Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½.
Author's Note: Hello. This is the first of my 6 chapter story. I'll be posting the next chapter next week. If there was any grammar error on this on, please PM me. Constructive criticisms are always welcome. Please Read and Review. ^^
Days
By Erzamarie
Chapter 1: The Day I Lost
Akane's POV
The taste of mud was much better than the taste of defeat. I saw the end of the fight, but I refused to accept it. To yield was to give up; to give up was to lose Ranma. The fight that I couldn't afford to lose ended my face on the ground. I didn't see it coming, so as the blow that knocked me off my feet. And now, she stood before me giving her speech as if I would really listen to her.
It was my fault for underestimating her in the first place. I had thought that she was liked Kodachi who had tricked Ranma, but she had proven to more than that. She was also fast and as I felt my cheek on the ground, I realized her strength. Her small stature certainly had muscles on them and it thought me not to quickly judge on people's build. Now, I regretted my impulsiveness in coming here and challenging her. Cologne was right all along. It was hard to admit it, but she was right on not coming along to fight with her. Not that Cologne would have a hard time fighting her, but it would certainly pay to know the enemy.
My face was covered with the mixture of mud and tears. My body ached and cried for exhaustion, but I couldn't say the words. No, I couldn't say it not even in this situation. I felt like if I gave up on him now, I would never have another chance to fight for him. If I gave up now, it would mean I'm giving up on him.
The girl's voice continued to ring in my ears. Yet, I didn't understand a word of it. With the tears in my eyes, I searched for him. I saw Ranma in the corner; I saw his face contorted with anger. He tried to break free from the chains in his arms, but we both knew it was futile. Even if he could break the chain, he won't be able to escape the needles that would prick his neck and send poison to his nerve the moment he came inside the muddy ring. He would die even before he could lay a finger on my opponent.
He shouted something that made the girl stopped on her speech. It must be something good as she smiled at him - her innocent and endearing smile that fooled me to think that I could beat her. I should have known that there was more to it than met the eye. But going back, I didn't just do it because of that thought. I also did this so I could save Ranma and finally show him that I'm strong as a martial artist. I wanted to prove to him that I'm not the weakest among his fiancées and that I could take care of myself.
However, as I was now in the ground at the mercy of my enemy, I certainly did not prove my point. Again and again, I saw him looked at me liked I'm such a weakling, that I needed him to protect him.
The blow that hit my broken arm caught my attention. I almost forgot that I haven't yielded yet so the fight was still on, even though I'm grovelling in the ground. I stared at the face of my enemy and I saw nothing. There was a blank expression on her face all through the time she fought me, except for those moments when she addressed Ranma. It was the reason why I couldn't read her moves because I see nothing on her face.
"Give up already," the girl shouted as she grabbed unto my broken arm so tightly.
I cried in pain but I couldn't utter those words. I wanted to pass out already as the pain coupled with my worn out body, I knew I could no longer go on. It was only stubbornness that refused to give up. But then I heard him. Now, I heard him loud and clear.
"Please stop," Ranma begged the girl. Then he addressed his next words to me. "Akane, I know what you're doing but please don't do this. Don't be stubborn and just accept that you can't defeat her."
I tried to smile at him but failed miserably as the bruised on my cheeks made it painful to do so. "When did I ever listen to you, Ranma? I never did and I certainly won't start today," I answered even though I don't have much strength anymore.
"Then fine. I was just saving you from further humiliation. I wanted you stop because it's disgusting to watch your uncute face covered in mud. Don't you see how horrifying it was for all of us watching you battered? Just give up, you stupid tomboy." He spat every word.
He was an ungrateful prick. Here I was wanting to save his ass but what did I get from him. I got to be called uncute, stupid and tomboy and in front of my enemy. He was being such a jerk – an irritating and ungrateful jerk.
"Fine! I give up, jerk. I should have known that you wanted this to happen. Of course, you wanted to be engaged with this girl. And for the record, I didn't do willingly for you. Father wanted you to get home and I was just following orders. If I had known your answer earlier, I wouldn't risk myself doing this." I stubbornly said, using the last of my strength. "If you want him, you can have him. I would even gift-wrap him for you."
How did that happen? The words I refused to say earlier were easily been spoken and just when the realization of it hit me, I felt weak.
Ranma knew me well; too well that he was able to manipulate me to do exactly what he wanted to. Knowing the words to trigger my anger, he went on and pushed the right buttons. Now, looking into his eyes, I knew he never meant those words and he just used them so I would give up. I wanted to hammer him down for manipulating me, but I couldn't because I would do the same if I was him.
"You are a worthy opponent, Ms. Tendo," the girl said as she stepped away from me.
"Why?" I found myself asking. "Why Ranma? You're rich, beautiful and strong. You can have any guy you want but why him? Why Ranma?"
"Indeed I can, but you're forgetting that there's only one Ranma. It is him that I want and nobody else."
"But why?"
"I thought you already know that by now. But if you insist on knowing I'll tell you."
She leaned closer to my ears and whispered the exact words I longed to hear and say. It was funny how the first time I heard it wasn't from the lips of the one I love, but from the lips of the enemy who was taking him away.
Then she walked away with her muddied and torn school uniform and bruised arm. A bruised arm? How pathetic of me? I have a broken arm, a couple of broken ribs, a cut on my lips, and a bruised cheeks, yet she walked away from me with a bruised arm and a few small cuts. Am I that weak?
As if Ranma could hear me pitying myself, he shouted, "You did your best, Akane. Now, go home."
I stared at him angrily. How could I go back home when I promised myself that I would return with him. If he didn't trick me into yielding, I wouldn't have done so and I would still be fighting for him. But, no, he just had to do it and humiliate me some more as if defeat wasn't humiliating enough. I hated him for doing it, and I hated him more because of his reason.
He was dragged by two men afterwards. Ranma was unwilling to go and continued to talk to me with urgency. "Go back home, tomboy. Train yourself. Ask Ryoga, Cologne and even Happosai to help you. Get stronger... I'll wait for you."
His last words lingered into my consciousness. It snapped me back to reality. Ranma wasn't even giving up and I should also do the same. I would be strong and come back for him. I could do it, I knew I could. After all, he was going to wait for me. Afterwards, I felt myself succumbed to exhaustion, which had long been nagging my mind to rest.
I woke up and found myself in the hospital. My family was there along with Ranma's fiancées and some close friends. They told me I was asleep for three days. Three days of sleep but I felt like it was only yesterday that I fought all out.
Later, the nurse told me that I was brought there by a car and they were ordered to give me the best medical care they could give. According to them, my anonymous sponsor paid all my bills. But I didn't have to guess who my anonymous sponsor was. I wanted to leave the place as soon as I can.
As the days went by my body was healing pretty quickly. The bones were growing and the bruises and cuts started to fade. I transferred to Dr. Tofu's Clinic as soon as I was able to. I don't want to be indebted to my anonymous sponsor because she might ask Ranma as payment.
Physically I no longer hurt as I am waiting only for the bandages to be taken, but emotionally I suffer. A day I spent in the hospital was a day lost. It was another day without Ranma and another day spent with him waiting. I kept on wondering on the day I'll see him, would he held it against me for taking so long. Would he still be waiting for me?