This and all of my previous works are available on my Web Site:

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As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!
Coutuva.



Little Red - Part Three
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	Since she was stuck paying for the room whether she
stayed in it or not, she decided to hang in till the morning, and
in the meantime try her favorite technique for alleviating stress.
	A pizza, a half-case of pop, and as much work as she could
possibly do.
	Using the time the pizza took to arrive, she got herself
set up with her laptop computer, recharged cell phone and all of
her documentation, with the goal of finishing everything before 
she went to bed.
	After the pizza arrived, her clothes came back off, her
underwear went into the bathroom, and her skirt and blazer went
between the matteress and box spring.  Having not packed any
clothes, or anything else for that matter, she was left to
improvise.  Fortunately, she was well accustomed to that from
her early days in business.
	Wrapped up semi-comfortably in a large towel, she then
settled onto the center of the bed and started to work, forcing
herself to concentrate.
	Her efforts succeeded for approximately half an hour, at
which time a solid knock on her door startled the hell out of her.
Not making a sound, she slid off her bed and checked the peephole,
only to shudder at who appeared in the grossly distorted image.
	Ranma.  Smiling.
	"Kuso!" she cursed, quietly but angrily.  "He would have
to show up when I have no damned clothes!" she muttered, searching
about for something to wrap up in.  Finding nothing readily
available, she glanced back out the peep to see if he was still
there, intending to send him away.  She was actually a bit
disappointed to see that he had left. "Where the hell did he go?" 
she asked aloud, moving about to try to see up the hall.  
"Shimata," she finally grumbled, and turned back to the bed.
	Just as she reached it, however, the knock happened again.
In a flash, she was at the door, only to end up blinking in
amazement.  Ranma stood in the hall, proffering her his chinese
shirt and pants, complete with his famous wry smirk.
	Wordlessly, she unlocked and opened her door, then
extended a hand.  He placed the garments in it, then stepped back
and leaned on the opposite wall as she drew them in.  As she
closed the door again, she couldn't help but notice him look at
his watch, then back at her expectantly.
	He chuckled to himself as she slammed the door indignantly.
	Akane, meantime, despite feeling a little silly dressing
in the same kind of clothes Ranma wore when he was a teenager,
looked herself over in the mirrored shower stall doors.  She had
to admit, she finally understood why he always wore them.  They
looked passable on either sex, and were easily adjusted.
	Deciding she could put up with it long enough to see what
he wanted, she headed back to the door and opened it, only to be
greeted with a bemused look from Ranma.
	"Well, it'll do.  Got your room key?" he continued,
stepping up to her.
	"Iya.  Why?  We going someplace?" she asked, a bit
surprised at his sudden and marked change of demeanor.
        "Hai.  I got the feeling you wanted to talk.  I decided
I'd like to listen," he replied, evenly.
	"I'll get my purse," she responded, eyeing him
suspiciously.  He only nodded.
	A few minutes later, they were climbing into his jeep.  As
if he sensed her curiosity, he looked over at her and spoke.
"The rancher's Cadillac," he smirked, firing it up and grabbing
the stick.  "Got your belt on?" he asked, glancing over at her.
	"Hai," she responded, about to ask where they were going.
She didn't get the chance, however, as he wordlesly slapped it onto
reverse and accelerated out of the slot. 
	A fast, silent and slightly wild drive later, they pulled
up in front of his larger stable, at which he jumped down from the
vehicle and stood waiting for her to join him.  As she jumped down
and stepped toward him, she immediately threw him an annoyed look.
	"What gives, Ranma?" she asked, trying to conceal her
actual relief at his choice.
	Ranma only cracked a thin smile and disappeared into the
stable.  A few moments later, he reappeared with two tacked-up
horses.  "Do you know how to ride?" he asked, proffering her the
reins of the slightly smaller horse.
	"Hai -- a little," she replied tentatively, completely
thrown by the development.
	"Good.  Saddle up, there's not much daylight left," he
half-smiled, then swung himself into the saddle of the larger
horse effortlessly.  Noting that she was still just standing
beside the horse blinking, he walked his horse around hers and
sidepassed over to her, extending his hand.  "Grab hold," he
indicated, at which she reached out and took it.
	Her knees almost went to rubber as she felt the power in
his grip.  It had increased by at least double from when she had
last felt it.  Even more amazing was how he then simply deadlifted
her easily 135 lb. frame and literally sat her in the saddle.
	As she recovered from that surprise, he looked over at
her again and smirked.  "Put your feet in the stirrups, and then
pick up the reins and follow me.  The horse knows the way, so you
don't need to do too much," he instructed, urging his horse
forward.
	True to his words, the horse she sat on followed right
along, even as she was still trying to get her foot in the stirrup.
	All through the large yard, and out onto what appeared to
be a well-worn trail, Ranma remained silent.  In fact, he almost
seemed to be brooding.  That observation had her very curious
about his motives -- if not a little nervous.  She had no idea
where they were going or why, and wasn't entirely sure she liked
that.
	Again, almost as if sensing her concerns, Ranma
half-halted his horse until Akane's caught up.  As she fell in
beside him, he tossed her a glance that spoke volumes -- especially
when followed by the question he asked first.
	"Why are you here, Akane?" he opened, edgily.
	"Like I said -- I really don't know," she sighed, draping
her arms on the saddle horn.  "I was in the next town -- overseeing
a location shoot.  When I got there, I saw a girl wrangling the
horses, and she was really good.  She treated them like friends -- 
even ate with them," she explained, noting how he smiled to himself
as she spoke.  "Well, I was watching her ride one, and her hat blew
off.  The next day, I asked her name.  The rest, you know," she
concluded, looking over at him again.
	"You still haven't answered my question," he responded,
the edge noticeably absent from his voice.  "Why are you here?
As in at this Ranch?" he repeated, looking over at her.
	Akane swallowed hard.  She had been dreading this question,
but since she could never successfully lie to him, she didn't even
try.  Drawing a breath, she puffed it out and lowered her head.
"Because I knew you were here," she confessed, quietly.
	Ranma huffed.  "Sure.  I've been here since I left Nerima,
Akane.  You could have found me by using the phone book -- just
like I did to find you today," he replied, a touch of sarcasm in
his voice.  "There's more to it than that, isn't there?" he added,
his tone remaining the same.
	"You tell me.  I've been trying to figure it out all
damned day.  I see your daughter and my life goes to hell in a
handbasket.  I'm even late getting back to my office because of
it," she retorted, deliberately swatting aside her hair so he could
see her eyes.
	He looked right into them, then looked surprised.  "Huh.
Then I guess I was wrong," he abruptly remarked, frowning.
	"Nani?  Wrong?  About what?" she asked, now totally
confused.
	"I thought you were here about Red," he responded
grumblingly, actually looking miffed.
	"Red?"
	"My daughter.  That's her nickname," he answered,
distractedly.
	"Oh.  What's she got to do with this?" she countered,
now as much curious as confused.
	Ranma didn't answer right away, suddenly appearing to be
lost in thought.  Akane opted to just wait, figuring he'd get to
the point eventually.
	Instead, he looked over at her for a moment, seeming to her
as if he was studying her.  Just as she was about to ask him what
was up, his face seemed to light up a bit.
	"Up ahead, we're gonna turn off the trail.  There's something
I have to show you," he indicated, gesturing ahead of himself.
	She nodded, then suddenly had a sickening feeling surge
through her gut.  Compared to how he had been when they first met,
Ranma was being too nice -- and it occurred to her that there was
likely only one reason.  "You've never forgiven me, have you?"
she asked firmly, locking into his gaze.
	His eyebrows raised.  "Actually -- yeah.  A long time ago.
But, before I answer the next question, I have to show you what's
up ahead," he stated, his face sobering.  "There's the turn...
Stay close," he indicated, guiding his mount off the open path and
through the trees.
	Inwardly, Akane was in a state of utter confusion.
Ranma's answers had been cryptic, indirect, and difficult to read,
something that was definitely not normal for him.  At least not
as she remembered him.  She found herself wondering what had
happened to change him so much.
	A few quiet minutes later, Ranma stopped his horse and
stepped off, tying the reins to a tree.  Even in the dimming light,
shee noticed that the spot on the tree was well-worn.  Wordlessly,
she followed suit.  When she finished, Ranma gestured for her to
follow him.
	He walked ahead of her through the brush, his steps
deliberate and purposeful.  Finally, he stopped and turned to his
right, facing a small clearing.  Akane gasped as she moved in
beside him -- and saw the headstone.
	Ranma then closed his eyes, clapped his hands, and quietly
offered a prayer.  When he finished, he turned and looked at her
with misty eyes.  "Akane, I'd like you to meet my wife -- Saotome
Akiko.  She passed away four years ago -- breast cancer," he
stated, his voice tight.  "It was her wish to buried here.  She
loved the outdoors," he continued, clearing his throat.
	"Ranma..." she found herself saying gently, almost feeling
his pain.  He only smiled weakly.
	"I brought you here -- because she always wanted to meet
you," he began, stepping up to the hand-hewn stone and picking off
a few leaves.  "I told her everything about me; we had no secrets.
I met her the year after I arrived in this town, and we were
married a year later," he continued, resting his hand reverently
on the stone as he looked down at the earth beneath it.  "That was
when we started our family -- and I started working here.  We
lived here, too.  In a room in the back of the Ranch House," he
explained, a smile again crossing his face.
	"But...  Don't you own this place?" Akane stammered,
confused.
	"I do now -- have for the past ten years.  It used to
belong to Akiko-chan's family, but her parents were the last of the
line.  It became...  Our inheritance," he explained, somberly.
"Unfortunately, we were only able to share it for a few years.
Akiko-chan got sick, and the disease...  Took her quickly.  I
suppose...  That's actually a blessing," he added, his hand stroking
the monument as he spoke.
	She was speechless.  Suddenly, Ranma's melancholy made
perfect sense.
	"Anyway, she always wanted to meet you, Akane.  I was
never sure why, but I think it had a lot to do with what made me
leave," he redirected, raising his gaze to her again.  Strangely,
there was none of the expected animosity in it.
	"You mean...  You told her the 'truth' truth?" she gasped,
utterly horrified.  "Kuso...  She must have thought I was
awful...  Especially since she had three children," she trailed
off, her eyes widened.
	Ranma smirked breifly.  "No, actually.  I think part of
it was she felt sorry for you.  Akiko-chan was an incredible woman,
Akane.  She had more love in her soul than anyone I've ever met,
and was ready to share it whatever way she could," he corrected,
almost wistfully.  "Hell, the horses could even feel it in her, and
used to follow her around like puppies," he added, smiling at the
thought.
	Despite her state, she had to smile at that.  "So then 
she's the one that rubbed off on your daughter.  From what I saw, 
that's exactly how she is," she noted, remembering the scenes.  
"That girl is incredible, Ranma.  You two were blessed," she added,
genuinely.
        Ranma winced.  "Hai.  But not as blessed as we wanted to 
be," he countered, returning his gaze to the plot breifly.  "You 
see, Akiko had a lot of health problems...  Spent most of her time
either sick or recovering, and never got to do a lot of the things
she really wanted to.  I tried to give her a good life, but because
of that, I couldn't give her what she wanted most," he related, 
his voice becoming very quiet.
	"What...  Did she want?" Akane asked, the uneasy feeling
returning to her gut.
	Ranma turned and looked back at her levelly.  "Her own
children," he stated, his eyes hard.
	Akane was flabbergasted.  "But you have three kids -- and
your daughter -- looks just like you; uhm -- your other you..."
she sputtered, incredulously.
	Ranma sighed.  "Akiko-chan couldn't have kids...  So we 
adopted.  Kin, Hiro, even Red -- all shortly after we married," he
stated, leaving a very big shoe dangling.
	"Then how...  Does she look so much like you?"
	"It's simple, actually.  She's my daughter," he responded,
candidly.
	Now Akane was really confused -- for about thirty seconds.
Then, it hit her.
	"Chikusho," she gasped, eyes widening as she slumped to 
her knees.



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END - Little Red Part Three             A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva

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