Waves wash over the sandy banks of the inland lake on the island. The moon, in its crescent waning phase, at its apex now, shines a faint light upon the two shadowy figures bathing in the lake. One has hair that seems to absorb the light, even when wet, and another has hair that reflects a dark, shimmering blue. For now, they are resting up to their necks in the chill lake water sitting on some submerged rocks, chatting.
Sekki : "So how're your first two weeks here, Akane-chan?"
Akane looks at Sekki for a moment, then tilts her head a little, frowning slightly.
Akane : "I don't know. I don't know."
Sekki nods slowly, then shuffles a little closer to Akane. She strokes Akane's smooth hair a few times, then puts her hand on Akane's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
Sekki : "Don't worry about that. I felt the same here."
Akane can't help but grin a little, although she has no idea why. Sekki can see the slight stress lines lining Akane's mouth when she does so though, despite the dim light. (Hey, they CAN see in the dark after all.) Instead, Sekki decides to change the subject to something more mundane.
Sekki : "Akane.... how do you feel right now?"
Akane : "Huh? Come again?"
Sekki : "I mean, how do you feel now.... being... like me?"
Akane : "Hm..."
Akane looks a little undecided and confused as she considers the answer. She scratches her head thoughtfully, then looks at Sekki apologetically.
Akane : "I guess it's quite alright."
Sekki : "Really? I'd thought you'd hate me for trapping you here for... well, eternity, basically."
Akane can't believe her own eyes when Sekki actually looks at Akane apologetically in return. Sekki smiles slightly, a sort of guilty smile. Akane suddenly feels a pang of guilt hit her when she recognizes that face she usually wears herself, normally after hitting Ranma without reason. She quickly stutters the first thing that comes to mind, reaching out slightly with both hands as a sort of peace gesture.
Akane : "No no no! I'm not angry, Sekki! Please, don't blame yourself! It's my fault, really! I-"
Sekki laughs at Akane's flustered response and blushing cheeks, then smiles a genuine smile at Akane.
Sekki : "Oh, no no no, Akane! Don't apologize like that! You look so funny! Really, I was just asking. Akane?"
Sekki watches Akane as she gears down in her flustered response and finally stops. Head lowered slightly in embarrassment and a finger to her lips in thoughtfulness, Akane looks up at Sekki from that position. Sekki smiles again at Akane's posture.
Sekki : "My, nobody's made me smile genuinely for such a long time I nearly forgot how to! Akane-chan, sometimes I think you're a godsend to me. You're making me remember things I thought I'd never remember again."
Sekki keeps looking at Akane, whose head is still hung low. Her smile creases into a slight frown as Akane's apologetic attitude begins to make her feel uneasy. She puts her hand to Akane's chin and prompts her to lift her head.
Sekki : "Now you look up at me. No self respecting succubus'll hang their heads low at another equal. Up."
Akane nods slightly and looks up at Sekki. Sekki nods approvingly.
Sekki : "Good, that's how a real woman looks at another woman. Now Akane.... is there anything else you want to ask me, or do we finish bathing and get some sleep? Dawn's nearly here."
Akane looks over towards the horizon, already slightly orange-yellow at the approach of the rising sun. Her mind is almost a blank to questions, except for an almost forgotten one a while back.
Akane : "Yes..... one thing? Please?"
Sekki : "Go ahead, I'm listening."
Akane : "Why'd you bring me back? From the dead, I mean."
Sekki's eyes widen at the unusual question. But only momentarily. Sekki puts her fingers to her chin and considers, then nods.
Sekki : "Well, if I forgot to tell you this, I guess I should now."
*vrrrrm.......*
A rumbling, throttling sound rattles reassuringly from the outboard motors on the speedboat as it skims the water towards its destination, several hours away. Ranma looks at Ryouga's watch, with built in illuminator option, then at the eastern horizon.
Ranma : <About an hour left.... hm, just right.>
Kuno is sleeping at the back, bokken hugged tight, muttering some stupid poetry about Akane and the Pigtailed Goddess. Ranma wonders if the bruise on Kuno's head was a little too extreme, but shrugs it off.
Ranma : <Lucky thing Cologne loaned me her speedboat. I wouldn't trust customs officials letting me by their checkpoints if I had to bring some strange herbs and spices back with me from China too.....>
Ranma watches as the first rays of light peek over the horizon, the first beam catching him straight in the face.
Sekki : "And after all, your iinazuke was so concerned for you it radiated right through that thick skull of his. Gave me one hell of a headache with all that buzzing in my head."
Akane : "Ranma did care for me after all?"
Sekki : "Sure. I felt it too, and no prizes for guessing, my conscience got me. After 600 years, you'd think your conscience wouldn't bother you anymore. So I turned around after dropping him off, came back, and found you dead. No surprise."
Akane : "Hm... mm.... well.... go on?"
Sekki : "And how, you were an ugly sight. Dress shredded, blood pouring out from those gaping holes.... I could even see your torn stomach..."
Sekki notices Akane turning a little green and purple, and shrugs.
Sekki : <Youngsters. Can't take a little fact.> "Right, whatever... anyway, your body was easy to heal. A little magic and healing manipulation on my part, your body was as good as new."
Akane : "Was that what-"
Sekki : "No, little one. Let me finish! After that...... well, as you probably know for most of us, we're either undead, which Succubi are NOT, or else..... transformed or born. You were the second case. Luckily for you, you just died so your soul was easy to retrieve."
Akane : "Urm...... ok, and.....?"
Sekki frowns slightly, disapprovingly at Akane's weak resolve. She goes on anyway.
Sekki : "Anyway, this was the hard part. I wasn't sure it'd work at all. I fed your body some of my blood."
Akane opens her mouth to speak, but Sekki holds up a hand. Akane can see a fast fading scar on it.
Sekki : "No, don't interrupt me now. That was only part of the ritual, the other was totally up to you. My blood only gave your body the life, your soul had to have the desire to return to the physical being. I'd guess you didn't want to leave behind a loved one or something..."
Sekki nods once knowingly, then winks conspiratorially at Akane as Akane remembers what she did that time with Ranma in private. Sekki shrugs at Akane's blush, and goes on.
Sekki : "Well, apparently you had something to come back to, and I was so relieved when I felt your soul return. Of course, I didn't know I'd change you into something like me.... it normally doesn't happen under the best of conditions. Succubi come about the strangest ways though..."
Sekki looks somewhat lost in thought for the moment as she looks out
towards the horizon where the sun has already risen quite a bit.
Akane follows her gaze, but all to suddenly, all too quickly, Sekki's
eyes widen and she becomes a blur as Akane feels herself being scooped
out the water and being carried into the bushes.
Akane doesn't even have time to ask Sekki what's going on when a shadow appears in the distance. A very loud and noisy shadow.
*crmmm* *crmcrmcrm* *goongk* *goongk* *shoft*
Akane watches as a speedboat comes into the lake and slows down, then stops as it bumps gently against the sandy shores. A pair of bare feet and two pairs of shoed feet hop softly onto the sand. Akane's eyes follow them up and her eyes nearly pop out of her head.
Akane : <Ranma!? Ryouga!? Kuno!?>
Ranma-chan is busy tussling with Ryouga as they make their way up the shore, the two of them muttering something Akane can pick up quite easily with her supernatural hearing.
Ranma knocks Ryouga on the head.
Ranma (C) : "Stupid pork-boy! You didn't even notice me fall off the boat!?"
Ryouga grinds Ranma's head with an elbow.
Ryouga : "Dumb bugger, you had to blindly stumble around the boat and fall off in the first place!"
Ranma steps on Ryouga's foot.
Ranma (C) : "Hmph! The sun was in my eyes, I was just tryin' ta find a less glaring spot!"
Ryouga knuckles Ranma's ear.
Ryouga : "Right into the sea, you did! And look what you did to my watch! It's ruined with salt water! I wanted to give it to Akane-san!"
Ranma elbows Ryouga's ribs.
Ranma (C) : "What's more important, huh? Akane or some ditzy watch?"
Ryouga smacks Ranma's head.
Ryouga : "Speak for yourself, I wouldn't have turned back to save you if that crazy Kuno didn't point his metal katana at me!"
Ranma almost sweeps Ryouga's feet from under him, but settles for a wondering look.
Ranma (C) : "....where'd he get that....?"
Akane shakes herself free of Sekki's grip, tears welling in her eyes.
Akane : <He came back! Ranma came back for me!> "Ranma!"
Sekki reaches out to grab Akane before she runs out, but is too late to stop her. Sekki watches as Akane bursts through the foliage and runs towards Ranma.
Sekki : "Akane! You aren't wearing-!" <Too late.>
"Ranma!"
Ranma and Ryouga stop fighting long enough to turn towards the source of the voice, something pleasantly familiar, pleasantly sweet.
Akane.
She comes running out from the forest, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks at seeing her best friends and iinazuke return. Kuno is the first to respond, with enlarged eyes and open arms.
Kuno : "Ah! My lovely Tendo Akane! Come to my arms, my love, and together we shall sail away towards the sun, into a treasure trove! Never again-"
*CRUSH*
Kuno's face is force fed sand as Ranma and Ryouga land on his head, one foot per person. Still standing on Kuno's head, Ranma and Ryouga watch as Akane stops in front them.
Ryouga : "Akane-san!"
Ranma (C) : "A...A-Akane?"
Akane's hands are clasped together in front of her, a beautiful smile on her face and tears on her cheeks, in her eyes.
Akane : "You came back, Ranma! You..."
Akane stops in mid sentence as Ranma's gaze slowly turns towards Ryouga. Akane follows. Ryouga is somewhere a small distance away, staggering unsteadily, with a trail of blood staining the sandy shores from Kuno to Ryouga's nose.
Ryouga : "Ah gah... ah gah.... gah.... gah....ah..."
Akane blinks for a second, then looks back to Ranma.
Akane : "Ranma, what's wrong with him?"
Ranma looks at Akane flippantly and points a thumb at her.
Ranma (C) : "Baka. Look at yourself."
Akane blinks, then the two girls look down at her body for a second before Akane remembers something and looks up at Ranma, still staring at her body.
*pap*
Ranma blinks for a second before screwing her face up in indignation and yelling at Akane, while nursing her quickly reddening cheek.
Ranma (C) : "WHADJA DO THAT FOR!?"
Akane looks equally indignant as she retorts, covering her chest up with her arms.
Akane : "Stop staring at me like that, Ranma you pervert!"
Ranma's eyes go down to dangerous slits as she considers a response, then putting her hand to her head in a most arrogant manner, she looks aside for a moment before snapping her head back, yelling a retort.
Ranma (C) : "Akane, you're so damned uncute I wouldn't want to stare at ANY part of you, not unless I wanna turn to stone!"
*KAPAK*
Ranma (C) : "Wha-?"
Ranma pulls back suddenly, blank eyed with shock, as Akane slaps her with a passion on the other cheek. Ranma looks blankly into Akane's eyes and emptily notes the tears welling up at the sides as Akane screams at Ranma, voice trembling.
Akane : "RANMA! You JERK! I worry myself sick about you, I wish for you everyday, and this is what I get in return!? I must've been a bigger idiot than I thought!"
Ranma watches as Akane pivots on one foot and walks back towards the bushes, fists clenched and tears dripping onto the sand. Ranma tries to say something consolidatory, but unreasoning frustration and irritation at being rebuffed the second she landed on the island smashes her in the face.
Ranma (C) : "FINE! BE THAT WAY, KAWAI KUNEE IINAZUKE! IT WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME COMING HERE ANYWAY! UNCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!"
Akane suddenly stops in her tracks at Ranma's insult, glowing a dangerous colour of chi. Ranma braces herself for the inevitable mallet, but peeks at her with one eye and notices Akane simply slumping her bare shoulders and stalking off into the woods.
Ranma (C) : <Akane?>
Sekki buries her face in her hands and shakes her head, sighing, as she observes the scene unfolding before her.
Sekki : <Goodness no, that stupid redhead is gonna spoil everything for me!>
She watches as Akane retrieves her clothes from a nearby tree without even looking at Sekki, then watches as Akane transforms to her winged self and flies off towards her "home". Sekki turns back to look at the foolish redhead staring after Akane, a dangerous glint in Sekki's eyes.
Sekki : <That stupid bitch.... wait a second, what's....?>
Sekki watches as Ryouga comes charging towards Ranma, stepping on Kuno's back as he grabs the redhead's collar, and lifts her up. With hearing better than Akane's, Ryouga's voice is almost too loud.
Ryouga : "RANMA-KISAMA! You insensitive jerk! Look what you did to Akane-san! Dammit, I won't let you off so easily!"
Sekki watches as Ryouga cocks his free arm to punch the girl named Ranma.....
Sekki : <Wait a minute. SHE'S ALSO Ranma?>
Thoughts flit through her head in a split second. That unusual power in the BOY named Ranma, that untouchable, ancient, and undoubtedly strong presence of something stirring in Ranma, just waiting to come loose. Sekki remembers having much trouble with placing a Mark on him.... now she knows why she needed the extra effort.
Sekki : <A curse!? This boy's more pitiful than I thought....>
Sekki shrugs as Ryouga proceeds to turn Ranma into paste, and retrieves her own clothes for a comfortable, dark sleep in her cave as the daylight becomes stronger.
"The humans have returned, Lady Lina."
Lina : "And how goes the removal of that damned mallet?"
Shadowy Demon : "It still refuses to come out. That was tossed by no ordinary demon for sure."
Lina : "Very well, continue with the efforts."
Shadowy Demon : "Milady."
Lina nods to the shadowy demon bowing before her before sending him off, sparing a second to look at the still-headless corpse of Kuriimu. She strokes the headless white furred body tenderly, sighing.
Lina : "It's so much easier getting respect if you cut off the heads of a few underlings once in a while, you know that milord? I wish you did."
The body doesn't respond, as expected. Lina looks around and spots a bulbulous lump of warts and flesh lumbering by.
Lina : "You, there!"
The thing turns slowly, the skin of its loose belly sounding like gravel on stone as it scrapes the floor.
Thing : "Yeeeeeeeeees.......... milaaaaaaaaaady?"
Lina rolls her eyes as the thing speaks with an unusual slowness. Low intelligence, again. Typical.
Lina : "Find my councillor. Get him here now."
Thing : "Yeeeeeeeeeeeees........."
And with some interest, Lina watches as the thing suddenly shapeshifts into her so summoned councillor. A dashing demon with two short trimmed horns on his head and a tuxedo suit, he kneels before Lina.
Lina : <Great. Trying to impress me again? Wait a thousand years.>
Councillor : "Yes, milady?"
Lina : "I'm going out for a while. See to it the renovations to the cavern are complete by the time I get back....... and there'd better be some progress with that mallet as well."
The councillor looks worried and swallows worriedly as Lina floats off the bone throne and out the cavern without a second glance. He quickly starts yelling orders to the nearby demons and spiritual architects.
Councillor : ".....AND GET THAT CHANDELIER UP NOW!"
Akane sniffs as she feels the leaves of a creeper plant, her body shuddering a little. Trying to calm her trembling fingers down, Akane lets go of the vines growing around the cave entrance and clenches her fists, envisioning something that might make her happy.
Nothing comes to mind.
Akane screams in frustration and starts pounding the wall of the cave she's living in with her bare fists, making gaping holes in the wall along with clouds of dust and piles of rubble.
Akane : <Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy!? Why can't that BAKA just say something NICE for once to me face to face!?>
Slowing down, then stopping her barrage on the wall with one final punch, Akane just folds her arms over the cracked and crumbling wall of her cavernous home and rests her head against them, shuddering. Slowly, she sinks to her knees, then buries her face in her hands and starts crying.
In one tree, Sekki watches. Having felt uneasy about Akane's state of mind, she deviated from her hideout and hid in a nearby tree, watching Akane vent her anger and frustration on the wall before breaking down. Her face softens with sympathy to Akane, then hardens again as thoughts of that heartless boy Ranma come to mind.
Sekki : <Wonder what I ever saw in him? Wonder what she ever saw in him?>
As Sekki turns to leave for her own home, a fleeting thought comes to mind.
A slight flash of silver is all that gives her away, and Lina hopes that nobody noticed. Staring into Akane's home as she returned, Lina watches as Akane vents her anger and breaks down crying. She shakes her head slowly.
Lina : "Tsk tsk tsk.... poor girl. That foolish mortal again then? Ah, men. Never reliable at any time... except maybe Lord Kuriimu. Well girl, I'll have to deal with your tormentors first, hm? Maybe then you'll consider my offer...."
Lina flits off in another flash of silver with some things in mind.
*splot*
Ranma (C) : "Ryouga, one of these days I'll find a way ta make pork stew with you in it!"
The small little black pig in the sand stirs a little, then hops up and turns around to growl at Ranma-chan as she takes a few defensive steps backwards, arms up and ready.
Ranma (C) : "Come on, ya want some more? Come get it!"
P-chan growls again, baring his teeth, body shaking in anger. Ranma-chan focuses on the little nuisance, ignoring the bleeding cuts, monstrous bruises, and tattered clothing on her self.
Ranma (C) : "Well, whadja waiting for?! Christmas?"
P-chan leaps. A small flash of black shoots towards Ranma, and she ducks it. P-chan goes sailing over Ranma's head and towards the ground behind her when something pops up to stop him.
Kuno : "Osage no onna-!"
*splat*
Kuno falls over, pig in face, and crashes into the sand a second time, but with his back this time. Ranma watches as Kuno tries to extricate the black squealer from his face, with little success. Kuno pulls at P-chan, who's somehow stuck to his face via vacuum, and keeps pulling despite the fact that his face is stretching really, really thin with the effort. Finally, with a loud *pop*, he pulls P-Chan loose. The pig goes squeaking as he bounces once, twice, thrice onto the sand and stops at the edge of the water, apparently dazed by the impact. Kuno, on the other hand, is far from dazed. The sight of his Pigtailed Goddess rejuvenates him almost immediately and Ranma is pursued by another problem around the lake.
Ranma (C) : "Eeeeyah! Get away, ya dumb freak!" <Man, I shouldn'ta come at ALL!>
Kuno : "Osage no onna! The tides have brought thee here like a mermaid of my fantasies, a blessing in disguise this be! From the clutches of that evil Saotome Ranma, comes thy liberation in the form of me!"
*crush*
Kuno's head does a pretty good bend at an angle of 90 degrees as Ranma stops short, spins, and plants her shoe in his chin.
Ranma (C) : "Who's an evil fella, Kuno!?"
Kuno, from this most uncomfortable position, tries to mutter something Ranma can barely make out.
Kuno : "Forghive meah, mah oshageh nohs ohna, buth Aih thougth thath
villianh Shaohtohmeh Rahnmar coulthnot bea forhgivhen fore bringhingh maing
beautacschious Pightahiled Goddash to shach ah dengarosh prasche!"
(Translated : Forgive me, my osage no onna, but I thought that villian
Saotome Ranma could not be forgiven for bringing my beautacious Pigtailed
Goddess to such a dangerous place!"
Ranma (C) : "Well for your info, Kuno, I'm far from helpless here, so stop trying to 'protect' me, will ya? I'm Ranma Saotome, 2nd Generation of the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and you're not helping me any!"
Ranma takes her foot off Kuno's chin, and his head snaps back with an audible snap.
Lina watches the three unusual mortals from the treetops, smiling to herself as she watches them fight among themselves.
Lina : <If these three people.... no, two people and a pig, keep fighting among themselves, I might save myself some trouble. I can see why Akane got so angry at them. Humans.>
Managing to catch snippets of their conversation, Lina notes with interest the response of the girl when the mention of Ranma is associated with something positively negative. More interestingly, Lina watches as the girl with red hair spins around with dizzying speed and kicks the chin of the male chasing her, then starts yelling at him. Lina silently applauds the girl's abilities.
Lina : "Well now, isn't that interesting? She'd make a fine addition to my entourage. And I MUST find out what it is between that girl and that crude male Ranma!"
She decides holding off shredding them to pieces there and then for a later time as she follows them to find out more on this girl.
Ranma turns around for a second, some nagging feeling gnawing at the
back of her head forcing her to look in that direction. She squints, but
sees nothing in the bushes, although the feeling persists. Shrugging, she
turns back to concentrate on setting up camp by the lakeside while P-chan
patiently waits for the portable bunsen burner to boil a kettle of water.
Kuno is off to one side chopping wood for the fire with his bokken,
muttering something about a disgrace to a noble wooden sword being
used for some purpose.
Still, no matter how hard Ranma tries to get that feeling out of her
head, she can't help but feel something watching her. Trying to
spot something, she sees nothing still. A bead of cold sweat rolls down
her cheek.
Ranma (C) : <Probably over-reacting to my environment. There's nothing there. My senses are working overtime.... I'll need some sleep. That's it, some sleep. Then maybe I can go find Akane and get her outta here.>
P-chan squeals like a whistling kettle as puffs of steam can be seen pouting from the kettle's snout, and Ranma quickly grabs it off the flame, giving herself a good douse before soaking P-chan as well.
It is well past mid-day and nearing sunset when Sekki hears something approaching her home. Lying on a solid bed of jade and quartz, her eyes snap open with the sudden disturbance in the peaceful silence of her surroundings and her body tenses for a fight. She looks out from behind the partition in her cavern to see the intruder, but her guard immediately goes down when a familiar colour scheme comes floating down through the entrance of her home.
Sekki : <Akane. I expected as much.> "Akane-chan? That you, honey?"
She gets off her bed and opens the partitions to walk into the general living space of her home, spotting Akane as she does so. Akane is standing there, looking at Sekki with a sad look. Sekki looks at the unhealthy drooping of Akane's wings and tchs. She stops in front of Akane and rests her hands against her hips as she rests her weight on one leg. Her silken gown slips a little at the waist high slit to reveal lots of leg.
Sekki : "You have definitely seen better days, dear. You looked better when you were dead than you do now. Come on, what's the matter now? Was it this morning's incident?"
Akane nods. Sekki smiles slightly and gestures to the stone chairs nearby before turning around and heading for her newly appointed kitchen area. (Yes, she raided Shampoo's old camp for everything new in the caves.)
Sekki : "Sorry about the accommodations, I couldn't get anything softer while you were gone. Come, sit. I'll get you something to drink."
Akane : "Thank you...."
Akane takes a seat on the cold surface as Sekki disappears for a second, then returns with a tray and some drink containers. She sets them down on the table and pours Akane a teacup of something clear with a pinkish tint, helping herself to a similar cup at the same time. Akane takes a sniff at the stuff as Sekki sits, and a slightly sweet though metallic smell greets her nose. She takes a taste as Sekki watches. The taste makes her eyes open in astonishment.
Sekki : "How's it, Akane-chan? A personal concoction. It's my favourite."
Akane nods at Sekki, problems forgotten for the moment, as she sets the cup back onto the table.
Akane : "It's delicious! What is it?"
Sekki grins at Akane for a moment before going on.
Sekki : "Well, it's obviously a cocktail. Some fresh water, a little fruit juice, fermented grapes, beet sugar...."
Akane almost begins to think she can make this drink next time for her friends before hearing Sekki's last sentence.
Sekki : "And just a small helping of blood. I'll give you the list later if you want."
Sekki doesn't seem to notice Akane's sickly green tint as she replies, rather unsteadily.
Akane : "No thanks.... thank you very much...."
Akane pushes her cup away slightly before resting her arms on the table, putting her chin in her palms. Sekki takes another sip of her own drink before paying attention to Akane again.
Sekki : "You want to talk about this morning's problem?"
Akane nods sadly.
Akane : "Yeah."
Sekki : "So?"
Akane sighs once, going through what she wants to say. Sekki waits patiently, legs crossed, tapping her fingers on the stone table with a constant *click* *click* *click*. After a while, Akane finally nods.
Akane : "I'm sure you know the relation between me and Ranma by now...."
Sekki : "Yeah, definitely a bittersweet one."
Akane : "Mm.... but I can't help it though. Everytime we argue, I always end up hitting him even though I don't want to.... I just wished he'd show a little humility now and then. Like maybe this morning."
Sekki's eyelids lower a little as she fakes an arrogant look at Akane, her voice purring.
Sekki : "The big sin of Pride, hm? He seems like the perfect candidate."
Akane nods unconsciously, looking aside for a moment as she taps her cheek with a finger.
Akane : "Yes.... but I know he cares. I know he'd go through hell and back if he needed to, but I just can't crack that thick nutcase surrounding him, you know."
Sekki nods understandingly, then sighs exaggeratedly and speaks in a lamenting tone of familiar long-time suffering with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
Sekki : "Typical male skin thickness : Unmeasurable. They couldn't cut through enough skin to get an accurate reading."
Akane's eyebrows rise with amusement at Sekki's sarcastic remark, then she begins to giggle before breaking out into uncontrollable laughter. Sekki herself laughs at her own joke for a moment, then the two of them force themselves to stop before they scare the bats away.
Akane : "Yeah, I understand that all too well, Sekki......"
The drifting note in Akane's voice makes Sekki raise a questioning eyebrow at her. Akane nods somberly and goes on.
Akane : "But he does open up once in a while though. And I know he tried to today, for my sake, simply by risking his neck coming here..."
Sekki : "For all the good that turned out."
Akane : "But.... I can't help but feel I've let him down somehow, you know that, Sekki? I think I could've done something to avoid this morning's events, but I didn't know what. Now come to think of it, I don't think it was very much his fault anymore...."
Sekki looks surprised at Akane's proclamation, and she leans forwards towards Akane, speaking softly.
Sekki : "Really? I would think he DID let you down, the way he spoke to you this morning."
Akane looks unsure of herself as Sekki pulls back to rest her chin on the back of palm. Akane's face creases a little as frustration crosses her now nearly perfect features before she speaks.
Akane : "I don't know. I got this nagging feeling that's telling me to go back and at least try to talk to him. At least try to.... apologise."
Sekki raises her head and flicks her hand at Akane in a sort of dismissive gesture, disgust on her face.
Sekki : "Don't. He's not worth the trouble. You know that, Akane. He'll just hurt you again."
Akane sighs, nodding sadly.
Akane : "But that's what I miss the most about him.... his.... his..... jerkiness. I almost miss the way he calls me tomboy or uncute.... "
Akane doesn't notice Sekki picking herself off the floor after falling off in shock, a dreamy look on her own face as she reminisces the old times. Sekki quickly steps by Akane's side and bends over to look Akane straight in the face, disbelief written on her face.
Sekki : "You don't really mean to go back to him, do you!? Akane-chan, you're digging your own metamorphical grave here!"
Akane shrugs at Sekki's bewildered expression, and stands up, Sekki stepping aside to let her pass, still pale from shock. Akane stops at a nearby wall, putting a palm onto it, feeling it.
Akane : "I know, but.... but I don't care. I miss him, I miss my family, I miss my friends. Even if I'm going to get hurt again, I'd rather do it looking at Ranma for the last time than dwell on some old and bitter memory."
She turns around to look at Sekki, new hope shining on her face.
Akane : "Thanks, Sekki... you've been a great help! I feel better already! I think I'll go see him now.... if he's still around. Coming?"
Sekki : "..........."
Sekki is staring at Akane, head tilted to one side with a slack jaw,
eyelids half drooped and her eyebrow twitching, with that anime-ish cross
on her head and a bead of bigsweat rolling down her head. Her face is an
unhealthy shade of purple and green.
Akane feels her own bead of sweat roll down her head.
Akane : <Maybe not.>
Ranma watches the fire as it crackles and burns, throwing out light to dispel the encroaching shadows brought on by sunset. Poking it with a green stick, Ranma watches Ryouga through the flames. He has his arms crossed and eyes closed, like he is deep in thought. Kuno is snoring and talking in his sleep in his private tent, hugging a stuffed doll version of Ranma-chan and Akane.
Ranma : "Ryouga, tell me somethin' will ya?"
Ryouga opens one eye and peeks at Ranma calculatingly.
Ryouga : "And what might that be?"
Ranma : "Whaddaya think of Akane now? I mean, now that she ain't all that human...."
Ryouga chuckles slightly, grinning maliciously at Ranma before continuing.
Ryouga : "I don't get what you mean, Ranma. Akane is still human as far as I'm concerned. She still looks human."
Ranma pokes the fire with the stick again, watching as the sparks fly and the listening to the crackle of the fire.
Ranma : "Of course, look being the definitive word here. Ryouga, look, you know what I mean. I'm asking you this question for her sake. What do you think of her now?"
Ranma speaks with an iron conviction in his voice. Ryouga looks surprised at Ranma's insistent voice. He takes a deep breath and lets it out with a noisy huff, then nods.
Ryouga : "Fine. Right now, I think Akane-san is not the same person we knew before."
*tonk*
A pebble smacks Ryouga on the forehead and bounces into the fire.
Ranma : "I'm not asking you that, porky, I'm asking you what she's like now, how she's acting, you know, her behaviour."
Ryouga rubs his forehead, thoughtfully protected by his bandannas, and replies with acid in his voice.
Ryouga : "Why ask me, Ranma? You know her better than I do, you're her iinazuke."
Ranma uses his best sarcastic tone to rebuke that sentence.
Ranma : "That's because you sleep in her bed with her almost every night, P-chan."
Ryouga suddenly grows flustered and he looks around worriedly before scuttling over to Ranma and grabbing his collar, face flushed.
Ryouga : "Who's P-chan!?"
Ranma : "Hey, cool down will ya? She ain't here!"
Ryouga drops Ranma onto the floor rather painfully, and folds his arms as he sits down again.
Ryouga : "Fine. I'll tell you. She's definitely got something going on with you."
Ranma : "Huh?"
Ryouga glares Ranma down with a dark gaze, and Ranma can feel a winter chill eating him. Ryouga replies in a soft, but very deep and hard voice.
Ryouga : "Don't play with me, Ranma. Don't tell me you didn't notice what she called you last time. And don't you DARE tell me you couldn't pick up on her reaction at seeing you today."
Ranma blinks. A fuzzy picture of the previous time he was on the island runs into his head. The time Akane dragged him into the bushes, the time she called him "Ranma-kun".......
Hold on.
Ranma-kun!?
Ranma nearly falls into the fire with shock, and only the action of Ryouga grabbing him by his pigtail saves him from a very painful death. Putting Ranma back down onto the sandy floor, Ryouga pulls Ranma towards him by the collar.
Ryouga : "Remember now?"
Ranma : "H...hai...." (Y...Yes....)
Ryouga : "And this morning?"
Ranma : "Er......"
*CHILL!*
With a sharp sense of warning, Ranma suddenly whirls out of Ryouga's grasp and looks upwards towards the trees. He puts a hand to Ryouga's mouth and concentrates on his surroundings, feeling out with his chi for that sensation again. Ranma is suddenly glad Cologne taught him that much, at least.
Ranma : "Shhh, Ryouga!"
Ryouga blinks, uncomprehending. He looks out towards the rising moon, hoping to see what Ranma sees. Then Ranma sees them. Over the trees, two shadows appear. They have wings.
Ranma : <Akane? Sekki?>
They land without a sound, their forms partially silhouetted by the rising moon behind them. Also behind them, Ryouga looks around for a moment before finally turning around enough to spot the two. He and Ranma stand and head for the shorter haired one. Enough sunlight remains that they can see the hair colour of a deep blue.
Ranma : "Akane? That you?"
The shadow in front of him nods. It steps to one side enough such that some light is shining on its face. Indeed it is Akane. Ranma smirks.
Ranma : "Akane, you finally came back huh? Came to apologise?"
Akane looks at Sekki, standing to one side now, who shrugs.
Sekki : "It's your choice. Remember what I told you : 'Be brave and take the initiative.'."
Akane looks at her for a moment longer, then bites her lip and nods resolutely. She turns to face Ranma, a fire burning in her eyes.
Akane : "Ranma, hello."
Ranma is taken aback by her unusual greeting. He looks at her for a while, then utters an unsure reply.
Ranma : "H..hi, Akane."
The two of them look at each other for a moment. Ryouga walks up to Sekki and nudges her.
Ryouga : "Hoi, what are those two doing?"
Sekki looks at Ryouga by her side and shrugs, smiling lopsidedly at the same time. She can't help but notice those really kawai teeth of his though....
Sekki : "I have no idea."
Akane is the first to break eye contact between her and Ranma as she looks down and twiddles her fingers, trying to form the correct words in her head. Ranma keeps looking at her.
Ranma : "Is there something you want to say, Akane?"
Akane looks up at Ranma with a slight smile on her face.
Akane : "Yes, I guess so. I'm sorry, Ranma."
Ranma's mind suddenly screams in panic as he remembers the last time she said it. It must've shown though, since Akane suddenly gets a similarly panicked look. She holds her hands out and grabs Ranma's shoulders to calm him.
Akane : "No, Ranma! I didn't mean that sorry!"
Ranma's face suddenly calms down a lot, and he lets out a relieved sigh.
Ranma : "Geez, I wish you wouldn't scare me like that all the time, Akane!"
Akane shakes her head, smiling again.
Akane : "No, Ranma. I shouldn't. I wanted to say sorry for this morning's.... incident."
Ranma looks confused.
Ranma : "Oi? You're telling me sorry?"
Akane nods.
Akane : "Yes. I shouldn't have slapped you so hard. It was my fault I guess. I should've remembered to wear something first...."
Ranma keeps looking at Akane, then he slowly nods.
Ranma : "Well, you've always been so forgetful anyway...."
Akane looks at him with a start, eyes wide. Ranma returns a similarly bewildered look, then shakes his head.
Ranma : "Er, I never said that."
But instead of getting hit or rebuked, Akane moves her hands from his shoulders to his cheeks and holds him there for a moment. With last of the setting sun, Ryouga and Sekki watch them highlighted in a brilliant golden light.
Ranma is surprised. Very, very surprised. Akane's never held him like this before, much less look at him like that, a longing in her eyes. Her touch feels ticklishly like soft velvet or swan down, unusually soft and gentle for someone to whom Ranma is accustomed to feeling the hard edges of knuckle. Beads of nervous sweat form on his neck.
Akane smiles at Ranma as Ranma's face turns an absolutely brilliant scarlet at this unexpected intimacy. She moves slightly closer to him, head tilting slightly.
Akane : "No, of course you never said that, Ranma."
Ranma : "Akane?"
Akane : "Ranma, I wish I could never leave you, you know that? I...... I........."
Akane looks unsure at this point as Sekki watches. Ranma keeps staring at her, his face a mask of curiosity. Akane looks down, as if thinking.
Ranma : " 'I' what, Akane?"
Akane looks up again at Ranma, cheeks flushed reddish pink.
Akane : "Ranma.... I.... L.... love you."
Ranma : "What?!"
Akane sighs happily, then nods. Ranma is still staring at her, face turning an almost black hue of red. A loud *gouff* goes unnoticed by Sekki, Ranma and Akane as Ryouga faints on the spot, tears streaming out of his eyes and body convulsing. Sekki on the other hand has her arms crossed and is leaning against a tree, smiling to herself, silently cheering Akane on.
Sekki : <My, she certainly took initiative all right. But then, that's my Akane-chan! Attagirl!>
Ranma is still staring at Akane, who's now looking at him tenderly. His brain simply cannot register what she just told him.
Ranma : "Akane? Did I just hear what I thought you-mmmmph!"
The setting sun leaves a final, highlighted legacy on the island as Akane pulls Ranma to her and does something she'd never do normally. Heck, never before! Sekki quickly kicks the cheesy orchestra band that materializes besides her away before they can start on their piece.
She kisses him.
They never notice the flash of reddish silver as a dark shadow flits through the woods behind them, followed by a few dozen others.