Left Behind
Chapter 1
Ranma walked through the front gate with heavy steps. It would not be easy to face the family now. He entered the place he would very soon no longer consider his house. "Hi everyone. I'm home."
The rest of the Tendo household as well as his father rushed out to meet him. "Ranma!" everyone exclaimed.
The eldest Tendo daughter was the first to notice something missing. "Ranma, where's Akane?"
"She's not coming home." Ranma's tone of voice was flat.
"WHAT! Son, what is the meaning of this!?" Soun was now in demon head mode.
Ranma was not intimidated. "Please Mr. Tendo. This time it is not my fault. Then again, maybe it is, but it is too late to do anything about it now."
Soun calmed down and reverted back to normal. "Alright Ranma, now explain where Akane is."
"She's still at Ryuugenzawa."
"WHAT! You were supposed to bring her back!"
"It's kind of hard to bring someone back when they don't want to come back."
This time, Nabiki spoke up, "Alright Saotome, what did you do this time."
Ranma lowered his head. "It was her choice, she chose him."
"Him? Just who are you talking about, and what do you mean choice?" Nabiki did not like the direction this was heading in.
"I don't know who he is, but she chose to stay with him. She wouldn't tell me why. I'm sorry Mr. Tendo, but I can't marry her anymore."
"Now wait just a minute boy! You are honor bound to marry Akane. You can't turn your back on her now!"
"Listen up, Pop! This wasn't my choice! She made the decision, not me! If you want to talk to someone about honor, why not talk to her!?" Ranma felt his hand clench into fists as he argued against his father. Slowly, he released his fists as his anger ebbed away. "In any case, I have a lot of thinking to do."
Ranma walked past everyone and entered his room. He sat down on the futon, his knees tucked into his chest, his left cheek resting on his knees. 'Damn you Akane, why couldn't you tell me?'
Downstairs at the dinner table, everyone sat around, concern on all their faces.
"I can't believe the nerve of that boy, talking back to me in that manner!"
"Now, now, Mr. Saotome. If it is the way that he says it is, it isn't his fault." Kasumi chimed.
"There's more to this than he's letting on though, sis. Both you and I know how Akane feels about him. I just can't believe that she would choose someone else over him. I don't think he is telling us the whole story."
"I think you're wrong, Nabiki. The way he looked, I can't see him lying to us about this. You know that he would do anything for her, but if she rejects him, what is he going to do? If it makes you feel any better, I'll talk to him and try to find out the whole story."
"Alright Kasumi, but I still think he's hiding something from us."
Kasumi quietly approached the guestroom with a tray of food in her hand. She quietly rapped on the door. "Ranma? Are you there?"
"Yeah, Kasumi, what do you want?"
"I brought you your dinner."
"Thanks Kasumi, but...I'm not hungry."
Kasumi couldn't help feel sorry for the boy. The whole ordeal was obviously bothering him a lot. "Ranma, I want to talk to you about what happened." She opened the door and entered before Ranma could answer. She quietly slid the door shut and looked at Ranma. Ranma had not moved since sitting down, and the room was now dark. Kasumi placed the tray down and sat opposite Ranma.
"I told you Kasumi, I'm not hungry."
"Ranma, please eat up. I'm worried about what happened to you and Akane. Can you please tell me what happened?"
"Kasumi, I'd..." Ranma looked into her face. Seeing the concern on her face broke what little of his will was left in resisting her. The rest of his will went into maintaining his emotions. "Alright, I'll tell you."
With that, Ranma told her what happened. His first meeting with Shinnosuke in Ryuugenzawa, finding Akane with him, her refusal to return home, him running off, and finally, his confrontation with the two of them that led to his return to Nerima. Kasumi couldn't believe what she was hearing. If what Ranma had said was true, then Akane did choose someone else instead of him. "So she wouldn't even say why?"
"No. I could tell by the way she was acting how concerned she was for him. If he makes her happy, then I shouldn't get in the way."
"Ranma, please tell me the truth. Have you told me everything that happened?"
Ranma looked at Kasumi with a slight look of disbelief and shock in his eyes. "Kasumi, I don't believe what I'm hearing, you don't believe me? I'd expect this sort of thing from Nabiki, but not from you."
"I'm sorry, it's just that Nabiki didn't believe that you were telling me the whole story and wanted me to find out if there was more to it."
"It's ok, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."
"I understand."
The next morning started out differently than most mornings at the Tendo dojo. Gone were the sounds of a young man sparring with his father. In fact, the sounds were of a woman making breakfast and the quiet sounds of shoji tiles occasionally hitting a board.
Finally the silence was broken. "You don't think that Ranma is telling the truth, do you Saotome?"
"Ha ha ha. That foolish boy, he just refuses to admit his true feelings for Akane."
"I would like to agree with you old friend, but Akane's absence is more than troubling."
"Don't worry, Tendo. She'll be home soon, and then our schools will be joined."
"I hope you're right, Saotome."
The rest of the morning was quiet until breakfast. Ranma was the last to the table, and was eating at an oddly slow pace. Everyone noticed the change in him, but nobody mentioned anything to him. Ranma, having finished his breakfast, placed his bowl down. "I have an announcement to make."
Everyone turned to look at him, surprised at the sullen tone in his voice. "I have to thank everyone for the hospitality that has been shown to both me and my father in the time that we have been here. However, now that Akane has chosen... another, it is no longer appropriate for us to stay here anymore. Although you have all been like family to me, it is time that I live with my true family."
"Just what are you saying, boy?" Genma did not like the direction that this was heading. "Akane will be back soon, and you two will be married as arranged."
"You haven't heard anything that I have said. Akane chose someone else. I saw it with my own eyes. She doesn't want to be with me. I'm also tired of running from Mom every time she comes here. She doesn't deserve to be lied to, especially not by her own son and husband."
"Ranma, if you tell your mother the truth, she will force us to commit seppuku!"
"If that is my fate, then so be it." Everyone gasped.
"Not if I have a say in it. I refuse to die because of a cowardly boy!"
"Pop, I'd take those words back if I were you. You know you can't beat me. Don't make me have to beat you into submission."
"Cheeky boy! How dare you talk to your father in that manner!"
"It's your choice, but you can do this in one of two ways. The easy way, or the hard way. Either way, we are going back home to face Mom!"
"You're overconfident Ranma. I know all your moves. You can't beat me."
"You're wrong."
"Ha! I'll show you just how wrong you are! Yaahh!" Genma launched himself at Ranma, hoping to make this fight short. Ranma simply sat with a smirk on his face. 'So predicable, there is a lot of me you have no idea about, Pop'. At the last second, Ranma dodged his father's strike, and struck back with the Chestnut Fist, driving his father back towards the pond. However, instead of allowing him to fall in, Ranma continued his assault, pushing his father over the pond, the force of his punches keeping him from falling in. Ranma actually managed to skip his way across the pond(1) without falling in himself before finishing his attack with a hard punch knocking his father against the wall and unconscious. "Hmph."
Ranma made his way back into the house and started heading towards his room. "Ranma?"
"Yeah?" He turned around to see the Tendo's looking at him. Kasumi spoke up, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"No, but it is the way it has to be."
(1) See OAV The One to Carry On, where Ranma attempts to run across the canal without falling in.
Author's Notes: Well, it's my first fic. Not completely sure where this is heading, kinda odd for me since I like to have an ending in sight when I start these things. Anyhow, constructive criticism and comments only, please. Please don't bother pointing out OOC characters, since I know who they are, but I'll try and stick to their characters as much as possible.
I don't own Ranma or any of the characters associated with it.
Chapter 1
Ranma walked through the front gate with heavy steps. It would not be easy to face the family now. He entered the place he would very soon no longer consider his house. "Hi everyone. I'm home."
The rest of the Tendo household as well as his father rushed out to meet him. "Ranma!" everyone exclaimed.
The eldest Tendo daughter was the first to notice something missing. "Ranma, where's Akane?"
"She's not coming home." Ranma's tone of voice was flat.
"WHAT! Son, what is the meaning of this!?" Soun was now in demon head mode.
Ranma was not intimidated. "Please Mr. Tendo. This time it is not my fault. Then again, maybe it is, but it is too late to do anything about it now."
Soun calmed down and reverted back to normal. "Alright Ranma, now explain where Akane is."
"She's still at Ryuugenzawa."
"WHAT! You were supposed to bring her back!"
"It's kind of hard to bring someone back when they don't want to come back."
This time, Nabiki spoke up, "Alright Saotome, what did you do this time."
Ranma lowered his head. "It was her choice, she chose him."
"Him? Just who are you talking about, and what do you mean choice?" Nabiki did not like the direction this was heading in.
"I don't know who he is, but she chose to stay with him. She wouldn't tell me why. I'm sorry Mr. Tendo, but I can't marry her anymore."
"Now wait just a minute boy! You are honor bound to marry Akane. You can't turn your back on her now!"
"Listen up, Pop! This wasn't my choice! She made the decision, not me! If you want to talk to someone about honor, why not talk to her!?" Ranma felt his hand clench into fists as he argued against his father. Slowly, he released his fists as his anger ebbed away. "In any case, I have a lot of thinking to do."
Ranma walked past everyone and entered his room. He sat down on the futon, his knees tucked into his chest, his left cheek resting on his knees. 'Damn you Akane, why couldn't you tell me?'
Downstairs at the dinner table, everyone sat around, concern on all their faces.
"I can't believe the nerve of that boy, talking back to me in that manner!"
"Now, now, Mr. Saotome. If it is the way that he says it is, it isn't his fault." Kasumi chimed.
"There's more to this than he's letting on though, sis. Both you and I know how Akane feels about him. I just can't believe that she would choose someone else over him. I don't think he is telling us the whole story."
"I think you're wrong, Nabiki. The way he looked, I can't see him lying to us about this. You know that he would do anything for her, but if she rejects him, what is he going to do? If it makes you feel any better, I'll talk to him and try to find out the whole story."
"Alright Kasumi, but I still think he's hiding something from us."
Kasumi quietly approached the guestroom with a tray of food in her hand. She quietly rapped on the door. "Ranma? Are you there?"
"Yeah, Kasumi, what do you want?"
"I brought you your dinner."
"Thanks Kasumi, but...I'm not hungry."
Kasumi couldn't help feel sorry for the boy. The whole ordeal was obviously bothering him a lot. "Ranma, I want to talk to you about what happened." She opened the door and entered before Ranma could answer. She quietly slid the door shut and looked at Ranma. Ranma had not moved since sitting down, and the room was now dark. Kasumi placed the tray down and sat opposite Ranma.
"I told you Kasumi, I'm not hungry."
"Ranma, please eat up. I'm worried about what happened to you and Akane. Can you please tell me what happened?"
"Kasumi, I'd..." Ranma looked into her face. Seeing the concern on her face broke what little of his will was left in resisting her. The rest of his will went into maintaining his emotions. "Alright, I'll tell you."
With that, Ranma told her what happened. His first meeting with Shinnosuke in Ryuugenzawa, finding Akane with him, her refusal to return home, him running off, and finally, his confrontation with the two of them that led to his return to Nerima. Kasumi couldn't believe what she was hearing. If what Ranma had said was true, then Akane did choose someone else instead of him. "So she wouldn't even say why?"
"No. I could tell by the way she was acting how concerned she was for him. If he makes her happy, then I shouldn't get in the way."
"Ranma, please tell me the truth. Have you told me everything that happened?"
Ranma looked at Kasumi with a slight look of disbelief and shock in his eyes. "Kasumi, I don't believe what I'm hearing, you don't believe me? I'd expect this sort of thing from Nabiki, but not from you."
"I'm sorry, it's just that Nabiki didn't believe that you were telling me the whole story and wanted me to find out if there was more to it."
"It's ok, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."
"I understand."
The next morning started out differently than most mornings at the Tendo dojo. Gone were the sounds of a young man sparring with his father. In fact, the sounds were of a woman making breakfast and the quiet sounds of shoji tiles occasionally hitting a board.
Finally the silence was broken. "You don't think that Ranma is telling the truth, do you Saotome?"
"Ha ha ha. That foolish boy, he just refuses to admit his true feelings for Akane."
"I would like to agree with you old friend, but Akane's absence is more than troubling."
"Don't worry, Tendo. She'll be home soon, and then our schools will be joined."
"I hope you're right, Saotome."
The rest of the morning was quiet until breakfast. Ranma was the last to the table, and was eating at an oddly slow pace. Everyone noticed the change in him, but nobody mentioned anything to him. Ranma, having finished his breakfast, placed his bowl down. "I have an announcement to make."
Everyone turned to look at him, surprised at the sullen tone in his voice. "I have to thank everyone for the hospitality that has been shown to both me and my father in the time that we have been here. However, now that Akane has chosen... another, it is no longer appropriate for us to stay here anymore. Although you have all been like family to me, it is time that I live with my true family."
"Just what are you saying, boy?" Genma did not like the direction that this was heading. "Akane will be back soon, and you two will be married as arranged."
"You haven't heard anything that I have said. Akane chose someone else. I saw it with my own eyes. She doesn't want to be with me. I'm also tired of running from Mom every time she comes here. She doesn't deserve to be lied to, especially not by her own son and husband."
"Ranma, if you tell your mother the truth, she will force us to commit seppuku!"
"If that is my fate, then so be it." Everyone gasped.
"Not if I have a say in it. I refuse to die because of a cowardly boy!"
"Pop, I'd take those words back if I were you. You know you can't beat me. Don't make me have to beat you into submission."
"Cheeky boy! How dare you talk to your father in that manner!"
"It's your choice, but you can do this in one of two ways. The easy way, or the hard way. Either way, we are going back home to face Mom!"
"You're overconfident Ranma. I know all your moves. You can't beat me."
"You're wrong."
"Ha! I'll show you just how wrong you are! Yaahh!" Genma launched himself at Ranma, hoping to make this fight short. Ranma simply sat with a smirk on his face. 'So predicable, there is a lot of me you have no idea about, Pop'. At the last second, Ranma dodged his father's strike, and struck back with the Chestnut Fist, driving his father back towards the pond. However, instead of allowing him to fall in, Ranma continued his assault, pushing his father over the pond, the force of his punches keeping him from falling in. Ranma actually managed to skip his way across the pond(1) without falling in himself before finishing his attack with a hard punch knocking his father against the wall and unconscious. "Hmph."
Ranma made his way back into the house and started heading towards his room. "Ranma?"
"Yeah?" He turned around to see the Tendo's looking at him. Kasumi spoke up, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"No, but it is the way it has to be."
(1) See OAV The One to Carry On, where Ranma attempts to run across the canal without falling in.
Author's Notes: Well, it's my first fic. Not completely sure where this is heading, kinda odd for me since I like to have an ending in sight when I start these things. Anyhow, constructive criticism and comments only, please. Please don't bother pointing out OOC characters, since I know who they are, but I'll try and stick to their characters as much as possible.
I don't own Ranma or any of the characters associated with it.