'K dok, here be the not-so-grand finale. :) It isn't a
hot one in my opinion, so I'd really appreciate any comments
on this part.



Chapter 25
 
[Outskirts of Nerima, Night]
 
(Ranma is still hugging Akane; they go on for a while longer,
 and reluctantly Ranma loosens his embrace around her)
 
Akane: (Blushing) Ra-Ranma...
 
Ranma: Akane...
 (Begins to lower his head, but snaps it right back up) Woah.
 
Akane: (Slightly annoyed) What? (Turns around) Oh. 
 
(It's Shampoo; she seems rather... freaked out)
 
Shampoo: (Waving her hands up and down) Ahhhh! No kill me,
 Ranma, please! Shampoo about to leave!
 (Ranma looks puzzled for a second)
 
Akane: P-Ran.
 
Shampoo: (Sinks to her knees) Shampoo try leave, but she not know
 how! Last time she swim, but Shampoo can't go back as cat...
 
Akane: (Rolling her sleeves up) Hey, you want to go back the same
 way you came?
 
Shampoo: Through mail? Shampoo thought that, but she can no close
 herself in box.
 
Akane: I'll do that for you Shampoo, if you like. 
 
Shampoo: (Looks at Akane miserably, then lowers her head)
 Since Ranma want Shampoo to leave... Shampoo cannot help
 but ask Akane for help.
 
Akane: (Realizes what she's offering to do)
 (Puts a hand on Shampoo's shoulder) Shampoo... are you sure?
 
Shampoo: (Looks up at Ranma, who's just watching) I... I... sure. 
 
Akane: All right.. wait a sec.
 (Goes up to Ranma, and whispers in his ear) Aren't you going to object?
 
Ranma: (Looks at the woeful Shampoo) Well... I'll miss her-
 (Akane starts to get angry) I mean she was a friend and all-
 (Akane calms down) But... if I know P-Ran, he's not going to give
 up anytime soon. (Akane nods)
 
 
(Post Office, Next Morning)
 
 
Akane: (Holding a box at the counter) ...
 
Man: You's gonna send it or not?
 
Ranma: (Pushes the box to the man) Here.
 
Man: Hey, if you don't wanna send it you don't 'ave to.
 
Akane: No... we we're going to.
 
Man: (Picking up the package) (Muttering) Just some dumb package,
 what's their problem?
 
Ranma: (Quietly) Good-bye, Shampoo...
 (Akane looks at Ranma's reaction, and sighs, but leaves him alone)
 
 
[A white light takes over the screen]
 
 
Epilogue
 
[After school, shopping district]
 
Akane: *Ranma, you jerk! I'll cook something so good
 that not even you could say a bad thing about it!* (Hugs the
 grocery bag she's holding, and we hear metal being squeezed)
 
Kasumi: (Also holding a grocery bag) Akane, please don't hold
 the bags so tightly, you might crush the cans again.
 
Akane: ... 
 
Kasumi: (Looking at to the left) Oh my, isn't that Ranma over there?
 
(Akane looks over at where Kasumi is looking, and sees Ranma
 running for his life; hot on his trail is Kodachi, and not far behind
 him is Shampoo on her bike)
 
Kodachi: Ranma-sama! Don't run, I've all ready have the ceremony
 all planned out! (Takes out a suit from out of nowhere) See? This is
 what you'll wear! I know you'll look marvelous!
 
Shampoo: You leave Ranma alone, maniac-girl!
 
Ranma: I've told you all ready, I never planned on marrying her!
 
Kodachi: (Stopping, her eyes tearing) You... (Bursts into tears)
 You evil, evil evil man! After I went through so much trouble,
 all for you.... ohhhh!
 
Ranma: Hey! (Pats Kodachi on the back) I mean, at least not yet,
 right? Heh heh heh...
 
Kodachi: (Stops crying) Oh, Ranma-sama!
 (Throws her arms around him)
 
Akane: Grrrrrr....
 
Shampoo: Ranma. (Ranma turns to look at Shampoo, still trying to
 get Kodachi off him. He turns pale when Shampoo jumps into a
 nearby fountain, and latches onto Ranma's face)
 
Ranma: AHHHHH!!! GET IT OFFA ME!!! (Runs off, Kodachi and
 Shampoo still holding onto him)
 
Akane: (Shaking her head) That Ranma...
 
Nodoka: (Walking up to Kasumi and Akane) Hello, are you two
 doing grocery shopping?
 
Kasumi: (Smiling) Oh, hello Auntie.
 
Akane: Auntie! Er, it's good to see you again.
 
Nodoka: (Nodding) You too, Akane. Would you like me to help
 you, Kasumi?
 
Kasumi: You don't need to, Auntie.
 
Nodoka: I insist. (Takes a bag from Kasumi's hands) You know... I
 had this very strange dream last night...
 
Akane: Like what?
 
Nodoka: (Sighs) I dreamt that I met Ranma...  he was so manly.
 (Tries to remember) But he had this problem... oh, why can't I remeber?
 I also kind of remember Ranko-chan getting very upset at a boy called
 P-Ran. But that's about all that I can remember.
 
Akane: (Blinking, somewhat disturbed) You know... I could swear I've
 heard that name before...
 
Kasumi: Oh my, I think I've met someone called P-Ran too.
 
                         (The three of them look at each other)
 
 
                                        The End


Written by: Isabel Arantes
Thought up by: Isabel Arantes
Special Thanks to: Bruce Brunk, Sage, and anyone else who botherd to reply.
Thanks to: To anyone who botherd t read it in the first place. ^_^


The author's notes that no one ever reads:

	I first thought this up after I had read the first coupld
of chapters of 'Ghost Tails' by sage. (If you haven't read it, read it)
I started thinking up various ways to, er prevent what happend in it,
one of which included someone like P-Ran. (I had reversed the people
caught in the sitation) I never thought I'd actually write it,
since for one I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it, and two,
some idea should remain in the mind and not go into paper. But one
un-fateful Saturday when I noticed that an awful lot of new fanfics
had been posted here that day, I decided just to go for it. Be
happy, groan and wish you hadn't posted your fic that day, do
whatever you like, it happend anyway. :)
	At first I had planned to concentrate more on Akane's death;
but seeing at the alamring number of Ranma fanfics that dealt with
death or some injury really got to me: I was doing a cliche story!
So instead, I worked on the relationship between my favourite
characters and P-Ran. I had always wanted to write a Shinosuke-type
fic anyway, but didn't dare to. (I loosley based this aspect
of the story on anywhere the main couple nearly break up in any
of takahashi's stories: all the problems surging from misunderstandings)
	To anyone that complains that I didn't explain how
P-Ran got ther in the first place, or what ever happend to Mousse,
or any other major thing I left out: The whole thing is such a 
rough draft you wouldn't believe it. Of course, somethings will
never be explained (ie. How did the everyone at school react to
two Ranma's) since I don't think they belong in there.

   If you don't get the ending, read the first chapter. If you
still don't get the ending...
        Without Shampoo in Japan to kill Akane, Akane doesn't die
on the appointed date; if Akane doesn't die, P-Ran would never
exist; if P-Ran never existed, this would never happend. The first
bit of the epilogue was takne right out of chapter 1, right before
'Purple-Ranma' is introduced.

	Tchau, thanks a ton for reading, and do me a favor (not as
if you wanted to do me one anway :)) by sending me comments.


	Isabel Arantes