AN: I acknowledge Rumiko Takahashi as the creator and owner of Ranma ½ and do not claim any form ownership.

Here it is folks, my rendition of what could have happened after the very successful wedding between Ranma and Akane. Ranma sorting through his personal affairs, as Soun intended. However, it will not have the exact ending he had in mind!

When It All Goes Wrong

Lying on the roof of the Tendo dojo, I cannot help feel miserable after that disaster of a wedding. It had been there, finally for the taking. The tender expression that Akane can make so beautifully, for once was directed at me. No avoidance, no anger or even arguing. I could only see affection in her eyes. I had thought that maybe it would finally be our moment. That we would finally be able to put aside the rough start we had got off to because of what we have now. But it was not to be.

Cue the ridiculously over-powered Saotome Foot-In-The-Mouth technique, my inability to say what Akane needed to hear. Three words. That was all it would have taken to put an end to the never-ending arguments between Akane and myself. Of course, when I struggled, she started to get angry. Then cue the merry band of stalkers that Akane and I have picked up, and the oppourtunity had been lost. Since then, every time that I had tried to approach her, she refused to listen to anything I had to say. While I honestly did not expect anything different, after the whole ordeal with Saffron, I had hoped that in the very least she would now be able to see the lengths that I went to for her and then from there we could now start to at least be able to communicate.

Now I sat here, wondering if there would ever truly be anything between Akane and myself. 'The problem is not feelings, but I just don't see how we can make it work. She never has faith in me, and I am never able to stop myself from continuing to look for a fight.' While I do love a challenge, I am starting to tire of this never ending cycle, that always seems to end with a mallet and parting words of "Ranma no baka!"

Sighing in frustration at the sheer futility of the situation, feel the need to leave here, and just get a breather. The tension that had followed after the failed wedding was really taking its toll on me. Even Kasumi has actually seemed on edge ever since then.

Jumping off the roof and into the streets of Nerima and continue to ponder what had happened and attempted to think of any possible ways to try to deal with this. Inevitably, my peace was interrupted by a shout of "Airen! Shampoo find at last! Shampoo look for you lots!"

Turning to her with a dead expression I flatly say, "Shampoo, just leave me be please. Yesterday was already bad enough before you interfered. Just leave me be."

Pouting, she lunges towards me, intent on latching herself onto me as per usual; however, I dodged her and continued on, ignoring her and her calls after me. She chased after me, but after realizing that I would continue to resolutely ignore her, she decided to finally grant me some space.

This encounter was precisely what Soun was talking about when he told me that he would postpone the wedding so that I may "sort out my personal affairs." The problem was that I did not wish to harm any of the other girls. Thus, when this was combined with my natural aversion to words, I really had no way solving these problems. Not that any of them seemed particularly inclined to take heed in what I DID say anyways.

But having though over it, there were a few things that have become clear to me. No matter how much it would wound my pride, I needed to approach both Kuno and Kodachi about my curse to get rid of those nuisances. Not that it would make a difference with their wilful ignorance. But it would grant me the peace of mind to be less courteous than I would be with the others.

Next, I would not ever want to be forced into a loveless union with Shampoo. While she was an undeniably attractive girl, she has only ever spelt trouble for me and never has had the inclination to indulge my feelings. She had a single-minded focus on the laws of her tribe and what she wanted was a real turn-off. This, of course, is neglecting all of her underhanded attempts to win my affection. Simply put, with Shampoo only trouble and suffering would await me.

Ryoga would no doubt continue to be a blockhead, but with time I hope that he will gradually overcome his feelings of Akane and just leave me alone. While I do enjoy sparring with him, his shouts of "Ranma prepare to die! Because of you I have seen hell!" were really starting to get old. I just hope bygones will be bygones and he can finally stop his incessant blaming of me.

Here is where things got substantially more difficult for me. The only ones where what it is I want to see start to becomes harder for me to understand. Ukyo. I really did not want to hurt her. She is my best friend. I am more at ease with her than I am with anyone else. Unlike all of the other people who are interested in me, I really am concerned about her. How she had let go everything that had happened to her as a result of my father stealing her dowry, for my sake. Something that even Akane had not managed to this point. Ukyo had let our sour encounter go. Whereas with Akane I could still feel the mistrust caused by our first meeting.

Even with everything between Akane and I, I cannot bring myself to just forget what Ukyo has done. Staying in Nerima for my sake. How in spite her position as one of the people pursuing me, she has still found the time to be my friend. Something that none of the others can claim. There was no irrational anger, excessive misunderstandings, or forceful attempts to get me.

Because of these things I do not want to hurt her. This is where I can see myself on a collision course between myself and Akane. Though I know she would understand why it is that I wish to be much gentler towards Ukyo, I cannot help but worry that she might continue to misunderstand my intentions.

The last steep in sort out my personal affairs to making a lasting marriage a possibility is straightening out the relationship between myself and Akane. Creating a relationship based off trust and affection, two things that we both presently lack.

The issue is that I have no idea as to how it is that I can possibly do these things. I do not even know how to become better and expressing what it is I feel to her so that she can understand, never mind dealing with the mistrust that seems to be so deeply seeded within her.

However as bare minimum, the postponement has made me aware that it is high time to clean up the excessive build-up of problems in my life. The reactions of all of those who had barged in also made it clear that a wedding between Akane was apparently too subtle of a way of communicating to these people what the issue was.

I look up, and ahead I see Ukyo's restaurant. I turn back and practically run off, not at all wanting to deal with all the issues surrounding Ukyo in this situation. I needed time to think and make my way through this. I would save the most complicated for last. For now, it was just time to nip the bud of those who presence was completely unwelcome in my life, as a warm up for the progression of it becoming increasingly difficult for me.

Kodachi, Kuno, Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyo. While not looking forward to the enormity of the task ahead of me, I am satisfied that I at least have now decided upon a course of actions. Besides, if there is one thing I know about myself, it is that I never back down from a challenge.

AN: There you go people! Let me know what you think!