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The next morning, Ranma awoke with a sense of purpose. He would get to the bottom of this mess with the sword, today. He went to Akane’s room to wake her up, so that they could warm up together before starting. Knocking lightly on the door, Ranma peeped in to find Akane curled up in the middle of her bed, with her sisters curled around her. The three of them must have stayed up half the night talking, by the look of it. Smiling quietly, Ranma pulled the door closed and went down stares to start his warm-up. When Akane woke up, she could join him.
Actually, Akane was already awake. She had been woken up when a person who was not Kasumi had opened her door. Remaining very still and quiet, Akane had realized that it was Ranma, come to wake her up for an early morning warm up, no doubt. Smiling slightly, she listened while Ranma oh-so-quietly left her room. Akane lifted her head to make sure Ranma was gone, then gently lifted herself from her bed and slipped onto her floor. Dressing quickly, Akane went out onto her balcony to watch for Ranma. Spying him warming-up next to the pond, Akane quickly warmed herself up, then prepared to launch an attack at Ranma before his father could do so. Silently, so silently, Akane stood on the railing, and poised herself for the attack. Ranma was so mistakenly relaxed that he didn’t know anyone was out for him until it was almost to late. Turning a split second before impact, the boy brought his hands up into a defensive pose, and blocked the kick that was aimed for his head.
"Hey, Pop! The least you could’ve done was- huh?!" Ranma turned to see Akane, fully clothed and awake, smiling innocently at him with her hands behind her back. "A-Akane? I thought you were asleep! Where’d you come from?" Akane giggled demurely and pointed upward. Looking up, Ranma blushed in embarrassment. He knew first year students who would’ve known better than to get as confident as he had gotten with a balcony so close. Seeing his embarrassment, Akane smiled and said,
"Don’t worry, Ranma. I wouldn’t have thought of the balcony, either."
"Then why did you?"
"Because you woke me up. And I wanted revenge." Ranma smiled and lunged at the same time, catching her unprepared. His feather light punch missed the spot he was aiming for and instead hit her lightly on the side, for already she was moving.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, "You’re to fast this early in the morning." Landing lightly on his head, she smiled down at his as he looked up and replied,
"Then you shouldn’t have woken me up!" Flipping backwards, she landed behind him, crumpling at the knees on impact, and swept his legs out from under him. Regaining his balance, Ranma did a back flip and landed solidly on a rock which bordered the Koi pond. Akane positioned herself on a rock exactly opposite his, and readied for the attack. When Ranma lunged for her, she flipped over his head and landed on his recently vacated rock and readied herself once again. Every time Ranma lunged, Akane dodged, never rewarding nor returning his efforts. Finally, Ranma growled in anger,
"Akane! C’mon. Fight back!" Akane lifted her hands helplessly and shook her head,
"But, Ranma! I don’t fight boys!" Ranma looked at her in confusion before realization dawned on him.
"Ohh. This is a statement, isn’t it?" Akane’s quiet smile was answer enough. "Ok, ok. I was wrong for not fighting you when you were a bad fighter. I thought it was unfair." Her smile widened and she replied
"You’re forgiven." He sighed as she readied herself for an attack. This was not why he had woken her up! He had to get her in the Dojo before anyone could come and disrupt them. Grinning wolfishly, Ranma lunged at Akane. His attack confused Akane and she reacted just as he wanted her to. Ranma caught her around the waist with his arm, threw her over his shoulder, and ran to the Dojo. She laughed and banged on his back when she realized what was going on. When they reached the Dojo he put her down and sat facing her. He was waiting for her to say that she was ready. She sighed and said
"Oh, all right. I’m ready. Ask away." He nodded solemnly and posed a question.
"Akane, which one of your parents gave you your sword?" Akane looked angry.
"No one gave me my sword, Ranma! I inherited it."
"Ok. I’ll try again. Akane, from which side of your family does your power originate?"
"My power comes from the female line of my mother’s side. Never will man know my Power."
"Why?"
"The form my Power has taken is feminine. My stance, my thrust, my defense, my Wielding, my Calling, my Dismissal, all is feminine."
"Why is a sword feminine?" She laughed.
"Would the Weapon of the royal family be masculine?" His eyes widened.
"Does this mean that you are royalty?"
"Certainly."
"Royalty from where?"
"Wha…?"
"I mean, what place do you rule? Where are you from?"
"I come from a place that has no name. My people reach everywhere. I rule over all those with the Gift."
"The gift is what you have, correct?"
"Yes, but for all those who are not royalty, the Gift is much smaller."
"What forms do the smaller gifts come in?"
"The lesser Gifts can be anything from throwing knives to arrows to tooth picks. The variety is vast."
"How many times will your Gift be passed down before you royal blood thins to far to be Called upon?" She huffed royally.
"My blood line cannot be ‘thinned’. The royal blood will be given to only one of my daughters as it was given only to me. My fathers blood has not effected mine."
"Oh. All right, so how does-"
"So this is why Nabiki sent me on the wild goose chase from hell." came a mild voice from the door way of the Dojo. Akane and Ranma turned to find Ryoga leaning on the door post.
"Ryoga!" Ranma cried. Akane stood up and faced Ryoga smiling.
"Hello, Ryoga. It’s been a long time. How have you been?" Ryoga turned red and stammered.
"I-I’m fine, A-Akane. H-How have you been?" Akane’s smile grew.
"I’ve been very well. I learned something new."
"What did you learn?" Ryoga asked. Akane turned to look at Ranma.
"Shall we call it a trick, Ranma?" Ranma smiled back. Ranma and Akane’s ease in each others company made Ryoga nervous. Akane sensed this and decided to leave.
"I gotta go, but I’ll see you later, ok, Ryoga?" Ryoga blushed and sputtered nervously as Akane left. As soon as she was gone, however, the blush disappeared and Ryoga got mad.
"Ranma!" he started, "What have you done to Akane?" Ranma stared at him blankly. Something was wrong with Akane? "Don't play dumb, Ranma. When I left here for school two and a half months ago, she couldn’t stand you. Now she’s fine with you." Ryoga’s eyes narrowed. "Did you poison her?" Ranma was offended. The idea that he would have to poison Akane to make her stand him was insulting.
"Hey! What d’ya mean by that, Ryoga?" Ryoga shrugged and turned away from Ranma.
"You should know, Ranma. Akane has better taste than to let herself like you even a little without being poisoned." Ranma growled and lunged at Ryoga.
"Take that back, man!" Ryoga just laughed and dodged. The battle raged. Ranma and Ryoga fought. After knocking Ryoga down once, however, Ranma decided that this battle was a waist of time and stopped fighting. And so Ryoga fought while Ranma dodged lazily. When he tired of the fight, Ranma aimed Ryoga towards the pond and, with one quick glance to assure Akane wasn’t around, knocked him into the cold water. When P-Chan surfaced, Ranma grabbed the porker and called to Akane,
"Yo! Akane! I found P-Chan! D’ya want him?" Ryoga "bwee"-ed in confusion. Ranma merely smiled and dropped him into Akane’s happy arms.
"P-Chan! It is you! Oh, thank you, Ranma! Thank you!" Akane kissed Ranma’s cheek, whirled P-Chan around, and took off towards her room to fill P-chan in on all he’d missed. Throwing the door to her room open, Akane placed the tiny pig on her bed and went over to her dresser to pour the tea Kasumi had brought her.
"P-chan! You won’t believe what’s happened! Where to start! Ok, I was on my way to school a few days ago and this guy started following me. Ranma wasn’t there because I’d hit him earlier. He was being such a jerk! He’s not really a jerk anymore, but anyway! So this guy was following me and I decided to fight him. I know." she answered to his protesting squeal "It was dumb. But that’s not the end of it! It turns out the guy’s name is Alan Break and he has something against Ranma. You know…like Ryoga and them. Only more severe. I really think Ranma must have done something terrible. Alan hates him. But I just can’t see Ranma doing anything bad enough to have someone that mad at him! I mean, Alan truly hates Ranma. What could he have done, P-chan? I’ve asked, but Ranma won’t tell." When Akane stopped talking to brood in her own thoughts, the small pig "bwee"-ed and Akane smiled. "Sorry. I’m getting off track. So anyway, Alan sweet talked me, me!, and we ended up not fighting, but when I told Ranma about what happened, he started acting really weird and hopped away. The next day, Ranma got really protective on me and we walked, side by side, to school. Strange, huh? Anyway, Alan showed up and he and Ranma had this kind of non-physical battle. That was another strange thing because Ranma never does anything non-physical. So after that the day went normally, for Nermia, anyway, and we went home. As soon as we got there, Ranma went up to the roof to think and I went to the Dojo. Not very long after I had started, Alan showed up. I told him earlier that he could come over and watch me practice, so he did. After a little while, Ranma came in, to help me practice, I think, and he saw Alan was there. Well, that ticked him off and he insulted me. So I hit him. Y’know, I really need to work on that. Anyway. Alan saw that whole scene, and seemed really mystified. He asked me if I wanted to be able to draw a weapon instead of a mallet. As you may have guessed, I said yes. So he told me to pull out my mallet. I said I couldn’t. I’m not really to clear on what happened next. All I know is that he insulted me, I tried to whack him, and he stopped my mallet. The next thing I felt was intense depression. He had stopped my one and only attack. The only thing I had that no one else did, and it was gone. Then I think he must have insulted me again, because suddenly I was really, really mad. I don’t have the first clue how I did what I did next, but I gathered my chi. I haven’t told Ranma yet, P-chan, but it hurt so badly. I reached way down deep, into the stuff that keeps me alive, and I pulled. I thought I was killing myself and I couldn’t stop. I just couldn’t. I kept pulling and pulling and it felt like I was being torn apart." Akane’s busy hands had frozen around a tea cup and she was staring into the dark liquid, remembering feelings no one would ever fully understand. Sensing her distress, P-chan hopped off the bed, walked over to Akane, and nuzzled her ankle, offering all the support and comfort a pig could. Akane smiled down at him. "That wasn’t the end of the ordeal, P-chan. After I had formed my chi, there was another feeling. Peace. Fulfillment. I was whole, P-chan. For the first time in my life, I found what I had been missing, and I was perfectly content. Nothing, no one, could hurt me. I was so happy…" Again Akane was consumed in past feelings. This time, however, the effect was much different. Akane’s tense, pain wracked muscles relaxed at the remembered perfection, and the tea cup slipped from slackened fingers. Hot, tea laced water fell…

Ranma was in the Dojo when it happened. He was practicing a kata and feeling pretty cocky about the little kiss Akane had given him when a scream pierced and shattered the still afternoon. Determining that the shriek of outrage was one of Akane’s, Ranma raced to her room. Flinging the door open, he immediately knew what was wrong. Akane stood, quivering in rage, with her sword held against the neck of a slightly damp, very human Ryoga. Luckily, when Ryoga had hopped off of Akane’s bed, part of her blanket, the part that was saving his modesty now, had fallen with the pig-boy. Sensing Akane’s barely controlled rage, Ranma knew something had to be done, fast. Taking a step forward, Ranma spoke in soothing tones.
"Akane. Come on, Akane. You know you don't want to hurt him. He didn’t mean to do anything wrong." Wild, enraged eyes turned on Ranma.
"You knew?" the outraged voice demanded. Ranma attempted to keep his composure.
"Yes, Akane. I knew. But I never meant to-"
"Who else knows?" she demanded.
"I don’t really know. If you’ll just-"
"How long?"
"What?"
"I said, how long ? How long have you known?"
"All along. It’s my fault that-"
"You knew all along ? And you didn’t say anything? What kind of fiancé are you?" Ranma told himself again that getting angry would feed Akane’s rage and then who knew what she’d do? *Stay calm* Ranma ordered himself. *Stay calm and maybe she’ll calm down, too.*
"I wanted to tell you. I tried dropping hints. I’m sorry I didn’t make him tell you himself. I couldn’t tell you because it was my fault that-"
"Damn right it’s your fault!" Akane faced Ryoga again. The sword had never moved. "And you. I though you were my friend. How could you? I thought…I told you…oh, God. I told you…told P-chan …and you never told me. The things I’ve said…the things you know…oh, God!" Akane, still shaking, moved away from Ryoga and dropped her sword. Backing up very slowly, Akane’s eyes darted to each of the boys before she turned and fled. Ryoga started to follow, but Ranma stopped him. Shaking his head slightly, Ranma looked after Akane and said,
"You have to let her think about this, man. Finding you out must have been a huge shock to her. She really trusted you. What happened?" Ryoga slumped.
"She was telling me about what’s been happening around here. When she got to the part about creating that…thing, she got really upset. So I hopped off the bed and tried to comfort her. Then she went on and told me that after…you know…she was really, really happy. She kinda spaced and just as I was getting worried, she…she dropped the tea cup she was holding."
"Ah. And you got splashed. If you knew she had water, hot water, in her hands, why did you get close to her?" Ryoga sighed.
"She looked so vulnerable. I thought she needed my help and I…I forgot she had the water. That was so stupid! Now she’ll hate me forever."
"Don't be so sure about that, Ryoga. Akane’s been dealing with stuff a lot better lately. I think it’s because she’s got that sword, which really stings when you get smacked with it. How’s your neck?"
"Hurts." Ryoga rubbed his neck, which had a red welt developing along it where the sword had been pressed. Then he looked at Ranma with suspicion. "What did you do to know what that thing feel’s like, Ranma? Did you try to hurt Akane?!" Ranma sighed.
"Stop that, Ryoga. You and I both know that I wouldn’t hurt her if my life depended on it. And if you must know, we’ve sparred." Ryoga gasped.
"Ranma! How could you fight Akane like that?! You know she isn’t as good as you are!" Ranma laughed, which caught Ryoga off guard.
"You’d be surprised. After she got that sword, it’s like all of her hidden potential isn’t hidden anymore. In fact, I’m not so sure I’d be able to beat her as easily next time. Every time I see her she’s practicing." Ryoga sighed.
"That’s kinda sad." Ranma blinked.
"What’s sad?"
"That she’s that good. I mean, if you’re telling the truth, then that means she done in a matter of weeks what took us all our lives." Ranma smiled.
"I’m not so sure. If you think about it, she trains and trains and it never seems to have any effect. I think that it does effect her, but we couldn’t see it because she didn’t use her sword."
"But she couldn’t even beat Shampoo or Ukyo!"
"True, but would you be able to out-fight Ukyo if you had to use spatulas? Or Shampoo if you had to use her stuff?"
"W-well…maybe…"
"You mean no." Ranma corrected coolly. "If you fought Ukyo and you could only use her spatulas, no fists or special attacks, you’d loose. So would I. And that’s my point. Akane wasn’t made for hand-to-hand. It isn’t who she is. That sword was in her blood, so why shouldn’t she be good with it?" Ryoga opened his mouth to say something, then changed his mind and closed it. He smiled wryly.
"You have a point."
"Absolutely. Now, lets go find Akane. She was really upset when she left and God only knows what she’s been doing." Ryoga nodded solemnly.
"All right. But first…do you have any clothes I could wear?" Ranma sighed.

Meanwhile, in a forest not so far away…

Akane stood, sword drawn, staring at the largest tree in a five mile radius. Breathing deeply didn’t help control the seething anger as it usually did. Images filled Akane’s mind. Pictures of P-chan, listening attentively as she told him her problem, hopes, and fears. *He always seemed like he understood what I was saying. Why wouldn’t he understand? He is a human , after all. That lying, traitorous, filthy animal!* Shrieking in fury, Akane plunged her sword deep into the heart of the tree, sending a shock wave rippling through the unexposed heartwood. Deciding to late that maybe blowing up a tree point blank was not the best way to stay healthy, Akane was blasted back by the impact of a thousand tiny needles. Cursing under her breath, Akane sat up and looked at the spot where the tree used to be. Now there was only a small crater. Sighing, she tucked one leg underneath herself and pulled the other up to rest her chin upon. "Well, I’ll say this," She remarked, surveying her handiwork, "whatever else this sword is, it’s powerful." She huffed and started to pull herself up painfully. "I should’ve done that to Ryoga." She paused half way up, considering. Then she shook her head and continued to rise. "Nah. To merciful." Once up, the girl began picking splinters and wood chips out of her hair. After a long while, the job was done, and a small pile of left-over tree bits had formed at Akane’s feet. Sighing, she walked over to a different tree and placed her hand on it, thinking. *I can’t believe how deceitful Ryoga is. And Ranma. I would never have thought that he would hold information like that from me. He never even tried to tell me…oh, wait. Yes he did. Several times. Hmm. Well, maybe he could have…no, not that, either. I would have hit them both for that. Yeesh. Maybe that’s why he didn’t tell me. I haven’t really been the easiest to live with, have I? If only I had been able to deal with myself better. I don’t have enough self control. Why didn’t anyone tell me?* Pictures of Kasumi asking her to not hit anyone in anger flashed across Akane’s mind, along with several pictures of Ranma denying his part in several…compromising situations he had been found in. Again Akane sighed. She rested her head on the bark of the tree. *Oops. Never mind. I have been told. Why didn’t I listen?* Akane recalled flashes of violent, insane rage, caused by a deep need and longing no one could possibly prevent. Akane sighed yet again. *My sword. I need my sword. I’m not complete without it. I’m angry, hurt, empty without it. And Ranma was the perfect target. I could take out my rage on him and I had a perfect excuse. Poor Ranma. I guess I’m just lucky he put up with me. How could I have known? Who could have taught me about this…power? No one, that’s who.* Suddenly, a forgotten moment in Akane’s life flashed in her mind, as vibrant as if it happened at that very moment.

Akane, barely five, couldn’t find her mommy. She looked every where, in Kasumi’s and Nabiki’s rooms, in Daddy’s room, in the kitchen, the bathroom, and everywhere else the five year old could think of. Her mother was definitely not in the house. And so, with the stubborn innocence of youth, Akane left the house on baby feet, searching for the tall woman who could help with the monstrous problem that faced the small girl. Akane was hungry. And worse yet, no one cared! She had gone to her daddy and explained, very patiently she thought, that she was hungry and required some food. No, she couldn’t wait for dinner time. By dinner, she wouldn’t be hungry. She was hungry now , and now was when she needed food. He obviously didn’t understand the severity of the problem and told her to go ask her mother or sisters for help. He was busy. That was fine with Akane. She sought out first Kasumi, then Nabiki. Both were to busy with grown up things to be bothered with a baby’s needs, they said. Again she was sent to find her mother. And so Akane, being a very patient and very hungry five year old, went to do as she was told. She went to find her mommy. She walked and walked on her tiny feet for what must have been ten whole minutes before she was at the park. Looking around, Akane couldn’t see her mother anywhere. Slightly lonely and terribly afraid for her mother, Akane continued walking until she was at the edge of the woods. Mommy and Daddy had both told her not to go into the forest, and so she didn’t. She was still very small, however, and in the dimming twilight, the forest looked like a horrible monster. A monster that Akane was sure had eaten her mother forever. And so, Akane did the only sensible thing that a mature girl of five could do. She sat down on her bottom in the tall grass that was as big as she was and cried for her lost mother. As she cried, Akane noticed something moving in the line of trees. Certain that the moving line of light was the thing that took her mother, Akane stood up and toddled as quickly as she could towards it, forest or no forest. Coming to a clearing, Akane pushed aside a formidable sapling and gasped. Sure enough, there was her mother, doing a sword-dance with a bright, shiny, glowing sword. Akane stayed very quiet as she watched, just as she had been taught, and waited for her mother to finish. When at last her mother stood in the ‘ready’ position, Akane rushed forward.
"Mommy!" she cried, "What was that sword-dance? I’ve never seen that one before! Did Daddy teach you it?" Mrs. Tendo gasped and turned to look at her youngest. Releasing her sword, she scooped her daughter into her arms and lifted her up.
"Akane! What are you doing here? I told you never to come into the forest!" Akane squirmed in her mothers arms until she could look into her mothers eyes and put a reassuring hand on her cheek.
"I’m all right, Mommy. I didn’t get hurt."
"Well, I can see that! Why did come into the woods when I told you not to, Akane? Are you here alone?" Akane frowned.
"Yes, Mommy. I’m here alone. I came here ‘cause I’m very hungry and Daddy and Kasumi and Nabiki wouldn’t feed me. Will you, Mommy?" Mrs. Tendo smiled. She rearranged Akane on her hip and started walking towards her home.
"Yes, Akane. I’ll get you something to eat when we get home."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really." Akane squealed in delight and hugged her mother’s neck with a cry of "Oh, thank you, Mommy!" Mrs. Tendo smiled again. After a while, Akane piped up.
"Mommy?"
"Hmm?"
"What was that sword-dance? Did Daddy teach you it?"
"No, Akane. My mother taught me that one. Your daddy doesn’t use swords and so he doesn’t know any katas, excuse me, sword-dances."
"Oh." Another pause. Then, "Mommy?"
"Yes, Akane?"
"Why was your sword glowing?"
"It was glowing because it’s a very special sword."
"Oh. Is that why it went away, Mommy?"
"Yes, Akane. It disappeared because it is a very special sword."
Another all knowing "oh," then nothing. As Mrs. Tendo turned on her street, Akane spoke again.
"Mommy?"
"We’re almost home, Akane. Once we get there, no more questions. Ok?"
"Ok, Mommy, but can I ask you one now?"
"Yes, Akane."
"Mommy…Daddy’s wants to teach me kicking and punching dances. I think I don’t want to learn those as much as I wanna learn sword-dances. Could you teach me those, instead of kicking and punching dances?" Mrs. Tendo smiled. Yes, this was the unaffected daughter. Akane would be brought up as a secret princess, just as she had been. And then, one day, she would be acknowledged as the Heiress of the Power, and all with the Gift would know her face and name. Akane would never be alone again.
"If I teach you katas…If I teach you sword-dances, Akane, what will you use for a sword?" Akane smiled.
"I already thought of that, Mommy! I don’t wanna use any old sword. I wanna use your glow-sword!"
"If you use mine, what will I use?" Akane thought as only a five year old can think. She scrunched her eyes closed and stuck her tongue out and thought. Suddenly, she had an idea.
"If I can’t use yours, then you can help me make glow-sword!"
"If I say I’ll help you, Akane, do you think you can do it? Even if it hurts?"
"Oh, yes, Mommy! I don’t mind if it hurts a little, or even if it hurts a lot! I really wanna use a glow-sword. Please, Mommy? Please?" Mrs. Tendo looked at her youngest and laughed. She looked so serious!
"I’ll help you, Akane. But you have to promise me something."
"Anything, Mommy!" Mrs. Tendo looked into the brown eyes of her youngest daughter and future heir. Hope, trust, longing, honor. All shown bright and untamed in the eyes of the young Wielder-to-be.
"I know you will do anything, Akane, but that’s not what I need. You must not tell anyone of the glow-swords or sword-dances I will teach you. And don’t tell anyone of what we’ve talked about, all right?" Akane looked confused, but then she smiled.
"You mean, you and me are gonna have a secret?" Mrs. Tendo smiled.
"Yes, Akane. You and I are going to share a secret. A very big secret. Ok?"
"Ok!" Mrs. Tendo put her tiny daughter down and let her in the house. She was, after all, still very hungry.

"Oh. Oh, wow. I’d forgotten. Mom was going to…going to teach me about the sword. My sword. And that kata she did…I knew that kata I did that morning was familiar! I learned it from her, before she died. Oh, wow. If only I’d known…oh, Mother. Why’d yo have to die before you could tell me anything? Why did you have to die?" Akane rested her head against the tree and closed her eyes. It was because of this she heard a soft pfft, the unmistakable sound of a dagger embedding itself in a tree. Akane picked up her head, looked around. Where…? The sound came again. There. Akane turned and walked towards the sound. She came to a thicket where a boy, around her age, threw glowing knives at a point in a tree twenty meters away. Akane watched with admiration as knife after knife hit the exact same point and then, just as with her sword, disappeared. Akane squinted her eyes to get a better look at the boy. He had long black hair, tied together at the nap of his neck. Thick glasses lied useless at his feet…Akane gasped.
"Mousse!" she exclaimed, "You’ve got a minor Talent!" Mousse’s head turned. He held two daggers, one in either hand, preparing to fling one at his home-made target. Both were held expertly by the tips of the blades. He blinked. Lowering his right arm, he turned and looked her over once, twice. Then he smiled. Putting his feet together, he bowed European style, one dagger wielding arm across his stomach. He lifted his head while keeping his bow and addressed her, saying, with much respect, a little relief, and no surprise, "Your Highness."