~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ "Ah! My Pigtailed Goddess!" ~ ~ --------------------------- ~ ~ Ranma 1/2 FanFiction ~ ~ March 31, 1996 ~ ~ SunFlower ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Prologue* Afloat on a wispy cloud of ethereal mist, Akane Tendou lay dreaming of her beloved... blanketed in the silvery dew, she saw him: Long strands of dark hair spilled over his forehead in unruly thickets, swept back in the breeze and kept from his glimmering eyes by a speckled-yellow headband. Smiling with boyish innocence, he called out her name and reached out to embrace her... "Akane ----" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter One: Fragrant Flower, Famous Sword ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- *One* ----- Ranma Saotome woke up earlier than usual this morning. Even the winged songmakers were asleep in their cozy nests, and so the birds of Spring would not alert Akane to his intention. Tip-toeing up the balconied stairs and quietly past the master bedroom where her father resided, he walked next to the rooms of her sisters along a corridor which had never before seemed so long. Clutching at his hard-earned prize in a carefully wrapped bundle, he paused outside her door with a hand on the lacquered, transparent screen. He had worked so hard to get this present for her, and even dutifully bought it personally disguised in his female form. (How else was i going to buy a negligee?) - he thought to himself. Remembering how beautiful it had seemed to him , the interlaced folds of silken soft fabric embroidered in waves of pink, he wondered how it would look on Akane. Taking a deep breath to gather his courage, he pulled back the screen door with a *click* and ventured in. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- His heart thumped in his chest to see her lying there. Snuggled underneath the blankets, she rested her head to one side on the pillow... her entire face relaxed and dreaming, breathing with an even-paced serenity. For once, she looked gentle and innocent, more like a young girl than she would ever reveal through her hardened exterior when she was awake. Oblivious to himself in admiration, Ranma walked toward her bed and carelessly stepped on a loose floorboard. Akane's eyes darted open, and in an instant she rose with the rapacity of a serpent coiled to strike. When his image standing next to her bed came into focus, she gazed at him with an icy glare that left him frozen in its wake. "Ranma! What are you doing here." It was not a question, but more like a statement. Akane already knew why he was there, and to her heart the reason could only be improper. Ranma stared at her sadly, seeing the all-too-familiar mask setting into place on her now rigid features... the flaring eyebrows arched above cold eyes which now masked any gentleness which he had once seen on the face of his sleeping nymph.. "A-Akane..." he stammered, and timidly gave to her the present which expressed his heart- his desires for a closer relationship that he would never dare to say in words. Akane tore open the package and furiously dumped the contents out on her bed. "RANMA!" she hooted, "You are absolutely *unbelievable!!* Who do you think I am, giving me this? I hate it! ...And to try something like this, while P-chan is missing. You should be out looking for him! I never want to speak to you again, you pervert!" Her words sunk into Ranma's heart, which he had finally opened to her after all their memories together. Never before had he felt so alone. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Two* ----- Akane's door thudded to a close in front of him. In a daze, Ranma clutched the torn package in his hands, walking away to see the bewildered faces of Soun, Nabiki, and even Kasumi peeking outside at him from their rooms. Blushing furiously with hurt pride and anger, he stormed down the stairs and into the street. Dark, shadowy clouds had begun to enshroud the sun... making the day which had started out and promised to be so beautiful gloomy and overcast. Ranma did not care, but strolled listlessly down the sidewalk, his emotions felt languid and dulled to all sensation. Soon, he was far away from sight of the Tendou dojo, droplets of rain with their tiny hands began to paddle softly against his hair and shoulders. He walked even quicker, his moving legs being the only source of his concentration - he tried not to think about anything else. Before too long, the rain started to come down in torrential outpours which soaked him with the chill waters of early Spring. Passers-by hurrying back to their homes would pause momentarily in the rain, gazing at the pig-tailed girl who walked with her head lowered, sniffling softly with small sounds of dejection, and a heart-breaking sad look on her face. One could no longer tell between the droplets of tears running down her cheeks from the rain... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Three* ------- A hand settled gently on Ranma-chan's shoulder. She shrugged it off, and kept walking, unable to see anything through a veiled gauze of water in her eyes. "Pig-tailed girl..." a rich, resonant voice called out softly in the wind. The familiar voice was filled with such a tenderness and captivating harmony, that Ranma-chan paused to listen to its echoes in the stillness of her heart - just as an umbrella settled over her to shield her from the down-falling curtains of rain. Ranma-chan looked up and her eyes opened wide with surprise as she saw him standing there, his arm outstretched to cover her from the rain with his parasol, while he began to get soaked from the rain. "There was once a legend of a flower in heaven, which thrived by a river bank, but the spring grew dry. A stone with a tiny flaw of gold in its surface, came and brought water to it from afar to nurture and care for it everyday until it grew beautiful and sweet. This stone had been given life by the magical touch of a goddess' hand, and the flower promised to herself that all of her days, she would shed tears for him to repay the stone's love and kindness to her. And thus in each part of the world, rain falls from heaven renewing the vow, a symbol of this story of eternal love." Kunou Tatewaki's eyes misted over from emotion, as rain showered upon him unheeded. Ranma-chan came back to herself with a start and realized that she had been standing there all the while, captivated by his heartfelt recitation while he stood sheltering her from the rain. She sighed softly and clung to his arm, drawing close to him under the umbrella so that it could cover them both. "Arigato gozaimasu..." she whispered with courtesy, a small part of her wondering what had come over her and why she was behaving this way. Ranma-chan gazed up at Kunou's face, and his eyes met hers with an expression that was very loving and protective. He stood there tall and proud with a regal bearing, and his handsome, flawless features seemed to be carved aesthetically from jade on his alabaster face. The joy-filled smile on his lips warmed her heart as if a ray of sunshine had nestled there. Blushing softly, she leaned against his supportive arm and walked with him along the rain-swept streets of the city. With no-one in sight, it seemed as if the two of them were the only people in all the world. The epiphany of rain falling against the outstretched leaves of the trees made a harmonious sound - more beautiful in their tranquil silver chimes than any melody Ranma-chan had ever heard. She found herself elated and uplifted for some unspeakable reason, and giggling exuberantly , she turned to Kunou with a smile on her lips. "Everything looks so pretty in the Spring Rain. I haven't taken the time to appreciate all of it before... thank you for showing it to me." Kunou was silent, and made no reply. They stopped outside the threshold to a gate, and Ranma suddenly realized that they were standing in front of the Tendou residence again. Kunou closed his eyes so that she could not see them for a moment, and lowered his head a bit with... sadness...? (I never realized before how beautiful he is... such a golden heart...) Ranma-chan thought to herself. She felt Kunou's arm quiver for just a moment as he lingerly held her with its protection of genteele grace. With an inaudible sigh, he let go of her hand. She then saw the play of feelings come across his expressive face which she knew all too well with her own experiences with Akane... the agony of his heart's secret wish to tell her that she was a part of him... that he needed her to fulfill his life. But even such simple desires became enshrouded with doubt and worry, thoughts of propriety, fear of the reply, and most of all for the tender feelings of his beloved. Kunou's eyes locked into his own , and Ranma-chan will always remember that moment when he tentatively asked : "Shall we meet again, when the moonlight touches upon the silver pavilion with petals of Spring?" (He's asking me for a date..) she thought to herself, and with surprise she felt his hands clasp her around the shoulders with a tight grip. "Please... I want the honor of seeing you again tonight, so very much... will you condescend to coming to see me, my pig-tailed angel... my Goddess?" Ranma-chan's heart had already been fully opened by the experiences of that day. Gazing into his eyes, seeing the look of cherished and fragile hope on his face when she did not immediately say no... She knew there was only one answer her heart could give. She murmured softly and nodded. Kunou felt a rushing sensation within him, as if he could burst with sheer joy. "Oh Pigtailed-Girl!!!! Thank you ..thank you!! My humble family residence will be prepared, I shall await you outside the garden gates... you have made me happier than I ever dared to dream possible!" Ranma-chan looked on with surprise as Kunou seemed to glide away along the street, his feet borne aloft by wings as if he was walking on air. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Two: The Moon's a Bow ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- *One* ----- Ranma-chan sat on her bed, gazing into the mirror reflectively with a sigh. What was she feeling at the moment? Certainly not guilt... it was clear that Akane was never really the right one. Now Ranma was in love with a man. She didn't have any trouble admitting this to herself now, especially not with this body, which only served to reaffirm the natural desires she had for him. "Kunou..." she whispered to herself the name, a smile on her lips as she remembered all the times he had pursued her with flowers only to receive her hard rebuttal in the form of a steeled fist or a merciless kick. Yet he always came back again and again in an attempt to win her love, something which had only annoyed her before - but which now was the source of her tender fascination. Could she really leave her past life behind, and come to love him... devote her heart with such total self-sacrifice to him as he had pledged to her? Ranma-chan shook her head, because this was a question she could not answer. Her mind and heart were resolute on one purpose though, to see Kunou tonight - and she saw this with such a clarity and resolution of purpose that it dissolved all fears she might otherwise have had. Rising from the bed, Ranma-chan slipped into the negligee she had once bought for Akane... and was surprised at how soft it felt against her now baby-smooth skin. Clinging to every voluptuous curve, she could see that it was a perfect fit, and wearing it made her feel very sensuous and pleasant... feelings which she had never allowed to surface before. Gazing into the mirror once more, Ranma-chan was surprised to see the vision of the perfect lovely angel endowed with heart-stoppingly beautiful feminine grace - the dream he had often had of Akane. The pink color suited her long tresses of hair tied into a pigtail... adding a reflection of sparkling luminescent hue to her eyes and a rosy complexion to her cheeks. "Akane was right. She would have looked terrible in this." Ranma-chan chuckled softly to herself. *Two* ----- "The Spring breeze blows by, never to return again... joyous youth and precious bloom begin to wane - the cherry blossoms are messengers with their petals red, all life is illusion... no path can ever be retread." "Besides the silver lake I await my love, my eyes gaze through tears at wispy clouds above. are our childhood memories forever lost in the past? each day I await - will today be the last?" "Flowers blossom and their petals descend each year, but like the past Spring wind, you are no longer here. as sunrise descends into dusk, and from evening to morning's dew, each irreplaceable tear from my eyes descend, every drop falls for you." The sorrowfully sweet song drifted in the night air to Ranma-chan as she walked in the garden grounds. The singer had a beautiful, lilting voice, and she sang in the soft whispering sounds of Mandarin, accompanied by traditional instruments, the light koto zither and biwa lute. The fragrances of the magnificent garden kept by Kunou's family, together with the sight of drifting sakura blossoms in the wind were touching to the heart with all of early Spring's fragile beauty. Kunou Tatewaki stood there, comfortably dressed in his favorite sky blue gi...the open collar sloping gracefully, filled out admirably by his strong and muscular chest. He held the traditional katana sword which he always kept... the wooden length of the blade spanning three lengths by his side. He stood with a natural dignity and elegance in the garden pavilion, and his face was now entirely calm and composed - he emanated an aura of great balance and focus. Ranma-chan entered the clearing, striding through the lavishly colored flowers until she stood before him, instinctively having dressed in her sleeveless red corset and sash-bound trousers, the familiar garments she wore when fighting. The way her clothing hung loosely on her slender frame and covered up her assets with just a hint of the natural curves underneath had always oddly suited her and made her look even more alluring. In her heart, Ranma-chan knew that this was how Kunou would like her best. With all the courtesy of a high-born gentleman of refinement and manners, Kunou bowed to Ranma-chan as she entered and greeted her with a heartfelt 'dozo.' She returned the favor, and a flash of déjà-vu made them both feel as if somewhere in this past, this had happened before. "I hope the music is to your liking?" Kunou asked. Ranma-chan nodded. "Its very beautiful." "I knew that you favored the old romantic Chinese songs, so I selected this one for tonight. I'm so happy you could come..." When she heard this, she could only smile, at the memory of that fateful trip to China which Kunou had no conception he owed to this amorous tryst they were having... Ranma-chan moved to sit with Kunou in the pavilion terrace, admiring the beauty of the flowers around them. The moon that night was especially beautiful, a curving crescent which brought to Ranma's mind the image of a bow, with an invisible arrow which seemed to point straight at her heart. *Three* ------- They talked long into the evening, that night... and as the memories of all those times they had shared were painted afresh in vivid colors in their hearts, they laughed and held one another close, marveling that they were once opponents on the battle field instead of lovers. Kunou even took up his sword and performed an ancient warrior's dance for her, wielding the length of wood with flawless skill in his strong hand. With each turn of his torso and mastered flick of the wrist, the katana's blade would sweep and glide through the air in ever more intricate arcs and turns, until it became virtually impossible to distinguish whether Kunou directed the sword, or if it was the bokken which moved him. When a leaf from an overhanging bough had fallen gently on his blade, Kunou continued to spin and whirl about in his dance, leaping into the air into majestic somersaults as if gravity held no bounds on him. Landing with a precise stroke upon his feet, the sword blade continued to radiate from him in an eye-dazzling array of motion, finally stopping to reveal the sight of the fragile Spring leaf still balanced upon the very tip. A slight breeze suddenly swept by, and the leaf was borne aloft upon it and blown away... Ranma-chan clapped her hands in delight, feeling like a young child again caught up in the wonder of a magical performance. Kunou's cheeks seemed to grow a slight reddish tinge in the moonlight as he noticed his beloved's admiration of his swordsmanship. Sitting down next to her again, he wrapped his arm gently about her shoulders and explained that every true warrior who lived by the way of the sword had a special dance, unique and never seen in the world before. That dance was the culmination of years of training, and must come from the heart... the true moment for it to be revealed in all its perfect beauty would only be during the warrior's last moments on the earth, before his death. There was a loneliness there to his life, of which Kunou had no words to speak. It was the destined path of the swordsman, a personal oneness and communion that he shared only with his sword, in the knowledge that in all the world, he was utterly and completely alone. Looking into Ranma's eyes next to him, he was surprised to see a glimmer there of perfect understanding, of compassion and sympathy for the loneliness he could not voice. Before either of them knew it, they had drawn close to one another and their lips met, just as the first rays of the rising sun flickered over the horizon... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Three: Denouement ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- *One* ----- They lay poised there on the bed for an unbearably perpetual moment. Now that the time was finally at hand, Kunou could not bear to culminate his love for the pig-tailed girl with the physical union of his body with hers. He gazed longingly at her enticingly nude body beneath him, the softness of her touch as he held her in his arms sent tingles along his spine. "Pig-tailed girl...' he gasped... Ranma-chan's eyes met his with an imploring look of beseechment, she tenderly raised her hands to brush the raven tresses of hair from his eyes, which were wet with perspiration. Her fragrant hand caressed his cheek with its alabaster smoothness, and Kunou saw again the adoration and feeling for him there in the depths of her eyes. "Kunou..." she whispered, "I love you..." Those were the words he had longed to hear for an eternity, from the woman he had always loved... he felt a searing white-hot passion engulf his entire body, and he shook with the sweet torment of ecstasy, finding he could hold himself back no longer... "Pig-tailed girl" he repeated more forcefully this time, and he then clasped her about the curve of her rounded breasts, wrapping his palms about the tender flesh tightly, which caused Ranma-chan to cry out. Afraid he had hurt her, he was about to let go, but she set her hand on his and smiled softly... "no, Kunou...please dont stop..." Kunou moved forward to cup one breast firmly, and enclosed his lips against a crimson nipple which now stood pert on the ivory mound. He skillfully suckled at the tip of her breast, and slowly touched his tongue to the yielding flesh, moving with an eagerness which brought a feeling of intense pleasure to Ranma-chan. She moaned softly as his tongue explored and traveled along every curve and part of her breasts, as his firm hands moved slowly downward to encircle her slim waist. Moving instinctually to passions she had never known existed in her before, Ranma-chan curled her soft thighs about Kunou... wrapping her calves around his muscular waist. She felt a stirring there, and his face suddenly appeared quite flushed, but his eyes still held a tender concern and love for her. She leaned forward and placed a hand delicately to stroke his broad chest, as they kissed lingeringly with a fiery passion which could only mark the penultimate moment to their act of love. Kunou looked down at her body, silken soft and fragile, as tiny and delicate as a lotus petal upon the wind - she seemed to him an innocent child still... but Ranma-chan's full breasts, curvaceous and lithe waist, the sweet taste of her honey-fragrant lips as she pressed them to his with excitement... these all vouched for her maturity and full womanhood. A blush tinged both of their cheeks as Ranma-chan noticed Kunou's hand move elsewhere to direct his now fully enlarged instrument of manhood, and she was about to appreciate the skill with which he wielded his other sword... Kunou poised at the threshold to the very entrance of Ranma-chan's flower, but this moment lasted only for a brief second. Just as quickly, Ranma-chan felt a burning sensation of pleasure at her most sensitive spot, a burst of warmth like the ray from a blazing sun entered her body... and she could do nothing but cry out with sheer ecstasy at the feeling of a pain sweeter than any she had ever known before, it was almost unbearable but her soul desired and craved for it... *longed* for it to last forever and ever. Her eyes were tightly closed and pearly drops of tears fell unchecked from the corners of them, streaming down her rosy cheeks flushed with passion. Kunou made absolutely no sound, all he knew was a feeling of complete joy and satisfaction in union with his beloved, the envelopment of a velvet softness about him as he showed his complete love for the pig-tailed girl in the only way possible. His hands glided along her soft body, until they held her firmly by her peach bottom. Ranma-chan continued to cry out with increased intensity as he squeezed his hands around her tender buttocks, thrusting with manly skill in measured strokes which were surprisingly gentle but penetrating enough to send her senses awhirl, the sweet harmony of the cycle continuing until she was delirious with exhilaration. Suddenly, Kunou began to draw breath in large gasps, as the rhythm of his dance with Ranma-chan increased to a faster pace. Her legs wrapped around his waist and squeezed with a loving tightness, until finally he could bear the forbidden ecstasy no more - he stopped abruptly and leaned forward, sweeping her tiny body up in his strong arms and embracing her close to him as his cloud discharged its refreshing outpour of rain... carried adrift by the wind into Ranma-chan's nurturing vessel. Breathlessly, they gazed into each other's eyes with perfect understanding and love. A last, passionate and soulful kiss marked the end of their relationship as friends, and the beginning to their new life as tender paramours. *Two* ----- Ranma stood with his head still spinning, the speed at which the events had happened took even himself by surprise. Before he knew it, he had reached her house and trepidly rang the doorbell to her front door, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. The door opened slowly, and an exuberant, cute face with hair bound into purple buns popped out. "Aiya! Ranma!" called out Shampoo-chan happily. *Three* ------- Kunou awoke from a deep sleep...and gazed at the noonday sun which shone overhead from his magnificently furnished bedroom window. Was it all a dream? No. He had loved the pig-tailed girl, and she had loved him. Together they shared a delicate Play of Clouds and Rain he would carry with him in his heart for the rest of his days. Opening the door to his bedroom... he was surprised to find a tiny bottle wrapped with a red ribbon in the doorway. It had a delightfully fragrant scent... and on it a note from his beloved: "Dearest Kunou, please accept this modest gift from me as a token of my appreciation for the beautiful evening we spent together last night. It is a special type of shampoo which comes from an exotic village spring in China... I hope that every time you use it, you will think of me." - Someone who loves you *Four* ------ Ranma-chan sighed softly again, turning for one last wistful gaze at the Kunou mansion before setting on her way back to the Tendou dojo. "Kunou, you may not remember me, but I will always hold dear and cherish the memory of our time together. You have my heart always, I wish you happiness, and with you will always go my eternal love..." With a final courteous bow, Ranma started back on his way to life as he used to know it. Eventually, he would have to settle his differences with Akane, and maybe even find the courage to tell her about this someday. But that was far into the future, and at the moment, only the thrill of living life of the present mattered to him. There was a still a long journey for him on the road ahead. ********* *THE END* *********