#How am i gonna explain how a british dude from England got to the kingdom of Sky and also simultaneously in Rain world ? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sheepydraws · 7 years ago

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I'll Kick Your Ass! I'll Kick My Fiancee's Ass! I'll Kick My Own Ass!(5/11)

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October

Facebook messenger:

Akane: I think I’m getting somewhere with Ryoga.

Ranma: Should you really be messaging me during class? Don’t you think I might be trying to pay attention?

Akane: You’re playing tetris, like you do every class, because you’re just that lame.

Ranma: And you are somehow taking notes and im-ing me, because you are just THAT lame.

Akane: It’s called multitasking. I’m earning a degree, and breaking off my engagement at the same time.

Ranma: So when is this guy gonna challenge me again? ‘Cause it’s getting too cold for this shit.

Akane: He’s coming along. He’s recovered physically, now I think he needs just another little confidence boost and he’ll be ready to go again.

Akane: I have a plan.

Ranma: I have to make a fool of myself, don’t I?

Akane: No. Just make a mess of your next challenge. Almost lose.

Ranma: You can’t see it, but I’m rolling my eyes.

Akane: You’re right. All I can see is the porn on your tumblr dash.

Ranma: I follow a lot of artists. It’s artistic nudity!!!

Akane: It’s tentabulges, Ranma.

Akane: Grow up and get ready to throw some fights

Genma’s phone———— > Ranma’s phone

Soun and I are coming for the

parent day thing to get my car

back.

Cool. I’ll tell everyone

you’re my gay uncles.

No, you will not. I was thinking

we could spar. If you win you

get a cheat day.

You’re on.

Kuno’s phone——->Nabiki’s phone

Nabiki Tendo, are you the person

to whom I should submit my

desire to challenge Ranma?

I can tell you’re Kuno

but I have no idea how

you got this number.

Sister. Has a friend who has a

friend.

Where do I submit?

At my feet.

You keep thr box is there?

Are you okay?

I go my head hit. Mmmask broke.

Remembered I had to tallk to YOU.

Where are you?

Health cenydr cengwe cen

Do you have a concussion?

Kuno?

Kodachi’s Journal:

My only brother!

Twisted as you are

I believed you to be impervious from harm

And guarded against deceit.

But it seems you are as many faced as a hindu god

Yet as weak as a mere mortal.

I have no words for what I’ve seen

or rather i am brimming with unsaid words

But you are deaf to them

(Cause you’re asleep. And I have to sit here at your desk and make sure you can wake up and it’s tedious as fuck and I should really get you to do something for me after this, once you explain why the fuck Nabiki Tendo was the one who told me you had hit your head again. I really can’t figure out how to make a poem about that. I mean, what the fuck? Why was she at the health center, her face all pinched and weird? Then she saw me and she was like, okay, this is everything I know about concussions cause my dad runs a dojo and blah blah blah and I had to sit there for like an hour as she explained everything that the nurse would then spend, like, another hour saying. AND I’VE ALREADY DONE THIS ONCE THIS YEAR. Why does it take so long to say, he needs to rest but not too much? UUUUUUUUGGGGHHHH)

My brother is not impervious without his helmet.

Without him I won’t be either.

Nabiki’s phone———->Ranma’s phone

Kuno may have a concussion, but

he wants to duel you.

Again???

I don’t fucking know. Now you’d be

dueling for Akane instead of his

sister’s honor or whatever, right?

I mean, he must have a head

injury if he wants to take me . again.

Dude…Shut up.

What?

I was scared, okay? Only for a

minute, but I was really

freaked out when he was

texting me gibberish.

Goddamnit, Tatewaki Kuno

is MINE. The only person

who gets to kill him is

ME.

Jesus christ, Nabiki. . . And you tell me I should . get therapy.

You should.

Bet we could get a group rate.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Dear Ryoga,

You haven’t written in a while, is everything alright? You’re making friends, right? I mean, you’re not lonely, are you? You aren’t always great at being social. I know. I had to practically drag you out of the library and shove you into that booth at Ronnie’s for our first date. Of course, later, I really loved that unlike a lot of my friends boyfriends, you weren’t a skirt chaser. You never looked at another girl.

I totally botched the Creamfield bake-off. By the time the buzzer went off the only thing that was done was me. Three weeks of perfecting that custard and it didn’t set. The humidity, I suppose. Or maybe it was me. My cooking has gone completely off the rails. I can barely make a proper sponge turn out. It’s like I’ve been cursed.

Of course, this happens from time to time. I just hoe you’re doing better than me.

Best wishes,

Akari.

——I feel like I’m just missing/something whenever you leave/You’ve got all the ingredients/except you needing me

Mousse’s phone——> Shampoo’s phone

Are you really not going to come

home until Thanksgiving break?

Yes.

We’re literally an hour away.

I’ll make the drive.

Look. I have a boyfriend, and he’s going

overseas for winter break, so I have to

make the most of our weekends.

You? A boyfriend? That’s

rich.

So’s he. And British.

Oh, yeah, and I’ll never see him

because he’s always in England?

At least I don’t lie to you.

I’m not lying. I could ask him if he wants

to come over for Thanksgiving break.

Sure. When he respectfully

declines you should consider

coming home this weekend.

Facebook Messenger:

Shampoo: Ryoga, I need you to text this number and say you would love to see us for Thanksgiving break, but you’re going to be in England.

Ryoga: But I won’t be. I have to stay with my mom upstate.

Shampoo: Sure. Say that. Hell, that’s more believable.

Ryoga: Wait, could I stay with you over the break?

Shampoo: No, you have to see your mom, remember? Why wouldn’t you want to see your mom?

Ryoga: We’ve never been close. Not in a bad way, she’s just never around. I don’t really know her.

Shampoo: Didn’t you come here to be closer to her? This is your chance!

Ryoga: Actually, I came here because…I don’t know. I was looking at college applications and Akari wanted us to go together, and I love Akari, but…

Shampoo: But you needed to bond with your mother!

Ryoga: No, I was thinking about how, when I was a kid my parents dragged me from here to kingdom come because of their jobs. Then they split and my dad took me to England. Then one day this girl kind of decided I was her boyfriend, and then she wanted to decide the rest of my life.

Ryoga: I felt like I had never chosen anything for myself. So I made the craziest decision I could. A choice no one would have made for me. That’s why I’m here.

Shampoo: Touching, riveting stuff, Ry-Ry. Really. You should write a book.

Shampoo: TEXT THE NUMBER.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Dear Akari,

Of course there aren’t any other girls [deleted].

Akari, I would never cheat on you. I know you were being a little flippant in your last e-mail, but I’m serious. There are pretty girls here, of course. There are pretty girls from the end of Africa to the tip of Antartica, but I would never touch a single one if I was dating someone else.

I’m sorry to hear about the bake off. Maybe you should make something you never make so that even if it isn’t perfect you won’t be able to tell.

There was a lot of excitement here today. Long story short, one of my friends and her boyfriend [deleted] friend [deleted] and my roommate got thrown in a pond. It was terrifying. Everyone thought they were going to die, or catch pneumonia and then die.

I’ll tell you the whole story when we see each other over winter break. Sorry I won’t be home for the Thanksgiving break they’re giving us (can you imagine?) I want to spend it with my mom. We’ve really been getting on together.

See you soon

Ryoga

Akane’s Diary:

Today was…not a good day.

You’d think a day that ends curled up writing in your diary with someone’s head in your lap would be pretty decent, but so far this is the nicest thing that has happened.

Well, that and the fact that there were crepes at breakfast. You know how in Catcher in the Rye the school always served them steak before the parents showed up, so that if their parents asked what they had eaten for dinner last night they would say steak? Well damnit if it isn’t true. The food was fantastic today: roasted potatoes and cheesecake and chicken tenders and a beef roast. And a crepe bar.

It would have tasted a lot better if I hadn’t been panicking the entire time dad and Nabiki and I were eating lunch. Kuno and Ranma were going to duel at 1:45 (Kuno figured it was when the dining hall would be the most packed so no parents would catch them), and I had to make sure Ryoga showed up and saw Ranma slipping. I wonder if Kuno arranged for the duel to be today because he knew his father would be busy?

Anyway. So I’m sitting there wolfing down my potatoes and half listening to my dad tell me about how things are back home, when Genma Saotome plopped down at our table.

Plopped is not the right word for it. Genma is explosive. He plunks down, tossing his keys onto the table, where they smack into and almost topple my milk glass, then throws one arm over the back of his chair and places the other on the table, taking up as much space as humanly possible before he says, “ ‘Kane, do you know where Ranma is?”

I keep eating. Genma never figured out my deadname, or doesn’t remember it, or maybe just says ‘Kane because he thinks it will get a bigger rise out of me. I don’t know. But I don’t dignify taunts with a response.

Nabiki stabbed a bit of her roast and said, “I can’t imagine why you think Akane would know.”

“My car keys were on his bed-do any of you lock your doors?-but I can’t find him. I’ve been texting him and he knew we were coming, so he must be hiding.” Then Genma laughed that awful laugh of his. Super loud, but grating instead of infectious like a good loud laugh should be. “Scared to take on his old man. Can you imagine?”

“I’m sorry, dad,” I said, standing up and pushing my chair in, “Can you hang out with Nabiki for a bit? I told a friend of mine I would help him study.”

“Didn’t you just finish midterms?” My dad said with a sip of milk, “I thought that was why this was scheduled for today, so you wouldn’t be too worried about class.”

“Yeah, he thinks he really fucked up, so we were going to go over some stuff to calm him down. It shouldn’t take more than an hour.”

My dad shrugged. I call him pretty regularly, so it wasn’t like we had a ton of catching up to do. I think he really came to get Genma’s car back and seeing Nabiki and I was just a bonus. “Alright. I’ll be with Nabiki till dinner, then I’m leaving.”

Nabiki made an interesting face, which may have had something to do with all the contraband in her room, but I couldn’t help her. I had to run down to Ryoga’s room and tell him to watch the duel today.

“Isn’t this a re-run?” Ryoga asked, without looking up from his computer.

“That’s why I want to see it. I’ve heard Kuno intends to win this time.”

“Good for him.”

Obviously Ryoga did not see this as the rematch of the century, so I changed tracks. “Please do this with me, I need some time away from Ranma’s father.”

That got his attention. “Ranma’s father?”

“Yeah. He came down with my dad and is stuck to his side and he’s-“ I made vague hand gestures. I mean, there are words for Genma Saotome, but they are best barked in German, not whined in English.

Ryoga shrugged and stretched and looked around for his jacket. “I guess if you need a break that bad…This won’t take long right?”

“Nope.” I said, although I assumed it would be longer than the last couple of duels. If Ranma was going to fuck around and almost lose it would probably take a while to put on a good show.

Then again, I feel like Ranma has been dealing with these fights faster and faster the colder it gets. He does not like shivering.

We get to the expected spot by the lake and Ranma and Kuno are there, and they’ve decided to wait until two to start, since a lot of people apparently wanted to come to this one. I don’t know how Nabiki gets the word out about these things, but she sure does a good job of it.

Ranma kept checking the clock on his phone, then regretting it and stuffing his fingers back into his pockets.

Ryoga asked me if I was cold like five times, but I was staying warm making faces at Ranma, trying to convey how badly I wanted them to JUST START ALREADY. Ranma says I looked like I was trying not to sneeze.

Finally it was either two or Ranma was really sick of waiting, because he asked for someone to count down from three.

“Should only one of you have a sword?” I said before anyone could start counting.

Ranma gave me a cocky grin. “I can handle him, and his wood. Count us in, darlin’.”

Considering what happened later I feel pretty stupid for blushing at that.

As soon as I said ‘three’, Kuno lunged. He is not a subtle fighter. He refused to go on the defensive. To be fair, his sword did give him a much bigger reach, but it also gave Ranma some time to play up how weak he had gotten. He was slow and wobbly, barely dodging Kuno’s swings, and when he jumped out of the way he couldn’t stick his landings. He didn’t even try to attack, as though Kuno was too fast for him.

“Is he hungover again?” Ryoga whispered to me.

“I don’t think he’s been training.” I whispered back. It was hard to keep a straight face as I said that. I would bet my sister-hell, both of them-on Ranma running, stretching, and lifting weights everyday. Ranma doesn’t do cheat days, and he does not skip leg day.

But he was putting on a good performance, staying just ahead of Kuno, but close enough that even I thought he might lose.

Which meant Kuno thought that too, so he got even more reckless, and in one ill-timed swing and a well timed kick, he was down for the count.

“Goddamnit,” He said as he got up off the ground, “I came here to defend Miss Tendo’s honor. I think of her—“

“Is that the best you can do?”

I froze. Not that I wanted to hear Kuno talk about my porcelain flower or whatever weird metaphor he was about to get into, but I’d take him over Genma Saotome any day.

“Run home to mommy, you fucking pansy.” Genma said to Kuno as he took Kuno’s place in the center of the unofficial ring.

Kuno looked shocked. I don’t think anyone has ever taken that tone with him. Sneering and cruel. Even Nabiki can’t talk like that, like her words are made of splinters.

Kuno drew himself up to his full height. “I take unction at your tone-“ He looked Genma up and down, and made his distain clear before he graciously added, “-sir.”

“And I take unction at you still being in my ring.” Genma went to shove Kuno and Kuno dodged, just as Genma knew he would. Kuno took a sharp kick to the stomach, and though he walked out of the ring with his head held high, he had a look on his face that said he would much rather have doubled over.

“You see?” Genma said, turning to Ranma. “That’s how you deal with a guy like that. None of this wobbling all over the place. Who trained you, kid? ‘Cause it sure as hell wasn’t me.”

“Who the hell are you?!” Ryoga yelled, pretty freaked out.

Genma glared at him. “Genma Saotome. I thought I was Ranma’s teacher, but he clearly hasn’t learned jack shit.” He looked from me to Ryoga and smirked, “This the friend you were helping, Akane?”

“How did you even get here?”

He shrugged. “Heard some kids talking about a duel. I figured Ranma would be around.” He turned to address the crowd at large. “Shows over, by the way. Ranma and I have some family business to settle, so I suggest you all move along.”

I don’t think anyone wanted to be around Genma a minute longer than they had to. I actually had to grab Ryoga’s coat to keep him still. I wasn’t going anywhere. I could see Ranma over Genma’s shoulder, stock still, head down, centering himself. He was preparing for a serious fight. I wasn’t about to leave him alone in it.

Genma saw we weren’t leaving and decided to ignore us. “Might as well have you count us in,” He grunted at me. He took off his coat and tossed it to the side. The man is getting into his fifties, but he is still packed with muscle you can see right through his shirt.

I counted them in, but after I finished they just circled each other. They went around and around, waiting for the first move.

I don’t want to write what happened after that. I’m a little queasy just remembering it. I had thought for a minute that it would be like when my dad and I sparred. Fun and fast, me showboating a little and desperately looking for the upper hand as my father carefully blocked me and sent quick hits my way. My dad’s always gone easy on me—no, my dad always protected me. He could have thrashed me soundly, but he didn’t, because what kind of a sick fuck would do that to their own kid?

Not that Ranma wasn’t giving as good as he got, mind you. He’s been training with his dad his whole life. Still, every time his dad landed a hit I would gasp and grab Ryoga’s sleeve. Genma may have taught Ranma how to dodge, but he’s not as good at taking a punch, and Genma played to that.

I don’t know why my stomach clenched every time Ranma got hit. Maybe it was because it was his dad, and there is something about watching someone’s parents beat them up that makes me viscerally ill. Maybe it’s because I used to be scared of my dad. Not that he had ever threatened me, but, well, Genma’s the worst, but judging by the people dad used to hang out with, he wasn’t always the nicest person, either. There was no telling what he was going to do when I came out.

He cried. It was the last thing I was expecting. Questions, I think. Shock and a long string of questions.

Instead he burst into tears and kept talking about my mom. He didn’t make a lot of sense, and I wasn’t sure what to do, so I poured a bowl of potato chips and cracked open a beer for him. Kasumi usually cooks when people are sad, but that’s about the extent of my culinary skills.

Anyway, at some point my dad calmed down a little and said, “I’m sorry, Akane. When you have kids all you want for them is the best life possible. Then their mothers pass away, and they tell you things like that, and you know their lives are going to be that much harder.”

So I said, “You know, by you being okay with this you’re making my life a lot easier already, right?” and we shared a smile, and for a minute there I felt really good, like everything was going to work out.

I don’t know what Genma said when Ranma came out to him, but for some reason while they fought I started trying to imagine it. Every scenario I came up with made me madder and madder. Chest shaking, vision blurring mad. Rage. I wanted to plough my fists into his chest. I wanted to crack his skull like a cinder block.

That was when Ranma bounced off a tree and flew towards his father. It would have doubled his power if he’d actually hit his dad, but a move like that gave Genma plenty of time to react.

Genma threw Ranma into the lake.

I screamed.

Both Ryoga and Genma jumped.

I think I was screaming words?

Genma blocked as I ran past him.

You ever jumped into a half-frozen pond? Rage can’t keep you warm in there. I swear my heart stopped for a minute. By that point Ryoga was screaming too. Although he was screaming my name and telling me to stop and that he would call security or whatever.

I can’t swim, but I can tread water a little, and that’s all you really need to drag a guy out of a shallow lake.

For a minute Ranma lay on the shore and I kneeled there, shaking and gasping, and thinking, At least if I throw up it’ll be warm.

“We have to get you in a hot shower,” Ryoga said as he tried to pull me to my feet.

“Blankets,” I gasped. My chest was doing that awful thing where you shiver right down to your spine, causing your ribs to vibrate against each other. “A hot shower could put us into shock.”

“Is that what’s happening to Ranma?”

Ranma didn’t look good, but aside from his lips being blue, he didn’t look bad, either. Just dazed. He waved a hand limply and opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but his teeth just chattered so loudly it seemed theatrical. A skull shouldn’t make that noise unless someone is clacking it’s jaw together and reciting shakespeare.

Ryoga helped him up and the three of us staggered to the closest dorm, which was Ryoga and Ranma’s.

Once we were in their room I told Ryoga to go get the pile of blankets on top of my dresser, and tell Nabiki and dad what had happened.

By the time he left the room Ranma had his shirt off and was fumbling with the edge of his binder. Between his numb fingers and the water plastering it to his skin I was the one who had to wrestle it off of him. While Ranma rummaged around for another clean shirt I stripped off my tights, and discarded them next to his binder.

“Do you have a shirt I could wear?” I whispered. The last thing you would expect ice water to affect is your voice, but it closes off your throat like a fist.

Ranma didn’t say anything. He went over to his closet and dragged a big flannel robe off the top shelf.

For a few minutes it felt like a locker room after pe in highschool, both of us carefully moving around each other and pointedly not looking at anything in particular. Except instead of heading off to biology we had to sit there on Ranma’s bed, waiting for Ryoga to come back with all my stuff.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Ranma said as he wrung his hair out in a scratchy white towel.

“I thought your heart might have stopped or something.”

“It wasn’t that cold.”

“I guess.”

I toyed with a loose thread on the robe. I was also wrapped in the comforter off Ryoga’s bed, but underneath my skin still felt cold and clammy where it overlapped.

“Where’d you pick up that blanket thing?” Ranma asked, passing me the towel. “I thought for hypothermia you were supposed to get naked and share body heat.”

I snorted. “Sure, Ranma, but I don’t have a pile of pretty naked people on my dresser.”

“You could if you wanted to.” Ranma said with a wink. I would have laughed if the wink hadn’t made him wince.

“Did he have to hit your face?” I said, softly, as though that would make it less awful.

Ranma touched the spot where he would soon have a shiner. “Well, yeah. I left it open.”

I wanted to scream for a second. Tell him that was the worst thing I had ever heard, but what could he have said? Like it was his fault his father was disgusting.

“Stand up.” Ranma said, and I got off the bed. He gently took Ryoga’s comforter from me and spread it over his bed. Then he climbed back into the bed and scooted over so there was room for me to join him.

I stood there for a minute, weighing the desire to be warm against my desire for things to not be even more awkward, when Ryoga returned with the blankets, my clothes, and my family. He also had this book. I had forgotten I shoved it between the folds of the blankets till it fell out as he unfolded one.

Nabiki immediately ran over and cradled my face in her hands, demanding to know what had happened. I told her while dad checked Ranma and started layering him with blankets. By the time he was done all that stuck out was Ranma’s hair. With all those blankets on top of him, and his hair half red and half black with his roots coming in, my bed looked like we were putting on a production of the Princess and the Chile Pepper.

Then dad made me get in the bed and worried over us for a little longer, asking if we needed anything, if we were getting warmer, until he had to go get dinner and go home. He kissed us both on the forehead like we were sick kids. Which I guess we were.

Nabiki promised that she would make sure we were okay, and saw him out. On the way they bumbped into Kodachi Kuno of all people, who showed up with two plates full of food from the dining hall. She was all blushey and stuttery, and it was kind of adorable.

Maybe Ranma will go out with her someday. It might be cute.

Don’t tell Ranma, but he’s kind of cute when he sleeps. He doesn’t look like he’s about to start a fight. Slack-jawed and innocent, like everyone else.

Right now I’m sitting up in bed with Ranma’s head on my thigh, and Ryoga typing something at his desk. It’s not just warm, it’s downright cozy in here. I’m probably going to fall asleep like this, because I am far too comfortable to move.

Although lying down would mean moving Ranma’s head.

I’d have to touch it.

I bet his hair is really soft.

No, wait, it got bleached to put the red in.

(It’s really soft).

Ryoga’s phone——->Mousse’s phone

Hey, it’s Ryoga. I’m coming

over with Shampoo for

Thanksgiving. How is that

going to work? Are you

going to pick us up? what

time? Where?

Who is this? How do you

know Shampoo?

Well, we met cause I’m

friends with her room

mate.

Are you the boyfriend she

was talking about?

Sure. Why not.

Shampoo’s grandmother will

be horrified. Let me ask her

what she thinks.

Mousse’s phone——-> Grandmother’s phone

Grandmother, Shampoo

wants to bring a boy

home for Thanksgiving

break!!!

How nice. I’d love to see what kind

of boy could capture her heart.

Wild as a horse, fickle as a cat.

Let’s see the man who’d propose

to tame her.

Grandmother, it’s disgust-

ing!!! They may be having

sex! They might have it

under your roof!!!

Easy on the exclamation points, son.

I wouldn’t mind some great

grandchildren!

Now stop texting and get back here.

This lemon chicken won’t deliver itself!

Mousse’s phone——->Ryoga’s phone.

Lot outside the girls dorm,

Friday, four pm. Don’t be

late. I will leave without

you.

A small white spiral bound notebook with ‘Ranma Saotome’ written along the top edge of the cover in block letters with a black sharpie.

I always thought diaries were just plot devices, but Akane actually keeps one and she’s a lot better adjusted than me, so I thought I’d try it for a while.

I’ve never slept with a girl before. Ukyo and I had sex, but that was always in the middle of the afternoon, or in a parked car, or whatever. We never slept with each other.

I guess what I’m really thinking about is that I woke up with a girl. It was weird. I didn’t see Akane the second I woke up. I was staring at the ceiling, one leg and like twenty blankets hanging over the edge of the bed. I was trying to remember the dream I’d been having or some other dumb shit like that, and then I turned over and was nose to nose with Akane.

She looked different with her hair all messed up and pillow creases on her face. She’s usually perfect. Hair tucked back, just a teeny bit of make up, pressed dress. She looked kind of funny drooling on my pillow.

Then she woke up and I freaked out. I mean, all I did was freeze up, but I was sure she was about to scream at me or something.

She smiled. This big, goony smile, like she’d just buried her face in a dog’s belly or had a sip of sweet, creamy, hot chocolate.

“Hey.” She whispered.

“Hey.”

She has huge eyes. Huge and dark with super long lashes.

“You feel okay?” she asked.

“Yeah. You?”

She stretched her arms over the head, pressing her palms against the wall. Then she went back to smiling. “I feel way too relaxed. I have like two essays due this week.”

“Me too.”

“Yeah. We’re taking the same classes.”

I think I blushed. My face definitely got warmer. I’m a fucking idiot.

“Ranma,” Akane said, and the way she was looking at me was soft and intense at once. Cow eyes? I don’t know. Like a soap opera. I thought she was going to tell me she was pregnant, or maybe start crying.

She touched my face. The crest of bone just under my eye. I’m not sure what the word is for something like that. Intimate, maybe. It felt like the most intimate I had ever been with someone.

Then she broke it. Whatever that moment was. She sat up and stretched again, and said, “I should really get to the library and start on that Ottoman essay. I hate research essays. I can never get good sources.” She climbed over me and started gathering up all her stuff. Including a little black book.

“Is that your diary?” I asked, because for some reason I needed to keep talking.

She frowned and shoved it under her coat. “It’s nothing. Make sure Ryoga doesn’t forget my quilts when he comes over.”

Then she left. I’m sure it was a diary, so I figured I would try writing stuff down too and dug out this notebook.

I think this top blanket here is homemade. I think most of these are. They look knit or crochet or something. I wonder if Kasumi made them.

Well. I wrote everything down and I still feel as crazy as ever. I’m gonna go for a run. That always does the trick.

Facebook Messenger:

Shampoo: I JUST GOT MY COSTUME!!!!

Ukyo: Cool. I’m in class.

Shampoo: I LOOK SO GOOD!!! THERE’S THIS HUGE PARTY AT SOMEONE’S HOUSE OFF CAMPUS. YOU, ME, BANGING COSTUMES, DRINKS, DANCING, BOYS? GIRLS? INSANITY!!!

Ukyo: I did bring my costume from last year…

Shampoo: YEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!

Shampoo: Should I invite Ryoga?

Ukyo: I think he’d like that

Ukyo: But he has to wear a costume. Tell him it’s mandatory!

Facebook messenger, Royga:

Shampoo: PARTY!!! YOU ME UKYO DRINKS DANCING MAKING OUT!!!

Ryoga: When?!!

Shampoo: HALLOWEEN! YOU NEED A COSTUME!

Ryoga: Shit. Where would I get a costume?

Shampoo: Oh, baby, do I have you covered.

Ryoga: Can I bring Akane?

Ryoga: Wait, can I do the masked man thing?

Shampoo: You’ll have a mask alright.

Ryoga: No, I mean, the thing where we meet at a party and she doesn’t recognize me and I talk to her and she falls in love with me, and the next day I reveal myself!

Ryoga: This is brilliant! Shampoo, thank you so much!!!

Shampoo: wut.

Shampoo: Nm, you are going to look so hot in this costume you probably will score with Akane.

Kodachi’s Journal

All Hallows Eve

The most wretched of days

When man’s sins run amuck

Lust in the corner with the slutty nurses,

Gluttony lurking by the candy bowl,

Sloth hidden in the cheap hoodies and ski masks

Pride catching on the sequins and cardboard

Of those most fanciful designs

Envy trailing just behind them

Greed stretched across the faces of those

Who would make a quick buck

On shoddy material and cheap sugar

And wrath

Anywhere you don’t expect

Waiting to spring out at you

On the only night of the year when a murder in a ally

Might be performance art

I’m staying in my room,

Windows barred

Poker drawn

Netflix blazing.

Ranma’s Diary

I’m so glad I threw together a costume this year.

There was this really big party, which Kuno of all people clued me in on, cause he was eating breakfast with his sister, and they were talking about how neither of them wanted to go to this big party (although once I got there…well, that’s none of my business), so I asked around and kicked my costume making into high gear.

I had a cape. It was rad.

I don’t regret the costume, but I’m not sure how I feel about how I acted. Bad. But what kind of bad?

Okay, lemme unpack this.

I go to the party. It’s intense. Huge house, filled to the brim with loud, angry, horny, sweaty college students, most of them wearing masks. You walk inside and you get a contact high. I danced for a while, found some people I see at the gym a lot, and that really cool guy who is probably keeping me from failing math, but then I thought, ‘I need a real buzz’, and even I wouldn’t blame myself for having a few sips at a party like this.

Cause I wasn’t Ranma Saotome who has to watch his weight and stay hydrated.

Nah. I was BATMAN.

So I get a beer, and as I’m opening it I bump into someone, and it’s Zelda. And who hasn’t wanted to hit on Zelda? So she says, “Can you grab me one?” and I pass her the already open beer and say, “As you wish my liege,” except I said it in a batman voice.

And do you know what she fucking says?

She laughs and says, “I love that voice.”

“Oh really?” Which is lame, but I said it in the voice, so it was all good.

“Yeah,” And she looks at her beer, and then takes a swig, and I can tell she’s a little embarrassed but she says this anyway, she says, “Batman is really sexy. Not like I want to marry him and deal with his issues, but, I get why Catwoman is always throwing him up against walls.”

Which meant she was calling me sexy.

So I say, “Don’t you think Link might get a little suspicious when the heir to the throne has black hair?”

And I thought she would say something about at least pointy ears running in the family, but instead she got a little closer and said, “I think Link’s busy banging that Zora girl.”

And I said, “Good, because his princess is going to be in another bedroom.”

Which is when she shoved me a little, you know, playfully, and said, “Slow down. Let her majesty finish her beer first.”

When she shoved me I could feel how strong she was. Like, it was probably a challenge for her to not knock me into the drink table. Fuck that was hot.

So we go into the kitchen and talk, me still totally doing my batman voice because I am not about to drop a good thing when I have it. She was pretty cool. We didn’t talk about much, just school, and video games, and comics, which was all in between me flirting with her as hard as I could.

Then she finished her beer, and she put it down very slowly and she said, “There is a trampoline out back, but no one is out there because they think it’s too cold.

Like many college boys, I would gladly freeze my nads off to kiss Zelda.

So we go outside, and there was some light from the stars and the kitchen windows, but where the trampoline is it was pretty dark. We bounced onto it, and kind of rolled around a little before we got into a good kissing position, with her on top and my mask shoved up to the top of my head, and we got a lot of short, stuttery, laughing kisses, and it was great

For like five seconds, before I smelled it.

I mean, there was the weird rubber plastic smell of the trampoline, and me, and my sweat, and the rubber of my mask, and the cheap fabric smell of at least one of our costumes, but then her hair slipped out from under her wig, releasing the scent of her perfume and shampoo. Something in my brain short circuited and I was back on Akane’s bed with ten quilts on top of me, instead of on a trampoline with Akane on top of me.

I keep thinking I should have known somehow. Even with the wig and the make up and yelling over the music, some part of me should have known I was talking to Akane before I was tongue deep in her.

So then I panicked and shoved her off of me, and for a second she was lying there on the trampoline, and I was sitting up panting, because what the fuck had I done?, and she said, “Are you alright?” and it was so exactly her voice, it was so so obviously her, because who else could sound that worried about some rando she was making out with on a trampoline?

I ran. Tore through the garden, jumped a fence, and I was gone.

I can’t tell her. Maybe she doesn’t hate me as much as she used to, but this would just bring all those shitty memories roaring back, right? She would be pissed and betrayed, and no matter what I said about me having no idea until that second, she would never believe me.

Okay, so that’s decided. I just won’t tell her about it and it’ll be like it never happened.

Ranma, that is a great plan.

Latest post from fuckboisgetmoney.tumblr.com

A picture of Nabiki’s legs in sheer black pantyhose and sky high red heels. The picture ends just as the curve of her thigh becomes her ass, and there are some huge pink feathers curling over the top of her thigh.

#her name was lola…. #I still love this costume

Last five posts from okinomiyakimeansiloveyou.tumblr.com

5. A selfie of Ukyo in an Ichigo costume, with five more pictures of her huge replicas of Ichigo’s two swords. #shit you can’t get away with in highschool!

4. A neon colored deluge of artfully arranged candy wrappers

3. A photo of Shampoo looking adorable as Sailor moon in her “by the power of the moon” pose. Then another of her leaning against her bed, boots sprawled out in front of her, looking far more relaxed than Usigai ever did.

2. A picture of Shampoo putting her hair up in sailor moon buns. Her hair has already been parted and now she has gathered half of it in her hand, strands spilling out between her fingers. Only half her makeup is on. Red lipstick, but naked lids. You can just see the bright orange cover of Ukyo’s phone reflected in the mirror she’s using.

1. Read more

———————————————————————————————-

I think that was the most….eventful Halloween I’ve ever had.

It was a really cool party, and some guy asked me if I knew knife tricks, and fuck if I’m bringing TWO swords to a party and not knowing any tricks. I was having a really good time, and drinking mildly spiked soda, so I had a little buzz, I had a little sugar rush—and that was when I saw him.

Tuxedo Mask.

He was leaned up against the kitchen doorway, and he could not have looked more perfect if he tried. I went right up to him, stuck a sword in his face and said, “You have to meet my friend.”

Even Tuxedo Mask doesn’t argue when Ichigo Kurosaki has him at knifepoint. I mean, Ichigo is totally winning that fight.

I must have dragged that guy over the whole house, but we could not find Shampoo. He was getting more and more impatient, but I kept insisting that he had to meet my friend.

Then we were in the backyard. Just us and some dark shapes, and the flickering lights from the kitchen.

“Was this a joke?” Tuxedo Mask asked me.

I think a lot of things happened at once. Running all over the house caused my sugar high to crash, and I think I’m a weepy drunk, and I felt so stupid. I saw this guy and suddenly I’m writing a romance novel in my head. Like he and Shampoo were going to see each other, their eyes would meet, and they would fall madly in love. It just seemed so perfect.

I’m such an idiot. I had thought that for some reason Halloween could make love real, but something like love isn’t going to start existing because of matching costumes.

I started crying, and I think that freaked Tuxedo Mask out a bit.

“I’m sorry!” I blubbered. “I swear my friend was here dressed as Sailor Moon!” and then I think I said that stuff I just wrote about love and halloween.

Instead of running for the hills, which I would have understood at that point, Tuxedo Mask said, “How can you not believe in love?” Which was properly Tuxedo Mask-y, but not what I wanted to hear.

“Love isn’t something worth believing in.” I snapped.

“But it’s apparently worth grabbing strangers at parties. I don’t know how long you’ve known this girl, but already you seem to love her very much.”

That made me stop crying for a minute. I squinted at him, trying to see past his mask and the shadows of the backyard. I hadn’t noticed before, but he wasn’t wearing a domino, like the real tuxedo mask. His mask covered almost everything but his mouth.

He gave me the hanky from his pocket, and patted my head, like he wasn’t sure how to comfort humans. That thought made me laugh, and then his hand slipped a little and cradled the back of my skull. The atmosphere between us shifted. It wasn’t romantic or sexual. It was that feeling when someone touches you at a spot where your skin is stretched thin over your bones and your body asks you if you should smash their skull in before they get yours, or if you can relax.

I relaxed.

It was so comforting I almost forgot all that stuff about love and destiny. Right then it just felt good to have a cool breeze on my tear tracks and a kind person touching me.

Tuxedo Mask smiled, and swept towards the kitchen door, saying, “I see my job here is done.”

It took me a minute to get it, but I yelled before he went back inside, “You didn’t do anything!”

I hadn’t stopped laughing when Shampoo found me.

To: TKuno

From: NabikiTendo

Thought you might like to look at these before I send them to the dean. Do you think I should edit them a little or just send them as is?

Attachment: Two photos. One of Kuno, who is clearly himself, even in a loose kimono and face paint that makes him look like an opera mask. He’s in a poorly lit dining room, standing in front of a beer pong game, although it’s not clear if he’s playing or not.

The next one has Nabiki sitting on his lap in a showgirl outfit that is mostly feathers and a leotard. His paint is a little smeared, and he looks like he would fall over if the chair he was sitting on didn’t have a back. He doesn’t have an arm around Nabiki’s back, as courtesy would demand since she is sitting sideways, because he is holding both her drink and his own. Quite enough evidence for the kendo team to cut him for failing to adhere to the guidelines of the club.

From: TKuno

To: NabikiTendo

What do I have to pay you?

From: NabikiTendo

To: TKuno

You don’t. I will release these photos whenever I see fit.

You’re paying back my sister in fear and stress and wondering when your life will be ruined.

From: TKuno

To: NabikiTendo

What did I ever do to your sister? Didn’t I fight for her honor recently.

From: NabikiTendo

To: TKuno

If you hadn’t gone prying into my sister’s life she never would have been forced out of the closet.

Stew on that while you wonder if I’ve already sent the photos to your father.

P.S. I can’t believe you thought I didn’t recognize you. You deserve it all for falling for that ‘do you work out?’ line.

MY DIARY:

Dear Diary,

Today I did something I am deeply ashamed of.

I went to Nabiki Tendo on my hands and knees and begged.

I have never felt less dignified in my life than I did, my nose not one inch from the worn linoleum of her floor, breathing the scent of fear and regret (which was remarkably similar to fruity perfume and sweaty feet).

“Kuno, babe,” She said, drawing the word out like she was a gangster from an old movie, “There is nothing you could give me that I want more than this.”

“Please, Nabiki Tendo,” I said, trying to meet her eyes, only to see her silhouette against the fluorescent light, “Do not take kendo from me. It has given me everything.”

She shrugged, “You did this to yourself.”

Which is shamefully true. I did go to a party and partake in alcoholic beverages underage, of my own volition.

And, what Nabiki Tendo doesn’t know, is that this is was a ritual of mine. It is the one night of the year I do foolish things. I drink, and I speak in a throughly ungentlemanly way to young women, although I try to refrain from being a lout, and I get to pretend I am one of the great samurais from my dramas.

For the last three years it has been the perfect way to relax and resist doing something even more foolish.

I got cocky. That is all I can say. I saw Nabiki Tendo, and I panicked, of course, but when she did not seem to recognize me I fell right into her trap. I thought it would be my little secret. Whenever Nabiki Tendo berated me I could think, ‘Ah, but little do you know that you once sat in my lap and pressed your cleavage into my chin with a gusto I have never known before’. The cleavage part is still true, but I am too concerned about losing my scholarship, status, friends, and the codes I live for to enjoy it.

“There must be something I can offer you.” I tried, once more, “I would run around campus naked, I would destroy your enemies, I would give my father a dressing down in front of the entire school. Please do not do this to me.”

Nabiki Tendo was sitting in the swivel chair at her desk as I knelt before her, and she swiveled to the side so she could place her ankle on my shoulder. Her toes are absurdly long and painted devil red. The woman is related to demons, mark my words.

“All I want is to see you doing this for a little while. Then, whenever I get bored, I’ll send the pictures in. I mean, you can come in here every night and do this whole spiel, and whenever I get tired of it you can do it for your dad.”

At that I rose swiftly and dramatically, an action whose drama was somewhat lessened by the fact that it threw Nabiki Tendo backwards and she smacked her head against the wall and I had to make sure she was alright before I could continue. (Take it from a man who has sustained many, head injuries are no joke).

“I see you leave me no choice, Nabiki Tendo, since you will not accept my offer of a fair trade, I will have to create an unfair one.”

“The fuck does that mean?” She said as I turned on my heel to leave, sounding utterly uninterested in my threat.

“It means,” I replied over my shoulder, “That I shall have to find something horrible about you and create mutually assured destruction.”

Nabiki Tendo snorted and turned back to her computer. Her parting words to me were, “Using cold war terms won’t make you any scarier, buddy.”

Now I must do something even more shameful than groveling at Nabiki Tendo’s feet: I must find out something about her that is so awful she will give me those photos back in the hopes that my knowledge will never being released to the public. This is not the sort of errand I ever wished to dirty my hands with, but now it is the only thing to be done.

Facebook Messenger:

Shampoo: You never told me how Halloween went. Did you get to seduce Akane Masked Man Style?

Ryoga: No. I never told you because it didn’t work out like I’d hoped. I did see Akane, but she seemed distracted, and since I couldn’t tell her who I was she got bored with me and left.

Shampoo: :( Boo. I was really rooting for you guys. Guess there’s nothing left to do but ASK HER OUT LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

Ryoga: You do not get to yell at me—you encouraged me! Also, YOU ARE CONSIDERING PROPOSITIONING YOUR ROOMMATE, SOMETHING WHICH NEVER ENDS WELL!!!

Shampoo: I am not! I mean, I would ask her on a date LIKE A NORMAL PERSON, but she doesn’t do dating anymore. After one bad breakup! I broke up with a guy I was young and stupid enough to think I was in love with, and yeah, he’s still hanging around, and yeah, I’m going to have to spend most of Thanksgiving break with him, but, like, I moved on.

Ryoga: How bad was it?

Shampoo: It wasn’t bad. Just stupid. It was really stupid. We were dating, like, our whole lives. I don’t know why. It was one of those marriage proposals on the playground things, and I never started to dislike Mousse or feel like we were growing apart, or like being without him would be better than being with him, but we were in our senior year and he basically said, “When do you think we’ll get married?” and I realized that all I ever wanted Mousse to be was some guy I dated in high school.

Shampoo: So I dumped him.

Ryoga: Okay, so, basically, it was nothing like what happened to Ukyo, yet you’re comparing it to what happened to Ukyo.

Shampoo: Okay, it wasn’t the same thing, but it wasn’t a clean break, either. You’ve had a rough breakup before, right?

Ryoga: No, but I’m probably due.

Shampoo: Well, trust me, a bad breakup does not suddenly make you aromantic or asexual. It may make you wish you were, but it doesn’t, and Ukyo needs to understand that she isn’t automatically going to get hurt because she puts herself out there again.

Ryoga: Would you care this much if you weren’t interested in her?

Shampoo: She is a wonderful person, and she is doing the world a disservice by acting like she murdered love and must forever repent for her sin.

Ryoga: She would not like that analogy.

Shampoo: Tell me you haven’t noticed how pretty she is. Or how nice or sweet or funny.

Ryoga: She is very sweet. She has a nice neck when she puts her hair up.

Shampoo: Very random compliment, but I’m glad you understand.

Ryoga: Careful, you don’t want me turning into your competition.

Shampoo: Don’t get greedy pretty boy, I know you’re already trying to juggle two girls at once.

Ryoga: 1. HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT??!! 2. Do you really think I’m pretty?

Shampoo: Dude, we’re friends on facebook. I got a ‘you have a mutual friend’ notification, and you may have scrubbed your profile, but your girlfriend sure didn’t.

Shampoo: Also, obviously you’re pretty. Although I should probably be calling you dirty boy, or pig boy or something, since you think you can have all the girls.

Ryoga: Oh, god, please don’t tell Akari. I’ve been meaning to, the time just hasn’t been right.

Shampoo: Not that I actually want to be involved, but what you should really be worried about is me telling Akane.

Akane’s Diary

Do not watch the dark knight trilogy because you’re desperate, do not watch the dark knight trilogy because you’re desperate do not watch the dark knight trilogy bec

To be fair, I’m mostly bored. Everyone is exhausted, because if they’re not worrying about finals they’re still burnt out after Halloween. Meanwhile I’ve got all my homework done, and it’s just not worth it to freak out about finals before Thanksgiving break. Refusing to worry about finals until it’s over is what Thanksgiving break is for.

Still, I shouldn’t go looking at everything batman related like that’s going to bring this guy back, or explain what the fuck happened.

He was nice. Like, he recognized the absurdity of making out on a trampoline, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t trying really, really hard. That was sweet, that earnestness.

I don’t know. I spent like an hour with him. It’s stupid, building him up as this perfect guy, but I can’t help it. I know he was fun to talk to, and even with my Zelda armor digging into my shoulders I felt comfortable with him, but because I know nothing about him I can fill in the gaps with whatever I want. I can pretend he’s an only child, and he won’t freak out when I tell him I’m trans, and he likes the idea of being married and having kids, but probably only two, because he understands I think it’s good for a kid to have a sibling, but two is plenty, and….

See? Too easy.

Maybe he’s in a relationship and a wave of guilt hit him.

Or maybe he remembered he had to feed his cat.

Or maybe he had an anxiety attack.

Or maybe I’m going to watch the dark knight trilogy because between that and thinking about this guy all night I should probably chose the option that’s easier on my sanity.

From TKuno

To: Dean

Sir, as one of your students I would like to bring to your attention that another student, Nabiki Tendo, has been selling contraband out of her dorm room and has probably made thousands selling alcohol and other drugs to minors.

Sincerely,

Tatewaki Kuno.

From Dean

To TKuno

Kuno, why did you put this in a email? Is this a prank? Nabiki Tendo has been accused of this several times before, but her room has never turned up any contraband materials, nor has anyone every given us any proof that she sells contraband.

You wouldn’t be trying to harm another student for some petty reason, would you?

From Tkuno

To Dean

I’m sorry, that was foolish of me. I know that Nabiki Tendo is not the sort of person who would be caught doing things like that. I was being thoughtless. I will consider my words more carefully next time.

From TKuno

To Ghostunkugi

Is it true that you can compile an account of another person’s life for a fair price?

From Ghostunkugi

To TKuno

All social media accounts, anything on public record related to them in anyway, and any thing else that seems interesting. 150

Shadowing, 100 for a day, 650 for a week

Photos +50 dollars every day. 150 for a full week.

Confidentiality assured, unless you murder someone and I have to talk to the cops again.

From TKuno

To Ghostunkugi

Just the first option for now. I will throw in a bonus if you can find any potentially life ruining information.

From Ghostunkugi

To Tkuno

One of those jobs. I get it. [Paypal information] Please pay in a prompt manner. Due to school I probably won’t have a complete file until after Thanksgiving Break.

Kodachi’s Journal

I fear that that which I once loved

That flower that bloomed so boldly

Is wilting in my hands.

Now that our yearly cycle has spun us into

Those brief six weeks

When we all pretend to care about

Peace, love, and good will toward men

(even our families)

It makes me realize that the spring of our love

Gave way not to a passionate summer

But to the bleakness of a winter without you

Ranma

I trace your name on fogged windows at my gymnasium

But I worry I have sucked all strength from it

Like a sweet drained of it’s syrupy filling.

I shall take my time in repose

With my father and brother

And wrapped in their tenuous, florid, masculine embrace

I recall that all men appreciate a swift hard strike when they least expect it.

#ranma 1/2 #fanfiction #rankane #akane tendo #ranma saotome #epistolary #text #personal #shampoo #ukyo kuonji #ryoga hibiki

3 notes · View notes

cheesecrip29 · 8 years ago

Text

Dimensia (YC)

Hey, all! This was something I wrote for my creative writing class! I used a prompt from @writing-prompt-s. I'm excited about feedback! I hope you like it! (I'm also crazy nervous about this like what?!?)

Crack!

I opened my eyes and gazed at the ceiling above me. Except, it wasn't a ceiling, it was green. And leafy. Crap. I thought. I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I looked around and sighed to myself. I've done it again. I wonder where I am now.

I was sitting under a tree, the sun was shining and the air was crisp like it usually is the early morning. I was in a field on top of a hill. There was a little stone wall a few feet to my right, it wasn't large and it was crumbling at the edges. The area reminded me of those farms you see in old British movies.

I stood up and looked around, feeling a little lost. I was usually more awake when I landed myself in other dimensions. You see, I have a condition called Dimensia. It's a very rare condition where I wake up in different dimensions. I've been to loads of weird places, let me tell you.

Dimensia runs in my family but usually skips a generation. My grandmother had it before me, and her grandmother before her, etcetera. As far as I know, I'm the first man in our family to have the condition. It was a huge surprise for my grandmother when I disappeared from my crib one night. She found me pretty quickly, but it was a worrying situation nonetheless.

Now, I'm standing under a tree in some foreign dimension. I sighed and stuck my hands in my pajama pockets. I'll have a quick look around, see what there is to see until my window home opens again. I thought. I strolled down the hill, letting the morning sun wash over me.

So far, this was a pretty nice dimension. I walked through the field, the grass was up to my waist. I pulled my hands out of my pockets and let them drag through the grass. Sometimes it's nice to wake up in dimensions like these. I thought happily.

I looked over my shoulder, back at the tree, and stopped at what I saw. There was someone under the tree. I couldn't see any clear features, they were just a silhouette, but holy frijoles was I spooked. I held up my hand and waved a little. The silhouette didn't wave back.

I cursed and closed my eyes tight. I opened my mind and felt for the rift in time and space that would lead me back home. It was there, but it wasn't big enough. The thread that kept me connected to my own dimension was thin. I cursed again and opened my eyes. The silhouette was still under the tree. They hadn't moved.

I held up my hand and waved again. The person began to walk down the hill towards me. I was warned strongly not to talk to people from other dimensions if I could avoid it. The Butterfly Effect was the bane of my existence. I looked around desperately for something - anything - that could help me. There was nothing.

I bent my knees slightly and clenched my hands into fists, recalling the boxing lessons I had been learning since preschool. As the person grew nearer, I began to see facial features. It was a man, maybe six feet tall. His head was shaved and his expression was blank. He wore a blue jumpsuit, there seemed to be letters stitched into the fabric but the man wasn't close enough for me to read them.

"Hello!" I called, hoping that the man would respond. He kept silent and kept walking. "I'm gonna have to ask you to stop where you are, man," I said, hoping against hope he would listen. He didn't. He was close enough now that if I squinted I could read the words stitched to his jumpsuit.

Prisoner # 102938473

"Dude! Stop where you are or I'll have to hurt you!" I called. He did not stop. He was getting closer. "Stop!" He was practically on me, his face was still blank and there was something in his eyes that frightened me. I put up my hands and punched in the face. I felt his nose shatter under my fist. I jumped backward as blood gushed from his nose.

"What do you want?" I asked, watching the man over my fists. He didn't speak but came lumbering towards me again. I jumped to the side as he reached out to grab me. He stumbled but didn't fall. He turned and came at me again. I punched him in the jaw this time.

He reeled backward, his arms windmilling. I kicked him the chest, he toppled over. I straddled him and grabbed the collar of his jumpsuit with one hand and held my fist threateningly above him. He blinked slowly and worked his jaw. "What do you want with me?" I asked him again. He gazed into my eyes but did not speak. I held tighter to his jumpsuit and closed my eyes. I began to look for the rift that would let me go home. It was there, and it was open, but no big enough. It would be crazy dangerous to try and shove myself through it, but I had to get out of here. I opened my eyes and looked down at the man beneath me. He was smiling.

"They want you." He said. I was so shocked I let go of his jumpsuit. He disappeared with a crack. I stayed where I was, kneeling in the grass that reached above my head.

The prisoner had Dimensia too, I thought, how is that possible? I shook my head and closed my eyes. The rift was big enough now. I reached out with my mind and latched onto the thread connecting me to my own dimension. I felt a pull in my navel and heard the distant crack.

When I opened my eyes, I was kneeling on my bed. I wasn't feeling any less shaken then I had a moment ago. I crawled off my bed and got dressed quickly. I left my room and headed for the living room. My mom and dad were sitting on the couch watching the morning news.

"Hi, Honey. You slept late." My mom said, smiling at me from the couch. She saw the expression on my face and her smile fell. "What's wrong?" She stood up and grabbed me by the shoulders. My dad muted the TV and watched me anxiously.

"I was in a different dimension."

"Was it bad?" My dad asked. I nodded. "Tell us what happened."

I shook my head and said, "I need to tell Grandmother, is it alright if I go there before I tell you?"

"Honey, are you sure?" My mom touched my cheek and looked into my eyes. She was always nervous when I dimension hopped.

"Yes." My mom nodded and let me go. I kissed her on the cheek and walked to the door. I grabbed my keys off the hook and closed the door behind me.

"Mrs. Michaels? Your grandson is here to see you." The nurse said, leading me into the room. My grandmother was sitting in her bed, a book open on her lap. My grandmother saw the look on my face and said,

"That will be all, Melissa thank you." The nurse smiled at me and left us alone. I walked to my grandmother's bed and sat down at her feet. "What's wrong Victor?" I took a deep breath and began telling her my story. She didn't say a word the whole time, just sat and listened to me.

"And that's what happened," I said, I looked down at my hands folded in my lap, waiting for her to answer. When she didn't, I glanced up at her. She was staring at me like I was on my death bed. "Grandmother?"

"Victor, I'm going to speak to you like an adult. This is very bad. These people, they aren't good."

"Who are they?" I asked.

"The Council."

"What?"

"They're called The Council. It's a group of women who oversee everyone with Dimensia. They make sure we don't break the laws of the universe."

"How come you didn't tell me about them?"

"You weren't allowed to know."

"Why not?"

"The Council doesn't allow men with Dimensia to roam free. It was the price I paid to keep you with your parents."

"I don't understand," I said. The confusion I had felt when I was fighting the prisoner was back, worse even.

"Let me explain, no questions until I'm done." She said, "The Council was created by the first ever dimension travelers. There were ten of them from the Core Dimensions. Nine women and one man. They came together and decided upon the laws of the universe, what dimension travelers could and could not do.

"They worked together for years, creating an underground for those with Dimensia, men, and women. Then, the grandson of the male Council member, Nikolos, did something he shouldn't have.

"He saved Rome from falling in Dimension Eight. The Roman empire never fell, they still rule the world in that dimension. No one would dare change their timeline again.

"He became emperor, and his family has ruled Rome Eight ever since. He became a disgrace among certain members of the dimension traveler underground, and an inspiration to men with Dimensia in the Core Dimensions. After that, men began finding dimensions where they could rule.

"Seven of the ten Core Dimensions had men ruling an empire or kingdom. Some women had taken control too, but only a few. In Dimension Six, a Mary Queen of Scot's impersonator took control of England, Scotland, and France." My grandmother paused for a breath and I opened my mouth to speak, but she silenced me with a look.

"So, around ten years after Nikolos took control of Rome Eight, The Council came together and made a rule. They decided that men were unfit to live with Dimensia. They built a bubble dimension, they call it the Last Dimension. It's a prison. It's built for men with Dimensia, and it's run by Nikolos's family. He had a brother, you see, one who was completely loyal to The Council.

"He was disgusted with his brother's actions and swore fealty to The Council. He hunted down his brother himself and locked him in the Last Dimension. From that day forward, boys born with the condition have been taken from their cribs and sent to the Last Dimension. They have people there to take care of the babies, but it's not a good place to grow up in." She finished with a shuddering breath, but I still had so many questions.

"Why wasn't I sent to the Last Dimension?" I asked.

"You were." She said, I started to speak but she cut me off, "I went to The Council and begged them for your release. Your mother was furious, your father was terrified. They had only had you for a day. Our family is descended from one of the original Council members, it was enough to convince them to free you on one condition; I had to keep you secluded from the rest of our people. You were never supposed to know they existed."

I stared at my grandmother, my thoughts were moving a hundred miles an hour. There was so much I wanted to ask.

"Why do they want me now? What did I do?"

My grandmother reached out and touched my cheek. Her eyes, brown like my mothers, like mine, were filled with tears. "I don't know." I had never seen her cry before.

"What do I do?" I said, feeling helpless.

"I'll speak to The Council tonight. You stay at home and don't go dimension hopping." I stared at my grandmother, the look in her eyes frightened me. Did she really believe that The Council would leave me alone? "Victor, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Grandmother," I replied. She took her hand from my cheek and wiped her face. She nodded to herself and picked up her book.

She said, "I'll let you know what happened when I get back from Dimension One." I stood and went to leave, but I hesitated at the door.

"Grandmother?" I looked back at her, she had her book open again.

"Yes?"

"I love you." Her eyes stayed on her book, but I thought I saw another tear roll down her face.

"I love you too, Victor." I looked at her a moment longer, then left her room.

I sat in my bed, throwing a tennis ball up and catching it over and over again. It was seven thirty, seven and a half hours after I had spoken to my grandmother. When I had gotten home my mother ambushed me and forced me to tell her what had happened that morning.

As I recalled my story, my mother had gotten angrier and angrier. She hugged me tight when I had finished my story, then broke into a very fast rant. I didn't catch most of it, all I heard was "How dare they!" and "My son would never!". I smiled at her and told her Grandmother would fix it. She fizzled out wandered into the kitchen, wringing her hands.

My father patted me on the back and said. "I'm sure it will be alright son. If it's not, we'll just set your mother on them." He chuckled and followed after my mother.

Now, I caught my tennis ball again. I threw it up, I caught it. I threw it up, I caught it. I sighed and rolled onto my stomach, the tennis ball fell to the floor and rolled under my desk. I rested my chin on my hands and glared at my pillow. The waiting was going to kill me, I was sure of it.

I hung around my room until my mother wandered in at ten forty-five with a plate of cookies. She set them and my nightstand and kissed me on the forehead. "Are you going to school tomorrow?" She said, sitting on my bed and taking a cookie.

"Grandmother said to stay at home, I don't wanna risk The Council coming to my school." I sat up and grabbed a cookie as well. "Is that alright?"

"Yeah, of course, it is. Your dad and I work tomorrow, do you think it will be safe to leave you here alone?"

"Probably," I took a bite of my cookie and chewed thoughtfully. Eventually, my mother bid me goodnight and left me alone with my cookies and my thoughts.

I don't know when I fell asleep, but I dreamed about the prisoner. We were slow dancing in a large room, it looked like an amphitheater. The benches were gilded with gold and silver, the light seemed to bounce off them and into my eyes. The prisoner dipped me and his face loomed above me. He was smiling, his mouth was filled with blood.

I screamed and woke up. Thankfully, I was in my room. I covered my face with my hands and laid back on my pillow, I breathed deeply for a few moments. With a final large breath, I took my hands from my face and rolled out of bed.

I didn't bother to get dressed but wandered into my kitchen to make breakfast. I put the toast in the toaster and leaned against the counter while I waited. The face of the prisoner flashed across my mind, I groaned and pressed my forehead into the cupboard above the toaster. My toast popped a second later and I jumped.

I mumbled curse words under my breath as I buttered it. I took a bite as I wandered into my living room. I plopped down onto my couch and searched for the remote. I spent a good portion of my day watching Glee. Every once and awhile I would get up and go to the bathroom or find something else to eat.

Staying home with nothing to do was never a good thing for me, I ate every snack food we had in the house and I hardly left the couch. It was very unhealthy, but it was all I could think of doing without attracting the attention of The Council.

Around noon, my father came home for lunch. He brought me a foot long from Subway and glanced warily at the pile of snacks and crumbs around me. "Are you sure you're okay with staying in all day? Maybe you could go for a run or something?" He asked.

"Grandmother said to stay home, I don't want The Council attacking me on the street," I said, wiping my mouth on a Subway napkin. My dad frowned at me.

"I know you hate it when I sit around all day, but there's not much I can do."

"Maybe you could run a few laps around the backyard or something?" He suggested. I glanced at him and my resolve crumbled.

"Yeah, I guess I can do that." He smiled at me and clapped me on the back as he stood up.

"I'll see you tonight, Victor. Be good." He said, smiling at me as he closed the front door behind him. I sighed and pushed myself out of my crumb pile.

"Pitiful," I said with a glance at my crumbs, there was a clear area shaped like my butt. I went back to my room and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top. I didn't bother with shoes, the whole of my backyard was grass. My father took great pride in his lawns, he was determined to have the best on the block.

I walked outside and closed the sliding door shut behind me. I groaned and started on my laps.

I was back on the couch. I had done twenty laps around my backyard, taken a shower, and finished season five of Glee. In the matter of Netflix, I had a very productive day. I was about to start season six when my front door flew open. I jumped and launched myself off the couch. I threw my fists up and glared at the doorway.

My grandmother walked in, her silver hair up in a tight bun and her purse hanging off her arm. She wore a coat despite it being April. I dropped my arms and stepped toward her.

"Did you talk to The Council?" I asked. Her expression became stony. She walked into my living room and glanced disdainfully at my spot on the couch. "Grandmother, please."

"I did."

"What did they say?" I took a step towards her.

"They want to see you." She didn't look at me, instead, she fiddled with the straps of her purse.

"When?"

"As soon as possible." She walked up to me and touched my arm. "Go make yourself presentable, Victor." I looked at her a moment longer, then left her to get ready.

Fifteen minutes later, I was standing with my grandmother in the suit I usually wore to church. My hair was combed and my teeth were brushed. I didn't feel as nice as I looked. "I've called your parents, they know where we're going. They told me to tell you that they love you and that they'll see you again soon." My grandmother said, looking up at me, her brow furrowed. She reached up and straightened my tie. "Are you ready?"

I nodded, "Yes."

"I need you to think about an amphitheater. The benches are white, marble, their edges are gold and silver." I flinched at her words, but my grandmother either didn't notice or pretended not too. "Keep that amphitheater in your mind. Now, find your doorway, Victor. Do you see the amphitheater?"

"Yes."

"Go to it." She said. I reached out with my mind and latched onto the amphitheater. I felt the pull in my navel and heard the crack. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was there, in the amphitheater from my dream. The sun reflected into my eyes, but not as blindingly as in my dream, I could still see. I looked around and saw that there were people in the seats, watching.

My grandmother stood next to me. She reached out and grabbed my arm. "You can't leave until they say so, understand? Only speak when spoken to, and don't say anything stupid." I nodded and tried to swallow the nervous lump in my throat.

"Victor Graves, welcome to Dimension One." Said a booming voice. I looked around and saw a group of women sitting behind a table. They had a little platform taking up one section of the seats in the amphitheater. There were nine of them, all middle-aged or older. They wore white robes and their hair was pulled back in what looked like braids.

They were outlined in the white light, somewhere in my mind I thought they should have looked like angels, but they brought me no comfort.

"We have called you here to discuss your future." Said the woman in the middle of the table, the booming voice belonged to her. "Your grandmother has persuaded us not to send you to The Last Dimension immediately. You will be judged and your fate will be decided." She smiled.

"Have you intentionally traveled to any of the Core Dimensions?" Asked a woman at the right end of the table.

"No," I answered.

"Why is that?"

"My grandmother told me it was forbidden." The woman nodded a few times, picked up what looked like a quill and scribbled something.

"Have you intentionally traveled to any dimension outside of the Core Dimensions?" Said the next woman in line, her quill at the ready.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"My grandmother had me travel to dimensions to train me." The questions continued from here. Each woman in turn, from right to left, asked me a single question each. They asked me which dimensions I had traveled to, how long I usually stayed, if I had ever spoken to someone and how long, if I had ever hurt or been hurt by someone, how long it took for my window home to open.

"And finally, who do you believe we should let you continue to live your life as you have been?" The woman in the middle asked. I blinked and thought about it for a moment.

Eventually, I said, "I'm a stranger to the way most people with my powers have lived, but I still have these powers and f-feel that I've never abused them. I-I was raised to believe in justice, and if I've done anything that b-breaks your laws I will face my punishment. W-whatever that may be." I clenched my fists to stop them shaking. I was really, really hoping they wouldn't send me to The Last Dimension. I breathed deeply a few times, trying to master myself. Are my knees shaking? I thought.

The women at the table were all passing papers to the woman in the middle. She didn't look at me while she gathered the papers and began to read through them. I took the moment to look around the amphitheater.

The seats were filled with women. They ranged from teenagers to the elderly. They wore a mixture of robes and normal clothes. Most looked at me with disdain, a few looked curious. A few teenage girl's to my right were giggling behind their hands and whispering to each other. When they noticed me looking, they smiled and waved. An older woman behind them leaned down and whispered to them, a stern look on her face.

The girls rolled their eyes but didn't giggle or whisper anymore. The woman behind them glared at me and I decided it was time to look at The Council again. The woman in the middle was just setting down her last paper. She laced her fingers and looked down at me.

"The Council had reached a stalemate. Half believe that Victor Graves should go free. The other half believe he should be sent to The Last Dimension." Said the woman with the booming voice, the women in the amphitheater seemed to grow quieter if that was possible. "We will now ask you, the people, to decide the fate of Victor Graves. Raise your hand if you think he should be able to return to his normal life."

I looked around as hands rose into the air. It was impossible to try and count them. I noticed that the group of girls had their hands up.

"Should he be sent to The Last Dimension?" Hands in the air again, I glanced around. Was that more than last time? "It has been decided. Victor Graves, you have one minute to say goodbye.

"What?" I asked stupidly. I turned and looked at my grandmother. Tears were streaming down her face. I felt tears of my own rising behind my eyes. My grandmother stepped forward and hugged me tightly.

"Victor, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobbed into my chest, I hugged her back.

"Grandmother." I said, a thousand thoughts shooting through my mind, "Tell my mom and dad I love them. I love them so much. I love you. Grandmother, I love you. It's not your fault, okay? Don't blame yourself. Please don't blame yourself. I want... I want there to be a funeral so my friends can say goodbye." I let the tears stream down my face, there was no point in trying to stop them.

"Oh, Victor. I love you." Her body shook, I had never known how tiny she was, how frail.

"Your time is up, Victor Graves." Said the woman with the booming voice. A fresh wave of sobbing took over my grandmother. She gripped me as tight as she could. I had never seen her like this. You'll never see her again. I thought. "Evelyn, you need to let him go." The woman said. She was obviously trying to sound calming, but the effect was lost on my grandmother and I. When my grandmother didn't let go, I slowly pried her away from me.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She sobbed, I touched her cheek. She covered her face with her hands and stumbled back a few steps. It felt like my heart was being ripped in two. I tore my eyes away from my grandmother and glared up at The Council. The woman in the middle glared right back.

"You will be escorted to The Last Dimension now. You will not fight, you will not struggle. You will obey. Do you understand?" Said the Councilwoman. I didn't respond. A loud crack rang around the amphitheater. I was suddenly grabbed by two men, they were wearing the jumpsuits of the prisoner I had met.

I did not fight back, I did not struggle. I obeyed. I didn't know it then, but I was setting an example for future generations of men with Dimensia. I was innocent, and everyone would know it. I looked over my shoulder at my grandmother, she was still sobbing but she looked over her hands at me. We locked eyes.

Crack!

#wps17

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