Greetings,
Ok here we go.
Tain't THAT much bigger then the teaser but at least I have chapter two half
typed..or a bunch of it typed at any rate. Who knows how big it'll be.
C and C is appreciated..tasted...savored...lovingly collected and..carefully
preserved..
Scuze me, I gotta have a lie down.
Enjoy.
I remain, as always,
Mad-Hamlet
************************************
Disclaimer: (Buckling under the pressure.) These characters are not my own.
They are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi. I'm merely using them.{Authors
voice takes demonic edge while his eyes begin to glow}.Distorting, twisting,
changing them at my whim.. dance puppets..DANCE!!! (I obey the letter of the
law, not the spirit.)
Drain Bramaged Inc. Presents,
A Mad-Hamlet Production
General Advisory: This fic is...not nice. Dark would be a good term. Yes,
we'll go with Dark. I suppose a heavy lime label could also be slapped on it.
However as I equate 'lime' as somewhat erotic it wouldn't apply here as some
of the goings-on herein are so far from erotic the light from Erotic will
never, ever reach it.
Come in From the Cold
She hovered near the entrance of an alleyway. No other place seemed
appropriate to one such as her. Here she hid in the darkness, surrounded by
waste. Breeding ground for pain and betrayal. Things she knew well.
It was dark, always so very very dark. It was part of her, she held it in her
arms, her heart..her soul. She was in black, void; cold...she was dark.
Soon though, soon she would find her light; all she had to do was wait. Her
light would pass here soon and the Dark would be pressed back. Her light would
help her, would protect her, and with her light, the wounds would heal. She
could feel them, great gaping maws in her soul. Tattered edges flapping like
old clothing in a storm. But they would heal, would heal and be whole, in the
warmth, in the light. Wouldn't they?
Chubby little hands fumbled at her breast, seeking comfort and nourishment.
She had to push they away though, for she had neither to give. All she could
do was hide in the alleyway and wait for her. Her light.
Eighteen year old Akane Tendo trudged home from yet another day at Furinkan
High, alone. Like she had for nearly twenty months now. Soon she would be
going to a University and putting more and more distance between her and the
past. At almost twenty she felt she had quite a past to distance herself from.
At least when compared to other young adults.
Her eyes idly drifted to a chain link fence that ran parallel to the canal and
for just a brief instant she allowed herself to remember a certain arrogant,
yet naively charming, young man who could walk along it like she did upon the
sidewalk. Mental defenses and old anger slammed down on any affectionate
reminiscing. He had disappeared nearly two years ago, and taken with him
love, dreams, and respect. Proving himself to be, to her regret, much like his
father. Her good mood now thoroughly crushed she began stalking home in great
angry strides. Her jaw was clenched tight and between her teeth she was
muttering a litany of curses that would have made a sailor blanch. It had all
been said before but, it didn't help the pain much. It still hurt, even after
twenty months, ninety-nine weeks...six hundred and ninety-nine days...sixteen
thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six hou- she almost didn't hear the voice
calling her name.
"Kane....".
Akane spun on her heel and dropped into a defensive crouch. Instincts honed on
the battlefield called 'school'. The foe was not one she had anticipated.
The...person was lurching out from the maw of a darkened ally. Covered by,
what might have been at one time, a cloak? It once had been dark purple but
the color had long been destroyed by stains, time and...was that blood? His
features obscured by a mangy hood. Then the smell hit her and Akane had to
visibly struggle not to recoil. Whoever he was hadn't bathed for a very long
time. The stench of waste, garbage H brow creased- pain assailed her. The
figure held out one hand in a plaintive gesture or maybe he was seeking some
support to rest against. Either way, Akane wasn't about to let some stranger
paw at her.
"Back off!" She warned.
"Akane, no...please...." The figure's voice was hoarse, tired, and desperation
seemed to echo. Akane got the impression the stranger barely had strength
enough to speak much less stand. He kept lurching toward her though.
"I'm warning you! Another step and you'll regret it!"
Akane didn't want to hurt this person, whoever he was, but she was prepared to
defend herself, even though it had been a while since she had gotten much
practice.
"Akane..help.....hel...me..." The figure slumped to the ground. Akane slightly
relaxed out of her stance.
"Great." She thought. "Now what?"
She wiped the nervous sweat from her brow with the back of one hand and looked
around to see if there was anyone around who might help her. The street was
deserted though and she wasn't about to check the recesses of the ally. She
was on her own.
She approached cautiously, just in case a game of possum was being played. It
wasn't like she could just abandon someone in pain.
"A true martial artist defends the weak. Defends the weak...the
weak...defends...martial artist, defends the weak...defends.."
The mental litany ran through her mind as she took another hesitant step
forward. She wrinkled her nose as a fresh wave of stench assailed her.
She cautiously knelt beside the prone individual who was laying face down with
the one arm still outstretched. Akane slowly reached out toward their shoulder
with the intent of giving them a good shake when a weak cry rent the air.
Akane cursed under her breath upon hearing it.
With little fanfare Akane gently turned the figure over, all hesitation cast
to the winds. Parting the wretched fabric that passed for a cloak Akane saw
that the mysterious woman, for now that cloak lay open the mangy shirt did
little to hide the gender of its wearer, still held her other arm curled to
her breast. Cradled in that protective embrace lay an infant.
Cooing softly Akane slowly pried the woman's death grip open and pulled the
child into her lap.
"Come here little one." Akane soothed. "Shhh...I've got you, don't cry. You're
safe."
Carefully she pulled the baby closer to her chest and got her first good look.
Her breath caught in her throat.
It could have been because the child had stopped crying and was now staring at
her with a carefully scrutinizing expression. Or it could have been the fact
that the child's stare was so unnerving; as the child had one blazing blue eye
and its mate was a deep, ominous purple. But no, the real attention getter was
the shock of pure, blazing red hair that curled across the infant's head.
Turning to the still unconscious figure Akane firmly grabbed the hood that
concealed her features.
"I don't know why." Akane thought. "But I'm not surprised."
Still holding the child with one arm, Akane hesitantly reached down and
slowly caressed the emaciated, tired, and thoroughly female face of Ranma.
"KAAASSUUMMIIII!!"
Startled by the unexpected shout the eldest Tendo daughter lost control of
the knife for a fraction of a second and was rewarded with a small cut.
Hissing at the pain she quickly tied a handkerchief around the wound before
entering the living room.
"Yes Akane?" She asked calmly. "What's wr-" The question died on her lips.
Kasumi saw her youngest sister carefully laying a figure on some cushions.
That in itself was not all that strange. In the past Kasumi had seen plenty of
unconscious people stretched out on those selfsame cushions. Though some time
had passed since the last one. No, what robbed Kasumi of the breath to speak
was everything she saw at once. The figure's red hair, the baby still curled,
protectively by Akane, also with flaming red hair.
Kasumi took one look at the baby, then a quick glance at Ranma, then another
back at the baby. She shook her head in slight denial at that line of
thinking.
"Oh my goodness." Kasumi exclaimed. "Ranma, what's happened to him?"
"I don't know Kasumi." Akane replied. Her anxiety clearly heard.
"She..he..just came out of an alleyway at me on the way home! I didn't know
who it was at first but when they collapsed I heard the baby cry and ...
and..."
Akane's voice dwindled. Kasumi sympathized with her sister. She too had, once
again, been yanked out of her emotional equilibrium by this sudden twist in
life. But the storm she felt must be nothing compared to what Akane must have
been going through.
"First things first Akane." Kasumi had to raise her voice slightly as the
child decided to start crying again. "Give me the baby, I'll go warm some milk
up. Why don't you get Ranma out those..'clothes'."
With an almost wistful look on her face Akane carefully handed the still
squalling baby to her sister. Then, with her face set in determination turned
to conquering her next foe: The incredibly smelly garments of the still
comatose Ranma Saotome.
Kasumi was carrying the child in the crux of her arm and just had grabbed a
bottle of milk from the fridge when the second scream of the afternoon sent it
crashing to the floor.
"OH GOD, NO!!" The shriek rang throughout the house.
Kasumi, as quickly as she dared, rushed back to the living room.
"Akane! What's wro-" For the second time this day the same question died on
Kasumi Tendo's lips. If she hadn't been holding a helpless infant Kasumi would
probably have fainted at the hellish scene before her. As it was, she had to
grit her teeth to fight off the wave of dizziness and nausea swam over her.
Akane, in her typical efficient manner, had decided the best way to remove
Ranma's clothing was the direct approach and had torn the shirt open down the
middle. From the neck up, other than appearing filthy and slightly starved
Ranma appeared perfectly fine. It was the scaring that began just below her
collarbone that demanded attention. Kasumi's eyes followed the curving of the
scar tissue as it twisted to the right and neatly bisected Ranma's left
breast, leaving it a mangled horror of tissue, before continuing down the
sternum and finally tapering off just above her navel. The scar tissue was at
least an inch wide over the breast leaving no doubt, even to those with zero
medical understanding, that when it had been received, the wound had nearly
cut the breast in twain.
Kasumi found herself completely numb. The hysterical sobbing of her sister
didn't reach her; the cries from the babe she carried didn't touch her. She
could only stand and watch. Watch as Akane, still sobbing, with her fists
pressed over her mouth, sank to her knees beside her former fianc�.
Watch as with a shriek of her own, Ranma sat bolt upright with fire, and fury
burning in her eyes.
Watch as the panicked, topless figure lashed out instinctively and backhanded
her youngest sister across the room before leaping at her with another shriek
on her lips.
Akane slammed against the wall, blood leaking from her split lip. Lights
danced in front of her eyes but she ignored them and focused on the events
going on beyond the lights. She watched the berserk redhead hurtling at
Kasumi with her hands pulled back in a killing blow. Akane had to react,
protect her sister, stop Ranma, do something!
"Move you stupid tomboy, MOVE!" Screamed Akane's mind.
But there was no time..no damn time.
A flicker of purple.
Akane realized things had changed.
Ranma now pinned beneath someone who had not been there a second before, still
screaming.
Kasumi losing balance to land on her butt with a slight 'whoof'.
The screaming of the child.
Ranma screaming.
Child screaming.
And Akane realized she was screaming along with the others. A final voice in
the chorus.
Kasumi now was sobbing as she squeezed the baby closer.
Everyone still screaming...
It took a few seconds for some semblance of coherence to reassert itself in
Akane's mind. She took in again the scene before her and, in that bizarre way
that people in a crisis do, calmly took stock of the situation.
Kasumi crying? Check.
Baby crying? Check.
Ranma screaming? Check.
Strange person standing in her home restraining said screaming Ranma? Check.
"Gee," Akane thought to herself. "Seems things are getting back to normal."
Akane screaming? No.
"Well that's good." She decided.
Akane's head ringing while pain carved new and interesting patterns along her
nervous system? Check.
"Well that's diffrent. Never actually got hurt before, specially by Ranma."
With the grey matter reporting that, while she hurt, everything seemed to be
in working order, automatic reactions shut down, letting Akane resume a little
more control of herself. Time unfroze.
"Kasumi!" With a shout Akane rushed to her sister's side.
"Kasumi, talk to me..are you alright?" Akane demanded.
She gripped her sister's shoulders and gave her a firm shake.
"Kasumi!"
Kasumi blinked a few times while slowly pulling back from that black place
minds flee too when they are sure they are about to die.
"Akane?" She inquired weakly.
"Akane you're hurt!" She exclaimed while grasping Akane with her free hand.
"Let me see that."
Kasumi began to make fussying noises while trying to make a closer
examination of Akane's condition.
The baby was still screaming.
"I'm fine Kasumi." Akane replied, slightly annoyed. "The question is: Are you
all right"
Kasumi paused as if considering this. She unconsciously began to lightly jog
the baby in effort to get it to stop crying. Seeming to come to a decision
Kasumi nodded slightly and reached out for assistance from Akane.
Awkwardly, as if unsure of her limbs still being there, Kasumi allowed Akane
to pull her to her feet. She swayed a bit but remained stubbornly upright.
In an odd coupling Ranma's continued shrieks mingled well with those of the
child's.
"Kasumi, go to the kitchen, take care of the baby." Akane ordered, practically
shoving her sister in the right direction. Nodding numbly, still somewhat lost
in a fouge, Kasumi complied and vanished into her shelter. Akane could now
afford to focus her attention on Ranma and the stranger still pinning her to
the ground.
Ranma was bucking and writhing, trying to get free but was held firmly by a
white-knuckled grip. Akane became aware of the strange sing song language the
stranger was using, it sounded like she was trying to console the struggling
redhead.
The intruder was dressed simply enough. A plain black T-shirt with a brown
travelling vest over it providing basic protection from the elements. The
pants were of simple design, being made of silk, in an unoriginal dark grey
color.
The gender of the stranger was easy to guess at as her breasts strained
against the T-shirts fabric, that and the long-
Akane's eyes narrowed. The stranger's long ponytail hung to the small of her
back, but that wasn't what got Akane's attention. The ponytail was a bright,
purple color.
Her fists instinctively closed. Akane, in the privacy of her own mind alone,
could admit she wasn't the most observant person in the world. But she knew
the amazons had disappeared from Nerima at the same time Ranma had, and now
that Ranma was back, so were they?
Akane's aura snapped on faster than G.E's best product and through clenched
teeth the name hissed out in a tone that embodied pure, black hatred.
"Xian Pu!"
Without looking over her shoulder the so identified intruder said "No. Not
Xian Pu. Xian Pu dead. I kill Xian Pu."
"Cut the crap Xian Pu, I know its you. You can change your hair all you want
but life isn't like a soap opera, there are no 'long lost twins'."
"I NOT XIAN PU!" The purple-haired girl practically shouted. "Xian Pu dead.
Her name dead, Xian Pu as Amazon dead. There no more Xian Pu!"
Akane almost took a step back. If that was true than that meant...
Her thoughts were interrupted.
The girl visibly swallowed her anger. "Akane, please. Sit. No shout at me.
Wait. I explain later. We help Ranma now. Explain later."
Akane blinked a few times. Xian Pu had been polite...called her by name..and
not referred to Ranma as 'airen.' Reluctantly, Akane slowly knelt next to
where Ranma lay pinned.
Her ex-fianc�, by this time had exhausted herself trying to break free. She
lay spent and gasping, her chest heaving with effort. The light coming in from
outside cut a wicked bias relief over her scarred chest, revealing in all too
realistic detail the puckering of the flesh and myriad discoloration; again
Akane felt tears threatening to spill over.
Ignoring the drama going on beside her the purple haired girl firmly grasped
Ranma's head and forced the redhead to look at her.
"Peace Ranma." She intoned. "Quiet. Shhh..you safe. Baby safe. Ranma safe.
Shhh..Good Ranma."
With a gurgling sound Ranma attempted to wrench her head away, her eyes
swirling widly in their sockets. Xian Pu gave Ranma a fierce shake forcing her
to reestablish eye contact.
"Ssshhh..." She started again. "Sshh..Ranma. Look. Look who here. You find her
Ranma. You find Akane."
Akane gave a small start. Ranma had been looking for her?
"Look Ranma..Akane's here. See?"
Slowly, with her hands guiding her Ranma turned her head to look at Akane
seated beside her. Akane met that gaze with difficulty. Staring into those
wild, insanity filled eyes brought back memories; memories of a fanged boy
screaming the words 'Because of you've I've seen Hell!'. Somehow Akane now
doubted the Lost Boy's claims. The specter before her, she had seen Hell,
mayhaps even stayed there for a while. Akane met Ranma's gaze and looked at
her, looked into her, into her eyes. Sadness met pain, grief met hurt, and
betrayal greeted betrayal.
An understanding was reached.
Ranma's mouth opened and closed a few times. She closed her eyes for a few
seconds then tried again.
"A..Akane?"
"Right here..I'm here." She reached out slowly and lay a hand on Ranma's
shoulder.
"Really..Akane? Not another dream? Really real? Really really real?"
Xian Pu (Who was not Xian Pu) nodded and softly replied, "Is so Ranma. Is
real. No dream now, you home. That is Akane. Baby here too. Safe now, we all
safe now."
"Yes," Akane agreed. "You're safe Ranma I'm right here with you."
The hand moved up to cup the redhead's cheek and Ranma's eyes fluttered at the
sensation.
"Really real.." She muttered. "Akane's really real..She's real..she's
realshe'srealshe'srealshe'srealrealRealREAL....AKANE!!!"
Ranma tossed the purple haired ex-amazon aside like flypaper.
Xian Pu impacted the far wall at the exact same time Akane found herself with
a double armload of half-naked, crying martial artist.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry Akane, please..I'm sorry." Ranma wrapped
herself around Akane, burying her face in Akane's shoulder.
"I'm sorry." She kept saying. Over and over, and Akane had no idea what to do,
or say or think. She did the only thing she could. Pulling Ranma closer, so
the smaller girl was cradled in her lap, Akane started rocking slowly, back
and forth.
"Shhhh...." She began.
"Sorry, so sorry."
"Shhh..its alright."
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
"Sorry, please, I'm sorry."
" It's ok, it's ok...shhhh....."
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
" I forgive you Ranma."
Stop.
"You..mean it?" Came the querulous reply.
Akane nodded. "Yes. I forgive you, for everything."
"Now if only I could figure out what I was forgiving you for." Akane thought
to herself.
However, Fate did not give her the opportunity to reflect on this mystery.
"I love you Akane." And before Akane's mind could even register 'The Words',
before she could even begin to consider a reply to 'The Words' Ranma had
pulled her head down and kissed her.
It was quite a kiss. Ranma's tongue danced between her lips and feelings
coursed through Akane's mind; new sensations tingled along nerve endings she
had not known she had.
It was sweet, and hungry, with a blazing fire coursing along her spine, yet at
the same time icy chills swept along beside the heat. Fire and ice all wrapped
up in a lovely package of sensation with tiny motes of pleasure sweeping
along her flesh. She was lost in the swirling miasma of new sensation and
powerful emotions that consumed mental barriers like a fireball would a
forest.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the kiss ended and Akane hung there, savoring the
moment. Ranma was resting her head on Akane's shoulder, a small smile on her
face and a light rumbling sound at the back of her throat. Almost like a purr.
Pride, anger and pain came screaming back with reinforcements. They roared
across Akane's mind, sweeping aside facts like Ranma's condition, her
confession of love and the pleasant activities afterwards.
He had kissed her! When she was a girl!!
Ranma had hit her and almost hit Kasumi! How DARE he?
After vanishing for two years he think he can just waltz back into their lives
with a smile and a wink? After leaving with the..the...Amazon?
Akane began to get angry, her muscles tensed and a sneer started to ripple
across her face, she opened her mouth to scream and cocked an all to ready
fist to strike down the offender.
An iron claw clasping her shoulder stopped her cold.
Turning she came eye to eye with Xian Pu whose face was no more than an inch
away from her own.
"I know what you thinking." Xian Pu hissed into Akane's ear.
"And I know you wrong. Ranma tell truth. Ranma love you, Ranma die for you,
Ranma already been through Hell. Worse part is, Xian Pu take her there. Now
she back. You say you forgive, you say she safe. Now you want to hurt? You
hurt Ranma, she die. If Ranma die," She paused for emphasis. "You I kill!"
Akane listened to the words, but she focused on the eyes. Words can lie, but
eyes... Xian Pu's eyes glowed with all the warmth of the coldest side of a
frozen rock. They held but a promise, no compassion, no humanity, just one
single promise.
Believe or die.
Akane believed.
"She tell you the truth, she loves you." Xian Pu pressed on. "Now you tell her
truth. No lie to her, no lie to self. Do so, now." She squeezed Akane's
shoulder painfully hard to add weight to her command.
Akane nodded dumbly and looked at Ranma who, during the hushed conversation,
had turned to look up at Akane.
Those large... huge, impossibly huge, blue eyes bored into Akane. They were...
uncomfortable for Akane to gaze into. The Eyes are windows to the soul it is
said. Well, these eyes showed a soul that had been brutalized, bent, wasted,
crushed, clawed, beaten and a used by a large host of nightmares.
Yet still that soul kept hoping, and loved and still waited. Waited for her.
She couldn't deny it. Pride died first, wailing and screaming into the
blackness of her mind, banished for the meantime. Anger was next, now crushed
by that incredible will it had regularly fed on and used for its own ends. She
gulped audibly.
"I..." She began.
Those eyes bore into her.
"I...I lov..."
Bore, bore, bore.
"I love you too Ranma."
Ranma's eyes snapped shut and she slumped in Akane's arms. Surprised Akane
saw Xian Pu removing her finger from a particular spot on Ranma's neck.
"She rest now." Xian Pu explained. "Rest for first time in weeks. Maybe, now
knowing how you feel, she finally rest well, rest deep."
She paused and gazed at Ranma's now slumbering form still in Akane's arms.
"Yes, Ranma finally able to sleep."
Xian Pu sat down, indian style directly across from Akane. "And while she
sleep," Her eyes narrowed. "We talk Akane Tendo. We talk."
End Cold-01
Authors notes: Welcome to chapter one of my newest project. Ok so it's not
much bigger than the teaser. That's ok though as I've already started working
on chapter 2. No this does not mean COS has been forgotten. Actually after I
post this I'll begin typing out COS 1.4 at last. This is, as I've mentioned,
my first attempt at 'Dark Fiction'. I'm trying to set the mood her y'know and
if there is anything here that destroys that feeling that I've missed in
proofing it and having it proofed, let me know. My goal is a story that would
have Torquemada running from the room, screaming. (Nobody expects the Spanish
Inquisition!)
If the C&C isn't positive or I get people telling me to chuck it and go back
to COS.... Nahhh... I'll write em' both!
I remain, as always,
Mad-Hamlet
-- HTML Attachment decoded to text by Listar --
Picture yourself near a stream. Birds are softly chirping in the crisp,
cool,mountain air. No one knows your secret place. You are in total
seclusionfrom that hectic place called "the world." The soothing sound of a
gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity. The water is
clear. You can easily make out the face of the person you're holding under
the water...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com[1]
--- Links ---
1 http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1