Chapter Five ----------------

"May I ask..." Akane hesitated halfway but continued when Ranma raised his eyebrows curiously, "...why...why did you kidnap me?"

Ranma walked on; the question did not affect his pace. "You've got something my father wants."

"So I was kidnapped only because your father ordered you to?" she asked. "Me being taken hostage by you has nothing to do with YOU?" her sudden raised voice alarmed herself. Where did that come from?

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

Akane felt like strangling him. He was doing his father's dirty work but he didn't even protest. As if he'd read her mind, he voiced out, "Isn't that just like hiring an assassin to kill somebody for you?"

"But- you're his son! His only son- " she realised she had not confirmed this statement as a fact yet, "his only son...right?"

Ranma nodded. The room came into view; light emitted from it, making it the only bright thing in the eerie darkness. Akane obediently went in and sat on the chair. Ranma was about to leave and she felt the sense of boredom start to cloud her heart when he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

"The thing my father wants is on you. Well, half of it," he said softly.

Ranma didn't approve of his father's craving for the object which gave eternal life and the crap. Becoming immortal was simply useless.

Akane cringed at the thought that something so desirable to others was on her. "Where's the other half?" she whispered, not daring to hear the answer.

"With your father."

He turned and left, closing the door behind him.

And that was when she realised that he had not paralysed her or anything...Akane was free to escape but she felt something hold her back.

"I now pronounce you both man and wife," the white robed priest blessed the couple who were standing before him.

Akane felt sick of hearing those words a second time. It was as if she'd married, been rejected by her 'lover', divorced, and married again. She would have reached out and slapped the old man (old man IS a little harsh) if she had not restrained herself.

"I...do we have to kiss now?" Akane asked warily. It seemed that there were so many questions bombarding her head, but so few were answered. It was an annoying feeling, not knowing anything.

The priest nodded encouragingly. Did he actually assume that she and Ranma were in love?

Ranma lifted her chin with his hands and she could feel the rough skin chafted below her chin. He was tender...and she felt all her anger and question and negative thoughts slide away from her mind and she closed her brown eyes, not wanting to be drawn into those lulling eyes of his. She wanted to be herself when she kissed him...to know what a kiss felt like.

A girl's first kiss should be wonderful and if hers wasn't beautiful, she knew she'd hate everything for no reason forever.

She felt his breath skimming over her lips and shivered; Akane had never been so close to the opposite sex before (except when she hugged her father goodnight when she was younger). Then the moment arrived when his lips touched hers and she felt as if she was drowning in the heat and could never be retrieved to safety. His tongue ran over hers and she gasped deeply. Her heart was melting and it was a thrilling sensation.

When they parted, Akane felt truly blessed for words could hardly describe her first kiss...it was...all she wanted it to be....it was perfect.

Ranma was polishing his boots in the courtyard when Akane approached him cautiously. He lifted his head and shrugged casually. "What?"

"Am I interrupting your...daily activity?" she asked politely. Wasn't that what wives did when speaking to husbands? After all, she shouldn't be so rude and besides, he had saved her before. She really needed anger management, it would make everybody's lives better and her blood pressure wouldn' t accelerate. Killing two birds with one stone. Akane grinned.

Ranma shook his head, his eyes demanded a reason for her approach.

"I just wanted to know what it was your father wanted....maybe I could get the other half and then everybody would live happily ever after...no more fighting and all," she said. There were two lions at the entrance of the courtyard said to protect the place from evil spirits. Akane chose the moment to stare at the two stone figurines with a jade necklace on their neck.

Ranma swiped something off her chest so fast that she didn't have time to react. It was her pendant...the one her father had given to her when she was but five.

What was so interesting that it was put inside a pendant? Akane sat down on the boulder beside Ranma and crossed her legs.

Ranma predicted at first sight, "Your father gave this to you." He pushed a tiny button on the side of the pendant and it opened up a secret compartment, revealing the pendant's sacred treasure.

It was a... "A diamond?" her jaw dropped. "But...my father said that my mum had left this behind for me...what would that be doing inside?"

"Of course it was left behind by your mother...your father just decided to expand the uses of this pendant a little further," he smirked.

"But- a diamond?" she gaped incredulously. Ranma deadpanned, "No, it's an alien spacecraft from Mars."

"Be serious, Ranma," she cuffed him. Anger management. Anger management. Do not go further than slapping his head, she warned herself mentally.

"I'm serious. It's not a diamond. This is only shaped like a diamond," his voice lowered and suddenly, the atmosphere turned icy and cold, "As you can see, the bottom is flat," he cut her off from her noisy questions. "That is because the other half is with your father. When joined together. A power unimaginable will be unleashed...That power is something my father wants. This 'diamond' can make one immortal, grant one with boundless power and also obey one- one only- command."

"So...why does your father want it?"

"He wants all three, duh."

She was getting fed up. "I meant, is there a specific reason out of the three why he desires this...'gem'."

"I think it's because he wants to become an immortal. If you're an immortal, you can't die no matter how powerful your opponents are," he paused for a moment and looked at the ground. "Then you can also use your immortality to get money to become rich-"

"Is that possible? How?" her voice was breathless with excitement.

"Don't tell me you want the diamond, too?" "I just can't believe that there's such a thing around...isn't it dangerous?"

"It is....back to the issue, my father could start a gang or something and go around threatening people to give him money...or whatever he wants....isn't this the same as getting your wish granted?"

Akane nodded in agreement. "I guess so but there is one thing he may never have."

"Really? I thought money made the world go round...what would Pop be missing on?"

Akane raised a finger. "Hap-pi-ness."

Happiness...

Thank you to all those who reviewed!

Uzziel

Prizz

Happie

Sieg1308

Key

Hououza: Really? Hope I don't disappoint anybody. .)

Koala Kitty: He's just better than her in martial arts only. Note the 'only'.

Don't eat yellow snow: Yes, he does, he does. But I don't think he'll admit it very soon.

Lady Mokodane: Questions, questions! Well, here are the answrs .. Uh-huh, Ranma's better. I don't think Akane will use it against them. Besides, if they do challenge her, it might be only martial arts, not a mix. Might.

And...you really can read my mind...or do we both think the same (great minds think alike)? First Signs...yup, of love. :P

Anthraxus the Decayed: Apparently, not yet. But I might, sooner or later. :D