Be my beloved enemy
Rumours that kill
Ranma could hear the soothing sound of the waves; could feel the chilly morning breeze on his face as he sat down nearby the sea. His hands landed by his sides, the cool touch of the sand welcomed his fingers and he relaxed his body leaning it a little bit backwards, his head lulled first to the right then to the left, eyes full shut and hair dishevelled by the wind.
'What had he just done?'
He could feel the faint sun as it started to rise shining through the layer of clouds though, his eyes still remained closed.
'Shampoo…it had been all her fault. He had never wanted such a drastic thing to happen. Never….'
Ranma just didn't know how long he'd been pondering about this very thought. A single drop fell on his face and ran down his forehead to his left eye. Subconsciously, his neck cracked and he was, eyes now open, facing the stormy sky. Another drop fell down, this time on his bare hand.
'Had he overdone it? Did Shampoo really deserve such punishment?'
His hands grabbed the sand below.
'what the hell do you think you were doing?'
'I was just helping you out!' Shampoo scribbled rapidly on the board from the ground.
'Spudid bitch. Don't you ever think of getting close to her. Do you hear me?! NEVER!' Ranma bellowed gripping her face between his hands and spitting at her.
'B- but…' Her writing was unsure and messy.
'I will not even bother with your pity excuses' he said while turning around.
Shampoo had grabbed his trousers from behind.
'Ranma. I did it for you' she mouthed as her head bent down and tears ran down her cheeks as she realised he couldn't hear her.
The young man turned around and yanked her up by her collar shirt.
'Don't you dare talk to me after what you've done. You're banned from this house and from this family. Do get close to me and I'll kill you without an afterthought.' Then he pushed her away and she tumbled to the ground.
'One more thing' Ranma said not even bothering to face Shampoo. 'Tendo's mine to do as I want. If you even as dare breath close to her I'll hunt you down'
She sniffed but soon after her cruel laugh filled the room. A fearful thing to hear if one knew her to be dumb. He turned around shocked.
'Tendo's knight in shinning armour, are you?' she had written down bitterly. Her handwriting a shaken mess of words.
Ranma gritted his teeth.
'I want you out!' and the sound that followed was that of a door slam.
He moved to sat up Indian style. The rain had yet to start falling; still some occasional drops fell from the sky as if to foresee the upcoming threat. He rubbed his hands on his pants making sure to clean all of the remaining sand out of his fingers.
Ryouga's words came to his mind.
'Bear in mind, dear cousin that the world has eyes'
He hated to admit it but it seemed that just this once his cousin had been right.
Wednesday 26 March.
'She's not here again today' A girl's voice had said in a murmur.
'Yeah, her seat is empty. Have you heard of her?' another one whispered from behind.
'I bet you she's gotten pregnant and is on the run' a blond one turned around facing the second girl.
'no, that's way too farfetched. I'm sure they are hiding her…probably she's got an ill disease…' interrupted a short guy.
'I know for a fact she got knocked up' the girl retreated.
'She doesn't even like boys, never taken an interest in them. Maybe she's into girls and she ran away in fear of what her family will say…'
'Can't be, I heard all her family passed away' Another one argued.
'Must be the same disease that killed her family. I heard her father died isolated in a cave… rumour says he had lost his marbles'
'Do you reckon it could be contagious?' a fearful voice said from the front.
'No, I don't think so. Must have been something in her genes' a curly haired girl nodded approvingly.
The voices suddenly quieted as Mr Nobunaga entered the class.
Today was the forth day Akane Tendo had been missing
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Saying goodbye had always been difficult to Akane Tendo, she had always gotten too attached to people, to places, to faces… Therefore, the prospect of farewell left her in a drained state. One that now she could by no means afford herself to be in.
There were moments in life one could never prepare oneself for and, as Akane came back home on the very first day she had been back in school, she discovered she hadn't been prepared for the blow that was going to change her life. There on the very hall laid the corpse of her grandfather, that who had brought her up, who had cared for, her who had been her family. She now remembered everything as if it were just a movie. She saw herself crouching down to the cold pale body and then her mouth had opened with a fearful cry of agony…
Four days had passed since then. The funeral had been short and quiet and the body had been buried by Akane's parents. Akane's hand was tucked inside Shinosuke's who every now and then, squished it softly as if to reassure her he was with her. The day after the funeral a fat short man in a black suit appeared at the Shinosuke's house, he was wearing a leather briefcase with him that's all Akane saw after Shinosuke closed the door. She recalled having fallen asleep on the stairs, waiting for the man to go away but she woke up in her cosy bed, blankets wrapped around her little body.
"He wants you gone" spoke Shinosuke with his face down.
"He wants you gone" he repeated, this time his voice had cracked a little.
"He w-wants yo-you g-gone" he said once more, now between sobs while he hold a yellowish paper that had on the very bottom a stamp she knew well, her granpa's family stamp.
Akane remembered having read the will carefully. She had to go in two days.
"China" She heard Shinosuke whisper. "You'll go to Taro's place"
"Taro" she repeated the familiar name.
Shinosuke crumbled and for the first time Akane saw her brother cry and they hugged. No one knows how long they stood there hugging and crying but the moon was high in the sky and the new day was about to come.
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Thursday came in a rush of colours and music. The local holidays were about to start and the streets were busied with people arranging their business for the upcoming weekend. Ranma had just arrived at Furinkan's school debating whether or not to go look for Akane's whereabouts but shrugged the thought away and instead he entered class.
"Still got some hope left?" Ryouga's voice startled him.
Ranma just grunted back in return glancing from the corner of his eyes at Akane's empty seat. A cough was heard. Ryouga.
"She's not here" said Ryouga from behind.
"That much I've noticed" Ranma replied scathingly.
"Then stop being so obvious, for god's sake"
"What the heck are you talking about?' demanded Ranma, this time turning around to face his cousin.
"I think I've told you this before my dear cousin" he said mockingly "you better decide whether you hate her or are infatuated with her"
"Stop talking nonsense"
"Stop mooning over her"
"Shut it" Ranma hissed.
"Is that your best remark? I'd say you're loosing your touch!"
Ranma grunted and then Ryouga added as an afterthought.
"I may not care but you better decide on which side you are"
Ranma scoffed and turned his gaze back to the board 'what a moron…'
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"I knew you could do it" Genma's drawl echoed through the empty room
"It was an easy job" a cocky voice replied back, a hint of a smile shown at the boys lips "you should give me more credit" he added; his chest was filled and his eyes looked daringly at Genma's
"Stick to your duty" Genma's reply was short but to the point
"I expect her to be delivered to me as soon as my job is finished" he put on the glasses he had previously discarded on one of the few furniture of the room. He brimmed with confidence while his hand now played with a small vial
Genma's eyes set on him again before standing up and walking to the door. His heavy steps sounded all through the room.
"One more thing, don't spare a thought and just kill anyone who gets in your way"
Mouse nodded setting the vial inside his pocket.
'Arsenic' he thought. 'had been a very nice, silent way to kill him'
'After all…One was down"
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By Friday the rumours had started to get on Ranma's nerves. They were irrational and stupid and he felt the need to put a halt to all that nonsense.
'I still think she's eloped, yeah I guess Kuno's kiss made her run away'
Ranma's eyes would snap at that.
'I'd say she's dead right now'
The vein on his neck would enlarge and one could feel the blood rapidly pulsating through it.
'Maybe she joined the circus'
Ranma pressed his fists tightly.
'Or the army'
He gritted his teeth trying to content himself.
'Who says she's not in a deserted island being laid off? What a lucky bastard that Kuno guy is'
The obscenity of it broke Ranma's feeble will and he stood up in a rush and punched his very unfortunate classmate. Ranma had read Nabiki's article that had been embroiled with a beautiful photo of both Kuno and Akane. A sight Ranma had tried to erase from his mind.
"What did you do that for?" Shizuke stared at him from the ground.
And then, without uttering a word Ranma turned around and sprinted out of the class.
'Weirdo' someone whispered.
The clapping of hands brought Ranma out of the reverie.
"So what do you think your hero name should be? Ranma the Tendo lover or Ranma the screwed?" Ryouga's voice was amusing "We should even think of an opening theme for the upcoming series, Oh how I'd love to be Tendo's sweetheart…"
Seeing as Ranma just wouldn't snap he crouched in front of him and slapped him on the head. Ryouga didn't even see Ranma's fist approaching. His back was now to the ground and his hand grabbed for his now bleeding nose.
"I guess I deserved that" he grunted.
"Yes, you did" added Ranma quietly.
"What are you going to do?" Ryouga had asked now seriously. He tried to sit down, raising his head to stop the bleeding.
"This uncertainty is killing me" he looked astray as if lost in his own thoughts.
Ryouga's hand patted Ranma's back friendly.
"Just don't let it kill you this soon" he smiled soothingly at his cousin and Ranma understanding his words stood up and ran.
Ryouga remained there a sad smile to his lips.
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Akane was now in the backyard, a hand rested on the threshold while the other combed her hair lightly, placing the messy beads behind her ears. The breeze was rather chilly seeing as the sun was about to set down and the clock had just ticked eight. Akane's nightgown moved softly with every step she took into the garden. The wet grass under her bare feet tickled her skin as she advanced to the Koi pond. She sat down there, her feet now hanging out from the rocks, nearly touching the water above.
Ranma thought that in some way she had sensed him approaching because she stiffed suddenly. He was just behind her and could see how her shoulders moved slowly with every breath she took. He was angry with her though he wouldn't dare to ask himself why.
"What the hell were you thinking letting that Kuno-moron kiss you?" he asked scathingly out of the blue.
Akane couldn't help but grin at the hint of indignation in his voice.
"Still not tired of the stalking thing?" she spat sarcastically.
"I thought we had an agreement. You promised!" he bellowed this time "promised you'll never let anyone touch you" he was angry, but didn't know why exactly.
Akane remained silent; she admired the reflection of the starts on the water below and smiled.
"I'm no-ones possession" her calm voice shocked him. It was unnaturally mellow and collected.
Ranma couldn't deal with her lack of reaction and he thought he might as well try and grab her shoulders to force a response out of her. His anger flared but he suppressed the urge to shout at her.
"Promises are not meant to be broken" His voice sounded afflicted and very deep.
Akane smiled again and patted the space by her side invitingly. Ranma sat down, his feet touched the water below as he was a head taller than Akane. Both teens wouldn't look at one another.
"Why are you here for?" Akane asked daringly.
"I just told you" he huffed with indignation.
Akane laughed because Ranma could be like a five year old sometimes.
"Really, why did you even bother to come when no-one else did?"
"Are you deaf or what?" he snarled.
She turned around to look at him.
"Why are you even here?"
"You must be really thick in the head, musn't you?"
"Hoped your little parade was going to fool me? You shouldn't underestimate me like that"
"What the hell are you talking about? Have you been smoking pot recently? Are you high or something?"
"Just tell me why you are here obviously pissed of sitting by my side"
"I thought the patting part was an invitation to join the party" Ranma said sardonically.
"You should work at the circus, you'd do a great clown" she snapped.
"Well, might as well ask for you to introduce me to your colleges. Last I heard you had eloped because of your pregnancy and joined the circus" he said, turning to face her.
Akane's eyes were wide as saucers.
"It was just bound to happen people were bound to talk and invent an excuse for your sudden disappearance" he continued "But don't you worry anyone with a brain could tell what an impossible thing was that someone had actually gone all the way with you" he smirked at her
"You didn't look that convinced before when you asked me about Kuno" Akane replied and Ranma's face turned red with anger.
A few minutes passed by and they turned defeated their gazes back to the reflected stars on the water.
"Why are you here for?" Akane whispered.
"Not this again"
"Yes, this again and I'll ask the very same question until I get a truthful answer"
He grunted and grumbled.
"I didn't quite get that" she pushed.
"I just wanted to make sure you hadn't run away"
"Why? scared you might not be able to torment me?"
"Don't go make you hopes so high for all I care you could vanish from this earth this minute and I could go celebrate for the rest of my life"
"I'll vanish after all" she said "vanish from this country at least" her sad voice made him want to swallow his own previous words.
"When?" he said in a rush and Akane noticed the urgency of his demand "tell me when"
"I thought you wouldn't care" she said bitterly.
"I did say I wanted to celebrate so I might as well get the right time to just do it"
She knew he was lying through his teeth. She knew that deep down he cared. Akane could for the first time read underneath his parade; he wanted to know, needed to know why and when and where and just how. He wanted to know everything he could about her because the guy sitting by her at the koi pond cared. He cared and she knew.
"Tomorrow" her response had been barely audible but Ranma had heard and all of a sudden a big constricting weight filled his heart.
"China" she continued, advancing, she though his next question but Ranma had stopped listening.
"I guess this is goodbye then" Ranma's heart was hammering painfully in his chest.
"Yeah" Akane's voice was again small and Ranma wished he could see the real fierce Akane once more.
Ranma's feet touched again the wet ground as he slid from the rock. Akane too turned and grabbed astonished the hand that the guy before her offered in help. She noticed his large hand was very warm despite the weather. When her feet touched the grass and her eyes left the ground to set upon Ranma's, she felt a pull at her arm.
The next actions were all a blur.
A hand on her back had guided her closer to his body.
The one on her neck had urged her forwards.
And his lips had crashed down on hers.
Akane could hear her own blood pounding madly at her ears, could feel through the flimsy material of his shirt, Ranma's heart beat growing faster. He moulded his lips to hers demandingly. Then he stopped and grabbed, softly, her face between his warm hands, his lips gracing hers as he whispered.
'I don't do goodbyes'
'I don't do goodbyes' he repeated and bent down to give her a butterfly kiss on her red swollen lips and then another and another until he was kissing her fully again.
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Shinosuke had finished writing the letter finally. He would enclose the details about the 'et vull' curse with it too, would give it to Akane on her parting day. He switched off the light though he didn't feel like sleeping at all. The envelope stood by his side on the bed table.
It all started in 1990 when the world saw the very face of greed and betrayal. On the most magic day of the year a tragic event, a dreaded dead came upon the 'anything goes martial arts' dojo.
Happosai a centenary old martial arts master saw the death approaching him. In a last effort to keep the world at peace he asked Cologne, a well-known witch, for a favour. Fearing that the legacy of his powers could cause a war to start he extracted them draining himself from life. Upon his death, Cologne performed a spell sealing Happosai's powers, hiding them from daylight forever.
Happosai's heirs, two young martial artists, at his master's death started looking for the legacy, for the power that they believed had to be transferred to them. Insanity fell upon them after having found the craved treasure and being unable to open it. Both martial artists went to ask Cologne that was known to be tricky in her answers.
"When in one, you may know how to break the seal"
Something unexpected, unplanned happened. Despise Happosai's efforts to stop a conflict from forming; a war began. A war between two young martial artists, a war between friends, a war between Tendo and Saotome.
A sad day came when their confrontation killed a beloved one. Kimiko trying to stop the fights got caught in a fire blast. She died that day but her daughter, thanks to her father Tendo, survived.
Days later another death tainted the grounds of Nerima, this time Nodoka Saotome, in an effort to protect their beloved ones brought a curse against her family and that of Tendo's. "Et vull" was performed with the same knife that had touched Kimiko's blood and it called to fate, to love…
Nothing else was known to the world; except that Tendo passed away out of sadness and that the betrayal between friends brought nothing more than greed to Saotome.