[FIC][RANMA] Nihao, China! (3/3)

Nihao, China! (3/?)
by: Jenni McCrabb
"Blackbird"

All the characters used in this fanfic are copyright of Rumiko Takahashi and Shogakukan Inc.

After travelling several days with their guide, Ranma, Akane, and Genma finally reach Jusenkyo. Ever since the incident back in the village, the trip had become more and more awkward. Neither Ranma and Akane knew how to handle their new feelings and the kiss that had happened between them in the cave of the illusionist. Both kept sneaking glances at the other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Of course, both had noticed the other looking. Maybe, when I get to Jusenkyo and find that Spring of Drowned Man Akane will like me a little more, Ranma thought. Nah! What am I thinking? She hates guys, but if she hates guys, what about that kiss? I won't think about that now.
As they neared Jusenkyo, they noticed a girl standing in the middle of the road, blocking the path between the two cliffs that bordered Jusenkyo. The girl was young and was dressed as a warrior. She carried a long spear in one hand and the other cradled around a whip that rested at her right hip. She looked difiantly at the group of oncoming travellers.
"Hold! No one passes!" the girl said.
"Why not? We need to get to Jusenkyo," said Ranma.
"Jusenkyo belongs to me, no one shall pass," she responded.
"Belongs to you? Since when?" Ranma replied.
"My family has been the guardians of Jusenkyo for thousands of years. I am the only one of my family left. My parents died when I was little, leaving me the springs. It was only recently that I became old enough to defend them. If you wish to go to Jusenkyo, you must defeat me first!"
"I don't fight girls," Ranma said.
"But I do," said Akane.
"Akane, it's ok, you don't have to do this," Ranma pleaded.
"Hush, boy," said Genma, "this is a training trip you know." Ranma splashed him with cold water.
"So, you have been here before, eh? You returned here in the hopes of reversing your curses? Good luck!" the warrior girl sneered.
"Let's go!" said Akane. This is my chance to prove to Ranma that I'm just as good a martial artist as he is, she thought. Maybe he'll like me more if he thinks I'm a good martial artist. No, what am I thinking, he thinks I'm a tomboy.
Akane got into her fighting stance and edged towards the girl. The girl ran at Akane and thrust her spear at her, Akane jumped to avoid the attacked and landed behind the girl, at the edge of the first springs of Jusenkyo. The girl spun around and ran at Akane again. She pulled the whip off her belt and cracked it at Akane who leapt up onto one of the reeds sticking out of the springs to avoid the whip.
"Akane! Be careful!" Ranma yelled but it was too late. The girl threw the spear, not at Akane but at the reed she was standing on. It hit the reed and caused it to wobble. Akane lost her balance and fell into the spring.
"Akane! NO!" Ranma ran towards the spring as a tiger crawled out.
"Ah! She fall in Spring of Drowned Tiger! Very tragic story of tiger who drown in spring 1,300 years ago," said the guide as he held up a sign.
The tiger examined itself briefly, then began to growl as it moved towards the girl. The girl started to slowly back up as she repositioned her whip. She cracked the whip at the tiger who jumped above the strike and pounced the girl. The tiger stood on the girl, growling and blowing hot breath into her face. Ranma then reached the two of them and immediately poured hot water on the tiger who then changed back into Akane. The girl hoisted herself up from under Akane and sat there, staring at the two of them.
"You have beaten me, I must surrender Jusenkyo to you," she said as she hung her head.
"Um, well, that won't be necessary," Ranma said. "We just need to borrow it for a second."
Ranma then picked up Akane and carried her over to the Spring of Drowned Girl.
"I don't want you to have to suffer with a curse as I have," he said as he placed her gently into the water. When she emerged, she was plain old Akane again, uncursed. Ranma helped her out of the water and walked over to where the guide and Genma were standing.
"Which is the Spring of Drowned Man," Ranma asked the guide.
"Ah! Sirs, there is no Spring of Drowned Man!" he said happily. Ranma grabbed him by his shirt and shook him.
"What do you mean there's no Spring of Drowned Man! We came all this way for nothing?!" he yelled. "You mean I have to stay in this cursed body for the rest of my life?!" Tears began to well in Ranma's eyes for the first time in his life. He turned away so no one could see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes. Especially not Akane. What would she think, if she saw me cry, he thought.
Akane walked over to Ranma and faced him. He tried to look down to avoid her stare but she gently put her hand under his chin and lifted his face to meet her gaze.
"It wasn't for nothing, Ranma," she said. "While we were on this training mission we learned and expressed things to each other that we never would have if we had stayed in Japan. I've finally come to terms with my feelings for you, Ranma. I care a lot about you and I'm not mad we got engaged anymore." Now it was her turn to look at the ground. Have I gone too far, she thought. Ranma then lifted her chin much the same she had done his.
"I love you too, Akane," he said as he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. She gasped in surprise and pleasure as their lips met. He slowly slipped his arms around her waist as she slipped hers around his neck.
As the kiss broke, she said, "How will we ever explain this to everyone back home?"
"You know, Akane," he ventured, "I think they knew long before we did."
"You think?" she asked. "Well, we managed to get rid of Shampoo and Ryouga. That just leave Kuno and Ukyo. If we can set them up, we'll finally have peace."
"Well, as much peace as there can be with us," Ranma smirked.
All the while, Genma watched in mild surprise at the couple. The young warrior girl just sat and stared at them in an amazed state. The guide just watched on in his clueless way, holding up signs occasionally.
"Well, er, come on you two, we better be getting back to Japan now, we've got a long trip ahead of us."
Ranma took Akane's hand as they followed Genma and the guide back down the path in the direction of Japan and home. The young warrior girl looked in envy and hoped that one day, she'd have a relationship like theirs. Little did she know what she was wishing for. :)

The End until I can think of something else.