Disclaimer: Ranma and Kasumi and the rest of the Ranma Characters are
owned by their respective owners entirely... I don't own anything
except this story...
A/N: I know I've kept this fic hanging for way to long what is it months now? But anyway I hope this continuation is worthy for being called a Part II and also bear in mind this is a beta version. If there are feedbacks and comments about my writing please let them be positive ones my fragile soul is easily shattered hehehe I will re-edit it accordingly...
Now to the fic...
Togetherness Part II
By
Himura Alucard
A lone figure sat up beside her window head leaned in on the wall gazing down at the empty dark streets from the small crack of her curtains. Her slightly swollen eyes firmly focused on the pebbled path that began from the far corner of the street and continues down to the next passing by her little restaurant. With each passing unnoticeable minute she was wishing that she could once more just see him walking up to her door. The face he'd make filled with hunger and mixed in with confusion. It had been almost a week since she had last seen him and deep inside she finally knew now that she was missing him till it hurt.
The young girl hadn't stepped out of her bed to do anything meaningful since she had returned home from that fateful winter's night. She just couldn't see the point of doing anything anymore it was that plain and simple. The restaurant stove hadn't been lit for days and its surroundings dark and dead silent. Her regular customers had been a little worried but seeing the sign stating that Ucchan's would be closed till further notice still hung outside they let her be.
All she had the will to do all day long was to sit up on her bed with her blanket up to her knees and keep staring outside at the pathway be it day or night. Even if she slept it would be a restive sleep as she would do so by the window. When she had woken up she would continue on with her emptied eye gazing.
Ukyo had once a few days ago in her semi sleep state and maybe due to her own over anticipating and half memory dream state thought she saw Ranma walking down the street. Hurryingly she rushed downstairs and tried to fire up her stove preparing to cook for him again her family and her own specialty...Okonomiyaki.
The fire didn't start cause she had switched the main gas supply off but she had forgotten about it was cursing but tried in vain to light it in readiness to cook for Ranma. Sadly no matter how long she stood there the door didn't opened, Ranma wasn't there smiling at her by the door but all that greeted her was the dead silence.
Ukyohad crumbled to the floor that night and cried her heart out once more. She hadn't stop crying since she had returned from the party that went so wrong that day. And from that day she would constantly utter incoherently to herself "If only I had treated Ranma nicer...treated him like a real friend...not something to own and fight over."
But even those dreams have left her now and bringing herself back from her tortured memories she lamented, "I've fought over him so many times already with Akane, Shampoo and Kodachi but I never did for once considered how he felt did I? What I thought was bringing us closer to each other was actually pushing him further apart from me. If I only knew that now I would have stopped a long ago and...and tried to become closer to him...and maybe understand him more." The tears that had stopped a while ago once flowed again down Ukyo's cheeks and slowly dripped onto her hands.
Ukyo had lost a lot things in her short life and was happily living by herself before but this time it was so much different to her. She had lost the one part of her past that she had ever cherished deeply inside her heart. She had always cherished her childhood friendship with Ranma but because of her tomboyish façade prohibited her to ever openly admit it she hid that fact so well down inside herself. Ukyo was constantly replaying back in her mind over and over again their childhood and more recent memories that she had of Ranma and her in more or less happier times.
"I should have predicted that Ranma would blow up like he did that day...we've all been treating him like as if he didn't matter but the truth was he was the center of it all...or well the center in my life at least...at least he didn't hit me like Shampoo or Kodachi." she whispered as her head slowly fell down to her hands by the window sill. "Why didn't I appreciate him more when he was near me? Now that he's so far away from me then I realize he meant so much to me...what's the use of it now eh...?" Pretty soon Ukyo's eyes slowly began closing and she drifted off to sleep once again by the window.
Ukyo then dreamt of seeing Ranma again but this time he wasn't alone in her dream. He was actually happily walking down a road pretty unlike those in Nerima and in her dream Ranma was happily walking hand in hand with someone else. Ukyo found herself chasing the pair from behind shouting Ranma's name but he just wouldn't turn back to her. He was too engrossed in his conversation with the figure walking close beside him, smiling and giggling all the while. This scene worried Ukyo, she felt tense and confused...she couldn't believe anyone could be the center of Ranma's attention much less another girl.
The long haired figure slightly tilted her head and slowly rested it on Ranma's shoulder and in turn initiated Ranma to tilt his head to gently brush against hers. The scene was as sweet as if it was copied from some western romance movie but it sickened Ukyo to her stomach, she couldn't bear any girl to be that close not the least physically close to Ranma.
Quickly more on instinct then reflex Ukyo's arm went behind her back to reach for her battle spatula but it wasn't there. Frustrated she ran after the two and finally catching up with the pair with her hands out stretched and about to catch a glimpse of the mystery girl when the two of them disappeared into nothingness. Ukyo's eyes still closed were painfully teared moist and tiredly awaking from her nightmare she moaned, "Even in my dreams I've lost Ranma..."
- -
Kasumi was up early that morning and was happily making breakfast for the whole Saotome family. She couldn't help grinning to herself when she caught sight of the ring which Ranma had down on one knee last night presented to her.
"Saotome Kasumi...that sounds nice..." Kasumi smiled a bite wider as she absently lifted up her hand and openly admired the ring. During her admiration of the golden colored band she did not notice that a pair of arms had enveloped her waist and a head had rested itself over on her shoulder.
"What could make you smile so sweetly in the morning eh??" whispered a voice beside her left ear. Kasumi knew that it was Ranma but chose not to answer him instead she gave him a playful giggle. "Come on...Kasumi tell me please..." begged Ranma his tone imitating Kasumi's playfulness. Kasumi didn't cave in and remained silent as ever and this made Ranma even more curious.
"Kasumi if you not going to answer me...I'll start tickling you..." grinned Ranma. Kasumi didn't even get a chance to answer him as Ranma's fingers began to playfully tickle Kasumi's sides and in between her fits of laughter Kasumi managed to utter "Hehe...I'm...smiling because I have a wonderful...fiancé and also...ha-ha...I was wondering how...many kids would you like to have..."
Ranma quickly released his hold on Kasumi and stepped back a little more out of shock for he was blushing mad being actually embarrassed about Kasumi's answer. "Well....err....eh....how many kids...you want???" stuttered Ranma as he was in his usual 'looking in all directions for answers' mode.
"As long as the two of you do give me grandchildren, how many doesn't really matter..." interjected a voice behind them. Nodoka had overheard and watched the playful young couple for a few moments before answering Kasumi on behalf of her stunned son.
But inside she was really praying that her Ranma would give her some grandchildren to play around and look after real soon. "Maybe the China trip would be productive..." she laughed silently.
The whole China trip was all planned out and ready by that late afternoon and much to Kasumi's hidden relief she found out that she wouldn't have to swim to China. This was of course made possible with a little help from Ranma's mother. With her financial aid the trip was made a lot easier for the both of them in stark contrast to the first time Ranma undertook the trip years ago. Ranma and Kasumi would be taking the first commercial flight out to Shanghai in tomorrow and would stay there overnight before making the rest of the trip inwards to the mountains regions and hopefully Jusenkyo.
"Ranma...make sure you treat Kasumi properly...unlike you she isn't accustomed to taking martial art training trips so you have to go easy on her understand?" warned Nodoka to her son.
"Yes, Mother I am aware of that" replied Ranma as he nodded his head. He knew all too well that he couldn't go around this trip as he would like with his father. Yes he would be training Kasumi but he would have to do it at a more subtle pace rather then push Kasumi like his father would him in the past.
- -
Above the Cat-café with her room curtains drawn to cover the suns painful rays, Shampoo looked at her own reflection by the dim light of her side lamp and immediately noticed that something was missing. Lost from her face that ever present smile she always had etched on her face since she had met him. But nowadays Shampoo just didn't have anything or a particular Ranma to show her sweet smile to anymore.
The mass of her blue bags lay limp and hung rather un-kept over her shoulders and not in their more familiar twin buns. She was melancholy flipping through a little album of pictures she kept of Ranma and her and in each picture she now saw something wrong in each one of them. She happened to be staring at a particular picture which portrayed her happily glomping Ranma and she saw something that she never realized was there.
The same expression was evident in each of the previous pictures before this one. Difference was Shampoo was always the one who always had on the million dollar smile while Ranma was always the one who wore the look of a less then appreciative person at the end of each glomp. Each picture she had in that album was taken either by force or in secret showed her the same flaw...Ranma wasn't smiling in any of them. Shampoo had come to that realization but it was already too late for her to do anything to change the past. As a steady stream of tears gently dripped down her cheeks and pooling up on the surface of the plastic cover of a picture of her and Ranma.
"Why Airen keep run away from Shampoo those times when Shampoo want give Airen glomp never Shampoo know...but all Shampoo know is Ranma gone now and Shampoo might never see him again. I forgive Airen for hitting Shampoo also..." she thought to herself. All the while underneath her room, her grandmother Cologne was trying her best to keep the family business running all by herself.
Shampoo had last night ventured out to her particular place and had had only returned back before dawn. That was the reason for the dark rings under her eyes and more worrying for her grandmother was that Shampoo ate very little or anything at all. Shampoo had been visiting a little shrine near the edge of town where she would moan her lost in peace.
That shrine was the very same shrine where she was once was held captive by the Cat Sprit and Ranma despite being surrounded by cats had charged in to rescue her. All those cold nights Shampoo would be all alone by herself in the shrine with only with her memories to keep her company. "Shampoo here almost became Airen's wife...maybe if I wife of Airen things go good and not bad like now...Maybe Shampoo too strong chase Airen until Airen ran away??" were the sorts of thoughts that Shampoo had been dwelling on each night while she visited the shrine.
- -
At the same time inside her room above the Tendo house there lying in her bed balled up under the blanket and hugging her pillow was a sad and very beleaguered lost girl. She had locked herself up in her room for almost four days now without even venturing out or at least not in front of anyone. She had refused all food and water she had been offered and haven't even the heart to even stir out of bed unnecessarily. She was broken beyond belief, the heart of stone that she had so proudly portrayed was now gone. It had long shattered into a million pieces when she saw Ranma running away from her that day.
Akane had so wanted to go after him but her heart being so used to hide her true feelings kept on telling her that the baka would come back later. This time though he didn't come back and she was cursing herself for not chasing after him that night. Oblivious to her was the fact of her oldest sister's sudden disappearance nor did she want to see her even if Kasumi was still at home. Akane remembered the last thing she saw was the scene of that soft farewell kiss that Ranma had given to her oldest sister that night. Up till this day it still haunts her dreams and her thoughts ever so endless in its repetition.
"All the things inside my own house reminds me of him...those stairs where we used to always fight, the dining room were we fought , the kitchen were we fought, the bathroom were we fought. "In all of them I can see Ranma's shadow cast upon them...!" she screamed silently in her weary sub- consciousness. Akane soon drifted off to sleep or had rather fainted from being weak from the effects of her neglected hunger.
- -
Ranma and Kasumi having already packed for their trip were happily spending some quality time with each other under the bronze sky of late evening. They were sort of having a picnic outside by the Saotome home garden but difference was there wasn't any food. Instead all they had was a large blanket neatly spread out under them and nothing else.
Ranma's head was nicely resting on Kasumi's lap, his eyes closed but through them he was mentally looking up to her, totally immersed with Kasumi's warm presence underneath of him.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Kasumi while gently playing with Ranma's pigtail.
"Mmm...just thinking of how happy I am for once. I think I've never felt like this before...in my whole life" he softly replied her, his eyes still closed.
Kasumi was thinking about what Ranma had just said and oddly enough looking back at it he was right in a sense. There wasn't a time in his life where Ranma could say that he was happy. Her hands then left playing with his pigtail and trailed up to the sides of his cheeks and began to slowly brush against them.
"I'm beginning to enjoy this happy feeling more and more..." chuckled the boy as he brought up his own hand and gently guided her brushing hand to his lips and kissed it. A very faint but very beautiful smile crept up to Kasumi's lips and the two even though having said nothing more after that were very feeling happy while the sun steadily sank behind them.
- -
The semi cloud covered moon shone on the Tendo home's garden and cast two shadows sitting up rather weakly and slightly rocking from side to side. The two shadows belonged to the rather forlorn figures of a Tendo Soun and a Saotome Genma. To them what had been their 'perfect plan' to bring their household together had actually resulted in tearing it apart. Getting drunk was their only escape route as cowardly as it was to their honor they accepted it. "Where did we go wrong?" the two whispered into the night.
"Were did we go wrong!" they shouted mutedly as their fists pounded the soft earth beneath them. Tears began to stream down their faces, not for the first time in the many days past since that Christmas. Their master having already disowned them as his students, their master plan for their children's union failed and now they are nothing more then common drunks. And as usual their bodies soon gave way and each man dropped to their separate side into a drunken sleep.
- -
"You two take care now..." smiled Nodoka as she waved goodbye to the young happy couple as they checked into the terminal. Ranma and Kasumi hand in hand slowly strolled to their passenger disembarking area and sat down. The two of them stared curiously outside the windows at the huge jumbo jet that was going to take to China.
"I feel kinda funny going to China using a plane..." smiled Ranma, looking beside at Kasumi. As he did so Ranma couldn't help noticing in Kasumi's eyes that they looked a little afraid. "Is anything wrong? You look kind of worried...?"
"This is my first time stepping out of Japan...Ranma so you must take good care of me." Kasumi lightly smiled up to him as she clung onto Ranma's arm. Ranma stared at Kasumi, his fiancée of just a few days but to him it seemed like they had been together for years.
"I wouldn't even let a mosquito bite you while you're in China...Kasumi" Ranma grinned while he gently kissed her forehead. Kasumi giggled and just lovingly hugged her fianc's arm while they waited to board the plane.
"We must tell the 'Boss' about this..." said a voice as a mechanical 'snap' of a picture was taken of the unknowing pair.
- -
An image slowly appeared in front of the computer screen as it came into focus, it showed two young people hugging and their faces smiling. "I'll see how long can they keep smiling" cursed a voice. That voice belonged to a Tendo Nabiki who was now a very different Nabiki, she was far more colder now then before but more importantly she was vengeful.
Vengeance is a very powerful emotion but greed is even more. Since Ranma left Nabiki's main source of income left along with him. There were no more fights to bet on, no more blackmail treats and most importantly no more saucy pictures of the female Ranma form to sell to a certain wealthy samurai boy anymore.
Maintaining the Dojo was already hard for Nabiki even when Ranma was around and with his departure it was bound to get even rougher. There was Akane to look after, what remains of her father and Ranma's father. Akane's maintenance was easy she just needed water and a small bowl of rice. But Soun and Genma were a different proposition to Nabiki's already strained finances. Their drinking habit was draining Nabiki's finances faster then she could replenish it.
"That's it!" I have had it up to here already with you two worthless slobs!" Nabiki shouted at the two whining figures who were again asking her for money to buy sake. That was 2 days ago...now the dojo was void of any noise or movement. The dojo training hall was now an illegal gambling den and the house was transformed in to a sort of make shift headquarters for Nabiki's unseen business.
She had two days ago sent her father to an asylum for the mentally unfit admitted under the pretext that he had lost his mind when he starting taking drugs. The hospital was unknown to the fact that Nabiki had herself given her father an overdose of antidepressants earlier that made her story more believable.
As for Genma, Nabiki had him while drunk in his panda form sold to a private exotic animal collector for quite a hefty sum of money. And thus with the capital that she now gathered she started up her 'business'. So once again Nabiki was reveling in the scent of fresh money which suited her fine but the only stench that was still lingered around her was the stench of a particular boy named Ranma. And Nabiki being as calculating as she was had a plan in mind that was thought up just specially for him and her older sister.
- -
The plane's landing down on the runway of Shanghai International Airport was a little rough but it didn't seem to bother either Ranma or Kasumi as they were both fast asleep in each other's arms. They were only awoken by the plane coming to a sudden complete jerking stop at their gate. After going through the airport disembarking and immigration procedures and finally they took their first step into their long journey.
The air seemed colder then Ranma remembered it around this time of month and looking at what Kasumi had been wearing he took out a woolen jacket from his knapsack and covered Kasumi's lightly covered shoulders. "It's a little cold this evening." he said smiling down at Kasumi as she took the warm coat closer. "Would you like to walk to our hotel or would you prefer me to catch a taxi for us?"
"A walk would be nice...there are so many interesting things to see here, I really don't know where to start..." answered Kasumi, who was looking all around her and stood in awe at her new surroundings. She was taking in the smells, sights and sounds that were so different from the small town of Nerima she was so used to.
Kasumi took in as much as she could from the walk she and Ranma took to the hotel. The hotel stay even though brief was a welcomed break for Kasumi as well as Ranma. It was convenient since that after they made their engagement known to Ranma's mother they were a little shy to show their affections towards each other in front of her. They weren't thinking of doing anything serious but just to have the chance to talk and be in close touching distance was enough for the two of them.
"I think we're here...it's the hotel that mother reserved for us" said Ranma as he stared above looking up at the rather large and grand looking hotel. "Are you sure???" said Kasumi with a hint of anxiety as she looked around the hotel lobby as they walked in.
"How may I help you?" inquired the concierge at the lobby's front desk with a smile. "Errrmmm...I'm Saotome Ranma and I think I have a reservation?" Ranma replied him timidly.
"Ah yes Mr. and Mrs. Saotome we were expecting you to check at a later time as currently the room you're were supposed to stay in is still being house kept at the moment. So if Mr. and Mrs. Saotome don't mind waiting for it to be readied we would like to invite you to have dinner at our restaurant 'The Red Dragon' complimentary of the hotel." replied the concierge as he led the two to the restaurant.
"I'll ask someone to help you carry up your luggage to your room in the meantime. I hope that by the time the two of you have enjoyed your dinner your room would be ready for you." added the concierge smiling to the pair. "What a nice man...don't you think Ranma?" Kasumi noted as she saw the middle aged man walking away from the two of them and was now talking to the head waiter of the restaurant.
- -
In the bleak hallways of the Tendo home a black and white printed picture was pushed below the small gap between Akane's door. That picture was of course the same picture that was taken at the airport a few hours ago. "Let's see if that would wake you up my little dear sister..." snickered Nabiki as she slowly walked away. Nabiki never did forgive Ranma for leaving her high and dry financially but her hatred for him had grown from the wallet to the face incident that seemed so long ago now.
Nabiki had now under her payroll a rather large enough number of people that would run her 'business' for her but currently most of them were already sent out to find out the exact whereabouts of Ranma. When they found him in the company of her eldest sister and had informed her it came as a shock to her at first but she later seemed to understand that it made sense after all. Even before Nabiki had finished walking down the flight of stairs a piercing loud sharp scream rang out from above. This almost inhuman cry would make people shiver but it only made Nabiki crack a smile as the edges of her lips curled up.
- -
"The meal was really nice wasn't it Ranma?" asked Kasumi who was looking at Ranma who by now had a rather large grin plastered on his face. "Yes...it was Kasumi it's been ages since I had authentic Chinese food hehe..." Ranma replied while rubbing his now full stomach. Just as they had finished talking the head waiter suddenly appeared by their table "Sir and Madam your room is now ready and a bellboy is waiting to take you up to your room. I hope that the food was enjoyable please came again."
As the bellboy opened up their room door and lead the two of them in Kasumi and Ranma just stood by the door surprised at what their room look liked. It was a large suite, very fancy and classy, a little too classy for their liking actually.
"Mmmmm are you sure we're supposed to stay here in this room?" Ranma asked the bellboy looking rather puzzled. "Yes sir, this is your room as per requested by a Saotome Nodoka." Upon hearing his mother's name Ranma had a rough idea of what his mother had in mind and since they were very tired they took the room and Ranma tipped the bellboy before he left them alone.
"It's rather large only for the two of us...don't you think so Kasumi?" Ranma noted as he walked into the bedroom where he saw a rather silent looking Kasumi who was standing by the bed staring down at it. Their hotel bed was a four poster bed with silken sheets... "Kasumi anything the matter?" he asked slightly shaking her shoulders. Kasumi was blushing and really didn't want to answer that question but she just managed to blush even deeper.
"Ranma...there's only one bed for the two of us..." Ranma stood beside her silently as Kasumi's answer sent him into a mix state of thoughts. It wasn't like this was going to be the first time they had shared sleeping accommodations but this was rather more straight forward as it was a bed meant for two. "Kasumi if you prefer I could sleep on the couch outside that couch looks more comfortable then the sleeping bag I used to share with pops" Ranma grinned as he smiled to Kasumi. Ranma was about to grab a pillow off the bed when Kasumi gentle pulled on his arm.
"I'm sorry Ranma, you're my fiancée and I shouldn't kick my own fiancée out of a bed. We are going to share a bed sooner or later right?" Kasumi said this with a little awkward shyness which Ranma found really cute at that time. Ranma didn't say anything at all to her but what he did was with pillow in hand he gave Kasumi a light kiss on her lips and simply lay down on the floor next to the bed.
"I'll be near if you need me okay. Good night Kasumi sweet dreams" and with that Ranma closed his eyes and went to sleep. Kasumi went over to switch off the room's lights and left her sleeping fiancé to take her bath. When she had returned to the room she saw that Ranma hadn't move once during all that time. She hovered over his sleeping figure "No wonder it's so hard to wake him up sometimes he sleeps like the dead hehe..." Kasumi thought as she slid onto the bed and just stared at his sleeping figure before her own eyes closed.
- -
In the half darkness of her room Akane could make out the figures portrayed in the picture as those of her older sister and her once former fiancé. The picture said a lot to Akane but the word that stood out the most in her mind was betrayal. The betrayal of her feelings and trust by the ones she loved most was hard for Akane to bear. Nabiki's plan of snapping Akane from her endless self pity had worked. Akane was now possessed with such anger and hatred unseen before by anyone who knew her.
She stood up and walked straight out of the room for the first time in days. Hopefully to face the sister whom she once loved and the boy that she thought she would have a future with. Akane's steps were slow and placid but each step was filled with such weight that you could sense her walking below from the first floor. And who was the first person to welcome her back from her 'sleep' none other then Nabiki.
"Welcome back to the world of the living my dear little sister..." laughed Nabiki as she went to Akane's side. "Cut the small talk Nabiki I want to know where they are..." Akane's cold and stiff voice shocked even Nabiki but she loved it. "Relax my dear sister...they aren't far but you are not in any shape to face them. First you must to rest well and regain your strength then, only then my sister you shall have your revenge." as Nabiki's voice trailed off into a sharp laughter and she led Akane to the kitchen. "Ranma I swear on my own grave I shall make you pay for breaking my heart!" Akane whispered under her breathe all the while she walked. Her promise of revenge evaporated off into the still night air as the two sisters became united in their cause to hunt down and to deal with a certain Saotome Ranma.
- -
Kasumi's eyes gently opened and after catching a glimpse at the time on the clock by the side of the bed it showed 5.00am. Her normal time to start her day normally Kasumi could never shake off that habit of waking up so early of the morning. She glanced down where Ranma had slept and found that the spot was rather empty. Kasumi gently slid off the bed and walked out of the room looking around for Ranma.
She couldn't find him anywhere and was starting to get worried as the only place left she didn't look was in the bathroom. "Is anyone there?" she gently knocked as she slid the door open just a little. Hearing no response she carefully walked in, Kasumi was rather taken by the bathroom's beauty. Its walls were covered in sky-blue tiles and all the fittings were plated with silver which shone back the fluoresce lighting. In the middle was a large tub which could easily fit in four to five people. "That's a nice tub I wonder how it feels like..." thought Kasumi as she gently twirled the already filled tub water's with her fingers. "Maybe Ranma filled it for me...?" she thought again looking around the bathroom.
Kasumi's fingers were still trailing the warm waters edge when her fingers brushed along something. It felt smooth and soft...after clearing the soap suds and upon a closer look Kasumi noticed that it looked like an arm. The sight of it made Kasumi step back a little from shock and in doing so almost fell into the tub herself. Clearing more of the soap bubbles she suddenly paused and turned a bright rosy red. Kasumi quickly got up and quietly left the room. She had actually walked into Ranma taking an early soak in the luxurious tub and had fallen back asleep in it.
Kasumi's heart was pounding after seeing Ranma almost naked bare a few soap bubbles here and their. The sight made her breath heavy and her head light "Kasumi...calm yourself it's not as if you haven't seen Ranma shirtless...and..." she thought to herself. Her cheeks were red from replaying the image of Ranma's naked torso and his bare upper body.
She suddenly felt flush as if the room's temperature suddenly became a little too high for her liking. She was already trying to get her balance back but failed as she was now leaning on the bathroom door for support. "Calm down...calm down..." she kept telling herself. But as soon as Kasumi thought she had regained her composure she felt the door opening behind her and in a flash her whole body was sent falling down.
With her eyes closed she felt again the familiar warm touch around her and the same floating sensation she felt before. Kasumi was beginning to like this sensation more and more as it made her feel so serene. Fluttering her eyes open Kasumi found herself once again in the arms of Ranma who was now looking down at her with eyes so filled with concerned. Ranma had caught Kasumi half way from falling to the tiled floor while he had unknowing to him opened the door that Kasumi was leaning on. So with Kasumi gently cradled in his arms and looking up "Why were you leaning on the door?" he asked. Kasumi didn't answer him she was too lost looking up at the dripping wet face of Ranma looking down on her.
Ranma had that effect on her and so did every other girl he had ever come upon. Just with his deep gaze Ranma could send any girl into a silent trance. 't find you so I looked around for you..." Kasumi's half stammered reply made Ranma giggle inwardly. Helping her up Ranma gently lead Kasumi back into the bedroom and sat her down by the bed. "I'd get changed first" Ranma then left the room with a change of clothes in hand back into the bathroom. Kasumi fell to the side of the bed and giggled to herself while closing her eyes.
"Kasumi...Kasumi you're old enough to be his sister yet your acting as silly as a sixteen year old girl who just got her first kiss." Oblivious to Kasumi Ranma had walked back into room and was now standing by the side of the bed. He found Kasumi at that particular moment to be too cute to interrupt.
There on the bed with her eyes closed and half smiling and giggling to herself Ranma found Kasumi acting so out of character. She was acting like a small child but to him it was cute but also so charming. He placed his hands on hers "Kasumi are you okay?" he whispered.
Kasumi's eyes shot opened she sat up and blushed "Yes...Ranma I'm fine..." she replied him. "That's good...it's still too early to do anything, so I guess we have time to ourselves before getting breakfast." Kasumi nodded and patted the spot next to her to notion Ranma to sit next to her. He obliged and just as his body rested on the soft bed he felt a weight pressing him down downwards on the mattress. Kasumi had moved herself closer to her fiancée and was currently resting her head and shoulders down on him effectively pinning him down to the bed.
With her head turned to face him she smiled, that smile she was showing Ranma was almost one of divine mischief. "What do you want to talk about dear?" she playfully cooed to Ranma. Ranma's mind was drawing a blank he'd never seen Kasumi act so openly playful before.
On one hand it scared him somewhat on the other though it made him a little excited. "Eh...well...you know...stuff...like what to expect from this trip...your training...all that stuff...I think..." A warm finger interrupted him in mid- sentence "Ranma...can we just stay like this for a while...I miss having you near me..." was all Kasumi asked of Ranma, her soft voice barely audible but just loud enough for Ranma to hear. Her request made Ranma smile and he reflexively brought his arms over Kasumi's body and engulfed her in a hug that he didn't want to ever let go.
Reluctantly going down for some breakfast and then later they started to walk around the busy Shanghai streets looking for supplies and other necessities. At the moment the most important thing was to get Kasumi some proper camping/hiking clothes. Since she never had the need for anything like that all she had in terms of her wardrobe were full length dresses and a few pants that were hardly suitable for climbing up mountains or down valleys.
It didn't take them long before the two of them stumbled into a small side shop that sold hand-woven Native Mountain tribes clothing. A small grey haired old lady walked up to them and said her welcome and Ranma asked if she had anything in hiking clothes. The old lady simply smiled "You two are not from around here?" she asked the two. "Yes...we are just looking for something for my fiancée to wear while we are up hiking in the mountains." Ranma looked around and took notice of the other various items that were hung or staked around the rustic shop.
"Thanks you so much..." smiled Kasumi as she dragged a semi-dazed Ranma out with her of the small quaint shop. Ranma's current state was caused largely in due to Kasumi's so called modeling of the clothes that she had tried on. The hiking shorts and shirts were okay but the old lady shopkeeper had slipped something special to Kasumi while she had handed her some clothes. She said that it would for sure make Ranma treat her extra special when she wore it to bed.
That something special in question was an old Chinese styled camisole and Kasumi draped a semi-transparent purple silk scarf over her bare shoulders to save some modesty. And when she slid opened the dressing room curtains Kasumi swore she saw Ranma's eyes bulge out an extra inch or maybe more and never knew his mouth could gape that wide. Ranma couldn't believe his eyes there Kasumi stood in what was practically a semi-nude state. The camisole was made from red silk and smooth to the touch of her skin, it had a nicely embroidered peacock in the front and it left Kasumi's back pretty bare. So as Kasumi performed a few suggestive poses for Ranma he gulped so hard that he almost choked.
"Ranma we must go back there when we return to Shanghai..." laughed Kasumi. Ranma just uttered a few low moans as the image of Kasumi just a few minutes ago still stuck to him. Back in the hotel Ranma had spread out what they had bought and did an inventory check. They had enough clothing to last them a while so that was ticked off the list. Also checked off their list was the tent, the kerosene lamp, the map and compass set and lastly the small kitchen set. Once Ranma had nicely packed those items into the two separate bags the larger and heavier one of course was carried by Ranma while the smaller one would be carried by Kasumi.
"Looks like we're as ready as we're ever going to be anyway where did you go Kasu...aggggghhhhh...." Ranma had actually went looking for Kasumi to tell her that he had packed all their stuff but when he found her he had walked in on Kasumi in a moment that he wasn't ready to see yet. Kasumi was in the middle of changing out from the dress and into a grey colored hiking shirt and matching pair of shorts. The shirt was opened right down the middle and Kasumi was in the process of bringing up the shorts. "SORRY...Kasumi!!!" Ranma shouted as he turned around from the bathroom door. Ranma's whole face was burning up and his ears were also sporting the same color.
"We're all packed?" Kasumi asked blinking in surprised as what could have caused Ranma to act the way he did. "Err...ya...we can...check out...and be on...our way..." stuttered Ranma as he walked out of the bathroom. Ranma swore that if he walks in like on her again he might just have to take a very cold shower regardless if he hated changing into Ranma-chan.
So as the two walked to the reception desk with their bags slung behind their backs and having surrendered their room keys so their journey to the mountains and Kasumi's training officially began. Meanwhile back in Nerima a small fax began to appear out of Nabiki's fax machine and as she tore the paper out and read it she began to laugh out loud. The paper was one of her contacts reporting that Ranma and Kasumi were last seen walking out from a Shanghai hotel.
The End
How did I do? Should I be pelted with rotten tomatoes and cabbages or pick up the lone rose from my feet? Please Read and Review...the next chapter will hopefully not take that long...if you so wish to read it that is...
Cha...
H.A
A/N: I know I've kept this fic hanging for way to long what is it months now? But anyway I hope this continuation is worthy for being called a Part II and also bear in mind this is a beta version. If there are feedbacks and comments about my writing please let them be positive ones my fragile soul is easily shattered hehehe I will re-edit it accordingly...
Now to the fic...
Togetherness Part II
By
Himura Alucard
A lone figure sat up beside her window head leaned in on the wall gazing down at the empty dark streets from the small crack of her curtains. Her slightly swollen eyes firmly focused on the pebbled path that began from the far corner of the street and continues down to the next passing by her little restaurant. With each passing unnoticeable minute she was wishing that she could once more just see him walking up to her door. The face he'd make filled with hunger and mixed in with confusion. It had been almost a week since she had last seen him and deep inside she finally knew now that she was missing him till it hurt.
The young girl hadn't stepped out of her bed to do anything meaningful since she had returned home from that fateful winter's night. She just couldn't see the point of doing anything anymore it was that plain and simple. The restaurant stove hadn't been lit for days and its surroundings dark and dead silent. Her regular customers had been a little worried but seeing the sign stating that Ucchan's would be closed till further notice still hung outside they let her be.
All she had the will to do all day long was to sit up on her bed with her blanket up to her knees and keep staring outside at the pathway be it day or night. Even if she slept it would be a restive sleep as she would do so by the window. When she had woken up she would continue on with her emptied eye gazing.
Ukyo had once a few days ago in her semi sleep state and maybe due to her own over anticipating and half memory dream state thought she saw Ranma walking down the street. Hurryingly she rushed downstairs and tried to fire up her stove preparing to cook for him again her family and her own specialty...Okonomiyaki.
The fire didn't start cause she had switched the main gas supply off but she had forgotten about it was cursing but tried in vain to light it in readiness to cook for Ranma. Sadly no matter how long she stood there the door didn't opened, Ranma wasn't there smiling at her by the door but all that greeted her was the dead silence.
Ukyohad crumbled to the floor that night and cried her heart out once more. She hadn't stop crying since she had returned from the party that went so wrong that day. And from that day she would constantly utter incoherently to herself "If only I had treated Ranma nicer...treated him like a real friend...not something to own and fight over."
But even those dreams have left her now and bringing herself back from her tortured memories she lamented, "I've fought over him so many times already with Akane, Shampoo and Kodachi but I never did for once considered how he felt did I? What I thought was bringing us closer to each other was actually pushing him further apart from me. If I only knew that now I would have stopped a long ago and...and tried to become closer to him...and maybe understand him more." The tears that had stopped a while ago once flowed again down Ukyo's cheeks and slowly dripped onto her hands.
Ukyo had lost a lot things in her short life and was happily living by herself before but this time it was so much different to her. She had lost the one part of her past that she had ever cherished deeply inside her heart. She had always cherished her childhood friendship with Ranma but because of her tomboyish façade prohibited her to ever openly admit it she hid that fact so well down inside herself. Ukyo was constantly replaying back in her mind over and over again their childhood and more recent memories that she had of Ranma and her in more or less happier times.
"I should have predicted that Ranma would blow up like he did that day...we've all been treating him like as if he didn't matter but the truth was he was the center of it all...or well the center in my life at least...at least he didn't hit me like Shampoo or Kodachi." she whispered as her head slowly fell down to her hands by the window sill. "Why didn't I appreciate him more when he was near me? Now that he's so far away from me then I realize he meant so much to me...what's the use of it now eh...?" Pretty soon Ukyo's eyes slowly began closing and she drifted off to sleep once again by the window.
Ukyo then dreamt of seeing Ranma again but this time he wasn't alone in her dream. He was actually happily walking down a road pretty unlike those in Nerima and in her dream Ranma was happily walking hand in hand with someone else. Ukyo found herself chasing the pair from behind shouting Ranma's name but he just wouldn't turn back to her. He was too engrossed in his conversation with the figure walking close beside him, smiling and giggling all the while. This scene worried Ukyo, she felt tense and confused...she couldn't believe anyone could be the center of Ranma's attention much less another girl.
The long haired figure slightly tilted her head and slowly rested it on Ranma's shoulder and in turn initiated Ranma to tilt his head to gently brush against hers. The scene was as sweet as if it was copied from some western romance movie but it sickened Ukyo to her stomach, she couldn't bear any girl to be that close not the least physically close to Ranma.
Quickly more on instinct then reflex Ukyo's arm went behind her back to reach for her battle spatula but it wasn't there. Frustrated she ran after the two and finally catching up with the pair with her hands out stretched and about to catch a glimpse of the mystery girl when the two of them disappeared into nothingness. Ukyo's eyes still closed were painfully teared moist and tiredly awaking from her nightmare she moaned, "Even in my dreams I've lost Ranma..."
- -
Kasumi was up early that morning and was happily making breakfast for the whole Saotome family. She couldn't help grinning to herself when she caught sight of the ring which Ranma had down on one knee last night presented to her.
"Saotome Kasumi...that sounds nice..." Kasumi smiled a bite wider as she absently lifted up her hand and openly admired the ring. During her admiration of the golden colored band she did not notice that a pair of arms had enveloped her waist and a head had rested itself over on her shoulder.
"What could make you smile so sweetly in the morning eh??" whispered a voice beside her left ear. Kasumi knew that it was Ranma but chose not to answer him instead she gave him a playful giggle. "Come on...Kasumi tell me please..." begged Ranma his tone imitating Kasumi's playfulness. Kasumi didn't cave in and remained silent as ever and this made Ranma even more curious.
"Kasumi if you not going to answer me...I'll start tickling you..." grinned Ranma. Kasumi didn't even get a chance to answer him as Ranma's fingers began to playfully tickle Kasumi's sides and in between her fits of laughter Kasumi managed to utter "Hehe...I'm...smiling because I have a wonderful...fiancé and also...ha-ha...I was wondering how...many kids would you like to have..."
Ranma quickly released his hold on Kasumi and stepped back a little more out of shock for he was blushing mad being actually embarrassed about Kasumi's answer. "Well....err....eh....how many kids...you want???" stuttered Ranma as he was in his usual 'looking in all directions for answers' mode.
"As long as the two of you do give me grandchildren, how many doesn't really matter..." interjected a voice behind them. Nodoka had overheard and watched the playful young couple for a few moments before answering Kasumi on behalf of her stunned son.
But inside she was really praying that her Ranma would give her some grandchildren to play around and look after real soon. "Maybe the China trip would be productive..." she laughed silently.
The whole China trip was all planned out and ready by that late afternoon and much to Kasumi's hidden relief she found out that she wouldn't have to swim to China. This was of course made possible with a little help from Ranma's mother. With her financial aid the trip was made a lot easier for the both of them in stark contrast to the first time Ranma undertook the trip years ago. Ranma and Kasumi would be taking the first commercial flight out to Shanghai in tomorrow and would stay there overnight before making the rest of the trip inwards to the mountains regions and hopefully Jusenkyo.
"Ranma...make sure you treat Kasumi properly...unlike you she isn't accustomed to taking martial art training trips so you have to go easy on her understand?" warned Nodoka to her son.
"Yes, Mother I am aware of that" replied Ranma as he nodded his head. He knew all too well that he couldn't go around this trip as he would like with his father. Yes he would be training Kasumi but he would have to do it at a more subtle pace rather then push Kasumi like his father would him in the past.
- -
Above the Cat-café with her room curtains drawn to cover the suns painful rays, Shampoo looked at her own reflection by the dim light of her side lamp and immediately noticed that something was missing. Lost from her face that ever present smile she always had etched on her face since she had met him. But nowadays Shampoo just didn't have anything or a particular Ranma to show her sweet smile to anymore.
The mass of her blue bags lay limp and hung rather un-kept over her shoulders and not in their more familiar twin buns. She was melancholy flipping through a little album of pictures she kept of Ranma and her and in each picture she now saw something wrong in each one of them. She happened to be staring at a particular picture which portrayed her happily glomping Ranma and she saw something that she never realized was there.
The same expression was evident in each of the previous pictures before this one. Difference was Shampoo was always the one who always had on the million dollar smile while Ranma was always the one who wore the look of a less then appreciative person at the end of each glomp. Each picture she had in that album was taken either by force or in secret showed her the same flaw...Ranma wasn't smiling in any of them. Shampoo had come to that realization but it was already too late for her to do anything to change the past. As a steady stream of tears gently dripped down her cheeks and pooling up on the surface of the plastic cover of a picture of her and Ranma.
"Why Airen keep run away from Shampoo those times when Shampoo want give Airen glomp never Shampoo know...but all Shampoo know is Ranma gone now and Shampoo might never see him again. I forgive Airen for hitting Shampoo also..." she thought to herself. All the while underneath her room, her grandmother Cologne was trying her best to keep the family business running all by herself.
Shampoo had last night ventured out to her particular place and had had only returned back before dawn. That was the reason for the dark rings under her eyes and more worrying for her grandmother was that Shampoo ate very little or anything at all. Shampoo had been visiting a little shrine near the edge of town where she would moan her lost in peace.
That shrine was the very same shrine where she was once was held captive by the Cat Sprit and Ranma despite being surrounded by cats had charged in to rescue her. All those cold nights Shampoo would be all alone by herself in the shrine with only with her memories to keep her company. "Shampoo here almost became Airen's wife...maybe if I wife of Airen things go good and not bad like now...Maybe Shampoo too strong chase Airen until Airen ran away??" were the sorts of thoughts that Shampoo had been dwelling on each night while she visited the shrine.
- -
At the same time inside her room above the Tendo house there lying in her bed balled up under the blanket and hugging her pillow was a sad and very beleaguered lost girl. She had locked herself up in her room for almost four days now without even venturing out or at least not in front of anyone. She had refused all food and water she had been offered and haven't even the heart to even stir out of bed unnecessarily. She was broken beyond belief, the heart of stone that she had so proudly portrayed was now gone. It had long shattered into a million pieces when she saw Ranma running away from her that day.
Akane had so wanted to go after him but her heart being so used to hide her true feelings kept on telling her that the baka would come back later. This time though he didn't come back and she was cursing herself for not chasing after him that night. Oblivious to her was the fact of her oldest sister's sudden disappearance nor did she want to see her even if Kasumi was still at home. Akane remembered the last thing she saw was the scene of that soft farewell kiss that Ranma had given to her oldest sister that night. Up till this day it still haunts her dreams and her thoughts ever so endless in its repetition.
"All the things inside my own house reminds me of him...those stairs where we used to always fight, the dining room were we fought , the kitchen were we fought, the bathroom were we fought. "In all of them I can see Ranma's shadow cast upon them...!" she screamed silently in her weary sub- consciousness. Akane soon drifted off to sleep or had rather fainted from being weak from the effects of her neglected hunger.
- -
Ranma and Kasumi having already packed for their trip were happily spending some quality time with each other under the bronze sky of late evening. They were sort of having a picnic outside by the Saotome home garden but difference was there wasn't any food. Instead all they had was a large blanket neatly spread out under them and nothing else.
Ranma's head was nicely resting on Kasumi's lap, his eyes closed but through them he was mentally looking up to her, totally immersed with Kasumi's warm presence underneath of him.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Kasumi while gently playing with Ranma's pigtail.
"Mmm...just thinking of how happy I am for once. I think I've never felt like this before...in my whole life" he softly replied her, his eyes still closed.
Kasumi was thinking about what Ranma had just said and oddly enough looking back at it he was right in a sense. There wasn't a time in his life where Ranma could say that he was happy. Her hands then left playing with his pigtail and trailed up to the sides of his cheeks and began to slowly brush against them.
"I'm beginning to enjoy this happy feeling more and more..." chuckled the boy as he brought up his own hand and gently guided her brushing hand to his lips and kissed it. A very faint but very beautiful smile crept up to Kasumi's lips and the two even though having said nothing more after that were very feeling happy while the sun steadily sank behind them.
- -
The semi cloud covered moon shone on the Tendo home's garden and cast two shadows sitting up rather weakly and slightly rocking from side to side. The two shadows belonged to the rather forlorn figures of a Tendo Soun and a Saotome Genma. To them what had been their 'perfect plan' to bring their household together had actually resulted in tearing it apart. Getting drunk was their only escape route as cowardly as it was to their honor they accepted it. "Where did we go wrong?" the two whispered into the night.
"Were did we go wrong!" they shouted mutedly as their fists pounded the soft earth beneath them. Tears began to stream down their faces, not for the first time in the many days past since that Christmas. Their master having already disowned them as his students, their master plan for their children's union failed and now they are nothing more then common drunks. And as usual their bodies soon gave way and each man dropped to their separate side into a drunken sleep.
- -
"You two take care now..." smiled Nodoka as she waved goodbye to the young happy couple as they checked into the terminal. Ranma and Kasumi hand in hand slowly strolled to their passenger disembarking area and sat down. The two of them stared curiously outside the windows at the huge jumbo jet that was going to take to China.
"I feel kinda funny going to China using a plane..." smiled Ranma, looking beside at Kasumi. As he did so Ranma couldn't help noticing in Kasumi's eyes that they looked a little afraid. "Is anything wrong? You look kind of worried...?"
"This is my first time stepping out of Japan...Ranma so you must take good care of me." Kasumi lightly smiled up to him as she clung onto Ranma's arm. Ranma stared at Kasumi, his fiancée of just a few days but to him it seemed like they had been together for years.
"I wouldn't even let a mosquito bite you while you're in China...Kasumi" Ranma grinned while he gently kissed her forehead. Kasumi giggled and just lovingly hugged her fianc's arm while they waited to board the plane.
"We must tell the 'Boss' about this..." said a voice as a mechanical 'snap' of a picture was taken of the unknowing pair.
- -
An image slowly appeared in front of the computer screen as it came into focus, it showed two young people hugging and their faces smiling. "I'll see how long can they keep smiling" cursed a voice. That voice belonged to a Tendo Nabiki who was now a very different Nabiki, she was far more colder now then before but more importantly she was vengeful.
Vengeance is a very powerful emotion but greed is even more. Since Ranma left Nabiki's main source of income left along with him. There were no more fights to bet on, no more blackmail treats and most importantly no more saucy pictures of the female Ranma form to sell to a certain wealthy samurai boy anymore.
Maintaining the Dojo was already hard for Nabiki even when Ranma was around and with his departure it was bound to get even rougher. There was Akane to look after, what remains of her father and Ranma's father. Akane's maintenance was easy she just needed water and a small bowl of rice. But Soun and Genma were a different proposition to Nabiki's already strained finances. Their drinking habit was draining Nabiki's finances faster then she could replenish it.
"That's it!" I have had it up to here already with you two worthless slobs!" Nabiki shouted at the two whining figures who were again asking her for money to buy sake. That was 2 days ago...now the dojo was void of any noise or movement. The dojo training hall was now an illegal gambling den and the house was transformed in to a sort of make shift headquarters for Nabiki's unseen business.
She had two days ago sent her father to an asylum for the mentally unfit admitted under the pretext that he had lost his mind when he starting taking drugs. The hospital was unknown to the fact that Nabiki had herself given her father an overdose of antidepressants earlier that made her story more believable.
As for Genma, Nabiki had him while drunk in his panda form sold to a private exotic animal collector for quite a hefty sum of money. And thus with the capital that she now gathered she started up her 'business'. So once again Nabiki was reveling in the scent of fresh money which suited her fine but the only stench that was still lingered around her was the stench of a particular boy named Ranma. And Nabiki being as calculating as she was had a plan in mind that was thought up just specially for him and her older sister.
- -
The plane's landing down on the runway of Shanghai International Airport was a little rough but it didn't seem to bother either Ranma or Kasumi as they were both fast asleep in each other's arms. They were only awoken by the plane coming to a sudden complete jerking stop at their gate. After going through the airport disembarking and immigration procedures and finally they took their first step into their long journey.
The air seemed colder then Ranma remembered it around this time of month and looking at what Kasumi had been wearing he took out a woolen jacket from his knapsack and covered Kasumi's lightly covered shoulders. "It's a little cold this evening." he said smiling down at Kasumi as she took the warm coat closer. "Would you like to walk to our hotel or would you prefer me to catch a taxi for us?"
"A walk would be nice...there are so many interesting things to see here, I really don't know where to start..." answered Kasumi, who was looking all around her and stood in awe at her new surroundings. She was taking in the smells, sights and sounds that were so different from the small town of Nerima she was so used to.
Kasumi took in as much as she could from the walk she and Ranma took to the hotel. The hotel stay even though brief was a welcomed break for Kasumi as well as Ranma. It was convenient since that after they made their engagement known to Ranma's mother they were a little shy to show their affections towards each other in front of her. They weren't thinking of doing anything serious but just to have the chance to talk and be in close touching distance was enough for the two of them.
"I think we're here...it's the hotel that mother reserved for us" said Ranma as he stared above looking up at the rather large and grand looking hotel. "Are you sure???" said Kasumi with a hint of anxiety as she looked around the hotel lobby as they walked in.
"How may I help you?" inquired the concierge at the lobby's front desk with a smile. "Errrmmm...I'm Saotome Ranma and I think I have a reservation?" Ranma replied him timidly.
"Ah yes Mr. and Mrs. Saotome we were expecting you to check at a later time as currently the room you're were supposed to stay in is still being house kept at the moment. So if Mr. and Mrs. Saotome don't mind waiting for it to be readied we would like to invite you to have dinner at our restaurant 'The Red Dragon' complimentary of the hotel." replied the concierge as he led the two to the restaurant.
"I'll ask someone to help you carry up your luggage to your room in the meantime. I hope that by the time the two of you have enjoyed your dinner your room would be ready for you." added the concierge smiling to the pair. "What a nice man...don't you think Ranma?" Kasumi noted as she saw the middle aged man walking away from the two of them and was now talking to the head waiter of the restaurant.
- -
In the bleak hallways of the Tendo home a black and white printed picture was pushed below the small gap between Akane's door. That picture was of course the same picture that was taken at the airport a few hours ago. "Let's see if that would wake you up my little dear sister..." snickered Nabiki as she slowly walked away. Nabiki never did forgive Ranma for leaving her high and dry financially but her hatred for him had grown from the wallet to the face incident that seemed so long ago now.
Nabiki had now under her payroll a rather large enough number of people that would run her 'business' for her but currently most of them were already sent out to find out the exact whereabouts of Ranma. When they found him in the company of her eldest sister and had informed her it came as a shock to her at first but she later seemed to understand that it made sense after all. Even before Nabiki had finished walking down the flight of stairs a piercing loud sharp scream rang out from above. This almost inhuman cry would make people shiver but it only made Nabiki crack a smile as the edges of her lips curled up.
- -
"The meal was really nice wasn't it Ranma?" asked Kasumi who was looking at Ranma who by now had a rather large grin plastered on his face. "Yes...it was Kasumi it's been ages since I had authentic Chinese food hehe..." Ranma replied while rubbing his now full stomach. Just as they had finished talking the head waiter suddenly appeared by their table "Sir and Madam your room is now ready and a bellboy is waiting to take you up to your room. I hope that the food was enjoyable please came again."
As the bellboy opened up their room door and lead the two of them in Kasumi and Ranma just stood by the door surprised at what their room look liked. It was a large suite, very fancy and classy, a little too classy for their liking actually.
"Mmmmm are you sure we're supposed to stay here in this room?" Ranma asked the bellboy looking rather puzzled. "Yes sir, this is your room as per requested by a Saotome Nodoka." Upon hearing his mother's name Ranma had a rough idea of what his mother had in mind and since they were very tired they took the room and Ranma tipped the bellboy before he left them alone.
"It's rather large only for the two of us...don't you think so Kasumi?" Ranma noted as he walked into the bedroom where he saw a rather silent looking Kasumi who was standing by the bed staring down at it. Their hotel bed was a four poster bed with silken sheets... "Kasumi anything the matter?" he asked slightly shaking her shoulders. Kasumi was blushing and really didn't want to answer that question but she just managed to blush even deeper.
"Ranma...there's only one bed for the two of us..." Ranma stood beside her silently as Kasumi's answer sent him into a mix state of thoughts. It wasn't like this was going to be the first time they had shared sleeping accommodations but this was rather more straight forward as it was a bed meant for two. "Kasumi if you prefer I could sleep on the couch outside that couch looks more comfortable then the sleeping bag I used to share with pops" Ranma grinned as he smiled to Kasumi. Ranma was about to grab a pillow off the bed when Kasumi gentle pulled on his arm.
"I'm sorry Ranma, you're my fiancée and I shouldn't kick my own fiancée out of a bed. We are going to share a bed sooner or later right?" Kasumi said this with a little awkward shyness which Ranma found really cute at that time. Ranma didn't say anything at all to her but what he did was with pillow in hand he gave Kasumi a light kiss on her lips and simply lay down on the floor next to the bed.
"I'll be near if you need me okay. Good night Kasumi sweet dreams" and with that Ranma closed his eyes and went to sleep. Kasumi went over to switch off the room's lights and left her sleeping fiancé to take her bath. When she had returned to the room she saw that Ranma hadn't move once during all that time. She hovered over his sleeping figure "No wonder it's so hard to wake him up sometimes he sleeps like the dead hehe..." Kasumi thought as she slid onto the bed and just stared at his sleeping figure before her own eyes closed.
- -
In the half darkness of her room Akane could make out the figures portrayed in the picture as those of her older sister and her once former fiancé. The picture said a lot to Akane but the word that stood out the most in her mind was betrayal. The betrayal of her feelings and trust by the ones she loved most was hard for Akane to bear. Nabiki's plan of snapping Akane from her endless self pity had worked. Akane was now possessed with such anger and hatred unseen before by anyone who knew her.
She stood up and walked straight out of the room for the first time in days. Hopefully to face the sister whom she once loved and the boy that she thought she would have a future with. Akane's steps were slow and placid but each step was filled with such weight that you could sense her walking below from the first floor. And who was the first person to welcome her back from her 'sleep' none other then Nabiki.
"Welcome back to the world of the living my dear little sister..." laughed Nabiki as she went to Akane's side. "Cut the small talk Nabiki I want to know where they are..." Akane's cold and stiff voice shocked even Nabiki but she loved it. "Relax my dear sister...they aren't far but you are not in any shape to face them. First you must to rest well and regain your strength then, only then my sister you shall have your revenge." as Nabiki's voice trailed off into a sharp laughter and she led Akane to the kitchen. "Ranma I swear on my own grave I shall make you pay for breaking my heart!" Akane whispered under her breathe all the while she walked. Her promise of revenge evaporated off into the still night air as the two sisters became united in their cause to hunt down and to deal with a certain Saotome Ranma.
- -
Kasumi's eyes gently opened and after catching a glimpse at the time on the clock by the side of the bed it showed 5.00am. Her normal time to start her day normally Kasumi could never shake off that habit of waking up so early of the morning. She glanced down where Ranma had slept and found that the spot was rather empty. Kasumi gently slid off the bed and walked out of the room looking around for Ranma.
She couldn't find him anywhere and was starting to get worried as the only place left she didn't look was in the bathroom. "Is anyone there?" she gently knocked as she slid the door open just a little. Hearing no response she carefully walked in, Kasumi was rather taken by the bathroom's beauty. Its walls were covered in sky-blue tiles and all the fittings were plated with silver which shone back the fluoresce lighting. In the middle was a large tub which could easily fit in four to five people. "That's a nice tub I wonder how it feels like..." thought Kasumi as she gently twirled the already filled tub water's with her fingers. "Maybe Ranma filled it for me...?" she thought again looking around the bathroom.
Kasumi's fingers were still trailing the warm waters edge when her fingers brushed along something. It felt smooth and soft...after clearing the soap suds and upon a closer look Kasumi noticed that it looked like an arm. The sight of it made Kasumi step back a little from shock and in doing so almost fell into the tub herself. Clearing more of the soap bubbles she suddenly paused and turned a bright rosy red. Kasumi quickly got up and quietly left the room. She had actually walked into Ranma taking an early soak in the luxurious tub and had fallen back asleep in it.
Kasumi's heart was pounding after seeing Ranma almost naked bare a few soap bubbles here and their. The sight made her breath heavy and her head light "Kasumi...calm yourself it's not as if you haven't seen Ranma shirtless...and..." she thought to herself. Her cheeks were red from replaying the image of Ranma's naked torso and his bare upper body.
She suddenly felt flush as if the room's temperature suddenly became a little too high for her liking. She was already trying to get her balance back but failed as she was now leaning on the bathroom door for support. "Calm down...calm down..." she kept telling herself. But as soon as Kasumi thought she had regained her composure she felt the door opening behind her and in a flash her whole body was sent falling down.
With her eyes closed she felt again the familiar warm touch around her and the same floating sensation she felt before. Kasumi was beginning to like this sensation more and more as it made her feel so serene. Fluttering her eyes open Kasumi found herself once again in the arms of Ranma who was now looking down at her with eyes so filled with concerned. Ranma had caught Kasumi half way from falling to the tiled floor while he had unknowing to him opened the door that Kasumi was leaning on. So with Kasumi gently cradled in his arms and looking up "Why were you leaning on the door?" he asked. Kasumi didn't answer him she was too lost looking up at the dripping wet face of Ranma looking down on her.
Ranma had that effect on her and so did every other girl he had ever come upon. Just with his deep gaze Ranma could send any girl into a silent trance. 't find you so I looked around for you..." Kasumi's half stammered reply made Ranma giggle inwardly. Helping her up Ranma gently lead Kasumi back into the bedroom and sat her down by the bed. "I'd get changed first" Ranma then left the room with a change of clothes in hand back into the bathroom. Kasumi fell to the side of the bed and giggled to herself while closing her eyes.
"Kasumi...Kasumi you're old enough to be his sister yet your acting as silly as a sixteen year old girl who just got her first kiss." Oblivious to Kasumi Ranma had walked back into room and was now standing by the side of the bed. He found Kasumi at that particular moment to be too cute to interrupt.
There on the bed with her eyes closed and half smiling and giggling to herself Ranma found Kasumi acting so out of character. She was acting like a small child but to him it was cute but also so charming. He placed his hands on hers "Kasumi are you okay?" he whispered.
Kasumi's eyes shot opened she sat up and blushed "Yes...Ranma I'm fine..." she replied him. "That's good...it's still too early to do anything, so I guess we have time to ourselves before getting breakfast." Kasumi nodded and patted the spot next to her to notion Ranma to sit next to her. He obliged and just as his body rested on the soft bed he felt a weight pressing him down downwards on the mattress. Kasumi had moved herself closer to her fiancée and was currently resting her head and shoulders down on him effectively pinning him down to the bed.
With her head turned to face him she smiled, that smile she was showing Ranma was almost one of divine mischief. "What do you want to talk about dear?" she playfully cooed to Ranma. Ranma's mind was drawing a blank he'd never seen Kasumi act so openly playful before.
On one hand it scared him somewhat on the other though it made him a little excited. "Eh...well...you know...stuff...like what to expect from this trip...your training...all that stuff...I think..." A warm finger interrupted him in mid- sentence "Ranma...can we just stay like this for a while...I miss having you near me..." was all Kasumi asked of Ranma, her soft voice barely audible but just loud enough for Ranma to hear. Her request made Ranma smile and he reflexively brought his arms over Kasumi's body and engulfed her in a hug that he didn't want to ever let go.
Reluctantly going down for some breakfast and then later they started to walk around the busy Shanghai streets looking for supplies and other necessities. At the moment the most important thing was to get Kasumi some proper camping/hiking clothes. Since she never had the need for anything like that all she had in terms of her wardrobe were full length dresses and a few pants that were hardly suitable for climbing up mountains or down valleys.
It didn't take them long before the two of them stumbled into a small side shop that sold hand-woven Native Mountain tribes clothing. A small grey haired old lady walked up to them and said her welcome and Ranma asked if she had anything in hiking clothes. The old lady simply smiled "You two are not from around here?" she asked the two. "Yes...we are just looking for something for my fiancée to wear while we are up hiking in the mountains." Ranma looked around and took notice of the other various items that were hung or staked around the rustic shop.
"Thanks you so much..." smiled Kasumi as she dragged a semi-dazed Ranma out with her of the small quaint shop. Ranma's current state was caused largely in due to Kasumi's so called modeling of the clothes that she had tried on. The hiking shorts and shirts were okay but the old lady shopkeeper had slipped something special to Kasumi while she had handed her some clothes. She said that it would for sure make Ranma treat her extra special when she wore it to bed.
That something special in question was an old Chinese styled camisole and Kasumi draped a semi-transparent purple silk scarf over her bare shoulders to save some modesty. And when she slid opened the dressing room curtains Kasumi swore she saw Ranma's eyes bulge out an extra inch or maybe more and never knew his mouth could gape that wide. Ranma couldn't believe his eyes there Kasumi stood in what was practically a semi-nude state. The camisole was made from red silk and smooth to the touch of her skin, it had a nicely embroidered peacock in the front and it left Kasumi's back pretty bare. So as Kasumi performed a few suggestive poses for Ranma he gulped so hard that he almost choked.
"Ranma we must go back there when we return to Shanghai..." laughed Kasumi. Ranma just uttered a few low moans as the image of Kasumi just a few minutes ago still stuck to him. Back in the hotel Ranma had spread out what they had bought and did an inventory check. They had enough clothing to last them a while so that was ticked off the list. Also checked off their list was the tent, the kerosene lamp, the map and compass set and lastly the small kitchen set. Once Ranma had nicely packed those items into the two separate bags the larger and heavier one of course was carried by Ranma while the smaller one would be carried by Kasumi.
"Looks like we're as ready as we're ever going to be anyway where did you go Kasu...aggggghhhhh...." Ranma had actually went looking for Kasumi to tell her that he had packed all their stuff but when he found her he had walked in on Kasumi in a moment that he wasn't ready to see yet. Kasumi was in the middle of changing out from the dress and into a grey colored hiking shirt and matching pair of shorts. The shirt was opened right down the middle and Kasumi was in the process of bringing up the shorts. "SORRY...Kasumi!!!" Ranma shouted as he turned around from the bathroom door. Ranma's whole face was burning up and his ears were also sporting the same color.
"We're all packed?" Kasumi asked blinking in surprised as what could have caused Ranma to act the way he did. "Err...ya...we can...check out...and be on...our way..." stuttered Ranma as he walked out of the bathroom. Ranma swore that if he walks in like on her again he might just have to take a very cold shower regardless if he hated changing into Ranma-chan.
So as the two walked to the reception desk with their bags slung behind their backs and having surrendered their room keys so their journey to the mountains and Kasumi's training officially began. Meanwhile back in Nerima a small fax began to appear out of Nabiki's fax machine and as she tore the paper out and read it she began to laugh out loud. The paper was one of her contacts reporting that Ranma and Kasumi were last seen walking out from a Shanghai hotel.
The End
How did I do? Should I be pelted with rotten tomatoes and cabbages or pick up the lone rose from my feet? Please Read and Review...the next chapter will hopefully not take that long...if you so wish to read it that is...
Cha...
H.A