Once Upon A Dream With Me

Li Cruz

CHAPTER 3.II: Requiem of Truth (or Ranma Meets Kuno II)

I'm quite aware of my gammarical short-coming. Thank you very much. I do plan to go back over the story later to fix my mistakes. Thank you for pointing out Ranma's hair color. -Oye, canon fans. I had an impression that it was blue-black for there is no such things as purely black hair. Unfortunately, those who are insisting this are probably not artist or are artists not concerned about color. No offense, people.- May I remind you this is a AU, so it may not be exactly like the OVA.

So I did make Akane rather deplorable but not truly on purpose. Now here's how I actually envisioned the girl to be like at least for this story based on her general behavior in the manga. -Li Cruz.

The dinner went rather nicely Kasumi had thought. Granted Kuno seemed rather dazed for the meal. Kasumi sighed as she helped Akane with undressing out of the dress the girl worn. Ranma was currently in the kitchen, cooking from the smell of it. She'd rather be downstairs with Ranma but Akane had begged her.

"Kasumi, why do like Ranma?" Akane asked quietly.

Kasumi gave a long hard look at Akane's back before answering. "He's kinda what I had dreamed in a guy."

Akane, the dress finally off, turns to gape at her sister. Kasumi continued.

"He's not whom you have thought him to be, Akane. If anything he isn't perverted. Yes, he's a bit coarse, childish, and roguish, but what would you have expected from someone who's live on the road since he was a young child and with his father and mother."

She stood up and looked out the window. "He was a powerful opponent to his challengers but he was normally honorable with them. He did his best to help those in need. And he did love you deeply for the most part."

Akane looked as Kasumi with a disinterested gaze. She kept herself from seething at Kasumi's last sentence. "So why did he keep the fact he was ill a secret?"

Kasumi looked at her sister with a wary expression. "I doubt you or the others would have left him alone if he asked. Besides it should have been obvious. He wasn't eating much. He was always pale. He slept a lot." Kasumi said softly, closing her eyes. "Akane, the illness was slowly killing him."

"I'm going to see what Ranma's up to." Kasumi shut the door behind her.

Akane's sides ached suddenly with the horrible pain of knowing that it was truly her fault. She had slipped Ranma just before the Accident a mild sedative, thinking that it would help Ranma fall back to sleep because he looked haggard that morning.

No it wasn't her fault! She repeated over and over again. It was Ranma's fault for not stating he was ill. And he knew that the three of his ex-fiancés could not and rarely get along especially after the whole Wedding fiasco. Stupid boy!

She wondered how Ryoga felt about the whole thing. He seemed to be in thought a lot more than usual. Guilt swapped her again. Even though she loved Ryoga, she had known Ranma had loved her deeply. And here she had thrown him away alike a broken doll. Said broken doll was being cared for by her older sister. She had loved Ranma, but not the same depth he loved her.

He had killed a god willingly to get her back. He'd risk life and limb for her, but she couldn't. She knew that. She would have left Ranma to die probably with little thought about it. But with Ryoga, she'd moved heaven and earth to save him.

Both were similar but she thought the major difference was in their eyes. Ryoga had normal eyes but in there was everything she could ever want in a boy. Ranma's eyes were unusual. Yes, in his eyes, it promised true loyalty, love, compassion, and honor, but there was something else in them as well. An aspect that seemed to make him otherworldly. She had seen the same thing in Saffron's eyes. Some sort of power in his gaze, that intensity scared her completely.

Her love for Ranma had dimmed by the failed wedding. She had loved him though she had rarely said so. Yes, she did get jealous. She had been his first love, and she guessed it was just in her nature. She was having a bit of a hard time letting him go.

She sat on the bed. Kasumi loved Ranma completely. It was she who stayed with him when everyone else left him. Akane always wondered why Kasumi would always worry about Ranma. Now she knew. Her sister had been in love with Ranma for a long time.

She remembered how after the accident, that Genma had convinced his wife who it was in Ranma's best interest if they disowned him. Granted Genma hated the fact that Ranma was no longer of use to the family as a man, but he did bring up a valid points.

"Yes, and if he ever recovers, he'll never be up to maintain the family honor, my dear. Also how would fair it would be to Ranma? He'll never be able to regain the power lost to his illness. He'd remain only a fair sparring partner, barely. The illness has made his body fragile. So it would be in everyone's best interest if Ranma was no longer a Satome. It would ensure his safety."

And he was right. Ranma would never be up to par with the weakest of the Nermia Wreckers.

Akane heard Kasumi's laughter as it drifted up the hall. She left her room to sit on the top of the stair. Ranma was muttering something to Kasumi and she was laughing. Akane felt her heart constrict. She, no everyone was responsible for Ranma's current condition. Only perhaps Tofu and Kasumi weren't at fault.

Everyone had played their part in making who Ranma was. Only Kasumi seemed to be something stable and gentle in Ranma's life. Tofu had no idea what really had been going on.

Akane's head fell into her folded arms. Tears began to fall. She lost her Ranma the day of the incident and Kasumi gained hers. It was her fault. She broke him and all remained of the one she had known was pictures.

Ryoga's arms wrapped from behind her. She leaned into his strength, his solidity.

"Do you love him still?" Ryoga asked softly.

"Yes and no. Not like I love you." She murmured back. "It was my fault, Ryoga. I had slipped him something to have him fall back to sleep. He had looked tired that day. I didn't think it would have lasted that long. Then not listening to him out..."

"Hush. Hush." Ryoga rocked her as she quietly sobbed. "All of the fighters who were there that day are just as responsible. We were so involve in our own thoughts and fights to notice the person who need help the most. And our abandonment of said person. Many of us have broken several unspoken rules about being a martial artist. The very ones Ranma set standards for."

Ryoga ran out of things to say to Akane, so he spent the rest of the time rocking Akane and muttering reassurances.

Ryoga couldn't help but growl when Akane went back to insulting Ranma. God, his girlfriend must have one of those split personalities. Maybe that was it. Didn't her mother suffer from some mental illness? Anyway, this had to stop.

He found Akane muttering to herself in her room. He couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Why did I admit fault!? Why? It is his fault!"

Ryoga heard several things thump against the wall.

"He's the person who attracted all the weird people!"

Ryoga retreated from the door and went down stairs. Luckily Kuno hadn't moved from his spot.

"Sorry, Akane is indisposed right now." Ryoga muttered.

"Yes, so I can hear." Came the cool voice. "Have you been able to bring her to a specialist yet?"

Ryoga nearly dropped his cup of tea on the table. Kuno smiled at the nervous look on his face.

"Yes, I do believe Akane is a bit mentally unstable since I have known her longer than you have." Kuno smiled sadly. "But who am I to talk?"

Ryoga regarded Kuno closely. "You have a split personality?"

"Yes, Blue Thunder is quite a handful isn't he?" Kuno said, swirling the spoon in the tea. "He's actually the soul of my twin who's been dead for years. But then strange things always follow my family. That is probably why they suffer from all sort of mental illnesses."

"Mmm." Ryoga sighed. "So why are you here, anyway? The 'Ice Queen' is out right now with Tendo-san."

"Have you notice something strange about Ranma-san?" Kuno asked, his eyes veiled.

"Beside no curse?" Ryoga asked.

Kuno shrugged. "I feel something had changed with Ranma."

"Beside meaning we're never going to see the old Ranma again?" Ryoga muttered.

"You've noticed?"

"How can you not?" Ryoga said, swirling the tea left in his cup. "They say people change once they get into a coma anyway. I realized he's probably been ill since forever."

"So what are you going to do?" Kuno asked carefully.

"Keep Akane away from Ranma, tried to find a mind doctor, and perhaps beg Ranma's forgiveness." Ryoga sighed as there was a loud thump upstairs.

"I see. I think I will eventually do ask Ranma's forgiveness, but first I and Blue Thunder need to sort things out first." Kuno stood up with Ryoga. "Now, I think I'll leave you with your girl."

"Thanks." Ryoga muttered sarcastically.