Once the sun had gone down and a cold chill had quietly settled over the capital city, Ranma and Akane arrived back at the castle gates. Someone must have trusted her more than she deserved because there was no one waiting for them inside the courtyard, nobody demanding to know where they'd been all day. And despite abandoning her post after getting kidnapped, she hadn't been fired on the spot or kicked out of the kingdom.
At least not yet.
Akane had seen her father fire soldiers for less.
Still, all in all, today's outing had been a major success as far as she was concerned.
"There, safe and sound," she proclaimed proudly once they'd made it back to Ranma's room, though technically, her job had been done the moment they'd entered the gates. "Not so bad for my first undertaking, huh?"
Ranma raised an eyebrow at her.
"Well, you're in one piece, aren't you?" She demanded before he could say anything to the contrary.
"I mean, sure, I guess?"
Honestly! If she had known he was going to be such an ingrate, she would have punted him down the slope back at the gardens when she'd had the chance.
Crossing her arms, Akane glared at him. "That's right. You're welcome."
Ranma chuckled as he leaned against his door. "I guess it could have gone worse. I could've been kidnapped right along with you," he mused, fighting back a grin. "You know, like last time. . ."
Akane blanched at the memory. That's right, they'd barely been reunited a week, and she'd already been abducted twice! This was getting a bit ridiculous, even for her. "Um, y-yeah, maybe we should keep what happened today between the two of us," she suggested, speaking low even though the hallway was empty. "There's no reason to upset Ukyo or Ryoga, or your parents for that matter."
If they hadn't already heard, that is.
"Don't worry, I didn't plan to."
"Great!" said Akane, clapping her hands together. "And I promise—no more abductions. Not you, not me, not anyone! Not on my watch."
For some reason, that declaration made him laugh, though the sound was more delighted than mocking. "Then it's a promise! No more getting abducted from now on. Deal?"
"Deal!"
The smile he gave her then, as he finally opened his door and stepped inside was warm. "Then I'll see you in the morning, Akane," he said, and with a quick salute and a grin, closed his door, leaving her alone in the hallway at last.
Akane breathed a sigh of relief, happy to finally be free from her duties. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was. It had been a long, tiring day, and she was excited to get back to her room and rest awhile. Yet as she headed down the hallway and circled back the way she'd come, she turned the corner and quickly stopped short.
Ranko was leaning casually against the wall as if she'd been waiting there for her.
"Ranko?" Akane yelped, completely taken aback. "What on earth are you doing there?"
Her friend raised an eyebrow at her.
"Well, I live here, remember?" she taunted as she pushed away from the wall.
Akane rolled her eyes. "Thanks for that reminder, but I meant why are you here? Were you waiting for me?"
"Of course!" Ranko replied without an ounce of shame or bashfulness. "I've been dying to know all day: How did your date with my brother go? Did anything exciting happen between the two of you?"
"It wasn't a date," Akane reminded her. "But yes, your brother's still alive if that's what you were wondering."
"Good to know, but not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" Akane asked, but then shook her head, too exhausted to continue this in the middle of the hallway. "You know what? Never mind. I'm too tired for this conversation."
"Akane!" Ranko protested, stomping her foot as her friend easily stepped past her, resuming the trek back to her room. Thankfully, the guest wing wasn't too far away, so Ranko kept pace right beside her, not letting her out of her sight.
Akane knew she wasn't getting rid of her anytime soon, so if she had to listen to her ramble, she figured she might as well do it half passed out on a soft, comfy bed. She could never be sure how much longer she'd have one.
When she had reached her temporary room, Ranko brazenly followed her inside, just like she owned the place.
Which, technically, she kind of did.
But since she was so insistent, Akane was curious to see what she wanted to talk about so badly. Had something happened on her outing too? "Alright," she said as she kicked off her boots, removed her sword, and placed her cloak over the back of a chair. "Go on, then. Spill. I know you're dying to."
Looking like a girl on a mission—a silly, ridiculous mission if Akane had to hazard a guess—Ranko dragged her towards the bed and forced her to sit down while still hovering over her, hands firm on her shoulders, holding her in place.
Akane scowled up at her in distaste.
"Okay, so," Ranko began, her eyes fierce and oddly serious. "I know we've only been reunited for like, two days, Akane, but someone needs to say it." Taking a deep breath, she looked her sternly in the eyes. "You need to marry Ranma."
Suddenly the hands on her shoulders made sense because Akane would've jumped off the bed if she hadn't been forcefully held there. "W-what?!"
"Think about it! It takes care of everything," she continued. "I mean, obviously, our family will back you no matter what happens. But if you're married then that cleans up any messy political nonsense we'd have to deal with after putting Hinako in the ground! Plus, you guys were already engaged once before, so it's not like it's anything trailblazing."
"Our parents decided that, not us."
"I know that, but you guys didn't seem to mind. He even gave you that silly fake ring, remember?"
Laughing, Akane pointed out: "We were seven, Ranko. And five minutes later he took it back, and said he'd never marry me if I was the last girl on Earth!"
"Well, can you blame him? This time, don't try and force-feed him any mud-pies and you guys will be golden!"
Akane crossed her arms and grumbled, "It was still edible, you know. A little mud never killed anyone."
"Whatever you say," she placated, patting her shoulder this time. "Anyway, I hate to say it, but Ranma has to marry someone. He can't keep putting it off. My old man's been trying to tie him down since he was sixteen—but lucky for you, all his suitors are either crazy, power-hungry or after something. So really, at this point, you'd be doing him a favor!"
"A favor?" She repeated incredulously. "How is using him for my revenge any different from all those other girls who are supposedly 'after something'?"
"You're different."
"Oh really? And how's that?"
"I actually LIKE you. And Ranma does too. I'm sure of it."
"Uh huh," Akane drawled, rolling her eyes. This plan was so stupid she couldn't bring herself to take it seriously. "And how do you plan to sell this plan to Ranma then? It's not like you can tell him who I am. As far as he knows, I'm one of those crazy, power-hungry girls he seems to despise so much."
"Nah, you're totally his type," she assured her. "Cute. Stubborn. Athletic. If he hasn't fallen for you already, he must be halfway there. Just hit him a couple more times and you're in."
"Alright," said Akane as she shook off Ranko's hands and stood, having heard more than enough. Grabbing her arms, she pulled her friend to her feet and led her to the door. "I appreciate the laugh, Ranko, really I do. Goodnight," she told her, then shoved the dummy out the door, locking it behind her.
Through the door, she could hear Ranko yell: "I'm taking that as a yes!"
"Please don't."
"Sorry, already am."
"If you do, I might not be here in the morning," she told her.
Grumbling, Ranko kicked the door once more before stomping off.
...
When Ranma had told her about the imperial guard tournament, Akane had expected something similar to the tests she'd taken in Clarines. There, she'd undergone a written exam about the history of the kingdom, followed by a series of combat tests you either passed or failed based on the king's whim.
In Wistalia, the exam was quite literally a free-for-all.
All interested participants (this year, there had been two hundred) were sorted into five different groups, and the last one standing in each group passed. It was as simple as that! Aside from no killing, there were no rules.
As Ranma proudly stated at the start of the tournament—anything goes.
And boy did it!
Akane had never seen such madness in her life. As fighters were thrown from the ring, as weapons were stolen and hijacked, alliances formed and broken, she watched enthralled, absolutely loving every minute of it. Ranma and Ranko had both teased her mercilessly, but she didn't care; from the way they'd cheered, they'd been just as excited and riveted as her.
In the end, as promised, only five had come out on top: Shampoo, a buxom beauty; Tsubasa, a master of disguise; Konatsu, a Kunoichi; Mousse, a master of hidden weapons; and finally, Shinnosuke, the tournament's underdog who had bested his competitors with nothing but a broom.
When the cheering had died down and the winners had been herded away, the stadium emptied and Akane stood in the stands, taking it all in.
"Not what you expected, huh?" Ranma asked her, all smiles himself.
Akane shook her head, her cheeks flushing. "No, but it was amazing."
"You should've been here a couple of years ago when Ranma competed," Ukyo told her. "He was in the last group, and after balancing on a pillar, ended the competition in three minutes by toppling the stage and all the competitors on it."
"What?" Akane gasped, turning to look at him in astonishment. "No way!"
"Well, to be fair, it was Ranko's idea," he admitted, giving credit where credit was due. "Our old man told me to leave an impression, so that's just what I did."
Akane laughed as they finally started heading back towards the castle. "Did you guys compete in it too?" she asked, turning to Ryoga and Ukyo.
"Sure did," said Ryoga with a nostalgic grin. "It's kind of a rite of passage around here. We both competed the same year as Ranma, though Ukyo was in the first group, and I was in the second. Of course, if I'd had the chance to compete against Ranma, I wouldn't have fallen for such a cheap trick!"
"You didn't think it was so cheap when you were gushing about it afterward," Ranko reminded him innocently. "I believe your words were: 'Damn! Why didn't I think of that?'"
That admission made Akane laugh even harder.
It would've been nice to compete herself, even though she knew it was smarter and safer to get a free pass. After all, she was supposed to be lying low. No good could come from having every eye in Wistalia focused directly on her.
Besides. Maybe she could compete in the future.
Far, far in the future.
"Don't feel bad, Akane," Ukyo told her, somehow sensing her regret. "You didn't miss a thing. Your showdown with Ranma was way more epic than anything we saw today anyway."
"Yeah, and you'll have plenty of chances to prove yourself once you meet all the others," Ryoga assured her. "You won't feel bad for long."
Akane smiled at them both, grateful for their support.
"Sure, sure. Rub it in why don't you," Ranko grumbled as she jealously kicked the dirt with her small slippered foot. "I still can't believe I missed Ranma getting his butt kicked. I miss EVERYTHING!"
"Why not ask Akane for a demonstration then?" Ranma suggested, though the innocent quirk to his lips and the way he was looking directly at Akane, not at his sister, told her she was being set-up. The petty jerk! "I'm sure she'd love to show off her kick-ass technique again."
At the suggestion, Ranko turned to look at her too, her big blue eyes wide and pleading. "Really, Akane? Would you?" she asked, and then grabbing both her hands in hers, begged pitifully, "Pleeeeease?"
"I, y-yeah, of course," she told her, because how could she say no when all of them were staring at her like that? But not to be outdone, she shot a huge grin at Ranma and added sweetly, "I'd love to destroy another one of your brother's swords."
That had his goading little smile disappearing fast. "No way!" Ranma protested, nervously fingering his scabbard as he stood taller. "Sorry, sis. You're gonna have to provide your own."
"Yes! Right! No problem. I'll just go find a sword now," she announced, and then she was off, disappearing through the gate that led into her wing of the castle.
Akane couldn't help but wonder if she had a sword hidden under her bed or something.
Meanwhile, the rest of them continued heading towards the training grounds, or more specifically, the barracks where they'd be meeting up with Wistalia's famous generals and the tournament winners.
"You nervous?" Ukyo asked, nudging her shoulder.
Akane nodded but managed a smile. "Yeah. But mostly excited."
She couldn't believe that all those days and nights secretly training on her own, away from Kasumi's worried, disapproving gaze, was about to pay off. Finally, she'd be able to train with others in an official capacity. With real instructors! Ones who didn't teach her insanely powerful techniques on the sly, then vanish days later without a word.
But mostly, it felt good to actively do something again.
Thanks to Kuno's interference before, Akane had been mostly home-bound the last few weeks following Clarines military exam. She was itching to train! She couldn't avenge her father or their kingdom if she kept sitting on her hands.
And she knew these particulat training fields.
Ranko and Ranma used to drag her here all the time when they were younger. Even then, despite being a girl and royalty, she used to love fighting with toy swords and visiting the older soldiers with their bright uniforms and shiny medals.
She hadn't expected it, but being back here again was making her nostalgic.
It smelled like wood and grass and wind.
Of hard-work and sweat.
"Wow, you're so happy, you're practically glowing," Ukyo observed in amusement. She pinched Akane's cheek playfully. "If you want, we can pitch a tent right here, and you can make it your new home."
"Don't even joke about that," Ranma complained. "She's such a dork, she just might agree."
It was meant as a joke, but still, Akane went quiet and kept her mouth firmly shut, trying not to let their playful words get to her. She just had to remind herself there was nothing wrong with staying in a tent. After their initial flight from Lumeria, when they'd felt safer in the forests than in the big cities, they'd practically lived in one.
"I promise, no tents," Akane vowed as she raised a hand earnestly, playing the game like she always did.
She was glad Ranko wasn't there. Right then, she was the only one who could've spotted the cracks behind her smile, seen through her charade and called her out on it.
And she was SO close to being normal.
Through those doors up ahead, Akane would meet ten of the most powerful people she'd be training with. It was silly, really, but she just hoped they were friendly and sane . . . after Saffron and Happosai, she wanted instructors and teammates she could look up to and respect.
"It's empty now, but that's because they're all in the war room. Unwinding," Ukyo told her as Akane's head continued to turn every which way, trying to take it all in.
"By that, she means they're slacking and giving the recruits a hard time," Ranma added for context.
"Oh. I had wondered," Akane replied with a giggle as the giant building at the head of the barracks loomed before them.
Inside, everyone awaited. Yet when the doors opened, Akane couldn't help but look around in confusion.
Everyone was gathered around a large table, and except for a few of them—a couple of the champions she'd watched fight—most looked bored and half-asleep. At the very least, she figured they would've drummed up some friendly chatter by now. But as they walked inside, the silence only grew thicker as all eyes turned to Ranma, as though they'd been waiting for him.
"Jeez, about damn time," a man dressed in combat gear muttered and then took a giant bite of an apple.
"We aren't that late," Ryoga defended as he crossed his arms and glared at the man.
"Yeah," Ukyo complained. "Don't get your panties in a twist, you jackass!"
"Jokes on you, girlie. I'm not wearing any."
"Hey!" Ryoga protested as he covered a blushing Ukyo's eyes as if fearing she could someone see through his pants. Meanwhile, another one of the group—a small boy wearing a fox-tailed hat—peered over the shoulder of his comrade, his eyes wide and focused entirely on Akane.
"Ooh, is this ANOTHER woman?!"
She was pretty sure he was staring openly at her chest now, so Akane instinctively threw her arms up and took a step back, all while using Ranma as a partial shield.
Though she needn't have bothered.
Before moving forward to address the room, Ranma swiftly smacked the small boy across the head. "Don't even think about it, you perverted pipsqueak," he warned, and then shifted his fierce gaze on the one dressed like a tiger: "And that goes double for you too, idiot!"
"Boo! Spoil-sport!"
"Meanie," the smaller one agreed, rubbing his head as he glared back.
"Anyway, congrats on making it this far," Ranma continued, ignoring the generals to address the gathered champions instead. "In case you've been living under a rock—or a wall,"he added with a snicker, throwing a wink at Akane. "I'm Prince Ranma, and since these guys are total slackers with zero common sense—"
"Is that something you eat?" She heard the tiger-boy whisper.
"I doubt they introduced themselves while you've all been holed up here, so I guess that falls on me too."
One of the generals, a pretty-boy sitting in the back by himself, snorted. "I'm here to kick ass. Not play nice."
"Pity. Since you fail to exceed at either."
This general had an impressive build and wore his hair in a thick multicolored ponytail. Akane knew by his aura alone that he wasn't one to be taken lightly.
But Ranma merely rolled his eyes, like he'd heard this exchange a thousand times before. "Wistalia's five generals," he announced and pointed to each of them in turn. "Herb. Mint. Lime. Ryu Kumon. And that smart ass over there is Pantyhose Taro."
"The name's AWESOME Taro," the pretty-boy corrected, primping, as he flashed a self-satisfied smirk at the group. "I got it changed."
"Yeeeah," said Ranma slowly. "I'm still not calling you that. Anyway, like the rules state, from here on out, the generals will be teaching you everything you need to know."
"And a lot of crap you don't," Ryoga added with a laugh, and in good humor, clapped the closest general on the back.
Ryu Kumon, dressed entirely in fatigues, turned striking red eyes on him and snapped, "Don't touch me, pig!"
"LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!"
"And of course, we're here to help too," Ukyo cut in, poking Lime, the tiger-boy, right in the chest. "I'm not leaving any girls alone with these animals!"
"Hey!" They complained in unison, until Mint elbowed Lime in the side and asked innocently: "We ARE human, right?"
Lime shrugged, and as one, they looked to Herb for answers, who rolled his eyes and ignored them both.
"Shampoo no needing help," the pretty girl huffed as she crossed her arms and leveled Ukyo with a withering glare. Since Akane had just watched her beat all her competitors with terrifying precision and disturbing ease, she decided to trust her judgement.
"That's right," the boy wearing glasses agreed. "Shampoo is the strongest, smartest, most glorious girl on the entire planet! She doesn't need protection from a lowly guard like you."
Ukyo gritted her teeth and smiled, though it was forced. "Oh, goody. I can tell we're all going to get along swimmingly."
Without making a sound, Konatsu the kunoichi, sidled up next to her, and Ukyo nearly jumped in fright at the sudden sound of his voice coming from beside her. "What a gallant offer, Miss Ukyo, ma'am. It would be an honor to be protected by the likes of you!"
Ukyo raised a confused eyebrow. "Um, but aren't you a boy, Konatsu?"
In fact, his feminine ninja outfit still sported the large slash across his chest which had exposed his gender to the entire stadium during his thrilling win—even though that victory had come about after non-lethally poisoning all of his competitors.
But Konatsu simply blushed demurely, and put a hand to his chest, as if he'd forgotten. "Oh, such kindness . . . for the first time in my life, I feel truly seen."
"Yeah, well, go be seen over there," Ryoga told him, pushing him towards Tsubasa who had been busy trying to climb into a trash can.
"Anyway, this is Akane," Ranma finished, pushing her forward so she was standing in front of Herb, the leader of the generals. "She's the one I told you about. The one who'll be training alongside the others."
"Huh." Herb looked her up and down with detached interest. "She's much scrawnier than I thought she'd be. You sure she's as good as you say?"
Akane flushed at the insult, but before she could defend herself, Ranma countered with: "You think so? Master Saffron and Master Happosai didn't seem to mind when they were training her . . ."
The entire room went silent.
And then, it exploded.
Suddenly, Akane found herself surrounded, the questions flying at her faster than she could follow. "How did you get them to train you?" "What did they teach you?" "How did you even find them?" "Are they as awesome as they sound?" "Can you teach me some sick moves?" "How hard was the training?" "Can I see your breasts?"
That last question was followed by a scream of pain, and an indignant, "Stupid prince! What did you hit me for?"
"People, please," Ukyo interrupted, running interference as she pulled Akane free from the heart of the mob. "This isn't a grilling session, you know. You'll all be working closely for the next year. The least you can do is give the girl a chance to breathe."
To her relief, they did just that.
Having found an intriguing topic of conversation, the once-silent room finally managed to find its voice. Shampoo was insisting to anyone that would listen, that her claim was impossible, while Mousse backed her up, calling for proof. Meanwhile, Taro and Ryu were arguing over which one of them would be the next chosen disciple—because having trained a nobody had really upped their chances.
As soon as she free, the first thing Akane did was go over to Ranma and punch him in the arm. "You jerk," she whispered, exasperated. "Why in the world would you go and tell them that? Now I'll never hear the end of it!"
Ranma shrugged, not looking contrite in the slightest. "Herb's an ass. I knew that would put the jerk in his place and prevent the others from underestimating you."
Akane's cheeks reddened, touched by the thoughtful gesture. As unnecessary as it was. After all, she had planned to BEAT the respect into them. "Thanks, Ranma. I appreciate the thought, but if it wasn't obvious already, I can defend myself."
"Maybe. But there's nothing wrong with accepting help now and then, either," he told her. "A little appreciation can be kinda cute too, you know."
"Maybe," she echoed, raising her nose in the air. "But I don't care if I'm cute or not."
Ranma laughed at that, and the smile that reached his eyes made the blue within them shine even brighter. "Fair enough," he told her. But then he leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper as he warned with a mischievous grin: "Better be careful though, because a little stubbornness can be kinda cute too."
If Akane's face had been beet red before, it was downright crimson now. And the sight of it only made Ranma smile wider as if he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
Thankfully, it was at that point that the boy whose name was Shinnosuke walked up to them, nodding politely at the prince before turning his full attention on Akane. For some reason, he was still carrying his pushbroom. "Hello there, I'm Shinnosuke," he said, introducing himself, even though she already knew who he was. "I believe they said your name's Akane?"
"That's right," she said, excited to find someone normal and non-royal to talk to. To be honest, she was a little starstruck; he'd been pretty amazing back in the Colosseum. "You did great at the tournament by the way. I've never seen anyone handle a broom quite like that before!"
Shinnosuke blushed and put a hand shyly behind his head. "Thanks. It was nothing, really."
"I'd hardly call that nothing," Ranma replied, butting in. "I almost asked you to stick around afterward to help clean up." While he chuckled at his own joke, Akane simply shook her head, exasperated.
"Feel free to ignore him," she told her training-mate as she leaned forward excitedly. "So tell me, how did you learn to fight like that anyway, Shinnosuke? Have you been training long?"
"For as long as I can remember . . . though honestly, I don't have a great memory, so I'm not sure how long that is."
Akane laughed at the silly joke, though Ranma crossed his arms like a petulant child as he watched them. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath, just low enough for her to hear. "That makes you laugh? It wasn't even funny."
Rolling her eyes, Akane turned her back on the dummy and gave Shinnosuke her undivided attention. "Honestly, people underestimate how much work goes into efficiently wielding a weapon. I prefer a sword, myself," she told him as the two got lost in a heated discussion on the merits of weapon-based fighting versus hand-to-hand combat.
Off to the side, Ranma watched them, his mouth drawn into a tight, thin line.
He was feeling oddly excluded.
And unfortunately, Ryoga was drawn to an irritated Ranma like moths to a candle flame. He sidled up next to him, watching his expression further sour as Shinnosuke moved closer, too close, he thought, into her own personal bubble. "Well, well. Trouble in paradise already, huh?"
Ranma sighed but didn't deny it. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"
"Nope. Don't you?"
Ranma's shoulders sank at the reminder, and he kicked at a rock. "Yeah."
He really did need to get going. If he didn't leave soon, his old man would send someone to fetch him; even princes couldn't escape grunt work. Still, he was hesitant to leave Akane behind with these vultures. Who knew what depravity they'd get up to while he was gone?
In the last couple years, this group had gotten particuarly rowdy. Especially with the addition of Ryu Kumon and Pantyhose Taro as Generals. So usually, Ranma and Ranko would try to stick around to keep an eye on everyone. Today, however, Ranma couldn't. His trip to town had put him behind schedule, so he had a mountain of paperwork to go over, and more marriage proposals to turn down.
And stupid Ranko still wasn't here.
"Just, keep an eye on them for me, would you?" Ranma asked as he stepped away from the wall he'd been pouting against. "Who knows what stupid idea they'll come up with to initiate them."
"Of course," Ryoga replied, smirking. "But do you mean all of them or just the cute, short-haired one you can't stop staring at?"
Ranma didn't feel the need to dignify that with an answer; it's not like he cared about the generals. "Believe what you want," he replied with a shrug, because seriously, he knew he couldn't trust Ryoga anyway. He'd either start drinking like everyone else, or wander away from Ukyo and disappear for a week.
His best bet was to finish his work as fast as possible, and pray Ranko made it there soon.
So, still worried as all hell, but determined to return quickly, Ranma headed for the door. Ukyo, watching him pass by, gave a small, distracted wave. "See ya later, hon!"
"Yup. Don't have too much fun without me."
"Wouldn't dream of it," she winked.
It was only then that Akane seemed to notice his departure. "Wait! You're leaving already?" She asked, tearing herself away from her riveting conversation with broom-boy.
Ranma tried not to look too happy about that.
"'Fraid so. But I'll be back after I'm done, so if you can manage it, stay out of trouble until then, yeah?"
Akane sniffed, offended. "I don't need a babysitter, Your Highness. I'll be just fine."
Ranma wished he could believe her.
But he didn't.
By now, he knew her better than that.
"Yeah, Your Highess. Don't you worry. We'll take GOOD care of her," Pantytwist added, and draped an arm across Akane's shoulder, all while sending him a huge, taunting smile.
"Yeah. Just leave your little girlfriend to us," Ryu added with a wink, his arm falling over her other shoulder.
Ranma seethed, his blood boiling as he prepared to take a menacing step towards them.
"Oh honestly," Akane muttered, and without hesitation, elbowed Pantyhose in the stomach, making him drop his arm, and in the very next second, stomped hard on Ryu's foot, forcing him to release her too. When she was done with them, one of the boys was bent over, clutching his stomach and cursing, while the other jumped up and down, clasping his aching foot.
And at the sight, Ranma's heart may have skipped a beat or two.
But he wasn't the only one.
Shinnosuke grinned and began to clap like a seal. "Well done, Akane! I suppose this means you were right—the human body, if used correctly, really can be a formidable weapon!"
"Right?" She replied, beaming at him.
Whaa—? Ranma's jaw clenched. They had inside jokes already?
Man, now he REALLY didn't want to go. It felt like Ranma was forfeiting a match he didn't even know he was playing!
"I thought you were leaving?" Ukyo asked him, biting back a laugh as his eyes remained fixed on Akane and Shinnosuke.
"I am." His feet just weren't cooperating, that's all.
That was the case, anyway, until Ryoga slapped him several times on the back, causing him to stumble forward. "Hey. Don't take it too hard, Ranma," he told him with a sad, sympathetic sigh. "Look at this way. You two were always doomed to fail. You see, Akane has too much character and personality to ever settle for a boring jerk like you. So don't let it get you down."
Boring?! He wasn't boring!
"Whatever," he grumbled, pushing past him. "I have to get back to work. The account books aren't going to balance themselves!"
And with one last icy glare at Akane, who looked puzzled, he angrily stomped away.
…
As Ranma left the war room, Akane stood in place, baffled and torn, as she watched him go.
It felt like she'd missed something. . .
But just as quickly, her attention was drawn back to the people still there. Strangely, with Ranma's absence, the atmosphere had instantly changed.
General Kumon hobbled towards the cabinet in the corner, still smarting from her mild attack, and threw it wide open. Inside was a treasure trove of bottles of all shapes and sizes and colors. "Alright, trainees," he announced, cackling to himself, as he retrieved a bottle of alcohol and popped it open. "Now that the royal loser's gone, it's initiation time!"
"Finally!" cheered General Awesome as he grabbed some glasses and waved them in the air. "The fun can begin!"
Everyone cheered, but none as loudly as Herb as he quickly helped himself to an entire bottle of his own. Before long, multiple containers were making their way around the room, more than enough for everyone.
"Here you go, Akane," said Shinnosuke as he handed her a glass he'd poured himself and clinking them together, said, "Cheers!"
Smiling apprehensively, Akane stared down at the sweet-smelling liquid.
It may look innocent enough, but countless years of Kasumi telling her how dangerous liquor could be—how it loosened tongues, spilled secrets, and made a fool of everyone who consumed it—had made her reluctant to let it past her lips. She wanted to make a good impression, of course, and prove she was a team player . . . but was this the right way to go about it?
The dangers were endless.
"Thanks, but I think I'll pass," she told him as she gently set the glass back down on the table. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at holding my liquor."
Probably. She wouldn't know since she'd never tried it before.
"Oh. That's no problem, Akane," Shinnosuke replied, proving he was the sweetest boy in the world as he set his glass down beside hers. "Then perhaps I'll abstain as well."
"Are you guys sure?" Ukyo asked as she took a long swig of her own, sighed in bliss, and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "This is probably the last chance you'll have to let loose. After today, training hell begins."
"And trust us," Ryoga told her, after taking a drink himself. "You'll be begging for a drink after that."
Akane didn't doubt them one bit.
Just a glance around the room confirmed that no one else had any such reservations: even Shampoo and Konatsu were partaking, and why shouldn't they? Everyone here was of age and responsible, and they didn't seem afraid of anything weird happening. Was it right of her to ruin the festive atmosphere? Poor Shinnosuke was already suffering from her decision as it was.
Besides, Kasumi did have a habit of blowing things out of proportion. Would one small sip do that much harm?
No, of course not. She was being silly.
"You know what? You're right," Akane told them as she picked up her glass again and encouraged Shinnosuke to do the same. Then she clinked it against his. "Cheers!" she repeated and took a slow, hesitant sip.
Oh. It tasted sweet. Like raspberries.
"That's not how you drink, silly," said Tsubasa, all too happy to demonstrate. "Like this," he explained, and shouting, "CHARGE!" downed the whole thing in one quick shot.
"Oh, I see," she said, and feeling silly, blushed. She was being so ridiculous. Since when was she the type to let fear control her anyway? Wasn't she here to get stronger? Not to mention, all the chances she'd taken after leaving her family had paid off in the end! Why would this time be any different? So. . .
Here's to taking chances, Akane told herself as she followed Tsubasa's lead, and took a long, cool drink.
What was the worst that could happen?
…
"Ranma! Ranma! Come quick!"
Ranma put aside the papers he was going over and sighed. "Let me guess. Did Mint break his toe again? Or maybe Ryu ransacked the place like he does every year?"
Ukyo shook her head, her expression implying it was something far, far worse. "Before I tell you, you have to promise you won't kill me!"
Ranma rolled his eyes, knowing she was prone to dramatics. "Fine. I promise. What happened, Ukyo?"
"Well, you see . . . Akane's kinda, sorta, really, REALLY drunk."
Something in his chest tightened in worry as he quickly stood up. "Is she okay?"
"Well, define okay. . ."
"Ukyo," he snapped, hitting his desk. "Just tell me what the hell's going on!"
"Physically she's fine. It's just. . . I think you should see for yourself."
Ranma was out the door in seconds.
To his eternal relief, the training grounds weren't far away. Five minutes, if you took your time.
At a run, Ranma made it there in two.
"Alright, where is she?" he demanded, rushing into the war room.
Even without everyone pointing, he spotted her immediately. Akane was sitting in the corner of the room, tied tightly in what appeared to be one of Mousse's chains, her eyes closed, her head leaning against the wall. "About time you showed up," Herb complained and motioned to the tomboy. "Your little friend over there can't handle her drink."
If he wasn't so confused, he'd be busy splitting heads right about now. "Why the hell is she tied up?" he hissed, going to her immediately as he began to remove the chains.
Taro shrugged. "Don't ask me. I was fine with her running amok."
"I'm sure you were, you pervert," muttered Ukyo.
Ranma paused just long enough to glare over at the general. "What are you idiots talking about?" he growled, his eyes darkening as he glanced around the room.
Surprisingly, Shinnosuke was the first to speak up. "Um, it seems Akane has an . . . an interesting . . . drinking habit?"
"It was disgusting," Mousse corrected, slashing a drunken hand through the air and nearly tipping over. "She should be charged and quartered for what she's done!"
"See, she kept trying to hug and kiss everyone," Tsubasa explained, and then pouted, as if he were jealous he hadn't thought of it first.
Ranma stared back, mouth agape. "Wait. What?"
"It's true," Ryoga confirmed. "We knew you had the hots for her, so we tried to keep her under control. . ." shaking his head, he sighed sadly. "But even so, we were too late. She got to Shampoo and Ukyo before we could stop her."
"I feel so violated," Ukyo said, shivering.
Shampoo looked murderous. "Never would happen if Shampoo sober!"
"Um, okay," he said, as he glanced back at the tomboy. She was staring right at him now, her eyes having drifted open, and Ranma dropped the chain like it was on fire and scooted back nervously; his traitorous eyes never straying far from her lips.
"Well," said Ryoga, clapping him on the back. "She's your problem now. Good luck."
"Uh. . ." he murmured, as everyone else in the room went back to celebrating, happy to have washed their hands of the whole mess.
From a safe distance away, Ranma debated what he should do, though every now and then his mind went off on a tangent—why the hell had she drank so much if she couldn't hold her liquor? Then—oh man, what should he do if she KISSES him?
"It's too tight," Akane complained, finally speaking as she tried to shimmy out of the chains. "Please, Ranma? Loosen them?"
"O-oh, okay," he said as he reached forward again, though this time, with much more hesitation. She didn't sound that drunk, but he wasn't about to let his guard down around her either.
"Here, I got her some water," said Shinnosuke, handing it to him. "I doubt it'll help, but at least it'll keep her hydrated."
"Thanks," he replied, taking the glass, even as he wondered why the other boy was so interested in her situation anyway. Was he trying to stay close so during one of her attacks she'd kiss him? "Err, you can go now," Ranma told him and shooed him away to the other side of the room.
The other boy looked confused but did as told.
Anxious to get her out of there, Ranma hurriedly removed the last of the chains. At the very least, maybe getting her some fresh air would help. He wasn't worried about being one of her victims anymore, not now that he knew what was going on.
After all, Ranma had grown up fending off Kodachi's affections; handling some tomboy should be cake.
"Thanks, Ranma!" Akane exclaimed once she was free. With a happy, glowing grin, she attempted to show her appreciation with a hug, only to have Ranma catch her arms mid-air.
"Keeping your hands to yourself is the only thanks I need," he replied smoothly.
"Meanie," she pouted.
"Yup," he agreed, and taking her wrist in his, led the drunk dork towards the door as Akane giggled and waved goodbye. More than one drunk fool laughed and waved back as they watched them leave together.
"Someone's getting lucky tonight!" Shouted Ryu cockily.
Until a broom came out of nowhere, hitting him in the face and shutting him up for good.
…
At this time of night, the palace gardens were empty, and Ranma couldn't have been more relieved. He didn't want to take Akane back to her room just yet. What if she pretended to be fine and then ran off once he'd left?
No way. He couldn't chance it. A quiet public place, with few people, where she could sober up, undisturbed, seemed like the best course of action.
She could hug and kiss the flowers to her heart's content if she liked.
Not that there was much of that going on.
As it turns out, Akane didn't make a very graceful drunk. More than once he'd had to stop her from tumbling head-first into the reflection pond or running into a bench. But even so, Ranma suspected the fresh air was doing her a world of good. In the time it took to walk here, she'd been on her best behavior and hadn't grabbed him once.
"Careful," he said again as he prevented her from toppling into a rose bush this time.
Rather than thank him, she gazed up at him, and said, "I'm not drunk, you know."
"You're not, huh?"
"Nope," she said, adorably earnest.
Ranma couldn't help but grin in amusement. Aside from being more affectionate, and cuter than usual, she wasn't much different—he wouldn't be surprised if Ukyo and the others had exaggerated all that other stuff, just to get a rise out of him.
When he got drunk, he became tired, quiet, and moody. To think someone would go around randomly kissing people was crazy.
"Ranma?" she asked, once he'd released her hand after steadying her.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," she told him with a pretty smile that reached her eyes and painted her cheeks a lovely shade of pink.
Embarrassed by his answering blush, by this unexpected warmth, Ranma forced his gaze away. "It-it was nothing," he told her, absently scratching at his cheek.
Which is when it happened.
Two small arms slyly wrapped themselves around his waist, and before his brain could even process what was happening, Akane's head was resting comfortably, perfectly, against his chest. Like it belonged there.
Ranma could only stand stock-still, arms firmly at his sides, stupidly frozen in place. He was helpless as she snuggled closer, a small, contented sigh escaping her lips as she tightened her hold as if she couldn't get close enough.
It still took an extra second though for his brain to process, to understand, that yes, Akane was hugging him.
She was hugging him and it wasn't terrible, not at all. She was warm and soft, and she smelled so nice, and oh man, was this taking advantage of her? He should probably stop her, shouldn't he?
But, but what if she got upset?
In her drunken confusion, would she think he was rejecting her?
Not that it mattered. The longer they stood there, the more he realized the garden had been the absolute worst place to bring her. It was as if the park itself was attacking them, the intoxicating scent of all these flowers enfolding them even tighter than her arms.
Later, Ranma would blame the flowers.
He'd never admit that his guard was down, that he'd been so bewitched in the moment that he hadn't noticed when she pulled away, her grip loosening, or how she'd leaned up on her toes instead and pressed her lips innocently against his own, without hesitation.
And in that too-brief moment, Ranma swore the world had stopped.
He tasted the sweetest trace of raspberries, felt the pleasant weight of her palms resting lightly against his chest, all while the flowers weaved their magic. And before Ranma could fully comprehend what was happening, what he was feeling. . . it was over.
Akane's eyes fluttered open and she pulled away, and not for the first time, Ranma found himself lost in those deep hazel eyes, eyes he might drown in if he weren't careful.
"Ha! Got you," she teased, poking him on the nose, and then she skipped away, back towards the fountain.
Staring after her, Ranma swallowed heavily and tried to ignore the pleasant tingling sensation left behind on his lips, the sweet aftertaste lingering.
Damn, he was sure he was blushing again.
Putting a hand to his face, as if to hide, Ranma glanced around the garden, praying nobody had seen them. He didn't hear any laughter or sounds of cheering, so that was a good sign. Hopefully, the others were already passed out.
The others. . .
The thought that any one of them—or worse, broom-boy—might have insisted on taking her back instead, might have been standing here instead of him, sent Ranma's mind into a downward spiral.
Would she have kissed anybody then?
His expression darkened.
As Akane skipped and twirled, and generally acted cute-as-hell, Ranma grabbed her by her cloak's hood, bringing her to an abrupt halt. "Alright, time to go," he grumbled and began leading her back towards her room.
But the tomboy didn't want to leave; she stubbornly dug in her heels. "Dummy," she protested, stomping her foot. "I said I'm not drunk!"
Again, that bothersome blush painted Ranma's face as his eyes took in that adorable pout, noting the alluring way her lips were pursed.
Man, this wasn't fair.
He sighed and tried to think of the best way to get her to go back. No way was he leaving her out here to attack him again!
(As pleasant as that thought was.)
"I think you are drunk, Akane," he told her and almost laughed when she stubbornly, predictably, shook her head.
"No, I'm not."
"Wanna prove it?" he challenged, tugging again on her hood. "I bet you can't walk a straight line back to your room. Hell, I bet you don't even remember where your room is!"
Even drunk, the dummy couldn't bring herself to turn down a challenge. "Ha! You're on!" she cried out, and after several carefully placed steps, immediately started veering in the wrong direction. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Ranma steered her back on course, turning her east instead of west.
"Oh, right! Wrong room," she giggled and then stumbled back towards the 'correct' room as planned.
Ranma followed closely behind as she hurried forward on clumsy, unsteady feet, until they finally managed to make it back to her door.
Temporary though it may be.
After tomorrow, she'd be staying in her own room, back at the barracks.
Akane slapped it with her palm, looking smug. "See. Told you," she said and stuck her tongue out at him again. Ranma could think of better things she could do with that tongue, but ashamed by the thought, pushed it far, far away.
"G-good job," he said, awkwardly rubbing his neck.
"So, what do I win?" she asked him.
Ranma didn't recall promising any sort of reward. HIS reward had been getting her out of the garden. "What do you want?" He asked, convinced she'd forget by the morning anyway.
Taking her prize very seriously, she thought hard for a moment and then grabbed his arm excitedly. "I want to call you Ranchan again," she told him, and then, swinging his arm back and forth, whined, "Ranko still gets to, so I want to too!"
Again? he wondered, before reminding himself she was pretty drunk. One time, Ranko managed to convince Ryoga she was his long-lost sister, Yoiko. So who was he to judge? For all he knew, Ranchan could be the name of her childhood pet.
Playing along was easy enough, so he teased, "Fine by me, Akane-chan."
Her face absolutely blossomed at the silly term of endearment and Ranma's breath caught in his throat, taken by surprise at how delighted she looked.
It wasn't fair—how could anyone be that cute?
However, this time, Ranma wasn't caught off guard or too distracted to dodge.This time when she darted forward to kiss him, his finger shot out and he flicked her lightly on the forehead instead, halting her attack mid-strike.
"Haha! Got you," he bragged, throwing her words back at her as Akane pouted and rubbed at the spot.
"Meanie! Jerk! See if I ever kiss you again!"
"Who says I want a kiss from you?" he shot back, sticking his tongue out at her like he was eight years old again instead of eighteen. Like he was just a normal boy and not a prince.
"You don't, Ranchan? Is that true?"
Her voice was strangely serious, her eyes twice as large and almost pleading, but more than that, the sound of his childhood nickname on Akane's lips, spoken so reverently, affected him.
His chest felt tight, his heart full.
Had she drank so much alcohol, that when they kissed, it had affected him too?
"N-no, I-I wouldn't say that, exactly," he mumbled, nervously twiddling his fingers, somehow incapable of looking at her again. So while he was preoccupied, Akane leaned forward and gave him a quick, innocent peck right on the cheek, feather-soft and light.
Again, Ranma could only stupidly stare back.
"Goodnight, Ranchan," she told him, and like she hadn't turned his entire world upside down, he watched her disappear inside her room, leaving him to stand there staring after her like some love-sick idiot.
Once she was gone, Ranma slid to the floor, his mind and heart both racing out of control as he leaned his head against the closed door and tried to come to grips with this latest, horrifying realization.
He liked her. Like, really, really liked her.
Now what the hell was he supposed to do about it?
…
"He can't do this!"
"Do what?" asked Ukyo.
"This!" Herb shouted, pointing at the sign that was posted on the alcohol cabinet, the cabinet that was now entirely empty: Alcohol is hereby prohibited until further notice ~ by order of the Prince.
"Oh," Ukyo replied, chuckling now.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Herb yelled back. "Just who does that bastard think he is?!"
"Err, the prince. . .?" Lime questioned, pointing to the note again.
Mint nodded, in full agreement, so Lime brightened, proud of himself for having guessed correctly.
"Not for long he isn't! He'll be mincemeat once I get through with him!" Herb declared, cracking his knuckles as everyone around them continued their drunken slumber. But once the other generals awoke and read the note, there'd be a reckoning.
And Ukyo couldn't wait.
Ever since Akane had arrived in Wistalia, things had sure gotten a lot more interesting!
End of Chapter 7