"Whelp. We've got trouble," Ranko told her the moment she returned to her suite.
Akane's heart immediately sank.
She'd been hoping for good news.
"What is it?" she asked as she stood up from the bed, fearing the worst. There were so many possibilities, she had no idea where to begin!
Could Kodachi have tried poisoning Ukyo? Was Kuno taking a second wife? Maybe Azusa was caught stealing something she shouldn't?!
With that crazy family, anything was possible. So it was a good thing that her friend didn't leave her wondering for long.
"Sorry, but Kuno's DEFINITELY gunning for you," she told her, as she kicked off her slippers and flopped onto the bed. "I'm pretty sure one of his goons followed me to my room just now. And some creep was definitely following Ranma."
Having feared the worst, Akane sighed in relief. "Oh. Is that all?"
Ranko slowly sat up, her eyes double their usual size. "Is that all?" She repeated, incredulous. "Trust me, Akane, that's enough!"
"But we expected as much, didn't we?" she replied, sitting back down beside her. "I mean, we didn't exactly leave on the best of terms before—I'm not surprised his pride's still hurt. In any case, that can't be the only reason he's here."
"Can't it?"
"Of course not," Akane argued, trying to convince herself as much as her friend. "He's the King of Clarines, dummy. Do you honestly think he has nothing better to do with his time than hunt down some silly girl who scorned him?"
"Yes, actually. That's exactly what I think! How many times do I have to tell you—he's crazy, Akane!"
"Regardless," she continued, not willing to buy into her friend's paranoia. "Even if he was here for me—which he's not—I can take care of myself now. I'm much stronger than I was before."
Ranko lifted an eyebrow and scoffed. "Didn't you just lose to my brother the other day?"
Face flaming, Akane abruptly turned away. "T-that was different," she spluttered, lifting her chin. "I-I was distracted, that's all!"
"Uh-huh. Sure. Anyways," Ranko continued. "You've always been strong, Akane. Problem is, you're stupid where it counts.
"Hey!"
"You're too trusting," she said, playfully bumping her shoulder with her own. "And that's what's gonna get you into trouble. Just you watch!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing," she muttered, convinced it wasn't true anyway. She used to be trusting, sure, but all of that changed when—
Oh no. It hadn't changed, had it?
Was Ranko right?
"Anyway, screw his pride," her friend rambled on, unaware of the mental breakdown occurring right beside her. "He's obsessed, dangerous, and deranged. You can't let down your guard around him for a second! You hear me? NOT A SECOND!"
"Okay, fine," she snapped, agreeing simply to shut her up. Part of her still thought she was being overdramatic though. "I won't. Happy now?"
"Yes! Good. Okay. Glad we're on the same page then."
"Yeah. Great," she grumbled, but then added, just to be difficult: "Of course, my point still stands, you know. After all, he stopped bothering you, didn't he? So, see. He can be taught!"
"That's not the same at all," Ranko told her, folding her arms. "He doesn't have a chance with me—not since he's married now. My parents would never let their only daughter become a lowly concubine, not for any amount of money. But you're different, Akane. He doesn't know who you really are, and as long as you're in hiding, he never will. Until then, as far as he knows, you're fair game. You're not safe..."
"Of course I am. I'm here, aren't I?" She teased, trying to lighten the mood. "I thought you said you'd protect me?"
But Ranko wasn't laughing. For once, she was completely serious, not a trace of humor remained.
"And I meant that.Of course,I did. But," she continued, and took a deep breath, as if preparing to tell her something she wasn't gonna like. "In order to do that, I need you to promise me something first, Akane."
Not liking the sound of that, Akane fidgeted, feeling strangely anxious. "Um, what kind of promise?"
"Nothing huge. Just—I've given this a lot of thought, Akane—and Ranma and my mom both agree with me. The best way to protect you from Kuno is to make him think you're no longer here, right? Right!"
"Alright," she returned slowly. "But, um, I am here?"
"Yeah, but HE doesn't need to know that," she pointed out, kneeling in her excitement. "So, how about this? Instead of returning to the barracks like normal, you promise to stay here. With me. And until they're gone, you don't leave." She said this last part with a manic, frantic energy like it wasn't absolutely crazy. "If he never sees you, then problem solved!"
Akane laughed in disbelief. "I-I can't stay locked up here," she told her, incredulous. "I've got training! And-and for another thing, I'd go insane!"
"But that's the beauty of it," Ranko insisted, her blue eyes bright. "Training's canceled all this week. Until they leave, anyhow—so you won't miss a thing!"
That hit Akane almost as hard as her friend's insane suggestion. "What? But-but why?"
How in the world was she supposed to cope with everything happening, if she couldn't get angry and HIT something?!
"Trust me, it's better this way," Ranko told her. Which was a lie. "Last time Kuno visited, he was so obnoxious, he kept trying to 'train' the generals. The moron gave them tips and everything. It got so bad, Herb and Pantyhose were ready to kill him! So this time, Dad decided to remove the temptation altogether. So now, you can think of it as an extended holiday!"
A holiday? It sounded like a nightmare.
Was it too late to leave? Maybe she could escape to the city for the week?! It would be better than staying cooped up in here…
As if reading her mind, Ranko shook her head and held up a hand. "Don't even think about it, Akane! Kuno has spies all over the city. Heck, probably in this castle too. If you tried to stay in town, he'd find you for sure!"
Oh no! Was she THAT easy to read?! "The thought never entered my mind," she insisted, laughing uncomfortably to cover the lie.
"Uh-huh. You're a terrible liar too, you know."
"Even so," Akane went on awkwardly, getting more desperate. "Is it necessary to go this far? It can't be that hard to avoid him. The castle's huge!"
"Maybe, but would you risk your life on it?" Ranko pressed, narrowing her eyes at her. "I mean, honestly, Akane—is hiding for a week worse than getting drugged and forced to become Kuno's concubine?!"
Akane visibly shivered with revulsion. "No," she admitted quietly, resigned. "No, you're right. It's not."
"That's right," she agreed, releasing a breath. "Then you promise?"
Akane sighed, though hers was heavy with regret. "Fine," she muttered, seeing no way around it. "I promise."
At this rate, Ranko might drug her if she refused, anyway. Sometimes, she could be just as unhinged as Kodachi.
"Great! But don't worry too much," Ranko told her, smiling brightly now that she'd gotten her way. "You won't be locked up for long. This time, I've got a plan. Before long, that jerk will be BEGGING to leave!"
Akane groaned. "No offense, but your plans are almost always awful."
(Current plan included.)
"Heh. We'll see. I've got a good feeling about this one," she boasted as she climbed off the bed and stretched.
"Oh?" replied Akane, intrigued despite herself. "What are you planning?"
Ranko began to chuckle. A creepy, unhinged sound. "Oh, nothing much," she said, still chuckling. "I've just taken some precautions, is all."
Akane had no idea what those precautions were, but she'd never seen her friend so excited and gleeful.
It worried her.
"Uh-huh. What sort of precautions?"
"Nothing to worry your pretty little head over," she said with a wink. And then headed for the door.
Panicked, Akane quickly stood up. "Hey! Where are you going?!"
"Relax. I'll be right back," Ranko assured her as she glanced over her shoulder, her hand already on the knob. "I'm going to get your things, and some other stuff besides. I can't have you getting bored while you're here—I'll make sure you've got plenty to do!"
"Oh, goody." At the reminder, Akane's shoulders slumped.
She still had no idea how she was supposed to handle being stuck here for days, let alone a week. Feeling weak in the knees, Akane collapsed back onto the bed.
Which is when her friend decided to leave her with a parting gift. "Oh yeah! And before I forget, me and Ryoga are engaged now. Crazy, right? Well, see you later. Bye!"
And just like that, she slammed the door shut behind her and was gone.
Akane could only stare at where her friend once stood, feeling stupid and slow, and like she definitely hadn't heard that right.
Mentally exhausted, her back hit the bed, and she stared blankly up at the ceiling instead.
Ranko and Ryoga?
Yep. It was going to be a very long week.
…
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Ranko's "plan" didn't appear to be working. Despite her lofty promises, it had already been four days, and the Kunos still hadn't left.
Not that it made much difference to Akane.
The days were starting to blend because she was losing her mind.
Day one hadn't started out bad.
She'd spent the evening grilling Ranko about Ryoga; a topic her friend had taken to with surprising aplomb. She was almost certain her friend was lying about "suddenly falling in love," but once Ranko had turned the questions on her instead, interrogating her about Ranma, well, she hadn't wanted to talk after that. The rest of the night had been spent in silence.
Day two had been awkward and uncomfortable, largely in part to Day One. As a result, Ranko had been scarce most of the day, so Akane had spent most of the time working out, sleeping, and cursing out nearly everyone she knew.
On day three, with Ranko conveniently absent again and, "visitors not a good idea because anyone could be watching my room," Akane had resorted to talking to herself in between workouts and banging her head against the wall out of frustration and boredom.
By day four, her patience was a tightly strung bow—one quick flick of her wrist would've sent it snapping.
Now, all she could do was fume and pace. In fact, Akane was currently on her five hundredth and thirty-sixth lap of the room, and she'd spent every second of her journey constantly reminding herself why leaving this room was a very, very bad idea.
(It wasn't helping.)
What good were promises anyway? Ranko hadn't kept hers!
And sure, she might run into Kuno and that would be awful—she couldn't remember WHY it would be awful, exactly—but surely she hadn't trapped herself in here all this time for nothing!
Kodachi. Bad.
Kuno. Worse.
Akane tried to convince herself of these very important facts, but the words were starting to lose their shine.
How bad could they be?
Bad enough that she couldn't even handle a quick trip around the wing?
Bad enough that everyone else was able to enjoy hallways, unlimited space, and four very different walls?!
Training! It could be training!
Stealth training was a very important skill, too, one she sorely lacked. How could she master ANYTHING stuck in here, wearing a hole in the same old tired carpet day after day?
What was stealthy about that?
Besides, surely her luck wasn't THAT bad?!
SURELY, she could handle one small excursion without getting caught!
During her musings, somehow, Akane ended up standing before the bedroom door again, the knob already resting warmly in her palm. Sweetly inviting.
She couldn't even recall walking here.
If this wasn't fate, what was?
"Just a quick trip around the wing," she promised herself, tightening her grip on the doorknob. The guest wing was on the other side of the castle, so only the royal family, guards, or servants should be in this part of the castle so close to dinner.
Yet, still, Akane hesitated.
Her promise to Ranko rang in her ears, weighing heavily on her heart.
What good were promises if they could be broken so easily?
On the other hand…
What good were promises if she was the only one keeping them? And what good were they at all if they hindered more than they helped?
"This is silly. Only cowards hide," she reminded herself, because how could she dare to take on Hinako when she was too scared to face an insignificant gnat like Kuno?!
Before she could change her mind yet again, Akane flung open the door and bravely stepped outside, taking her first real step toward freedom in nearly a week.
As expected, only an empty hallway greeted her. At the sight of it, Akane released a small, relieved laugh.
Now she felt silly.
Had she honestly thought someone would be standing outside the door? Waiting for her?
"Right. This wasn't so hard," she told herself as she started a nice, brisk walk, her head held high with a confidence she hadn't felt in days. Just a quick stroll around the east wing, and she'd be back before Ranko even knew she'd been gone.
She'd never felt so strong and independent as she turned that first sharp corner!
And then drew up short…
"Ah, there you are!"
Before her stood Mikado Sanzenin.
The moment she saw his stupid face, Akane knew she'd made a mistake.
"I was hoping I'd see you again," he told her and smiled.
…
Ranma couldn't wait for their guests to get the hell out of Wistalia.
One day in their presence was bad enough, but now, after FOUR DAYS of suffering Kuno's incessant chatter, of Kodachi constantly feeling him up, he wasn't sure which one he wanted to throttle more.
(Ha. That's a lie.)
It was Kuno.
Ranma didn't hit girls.
Besides, with his father and mother in the same room, that wasn't an option anyway. So for the hundredth time that week, Ranma tried to suck it up, to block out the grating sound of their voices as Kuno prattled on and on and on.
"Such quaintness befits a kingdom such as this," he continued, his tone every bit as arrogant as the first time he'd said it. "To think! Such a magnificent military emerging from such paltry pickings. Truly, a sight to behold. May I inquire as to your secret, your majesty?"
Genma blustered with pride, too brain-dead to realize they'd been insulted.
"My, such praise! We are humbled," his mother replied smoothly, smiling at her husband. "Aren't we dear?"
"Oh yes. Yes. Indeed we are!"
He then went off about how he couldn't take ALL the credit—which was true since Ranma had secured all the generals—a fact he would've LOVED to point out if he wasn't so busy trying to pry Kodachi's steel-like grip from off his arm.
The girl was a leech!
Still, he was trying to be careful. Hurting her was the last thing he needed. With his luck, she'd use it as an excuse to stay longer, or worse, to wring a proposal out of him.
As Kodachi had said multiple times by now: "You're not married yet, Ranma-darling. Ohohohoho."
Unfortunately, with Ryoga and Ukyo in town enjoying a rare day off, he had no protection whatsoever. And his stupid sister was no damn help.
She was too caught up in her crazy scheme to pay any attention to him.
"I do so miss my fiancé," Ranko complained again, louder for Kuno to hear as she idly pushed some peas and corn around on her plate. "Dinner feels tasteless without him near."
"I concur. All flavor dies on my tongue," Kodachi proclaimed as she lifted her head to stare up at him. Her lashes fluttered. "I fear the only thing that can sustain me is being fed by my beloved's strong, manly hand. Would you be a gentleman, Ranma-darling, and nourish me?" She opened her mouth and closed her eyes. Waiting.
Disgusted, he desperately looked to his sister for help, and, although she saw him this time, Ranko merely raised her eyebrows, innocently shrugged, and watched him struggle and suffer with a grin on her face.
The sadist.
So much for the 'twin code.'
"Whelp, I've lost my appetite," he said, and using Kodachi's momentary distraction, he pushed her chair away with the bottom of his foot. And the sudden motion yanked her back, forcing her to release his arm as she flailed and almost fell.
The curses she unleashed were very unladylike. But Ranma barely heard them.
At the same moment, the door to the dining hall loudly clanked open, and the sound of several footsteps echoed throughout the chamber as more guests entered.
Every head in the room turned as one, and in strolled Kuno's creepy retainer, followed closely by Akane.
Akane. Who was supposed to be safely hidden in Ranko's room.
Ranko's face was ghost-white as she quickly stood. "Akane? W-what a surprise. When did you get back?!"
Ranma jumped up too, his face equally white. "What are you doing here, you dummy?!"
He realized, too late, that she wasn't there by choice. She kept rubbing her upper arm and scowling at Mikado, making it obvious she'd been dragged here.
"Ask him," she muttered, glowering at the retainer who stood there looking smug.
But one glance at Kuno, and it was obvious why Akane had been brought straight here.
The King of Clarines was grinning like a loon.
"Why, if it isn't little Akane-chan!" He quickly stood from his chair, arms outstretched, as if in welcome. "I had so hoped we'd meet again."
"That makes one of us," she muttered, crossing her arms and leveling him with a glare. And when Akane glared, she glared with her whole body!
"I take it you know the girl?" Genma questioned, shifting his gaze curiously between the two of them.
"My brother has spoken of little else," Kodachi answered as she carefully adjusted her hair. "Although I fail to comprehend why."
"Oh? Is that so?" said Genma, looking intrigued now, a greedy look in his eye.
Ranma knew to be wary of that look; his old man was planning something.
"Well, we can hardly blame him now, can we?" Nodoka spoke up sweetly."Akane is a true treasure. Why, you'll never find a kinder, braver, more modest girl in all of Wistalia."
"Indeed she is," Kuno replied with a fond smile as he turned to address Genma again. "If I may be so bold, Your Majesty, I'd be honored to accompany Miss Akane safely back to Clarines tomorrow morn. I know it appears rather sudden, but it is with a heavy heart I must report her sister-in-law is with child and deathly ill. As their sovereign, I feel it my duty to escort her safely back myself."
The greedy, pleased look in his father's eyes tripled at the same time Akane's expression fell.
But before the tomboy could open her mouth to protest, Ranma beat her to it. "No offense," he replied, his eyes narrowed, "but Akane's training under MY regime. If she wants to go, I'LL be the one to send her."
"That's right!" Ranko agreed as she moved to stand protectively beside her friend. Swatting away Mikado's hand, she quickly pulled her away from the creep. "Besides," she continued, leveling Kuno with a look filled with loathing. "I wouldn't be surprised if her sister-in-law is happy and healthy. You probably just wanna trap Akane-chan and turn her into your mistress again, you disgusting old lech!"
"D-disgusting?" Spluttered Kuno, looking more hurt than offended at her outburst. "OLD?!"
"You ingrates!" Genma yelled, and loudly slapped his hands down on the table, making them all flinch and go quiet. "Is that any way to speak to our esteemed guest?"
"Uh, yeah," Ranko shot back, holding her head up. "When they're spewing garbage, what else can I say?!"
Glowering at his youngest daughter, Genma turned back to Kuno and bowed formally, respectfully, in place of his children. "Of course, you may take her, Your Majesty. If she's as filial as my Queen claims, then of course her place is at home with her family. I'm sure she'd be honored to return with you. Wouldn't you, girl?"
Akane stared back at him, her mouth hanging open, an objection on her lips that refused to come.
Before she could say something idiotic, his mother moved to intervene. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she gave Akane a reassuring smile.
"Sit down, dear. You look a bit faint."
Not hesitating for a second, Ranko grabbed Akane's hand and led her to the closest chair, pushing her into it.
The tomboy looked exhausted already.
But this was far from over.
With all the bearing of her regal stature, his mother raised her voice above the din, and addressed the room, effortlessly bringing order back from chaos.
"Now then, my dears, it appears you've all been operating under a gross misconception," she said, her voice airy but firm. "A few hours ago, today, I received word from my personal steward that Akane's sister-in-law has already given birth. To a beautiful baby boy, if I understand correctly. And she's currently healthy and on the mend." At this news, she shot a proud smile in Akane's direction. "Congratulations on becoming an aunt, Akane. I'm also pleased to announce that once she is well enough to travel, her family will be moving here to be closer to their sister. So you see, I'm afraid Akane returning to Clarines would serve no real purpose. Though I'm sure the kind offer is appreciated. Is it not, Akane-dear?"
Akane looked gobsmacked by that news, and though it was probably difficult, she nodded and bowed politely in Kuno's direction. "I appreciate the warm thoughts, Your Highness, but I believe I'm still needed here in Wistalia. I'll check in with my sister-in-law and family once they've arrived."
Kuno cleared his throat uncomfortably and forced a smile. "Yes. Well. My news must have been delayed, but it is happy news to be sure. I congratulate you on becoming an Aunt." The tightness in his eyes and smile belied his words, but everyone pretended not to notice.
"Well then," said Genma, coughing uncomfortably as he tried to lighten the mood. "As you can see, things are all squared away, nice and proper. Good to hear, good to hear. So, shall we adjourn and discuss more important matters in my cabinet before your departure tomorrow?"
Kuno nodded as he finally tore his eyes away from his stolen prize. "Of course," he agreed, and bowing politely to his mother, then Akane and Ranko, he followed Genma out of the dining hall with all the dignity he could muster.
Mikado, scrambling like a rat, hurried to open the door for Kodachi, who was leisurely trailing behind. "Adieu, Ranma my love," she said while blowing kisses in his direction, up until the door closed behind her.
It was about damn time.
Seeming much more animated now, Akane ignored their departure and turned back to Nodoka. "Is it true?" she asked a tinge of very real fear in her voice. "Is Kasumi and the baby okay?"
"Of course, dear. Happy and healthy, both."
As a sigh of relief escaped her, she completely missed the look of bewilderment on Ranma's face.
K-Kasumi?
"That's great, Akane!" said Ranko, hugging her happily, clearly not hearing the same thing he had. If she did, she'd be saying something. "I knew Kuno was full of hot air!"
"Now, now. Be nice you two," Nodoka gently admonished. "While they're here, they're still our guests. And if they are leaving tomorrow—"
"Oh. They're leaving alright," Ranko interrupted, rubbing her hands. "I'll tie them up and throw them in the carriage myself if I have to!"
"I'll gladly help," Ranma told her, filling his suspicions away for now.
"I suppose that means I have a lot to prepare," their mother fretted as she headed for the door, repeating under her breath all the many things she still had left to do. But then she paused, as if remembering herself and turned back: "Congratulations again, Akane-dear. I am so very happy for you and your family."
"Thank you," she said, getting teary-eyed, and added more sincerely: "I'm not sure how I can ever repay you."
His mother smiled serenely and shook her head. "You're practically family, dear. And family owes nothing." Then with a grace the tomboy could never hope to master, she disappeared through the chamber door and was gone.
"I don't know about you guys, but man was that exhausting!" Ranko stretched out her arm, rotating her shoulder, like she'd been through a brawl. "I think I just lost two years of my life!"
"Four for me," Akane agreed, leaning back in the chair, clearly worn out.
Ranko patted her lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, look on the bright side. Now that mom ruined his plan, we don't have to stay locked in my room anymore!"
"We?" Akane repeated with a dry, hard laugh. "You were hardly ever there!"
"Yeah. Some sacrifice," Ranma mocked. "Before Mikado dragged her here, you were busy stuffing your face."
"Excuse me? I had to keep my energy up somehow! Forced imprisonment is draining! Besides, I always brought her food or gifts back, which is more than I can say for you."
Ranma held up both hands. "Hey! I'm engaged now." Kinda. "Besides, Kuno had someone tailing me all week. I couldn't be caught sneaking into another girl's room!"
"Yeah," Akane replied. "Girls are only allowed to cling and hang all over you."
Ranma grinned, secretly pleased she seemed jealous. "Ha. Shows what you know," he taunted, crossing his arms. "Kodachi's not a girl, she's an ogre."
"I hate to admit it, Akane, but he's right. I have literally seen her sprout fangs and drink the blood of children."
Akane rolled her eyes at them.
"Anyway," Ranma continued, "you should be thanking me, you know. If she wasn't so busy bugging me, she'd be out there bugging one of you instead."
"Yeah," Akane sighed. "It must be so daunting. Having a pretty girl on your arm, at your beck and call."
"I already told you it's not like that!"
"Well, well. Aren't you two kiddos just adorable," Ranko observed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd guess you were an old married couple. You sure argue like one."
"Butt out!" They both shouted at her.
Ranko gasped and drew back dramatically as if she'd been slapped.
"Alright then. I know when I'm not wanted. But if the tension between you two explodes and you start making out on the table, at least have the decency to lock the door first! And if you need me—don't. I'll be far, far away, enjoying my much deserved freedom." She waved her hand vaguely in the air and headed for the door, but not before glancing over her shoulder one last time. "Oh, and Akane?"
"What?" She snapped, her face beet red and no longer looking at him.
"Try not to get yourself kidnapped again while I'm gone, k?"
"Honestly," she muttered, crossing her arms. "I can take care of myself."
"Yeah, Mikado begs to differ," Ranko reminded her as she disappeared out the door with one final wave goodbye.
And just like that, they were alone.
Ranma stayed right where he was, afraid to move an inch and draw her attention.
What if she caught him looking at the table again?!
Thankfully he wasn't the only one struggling. Akane kept glancing at the door and looked half-poised to run.
He couldn't have that.
Putting a hand behind his head, Ranma fought against the awkwardness suddenly choking the air. "Hey. There is one thing I was wondering about," he told her, breaking the silence because he had to know.
"What is it?" She asked, still not looking at him.
"Kasumi," he said, moving several steps so he could see her expression more clearly. "Before, you asked if Kasumi and the baby were okay. Is that—is Kasumi your sister's name?"
Her eyes grew impossibly wide, her face, deathly pale. "S-sorry?" she squeaked, blinking furiously. "D-did you sayKasumi?"
Ranma nodded, noting her strange reaction. But then Akane laughed and waved a hand in the air. "It's KATsumi," she corrected quickly, finally looking at him again. "And she's not my sister, she's my sister-in-law. You must've misheard."
He was almost certain he hadn't.
But what reason did she have to lie? And why hadn't his mother or Ranko reacted to the familiar name either? Why was his mother in contact with her family in the first place?
Something wasn't adding up.
"Huh. I guess I must have," he told her, even as he wondered, how many coincidences could there be.
"Yeah," Akane replied vaguely as she gave a nervous chuckle and stood up to go. "Guess I should head back to my room and the training grounds now. After being cooped up for so long, I could use a good workout. I'll see you around, Ranma."
"Yeah, be seeing you."
With an anxious little wave, she hurried out of there like her feet were on fire.
Ranma watched her disappear, his expression troubled. Maybe Akane was an even worse liar than he was. It was clear she'd been lying out of her teeth just now.
Again, the question was why.
And more importantly, what else might she be lying about?
…
Akane spent the entire walk to her room quietly scolding herself.
How could she be so stupid? How could she have let Kasumi's name fall from her lips so easily? She might as well have announced her last name was Tendo!
From now on, she'd need to be more careful. She couldn't let a slip-up like that happen again.
The less said the better.
She'd become a mute!
Thanks to her stupid mistake, Akane was so deep in thought she almost didn't notice Tatewaki Kuno standing in front of her bedroom door, flanked by two of his guards.
At the sight of him, she backed up fast, her eyes wide.
"Y-your Highness!"
"Hello, my sweet."
Shocked to see him again so soon, Akane was careful to keep her distance. She wasn't naive. Safe within the castle walls, Kuno would have no reason for guards—it was strange to see them here now.
"What are you doing here?" She asked and was proud of how strong her voice sounded when she spoke.
"Enjoying the view, you could say," he told her, his eyes sparkling as he ran a hand over the frame of her door. "I was told this is where you slumber. King Genma was kind enough to have his valet escort me here."
Akane wasn't sure what you say to that, but her instincts were warning her not to take another step, to run and run fast.
"And why was that?" She asked, backing up a step. "I thought we said everything we needed to say back at dinner."
Kuno chuckled and dramatically pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Not quite everything, my love. In fact, I recently finished speaking to the Queen's lord and master, and after pleading my case, King Genma was kind enough to give me his blessing."
Akane narrowed her eyes at him, her pulse pounding. "His blessing for what?"
Kuno couldn't have grinned wider if he tried.
"For you, of course. In exchange, I've gifted him two very fine horses. Purebreds, both of them. And some money and jewels," he added as an aside.
Still, it took several seconds for his words to sink in.
Had she honestly been traded away for a HORSE?!
Akane's lips tightened and her anger very nearly boiled over. "You've lost your mind," she said, furious. "I don't belong to the king or to you! And if you think—"
His goons chose that moment to jump into action. But Akane had expected as much. She avoided the first one easily by ducking beneath his outstretched arm, then pushed the second jerk into the first, knocking him against the wall.
"Magnificent!" Kuno praised, enjoying the show from the sidelines. "Our children shall be glorious indeed, my love. Strong and bold and beautiful, just like you."
Enraged, Akane kicked one of the guards in the groin, and as the other regained ground, yelled back between punches: "I said—I'm not—interested!"
Out of nowhere, two more guards joined the first, leaping into the fray from behind. Akane shifted positions, moving into the next attack, unable to retreat. Planting her feet, she threw an uppercut, hitting the newest nuisance right in the jaw while knocking the second back with a sweeping kick.
But it wasn't the numbers that were concerning. It was the location.
All four guards had surrounded her, boxing her into the hallway. And with so many people filling the narrow space, she was limited on how much she could move.
After all that time training, she should've learned how to fight in a box!
"Hold her!" Kuno ordered as he stepped onto the battlefield, bringing her total number of opponents to five.
Together, the four guards attacked as one, forcing Akane to jump and parry, to dance out of their reach. She pushed one back, then another, while Kuno did his best to maneuver behind her, still not attacking himself.
What was he waiting for?!
Finally, right when she went high to avoid a sweep, another went low, and as Akane landed, one of the jerks hit the ground and grabbed her leg with both arms, holding her in place.
"Let go!" She yelled as she smacked his head, trying to get him to release his grip. When he didn't, she grabbed the arm of her next attacker and catapulted him into the other, trying to dislodge him that way. His grip did loosen, but when she was distracted by that, one of the others swung for her side, so Akane pivoted on her free leg to avoid that blow, bending backward at the waist.
Right into Kuno's chest.
"Apologies," he told her as he forced a sweet-smelling cloth over her mouth. Held in place, Akane struggled against his grip, and only after elbowing him in the ribs did she finally manage to shove his hand away.
But the damage had been done.
Suddenly feeling woozy, Akane took a step forward and stumbled. "Wha—?"
All her attackers moved away at Kuno's command, and her chest constricted with worry, realizing they no longer saw her as any sort of threat.
It was clear why.
Her eyes felt heavy, her body light, and as she began to fall, Kuno caught her in his arms and held her tightly. Too tightly. It felt like she was entombed in glass.
"Sleep now, my sweet. When you awake, your fairy tale life shall begin at last."
Akane fought with all her might, even as her eyes fluttered closed, fought until she could do nothing but succumb to the beckoning darkness.
…
In her memory, Akane ran.
She ran blindly, without direction, sense, or purpose. Her feet did all the thinking for her as the trees passed by in a blur of greens and browns, the wind around her deceptively calm.
All she could think about was getting away, away from everything, everyone.
She wanted her old life back.
She hated this village.
She hated being hungry and afraid, of being hunted like an animal, forced to live like a boy.
She wanted to run and run forever.
But then, like the klutz the twins always claimed her to be, she tripped over an exposed root and fell fast, her pants ripped apart by the branches. The dirt and rocks cut up her exposed knees and arms as she hit the ground hard.
Lying there, distraught, her face in the dirt, smelling the soil and the moss, she cried.
"Mommy." Her small frame shook as she clutched at the grass. "Daddy."
All the stress and despair locked inside her tiny frame was suddenly released in a powerful deluge, the memories from that night flooding her: She watched, helpless, as her father collapsed after being completely drained, watched as her and her sisters could do nothing but flee.
And after the cries had subsided, after the sun had set and the wind grew chill, Akane stayed right where she was. Face dirty and energy spent, she didn't want to move an inch, was determined to never move again.
"You won't accomplish anything crying like that."
At the unfamiliar voice, Akane lifted her tear-stained face, shocked to find a strange man towering above her. He was tall, with red hair and yellow locks that flowed down his back in waves.
Sitting up quickly, she backpedaled away from him, her eyes glued to the potential new threat. Her small hand groped in the dirt until she found a broken branch and raised it, pointing it threateningly at the stranger.
"S-stay back," she ordered, though her hands and voice both shook.
He tilted his head, looking at her curiously, as though she were a bug he was deciding whether or not to squash.
"Never pick up a weapon you don't intend to use, little one," he warned her.
"I'll use it!" she threatened, her dark eyes unusually bright with promise. "Just try me, mister!"
At her show of bravado, the man with the funny hair nodded in satisfaction and squatted down so they were face-to-face, his strange circular staff resting against his lap.
"You're unquestionably a Tendo," he observed, his voice devoid of emotion. "I'd recognize Kimiko's kin anywhere."
Taken by surprise, Akane's eyes widened and her branch shook."You-you knew my mom?"
He nodded. "Which daughter are you?"
She hesitated, trying to gauge if this was some sort of trick. But if her stepmother had sent him, wouldn't he have grabbed her already? Hinako's soldiers weren't the type to stop and chat.
"Akane," she answered defiantly as if daring him to drag her away.
"Alright, Akane. For your mother, I owe you this choice: Would you like to give up the fight against your enemy? Stop running and live a quiet life with your family, safe under my protection. Or," he leaned forward, his golden eyes so bright they almost glowed in the gloom. "Do you want to become my pupil and bring vengeance upon the one who wronged you? To reclaim your formal life? I can give you one or the other, little one, but you can't have both. Choose wisely."
Akane was too mesmerized by his words to wonder how he knew so much, too tired and exhausted to wonder how he could make such impossible promises.
But there was only ever one answer.
Tendos never surrender.
"The second one," she said without hesitation. Her hand tightened on the branch, her grip so firm, that her knuckles turned white. "S-she has to pay."
His gaze shifted to that branch, to that tiny hand that was clutching it like a lifeline. "Alright," he said, standing to his full height. "I've got a technique I think would be perfect for a kid like you. We'll start there."
Wiping at her tear-stained cheeks, Akane climbed shakily to her feet. She didn't know who this man was, but if he sprouted wings and said he was an angel, she wouldn't have been surprised.
"I'm ready, Master," she told him, standing taller.
"Master Saffron," he told her, revealing his name. "And no, you're really not."
He wasn't wrong.
At ten years old, after suffering a hand full of calluses, a bruised body, and many sleepless, grueling nights, Akane Tendo mastered the first phase of her super secret technique.
How to properly hold a sword.
Three months later, she mastered how to make it shatter.
In an odd way, her relationship with her Master was like that technique. He would hit her, harden her, push her to the point of breaking, and finally leave her broken and shattered.
That's how she felt the first time he'd left her without a word.
But he always, always came back.
Still, it made the reality of revenge feel further and further out of reach.
"How is any of this going to help me take down my stepmother?" She'd asked when she was fourteen and fed up.
"Patience is a skill you never stop learning, Akane."
But Akane knew very well that patience wouldn't push Hinako off her family's throne. SHE needed to do it.
"But when?" she'd asked at sixteen, after finally mastering a technique that allowed her to summon light from her sword to blind an opponent. "I'm ready, Master Saffron. I know I am!"
"Not yet, little one. But perhaps soon," he'd told her and then disappeared the very next day.
Akane hadn't seen him since.
But ever since she was ten, she had clung to that promise like a lifeline, like it was that old broken branch—a branch she'd turn into a deadly sphere, aim straight at Hinako's heart, and throw.
She was ready.
…
Akane woke slowly, painfully, clinging to the remnants of that dream—memory, echo, whatever it was. But as she slowly opened her eyes, the feel of it continued to linger, rattling around in the back of her head, achingly loud.
No, wait. It wasn't the dream that was rattling at all.
She was in a carriage.
On the floor of a carriage, to be precise.
Her legs were stiff after being stuck in the same position for so long, and as she tried to sit up, with every jerk of the coach, her body was jostled right along with it, pushing her against one of the two seats boxing her in.
So much for waking to a fairy tale.
Whatever Kuno had drugged her with was still making her groggy. Her body ached, and Akane's brain felt still like it was trapped in a blender.
And even worse, Ranko was never going to let her live this down!
She had specifically told her not to get kidnapped again!
"Ah! The slumbering beauty awakes."
Akane followed the hateful voice and glared up at Kuno.
He was staring down at her fondly, stretched out across the full length of his fancy lounge cushion while his sister took up the entire left bench.
Akane wanted to pound them.
As if abducting her wasn't bad enough, the jerk couldn't even be bothered to share his seat! Instead, he'd tossed her onto the floor like a sack of flour.
In greeting, Kodachi turned up her nose. "Thanks to you, girl, I was tragically ripped away from my beloved with nary a goodbye." She narrowed her eyes at her. "You will pay for that."
Akane bristled. "I'm not here by choice," she snapped as she leaned against the door, the curved doorknob poking into her back. "Your brother DRUGGED and DRAGGED me here!"
"Come now, my pet, let us not dwell on the past," he told her with a delighted laugh. "Did you not have the most pleasant of rests? I had hoped you'd rest longer, of course, but it is of no matter. Our horse-drawn carriage, Lady Binsense, is upholstered with the finest velvet and satin, so I have no doubt it was quite comfortable."
"Of course it was," Kodachi answered for her. "She's probably used to sleeping on straw."
"Indeed," he agreed proudly as if he'd abducted her from the stables instead of a stately castle. "A knight's duty is to protect the innocent!"
Akane stared at him drolly but knew it wasn't worth the effort to correct him.
She had no intention of staying, anyway.
Instead, she took her time taking in her surroundings, trying to get a better gauge of where she was, what her options were. The windows were all closed, the curtains drawn, but there was one thing she did notice.
They were moving slowly. Ridiculous slow. Which was odd. It didn't take Akane long to realize that the jostling she'd felt before was probably from the cart tilting, not due to any sort of high-speed chase.
Now and then, she'd even spot Kuno bracing himself against the roof.
Spotting her confusion, he explained: "I do apologize for the delay. I had expected to have reached Clarines by the time you awoke, but alas, our arrival time has been delayed a trifle."
Kodachi laughed in that loud, obnoxious way that always set Akane's nerves on edge. "And why might that be, big brother?" She taunted, implying she knew very well what the cause must be.
Her brother clenched his jaw. "I haven't the slightest."
"Oh? Do you not recall, brother-dear, how you were informed back home, that the excessive gold plating and elaborate ornamentation on this ostentatious contraption, would exceed its weight and tax the horses, inevitably impeding on our journey? Might that not have some bearing on our current delay?"
That certainly explained the tilting.
But Kuno shook his head, not ready to take accountability for any of it.
"I heard nothing of the sort, sister, and even if I had, I can assure you that any such hearsay has no bearing on our current condition. The roads are merely treacherous this time of year, that is all."
It was July. The only thing treacherous was the heat.
"Then what do you say of the lack of horses?" She pressed, her eyes sharp and calculating. "Need I remind you, brother, that it was YOU who traded half our horses away? And for a mere harlot besides!"
"Hey!" Akane protested as Kodachi continued, undaunted. "Might not that be the issue then?"
As if in answer, one of the horses released a long pitiful neigh, and the young king flushed.
"Just what are you implying, sister of mine? That this predicament we face is MY fault?"
The vein in his forehead was noticeably throbbing.
"Well. If the shoe fits. . ."
In seconds, Kuno had drawn his sword, and Kodachi, a random whip she'd pulled out of nowhere. Akane squeaked and pushed herself more firmly against the door, not wanting to get caught between the two hotheads.
This was DEFINITELY her cue to leave.
While they were distracted, she turned to her side and carefully grabbed the handle behind her.
It's now or never, she told herself as she pushed the door open. Beneath her, the dirt road passed slowly, nearly at a crawl, strengthening her resolve.
Ignoring the shouts behind her, Akane jumped.
…
"This is all YOUR fault!" Ranko yelled, not for the first time. "When I left you two idiots alone it should've been obvious you were supposed to escort her to her room! But noooo, you couldn't even do that right!"
The white steed she'd christened Yoriko neighed in agreement as he happily trotted down the well-worn path out of town.
"Alright, I'm an idiot, I get it. Let it rest," Ranma muttered.
His sister was in no mood to "let it rest."
"And then you seriously mistook her sister-in-law for Kasumi? Nice to know you're dumb and deaf!"
"How long are you gonna harp on that?" Ranma complained, mentally cursing himself for ever bringing it up in the first place. Ranko had just laughed in his face, said her name was "Katsumi," then called him a delusional idiot for assuming otherwise.
"OF COURSE she acted weird, you halfwit! You pretty much accused her of lying and being your dead girlfriend!"
"She was never my girlfriend."
"Fiancée. Whatever."
Ranma flushed. He had no clue how he could've been so wrong. It was humiliating.
"Anyway, they couldn't have gone far," he insisted, trying to change the subject. "The stable boy said they only left a couple of hours ago, right?"
"Right. It's like I told you before," she explained, too dumb to know he was only trying to distract her. "On my way to town, I noticed some of the servants gathered at the stables admiring Yoiko and Snowflake—"
"His name is Shussemaru," Ranma reminded her because no way in hell was he calling any horse of his Snowflake! Shussemaru confirmed as much by purposely kicking dirt in Ranko's face, then strutted proudly down the path, his regal head held high.
At least there was one good thing about Kuno's idiotic bargain.
They were definitely keeping the horses.
"Anyhow," Ranko continued, glaring at his stallion as she brushed irritably at the dirt. "Since I knew they were Kuno's, I questioned them. They said King Tatewaki had traded two stallions for some random court waif and then headed home. Naturally, I knew they were talking about Akane, so I went to find you."
"Naturally," Ranma confirmed, thankful that she'd found him when she did. If she hadn't, it might've been too late.
Of course, Ranma KNEW the tomboy could handle herself just fine, but he couldn't help worrying about her all the same. The asshole must've used some underhanded trick to trap her again! She never would've let herself be taken so easily.
Just the thought of it had Ranma tightening his hold on the reins, imagining it was Kuno's scrawny neck he was wringing instead.
"But why did we get dragged into this?" Ryoga complained as he kicked his miniature pony in the side again; after grabbing a horse for Ukyo, it had been the only one left. "We're not the only guards in the palace, you jerks!"
"Oh, come on, Ryoga, where's your sense of adventure?" Ukyo teased, leading the charge. "This'll be fun! I still can't believe that stupid rat slipped away before we could pay him back. I still owe him a pounding!"
"Wait a second! Isn't that their carriage over there?" Ranko asked, pointing to a progression about a hundred yards ahead. A bright gold carriage had stopped alongside the road, flanked by several smaller, cheaper caravans.
Ranma knew it was Kuno's 'cause it was gaudy as hell.
"That's them all right," he confirmed, pushing Shussemaru to go faster. But as they drew closer, it became clear why all the wagons had stopped.
There was a fight going on in the field.
He could hear the sounds of combat, and then saw Akane standing in the center of the melee, quite a few bodies scattered in the grass around her.
Damn, no wonder he loved that girl.
"Great. See! We didn't even need to rescue her," Ryoga muttered, annoyed at being dragged here for nothing.
Ukyo chuckled. "I'm fine with it. I'm just glad someone's getting to kick some butt."
"Man, what a dork," his sister observed fondly as she led Yoiko into a trot. "Guess we should've known she'd go and rescue herself."
…
Akane couldn't be happier about her workout. The fresh air had helped clear her head, and now that she was no longer being jerked back and forth, her aches and pains had started to fade.
Kicking these degenerate jerks was just the medicine she'd needed!
"Can't we talk about this?" Kuno pleaded from the sidelines, watching helplessly as another of his guards bit the dust.
Nope. Kuno wasn't worth her energy or her attention. Not when he refused to face her himself.
Instead, Akane kept her attention on her actual opponents. "Not so easy when you don't have me trapped in a hallway, is it?" She taunted, enjoying the freedom she now had to maneuver. As one guard charged, she leaped up and over him, and in midair, kicked the jerk in the back of the head as he passed, making him fall and trip over one of his fallen brothers.
Once she landed, Akane quickly side-stepped another fool who tried attacking from behind and followed it up with a karate chop to the throat.
After he fell too, only three remained: A final guard. Mikado. And Kuno.
Kodachi wasn't worth counting.
For the last five minutes, the spoiled princess had been ordering her brother to ditch "the trollop" so they could "leave already." After being ignored, she'd retreated to the carriage for a nap.
But Kuno wasn't giving up so easily.
Drawing his sword, he took a confident step onto the field at last, ready to make his final stand. "Leave us," he ordered his men as he readied his stance, arms extended. "Now it is just you and me, my love. If talking is out, then a fight it shall be."
Akane glanced one last time around her makeshift fighting ring, taking note of all the downed bodies and where they were. It would've been mortifying to trip over one!
However, before they could begin, Akane heard the sound of galloping horses approaching, their hooves slapping against the road. But that's not what got her attention. Intermingled with the sounds of whinnying, she heard several familiar voices shouting to be heard above the din.
One voice emerged first, distinctive among all the others: "Mind if we cut in, Sugar?"
Akane squinted and shielded her eyes, absolutely stunned to find Ukyo charging towards them, mounted on a large brown steed—and, and what in the world was Ryoga riding?
"Hey, no fair! You better leave me some! I didn't ride all this way for nothing!"
"You can have the others, but Kuno's mine," Ranma vowed, looking cool and confident astride a proud white stallion. And behind him, on a similar horse, was Ranko, taking her own sweet time.
"Hey Akane!" She waved. "The calvary's here!"
A surprised, happy laugh escaped Akane's lips and something warm in her chest exploded at the sight of them all rushing to her rescue. Not that she needed their help, of course, but her eyes stung just the same.
"Sure took you long enough," she told her, beaming.
"You didn't exactly leave a forwarding address, hon," Ukyo pointed out as she dropped to the ground and secured her horse. Pulling up beside her, Ranma hopped off too.
At the interruption, Kuno had quickly lowered his sword and was watching the new arrivals with barely contained fury, even though the prince had barely spared him a glance.
"You alright, Akane?" Ranma asked, reaching her side in no time. Without waiting for a reply, he turned her face left and right, checking it for injuries.
Akane flushed, sure she looked a mess. "I-I'm fine, Ranma," she assured him. "I was just finishing up."
"Yeah, I see that," he said with a chuckle and satisfied that she hadn't been beheaded, scarred, or maimed, released her and stepped away.
Then he looked at Kuno. And his expression wasn't a kind one.
Kodachi, awoken from her catnap and intrigued by the commotion, finally poked her head out of the carriage door and squealed at what she saw. "Ranma-darling, you've come! I always knew you couldn't resist the animal magnetism between us for long! Ohohoho!"
Ranma ignored her completely.
By this point, everyone's gaze had shifted to Kuno and the threat he posed.
His two remaining men had quickly returned to his side, but not before rousing some of the others who were now forming a protective wall around their liege.
"You wanna leave now," Ranma told him, trying one last time to give him an out, to avoid a fight he had no hope of winning. "If you don't, I'm gonna kick your ass to hell and back and teach you what it REALLY means to wanna give up."
Safe behind his wall, Kuno scoffed, haughtily raising his chin. "I'm not going anywhere without her," he said, nodding in Akane's direction, like she wasn't even a person anymore but an object. "She's mine by rights. Your father and I made a deal."
"Like I give a flying fuck about your stupid deal!" Ranma snapped, his blue eyes darkening. "She's not some commodity you can buy or trade. I'm not gonna say, 'Sure, fine, take her!'"
Mikado gasped, genuinely shocked by such an affront. "You'd dare dishonor your father? You'd turn him into an oath-breaker?"
Ranko burst out laughing. In fact, everyone from Wistalia looked droll.
"Trust me," Ranko replied coldly, "our father doesn't need our help breaking any oaths. Do you seriously think this is his first? Yeah, no. Thanks for the concern, but he'll recover just fine."
Kuno narrowed his eyes, still unmoved. "Even so, if you foolishly think I'll—"
He never got the chance to finish.
Before he could, Ranma had him backed up against the wall of his golden chariot, his sword positioned against his throat. At the same time, Ukyo and Ryoga had both moved too, flanking him on either side, their swords drawn in warning too.
All three of them had blasted through the others like they were paper.
"Just what do you think you're—!"
"Listen up, numbskull," Ranma ordered, his voice low and menacing. "I'm gonna explain this in terms even your tiny brain can comprehend: If I ever catch you within five feet of Akane again—hell, if I see you LOOK at her funny, I SWEAR, I will march all my armies into Clarines and burn you and your fucking kingdom to the ground. GOT IT? Akane is under MY protection. You touch her and I'LL KILL YOU!"
Everyone went silent, and Akane held her breath, her heart racing faster than it ever had before.
Ranma. . .
"You-you wouldn't—" Kuno managed, but his voice shook, no longer sounding so certain.
Ranma adjusted his blade so it drew a minuscule drop of blood, earning a shocked wince from Kuno. "You wanna see how far I'll go?" he challenged with a dark grin. "Then yeah, sure. Go ahead and TRY ME, asshole."
The tension between them stretched throughout the entirety of the field, and even Akane was spellbound, caught in the midst of it.
But eventually, in a voice as cold and as bitter as his gaze, Kuno responded. "I yield."
As silent as he struck, Ranma withdrew.
"Great, I knew you'd see reason eventually."
Akane wasn't sure it was "reason" he'd seen at all, but Kuno kept his word regardless.
"Let us away," he announced tightly as his men immediately jumped into action.
As their king clambered back into his chariot, his party gathered the rest of their fallen friends from the field and with no further fanfare, scurried into their caravans and were off.
Once they were gone, a collective sigh escaped their group at once, as if they'd all been holding their breaths.
"Man, sure glad that's over," Ranma muttered, only now feeling comfortable enough to sheath his sword. But first, he used his cloak to wipe it free of blood.
"It's not fair. I still didn't get to pound him," Ukyo muttered, crestfallen, as she headed back towards her horse.
Ryoga, who likely shared her sentiment, didn't get to express it. He was too busy chasing his small pony who had decided to make a break for it.
"Yeah, that's right—run away, cowards!" Ranko shouted after the retreating party once they were too far away to hear her. "AND I'm keeping Yoiko!"
Akane chuckled at her friend's false bravado but continued to watch the party's slow retreat home. Even though the threat had already passed, with every second they advanced, she felt safer, more at ease.
But then, almost instantly, her attention was caught by something else—a shadowy figure approaching in the distance, swiftly passing the retreating caravans.
Whoever it was, something about their gait was oddly familiar.
So Akane strained her eyes, trying to make them out more clearly.
The sun, now perfectly centered behind the stranger, painted the ground at their feet in streaks of gold and orange, illuminating their form in a brilliant, dazzling glow. Yet even from far away, masked by sunlight, there was something infinitely powerful and imposing about them as they moved.
Ranko was the first to notice something was off. "Huh," she uttered, following her gaze. "Who the heck's that?"
As the mysterious traveler drew closer, his features slowly became more pronounced.
Long hair, the color of saffron, flowed loosely down his back as two golden locks hung over shoulders that were massive and well-defined. He was dressed in gold-trimmed battle armor as bright as his hair and wore a lengthy white cloak that barely swept the ground as he moved.
Akane sucked in a breath, all other sounds becoming background noise.
Beside her, Ranma stood in quiet awe as Ryoga and Ukyo flanked him on each side, sensing the incredible power moving toward them.
"Holy crap," Ranma breathed, as Ryoga muttered, "is that who I think it is?"
As they turned to look questingly at Akane, Ranko grabbed her horse's mane and sat up straighter, shielding her eyes. "Who? Who?!" she demanded, as the impressive figure drew nearer.
When he finally did reach them, the man stopped, just as intimidating up close as he'd been from far away.
Standing before them was Saffron, ruler of the Phoenix tribe.
"Master Saffron," Akane breathed, taking a small step towards him.
"Hello, little one."
End of Chapter 15