Revolution
by: Jeff Rutsch

"So, how was your workout, Akane?" asked Kasumi.
"Tough." was Akane's only response.  Indeed, she was covered in sweat.
She went up to her room and dropped her gym bag off in her room and
got a towel to wipe off her sweat.  She walked back downstairs.
"Why don't you take a bath before dinner?"
"I know that, Kasumi."  There was a bit of hostility in her voice.
"Just reminding you," Kasumi answered sweetly.
"Yeah...well, you've reminded me enough times in my life."
"Akane?"
"Yeah?"
"Is something wrong?"
Akane paused.
"No...well, only a little.  Kasumi, I'm sorry that I snapped at you."
"Apology accepted.  Now hurry up, dinner'll be ready in half an hour!"
"Ok, ok!"  By the time Akane had returned from her bath the family was
starting dinner.
"Sorry I took so long" apologized Akane.
"No problem.  There's plenty of food for everybody, so eat up!" said
Kasumi, cheerfully.
"Thanks, sis."  Akane sat down and served herself her food.
"So where'd you go, anyway?" asked Ranma.
"To take a bath!  Why do you think my hair's wet?"
"No...I knew that.  I mean, after school."
"Oh, for my workout?  You know...down by the park."
"Really?  Too bad...I musta missed you."
"What do you mean, too bad?" interrupted Nabiki.
"I meant...too bad I didn't see Akane there."
"Why is that so bad?" asked Nabiki.
"Because...because...I woulda like to workout with her."
"You would've liked to work out with me?" asked Akane.
"Yeah.  I mean, it's...you know...fun to talk.  Even if you're not the
most challenging opponent, I'd still rather spar with you than anybody
else."
"So you think I'd be holding you back?"
"No...Well, I've trained more, that's all."
"You're such a jerk." Ranma looked shocked.  He didn't respond.

**

"Akane?"
"Yeah, Kasumi?"
"I'm about to do a load of wash, and your gi isn't here."
"Sorry about that, Kasumi.  I'll be right back."  Akane ran to the
bath and got both her gi and her towel.  She came back downstairs and
brought them to Kasumi.
"Thank you, Akane."
"Welcome!"  Akane turned to leave.
"Akane?"
"Yeah?"
"There's something I want to talk about."
"What is it, Kasumi?"
"Not now.  Want to walk to the store with me?  We can talk about it
then."
"Sure...I guess."  Kasumi went to the kitchen, got a shopping list,
and walked out the front door.  Akane followed her.  Together they
walked the short walk to the store.
"How do you feel about Ranma?" asked Kasumi.  Akane was taken by
surprise.
"About Ranma?"
"Yes.  You love him, don't you?"  Akane blushed, but didn't answer.
"Do you?" repeated Kasumi.
"Yeah...I guess."
"Then why don't you give him a chance?"
"What?  He always acts like a jerk!  I don't even know why I can stand
him!  Like today at the dinner table...it's so great how he constantly
brings up my inferiority, and..."
"Akane?"  Kasumi paused, to get back Akane's attention.  "He was
trying to make fun of you.  He can be a bit clumsy at times...but he
tries."
"Well, he's doing a great job."
"At least he's trying."
"What?"
"I don't think you've ever shown Ranma how you feel about him.  Why
don't you, just once?"
"That's not true!"
"It seems that way..." Kasumi asnwered.  Akane didn't respond.
"Well..." Kasumi coninued, "Give it some thought." Akane still didn't
respond.  Akane and Kasumi walked the rest of the way to the store in
silence.

**

Akane sat on the bed of her friend, Yokho.  They had met at the store,
and Kasumi had surmised it would be all right for Akane to spend the
night at her friend's house.
"That guy can be such a jerk.  Why is John friends with him, anyways?"
asked Akane.
"Who knows?  Maybe he's not such a jerk around other guys."
"Speaking of John..." Akane paused and looked up at her friend.  Yokho
blushed.
"Nothing's happening.  I've told you that."
"Well, something has to be happening.  I saw you with him the other
day."
"We're just friends.  I've told you that."
"Then what were you doing?"
"We just went to see a movie."
"Oh yeah.  Nothing's happening" said Akane, sarcastically.
"It isn't!  We just went as friends.  You act as if that's weird or
something."
"You went to see 'When Harry Met Sally?'"
"Yeah."
"No guy would see that if they're just a friend.  They'd go see a
Jackie Chan movie or something."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?  He likes you.  Admit it.  Why are you trying to hide it?"
Yokho blushed.
"Sometimes I'm jealous of you."
"Jealous of me?  Why?"
"Because...you have Ranma there for you."
"Believe me, it's nothing to be jealous about."
"Yeah...yeah, it it is.  You have a guy there for you.  I don't know
what John's up to.  I mean, OK, I think he likes me, but what if he's
just friends?  Or what if he just wants...you know?  And you don't
have to worry about it all."
"You're just saying that because you're not engaged to the jerk."
Yokho laughed.
"What so funny?" asked Akane, raising her voice.
"You say stuff like that all the time, but it's so obvious you don't
mean it."
"Yeah I do!"
"Admit it, Akane.  Ranma's a really nice guy."
"No he's not!"
"Yeah he is!"
"No he's *not*!" Yokho paused.
"Okay.  Can I make a guess?"
"A guess?  Sure."
"Okay.  So, Ranma and you got in a fight today."
"Yeah!"
"Did it involve your cooking?"
"Not this time..."
"Oh ok.  I got it then.  So, he tries to start a conversation with
you."
"Yeah..."
"And he inadvertently says something insulting."
"It was intentional!" Yokho ignored Akane.
"He didn't mean to insult you by it."
"Yeah..." Akane admitted.
"And so you point out what he said, he gets confused and says
something else..."
"Yeah..."
"Then you call him a jerk and he calls you a tomboy."
"No!  That's not it at all!  He..." Akane paused.
"Yeah?"
"He didn't call me a tomboy." Yokho looked at Akane.
"Are our fights really that predictable?" asked Akane.
"Yep." answered Yokho immediately.
"How embarrassing..." Akane looked depressed.
"Maybe you should make up with him" responded Yokho, eventually.
"And how would I do that?"
"Just say that you're sorry."
"No way!"
"Akane..."

**

"Hey Ranma."
"Oh, hello Akane."  Ranma looked a bit flustered.  "I thought...I
thought you were staying at Yokho's for the night?"
"I was.  But...I changed my mind."
"You did?  Why?"
"Because...I wanted to say something."
"What?"
"I'm...well, about our argument over dinner."
"Oh...yeah.  What about it?"
"I'm sorry.  Sorry I got all mad at you...I know you weren't trying to
insult me." There was an uncomfortable pause before Ranma responded.
"I'm sorry too."
"Sorry?  What for?"
"Sorry if I hurt your feeling.  Even...even if I didn't mean it."
"Oh Ranma..."  Akane looked at Ranma.  He looked the same as he always
did, but somehow he looked so much better.  It took all the effort she
could muster just to avoid kissing him.

Jeff

****jdrutsch@ucdavis.edu***********************Jeff Rutsch************* 
"Ranma's not a boy...he's a girl!"
"Akane is MY fiancee!  You TOUCH her, and I'll KILL you!"
"Ranma, change back into a boy while I buy you some time."
"But if I seem to act unkind/it's only me, it's not my mind."
"Ranma [sic],/give your heart to Akane [sic]. /Soon,/right away."
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