THANK YOU everybody who´s reviewed, keep it up, guys, I luv ya for it!!!
(Bear-hugs everyone who´s reviewed) And I also love getting your e-mails,
thanx! OK, that´s enough from me, on with the story!
(A/N:) Chapter 5 (this one) happens about a month after chapter 4 (the last one).
Everyone in the audience held their breath as the two neared the end of their duet. The spotlights shone brightly on them, sparkling off the sequins on Akane´s beautiful Christine costume. She opened her mouth and sang beautifully as she looked warmly into the bright, smiling eyes of her partner:
"Say you´ll share with me one love, one lifetime; say the word and I will follow you, share each day with me, each night, each morning; say you love me;"
Her partner seemed almost to mean it really as he replied, passionately:
"You know I do;"
They took each other´s hands, smiling; the audience had disappeared, and it was only them now, singing for each other:
"Love me; that´s all I ask of you ..."
She closed her eyes. The music played somewhere in the distance as he kissed her, warmly, bending her back softly.
"Anywhere you go let me go too; love me; that´s all I ask of you!"
The audience was back now, applauding and cheering madly for them. They bowed, and he held her as they smiled out towards the audience. The end of his pig-tail tickled her ear as she leant up against his shoulder ...
Akane opened her eyes, sleepily. The sun, coming in through the window, was shining in her eyes. She hugged her pillow as she rolled over, wanting to get back to sleep ... she had been having such a good dream ... But someone banged on her door before she could fall asleep again.
"Hey, Akane!" Nabiki called, through the door. "You might want to think about getting up soon; don´t you have that final practise this morning?"
Akane sat up. "Yeah, Nabiki, I'm up," she yawned. Yeah, today was the day before the big performance, wasn't it ... She stretched and got out of bed.
As she got dressed she tried to remember the dream she had been having before she woke up. It had been something good, she was sure .
Akane thought about the show tomorrow night as she walked along the road towards the school. She wasn't nervous . not at all . well, maybe just a bit; but they'd been practising for more than a month now, and everything had gone pretty well so far. Being held by Kuno several times a day might be pretty disgusting, but she put up with it for the play. And Ryoga was such a nice guy . she couldn't think of anyone who'd make a better Raoul. She suddenly felt reminded of her dream, but still couldn't remember it properly. Something about the play? . She involuntarily glanced up at Ranma. He still sported the bruises she'd given him this morning.
She sniffed and looked away again. It was his own fault; because it was Saturday, not even the usual bucket of cold water had been able to wake him up. So she'd had to resort to The Mallet.
"Uh . Akane?" she looked up again. "Yeah?" she replied.
Ranma looked up at the sky. "So . you nervous? ´Bout the show tomorrow, I mean."
Akane sniffed. "Nah," she said, confidently. "I mean . not really - not a lot," she added, a little less sure of herself.
"Hey - you'll do great," Ranma said, assuringly. Akane looked up, surprised. Ranma looked back up at the sky. "I mean - after all the practising we've done, even a klutz like YOU couldn't mess up - hey!" A lightning-quick leap into the air only just saved him from being malleted the rest of the way to the school.
Something suddenly whooshed through the air. "Akane watch out!" Ranma cried, jumping down and knocking her out of the way, just as something hit the ground hard where she had been standing. Akane got up, brushing the dirt off her clothes. "You!" she growled.
"Oh, I'm sorry, girl, didn't see you standing there ." Cologne sneered, dislodging her stick from the crack it had made in the ground where it hit. "You take care now, we wouldn't want you having an accident before the big night ." And she bounded off again.
"That old ghoul!" Akane fumed. "She's been out to get me all week now! "We wouldn't want you having an accident ." Hah! I'll show her! She won't get me with her stupid tricks ." and she marched off towards the school again.
It was much later in the evening when Huriko clapped his hands as they finished the scene. "That's it, people, we'll call it a day!" There were tired-sounding cheers from a few people. "Now, go home, rest, relax, and I'll see you again tomorrow evening!"
Ranma staggered out of the school. Cologne and Shampoo had spared no effort in trying to get Akane. Sandbags, scenery, chandeliers and old women with sticks had dropped towards her from all around, things had mysteriously "slipped" out of Shampoo's hands in a way that they whizzed through the air towards the leading girl, there had been a remarkable amount of loose/broken floorboards cropping up wherever Akane was supposed to step next . Ranma silently marvelled at their imagination. Although Akane had realised she had to be careful, and had managed to defend herself most times, he had still been constantly on the run trying to catch stray pieces of scenery as they whizzed through the air towards his fiancée.
Ranma groaned, rubbing one of the bruises he had got from a sandbag, and staggered off home along the fence.
"That went really well, didn't it?" Akane asked, as she and Ryoga walked down the steps of the school. "Apart from Cologne and Shampoo attempting to kill me, of course ."
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah. You - you make a really good Christine, Akane," he added, nervously.
Akane smiled. "You think so? Thanks," she said, happily. "You're really good at your part, too."
Ryoga stopped at the bottom of the steps. It's now or never, he thought to himself. Tell her now. "Um - Akane -" he began.
"Sweet Akane!"
"Go away, Kuno," Akane growled, trying to shake off his enthusiastic embrace.
"You need not hide your feelings for me, sweet Akane," the older boy cried, as usually somehow managing to miss her murderous tone. "Join me on a midnight stroll, my love, for I have composed a glorious poem to -"
Kuno flew off into the black night sky courtesy Akane´s Mallet.
"Geez, I wish that guy´d just leave me alone for once!" Akane fumed, starting off down the school steps. She turned round and waved, smiling, at Ryoga. "Good night, Ryoga! See you tomorrow night!"
"Uh. yeah . bye," Ryoga called after her. He sighed, and headed off to try and find some cold water so he could go after her as "P-Chan".
Tomorrow night, he thought to himself, determinedly, I WILL tell her! And then, he sighed, again, imagining the scene, I'll finally ask her out!
The eternally lost pig-boy walked off into the night, thinking about his plans for tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, Kuno´s flight was coming to an end. With a loud thud, he hit a roof. The now-battered kendoist sighed. "Ah, beauteous Akane," he said, to himself, "how passionate is your love! May I forever bear these scars, a symbol of your affection!"
Another "scar" was added to his already considerable collection as a small woman on a stick bounded over him, closely followed by a girl on a bicycle, both of them landing on the road below.
Even someone with Kuno´s intelligence would wonder who would ride a bike on a roof. The battered kendoist listened as they talked.
"Is too bad Shampoo no get mallet girl," the Amazon fumed. "She try so hard today. she only obstacle in Shampoo way of be in play with airen!"
"Don't worry, Granddaughter," Cologne said, soothingly. "We'll get her tomorrow evening, I promise you, and you will play against son-in-law in her place."
Shampoo beamed. "Airen see how Shampoo better than pervert girl at being nice fiancée, and then he love only Shampoo!"
"There is one thing, though," the old ghoul said, thoughtfully. "Son-in- law isn't actually in the play yet."
Shampoo grinned. "Shampoo take care of pig-boy," she said. "She put water on him, and then he be little piggy! Little piggy no can be in play, and then airen must be Raoul-boy instead! But," she frowned, "mallet-girl be problem . Shampoo can no pour water on her ."
"I told you, Shampoo dear, we'll take care of her!" the old woman said, again. At this, she was interrupted by a figure leaping off the roof towards her.
"Foul fiend!" Kuno shouted, hysterically, "I will not allow you to plot against sweet Akane in so cruel a fashion! Prepare to d -"
A quick blow on the head with a stick cut him off abruptly.
Shampoo looked down at the unconscious boy. She shrugged. "Is only silly Phantom-boy," she said. "He always shout like that." She turned away from him. "We go home now, Great-Grandmother," she said, cheerfully, leaping onto her bike. And they went off, leaving the boy in the street.
Kuno opened his eyes, and spat out some dirt. "Foul fiend," he muttered, "I will foil your most devious plan!" He got up. "Dearest Akane," he said, to himself, "I shall not allow this fiend to bring harm to you! I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall protect you with my life!"
"Hey, keep it down out there!" someone shouted from a nearby window.
"Fool!" Kuno cried back. He was really getting going now. "It is not you to whom I pledge my love!"
He ran off into the night, still shouting about his intended valiant rescue of "fair Akane".
"A brilliant plot!"
"Indeed, Saotome! Quite ingenious!"
Ranma groaned. The first words he had heard as he entered the house were not promising. He entered the sitting room, and saw his father and Mr Tendo shaking hands, looking very pleased with themselves.
Ranma sighed, and crossed his arms. "Okay, Pop, what´re you guys plottin´ now."
Mr Saotome, human for once, tried to look surprised. "Plotting? ."
Mr Tendo tried to look equally shocked. "Us?!"
Ranma groaned. "Look, I can´t be bothered right now to force it out of ya, Pop. But I'm warnin´ ya, if I wake up dressed in a tux in a church tomorrow mornin´ I'm makin´ sure AKANE cooks your breakfast for the next week." He was going to head upstairs, but was met as he turned around, by a very familiar-looking mallet.
"How dare he say that about my cooking AGAIN?!" Akane, who had just come in, raged, as she headed upstairs.
The two fathers looked at each other. "The plan goes as agreed, then, I presume?" Genma said, shifting so the light rain didn't fall on him through the newly-made hole in the roof.
"Indeed it does, Saotome," Soun said, smugly.
A/N: Finally done!!!! Now, first I'd like to say, R/A fans, don't flame me just yet, I know Akane´s being friendly with Ryoga, but just read the last chapters (I'll have them up soon!) and THEN decide whether to flame me or not; I do NOT support Ryoga/Akane, I´m giving you that! Neway remember to REVIEW!!!!!! And let me know what you think before you go, it´s the only way you´ll get the next chapter, C ya then (hopefully!), Talhonjik.
(A/N:) Chapter 5 (this one) happens about a month after chapter 4 (the last one).
Everyone in the audience held their breath as the two neared the end of their duet. The spotlights shone brightly on them, sparkling off the sequins on Akane´s beautiful Christine costume. She opened her mouth and sang beautifully as she looked warmly into the bright, smiling eyes of her partner:
"Say you´ll share with me one love, one lifetime; say the word and I will follow you, share each day with me, each night, each morning; say you love me;"
Her partner seemed almost to mean it really as he replied, passionately:
"You know I do;"
They took each other´s hands, smiling; the audience had disappeared, and it was only them now, singing for each other:
"Love me; that´s all I ask of you ..."
She closed her eyes. The music played somewhere in the distance as he kissed her, warmly, bending her back softly.
"Anywhere you go let me go too; love me; that´s all I ask of you!"
The audience was back now, applauding and cheering madly for them. They bowed, and he held her as they smiled out towards the audience. The end of his pig-tail tickled her ear as she leant up against his shoulder ...
Akane opened her eyes, sleepily. The sun, coming in through the window, was shining in her eyes. She hugged her pillow as she rolled over, wanting to get back to sleep ... she had been having such a good dream ... But someone banged on her door before she could fall asleep again.
"Hey, Akane!" Nabiki called, through the door. "You might want to think about getting up soon; don´t you have that final practise this morning?"
Akane sat up. "Yeah, Nabiki, I'm up," she yawned. Yeah, today was the day before the big performance, wasn't it ... She stretched and got out of bed.
As she got dressed she tried to remember the dream she had been having before she woke up. It had been something good, she was sure .
Akane thought about the show tomorrow night as she walked along the road towards the school. She wasn't nervous . not at all . well, maybe just a bit; but they'd been practising for more than a month now, and everything had gone pretty well so far. Being held by Kuno several times a day might be pretty disgusting, but she put up with it for the play. And Ryoga was such a nice guy . she couldn't think of anyone who'd make a better Raoul. She suddenly felt reminded of her dream, but still couldn't remember it properly. Something about the play? . She involuntarily glanced up at Ranma. He still sported the bruises she'd given him this morning.
She sniffed and looked away again. It was his own fault; because it was Saturday, not even the usual bucket of cold water had been able to wake him up. So she'd had to resort to The Mallet.
"Uh . Akane?" she looked up again. "Yeah?" she replied.
Ranma looked up at the sky. "So . you nervous? ´Bout the show tomorrow, I mean."
Akane sniffed. "Nah," she said, confidently. "I mean . not really - not a lot," she added, a little less sure of herself.
"Hey - you'll do great," Ranma said, assuringly. Akane looked up, surprised. Ranma looked back up at the sky. "I mean - after all the practising we've done, even a klutz like YOU couldn't mess up - hey!" A lightning-quick leap into the air only just saved him from being malleted the rest of the way to the school.
Something suddenly whooshed through the air. "Akane watch out!" Ranma cried, jumping down and knocking her out of the way, just as something hit the ground hard where she had been standing. Akane got up, brushing the dirt off her clothes. "You!" she growled.
"Oh, I'm sorry, girl, didn't see you standing there ." Cologne sneered, dislodging her stick from the crack it had made in the ground where it hit. "You take care now, we wouldn't want you having an accident before the big night ." And she bounded off again.
"That old ghoul!" Akane fumed. "She's been out to get me all week now! "We wouldn't want you having an accident ." Hah! I'll show her! She won't get me with her stupid tricks ." and she marched off towards the school again.
It was much later in the evening when Huriko clapped his hands as they finished the scene. "That's it, people, we'll call it a day!" There were tired-sounding cheers from a few people. "Now, go home, rest, relax, and I'll see you again tomorrow evening!"
Ranma staggered out of the school. Cologne and Shampoo had spared no effort in trying to get Akane. Sandbags, scenery, chandeliers and old women with sticks had dropped towards her from all around, things had mysteriously "slipped" out of Shampoo's hands in a way that they whizzed through the air towards the leading girl, there had been a remarkable amount of loose/broken floorboards cropping up wherever Akane was supposed to step next . Ranma silently marvelled at their imagination. Although Akane had realised she had to be careful, and had managed to defend herself most times, he had still been constantly on the run trying to catch stray pieces of scenery as they whizzed through the air towards his fiancée.
Ranma groaned, rubbing one of the bruises he had got from a sandbag, and staggered off home along the fence.
"That went really well, didn't it?" Akane asked, as she and Ryoga walked down the steps of the school. "Apart from Cologne and Shampoo attempting to kill me, of course ."
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah. You - you make a really good Christine, Akane," he added, nervously.
Akane smiled. "You think so? Thanks," she said, happily. "You're really good at your part, too."
Ryoga stopped at the bottom of the steps. It's now or never, he thought to himself. Tell her now. "Um - Akane -" he began.
"Sweet Akane!"
"Go away, Kuno," Akane growled, trying to shake off his enthusiastic embrace.
"You need not hide your feelings for me, sweet Akane," the older boy cried, as usually somehow managing to miss her murderous tone. "Join me on a midnight stroll, my love, for I have composed a glorious poem to -"
Kuno flew off into the black night sky courtesy Akane´s Mallet.
"Geez, I wish that guy´d just leave me alone for once!" Akane fumed, starting off down the school steps. She turned round and waved, smiling, at Ryoga. "Good night, Ryoga! See you tomorrow night!"
"Uh. yeah . bye," Ryoga called after her. He sighed, and headed off to try and find some cold water so he could go after her as "P-Chan".
Tomorrow night, he thought to himself, determinedly, I WILL tell her! And then, he sighed, again, imagining the scene, I'll finally ask her out!
The eternally lost pig-boy walked off into the night, thinking about his plans for tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, Kuno´s flight was coming to an end. With a loud thud, he hit a roof. The now-battered kendoist sighed. "Ah, beauteous Akane," he said, to himself, "how passionate is your love! May I forever bear these scars, a symbol of your affection!"
Another "scar" was added to his already considerable collection as a small woman on a stick bounded over him, closely followed by a girl on a bicycle, both of them landing on the road below.
Even someone with Kuno´s intelligence would wonder who would ride a bike on a roof. The battered kendoist listened as they talked.
"Is too bad Shampoo no get mallet girl," the Amazon fumed. "She try so hard today. she only obstacle in Shampoo way of be in play with airen!"
"Don't worry, Granddaughter," Cologne said, soothingly. "We'll get her tomorrow evening, I promise you, and you will play against son-in-law in her place."
Shampoo beamed. "Airen see how Shampoo better than pervert girl at being nice fiancée, and then he love only Shampoo!"
"There is one thing, though," the old ghoul said, thoughtfully. "Son-in- law isn't actually in the play yet."
Shampoo grinned. "Shampoo take care of pig-boy," she said. "She put water on him, and then he be little piggy! Little piggy no can be in play, and then airen must be Raoul-boy instead! But," she frowned, "mallet-girl be problem . Shampoo can no pour water on her ."
"I told you, Shampoo dear, we'll take care of her!" the old woman said, again. At this, she was interrupted by a figure leaping off the roof towards her.
"Foul fiend!" Kuno shouted, hysterically, "I will not allow you to plot against sweet Akane in so cruel a fashion! Prepare to d -"
A quick blow on the head with a stick cut him off abruptly.
Shampoo looked down at the unconscious boy. She shrugged. "Is only silly Phantom-boy," she said. "He always shout like that." She turned away from him. "We go home now, Great-Grandmother," she said, cheerfully, leaping onto her bike. And they went off, leaving the boy in the street.
Kuno opened his eyes, and spat out some dirt. "Foul fiend," he muttered, "I will foil your most devious plan!" He got up. "Dearest Akane," he said, to himself, "I shall not allow this fiend to bring harm to you! I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall protect you with my life!"
"Hey, keep it down out there!" someone shouted from a nearby window.
"Fool!" Kuno cried back. He was really getting going now. "It is not you to whom I pledge my love!"
He ran off into the night, still shouting about his intended valiant rescue of "fair Akane".
"A brilliant plot!"
"Indeed, Saotome! Quite ingenious!"
Ranma groaned. The first words he had heard as he entered the house were not promising. He entered the sitting room, and saw his father and Mr Tendo shaking hands, looking very pleased with themselves.
Ranma sighed, and crossed his arms. "Okay, Pop, what´re you guys plottin´ now."
Mr Saotome, human for once, tried to look surprised. "Plotting? ."
Mr Tendo tried to look equally shocked. "Us?!"
Ranma groaned. "Look, I can´t be bothered right now to force it out of ya, Pop. But I'm warnin´ ya, if I wake up dressed in a tux in a church tomorrow mornin´ I'm makin´ sure AKANE cooks your breakfast for the next week." He was going to head upstairs, but was met as he turned around, by a very familiar-looking mallet.
"How dare he say that about my cooking AGAIN?!" Akane, who had just come in, raged, as she headed upstairs.
The two fathers looked at each other. "The plan goes as agreed, then, I presume?" Genma said, shifting so the light rain didn't fall on him through the newly-made hole in the roof.
"Indeed it does, Saotome," Soun said, smugly.
A/N: Finally done!!!! Now, first I'd like to say, R/A fans, don't flame me just yet, I know Akane´s being friendly with Ryoga, but just read the last chapters (I'll have them up soon!) and THEN decide whether to flame me or not; I do NOT support Ryoga/Akane, I´m giving you that! Neway remember to REVIEW!!!!!! And let me know what you think before you go, it´s the only way you´ll get the next chapter, C ya then (hopefully!), Talhonjik.