A.N.: Hey noble readers! Thanks for staying with the story so far! This chapter is a little short, and I'm sorry about that, but it will get better, and the chapters will get better! You have my word! There may be a little one every now and then, but in general-you get the point. Hehe and it's like "When will Shampoo find out?!" yeah yeah –it'll get to that! And I even put in a little Neko-Ranma too! Yay! Oh yeah—I hope the lots of smoochies and "I love yous" isn't getting to you. hehe now go read! And don't forget to review!! Thanks to those who have reviewed!! All reviews are cherished! Thank you!! now read...
Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me!! They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 3: Ukyo
The next morning was just like Ranma and Akane wanted it. They both got up extra early and bathed together. After that, they dressed and woke P-Chan up so he could join them for breakfast. Funnily enough, P-Chan "got lost," and Ryoga popped his head in to enjoy Kasumi's blueberry pancakes. Ranma and Akane left the house at the regular time for school. Once they were out of viewing distance from the house, Ranma wrapped his arms around Akane and said, "I can't wait until tonight!" Akane agreed, and said "Yeah! And Ryoga's here too! That's so great." "Akane, I sort of already told Ryoga." "What? He knows? Is that ok? I mean he'll be in the house all day with my sisters-especially Nabiki." She said worried. "Its alright. I told him because he's our friend and I asked him to be my best man." He said. "You did? So you guys aren't going to fight anymore?" she asked with a hopeful look. "Well, I don't know about that, but we won't fight over anything unless it's really worth fighting over." He said. "He wanted to congratulate you after I told him. But when we got to your room, you had fallen asleep." Ranma said. "Well, he can do that when we get home from school. So he's going to help us with the party preparations?" She asked. "Of course! I told him that it would mean a lot to you if he stayed for the party. At first he was going to go off somewhere and get lost probably, but then I asked him to stay and asked him to be my best man. And he cheered up and said he would." "Cheered up? He was sad?" "Well Akane, he's always had a place in his heart for you. And he never really trusted me, especially with you!" he said "But now he understands that we are so in love and couldn't ever hurt each other, so he's agreed to help us out if your sisters start inquiring." "Oh, that's really nice of him." Akane said.
The two walked and talked on their way to school, holding hands and smiling. All of the boys prepared to attack Akane as they did every day, with hopes of getting a date with her. As soon as Akane arrived holding Ranma's hand, all of the boys backed off except for one.
"Akane Tendo! I ask you for a duel, so that if I defeat you, I may ask you out on a date!"
"Not today Kuno!" Ranma and Akane said at the same time. They were both pretty pissed that such an idiot interrupted their lovely morning together. Akane kept her tight grip on Ranma's hand and walked up to Kuno. "As a matter of fact Kuno, you may never ask me for a fight ever again. Do you understand?" Dumbfounded Kuno stood there as the rest of the school looked on. "No Akane, please explain." Kuno said. "I'll explain it for ya, Kuno. She doesn't want you. She doesn't want to go on dates with any of you guys! She never did!" Ranma said, making it clear for all of the boys to hear. "Besides," Akane cut in. "why would I want any of you as my boyfriend when I already have a fiancé! I've had one for a while." She was fed up with this stupid morning routine of getting to school and fighting off a hundred boys who wanted to ask her on a date. "C'mon Ranma, we're going to be late." She turned in the direction of the school, put her arm around Ranma's waist and started pulling him towards the school. They had only taken a few steps when they were stopped by a mini Okonomiyaki spatula which hit the ground before their feet. "Hold it you two!" A voice said. "Ukyo?" Both Ranma and Akane said. "Ranma, honey, why on earth are you letting this little girl do this to you?!" She said with an appalled look on her face. "Why? Why I'm letting my fiancée do this to me is because she can!" He shouted so Ukyo could hear loud and clear. "Besides, I want her to, and I like it." Ukyo, as well as the rest of the school heard Ranma's statement.
"Is it true Ranma? Do you really choose her? You choose her over me? She can't even cook! And she's not cute! WHY? Tell me!" Ukyo was clearly very upset.
"Yes, Ukyo. I choose Akane. There was only Akane in the first place! It doesn't even matter if she can't cook! And you are wrong! Akane is the most beautiful woman on this entire planet, and I love her. I am in love with her!" Ranma said. He looked into Akane's eyes and saw they were full of tears and she was blushing. She hugged onto Ranma's arm and he could feel her tears on his arm. Ukyo sat down. Tears were now erupting from her eyes, but she didn't make a sound, nor could she hear the other students whispering. Ranma pulled Akane over to where Ukyo sat. He offered her his free hand and said "C'mon Ucchan, lets go inside. We'll talk more and you can get cleaned up." She nodded and took his hand. He had to support her weight on their way inside.
All of the students who were watching stood open mouthed at what Ranma said. It all came together at that point. That was why they were holding hands. That's why she told Kuno to back off, and that was why they were holding onto each other when they were talking to Ukyo. The boys were still a little bummed about never being able to get a date with Akane because she was officially taken, but there are other girls in the world, like the newly on the market Ukyo, so they all went in to the school. Class was about to begin.
Ukyo spent most of the morning in the nurse's office and didn't come out until lunch. Ranma and Akane were sitting across from each other, discussing many things. Ukyo entered the lunchroom and walked up to where Ranma and Akane were sitting. Ranma saw her coming and was worried that she might start something that would endanger Akane. He was worried but figured anything from Ucchan he could handle. She walked up to the table and said "Ranma, Akane, I would just like to say I'm sorry. The way I acted this morning was immature, especially to you Akane. I'm very sorry. Please Accept my apology." She said bowing. It was as if she was surrendering to Akane. Tears started to fall from her face, which was facing downwards. Akane stood and gave a comforting hug to Ukyo. Ukyo began to sob, catching the attention of the occupants of the cafeteria. "Ukyo, this is very sudden, but we are having a party on Saturday night, in celebration of our engagement." Ranma said. "It would honor us if you would come, Ukyo." Akane said, still hugging her. Ukyo looked up, drying her eyes. "Really? You want me to come to your party? You're not mad at me? You don't think I'll try to crash it?" She said worried of what the answer might be. "Yes Ukyo, we trust you. It would honor us if you would come." Ranma smiled. "Even if, at some point you were my fiancée, you were my friend first. And you are my friend now. Please come." "Okay, I'll be there." Ukyo said, feeling a little better. Even if she lost her chances of marrying Ranma, she knew that they would always be friends, and that was a comforting thought.
"Ahem!" A few of the other students said. They were all looking at Ranma and Akane. "Where are our invites?" Some of the students said. "We're your friends right? Don't we get to come to this party?" Ranma and Akane blushed. "I guess the more, the merrier!" Ranma said with a shrug. All of the other students whooped and the rest of the school day was filled with cheers and pats on the backs and congratulations for the happy couple. A few of the perverts asked the impolite questions, but paid for it when they went crashing out of windows. "Can't they learn?" Ranma said after throwing the fifth pervert out of the nearest window. It was the last period of the day and by now, the word "party" had spread across school. "Aww man! I know I shouldn't have invited them!" Ranma said. "It's going to get way too merry! I know they will be bouncing off the walls." "Its ok, if things get too bad, you and Ryoga can start throwing them out of the house." Akane said. "Yeah I guess it'll be alright. I mean, the only thing I'm going to care about on Saturday night is you!" Ranma said kissing Akane's cheek from his desk. The bell rang initiating the start of class. "Hey, hey none of that now you two!" the teacher said, spotting the little kiss they shared. "So I guess it is true then?" The math teacher said. Ranma and Akane blushed and nodded. It was bad enough they were being asked nonstop by the student body, but now the teachers? What was next? Fearing the possibility of the entire town finding out about it before they even told their fathers, Ranma stood up and said to the class "Thank you for your support, everyone, but we want this to be a surprise for our families. Its bad enough you guys found out before you were supposed to, but we don't want our families to know until tonight." The students nodded and decided that they could spread the glorious news tomorrow. The teacher nodded, a little annoyed at being interrupted, but went back to teaching and only wished she had a fiancé too.
As soon as school was out, Ranma and Akane asked people to be hush-hush about the engagement until tomorrow. All of their friends asked what they could bring to the party and agreed to stay quiet for one night. Eventually, after a half hour of chasing people down, they started walking home. Ranma wrapped his arm around Akane, and she leaned an exhausted head against his chest.
"I don't even want to think about what kind of 'celebration' there's going to be tomorrow. But, I'm really glad that everyone is supporting us. Its almost like they were rooting for us ever since they found out we were betrothed." "They probably were." Ranma said. "I just hope nobody else finds out before dinner." Akane added. She put her arms around his waist and he kept his arm on the same spot around her shoulder. "Can I call you Ran?" Akane asked, out of the blue. "What? Ran? Haha, ok." Ranma said laughing. "What brought this on Akane?" he asked. She smiled "Oh, I don't know, I mean perhaps it would be nice for you to hear something different for once, rather than Ranma. I'll be the only one who says it so you'll know its me calling you, I guess." "You or my mother." He said. "She was the only other person who called me that. I like that." "I never hear you talk of your mother. Where is she?" Akane asked. "She's back home. I guess she's still in the same house we used to live in. I haven't seen her in so many years. I can hardly remember her. All I remember of her is that she used to hug me a lot, and she loved me so much. All she did was love, and I'm sure she misses me terribly." "Is it because you miss her terribly?" "Well, I miss not seeing her everyday, but I'll see her again, of course." Ranma smiled, and Akane's heart ached because she never wanted her Ran to feel pain. "You know, you remind me a little of her. Ranma said. I think that's part of the reason I fell in love with you. You have a sort of essence that my mother always had. And the way you do certain things, it reminds me of her. It reminds me of being home. I guess, in a way when I'm with you, I am home. I am where I want to be for the rest of my life. I am with you." He said. Akane blushed a little, but was so happy hearing Ranma say these things. She didn't know if she was ready to be a wife yet, but if she was with Ranma, she could do anything. "I can't wait to be your wife, Ranma." She said. "I can't wait to be your husband, Akane." Ranma said back.
They walked for a little while more, and Ranma suddenly got a great idea. "Hey, Akane, next week is vacation, right?" Ranma asked. "Yeah, we don't have school all week, its spring break. Why?" Akane asked. "Well, I was thinking, would you like to take a trip with me?" Ranma said. "Where to?" Akane asked, but she really didn't care. Anywhere with Ranma was paradise. "Up to the mountains. It'll take a couple of days to get there. Do you want to come with me?" He asked. He knew where he was going to go, but it was going to be a surprise for Akane. She could try to coax it out of him, but he wasn't going to say where he was going to take her on this trip. "Yeah, of course I'd like to go. When will we go?" Akane asked. "How about Sunday morning, after the party?" "Alright." Akane was excited about this trip. Ranma wasn't going into detail for a reason, and she didn't mind waiting to find out what it was.
