The adfic spark invaded my brain... now I have to set every song I hear to
anime. Yay me. Anyway, I was listening to James Taylor while doing the
dishes and my idle mind came up with this...

****

"Only One"

A Ranma 1/2: Thy Inward Love songfic by G. Falconar

Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 is the property of the Great Lady Rumiko Takahashi
and all distributors of her work, and all situations and characters
contained therein are used without permission, both in this songfic and in
"Thy Inward Love" by Richard Lawson, which being used with permission. "Only
One" was originally written and performed by James Taylor, and I'd like to
include a MIDI of it but can't seem to find one. Ah well.

****

[We open on a shot of a significantly-older-than-anime Ranma walking out
into the yard of the Tendo dojo. He turns, looks inside the house one last
time, and sighs.]

Oh, you are my only one
You are my only one

[Ranma pulls a golden locket from inside his standard Chinese shirt and
opens it... Akane's face looks back at him.]

Well, I'm telling you now,
Now you're my only one...

[Ranma pats a small bulge in his pants pocket, sighs again, tucks the locket
back inside his shirt, and begins doing a kata in the yard.]

I have two long legs like to carry me,

[The kata flows through an intricate series of leaps and kicks.]

Two sharp eyes to look for the light,

[Ranma catches sight of something glinting beyond the dojo wall on one of
his leaps.]

I have two strong arms to hold on tight,

[He leaps to the top of the wall, vaulting over it, to land on the
sidewalk... in front of a limousine.]

Two good friends on my left and my right,

[Ukyo and Ryoga slip from the shadow of the wall. Each covers one of Ranma's
eyes, and they take him into the limo. He doesn't struggle much.]

But only one only one...

[As the limo drives off into the distance, the scene shimmers and fades.
Flashback time.]

And you are my only one
You are my only one

[Fade to a shot of the massive waterspout Ranma created after he destroyed
Saffron. The Akane doll expands into life in his arms... near-life, at any
rate. Ranma lands, trying to wake Akane up.]

Don't be leaving me now,

[Akane's eyes flutter open.]

Now you're my only one.

[Ranma looks like his life has been saved... but his face quickly returns to
its normal arrogant indifference.]

Well, there's only one road before me

[Fade to a shot of Ranma in his force-dressed white tuxedo, looking a bit
stunned at Akane in her wedding kimono.]

But too many turns in the way

[Fade to a shot of the utter chaos that was intended as the union of the
Tendo and Saotome clans.]

Thousands of things to do today

[Fade to a shot of Ranma, leading a group of students through a simple
beginners' kata.]

Billions of moments I mustn't miss

[Fade to a shot of Ranma cradling a day-old Nouma in his arms.]

But only one only one...

[Dissolve out, and fade in on the limo pulling up to a slightly expanded
Ucchan's.]

And you are my only one
You are my only one...

[Ranma is escorted out of the limo and into Ucchan's, and Ryoga and Ukyo
finally let go of his eyes as the restaurant lights come on. A banner on the
far wall reads "Happy 10th Anniversary". The Saotome and Tendo families and
the usual "gang of fools" are all in attendance, and Akane is standing in
the middle of the cleared restaurant floor in a simple yellow housedress.
The shock on her face mirrors that on Ranma's.]

Well, I'm telling you now

[Ranma walks a bit unsteadily over to Akane and pulls the box from his
pocket. He opens it to reveal a small bracelet, set with diamonds and jade,
and clasps the bracelet around Akane's right wrist.]

Now you're my only one.

[He smiles at Akane and pulls her into a kiss. A cheer goes up from the
assembled throng, and the flashback dissolve strikes again...]

Taken for granted and pushed aside...

[Fade to a shot of Ranma, head hung low, outside Akane's door.]

All that I'd wanted was a place to run and hide.

[Fade to a shot of Ranma, head hung even lower. He's just finished speaking
with Akane, and she looks more than a bit confused. Ranma's head turns aside
slightly, as if to force the rest of his body to go, and Akane grabs his
chin and kisses him.]

A missing message in a hollow tree...

[Fade to a shot of Ranma, holding a limp Akane in his arms, giving Ukyo one
last glare before vanishing into the rainy night.]

Hidden deep inside a memory,

[Fade to a shot of Ukyo and Ranma in the hospital. Ukyo releases Ranma from
an almost desperate hug, tears welling up in her eyes.]

And the memory seems like a dream...

[Fade to a shot of the security room in the Kuno mansion. Tatewaki stands,
eyes cold, as he watches Ranma electrocuted by the Midorigame mock-up. He
dashes out, leaving Nabiki behind.]

Hundreds of hopes in the past.

[Fade to a shot of Tatewaki, watching a van with a mental hospital's name on
the rear doors speed away from the mansion. He turns to Akane, then to
onna-Ranma... as if in dismissal.]

Nevertheless it was never the last

[Fade to a shot of onna-Ranma cradling a badly beaten Akane in her arms,
glaring at the Nekohanten from a rooftop.]

Hold on strong

[Fade to a shot of onna-Ranma, facing down the shadow Amazons]

Or fade out fast

[Pan to a shot of Cologne, surrounded by the shadow warriors... until a
spectral flash illuminates the area, and then there is nothing.]

And only one only one...

[Fade to a shot of Ranma and Akane on the roof. Ranma slips a small ring
onto Akane's finger, and Akane is overwhelmed for a few brief, wonderful
moments...]

And you are my only one
You are my only one

[Fade to a shot of Ranma, recovering from Ryoga's blows, staring after Akane
as she aims to follow through... the Nannichuan falls with exaggerated
slowness...]

Don't be leaving me now

[Cut to Ranma as he dives in front of Akane to shield her from the splash.]

Don't be leaving me now...

[Fade to Ranma, sitting on the beach, telling Akane about his father's plans
for matrimony. He pauses for a moment, and a short eternity passes before
Akane reaches out and takes his hand...]

Well I'm telling you now,
Now you're my only one.

[Fade to Ranma and Akane at the altar. Ranma lifts Akane's veil... and the
scene fades back to Ucchan's, where the two are only now breaking their
kiss...]

You are my only one
You are my only one

[The main room of the restaurant is clear enough to be a dance floor... and
that's what it becomes now. A jukebox flares into life, and Akane and Ranma
begin dancing, slowly, to an unheard melody.]

Don't be leaving me now,
Now you're my only one.

[Akari takes Ryoga's hand and leads him away from the wall to join Ranma and
Akane.]

You are my only one
You are my only one

[Kasumi stands and smiles at Dr. Tofu. They step out onto the dance floor
together as well.]

Well, I'm telling you now,
Now you're my only one...

[Kuno stands and looks questioningly at Nabiki. She rises, grudgingly, and
three couples dancing become four couples dancing.]

Oh, you are my only one,
You are my only one.

[Shampoo and Mousse come in through the front door, looking a bit harried.
Shampoo glares, briefly, at Mousse, who shrugs apologetically. They then
join in the dance...]

Don't be leaving me now...
Don't be leaving me now...

[The camera pans back, giving an almost overhead view of the five couples on
the floor... and Ukyo, Konatsu and Kodachi standing by the kitchen entrance,
smiling and occasionally glancing back to the children in the kitchen.]

Well, I'm telling you now,
Now you're my only one.

[The camera continues to pull back, odd streaks appearing in the image,
until a plate-glass window can be seen as the source of the odd reflections.
The camera pans up, to a starlit night with a beautiful crescent moon. As
the final chords of the song play, a star shoots across the sky.

[Fade to black.]

****

Hey, "The Bitter End" has inspired at least two songfics that I know of. Why
not one for its counterpart?

--G. Falconar, who had some most strange visions invade his head when he
heard "No Time To Kill"