This story is based heavily on events and situations
from the preceeding ones, which are available on my
Web Site:

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Bay/9295

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.


Destiny, Truth and Fate - Part 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------


	With a painful moan, the young man finally awoke from his
drug-induced sleep.  He felt his head where the pain was, and
discovered a large dressing.  Attached to his arm was an I.V. line,
and an oxygen line ran to his nose.   Cursing, he tore off the
oxygen, and considered pulling out the I.V.  Looking around, he
quickly confirmed he was in a real hospital, and was in a room by
himself.  Carefully, he plotted the room in his mind, making precise
note of the locations of the furniture, windows, door, etc.
	It was when he tried to remember how he got there that he
discovered something else was wrong; He had lost his memory, and
with it, any clue about who he was, what had happened to him, or why
this hospital looked so strange.   Dragging himself into a sitting
position, he took quick inventory to see if anything else was hurt,
damaged or missing.  Spotting a mirror on the bedside tray, he
snatched it, and held it up before his face.
	A black-haired oriental guy looked back at him strangely,
as if trying to figure out who was looking at him.  He reached up
and touched his face, feeling the growth of beard that covered it.
He ran his hand back over his neck, and was surprised to discover a
pigtail, about a foot long, hanging down his back.
	He thought to himself that whoever he was, he must be a
real charmer, especially with a hairdo like this.
	As he looked himself over, he heard footsteps coming down
the hall, getting steadily closer.  Instinctively, he felt his
muscles tense, and his senses sharpen.  Turning to face the door,
he never took his eyes off it.
	A moment later, a western-looking nurse barged through the
door, carrying on the last of a conversation with someone outside
the room.  When she turned toward him, she jumped, clearly not
expecting him to be awake, much less sitting up and staring at
her.
	Unconsciously, he ran a quick mental checklist of the
nurse, and felt himself relax a bit, something telling him that she
was no threat.  Still, he kept an eye on her.
	The nurse, meanwhile, chattering away in what sounded like
pleasant conversation, walked to the foot of his bed and picked up
a clipboard hanging there.  Try as he might, he could not
understand a word she said, and before he realized it, he responded
in his language.
	"Nani?" he said, looking at the nurse curiously.
	The nurse looked at him like he was from another planet.
Glancing back at the chart, she pointed to her head at about the
spot where his injury was.  Catching her drift, he nodded.
	Satisfied, the nurse moved in to take a closer look.  She
took his head in her hands, and moved it from side to side, looking
over his dressing.  She peeled back the tape slowly, bringing a
grimace to his face, then he heard her make that "tsk-tsk" sound
that women make when they figure a man has done something dumb.
As she changed the dressing, he wondered what her problem was.
	When she finished, she turned wordlessly from him, picked
up the phone beside the bed, and eventually said a few quick
sentences into it.  As she hung it up, she turned back to him,
smiled, and stood waiting for something.
	Again, he heard the footsteps, two people this time, one
much heavier than the other, probably male, and possibly one
female.  As before, he felt himself tense, and turned to stare
at the door.
	Within a few seconds, an old doctor and another nurse
burst in, again talking actively.  It looked like they were
greeting him, but he still ran the checklist on them both.  This
time, he stayed tense.
	The old doctor walked right up to him, and without
warning, grabbed at his arm to take his pulse.  He reacted with
blinding speed, catching the doctor's arm and holding it fast.
The doctor, stunned by the quick move, froze in his tracks, his
breath caught in his throat.
	The first nurse moved quickly into his line of sight,
and waved frantically to get him to release the doctor from his
vise-like grip.
        He looked back at her, shot a warning look at the doctor, and
released his hold.
	The doctor immediately stepped back, grimacing and holding
his arm.  The second nurse moved to aid the Doc, and the first one
carefully approached him, arms spread and palms up and open.  His
eyes narrowed as he noted that the nurse knew the code, and would
bear watching.
	As the nurse drew closer, she pointed to her arm, and then
to his, and carefully reached for it again.  This time, he offered
it to her, nodding.  He took hold of the I.V. and pulled at it,
looking back at her.  She nodded and stepped closer.
	Gently, she took his arm, quickly removed the I.V., and
read his pulse.  When she finished, she stepped back and reached
into her pocket.  His eyes followed her every move.  When she
withdrew her hand from the pocket, producing one of the devices
used to check eyes and ears, he reached up and pointed to his ear,
again nodding.
	This process was repeated for each stage of the
examination, and finally, when the nurse closed the chart, she
looked him right in the eyes.  Slowly, and with greatly
exaggerated movements, she said "O-kay!"
	That, he understood.  "Okay!" he repeated, relieved.
"Arigato!" he continued, bowing his head.


	After that initial session, the staff of the hospital
stayed clear of his room, except for the one nurse that he had
talked to.  Other than that, he was left alone with his thoughts.
He often sat at the edge of his bed, letting his mind wander to
try to find out who he was.  It was a frustrating process.  He
noticed some things that gave him hints, like the language
barrier, for one.  Also, he noticed that his memory loss seemed
to be confined to details about himself and his immediate past.
He knew he was in a hospital, he remembered the instruments used
on him, he remembered what nurses and doctors were... but he had
no clue who he was, or why he was here.  Another thing that he
knew, beyond a doubt, was that he was very far from his native
Japan.  Everything here seemed either wrong or backwards...
telling him that he was really out of his element.
	By his third day, he felt well enough to move around his
room, and he explored every inch of it.  In a closet against the
doorway, he found a pair of black pants with a drawstring waist,
a red silk shirt, two black forearm bands, two soft black shoes
and a gold ring.  He assumed they were his, and slid into them.
They fit perfectly, as somehow he knew they would.
	Looking himself over in the mirror on the back of the
closet door, he seemed to remember the person he saw there...
but, try as he might, he was unable to put a name to the face.
Skritching his head and sighing heavily, he wandered back to his
bed and sat down, resting his face in his hands.
	
        By the fifth day, he began to feel very anxious, akin to
a caged animal.  He felt good, his wound well healed, but he was
still not allowed to leave.  Awkwardly, his nurse had told him
that he had to stay, but was unable to explain why.  He got angry,
and dismissed her with the toss of a pillow.  Now, he lay on his
back in the bed, staring at the ceiling.  He still had not been
able to put any of the pieces together about himself, and he
began to wonder if he ever would.
	Eventually, he fell asleep, still flat on his back.  As
he slumbered, a young blonde-haired Health-Care Volunteer
cautiously entered his room.  She took a few quiet steps toward
his bed, and watched him carefully for any signs of movement.
She stood there for several minutes, looking him over intently.
She then started to back away, still watching him carefully.
	Abruptly, he spoke, startling his guest.  "Mattei... "
he stated, rising to a sitting position and crossing his legs.  He
was pleased to note that not only had his visitor sounded Japanese,
but she looked it as well.
	"Konnichiwa."  the girl replied, bowing.  "My name is
Tsubara Akiko.  I came to talk, and perhaps, help you."  she
continued, in perfect Japanese.
	When he recovered from his shock, he smiled happily for the
first time since his mysterious arrival.  "Finally, someone who can
speak my language!  I can't tell you how great this is!  I would
introduce myself, but I'm afraid... I... don't know who I am."  he
replied, bowing slightly.
        "So that's it... now I see why you've been giving the
nurses such a hard time.  Amnesia... it must be awful for you."
        "Sorta... I remember all kinds of stuff, but not who I am,
or anything about my past... and I have no idea where I am, or
even how I got here.  I can't even remember how to get rid of
this."  he responded, his voice showing his frustration as he
rubbed his stubbly face.
	"I can help a bit there... You're in St. Mary's Hospital,
located in Ferndale, Ontario... Canada.  You were found about 10
miles out of town at a nasty car crash.  You had been thrown from
the car, and were sitting in a field, confused and injured.  The
Police said you were muttering something they couldn't understand,
and then you collapsed.  They brought you here for treatment.
Unfortunately, the woman in the car with you... died at the scene."
	"C... Canada?  How did I get to Canada??  I'm from Japan!"
he sputtered, the girl's words stunning him.  "And... you said
there was another person...?  Who was it?"
	"Well, that's what the Police would like to know, too.
All of your personal effects were burned in the wreck, and since
they knew you were not from here, they had to wait until you
recovered to ask you any questions.  You can speak to them through
me... if you're up to it."
	"Sure... why not?  I don't think I'll be much help,
though."  he replied, sadly.  "I can't remember anything about a
crash, a woman, or even how I ended up in Canada...  It's all...
gone."  he continued, resting his head in his hands.  He sat
silently for a few minutes, trying vainly to gather his thoughts.
It was a futile effort.  No matter how hard he tried, none of
what this Akiko was saying made sense.  Shaking his head, he
looked over at the girl again, and shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm sorry... I can't remember anything.  There's just a big...
blank."  he stated, quietly.
	"You're going to have some tests after I tell them about
all this, so please let them.  They might be able to help you
remember, and then we can speak to the Police."
	"Hai. I will."  he nodded, absently.  Turning, he regarded
the girl intently for a moment, then his eyebrow raised.
        "Akiko?  Can I ask you something?"  he said, now
regarding her questioningly.
	"What ever you wish."
        "Please forgive my curiosity, but... you're a Westerner,
even though you look a little Japanese... We're in the west... How
are you able to speak Japanese so well?"
	"I was born in Tokyo.  My father, who is Japanese, married
a Canadian woman he met here during one of his many transfers.  I
was born in Japan, and lived there till I was 17.  I've only been
in Canada for a year, myself."  she replied, smiling.
	"Thank your father for me, will you?  You're the best thing
that's happened to me since I woke up here."  he stated, smiling
back at her.
        "Thank you... for the kind words." she stammered, her face
flushing.  She had not expected that to happen,  and quickly
changed the subject.
	"Oh, please forgive me for entering while you slept.  This
is my first day working here, and when they found out I could
speak Japanese, they sent me in here to see if I could talk to you.
I was told you were very mean and angry, so I tried to be very
quiet.  I did not mean to disturb you."  she abruptly implored,
lowering her head and clapping her palms together in the air.
	"No need for that... I *was* mean and angry.  It's no
picnic being locked up like a dog in a place where nobody can talk
to you, and being left alone for days on end.  Especially when you
have no clue who you are.  I guess... it got to me."  he replied,
lowering his gaze. "Could you express my sincerest regrets and
apologies for me?  I... seem to have a little trouble
communicating."  he asked, sheepishly.
	"I will.  I must go now, my shift starts in a few minutes.
I am really glad we talked, and I'll try to visit you again later.
Ja!"  she assured, bowing deeply then walking back into the hall.
	"Ja Ne, Akiko-chan!"  he called after her.
	Once behind the closed door, Akiko had to stop and catch
her breath.  Not only was he genuinely nice and heart-stoppingly
handsome, but she could sense his powerful aura from across the
room.  It had washed over her like a wave, leaving her awed with
it's strength.
	And, on top of all that, he had called her 'Akiko-chan'...
She had always gotten upset in the past when pushy suitors called
her that, but this time she felt a little thrill run up her spine
as she thought about it.  This surprised her, and even scared her
a little, since she was not in the habit of getting excited about
men... in fact, she never ever had.
	
	As he watched Akiko leave his room, he sat back and counted
his lucky stars.  She was... really *cute*.  And best of all, she
was actually from Japan.  He found himself looking forward to her
next visit already, even though she was just gone.  The only thing
that he found he would have to get used to was the blonde hair on
a Japanese-looking girl.  But, he figured he could live with it.
	Now, at least, he felt could deal with this new world around
him, no matter how odd it seemed.  Suddenly, his situation didn't
look so bad.

	Akiko lived up to her word, visiting him every chance she
could.  The two became fast friends, and spent every spare moment
together.  She translated for him during the myriad of tests and
intense physiotherapy that he had to undergo, when he finally
talked to the Police, and when he apologized to the Doctor he had
grabbed.  He, meantime, was becoming more relaxed and comfortable
in his new setting, and was starting to look forward to being
released from the hospital.

	One particularly rough moment came when he was asked to try
to identify the body of the woman that was in the car with him.
In the cold, stainless steel starkness of the morgue, he was
escorted to a small door, behind which was a drawer with a plastic
bag on it.  When the bag was opened,  he looked fearfully at the
black-haired Japanese woman inside it.   Her face was unmarred,
as was her left hand which lay across her chest, plainly displaying
a wedding ring.  A long pony-tail lay over her shoulder, a few
streaks of gray showing in the fluorescent lighting.  He gasped
as he felt a strong pang of familiarity, but he sadly was unable to
identify her.  He had absolutely no memory of the woman, but he
still felt an overwhelming sadness and sense of loss.  He spent
the rest of that day alone in his room, often crying inexplicably.

	Finally, after more tests and therapy, the doctors at the
hospital all met with their mystery patient, and conveyed their
findings.  Physically, he was back in shape, and he had re-learned
all the necessary skills to become independent,  but as to his
memory... the news was not so promising.  They described the
condition as a combination of the damage to his brain from the
head injury, and an occurrence similar to post-traumatic stress
syndrome.  His brain literally wanted to forget anything related
to the accident, and unfortunately, that seemed to include his
identity, that of his passenger, and anything even remotely
related to the entire incident.   The news stunned him,  but it
wasn't over yet.  The long-range prognosis was not encouraging
either, as none of the doctors felt that he would ever recover
his memory or identity.   Adding to that was the fact  that the
Police had so far had no luck in their attempts to identify either
himself or his passenger.  At that point, he found himself in adifficult position.  All they could offer him was to be released
and try to start a new life, or stay on and work with them to try
to recover some of his past life.  However, when they told him that
there were no guarantees that he would remember even with the
therapy, he decided that he wanted out of the hospital to try it
on his own.  Akiko offered to assist in any way possible, which
only served to entrench his decision.
	When the day finally came, Akiko arrived in his room
dressed in a frilly sundress and sandals, complete with a jaunty
beach hat.  He had to comment that she looked like a gift from
the gods, since he had only ever seen her in uniform or in jeans
and a sweatshirt.
	Embarrassed by the comment, Akiko said that she thought
his release from the hospital was an important event, and wanted
to dress for the occasion.  He smiled warmly at that, looking
forward to it.
	Finally, she escorted him out of the building, and he had
to squint when the sunlight hit his eyes.  It was a perfect
Saturday, and he breathed in deeply, enjoying every last molecule
of the fresh, clean air.
	Akiko motioned down the street, and the two of them started
walking, even though he had no idea where they were headed.
	"It's a beautiful day, ne Akiko-chan?"  he commented,
regarding her expectantly.
	"Hai... it is.  Ano, I hope you don't find this too
forward..."  she began, nervously.  "But I would like to take you
for a coffee or tea at my favorite cafe... it's not too far from
here, and they make great teas."
	"Domo.  I would be honored."  he replied happily, quite
flattered that she asked.
	Akiko smiled at his response, and quickly turned to hide her
flushed cheeks.
	As they rounded a corner and began to walk alongside a park,
he noticed a chain-link fence that started a few feet further ahead.
When they approached it, he immediately jumped up the eight feet
onto it, and continued walking as if he was on the sidewalk.  Akiko
stared wide-eyed at him, wondering what he was up to.
	"What's that all about?"  she finally asked, as he
nonchalantly sauntered along, hands clasped behind his head.
	"Hm?  Oh, you mean this... I dunno, really.  I think it
might be an old habit.  I just saw the fence, and had to do it."
	"That's good... things like that are indications that your
memory could come back."
	"I hope so..." he replied, looking skyward.  "This is so
damned frustrating... not knowing exactly who I am.  It's almost
like only parts of my memory are missing... and that makes me mad."
	"Yeah... must be hard on you.  I know how it felt when we
got transferred here... I didn't know anyone, knew nothing about
this country's customs... it took me a while to get used to it."
Akiko sighed, remembering her difficulties and frustrations.
	"At least you had all your marbles... I feel like someone
stole a bunch of mine."
	"Hm...Interesting description… Well, there's a possibility
you'll get them back."
	"Hrmph.. According to those Doctors, there ain't a big
chance of that."  he stated, frowning.
	"There's our destination."  Akiko broke in, pointing to
a small shop about a block and a half away.
	He jumped down off of the fence, landing so lightly beside
Akiko that one would never guess he had jumped from such a height.
Akiko noted that fact, but didn't comment.  As they approached the
shop, a merchant from one of the stores nearby stepped out into the
street with a garden hose, and began to water down the sidewalk a
few feet in front of them.  Instantly, his eyes went wide, and he
grabbed Akiko by the waist and sprang into the air, carrying her
with him.  They landed almost on the opposite side of the street,
where he set her down gently beside him.
	"Whew... that was too close!"  he gasped, breathing heavily.
	"What.. Why did you do that?"  Akiko blurted, still shaken.
	"Oh.. sorry, Akiko-chan."  he replied, bowing to her.  "I
just had to get away from that cold water... for some reason,  my
whole body freaked out when I saw it."
	Akiko, despite recovering from the shock, could see in his
eyes that he wasn't kidding.  He seemed to be terrified of cold
water... almost to the point of being phobic about it.  She also
couldn't help but notice that he had picked up her 125 lb body and
jumped through the air with it like it was nothing.  She was
impressed.
	After he had made several more sheepish apologies, the two
of them continued to the coffee shop, and finally sat together at
one of the small tables.  They had a thoroughly enjoyable chat,
discussing the little town, it's people, the country and a little
bit of everything else.
	"You're a nice guy..." Akiko stated, smiling contentedly.
	"And you are the best thing that could have happened to me,
Akiko-chan.  I don't know where I would be right now if you hadn't
come along.  I owe you more than I could ever repay."
	Akiko flushed again, flattered by his comment.  "You owe me
nothing.  I enjoy having someone around who's Japanese... I miss my
old home sometimes, and you remind me of it."  she admitted, quietly.
	"Well, I'll promise you this.  If I can ever make it
possible, I'll take you back there someday.  You can bet on it." he
stated, looking her straight in the eye.
	Akiko sighed, momentarily fantasizing about being back in
her native country, with him at her side.  Her face softened with a
wistful smile, and he could tell that she was suddenly a million
miles away.
	After a second, she came back to earth and looked back at
her companion.  "I wish I knew what your name was... this is so
awkward."  she observed, quietly.
	"You and me both.  All I found in my room was this ring.
I must travel light."  he remarked, grinning.
        As they continud to make small talk, a loud gang of teens
abruptly burst through the shop's doors, disrupting everyone in it.
Instantly, his eyes were on them, assessing each in turn for threat
potential.  His face darkened, and he could feel himself tensing
up from head to toe.  Akiko saw them as well, and bit her lip with
concern.
	The gang spilled down the main section of the shop,
laughing and yelling and bumping into people and tables along the
way.  There were five of them, four males and one rough-looking
female.  When the female spotted Akiko sitting in the back corner,
she pointed her out to the rest of the gang.
	"Look, guys... little miss china has a boyfriend."  she
remarked, tauntingly.  The gang 'ooohhh-ed' in chorus, and began to
laugh obnoxiously.
	"We should go..."  Akiko whispered, and moved to rise.
He reached out and caught her hand, shaking his head.  Akiko opened
her mouth to respond, but when she saw his face, she changed her
mind.
	The gang had now moved around the table where he and Akiko
sat, and were making a great production out of looking him over.
	"Figures, eh?  She found herself a chink boy-toy.  Bet he
can't even talk English."  The tallest gang member remarked.
	He didn't understand the words, but their tone of voice told
him everything he needed to know.
	"And look at this... a pony-tail... must be a fairy nice
fellow."  Another teased, reaching for his pigtail.  That was all
it took.  In a flash, he was in the air and over their heads,
somersaulting out of the encirclement.  As he began to descend, he
landed a spinning kick to the head of the tallest one.  In the
follow-through, he drove an open hand into the chest of the next
biggest, sprawling him out on the floor.  Touching down in front
of the third, he shot his elbow back into the guy's ribs, and
brought his fist up, catching him square in the face.  A quick
half-spin followed, and he took out the last with a roundhouse
kick to the face.  He then landed in front of the now horrified
girl, and with his finger, jabbed her sternum.  She collapsed,
gasping for air.
	Satisfied, he turned to Akiko, who still sat in her chair,
mouth dropped.
	"Gomen... did I scare you?"  he asked tenderly, darting to
her and taking her hand.
	"No... I'm just a bit... surprised is all."  she whispered,
looking over the carnage.  "You *are* a Martial Artist, aren't
you?"  she finally asked, looking up at him questioningly.
	"Honestly, I don't know... but now that you mention it, it
does make sense, ne?"  he said, looking skyward and skritching his
head.  "Well, let's get out of here... it's a little too messy for
me."  he advised, offering Akiko his hand with a smirk.

	Leaving the shop, they walked back over to the park, and
spent a few quiet minutes walking the narrow beach, well back from
the water's edge.  Akiko was silent at first, still recovering from
the scene in the coffee shop.
	Eventually, they ended up sitting on a bench, watching the
water gently ripple in the slight breeze.  He was the first to speak
after they sat, recalling their interrupted conversation from earlier.
	"Akiko-chan... you said earlier that you wished you knew my
name... Well, since even I don't know that right now, I'd be honored
to have you give me one."  he said earnestly, still facing the water.
	"Me?"  she responded, swallowing hard.  "Why?"
        "Because it feels... right"  he replied, turning to look deep
into her eyes.
	Akiko felt her heart skip a beat as his gaze penetrated right
to her soul, and had to avert her eyes to hide her flushing cheeks.
	"You ask... so much."  she whispered, quietly.
	"I wouldn't ask it of anyone else."  he said levelly.
	She glanced back at him wordlessly and bit her lip, her mind
reeling with this new development.  She had already been through a lot
today, and this topped everything.  She was actually quite flattered
by his request,  but realized that it meant more than just a name.
This also showed her that she was far more taken with him than she at
first thought, and she worried that things might be happening too fast.
She had never been interested in a serious relationship, or any for
that matter.  But, for some reason, this 'mystery man' was changing
all of that.
	He, meanwhile, was not sure what to make of her silence.  He
thought she would be happy to name him, if for nothing more than
convenience, but he was having second thoughts.  He knew he liked
her even more now than he did when he first met her, and this was his
way of showing it.  He just hoped he hadn't monkey-wrenched everything.
	For several long minutes, neither of them made a sound.  She,
lost in her thoughts, and he worrying.  Just as he was about to
withdraw his request and apologize for being so presumptuous, Akiko
spoke.
	"Natako."  she said, firmly.
	"Nani?"  he responded, caught off-guard.
	"I'll call you Natako.  It's a name I have liked for a long
time... it would have been my first male child's name."  she explained
softly, looking over at him for a reaction.
        "Natako... Hm.  I like it.  Seems to fit, somehow.  Arigato,
Akiko-chan."  he announced, smiling.
	"I'm glad.  This will make things much easier...  Natako-kun."
she continued, smiling happily.
	Natako, as he was now known, smiled even more widely when he
heard her say his name... especially like that.
	"Well, now that we have that decided, I could really use
something to eat, Akiko-chan." he suggested, reaching into his pocket.
In it, there were a few 5000 yen notes, and some dirt.  "Kuso... I
don't suppose this is any good to me here, is it?"  he grumbled,
crumpling the bills.
	"Not a problem.  I have some money, and we can take those to
a bank later to exchange for Canadian.  What do you feel like eating?"
        "I don't figure there's a good ramen stand around here, is
there?"  he asked, hopefully.
	Akiko had to grin at that.  Plus, she found it amusing since
she had also missed the take-out ramen when she first came to Canada.
"No, they don't.  About the best you get here is either homemade, or
packaged."
	"I thought not.  So, you're the expert... what's good?"
	"Ever had a Happy Meal?"  she asked, wryly.
	"Happy Meal?  What is that?"  he retorted, confused.
	"C'mon.. you'll find out."  she answered, rising from the
bench, and inviting him to follow.


	An hour and three happy meals later, Natako felt fat and
happy.  Akiko was still stunned at how much and how fast he ate,
giving her cause to wonder how long it had been.
	"Those things are great!  I could eat them all day!"  Natako
exclaimed, rubbing his tummy.
	"I see that.  I've never seen someone eat that fast in my
life."
	Natako thought for a second, then turned to Akiko again.
"I know there's a reason I do that... but I can't bring it back...
has something to do with a panda, I think."
        Akiko burst out laughing at that statement.  "A panda?!?"
she blurted, incredulously.  "I can't wait till you remember the
story behind that!"  she continued, still laughing.
	Natako then realized just what he had said, and started to
laugh himself.  It really did sound silly.
	After leaving the restaurant,  Akiko suggested they walk
downtown and go shopping for some clothes for him.  She pointed out
that the clothes he had looked almost Chinese, based on what she
had seen during a few summers spent there.  Reluctantly, Natako
agreed, thinking as long as he had to be here, he might as well
blend in a bit better.
	Akiko took him through every clothing store in the city,
trying on everything from jeans to two piece suits.  He noticed
that she seemed to be taking positive delight in fussing over him,
which both pleased and surprised him.  He was deeply grateful for
her help, knowing he would have been nowhere without it.  Again,
he counted his blessings... something was going right.
	As Natako stood before yet another mirror, modeling more
clothes for Akiko's approval, he caught sight of a flash of red
from behind him.  Turning, he froze in his place as he spotted a
five foot tall girl with flame-red hair a few racks away from him.
For some reason, seeing her sent a chill down his back, and pain
through his head.   Akiko noticed immediately that something was
wrong, and was at his side instantly.
        "What is it?  The pain coming back?"  she asked worriedly.
	"No... that girl.  Who is she?"  he breathed, pointing to
the redhead.
	"That's a friend of mine, Ronnie Cole.  Why?"
	"Something about her... or some other short, red-haired
girl... is giving me a headache.  It's something serious, too...
it's affecting me right to the soul."  he explained, his body
shuddering.  "Please.. get me out of here."  he begged, leaning
on Akiko's shoulder.
	Quickly, while he was still standing, she told him to change,
and then walked him out of the building.  Once outside, and far out
of sight of the girl, he began to feel better.
	"That was scary..."  he commented, still holding his aching
head.
	"It was... you looked like you'd seen a ghost!" Akiko
added, nodding.
	"I think I did.  There's something about a red-haired girl
that whoever I am is deeply disturbed by.  And somehow, I get the
impression that it's not like a girlfriend type issue, either.
There's a lot more to it than that.  I just wish I could
remember...!"  he growled, pounding his leg.
	Akiko knelt beside him, trying to comfort.  "Don't worry...
You'll remember someday.. and I'll be here to help you whatever way
I can."  she assured, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.  He
could feel his anguish melting away at her touch.
	"Thanks, Akiko-chan... I'm sorry about all this."  he said,
quietly.
	"Natako no baka.  Don't apologize... it's not necessary."
she admonished, brushing some stray hairs away from his eyes.
	Abruptly, he grabbed Akiko's shoulders and jumped to his
feet, pulling her up with him.  "No Baka!"  Someone I know used to
say that to me all the time... I remember that!  Only, it was
usually a lot louder."
	Akiko, stunned by his sudden move, didn't know what to say.
Natako looked her in the eyes again, his face lit with excitement.
"This is great - more stuff is coming back!!"  he exclaimed, and
before either of them realized it, wrapped the poor girl in a
crushing hug, lifting her off the ground.  Akiko was at first too
shocked to react, but gradually, as she realized what had happened,
relaxed and enjoyed the closeness.  She even hugged him back.
	Suddenly, as Akiko's arms closed around him, Natako came
back to earth.  He looked down sheepishly at Akiko's totally
flushed face, perplexed for the moment by her expression.
Immediately, he set her down, and stepped back from her.
        "I... I mean... Akiko, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..."
he stammered, not knowing what to expect from her.
	Akiko stood wordlessly, head down, her body shaking.  She
couldn't believe how his hug, even though it was for something
else entirely, had made her feel.  It completely surrounded her,
and at the same time filled her with a euphoria that she had never
experienced before.  She felt his strength, his energy, his
affection, and something... 'shocking' in the brief moments of
contact, and it had left her totally shaken.
	Unsteadily, she stepped toward the street bench a few feet
from her.  She suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to sit down...
before she fell down.  Natako was at her side in a heartbeat, and
helped her to the bench.
	She sat wordless for several minutes, before finally
sighing loudly.  Natako, crouched in front of her the whole time,
breathed a sigh of relief.
	"I'm sorry, Natako... I didn't mean to freak out on you."
she began, slowly.
	"No.. Akiko-chan.. it was my fault.  I shouldn't have
grabbed you like that.  I thought I hurt you."
	"No... I was just a little stunned there, that's all.
You see... I've never... been touched by a man.  There's never
been one that I would allow to touch me.  But you... you can
touch me as you please, and I can't..." her voice trailed off
into a sniffle.
	"Akiko... where do you live from here?  I think I should
take you home."  Natako inserted, starting to feel very
uncomfortable with this conversation.
	"Two blocks - that way.  It's my parent's house."  she
responded, absently waving her hand.
	"C'mon... I'll get the bags... can you walk?"
	"Yes.  I'm okay now.  I feel baka... very baka."
	"You're not baka... probably just tired."  Natako replied,
helping her to her feet.  "After all, we've been going all day."
	Akiko nodded, and started toward her house.  Natako
followed, carrying the bags, silently cursing his impulsive nature.
He was really impressed with Akiko, and he was sure he had just
lost her for good.  He could tell, despite her outgoing nature, that
she was a very shy girl inside, and he had just trampled all over
her.  He glanced over at her as they walked wordlessly, and he
noticed that she seemed to be a million miles away again.  Returning
his gaze forward, he sighed heavily.
        When they arrived at her house, she let them in, and he
dutifully deposited the bags where she indicated.
	As he turned to go, she abruptly caught his shoulder.
	"Where are you going?  You have no place to stay."  she
blurted, blinking.
	"I was gonna sleep in the park.  I've done it before... I
remember that, too." he winked, flashing a small grin.
	"You'll... stay here tonight.  This is a four bedroom house,
and I'm alone in it so there's plenty of room.  Just pick one of the
other three, and I'll make it up for you."
	Natako was floored by the offer, especially after the
previous scene, but accepted happily.  Anything was better than the
park.  Inwardly, he thanked whatever God was listening for his
second chance.

	Natako selected a room immediately, and within minutes, Akiko
had it ready.  She then politely excused herself and went upstairs.
He carried the bags of clothes she had bought into the room,
intending to check them over later.  From there, like anyone would
at the end of an exciting day, he found the TV set in the family
room, and tried to watch it.  Since it was all in English, he didn't
find much to watch at first, but it wasn't long before he discovered
the satellite, and found some Japanese Shows.
	It was then that he noticed that Akiko had not come back.
He figured she was still mad at him, a thought which bitterly
disappointed him.  He had grown to very much like the demure,
attractive girl, and it hurt to think that she was upset with him.
As he thought about her though, he noticed that just that made him
feel better.
	He deliberately recalled how she felt so warm and perfect
in his arms earlier, almost as if she was made to fit.  He
envisioned her smile, her face, her sexy little body... and caught
himself fantasizing about her, which brought a sly grin to his face.
	He also remembered how she kept blushing all day, and hoped
it was for the right reasons.
	Sighing wistfully, he wished she was with him right now, so
he could apologize to her, and somehow try to stay in her good
graces.
	Listening carefully, he tried to hear  whether or not she
was moving somewhere in the house.  When nothing but silence
greeted his ears, he assumed that she had already gone to bed.
Given that, he decided to catch a bath and head for bed, telling
himself he could try again in the morning; if it wasn't already
too late.
	It happened that there was a bathroom in his chosen
bedroom, so he opted to just use it, instead of taking a chance
on the main bathroom.  It would be just his luck to walk in on
Akiko, and end up in the park anyway.
	Once in his room, he opened up the bathroom and looked it
over, and was dismayed to see that it only had a shower stall.
He preferred baths because he could sit and soak in them.
Shrugging, he peeled off his shirt and pants, and slid off his
arm bands and shoes.  Leaning carefully into the shower, he
turned on the hot water first, and then brought up the cold very
slowly until the temperature was good.
	Stepping in, he luxuriated in the hot water, letting it
run down his back and over his face in turn.  He reached up and
undid his pigtail, letting his rich black hair free to cascade
over his shoulders.  This shower felt so good after the hospital
showers, which seemed to have no cold water and kept sputtering
in his face.
	Finally, he decided to get out, now so relaxed he could
hardly stand up.  Feeling too lazy to re-tie his pigtail, he
simply dried his hair and left it.  Then, stepping out, he
quickly dried the rest of his body, shut off the light and crawled
into the bed.

	Akiko had left Natako's room and gone directly back to her
own, where she collapsed heavily on her bed and began crying.  What
had occurred when Natako hugged her had far more reaching effects
than she had let on.
	Akiko had not yet told him that she was a Spiritualist, one
who studied and used the influences of the Spirit World for what
she hoped was the greater good.  Long ago, when she studied as a
girl in China, she had been told by her Sensei that she would be
"made complete only by a warrior with parallel strengths who would
fulfill not only her life, but her destiny".  At the time, she
thought that meant that she would end up dying unwed, alone, and
unfulfilled as a practitioner of the Spiritual Arts.  Now,
suddenly, her entire life had just been turned upside-down.
	Not only had she been emotionally overwhelmed by his act,
but she swore she had detected a second "Chi" or life energy
within him.  If this were true, it would explain why he, unlike
any deliberate suitors she had put up with over her young life,
didn't even have to try to gain her affections.  In reality, it
seemed as if her very soul was being called to by his.
	This Natako, as she had named him, had already succeeded
where so many before him had failed.  She fussed over him, worried
about him, was both intimidated and impressed by him, and even...
aroused by him.  He brought out feelings she never knew she had,
and she was discovering, much to her shock, that she liked them;
in fact, she craved them.
	The more she thought about it, the more she became
convinced of the truth.  Not only did he seem to be the one
fortold of so many years ago, but she was now quite sure that she
was falling in love with him.


===================================================================
END - Destiny, Truth and Fate  Part 1  A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva

Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com.