Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Stigmata ❯ Stigmata - Locusts part 01 ( Chapter 3 )

By ufomanne 25/03/07

 

Disclaimer: I have written this story, but I do not own the characters or anything of the work they originate from.

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STIGMATA

Chapter 02 ~ Locusts

a tale that tells itself
of brittle bone and broken shells

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A familiar scent of blood and stagnant fear lingered in the air when she came to. After a short moment of panic the nightmare-memory sank like a rust flake through dark water, and she realized that she was not there anymore.

 

Once white painted roof revealed itself to her vision as she opened her eyes, the paint now damaged by water, flaking badly and revealing the dusty concrete behind it. The room was dimly lit by a candle, casting dancing shadows over the walls next to her, leaving the other side of the room mostly buried in darkness.

 

She blinked once, there had been... something.

 

Snarling rotten teeth, panic, running. The memory of yesterday came back to her in a rush, but the screaming fear from the same moment did not for some reason. Instead focusing on the here and now, her muddled mind came to the conclusion that she was lying in a bed, a futon. She tried to move a little bit, and her abused body responded by reminding her of the pain she was in. “So I survived at least” she thought wryly but without much humour. She turned her head to the side to study the room closer, and her eyes fell on Him.

 

He was sitting by the rectangular pillar closest to the bed, his posture sunken together in sleep. Over his left cheek some dried blood was smudged and his clothing was dusty, the candle by his side which had almost burned out gave his features a weary and gaunt quality.

 

`So it is his bed' she concluded as she hesitantly sat up, cover still clutched protectively to her front even though she was fully clothed. She barely held back a whimper as her muscles protested at the movement.

 

He had fought the monster, and she had seen him kill it before everything went dark. She shivered slightly at the memory of how his bare hands had quenched the life of the monster he fought. Her heart beat a little faster as she relived those last moments of fear and relief.

 

He didn't look quite as dangerous in front of her now though. A small frown was plastered on his face and he slept restlessly, his lips moving slightly but without sound. She studied him intently as his hands started twitching in his lap and his frown grew more pronounced. His breath turned laboured and with an anguished whisper he muttered a name as two tears slid from under his eyelids and down his cheeks.

 

His obvious pain touched her heart and she could not stand to watch idly, she scooted off the bed a bit, still sheltered with the cover of his bed, and gently reached out a delicate hand to wake him.

 

Just as she was about to touch him, he jolted and his eyes shot open. With an inarticulate bellow of fear and rage he slapped a way her hand and grabbed her throat with such speed that she didn't even have time to blink. The cover went flying as he ripped her up and slammed her against the grimy concrete wall, her feet dangling in the air.

 

Black shining dots swam across her eyes as she stared into his eyes, the grip on her throat so hard she would not be able to make a sound even if she tried.

 

That gaze burning into her, mad with fear and something else. She registered his other raised claw-like hand in the peripheral of her vision, and somehow she knew though his gaze that when it descended she would die.

 

She stared into her shining death, deep in those burning eyes that stared at her but did not see her. The corners of her vision grew dark as her blood circulation was denied her.

 

At that moment the realization that she was going to die hit her, it came to her and swept her off her feet. It was warm. Suddenly she was not afraid anymore, and she gave herself to it. She blinked once and smiled at him.

 

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He was fear, he was rage. The blood thundered in his ears and he could feel his skin burn. A red veil was cast over his vision and he shuddered as power rushed through him, close to turn him to ash.

 

All he could remember was the blood, and the flashing glint of stained steel. It danced before him like a hideous apparition of the fate he could not escape. He revolted against it. He would not allow it to happen again.

 

Never again.

 

He held her up by the throat as he readied his fist for the strike that would stop her heart forever. The shadows danced wildly in the room and cast his shadow over her face, the face of his fear.

 

He would destroy her.

 

But then, like the sun breaking fourth with full radiance after an eclipse, she smiled, and the illusion shattered. Bewildered and confused he staggered backward and dropped the girl, she fell limply to the ground and slumped to the side, weakly coughing for breath.

 

It dawned on him what he almost did as he turned away from the bed, a wave of nausea welled up inside of him. He had let a memory, a nightmare rule him. Crouching on the barren concrete; his hands shook as he tried to steady his harrowed breathing, to collect himself so he could focus past the edge of panic. Swallowing to counter the bile rising in his throat, his struggle for control seemed futile as his breathing sped up to the border of hyper ventilating.

 

Then a small hand on his shoulder made him freeze up. Afraid to breathe or move he felt the warmth of the hand through his shirt, and unwittingly started to relax slowly.

 

“Bad dream?” came her voice, soft and melodic with a slight rasp, presumably from her abused throat. Thoughts scrambled over themselves in his mind to find a way to respond, but in the end the only thing he could do was nod and whisper a simple `yes' in reply.

 

He stayed like that for a moment as conflicting emotions played inside him. Something as simple as turning around to look at the girl seemed like an impossible task after all that happened since he first saw her. He had only caught a glimpse of her yesterday and no details had stuck to his exhausted mind, except her eyes. Her pretty violet eyes, he was afraid to see them shine with the disgust and fear he had seen in so many others.

 

“Thank you.” her gentle voice came as a surprise, breaking through his thoughts and scattered them like butterflies. Without a thought he turned around on his heels, her hand left his shoulder and he saw her face lit by the candlelight. She was smiling.

 

He stared at her and must have looked surprised, the girl settled back and let her outstretched hand fall to her side and spoke again. “For yesterday, you saved me.” Ranma looked a bit sick and looked to the side.

 

“I think it was looking for me, I'm sorry that you got involved.” He said quietly, his face clearing from emotion. He glanced up again and looked at the black bruise at the base of her throat and the slight swelling. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...” He started, but trailed off. She nodded without saying anything, a small smile gracing her lips soundlessly telling him that he had been forgiven. She brought her hand up and touched her bruise with her delicate fingers, a small grimace flashing over her features at the pain.

 

“It's ok... I've had worse.” She said, her soft voice carrying a melancholy tint, and her smile slipped off her lips. She closed her eyes and took a breath, then looked at him again. “what, what is your name?” her voice hesitant as if she was afraid to be denied. Ranma was almost mesmerised by the emotions playing over her face but finally he collected himself and spoke up.

 

“My name is Ranma.” He gazed at her in silence for another minute, then opened his mouth as if to say something, hesitated for a moment and then finished with “I hope you rested well.” Then he rose, turned around and started slowly to walk toward the exit.

 

“Ranma? Ran... It called your name.” Her voice was uncertain and fast, fear scraped in her bruised throat at what she said, just as curiosity could not be told to be quiet. Ranma froze, and remained like a statue for several seconds. He turned around slowly and watched her with an expression of surprise and a hint of fear. So it had a voice?

 

“It called, my name?” Ranma's eyes glowed in the candlelight as the rest of his body was mostly covered by shadows, making the girl shrink back a bit but she nodded all the same. Ranma held the stare, but nodded then.

 

“I guess it was really looking for me then.” He felt partly relieved but mostly unnerved. Their eyes, they had been the eyes of one he knew, but that person was no more. The girl looked to the side, intimidated by his intense stare.

 

“Who is Akane?” She asked to break the silence. Ranma's eyes narrowed and the muscles in his jaw flexed. The girl licked her lips quickly and blurted out “You whispered it just before you woke up.” Ranma jerked as if slapped and broke the stare.

 

“I did?” He whispered, and the girl nodded.

 

“Akane...” His voice was hollow. “She was someone close to me once. But no more” his eyes focused on something far beyond the girl, something only he could see. Her mouth opened to voice her questions, but nothing came out as her breath choked when she saw something... frail, flicker in the depths of his eyes. Quietly he turned around and disappeared from the room. The girl looked hesitant as if considering if she should follow but held back, looking pensive and a bit scared. She sat still in the gloom of the dancing candlelight, the room seemed very empty without him in it, an alien and bitter air surrounding her that she noticed first when he was gone.

 

Soon he returned and the hostile feeling waned, he held a pitcher of cold water in his hands, water drops glittering on his hands. He crouched down beside her and gave her the water.

 

“Sorry, I don't have any food, but this should help at least. What is your name?” He asked quietly as the girl drank greedily from the cold, fresh water. The girl let out a relieved breath when she had drank her fill. She looked at him intently over the rim of the pitcher, her deep violet eyes twinkling with some unnamed emotion.

 

“My name is Hotaru. Where are we?” Her voice was subdued as she timidly licked her lips. Ranma nodded and tilted his head slightly to the side.

“We're in one of the buildings just next to where you fainted. I don't see people inside the fences very often, how did you manage to find your way here?” He asked her gently. Hotaru glanced to the side and hesitated, she spoke up but kept her eyes to the side.

 

“I was just taking a walk, to get away. I've never been to this area before though, I met the... the thing on the street just a little ways from here. I tried to hide, but I was not fast enough.”

 

“To get away?” She seemed to shrink in on herself when he voiced his curiosity, she bit her lip and did not speak or look at him, Just sat there in the light of the candle with the comforter around her. After a minute of silence he shrugged and made to rise up, suddenly she spoke, almost desperately.

 

“From my father, I- I don't feel very comfortable at home” she opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came. She looked at him again, still with her face half turned away. “Do you live here, Ranma?” She asked, with an expression that hinted that the question was part curiosity and part distraction from the current topic. Ranma looked around in the room and nodded.

 

“Yeah, I guess so. I've been here for a while now” he admitted. She studied him for a moment and then continued timidly.

 

“Do you live here on your own? No family?” Ranma's expression drained a bit of colour but didn't show any other sign of emotion, he shook his head.

 

“No, I don't have a... family, anymore.” Hotaru studied him intently and seemed to be on the verge of inquiring further, but refrained after looking at his eyes for a moment more. She smiled, a small and sad smile.

 

“Sounds nice” her wistful tone made Ranma raise his eyebrows and look at her questioningly. Her pale skin turned a light shade of pink and she lowered her face “I- I mean you're free to take care of yourself... free” she hesitated and trailed off.

 

“Well it's not that great, no food, no money. I get by since I'm used to it, but I can't say I love it” he murmured sourly, she shrank as if he had scolded her.

 

Ranma gazed at her, but she seemed lost. He studied her embarrassed expression, and then looked at her slightly rumpled clothing. He noticed that her long dark skirt had ridden up her legs, exposing her right knee and some skin above it. He first registered the slight scrape on her knee that she probably got from falling yesterday, but immediately he noticed a bruise above the knee on her thigh that was much older. With a gasp Hotaru noticed his gaze and pulled down her skirt and stammered.

 

“I- I just fell down, um, fell down the stairs a few days ago. You see... I'm weak, and sometimes I get dizzy-” she interrupted herself, nodding and smiling weakly to strengthen her point. Ranma considered her for a second, then finally rose from his crouch and turned away, walking toward the exit.

 

“Well, I'm off to try and find some breakfast. When you feel like it you can leave, the exit is just to the left and then down the stairs” he told her tonelessly. Just as he was about to exit the room her plea to wait stopped him in his tracks, he turned his head and glanced at her as she stumbled up from the futon.

 

“Please, I have some money. I can buy us breakfast if you want. I'd rather not... return home just yet, please” she looked at him hopefully with a mix of fear and apprehension mixed in.

 

Normally Ranma would have refused, just so he would not have to interact with someone more than necessary. Something about her intrigued him though, a familiarity in her fear and timidity pulled at something deep within him. He looked at her, and then simply nodded and relaxed in the doorway so she could collect her things. Hotaru gave him her small smile and nodded back.

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Authors notes

Well, this chapter is shorter than expected. But I realized it's better for me to actually post something in the first place so people don't give up on me entirely. I have endeavoured to make my paragraphs shorter, as well as broken up the earlier chapter in smaller segments as well. Thank you to the kind people who reviewed - especially the constructive criticism I have received, I am in your debt.

 

Please continue to send me suggestions as to how to improve my writing, everything from grammar, spelling errors to structure and tone in the story, I am but a fledgling seeking to improve.

 

As has been the fact in this story so far, I have had no proofreaders and the inevitable mistakes that you find are mine alone. Many thanks to my brother for looking over the script though, domo.