Trials and Tribulations  XII




Ranma’s hands shook nervously as he opened the door leading from the 
cafeteria. Issoku followed closely behind him, as silent as a shadow. 
Ranma could feel the violet eyes focused on his back and he blushed 
hotly. < Get control of yourself Ranma! Think about Ryouga! > All at 
once a cold feeling of despair welled up in Ranma and he sorely 
regretted his decision to leave Ryouga behind. He could still picture 
the hurt welling in those soft brown eyes, and he let out a shuddering 
sigh of long suffering. He didn’t understand! How could things like this 
happen here? Guards were nonexistent! The prison just depended on the 
prisoners to punish each other enough. < Well, it’s working. > He 
thought bitterly, not noticing as Issoku frowned at Ranma’s far away 
expression. 

“ Ranma? What’s on your mind?” 

Quick as lightning Ranma snapped out of his thoughts to find Issoku’s 
eyes an inch away from his, and his back against the wall. “ I…” Ranma 
choked up as Issoku’s intense glare turned to something less 
discernible. “ I can’t stop thinking of Ryouga.” 

Ranma winced at the flash of anger that sparked in those violet eyes, 
and wrung his shirt in his hands nervously. “ Um… Issoku?” 

“Listen Ranma!” 

Ranma closed his eyes as he felt Issoku’s head come nearer to his own, 
and almost gasped in shock when warm breath tickled his ear. “ No…” He 
whispered silently, memories best left dead coming unbidden to his 
mind. 

Issoku hesitated at Ranma’s stiff expression and sympathy filled him 
quickly. “Ranma…look at me.” 

At Ranma’s reluctance, he gently tilted his head up with a finger and 
stared deep into his large blue eyes. “ In case you haven’t noticed, 
I… I’m fascinated by you.” 

Ranma gasped in surprise, his mouth opening and closing with his 
astonishment. “But, why…” 

“Let me finish,” a finger on Ranma’s mouth quieted him abruptly,” I am 
willing to help you and your… friend, that you care about so much.” 
Here he faltered, looking down at the ground,” But, I have a request to 
make.” 

Time stilled Ranma’s beating heart. He couldn’t believe what he was 
seeing. Just when he admitted his feelings for Ryouga, Issoku was 
admitting his feelings to him! He could barely remember his life in 
Nerima, the constant battles and struggle that had always seemed to 
stay with him no matter what he did. Now Issoku was trying to make him 
forget Ryouga too! The only good thing that ever happened to him in his 
life! He opened his mouth to speak… 

“ Ranma, I want to kiss you, and be near you. But… I’ll give you ‘til 
the time we free your friend for you to decide who you really want,” 
He paused,” Until then…” 

Ranma panicked as a suspicious gleam lit in Issoku’s eyes. < What’s he 
planning!?! > 

“ It’s all up to you.” 


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Ryouga’s gaze followed the figure pacing restlessly before him, and he 
fidgeted uncomfortably, the cold sinking into his bones. From his 
position on the floor, he could clearly make out the eagerness in 
Ousui’s face and he shuddered to think of what may lay in store for him 
in the future. He thought sullenly. < You did it for Ranma, didn’t you? 
That’s worth anything. You love him! > A muffled sob almost forced it’s 
way out of Ryouga’s throat and he clenched his eyes shut tightly. But 
did Ranma love him? That was the question. He had seen those violet eyes 
trained on Ranma possessively, he knew what he was after. < You’re after 
the same thing, > …Shut up. 

“ How could he… How could he…” 

“ So, I see you’re awake.” 

Ryouga stiffened as he saw those hard eyes trained on him, and 
reluctantly sat up. All feeling, regret, and want, drained from him as 
Ousui’s hungry gaze circled him like a predator to prey. He knew Ousui’s 
expressions well now, and the smile that curved around those thin lips 
chilled him straight to his heart. 

“ We must plan my pet!” Ousui laughed as he saw Ryouga cringe, and 
roughed up his hair for good measure,” A little longer to wait, only a 
little longer.” 

< To wait for what? > Ryouga wanted to ask, but dared not speak. He knew 
his pain was somehow valuable to Ousui, and he dared not give him 
another chance to extract it. So he sat there silent and quaking as 
absent fingers traced the lines of his face. 

“ Hmm…pretty…we’ll get out of here soon,” He glanced down at Ryouga,” 
You’ll be soon away from Ranma forever.” 

Ryouga’s head shot up in surprise, and too late did he learn his mistake 
as a well placed slap sent him hurtling into the wall. 

“ You still care about him, don’t you?” Ryouga lifted his head up slowly,
blood running down his temple, and struggled to focus on the bleary 
figure that was walking toward him, “ After all I’ve done for you, he’s 
all you can think about!?!” 

Ryouga winced, expecting a hit… that never came. He hesitantly opened 
his eyes, to see Ousui’s smirking face. A claw lashed out to his grab 
his neck tightly and he struggled feebly, just before the world went 
black. 


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Ranma woke up gasping, a bad dream having followed him into waking. He 
looked around cautiously, his body shivering in a cold sweat. < It’s 
just a dream…Oh, Ryouga > 

As his breathing finally returned to normal, he turned on his side to go 
to sleep, not noticing the dark figure standing in the corner. 




To Be Continued…