Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Initial D Fan Fiction ❯ Initial D: Anything Goes Drift Racing ❯ Season 2: Chapter 10: Death and Desire, The Inevitable Showdown. ( Chapter 19 )

Initial D: Mt Furinken. Anything Goes Drift Racing.

Season 2: Chapter 10: Death and Desire, The Inevitable Showdown.

Ranma knew there was something wrong as he reached the bottom of the course and found the project D cars and there three support vans pulled up haphazardly in the small car park. He couldn't tell what it was but a terrible sense of foreboding seemed to be hanging in the air.

Ryosuke was beside his car and opening the door before Ranma had turned the engine off.

"Quick, you'd better come see this." The young mans voice was worried and urgent and Ranma could only think of one thing that he needed to see so urgently.

"Akane!" He shouted trying scrabble from his only to be snapped back by the racing harness he hadn't un-strapped properly. Ranma almost ripped the seat apart getting free and ran after Ryosuke.

The three support vans had blocked his view of Akane's black and white FTO but now as he stared at the shattered disfigured remains of the once elegant racer he felt his stomach rise into his throat and he couldn't help but retch. He felt a cold sweat growing across his body as he staggered numbly forward his eyes desperately searching for some sign of the girl he cared for so much. He felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Ryosuke.

"Some of our crew saw what happened, Kenta tell him." Ryosuke said beckoning one of the younger members of his crew over. Ranma eyes wide at him fearing the words that he was about to hear.

"We'd just heard the result of the race and that the cars were on the way down when this, guy just came out of the forest. He looked mad or something and had huge muscles, he grabbed your girlfriend and then it was amazing. It was like he put his finger against the car and it just blew apart but it didn't even scratching him and then he ran off with the girl over his shoulder kicking and screaming." Ranma listened his knees feeling suddenly weak.

"The breaking point technique. Tell me did he have a yellow and black bandana on, and maybe a red umbrella in his backpack?" Ranma's mouth was dry, he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, at least he had the bandana, I didn't see a backpack or umbrella. Do you know him?" The members all looked at Ranma who's knees finally gave way letting him collapse to the tarmac his head lolling forward. Behind him Neji clenched his fists so tight the knuckles went white.

"It's him isn't it, it's…" Neji stopped as Ranma raised his head and everyone felt a cold chill run through their bones as they saw the fire of hate burning in his eyes and a strange red glow like the fires of hell that seemed to emanate from the young boys body.

"Ryoga!" Ranma's voice sounded more like a growl, a sound that seemed to vibrate in the ground beneath them, the tarmac around the boy spider webbing in a million cracks, a visible depression forming.

The next second everyone jumped and someone even screamed as Ranma's hand shot out till they saw the arrow in his grasp, a small sliver of white appearing from under his fist. Slowly Ranma unravelled the note and read at the familiar handwriting.

The summit of Mt Furinken. We'll be waiting.

The paper shredded as Ranma ground it in his fist before he stood up, steel determination in his eyes.

"Where are you going?" Neji asked.

"To settle and old feud." He replied heading slowly for his car. Ranma stopped suddenly and looked up at the stars in the sky. "Once and for all." He resumed his walk. Kenta started forward.

"Are you nuts, look what he did to that car!" Ranma didn't stop walking.

"That's nothing. The destructive power we posses goes way beyond just blowing up cars. Tonight I'm not a street racer, I am a martial artist. Ranma Soatome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts and the woman I love is in trouble, I will save her." The car door slammed as the engine of the sleek NSX roared to life, sounding like Cerberus the guardian dog of hell waking to banish evil souls to eternal damnation and then the car was gone into the night. Keisuke turned to look at Neji.

"Who is that guy?"

"Trust me, you're better not knowing but believe me there is going to be one hell of a fight tonight and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it."

*

There were racers gathered on the mountain tonight preparing for a second run of the night but all activity stopped as word spread of the dark blue NSX heading up the road at speeds way above normal and already at the launch strip they could hear the scream of its engine growing with each second and then the car came into view round the first corner and then it was passed and disappearing further up the mountain towards the peak leaving everyone staring in wonder. One racer tapped his watch if his calculations were correct the old course uphill record had just be beaten by at least twenty seconds.

*

Ryoga, crouched atop a boulder on the cliffs edge leered as the NSX skidded to a halt and Ranma jumped from the drivers seat running towards him only stopping when Ryoga stood, the cars engine left idling.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Ranma screamed, the rage almost visible as the words came from his voice, Ryoga's face faulted for a second but then his leer returned and he looked down from the rock he stood on and simply pointed. Ranma followed Ryoga's finger to the cliff edge and for a horrible second thought he was already to late then in the gloom he saw, a stake driven into the ground leaning out over a sheer four hundred foot drop and from the end an unconscious Akane dangled like a rag doll her dress blowing in the wind.

"You destroyed my life Ranma. Now I'm going to take yours apart, piece by piece. Starting with this. Ranma watch as Ryoga positioned his fingers pointed at Akane into the famous childhood representation of a gun. Behind the leer Ranma could see Ryoga's fangs glistening with saliva and he prepared to leap between Akane and the seeming mad boy but suddenly the hand swung away to point over Ranma's shoulder. "Bang." Ryoga said softly. There was a tiny burst of light from his finger tip and then an explosion, Ranma felt the heat and sudden rush of air was over him the air suddenly filled with burning, burning rubber, burning leather, burning plastic and a hundred other substances.

Something clattered at Ranma's feet and he looked down to see the charred and bent number plate the raised lettering still just visible. DR1FT 1.

"It seems every time we meet, you're car gets destroyed doesn't it." Ryoga grinned manically down his arms folded in defiant distaste.

"Fuck the car. It's Akane I care about. You always said you loved her so why hurt her?" Ranma's voice was calm but there was anger and power in his voice. Ryoga growled Ranma's uncaring attitude about the destruction of his precious car enraging him further.

"All I ever did was love her, but you were always there, in the way. She never even noticed me and then you tricked me into racing you, into hurting her and made her think it was my fault. She wouldn't even talk to me now."

"It was you're fault Ryoga, I never tricked you into anything. You got carried away as usual and did something incredible stupid ad almost killed her and now you have her, the girl you supposedly love so much hung over a cliff ready to murder her in cold blood. This not love that's insanity."

"Shut up you bastard." Ryoga was screaming now. "She'll never love me because of me so if I can't have her no one can. First you can watch her die, watch her taken from you so you know how I feel then I'll kill you." He was laughing now, the crazed laugh of one who's grip on reality has slipped beyond grasp as he raised his hand towards Akane once again his fingers shaped into an imaginary gun.

Ranma felt the fear and rage welling up inside him multiplying every second till it burst from him his body illuminated seemingly by the fires of hell as he roared a battle cry that would curdle the blood of normal men and suddenly he was moving, charging down Ryoga. His instincts taking over as every limb thrust out to strike home, to drive his target down, to beat him, to save Akane.

Ryoga screamed with rage as he fought back against the onslaught, he'd expected an attack but nothing like the primal force he was using every ounce of ability to defend and counter.

Ranma felt strange like he had no control over his body, like he was looking through the eyes of another person but he could see he was loosing the fight. The uncontrolled force being driven down upon Ryoga was wild and badly aimed and the blows were being blocked. At this rate Ranma knew his strength would wear out and then he'd be defenceless. He had to regain control, for Akane's life he had to gain control of his body. Suddenly he saw it, the opening in Royga's defence, with all the wild attacks he had to deflect there was a huge opening at his chest. This was his chance, for Akane he had to do it. He forced all his will into his right hand as it drew back to strike down wildly again but it didn't and as Ryoga moved his arm to block the expected attack, Ranma struck.

All his strength, all his rage, all his hate and all his love for Akane flowed down his arm into his open palm as it smacked squarely against Ryoga's rib cage. There was a sickening crack and Ryoga flew backwards against the force of the strike his fingers scrambling desperately from some purchase but only ripping scraps of material from Ranma's shirt.

And then he was out of reach tumbling back over the cliff edge and away into the night his scream of equal hate and fear echoing into the night as his body faded into the blackness. And then it was gone, only the echo carrying a sudden breeze.

Ranma had already pulled Akane to safety and untied her bonds before the echo too had faded and now held her in his arms staring down at her speaking gentle words to wake her and praying with his very soul that she was alright.

Akane's eyes fluttered and opened and she looked up into Ranma's bloodied and bruised face that seemed almost ancient with worry.

"What happened? Ryoga he..." She started but she could say no more because Ranma was suddenly kissing her more passionately then she'd realised was possible, she could taste the blood and sweat and tears too she realised.

Whatever had happened while she was unconscious was obviously big and she wondered just how much danger she'd been in and what Ranma had been through for her and in the seeming eternity of the kiss she relieved every moment of her life from childhood, to first meeting Ranma, all the little instances when she'd first felt something for him and the secret love that had grown in her for the man who had time and again risked everything and sacrificed so much for her. The moment of the crash when she realised that love and the fear she'd never be able to tell him and the time they'd spent together since then, their feelings in the open they didn't have to hid them anymore behind their painful facades. She had been happier in the recent weeks than anytime she could remember since her mother had died because she had Ranma, someone to be close to, whose warmth was always there whenever she was cold or lonely or sad and who would always be there for here. And as they broke the kiss Akane knew she wanted him to be there forever more certainly than she'd ever known anything before.

Ranma looked down through the tears of relief at the woman he loved and saw that love reflected back. He could hear sirens in the distance and as the adrenalin wore off the pain started to begin, Ryoga had landed more hits on Ranma during the fight than he realised but it was over now and Akane was safe. What would happen to him he didn't know but at the moment it didn't matter, Ranma felt suddenly very tired, all the world was out of focus except Akane so he did the only thing he could think off, he kissed her again.

*

The air was warm but a cool breeze kept the temperature bearable. Akane was sitting on Ranma's lap at a small metal table outside a nice little café, the welcome shade of a sun umbrella keeping the worst of the midday rays away and watched the gondolas float past on the canal streets as they shared an ice cream. Ranma grinned across at Edy and Sakura who were similarly positioned on the other side of the table as Akane fed him another spoon of strawberry and chocolate. He swallowed.

"Another lovely day in Venice aye?" He said contentedly. Watching the coloured light play across the table as Akane held out her hand into the sunlight, the ring reflecting and refracting the suns rays. Sakura grinned.

"It's certainly a great place for a honeymoon." She said winking at Akane.

"So what will you do now Ranma? I mean I'm guess Hibiki is no longer a problem but since you got my NSX blown up I guess you're car'less again?" Edy laughed. He'd made a mental note never to let Ranma forget who had given him the now particlized NSX.

"Well yeah Ryoga survived the fall but he's been locked up well and good in an asylum, so he should never bother us again." Ranma sighed.

"He may have been crazy but I'm glad he wasn't killed. He didn't deserve that even if he was off his rocker." Akane added through the last of the ice cream.

"Yeah, I guess all that muscle and the trees took most of the blow. As for what we're going to do now. Well there's always the dojo, it hasn't been used properly for a long time. And I guess with the money that makes I can build my own car."

"We, can build our own cars." Akane added feigning indignance but she couldn't hold the scowl and broke down into giggles. The others all laughed too.

"Ok we'll build our cars and after that, I don't know. We'll see where life takes us I guess. How about you two?"

"Hmm, well it has been a while since we've been back home and those guys from Project D gave us an interesting offer. Race them on their own home courses and there are plenty of other interesting roads out there to race. What do you think Sakura?"

"Sound's like fun. I guess we're all going to need new cars, since mine got blown up too." She laughed with another wink at Akane.

"Project D2." Ranma offered.

"No, I was think Team Eternity. Eternity, for eternal love and eternal friendship." Edy smiled.

"I like it." The others chorused

It had been a little over to months since the incident on the summit of Mt Furinken and much had changed but there was still more changes ahead but Ranma and Akane didn't care. They had each other now, eternally.

"Want to go for a ride?" Ranma suggested pointing at one of the gondolas tied up at a small jetty.

"What if you get wet, won't you…?" Sakura raised here eyebrows in a you know what kind of way.

"Probably but it doesn't matter to me anymore. I know who I am now what ever I look like."

"Besides it has it's advantages. Akane giggled sharing a knowing look with Sakura who intern looked at Edy as she replied.

"Where is that spring again?" She said grinning wickedly.

"Oh no. Edy began.

"Oh yes." Sakura said picking up a glass of water from the table just think, all I'd have to do is throw this over you and…" Ranma caught the wicked grin in Akane's eye as she reach for her glass.

"O'oh.." Ranma jumped to his feet and he and Edy took off running as the girls followed giggling trying to empty the water over their laughing husbands.