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Chapter Two: Captured Hearts
The next morning, Ukyo woke with a slight hangover. Okay, maybe a *raging* hangover would be more accurate. She also didn't care. The reason was because of the warm body next to her, and would now be there daily. Her Kona-chan.
She twisted her head to see him looking at her, eyes full of deep love. "Ohayo, Uc-chan."
"Maybe for you," she turned to face him and felt the soreness in her pelvic region, ignoring the stronger pain in her head. {{Owww.... Well, hopefully that'll go away in time. At least that's what the magazines say.}} She looked at him, returning his amorous gaze. "So, Kona-chan. What's next?"
He looked at her and caressed her face. "Well, today I have to go to the dojo. Ranma and Ryoga have offered to help me modify my ninja style. Since I'm no longer a 'girl', my skills should reflect that. But first," he said, reaching over to the side and pulling something out of his pants pocket, "I have to give you this."
With that, he produced a small jewelry box. This was what he had gone for, why Ranma and Ryoga couldn't help him in this matter. {{They told me to take a chance,}} he thought, {{and so I will.}}
Ukyo didn't even bother to open it, nor did she even wait for him to say the words. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you." This was the moment that she'd always dreamed about. Little tomboyish Ukyo, a woman at last. She kissed him long and lovingly, shivers of pleasure running up and down her spine, little jolts of bliss permeating every part of her body.
As they broke off, he slipped the ring onto her finger, saying, "This is for forever, Uc-chan. Forever and always I'll be by your side."
She thought about that phrase, then said, "Kenzan Ukyo. It has a nice ring to it. Wait'll I tell Ranma and Akane. They'll be thrilled."
"Not half as thrilled as I am to besides you, Uc-chan." He began to get up. "C'mon, we'd best get ready."
She playfully pushed him down, the hangover forgotten. "No way. We can go there later. I'm not done with you yet." Kuonji Ukyo kissed her fianc�e longer this time, and the pair began their lovemaking again.
* * INTERMISSION * *
"So that's how Ukyo and Konatsu got together," Shampoo said. "I didn't know that, and she never told us."
"Yes she did," Ranko replied. "She told that little tale at Nabiki's bridal shower. *You* were just too plowed on sake."
"Oh, as if *you* were the picture of sobriety."
"Hey, at least *I* wasn't the one spouting off dirty limericks in Chinese!"
"And *I* wasn't the one who got into a 'drunk-fu' fight with Akane!!"
"Oh." Ranko flushed. "I, uh, forgot that."
"Sure you did." Shampoo had a look on her face like the cat that ate the canary. "Continue with your story."
"Okay. Anyway, at least...."
* * STORY * *
At least there was *one* happy couple in Nerima that morning.
*"RANMA!!!!"* Akane screamed as she chased her betrothed around with a frying pan. *"COME BACK HERE!"*
"What'd I do this time?!?" he shouted back, leaping over the koi pond.
"It's what you *didn't* do this time!" she cried, catching up to him and taking a swing at him. "I can't believe that you didn't!"
"Like it's my fault! You fell asleep, too!" He narrowly ducked the blow, and had just enough time to reach the fence in the yard, launch himself off the surface, and flip over another attempted strike from his sweetheart. He landed on the edge of the roof, and shouted down, "Look, I'm sorry already!"
"'Sorry' isn't gonna cut it *this* time, Ranma!" She leapt up to follow, and the fight continued across the neighborhood rooftops.
Just another morning at the Tendo dojo.
While the happy couple was chasing each other around half of Tokyo, the rest of the Tendo household had breakfast. They were joined this morning by Akari and Ryoga, who had come for Konatsu's training.
"Why's Akane mad at Ranma this morning?" Akari asked Kurumi.
Kurumi explained the details of last night, and their near-kiss, culminating in the fact that they'd slept in each other's arms all night.
"So *that's* why she's mad," Ryoga laughed. "Slept in her loved one's arms all night, and didn't even get a kiss once. I'll even bet he didn't say those three words she always wants to hear."
"Don't you just know it," Natsumi called out from the kitchen. She walked in with a platter of okinomiyaki and miso soup, setting it by her father. "Worse, it happens all the time--she just finally got fed up with it."
Kurumi added, "Well, they haven't fought in two weeks. We all knew it would be a matter of time before this would happen again."
Soun philosophized, "It is at least good to see that they are communicating like a couple."
Natsumi sat down at the table, saying, "You mean it's good to see that she's not pounding him into the floor as much as she used to, right, Father?"
Soun grumbled. "Um, that's right."
Kurumi looked at the spot where the two lovebirds had been a second before. "I think they get points this time based on originality this time. I've never heard them arguing on the *confirmation* of their love before."
Nabiki just nodded her head and said, "I think it's a sure bet that they'll be married soon. And speaking of bets...." She then looked at Ryoga out of the corner of her eye, impish grin forming on her lips. "Hey Ryoga. 2000 yen says she knocks Ranma into the koi pond."
He took the bait, smiling at his easy victory. "I wouldn't bet on it, if I were you. They must be halfway to Shinagawa by now." He was corrected by the sound of thumping feet across the rooftop. "Then again...."
"You so sure that you'll win?" she smirked. "I'll up it to 5000 yen."
More feet racing on the tiles, with the faint cries of a male shouting, "Akane! You *know* how I feel about you!" and a female countering with, "Oh yeah? How should I? *You never tell me!"*
{{Can't back down now,}} Ryoga said to himself. "Done."
Yet more simulated sounds of reindeer prancing on the rooftops, followed by the pair landing on the grass, Akane swinging the frying pan like a mighty battle-ax, Ranma skillfully dodging it within inches of his life. She continued to swing her weapon, determined to make the iron pan be at one with the side of his head. Ranma meanwhile smiled with the confidence of someone completely in his element. The pair hopped from one location to another in the yard.
"Akane-chan, would you stop this?" Ranma asked. "I said I was sorry. Really!" He spun and moved artfully through a series of feints and dodges that Akane couldn't possibly hit. "How could I ever intentionally hurt the feelings of someone as beautiful as you?" {{Hmmm...since we're at it, I think I have an idea....}}
"Ranma," she responded in that determined tone of hers, "flattery's not getting gonna get you *anywhere* this time!" {{Even though I *love* it,}} she mentally added, punctuating her words with a huge upper slice.
"Flattery? Who's gonna flatter an uncute tomboy like you?" {{Let's see if she's finally learned control. All I have to do is get her pissed enough....}} he thought, easily leaping out of the way.
*"Uncute tomboy?!?"* she screamed. *"RANMA NO BAKA!"* She threw the pan at him, then began to concentrate. After a second or two, a blue aura enveloped her, radiating from her fist.
Catching the pan in his hand, he absently flung it in the direction of the house. It sailed towards the breakfast club, only to be snagged by Natsumi, who said, "Be right back." She wandered into the kitchen, tossing the abused pan into the sink and suddenly having a funny feeling of what her future brother-in-law was about to do. She raced back to the table, not wanting to miss a moment of the show.
Ranma meanwhile kept up his aberrant strategy, a sing-song of insults. "Could-n't hit me if you tri-ied! Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyahhhhhh!" He made a face at her and taunted, "You're so slow, you couldn't hit me if I stopped moving!"
*"I'll show you slow, dummy!"* She threw her fist towards him and screamed, *"Shoken!"* It was still slow, but the there was a flash of ki behind it that showed only one thing: Akane, who previously could only call up her battle aura for display, now had just begun to tap its potential; she was now learning ki attacks. She swung repeatedly at Ranma, earnest in her desire to tag him but good.
Ranma, not really wishing to feel any pain from her assault, called out, "Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken," and easily blocked her punches, blow for blow. He kept this up for a few minutes, letting her learn enough control over her new-found skill. When she began to show signs of slight exhaustion, he caught her hands. "Congratulations, Akane-chan," he said, hugging her to him. "You've progressed to ki attacks." He looked down at her, love and pride in his eyes.
She instantly realized what he'd done and why he'd done it. "Oh, Ranma." She looked at him with the same amorous intensity. "I didn't think I could ever get past that obstacle. And now.... Arigato, Ran-chan."
"Do itashimashite, Akane-chan." {{It feels wonderful,}} he admitted to himself, {{just holding her.}} Something inside him advised for him to say those words; today he'd do it. "Akane-chan."
"Yes, Ranma?"
"There's been something I've been meaning to tell you."
"And that is?"
"Akane, I l--"
She threw an uppercut that sent him soaring over the rooftops, as she roared, *"RANMA! Don't think you'll get off THAT easy!!!"* She then turned to face her live-studio audience. "What are you all staring at?"
The crowd gathered all thought the same words: {{She blew it.}}
"Nothing, sis," Kurumi said, a bit flustered that Ranma had just unwittingly joined the space program. "Why'd you do that to Ranma?"
"Because he's such an insensitive jerk!" {{But at least he's *my* insensitive jerk.}} She walked into the house, saying, "Ku-chan, let me eat breakfast, and then we'll get in our workout. Deal?"
"Okay!" If there was one thing the youngest Tendo daughter was crazy about other than boys, it was martial arts.
Akane headed for the kitchen to grab something when she noticed Nabiki's annoyed glare. "What's wrong?"
"Now you've done it. You ruined my winning streak," she sighed as she handed a 5000 yen bill to a gloating Ryoga.
* * *
"Listen up, troops. Here's the plan," Mango called to the small assembly in front of her. These were her elite fighters, her finest warriors. They came from all over the world to serve His Greatness Lord Nguyen, and thus, served her. "In a few short hours, we will be over our location. The heavy chi throwers will eliminate any air opposition, while our shock troopers will remove the ground threat. The job placed in front of most of you is to stop all specialty opposition from the ground."
One of the fighters, a tall, muscled woman of African descent, scoffed. "'Specialty opposition', Mango? You have *got* to be kidding." The woman had her raven-black hair in a USMC "high and tight" haircut, and this brought out the icy factor in her expressionless hazel eyes. The woman was wearing a set of military fatigues, looking extremely dangerous, and her body was tensed, continuously primed for battle. "The last time we faced 'specialty opposition'," she spat out the term as if it were the ultimate insult, "we slaughtered them wholesale. The Clan of the Ghost Wolf was supposed to be the finest shinobi warriors in all of Japan. They lasted all of twenty minutes."
Another fighter, a man lazily stretched out in his chair, added, "Yes. I'm afraid Rain is absolutely correct, me lovely Mango." His British accent rang out clear as a bell against the Chinese they were all using. The man stared at her with ice-blue eyes, his straw colored hair drooping haphazardly to his shoulders. He was dressed in a simple turtleneck, pants, and boots, all the same color--black. On his clothing, he wore a various collection of bladed weapons. "I'm also quite sorry that we had to execute the village that requested their help," he said nonchalantly, as he fingered a nasty looking knife. "Such a shame, too--there was one little village beauty that I would loved to have known better."
A deep, booming laugh answered this, followed by a thick Russian accented voice. "Always the romantic one, eh, Spring-Heeled Jack? Do not worry, my friend. There will be other villages and other maidens."
Spring-Heeled Jack turned his head to look at the giant who'd made the comment. "Why, thank you, Nova. It is good to know of your concern."
"It is no problem." The giant turned to face Mango. He was a mountain of a man standing nearly seven feet and built like a tank, muscled and over-muscled still. He was bald, and instead had a huge tattoo of the sun on his pate. His eyes were a bright hazel, almost yellow. He wore a white tunic and baggy pants. He, like Rain, wore no weapons, which he had no need for. "Mango, what is the concern? Are you saying that we may face worthy opponents for a change? I would so like that. Killing such weak fighters makes me disgusted with myself. It is an unclean feeling that I do not care for."
Mango answered that. "Yes. This time it appears that we may actually be facing true opposition. According to our intelligence estimates, the Nerima area of Tokyo is well known for its training of superior-caliber martial artists of at least the 8th level blackbelt in their various disciplines. Not only that, but it appears that, in addition to kenpo, shotokan and Okinawa karate, tae kwon do, capoeria, and several other styles, we may also have to deal with remnants of the Ghost Wolf clan, members of the Kunoichi ninja clan, and even a pair of women from Joketsuzoku."
A stick-like figure dancing in the background with a pair of headphones and a Walkman, sang out, "A pair of Chinese Amazons and the remaining Ghost Wolves, plus all that? Great! We get to party!" The little man continued his dance. He wore nothing but a tank top and royal blue spandex pants. His hair was dyed neon green, a fact evidenced by his eyebrows, which were dyed a Day-Glo pink. He had dusky skin, black eyes, and his body was obviously built for speed and agility, rather than Spring-Heeled Jack's balance or Nova or Rain's raw strength. His voice carried the sounds of his native Brazilian Portuguese. "Capoeria fighters, eh? 'T's gonna be some show, for sure!"
"And of course, you're so easily entertained, Janeiro," Rain snapped.
"But of course, Rain, but of course. Life is just one great carnevale."
{{Ye gods. He is such a pompous, strutting fool, instantly came to Mango's mind. In fact, why do I even bother with any of them? They are very capable of their skills, and masters at their killing arts. Yet they are some of the most *dysfunctional* people I've ever met! Why do the best martial artists in the world nearly always have to be the supreme weirdoes?}} She turned her head to face the newest member of their contingent. There are at least two that I can count on for sanity. "Shiva, do you have any questions?"
All the eyes in the room turned to the quiet girl in the corner. Her dusky skin hinted at an Indian or Mediterranean heritage, but her long silvery-white hair, soft green eyes, and small blue facial tattoos said otherwise about this thirteen-year-old lass. She was currently wearing a soft black dress with light blue and chiffon yellow accents, something quite different than the black-and-gray bodysuit she normally wore when involved in conflict. She wove her fingers together, and in a small voice that belied her age, she replied, "No. I have no questions, Lady Mango."
Mango then faced a thin ninja, dressed in the organization's swirling grey and black pattern indicative of a shinobi. His mask was on, and the face that stared at the young Chinese woman was thus unreadable. "Sabot, once we touch down, your job will be to deploy to Hong Kong. I've heard that the Windhams are there, searching for us, and I want you to do whatever you can to foil their surveilance."
"As you wish, Mango." The look in Sabot's eyes was dangerous. "It will be a pleasure."
"Good." She then faced the last member of the group assembled. "Roland, your job will be to capture our target. Do you have any questions as to what your job will entail?"
The man who she addressed was Japanese, with long black hair and dark, deep black eyes attached to a face that was emotionless as Rain's; the face was also known for the jagged scar that ran from the left temple over the nose and across the right cheek. He wore the battle dress of a ninja, colored in olive drab. His gear was slightly armored more than the ninja standard, with gauntlets, epaulets, and shin guards. Strapped to his back was a black ninja-to sword, which was not his primary weapon; the long forest green scarf he wore around his neck, however, was. This signified that Roland was initially trained as a member of the ninjas known as Clan Kaguro. He answered his commander in a haughty, careless voice, saying, "Mango, just point the way and let me perform. My Lord Nguyen will have his blushing bride, never you fear."
Taking that for the confirmation that it was, Mango's smile was that of a predator slowly reaching the stalking grounds. "All of you, get to your jump points. We'll be overhead soon, and I want you all to be ready. We have one chance at this, and if we fail, it could cost us all out lives." She paused before adding, "Assuming the Nerima forces don't kill us first."
* * *
It was about an hour later when Ranma-chan came home. The sun dried off her clothing, and she'd been lucky that Akane's punch had landed him in the river, instead of somewhere less fortunate...like Fujiyama, for instance. Anyway, she climbed out of the river, then proceeded to walk home. A bit later, she opened the gate to the compound, then walked in, ready to resume the argument that was, as usual, not her fault.
Ryoga was out in the yard practicing strike attacks with Konatsu. "Hey, Ranma? You okay? Akane's really worried about you!" Konatsu, wearing his new gi--the new deep burgundy color looked better on him now than his old red one would've--simply waved hello and joked about the guys going out for a beer or two later, then turned to the task at hand of sparring with Ryoga. Ranma in turn told them that she'd take a quick shower, then grab a bite to eat and then join them.
As she walked in the house, she noticed Father Tendo wasn't at the shoji table playing solitaire; he must be spending the day with Hinako. However, Akari, Natsumi and Uc-chan were seated around the table, chattering excitedly. Uc-chan herself looked radiant, different somehow, and wearing a...*dress?!?!?*
She leapt up with a happy cry when she saw Ranma, taking the red-haired girl in with a gleeful hug. "Oh Ran-chan," Ukyo said, "this is the happiest day of my life!" She then showed Ranma her engagement ring.
Ranma's eyes also lit up. She hugged her old friend back, saying, "That's great, Uc-chan! Maybe we can have a double wedding! I'm so happy for you. You and Konatsu truly deserve each other."
"Arigato, Ran-chan. Your blessing means everything to me. Since I don't have family anymore, I--"
"What do you mean? Your parents will be happy to have you back after this--"
"They didn't want to listen to me when I tried to explain the first time, Ran-chan. I don't want them back in my life," Ukyo interjected.
"--and barring that, you always have me and Akane," she finished. She hugged her friend once more, then said she was going to change (in more ways than one) then come back down.
As Ranma turned to head upstairs to Kasumi's old room (he moved into it when Kasumi left home, so that Natsumi and Kurumi would have the larger guest room), Natsumi tapped her on the shoulder, telling her to look at the door. She turned around and saw a pair of women with similar hairstyles dressed both in karate outfits. The only difference was the shorter height, pink sleeveless gi and red hair-bow for Kurumi, and the heartbroken look on the face of the girl in the lemon yellow gi.
"Ran-chan," Akane said, her voice breaking, "I...." She ran into her arms and kissed her fianc� on the cheek. "Gomen na sai, Ran-chan. What I did was inexcu--"
Ranma looked into her lover's eyes (extremely easy since when he was a girl, he was slightly shorter than Akane), seeing the pain she felt when hitting him. She dismissed any anger she had, saying, "Forget it, dear heart. Let me go take a quick shower, and we'll talk."
Akane couldn't help purring, "Mind if I join you?" She gave the redhead what she thought was her most seductive look.
Ranma's face flustered. Her fianc�e had been getting bolder and bolder lately with sexual innuendo, but Ranma was still getting used to being *romantic* around Akane--sex was something *entirely* out of her league. "Akane! We're both girls right now!"
"You won't be after three seconds," she cooed into her ear. "Besides, it's not like we haven't seen each other in the nude before."
With all-too-familiar panic, Ranma raced up the stairs and into the bathroom, shouting, "Akane no hentai!"
Akane in turn fell on the ground, laughing hysterically, and giggling, "I...hhahahahh...wish he'd get...over...hahahahha...that!"
Uc-chan looked at Akane with mild annoyance while simultaneously attempting to suppress her own laughter. "Akane-chan! That's not fair! You know how slow he is to this sort of thing!"
Akane looked at her friend, still laughing. "Just reminding him that I love him, Uc-chan. That's all."
* * *
If the residents of Nerima had bothered to watch their TVs that morning, they would've gotten the signal from NHK, TBS, and all the other networks advising them that a huge Pagoda-shaped spaceship had invaded Japan and was currently fighting Japanese and American military forces. They would've also got the notice that the UFO was going to be over Tokyo in the next hour, and that they should get the hell outta town as soon as possible.
Most people in Nerima didn't use the TV, though. It was far simpler--and far more entertaining--to watch the daily events that went on at the neighborhood psycho ward commonly called the Tendo School of Anything-Goes-Martial-Arts.
So as the shadow of the Crystal Temple began to slowly close in on the Nerima area, most people thought it was simply an eclipse, a simple celestial event, complete with shooting stars and the works.
If anybody bothered to look closer, they would've noticed that the shooting stars were actually the signs of a high-powered firefight between the Temple and combined JSDF/US forces.
* * *
Shampoo gleefully leapt from her second story bedroom window and landed on her bicycle, racing off towards the Tendo dojo. She had a clear heart, a determined mind, and a joy in her eyes that said she would be happily be wooed tonight be her loved one, Saotome Ranma.
Oh--she also had the Phoenix Eye around her neck, and definitely intended to use it.
It was a shame about Akane, though. Shampoo and the "stupid" Tendo girl, when not fighting over Ranma, had actually become friends of sorts. If it weren't for Ranma, the two would most likely have a much closer friendship. They had many things in common, and got along well otherwise.
{{I guess I'll have to send her a Wedding Invitation,}} Shampoo thought. {{It's the least I can do.}}
* * *
Nguyen sat in his throne room, watching the conflict in the skies above Tokyo. At the moment, they were amidst the towering skyscrapers of Shinjuku, firing on various military aircraft that were attacking his Crystal Temple. {{The fools!}} he thought viciously. {{Don't they see that I am simply being cordial to them? If I so wished, I could incinerate this entire city!}}
He continued to watch on the crystalline monitor as a stream of chi beams ripped apart a squadron of JASDF F-15s, then trained their fire on a flight of USN F-14s, tearing them to shreds. A second monitor showed his army of fighters tearing apart forces on the ground. Most important of them all, however, was the third monitor.
It showed a map of where the Temple was in relation to the target. A picture of the girl that was destined to be his Empress and the mother of his child was in the corner; the picture showed her in all her 18-year-old beauty. It also showed the time remaining until the target was reached: 40 minutes.
{{Soon my pet,}} he thought, {{you shall be in my arms, and I will take you and make you mine.}}
* * *
The pair sat on the roof, the location they traditionally used for their heart-to-heart chats. Below, you could see the various groups working out: Ryoga vs. Natsumi, and Kurumi vs. Konatsu. Ukyo was down there as well, having borrowed Ranma's rarely-used gi; at the moment, she was waiting her turn and chatting along with Akari, who had little knowledge of martial arts; and Nabiki, who was more involved in reading the _Japan Business Times_. The sky was sunny, except for that one dark patch in the distance over by Shinjuku--must be a solar eclipse today. Akane waved it off; eclipses were the least things on her mind at the moment. Making up with Ranma was far more important.
Still, they sat silently on the roof for what seemed forever, Ranma waiting for her to speak, Akane simply staring at the bottle of water she brought with her.
"Ranma," she began, "I'm sorry that I--"
"Akane, I'm not mad. I goaded you into attacking me, and you did, bringing out your ki. I'm proud that you were able to accomplish that. I realize that the second punch was you getting out your frustrations. Believe me--I've grown used to it."
"That's not why I'm sorry, Ranma. I'm apologizing that I was hinting about, well...you know."
"Oh." He blushed slightly, and as he did, Akane felt both her love for him and her self-directed anger for antagonizing him on this. But this brought her to a point that she had to ask.
"Ran-chan," she asked. "Do you really love me?"
"Akane-chan, you know I d--"
"No I don't, not totally. I know that you care about me, and I know that you're trying to redirect your life so you can be the best husband for me. But I don't know if you love or even want me."
"Akane-chan." He whispered her name, not believing what he was hearing. How could she doubt his love for her? {{This is your fault, you baka,}} his conscience told him. {{You've never said "Akane, I love you." Can you blame her for doubting?}}
Unaware of his self-derisive thoughts, she continued. "Ran-chan, when I first met you, I hated you. But over the two years we've known each other--and sometimes it seemed like almost a decade--you earned my friendship, then won my heart. You've fought for me, rescued me, and protected me more times than I've ever deserved. Admittedly, you've caused trouble, and there were times when I felt like throwing you and your father off the face of the earth, but you were there for me even then. Is it any wonder why I've fallen for you?
"I love you. I want you. I need you. I dream about you every night and think about you every day. I want more than anything in this world to be your wife. I wanted it when we almost got married last year. I still do. But what about you?
"I know I'm not as good a fighter as Shampoo, or as good a friend as Ukyo, or as beautiful as either of them. I can't cook remotely as well as either, and I know I'm not as feminine as they are. I'm certainly not more qualified than they to be your wife! But you chose me. At least, you've never pursued them.
"Ran-chan, I stopped denying my love for you long ago. When will you stop denying that you love me? Or is it that you just don't love me? I have to know, I think I deserve to know. If you're still doing this for family honor, I'll respect that; I still love you and I'll still marry you. But I have to know, Ranma. I need to know."
Ranma looked into her eyes, and saw a mixture of hope and fear. He looked down for the briefest of seconds and absently noticed that all below had stopped what they were doing and were watching them. {{We heard Akane's plea,}} their eyes said, {{we deserve to know as much as she does.}} In the distance he could hear the twinkle of wind-chimes, of bells ringing, and cicadas chirping. Further off, he could hear an alarm or two.
{{Time to tell her, Ranma.}} "Akane-chan, I'm surprised that you doubt how I feel about you. I know I'm not good at expressing it, but it may be--" He leaned in to kiss her.
More bells chiming.
"--the time to finally say this." He leaned closer, and she began to lean in as well, her heart beating a symphony of hope.
Everybody watched with a joy in their heart, their collective breath stilled. The couple that most deserved each other was about to be united at last.
The bells got louder.
Their lips were inches apart. "Tendo Akane, I truly mean it from the depths of my heart when I say that--"
The crowd below stood, hushed, ready for the most heartfelt, romantic scene they'd ever witness. Ukyo readied her camera, while Nabiki held the camcorder. Kurumi said something about wishing that one of her 80-plus boyfriends would treat her this good.
The chimes grew louder still.
"--I--"
One thought rocketed through Akane's mind: {{He loves me! He really loves me! Oh, Ran-chan, how could I ever have doubted you?}}
"--love--"
*SLAM!* Ranma became buried under Shampoo's bicycle. "Ni hao, Ranma!" she said, happy as a clam. She got off her bike, picked him up, then cheerfully clamped onto him. "Shampoo so happy to see Ranma!"
*{{I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!!!!!}}* Akane screamed inwardly. As usual, her jealousy got the better of her, and with that, her battle aura went into hyperdrive.
Below, one thought went through everybody's minds: {{Uh-oh.}}
Shampoo stepped away from Ranma just far enough (while holding his hand) to cast her spell. Using her other hand, she pulled the Phoenix Eye out from under her shirt, and holding the gem as its thong stayed around her neck, she began a series of words in Chinese. "By the power of the Phoenix Eye, I, Lao Shan Fu of Clan Lao of the Chinese Amazo--"
Akane interrupted her. "Do you mind letting go of my fianc�?"
Shampoo answered her. "Stupid Akane stay out of this. Shampoo busy casting magic spell to get Ranma's love."
*"WHAT?!?!?!"* Ranma spluttered.
Akane replied, "You can't do that if you can't speak!" And without thinking, she tore the cap off her water bottle and flung the contents at Ranma and Shampoo.
A split second later, a terrified Ranma-chan was running down the street with a cat latched onto her back, screaming, *"GET HER OFF ME!!!!!!!! AKANE!!!!!!!! TASUKETE!!!!!!!"*
"Oh, no!" she said, realizing her error. "I forgot!" She leapt down to the street in pursuit.
Watching the scene on the roof, Ryoga muttered, "We'd better join in and help them." He didn't have to mention this, as Konatsu and Natsumi had already leapt the fence and were in pursuit, and Kurumi and Ukyo were grabbing him and motioning to follow. Within minutes, a sizable contingent of the martial artists living in the area was racing down the street, in pursuit of Ranma.
Just another day in Nerima.
Ranma could feel Shampoo holding on for dear life at the back of her shirt, and would've easily gotten rid of her if she took off her tang, but the redhead didn't have that presence of mind at the moment, and plus, she'd also learned *some* sense of feminine modesty. She could've also gotten Shampoo off her back by reaching behind and giving a good yank, but that idea was nixed because that would involve actually *reaching behind her back and touching the cat*; Ranma didn't have the presence of mind to even conceive of an idea such as this. Even if she could, she would also be concerned that Shampoo would be injured: Ranma didn't love her, but Shampoo was a friend, nonetheless; she wouldn't injure a friend willingly.
So she raced on through the streets of the neighborhood, not really paying attention to anything other than the mantra wildly running through her head: {{Getheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffme
getheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffmegetheroffme....}}
The redhead leapt and pirouetted in an acrobatic dance designed to shake Shampoo off while hoping in the back of her currently unused logic center that Shampoo would land somewhere safe...and off her back.
Shampoo, on the other hand was yowling wildly. This was not exactly what she had in mind when she wanted to hold her beloved Ranma; to be honest, the only thing she was holding was her shirt, and that because her claws were embedded in the fabric.
Well, with Ranma's phobia of cats, there was only one thing to do, and that would be to try to cure her of it by tour de force. After all, if they were going to be a happy couple after today, they'd have to adjust to each other's cursed forms.
So, Shampoo, with the Phoenix Eye pendant swinging wildly around her neck like a loose leash, retracted her foreclaws and made a leap for the top of Ranma's head...
...which made her all the more panicked. She picked up speed, and in seconds, the asphalt was melting under the bullet train speeds of the Ranma no shinkansen as she raced throughout the streets of Nerima.
"What the hell did Shampoo do to her?" Konatsu breathed as the group raced close behind the tortured redhead. They were barely keeping up behind the adrenaline-and-fear-enhanced teen, and falling behind more and more every minute.
"Yeah, you'd think that Shampoo scared the hell outta Ranma," Natsumi remarked. Kurumi only nodded her head, too breathless to speak.
"Ranma has an acute fear of cats, and it drives him totally insane," Akane explained. "We really need to get Shampoo off him soon. If not, Ran-chan'll freak to the point where he'll start thinking he's a cat himself!" {{Although,}} she smiled as she thought, {{I'd get kissed again trying to bring him back to normal.}}
"Hey, doesn't...the road...bend up...ahead?" Kurumi finally spat out.
"Yeah, it does," Konatsu said.
"I think...that if Ran-chan...keeps racing...in that direction...he'll end up...at the...Kuno Manor," Ukyo gasped between breaths, also having a difficult time keeping up.
"Is there a shortcut we can take to beat him there? You know what'll happen if the Kunos get a hold of him," Ryoga said, managing to keep up with them only because Ukyo and Kurumi were running on either side of him.
*"You're* suggesting direction changes?!?!" Akane shouted back.
"Hey, I suggested the *idea,* not the *plans."* He shrugged his shoulders as much as possible.
"Okay, everybody follow me!" Akane sprung to the right and over a fence, the ninjas immediately following. The remainder of the pack followed suit, and had begun racing through peoples' yards, headed on an intercept course for their quarry.
Ranma raced off, and because she had just enough presence of mind to not want to hit the high stone wall, she vaulted over it instead, and into the Kuno Manor grounds. As she leapt, Shampoo's balance gave way to gravity and the cursed Chinese Amazon fell. As she did so, the Phoenix Eye slid down the length of her feline body and down over Ranma's head. Ranma easily went over the wall, while Shampoo fell back, banged her head against the edge of the stone wall and knocked herself out.
In the girl's panic, she never realized that she'd acquired a new article of clothing.
* * *
Tatewaki and Kodachi Kuno were sharing a moment that signaled the concept of love between siblings.
"My dear dense sister, it seems to me that you have no concept of love at all, nor any taste either," he said as he taunted his sister as usual, "for if you would pick such a scandalous rogue as Saotome Ranma for your future mate, then I cannot understand your mental faculties, whatsoever."
Ever the coy of the pair, Kodachi replied back with the well-honed waspish attitude that she knew so well. "Well, my dear brother, it seems that your tastes in women are much worse than you can suppose. I at least am secure in my love for my dear Ranma-sama, while you pine over both strumpets that would conspire to take him away from me!"
"No, it is that vile fiend Ranma who plots to abscond with my sweet diamond Akane and the spectacularly breathtaking pigtailed girl!" Kuno did a Shakespearean pose, moving with the grace of a kendo master and the foolishness of an infatuated moron. "Oh, how I long to see them now; such sweet beauty would inspire me to newer and greater heights as only I, the Blue Thunder of Shokugakan University and master of the Kendo Club, deserve."
"No, dear brother, it is the sanitarium that you deserve." Kodachi laughed, cackling like a banshee.
Kuno gave her his most dark glare. "You know, I hate you. I hate this whole damn family of mine. I wish *something* would happen to get me away from all of you."
On cue his beloved osaga no onna leapt into view. She was breathing heavily, and flushed. {{My heart, be still! My love hath run all the way here just to see me, to ask me to make her my own,}} Kuno thought, his brain tissue coughing slowly to life.
{{There's that redheaded hussy!}} Kodachi raged within the cobwebs of her mind. {{Now I, the Black Rose of St. Hebereke's, shall strike! After her, Tendo Akane shall soon follow, and then I shall have my dear Ranma-sama!}}
Both Kunos raced towards the pigtailed girl, with entirely different thoughts on what to do once they arrived on location.
Ranma gathered her breath long enough to come to her senses. When she looked up, she noticed that she'd somehow ended up on the grounds of the Kuno home. Sure enough, a glance to her right showed both Kunos racing to meet her; Kuno's eyes clearly showed a rapturous desire to see her, while Kodachi's eyes were the other side of the yen coin.
There was a series of shouts to her left, and looking in that direction, she noticed Akane and her friends moving in as well, determined looks etched upon their young faces. She heard Akane scream, *"There she is! Get her!"* They'd obviously come after her, and considering how misunderstandings were the stock-in-trade at the dojo, it was going to be Ranma's fault. Again. As usual. Furthermore, it looked that she somehow had just moved all the parties involved into a huge rumble. Surprise, surprise--guess who was at ground zero.
Ranma blew the hair out of her face, rolled her eyes and muttered, "Here we go again. I wish there was some way out of this one."
On cue, the Phoenix Eye began to glow, processing the wish of its new master.
* * *
Watching the crystalline monitor, Nguyen noticed that he had stumbled upon a training session, and sure enough, his quarry--his bride--was amongst the fighters assembled. He ignored the other screens; the map was no longer needed, and the display of his Temple slaughtering the local military forces was entertaining, but he had other priorities at the moment.
{{Now it is the time to take you, my pet,}} he thought, {{and make you my Empress. You will bear my child...then I'll let Mango deal with you as she wishes. Perhaps you will win, perhaps Mango will. Once the child is born, it will be of no importance.}}
Speaking to the air, he said, "Let the games begin."
Leaping forth from the passage at the base of the Crystal Temple, Mango and her elite troopers dived to do battle.
* * *
Akane saw her fianc�, with the Kunos racing towards her. {{Ranma!}} Without looking at her friends, she shouted, *"There she is! Get her before the Kunos do!"* With that, she raced in, primed for combat.
What she--and everybody else--saw next made them all grind to a screeching halt. In that moment of hesitation, all was lost.
First there was the red glow that seemed to emanate from Ranma's heart.
Then a complete darkness enveloped the Kuno grounds; the eclipse had just come over Nerima.
The voice of a woman, screaming "Attack!"
One ninja, dressed in green and swinging a scarf, charged towards Ranma, who was still distracted by the light that came from her heart of hearts. The man shouted, "Stun Whip!" and snapped the scarf at the redhead. The scarf was glowing a hue of bright orange; it connected with and walloped the back of Ranma's head, rendering her unconscious. The shinobi grabbed the subdued girl, then called out to no one in particular, "Capture complete, Mango! I'm taking her back to the Temple. Give me cover!"
A light shone from the darkness, about twenty meters from where the shinobi stood. The shinobi raced towards the signal, the unconscious Ranma still in his arms.
{{Ranma!}} What Akane saw made her forget the Kunos. {{That guy's taking my Ranma!}} She bellowed, *"GET HIM!"* and tore after her lover's captor. With no words needed, the other Tendo sisters, Ukyo, Konatsu, and Ryoga resumed the chase, their new target locked into their eyes, and anger burning in their souls.
"Pigtailed girl!" Kuno locked eyes with Ryoga and Akane long enough to reach a silent truce and thus joined the conflict. Kodachi, who wasn't paying too much attention, mistook Ryoga for her dear Ranma-sama and joined in the fight only because he was there.
Fortunately, the shinobi was slowed down by the extra weight of his prisoner, and this allowed the local fighters to get within striking distance. Unfortunately, as the group was about to overtake the ninja, the remainder of Mango's group began their assault.
The first to be downed was Ryoga. Rain jumped in front of him, and threw a punch that nearly took his head off. Instead, he dodged, caught her arm, twisted it, and tossed her away. She landed gently, and went into what looked like a defensive stance of a style he'd never seen before.
"I don't have time for this!" he screamed, his hands going to a ready position, and an aqua ball of ki powered up within his palms. "Take this! Shi Shi Hokodan!" The ki ball ripped away from his hands and became a fierce beam of energy, rocketing away towards its intended victim.
Rain simply smiled and called out "Mirror of the Soul!" The military woman was instantly encircled by a shimmering fire-orange mist that seemed to originate from the ground. Ryoga's ki blast slammed into the shield then rebounded and nailing its original user, who was taken by complete surprise.
The blast hit him full-brunt, and he'd had no time to counter or dodge it. As Ryoga went down in a ball of aqua ki flame, he cursed his own failure. He crashed onto the ground, unconscious.
Kurumi was the next to fall. As she rushed in, a young girl, dressed in a black-and-gray bodysuit, stepped in front of her. Kurumi attacked, but the girl moved in a series of dodges and attacks that Ku-chan could barely keep up with. She was using a martial arts style that the youngest Tendo had never seen, and she was certainly faster than Kurumi, whose skills were now roughly equal to Akane's.
"Get out of my way, kid," Kurumi snarled. "I don't want to hafta hurt a girl like you."
"Then please don't make me fight you. I don't want to have to injure another person."
"No way. You're getting out of my way, whether I have to go past or through you!"
The smaller girl crossed her arms, then looked at the older fighter with an air of disdain. "You can try."
"You've got a lot to learn, kid. Sorry to have to embarrass you." Kurumi ripped off her hair ribbon and began her firewhip spiral attack...
...and was repelled by a shield of flame. Kurumi looked at the girl, and noticed there was a series of twenty magical spheres orbiting the girl like a beaded halo. Each sphere was a fiery yellow, and each contained a different rune or symbol. Kurumi recognized only four of the symbols: the Yin-Yang, the Om, the Ankh, and the kanji for fire.
The girl began to chant in words that the Japanese girl couldn't comprehend. Finally, with the shout, "Hino no Marui!" she launched the ki spheres at Kurumi. The blasts turned the shotokan fighter into a bonfire.
When the fire died away, Tendo Kurumi lay on the grass, out like a light. She was also completely nude from head to toe--including her trademark hair ribbon; her gi and undergarments were burned away in their entirety by the mystical flame.
"Who'll be the embarrassed one now?" Shiva taunted the disabled teen, then turned away to return to the Temple.
Ukyo chose to take on Mango. Fortunately, she always carried a set of her small spatula-like throwing daggers wherever she went, and was using them to the fullest, throwing both those and a series of kicks and punches. Mango, however, blocked the blades and the teen's punches, laughing all the way.
"Give it up, miss," Mango said calmly. "You're no Chinese Amazon, and you can't defeat me. You'll simply have to live with losing your friend." She threw a hard kick at Ukyo's midsection, but the okinomiyaki fighter parried, and palm struck the Amazon in the face. Mango threw a hard right, but Ukyo leapt clear of the attack.
"You're not taking Ran-chan!" she screamed, throwing her last set of spatula blades.
"Oh, buy my dear child, we already have." The Chinese Amazon laughed. "Now it's time to end this little game." Mango whispered something in Chinese, then disappeared...
...and reappeared right behind the young fighter. The elder woman threw her hardest punch at the base of Ukyo's neck, intending a killing blow. By some minor miracle, Ukyo tried to turn, but slipped and the rabbit punch nailed her fully in the back of the head.
It didn't matter, in any case. Ukyo slumped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, out like a light.
Kodachi twirled her ribbon, readied for the strike against the odd little man dancing in front of her. He certainly seemed to be the acrobatic sort, but she was a Kuno with Kaguro clan training. She wouldn't be defeated. She snapped her ribbon, a strike as sure as any Kaguro who wielded a battle scarf.
To her surprise, the dancer caught her ribbon, pulled her in, then did a ki-charged flip kick that sent her flying to smash against the perimeter wall.
Four down, four to go.
"Happo Bijin Shuriken!" Konatsu launched a volley of throwing stars at Spring-Heeled Jack, who countered blow for blow with small throwing knives. A set of stilettos came lancing towards Konatsu, but the ninja nimbly leapt back into the trees, maneuvering both out of the way and for a clearer shot. The pair had chosen as their battleground the small wooden glade in the farthest point of the Kuno grounds.
"That's good, Guv'nor," Jack called out. "Don't think I've met a lad as good with the stars as you are. 'Tis such a shame though that Jack's a bit better with his blades, eh?" He threw a few more blades at Konatsu, who caught them in mid-air and returned them. Jack in turn barely dodged them. "Really good. If you give up now, I'll let you live."
"You'll have to find me first! Kunoichi no Ninbo!" With that, Konatsu went into invisibility mode, and slowly made his way around to the backside of Jack. Jack in the interim, was silent, listening for the slightest hint that his opponent was readying for the kill.
"You'll have to play fair now, laddie!" Jack called out. "Ol' Jack can't hear you if you're silent!"
"Don't worry! You won't feel anything, soon!" The ninja leapt from above, shouting, "Hissatsu Choku Geki Dankyaku!" Konatsu dived in a flaming kick, aimed for Jack's skull, the green energies of his battle aura illuminating his foot. He never made it, as he was nailed in the head by a knife and knocked just enough off course to crater in the ground below, removed from the conflict.
Spring-Heeled Jack stood over the body of his fallen opponent. "You're good, but Jack's better. Still, you're good enough that Jack the Lad'll let you live this once. You should be honored; I usually don't throw my killing blades handle first." Having said enough, he walked away from the glade and to the light.
Three remained.
Without her windstaff, Natsumi was forced to use close-in strikes, something she really didn't care to do that often. Especially since her opponent was as big as Mount Fuji. Still, this was Ranma in trouble, and she had to protect her family, no matter what. That was part of the reason why she came home...she and Kurumi needed to be with family, regardless of the challenge she'd placed before Akane the year previous. When Tendo Soun officially adopted the sisters, they understood that they were home for good. This was hammered even more so into Natsumi's mind after the night the leader of the Clan of the Ghost Wolf, the legendary Shinobi of the Mist, offered to teach her the art of Ghost Wolf ninjitsu. There was also the fact that Akane, the current master of Tendo AGMA shotokan, needed to update Kurumi's moves....
But that wasn't important right now; saving Ranma was. She banished the thoughts from her head, and began her close-in assault against the monster that introduced himself as Nova. "Roga Shuuhaitai!" She attempted her wolf-strike on the body of the giant, but her punches bounced off him. The behemoth countered by making a lazy slap, which whistled through the air with its raw strength. Natsumi leapt back, lest the blow cave in her head.
"Hahahah! That tickled, little lady!" Mt. Nova released a booming, hearty laugh. The look on his face would've been one of amusement, if it weren't for the situation. "I believe you missed your calling. You should be studying for the roles of masseuse or geisha, not a ninjette."
*That* got on the teen's bad side. *"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO THE 'NINJETTE' IS!!!!"* She erupted in an orange aura, the ki energies angrily flaring in tandem with her rage. *"Ghost Wolf Clan Attack! Hyappatsu Uindusutorumu no Shuriken!"* Hands moving nearly as fast as the Chestnut Punch, Natsumi threw waves of shuriken at Nova, each projectile spinning as though it were caught in a hurrincane.
The giant, however, laughed and slammed his fist into the ground, chuckling, "Corona Wave!" A huge tsunami of flame erupted from the ground and began plowing its way towards Natsumi, who was still releasing flights of stars. The wave passed through the shuriken barrier, vaporizing the metal blades. Natsumi had just enough time to leap clear of the blast, as the wave continued onward, to finally detonate against the wall in a shower of flame and stone dust, taking out a huge chunk of the wall.
When she reached the zenith of her arc, she turned her body, yelled, "Sensuiyo no Okami-dan!" and cocked back her fist as she dived.
Unfortunately, Nova simply reached up and caught her. Using her speed, he yanked and slammed her into the ground, leaving her buried four feet beneath the earth.
Laughing to himself, saying, "She should've been a geisha," he wandered off towards the pick-up point.
Two left.
Fortunately, those two had not been singled out for attack, and so Kuno and Akane were on the verge of catching the ninja that held their loved one. With no further concern for them, the ninja leapt into the shaft of light, and like the others before him, was lifted upwards into the darkness.
"Follow them!" Akane barked.
"And for my love, the pigtailed girl, so I shall!" Kuno vowed.
Both fighters leapt into the light to continue the chase. As the pair looked up, though, a nuclear violet blast of energy came flying at them. There was no time to move or block. They would be downed and seriously injured. But, as luck would have it, in a rare instance of selflessness, Kuno shoved Akane out of the light beam--and away from the energy discharge.
As gravity resumed its control and bounced her off the grassy floor, she could see nothing but the purple blast, hear nothing but the sound of a high-powered energy burst...and the screams of Kuno Tatewaki. A second later, the beam stopped, and a burnt and ragged Kuno fell back to earth, looking worse than what the cat dragged in.
Akane looked back up by instinct, and noticed the throng assembled above her. They were standing in a lit alcove of the darkness, which apparently was no shadow from an eclipse, but a giant ship of some kind. Standing in that space was a bunch of tough-looking men and women. One man, in particular, looked far more powerful than she'd ever seen in her entire life; someone that could blow away Cologne, Ashura, the Yamato no Orochi, and a few Phoenixes with nary a thought. Lying unconscious within that man's arms was a red-haired Japanese girl.
Akane decided she'd take him on anyway. She stared at him with no greater emotion than that of abject rage. *"LET THE GIRL GO!!!!!!!"*
The man simply said in a deep, unnatural voice, "Sorry. No more passengers allowed," then laughed at his own joke. With that, he turned, and seemed to walk into the darkness above, followed one by one by his henchmen. As the last of them disappeared into the inky blackness, that same voice said, "Crystal Temple, disappear."
The sky instantly became brighter than the sun. Akane closed her eyes, but the whiteness came through, dazzling her, burning through her mind and very soul. The world had become the surface of a dwarf star, and just as it reached the point where the agonizing light pierced her last cell of being, penetrated the deepest corner of her psyche...
...it stopped.
The darkness was gone, and with it the light. And with those, a sizable area of Nerima.
Akane looked around for blocks. *Literally* looked around for blocks; the area, over a kilometer in radius, had been vaporized--grass scorched away, houses demolished, lives ruined and dreams destroyed. Even the Kuno Manor, a house that had stood since the Edo period, one of the few places to survive the bombing runs during World War II, was now gone. In the distance, she could make out the shape of her own home, just a little over two kilometers away. In various places on the ground, she could see her friends and family; bruised, battered and beaten. Her sisters were in bad shape--{{what had they done to Ku-chan?}} Her lover's closest friends, Ukyo and Ryoga, were down for the count as well. Konatsu was at the farthest edge, amongst the stumps that was the small arbor--he'd apparently given almost as good as he got. Even the Kunos, whom she normally couldn't care less about, acted in a manner far nobler than what they usually pretended to. Today, she stood in the middle of hell, surrounded by heroes.
But none of that mattered to her. She'd become numb to everything in the world. She didn't hear the alarms of defense units rushing in, or the roar of military jets overhead. She didn't listen to the words of the soldiers that began to interrogate her, demanding to know what happened. She heard none of this, felt none of this, saw none of this. The world was no longer there for Tendo Akane. It disappeared with the darkness; with the red-haired, blue-eyed, pigtailed girl that had been captured.
The world no longer existed for Akane anymore because the person she loved most in the world was gone.
Forever.
