Subject: [FFML] [fanfic][Ranma] When You Wish Upon a Star chapter 1
From: "Akane Miata" <akane_miata@tendodojo.com>
Date: 4/17/2000, 11:44 PM
To: ffml@fanfic.com

*ahem* HEELLPP!!!!  Yes.  Something like that.  I've tried over and

over to get this to be a nice little chapter, but nnooooooo.  There's

always something wrong with it.  I'm too lazy to go over it myself..

again. -_-;;  So.. pleeeeaaaassseeeeeee C&C this, ok? ALL you want.

I won't even sic D-chan on ya. ^^; Ehh..private would be nice, since

I almost never notice it if it's public. @_@; Anyways, read this little

thingy I wrote, and C&C it, tell me what you think, ANYTHING!!! 

Now that I'm ready for it, and am fully aware, lalalalala, I'll be fine.



*deep breath* 

C&C PLEASE!!!!  ^__^ Thank you. *hugs*



~~~~~~~





When You Wish Upon a Star

A Ranma 1/2 fanfic

by Akane Miata

Chapter 1



	"Akane-chan?  Akane-chan! Where are you?" The eldest princess'

soft voice filled the courtyard as she looked for her absent younger

sister. Continuing down to the large garden that lay beyond their vast

courtyard, she spotted her youngest sister running towards her from the 

direction of the fencing grounds, Sir Ryouga close behind her.

	"Kasumi-onesama! I'm so sorry! I guess I lost track of time!"

She said breathlessly when she had ran up to her sister.	

	"Akane-chan, you shouldn't run around like that! It isn't very

lady-like.  You weren't teaching her any new techniques, were you,

Ryouga-san? You know father would be displeased with both of you," she 

scolded gently. Both Ryouga and Akane looked sheepishly at the ground.

	"Sorry, Kasumi-sama. It was really all my fault.   I just

learned a new technique, and insisted on showing it to her." Ryouga said

quietly.

	Kasumi's face brightened, smiling her soft, motherlike smile.

"It's okay, Ryouga-kun, but both of you should forget this talk of

fighting, and get ready for our guests."   

	"Guests?" Akane asked blinking, and looking up from the ground.

	"Why, yes.  Prince Kuno is coming for dinner.  We will discuss

your engagement  tonight," she said happily oblivious to Akane's discomfort. 

Akane was cringing inside, but smiled to Kasumi.  Ryouga looked at Akane

with sympathy, not missing the look that had passed her features.  Both

bowing as they passed her, they continued into the courtyard, and up the

stairs to the inside of the castle, while Kasumi went to water the

flowers.

	"Jeez, that was a close one, eh Ryo?"  Akane asked, facing him

when they reached the top of the small stone staricase.

	"Ya, sorry about that," he replied shyly.

	"Don't be silly Ryouga-kun! It was my fault.  We should probably

be more careful on how long we stay out there," Akane said, running some

fingers through her sweaty, shoulder length hair.  "Do you think I'm

improving at all?" She asked hesitantly. 

	"Oh yes Akane-san!  You are already as good as I am!  I really

don't think you need a body guard, anymore.." He said, putting his hand 

behind his head and laughing nervously, letting her get a glimpse of the 

fangs within.

	"Thank you Ryo! You're so sweet!"

	She was smiling!  Ryouga idly wondered if he was still

breathing.  He wondered if he cared. He felt himself feeling dizzy as she 

continued.

	"I may be getting better, but I still really could use you.  I

think I'll be fine for now, though.  If I want to go to town I'll tell

ya, kay?" 

	She needed him!! "S-sure, Akane-san," he managed, stuttering

slightly.  He quickly brought his hands up, twiddling them back and forth, 

blush still raging on.

	Akane couldn't help but smile. It's always so cute when he

figets like that! She thought, grinning to herself. The youngest princess 

had always thought of Ryouga as something almost resembling an older 

brother.  She never did understand why he was so uncomfortable around her,

though.  It didn't suprise her much though; most people -especially boys- 

seemed uncomfortable around her for one reason or another.  She often 

thought it was because she was royalty; the people of this land were always 

unsure of how to treat high power, since breathing wrong often gets you 

trouble. Deciding to lighten up the atmosphere a bit, she ruffled his 

hair playfully. 

	"See ya tonight Ryo-chan!" Akane said happily as she turned and 

started walking to another stairwell.

	"U-u-uh, y-y-ya. W-w-here are you gonna be?" He asked as he

paced backwards towards his room, blushing badly, most talents of speach 

lost.  Akane turned back to him and smiled slyly.

	"I'm going to try a shot at dinner again.  I'm curious as to see

Kuno's uh... reaction to my cooking." Smirking evilly to herself, she

waved to Ryouga again and turned to go down another set of stairs,

wishing he'd stop blushing.

	Not aware of her silent request, the young knight-in-training

continued on with his beet red face.  He shivered slightly, feeling

sorry for Kuno... Hmm..waitaminute..that jerk is marrying Akane.  Okay, 

don't feel sorry anymore. Hope the moron implodes, or something, he thought

sourly.  The boy sighed and continued to his room.  He no longer denied

his undying love for Akane.  That didn't mean he was about to tell her 

this though.  Every one of those legends are true, Ryouga thought blissfully,

She really *is* the most beautiful woman in the world..  She called me

Ryo-chan!  Oh, wow.  If someone killed me right now I'd die a happy

man... A thin line of drool slowly dripped out of his mouth.

	Snapping out of his daze, Ryouga sighed as he reached his room

and walked in.  It was a pretty plain room, for a knight.  All it had in 

it was a bed, a few awards he had won over the years, a bureau, a weapon

rack, and an armor rack.  Slipping off his armor and placing it on the 

correct rack, he opened the doors to his bureau and took out a much more 

fancy piece of armor meant for looking nice, not protection. 

	Man, I hate wearing these things...

	Then, a picture of Akane in a beautiful dress, him by her side,

came to mind.  True, he'd only be by her side because he was her body

guard, but really..that was beside the point.  Putting on the armor to 

make sure it still fit, he looked at his reflection in the window.  

	I hope I'm handsome enough for Akane tonight, Ryouga thought. 

He took an elegant sword outof his weapon wrack, and put it in the

holder on his belt.  He sighed again, and decided to go see what Dr.Tofu

was up to.

*****

	"Mu Mu-chan! Hey, where are ya?," Akane said looking around the

kitchen.  Not seeing him there, she opened the door to his room that was

next to the stove.  It looked like a closet from the outside, but when

one checked, it opened to a rather large room.  At least large for a

servant's room.  Akane didn't think of Mousse as a servant though,  just

a personal cook, and of course her closest friend.  "Mu Mu-chan?  Ya in

here?" She asked, not seeing him anywhere.

	"I told you I didn't like being called that," he said from

behind her.  Jumping a good five feet in the air, she turned around to 

see Mousse hanging from the top of the doorway.

	"How do you do that?!?" She nearly screamed.

	Grinning, and trying to hold back his laughter, he looked at her

slyly.  "If I revealed that, what kind of a magician would I be, eh,

Mr.Man?"

	"A healthier one, duck-boy," she growled, pulling out a bokken.

	"Hey, hey, it was a joke!  Before you kill me, I have a surprise

for you!"

	Looking at the way he still hung from the ceiling, she smiled

and leaned against her bokken. "You're turning into a bat?"

	"Funny," he said jumping down. "But, no.  I have a new trick you

might be interested in.  It's called: 'Super Secret Technique of How to

not Kill People With Food'."  Not able to hold back laughter, he fell to 

the ground in pain, both because he was laughing so hard, and also because

Akane was repeatedly hitting him on the head with the bokken she had

been leaning on.  'Humph' ing, Akane walked out of his room and back

into the kitchen.

	"Well, I don't need that tonight.  I'm going to need as little

cooking skill as possible."  Mousse looked at her in horror.  "I'm going 

to make 'Tatewaki Dear' a.. uh 'treat'- a whole seven course meal made by 

me!"  Mousse's horror turned to humor at the thought.

	Shaking his head, Mousse got up from the floor, and walked over

to her.  "Just don't ruin my kitchen while you're at it."  A lot of sounds 

of pain followed that comment.

*****

	"Dr. Tofu, you in here?" Ryouga asked opening the door to a

large office/dungeon-type room.

	"Yes, over here,"  he said from a cabinet.

	"Finally!  I thought I'd never find this cursed roo- why are you

in a cupboard?"

	"Hmm? Oh I was looking for some galic spiced green tunip," he

said casually.

	"We -do- have a cook downstairs, if you need some... I'm sure

Mousse has turnips, although I don't know why you'd want a gay one."

	"No, no.  I said: 'GAYLIC spiced green TUNIP'.  There's a

difference," Tofu said with a smile.

	"Oh. Sorry," Ryouga said, not paying attention to the fact that

he didn't have a clue as to what that was.  Living in this castle, you

pretty much get used to things like that.  "What do you need it for?"

	"I'm still working on a cure for Mousse..poor kid."

	"Poor Mousse?! What about me?! Don't you think I could use a

cure?"  Ryouga growled, lowering his voice so Akane wouldn't hear.

	"Now, now.  You know Mousse's curse is worse.  Besides, I

thought you liked being Akane's pet?  I mean, I know it isn't honerable,

but at least it's a way to protect her at night..and as long as the king

knows..."

	The younger boy nodded quickly. "Ya, he knows, but if Akane

finds out, I die.  Mousse's curse isn't that much worse than mine.  What's

the difference?  He's a duck, I'm a pig.  At least he can fly."

	"Mousse's curse was put on by a much more powerful witch, and

it's harder for him to turn back into a human."

	Ryouga blinked.  "I never knew that.  What's so hard about it?"

	"Unlike you, Mousse can only turn back with hot water when it's

night time.  So if he gets splashed with cold water in the day, the hot

water thing won't work until night.  Meaning, that in the day, if some

chef decided to cook duck stew- using him as the duck- he wouldn't turn

back into a man at the contact with hot water."

	Ryouga flinched, and shook his head, knowing the fear Mousse

must go through.  He didn't really have anything against the guy, other 

than he held the place in Akane's heart as her best friend.  "Who would 

do that to him?"

	"The oldest and most dangerous witch in all of Surea,"  Tofu

said, then, giving a dramatic pause, "Cologne!"

	"She sounds familiar... Isn't she in that men's catlouge?"

	"Uh, no..that's a different cologne."

	"Oh.  Why'd she curse him like that?"  Ryouga asked, rather

curious now.

	"You'd have to ask him that.  Although I do know why she cursed

him to become a duck," he said, turning to write something in a

notebook.  "She did this since her specialty is fowl."  Ryouga looked at

him in confusion.  "Fowl as in ducks, and geese, and such."  The look of

confusion passed.  "She tried to cook him.  I don't have a clue as to

how he escaped.  I don't know many details as to what happened."

	"Well how hard do you think it would be to cure him, then?"

	"I honestly don't know if I can, although I'll try.  You might

be easier, but Mousse and I have been working on him for a long time now.

I would have to start over for you, since you have an entirely different

spell cast on you."

	Ryouga sighed, and nodded.  "Do you need any help then?"

	"No, I think I'll be fine.  Mousse helps a lot, so it might not

take as long as you think, if there really is a cure.  His knowledge of

Gypsy herbs and spells are really quite useful..I might want to hire him

as an assistant if this place ever gets a new cook," The doctor said, a

light smile playing on his lips.  "Don't you have a party to get ready

for?"  Dr.Tofu asked, turning back to the cupboard.

	"..But I am ready."

	"Do you really think you'll be able to find it if you don't

leave now?" Tofu said, his smile growing.

	Ryouga frowned, but finally shrugged his shoulders. Damn.  He's

right.  If I don't, I won't make it to the party until tomorrow! Scowling

at the thought of Akane going by herself, he quickly headed for the

door.  "I guess I'll see you there then."

	"I'd help you, but I really should get back to work."

	"Hey! I'm perfectly capable of finding my way there, all by

myself!" Ryouga said.  He knew he had a problem, but that didn't mean he 

liked admitting it.

	"Just go, Ryouga."

	"Fine.  See ya tonight."  Ryouga turned around and walked up the

stairs.  Dr. Tofu was too amused to let Ryouga know that that staircase

led outside.

*****

	"Hey, Akane. What *have* you and Mousse been doing in the

kitchen?" Nabiki asked from the top of the main staircase. "I love what 

the two of you have done to your dress."

	Akane looked at her sister frostily as Nabiki smirked at Akane's

appearance.  She had several different kinds of food on the dress she

was wearing. It had been a simple elegant dress, that Nabiki recognized

as the dress Akane usually wore to train and practice her fighting. It

had been slightly revealing, and had hugged her body in just the right

places, yet allowed enough freedom for movement. Any elegance, simpleness, 

or reavealing qualities were lost among blobs and smatters of some kind of

food substance or another.

	"We haven't been 'doing' anything, Nabiki-onechan," she said,

sweetly, which oddly contrasted with her still cold eyes. Walking up the

staircase, she smiled at her sister.  "Mousse was helping me with a

dinner for Kuno," she said as she walked by Nabiki and down the hall.

	"So what's with that smile?" She asked supiciously.

	"You're eating it, too."   Nabiki's face paled.

	"You ARE kidding..aren't you? Akane?" She said, her voice

growing in volume. "Akane?!?"  All she got in response was another sweet

smile, and then the slam of Akane's bedroom door. "Akane!!!"

*****

	"Hey, Nabs, what do you think I should wear?" Akane asked from

somewhere in her closet.  It was an insanely large walk-in closet.

Akane hadn't even tried on half the clothes in it, and her servants were

always adding new clothes.

	"How am I supposed to know--You're feeding me your food," Nabiki

stated somewhat sourly.

	Akane smirked.  "Sorry 'nechan. I don't need help -that- much."

	"Damn.  You're a tough one, you are.  Ah well, can't win them

all. I'll help ya, but it WILL cost you.  What have you narrowed the 

choices down to?" She asked, putting down the magazine she had had her 

servant bring her from town.

	Akane smiled at her sister and shook her head.  "Such language,

onechan." She said with a touch of sarcasm. Nabiki shrugged.  "Uh, well,

I've narrowed it down to these...Um, how much will this cost me?"

*****

	Mousse slowly strolled down though the dining room, making sure

everything was set correctly.  He had all the seats assigned especially,

since a few people would be receiveing different food than others.

Mousse smiled and felt REALLY sorry for Kuno and Nabiki.   He blinked

and turned to the sound of talking and laughing. 

	"Hmm.. Sounds like the guests have arrived," he absently

murmered to himself.  He smiled, knowing there would be entertainement, 

meaning he would get to see that beautiful gypsy, Shampoo!!  Shaking his 

head to clear it, he walked towards the kitchen to inform the servers.

*****

	"Akane! Come down.  Our guests are here!" Soun called.

	"Coming Dad!" she yelled back from her room.  Opening her door

she saw Nabiki run by in only a towel.

	"notreadynotreadynotreadynotreadynotready!" she squeaked out

*really* fast as she sprinted down the hall and turned the corner

towards her bedroom.

	"Oh my," was all Ryouga could say, who was suddenly standing

next to her, plugging his nose.

	Akane smiled at him.  "Well, we'd better go down stairs,

Ryo-chan." She started down the stairs, only to notice that she was 

walking alone. Turning around, she found him staring at her, still plugging 

his nose. "Coming?"

	"Um, ya.  Wow.. Akane-san.. you look beautiful!" She was wearing

a beautiful dark red, long, flowing two piece dress, and her shoulder

length hair was put up in an elegant style, and curled.  The overall

look was absolutely beautiful in Ryouga's eyes.

	"Thanks Ryo!"  Akane said, happily, flattered by his stare. 

Looking back to her stressing father, she grabbed Ryouga and pulled him 

down the stairs. "We've got to hurry." About half way down, she released

his hand and walked gracefully down the rest of the stairs, which gave 

way into the main room.  After Ryouga caught up, still on shaky knees, he 

and Akane made their way over to the large fireplace next to the kitchen 

entrance, which had all sorts of delicious smells wafting out.

	"Ah! It is the east! And Fair Akane is the sun!" a familiar

annoying voice said mightily, as he stepped into the room.

	"Hello, Tatewaki Dear.  It's so nice to see you again," she said

as pleasantly as she could without throwing up.  Acting lessons are oh, 

so nice.

	"Come into my arms, goddess of the hunt!" He said, leaping at

her.

	"Uh, no thank you," she said, easily dodging him. "Perhaps

later." Kuno wasn't nearly as cute as some of the other guys she knew, 

not to mention he had the IQ of a blender that just blended a Shakespeare 

play. Besides, she knew that Nabiki was in love with Kuno, even though 

she'd never admit it.  Akane shook her head and shuddered.  What does she 

see in him?

	"Akane-chan, where's Nabiki?" Kasumi asked her sister, breaking

the young girl out of her thoughts.  Coming in through the door, leading

Mistriss Kodachi and King Kuno to the main room.

	Before Akane could reply, a chorus of "notyetnotyetnotyetnotyetnotyet!!"

rang from upstairs.

	Kasumi smiled at the answer. "Nevermind."

	Soun followed Kasumi into the main room,  four people behind

him. "Kasumi dear, could you lead these gentlemen to the dining room?"

	"Why of course father.  Mistriss Kodachi, Kuno-oo*, if you will

follow me as well?"  Both of them nodding, all of the first six arrivers

followed the first daughter into the dining room.

	"Akane?" Soun said. "Will you come with me? There's someone I

want you to meet."

	"Sure, Otoosan. Tatewaki Dear, why don't you follow your sister

and father, okay?" Akane said slowly, like she was talking to a child.

	"Ah, but I would wish to walk with you.  I will wait.  Shall I

carry you, so as you do not soil your beautious slippered feet on the 

filthy ground?"

	"No, but you can carry me," Nabiki said as she stepped off the

stairs. Akane smiled at the save, and she slipped away, as Kuno started 

praising Nabiki.

	Walking down the long hallway and into the entry room,   Akane

spotted her father with a strange woman by his side.  The woman was in a

very traditional kimono. Wow, I thought no one but old ladies wore those

things now a days, Akane thought as the woman waved to her.

	"Akane, this is my old friend, Queen Himeko, of Krin.  She'll be

staying here for a few days.  Do you think you could show her to the

guestroom?"

	"Of course, Ottosan,"  Akane said to her dad brightly.  Turning

to the woman, she politely greeted her.  "Konbonwa Himeko-jooosama" After

bowing, Akane looked back up at the woman, taking the time to study her.

She had beautiful brown hair that was up in a bun, and was carrying a

bundle with her.  Aren't those the kind of things you put katanas and

tantos into? She wondered uneasily.  Oh shoot, I wish Ryo was here.  What

kind of body guard is he?? He's probably lost..  Realizing they were still 

waiting for her to do something, she quickly recovered. "Oh! Sorry...It's

this way.."  She's a queen! Nothing to worry about. That bundle is

probably just her clothes or something.  Even if not, I can probably

take her... But how good am I against a sword?  I haven't practiced for

ages!

	"So, Akane-san, could you show me where the kitchen is?" Akane

blinked and looked up at the woman.  She definitely hadn't expected that

question.

	What is she planning on doing? Poisoning people?  "The, uh,

kitchen, Himeko-sama? Umm..Why?" She asked suspiciously, but started to 

lead her there anyway.  Well, at least Mousse will be there..

	"Please call me Nodaka, or Aunite.  Himeko is much too formal,"

Her sweet voice reminded Akane of Kasumi, putting her a bit more at ease.

"The reason I wanted to see it is because I love cooking.  Perhaps if

it's not to late, I could help with tonight's dinner.."

	All of Akane's remaining suspicions washed away. "Really?! I

love to cook, too!"

	Nodaka smiled warmly at her. "There's few royalty that ever say

that. I thought I was the only one!  Mostly now it's always only the 

servants and help that do the cooking..."

	"Oh no, you should see Kasumi, my oldest sister! She's just as

good as our head chef!"

	"Oh? That's lovely!  I'm sure I will enjoy my stay here."

*****

	Mousse looked up from his recipe book and smiled as Akane walked

in.  He blinked when a strange woman followed close behind her. "Hi Akane!

Wow! You look gorgeous! Hey, who's this?"

	"Hiya Mousse! This is Queen Himeko. Himeko, this is Mousse, our

head chef, " she said, forgetting to be polite for second.  Quickly, she

blushed, bowing her head, hoping she wouldn't get in trouble.  Nodaka's

smile only grew when she saw Akane's attitude.

	It's so nice to see that she still has that same spunk as her

mother.. She thought, feeling a tinge of sadness at the mention of her 

past friend. Looking up at Mousse, she smiled her soft warm smile, then 

turned her gaze around the kitchen, and her mood lightened noticably.  

"My goodness!  This is a lovely kitchen!" Turning very animated, she 

zoomed about the room, looking through all the cupboards and refrigerators.

	Geez, she must love cooking more than I do! Both Mousse and

Akane thought. "So, what brings you two here? Shouldn't you be in the 

dining room with the others?" Mousse questioned.

	Akane turned to him and shrugged. "Nothing's really started yet. 

I don't even think the entertainment are here yet," she said with a smirk,

as she saw Mousse's happy smile go to dreamy.  "But don't worry, they'll

be here soon. The reason we came was because Himeko-sama-"

	"Aunt Nodaka, dear," Nodaka interupted, poking her head out of

the large pantry she had been looking through.

	"-uh Aunt Nodaka wanted to help with dinner." Nodaka nodded and

dissapeared into a different pantry.   "Is there anything left that we

could do?"

	"Sorry. Dinner's already done."  Nodaka's face fell, but then

she obviously spotted some interesting kitchen appliance, and was imediately

muttering about how they needed to get one of these at her castle.  "You

could help out with tomorrow's dinner. Hey, even breakfast if you want,"

he continued to a nearby sink.

	Akane rolled her eyes and dropped his glasses onto his eyes.

"Mousse, you should really think about wearing your glasses ALL the time,"

she said impatiently.

	"Yes, I know, but Shampoo will be here tonight, and you once

said I have beautiful eyes, so I thought that I should let her see them," He

said defiantly.

	Nodaka was immeadiately at their sides.  "Ah, so you wish to

meet a special girl?" She said curiously.

	"Uh.. well I.. You see..." Mousse stuttered.

	"Yes," Akane replied for him.  Turning back to Mousse, she

sighed.  "Mousse, when I said that, I didn't mean you should walk around 

without your glasses!  Remember what happened last time?? -Luckily- she 

didn't see you."

	Nodaka looked back and forth between the two.  "What happened?"

	"Well, it all started-," Mousse began.

	Sensing a long story, Akane gave the short version: "Mousse

didn't wear his glasses, and when he tried to ask her to dance, he ended 

up asking the wrong person."

	"So what happened?"

	Akane shrugged.  "He ended up having a nice dance with Dad."

	Nodaka smiled, but was trained enough to control her laughter.

	"It wasn't any big deal! It was your fault too.  You could have

told me I was dancing with your father!"  Mousse said, embarrassed.

	"No way.  I was enjoying it way too much," she said.  That got a

giggle out of Nodaka.

	Mousse scowled, then blinked as he turned around to see Ryouga

walk out of his bedroom.

	"Where in the world am I now?!?" He shouted angrily.

	"What the heck were you doing in there??" Mousse yelled.

	 "Huh? Mousse? Akane? But.. where did all those Arabs go?" 

Everyone in the room looked at him strangely.  "Uh, nevermind."

	 Turning back to a confused Nodaka, Akane continued as though

nothing had happened.  "So, have you seen enough of the kitchen?  If so, 

we should probably get to the dining room for dinner."

	 "Yes, I believe I've seen enough," she said her eyes still

looking at Ryouga with caution.

	 Seeing where she was looking, Akane smiled. "Don't worry.  He's

harmless.  Ryouga? This is Hi- uh Autie Nodaka. Nodaka, this is Ryouga,

my body guard."

	 "Ah, hello there Ryouga-san." He nodded in return.  "Shall we

go then?" She asked.

	 "Of course. Follow me," Akane said, leading them out to the

gathering of people in the dining room.

*****

	  Akane looked around.  Everyone was enjoying themselves.  After

dinner, they had all gone into the ballroom,(minus Kuno, who wasn't

feeling too good.  Nabiki sold her dinner to someone else, so she was

fine). There, even more people arrived.  Now, beautiful music was coming

from an orchestra they had hired,  and everyone was dancing to the

addictive tunes.  The performers wouldn't do their act until later on in

the night.

	Akane, bored out of her wits, looked around to the various

going-ons of the large room:  Mistriss Kodachi was looking oddly at Ryouga 

and Mousse; Ryouga had wandered off saying something about freaky witches 

and pigs; Mousse was asking a Brazilian Purple leafed Palm tree to dance; 

Dr. Tofu was running around giggling, while Kasumi followed him around, 

amused by the whole show; and Nabiki was having fun trying to win Kuno 

over (by selling him painkillers at half price) who was in the bathroom 

throwing up.

	A few princes from lower kingdoms had hesitantly asked Akane

if she wanted to dance, but she turned them down.  Usually, this would 

have meant a nice punch to the face, but she decided it would be best to 

take the more casual approach.

	It was getting really hot inside the ballroom.  Since no one was

paying attention to her anyway, she tried slipping off her overcoat, 

which was absurdly heavy, while trying not to attract any atttention from 

the various nearby minglers.  Unfortunately, it's rather hard to ignore

someone flailing about and cursing loudly. So, by the time she'd

shredded the thing to bits trying to get out of it, nearly everyone in

the room was watching her. Now in only a skimpy, nearly see through

tanktop, and now the center of attention, Akane felt a blush slowly

spread across her face.  Scowling she got up and glared at everyone.

"WHAT??" She yelled, taking a threatening step forward.  Taking the

hint, everyone quickly turned away and resumed their activities.  Still

frowning, she looked out the window into the cool, inviting front yard.  

*No one will care if I go outside for just a second.*  Quickly, she walked 

over to the glass door, and stepped onto the balcony, before anyone would

notice where she departed to.

*****

	"Wow! Old man, would ya look at that place?" A young boy asked

as he looked up at the huge castle gates, the castle looming behind, a 

good mile or two from the gates.

	"Growf," was all the panda said in reply, which isn't

surprising, since that's usually all pandas can say.  The young boy turned 

to the panda.

	"Hey, when did you change?...Why did you change?" He asked,

still not used to the fact that his father was a permanate panda, much 

less one now dressed in a really large tuxedo.  *Where did he get one so 

big?*

	<I changed while you were gawking at the castle> the panda

said.. er, signed.  < And as to why, I changed because we should look nice

for Tendo-kun>

	Rolling his eyes the boy then turned back to the castle. "You

sure this is the place? " He asked skeptically.

	<Of course I am, Ranma m'boy.>  He signed.  The panda continued

to furiosly scribble on his sign.  <We'll be treated like kings here!> 

<Not to mention rumor has it the witch will be here tonight!>

	"I just don't see how you could be friends with someone who's

this well off.." The panda scowled at this. "Even if you are, will they 

even recognize you? You -are- a panda now. "

	The panda blinked. <I hadn't thought of that!> he signed. Ranma

face-faulted.

	"Stupid old man.  What are we going to do now?" Ranma asked

angrily.

	<Uh, hope there's a party here in need of entertainment?> The

panda signed sheepishly.

	"Hmph.  You'll be the one doing entertaining, Pops."

	<Ah yes, but what if there are some young men here who would

much rather see a female dancer...>

	"I TOLD you I'm a GUY!!!" Ranma yelled, kicking the panda in the

head. "Come on Pops.  Let's get in there before it starts to rain," he 

said looking at the gathering clouds. "I just hope this 'best friend' of

your's is friendly..."

******

End Chapter One

	

*gulping nervously, waiting for comments*



*shuffles feet*  Please please C&C this.. it can be public.. I dun mind.

Anything. ^________^  Arigatou.  *huggies* Just.. don't eat me alive. 

@_@ I'm only a junior high girl who's probably failing english anyway. ^^;

Akane Miata

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