Ranma ½ – Happily Ever After
Disclaimer: Ranma ½ is the property of Takahashi Rumiko and all those other large corporations that publish and distribute Ranma ½. No profit is gained from this work, just a great deal of enjoyment writing it.
Chapter 29 – What Am I Doing?
"She has gone completely off the deep end," Yuka said after the Gymnastics' Coach was out of hearing range.
"Insane," Hikari said in agreement. "The only word I can think of is insane."
"I can think of a few other words," Miyuki responded, "but there are a few delicate ears here that might be offended."
"Go ahead," Sayuri said. "I won't be offended… and it might inspire me to think of a few words myself."
Akane stood in shocked silence at the announcement. She heard her friends talking around her, but the words really didn't register. All she heard were the words of the coach replaying through her head.
"I wish to apologize," the coach had said, "but I have been called out of town on an emergency. I must leave immediately and I will not be able to return until late Saturday morning."
At first it actually had sounded like good news. Akane thought that it would be great to have the extra time to prepare for the wedding… but the announcement did not end there.
"In order to make up for lost time," the coach continued, "I am scheduling a mandatory practice for Saturday afternoon from one until five. Anyone who does not attend will be dropped from the team. I will accept no excuses."
And with those words, the coach turned and walked away, ignoring the few protests that those who had recovered quickly from the surprise could yell at her. Even Miyuki's one word invective doubting the coach's human ancestry didn't seem to faze her.
"What I she trying to accomplish?" one of the other girls from the club asked, "other than make our lives miserable."
"She's trying to ruin Akane's wedding," another girl said.
"I'll bet she really isn't going anywhere," Yuka added. "She's probably going to hide in her apartment until Saturday."
"I'm going to go explain things to her," Miyuki said as she walked toward the coach's office, leaving the still stunned Akane standing frozen where she stood.
By the time Miyuki reached the office, it was locked and there was no sign of the coach anywhere, so the club members gathered their things together, showered and dressed. Miyuki was put in charge of making sure Akane (who was still in a complete state of shock) did the same.
The next obvious course of action was to hold an emergency club meeting… and the only appropriate place to do that was at the ice cream parlor.
When the members of the Gymnastics' Club arrived at the ice cream parlor, Akane finally began to verbalize her dismay and confusion.
"I don't understand why she would want to do something like this," Akane said to Yuka, Miyuki, Sayuri, Hikari and the three other girls who were sitting at her table.
"I think it's like I said before," Miyuki explained. "I think she's jealous. I think she's jealous that you're getting married to a handsome, although sometimes weird, guy."
"Hey!" Akane exclaimed.
"I think she's jealous of the fact that you are more talented than her," Miyuki continued. "And I think she's jealous of the fact that the other members of the club respect you more than they respect her."
There was a general consensus from the other from the club who were at the tables around them.
"Thank you," Akane said somewhat shyly. "I just don't know what I'm going to do. Ranma and the rest of the guys from the wedding party already have their tuxedoes, and guest from out of town have already started to arrive and…"
"Akane," Yuka said, interrupting Akane. "What are you saying?"
"What you are going to do is get married Saturday afternoon at two," Hikari said.
"And we and the rest of the Gymnastics' Club will be there," Sayuri added.
"And you're not going to change a single detail for that bitch," Miyuki said. "And if I hear you say anything that even sounds like you're thinking that way, I'm going to hit you upside the head."
Akane smiled. "Thank you. Thank you all very much. You're right. Nothing changes."
"That's more like the Akane I know… and love," Miyuki said. "Don't give one inch to that bitch."
"Miyuki," Akane said, "You seemed to have developed a thing for that word."
"What word is that?"
"Bitch," Akane said hesitantly.
"In this instance, it just seems to have a certain ring to it," Miyuki explained. "Especially when we're talking about our beloved coach."
The waitress had arrived to take to order from the people at the table and Miyuki said to Akane, "Order whatever you want Akane. It's my treat."
"I really have to be careful of what I eat," Akane said. "I've already had the final fitting for my wedding dress. I have to make sure it will still fit on Saturday."
Akane turned to the waitress and said, "I'll have a large hot fudge sundae with double hot fudge on chocolate ice cream with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top."
Complete silence filled the ice cream parlor and all eyes were on Akane.
Akane looked around at the silent club members.
"What?"
The week had passed far more quickly than Akane could have ever imagined. It seemed like she had just gone for the fitting of her dress the day before… but that was Saturday and today was Thursday… And Akane was on her way to ward office with her father and Ranma to begin filling out the necessary paperwork to register the marriage.
The walk gave Akane the opportunity to explain the events of the morning to Ranma and her father.
"So what will happen now?" Soun asked.
"We voted and the decision was unanimous," Akane explained. "No one will be attending the Saturday afternoon practice. If that means that the Gymnastics' Club will be dissolved, then that is what will happen."
"That's really too bad," Soun said. "I know you enjoy gymnastics as much as you enjoy martial arts."
"I feel bad for the other girls in the club," Akane said. "But they said that if this was the way the coach was going to act, they didn't want to have anything to do with her either."
"I still say that Principal Kuno has something to do with this," Ranma piped in.
"I don't think so," Akane reflected. "If the principal had anything to do with this, he would have us do something far more bizarre and perverse. No this is all our coach's idea."
"But why do something so mean spirited?" Soun asked. "I know she wasn't happy that your weren't devoting more time to practicing the balance beam when she came to talk to me, but this doesn't make sense. Why put the rest of the club members on the spot?"
"Because she is mean spirited," Ranma answered before Akane had a chance. "And she's been this way since Akane won the all around at the last tournament."
The three walked in silence for a moment until Akane said, "No, that isn't quite right. We started talking about changes in my program then, but the comments about my priorities and having too many distractions didn't start until later."
"Maybe after I proposed?" Ranma asked.
"No," Akane said after another moment of reflection. "I don't think this started until the incident with Miyuki."
Filling out the necessary paperwork took far less time than either Akane or Ranma had expected. Soun paid all of the necessary fees and confirmed with the clerk the time of the wedding ceremony.
"Normally," Soun explained as they left ward office and began walking toward home, "all of the signing and sealing of the documents would be done here at the registration office, but the clerk is an old friend of mine from my days in school, so I was able to arrange to have that happen on Saturday."
"I thought that we would be here most of the afternoon," Akane said, "but there really wasn't all that much to fill out."
"Same here. I expected to have to fill out a stack of papers at least a half a meter high," Ranma added.
"Actually, there really aren't that many forms," Soun explained. "It's just a matter of having the right ones. And it really helped that Nodoka had already obtained your family registration, Ranma. Do you have your witnesses picked out?"
"We've asked Kasumi and Doctor Tofu to be our witnesses," Ranma answered. "I thought you knew that?"
"If Kasumi didn't tell me," Soun replied, "then I wouldn't know. I've tried to leave all of the preparation in her capable hands. If you haven't noticed, I get very emotional with anything that involves my children. I think I would make a mess of things if I gotten any more involved than I had to."
The three walked together for a moment in silence.
With tears welling in his eyes, Soun cried out, "I can't believe that in two days time, my little baby Akane will be married."
Tears began to roll down Soun's face as he sobbed, "I can't believe it… I can't believe it!"
People on the street stopped and stared.
"I think he's having one of those emotional moments," Akane said shaking her head.
"I never would have guessed," Ranma replied.
For only a brief moment, Akane and Ranma considered leaving Soun behind and walking home on their own, but that idea was quickly dismissed. And once Akane explained that she and Ranma were going to be married in two days, the people who stood by and stared at the spectacle (especially some of the older gentlemen who had married daughters) understood the situation and congratulated Soun for the good fortune of having his daughter marry such a handsome young man. Tears began to well up in the eyes some of the onlookers also.
After a few minutes, Soun was able to gather his wits and the trio proceeded toward home (with a quick stop at the sweet shop to get something for a treat later).
Akane spent the remainder of the afternoon helping Kasumi with some final cleaning up of the house and cooking dinner while Ranma helped the crew that was putting up the tent.
Nabiki was assigned the task of keeping Soun occupied, since every time he saw Akane he broke out in tears. Although the idea of spending the remainder of the afternoon playing Shogi with her father did not particularly appeal to Nabiki, it was better that listening to her father break down and sob, 'My little baby is getting married!'
"You might try letting him win on occasion," Ranma whispered to Nabiki. "I'm sure it will make your father feel better."
"Are you suggesting that I not play my best?" Nabiki whispered back. "Father would be hurt if he knew I was doing that."
"It's just a suggestion," Ranma replied. "If you keep beating him, he won't want to play any more and you'll have to figure out some other way to keep him occupied."
"I'm not sure I can play that poorly," Nabiki said as she walked away to follow her father.
There were no additional guests for dinner tonight. Only Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane and Ranma were gathered around the dining room table. Ranma felt very much out of place.
Conversation was kept to a minimum, and one could feel the tenseness build in the silence as the meal went on. Tonight was a milestone that no one wished to mention. Dinner tomorrow after the rehearsal would be at the Cat Cafe, so this was the last dinner for the Tendo Family together before the wedding.
Ranma could see that Soun was trying not to dwell on looking at Akane and trying desperately to not break out in tears… again.
Dinner had not progressed all that far along when Nabiki, who could not take the tension any longer, broke the silence saying, "Will someone please just come out and say it and lets get it over and done with."
That was all it took for the tears to form again in Soun's eyes. "This is our last meal together as a family," Soun sobbed.
Akane moved next to her father and put her arms around him to console him. "It's not as if Ranma and I will be going anywhere. We'll still eat dinner together."
"But after Saturday," Soun said between the sobs, "You'll be Ranma's wife, not my little baby girl."
"Papa," Akane said, tightening her embrace as tears began to flow from her eyes, "I may be Ranma's wife after Saturday, but I will always be your little baby girl."
It wasn't long after dinner that a few out of town guests and family began to arrive at the Tendo home to pay a courtesy visit before they went to the places where they were staying.
Akane didn't recognize many of the family that stopped by and it was Kasumi that pointed out that many of them were relatives of their mother and many of them had not been to visit since the funeral.
All of the visitors complimented Soun on the beauty of his daughters and remarked on the good fortune of finding such a handsome groom for Akane. Not quite sure how to take such comments, Akane just let them pass.
The visitors did not stay very long and the evening passed quickly. Soon it was time for bed, which Akane was looking forward to. It had been quite a tiring day.
"Akane, would you like a bath before we go to bed," Ranma asked. "I'll get it ready for you if you like."
"Only if you're going to join me Ranma."
"If you would like me to."
"Of course I would."
Ranma smiled. "I'll get the bath ready. Could you bring a robe for me?"
"Sure thing."
"Thank you," Ranma said as he turned and bounded off toward the bath.
Akane sighed and thought to her self, 'As much as Ranma had changed and grown since I met him, he's still just a boy at heart. I hope that part of him never changes.'
"Ranma," Akane asked, standing outside the bath, "may I come in?"
"Please do," Ranma replied.
Akane slid the door open and entered quickly, closing the door behind her.
The scene that greeted Akane was not one she expected. The lights in the bath were turned off with the only light being provided was from four candles, one at each corner of the bath. The bath was filled with a sweet flowery smell and Akane could see that there were rose petals floating on the water. Ranma stood by the bath. He had already undressed and wore only a towel wrapped around him.
"Ranma," Akane said with a mild bit of shock in her voice. "What is all of this?"
Ranma blushed and quietly said, "It was something your father said at dinner tonight about it being the last dinner you would be eating together as a family."
"We'll still be family and we'll still be eating dinner together."
"I know that, but what your father said made me think. The next time we bathe together, it will be as husband and wife. I wanted to do something special for the last time I would bathe with my fiancé."
Akane smiled. "Ranma, when did you get so romantic?"
"I don't know if this is romantic or not, but it seemed like the right thing to do. You don't mind, do you?"
"No Ranma, I don't mind. I don't mind at all. Maybe that's what I like about you the most. I never know what to expect."
"Would you like me to wash your back, Akane?"
"Yes Ranma. I would like you to wash my back… and I would like very much to wash yours."
Akane and Ranma sat next to each other in the flickering candlelight.
"Mmmm…" Akane said taking a deep breath. "Where did you get the rose petals?"
"From the rose bush by the wall behind the koi pond," Ranma answered. "There were enough blossoms that I didn't think anyone would miss two or three."
"I never knew that rose had such a nice fragrance."
"Neither did I until I took a closer look at it," Ranma reflected and then after a moment he added, "I seem to be that way about quite a few things."
"I think we all are," Akane said as she gave Ranma a hug. "Are you all right with the arrangements for tomorrow night?"
"I'd be lying if I said I was happy about not spending the night with you," Ranma replied, "but I can understand the reason for it."
"So Mousse and Kuno are going to join you and Ryoga?"
"Looks like it. And Shampoo and Uchan will be staying here?"
"And Mizuki too. We're all going to set up futons in the guest room. Even Nabiki and Kasumi are going to join us. It will be like one big slumber party. What are the guys going to do?"
"I don't have a clue. One of the guys from my expert class wondered if we were going to get drunk on sake and hire a stripper for entertainment."
Akane turned and glared at Ranma.
"Don't worry. It isn't going to happen. None of us are that into sake."
"And you don't even have to hire a stripper. They could just douse you with cold water and you could provide the entertainment."
"That isn't even funny."
"I know."
Akane cuddled up closer to Ranma and rested her head against his shoulder and Ranma put his arm around Akane's waist.
After a moment of silence Ranma asked, "What are you going to do about Gymnastics' Club?"
"At the moment, nothing," Akane answered. "There is nothing I can do. I think most of the members will not attend the practice even if they don't come to the wedding or reception."
"It a shame to have something like this happen just because the coach is an idiot."
"But there's nothing I can do to fix that… And honestly, I'm not sure I want to. I joined the club because they needed members and I continued because it was fun. But since I won the all around competition it hasn't been fun. It's more like work, trying to change my balance beam routine to make sure I win the next tournament. Since the tournament I haven't worked on anything but the balance beam. The coach hasn't let me anywhere near the bars and I've only worked on my floor exercise and on the vault two or three times."
"I wonder what she'll do when no one shows for the practice."
"She'll probably have a fit. But I'm not going to worry about that now. Right now I'm going to ask my husband to be to hold me close and kiss me."
Nabiki and Kasumi stood by the door to the bath, listening to the sound of giggling coming from the other side of the door.
"Tonight will be that last time for two weeks," Kasumi said. "And it just might be quicker and easier to go to the public bath instead."
Both Akane and Ranma were awake with the rising of the sun, long before their alarm clock was set to ring.
The plan for the day was for Akane and Ranma to go for a slightly extended run since doing a workout in the dojo or in the back yard was impractical because of the decorations that were in place. Neither Ranma nor Akane wanted to be responsible for disrupting any of the work that Kasumi had already done. That would not be good.
After breakfast, Akane had expected to have to go to her gymnastics' practice, but since that wasn't going to happen, she decided that it might be good to get together with Yuka, Miyuki, Hikari and Sayuri and discuss things with them. Ranma would take his tuxedo to Ryoga's apartment and then would meet Akane for lunch at Uchan's.
The rest of the afternoon would be taken up with greeting family from out of town and taking care of the last minute preparations. Ranma and Kasumi would work with the men who were delivering the tables and chairs; and Doctor Tofu and his mother would set up the wedding shrine.
The wedding rehearsal was scheduled for five in the evening, which is when Nodoka and Genma would arrive. Dinner would follow immediately afterward at the Cat Café and then Akane and the girls from the wedding party (along with Soun, Kasumi, Mizuki, Nodoka and Genma) would go to the Tendo house and Ranma and the guys would go to Ryoga's apartment. Doctor Tofu volunteered to spend the night at Ryoga's apartment also and Ranma figured it was to make sure things didn't get too far out of hand.
That was the plan.
The first kink in the plan happened about a half hour into Akane and Ranma's morning run. The morning which had at first promised sunshine and slightly cooler temperatures delivered an unexpected rain shower that persisted through the remained of their run and well into the morning.
"I hope this clears up before tomorrow," Akane said as she changed out of her drenched workout clothes.
The rain of course had worked its special magic on Ranma, who was now in his girl form. "It wasn't even supposed to rain today," Ranma said as he stripped out of his equally soaked clothing. "But it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon, so if you don't mind, I'll wait until it stops raining before I change back."
"I don't mind," Akane replied as she put on fresh panties and a bra. "But it would probably be best to change back before family begins to pay visits this afternoon. And especially before your mother arrives."
"You got that," Ranma said as he dressed with his usual male clothing, which obviously did not include a bra.
Akane shook her head as she watched Ranma dress and said, "There are times I wish I could go without a bra like you do."
"There's no reason why you couldn't. There wasn't a problem when you went to the dance without a bra under the kimono."
"I don't know. I guess I would feel self conscious if I didn't wear one."
"Whatever, but maybe you could give it a try sometime."
"Maybe sometime I will."
The kinks in the schedule did not end with the unexpected morning rain. Once the rain stopped and the sun came out, it became extremely hot and muggy. Because of the rain, the men were late delivering the tables and chairs (they didn't arrive until almost three in the afternoon) and they only had enough chairs for the dojo and so they had to arrange for a second delivery for the following morning.
Far more relatives came to visit than anyone ever expected… and they were in no hurry to leave. It finally took Kasumi's gentle but persuasive manner to explain that there were still wedding preparations to attend to and that it was time for them to leave.
At least the rehearsal went without too many hitches. And most of them had to do with having people in the right place at the right time and slightly rearranging the decorations and furniture (like getting a smaller table to hold the documents and something to hold them in place just in case there should be some wind). The priest went over the ceremony in detail with Akane and Ranma, explaining the significance of each portion of the ceremony.
Akane and Ranma had elected to add western style vows to the ceremony, so the priest indicated where they would occur in the scheme of things.
Once practice was over, everyone departed for the Cat Café for dinner. Grandma Cologne had made her special house ramen (remembering to leave the pork out of it at Ryoga's request). The menu also consisted of miso soup, grilled shrimp and about ten different varieties of sushi. Everyone ate his or her fill. Even Genma, who often complained that portions were not large enough, could not eat anything more.
When dinner was done, everyone stepped outside. Akane and Ranma exited the restaurant last, hand in hand.
"I expect to see you tomorrow at two," Akane said. "Please don't disappoint me."
"I wouldn't think of it," Ranma replied. "I will see you tomorrow at two."
And with that Akane and Ranma kissed and then went their separate ways.
"But Mizuki always sleep like this," Mizuki said as she stood in the middle of the guest room completely naked. "Mizuki always sleep with Ryoga like this. Ryoga not complain."
Everyone else, of course, was wearing either pajamas or a nightgown and robe.
"I'm sure he doesn't," Nabiki said as she stared at Mizuki.
"Hey, at least I've convinced her to wear a robe when she goes outside of Ryoga's apartment," Ukyo said. "One day she came down to the restaurant to find Ryoga like that… although I can't complain. I've picked up quite a bit of business from people who would like to see that happen again."
"What are you so concerned about, Nabiki?" Akane asked. "If we were at the baths, you would be just as naked as Mizuki is."
"But that's at the baths," Nabiki said. "Not in the place where I am sleeping."
"I think Nabiki is threatened by Mizuki," Shampoo commented, "because Mizuki might have better assets than Nabiki."
"I'm perfectly comfortable with my assets," Nabiki replied. "I just don't feel the need to display them openly like that."
"Well, Mizuki," Kasumi said. "I don't have a problem with you sleeping like that. And I don't quite understand why Nabiki is so vocal about it. I seem to remember someone running around the house without clothing all of the time."
"Nabiki used to run around the house naked?" Ukyo asked.
"Oh and outside too," Akane added.
"That was when I was really young and didn't know any better," Nabiki said defending her self.
"Actually I think you did it until you were about twelve," Kasumi said with a sarcastic tone in her voice.
"No," Nabiki replied.
"I think so," Akane said. "I remember you trying to get me to join you."
"Mizuki not mind if Nabiki sleep without clothes," Mizuki said innocently. "Mizuki think Nabiki pretty without clothes. Mizuki think everyone pretty without clothes."
"Well, if Mizuki thinks that is he case," Kasumi said with a perfectly straight face, "I think I might join her."
"Kasumi!" Nabiki and Akane exclaimed in perfect unison.
To say that Ryoga's apartment was Spartan would be an extreme understatement. It was devoid of any furniture or decoration (except for the two bed rolls and Ryoga's pack set up in one corner of the room). The kitchen boasted three small cook pots that had obviously seem more time over a campfire than a stove.
"It's hard to tell than anyone even lives here," Mousse commented as he looked around the room.
"What's wrong?" Ryoga responded with a touch of irritation in his voice. "I have everything here that I need. You don't really get the chance to accumulate many things when you spend most of your life on the road."
"I can appreciate that," Ranma said. "All the things my dad accumulated I got to carry on my back. Where are Mizuki's things?"
"Her clothing is in the bedroom," Ryoga explained. "I originally set the bedroom up for her, but she insists on sleeping out here next to me."
"Speaking of sleeping," Kuno asked, "do you have anything else for sleeping arrangements?"
"Yeah, Ryoga," Ranma said. "Sleeping in close quarters with four other guys on the night before my wedding doesn't really appeal to me."
"It doesn't appeal to me any time," Ryoga replied. "The landlord let me borrow some futons. They're in the bedroom. We can set them up any time you like."
"Ranma," Mousse asked, "where did Doctor Tofu go?'
"He said he had to stop back at his office," Ranma answered. "And then he was going to stop at the store to get some snacks. Hey Mousse, Ryoga's apartment has got to seem like a palace compared to the storeroom that Shampoo has you sleeping in."
"They make you sleep in a storeroom at the restaurant, Mousse?" Kuno asked.
"They did," Mousse said with a slight beam of pride on his face. "I've actually moved out of the storeroom and into the spare room between Grandma Cologne and Shampoo's."
"It looks like you're making some progress," Ryoga commented.
"I don't know if you'd call it progress," Mousse replied. "Grandma Cologne moved me there because they needed space in the storeroom for the supplies for Ranma and Akane's wedding reception. When Shampoo found out about it, she almost went through the roof, but it looks like it will become a permanent arrangement even after the wedding is over."
"Well," Ranma said, "at least you've moved a little closer to Shampoo."
"The only problem is that now Shampoo and I run into each other at some very uncomfortable times," Mousse commented. "It seems like Shampoo always wants to use the bath when I do. It doesn't seem to matter when… even in the middle of the night."
"Maybe you two think alike more than you're willing to admit," Kuno commented.
"I'm sure you'll work out your bath schedules to everyone's mutual benefit," Ranma said as he walked toward the bedroom door. "Hey Ryoga, lets drag the futons out here so that we at least have somewhere to sit."
Everyone was asleep… Everyone, that is, except for Ranma. Ranma was lying on his assigned futon… wide awake… listening to the rhythmic snoring of Kuno, Ryoga and Mousse. It seemed that the only one that didn't snore was Doctor Tofu. How appropriate that seemed.
What Doctor Tofu had to stop for was snacks… and a couple of bottles of sake. The stop at his office was to get sake cups. At least he didn't hire a stripper.
Doctor Tofu pointed out to Ranma that Ranma would be drinking more than his share of sake, both during the ceremony and during the reception and that it might be a good thing if Ranma built up at least a little tolerance before then.
Doctor Tofu need not have worried. Ranma outlasted them all. Not that Ranma had any real experience drinking, but Ryoga was out after two cups. Kuno and Mousse didn't last much after that. After Ranma and the doctor finished off the remainder of the first bottle between them, there didn't seem to be any point in proceeding to the second bottle.
That was over an hour ago and Ranma was still wide-awake.
Ranma thought, 'Tomorrow Akane and… no wait… it was probably after midnight. Later today Akane and I will become husband and wife. Has it really been two years since we first met? Everything is such a blur. All of the arguments… all of the fights… all of the missed opportunities to tell Akane how I really felt about her all because I was too stubborn to admit it to myself.'
Ranma sighed.
'Am I ready for this? Am I ready to take responsibility for someone else? Am I ready to take responsibility for Akane? Do I know what I'm doing? Oh please, don't let me ever do anything to hurt Akane.'
Everyone was asleep… Everyone, that is, except for Akane. Akane was lying on her assigned futon… wide awake… listening to the rhythmic snoring of Nabiki, Ukyo and Shampoo.
Before Nodoka went to bed (Nodoka and Genma were staying in Kasumi's room), she dropped off a couple of bottles of sake and pointed out that all of them would probably be consuming a significant amount of it the following day and that it would be a good thing if they had some experience with it.
The girls decided to dispense with the pleasantries and drank right out of the bottle. Even Kasumi drank her share.
After the second bottle was emptied, things got a little silly. Mizuki was again trying to convince Nabiki to sleep without her cloths when Nabiki stood up and said, "If you want to see my boobs, I'll show you my boobs." With that Nabiki grabbed the nightshirt with both hands at the neckline and pulled it open. Buttons flew in all directions.
Standing topless after letting the open nightshirt fall to the ground, Nabiki exclaimed, "There, are you happy now!"
Things went downhill from there and it wasn't long (about the time they finished the third bottle) that everyone, including Akane, was in some stage of nakedness.
Once everyone was asleep though, Akane decided that she would prefer to at least wear her pajama tops, but Mizuki, Ukyo, Shampoo and Nabiki were sleeping completely naked (with Mizuki cuddled up with Ukyo). Kasumi still had her panties on, but nothing else.
Akane wasn't sure how long she had been lying awake, but it was certainly after midnight.
'After midnight,' Akane thought. 'Today is my wedding day. Ranma and I are actually going to get married."
A chill ran down Akane's spine.
'What am I doing? In a few hours I'm going to be marrying the guy that not to long ago I absolutely hated… Who am I kidding? I think everyone knew Ranma and I were meant to be married and the only ones who didn't have a clue were Ranma and myself.'
'All of the terrible thing I'd done to Ranma… he had every right in the world to just walk away from me and there were at least three girls who would have fought to have him. Three girls who are so much prettier and more talented than me.'
Akane sighed.
'Am I ready for this? Can I really be a good wife? Can I really be a good wife for Ranma? Do I know what I'm doing? Oh please, don't let me ever do anything to hurt Ranma.'
