Ranma 1/2: Why do I walk through the tunnels at night?
A short story by Scott Baker
About 1 year ago, I released a story to the FFML...it never got finished. The story that I previously released..was deleted and never seen again. So here I am..back..and re-doing the whole thing from scratch. All is done from a one year old memory.
This is actually shorter than the one I released...it works better this way.
This is a sad little story..
C&C is welcome and appreciated.
----------
The rain poured down in Nerima. Alone in the mist of dawn, a young woman laid asleep at a grave. Her hair was battered from the winds and rain. Her face was dirty from the surrounding mud. She awoke slowly, and looked up at the sky. Her eyes focused in the pouring rain. She closed her eyes once more, she could feel a burning in her eye lids. "Fever." she said shaking her head. She sighed, and stood up. She turned and looked at her surroundings. "Peaceful." she said quietly, not seeing anything but rain. Her words betrayed her true feelings. Anger and frustration caused a constant battle with her sadness. She turned and looked at the grave she had been sleeping by for the past few hours. She touched the rough contour of the headstone. She felt the inscribed words, while focusing her eyes on them. She couldn't see them, the rain prevented that..but she knew them by heart. "Our cherished daughter, Akane. We will always love you.". This was the constant reflection in Ranma's mind. These words symbolized all that he and his family had lost. The rain made the perfect camouflage for her flowing tears. Ranma opened her mouth, nothing would come out. She closed her mouth, and let out a sigh. "Akane," she said now looking up at the rain that was pounding her forehead, "what do I do?" she asked, desperately searching for an answer.
A wind blew gently on Ranma's back. It was almost a warm breeze. It gave her the encouragement to speak her feelings. She was in need of a socket to plug her frustration, her sadness. She sunk down on her knees. The hole in her stomach ached for closure. "Why, why did you leave me?" her mouth trembled as she released those words. She placed her right hand on the headstone, and her left on her cheek. This was as close to Akane as she could get. "I don't want to leave you. I'm afraid if I leave all my memories will fade away, and you will leave me forever." She said with tear choked words. "Akane...you were that one spark that kept my life in motion." he took his hand off his cheek, and placed his hand on his forehead. "Akane, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I've always loved you. I will always continue to love you. There is nothing now that will fill this emptiness that you kept filled for these last few years." Ranma put both hands on the headstone, he stood up using it for leverage..his fever was getting to him. He kept both hands on the headstone, and kissed the smooth top of it. "Goodbye Akane. Please don't forget me, because I will never forget you." He said sorrowfully. He slowly turned his body, and began walking out of the cemetery.
Ranma arrived at the Tendo doorstep, his clothes wet and muddy. He had a very pale and grim look. He didn't want to go in. He knew he had too, or his life would be in danger.
He walked in the quiet house. It was weird not hearing anyone. "Everyone's still asleep." he said frowning. He sighed. "I need to get these clothes off." he thought as he headed towards the bathroom. He opened the bathroom door and settled in.
He was in desperate need of a bath.
Nabiki was lying awake on top of her covers. She had heard Ranma's faint entrance. She felt good that he was safe. Many things in her life didn't effect her on the outside, but plenty did on the inside. It had devastated her when her mother died, it still tore at her. After that had happened she developed a system of drowning out her sorrows in money. It kept her expression, as well as her personality, cool and in control. These past few weeks were different. She had lost her little sister. It was something that didn't just effect her family, but another as well. She felt so guilty for being, at times, cruel to her. She never showed much affection towards her sister. She was regretting it, big time. She also was crushed by Ranma. She knew his feelings were unmatched. He kept them as bottled up as her. She knew all his emotions were exploding, the same as hers. Tears of guilt, sorrow, and anger rolled down her cheek. "I need to talk with him...it's the least I can do." she said in a minute voice.
Ranma fever calmed down considerably after his bath. He walked slowly down the hall. He was overwhelmed with emotion as he passed Akane's room. He dreaded to turn and look, but an urge was upon himself. He looked at the small duck on her door. He traced the edges of the letters with his finger. "Akane" it read. He smiled. He opened the door quietly, as if not to disturb her. He took in as much air as he could receive from the room. "Akan-" he said, cutting himself off. He felt tears edging their way back up. He noticed how the room hadn't changed. Some of Nabiki's work-out equipment was laid out on the floor. Homework was laid out of her desk. He walked closer to the desk. "Math," he said pausing. "she was always the best at that." he said smiling.
He noticed a picture of Akane, right next to her desk. He removed the tack that was holding the picture on, and carefully took the picture off. He took a few step back, and laid in her bed, with the picture in his arms.
Nabiki poked her head into Akane's room. She was startled to see Ranma in Akane's bed, cradling a photo of Akane in his arms. She watched as he slowly sobbed. It made her heartbreak. She had a huge lump in her throat. "Ranma?" she asked quietly.
Ranma looked up slowly from his arms. "Nabiki?" he said sniffling. "Yeah, it's me little brother." she said with a warm smile. Nabiki stepped in, she too noticed the smells of Akane's room, it gave her a chill. "Are you alright?" she asked him with genuine concern. "I've been better." he said with a sarcastic smile. "Do you mind?" she asked as she made a motion to sit down. "No. Not at all." he said, while making some room for her.
"You were gone for awhile tonight, Ranma. We were worried sick." she said as she sat down beside him. "I'm sorry." he said, as he rubbed the picture of Akane. Nabiki knew where he had been all this time, it didn't take a fool to figure that out.
"Ranma," she said, looking down at him. "Akane loved you." Ranma looked up from the picture at her. "I know." he said with a small smile. "I know." Nabiki couldn't help herself, she began to cry. Ranma noticed this. He put a hand on her back. "Nabiki, Akane loved you too." He said teary eyed. Nabiki and Ranma embraced each other. "We still have a long road to go." Ranma said, "But we'll pull through." Nabiki looked up at Ranma. "I know Ranma, I know."
- The End.
Couple Answers......
I left most things up to your imaginations. This was a real short story, but for some strange reason it took me a few hours to write. The other characters take part in there own grief... yet these things aren't needed to be explained. As for Akane's death... who knows.... they didn't tell me. Anyway..it's 2:48 AM..and I need sleep!
:)
Bye. Bye.
----
Scott Baker - 17 year-old high school dropout, and told by many
weird...
Did I also mention I'm the co-founder and 3D/2D artist for iNSANiTY
Software?
http://www.insanitysoft.com/
I wouldn't have it any other way.