Here is Part six of Well, Well.  C & C are always welcome.


“Well, Well - Part 6”


Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction
“Well, Well - Part 6”
by Suds-kun (suds1964@tir.com)

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Ranma 1/2 characters are created by and copyright Rumiko Takahashi.  
Published by Shogakukan Inc. and VIZ Comm. and are used without 
permission.  Intended for the sole non-profit use of R.T. fans.
============================================

Akari and Ryoga were just staring at each other and holding hands across 
the table.  “Do you think we could be as happy as they are?” Ranma asked 
quietly.

Akane looked at Ranma, grabbed his hands and nodded.  “With all my heart, 
yes.”

===

Akane tossed in her bed.  “Things sure have changed,” she thought.  “Who 
could have imagined that Ukyo and Konatsu would become a couple?  Ryoga 
and Akari is kind of obvious.  Him being P-chan sure explains a lot.  
P-chan disappearing for weeks at a time, Ranma picking on him, P-chan 
always turning his back when I got dressed.  But, I’m going to have to do 
something to him for tricking me like that.”  Akane grinned wickedly.

“What’s that?  It sounds like crying.”  Akane sat up and listened 
closely.  It was coming from Nabiki’s room!  Akane slowly got up and 
walked to her sister’s room.

Akane knocked on the door.  “Onnechan?  Are you all right?”

Akane heard a muffled “Go Away!”

“Can I come in?”  Akane said, as she slowly opened the door.

“Leave me alone!”  Nabiki was sitting in the middle of her bed, holding 
her pillow and sobbing.

Akane sat down next to her sister and put her arm around her.  Nabiki 
turned towards her and started crying into Akane’s shoulder as her sister 
hugged her.  “He just sits there, staring and drooling,”  Nabiki sobbed. 
 “Why did he have to be such a fool?”

“Shhhh.”  Akane said, trying to comfort her sister.  The two sat there 
until they both fell asleep from exhaustion.

===

“Ranma, we need to talk.”  Akane said as they sat under a tree in the 
park.

“O.K.” Ranma replied.

“All of our pursuers have either left or given up on us.  Right?”  Akane 
asked.

“I guess so.  Shampoo, Cologne and Mousse have left.  Ryoga and Akari are 
a couple.  So is Ukyo and Konatsu.  Kon-chan, hmm.  Anyway, even the 
Kunos are out of the running.”  Ranma looked at Akane.  She had a very 
serious look on her face.  “What’s wrong, Akane?”

“You, uhm, we need to take care of something.”  Akane looked at Ranma and 
held his hand.  “Kuno is in a nursing home and Nabiki visits him 
everyday.  Last night, she cried herself to sleep.  We need to help them, 
Ranma.”  Akane pleaded.

Ranma looked confused.  “I thought that he was permanently paralyzed by 
one of Kodachi’s poisons.”

“Nabiki said that Tofu-sensei believes that the poison has worn off.”  
Akane squeezed Ranma’s hand.  “Nabiki talks to him everyday, trying to 
bring him back.  I think if you and I visit him, he might snap out of 
it.”

“You’re right,”  Ranma said flatly.  “We need to plan this out first.”  
Ranma and Akane then discussed and planned, holding each other’s hand the 
entire time.

===

“We’re here to see Kuno Tatewaki.”  Akane informed the nurse.

“Oh, Nabiki said her sister was going to stop by.  You must be her 
sister, I can tell by the hair.  It’s the second room on the right.”  The 
nurse watched the two go into the room.  “What nice girls.”

===

Nabiki looked up and smiled as Akane walked in the room.  The smile 
instantly disappeared when Ranma entered.  Akane put her finger to her 
lips to tell Nabiki to be quiet.  Akane walked around Kuno and sat in a 
chair in front of him.

“Konnichiwa!  Kuno-sempei.”  Akane said cheerfully.

===

Kuno wasn’t really listening to Nabiki talk.  “Why must the Blue Thunder 
of Furinkan High be held captive here?  Only the fair Nabiki visits.  She 
must have something that the jailer does not want exposed, or else she 
would not be allowed into my presence.

What’s this, Akane and Ranma alive?  This is a cruel joke on Nabiki’s 
behalf.  A wishing well?  Ryoga?  Hmmff.  He couldn’t find his way out 
the door, let alone his way to a magical well.  No, this is just another 
cruel joke on Kuno Tatewaki.  Saotome made a fool of me for a year, 
posing as my osage no onna.

What’s this?  Tendo Akane?  This can’t be!  She’s dead!  But wait, Nabiki 
said something earlier about a wish.

===

Nabiki wiped some drool from Kuno’s chin.   Akane was a little nervous.  
Kuno had been so strong and full of pride.  To see him like this is 
unnerving.

“Kuno-sempei,” Akane began, “I’m here because you are in a hospital.  You 
were attacked by your sister and paralyzed.  The doctors say that her 
paralysis potion has worn off now, and you can move again.  Could you 
move your hand for me?”

===

Akane!  How I’ve missed your beautiful face.  Oh to be graced with such 
beau ...  Nani?  Hospital?  But this is a prison!  I’m being held here 
for the murder of Saotome Ranma!  Don’t you understand that I’m being 
punished?  Kodachi?  But, but I don’t remember...  My hand?  It doesn’t 
want to move.  It’s being punished, just like the rest of my body.  It 
more so, for it held the katana.

===

Akane noticed that Kuno’s head moved.  He was looking at his hand!  Akane 
looked up at Ranma and nodded her head.  Ranma slowly walked around Kuno 
and stood beside Akane.

===

It can’t be!  My osage no onna!  I must show her my undying love!  But, 
my body won’t respond.

I am Kuno Tatewaki!  I will not let this keep me from my love!

===

Ranma stared at Kuno.  He slowly moved his hands.  His mouth was pursed 
into an “O”.

“Osage no onna.” rasped Kuno’s long unused vocal cords.  He lurched 
forward from the wheel chair towards Ranma.  Ranma caught him before he 
fell.  Akane and Nabiki both winced.  “Ranma and Kuno are hugging!” they 
both thought.

“Yo, Kuno-sempei!”  Ranma said sarcastically.

“Ossage no ...  Ranma!” Kuno squeaked as he tried to disentangle himself 
from Ranma.  Akane and Nabiki helped Kuno back into the wheel chair.

“Welcome back, Kuno-chan!”  Nabiki said, as she kissed him on the cheek. 
 A tear started to run down her face.  She looked up to Akane and smiled. 
 “Arigotto, sister.”

“We’ll go tell the nurse.” Akane said as she pulled Ranma out the door.

===

“Arigotto, Ranma.”  Akane said, after her and Ranma finished kissing.  “I 
feel so much better now.  Nabiki was smiling again and Kuno should be on 
his way to recovery.”

Ranma looked at Akane and admired her beauty.  They had sneaked into the 
dojo while everyone else was finishing eating.  They were sitting in the 
middle of the dojo, quietly enjoying each other’s company.  There was one 
last thing he had to do.

“Akane, do you know what today is?”

Akane turned to Ranma.  “Nani?  It’s Friday, why are you asking such a 
stupid question?”

Ranma smiled.  “One year ago today, I beat you in a sparring match.”

“Has it been a year already?”  Akane thought.

“Akane,”  Ranma took Akane’s hand and held it softly.  “I don’t want to 
be without you ever again.  When you died, my world came to an end.  I’ve 
got a second chance now, and I’m not going mess it up.”  Ranma rolled 
onto his knees and bowed to Akane.

“Tendo Akane, will you marry me?”

Akane sat bolt upright and stared at Ranma.  “Nani?”  she screamed in her 
mind.  “What does this baka think he’s doing.  Everybody wants us to get 
married and he’s asking ME?  But, daddy said that he wasn’t going to make 
us get married and Ranma told me that his dad said the same thing.”

Ranma noticed the shock on Akane’s face.  “Akane, when our fathers agreed 
to have us get married.  They made the decision, not us.  I think that is 
one of the reasons we would fight so much.  With that gone now.  We can 
make our own choices.  All of my iinazuke’s are gone.  All of your 
pursuers are gone also.  This is OUR decision.  No one else’s plans being 
forced on us.  Just you and me.”

“Akane, will you be my wife?”

Akane’s mind started to swirl.  “Wife?  But we’re not out of high school 
yet!  But, he’s right.  This will be our decision, not daddy’s.”

“Hai, Ranma.  I will be your wife.”

Ranma hugged Akane and they both kissed long and lovingly, until...

“Finally!!!”

Akane and Ranma looked up in surprise.  Standing in the doorway was both 
of their families.  All of them crying, except Nabiki.  She was smiling a 
big smile and giving Akane the ‘thumbs up.’  Ranma’s parents were 
hugging.  Soun was dancing around AND crying.

Ranma and Akane blushed, then started kissing again.

============================================
The End.
============================================

Well it’s done!  The Second started out as cathartic release of 
depression.  Afterwards, I started to feel guilty.  Man, that was one 
deeeepressing story.  So, I thought up a story called, “The Phantom 
Prankster” in which the Tendo household would be the victim of a 
practical joke, one at a time.  This was to be a more upbeat and funny 
story.  When I sat down at the keyboard,  Well, Well part 1 came out.  I 
have NO idea how that happened!  It just seemed to grow and grow.  
Originally, I planned on having Ranma and Akane get married at the end, 
but I decided to change it to a one year anniversary instead.

If I get around to writing “The Phantom Prankster” I promise I will TRY 
and not use the “ or ” 

^_^

Many thanks to the following who sent C & C and offered their insights.
Don Wang, Skywise, Slashtooth, and Kergma The Chaotic Trickster (see, no 
quotes)

Thanks again to Mi-chan (Michelle Mista).  Her story "Sabishisa" 
("Loneliness") is what got me to put finger to keyboard.
 
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“Don’t try suicide!” - Queen


-- 
suds-kun (Shaun Schillinger)
suds1964@tir.com
"THIS time, we didn't forget the graaavy!" Cat & Mouse to Dog