"Why do you do this?"
Ranma sits on the roof of the Tendo dojo. Summer blue skies reflect in pale eyes. The teen looks out at the familiar surroundings. A deep sense of yearning grows in the emptiness of his heart.
"Why do you suffer? Why do you stay?"
Without having to turn his head once, Ranma knows he can pinpoint every person who's becomed a part of his life, whether welcomed or not.
"What's the point to this? Get in a fight, lose, train, win. Lather, rinse, repeat. There's Akane, but I'd have to be crazy to want to marry a person who thinks anger management is beating someone to a bloody pulp."
More from instinct that anything else, Ranma jumps to the other side of the roof. The familiar sound of Shampoo making a delivery fades down the street. If he listens closely, Ranma imagines he can hear Ukyo's grill, perhaps even Kodachi working in her lab on something new to poison him with. Mousse is back at the Cat Cafe, working tables...
"There's a waste. So he has a vision problem. So what? He just needs better glasses... if the old ghoul would care enough to do it. Yeah right. Have to wonder if Shampoo's the real reason he stays, or is it something else..."
At the Kuno's estate, Ranma would bet a hundred yen that Kuno himself is lost in thought over Akane or "the pig-tailed girl."
"Yeah, like I asked for an obsessed kendoist to stalk me. Hell, I didn't ask for any of it!"
Perhaps the only one Ranma can't pinpoint is the Lost Boy, with obvious reasons...
"Oh, I can just guess the what if not the where, though. Damn, everything's so predictable. Set out, drawn up. No change. Am I the only one who's not satisfied? Am I the only one who wants something more than what we're giving each other? I can't be, but nobody wants to change. Maybe they're afraid?"
Sensing when it's safe to do so, Ranma climbs back to his previous spot, eyes gazing out once more.
"What would they say? What would any of them say if I told them about the dreams? Hmmph. They wouldn't say anything. They'd be too busy trying to kill me. But still..."
Ranma runs his fingers through his dark hair. His brow furrows as he loses himself to his thoughts.
"I know what I see. And it can't be a regular dream. I keep having it. Always the same. A pool of gold. Me falling into it. The voices. A women. Sea of chaos. And always being found..."
An unconscious tremor grips the young man. He wraps his arms around his knees, trying to quiet his agitation.
"Always him. I've never seen eyes like those. Or hair... or anything, in truth. Amd I thought my eyes were blue. He's got me beat. Everything about him. Why can't he be real? I'd like to meet him... just once..."
Ranma sighs, getting up and hopping to the next roof. He doesn't have any set place in mind, just wandering aimlessly. The sun begins to set when he finds himself at the school pool. The teen blinks, then blinks again. The sun reflects off the pool, the waters shimmering gold.
"What the hell?" Ranma can only stare at the water, his dream replaying in his mind. "Just like this... but it can't really be... can it? I... I fell in the water there. This is crazy. It's just a trick of the sun... right?"
A voice echoes in Ranma head. Soft, powerful, hypnotic. Ranma feels himself falling into it as surely as he's fallen into the pool in his dreams.
"I have need of you. Join me. Join us. Find the one you seek. Live the power... my power... of dreams..."
If Ranma were to describe it, he'd say it felt like someone tugging him closer with every word. Not that it's necessary. Ranma would have gone just on the power of the voice alone. Oddly enough, he doesn't feel the hold gravity takes on him. Nor does he feel the water as it surrounds his body. There is only a sensation of floating. Of caresses. Of finally meeting the one with the blue eyes...
"Damn it. Another dead end."
Zelgadis Grewyers curses vivdly. His companion blushes, though he's actually quite familiar with such language, except when it came from the blue-skinned chimera.
"So we look for another one, Zel. It's no big deal. I don't mind traveling."
Zel looks over at his friend. Traveling with Gourry was still something Zel isn't use to. At least, traveling alone with him. It was something of a shock when Gourry had split from Lina to help Zel find a cure for his "curse." And Zel has yet to get Gourry to explain why. Still, as time passed, Zel was grateful for whatever reasons made the blond swordsman stay with him. Though he'd never admit it, not even to himself, a part of Zel hopes they could just spend the rest of their lives traveling as they do now.
"It gets frustrating, though."
"I know, but have the fun is looking for something, right?"
Zel shakes his head, marveling at Gourry's logic. "Least there's something, I suppose." He brushes himself off and heads for the nearest road, his friend right behind him.
"So now what?"
"What else? Find some other legend or myth or clue and check it out. Though it will probably flop like all the others..."
"Zel..."
"... not that I mind traveling, I just get sick of chasing down fairy tales..."
"Zel..."
"...it would be nice to have something pan out for once, instead of running into all these dead ends..."
"Zel!"
"What?" The shaman turns, looking back at Gourry. "What is it?"
Gourry says nothing, only staring and pointing off to his left. Zel follows his gaze, blue eyes widening as they rest on a small pond of golden water.
"What in the hell?" Warily, Zel and Gourry make their way over. Zel leans fowards, trying to get a look under the surface if he can.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing. It's..." The shaman is cut off when a voice that feels all too familiar rises up from the golden depths.
"A present for you, my children..."
Before either can react, the water fountains up, splashing them both. Zel throws up his hands, ready to cast a shield spell, but something heavy lands in his arms. As quickly as it started, the water stops. It looks like an ordinary pond, even the color a placid blue.
"What was that all about?"
"I think it might have something to do with the girl you're holding, Zel..."
"Wha...?" Zel looks down. Sure enough, a buxom redhead stirs in his arms. Her eyes flutter open, staring straight into Zel's own slit-pupils. "Um... hello?"
"It's... you're real..." A second later, the young girl simply faints away.
Zel glances at Gourry. Gourry looks back, shrugging helplessly. Zel rolls his eyes and sighs.
"Going to be one of those days..."