At 06:40 PM 11/24/97 -0500, Emily Saizon wrote:

"WASURERARENAI"(Unforgettable)
An alternative reality fanfic written by Emily Siazon.
All characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.
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Chapter 14
**********

	(Whole wackload o' stuff hacked off)

[6 months later.]

    Akane stood near the edge of a cliff, pondering the events of
the past couple of months.

    After Shinnosuke had left without saying a word, she had been
invited to live with the Tendos. They had been kind to her, treating
her like one of their own.

    Akane smiled as she remembered how they had made a fuss that
morning before she and Ranma had left the house. Kasumi had insisted
that they bring lunch while Soun had cried his heart out.

    It was nice to feel like she belonged.

    Akane felt a tap on her shoulder, turning around even though she
couldn't see Ranma standing behind her. She tugged the corners of the
the slightly uncomfortable blindfold, curious on why he had insisted
that she wear it.

    "Are you ready?" he asked, biting back his tongue to stop the
thousand other questions that he had built up the courage to ask.

    Did she still think about Shinnosuke? What about him? Did she
think that they could be happy... together?

    However, they had been through so much already, making many
enemies and friends over the past couple of months. He was sure that
there were many more experiences that they would share, and for now,
her friendship was enough.

    "Yes."

    He slowly took the blindfold off, causing Akane to gasp in wonder
as she got her first glimpse of the glittering blue jewel before her.
She let out a cry of delight as a dolphin emerged nearby, marring the
calm blue ocean water.

    After a couple of minutes, Akane pried her eyes away long enough
to give Ranma a smile so bright that it rivaled the midday sun above 
them. "I-It's beautiful."

                              THE END

Me likes. Me likes it a lot! :)
Throughout the series, I kept expecting Akane to remember her family, or
for her family to remember her at some point (especially the part where
she and Ranma are looking at her mother's shrine). 
The end, with the blindfold, and with them living in the same house and 
all... making us believe he's going to reveal who her family is, or to
propose to her... oh! how I like this surprise!
	I like the little surprise, the little twist, that for now, at
least, Ranma and Akane are just friends. If you had them get married,
or engaged, or whatever, or even had Akane remember who her family was,
it would have diminished the end. This way we still have enough closure
so that we aren't left hanging, yet not everything is sewn up.
	We are left with a sense of possibility, a looking forward to the
future. More importantly, we are left with a sense of hope, that most 
precious of feelings which getsus through the hard times, and makes the 
good times better.

Please send c&c or I'll be forced to drown my sorrows by eating ice 
cream! How's that for a guilt trip ^_^

Well, it's at least one c, hope that'll do.... ;-)



Matthew "Shortfics are a way of life" Lewis
	maybeso@ican.net
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The Second Question:
 What happens when you win?
   When your enemies are at your mercy: how will 
you act then? Compromise is the temptation of the
weak; this is the test for the strong.
What are you going to do?
	-Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses
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