Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A New Future 2 - First Blood ❯ The Long Haul ( Chapter 23 )

This was originally published by me under the name Anduril at Anime Addventures, with the only changes being a few corrections in spelling, punctuation and the occasional word choice to make things clearer. If you like the beginning of my story but think I've gone off the rails, or have your own ideas for a great branch-off, or think I'm taking too long to update and want to continue the story yourself, come to Anime Addventures and join in the fun!

I claim no ownership rights to any of the works of Rumiko Takahashi, Naoko Takeuchi, or anything in the GURPS Ogre and GURPS Tales of the Solar Patrol settings published by Steve Jackson Games. Everything else is mine.

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Ranma and Akane stepped out of the train into the hot, muggy day with the light drizzle that seemed to have followed them from Tokyo, followed by Mu Tse and Bai Ting. Ranma glanced over at Akane beside her as they looked around at the small town at the foot of the mountains and hid a sigh. The private car Ku Lon had insisted they hire for the train trip up from Tokyo had been luxurious, it would have been the best train ride in Ranma's life if Akane hadn't still been giving her the cold shoulder all the way up — as she had over the past several days as they (or rather, the Amazons) had made arrangements for the trip.

With only a slight effort, Ranma sought out the now-familiar calm at her center, and gasped at the wave of hurt and angry feelings of betrayal radiating from her lover. Hastily, she dropped out of her calm, cutting off the painful emotions. Ya sure blew it this time, Ranma, she thought to herself. You're lucky Akane hasn't hammered ya again. If she didn't maybe think it might be another test, she probably would've. And you'd deserve it — again.

The last few days since her return from Nerima hadn't been exactly fun, what with arranging this trip with Ku Lon, letting those important to her know that she was going to be away from Tokyo for awhile, getting her mother moved to the Outers' home — okay, that had been fun, and it was just too bad that she couldn't have seen Genma's face when he got back from his latest drinking binge to find the house almost empty and Nodoka gone — but the least fun had been the knockdown, drag-out fight with Akane over whether her lover would leave school only weeks before her last school year ended to join her on the trip. If only she hadn't overplayed her hand, but Akane's control over her center was improving so rapidly —

“Princess Yasuko?”

The redhead turned, her tight frown threatening to turn into a snarl, and stepped back in barely repressed panic — whoever the man dressed as a typical laborer standing a few feet away might have been, he was no Amazon. Fortunately for him, given Ranma's current mood, he also wasn't genuflecting as some of those Amazons had given the chance. But if he wasn't an Amazon ... “Yeah,” the pigtailed girl said sharply, trying to slow down her racing heart. “An' who are you?”

“Kimura Keiji, at you service, Your Highness,” he replied smoothly, bowing. “I am one of the Imperial Household assigned to aid your people in getting settled in to their new homes. I'm here to take you the rest of the way there.”

“Ah, right, Cologne said we'd be met but didn't say by who. So, Kimura-san, where's the ride?”

“This way, please, Your Highness, My Lady,” the apparent laborer replied to the two former Nerimans (Akane's eyebrows rising at the title she'd been granted), and led the four out of the train station toward a nearby parking lot. As they approached a battered van, he added, “We'd have had transportation more in keeping with your status but the required secrecy —” He broke off in surprise as Ranma began to growl.

Beside her, Akane sighed and laid a warning hand on her lover's arm as something inside her seemed to relax a little. “No, `Yasuko', you can't beat up the help just because they're treating you the way your status calls for,” she murmured, and relaxed further at Ranma's bark of surprised laughter. “Now let's get this over —” she started to add, but cut off the thought unfinished: — so we can get to the training. No point in stirring things up again, however much she ached to rub Ranma's nose in it — she'd won the argument, after all.

/\

Ku Lon sighed to herself as she watched the body language of the couple exiting the van into the afternoon drizzle (Kimura-san holding an umbrella over the Nerimans and offering another to a grateful Mu Tse) and looking around at the Amazons' new home. Setsuna had warned her of what to expect, and she'd been right as usual. Ah, well, all couples that were in it for the long haul had to learn how to deal with the occasional disagreement, or even the occasional shouting match (she was unaware of her brief soft smile at the thought of her own husband, centuries dead in a Musk raid). Still, the timing could have been better — just before a major fight is a bad time for hurt feelings between shield mates. But then, the fight is the reason for the hurt feelings, so I guess there's no avoiding it. We'll just have to see to it that they get over it before the showdown.

The ancient matriarch pogoed forward. “Ranma, Akane, welcome home.” She discreetly watched the various reactions to her greeting, and was pleased. Kimura-san was shocked and Bai Ting was scandalized, but Mu Tse just grinned. More importantly, some of the tension that had her Princess taut as a bowstring eased away.

“Hi, Ol' Ghoul, good ta see ya again,” Ranma replied, grinning, and didn't even try hard to dodge the rap on the head Ku Lon delivered for her cheek (to Kimura-san's even greater shock).

“Yes, what are you doing here?” Akane asked in what she probably fondly considered a nonchalant manner. “We just spoke with you yesterday at the Cat Café, and you didn't say anything about leaving Tokyo.”

“True, child, but the Council decided that, since I am the elder that knows the Princess best, I should be here to oversee her first true stay with her people. Ranma,” she continued, turning to the redhead, “your American trainer will be arriving tomorrow, but I thought this afternoon you should get settled in and tour the village the Emperor has so generously provided us. And tonight ...” Her voice trailed away, then she took a deep breath and straightened on her staff. “Tonight there will be a banquet in your honor, and afterward the Elders of the Council will formally swear the old oaths of fealty.” Damn, tension's back, worse than ever. Worse than ever, Ranma had gone a little pale.

“Fine, whatever,” the redhead managed to get out. “Where's Shampoo? I'd think she'd be with ya.”

Yes, I know you'd like another familiar face around. Unfortunately — “As much as I would appreciate my great-granddaughter's company, I'm afraid that there's a special assignment only she could be trusted with. Perhaps she'll be able to hand it off to another warrior in a few weeks and return to her previous assignment.”

“Ya got her guardin' Nabiki,” Ranma guessed, but the wrinkled crone shook her head.

“No, something more important,” Ku Lon said. Then, when Akane's fists started clenching up a little hastily added, “After the two of you were already on the train we received word that Kuno Tatewaki has prevailed on his father to have his sister committed, with guards. She is no longer a threat, though for Nabiki's peace of mind we have a warrior keeping her company for the present — one of our more studious ones, actually, who may have a future as the tribe's treasurer. Nabiki will be both reassured and able to tell herself that we're trying to take advantage, that her guard isn't actually a security blanket.”

That forced a reluctant chuckle from the pair, and Ranma asked, “So if Shampoo's not guardin' Nabiki, what is she doin'?”

“Oh, I think I'll let her tell you about it when she returns,” Ku Lon replied blithely. “Give your bags to Sun Dai” — motioning to a wide-eyed young man standing slightly behind her — “and then we'll take that tour.”

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Ranma and Akane gaped at the last stop on their tour of the new village. It was a single multi-story building, and while easily the largest building in the village that wasn't saying much — it would have filled the entire grounds of the Tendo dojo, but not much more. But beyond that its white walls and brown peaked roofs would have fit in perfectly on the grounds of the Imperial Palace; so, too, would the lawn around it, and the flower garden, and the full-grown trees on all sides.

“What is this?” Ranma finally asked.

“It's your and Akane's new home,” Ku Lon replied calmly.

“What?!” Ranma shouted, and the matriarch sighed.

“The truth is, Ranma, that as overjoyed as the Amazons are to have four thousand years of loyalty rewarded with the return of our princess, we don't really know what to do with you, how you'll fit in. We were a regiment when the Moon Queendom fell, we've been a tribe for millennia, with a tribal council — we don't really know what to do with a Princess. So when we started moving in and realized we needed a place for you to live, we asked our helpers from the Imperial Household to take care of it for us. This is the result.

“It isn't entirely for you,” she added as the redhead's eyes slowly swept across the grounds to return to the ... palace was the only word that fit. “It also has a banquet hall and the new chambers for the Council to meet, offices I understand we are going to need as we adjust to life in Japan, rooms set aside for you to meet people, and guest suites. But the fourth story is all yours.”

As the two girls continued to stare wordlessly, Ku Lon finally said, “Come on, let's get inside out of the drizzle and I'll show you around, and then you can get ready for the banquet.”

/\

“Oh, this is the perfect end to a wonderful day,” Ranma said sarcastically from where she stood in front of her and Akane's bedroom wardrobe holding up what she was expected to wear to the banquet and the oath-swearing after.

Akane found herself trying to hold in giggles at her lover's disgusted expression. “Well, it's certainly deserving of a princess,” she finally managed to get out, then did start giggling as Ranma turned a betrayed expression on her.

While everything else they'd seen so far in the miniature palace was pure Japanese, the sleeveless cheongsam Ranma was unhappily examining was purely Chinese, and certainly expensive enough for a princess. But though it was made from the finest silk, and the deep blue coloring with the silver lining and needleworked moon crystal in the center of the chest were certainly masterpieces, Akane rather doubted any princess, Chinese or Japanese, would have worn it to anything remotely like an official function — the Amazons must have gotten Ranma's measurements somehow, because even hanging limply from her lover's hands it was obvious that the cheongsam had been tailored tight enough to look painted on. The hem ending at mid-thigh and the high slits up both sides to give full freedom of movement didn't help, either.

“How'm I supposed ta wear underwear with this?” Ranma groused, turning her attention back to the dress.

“You aren't,” Ku Lon said from her perch on the chair by a sturdy wooden desk. “Be careful to keep your legs closed when you sit.”

At that Ranma blushed red to match her hair, and Akane found herself on her knees clutching her sides against peals of laughter. Her lover glared at her for a moment, then her expression softened to a gentle smile. She hesitated, then murmured, “You're sure feelin' alot better.”

Akane grinned back at her as she fought her laughter under control. “Yes, I am, aren't I?” she murmured back. During the tour around the riverside village, the raven-haired girl had watched the look on Ranma's face grow more and more pinched with every bow from those they passed, until she'd finally relented and sought her own center to get a sense of the redhead's emotional state. She had been stunned at the feelings of resentment, resignation and budding panic her companion had been radiating. And then Ranma had glanced at her, and for a moment she had been overwhelmed by love, guilt and relief. After that Akane had found her own anger and sense of betrayal impossible to hold on to, and the feeling of relief as her negative feelings faded away had been intense enough to leave her lightheaded and a little giddy.

“Good,” Ranma continued as her smile turned mischievous. “Then you'll be happy ta know there's one in here for you, too, all red with gold trim, and a gold rising sun across the front. `Course, it's not as big across the chest, but I suspect it'll be as tight on you as this one on me.”

“Oooh, now you're fighting dirty,” Akane mock-growled as she got back up, even as her own blush matched Ranma's.

“Anything Goes,” her lover riposted. “I've never understood why a village of women warriors wore such sexy clothing.”

“It's because we are warriors that we wear such clothing,” Ku Lon replied from her seat. “For all the glory and legends that we attach to combat, the truth is that it is a brutal, ugly, dehumanizing activity. Dressing as we do helps remind us that we are women as well as warriors.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Ranma mused. “But why me? Why this? An' if ya were gonna get me all gussied up, why not what Mom an' big sis wore back then?”

“The Council actually discussed doing just that,” Ku Lon said. “It wouldn't have been hard to find out what the fashions were. But in the end, we decided to go with what looked right to us rather than historical accuracy.”

She fell silent for a moment, gazing somberly at the two teenagers, then continued, “Ranma, however hard you try to hide it, I know you resent what we've done to your future, the added responsibility, the constant company — that you have accepted this only because of the hundreds of warriors we will bring to the battle. But I don't think you've considered it from our side of things — it hasn't been easy for us, either. We had a comfortable existence, with each day much like the one before, our future laid out before us with three thousand years of tradition to guide our lives. Certainly, we had the Return of the Princess to look forward to and our sworn allegiance to her at the center of our way of life, but it was a `maybe someday' kind of thing, much like the Christians and their Second Coming. Then you came along, it turns out our Princess has truly returned, and suddenly that comfortable way of life is thrown into chaos, even to the point of packing up everything we can carry and leaving what has been our home for literally millennia for a strange country and an unknown future.

“The Council doesn't really expect you to act like a princess. We don't really know how a princess acts, at that — somehow our ancient records of proper protocol focused on how we are supposed to act, not you — but however it was, you aren't it. But could you please at least look the part of a princess on occasion, provide a center in the middle of the chaos we've found ourselves in?”

Ranma stared at the matriarch for a long moment, then nodded jerkily, her shoulders slumping. “Yeah, I can do that.”

Akane laid a comforting hand on Ranma's shoulder. “Why is this so hard?” she asked. “You've dressed up before, even more `girlie' than this. Sure, you complained about it, but it didn't bother you this much.”

“Yeah, well, before it wasn't really me. It was playacting, or a disguise, or just ta help me win,” the redhead admitted, eyes dropping to the garment still in her hands. “This — this is supposed ta be me. And it isn't, not really. Not yet,” she whispered.

Akane was silent for a long moment, then said, “Well, don't forget that they aren't expecting you to act `proper', at least. Good thing, too, considering it's you. Just don't take this as an excuse to start up the mealtime food fights again!”

Even as Ranma shook her head in denial with a shuddering chuckle and Ku Lon laughed, Akane leaned over and whispered in the redhead's ear, “So what do you say we get this over with, come back here and test out this huge bed by screwing each other senseless, then tomorrow morning we put on our most beat up workout clothes, find that dojo again, and I do my best to beat out what few of your brains are still left after tonight?”

Ranma grinned even as she again blushed beet red. “Sounds good ta me!” Then, dropping her own voice to a whisper, she added, “Just don't ever start thinkin' a' me as Princess Yasuko ... please?”

Akane snorted and her arms circled her lover to pull her back against her chest. “Not a chance, you'll always be my Baka. You proved it a couple days ago, and I'm sure you'll prove it again,” she whispered back.

Ku Lon smiled at the half-heard exchange, then hopped down from her perch and pogoed toward the door. “Why don't I leave you two lovebirds to get some rest before you have to get ready for the banquet?” she tossed over her shoulder. “And I do mean rest,” she added, turning around at the door. “Save the real entertainment for tonight.”

“Yes, ma'am!” the two blushing teenagers intoned, straightening to attention, and the laughing matriarch let herself out of the royal suite.

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The title comes from the song by Brooks and Dunn. It isn't a perfect fit, but close enough — better in the case of Ranma and Akane, but even Princess Yasuko and the Amazons. In the latter case, they find themselves in an arranged marriage that neither side is all that happy with but see no choice but to accept.