After a long hiatus, back to the grindstone....I just went through the
worst case of writer's block in my life :P This is a half-finished product,
and I would like some feedback from anyone and everyone......
 

<The song "Back In The Saddle Again..." plays in the background>

Well, let's get this over with. ^_^

***************************************



	Ranma walked up the short flight of stairs to the second floor, making
slight thumping sounds as he walked, which were sounding vaguely like the
one's coming from Ranma's chest. 

<Almost there,> he thought to himself. He reached Akane's bedroom door and
stopped.

	Akane had been lying in bed awake, thinking of all the things that had
happened to her today, when she heard soft footfalls from the stair case.
Even being so sift, there was no mistake that those feet belonged to Ranma.
Her heart raced a little as she heard them come closer to her room, finally
stopping right outside her door. She sat up and anxiously awaited his
knock.

< He came.....he actually came up here.....I wonder what he's going to
say.....>

	The suspence was tearing at Akane. She wanted to fling the door open at
run into his ar......and listen to what he wanted to say to her. An
uncomfortable pause settled.

<What is he waiting for, an invitation?,> Akane angrily thought.

	Finding himself in front of Akane's bedroom door, Ranma began to sweat.
Where just a few minutes before he had been full of confidence and energy,
he was now feeling extremely nervous and began doubting his desicion to try
to talk to Akane.

<What if she's still mad at me? What if I say something stupid?>

	A new surge of adrenaline swept through his mind, sweeping aside his
doubts. No, he was sure he was doing the right thing. He cleared his throat
softly and remembered exactly what he had planned to say to Akane. He
stepped forward and knocked on the door.
*THOCK THOCK---THWOCK*

<Huh? What was that? I only knocked twice,> Ranma thought. Ranma looked
around to see if someone else had knocked.

	Akane blinked at what she heard. She could have sworn that the knocking
sounded like it had come from outside......she went over to her window and
took a look.

	She spied a little boy with what looked to be a large scabberd almost as
as long as his legs dangling from his waist. He was wrapped in a too-long
cloak that hid his face.

<Hmm, a visitor......I think I'll go greet him...this'll be a good way to
open this stupid door and see what Ranma wants....>  She grinned to herself
and walked over to her door, grabbing the handle-

<Enough waiting, I'm opening this door myself.> With that, Ranma reached
for the handle-

-and opening it towards her, walked out the door-

-but watched it open away from him-

*CRASH*  "OOF!!"

-and Akane ran directly into his outstretched arms, sending Ranma sprawling
to the floor, with her lying right on top of him, her face pressed against
his wildly thumping chest.

<Oh jeez, now what am I do to get outta this one?>

	Akane lay very still against him for a few seconds, letting all the
different emotions sort themselves out. She could, of course, send Ranma
flyintg into the stratosphere, but didn't. She could just call him a jerk
and pervert, but she didn't. Instead she decided to let herself enjoy this
moment of closeness to him, and said nothing.

	Ranma was a bit bewildered. Akane hadn't smacked him, whacked him, or
cursed him yet. In fact, he felt her....snuggle? him a little. A feeling of
relief passed through him, which was soon replaced by a feeling of.......he
couldn't bring himself to think it, much less say it. He just felt it.

	He gazed down upon her smiling face, her eyes closed. Sometimes, when she
wasn't so angry, she could look so.....beautiful. He watched her and felt a
lump form in his throat. There was something he wanted to do, something he
had to do. It was the right time for it. Without thinking he brought his
hand down to her face and softly stroked her cheek, enjoying the warmth he
felt in her.

	Akane had been laying very still, feeling Ranma's body tense up at first,
then relax and soften up. His heart calmed a little and no longer thumped
away in her ear.
She hoped nothing would break this spell she was under....but then she felt
a hand touch her face. The hand was large and rough, and she knew who it
belonged to. Her own heart fluttered a bit as the large hand rubbed her
cheek in a gentle way, making her even more happy.She heard his voice call
out to her.


"A..Akane....I....."

	Akane looked up and caught his expressive gaze. His large eyes shined in
the dim hallway light, silently calling her, and she wanted to obey.

	His hand moved from her cheek to her chin, and gently tugged her face
towards his. 

<Finally.>

She closed her eyes again, and Ranma did likewise. He leaned down to press
his lips against hers-


*THWOCK THWOCK*


	And just as quickly as it had formed, the spell was broken. They both
opened their eyes at the persistant rapping on the front gate, and Akane
jumped up in a start. Ranma did likewise and backed away from her. She
stared at him for a few seconds, feeling the tears coming back to her eyes
once more, and then ran off down the stairs, intent on doing something,
anything that would make her forget about what had just occured.

	Ranma took a half-step towards her, and then stopped. She was already
gone. He let his head and shoulders slump noticably and walked back to his
room in silence, where he sat quietly, thinking about what might have been.

	
	Akane tore through the living room and ran out the front entrance,
startling Kasumi who was busy cleaning the kitchen.

<Oh my, I wonder what's happened to her now? I guess Ranma didn't do so
well with her......>

	She put down her broom and slowly followed her little sister, intent on
seeing where she was going.

	With a loud crash the two wooden gates exploded from their hinges and flew
off in no particular directions. Luckily the little boy was standing off to
the side of the gates waiting to be let in and was not caught by the flying
debris or the running Akane that followed. 

	She did not look back. Running was the only thing on her mind. No apparent
destination, just run.

<Run.>

	Anything to get her mind off.....

<Ranma,> her mind quietly whispered. Clenching her fists tightly and
momentarily closeing her eyes, she took a sharp corner and went.


	The little boy stared at the rapidly fading girl, and just shook his head.
It seemed to him that this place lived up to the reputation it had earned,
which was to say, a house of madness. He turened and peered through the now
bare gate. A young woman wearing a placid smile was waling towards him.

"Hello, little boy," she greeted him, "can I help you?"

	For a split second his eyes raged in anger.

"I AM NOT A-" HE gritted his teeth and remembered his current state.
Forcing a smile, he replied in his best 'innocent little child' voice.

"Hi lady! My name's, uh....Ramen! Yeah, Ramen!" <Aw, crap, of all the
stupid names in the world......>

"Oh my, what a cute name." <Ramen? Not quite....> "Excuse me, but did you
see a young lady run by here?"

"Yeah. She looked like she was in a hurry to get someplace."

	Kasumi stared off into the distance, thinking of Akane. <Oh, dear, I hope
she doesn't do anything rash.....> Kasumi blinked at looked down. She had
momentarily forgotten the little boy was even there. 

"I'm sorry, were you looking for someone?"

	He remembered his plan and answered.

"Yes, ma'sm. I'm looking for the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial
Arts. My parents want me to train there." He grinned to himself.

<Oh good, finally a student. Father will be so pleased!> She beamed at him.

"Well then, this is the place you are looking for, although I don't know if
Father and Mr. Tendo are teaching anymore. Please, come in."

	She took him by his small hand and led him towards the house. He flushed
trmendously, enjoying the feel of her soft palm.

<I may be nothing but a child for the moment, but I haven't
forgotten......maybe when this is over.....> He glanced up at her, briefly
feeling a pang of emotion, then shook his head. Those familiar dark
thoughts returned to him, consuming his mind with nothing but hatred.

<NO,> he thought, <she is one of _them_....and they will _all_ pay....>
Still, as they entered the home together, he stole a final quick glance at
her.

<If only...............>



	The two horsemen rode furiously, kicking up a great cloud of dust along
the dirt road. By his calculations, they were at least a day behind
schedule, and not making up any ground on thier quarry. He noticed his
horse and his charge's panting heavily. They had been riding for three days
straight without respite. The elder thought it was time for a break.

"Halt!," he called out, and the other rider pulled up in unison with him.

"What is it now?," said the younger of the two, the look of anxiety written
all over his face.

	The elder patted his steed on the side of it 's head, and it responded by
neighing softly and nuzzling his hand.

"The horses need to replenish their energy.....and so do we," he grinned.

	The younger one frowned in disgust, then softened his features.

"Of course, you're right. You're _always_ right. But that doesn't mean I
have to like it." He looked off into the distance.

	The elder smiled. His charge reminded him so much of himself in his
younger days.

<You would think after eight hundred and fifty years he'd grow up a
little.....>

	They dismounted and stoodd off to the side. The horses shimmered brightly,
then disappeared. The younger frowned even harder at that.

"That's another thing. How come they get to return and we don't? Stuck
here, on this pile of rock, trapped in this....this....this _flesh_." He
angrily grabbed a flap of loose skin on his arm and pinched it, looking
sickened. "Yech."

	The elder raised an eyebrow at his charge's outburst and responded.

"Hmmm.....how quickly you forget where you came from. How can you despise
what you once were?" He narrowed his eyes at the other and paused for
effect. "We have strict orders not to return until we apprehend the escapee
and have him. As if you couldn't tell, this is a sort of a test for you and
I. You wouldn't want to fail-"

	The harsh words had the desired effect on the younger as he panicked and
grew wide-eyed.

	"N-no no! I didn't mean it like that! I would never dream of
disobeying....." He began sweating profusely, and the elder chuckled out
loud.

"Oh, come now, have some dignity. I know your intentions, but you must
learn to hold your tongue and channel your energy properly. Were you
unworthy and without ability, I do not think _he_ would have chosen you for
such an important mission."

	The younger's face relaxed somewhat. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just so
antsy to catch this thing and go home already. I miss my....." His words
faltered as he thought of his wife, who no doubt awaited his return with
baited breath. 
	
	The elder smiled again as he caught the faraway look in his charge's eyes.


<Ah, young love. Married only a couple hundred years, and he thirsts for
her like a dehydrated man looking for a drink.> That thought brought back
memories of his own wife. It seemed like only a millenia ago they had
met...... 

	His own wife was on extended leave for seventy-four years on a very
special mission of her own. Eighteen of those years had already passed, but
it did little to sooth his disturbed mind as he counted away the days until
she returned to him.

<Ah well, she will return to me soon enough.....>

	He had considered looking for her solid form, and even once asked
permission to carry out his search. He was told not to worry, that time
passes quickly, and to be patient. In other words, drop it. So he did. But
he still missed her.

<Bah, enough of this melancholy.....we should relax ourselves.>

	He looked over at his charge. He was fast asleep at the base of a large
tree at the side of the road, tossing and turning and mumbling to himself.
Even in his sleep he was restless.

<I suppose I could join him, even if just for a bit. So much for the
schedule.>

	Lying down next to his companion, he closed his eyes and quickly fell into
a deep slumber.




"I have only two things in this world: my balls and my word. And I break
them for no one." -Tony Montana