Broken
Shadow Knight
Chapter 6: Open Eyes
Disclaimer: Don't own, but I wish I did. . .
~
*Thoughts*
#Sounds#
~
Darkness fell about the room in a thick blanket, shadowing the walls vacant of light. Except. . for the beam of light that filtered through a crack in a wall, dust floating about in its bright finger.
A small withered figure held delicately onto a small handkerchief. Placing the bundle aside, the figure plucked silently from the handkerchief and pulled out a small object. Between the two withered fingers petals the color of blood flourished outward, casting an enchanting and deadly spell. Pale fingers slithered over the flower's haunting petals and then, jerking slightly, pulled the flower apart, dropping the petals into a pot of boiling water below.
As the petals grazed lightly over the surface of the water, the liquid color abruptly altered, suddenly growing darker until it was a deep of scarlet as the petals. As the blood colored water curdled, the aged hands suddenly reached deeply into the pocket of a robe. A figure suddenly became apparent in the darkened room, a silhouette appearing in the small light.
Withdrawing, the pale hands were curled around a small vial. Pulling lightly on the cork in the vial, it was suddenly tipped. A small lock of black hair, hued with blue, the color of midnight fell into the small hands in a hushed silence. The hand turned over and the locks fell deftly into the water, disappearing as a mouth of scarlet devoured the locks.
Suddenly, for just a moment, the water shifted to a dark azure, bubbling oddly. Then, as abruptly as it had changed, the water resumed its bloody boil. Through the slit of light, a thinned smile grew in the light.
A few moments, the unidentified figure removed the pot from the small stove and walked over to a bowl of freshly made ramen lay, steaming slightly. Reaching the bowl, the figure stopped, a hand poised to dump the scarlet liquid onto the thin ramen noodles. But only for a moment.
The ramen took on a darker shade as the colored water mixed with it. Setting the pot down lightly, the figure stirred the ramen around until the color wasn't too noticeable. Grabbing a pair of wooden chopsticks the figure silently berated their self for ever hesitating to add the liquid. After all, Shampoo would thank her for this in the future.
~
"What's next on the list Akane?"
Akane set down her bags of groceries and reached into her back pocket. Withdrawing a piece of paper, she scratched her head for a moment before responding to her brown-haired companion.
"I think we just have to get a few more spices and some green tea. Where should we go now Ukyo?"
Ukyo thought deeply for a moment, tapping her chin lightly.
"I guess we can go to Machiko's Spices and Incense, but for the tea, I think we should go to Mr. Lee's. They have a lot of good deals there. Should we go there?"
"Sure."
Gathering her bags, Akane set off toward the next store with Ukyo at her shoulder. Both were less quiet now that they had been out for a while, yet, there was still a heavy cloud of silence hanging dismally over them. As they set off down the street, Ukyo's lips pursed as a thought ran through her mind. ~We're going to see Ranma sooner or later. . . How did I get caught up in this mess? I don't want to lose Ranma, but. . .I don't want to marry a man who doesn't love me. . .~
She swiveled her eyes cautiously and looked at Akane. The girl was smiling pleasantly, swinging her bags lightly. It seemed impossible that tears could fall from eyes so happy, that pain could make her face cross. Yet, she had seen it happen. She never thought a girl so strong would be so weak emotionally. It was strange in a way.
It was too ironic.
Ukyo's troubled stare did not go unnoticed. Akane kept silent, but she directed her concerns toward the sidewalk where they would be hidden from view. She knew the girl was disturbed about something. She had seen it when she was standing on the edge of the stairs. It looked as if the girl was on the brink of crying. Yet, when she had asked her what was wrong, she said it was nothing. That was just a facade. She could see through the cracked mask, the strained smile. She knew something was wrong; she just had to figure out what it was.
Walking together, both to their own thoughts, neither one could know of the trouble brewing in the small town of Nermia.
~
Shivering, the light haired Amazon shivered with pleasure as soft, warm skin brushed against her lips, drawing lightly down her neck. Opening a pair of vivid violet eyes, she gazed into two ebony black ones, staring down at her softly. The girl giggled softly with delight as soft butterfly kisses grazed softly on her forehead, tickling her while enticing her emotions. She lightly ran a soft finger down the boy's cheek that sat in front of her, holding her.
Stroking his cheek, she sighed. This was heaven. He was hers to love.
"Shampoo love Ranma."
The boy's eyes only stared back at her with flat eyes, black as the night. Then suddenly, with a jerk, the boy bent down a brushed a light kiss upon her forehead, making her smile.
"And I love you as well Shampoo."
The Amazon sighed happily as she snuggled closer. Then a sudden sly idea popped into her head. Sliding her hips around, she smiled seductively at Ranma and let her hands slither up his broad chest and twirl around his neck. She stared deeply into his eyes with half lidded eyes. She let her tongue dart out and wet her lips quickly.
"Ranma. . . . give Shampoo a _real_ kiss. . .Show Shampoo that you love her, is okay?~
Twitching, Ranma slowly and smoothly maneuvered his hands underneath her into a slightly tipped position. Leaning downward, there seemed to be a glint in his dark eyes that made Shampoo shiver with excitement. She closed her eyes and let her lips part tentatively. She blushed as she felt the heat of his face begin to get closer.
Suddenly, before the plush lips touched hers, she felt herself dropped onto the floor, squarely hitting her bottom. Flickering angry eyes open, her face flushed red, she looked with annoyance at who had disrupted her kiss. As her eyes focused on the figure before her, her faced immediately flushed of color and she let her angry eyes drop to the floor. Without raising her head, she registered the figure's presence in her native language.
Hello, Great-Grandmother. How may I serve you?
Cologne smiled as she watched the girl squirm once again under her scrutinizing gaze. She enjoyed this game all too much. She couldn't help but grin when she had seen her granddaughter close her eyes and pant like a dog in heat as Ranma had bent down to kiss her. Looking back to the boy now, she watched with amused eyes as the boy sat there, not trying to resume the kiss. She did notice the boy's blank state, seeming as if a dead zombie without command.
She frowned at this. Sure, he would act like he was of free will, but only when he was given an order. Without one, he would just continue to sit there, gazing off into space. But she smiled again as she remembered what her original task was and how it would help Shampoo and the motionless boy.
Reaching behind her, she pulled from off a table, a steaming bowl of freshly made ramen. Poising it in front of her, she pulled out a pair of chopsticks from the folds of her silk robes and passed them carefully into Shampoo's hands. The violet haired Amazon stared at the bowl, a bit perplexed at what she was supposed to do with it.
Sighing, Cologne let a posing sincere smile grow on her face and she simply pointed from the bowl to Ranma.
"Go ahead and feed some ramen to Ranma. I'm sure he'll like it very much. It's specially made from some of my spices."
Without question, Shampoo nodded her head and stood up. Walking smoothly toward the expressionless boy, she slid carefully into his lap and dipped the chopsticks into the ramen, gathering a few darkly colored noodles. She wasn't oblivious to the stained pasta, but said nothing in fear of what her great grandmother would say.
"Ranma, you eat this, yes? Good boy. . ."
Cologne watched with careful eyes until she was sure that the boy had consumed the last of the ramen. She grinned as she watched the last bit of ramen slip between his lips. Now, the fun began.
~
From the back of the restaurant, another was toiling. With long black hair tied back into a ponytail that reached far down his back, a man adjusted his thick glasses once again, gazing incredulously at the metal spear burrowed deeply into the thick trunk of a dead tree. Clucking his tongue, he closed his eyes and grasped the metal end and pulled sharply, efficiently pulling the buried spearhead from the tree's base. Shaking it firmly, he snapped the spear upward and carefully slipped it into the sleeve of his white silk robe, the robe swallowing it into a hidden abyss.
He turned and looked at the many other scattered items lying around on the ground, not to mention the ones further upward in the windows. Reaching down next to the fallen tree, he picked up a green yo-yo labeled with bold Chinese characters stating, "Mousse."
The dark haired Amazon continued to berate himself for his bad aim. Looking back to his original target, he smiled as he saw a single chain wrapped around a straw dummy several feet away. At least he got one weapon on the blasted target. And he wasn't even looking. With renewed confidence, Mousse continued to gather the weapons laying around, sliding each one into the hidden space pocket in the folds of his robes.
As he suddenly reached down toward a metal claw, he suddenly felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck raise sharply. Letting his glasses fall in place, he whipped his head around and looked for an enemy. He scratched his head, finding none. Yet, before returning to his work, Mousse felt a second prick on his sense and didn't take this one too lightly.
Focusing slightly on the source, he could feel a dark presence in the interior of the restaurant. His eyes narrowed as he felt another presence close by the dark one. He could feel his beloved Shampoo's aura so close to the evil, empty one. Dropping his hold on the metal claw's chain, he ran toward the back entrance door, only praying that he would be able to stop this corrupt aura from inflicting any harm on his sweet Shampoo.
~
Cologne watched as the power of the lethal flower began to take affect on the convulsing Saotome boy. She continued to observe in silence as the boy's writhing body suddenly stopped and lie still. She knew he would be able to take the strain the flower put upon a resisting individual.
A grin grew on her wrinkled face as she felt the aura of worry grow around Shampoo's sob wracking form. Then, seeing the boy stopped, she felt a slight chortle raise in her throat as confusion and pain strained the girl's throat as she yelled to him, shaking his body.
Cologne even was amused as the violet haired girl turned silently, tears gone from her eyes as stared with as much vehemence as she could muster toward her withered face. She brushed aside the hatred and promises of pain rolling off the girl in waves and simply smiled gently.
"My dear child," she spoke as she laughed slightly, "he is not dead as you suspect. He in fact has been made better for you. Just wait one moment and you shall see."
Even as she spoke the words, the boy's body became rigid for a moment and then relaxed as if soaking in deep tub of warm water. The pale cheeks on the boy began to regain a fleshy color that made Shampoo gaze in wonder.
Outside Shampoo's vision, behind her, the boy's arm rose slowly and hovered just above her before sliding smoothly along her waist and pulling her gently on his chest. Shampoo squawked slightly in surprise and blushed heavily as she felt his smooth chest pressed along her back. She suddenly felt a rough finger pull her chin up slightly to look at two pairs of stormy gray blue eyes.
She felt herself being lost in the beautiful eyes, swirling in the eye of a storm. She could see the fire that she longed for that carried his passions and life. She wanted to reach out and touch it. Gazing in his eyes, she barely noticed his smooth motions as he sat up with her, wrapped in his arms. She was only focused on this new life in his eyes, the light in his eyes that showed he was alive. It was her fantasy to have Ranma, but it was her dream to have him without losing any part of him.
She wasn't sure what her great-grandmother had given Ranma, but whatever it was, she certainly was grateful. She looked to her grandmother with praise in her eyes as she felt Ranma's lips caress her in a teasing way. Closing her eyes, she let herself be caught in the rapture of his kiss before she heard the slam of the door from the back.
~
Soun Tendo was a fair believer in signs and omens. . . .
He only wished he could clearly understand them.
Sitting in a lotus position near the lucid waters of his koi pond, he felt an overwhelming sense of wholeness and peace. He closed his eyes and smiled as he took in a deep breath of the sweet spring air. He could smell the tinge of sakura blossoms in the air that would occasionally flutter about.
He was glad that for once Saotome and his self wouldn't be tricking each other in another game of go today. He just wanted to enjoy the day. For, this was a once in a lifetime when the peace was about. Master was gone, Kasumi was out shopping, Nabiki had went over to the strange Kuno boy's mansion and Akane was. . . .well she was out. Probably at a friend's house, he mused.
He sighed heavily again and took a sip of his tea beside him. These days reminded him of Kimiko. . . .She was indeed a very special woman. He only wish he had more time with her. Closing his eyes before the hot tears crept over his eyes, he reopened them, clear and calm. He couldn't be weak like this for his girl's sake. Setting down his cup lightly, he looked out into the blue sky, reveling in its beauty. Suddenly he heard a slight tink from beside him and turned to look.
He stared oddly as his cup seemed to crack slightly and then break away into a large line that appeared to slip down the side of the cup and split in half, leaving two frayed parts of the cup. * How odd. . .*
Soun silently gathered the parts into his hand and walked to the trashcan, disregarding them. He let a finger prop against his chin as he thought. Maybe it's an omen, he pondered. A sign of something bad to happen. Letting his feet guide him back to the edge of the porch near the koi pond, he sat and finally gave up. * Oh well, I'm sure Ranma will deal with it in some way or another. *
Letting the thought go, he promptly reached over from his seat and grabbed a part of the newspaper, ruffling the sheets and forgetting the incident.
~
"Can I get two packs of green tea?"
"Yeah. That'll be 200 yen."
"Thanks."
Turning around, Akane placed the two packs of green tea in her bulging grocery bags and snorted slightly as she hefted another onto her shoulder. Turning through the limited space provided by the bags, she viewed Ukyo and she gave a cheerful smile.
"That's it Ukyo. I guess we better head back now. Or do you need anything for yourself?"
"No, that's all right," Ukyo responded quickly, "I'll come out later if I need anything. I have to get back to my restaurant soon any ways. Let's go drop Kasumi's stuff off and then I have to go, okay?
"All right."
She looked at the brunette girl with concern evident in her eyes. Her face dressed in a slight frown, created slight creases of worry in her face. She still desperately wanted to know what had disturbed Ukyo so when she saw her standing on the stairs earlier. And why she seemed so anxious to go home. Letting her eyes fall slightly to her right, she could see the girl was in a pensive mood as dark clouds brewed around her face. She extended her hand, slightly faltering, and reached out to tap Ukyo's shoulder.
"A yen for your thoughts?"
Ukyo turned slightly, looking faintly over her shoulder at the Tendo girl. She turned her head sharply before the blue haired girl could see her face. She felt another pang in her heart as she felt prodding fingertips, trying to see if she was okay.
She wiped the burning tears from her cheeks, as if trying to make it seem as if something was in her eye. When she was sure the evidence of her sadness and remorse was gone, she closed her eyes and winked at the girl giving a thumbs-up sign, signaling everything was fine.
Peeking through slit eyes, she could see the look of fake assurance creep along Akane's face as she tried to find any signs to reveal her true feelings of despair. She didn't want the girl to see her crying.
No, crying was a weakness.
Crying was for when you were alone and no one can hear you whimper loudly, cursing yourself for the pitiful creature you are. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she gulped down her guilt and pain and smiled pleasantly at the girl. Akane smiled back hesitantly before grinning fully with authentic cheer. Grabbing the bag she had left on the ground, she scooped it up with a huff and propped it on her hip.
"We better go soon if you want to get back to your restaurant at a decent hour," she started, "The sun's setting and it will be dark before you know it. Let's go."
Ukyo silently lifted her bags and began to fall in stride behind the girl, deeply engrossed in how she would be able to deal with Ranma. Neither of them noticed the large crowd they passed standing around the remains of shattered windows that littered the ground until they heard a harsh voice that echoed and made them stop in shock.
"Leave this place with your evil presence and be gone Saotome!"
~
Shampoo heard the back door slam and could almost feel the wooden hinges splinter and shake. Yet, she barely noticed anything as Ranma's brushed upon her lips. She was once again sent into her fantasy world of bliss. She let her hands wander up his arm and lock with his as his raised higher with the kiss's intensity.
Then she heard it.
Now it seemed as if the slamming of that wretched door was echoing in her mind like a broken record. Maybe it was because it had interrupted such a wonderful gift that she rarely received. She could have ignored it, but as Ranma pulled his soft lips away from hers and stood up, there was no way she would be able to get back to that. As a soft groan escaped her lips, she sighed and stood beside Ranma, waiting to see what he was waiting for.
When she saw a white robed figure rush through the door like a snow colored blur, she wasn't all too surprised. Shampoo could see that the boy was agitated, a worried frown etched into his face. Watching with mild amusement, the Amazon stopped when she saw a chain claw hanging half way out of one of one of his long sleeves.
Suddenly, she shuddered involuntarily as she saw the worry on his face warp into an expression of cold fury, once his eyes found her companion. Shampoo could feel the cold emptiness emit from his hard eyes, almost as if they were piercing through her very soul. Shampoo shook her head fiercely. Now why should she just be standing here when she needed to beat the Duck-boy after interrupting their kiss? She was an Amazon warrior, she wasn't afraid of men who stared with bitter hatred.
Watching the boy with calculating eyes, she curved a sly hand behind her and reached back onto the table until her prodding fingers found the empty bowl of ramen. Clamping the tips of her fingers against the bowl, she pulled it behind her back.
Continuing to stare at the still boy, she let her leg muscles slowly contract before she sprang foreword lashing out with the ceramic bowl. Before she made contact with the boy's head however, he disappeared in a white-black blur of clothing and hair.
Shampoo turned sharply on her heel and turned her gaze behind her. Her purple eyes widened with amazement as her hands jumped to cover her gaping mouth. She had to stand still if she dared to try to keep up with their speed. Shampoo found herself gaping in awe.
She had never seen Mousse move so smoothly, so. . . .gracefully. It almost seemed as if he were a dancer, weaving in and out of attacks thrown by the charging Ranma. He still had the cold silent expression stinging his face.
Suddenly, the speed seemed to pick up a notch. She began to see vague blurs, one white, one red. She suddenly felt the warning bells ring fiercely in her head. Looking around, she saw a rapidly moving object speeding her way. She pushed hard on her leg and dodged aside. No sooner did she move, she heard the wooden counter behind her splinter and buckle under the pressure created from the impact. Turning around swiftly, she looked behind her and gasped.
With his head tilted at a hard angle, a dark trail of fluid trickled over his eye as it ran down his forehead, his glasses fallen from his face. Shampoo's eyes grew with concern as she saw an oddly shaped arm protruding jaggedly from one of the boy's sleeves. Reaching down, she moved it slightly. When she heard the sickening crunch of bone, she flinched and rested his arm back down.
Standing up, she stood still, gazing with glazed eyes that traveled over the disheveled body of Mousse. She stopped and with morbid fascination, she watched the blood from his head trickle down his chin and drop on the white robes he wore. The red color stained the crisply pressed robe with scarlet.
Shampoo suddenly stiffened as she felt two strong arms slide and curl protectively around her slim waist. She stood there, unresponsive for what seemed like forever until she remembered that it was Ranma. Pressing her back into Ranma's firm chest, she continued to scrutinize the sight of Mousse's broken body lying in a crumpled heap before her. Her mind was a storm of clashing turmoil. * Mousse deserved that right? He did interrupt our kiss and tell Ranma to go away. But. . . *
She suddenly felt Ranma's wondering hands stop cold. Shaken from her thoughts, she turned in Ranma's arms.
"What is it?"
All of a sudden, she felt the familiar flicker of an aura. Two. Close to them. Normally, she would have ignored it, thinking it just a normal passerby. Yet, as she felt the familiarity of the two, she paused.
One was a fierce and angry battle spark.
The other. . .was just dead.
~
Okie dokie, artichokies! (I saw that on KND. . . don't know why . . .) ANYWAYS, well, there's another finished chapter for you guys. I hope you liked it. I know it wasn't the best, but hey, I tried. I know there wasn't nearly as much action as I promised, but I can DEFINITELY promise that the next chapter will have A LOT.
Um. . .there's not much else I can say except thank you to my readers and those who are nice enough to review. Um. . .Ciao. ^_~
Shadow Knight
Chapter 6: Open Eyes
Disclaimer: Don't own, but I wish I did. . .
~
*Thoughts*
#Sounds#
~
Darkness fell about the room in a thick blanket, shadowing the walls vacant of light. Except. . for the beam of light that filtered through a crack in a wall, dust floating about in its bright finger.
A small withered figure held delicately onto a small handkerchief. Placing the bundle aside, the figure plucked silently from the handkerchief and pulled out a small object. Between the two withered fingers petals the color of blood flourished outward, casting an enchanting and deadly spell. Pale fingers slithered over the flower's haunting petals and then, jerking slightly, pulled the flower apart, dropping the petals into a pot of boiling water below.
As the petals grazed lightly over the surface of the water, the liquid color abruptly altered, suddenly growing darker until it was a deep of scarlet as the petals. As the blood colored water curdled, the aged hands suddenly reached deeply into the pocket of a robe. A figure suddenly became apparent in the darkened room, a silhouette appearing in the small light.
Withdrawing, the pale hands were curled around a small vial. Pulling lightly on the cork in the vial, it was suddenly tipped. A small lock of black hair, hued with blue, the color of midnight fell into the small hands in a hushed silence. The hand turned over and the locks fell deftly into the water, disappearing as a mouth of scarlet devoured the locks.
Suddenly, for just a moment, the water shifted to a dark azure, bubbling oddly. Then, as abruptly as it had changed, the water resumed its bloody boil. Through the slit of light, a thinned smile grew in the light.
A few moments, the unidentified figure removed the pot from the small stove and walked over to a bowl of freshly made ramen lay, steaming slightly. Reaching the bowl, the figure stopped, a hand poised to dump the scarlet liquid onto the thin ramen noodles. But only for a moment.
The ramen took on a darker shade as the colored water mixed with it. Setting the pot down lightly, the figure stirred the ramen around until the color wasn't too noticeable. Grabbing a pair of wooden chopsticks the figure silently berated their self for ever hesitating to add the liquid. After all, Shampoo would thank her for this in the future.
~
"What's next on the list Akane?"
Akane set down her bags of groceries and reached into her back pocket. Withdrawing a piece of paper, she scratched her head for a moment before responding to her brown-haired companion.
"I think we just have to get a few more spices and some green tea. Where should we go now Ukyo?"
Ukyo thought deeply for a moment, tapping her chin lightly.
"I guess we can go to Machiko's Spices and Incense, but for the tea, I think we should go to Mr. Lee's. They have a lot of good deals there. Should we go there?"
"Sure."
Gathering her bags, Akane set off toward the next store with Ukyo at her shoulder. Both were less quiet now that they had been out for a while, yet, there was still a heavy cloud of silence hanging dismally over them. As they set off down the street, Ukyo's lips pursed as a thought ran through her mind. ~We're going to see Ranma sooner or later. . . How did I get caught up in this mess? I don't want to lose Ranma, but. . .I don't want to marry a man who doesn't love me. . .~
She swiveled her eyes cautiously and looked at Akane. The girl was smiling pleasantly, swinging her bags lightly. It seemed impossible that tears could fall from eyes so happy, that pain could make her face cross. Yet, she had seen it happen. She never thought a girl so strong would be so weak emotionally. It was strange in a way.
It was too ironic.
Ukyo's troubled stare did not go unnoticed. Akane kept silent, but she directed her concerns toward the sidewalk where they would be hidden from view. She knew the girl was disturbed about something. She had seen it when she was standing on the edge of the stairs. It looked as if the girl was on the brink of crying. Yet, when she had asked her what was wrong, she said it was nothing. That was just a facade. She could see through the cracked mask, the strained smile. She knew something was wrong; she just had to figure out what it was.
Walking together, both to their own thoughts, neither one could know of the trouble brewing in the small town of Nermia.
~
Shivering, the light haired Amazon shivered with pleasure as soft, warm skin brushed against her lips, drawing lightly down her neck. Opening a pair of vivid violet eyes, she gazed into two ebony black ones, staring down at her softly. The girl giggled softly with delight as soft butterfly kisses grazed softly on her forehead, tickling her while enticing her emotions. She lightly ran a soft finger down the boy's cheek that sat in front of her, holding her.
Stroking his cheek, she sighed. This was heaven. He was hers to love.
"Shampoo love Ranma."
The boy's eyes only stared back at her with flat eyes, black as the night. Then suddenly, with a jerk, the boy bent down a brushed a light kiss upon her forehead, making her smile.
"And I love you as well Shampoo."
The Amazon sighed happily as she snuggled closer. Then a sudden sly idea popped into her head. Sliding her hips around, she smiled seductively at Ranma and let her hands slither up his broad chest and twirl around his neck. She stared deeply into his eyes with half lidded eyes. She let her tongue dart out and wet her lips quickly.
"Ranma. . . . give Shampoo a _real_ kiss. . .Show Shampoo that you love her, is okay?~
Twitching, Ranma slowly and smoothly maneuvered his hands underneath her into a slightly tipped position. Leaning downward, there seemed to be a glint in his dark eyes that made Shampoo shiver with excitement. She closed her eyes and let her lips part tentatively. She blushed as she felt the heat of his face begin to get closer.
Suddenly, before the plush lips touched hers, she felt herself dropped onto the floor, squarely hitting her bottom. Flickering angry eyes open, her face flushed red, she looked with annoyance at who had disrupted her kiss. As her eyes focused on the figure before her, her faced immediately flushed of color and she let her angry eyes drop to the floor. Without raising her head, she registered the figure's presence in her native language.
Hello, Great-Grandmother. How may I serve you?
Cologne smiled as she watched the girl squirm once again under her scrutinizing gaze. She enjoyed this game all too much. She couldn't help but grin when she had seen her granddaughter close her eyes and pant like a dog in heat as Ranma had bent down to kiss her. Looking back to the boy now, she watched with amused eyes as the boy sat there, not trying to resume the kiss. She did notice the boy's blank state, seeming as if a dead zombie without command.
She frowned at this. Sure, he would act like he was of free will, but only when he was given an order. Without one, he would just continue to sit there, gazing off into space. But she smiled again as she remembered what her original task was and how it would help Shampoo and the motionless boy.
Reaching behind her, she pulled from off a table, a steaming bowl of freshly made ramen. Poising it in front of her, she pulled out a pair of chopsticks from the folds of her silk robes and passed them carefully into Shampoo's hands. The violet haired Amazon stared at the bowl, a bit perplexed at what she was supposed to do with it.
Sighing, Cologne let a posing sincere smile grow on her face and she simply pointed from the bowl to Ranma.
"Go ahead and feed some ramen to Ranma. I'm sure he'll like it very much. It's specially made from some of my spices."
Without question, Shampoo nodded her head and stood up. Walking smoothly toward the expressionless boy, she slid carefully into his lap and dipped the chopsticks into the ramen, gathering a few darkly colored noodles. She wasn't oblivious to the stained pasta, but said nothing in fear of what her great grandmother would say.
"Ranma, you eat this, yes? Good boy. . ."
Cologne watched with careful eyes until she was sure that the boy had consumed the last of the ramen. She grinned as she watched the last bit of ramen slip between his lips. Now, the fun began.
~
From the back of the restaurant, another was toiling. With long black hair tied back into a ponytail that reached far down his back, a man adjusted his thick glasses once again, gazing incredulously at the metal spear burrowed deeply into the thick trunk of a dead tree. Clucking his tongue, he closed his eyes and grasped the metal end and pulled sharply, efficiently pulling the buried spearhead from the tree's base. Shaking it firmly, he snapped the spear upward and carefully slipped it into the sleeve of his white silk robe, the robe swallowing it into a hidden abyss.
He turned and looked at the many other scattered items lying around on the ground, not to mention the ones further upward in the windows. Reaching down next to the fallen tree, he picked up a green yo-yo labeled with bold Chinese characters stating, "Mousse."
The dark haired Amazon continued to berate himself for his bad aim. Looking back to his original target, he smiled as he saw a single chain wrapped around a straw dummy several feet away. At least he got one weapon on the blasted target. And he wasn't even looking. With renewed confidence, Mousse continued to gather the weapons laying around, sliding each one into the hidden space pocket in the folds of his robes.
As he suddenly reached down toward a metal claw, he suddenly felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck raise sharply. Letting his glasses fall in place, he whipped his head around and looked for an enemy. He scratched his head, finding none. Yet, before returning to his work, Mousse felt a second prick on his sense and didn't take this one too lightly.
Focusing slightly on the source, he could feel a dark presence in the interior of the restaurant. His eyes narrowed as he felt another presence close by the dark one. He could feel his beloved Shampoo's aura so close to the evil, empty one. Dropping his hold on the metal claw's chain, he ran toward the back entrance door, only praying that he would be able to stop this corrupt aura from inflicting any harm on his sweet Shampoo.
~
Cologne watched as the power of the lethal flower began to take affect on the convulsing Saotome boy. She continued to observe in silence as the boy's writhing body suddenly stopped and lie still. She knew he would be able to take the strain the flower put upon a resisting individual.
A grin grew on her wrinkled face as she felt the aura of worry grow around Shampoo's sob wracking form. Then, seeing the boy stopped, she felt a slight chortle raise in her throat as confusion and pain strained the girl's throat as she yelled to him, shaking his body.
Cologne even was amused as the violet haired girl turned silently, tears gone from her eyes as stared with as much vehemence as she could muster toward her withered face. She brushed aside the hatred and promises of pain rolling off the girl in waves and simply smiled gently.
"My dear child," she spoke as she laughed slightly, "he is not dead as you suspect. He in fact has been made better for you. Just wait one moment and you shall see."
Even as she spoke the words, the boy's body became rigid for a moment and then relaxed as if soaking in deep tub of warm water. The pale cheeks on the boy began to regain a fleshy color that made Shampoo gaze in wonder.
Outside Shampoo's vision, behind her, the boy's arm rose slowly and hovered just above her before sliding smoothly along her waist and pulling her gently on his chest. Shampoo squawked slightly in surprise and blushed heavily as she felt his smooth chest pressed along her back. She suddenly felt a rough finger pull her chin up slightly to look at two pairs of stormy gray blue eyes.
She felt herself being lost in the beautiful eyes, swirling in the eye of a storm. She could see the fire that she longed for that carried his passions and life. She wanted to reach out and touch it. Gazing in his eyes, she barely noticed his smooth motions as he sat up with her, wrapped in his arms. She was only focused on this new life in his eyes, the light in his eyes that showed he was alive. It was her fantasy to have Ranma, but it was her dream to have him without losing any part of him.
She wasn't sure what her great-grandmother had given Ranma, but whatever it was, she certainly was grateful. She looked to her grandmother with praise in her eyes as she felt Ranma's lips caress her in a teasing way. Closing her eyes, she let herself be caught in the rapture of his kiss before she heard the slam of the door from the back.
~
Soun Tendo was a fair believer in signs and omens. . . .
He only wished he could clearly understand them.
Sitting in a lotus position near the lucid waters of his koi pond, he felt an overwhelming sense of wholeness and peace. He closed his eyes and smiled as he took in a deep breath of the sweet spring air. He could smell the tinge of sakura blossoms in the air that would occasionally flutter about.
He was glad that for once Saotome and his self wouldn't be tricking each other in another game of go today. He just wanted to enjoy the day. For, this was a once in a lifetime when the peace was about. Master was gone, Kasumi was out shopping, Nabiki had went over to the strange Kuno boy's mansion and Akane was. . . .well she was out. Probably at a friend's house, he mused.
He sighed heavily again and took a sip of his tea beside him. These days reminded him of Kimiko. . . .She was indeed a very special woman. He only wish he had more time with her. Closing his eyes before the hot tears crept over his eyes, he reopened them, clear and calm. He couldn't be weak like this for his girl's sake. Setting down his cup lightly, he looked out into the blue sky, reveling in its beauty. Suddenly he heard a slight tink from beside him and turned to look.
He stared oddly as his cup seemed to crack slightly and then break away into a large line that appeared to slip down the side of the cup and split in half, leaving two frayed parts of the cup. * How odd. . .*
Soun silently gathered the parts into his hand and walked to the trashcan, disregarding them. He let a finger prop against his chin as he thought. Maybe it's an omen, he pondered. A sign of something bad to happen. Letting his feet guide him back to the edge of the porch near the koi pond, he sat and finally gave up. * Oh well, I'm sure Ranma will deal with it in some way or another. *
Letting the thought go, he promptly reached over from his seat and grabbed a part of the newspaper, ruffling the sheets and forgetting the incident.
~
"Can I get two packs of green tea?"
"Yeah. That'll be 200 yen."
"Thanks."
Turning around, Akane placed the two packs of green tea in her bulging grocery bags and snorted slightly as she hefted another onto her shoulder. Turning through the limited space provided by the bags, she viewed Ukyo and she gave a cheerful smile.
"That's it Ukyo. I guess we better head back now. Or do you need anything for yourself?"
"No, that's all right," Ukyo responded quickly, "I'll come out later if I need anything. I have to get back to my restaurant soon any ways. Let's go drop Kasumi's stuff off and then I have to go, okay?
"All right."
She looked at the brunette girl with concern evident in her eyes. Her face dressed in a slight frown, created slight creases of worry in her face. She still desperately wanted to know what had disturbed Ukyo so when she saw her standing on the stairs earlier. And why she seemed so anxious to go home. Letting her eyes fall slightly to her right, she could see the girl was in a pensive mood as dark clouds brewed around her face. She extended her hand, slightly faltering, and reached out to tap Ukyo's shoulder.
"A yen for your thoughts?"
Ukyo turned slightly, looking faintly over her shoulder at the Tendo girl. She turned her head sharply before the blue haired girl could see her face. She felt another pang in her heart as she felt prodding fingertips, trying to see if she was okay.
She wiped the burning tears from her cheeks, as if trying to make it seem as if something was in her eye. When she was sure the evidence of her sadness and remorse was gone, she closed her eyes and winked at the girl giving a thumbs-up sign, signaling everything was fine.
Peeking through slit eyes, she could see the look of fake assurance creep along Akane's face as she tried to find any signs to reveal her true feelings of despair. She didn't want the girl to see her crying.
No, crying was a weakness.
Crying was for when you were alone and no one can hear you whimper loudly, cursing yourself for the pitiful creature you are. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she gulped down her guilt and pain and smiled pleasantly at the girl. Akane smiled back hesitantly before grinning fully with authentic cheer. Grabbing the bag she had left on the ground, she scooped it up with a huff and propped it on her hip.
"We better go soon if you want to get back to your restaurant at a decent hour," she started, "The sun's setting and it will be dark before you know it. Let's go."
Ukyo silently lifted her bags and began to fall in stride behind the girl, deeply engrossed in how she would be able to deal with Ranma. Neither of them noticed the large crowd they passed standing around the remains of shattered windows that littered the ground until they heard a harsh voice that echoed and made them stop in shock.
"Leave this place with your evil presence and be gone Saotome!"
~
Shampoo heard the back door slam and could almost feel the wooden hinges splinter and shake. Yet, she barely noticed anything as Ranma's brushed upon her lips. She was once again sent into her fantasy world of bliss. She let her hands wander up his arm and lock with his as his raised higher with the kiss's intensity.
Then she heard it.
Now it seemed as if the slamming of that wretched door was echoing in her mind like a broken record. Maybe it was because it had interrupted such a wonderful gift that she rarely received. She could have ignored it, but as Ranma pulled his soft lips away from hers and stood up, there was no way she would be able to get back to that. As a soft groan escaped her lips, she sighed and stood beside Ranma, waiting to see what he was waiting for.
When she saw a white robed figure rush through the door like a snow colored blur, she wasn't all too surprised. Shampoo could see that the boy was agitated, a worried frown etched into his face. Watching with mild amusement, the Amazon stopped when she saw a chain claw hanging half way out of one of one of his long sleeves.
Suddenly, she shuddered involuntarily as she saw the worry on his face warp into an expression of cold fury, once his eyes found her companion. Shampoo could feel the cold emptiness emit from his hard eyes, almost as if they were piercing through her very soul. Shampoo shook her head fiercely. Now why should she just be standing here when she needed to beat the Duck-boy after interrupting their kiss? She was an Amazon warrior, she wasn't afraid of men who stared with bitter hatred.
Watching the boy with calculating eyes, she curved a sly hand behind her and reached back onto the table until her prodding fingers found the empty bowl of ramen. Clamping the tips of her fingers against the bowl, she pulled it behind her back.
Continuing to stare at the still boy, she let her leg muscles slowly contract before she sprang foreword lashing out with the ceramic bowl. Before she made contact with the boy's head however, he disappeared in a white-black blur of clothing and hair.
Shampoo turned sharply on her heel and turned her gaze behind her. Her purple eyes widened with amazement as her hands jumped to cover her gaping mouth. She had to stand still if she dared to try to keep up with their speed. Shampoo found herself gaping in awe.
She had never seen Mousse move so smoothly, so. . . .gracefully. It almost seemed as if he were a dancer, weaving in and out of attacks thrown by the charging Ranma. He still had the cold silent expression stinging his face.
Suddenly, the speed seemed to pick up a notch. She began to see vague blurs, one white, one red. She suddenly felt the warning bells ring fiercely in her head. Looking around, she saw a rapidly moving object speeding her way. She pushed hard on her leg and dodged aside. No sooner did she move, she heard the wooden counter behind her splinter and buckle under the pressure created from the impact. Turning around swiftly, she looked behind her and gasped.
With his head tilted at a hard angle, a dark trail of fluid trickled over his eye as it ran down his forehead, his glasses fallen from his face. Shampoo's eyes grew with concern as she saw an oddly shaped arm protruding jaggedly from one of the boy's sleeves. Reaching down, she moved it slightly. When she heard the sickening crunch of bone, she flinched and rested his arm back down.
Standing up, she stood still, gazing with glazed eyes that traveled over the disheveled body of Mousse. She stopped and with morbid fascination, she watched the blood from his head trickle down his chin and drop on the white robes he wore. The red color stained the crisply pressed robe with scarlet.
Shampoo suddenly stiffened as she felt two strong arms slide and curl protectively around her slim waist. She stood there, unresponsive for what seemed like forever until she remembered that it was Ranma. Pressing her back into Ranma's firm chest, she continued to scrutinize the sight of Mousse's broken body lying in a crumpled heap before her. Her mind was a storm of clashing turmoil. * Mousse deserved that right? He did interrupt our kiss and tell Ranma to go away. But. . . *
She suddenly felt Ranma's wondering hands stop cold. Shaken from her thoughts, she turned in Ranma's arms.
"What is it?"
All of a sudden, she felt the familiar flicker of an aura. Two. Close to them. Normally, she would have ignored it, thinking it just a normal passerby. Yet, as she felt the familiarity of the two, she paused.
One was a fierce and angry battle spark.
The other. . .was just dead.
~
Okie dokie, artichokies! (I saw that on KND. . . don't know why . . .) ANYWAYS, well, there's another finished chapter for you guys. I hope you liked it. I know it wasn't the best, but hey, I tried. I know there wasn't nearly as much action as I promised, but I can DEFINITELY promise that the next chapter will have A LOT.
Um. . .there's not much else I can say except thank you to my readers and those who are nice enough to review. Um. . .Ciao. ^_~