JAP-5 All characters belong to Rumiko Takahasi, Viz videos, etc. Please don't sue, I'm not making any money out of this!!
' someone thinking
"someone talking

Just Another Project
Chapter 5


A young schoolgirl walks in the streets of Nerima lost in thought. This seemingly harmless girl is feared all throughout Nerima. The fear does not come all from her, although in some cases it is, but mostly from the chaos and destruction that surround her. Some have given this chaos a name. Ranma Saotome.
Today the girl is not being kidnaped, hunted, or involved in a blood feud, which in her point of view is a good thing. Such things do not happen to most people occasionally, of course, but she is not most people, she is Akane Tendo. But even amiss all this good fortune she seems thoughtful and utmost preoccupied. Why? Well maybe we should her her thoughts, as they can offer a clue to the riddle.
'Okay, Akane, time to review. Yesterday Ranma had a date with Shampoo. You don't care at all.'
Her anger began to rise while a small, submissive voice in her mind told her that she DID care.
'You DO NOT care at all.' she reassures herself 'Today Mousse will ask you out and you will accept. I wonder why he was so secretive?'
Akane looked at a small journal in her hand.

Day 5
Method: Mallet (hopefully) non living objects.

'Right. Try not to mallet anyone, especially Ranma. Only non living objects, remember.'
Akane glanced at her watch and her eyes widen. 'Darn, I'm going o be late!'

That day several inhabitants of Nerima saw a gust of wind run through the streets of Nerima, but as they were blinded with dust they were incapable of identifying the cause. Some swear, though, that they heard a small, chanting voice repeating "I'm going to be late, I'm going to be late."

~0~
Ranma walked into the gates of the Tendo Dojo. Akane had stayed after school to take a quiz, so he had walked home alone. He became a little hungry and had eaten an Okonomiyaki at Ukyo's expense.
As he closed the gates an incredible force pushed against the gate and sent him flying backwards.
"OWW, hey what's the big idea?"
Akane stopped and looked at Ranma sheepishly. "Sorry Ranma, I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. What's the rush?"
"I, uh, didn't want to ...uh... miss my favorite soap opera, that's it, yeah. Bye."
"But you don't like soap operas..." Ranma trailed off as Akane disappeared into the house.
"She's very energetic, isn't she Ranma?" Kasumi offered her best all -is-right-with-the-world smile.
"Energetic, right."
"Nihao!!"
Ranma groaned while Kasumi smiled (what else).
"Hello Shampoo, are you delivering some ramen?"
"No, Shampoo come visit husband. Husband happy to see Shampoo. Yes?"
"Have to -gasp-breathe"
As Ranma turned an interesting shade of purple Shampoo released him reluctantly.
Suddenly a scream pierced the air.
"Akane!!!" Ranma ran into the house followed by Shampoo and Kasumi.
When they reached the source of the scream they found Akane standing in front of her room, unmoving.
"Akane, what's wrong? Why did you...?" Ranma trailed off as he looked into her room.
The room was overflowing with flowers of every kind and stuffed animals. There was not a place in the room that didn't have flowers or stuffed animals.
"Oh my, Akane, it seems like you have and admirer."
"Yeah and it's not Ranma judging by the amount this must have cost."
"Ranma, my boy, prove Nabiki wrong by admitting you did this"
"Oh, my little girl is growing up and seducing rich men!!"
Everyone looked at Akane. She just blushed.
"Dad!! I'm not seducing anybody!!!"
"Shampoo think violent-girl is lying"
"Say Akane, who sent all of this?"
"I don't know Ranma, why don't you read the card?"
"What card?"
"The one in the arrangement in front of you" Akane sighed exasperated
"That card" Ranma laughed sheepishly.

For the loveliest creature in all eternity
I send these flowers
whose beauty cannot begin to compare
to the divinity of my dreams
embodied
in thyself.

Signed
Your faithful admirer

"Oh my, how romantic!!"
"Definitely not Ranma"
"Sorry son but Nabiki has a point."
"Hey!!!"
"When husband send flowers to Shampoo?"
Akane ignored everyone as she walked towards a large, heavy wooden box in a corner of her room. She opened the box and yelped when someone jumped out. It was a elegantly dressed Mousse who had a small jewelry box in his hand.
"Oh, my fair celestial lady, will you accede to accompany me this evening?"
"What do you mean by 'accede' and 'accompany' duck-boy?"
"Mousse, that not Shampoo, that Akane"
"Read a dictionary Saotome, and I'm aware of that Shampoo"
Mousse kneeled in front of Akane and opened the jewelry box. Akane's eyes widened and Nabiki almost fainted, but she composed herself.
There was a gold promise ring in the box. The ring consisted of one large, scarlet ruby surrounded by slightly smaller, but not by any means less expensive, diamonds.
"Those are real, they just can't be fake."
"You are quite right, Nabiki Tendo. The ruby is my beautiful lady's birthstone as well as her namesake, and the diamonds are my birthstone."
"Aiyaa! Shampoo not know Mousse have so much money!"
Soun was immediately next to Mousse with an arm on his shoulder "Well, Mousse, my boy, you have my blessing."
"Tendo!"
"I'm sorry Saotome, but I have to see my baby's best interest."
"I agree with daddy, Mr. Saotome, some things you just can't refuse"
"Nabiki, you will be taking over the engagement with Ranma"
"On the other hand, some things you CAN refuse"
"Hey, duck-boy hands off, Akane is MY fiancee!!"
Now it was Ranma's turn to be on the receiving end of the gazes.
"Umm.. I mean you don't know what you're getting into!!, Akane is uncute, unfemenine, and a tomboy"
Akane began to look hurt, but Ranma continued. "I mean the girl can't do anything right. Her cooking is poisonous, she is flatchested, built like a brick, has huge hips, overweight, and can't even defend herself in battle!! You want beauty, here take Shampoo"
Akane's heart shifted painfully, and she felt her eyes fill with tears, but she hid her pain in her anger once again.
"Ranma you jerk!!!"
Ranma cringed as Akane took out her mallet but Akane turned and malleted the box where Mousse had been hiding. The box exploded into thin dust.
Akane walked towards Mousse. "I accept your invitation"
Mousse placed the promise ring on Akane's wedding finger and hugged her while he walked her out of the room before she could cause any more destruction. He had been whispering softly into her ear the whole time.
Ranma stood rigid looking at the door where Akane had left while the dust fell all over the room. There was an ureadable expression on his face. He would not move for an hour.
Shampoo picked up the card and was thoughtful while she touched the smooth petal of a fragrant rose with one finger. She looked into the oblivious happy faces of the stuffed animals in the room and felt as if they were condemning her.
"Mousse" She lowered her head and left the room abruptly
Everyone else just left.
The card fluttered slowly to the floor amidst the falling wood dust.

~0~

"ARRRGHHHH"
Smash. Crash. Explode.
"I can't believe that jerk!!"
Mousse cringed while Akane demolished all the breakable objects in front of her.
"To say such things!!!"
They were in the park of the other day. Mousse cringed again as Akane moved on to the unbreakable objects.
"How could he say that!!!"
Mousse winced as the 'unbreakable' objects once again turned to dust.
"How could he say that" Akane wavered and fell to her knees, finally giving in to the tears. Mousse walked to her and held her while she cried. Akane cried and cried letting every barrier go. She cried until every sob and breath she took hurt. Finally, all that remained were sniffles. Akane looked into Mousse's eyes.
"Why Mousse?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you care?"
"I care because you are a person, a beautiful one at that, and you need me"
"He didn't care" Akane sniffled again.
"He did"
"No he didn't, he never does." Akane sniffled and controlled herself. "I just can never measure up to him, can I? Everyone always has to be better than me. Always. But what can I expect? Everything he said was true."
"No, he was wrong"
"Was he Mousse? I cannot do anything right. If someone comes to kidnap me, I would be helpless. I can't cook. I can't sew. I can't decorate. Nothing! I'm just useless."
Mousse felt pain as he recognized the same feelings he had towards Shampoo. Never to be adequate. 'Not anymore'
"Akane, you are not worthless. Who says that cooking, sewing, and decorating is feminine? If Ranma is to love you, let him love you for what you are. While it may have been true that you were rather 'flat' in the beginning, over the past months you have grown. You may have not noticed it, but that is to be expected. You are constantly comparing yourself to others. You can't go on like that. You are your own person, and as such, you should not accommodate to others, you should accommodate the others to yourself. Use what you DO have, and stop thinking this way." Mousse hugged Akane once more and stood up, helping her get on her feet. The hug was not a passion filled one, it was rather fraternal, and Akane was happy to return it.
"Come on, lets go"
"Where?"
"It's a surprise A-chan"

An old lady who had been within hearing distance of the couple smiled and wiped her eyes. "So much better than soap operas"

~0~

Akane and Mousse were on Nerima's shopping district
"Uh, Mu-mu-chan, what are we doing here?"
"Shopping"
"I KNOW THAT, but why?"
"We are getting new looks."
"WHAT?"
"Look A-chan, if our current styles are not working, we need something else."
"I don't know.."
"I know." Akane smirked as Mousse dragged her into a store.
"Okay, here's the plan. You and I go scouting, anything you see that you would like Ranma to wear, you grab in my size, and vice versa."
Akane and Mousse separated and they met in front of the dressing rooms 20 minutes later. Mousse was the first to go in.
Akane recruited the help of two giggling teenage girls (*you know the kind*). After a couple of boo's and a lot of wolf calls it was Akane's turn. Mousse was dressed in a polo shirt and kakis. His hair was tied back in a low ponytail. He sat next to the schoolgirls (Akane had threatened that if he recruited the help of boys he would die a slow and painful death, compliments of herself.)
Akane took out the first item, screamed when she saw what it was, and threw it at Mousse. Mousse was thrown to the floor thanks to the hanger that came with the item.
"Can't you take a joke?" Mousse managed to emit from his uncomfortable position in the floor.
A schoolgirl grabbed the tiny, see-through lingerie and smiled at Mousse cattily. "I'll try it on for you if you want"
"Uh.. no thanks"
"Your loss"
After Akane finished she and Mousse stood on the cash register. Akane was looking good in a short black skirt with a embroidered red dragon and a matching red shirt. She was fidgeting with the skirt.
"Leave the skirt alone."
"But I feel so ... weird"
"You look great"
"I don't know"
Mousse grabbed a passing boy by the collar. "What do you think of the lady here?"
The guy looked at Akane in appreciation "Beautiful, you are a lucky man"
Mousse tossed the guy back into the crowd. "See?"
Akane just blushed and decided to change the topic "Sooo, where did you get all the money for this?"
"Umm... I'll tell you later"
Akane looked curious but didn't press him any further.
Mousse did his own topic changing. "sooo, what now?"
Akane smiled wickedly. "Now we get you contacts and pierce your ear"
"WHAT!!!"
"Trust me Mu-mu-chan"
"NOOO. NOT NEEDLESS. NOOOOOO"
Mousse's scream could be heard all though the stores as Akane dragged him towards the closest jewelry store, muttering something about big cry-babies.

~@~

Hello!!! I had the worst luck with my computer this week. I finished the whole chapter once AND saved it several times, but just as I was sending it to be proofread *poof* it performed a disappearing act. I searched all through the files and it was nowhere!!! I had to redo it. All of it. No, I did not smash my computer (this dysfunctional machines are very expensive) but I did murmur death threats to it. It obviously chose to ignore them, though, 'cause the file isn't anywhere in this realm of existence.
On other news:
Yes, I am aware that this was a bit touchy-feely, but that's the way it was supposed to be.
No, HashBrown, nothing very original yet, although next chapter should be ^_~ *hint, hint*
No, Mousse and Akane won't fall in love. They will just develop a very strong and deep friendship.
Now on to credits:
Guess what people? We got another proofreader!! They seem to be multiplying by the fanfic. I, um, forgot to ask for her pen name (and no, I'm not getting senile) so I'll just call her () for now. Stop laughing!!! I am not senile!!!!
So any ways, thanx to (), Ranma-Chan, and Otaku King for proofreading. They truly are courageous people.
Thanx to those who sent ideas, and yes, any more will be welcome. This method was inspired mostly by Ranma-Chan and her "Smash Club" idea with some help from HashBrown and the "I like Mallets -squishy" line (don't ask).
Any those of you who feel your ideas weren't appreciated. Don't feel that way!!! No, I'm serious, don't feel that way or I'll come after you with a mallet!! Every single idea that was sent was taken into serious consideration, and most of the ideas WILL appear somewhere in the fic. Some ideas I haven't used yet because I think it's too soon for the fic.
Now I better say good bye and start doing my math HW, 'cause the exam is only days away and It's been a week since the last time I did any of it. Now Review or else!!!! Well, actually I couldn't do anything even if u don't, but if u don't I'll be sad, and if I'm sad I'll feel unappreciated, and if I'm unappreciated I'll write slower, and I write slow as it is... better stop now, I write the longest author notes, don't I?

Ciao!
Meztli