[Ranma][Fanfic] Destiny's Wish, Part Fourteen
Mike Koos
Ayumi had done it.
He'd really, truly done it.
He had made a declaration Ranma had never expected to hear from
him, for Mikado, Azusa and the entire audience to overhear.
<"In case you don't know, Ranma happens to be my *iinazuke*!
You so much as *touch* her and I'll kill you!>
Ranma had been so taken aback that she hadn't heard Mikado's
response. In her entire life Ranma had *never* had a boy declare
that he would *kill* anyone to keep her safe. Seriously injure,
maybe, but then she wasn't counting one Kunou Tatewaki in the
equation. She could only wordlessly watch Ayumi... waiting,
wondering if he had seriously meant what he had said.
Destiny's Wish
Part Fourteen: Separation Anxiety
written by Mike Koos
-----------------------------
Mikado snorted. "My, you do like to talk *big*, don't you? But
those words mean nothing to the Golden Pair. For not only are we
famous for being the best skaters..." Azusa took hold of her
partner's shoulders, as the boy initiated a new attack. "...we are
also known for ripping asunder every pair we have ever faced!"
"Uh-oh, the Fuurinkan pair is in for it now, folks!" the
announcer leaned forward. "The Golden Pair is gearing up for their
favorite tactic of all time: divide and conquer!"
The crowd cheered; the Golden Pair took great pleasure in the
various methods they used to separate their opponents... perhaps for
good.
Ayumi began to move forward. "You're really full of it, you
know that?" He motioned for Ranma to join him. "C'mon, Ranma!"
She had trouble saying the words to agree with him... Had a
blush formed anywhere on her face? Ranma fell in beside Ayumi,
shaking her head to clear it. <I have to keep my mind on the fight.
Nothing else!>
His mind made up, Ayumi chose to initiate their new plan of
attack with a two-person simultaneous drop-kick to the face - in this
case, Mikado's - a variation on the move which had worked so well in
taking Kunou out of the running, so to speak, one morning after
Ranma's transfer to Fuurinkan High. The circumstances were similar:
Ranma had been fairly angry at Kunou at the time and Ayumi was
allowing his anger to influence his actions now.
Ayumi's half of the attack came closer to connecting than
Ranma's. Mikado ducked under the kick, at the same time helping his
partner catapult high above them all.
With nothing to stop her Ranma continued her flight through the
air... only Ayumi wasn't with her. That meant... She craned her head
to look back.
Mikado had caught Ayumi's ankle while the Tendo boy sailed past,
holding him in place long enough for Azusa to literally fall into his
embrace. That alone was bad enough... then Ranma saw the smaller
girl lean in to kiss Ayumi as they fell.
She hastened to land on her feet. How *dare* Shiratori try such
a move! Come to think of it, how dare Ayumi *let* her kiss him!
"Ayumi!" she yelled, skating back to his side - her raised
temperament evident in both her voice and her stride.
As she drew close Ayumi clambered to his feet. He thought to
point a finger to his nose in an effort to show Ranma that Azusa had
kissed him on the nose, not his lips. But was that the answer Ranma
would be looking for? Now was *not* a good time to encourage Ranma
to be ticked off at him.
Of course, watching Azusa to make sure she didn't attempt any
other tricks might have been a better thing to worry about.
Azusa immediately latched onto his ankles. While Ayumi stumbled
Ranma dove to catch him - desperately, he made a grab for her hands.
Anything to keep from crashing to the ice yet again.
Meanwhile, Mikado had grabbed Azusa by *her* ankles and, in an
amazing show of strength, lifted Azusa's end of the human chain over
his head. Ayumi and Ranma were surprised to find themselves along
for the ride.
Then Mikado began rotating in place, and they were airborne...
This was what the audience wanted to see. Sort of. Mikado and
Azusa physically breaking another pair apart. A pair engaged to be
married, at that.
"The end is near!" shouted the announcer, as he was expected to
do at this point. He had almost been required to memorize and
rehearse the lines. "The move to end all moves, the move that turns
the term 'divide and conquer' into a reality! Yes, it's the fearsome
test of trust, the 'Betrayal Merry-Go-Round!'"
At the outer edge of the Merry-Go-Round Ranma felt the full
effects of the spin. She shut her eyes tightly against her better
judgment. Ayumi grit his teeth and strained to keep a tight hold on
Ranma. If he were to lose his grip on her hands...
"Tendo Ayumi! I will stop this spin if you release your
partner's hands!"
Ayumi couldn't believe Mikado would suggest such a thing. "Then
keep spinning!" Both he and Ranma could endure this spin, easily!
To think that Mikado would insist that he betray Ranma after making
it clear he wasn't going to let anything bad happen to her... So this
was why they called the move the 'Betrayal Merry-Go-Round.'
The cursed girl was trying to pull her hands free from his.
"Ayumi, let me go!"
"Baka!" he replied. "I'm not going to let you get hurt!"
The audience was on the edge of their seats. "Only one person
can escape this trap, by betraying his or her partner!" explained
the announcer, while P-chan anxiously strained to break the chain
connecting her to the trophy.
"I'll be fine!" Ranma shakily assured her partner. "Just let
go!"
"Forget it! I am NOT gonna let go!"
"Fools," scoffed Mikado. "Your fates were sealed once you fell
victim to our trap! By continuing to be faithful you are only
deepening the pain you will feel when one finally betrays the other!"
"Don't listen t-to him, Ayumi!" Ranma fought the centrifugal
force to say. "You don't have to worry about me! So let--"
"*NO*! I can't leave a slow girl like you to fend for herself!"
Ranma's anger intensified. "Is THAT what you think!?"
Azusa felt her grip on Ayumi's ankles loosening. "Azusa-chan
can't do this anymore!" She let go. So much for this grand spin...
Hand in hand, Ranma and Ayumi flew with the full force of the
spin toward one of the rink's cement border walls, Ranma first in
line. She reflexively screamed. So did the audience.
Then, as the pair neared the wall Ayumi snapped his arms
downward so that Ranma took his place and he took hers. Her eyes
widened to their limits after she heard and felt him impact loudly
upon the wall behind her.
On the ground at last she turned in time to see him slide out of
the crater he'd created, limp as a rag doll, to the ice.
Except, she noticed, that his hand still held hers. "Ah......"
The audience - not to mention the announcer - were in awe.
"Their hands never separated! This means that Tendo Ayumi and
Saotome Ranma are the first pair ever to come out of the Betrayal
Merry-Go-Round with their trust in each other intact! However,
there's no way Tendo Ayumi could have come out of that impact
completely intact!"
Ranma pulled her hand from Ayumi's and knelt over his prone
form. "Baka! Why do you have to show off all the time and do things
like this?"
Ayumi didn't respond.
She moved closer. "Ayumi......?"
His eyes remained closed. "C'mon, Ayumi..."
Silence.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he shattered every last bone in his
body," Mikado remarked flatly. "He'd have to be superhuman to live
through that," added his sidekick.
On her hands and knees, Ranma quivered, unable to hold back the
tears welling up in her eyes. <This... he... this is all my fault!
He did this because of me!> She rested her arms on Ayumi's chest and
buried her head there, crying. "Ayumi no... *BAKA*!"
How could he do this to her? How? After all the terrible
things she had said and done to him... he turns around and throws
away his own *life* to spare hers! Oh...... her tears came more
freely now, but she did nothing to stop them. Saotome Ranma,
second-most powerful student of the Saotome class of martial arts,
was crying and everybody in the entire building could see her doing
so.
So what? She didn't care any longer...
Ayumi's eyes popped open.
He forcefully sat up to displace Ranma. "Hey, cut that out!
You're getting my shirt all wet! What's wrong with just saying
'Thank you' or 'I'm sorry'?"
Ranma slowly pushed herself up and looked into Ayumi's annoyed
features. The last few tears trickled down her cheeks. "You tricked
me!"
"Of course! And to think you called me a baka! Hmph... I'm
surprised you cry like normal girls."
"What!?" She choked back the remainder of her sadness. "Why do
you do this to me? Make me worry like that?"
Ayumi brought his legs up - the first step in snapping to his
feet. "You should know it'll take a lot more than *that* to get rid
of me."
Unfortunately, when Ayumi made it to his feet his body neglected
to stop snapping. He wasn't dead, but the pain jolting haphazardly
through his joint like electricity might have made that a welcome
alternative. Ranma inhaled sharply; she could almost *feel* the pain
from the sight of Ayumi's face alone. He'd practically swallowed his
entire lower lip... and his suddenly bloodshot eyes, too, if that was
at all possible.
"You simply cannot admit you're well out of your league and give
up, can you?" Mikado folded his arms, a bemused smile crossing his
lips.
"You're... the one who's outmatched," Ayumi managed. "Give
up... now, while you've... got the chance." Concerned, Ranma
advanced a step toward her partner.
"Since both pairs are willing and able to fight, the match will
now continue! Everyone, including the little pig acting as the prize
of this contest, is wondering who will emerge victorious!" The
announcer turned to glance at the trophy which rested on a table a few
feet away... however, P-chan had broken free of the chain and
vanished. Apparently the animal wanted to have some control over its
own fate...
"Charlotte!?" called Azusa. Her precious pet Charlotte - gone?
Hibiki Ryomi crouched on a darkened narrow ledge above the
audience at the rear of the rink. They hadn't noticed her absence
until now? She had almost lost her way searching for a little hot
water to douse herself with. But now... she couldn't think of a
better time to make her entrance.
"You're in no shape to continue!" Ranma was telling Ayumi.
"You'll get yourself killed - for real, this time!"
"Forget it, Ranma! I'm not quitting until that super-pervert
gets what's coming to him!" vowed Ayumi, regardless of the pain
still exploding at various points throughout his body.
"Good," Mikado hadn't moved. "It would be a shame for you to
withdraw before I made good my promise to honor the fair Saotome
Ranma with the pleasure of my kiss!"
Had Mikado not chosen that declaration as his call to action he
might very well have seen the look of disgust that washed over
Ranma's face. The guy had promised to *kiss* her? No wonder Ayumi
was getting so worked up over this fight... that and other reasons.
A shrill voice caught Mikado off-guard. "Stop everything! Time
out!" The next thing he knew he had tripped forward onto the ice.
Azusa's method of catching his ankles in mid-stride to get his
attention left a lot to be desired. "What in the world did you do
THAT for, you little brat?" he turned on her, asking the question as
he did almost on a daily basis. Was there anyone in this world who
would have no problems when Shiratori Azusa was his or her
skating partner?
"You HAVE to get my Charlotte back! NOW!"
Ranma knew she had to do something. If not, then Ayumi would go
on stubbornly believing that he was able to finish this fight... and
it would be a finish, too.
Ayumi's.
However, it would take a major show to convince Ayumi not to go
through with the fight.
Maybe - if she was lucky - it wouldn't come to that.
She walked over to Ayumi's side and gave him a simple
finger-flick in the ribs, similar to the one she'd given him when he
claimed a blow from Kunou's sword hadn't injured him in the least.
First Ayumi paled, dropping to the ground in convulsions of pain.
Once that had passed he glared up at her from where he lay.
"What was that for!?"
"I'm not gonna let you kill yourself on my account!" she
raised her voice.
Ayumi hesitated. She... Ranma actually cared about what
happened to him?
Ranma dropped to her knees beside him. She couldn't bring
herself to look into his eyes; she took his hand in hers and clasped
it tightly. "Please don't do this..."
A handful of tense seconds passed. Ranma brought Ayumi's hand
closer to her eyes to avoid having to look at his face... and so he
couldn't see the blush coloring hers.
<What do I do now?>
Every last one of the lights in the arena clicked off at once.
Ryomi backed away from the building's circuit breaker. <Step one.>
Step two was the bucket of water she held ever so carefully...
While the audience complained about not being able to see
whatever action was taking place - the announcer didn't mind; since
the PA system needed power to run, he could take a break! - Ayumi and
Ranma heard a familiar voice. Right before one of them was splashed
with a bucketful of cold water. "Time you sat this one out as a guy,
Ranma. Hope this doesn't ruin your costume," the voice uttered a low
laugh.
Ryomi's voice continued. "C'mon, Ayumi-san! It's time we
paired off!" Ranma felt someone grab her and carry her to another
location.
The lights clicked on once the power was restored to the
building.
On the ice stood a new pair - Hibiki Ryomi, dragging along a
suitably wet... and annoyed Tendo Ayumi. Ranma, still in her proper
form, had been relegated to the sidelines to watch, as Ryomi had
insisted.
But Ayumi was none too happy about the switch. He yanked his
hand out of Ryomi's grasp. "You idiot!" he seethed. "Couldn't you
pick a BETTER time to interfere!?"
"Who's interfering? *I* belong out here with you, not Ranma!"
Mikado and Azusa stared in minor confusion at the new pair.
"What an unusual view of femininity." Mikado's sharp intake of
breath indicated he'd found another girl to chase after - namely,
Ryomi.
"What femininity?" asked Azusa. "They're both boys!"
Ryomi appeared next to her. "I am NOT a boy!" She skated back
to Ayumi.
"Oh, what the heck," Ayumi sighed. "Let's get this over with!"
"That's the spirit!" Ryomi grinned and clapped Ayumi on the
shoulder.
Which turned out to be a big mistake, as it set Ayumi's
hair-trigger shooting pain in motion again. "Thanks a lot!"
The audience began to jeer. "What's going on here?"
"Oh, my, It looks like the audience is upset! Could this be
about the Fuurinkan team's substitute?"
The answer was a resounding "Yes!". "What's with that girl's
outfit!? It makes her look like a boy!"
"It DOES NOT!" Ryomi shouted. Privately, however, she knew
they were right. Her 'outfit' was practically the same as the
all-terrain clothing she normally wore - in fact, it *was* her normal
clothing, with cloth legwarmers in place of the leather straps
binding her pants at the lower half of her legs. Ryomi dressed to be
prepared for the elements, not to impress anyone... her choice of
clothing more often than not made her look like a boy. A mop of hair
that obscured part of her face also contributed to that image.
"We'll handle this one!" announced a boy, who along with a
small squad of girls pushed a portable changing room onto the ice.
They pulled Ryomi by the hands into the closet-sized room...
Out of courtesy the announcer spoke to cover the noise from the
impromptu wardrobe change. "And now, the Koruhoz Stylists' Club
moves into action!"
A short period of time later a spotlight focused upon the new
Fuurinkan High pair. Technically, Ryomi wasn't even attending
Fuurinkan High... but no one here had to know that.
This was the first outfit she'd had to wear in a remarkably long
time with a feminine influence to it.
She detested it.
Her costume resembled Ranma's in a sense - a two-tone, dark red
and yellow flower-print Chinese-style leotard. Unlike Ranma, Ryomi's
costume featured true sleeves, secured below the shoulder and at her
wrists by black studded bands, in contrast to Ranma's sleeves of
chiffon. A single, smaller arrangement of flowers were nestled above
her right ear.
Oh, well - at least no one could mistake her for a boy in these
clothes. What mattered more to her was that she had finally been
given the chance to pair off with the man she loved! If only this
getup didn't make the collar around her neck so much more visible...
"Now that both pairs of skaters are ready to compete, our match
will continue!"
Both members of the Fuurinkan team kept their eyes on their
opponents. "Ryomi. I trust you're not going to slip all over the
ice and make a fool out of yourself?"
"Well..." She blushed slightly. "It's not like I was able to
find the time to practice. I spent all my time just getting here."
Noting Ayumi's perplexed expression, she added, "I don't have a
problem standing and walking..."
Meanwhile, Mikado had decided to take advantage of the lull by
paying a visit to where Ranma stood. "I would like to apologize,
dear Ranma," he said, sliding to one knee before her.
She blinked. "Huh?"
"Regrettably, I never had the chance to offer you my kiss while
we were opponents."
Oh, *this* again. "Forget it. I know I will."
"I cannot. I owe you this much... after the match, we shall go
on a date the likes of which you may never experience again!" As
proof he raised her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.
Ranma cringed in repulsion. Enough was enough! She'd told
Ayumi earlier that had he not interfered, she would have punched
Mikado in the mouth for his attempt to kiss her. Now, Ranma planned
to follow through on that threat!
Before Mikado withdrew his kiss, and before Ranma could pull
back her free hand to form a fist, Ryomi brought everything
screeching to a halt... by coming down head-first on Mikado's head.
Ayumi had thrown Ryomi at Mikado to cut the boy's kiss short.
Mikado came to the startling realization that there was a
semi-conscious girl doing a headstand on his head. He gently brought
her down, while Ayumi rushed back to Ranma. "Goodness! My dear, are
you okay?" Mikado put the question to Ryomi.
Ranma stepped out onto the rink. "Why don't *you* sit this one
out, Ryomi? Ayumi and I'll finish this!" She still wanted to pay
Mikado back for his little kissing stunt. Not to mention P-chan...
it wasn't like Ryomi had any reason to care what happened to P-chan.
"C'mon, Ranma! Let's go!" said Ayumi, out of breath. She
placed her hand in his. "Okay!"
"*Charlotte*!!"
Azusa's squeal caused Ranma to break away from Ayumi to see what
the other girl had found.
Azusa had noticed the collar Ryomi wore around her neck. "Are
you Charlotte?"
"Huh!?" From Ryomi and Ranma both. Ranma was to Ryomi's right;
Azusa to her left.
"That collar is the same as the one Azusa-chan gave to her
little Charlotte!" Azusa pointed to the collar. "See, I have the
key here..."
Ryomi nervously watched as Ranma moved in for a closer look at
the collar. "I think you've mistaken me for someone else," she told
Azusa. "My name is not 'Charlotte.' It's--"
"P-chan," Ayumi finished Ryomi's statement for her.
"*Who*," Ryomi shoved Ayumi away, "is P-chan?"
Ayumi managed to catch himself and skated back. "Why, you..."
But before he could do anything in return to her, Mikado slid in
to snatch Ryomi into his arm. "What do you think you're doing?
Leave my girlfriend alone!"
As Mikado stood there with Ryomi within his reach he allowed
himself the luxury of a fantasy. Soft-colored bubbles of light and
mist obscured the edges of his daydream. "Oh, Sanzenin-sama..."
gushed Ryomi. "*Thank* you ever so much for rescuing me from that
uncultured *brute*, Tendo Ayumi! How can I ever repay you?"
Ryomi's eyes softened; they met Mikado's gaze. "Oh, how silly
of me! I know..."
And so they kissed...
Back in the real world, Ryomi, Ayumi, Ranma and Azusa each
looked as if they wanted to be somewhere else. Ryomi reached up to
grab Mikado... and threw him across the rink. "GET REAL,
PERVERT-BOY!!"
While Mikado landed from the throw Ryomi grabbed Ayumi's wrist
to lead him out into the rink... until she lost control of her legs.
She fell onto her back and slipped forward, taking Ayumi with her.
"What kind of move was *that*!?" growled Ayumi.
"Didn't I tell you I forgot to practice?" To which Ayumi
sighed. *Ranma*, at least, knew how to skate.
Something took hold of Ayumi's ankles. In one quick motion
Azusa placed his ankles upon her shoulders, and Mikado lifted the
chain by Azusa's ankles. "It can't be..." The Betrayal
Merry-Go-Round began anew.
"Again, the Golden Pair attempts to divide and conquer right off
the bat! The 'Betrayal Merry-Go-Round is back!"
"You know the rules, Tendo!" shouted Mikado over the force of
the spin. "Release the girl's hands and I will stop spinning!"
Ayumi looked into his new partner's face. "Hurry up and let go!"
Ryomi couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How *dare* you
think I'm gonna let go!" She pulled herself closer and bit Ayumi on
the wrist, her canine fangs almost drawing blood. "I'm staying with
you!"
What a terrible way to put it.
In response, he pushed her away. Ryomi separated from him and
was sent flying. "That HURT, you moron!"
"Guess lightning won't strike twice tonight, folks! It looks
as if the Merry-Go-Round has destroyed the faith of another pair in
each other!"
"Maybe it's just me," a boy in the crowd was heard to say, "but
I thought it looked like they weren't getting along to begin with."
The girl sitting next to him shushed him.
Mikado, sensing an opportunity to console a girl's broken heart,
moved to catch Ryomi - at the same time whipping out his comb to
straighten his hair - leaving the still-connected pairing of Azusa
and Ranma to continue spinning in the opposite direction. Ryomi
landed in Mikado's arms at precisely the same instant Ayumi crashed
face-first to the ice.
<Gee - do I sense a *trend* here?>
"You're safe now, my dear," Mikado breathed, bringing his face
closer to Ryomi's. "Such a pity... your partner *abandoned* you so
freely. You must be *devastated*, my poor, unfortunate friend."
Ryomi frowned. The guy was definitely a lousy actor. <Any more
of this and-->
"Nonetheless, you needn't worry. From this point on, I shall be
your one and only love."
"Sanzenin-sama..." Mikado's fantasy-Ryomi embraced him,
teary-eyed. Flowers sprouted forth everywhere around them.
<That does it!> Sorry, but she had a different candidate in
mind for her 'one and only love...'
The Lost Girl wound up and gave Mikado a powerful shot to his
gut. "Will you WAKE UP!?" she yelled. "Do you ALWAYS talk in your
sleep?"
She cast a glance Ayumi's way. Azusa had left Ayumi to rejoin
her partner. Ryomi figured it was time she did the same.
Ayumi was sitting on the ice, checking himself for injuries.
Ryomi started toward him. For a moment it seemed as if she had
finally gotten the hang of skating - until she shifted her balance in
the wrong direction. She careened forward, transforming her body
into a human air-to-ice torpedo that came to a halt next to the
seated Ayumi.
Ayumi mockingly applauded the maneuver.
"Stupid ice!!" Ryomi swore softly. "Stupid, *stupid* ice!"
She buried a fist two-and-a-half inches deep into the ice, sending
cracks extending outward for several yards. "I'd do a lot better
without all of this STUPID ICE around!!"
Ayumi merely stared at her.
There was a low rumbling in the ice beneath Ryomi's fist; she
hastily withdrew it to be safe. She was grateful to have done so
when water came spurting out from the hole she'd made to drench Ayumi.
Naturally, the water was freezing cold. Ayumi yelped as the
water struck him.
"Uh..." Ryomi's eyes widened. "That isn't..."
"Cold water?" the boy replied. "Yeah."
"Correct! This rink actually serves double-duty as a swimming
pool, frozen during the fall for the benefit of our school's
skaters!" offered the announcer to anyone who cared to listen.
Everything at once fell deafeningly silent.
Then, the rink self-destructed underneath the two pairs.
The ice was reduced to an array of floating chunks of ice, small
and large. Mikado and Azusa stood two islands apart from the ice
island Ayumi and Ryomi were struggling to maintain their foothold on.
"The surface of the rink has been destroyed! But the fight must
continue, even though all that is left are floating ice fragments!"
Ryomi wrapped her arms around Ayumi's waist to steady herself.
Mikado's island drifted closer. "Poor, misguided souls..." he shook
his head.
"Well, what now, Ryomi?" she heard Ayumi ask. "Cold water
doesn't bother me. I'm not the one who's cursed."
<I can't let Ranma see me change into a pig...!> *That* would
be a sign of weakness... She did not want to show any weaknesses in
front of Ranma - her rival in love and everything else.
"Ayumi-san," Ryomi said after a short pause. "A challenge. If
you go down for the count before I do, you'll break up with Ranma."
What in the world was running through Ryomi's mind? "Why would
I want to take a challenge like that? You're starting to sound like
Mikado."
The idea of comparing her to that air-headed playboy hentai made
Ryomi feel queasy. "You man enough to take the bet or not?"
*Man* enough?
What the heck kind of stupid challenge was this? Of all the
times for Ryomi to think about her vendetta against him and Ranma!
If he ignored her now the matter would only become worse. Not
only would he have to contend with the Golden Pair but Hibiki Ryomi
as well. All out to make sure he never won... or lived. With his
luck they would all band together against him.
As for Ryomi's 'challenge?' No big deal. Ryomi couldn't remain
on her feet, let alone skate. If anyone was going to fall first,
Ryomi would!
So this was what it had all come down to. "Yeah. You've got a
bet."
<...to be continued...>
Credits:
--------
Written by: Mike Koos
Prereaders: Richard Beaubien, Tom Williams, David Wills
With apologies to Rumiko Takahashi...
All parts of this series available at the RAAC archives at
ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works
or from my WWW pages at
http://www.mother.com/~makoto/stories.htm
Comments and questions welcome.
*****************************
* Mike ('Kino Makoto') Koos * "I can do nothing to stop you.
*---------------------------* Your background music is too
* email: mak...@mother.com * strong for me."
***************************** - Whose Line is it Anyway?
www: http://www.mother.com/~makoto/stories.htm