Disclaimer:
*Camera zooms in at a figure sneaking out of a room, hefting a huge bag over it's shoulder.*
DANI-CHAN: Ha HA! I have stolen the whole of the Ranmaverse! I own them now! *laughs a manic laughter as lightning flashes in the background*
KENSHIN: Oro?!
DANI-CHAN:
Kenshin! How'd you get here?! *shrugs and tosses Kenshin into the bag with the rest*

There! Can I say I own them now? *sigh* Obviously not... *slumps off*


a/n:
Post-Manga, obviously... An AU, I s'pose... Kinda gonna copy off "A Chance of Change" by Pia-san. I LOVE that story, and she hasn't been updating for such a long time! So so so so so sorry pia-sama! *sobs* Forgive me if i kinda copied off you! You're AU is sooooooo nice! *batts eyelashes*
This will HOPEFULLY not turn into a one-shot, people.
Oh, and sorry in advance if I get some of the info wrong... not that big an expert on the Ranmaverse... Tell me ASAP if something's wrong, I'd appreciate it a lot... But please DO take note that this is an AU, thus, a lot of things WILL be changing and there will be some things excluded. MAN! I'm really weird and messed up, aren't I? And, I've also decided not to give a sequel to "Their Language." Teehee. Sorry about that! I TRIED to make one, honest! Nothing worked... *sigh.*Oh, and one last thing... review, ne?

...that was a LONG note...


thoughts
flashback
--> just in case some one wondered.... ΓΌ



Onwards!



























Bound Souls
by: dani-chan



























How beautiful.
A figure in a pair of shorts and a tank top jogged out to the park. Her dark hair gleamed in the sunlight, making it seem more like a different shade than the dark blue it was.
Tendo Akane, 17 years old. A junior at the Furikan Highschool, located just a few blocks from the park. She's so beautiful.

Akane turned around, feeling someone's eyes at her. Seeing no one, she shrugged her shoulders and turned back around and resumed her early morning jog.
It was like this every morning, getting up at before dawn, jogging to warm herself up and then going back to the dojo to do some katas. The only problem was that it had dulled to a boring routine.
She sighed and headed back home. She decided that she'd go to school and help organize the annual spring fair this time. She had nothing else to do, after all. She started jogging towards the school but then pulled into an abrupt stop. She turned around and jogged back to her home. After a few katas.

~*~*~

Ranma sat outside the school, drumming his fingers against the table. It was just his luck that he had to stay in school every Saturday for some classes. Needless to say, his third year Math grade was NOT good.
He sighed and leaned his head on a hand, looking out the window. And he saw her.
His mind went blank.
...
Then she was gone.
"MR. SAOTOME?!" the teacher thundered. Ranma looked up at him, still dazed from what he saw.
"Huh?"
The teacher sighed. "It's time to go, Mr. Saotome. I don't suppose you're the type who likes staying after class. After all, I've had the pleasure of your company for a week already."
Ranma was already out the door before he even finished his last sentence. She's here.

Ranma ran down two flights of steps, and into the cafe. Nope, not here. He sat down, exhausted. He had been looking for her for 10 minutes already. She wasn't in any place that seemed probable for her to be in here in school.
Why was she here anyway? She didn't need Saturday classes, she was at the top of her class. And he knew that all she ever did during Saturdays was train. He sighed as he leaned his head on his arms. What a lost cause I am.

~*~*~

Akane strolled into the cafe, sparing a glance at the boy sitting at a nearby table, who had just thunked his head into his arms. Then she headed towards the vendo to get herself a drink.
She put in some change and pressed a button. Boy, I'm starting to wonder if this spring fair thing is gonna be worth soothing my boredom away. The machine whirred a gave out a dull clunk below.
She fished her water bottle out of the slot and started walking out. I've been back here for two years already, and I still haven't remembered how hot some days here in Japan can be. She twisted the bottle cap open and took a long sip.

~*~*~

Ranma got up, deciding that he was NOT going to mope around all day. He gathered his things and turned around, and bumped into someone. He dropped his things and a water bottle fell out of nowhere and spilled all over his papers. My homework!
He scowled and looked up to glare at the person who bumped into him.
The person was obviously a she, and she was now on her knees muttering "sorry," a thousand times over. Ranma sighed. And kneeled down next to her after grabbing a couple of tissues. Then he looked up at her.
And his mind went blank. It was her.

~*~*~

Akane was taking that long sip when someone suddenly rose and bumped into her. She gave out a squeak of surprise as her water bottle slipped out of her grasp and fell.
Onto the papers on the floor.
Oh, shit.
She fell to her knees muttering apologies all the while. The other person finally got down and handed her a couple of tissues. For a few minutes, they tried to dry the wet papers.
Akane noticed that she was the only one trying to dry them. The other pair of hands had stopped working. So she looked up. And was shocked.
The world spinned around and she remembered.

~*~*~

How come he had never noticed it before? How come he only noticed NOW, that this was the girl he had grown up with? All those years of playing pretend marriage with that little girl with the boyish bob, and only when they were on their knees again, did he realize it was her.
"'Kane-chan."

~*~*~

What were the odds that the most sought after guy at school was her childhood playmate? She knew him, saw him everyday. Never talked of course, but that was understandable. He was popular.
She could still remember that day. They were about to leave for America.

Akane stared at the boy in front of her. He was avoiding her eyes, looking down at his shoes and kicking at the grass.
"You're really leaving? As in forever an' ever?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know 'bout the forever an' ever part, but yeah, we're leaving."
A pause. Someone sniffled, but neither knew who it was anymore, at that point.
"'Ka-kane-chan?"
"Hai?"
"Will you forget about me?"
She stared at him then threw her arms around him, knocking them both onto the grass. "Never!"
He pushed her off, and they both knelt down, tiny hands reaching out to clasp together. He sighed and leaned his head against hers. "Promise?" his voice breaking.
"Promise."
It started raining. And now, instead of a little boy across her, a redheaded girl stared at her. They sighed and stood up. Then they walked to Tofu's clinic for some hot water.

They stayed in the clinic 'till afternoon, waiting until the rain stopped. It finally did, and so they went out and climbed onto the top of the jungle gym in the park. They laid down and stared at the clouds. Trying in vain to forget the rest of the world.
A honk.
Akane closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry.
Before she knew it, she was on the ground, Ranma staring at her with those big blue eyes.
She sniffed and wiped away the tear quickly.
"Hey! Tomboys don't cry!"
"Ran-ran no baka!" she sobbed, grabbing him into a fierce hug.
"Don' cry 'Kane-chan... You'll come back right?"
"I... I'll miss you, baka!"

His voice brought her back to the present. "'Kane-chan."
She couldn't help the waver in her voice as she said his name. "Ran-ran."
A tear slid down her cheek.

~*~*~

Hey! Tomboys don't cry!"
"Ran-ran no baka!" she sobbed, grabbing him into a fierce hug.
"Don' cry 'Kane-chan... You'll come back right?"
"I'll miss you, baka."

She never did say if she was going to come back. She got into her car and only when it started moving did Ranma realized something.

~*~*~

Ranma chased after her car, running until it hurt. It hurt to run and cry at the same time.

At training, Dad said I was weak. He said that I was slow. I thought I was fast enough, strong enough. I didn't believe him 'till then.
I never got the chance to tell he that I would miss her too. Ranma no baka.
He wiped away the tear that slid down her cheek. "Tomboys don't cry!" he exclaimed softly. They laughed quietly.
Then he said so quietly, she barely heard him, "I thought you said you wouldn't forget about me..."
~*~*~

She never did say if she was going to come back. She got into her car and only when it started moving did Ranma realized something.
He was bound.



























TBC...






Wahahahahhahaha! mini cliff hanger!
Review, ne? I'm starting on the second chappy already! ^_^
Oh yeah, Pia-san? Tell me if it's bothering you. I'll take it down if it is.
Sorry if this chapter is so short... I'll make the next one longer, promise! @_@

SOMEONE! I NEED HELP! What was the name of Akane and Ranma's friends at Furikan? Hiroshi and Daisuke? And Yuka and Sayuri? Is that right?

Anyway...
Ja ne, minna-san!

DANI-CHAN: Clickety click click. Onegai? *does puppy dog look* Pweety pweety pweeaase?
KAORU: *looking a nice putrid shade of green* Dani-san! Please! You could never pull it off!
DANI-CHAN: Ha HA! Another one! *Grabs Kaoru and stuffs her into the bag.*
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!


click it.