I'm not sure this will come through formatted right. If it doesn't then I've
already added it to my web page. The address is in my .sig, once there just
click the link at the top to Ranma and Ryouga Stories. Or if you prefer a
direct link to the chapter is...
http://www.geocities.com/malaspinam/LovesSecondSeasonChapter1.txt
Also, one final thing, be warned this part is a little dark, with some mild
(I think it's mild) angst.
Disclaimer - Rumiko Takahashi is the genius behind Ranma 1/2 and all it's
characters and concepts. I make no claim on any of them. I only wish to share
my own stories about them.
*Oh Gods no, not again... PLEASE! STOP THIS! DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS
AGAIN!*
Akane's soft blue dress moved gently around her in the small breeze
as she walked with Ranma through the park.
*STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS ANYMORE! JUST LET ME FORGET!*
A rustle of leaves and a chilling laugh from above was the only
warning before Kodachi descended upon Ranma while Akane got a drink from a
fountain a little further back along the park trail.
*NO! NO! STOP NOW! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!*
An incoherent howl of rage ripped from Akane's lungs. Ranma, lay
there, still as a board, with Kodachi rubbing and grinding herself against
his body as she straddled his hips.
*No... Stooooop! Lemme forget!* the internal voice choked off a sob
as the scene continued to unfold unfettered by it's protests.
Muscles strained to pull the bench from the concrete's grip and were
then used to swing the bench like a bat to send Kodachi off into low earth
orbit.
Sobs and moans of pain flowed out of Ranma, as he sat in a
comfortable chair, watching the worst night of his life over and over in
vivid detail. The lack of straps or chains to hold him in place just made the
torture worse.
Akane dropped the bench on Ranma and ran off crying.
*Oh... no. Oh, please no... MAKE IT STOP!"
The ear piercing mix of the screech of tires and an almost inhuman
scream of primal fear assaulted both Ranmas, and as the one watching it all
again broke down even more, in the vision Ranma seemed to come alive. Somehow
forcing himself up through the paralysis and half walking half limping
towards the noise, face clenched tight in concentration.
*STOP! STOP WALKING! DON'T GO THERE! Don't... Oh...,* Ranma watched
himself suddenly begin running and it was all he could do was go numb again,
as he did every time. He watched as his own hands shook Akane's limp body.
Listened as his own voice screamed and screamed until it gave out. He watched
as he cradled her to him and rocked back and forth, telling her it would be
all right. Watched as he screamed at the paramedics to help her, until
finally after he watched himself punch a hole through the ambulance they
pretended to do everything he asked.
And then it began again, all over from the start.
Love's Second Season: Chapter One
by: Ranma Solo
The golden rays of the new day's sun slowly multiplied; as the fiery
orb peeked it's way over the horizon. As it crept through the windows of the
Tendo family dojo it gently bathed two sleeping young men in its warm glow.
One tossed and turned mumbling in his sleep. Much later they awoke.
--------------------
"Ryouga?" started Ranma as he took a bite of rice.
"Yeah, Ranma?" Ryouga looked at the other boy over the table, empty
except for the two young men who had awoken to find a note that said they
would have to make their own breakfasts.
Kasumi stressed that she ha tried as hard as she could to save them
some of what she had made but Genma had snuck back into the kitchen and eaten
all that she had put aside for them. Then she had to go the library with
Nabiki to pick up some books to start studying for the college entrance
exams.
"I'm thinking of... Of quitting martial arts."
Ryouga sat stunned, then laughed, "Oh, yeah, I get it... That's a
good one."
Ranma smiled and sighed, "Nah, I'm serious."
Ryouga looked at Ranma and blinked, stunned again. He tried to think
of something to say but he continuously came up blank and so he sat, staring
at his food. Finally he looked up at Ranma, "Why?"
"I, basically, killed a God to save Akane in China, right?"
"Y-... yeah...," said Ryouga. *I'm not sure I like where this is
going...*
"And I always overcome the unbeatable odds?"
"You've never beat me," stated Ryouga simply.
Ranma, ignored the words, bringing Ryouga's worry back to the
forefront of his mind.
"And... And I always got through, you know. Ain't nothing can stop
Ranma Saotome. But... What good did I do, Ryouga, when she really needed me?"
"Ranma... Shut up, right now!" Ryouga looked at Ranma through serious
eyes, "Don't you dare blame yourself Ranma. First of all if anyone gets to
blame you it's ME, and second of all if _I_ don't blame you and none of the
Tendos blame you... Did you ever think it's because you're not to blame?
Blame the driver of that car, Ranma, if anyone. Blame fate. Or, better yet,
don't blame anyone. Just work on trying to get over it as much as you can.
Blaming someone won't help you any. And it damn sure won't bring Akane back."
Ranma ground his teeth, "You think I don't know that?"
"I'm not so sure, you dumb ass!"
Ranma slammed his chopsticks down on the table. He stood and glared
at Ryouga through the black bangs that hung down into his face. "You really
want me to kick your ass don't you!"
Ryouga stood up, "No, but maybe YOU want ME to kick YOURS!"
"I'd like to see you try!"
"Fine! Let's go! Right now!"
"Follow me."
Ranma leaped out the back door and then over the Tendo compound's
wall, landing already running towards the next roof.
--------------------
Nabiki recognized the sounds of combat coming from the Furinkan
sports' field immediately. She rushed in that direction to see who it was
this time. She gasped when she saw Ryouga having his way with Ranma, throwing
him around like a limp rag doll. She ran as fast as she could and covered the
ground quickly.
"Come... on... you stupid pig... kill me! Or d-don't you have the
bacon!?" snarled Ranma, pulling himself up to one knee.
Nabiki screamed, "Nooo!" and threw herself in front of Ranma before
Ryouga could continue his assault.
"Stop it you asshole! You'll kill him!" she shouted at Ryouga, who
took a step back. Shocked by the force in her voice.
Nabiki then turned to Ranma and slapped him across the jaw hard, "And
YOU! I thought you said you'd always be there for me! And here I find you
trying to kill yourself?! You know you're still in no mental condition to
fight! And probably not the physical condition either! You've barely eaten
enough to-"
Ranma tried to interrupt her, "I am no-"
He was rewarded with another smack, "No! Don't even try and tell me
you're not trying to die! You promised me you'd stay alive for me, little
brother!"
Ranma looked down in shame and clenched his eyes shut tightly around
the tears that threatened to escape. Ryouga's mouth hung open in shock as he
watched.
"N-nabiki, I'm so sorry," said Ryouga.
Nabiki looked at him, frowning heavily still, "You should be! You had
to have known that he was in no condition to fight."
"He started it," mumbled Ryouga bitterly.
Nabiki's shoulders slumped and she turned to Ranma, kneeling in front
of him and holding out her arms. When Ranma didn't accept her offer she
grabbed him and hugged him roughly.
"You had the dream again, didn't you?" she asked quietly into his
ear.
The nod was barely a movement at all, but it was enough to let Nabiki
know he had.
She whispered into his ear again, "I'm sorry I wasn't home when you
woke up, Ranma. I'm so sorry. I just... Thought they had gone away..."
"They had for a while," he said softly.
Ranma suddenly seemed to realize Ryouga was watching, pulled himself
away and to his feet, stumbling and almost falling to the ground again.
Ryouga caught him though and slung his arm over his shoulder.
*Stupid, macho, ass...,* thought Nabiki, who quickly tried to ignore
the feelings rushing through her.
"I got ya', Ranma."
Nabiki took his other arm and put it over her own shoulder.
"It's okay, Nabiki, I got him," said Ryouga.
"No, I don't mind," she replied shortly.
"Really I-" tried to explain Ryouga.
"REALLY, I don't mind."
Ryouga glanced at Nabiki for a moment and then away once seeing the
cold look she gave him, "O-okay. If you're sure."
"I am," she said not giving him a chance to say anymore, she began
walking.
Ranma tried to protest but was much too weak, in body and conviction,
to make much effort.
--------------------
"Ryouga, if you ever hurt Ranma again... I'll make you pay dearly"
To say Ryouga was shocked was an understatement. His wide eyes took
in the sight of a Nabiki he was sure he didn't like. Instead of the more
aloof nature she usually seemed to have, she was now very serious, cold but
still fiery and emotional at the same time. It was almost disorienting to
see.
"Ex-excuse me?!" he finally sputtered out, incredulously.
Nabiki's eyes narrowed, "You heard me, pig. He and Akane may not have
ever married, or even acknowledged they liked each other while she was alive
but after all he's done for me since then, he's more family to me then he
ever would have been. And if you hurt him I'll make it my personal duty to
make sure you really do know what hell in this life."
Ryouga suppressed a shiver and then tensed his body to stop any
others before they started, "Yeah, well, listen Nabiki, I'll do whatever I
want. But I don't want to hurt Ranma okay? For a while now he's been... A
friend I guess. And I'm worried about him too! I really am sorry about
today... But he really went out of his way to provoke me."
Nabiki let the fire drain out of her system and sighed, "That idiot.
That stupid, stupid idiot."
"You're telling me."
Nabiki smiled weakly at Ryouga, "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure..."
The two wandered into the kitchen, Ryouga stepping very carefully and
focusing his entire mind on the task of keeping Nabiki in sight. Once in the
kitchen he watched her moving gracefully from one small task to another in
the process of the larger job. As she bent over to grab a kettle he looked
away, embarrassed. Nabiki didn't seem to notice, too involved in making the
tea.
"Ranma said he's thinking of giving up the Art."
Nabiki didn't look away from the sink, where the kettle quickly
filled with hot water, but Ryouga could see her brow wrinkling in the
reflection from the window.
"Di-... Did he say why, Ryouga?"
"He's... What I mean is he said that he'll still use it but he's not
going to actively pursue the art anymore. He- He's lost his confidence I
think. Because of, of how... Akane died. You know, not by one of these
monsters or princes but just... like a normal person."
Nabiki frowned, "Normal die of old age, Ryouga."
Ryouga looked away from the girl, now at the stove, "You know what I
mean."
Nabiki said nothing.
--------------------
"Ranma...?" asked Ryouga quietly as he poked his head into the dojo.
"Yeah?" Ranma replied from the opposite side of the dojo.
"Oh, your up already." Ryouga stepped inside, "Nabiki wants to talk
to you but I have some stuff to say first..."
Ranma looked over at Ryouga, "Well, go ahead and say it."
"You know how I said I kinda think of you as a friend? Well, I've
been thinking about it and I was totally wrong."
Ranma sighed and looked down to hide his frown, *Dammit, I can't
believe I was so stupid... Why did I have to go and mess things up.*
"You're... I don't know, a lot closer to me then a friend Ranma. I'm
not sure how to say it."
Ranma looked up, eyes wide. Quickly he let the surprise go and
smiled. He grabbed Ryouga and pulled him into a short hug. As he let go
though he turned around to hide a small blush.
Ryouga didn't notice anything strange and continued to talk, "Also,
um, I wanted to say that I was, you know... Sorry. I knew what you were doing
trying to goading me into that fight and I still let you do it."
Ranma turned defiantly towards him, all embarrassment forgotten,
"What do you mean, 'what I was trying to do'?!"
"You were trying to get yourself killed you jerk! After all this time
fighting you, you think I wouldn't notice how much you were holding back!? If
so you're not only a jerk but stupid too!" yelled Ryouga hotly.
Ranma looked to the side, frowning, "All right... So what though? It
didn't work; it was just a mistake. I-... You would never kill me."
"How do you know? I was pretty mad Ranma."
Ranma paused in thought, suddenly wondering. *He wouldn't, would he?*
Ranma looked into Ryouga's eyes. *He... might have. Man, I really messed
up...*
"You might have done it, huh? No, wait, don't answer. Just... Next
time I'm being a jerk lemme know okay?"
Ryouga smiled and slapped Ranma across the back, "That's a little too
much work for me along you know. But I'll do my best."
Ranma rolled his eyes but couldn't help himself but to laugh,
"Yeah,
yeah. Okay. You said Nabiki wanted to talk to me right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, um, I'm gonna go talk to her, you stay here I guess...," said
Ranma awkwardly. *Why are my hands all sweaty?*
He unconsciously wiped them off on his shirt and left the dojo.
Ryouga sat down and blinked. *What was that all about? He looked like he
was... Nervous?* He scratched the back of his head and sighed. He put his
chin in his right hand and crunched his face up, *Eww, my hands all sweaty.*
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* "We're going Vampire hunting with a .9 *
* millimeter. Our souls are blessed by *
* Mary Magdalene and Saint Peter." *
* - Twiztid "How Does It Feel?" *
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* Come see my webpage at : *
* http://www.geocities.com/malaspinam/RanmaSolo/Main.html *
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* "I ain't a f*ckin' G, I'm a cannibal. I *
* ain't trying to shoot you, I'm trying to *
* chop you into pieces and eat you." *
* - Eminem "Hustlers and Hardcore" *
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* Read Nabiki and Ranma 1/2 at : *
* http://www.geocities.com/malaspinam/RanmaSolo/Main.html *
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