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"I hate that man," Loklin kicked off her boots. "Who does he think he is?"
"He is king, Uk-Chan, whether we like it or not."
"I know. I just can't believe he sent me to that camp! It makes me so mad, I just wanna kill something!" Loklin punched the wall beside her bed, and a hole was the result.
Her eyes widened in amazement at what she had done as she stared at the hole.
"Calm down," Konatsu grasped her lightly by the shoulders, leading her to the bed. "You're stronger than you know."
Loklin sat down, but in a stubbornly fashion. Konatsu seated himself behind her, his fingers probing her shoulders as he began to rub them. It took Loklin by surprise, but she immediately began to feel herself melt. Her muscles were so sore. The way he rubbed and pinched, then smoothed it out was just what she needed. Her head cricked to the side as his hands narrowed in around her neck area.
She almost moaned lightly, but caught herself and refused to, keeping watch to avoid anything like that. Then out of the blue, her mind triggered. She realized how close she and Konatsu were at the moment, that she was leaning on his shoulder, that she could hear his breathing in her left ear. She was close to someone like this. How could she?
Ryoga . . . . she had just been this close to Ryoga. They slept on the same bunk in Akari's house, except it was Ryoga who received the backrub and then they fell asleep. No wonder why he felt so guilty. It seemed natural to her too. Her hand slowly came his side (since that was all she could reach), and she lightly pushed him back.
"S-Something wrong?" Konatsu ceased the rubbing, but his hands remained on her shoulders.
Loklin came to her feet, covering her face for a few seconds, then brushing her hair back.
"I . . . Let's go to sleep." Konatsu blushed with a nod, observing the bed size. It was large, very "princess-sized," but Konatsu knew they both needed their privacy space.
Konatsu fell asleep on the floor, wrapped up in a comforter and with a large pillow.Ryoga trembled in the cold alley, in between a closed bookstore and a noisy bar. He hugged himself in order to keep warmth. The night was much cooler than what he was used to. (Please play this midi while you read)
What town was he in? He had no idea. But he wasn't planning on staying for the night, only to catch his breath. He had covered through a lot of land. His mind felt more focused as he thought about many things to himself.
Ukkyou, before the camp. Her long elf-like ears. She had to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She had baked Ryoga a peach pie just for him once, which was his favorite. She had brought him back together after he lost to Soatome.
Soatome . . . .
If he had never lost to Soatome in that fight, he would have never met Ukkyou in the first place. It was his fault. But he also went to the concentration camp. Ryoga's heart began to beat faster as he recalled Akari.
She was sweet, she was cute. She wasn't Ukkyou. Nobody could replace Ukkyou. Ryoga couldn't believe he actually waited for her.... only put him a day behind her tracks. But he had to let Ukkyou go, that old woman would have hurt her, and he knew he was in no position to protect her. He had failed when Ukkyou needed him the most.
"Geez," Ryoga came to his feet and found a way out of town."What should I do about that girl?" King Bakuchioh rubbed his chin on his throne.
"I believe you should give the girl some time, Your Majesty," Cologne informed him of Loklin.
"No, not Loklin. I mean, Tsubasa. She is my responsibility, and yet she wandered off. I have no idea where she could have gone."
"She shall return. Should we post signs in the nearby city areas?"
"No. I don't want anyone to know of this."
"All right.""Nice to know who really cares," Tsubasa hugged his knees. He waved the vision away. "Someone will." He sighed to himself and vanished. (Please play this midi)
Loklin's room was dark. There was a window open on the far end, half a room from Loklin's bed. That's where Tsubasa appeared.
He was laying on the mattress next to the sleeping princess, and casually rolled over, gently, so not to wake her up.
Her breathing was light as he placed a hand on both sides of her face, hovering over her. Some of his hair curtained him.
"Nnn," a voice mumbled from somewhere. Tsubasa found Konatsu, asleep on the floor. He smiled as he waved his hand to send Konatsu into a deeper sleep. Easy enough.
He pressed his lips into Loklin's, suckling on her bottom lip. He kissed her a few times before she finally awoke in the middle of a kiss.
"Ah!" Loklin pushed him away. "Who are you!?"
Tsubasa landed on his feet disgracefully at the side of the bed. Loklin looked at him up and down. A very feminine-type male, but she could tell he was male.
Tsubasa covered his mouth with his hand followed by a blush.
"Loklin. You don't remember me? I've been waiting for you."
"How so."
"I am Tsubasa . . . . Your cousin?"
Loklin's heart pounded hard in her chest. "Tsubasa? No way! Tsubasa's a girl!"
"Oh, that's right. I am male, Loklin. I have been all my life. I just enjoy wearing dresses. But I think I'm past that."
He clutched her hands.
"I need your help."
"What?"
"Please come with me."
"I can't."
"Why not, Loklin?"
"Because, I need to talk to father before I go anywhere."
"He'll just argue with you. Come on." They both vanished. Konatsu shook in his sleep, knowing that he had to wake up.They were in the abandoned castle of Carnela. Loklin freed herself from Tsubasa quickly. (Please play this midi)
"The castle of the Cranelian people," Tsubasa told her, his voice distant as it echoed. "The place was burned. Everyone in the castle had died."
"Oh," Loklin's eyes darted for any dead bodies. She was relieved to find that there were none. Two candles lit on either side of the throne seat. Loklin stepped back. "Did you . . . do that?"
"There's something you need to know about me," Tsubasa waved his arm in a circle at the floor. A black hole appeared, with Loklin standing on it. "My parents abandoned me at your father's castle when I was beginning my teenage years. They were really dead when they did that." Tsubasa grinned. Loklin felt her heart pound. "I killed them. Do you know why? Because they didn't give a damn about me. You, Loklin, you are the only person who made me feel like life was worthwhile." Loklin froze. "But . . . my parents had to move somehow, right? I am a slave who escaped the devil."
Loklin's face hardened. "Are you . . . going to kill me then?"
Tsubasa shook his head. "No. But I do need your help." He cupped her face. She shook herself free.
"Don't do this. I don't want to hear any more of this, Tsubasa."
"So you aren't willing to help me?"
"I don't want to get into it."
"What if I force you then?" Tsubasa stepped back and began to laugh.
There was a low moan from the hole below, which Loklin now noticed. She tried to run off of it, but her feet were stationary.
Loklin gave him one last pitiful look. Tsubasa ceased what he ws doing and the floor slowly closed itself back up.
"I can't. I can't do it," he heaved a sigh. "Than I would be no better than King Bakuchioh."
Loklin gave him a look of surprise.
"What were you . . .?"
Tsubasa knelt onto his knees, covering his face with his gloved hands. Loklin hadn't realized it at first, but Tsubasa was weeping. She came to his side and patted his back.
"I'm sorry, Loklin. I'm sorry. I . . ."
"It's all right, Tsubasa," Loklin felt unfitting. Her cousin was a boy all this time?
"No. No it's not. I was about to take you . . ." Tsuabsa sniffed.
"Tsubasa, you are my cousin. I love you for that. I'm just glad you stopped." Tsubasa looked Loklin into the eye for a moment before he hugged her.
He was kneeling, she was crouched. His eyes peeked over her shoulder. Inhaling the sweet scents of her hair, he felt his heart throb.
"I'm in love, and I am sorry." Tsubasa released her, coming to his feet. He gently touched the jawline of Loklin's face. "I am trying to stop King Bakuchioh. Will you help me?" Loklin's eyes wandered aside in thought."This looks like a good place to stop for the night, you guys," Mousse told them. The others were at an agreeable point.
Ranma slid his belongings onto the ground carelessly. Shampoo was graceful about the situation, but Ranko crashed.
"I don't see how you do it." she huffed. "I wish I had your energy."
"We'll be there in no time," Mousse sat cross-legged next to her, patting her shoulder. "Maybe two more days?"
"Yeah," Ranma nodded.
Shampoo opened her purse and pulled out a red crystal about the size of her palm. She tossed it aside and a fire soon emerged into her fireplace. The others huddled around the fire gratefully.
Shampoo felt relieved that Ranma was beside her. She was not afriad, she placed her head on his shoulder. Both of them nearly jumped, feeling the warmth of the other.
"I sure hope Akane's all right," Ranko told Mousse, neither one of them noticing Ranma and Shampoo.
"What do you mean?"
"Now that she's a wandering soul, she could be re-born into another body any minute."
"What?"
"I said she could-"
"'Any minute?'"
"Well yeah," Ranko dug into the campfire with a stick. "But it's not likely. Usually it takes a decade or so."
"Oh . . . Have you ever been re-born?"
"Of course I have! We all have. I just don't remember it. It's like, you die and-" Ranko froze. Her glare was serious before the fire, and Mousse caught on.
Ranma and Shampoo . . . .
"They really are getting together well, aren't they?" Mousse thought and heaved a sigh.
Ranma caught that look. Mousse's eyes were tearful, mixed with the blaze of the fire scorching into his green eyes. Ranma bit on his lower lip.
Shampoo clutched his arm.
"Shampoo . . . don't," Ranma whispered to her. "Not tonight. 'Kay?" Shampoo stared at him for a few seconds, testing to see how serious he was. She released him, but not because she wanted to, placing her hands between her knees.Ryoga dragged his feet through the mushy grass. It was a little muddy, perhaps from the dew. There it still was! A campfire that had some travelers. Perhaps he could ask for directions from them!
At first, Ryoga wasn't sure if he wanted to visit with some travelers he didn't know. There were more of them than him, and they could attack him and take his belongings.
"Excuse me," Ryoga exhaled in a tired manner. "W-Where am I?"
"What?"
Ryoga's eyes widened. This girl . . . woman . . . had to be the most beautiful . . .!
With the pale brown eyes and the dark short hair! How often did you see women with short hair! She was elegant, and was glowing! The world seemed to faze out.
Ranma nudged his way behind Shampoo to hide.
Ryoga began to crack up nervously.
"I'm sorry if it's stupid. I have bad sense in directions, you see!"
"You're past the border and in Uirha territory. South of the Koyum Tribe territory," Mousse informed Ryoga. Ryoga glared hard down at a familar, cowardly ponytail. He yanked it hard to the ground.
"Hello, Ranma!!" Ranma smacked his hand away.
"Why Ryoga! I had no idea-!"
Ryoga finished his cup of tea, feeling more energized at the campfire. Ranko was asleep against Mousse's shoulder, which wasn't really intentional, she just "landed" there.
"So you're telling us that there's a princess?" Mousse cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes. Princess Loklin. But I had always been used to calling her Ukkyou. I'm still on the search for her."
"Is so . . .terrible," Shampoo blinked hard. "That you and Ukkyou suffer in concentration camp."
"It was rough." Ryoga clutched his beating heart. "And when she was hung . . . I had to save her." Ryoga's eyes focused on the blurry sky. "I miss her so much."Akane huddled over the book, a tear falling from her eyes onto the pages. "I understand now." Akane wiped her tear. "You won't find her, Ryoga."
"If you want . . . you can stick with us for awhile," Ranma offered casually, grateful that Ryoga wasn't on a killing rampage.
"Thanks but no thanks, Ranma," Ryoga pointed to himself with his thumb. "Ryoga Hibiki travels alone."The five fell asleep by a dead fire, the grasshoppers hushed in their song. Ranko twitched in her sleep, Mousse kicked at the ground a few times. Ryoga sat up and left. Shampoo heard his light feet and followed him slowly.
"Wait," she clutched his wrist. "Where is going?"
"I'm leaving I have my own journey to take."
"Shampoo want to say . . . she sorry."
"'Sorry?' What for?"
"Shampoo is gypsy. Little respect for gypsy class. Ryoga was treated like dirt, as Shampoo. Shampoo apologize."
"It's OK," Ryoga gave her a slight grin and left.Shampoo scratched her head in the night, changing her sleeping position. The grass was bumpy under her blanket. Ranma lay strecthed out comfortably in his sleep, Mousse curled up in a ball.
"At least they sleep." she thought. Her eyes searched for Ranko's sleeping form, but she was not there.
"Nugh!"
Shampoo whirled around. Hidden in the large grass, Ranko was pinned down by three orcs. Shampoo jumped high into the air, landing on one's back with a hard kick.
She landed aside, to find that Ranko was clawed a few times, but all right.
Ranma sat up.
"You no know who you deal with!" Shampoo charged her energy into her muscles like coiled metal, and raced towards them with her fists and feet.
The orcs were almost too dark for Ranma to see them. They were large and nearly bald, with some dark fuzz all over. Their stench was nearly unbearable, and their eyes were as yellow as the moon that night.
An orc swung a punch at Shampoo. She merely landed on top of it, gripped it, and flung the orc at the ground.
Ranma kicked another orc down in the face.
"Why didn't you wake me up?!" Ranma asked Shampoo.
"No had time!" Shampoo ducked an attack.
Ranko squirmed, but had no chance of moving. The juice that they dripped on her ceased her chance of moving at all.
"I have to help . . . but I can't move!" Ranko inhaled heavily. Her body began to shake, to vibrate violently. Her body came to a glow until her soul . . . .. . . .escaped.
"Allow me to borrow you," Ranko told Ranma before she placed her soul inside of his. Ranma's speed increased in his fighting almost instantly, after a few moments that it took for Ranko to adjust. She did a swing kick in mid-air at the second last orc standing, but was set off-balance by Ranma's body weight. Ranma landed hard on his side, knocking the air out of him. An orc towered over Ranma, and his fist landed next to Ranma's head, uplifting a storm of Earthen chunks.
"Here's a great tecnique," Ranko thought in their head to Ranma. "Let me take complete control."
Ranko eased Ranma to the side of the punch, and kicked the orc in the chest. The kick wasn't strong enough to hit him down, only to hold him back. Without hands, Ranma jumped to his feet, faked a punch, and another.
"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranma yelled as if it were instinctal as his fists were in a furious blur of what seemed to be one hundred hands. The orc was hit in several vital spots and fell aside uncocnscious. Ranma panted hard, his eyes narrowed down at the orc, and up to Shampoo.
"Oh, Ranma! Was so scary!" Shampoo hugged him tightly. "Ranma saved Shampoo!"
Ranma didn't know what to do, but Ranko settled it for him.
"I can't be like this, Shampoo," Ranko spoke for him. "I'm in love with Ranko."
"Hey, knock it off!" Ranma shouted inside his head. Ranko giggled and apoligized.
"Do Ranma really love Ranko?"
"No, not Ranko. I am engaged." That time it was Ranma. Shampoo's eyes showed her disappointment, but she left him to go back to sleep. Ranma's head turned toward's Akane's body, limp on the ground, but still breathing.
"Oh, man," Ranma thought. "Her eyes are . . . empty."
"She has no soul."
"Could you go back into her, Ranko? This is kinda freakin' me out."
"I don't want to. Not until it can work again. She's under some sort of spell that enabled her to stay still."
Ranma lifted Akane's body, making sure not to drop it, and began carrying her back to where the Shampoo and Mousse were. Ranma held Akane a little closer than what he had to, and she squirmed.
Ranma stared at her hard. She didn't move.
"Her body's cold. Is that why you froze?" Ranko asked.
"N-No," Ranma spoke aloud. "She moved."
"Yes. She is alive."
"She squirmed," Ranma sniffed. "That's not natural living. That's . . . . character. Doesn't that require a personality of some sort?"
Ranma's mind felt ticklish.
"What are you doing, Ranko?"
"I wish you said something, Soatome. I just had to look . . . . Why didn't you say anything about you and Princess Loklin?"
"What?"
"I traced your memory of Loklin. You were seeing her before you were banned from King Bakuchioh . . ."
"I never wanted you to invade my mind, Ranko!"
"Then I won't like you anymore." Ranma's body froze as he set Akane down. Shampoo glanced at him and went right back to her rest. "If there are already two women in your life, I won't bother."
"Two?"
"Princess Loklin and Princess Akane. Rich, royal taste."
"I don't want to hear about it." Ranma lay down to go to sleep. "You've been a help for Akane, but my mind is personal, mind you."
"I'm sorry."Huddled in the street, Kasumi hugged her cloak closer around her. Her thoughts were on Tofu, and the castle slaying . . . .
"Here," Tofu handed her a loaf of bread. She took it with gratefulness, tearing it in half. She handed the larger half to Tofu and began eating. "I'm sure this isn't what you're used to," Tofu told her as he munched.
"This is fine, as long as we have something to eat," Kasumi tore off a piece and ate it.
"I am sorry that this had to happen to you, Kasumi," Tofu sighed. "But, I do wonder of the others made it."
"No . . one . . will believe us," Kasumi felt her eyes water.(Please play this midi) "Kasumi!" Tofu slammed the door open to find Kasumi reading a book in the candlight. "We're under attack! The castle is under attack!"
"Oh my," Kasumi placed her book on her bed. "Are you sure?"
"Yes! We have to go! A woman, a woman has killed off the guards . . ." Kasumi tied her cloak around her neck, placing her book neatly on the table below the candlelight.
Tofu grabbed the lamp and followed Kasumi to the secret passageways that they were so fond of.
"The closest exit to the door is through the throne," Kasumi pressed against the stone wall that led to the throne, behind the royal chair. A splinter of light sliced across their faces as they watched in horror, a woman murder King Soun.
"A king is a mortal!" Tsubasa punched him across the face. "Who's here to protect you?!"
"Father!" Kasumi grasped her fast-beating heart, about ready to run out to defend her father, but Tofu held her back.
"Please . . . please don't. I am not . . . just a king. I am a father. I have three daughters . . . I wish to see them grow . . ."
"To Hell with your daughters!" Tsubasa charged her powers. "To Hell with Carnela!"
She placed her hands together and pressed them against King Soun's neck. Kasumi nor Tofu could completely tell what was going on.
There was the sound, as if King Soun was choking, and a minute later, he passed away, slumped in his throne, his arm hanging lifelessly at the side.
"No!" Kasumi covered her cheeks and mouth with her hands, her hot tears pouring from her eyes. Tofu slowly shut the door as Tsubasa began to sing.
"Some sort of black magic. That woman is into witchcraft of som sort." Tofu led Kasumi to another door, his hand grasping hers, his other holding the candlelight. Their shadows danced upon the walls as the floor patted against their cold and bare feet.
Kasumi came to a hault. Tofu stopped and met her eyes, locked on the floor, flooding with tears.
"Kasumi, I'm sorry," Tofu held her with one arm. "If we'd done anything, we would have been slain as well. We must leave the castle and have you return when it's safe to re-claim the throne."
"Tofu," Kasumi latched onto his chest. "Forget of the throne. It's not worth the fight.
Let's just leave . . ."
"Kasumi . . ." Tofu brushed her hair with his fingers."Maybe it will be better this way," Kasumi leaned herself against Tofu. "We have a chance to live a normal life together, without rank. I just . . . I don't believe that all that happened . . ."
"Carnela . . . without some sort of leader to keep it together . . . Carnela is bound for hellish grounds."
"Let's leave," Kasumi suggested. "Before others know too. Eventually, other countries will cease to let us into their own land-"
"-And someone greedy enough will take over," Tofu brushed his face with his wrist.The morning was at a peak before it eventually died down again. The four had awoken late that morning, but since the night they had met Ryoga, they had covered through a lot of land.
Mousse had changed his cloth on his arm that morning. The healing was working wonderful, but he was careful to keep it clean.
The grass was growing more lush as they had traveled. Carnela was somewhat beautiful, but there were many more flowers here. Not as many trees though, and that disappointed Mousse.
Shampoo had dragged her feet. She didn't know what to say. She had kissed Ranma, and that had committed her to him even more, but he seemed to back down on the situation.
"Do Ranma really love Ranko, and not Shampoo?" she thought to herself. Ranko was in her own world to the side of everyone else. Ranma and Mousse were spaced apart, but side-by-side.
"Did Mousse mean what say at forest?"
"Y-Yes. I meant it . . . I... love you, Shampoo."
Shampoo felt her face blush. She . . . had forgotten about that. She had slept with Mousse, in the same bed, overnight. Sure, they didn't do anything, but it must have brought Mousse to feeling closer about her. Did her really love her?
Shampoo remembered about the time that she told Mousse about her feelings for Ranma. It was after he had rescued her. He never complained about how much trouble he has gone through for her, she didn't really pay any attention. He was joking, wasn't he?
"No man possibly love gypsy for real."
Shampoo's eyes drifted from Mousse to Ranma. Back and forth her eyes went, like a pendulum in a clock. She found herself in a confusing wave of thoughts about them both.
The sky seemed to light up, the dew sparkling the gorgeous smile that Earth had to offer, as they crossed over a hill to find Fire Womb ahead. The hill lay between two others, moving up and down in a slow pattern of breathing.
"There it is," Ranma paused, talking more to himself than Mousse. "That's Fire Womb, isn't it? Isn't it?"
"Yes," Mousse inhaled the sweet scent of the dew. "That's where we can bring Akane back."
Ranma felt a tug on his sleeve. He was surprised to find Ranko clawing at his arm. Her face wasn't pleasant. She looked rather . . . frightened.
"Ranko, that hurts," Ranma whispered to her. "What's the matter?"
"It gives me chills," she half-whispered to him, "that my real body is here. I am to die for good." Ranma's face softened.
"You don't have to die, do you?"
"It depends on what the gods do. And the fire dragon."(Please play this midi) "Ranma," Shampoo spoke from her silence behind them. All three of them turned to her threatening tone. Shampoo slowly stepped up to him, and lightly pushed Ranko away. She slid her arms around Ranma's neck and kissed him.
Mousse's heart dropped, and so did Ranko's jaw.
"Quite the jealous type, isn't she," Ranko told Mousse, but her lopsided grin faded when she saw how serious Mousse was. His head was turned to focus at the ground, his hair tumbling down his shoulders, his whole body trembling.
"Ranma!" Mousse pointed at Ranma, ending the fierce kiss. "I challenge you! And if I should win, you will give up on Shampoo!!"
"Do
"Shampoo look like prize to Mousse?" Shampoo placed her hands on her hips defensively. "Is that all is to Mousse?"
"N-No . . ."
"Um," Ranma pushed Shampoo away. "I can't be with you, Shampoo."
Shampoo felt herself sting as if one hundred lightning bolts had struck onto her. She felt dizzy and lost, her feet losing their pattern.
"Why?"
"I am engaged to Princess Akane. Until I cancel it, I have to . . ."
" . . . be true to her." Ranko tapped her lower lip. "I don't really want to have to hear this. I'll just go resurrect her myself."
Ranko froze. She felt her body recieve a rush of chills.
The other three where quiet in a moody manner, their hands in fists. As Ranko continued to lead the three, she felt her feet grow heavier, and her head more dizzy.
"Oh," Ranko fell to her knees, her hand on her temple. "We're close." She came back to her feet.
At the foot of the hill, her foot pressed into the legendary soil, her body shook. She was trembling violently as the ground beneath her began to crumble.
The dirt was tossed about around her as bones splintered into the air, forming together silently as a body of some sort. Ranko pressed her hands against her temples, and didn't realize that she was screaming. She reached out for the mass of bones, which reached back when the arm fully formed.
Her eyes glowed into a full yellow center, green lining. The hands of her own soul reached out of Akane's mouth, pulling its way out. Akane's mouth was large, like she was holding as much air in her cheeks as possible, and it all went away.
Into Ranko's body.
The skin formed over the bones, the insides working their way around as Ranko re-positioned herself into her own body. Akane's body dropped, but Ranma had caught onto her, and held her to carry her.
Ranko's eyes rolled from the back of her eyes, her blue eyes focusing on her graceful pale hands. Her wild red hair settled itself against her back and shoulders. Her very breasts were of a full-grown woman's.
She towered over Ranma, cooling him in her shade.
"You're a . . . centaur?" Ranma gawked.
Ranko nodded towards the direction of the hill, as they continued their walk. That spot, where her footprint still lay, was right over the grave of her original body.
Akane was empty once more as Ranma carried her uphill, Ranko leading him. Mousse and Shampoo trudged behind, their hearts pumping fast, hoping they didn't recieve mistakable migraines.There was no turning back . . . .
