time you joined the club. You were always open about things, but now... I feel like something is weighing heavily on you. Is it a boy?"
Yuka twitched, and Ranko made a small noise. "I'm sorry, Ranko-sempai..." Yuka apologized. Ranko shook her head.
"No need to apologize, Yuka," Ranko replied. "I have no real bad feelings about good relationship between men and women. So, if you think that he is right for you..." and she was cut of when Yuka suddenly punched her locker hard.
"It's not THAT!" Yuka said angrily, but the anger was not focused on Ranko. It was more focused on herself. "It's Ranma!"
Ranko froze, and stared at her. She did know Yuka and Ranma had a past, but what Yuka never explained. Maybe now, she would. "Yuka, although I think Ranma is perverted and all, but you never told me what was your beef with him. Can you tell me?"
Yuka replied at once, her anger and her mind heavy with the thoughts of Ranma, that explaining went easy. "Bastard. We promised that we would be friends forever, but that... asshole!" Tears formed in her eyes as memories resurfaced. "It was during summer time...
[Flashback]
Young Yuka in a bathing-suit, spraying Ranma with water from her hand. Yuka looked so happy as she shared her transportable pool [the one you can blow up with air], when suddenly Ranma gave a scary look, and before Yuka could ask what was wrong, Ranma pushed her hard down...
[End Flashback]
... Ranma never apologized, and never got to remember that much. But I stayed away from him," Yuka finished her sentence. She sighed. "I hate him, yet I always think about him... How about you, Ranko-sempai? You worked with him during those times in Ranma ½, right? What do you think of him?"
"He was an asshole," Ranko replied at once, without pausing. "He insulted my skills, and I have been itching to kick his ass from that day on."
=Somewhere in Tokyo=
Yuka sighed again as she went back home. Tokyo U was a bit far, but with Japan's excellent public transport system, she had no difficulty in going home.
No, the difficult part was avoiding Ranma. Both practically lived in the same neighborhood, and just a few blocks away.
Sometimes, Ranma would pass by her house, and seem to stare at the tinted window at her room. She knew that, because she too looked out of the window, watching Ranma. But Ranma never seem to try and come over. He never tried to doorbell, or call her.
Connections were severed.
Yuka knew the reason. Ranma had mistreated her badly, pushing her like a rag doll, making her cry. It was the most painful thing she ever experienced. Betrayal.
Heavy in thoughts, Yuka didn't notice that she was walking towards a lone male until she literally bumped into him.
"Ow, sorry!" Yuka immediately apologized, and stared at the person who she bumped into. Her demeanor suddenly turned cold. "Oh, its you."
Ranma flinched. He too was heavy in thought as he walked home, and bumped into his childhood friend by mistake. "H-hey Yuka..."
Yuka ignored him, and walked away. Ranma stared at her, sighing, and he too went on his way back home.
It was maybe just a few meters when Ranma finally saw something wrong. Glancing back at Yuka's retreating back, he was surprised to see three female figures stalking in the shadows. He narrowed his eyes, and began to follow Yuka.
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Yuka sighed with relief as Ranma's face faded from view. She didn't need her thoughts to be about Ranma. She hit her palm to her forehead, trying to force his image out of his mind.
Baka, baka, baka! Yuka thought. He is not your friend anymore! He is an asshole! He is a pervert! He...
"Well, if it isn't Yuka from the Martial Arts club in Tokyo U," a female voice called. Yuka looked at the source of the voice, and saw female twins, with long flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. "How are you? Ready for the next tournament?"
Yuka immediately recognized the two. Both were also part of a martial arts club, but not in Tokyo U, but in the K University, a somewhat expensive and high standard school. Ranko and Yuka both defeated them in the last tournament, and it was rumored that they still held grudges.
"Oh, Usagi, Minako," Yuka greeted them neutrally. "Preparing for the next tournament?"
Usagi just smiled, and Minako, beside her, nodded, but not to Yuka, but somewhere behind her. Yuka narrowed her eyes, and turned around, and saw a fist coming towards her face.
Stunned, the girl fell on the floor, and felt some hard kicks in her stomach. Yuka gritted her teeth. The pain was blinding her, not allowing her to defend herself more accurately.
The person who was beating Yuka up was a 'she'. Long flowing black hair, very sexy legs, Yuka recognized her as well. She too was part of the group in the K University.
"Okay, Rei," Minako stated to the girl beating Yuka up. "That's enough for now." Rei stopped, and walked towards Minako. Bending down, Usagi smirked at Yuka's fallen form, and said in a nasty voice, "Don't expect us to be so easily defeated next tournament. We will kick your asses so bad, you're going to kiss the moon." And Minako, Usagi, and Rei began laughing.
Yuka gritted her teeth. She wanted to get back to them, but with her injuries, she could only cough out some blood.
"YUKA!" a male voice shouted, and Yuka gasped a bit, looking at the boy running towards her. It was Ranma!
Usagi, Minako and Rei looked at the approaching male, and gave a small smile. "Well, will you look at this. If my eyes aren't deceiving me, it's Ranma from Ranma ½!" Minako stated.
Ranma walked over Yuka's fallen form, bent down and took his hands towards Yuka's arm. The blood Yuka coughed was still wet and red. Ranma felt intense anger like he never experienced before.
"H-how dare you do this to her?!" Ranma said angrily towards the three girls. "That is dishonorable! How could you!"
Rei burst out with a fit of laughter as she saw Ranma threatening her. "Oh, is Mr. Martial Artist going to take on us?" she teased. Ranma froze, glared at them, and twitched.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Ranma shouted, taking his hands up. "At least it's much better than playing some dumb SENSHI!"
Rei, Minako and Usagi froze like they have been slapped. Their fists began to twitch as they replayed what Ranma had said a few moments ago.
Usagi, Rei and Minako had played part in the Sailor Senshi series, but they loved the roles. True, the Sailor Moon Series were well received in Japan, unlike Ranma ½, and sure, they had to act like some underage weirdoes in revealing fukus was not one would call a cool thing, but they loved their roles.
And Ranma had angered them by calling their roles dumb. Minako's eyes seem to glow red as she glared at the boy. "You know what, I had read some fanfics about Sailor Moon versus Ranma, and it is always that Ranma wins," Minako said angrily. Cracking her knuckles, she smiled evilly. "We'll see if that applies in real life!" and with that, she charged towards Ranma.
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Yuka watched painfully as Ranma got punched, kicked, and his arm bent by two girls. Rei pinned her down on the ground, giving way to Usagi and Minako as they punched the lights out the boy.
"Ranma..." Yuka whispered.
Rei heard her, and laughed. "Well, your boyfriend seems to in trouble, huh? Beaten up by two pretty girls? Look at him, all bloody purple and blue."
True to Rei's word, Ranma's face was covered with blood as Usagi and Minako continued to punish him. Ranma would have welcomed sleep, but Minako would not give him the satisfaction.
"Heh, so the Ranma in real life isn't all that great, huh?" Usagi laughed. "Come on! Throw us a Ki blast!"
Ranam growled, and lashed out with his right hand towards Usagi. The girl caught it easily, and placed it in an armlock. Ranma shouted in pain as Usagi gave more pressure to the arm.
"So, this is what Ranma does in the real life huh?" Usagi asked.
"Weakling, you don't even have the right to talk to us," Minako said, and put her fists down. Motioning Rei and Usagi, she said to them, "Come on, we are wasting our time. This is so boring."
Yuka was in tears when Rei finally released her hold on her, and walked with Minako. Usagi looked at the groggy Ranma, and sighed. Letting his arm go, she gave out a viscous knee towards the boy's abdomen, driving him to nearly full unconsciousness, and walked towards Minako. Together, the three girls walked away.
Yuka slowly stood up, her eyes in tears, and her mind torn apart. She had walked towards Ranma's almost unconscious and bloody form, and held him in her arms.
"Stupid... why?!" Yuka cried. "Couldn't you just walk away?!"
"Be... cause... I... promised..." Ranma replied weakly, his eyes not even opening.
"Baka..." Yuka replied, and held him closer to her.
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On that day, two people who have lost their connection, found one again. As one normal boy driven into pain to protect a friend, or maybe a loved one, he didn't falter.
Maybe the love in him was so strong that it could have moved mountains, or froze rivers. Maybe it would give him enough power to freeze time, who knows? All that is knows, however, is that love is so strong, it is strong enough to reconnect and change the feelings of one person.
But did Ranma's love really changed Yuka's feelings for him, or just showed her the feelings which she never wanted to see, taste or touch?
Whatever it was, it was clearly one thing. Love.
To Be Continued...
NEXT: Buds' turn…
Author's Note: Yes, this is very weird and different, but that is what makes it so nice. And also, take note that Buds' here is not really me, but a different me who never experienced betrayal at the age of 15, so is like any normal 19 year old boy. A bit of a hentai, and a gentleman. ^-^