I'll try this again. This is a revised version of my "Tonight's April Fools".
For some reason it didn't got through the first time. There isn't really too
many major changes, just more details were added. Any ideas, comments,
suggestions, etc., are welcome. Let me know how you think of my story.
Tonight's April Fool by Don Wang
This is story that was inspired by the song from 1991 calendar, "Tonight's April
Fools". Just a possibility of what could have in April Fool's day between Ranma
and Akane. Hope you enjoy it! By the way, things in <> are character's
thoughts. Ranma 1/2 and its related characters are all copyrighted by their
respective owners (R. Takahashi, Kitty, etc.).
(It is a Sunday morning and the date is April 1st.)
"Ahhh," stretched Ranma sleepily as he looked at the calendar.
Realizing it is April 1st, Ranma immediately decided that today would be the
perfect day to make fun of Akane. <That tomboy is so dumb, she'll be fool by
anything. I remember how embarrassed she was last year when I told her that I
loved her. The humiliation on that tomboy's face was well worth the week I
spent lying in the hospital! All I need to do is just be nice to her and she'll
fell for it for sure. It'll just be the same as last year.>
(Meanwhile, in Akane's room)
"Ahh, nice day today," mumbled Akane as she woke up, <Oh yeah, today's
April Fools Day. That Ranma, last year he made a total fool out of me. I
thought he finally changed when he said he loved me. I was about to confess my
love also but then who would have thought it was just his twisted idea for an
April Fools joke! This year, however, I'm not going to make the same mistake
again. Ranma, just you wait!>
(Ranma and Akane are now eating breakfast)
"Hey, Akane," smiled Ranma, "There's something I would like to tell you.
You're really cute today."
"Oh, really," replied Akane indifferently, "Thanks."
Ranma and Akane quickly noticed the difference in each other's behavior.
<So, the tomboy learned, didn't she.> thought Ranma, <She is actually smart
enough to figure today's April Fools! Oh well, she'll fell for my plots soon
enough.>
<Ranma, the same trick won't work again!> thought Akane, <This year,
you'll be the one who is humiliated, not me!>
Author's note: I know my logic is kind of confusing here. Ranma wanted Akane
to believe that he has changed and then so that he would be able to laugh at her
at the end of the day for believing that he has changed (and Akane vice versa).
So therefore they are reacting the exact opposite of their usual behavior.
"My, " remarked Nabiki sarcastically, "You two sure are getting along
well. Today must be a real SPECIAL day!"
"I'm so glad you two are finally getting along together," smiled Kasumi.
"Akane, I'm proud of you," sobbed Soun, "You make daddy proud! Why
didn't you two go on a date today."
Even though it is April Fool's Day, Akane and Ranma still could not
easily overcome their shyness. They simultaneous answered, "You want me to go
on a date with him (her)? No way!"
<No,> thought Ranma, <I got to act differently. After all, I'm just
pretending. I got to convince that tomboy that I've changed!> Summoning his
courage, he apologized to Akane and asked, "Sorry, Akane. I didn't mean that.
Do you want to go on a date with me?"
Akane, not to be outdone by Ranma, quickly agreed, "Sure, Ranma. Let's
go! Okay, dad. We are leaving now. See you later!"
* * * * * * * * *
* *
Akane and Ranma decided to go to do some shopping first. Akane
remembered all the times she was snooping on Ranma's various dates with other
girls. <Well, this time,> she thought, <I'm going to take advantage of this
opportunity. Ranma's going to pay for what he did last year!>
Meanwhile, poor Ranma had no idea what Akane was thinking and was just
about to try to say something nice when Akane asked, "Ranma, that dress is so
pretty! Won't you buy it for me?"
"Ah..." startled Ranma, "Sure, of course, anything you ask."
"Really!" chuckled Akane, "Well, in that case, I want some of this, some
of that, and maybe some more of these, and then..."
Akane picked out a zillion things she had always wanted, knowing that
the poor Ranma will have to pay for the bill. "I'll go first, Ranma. I'll wait
for you outside." said Akane as she left Ranma behind to pay the bill.
"Sir, your total is 100,000 yen." stated the clerk.
"WHAT!" shouted Ranma, "There's... got to be a mistake. I... I don't
know her! You got to be mistaken!"
"I don't think so, sir," smirked the clerk, "She already took all the
stuff, so you must pay for it. Don't try to pretend that you don't know her."
<Akane!> thought Ranma, <You'll pay for this!>
* * * * * * * * *
* *
Ranma managed to pay for the bill in exchange for working in the store
for 1 year. He went outside and found Akane. "Well, Ranma," she smiled, "I
hope that wasn't too much trouble."
"Not at all, Akane," Ranma replied bitterly, "Money doesn't matter,
Akane."
As Akane and Ranma continued their date, Ranma noticed two familiar
friends coming to them at high speed...
CRASH! Shampoo, as always, landed on top of Ranma with her bike.
"Nihao Ranma," she said, "Today beautiful, why not take Shampoo to date?"
"Hold on," interrupted Ukyo, "Ran-chan is going to date with me, won't
you, Ran-chan!"
"Uhh... girls," mumbled Ranma, "I hate to tell you this, but I'm already
on a date with Akane."
"WHAT!" screamed Ukyo and Shampoo simultaneously, "Does this mean you
like Akane more than either of us!?"
<I can't believe they don't know I'm doing this only for April Fool's
Day. Guess Akane is not the only one without a brain around here.> Still,
Ranma needed to continue his masquerade had to choice but to reply, "Sorry, I
love Akane more than either of you."
"RANMA! How dare you play around with our feelings like that!"
"Wait, I can explain this!"
But it was too late. Shampoo and Ukyo ruthlessly beat up Ranma,
convinced that Ranma had betrayed them for Akane. Ranma, being the one who
never fight back against a girl, had no choice but to try to avoid getting hit.
What's worse, Akane tried to show her support by helping Ranma. However, she
was easily outclassed by the combined fury of Ukyo and Shampoo. In order to be
consistent with his actions, Ranma had no choice but to take the blows that were
meant for Akane. Finally, Ukyo and Shampoo had enough for today and left Ranma
badly beaten and bruised.
"Ranma! I didn't know this would happen! Are you all right?" asked
Akane in a somewhat sincere manner, "I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry about it, Akane," replied Ranma before he lost his
conscious, "It is really no trouble... no trouble whatsoever."
"Really, Ranma? Thanks. I'm so happy!" said Akane. <Yes, I couldn't
be happier,> thought Akane, <Ranma got what he deserved.>
(Two hours later)
"Ranma, you are awake!" rejoiced Akane, "You have been unconscious ever
since Ukyo and Shampoo beat you up. You are all right, aren't you?"
"Uhh..., it is nothing, Akane. Really, nothing," replied Ranma.
"Oh, but it is all my fault," continued Akane, "I know if I didn't get
in the way you wouldn't have got hurt. I'm really sorry. I really am!"
"Oh..." Ranma was about to say something when he saw Ryoga coming.
<Great, just what I need.> he thought.
"Ranma, what do you think you're doing with Akane?" questioned Ryoga.
"Uhh..," Ranma was trying to think of some good explanation when Akane
interrupted, "Oh, Ranma and I are just on a date together. We're just having
fun! Right, Ranma?"
<Oh no, don't tell me Ryoga will buy Akane's story!> thought Ranma.
Ranma tried to clam Ryoga, "Look, I can explain this..."
"Is it true, Akane?" Ryoga asked Akane, "Do you really love Ranma?"
"Yes! I love Ranma more than anyone in the world!" nodded Akane.
Ryoga froze at those words. Even though it was April Fool's Day, Akane
still couldn't bear to see Ryoga being this depressed. She tried to cheer Ryoga
up, "Ryoga... um... you know, we're still always friends. Just because I love
Ranma doesn't mean..."
Meanwhile, Ranma panicked after hearing Akane said those words to Ryoga.
<It was like the last time I fought Ryoga. He completely went berserk when
Akane said those exact same words.> he thought, <I don't know why Ryoga reacted
so violently, but this can only mean that... he will use the complete Shishi
Hokodan!>
Ranma shuddered at the thought. He remembered that fight too well. If
he didn't use Ryoga's affection for Akane, he would not be able to defeat Ryoga.
Ranma was able to use Akane to narrowly pull off a victory against Ryoga. If
Akane hadn't been there, then Ranma would have lost for sure. When Ryoga's
depressed enough to use the complete Shishi Hokodan, the only way Ranma knew to
defeat him was using Akane to make Ryoga concentrate so that he will knock
himself out. <Thanks to this April Fool's Day,> thought Ranma, <I can't even
pull the same trick again! I can't tell Ryoga that same thing! That not Ryoga
wouldn't fall for it again, but then Akane would be able to say that I never
cared about her and used her as a tool to get victory! Then all the suffering I
went through today would be in vain! What can I do!>
Meanwhile, Ryoga was becoming more and more depressed by the moment.
<We're still always friend, she says,> thought Ryoga, <I always knew that Akane
could never really love me. Still, I have my hopes because she never said that
she loved Ranma. Now, though, to hear Akane confessing her love to Ranma and
saying that I will always be her friend... it is too much! I can't bear to hear
those words!>
Akane had no idea what Ryoga was thinking. "Ryoga..." she hesitated,
"Are you all right?"
"It is all clear now," said Ryoga as he gently picked up Akane and
hurled her about 30 meter away, "Sorry about this, Akane, but I don't want you
to get hurt. Please forgive me."
Turning to Ranma, Ryoga continued, "Ranma, there is no point of living
for me anymore. I'll take you to hell with me. Prepare to die. SHISHI
HOKODAN!"
The force of the complete Shishi Hokodan slammed Ranma face-first into
the ground. <Just great,> Ranma thought, <Now Ryoga's really lost it. I can't
even use Akane if I want to now because she is not here anymore! Why is this
happening to me?>
Even as Ranma tried to get up, he was smashed by yet more blasts from
the complete Shishi Hokodan. Before long, Ranma was unconscious. Just as Ryoga
was going to the final kill Akane returned and shouted, "Wait, Ryoga, please
don't kill Ranma! I'm begging you!"
Ryoga could never refuse a request from Akane. He stopped his attacks
and asked sadly, "All right, Akane. You know I can never refuse you."
Akane quickly got to Ranma's side. Throwing a quick glance, Akane
determined that Ranma's probably unconscious, "Ryoga, this isn't really what it
seems to be." she began.
"Akane, just tell me one thing," interrupted Ryoga, "Do you love Ranma
or not?"
Taking one final glance at Ranma, Akane decided that he must be
unconscious and decided to tell the truth, "Ryoga, you silly boy! Today's April
Fool's Day. I'm only pretending all these things."
"Really?" asked Ryoga in disbelief.
Akane replied, "Yes, really. By the way, Ryoga. Thank you for beating
up Ranma like that! It's about time someone teaches that jerk a lesson. Thank
you Ryoga."
Ryoga instantly changed from being depressed to ecstasy. He ran in no
particular direction, smashing walls along in the way. In a few moment he was
gone.
<I wonder what's with Ryoga these days?> Akane thought, <He's always...
so odd. Oh well, right now I better check on Ranma.>
Akane examined Ranma and determined that he would need a lot rest.
<Well, there's no way to continue the date now that Ranma's in this shape,> she
sighed, <Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.>
<I guess we have no choice but to go home. Since Ranma's in no shape to
walk... that means I'll have to...> she blushed at the thought. For a moment,
Akane considered splashing cold water on Ranma to avoid embarrassment. However,
she quickly decided otherwise, <No, Akane. You can do it.> she told herself,
<After all, you're only pretending. So who cares if you have to carry Ranma
home? You can do it!>
(Back at the Tendo's residence)
"Well, if it isn't Akane and Ranma," remarked Nabiki, "Oh my, what
happened to Ranma, Akane? Did you do this to him?"
"No!" she countered, "Yeah, I know it is hard to believe, but I didn't
do this. I love Ranma, remember?"
"Sure, whatever." answered Nabiki sarcastically.
"Well, at any rate," continued Akane, "Ranma needs a lot of rest. So
please leave us alone for now."
(Six hours later)
Ranma slowly regained his conscious after six hours of rest. Opening
his eyes, he saw Akane sitting next to him. "Where am I..." he asked.
"Ranma, you're awake!" exclaimed Akane, "I was beginning to get worried.
You were out cold for six hours! Ryoga must have hurt you worse than I
thought!"
<Yeah, thanks to you, Akane,> thought Ranma. "Oh well," he said, "It is
too late to talk about this. By the way, what time is it?"
Akane took a glance at the clock and replied, "It is around 11:00 p.m.,
why?"
<Oh no, I have lost so much time thanks to Akane,> thought Ranma, <Only
1 hour left. Better hurry with my plan.>
Meanwhile, Akane continued, "Ranma, I'm getting sleepy. I'm going to
sleep. Good-night."
<No,> thought Ranma, <You can't just back away like this, Akane. Not
after what you done to me today!> He decided that he must do something drastic
in order to win this match, "Akane," he began, "We're fiancees, right?"
"Yeah?" replied Akane.
"I think... that... maybe we should spend more time together tonight."
<Ranma, Ranma, you don't know when to give up, don't you?> thought
Akane, <For a moment I was going to just leave you alone for the rest of the
day. I'm actually feeling kind of sorry for you by now. Even though I know
you're pretending to be nice, it was still a nice feeling. Well, Ranma, two can
play this game!>
"Okay," decided Akane, "But still I want to sleep. Why don't you come
to my room and we can sleep together."
"Ahhh..." muttered Ranma, <She is more stubborn than I thought! She
can't be seriously about this, can she? Well, Akane, there is no way I'm going
to back out. Well, Akane, I won't lose this easily!>
"Well, Ranma, are you coming or not?" asked Akane.
"Sure, why not?" replied Ranma defiantly.
(At Akane's room)
Even though it is April Fool's Day, Ranma and Akane still have a hard
time to show their true emotions. For a long time, Ranma and Akane simply stood
in silence, unable to say anything. <Geez, he could have just call it a day and
let me go to sleep,> thought Akane, <But no, Ranma had to follow me into my
room. Now I'm stuck with him until midnight. Well, it is all your fault. It is
always your fault, Ranma!>
<Why am I so nervous?> thought Ranma, <Come on, Ranma. You know she is
pretending, and you know you're only pretending. Still, why am I so nervous
around Akane?>
Akane finally found a good excuse for her to make her move, <That's
right, it is Ranma's fault. So I'm doing this for revenge. If he mentions this
later I can always use April Fool's Day as an excuse.> Having made up her mind,
Akane asked, "Ranma... there's a favor a would like to ask you."
"Anything you ask, Akane," replied Ranma. <Oh-oh,> thought Ranma, <Now
what is she going to do now? Well, no way around it.>
"Okay," Akane's face shone radiantly, "Ranma, will you kiss me?"
<Oh no,> thought Ranma, <There's is no way I'm going to kiss her.
However, if I say no, all the trouble I went through would be in vain! Besides,
Akane will then be able to say something such as I was afraid to kiss her and
thus fooled by her!>
"Well, are you going to do it or not?" urged Akane.
"I... I..." mumbled Ranma as he nervously glanced around the room. He
saw the clock by Akane's bed and realized it was already 11:57 p.m.. <Why did I
get my myself in this mess? I should have leave her alone when she said she
wanted to go to sleep. Well, if only I can stall some more seconds!>
"Ranma, if you are scared or don't want to just say so..." said Akane.
"No, why would I refuse, Akane?" answered Ranma, "Okay, just close your
eyes." and now Akane's the one who was surprised. "Uhh... are you sure about
this?" questioned Akane.
"Akane, just close your eyes. I'm going to kiss you."
"Okay, Ranma," consented Akane.
<He wouldn't dare,> thought Akane, <Well, there's no way around it. I
can't back out now.> In her heart, Akane knew that she was actually hoping
Ranma would although she would never admit it. Akane decided to take a quick
peep and make sure. She was instantly relieved and a little bit disappointed to
find Ranma was looking nervously at the clock by her bed!
<I knew he wouldn't dare,> she thought, <Oh, Ranma, yes, watch the
clock. Yes, he's going to try to stall enough time so that it would be past
midnight. Well, Ranma, you got a surprise coming your way!>
Meanwhile, Ranma was still nervously watching the clock. <Where are dad
and Mr. Tendo when I need them?> he thought, <Wait, I think I hear something.
Yes, it's got to be them, trying to spy on us! Dad, for once you actually did
something right!>
"Akane, wait," he whispered, "Open your eyes; something's wrong here."
"Oh, you are scared, aren't you?" smiled Akane, "Well, you can
always..."
"No," interrupted Ranma, "My dad and your dad are spying us. I'll go
take care of them."
Ranma quickly got off Akane's bed and found Mr. Tendo and his dad
attempting to spy on them just outside Akane's room. "Would you mind leaving us
some privacy!" he yelled as he booted his father and Mr. Tendo out of sight.
Akane was also very embarrassed. "Oh, how dare they do that!" she fumed, "They
won't get away with this."
<Let's hope she forgets about the kiss.> thought Ranma as he took
another glance at the clock, <Good, it took 2 minutes to get my dad and Mr.
Tendo out of here. Just a few more seconds and it'll be all over.>
Akane, surprisingly, managed to control herself and asked Ranma in her
sweetest voice, "Okay, Ranma. Let's continue where we left off."
<Darn!> he thought, <She didn't forget. Come on, just a few more
seconds...>
Ranma drew closer to Akane's pretty face and he could feel his heart
beat faster. For the first time in his life, he realized how beautiful Akane
was. <If it wasn't April Fool's Day, I would have kissed her, but... oh well.>
he thought. He held Akane's face closer but his eyes never parted from the
clock. He was getting more and more nervous as he got closer to Akane. Five
seconds... four seconds... three seconds... two seconds... one second... and
then it was all over. It is midnight and April 1st is over.
"Akane, I congratulate you for your effort," smiled Ranma, relieved that
it is finally over, "You were close, all right, but now April Fool's Day is
over! Whew, I'm so glad that I didn't have to kiss a tomboy like you."
Ranma expected Akane to explode under his insult, but she didn't.
"Ranma, so is this what you think it is?" questioned Akane, "You think I'm
acting this way for April Fool's Day?"
"Of course," replied Ranma, "I can see no other explanation for a tomboy
like you to change. Don't try to pretend like you didn't know that today's
April Fool's Day."
"Ranma, you idiot!" sobbed Akane, "I was trying to be nice to you for
once, but now you ruined it! Don't you know how much I love you, Ranma?"
<No, it couldn't be, this is got to be a joke,> thought Ranma, <What
have I done! I better apologize to her.> "Akane, I... I..." said Ranma, "I'm
sorry. I didn't know you were trying to be nice. I am sorry for treating you
like that. I... I am sorry, Akane. I didn't know you love me that much."
Akane could no longer hide her emotion anymore. She burst into a series
of uncontrollable laughter. "What... what's wrong Akane," panicked Ranma, "Are
you all right?"
"Ranma, APRIL FOOLS!" chuckled Akane.
"You stupid girl!" shouted Ranma, "Didn't I tell you, it is past
midnight. April Fool's Day is over! The clock reads 12:01 right now!"
"Oh, the clock," said Akane, still laughing uncontrollably, "I set it 5
minutes early yesterday. I didn't think I would need to use it but I did it
just in case. I thought that you might have look at it. I figure you'll try to
stall time so you won't have to kiss me. It is still April Fool's Day, Ranma."
<So that's what those noises were last night,> thought Ranma, <No! I
can't be outsmarted by Akane! She is as dumb as a brick! There is no way I can
be outsmarted by her! Wait, according to what she said, there's might still be
enough time to do something!>
"Akane," addressed Ranma in his most serious/formal voice possible, "Do
you really think that I didn't know about the clock?"
"Of course," said Akane, still laughing, "You were clueless. There was
no way you could have known!"
"Akane," smiled Ranma, "I just want you to know, I saw it all last
night."
"Sure, whatever," laughed Akane, "I believe you."
"No, listen," continued Ranma, "I was just talking a walk around the
house yesterday when I started to hearing very loud noises coming from your
room."
"You're lying," countered Akane, but she didn't seem so confident
anymore.
"I saw you were fiddling with the clock and you tripped over a lot of
the stuffs in your room. Akane, you were so clumsy! You made so much noise
that anyone would have heard you! Of course I saw you changed the time on your
clock."
"No," Akane whispered, "You didn't."
<Seems like she's buying this story.> thought Ranma, <She is so
predictable. I think I will be able to fool her after all!>
"Anyway," continued Ranma, "After you were done changing the clock, I
sneaked in and changed the clock back to regular time. So, Akane, you didn't
fool me after all! Uhh... Akane, what's wrong?"
Akane was stunned and her face was pale. She broke into tears, "No...
it can't be... you couldn't have known this... I'm sure no one saw me do it..."
<It worked, she fell for that!> thought Ranma. Looking at the clock, he
realized that it is 12:04, or really 11:59 p.m. "Akane, it is not the end of
the world, you know. So you didn't win, big deal! Why are you so stubborn?"
"No, no, you don't understand," Akane was crying uncontrollably, "I
can't believe I said these things to you, Ranma. I thought it would be okay
because it was still April Fool's Day, but it wasn't. I... I'm so embarrassed,
Ranma."
"Oh, cheer up Akane," smiled Ranma, "Besides, it is still April Fool's
Day. You won't have to be embarrassed for what you say."
"Ranma?" asked Akane incredulously, "What is it you say? Would you mind
repeating that?"
"Sure, Akane," by now it was Ranma's turn to laugh, "I didn't know about
the clock, you silly tomboy. I guess that was a pretty convincing story, wasn't
it. Since you did change the clock, that means right now is 11:59 p.m. and
therefore we are still in April Fool's Day. You are so predictable, Akane. I
knew a tomboy like you can do anything sneaky without..."
Akane had punted Ranma out of her room even as he was finishing his last
comment. "Ranma no baka!" she screamed, "I don't want to see you ever again! I
HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!"
********************************************************************************
"RANMA NO BAKA!" Akane Tendo from November Rain, the March song from 1991 song
calendar, and plus another hundred sources in Ranma 1/2 anime/manga/fanficition
"Gave me your best shot... if you're prepared for the void!" - Magus from Chrono
Trigger
Don Wang <dwang@sprynet.com>
RPG, strategy game, and Ranma 1/2 fan.