Akane slumped to the floor on her hands and knees. She felt alone, as though she was the only person in Japan, and without a voice. She shivered, feeling the cold soak into her skin, past her beating heart and into her bones, and walked into the house. She headed for Ranma’s room, in search of an explanation.
Ranma slammed his window in anger, and clenched his fists. He felt the anger burning him, and knew what he wanted to do. Something struck him, and he realized what he had done. “Oh, no...” Ranma thought to himself, and sank to the floor. He let the sweat on his forehead drip onto his futon, and he clenched the covers. He’d just given up Akane. Ranma rolled over onto his back, and propped his head up with his pillow, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. He reached under his matress, and moved his hand around a little, until he felt something scratch his palm.
He grasped it with his fingertips and pulled it out. It was a small picture of Akane, one he’d “borrowed” from the family photo album one night. She smiled so vividly at in the picture. Everytime Ranma looked at it, he smiled back. She was so.. cute when she smiled. “Why!?” he thought to himself, clenching the pillow behind his head, “Why can’t I just tell her that I--”
“R-ranma..” a voice whispered from outside his room. He panicked and shoved the picture under his bed, jumping to his feet as the door opened. Akane before him, soaked, and shivering. “D-did you really mean it?” she asked, hugging herself for body heat. Ranma thought she’d read his mind! His face went crimson, and he turned away.
“Well, I--” He started, scratching the back of his head, and looking out the window.
“Y-y-you’d really give me up that e-easily?” Akane questioned, shivering harder. Ranma turned to her, with a frightened expression on his face, a first for him.
“A-akane,” he started, and looked at the floor. “Do you... you know.. love.. him?” Ranma spoke softly, looking up at her. She stalled, and looked down.
“I’ve known him too long not to...” She trailed off, watching Ranma’s eyes filled with tears. He blinked and turned away, clenching his fist.
“So it’s true what I saw out there today.” Ranma said, lowering his voice, “You love him.”
“It’s NOT LIKE THAT!” Akane cried out, shaking violently from the cold.
“Then there’s only one thing I can do...” Ranma said, looking to her.
“I-I-I t-t-t-told you i-i-i-it’s--” Akane tried to say, but the cold controlled her throat, and her shiver-talk made her words unclear.
“I’ll fight Garet for YOU.” Ranma finished, turning to her.
“Ranma...” Akane said quietly. She’d never had Ranma directly fight for her, there’d always been some excuse, a grudge, or the nannichuan water. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked to him for some catch.
“You’ve gone mad, Ranma.” Garet intruded from the door. He leaned in the doorway, his hair masking his expression. “This has got to be some sort of joke, I bet.” Garet thought to himself, and grinned. “I’ll play along, just for kicks.” He cocked his head, and winked at Akane, then turned to Ranma with a sinister glare. “We shall fight, for the lady’s hand in marriage my boy!” Garet grinned and spoke in a deep English accent. He grinned at Akane.
“Garet NO!” Akane cried, clasping his shoulder. “It’s not a joke, he’s serious!” Garet looked to her, and his face went blank. She wasn’t joking.
“Ranma, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Garet turned to him, speaking softly. Ranma didn’t answer, and charged at him. Garet didn’t even see it coming, the speed of his punches capsized his thoughts.
“Catsu Tenshin amaguriken!” Ranma screamed, throwing hundreds of punches at Garet. He flew threw the air into the wall, and to the floor. Akane cried out in pain for him.
“Garet! NO!!!” She cried, clenching her hands together, and running to Ranma, holding him back. “Ranma please! He thought it was a--”
“NO! Back off Akane, this is a battle between guys, you’ll get hurt!” Ranma told her, not even looking in her direction. He focused on his opponent, on all fours.
“**hack**Ranma, you **cough** bastard!” Garet stammered between coughs. He looked on the floor, a pool of saliva and blood below his knees. He felt his aura rising, and brought himself to his feet, and in a stance. “I’ve had all I can stand from you..jerk...” he growled, charging his aura. Ranma plowed towards him, with the same attack.
“Why you little--” Ranma growled back at him, “Catsu tenshin--” Garet spun out of the way, and back-fisted Ranma hard across the cheek, watching him spin to the floor. Ranma took a hit, and he felt it good. He climbed to his feet, and took stance. “You’ll pay for that!”
“Oh I will?” Garet questioned angrily, and plowed into Ranma. He bear-hugged his stomach, and slammed him into the wall and viciously cracking his knuckles into his ribs twice at the same time, then backed off. Ranma fell again, and this time had trouble standing. Garet relaxed his stance, and turned to Akane. “Akane, I stunned him... I don’t want to fight him, I just ... I’m sorry.” he spoke softly, and turned to leave. Ranma pulled himself up and leaned on the wall for support.
“Y-you YOU jerk!!” Ranma cried as Garet walked to the door, charging his ki. Garet turned unnoticingly as he released the fireball onto him. “Mokou Takabishia!!!” Ranma cried out, and released the ki from his fingers. Garet took the hit straight on, and flew threw the screen door, into the hallway. He cracked the wall and slid down on his back, nearly unconsious. Ranma panted, letting the steam rise from his hands. All Akane could do was stare in shock and disbelief. Garet rose to his feet, blue aura rising from his skin like smoke, and he walked over to Ranma.
“I’ve taken enough from you.” He growled menacingly, and piveted his foot swiftly to Ranma. He directed his ki all to his right foot, and, falling backwards*, slashed up Ranma’s chest, crying out with all his anger, “CHIIIIII -YAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Ranma flew out the window, and landed in the pond, unconscious.
“Oh my god! Ranma!” Akane cried and ran downstairs. She ran out to the pond, and pulled her from the water. Ranma was sizzling from the after shock, although still unconsious. She was still breathing, but hoarsly. Akane cried tears onto his cheek, and dragged her limp body from the water. That was when she noticed the wound on his chest. Her shirt was shredded in front, and a black-red burn was across his stomach. There wasn’t any blood, but Akane knew it would scar him. She layed him out on the porch, and ran to get Kasumi.
“Kasumi! Kasumi!!! Ranma’s hurt!” Kasumi came running with the first aid kit along with Genma and Soun. They crowded around Ranma as Kasumi splashed him with warm water, and held ammonia salts under his nose. Ranma jolted awake, and sat up.
“W-where am I..?” he questioned, then felt his stomach burn with pain. He fell backwards, his head cushioned by something soft. “ugh, huh? Akane?” he questioned in a whisper, feeling her hand on his forehead. Tears fell onto his cheek, and he reached up, wiping them off. “Hey, ... d-don’t cry, I’ll be fine.” he said, smiling. She trembled by his touch, and put her hand onto his.
“I’m sorry Ranma...” She trailed off, looking away.
Garet sat in the same place he fell, panting. He felt all his energy seep out of his body, and his mind crave sleep. He was tired, but aware of his position. Very slowly, he sat up, and blinked, shaking off a slight dizzy spell. He could hear commotion downstairs, and looked out the hole in the wall to investigate. He saw Akane cradling Ranma while Kasumi cleaned the wound. The wound. Garet had burned Ranma. He never felt a worse guilt in the world until that moment. What if he hadn’t held back? What would’ve happened to him?! he questioned himself, shaking the thoughts off, and noticing his own chest was burned, although not as severe. He watched Akane cry. He made her cry. Garets heart turned and pinched. He had made the girl he... well, he’d made her cry... A tear drifted down his own cheek, and he quickly made up his mind on what to do next.
He hobbled to his room, and grabbed a piece of paper off his bed. With a blue ink pen, he scrawled a quick message, and folded it in four squares. He threw his pen down, and ran downstairs to the door. He tried to find a place to put the note, but he didn’t want to be seen. He noticed a thick leather bag sitting by the door... Dropping the note onto Akane’s school bag, he grabbed his shoes and ran out the door, not looking back. Tears streaked his face as he ran down the street. His feet fell one foot after another, at full speed. He didn’t want to stop, because stopping meant he would go back, and he didn’t want to think about going back. He knew he couldn’t go back to the U.S. or his scholarship would be revoked, and god knows he didn’t want his sister...
An answer. The forest would conceal him, at least for now. He knew he couldn’t train with Akane or Ranma, not anymore. He burst into the forest, sweat pouring down his body and burning the soft pink flesh of his wound. He cringed and ran faster, hoping the air would cool him off.
“Damn it all...” he growled, and charged his ki. It circled his body menacingly, and tensing his arms and legs, he released the pool of yellow on his arms. “CHIYAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” A yellow flash demolished the landscape in front of him for about 12 feet, leaving a bare, burnt and lifeless brown dirt floor. He skid to a stop, and stared at his handiwork. He took a few steps, then fell in the middle of the empty patch, weak with guilt, and sorrow. “What have I done....?”