21. FROM LOVE TO WAR …
The past three days had been cloudy…
…rainy…
…windy…
…cold.
In other words : dull.
Nothing exciting, nothing to cheer about.
How not too feel morose, or possibly even depressed ?
But today…
Today was different.
Very.
As surprising as it might seem, the continuous night wind had effectively chased most of the clouds away, and only a few grayish-white flocculent masses could be spotted further east.
But that was about it, and the splendid blue sky triumphantly displayed its beauty in the heavenly vault.
"Finally ! The sun is back ! How delightful !" Kasumi enthusiastically exclaimed, joining her hands in front of her as she approached the open panels
She was wearing a light blue cardigan and a light pink scarf, because even if that day would be sunny… it also would be chilly !
"Yeah, you bet that's welcome !" Nabiki added with a smile, raising her steaming mug and taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "I know autumn can get pretty gloomy but still…"
Dressed in a thick pale yellow sweater, a light green scarf wrapped around her neck, she was standing by the living room's wide open panels, pensively watching the garden.
"I wish it was warmer though : sun doesn't necessarily imply warmth, and today is rather cold for a sunny day…" remarked Soun, before taking a sip of his tea.
"Ah, come on, Tendo : a hot cup of jasmine tea will keep us warm no matter what ! Don't you think so, old friend ?" Genma enthusiastically exclaimed, putting back down his own cup.
"You're right, Saotome, you're right !" conceded a smiling Soun.
Both fathers were sitting face to face at the living room table, each with a kind of blanket over their shoulders, enjoying their morning tea and the sight of those golden rays falling diagonally from the welkin.
For long seconds, nobody said a word, both fathers sipping their hot drink every now and then, Nabiki sipping hers, with her gaze lost in the vague, and Kasumi by her side, admiring that welcome morning light after the succession of grey days.
Then Nabiki turned around and went to sit at the table, with Kasumi following a minute later.
Silence stretched a bit more in time, until…
"I have a bad premonition…"
Both fathers and the eldest sisters stared at Nabiki, waiting for her to elaborate.
"I mean, I have the feeling that something bad has been happening to our friends in China. I can't exactly explain you why I get that impression, it's just there. Maybe I'm just imagining things…"
She let out a deep sigh.
"…but maybe not."
They pondered her words for a short while.
"Yes, I see what you mean. I didn't exactly have a negative premonition, like you, but I was thinking about Akane, Ranma and their friends earlier… and hoping that nothing bag had happened to them. It's not that I felt that something had taken place… but I simply hoped it hadn't and they are all safe. Yet I felt worried, for some reason. Perhaps… perhaps that I sensed something wasn't quite right…" Soun explained.
"Oh no… I sure hope you're wrong, and that nothing happened to them. My poor Akane… and Ranma…" Kasumi said in a soft yet concerned voice.
Then she looked at Genma and continued :
"And even Soraya… she's a part of Ranma too, so… in a sense, she's like your daughter. I guess you must be worried for her as well, uncle Genma ?"
He folded his arms under the blanket, lowered his face and closed his eyes.
"Yes, you're right, Kasumi. She can be considered as my daughter, since she's Ranma's female half… she's like one of my children. And of course I'm worried for her as well. I wouldn't be a good father if I wasn't."
Kasumi nodded, and all then remained silent, wondering about their children, sister and friends.
But all of a sudden, Nabiki had a movement of surprise, letting out a brief gasp, her eyes slightly widening as she stared in direction of the garden, her mouth opening a bit.
Soun, noticing it, followed her gaze… and also let out a gasp.
Kasumi and Genma also turned their heads in the same direction… and surprise took them over as well.
A blackbird was there, in the middle of the two open panels of wood, clearly standing out against the green of the garden.
It turned its head every now and then, as if trying to accurately see all those big creatures set around that big brown thing.
And then, its head ceased moving…
… its beak opened and…
… mellifluous sounds filled the room.
Both young women and middle-aged men listened intently to the gorgeous warbling of the small bird and marveled at the fact that such a tiny creature could produce something this splendid, this harmonious.
Mankind might be able to compose and play some majestic music, yes, but when it came to Nature's unsuspected wonders, like that bird's trilling… And the variety of its singing, the diversity of its notes, that's what was the most wonderful !*
* This reflects my awe about the blackbird's outstanding singing abilities : not only is its trilling so pleasant, but it's extremely diversified, always changing, and never gets monotonous ! Listening to it right before dawn, or at dusk time, is an extreme delight and fills the air with some kind of magic… and yes, I'm a bit of a softie here ! XD
The tiny "singer" continued its serenade while the mesmerized humans enjoyed the gift he was offering them, feeling privileged to actually see a blackbird sing (usually, it only sung while on top of trees or buildings), and only a few feet from them, right in their house ! As if the small animal felt confident enough in humans to venture into their territory…
The blackbird eventually closed its beak and resumed moving its tiny head this way and that way every now and then, as if gauging humans and their reactions.
Then it turned the other way and all thought that it would take off and perch in the nearby tree… but the black-feathered, yellow-beaked bird simply hopped down and, after a few more steps, began searching the grass for food.
Nabiki and Kasumi discreetly walked to the open panels and, spotting the blackbird near the koi pond, they observed him for a moment before getting back to the table.
"That's strange… I always see the blackbird sing while perched in high spots, never when it's on the ground…" observed Soun.
"Yes… and it never comes so close to humans, and stays so long, usually…" pointed out Genma.
"And also, it never sings when humans are around and very close…" remarked Kasumi.
Nabiki listened to them, then smiled.
"You know what ? Because that bird behaved so unusually, so differently than it usually does, I have a very good feeling about it. Actually… actually, I sense that it's a good omen… and I have a positive premonition, this time. This together with the return of the sun this very day, both at the same time… I think they're good omens, yes. I don't know what exactly…"
She gave it a quick thought and continued :
"Perhaps… well, perhaps it's a good foreboding for our friends. It could be that something positive will happen to them… or maybe they were in trouble and are now out of the woods… or they will soon be." A brief pause. "Yes, that heart-warming, beautiful song of this peculiar blackbird might be a sign that our friend's situation is improving… or perhaps I'm just imagining things, what do I know ?"
She uttered the last part with a careless chuckle… but little did she know that she was right: indeed, unbeknownst to her, later that same day, the five Japanese and the three Chinese were leaving the den of the evil siblings after defeating all the henchmen and provoking the flight of Kay-Os. So they were now all free and safe !
Yes, it was definitely a positive omen !
(…)
A crystalline lake at sunset…
Fresh grass around it...
A gentle breeze…
Blue sky turning to gold…
She was there, by that crystalline lake, lying on that fresh grass, looking at that golden sky, her hair gently cradled by that gentle breeze…
She felt happy… because she felt loved.
Footsteps in the grass, somewhere behind her.
She wanted to check who it was…
… but before she could actually get on one arm and look behind, a body lay down on her left, right by her side.
"My Love…" he whispered.
His tender words melted her heart as she stared straight into his brown eyes, which stared back at her blue ones.
"My Love…" she whispered back, the use of the same "magic formula" strengthening the already strong bond between them.
He leaned forward and, cupping her face, pressed his lips on hers.
Tightly.
They kissed gently at first…
…then feverishly…
…then she couldn't hold it anymore and opened up her mouth.
He instantly accepted the invitation and gently sneaked his tongue inside her mouth, where it began "dancing" with hers.
Like before, it began slowly before quickly picking up pace, and soon enough, they were snogging wildly.
His hands began roaming her body and soon started two massages alternately : one above, a "twin kneading" of her chest, and one below, a single rubbing of a certain secret and sensitive area…
Her breath quickened.
"Do you enjoy all this…?" he asked her.
But of course, it was a purely rhetorical question : he didn't need the answer, what he actually wanted was listen to her panted answer.
He needed to feel her pleasure, and even if her moans were pretty rewarding for him, it still was insufficient to him : he wanted to hear her delight in another way…
"I… I do… oooooh… My Love… don't stooooop… please don't…"
"I don't plan to."
His reply was followed by a knowing smile, itself followed by a wink.
He picked up the pace, and her moans got louder… and longer.
Reaching out, she felt the sheer proof of his pleasure, and God, it seemed that she was touching a stone and not…
Willing to return the favour, she also began to make use of her hand, and it was then his turn to start moaning.
"And you… do you like ?" she panted.
He frantically nodded, closing his eyes and speeding up to repay her, which had her imitate him.
They were moving faster now, staring passionately and excitedly at each other, their sounds of pleasure harmoniously mixing.
Then he ceased his ministrations and pulled down his loose pants, before positioning himself over her.
Catching his drift, she also removed her pants and parted her thin, creamy legs.
"Do you want it as much as I want it ?" he asked her in a rushed voice.
"Even more than you do …" she panted, just as aroused… if not more.
"I'm… I'm sorry in advance for the pain…"
She put a hushing finger over his lips.
"Ssssshhhhh… relax, Sweetheart… pain will give way to pleasure in no time, so don't feel bad or guilty… everything will be fine…" She took a deep breath, her blue literally glued to his brown. "Please, my Love, make me a woman now… make me your woman…"
He nodded and, reaching below, he grabbed "himself" and tried to adjust to her.
Smiling, she brought her hand there and told him she would take good care of it, then gently grabbed his impressive hardness.
Instinctively, she knew where to position it and, licking her lips, she nodded at him.
"Welcome to my flower, Baby…" she warmly breathed out…
…and then suddenly inhaled deeply as he slowly – "
Soraya's eyes opened wide in the dark of their room, and she immediately knew that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep and continue that oh-so-pleasant (and pleasing) dream… which disappointed and slightly saddened her.
But immediately after, a thought struck her…
Have I been moaning in my sleep ? Have I been saying Ryoga's name in a panting voice ? And did they hear it ?
Because when you're having one of "those" dreams, you might very well "spill the beans" in your sleep and… well… it would be pretty embarrassing if –
But no, she could hear the faint snore of Akane, nearby. As for Ukyo… she wasn't sure, but she thought that she could hear a regular deep breath on the other side, so if she wasn't mistaken, the chef was also sound asleep.
Gosh, that was a close one…
That's when she felt a strange sensation.
Wetness.
And of course right where expected.
Had she peed herself or…?
But she then also realized some pressure in her lower abdomen.
An urging pressure.
She knew she had to quickly reach the bathroom to relieve herself… but then, if she hadn't peed yet, it meant that the wetness was…
She felt her face heat up in the dark…
… yet scolded herself right after, knowing full well that there was nothing to be ashamed of, that it was just natural and that everybody experienced this.
Yes… but that still didn't make her face any less hot.
Soraya cautiously left her bed and sneaked to the door, silent as a cat (pretty ironic for someone stricken with ailurophobia, eh…).
A ray of light under the bathroom door.
Gosh, what do I do ? Do I just wait here or…?
Sighing, she resumed her walk and went past the doors of the boys' room and the Amazons' room (actually Cologne and Shampoo's room, since Mousse slept with Ryoga and Ranma)
Just when she arrived at the bathroom door and was getting ready to lean on the nearby wall to wait, the sound of flushing could be heard inside, then that of running water…
For some reason, she felt like paralyzed, and instead of standing aside to let the occupier come out, she couldn't move and simply remained a few feet from the door, looking at the latter and wondering if, maybe…
The door opened… and her wondering proved right !
"Hey, Ryo…"
"Oh, hey, So… How are you, Love ?"
She considered answering, but as she stared straight at him, she felt something tingle her lower abdomen… and it had nothing to do with the pressure of the pee…..
"Everything alright, So ?" he gently asked, still holding the door.
Then he started to come out…
…but, having made up her mind, she suddenly walked forward and, putting her hands on his chest, she gently yet firmly started to push him back inside.
"So, what –"
But Soraya put a shushing finger over his lips… and that gesture reminded her of her dream.
Once both inside, she closed the bathroom door and, turning to Ryoga, she put her arms around his neck and crashed her lips on his, making it the other way round from her dream, in which he had taken the initiative.
Their tongues were soon entwining in her mouth, then in his, and she hugged him tightly, her fingers caressing his hair, moving through his thick "mane".
Their kissing became more frantic and a soft moan escaped her lips.
The redhead realized that the pressure of her bladder had increased and that it had become somewhat painful… but right now, she barely cared, not willing to stop whatsoever !
She reluctantly left his lips and, panting heavily, she stared intensely at him.
"Ryo… please caress me… I want, I need your touch…"
He quickly licked his lips, his gaze showing uncertainty.
"Hum… caress… your chest, you mean ? Or… uh…"
He left his sentence unfinished, feeling the heat rise in no time in his face.
"Wherever you want… I'm all yours…"
He gulped and put an hesitant hand over her left breast.
"Tell me if I hurt you, okay ?" he told her cautiously.
"You won't. Go ahead, and please, take care of the right one as well : you have two hands, use them both… and put them under my nightie..."
She chuckled… and inhaled deeply a few seconds ago, when he gently seized her right bosom as well., his skin on her skin… his skin gently rubbing her skin…
He gently fondled her bare breasts, his hands feeling every little spot, every sensitive area, and he greatly enjoyed the sensation… and her even more.
But when he started insisting on those tiny hardened mounds…
"Ryooooooo…" she couldn't repress moaning, before starting heavily panting.
The bladder's pain was pushed aside, ignored, stifled as much as possible, but it still lingered and she knew she couldn't postpone much longer… but in this moment, she just couldn't care : much more important things were happening to her !
Feeling encouraged by her moaning and panting, he squeezed the "twins" and focused again on the tiny hard tops, making her moan some more, her back arching backward, mouth wide open on a silent scream of pleasure, eyes shut.
"I… I love… you…Ryogaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah !"
"I love you too, Soraya. And I love making you happy."
Feeling her pleasure actively build inside her body, she could hardly control her movements and realized a bit late that she was unintentionally pulling his hair in the frenzy of the moment.
"So-… Sorry… for your… hair…" she managed to utter between gasps of delight.
"It's ok, Darling : pull them all you like, I don't mind…" he kindly replied.
"You sure ?"
"Yeah, I'm sure… I know you do it because you're having pleasure… and I want you to have as much as possible… so go ahead and pull !"
A naughty wink followed, and she couldn't help chuckling at this.
He continued his ministrations on her chest, properly torturing her tiny sensitive hardened mounds, and she felt on the verge of losing her mind.
And even more so when he decided to try something and flicked his tongue on the tiny hard tops.
"Mmmmmmmmh… yeaaaaaaaah… Ryooooo… yes… yes, please…"
His tongue moved from the right to the left, and back to the right, sucking and licking gently, making her go crazy.
Oh fuck… this is… this is too much… it's the seventh sky… oh God… he's gonna… he's gonna make me co-
But then, all of a sudden… she felt the pressure down there reach a critical point.
"R-Ryo…" she softly whispered, but wincing right after.
Noticing this, he immediately worried for her.
"What's wrong, Love ?"
"I…I wanted to ask you to… to caress me lower… you know… but… but I've been holding it for too long now…I badly need to… uh… to pee…" She was panting heavily as she spoke. "Sorry for ruining the moment, but… it has become painful… my bladder, I mean… and –"
He put his finger over her lips, reversing the previous situation
"My turn to shush you, Darling. You don't need to apologize, and you haven't ruined anything, trust me. It's natural, and you must do it now : I don't want you to experience pain. I'll wait outside."
"Thanks for your comprehension, Sweetheart…" she replied, moved by his gentleness and regards.
He kissed her forehead and opened the door…
…only to find himself face to face with a sleepy Ukyo in front of the door !
His eyes widened instantly and he briefly fumbled for something to say.
"Oh, uh… he-hello, Ukyo !" he blurted out.
She swallowed her saliva and quickly licked her lips.
"Hi, Ryoga ! Hum… I needed to use the bathroom but… uh… I can come back later…" she replied with obvious unease.
He quickly glanced at Soraya, unable to utter anything else, silently asking for help.
The redhead had listened intently… and easily understood that the brunette had heard their muffled noises, no matter how silent they had naively thought they were.
The head of the pigtailed girl appeared in the frame.
"I… I just came to pee and… Ryoga was already in here… and we… uh… we cuddled…"
"I know…" automatically replied Ucchan, before realizing what her answer implied.
Soraya got what she meant.
"You… hum… you heard us, right ?"
By way of answer, the Spatula Girl simply nodded, feeling her cheek heat up.
Then the pigtailed girl hurriedly added, slightly louder : "I swear we didn't do it in there ! I swear, Ukyo !"
The chef couldn't help snorting.
"It's ok, it's ok, I believe you. You just cuddled, as you said. I understand, you're in love and it's natural. Besides, after all we've been through in the past two days, you definitely need some quality time together, some tenderness… passion…" She felt her temperature rise some more at that last word. "Hum, fine by me, really."
She looked at both teenagers with a small smile, then concluded :
"But I really need to pee as well, so…"
Soraya gulped.
"Actually… I still haven't peed ! I wanted to, but… yeah. I'll do it quickly. Sorry for that, Ukyo…"
The cook shook her head, an amused smile stretching her lips.
"Kids these days…" she whispered on the funniest tone.
Both lovers felt the heat return to their faces…
(…)
Soraya let out a deep long sigh, her eyelids half-closing, and she removed her hands from the orange spot on his torso.
"And another energy delivery completed ! There you have it, Dude… I mean, Ranma !"
He smirked at her.
"Long time since I last heard you call me that… It used to infuriate me, but now I'm fine with it, because we're getting along really well. So well, in fact, that I was dead incensed when that bastard said he wanted to… hum… and I fought with all I had to punish him to try to… to do that to you ! And her for helping him in his dirty plan !"
"I know, "Brother", and this moved me. Your sincere support and concern for me, and your helping me… all this really touched me, and made me realize what wonderful man you are, Ranma Saotome ! One of a kind !"
"Yeah, keep praising, "Sister", keep praising : I love it !"
She raised a brow.
"Hey, don't get a big head for all that, eh !"
He winked at her and she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.
Then they went about their respective business, each of them finishing the departure preparations, and all were soon ready to leave the small hotel.
"Everything okay, Ranma ?"
All three boys turned their head in direction of their room's door, and sure enough, Akane was there, observing her fiancé.
"Yeah, I feel in full shape. And you ?"
"Just as good."
She offered him a bright smile, and suddenly, he remembered something.
"Hum, guys… Could you please leave us for a moment ? I'd like to talk to Akane."
Ryoga and Mousse immediately obliged, and once his fiancée had closed the door, he walked up to her… and gently took her in his arms, holding her tightly.
"Akane, I was… I was so worried for you, after they abducted you. I missed you so badly and felt anxious… anxious that these guys could… hum…"
She left the warm nest of his arms and stared seriously at him.
"It's okay, don't say it. It's the ugliest word I know, so don't pronounce it. But thank you for worrying so much for me… for making me so dear to you…for loving me so much…"
His gaze softened.
"Yes… yes, I love you, Akane."
"Then… prove it…" she teased him with a tender smile, and lifted her face to him.
He took the hint and lowered his face.
Their lips met… and it felt good, oh yes, so good to kiss the one you love and miss so much.
It was a gentle, chaste kiss that they shared, and it gave them so much strength, so much happiness.
Their mouths touched and touched again, but they didn't go any further, because none of them felt ready for more, the male half being less eager, less easily excited than his female half.
"When I remember how distant we were at first, and see now how close we are… it feels so strange, almost as if we weren't the same persons…" she told him.
"Yeah, that's weird for sure… but we've matured in a few years, and now we understand and respect and care for each other… to the point we love each other." he replied.
She nodded, and they couldn't resist kissing again, him holding her lovingly, her relishing his comforting and comfortable embrace.
Life was good again.
(…)
They left the hotel in mid-morning, after finishing the breakfast that the hotel owner had insisted on offering them, to make amends for his unwilling help in Akane's abduction.
Ukyo and Cologne had both protested, pointing out that he never actually wanted to help their enemies but was instead forced to do their bidding, since they held his daughter as hostage, and they concluded that he wasn't guilty and didn't have to offer them breakfast, yet he insisted so vehemently that they ended up accepting… and were very grateful, since said breakfast was not only copious but also delicious !
Once they were out, they wondered what means of transportation they could use. Well, the Japanese did wonder so, as the Chinese already had their own vehicle, as they had explained their friends last night, as all were tiredly walking back to the hotel : it was the same large bird that Cologne had used to travel from China to Japan, several years ago.*
* In episode 3 of season 2, or episode 24 overall. I never managed to find out if it was a real bird or not, wondering if it could be a robot… What do ya think ?
The problem was that the bird could contain only three persons at most, which meant that five people would have to find another mean of travel…
As they were walking through the streets of Xian de Huangyuan, The Five resumed the story of their journey, which they had begun to tell the three Chinese on the previous day, when walking back to the hotel, and had continued earlier this day during breakfast.
The Amazons listened intently, most of the time with round eyes.
"…and that's when you arrived from behind, knocked out our guards and freed us from our ropes ! The rest, you already know." Ukyo concluded, putting the final dot to the longest part of their journey, when there were only five Japanese teenagers on the roads…
"By the way, how did you find us ?" asked Soraya.
Cologne gave a detailed explanation :
"Before Ranma left, I triggered one of his sensitive spots : that allows people to be found wherever they are, thanks to the energy flowing from their body and which becomes visible, their position then appearing in the form of a purple dot on a map. All we had to do was make our way until the purple dot to find Ranma and the rest of you. The map can magically be enlarged as we arrive near the dot, in order to find the exact location. We managed to find an entrance to their base and knocked some guards unconscious before hearing some voices in the long hallway. After hiding for a few seconds, we reached the entrance to the large room and cautiously looked inside. Shortly after, we saw a guard turn around in our direction so we hid again… and when we peered back into the room, we could see Ryoga, in his pig form, getting back up on his feet and I decided we should turn him back to human, because he's a gifted fighter and we would need all forces available. Mousse then pulled a teapot of hot water from his sleeve and thus transformed Ryoga back. He also handed him new clothes (we didn't know where his original clothes were, at the time). And all together, we entered the room in which you all were and… the rest, you already know, as you said earlier, Ukyo."
The chef nodded at her.
"By the way, my dear, do you feel better now ? Your shoulder, I mean ?" asked the venerable elder.
"Oh yes, I do. I think I will soon feel even much better ! Your balm works miracle, Cologne !" Ucchan replied.
"I'm delighted to hear that. This balm is indeed very efficient when it comes to various pains."
They finally arrived at the train station but saw that a large sign had been put up at the entrance, in front of the main office's door.
Ranma went to said door and tried it.
"Closed…" he informed them. "I'm sure there's an explanation on that sign. Damn I wish I could speak Chinese to read it and know what the matter is."
"Yes, but you could ask someone who speaks mandarin. Someone nearby…" Cologne almost mischievously told him.
"Yeah, but nobody here will understand if I ask. They speak only Chinese !" he replied.
The elderly woman merely observed him with amusement.
Shampoo couldn't help giggling, and Mousse let a smirk crawl over his face.
"Have you forgotten that we Amazons are Chinese, and therefore speak mandarin… or Chinese, as you say ?" he asked the Black Pigtail, readjusting his glasses.
Saotome Junior felt stupid for not thinking about that.
"Anyway…" Mousse continued "…this sign says that all trains are cancelled until further notice, due to technical issues."
The Five felt perplexed.
"So we have to find a bus again ?" asked Ryoga.
"Well, if they have some in this town, that is…" remarked Soraya.
"That's right. It's a small town after all, and we're not sure buses are serving it…" pertinently pointed out Ukyo.
"We'll have to find out by ourselves…" concluded Akane.
And turning away from the station, they resumed their search for means of transportation."
(…)
No buses either.
Or rather… no more buses : when taking to the locals regarding the closure of the bus office, Mousse had got an info like what the bus company had gone bankrupt because of a lack of funds from the municipality.
"Jeez, that's just our day…" grumbled Soraya, the combination of her tiredness – following Ranma's recharge – and the adverse turn of events putting her patience and mood to the test.
"Don't worry, Love, we'll find a solution !" Ryoga tried to cheer her up.
"We have always found a way to continue our journey, no matter what, and we will this time as well !" declared Ukyo.
Cologne appreciated her pertinence and nodded approvingly.
"This the spirit ! Never give up !" exclaimed Shampoo, raising her fist in a determined manner. "We Amazons know it, this sacred rule of our tribe !"
After a while of walking and not finding, Cologne concluded they couldn't continue and took over : addressing an old man (because "seniors know about everything", she said), she asked him what other transportation means existed in this town, since trains and buses were now out of the question.
The elderly man explained her something while pointing behind them, and after thanking him, the long-white-haired woman told them to follow her, replying to the questions of The Five with a mischievous "you'll see soon enough"… Shampoo and Mousse, of course didn't ask anything : they had understood everything, as it was in mandarin, but decided to respect Cologne's decision and didn't explain anything to their Japanese friends… partly out of roguishness as well.
And soon enough, they found themselves in a kind of farm that was just on the outskirts of the town, with the Amazon matriarch explaining something to the owner.
The latter hesitated…but eventually accepted.
The Five now had a new transportation mean, and with the three Amazons already having theirs, they could all pursue their common quest !
(…)
"I never thought I would be riding a horse…" Ryoga said aloud.
"Yeah, a pig on a horse, that's unusual for sure…" Ranma teased him.
"HEY ! Take that back !" Soraya immediately screamed at her male counterpart, prompt to defend her lover.
"What ? It's true !" he joked, enjoying winding up Ryoga, even after all this time and their strong friendship.
"Come on, Ranma…" Akane intervened.
"Ok, but… I mean –" he started on an amused tone.
"Ran-Chan, please, don't push it. You should apologize." Ukyo chimed in.
"You know, Ranma, I don't make fun of you, even when I could. I mean, I'm not really hurt or anything, but I've lost all will to make fun of you, because you're my friend !" the Lost Boy told his former rival.
Realizing that nobody sided with him, and somehow touched by Ryoga's sincere remark, the pigtailed boy didn't insist and somewhat reluctantly apologized ("Fine, fine, I take it back, sorry" *grumbling away*).
Both Ukyo and Akane thanked him for that, and that was the good side of it.
Anyway, four of them were indeed riding horses : the two couples, each on one horse, both horses advancing side by side, and Ukyo walked at the front of the beasts - they would take turns riding and walking later on. The boys held the reins, the ladies holding them from behind, their arms clasped around the boys' bellies… and their heads regularly resting on the boys' backs, eyes closed, happy smiles on.
What had happened was that Cologne had asked the farmer if they could rent two of his horses for a while, and for a relatively reasonable price and two gifts - an anti-rheumatism ointment and organic (hand-crafted) drops for the eyes, he had let the teenagers borrow two of his horses – he had several and could do without two horses for about a month.
The matriarch had promised him that they would do the utmost to bring them back to him before a month… but that, in case it would last a little longer, they would give him extra money and another gift, which he had discarded with a kind smile saying it wasn't necessary.
And here they were, one walker and four horse riders, making their way to the southeast at a good pace, and behind them, not that high in the sky, the large bird floated silently, with the three Chinese on board (Cologne had deemed that remaining in the back would be preferable, so as to avoid scaring the horses.
The weather consisted in an white sky today… but all could see dark grey clouds in the distance, pretty far away… but who knows if they wouldn't get any closer, pushed by the wind…
"We may well have to face a storm, I see…" noted Ukyo, frowning. "Hopefully not a tempest, because if it's violent, there will be thunder and lightning… and that might scare off our mounts !"
"You mean, they would run away ?" Akane asked, actually anticipating the answer.
"Yeah, they would start galloping, and when an animal is really frightened, it's very difficult to calm it down !"
"Galloping ? Sorry, what's that ?" asked the brown-eyed boy, unfamiliar with the term.
"I think it's when a horse is running… right, Ukyo ?" Soraya told Ryoga, then asked her cooking friend.
"Yep, you got that right." confirmed the chef. "For a horse, we don't say 'run', we say 'gallop'. But it's the same thing, in fact. And when horses are scared, they often tend to gallop, and it's pretty difficult to stop them at the time… which is why I do hope that we won't get caught in a violent storm, as our horses may get out of control then !"
There was a brief silence, during which everyone pondered what had just been said… and hoped that no such thing would happen indeed !
(…)
The sky was still completely white, the wind still blowing at high speed… and the dark grey clouds still over there, ominous presence that held hidden threats…
As they were moving forward, they spotted an immense surface on their right.
It reflected the bright light of the white sky, making it all shiny, like some polished surface.
"What's that ? A lake ?" asked Akane.
Ukyo, who had taken a good look at the map in the morning, remembered what it was.
"This is Lake Qinghai. I recall that name because it made great impression on me as I studied the map this morning : it's one of the largest lakes of China, maybe even THE largest ! Very impressive, really ! I wonder how much water is in there…"
They all stared at the large luminous surface for a while, as horses walked past it, and it truly was an impressive sight.
"We don't have that many lakes in Japan, and definitely not big ones like this one…" mused Soraya, as she dreamily gazed at the immense liquid mass.
"Hum, actually, one of the largest isn't very far from our city : just northeast of Tokyo, Lake Kasumigaura. I've been there once and was hypnotized by the size of it. But the greatest Japanese lake is probably Lake Biwa, which is also northeast of a major city, Kyoto. These two are very impressive, but it's true that, for the most part, our lakes are far smaller than this…"
As their mounts were finally past the vast body of water, they finally managed to escape its hypnotic grasp and resumed focusing on the road… and the dark grey clouds.
"We should try to go faster, because if we keep on walking, we'll sure get that storm ! Perhaps that if we're fast enough, we can reach another town before it breaks out…" suggested Ranma "So, isn't there a way to make these horses walk faster ?"
His question was addressed to no one in particular… but somehow, it was implicitly intended for Ukyo.
And it was of course her who answered him :
"Well, we can make horses gallop – they can gallop even when they're not afraid – but that might scare you. I suggest we try to make them trot instead : it's faster than walking and slower than galloping."
"How do you know so much about horses, Ucchan ?" asked a visibly interested Soraya.
"When I was a child, my father had a horse. We used it to pull our food cart for a time, but alas, one day, while he was grazing, a snake bit his muzzle… and the poor horse passed away." She sighed deeply. "I really loved that horse… but yeah, that's how I know about horses."
She briefly rubbed the corner of her eye.
"I'm sorry for your horse…" Akane sympathized. "Eh, by the way, it's your turn to get on the horse. I'll walk for a while."
Ukyo appeared surprised.
"Already ?"
"Well, you've been walking for quite some time now, Ucchan…" Ranma remarked.
"Yeah, it's time you get some rest !" Soraya approved.
She looked at them and noticed Ryoga nodding in agreement.
"Okay then. Who wants to walk ? I know you proposed yourself, Akane, but perhaps the boys could be gallant* and…"
*Fun fact : I used by chance the word' gallant' shortly after 'Akane'… and the fact is that the character Akane Tendo is called Adeline… Galant in the French dub ! And when I first watched RANMA , back in the 90's, I knew her only by her French alias and had never heard of Akane Tendo… ;P But now that I've read fic's on here and watched episodes in English and Japanese, it feels almost eerie to even write 'Adeline Galant' … Akane rules ! ;D
"Yes, I will walk. I don't want you to get tired, Akane." Ranma told her, turning halfway to her.
She smiled gratefully at him and he pulled the reins to stop the horse, Ryoga doing the same, and both mounts came to a halt.
"Thanks, Ran-Chan ! I always knew that, despite your strong temper, you were in fact a gentleman…" Ukyo told him with a wink that made him snort funnily, and once he had dismounted, she turned to the side of the horse, ready to climb up…
… when a movement drew her attention, behind the beast, in the distance.
Her blue eyes widened to their maximum.
"Ucchan ?" worriedly asked Akane, the only one who could actually see her friend's face at the moment.
And the black-haired girl turned around to check out what Ukyo had seen, while Ranma's gaze also shifted to the same point, and SoRyo also imitated Akane, with both turning around on their saddle.
All eight eyes stopped on the unthinkable… and all remained just as horrified as Ukyo !
(…)
Inside the bird, the three Amazon warriors had also been marveling at the impressive size of the lake, all the more since they could see much more of it, having the stunning perspective that a high viewpoint can offer.
"This a lake ? Or small sea ?" asked an awed Shampoo as she admired the vast shiny surface.
Mousse, who had been adjusting his glasses to see it more clearly, told her that it was a very large lake.
"This is Lake Qinghai." Cologne told them. "I once travelled in this region and passed by this immense body of water… and I got very impressed by its size.
They observed the endless surface for a moment, baffled by its dimension, then resumed looking worriedly at the dark grey clouds in the distance.
A few minutes passed by and, as she happened to check on the horse riders further ahead, the Amazon matriarch noticed that Ranma had got off his horse and that Ukyo was ready to climb up in his place… when she suddenly got motionless, looking to the right.
Cologne slightly frowned, wondering what had stopped her, then she saw Soraya, Ryoga and Akane all turn around to look in the same direction.
Finding it always more odd, the old woman understood that something behind them had caught their attention, so she imitated them and turned to look in the same direction…
…and…
"By the ancient gods !" she exclaimed, and as Shampoo and Mousse found out what made the venerable elder unexpectedly curse, their eyes also widened… and they knew that this was great trouble indeed !
(…)
That's not true… that can't be true…
But no matter how much she wanted to be dreaming, Soraya knew this was real… and awfully frightening !
The surface of Lake Qinghai was rising into some kind or very large, wide dome, as if some gargantuan aquatic creature was gradually pushing the water from below, further and further up, as if trying to free itself from the depths of the lake.
A huge mass of water extracted itself from the lake and slowly gathered its enormous size on the bank.
Literally hypnotized by the phenomenon, all eight fighters stared incredulously at the gigantic amount of water that was finishing exiting the no less gigantic lake.
And when there was no more movement from the alien mass, all wondered what would happen next… and that's when some kind of tentacles emerged from the main "body" of the creature, growing longer, always longer.
And slowly extending in direction of The Five !
Getting a grip on herself after the initial shock, Ukyo realized in the blink of an exe the incoming danger : she hurriedly climbed onto the horse, seized the reins and addressed her friends.
"Guys, that thing is after us and it's too large too fight ! We'll have to gallop in order to escape ! Ryoga, stay next to me with your horse, listen to my instructions and do exactly what I do, okay ?"
He nodded and, turning the other way, she looked at her childhood friend.
"Ran-Chan, I wish we could take you with us up there, but that will be too heavy for the horse. I'm sorry but you'll have to run as fast as possible. Think you can make it ?"
"No problem ! Let's go !" he replied.
And both horses were soon trotting, Ranma keeping up with them, given his outstanding running abilities.
"Ryoga ! You must use your legs and hands to make your horse gallop : hit the horse's side continuously with your heels and shake your reins energetically, like this !"
And a few seconds later, Ukyo launched a powerful "Yaaaah !" as her horse suddenly took to gallop, and Ryoga, who had watched intently, imitated her, unsure of his success… and his horse took off as well !
Both beasts were now advancing very rapidly on the road, and Ranma, well aware that he wouldn't be able to keep up, this time, was now progressing in big long leaps behind the horses, and he managed to remain quite close and not get outrun.
But the huge shapeless mass of water had started moving forward as well, it actually seemed to be "rolling" on the road, and rather quickly too !
And all this time, the tentacles continued to grow longer, but at a faster pace now, about to catch up with Ranma !
(…)
The large bird was flying always lower and lower, its speed now increased to match that of the horses.
"We help friends ! Right, Great Grandmother ?"
"Yes, my little Shampoo ! We have to, and our first goal must be to help Ranma : he won't be able to keep up with such a rhythm for a long time ! Are you two ready ?"
"Shampoo always ready !"
"And so am I ! I'll use my arsenal to fight off that… that thing, whatever it is ! We'll show that monster how the Amazons do it !"
The girl he loved but who – until now at least… - didn't love him back suddenly felt a great pride for that young man right by her side.
"Now you talking, Mousse ! You very brave ! And great warrior ! Shampoo admire you for this !"
And she grinned brightly at him, something he wasn't used to. At all.
"R…Really ? Oh, that's… that's very kind of you ! Thank you, Shampoo !"
She briefly closed her eyes, out of sheer joy.
"Hum hum…"
Both started and turned at their leader.
"Sorry to interrupt you, but you'll have to wait for the sweet words : we've got something urgent to do here !"
The bird was lowering always more.
"We're almost there…"
A bit more… and the bird then found itself flying between the water tentacles and Ranma.
"NOW !" screamed the Amazon leader, and both teenagers jumped into action !
"WE'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU, MONSTER !" bellowed Mousse as he raised both of his long and wide sleeves and pointed them at the "liquid pseudopods" approaching.
Small bombs started cascading from the sleeves' openings, exploding right beside the stretched "water arms" and shattering them. But alas, the latter reformed shortly after, reducing Mousse's efforts to nothing.
But the young man had resources : he pulled a long bo from his hammerspace and began whirling it in a round motion, in front of him, as fast as he could.
The result was a kind of propeller that chopped the water tentacles to tiny bits.
Meanwhile, Shampoo had jumped on the bird's head and was casting her chui this way and that way, destroying the enemy lengths that tried to get at her. She moved with speed and precision, as always, remaining out of harm's way while dealing powerful blows that never missed.
But the tentacles kept "rising from their ashes", there seemed to be no way to get rid of them for good…
(…)
Ranma had been recharged by Soraya in the morning, yet he felt his energy level quickly lowering as if something was draining him as he jumped forward as fast as he was able to.
Damn… I can't be exhausted already ! All we've done up to know was walk or ride, and it's not that demanding, so why…why do I suddenly feel so weak ?!
He did his best to jump on and on, but his body balked at the sustained efforts that were requested and got weaker… weaker…
Akane had turned around to check on him, and as she saw his tired expression as he struggled to push himself forth… and noticed that his jumps took a bit longer than usual.
"Ukyo ! Ranma is getting really tired ! I can tell he's losing strength : he's moving slower than usual ! We have to stop and help him or else he'll collapse !" she almost screamed in the leader's ear.
"Damn ! We can't let that happen !" replied the leader, and turning to her right, she exclaimed :
"Ryoga ! We must stop the horses and go help Ran-Chan ! Pull the reins as firmly as you can and tighten your heels on the horse's side, that should slow him down. Continue until it has stopped. Watch how I do. it"
In the mean time, Ranma felt that he was on the verge of crashing down out of fatigue.
No… not now… I can't –
His thoughts were interrupted by his heavy fall.
"RANMA !" screamed Akane, the horse having turned around and stopped, allowing her to clearly witness the fall.
She quickly dismounted to run to him, and on the other motionless horse, Soraya also got down, but she took the time to help Ryoga come down, as he was so unfamiliar with horses.
"Let's go help my brother !" she told him.
They were starting for the fallen boy when they got interrupted by Ukyo calling Ryoga.
He turned around, and as she asked him to come join her, he obliged.
"Ryoga, please bring your horse here."
He did so… but was astonished by what she then asked from him :
"We can't let the horses unattended : they might get scared and gallop away… Someone must hold them tightly. Can you please do that, Ryoga ? You're very strong and can easily master them if they try to escape !"
He hesitated, since he was reluctant to let his beloved fight by herself, without him to protect her.
"But I want to help ! And also, I want to be there for So !" he vaguely protested.
"I know you would prefer to stay with Soraya and protect her if need be… but I will do it for you, okay ? I swear I will !"
He licked his lips.
"Alright… but then there's also your wound…"
The smile of defiance she offered him spoke for itself.
"Honestly, I feel much better. And I wanna help Ran-Chan. He's one of my best friends and I can't, I won't let him down. But I will also make sure Soraya and Akane are safe : after all, that's a leader's duty to protect the "troops", don't you agree ?"
He nodded, admitting she was right and trusting her for taking care of the woman he loved.
She whirled around and adroitly pulled her giant spatula, which she then held firmly with both hands.
"Second showdown in two days… but we won't give up !"
And she started running to her childhood friend, shouting : "HERE I COME, RAN-CHAN !"
Another battle, another test to their determination… but none of them doubted !
(…)
(…)
Jeez, I had difficulties completing this one ! Mostly out of lack of time. Well, maybe I could have devoted more time to it, but work is very demanding and tends to short-circuit my writing wishes. I'm sure you know that feeling… not necessarily regarding writing, it can be anything else : you wanna do something, yet your duty prevents you from doing so… and you feel frustrated. Well, that was like this for me.
I just realized that the title "FROM LOVE TO WAR" echoes the famous saying "make love not war", but the pun wasn't intended. It was pure coincidence. What I meant with that title is that we start by a very sweet, peaceful, loving setting… to finish with another battle, and therefore a new "war". That shows us life can turn very different in no time… in this case, in less than one day, the context changes completely, and that reminds us that existence resembles a rollercoaster, with an alternation of ups and downs.
I hope you guys didn't get uncomfortable with the hot scenes. I don't plan to have them actually go all out and make love, but I do feel that passion can express itself in moderately explicit moments, without crossing boundaries. It's arousing, yes, and still not a lemon for all that. And also, I wanted to juxtapose the intimate scene of Soraya and Ryoga with the loving moment shared by Ranma and Akane, to show that love can manifest itself in a very exciting, sexual manner as well as in a tender, romantic way. It's still love in both cases, but in different expressions, and that also shows the richness of this holy feeling called LOVE.
Funny, those tentacles were my own idea… but as I wrote the whole scene, I couldn't help thinking about the Nightwalker from "PRINCESS MONONOKE", whose body launches many "homing tentacles" that probe the forest, in search of his head. It didn't inspire me, but it's true that there is a similarity here. Pretty cool, since Miyazaki is one of my all-time favourite filmmakers… oh, I already told you ! Ah ah, I'm such an absent-minded dude, so easily forgetful or distracted… ' *big sweatdrop at the back of my head*
Ah, and as you can see, I used an animal again as omen, at the Tendo's. I have an immense love for nature, and I thought : 'Eh, why not make it play a role in the story ? That could be interesting'. And I do hope it is, and that you find it so. And since I love blackbird's singing so much, well… :)
Oh, and just like with the two previous chapters, the action is split between two chappies here as well (this one and the next). I used to do that often via cliffhangers, back in the 10's (the years 2010, if you prefer), and it's true that "cliffies" are pretty cool, right, Folxxxx ?
My gratitude to all those caring to read, follow, favourite, review either this story or any other (lately been getting new followers/favuriters for one of my old MBC stories… kinda weird, after all this time… but pretty cool !), and those who decide to follow or favourite me. You guys are amazing, and I wish you just the best for your own stories !
A special thought for my wonderful friend Hoyo476, who has a lot on his plate recently. Hoyo, if you read this, I've got your back through all your hard times. Courage, my friend, courage !
TaKare Folxxxx, and be as happy as you possibly can ! Big up, Buddies !
" { Léo } "