Find my other fics at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 E-mail me at: oddball22@hotmail.com DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ranma 1/2, nor any of the characters contained within. They belong to the brilliant author, Takahashi-megami-sama. The author of this fic is only pretending to be brilliant. Ranma 1/2 Relative Peace Part 3 - Immutable Desire Akane's thoughts were so wrapped up in a mental whirlwind that she had trouble concentrating on what the teacher was saying. The person foremost among these cognitive meanderings was, as usual, her engaged- to-against-her-will fiance. Ranma was a hard enough enigma to figure out at the best of times, but she had thought she had really come to understand him in the past couple of years, and even more in the past several months. Which is why his behavior in the preceding week was all the more a mystery to her. Out of the blue, he said he was leaving to travel the road once more and that he would be gone for a couple of years at least. Why? What had she done to push him away? The feelings and moments they had shared lately were extremely intoxicating to her: the feel of his arms around her, his musky masculine scent filling her nostrils, the taste of his lips... And Ranma was threatening to make her go cold turkey. Well, there was a possible explanation, but Akane didn't want to believe it. She didn't even consider Kodachi, ninety-nine percent assured that Ranma had no interest in her. The other two were more likely, however. Shampoo had a figure guys fantasized about and she was a better martial artist, as much as Akane was loath to admit. Her skills were closer to the Amazon's than they had been in awhile, but she didn't really know if she could win in an all-out fight And if Ranma went back to Joketsuzoku with her, he could learn all sorts of martial arts from the Amazons. Ukyo had known Ranma back when they were kids. She shared a part of Ranma's life that Akane never would, and yes, that made her envious. Add to that fact that Ukyo was a better cook and was self- sufficient, being on her own with her own restaurant. Because of that, she was literally free to leave her shop anytime and travel. Ranma would have no problems leaving with her. But Akane did have a life and family here, and as much as she wished Ranma were wrong, she knew it wouldn't be that easy to just take off and leave everyone behind. She had done so a few times, like Ryugenzawa, but it was only for a week or two at most. Could she really leave her family and friends for one to two years? -------------------------------------------- The pair came home in silence per the routine they had been following all week. In fact, other than the short snippets of conversation like "pass the rice", they hadn't said a word to each other since their last conversation on the roof, where Ranma had declared his intention to leave. Falling prey to second thoughts, however, Ranma decided to postpone it for a week to plan and get his things together. He knew Akane was still upset about the whole thing, but didn't know what else to tell her. The truth was out of the question; she'd just accuse him of treating her like a fragile thing that couldn't take care of herself. No, Ranma knew that if he went away, it would give Akane a chance for some peace and quiet. He had heard her complain about it on occasion. He sighed and headed to his room to finish packing while Akane went to her room to study. The rest of the family was aware that Ranma and Akane weren't speaking to each other, but they just ignored it, figuring it was just another one of their lovers' quarrels that would end on its own. But that didn't stop Soun and Genma from `helping' the process along during dinner. "So, Ranma-kun, I hear there's a carnival in town for the next two weeks," Soun offered casually. "Why don't you take Akane out a date tonight? That's what Saturday nights are for!" He broke out into a wide grin. "Why, I'll even pay for it!" Awhile ago Ranma wouldn't have cared, but with what he had experienced with Akane lately, he didn't think it was such a bad idea. Still, he already had plans, not to mention an image to maintain. "Get real. Why would I want to be seen in public with a macho chick like her? Besides, I already have plans." Ranma observed Akane from the corner of his eye, and for a few seconds he noticed her brow begin to wrinkle as flicker of anger passed her face. Then she went right back to her former semi-depressed state, ignoring him again. He sighed internally. He had hoped that she would have hit him for that, or least retorted and/or glared at him, none of which happened. Sensing weakness, Genma's chopsticks flashed out toward Ranma's bowl of rice. "I saw your backpack sitting in the room. Going out on another training trip, boy?" Ranma parried the attack easily with his own weapons. "Yeah, I haven't had a challenge from Ryoga or Mousse for awhile, so I wanna do some trainin' to keep my edge." "Even better!" Soun said suddenly. "Why not take Akane with you? After all, she is heir to the Tendo-ryu and you'll both inherit the dojo when you marry." "Nuh uh!" Ranma's objection was very clear. "A girl like that would just slow me down!" This time Akane did scowl as she set her chopsticks and empty bowl down. "I'm finished. I'll be in my room if anybody cares." She stood up and walked toward the stairs, not looking at Ranma at all. Ranma sighed internally. Now, more than ever, it hurt him when Akane was mad at him like this. Still, maybe it was for the best. It would that much easier for her to get over him once he was gone. No longer feeling hungry, he set down his own utensils and headed to his room to finish packing. -------------------------------------------- Akane threw herself down onto her bed and buried her face into her pillow, trying to hold back the flood of tears that were threatening to burst out. She had told herself that she was going to her room to do her homework, but now that was the furthest thing from her mind. Ranma was leaving her. She had figured he was going to take off that first night, but when he was still there in the morning, she began to hope that he had changed his mind. That's when he had told her that he was just waiting until the end of the week so he could plan. She tried to press him for more details, but he clammed up. She then attempted to gauge the thoughts of Ukyo and Shampoo to see if one of them was planning to go with him. But if they were, she couldn't tell. He was leaving her and he wouldn't tell her why. "Hasn't everything we been through, everything we've done, meant anything at all to him!?" she practically yelled into the empty room. Akane recalled. Akane half-smiled at the pleasant memory of their first meeting. She shuddered involuntarily. A bittersweet memory of Jusendo floated through her thoughts. The sound of a window opening immediately followed that. At first, Akane thought it was her own, but a quick glance upwards quashed that notion. In the silence following that, she figured out exactly which window it was; the guest room. Her eyes widened in sudden realization of what that meant and her heart sped up a few beats. He was leaving now! Akane sprung to her feet and raced for her door, feeling like her life depended on it. She pulled open the guest room door as fast as she could, nearly tearing it off its track in the process. "Ranma!" She caught him in the position of slipping on his pack and turning to the open window. He looked surprised at her entrance. "Akane?" When she didn't respond right away, he turned back to the window. Akane's voice caught in her throat as all the words and arguments she had planned to say, vanished in an instant with the intense pounding of her heart in her chest. Before her was the boy who'd breezed into her life and turned it upside down. He'd teased her and made fun of her, but also protected her and kept her company more times then she could count. He had become such a big part of her life, that to even think of living without him scared her to death. And he was leaving her! a voice inside her screamed. Throwing caution to the wind, Akane sprinted forwards and grabbed Ranma as he stepped up into the open windowsill. She yanked him back inside, flung him around, then wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his shirt, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes. Ranma was stunned. What brought this on? She'd seemed upset and angry with him during dinner. Almost against his will, his hands dropped to her shoulders. "A-Akane?" That's when he heard her voice, somewhat muffled by his shirt. "Don't... go!" she sobbed into his shirt. "Please don't go! Don't... leave me alone! Please..." "Akane, I-" Words failed him. She seemed to be really hurting at the thought of him leaving. Why was he doing this again? The initial reasons seemed far from his mind at the moment, as the girl most precious to him practically begged him to stay. Then he remembered why he had to leave. "Akane, I-I have to go." Did he? The decision seemed so easier just a short time ago. If he stayed, those after him would get her sooner or later. If he left, Akane might be hurt, but she would still be alive and be able to have a normal life. "NO!" Her shouted command caught him off guard. He looked down to see she was now looking up at him, tears leaking from her big, brown eyes. "You can't leave me! If you do, so help me, I'll hunt you down and follow you!" "B-But, Akane!" This was not the way his departure was supposed go. "No buts! I don't know why you're leaving, but I-" She gulped, suddenly very aware of what she was about to say. "I-I can't live without you, damn you!" She shoved him to the ground and Ranma landed on his butt while Akane glared at him. "Do you have any idea what that means!? No, of course you don't!" She turned her back to him, not wanting to act this way, but not seeing any other way to do this. "I wasn't very happy before you came, you know," she told him softly and slowly. "School was hell with Kuno and the pervert horde attacking me all the time, and the only guy I liked was in love with my own sister. Then you arrived and I was glad to have a friend who was a martial artist, like me. It didn't matter that you were better, because you were a girl." Ranma flinched, while Akane knelt down next to him, her head staring at the floor in front of them. "Yes, I was upset when I found out you were a boy and that I was engaged to you. But,-" her voice dropped to a near whisper. "Somewhere along the line, you became more important to me than anything else. That's why it hurt so much when it looked like you were going after other women. I thought you'd leave me and I'd be alone again." Her head came up and Ranma was caught by the pleading look in her eyes, full of expression, and reflecting the moonlight streaming in from the window. He really meant that much to her? "Akane, I-" It was his turn to look down. "I don't really wanna leave," he confessed in a small voice that surprised both of them. "Then why!?" she asked, exasperated. "Because I gotta!" he continued. So many thoughts and emotions were playing havoc with his mind, that he wished he could find a quiet place to think. "I'm sorry I can't tell ya, but..." Inspiration struck. "How about I leave for a couple of weeks? Enough for me to do some thinkin' and maybe... I can tell you when I return." He knew it was a stalling tactic, but couldn't think of anything else at the moment. Hopefully, it would at least give Akane a nice vacation from all the trouble. Akane blinked. "Just two weeks? I suppose that's better than a couple of years. But why?" Ranma sighed. "Two weeks, no more, I promise. I'll be back the following Saturday." She studied him, looking for any sign that he wasn't planning on returning, then relented and sighed. "Okay, but I have your promise! You'll be back in two weeks, and then you'll tell me what this is all about!" Her eyes met his, and he nodded purposefully. "I promise, just two weeks." They stood up then, and Akane suddenly had a strong desire to make sure he knew what he'd be missing if he didn't come back. She flung herself forward once more, wrapping her left arm around his waist, while her right hand went to the back of his head and pulled it down to mash his lips against her own. Ranma's eyes went wide, then he surrendered to the kiss as Akane put as much passion as she could muster into it. As the embrace continued, Ranma felt his will to leave disappearing and knew that if he didn't leave soon, he might not be able to at all. The effect of having Akane this close was powerful. With great reluctance, he finally pulled away, but she caught his lips one more time before they parted. Again taking notice of the dancing moonlight in her eyes, he adjusted his pack and leapt to the windowsill. "Two weeks," she affirmed, one last time. He nodded, then was gone and Akane nearly collapsed to the ground, hoping against hope that she had done the right thing. ------------------------------------------- The moon was entirely full as it hung in the sea of stars like a giant pearl above his head. Its luminescent glow provided enough light for the young martial artist below, who sought shelter in the sparse canopy of trees. Even though he had a fire going, Ranma's attention was drawn to the sky and the light it provided. His mind was not any of the heavenly bodies, however, just one somebody. For the past several days, he had forced his mind off the subject, preferring not to think about the complex situation his life had become. Instead, he worked through several katas and moves in an attempt to clear his thoughts and find harmony with the Art he had spent so much of his life learning. But it wasn't as fulfilling as it used to be. It was only now, that he had finally got around to reflecting on his situation, after a full day spent working out heavily. As he lay on his back and relaxed, hands clasped behind his head, he wondered for the first time exactly where his life was going. Up until now, he had just sort of gone with the flow, reacting to the events around him. He never thought beyond the short term, but with all that had been happening recently, he was starting to ponder exactly what he wanted to do with his life. Or maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to grow up. In any case, he was starting to realize just how much Akane meant to him. When she told him that she couldn't live without him, he was reminded of his own feelings. Then there was also the promise that he had made that morning when he brought her sleeping form home from her jog. She had mumbled in her sleep that she didn't want him to leave, and he promised he wouldn't. Of course, she hadn't heard it, but where did that leave him? Above all, Ranma wanted Akane to be happy, and he didn't really want to live without her. When Nabiki told him that Akane would be better off without him, it brought these two ideals into direct conflict. He didn't want to believe what she told him, but it didn't take a genius to see that most of the stuff that had happened to Akane, was directly or indirectly his fault. So what was he supposed to do now? ------------------------------------------- Akane yawned as she dragged herself back into the house after another rough day of school. Not only had she taken pains to get Ranma's homework and take notes for him while he was gone, she had to deal with two irate girls who demanded to know where Akane had hidden Ranma. Despite telling Shampoo and Kodachi that he had left on a training trip, they hadn't believed her. After a couple of days, however, Shampoo finally got the hint. Kodachi was still convinced Akane was hiding him, but ceased her attacks. It wasn't the two severe beatings Akane had administered to the Black Rose, as Kodachi kept coming back for more, eager for revenge. Eventually, Akane resorted to a different tatic and just dodged the gymnast's moves while dropping fake hints that Ranma had headed to the beach. After that, Kodachi had been strangely absent. Ukyo had been surprisingly understanding. She'd had a few suspicions, Akane felt, but hadn't bothered to press the youngest Tendo like the other two girls had. The phone rang as Akane removed her shoes in the foyer and she caught Kasumi's voice echoing down the hall. "Akane, can you get that? I'm tied up in the kitchen right now." "Okay, Kasumi!" She was still a bit tired from the day's activities, but picked up the phone anyway. "Hello?" "Hey, Akane," came the female voice on the other end. "You don't sound too good." "Nabiki? No, I'm just a little out of it at the moment." "Is Ranma there?" Nabiki asked as nonchalantly as she could. Akane yawned again. "No, he took off a few days ago." Unbeknownst to the younger Tendo, Nabiki allowed herself a small smile. "So, how are you doing?" "I'm a little out of it, I guess," she replied. "This past week has been more stressful, lately." "It'll get better, sis, you'll see," Nabiki tried to sound sympathetic. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "Naw, that's okay," Akane told her, unsuccessfully trying to hold back another yawn. "I'm sorry, Nabiki, but I think I'm going to take a nap. You wanna talk to dad or Kasumi?" "No, that's okay. Talk to ya later, sis!" Akane bid goodbye to Nabiki, then hung up and started for the stairs. ------------------------------------------- The sky was crying as she trudged home that night, but for once, Ranma didn't care. In her mind, there were much more important things to worry about, and her curse had been dropping lower and lower on her list of priorities ever since arriving at the Tendos. Ranma was more concerned with what she was going to tell her mercurial fiancee. She had spent the past couple of weeks working out, trying to clear her mind and organize her thoughts, but she still wasn't much closer to a solution than she was before she left. Only two thoughts were still foremost on her conscious and subconscious minds: Ranma wanted Akane to be safe and happy, and she wanted to be with her. The pig-tailed girl shivered involuntarily from the rainwater soaking her clothes, and from the cold air permeating the night. she mused to herself, then dismissed the thought. Ryoga carried an umbrella because if he got wet, he could very well end up someone's lunch. Ranma decided a while ago that she just try to deal with the curse, and not think of it as a weakness. She still wanted to get cured, but wasn't going to let it hold her back in the meantime. Ranma turned the corner to end up walking down a very familiar street, knowing her home was now very close by. As she rubbed her hands together to generate some warmth, she reflected on that thought. When exactly had the Tendo Dojo become home to her? Three years ago, Ranma had no concept of what a home was, having constantly lived life on the road. They stayed at various places here and there, but had never really settled down for longer than a month or two. Now, she felt like home was with the Tendos, with Akane. Could she really leave it for a long time? Perhaps forever? For the first time since she left on her training trip, Ranma came to a direct conclusion. Otherwise, she realized, she probably couldn't do it. Now she just had to find a way to tell Akane this. Akane grumbled to herself. Akane had been watching from her bedroom window as the sky turned darker and darker. Eventually, thunder and lightning had decided to make a show, and before too long, it was pouring down out there. As the sky turned black from the night and the rain showed no signs of letting up, her apprehension only grew at the thought of what could be keeping him. she told herself. *CRACK-A-BOOOOOOM!* Akane winced from the earsplitting thunderclap. As another flash of lightning illuminated the heavens and the torrential downpour, Akane tried to shove her worrisome doubts out of her mind. Worry finally getting the best of her, Akane ran out of her room and down to the hall closet. She grabbed her coat and donned it, then selected one of the bigger umbrellas by the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. She shivered as the cold wind buffet her body, nearly cutting through the heavy material of her winter coat. She squinted her eyes, but even through the aid of the porch light, she could barely see the wooden gate to their property. She fully expected that gate to creep open any minute and Ranma to come running home. However, several minutes passed and the only thing that was happening was the continuing buildup of Akane's anxiety. Grimacing, she opened the big umbrella and stepped off the porch, traversing the short path to the property gate. For the most part, she kept dry thanks to the rain shield she carried, but every now and then, the wind would blow and her lower legs would get sprinkled. Uncertainy plaguing her thoughts, she threw open the gate and stepped out, her legs becoming more and more soaked, but she ignored that. Her only concern was her pig-tailed fiance. She stopped, not quite believing her eyes. Ranma-chan was standing just outside the gate, and it almost looked like she was trying to open the door, but couldn't. Her teeth were chattering at near- hypersonic speeds, and her whole body was shivering and trembling from the chilly winds. Obviously, her Mandarin shirt and black trousers were not providing much protection from the elements; they were thoroughly soaked. Akane reached out and grabbed her female fiance, dragging her back to the warmth and comfort of the house. Once inside, Akane pulled the pack off her, then pulled the other girl's body to her, hugging her with all her might and attempting to warm her up. Her own clothes were becoming damp as they absorbed the moisture from Ranma's, but Akane didn't care. "Ak-k-k-k-kan-nn-nneee..." Ranma tried to say through her clattering teeth, but couldn't do much else besides shiver. "Shush, Ranma," Akane replied. "First let's get you cleaned and warmed up, and out of those wet clothes." She dragged Ranma down the hall to the changing room, then began to undress her. Ranma's eyes went wide as her fiancee removed her shirt, then pulled down her pants. She felt like she should do something to stop this, because it was warming her up on the inside in a way she didn't think was possible. Soon her boxers were gone as well, and Akane was pushing the shivering girl into the bathroom. "Akane, what are you doing?" Ranma asked, finally managing to calm her chattering teeth enough to speak coherently. "Getting you cleaned up," Akane replied, seating her charge on a stool and lathering up the rapidly goose-pimpling girl's backside. "What does it look like?" "But-" the chilled pig-tailed girl sputtered, not quite sure what to say. "Hey, we're both girls here." Akane paused and smirked. "Or are you suddenly getting a case of feminine modesty, `Ranko'?" Ranma mumbled something unintelligible under her breath, and Akane returned to cleaning up the smaller girl. Soon, she was all covered in soap bubbles, only to have a cascade of tepid water douse her. Not warm enough to cause the change, but not too cold either. "Okay, hop into the furo," Akane directed. "I'll go get you a change of clothes." Ranma stood up and walked to the furo, but before she got in, she said softly, "Thanks, Akane." Akane paused in the door to the changing room and smiled warmly. "You're welcome." The she shut the door and left, while Ranma slipped into the warm and relaxing waters of the bath. As Akane went through Ranma's closet and pulled out a dry set of clothes, she wondered what to do about her fiance. True, he had promised to tell her what was going on when he returned, but knowing him, he might try to wiggle out of it or give a very short explanation. She wanted the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Her face flushed crimson, as she realized the perfect way to keep him in one place and unnerve him long enough to do just that. It scared her to that she would even consider doing something like that, and at first she dismissed it. But the thought wouldn't go away, and the more she thought about it, the more the fear began to turn to... excitement? Trembling, Akane headed back to the bathroom with Ranma's clothes. Ranma sunk down until the water brushed his chin, then lay back, letting the heat both warm and soothe his entire body. It felt good, he decided. Hot baths were a rarity on the road, and ever since he had come here, he come to appreciate little conveniences like these. His thoughts were disturbed by the door opening once more. Curious, he turned around. "Who's-urk!" And saw Akane, wrapped in a white towel, and obviously not wearing anything underneath it. His burning face snapped back around to focus in on the opposite wall. "What are you doin'!?" he demanded to know, for the second time that night. He only saw one way out of this, and it ended in pain. Akane's nervous smile turned into a smirk as she dimmed the lights, then unwrapped the towel from around her body and dropped it on the floor. "I'm, uh, just taking a bath," she replied nervously, then her confidence slowly began to build. "What's it look like?" She sat down on the bathing stool and proceeded to wash. "But... but..." Ranma's thoughts were a jumble, hindering his ability to come up with an effective response to that. Behind him, he could hear Akane splash water over herself. "Now, we're going to talk," Akane declared, becoming braver by the second. Still, she couldn't believe she was doing this, and part of her was ready to run out and throw some clothes on. But the reminder of what was at stake forced her to continue. "Why were you planning on leaving? I want the truth!" "But, Akane-" "The truth, Ranma! You promised!" Ranma exhaled nosily, knowing this moment would come. After a few moments, he hung his head and mumbled something. Akane blinked. "What?" Seeing his head down, Akane quickly used the opportunity to slip into the opposite side of the furo. Blushing badly as Ranma's head came up, Akane self-consciously crossed her legs and folded her arms over her breasts. "Well, what did you say?" Ranma dropped his head again, partly to avoid looking at her. It was a good thing she couldn't see how this situation was affecting him. "I said, aren't you tired of this?" Akane's brow furrowed in confusion. "Of what?" "Being kidnapped and attacked at every turn!' Ranma nearly yelled. "Strange people bustin' down your walls and doors! Big fights happening almost every week! Possessions, ghosts, and everything else!" "I guess so, but what does that have to do with anything?" "You were right, it's all my fault," he mumbled, but loud enough for her to hear. Akane blinked, still perplexed. "Come again?" When he didn't respond, she kicked his leg. "Tell me!" Ranma glared at her, but relented. "None of this crazy stuff would be happening to you if I wasn't here." "THAT'S what this is all about?" she asked, comprehension dawning. "You think I would be better off if you left?" At his small nod, Akane exhaled noisily and glanced at the ceiling. "Ranma, you idiot," she whispered in an exasperated tone. "You really are stupid." At that, his head came up, showing equal parts hurt, fear, and anger. "What!?" Akane sighed. "Okay, I admit it would be nice to have a calmer life, but I don't care what comes around," her voice dropped to a whisper, "As long as you still around as well." Ranma stared at her, his eyes widening. "Akane..." Then he realized that, darkened room or no, he was staring at his naked fiancee and quickly averted his eyes. Akane looked at him curiously, not able to see his deep blush in the darkened and steamy room. "What brought this on, anyway? You've been living here for over two years now, and this hasn't crossed your mind before?" He settle down again, laying the back of his head on the folded towel resting on the furo rim. "Well, not really. Not until Nabiki mentioned it." It wasn't real noticeable, but his voice carried a bit of disgust. Akane caught it, though, and frowned. "There you go again. What does my sister have to do with it? It's not like she's trying to get rid of you!" Ranma opened his mouth, then shut again. "Ah, forget it. You don't believe me anyway." Silence returned to the small, steamy bathroom, broken only by the patter of rain outside and the occasional clap of thunder. Akane's thoughts were almost as chaotic as the thunderstorm outside, but she knew Ranma had to be mistaken, even though she wanted to believe him. She figured that he probably just took an innocous comment or two the wrong way. However, as a lightning bolt flashed outside, snippets of a past conversation floated into her conscious mind. (Is Ranma there?) (No, he took off a few days ago.) (So, how are you doing?) (I'm a little out of it, I guess. This past week has been more stressful, lately.) (It'll get better, sis, you'll see. Is there anything I can do for you?) Akane's brow furrowed. she noted. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. "You probably just heard her wrong or something." "Whatever." Ranma didn't really feel up to pressing the matter, and anyway, he was starting to feel a bit too warm, noting he had been in the bath for quite some time. He didn't want his body to prune, but Akane's presence now posed a bit of a problem. "Um..." "What now?" she asked tiredly, the heat relaxing her enough that she was beginning to feel sleepy. "Don't you think it's time ta get out?" Any sleepiness was discarded as Akane went to full alert status. She didn't think her face could get any more crimson, both from the heat, and from the sudden realization of their situation. She had been sitting in the furo, NAKED, for quite some time, with an equally naked Ranma. Akane yelled internally. And she couldn't even blame Ranma for this! Or could she? It was his fault that he had to be so difficult in the first place, forcing her into this situation. A quick glance around revealed no nearby towels to cover herself, except for the one behind Ranma's head. "Well, why don't you use that towel behind you and get out first?" "Why do I gotta go first?" Ranma protested, knowing that if he got out, his physical reaction to her presence would be quite noticeable. "You were the one that came in on me!" "But you've been in here longer!" Akane countered, her voice rising. "You should go first." A long suppressed desire inside her had some play in that decision, starting with that fateful day when she had met `him' for the first time. Ranma grumbled, then sighed and acquiesced. "Alright, fine." He unfolded the small towel and held it out in front of his body. He couldn't have wrapped it around his waist, for that would not do anything to hide... what he was trying to hide. Carefully, he stood up slowly and lifted one foot out of the furo, then placed it on the wet tile behind him. Akane was somewhat grateful for the dimmed lighting and light misting of steam, as it hid her fierce blush. While she had been rather forward occasionally as of late, and had seen him in various states of undress before, it couldn't compare to the sight of a nearly-naked Ranma, slick and glistening with streaks of water, standing just a few feet from her. Concentrating more on keeping the small towel positioned right, Ranma didn't pay real close attention to his feet. That lack of attention proved his undoing when he lifted the other foot, causing his balance to shift just enough that his right foot lost its purchase on the slick tiled floor. "Waaaaaauuggghh!" *Slip!* *Thump!* "owww...." The towel went flying. "Ranma!" Concerned that her fiance had hurt himself, Akane left the bath to kneel beside him, checking his head. "Are you alright?" "My head..." Ranma moaned on his back, a little out of it as his arms moved about. He remembered there was a towel rack nearby and if he could grab onto it, he could pull himself up. *Goosh!* Akane froze. Ranma froze. *Ba-dump* said one of the two hearts present, deciding to fill the sudden silence with it's own two cents. Some small part of Ranma's brain realized that wasn't the towel rack, but just to be sure, it commanded his right eyelid to open. Yep, the eye confirmed, most definitely not the towel rack. he concluded, but for some reason, he was unable to move. *Ba-dump* answered the other heart, offering an intriguing counterpoint. Akane sported an expressive blank look, emotions warring deeply within. Absently, she glanced downward at the hand that held her left breast. One of her conflicting emotions told her to send Ranma flying. The other one old her that, yes it did feel rather good, and maybe she should do something more... constructive about the situation. *Ba-dump* Since both of these emotions were equally present, however, she did nothing. *Ba-dump* "Umuh..." Ranma offered brilliantly, then swallowed. He hadn't done much more than kissing and hugging with Akane, and he definitely had never touched her like this before, especially when they were both naked. His strength returning, Ranma snatched his hand away and began to backpedal out of the room. "SorryaboutthatIdidn'tmeanandIthinkI'llgonowBye!" Akane blinked as Ranma disappeared into the changing room and shut the door. he thought. Close to what, he wasn't sure, and frankly preferred not to think about it at the moment, although he had to admit it was quite pleasant and soft but also terrifying and he wasn't quite sure what had happened but he was sure she was going to hit him even though she didn't and it was round and fit his hand just right... Ranma punched the side of his head, forcing his jumbled thoughts to become unjumbled, or at least slightly less jumbled. He quickly dressed in the clothes Akane had retrieved for him and decided that going to bed was a very good idea. In the bathroom, Akane decided to stare at the door some more. ------------------------------------------- The phone rang as Nabiki trudged back into her dorm. "Noriko- chan? Can you get that?" There came no reply to her call as she put her school books down on her desk, then glanced around the room she shared with her roommate, noting she must be out at the moment. As the phone continued to ring, Nabiki flopped down onto her bed and picked up the phone that rested on the nightstand between her bed and Noriko's. "Hello?" There was a pause, then, "Nabiki-kun?" "Yes," Nabiki replied, then recognized the voice and smiled. "Tomoe-chan, haven't heard from you in awhile. How are things going?" "Um, not too bad," she admitted, but Nabiki could hear a bit of hesitation in Tomoe's voice. Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "What's up? I'm sure you didn't call just to chit-chat." "It's... about that project you had me working on..." "What about it?" She knew which project Tomoe was referring to. It was a surveillance and report job, but it should be closed now, since... "He's back." Nabiki froze. By all accounts, she had been told Ranma had packed up and left, leaving Akane behind as she had hoped. "When?" "A little over a week ago," the other girl told her. "And why was I not notified?" Nabiki asked, a slight edge to her voice. "I called and left a message on your answering machine several days ago," Tomoe responded. "But you never called back." Nabiki exhaled in exasperation. Her roommate was constantly getting calls from a lot of boys, so it was entirely possible that the message had been saved over, or Noriko had accidentally erased it. "Very well," Nabiki said at last. "Keep an eye on him, same as before, and let me know what's happening. Also, start using the contingency plans listed in the manila folder. What can you tell me now?" "Well," the girl's voice turned hesitant again. "They haven't really been speaking with each other, but they don't appear to be mad at each other, either." Nabiki nodded to herself. They were probably still upset from the fight before Ranma left. "Nabiki, do really have to do this?" Tomoe suddenly asked. "He doesn't seem that bad of a guy, and Akane-" "My sister isn't the best judge of character when it comes to boys," Nabiki cut in, annoyed. "We are doing this for her benefit, and if you really cared about Akane, you'd see that. And the money I'm paying you is keeping your closet full of new dresses. Now, are you going to do what I ask, or should I find someone else?" There was a short pause as Tomoe appeared to be thinking it over. "That... that won't be necessary." "Good. I expect another report in two weeks, unless something important happens that I need to know about." Nabiki hung up then, not giving Tomoe a chance to respond, then frowned. She had been getting more in more active in the past six months, trying to break the two up and get Ranma to leave, but so far nothing had worked. She figured her little sister would be tired of the whole thing by now, and was surprised Akane hadn't thrown him out herself, yet. Oh, she knew Akane loved Ranma, but Akane had also loved Tofu at one time, and now she didn't. People fall in and out of love all the time, and she figured it was only a matter of time before Akane got fed up with Ranma's behavior and moved on to someone else. She glanced at the calendar, noting that she still had a month and a half before winter break, when she would head home for the family's annual Christmas party. There was plenty of time to plan something that would do the trick. She had a few preliminary ideas, she would just need to flesh them out. Rolling on to her back, Nabiki gazed at the ceiling and smiled grimly. ------------------------------------ Akane lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling and contemplating her existence. Well, actually she was just wondering if her love life would ever be simple. Ranma was back again, though she didn't know for how long. His initial reasons (if they were to be believed) for leaving were still there, however, and somehow she felt that if she didn't do something, he may very well take off again. The only problem was *what* to do. Akane had always been an expert in denial, even if she didn't acknowledge this trait. For the longest time, she tried to deny that she felt anything for Ranma, believing it was easier to think he was a perverted jerk, so when he left her, it wouldn't cause her any pain. When she caught him in compromising situations with other women, of course it had to be his fault, because boys were like that. After all, he had never said he loved her back then, nor really made a decision about all the girls after him, so what reason had she to trust him? That's why she was unable to comprehend why Ranma would be so negative about Nabiki. Akane could not see that Nabiki had anything to gain by breaking them up. She knew that her older sister could be very profit-motivated from time to time, and some saw her as cold-hearted, but Akane knew her sister. Nabiki did have a soft side, one that did care about her family. Akane sat up and tucked her knees under her chin, briefly considered confronting Nabiki about this, but wondering what she could say? She couldn't just walk up to her sister and accuse her of sabotaging her relationship, because what proof did she have? The answer: none. That led her back to the subject of Ranma, and why he said what he said. In a roundabout way, Akane had found out about his feelings toward her, or at least thought she had. But that nagging thought from earlier came floating back. Maybe he did, and now he was getting tired of her. Maybe he was finally getting fed up with her, and this was his way of trying to get her to leave him alone. Akane shut her eyes. The alternative would just hurt her too much, especially after the many private moments they had shared. She knew Ranma loved her. She bit her lip, thinking that if she didn't want to lose him, though, bold action would be required. That's why when a nagging little voice piped up deep inside, she squashed it right away. ------------------------------------ "Hello, this is Nekohanten! Can Shampoo take your order?" The blue-haired waitress frowned as she listened to the voice at the other end of the line. "Who are you?" she asked, thinking the voice almost sounded familiar, but she was unable to place it. Shampoo looked almost indignant as her enigmatic caller asked a question. "Of course!" the Amazon replied enthusiastically. "I-" The voice cut her off, then launched in a brief explanation. Shampoo was left quavering a little afterward, but her face showed hope and determination. She spoke a single word. "Yes." Her mysterious phone friend said a few more curt words, then hung up. Shampoo hung up as well, contemplating what she had been told. Because of this, she was startled when her great-grandmother called her from the kitchen. "Shampoo, who was that on the phone?" Cologne asked. "Was it an order?" "Um, no great-grandmother," Shampoo said. That wasn't a lie, but the next line was. "It was just wrong number." Normally, the bubbly Amazon might have told the elder about something like this, but the voice had explicitly commanded her not to tell anyone. And, Shampoo admitted to herself, there were times when she wanted to make decisions and do things by herself, without guidance from her great-grandmother. Shampoo had always been a woman of bold action, fearlessly doing things that would make lesser people squeamish. This time promised to be no different. That's why when that nagging little voice piped up deep inside, she squashed it right away. ------------------------------------ "Okay, hand it to me now," Soun asked. "Here it is, Dad," Akane replied, giving him some more streamer decorations. She took a step back to glance around the living room, smiling in satisfaction. The Tendo home was now awash in festive holiday decorations, in preparation for their Christmas party tomorrow. Streamers and wreathes adorned the walls, and pleasant smells drifted from the kitchen, lifting Akane's spirit and soothing her somewhat distraught mind. The reason for her troubled mental state was that Nabiki had returned from college a couple of days ago for winter break, and Akane held conflicting emotions about this. On one hand, she was always glad to see her sister, but there was now a small part of her thoughts that was suspicious of Nabiki's motivations and behaviors. She didn't want to believe it, as she firmly believed her sister never meant any real harm. They may fight occasionally, like sisters sometimes do, and Nabiki may do a lot of swindling and deals to make money, but Akane could not see her older sister really hating anyone, nor intentionally doing a whole lot just to make someone miserable. "Akane?" Kasumi called from the kitchen, breaking the youngest Tendo's line of thought. Akane popped her head into the kitchen. "Yes, Kasumi?" "I need a few things from the market before it closes," Kasumi explained, mixing something in a pot on the stove. "And I'm afraid I can't leave these dishes unattended. Would you pick them up for me? The money and the list are on the table" Akane located the items and scooped them off the counter. "No problem, sis. Be back in a little while!" Ranma had just finished tacking up the rest of the outside decorations to the house and dojo, when Akane strolled out to the front gate and stopped. He noted her azure blouse and dress combo was a bit light for the season, but it wasn't that cool out at the moment. Her gaze traversed the yard, then found him standing on the roof. Ranma looked at her curiously as she scowled and scratched behind her ear, then turned and left. The pig-tailed teenage boy tried not to blush as hormones began to rush through his system. He knew that Akane had just a given him one of the signals they had worked out between them. Ranma stretched his muscles as he took a cursory glance around from his perch, then dashed off in the opposite direction that Akane had gone. From her bedroom window, Nabiki frowned. Akane and Ranma had left in different directions, true, but they had left at about the same time. It could be nothing, but it if did mean what she thought it meant, she'd have to do something about it. And as a familiar face poked his head into the Tendos' front yard, Nabiki realized a good way to deal with it. The bag of groceries sat nearby, unattended, in the small forested grove. In fact, if by some small chance anyone came along and decided they wanted it, they could take it and walk off without the owners even realizing it. However, if such a thief did come along, they most likely would suddenly develop an even greater interest in what the bag's owners were doing. Of course, Ranma also wondered exactly what they were doing; or at least the small part of his mind that could still function at the moment was occupied with that thought. Over the past several weeks, Akane had become more and more aggressive in their limited times together. Hence, his current position that had him flat on his back, Akane pinning him with her entire body while she kissed him with as much passion as she could muster. Her hands flowed over his face and arms, occasionally stopping to twiddle his pigtail. Ranma's hands weren't idle either, as he held her to him and slowly rubbed up and down her back. With a sudden burst of awareness, Ranma realized Akane had undone most of the clasps on his shirt, and was now running her delicate fingers over the bare flesh of his chest. That seemingly simple action was having powerful effects on the young Saotome, and he shivered as a small groan emanated from his throat. Akane smiled into the kiss as she giggled, his flesh hot under her hands. Then she adjusted herself slightly, pulling her face back a little and letting it rest next to his, cheek to cheek. "I thought martial artists were supposed to have better control than that," she whispered into his ear in a teasing voice. "What, you think that's funny?" Ranma replied, trying to sound annoyed but not completely succeeding. He frowned in response to giggle, letting his eyes drift around the grove, which provided protection from prying eyes and the wind. "Hmph. Well, you wouldn't think it was so amusing if I did that to you." There was a short pause, then he heard Akane whisper, "I dare you." Ranma's eyes widened, even as Akane lifted her head to meet his astonished gaze. He gaze traversed her flushed face, her full cherry-red lips that were parted slightly, but his attention was eventually drawn to her beautiful liquid-brown eyes. To him, there seemed to be a bit of nervous apprehension there, but it was balanced out by a sense of... Excitement? Temporarily quashing his own nervousness, Ranma suddenly rolled them both over to pin Akane beneath him. She let out a startled squawk, and for a moment Ranma thought he had hurt her or something, but a quick glance at her smiling and flushed face proved otherwise. Her smile was infectious, and Ranma found himself grinning back at her. "Well, now what, Mr. Saotome?" Akane asked coyly. Ranma's face became apprehensive once more. "Akane, are you sure...?" Her lips turned up into an annoyed pout. "Hmph, I should have figured you wouldn't have the guts." Ranma thought to himself. Akane squeaked as Ranma's lips found hers, even as she felt his hands fumble for the buttons on her blouse. As he shakingly parted the garment, he glanced down nervously to where her modest bosom was contained within a plain white brassiere. He gulped as his eyes moved back up to her face, only to see hers pointed in a different direction, not seemingly paying attention to him. Then she took a deep breath, which clearly helped to emphasize a certain portion of her anatomy. It was also, Ranma realized, a dare. She was still challenging him. With a newfound sense of confidence gleaned from these encounters, Ranma reached down to run his hands up her lean tummy, somehow finding satisfaction in hearing Akane moan slightly. That moan increased in volume as he reached her chest, flipping up the twin cups in one smooth motion, and placing his hands on her... "RAAAANNMMAAAAA!" The phrase "deer in the headlights" did not do adequate justice to the expressions of the two teens laying on the grass. "R-Ryoga!" Ranma stuttered, leaping off Akane. "It's not what it--I mean, what are you doing here?" "What am I doing here!?" the irate lost boy snarled. He focused his attention on Ranma, a vein throbbing on his forehead, while he tried to ignore the stunned and half-undressed Akane on the ground. Ryoga shakily pointed an accusing finger at Ranma. "You... you... Augh! DIE, RANMA!" "Whoa!" Ranma just barely dodged the thrown umbrella, then flipped away from the enraged boy's charge that snapped a tree like a twig. "Chill, Ryoga!" "You were molesting Akane, you bastard!" Ryoga bellowed, absolutely furious, switching into full berserker mode. Akane belatedly recovered from her shock. She quickly pulled her bra back down, and ran off after the two boys while buttoning up her blouse, yelling pleas for them to stop. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to hear her. From her vantage point that was mostly concealed by the thick trunk of a tree, Nabiki watched the two boys move off, locked in heavy combat, while Akane ran after them. The middle Tendo smirked to herself at the amusing scene, then sobered up. Nabiki turned and started back to the dojo, her smile disappearing. ------------------------------------ Things had returned to relative normal by the next day. Ranma had managed to get Ryoga lost, but unfortunately, Akane had found her pet P-chan soon thereafter. As they retrieved the untouched groceries, Ranma grumbled while receiving murderous looks from the little pig in Akane's arms. The pig-tailed martial artist knew something would have to be done about Ryoga. While Ranma was reasonably sure that Akari was Ryoga's love interest now, pig-boy had obviously still retained the desire to protect Akane, especially from him. Ranma grinned as an idea came to him; he would just invite Akari to the Christmas dinner! Hopefully that would keep Ryoga occupied and away from Akane. Maybe he could even convince Akari to make more aggressive moves on Ryoga, like Akane was doing to him... Because he was busy chuckling crazily to himself, Ranma didn't notice the fact that Akane was looking at him with a concerned and bewildered expression. As evening approached, guests began to gather at the Tendo house, invited by the eldest sister. No one protested much about the Kunos, Ukyo, Shampoo, or Mousse showing up, because they had been invited. Everyone realized that they would most likely show up anyway. At least this way, the family could hope they would act like proper guests. Ranma, especially, wasn't looking forward to this. History had set plenty of precedent, that when Akane, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi got together, Something Bad usually happened to him. Generally, this came in the form of a drubbing, either from Akane, or the other three girls at the same time. It wasn't that he minded it when it was directed against himself, but the girls' fighting would have spoiled the party, and he didn't want that. Contrary to Ranma's fears, however, most everyone was behaving themselves. The girls were actually being civil to each other throughout dinner and it appeared that maybe this would be a pleasant and peaceful night after all, except for the minor argument over who would sit next to Ranma during dinner. It concluded with Ukyo on his right and Shampoo on his left, while Kodachi ended up inhaling one of her own sleep powders after trying to use it on Shampoo. Ranma would have preferred to have Akane sitting next to him, partly because he was worried about her reaction with the other girls being so close to him (and occasionally trying to feed him). Thankfully, though, Akane only seemed to mildly annoyed, changing her indifferent frown to send him small secretive smiles when it appeared no one was looking. Even Kuno was keeping his annoyance factor down, resorting only to minor boasting and poetry. Apparently, his position next to Akane, combined with the fact that his sister was out for the moment, was enough to keep relatively tranquil. And Akari's presence next to her boyfriend was keeping Ryoga neutralized. Ranma recalled Kasumi mentioning something about Christmas and miracles, and began to think there was something to it. Maybe he could have a pleasant night with all his friends after all, he thought to himself. Actually, he should have realized things were going too well. It happened during the exchange of gifts. Kodachi had awoken by that time, and now they were all pressing their presents on him, each girl hoping Ranma would open their particular gift first. Worried about how to proceed at first, Ranma decided to close his eyes and pick gifts at random, so as to not appear biased. Kodachi's present was first, and it evidently turned out to be a black marriage tuxedo with a rose embroidered on the back. Ranma sweatdropped under the Kuno girl's inviting gaze as he put the outfit aside. Ukyo was next, and Ranma eyed the cologne entitled "Okonomiyaki Summer" warily. The chef smiled happily when she told him that she hoped it would remind him of her whenever he wore it. Ranma had a sneaking suspicion it would. Akane's gift was a pair of mittens she had knitted together, just for him. Ranma counted, confirming the gloves had ten fingers, six on one and four on the other. Ranma raised an eyebrow as he looked at Akane, noting her expression that mixed equal amounts of hope and an You'd-better-like-it-or-else glare. He wisely (for once) refrained from making any sort of comment, other than a "Thanks." Finally, Shampoo's gift was last; a thin, rectangular package about the size of a sheet of paper. As he opened it, Ranma was puzzled at her attitude so far, as she seemed a bit more subdued than he was used to, yet she didn't appear sad or upset. Instead, she just kept smiling like a... well, that animal that he didn't particularly care for, but already associated with her. Ranma finished opening the package to reveal a manila folder. Curious, he opened it up and flipped through the papers inside, growing more confused. The pages contained a lot of what he assumed to be medical info, as well as a couple of interesting photographs. "What's this?" Ranma asked Shampoo. Ukyo took the folder from Ranma and leafed through it, her expression darkening. "What the..." Shampoo attached herself to Ranma's arm. "Shampoo have greatest gift, confirmed with Japanese doctor two weeks ago." She smiled broadly and patted her tummy. "I finally going to have my airen's baby! I pregnant!" "B-b-b-b-b-b-b..." Ranma stuttered, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. The neural overload and shutdown that followed, left his body in a state that vastly resembled a statue. This also rendered him incapable of appreciating ensuing sudden silence, and the explosion that followed. "It is just as I thought!" Kuno declared, drawing forth his bokken. "I knew along that thy vile lechery knew no bounds!" The arms of Mousse's robe sprung several blades. "You ruined Shampoo's honor, you bastard! DIE!" Ryoga also sprung to attack to Ranma, joining Mousse and Kuno and echoing similar sentiments, ignoring Akari's pleas for him to be calm. However, the first one to get there was a furious okonomiyaki chef. Her downward spatula slice separated Ranma and Shampoo, then she froze in indecision, wondering who to attack first. She was angry at both, but only Kodachi was attacking Shampoo, screaming something about a "cheap foreign harlot". With three people attacking Ranma, Ukyo's mind was made up, and she joined the Black Rose Nabiki picked up the folder from where Ukyo had dropped it and pursed through the contents, then handed it to her father. "Looks legit to me, daddy. Says in there that Shampoo's six weeks pregnant, and these are ultrasound photos. It also confirms that the father is Ranma by a blood test. Hmmm, that would put the time of conception during Ranma's training trip, wouldn't it?" "RRRAAANNNMMMAAA!" bellowed Soun as he set the folder down, suddenly wielding a naginata instead. "How dare you cheat on Akane, your proper fiancee! Saotome, just what kind of son did you raise!?" "I don't know, Tendo," Genma replied, shaking his head, then turned to his son. "Boy, just what were you thinking? How could you dishonor the Saotome name like this?" "Oh, isn't it exciting, dearest?" Nodoka cooed happily. "We're going to have a grandchild!" With everyone focused on Ranma and Shampoo, no one noticed Kasumi pick up the folder with several dishes. "But-but, I didn't do anything!" Ranma protested, having regained a modicum of his sense and reflexes with Ukyo's attack. It also allowed him to barely dodge a sword swing from an enraged Chinese hidden weapons master. But the Tendo patriarch wouldn't listen, his spear strike coming much too close for Ranma's comfort. "Get out of my house, now! Before I throw you out!" With three people actively attacking him, Ranma had no choice. Sparing a glance at Akane, who was staring at him with anger and hate in her tear-filled eyes, Ranma Saotome fled into the night. Akane felt her blood grow cold and legs go weak at the announcement, forcing herself to balance against the wall for support. She could do nothing as the room erupted in violence, except hear Shampoo's pregnancy proclamation over and over in her mind. She finally collapsed to her knees, her whole body trembling. was her first coherent thought. (Well, well, what did you expect?) another part of her mind told her snidely. (You knew all along that Shampoo was better than you in every way, why would Ranma settle for *just* you?) she countered, but her conviction was weak. (Of course he would!) the voice shot back. (With a body like that, what guy could resist? You knew it was a matter of time, even if he did profess to care about you. And where was Ranma six weeks ago?) Akane's jumbled mind searched for the answer. (Yes, but only for one week, and Ranma was gone for two.) Akane began to tremble badly, tears welling up in her eyes. The distraught girl's head spearing the retreating Saotome with as angry a glare as she could muster, but for once, she didn't feel like running after and punishing him. She just felt cheap and used, suddenly surprised at how sick she felt at the thought of Ranma going at it with Shampoo. "Don't worry, Akane," the distraught girl barely heard her father tell her as he put a hand on her shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned, he's no longer your fiance. You won't have to marry him." Akane turned the glare on her father. "I never wanted to marry him anyway! I was against this stupid idea of yours from the beginning!" Sound was taken aback. "But, Akane, I just-" "Just leave me alone!" Akane screamed. Somehow finding the strength, she knocked her father's hand away, then fled up the stairs to her room, on the verge of breaking down and not wanting anyone to see it. Back in the dining room, Nabiki sat back observed all this with a somewhat satisfied eye. All the combatants had chased their targets away, Akari had run after Ryoga, and her father had disappeared, presumably to visit the family shrine. The Saotomes had left as well, most likely heading back to their home. They may not be welcome back in the Tendo Dojo for a long time, if ever, but that was okay with Nabiki. As far as she was concerned, Genma was even more useless than his son, and Nodoka wasn't much better. Nabiki did feel a momentary pang for Akane, who would be broken up for quite awhile, but overall it was for the best. She cared about her younger sister very much, but Ranma was just plain bad news. Nabiki hadn't thought so at first, and was actually quite amused to have the young Saotome around once she got used to him. He was profitable and entertaining, and Akane seemed happy with him. Unfortunately, Ranma was also responsible for nearly getting her younger sister killed, several times. With his lifestyle and the weirdoes he attracted, Nabiki knew it was only a matter of time before Akane wound up dead, or worse. Nabiki didn't really hate Ranma, per se, he was just too naive and dumb for his own good. He had to go. She stood and walked over to the veranda, listening the retreating sounds of violence. "Nothing personal, Saotome," Nabiki whispered to herself, then turned around, to look for the folder. "That's strange, where did it go?" A quick search revealed it was gone. "Shampoo or one of the fiancees must have picked it up. No big deal." It wasn't like it would be useful to anyone. Nabiki headed upstairs to try and comfort her sister. The sooner she got over Ranma, the better for everyone. ------------------------------------------- Author's notes: Oi, this writin' ain't easy. I first started this thing as a challenge to myself when I got into writing my own fanfics(got the idea from Lord Archive's idea page and used with his permission). I didn't know what I was getting into, really, and I'm only barely sticking to the outline for this. Kinda caught within the flow of the story, and now it's carryin' me along. For instance, I feel this will actually run about 5 parts, instead of the 6 I had originally figured on, I think. We'll see how long the next part is, and whether I need to break it up. At least I'm more than half-done. Anyway, I'm not sure I'm completely happy with this, but I figured I'd better post something; I definitely did not want to go a year between parts. As for Christmas, I don't really know if it's something the Tendo inhabitants would celebrate (barring the anime OAV episode), but work with me here. I ain't real smart, and if it looks like I am, well, I'm faking it brilliantly. The term *goosh* is shamelessly stolen from Vince's excellent "Taming of the Horse" fic. It may have been used elsewhere first, but this is where I know it from. I just like the term *goosh*, even if my spellchecker doesn't... :) As always, any thoughts, suggestions, C&C, flames, death threats, and monetary donations are welcome, at the usual address. Stay tuned for Part 4, coming out sometime soon... I swear! Kaiphantom