A.N: Many thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter, I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update. Sorryyyyyyyy

This chap goes to all of you who took your time to leave a comment: apie, luv-a-lot-girl, lyra the sorceress of school, michael85, .o, Lithtys-chan, Nitro-exe (woah, thanks for the compliment), Flippy's (thanks for the help), lilangelita, Mei, PPMKatie (don't worry as I told you this chapter is of great importance at least concerning Ranma and Akane's relationship), takigirl, flys without wings and xochitlakran.

Be my beloved enemy

Freaky blue eyes

Ranma hadn't been able to sleep for days now; long hours to think and ponder about his doings. When he did allow himself to close his eyes, her vision would invade his dreams and he'll lose her again, her hand slipping through his, the sound of his scream and he would be awake again; ready for a non-sleeping night. He couldn't make up his mind.

'why did it bother him so much that he hadn't saved her? It was only a dream; her dream nonetheless.'

But he knew the answer and it was so contradicting that it kept him awake and so he had seen the day turn into night and the night into day and his eyes had still not closed down to a peaceful sleep.

'didn't he want her dead?'

He pondered at his own question.

'didn't he?'

'didn't he?'

'didn't he?'

Was that his feeling or a constructed one? He was not sure of what he wanted anymore or if even such wantings were his own and not someone else's. His father's. Genma Saotome's fears.

'Am I a puppet whose been fed propaganda?'

Ranma liked power, he had lived with it his whole live, it was the base of his very existence. He liked to be in control but never to the point to kill someone and she… She wanted to die and didn't even know the reason for it but deep down he knew that feeling had been set up to her by him. He had ignited that wish in her as his father had done with him too.

'You'll wish her promptly death' Genma's words would repeat in his head over and over again.

Ranma would see her in class, would look for an answer in her, would follow her around, would look for a hint that lead him somewhere, somewhere far away from her and that dream. Somewhere where he could not feel and pretend she was never there and pretend she did not exist and maybe, just maybe he could forget the pain that was stuck in his heart: just maybe he could make it disappear. Just maybe…he could save her next time. So, he kept close to her even when he wished her away but he would not bring himself to leave her alone. It was too much.

'I need her' he could admit that in his head. He needed her but what for? To forget, to avenge, to hate…. He didn't know anymore. The feelings were so mixed, so mixed….

The sun was coming up and Ranma's botchy eyes squinted at his sudden appearance. Then, as a ritual he cursed as he had done since that fateful night when he visited her dreams. Since that fateful night he had started questioning his morals, ideals, upbringing… Since that fateful night he had lost her.

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"'Conscience is but a word that cowards use, devised at first to keep the strong in awe'" this direct quote extracted from King Richard III is of great importance in comparison to the next one he utters lately on the play were he says 'o, coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!'. I'd like all of you to write an essay about 3 or 4 pages over how does conscience affect one's personality and relate it to Richard III. I'd like you to pay heed to how his 'conscience' is formed and write down the quotes that express it."

Suddenly the bell rang and Mr Nobunaga sighed as the class exploded into life once more.

"That'll be all for today and remember to bring the papers signed by your parents or tutors because otherwise you won't be able to leave the school on Monday and visit the oceanographic" he shouted to the great mass that was already heading to the door

Akane sighed happily as the class came to an end. All through the week, the little jerk sitting by her side had done nothing else than follow her around and finally she'd get away from him. A smile plastered on her face as she remembered that the weekend was right there.

"What's that face for? The thought of homework makes you all orgasmic, or what?" he snapped getting closer to her. Akane could see the dark circles around his eyes; the boy looked tired as if he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Sod off!" she said as she moved his chair to the right and passed behind it.

The class was already empty and she growled at her misfortune at being left alone with Saotome. Ranma flung his bag and in a moment poised before her.

'Oh...not again' she thought sourly.

"So, what is it now?"

"I've been wanting to get you alone" he said matter of a fact, as if it were the common thing to just spat out.

"Too bad the feeling's not mutual" she looked him up and down, disgust written all over her face.

"Please…don't try to cover it up. I bet you've never before seen something as good as me" He reached out a hand and made a movement as if wiping something off the corner of her mouth. "There, all better. Some drool was falling down" he smirked triumphantly at her.

"You're insufferable!"

'Gosh could he feed his ego anymore?'

Akane composed herself and asked straight. "So, what is it?"

"Not here" it was a short answer but the fact that his face and tone had changed from fucking bothering to completely frightening made her obey his demand.

As they strode down the hallway many faces turned to look at them, Akane waved dismissedly with her hand at Yuka and Sayuri that made the thumbs-up sign to her.

'Could they be any dense?' she thought but continued walking ahead with Ranma.

The furinkan gates were already far away as they came to a stop and Akane found herself pushed roughly to the cold, wet grass in the border of the river.

"What did you do that for?" she snapped at him.

"It seemed as a funny thing to do" he said as Akane glared up at him.

"What is that you want from me?" but Ranma did not answer her. He just kneeled down, cupped her face with one of his callous hands and with the other moved the collarbone of her shirt so that he could have a look at her mark. It was bleeding.

Akane's eyes were glued to his as he sat down in front of her, letting go of her shirt, his hands falling by his side and Akane's reaching out to his neck just to retreat them back. Bloodied fingers and a sigh.

"There's something you must know" he said "this…this has nothing to do with me"

"but..how did you know? How did you know I was bleeding?" she sounded scared.

"I could feel it. I can feel it. There's something that might be a menace to you"

"What do you mean a menace? You are a menace! What is happening?" it was a strange situation, both teens so close but yet so afraid of one another.

"I've been feeling it all week long" he said, as if that explained everything. "you're in great danger"

"This is rich! You, of all people are telling me to watch my back. You? You that are my nemesis? Gods, this is just rich!" She said indignated.

He looked at her as if she had just grown up a pair of fluffy ears and she bent closer to his face then breathed.

"What had you expected? thanks?" she said rage boiling in her.

"Not from a bitch like you" he was outraged. After all, he was just trying to help out. Why oh why he was doing so was something he had to ponder himself too.

She kept silent and then stood up and looked down at him

"I know what you are trying to do but I'll let you know that it will not work"

"And what am I trying to do, pray tell?" he said through tight lips.

She breathed out and then her hand made contact with his cold cheek.

"Don't follow me around!" and she walked away

'Why was he so relentless? Couldn't he just leave her to live her life alone?' Akane could feel his eyes boring into her back as she walked away. 'Why did he have to scare her? She didn't trust him…He was just playing mind-games with him. And she….she was not going to let him!'

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The weekend passed by in a blur and she felt the excitement of bringing her plan in action. She had it all prepared, the sweet comments she would write down, the nice excuse she'd invent to get her alone and then it was just a push and she'll be history.

'It was an accident' she would tell them and then with tearful eyes she would write down 'we were friends, how could something like that happen to her?' Tendo's cold body would lay on the ground, as if asleep but finally dead.

Ranma didn't need to worry as long as she was there for him. As long as Akane Tendo disappeared from his life.

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Ryouga observed his cousin; he poured water on his plate and then some syrup into his juice. He held his laughter as Ranma drank from the glass just to spat the liquid out on his face.

'ok, that was not funny at all' grimaced Ryouga

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he reprimanded Ranma as he brought a napkin close to his face and wiped away the disgusting thing.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" he shouted back "Why would something be wrong?" he said, voice rising dangerously.

Ryouga just pointed at his now wet crêpe and as his disgusting juice and sighed.

"You should stop following her"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I've seen you sneaking out all week long. You've been stalking her again, haven't you?"

"I was going for a jog"

"At 3 am? Who do you think you are going to kid with that poor excuse?"

"I just needed to clear my mind. Ok?"

"You better do it soon, because either you hate her or are infatuated with…."

But Ryoga couldn't finish his sentence as a big toast was thrown at his face and Ranma strout out of the dinning room. Ryouga was very observant something had changed in his cousine; something big was bothering him and he feared the change had done nothing but begin.

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"The oceanographic" she read out loud the big signal at the very entrance. They were still making a line and she wondered if they would ever get in. She hadn't been there since she was little; also with a school trip, she remembered how Shinosuke would hold her hand while they were waiting. So unlike now, he had turned out to be so…she had no words for it. She saw him from the corner of her eyes, Shinosuke was watching her and then she could see him eyeing Ranma who at the same time was looking at her. And then, then there was Ryouga who was flirting with Yuka and Sayuri and they were coming close to her.

"If I didn't know better I'd say that someone has a crush here" said Sayuri in Akane's ear "and from what I see it's not a one-sided"

"Would you drop it!" she said at the same time her eyes looked for Ranma who was now being pushed away from the crowd by no other than Shampoo.

"Look at your brother Akane, he looks ready to kill Ranma anytime soon"

"I look like that too"

"what you do look is ready to pounce on him. There are so many sparks flying away between you too" she finished with a pout.

"Oh, drop it already. You're too hooked on soap operas!" Akane snapped but her eyes would not leave Ranma 'what had he done to her? He was just playing games? Wasn't he? Mind-games with her'

"Hi Akane, having trouble again with my cousin?"

'Gosh, had she been seen eyeing Ranma?

"You could say that. Saotome and I will never be at peace" she smiled at Ryouga, but he could read beyond that sad smile of hers and he couldn't decide if it was a good thing or a very bad one.

"Class, class!" Mr Nobonaga shouted. "I'd like you to get in pairs. If anyone gets lost we'll see at 12 at the entrance. Understood?"

"Yeah" shouted the mass.

"You're coming with me" said a raw voice from behind Akane.

"And why is that?" she turned around and his blue eyes looked darkly into hers.

"Because I said so. Don't be stubborn, everybody's already ahead from us" Ranma grabbed her wrist and dragged her along.

'What a long day that was going to be' she sighed and looked at Sayuri who just winked at her. 'great, just what she needed'

Having a good time watching the dolphins show while you are being guarded by Saoutome was not her dream come true as Sayuri would have thought. Akane kept playing with the paper that had been given to them at the beginning. She would turn it, squish it, then break it then…she had nothing left to do but to keep quiet and try to relax. The show was nearly over and she got up ready to go to the restroom but his hand had once more grabbed her wrist.

"I'd like to go and have a pee"

"Can't you just wait? The show is almost over?"

"Why do you care?"

"I'd pretty much not like to miss it!"

"I'm going!"

"Not without me!"

"Gosh, can you be anymore insufferable!"

"It's a gift" he spat back; he could feel his mark burning up. The danger was coming closer.

They woke up and headed downstairs and then to the left. Shampoo was taking notice of everything and it was then that she decided to follow them.

"I don't believe you are going to get in here with me!" 'how could that be happening to her'

"I'll just wait for you outside, it's not as if I'll see something interesting" he retorted but this time it was playfully.

She paid no heed to the comment and went in. Shampoo was already there.

"Ow, I didn't know there will be someone here"

Shampoo just smiled and wrote down something on her board.

'Would you like to escape from him? I know how too"

"sure I do"

Shampoo grabbed the chalk again and wrote down.

'Follow me' and so she did.

The window was quite big and outside was the training dolphin's area. A big pool was just right in front of them and Akane turned back to talk to Shampoo but she was no were to be seen. She kept walking, trying to find a way to go back to the show. There was not much space left between her feet and the water and a cold child ran up her spin.

She tried calling out for Shampoo but received no answer, just the sound of the water moving near her feet and then a hand coming from it and dragging her inside the cold water. She tried screaming but it was too late.

She was falling more and more into the darkness

And dark it was, dark and cold

Untill suddenly she felt warm all over her body. It seemed like she had been there in the cold dark for hours and she couldn't move but she could feel, she could hear...

"Damm you, woman!" she knew that voice "Couldn't you do one thing I said!" the voice sounded harsh but strangely worried. Her senses were muffled and then she felt it….

Warm lips over hers and the air came back to her lungs and in a moment she was coughing, water going out through her mouth.

She felt dizzy but as she opened her eyes she could see those ones….A pair of eyes she could never forget because they hunted her. Those freaky blue eyes.

Ranma backed away and sat on his bum, he looked cold and was very much wet. He was confused as hell and then she saw her, how she brought her hand to touch her lips, now red with life.

"Akaneeeeeee!" Shinosuke shouted

It was then that Ranma's eyes shot open in alarm and he got up and run, with no direction whatsoever he just wanted to run and disappear and maybe…just maybe he'd forget what he had just done.

Maybe, just maybe he'd forget that for a few moments his heart had stopped beating too.