PART 6
The sounds of metal clashing against stone shattered the
silence of the stable as Akane Tendo slashed her sword against
the tall pillar of stone. She had been doing so for over an hour, trying
to work out the incredible surge of anger that threatened to overwhelm
her senses with every strike of her blade.
Sparks spat out from the point of contact as Akane continued
the assault, sweat dripping down her face and her arms aching from
the effort. Still she continued, refusing to give up, refusing to allow
herself even a short rest period. Then she finally collapsed onto her
knees, her tired body betraying her as she finally had to stop. Tears
of anger, of a pain that couldn't be put into words, poisoned her very
soul....
"Akane?"
The voice was soft, gentle, it seemed to come from a million
miles away. Akane looked up to see the priestess Nodoka standing
over her, a smile on her face though Akane couldn't ever remember
a time when Nodoka didn't smile.
Akane had always considered Nodoka to be her mother,
even though her biological mother had abandoned her as a baby on
the doorstep of Hyrule Castle with a note pinned to her clothes,
claiming she couldn't afford to take proper care of her. Nodoka had
raised Akane as her own, taking special care in educating her,
teaching her right from wrong and even taught her how to use a
sword when she expressed her desire to become a royal guard.
"Feel any better?" Nodoka inquired, without a trace of
sarcasm or ill-will in her tone as she ran her fingers along the
battered post.
"No...." Akane whispered, her eyes still brimming with
tears. "I won't feel better. Not until the princess is back with us,
safe from evil like Kunou.....safe from...." Akane's voice trailed off.
"You care a great deal about Ranko, don't you?" Nodoka
said.
"More than you'll ever know...." Akane thought to herself
before answering. "Yes. I feel like I failed her when she needed me
most."
"Did you try your best?"
Akane looked up at Nodoka, anger and disbelief in her eyes.
"Of course I did! I tried to save her! I was desperate to save her! But
I was too slow, I wasn't strong enough...."
"Rubbish." Nodoka replied. "Ranko wouldn't have made you
the captain of her guards if she wasn't confident of your abilities."
"And where did that confidence get her?! She's been
kidnapped, 10 of my guards were killed, there's no telling what that
bastard Kunou is doing to her right now!" Akane almost screamed
at Nodoka.
"And you think pitying yourself will bring her back? That
if you keep striking your sword against that stone it will change what
has already happened?"
Akane sighed, some of her anger beginning to fade as
Nodoka's words broke through her stubbornness to stay angry at herself.
"You cannot blame yourself for the loss of the princess. Your
men fought bravely, kept you from being kidnapped as well and gave
you time to prepare the castle against Kunou's next attack." Nodoka
pointed out in a calm voice. "You cannot let your love for Ranko
blind you to what must be done here.
Akane spun around to stare at Nodoka in shock.
"Y....You mean you k....know....?!"
Nodoka's smile seemed to grow a little wider. "I've known for
a long time now and while I can't say I entirely approve, I know Ranko
cares for you deeply and that she wouldn't want you to torture yourself
like you're doing now. You must climb out of this pit of dispair
you've dug for yourself and prepare for the battle ahead. I didn't teach
you how to swing a sword so you could bury your head in the sand."
Akane wiped the tears from her eyes as she nodded.
"I know....I know you're right....It just hurts so much, mom...."
Nodoka's voice softened. "I know, my child....Let it out
now, while we still have time...."
Nodoka gently cradled Akane's head against her chest as
Akane finally broke down completely and cried without shame.
"Let it all out...."
* * *
The night air was cool as Ukyou Kuonji made her way
around the back of her home, a piece of cloth wrapped around her
to serve as a towel. She was carrying wooden buckets filled with
cold water in each of her hands. Then Ukyou allowed the cloth to
fall as she sat on a stone that served as a stool and poured one of the
buckets over her head.
She felt a chill go through her entire frame as the water ran
down her shivering naked body. Then she quickly reached behind
her and retrieved some soap that her husband had been fortunate
enough to get at the fair and gently applied it over her body until
she was covered with a layer of lather. Then she grabbed the
other bucket and rinsed off the soap, trembling from the icy water
as it washed over her body again.
Cleansing complete, Ukyou wrapped the cloth around her and
quickly walked back into the house to retrieve a large black pot from
over the fireplace. After checking to make sure it was the right
temperature, She made her way with it back outside and overturned
the pot into a stone bath. Steam rose from the bath as the hot water
from the pot filled it up. Then, Ukyou put the empty pot down,
removed her cloth once more, and gently eased herself into the
bath.
Ukyou sighed in contentment as the waters eased the tension
in her muscles, relaxing them and her body ceased shivering. As she
continued to soak in the tub, her mind began to wander....
"Things sure have changed in the last month." Ukyou
remarked to herself. "Kunou declares war on Hyrule, Ranma's
engaged to marry the princess and now I'm married to Mousse."
Ukyou smiled to herself as she remembered the day Mousse
finally confessed his love for her while she had been visiting. It had
been sudden and full of tenderness. It had also caught her completely
by surprise.
She had ran from the house that night, it had been too much
to deal with at the time. The memory of her breakup with Ranma
had still been tugging at her heart. Mousse had searched for her for
hours, finally finding her in the woods by following the sound of her
crying.
Mousse then begged her forgiveness, sobbing that he never
meant to hurt her. She had felt tremendous guilt and assured
him that it had caught her by surprise and that she needed time to
think about it. Three days later, they were happily married. It was a
small ceremony and the priest was their only witness.
Since then, Ukyou had moved from her old place near the
mountains into Mousse's house. Although she loved the Mountains
and she had spent her whole life among them, there were too many
painful memories of her childhood with Ranma there. She felt she
needed to make a clean break from her old relationship. Besides,
Mousse's house was much larger and in better condition than her old
one and the bath was especially nice...
Looking back on the past month, Ukyou had no regrets about
her new marriage. She had known Mousse for a long time, knew him
as a friend and now as a lover and supportive husband. After Ranma
left, Ukyou had vowed never to love again, completely throwing her
energy into her restaurant and the preparation of okonomiyaki. She
had always been independent and she tried to convince herself that she
didn't need love to have a good life. But the loneliness never left her,
it intensified almost to the breaking point. Ukyou had continued to
wish that Ranma would come back to her, that he would forget
about the princess and Hyrule....
Now her loneliness was gone, chased away like a dark
cloud by Mousse. For the first time in a long while, Ukyou was truly
happy with her life and with herself.
"Ucchan, I'm home!"
Ukyou blinked and glanced towards the voice, then at the
night sky. "How long was I daydreaming?" She wondered to herself
as she quickly got out of the tub and grabbed her towel. She started
drying herself off when a idea struck her. Smiling playfully, Ukyou
allowed the towel to fall to the ground and then walked back into the
house, planning to give her husband a nice surprise when he reached
out to embrace her....
Only to be surprised herself when she saw Ryouga, Ranma and
Shampoo standing around her husband. Ryouga took one look at her
and while being with Akari had somewhat gotten him used to seeing a
naked girl, blood still poured from his nose as he quickly averted his
eyes. Shampoo, what the hell was *she* doing here, immediately
went to his aid, crying out "Ai ren!" for some reason. Ranma just
blushed a vivid crimson, looking apologetic and very embarrassed.
"What's wrong?" A confused Mousse asked, unable to see
his wife's lack of modesty.
"R....Ranchan!" Ukyou's entire body turned pink from
embarrassment as she frantically ran back outside to put her clothes on.
Meanwhile, Ranma was trying to stop Mousse from following her as
Shampoo continued to tend to Ryouga's bloody nose.
A few moments later, Ukyou emerged with her clothes on
and an expression of anger. Ranma was less than thrilled to notice
she also had her spatula with her. "Uh....Hi Ucchan." Ranma
cautiously greeted his ex-fiancee.
"You could have warned me, Mousse!" Ukyou ignored
Ranma completely as she turned her attention to Mousse.
"Warn you about what? What happened?" Mousse asked.
"They saw me...." Ukyou began.
"Never mind!" Ranma quickly cut her off to prevent further
embarrassment. "Sorry for barging in here like this, Ucchan. Your
husband invited us here to spend the night." Ranma put a little
more emphasis on the word *husband* that was really necessary.
"Still, you could have given a little warning...." Ukyou
grumbled.
"Hey, you walked in on us!" Ranma countered.
"What's the big deal about walking in on someone?"
Mousse almost shouted in frustration as Ranma and Ukyou continued
to argue while Ryouga went outside to find some water to wash his
face, Shampoo guiding him along....
* * *
There were days Sasuke *really* hated his job.
He was the last descendant of a long line of ninjas that had
pledged their lives to serve the Kunou family. Throughout the Kunou
family line, there had been the wise and there had been the foolish.
The past two generations, Kouchou and his son, Tatewaki, definitely
fit into the latter category, squandering their money on inconsequential
vices and basically serving no real purpose in society.
But that was before Tatewaki went on a journey to China
to seek out rare clothes and jewelry for his previous wife, Nabiki.
Now Tatewaki Kunou had returned almost a completely different man
and, over the six months, had used his wealth to raise a powerful army
to conquer Hyrule.
Sasuke didn't know what could have possibly happened to his
master to change him like this but one way or another, Sasuke was
going to find out, after Kunou finished conquering Hyrule of
course.
Unfortunately, now it seemed he might not live to see that
day. He had decided to visit the princess after hearing rumors that
one of the guards was leering at her. He was not going to put up
with that sort of nonsense if he had anything to say about it. And
when he discovered what had happened, he was duty bound to
report the escape to his master, even if it meant his death.
* * *
"SHE WHAT!?!?!?"
Gosunkugi instantly retreated from Kunou's fearsome
presence while Sasuke stood his ground and tried his best not to soil
himself as he repeated. "T....The guard that was supposed to watch
over the princess has been m....murdered and the p....princess is
n....nowhere to be found.
Kunou's eyes glowed red as his scream of pure rage echoed
throughout his castle. Then he grabbed Sasuke by the skin of his
chest and whispered four words that chilled Sasuke's very essence.
"FIND HER OR DIE."
"Y...Y....Y...Yes, m....master!" Sasuke whimpered as
Kunou tossed him towards the door, his head cracking hard against
the frame as the sound slammed behind him from the force of
Kunou's throw.
"Stupidity, thy name is Sasuke!" Kunou muttered to himself
as he tried to sit up. He grimaced as he felt his ribs shift painfully
and he reluctantly lay back down, seething over his inability to
function as a man should.
"Curse this weak pathetic body! In my day, a man could
walk away from a fall ten time more steep than I one I suffered!"
Kunou growled and tried to calm down. "No....It is a weak man who
blames his tools. Once this body heals and Hyrule is conquered, I will
reclaim what is rightfully mine....
Kunou looked up at the ceiling and allowed himself a small
smile. In a small sense, he was elated that the princess had managed
to escape from her prison. It would make his conquest of her all the
more satisfying....
"Though she is little, she is fierce...."
Kunou's smile vanished as he grimaced. "Perhaps I made
an error by not administering the love potion to the princess right
away. While she is fierce, she is also troublesome, moreso than I
had originally thought....
Then again, Akane Tendo had been skillful enough to avoid
capture in the first place and unlike the delicate Ranko, she was a true
warrior, one he could both admire and mold into his own image.
"Of course!" Kunou suddenly exclaimed as he sat up again,
ignoring the pain. "It is the very essence of love whose
unpredictable emotions leads the will to desperate undertakings!
Ranko must have been desperate to escape and find Akane Tendo
because she loves her. Then once I administer the love potion on both
of them, they will also love me and together....together...."
Strengthened by the twisted logic of a madman, Kunou
burst into fits of maniacal laughter as he continued to fantasize
about his future wives....
* * *
After a long period of time, everyone had finally settled
down and were finally starting to catch up on old times. They were
all sitting around the house, each one taking turns telling old stories
of their past adventures.
"And remember the time we were trapped in that room with
no doors and we were fresh out of bombs? We had just about given
up hope...." Ranma was in the process of telling one of these stories
now while his comrades listened and laughed.
"....Then good old Ryouga smashes through one of the walls
while lost and ends up saving us all!" Mousse finished with a laugh.
"Yeah, that was shortly after I found the power bracelet and
became strong enough to move rocks. I rushed off to find you guys,
smashing through every wall in my path until I found you." Ryouga
fondly recalled as Shampoo brought him a full mug of sake. Ryouga
thanked her while Ranma smirked at the fact that Ryouga was finally
starting to warm up to Shampoo, dispite his vow that he would never
love again after Akari.
"So what have you been doing for the past month, Ukyou?"
Ryouga asked as he took a sip of the sake. "When did you and
Mousse get hitched?"
Ukyou had trouble looking into Ranma's eyes as she
replied. "We just realized one day how much we cared for each other.
The wedding was small and brief. We wanted it that way."
"Well, actually I wanted to tell Ranma...." Mousse began.
"But we didn't want to bother you when we heard about the
crisis with Kunou!" Ukyou finished for him a little too quickly.
"Anyway, it's nice to see you again, Ryouga....Ranchan...." Ukyou
glared at Shampoo for a moment. "Shampoo...."
Ranma noticed this and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Um....I can explain...."
Shampoo beat him to it. "Shampoo marry Ryouga!" was
her explanation.
"Ryouga? But I thought you and Ak...." She stopped when
she caught the look in Ryouga's eyes. "Oh. I'm sorry Ryouga.
"What spatula-girl talking about? Who Akari?"
Everyone looked uncomfortable for a moment before Ryouga
spoke up. "She was someone....I thought she loved me but she
didn't. I was stupid not to notice the way she looked at other
men...."
"She didn't deserve someone as loyal as you." Ukyou
assured the crestfallen Ryouga.
"Thanks." Ryouga gave her a small smile which she
returned. Meanwhile, Shampoo continued to stare at Mousse for
some reason. Ranma noticed this and inquired about it.
"Shampoo just wonder when silly Mousse take off
blindfold?"
There was another stunned silence, this time followed by
laughter. Everyone broke up while Shampoo sat there confused.
Finally Mousse stopped laughing long enough to answer
her question. "You mean you didn't know? I'm blind, Shampoo!"
Shampoo blinked. "Mousse use blindfold for more than
magic act?"
"I've been blind since I was born Shampoo. I rely on my
other senses, sound, touch, smell, taste and my instincts to get
around. When I had those arrows shot at me, I caught them by
hearing the sound of the arrows when they were released, thus
telling me where they were going to be. Then I waited until I could
feel the air pressure of the arrow come close enough so I could
intercept them safely. Of course I hadn't planned on NINE
arrows...." Mousse sarcastically noted.
"Then....Mousse know no magic at all?" Shampoo's voice
had more than a bit of contempt in it.
Mousse smiled. "I wouldn't go that far...."
And with that Mousse raised his arms above his head and
his face became a mask of concentration. Soon a blue aura began to
form around him, brightening the interior of the house while everyone
else watched. Then Mousse's entire body morphed into a ball of
energy for a moment before reforming into a full sized duck.
Ranma sighed. He wished he could have warned Mousse
before he did that but it was too late now as Mousse once again
morphed back into a human.
"How's that for magic?" Mousse gloated until he sensed the
presence of ki-energy coming from Shampoo. "Shampoo?"
While Mousse was unable to see what was happening,
Shampoo was quickly morphing from a human into a fearsome
cheetah. In an instant, Ukyou had flown out of her chair and was
now hiding behind Mousse, cowering with fear.
"C....C....CAT! IT'S A BIG CAT!!!!" Ukyou screamed
hysterically while cowering behind Mousse. Ranma instantly got to
his feet. "Okay Shampoo! You've proved your point! Now change
back before Ucchan has a heart attack."
The cheeta seemed to smile for a moment and then took
another step towards Ukyou.
"Shampoo...." Ranma warned her.
The cheetah halted her advance and then quickly changed
back into the beautiful form of Shampoo. Ukyou immediately
stopped trembling and looked confused.
"W....What happened?" Ukyou asked with a confused look
on her face.
"Shampoo changed into a cheetah and you went ballistic."
"Oh no...." Ukyou covered her face with her hands. "I
didn't....you know?"
"No, I stopped it before it went too far." Ranma answered
her.
"Why spatula girl afraid of cats?" Shampoo asked.
"She was trained by her grandfather for a secret technique
called the cat fist. It makes her temporarily invincible but it also
makes her deathly afraid of cats."
"It's all Happosai's fault! If he weren't already dead, I'd
kill him!" Ukyou spat as she resumed her seat.
"Anybody else here hungry?" Ranma suddenly asked as his
growling stomach made him acutely aware that he hadn't eaten
anything all day.
"Well, as a matter of fact, some girl visited me today and
gave me a white cake. She said it was from you Mousse but you
know I'm allergic to vanilla so she must have been mistaken.
Anybody else want a slice?"
"I would!" Ranma immediately chimed in.
"I don't know. This sounds suspicious." Mousse frowned
as Ukyou went into the back to get the cake. "Why would someone
send Ucchan a cake from me?"
"Who cares? I'm starving!" Ranma's hunger overwhelming
his common sense, as usual.
"Here it is....Dig in!" Ukyou announced as she placed the
cake on the table. Everyone started to reach for a piece when Mousse
raised his hands in a gesture of warning. "Just a second! There's
something strange about all of this...."
Ukyou handed Mousse a slice of cake and he smelled it.
Then he carefully took a small bite and tasted for any traces of
poison. "Hmm...seems to be okay but...."
That was enough for Ranma who quickly grabbed a piece
and shoved it into his mouth. "Oh man, this is delicious!" he
exclaimed.
Ranma's enthusiasm was all everyone else needed as they
quickly joined in....
* * *
Kodachi cackled with glee over her cauldron as she watched
her cake being devoured by the would-be heroes. The fun was about
to begin....
* * *
As Ranma finished his third piece of the cake, he found
himself thinking about the sudden marriage of Mousse and Ukyou.
He had been surprised to say the least when Mousse had told him.
But now he found himself growing more resentful of the fact that
neither of them had invited him to the wedding. Besides that, Ranma
felt a certain anger towards Mousse for being with Ukyou now. Had
Mousse always been interested in Ukyou even when she was engaged
to him? What if he hadn't left Ukyou? Had Mousse been planning to
take her away from him all along? The thought of Ukyou and
Mousse plotting behind his back caused Ranma to angrily shove some
more cake into his mouth....
Ryouga grimaced slightly as he finished his piece of cake.
He had never been that fond of vanilla. He shook his head
when Shampoo offered another slice to him. He supposed that he
should be happy that he had another chance to find a loving and
supportive wife like Shampoo but he couldn't help feeling resentful
at Ranma for forcing him into it. Ranma had also him to get closer
to Akari and that turned out to be a disaster. Who did Ranma think
he was to butt into his life....
Mousse had only taken a few bites from his piece of cake,
suspicious about where it came from. Mousse still wished that he could
have invited Ranma to the wedding but Ukyou made it clear that having
Ranma there would be too painful for her and he had respected her
wishes. Out of the blue, Mousse felt a twinge of jealousy over his wife
still being so emotionally attached to Ranma, but he quickly dismissed
it as he knew deep down that Ukyou loved him and that's all that
mattered.
Shampoo offered another piece of cake to her Ai Ren but he
declined so she decided to eat the piece herself. It had a strange taste
but it wasn't bad. As she quickly consumed it, she noticed how
downtrodden her husband-to-be looked. Shampoo frowned. Why did
Ranma and her grandmother arrange to marry someone like Ryouga.
She still had feelings for Ranma, the man who had defeated her in
combat for the first time. Ryouga hadn't even fought with her yet.
Memories flooded her mind, Ranma refusing to marry her because he
was engaged to Ukyou, Ranma running away from her in China and
causing her to return home in defeat....Shampoo nearly choked as she
shoveled cake into her mouth.
Ukyou poured herself a cup of sake as she watched her friends
enjoy the cake meant for her. She still felt some anger at Mousse for
bringing Ranma here after all the pain she had gone through but she
also knew that Ranma was a friend and that he wouldn't have come
here unless it was important.
Ukyou took a long sip from her cup and when she lowered
it, she gasped in surprise as the combined battle auras of Shampoo,
Ranma and Ryouga were flaring up.
"Uh....guys?" Ukyou prodded nervously.
"So what ever happened to our old place by the mountains?"
Ranma suddenly asked in a quiet voice.
"Oh....I decided to move here after Mousse and I got married."
Ukyou replied. "It's a lot bigger and...."
"Why didn't Mousse move to your house? You and I lived
there happily when we were engaged and I know you love the
mountains." Ranma asked in a strange voice.
Ukyou shifted uncomfortably. "Well....I just....I thought a
change of location would...."
"Why are you so concerned about where we live?" Mousse
asked, confusingly.
"Oh, I don't know...." Ranma began in a hostile tone. "Maybe
I just wanted to know why Ucchan would suddenly throw everything
away she held dear and live with someone like YOU.
"Ranchan!" Ukyou was shocked.
"Someone like me?" Mousse repeated, anger in his tone.
"And just what do you mean by that, Ranma?"
"I mean it seems to me...." Ranma's voice was growing
louder. "That you're not letting Ucchan live the way she wants to."
"Ranchan, I'm perfectly happy living with Mousse! I still
visit the mountains now and then, I just don't live there." Ukyou
replied, anger evident in her own voice now. "Besides, we're not
engaged anymore, so what do you care?"
"Don't mind Ranma. He can't handle his own love life so
he has to butt into others." Ryouga suddenly spoke up.
Ranma whirled on him. "What's that supposed to mean?!?"
"You were the one that encouraged me to find a wife. So
when I did, she broke my heart! Then I get drunk and next thing I
know, you've engaged me to someone else!" Ryouga coldly replied.
"If Ryouga no want Shampoo, Shampoo fine with that!"
Shampoo screeched as she rose to her feet, her battle aura growing
brighter.
"Hey, It's not my fault you picked the loosest woman in
Hyrule for your wife!" Ranma retorted. "Or the fact that you're too
stupid to see the truth when it's right in front of you.
Ryouga's eyes blazed with fury as he stood up. "Would you
care to repeat that, Ranma?"
"Come on guys, cut it out!" Ukyou held up her hands in a
gesture of peace. "We're all tired and...."
"Shut up, Ucchan! This doesn't concern you!" Ranma
snapped.
"Don't tell my wife to shut up! You're the one making an
ass out of yourself!" Mousse shouted as he stood.
"Geez, Mousse, You're just as stupid as Ryouga! Ucchan's
just using you because she needs a man! You're nothing but a
replacement for me and THAT'S why she married you!"
Ukyou's brandished her spatula and struck Ranma hard over
the head with it. "How DARE you say something like that!" she
screamed, tears running down her face.
"How dare you make my wife cry!" a metal claw emerged
from Mousse's sleeve. "Apologize or I'll make you sorry!"
"Try it, duck boy." Ranma replied coldly, assuming a
fighting stance.
"If you're fighting Mousse, then you're fighting me too!"
Ryouga roared as he matched Ranma's stance only to be thrown
forward as Shampoo smashed a mace against the back of his head.
"Ranma want Shampoo to marry Ryouga? Ryouga beat
Shampoo in combat first!" Shampoo raised her mace to strike him
again only to have the top of it sliced off by one of Ryouga's
bandannas. The mace fell on Shampoo's head, sending her crashing
to the floor, unconscious.
"That'll teach ya...." Ryouga proclaimed, even as a small
part of him felt regret for what he had just done. But soon anger
took control of his emotions again and he found himself launching
himself at Ranma and Mousse, his mind filled with hate and blind
fury.
"Stop! Please stop!" Ukyou cried out as Ranma fought both
Ryouga and Mousse, wrecking much of the house in the process until
they were outside. Ukyou was about to follow them when she looked
down at the remains of the white cake and a revelation hit her like a
ton of bricks.
"Wait a minute....this all started after...."
Ukyou ran to her room and opened a wooden chest where she
kept her things. She quickly rummaged through it until she found a
small vial filled with a clear liquid. She ran back out to where the
cake was and, after opening the vial, gently sprinkled a few drops
onto one of the pieces.
There was an immediate effect. The piece of cake turned as
black as charcoal and a horrible stench emerged from it. Ukyou
quickly backed away, trying to keep from gagging and quickly ran out
of the house.
"It WAS the cake! Mousse was right to be suspicious!"
Ukyou realized as she raced to find her friends. The vial had
contained a special potion that triggered magical spells. They
should have realized that the cake was a trap from the beginning.
She knew Mousse had only taken a few bites of the cake and was
primarily mad because of Ranma's insult towards her. If she could
reason with him before things got too out of hand, he might be able
to find an antidote. If she didn't find them in time....
Ukyou refused to finish that thought as she continued to
search for her friends, soon disappearing into the woods....
* * *
It was nearly pitch black now as Princess Ranko made her
way through the forest, trying not to make too much noise and give
herself away. She wished she could have taken the time to gather
more supplies but she couldn't risk being caught again. She had to
get as far away from Kunou's castle as possible before they discovered
the dead guard and went to search for her.
Now, as the lack of suitable light made it nearly impossible to
navigate, she knew she should make camp. But she had to be careful
that no one else would see the flames and discover her hiding place....
She plunged on ahead for a long time, looking for a suitable
spot, when she ran face first into a thick hedge. Unwilling to attempt
to backtrack since she couldn't see anything anyway, she pushed
herself through it and on the other side, much to her surprise, was a
quaint little house, completely hidden by the hedge surrounding it.
Candlelight shone through the windows of the house, indicating
someone was home. She decided to find out if anyone was home
and quietly knocked on the door.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Ranko gently called out.
There was a long pause and Ranko was about to knock again
when the door opened to reveal a girl with short brown hair and
tattered robes. She looked to be close to Ranko's age.
"Yes?"
"Um....My name is Ra....Ran, and I'm looking for a place
to spend the night. I was wondering if...."
The girl looked at Ranko with pity, as if she had just
volunteered to place her head in a mouth of a lion. "You couldn't
have come to a worse place for that if you'd tried. Trust me, you'd
be better off camping in the woods...."
The girl started to close the door when Ranko pleaded.
"Please! I'm in danger! I know it's a lot to ask but if Kunou's men
find me...."
"K....Kunou?" The girl repeated, her eyes wide with shock.
"Yes, he's trying to force me to marry him and...."
"Wait a minute! You're the princess, Ranko, aren't you?"
the girl proclaimed.
Ranko hesitated. "Y...yes. I'm sorry I lied to you but I
didn't think you would believe...."
"I heard rumors that you were kidnapped from Hyrule
castle and brought here but I never thought I would actually meet
you in person." the girl exclaimed with awe.
"Yes, I managed to escape and I've been running through the
woods since early afternoon." Ranko replied.
"How did you ever get past the guards?" the girl asked,
clearly impressed."
"I....uh....outsmarted them." Ranko fumbled. "Anyway, can
I please stay here until morning?"
The girl hesitated. "I don't know....My master is out stealing
at the moment but he'll return eventually and if he sees you here...."
"Your master doesn't like houseguests?" Ranko guessed.
"No, just the opposite. He's a lech who will certainly
try to take advantage of you. He's old but very skilled."
Ranko snorted. "Heh, let him try. I may not be a warrior
like Akane but I can hold my own."
Suddenly the girl's eyes went cold. "I have never heard
of that name nor care to ever hear it again." She said in a flat
monotone.
"Huh?" Ranko stared at the girl. "What did you say?"
The girl gave her a curious look. "Say what?"
"You just said...." Ranko shook her head, thinking she
was just tired. "Never mind. Can I stay here then?"
The girl smiled. "Okay, but if the master comes home,
you're on your own." She stepped back to allow Ranko to enter the
house and closed the door behind her.
Ranko smiled back. "Thank you. I didn't catch your name."
The girl looked down at the floor. "I....I don't have one. My
master found me in the woods with amnesia about six months ago.
I have no idea of who I am or where I came from. My master just calls
me things like *m'dear*, *baby* or *cutey honey* to name a few."
Ranko frowned. "Your master sounds like a real jerk if you
don't mind me saying so."
The girl smiled faintly. "You have no idea. But he takes care
of me....as long as I take care of him. I cook for him, clean for him and
I....I...." The girl faltered as she shuddered inwardly.
Ranko looked horrified. "You....you don't mean...."
The girl slowly nodded. "I give him....sponge baths."
Ranko facefaulted. She quickly recovered though. "He
sounds more like a dirty old man than a real pervert."
"Oh, he's both. He fondles me once in a while and steals my
undergarments before I had a chance to wash them but other than that,
he usually goes out every night and leaves me alone. It's better than
being under the *protection* of a pimp.
Ranko grimaced. "Your master sounds a lot like my fiancee's
old mentor. He was a lecher and a thief too. But he's been dead for
a long time. Maybe your master is his half-brother or something."
"Wouldn't surprise me." The girl smiled. Anyway, the spare
bedroom is down the hall and to the right. If you want to freshen up
later, there's a stream out back with fresh water.
"Thanks again. I really appreciate this." Ranko said as she
bowed.
"It's no trouble at all. I'm honored the princess of Hyrule is
staying here, your highness." The girl bowed to Ranko deeply in
respect.
Ranko winced a bit. "Please, just call me Ranko. I hate being
called your highness. It makes me feel like a pompous fool like
Kunou."
The girl laughed. "Alright, Ranko it is then!"
Ranko smiled again as she her gaze wandered the interior of
the house before falling upon a sword hanging on the wall nearby.
"Is that yours?" Ranko asked as she pointed towards it.
"Oh that? No, that sword was here when the master first won
this house from the Gambling King. You can take it if you want, I
never was much for swordfighting and the master uses marital arts to
defend himself with so I don't think he'll care."
"I'll promise to pay you back it's full worth when I'm finished
with it." Ranko promised as she took it down from the wall and pulled
it free of it's protective sheath. She gave a few practice stabs and
swings, testing it's weight and balance. The blade was dull from it's
lack of use but that could be easily fixed. All in all, it would serve her
needs.
"Thank you once again." Ranko bowed as she gently tied the
belt of the sheath around her waist and positioned the sword on her
right side. Ranko felt a little better knowing she could now defend
herself much better than she had unarmed, thanks to all her sword
training....
Ranko smiled as happy memories of her training sessions
with Akane flooded her mind. At first, Ranko had been more
interested in spending some time alone with Akane, which the
training exercises gave her an excuse to do but after Akane assured
her that sword-training would make her stronger and less
dependent on personal guards, Ranko had trained hard for months
to learn everything she could. While Akane could still whip her in
a real swordfight, she was now skilled enough to defend herself than
she only took personal guards when absolutely necessary.
Of course, not all of their time was spend practicing
swordplay. Ranko's smiled deepened as she recalled a very
intense and passionate night after Ranko had finally held her
own against Akane's blade for the first time and they decided to
celebrate. She and Akane had made love in that stable on more
than one occasion, both of them expressing their love for each other
through pleasure and understanding, growing closer as both lovers
and friends...."
But that brought back painful memories of her last night
with Akane before Sasuke had kidnapped her. She had felt so
helpless without her sword and was denied her chance to finally test
out her skills and help Akane out. But she had failed....
"Ranko?"
Ranko looked up, her train of thought interrupted. "I'm
sorry! I was just thinking...." Ranko tried to apologize.
"That's okay. I do that a lot too." The girl stretched out and
yawned. "I think I'll go to bed now. See you in the morning." The
girl waved as she retired to her room. Ranko took a seat nearby the
window, opened it and stared up at the evening sky, her thoughts
filled with concern for the one she cared for most.
"Akane....I hope you're okay. I hope you're not blaming
yourself for what happened to me. I hope to be back with you again
soon...." Ranko paused for a moment and then a tear gently fell
down her cheek as she whispered into the air....
"Wherever you are, Akane....I love you."
Ranko sat there a few moments longer before closing the
window again and gently blowing the candles out.
(Fade to Black)
TO BE CONTINUED.....
And so ends another chapter in this saga. When I first started writing
this, I had no idea it would grow to be as popular as it is. (I still
receive at least one e-mail a week, inquiring about when the next
part is coming out) and I wanted to make sure I did a descent job on
this part before releasing it.
As I finished this part, I realized the relationship between Akane and
Ranko is much stronger than the relationship between Ranko and
Ranma. Since most people who send me feedback like this pairing, I
may leave Ranko and Ranma's relationship a little vague. Again, I
might not, I'll have to see what happens.
I hope you enjoyed this part. C&C and feedback, as always, is
welcome and I'll try to get Part 7 of this out faster than I did Part 6. :)
Sincerely,
Megane 6.7
Next Part: Happosai lives!
