A/N: Late update XD Whoopsie
. l i g h t s .
SunshineGirl09
Characters do not belong to me.
Chapter 4: Ranma & Akane's Hair
It was painful enough having my new fiance Saotome Ranma around the house but having him at school was really a pain, especially with my best friends questioning our marriage every time they look at his face. I was getting more and more pissed as the week passed. Saturday, the current date, had taken way too long to come. Sitting at the table with a nice view of our outside pond, I thought I would be able to relax that morning. However, crashing and banging studded my thoughts, shooting doubt into them. Ranma.
"POPS YOU GOT NOTHING!" Ranma screamed, flailing his arms in the air and sticking out his tongue.
Genma cracked his knuckles.
I jogged through the open doors of our house, sighing, about to tap Ranma on the shoulder and tell him to be quiet.
"RANMA! MY SON! I'M SORRY IT HAS TO TURN OUT LIKE THIS!"
Just as Ranma turned around he was kicked in the jaw, a blow that sent him right into the pond, successfully splashing water over my outfit.
It sucked.
My face reddened as I saw Ranma resurface, spurting water from "her" mouth. I clenched my fist, filled with anger while "she" crawled out of the water, scrunching the water out of "her" shirt.
"Ranma." I growled, raising my fingers that were curled together.
"Oi! Akane!" Ranma cried, holding up his hands. "S-Sorry I didn't mean to get ya wet! It was pops!"
My fist flew over "her" head ... he ducked. The next few punches he swiftly dodged, not a scratch landing on his body. I threw my foot up, turning with my hips for momentum. My leg didn't connect with "her" face though. "She" just moved to the left and continued on stepping backwards until we reached the stone wall that separated my house from the street.
"Ranma you jerk!" I cried, flinging my fist towards "her".
I realized it was a bad idea after "she" ducked, leaving the only space for my hand to run into the wall.
"OW!" I whined, taking my throbbing red hand out of the crack it had just made. "Ow ow ow!"
Ranma sighed.
"Gimme your hand." "She" grabbed it too roughly but examined it, lifting it up and down.
"That hurts!" I complained, probably blushing because of our close proximity.
Feeling a bit embarrassed even though Ranma was in girl form, I pulled my hand back.
"Not like I care." Ranma crossed "her" arms. "It's your fault for runnin' into a wall. What do ya wanna do? Break your hand?" "she" demanded.
I sighed, rubbing my hand.
"No."
Ranma scoffed.
"You're such a klutz." "She" answered.
"What?" I demanded, reddening again.
Ranma stuck out "her" tongue.
"You heard!" "she" remarked, smirking and making googly eyes.
"Ranma ..." My tone was threatening but it didn't scare Ranma.
"Come and eat!" Nabiki called, interrupting our little fuss, not allowing me to get another shot at pulverizing Ranma.
Genma was gone in a flash but Ranma and I walked calmly as if nothing happened back to the table.
Glancing at "her" I finally realized how could he/she was. Ranma was probably a martial arts prodigy. He/She was much better than I was. I definitely noticed this a minute ago. I hated to admit it but Ranma was just better than me. That's just the way it was.
Kasumi held up a pot of boiling water to Ranma, who dumped on his-soon-to-be head.
Girl Ranma transformed into regular Ranma before our eyes.
He took the seat across from me and we all ate in silence. Actually to be honest it was just Ranma and I, not everyone else. No, my dad, Ranma's dad and my sisters were all chatting casually.
I hoped that I wasn't getting really used to this routine.
Don't ask me how but I was walking to the market with Ranma. Kasumi begged us to go and buy some ingredients for her soup that she was making for lunch and the meat she was going to cook for dinner. Why she asked me and Ranma was beyond my knowledge, considering we couldn't agree on anything.
"So where are we going anyways?" Ranma asked, glancing around as he walked his usual route on the fence.
I sighed.
"Well we need to get pork, dumplings, spring rolls ... " I trailed off realizing where we were.
My eyes flashed to a large clinic where outside was a man in his twenties. I recognized him as Tofu.
Blushing, I saw that he waved me over and I grabbed Ranma's arm while we walked into the front yard, releasing it when Tofu was in sight.
"Akane." he grinned. "This is Ranma-kun then?" Tofu suggested.
Ranma chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Uh ... yeah."
Tofu smiled nicely.
"Your fiance Akane?" he added, giving me the thumbs up.
"Ano ... yes." I replied, not liking the idea of telling Tofu I had a fiance ...
"Did you two eat?" Tofu questioned.
"Oh no need, Tofu-sensei." I answered, smiling sweetly. "We've eaten."
"I see then." Tofu remarked.
"We have to go though." I told him, not really wanting to go.
Tofu grinned, waving and turning back to the front door of the clinic.
"Don't get hurt again!" He called as I left through the gate, dragging Ranma along with me, waving goodbye as I went.
"Oi." Ranma looked at me skeptically, getting closer to my face.
"N-Nani?" I asked folding my arms.
I didn't like his suspicious look.
"Why're so nice to him eh?" Ranma questioned.
"B-Betsuni." I remarked, knowing it was a lie.
"What?" Ranma asked as I turned my face away. But he turned to the other side. "You like him don't you?"
"No." I lied. "You're crazy."
Ranma rolled his eyes.
"You do. Dontcha think he's told old for ya?" He suggested.
"No I don't!" I cried, walking faster, going on ahead of him.
Ranma sighed.
"You're crazy." he grumbled, sulking.
I was picking out a pear, it looked nice and juicy, when words from behind me caught my attention. Words that I knew could only belong to a certain Amazon.
"Ni hao ma?"
My head snapped around and I saw my fiance being raped by a busty Chinese teen, a girl I clearly recognized, especially with her bike parked to the left of her. Shampoo's beautiful hair also stuck out, causing envy to flow through me. Just looking at the girl made me jealous.
"E-Eh Akane!" Ranma cried. "This ain't what it looks like!"
I frowned, averting my stare.
"Oi don't jump to conclusions!" Ranma continued, trying to shove Shampoo off of him.
My fist was clenched by my side in the middle of the market where people passed us, not noticing the oddness of the scene laid clearly before them.
"Ranma you're the worst." I mumbled. "I'm ashamed to be engaged to you!" The moment the words left my mouth I regretted them. Not because I felt bad, but because Shampoo was already staring at me with darting eyes that now were turning into flaming arrows.
"Akane you baka." Ranma grumbled.
Immediately though, Shampoo launched herself at me.
I swiftly dodged the attack, causing Shampoo to jump over my bent back, narrowly missing a pole. At first I thought that she had no skill but the Amazon quickly recovered and grabbed my long hair, yanking it backwards.
"Ow!" I cried in agony.
Not my hair!
"You a martial artist too?" Shampoo questioned in her broken tongue. "Shampoo eliminate you!"
I didn't like the way the sounded so I decided to retaliate by kicking her in the stomach by bringing my foot back. The move worked at first but it backfired when Shampoo kept her tight hold on my hair when she soared into a nearby stand that sold cabbages.
I was so busy worrying about getting Shampoo off of me I didn't even realize Ranma was actually helping.
"Shampoo!" Ranma yelled. "Behave!"
He yanked on Shampoo, who still held onto my hair and I went with her once more.
"Ranma!" I scolded, keeping strands of my hair tucked into my fingers to soften the pulling.
I was so pissed at him for causing me more pain that I didn't even realize that Ranma was like literally having a heart attack.
"Why me?" He moaned, banging his head on the concrete.
"Ranma help me you baka!" I demanded.
"I thought you didn't want my help!" Ranma answered in a mocking tone which made me frown.
"I never said that!" I growled.
"LET SHAMPOO GO!"
I raised an eyebrow at the new voice that rang from a distance.
Suddenly, a bunch of sharp objects, most likely knives, were hurling towards us.
"Akane heads up!" Ranma shouted.
I blinked before he picked me up, Shampoo still clinging to my hair, spreading it apart, allowing one of the knives to slice right through it.
It took me moments to process what just happened. I stood on the ground, not even realizing that Ranma had immediately put me down in fear. Finally, I got what happened when I saw my hair lying on the ground lifelessly.
My fist tightened as I turned to look at my attacker.
He had long hair and was wearing white robes that had random splotches of color. There were big glasses propped up above his forehead, not in front of his eyes.
"How dare you try to rape Shampoo!" He accused me.
"Oh no..." I heard Ranma murmur.
"I'm a GIRL YOU IDIOT!" I cried, thrusting my fist into his face bending it and sending him into the distance until he was out of sight.
My eyes were starting to mist when I turned my gaze back to my hair on the ground. All those years I spent growing it out for Tofu. There was no way he'd ever like me now ... my only feature that I had ever even liked about myself was gone ...
"Dammit!" I screamed.
"U-Um Akane?" Ranma asked nervously.
"WHAT?" I demanded, pissed at the sound of his voice. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Well gee thanks." Ranma grumbled. "It' not like I saved you 'cause I wanted to. I don't wanna be blamed."
"Whatever!" I shrieked. "I. DON'T. CARE!"
Out of the corner of my watery eyes I saw Ranma cringe, then saw his eyes widen when the first tear rolled down my left cheek.
"JUST GO AWAY!" That's when I took off running.
There was no particular place that I had in mind. It was just away. I didn't want to see Ranma nor Shampoo nor that guy in the robes who cut off my hair. I wanted to be alone. Actually, there was a slight tugging in my gut that begged for Tofu but I shook my head ignoring it, knowing that it would only worsen my mood.
I pushed past several people who happened to be in my path. My escape route. Tears were already flowing down my cheeks so I half expected someone to stop me but then again ... I could be mistaken for a boy ... and no one wants to comfort a crying boy.
I found myself stopping by the bridge. No one was around so I climbed down the steep hill and made my way under the bridge. I sat myself down at the edge of the water and wrapped my arms around my knees that were tucked against my chest.
Sighing, I felt behind my neck, finding the hair missing. I hoped it wasn't really short. While sitting there I was refusing to look at the water, fearing my reflection so what I still looked like remained a mystery to me. The idea bothered me but I didn't want to make matters worse by actually seeing how bad it looked.
The seconds ticked by. I didn't have a watch but watching the sun move to the west and the sky turn from blue to shades of red notified me of the time. Hunger had already come by. It came a couple hours ago, then went away and not it was back again. Food sounded good but I still hadn't moved and I didn't have any intention.
I was about to curl up on my side and try to fall asleep (which later sounded like a really stupid idea) when footsteps from on top of the bridge made my ears perk. They were the first ones in hours and they weren't as fast as the others.
Slow and hesitant ... as if searching for someone.
"Damn her." The voice muttered. "Where is she?"
My heart felt like it was being squeezed. Ranma.
Don't find me. Don't find me.
I thought I was safe until the steps came closer and I realized they were coming down the hill. Instinctively I hid my face in my hands but it was obvious that such a stupid disguise could not fool Saotome Ranma of the Anything Goes Martial Arts.
Nope. He saw through it.
"Well no shit." He muttered under his breath, walking forward. "There ya are!"
I sniffed, turned my head away.
"What are you doin' anyways?" Ranma asked me, poking my shoulder. "Being a tomboy as always then?"
"Shut up!" I hissed, the overused nickname scratching my patience.
Ranma chuckled.
"What are you so mad about anyways?" he inquired.
"What do you think?" I challenged.
"This?" He guessed, holding up the strands of my hair in between his fingers.
"You ..." I mumbled. He kept them.
But why?
I grabbed them from his hand and chucked them into the water, finally getting a glimpse at my hair in the reflection that bounced back at me. My eyes widened and I gasped. It was so much shorter, almost similar to a boys. It was obviously a girls but so much shorter than my previous style it made my eyes water.
"No ..." I murmured.
"Hm?" Ranma asked, watching my hair flow down the stream.
"It's terrible." I said, hiding my face in my hands, water soaking my fingers.
Ranma jumped up, flustered.
"O-Oi! Don't cry or anything!" He announced.
I sniffled, shaking my head.
"No you're right."
"I am?" He asked, blinking.
I nodded.
"Come on let's go home. I'm hungry." I told him.
Ranma nodded, still taken by surprise by my sudden change of attitude.
"Kasumi can even out the cut." I said.
Ranma just nodded again, still speechless.
"Y-Yeah. Let's go eat." Ranma sighed smirking. "Besides it's much better than hanging out with a sobbing tomboy."
He didn't miss his punishment ... my foot in his gut.
A/N: Bahahah. I love ending chapters like this. Well originally I was going to fit most of the "hair drama" in one chapter but I hadn't been writing all week. Gahaha. So yeah. I had a sleepover with one of my besties yesterday and we stayed up until two making music videos of our guy friends, who we had footage of because of a school project... oh gawd it turned out pretty sexyy! Anyways! Like I said the situations are gonna be different. So please review loves!
