Disclaimer: The concept of Ranma 1/2 and Naruto belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and Masashi Kishimoto. This is a product of pure amusement values, with no profits made.
"Umino-san."
Ranma looked up at the mention of his name, and smiled at his visitor. "Hyuuga-san. Please, sit down."
He fussed around her until she was comfortable, before taking his seat next to her, the slim stack of homework pushed aside on the desk. "What brings you here, Hyuuga-san?"
"Hizashi." The name was uttered with a mixture of tolerated irritation and amusement. "I believe he wished to show Neji the Academy before enrolling him."
A quirked brow. "Isn't Neji still in diapers?"
She gave him a wry smile. "Fatherhood excites Hizashi much."
"Ah."
Silence.
"I am glad, Umino-san, very glad for his companionship." Slim hands curled around her mid-section as she continued, her gaze drifting out the window. "Hyuuga-sama is displeased with us… as always."
Ranma frowned. "You play a dangerous game."
"Of course, Umino-san." She bared her teeth in a strange smile. "But let us speak this matter no more."
"As you wish, Hyuuga-san." He sighed, and rubbed his eyes in resignation. "So… umm… Have you decided on a name yet?"
"The heirs of the Main Branch are named after the patriarch of the clan, Umino-san." Pale eyes softened in humor, she grinned. "Or in this case, the matriarch."
"Oh." Ranma replied, brushing his hand atop her swollen belly. "Hinata, then?"
"Yes." Hinata smiled at him, resting her hand over his. "Hinata."
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Fire cackled along his skin, tingling every nerve within his body into soundless resonance. He ignored the sensation and grabbed the discarded jacket.
"Do not." Slim hands grabbed him, and his vision was suddenly filled with misting brown eyes. "Please do not go. Whatever happens, the Yon…"
"I have to." Ranma muttered softly, hands grasping the flack jacket tightly before slipping it on loosely.
The distant roar of Chakra grew closer to his senses, and he grimaced as the flicker sensation of heat and flames brushed against him, eliciting a faint stirring of reptilian coils and sibilant hiss within him. "I will not stand idle while the abomination threaten the village. Trust me, I'm not an ex-ANBU for nothing."
Fearful brown eyes pulled him from his inner musings. "But…"
But you may die from the exertion.
"Please." She begged instead, her delicate hands grasping desperately on his arm, tears rolling down her cheek. "I cannot lose you, Husband, nor our children."
"I know, beloved." Ranma wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, stroking her raven dark hair soothing as he murmured agreeably with her. His body was warm against hers, and he closed his eyes, listening to the three rhythmic thumping of hearts.
"But the village is in danger! Shhh!" Ranma placed his finger against her lips, silencing her protest, opening those sad, expressive blue eyes that had drawn her to him like a moth to flame upon first sight, staring intently into her tear-blurred ones.
He lowered his voice to a soft whisper, "It's my duty to protect, as a…"
Akane gave him a sweet smile… and faded from his sight.
Final resignation. And such a beautiful, wistful smile that took her breath away. "As a ninja of the Leaf, Beloved."
Her mouth opened in a surprised gasp, before she too, began to smile through the tears, "As a ninja of the Leaf, Husband." Brown eyes hardening in determination as she stepped back, tying her hair into a ponytail.
"I'm coming with you."
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The battle was intense, the demon fox's Chakra engulfing the very air, choking his every breath. His body ached with his every movement, his heart thumping loudly against his ribcage, the rush of adrenaline causing tiny tremors along his shaking limbs. Ranma felt exhilarated, and alive.
I missed this. He admitted to himself, bounding off the treetop into a forced skid as the force of the Kyuubi's attack pushed him back. The heat of the battle, to pit himself against an opponent immensely over-powering, pushing his body to its limit to stay alive, it was a thrill that he had not allowed himself to sensate in a long time.
The stench of blood reached him, and Ranma was suddenly, painfully reminded of his purpose. The village…
"…to lose yourself so completely in a dream that can be easily shattered… I couldn't understand it…"
Shaking himself out of his musing, he speed forwards the demon, nimbly dodge the lightning-lashes of its Chakra. The hiss of serpents sang to his ears, their inky shadows slithered beneath his skin, crawling their way over his body. His nose itched with the forgotten scent of pine and moss, and Ranma smiled despite himself.
Just like old times, eh, Umino? He laughed internally, recalling words of the past. The cackling wind blowing past his face, ruffling his bangs as he completely another circle, slowly, but surely, winding closer to the gigantic fox.
Just like old times…I miss my pigtail. Feeling the jagged edges of his hair digging into the back of his neck, he thought with some regret, remembering the days where the braid would have been whipping behind him, flying with the wind.
"Next time we meet, I'll kill you."
Where is… Ranma took a quick glance around himself, wincing at the carnage, death surrounded him, it was everywhere within the forest, and the moon shone a beautiful silver, in a growing pool of blood.
"Kaasan!!!"
Ranma's attention was pulled away from his surroundings, his head snapping towards the direction of the scream. Iruka… wha…? Oh NO! Realization hit him, and he looked back, and there she stood, fearless, proud, and beautiful, despite the weariness she must felt in her pregnancy.
"No!"
He broke out of the half-formed spiral, pushing his body to the limit as he sprint towards her, thirty feet, twenty, fifteen, just a few more steps, he leaped forward into the air, a half-strangled name tearing out of his throat, dry with fear.
A push, and chocolate eyes, widening in shock, gazing into his own.
Anger, frustration, tenderness, relief, and love flashed pass those azure orbs for an eternal instant as he tried to convert what he had felt into words.
Jaws closed around him, bones snapping with a loud crunch as he was jerked into the air.
I love you…
A moment of excruciating pain, and then… darkness.
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TIMELINE – Year Twenty, early October.
The End… for Of Dreams and Memories. It's been a nifty ride, and I'm happy to finally end this, with lethargy in writing and all. I know you've got lots of questions, but hey, I'm just history-girl, what happened before, what happened after, well, why don't you…
Look for the stunning sequel from authoress Evil Kasumi (Lizmun): Whispers of the Sea.
And she can be motivated if you threaten her with bodily harm, preferably with a hot poker, or something of the prodding variety. Oh yeah... last note, Of Dreams and Memories serves as a semi-prologue to Evil Kasumi (Lizmun)'s Naruto fanfic, 'Midnight Confessions' (StoryID:1808098).