Once Upon A Dream With Me

Li Cruz

A tall young man stood on a pole in the middle of the schoolyard. His long trench coat jangled as the wind jangled bells and bits of metal and wood. It teased out ribbons and tassels. His sunset colored coat was casually off his shoulders. His face tilted to the sun.

Ranma tilted his head upward. The man was both familiar and unfamiliar. He leaned against the pole, the aching of his legs subsiding slightly. Ranma called up.

"Storyteller-san."

The man jumped. Ranma watched idly. With a cascade of silvered hair, the youth faced him. Pitch black eyes smiled at him.

"Call me that no one has." He bowed. "How may this one be of service to you?"

"My dreams…" Ranma trailed off as the youth, no, the spirit cocked his head.

"Worry you." The spirit sighed. "Understanding is key. Ignorance is bliss but not here."

Ranma pondered for a moment. "I've had strange dreams like memories and my own I can't remember."

The spirit nodded, his eyes sad. "Come time has, play again this awful rhyme. Advise I had, that I do. Follow the heart and not the head."

"Do you know who's behind these strange attacks?" Ranma asked after a moment.

"Yes. No." The spirit's eyes slit closed. "One who is old enemy and new stranger."

"That doesn't tell me much." Ranma said broodingly.

Storyteller cocked his head to the side and smiled sadly. "Ignorance is bliss and understanding compromised."

"Who am I?" Ranma asked, going on a hunch.

" Dojo man of the temple." He suddenly sang out. "The intelligent idiot. The sexless one. Lover of the priestess unknown. The magic-less mage. One of the snake. The sacrificial blade."

Suddenly he spun and jumped onto the pole. "To east of the sun, west of the moon, your answer lies. Remember follow your heart and not the head."

The sun flashed in Ranma's eyes. The man was gone but the odd metal bird had reappeared. Ranma sighed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say I'm in Wonderland." Ranma grumbled as he hobbled out.

Kasumi sat across during dinner, playing with her food. Akane glaring at the pair for what crazy reason. Ranma muttered softly under his breath as he ate. Soun Tendo was at the Sotoame.

"I'm missing something." Ranma said, looking at Kasumi. "Follow the heart and not the head. One who is old enemy and new stranger. Dojo man of temple. The intelligent idiot. The sexless one. Lover of the priestess unknown. The magic-less mage. One of the snake. The sacrificial blade. East of the sun and west of the moon."

"What are you talking about?" Nabiki asked as she swallowed her food.

"A spirit I talk to called the Storyteller told me." Ranma said in all seriousness. "I went looking for answers to my questions. Poor spirit's an oracle of some sort. All of his words are cryptic in a sense."

Akane raised a brow. Ranma continued.

"Sexless one and idiot is two parts of me I'm familiar with. Dojo man was my past but what about 'of the temple'? I believe when he said east of the sun and west of the moon, he was either referring to the spirit world or my answers are in front of me."

He paused. Kasumi bit her lip for a moment. "Ranma, I know the answer to the temple part."

She sighed after a small pause. "There's an obscure legend about a monk who fought against a miko. She was trying to summon various powerful kamis who once laid destruction to the world. He and his mis-matched group of allies won, however he died in the process. She was sealed away for all eternity."

"Let me guess the story wasn't too detailed." Ranma said moodily.

"It only mentioned that it was a monk and miko, no names." Kasumi looked away. "It said if they were to ever fight again,…"

She was surprised by his fingers under her chin. "Kasumi, I need to see the book. I think I know why you're worried. Don't. As long as I follow my heart, I'll be fine."

Her eyes leaked tears. "I…I."

"Shush." Ranma pulled her to him. "It's alright. Everything's going to be fine."

She sobbed into his shirt. He rocked her back and forth gently. Like a mantra, he repeated the phrases. Akane stood up suddenly and stormed out the house. Nabiki left and closed the door to the kitchen to let the couple a moment of peace.

Ryoga came in the back kitchen door with the groceries. Nabiki put a finger up to her lips. He nodded and put the groceries down.

"Go find Akane. I think she left in quite a huff." Nabiki muttered softly to Ryoga.

"Yeah." Ryoga looked at the door. "Why can't she let him have this little happiness? He's lost so much."

"We've let her get away with so much." Nabiki shrugged.

"I'll find her."