Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine at all.

This is set right after the manga. I've, ah, edited it some. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

"Would you open the door? Akane!" Ranma yelled at the little yellow duck on her door. The duck didn't respond. He thought, briefly, about kicking the door down and yelling at her. She didn't have to take everything so blasted hard. . . It was all her own fault for not guessing about Ryouga in the first place. . . She could have listened to him when he told her not to sleep with the blasted pig but she never listened. . .

"Ranma, what are you doing?" Nabiki asked behind him. He jumped, startled. Nabiki was staring at him, a cookie forgotten in her hand, halfway to her mouth. "You were getting all red and glowy," she informed him, her tone only mildly surprised. "Did you two have a lover's quarrell?"

Ranma felt a warm flush spread up his neck all the way to the roots of his hair. Nabiki smiled in satisfaction and took a bite of her cookie.

"About freaking time," she smiled, and walked away. He watched her go, wishing the world would stop smirking and laughing and assuming. . . He took one last disgusted look at Akane's door and began to walk away, his bare feet padding against the bare floor.

"Son, I feel I need to talk to you," Soun Tendo said, coming up the stairs. He glanced nervously at Akane's shut door and gestured back the way he came. "Let's go downstairs and have a chat."

"Fine by me," Ranma grumbled, following Soun down the wooden stairs. Mr. Tendo led him out to the dojo, and sat down on the floor. Ranma took a seat across from him, wondering just what he'd done this time. It couldn't be about the wedding, his dad and Tendo-kun always ganged up on him for those "talks." Soun cleared his throat.

"I looked in my daughter's room last night to check on her, and I saw her mallet in the middle of the floor," he said evenly. Ranma began to sweat. "Were you in Akane's room? It's your duty as a man, as the heir to the Tendo Anything Goes Training Hall, to take care of her. You are taking care of my baby girl, are you not?" he asked, his eyes boring into Ranma's skull. Ranma gulped.

"Don't you ever get sick of planning my wedding?" he asked tiredly, staring at the floor. Tendo leaned forward, grabbing Ranma's shirt.

"You were in her room! You were! And she didn't throw you out the window, which means," Tendo sat back, his eyes wide and watery, "you two are finally. . ."

"We are NOT!" Ranma yelled at him, leaping to his feet. A splinter caught at his heel, and he ignored it. "Would you just leave me outta your sick fantasies!" Ranma felt something small hit his head at high velocity. He turned to face the attacker, dropping into a fighting stance. He stood up again, purely out of shock, when he saw it was Akane.

"Akane, what did you. . ." he looked down and saw the projectile was a tiny, stuffed black pig. He recognized it, Kasumi had given it to her for her birthday because it looked like P-chan. Something hard and small hit his temple, and he saw stars.

"Playboy!" Akane cried, drawing back that fist and using the other to knock the wind from his stomach. "Hentai!" she cried, kicking him in the chest so hard he flew into the wall. He crumpled to the ground, caughing and sputtering. It didn't hurt, so much, but it was a shock.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," he muttered, glaring at her.

"Ranma you . . . lier," she said quietly, and ran out of the dojo, into the orange afternoon. Soun rounded on Ranma, who had began to sit up but who fell back down in the face of Soun's rage.

"Ranma, what have you done to my little girl?" he screamed, spit flying out of his mouth. Ranma cringed away from him, his hands up in the usual Takahashi pose.

"I didn't do nothin' I swear!" he screamed back. He looked past Soun to the little black piglet. Akane was much, much angrier than usual. She hadn't spoken to him or anyone else, until she threw the pig at him, since she'd found out Ryouga was P-chan. Her silence had been pretty impressive, considering no one could stop asking her questions all the rest of the day.

Shock. The girl was just coming out of shock.

He surged to his feet and pushed past Mr. Tendo, who was still screaming at him as he ran out of the dojo. He had to make sure she didn't get into any trouble. She was so clumsy and stupid, she would probably fall off a cliff and die if he wasn't around. He had to. . .

"Akane!" he yelled, looking for her as he ran along his blue fencerail. The sidewalk was empty, there were no blue-haired girls in sight. He had to find her before Kuno, or Kodachi, or Shampoo, or . . . or anyone who would take advantage of her current mental state. He ran faster. "Akane!"

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Akane fell to her knees, her hands hitting the pavement with jarring force. The little granular shapes in the concrete bit into her skin painfully. Drops of hot water fell to her hands, one by one, and she realized she was crying. Again. Damnit, she used to be the strong one.

"Idiots," she hissed, curling her fingers as if she wanted to rip the sidewalk apart. Images filled her mind, of P-chan curling up in her lap and cuddling against her chest, P-chan attacking Ranma and. . . and she had stood up for the little creep.

Ryouga, good-hearted, kind Ryouga, how could he have lied to her for so long? How could he have looked her in the face after. . . after taking advantage of her like that? And all those times he'd fought with Ranma because Ranma had hurt her, Ryouga had been doing something far, far more wrong. She thought she was going to be sick. What else had Ranma lied about? How many of his fiances had he spouted love to? The tears fell faster.

"Akane?" a hoarse voice asked above her. She didn't move. Someone kicked her gently in the side. "Is that you?"

She uncurled herself to see a very pale Ukyou. She remembered what Ukyou had walked in on, and her face flushed.

"Ukyou, I'm so sorry," she whispered. Of all the girls chasing Ranma, Ukyou was the only one she liked. And to see her all pale like that because Ranma. . . that ASS, that complete ASSHOLE, kissing her when she was too stunned to move and letting Ukyou see it. . .

"I just bet you are," Ukyou whispered. She was staring at Akane in extreme confusion. "Why were you on the ground?" she asked. Akane stood, slowly, and wiped her face. She couldn't just break down in the street, what had she been thinking?

"Ranma. . . never told me about P-chan," she said slowly. Ukyou looked at her in disgust.

"So you're curled up on the sidewalk like a lunatic because he kept one lousy secret? You have no right to be so damn upset," Ukyou snapped, her hands clenching and unclenching.

"But Ryouga was my friend, I trusted him and he. . . he. . ." she looked away. "Betrayed my faith in him," she finished. Ukyou shook her head.

"You want everything, don't you? Look, I'm sure Ryouga is a hell of a lot worse off than you are right now. I saw him leaving, and he looked like the world had just ended. So don't you get all morally offended," Ukyou admonished, a little bit of color coming into her cheeks. Akane stared at her for a moment, then nodded.

"I'm sorry you saw. . ." Akane stared at the cook hopelessly, unable to think of anything to say. Ukyou looked away, blinking furiously. Her hair had come loose in her ponytail, and stray strands hung around her face.

"Hey, in the end it is Ranchan's choice, isn't it? I mean, I could fight you for him or start wearing skirts again or. . . but he never really even thought of me as his fiance. I was always his friend," Ukyou looked back up at Akane, her stance defiant and her eyes blazing. "So now, I'm going to be Ranchan's friend. I'm going to let him be happy. Just. . . just keep him away from my shop, ok? I don't want to see him for a while," Ukyou told her, and walked away. Her long hair bounced with each step.

"Oh, Ukyou," Akane said miserably. She knew the other girl had left Ranma in her hands. She couldn't let Ukyou ever see him sad or angry with her, because then Ukyou would know that even if they did love each other...if if if. . . they couldn't ever be really happy, could they?

In the end, all Ukyou attempts to free her from pressure had made her feel more trapped. She'd never said she wanted Ranma. She did want him, but what gave them the right to assume?

"Hey, Akane! There you are!" she heard a familiar voice yell. She turned to see Ranma running towards her along a fence rail. He looked worried.

"I've been looking for you! What were you thinking, running off like that? Something could have happened to you, you clutzo!" he yelled, jumping down to land in front of her. She just stared at him. He was worried about her. She was going, for Ukyou's sake, to forget he had just insulted her. This time.

"You know, I can take care of myself. I've only been studying Martial Arts all my life," she said mildly. "And, as I recall, I've saved your sorry skin a few times."

"And when was that?" Ranma yelled, the space between his eyes furrowing. She just smiled at him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. His eyes widened, and he fell flat on his butt. She didn't even have to push him. 'Triumph', Akane thought, grinning down at him.

"Well, if you get all off balance because of a little thing like that, how on earth do you think you can protect me?" she smiled. He just stared at her in shock. She simply started walking away. She knew he would follow her. And when he did. . . he had better be nice. Her hands were itching to hit something.

"Akane, that didn't count!" he yelled, and she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She closed her eyes and kept walking.

"Ranma!" someone yelled in front of her, and she opened her eyes in surprise. Shampoo was leaning off her bike just a few feet in front of her. She would have run right into the purple-haired Amazon. Anger started boiling up in her again. So Ranma was just going to stay quiet and let her run into Shampoo? Very, very funny.

"Ranma, you want help Shampoo with delivery?" she asked, batting her eyes. Akane thought she was going to be sick. A heavy hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"Nah, I have to walk Akane home," he answered, with a nervous laugh. Akane's left eye twitched. Did he truly think her so helpless?

"Oh, no, Ranma, I can take care of myself," she said, smiling and taking his hand with both of her own. "Why don't you find a friend of yours for Shampoo to SLEEP NEXT TO!" she screamed the last part as she threw him over her shoulder and punted him into the blue sky. Her chest heaved as she watched him become a speck in the distance. "Baka."

"What pervert girl talking about?" Shampoo asked her, putting one hand on her hip. Akane ignored her, walking right past the amazon. She was going home. She was going to do her homework, and eat her dinner, and burn all her pictures of P-chan. If either Ranma or Ryouga had any survival instincts at all, they would avoid her.

She stomped all the way home, taking out some of her frustration and anger on the pavement under her feet. She left a little series of cracks in the sidewalk as she went, little indentations where her feet had landed. When she walked in the door, Kasumi came out to greet her.

"Hello there. Where have you been?" she asked calmly, her usual angelic smile spread across her face. Akane sighed and took off her shoes by the door.

"Oh, just out for a walk. I'm going to go do some homework now," she said, hoping that would get Kasumi to go back to the kitchen. Her sister laid a hand on her arm as she walked past.

"I think you should go see Father first. He's in the dojo with Mr. Saotome," kasumi smiled. Akane shook her head.

"The last thing I want is to listen to those two."

"Akane-chan," Kasumi said more sternly. Akane looked at her sister helplessly, at the unruffled smile, and thought she was going to scream. Instead she took a deep, steadying breath. She walked past her sister and went out to the dojo in her stocking feet. She hadn't taken off her school uniform yet, and the cuffs on her puffy sleeves were beginning to get to her.

"It is absolutely unacceptable. Do you think the boy will do the right thing?"she heard her father ask. The door to the dojo was closed. She paused outside, wondering what they could be talking about. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but . . . they were talking about Ranma, weren't they?

"I don't know, Tendo. The boy can be extremely stubborn. Are you sure about him and Akane?" Mr. Saotome asked. Akane's stomach clenched, and her fingertips turned to ice. They couldn't be talking about. . .

"When I went to check in on her last night, her mallet was lying in the middle of her floor, which means someone was in there. She didn't scream or throw anyone out of her window so. . . whoever it was, she welcomed into her room. It couldn't have been anyone but Ranma, could it? My little girl wouldn't. . ." her father's voice got more and more high- pitched. Akane clenched her fists. If that was what they really thought of her, they could just shove it up their. . .

"I'm sure she wouldn't, Tendo-kun, you know your daughter better than that. I suppose it's all up to the boy, now," Mr. Saotome said sagely. Akane felt something warm hit her leg, and realized she'd drawn blood with her fingernails. Her palms each had four little crescent shaped cuts.

Everything was up to Ranma? She didn't have any say in the matter at all? She felt as if she'd been dropped into feudal Japan, all her rights given to the menfolk who "took care of her." Rage boiled under her skin. She'd show all those pompous jerks. No one got to make her decisions for her. No one! Not her father, not Ranma's father, and certainly not that bloody idiot who kept insisting she couldn't do anything on her own! She made her own choices, and always had!

What gave them the right to decide things, anyway? Her father hadn't ever been the responsible head of the household, Kasumi had filled that position since she was eight. An eight-year-old little girl was a better parent than him! And Ranma's father had never done anything but cheat and steal and trade his son off for things. . . the two of them, honestly, what gave them the idea. . .

She made her own choices. She had been ever since she was very, very small. SHE chose to study the art, no one forced her. SHE chose to make good grades in school, there were no rewards for her if she did. SHE chose how to deal with the boys that had been following her around. And if Ranma's actions were any indication of his ability to decide which girl he wanted, it would be HER decision as to whether or not they went any further.

Ranma had said something about getting away from all the others last night. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a good point. He'd suggested they go on a training mission together to get away from all their other suitors. She'd rejected the idea because of what everyone would think but. . . if they all thought she and Ranma had eloped, they'd all leave them alone.

And if she made it perfectly clear just who had made that decision, maybe that would show her father a thing or two, as well.

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"Where did the little freak go?" Ranko growled, looking around her. Her day kept getting worse. First, Ukyou had discovered Ryouga's little secret and broadcast it all over the school. Then she'd started acting all weird after she interupted Ranma and Akane—as if she had any reason to act weird! They were the ones who kept getting interupted! And Akane was mad, so mad she wouldn't talk to her. To top it all off, when Akane had punted him, he'd landed in some lady's pool—and become a her.

And now, the little freak had ticked her off and wasn't around to take his punishment. He'd found her trudging home, groped her, and run off too fast to follow. She cracked her knuckles, snarling at the world around her. She'd ended up right outside the Tendo Dojo, but she refused to go inside until she'd found the little freak. She really, really needed to pound something. Where were all her romantic rivals when she had a use for them?

"Ranma?" Akane's voice asked behind her. Ranko froze. She turned slowly and saw Akane standing in the open gateway of the training hall. Akane was still wearing her school uniform, and she was standing outside in her stocking feet. Ranko looked her up and down, beginning to get seriously worried.

"Come inside," Akane said softly, widening the creaky red door. Ranko looked at her in astonishment. Akane was mad at her, wasn't she? Why was she acting so nice? What could she be plotting?

She looked closely at her fiance, and noted the gleam in her eye. Akane was up to something. More pain, no doubt. That could definitely wait until later.

"I ain't going inside until I find the little pervert," Ranko announced, tossing her head. Ranko leaned against the wall, trying to think of where the little pervert could have gone. She'd only lost him twice before, usually she was more than a match for his speed. Unless he'd found a way to go faster, he was hiding out somewhere. Maybe he'd ducked into some bushes, or snuck into a house, or. . .

"Ranma, I need to talk to you," Akane snapped, all the softness in her voice replaced with an iron edge. Ranko nodded, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the swing of the mallet. There were some bushes by the preschool, maybe the little creep had ducked in there. If she went back after Akane punted her, maybe she could. . .

"Ranma, I said I needed to talk to you!" Akane cried, punching her in the stomach. Ranko squeaked in alarm. That was just breaking the rules! Akane was supposed to just punt her and let her be on her merry way!

"What was that for?" she asked acidly. Akane glowered at her.

"For ignoring me, you jerk. Would you listen?" Akane hissed, looking around them. The street was empty. The sun was setting, and night was crawling out from under the bushes and the eaves of buildings.

"You suggested last night we go on a training mission together," she said at last, taking a deep breath. Ranko blinked. "We're going. Tonight. And you're cooking," she added, seeing the doubtful look on Ranko's face. To Akane's great frustration, those words spread releif across Ranma's features like butter on a rice ball . . . Funny, Ranma never wanted to eat her buttered rice balls. . .

"Sounds like a plan!" Ranko smiled, releived she wasn't expected to eat Alane's cooking. "But, aren't you still worried everyone will think we've eloped?" she watched the other girl's face closely, looking for the reason she'd changed her mind. Akane gave her a smug little smile. She took Ranko's hand and drew the little redhead back through the gate with her, then leaned in really close to Ranko's ear

"You know, if they think that, maybe everyone will just leave us alone," she whispered, brushing her lips against Ranko's neck before turning to leave. Ranko watched her for a moment, blue eyes wide in surprise.

"No protests, no 'hey, I'm a girl right now,' nothing. He just let me do it. And they think it's all up to HIM?" Akane muttered as she walked back through the front door.

The next morning Kasumi found a piece of paper on Akane's pillow instead of her head. The note read;

Dear Father,

I overheard you and Mr. Saotome discussing me last night, and I want you to know you were completely wrong. A marriage between Ranma and myself is not "up to the boy," it's really up to me. You can bully him or promise him a cure, but that kind of thing won't work on me. It was my decision to make, and I've made it.

Ranma and I have gone to elope. We're sick of your scheming. We'll be back eventually, we aren't sure when. Until then, try to keep Happosai out of trouble, okay?

Love,

Akane