Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Across the Stars ❯ Ranma, in Danger? ( Chapter 7 )

I will now address the reviewers:

SurfAngel:  Well if I told you when that would happen, then it would give away the story. *Grins*  And I don't like giving away anything.

Dagorwen of Ithilien: Is this fast enough for you? *winks*

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Now on with the show!! ^_^

Disclaimer: Not mine at all, too bad though.  But I can still do horrible humiliating things to the characters for awhile.  But don't worry, I'll give them back the way I borrowed them.

Summary: Akane Tendou has always wanted to be stronger than her rivals, she does not know the potential she actually has to be even better. Another marriage arrangement comes back to bite Soun in the behind. He's got some explaining to do.

Across the Stars

Episode 6- Ranma, in Danger?

…Akane turned around, well that's just great!  Now she had gone completely insane.  Her eyes were definitely playing tricks on her.  She stood there staring and Ranma took a step forward, Akane gasped and the book slipped from her hand and into the water of the fountain.  She panicked and looked down into the water. "Oh no..."  She bent down and reached for the now soaked book, pulling it out shaking the water off it.  Akane cringed looking at it; the history book was completely ruined.  "Good going there Akane," She said out loud to herself.

"You never were very coordinated Akane." Ranma said with a smirk, making Akane turn and glare at him.

"Man even the figments of my imagination insult me."

Ranma's brows arched. "Figment, imagination?  Akane I'm not something your mind made up.  I'm really here, standing in front of you, talking to you."

Laughing sarcastically, Akane shook her head.   "Yeah right, I've gone mental I know I have.  So I'm going to go now and you can just fade away."

"Geeze Akane, for a smart girl you're often stupid sometimes."

She growled lightly. "Why you…" Akane said stepping right up to her figment, "How dare something made out of thin air insult me!" She shook her head, "What am I doing?  I am arguing with insanity."

Ranma's eyes were slightly wide, she was so close.  He could smell her scene of fresh strawberries; oh it was completely wonderful and familiar.  He look about face, she seemed a little mellow and even though she was angry he could see that within her chocolate brown eyes she was unhappy.  Ranma saw that she had golden leaves going around her forehead, that must have been what he saw clasped around the back of her head.  Hesitating he lifted his hand resting it on her shoulder. "Akane, you have not gone insane, at least not anymore insane than when you were when we met."  He saw her eyes narrow.  "This is not some figment, I came along with the other alien girls, they brought me with them.  Even Ryouga and Kuno are here."  He left out the presence of Shampoo and Ukyou, Akane would know about them soon enough.

She could feel the pressure of his hand on her shoulder, but was it too much to hope for that he was really standing here.  Akane had dreams of this kind of a situation before, perhaps this was once again one of her dreams.  "How do I know this is real, what if it's all some kind of bizarre dream?"  Not even a second later… "Ow!  You pinched me you jerk."

"Did you wake up?" Ranma said, with a slight laughter in his voice.

Akane looked around. "No…" This was real, he was real.  She immediately jumped away from him and from his touch.  "Ranma?  What are you doing here?"

Ranma felt a little disappointed, she sounded angry that he was here and that she moved away from him like that.  Maybe Ukyou was right, perhaps Akane didn't like him at all.  "Gee Akane it sounds like you're not happy to see me."

"Humpfh," She closed her eyes tilting her head a little.  "Of course I'm not, why should I be?"  Akane then opened them and noticed he looked a little angry, but she had to make him mad enough that he would leave since his very life depended on it.

His left fist clinched hard. "Akane, I came all this way just to talk to you.  There is no way I'm going to let you treat me like this."

"What are you talking about?"

"You have always taken things a step too far Akane, always hitting me and stuff.  Just so you know I'm not going to take it anymore."

Akane groaned. "Then what are you still doing here?  I didn't ask you to come here it's your own fault that you came all this way to talk to me." She said sarcastically and sounded very annoyed.  She really did not want to be mean to him, but she had to for his own good.  She had read what happens to those who go against the crown, and with Ranma here, an ex suitor of some kind even if he didn't want to be, he definitely would be going against the crown, he could get in a lot of trouble for this.  "Ranma it's probably best if you went home, marry Shampoo or Ukyou or whoever you want."

"Whoever…I…want?" Ranma's voice was tight and harsh as he tried to suppress his anger, Akane frustrated him so much that he just wanted to kick something or someone.  "Akane, I think you've taken this princess thing a little too far.  Thinking you can tell me what to do."

"I'm not a princess, Dummy," She said with a roll of her eyes. "Ayeka I read is first princess, second princess is Sasami.  I don't even have such a title."

"I don't care about that crap!" 'I care about you!' he wanted to shout, but he didn't.  He held himself back from declaring anything to this cold-hearted woman

She was just a bit shocked at his anger; Akane really didn't expect any of this.  But she certainly was not going to take any of his yelling at her, not when she was trying to save his life.  "Ranma, go away.  All right, just go!"  She pointed towards the exit to the gardens.  She was growing more impatient when he didn't even move from that spot.  "Fine then, if you won't leave then I will."  She turned to go, but Ranma grabbed her about the shoulders and spun her around to face him and Akane noticed the hurt look in his eyes, but he masked it quickly, just as if it was never there.

"Akane, do you really want me to leave?" Ranma couldn't believe it, he had taken a chance and it blew up in his face.

Akane took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes I do."  She kept in a sigh with how good Ranma's hands felt on her.

"Why? I want a good reason."

She couldn't look him in the eye. "Because Ranma, I hate you.  I never liked you at all."  Akane felt his hands tighten on her shoulders and she cringed, "Ow, you jerk that hurts!"

"Sorry," Ranma said in a real apology, he didn't mean to hurt her at all and he dropped his hands from her shoulders.  "You really hate me that much Akane, after all that we have been through together, how could you possibly hate me?"

She shrugged. "It's rather easy, one can only take so much insulting and causing of emotional pain."

"Why aren't you looking me in the eye when say this?" 

Her head jolted up. "Ranma you have to leave, please?  You shouldn't be here."  Akane's voice was tinged with worry as she almost blurted out the truth to him.

"You're hiding something." Ranma pointed at her. "You were never a very good liar Akane, you are not telling me the truth here, are you?"  A little bit of hope found its way into Ranma's head and he couldn't help but smile a little, which he knew made Akane angry cause her face twisted up in that oh so familiar way.

"Ranma! You have…" She was interrupted hearing her name being called, she turned slightly.  "Yeah, I'm over here."  She turned back towards Ranma and whispered. "You better hide, the man who calls himself my father is on his way to this very spot."

"What? Why hide?"  Ranma was more than confused.

Akane pushed him. "Just do it." She twirled around as Lord Jin stepped into her part of the gardens.

"There you are Akane, I have been searching for you."  He looked around, feeling something was not right here.  "I thought I heard voices, Akane were you talking to someone out here?"

"Uh…n…no." She stuttered and silently cursed herself.

Jin's brow arched. "Was that a stutter? I told you that no daughter of mine will talk in such an idiotic fashion."

Akane bowed slightly. "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

"Remember that Akane for next time I hear it, there will be consequences."  Jin said then took a seat upon the marble fountain rim.  He looked down at the soaked book. "Have an accident?"

She nodded. "Yes, I dropped it in the fountain."  Akane took a deep breath and sat down next to Lord Jin. "Why have you sought me out?"

Jin looked around, he could have sworn he heard a man's voice out here, something was going on and he never liked being kept in the dark.  He would find out just what his daughter was up too.  He looked at Akane, completely serious.  "It has been brought to my attention, Akane, that a few of your friends have come from the Earth to see your wedding."

Akane coughed. "Did they really? I hadn't heard yet.  I've been reading out here, completely alone."

"Right," Jin's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "Anyway, a few of them happen to be male." 

"Is that so?" Akane knew she was sounding suspicious, she was never very good at deception.  "What does this have to do with you finding me?"  She was cutting right to the chase.  "I'm sure I would find out about my past friends when it was time to show up for dinner."

"How far in the royal family law books have you read?"

Akane concentrated, thinking back to what she had read. "Well, I had just gotten to the part about treason and enemies to the crown, then Tenchi came and found me and said I needed a break."

"How much of those particular laws do you know?"  Jin was watching her closely, she seemed to be breaking into a bit of a sweat.

After taking a deep, uncomfortable breath Akane answered. "That enemies to the crown will be put to death, it talked about suitors of the past and present in that regard."

Jin nodded. "That is absolutely correct Akane, good job in remembering it."  He praised lightly.  "Now that you have male friends here, you may not engage in any sexual activity with them or else face the ultimate penalty-"  He was then interrupted by Akane

Akane's cheeks flamed, her entire face turned bright red from embarrassment.  "I wasn't planning on doing anything of that nature, sir." 

"Do not interrupt me young lady, I was not finished."  He cleared his throat. "The only one you are allowed any such indiscretions is that of your intended, in fact it is highly approved of before you wed that you know each other inside and out."

Akane nearly passed out from shock. "Sir, I am going to pretend I didn't even hear you say that!"

"Akane, you can not lie to me about this, don't even try to hide it.  I know a lot about what happens in the palace, and that you often spend most of your nights with Lord Tenchi-"

"But…" She was alarmed, how did he know about that?! "But that's different I mean, nothing-" It was her turn to be interrupted as Jin waved his hand in front of her bright cherry tomato reddened face.

"Of course it's different, it is allowed Akane, you have nothing to be ashamed about."  Jin said softly.

"Jin, I think you're embarrassing the young lady." It was Sora's voice and he came towards them.

"That is Lord Jin to you."  Jin corrected Sora with a hint of arrogance, he really disliked it when this man came to visit.

Sora waved his hand slightly. "Eh, whatever."  As if he didn't care, and he didn't.

Getting to his feet, Jin stood taller than Sora did.  "You dare show me such disrespect?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Give me a reason to respect you."  Sora then smiled at Akane and slid over to her gracefully.  "And how are you doing, is this big bad man embarrassing you my dear?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to defend you so that you'll appreciate me, is it working do you appreciate me yet?" He asked hopeful.

"Not even a little bit."

Sora snapped his fingers. "Darn, well I'm trying." He grinned one of his flawless grins.

"Sora!" Jin shouted, and then said through clinched teeth. "Do not hit on the future queen of Jurai."

Taking a step back, Sora dramatically put his hand up against his heart. "How dare you accuse me of such a…a horrid act, I would never hit on a woman.  My pride has been wounded sir."

Jin groaned, Sora was uncontrollable, him and his lust for women drove everyone well at least most of the men to near insanity.  It seemed that it was only Akane, and Princess Ayeka to ever withstand his powers of seduction.  "Your pride wouldn't deflate if some fairy came along and popped it."

Sora sighed. "Well I can't help it, is it my fault I find Lady Akane here really, really tempting?"

"Yeah, well stop it.  Play with some other woman.  Leave Akane alone."

Akane growled loudly. "Will you both stop talking about me as if I'm not here!"

He wiggled his brows suggestively at her. "Ooh and fiery too, intelligence and a temper to match your…" he gazed down at her breasts and then back up to her forehead… "Uh brains, just the combination I like in a woman."

"I can't watch this," Jin said to both Akane and Sora. "Just remember what I said Akane, good luck with hormone boy over here." Shaking his head back and forth with disappointment, Jin walked away from them.

Sora snickered and then placed his arm around Akane's shoulder. "So, now that we're alone…"

With a sweet smile on her face, Akane reached up and pinched the skin on the top of his hand rather hard, twisting it.  Sora pulled his hand from off her shoulder with a shriek.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Good, it was supposed to you sick pervert."

Sora looked shocked, even though he wasn't. "Sick, pervert?  Why I resemble that young lady," he wagged his index finger at her.

"Do you ever not think about women?" Akane asked honestly.

He started thinking about women. "Not really, I mean I have wife already, but I also have an arranged marriage myself, which I don't know when I am supposed to marry the girl."

Akane looked at him very confused. "You can have two wives?"

"I see you haven't gotten that far in your Juraian law books, " He sat down on the marble fountain looking up at her, ready to explain.  "Now this is for only Juraian royalty, we the men may have as many wives as possible, but they must be of noble blood." Sora said honestly. "Now any common woman, they are just merely used as…I guess you would call them mistresses or concubines, they don't hold any power at all and men are not allowed to marry a commoner."  He cleared his throat. "Common men can have as many wives as they can afford, but they are not allowed to have mistresses, they must be able to marry their women."

Akane looked sick, she had to sit down.

"I've upset you, I'm sorry about that."

"So let me get this straight royal family members, they can go around sleeping with anyone they want?"

Sora shook his head. "Nope, only the male members, women only get one husband, and they are not allowed to disapprove of who their husband beds down with.  They are not allowed to cheat and if they do and are caught there are serious consequences for her, only women cheat, men do not."

Akane jerked back almost violently. "Ugh! That is completely disgusting, how horrible!"

This was a good opportunity for Sora, he put his arm around her waist and pulled Akane closer to him.  He didn't notice her shaking with anger and how tightly closed her eyes were. "So now that I have told you all about the royal mistress laws, I think that you should repay me."

Akane pulled her fist back and then thrust it forward into Sora's stomach again, sending him up, up and away.  "Sure, I'll repay you! With a one way ticket to the sun!!" She shouted as he was sailing far away from her.

"I was only jokiiinngg…" Was what Sora exclaimed as he flew through the air.

It took all his willpower for Ranma to stay hidden in the trees, everything he was hearing and seeing and then this guy, man oh man, he was about to pound that Sora guy senseless, and if Akane didn't do it herself he would have gladly done it.  Ranma stepped out of his hiding place and walked towards her,  "Akane."

She twirled around, "Ranma?" Akane was still stunned to see him, well right at that moment anyway.  She figured he went somewhere else and not hid in the trees. "W…were you hiding in there the whole time?"

Ranma nodded tightly. "Yes."

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that." Akane felt terrible.

After what he heard, especially Akane staying with that Tenchi guy at night, just the thought of what was happening during those nights made his blood boil.  It seemed like she was doing great without him, that she really wanted him to leave.  "I think I should find a way to get home, I can't say it was a pleasant experience in seeing you."

"Just leave Ranma, go home."  Her voice sounded very unhappy as she turned and walked away from him.  She did not need to hear him insult her since she knew that's what he was getting at.  Akane quickened her pace into the palace.

Ayeka was talking with Tenchi when they both saw Akane walking towards them, Tenchi noticed that she was incredibly upset.

  "I'll find you later Ayeka."  He felt bad for Akane, he knew she needed a friendly ear.

The purple haired princess thought this was rather odd, but then Tenchi was always very considerate and always ran to an upset, crying girl.  She watched through narrowed eyes as Tenchi placed a comforting hand on Akane's shoulder, of course it made her even more angry when Akane fell forward resting her forehead against his chest.  Tenchi put his arm around Akane's shoulder and steered her away from Ayeka and anyone who might listen in on their conversation.

"Now what are you so sad about?"

Akane sniffled. "Ranma, he's here."

Tenchi was smiling. "I knew that, I saw him earlier with your other friends.  They are here too."

"Yes but Ranma shouldn't be here, I had to be awfully mean to him much like before.  Life I learned isn't really fair for women, and well he is in a lot of danger here."

"I see," Tenchi said. "You shouldn't worry about that, he's only in any danger if someone here finds out what he used to be.  And I don't think you or I are going to tell anyone, and I know the girls and your friends won't say anything." 

Akane lifted her tear filled eyes to his. "But I just worry, you know?"

With a nod of his head and understanding in his voice, Tenchi agreed. "I know, it's probably best if you keep him not as close as you would like, just for security purposes.  But is that what you really want to do?"

"Yes," Akane let out a long sigh, her bangs ruffled a bit with her air release. " And I know he doesn't really like me much, Ryouga and Kuno probably made him come along and see me.  They probably tricked him by using his huge ego against him into talking to me first."

Tenchi laughed softly. "Well I wouldn't worry about what Ranma likes and what he doesn't.  Think of it this way, he came all this way just to see you, no matter if he was tricked or not, he is still here.  Just give it a bit more time and you won't worry about his safety as much, because no one will know about your past together."

Ranma was following after Sasami who had some papers in her hand.  "Are you sure there is no way for me to get back to the Earth?"

She giggled. "I'm sorry Ranma, no there isn't.  Not at least until after the wedding, if there is one." Sasami winked.

"Ugh, I don't care about that.  I just want to get home.  Akane she hates me and she wants me to leave." He felt his temper spark, how dare she want him to leave he didn't even get to say what he needed or wanted to say, she just blew him off! "That stupid Akane." 

Sasami couldn't help but laugh softly. "Oh you worry too much, I don't think she wants you to leave at all."

"What makes you say that, can you read her mind?" Ranma nearly crashed into Sasami's back as she had stopped suddenly, she then spun around, he jumped back from her a fraction as he felt a bit too close.

"Not really, but I know that Akane in a way is like Ryoko.  Ryoko is not comfortable with her feelings, she hardly ever shows them and tries to hide them with her tough and most often wild exterior.  But when she does show them it's really wonderful, I'm sure there were times when Akane let her true feelings slip out of her tough exterior."  Sasami looked at Ranma intently.  "Am I right about that?"

Ranma shrugged. "I guess so, but what does this have to do with her wanting me to go home?"

"Ranma, I didn't tell you something very important that I should have…" She looked very guilty. "I was just so excited that you wanted to come all this way to tell her how you feel.  But with you being an ex fiancé, a suitor of sorts are in more danger here than you realize."

"Ha, danger, I can take on anything." Ranma said confidently.

Sasami laughed at him, because what he said was just so utterly ridiculous. "There is no way even someone like you can stand up to Juraian forces, no matter how many battles and near death experiences you have fought in."

"Right," Ranma didn't believe just how powerful Jurai was yet.

"Ranma! Fine, you'll just have to find out on your own just how powerful Juraian forces and the royal families are.  Just don't say I didn't warn you."  She could not get angry with him for being ignorant when it came to Jurai, he really didn't know anything about their planet or its people.  "Anyway, there is a good reason Akane is trying to get you to leave, for some reason she seems to care about you and she wants to protect you.  That's how I see it."

"Protect me? Protect me from what?"  Ranma was not worried, but if Akane wanted to protect him from something he'd rather know what it is so he can avoid the problem.

Sasami sighed. "Against death, if anyone were to find out who you are and what you are doing here, you would be put to death.  Do you understand what I am saying here? You are an enemy to the crown Ranma, and for that reason if our cover here is blown, then you are a dead man."  She had the most serious look on her face which was odd since Sasami was never serious.

Ranma blinked, then realized that what she was talking about was indeed very serious and she was not joking about it. "Wow, isn't that a little harsh?"

"That's just the way it is."  Sasami turned around to continue on towards the filing room when she spotted Ryouga looking as lost as ever and she twirled back around, her face increasing in color.

"Just what is it with you two?  You've been walking on eggshells around each other ever since earlier this morning."  Ranma finally wanted an answer, and Ryouga was definitely not going to say anything.  He had tried several times to pry the information out of the pig boy, but he just wasn't talking.

"Well…if you must know." Sasami started to say. "I saw this adorable little piggy and well, I was going to bathe to freshen up before our landing on Jurai and…" She scratched the back of her head nervously. "I kinda brought the uh… little piggy into the bathroom with me and he sorta saw me naked. I had no idea that it was Ryouga at all."

Ranma couldn't help it, he let out the strongest laugh he had had in a long time. "Oh no…" He tried to catch his breath. "That's…terrible."

"Humpfh," Sasami felt even more embarrassed now that she told someone about it.

"Aww, I'm sorry Sasami I didn't mean to laugh at you, it's just the idea of it…is really funny."

Sasami rolled her eyes. "Well I better get these to the filing room, Ranma.  Remember what I said, and know that Akane is only looking out for you.  I'm sure she likes you just fine."  Now hoping Ryouga did not see her, she rushed past him towards the filing room.

Ranma thought about what Sasami said, and Akane protecting him.  Could it be possible that she really did like him and want him to stay?  Well he couldn't ask her about it, she would only deny it.  And well he really wasn't in any danger as long as no one found out about him and Akane.  He was perfectly safe, there was nothing to worry about.  Ranma was going to tell Akane how he felt about her and hopefully a way out of her new marriage arrangement would be found, and then they could go back home to Earth and all would be well.  He hoped.

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Well that is it for episode 6, things are really starting to move forward now that Ranma and his group have gotten to Jurai.  Akane is so sweet for trying to protect Ranma against the Juraian forces.  Stay tuned for episode 7, it's sure to be pretty entertaining. ^_^

Remember to review,

Thanks,

Ryoko Blue