Fated Destinies
Chapter 1, How To Do This?
Authors Notes:
Negai: Well I guess it's my turn to write the next chapter.Negai: *crossing fingers* Don't let me mess up please! _; Next will be Max-chan's turn. Maybe hers will cover mines up? Either way hope you like this.
Max-chan: Hey, hope ya enjoy this chapter, the next chapter of Always for you should be out and I'm writing that, hope ya enjoy that. Oh yeah, I just read the story 'Friends' on the RAAC and it is like this story so far isn't it. Note how I said 'so far'. Me and Negai just happen to love twists so we might just totally derail from our original plot at any moment and go in a different direction. And anyone who feels that Ranma is acting way out of character actually like having girlfriends everywhere, remember that this is an alternate universe and if Ranma never met Akane, how do you know he hasn't never met his other fiancees. Maybe he was raised different, maybe something- Negai: Max-chan, hush! Ah, hehe, sorry. Well, now that I said that, please go and enjoy our story. ^_^
E-mail us at:
max2negai@hotmail.com
silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com
negau@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 doesn't belong to us. We just like write and read bout it from other authors. Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Ranma Saotome, multibillionaire and woman magnet, sat at his big oak desk with a frown. Yesterday his mother and father had come to visit him practically ordering him to find a fiancee within a four month period before his 24th birthday. *Why does mother always have to do this? Can't she see I'm busy _and_ young? I mean seriously, who marries this early in their lifetime, when they're in their prime?* Ranma was thinking of possibilities to find a temporary fiancee...at least one till his 24th birthday. *At least she didn't say how long I had to have a fiancee. I can get rid of her afterwards and mother can't be on my case.*
He picked up his newspaper and looked at his stocks trying to keep his mind from thinking of his situation. Unfortunately his company was having a -3 decrease. He needed a new approach to things and a way to get things up. *Maybe I can find someone to come up with something. Maybe the advertisements might have something I can use.* He flipped through the pages searching for something that might help him in anyway and found an advertisement that stuck out like a sore thumb:
Female searching for fiancee. Must be handsome, a martial artist, have blue eyes, black hair, and can go by the name Ranma. Call Akane Tendou at # 5956-2658.
*Maybe this "Akane Tendou" can help me with my little scuffle with mother. Well I can at least call and ask about it.* Ranma picked up the phone at his desk and dialed the number that lead directly to Akane's phone.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Akane came home that afternoon for a quick lunch break. Later tonight she was going to be in a play as the lead actress. She went to her fridge and found nothing but a piece of cake from a party and a couple cans of soda. She sighed, "Got to go shopping for some food later."
She headed to her computer and started typing up her article for the Tokyo Times. Today she was assigned four different task that needed to be due in four months. She had the task of investigating Hokkaido's fish market delay. Second was the Rain forest investigation in Brazil. Third, an article on the supposedly biohazard material in Japan's Biotech Laboratory in Northern Honshu. Last, but definitely not least, she needed to interview the CEO of he Saotome Industries, a Ranma Saotome. Ranma? *Strange that I picked that name for my fiancee.* "Oh well nothing can be helped about that. I'll have to get an interview with him soon."
Just as she finished her internet research about all her topics, the phone rang. She picked it up and sighed. The phone was ringing all morning and she just wanted to smash the dang contraption with a mallet. What stopped her was that she really need a fiancee or she'd be in trouble with a capital "T" x 10.
"Moshi, moshi?"
"Hello, are you Akane Tendou?" said a rough voice from the other end.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
"I'm calling about the fiancee that you needed?"
"Are you sure about acting as a fiancee?" she grumbled under her breath, "Most of them were perverts anyways."
"Yes and,- wait, what was that you said?"
"Oh nothing. Do you know where the Tokyo Theater is?"
"Yes."
"Can you meet me there at around 7:00 p.m.?"
"Sure."
"Alright then. See you there. What was your name again?"
Ranma was on the other side thinking of a fake name, after all she didn't know his real name. His reputation would be ruined if the press discovered anything about this 'engagement'. *What about Ranma Hibiki? I'm sure Ryouga won't mind that I pretend to be his cousin. I mean we're practically brothers right?*
"Ranma Hibiki."
"All right, Hibiki-san, I'll meet you at the theater. Is there anything I can distinguish you by?"
"I'll have a pigtail and I'll be wearing Chinese clothes. You?" he replied thinking about his youthful days before he was absorbed into the business world.
"I'll be in blue jeans, and a gray sweat shirt that says Tokyo Times. I'll see you then."
"Okay, good bye Tendou-san."
"Good bye Hibiki-san," Ranma winced at that. He was imagining what Ukyo and Ryouga might do to him when he told them.
Akane set down the phone hoping that this was the right person. His first name was even Ranma. *I just hope this is over real soon. I don't think I can take anymore of these calls. Her stomach growled and she sighed. "It's almost 3:00p.m and I didn't even have lunch yet."
She went to her room, which was nice with white walls and small blue and white checkered curtains. Her bed was placed in the center and there was a wooden chest at the foot of the bed belonging to a vanity set. Her closet was next to the open balcony and the wind was blowing gently which made the translucent cream curtains flow in the wind. She picked out a pair of blue jeans and a gray sweat shirt that said "Tokyo Times".
"Now to find food," she grabbed her purse and headed out of the studio locking it on her way out.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"Ucchan?"
"Yes Saotome-san?" replied a female voice over Ranma's intercom.
"Jeez don't call me that. Just call me Ranchan, remember? Ryouga and you have always called me that before. Well maybe just you. Either way just call me Ranchan, 'k?" he said over the intercom.
"Alright "Ranchan", what is it?"
"I'm gonna be leaving early today. If one of my parents ask for me, tell them I went fiancee hunting."
"Your parents are pushing this on you, huh?"
"Yeah. I have to have one by the time I turn 24 or I'll have to commit seppuku."
Ukyo winced, "Harsh. Okay Ranchan, I'll tell them. Why don't you come over for dinner with me and Ryouga tonight?"
"I'd love to but I've got arrangements."
"Okay then."
"I'll come next time."
"All right. Don't forget Chiharu's fourth birthday is next month, 'k?"
"All right Ucchan. Thanks."
"Okay Ranchan. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Ranma stood up from his desk and headed out the door to hopefully meet his future fiancee. Boy hope this doesn't blow up in my face. It would sure be a big mess.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Akane was by the theater entrance when she spotted a tall man in the shadows. He wore a white Chinese shirt and had on loose black pants with black slippers. His face was hidden in the shadows, but she could see his black pigtail jut out from the dark.
Ranma was waiting for Akane to come. He hid in the shadows not wanting her to find him first. *Though I have no reason why I'd want to do that.* He spotted a woman about 10 ft. away from him and studied her. She was well built that was obvious and her profile was nice.*She isn't as gorgeous as the other women I've met but she has her qualities.* She turned towards him and his breath caught. He was wrong, she was beautiful. Her slender blue-black hair framed her pretty brown eyes and the way she carried herself shouted confidence. Ranma found himself falling for a stranger but didn't he already do that before? Every time it wasn't the right person though. She seemed different though.
She started coming towards him and he shook himself out of his daze. "Hi, are you Hibiki Ranma?" she asked. He was captivated by her soft voice and full lips. He didn't respond until she asked a second time.
"Y-yeah, I'm Sa-er-Hibiki Ranma. Are you Tendou Akane?"
"Yes. Pleased to meet you Hibiki-san," she greeted with a smile. He was dumbfounded by her smile and stared. Akane noticed this and frowned.
"Hibiki-san please stop staring at me."
"Sorry."
"I'll let it slide, but please don't look at me like that. I don't even know you."
"Ah, of course. Let's get on to business."
"Of course. Let's talk as we walk."
"All right."
They walked down a lit area surrounding the theater. It was a park and in the center there was a large lake where you could rent boats and paddle down to the center. Legend was that a Water Goddess lived there. If you sacrificed something important to you to her, the Water Goddess would grant you a wish. Then again, it was only a legend.
"So why is it exactly that you need a fiancée, Tendou-san?" asked Ranma fidgeting. His heart was pounding 300 mph as it seemed.
"It's my family. My father and oldest sister Kasumi, are always pestering me about having a boyfriend. Yesterday afternoon my father got desperate and wanted to engage me to Kuno Tatewaki."
"Isn't he the owner of Kuno Enterprises? The one second to Saotome Industries?" he asked thinking of his company's public rival.
"Yes he is. I hate him though. That's why I told my sister I had a fiancee already. I said that his name was Ranma because of this wild horse advertisement I saw. Then she asked me to describe him and I guess I thought of a wild stallion. Midnight black hair, beautiful blue eyes that told you what he was thinking, strong and swift as a martial artist and handsome. I stopped there and made up an excuse to get away."
Ranma took all of this in and was looking at her. In a way she described him. A wild stallion who had midnight black hair, blue eyes that told all if they looked. One if the best martial artist in the world and of course he was handsome. She looked up at him and asked, "So why do you want to do this?"
"It's my mother. She wants me to get married or at least engaged by my 24th birthday which is in four months."
"Why?"
"She says she want heir and that I'm getting old. I'm only 23 turning 24, is that too old?"
"No. I'm 23 also. Most people I know don't marry until they are at least 26."
"I know, but my mother is like that. I tried to argue but she brought up a contract I made when I was little."
"What was it?"
"I'd have to commit seppuku if I wasn't a man."
Akane's eyes widen in shock, "That's horrible! Why would a mother do that?"
"I guess she really wants me settled."
"We're both in the same boat huh?"
"Yeah I guess so."
The two walked towards the center of the park and stopped at the shore. They looked out into the night and the city lights were glowing in the dark night. The wind blew and seemed to wrap around the two, trying to bind them together.
Akane glanced over to Ranma who was watching the lake. He seemed aloof and confident. *I can't believe a mother would do that to her son. It's so wrong.* She studied his features remembering every curve. *It's weird, I feel connected to him somehow. He is handsome and he does have black hair and his eyes, they tell you so much. About all his pain dealing with his mother.* She coughed a little to get his attention.
She smiled gently at him and gave her approval, "Ranma-san. I believe we have a deal. Your problems are the same as mine seeing as both our families are pushing us to get married. I think we'll be able to help each other in equally."
Ranma's heart skipped a beat at her smile, "I agree but we'll have to get to know each other as friends if we're gonna convince them that we're really engaged," said Ranma thoughtfully.
"You're right, but how?"
They stood in silence for awhile thinking of what to do. Ranma suddenly looked up and said, "I think the best way is if we live with each other."
"WHAT?!" she shouted, her eyes nearly popping out.
"Calm down Akane-san. I'm not a pervert. If you think about it's reasonable. I only have four months to convince my mother and you told your sister that you already had a fiancee. Wouldn't she expect you to already know a lot about me? The way I see it is if we live together for the four months we'll know each other's habits and little things people don't normally know about us."
Akane stared at Ranma like he had a second head. Ranma saw her expression and sighed. "Look, we don't have much time, especially you. This is the best I can think of. Unless you want to be engaged to someone like Kuno-san?"
That snapped Akane out of it, "Oh all right, you're right. But whose place? Yours or mine?" she asked ruefully.
Ranma thought about it carefully. *I could say mine and we could stay at my apartment that I use as a getaway, but it's way to fancy. I don't want her knowing I'm rich or nothing. It'd blow my cover.* "Yours."
"Mine? Why not yours?"
"Cause I'm staying with a friend for awhile. You see I'm a traveling martial artist. I do have a home, but it's in Nerima. I hope you don't mind," he replied thinking of the best possible answer he could manage under such sort notice.
Akane bought the bait and replied, "All right. You could come by tomorrow in the morning. I'll be there all day."
"All right, What's your address?"
Akane took out a piece of paper and wrote down her address and handed it to him. "Here. I'll see you tomorrow then?"
He studied and realized the location as area where Ukyo and Ryouga lived. "Where are you headed now?"
"I'm an actress. That's why I said to meet at Tokyo Theater, a play called "The Shrew" by William Shakespeare is going to be put on. I'm the leading actress, the shrew," she looked at her watch and it read 8:00 p.m. "I'm sorry I have to go now or I'll be late."
"It's all right. Why don't I escort you?", he asked offering his arm.
Akane looked at him in surprised and gave a gentle smile that made Ranma's heart soar, "Thank you Ranma-san. You're such a gentleman."
"You can call me Ranma Akane-san. I mean we are fiancees right?" Ranma smiled at Akane, hoping to get her to smile again.
Akane giggled at Ranma's statement.* To think I got engaged to a
complete stranger.* She looked up at him and saw his lopsided smile. Her heart started to beat faster. *Well, not a complete stranger...Why is my heart beating so fast?.* She replied back with a slight blush on her cheeks, "Right Ranma, and you can call me Akane."
"All right Akane. Off to the theater with you," they walked back to the theater laughing and telling each other stories as if they were long lost friends. The wind swept after them trying to bring them together. Akane shivered a little even with her sweater. Ranma noticed this and pulled her closer to him trying to keep her form the cold. She looked up at him and blushed. Ranma had a faint blush too but was looking straight-ahead still talking and Akane decided to just enjoy the warmth and get to know her "fiancee" better. Already she knew he was an action not a talk person and that he was a very gentle person. She sighed and sunk into the warmth.
The wind satisfied, left the two and went back to the lake where it belonged. A figure in the shadows was in the center if the lake and it disappeared in a dim blue glow.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````