Disclaimer: The characters of the Ranma ½ universe
are the creation and possession of the brilliant Rumiko
Takahashi. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and her
licensees (Shogakukan Inc., Kitty-Fuji TV,Viz
Communications Inc.) No copyright infringement is intended.
(I also didn't write this disclaimer I just copied it from Allyn
Yonge (btw Thanks Allyn))
This is still a new story so C&C very much welcomed.
Chapter One: Act-React.
The paths we walk are formed early.
Left foot inevitably followed by right foot; we walk.
Left turn, right turn, cross the road, walk past the bakery;
we walk to school.
Left kick, feint right, stomach punch and follow through;
action and reaction follow each other as assuredly as left
foot follows right foot.
To recognize an action-reaction pair is often hard enough.
To break the pair requires forethought, planning and discipline.
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The day would go down in infamy in Nerima as "The Wedding",
which was kind of silly as that was one thing the day ended
up not being. A disaster, yes. Expensive, yes. Painful,
for some yes. But a Wedding, no. Because of the events on
that day certain questions had also not been put to rest.
Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi still collectively pursued Ranma.
Akane still punted Ranma into orbit on with clock like
precision and everyone else in the town kept their heads down.
If they were smart they also kept an eye on their wallets,
as Nabiki had lost none of her touch. This was the state of
play when the balance of things shifted radically.
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"What do you mean she's gone!" Soun's demon head yelled.
"Just that, I couldn't find her anywhere. Believe me I
looked." Ranma replied a little testily.
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When an opening appears you must take it. That is the way
to win. In this case the opening was something called
'someone named Gibb' just died. Principal Kuno, believing
with all his deluded might that the entire school body shared
his belief in all things Hawaiian, and beachy, called a week
of morning. The school body, never one to look a gift horse
in the mouth assumed an appropriate air of morning, until
they were out of sight. Plans for how to spend a free week
followed closely.
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Leaving
"Good Morning Kasumi."
"You're up early Akane. Uncle Genma and Ranma haven't even
started sparring yet."
"I'm meeting Miki and Yui at the movies this morning.
We're then gong to spend the day just girl shopping."
"Why haven't you asked Ranma to join you?"
"Because he wouldn't be caught dead seeing a movie like
"Sleepless in Seattle". Akane and Kasumi shared a grin at
the idea of Ranma at that sort of a movie. "Anyway I should
be home in time for tea, if that is alright with you oneechan?"
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The day itself had begun as usual.
Growl.
Thump.
Kick.
Dodge.
Turn.
Splash.
"Hey, what'd you do that for!"
"Too slow."
Food-fight.
In fact it wasn't until breakfast was almost over that anyone
noticed that one element was missing. There'd been no cries
of "Ranma no baka" followed by the obligatory punting as yet.
"Hey, where's Akane?" Ranma finally asked.
"She's gone to the movies with Miki and Yui." Kasumi replied,
in her usual everything's all right with the world voice.
"And she didn't ask me?"
"She's going to see 'Sleepless in Seattle'." At which point
Nabiki and Kasumi shared a grin at the idea of Ranma at that sort
of a movie. That is until Nabiki commented, "but that finished
showing last week."
Unfortunately for everyone the three hours head start that
Akane had was enough.
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The Journey
'Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.' Akane
thought as she felt the plane leave the ground. 'Still I hope
that it will be a while before anyone realizes I'm not in Nerima
anymore.' Rather than wasting energy on worry however Akane
sat back to enjoy the view as the clouds fell away below her.
Later in the rest room Akane looked at her reflection and
said, "I hope you know what you're doing."
"Actually I don't." She imagines her reflection snapped back
at her, "but what am I supposed to do? Ranma either doesn't want
to, or simply can't break the pattern we're in, and I'm tired of it.
This way, hopefully I get a chance to find out who I am and how
capable I am. Maybe I'm in Ranma and Shampoo's class and maybe
I'm not," strangely that thought didn't tear at her heart as much
as she expected, "but without some serious training I'll never know."
"Ranma could give you that training, with a lot less risks
entailed." She told her reflection.
"Yes," her reflection agreed, "that is if you and Ranma hadn't
fallen into that little behaviour cycle. Still when you go home
maybe then he'll want to continue."
"And maybe by then I'll have learnt something about trust."
She commented. "Funny isn't it? I want to trust Ranma, and I'm
certain he deserves it but I've got to get past this unreasoning
'stupid baka boys ' reaction of mine." With a deep sigh she
returned to her seat to rest; after all this was a long flight
and then she had at least another couple of hours worth of flight
time provided that the plane to Katmandu was actually flying.
...