Judgements

By Florencio B. de la Merced, Jr. (fmerced@pworld.net.ph)

Disclaimer: All characters unique to the anime Ranma 1/2 are copyrighted by
Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Communication, Viz Comics, etc...

-------------------

	They say the only thing constant in the world today is change, some say it
is death that will always greet us at the end of life.  A select few,
though, knows the only real known certainty in the world are the
judgements.   These judgements happen to all individuals throughout their
lives. The power to execute decisions that appear to mortals as fate,
chance happenings, and crossroads in human lives.  The lucky ones are those
who we hear everyday in the newspaper.  A man winning a lottery, a person
winning the national elections and the poor soul murdered and killed in a
dark alley somewhere.  Yes, they are the lucky ones.
	The morning sun forced its way through the dimly lit room where only a
huge wooden table laden with matching rosewood chairs around it graced our
sights.  Men in black suits and matching ties all sat around.  Clearly the
headman sat in the swivel chair position at the head of the table.  He
looked calm, with a cigar in one hand, and an open folder in the other.
	"As you can see." A projector suddenly comes to life. "There has been a
high number of incidents near the..." A man no different looking as the
rest stood beside the white projection giving out the usual weekly report
to the judges.  Although he tried hard to give an interesting recount of
all judgement passed last week no one was interested.  Everyone was anxious
of the newest case to be presented by the Judge of the Far-East.
	The frail looking Judge seated quite near the end of the table stood
immediately as the previous one finished his report.  He closed the slide
projector and switched on the nearby overheard where he had place pictures
he prepared and needed for presentation of the next case.  He cleared his
throat and looked directly at the chairman.  "Go on. Akira-san" The
thunderous command that he received from the boss.  Nervously he uncovered
the first file picture.
	"The man you are seeing right now is a certain Ranma Saotome." He paused a
while because of the momentary commotion inside the room.  "Yes, we all
know him.  He was the young man we judged to have a certain curse several
years ago."  The picture changed and was replaced by a picture of a female
replica of the previous person. "And we all know he turns to a female of
sorts whenever cold water is poured on him."
	"What is the problem now with this Ranma.  Didn't we just judge him a
month ago." One of the men in the room asked the elder man.  The Judge
reporting only sighed. "Yes, we all know how confusing he can be. 
Especially with that Mt. Phoenix incident and his attempted wedding." The
picture changed again and a photograph of a beautiful young girl replace
it.  "Even using his fiancée, a certain Akane Tendou, we couldn't pass
judgement on him."
	The chairman stirred in his chair.  Everybody tensed as they see
anticipate him speaking up.  He removed the cigar and placed down the file
on Ranma he was just reading.  "Will this be the last?" Nobody knew the
answer.  For years Judge Akira-san tormented with Ranma's case.  At first,
making Ranma leave her mother to train looked like a good idea.  That was
until he and his father wandered the cursed pools of Jusenkyo.  The Judges
had no choice, he had to be cursed for being such a burden to a certain
okonomiyaki cook and his daughter.  Then every time he erred the judges
pass judgement to punish him.  Though there were a few times he was
rewarded.  When Ranma didn't like the fiancée arrangement, which was in
fact an earlier judgement passed on by the council on a certain Genma
Saotome, Ranma's father, and Sound Tendou, they had no choice but make his
life difficult.  All these memories wandered through the old Akira-san as
if all the past two decades of his life focused on Ranma Saotome. 
	"I'm sure it will, Mr. Chairman." Judge Akira-san bowed and changed the
display again.  "I think the time is ripe for final judgement to pass on
him."  Everyone looked at the display.  "The place your looking at is
Furikan High School, the educational institution where our subject is
presently enrolled." The scene changes again. "Next is Kasumi Tendou."
Several "Ohs" and "Ahs" echoed throughout the room which distracted
Akira-san. "I know what you're think, but she's not yet up for review since
her mother died."  Akira-san straightened himself.  "As I was saying, Mr.
Chairman." He stared a despondent look at his boss.  "She will be the key."
Then all the lights went out.

-------------------

	Ranma Saotome glanced across the room again.  There she was, still looking
at the window, totally ignoring him.  Even now, a month after the failed
wedding, she's still angry with him.  All that time he couldn't think of
anything that could make it up to her.  There were too many distractions. 
Three obsessed females after him, a moron kendoist after him and her, a
violent pig that wants him dead for allowing the things that went wrong
with the matrimony to happen, let alone the sadness he saw in Akane's face
after that.  Everything was tearing inside of him, ripping his heart into
two and sooner or later he wouldn't nor couldn't stand it anymore.
	For Akane, it was just another uneventful school afternoon.  Even after
she saw Miss. Hinako punish delinquent students, nothing cheered her up,
even if it was his fiancée that got her teacher's wrath.  The truth is,
she's not happy anymore.  Everyday that passed her by, all seems so
unfeeling and emotionless.  Ranma hasn't been himself, she mentally noted. 
She hasn't called upon her mallet for quite a while.  Akane's face turned
away to look at the opposite direction.   She only saw her fiancée looking
straight ahead, even looked like he's listening to the teacher.  She knew
something was wrong, and she has to do something.  But what, she asked
herself.  Akane just sighed and looked at her notebook, drowning herself in
the lecture at hand.
	"Yo, Akane." Came the familiar tone a few minutes later.
	Akane looked up and only saw Ranma standing near her seat.  "What do you
want?"
	Ranma couldn't resist chuckling as he turned around.  Akane didn't like
what she felt was another insult coming to her. "What's so funny!"  Ranma
didn't look back. "Come on, were going to be late for dinner."  Akane
blinked and looked around.  No one was left in the room.  Even Ranma closed
the door behind him as he left her alone inside.  Unruffled, she stood up
and grabbed her things and then leaves the classroom.
	Many students have noticed it for about several weeks now.  Ranma and
Akane didn't leave school with each other.  It was always either Ranma
alone walking out the gates, and the two Tendou sisters following a few
minutes later.  Or it would only be Akane, alone, leaving.  In fact the
couple's arrival in the morning was no different.  Akane always came
promptly this time.  Ranma on the other hand always came late, and alone. 
Rumors have floated throughout the school that the relationship is over,
but neither Nabiki Tendo, the foremost source of information, couldn't deny
nor confirm the issue.  No one dared ask the two.  Hiroshi, a good friend
of Ranma Saotome, asked once and only got the cold shoulder treatment.   It
was even considered bad karma to even speak their names in the same
sentence.  Though no one knew why.
	"Ranma what are you doing in the kitchen?" Kasumi was startled to see him
this late in the evening.  Ranma didn't answer.  He just grabbed a loaf of
bread and tried to leave in a hurry.  Kasumi couldn't stop Ranma as he shot
pass her through the doorway.  She was awakened by the noise Ranma made in
her kitchen so she investigated.  Kasumi now realized why food had been
disappearing from the kitchen these past few weeks.  Ranma has been getting
some in the middle of the night.  Kasumi could only feel pity for him.  She
thought, if he only eats with the rest of the family like before, Ranma
doesn't have to go to the kitchen so late at night. The only thing she
could do now was clean up the mess Ranma left in his attempt to cook. 
"Wait?" Kasumi thought for a moment.  She knew Ranma is an excellent cook,
at least much better than her sister.  What she couldn't understand why
Ranma would leave such a mess, most pans were blackened, and the cutting
board was again evidently made useless.  "Could it be?" Kasumi could only
think of only one person that could have done this.  After cleaning up, she
went upstairs and knocked at Akane's door.
	"Who is it." A Voice from inside asked Kasumi.
	"It's me, Kasumi.  Can I come in, Akane." She then heard the door
unlocking.  She entered to see her younger sister in her usual nightgown.
"What is it, oneechan?"  Akane closed the door behind her then brought up a
weak smile.
	Kasumi led her sister to sit with her on the futon.  "Have you noticed
something strange about Ranma lately?"  Akane was surprised as the topic of
discussion was her fiancée.  "What kind?" Strangeness wasn't actually
unpopular to the Tendou household.
	"Well, I just saw him in the kitchen." Kasumi saw the startled look in
Akane's face.  "Why, what's wrong?"
	Anxious to get answers from Kasumi, Akane clutched her sisters hands.
"Have you already cleaned the dishes, oneechan?"
	"Well...yes I did.  Why?  What's wrong with the dishes, Akane?" Kasumi is
trying to comprehend the situation.
	"Tell me, Kasumi...it's REALLY important." Akane looked more concerned at
what she's about to say.  "Did he eat them?"
	Kasumi blinked at the question Akane was imposing on her.  "What do you
mean?"   Akane was nervous and a bit agitated at Kasumi's question. "You
know...the food that I cooked."
	Suddenly a partial truth has surfaced.  Kasumi's suspicions were
confirmed.  Akane had been cooking tonight.  She was however unsure how to
answer this one.  "Well...I didn't see anything left in the pans, if that's
what you're asking?"
	Akane's heart leapt full of-spirit.  She almost cried but was able to hold
herself.  She did hug her elder sister for quite a long time.  Somehow
Kasumi has done something good and it made her happy that whatever she has
said, it made her sister happy too.
	"I've got to go." Akane broke her hug and swiftly left her sister in her
room.  Kasumi knew all too well where her sister is going.  She just stood
up and left Akane's room with peace on her mind.

-------------------

	"Ranma!" The shout almost scared the wits out off Ranma as he was sitting
on top of the roof again for three straight weeks.  His fiancée appeared
out of nowhere and forcefully locked him in an embrace. 
	"What?  Akane?!"
	"Thank you Ranma.  I know now you'll do anything for me." She can't stop
crying as she still is holding her fiancée romantically.
	Confused, Ranma broke free and held Akane in front of him.  "What's wrong
Akane?"
	"I love you, Ranma.  I've been so selfish and ..." She breaks down crying
again.  "I don't want this to end, Ranma."
	"It won't.  I promise." Ranma comforting words bonded both of them again.
	A few hours later they witnessed the first sunrise in their newly found
relationship.
	"It's so beautiful." The sun rose through the Nerima sky and melted away
the darkness of yesterday.
	"Akane..." Ranma held his breath as Akane looked at him in anticipation.
"I want you to always cook for me, Okay."
	Akane smiled echoed with his. After which they sealed their love with a
soft tender kiss. 

-------------------

	"Well, another judgement passed."  A man in a black suit announced to the
group.  Akira-san closed his folder and stood up.  "Where are you going,
Akira-san?"  The Judge of the Far-East just looked back.  "I've got to give
my thanks to a certain  beautiful young Japanese girl who knew the right
thing to do with burnt chicken curry." He left the room with a smile and a
certain feeling of success.


* C&C Appreciated.