Chapter Five: Ranma's Plan B

The next morning Ranma and Akane set off for school, Ranma just a few feet ahead of her. As they reached the entrance gates he turned to her.

"I got to go Akane" he replied, "I want to go say good morning to Ukyo," he emphasized.

"Ukyo?" Akane said surprised, "Ranma?"

"See ya later!" he grinned taking off.

"What's with him?" Akane wondered as she followed him slowly into the school.

Ukyo was at her desk preparing for the day when Ranma arrived. He leaned against the frame of the doorway casually and stared at her with a determined look in his eye. "This is it" he thought, "Time to turn on the charm. Oh Ukyo!" he called.

"Ranma honey" Ukyo said with a smile as he sauntered into the room, "Good morning."

"Good morning" he replied as he moved closer, "You're looking lovely today."

"Huh?" she stared at him and then laughed as Akane came to the door, "Ranma honey, you all right?"

"Of course I'm all right" he nodded as he saw Akane out of the corner of his eye, "In fact. I'm perfect now that you're here."

"What?"

"Ukyo. I've thought about you all night long and now there's only one thing I want to hear you say. I want to hear you say it" he took her hands in his own.

"Say what Ranma?"

"Say that you love me of course" he replied as Akane sat down.

"What? Love?"

"Come on Ukyo. You know you do. Just tell me."

"But Ranma I" she stuttered moving away from him, "Why are you. Oh" she replied turning red and grabbing the spatula from her back, "How dare you ask me such a thing!" she shouted smacking him on the side of his cheek, sending him flying into the wall with a scream, "Oh oh. Dear" she said as she realized embarrassed what she had done.

"Ranma!" Akane exclaimed running over and kneeling down to look at him, "Are you okay?"

"Yea" he replied in a daze, "I'm okay."

"Ukyo how could you do something like that?" Akane asked her.

"I panicked. Didn't you hear him Akane?" Ukyo said, "What he asked me?"

"There's nothing wrong with what he asked you" Akane replied as the rest of their classmates filed in, "In fact it was really nice of him."

"Huh?" Ranma came back to unconsciousness and stared at her stunned.

"Akane what are you saying?" Ukyo said with a hand to her hip, "You don't mind him saying that?"

"Of course not" Akane chuckled as the other students watched the scene just as confused as Ukyo, "Need some help Ranma?" she asked him as he stared at her in awe.

"Uh yea" he nodded slowly as she helped him to his feet.

"There you go" she smiled and then walked over to her desk where her friends were waiting to talk to her.

"Thanks" he said half-heartedly, "I don't get it," he thought as Ukyo also took her seat and the rest of the students came in, "That should have worked as well. All right. It's time to really get serious about this" he rolled up his sleeves.

(Next Scene)

For the duration of the day, Ranma chatted and flirted with almost every girl in his class and then some. Most of the girls were quite flattered while by the afternoon, most of the boys wanted to kill him, including Hikaru Gosunkugi and Kuno. But Akane still hadn't changed and Ranma was becoming even more discouraged, and felt a ton of pain from the bruises he had received from being beat up by the male students. Even Ukyo had given him such cold stares at the end of the last class and left in a huff to her restaurant.

He sighed heavily at the end of the day and leaned against his locker with a frown.

"I did everything I could do today" he thought, "I'm exhausted. Why isn't it working? Is it because she likes all these girls somewhat? I can't take much more of this" he felt his cheeks, "My face can't take much more of this" he grimaced, "What am I gonna do?" he cried out, "Wait a minute" his eyes suddenly became wide, "Maybe I have been going about this all the wrong way. Maybe it is the fact that she likes those girls. I mean she doesn't totally dislike Shampoo and she and Ukyo get along pretty well. But I know someone she does hate. Someone she hates with a vengeance. I'll do it!" he said out loud with a determined clench of his fist, "That is, I'll do it if I can stomach it" he grimaced again holding onto his stomach turning a little green.

Suddenly Akane appeared to get her shoes out of her locker.

"Yo Akane!" Ranma called to her happily.

"Ranma" she said with a grin coming over after she slipped on her shoes.

"Listen. I've got to go somewhere this afternoon. I was wondering if you would like to come with me?"

"Sure" she nodded her head with another smile, "We can go now."

"Great" he agreed and the grimaced once more to himself so she couldn't see, "Here goes nothing" he gulped, "I hope she appreciates the crap I am going through for her."

(Next Scene)

Ranma and Akane walked hand in hand down the streets of the housing district, Ranma concentrating on the task at hand.

"So where are we going?" Akane asked.

"You'll see. I want to go see someone" Ranma grinned.

"Oh? Who?"

"We're here," Ranma said stopping in front of a large gate that belonged to a huge familiar estate.

"But Ranma" Akane looked at him and then the gate quizzically, "This is the Kuno residence."

"I know" he nodded, "Yo Kodachi!" he called, "You home!"

A couple of seconds later her long black ponytail could be seen. Kodachi, Kuno's younger sister and the other bane of Ranma's existence peered at him from the top of the gate with a huge grin.

"Oh Ranma darling" she shouted as she jumped down, "You came to see little old me?"

"Uh yea" Ranma tried to fake a smile but laughed nervously, "I came to see you. I must be desperate," he thought to himself.

"Oh Ranma darling" she said seductively as she embraced him happily but then frowned when she saw Akane, "What is she doing here?"

"Well Akane is" Ranma was at a loss for words.

"Hello there Kodachi" Akane replied politely, "How are you doing?"

"Huh?" Ranma's eyes blinked fast in disbelief.

"You're acting quite differently Akane Tendo" Kodachi snorted, "What are you doing here with him anyway?"

"Ranma asked me to come with him," Akane answered innocently.

"Ranma darling" Kodachi said hugging him tightly, "Make her go away then I can make a nice meal for you."

"Oh no. No that's not necessary" Ranma said even more nervously pushing her away and holding up his hands, "I'm not even hungry."

"But my darling I prepared a special meal just for you."

"But how did you know that I was coming?" he looked at her confused.

"Oh I always know when you're around darling. Now come inside and eat," she urged grabbing his arm.

As he dripped in sweat a shadow approached hisbackslowly and raised his sword high. "Ranma Saotome you fiend" a voice said behind him.

"Oh no" Ranma muttered as Kuno appeared.

"How dare you affront your lechery on my doorstep. You shall pay!" Kuno said throwing his sword down.

"Let's get out of here Akane" Ranma shouted slipping from Kodachi's grasp, kicking the sword out of the way, and grabbing the astonished girl's hand quickly, and dashing away with her in tow.

"Come back you scoundrel!" Kuno shouted as his sister stared angrily at him.

"Brother dear. You interrupted something very intimate!"

They continued to argue as Ranma and Akane finally stopped. Ranma caught his breath as he let go of Akane's hand.

"That was close," he muttered to himself.

"Ranma" Akane replied.

"Yea. What is it?" he grumbled.

"I just wanted to tell you something."

"Oh yea. What?"

"You're something else you know that?" she grinned.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he stared at her confused, "Aren't you upset?"

"Of course not" she shook her head, "Why should I be. After all, going out of your way like you've been doing to make me jealous. It's so cute."

"What?" he stared at even more, stupidly this time.

"But you have nothing to fear Ranma" she replied walking past him, "Why should I be jealous when I already know how you really feel."

"What?" he repeated slowly.

"I know how you really feel about me. I know that you love me. You don't have to prove anything. Come on let's go home" she said walking on ahead as Ranma watched her leave his jaw almost to the ground.

"Did that, just really happen?" he thought and then shouted, "Aw! This situation is getting worse!"

(Next Scene)

Once more the girl opened her eyes slowly, but not raising her head. Instead her voice spoke only one single word.

"Ranma" she said softly.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Okay that's it for now. See you all tomorrow for two more chapters! Hope you're enjoying it!

Next Chapter: Chapter Six: Ranma's P-Chan Plan

Ranma is up to his wits end but he is not giving up yet. His goal is to make Akane mad then what better way then to go after her cute little pet pig. Is Ryoga up for the challenge? Find out next time!