Disclaimer: Sorry, my disclaimer is in the shop. I promise it’ll be fixed next week.
Ranma ½ and Ah! Megami-sama!
The Truth About Kasumi
Side-story #1: “ One Day…”
By Gray
It was a typical day in Nerima. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and in the yard of the Tendo Dojo, Ranma Saotome was being chased down by Akane Tendo and her mallet.
“How dare you refuse to eat my okonomiyaki!” The temperamental girl roared in a voice that could cow the mightiest of men into submission.
“Look Akane! Leave okonomiyaki to the professionals! Like Ucchan!” The object of her ire, a pigtailed youth with a jusenkyo curse, had just made a big mistake. He had compared her to one of his other fiancées. Needless to say, he paid for it dearly.
“DIE!” Akane wound up, and sent him airborne in a flawless line drive. He was sent hurtling through the clear blue sky, his trajectory no doubt taking him someplace unpleasant, as was usually his luck.
“I’ll probably land in a fountain and then have Kuno breathing down my neck, or I’ll land right in front of Ryoga, or Shampoo, or…” His thoughts were cut short as he impacted the ground with a loud crash. Grimacing, Ranma pulled himself from the hole he had just carved into the pavement with his body, and took in his surroundings.
“A cemetery…” He muttered as his gaze swept over various tombstones. He hastily looked to make sure he hadn’t inadvertently defiled someone’s grave, and to his relief noted that he had landed away from anything of the sort. Blowing out a breath of relief, he shrugged, and started looking for the exit. Locating it in the distance, he was just about to head over to it, when his sharp ears detected someone speaking. Someone familiar. Quietly, he crept over towards the noise, and peering curiously around a tree, he proved his suspicions correct.
“It’s Belldandy…What’s she doing here?” He asked himself silently while wondering about how likely the chances were that he would land at the same place she had gone. He noted that she was, as usual these days, in her regular form instead of her Kasumi persona, and the sight of her alone made his heart quicken a bit. The way the subtle breeze made her long brown hair sway slightly, and way she delicately formed her words with her pretty lips, and naturally, the way her bright blue eyes sparkled as she stood there beside a grave. She was talking to the person buried there it seemed, and with burning curiosity, Ranma listened in.
“…and then Ryoga showed up! On the roof of all places! Right as we were about to…well, I can’t speak for Ranma, but I was about to kis…” She stopped, and Ranma noticed she had stiffened slightly, before relaxing a moment later.
“Come out Ranma…I know it’s you.” She smiled at him warmly as he stepped out from behind the tree, rubbing his neck bashfully.
“Um…sorry, I wasn’t trying to listen in…er, I mean, I was listening in, but I…” He interrupted by her sweet laughter.
“Oh, oh Ranma! I’m sorry! You’re just so…adorable! Like a little boy with his hand caught in the jar.” She realized what she had said and blushed slightly, as did he. They stood in silence for a while, unable to come up with words with which to speak.
“What…what exactly are you doing here?” Ranma asked finally, lifting his head from its intense scrutiny of the ground. She did likewise, their eyes meeting in the process. Dark blue, and bright blue.
“I could ask you the same thing.” She countered with a soft smile. He rubbed the back of his neck again in response, feeling the redness creep up once more. That smile…
“I’m sorry…I think you’re starting to rub off on me…” She didn’t seem to mind this that much.
“To answer your question…I was visiting a friend…someone very special…and letting her know that everything is alright…and that I haven’t broken a promise.” She sounded a bit wistful, and Ranma felt a tad uncomfortable.
“I see…” He glanced over at the tombstone, softly speaking the words engraved on it to himself. His eyes widened slightly, before a smile rose on his face.
“I understand…” He said to Belldandy. She nodded and crouched down by the grave.
“I suppose I should be going now…I promise to come talk again soon…” She then stood, and regarded Ranma for a moment. A breeze picked up, and it rustled their clothes and hair slightly. A few leaves blew past them, one managing to catch itself in Ranma’s dark black hair. He grimaced for a moment, and Belldandy felt the laughter well up in her of its own accord. Soon he joined her, and the two laughed and laughed for several moments. Finally they stopped, and breathing heavily, Ranma spoke.
“This feels so nice…” At her questioning glance, he elaborated.
“I mean…to just laugh…to be able to just laugh and relax, and not have to think about anything…Just enjoy the moment for what it is.” She seemed puzzled for a moment, before an even wider smile grew on her lips.
“Why Ranma! That had to be the most reflective statement I’ve ever heard from you!” She giggled at his blushing face. Then sobered.
“But you’re right…it is nice…to not have to worry, or feel depressed…to just enjoy…the… moment…” She trailed off as a strange look came to his eyes, one that made her flush red.
“Belldandy…You were talking about…the other day…on the roof…weren’t you?” He asked. His voice had an odd quality to it. One that seemed out of place at first, and yet strangely fitting now that it was there. It was…tender…caring…loving…
“Ye-yes…” She replied nervously. Only he made her feel like this…
“Belldandy, I…” He started, it was right on the tip of his tongue, and he desperately tried to say it. But it just wouldn’t happen. He sighed sadly, angry at his own inability to express his feelings.
“Never mind…” He just couldn’t say it…at least…not yet…He waited for her angry voice, or her sad voice, but was met with a frightening silence. This was even worse! He winced as he readied himself for whatever painful feelings were about to be evoked in him by her next words.
“We should be heading back…” She said, that same smile gracing her beautiful face. This puzzled him needless to say, and it showed on his face. But then she whispered softly, so he could barely hear.
“I understand…” And then she was walking towards the exit. Ranma’s face was perplexed, before it finally settled into a look of contentment. She understood. All was not lost after all. The day was still a good one. With one last glance at the tombstone, he turned and jogged to catch up with her.
“One day…” They both thought with a smile.
Inscribed on the tombstone, was a name, and a few words, though one was a bit out of place for some reason, almost as if it hadn’t originally been there, but it seemed to fit in all the same.
Beloved Wife and Mother of three
This fanfiction is
dedicated to Celeste J. Byrd, who passed away on the twelfth of November, 2001.
She will be sorely missed and never forgotten.
Author’s Notes: A new story in the little universe I made from mixing Ranma and Goddess! This was just sort of a little one-shot idea I had. It might also be a preview of things to come. (Hint! Hint!) Anyway, hope you liked it. There is one thing I would like to mention though. I dedicated this to Celeste Byrd for a number of reasons. I may not have known her personally, but I was a big fan of her work, and it was obvious that she was a very good person. To say I was shocked and saddened by the news of her death would be a severe understatement. I knew that she had been in some sort of trouble health-wise, but details were scarce, and I wasn’t aware of just how serious the situation was. My condolences to her family and friends, and though it’s not much, I hope this piece of fiction helps to honor her memory. Her website, Studio Aesir, can be found here: http://studio-aesir.net/
Well…thanks for reading everyone. Goodnight…
