Chapter 2 – A time of healing
The rays of the sun peered through Akane's curtain and caressed her face, waking her up. A smile slowly lifted the corners of her mouth and she stretched, lifting her arms and moaning aloud. She felt fresh and healthy. Last afternoon's tears had been wiped away by sleep. She had even missed dinner so as to sleep. And it had done her good.
She swung her feet to the floor and grabbed her clothes on her way to the bathroom. Coming out a few minutes later, she heard the usual commotion of Ranma and his father fighting. But her heart did not jump, nor did the sight of a flying lean young man in shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt make her eyes shine as it used to. She felt nothing and sighed at the difference. She smiled at her father and hugged Kasumi as she passed.
"My, you're in a good mood today Akane," Kasumi smiled back.
"Yes, I had a good night's sleep," Akane grinned at Nabiki who dropped into her place at the table in her usual casual way.
"So sis, how are things today?" she asked and only Kasumi and Akane could see the tiny glint of worry at the back of her eyes.
"I'm feeling really well," answered back Akane as Ranma plopped down beside her and started to inhale his food.
He caught the end of the conversation and glanced at Akane.
"You look the usual tomboy," he mumbled and unconsciously
leaned away, waiting of a mallet. But it never came. Instead Akane grinned at
him and reached out a hand and ruffled his hair.
"You wouldn't know," she drawled, "You're blind about people," she kidded as
Ranma's mouth fell open and a sudden silence fell.
Soun peered at his daughter before a huge smile illuminated his face as he thought – she's growing up, yes she is.
Genma stayed with his open mouth staring at Akane, a very similar look on his face as the one that was on his son's.
Nabiki stifled a giggle and thought – Oh Ranma you're so late in catching up.
Kasumi smiled serenely as if nothing was different and her thought echoed Nabiki's – Ranma, you won't know what hit you. – And somewhere deep inside of her, she wondered if those two were really made for each other. – Well, things are changing and we can only sit back and see what will happen – she sighed to herself.
Akane smiled at them all and stood up to take her bento from Kasumi.
"I'm going, bye" she called running out of the house.
"Hey wait tomboy!" shouted Ranma running after her before jumping on the fence. He watched Akane run a few steps ahead and asked himself what had changed. She was different. She never touched him like that, like he was her friend. Maybe he was, he smiled to himself and caught up with her. She threw a smile at him and he suddenly had trouble hitching a breath as his throat closed. They ran into Ukyo, whose eyes went hard as she saw them coming.
"Ranchan," she waved.
"Hey Ukyo" he answered back.
"Hi Ukyo," Akane smiled at her before going on through the school gates and leaving Ranma with Ukyo. It was something that Akane would never have done before and it left both Ukyo and Ranma staring after her.
Ranma started after her when Ukyo suddenly grabbed his arm and pointed at Kuno.
"Akane, beautiful Akane Tendo," Kuno started his usual
tirade with his bokken when Akane stopped before him.
"Morning Kuno, how are you?" smiled at him and the young sempai stared at her
his words dying on his lips. She tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Kuno?"
"Yes fair maiden?" he finally answered back after long seconds of silence.
"Can I talk to you?" she smiled.
"Of course, whenever you want lovely Akane," he smiled slowly.
"Ok Kuno, what about ice-cream after school? My treat," she lifted a questioning eyebrow at a lost Kuno who could only nod back.
"And Kuno, it's not a date but I'd really like us to be friends," she added.
Kuno found his eyes following her back and lost any desire to ramble in the great Shakespearean language as he followed her, bokken trailing on the ground in one hand. The only phrase which was dancing around in his head was – Someone wanted to be his friend.
He had never had any friends, just people who followed him around for his money or his skills and now someone wanted to be his friend. Kuno was silenced for the rest of the day. Ukyo and Ranma stared at the disappearing Akane in shock.
"Akane's ok, Ranchan?"
"No, she's been acting weird since this morning. I didn't even get hit," he mused.
- So that was it – Ukyo thought – Akane has changed tactics. Well, we're just gonna have a conversation about Ranma – and she tossed her hair over her shoulder and followed Ranma into the school.
Lunch hour
Ukyo rounded on Akane as she sat with her friends under the shade of a tree.
"Can I talk to you?" she demanded.
"Can't it wait Ukyo?" Akane raised her head.
"No," was the tight answer.
"Ok, ok," murmured Akane knowing what was coming.
"What are you up to Akane? Ranchan's mine" Ukyo spat as soon as they were alone.
"No Ukyo. Ranma's his only. But that's not it, is it?"
"You have changed Akane. And I know it's only a tactic to get Ranma!"
"Oh stop it Ukyo, I have changed for myself. Don't you ever have enough of all this Ukyo?" Akane she swept a hand around. "Sit down Ukyo and let's really talk"
Akane sat down on the grass and Ukyo reluctantly joined her.
"You know Ukyo, we could have been friends if there had not been the fiancée thing," she smiled at Ukyo, "Well, I have enough Ukyo. I don't want to be involved in fights because of Ranma anymore. I want to live my life the way I want, not live my life in relation to Ranma or in Ranma's shadow." Akane smiled at Ukyo with these words. "I may not be able to end the fiancée thing because of my dad and his but we can be friends him and me in the meantime and when he's 18, he can just choose his life and I can choose mine." she finished.
Ukyo stared at Akane a long time and then she smiled back too.
"You don't know what you're gonna miss," she teased.
"I already know but living my own life seems so much more interesting," Akane laughed back.
Both girls got to their feet as the bell rang and Ukyo asked the question that was burning on her lips, "Akane do you love him?"
"I used to," Akane answered back and for a fleeting moment Ukyo found herself looking into two heart-wrenchingly sad eyes before joy's light replaced the sadness. Ukyo watched the girl leave and somewhere her heart hurt a little for the girl and then the image changed to Ranma's laughing face and Ukyo squared her shoulders thinking – Akane you had better not lie to me or else, I'll get you.
The bell rang and Akane left with Sayuri as they chattered away. Kuno was waiting for her before the gate. A light blush colored his cheeks.
"Hello fair... Hello Akane," he corrected himself.
Sayuri leaned down to whisper in Akane's ear, "Are you going on a date with Kuno
sempai?"
"No," Akane smiled back. "He's my friend, he had no friend before, now he's got one."
Sayuri shook her head as Akane met up with Kuno and together they smiled at each other. They could really be friends – she thought – he must not be such a bad guy.
Ranma jumped on the school wall and glared at Akane and Kuno's backs. His stomach clenched with jealousy as he watched them walking away talking together and he did the only think he knew of to strike back. He attacked.
"Yo tomboy, ya going out on a date with the Shakespeare sprouting jerk?" he shouted for all to hear.
Akane smiled over her shoulder and shouted back.
"No Ranma, I'm going out for ice-cream with a friend"
Ranma flushed as everyone stared at him and jumped off the wall to run home when Ukyo's voice stopped him.
"Ranchan, wait for me," she caught up with him and added "What about an okonomiyaki? This one's on the house," she grinned up at him.
"What the hell's wrong with Akane? She going out with that jerk of Kuno now?" he hissed to Ukyo.
Ukyo looked into blazing blue eyes and did the only thing she knew, "Come on Ranchan, let go have okonomiyaki." And grabbed his arm jerking him out of his reverie. He followed her looking over his shoulder at Akane's disappearing figure. Something was wrong with the tomboy – he thought – and he was definitely going to find out what was wrong.
Akane scanned her surroundings and finally saw the person she was looking for. Nabiki sat alone in a booth slowly eating her ice-cream.
"Come on Kuno," she called over her shoulder as she made for her sister.
"Hi Biki-chan," she greeted Nabiki.
Nabiki's mouth fell open and her eyes completely glazed over as she caught sight of Kuno behind Akane, trying hard not to burst out with laughter as he hid his mouth behind his hand.
"Can we have a seat?" Akane asked and immediately slid into the seat beside Nabiki.
"You're going to pay for that," Nabiki hissed in her ear as Kuno seated himself in the opposite booth.
Akane grinned at her and delved into the menu to hide her amusement for her sister. The afternoon slipped by quickly as the ice was slowly broken between Kuno and Nabiki. Gradually and with precautions, Nabiki slowly showed another side of herself that was usually reserved for Kasumi and Akane. She laughed and teased and the girl inside shone through as Akane recalled memories of Kuno and Nabiki while they were children. She brought forth their fights and their games as Kasumi had told her about and left them to end the stories. The afternoon slipped away and all three were laughing hilariously at one of Kuno's jokes when they reached the dojo.
"I had a great afternoon," he smiled down at both of them but his eyes lingered longer on Nabiki' smiling face. "Thank you Nabiki, Akane," he bowed to them.
"I had a wonderful time too, Kuno sempai," Nabiki answered back.
"Only Kuno," was his answer before he left looking back at Nabiki and wondering how he could have forgotten his friend of his childhood. No, she had not changed – he thought – she had only grown a shell around her. And for once, Kuno went home at peace with himself and thinking of reality. Akane was a fair maiden, yes, any man could see that but if he had to choose between the fair maiden and the friend, then he would opt for the friend. Always the friend.
Ranma threw one swift kick at the dummy and heard Akane's voice. He jumped out of the dojo and was in the house in a matter of seconds. The sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks. Both girls were in laughter and for the first time in his life, he saw another Nabiki, the real Nabiki. He stared, mouth-open.
"Hi Ranma," they greeted him and they passed him by. It was Akane's doing – he thought. What was going on? She was changing everything and she was not herself anymore. Yes, the passion and the fire were still here but it seemed like the anger was no longer. And the anger had been his and now what was his was gone. Well, - he thought angrily – we're just gonna have to see.
"Yo tomboy! It seems like your thighs have grown wider," he grinned at her.
"You sure Ranma? Well, I guess I'm gonna have a more lush figure; that'll make me more feminine, don't you think," came the answer immediately followed by tinkling laugher that rang down the stairs from the two girls before he could answer back. He clenched his fists in anger. Damn it! He could not understand what was wrong with the tomboy – he thought as he heard Akane's door close behind hers and Nabiki's voices and laughter. Why was she treating him this way? Why!
