Immortal Minds

by: FXffects

Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only. Most characters herein are the sole copyright of Takahashi Rumiko, Viz Video, and so on. No infringement intended. And, thank you, for taking some time out to read this work.

* * : Thoughts

italics : Past

Prologue: Memories...

"Dreams within dreams,

Emotions within emotions,

Enigmas wrapped within riddles,

Love masked by hate,

Life and death,

Dust to dust,

Dual forces, forever entwined."

~ FXffects

The Tendou family stared incredulously at the odd pair standing before them, eyes blinking, before Soun broke down into tears. Ranma grimaced, rubbing the bridge of her nose wearily, and stepped forward. "Uh, I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry 'bout this..."

~~~~~

"Am I dreaming?" Ranma whispered, managing a small smile as he stared down lovingly at his new wife. *My wife.*

Akane smiled faintly, as she gently reached up and ran her fingers through Ranma's hair, teasing his pigtail playfully. "Let's just hope you don't wake up," she murmured, brushing her soft red lips against his. "I love you, baka," she whispered, as Ranma reached over and clicked off the lamp light, the two lovers leaning back into the bed...

~~~~~

"... h-hold my hand, Ranma," Akane stammered out, as the blood frained from her face, her breathing becoming more labored with each passing breath.

Ranma stifled back a sob, and quickly took hold of Akane's trembling hand, sparing a desperate look back at the doctor. "Isn't there anything you can do?" he pleaded with the doctor, as he felt Akane's grip loosen slightly.

Dr. Ono sighed, bringing a weathered hand up to brush aside a stray gray bang out of his line of vision. "I'm sorry, Ranma." Tofu gently placed a frail hand on Ranma's shoulder, sighing as he watched the hope dim in Ranma's eyes.

The pigtailed martial artist fervently shook his head, and looked back at Akane, tears now streaming down his still youthful face. "No, no, she can't die." Ranma tightened his grip on Akane's hand. "I love you, Akane. You have to stay with me."

Akane smiled lightly, as she raised a hand and wiped a tear off Ranma's face. "Don't cry, baka," she murmured, as her hand fell limply to her side, her eyes fluttering closed...

~~~~~

"Ranma, stop," Ryouga wheezed out, whipping out another worn bandanna. "You don't wanna do this."

Ranma ground his teeth, aura flaring, and flew towards the lost boy at a break neck speed. "COME ON, PIG BOY! YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KILL ME, RIGHT!?" Ranma slammed his fist into Ryouga's side, eliciting a grunt of pain from said lost boy. "WELL, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!"

Ryouga stumbled back after a particularly vicious blow to the head, and coughed up a bit of blood, growling slightly. "Ranma..." He trailed off, as Ranma slammed another fist into his gut, sending Ryouga flying through a nearby brick wall. "Goddamnit..." Ryouga muttered, as he slowly lifted himself out from beneath the rubble, glowing an eery black "Fine then." His eyes began glowing a dark red, as a ball of chi began to gather between his outstretched hands. "SHI SHI HAKODAN!"

"That's good." Ranma grinned, and brought his hands back to his side, chi already beginning to collect in his hands. "MOUKO TAKABISHA!"

~~~~~

... Ranma stared down at the parchment in his hands, not even blinking as the change took place. "I've done it," she whispered to herself, dropping the worn sheet onto the stained dojo floors. She weakly gripped the ring on a string about her neck, staring at the small memorial set in the corner of the dojo. "For you, Akane," she murmured, as black flames sprang up all about her body. Her eyes took on a red shade, as she fell to her knees, mouth wide open in a silent scream, tears beginning to stream down her petite face.*Together again...*

"JUNSEI SHI SHI HAKODAN!"

~~~~~

End Prologue