Heart of Fire, Soul of Ice
Part 1: Running Interference
Now, as it is, you all know, Ranma and Akane are like two positively
charged ions. They just don't attract. In the few moment's they manage
to drop their guards, you get intensely waffy moments. Nekoken is a
good example, if you want to see your hero experience intense fear
before these few special moments. Yet, all of these wonderfully waffy
moments END BADLY! Without fail, if Ranma and Akane have a waffy
moment, soon following will be extreme pain because while trying to
backpedal, Ranma managed to shove his wonderful size nine down his
throat to his knee cap.
Causing these problems are little things. If you call multiple fiancee's, all
of which have a severe streak of 'disciplinarian' in them. Hell, one's a
bloody domina...wait, that's two...dominatri...how do you make that
plural anyways...?
Doesn't matter. This is just a little something to get you thinking. Also,
remember, this is not the ONLY relationship I run interference for. Take
our dear little Inuyasha and Kagome. Oblivious as anything. Okay,
maybe just my dear little brother...So many couples, all with oblivious
men. I run interference for these people to make sure that they get
together. Unfortunately, that's all a girl can do. Run interference. I
watch from afar and make sure Nabiki is selling Kuno pictures of his two
most recent 'loves', Shampoo is being constantly watched, by Cologne
or Mousse. Ryoga...well, when he actually manages to find the dojo, is
punted out the first window by Ranma. Again, resulting in extreme pain,
but hey, interference is BAD for their relationship.
Ukyou is a major problem, because on the offchance she managed to
slip through my normally so iron tight barrier, EXCEPT when I want her
to, and sometimes, when Ranma's upset with Akane (Or she's cooking),
he runs to her or Shampoo. As a 'divine influence' in relationships, this
is a VERY BAD THING! Dear Ranma winds up playing human sattelite
in the upper atmosphere for stunts like that.
Either way, the fiancee's are the first problem.
The FIRST thing to take care of.
"Fushicho-chan, what are you thinking about?"
My head snapped up and I stared at my white haired intruder. I smiled.
"Oh, Okami-kun, daijobu?"
"Daijobu. Are you thinking about your two little charges?"
I smile. "They're getting a little repetative...I think they need a little
surprise in their lives..."
Okami leaned over my shoulder, staring into my candle. "What are you
speaking about, dear?"
I giggled. "Oh, why nothing more than a surprise!"
He arched a fine eyebrow. "You mean some normalcy. After that last
stunt you pulled at Jusendo, without even getting him to confess his
feelings-"
"But he DID confess...he just did the usual and tried to choak on his
foot...I wonder if he realizes athletes foot can be contracted in the
mouth, he might stop stuffing his foot in it." My eyes twinkled with
mystery. "I can't help myself, my friend."
"You better try. You almost killed her." His eyes held deep
disapproval.
I sighed, her head hanging in defeat. "I...I lost control..." I said, my
eyes glazing slightly as I remembered. "She wasn't supposed to do
something so incredibly recless..." I bit my lip. I'd been so close that
time. If she'd only done what she was supposed to...
"I know, dear..." He tenderly squeezed my shoulder. His silvery blue
eyes pierced my deep black pair. "But you must rectify your mistake.
She believes he hates her."
'Maybe he doesn't love her, Fushicho-onna...' A soft hissing voice
flitted into my ears, disembodied.
"He does, believe me, Ryu...he does...he has since he met her..."
'Then...perhaps she doesn't love him...'
That comment troubled me. I couldn't read Akane's feelings for Ranma
as easily as Ranma's for her. I could tell she cared for him on some level,
even if just as a friend. A grumpy sigh escaped me. "I'm fairly certain
she does, cretin, as much as he does her..." I hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"RANMA NO HENTAI!!!" Akane's shriek from the bathroom caused
head all along the street to jerk up, half expecting to see a half naked,
terry-cloth, dotera clad Akane come running out, chasing Ranma with a
skillet, mallet, shinai, or other such object of pain and suffering down
the street.
Instead, he was already plastered to the wall opposite the bath room.
"You uncute tomboy! It's not *my* fault! You're the one who left the
*sign* backwards!"
Akane glared at him and slammed the door shut in his face after
throwing his clothing at him and hitting him smack in the face. "You
shouldn't have been peeping at me! You're as bad as *Happosai*!"
Ranma lept up, about to start insulting her, when her insult struck home.
"What...did you say...? He whispered, his eyes icy. He couldn't believe
she'd just said that. Happosai, the bane of his existance, the one who
tossed water on him in the dead of night, groping onto his chest.
Evidentally, his fiancee didn't realize what she'd said. He had to give her
a chance. Like she never gave him.
Like she hadn't given him now.
Like she would never give him.
His hands balled into tight fists, his trimmed nails, though short, dug
into the soft flesh of his hand. "How dare you..." He whispered. "How
dare you say I'm as bad as HE is...and how dare you hit me, believing
everything is my fault..." He lifted his ice blue eyes and met her angry
brown ones. "How *DARE* you..." His eyes ran down her and back
up, his face furious. "Happosai? Hmph. I wouldn't go acting like a
saint, if I were you...you're pretty perverse yourself." He snarled angrily
before walking away.
Akane watched him leave in shock. "Wha..." Then her own words
struck home. *...I didn't really...say that...did I? Could I have been so
cruel as to...oh, gods, what have I done...* She watched him walk away
from her, his shoulders wide, his back straight, his stance rigid. He
could feel her eyes on her back, she just knew it. She felt a tear of pain
fall down her face and drip onto her dotera. Angrily, she wiped it away.
"Tears...over that jerk...I should be happy..."
Should be.
But she wasn't.
She knew she could never live with him angry at her. Slowly, she
walked back into the changing room and slipped her arms through the
sleeves of her uniform. It fit snuggly in all the right places, and flowed
around her knees. She always felt cute in the uniform. Until Ranma
showed up and proved how superior he was. In form, in martial arts.
In...everything.
She walked to the table and sat down, trying to squelch the pain of
noticing Ranma had taken Kasumi's usual spot. She sighed, lifting her
tea and sipping it. *Why do I always manage to screw everything good
between us up...?* She wondered, her face calm, despite her inner
turmoil. An idle finger traced the pattern on her plate, her eyes
watching sightlessly.
She didn't know why, but she'd been on edge all day. With Ranma, with
her family. She just didn't understand. She had actually said Ranma
was like Happosai, the bane of their existance, the one who glomped her
at school, tried to kiss her, and caused them so much pain. *What was I
thinking? Was I thinking? How could I say something so incredibly
stupid?*
Ranma was trying hard to ignore her, but was failing badly. His eyes
followed her finger as it traced the design on her plate. *I shouldn't
have snapped at her...I've just been feeling so nervous...* He frowned,
remembering the last time he'd felt so nervous. It was just before the
Jusenkyo/Jusendo incident. This feeling usually preceded 'Saotome
Secret ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE training'. His name for trouble.
His kind of trouble. The kind that brought Laichi and her Prince, that
stole Akane away to Ryugenzawa, the kind that took him away from her,
leaving her at home, only to have her taken and almost killed several
times.
His eyes nervously flitted over to her. He had to apologize. And try
not to choak himself with his foot this time. He always said the wrong
thing to her, but from what his mother said, this was a sign...of deep fear
of rejection.
He looked at his own plate as Kasumi served him a large protion of
food, piling it high, and picked up his chopsticks, limbering them a bit
before glancing at Akane again, worry evident on his face.
She was looking right at him.
He gulped, and tried to swallow the rice he'd almost choaked on at the
discovery. He focused on his food, trying to ignore the feelings of her
eyes on him. He bit his lip hard and winced. *She's never going to
forgive me for that comment...I screwed up bigtime...*
Akane looked at her plate, her face pale. She had to apologize to him.
What she'd said was unforgivable, but she had to try. She cared for him
too much. *Oh, Ranma...are we ever going to be able to set aside our
pride...and let our selves feel...?* She wondered, her face taking on a
melancholy apearance. *I need your friendship...at least that...* She
glanced up at him, her eyes sad.
*Please...let us be able to...*
He glanced up at her, his eyes equally as sad. He was sick of all the
fighting. If only she could listen to what he had to say...He shook
himself. It wasn't just her fault. If he could say what he meant...and say
it right...he might actually be able to get along with her. If he could just
throw down his barriers and hold her and tell her how much he loved
her...
But that would be letting his father win.
He'd be damned if he'd give his father the easy victory that Genma and
Soun wanted.
But her tears...they made him feel like a bird trapped in a cage, trying,
yet failing to breath. Her tears acted like the strongest chi attack, the
most powerful poison, the sharpest katana. Especially when they were
his fault. He bit his lip, wolfing the last of his food before he abruptly
stood and left the dining room with a quick thanks to Kasumi, before
hurrying to the dining room, snagging his bento, then went for his
backpack.
Just as a soft hand reached for hers.
Ranma and Akane stared at each other, their faces pale. "Uh..."
"Ummm..." She blushed, looking down.
"I-"
"I-"
They tried to speak at the same time and began blushing harder. Ranma
was the first to recover, being used to 'choakupitis'. "I guess we should
get to school before we're late and have to do bucket duty..." He said,
lifting his pack. He looked down at Akane's disappointed face and
winced, cursing his cowardice.
*I...I guess...maybe it's too much to hope for...* She thought, looking
away.
*Maybe...maybe it's just too soon...*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I threw my hands in the air, screaming in frustration, the animal like
shriek echoing in the heavens. It was almost too much to deal with.
These two were so DAMN FRUSTRATING! My red hair began to
become feathers as it usually did when I became extremely agitated.
Suddenly, I heard a soft feminine chuckle.
It was Hotaru. The Spirit of Fire & Air.
"What are you doing here?!" I demanded.
"Fushicho, you're so amusing...really, to worry your pretty little head
over a few fools if POINTLESS!"
I flexed my talons. "Okay...enough of this indirect bullshit...I run
interference...and now, THEY'RE INTERFERING!" I shook my head, my
crimson, hair, topped with golden highlights fell into place, long,
flowing down to my thighs. I lifted my hands, and summoned my fire
magic. It was easy enough. Soon, a uniform identical to Akane's
swirled around me, accentuating my flatteringly curvacious figure.
"You're...not going to the mortal realm are you?!" Another woman's icy
voice asked.
"I have no choice. They're my responsibility. I can't let them screw up
this time, Yuki..."
"You're breaking Rules..."
"You're one to talk, Taka-kun!" I looked at my health peach-pink
complextion and tied my curly hair up with a golden ribbon. "I'll be
back, soon, guys..." I smiled for the sake of smiling. "Don't wait up..."
I summoned my magic. I knew I could very well be executed for this, but
it was something I had to do.
For them.
For me.
End Prolouge
Part 1: Running Interference
Now, as it is, you all know, Ranma and Akane are like two positively
charged ions. They just don't attract. In the few moment's they manage
to drop their guards, you get intensely waffy moments. Nekoken is a
good example, if you want to see your hero experience intense fear
before these few special moments. Yet, all of these wonderfully waffy
moments END BADLY! Without fail, if Ranma and Akane have a waffy
moment, soon following will be extreme pain because while trying to
backpedal, Ranma managed to shove his wonderful size nine down his
throat to his knee cap.
Causing these problems are little things. If you call multiple fiancee's, all
of which have a severe streak of 'disciplinarian' in them. Hell, one's a
bloody domina...wait, that's two...dominatri...how do you make that
plural anyways...?
Doesn't matter. This is just a little something to get you thinking. Also,
remember, this is not the ONLY relationship I run interference for. Take
our dear little Inuyasha and Kagome. Oblivious as anything. Okay,
maybe just my dear little brother...So many couples, all with oblivious
men. I run interference for these people to make sure that they get
together. Unfortunately, that's all a girl can do. Run interference. I
watch from afar and make sure Nabiki is selling Kuno pictures of his two
most recent 'loves', Shampoo is being constantly watched, by Cologne
or Mousse. Ryoga...well, when he actually manages to find the dojo, is
punted out the first window by Ranma. Again, resulting in extreme pain,
but hey, interference is BAD for their relationship.
Ukyou is a major problem, because on the offchance she managed to
slip through my normally so iron tight barrier, EXCEPT when I want her
to, and sometimes, when Ranma's upset with Akane (Or she's cooking),
he runs to her or Shampoo. As a 'divine influence' in relationships, this
is a VERY BAD THING! Dear Ranma winds up playing human sattelite
in the upper atmosphere for stunts like that.
Either way, the fiancee's are the first problem.
The FIRST thing to take care of.
"Fushicho-chan, what are you thinking about?"
My head snapped up and I stared at my white haired intruder. I smiled.
"Oh, Okami-kun, daijobu?"
"Daijobu. Are you thinking about your two little charges?"
I smile. "They're getting a little repetative...I think they need a little
surprise in their lives..."
Okami leaned over my shoulder, staring into my candle. "What are you
speaking about, dear?"
I giggled. "Oh, why nothing more than a surprise!"
He arched a fine eyebrow. "You mean some normalcy. After that last
stunt you pulled at Jusendo, without even getting him to confess his
feelings-"
"But he DID confess...he just did the usual and tried to choak on his
foot...I wonder if he realizes athletes foot can be contracted in the
mouth, he might stop stuffing his foot in it." My eyes twinkled with
mystery. "I can't help myself, my friend."
"You better try. You almost killed her." His eyes held deep
disapproval.
I sighed, her head hanging in defeat. "I...I lost control..." I said, my
eyes glazing slightly as I remembered. "She wasn't supposed to do
something so incredibly recless..." I bit my lip. I'd been so close that
time. If she'd only done what she was supposed to...
"I know, dear..." He tenderly squeezed my shoulder. His silvery blue
eyes pierced my deep black pair. "But you must rectify your mistake.
She believes he hates her."
'Maybe he doesn't love her, Fushicho-onna...' A soft hissing voice
flitted into my ears, disembodied.
"He does, believe me, Ryu...he does...he has since he met her..."
'Then...perhaps she doesn't love him...'
That comment troubled me. I couldn't read Akane's feelings for Ranma
as easily as Ranma's for her. I could tell she cared for him on some level,
even if just as a friend. A grumpy sigh escaped me. "I'm fairly certain
she does, cretin, as much as he does her..." I hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"RANMA NO HENTAI!!!" Akane's shriek from the bathroom caused
head all along the street to jerk up, half expecting to see a half naked,
terry-cloth, dotera clad Akane come running out, chasing Ranma with a
skillet, mallet, shinai, or other such object of pain and suffering down
the street.
Instead, he was already plastered to the wall opposite the bath room.
"You uncute tomboy! It's not *my* fault! You're the one who left the
*sign* backwards!"
Akane glared at him and slammed the door shut in his face after
throwing his clothing at him and hitting him smack in the face. "You
shouldn't have been peeping at me! You're as bad as *Happosai*!"
Ranma lept up, about to start insulting her, when her insult struck home.
"What...did you say...? He whispered, his eyes icy. He couldn't believe
she'd just said that. Happosai, the bane of his existance, the one who
tossed water on him in the dead of night, groping onto his chest.
Evidentally, his fiancee didn't realize what she'd said. He had to give her
a chance. Like she never gave him.
Like she hadn't given him now.
Like she would never give him.
His hands balled into tight fists, his trimmed nails, though short, dug
into the soft flesh of his hand. "How dare you..." He whispered. "How
dare you say I'm as bad as HE is...and how dare you hit me, believing
everything is my fault..." He lifted his ice blue eyes and met her angry
brown ones. "How *DARE* you..." His eyes ran down her and back
up, his face furious. "Happosai? Hmph. I wouldn't go acting like a
saint, if I were you...you're pretty perverse yourself." He snarled angrily
before walking away.
Akane watched him leave in shock. "Wha..." Then her own words
struck home. *...I didn't really...say that...did I? Could I have been so
cruel as to...oh, gods, what have I done...* She watched him walk away
from her, his shoulders wide, his back straight, his stance rigid. He
could feel her eyes on her back, she just knew it. She felt a tear of pain
fall down her face and drip onto her dotera. Angrily, she wiped it away.
"Tears...over that jerk...I should be happy..."
Should be.
But she wasn't.
She knew she could never live with him angry at her. Slowly, she
walked back into the changing room and slipped her arms through the
sleeves of her uniform. It fit snuggly in all the right places, and flowed
around her knees. She always felt cute in the uniform. Until Ranma
showed up and proved how superior he was. In form, in martial arts.
In...everything.
She walked to the table and sat down, trying to squelch the pain of
noticing Ranma had taken Kasumi's usual spot. She sighed, lifting her
tea and sipping it. *Why do I always manage to screw everything good
between us up...?* She wondered, her face calm, despite her inner
turmoil. An idle finger traced the pattern on her plate, her eyes
watching sightlessly.
She didn't know why, but she'd been on edge all day. With Ranma, with
her family. She just didn't understand. She had actually said Ranma
was like Happosai, the bane of their existance, the one who glomped her
at school, tried to kiss her, and caused them so much pain. *What was I
thinking? Was I thinking? How could I say something so incredibly
stupid?*
Ranma was trying hard to ignore her, but was failing badly. His eyes
followed her finger as it traced the design on her plate. *I shouldn't
have snapped at her...I've just been feeling so nervous...* He frowned,
remembering the last time he'd felt so nervous. It was just before the
Jusenkyo/Jusendo incident. This feeling usually preceded 'Saotome
Secret ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE training'. His name for trouble.
His kind of trouble. The kind that brought Laichi and her Prince, that
stole Akane away to Ryugenzawa, the kind that took him away from her,
leaving her at home, only to have her taken and almost killed several
times.
His eyes nervously flitted over to her. He had to apologize. And try
not to choak himself with his foot this time. He always said the wrong
thing to her, but from what his mother said, this was a sign...of deep fear
of rejection.
He looked at his own plate as Kasumi served him a large protion of
food, piling it high, and picked up his chopsticks, limbering them a bit
before glancing at Akane again, worry evident on his face.
She was looking right at him.
He gulped, and tried to swallow the rice he'd almost choaked on at the
discovery. He focused on his food, trying to ignore the feelings of her
eyes on him. He bit his lip hard and winced. *She's never going to
forgive me for that comment...I screwed up bigtime...*
Akane looked at her plate, her face pale. She had to apologize to him.
What she'd said was unforgivable, but she had to try. She cared for him
too much. *Oh, Ranma...are we ever going to be able to set aside our
pride...and let our selves feel...?* She wondered, her face taking on a
melancholy apearance. *I need your friendship...at least that...* She
glanced up at him, her eyes sad.
*Please...let us be able to...*
He glanced up at her, his eyes equally as sad. He was sick of all the
fighting. If only she could listen to what he had to say...He shook
himself. It wasn't just her fault. If he could say what he meant...and say
it right...he might actually be able to get along with her. If he could just
throw down his barriers and hold her and tell her how much he loved
her...
But that would be letting his father win.
He'd be damned if he'd give his father the easy victory that Genma and
Soun wanted.
But her tears...they made him feel like a bird trapped in a cage, trying,
yet failing to breath. Her tears acted like the strongest chi attack, the
most powerful poison, the sharpest katana. Especially when they were
his fault. He bit his lip, wolfing the last of his food before he abruptly
stood and left the dining room with a quick thanks to Kasumi, before
hurrying to the dining room, snagging his bento, then went for his
backpack.
Just as a soft hand reached for hers.
Ranma and Akane stared at each other, their faces pale. "Uh..."
"Ummm..." She blushed, looking down.
"I-"
"I-"
They tried to speak at the same time and began blushing harder. Ranma
was the first to recover, being used to 'choakupitis'. "I guess we should
get to school before we're late and have to do bucket duty..." He said,
lifting his pack. He looked down at Akane's disappointed face and
winced, cursing his cowardice.
*I...I guess...maybe it's too much to hope for...* She thought, looking
away.
*Maybe...maybe it's just too soon...*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I threw my hands in the air, screaming in frustration, the animal like
shriek echoing in the heavens. It was almost too much to deal with.
These two were so DAMN FRUSTRATING! My red hair began to
become feathers as it usually did when I became extremely agitated.
Suddenly, I heard a soft feminine chuckle.
It was Hotaru. The Spirit of Fire & Air.
"What are you doing here?!" I demanded.
"Fushicho, you're so amusing...really, to worry your pretty little head
over a few fools if POINTLESS!"
I flexed my talons. "Okay...enough of this indirect bullshit...I run
interference...and now, THEY'RE INTERFERING!" I shook my head, my
crimson, hair, topped with golden highlights fell into place, long,
flowing down to my thighs. I lifted my hands, and summoned my fire
magic. It was easy enough. Soon, a uniform identical to Akane's
swirled around me, accentuating my flatteringly curvacious figure.
"You're...not going to the mortal realm are you?!" Another woman's icy
voice asked.
"I have no choice. They're my responsibility. I can't let them screw up
this time, Yuki..."
"You're breaking Rules..."
"You're one to talk, Taka-kun!" I looked at my health peach-pink
complextion and tied my curly hair up with a golden ribbon. "I'll be
back, soon, guys..." I smiled for the sake of smiling. "Don't wait up..."
I summoned my magic. I knew I could very well be executed for this, but
it was something I had to do.
For them.
For me.
End Prolouge