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All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.
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Coutuva.
Yue – Part Thirteen
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The search began even before the fresh fall had settled.
Every available body, including some of those caught in the first
collapse, swarmed over the tons of rock and mud. Mousse, having
avoided the fall, was already using his mace to shatter the larger
boulders.
Shampoo and Akane both leapt up near him, each praying as
they combed the unstable, sticky mire.
Inch by grimy inch, they covered the entire slide path,
then, after finding no hint, began to dig out anything suspicious.
Bucket chains soon formed, followed by the appearance of shovels,
scoops, and even large cooking utensils.
The task went on for what seemed forever – until a mass
shriek shattered the anxious atmosphere. Mousse, Shampoo and Akane
alike all slogged toward the group responsible, only to stop dead
in their tracks at what they saw.
Down at the bottom of the hole lay a nude, beslimed
figure -- face up, alive, but unconscious.
The figure of Ranma Saotome.
The ensuing silence was deafening.
Shampoo was the first to break the tension. “Don’t just
stand there – get him out!” A heartbeat later, Akane was in the
hole, along with a half-dozen others.
She was at his shoulder, helping to raise him from the mire,
when she saw something in the muck beneath him.
She yelped in shock and froze, pointing past his head.
At the sound, Shampoo jumped into the hole and looked
over her shoulder.
“Aiyah…”
Cologne frowned. “This is not good,” she grumbled,
hopping closer to the immobile form on the ‘hospital’ bed.
The Matriarch nodded. “Does he live?”
“He does, and he’s in surprising shape given what’s
happened. I’ve ensured he will not awaken, however. I don’t
think we need to deal with that right now,” she stated, her frown
deepening.
“And how fares the Princess?”
“Her condition is the same as his – right down to the
types of wounds. If I am to take that as it seems, then I would
expect them to recover at the same rate.”
“I do not like what that implies – are you certain of
it?”
“There hasn’t been time for me to find out -- the
healers left just before you arrived. I’ll still need a little
time,” the Elder noted, returning her gaze to his form. “In the
mean time, they should not be allowed to meet. In fact, that
would likely not be wise no matter what I find – it could be
disastrous.”
“I agree. We will keep them apart until they recover,
then we will send this ‘Ranma’ home with that outsider girl. He
will be held here until then, and only yourself, Shan Lin, and
that girl will be permitted to see him. I will arrange to have
the Princess moved from here as soon as you are done – perhaps
to your home.”
“A very good idea. I’ll keep him in this state until
he is well enough to leave. I have no wish to be the one who
gets to tell him what happened.”
“I leave it to you, Shan Lon – I will make no formal
announcement regarding the Princess until I hear of your results.
The Gods be with you,” the Matriarch sighed, with a last look at
the body on the bed.
After a sad shake of her head, she turned, opened the
door – and gasped.
Outside the building stood the entire village.
Cologne stood over Ranma’s form, disbelief etched in her
face. With a huff, she hopped closer to his head, and extended
her hand again.
After a few cleansing breaths, she concentrated. She
concentrated harder. Perspiration began to bead on her wrinkled
brow. Her teeth clenched.
She opened her eyes and withdrew her hand. Her brow
furrowed.
After a moment, she hopped away from the bedside, and
into an adjacent room. She continued toward the figure laying on
the bed within, and again extended her hand.
It took only a few seconds for her to confirm the
suspicion she’d formed.
Her brow furrowed more deeply.
She drew back her hand, looked down at it for a moment,
then huffed again. A quick hop later, she rang the small bell to
summon the healer’s apprentice.
“Yes, Elder?”
“You may arrange to move her to my home now. Summon Shan
Lin to prepare it -- I will be with the Matriarch.”
With those terse words, she hopped out of the room, her
face still fixed in the deep frown.
When she delivered her news to the Matriarch and other
members of Council, the reactions were exactly as expected.
“You felt nothing?”
“Not quite nothing. There is Chi present in both of them,
which means they are really alive. But that’s all I can confirm.
I am unable to read their souls, or even the signature of their
respective Chi. It seems almost like all of that is being
blocked – and I am unable to determine why or how.”
“Then what will this mean to them? Will they be… Normal?”
“I can’t even guess. We will simply have to wait and see.”
“I sincerely hope that at least the Princess recovers
fully -- the people are all taken with her, and have already begun
to respect her. And that respect has only grown after her efforts
today."
“I know. I had suspected there was Amazon in her even
before it was confirmed – she was just too perfect, even then.”
The Matriarch nodded, her hand seeking her earlobe. “Yes.
Monitor her closely, Shan Lon – and keep us informed of any change
in her condition. We should have prepared responses, no matter
which way things go.”
“I will, Majesty. She is already at my home, and I am
going there now.”
“Our prayers go with you, Shan Lon.”
Without any further word, Cologne hopped out the door.
Just as she started back toward her home, she saw the breathless
healer’s assistant running toward her -- from the 'hospital'.
“Elder Shan! There is a problem with the Princess!”
Shan Lin knelt at Yue’s bedside, holding tight to the
girl’s clammy, limp hand. Tsu stood immediately behind her, his
face openly displaying his panic.
She’d been relieved to see Yue begin a return to
consciousness, but as she did, the girl had started to moan and
writhe, as if in some great bodily pain.
Her colour was terrible, she seemed weak, and so far, had
not opened her eyes. Any attempts to speak to her seemed to have
gone unnoticed, and she had broken out in a cold sweat.
“Bring me a damp cloth, hurry!” Lin ordered, fighting down
the fear tightening her chest. Her friend’s condition was
reminding her of the fever that had claimed many villager’s lives
when she was young, a comparison she’d rather not think about.
“What happened?” she heard Cologne ask, a moment before the
woman appeared at the bedside.
“I don’t know. She started this when she woke up, but I
don’t think she’s all the way awake yet. She won’t answer me, and
hasn’t opened her eyes.”
Cologne laid a hand on Yue’s twitching leg, then grimaced.
“You’re right. She’s not fully conscious, but she’s in a great
deal of agony. Did the healer miss a wound?”
Lin shook her head. “She swears not. She was just here,
and left to get her bag.”
At that same moment, Yue jumped, then wilted into an
unmoving, sleep-like state. Her breathing became laboured, and
was punctuated by the occasional weak moan.
Lin felt her heart stop. “She’s dying!”
Cologne touched the same leg again, then shook her head.
“No, child – but she is extremely weak. She must have endured a
severe beating in that slide, and it’s taking everything her Chi
can spare to heal her. Stay with her, talk to her, and keep her
warm. And make sure you give her as much water as she will take,”
she instructed, then turned to leave. “There is likely nothing man’s
medicine can do for her now.”
Lin bit her lip, then nodded.
Akane sat in silence beside Ranma’s bed, and as her fingers
grazed the hair about his expressionless face, she still couldn’t
believe her luck. Despite what happened on her arrival, everything
had worked out -- and better than she could ever have expected.
The Amazons, in gratitude for her efforts during the
emergency, were now treating her as an honoured guest. She had
been loaned a house and fresh clothing, given toiletries, food and
total freedom.
She had been personally thanked by the Matriarch, and even
Shampoo was being comparatively civil.
And even though it hadn’t happened as she’d expected, she
had managed to accomplish everything she’d come to China for.
Ranma was alive, he was male for good, and she had him all
to herself. Shampoo hadn’t been around since they’d first pulled him
from the mud, and there were no other fiancees to contend with. In
fact, there were no siblings, meddling parents, mysterious challengers
or perverted old fossils around either. In a nutshell, nothing to
interfere.
It was an absolutely perfect scenario – and she’d never been
more frightened of anything in her life.
As she chewed her lip at the realization, she caught herself
thinking that even though it concerned her, she was glad Ranma was
still unconscious.
With a long sigh, she rose from her chair and dampened a
cloth, intending to wipe down his unsettlingly quiet face. Just as
she bent to start, however, the door opened to admit a grim-faced
Cologne.
“Is there any change?”
She shook her head. “He hasn’t moved – and I figure he
should’ve by now. I’ve seen him take a lot worse than this and get
up fighting.”
“Perhaps, but this isn’t a normal situation.”
As the old woman hopped closer to the bed, Akane found that
she didn’t like the tone of the remark.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Take your pick. The way things have been so far, anything
normal would be an exception,” she responded, as she looked Ranma up
and down, then laid a hand on his shin. “He’s healing well. At
least that hasn’t changed.”
“Then why isn’t he awake? Tell me the truth, Cologne. Is he
in some kind of coma?”
“No. I expect it’s a symptom of the split – his body is
staying shut down to allow his Chi to gain strength. If he continues
to improve physically, I see no reason why he can’t be taken home --
perhaps even tomorrow.”
Akane huffed. “Want to get him out of here before she wakes
up, right?”
Cologne only returned a flat look. “If he is healthy enough
by tomorrow, transport for the two of you direct to Japan is already
arranged. You can leave as soon as you’re ready.”
With that, the old woman turned and hopped out the door.
As the door swung closed, Akane felt a wave of relief wash
over her. Without saying it, Cologne had just told her that Ranma
was going to be fine.
The occasion was unceremonious, to say the least. Shortly
after lunch, everyone who had a say in it pronounced Ranma fit enough
to travel. Within an hour, he was dressed and carried to an old
Toyota station wagon, laid in the back, and secured for the trip to
a private airfield.
Very few words were spoken, other than a few polite
pleasantries after Cologne spoke to the driver. Everyone knew there
really wasn’t anything more to be said. They wanted both herself
and Ranma gone, and she was every bit as anxious to be gone.
As far as she was concerned, this ‘Yue’ had caused enough
trouble, and she was looking forward to leaving it and her far
behind.
After she exchanged a look with Cologne, the only one to
see her off, the vehicle started, and the Amazon village soon faded
into the distance.
Her driver, a leadfooted Amazon only a few years older than
herself, made no attempt to speak, and in fact, seemed barely aware
of her passengers. That suited Akane just fine.
On too many levels, she was glad to be on her way back
home – and to what she hoped would be the normal routine. As she
cast a glance over her shoulder at Ranma’s still silent form,
she breathed a concealed sigh of relief.
She had managed to dodge the bullet – again.
Lin sat quietly at her silent friend’s side, unwilling to
even take her eyes from her washed-out face. She had heard the car
pull away, and was still smiling at what it meant.
That was when she noticed it.
Yue’s breathing had slowed, and become very shallow.
Concerned, she picked up her arm, and felt for a pulse. She
almost gasped when she felt one, but as she continued to monitor it,
she discovered that it was considerably slower than her own – which
was now pounding in her ears.
And as she continued to hold Yue’s hand, she felt it
becoming cool.
Just as her eyes started to widen, Yue expelled a breath,
and her head rolled to the side.
A heartbeat later, Lin was hauling open the room’s main door.
“Get help! Something’s wrong!”
Within seconds, the room exploded with activity, as the
healer, an assistant and Cologne all burst in. The healer’s jaw
dropped as she confirmed how weak Yue’s ‘vitals’ had become – and
how suddenly.
Cologne moved in and touched the Princess’s forehead, then
shook her head.
“Damn -- I was afraid something like this might happen.
There’s nothing new wrong with her, but her Chi is draining away,”
she pronounced, stunning all present.
Lin’s response echoed everyone’s thoughts. “What… Does
that mean?”
Cologne’s face hardened. “It means we have to get Ranma
back. Without him here, she likely won’t live another hour – and
if what I suspect is true, neither will he.”
Lin collapsed to her knees.
The noises coming from Ranma had stopped, and so had
Akane's heart. He looked pale and weak, and his head was flopping
from side to side like a rag-doll's.
Panicked, she turned to the driver to get her to stop,
only to see someone run out of the lone house up ahead of them,
and try to flag them down. The driver also saw it, and without any
change in her expression, pulled over and stopped.
The person from the house ran up to the car, exchanged a
few breathless words with the driver, then ran back into the house.
Just as Akane went to ask what was going on, the driver turned to
her with a worried look, and spoke in Japanese.
“Hang on!”
“I just heard! They caught them, and they’re on their way
back right now,” Lin announced, as she stepped into the kitchen and
paused to catch her breath.
“Very good, child. If I’m right, we should know shortly.”
“So does this mean what I think it does?”
“It seems. They are in fact two halves of a whole, and one
cannot exist without the other nearby. I had suspected it, but
without being able to get a reading on their Chi, I had to try the
separation to be certain,” Cologne sighed, with a shake of her head.
“And I am relatively sure that Ranma will have to be conscious for
the Princess to fully recover.”
“Aiyah…”
“You said it.”
Lin couldn’t stop smiling. Yue’s condition had improved
dramatically in the space of only a few minutes, although she still
lay unconscious and immobile.
She lifted the blanket further up over her chest, and as her
hand touched the girl’s chin, she noticed that she felt warmer.
A moment later, Khu Lon hopped up beside her. “She is doing
much better, I see.”
“Yes -- I keep expecting her to wake up and smile at me.”
“It’s exactly as I thought. As Ranma gets closer to the
village, the bond strengthens, and apparently, so do they.”
“I don’t care about that. I just want her to be better.”
“You may have to care. I still do not know what this will
mean.”
Her face sobered. “I’m not concerned about that. I can’t
be until I know she’s going to be all right.”
“Yeah – we got other stuff to worry about – like Ranma bein’
here. Good chance he’ll screw it all up on us,“ Tsu chimed in
grimly, from just behind them.
Cologne frowned. “More than a chance, fool. It’s
inevitable, which means we have no choice. We have to play our last
card. It’s dangerous, since there’s no way to control it, but it’s
the only thing that has a chance of working.”
“What card is that?”
“The truth.”
“No! We can’t! If she knew…”
Cologne silenced the protest with a look. “Would you rather
her discover it on her own? From Ranma, perhaps? No, we will have
to tell her all, tell her why, and pray that she is willing to
forgive us.”
“If she doesn’t – I will accept the full responsibility,
and you can tell the Council that,” Lin stated, her face grim.
Mousse only blinked in response, while Cologne sighed.
“That won’t be…” she began, but didn’t get to finish.
At the same moment, Yue twitched, then breathed a soft moan.
The trip back to the village was a ride that Akane would
remember for the rest of her life, whether she wanted to or not. The
Amazon drove like a woman possessed, powersliding through corners on
the old dirt road, and hitting small rises so fast that the car got
better hang-time than a gaijin basketball player.
As she clung to the panic handle with white knuckled hands,
she was glad the speedometer was broken.
After what seemed like the longest few minutes of her life,
they slid to a stop in the village square, and the car was
immediately swarmed by more women than Akane could count. Despite
her protests and demands to be told what was happening, they yanked
Ranma from the car and carried him off toward a house.
Akane followed close behind, managing to stay with him as he
was brought into the house. Cologne was there waiting, and as soon
as he was settled onto a futon, she slid down her stick and walked
up to him.
With a resigned sigh, she turned and cast a gaze over the
room.
“Would all of you please excuse us? I must speak to the
Tendou girl,” she announced, her speech slow enough that Akane could
understand her.
When the room emptied a few moments later, the old woman
moved back up her stick and hopped across the room toward her.
She tensed.
“”
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END – Yue – Part Thirteen A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva
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