Disclaimer: The characters here do not belong to me but to Rumiko
Takahashi, which should be quite obvious.
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Nabiki was sitting in the Lazy Lounge, strategising on how she should present her résumé to Shampoo. The amethyst-eyed lady wanted it in a few hours.
Wheels turning around and around in her head, Nabiki made her next more, and knew that she would win.
All she had to do was make sure that everything would go as she'd planned.
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"Didn't you say he stuck up for you?" Sayuri said, looking into the water. "So you guys are friends now, right?"
"Sort of, I guess."
The three girls (Sayuri, Akane and Yuka) were throwing rocks into the lake a kilometre away from the Saotome House. All three were bored and work had been completed (there was a party at the Saotome House and only a few maids were permitted to leave). To while away the time, they'd planned to meet at the lake to talk and have a late night picnic.
"This sounds like it came out from a novel," Yuka sighed, clasping her hands together and staring into the starry sky. "Once enemies, now friends, next lovers?"
Akane slapped her friend lightly on the back. "Don't talk rot. Why would I like him?"
"Because you like him."
Akane rolled her eyes, which was really unlike herself, and ignored Yuka's lame explanation.
"It's going to be our day's off tomorrow, right?" Akane yawned, feeling tired already.
Yuka and Sayuri nodded.
Then for no particular reason, Akane said aloud. "When he told me not to cry, he was just acting as a friend. He wasn't trying to indicate that he liked me more than he should."
Akane's friends turned to look at her strangely. "What are you trying to say?"
"After Shampoo- " Akane stopped and realised what she'd done and blushed a deep red. Clearing her throat, she improvised. "I didn't mean anything I said. It was rubbish."
"Really?" Sayuri probed. "I don't think so."
"It's the truth," Akane grinded out through her teeth.
"I agree with Sayuri, Akane-chan," Yuka grinned and picked up a pebble. Akane snatched the smooth rock out of her pal's hands and threw it into the water. The rock skidded on the surface a few times before sinking down to the riverbed.
Yuka chided Akane for doing so. "It's rude and you shouldn't do it."
"Friends were meant to be rude."
"Akane," Yuka crossed her arms, showing that she meant business.
Akane stood up slowly, yawning tiredly as she explained. "I'm tired."
"See you later, then."
"Bye."
"Goodnight."
Her footsteps swaggering a little, Akane walked about like a drunken lady. She was feeling exhausted and couldn't wait to settle into her soft bed back at the house.
She was approaching the house and could see the lights turned on. The partygoers were all still present, happily chatting and dancing. She would have to enter by the back door; she wouldn't want to appear before the nobility and have them scorn at her.
Akane had accepted the rich, but sadly, she thought, they hadn't accepted the poor.
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Ranma sipped some orangeade from his cup, waiting for the lady before him to finish her introduction.
"I'm Lady Mikiyo. These are my daughters: Yuriko and Nuriko. Nuriko has, more than twice, been considered the belle of the ball. Look at her pretty golden hair," Mikiyo twirled her daughter's loose lock of hair which was hanging just below her chin. "Oh, more than fifty men have asked for her hand in marriage.
"You just don't know how hard it is to tell them that Nuriko doesn't want to marry them," Mikiyo held a hand up to her forehead dramatically. "She told me a thousand times before, that the only man she wanted to marry was," the lady leaned in closer to Ranma and gave a high-pitched titter, "you."
Ranma yawned, feeling bored. The woman was trying to be a matchmaker; she wanted to pair him up with her daughter.Yoriko- no, Nuriko.
Feigning a sad sigh, Ranma whispered back. "Too bad you disapproved of all her suitors for I'm sure that you should already know that I'm betrothed to lady Shampoo."
Nuriko had managed to hear a little of his comment and walked forward towards him.
Sweeping her hand down his thigh, she breathed silently. "Yes, but you could break it off anytime you want to."
Ranma caught hold of her hand instantly and swiped it off. "I do not encourage such moves under my parents' roof, Miss Nuriko. Goodnight and goodbye."
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Akane strolled to the back of the house, where she could get into the building. She was nearing the garden and could, once again, smell the wonderful scent of the roses.
Doing her best to ignore the beckoning flowers; she headed for the door, which was shrouded in the dark night and a mysterious mist. Her eyelids were getting heavier by the second and she could feel them closing
"Might as well take a short nap first," she said to nobody in particular and quickly found her favourite spot in the garden. The rocks were still there beside the roses and Akane felt as though the rocks would make a better bed than the soft mattress in her room.
Lying atop the rock, Akane fell asleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night and drag herself back to her room.
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Ranma lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, reflecting on the party. It was boring without Akane being there. Really boring with all the women chatting and fluttering their eyelashes flirtatiously at him. He could have spent his time doing more important matters.
He got out of bed and sat at the chair by the window. It was very late already- or extremely early in the morning. Ranma pushed back the curtains of the window and looked out, tiredness creeping into his eyes.
"Isn't that.?"
Out there in the cold sat Akane, sleeping soundly in the garden of roses.
"What's she doing out there at this hour?"
He lifted up the window lid and stepped out on the roof tiles. It was dreadfully cold in the open and Ranma knew that if Akane was out there any longer, she'd catch a cold.
He hopped down towards the three smooth rocks and stood by Akane.
Her face was illuminated by the moonlight, making it seem as if it were shining brightly. Her breath was steady and somehow, she seemed to ring a bell in his head. He could have sworn that he'd seen her somewhere before.
Before he'd actually known her, he was sure he'd met her. But he didn't know how or when.
He prodded her softly. "Sazara."
Getting no response, he urged her some more.
"Sazara? Sazara, get up. It's freezing out here."
Akane stirred slightly, pushing Ranma's hands away from her. "Not now, onee-chan."
"Sazara?"
"I'm tired, onee-chan." (Really, how can Akane still think for the second time that she'd back at home?)
Ranma didn't know that Akane had a sister.
"Wake up, Sazara. Or do you want me to bring you to your bed?"
"Kasumi onee-chan, since when did you become so persistent?" Akane murmured, her voice a little incoherent.
"Kasumi? You have a sister named Kasumi? You never told me that before, Sazara," Ranma paused and frowned. "Come to think of it, you never once told me about your family before."
Akane's eyes opened slightly, her vision still blurred. "Ranma? Why should I tell you about me? I'm but a maid. And you don't even know much about me. I've bad trends you don't want to learn about and."
Her voice trailed off as she fell back to sleep.
"Oh, well," Ranma lifted the slumbering lady and hopped to her room, where he put her to bed.
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Friday turned out to be quite a fine day as Akane had her day off. Nabiki and her had planned to make a trip back home to visit Kasumi and their father, whom they'd both not met for a long time.
Akane paced around her room restlessly, while Nabiki leant down casually on her sister's bed.
Akane frowned deeply. "What should I bring home?"
"What do you think they'd like?"
"I don't know," Akane stopped in her frenzied tracks. "What did you bring for them?"
"Oh, well, it's a secret," Nabiki's lips pursed into a sly smile. "And at the rate that you're going, you'll never figure it out."
"Just tell me and save the both of us precious time, will you?"
"It's simple, really. Nothing can buy it," Nabiki grinned, then added. "Except itself, of course."
And that thing happened to be the first object, which always came to Nabiki's money minded thoughts.
"You are right, Nabiki. It's money, isn't it?"
Nabiki gaped, feigned horror crowding her face. "How did you guess?"
Avoiding her sibling's question, Akane sat down exasperatedly on the floor, tugging at the edge of her hair. "What should I bring home?"
"Let's see, since I brought something I like very much home, why don't you do the same?"
"And what do I fancy?"
"It's easy. Roses- bring back one which we don't have back home in our garden."
"But we have almost all kinds of roses already."
"Then take something different. For example," Nabiki smirked, giving off a hint of a saccharine smile, "you could take home Ranma."
"Good idea, considering the fact that I do like- what did you say?"
"Nothing," she smirked still, returning her attention back to the envelope in which she had kept her savings.
"I didn't mean anything," Akane excused herself before continuing on with the subject at hand. "I guess I could get some roses. That'd be nice."
With that, she left for the garden, remembering to ask for permission before cutting the roses and settling them into a bouquet.
Nabiki, meanwhile, added something into her little diary at the side of the envelope.
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It was a great, but wonderful, surprise to Kasumi and her father when her two sisters turned up at their house. Right away, she went off bustling to prepare tea and some snacks for the welcomed visitors.
"Kasumi! How I've missed you!" Akane cried out, hugging her sister in an embrace.
Kasumi smiled happily. "Same here. How's it going?"
"Fine."
Kasumi's eyes darkened slightly. "I hope you haven't done anything you shouldn't have, Akane?"
Akane knew that Kasumi was referring to her stealing. She hadn't done that for weeks and had nothing to feel guilty about.
"No, I haven't," she exclaimed, assuring her sister by giving her the warmest smile she could give.
"That's good, then. How have you been? Care to share some of your recent adventures?"
Akane cleared her throat. "We've got tons but I'll tell you some of the more interesting ones."
"Like Akane being infatuated with a guy," Nabiki cut in.
"Really?" Kasumi clasped her hands together excitedly.
Akane maintained her composure. She knew that to convince them, she would have to act calmly. "Ignore Nabiki, onee-chan, she doesn't know what she's talking about."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't and you know it yourself."
"Now, now, girls, let's leave that argument there, shall we?" Soun interrupted, although secretly, he was proud that his daughter was fancying a lad. She'd hated everything involving a male ever since she was young. Only because, Soun thought sadly, a man had killed his wife.
"Silence," Akane waited for everybody to settle down before beginning her tale. "Excellent, now I may start. You see, otou-san, Kasumi, I go by another name there and I know that you guys refer to it as 'Sazara'. Over the weeks, I've made friends.but I've also made enemies.
"Oh," Akane clapped excitedly, "did you two know that Yuka and Sayuri are there, too? They're working with me. Okay, they used to because now I'm the sensei of the dojo. That's another story, which I'll explain later. Now, on the first few days, my life was pretty hectic because as you know, I hated them. I even got into a fight, which I'd won. At the end of the challenge, if I recall correctly, someone threw in an object which knocked my opponent out. So I guess, I kind of won because nobody announced the winner. "I've also become a sensei due to certain unknown reasons. It was rumoured that I was chosen simply because I'd won the fight but I believe that there's more that meets the eye. I have lovely students especially Natsumi, who catches on well. And I have a sensei partner whose- let's forget him. Well, Natsumi has been doing really well. And there's Makoto who has, I can say, been trained at home to naturally charm women and sweep tem off their feet.
"I also have another student, whose name is Karika. From the moment I met her till now, she's been really funny but she doesn't know it. It's her innocence which keeps us laughing. Shoki is also rather quick in learning. He has a natural talent in martial arts and he is a little better than Natsumi, who can do better than him if she tries harder. I just adore my students, they're obedient and they're really curious about martial arts, always wanting to know more. Why, I bet they'd surpass me in the skill if not for Saotome Ranma-"
Akane hesitated, looking around. Fortunately, nobody had noticed her blunder and everybody wanted her to carry on with her story.
"I've been to an opera or two. And I met a nice girl there. She loves roses as much as I do, although she has a preference for black ones and she goes by the name of Kodachi. We'd chatted for a while before we met another girl who mixed in well with us, too. She had bright red hair and was really talkative but she seemed a little.wise. I'm not exactly sure how to describe this. It was as if she had met me before and she knew me. I could tell that by the way she was studying me rather intently like she expected me to reveal my true self."
Akane spent a few hours relating her experiences in the past few weeks to her family. Nabiki had cut in a few times and had also had her share of telling the story. Before they'd left, Akane smacked her forehead, suddenly remembering what she'd wanted to do.
"Kasumi, could you help me to keep this?"
"What is this?" Kasumi took the piece of paper and gently opened it. It was a map.
"I took it."
"Akane," Kasumi scolded lightly, "I thought you said that you didn't take anything."
"I didn't," Akane huffed. "This was before. You know, when I was still a thief."
"It should be. Alright then, if it is, I'll do this as a favour for you. I'll keep it in my room so you don't have to worry, okay?"
"Thanks."
"Don't forget to come again, all right?" Kasumi whispered, tears seeping softly into her eyes.
Akane's eyes misted, too. "Yes. Goodbye."
"'Bye."
After her two beloved sisters became nothing but tiny dots in the distance, Kasumi went back to her house, not forgetting to put map in a secluded spot in her drawer.
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Shampoo paid the woman in the white dress. "Thank you for the information."
"No problem."
"So you are sure that there is no Tendou Sazara in this area?"
"I can assure you that the only Tendous here live in the Tendou Dojo."
"Good," Shampoo remarked smartly before leaving the brown-bricked house and walking to the so-called Tendou Dojo.
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Akane hummed softly as she silently turned the page of her book. She was sitting in the rocking chair, gently rocking herself while reading. The book was a novel which had captured Akane's interest that she couldn't bear to stop reading.
A knock sounded on the oak door. "Sazara?"
"Yes?"
"It's me, Yuka."
"Really? Come in, then."
The door opened and Yuka peeped in. "I would love to but can't. We're really busy in the kitchens."
"Do you need help?"
"Sort of."
"I'll be of great assistance!"
Yuka suddenly recalled the times when they were both young and Akane had tried to boil some water for her. The water had tasted salty and bitter at the same time. It was then that Yuka realised that Akane was the worst cook history could ever produce.
"N-no, I spoke too fast. We're doing great here. Don't need your help."
"Are you sure?" a frown imbedded itself across Akane's forehead.
Yuka smiled nervously. "Very sure."
"Okay," Akane said hesitantly. Her friend exited the room and Akane resumed to her reading.
Shampoo politely bowed to the mad with long hair before her. She had a plan: She would claim to be Sazara's closest friend and try to get the two people to reveal as many secrets as she could.
"I'm Miss Shampoo, a close friend of Sazara."
"Sazara? Oh, you mean Akane," Kasumi said, bowing back to Shampoo.
"Akane? Who's that?"
"Obviously she hasn't told you her name yet," Kasumi laughed lightly before asking, "What are you here for?"
"I was sent by Sazara to get something from you," Shampoo hastily improvised. She hadn't thought that they'd ask such a question and hadn't known how to reply.
"It makes us feel special to be accompanied by you. Your presence alone is honourable. Let me make you some food. Have a sit," Kasumi offered.
Shampoo stood up to stop the brown-haired lady who was really kind. "That's okay."
"No, I insist on preparing something for you," Kasumi raised her hands and entered the kitchen, whereupon a gap could be heard. "Oh no, we are out of stock. I guess I'll have to go out and get some more."
She increased her voice's volume. "Visitor, please wait a moment. I'll go out for a moment to get you some stuff. The visitors who came earlier used up the rest. Forgive me for making you wait I'll be back soon."
Kasumi took her hat and departed through the door.
Shampoo sat down and decided to wait. After all how long could it take to get some tealeaves?
Hours. By the time Kasumi came back, Shampoo had to apologise and excuse herself. She'd found nothing at all. She would have to come another day.
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That night, Ranma had a dream. It wasn't a nightmare, just a dream. It was the first time he'd met the angel at the ball. He was with Ryouga and they were talking when the crowd of girls were suffocating them.
He jumped over them and saw the angel but it was too late. In the dream, the girl jumped back to avoid crashing into them. But instead of walking away indignantly, the girl brushed her skirts and smiled at him.
Then out of nowhere, a scissors appeared and soundlessly snipped off her hair and the girl became-
Ranma woke up. The dream was so real. But it couldn't be, could it? It couldn't. The girl Ranma saw was Akane.
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Akane moved to her side, her breath a smooth flow. Deep in slumber, the girl didn't notice when Ranma came in.
Ranma had to see it all for himself. To prove that it was true and to confirm his suspicion.
The same black hair, the same chocolate brown eyes. It then struck Ranma of the haughty frown the angel had given him looked exactly like the ones Akane had sent to him. He would find out more tomorrow. He would find out more when she woke up. When she did, he would ask her what was going on.
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Not bothering to stifle her yawn, Akane stretched and rubbed her eyes. The light was glaring in through the windows as morning had arrived. That was strange, whenever Akane woke up, there hardly was any light unless the curtains had been drawn and-
Someone had entered her room.
Akane sat up sharply and looked around the room, investigating all corners of the place.
However, there was nobody except Ranma, who was sitting on her chair, staring at her.
Ranma. Ranma? What was he doing here?
"Good morning, Sazara."
"Hey, Ranma."
"I think you've got something to tell me."
"Tell you?"
"About your secret life."
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Akane froze, her mouth wide open; she was gaping at him, flabbergasted. How did he know about her being a thief?
When she didn't excuse herself, Ranma said impatiently, "You were the lady at the ball."
"L-lady?" Akane's voice wasn't coherent.
He smirked. "You know what I mean. That was the first time I met you. You had a rose in your hair. I almost landed on you and your face had an expression of pure anger."
"Oh."
"And?"
"And?"
"How are you going to explain yourself?"
Akane's mind raced. How was she going to explain herself? He had said. Might as well tell him the truth.
"I'm actually.my name is."
Or maybe not. Akane couldn't bring herself to tell the truth just yet. How would he react? Would he be mad at her? Akane couldn't bear to see his irate face when he found out the whole truth.
"Your name is.?"
"Ha ha," she laughed nervously, "I'll just start at the beginning. My name is Tendou Sazara and I'm an ordinary lady who isn't rich. I love balls- "
"That's not the point," Ranma interjected. "What I want to know is: how long have you been attending balls in which you were uninvited?"
"That was the first and the last time."
"Truthfully?"
Akane felt a little frightened. Ranma was tensed up. He seemed wrathful, as if he already did knew about her secret life.
"Truthfully."
That was why she was shocked when he walked over to her bed and sat down beside her.
"I'm glad I met you there."
Akane's back stiffened. She didn't know what to do or how to react. Should she say that she was glad she'd met him there, too?
Yes, she should do just that.
Her face softened as she smiled. "So am I."
"Relax, Tendou-sensei, you seem scared out of your wits."
"It's all your fault, then," she hit him on the arm playfully. "You made me nervous."
"I did?" he asked.
"By the way you were acting, anybody would have been frightened," she said.
Ranma chuckled. "I was just shocked. And I couldn't believe that you and my angel were the same person."
"Don't blame me for anything! I was really agitated until you just broke out smiling."
Akane leaned against Ranma, who was really warm and comfortable.
"Must I apologise for scaring you?"
She grinned and said. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't," her expression changed as she asked, "How long have you been here?"
"All night."
That caused Akane to stiffen again. He'd been here all night? Which meant that he could have touched her in anyway he wanted.
Oh dear.
"You pervert," Akane's eyes flashed dangerously as she lowered her head darkly. "What did you do when you were here?"
Ranma frowned. Why was she so scary looking and dominant all of a sudden. "Look at you."
"Did you touch me?" her voice rose. "Because I have a grudge against sick guys who get dirty in the mind whenever they meet a pretty girls."
Ranma paled and waved his arms about hurriedly. "Or course not! No, why would I touch an-" he grinned, "an uncute tomboy like you?"
Akane stuck out her tongue and looked away, her spirit a little hurt by his comment. "Hmph."
"Aw, come on, Sazara, you know I was just kidding, didn't you?" he asked her, looking her straight in the eye.
She avoided his gaze by spinning her head away. He twirled his head towards hers again. This happened till Ranma, feigning frustration, held her chin and tilted it towards him. Thus, she faced him but her eyes were cast downwards.
"Look at me, Sazara. Look at me," he ordered.
Insolently, she lifted her eyes to meet him in the eye.
"That's better, Tendou-sensei."
Akane pouted, then gave up and let her face light up with a smile. Ranma, following her cue, smiled back at her and the two grew silent. Then they burst out laughing hysterically.
Ranma was very close to her, she realised. They were both on her bed and he was looking at her with a strange flame in his sapphire blue eyes. Akane didn't know what inclined her to do so but she leaned in slightly to gaze deeper into those eyes, where the secret was hidden in.
Ranma, meanwhile, wanted to decipher the code in Akane's eyes. She held a little secret which no one knew of and he wanted to be the first to know. He slanted his head to the right and held his breath, feeling both excited and nervous at the same time.
The two stared at each other for a long time. And they would have done so had Shampoo not burst in and scream.
"Ranma darling!"
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A/N: I apologise if it's horrible. Nothing much happening except the fact that my sister is always hogging the computer by using it.
My mom went overseas to improve her studies and all. So, my aunt is shifting in to stay with my sister and me temporarily. Got lots of homework, not forgetting art (I haven't bought the black marker to draw with yet!) and must finish the book 'Princess' (coz Mon's gonna want it back).
Love television even more and can't wait for holidays which is one month away. If you feel that this is horrible, tell me. I'll do better. Terrible apologies for the delay, too.
Don't ask me why Ranma had that dream. His curiosity got the better of him and somehow, his subconscious pieced the puzzle together and helped him solve his confusion. That was how he came to connect his angel with Akane.
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Nabiki was sitting in the Lazy Lounge, strategising on how she should present her résumé to Shampoo. The amethyst-eyed lady wanted it in a few hours.
Wheels turning around and around in her head, Nabiki made her next more, and knew that she would win.
All she had to do was make sure that everything would go as she'd planned.
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"Didn't you say he stuck up for you?" Sayuri said, looking into the water. "So you guys are friends now, right?"
"Sort of, I guess."
The three girls (Sayuri, Akane and Yuka) were throwing rocks into the lake a kilometre away from the Saotome House. All three were bored and work had been completed (there was a party at the Saotome House and only a few maids were permitted to leave). To while away the time, they'd planned to meet at the lake to talk and have a late night picnic.
"This sounds like it came out from a novel," Yuka sighed, clasping her hands together and staring into the starry sky. "Once enemies, now friends, next lovers?"
Akane slapped her friend lightly on the back. "Don't talk rot. Why would I like him?"
"Because you like him."
Akane rolled her eyes, which was really unlike herself, and ignored Yuka's lame explanation.
"It's going to be our day's off tomorrow, right?" Akane yawned, feeling tired already.
Yuka and Sayuri nodded.
Then for no particular reason, Akane said aloud. "When he told me not to cry, he was just acting as a friend. He wasn't trying to indicate that he liked me more than he should."
Akane's friends turned to look at her strangely. "What are you trying to say?"
"After Shampoo- " Akane stopped and realised what she'd done and blushed a deep red. Clearing her throat, she improvised. "I didn't mean anything I said. It was rubbish."
"Really?" Sayuri probed. "I don't think so."
"It's the truth," Akane grinded out through her teeth.
"I agree with Sayuri, Akane-chan," Yuka grinned and picked up a pebble. Akane snatched the smooth rock out of her pal's hands and threw it into the water. The rock skidded on the surface a few times before sinking down to the riverbed.
Yuka chided Akane for doing so. "It's rude and you shouldn't do it."
"Friends were meant to be rude."
"Akane," Yuka crossed her arms, showing that she meant business.
Akane stood up slowly, yawning tiredly as she explained. "I'm tired."
"See you later, then."
"Bye."
"Goodnight."
Her footsteps swaggering a little, Akane walked about like a drunken lady. She was feeling exhausted and couldn't wait to settle into her soft bed back at the house.
She was approaching the house and could see the lights turned on. The partygoers were all still present, happily chatting and dancing. She would have to enter by the back door; she wouldn't want to appear before the nobility and have them scorn at her.
Akane had accepted the rich, but sadly, she thought, they hadn't accepted the poor.
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Ranma sipped some orangeade from his cup, waiting for the lady before him to finish her introduction.
"I'm Lady Mikiyo. These are my daughters: Yuriko and Nuriko. Nuriko has, more than twice, been considered the belle of the ball. Look at her pretty golden hair," Mikiyo twirled her daughter's loose lock of hair which was hanging just below her chin. "Oh, more than fifty men have asked for her hand in marriage.
"You just don't know how hard it is to tell them that Nuriko doesn't want to marry them," Mikiyo held a hand up to her forehead dramatically. "She told me a thousand times before, that the only man she wanted to marry was," the lady leaned in closer to Ranma and gave a high-pitched titter, "you."
Ranma yawned, feeling bored. The woman was trying to be a matchmaker; she wanted to pair him up with her daughter.Yoriko- no, Nuriko.
Feigning a sad sigh, Ranma whispered back. "Too bad you disapproved of all her suitors for I'm sure that you should already know that I'm betrothed to lady Shampoo."
Nuriko had managed to hear a little of his comment and walked forward towards him.
Sweeping her hand down his thigh, she breathed silently. "Yes, but you could break it off anytime you want to."
Ranma caught hold of her hand instantly and swiped it off. "I do not encourage such moves under my parents' roof, Miss Nuriko. Goodnight and goodbye."
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Akane strolled to the back of the house, where she could get into the building. She was nearing the garden and could, once again, smell the wonderful scent of the roses.
Doing her best to ignore the beckoning flowers; she headed for the door, which was shrouded in the dark night and a mysterious mist. Her eyelids were getting heavier by the second and she could feel them closing
"Might as well take a short nap first," she said to nobody in particular and quickly found her favourite spot in the garden. The rocks were still there beside the roses and Akane felt as though the rocks would make a better bed than the soft mattress in her room.
Lying atop the rock, Akane fell asleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night and drag herself back to her room.
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Ranma lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, reflecting on the party. It was boring without Akane being there. Really boring with all the women chatting and fluttering their eyelashes flirtatiously at him. He could have spent his time doing more important matters.
He got out of bed and sat at the chair by the window. It was very late already- or extremely early in the morning. Ranma pushed back the curtains of the window and looked out, tiredness creeping into his eyes.
"Isn't that.?"
Out there in the cold sat Akane, sleeping soundly in the garden of roses.
"What's she doing out there at this hour?"
He lifted up the window lid and stepped out on the roof tiles. It was dreadfully cold in the open and Ranma knew that if Akane was out there any longer, she'd catch a cold.
He hopped down towards the three smooth rocks and stood by Akane.
Her face was illuminated by the moonlight, making it seem as if it were shining brightly. Her breath was steady and somehow, she seemed to ring a bell in his head. He could have sworn that he'd seen her somewhere before.
Before he'd actually known her, he was sure he'd met her. But he didn't know how or when.
He prodded her softly. "Sazara."
Getting no response, he urged her some more.
"Sazara? Sazara, get up. It's freezing out here."
Akane stirred slightly, pushing Ranma's hands away from her. "Not now, onee-chan."
"Sazara?"
"I'm tired, onee-chan." (Really, how can Akane still think for the second time that she'd back at home?)
Ranma didn't know that Akane had a sister.
"Wake up, Sazara. Or do you want me to bring you to your bed?"
"Kasumi onee-chan, since when did you become so persistent?" Akane murmured, her voice a little incoherent.
"Kasumi? You have a sister named Kasumi? You never told me that before, Sazara," Ranma paused and frowned. "Come to think of it, you never once told me about your family before."
Akane's eyes opened slightly, her vision still blurred. "Ranma? Why should I tell you about me? I'm but a maid. And you don't even know much about me. I've bad trends you don't want to learn about and."
Her voice trailed off as she fell back to sleep.
"Oh, well," Ranma lifted the slumbering lady and hopped to her room, where he put her to bed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Friday turned out to be quite a fine day as Akane had her day off. Nabiki and her had planned to make a trip back home to visit Kasumi and their father, whom they'd both not met for a long time.
Akane paced around her room restlessly, while Nabiki leant down casually on her sister's bed.
Akane frowned deeply. "What should I bring home?"
"What do you think they'd like?"
"I don't know," Akane stopped in her frenzied tracks. "What did you bring for them?"
"Oh, well, it's a secret," Nabiki's lips pursed into a sly smile. "And at the rate that you're going, you'll never figure it out."
"Just tell me and save the both of us precious time, will you?"
"It's simple, really. Nothing can buy it," Nabiki grinned, then added. "Except itself, of course."
And that thing happened to be the first object, which always came to Nabiki's money minded thoughts.
"You are right, Nabiki. It's money, isn't it?"
Nabiki gaped, feigned horror crowding her face. "How did you guess?"
Avoiding her sibling's question, Akane sat down exasperatedly on the floor, tugging at the edge of her hair. "What should I bring home?"
"Let's see, since I brought something I like very much home, why don't you do the same?"
"And what do I fancy?"
"It's easy. Roses- bring back one which we don't have back home in our garden."
"But we have almost all kinds of roses already."
"Then take something different. For example," Nabiki smirked, giving off a hint of a saccharine smile, "you could take home Ranma."
"Good idea, considering the fact that I do like- what did you say?"
"Nothing," she smirked still, returning her attention back to the envelope in which she had kept her savings.
"I didn't mean anything," Akane excused herself before continuing on with the subject at hand. "I guess I could get some roses. That'd be nice."
With that, she left for the garden, remembering to ask for permission before cutting the roses and settling them into a bouquet.
Nabiki, meanwhile, added something into her little diary at the side of the envelope.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was a great, but wonderful, surprise to Kasumi and her father when her two sisters turned up at their house. Right away, she went off bustling to prepare tea and some snacks for the welcomed visitors.
"Kasumi! How I've missed you!" Akane cried out, hugging her sister in an embrace.
Kasumi smiled happily. "Same here. How's it going?"
"Fine."
Kasumi's eyes darkened slightly. "I hope you haven't done anything you shouldn't have, Akane?"
Akane knew that Kasumi was referring to her stealing. She hadn't done that for weeks and had nothing to feel guilty about.
"No, I haven't," she exclaimed, assuring her sister by giving her the warmest smile she could give.
"That's good, then. How have you been? Care to share some of your recent adventures?"
Akane cleared her throat. "We've got tons but I'll tell you some of the more interesting ones."
"Like Akane being infatuated with a guy," Nabiki cut in.
"Really?" Kasumi clasped her hands together excitedly.
Akane maintained her composure. She knew that to convince them, she would have to act calmly. "Ignore Nabiki, onee-chan, she doesn't know what she's talking about."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't and you know it yourself."
"Now, now, girls, let's leave that argument there, shall we?" Soun interrupted, although secretly, he was proud that his daughter was fancying a lad. She'd hated everything involving a male ever since she was young. Only because, Soun thought sadly, a man had killed his wife.
"Silence," Akane waited for everybody to settle down before beginning her tale. "Excellent, now I may start. You see, otou-san, Kasumi, I go by another name there and I know that you guys refer to it as 'Sazara'. Over the weeks, I've made friends.but I've also made enemies.
"Oh," Akane clapped excitedly, "did you two know that Yuka and Sayuri are there, too? They're working with me. Okay, they used to because now I'm the sensei of the dojo. That's another story, which I'll explain later. Now, on the first few days, my life was pretty hectic because as you know, I hated them. I even got into a fight, which I'd won. At the end of the challenge, if I recall correctly, someone threw in an object which knocked my opponent out. So I guess, I kind of won because nobody announced the winner. "I've also become a sensei due to certain unknown reasons. It was rumoured that I was chosen simply because I'd won the fight but I believe that there's more that meets the eye. I have lovely students especially Natsumi, who catches on well. And I have a sensei partner whose- let's forget him. Well, Natsumi has been doing really well. And there's Makoto who has, I can say, been trained at home to naturally charm women and sweep tem off their feet.
"I also have another student, whose name is Karika. From the moment I met her till now, she's been really funny but she doesn't know it. It's her innocence which keeps us laughing. Shoki is also rather quick in learning. He has a natural talent in martial arts and he is a little better than Natsumi, who can do better than him if she tries harder. I just adore my students, they're obedient and they're really curious about martial arts, always wanting to know more. Why, I bet they'd surpass me in the skill if not for Saotome Ranma-"
Akane hesitated, looking around. Fortunately, nobody had noticed her blunder and everybody wanted her to carry on with her story.
"I've been to an opera or two. And I met a nice girl there. She loves roses as much as I do, although she has a preference for black ones and she goes by the name of Kodachi. We'd chatted for a while before we met another girl who mixed in well with us, too. She had bright red hair and was really talkative but she seemed a little.wise. I'm not exactly sure how to describe this. It was as if she had met me before and she knew me. I could tell that by the way she was studying me rather intently like she expected me to reveal my true self."
Akane spent a few hours relating her experiences in the past few weeks to her family. Nabiki had cut in a few times and had also had her share of telling the story. Before they'd left, Akane smacked her forehead, suddenly remembering what she'd wanted to do.
"Kasumi, could you help me to keep this?"
"What is this?" Kasumi took the piece of paper and gently opened it. It was a map.
"I took it."
"Akane," Kasumi scolded lightly, "I thought you said that you didn't take anything."
"I didn't," Akane huffed. "This was before. You know, when I was still a thief."
"It should be. Alright then, if it is, I'll do this as a favour for you. I'll keep it in my room so you don't have to worry, okay?"
"Thanks."
"Don't forget to come again, all right?" Kasumi whispered, tears seeping softly into her eyes.
Akane's eyes misted, too. "Yes. Goodbye."
"'Bye."
After her two beloved sisters became nothing but tiny dots in the distance, Kasumi went back to her house, not forgetting to put map in a secluded spot in her drawer.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shampoo paid the woman in the white dress. "Thank you for the information."
"No problem."
"So you are sure that there is no Tendou Sazara in this area?"
"I can assure you that the only Tendous here live in the Tendou Dojo."
"Good," Shampoo remarked smartly before leaving the brown-bricked house and walking to the so-called Tendou Dojo.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane hummed softly as she silently turned the page of her book. She was sitting in the rocking chair, gently rocking herself while reading. The book was a novel which had captured Akane's interest that she couldn't bear to stop reading.
A knock sounded on the oak door. "Sazara?"
"Yes?"
"It's me, Yuka."
"Really? Come in, then."
The door opened and Yuka peeped in. "I would love to but can't. We're really busy in the kitchens."
"Do you need help?"
"Sort of."
"I'll be of great assistance!"
Yuka suddenly recalled the times when they were both young and Akane had tried to boil some water for her. The water had tasted salty and bitter at the same time. It was then that Yuka realised that Akane was the worst cook history could ever produce.
"N-no, I spoke too fast. We're doing great here. Don't need your help."
"Are you sure?" a frown imbedded itself across Akane's forehead.
Yuka smiled nervously. "Very sure."
"Okay," Akane said hesitantly. Her friend exited the room and Akane resumed to her reading.
Shampoo politely bowed to the mad with long hair before her. She had a plan: She would claim to be Sazara's closest friend and try to get the two people to reveal as many secrets as she could.
"I'm Miss Shampoo, a close friend of Sazara."
"Sazara? Oh, you mean Akane," Kasumi said, bowing back to Shampoo.
"Akane? Who's that?"
"Obviously she hasn't told you her name yet," Kasumi laughed lightly before asking, "What are you here for?"
"I was sent by Sazara to get something from you," Shampoo hastily improvised. She hadn't thought that they'd ask such a question and hadn't known how to reply.
"It makes us feel special to be accompanied by you. Your presence alone is honourable. Let me make you some food. Have a sit," Kasumi offered.
Shampoo stood up to stop the brown-haired lady who was really kind. "That's okay."
"No, I insist on preparing something for you," Kasumi raised her hands and entered the kitchen, whereupon a gap could be heard. "Oh no, we are out of stock. I guess I'll have to go out and get some more."
She increased her voice's volume. "Visitor, please wait a moment. I'll go out for a moment to get you some stuff. The visitors who came earlier used up the rest. Forgive me for making you wait I'll be back soon."
Kasumi took her hat and departed through the door.
Shampoo sat down and decided to wait. After all how long could it take to get some tealeaves?
Hours. By the time Kasumi came back, Shampoo had to apologise and excuse herself. She'd found nothing at all. She would have to come another day.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That night, Ranma had a dream. It wasn't a nightmare, just a dream. It was the first time he'd met the angel at the ball. He was with Ryouga and they were talking when the crowd of girls were suffocating them.
He jumped over them and saw the angel but it was too late. In the dream, the girl jumped back to avoid crashing into them. But instead of walking away indignantly, the girl brushed her skirts and smiled at him.
Then out of nowhere, a scissors appeared and soundlessly snipped off her hair and the girl became-
Ranma woke up. The dream was so real. But it couldn't be, could it? It couldn't. The girl Ranma saw was Akane.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane moved to her side, her breath a smooth flow. Deep in slumber, the girl didn't notice when Ranma came in.
Ranma had to see it all for himself. To prove that it was true and to confirm his suspicion.
The same black hair, the same chocolate brown eyes. It then struck Ranma of the haughty frown the angel had given him looked exactly like the ones Akane had sent to him. He would find out more tomorrow. He would find out more when she woke up. When she did, he would ask her what was going on.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Not bothering to stifle her yawn, Akane stretched and rubbed her eyes. The light was glaring in through the windows as morning had arrived. That was strange, whenever Akane woke up, there hardly was any light unless the curtains had been drawn and-
Someone had entered her room.
Akane sat up sharply and looked around the room, investigating all corners of the place.
However, there was nobody except Ranma, who was sitting on her chair, staring at her.
Ranma. Ranma? What was he doing here?
"Good morning, Sazara."
"Hey, Ranma."
"I think you've got something to tell me."
"Tell you?"
"About your secret life."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane froze, her mouth wide open; she was gaping at him, flabbergasted. How did he know about her being a thief?
When she didn't excuse herself, Ranma said impatiently, "You were the lady at the ball."
"L-lady?" Akane's voice wasn't coherent.
He smirked. "You know what I mean. That was the first time I met you. You had a rose in your hair. I almost landed on you and your face had an expression of pure anger."
"Oh."
"And?"
"And?"
"How are you going to explain yourself?"
Akane's mind raced. How was she going to explain herself? He had said. Might as well tell him the truth.
"I'm actually.my name is."
Or maybe not. Akane couldn't bring herself to tell the truth just yet. How would he react? Would he be mad at her? Akane couldn't bear to see his irate face when he found out the whole truth.
"Your name is.?"
"Ha ha," she laughed nervously, "I'll just start at the beginning. My name is Tendou Sazara and I'm an ordinary lady who isn't rich. I love balls- "
"That's not the point," Ranma interjected. "What I want to know is: how long have you been attending balls in which you were uninvited?"
"That was the first and the last time."
"Truthfully?"
Akane felt a little frightened. Ranma was tensed up. He seemed wrathful, as if he already did knew about her secret life.
"Truthfully."
That was why she was shocked when he walked over to her bed and sat down beside her.
"I'm glad I met you there."
Akane's back stiffened. She didn't know what to do or how to react. Should she say that she was glad she'd met him there, too?
Yes, she should do just that.
Her face softened as she smiled. "So am I."
"Relax, Tendou-sensei, you seem scared out of your wits."
"It's all your fault, then," she hit him on the arm playfully. "You made me nervous."
"I did?" he asked.
"By the way you were acting, anybody would have been frightened," she said.
Ranma chuckled. "I was just shocked. And I couldn't believe that you and my angel were the same person."
"Don't blame me for anything! I was really agitated until you just broke out smiling."
Akane leaned against Ranma, who was really warm and comfortable.
"Must I apologise for scaring you?"
She grinned and said. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't," her expression changed as she asked, "How long have you been here?"
"All night."
That caused Akane to stiffen again. He'd been here all night? Which meant that he could have touched her in anyway he wanted.
Oh dear.
"You pervert," Akane's eyes flashed dangerously as she lowered her head darkly. "What did you do when you were here?"
Ranma frowned. Why was she so scary looking and dominant all of a sudden. "Look at you."
"Did you touch me?" her voice rose. "Because I have a grudge against sick guys who get dirty in the mind whenever they meet a pretty girls."
Ranma paled and waved his arms about hurriedly. "Or course not! No, why would I touch an-" he grinned, "an uncute tomboy like you?"
Akane stuck out her tongue and looked away, her spirit a little hurt by his comment. "Hmph."
"Aw, come on, Sazara, you know I was just kidding, didn't you?" he asked her, looking her straight in the eye.
She avoided his gaze by spinning her head away. He twirled his head towards hers again. This happened till Ranma, feigning frustration, held her chin and tilted it towards him. Thus, she faced him but her eyes were cast downwards.
"Look at me, Sazara. Look at me," he ordered.
Insolently, she lifted her eyes to meet him in the eye.
"That's better, Tendou-sensei."
Akane pouted, then gave up and let her face light up with a smile. Ranma, following her cue, smiled back at her and the two grew silent. Then they burst out laughing hysterically.
Ranma was very close to her, she realised. They were both on her bed and he was looking at her with a strange flame in his sapphire blue eyes. Akane didn't know what inclined her to do so but she leaned in slightly to gaze deeper into those eyes, where the secret was hidden in.
Ranma, meanwhile, wanted to decipher the code in Akane's eyes. She held a little secret which no one knew of and he wanted to be the first to know. He slanted his head to the right and held his breath, feeling both excited and nervous at the same time.
The two stared at each other for a long time. And they would have done so had Shampoo not burst in and scream.
"Ranma darling!"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N: I apologise if it's horrible. Nothing much happening except the fact that my sister is always hogging the computer by using it.
My mom went overseas to improve her studies and all. So, my aunt is shifting in to stay with my sister and me temporarily. Got lots of homework, not forgetting art (I haven't bought the black marker to draw with yet!) and must finish the book 'Princess' (coz Mon's gonna want it back).
Love television even more and can't wait for holidays which is one month away. If you feel that this is horrible, tell me. I'll do better. Terrible apologies for the delay, too.
Don't ask me why Ranma had that dream. His curiosity got the better of him and somehow, his subconscious pieced the puzzle together and helped him solve his confusion. That was how he came to connect his angel with Akane.