Subject: [FFML][C&C REQUESTED!!!][RANMA] Birthday Surprise
From: "Kevin M. Kelly" <kellyke@ucs.orst.edu>
Date: 10/2/1999, 9:12 PM
To:

Birthday Surprise

-----

Akane walked through the market district with a growl. "Ranma no baka..."
she muttered quietly. They'd been on their way to search for something he
might like for his birthday, since Ranma, in his words, "didn't wantcha
makin' me anything this year Akane, it might eat me!"

It was obvious to Akane, however, that Ranma had had second thoughts about
the whole matter. He had been too busy flirting with the Chinese bimbo to
take time out to go shopping with her. "I guess I'll just have to surprise
him," she thought to herself. She resisted the temptation to look back, and
instead kept walking.

Beneath the front tire of Shampoo's bicycle, Ranma sneezed. "Airen catch
cold?" Shampoo wondered. "Shampoo make husband special ancient amazon cold
remedy! Then Ranma take Shampoo on date!" The happy amazon beamed as she
dragged the twitching Ranma off towards the Nekohanten, intent on 'curing'
him.

Akane sighed as Shampoo rode past, dragging Ranma behind the bicycle. She
couldn't help but wonder why he didn't just stop her. He could leap higher
than the tallest building, and throw blasts of energy from his hands, yet he
seemed unable to get away from some ditzy amazon. She turned and stepped
into an antique shop, intent on getting what she was doing over with.

"Irrashai!" the shop owner called. Akane returned the man's smile politely
and started browsing through the shop's offerings, looking for something she
thought Ranma might like, though she refused to admit to herself that was
what she was doing.

After looking for what seemed like forever and not finding anything, Akane
turned to the shopkeeper for help. "Excuse me sir," she started, and he
looked up. "Yes?" he asked. "I... uh... I'm looking for a good birthday
present for my fianc�e," Akane admitted.

The shopkeeper nodded. People seemed to always come to his shop in search of
a present. Without a word he disappeared into the back room, soon returning
with a small jewelry box. Opening the box carefully, he set it on the
counter. Inside was a small crystalline star attached to a thin gold chain.
Akane reached hesitantly for the box and after a nod from the shopkeeper
removed the pendant from it's packaging. The star sparkled beautifully in
the dusty air of the old shop, refracting beams of sunlight along the walls.
"Perfect," Akane thought to herself. Maybe, with this gift, just maybe...

"How much?" she asked of the shopkeeper.

"How much you got?" the shopkeeper asked, grinning slyly, reminding Akane
far too much of Nabiki.


----------


The days seemed to fly by quickly after that, one by one. Mallets, dates,
roof smashings, city spanning chases, challenges and the like all became a
blur. Finally, Ranma's birthday arrived.

Akane did not give Ranma anything at the party that was inevitably held.

Amidst offers of tainted ramen, black roses, and okonomiyaki of hate that
had turned to love, Akane offered Ranma nothing. She paid very little
attention to him, though inwardly she seethed at Ranma's other fianc�es.
They all came to her at some point and asked, with more desperation than
hope, if she had decided to give up on Ranma.

First came Shampoo, wearing little more than a few pieces of string. She
bounced up to Akane, grinning like a cat. "Violent pervert girl finally give
up and realize Shampoo the best for Airen? Is good Akane no longer
delusional, like before." Akane gave no response, stared at the wall, and
did her best to control her anger. She could not, would not make a scene.

Then came Kodachi, the insane one. "Ohohohoho! If it isn't the petulant
little tart, Akane Tendou! If I'm not mistaken, you don't have a gift for
Ranma-sama! It is wise that you did not waste your time, as none other could
match what I, Kodachi Kuno, have given him!" Biting her tongue, Akane walked
away from the mad gymnast.

Finally, the most difficult came to speak with her. Akane was sitting in the
dojo when the okonomiyaki chef found her. Akane inwardly seethed at Ranma
for toying with Ukyou. If not for the engagements, Akane felt that Ukyou
might have been one of her best friends. She was polite, kind, and genuinely
cared for people.

"Hey Akane," Ukyou smiled sweetly.

"Hi Ukyou," came the sullen reply.

Ukyou frowned and sat down next to the youngest Tendou. "Is something wrong,
Akane?"

"Everything's wrong, Ukyou, everything. You shouldn't have to be unhappy
because of Ranma. I wouldn't even wish that on Shampoo or Kodachi. I
certainly wouldn't want that to happen to you."

Ukyou bit her tongue. She had to say something, and it needed to sound
understanding.  Sighing quietly, she nodded. "I know, Akane... Ran-chan
shouldn't be a prize, and we shouldn't be fighting over him. But everyone
has so much at stake, here. My life, your life, even the lives of Shampoo
and Kodachi lay in the balance here, and that's not even considering
Ran-chan. I know I can make him happy, and I know that he'll make me happy.
That's why I'm fighting to win. Why are you fighting, Akane? Are you
fighting for Ran-chan, like we are? If you are, none of us have noticed. It
seems like you're only intent on pushing him away, yet you speak and act as
if you've already won him." Ukyou fell silent and waited for the other
girl's reaction, trying to gauge her feelings.

Suddenly, something snapped inside Akane. Was it true? Had she been ignoring
Ranma? Standing abruptly, she brushed past the other girl and fled the dojo,
wanting to be anywhere but where she was; her sudden departure left the
okonomiyaki chef blinking. Perhaps Ukyou would have to rethink her
assessment of the youngest Tendo.

Crying silently, Akane ran.


----------


Ranma sighed quietly. Something was wrong with Akane. She wasn't even
getting angry with him. He quickly got rid of the party guests that he
could, intent on speaking with the one fianc�e he truly wanted. Finally,
after everyone had left, he went in search of the youngest Tendou. He found
her sitting on the roof, crying softly into her hands. A small box lay
discarded at her side. Was Akane crying because of him?

"Akane..." Ranma said softly, just barely loud enough for her to hear.

At the sound of Ranma's voice, Akane turned. Her eyes were red-rimmed,
cheeks tear stained. "Ranma?" she asked softly. He nodded once, looking
rather sad. Grabbing the present in a quick motion, Akane stood and rushed
forward to face Ranma.

"Why am I doing this?" she asked herself. "Why am I making a fool of myself
over Ranma? I promised myself a long time ago I wouldn't do this."

"Because it's right," another part of her answered. "Because Ukyou was
right."

"I bought you a present, Ranma," Akane said aloud, offering him the box.

"Th... thanks, Akane."

Taking the box from Akane, Ranma spun around, shielding his face from view.
Blushing slightly, he opened the box and lifted the crystalline star into
the air. It sparkled in the pale glow of the city lit sky. It was one of the
most beautiful things Ranma had seen. Turning back to the waiting Akane, he
held the pendant up in the air.

"It's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me..."

"Oh, Ranma..."

He reached out to Akane slowly, gently took her hand, and led her to the
edge of the roof, where he sat, drawing her down with him. After a moment's
silence, he began to speak again.

"Akane... I..."

"Ranma. Just... be quiet," Akane interrupted. Ranma nodded, and was silent.
A few minutes later, he again began to speak.

"Ranma," Akane protested. "Just shut up and kiss me. Okay?"

-----

As this is the first _actual_ fanfic I've posted to the FFML...

C&C highly sought! Just as a side note:

Yes, I know I draw from Anime continuity in alot of places. IMHO, it's more
important to have a solid story than hold true to any particular continuity.
Just take a look at "Tenchi Muyo!".

--Kevin Kelly
hibiki_ryouga@hotmail.com
kellyke@ucs.orst.edu