What You See

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma if I did Ukyo would have fallen off a strategically placed cliff.

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Akane slammed her way down the cement pathway and out the front door of the Tendo Dojo and into the darkened streets. Raising a hand to her eyes she roughly wiped away the tears from her eyes. As par usual Ranma had been a big jerk and insulted her again.

She hadn't even done anything this time all she had asked was if he wanted some dinner. Which somehow caused him to start off on a crazed rant about how she was uncute and couldn't cook.

Feeling her eyes prick with unshed tears Akane started to walk a little faster, then into a jog, and finally she broke out into a full run. She had no idea where she was going; all she knew was that anywhere but home was good enough.

Due to her extensive training Akane had incredible endurance. She could run for hours and that's just what she did. She ran until the full moon reached the highest point in the sky. Resting her hands on her knees to catch her breath and, more importantly, figure out where she was.

Glancing around she notice she was in some sort of forest. Closing her eyes she relaxed slightly listening to the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. Suddenly her ears caught the sound of music. Turning she followed the haunting melody deeper into the forest.

As she entered a clearing she saw a pretty young girl not much older then herself sitting on a rock playing a flute. She obviously wasn't from around town. Her long brown hair was braided down her back and held with a small jade and gold clasp. Her clothes were foreign and strange but seemed to suit her. The breeze played with her hair choppy bangs as she sat with her eyes closed as she played, completely at ease with her surrounding.

As she watched a small hint of well practiced paranoia slipped into her mind. What was she thinking walking into a dark forest? A pretty foreign girl? She was most likely one of Ranma's stupid fiancées who was going to get rid of her. At the thought of Ranma Akane's eyes filled tears.

The girl meanwhile finished her song and turned to look at the person who had invaded her domain. She might have been angry with someone interrupting her music but as she saw the strange girl's tears her maternal instinct kicked in.

"Are you okay hun?" Akane looked up to see the stranger looking at her concern sparkling in her blue eyes. Maybe she wasn't an evil fiancée after all but she decided to be cautious anyway.

"Ya I'm fine" Akane replied hastily brushing her tears away. The strange girl cocked an eyebrow and smiled dryly. Akane was confused "What?"

The girl chuckled "Well for the most part people don't wander around in the forest late at night then start crying when they are fine."

Akane gave a bit of a watery smile. Although they had met under strange circumstances she liked this girl and felt like she was trustworthy. "Okay maybe I'm not so fine."

"Want to talk about it?" Asked the girl. Akane paused for a moment before nodding. "Well pull up some rock," the girl smiled as Akane sat on the rock "my name is Danni short for Danielle by the way." Akane grinned back "I'm Akane."

"So Akane" Danni asked curiously "Why were you so upset earlier?" this caused Akane to frown slightly "It all started a few months ago when my father told me and my two sisters that we were having visitors."

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"So you're telling me that his best friend dresses in a boys uniform and he has the nerve to call you a tomboy?" Danni asked incredulously. Akane nodded grimly

"And he refers to her as his cute fiancée and me as his uncute one." Danni rolled her eyes in disgust. "Don't get me started on his ego," Akane continued "if I hear one more time about how much better he is at martial arts I'm going to hurl."

"If he is so concerned about your martial arts skills then why doesn't he train you?" Danni asked disliking this Ranma fellow more and more by the minute.

"Him and my dad seem to think it's a waste of time since Ranma is going to inherit the martial arts dojo anyways." Akane clenched her fists at the unfairness of it. She had spent her whole life training to inherit the dojo just to have it usurped by some upstart jerk.

Danni frowned at her new friend's anger "That is a waste of talent and I really hate wastefulness." She murmured to herself.

Akane meanwhile looked up at the night sky and sighed. "I better get home before my dad has a fit. So you have my phone number and address?"

"Yup," Danni replied "and you have my cell number and the name of the hotel I'm staying at."

Akane nodded. "Danni I'm really glad I met you. It's nice to have a friend who I can trust." With that last statement and a quick wave she hurried off into the darkness back home.

Alone Danni slowly eased herself of the rock she was seated on and glanced up at the night sky. "I only pray you can forgive me Akane for what I'm going to do." And with the grace of a danced she silently disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

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Will Akane ever make up with Ranma? What is Danni going to do? Why am I asking so many rhetorical questions? Tune in next time for the answers to these and many more questions in the next chapter of What You See.