6. And Give

Akane stared distrustfully at Shampoo. The girl had brought a young man with her, who now was staring at the Amazonian girl with glowing eyes. Shampoo began to explain her return in her broken Japanese.

"Great-grandmother Cologne send Shampoo to follow Ranma to wedding. Amazon law forbid to steal from fellow woman, but if woman no own, then Shampoo have Ranma."

Akane seethed before calming as Ranma unconsciously put his hand on her arm. "And who is he?" Ranma asked, nodding to the other man.

"I am Mousse, Shampoo's true husband." Strange, since the man was obviously Chinese; he had no horrible accent like Shampoo. Everyone ignored Shampoo's open mouth in protest. "Elder Cologne sent me along to watch Shampoo. Our customs mean Shampoo cannot cause your wedding to fall through, and Cologne…could not trust Shampoo much."

Akane nodded in satisfaction. Good. A babysitter for the annoyance.

"Good, I found my way back!" Ryoga's voice came from some tree's and he walked back into the clearing. He'd obviously been bathing; his hair was wet and his face a little red, but more from cleanliness than embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I'll go take my bath now." Ranma turned to Akane and added in an undertone. "Don't let Shampoo follow, okay?" She nodded and gave him a smile, and he started to leave.

"May I join you? I'm rather tired and dirty from travel, and I'd like a bath," Mousse asked, and Ranma gave him a shrug. Shampoo opened her mouth, but Akane firmly closed it and led the Amazonian girl into her tent.

-

Ranma sank into the hot springs with a happy sigh. They were lucky to be near these. Before when he'd bathed in rivers, he'd had to heat up water before he left and take quick baths so it wouldn't cool. Now he could relax and soothe the tension that had knotted up.

Visions from Akane's dream bounced into his mind, and he flushed again, feeling the blood rush somewhere it shouldn't have, especially not with Mousse here. Who knew what the Amazon male would think?

"So, Ranma, you are truly engaged to Akane?" Mousse tossed away his shirt and breeches and stepped into the hot springs. Ranma blushed again, not sure if he could be truthful or not to Mousse.

"I…I…"

"If you're not, I won't tell Shampoo. She doesn't really want to marry you. I don't think she's ready. Its tradition and honor, and they are held high in the Amazon world. I think you'd both be happier if you did marry Akane…"

Ranma soaked this in, and then nodded. It would be nice if Shampoo didn't want to marry him. That way, he could live without worrying about that stupid Cologne and-

"We'd both be happier!" he yelled, just realizing what Mousse had said. He flushed brightly, turning away from the young man.

"Don't be stupid. Akane…Akane's a higher class than me, she's a kawaiikune tomboy, and I don't think she'd ever want to marry someone like me…"

"Princess Akane can make her own decisions."

"Which means I'll definitely not be marrying her, so -- how did you know she's a princess!" This Mousse guy seemed to know everything that would surprise Ranma.

"Elder Cologne knew her father, and had seen Akane when she was younger. The Amazons and King Soun have been allies for a while now. Plus its easy to see from the way she walks and talks. Her aura screams royalty."

They sat in silence, Ranma clearly thinking hard, until Mousse stood. Ranma stood with him, and let a small gasp escape him as he saw something that caught his eye. On Mousse's lower back, were the symbols,

"Heir to the Land"

-

Akane felt a sort of relief spread through her as she sunk into her own bath. Shampoo was sitting across from her with a sort of dazed look, and Akane somehow found the look on her face amusing. Perhaps, if Shampoo hadn't been intent on marrying Ranma, they could have been friends…

"Mousse…is heir to Lost Boy's land?" Shampoo asked, raising her eyes to Akane's.

Akane nodded. "We're pretty sure. When we asked Mousse, he said…."

-

"Akane, Ryoga! C'mere!" Ranma's voice called them from the fire to him and a confused Mousse. "I've found him! The heir is Mousse!"

He spun Mousse around, who hadn't had time to pull on his shirt, and Akane read the kanji with a happy feeling spreading through her. "Oh, Ryoga! We've found him! He's got the mark and he speaks so clearly, maybe he really is Japanese…he could have been raised with the Amazons…"

Mousse appeared blank for a moment, then realization spread across his face. "My mother did say I wasn't her true son…but my own mother died in a battle. My father wasn't known…"

Ryoga stepped forward, with the last test. Mousse was the only clue they'd run across….if he really wasn't, this would be a real setback. "When did those markings appear on you? Have you had them since birth, or did you receive warrior inking?"

Mousse's face appeared puzzled a moment, before he absently felt his mark. "I've had it since my coming of age…"

When they were confused, Shampoo supplied "Shampoo think it Japanese 13th year?"

Akane felt goose bumps flow down her arms as Ryoga knelt and bowed to his sovereign.

-

"Those are all the things the Elder said proved he was the heir. Mousse is going to have to go with us so he can be checked, but I'm positive he's the one."

Shampoo appeared thoughtful a moment, then turned to Akane with a light blush. "Shampoo…come with? To make sure Mousse okay. It is Amazon law to watch over fellow tribesmen."

Akane smiled brightly and nodded.

-

They set out, and surprisingly arrived at the small area where Ryoga's land was quickly - Ryoga was forced to give the map to Ranma, and only a day passed. Seeing as all were skilled in the martial arts, they moved rather fast. When they got to the waterfall that ended the map, Ranma called everyone to a stop.

Akane moved up behind him and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Ranma? Is this…it?"

Ryoga moved ahead with a smug smirk. "Of course not. We call our temporary home Jusenkyo. Welcome." He walked through the waterfall and the others followed.

Instead of a rock wall, like it should have been, there was a small village. It had its own market, and only about twenty huts, but it was a village. Everyone turned to Ryoga, and one girl ran at him with a smile and a spatula.

"Good, you've brought him! Oh, how wonderful, we'll be able to go back to the castle! I can cook as the king's chef!" She hugged Ranma, obviously thinking he was the heir. "I'm so grateful to you, Highness! How we have longed for you!" She kissed his cheek and Ryoga appeared disgruntled.

"Actually Ukyo, this is just a companion. The heir is over there. Everyone, this is Ukyo. Her family worked in the king's kitchens, and always have. She's been waiting to follow the tradition for a long time.

Ukyo smiled, but appeared a bit disappointed Ranma wasn't the heir. Akane had never been happier to see an upset girl.

"Come, lets go see the Elder." Ukyo led them towards the very back of the village, where the largest hut was. They walked it with a feeling of silence washing over them, feeling the sacred aura permeating the air. The hut appeared empty, before Akane felt a feeling of foreboding.

"R-Ranma?" was all she had to say before she was hit.

She screamed, and tried to unlatch the small man that attached himself to her chest. "PERVERT! GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!"

Ranma's aura darkened considerably, and the small pervert turn his head against Akane's chest, ignoring her attempts to dislodge him. "You…have a strong aura, boy. But…you are not my land's heir. Who is?"

Ranma stepped forward with a tight smile and hit the man across the head, making him let go of Akane as the pervert let go to hold his throbbing head.

"How insolent!" Ranma shrugged and stepped in front of Akane in an attempt to hide her. The man snorted and turned to Mousse, who had just stepped towards the Elder. A strange glint came to his eyes and the old man bowed low.

"So, you are the heir. I am pleased to see you, Highness."

Mousse just bowed back. "Just Mousse, please. I'm not sure I understand much of what's happening. Why can't the people go to the castle?"

The Elder lit a small pipe and leaned back, eying Shampoo who glared defiantly back at him. "People may only inhabit the castle if a royal is in it. Now that we have found you, our land is safe and we can return to normal."

Akane peeked over Ranma's shoulder and stared at the man. "Who the heck are you?"

"I'm Happosai, the last of the Council. We ruled with your father, Mousse. Good man."

Ukyo turned to everyone with a smile. "I'm sure the guests are tired, Elder Happosai. I shall take them to our best huts before we pack in the morning."

Happosai nodded, watching Akane with a smile. "I shall, of course, need to check up on my guests…do not be frightened if you hear me."

Akane growled and Ranma smirked. "No need for that. Akane is very tired, and I'll be the one to watch her. After all, she's my…fiancé." It felt so strange to say that…

Happosai almost looked disappointed, then shrugged and grinned cheekily. "Whatever you say…"

Akane didn't like that look.

-

A little later, Ranma was settling in on the ground next to Akane, sighing. Akane had refused to sleep alone, and Shampoo was staying in Ukyo's hut.

"Oh, thanks Ranma," Akane sighed happily, snuggling into her blankets. "That pervert scared me…"

Ranma yawned a welcome and lay down as well, but somehow couldn't get to sleep. He heard Akane's breathing level and once again flashes of her dreams appeared, but it was just of Ranma walking away. He could hear a voice this time, though, and it sounded like Akane.

"Please don't leave…! Don't leave me, Ranma! Ranma! No!" And then Dream-Ranma was gone in a burst of flames and he felt the connection flash hotly as Akane stirred and woke up silently. Ranma pretended he was asleep and felt her sigh in contentment as she looked at him, and she rolled over and went to sleep again. Her dreams were of her garden and her sisters, and he felt assured and closed the dreams.

Would that happen if anyone found out? Perhaps. Would Akane ever leave him? The situation scared him more than he liked to admit.

His dreams were of markings and Akane crying silently as she walked away. He woke up a while later with her words ringing in his ear.

"How could you…?"

And then a blankness filled his mind, and he forgot any dreams he may have had that night. Rolling over, he dreamt of a choking Kuno, who had inadvertently drank some of Kodachi's poison. A smile curled his lips.

Sorry for the lateness! Been busy with school and Syaoran and TSUBASA and Syaoran, and the wonderful wonderful wonderful CCS, and Syaoran...

A shout out to my best internet friend lilangelita! You make everything better at the end of the day, you know? Hope this makes up for anything I've said that you might have never wanted to know.

Please do not hate me for being late, my wonderful readers...I am truly sorry, honto ni! -bowbowbow-

Wo ai ni! - My tribute to...nah, I'll let you guess who I was gonna say. (coughSYAORANcough)