Ranma's blood ran cold as Akane's terrified scream pierced his ears. For a
moment, the track faded, twisting into a pitted and ruined overpass in what
was left of Shinjuku, and he was inside the van. In that brief space of
time, he saw his sister's death during a backstreet race...
Ranma fought his way back to the present, and saw the hairpin coming up
fast. It was happening again, oh, no, it was happening again... NO! This
time was different. This time, Ranma wouldn't let her die!
He broke off with Ryoga, moving to come alongside the barelling Akane as
she screamed up the track. He knew his Moto didn't have the top-end speed to
keep up, and hitting a boost would send him out too far ahead. There was
absolutely no room for error; if he was to pull this off, it had to happen
exactly right.
The two finaly lined up, but Ranma knew it wouldn't last. He pushed his
Moto to the redline, power plant screaming in protest as he closed the gap
between him and Akane.
"GET ON!"
"I CAN'T! THAT THING'S NOT BIG ENOUGH..."
"I SAID GET ON!"
"RANMA..."
"GODDAMNIT, RANKO, GET YOUR ASS UP HERE NOW!!!!" Just as Akane began to
move, however, the out of control Moto started to edge out ahead of him.
Ranma's heart nearly stopped, adrenaline searing through his veins as he saw
his chance slipping away.
Without thought, Ranma's hand launched out to grab Akane. He managed to get
a grip on the back of her collar, snatcing her off the Moto with a strength
he never knew he had.
For a second, time stood still as his Moto threatened to tip over with the
sudden imbalance of weight. Akane hung helpless in space, suspended only by
the strength in Ranma's arm before landing astride the Moto with him.
Akane watched her Moto rocket into the hairpin turn, bouncing off the
raised mound of concrete and smacking the barrier that prevented any
shortcuts. The large machine spiralled in the air, hitting another barrier
with a shower of sparks and shrapnel before bursting into flames on the track.
She couldn't move, couldn't even think as Ranma slowed the Moto in
accordance to the caution flag that had been flown over the track.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," the blaring voice of the announcer said, "THAT WAS
UNBELEIVABLE! NEVER IN MY ENTIRE TIME IN JET MOTO HAVE I SEEN A RESCUE WITH
SUCH BRAVERY AND WHITE-KNUCKLED TENSION!" Akane managed to tune out the rest
about how she had lost control while the crowd hooted and cheered the
conquering hero. Akane just wanted to lie down.
Shan gripped the handles on her Moto, fighting desperately against the
Nazgul as the final stretch came nearer. Throughout the race, she had been
unable to gain any real advantage over the Militech prototype, and her
chance was rapidly slipping.
The finish line popped up in the distance, growing ever closer as the two
battled for first place. Bracing herself, Shan Pu edged left to ram the
Nazgul into the barrier.
Before she could manage, the black Moto screamed out into the distance, its
thrusters glowing like tiny suns as it sped toward the finish. Shan nearly
cursed as she crossed a close second, veering off toward the pit zone where
the others would be waiting. She was not looking forward to this.
=========================================================
"Did you see that?"
"Damn right I did. That guy was incredible." He looked to his superior as
they replayed the astounding rescue again and again. "Do I have the go-ahead?"
"Of course. I'll draw up the contract, you bring him in. I want this kid."
"Yes, Mr. Fukujima."
==========================================================
"AKANE!" Almost before she could dismount Ranma's Moto, Akane was enveloped
in the relieved and terrified arms of her two sisters. She let herself
collapse, then, tears of fright soaking her cheeks as she let the terror out.
"I should not have let you race today," Soun said in a voice that seemed on
the edge of tears. "Akane..."
"Daddy, don't," Akane replied, removing herself from the arms of her
sisters. "I wanted to race. It's not your fault."
"But still..."
"That's the end of it, daddy." She looked over to find Ranma still on his
Moto, helmet in place. He sat ramrod straight, hands tightly gripping the
steering bars. She thought about him calling her Ranko as she stepped over.
Why whould he say that? Maybe Ranko died in an accident?
"Hey, Ranma," she said, wanting to thank him. He remined silent, staring
directly ahead from behind his helmet's visor. "Ranma?" She tapped him on
the shoulder, trying to draw his attention. Ranma jumped at her touch,
looking around for a second before fixing on her.
"OH! Sorry, kinda lost it there." He took off his helmet, the sight of his
pale and gaunt face surprising Akane.
"You okay?"
"Ain't that my line?" he quipped. Akane smiled in response when Ryoga's
voice echoed through the stall.
"Saotome!"
"Hey, Ryoga."
"Damn, man, that was incredible!"
"It was nothin', really." Ryoga looked at Akane, still shaken from the
near-accident that almost claimed her life.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Ryoga, I'm fine. It's *him* I'm worried about," Akane said, jerking
a thumb toward Ranma.
"Hey, Ranma, you look a little green around the gills."
"Just a little woozy, that's all," Ranma replied ina voice that sounded
almost dead.
"Uh-huh. Anyway, man, drinks are on me."
"I could use one."
"Then, Ryoga, you must come to the complex immediately," Soun said,
clapping the two young men on the shoulder. "I believe we could all use a
little time to relax and collect our wits."
"Oh, I really should get to Akane's Moto," Kasumi said. "I don't know what
went wrong, but..."
"Tomorrow morning, daughter," Soun said. "Tonight, we need to rest."
======================================================
"I must admit, general," Herb said, "that Nazgul is certainly a capable
machine."
"Thank you, your highness," Lundee said, already thinking of ways to keep
Herb from the Joketsuzoku. After this discussion was over, he would have to
teach them what it meant to mess with Donald Lundee.
"However, that other Moto gave it a run for its money."
"Yes, we are looking into that now. In the meantime, dinner should be ready."
"Of course. I am famished." Herb rose from his seat, following Lundee and
their respective guards to the dining room.
========================================================
Ranma took another long pull off his sixth beer, leaning back against the
kitchen counter as Ryoga popped the top on his. He felt the alcohol hit his
stomach, taking the proverbial edge off as it soothed his nerves.
"Hi, guys," Akane said, entering from the side door as Ryoga took a pull.
"Hey."
"Want a beer?" Ryoga offered.
"Sure, why not?" Akane caught the bottle in the air, twisting the cap and
taking a small sip.
"Never pegged you for a drinker, Akane," Ranma said as she took the bottle
from her lips.
"Every once in a while doesn't hurt. Ranma?" she asked, her face and tone
becoming deadly serious. "Why did you call me Ranko?"
"I didn't call you Ranko."
"Yes, you did, Saotome," Ryoga said, "I was there. I heard you."
"I did?"
"Yep," came a slurred voice from behind Akane. Nabiki sauntered in, a half
empty bottle in her hand and a dim look in her eyes.
"Nabiki!" Akane exclaimed, "haven't you had enough?"
"Ah, I'm not drunk." Nabiki said with a lopsided grin. "So, why'd ya call
my sister Ranko?"
"I didn't call her Ranko!"
"C'mon, Ranma," Akane said. "What's the story?"
"It was a few years ago," Ranma began, heaving a sigh and taking a sip of
beer. "Me an' Ranko were racin' through a part of Shinjuku. She lost
control... she couldn't even slow down when she went off the overpass." The
silence in the room hung thick as Ranma finished his abridged story. "It was
almost the same. You losin' it like that."
"Ranma...."
"It's over with, now," Ranma said, shutting himself again. "Let's just
forget about it, alright?" He walked out of the kitchen, his shoulders
slumped as if he had the weight of the world on them. Akane looked after
him, for some reason wanting to go comfort him.
=========================================================
Nabiki found herself kneeling the next morning, poised in a moment of great
catharsis. The feeling rushed through her, a sensation of giving herself
over to a force far greater than herself that seemed to never end. After
what felt like an eternity, the feeling passed, a profound silence filling
the air around her. As she knelt on the floor, the intrusive sound of
knuckles rapping on wood shattered the quiet, surging directly to her brain.
"Hey, Nabiki!" Ranma's muted voice exclaimed. "You done in there yet?"
Nabiki raised her head from the toilet, a pained groan escaping her lips as
she glred with bleary eyes at the door. So this was a hangover. So long as
she lived, Nabiki Tendo would never drink again.
=========================================================
Well, that's part 10. Enjoy!