A Taste of True Love

Another great big thanks to all who had reviewed my last chapter. Sorry about my spelling, grammer, writing, etc., etc., but English is not my first language. I'm actually asian. I guess it's kind of sad considering I'm gonna be graduating soon, huh? My notebook does not have spell check so I also can't check my spelling. I'll go back and correct my mistakes though, k? (smile) I'm not trying to come up with excuses, but I'm still in the process of learning to better my English.

Now it's time for my special special special thank yous to all of my special special special reviewers:

Princess Kohana: A big big big thank you to you! You have reviewed everyone of my chapters so far and am I glad I have to as a reviewer! You're so so sweet and I love reading your reviews. I hope you continue to read my syory til the end though it may take a while now since summer is over. xoxo

AmnarJoey: Of course I appreciate all of your comments. Another apology for my poor writing skills. I would try to make my chapters longer but that would take me longer to update and I do love to update. I have a bought a keyboard typing system that may help me type faster. Longer chapters just may be coming up. A very big thanks to you!

ranmaakane: I'm glad you like this couple because they are my absolute fave! More scenes of them together will absolutely be coming up! Thank you for reviewing!

yukasa: You're so cute! Thank you for going back to wish me a happy b-day. I thought that was just so... cute! A big thanks to your advice!

Gangsta Spanksta: I would answer your questions but I was a little confused. Do you like Nodoka? Personally, I think she's quite a hassle, especially for Ranma. I could add her though... Thank you thank you thank you for reviewiing.

shinichi: I have to agree with you there. I like stories where they don't fall in love too soon. Some it's really quite good, but a few are dissapointing. A big THANKS to you!

silverfireblissgirl: Thank you for reviewing. Hehehehehe, you're quite funny. As I said, Mousse's current position will be revealed and Genma is the bad guy. It's nice to know someone agrees with me that Akane looks better than Ranma's girl form.

nefandus: I really look forward to reading your reviews. You're a junior, huh? You must be quite smart if you have homework during the summer. I do feel for you. My sister has homework also and she's finishing it up at the last moment, right now! Hehehe, I'm sorry that my updates have been slow. I do appreciate your reviews. A GREAT thank thank thank YOU to you!

CharmedPoet: You're charming for sure! Loved your sweet but short poem. It made me happy to read it! Many xoxo for reviewing!

Thank you for all reviewing my story up this far. I enjoy reading all of your reviews. (sign) If only more people like you reviewed... Not trying to bore you out now, so on with the story!

Sea-chan

Disclaimer: I don't own them but I sure can write about them!

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Chapter 13

"Not a chance!"

"I'm not asking you to jump off a cliff or anything," Dice told him again. "The most is a few days."

Ranma paced around the blue painted room pondering on the request. He had just woken up from a sleepless night and Dice had came knocking on the door. He was trying to convince Ranma to train Akane and Ranma was roughly putting his feet down in objection.

"Why did she even agree to do this!" Ranma asked, his hands in the air.

"Actually, heh, I sorta forced her to agree," Dice confessed.

"But she can take care of herself already," Ranma tried saying.

"That's besides the point. If you help her, we'll have a better chance of going up against the Saotomes when we face them again. You've heard of their cruelness and barbaric-like behavoirs, it'll actually make these seas safer if we're able to rid of them."

"I just-"

"Ranma, I was told that you actually had the pleasure of meeting these... pirates. They kidnapped Kin and your sister and what for? Bait!"

"Fine!" Ranma took a big whiff of air and let it go loudly. "I'll train the girl, but if she even-"

"Yes, yes," Dice waved his hand knowingly in front of him. "Training will start this afternoon." With that, Dice left the room, the door slamming after his leave.

'Great, just great,' Ranma thought. 'Why do I always have to be the one who gets into these sort of things?'

He took his two red belts from a hook on the wall and put them crossing over each other over his white tee. Ranma slipped in his boots and looked at himself in the small mirror above a small desk near the small twin bed.

Ranma looked at his hair and noticed that it was still in the braid that Akane had attempted to do. Though it had gotten even worse thoughout the night, the white ribbon at the end had held on. Ranma grabbed the small piece of fabric, his hair falling apart, and unknotted the bow. He held the ribbon up, looking at it though the mirror. Memories of the short time they spent together flushed back. A pink hue appeared on Ranma's cheeks.

'Maybe training with Akane won't be so bad afterall.'

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Akane kicked the stick below her feet and watched it fling off into a nearby bush. She signed angrily.

'If he doesn't come in the next minute, I'm leaving!' Akane concluded. She looked up and was blinded by the brightly shining sun above. Akane placed the side of her hand on her forehead and checked around.

"Well, that's a minute," Akane said. "Means that I could head back now." She was just about to walk over a bush when a hand grabbed her shoulder. Akane wasted no time to swing her arm at the offender.

"Hey, hey! It's me!"

Akane relaxed when she saw who it was.

"What are you doing here, Pepper?" Akane asked.

The red-dressed boy held up a basket.

"Snakes," he said. "They're for dinner."

"Ugh, " Akane made a face. "I hate snakes."

Pepper laughed at her and placed the basket down, covering it with a lid he held on his other hand.

"Ranma's not here yet," Pepper noticed.

"Yeah, and I was just about to ditch him," Akane told Pepper.

"I don't see why you have to train with him when you still so injured," Pepper said, looking at Akane's still bandaged arm and leg.

"I could do anything right now," Akane said stubbornly. "Besides," she lifted her arm up,"I'm as good as healed-AH!" Akane jumped back at the sudden pain and lost her footing, landing herself on the ground. Something had poked the back of her injured shoulder.

"I wouldn't be calling that healed," a familair voice said.

Akane looked up and dread filled her at the sight of Ranma.

"Happy day," Akane said sarcastically. "The egotistic man is here."

Ranma grunted.

"I didn't recall having to want to spend my day with you either," Ranma said.

Pepper looked at the two and decided it would be a good idea to leave. He picked up his basket of snakes and quietly shunked into the forest without the agruing couple noticing.

Akane rolled her eyes and pushed herself up with one hand. She steadied herself on her feet.

"Yeah, as if," Akane dusted some dirt off her. "Why don't you just go back into the forest and I'll pretend you didn't bother to show. That way, we'll both be happy."

"No way," Ranma told her. "Dice told me to train you and that's what I'm gonna do."

Akane's grin dropped from her face.

"What's the use? I mean, what can I learn from you and I already do not know?"

Ranma's lips formed a smile and he moved his hands around in a slow kata.

"Grace," Ranma's hands moved into the air with his legs below following in a beautiful motion. "Speed," Ranma's kata quickly changed and his hands and legs flashed before Akane's eyes. One without skills would not be able to even see Ranma's fast moving limbs. "And strength," Ranma took a step forward and and stomped his foot on the trunk of a large tree. Removing his foot, Akane saw the print of his foot left on the tree. A second later, a crack formed from the print. It spend quickly around the tree and soon the oversized plant was laying on the ground.

Ranma stood next to the befallen tree, his smile even wider than before.

"Grace, speed, and strength? Ha! I have all of those." Akane took her unwounded hand and formed it into a tight fist. "Strength," Akane brought her fist from below her waist in a powerful motion at the tree in front of her. It instantly cracked and fell to the side. Before it could touch the ground, Akane's leg and swung out and kicked the tree. It flew up into the sky. Akane smirked at Ranma as the tree fell back down in between them. "Speed."

Ranma looked at Akane and barely clapped his hands together.

"Not too bad," he brought his hand up in a slow motion that held alot of power behind it. "And grace?"

"Speed and strength, that's all I need," Akane said.

Ranma shook his head.

"Watch," Ranma told her. Ranma's legs slowly spread out, his hands going in separate ways. His hands moved gracefully around his body while his feet led him around the small clearing they were in. Akane's eyes watched in fascination as Ranma twirled and twisted slowly without breaking a beat in his elegant kata. It seemed like she was actually watching him do a beautiful dance. Ranma's hands clapped together loudly and Akane snapped back to reality.

Ranma could tell Akane had been quite impressed by his performance.

"So?"

"So what?" Akane agrued. "Grace is weak." She pulled her hand up to the air and and brought it back down in a fist. "I have no need for it."

Ranma signed.

'Damn, this girl's stubborn,' he thought to himself. He walked behind Akane. He took hold of her uninjured hand.

Akane looked up in surprised and was about to make a remark but Ranma quieted her with a ,"Just follow what I do."

Ranma slid his hand under Akane's, slowly leading her in a simple kata. Akane's head lifted up and glanced at Ranma.

"Follow my steps too," Ranma told her when he noticed she was looking at him. Akane's eyes instantly shifted to his feet.

Akane watched Ranma's feet as he moved around, his foot distancing itself from the other and then back. Akane moved her feet to follow Ranma's but her unhealed leg made it hard for her to move as she really wanted.

"Good," Ranma said. "Watch your hand."

Akane glanced up and saw that Ranma still had his hand on top of her hand. She noticed that her heart was beating faster than normal and her face was quite hot. She could feel butterflies entering her stomach as her back brushed against Ranma as he led her through the kata.

Akane took a deep swallow.

'What's going on?' she asked herself. 'I don't like what's happening...'

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Sea-chan's note: Here's chapter 13. Hehehehe, I hope you enjoyed it. The other characters will appear soon enough so no worries. I don't really like my job. I've been having to work alot, sometimes, I come home around 12 o'clock! I usually go to sleep at least at 10. I thought I would like working as a cashier in a retail store but it's really not as fun as it should be. Next week, I'm starting school. (sigh) I don't really want to graduate this year yet... Anyways, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING TIL THIS FAR!THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU! I can't say it enough! Remember to review this chapter or the others if you haven't yet! I'll update soon. -