CHAPTER 57
-"THE FOUR Rs!"-
(Regrets, Romance, A Rumble, and the Return!)
In the previous episode…
After school had ended, Ran confronted R about his actions at the dance Friday night, particularly his fight with Ranma. When she tried to apologize to R for hurting his feelings, when he'd found out that it was Ranma who Ran secretly loved, R refused to accept her apology, cruelly slapped her, and basically told her to get lost.
Ran ran away in tears, and R had a moment of regret over what he'd done. But before that went any further, Ukyo showed up and confronted R over the way he'd treated Ran. One thing led to another, and a fight took place between the okonomiyaki chef / ex-fiancée of Ranma / friend of Ran vs. the White Rose.
Ran, feeling something wasn't quite right, wanted to go back to Furinkan and convinced Akane to come along with her. They arrived to find Ukyo badly wounded after she'd been defeated by R.
LATER, AT DR. TOFU'S CLINIC…
Crrr…CRACK!
"OK, that should do it," Dr. Tofu says after resetting the bones in Akane's right hand, which got broken when she tried to intervene between Ran and R earlier at school.
"Ah!" Akane breathes in relief. "Thank you, Dr. Tofu." Then she asks, "How's Ukyo doing?"
"She'll be fine. You and Ran took a big risk bringing her here. I pulled all of R's roses out of her and managed to stop the bleeding. Miraculously, no permanent damage was done; she'll be sore for a week or two but once her wounds heal properly, she'll be up and about in no time. I've given her a shot for now, that should ease the pain some. Akane, may I please speak to you?" Akane follows the doctor into the examination room as Ran just watches them leave. She would have gone with them, but she chooses to stay by Ukyo's side.
Once they're inside, Dr. Tofu closes the door. He admits, "Akane, I've told you only part of the story. Judging from Ran's reactions to Ukyo's condition, what I'm about to tell you would just upset her more. You understand?"
Akane nods, "Well, yes, Doctor. I understand. Now what's this about?"
Dr. Tofu continues, "Well, it's about R. He's not who we think he is. And he's definitely not just another one of Ranma's rivals. If given the chance, with his level of skill, he could very easily hurt or even kill someone. In Ukyo's case… he missed."
Akane blinks, wondering what the good doctor meant by that. "Huh?"
First Dr. Tofu shows Akane the x-rays of Ukyo's injuries. "Okay, you see these puncture wounds?" he asks her, pointing to each individual picture. "These are where R's rose… daggers, darts, whatever you prefer… hit Ukyo." On his desk he spreads out a large map of the human body with the sections marked with figures and ideograms. "And THESE are where R could have struck her." he says, pointing to the spots he's marked on the chart.
"Only someone with an intuitive understanding of angles and trajectories, above-average hand-eye coordination, and near-superhuman precision could pull it off."
Now Akane's worried. "Doctor, you don't mean to say that R's a…"
"It's exactly what I'm saying, Akane," Tofu tells her, not mincing words. "He is what he is. Only a skilled assassin could control his aim like that. If R wanted to kill Ukyo, he could have done it right then and there. Incidentally, when you tried to intervene, he only broke your hand. But who can say if he has a working knowledge of pressure points of the human body, or if he knows how much force it takes to break bone with his bare hands? He could have done a LOT more than just break your incoming punch."
Akane's eyes grew round at the seriousness of what Dr. Tofu's saying. She'd thought about all the rivals Ranma's faced down past and present, from Ryoga all the way up to Saffron. And now R. She shivers, suddenly cold for some reason. She felt no fear when she attempted to take him on earlier, so why does she feel this chill up her spine now?
Of course, she wasn't there the first time R challenged Ranma; if she was, she'd known his intentions to kill Ranma right then and there. Then there was that time they came to school, and R tried to ambush Ranma from above. Had Ranma not moved her out of the way that day, she would have been on the receiving end of R's killing fist. Now that she thinks about it a little bit more, R HAS tried to kill Ranma on several occasions, not counting the fight they'd had last weekend, since R wasn't in his right mind then – or was he? And all those times, R's failed to achieve a decisive victory over Ranma, so as far as Akane was concerned, he was yet another loony challenger who'd popped out of nowhere, out to beat Ranma up over some real or imagined crime he'd committed.
Dr. Tofu notices Akane thinking it over. He says, correctly guessing, "Seems we're thinking along the same lines – that R's yet another one of Ranma's rivals. I'm wondering if that's what R wants us to think. Perhaps his grudge against Ranma (such as it is) is just a front for his real intentions. Maybe, for the moment, he's just biding his time, waiting for a chance to strike."
Akane's known Dr. Tofu ever since she was little; what he's saying, she's finding kind of hard to swallow. "That's kind of far-fetched don't you think?"
"Well, word does travel fast in this neighborhood. R's established a reputation since his arrival… and it's not necessarily a good one…." Dr. Tofu replies, leaving it at that. We have to wonder… aside from what the readers know about R - his attempts to kill Ranma and his association with the RED CAT GANG among them notwithstanding - just WHAT else has he been doing since his arrival in Nerima?
Tofu continues, "I wouldn't be surprised if R's been practicing Hensoujutsu* (disguise and impersonation) techniques up till now. It's said theatricality and deception can be powerful tools. This R we've seen, his whole persona, this image of himself he's created, is just an act to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Whatever it was that set him off today, caused him for one moment to drop the mask he's been wearing. And behind that mask, Akane, is the REAL R."
*[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hensoujutsu is just one of the eighteen Ninja disciplines (Ninja Juhakkei). Look it up on Wikipedia for more; it'd take too much time to explain 'em all here. On with the story!]
On hearing this, Akane has a flashback to about a week before last (see chapter 48). She, Ranma, and Ran arrived at school that morning when R sent one of his "calling cards" at Ranma, a single white rose with a note attached. Apparently the note was a challenge, judging by the way Ranma reacted upon reading it.
R hadn't changed his clothes or altered any particular thing about his appearance that day, and yet he was a different person. He'd seemed taller, straighter, somehow. His posture was not his usual cool, relaxed swagger but rather tense as if eager for a fight. And the cold and distant gaze in his eyes as if he were looking down on an insect about to be crushed, which should tell you what R thinks of those beneath him. Maybe that's what Dr. Tofu was talking about?
"And when you and Ran brought Ukyo in and told me what happened, it got me thinking. If he can't go after Ranma himself, then R will start attacking those close to him."
"Maybe…," Akane says aloud. "But aside from what R did to Ukyo, what proof do we have?"
Tofu sighs, admitting, "You're right, Akane. I suppose it's just a feeling I have, a sneaking suspicion, that's all. I know one thing. If those two ever come face-to-face, then Ranma may be in for the fight of his life." Noticing Akane's gasp, he says knowingly, "No… I don't think we've heard the last of this."
Meanwhile, Ran is still at Ukyo's bedside. Her head whirls with bits and pieces of the things that have been tearing at her up until now. Ranma. R. Ukyo. Akane. Her feelings toward Ranma. Her (broken) friendship with R. And most of all, what should she do about it all.
Bottom line, Ran's feeling miserable, folks. She wrings her hands, fidgeting in her seat, blaming herself for what's happened these past few hours, these past few days. I could have stopped him and none of this would have happened! How could I let him do that to Ukyo, to Akane!
But she's spending most of the time thinking about R….
"That's the DUMBEST thing I've ever heard in my entire life! Did you REALLY THINK that by coming here and saying all that crap, that you could sway me? That we'd bury the hatchet right then and there, it's all water under the bridge, let bygones by bygones, and we're buddy-buddy let's get along again? THINK AGAIN!"
"Waah, waah, R doesn't like me anymore 'cause I'm in love with somebody else's fiancée, and he doesn't even notice poor little ol' me! Yeah, that's right. Bet you didn't think I KNEW your dream guy ALREADY HAS a fiancée. I might not have been at this school for a while, but news travels fast – we transfer students catch up pretty quick, don't you think?"
"So go on ahead and nurse that little hope of yours that Ranma's just gonna up and leave his fiancée, lay you out on a futon and deflower you. One day, he'll marry that uncute tomboy and leave you, all sad and pathetic, out in the cold. And he won't be thinking about you anymore AT ALL. You'll be all alone, with nothing but memories of your unrequited love. So GROW UP, will you?"
"…you sure screwed THAT up, didn't you?"
"The time to say sorry was BEFORE you came to ME for advice."
"I don't need your concern….! And I DON'T need YOU."
"I don't want you bothering me anymore, Ran. I mean it. So why don't you just GO AWAY and leave me alone. Please."
It's his voice she hears over and over, his face she sees. She'd seen him raise his voice once or twice, but she'd never seen him THAT angry before. She'd realized then he was lashing out at her because his own feelings were hurt.
She wants to cry right then and there, but she can't. Something inside her just says to keep it together, to not give in to despair, to stay sane.
"I didn't know. I just didn't know," she says quietly. Didn't know her secret crush on Ranma would hurt R's feelings AND simultaneously put Ranma's life in danger. Didn't know her attempts to make up with R only made things WORSE instead of better, physically injuring two friends in the process. Didn't realize how deeply it would affect her and how much gratitude she felt for Ukyo right now. She wonders if she'll go insane from it all.
And was that someone else's wicked laughter she heard somewhere inside her head?
Hee hee hee….! As stubborn as ever, that familiar voice cackles. You see? See what your folly has brought? Are you now ready to do as you're told? Or are you just going to stand by, helpless, as more of your "friends" get hurt…or worse? MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
No, no, she tells herself. Not that old guy again. No more nightmares. NO MORE! Shut up! Leave me be!
Alone by herself (since Ukyo's still resting and Dr. Tofu and Akane are talking in private), no one can see Ran's shoulders shake or hear the sobs that want to come out as she bends over in her chair, face in her hands.
It was around that time when Ukyo begins to stir. Ran quickly turns her chair around to face the other girl. "Ukyo?" she whispers.
Ukyo's eyes flutter open. The shot she'd been given made it difficult for her to focus at first. Slowly she focuses on the figure seated beside her. She recognizes Ran and smiles. "Ran? You still here?"
Ran breathes a sigh of relief. "Y-yeah, Ukyo. I'm here. I… I couldn't just leave… not after what happened."
"Heh," Ukyo snorts softly, touched. Then, her tone of voice becoming apologetic, she says, "Sorry about that, Ran."
Ran can't believe it. "What are talking about? I'M the one who should be apologizing, Ukyo, not you! Please… please don't do that again!" Calming down, she then asks, "Why did you fight with R? You didn't have to do that!"
"Saw you and R earlier today… saw what he did to you…. Told you I'd step in if he gave you any trouble."
Ran thought Ukyo was just kidding around, when she'd said that at lunch. It finally dawns on her that Ukyo was being SERIOUS, which just makes her feel worse about what's happened today. "No, no… if you hadn't seen me that day… didn't agree to keep that promise… you wouldn't be here right now…"
"Why?" Ran wanted to know. "Why did you do that for me?"
"Because we're friends. Don't you get it?" Ukyo says softly. "I'm just sorry I couldn't give R the beating he deserves. I'd fix it so he wouldn't mess with you for a LONG while, that's for sure."
"Yeah… but I'm a fighter too!" Ran objects. "I mean… If it came down to a fight between me and R, I could have…"
"But why didn't you?" Ukyo asks her plainly. "Remember when you told me what happened when R flipped out and attacked Ran-chan while he used "Cat-Fu"? You stood up to him then. So what happened?"
"That was different. R wasn't in his right mind back then. As for today, it wasn't a situation that I thought I wouldn't have to fight my way through with my fists. I didn't know he would react that way. All I did was try to make things right between us, that's all. But I just ended up making things worse. I know saying this now doesn't change a thing… but… I'm no good as a friend… and because of that I've gotten Ranma, and now, you and Akane involved because of my mistake. And I… I feel just horrible!"
No, no! This can't be happening! She's shouting to herself. But it is. Her voice's choked with emotion, her shoulders are shaking. She's trying not to lose control. But it's no good. Watching Ran break down like this gets to Ukyo. She gingerly sits up in bed so she can face her troubled friend, and then puts her arms around her, hugging her.
That single gesture takes Ran totally by surprise. "Why? But I'm not..."
"It's okay, Ran," Ukyo assures her. "Go ahead and let it out. It's okay to cry."
Ran's shaking violently as her sobs wretch away from her. She feels Ukyo holding her and she blindly reaches out, trying to cry into the comfort she'd offered. "I'm not worth it!" Ran weeps. "R could have killed you!"
"But you ARE worth it, Ran….," Ukyo says, trying her best to console Ran. The poor girl's totally distraught.
"I mean, it's all because I love Ranma, right, that all this is happening? Up until that day, I thought R was starting to open up a little toward me. NOW, he hates me..."
"Stop it…"
"Ranma would have been killed if I didn't stop R last weekend…."
"Knock it off…"
"And you and Akane got hurt because of me…"
"I SAID knock it off!" Ukyo holds Ran tighter now. She looks her right in the eye as she says, "Now, look, I understand how you feel. You've probably already have cried a few times, and you'll probably cry even more. But I will NOT let you beat yourself up over this. And, plus, any friend of Ran-chan's is my friend too. I couldn't just stand by and let R treat you that way."
Suddenly Ran feels the urge to speak swelling within her and without knowing what she was going to say, she blurts out, "But it was my fault, Ukyo. You and Akane… Ranma… it was all my fault."
"Ran…"
"I'M the one who provoked R into attacking Ranma..."
Ukyo puts her arms around Ran. "Aw, no, no...!"
"If I didn't say anything to R that day…"
"No, Ran. Look. Nothing you did—nothing anyone ever did—can excuse that guy. It's HIS fault and his alone. Do you understand?"
Ran presses her face into Ukyo's chest and sobs. "I miss him, Ukyo."
"Yeah. Me too."
After several minutes of reckless, unrelieved, and shocking sobbing, Ran finally calms down. She exhales, saying, "Okay, Ukyo."
"What?" Ukyo asks.
"Did I… did I bring this on us? On you? On Ranma? Am I wrong to fall for him? Was R right?"
"Well, welcome to Nerima, Ran," Ukyo says, sarcasm tinged with sadness in her voice. "There's nothing wrong with falling for someone, or being in love. It's a wonderful thing. You love Ran-chan. I can see that. But, in doing so, you basically thumbed your nose at the chaos that usually surrounds him. You didn't think it'd come back and bite you in the rear? Things were going to have to get worse before they get better."
Ran hangs her head at hearing that; she feels as if she were being evaluated, and found wanting. Ukyo notices this, and then says, "Well… you know what you're up against. So… you sure you want to continue to pursue Ranma, considering all that?"
Ran nods – the answer's obvious. "Yeah… I want to…"
"Why?"
"Because somewhere in my heart, I still hold that glimmer of hope that someday... someday I'll succeed. Right now, I don't have the courage to tell him… well, you know. Just to be near him is enough to make me happy."
"Hmph, yeah. You tell yourself that." Ukyo snorts. "Take it from someone who's known him for a while; Ran-chan's a lot of things, but he's no mind-reader. How's he supposed to know about your feelings unless you come out and say so?"
Ran sits there pondering her situation, while Ukyo tries to get her out of her melancholy. "For now, I think the best thing would be if you could just try to forget all about R."
"I couldn't do that..."
"Huh? RAN! That guy's a creep with a violent streak." Something then occurs to Ukyo, "Now that I think about it, it's no wonder he and Kodachi hit it off so well – they're both psychos!"
This gets a giggle out of Ran.
Ukyo snorts, "Hmph! Well, I got you to laugh a little. Haven't seen you do that for a while. But joking aside, how did you get involved with a guy like THAT?"
Ran admits, "Because I have this feeling that I know R from somewhere. True, he's got his flaws…"
Ukyo mutters, "Don't we know it…"
"….but I think… well, sometimes I feel… that deep down, he's not really a bad person."
That causes Ukyo to stop and think for a moment. Then she says. "I'm not convinced. I STILL think you're making a big mistake by trying to make up with him. Why do it when all he's going to do to torment you just because you're in love with "you-know-who"? That's not right. That's not friendship. If anything, it sounds more like abuse. And you KNOW how he feels about Ran-chan. If you go back to him, you're just encouraging him to attack Ran-chan whenever he wants, because he knows you won't do anything to stop him."
"And that what bothers me the most," Ran admits. "Anytime Ranma and R meet up from now on, they're probably going to fight. And I don't think R will stop until he's killed him. I'm afraid, if Ranma gets pushed far enough like that night, that they might even kill each other. I don't want that to happen, Ukyo. I want to do something to prevent that, because if it did…." She doesn't dare think what about could happen, and the thought frightens her. Now she really starts crying, tears running down her cheeks.
Ran can't hide it anymore. She needed someone to understand her…to help her cope with what she's dealing with now.
They stayed like that for a while…Ran releasing her fear and her weariness while she flooded the room with tears and Ukyo comforting the crying girl the best she could although she knew only one person who could cheer her up… and he's still in the hospital.
Man. Ran-chan, hurry up and come back already, will ya? Ran needs you right now, Ukyo silently thinks. Then she hears someone coming. She nudges Ran. "Hey, Ran. I think Akane and Dr, Tofu are back. Dry your tears; you don't want them to see you like this, do you?"
A few minutes later Dr. Tofu came in to announce that visiting hours were over and offers to escort Ran and Akane out. The girls exchange quick goodbyes and promise to catch up at school when Ukyo is released.
"Are you going to be okay? I can stay if Dr. Tofu says it's okay." Ran offers.
Dr. Tofu gently placed a hand on Ran and Akane's shoulders. "Go home," he says. "Ukyo just needs to stay a day or two for observation. I'll release her before this week's over."
"Look, Ran, go home, OK? The doc says I'll be fine," Ukyo assures her. "Grab a bite to eat, get some rest, do anything to keep your mind off what's happened today. Don't let yourself get down, OK? Ranma'll be back, you'll see. Until then, you gotta just tough it out."
"I'll… I'll try."
She takes her by the hand, whispering, "Hey, don't worry, I'll keep the secret. Hang in there." To Akane, she asks aloud, "Say, Akane, got a minute?"
While Ran waits with Dr. Tofu, Akane and Ukyo can talk privately.
"So, what's on your mind, Ukyo?" Akane asks.
"I'll get to the point. I'm worried about Ran," Ukyo says. "She may be good at fighting like you, me, and Ran-chan are, but she's… well… different from us. She's sweet and innocent and trusting, and I'd hate to see her get hurt by R or some other jackass. We gotta look out for her. And when Ranma gets better, he should too."
Akane nods in agreement. Maybe the two of them together could take on R. But in reality, she's wishing Ranma were here.
KUNO MANSION:
After eluding Asuka, R FINALLY made it to the Kuno estate. Before going inside, he spends a moment reassembling his appearance, the image he wanted to portray, the role he was playing: he lets love flow through him, adding a charming sparkle to his eyes, let a glad smile come to his lips, let his youthful energy bring a joyous bounce to his step as he trots to the entrance.
He'd meet her outside, and he'd keep her outside. He had a feeling she wouldn't just let him into the house… not after the way he had ... behaved... at the dance.
As R enters and walks onto the grounds of the estate, a voice shouts, "FOUL VILLIAN! How dare you show your face here after your shameless treatment of mine sister! HAVE AT THEE!"
R groans, "Geez. Not THIS again…" He assumes a fighting stance as Kuno charges in swinging his bokken…
THWACK!
And R takes him out with a single kick to the face. "All right, Kuno, what's THIS about now?"
Regaining consciousness, Kuno tells him, "R, it has come to my attention that you were involved in an incident with my sister, the victim."
"What about it?" R asks impatiently.
"I have gathered the facts," explained Kuno. "At the dance this past weekend, you and Ranma Saotome were engaged in combat, when both of you began behaving most strangely. Afterwards, you abandoned my sister, who in turn pursues you to a time and place of your choosing, whereby you could inflict sufficient damage to her! Your involvement in this matter has caused me to take extreme measures to rectify it. R, I entrusted thee with Kodachi, and this is how you repay me!"
"Look, I'd rather NOT fight with you. I'm here to see Kodachi and to apologize for what happened, WHATEVER I did."
"Ah, so it was YOU who turned much of our noble dwelling into a veritable flower garden?"
"Oh? That's good, then. That means she got the flowers I sent. Tell her I'm here, would you? Have her meet me outside."
Offended, Kuno objects, "I am NOT your personal messenger! Why not enter the house and deliver your apology there?"
"Because," R explains, "it wouldn't be right, not after what I've done to her. Truth is I'd…" He WAS going to say "I want to…" but softens it by saying instead, "I'd like to see her, but she might not want to see me. If she comes, I'll formally apologize to her. But if not, then I'll leave this place and never darken your doorstep again."
Kuno considers it. Then he says, "On the contrary, Kodachi is most eager to see you…. I suppose it has to do with those flowers you sent earlier."
"Really? Great. Thanks, Kuno. I appreciate this. For once."
"BUT…" Kuno adds, "Though mine twisted sister is smitten with you, I am NOT as easily swayed. Still, your efforts to make amends for your misdeeds are commendable. Heed my words, R, and do not return to your villainous ways again, lest I be forced to deliver the punishment you rightfully deserve."
"Translation: I break Kodachi's heart (which won't happen again, I assure you), and you get to break me (which'll NEVER happen in a million years!), am I right?"
"Correct."
"Feh. All right. Fine. Now… PLEASE tell Kodachi I'm here?"
"Very well. Then wait here. I shall tell her that you will be waiting for her."
Time passes as R waits for Kodachi.
Maybe she'll come. I hope she comes. Maybe she won't. No! Don't think like that, R! Have confidence! She'll come, and maybe we can… I don't know… get back together. But what if she doesn't want to see me? I mean, I want to see her… what am I saying! I'm just using her to learn her techniques! This was NOT how it was supposed to go down! But I didn't think chemistry would come into play, didn't think we'd connect at all. But.. No.. NO! I… I shouldn't have come. I should go now, yeah, that's what I should do. This feels really awkward. But she's attractive! Once you get past her eccentricities, she's not so bad. C'mon, R! Be a man! Pull yourself together! Aw man, I feel like an idiot…. and it's all that damn Ranma's fault! Oh, he's gonna pay for this…
R's mood really darkens as his thoughts turn from making it up to the girl who he's grown fond of (though he's denying it otherwise) to his hated foe. He starts thinking of ways to inflict serious pain upon him, when a voice interrupts his musings.
"R?"
Hearing that voice brings R back to the present. He looks up to see her. Well… here goes…
Kodachi appears at the front door of the house. She walks over to where R is, and even then she still stands about several feet away from him. "R…. well, this IS a surprise. I wasn't expecting you so soon. I thought after last weekend, that... but thank you for your gifts, they were lovely. My dear brother has informed me that you were here. Is there…something you wish to say me?"
R steps closer, and she steps back in response, uncertain if he's going to attack or what. R sighs, hanging his head down. Man, she won't even come near me. I must have done something really bad to her, but what? OK, R, don't blow this now, he mentally tells himself. Just apologize to her and really mean it. Make things right!
R pauses for a moment, as if uncertain what to say, or even why he had come by in the first place. "I'm sorry," he said finally. "See… I should have come by and spoken with you MUCH sooner. I know a LOT's happened these last few days, and that's why I haven't been by for a while. But I... I wasn't sure what to say. How to start the conversation, you know." His smile begins to fade. "I guess... nothing ended up the way we hoped we would that night, huh?"
"Then… you remember?"
"Actually… no. I don't."
Kodachi looks sad on hearing this. But R continues, "And yet…"
"Yes…?"
"And yet when I came to my senses, I was in a dark and unfamiliar place. And you weren't there with me. But I'm all right now, see?"
R continues, on a roll, "I'm gazing into your eyes, and I see the fear in them. It's not your fear, I know; truth is, well… it's mine. I was afraid something like this would happen. Kodachi, I came to see YOU… but it appears that for all the effort I've made to make up for what I've done, even though I'm right here before you now, you do not want to see me." With a sad look on his own face, he then says, "And what really hurts is I can't remember what I did to you, to cause this distance between us. It's… well, it's tearing me up. Tell me, please. Did I do something so bad that you won't even TRUST me? At all?"
"Oh, R darling…" Kodachi whispers. She appears to be moved by R's words.
"Feh," R says, with some disappointment. "It's all right. If that's true, then I understand. I'm not asking you to believe me, I… I had HOPED in spite of what I'd done to you, that you would find it in your heart to forgive me. But I guess that won't happen now, huh?" He sighs. "Well, I guess it's goodbye then, Kodachi. Don't worry… I'll see myself out. But the memories of you, those few happy times we shared… I'll treasure them forever." With that, R sadly turns away from her, and prepares to leave.
"Wait!" Kodachi says, as he's about to go.
R stops, though his back is still towards her.
"R, don't go. I'm the one who should apologize to you. Oh, darling, I've been so frightened since that night! I was afraid to trust you. But I don't care now! We need not speak of it anymore, my darling. You're here, with me, and that's all that matters now."
R turns to face her, hopeful. "Then…. you forgive me?"
Kodachi looks at him, surprised that he even needed to ask her. "But of course, my darling!" She runs to R and embraces him tenderly.
R returns her embrace. "Thank you, Kodachi," he says sincerely.
"Oh, R, my darling…!" Safe in his strong arms, she shivers against his chest. "I've been so worried about you…!"
"Shh. Shh, it's all right now." He strokes her hair, comforting her until her trembling begins to fade, then he cups her chin and gently raises her face to look into his eyes. "Look, you don't need to worry about me. All right? No one can hurt me. No one will ever hurt either of us." Then, he says with as much conviction and sincerity he can muster, "And I won't let anything come between us like that again."
Kodachi wiped the tears from her face and looked up at R.
"All better now?" R asks, flashing her his best smile.
"Uh huh," Kodachi nods, returning a smile of her own. She removed herself from R's chest, as she explains, "It wasn't that, my love, it was—oh, R, such terrible things happened that night!" Kodachi would have poured out her heart further had she nor looked and saw something that takes her totally by surprise. "YOU!"
There, standing before them, is Asuka Saginomiya, who surprisingly looks none the worse for wear having chased R all over town all the way here. A VERY determined girl, isn't she? "Oho-hoho-ho…!" she laughs. "Why, Miss Kodachi! What a pleasure it is to see you again. It has been FAR too long…"
"Not long enough Asuka," Kodachi replies. "Just what do you want now?"
"Isn't it obvious? I've returned to finish our duel – and claim your new beau as my prize!"
"What?"
"Um…excuse me. You two KNOW each other?" R manages to interrupt.
"I'm afraid so, my darling…" Kodachi admits. "But fear not – I shall NOT allow this vile seductress to steal you away, not after you and I have been reunited!" She throws off her clothes, revealing the black gymnast's leotard she's been wearing underneath.
"Yeeeeah, right. If that's the case, then I'll just step aside and leave it to you."
As R is about to move out of their way and allow these two dueling debutantes to fight it out, suddenly he finds himself wrapped in heavy chains. "HEY! What the hell..!"
Asuka reels R in, like a fish that's been caught. "Ha ha! I've got you now, R-sama. After I defeat this witch, you and I shall be bound together for eternity!" The look in her eyes gives R the creeps – just what does she have in mind for him? Then to Kodachi, she taunts, "If you want him back, Miss Kodachi, you must come and face me now!"
Then Kodachi lashes out with her ribbon, catching R and pulling him back to her. "Let go of him! R belongs to ME!" She angrily shouts.
"NO! he's mine!" Asuka counters, pulling R back towards her.
"Mine!"
"Mine!"
"MINE!"
"MINE!"
"Damn," R curses as he's being pulled back and forth. "This is just great. What am I? A frickin' human yo-yo?"
Here, on the grounds of the Kuno estate, Kodachi and Asuka resume their duel, violently struggling for possession of R, currently held between their clutches.
"Unhand him, Miss Kodachi! He's mine!" Asuka shouts, tightly gripping one of R's arms.
On the other end, Kodachi pulls with all her might. "Just give it up, Asuka! R will never be yours!"
"Ho-ho, that's what you think! Take this!" Asuka throws one of her exploding lilies at Kodachi – with R right in her line of fire! You can guess what happens next…
BOOOM!
"ACK!" R grunts as he's struck by the blast. Those lilies really pack a punch!
"NO! R-darling!" Kodachi cries out. Furious, she counters with her own assault, tossing a seemingly harmless (Pffh… please, this is KODACHI we're talking about here!) bouquet of black roses at her rival.
R, though a bit singed, is alive. Well aware of his girlfriend's prowess with flower-themed weaponry, skill which almost rivals his own, he reasons he's got just seconds before that thing explodes. Even though he's still bound up between Kodachi's ribbon and Asuka's chain, he somehow manages to roll clear of the incoming explosive.
A second too late…
BOOOOM!
The force of the blast would have blown him clear across the entire length of the Kuno estate, had Kodachi not pulled him out of the way. "Are you alright, my darling?"
"Yeah, just swell," R deadpans. "Now would you mind letting me go?"
"No! Don't go! Not after you've returned to me! Stay by my side, my love, where you'll be safe!"
"You call THIS safe!" In the back of his mind R thinks he should forget trying to woo her for her secret techniques and break with up her. But strangely enough, when she's like this, he's almost finds her attractive… and that tight leotard… oooh! What am I thinking! I gotta get away from both of them before I get killed!
"You know, Miss Kodachi, I applaud you having such a delicious specimen of a man," Asuka compliments. "He certainly surpasses that garbage you were with the last time we fought. Perhaps, after I take R from you, you should consider getting back together with him?"
Now maybe being with R these days has softened Kodachi a little towards the former object of her obsessions (Ranma). Or maybe not. We'll probably never know. But leave it to Asuka to hit below the belt like that - that remark really stings her. "HOW DARE YOU! The thought that I would crawl back to that treacherous deceiving betrayer Ranma Saotome is utter madness! Madness, do you hear! Perhaps I should commend YOU, for simultaneously showering my beloved R with such inappropriate praise, trashing the former object of my affections, AND insulting my pride! You've no right to say such things regarding my present and / or former lovers! Now… NOW you pay! Let the battle be joined!"
"Yes," Asuka says, hands at her side clenched into fists. "Oh my, yes."
Oh yeah, it's on now!
Meanwhile, at the hospital, a recovering Ranma is healing up nicely from his fight with R. Suddenly he sneezes loudly. "AH-CHOOO!"
Shivering slightly, he looks up from the manga he's been reading and wonders aloud. "Weird. I got the strangest feeling I've been dissed. And why does it feel like Kodachi's been around? Man, that girl still gives me the creeps."
Shrugging it off, he laughs, thinking, Don't be silly - Kodachi's with R these days. I don't know how he puts up with her, but better him than me!
He sighs, leaning back onto the bed. At least I'll be getting outta here soon. I wonder how Akane and Ran are doing and what's been happening these days…
AND BACK AT THE KUNOS…
The duel between the Black Rose and the White Lily plays out almost like their last two encounters. Most of it they spend throwing things at each other. Things that explode. Things containing gas or various paralyzing agents. Or combinations of the two. With someone caught in the middle of it all, in this case R.
There were no punches or kicks exchanged; no close-range combat at all, at least not yet. It was turning out to be a variation on the classic fireball fight, and it seems both combatants are evenly matched. As R observes, Asuka doesn't look like a fighter at all, and Kodachi's specialty is Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics in addition to her expertise in explosives and poisons, so he initially thinks Kodachi's got this one in the bag.
But like the old catchphrase goes, "Third time's a charm…"
This battle's going to be different this time around…
Kodachi makes the first attack. She charges at Asuka, intending to land the finishing blow that will end their longstanding duel. Pulling out a gymnastic hoop, she flings it at her like a boomerang. However, she strikes only air as Asuka leaps high and away. With a yank of the chain, she intends to take R along with her (and out of Kodachi's clutches).
But Kodachi, still holding the ribbon she's entangled her R-darling in from before, counters by pulling him back to her again, right into her arms. This does NOT sit well with Asuka; her reply to that is a cluster of her exploding lilies.
R sees the incoming projectiles and uses his body to move Kodachi out from the blast.
BOOOOM!
Kodachi's touched (in the head, this narrator observes). "Oh, R-darling," she gushes. "My hero, my savior!" She sweeps up her beloved in a crushing bear hug.
"Gack! Kodachi, air!" R manages to get out.
She gingerly releases him. R sweatdrops, then says, "OK this is gonna sound crazy coming from me, but who don't you and the blonde put down the hatchet already?"
"Never!" Kodachi firmly refuses. "Asuka started this, I shall finish it! After I defeat her once and for all, you and I shall have dinner together… then dessert… and perhaps breakfast in the morning!"
R groans. Normally, he'd be intrigued by the prospect of a romantic evening with a girl and waking up in the morning with her. But everything he's gone through earlier with Ran and Ukyo and now his chances of making up with Kodachi totally ruined by this lily-packing nuisance… leave R ready to give up. Unless he can blame it all on Ranma, and the very thought of him really darkens R's mental and emotional state. So much for romance. Damn it!
He sighs, "That'd be great, but… I'm just not in the mood anymore. Blondie over there messed it up. So why don't you just cut me loose and the two of you can beat the crap out of each other to your hearts content. I'm going home."
"NO!" Kodachi panics. "Say it isn't so, my love!" With that, she hammers the handle of her ribbon into the ground like a stake, and then covers it with a big rock for good measure.
"HEY!" R shouts. ""What do you think you're doing!"
"Wait for me, my love. I go forth to settle this!"
"WHAT! Have you gone insane! Let me out right now! This isn't funny!"
"Please, R, believe me," she pleads pitifully. "You have to believe in me. I won't fail. You'll see…"
The look in her eyes tells R how important this is to her. She truly wants his support. He knows he'll probably regret it later, but… "Oh fine…" R admits and stays put where she's left him. He then gives her a quick peck on the cheek. "Go kick her ass."
Emboldened by R's kiss, Kodachi draws out another ribbon, and leaps toward Asuka. Using the ribbon like a whip, she lashes out to strike…
Only to have Asuka block the attack with a shield she pulled out of nowhere. "My turn, Miss Kodachi," she says, and returns the favor with "Accept these in return!" throwing a bouquet of white lilies.
Kodachi manages to evade them before they explode, releasing a cloud of thick white smoke. It's difficult to see her opponent now; visibility's not that great. "*Cough, cough…* Where are you Asuka!"
The Black Rose gets her answer when her legs are swept out from under her and she falls on her backside. "Ahh…!" she cries out. Then, with fury in her eyes, "Why you devious...!"
Emerging from the smokescreen is Asuka, wielding a long staff, painted to match with the elegant cream-colored dress she's wearing. She grins evilly while twirling it. "Ah, so you're surprised? I've had plenty of time to study your technique since our last battle. This ought to level the playing field, don't you agree?"
Kodachi spits, "That has gained you nothing!"
"I despise having to resort to such uncivilized methods. But for you and you alone… I shall make an exception! Now… EEK!" Asuka's gloating is interrupted as Kodachi launches one of her signature attacks, Thousand Clubs Confusing Strikes (Senju Konbou Midare Uchi), a.k.a. the "Attack of a Thousand Clubs", delivering rapid fire blows with her gymnastics batons.
"Yeah! Go for it Ko-chan!" R cheers her on.
Quickly, Asuka twirls her staff, deflecting the blows while simultaneously advancing toward Kodachi. The girls have switched from throwing things at each to close-range combat now and they're getting closer to where R is.
From his rather unique position, R watches the battle unfold. It was unlike any he had seen before, rivaling his own fights prior to Ranma. The very air is filled with such an intensity, making it hard for him to breathe. Then again, it might have had to do with some low-potency stun powder he'd inhaled from one of Asuka's exploding lilies earlier. It wasn't strong enough to knock him out, just slow down his movement a little. He's still struggling to get out of the tangle of chain and ribbon wrapped around him.
Geez, why didn't I think of this before? R mentally scolds himself. He then quietly ignites a purple flame on the tip of his finger, and goes to work on burning off the ribbons, then melting away the chains. Hopefully he can escape before either Kodachi or Asuka notices. Bondage has totally lost its appeal to R now; besides, he wasn't interested in that sort of thing away.
It was an indication of how important the battle was to each woman, fighting over the affections of one man. Nothing short of victory would satisfy them now, and they're both pulling out all the stops.
From an outsider's perspective, however, the fight looks like one big dust cloud, like one of those old-school cartoon-style brawls, where random hits are continually dealt out until one side loses.
On and on the duel rages, with R caught in the middle. And both Kodachi and Asuka barely even seem to be paying attention to him.
Pinned down under their relentless assault, R thinks, I can't take any more of this. I'm outta here! I just wanted to make up with Kodachi, and now it's blown up into this farce. Time to use the Saotome Secret Technique again…
Just as Kodachi unleashes her most famous signature technique: "BLACK ROSE PETAL SNOWFALL!" sending up a storm of her black roses.
"Popcorn, master Kuno?" Sasuke asks, passing a bucket of popcorn to Kuno as they watch poor R being caught in the crossfire of Kodachi and Asuka's duel.
"Thank you, Sasuke," Kuno says as he takes the bucket from his servant.
"Yo, pass the popcorn," R interrupts.
Sasuke looks surprised. "Why, Mister R! We thought you were…"
"What? Stuck in the middle of that catfight?" he replies, pointing to the area where Kodachi and Asuka are still fighting. "This is obviously between them, so I'm staying out of it."
"But are YOU not the one who brought Miss Saginomiya here?" Kuno asks pointedly. "All while attempting to gain back mine sister's favor? Spinning your spell over them even tighter than before, so that they are mesmerized by the sight of you… Pitting them against each other for your own amusement? Shame on your misdeeds!"
"HEY, hold up," R objects. "Before you even START up with those "foul sorcerer" accusations, I DIDN'T ask her to come here! She followed ME! Clearly, she's got the wrong idea. Besides, I'm dating your sister, not HER!" Plus, R thinks, this whole thing smells like it's been pre-arranged, and I know ONE guy who'd pull this kind of stuff just for kicks. ERICK! Man…. I knew it! I KNEW I couldn't trust him!
R decides he's gonna have a little talk with Erick along the lines of "butt out of my private life!" after this blows over.
TENDO DOJO - LATE EVENING:
Ran Hayami couldn't sleep. It's been five days since that terrible battle between Ranma and R at the dance, and only two days since everything that happened at school since that night. The memory of R's hurtful last words (and the slap that came with them!) still echoes inside her head…
"I don't need your concern…and I DON'T need YOU…. I don't want you bothering me anymore, Ran. I mean it. So why don't you just GO AWAY and leave me alone. Please."
She wakes up and reaches over for something by her bedside. Finding it, she pulls out her diary and begins to write….
Dear Diary:
Man, what a week it's been so far.
Even since I started writing, I've kept you up to date on what's been going on with me. About my life since coming here to Nerima, living with the Tendos and Saotomes, school, my friends…
About the fights I've gotten into…
About those dreams I'd been having… up until recently I could get a good night's sleep – I haven't had any nightmares. Sometimes I can remember them and other times I can't. But I'm ALMOST certain that they're somehow linked to my past. What was I doing before I came to Nerima anyway?
Right now, I can't sleep. I keep thinking about what's happened. I miss Ranma, who's still in the hospital, by the way. I want him to come back home; this house just isn't the same without him. I'm trying to carry on but… it's hard.
And I'm writing to you, because right now you're the only one I can say all of this to. I can't talk to Akane or Kasumi about it, and although I like Nabiki, there's NO WAY I'm telling her (because who knows how much money it would take to keep her quiet?). Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome won't be much help. Maybe Mrs. Saotome? I could talk to her sometime. She might be able to help me, I think…
And then there's Ukyo… funny, I'd thought I'd be fighting with her, since she WAS one of Ranma's fiancées. I still owe her a visit (or two!) to her restaurant Ucchan's. I've told you about her that last time I wrote you. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could trust her back then. But when she said she understood what I'd been going through, what I felt, even promised to keep the secret…
She'll never know how grateful I was that day. I really should tell her thanks. Especially since she took on R(!) for me. She didn't have to do that. Really? What was she thinking! R could have killed her if he really wanted to. I felt really bad that she'd gotten hurt because of me, and because of my feelings for Ranma.
After all that, I'm just glad she's on my side, that I can see her as a friend.
Maybe… just maybe… I could talk to her about this?
In any case I've got to do something… before my lovesickness drives me crazy.
Something.
But what?
Since that awful day when R… you know… I didn't see him at school. I know he's been there; I've seen his car parked not far away from the front gates. He's been avoiding me ever since. And then, yesterday we ran into each other. In spite of what he'd said and done to me, AND most of all, what he'd done to Ranma (even if he wasn't in his right mind when he did that – does that make sense?) I was happy to see him again. I was going to say something to him, but I think all I ended up saying was just, "Hello, R." He just stared at me for a while with this cold look in his eyes before walking away without a word.
But true to his word, R's kept the secret. He, along with Ukyo, and this diary are about the only ones who know.
Now that I've had time to think about it, I'm starting to realize how much R's hurting. And I think that, deep down, he likes me, or he USED to like me anyway... I mean, I like him, but not in the same way I like Ranma. I think of R just as a friend, that's all.
Could R have been jealous of Ranma the whole time?
I've watched him, you know that. And I get the feeling that he desperately wants to be happy. R deserves to be happy. He deserves a girl who can love him unconditionally and wholeheartedly, with no pretense or ulterior motives. He's lived such a lonely life; it's the least he deserves.
As for Ranma…
This… this is the first time I actually fell in love! The first time I actually met "him", I knew it was "True Love". True love is when you are comfortable with him/her. No matter what the situation is...
Whether it's needing to discuss something important, kissing (yeah, right – how I'd long for that to happen!), talking, laughing, or even just sitting besides each other not saying a word...Love is being there when he needs you the most... even if it takes a whole lot of effort on your part... so as long as you're there...Love is like climbing a mountain with him; to have so much faith in him that if you fall, he will catch you... Trust is the most important word when you want to love... If you can't trust... you can never love. Love is caring... sharing and happiness - no, not yours... but his happiness. Love is patience & forgiveness... No matter how things seem at times, you've got to take time to get it all back together, and let the past go. Love is the little things you do for one another in a relationship, to show that you care and appreciate them. To make them know and understand that you'll always be there for them, no matter what the circumstances, what the problems are, no matter how, when, why or where...
Love is him being the first thought on my mind when I wake up and the last when I go to sleep; it's the way my heart skips a beat when I hear his voice; it's getting the giggles with him until I can't stop; it's dreaming of being close to him, all the time with his arms around me; it's not wanting one day to go by without me telling him how much he means to me; it's knowing I would do anything for him...would die for him; it's looking into his eyes and seeing my future; it's feeling his happiness, his sadness, his fears; it's sharing every part of my life with him; it's knowing that in him I have found what I have been searching for my entire life...
It lights my heart with a flame of passion and I… I feel like I can do anything. I feel like I've finally found the missing piece of my life. *sighs*
Anyway, I love him with my whole heart & soul, and I don't think I'll ever be able to live without him...
He's a great guy, and does so much for me... he makes me feel loved & special. Not a day goes by when I don't think of how lucky, no, how blessed I am to have him in my life.
And yet…
She felt a wave of almost Shakespearian melancholy falling upon her. Adopting the appropriately grave demeanor, she turned to a blank page in her diary and wrote:
I have been stung by fate. I am its prisoner. A prisoner of my own conscience. My love for the boy I want, always to be locked within me, in my heart.
Ran pauses for a moment, and then continues to write.
With me, he's always in danger from those who fight against me. Without him, I travel a lonely road.
The truth is, I'm scared.
Why?
Because the heart of the one I love belongs to someone else, who's also my friend! I'm afraid to give my love and heart to him because I don't want my heart shattered and crushed. And if I somehow get the courage to tell him how I feel, it would be devastating to our friendship, and what's worse it would ruin his engagement to her.
And from that day forth, I've had to feel that love grow and grow and grow within me. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed from carrying it around that I just… just break down and cry.
Ran stops writing for a moment, and looks up to see that the page she's writing in has been soaked through because of the very tears she crying right now. She wipes away her tears with the back of her hand, takes a minute or two to compose herself, then keeps on writing.
They say that first loves will always stay with you. My story will always be about the loss of a boy. That boy. Ranma Saotome. And every day I ask myself, how long can I endure this loneliness?
Ran exhaled a heavy sigh.
I know, I know. More tears than you'd expect from me. Guess we all have our off days, though. So never you mind. I'll write again soon. Besides, I've got school tomorrow.
Later,
Ran
Ran closes her diary, turns off the light, pulls the covers over her head, and goes to bed. As this chapter closes, we can hear muffled sobs coming from under the covers.
It's Ran, crying herself to sleep.
Poor girl. Will she ever be able to tell Ranma how she really feels? And what should she do about R?
THE NEXT DAY…
"We're home!" Akane and Ran call out in unison, having returned home from school.
They both enter the living room, and get the surprise of their lives.
Never mind that Soun's reading his newspaper or that Genma (currently in his panda form) is casually sipping tea, or even the smells coming from the kitchen signaling that Kasumi's prepared a big feast for the occasion. For sitting at the table, eating, is none other than…
"Uh… hi, guys." Ranma says. "Pops, and Mr. Tendo came to meet me at the hospital. Just got home a little while ago. So, what's new?"
Seeing him before her, Ran's so grateful – and so relieved, so happy – that the tears start welling in her eyes. It takes her a few minutes to compose herself.
Ran tries to hold back, but she can't. Overcome with joy and relief, she runs up to Ranma and glomps him tightly.
GLOMP!
"ACK! Hey, Ran! Ease up, will ya? I'm still a little sore there… Huh…?"
"*sniff,sob*…huh…hic..hic..hic…Oh, Ranma… I… I'm so glad you're all right…Oh…!" Ran says, tears flowing down her cheeks, staining Ranma's shirt.
Akane blinks. This is the most emotion she's seen out of Ran in days. Wow, Ran really must have missed him! I wonder though, why does Ranma mean so much to her?
Nabiki takes in the sight of Ranma in Ran's tight embrace, narrowing her eyes. Hmm… If one were to listen closely, you can almost hear the sound of the gears turning in her head as she's thinking of ways she can make money off of this.
Ranma realizes that Ran's gone quiet on him all of a sudden. "Uh… Ran? You can… uh… let me go, OK?" he asks, gently tapping her to get her attention. When she doesn't respond, he begins to worry. "Ran?"
He lifts Ran up by her chin and sees her face's wet from crying and her eyes are closed. She's holding on to him, afraid that if she were to let him go, he might be gone again, that he'd be taken away from both her and Akane. But she has to, in order to keep up appearances.
Reluctantly, she looses her grip on Ranma. As she does this, she takes in the feel of his body in her arms, his scent, the sound of his voice and holds on to them until they're locked away in her memory. Taking in a deep breath she relaxes, allowing those sensations to flow through her body like rain, leaving her feeling nothing but gratitude for this moment... and all her troubles with R swept away
"Oh! Umm… oops, sorry about that, Ranma," Ran apologizes, laughing it off. "Got carried away there for a moment, heh heh heh…"
It's then that Ranma noticed something different about Ran. Something that was wrong. On the surface, she's obviously glad to see him. He can understand that. But those pretty green eyes of hers draw him in and he examines her closer now, the look in her eyes telling him what she could not say openly. Obviously there's joy, but there's… relief? Yeah, that was it. But there's something else there, too. If he didn't know any better, there was some pain and… sadness? Yes.. it was.. Her gaze tugs at Ranma's heart. And he wonders if something happened to Ran while he was away recuperating from his injuries. And why does he have the feeling R had something to do with it? Never mind that her cheeks are extremely red from blushing, as if she's embarrassed about something.
But the warmth in her smile puts him at ease somewhat. So he decides not to press the issue for now; however, he makes a mental note to himself to talk with Akane later on; maybe she can get him up to speed on what's happened since his fight with R.
"Oh my…" Kasumi remarks. "Well, everyone, now that Ranma's home, let's celebrate, shall we? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
Everyone cheers, "Hear, hear!"
Akane joins Ranma at the table, sitting beside him. She takes the opportunity to mess with her fiancée a bit. She looks in his general direction, notices Ran being so close to him, and hmph's like back in the day, saying, "Pervert."
Ranma rises to the occasion, pretending to be insulted. "Oh yeah? Mind saying that a little louder, tomboy?"
"You heard me," she says, giving him a secretive wink.
"Man, you're so un-cute," he shoots back with a grin.
"Heh," Akane says, relieved. Underneath the table, she reaches out and takes Ranma by the hand. "Welcome home."
"Yeah." Ranma just nods.
Soon Kasumi arrives with tonight's dinner and everyone chows down.
Ran looks over in Akane's direction, and Akane looks back at her.
And both of them smile.
Two girls, for VERY different reasons, each in love with the same boy, the object of their affections sandwiched in-between them once again, where he belongs.
And all's right with the world.
Well… for now, anyway.
TO BE CONTINUED…