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As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.
Please Enjoy!
Coutuva.
A Wish Made - Part Two
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The large, immaculately landscaped garden echoed with
strident strike cries, as the solitary bronze-skinned figure in
its courtyard worked through a strenuous kata. The morning sun
glistened off the shirtless figure's perspiring chest, drawing a
soft, appreciative sigh from the balcony overlooking the scene.
"Has he decided yet, dear?"
Turning away from the captivating sight below her, Kagome
smiled at her grandmother as the woman walked toward her,
friendly concern on her elegant face.
"No, Grandmother... He has not," she sighed sadly, her
attention quickly returning to the chiseled figure below her.
The older woman sighed as she settled into a chair,
arranging her robes about her. "The ones worth waiting for
always make you wait the longest, child - and even in the short
time I have known him, that young man has shown himself worthy
indeed. And by the way; your own Grandfather waited five years to
ask for my hand -- and he was worth every minute."
Kagome turned back to face her and smiled. "For once,
Grandmother, I know exactly what you mean," she responded with a
wistful sigh, then glanced back toward the garden. After a few
moments, however, she turned back to the elder woman. "But it
has been so long; I worry that I may be presuming more than I
should. He did, after all, only ask to come so that he might be
able to sort out his thoughts," she indicated, lowering her gaze.
"But I still hope."
"Then speak to him, child. You need not ask him directly
to be able to see what is in his heart, and I am certain he would
not mind you showing your concern -- subtly," the elder woman
smiled, raising her eyebrows slightly and nodding. "And there
are other considerations, you know."
Kagome wrung her hands on the table. "I know,
Grandmother; I must assume my post while the conditions are stable.
I have wanted to raise the issue, but I feared I would seem to be
pushing him."
"You need not worry, child. Sometimes, men need a little
'guidance' to figure out what it is they truly desire," she
winked, at which Kagome brightened.
"Thank you, Grandmother. And I only hope you are right,"
she smiled, reaching across the table and taking the elder woman's
hands.
"I know I am, child," she responded firmly, glancing down
at the ring adorning her finger.
As he walked back toward his shirt and towel, Ranma's face
bore a dark frown instead of his usual satisfied smile. His mind
was filled with anguish over the painful dilemma he faced, and
even his kata hadn't helped him relax. He snatched his towel from
the ornate bench before him and landed hard on it, then puffed out
a huge, exasperated sigh.
Since his arrival on Kagome's home planet a month earlier,
he had been treated like visiting royalty. Her family had been
wonderful to him, never once having dropped unwelcome hints or
'polite suggestions', and allowing him his space to think. He
actually felt welcome and appreciated, and perhaps even a little
spoiled, the latter mainly Kagome's doing.
Even his curse had simply gone away, he assumed because he
was no longer on Earth. By the time he and Kagome had arrived, he
was already back to his male form, and without benefit of water.
Even after repeated tests, including some wonderful trips to the
beach, he was still getting used to the idea.
He had to keep pinching himself to make sure he wasn't in
a mallet-induced hallucination -- especially over his relationship
with Kagome. She was all at once everything he wanted in both a
wife and a friend -- which was what was threatening to drive him
crazy.
He had often seen in her beautiful eyes how much she
loved him, and even the thought gave him a warm smile. It also
made him feel incredibly guilty, as, true to her word, she had
never again brought up the subject of marriage, or even how he
felt about her. She had also been every bit the proper lady, who
to this day slept in a separate room, even though they shared the
guest house. At most, they would touch, hold hands on long,
pleasant walks, hug or lay together at the beach, but that was as
far as it went.
Her faith in him was as strong as it was proving painful.
A heavy sigh escaped his chest as his face saddened. He
had not wanted to admit it to himself, but he knew exactly why he
felt as he did.
Akane.
He couldn't put a finger on the precise reason, but every
time he considered making things official between himself and
Kagome, the spectre of Akane would rise and leave him feeling
depressed, angry and even guilty. Even the unbridled savagery of
the woman's last words made no difference.
Every time it happened, he would feel progressively worse,
knowing that Kagome had already given him everything -- and he was
still unable to give her the one thing she most wanted.
His shoulders sank as he realized that he couldn't put off
the inevitable any longer.
He had to speak to Akane -- and end things officially.
There was simply no other way. His heart only had room
for one woman, and he wanted that woman to be Kagome.
"Ranma? Is everything all right?" the sweetest voice in
his world suddenly asked him, followed by Kagome herself settling
to the bench just off to his side. Her soft eyes were filled with
concern as she rested her hand on his arm.
"Iya... I'm afraid they aren't, Kagome-chan."
Kagome gasped quietly, then lowered her head and meshed her
hands in her lap. "May I ask... What troubles you?" As she
spoke, her hands fidgeted.
He huffed a humourless laugh, then reached out and wrapped
his hand around hers. "I get the feeling you already know."
A barely perceptible shudder passed through her, at which
she finally raised her gaze to his. "You... Are not happy with
me," she breathed, her face bearing a look of absolute despair.
"I feared such a thing... Since you had not yet told me... That
you wanted me for your wife," she continued, her voice weak and
wavering.
Ranma erked. "NO! That's not what I meant!"
Kagome reacted as if she'd been slapped.
"Forgive me! I didn't mean to..." she blurted, but Ranma
quickly grabbed her shoulders.
"Iya, iya! I'm the one who should apologize! I didn't
mean to yell at you... It was... Kinda like a reflex," he
confessed, shamefully.
"Reflex?" Kagome blinked back, her pretty face fallen.
"Hai," he responded, puffing a sigh and calming himself.
"Do you remember how I told you about everyone always making up
their minds about things, and never listening to me? Yelling back
like that became a habit -- a habit I thought I'd broken," he
explained sadly, lowering his face. "I'm really sorry. But when
I heard you say that -- I panicked," he added, raising his gaze to
look deep into her eyes.
Kagome looked back for a few long heartbeats, then a smile
softened her uncertain expression. "I should also apologize...
For jumping to the conclusion," she stated, relief evident in her
smile.
"I don't blame you... You've been so wonderful about
everything, and I've been avoiding the issue," he responded,
settling back to a sit. "You had every right to think that," he
added, raising his hand to her cheek and sighing remorsefully.
Kagome reached up and took his hand in hers, lowering it
to her lap and holding it tightly. "Ranma... Now that I am
assured by your eyes that hope still remains, I will wait for you.
For as long as I must," she stated, her eyes shimmering despite her
tender smile. "Just know that I love you, Saotome Ranma."
Ranma's face hardened, mainly to fight back the tears that
his tightened chest sought to wrest from his eyes. Without a word,
he rose to his feet and helped Kagome to hers, pulling her to him
gently. As he felt her soft, sighing form melt into his arms, the
aching desire in his heart told him the time had come.
"Kagome-chan -- we need to go to Earth," he announced
firmly, his eyes flashing.
Ranma looked down at herself in disbelief. "Shimata! I'm
a *girl* again!" she blurted, loosening the top of her garment
slightly.
Kagome had to blink. "I do not understand, Ranma... I had
thought your curse cured," she indicated, raising a hand to her
gaping mouth as she looked the shocked redhead over.
"So did I! It musta come back!" she grumbled, dejectedly.
"Guess I gotta find some hot water."
"If we can find a container, I can heat it for you," Kagome
offered encouragingly, looking around them quickly.
Ranma nodded her acknowledgement, looking up and down the
road near the aqueduct for something she could fill up. "There!
A laundry tub!" she blurted, then dashed off to retrieve it.
"Gomen, but I need this a little more than you do," she
quipped, then lifted the tub from its hook and ran it back to dip
in the river. "I don't need much; even a cupful would be lots."
"It does not matter; I can heat as much as you need,"
Kagome smiled, reaching into the water. "How hot does it have to
be?"
"Not really hot. Just about like a warm bath is fine,"
Ranma responded, smiling back. "Thanks, Kagome-chan. Leave it up
to you to save my butt again," she winked, to which Kagome flushed.
"I think it is ready," she redirected, hiding her face
but not her appreciative smile.
"We'll soon find out," Ranma smirked, shoving her hand
into the water.
Instantly, she knew something was wrong. Pulling her hand
out, she looked down at it numbly. "I... Didn't change..." she
gasped, picking up the tub and dumping it over her head.
Tossing it aside, she instinctively felt her chest.
"Chikusho!" she cursed, her eyes widening as she sank to her knees.
"I'm... Locked!"
"Locked?" Kagome echoed, dropping beside the horrified
redhead.
"Uhm... Yeah. I'm locked in my cursed form," Ranma
confirmed, her voice strained with barely-controlled panic. "It's
happened before... But I was always able to fix it," she added,
her fearful eyes seeking Kagome's. "But this time... I don't
know..."
Kagome bit her lip, then gasped and touched Ranma's
shoulder. "Ranma -- it is possible that when we again leave this
planet, you will return to your male form -- as you did before."
Ranma looked back at her for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Maybe... I hope so," she stated, calming somewhat. "I just wish
I could be sure."
"The transport will be back shortly -- we can find out
then," Kagome smiled, taking the redhead's hands. "You will see."
Ranma finally smiled weakly. "You're probably right," she
conceded, feeling a bit silly. "Gomen, Kagome-chan... It's
just... Me being stuck as a girl now would ruin everything," she
stated, lowering her gaze sadly.
Kagome gasped quietly, a bright smile flashing across her
face before she could wipe it away. Composing herself, she
reached up and affectionately brushed aside Ranma's damp, matted
bangs, allowing her hand to linger on her face.
"It would not matter to me in any case, Ranma... Our forms
are not who we are."
Ranma smiled at the statement and raised her eyes, only to
be taken aback by the discovery that Kagome's were shimmering. It
took her a second to figure it out, but she finally smiled and
placed her hand over Kagome's.
"C'mon, Kagome-chan. We're wasting time," she noted,
shooting the girl a wink.
Akane smiled demurely as she looked up into the young man's
eyes, snickering to herself at the anticipation she could see in
them. For a moment, she debated whether or not he had earned what
he was hoping for, and decided that since he had been a gentleman,
she could grant him his wish.
Closing her eyes slowly, she tipped her chin up and pursed
her lips, needing a great effort of will to keep from laughing at
his delighted gasp. As his lips tentatively met hers, she felt his
arms close around her, but her eyes shot open as she noticed one of
them heading a little further south than she liked.
He apparently noticed the flash in her eyes, as his hand
suddenly settled onto the small of her back.
Akane smirked as he drove off, still impressed by the car
the young man drove. She wasn't sure it was worth putting up with
his childish attempts at 'touchy-feelie', but decided to reserve
judgement until their next date -- if there was one.
As she headed through the gate and toward the house, she
noticed that Kasumi was apparently still up, and likely pretending
to be sewing. She had to shake her head.
It was just as she did that she noticed a bright green
flash from the street side of the garden wall, ominously near the
koi pond.
Upon tossing her purse to the porch, she ran back to the
gate and out onto the street, her eyes darting about for the source
of the flash. She was surprised to find the street empty.
Still certain she'd seen something, she was about to check
again when she felt a presence behind her. A cold chill ran her
spine.
When she slowly turned around, she couldn't help but gasp
at the sight of a certain short, red-headed girl standing a few
feet away, and in a ready stance no less.
Her face went from shock to purpling anger in a heartbeat.
"NO! You're not! You're not coming back to ruin my life again!"
she suddenly shrieked, her fists clenching at her sides as she
glared at the blinking redhead.
Ranma erked. "What the hell are you talking about?" she
blurted, looking stunned.
"I mean you..." she began, only to see a familiar figure
step out of the shadows behind Ranma, and take hold of the
redhead's arm.
Her jaw hit the sidewalk. "N-nanikore?"
Ranma smirked. "I don't know what you're thinking, Akane,
but the only reason I'm here is cause we got some things to
settle."
After a moment, she clamped her jaw shut and then frowned.
"No shit."
Ranma sighed. "Let's go someplace quiet; this ain't
nobody else's business."
Akane yelped as her world suddenly disappeared in a flash
of green.
"All right, Saotome; explain yourself -- starting with why
you're a girl," Akane snapped, as she shot her a cold glare.
"Don't ask. Anyway, I figure you should go first; you're
the one that said I was coming back to ruin your life -- again,"
Ranma returned, her hands on her hips.
Akane stared back at her silently for a long, uncertain
moment, then huffed. "I'm really tired of this damned game," she
groaned exasperatedly, then dropped to a sit on the side of the
aqueduct.
Ranma blinked. "Game? What game?"
"You know exactly what game, Saotome. The one we were
both playing," she responded tiredly, looking up at the
flabbergasted redhead.
"Masaka... You mean..."
She nodded. "Don't look so shocked; you weren't any more
interested in me than I was in you, so why should it come as any
surprise?"
"Kuso; and all this time, I figured you *wanted* it to
happen. I was sure of it," the redhead smirked, shaking her head.
"Right. Spend my life with a jerk like you? No way; just
like you, I'd resigned myself to it. Look at it this way, Ranma.
They didn't listen to you, and you're a guy; what makes you think
anyone would care what I thought?" she frowned, propping her chin
up on her hands.
Ranma looked back at her for a moment, then sighed again.
"Boy, do I know how that feels," she remarked, frowning. "But if
that's true, why did you carry it so damned far? You could have
just..." she began, but Akane silenced her with a look.
"No matter what, I was going to make damned sure you didn't
think you could start treating me like a wife," she stated,
tersely.
Ranma smirked. "Trust me, Akane... No man is going to
make that mistake," she intoned, despite looking like she was
trying not to laugh. "But that still don't explain why you pulled
all that 'jealous girlfriend' crap."
"Get real; it wasn't anything to do with that," she frowned
back, turning her face away as she felt her cheeks burn.
Ranma seemed to notice. "Then what was it?"
She sighed, then slowly turned back.
"When... Word got out about us being engaged, and I found
out that every other girl in the world wanted you -- it made me feel
like I was the star; like I was special for the first time in my
life. I decided then and there that you were *my* fiancee, and
nobody else was going to get anywhere near you," she stated, evenly.
"There was no way I was going to lose face in public, even though
I couldn't stand you."
Ranma's face fell. "You mean... I ended up rearranging
the landscape just because you wanted to save face?" she growled,
her eyes flashing.
"I had to make it convincing. And besides; you deserved
it for being such an arrogant asshole all the time," she deflected,
and fought down a smirk as she saw that she drew blood.
"The only reason I was an 'arrogant asshole' was because
I wanted to sabotage my old man's stupid plan!" Ranma snarled, her
sapphire blues flashing angrily. "I figured whatever sister I
got would finally get sick of it and hate me, and that would be
it," she added, her fists clenching. "But I ended up with you,
and by the end of the first week, I discovered I was going to have
work at it, since you seemed as determined to 'go along' as I was
to get out! And then, with all the other crap that started
happening, I couldn't manage to make it work!"
She had to huff at that. "Oh, yes you did. Why the hell
do you think I hit you so hard?"
The redhead growled. "I thought it was just because you
were a mean-spirited, short-tempered, insensitive bitch, that's
why!"
Akane felt something snap inside her head. "I was! And
I was because of *you*! You ruined all my plans -- you ruined my
whole damned life! Until you showed up, I had no intention of
getting married! I was going to go to university, get my degree
in Physical Education and *teach*! But *NO*! To hell with your
life, Akane; you're going to marry this jerk, be a good little
wife and take over the Dojo!" she suddenly shouted, tears forming
in her eyes. "That was all I heard, morning to night, day in,
day out! Like my dreams didn't mean shit!" she cried, her voice
starting to waver. "But you weren't content with that; you had
to make fun of me! Tease me and taunt me; embarrass me in front
of my friends! You took what little self-esteem I had left and
ground it into the dirt!" she ranted, her voice almost
indistinguishable through her sobs. "So when... When your
'Little Miss Gas Cloud' here took you away, I was actually
*happy*! Nobody knew about her, so it worked -- and for the
first time since we met, I had a chance at a *life* again! I
was *free*!" she forced out, glaring at Ranma through her
reddened, tear-filled eyes. Finally, she buried her face in her
hands and broke down.
Ranma was stunned. For several long, uncomfortable
moments, all she could do was gape back numbly, until her muddled
brain finally managed to put it all together. Suddenly, she knew
the real reason she'd had to come back - and it hit her like the
proverbial bricks.
"You're right," she confessed, lowering her head.
Akane's head snapped up. "Nani?"
"Hai; you're right," she reiterated, shamefully. "I *was*
mean; I *was* ignorant. I did put you down; and I'm sorry," she
began, as she settled to her knees.
Akane wiped her eyes, then shot back a glare. "Bullshit;
you're just trying to make yourself look good," she sniffed
contemptuously, with a glance at the distant Kagome.
She had to roll her eyes. "Dammit, Akane; I came halfway
back across the frigging Galaxy to say this; can't you just this
once believe me? Huh?"
"What?"
"Yeah; why the hell else would I be here? Look; I've
spent the last month trying to figure out where my head's at, and
had no idea why it was so damned hard," she began, then drew a
deep breath. "But after what you just said, I finally figured
it out; I was feeling guilty, but was too damned stubborn to
admit any of it coulda been my fault," she stated, lowering her
head again.
Akane didn't respond, which she took as a sign to continue.
"I... Just want to make sure you know how much I regret
that crap; all of it. And I don't expect any forgiveness; I don't
figure I deserve it. You're... Actually a good person, Akane; I
saw enough proof of that between our fights, but I deliberately
ignored it. What I did to you wasn't fair, or deserved -- truth
is, it was just plain cruel," she continued, shamefully. "Hell,
now that I let myself think about it, I knew all along I was doing
that stuff, but I was feeling too frigging sorry for myself to
care. So you were right; I was an arrogant asshole - and I'm
sorry, even though I know... I know that ain't gonna change
nothing, much as I wish it could."
Akane kept her head down, which didn't surprise Ranma one
bit. With a heavy sigh, she looked over toward Kagome, who still
waited patiently above the aqueduct.
Kagome returned a sad, supportive smile, and meshed her
hands before her legs.
She sighed into a frown, and just as she went to look
back at Akane, she was shocked by an incredibly loud, angry growl.
Her eyes widened in horror as she turned to see the mother of all
mallets headed straight for her head.
A green flash later, Akane was sprawled on the concrete,
and the mallet was gone.
"Ranma! Are you all right?" Kagome cried out, as the still
stunned Ranma felt herself being pulled into a tight hug.
"Uh - Hai. Uhm... Kagome-chan? What happened?" she
babbled, as she reflexively returned the embrace.
"Gomen, Ranma; she is unharmed, but I... I had to stop
her. I was afraid that hammer would kill you."
"Yeah; so was I," she puffed, still reeling at the size
of it. As she looked down at Akane's stilled form a few feet away,
it occurred to her that there was only one reason the weapon had
been that large.
Her heart felt like a lump of lead.
"Shimata; I... I had no idea... That I'd been hurting her
that much," she frowned, her shoulders slumping. "Kuso; you shoulda
just let her hit me; I... Had it coming."
Kagome stepped back and shook her head. "No, Ranma... No
matter what transpired between you, I do not believe that you
could ever deserve such treatment," she smiled, her eyes
shimmering.
She looked back at Kagome for a long moment, then huffed
into a resigned smile and took the girl's hands. "Huh; well, then
I know for sure I don't deserve you."
Kagome flushed, and lowered her eyes. "Ranma..."
"Thanks, Kagome-chan," she smiled, then looked down at
Akane. A sigh escaped her, at which she felt a squeeze on her
hand. When she turned back, she saw Kagome smile -- and nod
approvingly.
She smiled back, then stepped over to Akane's sprawled
form, picked her up, and carried her to the grass above the sill.
After gently laying the girl down, she knelt beside her and
sighed.
"Gomen nasai, Akane-chan; for everything. I'm leaving
now; and I won't be back. Please; enjoy your life now; your
curse... Is gone," she whispered, as she reached down and moved
a few stray hairs away from her eyes. "Sayonara; gambatte ne," she
added softly, then slowly rose and bowed respectfully. As she
rejoined Kagome a moment later, however, she still had to take one
last look back.
Kagome smiled assuringly. "You need not worry. She will
awaken very soon."
"I'm glad. She doesn't need any more pain," she huffed,
then smiled weakly as she met Kagome's hesitantly expectant gaze.
After a dramatic moment, she drew a sigh. "Kagome-chan?"
"H-hai?"
"Let's go home."
Kagome squealed and dove into her arms, and within a
heartbeat, a large green sphere began to envelop them.
Just as the sphere began to close, Akane rolled over and
moved up to a sit, just in time to wink back at Kagome.
"Arigato, Kagome-chan... Take good care of him," she
whispered, as the sphere rose and rapidly angled off into the
cool night air.
==================================================================
END - A Wish Made - Part Two A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva
Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com
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