Well, that was quick. My thanks. The extra Jusenkyo element *is* 
an unnecessary distraction from the point and violates the rule 
of least change. This revision eliminates it.


[ranma] [spamfic] [xover] That Nightmare (revised)
 
Disclaimer: All Ranma-1/2 characters and plot elements used
here are in fact the property of Rumiko Takahashi and her
assigns, and are used without their knowledge or permission.
This is fan-fiction: an open fan letter in prose.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------
 
                     That Nightmare
 
                     --siaru 26jun01/a
 
 
She was roused by the soft voice. She opened one eye, turned her
head and looked over at her spouse, scant inches away. The
windowful of moonlight on the form at her side showed a stark
profile, the rise and fall of whose bosom emphasized the harsh
sound of her rapid breathing. It was another nightmare, still
developing. Now, as expected, the soft moans resolved into
speech.
 
"Catssss.... Damn catssss...."
 
It was the nightmare again.
 
"I... I can't..."
 
She winced, remembering her spouse's reminiscences about being
hardened for battle at a young age.
 
"I said I'm not going back in there. You can't make me do it."
 
That line was familiar. It was something not said at the event,
but often enough said in the nightmares about it.
 
"So what if no one inherits it. Do you think I want it with all
that? It's not worth it."
 
Oh, crap, it was THAT old nightmare... The full moon must've
aroused that buried layer of primordial fears.
 
"So what?"
 
Would her spouse work through this nightmare and settle back down
into restful sleep without intervention?
 
"Tired of fighting. I shouldn't HAVE to fight. DO IT YOURSELF!"
 
Enough of the spoken lines had been familiar. Okay, now she knew
for sure what bad memories her spouse was revisiting, what
fateful decisions were being relived. This was not a normal
dream and it could get very bad very fast.
 
"No... You can't..."
                                                                                   
She rose up on one elbow, scrutinizing her spouse's face,
gauging the moment. This was where the nightmare with those cats
usually escalated into stark terrorized screaming. Enough; it
was time to act.
 
She swung one leg over the side of the bed, reached over to the
dresser and, still clumsy with sleepiness, found one of the
teacups from last night. She settled back onto the bed, then
tested the tea with a finger of her free hand. Yes, that
temperature would do.
 
Aiming carefully, she flung the contents of the cup down into
her spouse's face. The blond woman lay there a moment blinking
the liquid out of her eyes, shocked awake by the sensation. She
saw her, sat up and crushed her in her embrace.
 
"Ranma..."
 
She kissed her head. "I know. I heard. Sorry, it's the only way
I could get you out of it in time."
 
"Thank you, love." Her wife's grip on her waist tightened. Even
before she felt the tears on her breast, she knew from her
labored breathing that she was fighting for composure.
 
Hugging her tightly and rocking them both, she looked out over
her head into the moonlit urban rooftop world beyond their
window, a vista of black-and-white, artificially polarized by
the moonlight into opposing forces of brightness and shadow
where no such clean divisions naturally existed.
 
She wearily sighed. "When are they going to leave us in peace,
Usagi?"
 
----------------------------------------------------------------
 
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siaru@stormbringer.org                              


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