After a long Vacation, I think it's time to post part three of this right???
Okay, Sorry if it took so long, thanks to the people for reminding me of
this.
Since this doesn't fit in one file I'll send it in wee bitty ones
As always please c&c at
ysis@hotmail.com, I can't recieve any e-mail here
(this is for all the mails and stuff of the FFML)
Rendezvous with Fate
by Ysis
~ Chapter 3 ~
_...It turns out there was a child, it was devastating to know that
she wasn't mine..._
Ranma tugged his coat as he started to get up from the blanket he and
Ukyo had been sitting on, he had learned never to stay too long with her.
Experience told him that things got complicated if he did.
Shrugging on his coat Ranma brushed a few specks of dirt it had picked up
from lying on the grass. He turned to Ukyo who was starting to stand up.
She frowned at him prettily then brushed flecks of imaginary dust, which
he had already taken off. "Must you go soon? Hanae so looks forwards to
your visits."
Ranma rolled his eyes as Ukyo pouted, Ukyo, he thought, always pouted
when she didn't get what she wanted. She stood there fingering strands of
her brown hair that fell across her shoulders, waiting expectantly for an
answer.
"You know I only stopped by to say hi, Ukyo. Besides, she
*does* go home
with me every time Kodachi
*isn't*." He said sternly buttoning up the coat,
"I have got to go to Kodachi. It seems she has concocted one of her little
games again."
Ukyo raised an eyebrow as she stood up to help him with the buttons. She
knew how troubling Kodachi could be when it came to schemes. The only person
she could think who could come close was Nabiki, and Nabiki was already one
of the best in doing that. "What is she up to this time?"
Ranma made a face and said, "It seems as if my lovely
*wife* trying to
convince everyone she has amnesia." He muttered more under his breath but
Ukyo only caught the words angel and crazy.
For weeks Ranma had gone out of Rose Brier, he settled the work he had.
Burying Kodachi as far as he could under mounds of paper, and trying to
think of her as little as possible. The troubles at the carriage factories
were enough to keep his mind occupied.
He never could stop his mouth from speaking before he could think, now,
Ukyo was going to go on about her usual thoughts about Kodachi, which she
did, "Wife?" She had almost laughed. Almost. "You call that woman a
*wife*?
You should've married
*me*."
Pushing her gently away he said, "It's a little late for that." But then
... sometimes ... he really
*did* wish he had proposed to her instead of
Kodachi, that he had seen her before Kodachi. But Ukyo was a childhood
friend, and they had only re-met a month after his disastrous mismatch of a
wedding. Besides, he had never thought of Ukyo more than a friend, and when
he did think about it, he resolved that she never would be. It wouldn't be
fair, not to her.
She laughed a little, not like Kodachi's laugh, but a singsong laugh that
she had usually used to tease him with, "You call six years a little late?"
She patted his shoulder and her eyes twinkled a bit, "Has she met 'Ranko'
yet?"
Looking at her Ranma frowned dubiously, "Don't tell me you believe she
has amnesia! Of course she's met her."
"Mmmmmmm, but wouldn't her reaction be nice to watch...? You know...Even
if it is pretend? Kodachi is a damned good actress"
"You know very much how I hate to play Kodachi's little mind games. As I
told her I was and I still am sick and tired of it." He said as Ukyo began
to fix his coat again, which to him, didn't have any flaws.
She flashed him another one of those impromptu smiles of hers, "Hanae
really misses you."
"You spoil her." Ranma pointed out, though Hanae seems to have impeccable
manners. Ukyo pouted at that and he wondered if women in general really did
pout if they didn't get what they want.
She turned the conversation around again, "What do you have in Rose
Brier?"
"I told you, my wife."
"You can divorce her," She smiled at him sweetly turning her brown hair
over her fingers again, another mannerism Ranma had noticed. But divorce was
out of the question, there are still reasons why he keeps the sham of a
marriage with Kodachi, even if just for pretense.
Ukyo looked at Ranma in the eye for some time then asked, "Why do you let
her get away with all of this Ranma? She's a lunatic! Why can't you leave
her?"
He shifted uncomfortably, he didn't want to get into this subject again,
it seemed like for the past visits, she always dragged conversation to that.
"Ukyo, there are a lot of reasons you wouldn't understand. If you truly want
the best for both of us...you would have let the issue
*drop*."
She reacted to this as if she were slapped, she knew Kodachi had a hold
on him. What, she didn't know, and she fully intended to find out. "For both
our sakes." She almost didn't hear the last part, but she did.
Turning her back at him, she sighed looking wistfully back at the house,
in some ways, she envied Kodachi, at least she was close to Ranma, she
didn't even have to meet him in secret. "I'm not the one who tortures myself
with visits, Ranma. Why do you come here? Are you such a glutton for
punishment?"
That question was left unanswered, he didn't need to respond, Ukyo knew
the reason. He was here for Hanae. Ranma loved that child so much that he
continually went there regardless of what the others thought. He went to
visit the child. But then, why leave the child with her in the first place?
Why do it when they both knew that it would do more harm that good?
Ukyo sighed, she really did like her charge, she had the same enthusiasm
as her father, and she was intelligent too. She often wondered why Ranma had
let her take care of the little one, because it was obvious that he adored
the little bundle of energy, leaving her with Ukyo did not seem like the
best solution when he could just take her with him.
He never gave her an explanation, and she had never asked for one. She
also had not asked the vital question -- who was Hanae's mother. Ranma had
never brought the subject up, and she was uncomfortable to initiate it.
Sometimes she thought that besides Ranma, no one truly knew.
"Kodachi went to you." He said quietly, changing the subject, "How long
were you going to hide it from me?"
She whirled around to stare at him wide eye, he couldn't possible know
that. It happened more than six years ago, just before Hanae turned one.
Yet, she recalled the memory vividly, as if it had happened just yesterday.
Ukyo had been surprised to meet Kodachi at the parlor, a beautiful woman,
that Kodachi, back then she still was beautiful. Back then, she hadn't known
who she was, she hadn't known she was Ranma's wife.
As she entered the room, she noted the woman all dressed in black. She
was testing her spatula's sharpness with the tip of her nail, and laid it
gingerly down the table where the rest stood. She had raised her eyes at her
when Ukyo came in and there was a wicked smile on her lips, that smile among
many others told Ukyo that Kodachi Kuno was one demented soul. "Ukyo
Kuonji?"
She frowned at that sadistic smile, at those glinting eyes, telltale
signs of a person who was not rational with her angers -- but then, who was?
"Yes, I am Ukyo. Who--"
"Stay away from my husband." She pulled out a black rose from the folds
of her dress. She held it against her face and she still held a smile even
though her next words were clearly meant to threaten. "If you so much as
touch him I
*will* kill you."
"Who are you?" Ukyo demanded as she took a step back. She had just
recovered from sickness then and was in no position to fight. Though Kodachi
could not possibly know, she suspected that had been the reason the woman
picked the day to confront her. Cowards threaten when they are safe.
"Kodachi Saotome." She walked towards Ukyo, and unconsciously she moved
another step back, there was a hard gleam in the woman's eyes when she said
her words, venom dripping all over it, "You know, Ranma's wife?" She did
nothing to Ukyo, but placed the black rose in her hair. There was a stinging
sensation and a trickle of blood ran down her face.
"Remember me well, Kuonji." She smiled again there and let out a series
of laughs, challenging Ukyo to take off the flower, she didn't. "I saw him
first."
"On the contrary I knew him since we were six." Her mind's eye flashed a
picture of Ranma. Ranma wouldn't like that. He didn't like it when people
talked about him like an item, a possession, a prize to be won. She couldn't
help herself, not when she was at her weakest and her enemy was close.
"It's who sees him last that counts." Kodachi threw at her face.
What's said in anger is often repented in compliance. Without thinking
Ukyo flaunted the only thing she could, the only thing she was sure Kodachi
did not know, "I have his child."
It did not give Ukyo the reaction she desired, Kodachi's smile widened.
"I thought he would remain faithful. It does not matter if you have his
child or not. I will not let him acknowledge the little bastard. I am still
his wife, and I will
*always* be his wife. I come first before any of his
mistresses."
She paused to let those facts sink home and continued, "Do you not think
that if he is capable of having one, he can have another? What makes you
different from all those whores? Nothing. But I have his ring around my
finger, he will forever be mine." She took another black rose and left it at
a small table. It was black.
"I do not need his love, but you do." She didn't look back as she left,
"And your child is born a bastard and will die a
*bastard*. Raised in
humiliation and shunned by peers. The child will remain one as long as the
little monster lives."
She didn't think she could've hanged on to that memory but she did.
Kodachi was a ruthless opponent, sharpened by age and made deceitful by
time. Ranma's voice brought her back to reality. "Why?"
"I never wanted you to know."
"Don't you think I had the right?" He demanded.
"It was between Kodachi and me. Besides I didn't want you to worry
needlessly."
Ranma grunted, _Needlessly she says, Kodachi would have gone to extreme
measures to get what she wants to take on whoever was in her way, and at
that time Ukyo had been the obstacle._
They stood there uncomfortably for some moments before Ukyo spoke up,
"Well, good for you then." She muttered under her breath then sighed, "Look,
you know I'll be out of town and can't very well drag Hanae with me. You
have to take her...Even though Kodachi is home."
Hesitating for a second, Ranma finally agreed, but winced thinking of
letting Kodachi see Hanae, the first time had been terrible enough, and
Hanae had only been an infant. Now, if Kodachi went on her tirade, the child
would remember it.
It was then that the girl they were talking about appeared running across
the grass to his arms. "Daddy! I'll be going home with you?"
Ranma smiled kneeling down to scoop her up in his arms, "Yes." He was
just scared of what might happen, especially with an uncontrolled variable
like Kodachi at home.
"I packed just like N-ty 'Kyo said." She looked very proud of herself,
beaming up at him, "And I did it all by myself."
"Well then, kiss Ukyo good-bye now, and we'll get going." Ranma said
patting her head, Ukyo came forward to collect her kiss and gave the child
one in return.
Taking the child's bonnet in her hand, which Hanae had dropped when
running towards her father, she put it on the girl fixing her red curls. "Be
a good girl and don't give your father headaches." Her hands went on to the
blouse, "Be careful of that dreadful Kodachi." She tucked in the
handkerchief that was peeking out of the child's pocket, "Eat nutritious
foods." She dusted the child's skirts, then looked at her, "I love you."
"I love you, too." The child smiled and gave Ukyo a hug, which Ranma just
watched, after all he was carrying the child. He hated long good-byes.
Ukyo switched her attention to him, "Take care of her."
"I will." Ukyo didn't need to tell him that.
It was then that they parted, Hanae bobbing happily in his arms, Ukyo
standing in the middle of the garden looking at them wistfully. It became
silent, the breeze blew softly against their backs, that Ranma wondered if
it was urging him to go on.
~~~
"Mrs. Saotome, the doctor is here to see you." Stella said from doorstap,
after Akane had come down from walking around the estate.
She smiled her thanks as she entered greeted Doctor Armstrong at the main
parlor. He was surprised that she remembered him and equally so that she had
rebounded from the accident as if nothing had happened.
As he started the checkup he asked, "Has your headache returned?
Dizziness? Nausea?"
"Nope." She said cheerfully.
"Remarkable," He commented mostly to himself, "Follow my finger without
turning your head, Mrs. Saotome." Akane easily followed his finger when it
moved from side to side.
"What about your memory, has it returned?" He asked after finding nothing
wrong with his patient.
"Nope, and I don't think it will. I don't think they're memories I want
to have anyway." She said cheerfully as she nodded her head towards Stella
and said in a low voice, "They don't even like me."
He looked at her and was amazed at how casually she was treating this.
Most of the people he had seen were confused, and had tantrums. They always
wanted to know what was happening to them, and when their memories would
come back.
Never the less he assured her, "It will come back Mrs. Saotome, it
usually does."
"Oh, I'm not really worried about it." She had meant to reassure him, but
he still looked skeptically at her.
"I couldn't believe your remarkable recovery. Have you any idea of how
serious your injuries were?" He was clearly baffled by her improvement.
"Oh, I think I do." Akane almost laughed at it. The doctor had no idea of
just how injured she had been. "In fact, you're talking to a dead woman."
The doctor raised an eyebrow at what must seem like her odd tumor to him.
"I don't see why, you should stay in bed..." He still seemed uncomfortable
of the idea, and added. "But if you feel anything, anything at all, you call
me."
"Yes, doctor." Tilting her head she asked, "Do you know how old I am,
doctor?"
Dr. Armstrong smiled kindly, he must have thought it was horrible not to
know your name, and age. But Akane was dealing with this very well.
"I believe you are twenty-five."
"Really? I look like hell," Akane said, looking at the mirror and staring
at the reflection of the person she did not know.
Dr. Armstrong chuckled after he got over his mild shock at hearing a lady
curse.
After he had left, she had realized what she had told the doctor about
her memories were not entirely true. She did want to know about her past and
the only way was through people who knew Kodachi...
The only person that could come to mind was Stella. But then, the maid
was terrified of her, something made Akane uncomfortable around her as
Stella felt around her. She arranged to meet with her some time that day.
Akane frowned as she looked at Stella. The maid was obviously confused,
terrified and nervous. Talking with Kodachi was something the servants
obviously did not do. She showed all the signs of worry, had Akane been
Kasumi, she would have put her at ease easily.
She sighed, Stella's face was paler than usual, close to the shade of
gray in her uniform, and her fists clenched tightly around the cleaning rag
she held.
"Stella...you know about my head injury?" Akane started gently imitating
Kasumi when she was trying to calm their overly hysterical father. Stella
bobbed her head up and down, and suddenly Akane thought of springs. She
sighed again.
"Honestly, I can't remember anything." If possible her maid's eyes grew
wider and seemed to border on disbelief.
"Well, it's true." She wondered at American ignorance...or was it just
that century? She was about to explain mental health to a person who was not
about to believe her. Great. She had heard of one of the maids saying that
rich husbands who didn't want anything to do with their wives put them in
asylums. She didn't know what was or wasn't known about amnesia and the
little knowledge she had came from watching TV.
"Stella." The woman winced! She continued more gently all the while
cursing Kodachi who had obviously been a tyrant.
"I need to know some stuff... do I have children?"
After recovering from the shock of the said question she had answered no.
"Are my parents alive?"
"Only a grandfather, Ma'am."
"Sisters? Brothers?
"No Ma'am. You do have a mother-in-law, a sister-in-law and her husband.
Oh, and a niece and nephew, plus that little girl Mr. Saotome has."
"What little girl?"
Stella's eyes got wider again, "No one knows, ma'am. Mr. Saotome just
arrived one day after one of his year long business trips carrying a child."
Akane wondered about the child a little before she shrugged, she'll ask
Ranma about that later, at least there was no immediate family to deal with.
Now the hard part, Akane thought to herself, "I can tell by your
reaction, by the other workers' reaction and by my husband's reaction, that,
uh, I used to be difficult.
Stella looked stricken but her lips still remained compressed and in an
ill-shade of gray, "I ... Mrs. Saotome, no one believes ..."
Akane interrupted, "Stella I'm not stupid, and I'm not blind. I think
something is very wrong in this house, and I think that is me. Now I need
your help." She leaned forward and Stella saw that her eyes were direct and
honest.
"I must know what she, er, I was like. What she did to others, who hates
her...maybe if I knew I could correct it."
"Mrs. Saotome, what you're asking of me is very difficult." Her face was
lined with worry and voice shaking slightly, "I'm sorry but I don't think I
can. You can fire me if you wish, but I can't."
What monster had Kodachi been? No one could be that bad. How could she
tear the barriers she had erected if she did not know where they stood?
"Just answer this, If I decided to change, how would other people react?"
Stella weighed what she was going to say then took a deep breath, as if
preparing herself for the worst and said, "Mrs. Saotome, I'm sorry to say
it, but no one would believe you, no one. They'd think you were playing a
game, a mean game." She sat up straight and lifted her chin, "You can fire
me if you want."
Akane wanted to cry and for a moment, Stella felt sypathy for her, but
she had reminded herself of her many sins not only against her but all the
servants of Rose Brier. And most of all, against Mr. Saotome. He was no
saint, but he was a good fair man and he deserved better.
"What if it lasted?"
"Well... maybe then." Stella still sounded doubtful and added, "But
people Mrs. Saotome, they have long memories. They would not forget easily."
She had gained more confidence since her employer hadn't ranted and raved,
"Is that all?"
Akane stared out the window, "Oh, yes. You can go Stella and thank you."
The older woman paused at hearing her say thank you and left her alone.
"Why me?" She sighed it seemed as if her other life was just a delusion.
A delusion fading day by day. She had fallen off a horse and head injuries
were a very tricky thing. Perhaps she
*was* Kodachi and had made up all of
those things in her overwrought mind. But she hadn't, she knew she hadn't.
The constant reminder was the language she knew, Prime Ministers that have
-- will be in position. She really was Akane, who P-chan or probably even
God had given another chance. It just wasn't the best situation she's been
in.
Usually she'd think of another person who had it worse than her, but then
she was fairly certain nothing was worse than what had happened in the past
two weeks.
She had lost everything in that car crash -- her life. Her baby. Her
husband. Her family. Her friends. She had been sent to replace a terrible
woman, had a husband who loathed her, servants who feared her and a terrible
headache.
She was lonelier than she had ever been. Before she had Kasumi, Ryoga,
her father, friends...Who could she talk to now? No one would believe her.
She knew telling Ranma had already been a big mistake and she didn't know if
he believed that. She prayed he did, because if he didn't he might think her
crazy.
All her life she had overcame obstacles. Beaten a ton of boys to prove
she was just as good as they were, gained respect as the heiress of the
dojo, run the very low dipping funds with the help of Kasumi and forced her
way out of an arranged marriage with a guy named Shinosuke.
She was daunted by nothing, a woman who would try everything once, just
to say she had done it. A person who never let life overwhelm her, remaining
optimistic in trouble. Her friends had been amazed.
She wasn't about to stop now. She couldn't let another person's problems
get the better of her. Akane decided to do the thing she always did when she
felt down -- exercise.
Standing up, cheered by her resolve. She looked at the dress cinched
tightly she could hardly breathe and decided that the corset would be the
first to go. From what she had seen Kodachi had nothing in her closet
remotely suitable for a good workout, but with all those dresses, she was
sure she had enough material for a shirt and shorts.
She frowned at the thought of sewing. She had never been good at it, but
she could hardly tell Stella to make her the articles of clothing she
wanted. They would surely think her crazy then.
She just told Stella to gather the materials she'd needed and selected
which dress should be sacrificed.
Picking the skimpiest, thinnest and the ugliest dress in the wardrobe,
she ripped it apart with glee.
After five hours she had made a pair of ill fitting, oversized black
shorts, cut to the knees of a modest concession to the ages and a simple
pullover shirt. Using some left over cloth, she tied her hair back in a high
ponytail.
She looked at her ensemble in a full-length mirror and decided that the
shorts were very
*very* uneven and the shirt fit like a rice sack. _At least
I won't trip over anything._
She was about to set out when she realized that she had nothing on her
feet, and she certainly cannot run in those torture devices she had been
wearing. After a moment of thought, she decided running barefoot would be
best especially if she decided to run by the beach, despite the cold. By the
time she had stretched Kodachi's muscles, dusk was approaching, a nice time
to go out running. Another quick glance at the mirror with a frown at her
yellowing bruise, Akane headed out of the house, ignoring the stares of the
servants.
Akane had little time to explore the grounds, and even less to look for
the dojo. It had been her first time to see the structure. When she opened
the double doors and looked at the room, she decided that it was the
plainest room in the grounds, but had been the best.
The dojo was rather simple, with wooden paneling for the floors and
walls. There was no wall dedicated for students of the dojo. Mostly that was
attributed to the difference of the country, and they probably expected the
lack of want to train.
There was a big box to one side, and when she opened it was surprised to
find out that they contained what seemed to be gymnastic materials. She took
out a green ribbon, it seemed dusty, no one had used it for ages. When she
turned the box, the name Kodachi was written across it in Kanji, most
probably Ranma's handwriting.
There were no other weapons in the room. Not even blocks or wood to
break. She shrugged, then promised herself she would find some later. She
left and closed the doors behind her, they weren't the traditional Japanese
sliding doors that were used, but they were better than nothing.
After that she had walked around the mansion, the cool grass sticking
against her feet. She searched for a way to the beach. It had been colder
than she had expected from inside.
She followed a stone wall that ran along the bluff's edge until she came
to an opening that happily led to the stairway dropping to the beach. She
walked down the steep but sturdy wooden steps to the back below and began
running on the soft sand. She had never learned how to swim, and that was
part of the allure that the sea held for her.
It was also quite unknown to her, an endless mass of blue. It was
fascinating that there was life that lived in that water, which she could
almost never survive in, had it been more than her height.
She breathed in the salty-fishy air and braced herself for the memories
of Ryoga she knew would come, for they had spent some time in beaches. He
had always conceded to her want to go to the shore, even though he knew she
was hopeless at ever learning how to swim.
She closed her eyes and tried to remember Ryoga and their times together,
suddenly wondering why she had not missed her husband, why she did not mourn
him. It was as if her time with him, was nothing but a fond memory all
together. She suddenly realized that P-chan had somehow taken away all those
memories, so she could live on.
She became angry for a while, because she wanted to mourn her husband and
the life she had lost, but realized that they had let her. For the first
moments she had spent in Kodachi's body crying, she had mourned her husband
and her family.
She quickly tired, as her leg muscles labored to keep pace with Akane's
ambition to run across the beach, for Kodachi hadn't trained in a while. She
was gasping for breath, her lungs aching from the sharply cold air, she
walked until she felt she was rested and ran some more, ignoring the cramp
on her side.
Trudging up the steep stairs after her run, Akane felt lightheaded and
shaky, her clothes filled with sweat.
That was what Akane did over the weeks. She refused to wear the
restricting corset, but soon her dresses were loose enough that she really
didn't need one.
At first it was difficult to convince the cook that she did not need a
mountain of food and five different courses each meal but she finally got
her way.
Most of the rich sauces served in gravy boats were untouched. Butter was
left on a small plate by the bread. Fish and chicken replaced red meat. To
their way of thinking, Mrs. Saotome was trying to starve herself, a fact
that many in the kitchen met with glee rather than concern.
Akane's blanched skin tone got a glow from walking in the sun along the
shore. Akane felt healthier than that fat old thing she had been a month
ago. The sluggishness she felt was gone, her face had lost its puffiness and
her hair was clean and shining. Even her teeth, which Kodachi had abused,
was beginning to whiten from the tooth powder she had begun using.
She was beginning to think that she was in an endless vacation with
nothing else to do but train the rusty body she was in and have fun. Since
there was no electricity, the library was where she spent her nights when
she had been tired. There was no other effect of the lack of technology with
her.
She didn't mind the gas lamps, besides she had to rough it with lamps at
training trips, why not now? The telephone? Who would she call? What would
she tell anyway, no one would believe her anyway.
Sometimes, when she paused to think about her situation, she remembered
the man she was married to. Since that was her only distress, she put it
back in her head.
Once she had sneaked in his room, to get a feeling of the man he was, but
found nothing. She stood there staring at the walls. _He did have better
taste than Kodachi though_ she thought as she looked over the contrast to
Kodachi's dreadful room.
The only thing that caught her attention in the room -- though it was
beautiful -- was a sword hanging on the mantel. It was well balanced and fit
solidly in her hands. A good sword, and it had a beautiful hilt.
She had opened his closet and found some old-fashioned 1800-ish clothes.
But then, for him, it wouldn't be old fashioned. There were some Chinese
shirts and silk pants folded to the side of the dresser, similar to what she
saw him attired when she woke up. Later she would learn from the servants
that he wore that only at Rose Brier, when there were no visitors.
As days progressed, she found herself drawn to the newspaper, it had been
her only connection to the outside world. It more than anything was proof --
proof that it wasn't a joke -- that she wasn't dreaming this -- and that she
had to go on.
Comfortably set in her new life, Akane was starting to settle herself
that the pretty face that stared back in the mirror was her own. It had
taken her some time, but she wasn't startled to see another face staring
back when she looked at a reflective object.
At first, she was reluctant to have the servants do everything of her.
Being born to parents who were saving up every coin for their education,
tended to have that effect on you. She wasn't rich and she wasn't accustomed
to it. But when she saw the look on the face of the servant when she did
something she always did (fixing her bed) she decided to just let them do
their job.
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