10. FROM GREY TO GREEN
The intensity of the tempest was so high that it actually no longer could be called a 'tempest'. It was some kind of hurricane, or perhaps even more accurately : a phenomenon ranging halfway between tempest and hurricane, more violent than the first one but less than the second one.
But still violent enough to wreak havoc throughout the city and cause countless damages.
The passengers gathered in the bus station could remain in that haven for the night, hoping that the elements would calm down some and that they would be able to leave the following day.
And yet no : gusts of winds and downpour didn't leave, but bolts of lightning diminished in intensity and frequency. Very slight improvement, but encouraging anyway.
"Uh, Ranma…"
"Yeah, P-… I mean, Ryoga ? What is it ?"
The Lost Boy got what his (somewhat annoying) friend had been about to say – P-Chan – but since the boy had seemed sincere when he had correct himself, he didn't make any comment and simply continued with what he had in mind :
"Thanks for catching my umbrella when the wind blew it away, yesterday. I think I forgot to thank you properly for that."
Saotome Jr raised a brow.
"Yes, you did. You forgot ?" A brief pause. "You're a bit distracted lately, uh ?"
Ranma's blue irises made a back and forth movement between Ryoga and Soraya, only very briefly stopping on her… but the message was clear.
The Red Pigtail, catching his drift, didn't utter anything, but rather rapidly checked on Akane and Ukyo, who had been focused on Ranma yet had noticed his eye movement and then turned to Soraya, staring at her, almost expectantly.
She quickly cleared her throat.
"He's still shocked from his metamorphosis; you can't blame him for that. But yeah, thanks for catching the umbrella indeed. I wish I could have done it myself though."
"Oh, no problem. You were already busy at the time anyway…" Ranma told Soraya… in a smooth voice they rarely ever heard from him.
And the smirk that followed made it all too clear what he had implied.
"Of course I was ! Saving my friend is more important than running after an umbrella !" she immediately countered, but she noticed the rise of her body temperature and hoped it wouldn't show too evidently on her cheeks…
"I'm sure of that…" he continued, always on the same smooth, implicit tone, his eyes half-closed.
"Ranma, come on…" started Ryoga.
The Red Pigtail swiftly glanced at the Lost Boy, who was just as flushed as her, and resumed looking at her annoying male half.
"Mind your business !" retorted the redhead, somewhat uneasy despite her upset, as she felt the heat of her face and, judging by Akane's sudden small smile, deduced what the girl saw for a change in her face's colour…
"Okay, anyway, what do you think will happen today, guys ?" Ukyo chimed in, sensing that she had to cloud the issue and, by doing so, defuse another potentially explosive situation between both "sister" and "brother".
Soraya and Ryoga, both of them red-faced, were relieved to get the opportunity to focus on something else, but they didn't know what to reply, and it was Akane who did instead :
"Well, they said that they would use more secure vehicles, from a private bus company, to evacuate the civilians waiting here." she explained. It shouldn't be too long before –
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please ?"
It was a small man who sported the uniform of the bus company and, for those close enough to see it, a golden badge who showed the word 'manager' in smaller letters, under his name.
He was on the other side of the large crowded room, and all faces were suddenly like magnetized to him.
"The first bus from Namco* Vehicles company is about to arrive, and for that first trip, we will prioritize elderly people and families with children. If we can't get them all on board of this first incoming bus, we'll use the second one as well. Then we'll take care of the other passengers. We trust you will be comprehensive about this and thank you beforehand for your kind cooperation. Rest assured that we will do our utmost to take good care of you and help you back to full safety."
* Namco, for those of you who are avid videogames players and remember it, was a videogame company based in Japan, who started in 1955 and ceased activities in 2006. This is a nostalgic wink of mine to the golden era of videogaming, back in 1980 and 1990, when my brother and me spent countless hours playing many video games (Zelda, Mario, Castlevania, Kid Icarus… we were Nintendo fans ! ;D), a retrospective look in the "rear view mirror" to our childhood and teenage… Big up to all videogames fans around here !
There was a loud mix of grateful words and clapping, while the elders and part of the adults bowed several times at the manager.
At that juncture did the first "rescue shuttle" arrive in the bus station and soon opened its doors, which appeared like heaven's entrance, in a way…
(…)
Three crammed buses had already left, and Akane noticed that Ranma had fallen asleep against the station's wall. His head was tilted to the front, chin touching his Chinese outfit, arms crossed held in place God knows how when they should have got loose and fallen during his sleep.
"He's asleep again." Ukyo remarked. "I can understand he might get bored but…"
She gave a knowing look to Akane, who nodded and finished for her :
"…but you think it's rather that energy curse that is cause of it." It was the cook's turn to nod. "Yes, I'm also pretty sure it's that cause. Soraya should recharge it but since there are still many people around us…"
The braided female overheard her name and asked what the matter was, and once explained the whole thing :
"You could conceal me so that no one sees…" she proposed, before clarifying : "But I doubt it will go unnoticed anyway. Otherwise, we can wait until we arrive at the next location, where they are taking everybody and I'll do it over there. We're not in a hurry anyway… and having him sleeping will prevent him from annoying others."
Both girls goggled at her.
"Soraya…" started Ukyo, but Akane didn't give her the time to continue :
"I understand that he did upset you but please don't say that, Soraya !"
"You know how he is, after all those years. He can't help making fun or attack others. Even family and friends. He has too much of a temper ! You know it, Akane : you've been his victim too many times !"
Ranma's fiancée froze, knowing that her interlocutor was right.
Touché… she thought.
Just when she was about to reply, and try to justify herself, the imminent arrival of a fourth bus was announced.
"Ran-Chan ! Ran-Chan, wake up ! Can you hear me ?"
Ukyo gently shook him at first, before being forced to get rougher, in order to finally wake him up.
"Ucchan ! Seriously ! I was having a wonderful dream !" he complained in a woozy voice.
"Alright, alright, sorry ! But now isn't the time for that ! Let's go catch that bus !"
They helped him up and hurried to the front, where many were waiting…and that's when Akane had an idea, and whispered something in Ranma's ear.
He first protested on principle, for form, before reluctantly giving his okay.
"Hum, excuse me…" Akane told the manager, who turned his sharp yet kind look on her. "My friend here is not feeling too well. He's very weak and I think he needs some sleep as soon as possible. Do you think we could take that next bus ? It's kind of urgent !"
He took a look a Ranma, who made believe he was all sleepy and incoherent, then straightened his glasses.
"Of course ! Health is a priority ! I will go to the front rows with you and explain everything to the driver ! But once you have arrived to the secured area, I advise you to ask a medical professional there to check on your friend's condition : who knows, it could be serious…"
"Yes, of course ! We will ! And thank you so much !" replied Akane, before motioning to the others to follow her.
And that's how they could finally leave the bus station and didn't have to wait any longer, to safely arrive, 40 minutes later, to the facilities where the civilians were now taken care of, given food and drink, medically assisted and so on.
(…)
That evening, the harsh storm started to lose some intensity, but it was still out of the question to venture outside. They would have to grin and bear it for the time being, and until then, it was time to reverse the energy flux between Soraya and Ranma, as the latter was clearly (much) weaker now, insisting to take a nap whenever possible… and since there wasn't much else to do in that shelter (basically just wait, hope, discuss and that was it), then the girls allowed him to do so that day, with Ryoga agreeing to the female plan.
But once the night crawled in on tiptoe, all got ready for action.
They waited until all people (well, all… as far as they could tell from watching and listening around) were asleep and then three of them positioned themselves all around Ranma and Soraya, Ryoga on the left, Akane and Ukyo girls on the right, their bodies like some bulwark against outer looks.
Soraya put her hands over Ranma's torso and whispered, as discreetly as possible : ARIXTRA NOVEN… BETIL KOGGEH OMOTTOSY.
The familiar blue halos immediately appeared around her hands, and as the energy she had unwillingly taken from him "flowed" back to its rightful owner, making her gradually feel less energetic, and even somewhat weak, it dawned on her that Ranma needed to remain alive, no matter what.
Alright, he definitely could be a real pain in the… neck, but after all, she came from him was a part from him, and technically "belonged" to him, although she had gained a life of her own. And that meant that her fate and his were inextricably bound, "tied together".
She may have held a grudge against Ranma, but right now, she had to –
"What's that blue light ?"
They all jumped as they heard that question, and aside from Soraya, who had to remain focused on her task, they turned to see a little boy that had just awoken and was looking in the direction of the redhead.
"Oh, hello !" Akane told the toddler. "It's…nothing ! It's… We're just… uh…"
"…trying to put a tattoo on our friend's chest." finished Ucchan. "But it works only if there's no noise around. So we mustn't talk. Is it okay with you if we wait until it's over ? And that we don't speak ?"
The Tendo daughter stared with surprise at the Kuonji daughter, wondering how she could improvise with such easiness.
The boy nodded at Ukyo.
"Akane !" Soraya called out inconspicuously, before whispering onward : "I can't look away from Ranma while I do this, and so I don't know what's been happening ! What is it ? Who were you talking to ?"
"A little boy saw this blue light, so Ukyo invented a tale and told him that, for that tale to become a reality, nobody should speak anymore. That way he won't alert anyone."
The redhead nodded and focused on her task.
And after quite a while…
"Oh ! The light is orange now !" excitedly whispered the boy as the energy level of Ranma reached its peak and finally got complete… until next time.
"Koji… go back to sleep…" drowsily muttered the toddler's mum as she vaguely moved in her sleep.
But the kid didn't pay attention : he was too thrilled.
"Did it work ? Is the tattoo there ?"
Soraya removed her hands and, having heard the boy's questions, made believe she was inspecting Ranma's chest.
"Oh no, it didn't…" she replied on a fake sorry tone. "We'll try again tomorrow. Now I have to go to sleep, I'm really tired."
That tiredness was naturally caused by the lessening of her own energy level in the process.
The girls and Ryoga moved aside and the braided female was soon lying close to her "brother".
"Ok, guess we'll all have to get some sleep. Including you, little boy !" concluded Ukyo as she gave a knowing look to the toddler.
He asked them if they would try again on the following morning and, some time later, the whole company was cradled by Morpheus's arms…
(…)
The next morning, the winds started to decrease in intensity, still powerful yet no longer gusty, and the civilians could be allowed by authorities to go back home while the travellers could continue their trip… but given the great amount of damage, it wasn't guaranteed at all that transportation means would be available. Or at least not immediately.
"It's good to finally be able to get out and take a walk!" observed Ryoga.
"Yup. And it's good to feel full of energy again. Thanks, Sis' !" exclaimed Ranma.
"Don't mention it…" wearily replied Soraya.
"I knew I was right to let you stay in our house. I had an inkling you could be useful…" he couldn't help teasing her.
"As if… And It's not your house and you don't have a say about my staying or leaving, precisely because it's isn't your house. Keep in mind that you and our father are only guests at the Tendo's, just like me !" she retorted.
"Way to get things straight, Soraya !" remarked a beaming Akane, giving the redhead a thumb up, which she returned.
Both then smirked at Ranma, who "mpf'ed" and briskly crossed his arms, looking elsewhere.
This got Ryoga, Ukyo and Akane to guffaw, soon joined by Soraya.
The pigtailed boy scowled at all of them before turning on his heels and walking away.
"Oh, come on, Ran-Chan ! Don't sulk !" cried out the chef as she wiped out a "tear of laughter". "We've got better things to do ! And before we leave Hiroshima, there's a place I'd like to visit, if you don't mind…"
They all looked at her and observed her as she walked to a nearby police officer and talked to him.
"Okay, follow me, Team !" she told them all once she had returned.
"Where are we going ?" asked Ryoga.
"You'll see…" she said with a smile.
They followed a long street, then another long one, then a third one.
And as they walked and walked, they could see the terrible destruction that had struck the city : so many houses disfigured, cars damaged, premises flooded, poles twisted, trees uprooted…
It was heart-breaking, demoralizing to think of all the roadwork, all the repairs, all the replacements, all the changes that would have to take place.
All the efforts…
All the time…
All the money…
…that this unique meteorological would cost the inhabitants.
"I feel terrible for them…" admitted Ukyo.
"So do I…" agreed Soraya.
"Nature can be so unfair…" remarked Akane
"So much destruction in so little time…" pointed out Ucchan on a defeated tone.
And suddenly, they all felt bad for Hiroshima.
Very.
(…)
Going through a devastated city was a trying experience for them, but when four of them realized to what location this emotionally-challenging walk had taken them…
…they all turned towards the fifth one, utterly confused !
"What are we doing here, Ucchan ?!" questioned a puzzled Ranma.
She gave a small, soft, kind smile.
"You'll understand once we're inside…" she simply said before stepping through the large gates of Hiroshima graveyard.
It was very peaceful, very silent in there, not only for the obvious reason, but also because the cemetery had been built on top of a hill, therefore some distance away from the streets and their countless noises, and the place seemed indeed mostly deprived of sounds.
"What I can tell you, though, is that our presence here, or rather the goal we're about to reach, has some resonance with the cataclysm this city just endured…" she told them quietly as they moved among the tombstones.
Akane's eyes lit up.
"Wait, has it got something to do with –"
"You'll see…" the chef cut her.
They soon reached the centre of the cemetery, Ukyo stopped in front of a huge monument… and then they understood.
Yes, then they got why their blue-clad friend had mentioned a resonance between what they were looking at right now and what they had been looking at in the ruined city…
…because what they were standing in front of was a memorial stele which was dedicated to the memory of all those who had lost their lives on August 6th 1945, when a lethal projectile had been dropped form the skies and obliterated life on a large surface of Japanese land.
And indeed, the terrible havoc that had occurred during the last two days somehow recalled, although much less seriously, the devastation caused by the atomic bomb that had landed on that same city, decades ago.
Fortunately, the cost in humans lives was way lower this time, and the damage was also far less serious… but the general impression of desolation was the same.
"I have often thought about Hiroshima and Nagasaki's disasters… and I thought that, should I ever travelled Japan, I would dearly like to visit the graveyard of at least one of those cities and spend a moment there to pray for those poor victims of war."
As she finished, Ukyo looked around her, to her four friends.
"And now I can do it for real : I can pray. And I really would appreciate if you all prayed with me. We didn't know these people, but I think they deserve our care and respect. Any war victim does."
None of them replied... or rather didn't reply with words but with deeds : all four simply joined their hands and closed their eyes, one after the other.
And once they all had, she did the same.
The five friends forgot about their quest, their problems, their quarrels, their recent ordeals. Their mind was entirely devoted to paying a tribute to the victims of Hiroshima, praying for their souls, their grieving families (even after such a long time, it still mattered).
Their hearts and minds were in unison for long minutes.
And during all this time, no sound could be heard around them, only distant ones down the hill.
Curiously enough, not even birds chirps were audible, which was rare.
Even the wind seemed strangely absent, after all the din it had made those past days… and that contrast was unsettling.
That eerie, almost unnatural silence around them…
…as if everything had stopped moving.
As if the whole world suddenly stood still.
All of this to express utter respect to the memory of the deceased, of all those unfortunate victims who were living their lives one minute… and had been erased from the surface of the planet the next minute.
Yes, everything seemed to have come to a halt, to respect the prayers of the five teenagers… and somehow soundlessly joining them in their prayers.
It was an uncommon mixture of sadness, reverence and bliss… the bliss you feel knowing the suffering of the loved ones finally ended and their bodies, like their souls, are at peace. Being aware of their liberation from pain and hardships makes you feel strangely blissful, happy for them, because they are in a better place.
Finally, a voice broke the noiseless environment :
"This memorial stele, my friends…"
Ranma, Soraya, Akane and Ryoga opened their eyes to see Ukyo standing a little ahead, facing them, with the monument behind her.
"…it is a proof of mankind's insanity. It's a terrifying sign of the cruelty we can show. It's a degrading example of war's absurdity, of its unacceptable nature. We should never ever forget this day, and this place, and the fate of these countless people whose lives are… "summarized" by that monument, if I can put it that way."
They all stared intensely at Ukyo, impressed by her speech, no one daring to utter a single word.
But after a while…
"Yes, war is an horror ! You're right ! And completely useless !" agreed Soraya, who had clenched one of her fists as she spoke in an outraged voice.
"Uh, well, it has its utility : it's necessary at least to defend your territory against invaders. So not everything is bad in war…" argued Ranma.
But Ryoga shook his head.
"No, Ranma. Although it may seem so, it's actually not a necessity. It's not something unavoidable. It all depends on humans and their behaviour : if they didn't envy other lands, other wealth, other resources, then they wouldn't invade other countries. They would stay in their own boundaries and learn to be satisfied with what life has given them. And if there was no invasion, then there wouldn't be any need to defend a land. No army to conquer, no army to resist… therefore no war. It isn't necessary to make war : we make it necessary by our unreasonable behaviour. But it's not by nature. War is useless, like Soraya said."
"You're backing her up, of course. I'm not surprised…" Ranma ironically said.
Ryoga could have got angry at this, and back in the day, he would probably have… but now, he knew better, and his mere reaction was a shrug, followed by a modest "Think what you want…"
"Yes, I agree with what you said, Ryoga. And also you, Soraya !" Ukyo told them, nodding and smiling at them.
"And so do I !" supportively added Akane. "Hum, now, sorry to be the killjoy of the group, but I think we should resume our journey, don't you think ? We can't afford spending too much time in one place : first because Ranma's condition might get more serious over time, and second because remaining longer in one spot means spending money to eat or sleep… and while Nabiki gave us plenty, we'll need most of it for our long trip across China and back."
All agreed on that, but then Soraya cast Akane an intense stare.
"You mentioned eating… and, well, I'm pretty hungry, sooooo…"
"Not again, you glutton !" scolded Ranma.
"I can't help it and you know it !" the redhead retorted.
"Yeah, and while you'll be pigging out, I'll feel no appetite. Then you'll grow strong, me weak. Then it's recharge time again. And we start it all over again. Always the same story !"
"We don't have a choice here !"
Akane intervened between the bickering "siblings" :
"Ranma, calm down ! She's right, we can't do anything about it. We'll have to bear with it and repeat that… that kind of cycle you mentioned, until we get to that Temple of Dawn and find a cure !"
She turned to the blue-eyed female.
"But on the other hand, you should really be careful with food : I know you're getting hungry faster than us, but we have to spare it. Once our stock is over, we'll have to pay for meals, and with five people to feed, it will quickly get costly for us. So we may as well live on our own food for as long as possible. Is that okay with you ?"
Soraya actually looked less than okay, but she knew she had to cooperate, like it or not.
"M'kay…" she grumbled.
Before adding : "Only one bite, alright ? I'm really starving…"
Both other girls sighed, Ranma shook his head and Ryoga looked at her with sadness.
Oh yes, it would be a loooooong journey…!
Oh Boy…
(…)
"How will we go to Kitakyūshū now ? After such a violent storm, the transportation means must be either limited or cancelled, no ?" pertinently asked Ryoga as the little troop walked back to the city centre.
"It's true that trains and buses might not be running, yet we should get informed about this first, to be sure. There's a slight chance for us, so better try anyway and see what's the current situation." proposed Ukyo.
"And what if not ? How will we travel ?" wanted to know the Black Pigtail. "I had thought about a cab, but –"
"BAKA !" instantly screamed the Red Pigtail. "You wanna waste half of the money going there by taxi ?! Do you have any idea –"
"I'm not baka ! I was about to say that it would be expensive. If you had let me finish …"
Soraya paused, inwardly admitting that she had been a tad prompt to scold him, and that she had cut him just when he was about to object the taxi idea. He therefore hadn't really been willing to propose a taxi trip… and she had talked him down as if he actually had !
"Okay, okay, sorry…" she grumbled, arms crossed, averting his gaze.
Akane suddenly felt a bulb light up somewhere in her brain.
"There's a transportation mean we could use, at least for some time, until we find another one. The greatest Japanese cities generally propose it, based on the Chinese model, or example if you prefer."
"And it is…?" asked an intrigued Soraya, her curiosity piqued.
By way of answer, Akane's finger merely pointed to the right, behind her friends.
Turning around, they saw a young man going home… on his bicycle.
"Are you serious ?! Or did that storm give you a concussion at some point ?!" his always gentleman of a fiancé mocked her proposal.
The karate fighter put a hand on her hip.
"You have a better idea ? Come on, share it then…"
His jaw tensed, but this time his venomous tongue didn't spread any poison via indelicate words.
"You know, it's not a bad idea, if you come to think of it…" the okonomiyaki girl admitted, a hand holding her chin, as she pondered the new proposal.
"And at least it won't be as expensive as a cab, eh !" smoothly remarked Soraya, spreading her own venom with a satisfied smirk.
Ranma's resulting expression was priceless and provoked a general laughter.
"Go to hell !" he spat after his eyes had properly thrown daggers at each in turn.
"Oh, come on, Ran-Chan ! Be a good sport !" teased Ucchan as she playfully butt-shoved him, which brought slight frowns on Akane's and Soraya's faces (they knew the chef was only doing it in a mischievous way, not in a flirtatious one, yet part of them still vaguely disapproved the gesture… although none made any observation about it).
He blinked at her, then reluctantly muttered 'right…' before sighing.
"So… where do we go now ?" asked Ryoga.
Akane tapped her chin with her finger.
"Well… since my idea of transportation wasn't so bad after all…"
Her slight and short upset quickly forgotten, she smiled knowingly at Ukyo, who returned the conniving smile.
(…)
"Are you… are you sure we're not gonna break a leg on those things ?" asked a somewhat worried Ryoga as he did his best to follow the others at the same speed, without getting left behind.
He had never taken a ride on a bicycle in all his life, therefore it was all new to him.
"Don't worry, you'll make it without problem. Just make sure to keep the same steady rhythm and you'll manage, trust me !" Soraya told him from behind.
She brought up the rear to remain in contact with Ryoga, but also to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't take the wrong road at some crossroad (his sense of direction had improved, sure, but that didn't mean he couldn't go astray at all…).
"Th-Thank you !" he said, turning his head to the left, for her to hear him.
That simple gesture made him lose the complete focus on the road before him… and he unwillingly moved the handlebars to the left, where he was temporarily looking as he answered her.
And that was all it took for the bicycle's itinerary to be slightly modified.
He fumbled to turn the handlebars back to the right… but his stress made him move his hands too quickly and…
"AAAAAAH !"
CRASH !
The Lost Boy hadn't gone astray, this time… but had still faced another misfortune : flat on his back, next to his bike, he stared at the white shapes slowly crossing the ocean of blue above him, wondering what had just happened, and why.
Soraya had immediately braked hard when the accident had occurred, and she was now kneeling above the one who had managed to trouble her so deliciously.
"Everything okay, Ryoga ? Do you feel any pain ?" she kindly asked him with concern, her hand resting on his shoulder.
"No, I'm not hurt… Thank you, Soraya !" he replied with a warm smile.
"With pleasure…" she gently replied, smiling back… but also blushing.
She discreetly gave a light squeeze to his shoulder, and he soon felt his face gain a few degrees.
They won't see her blush, since her face is turned down at me… but they'll all notice my blush ! Ah crap, I hope that Ranma won't seize the occasion…
But he didn't… although he DID tease his former rival, but about his accident :
"I hope you won't fall too often, Dude : biking isn't the fastest way to travel, so if we have to stop regularly because of you…"
"It's his first time, so how about giving him a bit of time to adjust… Dude !" Soraya instantly retorted, instinctively taking the defence of the one who had become so dear to her.
Seeing Ranma ready to open his mouth, and therefore sensing that another quarrel was about to start between both pigtailed youngsters, Ukyo immediately cut it off :
"Alright ! You told us you weren't hurt, Ryoga, right ? So we should resume our trip. We can't afford to take too much time, as the journey through Chine will be even longer… and we haven't even reached the harbour to sail over there !"
Nobody argued, knowing she was fully right.
They were back to pedalling, striving to go as fast as they were able to, and for once, luck was on their side : the wind, who was still blowing in a messy way following the tempest, appeared to blow mainly in a favourable direction for them, coming from behind their backs and "pushing" them, rather than from the front.
It was no longer the terrible, frightening gusts of wind that made the bus lose its full grip on the road and sent it sliding on the right or the left… but it was nonetheless a violent invisible hand that continuously roamed the atmosphere and often pushed their bodies this way or that way… but, again, mostly from the rear, which enabled them to progress fast, faster than without the wind.
The little troop soon left Hiroshima suburbs and the landscape gradually shifted from buildings to houses, from cement and concrete to trees and fields. The transition occurred regularly, the city's high constructions getting more and more scarce, while the country's smaller ones got more and more frequent…
…until they found themselves evolving through a green scenary.
Trees, bushes, forests, rivers, hills… it was soothing to the eye, not oppressive like those "stone giants" from the urban areas.
And the landscape was gorgeous, since autumn was well "underway" : in the copses and forests, even in solitary trees, it was an explosion of gold, orange, red still mixed with summer's green. But they were arranged in a very elegant pattern where they alternated with each other, so that there seemed to be a bit of each colour in various spots.
It was a feast for the eyes, and they relished that sight while they travelled through the countryside.
Since cars rarely showed up, leaving the road desert most of the time, they decide to cycle in 3 groups : the first one with Ukyo and Akane, then Ranma, and finally Soraya and Ryoga, Each time a car would arrive, they could easily resume their single-file pattern.
"It's beautiful !" exclaimed Soraya as she took a look around, then turned her head left : "Isn't it, Ryoga ?"
"Yes, it is !" he replied.
…but less than you, Soraya !
She noticed his blush, as she looked at him again after a minute, and couldn't help smiling.
You're too cute when you blush, Ryoga ! And not only when you blush…
As if he had felt her gaze on him, he decided to suddenly take a quick glance at her, at the risk of losing control of his bike…
…and their gazes met.
He flashed a quick smile, which she returned, and both resumed looking forward… with a warmer heart.
"That's a welcome change from the city !" admitted Akane.
"I just wished there wasn't so much wind…" grumbled Ranma.
"Ran-Chan, whenever something doesn't go as you want it to… well it's up to you to make do with it, and make the best of a bad job !" joyously teased Ucchan.
All in all, it was a pleasant bicycle ride… saved for the violent wind. But since it proved helpful in the end, it wasn't so bad.
(…)
After almost 3 long hours of cycling, they finally decided to take a break, not only for eating purpose, but also for resting purpose.
They ate in the shade of an old oak and were very happy to fill their stomachs. And of course, to let their poor legs get some rest.
That picnic out in the wild had a bucolic touch, and for those urban people, it certainly brought some novelty into their lives, a welcome change from buildings and houses.
They were careful to spare their provisions, in anticipation of their very long journey, and therefore ate just what was needed to feel reasonably sated. Soraya, in particular, had to tame her appetite and forced herself to eat more sensibly, with a certain measure.
Ukyo insisted that they packed back up all the stuff they had taken out of their backpacks, for them to be ready to go immediately whenever they'd feel rested enough.
"When I think about how much those two crazy siblings have disturbed our lives…" Ryoga said in a tired voice.
"And those siblings ended up creating… two siblings ! And look at the hell we've been living in since then, arguing endlessly…" Soraya told Ranma.
"Yeah, I must say my life has become quite a mess since you showed up, "Sis" !" he told her with a knowing look.
She merely smirked then blew a raspberry at him.
"Anyway…" he continued, ignoring her "…whenever I'll face those two caped bastards, I'm gonna beat the crap outta them ! I swear they'll regret messing with me !"
He suddenly stood up and, taking a good look at the oak they had been sitting under, he walked to the left of that tree and seemed to assess the trunk's dimensions.
"What are you up to, Ranma ?" asked Akane.
"Well, I'm imagining this tree is Os… or Os and Kay standing side by side… and see what I'll do to them when we face them again !"
"Hum, Ran-Chan, maybe you shouldn't –"
But Ukyo would never finish her sentence, as she got interrupted by her ex-fiancé's scream and most powerful hit against the trunk.
The impact was terrible : the tree got badly shaken. and a large cavity appeared in the bark.
Ranma took a step back and focused his energy again.
The others took a good look at him, astonished, and noticed he was about to launch his new attack.
"C'mon, Dude, letave that tree in peace : it didn't do anything to you ! If you wanna spar, I suggest you try your luck on me !" Soraya told him loudly.
But he didn't reply and merely remained focused, his eyes closed.
"Unless you don't want to, perhaps ? Afraid of losing or something lik-"
Her teasing him got interrupted as his second attack hit the tree full force, more terrible than the first time.
Like before, the oak shook, but even more this time, and leaves fell from the canopy…
…and, along with them, something else.
A brown, shapeless mass that crashed right beside the foursome still sitting under the tree.
And that mass briskly undid itself in countless little bits flying in all directions.
"HOT DAMN ! BEES !" yelled Ukyo on the top of her lungs before grabbing her backpack and getting up in a flash.
And yes, indeed, it was a swarm of bees that had fallen from the branches, where it had been quietly attached for about one hour and a half, shortly before their arrival at the oak.
The teenagers screamed like crazy as they hurriedly picked-up their stuff, rushed to the bicycles and pedalled as if their lives was at stake – and in a way, it was !
The guilty one (since he had caused the swarm's fall) dashed through the cloud of insects, seized his backpack almost without slowing down, ran to his bike and wasted no time leaving the now hellish place.
They kept pedalling for a long time, to make sure the bees weren't following, and once there were certain about it, only then they allowed themselves to slow down.
"WHAT THE FUCK, DUDE ?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO HIT THAT GODDAMN TREE ?! I TOLD YOU NOT TO, AND TO INSTEAD FIGHT AGAINST ME ?!" bellowed a livid Soraya.
"I couldn't guess there was a swarm of bees up there !" he protested, not daring to actually yell, since he knew he was guilty after all and wasn't in position to play the outraged one.
"Dammit, why do I have such a dense brother ?!" complained the redhead, the volume of her voice now somewhat lowered.
"Oh, come on –"
"STOP !"
Taken by surprise, they turned to Ukyo, who had slowed down and was now cycling by their side.
"Enough clashes for today, guys ! I'm sick of hearing you two argue, and I know that Akane and Ryoga think the same !"
"You bet I do ! We just avoided getting stung many times and need to relax, so don't start it again !" Akane told the feisty siblings on an irate tone she often used in the past but rarely ever the past months.
Ryoga didn't make any comment but stared at Soraya with concern.
She caught his glance and felt somewhat sheepish about her outburst… although it was understandable in the first place. That's why her mouth moved into the helpless or sorry expression, stretching sideways with the sides lowering.
They continued their cycling in a deep silence…
(…)
Yamaguchi, the largest city between Hiroshima and Kitakyūshū, was in sight.
This warmed the hearts of our heroes, and the fact that the wind had finally calmed down some only added to their contentment.
"We'll be able to get a new transportation mean over there !" confidently exclaimed Soraya.
"Yes, most certainly !" added Ryoga, smiling at her (he was travelling beside her and now dared to look at her every now and then, but only very briefly, to avoid any fall).
"I think that our luck has turned… the right way !" remarked Akane, a smile returning on her lips.
"Yup, seems so. Very good. We'll be able to find some faster vehicle in that city, I'm sure. Remember what I told you all during our break, after checking the Japan map I took with me for this journey ? Yamaguchi is really close to Kitakyūshū, probably less than two hours away. So we should be able to arrive there… either late tonight, or in case we choose to overnight in this city, tomorrow morning." Ukyo told her friends.
It was obvious that the chef had officiously taken the lead of their little troop, making decisions and plans for them all, silencing them when needed (like before, when both Pigtails quarrelled)… and besides, she was the one with the map, therefore in charge of checking their itinerary and progression.
All this had led to her appearing as the leading figure, the one heading their team, and none of the others would be willing to dispute her that unofficial function of "team manager" (no matter how profession- or economy- related that sounded), as she made a good guide for their group.
Suddenly, a large truck appeared in the distance, at the end of the road, and they all knew they had to resume their single-file formation.
But just as Soraya was about to move to the left and resume her spot behind Ryoga, she saw a cat swiftly cross the road from the right and freeze as it saw the bikes coming…. then turned its head to the right, in direction of the incoming truck.
The redhead was afraid of cats, yet she also feared about the poor animal to get run over.
So she leaned towards the cat and made some noise to scare it and make it get back to safety.
The truck was getting very close now and didn't seem to be slowing down, the driver probably assuming the cat would get away in time.
And it did… but the leaning redhead couldn't maintain her balance and fell on the road… on the side on which the truck was arriving !
The driver instantly pressed his foot on the brake, with maximal push. But he was really close from that redhead fumbling to get up from under her bicycle….
"SORAYA !" screamed Ryoga, who was the only one having noticed her fall, being by her side and the others a tad ahead.,
He stopped and his eyes hurriedly flew from her to the truck and back….
The heavy vehicle was going rather fast, so the braking didn't stop it and the huge mass continued to move forward quickly….
Soraya was up… but the truck was now in front of her, his wheels continuing to slide even after the abrupt braking….
His heart hammering in his chest, Ryoga leapt at her with sheer despair and swiftly put his arm around her waist…
The bumper mercilessly rushed at them…
Ryoga took off to the side, as fast as he could, with Soraya held tightly against him…
…yet not fast enough : the left side of the windshield hit them violently, in the middle of their jump, casting them brutally in the air !
(…)
(…)
A cliffy ! Or cliffhanger, if you prefer !
I used to resort to that narrative device pretty regularly, back in the days… Long time no see, Mr. Cliffy, glad to have U back !
The chapter's title refers to the shift from the city (grey buildings) to the country (green landscape).
The pace is somewhat slower in this one, with a meditative moment at the memorial (nice 'M' alliteration, eh ? ;): I wanted some kind of homage, of tribute to the victims of Hiroshima, and the respects paid by our protagonists through their prayers are somehow also my own respects.
The tension is back between Ranma and Soraya, too. This chappy shows that although they're getting along better than they used to, they're still far from behaving the way some siblings should. And that's also part of the curse, in a way : that Ranma is unable to really live harmoniously with his female half, which naturally partly ruins his happiness… and that's part of the Kay-Os revenge, along with his constant weakening in the short term.
This chapter also shows my love of nature and my preference of "green spaces" (country) over "grey spaces" (city). I felt the need to introduce some bucolic part, away from buildings, cars, humans, roads – although they are moving on a road. The bicycle as transportation mean, not polluting, adds to my ecological tribute here… and also foreshadows the return to China, historical land of the 2-wheels.
Oh, and I decided to grant Ukyo more importance and make her the (officious) leader of their team. I really love that character !
My writing has been somewhat slowed down due to an approximate 10-days sickness and should/could have been out before. Sorry for that slight delay, but my improved health now allows me to write regularly again, so I do hope I can maintain a steady rhythm (my apologies if not).
Hey, btw, currently reading BROKEN CHAINS, by Hoyo476, and I recommend you that fiction : it's pretty good ! There are a few adult scenes, okay, but that's really secondary : the feelings, emotions, love, tenderness… but alas also suffering, sadness, anger… is what really makes this story worth reading ! Up to you…
Take care and until next time ! Be as happy as you can possibly be !
: Léo :