Let me know if you need previous chapters of this.
Why should poor beauty indirectly seek
Roses of shadow, since his rose is true?
Why should he live, now Nature bankrupt is,
Beggar'd of blood to blush through lively veins?
O, him she stores, to show what wealth she had
In days long since, before these last so bad.
excerpt from Sonnet LXVII
by William Shakespeare
ROSES OF SHADOW
By Richard Lawson
Part Three: Why Should He Live
Ranma began to drift awake. It was taking a long time. Well, it
*always* took a long time; sleep was something he enjoyed a lot. This
time, however, he felt particularly resistant to the idea of regaining
consciousness.
He had enough awareness now to realize that he wasn't in his bed. He
appeared to be sitting against the wall. A padded wall. There was a
weight on his stomach. And his hand was resting on something... soft.
Finally he could deny it no longer. He woke up.
He was in the cell, as he feared he would be. And Kodachi was sleeping
with her head on his stomach, also as he feared. His hand was caught up
in her hair, resting lightly on her head.
"Damn," he swore softly. Again. Kodachi had hugged him and sobbed into
his chest for half an hour last night. Then she had sniffled for
another hour, her arms still wrapped around him. He'd had an arm draped
over her shoulders and had been absently stroking her hair. Finally,
she'd fallen asleep, and Ranma had not wanted to disturb her too
quickly. He'd decided to wait until she was deep asleep before moving.
Unfortunately, he had evidently fallen asleep himself. Somewhere during
the night their positions had altered slightly.
Ranma studied Kodachi's face. It looked peaceful, although it was
frightfully streaked with her eyeshadow. Still, Ranma knew that a
peaceful look meant nothing on Kodachi - it was her eyes that told the
story of her rationality, and he couldn't see them.
He imagined what her reaction was going to be when she woke up.
Overjoyed, probably maniacally so, to wake up in his arms. The sickly
sweet devotion she'd shower on him. Calling him "Ranma-sama" over and
over.
Ranma wanted no part of that.
Slowly he disentangled his hand from her hair and lifted her shoulders.
He scooted out from underneath her and gently laid her on the mat.
Quietly, he gathered himself and opened the door. He heard her groan
softly, and quickly stepped through the door and ran lightly down the
hallway.
He ran to his room, his mind in a whirl. Sleeping with Kodachi was
something he never thought would happen, and he hoped never to repeat
the experience. For some reason, he kept thinking guiltily of Akane.
He ran into the bathroom, glancing at the clock as he did so. He didn't
have much time. He threw off his clothes, quickly soaped up, filled a
bucket with water, and dumped it over himself. She realized her mistake
instantly. Growling, she quickly filled it again with hot water and
changed back.
Ranma ran out into the bedroom and ground to a halt. He realized two
things instantly; Kodachi was standing in the bedroom doorway, and he
was naked. Reacting quickly, he dove into the walk-in closet. Someone
had put his backpack there. No need to guess who.
Still, it was convenient. He put on a fresh set of clothes, grabbed his
bookbag, and walked back out into the bedroom.
Kodachi had not moved. Ranma noted that she had washed her face. It
was completely devoid of makeup. In fact, Ranma had a little difficulty
believing it was her. She looked cute without all the eyeshadow.
Her eyes, he was saddened to notice, weren't entirely in focus. "Where
are you off to, Ranma-sama?"
Ranma felt a bit of annoyance. As usual, she was ignoring how impolite
it was of her to peek in on him, concentrating only on the things that
affected her. "I'm off to school. I'm gonna be late."
Her voice was neutral, which Ranma knew was dangerous. "You have plenty
of time. My brother will not be leaving for another twenty minutes."
Ranma shrugged. "I like to be early." He moved closer to the door, but
she didn't move out of his way.
"You're going to meet her again, aren't you?" The voice contained no
hint of accusation, but her eyes drifted farther out of focus.
Damn. He had no time for this. He turned and walked towards the
still-open window.
"Ranma-sama!" Her voice sounded a little shrill. "You stay away from
her! You belong to me!"
Ranma whirled so quickly he surprised himself. He glared at her.
"Listen to me, Kodachi, this is the last time I'm gonna say this. I -
belong - to - nobody."
She just looked back at him with her cute face and unbalanced eyes and
an expression that was part hurt and part supplication. Ranma couldn't
bear the sight of it, so he turned and jumped out the window.
This was nuts, the whole thing was nuts. He wanted to get away, to get
Kodachi to let him go. Yet all he had done was given her more reasons
to obsess over him.
Ranma considered, for the first time, the possibility that she would
never let him go. He shuddered.
Lost in his morose thoughts, he didn't realize where he was headed until
the gates of Furinkan came into view. He blinked at them. He'd meant
to go meet Akane, but his feet had taken him here instead. His stomach
twisted a little at how Akane would feel about him skipping their
morning rendezvous, especially after the fight they'd had yesterday. It
wouldn't be pretty.
She'd probably yell at him. In a way, he was looking forward to it.
Smiling, he entered the schoolyard.
---
Ranma loitered near the shoe lockers. She readjusted her pants slightly
to they wouldn't slip, and waited.
Akane appeared and blinked at her. Ranma looked back. This had been
another day of silence between them, although there had been none of the
heat of yesterday. Now Akane didn't look mad, merely surprised.
"Ranma?"
"Akane." Ranma lifted her bookbag over her shoulder. "Do you wanna...
wanna get an ice cream or something?"
Akane looked at her for a second. "S-sure." She opened up her locker,
changed her shoes, and walked with Ranma out of the school.
They found a nearby ice cream shop, relatively removed from the
after-school crowd. Akane ordered a milkshake and Ranma ordered a
sundae. They were quickly served, but neither seemed particularly
interested in their order. Ranma shoved the ice cream around with her
spoon, not knowing what to say.
Akane finally broke the ice. "Why are you a woman?"
Ranma grimaced. "Kodachi."
"Hmm?"
"Well, you know, she doesn't like it when we're together. You saw her
yesterday. Today she's... a little wacko. I'm afraid of what she'd do
if she saw us together."
Akane made a little 'o' of understanding. "And she doesn't know that
this is you, too."
Ranma nodded. "I figure we're as safe as we can be."
Akane took a dutiful sip of her milkshake, her attention obviously
focused on Ranma. "So..."
Ranma scooped up the cherry and let it fall again. "So."
"You wanted to see me."
Ranma lifted a corner of her mouth. "Sorry about yesterday."
Akane nodded solemnly. "Me too."
The air thick with silence.
"Uh, Akane..."
"Yes?"
"You know I'd do anything to get out of that damn mansion, don't you?"
"Do I?"
Ranma lifted her eyes from her sundae to Akane. Akane's face was
studious. She hadn't spoken in anger or accusation; she seemed to be
merely asking for clarification on a minor technical point. Ranma
gathered her courage. "I mean, you know, it wasn't so bad when I was
living with... at your house."
"I... I don't think it was so bad having you and your father as our
guests."
Ranma drew a deep breath. There it was, the first admission made on
both sides. Not much, but it could perhaps be a foundation to build
on. Ranma tried to slow her racing heart, calm her raging thoughts.
She needed to say this next thing carefully. For once, just once, she
had to slow down and work it out. She had to get this right.
Ranma shoved the melting mess of ice cream aside and leaned forward,
looking into Akane's eyes. They widened slightly before she, too,
pushed aside her milkshake and leaned forward.
Then the wall exploded.
Ranma instinctively reached over to pull Akane's head down to the table,
covering it with her own arms. The wall collapsed inward, raising a lot
of dust.
Ranma looked over, half-expecting to see Kodachi in a rage. There was a
shape outlined in the settling dust, and as it resolved itself, Ranma's
mouth went dry. Not now. Of all times, not now.
The shape pointed one of its weapons at her. "Ranma. I kill!"
Akane had raised her head and was looking at the young woman curiously.
Ranma barely registered that, instead leaning back in the booth, trying
to stay as far away as possible. "Sh-sh-shampoo!"
Shampoo fairly radiated anger, tinged with triumph. "Ranma!" She
raised one of her bonbori. "Kill!" She leaped for the table.
Ranma vaulted away, noting that Akane had rolled under the booth and
out. Shampoo's bonbori smashed the table where Ranma had been leaning.
Ranma landed atop a counter, still unable to fully come to terms with
what she was seeing. "Shampoo. How'd you get here? When did you learn
Japanese?"
Whatever Japanese she had learned was apparently limited in scope.
"Kill!" She lunged forward again. Ranma barely escaped as the bonbori
reduced the counter to rubble.
Ranma found herself back against a wall. This was too much, too much to
deal with. Akane and Kodachi and now Shampoo too. She had to get away,
had to.
Shampoo, however, was a woman on a mission. She was closing in now, her
prey cornered. "Time to die, Ranma."
"Hey!" Akane grabbed one of Shampoo's wrists. "What do you think
you're doing? Who are you?"
Shampoo fixed Akane with a cold stare. "This personal. You leave, no
hurt. You stay, kill." She broke free of Akane's grasp, looked back at
Ranma, and took a step towards her.
Akane tsked and reached for Shampoo again.
As fast as a cat, Shampoo whirled and struck at Akane with a bonbori.
Akane was able to leap away, but just barely.
"Stop!" Ranma leaped forward. She hated to hit women, absolutely hated
it. But she also couldn't let Akane get hurt. Ranma tried for a
disarming move; Shampoo was much less fearful without her weapons.
Shampoo spun around with a high kick. Ranma ducked under it, then
rolled to the side to avoid a bonbori. Another bonbori made her spring
backwards. She was having trouble getting a rhythm, finding ways to
counter Shampoo. She was having difficulty overcoming her reluctance to
hit women, even if her life depended on it.
Another bonbori was being swung at her face. Ranma blocked it with her
arms, the impact knocking her against the wall. Ranma grunted, sensing
a bonbori heading for her stomach but unable to coordinate a defense in
time. She tried to brace herself; this was going to hurt.
The bonbori unexpectedly changed trajectory, flying out of Shampoo's
hand and towards the hole she'd created in the wall. Ranma followed it
with her eyes, for some reason not seeing the ribbon until the bonbori
was lying at Kodachi's feet.
Ranma stared at Kodachi. She was in her leotard, the evil eyeshadow on
her face, the black rose in her hair. The ribbon unwrapped itself from
the bonbori and twirled in a pleasant spiral in front of Kodachi.
Kodachi's eyes, Ranma was surprised to notice, were fully focused.
Hard, even. She was smiling slightly, a menacing smile that had little
madness in it.
Kodachi's voice was harsh but controlled. "Stay away from her."
Shampoo turned to face Kodachi. "Who you?"
"Kodachi, the Black Rose. Undefeated champion of St. Hebereke's." She
stepped gracefully into the shop. "This one is under my protection.
Leave her alone."
"Obstacle." Shampoo narrowed her eyes. "Obstacle is for killing." She
shifted her remaining bonbori into her right hand, and seemed to be
gathering herself for a charge at Kodachi. That is, until the bonbori
went flying from her hand.
She now whirled on Akane, who retracted her foot and stood ready. "Then
you'll have to kill me, too."
Shampoo growled. "Is okay." She threw a vicious punch at Akane's
head. Akane ducked under it and tried to sweep Shampoo's legs. Shampoo
jumped over it, only to be caught in mid-air by Kodachi's ribbon.
The ribbon pulled Shampoo viciously towards the floor. Shampoo managed
to land well enough to absorb the impact. She grabbed the ribbon in
preparation to either trying to unwrap it or pull it from Kodachi's
hand. A blow to her backside from Akane caused her to pitch forward on
her knees.
Akane quickly knelt on top of Shampoo's legs, grabbed one of her arms,
and twisted it behind her back. Shampoo gritted her teeth reached
behind her to grab at Akane. Kodachi, approaching Shampoo, flicked the
ribbon so a loop wrapped itself around Shampoo's neck. Kodachi tugged
the ribbon, and Shampoo's eyes bulged. She pulled at the ribbon with
her free hand, and Kodachi allowed her to loosen it slightly.
Kodachi laughed. "Silly woman, to think you can defeat the Black Rose?
For shame." She stood over Shampoo, looking down at her mockingly.
Shampoo spoke tightly, angrily. "You interfere Amazon. Personal. Not
your business. Ranma die!"
Kodachi slowly shook her head. "You are not among the Amazons now.
Ranma-sama is under my protection. Leave while you can."
"No leave." Shampoo tried to pull her arm loose from Akane's grasp, but
Akane had a good two-handed grip on it. "Ranma shame Shampoo. Must
die."
Kodachi narrowed her eyes. "If Ranma-sama shamed you, it was surely
unintentional. And surely not worth killing for."
"Death is only way! Amazons say so. Shampoo says so!"
Kodachi straightened and spoke in a regal manner. "The Kuno family have
been samurai for many generations. For four hundred years we have
helped carry the Emperor's honor. This one -" she indicated Ranma "- is
under my protection and that of our family. And, by extension, the
Emperor's. Kill her, and you bring the wrath of Heaven on your head and
the heads of your family. For we cannot allow such an attack on our
honor go unpunished."
Kodachi leaned forward at the waist to look into Shampoo's eyes. "Think
on that, Amazon. Is what Ranma-sama did to you worth dying for?" She
pulled on the ribbon for emphasis. "Worth going to war over? For I
swear to you, kill Ranma-sama and I will not rest until you are hunted
down and killed, along with all of those close to you."
Akane leaned forward and spoke directly into Shampoo's ear. "Me too.
You kill him, I kill you. That's a promise."
Shampoo seemed to ignore Akane, instead shifting her gaze back and forth
between Kodachi's eyes. Kodachi was still focused, still present. In
fact, Ranma had never seen her so... *here*.
Finally, Shampoo bowed her head. Kodachi straightened and took a step
back, unlooping the ribbon from around Shampoo. Akane released Shampoo
and stepped back too, ready to pounce on her in a moment.
Shampoo shook out her arm, took a breath, then stood up and faced
Ranma. Akane and Kodachi immediately became very alert, but Shampoo
stayed absolutely still.
"Ranma. No can kill while under laughing woman's protection. You in
Japan - safe." She seemed none-too-pleased with that concession. "You
in China - kill. All Amazons hunt you, you no escape next time." Her
eyes glinted at the prospect.
Shampoo seemed to struggle for the right words. "This not finish. You,
me - we meet again, fight again, somewhere else, not China, not Japan.
Cannot live with dishonor. We meet, we fight, I kill. Someday. I no
forget kiss of death. You no forget either."
She stared at Ranma for a long minute before spinning on her heel and
walking past Kodachi out of the shop. She nodded at Kodachi as she did
so, as if giving a casual greeting to an equal.
Ranma leaned against the wall, dizzy from relief. It was over, at
last. As long as she stayed in Japan, she'd never have to worry about
Shampoo. She was probably right - there would probably be another
confrontation, someday. But Akane and Kodachi had bought her a stay of
years, perhaps decades.
Ranma smiled. "Thanks guys."
To Ranma's alarm, Kodachi's eyes began to rapidly lose focus. "You!
Pig-tailed one! Where is Ranma-sama?"
Something snapped inside Ranma. It was all too much. "No! Dammit,
dammit, NO, KODACHI!" She strode up to Kodachi and roughly grabbed her
arms. "Who am I?"
Kodachi's eyes didn't get better. "You are that brazen hussy after my
Ranma-sama."
"No! Dammit, you knew just a minute ago. You knew who I was. You
protected me. Saved me, even. You know me!"
Kodachi tried to move away, but Ranma held her arms. She mumbled
erratically. "No... you... you are trying to confuse me. You are one
of those harridans after..."
"NO!" Ranma shook Kodachi. "Don't hide from this. Don't run away from
me. You *know* who I am."
Kodachi was shaking her head. "No... don't..."
Ranma was merciless. "I'm tired of it all, Kodachi. Tired of you
seeing only what you want to see. Tired of seeing you fade away when it
suits you. Don't run away."
Ranma leaned forward so that her eyes were only a few inches away from
Kodachi's. "You didn't like it when I left. Well, I came back. Now
I'm asking you to come back and face this."
Kodachi's eyes were still unfocused, and now her lip was trembling
slightly.
Ranma's voice was hard and unrelenting. "Who am I?"
Kodachi swallowed. "Y-you're..." She bit her lip. "Ranma-sama."
Relief flooded Ranma. She leaned back and smiled. "There, that wasn't
so hard, was it?"
Kodachi fainted.
Ranma caught her as she fell. She looked closely at Kodachi, convinced
this was another scam. People just didn't faint like that; it *had* to
be an act. But Kodachi was a dead weight in Ranma's arms, and Ranma
knew enough about how bodies held themselves to be fairly certain that
there Kodachi really was unconscious.
Sadness tinged with disgust filled Ranma. There was only so much
reality Kodachi could face before she had to shut down, one way or the
other. She really was sick.
Ranma scooped up Kodachi. Better take her back to the mansion. Maybe
Kuno would know what to do.
She turned towards the door, and caught sight of Akane.
Akane had her hands clasped in front of her. She had a slight smile on
her face, and appeared to be happy. She was standing rock still,
however. "Go ahead, Ranma, take her home. She needs you."
Ranma flinched at Akane's voice. Trying to be bright and happy, but
underneath hints of real pain. "Akane..."
"No, don't say anything. Just go." A hint of desperation.
Ranma swallowed. "Can, uh, we talk again tomorrow?"
"I d-don't know, Ranma. I'm awfully busy." Akane whirled suddenly and
began walking towards the door. "Maybe next week."
"Akane!" Ranma wanted to run after her, but Kodachi weighed her down.
Akane's voice drifted from the doorway. "Your fianc� needs you, Ranma."
Ranma hung her head, Akane's words a dagger in her stomach. This was
*not* how this was supposed to go. Damn Shampoo for ruining things.
And Kodachi. And Genma. Ranma just wanted the opportunity to clear
something up between him and Akane, and events were conspiring against
her. It was all slipping away. Akane... Akane was slipping away.
Damn. Damn damn damn damn.
She looked down at the still-unconscious Kodachi. "Why? Tell me why,
Kodachi. Tell me what to do."
Kodachi wasn't yet willing to provide any answers.
Sighing, Ranma stepped through the hole in the wall on her way back to
the mansion.
~*~
END PART THREE (with still more to come)
Nope, Shampoo never did meet male Ranma. One less fiancee to deal
with. :)
Whaddya think?