(REPOSTED BECAUSE THE OLD ONE GOT KILLED BY THE NEW FORMATTING)
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic Trilogy:
"The True Meaning of Love"
By: s16thunderjet
Story 1
"The Search for Atlantis"
Chapter 4:
Artemis: Friend or Foe?
Ranma looked up at the sky. There were birds hovering above them and trees sheltering them from the scorching rays of the sun. The place, wherever it was, was filled with exotic plants.
There were also a lot of different ( and disgusting ) species of insects crawling around on the forest floor. Animals of all kinds roamed as they did, walking about in the dim forest.
Ryoga was carrying Ukyo in his arms and both their back packs. Mousse was cradling Shampoo safely in his arms with both their back packs as well. They looked like they have been walking for hours.
"Where are we?" asked Ranma as he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
He looked around him to see that Ukyo and Shampoo were already sleeping due to fatigue. Mousse was also out of sync, breathing heavily as he lay Shampoo's head on his lap. He turned to Ryoga, who looked very tired as well.
"I'm not sure where we are. But from the way things look around here, we seem to be in a jungle." he said.
Ranma raised his right eyebrow as he looked at him. But then realized that since he often got lost, if not always, he would know where they are.
*He may have gone to every corner in the world, he must know.* thought Ranma. He put down his back pack and sat, a loud thump echoing through the jungle as he landed on the ground.
"How did we get here anyway?" he asked him, taking out a canteen of water.
"We aren't even sure where 'here' is?" replied Ryoga, fanning himself with his hands.
"You are searching for the Temple of Patrios." said a somewhat, female voice.
"Who's there?" asked Ranma as he stood abruptly, moving into a battle stance. He looked around in anticipation of an attack or something.
But there was no one there but the five of them. Ryoga looked a little nervous, for three of them were sleeping. If there happens to be a battle, what would they do?
"The great Amazon will find hers, but not yours, dragon lord." it said as the voice faded into non - existence.
"Amazon... hers... Shampoo!" said Ryoga.
Both Ranma and Ryoga turned to the others in anticipation of an attack, only to find a slumbering Ukyo. Mousse was already awake and sitting up, his upper body leaning against a tree.
Shampoo was sitting beside Ukyo's sleeping form. It looked like she was dreaming or something. Suddenly, her eyes opened and she stood, gazing up to the horizon that had seemingly appeared from nowhere.
Ranma and Ryoga moved closer to her, trying to get a better view of the on goings. Ukyo, by then, had already woken up and was watching Ranma and Ryoga's movements.
*Unusual.* she thought. *Why is Ranma and Ryoga following and watching her like that?* she asked herself. Then Mousse stood up and walked towards her.
He reached out his hand and helped her stand up. Funny, Mousse helped her, and wasn't paying attention to Shampoo. She took his hand and stood up.
"What's up with Shampoo?" Ukyo asked Mousse as he pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with his finger.
Mousse didn't respond. He just stood there, beside Ukyo, and watched as Shampoo started walking away from them and deeper into the jungle.
*What in the world is going on here?* Ukyo asked herself as Ranma and Ryoga followed Shampoo. *Why are they the ones following Shampoo and not Mousse?*
Still, Mousse was not talking beside her, not even a single sound coming from him. She saw from out of the corner of her eye that Mousse had already picked up all the back packs.
Mousse raised his right hand and pointed to the direction Ranma, Ryoga and Shampoo were going. He started walking towards the trio, Ukyo following close behind, no words, only actions.
Ukyo was starting to get confused. They followed Ranma and Ryoga, who were both following Shampoo, deeper into the jungle. They suddenly came to a clearing.
From out of nowhere, a bright light appeared and blinded them all momentarily. They all covered their eyes as protection. After a while, they opened their eyes to see a some sort of temple.
It was made mostly of plants and stones, and most definitely looked ancient. They walked closer to the temple, noticing a lot of beautiful plants and colorful flowers surrounding them.
The whole place looked like some sort of hidden garden. They looked around, marveling at the majestic display of nature and saw a small gate.
And just behind that gate, was Shampoo.
She is sitting on this bench made of wood and decorated with flowers. She was looking at the flowers and admiring them for their beauty and fragrance.
Then they heard sounds of something stomping onto the ground. The sound grew louder and louder and they turned to where it was coming from in anticipation.
It was coming from inside the temple.
As the sound grew even louder, it didn't sound like feet anymore. It sounded more like hooves of a horse. Ranma and the others watched as it's image began to appear.
It was a unicorn.
A white unicorn with a golden horn and rainbow colored mane. It was beautiful and angelic, it almost hurt the eyes to see. It stopped in front of Shampoo and looked down at her.
Shampoo was astonished with the sight. She stood from the bench and reached out to touch it. She moved her hands through the unicorn's mane.
The unicorn leaned in closer to her touch, wanting more of her soothing hands. It liked what Shampoo was doing. Shampoo smiled as the unicorn became more and more comfortable around her.
Ranma and Ryoga lowered their defenses a bit and forgot what the female voice had said. They looked into each others' eyes and nodded, understanding what the other meant without so much as a word.
Ranma walked to the right side of the garden, while Ryoga walked to the left. From their positions, they watched as Shampoo played with the unicorn.
Ukyo scratched her head as she watched the scene before her. Ranma and Ryoga following Shampoo was one thing. Mousse staying away from Shampoo was another.
But this was definitely weird. She sighed in confusion and approached Ranma for answers.
"What's going on, Ranchan?" she asked.
Ranma sat down on the grass and offered her a seat beside him. She sat down and looked at him curiously, waiting for a response.
"While you guys were sleeping, Ryoga and I heard a voice. It said somethin' about the Amazon finding hers, but not the fearless dragon." said Ranma without taking his eyes off Shampoo.
"Amazon... hers... meaning Shampoo?" asked Ukyo.
"Yup! And we don't even know what that meant." said Ranma, placing his hands behind his head.
He looked at Ukyo as she listened to him and caught her staring, causing her to blush a little. She looked back to Shampoo, trying to avoid his steady gaze. She got a glimpse of Mousse as she did so.
"What's up with Mousse? I mean, it's unusual for him to just sit there and watch Shampoo." she asked, pointing to the direction of Mousse a few meters behind Shampoo.
"Normally, he would be near Shampoo, praising and glorifying her." she continued, sighing pitifully for him.
"And besides, he hasn't been paying that much attention to her either." she finished.
Ranma sighed and spoke, "I dunno. Maybe he's in a bad mood or somethin'." he said.
He lay down beside her, hands clasped behind his head as a makeshift pillow. He closed his eyes and listened to Ukyo as she spoke.
"Maybe you're right, Ranchan. I guess I'm just not used to seeing him like this." she said, another sigh escaping her.
Ranma suddenly opened his eyes and stared at her. Ukyo couldn't help but notice his reaction. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"What!" she asked defensively. Ranma giggled a little.
"Since when did you worry about Mousse?" he asked raising his right eyebrow at her. Ukyo blushed a little before responding.
"I just thought that it's kinda unusual. We don't even know where we are, and that's kinda unusual, too." she said.
Ranma pulled his head back and laid down again, not wanting to push anything.
"Oh." he simply said.
Ranma looked up at the clear blue sky. The sun was now shining away from them, making it's way round the other side of the world. ( obviously in another direction )
Ukyo was watching Ryoga who was sitting calmly and passively on the other side, almost able to pass himself as a rock. She was wondering why Ryoga looked so tensed, as if something bad is gonna happen.
She looked at where Mousse was and then at Shampoo, still wondering.*I wonder what made them act like this. They all seem so tense.* she thought.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light which blinded Ukyo for a second. She raised her right arm to cover her eyes. As she opened her eyes again, she saw Ranma and Ryoga fighting beings made of plants.
Ukyo also saw Shampoo struggling to break free of the grip of another plant-made being. She saw the Amazon pull her arms as hard as possible but to no avail.
To her surprise, Mousse was nowhere in sight of the battle. He was still in the same position as before, head bowed down and eyes closed in deep concentration. He was meditating and not minding the battle at all.
Mousse was especially not paying attention to Shampoo.
The unicorn was also being held captive by the same being holding Shampoo. It, along with Shampoo, was struggling hard to get free, but again to no avail.
Ukyo ran to Mousse and shook him out of his meditation. Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets when she saw Mousse's appearance. Her hair almost stood on end at that.
"Mousse? Are you alright?" she asked, though something told her she was not going to get any response.
Mousse looked like he was under hypnosis. His eyes were white and just staring straight ahead. He looked so hopeless that she felt sorry for him.
"Mousse? What happened to you?" she asked once more, but no response came from him.
But something in Mousse's intense meditation made Ukyo think otherwise. She could feel his love and desire to save Shampoo. She could feel him fight the spell cast upon him with all of his might.
Ukyo tried to shake him out of his state, but nothing happened. *Get up Mousse! Get up! You have to fight the hypnosis.* she thought, begging God to help Mousse get out of it.
Realizing that just standing there was no use, Ukyo left him and joined the battle to help the others. They were pretty much winning the fight.
Ranma has crushed every being that attacked him, and so has Ryoga. Remains of dead plant beings covered the ground as Ukyo defended herself from another group of attackers.
But Shampoo was having a problem with the one being holding her and the unicorn. She has done almost everything just to get free but to no avail. Her captor was just too strong for her.
The battle went on. Kick here, punch there, a ki blast and a swing of a spatula. Ranma and Ryoga teamed up for a couple of ki blasts to finish off their remaining offenders.
A swing of Ukyo's spatula and all of her opponents were knocked down. Then there was only one more to go. And it was the on crushing both Shampoo and the unicorn.
"It's the last one." said Ryoga, almost growling.
"We have to get it to release Shampoo and the unicorn." said Ranma, his eyes fixed at Shampoo's struggling form.
Ukyo kept silent as Ranma and Ryoga planned their attack. Her eyes subconsciously traveled to Mousse's prone form. *Dammit Mousse! Get up and fight!* she thought, hoping that Mousse would get the message.
Having finally formulated their attack, Ranma and Ryoga moved to their positions. Putting Ukyo in the middle, Ranma moved to the left while Ryoga moved to the right.
"Now!" screamed Ranma, as the three charged.
About five meters from their target, they fell short and slammed into an invisible wall. The three fell flat on their back as they were flung back by the energy of the force field.
Ranma, Ryoga and Ukyo stood five feet from Shampoo and the being. Ukyo flung her shuriken towards the force field, but did not even scratch it.
Ryoga picked up a rather big boulder and lifted it above his head. With one great heaved, he threw the rock towards the force filled, hoping to destroy it upon impact. Again, it did not work.
"There's no other option." said Ranma as he started to gather his ki.
The being holding Shampoo shifted its position to be able to shield itself properly if Ranma's blast manages to breach the force field.
Just as Ranma was going to release the ki blast, they suddenly felt a strong concentration of energy behind them. An energy more powerful and intense than what Ranma was building up.
They all turned to see Mousse's body glowing with power, a light blue aura surrounding his now standing form. He still couldn't move, his love for Shampoo fueling him to generate a huge amount of energy.
"What tha..." said Ryoga, taking a step back as the energy became stronger and stronger.
"But how... he doesn't have a ki blast." said Ranma as he stepped back as well.
Ukyo raised her giant spatula as if to shield her from the intense heat radiating from Mousse's body. *Thank you Mousse. Thank you for fighting it.* she thought.
They all looked in amazement as Mousse fought the hypnotism and raised his hand, pointing to Shampoo. Then all of the glowing aura around his body faded, and he fell to the ground.
They wanted to run to him and check if he was alright but were stopped short when they felt power building up behind them. They turned around and saw Shampoo strangle the being that once held her.
The Amazon princess was glowing with power and the blue aura that once surrounded Mousse was around her. She approached the unicorn and helped the fallen animal stand.
Shampoo healed the unicorn's wounds and embraced the it, letting her love flow into the weakened animal. She smiled as the unicorn steadied itself and stand up on its own.
Shampoo turned to them, most specifically to Mousse and smiled in gratitude. "Thank you..." she mouthed.
Then there was a bright light.
Ranma moaned as he opened his eyes. The sun was already shining very brightly through the window and right into his face. It was obviously morning.
"What tha..." he said as he sat up, gingerly rubbing at his head. He looked around him to see that he was in his room, and not in the middle of a jungle.
"What a weird dream." he said.
Ranma stretched his arms and did a few exercises to loosen up his body. He stood up to fix his futon and then went out of the room. Walking along the hallway, he paused as he reached Akane's door.
He stopped in front of Akane's door and, with a smile on his face, raised his hand to knock. Before he could do it, he put his hand down again and sighed, suddenly realizing that nobody would answer him.
*What am I knocking for? No one's in here, Akane's gone. But I'm gonna find her.* he vowed silently to himself. He bowed down in front of her door, hands on his sides.
"I promise I will." he said, staring at the wooden duck which was Akane's name plate.
Ranma started to walk down the hallway and stopped as he reached the dining room. He just stood there by the door, and looked at the people occupying the room.
He saw Genma, in panda form, sitting on the verandah and staring off into the blue sky, occasionally shaking his head when Soun cried.
Nabiki was watching the early morning news and reading a newspaper in between, trying to find out any news about a kidnapping incident, Akane's to be precise.
Kasumi was taking care of a distraught and disoriented Soun, who has yet to stop crying over the disappearance of his youngest daughter.
Yes, it certainly feels different without Akane. There was this emptiness in the house and inside him as well. Ranma closed his eyes for a moment.
He smiled a bit as he imagined Akane walking down the stairs in her school uniform and getting ready for school.
He could imagine her as she sat beside him and ate breakfast.
He could imagine her screaming at him because they were going to be late again.
He could even imagine her mallet coming at him in full speed.
He could go on imagining forever...
Ranma slowly opened his eyes and stopped imagining. His smile faded as the reality of it all came back to him. Out of his own little world of daydreaming, Ranma walked into the dinning room.
"Oh, good morning Ranma." said a smiling Kasumi.
Ranma tried to smile back at her, knowing that underneath that patented smile of hers, Kasumi Tendo was feeling downhearted about the missing Akane.
"Hi." said Ranma, showing a bit of a smile.
"There's some breakfast I saved for you in the kitchen." she said, wringing the small towel she had in her hands and placing it over her father's forehead.
"Thanks, Kasumi. I'm kinda not hungry yet. Could you just save it for me later?" he asked.
"OK." she answered.
"And Kasumi... I might not be back for lunch." he said.
"OK. Just call if you're gonna be home for dinner." she said and turned back to her ailing father.
"I will." he said as he left.
Ranma went outside and headed straight for the Ucchan. It was a Sunday after all, there's no school.
But he wasn't at all in a hurry, so he just walked around the neighborhood enjoying the morning breeze the best way he can, hoping that somehow it could ease his pain even for just a while.
At the Nekohanten, Shampoo was grumpy all morning. Even Mousse was not in the best of moods. Tension could be felt everywhere. They pass by each other and just stare, not a word.
But their stares do not bear anger or disgust toward the other, it bears some sort of fear or nervousness. This was beginning to bother Cologne.
Usually, it was Mousse asking Shampoo out on another date and insisting, leading to his confinement in a hospital bed. Well, not exactly in the hospital, just in his room, all bandaged up.
But now, it seems like they aren't even going to have a fight or a dating thing. They're both keeping their thoughts and emotions to themselves, afraid to even say anything.
Then Shampoo abruptly sat down on a chair, Mousse following suit but on a chair of the next table. They both looked miserable and very depressed.
Cologne had seen enough.
"Alright you two, what happened?" she asked as she stood in front of them.
"Nothing happen great grandmother." said Shampoo, trying to speak in her normal voice. ( the hyper - soprano type voice ) Cologne doubted her great grand daughter's response.
There was something in Shampoo's voice and expression that made her doubt the young Amazon. She then turned to Mousse, how sat up straight in nervousness.
"Nothing happened." he said before she could ask, making her doubt his answer, too.
Cologne looked at the both of them. They both looked stressed out, as if they had just climbed Mt. Everest. She closed her eyes in concentration and tried to feel their energies.
Their ki were normal, but their body coordination were in an absolute mess. Their bodies were well rested, but their minds were in extreme stress.
"Is any of you gonna tell me what happened to either or am I gonna have to get violent here?" she asked, frustrated at the stubbornness showed by the both of them.
Shampoo and Mousse sighed at the same time, then looked at each other. Mousse nodded, offering Shampoo to go ahead. She nodded back, the turned to Cologne.
"OK, is what happen." she started.
At Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, Ukyo was up a little earlier than usual, especially on a Sunday. She looked at herself on the mirror. Her eyes were red, obviously due to lack of sleep.
She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Then she heard rumbling up stairs. She wiped her face with a towel and ran up stairs. She remembered Ryoga and ran to his room.
A small gasp came from Ukyo as she opened the door.
Pillows were everywhere and the futon was upside down. She burst out laughing when she saw Ryoga coming out of the closet. Apparently, he got lost.
"What's so funny?" asked Ryoga who was still a little sleepy. Ukyo gradually stopped laughing.
"Sorry 'bout that sugar." she said. She helped Ryoga fix his futon, and the rest of the room. Then she saw that his eyes were also red.
"Having problems sleeping, Ryoga?" she asked. He looked at her, studying her face and saw her eyes.
"Can't say anything different about you." he said. Ukyo realized that her eyes were red as well.
"Doesn't happen everyday. Just had a bad dream last night." he said.
"I also had a dream last night. And a weird dream at that." said Ukyo. Ryoga looked surprised, actually, almost shocked.
"Oh yeah, about what?" asked Ryoga. She locked her right arm with his left and started to walk out of the room.
"I'll tell you later, after we have some breakfast." she finally said.
They both walked down the stairs, Ukyo guiding Ryoga so he won't get lost.
Meanwhile, Ranma was crossing his favorite bridge when he heard someone call his name.
"Ranma..." said a soft, female voice.
Ranma stopped walking. He turned in every direction but found no one he knew. There were only kids playing and some women chatting. He wondered where the voice came from, the shrugged it off.
He shook his head and said, "Now I'm hearing things." He continued to walk to the Ucchan's.
Back at the Nekohanten, Cologne was wide - eyed with what Shampoo and Mousse just told her. Both Shampoo and Mousse were stunned as well.
"You mean you two had the exact same dream." asked Cologne, trying to clarify the information she just heard. She looked at them and both nodded.
"This is the first time I've heard of it." said Cologne.
"What we do?" asked Shampoo. Cologne was silent for a moment.
"It appears we have some kind of... inter-dream state." she said softly.
"What do you mean?" asked Mousse, leaning in towards Cologne. Shampoo started leaning towards Cologne as well.
"It's a state where two or more people share exactly the same dream." Cologne said, her hand resting on her chin.
"Is that bad or good?" asked Mousse.
"I don't really know. I think it depends on the kind of dream the people involved shared." she said.
"So what we do now, great grandmother?" asked Shampoo.
"We had a case like this centuries ago. I think it happened when there was a shift in the earth's energy." she said.
There was silence for a moment, then Cologne looked up to see Mousse and Shampoo staring wide - eyed at her, both looking terribly confused.
"When I said there was a shift in the earth's energy, I meant that someone disrupted the balance of the earthly forces." she continued.
Silence reigned in the restaurant, Mousse and Shampoo still having bewildered looks on their faces. Then Shampoo spoke up.
"Earthly forces?" asked Shampoo, switching to Chinese.
"Yes. Earth, fire, wind, water, the combination of these four elements brings nature, and then the spirit of the dragon. Six to be exact." answered Cologne, also switching to Chinese.
"What happened?" asked Mousse who was just as curious as Shampoo.
"I do not know much of it because I was not even born yet at that time." she said.
Shampoo pouted as if frustrated. Mousse sat back and brought his hand up to his chin, thinking. Cologne closed her eyes, trying to remember what her own great grandmother told her.
"My great grandmother said that even the combined forces of the Joketsuzoku, the Musk and the People of the Phoenix Mountain couldn't do anything to stop it, or what had caused it." she said, her voice showing a bit of nervousness.
"She never told me much about what had caused the imbalance, but she told me that six warriors from different ancestries came and restored the balance." she said.
"What of the one who had caused it?" asked Mousse.
"She said that they never found the body or even a trace of its soul..." she paused then continued, "...if it had any." she finished.
"You mean it's happening again?" asked Shampoo, a bit worried.
"I hope not, because not even our ancestors were able to beat them on their own." she said, switching back to Japanese.
"How about the ones that helped them restore the balance?" asked Mousse.
"They weren't even able to thank them. My great grandmother said that after the fight, their bodies vanished." she said.
"What about souls?" asked Shampoo.
"After the whole thing, there was a great banquet involving all of the kingdoms which had helped in the victory." she said. She paused for a moment, taking a sip from her cup of tea.
"The rulers of the three kingdoms, save for Phoenix Mountain who only sent a representative, created a big fire in the middle of the mountains, and offered their tribes finest treasures as a way of thanking the gods." she paused for a moment, then continued.
"After everything had been offered, there was a short prayer. People from all the tribes settled around the fire. Just as the prayer was about to end, the flame grew tremendously." she said, her voice showing a hint of fear.
"As the flame grew, a voice spoke. It said something about the earth's forces and explained some thing's about the six warriors." she said.
"What voice say great grandmama?" asked Shampoo.
"It said that the six warriors were the spirit guardians, and mostly about the power of these forces." answered Cologne.
Silence filled the restaurant once more as the three sat in thought.
"I remember my great grandmother saying something about a scroll that was created after. It contained everything about the earth's forces." she added.
Shampoo's face lit up, and so did Mousse's.
"Where is the scroll?" asked both of them.
"Sadly it vanished a couple of decades after the incident. The scroll was supposedly kept at the boundary of the three kingdoms. It was heavily guarded by warriors from the three tribes." she said.
Mousse and Shampoo sank back down on their seats with a very audible sigh, a look of utter disbelief and pained frustration visible on their faces.
"The conflict between the three kingdoms started since that day, for they blamed each other. The People of the Phoenix Mountain said we took it, while we, the Joketsuzoku blamed the Musk, who in turn blamed the People of Phoenix Mountain." continued Cologne.
Cologne shook her head at the very memory of the foolishness and stubbornness of their ancestors.
"The scroll was never recovered." she finished sadly.
"I hate to say this but this is out of my expertise. I want you two to go to Dr. Tofu and ask him about it." she admitted, though what she had just said hurt her pride a bit.
Shampoo looked a bit uneasy at what Cologne suggested. This would have to be the first time Cologne had sent them off together. That would be excluding all the things concerning the restaurant and their Amazon duties.
Mousse too looked uneasy, for he was quite unsure of the implications of the dream. But he complied nonetheless. He stood up and brushed at his clothing, then offered a hand to Shampoo.
Shampoo, though wary, took his hand and stood up. They left the room for the clinic, leaving a bewildered Cologne behind.
*I hope that they'll be fine, both of them.* thought Cologne.
Back at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, Ukyo was cooking two okonomiyaki deluxe pizzas when Ranma arrived. Ukyo was the first to see him. Ryoga, who sat down in front of the grill, turned around to greet their guest.
"Hiya, Ucchan. Mornin' to you too, Ryoga." said Ranma. His voice was still not on the normal tone but sounded better than the day before.
"Good morning Ranma." greeted Ryoga, surprised at himself for being civil with Ranma.
He remembered that they had to work together to find Akane and not fight. He then turned back around to watch Ukyo flip the okonomiyaki.
"You're just in time Ranchan. What do you want to eat?" asked Ukyo, enthusiastically. Ranma sat down in front of her and beside Ryoga.
"Actually, I already ate at home." he said, placing his hands on the table.
"Oh... so what's up?" she asked. Ranma leaned backwards, but not too back so as not to fall on the floor, and crossed him arms.
"Nothin' really." he replied. Just as he answered, Ukyo flipped one okonomiyaki and threw it to Ryoga's plate. He smiled and reached for it.
"Thanks, Ukyo." he said as he smiled.
Ranma smiled, seeing a friendship starting between the two. Something he never thought possible was now starting to grow. From enemies, because of their respective loves, they've become friends.
"So, Ranma..." Ryoga turned to Ranma, "...have you heard anything from Akane?" he asked, then swallowed a piece of okonomiyaki.
Ranma's smile crept away and a sad and frustrated look replaced it. He placed his hands together on the table.
"Disappointingly, none." he said, tapping his fingers on the table, then letting out a big sigh. Ukyo hated to see Ranma so sad.
"Hey, don't worry. She'll be fine, Ranchan." she said, trying to comfort him.
Ranma just gave her a wan smile. Ukyo was feeling sorry for him. Naturally, she'd be so happy she'd give away her okonomiyaki for free, now that Akane is gone.
But in her heart, she knows that it's wrong. She loves Ranma and wants him all for herself. But seeing him unhappy like this crushes her heart.
It just proves that he cares for Akane after all, let alone loves the missing girl. Ukyo sighed to herself.
*I hope Akane's alright, for Ranchan's sake.*
"Ukyo... are you OK?" asked Ryoga as he waved his hand in front of Ukyo.
"Huh? What? Oh, sorry." she said sounding a little startled.
Ranma has been thinking since Ryoga's question about Akane. There was something he wanted to tell them, something important, but what. Apparently, he couldn't remember.
"Oh yeah..." he said as he snapped his fingers. He remembered his dream the night before.
"What?" asked Ryoga and Ukyo at the same time.
"You know, I had this dream last night and it was kinda weird." said Ranma.
"You had a dream, too?" asked Ukyo.
"Yeah. It was about..." he started.
Akane woke up a little later than the day before, it was almost 10:00 A. M. She stretched her arms upwards and then exercised her neck.
"Wow, what a dream." she said, not sounding worried like the previous times. She actually look amused.
She had another Ranma dream, but this time, she wasn't there. They were all in a jungle... Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Mousse and Shampoo... then there was a unicorn... then plant beings... then a bright light.
KNOCK! KNOCK! Akane sat up and looked towards the door.
"Come in." she said, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she yawned a bit.
Merian came in, bringing with her a serving table of food ( you know, like the one in the hotels with small wheels under it).
"Good morning, Akane." Merian said as she stopped the table in front of her. Akane smiled at her.
"Good morning, Merian. What's that?" she asked, pointing to the table.
"It's your breakfast." she said and smiled as she lifted the silver cover on top off the plate.
There were eggs ( sunny side up ) hot-dogs, bacon, and a banana. There was also some hot chocolate and tea. The food was enough to feed at least four people. Akane looked at the food, then looked at Merian.
"Am I supposed to eat all of these?" she asked jokingly, raising her eyebrow while pointing at the food. Merian chuckled.
"I suppose not. But his majesty ordered all of these for you, since he is not able to have breakfast with you." she replied.
"Oh... what time is it anyway?" asked Akane.
"It's already 10:20. The king left for his work a couple of hours ago." she answered.
"Come, eat your meal. Then we can talk or stroll around the palace." said Merian. Akane nodded and started eating, suddenly forgetting about the dream.
"... and that's about it." finished Ranma.
He was surprised to see Ukyo and Ryoga staring at him, mouths opened wide in shock. Ranma looked a bit weirded out for a moment, then laughed.
"You guys have got to stop doing what the other does." he said, still laughing.
But there was no reaction from Ukyo nor Ryoga. Both were frozen solid. Ranma gradually stopped laughing, noticing that he looked like a complete idiot laughing alone.
"But... but how?" said Ryoga, which finally broke the silence.
"What do you mean, but how?" asked Ranma.
Ryoga composed himself and said, "I had the exact, same dream."
Ukyo, who still speechless, turned to stare at him. Then she placed her hand on her mouth and shook her head.
"What's wrong Ukyo?" asked a concerned Ryoga. Ukyo still said nothing.
"You mean..." Ranma trailed off as Ukyo furiously shook her head 'yes'.
"But how did that happen?" asked Ryoga.
"Who knows?" asked Ranma, who sounded a bit relaxed about the subject.
"Do you think Cologne would know?" asked Ukyo who finally found her voice.
"Maybe. But I think we should go to Dr. Tofu's Clinic instead. He might have some medical thing-a-ma-jigin to help us with this." answered Ryoga.
"And if he doesn't, we can always go to the old ghoul." added Ranma.
"Guess we're going to Dr. Tofu and find out what this is about." concluded Ukyo.
Ryoga nodded and got Ukyo's coat. He placed it over her shoulders as a form of clothing. ( since she was only wearing a sleep shirt of some kind and wasn't showing any signs of changing her clothes )
They all walked out and headed for the clinic, Ryoga walking beside Ukyo on the ground while Ranma walked atop the fence. Shampoo and Mousse were also going to see Dr. Tofu when they crossed paths with Ranma, Ryoga and Ukyo.
"Nihao Ranma, Ryoga and Ukyo." greeted Shampoo. At least she was
back to her usual ( hyper - soprano type ) voice. But still not as enthusiastic.
The thing that surprised Ranma and the others was that she didn't glomp onto Ranma, didn't call Ukyo spatula girl and she was with Mousse. Very unusual indeed.
Mousse just nodded to them in greeting. The Amazons looked a... um... a little disoriented to put it mildly.
"What's up?" asked Ranma.
"We're going to Dr. Tofu, Saotome." answered Mousse. Ranma was surprised, a coincidence, maybe.
"Really, we're going there, too." said Ranma.
There was unmistakable silence in the sense that Ukyo and Shampoo were not glomping on or bickering over Ranma. Also the fact that Mousse and Ryoga were not attacking Ranma can be considered silence.
The five walked together until they reached Dr. Tofu's clinic. Ryoga knocked on the door.
"I'll be there." said Dr. Tofu.
He opened the door and was surprised to see the five of them, together. Yes, they are together most of the time. But it's their constant fighting that keeps them together.
There must be something wrong.
"Come in. I wasn't expecting all of you." he said, a little surprised. The five went in and sat down on the couch.
"What can I do for you?" he asked politely.
"We..." said the five, simultaneously.
They looked at each other and motioned the girls to go first. Ukyo and Shampoo went inside the examination room, both a little nervous and disoriented.
Dr. Tofu brought three glasses of juice and some sandwiches for the men in waiting. He also brought some magazines for the three guys to read. Then he went in his office to talk to the girls.
Ranma had finished his meal quickly while Ryoga and Mousse hadn't touched theirs. Ryoga was sleeping on the couch, Ranma was practicing a kata, while Mousse was reading a magazine about the legendary city of Atlantis. It was quite interesting and he enjoyed reading it.
Suddenly, they heard a cry.
"What?" shouted someone from inside the office.
Ryoga was awaken by the shout, Ranma lost his concentration and Mousse abruptly stood, dropping the magazine. They ran inside the office to see a shocked Ukyo, a confused Shampoo, and a curious Dr. Tofu.
"What happened?" asked Ryoga.
There was silence for a moment.
"Hmm... I'll think about it. You girls can stay outside for the moment." said Dr. Tofu.
Ryoga, Ranma and Mousse blinked as the two girls went outside, both open mouthed. Each of their hands reached their heads and scratched at the same time, their question left unanswered.
"Now, why don't you boys tell me what's wrong." Dr. Tofu started and offered each of them a seat. Outside, Ukyo was the first one to get back to reality.
"You mean you had the exact same dream as mine?" she asked. Shampoo nodded.
"Is not me only, Mousse have dream, too." she replied. Ukyo's eyes opened wide.
"Ranchan and Ryoga had that dream, too." she said. Both ladies just stared at each other, each thinking of what to say next.
Suddenly, they heard a cry similar to theirs.
"What!"
Both were startled but then realized that a moment ago, they were the ones who shouted like that.
"Now they know what happened earlier." commented Ukyo.
"Is right." said Shampoo.
After a few more minutes, Dr. Tofu came out of the office with a curious and very disturbed look on his face.
"Come in girls." said Dr. Tofu.
Both stood up and went into the examination room.
Akane sipped some hot chocolate from her cup.
"The food's great!" she exclaimed. She wiped her mouth with the tissue and burped.
"Oops, excuse me. Sorry 'bout that." she said, flushing slightly with embarrassment. Merian smiled.
"It's alright." she said. Merian stared at Akane, wondering what it was like to live on the surface world.
"Akane..." she started. "...how's it like to live up there?" she finished, pointing upwards.
"Actually, it's just the same. Except for the fact that there's sunlight up there." said Akane. Then her brow wrinkled for a moment.
"Speaking of the sun, how are you able to keep the plants growing down here without it?" asked Akane. Merian thought of an answer.
"Well, here in Atlantis, we have a special device that absorbs the sunlight on the surface of the water. It turns the solar energy into heat or a form of energy useful to us." she answered. Merian stared at her again.
"Besides the sun, what else is different?" she asked. Akane frowned.
"To tell you the truth, I miss my family and friends..." she drifted off and then sighed.
"I miss Ranma." she finished. Merian was surprised with her response.
"But I thought Ranma is..." she was cut off by Akane, "...an evil sorcerer?" *Well, Kuno does call Ranma an evil sorcerer.* she thought, laughing inside of her mind.
"No he's not. He's actually my fiancé." admitted Akane. She finally admitted to someone that Ranma is her fiancé.
"But you are to wed King Atlas." Merian reminded her. Akane sighed again.
"I know that. But I don't know what else I could do." she breathe heavily.
"If I can't leave here, then I have no choice. I have to marry Atlas, right?" she asked Merian. Merian only nodded, not having anything to say.
Silence fell upon them. Merian finally had something to say.
"But if given the choice, who would you marry?" she asked. Akane thought of an answer.
*Ranma! I'll marry Ranma!* her mind screamed at her.
"I don't know." she answered.
*Yes you do, you would chose Ranma anytime!* said a part of her again. Merian saw the confused look on her face.
*Poor child. She's definitely in love with her fiancé. Caught up in a forbidden love for her fiancé and her destined love with the king.* she thought sadly.
"Why don't you tell me more about this Ranma. Maybe I can help you decide." she suggested, trying her best to soothe Akane's pain.
"So what's the diagnosis, doc?" asked Ranma, leaning back on the chair. Dr. Tofu scratched his head, a confused look on his face.
"You mean to tell me that all five of you had the same dream." he stated for a confirmation. All five shook their head 'yes'.
"This is the first time I have ever encountered such a thing." he admitted. They all thought of possible conclusions.
"Oh yeah..." said Ranma.
"What?" they all asked at the same time. There were five pairs of ears eagerly awaiting his response.
"On my way to Ucchan's, I heard someone call my name. It sounded like the girl in our dreams." he said.
What he got was blank stares. It only confused them even further. Dr. Tofu didn't know what to say. Still, he thought of a possible solution to their problem.
"OK, you kids must stay here in Nerima until I find a cure." he said. They all listened carefully. He gently rubbed his chin.
"If this happens again to anyone of you, I want all of you to come back to me." said Dr. Tofu. They all nodded. And one by one, they started to leave.
"Thanks, doc." came from everyone.
The five walked away from the clinic and back to their respective homes. Though very much confused, no one wanted to talk about the dreams and they all just wanted to go home and probably get some rest.
After a little good-bye session, Mousse and Shampoo took a right at the intersection, while Ranma, Ryoga and Ukyo turned left. Though it was very surprising that no fights had erupted between them, no one really cared.
It was a silent way back. No words from any of them. Ryoga was still a bit too shocked at what has been happening and Ranma was, well, still thinking of how to find Akane.
Ukyo sighed at the two men with her. Both were so caught up in their own private world that both had ceased to speak. She finally had the initiative to speak.
"Hey, why don't we guys have lunch. It's on me." she offered, hoping to get a reaction, any reaction from the both of them.
And reaction there was. Both men smiled.
"Lead the way." they said.
Merian didn't know what to say. She's heard of warriors and heroes, but she didn't expect Ranma to be just as noble and great as them.
"So you mean to say, that everytime you're in trouble, he's always there to protect and save you?" she asked, trying to clarify what she just heard from Akane.
"Everytime..." she whispered, thinking of all those times when he would risk his just to save hers.
"But he's still an insensitive jerk." she said. *That's not entirely true and you know it!* her mind berated her.
*He can be a jerk, but no one can replace him in my heart.* she admitted, a warm feeling enveloping her as memories flowed into her mind.
The fight with Kirin on the top floor of his home, the battle with Toma inside the cave towards the spring, the confrontation with Yamato no Orochi at Ryugenzawa, and many more.
Just thinking about them made her feel angry sometimes. Fighting Kirin to get back at him for beating him earlier, Toma to get cured, and Shinnusoke to prove himself as the better fighter.
In the end, he did prove himself better and worthier than anyone else... worthy for Akane's love.
He did beat Kirin, not only to have his revenge, but to save her.
He was falling into the spring of Togenkyo with Akane on his back.
He could have just allowed himself to fall into the spring, he could have easily been cured, but gave it up and blasted the spring, in order to save her, to prevent her from becoming a guy.
He changed into a girl, something he really hates, and fought the eight headed dragon that eats females to save her. He disregarded all the humiliation of becoming a girl, and his own death for that matter.
He did it for her. He sacrificed his honor, pride, and even his cure and his life. Just for her.
And what does she do to him in return, she screams at him, hits him with her mallet whenever she gets mad, insults him for changing into a girl... and many more.
*He deserves it! That pervert always insults me and says bad things about my cooking and my martial arts and all! He should look at himself in the mirror first before insulting me.* she screamed in her mind.
*Yes... but malleting him or attacking him or insulting him back isn't helping him to become a better person.* said the other part of her.
*You know that Ranma loves you as much as you love him.* her mind started.
*You're just afraid of getting close with someone that you're actually trying to push the one person who has been able to get through the emotional barriers you put up around yourself.*
Akane's eyes began to water as she realized what she has been doing. She looked up and found herself looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her reflection seemed to be the one talking to her in her mind.
Ever since the death of her mother, Akane tried to live her life in solitude. The pain of losing someone you love bore a mark on Akane, her being so young and innocent.
Kasumi was the closest to ever get through to her after she put up the emotional barriers around her. But not even her mother-like sister was able to break through them.
As she grew up and learned the ways of life, a new fear arose. Something which would be quite unusual because such fear would be an unnatural thing.
Akane was afraid of love.
Afraid because of the trauma that she had with her mother. She promised herself that she would never get close to anyone again, for fear of losing that person once more, just like with her mother.
Yes, like normal teenagers, Akane had a crush on someone. A mere infatuation if you may, on Dr. Tofu. But she never let that infatuation become anything more.
Maybe because she was still afraid to fall in love. Maybe because she's afraid to suffer the consequences of losing someone so dear again. Or maybe because she has never quite found the man whom she would love.
Until she met Ranma.
Something happened to the whole Tendo household when the two Saotome's, particularly Ranma, arrived. Their everyday life cycle changed to accommodate their guests.
Life was brought back into Soun Tendo as Genma Saotome was able to bring him out of his stupor and mourning at the loss of his wife. Their everyday game of shogi and their memories brought back sheer happiness to both men.
Kasumi, well, let's just say that she's happy to have more people she could take care of. Assuming the role as the mother of the house, Kasumi took it upon herself to keep each member of their family in check and the house in perfect condition.
Nabiki admittedly became happier to see her father alive and well, though no one ever noticed. Like Kasumi, she took it upon herself to take care of her family, but financially. She did it in a way that wouldn't make her show so much emotion.
Akane was left to become the only 'child' in the house. Her only job was to go to school and practice her martial arts to become the successor of the dojo and the art. She didn't have any household chores to do or any financial things to take care of unlike her sisters.
When Ranma came into her life, everything changed. Of course, things got a little more crazier and harder, but the thought of being with Ranma almost everyday sent chills down her spine.
She was getting close to Ranma, slowly, gradually falling in love, with her not noticing it. Ranma himself was falling in love with her, though he would never admit it.
They found that they were very much alike. Full of pride and trying to prove themselves worthy of any task. Their lives became a contest of sorts.
Akane shook her head a bit and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Hundreds of thoughts flocked her mind and she shook her head a bit, trying to clear her mind.
*Wow! Major spacing out...* she thought, Merian's words finally reaching her.
"You were saying?" asked Akane, obviously lost in thought when Merian spoke.
"I asked if you love this Ranma." said Merian. Akane was startled by her question, unexpected no doubt.
"I... I..." she started. *I do...* she admitted mentally.
"I... I don't know..." she said, not quite ready to admit to anyone that she loves Ranma.
*Oh yes you do!* her mind berated her.
Merian didn't like the way Akane looked. She was sad, depressed and guilty of something. Guilty of what, she doesn't know.
*Maybe it's about this Ranma person.* she thought as she watched Akane.
Thoughts of the same kind ran through Akane's mind. she was in fact guilty for the way she treated Ranma in the past. Depressed because she doesn't know when she'll see him again.
Sad for not knowing if she can ever come back to them again. To his family and friends, whom she has lived most of her life with. To him again, to Ranma, and in the comfort of his arms.
"I think we should go out to the gardens to get your mind of him for a while." said Merian and offered her hand. Akane took it and stood up.
"That was great!" exclaimed Ranma as he ate the last piece of his okonomiyaki.
"Thanks Ranchan." said Ukyo appreciating his comment while blushing a bit. Ryoga, who was drinking a cup of hot tea, sat beside Ranma.
"What do you think?" asked Ryoga.
Ranma and Ukyo turned to look at him blankly. He sighed a little, sounding a little irritated. Taking another sip, he continued talking.
"You know, why we're having the same dreams." he said.
For that, they had no answer. In fact, no one else does. Yet Ranma can't help but wonder if all their dreams have something to do with Akane's disappearance. Ryoga was thinking of the same thing.
"Do you think this has a connection with Akane?" asked Ukyo. Their thoughts were confirmed, or at least by Ukyo's thoughts.
"I was thinking of the same thing." said Ranma.
"Me, too." added Ryoga.
The three looked at each other and were all lost in thought.
*Maybe it has something to do with Akane. Having those double ki's in her body is unusual. But how can the unicorn, and the others be connected to Akane's disappearance. She wasn't even in the dream.* thought Ranma.
"I'd better be going home." he said and waved good bye. Ukyo and Ryoga waved back.
"Hey Ranma..." Ryoga called.
"Yeah?" said Ranma as he turned back at him.
"Thanks!" he said and smiled at him.
Both Ranma and Ukyo looked at him in confusion and surprise.
"For what?" asked Ranma, a bemused smile on his face.
"We're friends again right?" Ryoga asked.
Ranma walked back towards the pair on the counter and offered his hand to Ryoga. The other boy took it and both shook each other happily. Ukyo smiled at them and noticed the return of their friendship which had been lost.
"Yup! You, me, Ucchan and everyone! We're all friends." said Ranma and nodded to them.
He was just about to exit the restaurant when he heard Ryoga call once more.
"Call if something turns up." shouted Ryoga.
"OK." he said, and walked out of the restaurant with a smile.
Ranma continued walking home, passing the same roads he passed by that morning. He was passing near his favorite bridge. Suddenly, he heard the voice again.
"Ranma..." it said.
He looked around and saw no one. The place was silent, no children playing or women chatting. A confused looked was on his face. It's making his hair stand on end.
"Who are you?" asked Ranma in a voice loud enough to be heard for a few meters.
No response came. Ranma was getting irritated and nervous even though he wouldn't admit it. He continued walking to the bridge when he heard the voice again.
"Ranma, I need your help." it said.
Ranma looked behind him but saw no one. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and brought up the courage to speak amidst his obvious nervousness.
"Who and where are you?" he asked, irritation, anger and a slight hint of nervousness in his voice.
"I'm talking to you through telepathy." it said. Silence followed for a few moments.
"We have to meet, then I can explain everything." it continued. Ranma was obviously doubtful.
"And why would I meet with you. I don't even know who or what you are." he retaliated.
"I know you don't trust me. But you can't find Akane without my help." it said. Ranma was surprised to say the least.
*This person knows where Akane is...* he thought.
"Akane... you know where she is?" he asked, hopeful.
"I do, but we have to talk in person. They might track us if we speak mentally any further." it said, fear could be noted in the voice.
*Yes! Now I can find Akane. They... what is it talking about?* he thought as he weighed out his options.
*If I meet with this person, I can find Akane. I might also get caught up in this they it's talking about but... what the heck! If I can find Akane, then so be it.* he thought furiously.
"OK, where do you want to meet?" he asked. It was silent for moment. Then a response came.
"In the dojo, you room would do." she said. Ranma stood for a second.
*Why the dojo? And how did it know that I live in the Tendo dojo?* he thought. He was beginning to think that she's just putting him on.
"Forget about your doubts. I need you to trust me." it said.
Ranma sighed, he must take the chance, any chance to get Akane back. *If I get Akane back, then I'll do whatever it takes.* he decided.
"I'll do it." he said and ran full speed back to the dojo.
He jumped to the wall of the dojo and jumped into the tree. Putting strength into his legs, Ranma jumped towards the roof of the dojo and landed just above his room.
Ranma was panting and gasping when he reached his room. Sweat covered his face but he was quite relieved that no one, not even the perceptive Nabiki, noticed him.
Wiping his forehead, he breathe a small sigh of relief. Ranma looked around but no one was there. Yet he could feel someone else's presence inside the room.
"Huh?" he said as he turned to a corner.
There was someone seated, meditating. A bluish-white aura surrounded the person, who, from Ranma's point of view, looked like a girl.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The person stood up and opened her eyes. She turned to him and smiled.
"I am Artemis, the voice you've been talking to." she said.
Ranma was about to reach for the light switch when she spoke once more.
"Please, let me do the honors." she said and with a flick of her wrist, a dim light surrounded them. Ranma looked around his room, wondering where the lights came from.
Ranma was shocked as his eyes came to pass Artemis.
Artemis was downright beautiful. She had long hair, same color as Ukyo's hair, which was in a ponytail. She looked a lot like a young Cologne, Ukyo and Rouge combined.
Ranma didn't know what to say, and just stared at the beauty before him.
*Wow!* he thought.
"Don't flatter me with that look." said Artemis, an amused smile on her face. Ranma was knocked out of his reverie.
"Oh... sorry." he said, scratching the back of his head. He offered her a seat and they started talking.
"So what do you know about Akane?" asked Ranma immediately as they started.
"First, you have to promise to listen to everything I tell you before you react." she requested. Ranma nodded and encouraged her to go on.
"Akane, your fiancée, is in Atlantis." she started.
Ranma backed off a little, confusion in his eyes. He was about to say something about her statement being absurd when Artemis shot him a look.
"You promised." she said. Ranma threw his hands in the air and sat back.
"There has been some misunderstanding, my people thinks she is the next queen of Atlantis." she added. Ranma just listened to her.
"Because of that, she might not return." she said.
"What!" he cried.
Artemis motioned for him to keep quite. Ranma's ki was starting to build up, going back and forth between believing her story or not.
"Please calm down." she said, raising her hands in defense. She was worried that the people in the house would hear them.
"You better give me a good reason to calm down." he said. Though his voice was a bit softer, it still promised devastation.
"I can help you get her back, but there is one problem." she added. Ranma leaned in a little closer.
"What? What's the problem?" he asked, the menace in his voice obviously gone now.
"You see, there is a conspiracy going on. Some of the officers are planning to throw Atlas, the king, off the thrown." she started.
Ranma's face contorted.
"So what does Akane have to do with all of this?" he asked.
"Listen, the people of Atlantis are not ordinary beings like yourselves." she started.
Ranma was about to bark back at her for proclaiming him and the humans as the weaker race when Artemis silenced him with a look that promised pain.
"We have powers which are beyond normal human comprehension. The royalty of the city are the most powerful. But that power is not enough to fulfill the goal of the royal house." she continued, noticing that Ranma was listening intently.
"About 900 years after Atlantis sank to the ocean bottom, a prophecy was made." she said.
"And what was this prophecy?" asked Ranma, his right hand cupping his chin.
"That in 1000 years, marriage of the bethroted ones at that time, will give the city great power. Power strong enough for the city of Atlantis to rise again." she said with pride.
"So where does the conspiracy come in?" Ranma asked.
"When the city rises, the officers plan to kill the king and queen, and attack the countries of the world." she said, fear in her voice. Ranma had to laugh about that.
"We have hundreds of weapons that can protect us from any enemy that may come." said Ranma.
"You don't understand..." she said, shaking her head.
"Your most powerful weapon is the nuclear bomb right?" she asked. Ranma nodded, not quite knowing where this would lead.
"Our regular bomb, which is as big as your grenade, can destroy half of Japan in one blast. That's the weakest bomb that we've got." she said. Ranma sat there, dumbfounded.
*Oh my God! Their technology is way beyond ours! Atlantis could not possibly have something more high tech.* he thought in disbelief.
"If you don't believe me, then try figuring out how we've survived under water for all this time." she challenged him.
Ranma was about to open his mouth in retort but found that he had nothing to say. Giving Artemis the benefit of the doubt, Ranma finally agreed.
"You're right." said Ranma.
"We have to stop them." she said what Ranma found to be the obvious thing to do. He looked at her in confusion.
"Don't you think we should stop the marriage. In that way, we can both get what we want." he suggested.
"You have a point there." she said, cupping her chin with her right hand.
"And we have another problem." he pointed out. Artemis raised her head to look at him.
"Where exactly is this Atlantis?" he asked.
"It's in the Aegean Sea, near Greece." she answer.
Ranma's eyes bugged out and he wanted to scream. Greece is pretty far from Japan, and they don't have the money for that kind of travel. He just stared at her in disbelief.
"We need your help Ranma." she was practically pleading for him to come.
Ranma was silent, thinking.
This was not what he was expecting. He wanted to find Akane as soon as possible, as easy as possible. But he wasn't expecting to go on a battle and interfere with a conspiracy that he didn't know about until now.
*But if that's what it takes, I'll do it, for Akane.* he thought.
"OK, I'll do it." he said confidently.
"Thank you Ranma." she said.
*I know that you're only doing this for Akane's sake, Ranma. But believe me, after this, your life will never be the same. It'll be better.* she thought.
"But you'll be needing help." she said. Ranma groaned inwardly.
"The people of Atlantis are powerful beings. You're not gonna be able to stop them alone." she said.
"Even if I get an army to go with me, we can't stop them, right?" he asked. Artemis simply nodded.
*I knew there was something more to this than she's telling me.* he thought.
"Remember the dream you had?" she asked. Ranma nodded.
"There is a connection between you and all your friends who dreamt the dream." she said. Ranma winced at that.
Yes, there is a connection, everything is connected to him. Ukyo and Shampoo his fiancés, Ryoga and Mousse his enemies. Artemis didn't see his reaction.
"Legend has it that the power of the Earth if made up of six different forces." she said and pulled out a scroll.
Chanting a few words, the scroll glowed for a moment, along with Artemis. When the glow disappeared, Artemis opened the scroll and showed it to Ranma.
Ranma was amazed at the writings and images on the scroll. The symbols of what he thought as the elements, a golden dragon and of mother Earth or nature.
"The elements, fire, air, water and land are four of them. The harmony between the four creates the fifth, nature." she started, pointing to the symbols on the scroll.
"I suppose that you have heard Chinese legends about dragons." it was not a question.
"Yup. They say that the dragon was the strongest force or spirit during the ancient times." he said, telling all he knew about the subject.
"You are correct, that is the sixth force. I can help you get these forces and turn them into pure energy." she said.
"Each force has a mystical guardian. The phoenix, falcon, dolphin, wolf, unicorn and dragon. Everyone in this world bear one of these spirits deep inside their hearts, they just have to wake them up." she finished.
"You said six right?" he asked. Artemis nodded.
"But there were only five of us who had the dream..." he started.
"Five energized beings can defeat or at least weaken my people." she said, hoping that Ranma would buy her answer.
*Forgive me Ranma, but I can't tell you who commands the sixth force, at least not yet.* she thought, feeling a bit guilty for hiding such a thing from Ranma, but knowing that it's for the best.
Ranma looked at her with astonishment. A battle is fine with him, if he can save Akane. But all this power stuff is making him a little dizzy. He isn't even sure if the others will help him.
Well, Ryoga is to help for sure, he wants to save Akane. But he doesn't know about Shampoo, Ukyo and Mousse. But he is determined to go on the trip even without the others.
*Anything to save Akane.* he thought.
"OK." he said and nodded.
In a hidden chamber somewhere, "We lost her." said a man. Frustration filled the room. In a moment, another man came in.
"Hail!" said all the men inside the hidden room.
"What's the status?" asked the man who had just come in. No one answered.
"What is the status?" he shouted.
"We lost her, Lord." said one, who kneeled down in front of him. He reached for the front of the man's shirt and raised him up. Then he threw him to the wall, his body laying a deep mark on it.
"I want you to find her, you incompetent idiots! Our plan must not fail, if she finds help, you'll pay with your lives. Understood!" he screamed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Shampoo and Mousse arrived at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki at Ranma's request. Ukyo and Ryoga had prepared a special dinner for them. They sat down in front of the counter, quietly waiting for the others.
Ryoga came out from the kitchen with six plates and chopsticks, while Ukyo was cooking six seafood specials on the grill. He set the plates up and placed the chopsticks beside them. Then he went back into the kitchen.
"Since when Ryoga work here?" asked a curious Shampoo. Ukyo was not surprised with her question.
"Oh, him. I kinda needed help with the restaurant, and got him for the job." she answered.
"Why there six sets?" she asked, pointing at the table setting in front of them.
"Well, there's two of you..." she was then cut off.
"... two of us..." continued Ryoga as he reemerged from the kitchen.
"... and Ranchan said he'd have company." Ukyo finished.
As if on cue, Ranma walked into the restaurant along with Artemis. The four moved into a battle stance. Ranma immediately raised his hands as a gesture of peace.
"Hey, chill out. It's me." he said. The others ignored him, still having a fixed gaze on Artemis.
"She know magic." Shampoo said.
"I can feel her aura." said Ukyo.
"Her aura is strong." said Ryoga.
"She's powerful, but I don't think she's out for blood." added Mousse who was taking this better than the others.
The others relaxed at his words. Artemis just stood behind Ranma. He escorted her to a seat and sat beside her.
"Sorry we're a bit late. I had to explain some things to the Tendo's and pop." said Ranma.
"Guys, this is Artemis." he said as he presented her. She stood up and bowed.
"Artemis, these are my friends." he said.
"Ryoga..." he said and pointed to the guy wearing a waiter's outfit and a bandanna. He lifted his hand as a 'Hi'.
"Ukyo, but I call her Ucchan..." he said and presented a girl wearing a purple shirt and black leggings. She also had this white ribbon on her head, a bandoleer carrying a few shurikens, and a huge spatula hanging her back. She smiled at him.
"Mousse..." he continued, pointing to a young man wearing a white Chinese robe over black trousers, not to mention his hyper thick glasses. He bowed to her.
"And Shampoo." he said, directing Artemis's attention to the beautiful Amazon woman, with purple hair, wearing a pink Chinese dress.
"Nihao." said Shampoo and waved.
Artemis greeted all of them and sat down on the chair Ranma offered. Ranma sat down beside her. Ukyo placed the freshly cooked okonomiyaki on their plates.
While they were eating, Artemis explained to them why they were called. She told them about where Akane was, the Conspiracy at Atlantis, their dreams and how they're connected.
Ranma knew about them already so he just continued to eat his okonomiyaki. The other four were getting confused. Comments and reactions could be heard from them.
"So you're saying..." said Ryoga, and swallowed a piece of food, "... that Akane's just caught up in some conspiracy, right?" he asked, and finished his okonomiyaki.
"That is right." answered Artemis.
"And that we have all these animal spirits within us?" asked Ukyo.
"Correct." said Artemis.
"But which animal goes to which?" asked Mousse, adjusting his glasses.
"Remember your dream?" asked Artemis. They all listened carefully, ignoring Ranma's noises while eating his okonomiyaki.
"Like it said in your dream, the Amazon will get hers." she started.
"What you saying?" asked a curious Shampoo.
"The creature you met in your dream is your animal spirit." said Artemis.
"You mean the unicorn?" asked Ukyo.
"Yes." confirmed Artemis.
"But how about us, when will you tell us our animal spirits?" asked Ryoga.
"Forgive me, but I don't know yet. We will know when the Amazon, Shampoo, has found hers." she said.
"But why should it take that long?" asked Mousse.
"The revelation of the next animal spirit is triggered once the preceding animal spirit is found." she explained.
Artemis was getting pretty irritated by the growing number of questions by the teens. But figured that they deserve this chance to find out more about what they are about to face.
"How are you feeling now?" asked Merian.
She and Akane have been walking around the gardens the whole afternoon, talking about Akane's life and mainly about Ranma. Akane sat on the bench, Merian beside her.
"I guess, I feel better." she said.
Then she looked up, and giggled at what she saw. Instead of seeing stars and constellations, she saw lots of fish and other aquatic organisms swimming around.
Merian noticed this and asked, "What's so funny?"
Akane stopped giggling and pointed upwards to the dome. Merian looked confused, she still couldn't see her point.
"I just miss the night sky back home. Sometimes, I even have Ranma with me to watch the stars." she said.
Merian smiled for her. Akane raised an eyebrow.
"What?" asked Akane, seeing Merian make a face.
"I was just wondering. Since you two are engaged, have you set a date yet?" she asked. Akane couldn't understand.
"You know, a wedding." she said.
Akane was surprised with her question. She just smiled wanly. Merian figured that she hasn't heard the full story about Ranma.
Akane wondered if she hasn't told Merian everything about Ranma, especially his multiple fiancés, so she asked.
"Have I told you about Ranma's other fiancés?" she asked Merian.
"No." said Merian. Her answer confirmed Akane's thoughts.
"It's a long story, but I guess we have the whole night." said Akane and started telling Merian about Ranma's other fiancés.
"So, are you guys comin'?" asked Ranma, who swallowed his tenth okonomiyaki.
Mousse and Shampoo were still conversing in Chinese, Ukyo was cleaning the grill, while Ryoga was scratching his head, all of them, oblivious to his question.
"Hello?" he said, a little louder. Ryoga turned to him.
"I'm going Ranma, but remember that I'm doing this for Akane." he said, then picked up all the dinnerware and brought them to the kitchen. Ranma just stared at him.
*One down.* he thought.
Ukyo, who was now finished with the grill, turned to him, cleanser and scrubbing foam in hand. She had an unsure expression on her face, one brought about by her concern for her restaurant.
"I want to go Ranchan. But who am I gonna entrust my restaurant with?" she asked him.
Ranma knew it was coming, and already had a solution to her problem.
"Nabiki can take care of that." said Ranma.
Ukyo just looked at him.
*He's got a point. With that money master Nabiki taking care of my restaurant, I might become the richest restaurant owner in town.* thought Ukyo.
"OK." she said. Then she got all the remaining plates and brought them into the kitchen.
*OK, that's two down.* he thought.
After a long period of arguing in Chinese, the two Amazons have decided.
"Shampoo go. Mousse go, too. But only if great grandmother let us." said Shampoo.
Ukyo and Ryoga had come out of the kitchen just in time to see Mousse and Shampoo's farewell.
"We go now." said Shampoo and ran to embrace Ranma.
Battles auras instantly flared up inside the restaurant. But something in the embrace told Ranma a lot of things. It wasn't the same as before, it was kind of an embrace of acceptance of defeat.
Ranma was still a bit nervous, but arms went around Shampoo. He could feel Shampoo's tears on his shoulder as she held on tightly, as if it were her last chance to embrace him.
This time, Ukyo was the one who wanted to bash Shampoo on the head. But remembering how Shampoo controlled herself earlier, she decided to let this one slide.
The sight of Ranma and Shampoo embracing was eating Mousse alive. But he did not let his anger for Ranma take over. He controlled himself and decided that if Shampoo is happy, he might as well be happy.
He will sacrifice his own happiness for her. He would do anything to see Shampoo happy, to see her smile. He would do everything to keep it that way.
Ranma could see the pain in Mousse's eyes behind his glasses. He could swear seeing steam come out of Mousse's ears. Ranma brushed at Shampoo's soft hair.
*You're very lucky Shampoo, having someone like Mousse. You may not realize it, but the time will come.* he thought.
"Thank you." he whispered into the Amazon's ear.
Shampoo nodded as the tears stopped. They slowly broke the embrace and gazed at each other, seeing a friend in each other. Ranma saw the acceptance of defeat in Shampoo's eyes.
"You're welcome, husban... Ranma." she said, finally realizing that there is no chance for her, knowing that Akane has already won Ranma's heart.
Shampoo saw an offer of friendship in Ranma's eyes and realized that, if she had lost him for a husband, she can at least gain him as a true and real friend.
Ranma could see Mousse calm down a little, and the steam from his ears slowly dying out. Shampoo smiled and stood beside Mousse.
"If you guys are gonna come, meet us here tomorrow at 6:00 A.M." reminded Ranma.
They both bowed to them and went out of the restaurant. Ranma smiled to himself, seeing Mousse trying to comfort Shampoo. He shook his head slightly, knowing that someday, Shampoo will realize how much Mousse loves her.
*The time will come Shampoo, the time will come.* he thought.
"What was that all about?" asked Ukyo noticing Shampoo's friendly embrace, and Mousse's remarkable self control.
"Love..." said Artemis. Ranma nodded in agreement. Ryoga and Ukyo looked at each other in confusion.
"Whatever... anyway, I think we should prepare for the trip Ranchan." said Ukyo. Ranma nodded.
"See you guys tomorrow." he said and waved good bye. Artemis stood up and walked out of the restaurant as well. Ryoga walked behind Ukyo.
"I think we should call it a night." he said. Ukyo turned around and smiled at him.
*She's really cute.* he thought.
He smiled back and both went up to their rooms with Ukyo guiding Ryoga. That night, he dreamt of her, of the woman of his dreams. Though, I'm just not sure which one he dreamt of.
The walk back to the Nekohanten was a lot more quiet than usual. Silence was the only language spoken by the two Amazons.
Usually, Mousse would be grabbing Shampoo and professing his love, which meant ending up as a duck. But it was different that night. Mousse was actually calm. Shampoo kinda liked the idea of a quiet walk.
She hated it when Mousse does his I love you Shampoo, you're my goddess, marry me, etc. lines.
If Mousse could only restrain himself from doing all those stuff, then she wouldn't have to splash him with water and carry him home, soaking wet.
Sometimes, he would catch a cold or a fever, and it's all her fault.
She enjoyed their quiet moments while it lasted.
A while later, they arrived at the Nekohanten. Mousse opened the door for Shampoo and then followed as she went in. Cologne came out from the kitchen and greeted them.
"Hello there, so how did it go?" she asked.
Shampoo and Mousse looked at each other and nodded. Mousse explained everything to Cologne, who noticed that her great granddaughter's eyes were a little red.
*Must be from crying.* she thought, and made a mental note to ask her great granddaughter about it later.
After about fifteen minutes of explaining, Shampoo sits down and anxiously awaits Cologne's decision. Mousse, who was standing by the door leading to the kitchen, moved closer and waited for her answer.
Rubbing her chin, Cologne thought of the possibilities.
*If Shampoo goes with them, she can bring back a huge amount of power that can strengthen our tribe. And she can spend a lot of time with Ranma and... Mousse.* she thought.
Cologne stared at the handsome boy looking down at him.
*He is a possible husband for Shampoo. I admit, he is strong and intelligent, and very dedicated. Maybe this journey can help him gather enough courage to finally do what he must for Shampoo to love him back.*
Cologne sighed as she reached a decision.
"OK. I will allow both of you to go." she said.
Shampoo's eyes lit up and she embraced Cologne. Mousse breathe a sigh of relief. Shampoo and Cologne broke from the embrace.
"Get ready for the trip you two." she told them and both ran up to their respective rooms.
But before Shampoo could take another step up, Cologne held her wrist and looked her straight in the eyes.
"What happened?" she asked.
Shampoo tried the innocent look, but knew that it wouldn't work on her great grandmother. Her lips started to tremble and her eyes started to water.
"Great grandmother!" she cried and slumped in the old woman's arms.
"It is over isn't it?" asked Cologne. Shampoo nodded.
"Husban... Ranma already choose wife. He choose A... Akane." she said, almost choking on Akane's name.
"I realize that, too. Son-in-... Ranma would not sacrifice himself if he did not love the girl. He even had the courage to ask his other fiancées for help." she said.
"Do not worry child, all is not lost." she said and helped Shampoo up. Shampoo looked at her, slightly confused.
"Go and fix your things for tomorrow's trip." she said. Shampoo nodded and ran up to her room.
Cologne looked up to make sure that Shampoo is out of sight. Then she went to the back of the restaurant to find Mousse. She knocked and waited for Mousse to open the door.
Upon opening, Cologne entered the room and closed it behind her. Mousse went back to his futon, and slowly packed his things for the trip. He paused and waited for Cologne to speak.
"I want you to take care of Shampoo. I have a feeling that this is going to be a long trip." she started.
Mousse nodded in comprehension. He understood the responsibility Cologne has placed upon his shoulders. Thinking Cologne had finished talking, he went back to fixing his things.
"This is your chance Mousse. Don't blow it." she said and left.
Mousse looked up at her vanishing form and nodded, understanding her. He stood up and closed the door. He went back to his things and prepared for their journey.
*Don't worry Cologne, I won't fail.* he thought, making himself a promise.
Outside, Cologne leaned on the kitchen wall. She walked out of the restaurant and looked up at the sky, asking the gods for guidance and strength.
*I hope I'm making the right decision.* she thought as she went back inside.
Akane giggled a little at Merian's confusion. She had just told her about Ranma's other fiancés and the usual chaos that revolved around him.
"What a guy!" said Merian, amazed.
"Having a fiancé at a young age is kind of hard to believe, but having three fiancés and one lunatic running after you like some god, it's out of this world!" she exclaimed. Akane stopped giggling.
"Actually, it's not his fault. Most of it is his father's fault." she said. Merian realized what she just said.
"I'm sorry Akane, I didn't mean it like that." she explained.
"I understand, Merian. It's just that... just... why can't I say that to him. Why can't I tell him that it's not his fault." she said. Akane's eyes started to water.
"I mean, I've always blamed everything on him, every mistake." she continued.
"Heck, everyone blames it on Ranma." she finished.
Akane was berating herself for saying all those bad things to Ranma, for treating him like an animal, treating him like some dirty rag, for treating him like her slave, like she owns him.
"Hush now Akane, it's alright." said Merian.
She helped Akane up from the bench and led her to her room. She tucked her in and bid her goodnight. Before she left Akane's bed side, Akane reached up from under the blanket and tugged at her arm.
"Yes?" asked Merian.
Akane smiled at her and said, "Thank you, for listening." Merian squeezed her hand smiled back.
"You're welcome." she said. Then she turned to go out, turning off the lights in Akane's bed room, and then closing the door.
End of Chapter 4
From the Author:
The words in UNDERLINE are spoken or thought in Chinese in this chapter.
What is an Inter-dream state?
For starters, I invented this term. That is, if such term doesn't exist yet. It's a kind of state where two or more people share the exact same dream. I think there is a scientific term for this kind of dream. I just am not sure. If there isn't... Ha Ha... I have invented a new term. (poses like Kuno as lighting strikes) Um... sorry about that. (smiles sheepishly)
Why does Akane have a very long solo part about herself?
Um... I need to explain some thing's first. One, many people have tried to explain why Akane and Ranma couldn't admit their feelings for each other. Two, I created that small bit from Akane's past, you know, her building this emotional wall around her after her mother died, and made it the foundation of my explanation.
So here goes... it's very hard to lose someone you're close to, let alone someone you love. When I lost my uncle, I was pretty disoriented for a while. I secluded myself from other people, cried myself to sleep. It was as if all the emotion and life in me has been drained. It took me days, even weeks just to smile again, a real smile and not just a fake one to keep up appearances. I guess I went through a stage where I was afraid to get close with anyone.
I guess that's why Akane has a solo part thingy. I just had to explain clearly what happened and the effects of such events.
About the power stuff...
I know that it's not that clear yet, but I promise to explain everything bit by bit in the following chapters.
All comments, suggestions, criticisms and the like, please click the link below.
All Ranma 1/2 characters copyright to Rumiko Takahashi. They are used without permission. Please do not sue me, I don't have money.
©1998 Shirley Joy Gadia, all other characters mentioned above and the story, all rights reserved.
Thank you!