Comments please!!! Hurl your worst!!! Bring on the flame throwers! The rotten peaches... Seriously, imput
Ranma stood impatiently at the large window with Akane looking frequently at the clock on the wall. They were going to miss the flight. He, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Soun, pops, and the freak aka Happosai, were going on a 'Family' vacation. Personally he and Akane knew it was nothing more than a ploy to get them together. He wanted to leave Japan for a while and enjoy a nice vacation without girls glomping him every other minute proclaiming their 'love' ...
But unbeknownst to him, Nabiki had let Ukyo know about the vacation, of course it had cost Ukyo quite a pretty penny or in her case, yen. Than she went to Shampoo... Then Kuno baby and somehow the gymnastic ribbon freak, Koddachi, found out too. But it would only prove for a more interesting vacation. Ranma should thank her for being so considerate.
This was the first time the family had ever flown anywhere and Nabiki was going to make sure that they would make it. As the speaker came on the she gripped her luggage tighter.
"Flight 107 at section A boarding...Flight 107 at section A boarding..."
"That's our flight!" Kasumi said. Nabiki turned back to the counter and the lady handed the tickets.
"Lets run for it!" she called to them. All began running holding onto their luggage. Akane was in the back and trying to catch up when someone bowled her over at top notch speed.
"OWUCH!!!!" " Akane cried out as she felt the ceramic tiles meet with her back. Someone was lying on top of her and was heavy...very heavy. She opened her eyes and saw black hair...Then a very familiar and unwelcome voice.
"Mousse, you no know where to go do you?"
"Shampoo?" she gasped out. As she did Mousse looked at the person who he landed on and for once knew who it was.
"Akane Tendou! Gomen Nazai!" he said trying to stand up without tripping on his robe. She looked up and tried to sit up too but alas, Mousse slipped and fell back down on top of her.
"OWW!" she cried out again. She looked in the direction of where her family had been and saw that only Ranma had noticed her disappearance for he was running back calling her name....
Ranma was running with the family when he turned to see that Akane was no longer behind him. Where was she? He stopped in mid run and turned back.
"Akane?!?" he called her name out again and as he turned the corner he saw a very unpleasant sight. Mousse was lying on top of Akane and Shampoo and the old ghoul were there too... Seeing Shampoo and the old ghoul was bad enough but Mousse on top of Akane...
"What are you doing Mousse?!?" he demanded, replacing jealousy with anger.
"Oh, so it's you Ranma. I knocked her down on accident...As I said, Sorry Akane." he stood up without slipping this time and offered his hand to her. She took it, to the surprise Ranma, and stood up grabbing her suitcase.
"Come on Akane, we have to go... " Ranma said grabbing her arm lightly. He wasn't going to give Shampoo a chance to glomp him.
"So son in law, do you know where gate 107 is?" the old ghoul asked. Akane groaned out loud in anger. And Ranma saw red as he quickly put 2 and 2 together and figured out how they knew about the vacation.....
"Ranma...." Akane threatened dangerously. "Did you tell them about this???"
Ranma slightly panicked at the tone of her voice and shook his head full force.
"No..." he said quickly. "Sorry old ghoul maybe it's that way..." he pointed in the opposite direction.
"Nice try son in law." she chuckled. Akane gave up.
"Lets go Ranma! Were gonna miss our flight!" Ranma nodded and both began running. Both he and Akane heard the trio behind them much to their disdain. As they reached the gate they saw their family standing around no one else in line. Nabiki was arguing with the gate attendant.
" - What do you mean no more seats?" she said.
"I'm sorry but were all full." the woman tried to reason.
"Ok. Fine. Daddy, I need to go to that desk... Reason out something...." she smiled evilly and walked off, they all began to sit down when a breathless Ranma and Akane got there. They released each others hands and were gasping for air. Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne right behind them. Cologne was unfazed by the run, Shampoo and Mousse were gasping too.
"Dad - why - aren't - we - boarding?" she gasped between breaths.
"Well Akane it seems that they have no more seats..." he explained. Meanwhile at the desk Nabiki was giving the airline people a run for there money. And when Nabiki handles money and people you know she's going to win.
"What do you mean there are no more flights today?!? When I bought these tickets I automatically assumed that that meant we would be able to reach our destination, now I'm sure that's what it meant when I bought the tickets." she said reasonably. The man behind the counter was trying not to squirm under her piercing gaze.
"Listen ma'am, due to circumstances beyond our control, flight 107 is currently overbooked, we will provide passage on the next available flight tomorrow at 10:37 am. Please come back tomorrow."
Nabiki shook her head and tsked her tongue, "Wrong buster. According to article four section five part b of the customer's service agreement, signed by the Hitsubichi travel agency, all customers not served on their flight will be given a later flight for the same day or they will be provided food and lodging until the next flight with a complementary 50% value of the ticket for each customer." she repeated.
"I think my family and I will go to the Hakasaki Hotel, and I want room service." she finished.
The man paled at the mention of the Hakasaki Hotel, the most expensive hotel in all Japan and Nermia, at this time of the holiday season the chance of him finding a cheeper hotel for the Soun and Tendou families were slim at best, and the rooms at the Hakasaki Hotel would be a minimum of 50,000 yen a room. He shuddered at the added cost total and what the manager would do to him at the end of this...
"Uhhh, you know what, there's a flight in about ten minutes that has many empty seats, it's not second class, it's third class, but we will gladly give you a twenty five percent rebate for the inconvenience." he quickly counted the group she had earlier pointed to and found there was enough and still had some left over...
"Make that fifty percent and I don't care where it's headed."
"Alright..." he said, silently cursing at the gods for his rotten luck...so much for a Christmas bonus...he didn't want the PC with color scanner...honest he didn't.
Nabiki viciously smiled and took the new tickets and saw Cologne behind her who then gave the poor boy the same treatment.
"Lets go, flight 205 gate F will be boarding in ten minutes." she held the tickets firmly in her hand and her family grabbed their belonging's beginning to rush off. As Ranma began to move he felt someone grab him and wrap their arms around his waist.
"Ranma no go! Ranma stay here and wait with Shampoo!!!" the bur clung to him stead fast and he silently prayed to the gods Akane would not turn around....He liked all his teeth where they were...
"LET GO Shampoo!!!" he desperately tried to squirm out of her lock hold, which proved more difficult than he thought. Mousse's voice could be heard and Ranma turned to find him attacking another poor sod who happened to be with a girl.
"Let go of my Shampoo Ranma!!!" he punched at the man who found himself flying towards a wall.
"Mousse YOU DOPE!!!" Ranma shouted at him. He needed to go and Shampoo's clinging was not helping. Time to pull out the big guns... "Shampoo DON'T HOLD ME!!! I'VE GOT A FIANCEE!!!" he shouted, he saw Akane stop running and turn around, she ran back and Shampoo went flying as Akane's fist flew up to meet her.
"Shampoo YOUR GONNA MAKE US LATE!!!" she yelled at Shampoo's flying form which smacked the wall leaving a dent. Ranma felt like he could hug her.
"Thanks Akane!" he grabbed her hand and began running after the family. As they dashed down corridors the heard the speaker go off again.
"Flight 205 gate F boarding in five minutes..."
The whole family reached the gate and put in their tickets and boarded the plane. There were three aisles, the middle aisle held three chairs as did the side aisles. Akane and Ranma sat near the window. Genma and Soun sat in the middle and Nabiki and Kasumi at the other window. The freak/pervert sat next to Ranma, Akane had the window. No way in hell would he let Happosai touch Akane. Then he went into shock as he heard a voice in the aisle behind of him.
"Ran-chan? It is you!!!" Ukyo's head popped over the head of his seat. He felt his head go forward and hit his knees.
"Nabiki!!!" he shouted angrily to her and she smiled sweetly to him.
"Yes Ranma?" she asked with perfect innocence.
"This was supposed to be a secret vacation!!!" he said with barely controlled anger.
"And let you go bored? Really Ranma. If it hadn't been for their contribution's we wouldn't be here at all." she turned back to her magazine. Akane looked angry. Happosai looked thrilled.
"Oh come now Ranma, it just means more beautiful girls!" Ranma's elbow connected with Happy's face.
"Shut up!" Ranma took the seat belt and secured it tightly around Happy.
They then saw Shampoo, Mousse and Cologne enter. Shampoo's eyes lit up and went to glomp Ranma. She jumped over the seats and went to carpe him in a fierce hug. In the process she bashed Akane in the head quite on 'accident'.
"OWUCH! That's it!!! Be with your true love!!!" Akane grabbed her carry on bag and climbed over the seat in front of her and reached above from the aisle for her suitcase. "Dammit!" she swore in anger and went to her sisters. She sat down next to the window and deliberately turned away from him.
Mousse than attacked Ranma for taking advantage of Shampoo and Ukyo than joined in to prevent her 'love' from being hurt. All hell broke loose. It was finally broken up and Shampoo was next to Ranma cuddling him and Cologne and Mousse sat with Ukyo. It was going to be a long trip.....To top it off he didn't even know where they were going. Only Nabiki did.
"Hey Nabiki where we headed?" he asked.
"Oh to a place I'm sure you'll love - " she was cut off by another voice.
"Akane!"
"RYOGA?!?" all said together.
"Ryoga, what are you doing here?" Akane asked.
"Oh well see uh...I wanted to visit China and so I bought a ticket and stayed here after getting some help... heh. So you guys are all heading to China too huh Ranma?"
Ranma blinked once. Twice.
"CHINA?!?!?"
His shout could of been heard in the USA....
Amelia tossed and turned in her soft warm bed. It was the middle of summer and she, Ms. Lina, Xellos, Gourry, and Mr. Zelgadis were in Seyrune staying there for a while. She liked being home in her own bed with her stuffed animals and belongings. She had been twelve when she left and had met Lina-san. Now she was fourteen and she still loved all her 'childhood' toys. She had missed them. The comfort and safety of her room...
But now it was different. It frightened her. Every squeak, every whisper of the wind gently blowing on her window, every shadow which danced into different forms to meld into another, scared her. She had had a terrible dream. And it felt so horrible. She had seen her mothers murder...
She shuddered and desperately tried to smother the thought as one smothers the flame of a candle when it is time to go to sleep. Wishing it would melt back into the recess of her mind. But it would not leave or go. It stayed there, haunting her with bloody, dark, frightening images which swirled about in a choatic tornedo leaving behind a cold iciness all through her body. She wanted to call out to Mr. Zelgadis who was in the room next to hers but she felt if she yelled or dared to whisper a word that the darkness would take her in.
She slightly trembled and buried her face in her pillows to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks. She may of been six at the time of her mothers murder, but she remembered it vividly in every horrifying dark detail. After the murder she swore she would protect the innocent, all who were evil should be punished.
She then felt a cold wind against her body and lifted her pounding head. She looked up to see a part of the wall was open! It was a door! A hidden door! And there was a man standing there. Silvery and fading in and out erratically. He looked like her father in a way.
"Who are you?" she asked her voice trembling as badly as a dead leaf hanging on a tree in a fierce wind storm.
"Follow me young one..." it whispered in a deep soothing voice. She felt her fear wash away and she sat up, the pounding in her head gone. Her salty tears drying on her face. She got out of bed and he turned around and went through the door.
"I can't see though!" she whispered fiercely. She knew she should of been terrified but all she could feel was a numbness. "LIGHT!" she whispered.
A pulsing light formed and floated in her hand as she began rushing to the door running past it to find stairs. Oh yay, she thought sarcastically. She began rushing down the stairs and found the ghost still walking down. She felt the dirty, icy cold stone meet her bare feet and shivered slightly. Maybe she should go get Ms. Lina. No. She had to prove she could do things right. Not wrong. And that she wasn't a fraidy cat.
As the ghost reached the end she saw she was in a room. He went to a desk which was covered with dust and a couple of huge spiders and touched a book. She stared at him curiously and he pointed to her than the book and he disappeared. She blinked and turned all around looking for anything or anyone else. It was empty. She went to the desk and on it was a small book. Thin and covered with dust. No hand imprint had been made when the ghost had touched it. She reached to grab it when she heard a sudden thundering noise.
She jumped up in fear and surprise and listened to the terrifying echo of the slam of something - - OH NO.... The door! She turned to the book and grabbed it with numb, trembling fingers and clutched the dirty thing to her pink nightgown. On trembling legs she ran as fast as she could and found the door to be shut. She felt fear rise in her mind and her breathing grew erratic. Locked in. No one knew where she was! She could be locked in there for God knows how long!
She tried to look for an opening but to no avail. It did nothing to move. Nor could she open it. She felt the panic rise again. NO! She felt her reason dissipate into nothing and she pounded on the wall with her fist screaming out.
"Mr. Zelgadis!!! HELP ME!!! Zelgadis-San!!! PLEASE!!!!!" her voice echoed loudly around her and she felt tears come to her eye's and she knew she was sobbing. She felt helplessness and despair fill her as her scream echoed again, "Zelgadis!!!!"
Zelgadis was a very light sleeper and he woke up when he heard something slam. When he woke he believed it to be his imagination. So he had layed in bed listening to the silence. When his keen ears picked up on a terrified, and all to familiar voice.
"Mr. Zelgadis!!!!!!"
His heart and body froze at her scream. She had never sounded so terrified before. Even when facing Phibrizo. He felt panic as he heard her voice again, she was sobbing in between words.
"HELP ME!!! Zelgadis-San!!! PLEASE!!!!!!"
He took no more time. In demon speed he raced out the room with his sword in hand and flew into her room to find it missing a princess. He turned his head to a wall as he heard her voice again, louder this time.
"Zelgadis!!!" he then heard her pitiful sobs through the wall.
"AMELIA!" his voice was worried full of concern. He went to the wall and looked desperately for a way in.
"Zelgadis!?! I'm locked in here!!!" her voice sounded choked full of tears.
"Amelia! How did you get there? Are you in danger?!?"
"I don't think so! Please help me! It's scary in here!" she bit back a sob and he looked again. He ran his hand against the wall and then looked to the picture. As he lifted it up the wall moved and he stepped back as it flew open. He then felt something hit him in the stomach and fell back from the force as the door slammed shut. He was breathing hard and he looked up to find Amelia holding him fiercely. She had her eyes shut tightly and was sobbing silently and was holding onto him afraid and shivering.
He had never before seen her like this. He felt all anger and embarrassment leave him and concern flooded his senses. "Amelia?!?"
Her only answer to him was a choked sob.
"Amelia...." he tried to sit up and she sat back and he kneeled in front of her. She then sobbed once more and threw herself at him and held him. She curled herself up to him and didn't move.
Zelgadis wasn't sure what to do. He could feel himself blushing that she was hugging him so close. "What happened Amelia?"
"Nightmare - I woke up and this - ghost was there near that door and he told me to follow, I did - and he led me to a book and disappeared - " she choked out a sob. "And I heard it slam and I ran and I panicked and wanted help..." she buried her face into his night clothes. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently and tried to calm her down. Getting into an Indian style way of sitting. For many minutes he hugged her trying to soothe her and get her to rationally explain what was going on.
As soon as she did calm down she stood up and sat on her bed and he in a chair and she told him about her little 'adventure in hell'.
"I then grabbed the book and ran up the stairs and began pounding and screaming on the wall." she finished.
"Book? What book?" he asked. Her eyes went wide as she looked down to her dusty hands and dirty nightgown.
"OH NO!" she jumped off the bed and looked on the floor.
"There it is!" she dived for the dust ridden book and held it up.
"What is it?"
"I don't know..."
"How bout tomorrow morning we tell the others and look at it. For now put it someplace safe. Wash up, change and try to get some sleep ok Amelia?"
"Yes Mr. Zelgadis - "
"Good, will you be alright Amelia?"
"I think so..." he stood up to leave and grabbed his sword when he reached the door he heard her again and he stopped, "Mr. Zelgadis?"
"Yes?"
She blushed. "Thank you Zelgadis, for being here for me... for rescuing me." she bowed to him and lowered her head then stood up straight hands, clasped in front of her. Zelgadis was caught off guard. Never before had anyone bowed to him in thanks. Let alone a princess.
"I...Your welcome Amelia. Good night." he then left closing the door behind him and Amelia sighed and began getting ready for bed again, locking the book up in her little drawer on the table. She then changed, and cleansed herself and crept into her warm bed and fell asleep.
Amelia woke up with sore feet and a headache. Wonderful. She got up and unlocked the drawer and took out the book. She grabbed a washcloth and wiped it down and noticed a faded gold crest of the Seyrune family. She let out a gasp of shock and opened it. Inside was ancient writings, symbols that were long since dead. They were written in black and were written clearly. Well if it weren't so worn out, the paper was really thin. She looked at the symbols and found them alien in a way.
She ran a hand down the page wiping off the dirt and tried to look for anything that would look familiar. But to no avail. If only she could remember....She had been given lessons on her families/cities ancient language and writing before, in fact she had been able to speak it fluently and could read and write it but that was when her mother had been alive... When Gracia her older sister had been with her, they had been so close. And then Amelia's world had been destroyed. Her mother was murdered when she was six and her sister had been twelve when she ran away. Now Gracia was gone and her mother also...
She felt tears build behind her eyes and she wished she could undo the wall she had built around the memories before her mothers murder. The murder had sent her into shock, and for a year, she had been silent and empty. Then she only spoke common, no more ancient languages... If only she could remember...
"Amelia?" Lina's voice was heard through the door.
"Yes?"
The door opened and Lina walked in. She wore one of the outfits Amelia had given her. Amelia's bad mood disappeared and she felt better at the sight of her friend.
"Hi Ms. Lina!" she smiled brightly and Lina grinned back also. "I love how that looks on you! Gourry will like it! And Xellos." she smiled again with laughter in her eyes and Lina stuck out her tongue. She wore a white dress which had a form fitting top and was a loose skirt on the bottom it reached her knees and she wore white shoes.
"So you coming down Amelia?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." she closed the book and stood up straightening out her blue dress. "Ok, lets go."
They both walked out the room and down the halls out to the terrace in the beautiful morning sunshine with crisp fresh air. Zelgadis, Gourry, and Xellos were seated at the table with Phil. As they walked out Phil smiled keenly and said good morning. The men went into shock. Zell nearly choked on his coffee, Gourry nearly swallowed his tongue with his bacon, and Xells mouth slightly dropped and he had opened his eyes.
Amelia giggled and Lina blushed at their stares. She sat down next to Amelia and they were given their breakfasts. As Lina received her food Amelia winked at her and Lina nodded back and picked up her fork. The men stared at her, expecting the fast Lina pace, what she did do sent them into shock. She picked up her food and began eating at a normal pace.
"Lina are you feeling alright?" Xellos asked. She nodded and tried to hide a grin but she knew he being a Mazoku could sense her amusement in their shock. Fink. He thought quietly to himself.
Zelgadis tried to drink his coffee without staring in shock. Gourry just shoveled food in his mouth. After the dishes had been cleared away Amelia brought out the book and explained what happened that night and finished with,
"I used to know how to read it but because of a certain reason - -I can't anymore." she said. Xellos arched an eyebrow.
"Certain reasons? Why?"
"Uhh....Xell it..." she let out a shaky breath and they all turned to her. "When I was six years old, my mother taught me this language." she pointed to the symbols in the book. "It was the only language I could speak. Even father had to learn, he never knew how to read it though. I used to be able to write it and read it fluently. It was our 'secret' language we even shared with Gracia my older sister. Though they both could speak common too. Well monsters were hired by a cousin who sent them to kill us all and have the kingdom." She paused trying to keep control of her voice.
"Mother, Gracia and I were out on this very terrace when the monster came here. Gracia only knew so much magic and mother only knew white. We...never stood a chance, the guards tried but were killed - " she felt hot tears stream down her face and Zell and Gourry seemed worried about this and Zell felt his heart tighten in pity, Xellos said nothing but did not hold his famous smile. "Gracia, tried so hard and I couldn't do anything - She was blasted into the wall and mother - " she lowered her head. "The monster pierced her threw her chest. I ran to it and I don't know how but I was able to cast a very powerful spell and the Mazoku was hurt by it. I had angered it though. It slit - " she broke into a tremendous sob and Lina felt so much pity for her she wrapped an arm around the little princess shoulder.
"It slit...her - th-throat." she sobbed out.
"Amelia-" Gourry whispered out. Xellos could feel her sorrow radiating from her, but for all his Mazoku habits he found he COULDN'T feed off her. It felt wrong. He actually felt pity for this poor child.
Lina to the shock of the three men, (Phil had left) took the sobbing princess in her arms whispering to her it was alright, that it wasn't her fault.
She rocked the princess gently in her arms as a mother would a terrified child, and Amelia sought all the comfoting warmth that Lina offered. Lina sat there holding the princess and tried to calm her. Amelia stopped sobbing and held onto Lina. The men could only stare. Lina Inverse. THE Lina Inverse the dramata, was being COMFORTING and CARING. Never before, not even Xellos had seen her like this.
It was then and there all three men changed their opinions on the tiny, greedy, immature, 'uncaring' sorceress.
Amelia then continued, "After he - to mother, he came after me, I was so scared, no one was there, father was gone and my family lay dead or hurt badly before me. He grabbed me and threw me over that ledge and I hit the ground and went unconscious. An old Warlock was able to kill him... from what I was told. When I woke up Gracia was out cold and I couldn't say anything, I didn't remember I know now, I couldn't remember how to speak, the language was gone. I was retaught to speak common over a year. They tried to get me to speak even one word but I didn't. But soon I learned common language and white magic but before a month after my mothers death Gracia had run away at the age of twelve. And now I can't remember any of this language....It's all buried. I wish I could tell you more - " she hugged Lina tighter and let out a sigh and Lina took a napkin and gently wiped Amelia's tears.
"I know a way you can remember." Xellos said. Four sets of eyes turned to him.
"You do?" Amelia asked hopefully.
"Hypnotism. I can hypnotize you and it should unlock your memories."
The group seemed to agree and Amelia nodded slowly. "Alright."
Chapter 2 | Fanfiction