Based off of characters by the ever-lovable Rumiko Takahshi, which
are her's, no copyright infringement is meant, and they are used
without permission.
    This story can be spread around, as long as the author is
acknowledged, and it is not sold for profit, either in part or in
whole, and all disclaimers are left intact.
	
*****
Blurred edges
*****
Lime-version
*****
By Ridgewolfe
*****



    Kodachi walked slowly into her room, drying her hair with the
thick towel laid out for her by the servants as she returned from her
bath, the silk kimono clinging to her slim gymnast's form.  With a
sigh of relief, she shut the door behind her, smiling as she heard the
latch clicked.

    Finally, the day was over, she thought as she wrapped her hair up
in the towel, then leaned against the door.  She was now free to
relax, to collect her thoughts once more.

    Here, in her room, she was free to be who she truly was.  No more 
kind and loving sister, no more respected and awed student gymnast, no 
more gentle and devoted fiancee, just, herself.

    Slowly, Kodachi straightened, and with slow steps walked across
the darkened room to her bed.  Gracefully she crawled onto the bed,
reaching over to flip on her nightstand lamp, then collapsed.  Free to
be... exausted, she thought ruefully.  Her earlier meeting with her
opponent next week had just dragged on, the girl had proven to be a
better debater than had Kodachi thought. Still, Kodachi had managed to
drive her point home, convincing the challenger of the wisdom of
Kodachi's words, and once again proving the worth of the name,
"The Black Rose".

    Kodachi sighed, stretching out across her bed as a warm breeze
from her open doors to her balcony stirred the curtains and lightly
washed across her... Enough of that, though... she thought, slowly
rolling onto her back, her gaze falling upon the vase of black roses
from her garden that sat next to her lamp.  The day was done, and she
was so tired... she could fall asleep right here... Kodachi could feel
herself starting to drift off as she relaxed... her eyelids growing
heavy...

    The curtains stirred again, and this time, the slight sound of a
footfall was heard.  Slowly, Kodachi sat up, her back to the balcony
as her towel fell free behind her.  Kodachi's eyes grew wide,
remembering other times she had heard footfalls, soft ones from the
hallway, coming closer--

    "There's never enough time..." A voice said from the open balcony.

    "Never enough time for what?" Kodachi asked, raising a eyebrow as
a shiver crawled up her spine at the sound of the voice.

    "To satisfy a woman," was the reply, the light tenor tinted with
just a hint of amusement.

    Kodachi relaxed again, a slow, knowing smile starting to appear.
"Then you never want to miss an opportunity..."

    "Are you busy?"

    Another shiver crept up Kodachi's spine, sending pleasant little
tremors through her.  She turned and looked at the figure reclining
against the open balcony door, the setting sun washing him in reds and
yellows, "I always have time for you, Ranma-sama..." Kodachi purred,
her voice low and throaty.  Slowly, she crawled off the bed towards
him, her eyes holding his like a sultry predator's.

    Ranma's smile faded slightly, both at the look Kodachi was giving
him, and at the view her loosened robe was providing of what was
contained inside.  Nervously, he swallowed as she smoothly rose off
the bed and approached him, then sighed as Kodachi slid into his arms.

    "I missed you, Ranma-sama," Kodachi sighed as she held Ranma
close, feeling his strong arms slide across her back.  She hugged him
tightly, briefly, then stepped back, her hands sliding to Ranma's
waist.

    Immediately, Kodachi's smile vanished as she saw the ugly red mark
on Ranma's left cheek, "What happened?" She asked, reaching up to
touch his face.

    Ranma scowled, catching Kodachi's hand before she could touch him,
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Ranma dropped her hand, then
brushed past her into the room.  He had come here to forget about
that...

    "No, it's not nothing, Ranma," Kodachi followed him into the room,
absently marveling at how his sleeveless red shirt showed off his
shoulders, the muscles in his arms... "It was Akane again, wasn't it?"

    Ranma didn't answer, but she could tell by the slump of his
wonderfully broad shoulders that she was right.  "How Dare that...
that... Harridan mistreat you so, striking you as if you were some
mere servant!" Kodachi growled, her arms straight at her side as her
hands clenched into fists at her anger, "Ranma-sama, again I ask of
thee, let me solve your problems by removing these others that trouble
you so, it --"

    "No!"  Ranma turned sharply, then softened his voice, "No,
Kodachi..." He had just had a fight with one fiancee, he didn't need
another.  "You can't just... Remove them, that's not honorable... some
of them have asked me the same about you, and the answer is the same,
No.  In spite of the problems, all of them, Shampoo, Ukyou, Akane...
they're my friends... just like you are."

    "Ranma..." Kodachi walked up to him, taking his hand.  "Come on,
let's sit..." Leading him to the bed, Kodachi sat him down, sitting
next to him as he stared at their joined hands.  Kodachi tried her
best to let her anger drain away.  If Ranma wished her not to confront
the others, she wouldn't.  But still, she had to make him see... "You
put yourself through so many problems, if you would just talk to them,
as you do me, you would not be like this."  Kodachi reached up, almost
touching the hand shaped red mark that so marred Ranma's beautiful
face.  Thankfully, it was starting to fade already. She hated the
thought of Ranma being bruised.

    "That's just it though... I can't talk to them, not like you, at
least..."  Ranma looked up then, looking at her with those liquid blue
eyes that could melt any woman's heart, "Shampoo, all she ever wants
to do is glomp me... Ukyou, well, she's one of my oldest friends, but
I thought she was a guy until recently, and it's kinda hard to shake
that image, y'know?  Akane... any time I try to talk to her, she gets
mad and... well, y'know..." Ranma looked downcast then, his voice
dropping, "Why can't I ever do anything right around her?" Ranma
slowly asked, "I hate fighting with her, with Anybody..."

    Kodachi reached out, pulling Ranma to her, resting his head on her
shoulder as she held him, "Ranma, Ranma, Ranma... you who are so
gentle of heart, yet still you do not understand...

    "Understand what?" Ranma looked up at her, his eyebrow shooting up
in confusion as he straightened.

    "You do not understand the people around you," Kodachi clairfied.
Ranma may be a great martial artist, but when it came to scouting out
and understanding the opposition... "Are you not familiar with the
teachings Sun Tzu?  `Know thy enemy and know thyself'?  Akane reacts
the way she does because she is unsure how to deal with her
situation."  Kodachi glanced down, unable to look into his eyes for
long, "like many of us, she is trying to fight the demons of her
past..."

    "Huh, maybe she should use that mallet of her's, they wouldn't
last long," Ranma snorted, drawing a small smile from Kodachi.

    "That is presicely what she is doing," Kodachi said, shaking her
head, "She is fighting against anger, loss, grief... her inability to
express her feelings, her fears of loosing those around her..."

    "So then why don't she talk about this, instead of pounding on
me?" Ranma asked.

    Kodachi giggled at Ranma's denseness, her hand reaching up to
cover her lips with her fingers.  Not her usual laugh which threatened
to make his skin crawl away, but a lighthearted peal of mirth that
reached Kodachi's eyes, making them sparkle as she looked back up at
Ranma. "You accuse her of unfairness, when you admit to the same
crime?  She tries, Ranma-sama, but when she cannot find the words, she
grows frustrated, and lashes out.  I just wish she would not lash out
at you, the little harlot..."

    "Hey, none of that," Ranma lightly chastised, placing his free
hand over hers.  Kodachi immediately looked down, afraid that she had
offended him with her words.  Ranma sighed at this, he hated when
Kodachi cringed.  "Although, I do admit that she is a bit hammer-
happy, the uncute tomboy..."

    Kodachi giggled again, resting her head on Ranma's shoulder.  With
a deep sigh and a half smile, Ranma rested his head against hers,
slowly bringing his arm up behind her to hold Kodachi closer.

    The two stayed that way for several minutes, not saying a word,
drawing strength from the other.  An odd relationship, their's was.
Hunted, pursued, even hated by many, now was the time they had to
collect themselves, free from the pressures of the outside world, to
relax, to gather their strength for the next day.  Like two opposing
poles, they were drawn to one another, wether from a mutual need of
compainionship, or of understanding was unclear.  Kodachi melted
against him, feeling the warmth of his body through her thin silk
kimono, listening to the sound of his even breathing, the scent that
was uniquely his exciting her... Ranma relaxed, enjoying the softness
of the woman he held, the scent of her perfume tickling his nose...

    "Ranma?"  Kodachi finally asked, not stirring...

    "Hmm?"

    "I - I wanted to ask... why is it I that you come see?"  Kodachi
didn't move, but gripped Ranma's hand tighter, her delicate fingers
entwining around his, "I know the others would listen, if given a
chance... and..."

    "Yes...?" Ranma asked after Kodachi trailed off.

    "I... know that I... Scare you..."  Kodachi's voice was a whisper
as she buried her face into his shoulder.

    "Don't feel bad, you scare everybody," Ranma replied.  "Ack! I
mean--"

    "What-!?" Kodachi snapped at him as she drew away, her voice
dripping icicles as she *Glared* at Ranma.

    "Yes, you do... but only when you're trying to get my attention."
Ranma backtracked, making sure he kept a tight grip on Kodachi's
hands, "When we're like this, you're very quite, easy to be around.
You don't make demands of me, and-- and you're actually kinda... well,
nice..." Ranma watched her features soften, sighing in relief, "And ya
gotta admit, this is the last place anyone would look for me, ne?"

    Ranma had meant to make her laugh at this, but instead, Kodachi's
eyes took on a distant look.  Slowly, she rested her head against him
again, "Yes, I fear they would never look for you here... for why
would one as noble as thyself ever be in the presense of a monster
such as I..."

    "Hey, Kodachi," Ranma hugged her to him, reaching up to touch her
face, "You're not a monster... you're just a little high strung.  It's
like you said, fighting the demons in your past.  You told me about
your parents, how they... they acted..."  Ranma swallowed, remembering
when Kodachi had confided in him about her childhood... how her
parents had mistreated-- No, *Abused* --  both her and Tatewaki, the
horrors they had inflicted on them.  Ranma knew that his childhood was
far from perfect, living on the road with a greedy, thieving,
self-centered father, but he knew it had been infinitely better than
what they had gone through.  The beatings, the... Games... they had
been forced to play... had made him furious.

    What had made it worse, though, was the totally calm voice that
Kodachi had used to tell him, as if this was something Normal.  Only
the tears she had shed had told Ranma that Kodachi was aware of how
wrong her suffering had been, that there was still hope for her... "I
guess you really can't be blamed for how you act," he finished lamely.

    "I try, Ranma-sama, but this one only feels worthy when near you,"
Kodachi whispered. "I would try to be gentle with others, yet my
actions have left me despised, longing for those to call friends..."

    "What about Kuno?  You two seem to get along..."  Ranma asked.

    "Ah, yes... Brother dear..." She sighed, "Always has he been near,
yet he is also distant, and I'm afraid he lacks the wit for the most
common things, choosing instead to obsess over that which he cannot
have... Besides," She added, looking up into Ranma's eyes, "There are
some desires that I think Brother Dear is unsuited for, don't you?"

    "Not according to him, " Ranma said, shuddering.  Ranma felt
Kodachi release his hands and reach around his waist again, one hand
slowly reaching up his back, her fingernails absently trailing across
the silk of his shirt, then lightly playing with his pigtail.  Again,
neither spoke for a while, finding comfort in the silence and in each
other's arms, wanting only to be held.

    Finally, Ranma sighed.  "Well, I suppose I should be getting
back..." he said softly, sounding not at all anxious to do so as he
stood. "Akane should have cooled down by now..."

    "You don't have to leave, Ranma-sama, not on my account...."
Kodachi told him, holding onto his hand as he stood.  His visits were
always so short...

    "I wouldn't want to impose..." He said as he turned towards her,
"Or get you.. in... trouble..." Ranma trailed off, looking down at
her, a blush starting to color his face.

    Kodachi frowed as Ranma seemed to freeze, then followed his gaze
downward, to where he had noticed the opening of her robe again.  She
could feel Ranma's gaze lingering on her bare skin, and a flush of a
different nature started to rise within her.  Of all the times he had
visited, neither had done more than hold the other, not wanting to
ruin what they had... Often they had teased, knowing it was no more
than that, but, could now be the time...?

    Slowly, gracefully, Kodachi rose to her feet, her heart starting
to pound wildly in her chest.  Releasing Ranma's hand, Kodachi gently
slid her hand up his bare arm, feeling his suddenly cool skin under
her palm, reaching for his face.  Ranma looked up, glancing into
Kodachi's violet eyes as his own grew wide, not sure what to do as her
hands joined to softly cup his face.  His insticts were telling him to
run, to get away, but his body seemed to have locked up, glueing him
in place as Kodachi stepped near, her breath warm as she leaned
closer... their lips touching in a featherlight kiss...

    Somewhere in the recesses of Ranma's mind, a tiny ranma was
frantically punching buttons and waving his arms in a panic, trying to
bring the brain back on-line before they were interrupted by either
Kuno or Akane, or one of the other fiancees... however, even though
his brain wasn't working, Ranma's body was, as he brought his arms up
under Kodachi's, her body soft and yielding against his as he held her
tight, deepening the kiss, his lips parting hers as his tongue tickled
the inside of her lip... Just then, the emergency override was hit and
Ranma jerked back, holding a surprised Kodachi at arm's length.

    Kodachi gasped, trying to catch her breath as she watched Ranma's
mouth open and close repeatedly.  She hadn't expected him to react
so... nicely... "Did I err, darling Ranma?"  she finally asked, her
voice gone husky.

    Ranma shook his head to clear it, then looked deep into Kodachi's
eyes, searching... Ranma closed his mouth, then let loose a ragged
sigh.  "Kodachi... what are we doing?"  he finally asked.

    "I--I do not understand... I thought you wanted me to... please,
do not be displeased with me!"  She started to draw back, cringing
away as if expecting to be struck, her beautiful eyes starting to
shine with tears as memories assailed her, of other times she had
displeased others--

    Holding her by the arms, Ranma gently kissed her again, a gentle
brush full of warmth and comfort, surprising her again.  He then held
her again, keeping her from pulling away.  "I'm not displeased,
Kodachi... " Ranma whispered to her, rubbing her arms softly, "I liked
it... but, but... don't this complicate things?"

    "No one will ever learn from me, my darling Ranma... to others, I
am simply a crazed gymnast, who would believe me?"  Kodachi asked,
wiping at her eyes with her palm as she avoided his gaze, "Do not
worry, the secret would be kept close to my heart."

    Ranma dropped his hands, starting to pace in his indesicion, it
wasn't as if any of his fiancees hadn't offered themselves before, but
now, they had started to understand one another... did he want to risk
that?  Did he want to risk hurting Kodachi's feelings?  Did he want to
risk anybody Else finding out?  He could just imagine the carnage...

    Kodachi watched him pace, his jaw clenching as he thought.  His
recent closeness had stirred feelings within her that she had not felt
before, that she was aching to explore,  "Ranma, if it helps in your
decision... I do have plenty of eagle feathers on hand and a fresh
roll of duct tape..."

    Ranma spun around, his jaw dropping as he stared at her.  "What??
You Know???  But how-- how'd you find out about That??"

    Kodachi smiled a knowing half-smile, her long lashes fluttering as
she looked down toward her hands.  "I know of many things, Ranma-sama.
I also know of Mousse's fondness of chain's, Shampoo's favor of
blindfolds and silk strips, Akane's joy of... playtoy's, Kasumi's--"

    "Whoa!  Stop!  I Don't wanna know!" Ranma interrupted, waving his
hand's in front of him to ward off the words.  Kasumi??  Whatever she
was about to say, he could live without knowing.  "Umm... I don't
think they'll be nessesary, thanks."  He turned and started walking
towards the balcony.

    "Ranma, what is it?  Please, do not just leave, our emotions
stirred, yet dying before they have begun, know that you are welcome
to stay, or to leave if you so desire, But I would ask that you tell
me what you are thinking... please?"  She couldn't let him leave yet,
she had to know if he felt as she did...

    Ranma stopped at the doorway, his thoughts in turmoil as he looked
for the words he wanted.  "Don't you.. um, think that this is kinda
cheap?"  he asked finally. "You're doing this because you think it's
what I want, I don't wanna use you... you've been hurt before..."

    "Ranma, please look at me."  When he turned around, he saw that
Kodachi's expression was calm, yet neutral.  "I thank you, but after
so long this one would welcome thy friendly touch, and the peace of
mind it would bring, however fleeting..." Slowly Kodachi reached up
and hooked her fingers under her robe's collar, her expression now one
of uncertainty.  Long ago, her sexuality had been destroyed, before it
had ever begun, at the hands of her parents.  For so long, her body
had been nothing more than a thing, used for giving or recieving
punishment.  But, if it could make someone happy...

    "If this one's meager offering's please you..." she started as she
lightly trailed her fingers slowly downward, lifting the robe away to
reveal the gentle swell of her firm young breasts, the smooth length
of her throat, the pale alabaster of the skin underneath... The
movement of the silk teased her sensitive nipples, causing them to
harden, the fabric clinging to them as it settled back, Kodachi's
hands met over her sternum, then slowly trailed downward as she
smoothed the robe over her flat stomach, loosening the robe even more,
across to her narrow waist, to settle on her curvacious hips, "...Then
you have but to ask, and they are yours..."

    Ranma's mouth went completely dry as he felt his mind turn to
mush.  He wasn't sure what to do, and it wasn't helping that his body
was most Definately reacting to Kodachi's overtures.  After a full
minute however, in which Ranma didn't move, Kodachi slowly closed her
robe.

    "I see," she whispered softly, looking down to the side.

    "K-kodachi?"  Ranma took a step toward her, his hands making
futile gestures in front of him, "I- I'm s-sorry... I don't know What
I want... but I know... I know that I don't want to make a mistake...
I don't want to hurt you... The... The time ain't right yet... I'm
sorry." With that, Ranma turned and leapt out of the room, off the
balcony, and into the early night.

    Kodachi looked up, staring out past the fluttering curtains, then
threw herself onto her bed, her sobs of heartbreak ending only after
sleep finally came to her...

    As dawn broke the next day, Kodachi woke suddenly atop her covers,
her robe in disarray as she sat up, quite alone in her room.  With a
sigh, she stretched, then slowly walked out onto her balcony, looking
out into the still dark western sky as she thought about the night
before.

        She couldn't believe it, there was such a dream-like quality
to her memories of last night, "Someday, my Ranma-sama..." She
whispered, "We will be together... forever..."

    ************************************************************
    Reality, or dream sequence... you decide...
    ************************************************************

End


For those of you interested, you can send your caustic comments,
racious remarks, noxious notes, and original observations to:

    Ridgewolfe@hotmail.com

    Any and all fanmail and C&C will be read and appreciated, and I 
do ask that you send it, C&C is one of the best tools for improving
one's writing skills

Sayonara!
Ridgewolfe
              

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    It's nice to know that I went too far and there's a hall full of
people saying "Yes you did!"  Robin Williams