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Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2001 19:53:45 -0500
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From: Angela Jewell <ajewell@nmu.edu>
Subject: [FFML] [Ranma][Short Fic] The Price Of Pride
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----------------------
THE PRICE OF PRIDE
By: Angela Jewell
----------------------
Ranma 1/2 is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and
whoever else owns it. I'm not making any money off of this so don't
sue me. Besides, good luck if you tried. I'm broke.
----------------------
A Ranma 1/2 Short Fic
----------------------
As I watch them together it feels like a thousand needles
piercing me right through my heart: The pain is unbearable... I
love him so much.
It feels great to finally say those words. I never realized
how easy it was to say them before-
I love him. I love him. I love him.
See? It just rolls off the tongue!
Except... stupid me. Now it's too late.
He's smiling at her again, his eyes, shining.
It's hard seeing them this way. It's a constant reminder of what I've
been forced to give up.
Everyone always said we were both too stubborn for our own good...
unfortunately they were right.
You see... this whole situation is my fault. *He* didn't deserve this.
His whole life has been about people manipulating and controlling him. And I
could've put a stop to it... if it hadn't been for my foolish pride.
But by the time I'd realized just what I could lose... time had run out
and I'd lost him.
He's happy now at least. Of that I'm certain. The magic binding them
must be very powerful.
For his sake I hope it lasts.
I don't think he'd ever forgive himself if it wore off and he found
himself in China married to *her.*
Of course... they're not married *yet*...
But they might as well be. I've tried everything and nothing works.
I-- I just want this whole thing to be over.
Yet... I can't bring myself to give up hope. Not yet anyway. You see,
the problem is... I still want him.
If- if things had been different- if I knew he *really* loved her and
that it wasn't just because of the red string of fate- then I wouldn't try to
stand between them.
Unlike Shampoo, I wouldn't want him to marry me if he was truly in love
with someone else. It just wouldn't be right. What kind of marriage would
that be?
Well... she sure found a way around *that* obstacle all right.
I look back at all the chances I had to tell him that I love him and
want to start screaming. We came *so* close *so* many times to revealing
our true feelings for each other.
I keep praying that I'll wake up and this whole nightmare will be all
over.
But so far... nothing's changed.
And now, they're kissing each other: Shampoo, laughing happily as he
wraps his strong arms around her yet again.
And as I watch this in suffering silence, I want to die.
I'm *so* sick of this, I just want it to be over. Actually, when I
think about it... it feels _worst_ than a thousand needles piercing
me through my heart...
You see... *he* has my heart and Shampoo-- for now-- has his.
And that knowledge hurts most of all.
Such is the price of pride.
THE END
AUTHORS NOTES:
Okay, in case the story wasn't clear enough, this is from Akane's
point of view.
***** SMALL SPOILER-- (I guess)*****
The red string of fate concept is from the anime. During one of the
episodes, Shampoo got a red string that, when tied to the pinky of
someone else, made them fall hopelessly in love with them. In the
end Ranma and Shampoo are close to being married, when Akane appears
with some scissors and cuts the string, breaking the spell over Ranma.
***** END SPOILER***
I guess this is a kind of alternate ending to that story...
Oh! And for those of you interested, yes, I'm still alive and working
on the next chapter of THE GAME. It's no where near close to being done,
but I am still working on it! Although slowly... =)