Wait. Before anyone asks, yep. Lurker-san gave me this one to finish.
After all, with all those projects of his, even I would not be surprised if
he had more unfinished works lying around for anyone to use. I liked this
one a lot and decided to ask him for it.
Good thing he agreed on it, no?
Problem now is it seems that I'm kinda slowing down for now. All them work
for the last month has all but drained me of any creativity I can lay claim
to. So, if you folks would just kindly C&C this or any other work that I
[Radler] had done for the past year, it would be of some help.
C&C is the medicine to cure all FFML ailments.
Authors live on a steady diet of C&Cs. ^_^
Okay, enough of that. Standard disclaimers normally seen here should be
all but imbedded upon your brains by now. So, without further ado, NFTZu
with the blessings of the Lurker present to you:
One more thing, if any of you people notice any mistakes in spelling or
grammar, hesitate not in getting my attetion. I know I haven't killed all
of my mistakes yet..
Some help would be appreciated.
============================================================================
==================================
Story Concept: The Eternal Lost Lurker
Written/ Taken Over by : Radler of ZFTZu
NFTZu Presents
A Zu Productions Inc.
FAUX EXISTENCE
PART 1
A Secret Revealed
============================================================================
==================================
Yamaguchi Kotomi sighed wearily as she finished wiping down the last table
in the now empty supper club. Leaving her rag in the kitchen, she headed
into the locker area and began changing out of her work uniform.
"Kuso...I wish we didn't have to wear this tight thing," she complained to
nobody in particular.
One of her co-workers laughed. "Hey, at least it pays the bills, ne
Kotomi-chan?"
Kotomi sighed. "Yeah, pays the bills. Not what I'd prefer to be doing,
but at least I'm not out on the streets."
Adjusting her Chinese-cut black blouse and making sure she didn't miss
any of the ties, she grabbed her purse and left the club.
===================
A block away from the club, Kotomi was stopped by three large, scruffy
men. The largest of the three, bald and stupid looking, leered at her. "Hey
koneko, let's you 'n me 'n my boys go have a little fun, whatcha say?"
"I say go to hell," Kotomi growled.
The two other men laughed, while the leader glared down at her.
"You stupid little bitch, when I say you're gonna come with me, you're
gonna do it or I'm gonna hurt ya!"
"Try it," Kotomi ground out, scowling.
"Little WHORE!" the bald man shouted, and pulled out a wicked dagger.
As he thrust it, intending to cut her blouse open, Kotomi dropped into a
crouch and swept his legs out from under him, then sprang up and flipped
backwards, landing in a ready position. The other two street toughs pulled
their weapons as their leader righted himself, snarling.
"You'll pay for that, little bitch."
As he charged again, Kotomi dashed to the side, turned, and hammered his
side with surprisingly powerful punches. Gasping, the large man dropped to
one knee. With anger clear in her sapphire eyes,
Kotomi delivered a sharp kick to his kidneys.
He fell over, barely conscious and in a lot of pain.
"Alright, guys, your turn," Kotomi said evenly. The other two hoods seemed
rather uncertain about facing her, but their boss was down and they had to
do something. They attacked, but discovered too
late the mistake that was, as they too were downed by the slight young woman.
Straightening her blouse, Kotomi spat on the leader. "Bastards," she
snarled, and turned to continue down the street, swatting at a stray lock
of her long green hair, which had gotten in her face.
===================
As she neared her apartment, Kotomi was greeted by an exuberant shout.
"Kotomi-chan!" cried a young woman running up to her.
The girl had shoulder-length blond hair, and was, like Kotomi, rather
pretty.
Kotomi smiled at her, and waved.
"Ohayo, Megumi-chan!" Kotomi called as the other woman neared.
The two hugged, and Megumi gave Kotomi a little peck on the cheek.
"How was work, Kotomi-chan?"
Kotomi shrugged. "Same as usual. How about you?"
Megumi grinned. "I got a promotion! I'm assistant shift manager now."
Kotomi beamed. "Congratulations! We should go out and celebrate."
Megumi got a mischievous look in her eyes. "Yeah...or we could celebrate
right here at your place."
Kotomi's eyes widened, and her grin became somewhat lusty as the two made
their way upstairs.
===================
The next day, Kotomi and Megumi sat together in a small okonomiyaki-ya
that that had opened a few weeks earlier. As they talked and ate, Megumi
frowned at something. "Say, Kotomi..."
"Yeah?" Kotomi asked around a mouthful of shrimp okonomiyaki.
Megumi pointed a chopstick in the general direction of Kotomi's head.
"What's up with your hair?"
"My hair?" Kotomi asked, confused.
Megumi nodded. "Yeah. Umm...I know that red and green go together for
Christmas, but it just doesn't look right on a girl's head, y'know?"
Kotomi's head snapped up, a look of alarm on her face.
"Red?"
Megumi nodded. Kotomi dug around in her purse for a compact, and checked
herself in the mirror. As her friend had indicated, the roots of her green
hair were a bright copper color. "Kuso!" she hissed. "I can't believe I
didn't catch that last night."
Megumi looked confused. "Catch what?" Suddenly it dawned on her.
"Oh...Kotomi...you mean you dye your hair?"
Kotomi sighed and nodded. "Hai."
"But...why? I mean, you'd look pretty either way...you're really a redhead?"
"Hai, my hair is really red." Putting away her compact, Kotomi shrugged
and started on her okonomiyaki again. "Mm, this is really good. It kinda
reminds me of..."
"Of what?" Megumi asked.
Kotomi sighed. "Nothing. Just an old memory from when I was a kid."
Behind the grill of the okonomiyaki-ya, a young woman wearing traditional
okonomiyaki-seller's clothes paused for a moment to show the new young cook
a better cooking technique. A waitress came up to her and said,
"Kuonji-san, there's a phone call for you. Seems pretty important."
Hmm? Who's it from, sugar?"
"I'm not sure. They mentioned the name Saotome though..."
Kuonji Ukyou looked up sharply. "Ranchan!" she yelped, and dashed into the
back.
===================
At their table, Kotomi was staring at the swinging door behind the
counter. She'd heard the waitress call the owner "Kuonji-san", and the
entire restaurant had heard her exclamation. Kotomi wiped her mouth, and
grabbed her purse, tossing some yen on the table.
"Let's go Megumi."
Megumi looked down at her half-eaten okonomiyaki. "But...I wasn't
finished..."
"Wrap it up and take it with you. We need to leave, now."
Puzzled, Megumi barely had time to find something to put the dish in as
her friend practically yanked her out the door.
===================
"Moshi-moshi? This is Kuonji Ukyou."
"Hey Ukyou, its Nabiki."
Ukyou blinked. That was the last voice she'd ever expected to hear.
"Nabiki? What's up?"
"Listen, I know something important, and I figured since you set up a new
shop in Kyoto you needed to know this."
Ukyou was confused. "What's this about, Nabiki?"
"Listen, I've been doing some heavy detective work and tracing, and I
think I finally found Ranma."
"Ranchan!? Where is he!? Tell me!!!"
Ukyou hadn't seen Ranma in seven years, not since that day...
"He appears to be in Kyoto. I couldn't get much on him, but it looks like
he's set up a new life for himself as a girl. All I know is he took a trip
to China, showed up in Japan again, and vanished. But it looks like he was
headed for the vicinity of Kyoto."
"Thanks Nabiki. I'll keep an eye out, see if I can spot him anywhere."
Ukyou hung up the phone, and walked out into the restaurant proper.
Her waitresses were puzzling over a wad of bills. "What's goin' on out
here?" she asked.
Her head waitress indicated the wad of money. "Those two women that came
in here all the time took off all of a sudden. Overpaid the bill too.
We're just trying to figure out how to split up the extra cash."
Ukyou blinked. She'd seen her new regular customers, the two women who
looked like they were more than friends, often enough, but had been too
busy to get a chance to greet them herself.
She chuckled.
They always ate plenty, in fact...
She gasped. "Anou...the one with the green hair...she usually orders a
lot of okonomiyaki, doesn't she?"
The head waitress nodded. "At least three, every time she comes in."
Ukyou slumped against the wall. "Masaka..."
===================
Kotomi slumped against the wall of her apartment and groaned.
Megumi stared at her with concern in her eyes. "Kotomi-chan? What's going
on?"
The green-haired girl sighed, then forced a fake smile on her face and
shook her head. "Nothing, Megumi-chan. Nothing to worry about."
Megumi smirked. "Don't give me that. You don't run out of a restaurant
like that over nothing."
Kotomi sighed, and closed her eyes. "Alright...it's just, I know the woman
who owns that restaurant. She's...kinda someone I don't want to run into."
"Oh." Megumi seemed to accept that, and Kotomi didn't feel bad about the
lie, since it was at least partially true. "So...what do you want to do
now?"
"Well," Kotomi said, "I think I need to do something about my hair. These
roots *do* look pretty ugly."
Megumi giggled. "Okay. I'll just hang out and watch TV while you're busy
with that."
===================
Megumi quickly got bored with the television, and decided to poke around
Kotomi's apartment a little.
"Hmm...what's in your closet, Kotomi-chan?" she muttered to herself as she
dug through the myriad Chinese-style blouses and pants in the closet. She
also found a few nice dresses she'd never seen Kotomi wear.
After a few minutes, she found a medium-sized shoebox and a photo album
shoved in the corner of the closet. "Oh? What's this?" Removing the
objects, she took them into the living room to examine them more closely.
===================
Kotomi finished with her hair and walked out into the living room to find
Megumi leafing through..."Ack! Where did you find that?"
"Hmm? Oh. It was in your closet. I hope you don't mind, I was just having
a look around."
Kotomi sighed. "Nah, it's okay." She sat down beside Megumi.
Megumi turned a few pages, and frowned. "Kotomi-chan...who's the little
boy in all these pictures?"
"Hmm?" Kotomi looked at the album, and cursed inwardly. Damn, she would
have to find the stupid thing... "Oh, that's, ah, my brother, Ranma."
"I didn't know you had a brother!"
Kotomi nodded. "Hai. When I was little I lived with my mom, and Ranma and
my dad went on a training trip...they were martial artists."
"Oh, cool!" Megumi frowned. "So, where is your brother now?"
Kotomi sighed. "He died a couple years ago. An accident in China. This is
all that I have to remember him by."
Megumi sniffled. "That's so sad..."
Kotomi sighed inwardly. She hated having to keep lying like this. Of
course, it's not like she had proof of the truth anyway... "Yeah, it's
pretty tragic. But at least he went out the way he would have wanted to."
Another lie.
Kuso.
===================
In Nerima, a short-haired figure, decked in camouflage, marched briskly
through the gates of the Tendou residence. A few minutes later, a
motorcycle roared out of the residence and down the quiet streets, headed
south.
===================
Ukyou sighed as she wiped down the counter.
"What's wrong, Kuonji-san?" one of her waitresses asked.
Ukyou sighed, and set her rag down. "It's some old personal business.
A...friend of mine, from a long time ago. We...we didn't part on very good
terms."
"Oh? What happened?" The waitress then covered her mouth, and said, "Gomen
nasai. I don't mean to pry..."
Ukyou chuckled quietly. "No, it's alright. It's just...I never expected to
see him again, but now I may know where he is."
"Ah� And do you think he'll be happy to see you?"
Ukyou sighed.
This time it was filled with a deep longing. She stared at the counter for
some time before she decided to answer.
"I wish I knew, sugar."
As the waitress went back about her business, the door opened, and a
rather beleaguered figure stepped through it.
Ukyou looked up, and blinked.
"Welcome to the Happy Spatula! May I seat you, sir?" the head waitress
asked.
The figure was about to speak, when suddenly he found himself practically
buried under a heap of soft okonomiyaki chef.
The waitress bigsweated as her boss glomped the new arrival viciously.
*Hmm.. So much for trying to cheer the boss up.* thought the waitress as
she sat back and enjoyed the scene.
"Ryouga-kun! Long time no see!"
Hibiki Ryouga righted himself as Ukyou backed away slightly, blushing and
adjusting her blouse. He blinked. "U...Ukyou?"
Ukyou nodded. "Hai! It's been a long time, sugar! What brings you around
here?"
Ryouga put his hand behind his head and chuckled. "Well, heh, actually..."
"Got lost again, huh?" Ukyou winked.
Ryouga blushed. "No! Actually, I was just in town for a bit, and decided
to do a little sightseeing."
"Uh huh. Right."
Ryouga looked a bit miffed. "It's true! Actually I was planning to try to
call you up later, but it looks like I found you first."
Becoming slightly serious, he said in a low voice, "Did Nabiki-san call you?"
Ukyou nodded. "Hai. I just talked to her earlier."
"I figured as much. That's why I'm here."
Ukyou's eyes narrowed. "You aren't gonna try and fight Ranchan are you?"
Ryouga shook his head. "Ukyou...the years have given me a lot of time
to think. I did a lot of stupid things when I was younger, we all did. I've
come to realize that we all caused Ranma to leave the
way he did. If we hadn't all been so...so..."
Ryouga shrugged.
"Crazy?" added Ukyou helpfully.
Ryouga nodded. "Hai, crazy...if we'd all tried to focus on what people
felt instead of trying to beat everyone else into submission, maybe things
would have worked out better than they did."
Ukyou blinked. "Wow. You really *have* changed, sugar."
Ryouga smiled sadly. "We all have. Losing Ranma affected everyone. "
Under his breath, he muttered, "Some more than others..."
The roar of a motorcycle engine permeated the unsettling quiet that
followed this statement. Ryouga's eyes widened. "KUSO! I almost forgot..."
"Forgot what?"
Before Ryouga could answer, someone stepped through the door behind
them. The new arrival was decked out in camouflage trousers, shirt, and
jacket, and wearing a black helmet. Removing the helmet
revealed short dark hair, mirrored sunglasses, and a cigarette which the
figure quickly stubbed out on the helmet and tossed in a trash receptacle.
Removing the sunglasses, the newcomer flashed Ryouga and Ukyou a broad grin.
The color drained from Ukyou's face. "A...Akane-chan?"
Ryouga turned slowly, and let out a gasp. "Akane."
Akane grinned as she took another step into the okonomiyaki-ya.
"Oi guys. I hear we've got Ranma in the area?"
===================
"<So, he's really here, then?>"
"<That's what Tendou Nabiki said.>"
"<You don't suppose she called everyone, do you?>"
"<Afraid you'll run into Tatewaki?>"
One of the two Chinese walking along a sidewalk in downtown Kyoto
blushed deeply. Eyes half-lidded, the woman swept back her luxurious purple
hair and shot back, "<You're just jealous.>"
The man barked a short laugh, his glasses flashing with reflected
sunlight. "<Riiight. Like I have a reason to be jealous of * him *...>"
The two continued along, chatting idly, unmindful of anything around
them. If they'd been paying more attention, they'd have noticed a certain
green-haired young woman casting nervous glances their way.
===================
"CHIKUSHOU!!! What are *they* doing here?" Kotomi wondered as she made
her way home from the corner market.
She'd been picking up a few things she'd discovered she needed, as Megumi
was going to stay and have dinner with her that evening since they both had
the night off for once. As she was walking, she heard two familiar voices
conversing in Mandarin. Stopping out of sight, she caught a glimpse of a
head of all-too-familiar purple hair, and a young man she didn't recognize
at first, but by the way he carried himself, he could only be one person.
Kotomi glanced around nervously as she walked home as quickly as she
could, fairly sure a number of other people would pop up unexpectedly.
As she walked, a rather nervous young woman, wearing a demure blue dress,
cleared her throat. "Excuse me, miss?"
Kotomi stopped and turned around, on her guard. She relaxed as she got
a look at the woman, whom she didn't recognize. "Yes?"
"I--I'm looking for someone, an old friend. She runs a little
okonomiyaki place, downtown?"
Apprehensively, Kotomi suggested, "The Happy Spatula perhaps?"
The young woman nodded. "Hai, that's it."
Kotomi gave her directions to the shop, and continued on her way
nervously. "I think I'm gonna go nuts at this rate," she mumbled.
===================
Back in Nerima, Nabiki smiled as she spoke into the telephone.
"They have? That's good. Maybe we can finally settle this thing."
The door slid open, and a young child zoomed into the room.
"Auntie Nabiki!!" the little boy shouted as he flung himself at the middle
Tendou girl. Nabiki chuckled and caught him, grunting slightly as she
stumbled. "Whoa there, Ken-chan, you're getting big!"
"Kentarou-chan is just excited to see his aunt again," intoned a sweet,
motherly voice from the entrance. Nabiki looked over, and smiled at her
elder sister. "Kasumi-oneechan!"
Kasumi entered the house, with Tofuu right behind her. "We got your
letter," Tofuu said, adjusting his glasses. "So you really think you found
him?"
Nabiki nodded. Kentarou looked confused. "Found who, tousan?"
Kasumi took her young son, and sat down, with him in her lap. "You
remember the stories about your uncle Ranma, don't you?"
"Hai! I love hearing all about him!" The boy frowned. "But I don't
think I ever met him."
Kasumi smiled slightly. "You might get to meet him really soon."
"Honto?"
Kasumi nodded. "Hai!"
The boy clapped. "Yay!"
The adults in the room exchanged nervous glances.
===================
Kunou Tatewaki smirked as he read the fax from Tendou Nabiki. "So," he
mused, "That fiend Saotome has once again resurfaced." Jabbing a button on
his intercom, he commanded, "Sasuke! Fetch my twisted sister posthaste!"
Sasuke's nervous reply vexed him. "Ah, Tatewaki-dono, I am afraid
Kodachi-dono has already left after receiving the fax about Saotome."
"Chikushou," Kunou seethed. "Very well then, Sasuke. You will leave
immediately for Kyoto, and report on the situation."
"Hai, Tatewaki-dono. But, sir, would you not prefer to attend to this
matter personally?"
Kunou grimaced. "I would not, Sasuke. A chance meeting with my ex-wife
would most certainly occur, and I wish to avoid such a meeting at all costs."
Sasuke understood that well enough. "Very well, Tatewaki-dono. I will
attend to the matter with utmost efficiency."
Kunou allowed himself a small smile. "You always do." Indeed, Sasuke had
become quite a worthwhile companion and servant in the last few years. He
had become indispensable to Kunou. The head of the Kunou financial empire
was confident his loyal employee would handle this matter satisfactorily.
===================
"It's been a long time Akane!" Ukyou said, welcoming her new guest.
"Sure has, Ukyou," Akane grinned. She offered Ryouga a slightly
friendly nod. "Ryouga."
"Hi Akane," Ryouga said slowly, "It's, it's good to see you looking so
well..."
Akane smirked. "Save it, pig."
Ryouga suppressed the urge to snap at her. "This isn't the time or
place for this."
Ukyou looked back and forth between them. "Anou...did I miss something?"
Akane shook her head. "No," she said, casting a sharp, scathing glance
at Ryouga. "Not really much of anything at all."
Ryouga said nothing. Ukyou decided this wasn't the time to pursue it.
"So," Ryouga said, "It looks like we may finally find Ranma after all
this time."
"Oh, I can go you one better than that, sugar," Ukyou said. "I saw him."
"WHAT!?" the others shouted.
Ukyou grimaced. "Well, better to say I *might* have seen him. Nabiki
said Ranchan's only been seen as a girl lately, right?"
Akane nodded. "Hai, she did. We're pretty sure that's why Ranma went
back to China."
Ukyou frowned. "Well, there's a girl that used to come in here all the
time, up until a few days ago." Ukyou chuckled. "Good customer, it was a
shame to lose her business. Her and her girlfriend."
This drew an odd glance from the other two.
Ukyou chuckled.
"Hey, it's not like that kind of thing is unusual ya know. Anyway, the
same day I got the call from Nabiki, they ran out of here all of a sudden,
and never came back."
"Her name's Kotomi," a passing waitress supplied. Ukyou smiled at the
young girl and made a mental note to give her a raise.
Akane looked pensive. "Well, if this Kotomi girl *is* Ranma, we need to
find him, and find out if he did go after the Chisuiton."
Ukyou blinked. "You really think he went after that thing?"
Ryouga smirked. "It'd make sense if he did." Frowning, he mused, "But
what do we do about it if he * did *?"
Akane grinned, and reached into her handbag. Ukyou and Ryouga gasped as
she pulled out a very familiar object.
"Ranma isn't the only one who's been to China," Akane chuckled.
She placed the Kaisuifuu in the center of the table.
===================
"Read me a story, Baachan," a small boy said as he snuggled sleepily
into his grandmother's lap.
Saotome Nodoka smiled at her young grandson. "Maybe later, Kouma-chan.
But first I have to tell you something very important."
Six-year-old Kouma looked up. "Hai, Baachan?"
Nodoka sighed. "You remember your mother telling you about your father,
right?"
Kouma nodded enthusiastically. "Hai! Kaasan told me all about Touchan!"
Nodoka winced at that. "Well, how would you like to meet your father?"
Kouma's eyes widened. "Honto?"
Nodoka nodded. "Your mother is out looking for him right now, and your
aunt Nabiki knows where he is. They'll be finding him very soon, and you
can meet him."
"Sugoi!" the young boy cheered.
Nodoka sighed. She hoped they'd find Ranma. If they didn't have any
luck this time, she feared she'd lose hope of ever seeing him again.
===================
Nabiki hung up her "red line" after speaking to one of her Kyoto
associates. She grinned savagely. She'd discovered Ranma's new identity
plus that of her girlfriend. But she wasn't going to share this information
with Akane and the others just yet. Ukyou seemed to know who Ranma was down
there anyway. Besides...it would be a lot more fun the way she was going to
do it.
Picking up the blue line, and dialing a number for another operative in
the area, she said in a low voice, "Kenji...yeah, it's me. Listen, I'm
gonna run an address by you. I want you to drop off that disc I gave you.
Yeah. That one. Great."
===================
Megumi stopped by her apartment to change and check her mail before
going over to Kotomi's place. She found a small package in her box. "Hello,
what's this?"
She found an audio disc inside it. Curious, she popped the disc into
her reader. It began playing a song she didn't recognize, but something
seemed familiar about it...
onna no ko usotsuki deshou
kyuu ni anata o kirai ni naru
otoko no ko tomadou deshou
suki to tsugerare unazuiteta
honki yo sakki mo
[this is the author speaking. the above lyrics are from the DoCo image song
Usotsuki, used as the ending theme of the so-called third Ranma 1/2 movie,
known to VIZaholics as Team Ranma Vs. The Legendary Phoenix.]
Megumi was sure she recognized one of the voices in there...
Checking to see if a note was included with the disc, she found
something scrawled in neat, efficient handwriting:
'Usotsuki'
"DoCo"
Tendou Akane
Tendou Nabiki
Tendou Kasumi
Shampoo
Saotome Ranma
Megumi blinked. "Saotome Ranma?" But those singers were all female,
she'd heard it...
Replaying the disc, she was even more confused. There were no male
singers in that song at all. And one of the singers--sounded like Kotomi?
Something was up. Megumi wondered what that might be.
===================
[From this part on, Radler of the NFTZu takes over]
With the blessing of Lurker, I continue on with his work�. *sigh*
Sometime later in The Happy Spatula, a motley group of martial artists
once again converge. Long ago, they were the best of friends and enemies.
Now, they were here, together again. Bound by ties stronger than blood or
fate.
The ties of love and hate.
Ties spun by the one called Ranma.
"What do we have on Ranma's current whereabouts?" Mousse asked, propping
himself on a chair while everyone else took a seat around the table.
Ukyou sighed. "I have a lead.. but�.I don't know�"
"What do you mean, Ukyou?" Ryouga asked.
"Yeah?! Out with it girl! If it has something to do with the jerk, tell!"
Akane prodded none too gently as she lit another cigarette.
Shampoo frowned at the woman who was Akane. She was extremely shocked at
how _much_ the tomboy her Airen had fallen in love with had changed. No
longer did Akane act as she had five years ago. In fact, Shampoo could
never have suspected that the woman in the leather jacket and fatigue pants
was Akane.
One thing never did change.
She still hated the woman.
Why?
Because of her, she could never gain the heart of Ranma.
Not that she minded now after all these years.
But then, who could fault her.
Ranma was her first love. Forget the fact that she lost to him. Forget
amazon laws for that matter. She loved Ranma the first time she laid eyes
upon him. That love had not disappeared after the person had. It remained.
Unrequited. Unquenched even with her love for the blind fool that was now
her husband and father of three.
It was always so hard to forget first loves.
Shampoo stared at Akane with slitted eyes. Akane had changed _much_
through the years. Shampoo judged this changed had been triggered by
Ranma's mysterious disappearance. Too bad she did not know just how right
her judgement was.
Akane merely glanced at the others noting the strange looks each of them
were giving her in their usual ways. She did not mind. Hell, like she cared
what anyone else thought. She had enough of that with her sisters.
Specially Kasumi.
Akane hated her bitching about everything she did. Hell! This was her
life! She'd lead it any which way she wanted it.
Then there was Ranma.
What reasons did she even go to all that trouble getting the stupid kettle
from the arrogant ass? She'd long ago given up on the jerk. After all, she
had rationalized the feeling she had once had for Ranma. It had been merely
her immature heart that longed for him. Now, she knew better.
She had no need for men to raise her son.
Or did she?
She glanced at Ryouga. Gods! Just looking at him brought back those
memories. She could not believe how innocent she had been. She glared
daggers at Ryouga who met it with his own steely gaze.
Akane merely stuck out her tongue and jab a finger at him.
"Akane," Ukyou admonished. "We are not here to pick fights. Do it outside.
I have little wish to find my restaurant in ruin if you don't mind.
"What were you about to say, Ukyou?" Ryouga asked, trying to steer the
conversation away from its current topic.
Ukyou sighed before she began. "I'm not so sure about the facts. I am
merely rationalizing certain events that have come to my attention recently
on two of my regular customers. Still, the fact remains that the one of
them could be Ranma." She gazed at the assembled people around her. Each of
them had grown -- matured -- over the years since Ranma's disappearance.
Of all Ranma's fianc�es, she was the only one who kept up the hope that
someday she might be the one he would choose. Akane had simply given up and
chose a life far, far different from anything anyone would have thought.
Still, Ukyou wondered if Akane still held Ranma in her heart much as she
herself did.
"I have my suspicions but cannot be too sure." Ukyou sucked in her breath.
"Ranma's here alright, but I'm not so sure if it even still is Ranma."
"HUH?" everyone said in unison.
"Ranma's not acting like he does anymore. It's like he� she's comfortable
with what she is now." Ukyou sighed. Ukyou waited for the inevitable
explosion of emotions. There was none. More to the point, there could be
none as their faces showed all that was really necessary.
"Um.. Kounji-san, I know someone who works for Kitomi's girlfriend."
The two Chinese Amazons blinked, staring at one another in complete
surprise. Even Ryouga and Akane who had heard it earlier could still not
believe it. Still, people do change with the passage of time. It seemed
even Ranma was susceptible to such changes.
===================
Kotomi let out a contented sigh as she let taunt muscles and frazzled
nerves relax under the soothing waters of the furo. Today had been quite a
day. She could not believe they had managed to track her down so fast. She
had destroyed all evidences of her past to start out this life away from
all the problems she had back in Nerima.
She did _not_ want to get involved with her old life now or ever! All her
sacrifices had been geared to destroying her old life. Kotomi was content
with what she had made of herself. Her new life was free of the usual
craziness that had permeated her life before. She had found someone she
liked� well� if the truth be known, Kotomi really loved Megumi.
Still, she had been unable to truly express that certain feeling thus far.
Kotomi smirked at the irony of the situation. She, a martial artist, one
who had once danced with death like a lover, could not say what was in her
heart. She was afraid with good reason. While she still considered herself
a guy at heart, she could hardly make Megumi believe that without
sufficient proof. That proof lay beyond her now. Or, truth be told, she was
unwilling to retrieve that proof. She was happier now as a woman than she
had been when she had been a man.
The only way they'd force her back into that life would be when hell froze
over and God himself brought heaven back to earth. Even then, Kotomi
doubted she'd do it.
Kotomi closed her eyes, willing her problems to go away for a little while.
Right now, she wanted to have nothing to do with the world at large.
Tomorrow, she would take care of the problem.
A problem named Nabiki Kunou.
===================
It was somewhat late that evening when Megumi decided for a little visit
to Kotomi's place; using the key Kotomi had given her. She really did not
worry about the lateness of the night since her own apartment lay no less
than five minutes from Kotomi's place. Or, if worst comes to worst, she
could always stay here.
"Kotomi?!" Megumi called out, voice carry no farther than a few feet.
"Hey.. Kotomi? You back?"
No answer.
Unperturbed by the silence that greeted her, she locked the door behind
her, moving quietly to where the bathroom lay. As to be expected, she found
Kotomi once again sleeping in the furo, its waters long since grown cold.
She knelt beside her best friend, wondering how she managed to sleep in
it. Megumi swept back some of Kotomi's unruly lock to give her a more
unrestricted view of the angel that hid within the trapping of a warrior.
Kotomi was truly an angel.
In heart and in mind.
Beauty and death rolled into one tight package.
So very much like a sword.
Beautiful to behold.
Deadly when unsheathed.
Megumi sighed. Times like these she hated. It brought back the pain of her
first and last encounter with boyfriends. Then, without any thought of
possible consequences to what she was about to do, she plunged head on.
Megumi held her friend's face as she kissed Kotomi full on the lips.
Her eyes widened at Kotomi's surprising response to her actions.
Kotomi returned the kiss with vigor, twining her arms around the woman and
pulled her closer. Megumi stared wide-eyed at her friend's face which was
barely millimeters away from hers. She found herself enjoying the kiss, to
the passion that flowed into her from Kotomi. Megumi let herself surrender
to the fire that began to burn within her.
A fire she had long thought to have been all but extinguished by pain. She
did not expect someone could ever light up the passion within her once
more. And she had not expected Kotomi to be the one responsible for it all.
*Kotomi's such a great kisser!* Megumi thought happily.
She closed her eyes, losing herself in Kotomi's embrace.
Kotomi smiled inwardly. She had heard Megumi come in and call out to her.
She decided to play dead and wait for Megumi to come to her. She had not
expected her best friend to do something like this. It had been a spur of
the moment thing. That much had been quite evident considering the look on
Megumi's cute face. Kotomi had always thought Megumi to be a rather
impulsive woman prone to do _some_ surprising things.
Time seemed to stretch into infinity for the two women. Each seemed
content within each other's embrace. Like everything else in the world, it
was bound to end. And end it did, much to the regrets of both parties.
"Mmmm�" Kotomi sighed in absolute pleasure, smiling at her now very
flushed companion. She moved a bit to ease the pressure off her body. She
really had to break this habit of sleeping in the furo at times.
"That was fun, Megumi-chan. Let's do it again."
Megumi blinked a few times, staring at her friend in disbelief. She was
thoroughly shocked at her friend's wanton display of emotions. A part of
her chided her for that, reminding her that she had made the first move.
Kotomi was merely reacting to it in an albeit unexpected way.
Megumi could tell from the flushed look in her friend's face that Kotomi
had enjoyed that kiss to the hilt! Not that she herself did not.
Still�
"Uh� Megumi?" Kotomi called out to her still out-of-sorts friend. "Hey!
Megumi?"
Kotomi waved her hands in front of Megumi's face, hoping she was okay.
Then again, getting kissed by another girl so.. well� wantonly would put
any female into shock.
Megumi blinked, her mind having shut down from severe emotional overload.
She touched her lips gingerly, wondering if it had been real. She could not
believe it! She kissed Kotomi! And from the way Kotomi seemed to be
smiling, she wasn't mad about it.
Her musing was suddenly interrupted when Kotomi kissed her once again.
This time, minus the tongue.
It had the desired effect of bringing Megumi out of shock.
"Wha.. Mmmp!� Ko-- Kotomi!!"
"Hahahaha! Jeez! Look at your face, Megumi-chan!"
"That wasn't funny!" Megumi protested loudly, face heating up again.
"I dunno, Megumi." Kotomi said dubiously, eyeing her friend cattily. "I'm
sure you're as hot and tingly as I am right now."
"I am not!" Megumi shot back, blushing terribly.
Kotomi had this wicked gleam in her eyes as she nudged her companion.
"Really?" she purred.
"YES!"
===================
"Agh! Kotomi! Stop it! Come on! Don't already!" Megumi shouted at the top
of her lungs. "K.mmmmpp! Gah! Not there! Oooohhh� Kyaaa!! Kotomi! Just let
me take a bath myself, wil'ya?!"
[Author: What?! Lemon scenes?! Naaaahh!! I'll see what Pervert can come
up. : ) ]
Kotomi chuckled, still unable to let things go away. Not after what just
happened. "Hmmm? Really? Come now, I'm sure you're so very tired. After
all, you being the assistant shift manager and all. Jobs like that tend to
be very demanding especially to us women. A massage will do you wonders,
Megumi-chan."
"While I'm taking a bath?!" Megumi asked incredulously.
"Why? I mean, we're both girls here right?" Kotomi smiled wickedly. "Or
could it be you want a guy to be doing this?? Ne?"
"WHAT?! No way! I had my fill with insensitive jerks and assholes who only
want a good lay. I've no intention of being with another guy, Kotomi. Not
as long as I live."
Kotomi smiled warmly at her friend. "Che. Lucky me, no?"
Megumi almost choked on that one.
"Still want the massage? I'm pretty good."
Megumi sighed. "Why not?"
===================
Kotomi woke up the next day to find Megumi sleeping on top of her. More
specifically, on her chest where Megumi's head lay on the valley between
her bosoms. She ruffled Megumi's blond hair, wondering if her friend was
willing to be her lover.
Perhaps Megumi would if she played it right.
But right now, Kotomi needed to get going.
She needed to get going if she was to reach the Day Care Center by� Kotomi
gasped.
8:00 AM?!!
She was late!!
Kotomi quickly got up, dislodging her bedtime partner and depositing her
on the floor. Megumi woke up then, glaring at her friend for waking her up
so.
"Sorry. I'm late. Gotta get going!" Kotomi apologized, running around the
bedroom as she sought to get herself ready in the least amount of time.
Megumi smiled, lying stomach down on the floor, observing her friend
finish dressing with an amused glint in her eyes. "You know, you could get
a better job at by applying at a studio you know. With your voice and all."
Kotomi stopped dead in her tracks.
"What� What did you say?" Kotomi asked in a small voice.
Megumi got up and embraced her friend. "I know about your secret."
"Se..secret??"
Megumi felt Kotomi tense up.
"Yep. Someone left a disc my house yesterday. I played it and found some
interesting things. Like how beautiful you sing. Talent like that needs to
be made use of not hidden away like that."
Kotomi blinked. She had never wanted to be a singer for the express reason
that the people she wanted to avoid would no doubt find her more easily.
But Megumi knew about that particular little talent of hers that she had
once abhorred because it was so� so very feminine.
To her anyways.
Her features darkened. Kotomi clearly saw someone's hand in this.
"So what?" Kotomi shot back to her friend.
"I know someone in my department who has connections with a recording
company here in Kyoto. With your voice, you'd be a sure hit. With your
looks and charm, you'd turn the whole industry on its head, Kotomi-chan."
Megumi drove her point in by a quick kiss on the cheek.
She was rather new to this sort of relationship. Still, it felt right with
Kotomi for some reason. With anyone else, she doubt she'd do it.
For Kotomi however�
Kotomi sighed, wondering how much longer could she hide the truth. With
everyone she knew in Kyoto looking for her, things were bound to get hot.
And Megumi would be caught right between it. She knew she needed to let
Megumi in on her secrets but she felt� well.. hesitant. Fearful of the
repercussions it would doubtless incur.
Megumi was her friend.
No. She considered Megumi to be more than her friend. Strange as it was,
she loved her. Wanted Megumi to know how deeply she felt. But to do so
would imply she had to trust Megumi with her secrets. Ones that she had
kept locked up and almost forgotten until of late.
"How much do you know?" Kotomi asked suddenly.
Megumi looked surprised� and hesitant.
"Megumi?"
Megumi sucked in her breath and began.
"I just� it's just that I don't know what to think of anymore. You're my
best friend, Kotomi." Megumi looked at Kotomi with wide eyes. "No. I'm sure
you see me as more than just as a friend. I� I guess I do feel the same way
towards you in a way." Megumi shied away from Kotomi's stare. "Someone
left me a package yesterday. In it, I heard you sing with a couple of
people. The women who sang in it were _very_ good. I recognized your voice
in it but the note attached to it did not have you're name on it. But
you're brother's was."
Kotomi found herself kneeling on the floor. Tears flowing profusely from
her eyes. Kotomi tried to stop it, but it would not. It flowed
relentlessly. But with it came a burning rage at those who had come to ruin
the life she was now happily leading.
One she had made by sacrificing her manhood.
Kotomi clenched her hands. She stared at her friend who had knelt in front
of her and trying to soothe her. Telling her stop crying. Apologizing for
ever bringing the subject up. Kotomi angrily wiped the tears away from her
face. She knew who was responsible for it. Kotomi also knew her cover had
been blown already, except perhaps what Megumi might be thinking about now.
Forgetting about her work, she stood up and left her apartment, leaving a
very worried Megumi in it. Still, it did not matter. Once she had settled
things with Nabiki and the others, she'd explain things to Megumi.
The problem remained on how she was to prove certain things.
Still, that mattered next to nothing with her new life slowly crumbling
away at the intrusion of those whom she did not want to have anything to do
with anymore.
Megumi remained where Kotomi had left her, unable to move, wondering what
had she done. Everything had been so good until she had to tell Kotomi
about that disc left in her house. She had yet to understand what to make
of that disc.
Ranma Saotome.
Was that Kotomi's true name?
If so, who was that boy in the picture who looked so much like Kotomi.
Ranma Saotome.
A name.
Yet, for some reason, she felt it was the key to all this sudden mystery
that had popped up.
Then she remembered her conversation with Kotomi a few days ago.
Megumi got up and dressed, feeling that she needed to take to the manager
of the Happy Spatula.
===================
Kotomi trotted through the streets of Kyoto with no hint as to where she
was heading. Many a number of people stared at this beautiful woman who
seemed to be distressed about something. No one dared to inquire having
witnessed how she had dealt with anyone who came too close to her.
Kotomi knew the root of all this.
It bore the handiwork of one certain Nabiki Kunou. Or is she remembered
correctly. Nabiki Tendou, divorced wife of that moron Kunou.
She could not understand why those jerks had to go and ruin her life right
now. Kotomi enjoyed her life. It was free of everything that had marked her
life not so long ago. Free of the troubles that besieged her in all fronts.
More to the point, she free to be whom she wanted to be.
Kotomi liked being a woman.
And she'd be damned if she wanted to turn back into a guy again.
Not if it meant losing the woman she loved _as_ a woman.
Her musing were suddenly interrupted by a couple of streets thugs who had
appeared to found easy meat. Kotomi smiled inwardly. Well, she _was_
looking for something to ease her temper. These gentlemen were just the
morons she was looking for.
"Hey. What do we have here now boys? A lovely lass who sure got a great
load on the top, eh?"
Kotomi glared at the one who stood before her. With him came a few more
testosterone-laden fools who were drooling at her assets. Kotomi did not
need to be a telepath to know what they were thinking right now.
She smiled coldly.
"Get lost, freaks." Kotomi warned. "I'm not in the mood to be nice. Leave
and you may actually live to regret your lives. Stay at your own risk."
The group of thugs and would-be rapists laughed.
"The girl got some spunk! She'd make a great bed partner once she's been
adequately trained." the man who had spoken a while ago declared.
Said thug reached out to grab the slight young woman when he found to his
intense disappointment that the woman had grabbed _his_ arm and started
raining punch after punch into his stomach. As a finishing move, Kotomi
smashed the side of the thugs face with a spin kick that forced the man a
fly backwards to land in a crumpled heap.
The rest quickly found other places to be right now rather than enjoy the
woman's companionship. Kotomi spat the fool who had accosted her and kicked
the man again for good measure. The man groaned, writhing in pain where he
had been kicked.
Guys tend to do that when someone kicked them in those sensitive places
guys only have. Kotomi went on her way, more or less relieved of some of
the tension within her. She still was pretty angry.
She wanted _this_ life!
And people were trying to ruin it!
She was unsure of what to do. Kotomi was unsure about telling the truth.
The lies and half-truths she had spun had sufficed before. Now, she was
unsure if those self-same lies and half-truths would doom the ties that
bonded them both together. Kotomi was well aware of Megumi's past. In fact,
Megumi had unloaded her sorry tale to her on the first week that they had
been together.
Had Kotomi been absent, Megumi would have killed herself or worse.
And now, the things Megumi could learn about her past may just possibly
destroy her.
To lose Megumi�.
Kotomi shook her head.
*NO!!*
Megumi had a right to know. Because Kotomi knew, deep down inside, that
Megumi was the anchor of _her_ life much as she herself was for Megumi.
They needed one another. Each of their needs differed from the other. Yet,
strangely, this drew them both together even more tightly.
Two souls, each wounded by battles none of them knew how to defend against.
Without a doubt, Megumi would be shattered if she learned her secrets from
anyone else.
She needed to get back to her.
And fast.
With a speed borne out of years of training in the arts and the countless
fights she had been in, Kotomi, dressed as she was in a soft colored blouse
and a full skirt jumped to the nearest rooftop and ran across the concrete
skyways back to her flat.
*Megumi!*
===================
Megumi drank her third cup of coffee at a caf� just across the street
where the Happy Spatula conducted its business in Kyoto. She did not know
why she was merely watching the place rather than confront the owner.
The answer to that was simple.
Megumi was afraid.
Afraid of what she might learn within.
Why?
Love.
Megumi sighed, feeling the faint twinge in her heart.
Love.
Yes.
That sounded just about right.
Her heart ached for Kotomi. It always had ever since Megumi had first met
the young woman that had saved her life and made t the way it was now. She
was now a successful career woman who had many a number of opportunities
open for her in today's world. Opportunities given to her by one person.
Kotomi.
Megumi collected her purse, leaving just enough on the table to pay for
the cups of coffee she had drank as well as a sizable tip.
Kotomi.
Megumi needed her. Craved for the woman who had become more than her
friend. She needed to find Kotomi. Megumi would tell Kotomi that she did
not care what secrets Kotomi kept from her.
Her heart demanded more to be said.
Megumi sighed.
Yes.
Love.
She loved Kotomi with all her heart. And nothing anyone would do would
make her change her mind about it. Her eyes hardened as ice. There would be
hell to pay if she ever found out who it was that was trying to ruin their
relationship by leaving her that disc.
Megumi was still deep in thought that she did not see the woman who had
suddenly blocked her path. Megumi yelped as she staggered back. Her eyes
shot the leather-clad woman a venomous glare.
"Jeez! Couldn't you have at least moved out of the way, you know. The damn
sidewalk's pretty much big enough that you could have avoided colliding
into me."
The black-haired woman smirked, tossing the cigarette butt into a trash
receptacle. "Do I look like I even care. Besides, you're the one I've been
looking for anyways. Nice of you to have dropped by."
The woman smiled.
One that made Megumi slightly edgy for some reason.
Megumi found herself quickly gaining an active hatred for this rude crass
of a woman. By the way she dressed, Megumi wouldn't be surprised if the
woman was a felon. Then the words the woman spoke finally got to her.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Megumi asked in an almost calm voice.
The woman laughed.
Megumi shivered, feeling a little cold all of a sudden.
"I think you know." The woman rewarded her with a level stare. "You know
someone whom I and a few other people had gone to a lot of trouble finding.
I also know you have a liking for this person who also happens to be a
woman. I don't like what you are doing your 'friend.' And I certainly am
not fond of you for the pains you have caused me and my family."
"What that hell are you talking about, you bitch?" Megumi demanded, temper
flaring. "I don't know you but you sure know awfully too much about me and
my friend." Megumi's eyes narrowed. "Whoever you are, bitch, leave me and
Kotomi alone! We have done nothing to you nor do we wish to know you. Get
lost or I call the cops."
The woman suddenly grabbed her arm. Pain shot through it as the woman
squeezed her arm none too gently.
"Listen here, girl! I don't give a piss of how you feel. I need your friend
only because I am honor-bound to find her."
With that, the woman shoved her away. She turned to leave but paused,
glancing back at Megumi who lay sprawled on the sidewalk.
"You want to know about your friend. Come with me then."
Megumi stared at the woman. She seemed to have suddenly changed. Her eyes
were not so� so full of anger and hate. The woman's face seemed
crestfallen. As if a great weight lay upon her shoulders. Her eyes held
sadness and pain instead of the anger and hate that had burned fiercely
moments ago.
This time, Megumi could not feel hatred for the woman.
Megumi pitied her.
"Well?" the woman asked as she extended a hand to help Megumi up. "I
assume you _are_ curious."
Megumi nodded. "Yes. Although I do not understand why you accosted me so."
"Gomen." the woman apologized as she led Megumi back to the coffee shop.
"When I saw you there, sitting there, I knew instinctively you were the
woman whom Ranma knew."
"Huh? Ranma? Just what is with that name?" Megumi inquired.
"A name that bonds many who know the person." came the reply.
Megumi blinked, confused.
"You wish to hear a little tale?" the woman asked as she took a seat.
"Who are you first?" Megumi asked as she took her seat as well.
"My name is Akane. Tendou Akane."
===================
Kotomi found her apartment deserted. She could almost hear her heart fall
off its perch within her chest and land with a squishy splat on the
carpeted floor of her apartment.
"Megumi-chan. Where are you?" she spoke to no one in particular.
Kotomi suddenly sprang into action, practically plowing two of her
neighbors as she ran back to the Happy Spatula.
===================
"Do you expect me to believe this crap?!" Megumi asked, eyes staring at
the woman who was blowing cigarette smoke in her direction. "And while
we're at it, put that damn thing out will you?!"
Megumi hated losing her temper.
But somehow, this woman knew exactly how to make her.
Akane laughed. "You know, you remind me so much of me when I was younger.
Did you know that girl?" She laughed again. "Such an innocent girl you are,
Megumi-chan." she crooned. "And such an utter fool to have fallen for
someone already mine by right."
Akane laughed.
A cold, remorseless laugh.
Megumi stood up, slamming both hands on the table with enough strength to
rattle the table. "Just who the hell do you think you are telling me my
rights?!! Kotomi left her life she had in Nerima because she hated her life
there."
"Perhaps she did." Akane conceded. "Still, Ranma left us -- _me_ -- a
little something that ties him to me forever."
"What may that be?"
"Your beloved Kotomi left me a son."
Megumi felt herself grow cold. Her mind quickly reasserted itself,
providing her with information she needed.
"Like hell. Kotomi is a full woman. I know that much. And besides, she
does not turn into a guy when doused with hot water. She and I have been
taking hot water baths together in her furo or in the public baths."
"So?" Akane said, tilting her chair a bit. "Big deal. I don't care whether
you believe me or not, Megumi. I own your 'Kotomi' in a way you never could."
"You don't even love this Ranma you claim Kotomi truly is!" Megumi shot back.
"Nice to see you noticed how I hate that bastard." Akane commented dryly.
"So what brought you here looking for me in the first place, huh, Akane??"
a voice demanded icily.
Megumi gasped. "Kotomi-chan!"
"Your mother wanted to find you." Akane told the green-haired beauty that
was Ranma.
Akane could not believe how much Ranma had changed in the years since he
had left her. Not only in gender but in attitude as well. Ranma seemed to
have adjusted well in her female body.
Kotomi snorted.
"Like I care. Tell the others that they can just give up trying to make me
change my mind. I left my life and destroyed all traces of it to start
_this_ life. I like myself for who I am now, Akane. Get that into your
thick skulls and leave me and Megumi alone."
"Even if it means breaking the heart of your son?" a woman with shoulder
length brown hair inquired in a cool voice.
"Even that, Nabiki." came the reply.
With that, Kotomi gathered Megumi up in her arms and leapt for the nearest
building.
"Well, that went pretty well." Nabiki commented dryly.
"I sure hope what we just did will make him understand _our_ situation."
Ukyou whispered out loud.
"Like I care about that moron who now calls herself a woman! Bah! You
jerks can have that damn kettle. I don't even know why I went to China to
get that damn thing in the first place! For that matter, I don't care if
Ranma goes into bed with that woman as a woman!" Akane burst out angrily.
"I'm going back to Nerima and see my son whom _I_ raised by myself without
any help from that� that ass."
"I think she still likes Ranma. " Mousse declared after seeing Akane leave.
"Or she's telling the truth." Shampoo supplied.
"My sister still tries to make herself believe that she hates Ranma.
Contrary to what _she_ herself thinks, my sister still loves Ranma. That
much I know as her sister."
"By the way, Nabiki, did you have to ask your ex-husband and that insane
woman about Ranma's whereabouts?" Ryouga asked.
Nabiki smiled. "Let's just say, those two are going to be my little
puppets in this. I plan on making Ranma -- by any means necessary -- back
to Akane and to his rightful family."
"That sounds kinda harsh, Nabiki. Even for you." Ukyou replied.
A part of Ukyou raised the question if she was willing to go that far to
gain the man she loved.
Ukyou did not know.
"Ranma deserved no less for what she made my sister become." answered
Nabiki.
"Ranma is not the one who did that to her, you know." came Shampoo's
rebuttal. "Akane did that to herself. Only her. Not Ranma. Not anyone."
"So what?" Nabiki shot back. "I still blame him."
With that, Nabiki left the group as her car arrived.
"I am beginning to like this less and less." Ryouga said to no one in
particular.
"For some reason, I think we should have just let Ranma alone." Mousse
told his companions.
"Indeed. It should have been left so. I do not like where this is all
heading." said Shampoo in a solemn voice. "Ranma seemed happy as a woman.
For once in my life, I think this thing we are doing is wrong. So very wrong."
"I won't give him up! You hear! Ranma's been mine since we were children.
I gave up my femininity because of him. I gave up my family just so I could
be the cute fianc�e he wanted. I am not going to give him up now. If Akane
doesn't want him, I do!! And I will do _everything_ to get Ranma back. Male
or female."
With that, the 28-year old okonomiyaki restaurant chain owner departed.
Mood as black as night.
"Time will be the judged of that. It always had been." Shampoo whispered.
Ryouga merely grunted before he too left to see to the distressed Ukyou.
===================
Megumi was silent all throughout the trip across Kyoto's skyways. Small
wonder considering all
that she had witnessed in so short a time. Shock barely explained the
turmoil within her. Megumi could not fathom the events that had transpired
moments ago when the world around her suddenly changed.
She still found everything so very hard to believe.
Megumi emitted a small sigh as she closed her eyes. The things she had
just witnessed confused her greatly. More so with the things the woman,
Akane, had revealed to her. Anyone would have found it hard to believe.
But, Megumi knew, to an extent, the woman said was true. Still, it could
all be a lie. One that even this Akane believed to be the truth.
Of course, that meant that the others who had suddenly appeared from out
of nowhere were also lying. And yet, Kotomi had appeared just as suddenly
giving credence to their wild tales of curses and other mystic stuff.
Megumi was utterly confused.
Her world suddenly felt devoid of the comforts of a friend. Kotomi had
been the weight that kept her life as it was. Happy. Full of hope and joy.
Now, she found herself alone once again. Alone as she trod the road that
was life. One she had long thought never to traverse alone ever again.
Kotomi had promised to keep her safe.
To be with her until the ends of time if need be.
Now, she felt herself drifting without Kotomi by her side.
She felt so alone.
A single teardrop, sparkling ever so brightly, fell from her eyes. Liquid
diamonds that carried Megumi's sorrows.
She would always be alone.
It was her curse.
One as potent as any still left in the world.
It was then that Megumi broke down and cried.
===================
Kotomi gritted her teeth, forcing herself not to loose her temper. She
could feel her life crumbling like so much like weathered stone. She wanted
to do something. To lash out at anything. Anything to rid her of these
unwanted emotions. Ones she had thought she had done away when she left
Nerima forever. She could practically feel Megumi slipping away from her.
Kotomi let out a curse, remembering that haughty expression in Nabiki's
face. She had almost lost control there. Kotomi wanted so much to grind
_that_ woman's face into the dirt. To make her understand she wanted to be
left alone.
Kotomi _knew_ that Nabiki had been the one responsible for destroying her
life.
Who else could have done it so heartlessly efficient?
Kotomi glanced a look at Megumi. She could hear her friend's sobs.
Kotomi's heart shattered at hearing Megumi cry again. Megumi had never
cried again ever since Kotomi moved into her life first as her friend and
mentor to their current relationship exploring one another's feelings for
each other.
Her expression turned dark.
Then those bastards had to ruin it all by intruding into her life.
"Damn them! Damn them to hell!!!" Kotomi shouted to the winds.
Kotomi landed softly on the ground, assisting the still distraught Megumi
to a nearby park bench.
"You okay, Megumi-chan?" Kotomi asked worriedly, brushing the tears that
trickled out from red-rimmed eyes.
Megumi stared blankly at the cherry trees lining the walk as if they
contained the needed answers she so wanted desperately to have. She then
turned her attention to Kotomi who stared at her worriedly. Her face lined
with worry.
"Why, Kotomi-chan?" Megumi asked in a low voice, devoid of all emotions.
"WHY?" she demanded again.
Kotomi stared at her friend wondering how to begin.
"I love you, Megumi-chan." came the sudden answer. One even Kotomi could
never have anticipated.
Guess there were times when the heart was faster than the brain.
Kotomi clasped both of Megumi's hands and leaned over to give Megumi a
kiss. It lasted for mere moments. Yet to Megumi, it felt like an eternity
that she did not wish to end.
"I love you with all my heart, Megumi-chan." Kotomi reiterated firmly,
planting another kiss on Megumi's lips. "I love you with _this_ woman's
body. I don't care about my past nor will I ever again. In you I saw
someone I wanted to stay with. In you, I found redemption."
Megumi wiped away the tears that clouded her vision. What Kotomi had just
said�..
"Kotomi-chan�."
Megumi threw herself at her friend and now� her lover. Megumi cried as she
begged Kotomi never to leave her anymore. "I don't care about your secrets.
I know you have your reasons for never telling them to me. I understand.
Just don't ever leave me alone ever again. You promised once to me. Say it,
Kotomi-chan. Swear to me that you'll never leave me."
Kotomi smiled.
"I never intended to leave you, Megumi-chan. No power under the heavens
will ever separate us. I will protect you and love you will all my heart. I
love you, Megumi. That is a bond that will forever tie us together." Kotomi
lightly kissed Megumi on the forever. "You have nothing to fear. I won't
leave you. Not for anything or anyone."
"Arigato, Kotomi."
Kotomi ruffled Megumi's hair. "Come on. Time to get you back to your house
and see to your stuff getting moved to mine."
Megumi stared blankly at her lover. It lasted for only the barest of
moments before she nodded.
"Hai. Let's go."
end of part one.
Now, don't go tearing my head off now. I will try and finish another part
sometime soon. Very soon actually if I can find the needed urgings to do so
[hint]. Anyways, let me get back to working on my pet project: Angel's
Chronicles and let me finish the frigging thing�� ^_^
Till next time�
Preview of next chapter
Megumi moves in. Nabiki plans, Kasumi cleans. The rest is holed up in the
Happy Spatula planning their moves. What dire acts could Nabiki be
plotting? What manner of problems will beset the lesbian lovers???
Well, hopefully, I can write it as soon as possible�.
BTW: I don't know how long this story will unfold but I am aiming for a
four part mini-series. Hopefully, I'll manage to finish it before school
starts again........... Summer isn't that long these days for some reason...
Radler
This fic was brought to you by Zu Productions
Copyright by the Zu Productions
1998
"A man's house is his SDF, and his car is his Valkyrie."
-- Old anime proverb.
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