A/N: Yeah! I updated! Applaud me! Cheer for me! Do anything but try to hurt me! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, for those of you who care. I've recently had the schedule from hell, with two sports, a freakishly large sum of homework, and lack of sleep. It's all too much for a child like me. Anywhoo, some of you may have noticed that I started another story. Sorry guys, but it had to be done. Otherwise I get bored, and then I don't update at all. Yup, that's how my mind ticks.

Anyway, I checked my reviews. Thank you all, reviewers or not, that enjoy my story. You have no idea how happy that makes me. And yes, I put my characters through hell, but I promise you it will have a happy ending. Unless you want it to be sad. Or bittersweet, I like those kinds of endings. Well, enough stalling. On with the show!

WARNING: I'm afraid his chapter might not be up to par with the rest, I'm having what one might call, diary of the mouth accompanied by writer's block.

DISCLAIMER: Does anyone besides maybe a bloodthirsty lawyer read these? I do NOT own Ranma ½.

Chapter 5: Another Day, Another Sorrow

"... And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star."

- "The Impossible Dream", Man of Lamancha

Akane woke the next morning with the groggy feeling of not knowing where she was. She looked around the rotting wooden walls that surrounded her, but was utterly baffled as to how they got there. She was laid out across a bare floor, with nothing but a heavy snow jacket that she recognized as Nabiki's for a blanket. And speak of the devil - there was her elder sister leaning against the said walls, her chest rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern.

She got up slowly, every known muscle in her body aching in protest. Her formerly clean skirt and blouse were no longer such. The white in her collar was stained with sweat and dirt, and her neat black shoes were scuffed and ruined. Reaching a tender hand to her head, she fingered the unusually short locks and tugged at the bandage there. She knew she had to be missing something.

As she crinkled her brow in confusion, Nabiki stirred from her hour long rest with a groan. She blinked blearily and frowned.

"Akane, what are you doing up? Lie down or you might start barfing again." Akane turned toward her sister and blinked calmly.

"Nabiki, where am I?" She asked with a look of utter confusion written all across her pretty face. Nabiki scanned her sister's eyes. She wasn't kidding. She honestly didn't know what was going on...

"Akane, you're joking right? I mean, World War Two, Japanese internment camp... ring any bells?" Akane continued to look at her sister with her brow crinkled and her eyes blank.

"What are you talking about? I don't remember any of that." Akane turned in one slow circle, a thoughtful finger to her chin. She stopped at the sight of a rickety door that was falling off its hinges and made her way to it, thrusting it to the side, sending it off its last string and watched it skitter across the ground.

"Oops." She whispered dazedly and continued out the door. She stopped in the middle of the dirt infested road and looked clear across the camp, back and forth, several times. What... was going on? Why couldn't she remember? It was as if she just forgot... everything.

Nabiki hopped out of their little shack. It seemed there were several other people sleeping on the floor that Akane noticed only now. She turned to her sister and finally, it sunk in.

"We're trapped here?" Nabiki thought about it for a moment and nodded. She spoke softly, "I guess you could put it that way."

"Nabiki... why can't I remember? What's wrong with me?" And again, the shrewd sister fell silent, trapped in her whirling thoughts. Was she really that sick? This had to be some sort of after effect of yesterday's incident, but what exactly did that mean?

"Where's mommy and daddy? Nabiki, where IS everyone?" Oh no. Oh GOD no. Had she forgotten it ALL? Was Nabiki really going to have to tell her baby sister that their mother had died in Akane's very arms? That father was on the verge of death himself, and hardly recognized them because he was so far gone? Would this shit hole they were in be where her little sister finally lost her sanity? Would Nabiki be the one responsible? This wasn't happening.

"Akane... you don't remember anything... do you?" Akane laughed.

"Well, no, dummy. I Just TOLD you that. Jeez." Nabiki smiled. What the hell was she supposed to do? Keep it a secret? So that's what it comes down to. She cleared her throat several times, but the lump there wouldn't budge. She began coughing. She didn't know why, but there she was, bending to the ground, choking and coughing on her own tears. Akane bent down next to her immediately and rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

"Take it easy, Nabiki. It's all right." Typical. Akane just realized she had completely forgot at least two years of her life, she was alone with Nabiki in some dump that was no better than a prison, and here she was comforting her bawling sister. So strong, but when it comes down to it, Nabiki was a coward. That's so typical.

Nabiki swatted her sister's hand away. She choked out, "I'm fine. I just need to take a walk." and took off in a randomly picked direction. Akane was so strong. Even after all she'd been through... so much more than either her or Kasumi. So strong. And she, such a coward. Nabiki wasn't half of what her sister was. So why couldn't she tell her about mommy? Why couldn't she tell her about dad? She couldn't answer that. Something in her gut, something felt so scared. Something made her feel like the only way to save her sister, to keep her from crossing that line between hurting and insanity, was to keep everything a secret. The only people who knew was her, Kasumi, and Daddy. She wouldn't find out. Not now, not ever. Just forget the whole damn thing, and move on. Akane would be happy. She would be happy for all of them, even if Nabiki had to condemn her own happiness, Akane would be happy.

Akane was lost. She didn't know where she was, why she was there, or how she was going to get back. It was so quiet this time of day. It couldn't be anywhere past six thirty, and people were still cooped up in those wretched shacks. The air was chilly, the breeze was soft, and the sky was just turning blue after a long and dramatic show of red, orange, and the loveliest shade of pink she had ever seen. It was beautiful. But for some reason, she just couldn't enjoy it. Soemthing was nagging at the back of her mind, wanting to be let out. Something that she knew would hurt her, and for that reason, she kept it locked there, in the depths of her wounded thoughts and memories.

She continued to walk in one direction, hoping she would run into Nabiki or Kasumi, her mother or father. She reached a corner and began to turn, when she spotted a young man sitting on the roof of a shack in slightly better condition than the rest. She ducked back behind the wall and peeked out at him, watching from a distance.

He sat cross-legged, comfortable and serene. His face was turned toward the sunrise, and his hands were placed behind his head. God was he gorgeous. He was handsome, and yet... so very familiar. A light pain began tickling her head at the thought, and she touched her temple gingerly.

"You can come out now, I know you're there." Came a deep voice in a calm tone. Akane jumped at his unexpected words, and slammed her back against the wall behind her, breathing hard. She knew he was an officer, she saw his uniform. And she wasn't stupid either. She knew that if she were to be caught spying on a soldier, she would be in trouble. But she wasn't afraid. She feared no one.

Stepping out from behind the wall she huffed, and looked him straight in his shocking blue eyes. He gave her a hard look and nearly fell off his spot on the roof.

"Y-you ..." He added intelligently. Akane gave him an odd look. She demanded, "Well, what are you going to do with me, hm? What is it the great American soldiers do to us little prisoners when we go about too early in the morning? Beat us? Torture us? WELL?" She was quite peevish. This man must be stupid. He only looked at her incredulously when she spoke. It was getting her irritated.

He coughed lightly, and jumped to the ground gracefully. She was somewhat in awe of his supple movements. He must be a martial artist. He took a step toward her and looked at the ground. What was he doing? Did she know him? He murmured a quiet, "I'm sorry."

"Do I know you?" She asked irritably. What was he apologizing for? Was he mental? She was getting angrier and angrier by the second.

"Ouch. I guess I really deserve that. Um, listen, if I had any idea you would have reacted like that, I mean yesterday..." Akane snorted.

"What nonsense are you speaking? Honestly, I had no idea this place would be full of such weirdos..." Ranma's brow knitted together. He had just apologized. There wasn't anything he could do at the time... It would have cost him his job. His life. He would be put in jail, maybe even death row depending on how far the government took it. And his father would probably disown him. What did she want him to do? She could have been killed, and would have been had he not intervened, and she goes on about not knowing him. She was ignoring him, and Ranma Soatome did not take kindly to being ignored.

"Listen Ms. Tendo, I think you're forgetting your place. Don't get out of line, not everyone is going to be as nice as me." Akane abruptly shut her mouth and gave him a dirty glare. This girl had guts, he'd give her that.

"Nice! Nice he says! I don't know who you are, Mister, and I don't know how you know my name, but judging by how you've been treating me so far, I don't think you're very nice at all!" She yelled, and turned on her heel. He grew frustrated with her and shouted back, "Fine! Next time you do something stupid, I won't save your life, because the last two times I have don't seem to mean very much to you at all!"

Akane stopped in her tracks. She turned slowly and growled, "You obviously have gotten too cocky with your high and mighty 'soldier' position, because I don't qualify talking to me for five minutes as saving my life once, let alone two times! I think you're just a jerk!"

Ranma gaped at her, "So I'm a jerk and a weirdo, am I? You know, the first time I met you, I thought you were cute when you smiled! But now I realize just how UNcute you really are!" (A/N: And so the immaturity is finally revealed...)

Akane stood dumbstruck with her mouth half open to retort. A flash of something. An image of a little girl and beautiful blue eyes gazing at her in worry. The very eyes of the man in front of her. Something connected.

She had met him before.

With that sudden realization, a searing pain ripped through her brain, and for a moment her vision partially darkened. She knelt to the ground with a shriek of pain and began to tremble. She creamed at the man, "Go away! You have to leave me alone! It's you! Your hurting me! GO AWAY!" Ranma stopped in mid step toward the poor quivering girl. She was in pain. He was causing it? What the hell was going on here?

Several heads popped out from behind walls and doors, curious to see what was happening, but fearful at the same time. Ranma took another step, when her screaming began to die down. She had her hands buried beneath her velvety locks clutching her head, and trembling. Ranma knelt beside her and touched her shoulder. She didn't notice so he spoke softly.

"Ms. Tendo? Are you all right? Is there anything I can do? Akane?!" She stopped shaking and turned tear stained eyes to him. His heart wilted under that painful stare. He had been the cause of that?

She whispered softly after a few moments, "How do you know my name? Tell me!" She placed her delicate hands on his shoulders and shook him with the last of her strength before she had to slump against him to rest. She kept murmuring, "I can't remember you. I can't remember any of this. What's happening to me? Am I going insane? Am I?"

Ranma, awkward and panicked, glanced around at the little crowd, and swiftly picked Akane up, jumping from the first tiny roof to the next, to the next, and onward until he was a safe distance from everyone else. He didn't know why, But he wanted to stay with her until she stopped shaking. He wanted to be the one to comfort her, even if he was the one that caused her the pain. How selfish.