Kali was unstable and a little light-headed. She knew she shouldn't have jumped in here this quickly, she should have tended to her wound but...what was more important now? Ranma's life or Hers? The question briefly fainted away as she found herself in a crimson Chinese top and baggy black pants. Her mission was to help not hurt. She ripped off a piece of the shirt as she lifted the front up with her other hand. Covering the wound made it feel better but, as soon as both her hands were busy the pain shot all the way to her forehead. The sudden burst made her drop to her knees and cringe but she quickly tied the piece of shirt cloth around the wound. It was somewhat better now...sure she had been penetrated threw, by a bokken but, at least the bleeding would cease for awhile. Trudging along, she found herself in Akane's bedroom, Ranma sitting on the floor while she sat on the bed arms crossed.
" Well, Ranma? Are you going to apologize to P-chan, or not? " Akane huffed bringing out the oinking piglet as it nuzzled her chest.
Kali sweatdropped as she listened from the open door way. * You must be joking...this is what's killing him? *
" I'm not apologizing to Ryoga, " Ranma huffed sticking his nose in the air.
" Where do you see Ryoga?! I can't believe you Ranma! Youre jealous of a pig! " Akane scowled bringing the squealing P-chan closer to her.
* Yes I can't believe you either...I hate to say it but this is pretty lame. * Kali exhaled but, still transfixed on the scene.
" ...Just like you are jealous of other things Ranma... " Akane smiled wickedly with a tint of red in her eyes.
" What...I-I-I'm not jealous of anything! " Ranma stammered voice quivering.
Akane let out a quiet but, shrill laugh. " Oh...PLEASE Ranma! Don't tell me you aren't jealous of the way Kuno and Ryoga act around me! "
Ranma blinked and listened closely for once.
" You wish you could hold me the way Kuno does...You would crave, and possibly sell your very soul, to be such a gentleman like Ryoga is...Admit it Ranma...you want something you can't have, " Akane smiled pointing to herself.
Ranma growled slightly and pointed a finger out to Akane. " That's not true you stupid, uncute, sexless tomboy! "
" Nothing you can say will change the fact that you can't be true to yourself and your inner feelings, " Akane hissed making Ranma back up a little in fear.
* Bingo...he has to admit his feelings to get out of here. * Kali thought still watching.
" Akane, I don't care anymore! Do whatever you want! " Ranma replied waving his hand out in a dismissal type of way.
" ...Do whatever I want huh? So does that mean I can date who I please? "
" Y-Yea...it's not skin off my nose, " Ranma babbled feeling pain stab at his chest.
" Oh, so you won't mind if I call the engagement off then? " Akane smiled revealing fangs, which really shouldn't have been there.
Ranma gasped. " No!...I mean, our Dads will kill us! "
" So? What about my feelings? What if I never really meant all those things I said to you? I think I regret them all now...forgiving you for things that were your fault to begin with...admitting I was wrong when I knew who was really to blame... "
Ranma closed his eyes and began to make his eyebrows squish together. Inside, he felt as if something had slammed into his heart over and over making the pieces and shards rip out of his body.
" If you really don't care...then I'll be on my way... " Akane stated blandly, but, before she left she brought her face closer to Ranma's and licked away the single tear that fell from his eye. " So...how does it feel to be heartbroken Ranma? Now you know how I've always felt around you... "
The door shut and Ranma put his hands forward on the floor digging his fingers into the carpet. The room began to vanish and thorns began to creep alongside the pitch-black emptiness.
* No No...not good...really not good... * Kali shook her head side to side watching the thorns and now, vines wrap together to form a floor.
Ranma sighed and exhaled some more. His auras and ki were unbalanced as he stood up...hot and cold auras were mixing into his system he looked at his hand and was prepared to raise it up.
" Ranma! RANMA, NO! " Kali gasped and was flung into the twirling Hyru Shoten Ha.
Ranma didn't even need someone else to mix the auras with, he did it all by himself, thus, perfecting the technique to its full power. Without even thinking he let himself be carried into the swirling mass of battle energy.
Kali watched as some thorns were picked up in the tornado and slashed away at her clothes and skin. Shortly, a black form was rising from the base of the auras, becoming more visible. She swirled around in a counter clockwise motion letting some thorns settle in and others keep ripping away at her. Ranma came into view and grabbed Kali by the arm.
" ...How long am I going to have to suffer because of you? "
" It's not my fault you couldn't deal with your problems yourself! "
" What the hell are you talking about?! " Ranma growled latching on tighter, pretty soon, Kali's hand was turning different shades of dark blue.
" What are you trying to do? Cut off my circulation?! " Kali ranted trying to wiggle free and dodge incoming thorns.
" Why are you avoiding my questions?! " Ranma shouted in her face.
" ..... I've come to help you but, if you don't deal with your problems you will continue to suffer... "
" So is this some kind of death trap you set up or something?! " Ranma scowled.
" NO! I try to help not HURT, but only you can decide your own fate! " Kali snapped and ripped her wrist away from his grasp.
Ranma still looked angry but, nodded his head in understanding. " So what do I do? "
" Admit some things to yourself... " Kali trailed off.
" Like...? "
" I DON'T KNOW! I'm not you! I can only show you how to start not how to end! " Kali exclaimed sighing. " Look, let's put it this way...if you don't come up with something...you're going to die...and possibly I will too... "
" Why should I care if you die? " Ranma growled. " You started this whole mess! Where are Ryoga and Kuno, anyway?! "
" They are fine...perhaps a little shocked but, FINE... " Kali sneered. Ranma was so stubborn! Why couldn't he just admit some things and get out of here?!
Kali sighed and clapped her hands together. A screen popped up inside the tornado and Akane, Ryoga, and Kuno were seated on the floor as Akane cried, covering her hands with her face.
Ranma gasped. " Akane! Why is she crying?! What did you do to her?! "
Kali was getting that light-headed feeling again. She could feel the cloth unraveling itself from her wound. Either way...if the wound killed her...or the rough landing across a bed of thorns...She had to get Ranma's safety first. " She's crying because of you...as we speak now...you are dying...all these thorns have penetrated deep into your soul. "
Ranma blinked several times. " I'm dying...? "
Kali gave a slight smile. " Kind of unique from the other ways, huh? You probably don't feel a thing. "
Ranma gulped. " What about you? Do you feel anything? "
Kali laughed. " I thought you didn't CARE whether I died or not! "
" Well...that's because before I wasn't thinking...I didn't understand how serious this is... " Ranma sighed as he watched the tornado sweep slower and slower.
" Ah...well, if you want the truth. The thorns that came up in here have been ripping away at me and just a few hours previous... " Kali lifted up her shirt so Ranma could she the covered penetration. " Kuno did this with a bokken...my chances of survival are very slim... "
" There's still a chance though...right? I mean...you are too young to die... " Ranma exhaled keeping track of the Heaven blast.
" I'm not as young as I appear to be that's for sure...plus I really think that death is just the last step to completion...and nothing more... "
Ranma cringed. " If I die today...and you survive... "
Kali perked her interest. " Yes...? "
" Just tell Akane that...that... " Ranma stuttered as the tornado diminished causing both of them to fall rapidly to the ground.
" Tell her that...I...I... " Ranma stammered as he tried to reach out for Kali. " L-L-L-Lov... " Ranma let out a gasp as a single golden thorn impaled Kali from the back. Ranma clung onto the thorn and began to crawl up.
Kali let out a small cry as the torn ripped threw her and the cloth that held her previous wound unfolded and untied, falling to the ground below. Her face was expressionless and pale, as Ranma watched the last remaining color fade away.
" No... " Ranma called out softly gripping onto Kali's hand.
Her eyes began to fill with tears as her face stayed the same. The water raised in half of her eyes and with out blinking she let it pour down the sides of her face. She closed her eyes letting the last tear trickle down before opening them again. " ...The soul will always live on Ranma...I'll be reborn again... " She tried to smile but her nerves were already starting to shut down. With her last ounce of strength she moved her hands in a slow spiral motion and let the red roses carry Ranma away as she placed her hands back down and let out a final and last breath...
Ranma opened his eyes and the others watched as the thorns untangled themselves from his chest.
" Ranma! " Akane cried out hugging him tightly and crying into his chest.
For the first time ever...Ranma didn't back away...or yell...or even blush. He simply just hugged Akane back, which startled even her.
She finally removed herself and looked up at him. " Ranma...we were all so worried! What happened in there? We couldn't see a screen or... "
Kuno looked around a little confused. " Where doth Kali be? "
Ranma sighed and brought his head down lower, in shame.
Ryoga and Kuno both let out a sudden gasp and looked at each other a little afraid.
Akane started to cry all over again. " Oh no...NO! "
Ranma brought his head up solemnly and gestured for everyone to leave. " Nightmares are real... " he sighed looking back as the last red light clicked off and everyone left, letting the darkness and silence be their guides.

-~ End ~-

Author's Final Note: So...how was that? Pretty sad huh? I guess no sex was involved in this one, unless you count the " rounding second base " part. I don't know, this is one of my first sad/depressing endings so I think it came out fairly ok. I don't think there will be any surprise sequels or anything of that nature, but, I guess look for my other Fanfics as soon as I get my lazy butt to put them up somewhere. Plus, I thank Akari ( Ebony: Thaaaaaaaaaat's me! ^_^ ) for putting this entire story up; it must have also been a pain in the you know where. E-mail me if you feel the need to, any comments are welcome, just no Spam mail please.
Ebony: Awww......isn't she the sweetest? And such a lovely-ful writer! * glomps Alex * I love yoooou!
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