Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ City of Dreams ❯ Ice Cream Dreams ( Chapter 3 )

Akane woke the next morning feeling better than she had in weeks. She'd had the dream where she cooked a huge seven course dinner and everyone absolutely loved it. Of course there had been that earlier dream with the strange boy Ranma again.

 

She thought over her idea from her dream and decided to try it. If she could avoid the hentai horde then she could maintain her good mood. Maybe, just for today, she could get Nabiki to leak to Kuno that Akane wasn't at school at all just to get a break. She made her way to school early and took a side street before she came to where she'd be noticed. It took longer than she thought to work her way around to the back side of the school. She realized she'd never actually been to this part of the neighborhood before and wondered just what it would have looked like in her dream if she had taken that route. She was relieved to find another, smaller gate that was unlocked and she passed through and onto the school grounds. Quickly as possible she ran to one of the rear doors and went inside. She made her way to Nabiki's class and managed to get her attention as she was talking to one of her many henchwomen.

 

Nabiki quickly came over as Akane ducked out of sight into the hall, “How did you manage to get by the Hentai brigade?”

 

Akane told her sister her plan and asked for help dealing with Kuno.

 

Nabiki smiled. Her little sister could be downright devious if she wanted to be, “Sure sis I can help. Besides no one thought to bet on a no show today, and I can always charge Kuno for information on where to find his fierce tigress. Hmm, Are you planning on going to Kyoto today?”

 

Akane giggled, “You can tell him I felt like going to Kyoto. That way you're not lying. Because I do feel like it I just won't be going.”

 

“I like your style. You ever want to apprentice under me just let me know ok?”

 

Akane just smiled and went to her class. The few people already there gawked at her as she sat down in her seat. She received more stares as students trickled in and just before the bell rang she could hear Kuno proclaim that he was `coming for his distraught princess' as he ran out of the school grounds.

 

Akane smiled as she got her books out. Yes, today was going to be a good day.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Stretching out in front of the TV, Akane pondered the last couple of days. Her nightmares had stopped suddenly. She thought that somehow her dream of Ranma was responsible. Granted she hadn't had any more dreams of him or any dreams that she was aware of being in a dream either. And as all dreams do in the waking world, they were beginning to fade as the real world demanded her attention. It was Friday night and because Furinkan was one of the many schools adopting the Saturday off policy she would be able to sleep late in the morning.

 

Everyone else had gone to bed already. Akane wanted to watch some cheesy late American drama that had been poorly dubbed. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open. The story was so boring. She really should turn off the TV and go to bed. Just don't close your eyes...

 

“Yuck, I don't blame you for falling asleep. This movie sucks.”

 

Akane's eyes snapped open to see Ranma sitting on a pillow on the other side of the floor.

 

“Anyway, I've been waiting for you to finally fall asleep. Come on, we have things to do and people waiting for us.”

 

“Huh?” Akane said intelligently.

 

Ranma laughed, “This is a first, you're only half asleep. Come on, ignore that crappy movie. We have more interesting stuff lined up tonight.”

 

Akane nodded and focused on Ranma. She got up off the floor and turned off the TV. She noticed it was daytime outside. Ranma led her outside and together they headed off towards Furinkan.

 

“So where are we going Ranma? And what have you been up to the last couple of nights?” In a way Akane thought it was silly to talk to a dream like it was a real person, a friend even, but it was also comforting. She didn't have very many friends left after Kuno came into her life. Maybe Ranma was her need for companionship manifesting in her dreams. He certainly didn't seem like her ideal man. He was short, almost her height, moderately attractive, yet not Bishounen, and he seemed her age. Akane generally went for older men, at least she thought she did. There was the crush on Doctor Tofu...

 

“We're visiting a friend of yours to see about solving that problem you've been having.” Ranma answered breaking Akane out of her introspection.

 

“I haven't had nightmares in two days. And I've been avoiding my morning fights as well.”

 

“Temporary solutions. We need to get to the root of the problem. Oh, and you're welcome.”

 

“What for” She asked.

 

“The nightmares? I stopped them, temporarily at least. I called in a few favors.” Ranma smirked.

 

Akane pondered that as the approached Furinkan High. When they arrived she saw that the place was empty of people. Ranma stopped and brought his fingers to his lips and whistled. Suddenly a shadow cast by the nearby wall rose up and assumed a vaguely humanoid appearance.

 

“Allo', Ranma! Ye brung the wee mis by did ye?” The creature bubbled with a strange accent. It seemed to bow to her, “Sorry luv about the night scares. Jus doin me job is all. Nutin' personal mind ye.”

 

Ranma smiled his enigmatic smile, “Joe here was your nightmare case handler. I've convinced him to help us in our quest to solve your Kuno problem. Shall we go?” He gestured away from the school in another direction than they had arrived.

 

They traveled for a short while until Akane's curiosity got the better of her, “How exactly are we going to stop Kuno from bothering me at school? This is just a dream right? And what about that thing? It caused my nightmares, can we trust it?”

 

“After we're done here. I'll show you around. You treat this too much like the Blind and not as the reality it is. As for Joe, I've known him for a long time. Don't let his looks fool you, I trust him completely. Ah we're here.”

 

Akane realized they were standing at the front gates of the Kuno mansion, “Joe, you want to reconnaissance or should I?” Ranma asked.

 

Joe shrugged causing black tarry shadow to slump off, “I don' mine a bit. Get me a look see so I knows how to angle it.” With that the shadowy oil slick sank into the shadow of a tree and disappeared.

 

Ranma leaned against the tree and crossed his arms, “I convinced Joe that Kuno would probably make for better negative energy than you. You see, people that visit from the Blind carry a lot of emotional energy that they build up while they're awake. It's the job of people like Joe or Celeste to drain off this energy for other uses. Not only does it feed people here but it allows the people living in the Blind to remain sane. I'm sure you've heard of what happens to people who don't get enough sleep.”

 

Akane nodded slowly, “I'm beginning to think this is all real. No way is my imagination warped enough to come up with all this.”

 

“I knew it was only a matter of time before you came around.” Ranma laughed.

 

“So does that mean you live here in the dreamworld or do you visit like me?” Akane asked.

 

Ranma frowned, “I'm kind of a special case. Maybe I'll tell you sometime.”

 

At that moment Joe reappeared halting further conversation on the subject, “Well guvna' it's a right mess in there. Plenty fer me ta work wit. If ye like, we kin git started. Me lady, ifn' ye please.” He gestured towards the shadow he had emerged from.

 

Akane hesitated, she still had no idea exactly what was going on or what was supposed to happen. Ranma nodded to her, so gulping nervously, she stepped into the shadow of the tree and darkness engulfed her. She then felt someone's hand on her arm and hoped it was Ranma's. After a moment the darkness parted to reveal Akane's worst nightmare.

 

Kuno sat in a low throne dressed as medieval royalty surrounded by literally hundreds of Akanes in various states of non-dress. One was feeding him grapes one at a time while another one had his pants open and was servicing him in a way that made Akane want to retch.

 

Ranma blanched, “This is much worse than I thought. Still, there is plenty to work with. Think you can handle it Joe?”

 

The shadow shrugged in a manner reminiscent of bubbles surfacing through mud, “Ifn not, the rest o' me boys down et the union will take up the slack. Ye hit a reguler oil mine lad, me thanks to ye.”

 

“Just remember the deal, I want something bad to happen every time he dreams about Akane here.” Ranma emphasized.

 

Akane was beginning to think she'd never feel clean again, “I thought the nightmares were going to stop?” She pleaded to Ranma.

 

Ranma nodded, “Just hold on and let Joe get to work.”

 

Akane grabbed Ranma's arm for support and watched the black nightmare.

 

Joe shivered like bad jello for a moment then reached out and merged with the shadow of the nearest naked Akane. The dream girl assumed a darker hue as if a cloud had passed overhead. The darkness slowly passed through the harem until it reached the two girls `playing' with Kuno. The scene shifted like a ripple through water. Now there were Akanes holding babies, ironing clothes, cooking. Most were smoking or showing significant weight gain. Kuno himself had quite the beer belly and the mansion had taken on the likeness of a run down trailer house. At least a dozen Akanes were nagging Kuno to take out the garbage or paint the house or any number of mundane chores. Kuno cringed with each chore and his face showed more and more panic. When an Akane pushed a wailing baby into his arms to be changed Kuno screamed and the whole dreamscape vanished.

 

“Heh, he must have woke up half the neighborhood screaming from that nightmare.” Ranma laughed. The shadowy Joe formed up next to the two and held up a small canister. “Great Work Joe. A masterpiece as always.”

 

“I aims to please. Wit this bloke I be makin' me quota befor' the next shift. Ifn' ye not be needin' me fir anytin' else I be off to me next case.” Joe bowed again and shifted off into the shadows.

 

“I'd say a few nights of that and Kuno won't even be able to look at you without screaming.” Ranma said.

 

Akane wasn't quite sure how to take that. On one hand Kuno leaving her alone was a good thing, on the other... Maybe having Kuno scared shitless of her was a good thing as well. She grinned at Ranma.

 

“I don't know how to thank you. Assuming this is even real, which I'm still not convinced.” She trailed off.

 

“I don't know of anyway to convince you other than to observe Kuno's behavior for a while. Considering how stubborn you've made him out to be it might take a while to get through his thick psyche. Anyway I promised to show you around after we were done her so let's go.” Ranma reached out and grabbed what seemed to be a zipper out of thin air and pulled down, opening a hole in the air. Taking Akane's hand he pulled her through and closed the hole behind him.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Author's Rant:

 

Whew! This is getting harder to write. I have two projects due at school soon (one sculpture and one Japanese oral presentation) so updates will come slower. Also is the fact that I've started working on my other fics again now that the muse is upon me. Expect more Ah! My Akane and Crossgen-Element of Shadows soon. As for my others, depending on inspiration and time, I will try to actually finish a fic before starting any new ones... (Like that's ever going to happen!)

 

Ranma shifted his battleoid to fighter mode, shifting genders in the process. Thoughtfully chewing on a petal of the flower of life she surveyed the battlefield. Idly she noted Tenchi piloting EVA-01 using the wings of the light hawk to destroy both tie fighters and Zentraedi battlepods. Her main focus however was on the six Borg cubes accompanying the assimilated Death Star. She just hoped their diversion worked long enough for the SDF-1 to fold in and use the main gun on the monstrosity before if could fire on the earth...