"Feh, that's more then fine with me." Ranma was actually relieved, he didn't want to deal with girlfriends anytime soon right now. Or so he told himself. Zyrna wasn't that bad once you got to know her, but he wasn't going to go that route if he could help it.

Ranma then turned to Fabian. "Who needs em anyway huh big guy?"

"....." The tall man just blinked once. "But without them, none us would be here."

"You have to bring logic into this."

Sydney tuned out the other conversation since it didn't pretain to her much, though she was confused about the boys comment. "When are you leaving?"

* *

"Silly." Shinta started once she finally had time to answer. "Of course I want to go out with a date with you, I was wondering when you'd finally ask."

Rolan paused at this. "So I guess we Did interrupt something. Not that's any of my business but congrats I guess."

"By the way, sweetie," Zyrna added in a mischievous whisper, "if you're even thinkin' about the possibility that I may actually like you, sorry to burst your bubble but I'd sooner get back together with Bo. Capische? Oh, hiya Sid!" Zyrna knelt down and ruffled up the girl's hair a bit. "Come on, I have a few errands to run later but let's get you some chocolate milk and some nice, greasy, unhealthily-good junk food. Kidding. I'm sure they have nice food for growing little princesses like yourself." She picked the little girl up and winked at Ranma. "Remember, honey, no telling Akira--and on a more important note, not even Rolan. You know how the poor dear gets. 'Sides, the lovebirds need time for some icky fickly romance. Sydney, promise big sister Zee you won't ever ever like boys, okay? When you're older I'll explain everything."

**

"If I asked you out and you said 'yes', would that help?" Gavin asked in one quick, almost inaudible breath, half-meaning and half-joking with the question. Before Shinta could answer he had waved at Akira and climbed aboard.
"What was that about hmm?" Akira asked, grinning.
"Nothing," Gavin mouthed, pouting. "Could we go back now please? I need to rest and my injuries are still killin' me."

(OCC: Sorry for the wait)

Ranma scowled and moved away a bit before Zee could mess with again, playful or not. "Quit hitting me will ya? I got enough of that from the uncute tomboy I had for my fiance."

What if all that hitting meant she was starting to like him?

'Damn it.'

Sydney thankfully interrupted the conversation by very gently tugging at the witches leg. "..Do you have anything to eat here?" She spoke in a quite voice normally but since she was shy with the new people and enviroment it made things a bit worse.

* *

Shinta resisted the urge to hit him. She hated when he did that and it got tiring after a while. "I'm going to get that self-pity stuff out of you one way or the other if its the last thing I do Gavin." The female ninja was somewhat thankful to see the forms of Rolan and Akira land in front of them, she needed the distraction.

"Thought you guys could use a ride." Rolan's voice, as normal when in dragon form was deeper. Of course it made sense, seeing how his normal voice wouldn't fit. "Climb on."

"Hmm. Ah, I know! So that Akira doesn't suspect a thing, you start training her while Shinta and I go and pay Bo a nice, nerve-wracking visit, eh?" Zyrna pinched Ranma on the cheek then playfully slapped his face. "Good boy I knew you'd come through!"

**

"Too lucky, I'd say. You must really like me if you keep tolerating my crap," Akira said, smiling. "Oh, look down below! Shinta and Gavin! Tsk, I bet Zyrna stranded them, too. What say we swoop down and join them so we can all go back to the Palace together?"

**

"Alright. But in fairness to me, I only get like this when I'm around you. Oh, geez, what a line--dammit, there I go with the self-depreciation again. See my point?" Gavin said, laughing at his own foolishness. "Well at least we have some time to hang out alo--on second thought, not-so-alone." He squinted up, seeing Rolan's dragon-form coming closer. Akira...she and Rolan are so lucky. Maybe, just maybe, I'm only wishing I had her good fortune. He looked at the ninja beside him. I don't know why I still haven't taken the chance and told her yet, and now I'm getting all confused when it comes to the girl I--

"Shinta! Gavin! Hope we're not interrupting anything, but I think it's high time we showed ourselves to Akire and the irritable fangboy who happens to be her fiance," Akira called out.

Just bumping, but if you don't want to continue that's fine.

Ranma wasn't sure if he was too crazy about the whole thing. "Your ex sounds like a real winner but I can't really talk either." He shrugged.

* *

Shinta sighed. "I wish you would stop beating yourself up. Your fine Gavin, I like hanging around you and you're a nice guy. So stop beating yourself up okay?"

* *

Rolan seemed happy about the news. "It's all right, I'm not as upset about it anymore. It's lucky you have me to keep you grounded huh?" He teased her.

"Hmm. I'll look the guy up then. Among other things. Again, I'm kidding. It's just that I know somebody who just might be able to help us with Akira's little power-problem. And yes, he's an ex-boyfriend," Zee said. "And he may not be too keen to see me. Tff. Right. He'll complain when I'm around but he still keeps some of my stuff, the jerk. If you think I'm a natural-born crook, he's a natural-born lush. He's in the blackmarket right now, but I have to say he ain't doin' so well."

*

Gavin flexed his shoulder and checked his bandaged injuries; they still hurt, but he can manage them now that they were bandaged up and Shinta was helping him along. No doubt he has no complaints about the ninja getting up close to him. "Well, you know me, I'm a fast learner. With motivation, of course," he said, grinning, imagining his next training session with Shinta, then blushing as he tried getting rid of the mental image. "Sorry. Can't help it. Not very often beautiful girls would willingly spend time with a douche like me."
*
"Aww, wasn't thinking about the 'wise dragon' stereotype, I was going along the lines of the 'wise boyfriend' stereotype," Akira said, grinning, before pondering her options. "Well, no. The Council kinda pre-selects these things, like with me and Akire. If I abdicate my position, they'll tell me to train a replacement. And, well...it's not that they're corrupt, being pseudo-incorporeal beings they aren't much attached to those things, it's just that they're rather....anal. Last I heard though the next one's most likely going to be a guy." She paused, thinking, then said, "You know, I'm really sorry for up and leaving you like that. I'm, well, I'm going to try and think things through more properly next time. Not that I'm saying there's going to be a next time--um, hopefully."

Ranma turned a bit red but never the less moved away. "Geez Zee cut it out." Even after all this time he was still more then a bit clueless about the opposite gender but he had gotten better at manners. Somewhat.

"What? I don't stalk people, if you wanna stalker you should ask a friend of mine named Mouse."

Sydney blinked a bit at the display and turned to her guardian who merely shook his head.

* *
Shinta helped Gavin the best she could as they walked. "Don't strain yourself too much big guy. I have to say you weren't too bad back there, still needs some work but its a lot better then before. I'm going have to fix that when you get better."

Lucky Gavin. That meant more training time with the ninja, a blessing and a curse at once. Perk? Get to see her with less clothes to stay cool. Downside? Training was a bitch.

* *

Rolan adjusted his flight a bit. "I really hate the wise dragon sterotype but I'll give you some advice. I think you follow your heart as far as the next Paladin is concerned but I'll help. Two questions. How picky is the council and do they have to be a girl? But the bigger question is, do you really want to go through with this in the first place? It sounds to me like the council is corrupt in its own way all things considered."

Zee clapped her hands in excitement. "I knew you'd be willing to do it!" she said gleefully, and just to annoy him a bit more she gave him several pecks on the cheek. "Now, those powers of hers. My spells are just temporary measures to slow them down or stop them for a few moments, so we're going to have to find a way...to inhibit..." Zee stopped talking, as if suddenly remembering something. Well, Bo might be able to get me what I need... "Say, Ranma, you in the mood to stalk someone?" Her ex, as far as she knew, had recently been dealing with blackmarket tech, and it just might be the perfect time to drop by. Plus, she wanted to rub it in his face that she looked better now than when she was with him.

**
"...Oh." Gavin sat up, tested his new bandages then slowly rose to his feet, cringing a bit as he did so. "Want to pay them a visit? I think I need to take it easy for awhile, anyway."

**
"Hah! You wish, dragon," Akira retorted quickly and just as teasingly, "maybe if you propose to me tomorrow at some fancy restaurant you could maybe get me to say it somehow. Besides," she added in an undertone, "there are some things I don't need to say." She pouted, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Every decision I've made so far's not coming up roses. On top of that, I know I'm going to have to face the fact that I need to find a replacement for me as Paladin. Huh, sure. Find the next unfortunate creature to be bossed around by those intergalactic eggheads. Any words of wisdom?"

Ranma shrugged. "I only know one person that might be able to train her, and I don't wanna go to the Old Ghoul. I could train Akira just in case, that way she don't gotta rely on those fancy metal powers and could get rid of them if she can't control them. I don't know any that train people with powers, most of em are just martial artist."

Super-powered martial-artist but still.

* *

"They're here and safe." Shinta replied calmly, not seemingly bothered by his comment. "I didn't want them to get hurt so having them back home seemed like the best choice."

She regarded him with faint amusement. "Relax Gavin. I'm not going to punch or anything for small things."

* *

Rolan, if possible for a giant dragon would have smirked. "You were about to save you loved me weren't you?" Even with his altered voice one could pick up his teasing tone.

"Hmm. Well you've been friends with him longer than I have, I haven't seen him angry yet," Zee replied. "Hoo boy, that's gonna be pre-tty messy. But knowing someone like him, and a girl like Akira reminds me of the last time I had a serious relationship. I think my ex's apartment still has the burn mark on the wall--but never mind about that. And if Rolan wasn't gonna do anything about it, I know Shinta will, and Gavin will turn into a human piniata either way. Oh, and you're a martial artist, right? D'you know anybody who could help Akira with her powers? Train her or something to focus or whatever. Heh, though good luck with that, what with her being with her new boytoy right now."

"I don't know, I personally think it might be helpful." Zyrna turned around and faced Akire, her arms crossed. "Hello Ranma. Zyrna," she greeted, the last one having an edge of steel in it. "So, tell me Zyrna, just where EXACTLY is Akira and her 'boytoy' right now?"

*

Gavin almost choked when Shinta put the statement so bluntly. Well, she said it, there it is. "Yeah. I know. It's--kind of obvious, what with her sadistic sense of humor." He saw Shinta finish bandaging the first part. "Thanks." Another awkward pause. Oh c'mon, Gav, don't be a sissy and talk about it already! "So, I haven't seen Alouette and Allison for awhile," he blurted out, chuckling nervously then by reflex slapping his forehead. I could already see it now, Gavin, 'Amrian killed by scorned Ninja'.

*

Akira smiled. "I really, really missed just flying with you. Let's just fly over Amria for awhile, if that's okay." She brought along a jacket and zipped it up tight, then wrapped her arms around the dragon's neck. Come to think of it, it's a nice coincidence that I have the power to turn things to silver. But if I don't master it soon, I'll have to face the fact that I need to get rid of this...and possibly return to normal, just-angsty-nothing-special Akira. Never mind. I guess it is better that I'm back. We'll find a way. And Rolan'll be beside me, at least. "Damn, I love y..." Akira stopped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. Okay, I just blurted that out... "...love being back here." I judge you, Akira, she said to herself.

Ranma gave her a strange look, his first instinc was to run away the moment Zyrna said about becoming a couple; he had enough about that stuff to last him a life time. The last thing he had wanted was to get involved in that mess. "Yeah. Better make sure, cause I don't want Rolan use those big claws of his on Gavin or turn him to a popsicle. He's a nice guy, but you know how he gets about Akira."

* *

Shinta actually frowned a little bit. "Don't be silly Gavin. If you were always giving me a headache, I wouldn't be tending to you." She continued wrapping up the first part. "Zyrna probably did this on purpose; sending us alone." She said out loud bluntly.

* *

Rolan wordlessly turned himself into a large dragon, then lowered his wing for her to ride on. "Just for old times sake, I'll make sure we won't get seen." He said in the same voice as before but deeper with a slight rumble. Once she was on safely he would take off, to where he didn't know.