This short story was in response to a challenge from a friend, what would the last hour of an anime character's life be?
Enjoy!  C&C always welcomed.

A Simple Love
--By Yuffie Kisaragi

10:57pm

"Oh my."

"What is it Kasumi?" asked Nabiki.  She had never heard her sister sound so scared.  Instead of replying, Kasumi dropped to her knees, her mouth open, silent.

"Ladies and gentleman," said the tv announcer, "please remain calm.  We have received the final word from UN officials.  There has been an accident.  At exactly midnight tonight, there will be a brilliant flash of light.  Then there will be no more."

"WHAT?!?"  cried Ranma, who had just walked in from the dojo with his father. "What does that mean?"

"It means, my dear Ranma, that the world will end in precisely 63 minutes."

Soun began to wail.  Kasumi gathered herself and went to the kitchen to prepare an end of the world meal for the crowd she knew would gather at the Tendo house.  Genma looked panicked, perhaps because he could find no way to weasel himself out of the situation.  Ranma and Akane looked at each other in shock.

Akane opened her mouth to say something, when the invasion began.

"Nihao, Ranma!"

"Ran-chan!"

"Ranma darling!!"

Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi entered the Tendo house at the same moment, but through different entrances.  Ukyo chose the front door.  Kodachi came flying through a window.  And Shampoo simply crashed through the wall.

Tears began to form in Akane's eyes.  "Fine!  Spend your last hour on earth with THEM!"  Crying, she ran to her room.

"Erk," was all Ranma could say, since he was being crushed by his other fiancees.

"Ranma!  Shampoo must die with honor!  You marry Shampoo now!"

"Ran-chan!  After all we've been through, don't leave me alone now!"

"Ho ho ho ho!!  Ranma, my darling, we will welcome a new world after these peasants are vanquished!"

Growling, Ranma managed to disengage himself from the girls.  "Don't you get it?!  We'll be DEAD in an hour!  Why are you still fighting?"

"Why are you still abandoning me, Ran-chan?" asked Ukyo, with tears in her eyes.  "I.  Love.  You.  I've always loved you.  I just want to spend my last hour loving you!"

Ranma began to stammer, as he always did when faced with a female's tears. "Aw, don't cry, Ucchan.  Come on, cut it out."

11:15pm

"Oh Ranma?" called Nabiki from the kitchen, "we need you in here!"

Grateful for the escape, Ranma ran into the kitchen.  "Kasumi is making us a wonderful meal," said Nabiki.  "Why don't you get Akane and tell her to come down and enjoy it.  I'll take care of the others."

Confused, Ranma began to protest that they wouldn't want Akane anywhere near their last meal, when he suddenly realized the meaning behind Nabiki's words.  He swallowed, nodded to Nabiki and Kasumi, and went up the stairs to Akane's room.

*Knock knock*

"Who is it?" came Akane's muffled voice.

"Uh...it's me, Ranma."

Silence.

"Can I come in?"

The door opened and revealed a tear stained Akane, wearing her light yellow nightgown.  "What do you want, Ranma?"

"I, uh, just wanted to, uh..." he was beginning to lose his nerve, again.  Why?  Even faced with the end of the world, he STILL couldn't talk to her!

Sensing his nervousness, Akane's face softened.  "Want to come in?"

Ranma walked into the room.  Akane sat on her bed, looking at him.  Ranma began to pace.  Akane watched for a few minutes, and then began to get impatient.

"Ranma!  Are you going to spend your last hour alive wearing out my carpet?!"

"Huh?  No!  Um...Akane, there's something I need to tell you..."

11:22pm

"RANMA!  How dare you try to take advantage of Akane on her last night alive!  PREPARE TO DIE!"  With those words, Ryoga Hibiki came crashing through Akane's door.

"Aw, man, Ryoga, I ain't got the time for this!"  Ranma automatically began to block the punches and kicks that were coming at him.

"Ryoga!"

At the sound of Akane's voice, Ryoga stopped fighting.  "Oh, uh, hi Akane!" he said brightly.

Akane walked up to Ryoga and whispered something into his ear.  Ryoga began to turn bright red.  "Really?" he asked, his voice cracking.  Akane nodded.  Ryoga quickly turned and ran out of the room.

"What on earth did you tell him?"

"Just that I thought he might like to spend his last hour with someone who loves him."

"And who is that?" Ranma laughed.

Akane shrugged.  "Ukyo."

"WHAT?"

"Well, they both need someone right now!  Unless you want to go downstairs and be with her!"

11:38pm

Ranma struggled to remain calm.  22 minutes left, and they were fighting again!

"Ranma?" asked Akane softly.

Ranma looked at her.  REALLY looked at her.  Nervous, he stepped towards her, his eyes taking in her short blue-black hair, her bright eyes, her turned up nose.  He took a deep breath.  And let it out.  Why was he still unable to say anything?

"Akane..." he began.

Akane stood, they were very close now, since Ranma had stepped near the bed to look at her.  She looked at him expectantly.

"Akane, I...uh..."

"Yes, Ranma?"

He could feel her warm breath on his face.  He began to blush.  He knew the time was short.  Summoning all of his courage, and knowing words would fail
him, he lowered his head and kissed her, just a light touching of his lips on hers.  When he broke the kiss and looked at her again, there were tears in her eyes.

"Erk!  Um...I thought..I..." he backed away from her, panicking at the sight of her tears.

"Ranma!"  She stepped up to him and rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him.  His arms automatically found their way around her body.  They held each other, silent, for a full minute.

11:44pm

"I've waited so long," Akane said.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry.  Not ever again.  Ranma...we only have 15 minutes left...I," Akane began to cry.

Ranma shook his head.  "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Akane nodded.

"Be right back!"  Ranma ran out of the room and into his own.  Akane turned out the light, got into bed, and pulled the covers around herself.

Ranma came back into the room dressed in his green pajamas.  He nervously got into bed with Akane.  He lay on his back under the covers.  Akane rested her head on his chest and he put his arm around her.  "I can't think of anywhere else I'd like to be right now.  Good night, Ranma."

"Good night, Akane."

And for the last 11 minutes of their lives, they simply held each other close.

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