Inner Child
by Darth Wraith

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is not mine.

' ' - thoughts | " " - speaking
[ ] -Ranma's thoughts, heard by Akane

"Whew, what an interesting day," Hiroshi said, whistling.

"Yeah," Ranma answered. [Especially after realizing that Akane is actually reasonable this time! Finally!] Akane, who was still with her friends somewhere else in the school, fought the urge to burst out in anger, unless she wanted lots of embarrassment.

"Say," Daisuke asked, "what's with Akane today? She did not hit you at all. I mean, SHE...did NOT...hit YOU...even though she was ANGRY! I mean...aren't you usually the target of her anger?"

Ranma scratched at the back of his head, as he usually does, and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's better now that she has reason. *snickers* I mean, at least now she's not uncute and such a jock, though she is still kinda a macho tomboy." Ranma gasped in surprise that he actually made an attempt at complimenting Akane when not faced with a life and death situation. He sharply turned his head left and right, looking for any signs of red chi. There was none. Hiroshi and Daisuke both widened their eyes.

"Um..you know..." Daisuke started.

"...that was the first time..." Hiroshi muttered.

"YOU actually COMPLIMENTED..er..sort of...Akane!" They both chimed in at the last part of the sentence. Ranma kept walking, oblivious to what they just said.

"Oi Ranma!"

Ranma jumped up. "Huh! Wh..what?" He glared at Hiroshi.

"Never mind! Come on Daisuke, let's go, and let Ranma muse about Akane. I tell you, they are seriously the most whacked out couple I've ever met. They love each other by insults and beatings instead of hugs and kisses."

Daisuke looked back at Ranma, and quickly turned back to Hiroshi, noting Ranma's red face and a strong sense of danger for himself and Hiroshi. "Um," he muttered, sweatdropping, "you sure that's love? It's kinda..uh..masochistic? In any case, let's get the hell outta here." Hiroshi sensed Daisukes urgency. Seeing the subtle signal made by Daisuke, they ran like the wind.

"Grrr...you two! GET BACK HERE!!!" Ranma chased after his two fleeing friends. [Gee Akane, you really like to embarrass me don't you.]

Akane managed to ease off her temper after hearing Ranma's latest thought. Yuka just stared at Akane as if she got high on pot.

"What?" Akane asked, suspiciously looking at Yuka. Sayuri just laughed.

"Oh, Akane, you're just so dense. Did you realize that you really defended Ranma this time, and that your mallet actually hit someone other than Ranma? Flaming, as well!"

Akane thought, and soon warmth flowed through her cheeks, turning it a bright red. "Well, it was very obvious that Shampoo jumped on Ranma and not the other way around!" 'Lame,' she thought.

Both of Akane's friends facefaulted. Yuka recovered first. "You're one thick-headed person, you know that? That isn't the first time Shampoo glomped at Ranma. Actually, if I remember correctly, Ranma glomped Shampoo a whopping ZERO times!" Sayuri laughed like a maniac (not Kodachi style, heaven forbid!) and Yuka laughed light-heartedly. Akane's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

"Fine maybe I was wrong a couple of-"

"Make that a couple thousand" Sayuri interrupted Akane.

"Whatever. Just because I didn't hit him doesn't mean I fell head over heels for him. We just had a little..."

"Fun?" Sayuri said, doing the 'quote quote' finger actions.

Akane really wished that Ranma said that so she can whip out her mallet and bash him for being insulting. Too bad this time it was her best friend that said it. "Agreement," she corrected.

"Who cares. It's been an interesting day. Let's go shopping for a bit," Yuka suggested.

"Sure thing."

[Gee Akane, you really like to embarrass me don't you.] Akane looked out the gates, and noticed Ranma chasing two fleeing boys. 'Hiroshi and Daisuke...no surprise. And you Ranma, what are you talking about. You like embarrassing me as well.' The three girls went towards the Furinkan Mall (er...made that up ^_^).

"Hiya Kasumi-san," Ranma stepped in the dojo, "I'm home!"

"Hi there Ranma-kun. How was your day?" Kasumi smiled at Ranma (What else can she do? Scream 'bloody murder'?)

"Same as usual." Ranma quickly dismissed himself and started towards his room. Kasumi though, knew better, though she wasn't the type to interfere. 'You're making progress Ranma-kun.'

Ranma walked up the stairs and proceeded down the corridor. He stole a glimpse at Akane's room. Empty. Ranma then proceeded to his room.

Outside in the backyard, a black piglet with a yellow bandana was staring up Akane's room. 'Akane-san,' it thought, 'Once again love has cured me of my directional disorder. Although with side effects such as ending up in the Tendo Dojo almost all the time...not that I mind.' The pig blushed.

"P-chan! There you are!" Akane picked up P-chan and snuggled it close to her body. P-chan bweed in pleasure. She went back to the house with P-chan. "I'm back!"

"Oh hi Akane! How was your day?" Kasumi smiled at Akane. (hehe)

"Weird. But overall pretty good. Why?" Akane looked at Kasumi with a slight hint of suspicion.

"Oh nothing, Ranma's back just to let you know."

"Ok. And your point?" Akane said without emotion. P-chan bweed again. "Don't worry P-chan, we'll be in our room soon."

"Nothing. Don't worry Akane, I won't tell anyone. I promise." Akane blinked, surprised that Kasumi was very much aware of her fake nonchalance. She tried to be devoid of any friendship with Ranma through her accustomed anger, but it didn't work. Akane nodded dumbly and proceeded towards her room. P-chan had a worried look. "Bwee!"

Akane looked at the pig and smiled. "Don't worry P-chan. Kasumi won't tell, but honestly she puts on such a facade. Thank god she's not like Nabiki or else she'll be spreading rumors of me and Ranma, I mean, all I did was just defending him from another one of that Chinese bimbo's glomps."

'What?!' Ryoga thought, 'No! This isn't right! Akane's supposed to hurt Ranma each time she's angry, whether it's his fault or some others! If this goes on, they might eventually fall in love with each other! I won't allow that to happen!' Ryoga jumped out of Akane's arms and headed towards Ranma's room. 'Saotome! Anger will guide me to you! Damn you for trying to force upon her! Heh, Akane always blames Ranma for any of my mistakes. I'll make sure she does that again!' The pig bweed evilly.

Ranma finished changing after doing some katas. He opened the door to find a fuming black pig at his feet. "P-chan. What a surprise!" He sneered. In response the pig latched onto his fingers via. fangs.

"Yow!! Stupid hunk of bacon!" He shook his hand violently, while trying to pry the pig off his fingers. He didn't notice Akane who came out of her room. Seeing P-chan being shaken and beaten around like a tamboruine, she stormed over to Ranma and bopped him on the head.

"Geez Akane! What the hell did you do that for?! The pig attacked me!" Ranma rubbed his head. At least his hand was free from pork mouth.

"Right. You mean you're picking on P-chan again right?! Honestly jealous over a pig. I wonder how many times I said this!" Akane shouted. Then she had an idea. "What is your problem with P-chan anyway?! He's just a cute widdle pig." P-chan bweed happily, head resting on Akane's bosom.

Ranma growled in anger. [Damn you Akane, I can't tell you! If Ryoga finds out I'm so dead! Damn him and honor. I gave my word that I won't tell you about his pig-curse, since I caused it. And he has to take advantage by sleeping with you. Of course I'm jealous! But how the hell am I gonna say that?! You'll just laugh at me! Damn you Ryoga...] "Heh...no problem. And how many times did I tell you that I wasn't jealous over a pig! Hell let him sleep with you for all I care. I don't know why that pig's so attached to you! You're nothing more than a macho tomboy!" Ranma hmmphed triumphantly, and then realized that Akane was gone. He scratched his head in confusion. Shrugging, he went downstairs to find some food to eat, all the while muttering about how he prefered pork stew.

Akane on the other hand suddenly felt nervous. It wasn't the fact that what Ranma said completely contradicted what he was thinking that made her nervous. It was hearing what Ranma thought that she felt rather numb. Instinctively she loosened the grip on P-chan and set him down on her bed. She went out of her room towards the kitchen. She didn't notice an irritated Ranma who was raiding the refrigiator. Ranma himself did not notice Akane going out from the kitchen with a cup of warm water. As Akane walked towards her room, she noticed P-chan looking away from her. Perfect. She quickly splashed the water on P-chan, hoping to kami that Ranma was just being an idiot that he was.

A couple seconds later, a naked Ryoga was trembling on Akane's bed. Time seemed to freeze as Ryoga looked in horror to see Akane's angered and shocked face. Akane was too shocked to say anything. The only thing she could think of was to scream.

[What the hell?!] Ranma sharply closed the refrigerator, slightly flustered that he couldn't find anything to eat and now Akane was screaming. Much like the time when she walked in on him, both naked. [Oh no,] Ranma thought, [she found out.]

Soun and Genma were playing shogi when they heard the scream. "My little Akane! Oh no!" Soun glared at Ranma, but Ranma was already rushing up towards her room. Soun followed. Kasumi put a hand over her mouth in silent shock. She too, walked towards Akane's room, knife still in hand.

Ranma was the first to reach the scene. He saw Akane holding a mallet and a trembling Ryoga who was backed away in the corner of Akane's bed. [Oh my God. She really did find out!] He felt like fainting, but as he was a martial artist he didn't faint.

Soun rushed in after, and saw the same scene as Ranma. He soon used a demon head to intimidate Ryoga and chide him for trying to rape Akane when an "Oh my!" was heard and Kasumi started to faint. Soun caught Kasumi in time. Setting her down gently, he proceeded to demon head Ryoga when Ranma stopped him.

"Let Akane handle this. If she can't handle it, I'll be there. Don't worry." The seriousness of Ranma's voice was enough to calm Soun down. He carried Kasumi towards her bed, all the while creating waterfalls.

Akane got over her inital shock, and that shock was soon replaced with pure anger. Her aura was red like wildfire. It was something even Ranma has never seen when he got her mad. Ranma and Ryoga gulped. Finally she spoke...er screamed. "GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON I SHOULDN'T KILL YOU!"

Ryoga, wild with fear, said, "Please Akane, let me explain...it's that Saotome's fault! I don't know what he did, but I know he's up to no good, so I was here to protect you." Noticing Ranma, he lowered his eyebrows. "Saotome! I'm gonna kill you!!!" But before he could do that, Akane's glare turned even more sinister, causing Ryoga to cower back again.

"What do you mean Saotome! What did he do?! And what the hell are you thinking! You try to protect me by taking advantage of me as some cute pet?!" Ryoga was at a loss of words. "Damn you Ranma! You deny me happiness as a pig! YOU MADE MY LIFE TEN TIMES WORSE THAN HELL! GO AND DIE! SHI SHI HOKOD-" before he could complete his move, Akane swung the blazing, crackling, frosty (fire, lightning, and cold :P) mallet at Ryoga. Akane released her mallet and collapsed, crying. "Why was I so stupid!" Spinning to Ranma she demanded in an eerily cold voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Ranma couldn't find a reason. "I'm..I'm so sorry. It's just that...it's just for honor! DAMN IT I DIDN'T KNOW RYOGA WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS! IF I DIDN'T MAKE SUCH AN HONOR I'D EXPOSE HIM RIGHT AWAY!" [Aw man, I just had to burst at Akane now. Oh well, I sorta explained. Please don't cry Akane...you have no idea how much I hate to see you cry.] Reaching out with his hand he wiped Akane's tears away. "Aw man don't be such a crybaby. You're a tomboy! Tomboy's don't cry!" Ranma tried cheering her up. In response he got a fierce hug from Akane, whose tears were streaming anew. 'I'm so sorry Ranma,' she thought, 'I should've known you were trying to protect me. I was just too stupid to realize that P-chan was Ryoga. I'm sorry Ranma, I'm so very sorry.....' She cried out loud, so loud Ranma swore he could've gone deaf. Ranma just wrapped his arms around her, soothing her. [I better shut up now. Let Akane cry her mind out. She'll feel better, I hope. If only I could say I love you, but then my stupid mouth would probably say macho uncute tomboy or something...*sigh*]

Too bad Akane didn't listen to his thoughts this time. She was too shocked and too sad to bother listening. She didn't care she was holding on to Ranma, or that she was being held by him. Actually, she liked the comfort. 'Ranma, I do have an idea how much you hate to see me cry, so I'll try not to cry now. And...I wish I can say I love you now, but...I'm still afraid...' She willed herself not to cry, and finally, reluctantly she let go of the embrace. "Thanks Ranma, I needed that," she said, smiling weakly. Too bad Ranma can't read minds.

"Yeah, no problem. Take a rest Akane. You really need to sleep off the stress now." Ranma answered. [Hey! No foot-in-mouth!]

Akane mentally laughed.

NOTES: I'm sorry for those Ryoga fans out there, but I just watched an episode with Ryoga and P-chan. For me, there's just something about Ryoga that I hate. Like sometimes Ryoga's cool, and sometimes he's a total pain in the butt. Unfortunately he was the latter when I wrote this. I'm also sorry that I can't let them know that they love each other yet...aren't I evil XD. In any case, read and review! Thank y'all!