Take a look at the bottom for another explanation I added...


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Based on the works by Rumiko Takahashi.  We present to you........

Ranma 1/2 -  Watakshi no Tomodachi

Chapter 1


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The sun glared down from it's fixed point in the sky.  Apparently, this
summer was going to be a hot one.  On route towards a school in Nerima
Japan, a young man walked silently across a wire, linked fence.  Not far
behind him, a girl about his age, is trying to get his attention.

"Ranmaaaa!!  HEY!  Ranma!!!"  She called.

Ranma tried to ignore her.

"RANMA-CHAN!"

 Ranma 'irked' and stopped sharply on his approach to school.
Obviously, the name got his attention.

"Now how many times have I said NOT to call me--!!  What the heck are
you laughing at?"  Ranma deeply scowled at the girl mocking him from
before.

"I.. (snicker).. I love it!  I know I can get a rise outta you so
easy!"  The girl laughed, her short, blue hair bobbing with each
convulsion of laughter.

Ranma rolled his eyes and continued on, "Jeeze, Akane.  I don't know why
I even bother putting up with you."

Akane hurried her pace and caught up with the boy, "Want me to start
with the top of the list?  Let's see.... Number One:  I'm your best
friend and we've known each other since we wearing diapers, well, minus
the training trip you took for all those years, but you've been back for
4 months now!  Number Two:  I'm incredibly cute, I mean who doesn't want
this?"  She said motioning to herself.

Ranma stopped short in his tracks and looked down to his best friend.
Both burst out laughing at the same time, "Oh, not to mention you're SOO
modest."

Akane grinned, "Oh come I'm just joking with ya!"  She said while poking
the tip of her finger onto Ranma's nose.

Ranma batted it away, blushing ever so slightly, "You're just lucky I'm
such a good friend."

Akane waved her hand up and down and proceeded ahead of him, "Well,
SOMEONE must think I'm cute.  I mean, look at that!"  She said while
pointing a finger towards the front gates of the approaching Furikan
high.  Set on a collision course, around 100 hormoning teenage boys
charged towards the couple.  Some were clad in Kendou outfits, others in
sumo, baseball, wrestling, golf, cricket, well... you get the picture.

Ranma rolled his eyes, "Really Akane, I really don't know what you were
thinking when I accepted Kunou's challenge, and besides, I really don't
think you could count them as anything..."

Akane shrugged, "Nice to know I'm loved,"  She said while sticking out
her tongue,  "Hey, it seemed like it would good pratice.. at the time,
"  She winced slitghly, followed by a sigh, "Well, better not keep my
adoring fans waiting.  I didn't want to be out holding buckets like
yesterday, Ranma."

Ranma grinned sheepishly, "Oh just get it over with."  He said while
rolling her eyes.

Akane snapped her feet together and gave a salute, "Yes, sir!"  She
charged ahead to the boys, leaving Ranma shaking his head and a big grin
plastered across his face.

To say Akane was winning, would be quite the understatement.  She had
actually come a long way as a martial artist since Ranma's departure
with his father.  Ever since they could stand, the two had had a
competition going on.  Of course, Ranma had excelled, but who wouldn't
after an extensive training period like the one he endured.  Ranma
thought, with a little training from 'yours truly', Akane could become a
challenge.  Well, in the arts that is.  Ranma had never been able to
figure out girls, but he understood Akane so well.  But she was his best
friend, ever since they were young.  Of course he knew about that dumb
marriage thing their fathers planned out, but he knew it wouldn't
stand.  He couldn't ever imagine being married to Kasumi or Nabiki.
They were more like sisters to him than anything else.  And Akane, she
was his best friend.  It would be too, weird........maybe, but she's the
only girl he knew not freaked out about the curse he received on his
trip with his father.  So what were they?  It was a question Ranma
really didn't want to answer.

A few minutes after it started, it was over.  Of course Akane won.  Even
the 'oh so great' Tatewaki Kunou lay face down on the ground.  Ranma
grinned to that.  Fitting punishment for the one who instated the
challenge every morning on Akane,  *She always wins over those unskilled
guys.  Hell she didn't even break a sweat!  Why do they even bother?*
Ranma wondered, *I mean she's nice enough, she's popular... she's
cute....  Okay so maybe there's a few reasons but I'm sure they could
get someone else just like that here!  So... why Akane?*

"RANMA!!"

Ranma fell off of his perch on top of the school wall, "Itetete..."

Akane grinned, "Now that I have your attention," Akane grinned,
"School's just about to start, and if we don't hurry we'll be stuck with
those pails again!"  She said while skipping off towards the school.

Ranma stood to his feet and rubbed his head.  Girls were confusing.

    [******************************]

"Did you see it?"

"Of course I did!  I mean, you'd have to be pretty thick not to!"

"He's totally gone on her!"

"Who's totally gone on whom?"  Akane asked, peeking in on her two
friends conversation.

Sayuri and Yuka blanched when they saw Akane staring at them,
"Ah..hahaha.. n-no one Akane."  Yuka spat out.

"Yeah, just.. no one!"  Sayuri added in lamely.

Akane put her hands on her hips, "Oh come on!  You can't expect me to
believe that!  Now come on!  I want in on this!"

Sayuri shrugged, "Fine, Akane.  Don't be made at us, you're the one who
asked."

Akane looked a little more than confused, "Hn?"

"Oh come on, Akane!  You really don't know?!"  Yuka asked in
astonishment.

Akane's frown creased further, "What?"

"Man, Akane!  You really Are thick!  We were talking about Ranma-kun!"
Sayuri laughed.

Akane felt a small pain in her chest, "Ranma?  Ranma.. likes someone?
He...uh.. never told me."

Yuka laughed, "Why in the heck would he tell you?!"

Sayuri joined in, "No kidding!  I mean if I liked someone I wouldn't
just tell it to their face!  How embarrassing!"

Akane blushed furiously, "What are you TALKING about?!"

Yuka grinned, "Oh come on Akane!  You can tell!  This morning, when he
was watching you fight, he had the CUTEST grin on his face!"

Sayuri nodded, "Akane!  I'm so jealous!!  You have the whole male
student body after you, and the one guy who isn't chasing you, and who
is INCREDIBLY cute, _still_ likes you!"  By this time, the two girls had
saddled up beside the blushing Akane and were nudging both her sides.

Akane started to fume, "Would you PLEASE stop it!!"

Sayuri smiled, "Oh ho!  Look, Yuka!  Akane-chan's embarrassed!  It must
be love!"

"Alright, class!  Sit down and get out your English texts!"  Said an
irrate teacher from the front of the room.

The whole class, including Akane and her two friends, sat quickly in
their seats, "Hai, Sensei!"

Akane peered out of the window for a moment, *Ranma, huh?*

    [******************************]

It neared the end of another school day, and Akane welcomed it with open
arms.  It had been weird enough for her and all she could think of was
going home to a nice hot soak in the furo, or maybe some of Kasumi's
cooking.  She had to admit, when it came to the homemaker genes in the
family, she lacked severely.

"Hey, Akane!"

Akane snapped out of her reverie and raised her head.  Ranma stood
perched over her waiting for her to pack up all her school supplies.
Akane shook her head momentarily, "Oh, sorry Ranma.  Just a little tired
I guess.  It's the end of school already?"

"You don't look so great."  He said in some worry.

"Oh well gee, Sunshine, you don't look so hot yourself."  Akane smirked.

Ranma frowned, "I'm being serious."  He set a hand on her forehead.
Akane shivered to his touch, "Jeeze, Akane!  Your burning up!"

Akane knocked his hand away slightly, "It's okay.  I probably just
caught the flu or something."

Ranma shook his head, "Oh, come on!  You can't pull that stuff with me!
I've known you too long to know when you're actually sick.  Let's go
home and maybe Kasumi can give you something, okay?"
The sincere look in Ranma's eyes made Akane lose her resolve to fight
back and she merely nodded and grabbed up all her stuff.  As the two
left the building, an ominous figure loomed just at the gates.  Akane
couldn't help but be caught by his gaze.

Then he spoke, "Tendou.. Akane?  You're Akane, right?"  His voice was
filled with a calm that made Akane shiver.

"That's me," She spoke quite frankly, "Did you need me for something?"

The stranger stepped out of the gates slightly and into the brighter
light of the sun.  Ranma's eyes opened slightly, *I know this guy....
who is he.....?*

The stranger smirked, "Actually, that's exactly it.  Tendou Akane!  I
challenge you to a duel!  And I heard, if I beat you, I get to date
you.  Isn't that correct?"

Akane groaned, "Oh man, not another one."  She handed her backpack to
Ranma, "Could you hold this for me?"

Ranma took it form her, but leaned in to whisper, "Akane.  Are you sure
you want to do this?  I mean, you aren't feeling well, and... I think I
know this guy.  I'm not sure from where....."

Akane rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, Ranma!  I'll wipe the floor with
him just like all the rest," She said while giving her best friend a
cocky grin, "Then you can be a gentleman and escort me home."

Ranma hung back behind her as Akane took a defensive stance.  The
stranger merely brushed back some of his black hair from the front of
his face.  His stance was loose and looked as if he was bored.  Akane
sweated, *What is he doing?*

Another minute passed, and neither had made a single move, *This is
getting ridiculous!* Akane thought, *If he won't make the first move
then I guess I'm playing offence!  Well, here's goes!!*  Akane charged
forward, with one arm drawn just over to her side.  Once in range, she
let out a fierce jab, capable of taking out many of the men at her
school.  But he wasn't from her school.

Akane connected thin air and she was sent off balance, which left her
open to a fierce chop on the back on her neck sending her sprawling to
the ground.

"Akane!"  Ranma yelled out and was about to run to help her up when
Akane held back her hand motioning him to stay where he was.

"I can handle it, Ranma!"  Akane said while staggering back to her feet.

The strangers looked unsatisfied, as he seemed to tower over her, even
from 5 feet back.  Akane gritted her teeth again and charged once more.
This time faking another jab, while sending her right foot sharply into
the side of the man.  She smiled at her hit but it soon fell as the man
stood still, not even as much as a flinch.  Akane fell sharply as he
free foot was kicked out from under her and she landed hard onto the
ground.

"This is getting tiresome," he spoke softly, and with one lightening
quick jab into Akane's stomach, she was knocked out cold.

Ranma was quick to Akane's side, propping her up and making sure she was
alright.

The Stranger slightly winced at the blow he took to the side, although
she didn't look it, Akane was powerful.  More so than he thought
earlier.  He turned and started to walk away from the grounds, adjusting
a bandana as he did.  One minute.  That's all it took to bring the great
Akane Tendou to her knees.

"What the hell did you do to her?!!  Who the hell are you?!"  Ranma
demanded protectively.

"She's in no danger,"  The stranger spoke softly, "I wasn't after her
anyways, Saotome Ranma."

Ranma was starting to get mad... more so, "How do you know my name?"

The young man smile ominously.  As he did, a distinct fang glinted in
the sunlight, "My name is Ryouga Hibiki.  And my purpose is to make you
life a living hell, Saotome.  Oh by the way, tell Akane I'll pick her up
at 7:00 tomorrow night."  And with that he was gone.

"Hibiki...."  Ranma growled, "Now I remember..."

"Ranma....?"  Akane whispered softly, "I... I lost...."

Ranma looked sorrowfully down to the girl in his arms, as she lapsed
back into unconsciousness.

"Akane......."

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Whew, all done :P  Didn't take me to long either *^_^*  Let me explain a
few things here, just so I can clear up stuff and you don't have to mail
me :P  Alright...

1.  So, Why the hell is Akane acting so casual around the guy thing?
 Well, she grew up with Ranma when they were young, and her best friend
is male, so therefore makes her more open around the opposite sex than
she was in the original.  Remember, at first, she had NO good experience
with guys!  (ie.  Guys attacking her, Ranma and the bath thing, etc.)

2. Ranma is acting nice.. WHAT'S UP!?
 Also, the Akane thing.  He and Akane grew up as kids together, so he
has some experience with girls.  His best friend is a girl so he's
gotten used to it by now, therefore being a little more sensitive to
them, (Don't worry I'll keep some of that machoism in there too *^_^*)

3.  Ranma and his father are staying at the Tendou dojou still.
Remember, they can't go back to Nadoka because of Ranma's curse (and YES
he still does have it :P  He and Genma went on the training trip still
to Jusenkyou.  Hey!  It wouldn't be a real Ranma 1/2 story if he never
got cursed :P)

4.  WHOA!  Why is Ryouga hitting a GIRL!?
 Okay, so I made Ryouga a little more relentless than the original :P
Sue me :P  Hey!  Don't get me wrong!  Ryouga is actually my fave Ranma
1/2 character :P  Don't worry, I'll still have him be cute 'lil P-chan
*^_^*

5.  The time line of events goes as such:

Akane and Ranma (Best friend since birth) They lived near each other
   \/
Genma takes Ranma away on the training trip when he is 9 (Yes, I know..
it's a little late, but this fits in with my story better :P)
   \/
Ranma RETURNS with Genma, and now are staying at the Tendou Dojou.  They
can't go back to Nadoka because of Ranma's curse.  The bathroom scene
happened, but Akane let Ranma off more easy because of their past.
Remember, Akane and Ranma were best friends when they were young and
just picked up where they left off when Ranma returned.  The Tendou kids
and Ranma know of the engagement promise, but think it'll fall through
like most of the other things :P

6.  Why is Akane such a strong martial artist in this?
 Well, when she and Ranma were young they would always compete to be
better than each other.  Since Ranma left of his trianing journey with
his father, Akane knew he would become a lot better and felt it
neccessary to push her self father with training.  She's not up to
Ranma's level, but she can put up a fight :P

7.  Why would Akane accept a date if she was beaten?!
        Well, I wrote her with a larger ego int his one :P  She believed
that it would be good training for her to get good like Ranma and she
thought she couldn't be beaten by anyone... hehe.. gotta love those
ego's :P

Hope this answers some things!!  Ja ne!

             "You know, you really are cute when you smile."