Chapter 13:
In the heavenly places:
"So, how much are you betting, Michael?"
"Betting on what?" Michael asked his fellow angels, who sat on the clouds, casting lots.
"On your dear, Ranma." One replied.
"Oh? What are the details of your bet?" Michael questioned.
"Oh, just whether or not he'll be joining us again." Was the answer.
Michael sighed, "And, what do you all figure?"
"The majority votes that he will be seeing us again very soon."
"Oh? You all lack that much faith in him?" Michael retorted.
"Oh, come now, Michael. Do you really expect a mere mortal to work a miracle?" One asked.
"It truly would take a miracle for him to get a confession from the lovely Akane." Another piped in.
Michael chuckled at his comrades, "How quickly you all forget, Ranma is not alone in all of this. He might not be able to work miracles, but I know someone who can."
"Well, go on. Go ask the Almighty what he thinks." One angel challenged.
"Well, maybe I will." Michael accepted the challenge, and headed off to leave, but stopped and returned to the scene. "Here, put my chip on him getting a second chance."
Michael dropped his chip down, and the other angels placed it in position with grins on their faces.
"Thought you weren't a betting man?"
"I'm not," Michael confirmed, and then continued with confidence, "Unless, i know I'm going to win."
Michael whisked himself away from the gambling scene, and headed off to talk to the Big Guy.
"Lord, are you busy?" Michael asked as he entered the throne room.
"Michael, I'm God, I'm always busy, but at the same time I'm never busy." The Lord replied.
"Lord, I have to ask..what are your thoughts on Ranma Saotome?" Michael asked.
"Ah, Ranma...well, I'm pleased."
"Really?" Michael inquired, feeling hopeful. "So, does he get the girl in the end?"
"Michael, I can't reveal that, but I think he's learned his lesson." The Almighty replied with very little enthusiasm.
"Lord, I'm afraid I'm a bit worried. You don't seem too elated about him." Michael pointed out.
"Michael, you know that I am the God of second chances."
"Why yes."
"Well, I also happen to be the God of third chances, or fourth, or fifth..." The lord started, "Well, I'm God, nothing is outside of the realm of possibilities with me."
"Yes, Lord. You are the God of the impossible." Michael agreed.
"Ranma, is a curious case, really." God began, "He has found it in himself to stay true to what makes him who he is, but at the same time, he's found a way to strip himself of all that was undesirable. He is not becoming a completely different man, but a changed man, and that is what is really important."
"So, Lord, you will not tell me if Ranma gets a confession in time, not matter how much I ask?" Michael peppered.
"I'm afraid I won't, Michael, but I will say this, Ranma is going to learn one of the most important truths.." The Lord told Michael.
"And, what is that, Lord?"
"That these three remain, faith, hope, love, but the greatest of these...is love."
Day 14:
"Akira, do you want to come with me to the Halloween party?" Akane asked after she entered Ranma's room.
"Huh?"
"The Halloween party tonight. You know, it's Halloween today." Akane reminded Ranma.
"Uh..sure." Ranma agreed, because it meant spending time with Akane, and possibly getting closer to her, which means a better chance at getting a confession.
"What do you want to dress up as?" Akane inquired, as she sat next to Ranma.
"I-I don't know. Myself?" Ranma answered making Akane chuckle.
"Oh, Akira. You can't go as yourself. That's no fun." Akane reprimanded. "Although, I suppose you could go as yourself."
"I'm not really in to the whole dressing up thing, anyways." Ranma confessed.
Akane looked down as she said, "Ranma wasn't either. Dressing up wasn't really his thing."
"Yeah, I know."
"Hum?"
"I mean..I-I know it's...not for everyone." Ranma recovered.
"Well, if you don't want to go as anything, that's fine. I won't force you." Akane compromised, as she got up and headed for the door.
"Wait!" Ranma called after Akane, making her stop at the doorway. "What do you got for costumes?"
Akane's face lit up with a smile, "Wait here, I'll go get them and show you."
Akane ran off to retrieve the selection of costumes. Ranma patiently awaited her return.
Akane and Ranma had decided on what to wear, and then set off for the party, full of excitement and anticipation.
Akane had decided to dress up as 'little red riding hood', while Ranma chose to dress up as Goku, from 'Dragon Ball'.
The two basically skipped in to the party, but stopped dead in their tracks, once they had entered the party room. All the previous excitement was drained from them, and filled with confusion, and a dash of regret.
"Akira..."
"Akane..."
"They're all.."
"They're all dressed as me!" Ranma exclaimed as he looked around the room full of male and female type Ranmas.
"Huh?" Akane turned to Ranma in confusion.
"I-I mean...Ranma." Ranma corrected himself. "They're all dressed as Ranma."
"I know.."
Ranma and Akane just stood there as they gazed upon the multiple Ranmas.
"Hey, Akira!" A familiar voice called out.
"Gosunkugi?" Ranma turned to face his new friend, and was shocked at what he saw.
"Oh, hey Akane." Gosunkugi greeted Akane, who was also shocked at what she saw.
"Nice..costume, Gosunkugi." Ranma complimented, as he looked Gosunkugi up and down.
"So, everyone's dressed as Ranma?" Akane inquired, trying to make conversation.
"Man, I had no idea that so many people had the same idea. I was sure I was going to be the only Ranma here." Gosunkugi, who was also dressed as the pig tailed martial artist, admitted regretfully.
"Why are they dressed as him?" Ranma questioned Gosunkugi.
"I don't know, I can't speak for everyone else, but I wanted to honour him with my costume." He replied.
"Thanks, Gosunkugi." Ranma thanked his strange friend.
"Why are you thanking me?"
Ranma came up with something on the spot, "Uh..because, that's a really nice thing to do."
Gosunkugi shrugged it off, "It's the least we can do."
"Ah, Akane! How are thou, my fair lady?" The voice of Kuno rang out as he approached the three, with his minion, Sasuke, by his side.
"Oh, hi Kuno." Akane greeted in an annoyed tone.
"Oh, hey. Kuno, what are you dressed up as?" Ranma questioned the sword wielding young man.
"I am dressed up as..Tatewaki Kuno, age 19, the blue thunder of Furinkin high." Kuno announced to the group, striking a pose of confidence.
"So...yourself?" Ranma questioned.
"Of course. Truly the only one worth being." Kuno boasted.
"And, I am dressed as master Kuno's fair pig tailed girl." Sasuke piped in, drawing the attention to himself.
"Wow..."
"Uh..Akira?" Akane asked as she pulled Ranma aside.
"Yeah?" Ranma asked with concern, when he noticed that Akane didn't seem well.
"I..I want to go home." Akane told Ranma, as she tried to hold back her emotions.
"But, why? We just got here?" Ranma inquired.
"I'm not feeling well." Akane answered.
"Okay. We'll go."
Ranma took Akane, and lead her out of the party, so they could head home.
Ranma and Akane had arrived at home, and Ranma helped Akane to her bedroom.
"Here, Akane. Take a seat." Ranma advised as he lead her to her bed.
"Thanks, Akira." Akane expressed her gratitude as she took a seat on her bed. "Listen, Akira, I'm really sorry. I..I was really looking forward to the party."
"Me too." Ranma admitted. "But, you can't help being sick."
Akane hung her head, with a look of shame, before gazing up at Ranma, and telling him, "Akira..I wasn't...I wasn't really sick."
Ranma shot Akane a curious look, "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean...I felt sick to my stomach, but it wasn't because of any sickness."
"Well, what was it than?" Ranma inquired.
"It probably sounds stupid..."
"No, it won't." Ranma consoled, making Akane open up.
"When I seen everybody..you know, dressed up as Ranma...it was just too much."
"It was too much for me too." Ranma concurred with a chuckle.
"I-I don't mean it like that, Akira." Akane said, as she stared in to Ranma's eyes. "I know there were a lot of Ranmas, an overwhelming amount, but I could deal with that...if it wasn't for the fact that he's dead."
Ranma wasn't sure how to respond, as Akane's gaze shifted from him back to the floor.
"Looking in to that crowd of Ranmas,..I just hoped that maybe the real one would emerge, but that's impossible. He's gone, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Not necessarily." Ranma tried to comfort.
"Yeah right. He's dead, and he's going to stay that way, as do all dead people." Akane retorted. "I wish there was something I could do, but I think I already missed out on that chance. I should have done something while he was still alive."
"I understand." Ranma said, and then continued, "But, there's still hope, Akane."
"Is there?" Akane asked, as she turned her gaze, and looked hopefully in to Ranma's eyes.
"Yeah, there is. You just have to trust me, Akane."
"Akira, I..I don't know what I'd do with out you. You've been such a good friend to me." Akane thanked Ranma, as she placed her hand upon his cheek. "If I didn't know any better,..I'd think you were an angel sent to me from above."
Ranma didn't reply, but just allowed the moment to happen, as the two looked endearingly in to each other's eyes.
'If only you knew, Akane.' Ranma thought to himself. 'If only you knew...'
*Author Notes*
Happy Halloween everyone! JK! I guess I'm a little too early for a Halloween based chapter, but whatever. I hope you guys enjoyed. I'm trying to dish out a handfull of chapters today, since I missed out on updating for a week, so hopefully you guys like them. Till next time, guys and ghouls!
1 Corinthians 13: 13
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."