Again this is a repost before being sent to RAAC. Any and all C&C are
highly welcomed (even flames).

Second Chances

By Lord Archive

This story begins over six months after Manga volume 38.

Legal Babble: Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, 
etc..., and are used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll 
return them. I can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on.



			-----------------------------
		   Chapter 5 - Anger, Sorrow, and Regrets
			-----------------------------


Everyone sat quietly at the Tendo household, eating breakfast. The reason 
no one was talking was that Akane was angry. Actually she was more than 
angry, she looked ready to kill. No one knew why she was angry. Sometime 
last night she screamed, "I'll kill him!" but had said nothing since 
then.

Akane sat there fuming. She wanted to tell the others why she was mad, 
but she couldn't. To tell them would mean Akane would also have to tell them 
she's from two years in the future. She'd have to deal with her anger by 
herself. Akane could not believe what she read in Ranma's journal she had 
brought from the future. She didn't want to believe it, but thinking back 
to her previous life, she saw it was probably true. 

Akane shook her head to clear her thoughts. It was getting late and she 
needed to get to school. "Come on, Ranma. Let's go." Her voice carried 
the chill of an arctic wind.

"Ah... okay." Ranma got up nervously. He was a little afraid he was the 
'him' she was going to kill.

Genma leaned over and whispered to Ranma, "What did you do to her, boy?"

"I don't know. I asked her for a date, that's it," Ranma whispered back, 
before grabbing his book bag and chasing after Akane.

Genma shook his head. <Why would she be angry about being asked for a 
date?> He then grinned. <Ranma asked her out?!>

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

Ranma walked on the fence, a little further away from Akane than he had 
walked the day before. "Um... Akane?"

"Yes?" Akane's tone still held the anger she felt.

"Who's the guy you're gonna kill?" 

Akane turned and glared at Ranma. Seeing his concerned look, her anger 
lessened. She realized she needed to say something to him.

Akane sighed. "He was a friend. Someone I trusted implicitly. I found out 
he'd been lying to me. Worst than that he made me think... someone who 
was a very close friend of mine was really a bad person a lot of the 
time. I accused... that friend of being wrong about so many things that 
were the fault of others. For that, I'm really sorry... to that friend."

"Well, you can apologize to that friend, and when you see that guy, you 
can tell `em what you think of him."

A tear rolled down Akane's face. "I wish I could. That friend is gone 
now, and that guy... well, is gone too. I will never get to say what I 
want to say to them."

Ranma jumped down in front of Akane. "If you can never talk to them, then 
forget `em. There's no point to thinkin' about things ya can't change."

Akane gave him a weak smile. "I guess you're right. I can at least make 
sure not to repeat that mistake. Um... Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"Kuno's mine to deal with today." Akane brought back her anger. It was so 
much easier to deal with than her sorrow and regret.

"I thought we got him to stop chasing after you."

Akane laughed. "I hope he has, but I doubt it. He can be pretty 
stubborn."

"He doesn't care about honor?"

"He does, but he'll try to warp it to fit his view of reality."

"Are you sure you want to fight him?"

"I'm sure. If he challenges either of us, I'll make him eat grass." A 
predatory gleam was held in Akane's eyes as they approached the school.

Nabiki stepped out of hiding, trying to understand what Akane just said. 
<Akane never had any male friends, let alone one she trusted implicitly. 
Unless she means Dr. Tofu, but I doubt that, he's still here. And who was 
'that friend' she was talking about? Something is definitely not adding 
up.> 

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

Akane shook her head at the sight of her assembled 'suitors.' They all 
looked ready to fight, which meant no one had yet to inform them of 
Kuno's defeat at Ranma's hands. They all shouted their 'love' for her in 
their battle cries and were quickly mowed down.

Ranma leaned against the front gate. "When do they learn?" he mused.

Kuno strode towards Akane. "Ah fair goddess, it pains me to see your 
fiancee does not seek to protect you from your attackers. For this I must 
take it upon myself to URK!"

Akane held Kuno by the collar. "Kuno-sempai! I'm already in a bad mood. I 
thought the challenge made it clear. Ranma defeated you, and you leave us 
alone. He did and you apparently aren't. Where is your honor?"

"My honor is to protect fair maidens."

"The person I need to be protected from is you! You will call off these 
morning fights and you will leave us alone!"

"Let me save you from your unwanted engagement!"

"Who said it was unwanted? It may be forced, but we haven't made up our 
minds if we want it or not."

"How can you want to be engaged to the foul cur?" Kuno demanded.

"You don't know him and you insult him?! Kuno die!" The next thirty 
seconds was filled with completely mindless violence Akane enacted on 
Kuno's personage.

Akane stomped off to class followed by Ranma. 

Nabiki walked over to Kuno and tsked. "You are really pathetic." She 
grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the nurse's station.

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

Akane sat at her desk, ignoring her teacher. She had too much on her 
mind. <'You don't know him and you insult him?!' Why can't I get that out 
of my mind?> She sighed. <Because I remember how the insults had started 
between Ranma and me. I called him a pervert because *I* walked in on 
him. It might of eventually ended if I ever stopped calling him a 
pervert, but I never did.>

Akane glanced at Ranma, who had fallen asleep. <Ryoga's appearance had 
not helped. He appeared to be so innocent, so if he fought Ranma it had 
to be Ranma's fault, ne? Wrong, Ryoga usually started it for little or no 
reason. Ranma was a perverted sex-fiend by sneaking into my room, ne? 
Wrong, he came in with a teakettle to protect me from Ryoga. Why didn't I 
see it before? Why would Ranma come into my room with a teakettle if he 
was a guy already? Why didn't I see the stupid bandanna?>

Akane noticed her text book started to get a couple drops of water on it. 
<No! Not here! I can't break down and cry here. Pay attention to class, 
anything, but don't cry!>

Akane looked at the board. <Great, history of Feudal Japan. I got an A in 
this class last time around, it's not likely I'll learn anything more. 
Plan! That's it plan with how to deal with Shampoo and Ryoga. I'll have 
to put up with Ryoga, just to make sure Ranma has an adequate sparring 
partner. He definitely won't sleep in my bed.>

Akane tapped her pencil on her lips. <Shampoo will be a tough one. I 
don't want her as Ranma's fiancee, but if Ranma is to ever fight anyone 
like Tarou or even Saffron, he needs to be trained by Cologne. While 
I know some of the moves, it's the challenge of learning them that 
improved his skills. I have to lure Cologne here, but how do I do that?>
Akane scribbled down some ideas. <I wish I could get Nabiki's help on 
this.>

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

"It's your fault we had detention," Akane said coldly.

"You didn't have to skip school with me," Ranma retorted.

"I know, but it's kind of fun to blame you," Akane giggled.

Surprised at this response Ranma turned around and saw her smiling. 
"Well, ah, whatever." 

Suddenly, water mysteriously fell from the sky onto Ranma. A voice from 
above shouted, "Sorry, didn't think anyone was down there."

"How did that just happen?" onna-Ranma asked.

Akane laughed, "You have a water curse. You're going to have to expect to 
find water inexplicably drawn to you. If someone tosses water out a 
window, you'll be under it."

Ranma sighed. "Oh, joy."

"Ah, Tendo Akane, I see your cowardly fiancee is once again not by your 
side," Kuno said.

"Just who are you calling cowardly?" Ranma snarled.

"If it isn't the fair maiden who mightily tossed me from the pool. Let me 
introduce myself, I am the rising star in the Kendo world of martial 
arts, known to my peers as the..."

"I know who you are, Kuno the true blunder."

"That's Blue Thunder, my Dear."

"We don't care Kuno, leave us alone," Akane said coldly.

"But how can I stay away and deprive you of your true love? I must stay 
by your side and protect you from your unworthy fiance."

"Unworthy?! Who are you to say who's worthy? A cat would be more 
acceptable than you!" Ranma retorted.

"You challenge my word?" Kuno drew out his bokken, holding it at the 
ready.

"I challenge your word and your sanity!"

"If you win..."

Kuno said no more since before Ranma punched him in the jaw. They both 
attacked, parried, and dodged. Ranma's inexperience in fighting in her 
female body allowed Kuno to land a blow to her shoulder. Ranma returned 
that blow two dozen fold, knocking Kuno to the ground.

<What a fiery spirit, and a strength superior to Akane's! I must have 
her!> Kuno thought before fading into unconsciousness.

Akane looked at Ranma's shoulder. "You should get Dr. Tofu to see that."

"Who?"

"He's our family doctor and friend. He patches me up whenever I get 
hurt."

"It's not that bad."

"Isn't it?" Akane tapped the wound.

Ranma crumpled onto the ground.

"Come on, he'll fix it up like you've never hurt it before. He is very 
good."

"All right," Ranma grumbled.

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

"Hello," Akane called, entering the clinic.

"Why hello, Akane. What brings you here today?" Dr. Tofu greeted friendly.

"Ranma, here, decided to play pound the Kuno, and Kuno got a lucky hit 
in," Akane answered.

Dr. Tofu raised an eyebrow. "She must be very good if Kuno could only get 
a lucky hit in. And did you say her name was Ranma?"

Akane nodded. "Ranma's better than I am."

Dr. Tofu looked at them quizzically. "I thought I heard Ranma was your 
fiance."

Akane blushed slightly. "Um... he is. Ever hear about Jusenkyo?"

"Akane?!" Ranma uttered.

"You can trust him, Ranma. He might even be able to help you," Akane said 
reassuringly.

Ranma didn't answer, she just stared at the floor.

"I'm afraid I haven't heard about Jusenkyo," Dr. Tofu said, confused.

"They're a group of magical spring in China. If you fall into a spring 
and you'll take the cursed form of whatever drowned there when splashed 
with cold water. Hot water returns you to normal. In Ranma's case it was 
spring of drowned girl," Akane informed him.

If it was anyone else besides Akane had said it, he would've thought it a 
joke. "It must be difficult for you to adjust to the curse," Dr. Tofu 
said, concerned.

"That's an understatement. Getting engaged didn't help any," Ranma 
grumbled.

"Well, let's take a look at your shoulder, and then I'll see what I can find 
out about your curse."

------------------------
The next day-

"Hey Ranma, here," Nabiki said, handing Ranma a letter.

"This is to me?" Ranma asked.

"'To the girl side,' Kuno said. I don't think he believes you're the same 
person."

Ranma opened the letter marked, "To the Water Sprite Girl." He read 
aloud, "On Sunday, in the tenth hour meet me in the second field of 
Furinkan High School."

Akane twitched as she heard this. "Sounds like either a duel or a date."

"A date? Come on this is Kuno were talking about," Nabiki said flatly. 
"The same guy who's obsessed with you."

"Yes we are. He only showed interest in me after I beat the crap 
out of him. Seeing as Ranma has done the same in his girl form, he may 
have 'fallen in love' with 'her.'"

"I can't just ignore this," Ranma said flatly. "If this is a challenge, I 
have to fight. If it's a date he'll be sorry."



			   ------------------------
			   Chapter 6 - Date With Me
			   ------------------------


Akane fussed with her dress. She wanted everything to be perfect. She 
had waited two years for this, even if Ranma had only waited less than 
a week. She couldn't begrudge that. He just hadn't known her as long as 
she had known him.

<Today's the day of our first date. My first date with Ranma. I thought 
I'd get married to him before that would happen.> A tear rolled down her 
cheek. <And I nearly did. Why did he have to die? Why do I have to go 
through all of this again? Why couldn't I be married to him now? He was 
finally going to marry me and he died! Why did this happen? Why?> Akane 
stood there crying.

<Come on, control yourself. You've got Ranma back. You can go through 
this again without making the same damn mistakes.> Akane wiped away her 
tears. <Just make sure you don't make a whole batch of new ones while 
you're at it.>

Akane gazed back into the mirror, checking, once again, that she looked 
the way she wanted. <It's show time.> She walked out of her room and 
greeted her somewhat nervous fiance. "Ready?"

Ranma nodded. "You look... cute."

"Thanks." Akane blushed. She wasn't about to compliment him on his 
normal Chinese attire.

"Oh, you two make me so proud!" Soun cried.

Nabiki shook her head. "Have fun you two."

"Be sure to be back at a reasonable time," Kasumi advised.

"Sometime tomorrow is reasonable," Genma grinned.

"Mr. Saotome! They aren't even married yet!" Kasumi said, 
scandalized.

Akane shook her head. "Bye." She dragged Ranma off before anyone could 
say anything more.

Nabiki grinned as they left. <Now to do a little spy work.>

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

Ranma and Akane stopped at Aires Family Restaurant for dinner. Ranma 
talked about a couple of the saner adventures he had growing up, while 
Akane talked about her mother and some of what it was like for her to 
grow up.

Akane was a little dismayed at how Ranma played up how great it was 
wandering around Japan and China. It looked like he was trying to say 
he would never settle down. She did note the longing look to his eyes 
when she described her somewhat stable childhood.

After dinner, they left for the movies. They stopped outside, looking at 
the movie listings.

Ranma looked at the list with a puzzled expression.

"Why don't we see this Jackie Chan movie? It's sort of martial arts 
action and comedy," Akane suggested, knowing he would like the movie and 
didn't mind it much herself.

"Okay," Ranma shrugged. He didn't know too much about movies because of 
how he was raised.

They were about to walk in when Kuno appeared. "Allow me to..."

Akane interrupted him with a LEO kick to the chin.

Ranma blinked at the kick. He never saw someone ever kick somebody that 
way and with that result. "Cool," he said to himself.

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

Akane and Ranma walked closely together as they walked home from the 
movies. 

Everything had gone perfectly as far as Akane was concerned. She felt 
she only made one mistake, she had pointing out something of about the 
movie that had only been released in Japan yesterday. She hoped Ranma 
didn't notice that. 

They stopped at the bridge for a moment, and looked at the 
reflections of the moon and stars off the river.

"This night has been perfect," Akane said, turning towards Ranma.

"Yeah... it was." Ranma turned toward Akane thinking how good looking 
she was. Before he knew it he was starting to lean towards her.

<He... he's going to kiss me?!> Akane couldn't believe it as she watched 
Ranma ever so slowly lean towards her. She closed her eyes, waiting for 
the final contact. She felt a strong breeze, and then nothing. She 
opened her eyes. <No.> Ranma wasn't there. <Why? Why did he just run 
off? He was going to kiss me and he ran. Why?>

After a long moment, Akane tearfully walked home, alone.

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

Akane walked towards the dining room for breakfast, and could hear Genma 
drilling Ranma about details of the date.

"Come now Ranma, did you kiss her?" Genma asked.

"NO! What's it matter anyway? There's no way I'm going to marry her!" 
Ranma shouted.

<No. He can't mean that,> Akane thought sadly.

"You're not in a position to decide," Genma said firmly.

"Why should I have to marry someone as cold as Akane? Tell me that!"

<Cold? Not uncute, tomboy, or sexless, but cold?! What have I done to be 
thought of as cold?> Akane started crying.

"Because family honor demands it!" 

"Besides, she isn't cold. She's just got a good head on her shoulders, 
and she is helping teach you," Soun added.

"She can't teach me nothin'. I'm way better than she is."

"There is more to martial arts than just knowing how to fight," Soun 
said.

"Hmph. I still say there's no way I'm goin' to marry her!"

Akane couldn't listen anymore and ran back to her room. Ranma noticed 
her running away and felt something. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, 
but he didn't like it.

Akane wanted to know why. Why was he pushing her away? The only thing 
she could think of was the near kiss. That they had moved too fast, too 
soon. She hoped that was the case. She didn't want to think of the 
alternative. That she was somehow too cold and unemotional for Ranma. 
That he wouldn't love her...

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

"So you have come, my Water Sprite Girl!" Kuno said, walking towards 
onna-Ranma.

"You don't learn quick, do you pal? Well? Where's your sword?" Ranma 
asked.

"Heh. I have no need of a sword."

"Yeah? Pretty confident, I guess."

"Confident enough to give you THIS!!!" In a flash of movement, Kuno 
threw a bouquet of roses at Ranma, which she caught. "I love you."

Ranma stared at him in shock. <Akane was right! This is a date!> She saw 
Kuno walking of into the sunset. "Kuno-sempai!" Ranma snarled. 

<My love calls to me?> Kuno thought blissfully. He turned to see Ranma 
running towards him.

"There is no way I'd ever even like you. If I want love, it'll be from a 
woman." Ranma shoved the bouquet into Kuno's mouth. "Chew on that!"

Kuno spit out the flowers, watching Ranma's retreating form. "A 
challenge. She will yet learn tis better for a woman to seek the love of 
man. I will be that man!"

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

Ranma and Akane ran to school. It was obvious Ranma was still pushing 
her away, and the incident with Kuno had not helped. It made Ranma even 
more upset. When they got to school, they plowed through the assembled 
boys and Kuno.

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

Akane stood watching the scene unfold as Kuno demanded to know Ranma's 
connection to the 'Water Sprite Girl.' She decided to step in after 
Nabiki poured hot water on Ranma while Kuno was hugging him in his girl 
form. When she approached them, Kuno shouted, "Hold Saotome! Where have 
you hidden my goddess?! I shall not be fooled by this trickery!"

"Listen... Kuno..." Ranma stammered, trying to figure out how Kuno could 
be that dense. 

"Kuno-sempai, Ranma has not hidden her..." Akane began, glaring at Kuno, 
"because he is that girl."

Kuno looked at her strangely, "Excuse me fair, Tendo Akane, by what do 
you mean by that?" 

"I mean the red haired, 'Water Sprite Girl' and Ranma are one and the 
same person. Splash him with cold water, and his body is female. Hot 
water returns him to normal. That ability was picked up from a ancient 
Chinese curse."

Kuno stood there for a moment. "Then I must splash him with cold water, 
and prevent hot water from touching her. Then she shall be free!"

"What?!" Ranma screeched.

"Kuno-sempai! His body changes, not his mind."

Kuno stood there for another moment. "Curse?... Magic?! He's a foul 
sorcerer and has cast a spell on thee. He makes you say such outrageous 
lies!"

Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki face-faulted.

"Vile sorcerer, I swear by the honor of the glorious house of Kuno, I 
shall destroy thee." Kuno attacked, striking at Ranma multiple times. 

"How stupid can you get?" Ranma mused. He leapt over the bokken and 
kicked Kuno in the chest, sending pictures flying.

Ranma caught one of the pictures. <This... this is a picture of me?!> 
He was distracted enough for Kuno to hit him.

Ranma landed, pain flaring in his side. He then proceeded to start 
catching all of the photos, despite Kuno's continued attacks.

"You look elsewhere in the midst of battle... YOU DON'T TAKE ME 
SERIOUSLY!!"

Ranma flipped and rolled away from Kuno's attack. He ended up, upside 
down, at Akane's feet. 

"I think you should know, over confidence is a rather big weakness. You 
should pay attention to the fight," Akane said flatly.

"And I think you should know, those panties are a little too flesh 
colored. One might think..."

"Stop with the fashion statement, and finish the fight!" Akane shouted 
angrily. She was more than a little tempted to punt him at Kuno.

"Fine," Ranma sighed. He got to his feet, and did a running jump kick at 
the egotistical Kendoist.

"The game ends!" Kuno snarled. He attacked repeatedly.

Nabiki was amazed at the statue next to Akane was starting to crumble. 
"Whoa. Just by air pressure..."

"Out of the way stupid!" Ranma shouted at Akane.

Akane stood firm. "Pay attention to the fight!"

With a flash of motion, Ranma kicked Kuno repeatedly. Kuno fell, 
unconscious.

"How... how did you?" Nabiki stammered.

"He kicked Kuno multiple times. Each hit was at a vulnerable spot," 
Akane answered.

"You kicked him?! I never even saw it!" Nabiki flipped Kuno over and saw 
several foot prints on his body.

"'Kuno-sempai' didn't have much, did he?" Ranma belittled his fallen 
opponent.

"You still took a hit. What distracted you anyway?" Akane asked. <Not 
like I don't know.> She grabbed a couple photos off him, and smiled. 
"Oh! Pictures of me. Honestly Ranma, why were you concerned over 
pictures, when you can get some from me by just asking?"

"HEY! Kuno had the pictures!"

Akane went to glare at Nabiki, but she was oddly absent. <Where did she 
go?>

"You don't look good on photos. I, on the other hand, look great!" Ranma 
smirked.

"Oh really," Akane said darkly. She really hated how Ranma kept pushing 
her away like this.

"These pictures are a work of art," Ranma grinned.

<What?! How could he say that about those perverted pictures?!> Akane 
angrily snatched the picture out of his hand and was shocked. The 
picture was... was... tasteful, beautiful even. It was of onna-Ranma 
doing a kata, capturing her in fluid motion. <What the hell?! These 
pictures aren't what Nabiki sold last time. Why the change?> 

Akane shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Let's go to Dr. Tofu, and 
have him look at that hit you took."

"Uh, okay," Ranma shrugged.

"Ranma, this is a rather nice picture. Mind if I keep it?" Akane asked, 
sweetly.

"I, ah, guess."

Nabiki stepped out of hiding. <Now I'm sure of it.>

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

Akane, wanting to think of a way to get Ranma to stop pushing her away, 
went to look through the journal she had brought from the future. Only 
it wasn't where she left it. She started to search frantically. She had 
to find it.

Akane heard a knock at her door and said, "Come in." Akane turned to see 
Nabiki open the door and walk in.

"Akane, I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed a book from you." Akane's 
eyes widened in shock and fright as she heard Nabiki's words and saw 
what was in Nabiki's hands. "I found it a rather interesting read, don't 
you think, OLDER sister."


			 -----------------------
			Chapter 7 - About Time
			 -----------------------

"Akane, I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed a book from you." Akane's 
eyes widened in shock and fright as she heard Nabiki's words and saw 
what was in Nabiki's hands. "I found it a rather interesting read, don't 
you think, OLDER sister."

<$#*%!!!> Akane closed her eyes. She tried to think of a way out of
this.

Nabiki shut the door. "Don't try to deny it. The incident with Kuno this 
afternoon proved you're from the future. This journal had that event 
written in some detail, and the only real difference was you. As added 
proof, Ranma complained in here about me selling pictures of him, 
however, he did not say what was on those photos. So, I resisted the 
urge to take a few fast, candid shots and set Ranma up in order for me 
to take those rather nice and tasteful pictures you saw. I doubt those 
pictures could've shocked you like they had unless you knew what 
should've been on those photos." Nabiki observed at Akane carefully, 
wanting to see if her admittedly weak reasoning was true.

Akane looked at her sister nervously; she wasn't sure she could trust 
Nabiki. She could not forget that her sister had ruined her wedding, but 
in a way this wasn't really the same Nabiki. The Nabiki that had stopped 
her wedding had kind of resented Ranma for several reasons, but the 
Nabiki in front of her doesn't have any reason to resent him. Akane 
decided she could explain some things to her, but would be careful to 
not tell her too much. Nabiki might even be able to help her. 

Akane collapsed into her desk chair. "I guess I've got some explaining 
to do." 

Nabiki sat down on the bed. "I would certainly say so."

"Where do I start?" Akane asked aloud.

<I am right? You are from the future?> Nabiki thought, surprised that 
such an unlikely possibility was actually true. She hoped it didn't show  
when she asked, "How far into the future are you from?"

"Two years." Akane felt strange talking about that.

Nabiki had kind of hoped she was wrong, because the contents of the 
journal frightened her in many ways. If the events of the next two years 
were known, though, they should be able to control the outcome. 

The journal entries for the time that had already passed were very 
similar to what had happened this time, except that the journal's 
version of Akane depicted how Nabiki had thought she would act. The 
journal also contained nearly two years of information written in 
Ranma's handwriting. Some of that information included things about the 
Tendo family's past which he could not possibly know yet. 

There was no way the journal could have been written by the Ranma Nabiki 
knew. There was simply too much stuff in it. Akane could've collaborated 
with him and written it, but that wasn't likely considering they had no 
reason to and that they hadn't had enough time to write this. As odd as 
it sounded, the only explanation Nabiki could come up with was the 
journal was from the future... and by how Akane had acted, so was she. 

Nabiki had to admit that a lot of the stuff in it seemed far fetched. 
But if Ranma could turn into a girl and Akane clearly acted as if she 
lived this all before, it gave a certain credibility to it all.

There was some information missing that Nabiki wanted to know. She 
decided to get it chronologically. "Okay, let's start with the day after 
the final entry."

Akane hugged herself. "I wish I could forget that day." She shivered. 
"That was the day Happosai summoned some monster because Ranma got him 
upset. The monster..." Akane's voice cracked, "...was very powerful. I 
tried to help Ranma fight it... but it was too strong... Maybe if I 
stayed out of the way like Ranma wanted... he wouldn't have..." Akane 
started crying, unable to say more.

Nabiki stared at Akane, asking dumbly, "He died?"

Akane looked at Nabiki with an unspeakable sadness and nodded. "In my 
arms... He died in my arms just after he finally admitted he loved 
me." She then started crying so hard her entire body shook.

Nabiki wasn't quite sure what to do to help comfort Akane. "Oh, 
Akane..." she said hesitantly, hugging her sister because it seemed the 
right thing to do. After a while, Akane's crying started to get to her. 
She wanted to stop her sister from crying, so she somewhat jokingly 
asked, "Did I really turn into such a bitch?"

"Huh?" Akane emitted through her tears.

"Did I really become so much of a cold-hearted bitch that I did some 
of the stuff in that journal?"

Akane nodded. "You did."

"I ruined your wedding?" Nabiki asked, not quite believing she would 
ever do that.

"Yes."

"Why would I do something like that?"

"Besides being able to make money off it, you mean?" Akane accused.

"Now Akane, I may... do some bad things for money... but that was way 
too far."

"It certainly was." Akane's eyes narrowed, her fist clenched slightly.

Nabiki noticed Akane was starting to get angry. She backed away form her 
'younger' sister. "Well, I promise to stop your wedding only if you ask 
me to."

"I'll hold you to that."

Nabiki nodded. "Now Akane..." She stopped herself. Nabiki was about to 
suggest making a deal with Akane to get certain sports results in 
exchange for helping her. She knew this was not the time for that. 
Nabiki decided to hold off trying to get that information until a 
later time.

Akane looked at her sister, wondering what she was thinking. "Yes?"

<Might as well help her, and maybe she'll volunteer that information,> 
Nabiki thought. "Um... perhaps I can help you rope in the love of your 
life."

"What do you want for your 'help?'" Akane narrowed her eyes, regarding 
her sister with suspicion.

Nabiki shook her head. "Nothing... Akane, you do realize I probably did 
some of that stuff to get money to pay for the damages you and Ranma 
caused. Our family may have money, but not enough to pay off all those 
repair costs." She had cringed when she read several references of 
damages caused to the house and dojo.

Akane nodded. "I knew that... but you had... will... er... whatever 
went to extremes in getting money. You had to have gotten more money 
than you needed to run this household despite... what I did."

"Don't you mean you and Ranma?"

Akane shook her head. "Let's face it, I did most of the damage. 
Shampoo and Ryoga combined didn't do as much as I did, and Shampoo has 
a strange tendency to make her own doors." 

Akane sighed. "You know how easily I get angry. I caused so much 
damage because I would just react violently to things I don't like. I 
took everything out on Ranma because I was being forced to marry him. 
I never tried to look at things from his perspective. I wouldn't let 
myself see the truth of so many things despite having the evidence 
right in front of me."

Akane turned and looked out the window. "I should've known Ryoga was 
P-Chan. I should've realized Ranma was in love with me a long time ago. 
I just kept denying the evidence. Why would Ranma get that jealous over 
Mikado and shout to over a thousand people that I was his fiancee, if he 
didn't love me? That happens next month! We spent nearly two years 
hurting each other... and I could've stopped it if I would've just seen 
some of his signals."

"What about the signals he missed?" Nabiki asked.

"Oh, you mean me trying to cook for him? Trying to be a good wife when 
I don't have the first clue how?" Akane sighed. "He could've been more 
appreciative about what I did for him... at least less insulting. But 
looking back, besides being jealous, I didn't send all that many 
signals to him. When I did send a non-violent signal, they were 
somewhat acknowledged or I had botched up the attempt. Through it all, 
I was rather good at hiding my true feelings to everyone, including 
myself."

"Are you trying to tell me Ranma was blameless for all the bad things 
in your relationship?"

"Hardly... but the problems with our direct relationship were largely 
mine. Ranma should've done a better job of dealing with his excessive 
number of suitors. I know now he never really wanted them, but he 
should have done something about them. It's hard not to get jealous of 
someone like Shampoo. She's every man's fantasy girl, and so much better 
than me in so many things." 

Akane clenched her fist. "I have to be careful in how I deal with her 
when she arrives. I might end up fighting her... which would be bad. 
I'll probably lose control of my anger and start unleashing some of my 
special techniques."

"That's one of the things in the journal that still gets me. Can people 
really do chi attacks?" Nabiki asked.

Akane nodded. She held her hands out and a mass of crimson red light 
formed between them. She smiled at the result, and then frowned. 
"A-another missed sign," she whispered, the chi dissipating. Tears 
started to flow down Akane's face again.

Nabiki blinked at the light. She wanted to know more about it, but Akane 
was crying again and she wanted to now why. "What do you mean?"

"Two months after the failed wedding attempt, Ranma's chi attacks 
turned red and were stronger. He wouldn't tell me what emotion he was 
using to fuel it, saying I had to figure it out." Akane started to cry 
even harder. "Now I know... it's love." 

Nabiki shook her head. She knew her sister could stubbornly refuse to 
see things that could be uncomfortable. Akane's eyes had been ripped 
open in a terrifying way. The man she loved had died in her arms, and 
now she had to relive her life. 

Nabiki wanted to ask more about the chi attacks, but she could ask that 
later. She knew it would be better if Akane finished talking about the 
future first. "Sis, what happened after Ranma died?"

"I can't tell you much about the following two weeks... I wasn't 
exactly... alive. The China gang went home, Ukyou continued on, and 
Ryoga proposed to Akari. Two weeks after the funeral, I went to a 
psychologist. He was able to help me return to school. But a couple 
days before the second anniversary of meeting Ranma, I found the 
journal and read the final couple passages. The next thing I can 
remember clearly was the night of the second anniversary of 
meeting him... when I talked myself out of committing suicide."

Nabiki eyes widen in shock. "You weren't going to..."

"I would have been on my honeymoon then if he hadn't died! Four weeks! I 
missed marrying him by four weeks!" Akane cried. "All I wanted to do was 
to be with him again. I'd have done anything for that... but he wouldn't 
have wanted me to kill myself. He died because he took some hits that 
were meant for me! I wasn't about to tarnish his memory by killing 
myself!"

"Good," Nabiki gave a relieved smile. "So how did you come back in 
time?"

"I-I was still in bad shape, so I wanted to talk to the psychologist. 
I went to call him, but I didn't get him but the... Goddess Relief 
Office... I think. Anyway, a moment later this woman came out of the 
television saying she was the goddess Urd and I had one wish. I ended 
up wishing for a second chance with Ranma. When I woke up the next 
morning, I was two years in the past."

A big sweat formed on Nabiki's head. "You didn't sell your soul or 
something?"

Akane blinked. "I... ah... don't think so. I didn't sign anything at 
least."

"I hope you didn't." Nabiki really wished she knew how to deal with this 
kind of stuff. She sighed. "Now what are your plans?"

Akane decided to see if she could trust Nabiki by testing her with 
Ryoga's appearance. "Well, Ryoga is going to show up in about a 
week..."

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

Akane entered the dining room with a teakettle filled with hot water. 
She saw that onna-Ranma had just taken off her soaked shirt. "Ranma!" 
she snapped.

Ranma looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"You have to learn feminine modesty. It's not acceptable to expose 
yourself like that." Akane poured hot water onto Ranma's head.

"Why should I have 'feminine modesty'?" Ranma asked, wringing out his 
shirt.

"Because you are part girl now."

"Not for long if I can help it."

"Ranma, Ranma," Nabiki began, shaking her head. "Something tells me 
you CAN'T help it. What's the point of a curse if it can easily 
undone? I believe you are stuck with it."

Akane smiled at her sister. "Nabiki's probably right. You really need 
to learn more of what's it like being a girl."

"I don't want to know what it's like to be a girl!" Ranma shouted.

"I know you hate your curse, that you value your manhood, but you are 
going to have to adjust to the curse. Fighting it will cause you more 
harm than good. You must accept what you cannot change."

Nabiki thought this argument had gone on long enough. Akane fighting 
with Ranma over him accepting his curse would only add more strain to 
their still fragile relationship. She decided to change topics. "So, 
Uncle Saotome, anything new with you?"

[Starting today, I have a part-time job,] read the sign held by the 
panda.

Ranma blinked when he read that. His father rarely worked if he didn't 
have to. "Part-time job? You working for a zoo, Pop?"

[WRO-O-O-ONG!]

<Pop working?! He only works when he has to, and I don't see why he 
would think that,> Ranma thought.

"Akane, on the way home from school could you stop by Dr. Tofu's?" 
Kasumi asked. "I borrowed this book from him, and I'd like you to return 
it."

"Um, Kasumi, could you do that?" Akane asked. "There is... some stuff 
going on today."

"Really? I guess I have to," she replied.

Ranma looked at Akane, confused. "What do you mean? Nothing's going on 
today."

Akane scowled at Ranma. "There is too something." She glanced at the 
time, noticing they should leave now. "Come on, Ranma. We have to go."

Ranma shrugged and inhaled the remaining part of his breakfast. He 
followed Akane out of house, racing her to school. "What do you have 
to do today?" he asked.

"Actually... there isn't anything. It's just that Dr. Tofu is in love 
with Kasumi, and I want to help them get together."

"Oh," Ranma emitted, feeling he shouldn't be part of that.

They arrived at the school to see the would-be suitors gathered at the 
gate. Ranma noticed this time they weren't preparing to attack, but 
were... crying?

One of the suitors stepped forward. "Tendo Akane, we shall no longer 
challenge you. Instead we shall swallow our sobs and give our approval 
to your engagement to Ranma!!"

"What in the name of..." Ranma said, confused.

"It's about time you stopped," Akane said flatly.

"You have heard this rumor, this falsehood... that Saotome Ranma has 
defeated me! Kuno-sempai does not admit defeat!" Kuno said, looking 
like an Egyptian mummy wrapped in bandages.

"Kuno was the greatest fighter at Furinkan High," one guy said.

"Yeah. And the greatest pervert," another guy added.

"Pervert?!" Kuno snarled.

Akane shuddered, hugging herself. <Kuno is nothing compared to 
Happosai.>

Ranma was confused by Akane's strange reaction.

"Kuno shall not give up. A hundred... two hundred kicks from a coward 
like Ranma do not make me even itch!"

"Who are you calling a coward?" Ranma snapped. "Can't admit you 
lost?!"

"You! I shall free Akane and the Water Sprite from your clutches!" 
Kuno produced a bucket of water, throwing its contents at Ranma.

Ranma dodged it. "Hey! Watch it you idiot!" He kicked Kuno in the 
face. The pain of the kick combined with the pain of the bruises from 
the kicks he received the day before caused the kendoist to take a 
nap.

"Well, we've said our peace," one guy said.

"Congratulations on the engagement you two!" another guy said.

"Err... whatever," Ranma grumbled.

Akane just smiled.

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

"I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?" Akane asked, very concerned. <How the 
hell did I hit him with the baseball again?> "What distracted you anyway?"

Ranma didn't answer. He didn't even look at Akane, he didn't want to 
look at her. He couldn't help but replay the incident in his head. He 
had been distracted because that Hiroshi guy said Akane was obviously in 
love with him and that she never looked at anyone the way she looked 
him. 

Ranma shook his head. <How can she be in love with me? I only met her 
less than two weeks ago. There is no way she could be in love with 
me.> He glanced at Akane, seeing the worried expression written on her 
face, and quickly looked away again. <She just can't be in love with 
me!>

"Hello, Uncle Saotome," Akane greeted the panda sweeping the sidewalk 
in front of Dr. Tofu's clinic.

"Pop! What are you doing here?" Ranma asked, surprised.

"Well, well! Ranma and Akane," Dr. Tofu greeted them friendly. "This 
is Mr. Saotome. He started working for me today. Do you know each 
other?"

"Well, yeah. He's my Pop," Ranma answered.

"You don't say," Dr. Tofu said. "Not much resemblance is there?"

"Thank Kami-sama, no," Ranma smirked.

The panda growled.

Dr. Tofu chuckled. "He was cursed at Jusenkyo, right?"

Ranma and Akane nodded.

"Ranma, what happened to your face?" Dr. Tofu asked.

"Little baseball accident."

"I have a balm that works wonders! Come inside and I'll fix that up," 
Dr. Tofu offered.

Ranma and Genma followed Dr. Tofu inside the clinic. Akane was a 
little worried, knowing her sister would be arriving soon, but entered 
the clinic anyway.

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

Akane quickly tried to hide Ranma's journal when someone opened her 
door. She sighed in relief when she saw it was Nabiki.

"So Sis, what happened to Uncle Saotome?" Nabiki asked.

Akane smiled, forcing back a giggle. "Well... my guess is that Dr. Tofu 
thought Uncle Saotome was his patient when Kasumi showed up. I got Ranma 
and myself out of there just as she showed up."



				-----------------------
				   Chapter 8 - Lost
				-----------------------



Onna-Ranma was cornered. There looked like no escape for her. All her 
training meant nothing against this. There was just no kind of training 
that would deal with what she was facing. "No WAY! I'm NOT wearing any 
girls' clothing!" Ranma was clad in only her boxers and a towel.

"But Ranma, ALL your clothes are in the wash right now," Kasumi pleaded.

"You just can't run around naked you know," Nabiki said flatly.

"Come on, Ranma," Akane said. "I've got some clothes that aren't TOO 
feminine."

Ranma sighed; she knew this was a lost cause and surrendered. "Fine," 
she grumbled.

Akane led Ranma to her room and pulled out a shirt and a pair of cover-
alls. They had 'China' written on the chest and on one of the knees. 
"This should work."

Nabiki gave Akane a questioning look.

Ranma reluctantly grabbed the offered clothes, and slipped them on. Once 
on, she said, "It doesn't fit. The chest is too tight."

Akane gritted her teeth slightly, but then relaxed. "Maybe it is a 
little tight, but you haven't gotten used to something pressed against 
your chest, have you?"

"Um, not really. Anyway, the waist is too big."

"Sorry you had to fall in the Jusenkyo spring of drown young super-
model," Akane said sarcastically. "Clothes aren't exactly designed for 
someone with your figure."

"Huh?" Ranma questioned.

"Akane just means Jusenkyo gave you a body that most girls would kill to 
have as their own," Nabiki said.

"Well, I'd kill to get rid of it," Ranma replied, sadly looking into the 
mirror.

Akane placed her hand on Ranma's shoulder. "I know you hate the curse, 
but it's part of you now. You're going to have to learn to accept it."

"But I don't want to accept it! It's NOT part of me!"

Akane sighed. "Ranma, you can accept the curse and still be a guy, a man 
amongst men."

"Yeah right, I have such a great body for a man amongst men," Ranma said 
sarcastically.

"The curse only changes how you look, it doesn't change who you are. You 
don't act any different when you're a girl," Nabiki said.

"Well, I FEEL different, and that scares me. I'm a guy damn it! I don't 
want this body! And I never want to wear women's clothes, EVER!" Ranma 
ran out of the room.

"That went well," Nabiki said sarcastically.

Akane glared at Nabiki before running after Ranma. She found her in the 
changing room, removing the last of her clothes. 

"Leave me alone," Ranma snapped at Akane.

"Ranma... I'm sorry," Akane said as she hugged Ranma. "I-I didn't know 
you felt different as a girl. I'm sorry I'm pushing you to accept this 
before you're ready." <You've never mentioned it before, and you didn't 
even write in your journal that you felt different. Maybe ignoring the 
problem was the better solution.>

Ranma reluctantly hugged Akane back. "This isn't fair! Why did this 
happen to me?"

"I don't know, Ranma. Maybe it was just REALLY bad luck, or maybe you've 
got a role to play in fate that requires you being a girl. I wish I 
could help you. I really want to help you. If I can help you with 
anything, name it. I'm here for you."

Ranma let go of her hug. "Thanks for the offer. What I want right now is 
to be alone. Okay?"

Akane nodded. "You go take a bath. Your clothes should be ready when you 
get out." She turned and left the room.

Ranma went and filled the furo. She sighed as she looked in the mirror 
at herself. <I have the body of a girl that people would kill for. Why 
did I have to get it? I'm a guy, and I DON'T want to accept this curse. 
This isn't who I am. Why does Akane insist that I should? Why does she 
think there isn't a cure? Why did she... hug me?> Ranma smiled weakly, 
remembering the hug. <I may feel different, but I still like girls.>

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

Ranma was overjoyed when the bell rang, ending school. He was quite 
thankful Akane had said nothing about accepting the curse since the 
clothing incident a couple days ago. He wasn't sure he liked that she 
hadn't seemed as close to him since then, though.

Akane sighed in relief when the school bell rang. School was a bit 
boring normally, but sitting through the class a second time, hearing 
the same material over again, was EXTREMELY boring. 

When Akane realized that she was forcing Ranma to accept his curse 
before he was ready, she also thought about the other things she might 
have been forcing without realizing it. In particular her acceptance 
of their engagement and her instant closeness to Ranma might be causing 
him to accept things before he was ready.

Ranma decided he had enough of school and said, "Come on, Akane. Race 
ya home!"

Akane snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Ranma running out the 
door, and realized something... 

Akane ran after him, yelling, "Ranma, stop!"

"Come and get me," Ranma called back, exiting the school.

Akane saw the familiar form of someone whom she had thought was a 
friend, charging at Ranma and preparing to attack. "Ranma! Watch out!"

Ranma looked up at the figure of someone above him with a strange 
umbrella. The figure called out after committing to his attack, "Ranma, 
Prepare to DIE!!!"

Ranma dodged the blow with reflexes honed by years of practice. The 
ground under him exploded from the sheer force of the attack.

"You!" Ranma said, vaguely remembering his attacker.

"You haven't changed, Ranma. You're still good at running away," the 
attacker sneered.

Akane glared at him with a look that could freeze blood. "Who are you, 
and why did you attack my fiance?"

"Fiance?" the attacker questioned.

"Yes, my fiance. Now tell me who you are and why you attacked him?" 
Akane snarled angrily.

"You have poor choice in men." He chuckled. "I'm Hibiki Ryoga, and I 
shall have my revenge!"

A lightbulb turned on over Ranma's head as he remembered Ryoga, "Hey, 
long time no see, buddy! How've you been?"

"How've I been?!" Ryoga snapped. "Have you no idea of the suffering 
I've seen because of you? I will make you pay for running out on our 
man to man duel!"

"What are you talking about? I waited three days at the appointed 
spot."

"Oh sure, but when I showed up on the fourth day you had already run 
away to China."

"Tell me," Ranma asked, "why did it take you four days to get to a 
vacant lot that was just 500 yards down the street from your house?" 

"You think I was out on an evening stroll?! I suffered trying to meet 
up with you! You broke a vow between men when you ran off to China 
with your father!" Ryoga yelled. He swung his umbrella at Ranma.

"Now listen here!" Akane growled, blocking the swing by grabbing the 
end of the umbrella. She slid a couple inches before stopping it. "YOU 
broke the vow between men when YOU didn't show up at the appointed 
time for the duel. Don't blame him for something that's YOUR fault."

Ryoga stared dumbly at Akane, not just because of her words, but because 
she had stopped his swing.

"Hey, keep out of this. This is between me and Ryoga," Ranma said.

"Right, this is between men," Ryoga confirmed. He turned to Ranma and 
charged. "Ranma I will destroy your happiness!" 

Ranma dodged the charge and Ryoga kept going. 

"My happiness?" Ranma asked, watching Ryoga as he ran off into the 
distance. "Am I happy?"

Akane glared at Ranma. "I hope you're happier now than you were before 
coming to Nerima."

Ranma looked at Akane and shrugged. "I guess."

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

Akane was in the dojo, decimating the practice dummy with a flurry of 
movements born of frustration, fear, anger, and years of martial arts 
training. She ripped into the dummy with moves that could kill a man. 
To almost everyone else she would be a force to be reckon with, but to 
herself and Ranma she was way too slow. She continued her attack trying 
to forget what happened after Ryoga left, and failed.

Nabiki entered the dojo and saw the Akane she knew, her angry little 
sister. The only difference was that the Akane she remembered was raw 
unfocused power, but the Akane before her was highly focused and far 
more dangerous. Nabiki watched as Akane literally ripped her target to 
shreds.

Akane stopped once the practice dummy was unrecognizable. She looked 
down at the remains, and it brought back a memory, a memory of 
Happosai's corpse at her feet. Akane became sick, barely able to stop 
herself from vomiting. She ran outside the dojo to try to regain 
control.

Nabiki looked at Akane with a questioning look. "Akane, are you all 
right? You look like you were about to throw up back there."

Akane took a couple breaths and steadied herself. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What just happened?"

Akane looked at Nabiki. "The dummy... brought back a rather bad 
memory, that I'd rather not think about."

Nabiki thought Akane was probably referring to Ranma's death, and 
decided to change the subject. "Now Akane, why did you, ah, practice 
like you did?"

Akane sighed sadly. "I was upset at Ranma's response to Ryoga saying 
he'd destroy his happiness. Ranma asked me if he was happy. And when I 
said I hope he was happier now, all he said was, 'I guess.' Shouldn't 
he be happy? He has a home and friends, and he still questioned if he 
was happy!"

"You know better than anyone else the hard life Ranma had. He's never 
had what he's got now. He doesn't know if he should be happy with this 
or if he would be happier living on the road. He needs time to 
understand his feelings. Try to remember what it was like for you when 
Ranma first arrived and consider what it'd be like if the roles were 
reversed and you were cursed and expected to follow him as he walked 
all over Japan and China."

Akane sighed. "I know... but I guess I want my Ranma back now and I'm 
getting a bit impatient. It's hard trying to keep my distance when I 
love him so much it hurts. There are times I want to act like Shampoo 
and throw myself at him. The only thing stopping me is that I know he 
doesn't like that. Instead of bringing him closer to me, I'd be 
chasing him away."

Nabiki smirked a little, remembering some of Shampoo's exploits that 
she had read. "Somehow I don't see you acting like that."

"Well, maybe not exactly the same way... but I am more than a little 
tempted to seduce him."

Nabiki shook her head. "Do try to keep your panties on. I'm not sure I 
want to be an aunt anytime soon."

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

"Here Ranma, this just came for you," Kasumi said, handing a letter to 
onna-Ranma and placing a teakettle next to her.

"A challenge letter from Ryoga," Ranma said reading over the letter.

"Will he make it in time for this one?" Akane joked.

"Nope, it's supposed to be yesterday."

"How bad of a direction sense could he have?" Nabiki asked.

"The worst. He can get lost in a room with one door,"  Ranma quipped.

Akane giggled. "Anyway, what started this feud?"

Ranma thought for a moment, coming up blank.

"Anything to deal with when you two went to the same school?" Nabiki 
asked.

Ranma snapped her fingers. "That's it! It was back at the start of a 
new semester, during lunch. The cafeteria lady threw out the last of 
the curry bread and I caught it before Ryoga could get it. He seemed 
upset about it. He was even crying tears of bitterness. Lunch was 
always a war there. After all it was a boys' school."

"Boys' school?" Kasumi questioned.

"I was a boy all the time back then," Ranma said bitterly.

"All that for taking some bread. You sure there wasn't more to it?" 
Akane asked.

As Kasumi poured hot water from the teakettle on Ranma, he remembered 
more and said, "Well, there was also chow mein bread, and then 
croquette bread, and melon bread, cutlet sandwich, meat bread, and 
there was seaweed bread..."

"My, sounds like the straws that broke the camel's back," Kasumi said.

Nabiki whispered to Akane, "You sure you want him?"

Akane nodded slightly.

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

Athur's Notes:
Please send C&C to archive@mich.com (and to FFML if you want).
You can find my other works at www.mich.com/~archive/anime

Thanks to my numerous pre-readers for this series- especially Free Mage.

			 / LORD ARCHIVE \
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* The JAFO otaku.    *        A Knight of The True Fiancee, Akane.     *
* Slave of GRAAC     *     Addiction, The Footman of the Appocalypse.  *
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*      Web Page: http://www.mich.com/~archive - Ranma fan-fiction      * 
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