The Darkest Secret

Chapter One: Promises

�������

� Ranma and the Nermia Destruction crew once again were fighting a big ugly demon. It was over nine feet tall and was covered in slimy, gooey, stuff as well a thorns, some were the size of a human finger others were the size of a grown man�s thigh. It sent an eerie yellow blast at the girls that were there but missed by a hair as they jumped out of the way. It turned around just to see a couple hundred fists slam into its iron hard face. Ranma jumped out of the way as he finished his punches but not fast enough. The demon�s fist caught him full in the chest causing over a dozen thorns to penetrate him. He pushed all the thoughts of pain out of his mind as he though over his options. *Darn! I was going full speed too! He isn�t the least bit fade! Ryoga, even with his rock hard body would have slumped to the ground holding his face if I hit him like that! How are we going to beat that thing when we can�t even hurt it!?!?!? There is only one chance. If it didn�t work then it was time for all of us to die. *

� Ranma looked at the other guys and nodded to them. He also caught eyes with the girls sending the clear message that told them to keep the monster occupied while he and the other boys hit him with their specialty. The three girls became more aggressive as the men drew back to draw up their ki. Ranma reached deep inside of him to gather as much power as he could. His aura flared to life as he did so, just like the other boys. He opened his eyes to see the girl he loved more than his life was sent flying. She hit a tree and slumped to the ground. The rage in him came full force. The girls knew it was time to back away and they did, just in time to miss three blasts that were going full force towards the demon. He sent the blast at the demon at the same exact time as his two friends. Dust came up preventing any of them to see anything. Ranma had slumped to the ground close to unconscious. The blood flowed from his chest freely; the blood formed a small puddle. If the demon didn�t die then there was no chance that any of them would live.

� Luckily for them, the demon was dead. Not because of the blasts that were sent at him but because of the small beam that it had been forming, unnoticed by any of it�s attackers, had hit it in the chest killing it.

� The others gingerly got up fully exhausted. Ryoga held many cuts and bruises due to the flying rocks that came at him when the blasts connected with the demon. Next to him was Ukyou, she was tired, not use to using so much energy in battle. Across from them was Mousse who was leaning on Shampoo for support. He too was covered in cuts and bruises. Shampoo was in slight better shape than Ukyou since she had fought more battles and was put through the wringer ever since she was small. They looked over to where Ranma was, waiting for him to stand up.

� Akane looked at Ranma from where she was next to the tree that the demon had sent her. She was the closest one to Ranma and she noticed in horror at what she saw. Ranma was lying in a pool of his own blood. She went over to him calling his name softly at first but as it got louder, the others could hear her. She knelt down next to him ignoring the pain in her chest. She shook him gently, silently willing him to wake up. She called for someone to call for help. She didn�t pay attention to what was happening around her. She gently took Ranma into her arms and shook him trying to wake him up. Telling herself that he was just tired from all the fighting that he had done. Yet in the back of her mind, a small voice told her that he wasn�t going to survive, cut she just ignored the voice.

� The medics came and took Ranma from her arms and putted him onto a stretcher. She didn�t want to let him go but she had to so the paramedics could take care of him. She followed them into the truck, they told her she couldn�t go on but when she glared at him, he reluctantly let her on the truck. She sat in the corner of the ambulance; her eyes never left Ranma for longer than thirty seconds. Akane sat there quietly watching the paramedics talk in slang and cutting open his shirt, she could see some white stuff sticking out of Ranma�s chest but she told herself that it was just one of the things they used on a patient. *No! He won�t� can�t die! He promised that he would never leave me! That he would always be there for me! He never breaks his promises! * Thinking of the promise he made to her, she thought back to the day that he had promised that he would never leave her alone.

>>>>>>Flash back<<<<<<

�� After a few days in the park by a beautiful shimmering lake, the two sat watching the sun set. As it moved further down the horizon, it painted the sky in different shades of red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple. The darkness pushed the colors from the sky and took over. Soon the Sun along with its lights were gone and the moon and its gentle darkness took over. Two years had passed since they had first met and they had become friends when no one was there to disturb them. They sat side-by-side drowning in the sincerity of the scene; a gentle wind blew across the lake causing Akane to shiver. Ranma seemed to notice this and took off his outer shirt and gave it to Akane. She shook her head insisting he needed it more than she did since he only had on a muscle shirt on underneath. He didn�t listen and draped his Chinese shirt over her shoulders, putting a stop to their argument. She smiled at him and told him thank you.

�� �We should be heading home.� Ranma said knowing that Akane�s father would throw a fit when his daughter wasn�t home by ten. He looked down at the girl sitting next to him and smiled. The shirt the he wore was so big on her. The rolled up sleeves reached about half way up his arm while it reached her wrists on her.

�� �Just a few more minutes okay Ranma? It�s not usual that the park is this quiet.� Akane asked softly. Ranma nodded and they sat there wrapped in the quiet park. There are VERY few times in Nermia when things are calm. There is always a craziness that always surrounds it so when there is peace, everyone enjoys it to the best of their ability. �Ranma You won�t ever leave right?� Akane whispered so softly that Ranma thought it was his imagination.

�� �Um� No. I won�t ever leave.� Ranma said. He was enjoying the tranquility of the park and Akane�s presence. It wasn�t often that the both of them let their guard down and when they do, it always means something.

�� �Do you promise you won�t ever leave?� She said as she rested her head against his shoulder.

�� �No. No matter what, I�ll always come back.� Ranma said in a cocky voice.

>>>>>>End Flash Back<<<<<<

� The whole Nermia gang was sitting in the waiting room, impatient to find out how Ranma was. A doctor and a few nurses were handling their injuries. Most of the injuries would heal up with in a few months and wouldn�t in danger their lives. However, they had to take it easy on the training. When the main doctor that had helped check Ranma came into the room, everyone gathered around him with the exception of Akane. She sat in her chair not moving unless someone moves her. The doctor barely got a single word out when he was bombarded with questions. Doctor Tofu stepped in between the Nermia gang and the doctor.

���Quiet!!� The good doctor hissed. �Now everyone take a seat and let the man talk!� No one was use to see the doctor so angry, listened and went back to their original seat. �Dr. Tenki? How is Ranma? Will he be okay?�

� The doctor had a grave look in his eyes. Slightly he shook his head no. The girls all stifled a gasp. �I�m sorry but there was too much damage. Most if not all of his internal organs were punctured. Most of his ribs are broken and two small pieces of it had dug into his left lung and the right one is very weak. I�m sorry but there is no chance he can survive. Even if somehow he does, he would be like the dead.� Most of the people there were in denial of what had happened to their best friend and rival.

� �No. He will be alright.� Kasumi said in a soft whisper that could barely be heard. �Doctor Tofu! You can help him can�t you?� she looked at him with her shining gray eyes. The doctor just shook his head. That caused Kasumi to burst into tears, the good doctor laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

� �Don�t cry.� Normally he would be dancing down the street when he saw the eldest Tendo daughter, but today was different. He couldn�t afford to do that. There were people that need him and one of them was the girl that he loved ever since he had met her. Kasumi continued to cry on the good doctor�s shoulder. *Oh Akane! What will happen to you if Ranma dies? Will you become like father and cry? Or will you try to be strong and lie to yourself, saying that there was no such person as him? What will happen to you? First grandmother left and you stayed in your room for days not coming out to eat. Then Mother left, and you distanced everyone away from you and hid behind the wall of violence. The only way that you didn�t die was because Father had broken down your door and took you to the doctor. Oh please kami, don�t cause her this pain! She doesn�t deserve it! She lost both mother and Grandmother at a young age and when she finally got over their death she loses another loved one. *

� On the other side of the room, Nabiki looked around the room to see how people reacted. Ukyou was crying onto Ryoga�s shoulder. *What is he doing here? I thought he would�ve gotten lost by now! * Shampoo was crying on Mousse�s shoulder. Her sister on the good doctor�s shoulder while Nodoka buried her face into her husband�s shoulder. All of them were silently crying or close to it. *If Ranma dies then what would everyone here do? Can life ever be like it was before he came here? * Looking at her younger sister she knew the answer. *No. It can never be like it had been. Never again. * Nabiki quietly went over to her sister. Just when she was about to try and comfort her sister somewhat, a nurse came running in.

� �Doctor! Doctor! He isn�t responding!�

TBC

******

�� Silver Dragon: So, what do you think? Is it good? Bad? Well, write to me at <[email protected]>. I love to hear from you. Like many other writers, feedback encourages me to write.�

Until next time!!! ^_^