For the rest of the trip, Akane was given free rein to go where she pleased. She helped clean up after the crew, which was a pleasure, and helped the cook prep the food and washed all the dishes—they wouldn't let her cook, not after that small fire mishap. But they trusted her with all the laundry and patchwork, which, admittedly, she wasn't the best at, but boy, did she give it her all!
And she had to be doing something right. Since that morning, Shampoo only needed to yell and punish her ONCE!
Her life had never felt so fulfilling.
Akane had been so busy, in fact, that the final days of traveling had passed by so quickly that despite working day and night, she could never seem to get everything done!
Before she knew it, Lumeria, her homeland, finally came into view.
And Akane couldn't wait to disembark.
The palace must be filthy!
…
The moment they landed at Lumeria's port, they were greeted by a large tribe of armed Amazons who kindly insisted on escorting them all to the palace gates.
Akane was thrilled by the sight! She loved to see people being so useful and accommodating. "Is there anything I can do to help too, Shampoo?" She'd eagerly asked before they were due to go ashore.
"Akane, keep quiet. No talking."
"Right!" She said and vowed not to say another word. Silence, after all, was said to be golden for a reason. So, Akane happily stayed still and quiet as Shampoo carefully plied her arms full of all her bags, stacking them one after another like she was a camel.
It was pretty heavy, but Akane was happy to be needed.
Still, despite her excitement, the walk through the city was an odd affair. As they passed, everyone kept staring at her and whispering as if they knew who she was. Thankfully, Akane was so busy with all the things she needed to do, her hands full of bags and boxes—piled so high she could barely see at times—that she couldn't pay them much mind, anyway.
"Don't you drop now!"
To her shame, Akane deserved the rebuke. She'd already tripped and fallen once during the beginning of their trek, spilling all the Amazon's precious belongings across the dirty, dusty road. It was hard to see where she was going, but that was no excuse. She needed to do better.
That's the only reason she broke her vow of silence. A good wife needs to apologize when in the wrong! "I'm sorry. I promise to guard your things with my life," she assured her, utterly sincere.
"Yes. Best do," Shampoo returned.
So Akane tilted her head to the side, craning her neck so she could better see forward, and carefully watched her step. Luckily, the chatter from the crowd barely registered anymore. So, as people murmured around her—
"That's her, I know it—she is alive!" "They meant it when they said she'd return?" "Why is she carrying all that stuff?" "Doesn't she look like the kind old queen?"
—Akane hummed happily to herself, focused entirely on her task. Just like a good wife should. Maybe Ranma needed help with…
Her smile faded a fraction of an inch, and a petal fell from the flower ornament in Akane's hair, drifting to the ground, lightly brushing her cheek as it passed.
That's right, she reminded herself. Ranma isn't here.
Oh! But she'd have so much to do once they arrived! She'd need to help decorate to make the place more lively and inviting, and there must be so much dust and cleaning to be done—the castle was huge!
The closer they drew to the iron gate, the more excited Akane became. She couldn't wait to get to work!
It was such a relief, then, that they made it to their destination in no time at all. The port wasn't far from the castle, so after announcing their arrival and passing through the gate, they entered the hollowed grounds at the same time their escorts dispersed. Then, with only Shampoo and Mousse remaining, they led her quickly through a labyrinth of hallways and archways that boasted several century's worth of architecture and priceless artifacts.
It was all so strangely familiar.
Like she'd seen it all before in a photograph once.
"Keep up, dummy!" Shampoo scolded her, and Akane couldn't help but blush, realizing she'd slowed down. That's when she noticed another petal had fallen from her hair, lying crushed on the floor beneath her shoe. However, hoping to avoid another reprimand, Akane quickly increased her pace.
Finally, they must have arrived at their destination because Shampoo and Mousse abruptly came to a halt. Akane was surprised to find they were standing outside two large double doors that led to what she instinctively knew to be the throne room.
"Mousse! Take bags!"
Akane's chest tightened. "I—I don't mind—!"
As the grumbling male complied, she instinctively fought the urge to snatch them back as the heavy load she'd lovingly carried was ruthlessly torn from her arms.
Akane hated having her hands empty. It felt wrong not to be doing anything.
As the grand doors swung open, however, her worries vanished. The throne room was even bigger than she'd imagined! If they allowed her to use it at night, she'd have ample room to get things done. In the far corner by the door, she could set up her laundry piles and, further down, hang all the blankets and sheets that needed to be aired. On the other side, she could set up a nook for rest and relaxation because a place to unwind was essential in any happy household!
Yes. Yes, she could work with this!
But, before she could assure them she had everything under control, her attention was drawn to the front of the room when a cane striking expensive marble echoed throughout the chamber.
Akane's heart seized uncontrollably as if something in her soul recognized that sound.
Then, a little old lady balancing on a cane bounced in. But it wasn't until the older woman moved to stand beside the giant obsidian throne that Akane realized it wasn't empty.
A child sat there. Small and dwarfed by its girth alone, she kicked her small legs idly from the edge of the seat, watching her curiously, her head tilted. Again, Akane's chest tightened as another petal from her flower drifted and fell as she stood there, staring back.
She knew her.
Since it was impolite to stare, Akane demurely averted her gaze, even as her mind secretly raced. She couldn't quite place how she knew her. It felt as if she'd seen her in a hazy dream before.
And why did she think she was supposed to be bigger?
Just as she turned to ask Shampoo, the kind Amazon stepped forward, waving her arm ecstatically in the air. "Great-grandmother! Great-grandmother! I back!"
"I see that, Shampoo. And my, oh my, what's this? It seems the news we received was true. You have brought a guest."
The old woman was looking at her now.
Akane figured that was her cue.
"That's me!" She said, clapping her hands, full of anticipation. "What would you like me to do first? I'm quite adept at laundry and dusting, and anything you need mended, I'd be happy to help with!"
Nobody answered, and a strange, reserved air filled the room.
But that didn't deter her.
A good housewife knew how to lighten the mood!
"I'd be happy to start in this room, of course," she assured them, smiling brightly. "I promise, I'll have it spic and span and shining by morning."
The small child jumped up from her seat, angrily shaking her small fists. "You broke her! You broke her! I can't see her angry aura at all!"
"Aiya! Shampoo forgetting!"
And just like that, Shampoo plucked the pretty twined flowers out of her hair, and instantaneously, it was like a switch had been flipped.
Akane's eyes locked on Hinako.
As her heart pounded, a primal scream erupted in her head as rage consumed everything, drowning out all other sounds.
Fear would come later. Words, too, because what could she even say?
What do you say to someone who killed your father, stole your kingdom, hunted your family, made your life hell, and then dragged you back after they'd already won?
Her hatred was so heavy that she was being crushed beneath the weight of it all!
So Akane simply stood there in the stony silence, her gaze dagger-sharp, her body trembling with barely restrained fury. What else could she do? If she made a move, she might drain her dry!
So, instead, she seethed.
"Yes! Yes! That's much, much better!" Child-Hinako cheered and jumped off her pilfered throne. "That's the spunky little girl I so fondly recall!"
So. Maybe words hadn't failed Akane after all. Although what she REALLY wanted to say, she kept to herself.
For now.
"Oh, honestly! THIS again? You don't seriously believe I'm some long-lost princess, do you?" As it turns out, playing dumb was easy. It was a game she'd been practicing all her life, and with the stakes this high, she wasn't about to go down without a fight. "I've been trying to tell Shampoo this entire time—before she placed that flower on me—you've got the wrong person!"
It was like Nabiki always told her: "Never admit to anything, Akane, even if it's true. Heck, ESPECIALLY if it's true! Keep playing dumb until you believe your lies. Eventually, that bit of doubt will make them more likely to believe it, too."
All those times they'd had to take on fake identities, it had worked. Only, this time, it didn't seem like her stepmother was buying it.
"Is that so?" Hinako asked with an indulgent smile, her eyes manically wide. "You certainly look like her."
Oh please, even Ranma hadn't recognized her at first.
"I just have one of those faces, I guess."
"She lie," Shampoo sniffed. "Shampoo see her with Tendo crest. With Tendo necklace, too!"
"I bought that necklace," she reminded her, sticking with the story she'd told on the ship. "It's a replica, or-or maybe she pawned it or something? I don't know. And like I already told Shampoo, Ranma brought the Tendo shield to my room—he was trying to tell me about his past, about his original fiancée. That's all."
The Amazon glared back. "Akane terrible liar," she said, which only made her want to push back harder.
"Oh, honestly! If I were the princess, what reason would I have to lie? Who WOULDN'T want to be heir to a kingdom like Lumeria?"
"That's right!" Child-Hinako replied, her lip curled in a pout. "I'm a joy to be around!"
The old woman chuckled, the sound like old bones rattling.
"I'm sure you are," Akane forced herself to say, looking right at her. But although words were easy to spill without truth, what she felt while looking at her stepmother wasn't quite as easy to conceal.
Hate, fury, and betrayal—all those dark emotions bubbled and swirled within her again, bursting forth before she could rein them in or bury them deeper. Akane saw the moment her stepmother noticed, recalled too late, how easily she could read auras and emotions.
Hinako's eyebrows rose, and she grinned widely. "Ah ah ah! I caught you!" she said, pointing at her excitedly. "No stranger should hate me so so much! Meanie. I'm actually kinda hurt."
Well. It had been worth a try.
"Fine," Akane muttered, dropping the act now that it wasn't working. "Then tell me why I'm here. You owe me at least that much…"
"Do I?" Hinako asked as she childishly stuck out her tongue.
"YES! Wasn't stalking us for the last eight years ENOUGH for you? Why couldn't you just leave us alone?!"
"Isn't it obvious? You're back home where you belong, silly. With me!" She scrunched up her nose. "It's not safe for one of Lumeria's heirs—any of you young girls, really—to be running around in the wild like that. It's so uncouth!"
Akane was too angry to respond to such twisted logic, so instead, she pointedly looked away, which is when she finally got a good look at exactly where she was.
Her chest tightened, and her stomach dropped at the sight.
Under the power of the motherhood flower, it hadn't registered before. But the throne room was nothing like she remembered.
Her stepmother had changed everything.
Growing up, the walls had gleamed golden and bright, draped with gorgeous red silken curtains that were flanked by pillars of gold. However, all of that had been stripped away, replaced by dark and somber colors that cast a depressing pall over the entire room. Even the chandeliers had been removed, replaced by torches that lined the walls, transforming it into a more dungeon-like setting than a gathering hall. The throne itself hadn't escaped her touch either. It was now black obsidian instead of scarlet, and the sight of this ultimate degradation infuriated her.
That throne had been in her family for a millennium!
HOW DARE SHE!
"Oh, it's wonderful! See? See? I knew her anger would be a powerful sight," Hinako bragged, only a handful of feet away now.
"So it appears," the old woman on the cane cackled. And without her mind muddled, Akane recognized her, too.
Cologne. Her father's traitorous advisor.
"Do it now, granny!" Her stepmother ordered, her eyes alight. "Do it now! Now!"
Akane only made it a single step before Cologne teleported before her, balancing effortlessly on her cane. "I have a gift for you, dearie," she said and lurched forward so fast she was only a blur.
After that, though, Akane wasn't sure what happened.
But the longer she stared at the old woman, something inside her began to shift.
Mistrust. Annoyance. Disgust—she felt those emotions so keenly, it hurt. More than ever, Akane knew that sneaky old woman couldn't be trusted. Hadn't she been lying and betraying her family for as long as they'd known her?!
In fact, Akane DESPISED her!
A deep, animalistic rage shot through her, but before Akane could act on it or launch herself at the evil backstabber, her stepmother began to chant. Shifting her gaze, she noticed a small ring pinched between Hinako's two fingers.
In moments, Akane began to grow weaker. She could feel her battle aura being sucked right out of her body, and it wasn't hard to figure out why.
Her stepmother was DRAINING her!
THE WITCH!
Akane, falling to a knee, glared as Hinako transformed into an adult right before her eyes. Gone was the short, baby-faced, skinny-armed child. Now, a tall woman with killer curves and a bust Akane couldn't help but envy stood proudly in her place.
With difficulty, Akane used her elbow to prop herself up. "Y-you M-MONSTER!"
"How marvelous," Hinako said, now speaking in a deeper, mature voice. "She can still move. And speak. This treasure of yours is truly a marvel, Grandmother. At this rate, I'll be able to live off her fury for years!"
"Much better than a couple of measly fighting fish, eh?"
"Oh yes. Those pathetic floppers kept dying on me! Completely useless. But now, I've got a new pet."
Her lips turned up into a grin as she looked down at Akane.
"I'm—no one's—pet," Akane bit back, and with all the willpower she could muster, pushed herself back to her feet. She stood there, legs shaking, lips pulled back into a snarl as she glared at her enemy.
"Aiya! Such pretty jewel," Shampoo cooed as she stepped before her, fingering the small broach that had been pinned to her collar—until Akane angrily batted her hand away. "This reversal jewel you speak of, great-grandmother?"
"That it is, Shampoo. It is a rare stone that affects emotions. When worn in the correct position, love or hate flow abundantly. But when worn in the opposite position, the emotion becomes twisted and perverse."
So that's what the terrible gremlin had placed on her?!
But why?
"Aiya!" Shampoo happily clasped her hands together. "Jewel perfect for airen. If he wears it, he take Shampoo in arms and love so so soooo much! Can't wait for you's to meet, great-grandmother. Husband so strong and manly!"
"A complete scoundrel and cad, you mean," Mousse bitterly protested. "He's not worth the dirt beneath your feet, Shampoo! You don't need some stupid jewel to earn anybody's love. You're magnificent just the way you are!"
Akane wished she were unconscious to spare herself the excruciating agony of this conversation. Why couldn't her evil stepmother drain her completely and be done with it?! Death would be preferable to this nonsense.
She DESPISED them! Every last one!
"Shut up, stupid Mousse! What you knowing about airen? Mind own business now!"
Cologne sighed. "You were supposed to seduce and marry the Prince, Shampoo. How on earth did you come to be under the spell of an underling?"
"A spell! Yes! That HAD to be it," Mousse insisted.
"Would you all give it a rest?" Hinako complained as she sauntered back to her throne. "This is a happy day. I've waited years for this cozy little reunion. We should be celebrating!"
"Hmph, what making Akane so special?" Shampoo grumbled, glowering at her again as Akane happily returned the favor. "She dumb, spoiled princess like all others."
"Ah, but that's where you are wrong, sister."
"Observe her aura, child," Cologne ordered, cackling in agreement. "Every human is governed by an emotion that reigns supreme over all others. For some, it is greed, confidence, depression, serenity, fear…"
"Or anger…" Hinako finished as she stared smugly at Akane, still weakened but fuming. "Our little Akane-chan has hostility in spades, and with a little push now and then, why, I could easily feed off her energy for years!"
"And so you shall," Cologne added as she hopped back towards the throne to stand by her side. "With your special abilities and our clan's little treasure… why, you should have no trouble keeping her angry and ruling as an adult over Lumeria. No more of this foolish draining the townsfolk nonsense."
"It shall be a last resort," Hinako agreed, nodding solemnly.
"Such happy news!" Shampoo cheered.
But Akane was too angry to make much sense of anything they were saying. They were acting like she wasn't even here—like she was some object, or-or furniture or something!
IT WAS DEGRADING!
Now, on top of EVERYTHING else, they were trying to curse her with some evil brooch, too?! NOT IF SHE COULD HELP IT! Determined to rip it off and destroy that, at least, Akane reached for the cursed thing—
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Cologne warned her, her voice pitched low. "That little trinket is keeping you alive, girl. Remove it, and you may not have the energy to resist come morning. It alone keeps those raw emotions of yours endlessly flowing…"
"I'm afraid I can get a bit overzealous," her stepmother tittered, covering her mouth with her hand. "It can be quite hard to stop when the power flows freely, you see. And I'd so hate to cut our lovely little reunion short, daughter."
So, of course, Akane hesitated.
Is that why she hadn't been drained completely?
She didn't believe or trust ANY of them, but still, it made her hesitate. After all, the jewel amplified her emotions. It didn't make her suicidal. And since Akane couldn't trust her thoughts anymore, she tiredly let her arm drop.
"Take her to get changed," Hinako ordered, crossing her long, long legs. "I've prepared a small gift for you as a homecoming surprise. I do so hope you like it, Akane-Chan."
Finding any gift from her appalling, Akane couldn't resist the instinctive need to fight against Mousse as he pulled her none too gently towards the door, Shampoo close at his heels. But still weakened, she didn't have the energy to fight him.
In a way, it was like wearing the motherhood flower all over again—but this time, Akane decided, she wouldn't be so weak and helpless for long.
Her enemies had naively invited a snake into their midst, and they'd soon find that snakes, even cursed ones, couldn't be leashed for long…
…
"What do you mean we're SINKING?!"
Captain Kima looked as much at a loss as he was. "I should think the words 'we're sinking' speak for themselves, Your Highness."
"No shit," Ranma snapped, though he was angry at himself too. Seriously, he should've seen this coming. Rats always fuck things up!
"Okay, but humor us," Ranko ordered, her voice shrill. "Why? HOW?!"
"We're not quite sure," she replied, somber, as she finished handing out each of their life vests. "A hole was found in the cargo bay, and my men can't bail it out fast enough. All I know is there was some strange card embedded in the wood. Cut clear through the hull somehow!"
"A card?!"
Kima nodded. "I believe it was a playing card."
"An old maid," her first mate, Korma, elaborated.
The wind on deck was chilly and harsh, and his ears were ringing as everyone on deck began evacuation procedures—so Ranma wasn't sure he'd heard them correctly.
He better not have.
"An old maid?" He repeated, deadpan. There's no way his rescue attempt was about to be ruined by a fucking card.
"Come again?" Ukyo echoed. "No way you're telling us we're sinking because a playing card destroyed the fastest ship in our fleet!"
Kima bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I…"
To Ranma's irritation, she was interrupted before the groveling could begin. Masala, her second first mate—seriously, Ranma had no clue why she needed TWO—came rushing in with another crewman, dragging a bulky body between them. His fat face was lowered and half-hidden by a hat.
"We found the culprit, Captain! The cabin boy said he challenged him to a game of poker but was caught cheating. The bastard even used the same cursed deck!"
Masala dropped the bastard to the ground, and the jerk finally lifted his head. Lying at their feet was a short, squat man with a frilly beard and a handlebar mustache. A creepy smile stretched across his too-wide face.
"Hahaha! YOU ALL LOSE!"
"What the hell?" Ukyo grumbled, an eyebrow raised. "You sure this is the guy?"
Ranma shared the sentiment.
The thought that this was the scumbag responsible for sinking their ship was crazy. The creep looked like he'd stepped out of one of those ridiculous playing cards himself—he belonged in a seedy gambling den, not aboard a warship. How the hell hadn't they noticed him?!
'Course, his sister didn't much care for the why or the how. As soon as the freak spoke, Ranko had started kicking him while he was down, her face beet red. "You idiot! Buffoon! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
It hadn't taken long for Ukyo to join in on the pummeling after that. So, for now, Ranma let the women go at it.
(If he had a go himself, the jerk might stop breathing.)
Not that it made a difference.
During a reprieve, the gambler lowered his arms from his head and grinned proudly up at them. "It was my sweetest victory," he chuckled through a busted lip. "You should have known better than to try your luck against the gambling king! HAHAHAHA!"
This time, it was Captain Kima who grabbed him. She yanked him up by his lapels so they were face to face. "You cretin! How DARE you touch my ship!"
"YOUR ship?" He taunted with an obnoxious sneer. "I believe you mean MY ship! I won it fair and square."
Captain Kima veered back, dropping him. "W-What?"
Now that he was no longer being manhandled, the dick began rummaging about in his pocket and pulled out a single piece of paper. "It's all right here. Read it and weep, thieves!"
He slammed the paper down on the floor where everyone could see it. Picking it up, Kima began to read aloud: "Entitles the bearer to ownership of Wistalia's fastest ship, the Maomolin. Signed, Someone who definitely owns the rights to this ship."
Everyone in the navigation room stared at the freak, who was busy rubbing his nose. "As you can see, it's legally binding. It even bears the cad's fingerprint."
"But, there's no name," Ukyo pointed out. "It can't be legal."
"And that fingerprint looks like a jelly smudge."
"Yes. Well, the brute couldn't be trusted after all, it seems. But the deal still stands! This is MY ship. But despite this irrefutable fact, when I came to claim MY ship the other day, you scalawags denied me entry and threw me in the surf!"
"Too bad that big head of yours didn't pull you under and keep you there," Ranko muttered.
"Wait a sec," Ranma replied, his voice dangerously low. "Are you saying that's why you snuck onboard, hounded everyone, and DESTROYED the ship? Because you made a bad bet and were pissed off?"
"It's as I said," he continued as Ranma began to advance, a tremor to his voice. "I-I win…?"
"You won something alright," Ranma said, cracking his knuckles. "Now, FIX THE DAMN SHIP!"
"I-I-I can't!"
While this asshole was apparently fine getting abused by girls, something about Ranma must have made his survival instincts kick in because suddenly, he was careful to keep distance between them.
Which was smart but useless.
Ranma wasn't in a forgiving mood…
"Come now, boy. What's done is done," his father told him, stepping between the two and laying a restraining hand on his arm. "The villain will get what's coming to him." Turning back to Kima, he asked, "How bad is the damage? Is it salvageable?"
Kima turned her head away in shame. "No," she told him. "We need to abandon the ship."
Ryoga frowned, and Ranma could feel the force of his gaze on his back as he asked: "How far are we from Lumeria now?"
"Well," Kima sighed. "We're almost to the continent, so with the lifeboats, we should be able to make it to shore, then make the rest of the way on foot."
"How far?" Ryoga repeated.
"Several more days. At least."
Ranma barely registered that nonsense. Even five minutes was too long, and now this bastard had set them back two DAYS?!
Ranko expressed her disbelief in a different way.
She resumed kicking the saboteur as Ukyo began to tie him up with some extra twine and yelled, "Sink along with your beloved ship, you demon!"
"Enough!" The king shouted, trying to get them to refocus before this turned into a lynching. "We need to start heading for the lifeboats. It's imperative we get to safety. Captain Kima and her men will see to the prisoner."
"I'd gladly throw him in the brig and let him drown," she said, "but with your permission, sire, first, I'd like to know who had the nerve to bet my ship."
"By your leave," Genma told her.
The captain turned to her first mate and instructed: "Keep him tied up. Once we're back on land, question him."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
"Right. Now, everyone, head for the lifeboats," she instructed, speaking to everyone still in the navigation room. "Slow and orderly. There should be plenty of room."
However, as everyone began to leave the chamber and head up the stairs to the top deck, Ranma stood his ground. His knuckles curled around the table. "I'm not leaving."
His father and Ranko turned to stare at him. "What?" The king growled. "Have you lost your mind, son?!"
"Don't be stupid," Ranko snapped. "You can't save Akane if you drown, stupid!"
"Yeah, well, we can't save her by drifting in some shitty-ass boats either," he told her. "Maybe another ship will come, or heck, maybe even with the leak, I can plug it, and drifting, get closer than two fucking days, or-or, I don't know, I can swim there!—either way, I'm not ready to just give up!"
His sister sighed, pinching her nose. "Okay, fine. You guys go on ahead," she ordered, motioning for the others to leave. "No reason for all of us to drown because of my pigheaded brother. I'll talk some sense into him."
"Maybe I should stay too," Ryoga offered and cracked his knuckles. "You might need some muscle to beat sense into him."
Ranma eyed him coldly. "You really wanna push me right now?"
"I'm not the one risking an entire crew, Ranma!"
"Oh, like you wouldn't if it was Ukyo?!"
"I-I…" That shut him up.
Ukyo, feeling shy, punched him in the arm. "Oh, you—you big lovable lug!"
"Alright, out with you," Ranko said again as she physically began pushing the stragglers out the door. Finally, only their father was left.
"You both better be up there soon," he told them. And then he, too, was gone.
Finally, it was just him and his twin sister.
"Look," Ranko began again, surprisingly gentle. "You know I'm worried about her too. We all are. But jeez, have a little faith in her, would you? She's lasted this long without our help—she's not gonna fall apart now! Besides, use your brain for a second. If Hinako wanted her brought back, she's not gonna suddenly kill her off now! She wanted her alive for a reason. We have time."
To Ranma's annoyance, her argument made sense. Only, he wanted to be mad! He wanted to rant and rave and FEEL something other than this awful helplessness clawing at his chest.
"Yeah, but—"
But even his sister had her limits.
"But NOTHING!" She shouted, the words ripped from her chest, raw and bleeding. "You think you're the only one hurting here? Because you're not! I LOVE HER, TOO, STUPID—so don't think for a second that just because you were born a guy and I'm stuck a girl, that my feelings for her are somehow less than yours! You got lucky, you jerk, that's all! So stop acting like you're the only one hurt, or worried, or struggling. I'm scared out of my wits too! But, you know what I'm not doing? I'm NOT whining and making everything about me. So quit it with the dramatics already. It's not helping you, and it sure as hell isn't helping Akane!"
Ranma stared back at his sister, at his other half, the one person he thought he knew better than anyone else.
He hadn't known her at all.
But her gaze was still fierce as she stared back at him as if challenging him to say something, anything else. But there was the slightest tremble to her eyes, to her lips, and it was like he was seeing her for the very first time.
How could he have been so blind?
Ranma swallowed. "Then what should I do?"
"For starters? Get off this stupid boat."
…
Akane furiously stared at Shampoo, the "dress" her stepmother had gifted her clutched tightly in her hand. She couldn't wring it hard enough.
"I'm not wearing that."
It could hardly be considered a dress. Actually, it could hardly be counted as clothing. It was a few scraps of thin silk tied together by string, barely enough to cover her at all. It wasn't made to wear; it was made to mortify and humiliate. And with the jewel, Akane felt both of them KEENLY.
"Aiya! Princess think she have choice?"
Akane threw the "dress" right back at her. "You think you can make me?"
True, she wasn't in her best condition. She was still fighting the effects of being drained, and she'd only been able to walk here by taking small, shuffling steps and pausing frequently, but she wasn't about to be bullied into wearing something so insulting!
Being here would have to be enough.
Still, a taunting smile stretched across Shampoo's face at the perceived challenge. "Shampoo all too happy put Akane in place…"
"So you say. You might have the upper hand now, Shampoo, but why don't you try me for real sometime? Like when I haven't been drained, enchanted, or can barely stand?" She paused and added tauntingly, "Although, knowing you, you'd NEED the handicap, wouldn't you?"
Shampoo threw the dress at her face, and Akane caught it by reflex.
"Now, now, girls," Cologne berated, her stick striking the ground like a whip as she entered the room. "Let there be less yakking and more dressing, eh? We mustn't keep Hinako waiting."
"Sure we can," Akane muttered, in no rush to see her evil stepmother again. Just the thought of being near her again had her blood pumping and her pulse throbbing.
Or maybe it was the jewel?
She hated not knowing.
"I'm afraid brooding and dragging your feet won't change the inevitable, girl. This is your life now. It's best you reconcile yourself to it."
"I have no reason to listen to you," Akane told her, pointedly looking away. The mere sound of the old woman's voice grated on her every nerve. It was like listening to a fork scraping against a wineglass.
But Cologne merely cackled as if she found her defiance amusing.
Which only angered Akane more.
Maybe THIS is what she'd trained the last eight years for? To wipe that ugly grin off that old witch's withered lips!
"Oh, that jewel sure is something," Cologne continued, unaware of how close Akane was to launching herself at her.
The only thing stopping her was Shampoo.
Whenever she was tempted, she'd catch sight of the smug Amazon standing behind her, arms crossed, expression ugly. And in that moment, all that overwhelming hate and anger was channeled in her direction instead.
Akane wanted to tear her head off!
"Perhaps it's best we take a small break, eh?" Cologne said and without warning, plucked the jewel off her plain white slip.
Oh.
Immediately, it felt like warm water had been doused over her head. All those negative, intense emotions washed away like they'd never been—
No, that wasn't quite right. Those feelings were still there, but now she could recognize and control them.
It was a terrifying power!
Where in the world did these people keep getting these things?
"There now. Is that not better? I'm not unreasonable, child. If you behave and dress as instructed, I give my word that this broach will not be reattached. You may enjoy your freedom, however temporary it may be. However," she warned, narrowing her eyes at her. "If you continue to be difficult, I'll be forced to reattach it. Do we have ourselves an understanding?"
Akane didn't agree in words. Instead, she picked the dress up and silently began to change into it.
It was her only option.
Without the egg or a workable plan, all she could do was play along and wait for an opportunity to strike. And for that, she needed to be level-headed. She couldn't think clearly wearing that awful broach.
Besides, Akane had a feeling thinking, not fighting, was the only way she was going to get out of this mess. So, for now, she resigned herself to waiting.
At least she was still alive, and as long as she was breathing, she had hope.
(Hadn't she worked with less?)
…
They didn't return to the throne room like she'd expected. Instead, Akane was led through a series of familiar, winding hallways to a room she hadn't seen in years.
Cologne had brought her to her parent's old bedroom. Hinako's room now, she realized, as she was led inside.
But, like the throne room, it looked nothing like it used to… now, it was like she was standing in a child's bedroom. Stuffed animals, clothes, toys, and food scraps were thrown everywhere—she could hardly see the floor. It was such a mess!
But that wasn't all.
Half hidden at the foot of the bed, buried, was a giant chain attached to one of the bed's four legs. It was coiled upon a huge mat that had been thrown haphazardly on the ground.
An uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she stared at it. What in the world was that for?
"My. Don't you look a vision, daughter!"
Tearing her gaze away, Akane glowered over at her stepmother. She was still an adult and had just stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head.
"I don't trust you or your eyesight," Akane told her.
She was underdressed and looked ridiculous. No one in their right mind would wear such an embarrassing outfit, not in the heart of the palace, and certainly not out in public!
And then, a horrifying thought occurred to her—she wouldn't make her go out in public like this, would she?!
"I don't believe you trust me on much of anything, darling," her stepmother reproached, giving nothing of her plans away.
"I can't imagine why," Akane snapped, and the loathing she felt proved she didn't need the reversal jewel to feel hate. She felt it plenty!
"Well, now, as amusing as this little reunion is," Cologne said with a dry, amused chuckle. "I don't wish to intrude. I think it best I leave you two kids alone to catch up."
At that, Akane clenched her fists. The thought of being alone with her stepmother was almost worse than being enchanted. However, it was also an opportunity. All she had to do was use Happosai's technique to attack and seal her power, then kill her before she could respond.
"I have nothing more to say to her," Akane insisted, trying hard not to give her plan away. If she were too eager, they'd be suspicious. "Honestly! I'd rather sleep in the dungeons!"
"Such spirit, daughter. And yet, it lacks something." Lifting a finger, she gestured to the old Amazon. "Before you go, could you…?"
"Oh-ho. How silly of me. Almost forgot," Cologne chuckled as she darted forward and reattached the jewel to Akane's dress. "There now, right back where it belongs."
Even though she knew what to expect, the suddenness of the change was still overwhelming. Pure, hot disgust filled Akane's head, rushing throughout her body and darkening her expression.
"Ah. That's better. My kitten has become a tiger."
All that hate had to go somewhere—so without thought, acting on impulse, Akane lunged at her, prepared to show her just how much of a predator she could be!
But expecting as much, the evil old woman tripped her foot up with her cane, sending her tumbling to the floor.
"Now, now, Princess. Save that fire for later, hmm."
"That's right," said her stepmother as she bent down by the bed and picked up the giant chain pooling on the mat. "You're going to need to conserve your energy. What I don't take of it, that is," she finished with a laugh.
Akane eyed that chain furiously, but before she could move or climb back to her feet, Hinako held it up, and using one of its links, began to drain her power.
Her head fell back to the floor, even as she fought against the intense force pushing her down.
"Just treating you like the delinquent you are, Akane," Hinako said as she stepped forward and then attached some sort of collar around her neck, snapping it into place. "Really, now! Running away from your own family. What were you thinking? Did that sound very responsible of you?"
While Akane was immobile and fuming (and exhausted), she finished looping the chain through a small hoop at the front of the collar and then attached the other end through several of the chain's links at the base of the bed, limiting how much she could move.
She really was tying her up here like some kind of pet!
"You-you monster!" Again, with renewed fervor, Akane pulled at the chain, but even lifting her arm was stealing all the energy she could muster.
Which only made her madder.
"I've learned not to underestimate you, dear, sweet daughter. This," she explained, sweeping an arm to where she lay, passed out and drained, "is merely a precaution. You see, I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
"Sleep well, girl," Cologne cackled as she hopped away, the sound of her cane fading into the distance. And Akane realized how foolish her plan had been.
OF COURSE she wasn't threatened by her.
She had no intention of leaving her with enough energy to do anything.
"Sleep now. We'll talk more in the morning," said Hinako, still draining her, and as Akane's eyes slowly closed, fighting a losing battle, she vowed to herself.
This isn't over. Not by a long shot!
And finally, there was nothing. Not even anger, as Akane forcefully slept.
…
Apparently, Ranma's luck wasn't entirely fucked because the second they emerged from the navigation room and stepped into the path of the hot blazing sun, it was to find the shipwrecker already causing another scene.
"That's him! That's him!"
The weirdo was jumping up and down, pointing at one of the crew members who was trying to hide behind the lower mast.
He was doing a shitty job of it.
"THAT'S the scoundrel who lied and stole my ship! Ha ha ha! Thought you could pull one over on the gambling king, did ya?!"
The man was rail-thin, his long, dark, and stringy hair appearing as though it hadn't been washed in months. Ranma couldn't get a clear look at his face until Korma yanked him into full view, forcing his head to lift.
And Ranma froze, instantly recognizing him.
He was older for sure, disguised in the plain brown tunic all the sailors were wearing, but his eyes were the same.
Kind. Intelligent. Pained.
There was no doubt about it. They were staring at Akane's father, King Soun.
Beside him, Ranko sucked in a shocked breath, recognizing him too, and his father stumbled over a stationary pile of rope in his shock.
"S-Soun?! Tendo-san?"
"H-hello, old friend."
His father's lips trembled as the lost king shifted uncomfortably where he stood, looking ashamed and sheepish and like he'd rather be somewhere else.
Clearly, this wasn't how he intended to show himself.
But Ranma wanted answers.
The moment he took a step, however, his father finally moved. He pitched forward, moving quickly for such a bulky man, and then the two friends and kings were embracing, snot and tears running down their faces.
"I thought you were dead, Tendo! Tell me, my friend, how can this be?"
"It's a long story," he began, sniffling.
And then, began to tell it.
End of Chapter 21
Authors Notes:
Wow, only one chapter to go! Thanks so much for sticking with me through this story! As thanks, I've also added commissioned fanart to Chapter 11 on my AO3 posting of this story. I hope you like it! ❤️