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'Finding Alice', Rayne no Akai Hanageshi (krimzonrayne)
Chapter One; Easily
Author's note: I here by disclaimed the ownership of Ranma ½, the property of Takahashi Rumiko as well as Haou Airen, the property of Shinjo Mayu. They are not my anymore than there are fly fishes circling my house…
For those you have no knowledge of Haou Airen, relax, you don't need it… this starts from the very first chapter of that and will introduce each and every one of the characters again.
For those who ever thought about giving up on romance, remember this…
…when you're in love, you can do anything…
Enjoy…
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A girl in a red soaked through Chinese style shirt stumbled down the street. On her back was a huge back pack which looked more like a burlap sack since it practically empty. She was sporting a look of despair and dejection on her face; something that, for any who knew her, was extremely shocking. Her matted bangs, as crimson as her shirt, lacked its usual vibrant air and were pasted against her face instead of sticking out in its usual spiky halo of youthful energy.
"Stupid Happosai, stupid Mr. Tendo, stupid Pop… stupid, stupid, stupid uncute Tomboy." Ranma-chan muttered under her breath.
It had only been a few days since she had received the Weakness Moxibustion point and, as far as she concerned, her life has pretty much took a nose dive and crash landed into hell.
At first things didn't look so bad; Ryoga appeared to be a real friend for a change, saving her from her other rivals like that. Then the Old Ghoul taught her a new technique that didn't involve usage of strength, the Hiryou Shouten Ha or Dragon's Ascension to Heaven Blast. Then she'd gone to face the ancient pervert and that's when, as the American so eloquently out it, the shit hit the fan.
The fight itself, while extremely degrading; having to show pose for those risqué photos, was not that bad. She could, and did, endure it; after all it would've been worth it if she got her strength back. But fiancée…
"Ex-fiancée" Ranma verbally corrected; practically spitting the word out.
Her ex-fiancée had to get in the way and, as always, she had to be saved. But this time the cost has been far more than a simple malleting she received for her 'man handling' of the quick temper girl.
This time it has cost her, her life.
Well, not exactly… but since she valued her Art above all else and would gladly die for its cause, it amounted to the same thing really.
But that wasn't the end of the story… No, the real ending was much, much worse…
Suddenly a man ran into her.
"Ah!" She cried out in surprise.
Although it wasn't exactly a tackle, the impact almost thrown her lightly built frame to the ground. Off balance, the red head couldn't do anything as a strong hand took hold of her hand, pulling her into the alley beside them.
Ranma tried to break away but she couldn't muster enough strength to her a baby much less a full grown man. She opened her mouth to scream but the stranger's other hand found its way over her mouth, stifling her cry for help into soundless mewing noises.
Fear, unknown fear, began to grow in her stomach. She thought she had felt something similar to this when Sanzenin kissed her during their first encounter on the rink.
Ranma began trashing about in the man's grasp. But in her weaken state holding on to her was like holding on to a reluctant kitten; annoying but not difficult.
"Chen Mo!" He hissed in her ear.
The captive girl couldn't speak Chinese but she did spent enough time over there to learn the word 'silence'.
"Didn't he come this way?"
A shout came from the main street. It was accompanied by sounds of footsteps, lots of them.
"Spread out and find him… the bastard will pay for disgracing the Onizuka in our own turf."
…
After what seemed like an eternity later, the stranger allowed the hand clamped over her mouth to drop but still holding onto her with his other hand.
"Who are you? What are you doing?" She started speaking; her voice was a pitch higher than it normally would be, although from fear or something else she didn't know.
She whirled around to face the stranger, really seeing him for the first time. He was tall, of course everyone was tall compared to her, but he was taller than most with broad shoulder. Her eyes drifted upward.
Then her heart skipped a beat.
A stray moonlight played across the alley, illuminating the stranger's face for her to see. He was handsome, a perfect blend of astute royalty look with a touch of striking ragged primal feel. On the left side of his face was dragon-shaped birthmark. The mystical beast looked real enough to have been a work of a master tattooist.
Then she saw them.
A pair of translucent blue eyes that mirrors her owns; the twin orbs that spoke of years upon years of suffering and hardship. Starring into them evoked a feeling she'd never felt before.
It was… indescribable.
'Who is this man?' The words echoed softly in the sanctuary of her mind.
Then the moment pasted. As swiftly as before, the fear returned. She futilely tried to jerk her hand away from him.
"Let go of me!" She began to scream, still pulling away in vain as fear overrode her deeply ingrained sense of arrogance. "Anybody please help!"
The man blinked in surprise, partly from the shouting but also from the fact that she spoke in Japanese. He took hold of her shoulder with his free hand, trying to calm her down by speaking her native language.
"Calm down, stop shouting." He commanded quietly but firmly, fixing his cold blue eyes on her. His voice was vibrant and
"No! Let me go!" Still in grip of hysteria, the girl continued wailed and pulled away.
"I said be quiet." The man hissed at her once again. By now his face was only inches away from hers.
"Please don't…"
Please don't what exactly, Ranma never quite finished. Her mouth was filled with another strange new sensation. Her very skin tingled with an unfamiliar anticipation as pleasure explored from her mouth and enveloped her whole being. It was as if all her sensory nodes were concentrated upon her lips, making it an erogenous zone by default. It was as if…
It was as if she was melting…
"…whah?…" She managed to whimper, her cheeks flushed bright red and her heart beat loudly.
"So you're finally ready to listen?" He commented with a breath-takingly charming smile.
His word broke her out of her spell bound stupor. She started to notice where, who, when, how and more importantly, what, just happened.
He kissed her.
A wave of anger and disgust rose within her but then… it stopped.
He kissed her.
An odd mesmerizing blend of confusion and wonderment became pronounce on her face. Why didn't that thought fill her with nausea? Why didn't she go into epileptic shock like she did when Mikado kissed her?
What was this feeling she now felt?
Thud Thud
Before she could fully understand what exactly just happened something else occurred. The two hands which were previously holding her came forward once again. They grasp onto the front of her shirt.
With a sudden jerk, they tore her garment apart; ripping off the top three buttons and exposing an indecent amount of cleavage.
Ranma froze; renewed fear paralyzing every tendons and sinews within her curvaceous body.
"If you don't shut up, I'll do a lot more than kiss you, right here right now." He said threateningly; managing the cruel, fear instilling phases without raising his voice above a whisper.
'…….'
Her mind went blank as fear and desire warred inside her.
"Well?" He asked simply.
Startled out of her shocked reverie, the pig tailed girl promptly clamped her hands over her mouth. She didn't want to do THAT, not with some guy right out here!!!
…Wait… 'out here'? Where had that came from? She didn't want to do that, period…
…right?
"Very good." The stranger said with a smile, taking her shocked silence and hands over her mouth as a sign of submission.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps returned.
"Did you guys found him?"
"No, sir…"
"Damn it, I was sure he went his this way."
'They're the men from earlier,' Ranma thought at the sudden realization. 'They're hunting this man…'
If I call out right now, these guys might help me… if I call out right now, they might kill him…
Before she could do anything with the thought, she felt three soft delicate fingers took hold of her chin. With the gentle guiding, her face slowly turned; from gazing demurely at the ground, her own soulful blue eyes looked up into his once more.
Intoxicating… there simply was no other word for the way he looked just then.
…
As seconds ticked away, her chance of calling out to the men for help seemed to fade with the softening footsteps. Ranma opened her mouth only to close it again.
Thud Thud
His eyes… His cold, cold blue eyes… Oh God…What is this feeling? It's hypnotizing; suffocating her, smothering her…
She couldn't utter a single word. She couldn't even breathe properly.
"He's not here either, sir"
"Let's go back; he must've gone the other way."
The footsteps were even quieter now, almost inaudible.
This was it, this was her last chance… if she didn't say anything now…
"Let stay like this…" He whispered in her ear, gathering her smaller frame into his broad shoulder, embracing her into his comforting warmth.
His words…they weren't a command like before. The tone was different. It was softer, almost like a suggestion between lovers.
Let stay like this……. Why did that sound so wonderful?
Thud Thud
'His breathe…' Ranma thought. 'They're so warm…'
The pig tailed girl suddenly shook her head, what was she thinking at a time like this?
Suddenly the man collapsed to the ground.
"What wrong?" The pig tailed girl asked worriedly, kneeling down beside him. She touched his shoulder tentatively before snatching her hand back as he hissed in pain. Another flash of stray moonlight washed away the shrouding darkness. The sudden light reflected off something on her palm, drawing her attention to it.
She starred at her hand with abject terror.
It was wet with crimson liquid!
TO BE CONTINUE
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Author's note: I have a confession to make, for those who don't know Haou Airen is a shoujo manga…i.e. a girl's romance novel. I found the whole series in my Mum's closet and it has been my shameful secret ever since…
I hoped you guys enjoyed that as much as I did writing it. Reviews are always welcome but you flamers should hold off until at least until chapter 3 or so, because flaming me now won't make me quit… My inspiration is still too fresh and strong!!!
Burn! The roaring flame of youth!
Anyway, C ya next chapter!
Sincerely yours and Tendo Kasumi,
Rayne no Akai Hanageshi
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P.S. If you're wondering about the name, Rayne is my feminine side (As if I had such a thing) I use this pen name when writing Romance.