"Blue"

				^_^
                                by Scott Schimmel

	A wave crashed onto the shore, throwing a spray of cool water
into the air.  Somewhere nearby, children played at the water's edge;
the sound of their laughter carried on the breeze.  A breeze that was,
for him, the only respite from the hot sun.  He perched on a rock,
looking out over the stretch of white sand, at the endless expanse of
blue.  Normally, he found its tranquility calming, but today, he only
felt envious of the children splashing in the water, the adults
floating on the waves.

	The beach was not Ranma Saotome's idea of a perfect vacation
spot.  There was a great deal of water, almost all of it cold; it was
difficult to change back to normal until the end of the day.  Briefly,
he wondered why he'd agreed to come, but he dismissed the thought.  If
he'd stayed home, one of two things would have happened.  Either he'd
be stuck there alone (unless you counted Shampoo, Mousse, Kunou, and
Kodachi, whose company he didn't particularly want), or his father and
Soun Tendo would have concocted some scheme to get Akane to stay
behind with him (which would be even worse...).

	It was a no-win proposition, he reflected.  Come to think of
it, it had been Nabiki who'd proposed this "family trip."  He had to
wonder whether she'd chosen it on purpose.

	Even if she hadn't, it was clear she'd exploited the
opportunity as usual.  Three days ago, Shampoo had shown up.  Mousse
had followed her several hours later.  Earlier today, he'd spotted
Kunou, still dressed in his kendo garb, walking along the beach,
searching for his "loves."  So far, he'd managed to avoid all three of
them, but there was no way that could last.  Not if anyone else
"coincidentally" appeared.

	He hoped Kodachi wouldn't follow her brother.  Ryouga had
learned about the trip, but if he was trying to get here, he was
probably in Okinawa by now...  Abrubtly, he broke that chain of
thought, and listened.

	There was somebody behind him.  Whoever it was was slowly
approaching, hardly making a sound.  (That ruled out Ryouga, anyway.)
Ranma sighed.  At least he hadn't changed into a girl yet today...
"I'm not in the mood, okay?"

	Just like that, she was sitting beside him, smiling.  "Hi,
Ranchan.  Something wrong?"

	"Ucchan."  He relaxed, relieved, then tentatively smiled back.
"Not really."

	"What're you doing up here?"  She paused.  "Shampoo?"

	He turned his attention back to the sea.  As he answered, his
voice sounded distant.  "Her, Mousse, Kunou..."

	"Ah."

	Another pause.  Ranma let his mind drift as he watched the
rhythmic pounding of the waves against the sand below.  A small child
ran unsteadily into the ocean, shriekig gleefully.  He blinked,
vaguely aware that Ukyou had just spoken to him.  "Uh, what was that?"

	She chuckled knowingly.  "I said, 'That isn't like you.'
Usually, you'd already have kicked Kunou halfway back to Nerima, for
one thing..."

	"I thought about it, but just once I'd like to have a vacation
that doesn't turn into one big fight, y'know?  Besides, Kunou's not
really worth the effort, any more.  He just starts one of his stupid
speeches, then uses the same attack pattern he's used for the last
year.  Even my old man could beat him."

	"So that's why you're up here?"  She glanced away from him,
following his gaze out over the sea.  Its surface shimmered like a
field of diamond in the sunlight--there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  A
light breeze blew in toward the land, refreshing in the heat of the
day, with a slight tang of salt.  "It's pretty," she said at last.

	"I guess so."  His voice revealed nothing, and his face, when
she stole a glance at it, was near-expressionless.  Almost vacant.

	"It's probably a really nice place to watch the sun set,"
Ukyou suggested.

	"Probably."  No change to either voice or expression.  She
shivered and resisted a momentary urge to turn away.

	"You haven't told me whether you like this swimsuit," she
ventured finally.

	As a matter of fact, he hadn't even glanced at it, but there
was no need to bring that up.  He turned to look at Ukyou for the
first time (beyond that initial, cursory inspection when she'd first
sat next to him).  His eyes flickered over the garment, a simple
two-piece in royal blue that nevertheless suited her very well.  He
nodded briefly.  "It looks nice."

	Ukyou blushed ever so slightly and smiled prettily at him.
Ranma didn't notice; he had turned back to the ocean.  She blinked;
the smile melted from her face.  "Ranchan," she asked slowly, "What is
it?"

	That got his attention.  "What do you mean?  Nothing."  She
remained silent, waiting; after a few seconds of uncomfortable
silence, he continued, "I was just thinking.  I used to like
swimming."

	"It's not the curse, is it?" Ukyou asked, surprised.  "You
never let it stop you before."

	"That's part of it, but no, not really."  He sighed.  "I was
just trying to remember the last time I went swimming for fun.  I
think it was that time we went together.  Remember?"

	She smiled softly.  "How could I forget?  You tried doing a
quadruple flip from that cliff and landed flat on your back.  I don't
think I've ever heard anyone yell that loudly since."  She giggled.

	"Hey, at least I made it to four before the landing.  Man,
that hurt.  Pop even beat me at sparring the next morning because my
back was still sore."

	Ukyou repressed a laugh.  "True..."  Her smile of amusement
slowly changed into one of nostalgia at the memory.  The two sat in
silence for a short time, remembering.  Then Ukyou blinked.  "That was
the last time?  That long ago?"

	"I think so.  Any time Pop took me after that, he turned it
into some kind of training.  Endurance swimming, underwater combat,
whatever.  He was already into that 'True martial artist readiness'
stuff that he's always going on about.  Anyway, I didn't have time
then, and now, I can't do it without changing."

	"Which is also your father's fault," she pointed out.  "Does
the man ruin everything he touches?"

	"Pretty much... calm down, Ucchan."

	"I am calm!"

	"Yeah?"  He placed his hand on hers, and she stopped breathing
for a moment.  Then he lifted it, and she realized that it was
clenched into a fist.  She sighed as he let go; the anger seemed to
drain away, leaving only the lingering resentment she always felt
toward Genma Saotome, the man responsible for ruining the better part
of her life.  Ranma chuckled, humorlessly.  "Yeah, he deserves it,
but... well, hw is my father."  He muttered something under his
breath.

	"What?"

	Ranma's eyes met hers as he repeated, more loudly, what he had
said.  "Besides, Akane's the one who's always angry.  'Course," he
added reflectively, "I would be, too, if I was an uncute tomboy like
her."  There was an odd, almost tremulous tone in his voice as he said
the last part.

	"You and Akane have been fighting again?"  Ukyou thought she
did a fairly good job of keeping the joyous note out of her voice.

	"Well... yeah, sort of.  Stupid..."

	"What happened this time?" she asked nonchalantly, carefully
stressing the word "this" the slightest amount.

	Ranma opened his mouth, blinked, closed it again, and
shrugged.  "Y'know, I'm not sure.  Must've had something to do with
her being stubborn and unfeminine, though... oh, yeah.  I asked
whether she was really planning on going into the water, and she got
all mad.  Like usual."

	"She got mad about that?"

	"She thought I was making a comment about her swimming
ability."

	"Isn't she any good?"

	"About as good as she is cute, and not quite as good as she is
at cooking."

	"That bad, huh?"

	"Sinks like a stone."

	"Ranchan... are you worried about her?"

	"Worried?  About her?  No!  I just don't want her getting in
anyone else's way.  And besides, uh... well, yeah, a little.  I mean,
I don't want her to get herself killed, even if she is a stubborn,
unreasonable..."

	"Tomboy."  Ukyou spoke the last word in unison with Ranma.
Some things, she reflected, never changed.  "Of course you don't.  So,
why aren't you with her, then, instead of up here?"

	"Ahh, who'd want to be with her, anyway?  Besides, she was
pretty insistent, and Kasumi and Nabiki will be with her..."

	"Well..."  Ukyou weighed concern for her friend against the
opportunity to score against her rival; concern won out.  "Maybe you
should just apologize, or something," she said reluctantly.

	"Apologize?" he asked, incredulous.  "Why?  I mean, if
anything, she's the one who should be apologizing to me.  Right?"

	Well, she'd tried.  "I guess.  Hey, are you sure you don't
want to go swimming?  It'd be just like old times."

	"Well..."  He reluctantly shook his head.  "Nah, better not.
I wouldn't be able to change back into a man until tonight."

	"Is it really that bad, being a girl?"

	No, not always, and that was what scared him most; but he
wasn't about to tell her that.  "Yeah, it's... I can't really explain
it.  You wouldn't understand unless it happened to you."  He added,
almost as an afterthought, "In reverse, I mean."

	"Yeah?"  Maybe he had a point.  She shifted positions on the
stone, bringing herself marginally closer to him.  He didn't seem to
notice.

	"You can go if you want to, Ucchan."

	"That's okay.  I'll stay here with you."

	"Mmm."  He brushed a strand of hair out of his face.  "I
wonder how long I have to wait before I go back tonight in order to
avoid getting hit by Akane."

	"What?"

	"Well, when I get back, someone--probably Mr. Tendo, bawling
his eyes out all the time--will tell me how she 'almost drowned,' and
then she'll get mad at me again for having mentioned that before.
That's the way I figure it, anyway."

	There was that odd note in his voice again; she couldn't quite
place it.  "She's sure to forget about that by then, right?"

	"If--no, when--it does happen, she'll remember.  She never
forgets anything like that."

	"You were just like that when we were younger, remember?"

	"I'm not anything like her!"

	"Okay, calm down..."  She laid one hand on his shoulder,
leaning a fraction of an inch closer; again, he didn't react.
"Sometimes I wish we were young again.  I had so much fun back then.
Sparring with you every day, and everything."

	"I mean, she's stubborn, she's uncute..."

	"You always beat me, though."  She frowned slightly, then
turned to smile at him.  "I guess the okonomiyaki was a good
incentive."

	"She's unfeminine, she's clumsy, she can't cook..."

	Ukyou's voice became a little more strained.  "My father
taught me that, of course.  Do you remember afterward, how we'd..."

	"She's built like a brick, and she swims about as well, she's
violent..."

	She closed her eyes.  "Ranchan."  Her voice was as level as
she could make it.

	"She... huh?  What, Ucchan?"

	"You've been talking about Akane all day."

	"I have?  No way."

	"Trust me."  She felt her patience thinning.  "Ranchan, do
you, um, like Akane?"

	"Huh?  Well... I guess she's sort of a friend," he answered
slowly.  "I mean, I wouldn't want her to get herself killed, or
nothin'..."

	"That wasn't... I mean... you know, she's your fiancee,
and..."

	"There's no way I'm marrying that uncute, macho chick!  You've
got to be kidding..."

	Ukyou smiled slightly.  "Sorry.  It's just, with you being in
the same house, and everything..."

	"Hey, I just live there, that's all.  I mean, I don't have
anywhere else to go.  And," he grudgingly admitted, "It's not too bad,
most of the time..."

	"You could stay with me," she suggested hopefully.

	Startled, he turned toward her, and was shocked to see her
face inches from his.  He flinched backwards slightly, then relaxed as
a hurt expression began to cross her face.  "U-Ucchan..." he began,
and coughed.  "I, uh...  I... don't know what to say."  She had a
brief moment of hope before he finished, "I... no, I can't."

	"Wh-why not?" she asked, dazed.

	"It, um..."  His mind raced.  Why did he say that?  "I mean,
my old man would have to come too, and I wouldn't wish him on anybody.
And you especially shouldn't have to deal with him, Ucchan..."  He
turned his face away, looking over the ocean again.  It was getting
late in the day; the sun would be setting soon.  "Look, Ucchan..."

	"Ranchan...?"

	"Uh... I've got to go, it's late.  See you tomorrow?"

	She felt a brief, crushing disappointment, and masked it
almost instantly for him.  "O-of course, Ranchan," she said with a
tremulous smile.  "I'll... see you."  She swiftly stood, turned, and
started walking; she was twenty feet away by the time Ranma, surprised
by her sudden departure, got to his feet.

	"Bye, Ucchan!" he called after her, waving to her back.

	She paused and whispered, "Tomorrow..."  Ranma did not see a
single tear trace its way along the curve of her cheek.  Her
hesitation continued until, unable to bear the waiting any longer, she
turned back to him...

	And found herself facing the vacant stone.  Ranma had already
departed.

	With a sigh, Ukyou began her long, slow walk back.

				^_^

	Ranma tapped at the door, then peered tentatively around it.
"Akane?"

	She was lying on the floor, chin in hands.  "What do you want,
Ranma?"

	He knelt next to her.  "Bad day?"

	"Don't start.  Why can't you just leave it alone?"

	Bad day, indeed.  Ranma decided that now was not the best time
to say "I told you so."  Instead, he tapped her on the shoulder,
briefly, as though afraid he would be burned by the brief physical
contact.  "You're not having fun, either?"

	"I was just fine until you showed up.  Why do you..."  She
trailed off and blinked at him, confused.  "What do you mean,
'Either?'"

	"That's not important.  C'mon, I want to show you something."

	"Later."  At least she didn't seem angry any more.  Just
irritable, as usual.  "I'm a little tired right now."

	"There won't be time later.  C'mon."

	"What is it?"  There was a faint note of curiosity beneath the
irritation now.

	"You'll see.  We've got to hurry, though."

	"What's so important?" she grumbled.  But she pushed herself
to her feet and followed him back outside.  "Why are we going back to
the beach?"

	"You'll see!" he called over his shoulder.  He smiled; she was
getting impatient again.

	Neither of them said anything else as Ranma led Akane to a
certain high stone, overlooking a stretch of sand... and the azure
sea.

	"That was quite a climb," Akane remarked, behind him.  She
seemed slightly winded; he, himself, was in better condition, hardly
tired at all from the climb.  She must have tried to keep up with him.
He wondered why she did that... she was probably just jealous.

	"There."  Ranma walked to the edge of the stone and seated
himself as before, pointing at the horizon.

	Behind him, Akane gasped.

	The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon, now, staining
the sky red.  A full spectrum of colors were painted overhead, slowly
fading into the deep blue of early twilight, which prevailed opposite
the sun.  The light reflected from the waves, transforming them into a
sea of burnished gold.  The wind had stilled; even the voices seemed
to have stopped.

	Akane was the first to break the silence.  "It's...
beautiful."  Ranma nodded, still looking outward as she set one hand
on his shoulder to steady herself, then sat beside him, enjoying the
view.  "Thank you, Ranma."  She leaned forward and to the side, and
Ranma put one arm around her, to steady her.

	"I, uh... thought you might like it," he murmured, practically
swallowing the last words entirely.  For some reason, he couldn't
quite face her directly as he said it.

	"Oh, I do."  She smiled at the setting sun.

	"Y'know..."  You're really cute when you smile, he finished
mentally.  What was he thinking...?

	"Hmm?"

	"Uh, nothing."  A pause.  "I think this vacation was a good
idea."

	Akane glanced at him and smiled.  "Me too."  She shivered
suddenly and edged closer to Ranma.  "It's getting cold..."

	"You want to go back?"

	"No," she decided.  "Let's watch a little longer."

	Ranma and Akane sat until the golden sea had dimmed to silver
in the moonlight, and the deep blue, star-filled sky overhead had
darkened to night-black.



Scott Schimmel                http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~schimmel/
Ex ignorantia ad sapientium;  "You really aren't normal, are you?"
ex luce ad tenebras.              -- Miki Koishikawa