A Taste of True Love
I'm back early from my trip! It was so fun! I would tell you all everything but I don't think you'd actually want to hear it... I got a big cake, it wasn't seven layered but it was great! (big smile) Hehehehe, I really want to thank you all for wishing me a happy b-day and reviewing. I totally appreciate it. Thank you! Thank you! I was joyfull when I checked and see that I had gotten reviews from you. I have to admit, I do love getting reviews as much as I like to review myself. And of course I also want any flames anyone would like to give. I think the advice will help me along the way. I'm actually more of a "sweet" person, you know, but any comments from anyone, I will take with a wide smile. Anyways, on with the story! Enjoy!
Sea-chan
Disclaimer: I don't own them but I sure can write about them!
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Chapter 11
Akane's eyes cracked open to see a the sun shining brightly above her. She grimanced at the sudden pain in her arms the second she tried to get up. She noticed that her shoulder was bandaged as well as her leg.
"Hey, you're finally up," Ranma said. He walked across from a log he was sitting down on and leaned down. He was chewing on some fish. "You slept through the whole night ... hmmm...and it's past afternoon... Normal people would be knocked out for at least a week after that sort of injuries so I guess that isn't that bad actually. Here." He handed her a small fish on a stick. Ranma words were instantly forgotten at the sight of food. Akane accepted it without hesitation and instantly bit a large chunk off.
"Whoa, hold on there," Ranma grabbed the fish away and pulled the half stuck chunk of meat away from Akane's mouth. He tore off a piece and pulled the small bones out. After inspecting it, he handed it to her.
"What do you think you're doing?" Akane asked him, looking at the fish meat in front of her.
"Fishes have bones you know," he answered simply. "Open wide." Akane opened her mouth and Ranma dropped the food in. Akane chewed it quickly.
"You know," Akane swallowed. "You're one of the strangest guys I've ever met."
"Why is that?" Ranma asked as he dropped another chunk of fish in her mouth.
"Why? Isn't it ouvious? I had you capture, was going to have you killed, held your sister captive, then you're tending to me now. That is strange, is it not?"
"I'm not tending to you!" he denied. A slight blush crossed Ranma's face but Akane failed to notice it. He handed Akane what was left of the fish. "Take out the bones yourself."
Akane looked at Ranma curiously and took the fish stick. Her injured shoulder denied her the access to her arm and so she just held the fish, looking at it and then at Ranma.
He signed and grabbed the fish back.
"I helped you so that you could help me free Ukyo," he stated.
"Of course, that's why," Akane said.
"Actually... I'm sure I can rescue her myself," Ranma said confidently.
"Hm? Oh, sure you can."
"If it had just been me, no you or your sidekicks, I think I would of freed them."
Akane snickered.
"You are so full of yourself."
"If you didn't follow us here, none of this would of happened," Ranma told her.
"If you didn't escape, I wouldn't have had to follow you here," Akane countered.
"Yeah, so who was the smart person who decided to capture us for a little 'disrespect'?" Ranma said the word chunk by chunk.
"Salt beat Ukyo fair and square, she had no right to take back the cabbage!" Akane slowly pushed herself up, ignoring the throbbing pain.
"Cabbage! Ugh! This started all because of a damn veggie?"
"If it was such a hassle, you should of pulled your obnoxious sister out!"
"Ukyo is not obnoxious! Those -uh- twins sure are though!"
"What did they do to you!"
Ranma and Akane face were inches apart. Their eyes contacted and they pulled apart.
'Why am I getting so worked up?" Akane asked herself. She took a deep breath. 'Control your anger.'
Ranma stuck out the fish stick to Akane.
"Here, no more bones."
Akane took the fish with her able arm.
"...Thanks," she said. "For the fish and," she indicated to her bandages, " this."
Ranma glanced at her, a small smile rising to his face.
Akane's head turned suddenly at the voices she heard. She turned to look at Ranma. He noticed the noise too.
"We should go," Ranma said. "I don't want any unwelcomed guests right now."
"Yeah," Akane said in agreement.
Ranma held out a hand and Akane grabbed it, pulling herself up. Akane grabbed Ranma's shoulder for support but let go immediately.
"I can walk myself," she said. Akane limped forward, trying to steady herself as she went.
"If you want, I can carry you," Ranma volunteered.
"I'll walk myself," Akane insisted.
Ranma shrugged his shoulders.
Ranma walked ahead while Akane slowly limped behind with the spear Ranma had picked as a cane. The two had almost crossed through the forest when a man jumped out to block their path.
"What do you want?" Ranma demanded.
Ranma didn't recieve an answer for several more men jumped out from the trees and bushes. They circled the two.
"What do you want?" he repeated.
"Give us all your valuables," a guy said.
"Whatever we have is ours," Akane stated. "Get lost."
The men snarled at them and closed in tightly.
"Akane, give me the spear," Ranma told her.
"I won't be able to stand-" Akane was cut off as Ranma pluck the spear out of her hand and picked her up. Ranma swung the spear across the men in front of him with his spare hand. They fell to the floor and Ranma quickly jumped across them with Akane in his arms. Ranma ran quickly and ignored Akane's attempts to make him let her down.
He was surprised when he stepped into a pile of leaves and a net wrapped around the two. The net was attached to a rope that instantly pulled Ranma and Akane up into the air.
"Damn, a trap," Ranma tried to tear the net but the material was too strong. He looked down and saw the group of men that had been chasing them. They picked up the spear that Ranma had dropped and looked around.
"Let's go," Ranma heard one of them say. The group took a final look around and walked away.
Ranma signed in relief.
"At least that's over," he said. "But now we're stuck in here." Ranma shifted his glance from the ground and noticed that Akane was glaring at him angrily. He noticed that their position was quite akward. Akane remained in Ranma's arms as they were pulled up by the rope. The net made the two struched up against each other in the little space they had.
"This is your fault," she blamed, trying to distant herself from Ranma.
"I was trying to save us," Ranma agrued. "I couldn't fight off that many people and still protect you."
"Protect?" Akane glared at him. "I could of fought them off."
"You couldn't even stand by yourself with that leg of yours," Ranma grunted. At the mention of her leg, Akane remembered she was wounded and the pain on her leg and shoulder rushed at her.
Akane bit her lip and held her shoulder, the wound had reopened.
"You bring nothing but trouble," Akane said through her clenched teeth.
Ranma reached behind him and pulled his pigtail to the front. He pulled off the red ribbon at the end of his hair. His pigatil broke apart and his hair tumbled in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Akane asked, him moving some of his long hair from her face.
Ranma took the long ribbon and wrapped it tightly around Akane's shoulder. Akane grimanced, trying to hold in the pain. It took longer than usual with the cramped space they were trapped in. Ranma gave the ribbon a final knot.
"There, that will at least hold the blood in for a while," he said.
Akane looked at her shoulder and then back at him.
"I don't usually thank a person twice in a day, but..." Akane glanced at him. "Thanks."
"No prob," Ranma said, pulling his hair behind him. "I wouldn't want you dying on me now."
Akane chuckled.
"You're not such a bad guy," Akane told him.
"Of cousre not."
"I just realized, you and your sister are about the same age," Akane looked thoughtful. "Are you twins?"
"No... we're not twins. Actually, we're not even blood related," Ranma confessed.
"Huh?"
"Ukyo's family adopted me when I was fourteen."
"Oh... what happened to your parents?" Akane asked.
"They... uh ...-"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Ranma smiled at her. "I was adopted too, you know?"
Ranma looked at Akane surprised.
"My father found me when I was just five," Akane faked a laugh. "Can you believe it, my parents had abandoned me."
"They left you..."
"Yeah, those bastards, they left me to die. Papa taught me to who I am today. I'll never regret getting the chance to be his daughter." Akane looked up at Ranma.
"He must be proud," he said.
"I hope he is," Akane glanced up at the darkening sky. "I hope he is."
"Your old man seems like a good guy," Ranma told her.
"He was a great guy... But papa was captured by those bloody Saotomes, probably tortured to death by them."
"What? They captured your pop?"
"When I find Genma Saotome, he's going to get what's coming to him," Akane vowed.
Ranma's shoulders dropped he rubbed his head.
'Stupid old man, what have you done?'
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"Are you sure that it was him?" said a man.
"I'm positive," Mousse said. His stomach and shoulder were wrapped thickly with bandages. Blotches of dried blood were stained onto his clothing. "He fooled at first me with a pathetic disguise at first, but after he returned from your ship, his disguise was off. I could tell by his style of fighting. I'm sure it was him, indeed."
The man placed his hand under his chin and pondered at the thought.
"Strange, what would he be doing on Kastera?"
"Genma, he was aiding the Tendos," Mousse added.
The man, Genma stood up abrutly.
"What!" The older man paced in front of the large chair he had sat in seconds before. The top of his head was bald while half way down, long white hair fell upon his shoulder. His wore a black robe with a high collar that reaced right below his chin. Thick white trimmings were seen on the robe along with a curved sword embriodered on the right of his chest. Another robe was worn inside but this one a dark blue that was tied at his hip. A comfortable white boot made from the finest of leather was on his feet.
"That boy is dead meat," Genma said, his hand forming a tight fist. "He dares to refuse to be in my crew but joins theirs!"
Genma snarled angrily and turned towards Mousse.
"Prepare the ship, we're going back to Kastera!"
Mousse bowed deeply and walked away to fulfill the demand.
Genma punched the air furiously.
"I taught you everything you know and now you're going to use it against me? That's not happening," Genma declared. He smirked evilly. "I'll see you soon, my son."
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Sea-chan's note: Did I say that Ryoga and Viveal were going to appear? Sorry, but they didn't really fit into this chapter, no worries though, they'll appear soon enough. I didn't want to make Akane and Ranma fall in love too soon so they'll be slowly making their way there... Am I going too slow though?...I wonder... In alot fanfics I've read so far, the two are already in love or they'll fall in love quickly, which I don't mind at all, it's real sweet when they actually show their feelings for each other...hm... I love to update and see what you all have to say about my story but sadly, I won't be able to update for another while. My birthday trip actually isn't really over. My birthday is two days from now. I'm going camping with my family and my relatives. My brother-in-law bought me a ice cream cake with a picture of Hello Kitty on it. I love Hello Kitty. My best friend got me this really cute swimming suit. I got to open it early so that I could use it on our trip. Hehehe, sorry I guess I got carried away. It's nice to hear that you like my story. A big thanks to all who read my story and a huge one for those who took their time to review, what would I do without you all. (blows a big kiss) I'll update as soon as I get back.
