Disclaimer: Nope, still do not own the rights to Ranma 1/2 or Yu Yu Hakusho. Sigh. Least I've got something to dream about, desu ne?
Starling: You are far too strange sometimes, you know that?
Niana: Oh, be quiet.
Chapter four: Chaos Cards
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"Well," Rei says softly into the utter stillness left by the revelation, "that explains a lot. No wonder everything that happens to you seems to be random. It pretty much is, what with Chaos choosing you as an avatar."
"What does that mean?" Ranma can't stop staring at the card.
"In two words?" A nod. "You're screwed. Totally, utterly screwed. About the only condolence I can offer is that you're not the only Chaos Card on this world." Ranma glances up at her sharply and she nods. "Yes. There are two others, and I've read both their fortunes. Each came up with the Chaos Card, like you. You've actually got the lightest touch of Chaos on you, Ranma. The other two were much worse."
"I'm not even going to ask," Ranma mutters under his breath. "I've got it bad enough. Hate to see what they've gotta deal with."
"A whole lot more crap than you," is Rei's firm reply. She slides the card back into her deck and looks around at the people standing around her. "Anyone else want their fortune--" the end-of-lunch bell rings, and everyone realizes this has taken a lot more time than anyone has thought. "Hm, maybe tomorrow." With varying sounds of disappointment, the gathering disperses.
During a break Ranma heads up to the roof, in need of quiet to think about the revelation that had hit him like a punch to the stomach. As he opens the door of the roof exit he hears a soft humming. Rei is already perched on the fence that is supposed to keep students from jumping, sparkling threads spinning themselves from air around her dancing hands as she sits and hums.
She glances up at him and smiles as he seats himself a distance away, just watching. The threads, none of which are the same color anywhere along their lengths, continue to move until they weave themselves into a beautiful tapestry that doesn't seem to be a picture of anything and is larger than Ranma's entire body. With a final gesture from Rei the new weaving disappears into thin air, the same place that girls get their weapons, Ranma suspects. He has yet to figure out how they do that, although Doctor Tofu seems to have caught on to the technique.
"Feeling lost, Ranma?" Rei asks quietly, still seated on the fence. Ranma nods and stretches out on the warm cement, tucking his hands behind his head.
"Little bit. It's like everything's suddenly comin' together a bit too fast."
"If it makes you feel any better, I do understand how that feels." Ranma glances up at her; the red-haired girl is staring up into the sky, wind blowing her hair over her shoulder.
She really is beautiful, Ranma thinks to himself indifferently. Whether or not he'd admit it out loud, Akane really is the only girl he's interested in. He just keeps screwing up because the only person he's spent much time around is his father, and God only knows that man isn't someone you'd want to talk about women with. He'd have to see if Tofu could give him some advice.
"So where'd you learn that thing with the threads?" he asks, changing the subject. Rei smiles, still looking upwards.
"From my grandmother, before she died last year. She was one of the best weavers you'd ever meet, and she taught me a lot. Cologne kind of reminds me her, actually. Just without the obsession of getting you to marry me." A laugh before Rei hops off the fence and brushes her hair back. "Come on, break's just about over."
Ranma rises to his feet and follows after, holding the door open for her before going through himself. For some reason, his head really is much quieter than it was a few minutes ago. He doesn't notice the sparkling thread Rei is running through her fingers.
***
Akane glances over at her friend that afternoon during P.E. It isn't noticed among all the outright stares from the boys, which Rei isn't paying a damn bit of attention to, busy applying suntan lotion to her arms. Today they'd be doing swimming exercises, and both she and Akane are wearing two-piece suits that are modest and yet still draw more attention than some of the skimpier suits.
"Ready for a swim?" Rei asks Akane as she ties her hair back. Akane looks down at the ground as one of the other girls informs Rei that Akane can't swim. "Really?"
"Uh-huh," Akane sighs. Rei grins.
"Then I'm just gonna hafta teach you!" Rei informs her, walking towards the pool. Akane is surprised to see a small tattoo in the shape of a spider inked on the eccentric martial-artist's shoulder. About five minutes later everyone is in the pool, Akane with Rei in the shallow end. Akane is shocked: with Rei bearing the Curse of the Fox, she shouldn't be able to be in the pool at all!
"How come--?" Akane points at Rei and the girl grins, holding up her wrist. A silver thread is wrapped around itself to form an elegant bracelet.
"I came up with this a few days ago. I'm not sure if it'd work on anyone else who has a Jusenkyo curse, though, so keep it under wraps until I test it some more." A wink. "Now, let's get started. I'm betting it's all that muscle that makes you sink so badly. It took me a while before I found a way around it, too."
"What's that?" Akane felt hope.
"It's a use of ki. Essentially, you use it to make your body lighter, or to shove yourself upwards when it wants to sink. A friend of mine is a ki-master and has developed the technique enough to actually fly, believe it or not, and he's taught it to his friends. Wanna try?"
"Umm…" Akane is reluctant. So many people have tried to teach her to swim, that she's kinda given up on the whole idea.
"Come on, Akane, what have you got to lose? You're in the shallow end so you can't exactly drown," Rei cajoles. Akane finally nods, and Rei gives her a hug. "Okay, then! First things first; tune everyone but me out. Just concentrate on you and the water and a little on me."
Everything fades around Akane as she closes her eyes and does as she's told, leaving only the weight of the water on her skin and the way it reacts with her ki. "Okay," a quiet voice says from off to her left. "Now just lie back in the water and let your ki take your weight away."
Joy floods Akane as her feet leave the bottom of the pool and the water doesn't close over her head. The exultation messes with her concentration, though, and suddenly she sinks like a rock. A firm hand hauls her back to the surface and knocks water from her lungs with a few good thwacks, while applause from all around makes Akane blink. The class is clapping and cheering, Rei grinning at her; it is her hand that is wrapped around Akane's wrist.
"And so the first step to getting rid of your 'hammer' reputation is taken," is the merry comment from her friend. "Ready to give it another go?" A broad smile grows on Akane's face.
***
Asleep on the roof, Ranma is awoken by the sounds of bricks breaking in the yard below. A quick peek shows that his suspicion is correct: Akane is wearing a gi and is breaking stacks of bricks with her bare hands. Normal behavior for Akane, who uses the exercise to work out frustration. But today is different. Ranma looks closer and gapes.
Instead of the normal dark expression he would expect on Akane during this exercise, his fiancée is actually wearing a broad smile, as if nothing can ruin her mood. He opens his mouth to call down to her, but Nabiki beats him to it.
"Hey, Akane!" the middle Tendo sister calls from her window, "Why the smile?"
"You'll never guess, Nabiki!" Akane shouts back, nearly running to stand under the window. "I swam today! Really swam!"
"No way." Nabiki is doubtful--frankly, so's Ranma--but Akane nods excitedly and nearly bounces in place.
"Rei's teaching me to use my ki to keep me from sinking! I did three laps! Three!" Still smiling, Akane bounces back to her bricks and Ranma lies back on the roof, wondering why this strange girl has suddenly appeared now and has started putting their insane lives in order.
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Meh, no real comment. Please read and review. No flames, Starling'll just chew 'em up and they'll be reduced to what they really are. Fertilizer.