"What wedding preparations?!"  Akane and Ranma chorused.

	While heading for the door, Soun said, "Between you and Ranma 
of course, Akane.  Now that he's given you and engagement ring, we can 
finally go through with the wedding."

	Furious, Ranma yelled, "I did NOT give Akane an engagement 
ring!"

	The fathers stopped and looked at Akane and Ranma.

	"My little girl received an engagement ring from someone 
else?" Soun wailed."

	"Growf!" Genma said, while holding up a sign that read, "How 
could you let this happen, boy?"

	Ranma and Akane looked at each other.  For a second, it looked 
like Ranma was about to yell something.  

	*No.  I'm going to say something that I'll regret.  I don't 
want Pops finding out about my new problem,* Ranma thought.

	Making a gesture of disgust, Ranma walked away, while calling 
over his shoulder, "Stop trying to control my life.  I can't do 
anything without one of you two old men taking it the wrong way."

	Akane watched as Ranma walked away.  She thought about what he 
had just said, and realized that he was right.  Deciding to clear up 
the misunderstanding, Akane spoke.

	"Daddy, the ring is not an engagement ring from Ranma or 
anyone else.  It is something I just put on.  I wanted a change, and 
it's something I want to wear.  Can't I at least change something 
about what I wear without you commenting about it?"  Akane said, 
feeling slightly angry.  "Besides which, where would Ranma get the 
money to BUY a ring?  Nabiki usually cons most of his money out of 
him."

	Sitting on the upper landing, Nabiki winced

	"Err. Um.  Sure you can change what you wear, Akane," Soun 
stammered.  "But, a ring?  Do you know how much something like that 
costs?"

	Akane stared at her father and replied, trying hard to keep 
her composure, "Yes, I know the COST of this ring.  That's why I find 
it hard to believe that you thought Ranma got me this ring!"

	Akane looked like she was about ready to explode, when she 
whirled around and stomped up the steps.  She paused long enough to 
give Nabiki an angry glare, before she headed into her room.   
Downstairs the two men were talking, after Genma had changed back to 
human form.

	"Well, Saotome?"

	"Judging by the way those two acted, I would say that they're 
telling the truth."

	"We'll have to find a way to push them closer together."


	"I have it, Tendo.  Since we made that mistake about the ring, 
why don't we publicly announce that it is an engagement ring?"

	"Brilliant idea, Saotome.  Let's get to it.  We'll have our 
children married yet."

	"Indeed."

	Listening to the two fathers talking, Nabiki licked her lips 
in anticipation of the monetary possibilities.  She then recalled her 
sister's glare and words, and wondered if she might have went over the 
limit, today.

	*I think I'd better stick to selling pictures for right now.*
-----------
	In her room, Akane was lying on her bed looking up at the 
ceiling.  She brought her hand in front of her face, and turned it so 
that the ruby in the ring was facing her eyes.  Akane stared at the 
gem that was the home of Ranma's female form.  She idly rubbed the 
gem, knowing it would have no effect on male Ranma.

	*Ryoga, how did you know about this ring?  Ranma definitely 
would not say a word.  He might be a jerk and an idiot, but he's not 
crazy. What was that bit with Ranma not attacking Ryoga. I know I 
didn't tell him.*

	She closed her eyes and thought, *Did Ryoga send the ring? No. 
 If he had he would be trying to use it to control Ranma.  Did Nabiki 
tell him?  Nabiki probably found out about the ring after Ryoga yelled 
about it.  I'm not getting anywhere like this.*

	Akane jumped to her feet and slammed open the door.  She 
headed over to the room where Ranma and his father stayed.  Opening 
the door, she looked in and saw the room was vacant.

	*Ranma is probably practicing in the dojo, right now,* Akane 
thought.  *I want to know how Ryoga knew.  I guess I'll have to wish 
it.  Sorry, Ranma.*

	Akane walked downstairs and headed to the kitchen to get a 
glass of water.
----------------
	Outside, Ranma was practicing his martial arts, when he 
noticed his father trying to sneak out.  He scanned the area and 
spotted Soun as well.  Sighing, he jumped in front of them.  
Surprising the two men, Ranma snatched the stack of papers that his 
father was carrying.

	Ranma started getting mad, as he read, "Announcing the 
official engagement between Ranma and Akane.  Ranma Saotome has given 
Akane Tendo a ruby engagement ring, thus bringing the houses of Tendo 
and Saotome closer together.  Wedding details will be posted later."

	Ranma quickly looked through the stack of papers and saw that 
they were all the same.  Wasting no time, Ranma grabbed the flyers 
that Soun held.  Closing his eyes and sighing in exasperation, Ranma 
felt that it might have been better if he had returned to the ring, at 
least, inside the gem, he didn't have to deal with garbage like this. 
 He opened his eyes and started shouting.

	"Flyers?! You were going to post flyers around town about a 
mistake made by Ryoga?!"  Ranma shouted, stating more than asking.  
"Can't you ever just stop messing with my life?!"

	"Now, son.  This is for your own good," Genma said.

	"My own good?  That's what you said when you threw me into 
that pit of cats, over and over.  Look how that turned out,"  Ranma 
ranted.  "Just leave me ALONE!!"

	On that last word, Ranma threw the papers to the ground and 
incinerated them with his new ki-blast.  He headed into the dojo, just 
to get away from his father.  Watching Ranma go, the fathers started 
talking

	"You know, Saotome, your son seems to be a little upset 
today."

	"I noticed that, Tendo.  Maybe we should give him some time 
before we post the flyers."

	"That might be a good idea.  How long do you think we should 
wait?'

	"Hmm.  A month is too long to wait.  How about next week?"

	"That's perfect, Saotome.  We'll have to devise a way for him 
to go with Kasumi and Akane on their yearly excursion."

	"Excursion?"

	Soun looked embarrassed as he said, "I have no idea what they 
do, but they're usually gone for a couple of days."

	  "Probably nothing important.  We'd better wait before we 
have Nabiki print out some more for us, though.  I wouldn't want Ranma 
to find out about it," Genma said.

	"Agreed."

	So saying, the two men went back inside the house and 
contemplated the wedding that they were sure was going to happen.  
Both of them sure they knew what was best for their children .  
Shortly after the two men entered, Akane walked out carrying a cup of 
water.  She walked over to the dojo and entered.  Doing a kata, Ranma 
whirled around with fury in his eyes.  Akane took a step back at 
seeing Ranma so angry.  Seeing Akane, Ranma sighed and went back into 
his kata.

	"What do you want, Akane?" Ranma said with a bit if bitterness 
in his voice.

	"First, why are you so mad?"

	"Our fathers were going to post flyers about how that ring is 
your engagement ring."

	Akane clenched her fist at that thought.  She inwardly seethed 
that Genma and Soun were still trying to turn her ring into an 
engagement ring.

	Ranma asked, "Anything else?"

	"Yes.  Kasumi and I will need your help next week.  This is 
something we do yearly.  We need someone to carry some boxes for us 
and would rather not pay a porter."

"Err.  Fine."

	"Right now, we're going to have a discussion about Ryoga and 
how he knew about my ring," Akane said sweetly.

	Ranma inwardly flinched at the implications of that statement. 
 He looked at Akane who was swirling the water in the glass around.  
He sighed as he realized what she was about to do.

	"Let me guess, you're going to make a wish," Ranma said. 
*She's not going to like this.  I hope Kasumi has got a lot of asprin. 
 I'm going to need it.*

	Akane nodded, smiling. He waited as Akane splashed him.  After 
turning Ranma into a girl with the water, Akane spoke.

	"Ranma, I wish to know how Ryoga knew about this ring."

	Ranma slipped into her monotone voice and stated, "Ryoga was 
cursed at Jusenkyo.  While running around after I was cursed, I 
knocked him into the Spring of Small Black Piglet.  You picked up his 
cursed form and adopted it as your pet, P-chan."

	"What?!" Akane shouted, stunned. "You're lying.  You have to 
be."

	Akane was about to hit Ranma for lying when Ranma said, 
"Granted."

	Akane's mind whirled at the implications.  She couldn't accept 
that P-chan and Ryoga were the same person, but she knew that 
Ranma-chan couldn't disobey her.
	"Why didn't you tell me about, Ryoga?"  Akane asked.

	"I tried, but you wouldn't listen and then Ryoga extracted a 
promise from me not to tell you.  I've tried dropping hints hoping you 
would figure it out for yourself."  

*nononononononononononono.  It can't be true.  It just can't,*  Akane 
thought to herself. *I need time to think.  I need time away from the 
insanity.*
	

	"Ranma, I wish that until we get back next week, we won't be 
bothered by Ryoga, Ukyo, or the Amazons," Akane said nervously, *I-I 
n-need time to think.*

	"Granted, MASTER," Ranma said, while putting a lot of venom 
into the second word, and thought angrily, *I can't believe Akane 
would make a wish like that, but I guess I'm just her puppet until she 
gets over Ryoga.*

	Akane flinched at the anger Ranma put into the word 'master'. 
 She blinked back the tears that were about to form and proceeded with 
her second wish.

	*I'd better make it up to him,* Akane thought, *I don't want 
Ranma to hate me.  He tried to protect me and I-I...*

	"I wish that you had a book on every martial arts technique in 
the world, while you're inside the ring."

	"Granted."

		Ranma shook her head, and said, "If you'll pardon me, 
master, I'm going to go change back."

	Akane flinched again at the word 'master'.

	"Sure, Ranma," Akane said, nearly crying. *I've been hurting 
him because Ryoga was being my pet and used it against him.*

	"Err. Thanks for the book.  Next time I'm inside I'll look at 
it," Ranma said, somewhat mollified.

	Akane just smiled at her, and thought, *If you're stuck like 
this, I'm going to try and make you as comfortable as possible, 
Ranma.*

	Ranma went and got some hot water and changed back.

	*Oboy.  She knows about Ryoga.  Why didn't she pound me flat? 
 Why is she not yelling and attacking me, any more?  I wonder where 
we'll be going, next week.*

	Akane asked, "Do you want to go for some ice cream?"

	Ranma looked at Akane and shook his head.  Akane couldn't help 
but notice that Ranma's shoulders were slumped and he didn't feel like 
talking. 

	Ranma thought, as he went back into his katas, *I really don't 
want to talk to you just now.  Puppet on a string, that's me.  I have 
to obey you every command.*	

	*I can't pound on him, now.  He's helpless as my genie.  
I-I-I... I'm losing him,* Akane thought to herself, sadly, then ran 
too her room, where she cried herself to sleep.

	As Ranma watced her go, he heard a shout from behind him.

	"Foul Sorcerer, I shall free Akane and the pig-tailed one from 
your grasp!"  Kuno spouted, while charging at Ranma with bokken 
raised.

	Ranma circle kicked Kuno and sent him soaring over the fence 
surrounding the yard. Kuno was knocked out, as he landed on the back 
of a slow moving van.

	*I needed that,* Ranma thought, as he went back into the dojo 
to finish his practice.
--------------------------------

Tom Mathews a.k.a Disruptor 
 
E-mail addresses: 
mailto:mathews1@gte.net 
mailto:dangaioh@earthlink.net 
mailto:godphoniex@hotmail.com 
 
Previous chapters can be found here
<http://home1.gte.net/mathews1/> 


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