Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko's Healing ❯ Courtship ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. Ain't rich enough to buy it.

 

And no, I don't do lemon! Though in this chapter, I do kind of totally exhaust my stock of lemon-scent air freshener... ;=P Nobody even kisses, and clothes don't do anything different than last chapter.

 

Innuendo is such a grand author's tool, though... <eg!>

 

12 - Courtship

 

Xian Pu slowly walked her bicycle back to the Nekohanten through the continuing drizzle, an unusual droop to her shoulders as her dulled red eyes stayed fixed on the wet ground in front of her. She wasn't taking any particular care to avoid puddles, as she wasn't going so fast that she'd splash herself enough to activate her Jusenkyo curse.

 

She was careful of the extra-large umbrella she held above herself, though; the light sprinkles occasionally gave way to a moderately heavy rainfall. Getting her bicycle back to the restaurant was impossible when she was a neko, and she went through them fast enough as it was. She didn't need to be just carelessly leaving them lay about, for anyone to walk off with.

 

The thought of a nice, long soak in a hot tub didn't raise her spirits any. The cause for her unusual display of depression was none other than her Airen, Saotome Ranma. She'd been unable to find him for several days now, and didn't really have the heart to search that hard any more. She was mainly continuing to search for her Hiiba-chan's benefit, more than anything...the Matriarch would be so disappointed in her, if they had to return to the village in shame.

 

Xian Pu had seen how Ranma looked at Tendo Akane, though. The young Amazon wasn't really as bubble-headed and obtuse as she acted all the time; but she hadn't seen any way out of her predicament with Ranma, other than killing him. And she'd truly grown to love the pig-tailed martial artist...so that option was out.

 

She could always kill that violent, kitchen-destroying tomboy that Ranma was in love with. That was probably the only way to ensure that Ranma would kill her...except, killing Tendo Akane would hurt Ranma more than anything else possibly could. If she drove him to kill her for doing that, he wouldn't likely live out the week; if he didn't commit seppuku, he would probably just waste away. She didn't want to do that to someone she cared about. She'd rather just face her punishment back home.

 

Xian Pu would really rather die honorably by Ranma's hand, than be summarily executed by her own people for her failure. Executed--or forever locked in her cursed form... She wasn't certain which likely fate she abhorred more. Either way, she'd have no honor left to her name, and would besmirch the honor of her entire family line. She just...couldn't arrange for it, knowing as she did what that would do to Ranma.

 

She'd seen how killing Saffron, even if it had been necessary to save Akane's life, had affected him. It had left a shadow to forever stain those amazingly blue eyes. She couldn't even imagine how devastated he'd be, if he had to kill someone he considered a friend...

 

The purple-haired Amazon was no longer certain she'd be able to kill her main rival, though--not even if she could be absolutely guaranteed to somehow catch Ranma on the rebound. Tendo Akane had qualities that Xian Pu could admire. Her stubborn determination to never give up against those that tried to control her; the basically kind nature that led her to help those who were supposed to be her enemies; her ability to forgive the people who wronged her...

 

...so much like Ranma...

 

A gusty sigh escaped the purple-haired Amazon as she tried once more to think of an honorable way to get out of her tribal obligation to marry Ranma. She knew there was no way he'd ever voluntarily marry her now, no matter how much she'd come to love him. Ranma just didn't love her that way, and after the rough start they'd had--and her admittedly rotten track record in chasing him; all those potions, and magic spells, and tricks, and everything else she'd tried--it wasn't likely he ever would trust her enough to start loving her like that. Not even if that too-violent tomboy of a fiancée somehow managed to alienate him.

 

If he wasn't alienated by now, Xian Pu didn't see how it could possibly ever happen. Not after all the malletings; the attempted assassi--er, attempts at feeding him her so-called `cooking'; the name-calling, mutual as it was; the perpetual, unfounded distrust...

 

Xian Pu knew, more than anyone else, that Saotome Ranma was probably the single most faithful male on the face of the planet. Either that, or he was gay as they came--and she'd seen no indication of that being the case. Well...not other than a couple isolated misunderstandings involving Ryoga, anyway; things easily explained by the dangled lure of a cure for Ranma's Jusenkyo curse.

 

Xian Pu pretty much had the same problem with Ranma, that Mu Tse had with her. She loved the duck-boy like a too-annoying little brother; she'd never be able to think of him as husband-material--not for herself, anyway. Just as she now realized that Ranma would gladly accept her as a friend--but nothing more.

 

Lately, after actually giving the blind boy's situation some thought as she struggled to come to grips with her failure, she'd begun to suspect Mu Tse of more subtlety than she'd ever given her childhood friend credit for. The timing on some of his interference in her plans to ensnare Ranma had saved her skin from Ranma's eventual retribution, more than once. She ought to be at least a bit grateful to him for that, even annoyed as she'd been at the times he did it.

 

Back in their village, Mu Tse had always been quite effective at discouraging all those unwanted would-be suitors who had no real hope of defeating her. That had saved her a great deal of time, not having to wade through all those second-rate boys that were forever challenging her. None of them could provide her with even a semi-decent challenge; they were a waste of time for her to fight. She could spend more time training, without all that nonsense distracting her.

 

She had eventually come to realize that Mu Tse had deliberately done that for her. She remembered complaining to him, one day while they were still mostly children, about all the pesky boys wasting her time with their challenges. She'd wished out loud for them to stop, to leave her alone. Mu Tse had started actively `chasing' her the next day...and chasing away all those other boys. As he was the best male fighter in the village, when she sparred with him, it wasn't a total waste of her time.

 

She knew “duck-boy” secretly enjoyed sparring with Ranma, too. Mu Tse had improved greatly in the Art since he came to Nerima, thanks mostly to his fights with Ranma. It was quite possible he was now the second best fighter in the village, even including the women--and there were times Xian Pu suspected he was holding back with even her. Which really was a sweet gesture, waiting for her to return his feelings before truly pressing his suit...even as the mere thought he wasn't fighting her all-out infuriated her pride as a martial artist.

 

Xian Pu jerked her thoughts away from duck-boy, and back to her dilemma. She liked to think that Ranma at least thought of her as a friend, in spite of all the dirty tricks she and her Hiiba-chan had pulled on him. She didn't want to even consider him thinking of her and her people as enemies; she shuddered at the thought, a cold chill racing up her spine.

 

She would always remember quite clearly what Ranma had done to Saffron.

 

Which was the main reason she'd never voluntarily cause any harm whatsoever to come to Tendo Akane. Anyone with eyes in their head could see that Ranma had chosen the violent girl to be his mate; and now, he'd killed a kami to save her--! Normal mortals, no matter how skilled in martial arts, wouldn't stand a chance against his full wrath. And if he blamed her village for her actions...

 

It didn't bear thinking about.

 

When she got within a couple blocks of the Nekohanten she determinedly squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and plastered the cheeriest smile she could on her face. It didn't reach her shadowed red eyes, but she hoped no one would be looking closely enough to notice the sadness in them.

 

Xian Pu was surprised to see the “Closed” sign in the front window of the restaurant. Her eyes narrowed briefly in concern, but she didn't sense anything amiss inside; and there was no sign of major property damage anywhere about. Bouncing in the front door with her usual bubbly façade, her alert eyes immediately came to rest on the group gathered about her Hiiba-chan and a depressed-looking Mu Tse.

 

To her surprise and delight, she immediately recognized Ranma and Akane; but the other five sitting with them were strangers. She hesitated for only a second before heading for Ranma with her usual, overly-cheery “Nihao, Airen!”

 

Kho Lon sharply barked a command in Mandarin before she got near him, though. Startled, Xian Pu stopped in her tracks, to stare wide-eyed at her Hiiba-chan.

 

“Xian Pu. Leave Ranma alone for now. You have a new challenger for your hand in marriage.”

 

Xian Pu sucked in an involuntary breath as her eyes got even wider; she stared at Kho Lon, her jaw dropping. Her Hiiba-chan didn't look to be joking...! The shock of having someone other than Mu Tse challenging her for marriage was enough all on its own to send an electric thrill through her nerves...but she wasn't distracted enough to miss that her Hiiba-chan had not referred to Ranma as `Son-In-Law,' as she normally did. She'd used his given name; for the first time that Xian Pu had ever heard.

 

Maybe--this was her way out! If this challenger could defeat her, then even if he couldn't defeat Ranma--which she didn't expect any martial artist to be able to do, not after Saffron!--then she could be given a choice as to which Airen to keep, if the Council could be persuaded. They might allow it, not wanting the man who was Saffron's better to have cause to be angry with them! Her Hiiba-chan obviously approved of the new suitor, if she'd stopped calling Ranma `Son-In-Law'.

 

And...if this stranger could be truly interested in her; if he wouldn't have to be forced into at least pretending to care, other than as a friend--

 

Xian Pu knew her Hiiba-chan saw the flicker of hope in her eyes. The sadness that tinged Mu Tse's expression told her he had seen it, also. Kho Lon's gentle smile told her it was a warranted hope, so she allowed it to kindle in her heart.

 

The Matriarch cocked her head towards the strangers, and Xian Pu tore her eyes away to look them over, even as Ranma stepped forward to hastily introduce them as everyone stood.

 

She dismissed the girl--Honda Tohru--without a second thought. Sohma Shigure and Sohma Yuki were hardly worth more notice; Xian Pu merely nodded at their names. Sohma Kazuma was interesting, she could sense the potential in him; but she thought him a touch old for her, and she could tell from his ki that he was nowhere near on a par with Ranma in martial arts.

 

Sohma Kyo, on the other hand, caught her full, undivided attention...even before he stepped forward and said in a slightly nervous, but otherwise rather pleasant voice, “I'm the one challenging you.” There was an air about him--a hint of a feral feeling, held in tight control...

 

Xian Pu blinked in shock as she suddenly recognized the feeling. It was the same air that Ranma gave off--when he was in the Neko-ken!

 

Red eyes met red, a current of electricity seeming to spark between them. Xian Pu cocked her head in curiosity as she shifted slightly, unobtrusively moving into a casual ready stance. She noted how he seemed to almost instinctively move to match her, subtly enough that likely only Ranma and Hiiba-chan noticed. This young man obviously had his human mind in control; he wasn't in the same feral state that Ranma fell into, when he accessed his Neko-ken skills.

 

Was he an actual, true, sane Master of the Neko-ken?! She could easily see why Kho Lon would entertain the thought of switching her marriage to this one, if that were the case! Even Ranma hadn't fully mastered that technique...and if this one had--he might well be able to defeat even Ranma!

 

The Tribe needed warriors like that!

 

She looked this unexpected suitor over carefully, from head to toe, fighting the urge to giggle at the bright red blush that popped up on his cheeks even as her eyes wandered. He was very well formed, in her opinion; lithe and lean, with a sense of coiled power; and that peculiar grace about his movements...he reminded her very much of a neko. She was willing to bet he was one of those people who were much stronger than they looked, their muscle density greater than any casual visual observation could detect.

 

Xian Pu suddenly found herself wanting very much to run her hands over that slender frame, to find out for herself. She nearly blushed; she'd never had that reaction to a male on first meeting--not even Ranma! The spark of hope in her heart flared brighter, as she realized she had true interest in this Sohma Kyo.

 

She thought that oddly orange hair rather attractive; especially with those blood-red eyes, so close to the color of her own. It looked to be very fine, and promised to be quite soft to the touch. Her fingers were already itching to test it, to brush the bangs out of his intense eyes.

 

Those eyes stayed respectfully on her face, after one quick glance lower--that had not stopped at her chest, as the eyes of most males tended to do. She rather thought he'd given her the courtesy of evaluating her as a fellow warrior, instead of a possible bed-partner. In return, she kept her own eyes on that very nice face of his, after her thorough once-over of his body.

 

A small, rather feline smile curled her lips. She could almost feel the nervousness that Ranma suddenly radiated, as he conspicuously slid back to stand squarely behind Akane at that too-familiar look of hers. She didn't bother to even glance at him, but kept her eyes strictly on Kyo, as she carefully slunk forward with her sexiest sashay. This one was definitely--interesting.

 

Her smile got larger as Kyo swallowed, a single hard shiver passing visibly along the skin of his arms. He didn't back up, though he tensed in readiness. His breathing had noticeably increased; his heart was likely racing nicely.

 

Xian Pu's certainly was!

 

Kyo turned his head quickly to glance at his cousins and Honda Tohru, as they backed away to give room to the potential couple. Sohma Kazuma wore a look of fatherly pride, with just a touch of appreciative envy. Sohma Shigure's look was all a very--healthy--appreciation, and all for Xian Pu...until an exasperated Sohma Yuki bopped him hard on the head with a quietly muttered “Hentai,” causing him to collapse in a tangle of twitching limbs on the floor. Yuki's face when he went back to watching the beginnings of the `courtship' was a blend of shock and consternation. Honda Tohru was wringing her hands, looking between Kyo and Xian Pu with a surprisingly hopeful expression.

 

Ranma and Akane, of course, both had looks of hope on their faces, though Ranma's had a touch of guilt about it. Xian Pu didn't see that, though, only having eyes for the one who not only presented her with an honorable way out of her marriage predicament--but looked to show real promise as a true mate for her, too. He showed signs of being willing to be interested, as Ranma had never been.

 

Kyo kept still as Xian Pu slowly circled around him, not quite touching him, letting her eyes roam a bit. He only moved his head, just enough to keep his eyes on her face. She could tell he still had some attention left for the rest of the room, as any good warrior would; even as hard as she was making it to do. When she came back around in front of him, she faced him squarely and placed her hands lightly on his waist...then slowly, gently, drew her fingertips up along his sides, then over his chest, until they rested lightly on his shoulders. Shivers raced across his skin at her touch, and his breathing went slightly ragged.

 

He was about six inches taller than she was, she noted in approval; she thought it a good match in heights. She leaned on her arms into that nicely solid chest, feeling a sudden nervous tremor ripple though him even as he kept himself from leaning back with the pressure. She'd been right...she could easily feel the whipcord muscles under that pale skin, right through the thin fabric of his t-shirt.

 

On sudden impulse, she leaned forward and up to rub the side of her face along his jaw, as a neko would. She clearly felt his start of surprise at the feline marking. Looking back into his deep red eyes, she noted with pleasure that she'd apparently captured the whole of his startled attention. Enemies could likely pour in from every direction and he wouldn't notice, just then.

 

Of course, Xian Pu wouldn't notice them, either...!

 

A loud, familiar cackle from the side failed to distract her, though Kyo's nervous gaze snapped over and back at the nerve-twitching sound. Kho Lon settled herself and said, conversationally, “I assume this suitor is acceptable to you so far, Great-Granddaughter?”

 

Xian Pu's half-lidded eyes were all on Kyo's as she all but purred, “O-o-oh, ye-e-esssss, Hiiba-chan.”

 

Kyo swallowed hard, obviously fighting a bit of panic. If he'd been a neko just then, he'd likely have had every hair on his body bushed, his tail sticking straight up, and his ears flat to his head; his eyes were certainly wide and dilated enough. Xian Pu allowed her face to show some real amusement as she made an effort to cut back on the...er...courtship moves. She grinned, like a cat who'd just caught a nice, fat canary.

 

It didn't seem to help the poor boy's nerves. A somewhat casual shifting of her body almost up against his assured her that her interest was returned, though; and the delicious tension in his muscles was probably going to become painful for him, soon. Taking pity on him before he started hyperventilating, Xian Pu slid back a step, trailing her fingertips back down his chest as she backed away, never taking her eyes from his.

 

She toned her body language down a bit more, suddenly realizing that if he was even a tenth as shy as Ranma, he'd be running from her soon! She didn't want that to happen until after he'd defeated her in combat; then they could run off and “play tag.”

 

“Xian Pu like new soon-Airen. Think make good Airen! We fight now, yes?” She looked expectantly, hopefully, at Kyo. It was easy to see the restrained energy that was suddenly thrumming through her body.

 

A look of consternation passed across Kyo's face, and he glanced at Ranma, as if for support. Finding suppressed snickers on that side, Kyo scowled in exasperation, then with a touch of hesitation, glanced at the adult men. More snickers sent his gaze almost against his will to Sohma Yuki. The stunned look on his cousin's face broke his panicky nervousness; a slight grin broke out on Kyo's face as he dropped his head, shaking it slowly, setting his hands on his hips. He took a deep breath and looked back up at her, expression rueful.

 

“I'd like to talk to you for a bit, first, Xian Pu. There's...some things you should know, about me, and my family.” His eyes took on a shadow of sorrow. Xian Pu frowned as she noticed his hands clench into fists as he dropped them to his sides; whatever he wanted to tell her, he apparently thought she might decide she didn't want him for an Airen, once she knew. She cocked her head at her Hiiba-chan, questioning with her eyes.

 

“I already know, Great-Granddaughter; and have approved of the match, if you'll have him.”

 

Xian Pu nodded decisively, looking back to Kyo. “Hiiba-chan approves--must not be too bad, then. We fight, now?” She put more challenge into her stance, becoming impatient. Whatever problems Kyo had, Hiiba-chan thought they wouldn't harm the tribe--that was all that mattered to her.

 

Kyo rolled his eyes before closing them briefly, sighing in exasperation, teeth clenched. He stared straight into her eyes and tried to explain it to her. “Xian Pu. I'm cursed--and it's not a Jusenkyo curse.” He looked at Ranma, who was suddenly a bit pale.

 

Ranma nodded shakily and quickly strode to the door. As he slipped outside he called back over his shoulder in a nervous voice, “Call me when you're done, okay?” They could see him station himself just under the edge of the awning, barely out of the drizzly rain, his back determinedly to the inside of the restaurant.

 

Xian Pu watched him go in confusion, before turning back to her soon-to-be-Airen. “Why Ranma leave?”

 

Kyo drew a shaky breath, and began to tell her of the Sohma family's Jyuunishi curse.

 

When he told her the trigger for their curses, Xian Pu frowned in consternation. That could certainly pose a problem! She crossed her arms over her chest, a thoughtful look coming over her face. She raised one hand to nibble on a nail, supporting that elbow with the other hand, questions about possible ways around it occurring to her even as he continued his story.

 

Her frown turned troubled as she realized some of the alienation the Jyuunishi-cursed Sohmas had to endure. She couldn't imagine living without the full freedom to touch whomever she wished, whenever she wished. Just the thought of never having been able to hug her own father, simply because he wasn't female, sent a shudder of sympathy through her. Her arms dropped, one hand gripping the other in front of her waist as she continued to listen closely.

 

Hearing that sometimes, mothers would choose to have their memories of ever having given birth to one of the Jyuunishi-cursed taken away...Xian Pu nearly growled at the utter selfishness of those women, her hands twitching with the urge to grab her bonbori and go explain her annoyance to them.

 

Kyo paused in his explanation, looking nervously at her, as her battle aura manifested for a brief moment. When she'd calmed herself and he continued, explaining in full his own, dual curses as the Neko-cursed, Xian Pu could hear the pain that hid in his words. As with Kho Lon, he held nothing back--he told her not only of the Neko's `true form,' but how the Sohma Clan Head had sworn to lock him away after he graduated high school, unless he defeated the nezumi in battle.

 

Xian Pu hadn't needed to see the tremor in his tight-fisted hands, or hear the tense strain in his voice, to know that being locked up was his worst fear. It was in his eyes, for all his expression was blank as stone; and in his ki, for those that could see it.

 

He'd explained how the Tatsu no Jyuunishi had taken Yuki's memories of their being best friends away, at the Clan Head's order; but that Kyo had already sworn to protect the nezumi, in any way he could. Since he had never trusted the Clan Head, even when he was a child, and had feared that defeating Yuki might mean the nezumi would be locked up in his place, Kyo had been careful to throw every fight he'd ever had with his cousin since then. Kyo told her that the only reason he'd ever attacked Yuki in the first place, had been to get him into martial arts, so his asthma might be gotten under better control.

 

He also admitted that the Clan Head had frequently called him to the Honke, only to take his bracelet-seal from him, and heap many kinds of abuse on him. He said that sometimes, it had taken him many weeks to physically recover. Xian Pu could see that there had been verbal abuse, too; and that had not all healed, even yet.

 

The Amazon's protective instincts were starting to focus on this honorable young man who, much as he wanted a cure for his family's curse, and desperate as his hope was to find a way to not be locked up...still refused to let her be used as a pawn. If, with full knowledge, she wanted no part of him...he was willing to leave, challenge forgotten; last hope denied.

 

There was only a little bit of time left before he graduated. Xian Pu's respect for Kyo grew even more, as she thought about the strain he had lived under for all of his life. This one was easily as strong as Ranma; she was sure of it! He'd had to be, just to survive this long without breaking.

 

The more she learned of him, the more she wished to claim him as hers.

 

When he told her that the spirits of all of the previous Neko-cursed Sohmas echoed in his head, Xian Pu's eyes widened. She thought his use of anger to block them out to be smart; especially as he had purposefully used it to also keep others from getting close to him, lest they be saddened when he was locked away. He'd been protecting others, mostly his own clan folk, at cost to himself. Her respect for him only grew, the more she heard

 

She doubted Ranma could have done the same as Kyo had done...not if it involved purposely and regularly losing fights to someone who wasn't anywhere near his level in the martial arts, in the first place! If she could secure this one's heart for her own, she could be certain he'd put her before his own pride.

 

A ripple of uncertainty troubled her for a moment, as she wondered if she'd ever be able to do the same in return. An Amazon's pride was the backbone of her honor...could Xian Pu learn to temper it, at least in regards to her future mate? She shook the thought away. There would certainly be time to find out, and with his example before her, there was a very good chance for her to live up to it.

 

Xian Pu realized that this cursed young man had some definite problems with his self-esteem, for all his Warrior potential. Building a decent sense of self-worth in his own mind could be an interesting challenge...and much more rewarding for her than chasing futilely after one Saotome Ranma, whose ego rivaled Japan's Mount Fuji in size. At least...as far as martial arts went.

 

Sohma Kyo struck her as the type who could turn out to be an almost ideal mate for her. She much preferred that, to an unwilling Airen who would merely benefit her tribe's bloodlines.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Whee! ::fending off a glomp of appreciation from a very happy Amazon:: I've never written a scene quite like that before...not sure where it came from, but I think Xian Pu's definitely got a healthy set of hormones, there!

 

Poor Kyo doesn't stand a chance. >=]