Ranma was sitting on his bed, inside the room he shared with Tidus and Wakka, and was deeply brooding.
A soft knock was heard from the door, shortly before Akane entered.
"Um, Ranma... you want to talk?"
Ranma nodded. "Sure."
She sat down next to him. For a while, both stayed silent.
"I was thinking about a way for all of you to go home," he finally said.
"Why?" Akane asked, bewildered. "I thought we were going to live through this 'quest' together... Not just you, or you and me, for that matter... everyone of us!"
She looked sternly at her fiance. "Ranma, everyone of us, including you and me, has made the decision by him- or herself. Shampoo, myself, and Ukyo too. The only ones I'm a bit worried about are Kasumi and Nabiki. But Kasumi decided to stay and help, and I don't think she would just go home even if we should find a way. As for Nabiki... she's doing what she wants, anyway..."
"But don't you see?" Ranma asked her. "It's all resulting in me being the great hero that saves Spira, together with Yuna. I'm the one that can summon the spirits, I'm the strongest fighter here, I'm the one that..."
Akane silenced him by kissing him on the mouth.
Ranma froze. He really wasn't used to the fact that he and Akane were taking their relationship to something far more open than before.
Both of them DID know that they loved each other... but they just weren't ready to admit it, back in Nerima.
Was he now?
After Akane broke the kiss, she smiled at him. "Don't worry! We'll be fine. After all, a 'violent, uncute tomboy' like me wouldn't be defeated that easily." She winked.
Ranma snickered. "Well, not if her 'macho jerk of a fiance' is there to protect her, right?"
He sighed. "But seriously, Akane... After all this is over... How can we be sure there IS a way back to Nerima?"
"We'll just wait and see," she said. "Let's concentrate on the pilgrimage and Sin first. When Spira is saved, when can always brood about our other problems."
"Where is this pilgrimage leading us to, anyway?" Ranma muttered.
"To Zanarkand!"
They both were startled. They hadn't noticed Wakka entering the room. He was standing in the door and looked at them thoughtfully.
"So, the two of you really are not from this world, ya?" he asked. They shook their heads. "And I would assume it's the same for Kasumi, Shampoo, Ukyo and your other sister?" Again, they nodded.
Wakka sighed and sat down in a chair. "Ya know, that really doesn't surprise me any more. I started to believe Tidus' story about coming from the past... I guess it's time to believe your story as well, huh?"
"It's a long story, Wakka," Akane told him. "Let's just say: We were chosen by the fayth to join Yuna on her journey."
"The fayth, huh?" Wakka shook his head. "And I guess that's how you're able to summon Aeons, ya?"
"That's right," Ranma said. "But Wakka... promise not to tell anyone about this, okay? The people of Spira shouldn't know that we're visiting their world on some kind of 'secret mission'.
"It's okay, I promise," the burly blitzball player nodded. "You can count on me. I won't tell a single soul... I mean, except perhaps Yuna?"
"I already told Tidus," Ranma said. "So I guess it's not too bad if the three of you know."
"And what about Auron?" Akane pondered. "We don't really know him for that long, and he certainly is a mysterious man, don't you think? I mean, there's something strange about him..."
"He's the strongest guardian that ever existed," Wakka said confidently. "And he was travelling with Lord Braska. Normally, that would make him trustworthy... at least in my opinion."
"I don't know..." Ranma said. "I think we should wait a bit before telling him. Shampoo hangs a little more around him then we do... perhaps she can tell us more about him, after some time."
"You said we're going to Zanarkand. Does that mean... to Tidus' home?" Akane asked.
"Well, not as you think... Zanarkand is a big pile of ruins, nothing more... but the Final Aeon is waiting there for Yuna. With it, she will be able to beat Sin."
"Oh, I see," Ranma nodded.
Akane stretched out and lay down on the bed. "Well, we should go to bed soon," she yawned. "We have a long way before us, the highroad's still long."
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Tue, 18 Jul 2006 10:40)
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