Disclaimer: Standardly standard disclaimer of the standard standards apply here... Standard.
Chapter eleven : Reason of Insanity
" I don't think I can give you an answer. Oh, I could give you Freudian reasons with fancy talk, and would be alright… but what you want are the reasons for the reasons, and I'm not able to give you those. Not for the others anyway. For myself? Guilt. Shame. Fear. Self-belittlement…"
- Harding in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
"Nabiki! Nabiki, where are you going?" the sly young woman turned on her younger sister and whispered conspiratorially, "I know a coupla' handsome soldiers who're willing to spare a glass or two of whatever alcoholic shit they keep around here. They were just so taken with my womanly charms that they couldn't resist me." She added laughing sadistically and winked at Akane. Akane shook her head, sighing.
"But it's getting late and everyone will be gathering in another hour or two. You'll never make it back on time." She pleaded, her eyes frantic on account of the upcoming party that she had yet to finish planning. Her cool elder sister shrugged a dainty shoulder and waved a hand reassuringly. She added, "No worries, dear sister. I'll be back in time. I never miss an opportunity to celebrate." Akane sighed dramatically as Nabiki swaggered out of sight. Her self-pity lasted for a slim few seconds before she rushed off crying "There's so much to do."
Now was as good a time as any. She began her careful feminine saunter toward the handsome man with a cute little black pigtail. Tonight she would introduce herself. Tonight she would wrap Ranma in such a cocoon of sweet charm that he would be blind to everything and everyone else.
Almost there, and… she stopped cold. Light clouds of dust floated between and about her still feet. What the hell was he doing here?
"Ranma, why the long face? I thought you had to get ready for General Saotome's arrival… that is tomorrow, right?" Ranma turned to his ever-faithful companion Ryoga Hibiki. He gave such a nasty glare in the boy's direction that any normal man would have keeled over in his steel-toed boots. Ryoga, however, grinned slyly at his bitter friend. He nudged Ranma's shoulder, "Lady troubles?" In response Ranma brought a heavy fist onto Ryoga's head as he mumbled darkly, "I've been getting that a lot lately."
"So who's the lucky girl, eh? Is she going to the big birthday bash this evening?" Ranma stiffened as a vein throbbed in his neck. He growled, "I don't want to talk about it. Get back on duty, will ya?" He shoved at the nosy man's chest to emphasize his point.
Ryoga laughed grandly, giving the flustered officer a mock salute and swaggered off in completely the wrong direction, calling over his shoulder as he went, "See you at the party, my Casanova friend." Ranma stood fuming at the soldier's good humor and his own apparent transparency. In a sudden jolt of movement he was heading off toward his quarters to grab some sweats and train for the next few hours. There was no way in Hell he would go to that party. Not for Akane …
"Akane, dear! It's time to clean up. I warmed the bath for you." Kasumi called into the tiny shack where the youngest Tendo sat frantically searching for something suitable to wear. Any clothes she had managed to bring had been ripped, spotted, or otherwise accosted by her reckless way of living. Nabiki would look absolutely fantastic in the cute little blouse and skirt Kasumi had sewed for her earlier, and Kasumi herself was always the picture of cleanliness and beauty, but Akane was buried up to her neck in ragged clothing and dirtiness.
With a frustrated and hopeless sigh, Akane threw her last blouse with the buttons torn off toward the dirt floor. She strode to the door and flung the it open, only to see a startled Kasumi straighten from where she was folding dry laundry. She took several deep breaths and made a forced effort to calm herself, before continuing on to the partly covered bathing area behind their temporary home.
What was she so worked up about anyway? It wasn't like she had someone to dress up for, now did she? Unfortunately, this train of thought only succeeded in causing the young girl more anger and frustration, until she was just about ready to cry in hopeless and unexplainable anger.
What she did know was… she really didn't know anything.
As he made one last desperate attempt to determine his coordinates, the young soldier threw his arms in the air and gave a choked cry of frustration. Where the hell was he now? He spun sharply on his foot and began walking purposefully in another random direction. He was just about to give up and spend the next few hours beating his hardened skull against a rickety old shack until he heard the sweet melody of a young woman humming to herself.
He stilled to listen for a blissful moment. With renewed gusto, he headed toward the voice with the strange impression that this beautiful sound could only be from an angel, and that this handsome figure of goddess was there to save him from his lousy sense of direction. Or from the fact that he had no sense of direction.
"Please, could you -" He burst through the curtains, pleading with the envisioned angel from his dreams… until he realized in shocked embarrassment that his angel was not only one of great beauty, but that her beauty was displayed in all of its glorified nakedness as she soaked in a large bucket-like tub. Her humming stuck in her throat and an ominous tension hung about the air as he realized that she might actually kill him. She was sending him a puzzled but deadly glare from her spot in the water that she even managed to pull off as she rushed to cover herself fully.
But to this, Ryoga was only partly aware. Just as he was vaguely aware of the blood rushing to his cheeks and gushing forth from his nose. All of this and more, he was aware of, until finally, everything went dark.
"Kasumi! A pervert!" The poor startled Akane shrieked just as the intruder keeled over backward, the blood dripping onto his uniform. Kasumi popped her head through the curtain with a small towel in hand, giving Ryoga a bewildered once over and uttering a calm "oh, my". She helped her shaken (but angry) sister from the tub and ushered her into the towel and into the room, closing the door behind her. As Akane fumed and readied herself to charge back outside to slaughter the peeping tom, Kasumi surprised her by giggling.
"Kasumi, what are you doing?" The young woman asked in bewilderment. Kasumi just coughed lightly into her hand and apologized, seeming strangely out of behavior, but not for the fist time the last couple of days. The eldest just continued nudging her sister over to her bed, gesturing to the covers. "I noticed you were low on clean things to wear so I decided to alter one of my older dresses a little for you to wear tonight. I know the color will look wonderful on you."
Akane looked to her sheets to find a dainty little dress placed across the surface. Pleasantly surprised, She turned toward her sister to thank her, and on impulse, leaned in to silently show her gratitude in a gentle hug. Kasumi smiled into her hair as she patted the girl's back tenderly and whispered, "You're welcome." Akane felt her pull back as she prodded teasingly, "now try it on and let me study my handiwork."
Tonight… tonight was the night. He had been so patient, so careful. Finally, he would get what he wanted. There was a groan beside him in the dark. The other man next to him shifted with a sharp intake of breath, demonstrating his apparent discomfort. He whispered to the beaten man beside him whom he knew and loved and hated. Fiercely, he warned, "Don't interfere. Tonight. She's mine you scummy bastard, and if you defy me or screw up tonight… I'll kill you." His companion whimpered his consent before giving a wheezing cough and slumping to the floor. His labored breathing evened out as he entered unconsciousness.
With a wicked smile and a quick kick to the abused man's side, the dark and vicious form of a monster threw open the door, sniffing into the darkening evening.
Tonight.
The normally cold and gloomy setting of the detention camp was lifted and replaced with an unusual cloud of joy and entertainment. Faces were lit as brightly as any lantern-light lining the buildings, and the purple-gray sky was giving way to the bright glint of stars winking through the normal haze. Even the numerous soldiers and officers keeping an eye on the partygoers were enjoying themselves and nearly forgetting that these were their captives and this euphoria would only last for one night before the harsh bite of reality was once again released on them.
As for Akane, the stress of coordinating the event was finally lifted from her shoulders enough for her to try and enjoy herself. But there was a strange sense of depression building in her chest, tightening her muscles and making it harder for her to breath. Why could he have such an effect on her? Why did her very health depend on this man's nearness? It made her uneasy to feel so attached to someone whom she should obviously not be attached to at all. With a deep sigh that filled her lungs with heavy breath, she headed off a ways from the crowd to ease her headache and find a moment's peace.
"Why hello Miss Tendo. It's a pleasure to see you again so soon." A deep and charming voice sounded from behind her. She spun in a shock of fabric and skirt to face that very familiar voice. With a stutter and a blush at the man's nearness, she took several steps back before answering, "H-hello… Ben, is it? It is a pleasure. But if you don't mind, I have to be getting back…" The said man smiled calmly, making her blood freeze in her veins. He began again, "Are you alright? You seem rather… uncomfortable. Almost… Tense. Do you mind?" He asked warmly as he reached over to begin rubbing her shoulders gently. She jerked at his touch. One so alien, yet so… familiar. Cold hands.
"Actually, I do. I'm sorry, but it's my sister's party and I really should be getting back. It was nice seeing you. Have a nice night." She began striding back toward the throng of people, too eager to leave to hear his mumbled reply.
"I plan on it."
"Ryoga! What the hell happened to you? There's blood all over you uniform." Ranma remarked worriedly, noticing the dazed look on his friends face. He was staring far into the crowd, watching someone dreamily. Ranma slugged him in the face in a friendly way, drawing an angry, "Ranma!" from him and finally getting his attention. He looked down at his stained uniform, "Nose bleed." Ryoga commented nonchalantly.
"So", Ranma replied easily, "Who're you looking at? Tell me you didn't fall in love with another girl. I remember the last time… that poor woman had to rebuild her house after you were through with it."
"Look at her, man. She's an angel. I've never seen one as pretty as her. I walked in on her bathing… when I woke up, I was stuck in the community dumpster, but it was worth it. I mean, what a body this girl has…" Ranma gave him a disgusted look and shook his head.
"You are such a pervert Ryoga." He responded, giving him another blow to the head. He followed his friend's gaze, searching the crowd for his new obsession. Ryoga pointed toward a girl in a yellow dress dancing with a young man down the dirt rode a ways. She spun and laughed gaily turning ever-so-slightly their way until realization hit Ranma like a sack of bricks.
"That's Akane, you bastard!" He spun around on a shocked Ryoga, as one more important realization hit him. "You walked in on her while she was taking a bath?" The other young man stood with a very confused look in his eyes, until realization struck him as well. "That's the girl? Her! No way Ranma! She's mine." That struck a chord deep in the officer's chest, and he lunged toward his companion, sending him flying toward the ground from a swift kick. Ryoga groaned, too surprised by the sudden venomous look in his friend's eyes to respond. Finally, he too became angry. They commenced fighting sending blow for blow furious scowls and death threats, until the two were worn from the sudden exertion. As they stood panting in the street, Ranma gave his soldier one long look, a strange expression haunting his eyes as Ryoga watched in stunned silence, waiting for the next attack. Finally Ranma turned and walked off into the crowd, not looking back, and forcing his eyes away from the happy young woman dancing under the starlight.
After her uncomfortable encounter with Ben, Akane had spent much of her time in the company of others – dancing, talking and laughing. But though it was painful to admit, even to her self, the one person Akane really needed in order to feel safe… was Ranma. That's why, when she finally saw him standing off to the side and awkwardly defending him self against the attentions of several infatuated young girls, she had nearly forgotten their earlier argument.
She watched him unhappily until she became aware of a nearby presence making her uneasy. She turned cautiously around to see Ben watching her at a distance, the several cuts and bruises littering his face becoming apparent where she had not noticed them before. He smiled at her through a split lip and she spun back toward where Ranma still stood, now alone. She had to keep herself from running over to him and hiding behind his back. Instead, She walked quickly to where he was watching her approach, eyeing her from toe to brow. She smiled inwardly, reassured by his appreciative expression that the argument was forgotten.
"Hey there beautiful." He teased, seemingly without thought. Akane was taken aback, and a rosy blush spread across her cheeks. Something about her had him distracted, for he seemed to not be aware of the uncharacteristic things he was saying to her. At this rate, it was going to be a very long night. But… she wasn't sure if she minded so much, now that Ranma was there.
She was stunning. Absolutely gorgeous. There was something about the way that strapless yellow dress fit snugly around her chest and waist that held his gaze and left him bold. Despite its daring cut and fitted style, she still managed to look so innocent and demure. He was tempted to spin her around, just so that he could watch the soft layers of skirt twirl before settling back against her legs. And those blue locks of hers. The way she looked so soft and inviting, he just wanted to…
"Ranma. What are you doing?" She whispered quietly, holding his gaze as he pulled her toward him by her wrist. She was so delicate under his calloused hands. When she neared him, he reached a large hand to her short hair, mussed from the breeze. It was just as silky as he had imagined, and he relished the gentle warmth in her eyes when he reached behind her neck to draw her closer. Her shiver of excitement only succeeded in making him want her more, and he was left without any inhibitions, throwing caution to the wind. He felt her warm puffs of breath against his chin as she drew nearer, and still he hadn't said a word.
" Hi Akane!" And just like that, the spell was broken and they flew apart. Akane remained with her eyes locked on Ranma's though, as if there was something there that she wanted to, but couldn't, decipher. After a tense moment of her searching his gaze but it revealing nothing, she turned to the intruder and smiled upon recognition.
"Hi Ukyo. You look lovely tonight." She added kindly, admiring the other woman's fullness and adorable blue dress that fit her snugly. If only she were half as grown-up looking as her new friend, maybe Ranma wouldn't have let her go.
Shaking off the last inappropriate thought, she paid full attention to the ghostly-looking woman in front of her. With curious observation, Akane noticed the pallid complexion and trembling hands of her newly recognized friend. Sparing one last meaningful glance toward the young shaken soldier, she shuddered at the way he avoided her gaze and pulled Ukyo toward a more private area. Speaking worriedly, she asked, "Ukyo, you look like you've seen a ghost. What happened?" Ukyo just lowered her gaze, shaking her head.
"For a moment, I thought I had. It's just been… a long day." Shaking her head more resolutely this time, she lifted her chin and smiled in a fashion that didn't quite reach her hardened eyes.
"Come on", she added, pulling Akane back into the throng of people, "Let's dance!" They immersed themselves in a jumbled crowd of bodies, giggled and shrieking like young girls at the fair.
Worries and fears still hung darkly in the back of her mind. Things she wanted to forget, things that she had forgotten that moment in Ranma's arms but not since and probably never again. But right now, that hardly mattered. Tonight, she would move so much and spin so fast that her dread and her worries wouldn't be able to keep up.
Akane laughed gaily as they twirled to the brassy music. Even if it were a shallow sort of pleasure… for the moment, neither one of them would let their fear overpower their happiness.
And the night wore on. He watched the sweet young girl in the yellow plaid dress from a distance, knowing his brother wouldn't dare fail him this time. To fail him was damning oneself.
To him, life and its inhabitants were pretty much black and white. He got what he wanted, or they suffered. He got what he wanted, and they suffered. No ifs, no ands, no buts. Why? Power. Absolute and infinite power over those cowardly, useless bastards who claimed they were God's children, God's creations. What did they know? What did any one of them know about the highest, absolute power and greatness of his God? How could such a wonder ever love them the way the Lord loved him?
The way he understood it, he was doing God's work, helping him out. These people weren't worth the space they took on Earth, so he would send them to their rightful slots in Hell. So he had taken it upon himself to begin filtering out the more disgusting ones from this camp. It was eerily convenient the way they were all trapped here together, seemingly God's way of making his job easier. That's why the women had been going missing. The women… The reason for man's exile from Eden, abominable souls who tempt and seduce men into sin.
Especially that Tendo. She was the epitome of lust and a sly little temptress. She was his prize, the one he would savor sending away the most. Her beauty was unspeakable, she was delicate, her eyes so alluring…
He was drifting. He had to focus, for she had already begun to sink her venomous fangs of seduction into him. She would go tonight.
The party had ended. It was late in the night… so late it was early, and the sky couldn't decide if it should be dark or light, so it settled on a muggy dark fog. Akane stumbled about, trying to finish cleaning up. She had sent her sisters to bed, noticing their drawn expressions. Everyone was in bed and away. It had been some time since she had seen Ranma.
"Damn it." She cursed as she kicked something with her shin. She couldn't see anything through the dark mist. It settled about her, drawn to her like an ominous sheet of ignorance. She was helpless in such a fog.
"That's not something a lady should say." An amused voice spoke up from somewhere beside her. She knew that voice, that ugly chuckle. She backed herself up against what she assumed was a shack, stuttering in her fear, "B-Ben? What- what are you doing here?" His only response was a dark laugh. Before she could move in any direction, his hands were upon her, pinning her where she cowered.
"This is how I survive." He muttered against the tight skin of her neck. She didn't understand him. He gave a hysterical giggle. She waited. He said no more.
Ranma, Her mind screamed. She gave a jerk, and his hands fell limp. Without knowing where he was, she struck out, hitting air. Her skin was cold, the sweat trickling down her neck and chest colder still. She pushed off the wall, disoriented and dazed as she rushed through the thick gray-black mist. She didn't know if he followed her. She stopped, she didn't know where. She couldn't breath, the fog closed in around her, walls that trapped her senses. Was he there?
"Wait… I want to touch your pretty hair." She heard him whisper next to her ear. Her heart paused stricken in her chest and she whimpered in panic. Slowly, she straightened. She struck out, hitting air again. Ranma.
And she was off, rushing in some wild direction until she hit a fence. A barb caught her skirt and tore; she felt a slow trickle down her leg. Crying out, she spun around in tight circles, her eyes wild, kicking and struggling against nothing in an eerily animalistic way. Trapped.
"Coward!" She shrieked, her voice rough and strained with fear. Trapped. No one answered her challenge, nothing moved. She danced about in her tight, ritualistic circle. Trapped. She would fight him. She would fight the pain pumping through her veins, she would fight itBut it was too quiet. Where had he gone?
"I have to send you away." A soft voice remarked sympathetically. She froze. A softly chill finger brushed her cheek. She trembled.
"Such exquisiteness can only lead to sin." It whispered, and then, "I know, I know, you're frightened. But you're evil, and I you have to go." He told himself resolutely, as if he was justifying… convincing.
"Who… who the hell are you?" A chuckle. Serene, easy… practiced. No response. The she heard him. Faint muttering, a fast, demonic muttering.
"GetridofhershesinstemptressbeforesheseducesyouandfailGoditmustbedonetonight."
…And it was dead quiet once more.
"Sometimes he gets like this." Ben spoke up from the darkness. "I had to lead you here… he told me to. He would have killed me. He would have killed me." He finished as his voice grew increasingly frantic. She cowered. She couldn't get out of this one. She was going to die tonight.
A hand slid up her back, quickly, electrically, until she felt cold steel pressed against her throat. "I have to send you away." The blade stung her skin, cutting slightly deeper as she swallowed. Then there was the click of a safety. Someone had a gun.
"No." The air was tense and the only noise was the sound of Ben's heavy breathing. She heard him shake the gun, felt the man behind her being nudged. He whimpered, "You said I could have her first. I want this one. You said." He sounded like a spoiled child. His beaten face emerged from the darkness right before her face as he reached around to hold the gun to his brother's forehead. His eyes rolled wildly in their sockets.
"She is a wicked creature, brother. A temptress. I have to do this. You'll understand after I've - "
"No!" He shrieked. His finger tensed on the trigger, and in seconds it happened. Akane hazily realized as she rolled to the floor that in her hand there was a cold metal weight, a body slumped to the floor beside her, and a beastly cry erupted from above her. Finally, her brain caught up to her body.
The stranger lay still beside her, a bullet in his gut. His eyes were eerily empty, his tongue lolled uselessly from his mouth so that trickles of bloody saliva seeped into the dirt. Ben was gone. Not gone… she could feel him there. But where? She cocked the gun. Waiting…
An abrupt movement occurred to her left, and without another thought she fired. A surprised grunt and a curse of pain broke the tense silence. A different voice. Not Ben. Who, then?
"Who are you?" She asked guardedly, only partly aware of his response. She didn't want to kill anybody. She hated guns.
"Who am I? Who the hell are you?" the faceless victim of her paranoia shouted angrily. For being shot he seemed oddly unfazed. She whimpered… what had she done?
"Where's Ranma?" She whimpered to herself. The figure heard her and suddenly his breathing shortened. He stumbled forward hesitantly, and she impulsively raised the gun and took aim at his approach.
"Shit… you're not Akane, are you?" She still had the gun lifted at his shape, her hands causing it to tremble so that she could not aim steadily. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." He ground out.
"What going on here?" A voice interrupted their short exchange. Akane still lay weakly on the floor with the heavy gun so that her hands drooped toward the dirt. She was shaking like a rattling leaf, and her face was pale and round like a full moon. Beautiful but distant.
"Is Hibiki, yes? What violent girl captive doing armed?" The woman was exotically beautiful, austere and powerful in her finely pressed uniform but in a way that screamed seductive. Her hair was a violet the color of Jacaranda trees in bloom, and her generous bosom could hardly be contained beneath the dark, course fabric of her blazer.
"Yes Ma'am." He responded, his face contorting in a sullen kind of dread. This was an unfortunate occurrence. Ranma was going to kill him. And her. And probably everyone else, too.
"You're not… with General Soatome, are you?" He asked weakly, unable to look at Akane as the gun dropped heavily to the ground. Misty fog clung to his hair and clothing. It was cold.
Please forgive me if any of my ramblings in the above chapter offended you. Any views, no matter how slight, of the crazy evil man have nothing to do with my own. Please keep in mind that he is supposed to be insane. Thank you.