Message-ID: <19971220031822.9887.qmail@hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [207.79.35.227] From: "jeff shelton" To: jws1@webtv.net Subject: (fanfic)(ranma) Momijigari Content-Type: text/plain Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 19:18:22 PST MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by mailsorter-105.bryant.webtv.net id RAA09564 Momijigari by jeff shelton jws1@webtv.net disclaimer All the characters in this story belong to Takahashi=20 Rumiko and I have no right to use them. My thanks to Scott 'Zoogz' Jamison, Sean Gaffney and=20 Gary Kleppe for prereading this story. This takes place after vol 38 of the manga. Momijigari: an excursion into the mountains to view=20 fall colors. To view the trees as the leaves change=20 colors. During Autumn, news programs show maps=20 indicating where the fall color is at its best.=20 Going to view the fall colors is a popular=20 excursion. My research for this and where I got the word=20 "momijigari" from is: "Learning to Bow: Inside the=20 Heart of Japan" by Bruce S Feiler. Chapter 6 is=20 where the inspiration for some of this story comes=20 from. It is an autobiographic book about an=20 american english teacher's year in Japan. He taught=20 english at the Jr High level. Hopefully I'm not=20 making a mistake using "momijigari". If I am making=20 a mistake could someone please correct me. thank you=20 This story takes place during the height of the fall=20 color viewing season. ____________________________________________________ Momijigari by jeff shelton Unry=FC farmhouse "Akari, the mail's here!" Akari's grandfather=20 yells. "Coming, Grandfather!" Akari replies, from where=20 she tends to Katsunishiki, her sumo pig. "Looks like you've got some more photos from Tendo=20 Nabiki, and a letter from Hibiki Ryouga, today." He=20 smiles as he hands her the mail. "A letter from Ryouga!" she exclaims with joy. She=20 quickly rips open the letter and reads it. She=20 looks at her grandfather and says, "He'll be here=20 soon. The letter says he was going to be here a=20 week ago." She puts the letter in her blouse, for=20 safe keeping, until she can store it where she has=20 all the other letters Ryouga has ever sent her. She=20 slowly and carefully opens the packet from Nabiki.=20 It contains several large photos of Ryouga and=20 several more of P-chan, along with a bill. Akari's grandfather looks at her while she gazes=20 worshipfully at the pictures. "You really like the=20 boy, don't you?" "Grandfather, how could you think I only like=20 Ryouga! I love Ryouga and I know he loves me." She=20 glares at her grandfather. "Well, I not going to argue with that look." Akari=20 goes back to looking at the photos. "Hmmm," He=20 mumbles as he thinks. "I'm going to get something,=20 I'll be right back, Akari." He leaves and goes to=20 his room. Akari is unaware of what her grandfather=20 has said or is doing. A few minutes later he returns carrying a small=20 book. "Ummm, Akari, can I have your attention?" He=20 says. Akari looks at her grandfather. "This is=20 your Grandmother's diary. I think she would like=20 you to have it." He hands it to her. "I've marked=20 a special passage in it," he smiles as he walks off. Akari opens the diary and begins to read. After a=20 couple of minutes a smile appears on her face. It=20 grows larger. She finishes the passage, closes the=20 book, and hugs it to her chest. "Thank you,=20 Grandmother," she whispers. The next day in the woods outside the Unry=FC=20 farmhouse. "Where I am?!" yells Hibiki Ryouga. Akari, sitting on top of Katsunishiki, yells, "Right=20 in front of me!" "A-akari! I've found you!" he says as he turns=20 quickly around. "I was just going to start dinner. Do you want to=20 stay for dinner, Ryouga?"=20 "Y-yes." "Follow me, closely." Ten minutes later at the farmhouse. "Now, Ryouga, stay in the living room, ok. I've got=20 to get something from my room and I'll be right=20 back. Then I'll start on dinner," Akari says.=20 She goes to her room. She comes back in a few=20 minutes with her grandmother's diary. "Ryouga, I=20 marked a special passage in this book. I want you=20 to read it and follow its directions, please," she=20 says. She hands him the book. She holds his hands=20 together in hers as she gently says, "Please, do=20 what it says." She looks him in the eyes as she=20 pleads with him. She goes into the kitchen to make=20 dinner. Ryouga opens the book, takes out the bookmark and=20 starts to read the diary. After a couple of minutes=20 he stops and looks at the bookmark. It is a map of=20 Nikko National Park in the mountains of Japan.=20 'S-she w-w-ants me to-oo?? I can't. No, I can. No,=20 I can't,' he desperately thinks. =20 "Aaarrrggghhh!" he yells after a couple minutes of=20 indecision.=20 "Ryouga, are you alright?" Akari says from the=20 kitchen. She goes to the door and looks into the=20 living room. Ryouga is gone. A Ryouga shaped hole in the wall=20 shows where he went through it. The diary and the=20 map are gone.=20 "I wish he could have stayed for dinner," she sighs.=20 She smiles, "At least I know, he wants to do it,"=20 she says.=20 'Leaving so early so he can make sure he is on time.=20 And he has two weeks before the date on the map,=20 too. Still, he is correct you have to start=20 planning and preparing for something like this as=20 early as possible,' she thinks. "A horrible thought. What if, even with him trying=20 this hard, he still gets lost and doesn't get there=20 on time? I've got to do everything I can do to make=20 sure he gets there when he's supposed too," she=20 says, talking to herself. She goes over the phone and dials a number. "Hello, Tendo residence," Tendo Kasumi answers the=20 phone. "This is Unry=FC Akari. Could I speak to Tendo Akane,=20 please?" "Of course, I'll get her." "Hi! Akari, this is Akane." "I need to talk to you about Ryouga," Akari begins=20 to explain. They talk. **** A week later in Nerima. In a clothing store. Akane holds up a green dress and says to Ranma, "I'm=20 going to try this on, I'll be right back." She goes=20 into a dressing room.=20 'Mom told me I had to come and help Akane shop but=20 why does it have to be dresses? I've always hated=20 shopping,' Ranma thinks. Bored and irritated Ranma=20 looks around the shop trying to find something to=20 occupy him. 'I'm glad Auntie convinced Ranma to help me. The=20 dresses he wears as a girl always looks good. His=20 fashion sense is better than most boys,' she thinks=20 putting on the dress. She blushes, 'I'm just not=20 going to take him lingerie shopping like she=20 suggested.'=20 'Oh man, oh man, I just thought of something. What=20 if I say I like the dress, but she doesn't. I'm=20 going to be in trouble. But if I say I hate the=20 dress, and she likes it... I'm in trouble,' Ranma=20 thinks. He really starts looking around now,=20 looking for something, anything to get him out of=20 this. He smiles, 'I can tell her that I saw P-chan and=20 went after him. She might get angry at me for=20 leaving, but trying to be nice to P-chan will cause=20 her to forgive me.' He runs out of the store. =20 "Ranma, What do you think about this..." Akane says=20 as she leaves the dressing room. She stops when she=20 sees Ranma isn't in sight. "Ranma! Where are you?" "He just left, ma'am," the sales clerk tells her. "Grr, when I find him..." Akane growls. She quickly=20 changes clothes and goes after Ranma. A few minutes later. Hibiki Ryouga leaves a small shop. He gets out a=20 map and starts down the street. 'Ryouga's a life saver,' Ranma thinks seeing him.=20 'Now when Akane finds me I can tell her the truth.' "P-chan! Where are you trying to go?=20 Hokkaido?" Ranma says as he appears. He stands on=20 Ryouga's head looking down at him.=20 "Get off!" Ryouga yells as he takes a swipe at=20 Ranma. Ranma jumps down and lands a few feet away.=20 "I'm not going to Hokkaido. I'm going to Nikko=20 National Park." Under his breath he continues, "As=20 soon as I can find it." Ryouga starts walking=20 again, in the wrong direction. "You're going the wrong way, you idiot," Ranma says=20 as he takes the map. "Why do you want to go there=20 anyway? Special Training?" He looks at the map. "Give that back, Ranma!" Ryouga yells as he lunges=20 for the map. Ranma easily dodges Ryouga's attack=20 and starts to tease Ryouga with the map. He uses=20 his superior speed to stay out of Ryouga's reach.=20 After a couple of swipes, Ryouga recognizes Ranma's=20 not going to give him the map and he stops. "I'll=20 find it on my own, then," he says as he walks off. "Hey! I was just playing," Ranma says, "here," He=20 hands the map back to Ryouga. "What's so special?" "I've got to get there in a couple of days so..."=20 Ryouga's voice trails off since he decides he does=20 not want to tell Ranma why he was going to Nikko=20 Park. "So what?" 'I wouldn't tell him about Akari. It's just too...=20 I know!' Ryouga thinks. "For... for special training, like you said, Ranma.=20 I found this weird old man who's going to teach me=20 a new technique. So I can come back here and beat=20 you, once and for all." Ryouga looks at the map and=20 starts walking. "Once I learn it, I'll be back," he=20 says in his best Schwarzenegger impression. "Hmmm." Ranma runs past Ryouga and=20 grabs the map. "Then if I take the map and get=20 there first, I'll learn it before you. =20 Thanks!" he says as he runs away. Ryouga quickly=20 loses sight of Ranma. "Curse you, Saotome Ranma! Bring me back my map!!"=20 Ryouga yells. "What did Ranma do this time, Ryouga?" Tendo Akane=20 asks as she runs up behind Ryouga. "A-akane, w-what are you doing here?" a surprised=20 Ryouga stammers. "I've been chasing Ranma. Trying to get him to help=20 me shop for some new clothes," Akane sighs=20 disgustedly. 'I wanted him to tell me what dress he likes me in=20 and the idiot won't tell me. So he runs away,' she=20 thinks.=20 "Well, Ryouga, what did Ranma do this time?" Akane=20 asks again. "He stole my map to Nikko National Park, that no=20 good, low down, dirty thief!" Ryouga yells. "Nikko National Park? Where you and Akari are=20 supposed to meet next week?" "Y-y-yes? Ho-how did you know?" "She called and told me. She asked me if I found=20 you to help you get there." Akane smiles, and=20 continues, "Come on, I'll take you home. Then,=20 we'll get my camping gear and then I'll show you the=20 way, OK?" She grabs Ryouga's hand and starts to=20 drags him home. 'Akane, you can take me anywhere,' Ryouga thinks. The Tendo residence later. Akane with the phone in her hand talks to Akari.=20 She has a map she just bought in her hand. "Ok,=20 Akari. I've got the spot marked. I promise you=20 he'll be there and on time too." While she talks on the phone, Genma listens to her.=20 He is reading the diary he borrowed from Ryouga's=20 backpack, while Ryouga is cleaning up. He smiles=20 and thinks, 'I'll put this back, and then talk to=20 Tendo. I've got a plan." **** A few days later in the woods at the edge of Nikko=20 National Park. Akane and Ryouga are camping out. It's midnight and=20 Ryouga throws a small log on the low fire. Akane is=20 sleeping. In his other hand he holds a small box.=20 "Tomorrow, Akari and I will, will ..." as his nose=20 starts to bleed, he stops speaking to himself. 'I've got to stop that!' he thinks as he wipes the=20 blood off his face. 'If I can't think about Akari=20 without bleeding, how will I do it tomorrow?' =20 "I promise you, Akari," he says to the box in his=20 hand. "That you are the only woman for me. Not=20 even Akane will cause me to forget that. I will not=20 any other woman lead me around." 'Like Ranma in his disguises does,' he thinks. He looks at Akane. Her normal twisting and turning=20 in her sleep is starting. "A-akane, I, I, when I=20 think about you, I just don't feel the same way I=20 feel about Akari. I can think about having you=20 place me on your bosom, and my nose doesn't bleed,"=20 Ryouga says to the sleeping Akane. A small tendril=20 of blood comes from his nose. 'Ok, so, maybe I do, but it's not like I do when I=20 think about Akari doing the same thing,' he thinks=20 as he touches his nose. "Damn it, the thought of Ranma making you unhappy=20 still hurts though. Why should it hurt, if I'm=20 going to make Akari a complete woman tomorrow? I'm=20 not going to be doing the same thing with you,=20 Akane. So why does the thought of Ranma breaking=20 your heart, bug me some much?" he asks her. 'I feel protective of Akane, like, like... I KNOW,=20 like she was my younger sister. I wouldn't want my=20 younger sister to be engaged to Ranma. So that's=20 why I don't like the idea of Ranma hurting her.' He=20 smiles as he finally has come up with a solution to=20 a problem that has been bugging him ever since=20 before the failed wedding. He gets up, puts the small box in his pants pocket=20 and goes over to Akane. He kneels down beside her=20 and picks up Akane's right hand. "I promise, Akane,=20 to always look after you and protect you from=20 anybody. Just like an older brother would do for=20 his younger sister." As he puts down her hand, Akane wakes up.=20 "Pervert!" she yells as slaps Ryouga. "A-akane, it's not what you think!" he says=20 apologetically. He quickly thinks and says, "I just=20 saw a bug on you and was brushing it off." "Oh, sorry, Ryouga," she blushes from embarrassment.=20 "Just jumped to the wrong conclusion, it won't=20 happen again, sorry." "It's ok, Akane. I think I can go to sleep now," he=20 says as he goes to his sleeping bag. **** The next day at Nikko National Park. Late afternoon. Ryouga and Akane walk up a trail. Ryouga=20 wearing his standard clothes. Akane wears her=20 hiking gear with backpack. The wind blowing through=20 the trees above them shakes leaves from the=20 trees as they hike past. They reach the top of a=20 mountain and look down on the valley below. The trees covering the mountainside and the valley=20 below are in full fall color. The reds, yellows,=20 greens, oranges, gold leaves sway with the wind.=20 The clouds, as they cover and uncover the sun, cast=20 their own shadows over the scene as well. A=20 beautiful partly cloudy fall day is almost over.=20 "We're here, Ryouga." She smiles at=20 him.=20 "And we're early." He smiles back at Akane. "U-um, Akane, I-I want to..." Ryouga begins. "Say, Ryouga, where is this weird old man you=20 mentioned?" Ranma says while he jumps out of a=20 nearby maple tree and approaches Ryouga and Akane.=20 "I've been here for days and all the old men I've=20 talked to didn't know a thing." "Ranma! Die!" Ryouga yells as he attacks Ranma.=20 "You stole my map!" "Lead me to that old man and you can have it back!"=20 Ranma yells back. He heads off into the woods. =20 Ryouga starts chasing him. "Ryouga! Come back here! We're already where you=20 need to be!" Akane yells trying to stop Ryouga, but=20 it is too late. She goes after the two boys. Once in the woods Ryouga quickly loses sight of=20 Ranma and gets lost looking for him. Akane sees Ranma up in a tree. "Get down here!" she=20 yells.=20 Ranma jumps down and goes to her. "I was just=20 trying to find Ryouga. I'm going to get him to show=20 me where that old man is."=20 "What old man? Neither Ryouga or Akari ever said=20 that Akari's Grandfather would be here."=20 "The old man that was going to teach Ryouga a new=20 special technique. What's Akari's grandfather have=20 to do with it? Was that who he was going to met?=20 Nah, he would've just gone to see Akari then, not=20 come here." "What new technique? Where did this come from?=20 Ryouga was coming here for a date with Akari, not to=20 learn a new technique," Akane says. "A date?" Ranma begins to say then continues, "He=20 said that this was a map to..."=20 "Ranma before you stole that map you could have=20 asked him what it was for!"=20 "I did, Akane! He told me about a special=20 technique. But I can understand him not wanting=20 anybody knowing about a date. I wouldn't want=20 anybody to know if we were going on a date." Akane grabs Ranma's shirt and pulls him toward her.=20 "Before I get angry, Ranma, explain that," Akane=20 says. "Well, I mean, you know," Ranma begins. He grabs=20 his pig tail and looks around seeing if anybody is=20 watching. "Look around, Akane, is anybody watching?"=20 "What's that got to do with a date?" Akane asks as=20 she refuses to look around. "If we were on a real date, right now, how many=20 people would be watching? I wouldn't want people to=20 follow us."=20 "So there wouldn't be any interference," Akane's=20 voice loses its angry tone and she lets go of=20 Ranma's shirt. "Now what are we going to do about=20 Ryouga? He's lost and he needs to be here when=20 Akari shows up." "He's got a date with Akari, here?" Ranma muses. =20 "Good for him. OK, we spilt up, so we can find him=20 faster." **** After searching for a while, Akane finds Ryouga's=20 backpack in a small stream. She pulls it out.=20 "Ryouga! Where are you!" She yells. When she sets the backpack down a small rivulet of=20 water come out of the backpack. 'I'd better take=20 everything out and make sure nothing has been damaged by the water. I wonder why Ryouga left it=20 in that brook?' she thinks as she opens the=20 backpack. The water didn't hurt anything. This sort of thing=20 has happened far too often for Ryouga to be=20 unprepared. All his cooking utensils are rustproof=20 and the small gas stove is waterproof. His wet=20 clothing Akane unfolds so they can dry.=20 She also sees a waterproof pouch in the backpack. =20 She looks around to see if anybody is watching. She=20 doesn't see anyone. She opens the pouch, and a=20 bunch of objects fall out. A matchbook, some=20 letters with Akari's name on them, some other=20 things, plus the diary hit the ground. Akane looks around again. Nothing. 'I shouldn't=20 look, but Ryouga has been very nervous lately. =20 Whenever I tried to talk to him about Akari, his=20 stuttering became so bad, he couldn't talk. Maybe=20 this will tell me why. I saw him take this out and=20 read it several times on the way here,' she thinks=20 as she picks up the diary. She opens and begins to read the diary. It opens at=20 a heavily read passage. After a couple of minutes=20 Akane turns bright red from embarrassment and closes=20 the diary. She carefully puts everything back in=20 the pouch. As she puts the pouch back in the backpack, a voice=20 surprises her. "Hey, Akane! You found his backpack,"=20 Ranma says as he approaches her.=20 "Argh!" Akane yells as she quickly turns around and=20 swings the backpack at Ranma. "Don't scare me like=20 that!" she says after she misses him. "Scare you?" He wonders why.=20 "Never mind, Ranma." She puts the backpack down.=20 "Why are you here instead of looking for him?" "I heard your yell and thought you found him. It=20 looks like I was wrong. Oh well, I'll start looking=20 again," he says as he starts to walk away. "Oh, by the way, Ryouga might like it if you go=20 ahead and start his stove and put on some boiling=20 water," Ranma pauses then continues. "Also, I=20 thought I saw P-chan, so watch for him too." "If you saw P-chan, why didn't you pick him up?" "Because you just yelled for Ryouga and I came here=20 instead." He goes behind a tree. "Next time, pick P-chan up!" Akane yells after=20 Ranma. Akane starts the small stove and puts a pot of water=20 on it. 'Should I stay here? No, I need to go looking for=20 Ryouga. I brushed all the leaves away, so there=20 shouldn't be any real fire hazard. I'll just come=20 back and check here every so often,' she thinks as=20 she starts to look for Ryouga. **** As soon as she leaves, Ranma comes out from behind a=20 tree. "What was so interesting in that book, I=20 wonder?" he says as he goes over and opens the=20 backpack up. He starts to read the book. He turns bright red and=20 says, "You sly pig, Ryouga, so that's why." He=20 puts the book back. 'Ok, he fell in the stream, so he should be=20 downstream,' he thinks. After a couple of minutes of looking, Ranma finds=20 Ryouga's clothes. A small box falls out of the=20 pants when he picks them up. He picks it=20 up and opens it. He closes the box instantly. "He=20 really means it," he says in awe. "He'll never do=20 it. He'll bleed to death before he finishes," he=20 says to himself. He puts the box in his pocket and goes back to the=20 clearing where Ryouga's backpack is. 'Sooner or=20 later he'll show up there and he'll want these,' he=20 thinks. **** "P-chan, I found you!" Akane cries joyfully as she=20 picks up her pet. "You're wet and cold. I wonder=20 what happened?" she says to him. She takes a towel out of her backpack and dries him=20 off. She places P-chan under her blouse to warm him=20 up. 'Akane,' Ryouga thinks as his snout rests on her=20 breast. 'This is so...' "You wouldn't happen to know where Ryouga is, would=20 you, P-chan?" she says to P-chan. P-chan picks his=20 snout up and looks at her with frightened eyes.=20 "You couldn't tell me, even if you knew," she sighs=20 and continues, "I just want to find Ryouga and help=20 him. "You know Akari's one lucky girl, P-chan. Ryouga's=20 such a better gentleman than Ranma is," she says=20 musingly. P-chan is paying very close attention to=20 what she is saying. "I don't think Ranma will ever do what Ryouga is=20 going to. I think, no, I know, he's afraid too,"=20 she smiles at P-chan. "He says he's only afraid of=20 cats, buts he's far more terrified of what Ryouga=20 has planned than any cat." 'I ought to know, I was afraid of it too. But, now,=20 after almost dying... I'm not, or at least I hope am=20 not," she thinks. After a few seconds of silence she begins to whisper=20 to P-chan. "You know, P-chan, when I see Ryouga, I=20 think I will tell him something, do want to know=20 what?" she asks her pet. P-chan nods his head=20 vigorously. "Ok, I'll practice it with you so I can say it=20 correctly with Ryouga," she pauses and thinks for a=20 second. "Ryouga wants to beat Ranma. He needs to=20 go ahead and do what Akari wants. That way, even if=20 by some miracle Ranma does it later, Ryouga can=20 always say he did it first. It would be something=20 Ranma could never take away. Do you think that is=20 any good, P-chan?" she asks. P-chan begins to cry. 'Akari! I'm sorry! I forgot=20 the promise I made last night. I've cheated on you!=20 I've got to go and find Akari, no matter how nice=20 this is!' he thinks. P-chan starts to twist and=20 turn trying to get out of Akane's grasp. "P-chan! What's wrong?" Akane wonders as she tries=20 to control her pet. After several seconds of=20 struggling with P-chan, she put him down. "I don't=20 know what's wrong, P-chan? You're never hated being=20 held before," she says.=20 'I'm sorry, Akane, but. Akari... I'm coming!'=20 Ryouga thinks as he runs away from Akane.=20 "P-chan!" Akane cries as she follows him. P-chan=20 runs under a large bush and she loses sight of him.=20 'What happened?' she thinks. **** P-chan comes running out from behind a tree as Ranma=20 lays out the clothes he located earlier next to=20 Ryouga's backpack. "So, there you are, Ryouga. You better change=20 quickly. I saw Akari earlier when I was looking for=20 you," he says to P-chan. Ryouga quickly uses the hot water and dresses. "Where is she?" Ryouga asks. He goes over to Ranma=20 and says, "You'd better take me to her, or I will=20 tell people a secret that Akane just told me." He=20 threateningly grabs Ranma by his shirt as he=20 speaks. "Hey, I was going to lead you there anyways, no need=20 to get violent about it, Ryouga," Ranma says. Then=20 his eyes harden and he continues, "What was that=20 secret? P-chan?" "Lead me to Akari and I will tell you later," Ryouga=20 says with a nasty smile on his face. "Ggrrr," Ranma growls, "Only because I like Akari. =20 Otherwise I'd beat it out of you now. But you=20 showing up all beat up, just wouldn't be fair to=20 her." Ranma threateningly grabs Ryouga's shirt as he=20 speaks. Akane sees Ranma and Ryouga standing very close to=20 each other, grabbing each others shirts when she=20 enters the clearing. =20 =20 "STOP FIGHTING!" Akane yells as she runs up. "You=20 two should be ashamed of yourselves. Today, of all=20 days, fighting," she says, exacerbated at both of=20 them. They let go of each other. "Akane," Ryouga begins, but Ranma starts talking at=20 the same time. "Akane, this isn't what you think!" a flustered=20 Ranma says. "What I think, doesn't matter right now. What=20 matters is that Ryouga needs to get to where Akari=20 is waiting, not fighting you, Ranma," she says in a=20 stern voice. "Come on, Ryouga, I'll lead you," she says to=20 Ryouga. She grabs his hand to starts to pull him to=20 where Akari is at. 'I was going to tell Ryouga what I told P-chan, but=20 with Ranma here, I can't. He'd interrupt and ruin=20 what I would be trying to tell Ryouga,' she thinks. 'Akane, I...I've been too dependant on you, and your=20 generosity. With this decision, I need to be=20 independant of you. So I need to find Akari on my=20 own,' he thinks. Ryouga stops and removes his hand from Akane's=20 grasp. "I'll find her myself, Akane," he says to=20 her. =20 "You've sure, Ryouga?" Akane asks. Ryouga starts to walk away, but after he gets three=20 or four meters away he stops. He turns around and=20 looks at Akane and Ranma. A question forms in his=20 eyes.=20 "Saotome Ranma, would you be kind enough to escort=20 me to my friend, Unry=FC Akari," Akane says holding=20 out her arm for Ranma to slip his hand around it. "Of course, Tendo Akane, I'm always glad to help a=20 friend," he says putting his hand around Akane's=20 arm. They walk arm in arm to where Akari is=20 waiting. They can hear the crunch of the leaves=20 behind them.=20 "He's following," Ranma whispers. "Good," Akane whispers. They go back to the top of the mountain. With the setting sun behind her Ryouga sees Akari.=20 The clouds behind her look like a dragon,=20 highlighted by the setting sun. He passes Ranma and=20 Akane as he runs toward Akari. "Akari! I'm here!" Ryouga yells. "Ryouga!" Akari yells back as she waves. "This is so romantic, Ranma, don't you think?" Akane=20 looks at Ryouga running toward Akari. "Huh? Ye... Oops, almost forgot something," Ranma=20 says as he takes out the small box he found in=20 Ryouga's pants. As he throws it to Ryouga he yells, "Ryouga! Catch=20 it!" Ryouga stops and reflexively catches the box.=20 "Huh?" he says. He looks at the box. "I'm going=20 to kill you for this!" he yells as he stops and=20 starts to run back to Ranma. "Ryouga!" Akari yells from behind him. Ryouga stops, looks at Akari. Looks at Ranma, "This=20 Friday at the Dojo," he growls at Ranma. "You will=20 pay for stealing this." He shakes the box at Ranma.=20 Then he turns and runs to Akari. Ranma smiles, "You know, Akane, I thought there for=20 a second he was going to blow it with Akari. It's a=20 good thing I remembered I had that, otherwise he's=20 would've been real embarrassed in a few minutes."=20 He now turns to Akane. Akane's fiery Battle Aura engulfs him as she yells=20 at him, "YOU STOLE RYOUGA'S ENGAGEMENT RING!!"=20 Ranma's chin intercepts Akane's fist as her=20 uppercut sends him flying into the woods. Akane=20 chases after him. **** Akari wearing a green mini-skirt, a white silk=20 blouse, a blue scarf, and one of her wide-brimmed=20 hats runs into Ryouga's arms. "Akari!" "Ryouga!" They embrace each other. Ryouga reluctantly lets go of her. His face shines a=20 bright red as he clears his throat, and swallows.=20 "A-akari... I,I... the sunset is so beautiful, but,=20 ... but not as beautiful as..." "Me," Akari says helping him out. "Y-Yes." Ryouga's arm slowly raises the box. He manfully=20 ignores the trail of blood flowing from his nose.=20 Ryouga goes to one knee and slowly kneels before=20 Akari. "A-A-akari, W-wo-would y-y..." She takes the box from him and opens it up. A ring=20 set with a large green diamond-like stone is in the=20 box. She swallows. "Is this for me?" Ryouga, in the hardest thing he's ever done, slowly=20 nods his head, yes. "YES!! RYOUGA!!" Akari cries as she goes down and=20 embraces Ryouga. They kiss. Unfortunately, after a=20 couple of seconds Ryouga collapses from blood loss. As she holds up Ryouga, Akari quietly says, "We're=20 definitely going to have to work on your endurance,=20 lover. Luckily Grandmother's diary, in addition to=20 telling me how she was proposed to, also has some=20 very, very, nice tips for the wedding night." She=20 smiles and kisses the unconscious Ryouga. 'I got my wish, to be proposed to the same way my=20 grandmother was,' she joyfully thinks. 'Now to get=20 him to agree to a wedding date. Hopefully when the=20 cherry blossoms are in full bloom, like mother's=20 wedding.' **** The end **** Epilog 1 Akari and Ryouga As Ryouga and Akari go down from the mountain the=20 next morning, Akari says, "Ryouga, what is the stone=20 in the ring?" "I found it in a very, very cold cave. The bigger=20 stones in the cave actually stopped my Baukusai=20 Tenketsu special attack. I thought that was strange=20 and picked up a few of the smaller pieces. When I=20 showed a piece to Cologne she told me it was=20 ozmidine. She told me to go to this weird old=20 jeweler. He, I don't know how, shaped and set the=20 stone in the ring." Ryouga also thinks, 'I was coming out of his shop=20 when Ranma stole my map. I've got to remember to go=20 back and give him some more ozmidine, next time I=20 can find that cave again.' (I wonder how many people will catch the reference.=20 It is not anime/manga related. Think SF novel.) **** epilog 2 Akane and Ranma They are walking into the clearing where they left=20 Ryouga's backpack. "I was just making sure Ryouga didn't lose it.=20 That's why I had the ring, Akane," Ranma pleads to=20 Akane. "Grr, All right, I believe you," she says. "`Cause=20 if you did steal it, you wouldn't have thrown it to=20 him without a fight." The clouds moved off as the sun set so the full=20 harvest moon's bright light illuminates the=20 clearing. It's a beautiful early evening fall=20 night. "Ranma?" "Yeah?" "Remember what I said about this being a beautiful=20 setting?" "Yeah," Ranma says as he looks around. "It's nice.=20 If you're into such wimpy things." "Grrr. And here I was hoping Ryouga's proposing to=20 Akari might have gotten to you. I see I was right,=20 Ryouga will beat you and propose properly to a girl=20 before you will." "Ryouga beat me? Never! Not even with that!" Ranma=20 says. "Prove it," Akane challenges. Ranma looks at Akane. Her confidence shining=20 through as she stands there, obviously not believing=20 Ranma will go through with it. "You know, the way Ryouga stutters when he's with a=20 girl, I bet he hasn't done it yet," Ranma muses. He=20 smiles, turns around and starts to run toward where=20 Ryouga and Akari are at. Akane's hand instantly reaches out and grabs Ranma's=20 pigtail and yanks Ranma's head back. "If you break=20 up those two. I'll HURT you!" she yells in Ranma's=20 ear. She lets go of him. Ranma reaches back and massages the hair at the back=20 of his head. "Oww! That hurt, Akane." Akane angrily crosses her arms in front of her.=20 "Well, what are you going to do?" Ranma clears his throat and swallows. He then=20 slowly kneels and goes to one knee. Akane's face=20 loses it's angry look and she smiles. She looks=20 around, she wants to remember everything about=20 tonight, forever. "A-Akane..." Ranma begins. The leaves on a large shrub start to move. The=20 movement of the shifting leaves catches Akane's=20 eyes. She sees Genma shove a camcorder out from=20 behind the shrub. The bright moonlight also=20 reflects off the lens of the camera Soun is holding. Akane's face turns savagely furious. She bends down=20 and picks up Ryouga's backpack. She throws it at=20 the shrub. Soun and Genma jump out.=20 She charges them yelling, "Damn you! SPYING ON US!" "Phew..." Ranma whispers. A hospital room. The next day. Soun and Genma are in full body casts. Soun says to=20 Genma, "I thought you said, if we made sure the=20 Hibiki boy proposed your son would do the same." "Next time we make sure they can't see us."=20 The end for real. Authors notes. URL for those who might want some more info on Nikko=20 National Park. It has a couple a pictures which I=20 used as inspiration. http://www.japan.co.jp/~toypage/ click on Nikko This didn't quite come out the way I had originally=20 planned. I like how it did come out, but the=20 original draft had less comedy. The emphasis on Akane and Ranma, not Akari and=20 Ryouga: I wanted to see how long I could delay saying that=20 this was a Ryouga proposes story. This meant I could=20 not use Ryouga's or Akari POV. Lack of serious thoughts about marriage and the=20 problems Akari and Ryouga might have. This was=20 supposed to be WAFF. Hard to do that and include a=20 lot of hard problem solving. Or at least I think it=20 is. Ryouga and the quickness of his decision to ask=20 Akari to marry him. This could be to fast for him.=20 I'm influenced to a degree by how aggressive=20 Ryouga became during the date with Akane in the=20 Shampoo's Soap story, once he decided she did like=20 him. With Akari showing she wanted this to occur,=20 that caused Ryouga's objections to proposing to her=20 to vanish. =20 Akari and her forcefulness. If people can write=20 about a forceful Kasumi. Writing a forceful Akari=20 should be a lot easier. I had thought about having Shampoo and Ukyo show up=20 and get in a fight with Akane and Ranma. They will=20 not like Ryouga and Akari getting together. Without=20 Ryouga as a good second choice, Akane might wise up=20 and start to like Ranma. Ranma and Akane would fight=20 them to prevent them from interrupting Akari and=20 Ryouga. I decided against it, since I wanted this to=20 be WAFF and funny. A serious fight would not do for=20 the story I was trying to write. Ozmidine is a fictional mineral. It's hardness is 14=20 on the Mohs scale. (diamond is 10) And C&C will be read and answered. Thank you for reading this far. thank you jeff shelton jws1@webtv.net =20 ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com