Second Chances

By Lord Archive

The start of the series is the saddest, darkest thing I will probably ever 
write. On the whole, the series isn't dark, it just starts that way.

This story begins over six months after Manga volume 38.

Legal babble: Characters are own by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video and a
bunch of other companies. They are used without consent.


------------------------------------
Chapter 1 - The End of One Life
------------------------------------

Akane could not believe what she saw before her. Ranma had defeated the
monster Happosai had summoned, but he was wounded. Badly wounded. She
rushed to Ranma with tears filling her eyes.

<This can't be happening. It can't!> She kneeled at his side. "R-Ranma?"
she uttered, her voice shaking.

Ranma said weakly, "Akane. I'm s-sorry. I got... careless." 

"Be quite, save your strength." <Please don't die. Please!>

"I... I'm sorry, Akane... I wanted to... marry you... I'm sorry... I
hadn't told you that... I love you."

Her eyes lit up. He had finally admitted he loves her. Everything would
be all right now. Everything would be better.

"I do love y..." The fire of life in Ranma's eyes were extinguished as
his heart stopped. He now just laid there, dead.

"Ranma?" Akane cried. "Ranma, please don't leave me. Ranma, I love you,
don't leave me." She gathered his body into her arms and screamed, 
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
The scream was heard formiles around.

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

Ukyou sat at the Tendo Dojo. She couldn't understand how some dopey
monster Happosai summoned could kill Ranma, but it had. She hadn't
stopped crying since she arrived at the place Ranma died, just after
hearing Akane's gut wrenching cry of his name. Now here she was at
Ranma's funeral days later. His casket in front of her, and she just
couldn't understand it.

Ukyou saw Kasumi lead Akane into the dojo. She noted with bitterness that
Akane didn't show any signs she had been crying. The bitterness was short
lived as she then noted Akane didn't show signs of any sort. Akane wasn't
emotionally alive.

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

Shampoo stared at the casket in front of her. She realized for some time
now that she had lost him, but continued to chase him in case... anything
unfortunate happened to Akane. Besides, she could not return to her
village unless Ranma was her husband or dead. She hoped and prayed for
the former, but it was to be the later. Ranma was gone, and no one gets
to have him.

Shampoo saw Akane enter the dojo. Not surprised at her state. Shampoo
knew Akane loved Ranma more than she let anyone, including herself, know.
Shampoo thought Akane loved Ranma more than she did and perhaps more than
Ukyou did as the evidence showed.

The biggest surprise at the proceedings held for Shampoo was that Mousse
was not elating how she was free of Ranma. He just sat next to her,
mourning the passing of Ranma and only offered to comfort her in her time
pain. He did not force his presence on her.

She was unnerved at how little pain she actually did feel. Sure she cried
when she found out Ranma was dead and it does hurt, but even Kodachi
showed more reaction to his death. She guessed it was because deep down
she had given up on Ranma. So, alive or dead, it didn't matter, he was
already lost to her.

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

Kodachi laughed, and laughed. Her fragile hold on sanity cracked when she
saw Ranma's dead body. When she went to attack the wretched Tendo girl
who took Ranma away from her, she had been stopped by a combined attack
from Ryoga, Shampoo, Ukyou, and Kuno.

Kodachi's injuries from the battle had sent her to the hospital. Her
actions there had her committed. She had severely hurt two orderlies in
an attempt to leave and hunt down Akane.

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

Ryoga stood in the back of the dojo, tears streaming down his face. Akari
was next to him trying to give him emotional support. Ranma had been the
closest thing to a best friend to him, and his first love, Akane, was
obviously in great pain from Ranma's death.

"You know, that's how Ranma was when he thought Akane died at Jusendo. He
couldn't take the pain so he shut himself off, as she is now," Ryoga said
in a low voice, indicating Akane.

"Will she ever get better?" Akari asked, sadly.

"I-I think she may end up like her father, never able to go through a day
without crying. Either that or her anger will be such that she will have
to be restrained to prevent her from destroying everything in sight." 

"Oh." Akari looked at Akane. She now cried not really for Ranma, but for
the pain Akane felt and wondered if she would feel the same if Ryoga
died.

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

Konatsu was above Ukyou, holding onto the ceiling. He worried about how
she was to fair after Ranma died. He was upset that Ranma had died, Ranma
had been his friend and he had precious few friends.

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

Kuno stood like a stone statue on the other side of the dojo door from
Ryoga. It pained him to see how the spell that sorcerer Saotome had cast
on Akane hurt her after his passing. He wanted to comfort Akane, but
Nabiki threatened to make him a woman and send the Kuno clan to the poor
house if he even talked to her. For now he just honored his adversary, as
he was the only man to hold his own against his might.

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

Nabiki was at a loss. She played peace keeper, not wanting to have the
insanity of Ranma's life invade his funeral. She wished now she had used
her skills to end the insanity rather than fuel it. She purposely delayed
the marriage of Ranma to Akane because she felt her sister wasn't ready.
Now Akane had lost any chance to ever marry him, and it was Nabiki's
fault the wedding attempt had failed.

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

Kasumi sat next to Akane. It troubled her greatly that Akane had
retreated so far into her own world that she may as well be dead. Kasumi
had seen it before, her father was like that when her mother died. Kasumi
knew Akane would come out of it eventually, but she won't be the same
person she was before.

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

Soun cried, and cried. His daughter was hurting and his family line will
never be joined with the Saotomes.

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

Nodoka sat on the other side of Akane. Nodoka cried at the lost of her
son so soon after finding him. He had proven to be a 'man amongst men' to
his dying breath and hated that the oath of Seppuku had kept him away
from her for so long. All she wanted now was her son, if he was truly a
man or not.

Nodoka looked down at Akane. She did not care that Akane never married
Ranma. She was going to help this girl who her son loved as if the girl
was her daughter.

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

It was a surprise to many guest when Genma walked into the dojo in human
form, crying with tears sorrow. He had screwed up so much when raising
Ranma, he was not going to make a mistake now. Genma knew his many
mistakes had hurt Ranma greatly, and his mistakes with Happosai had
caused the death of his only child.

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

Cologne was next to Shampoo. She regretted that Shampoo would never get
to marry Ranma, but knew how hopeless that had become. This outcome would
work out for the best for Shampoo in the long run, but Cologne never
wanted it to happen.

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

Happosai? Well, Happosai wasn't there. When he had arrived at the scene
of Ranma's death to see what his monster had done, he meet several angry
martial artist. He held his own against them. Actually he was winning,
despite fighting Genma, Soun, Ukyou, Ryoga, and Shampoo all at the same
time.

It wasn't until Akane noticed the battle that it ended. Akane looked at
Happosai with such anger and rage she glowed with a chi aura greater than
Happosai even produced. "You- you killed him!" she shouted, her voice
like gravel. "DIE!" Her chi aura shot into Happosai ripping him apart. He
died, painfully.

Now, the only people who thought of him, did so angrily. No one mourned
his passing.

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

Ukyou kept her restaurant closed for the following week. She spent most
of the time crying. She tried to visit Akane once, but she was still
emotionally dead. Ukyou did see signs that Akane was coming out of it as
she mumbled a couple times. At one point Ukyou heard Akane say, "The baka
died before I could tell him that I love him." Ukyou knew Akane wasn't
talking to her as Akane stared off it space while saying it.

Ukyou was upset by Akane's reaction. Ukyou always felt she deserved Ranma
the most, that she loved Ranma more. But, Akane proved that wrong.
Despite her insults and the number of times she hit Ranma, Akane was in
greater emotional pain over his death than anyone else.

Konatsu had spent those days as shoulder for Ukyou to cry on. He wanted
to help in anyway he could.

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

With Ranma's death, nothing held the Amazons to Japan, so that packed up
and left days after the funeral. Shampoo and Mousse stopped by the Tendos
before leaving to wish them better times and gave an offer of help if
they ever need it.

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

Kuno had visited his sister in psychiatric ward. When he started spouting
how the evil Saotome had bewitched his sister, he was given a nice padded
room for himself.

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

Ryoga, seeing what Ranma and Akane had loss for waiting 'until the time
was right,' gathered his courage and proposed to Akari. She happily
accepted. 

Ryoga was still upset and depressed at what had happened. He thought if
he was a little sooner in getting there, if he could have done more,
Ranma would be alive. The man whose existence he had cursed many times
over and attempted to kill on many occasions, and he would do anything to
bring him back. 

Akari wanted to help Ryoga, she gave him the love that kept him from
going over the edge. But, Ryoga needed to release the feelings of
depression that built up in him and had gone and made a large pond at
Akari's farm from repeated Shi Shi Hokodan blast he fired several times a
day.

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

Almost a week passed before Akane came out of her emotional death. She
spent the next several days crying. Nodoka was not just going to let her
handle the pain alone, but also knew, for what happened, she'd need
professional help. Nodoka thought that if she had sent Ranma to a
psychologist, that final incident with Happosai may have been averted.

It was two weeks after the funeral when Akane first saw the psychologist.
It had to take some convincing that Akane wasn't delusional when she
talked about how Ranma died and mentioned his curse. The doctor was upset
that no one had come to see a psychologist before then, especially about
Ranma who undoubtedly had many mental scars that should've been addressed.

Talking to the psychologist helped Akane greatly. She started to function
and three weeks after Ranma died she returned to school. Everyone avoided
her, which suited her find. She wished it had all been a nightmare, one
she'd wake up from. She wanted Ranma back. She wanted to tell him that
she loves him. 

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

Akane stared out into the stormy night with eyes dried from having cried
too much, her thoughts drifted over the past two year since Ranma blew
into her life. Two years that afternoon, and he missed the anniversary by
four weeks. 

Akane had been crying since she found Ranma's journal a couple days ago.
She only read the last couple entries and found out Ranma had actually
decided to deal with Ukyou and Shampoo and marry her today. Akane was
amazed that Ranma actually remembered the importance of the day let alone
planned to make it the most important one in their lives. And now it'll
never be. 

Akane thought of all the mistakes she had made, from their first meeting
to their final moments. So many times she had gotten angry at him for
things not his fault. She wanted to take it all back. She wanted him
back.

Akane couldn't bare the pain any longer, she couldn't go on. A short trip
to the kitchen or the dojo to get a nice sharp blade, and she could join 
him. She could see him again. She would... be dead. No! As much as it
hurts. Oh, Kami-Sama, how it hurts! She couldn't bring herself to leave
the world just yet as it would cheapen Ranma's death. He took some of the
injuries in the final battle saving her. He would want her to live.

Akane decided to use the emergency number the psychologist had given. She
needed to talk to him some more. Akane was shaking as she went to the
phone and dialed the number.

On the third ring it was answered, "Goddess support line. Hold on for one
moment."

<What the hell? This isn't the psychologist,> Akane thought, confused.
She then noticed the television suddenly turned on in the living room. No
one should be in there, it was three in the morning. She let the phone
drop, if this was a bugler, he would regret trying to rob her home.

Akane stopped and was sort of amazed at the woman cursing as she tried to
get out of the television.

"I don't know why my sister is in love with these stupid machines," the
woman said.

Akane came to senses and went into a battle stance. "Who are you, and
what are you doing to my TV?"

"I'm Urd. I am a goddess, and you've been granted a wish." She finished
by wrangling her foot out of the television, and sent it crashing into
the floor.

Akane lost it for a moment. <Could this be true? Do I really get a wish?>

"Yes, you get one wish," Urd replied.

Akane blinked. <I didn't say anything?>

"You don't have to. For the time being, I can read your mind."

Akane became elated. "I can get him back. I've wished to get a second
chance with Ranma..."

Urd began to glow, and a beam of light shot skyward. "Granted."

"Granted what? I didn't make my wish yet," Akane said, getting upset.

"You wished a second chance, and now you've got it?"

"Huh?" Akane uttered, suddenly growing tired.

"Now go to sleep, Akane. Tomorrow WON'T be a new day," Urd smirked, as
she faded from existence.

"What did she mean by that?" Akane yawned as she dragged herself to bed.
She grabbed Ranma's journal and hugged it tightly to herself as she feel
asleep.

--------------------------------
Chapter 2 - Beginning Again.
--------------------------------

Akane awoke. She felt different, her mind clouded. A hot bath was what
she felt she needed right now. She set Ranma's journal on her desk as she
wearily got out of bed. She then gathered her stuff and made her way down
stairs. She suspected Kasumi would have a bath ready. While Kasumi didn't
seem to notice things, she usually had things like that done for you
before you knew you wanted it.

Akane made her way to the bathing room, but the bath wasn't ready. Akane
shrugged it off, Kasumi had a hard time reading her since Ranma... left.
She decided to wash her face and prepare a bath for herself. She
approached the sink and looked at the mirror.

Akane nearly screamed at what she saw. Her hair was long. Her face
younger. She ran her hand threw her hair and touched her face. <This
can't be possible.> She the remembered her encounter with the 'goddess'
last night and her wish for a second chance. She dared not believe the
implications before her, but she had to find out.

Akane ran out towards the dining room, as she guessed her father was
there. The Shoji board and Genma, however, were nowhere in sight. "Dad?"

Soun quickly attempted to hide a postcard. His face tear-ridden. "Yes,
daughter."

"What day is today?" Akane asked meekly.

"Sunday, Dear."

Akane blinked, yesterday had been Tuesday. "Um, I meant the date."

"May tenth." Soun looked at her puzzled.

Akane head began to spin. It was Sunday, May tenth, but yesterday was
Tuesday May tenth. Ranma arrived on May tenth... Sunday. "I-is the year
1993?"

"Of course, daughter. Are you all right? You don't look good."

"I'm fine... Great even." Akane smiled from ear to ear. Today was the
day. Ranma is coming, and she wasn't going to make the same mistakes this
time around. She will use this second chance wisely.

Soun looked at his daughter closely. She looked disheveled and up until a
moment ago looked quite sad and confused. Now she was happy. Well, he had
been delaying telling them what was on the post card until he had
gathered the courage to face his daughters. Now appeared to be a good
moment to tell his daughters, because Akane was happy and she would be
the most violent in her rejection of the information. "Akane, could you
get your sisters? I have something I need to discuss with all of you."

Akane paled. She needed to get ready. She wanted to get a haircut. So
much to do before Ranma gets here. She noticed the time. Her father was
going to start earlier. She had a little more time, but she needed to
delay things. "Um, Dad, can I get cleaned up a little first?"

"Sure, but don't take too long."

Akane nodded. She didn't have enough time to get her haircut, but she
could at least look presentable. She would not meet him as the uncute,
sweaty, gi wearing girl. She paused for a moment. Ranma loved her, but
she was the uncute one. Ukyou and Shampoo were cute. Was that what he
loved? Her uncuteness? Akane shook her head. Being a little cuter may not
hurt. Maybe his journal may shed some light on his feelings.

Akane went to her room to read the entry. She flipped past the first
several entries and found the one of his first day at the Tendos:

	Today Pop took me to his old friends house. That baka actually
wants me to marry one of his old friend's daughters. They chose a violent
maniac for me. Shouldn't I get to chose. I don't care if she was the one
I would of chosen if forced to. It was my decision. After she hit me with
that table, I wanted to chose none of them. 

	I accidentally saw Akane, the girl I'm suppose marry, nude. One
word sums up what I saw: kawii. I just hope she isn't as violent and
insulting as our first meeting indicates. She was so friendly up until
that accident. I really could use a friend right now, someone who
understands and accepts me. I really shouldn't have said I was better
looking, but it really hurt how insulting she was towards me. 

	This isn't the time for fiancees, I should get back to China and
find a cure. I'll give it some time though, this is about family honor,
and she does look cute though. I'll write down what I think of the Tendos
later.

A few tears run down Akane's cheek. She flipped ahead and found that a
week later he detailed what he felt about the various people he meet. She
only read hers.

	Tendo Akane: A violent, uncute, macho girl. She is insulting,
prone to hit you, and yet is also a pretty good fighter. If she had
trained since she could walk, she could probably wipe the floor with me.
I wish I knew how I really feel about her. Sometimes I feel so close to
her it scares me, so I push her away. I don't want to be hurt when I
leave her. I know I will, as soon as Soun gets fed up with Pop's
freeloading or when Pop decides he's had enough of this place and moves
on.

<So that's why he did it. He was afraid he was going to get hurt.> Akane
quickly dried her tears and got dressed in a nice red sun dress. It
wasn't the fanciest thing she had, but remembered Ranma did like it. She
also didn't want to give away she knew what was about to happen. As she
left, she grabbed her gi. She had about twenty minutes before Ranma would
show up.

Akane checked to see if Nabiki was in her room. She knocked on the door.

"It's open." Nabiki said through the door.

Akane opened the door and said, "Dad has something to tell us."

"Sure, whatever," Nabiki moaned, she rarely liked what her father had to
say. She noticed how Akane was dressed, and asked, "How come you're all
dressed up?"

"Oh, no reason," Akane smiled nervously.

Nabiki knew Akane was hiding something, maybe she knew what father had to
say. Nabiki got out of bed and followed Akane downstairs. Akane tossed
her gi into the changing room on her way to get Kasumi. 

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

Soun sat in front of his daughters scared of how they'll react to this.
He then thought of the joy that would happen when his family line joined
with the Saotome clan. Smiling he began, "I have wonderful news for you.
Soon we will have some visitors."

Nabiki rolled her eyes as she sipped some lemonade.

Kasumi smiled. Hopefully they'll stay for a meal, so she could hear them
compliment her cooking.

Akane tried to remain emotionless. <Here it comes.>

"One of them will be a fiancee to one of you."

"FIANCEE!?!" yelled the three Tendo girls. Akane hoped they bought her
acting.

"Yes, the son of a very good friend of mine. The son's name is Saotome
Ranma. If one of you three would marry him and carry on this training
center then the Tendo family legacy would be secure."

Nabiki resumed drinking her lemonade, thinking of how to turn this to her
advantage. From what her father said, marrying him means she would
inherit the Tendo home.

Akane wanted to say something, but didn't want to give away anything. If
Nabiki knew Akane could tell of the event for the next two years, there
would be trouble.

Kasumi was the first to speak, "Daddy, we've never even met Ranma."

"That's easily fixed." Soun was surprised Kasumi seemed to be the most
upset at this. "Let me tell you about him: Ranma and his father have been
on a voyage of training. Recently, it seems, they crossed into China."

"Wow! China!" Nabiki chirped in. <Well traveled. Must have some serious
money.>

"I bet they regretted it," Akane whispered.

"How old is he? Younger men bore me. What kind of guy is this Ranma?"
Kasumi asked, upset.

Soun laughed, and then deadpanned, "No idea."

"'No idea,'" Nabiki repeated.

"I've never met him." Soun began to sweat.

Suddenly the sound of a fight was heard outside. "Leggo, y'ol' fool!"
someone screamed.

"We have visitors!" Kasumi said.

"OOOO! It must be Ranma!" Nabiki said, racing to the door hoping he was
cute.

"Saotome, my friend! We've been waiting!" Soun yelled following Nabiki.

<Oh, I hope he's older,> Kasumi thought, straightening her hair.

<Don't screw this up. Remember he doesn't know me. He hates things being
forced on him. And most of all don't hit or insult him. Just be his
friend first, hopefully love will come later.> Akane blinked. <Ukyou most
of thought that, I've got to check if Ukyou lost because of what he felt
for me. I don't want to end up just his friend.> Akane came out of her
thoughts as a Panda set down a person with red hair onto the floor.

"You wouldn't be..." Soun began.

"Saotome Ranma. Sorry `bout this." Ranma said nervously playing with her
pig-tail.

Akane heart ached at the sight of Ranma so vulnerable. She wanted to hug
him and make him feel welcomed, but that would probably be a bad idea.

"At last! You've come!" Soun shouted for joy.

"OOOO! He's cute!" Nabiki elated.

Soun hugged Ranma tightly. "It's so good of you to come! So..." Soun felt
something wrong in his hug with his old friend's 'son.' He pushed away
Ranma and started sweating.

Nabiki looked closer at Ranma and saw he had a rather big chest for a
guy. She poked Ranma in 'his' chest.

"Um, could you stop that?"

"'He's' a girl," Nabiki said, upset at the lost of her meal ticket.

Soun fainted. 

Akane was momentarily torn between helping her father or helping Ranma.
She decided to help her father to go along with their initial meeting as
best she remembered up until it went sour.

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

Soun awoke, crying.

"Oh, poor daddy. He's so disappointed." Kasumi said worried.

"HE'S disappointed! Some fiancee this is!" Nabiki shouted.

"Stop it you two! He... SHE is our guest!" Akane angrily replied. <Can't
they see how hurt he is?>

"This is all your fault, daddy! You should have made sure!" Nabiki
screamed.

"Well, he said he had a son!!" Soun shouted his reply.

"Do you see a son here? Hmm? Do you?" Nabiki squeezed Ranma's breast for
emphasis.

"Um, I really wish you'd stop that," Ranma said, embarrassed.

Akane remember now was the moment to introduce herself. "Hey. Join me in
the practice hall? I'm Akane. You want to be friends?"

Ranma smiled. <At least she likes me.> 

"Wait here, I'll go change into my gi. Be right back" Akane said smiling.
<Got that great first impression.>

Ranma nodded. <She's cute. I wonder if she's really any good. Doubt it.
Wearing dresses and all.>


Akane stepped into the changing room. She started to think about what
happened in their first encounter and what to do this time. <First let
him win. That training we did in the months after that wedding fiasco has
my skill level above what his is now, and he won't be very confident
until he beats Kuno into a pulp. No special moves, as I don't like the
idea of him knowing them until he's matured a little. Challenge him to
kenpo, that is the style he's most familiar with.>

After changing, she rushed back to the dining room, where Ranma was. She
then led him to the dojo. "You do kenpo, don't you?"

"A little," Ranma replied.

Akane shook her head. He's dan level in kenpo. "Then let's have a little
match, okay?"

"Huh?" Ranma uttered. <She can't be serious.>

"Just for fun. Don't worry. I've been training most my life. I can stop
myself from hurting you." <Emotionally and physically this time.>

<She asked for it.> "If you say so."

Akane got into her battle stance while Ranma remained relaxed in her
position. Akane rushed Ranma, the battle nearly perfectly reflected their
first battle. 

<How can I be missing?> Akane thought. <I should at least me getting
closer, but I moving so slow... That's it! It's my body that's the
problem. My body hasn't been speed trained. Oh well, didn't want to win
this, but I do want to show him I have power.> With a final punch, which
Ranma jumped over Akane as a response, she sent her fist into the wall.
Ranma tapped Akane on the back of her head.

Ranma started laughing, which Akane joined in.

<She's good. She seemed to trying to push her body faster than it would
go though,> Ranma thought.

"You're pretty good... I hope whoever my fiancee is..." Akane began.

"Huh?" Ranma uttered.

"...can beat me."

Ranma wasn't sure how to respond to that so she left. <I wonder how
she'll react when she finds out I'm really a guy. How am I going to
explain this?>

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

"Akane! Bath's ready!" Nabiki called.

"Thanks," Akane replied. She remembered Ranma would be in there now,
debating if she should go in. He would get to see her nude, and better
yet, she'd get to see him. Akane cut the line of thought, she'd be a
hentai to do that. "I'll take it later."

"Suit yourself."

Akane went to her room and started to flip through Ranma's journal trying
to find Ukyou's arrival. After a moment she was interrupted by Nabiki
screaming, "Who the hell are you?" Akane paled, she hoped Nabiki didn't
give Ranma a free show.

Akane ran downstairs, towards the bath. She was relieved to see Nabiki
apparently saw Ranma walk out of the bath. Ranma was completely tongue
tied.

Kasumi, Soun and Genma entered the hallway.

"I'm waiting... Who are you?" Nabiki demanded.

"I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry `bout this." 

Kasumi stared at him in disbelief.

Nabiki replied, "No you're not. Ranma is a girl with red hair."

Soun interrupted, "Actually that is Ranma. He and his father will explain
this."

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

It was now after sunset. Genma and Ranma repeated their story several
times of how they became cursed.

Akane was quickly bored. She had heard and told the story hundreds of
times. She rarely took her eyes off Ranma, though, he was quite
attractive and she missed him.

Kasumi and Nabiki couldn't believe what they were being told, demanding
they explain it again and again.

Ranma noticed Akane's attention, and was nervous. She wasn't looking at
him with fear and shock Nabiki and Kasumi were. Akane was looking at him
with what seemed to be understanding, caring, and longing all wrapped
into one. It was the longing part of her gaze that made him more nervous
than the gazes of from Nabiki and Kasumi.

"What's this all about?" Nabiki asked, trying to understand what game
they were playing with her.

"Are you really her? The same girl?" Kasumi asked.

"Hmmmm... Where should I begin?" Genma asked himself, realizing they need
to be shown how the curse works. "I know..." He grabbed Ranma, and with a
quick Judo throw, sent him into the koi pond.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ranma screamed angrily.

"Now he's a girl," Kasumi said in disbelief.

"Ohhh. My own son. So humiliating. So humiliating," Genma cried.

Ranma kicked Genma into the pond. "Who are you to talk?" Ranma demanded.

"Daddy? Why are you friends with them?" Kasumi asked.

"They weren't like this before. Not before they took there trip to
China... an undertook that terrifying training exercise."

Ranma and Genma left to change back with a quick bath. They returned and
explained their story yet again.

"The legendary ground of accursed springs. It's true horror has always
been shrouded in mystery. But now..." Soun said.

"Whaddya mean 'true horror?'" Ranma interrupted, angrily. "Yo, old man.
What's the idea draggin' me to a place like that, anyway?"

Genma responded with another Judo throw into the koi pond. "You sound
like a woman! Were you not prepared to give your life for the sake of
your training?"

"My life, yes," Ranma answered. "My manhood is another story!" Ranma
dumped a bucket of water on his father and started fighting him.

"Oh, what a tragedy!" Soun cried.

"Stop that!" Kasumi demanded.

Akane kicked Genma into the pond. "You've gone too far!" 

"Yeah. Even for martial arts training," Nabiki said angrily.

"What made you do something so dangerous?" Kasumi demanded.

Nabiki noticed a pamphlet on the ground and picked it up. She looked at
it with Kasumi.

"It's Chinese. A map... and a guide book?" Kasumi said.

"Something about 'training grounds,'" Nabiki added.

"No wonder... You can't read Chinese, can you?!" Kasumi asked.

"Correct," said a banner that came out of a confetti bomb held by Genma.
Ranma punched him.

Soun used a teakettle to turn Genma back into human form. "So, when
doused with hot water, you return to human form." 

"Well, it needn't be quite that hot," Genma commented.

"When doused with cold water you become a girl..." Soun pointed at Ranma,
and then tried to pour the scolding hot water onto her, "...but hot water
turns you back into a boy!"

"Hot water! Not Boiling!" Ranma corrected, dodging the water.

"No sweat. Your problem isn't so terrible after all," Soun said, patting
Ranma on the back.

"Huh?" Ranma uttered. <Who is he kidding?>

"My daughter Kasumi, nineteen. And Nabiki, seventeen. And Akane, sixteen.
Pick the one you want. She's your fiancee." 

"Oh, he wants Akane!" Kasumi suggested.

"Oh, definitely!" Nabiki confirmed.

"Wait! It is HIS decision!" Akane demanded.

Nabiki and Kasumi blinked.

"Well, Ranma, make your decision," Soun demanded.

"Do I have ta?" Ranma asked, very nervous.

"YES!" demanded Soun and Genma.

"I-I-I... c-choose... A-A-Akane," Ranma said meekly. 

Akane tried to repress a smile, but failed badly as it went from ear to
ear.

"It's settled then. Akane is your fiancee," Soun said.

"Um, Akane, you don't mind? Do ya?" Ranma asked nervously.

"I don't like being forced into this, but it'll probably help with my boy
problems. This might be a good thing for me," Akane answered, blushing.

"What boy problems?"

"Every morning, I have to fight all the guys at school who want to date
me," Akane related.

"How many?"

"A couple dozen at least," Akane shrugged.

Ranma blinked. He didn't expect that many.

Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't engaged to her. 

Nabiki spied Akane suspiciously. Akane hadn't reacted violently to
getting engaged. She even appeared to liked it. Something was wrong with
this picture. The girl who hates boys was actually happy to be forced into
an engagement with a half-girl freak. Was it because Akane is a lesbian
and she could hide it with him? Nabiki didn't think so, but evidence
seemed to point towards it.

Soun was thankful that Akane seemed to accept her engagement already. He
thought if Akane was chosen, it'd take years before she'd accept it.

Genma was happy. He was at his old friends house and given full ability
to freeload.

Ranma was confused. His curse still fresh and uncertain in his mind, and
now he was engaged to a girl he hardly knew. She was cute at least. He
wanted to get cured, but family honor demanded he stay.

Akane was happy. Her Ranma was back, and this time she wouldn't make the
same mistakes.

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

Author's note:
I HATE sad endings and sadfics. But, when I saw numerous Ranma starts
over, Ranma and Akane start over, and even a sort of Ukyou starts over
fic, and I wanted to do an Akane version. I had to give a reason why this
would happen so Ranma had to die.

This series, like the Night After series, falls under my category of
writing projects of whenever the spirit moves me to write it. The next
chapter may not be written for months.



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