The Party's Over
Part 6
By: P-R-P-Chan
Friday night, everyone was meeting at the park for the fireworks; Akane
and her friends, the only ones who really mattered. They were going to meet
near the water. Ranma knew this, it had cost him some yen, but Nabiki was
nothing if not accurate.
Ranma was ready, he knew what he thought, he knew what he had to say, and
he knew how he was going to say it. Unfortunately he didn't have the
courage to. Nabiki had informed him that Akane was leaving directly from
work to meet people for eight. It was 7:30, and Ranma still hadn't left. He
was too busy wearing a rut into the floor, pacing back and forth, working
up to leaving. With a sigh, he started towards the door of his room, then
stopped and sat down on the floor, bakc against the wall.
'Who am I kidding?' Ranma asked himself, 'Akane will never forgive me. I
can hardly forgive me. And she.. she.. I gotta go..'
Wasting not a moment more, Ranma bolted out the door and down the stairs,
tripping over something as he came to the door. Groaning, rubbing his head
where it had hit the wall, he glanced back. 'Ryouga.. well.. I could use
the backup.' Grabbing the dazed pig hehsur ed off the bathroom.
Akane stepped off the bus and started on the short walk to the park.
'It'll be nice to see the fireworks, I missed them last year because of
Ranma...' Akane stopped short, in midstep. 'I can't believe that happened,
I can't believe I let him, I can't believe I haven't hit him for it.' Those
thoughts had been passing through Akane's mind like a mantra since the last
week at Ryouga's party. 'And Ryouga.. telling me he loved me.. I thought he
was a friend.. why can't.. forget it, I'm going to have fun tonight and
forget about those two.' With a look of determination, Akane stalked on
towards her destination; the park, with the fireworks, and her friends, and
absolutely no Ranma!
"Are you sure we should do this? I mean, we're both..."
"Stop being such a wimp, you liked it last time didn't you?"
"Yeah but I was drunk!"
"Ummm... I think your missing the point somewhere..Wanna go by Ukyou's and
see if she'll join us?"
"But aren't we supposed to be seeing.."
"I'm sure she won't mind, the more the merrier and all that. 'Sides we
might be able to get some free from Ukyou, I know my wallet aint bulging;
how bout yours?"
"Alright, fine we'll go see Ukyou.."
"Ryouga, this way."
Sayuri was lying on her back, blanket cushioning her from the cold of the
ground, waiting for her friend to arrive, Yuka had gone off to wai for
Akane, leaving her to save their place. People were milling about trying to
get to a better position to see the fireworks. Not that they'd started yet,
seemed they'd been delayed by some odd old man trying to steal the
fireworks claiming they were part of his secret technique. Luckily the
organizers had planned for this kind of interruption, as well as anything
from rain to a small war; they should get starting about.. Now. Sayuri
gasped aloud as the first went off, exploding in the sky, a red blossom
slowly fading to yellow as it sank towards the earth. She wanted to check
and see if her friends had gotten here in time, but she found herself to
entranced with the beautiful colors, appearing from nowhere and fading just
as fast.
"I'm glad we didn't miss to much, " Akane smiled as she sta down beside
her friend, Yuka flanking her on the other side. "It's been years since I
got to see these, I almost forgot how much I loved fireworks."
Sayuri just nodded, content watching the display.
Ranma searched through the throng of people, trying to find Akane. He had
Ryouga in tow, making sure not to lose him, and Ukyou was off searching in
the other direction. Finally as the pause before the grand finale came
around, Ryouga spotted her.
"Ok, you stay right here, I'll be back in a second." Ranma ambled over to
her, but not before calling back over his shoulder at the eternally lost
boy, "I mean it, don't move!"
Akane felt a tap on her shoulder, "What is it, " Turning her head she saw
who was getting her attention. "Ranma?"
"Akane.. I need to speak to you, could you just come with me for a bit?"
Akane was tempted to ignore him, tempted to clock him one right there, but
she was the agony in his eyes. 'I knew this would have to happen
eventually, might as well take care of it now..'
"Yuka, Sayuri.. I have to go speak with Ranma, If I'm not back in ten
minutes, don't bother waiting, I'll give you a call tommorow, ok?"
"Sure Akane! But you're going to miss the grand finale.. You should have
seen what they did last year, it was..." Yuka's voice was lost, as Ranma
guided her through the crowd, away from her friend's and towards something
she'd been trying her hardest to ignore since it had happened. Akane didn't
usually get depressed over things, not for long anyways, she could forgive
people for almost anything, but that didn't make it any easier to forgive
herself. Ranma had taken advantage of her, but that wasn't the issue, it
had never been. She'd lost control. Some, especially Ranma, would be quick
to point out that she lost control constantly, but Akane knew, no prided
herself, on never giving anybody more than they could take. Even at her
angriest, when she wanted nothing more than to see Ranam on the ground
crying, never had she lost so much control. Sure she was drunk, but Akane
couldn't use that as an excuse, not to herself. She'd let him do something
she'd only fantasized about before, something that should have remained
just that, a fantasy. But now it had happened, and it had consequences. She
could go forward, brazenly claim Ranma as her own, but as much as she
wanted to, Akane couldn't. She was too young for this, maybe a normal
boyfriend, but everything about Ranma was far from normal, give him an
inch, and their parents would have them at the altar. That wasn't all,
Akane just couldn't trust herself around him anymore, so she'd have to keep
him at arms length. 'Yup, ' Akane finished her thought. 'I'm goign to have
to go with that..'
With a sigh, Akane stopped Ranma. "This is far enough, what do you have to
say?"
"Akane, I.. It's so hard to say.. I'm sorry.. Gomen Nasai." Ranma did a
small bow to his fiancee, "I should have known better, shouldn't have lost.."
"It's ok, I just don't want to have to think about it.. Can we go back to
how things were?"
"I don't know how it can.. things have changed.. The party's over, Akane.
We're all going to have to grow up."
"Ranma? Are you sure it's you talking? I mean.."
Ranma chuckled, "I've been doing a lot of thinking this past week, more
than I ever did while I was on the road with Pops. Anyways.. I'm really
sorry, I didn't want it to.."
"I said it was ok.. I'm going to go back to where my friends are, I'll see
you tommrow i guess, unless your not done?"
"Thanks, Akane. I really do mean it, I'll let you get back to your
friends, unless..."
"Hmm?"
"Umm.. me and Ryouga and Ukyou have a bottle of... I dunno.. I can
understand you nto wanting any, but the offers still there."
"I Can't beleive your still drinking after what happened last time. You
think you might have learned a lesson or two. No Ranma, I'll be going now."
"Akane, I didn't.. I just enjoy it.. nevermind. I'll see you later."
Akane turned and strode back into the crowd.
"Now let's hope that Ryouga did what I told him too." Ranma muttered
darkly, before starting off in another direction.
***
well finally got to writing again.. although i don't think this is up to my
usual substandard.. as always c&c is appreciated, as is anyone who's
reading this.. hmmm i think i'll do something different here.. im gonna do
that 'lis all the music i listened to while writing this thing to see if
anyone actually really cares' shtick...
this fanfic was written under the influence of: (in order of appearance)
Depression (the mental state), Prozac (the drug, not the band), Len, Tori
Amos, Jefferson Airplane, Bjork, Nine Inch Nails, Suicidal tendencies, Rob
Zombie, Korn, Faith No More & Booya Tribe, the Clash, Coolio, The Beastie
Boys, The Cartel, Prodigy, Leftfield, Daft Punk, and much much more! on
sale now at your local music store! check local listing for details..
anyways.. absolutely no idea when more of this or any other fic will come
out, as for questions on my web site.. ummm.. im working on it.. i know
half the files have been deleted.. and im working on it.. slowly.. but
surely..
P-R-P-Chan
"Nihao Ranma! Shampoo come sit on face?"
The Ranma !/2 Fanfiction Archive
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Soon to Come
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and
http://www.fanfics.net
Once they're both up, anyone is welcome to free hosting, and I'm also
going to need someone to take care of the non-ranma archives (i'm still
going to maintain the ranma one)