Ranma 1/2 is the property and invention of Rumiko Takahashi. The following story is not produced for any monetary or personal gain. Its sole purpose is to entertain using the characters and plots developed by Takahashi. ALL rights reserved
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Shadows of the Land
Volume II : Family Ties
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Chapter 6: Temple of Light
Akane and Ranma stared at the small white stone in the clearing. They did not speak to each other, but their hands instinctively reached for each others' as they remembered a glimpse of a scene from their respective pasts. The moment over, Ranma turned his attention to the stone in the middle of the small clearing. It was a dull gray stone that was no different from any other they had met except that this stone rose commandingly out of the ground. No grass grew around it, and no shrub blocked it from view. It rose as a perfect circle out of the ground and formed what looked like a perfect spherical dome at the top. Cautiously, Ranma laid a hand on the stone, expecting something to happen, but nothing did. Relieved, he continued studying it and realised that it had not a single scratch or marking on it.
He stepped away from the stone when he felt it. Something tugging at him from the region behind the stone. Something calling him. Somehow it did not feel dangerous, but Ranma was not taking any chances. After whispering his ideas into Akane's ear, he hopped into a tree, followed by Akane.
The trees were becoming thinner as the two teens approached something that was calling to them both. They did not know what was calling them, so their senses were stretched to the maximum range. Of Ranma, nothing could be heard. Ranma's week of training though had helped Akane immensely. They no longer walked among the leaves and shrubs on the forest floor, but instead had taken to the tree limbs that were overgrown with vines and whose branches were covered with moss. This however was no hamper to Ranma who landed on each branch without even hinting that he was slightly off balance. Akane, his fiancée by their choice was not as graceful as he was, but one week of travelling by the trees had painfully taught her how to compensate when she was unbalanced on a slippery tree limb. Ranma never stayed more then two branches in front of her and he always seemed to be waiting. There was no noise. Even their landing against the bark of the tree was softened by the lichenous growth on it.
Akane visibly sweated when Ranma suddenly stopped in front of her. She had misplaced her feet when she had landed on the limb before his and was unbalanced. She did not want to make any noise. Something was pulling her forward too and she felt Ranma's discretion at being cautious was warranted. She did not want to lose for them the element of surprise. She used the force of her momentum to push her towards Ranma's branch. She dared not even shout to Ranma for help. She knew was not going to make it to the branch when Ranma's hand reached out and grabbed hers, using their hands as a pivot, he swung her upwards. She flipped in mid air and landed soundlessly in his lap. She silently breathed a sigh of relief and tried to calm those thoughts that were once again creeping towards the forefront of her mind. She was so close to him that she could smell the scent of his body against hers and feel every touch of his warm body as it sparked electricity along her skin.
She realised though that he was not looking at her. He was looking straight ahead. She annoyingly wondered what could have captured his interest so much when the sparkling light captured her eyes and she gasped. It was so beautiful. Beautiful was not even the word to describe it but it was the only one that came to her frozen mind.
Hidden in the forest was a sunken valley filled with trees and one river that meandered through the valley and under a white temple at the centre. The plains around the centre were in full bloom and Akane could make out the contrasting colours of the fields as they silhouetted the valley. There were trees too. Some were decked in brilliant plumage, others adorned with the dotted and hidden colours of what must be fruit.
That however was not what took the breath away. It was the centre that grabbed all attention.
Pearl white walls dazzled in the sunlight and glimmered against the stream as it disappeared beneath them. From where they were, all they could see were the walls as they stood like sentinels against the sky. In the middle of the compound though, they could make out the point of a structure that defied all explanation. A dome that seemed to float off the ground and whose apex seemed to disappear into the low lying clouds covering the valley.
She felt the dampness of Ranma's lips against her cheek as he kissed her lightly then nodded a reply to whatever he had asked her. She was too much in awe to give him her full attention. They began moving again, towards the valley. She idly remembered that he was still cradling her in his arms but she did not feel like doing anything about it at the moment.
All she wanted to do was gaze upon the valley below them and soak in everything that was down there. For some reason, she felt a measure of warmth emanating from those pearly white walls. One that suffused her body and Ranma's also. She reached up and entwined her hands around his neck, letting her head fall against the crook of his neck as he carried them down towards the valley below.
The sides of the valley were covered by trees that did not grow too close together but apart as if some hand had fashioned them and planted them in a space that was all their own. The trees themselves were of many different types. Some rose majestically from the earth with limbs laden with rustling leaves as they pierced the canopy above, others, were shorter and laden with fruit that Ranma could not recognise.
He approached one of the trees and plucked one of the rose red fruit. The light played against its skin and taunted Ranma to take a bite. So he did. He took a bite and was amazed at the sweet nectar that seemed to gush from the red fruit. It filled in mouth with aromatic bliss and spilled over his lips, running down his chin. He felt finger against his skin as Akane stopped the sweet juice from running and he heard the smacking of her lips as she murmured appreciatively at the taste. He reached out and plucked another from the tree and handed it to her.
They continued their descent until the trees gave way to a plain covered by a deluge of colourful and beautifully mastered creations that sprang up defiantly from the thick lawn of grass into the open plain. The think green stems proudly rose from the grown bearing the weight of sometimes one large exquisite blossom or a bunch of small tiny droplets of colour.
Ranma released Akane and silently picked and wove a handful of the blossoms into a small circular crown with large blue and yellow flowers that were fringed at the top and bottom by small red drops. He felt a hand slide around his neck and when he turned around Akane slid a small bouquet of her own behind his ear and laced the ends of the stems into his hair. He lay his small crown of flowers gently on her head and stared at her.
The flowers had the desired effect. The colours played against Akane's face in the sunlight, making her glow, making her look even more beautiful if that was possible. He reached up and stroked her cheek with the tip of his finger, moving his finger from her ear to the side of her cheek slowly. He felt two hands worm their way across his back and behind his neck.
He willingly snuggled himself closer to her as they embraced. He loved the smell of her hair as she hugged him as he brought his hands around her waist. For some reason every time he smelled her hair he always remembered the first time he had breathed in the aroma and the essence of cherries on a warm sunny morning. The corners of his lips were already curved in an adoring smile as they stood there, holding each other.
He did not know how long they had stayed like that, but they had stayed until the calling came to them again. He reluctantly released her and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. They linked their arms together and descended once again into another grove of trees that surrounded the flowers.
They walked silently through the trees but this time, they made no effort to hide their trail as they walked. Something about the place had them at ease. It did not look familiar but the aura of the place was inviting and friendly. Ranma did not let down his guard but he allowed himself to enjoy the quiet moments where he was not training. He had begun to stop and take a look around him more since he had started the trip with Akane. For some reason she had a calming effect on him.
The trees once again began to clear, giving way to another field of lush grass dotted by shrubbery and flowers. The flowers there were large white and purple blossoms along with some dark red ones. That however was not what took the breath away while looking at this plain. No. The multicoloured daintily aloft creatures that seemed to follow the fancies of whichever wind was blowing were what captured the mind. Thousands of them were settled on the flowers and nearby trees. A kaleidoscope of colour in eternal motion with the winds.
Stunned and amazed, they sat against the trunk of a tree and watched the ballet of colour before them. Ranma wrapped his hand around Akane as she sat in his lap. They stayed and watched as the throngs moved from one side of the plain to the next. They smiled when one of the creatures showed enough courage to alight on them. They marvelled at the colours on the small wings as the majestic designs swirled and complemented each other in a matrix that could not possibly be doubled by any human hand without being hopelessly flawed. They laughed as the small creatures walked on their bare skin eliciting tingling sensations that tickled the senses lightly. They watched and saw and felt until the longing came again and they continued their march to the centre.
Walking towards the centre, they continued quietly but not overtly trying to mask their presence. For some reason, the very breeze that softly stroked their faces calmed them. Calm was what they felt as they walked again into the another wooded band. This time however, they could make out the rising of a small snaking plume of smoke as it arose from what must be a fire. They saw the smoke as it rose, embracing the sky, but they did not make any attempt to increase their pace. As they continued, the trees began to clear once again, leaving them at the edge of what seemed to be a perfect circle. Inside the circle, the grass grew lushly. As they stepped onto the mat of grass, the soles of their feet disappeared into the think thatch layer underneath the rising green stalks.
Their attention though was not focused on this. Their attention was focused on the two figures that were facing them. There was a fire at the centre of the clearing. A fire that seemed to burn without having any fuel. A fire that seemed to give smoke though there was nothing burning at it's centre. A fire that seemed not to scorch the grass around it though it must have been hundreds of degrees in temperature. A fire that had flames that came from nowhere and ended as ephemerally as they appeared. A fire that seemed as alive as all the other creatures they had passed.
The figures were on the other side of the fire. They were intently staring into the fire from what Ranma and Akane could make out of them. Staring into the fire such that the top of the cloaks they wore fell over their faces, totally concealing them from view. The white cloaks they were wearing were strange too. Unlike Mousse's, these seemed to be a pure white. They flowed around the seated bodies and did not seem to have any seams in them.
"Why have you come here?" one of them asked.
Ranma and Akane stared at them and then looked at each other as if expecting the other to answer.
"Come closer," spoke the other.
Akane and Ranma shrugged and took a step closer although Ranma had relaxed himself completely, preparing himself in case he had to fight. Akane tensed her muscles as she too thought that thing could get more unpredictable from that point onwards. They were both so quietly walking forwards and so intent on watching the two figures in from of them, that they did not see that the prints of their respective shirts were glowing as they came closer to the fire that burned without any fuel.
"You may pass," said the first one.
As soon at the figure spoke, the trees behind them gave way magically to a path; a path that was bordered thickly on both sides by the broad trucks of extremely tall and impressive trees.
The path stretched on for some time and wound slowly. To a normal person, the winding could not be seen but Ranma could tell. Years of training in the forest had given him directional skills such that he did not need modern equipment to tell him what direction he was heading in. The only problem was that he did not know what direction they were heading in. The only thing he knew was that they were walking on a slowly spiralling path. It was spiralling inwards, but to what. Something was always at the end of a spiral. Something was at the end of this spiral. He just did not know what!
Keeping his thoughts to himself, he continued to walk down the path with Akane at his side. Idly her hand reached for his and he took it easily as if it was the most natural thing for him to do. Ironically, he knew that two months ago, his face would be all flushed with embarrassment with the thought of Akane and him holding hands willingly. Now, her hand almost felt as if it belonged there next to his.
Ranma could tell that hours had passed since they had walked into the valley but strangely enough, the sun, whenever he could see it beyond the clouds, did not seem to move. As a martial artist and as a martial artist with a father who taught you how to be a living human vacuum, Ranma had other methods of telling the time specifically…growl…his stomach. Motioning for Akane to stop, he pulled out a cooked, well-smoked bird that Akane had caught. He had insisted that she learn how to trap animals. Soon enough, he was ripping apart the deceased animals into portions for both of them. Apparently, Akane was as hungry as he was since she devoured the meal as quickly as he did.
Without further ado after the short meal, they continued onwards.
And they continued onwards for a very long time until finally the slow turning of the spiral could be seen as they stared ahead in the distance. Akane by chance happened to kick a rock that was in front of her and the object went careening into the bushes at the side of the path.
"Oww…"
Both their ears perked up and they settled into their respective battle positions. Both were amazed at what they saw. A little man, no not really a man; a little thing came out of the bushes that looked like a man. It was apparent that it was not a man whatever it was.
That was an easy conclusion. It had a human face and a human body, but that was where the similarities ended. It had feet, but the feet faced backwards instead of forwards but it walked forwards in a strange motion that neither could figure out how it did manage to move at all. The other matter was that the creature had a large belly and a small face. Adding to the strange bodily proportions, the ears on the creature were almost as long as its face. The hands faced the right direction though and those hands contained the stone that Akane had kicked.
"I think you lost this," it said. "Girl, be careful where you are kicking these things. I know it was a mistake but some of my kin don't take kindly to strangers hurting them in their homes." He tossed the stone back to Akane and then proceeded to walk right back into the bushes where he came from without turning around.
Akane and Ranma stood there mouths agape for awhile until Ranma found enough courage to approach the place from where the creature had emerged. However, no matter how hard he tried, all he could find after brushing away the outer layer of bushes were the tall thick trucks of trees blocking his vision. He tried to find a place where the thing could have gone. He even considered climbing up the tree, but the lowest branch was much too high for him to reach by jumping.
Shaking his head, Ranma joined Akane and they continued along the path.
Time passed as the two walked and walked and continued to walk, while the sun stayed high in the sky. Two more times, Ranma dished out food and after hours of walking Akane began to yawn, prompting Ranma to yawn.
"Time for a rest?" asked Ranma, the first he had spoke of their situation since they entered the path. All the talking they had done otherwise had been of school and friends and especially of their fathers and how they could get back at them.
Akane yawned widely for a reply causing Ranma to grin.
He pitched the tent and by the time Akane was done yawning, the tent was pitched and the sleeping mat rolled. Ranma stood outside the flaps of the tent looking around while Akane when inside. After a couple of seconds, her face peeked out of the flaps.
"Aren't you coming in?" she asked.
"Nah, I'll just stay outside here for a while."
Akane, having got accustomed to having a warm pillow, did not like Ranma's idea too much. Instead, she reached out and with her strength, pulled an unbalanced Ranma into the tent tripping him as he entered, causing him to fall on his back onto the mat. Akane let herself fall on top of him.
"Ahh that feels better," she murmured as she landed on him and found a little nook where she usually rest her head on Ranma-chan. In a few seconds, sleep took her. That left Ranma, hands still partially frozen in the air staring up with startled eyes. He had not expected Akane to do that. As the adrenaline left him, he decided that he really did need as rest and while passing his hands through Akane's hair fell asleep himself.
Ranma blinked as he opened his eyes for the first time that morning. Then he remembered everything from the day before and realised that it was not morning and the sun had probably stayed the same as it had before he went to sleep. He flexed his arm in an attempt to relieve the cramp in his arm and his movement caused Akane to wake up slowly as she opened her eyes, blinked a couple of times and then gave him a short smile before she rolled over and began to stretch her muscles the way he had taught her. Ranma stared at her for a minute. Could it be possible that her smile was getting cuter every time he saw it? Nah…it was just…
"Ranma, are you getting up or do I have to force you up?" Akane cracked her knuckles.
"Hah! I'd like to see you try!" cried Ranma from his supine position.
Akane, not one to back down from a challenge tried to stamp Ranma in a place she knew would hurt. Ranma turned and then with one hand, elevated his body enough to kick Akane on her side. Akane, aware of Ranma's mobility and its limitations, held onto Ranma's foot but not for very long as he completed his move and ended up facing upright. That would have been fine if Akane had not backed off a bit pulling the part of the mat her foot had snagged. That had the double effect of both of them falling forward and out of the tent, with Ranma falling on top of her.
She began to breathe harder as she stared into those blue grey orbs that stared back into hers. Now she remembered one of reasons why she was glad that Ranma preferred to train her a girl. She could feel the tingling on her skin with hers met his and she could fell the weight of his body pressed against hers. For some reason, his weight on her left her feeling even more excited. She could feel herself growing dizzy as she continued to stare into his eyes.
"I hope you two are okay."
"Yes, that looked like a pretty bad fall didn't it?"
The two teens faces simultaneously turned to see an old man and an equally old woman addressing them. Then, realising that they were in public, both blushed terribly and from instincts honed by a year of head bashing, Ranma found some way of righting himself in a matter of microseconds, leaving Akane by herself on the floor.
Akane partially annoyed and partially worried about Ranma's haste got up slowly and brushed the dirt off her pants. She noticed that Ranma was staring open-mouthed at the old man. It was only then that she recognised where she had seen him before and she had an even greater shock when she realised that she recognised the woman too.
"Hmm…I think they recognise us," announced the man.
"Oh really," replied the woman with a touch of sarcasm and a touch of amusement.
"Young man, would you come and sit with an old man for a minute. My legs aren't what they used to be when I was your age."
Ranma followed the old man as he led him to a tree under which an embankment of the trunk allowed the old man to sit. Ranma sat under him and was about to ask a question when the old man silenced him with a wave of his hand.
Akane went to follow Ranma when the old woman spoke to her.
"Would you entertain an old woman for a little while?"
Akane wanted to tell the woman no, that she wanted to follow her fiance to wherever he was going but she could not find the will to tell the woman. For some reason, she had this compounding need to hear the woman out. She knew whatever the woman had to say was important. She knew Ranma would be okay by himself for the while.
Both Ranma and Akane sat attentively, waiting for the two old people to begin. For some reason, they felt as if they could trust them. They knew that anything they told them would be kept confidential and most importantly, they felt somehow safer around them.
Man and woman: Who are you?
Akane: I am Akane Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts
Ranma: I am Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts
Man and woman: Why are you here?
Akane: Something was calling me. I don't know what though.
Ranma: Well we were training and I kinda felt something telling me to come here and seeing the valley and the dome I wanted to explore the place.
Man and woman: Why are you training?
Akane: I want to get better in the art. I want to be as good as Ranma. I want him to be proud of me. I also want to be able to protect myself from others…so that he wouldn't have to save me again.
Ranma: I like training and I like the art and I guess I do it because I also want to protect Akane. I still remember the time she almost died.
Man and woman: Do you fear death and why?
Akane: Yes…I still remember what it felt like when I thought I was dying. (shudders) I was cold, cold and alone.
Ranma: No…(thinks then admits) yes. I don't want to die. There's too much to live for.
Man and woman: When will you die?
Akane: I don’t know.
Ranma: Hopefully after Akane and the others. I don't want them to suffer when I die.
Man and woman: How will you die?
Akane: ….
Ranma: …saving my family.
Man and woman: What comes after death?
Akane: uh…don't know. Haven't really ever thought about it.
Ranma: I think I read somewhere about being born again or something.
Man and woman: What is death?
Akane: when you die.
Ranma: when you die.
Man and woman: Who is death?
Akane: ??
Ranma: ??
Man and woman: What is life?
Akane: ??
Ranma: ??
Man and woman: What is living?
Akane: living is well living…having a family, having someone to love.
Ranma: living is well like being around people you like.
Man and woman: What is love?
Akane: love is...wanting to hold someone or wanting someone to hold you forever. To want to be with someone forever, to care for them and for them to care for you too.
Ranma: love is...well...I don't really know what love is...I think what I feel for Akane is love...
Man and woman: Who created love?
Akane: ??...the kami I guess?
Ranma: dunno?
Man and woman: Does love stop?
Akane: no..it should last forever
Ranma: I hope not.
Man and woman: Not even after death?
Akane:...no, not even after death!
Ranma: no, never!
The man and the woman smiled at them. Akane and Ranma smiled back. The smiles of the two elderly people make the situation seem a lot brighter than during the questioning. The man and woman respectively reach out and touch the two young people on their shoulders. There is no aura of deception, only one of kindness. An aura of a old grandparent passing on knowledge to their little grandchild with the smile and warmth only seen in those that are content with life and with whatever life decides to throw in their path.
Man and woman: To know life is to know death for they are one and the same. Death is linked to life and life death. Without death there can be no life. Without suffering their can be no happiness. Death is life and life comes from the kami. The kami are both death and life and the circle begins again. The circle of death and life and the fulfilment of both. To know death is to know life and to know life is to know the kami. To praise life and all that is around you is to praise the kami for the kami takes pleasure in knowing that you take pleasure. (pause) Tell us: what do you want?
Akane: I want to be happy...with Ranma.
Ranma: I want to have friends...I want to be with Akane.
Man and woman: Who do you ask for what you want?
Akane: I...I try to...mostly I ask Kasumi I guess.
Ranma: No one. Always had to rely on myself. Guess sometimes I did ask Nabiki.
Man and woman: How do you ask?
Akane: with Kasumi its not that hard. She usually help me out whenever I need it
Ranma: usually I have to try and trick Nabiki into doing what I want and I usually get it but at a price.
Man and woman: There is another way. Why don't you use the most powerful way? You are a martial artist and martial arts has its place in protecting those who cannot protect themselves yet you do not use the most powerful weapon ever created. Created by the kami for especially that purpose. The most potent weapon is the weapon that is not. It is what we do only in the most testing of times. Prayer, prayer is the most potent weapon ever created. Learn how to use it, learn how to ask and you will know death, life, love, suffering and happiness. There is always an answer to prayer. Always an answer.
Ranma and Akane: How do I pray?
Man and woman: Always. Appreciating the world you live in is prayer. Caring for those you do not know is prayer. There are many forms of prayer some of which you have used without knowing. Prayer is found in everything yet it is not. Prayer is what you make it out to be. One can say they are prayer but are not while one can not be praying but still be.
The elders noticed the confused looks on the children's faces.
Man and woman: (chuckle) Many do not understand, some moreso than others, the way is long and filled with many obstacles. Always remember that. Now look behind you. (Ranma and Akane look behind and see a small stream flowing) Good, go into the stream and wash your feet. (Ranma and Akane get up and move towards each other.) Separately, you must go separately.
Akane approached the stream slowly, her eyes darting between the water and Ranma as she moved towards the stream. It loomed before her now with the sunlight sparkling off it in waves. It somehow called to her as this place had called to her in the beginning. She saw Ranma take a step in. Nothing happened to him. She took a deep breath and walked into the waters.
For a moment, there was nothing and she was on the verge of panicking. There was simply nothing. She could not feel anything around her and she could see nothing but the darkness around her. Suddenly there were pinpricks of light, which expanded before her eyes into small little ovals. She found herself suspended in the room of ovals. The ovals were luminescent and shone with a brilliant white light. The light was dazzling and seemed to fill the entire space she was in. The light then began to dim very slowly until it was a dull sheen.
From the sheen pictures began to appear. Windows, these were windows she thought.
These indeed were windows and pictures began to emerge on each. They surrounded her so thickly and so numerously that she could not see all of them but some of them drew her. One was of a time long ago when she stood at her mother’s bedside while watching her mother cough loudly and uncontrollably. She remembered asking her to stop the coughing like only a eight year old could. She had disliked her mother coughing like that. She could not speak to her mom when she was like that. She wanted her mom to hold her hand like she always did and talk to her like she always had. Her mom had not paid much attention to her those months and she was beginning to dislike her for it. Akane could not bear to continue to look.
She turned towards another window and there she saw herself again when she was young and her father was there talking to her. Talking to her, telling her that mother was going away on a trip and that she would not be coming back. She tried to scream and make him make her stay. She tried to get angry at him, tried to make him understand that she missed mother already. Tried to tell him that…
She turned her eyes again.
The other window showed her at an older age. There was a boy there, a boy she knew from before. He was there playing with his mom. His mom, she approached them, wanting to play like that again. He had stopped her. Stopped her and told her that she could not play. That jerk! He told her that she could not play with his mom. His mom scolded him thought. She felt vindication at that. Then his mom took her hand and they began to play. Akane smirked at the boy. Boys were jerks, she hated boys.
Another…
She fell down and scarped her knee badly. Father had told her not to do that, that she was not ready, that she had not trained enough, but what did he know. She knew she could have done it. She walked to the doctor’s with her sister. The old doctor had retired and the she had not met the new one. She was surprised to find a young man in the clinic. He was a boy. She hated boys. She tried to get away, but somehow he got a hold of her and Kasumi got her to stay on the bed. Then he put something on the scrape. It did not burn any more, it fact, it did hurt anymore. The doctor tussled her hair and told her to take better care next time. She looked into his eyes. He had nice eyes. He was different from those other boys. He was nice.
His gaze shifted as he turned to talk to her sister. It was only when he actually looked at her sister’s face that he got this goofy grin and started dancing with his skeleton. He was nice, but a bit strange.
Another…
A girl entered the house. She looked embarrassed and a bit scared. Nabiki was not helping. She was nice enough. Maybe they she would like to be friends. Maybe she would like to have a match. She was probably not as good as she was but it would be fun to know another girl who liked to practice the Art.
The girl had defeated her. She was angry but at least she had lost to a girl and not to a boy. Maybe the girl could help her train. If she did Akane knew she would eventually get better than the girl.
The girl was a boy! She had lost to a boy. He just wanted to trick her so he could use her. He was a freak! Engaged to that! What did father…
"No make it stop!" she cried. "Make it stop…please make it stop!"
"Why?" asked a voice. "To face the future, you must embrace the past. Embrace the past Akane Tendo. Do not let your skeletons haunt you. Embrace your past and accept it."
Akane knelt and rubbed her cheeks. She had not even noticed she had been crying. She had been crying for a long time and she had not noticed a thing. The windows were becoming smaller now. Smaller and more faded as time passed. Finally she was all alone. All alone with her memories.
Ranma saw the darkness. He knew where he was. He had been there before under Cologne’s training. That time though, he had needed herbs to help him. The last time, doors had opened up. Doors leading him to thing that happened to him, to things that he could not accept. This time no doors appeared only a small light.
"Remember, you only need one light when you are in darkness."
What did that mean! Oh well, whatever it meant he would figure it out later. This was as good a place as any to just sit and listen to those small voices in his head.
Ranma and Akane awoke. They were in the stream. It was not very deep and the water barely rose halfway up their bodies, but water was water and they were soaked to the skin. Being a water magnet, Ranma did not even care whether he was wet or not. Akane however did, and she plucked at her wet clothes while she picked herself off the ground.
"Good, you two are awake. The river of tears always flows but the paths are always different. Come sit next to us."
Ranma and Akane did as they were asked and sat near to the old couple.
"Now, the last question remains: what do your want in the future?"
Akane took Ranma’s hand. Ranma did not object and let her take it.
"I want to marry Ranma."
"Does that include the girl you are holding hands with at the moment?"
"This is Ranma," replied Akane. "Or part of him."
"How are you going to marry him?" asked the old woman.
"In a big ceremony with all our family and friends, once we sort out our problems."
"Oh, and why do you need so many people?" asked the woman again.
"Because I want them to be there."
"Then you are missing the point," replied the woman. "Marriage lies between two people not many. It is the joining of two to become one. Others can witness but are not needed. Only two are needed. Only two."
"Come girl we have to prepare."
Akane held tenaciously to Ranma hand but it was Ranma who let go.
"Go," he told her. "I will see you later."
Akane frowned slightly then got up and followed the woman. Ranma remained where he was with the man. After the women were out of sight, he pulled out a kettle and handed it to Ranma. Ranma doused himself and the old man got up. Ranma followed.
They walked for some time, crossing the stream into the alternating trees and plains. Ranma remembered the flowers he had seen there and the butterflies also. They were still there, in their thousands hovering like a blanket over the flowers.
They walked still walked until they came to a thick line of trees whose trunks rose into the air majestically. Ranma could tell that these were even taller than the first he had seen.
The path through them was very narrow and he was amazed at how easily the old man was able to weave his way through them.
When they came out of the trees, he gasped. There lying in front of him was the dome he had first seen. It sparkled in the sunlight the beams playing merrily upon the curved boughs.
"Close you mouth Ranma, it does not become you."
Ranma caught himself and closed his mouth. A faint trace of embarrassment crossed his face. The old man smiled and beckoned him to follow as he led him onto an archway that led straight into the dome. Ranma had never seen architecture of this type before but saying he was impressed would be an understatement.
Ranma was led into the dome. He thought that the dome would be a huge hall but when he entered, he was met by the startling sight of pillars lining both sides of the dome in what appeared to be a circular outwards array of pillars. Each pillar alternated between marble and wood. The marble pillars were a solid white while the wood exhibited a masterful finish. When he pressed his hand against it, the wood seemed soft and rich, as if the tree itself was still alive.
They continued down the corridor of pillars until various etchings became recognisable. He could read some of what was written on the walls, but most of it was foreign to him. He did not spend a lot of time trying to decipher what had been written. The writing continued for a long time until suddenly it stopped. There was a brief interlude between the writing and the image that came afterwards.
It began with a flicker of black green and blue and progressed towards a shape of a half-shell. Then there were many half-shells and underneath another flicker of colour joined the fray and connected to the first. After walking a distance, Ranma could finally hypothesise what the shape was. It was a tail. A very long tail that undulated as he walked further onwards and increased in girth.
The tail finally joined a huge round depiction of the derriere of the animal and it was only then that the true mastery of the painter was shown. The tail joined the animal, but the animal did not remain on the pillars any longer. The body flared out with its immense size onto the floor and the roof of the dome. Ranma realised that the width of the pathway he was walking was now starting to increase as the width of he animal increased. And it did. Hind legs joined the body with huge ribbed claws that seemed to pierce into the marble and wood, holding tenaciously to the wall.
The animal continued to grow and Ranma saw lines of black and green emerge from the ceiling pointing towards the immense structure of the animal. The lines became thicker and eventually joined to from was looked like the webbed edges of a wing. A large wing that remained partially folded to hide its actual size. The wing joined the body and then the forelimbs of the animal emerged, the claws suspended in the air as if holding it at bay. Menacing claws. The body finished soon afterwards and gave rise to a neck that started on the side with pillars but continued upwards to the ceiling of the dome then over to the side of the dome as it came down in a smooth parabola.
The neck continued onwards and finally flared out to reveal a mesh of dark red hair and the edge of the face of the creature. Hair gave way to eyes nose and mouth. Deep dark red eyes with flaring nostrils and a mouth with long thin lips. The whole face seemed to glare and Ranma stopped.
He did not know why he stopped. He just had to stop. He stopped and stood for some reason, he thought the image had moved; that it was looking at him that it needed him for some reason. He approached the huge face and stared into the dark eyes. He felt something there. He touched the eye. It did not feel as cold as marble and wood should. Instead it felt warm, alive. He felt the warmth of the image against his hand then he felt the warmth go through his hand and into his veins. He could feel it coursing through his veins and through his body. It did not feel foreign though. In fact, it felt as if it had been and always was part of him. A part that he had just not missed because he had not been aware of its presence in the first place. He felt warm now. He felt warm and energised. He could normally raise his battle aura to give him strength when he needed it but to do that required the training he had received from Cologne. Now he felt as if he could produce a battle aura without having to rely on all the concentration that was necessary for producing one. He did not know why he felt that way it was just…
"Come Ranma. You can dream another time. We must not be late."
"Huh…late? For what?"
"All in good time Ranma. All in good time."
Ranma could see that the pillars were coming to a close and beyond the pillars led to something that he knew would stun him.
Akane Tendo was carried along the stream. They continued walking for some time until the stream began to pick up speed and began to get deeper. Akane followed the old woman as they walked and was impressed at the speed the old woman was able to lead with.
The stream undulated forward and they followed its path until strangely, the stream straightened into a straight line. Akane turned her face to follow the course of the stream and found herself gasping at the shimmering dome in front of her. She had forgotten about it some time ago but its presence there reminded her exactly why they had ventured into the valley.
Watching the dome, she almost missed the old woman gesturing for her to move onwards to the bridge over the shallow moat surrounding the front of the dome. The bridge was solid and sturdy, and made of some material that glittered when the sun hit it directly. Akane could not be sure but it looked as if it was made of stone. Stone with some mineral deposit within it. There was a hallway in front of dome and they entered it. The side of the hallway was marked by alternating columns of ancient wood and white marble pillars with ablaze torches hanging from their sides. They continued walking in and Akane noticed that on the floor in front of her, two red spear-head shaped prongs appeared on either side of the floor. They continued onwards as she walked forwards and then moved towards the right of the corridor’s floor. They coalesced into a continuous cylindrical shape. She could see that the red brush marks become imbedded with hues of orange and yellow giving the image an almost phosphorescent nature.
Only a master could have attempted to paint that for even the brush strokes seemed to be tiny flames erupting from some unknown body. Tiny flames that alone were nothing but ordinary however together they formed a mammoth structure that seemed formidable indeed. Akane was transfixed to the figure designed onto the floor as it continued onto the wall and grew feet and wings. Large beautiful blazing wings that covered the side of the hall and the ceiling, draping themselves to the end of the next wall. The wings led onto a short neck and then to the head and the beak of the beast; a huge blazing beak that was slightly ajar as if screaming something to the passer-by.
Akane stared at the painting for a while then found herself drawn to the eye that stared at her. It seemed so real that eye. So real that she felt she had to touch it. So she did. She tentatively raised her hand and touched it lightly.
It did not feel as cold as she had expected. Indeed, it felt warm to the touch and she could feel the warmth passing through her fingers and suffusing her body. For some reason it felt a lot like her kisses with Ranma, when his contact spread a warmth through her body. It was like that, yet different. Very different, yet the same.
"Come my dear, we don’t want to be late do we?"
"Late?"
"We’re almost at the end. Hurry now, no need to keep Ranma waiting."
Akane nodded, though unsure about what the woman meant.
Ranma walked out into the main hall and immediately he gasped at the sight of it. It wasn’t the size that struck him. Instead, it was the intricately painted design above him, which consisted of a dragon like the one he had seen before, entwined with a phoenix of the same genre of immaculate design. Even the way the two mythical beasts watched each other was reminiscent of the rings Akane and he wore. They surrounded the entire inner walls of the dome.
Soft steps alerted him to the presence of someone else entering the dome and when he dropped his gaze, he was astounded to find Akane walking up towards him dressed in what could only be a wedding kimono. He watched her as she walked slowly gracefully towards him. If any music had been playing if anyone else had entered at that time he would not have noticed, because he was entirely captivated by her. He watched every step she made as she walked enticingly closer with every step. He gazed into her eyes and after that he was caught. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else but those sparkling eyes staring back at him with the same intensity. He vaguely realised that she was in his arms now. He was trapped by her beatific face. He did not want to escape her so he did not turn away. He just cupped her face in his hands and gazed longingly at her.
"A-hem…"
Ranma and Akane turned around to find the man and woman smiling at them.
"So are you satisfied with your clothes?" asked the woman.
Akane looked down at herself and blushed. She had not even noticed that she had changed. She had been too busy staring at Ranma in his samurai garb. It was patterned with red and blue upon a black background and for her it suited him. He looked handsome in traditional dress. She had seen him as the doors at the end of the hallway opened. Come to think of it, she did not know how they had opened.
"Come follow," instructed the old man, whose robes was silken white and mirrored that of the old woman who walked at his side.
He led them to a raised section at the end of the dome lying beneath where the heads of the two mythical beasts met. When they stopped at the edge of a huge clamshell containing water Akane could not contain her curiosity any longer.
"Why are we here?"
"To be joined as one," replied the woman. It took a second for the implications to sink in.
"But I’m not…" cried Ranma and Akane simultaneously.
"Oh is that so," she replied. "You are young, with that I will agree. But over the past year you have shown remarkable commitment in the face of all that opposition. You have grown especially you Ranma. You were left too immature form your father’s teaching. But can you really say that you don’t want to get married."
Ranma lowered his head to Akane’s ear and whispered softly.
"Are you ready? We don’t…"
Akane released his hand. She had not even noticed that they had been holding hands. She reached up for his face and kissed his cheek gently.
"I love you," she whispered.
Three words. Only three words were needed for the perfect answer to any question that Ranma could possibly have. Only three words were necessary to put him at ease and to let him drop the guard that he always kept.
The old pair smiled again.
"And don’t think we forgot about your wishes," smiled the old woman as she placed her hand into the filled clamshell. What was once water started to phosphoresce and white shards of light spread out from its base towards unknown destinations. From the lip of the shell, tiny drops emerged and against all laws of nature, the drops began to rise into the air and into the dome. Ranma and Akane watched the drops as they hung suspended in the air. Then slowly, the drops began to shimmer in the light and expanded to give a circle of water. There was a small circle of white light in the centre of each circle and from the centre of each of these circles an image grew. Ranma and Akane gasped as they could make out the faces of all the friends that they had made and all the family that they knew. Their eyes were open but they seemed asleep or unable to interact. Akane knew her sisters would be wildly ecstatic if she was to be married and her rivals would be equally displeased. There was one person that she wanted to witness the entire thing though. Someone who had been there for her like a mother even though she was not: someone who deserved to know the truth.
"Just touch the light," informed the woman as if she knew what Akane was thinking.
Akane touched the light and her sister’s eyes blinked and Kasumi smiled. Kasumi’s smile was all Akane needed.
Ranma stared at another of the images. It was someone who at first he did not like but now was his teacher and his friend. He had promised her that she would be allowed to witness his wedding. She had been adamant about it and he did not know why since he had promised her already and she knew he always kept his promises. Now he knew why. She was old and age had the ability to bring wisdom. She told him that she kept having dreams about him and his destiny would be full of chaos and adventure. That had been nothing new to him, but she had even said that his wedding would be a unique experience. He was tempted to touch the image but he did not know if he should.
"She is here in the spirit and will remember everything in time."
Ranma sighed; the decision had been made. His mother was there too and so was pops. He smiled at his mother. She always wanted to see him married and it seemed that she would get her wish.
"It is time," announced the man.
"We are gathered here today to unite…" The rest of the words were lost on the couple at the centre of attention. Their own attention lost on each other.
"So do you Ranma take Akane as your wife to have and to hold, to protect against all demons, shadows, curses, princes, princesses, dragons, super-powered martial artists, insane scientists, and aliens, in sickness and in health, till death do you part."
Ranma was stunned for a minute until an elbow brought him back to the present
"I do."
"And do you Akane take Ranma to have and to hold, to protect against hormone crazy women, his mouth, little green men, elemental warriors, demons, shadows, cats, and your food, in sickness and in health…and cursed, till death do you part."
"Um…I do?" replied Akane, more stunned at her list than at the question.
"Well then lets have the rings." Ranma and Akane were confused. "On your fingers," the man informed.
"Oh!" they replied.
"Now reply after me, with this ring I unite with thee."
Ranma to Akane: "With this ring I unite with thee."
Akane to Ranma: "With this ring I unite with thee."
"You have been joined you may now…"
"I don’t think that is necessary," informed the woman.
"What…oh!"
The two stood there and watched the newlyweds as they kissed fervently.
"And so it begins," the man whispered.
"It begins," the woman replied.
When they stopped for air, they looked around. The circles were beginning to close, all except one. It grew larger until it was large enough to fit them.
"Step through the circle," urged the man. "It’s a surprise."
Ranma and Akane entered and after a flash of light, they found themselves in the dark of night on the bank of a river with high cliffs surrounding it. Ryugenzawa. They saw the light from a campfire too and their tent pitched in a secluded area that was only visible because of the fire. Akane realised that she had back on her old clothes.
"How did we change?" she asked.
"Those shirts you are wearing are magical. I think you’ll be able to figure them out. Now be good newlyweds and Akane try not to wake up the neighbours."
Akane looked quizzically back at him. He laughed.
"You will find out what I mean another time."
With a wave he merged into the light which disappeared after he entered.
Akane turned to Ranma who was playing with a ball of ki in his hand.
"Do you feel it Akane? I feel something. Something powerful, but I don’t know what it is?"
Akane knew Ranma and she knew that he would spend the rest of the time trying to figure out why they were feeling that tingling of power. She could feel it too, but she did not want him doing that. For the last couple of nights she had been having dreams and tonight she was not going to sleep with Ranma-chan.
With a shout, she knocked him towards an intended target with her handy mallet and ran towards the place he should land. As soon as he got up, she leaped and reflexively, he caught her. She kissed him again wrapping her hands tightly around his neck. She had aimed well that time. They were now only a few steps away from the tent.
She released his lips, but not his neck and stared deeply into his eyes.
"I intend to tame the wild horse tonight."
He stared at her but she did not give him time to say anything as she silenced his lips once again. They stood there kissing until bit by bit they made it to the tent and the flaps were soon closed sealing the lovers in their private temple.