The morning was a lovely one. The sun paused to withhold its presence in an arrangement of orange, yellow, and red colors, painting the sky in a brilliant sunrise. But despite the beautiful morning, Ranma Saotome felt nervous. He was standing in line at the airport, waiting to purchase a ticket. Next to him was his fiancée, Akane Tendo. She looked up at him, the look on her face showing her nervousness as well.
"Why did your father want us to go to America again?" Akane asked, moving as the line moved forward.
"He said he had a martial artist team that wanted to challenge us." The black-haired boy sighed. Being the best martial artist in Nerima, Ranma suddenly felt weak. The idea of going to America got his nerves even more uppity. He had never been anywhere, except all around Japan. He switched his carryon bag to his other side and walked forward to the desk, Akane beside him. Five minutes later, they had purchased their tickets, and headed to their assigned gate.
Akane looked over at Ranma. He looked awful. His usual creamy skin looked pale and white. His normal sky blue eyes seemed to fade against his skin.
"Ranma, Daijoubu?"
"Hai."
"You don't look too well. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, I'm just nervous. I don't know if I can do this."
"You can. The only thing you are scared of are cats. You've said so yourself."
"I know, but this is different. I don't know why my father wanted us to go to America. It was totally unnecessary. The Tolsins, or whoever they are, could have met us in Japan to fight. I don't want to go to America. It's too gaijin."
Akane looked at Ranma in surprise. "I don't believe what I'm hearing. You're the martial artist that's never refused a challenge. If you're going to let a little fear of going to a place you've never been to take over your passion for martial arts, I don't know why you're a martial artist in the first place."
Ranma looked into Akane's eyes and saw her disappointment. He diverted his gaze to his feet, feeling ashamed. "You're absolutely right. I'm not gonna let a little fear ruin my reputation as the best martial artist known in Nerima." He flashed her a smile.
"Now that's the Ranma I know," Akane said. That heartthrobbing smile of hers was back on. They laughed and almost panicked as they heard their gate being called to depart. They ran and got there just as the gate closed.
"Whew, that was close," Ranma said as they boarded the plane ramp. Akane nodded, out of breath from the run. They hurried aboard the plane and stopped, aghast. The plane was overrun with people of all nationalities. It seemed like everyone was interrelated somehow. Ranma and Akane meekly found their seats and sat down. As they sat down, Ranma's jitters had returned. He had never been on an airplane before, and the seats were uncomfortable. The seats were similar to a carseat and that of a motorbike. He looked over at Akane, and saw her reading a magazine.
"Can you read that?" he asked looking at the unfamiliar words on the cover.
"No, but the pictures are actually quite interesting. Look." She pointed to a picture on the page she was reading. Ranma looked at the picture of a snake eating an egg. He leaned closer to get a better look, when the plane jolted and slowly moved forward.
"This is it," Ranma said to Akane. She looked at him nervously, gulped, and nodded.
The plane slowly rolled its way around the airport. Then with a swift move, it began to roll faster and faster, until it lifted itself up in the air. Ranma felt his breath taken away by the speed of the plane. He looked over at Akane who didn't look too well. She held onto her stomach with one hand, while the other pressed lightly over her mouth.
"Akane? Doshita?"
"Nothing. I'm just a little airsick, that's all," but he saw her grimace as she felt pain in her stomach.
"A little?!" Ranma replied, concern in his voice. Just then, the drink cart came by. "Would you like something to drink?" asked a flight attendant.
"Do you have any champagne?" Akane asked.
Ranma blinked in surprise. "You're sick and you want champagne? Are you insane?"
The flight attendant looked a little startled at the question. "It's illegal for minors to have possession of alcoholic beverages."
"Okay, do you have any sake?"
"I'm afraid not." The flight attendant looked worried, thinking, "I hope I didn't seem too irreverent when I told her we don't carry sake. That's supposed to be the national drink of Japan."
"Um, okay. I'll have water."
"How about you, sir?" the flight attendant asked Ranma.
"Water, please," he replied.
Akane and Ranma took their beverages and drank among themselves quietly. Soon Ranma's eyes began to droop, and he felt himself falling asleep.
Ranma woke to the sound of the captain's voice overhead. "Welcome to Los Angeles. The weather is partly cloudy with temperatures of 60 degrees. Please put your seats and table to upright position. We'll be starting the descent for landing in five to ten minutes. We want to thank you again for flying US Airways. We hope you have enjoyed your flight and will visit us again."
Ten minutes later, the plane was at its boarding platform. The seatbelt sign turned off and everyone got up and rushed to get off the plane. Ranma yawned and stretched. As he stretched, he felt his backbone pop from being a one position for a long period of time. He grabbed his and Akane's carryon and they left the plane.
"Goodness it feels good to get off that plane," Akane said as she stretched. "I think I'll stick to walking and trains."
"Me too," Ranma replied. "Okay, let's get going. They were supposed to meet us at the airport."
"Okay." Just then, the intercom came on. "Will Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo please come to the information desk at Gate C?"
"What now?" Akane asked looking at Ranma.
"Who knows?" he answered, walking towards Gate C.
They got there and the attendant handed them a phone. "Urgent telephone call from Japan," he said.
Ranma and Akane looked at each other, fear in their eyes. Ranma picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Ranma?"
"Mom? What do you want? What's happened? Is everyone okay?"
"Yes, everyone's fine. But it turns out that your father did something wrong."
Ranma groaned. "What did he do this time?"
"Well, it turns out that the challenge letter that was supposedly sent to you was a missent letter. It was meant for Mikado and Azusa."
"WHAT!?!"
"So basically, you didn't have to go to America."
After several moments of stunned silence, Ranma finished his conversation with his mother. He hung up the phone and stared into space.
"What is it, Ranma?" Akane asked worriedly.
"Nothing, except one of Oyaji's stupid tricks."
"What did he do?"
"He took a challenge letter that was supposed to be for the Mikado and Azusa and made us go instead."
"HE WHAT!?"
"I'm gonna tear him apart when we get home."
"So, this whole trip was a waste."
"Yep."
"Great." Akane and Ranma made their way to the front of the airport, to change their ticket, not looking forward to the airplane trip back home.