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Ranma ½.
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I Have No Money.
They were holding each other, for how long neither of them knew. They had both lost track of time. Akane was just glad that she wasn't too late for Ranma. She sighed, thankful. Didn't take much to get me to think of him different, did it? All I needed was one world-shattering visit from Ranma's entire life. How did he ever turn out sane after all of that. No wonder he has a hard time keeping from insulting people, he does it because he doesn't know what else to do. Now I know why he won't train me. Ranma's experience with training includes being thrown off of a roof to learn how to take a fall when he was seven.
She almost missed him whispering to himself.
"Kami, I don't want to wake up."
"Ranma?"
"N-nothing Akane, don't worry about it."
"You're not dreaming."
"I'm not?"
"No. I'm really here. I'm not going anywhere, see?" Akane took his hand, and held it against her face, feeling the silk as it brushed along her cheek.
Something dropped onto her other hand. Water, little drops of hot water.
"Ranma? Are you...?" Is he crying?
No not crying I'm not allowed to cry Pops says men don't cry it's not manly
The potion was still running through her. It was this that she wanted. She had thought that being able to see Ranma's memories would be a good thing, so maybe she could see something through his eyes, but she never expected it to change everything like that. Now she had the side-effect she had been counting on; having Ranma's thoughts, without his memories. To able to look at the world with a copy of Ranma in her head, giving Akane his view on how things happened, and what he thought of them. It wouldn't last, but she hoped it would be long enough to really understand.
"N-no, I'm not crying."
"Ranma, I can see..."
"No, I'm not crying, Akane, Pops said-"
"-That men don't cry. I know. He's wrong. Don't listen to him anymore. Listen to me from now on, ok?"
"But..."
"Do you trust me?"
Trust/distrust/trust Akane trust her because I love her distrust always hitting me accusing me trust she sometimes does nice things
Had she hurt him that much? He didn't even know whether or not he trusted her anymore?
"I'm not going to hit you Ranma. I... I might not always understand, but I'll try to listen to you before I do anything from now on, ok?"
"You'll listen to my side of it?"
"Martial Artist's word of honor."
She could feel Ranma jump in her arms.
"That's a serious oath, Akane."
Serious oath no oath more binding never tell always uphold die before breaking
"I know. I might not always be able to not hit you, you... you know my... temper gets the b-best of me..." She had seen it happen a hundred times over in seconds from Ranma's point of view. "But if I hit you, I'll wait for you to come back. I'll listen to you. I'll make it up to you. Promise. I know to keep my word as a martial artist."
Keep my word martial artist's vow I made one to Ryoga stupid bastard using it against me dishonorable moron can't tell his secret I swore before he started using it to dishonor Akane now I can't tell her
What? I can't... remember it, but it sounds familiar... I'll worry about it later.
"Thanks Akane. That means... a lot to me, you have no idea."
"I'll do my best for you, Ranma. I kn-know I haven't been the n-nicest person to you, I've a-always been so m-m-mean..." She felt like she was going to start crying again.
Ranma's arms held her. "That's not true. You're a very sweet girl, sometimes you just..."
Lose your temper hit me around call me names call me a freak a pervert don't you know how much it kills me when you say that you think I like being cursed would you like it if you turned into a boy can I call you a freak then
She almost burst into tears.
"... don't think things through all the way, like me. I'm always saying things before I can stop it."
Saotome foot-in-mouth disease the ability to shove your entire foot in your mouth and leave enough room for your leg lucky me I can fit both feet
Akane giggled through the forming tears before she could hold it back.
"Something funny?"
"Saotome foot-in-mouth disease, huh?"
Ranma grinned. "Yeah, that's what I call it. I can shove my entire foot in my mouth, and leave enough room for my leg."
"You're lucky, you can fit both feet in."
"Yeah, I- hey, how'd you...?"
"Don't worry about it, ok? Just know that you don't have to hide anything from me anymore."
Silence for a moment.
"So do you still think I'm a pervert?"
"Yeah. By you're my pervert now."
Ranma snickered. "Tomboy."
Akane could hear the affection in Ranma's voice. "Baka."
"Macho chick."
"Dummy."
Ranma and Akane both started giggling.
"Sexless."
"Sex-changing monkey."
"Built like a stick."
"You make a better girl than a boy."
They fell apart, giggling.
The Ranma in her mind was practically yelling at her, but the Ranma in front of Akane didn't seem to mind. I guess being told I love him makes a difference... He's giggling as much as I am. Wait, giggling? Ranma doesn't giggle unless... Akane took another look at her fiancée.
"Um, Ranma..."
"Yeah?"
"Have you been a girl the whole time?"
"Yes. Wait, you mean you didn't notice?"
"Well, uh, not really. I mean, to me, the curse stopped meaning anything a long time ago. It's still you, know what I mean?"
"I didn't know that." I guess the truth potion is still making him answer, thought Akane.
"You didn't notice it when you were hugging me?" Ranma continued. "You'd think that you would have at least noticed my chest pushing at you."
"Hey! I had other things on my mind!"
"How about the fact that you're taller than me when I'm a girl? Didn't that make you think?"
"Baka hentai!"
"Kawaiikune tomboy!"
Laughter.
"Ranma?"
"Yes I am."
"Smart-ass."
"Thank you."
"Ranma, I was just thinking..."
"You liar!"
Akane slapped him playfully. "Baka. I was thinking, does the potion still work if you're a girl?"
"I don't know. When I fell in the pond, we kinda decided it'd be safer if we didn't test it."
"We?"
"Yeah, everyone else was inside, and only Cologne was around. She said she didn't want to be my practice dummy. The old ghoul said there was a chance that it might not work when I'm in my cursed form, but she didn't want to be proven wrong. No one else did, either."
"Why didn't you change back? I know how much you hate being a girl."
Ranma mumbled something under his breath that Akane couldn't hear. She didn't need to.
Don't care about that I don't mind being a girl isn't so bad get free ice cream stupid guys pay for it what a bunch of idiots being a girl has it's advantages not as strong much faster though good advantage in a fight just wish I could control it stupid water magnet that's what I am but Akane think I'm a freak she hates being engaged to someone who turns into a girl hates it hates me
Akane swallowed hard. She'd really hurt him, hadn't she?
"Ranma..."
He stared at the floor.
"Look at me, Ranma."
Floor gazing continued.
"I don't care about you turning into a girl. It's always you, it's still Ranma inside. I know that."
"I-I don't..."
"If I hated the fact that you were a girl, would I have hugged you? Would I still be talking to you? I don't care anymore. As long as it's you, I don't care what you look like."
"But... I thought..."
You always call me names insult me using my curse call me a pervert for turning into a girl how is that my fault so I look at myself how does that make me a pervert I was stuck as a girl for weeks on the way here from China you try going for that long without ever looking at yourself see if you can do it
"No, Ranma. I know you don't stare at yourself when you're a girl just because you can. When you first got here, I thought all boys were perverts, not just you, remember? So when I learned that you were a boy, and could see a girl naked anytime you wanted just by getting wet, I thought the worst of you. I was wrong."
"Akane..."
"I don't care about you being a girl, Ranma." Akane gave in, and kissed him, her, softly.
There was no response for a moment, then Ranma was kissing her back slowly. Akane felt Ranma's gloved hands gently stoke the side of her face.
Is this real this can't be real I'm kissing her she's gonna mallet me
Akane ignored the voice. That Ranma might be right about everything else, but when it came to herself, Akane knew that it and the real Ranma didn't think the same way anymore.
She deepened the kiss, feeling Ranma push back at her just as hard. At least the potion isn't forcing him... I guess it doesn't work as a girl...
Ranma froze.
Oh, no...
Ranma's arms tightened their grip, squeezing Akane as her kiss grew in intensity and power. She pushed them both against the wall, Akane pinned with Ranma in front of her. Her hands were pulled from Ranma, and one was forced up Ranma's shirt, forcing Akane to run it over her breast. The other went into Ranma's pants, under her boxers.
Th-this is different... what...?
With a mix of shock, excitement, and a small amount of worry, Akane realized that Ranma was forcing her to do to him what he had forced on her earlier. Not him, her! That's why!
Akane found the reason. The mind might still dictate who was to be killed and who was to be the bed partner, but the body determined how.
Ranma-kun wanted to take.
Ranma-chan wanted to be taken.
That simple.
Ranma let go of the hand of Akane's up her shirt, and pulled open the buttons on her blouse. Her legs locked together, trapping Akane's fingers in place. All Akane accomplished trying to pull them away was a moan and a shudder from Ranma.
"Mmm!" Akane objected, before Ranma's hands ran over her. Her bra vanished as Ranma tore it away. The red-head's hands caressed her exposed chest, surprisingly soft. Akane jumped as the touch brought a small heat to her body.
No, Ranma, wait, don't do that! Don't... ohh... that's... n-no! Stop Ranma, don't... don't... pinch right there, just like that, yes... I mean, no! No! First time... not as a girl... want you... a boy... oh, Ranma... kiss right there...
Ranma had left Akane's mouth and kissed her way down to her breasts.
... again, Ranma, more... no, w-wait, I want this with... guy form... Akane's body shuddered again as Ranma bit lightly at one of Akane's nipples.
"Ranma..." Akane found she had a hard time breathing again. "wait... I want... you... stop now..." Yes, stop it! Warm water first!
If the voice of Ranma in her head had been loud before when it told her off, this time it was deafening.
YOU HEARD HER YOU IDIOT SHE TOLD YOU TO STOP YOU KNOW SHE DOESN'T WANT THAT KIND OF ATTENTION FROM YOU NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WANT HER SO STOP TOUCHING HER NOW IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN SHE WANTS YOU TO STOP AND IF YOU DON'T IT WILL ONLY HURT HER AND YOU CAN'T HURT HER
Akane found her own hands clapped over her ears in a useless attempt to drown it out. Ranma herself was clutching her head again, and to Akane it looked like the girl's head might explode.
Is that what he heard earlier when I told him to stop? With that and the potion both screaming at him, no wonder Ranma's acting like it hurts.
Ranma dropped to the floor, releasing her head. "..."
"Ranma?"
"S-sorry, Akane... I didn't mean t-to do all that, it was the potion, really. I know you don't want me like that." Ranma began to push herself across the floor, and away from the sound of Akane's voice. "Don't get mad at me or nothing, ok? I'm sorry, I wouldn't have-"
"So does that mean you don't want me?"
"No, I do want you!" Ranma jumped a little. Stupid potion, stop making me answer! "I mean, um, you know I like you and all, but-" Ranma's back hit the wall. She frowned, not liking that she couldn't get farther away without finding the door and leaving. "-But you don't want me like that."
"Ranma, you're wrong. Again."
"I'm wrong?"
"Yes, Ranma, wrong. As usual."
She felt Akane's hands cup the sides of her face. Ranma pulled her head away from the contact.
"Jeez, Akane! It still works as a girl, you know! It just takes a couple seconds to kick in. Don't go touching me like that, you know I'll just end up... doing... things you don't want."
"See, that's where you're wrong, baka. I do want you."
"But, you said-"
"I said stop because I wanted to get some warm water. I'll take you any way I can, but I want our first time to be with you as a guy." Akane ran her finger along the edge of her fiancée's jaw.
She can't be serious I should run now before the mallet comes I know my next concussion is right around the corner
Ranma jerked her head away from Akane's touch.
"You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do. I want you, because I love you. I know you want me. I know you love me. I'm here for you, Ranma. I always will be."
Ranma slid along the wall, trying to get more space between them. "You're not Akane. Who are you? Is that you, you damned Amazon? You make some kind of potion that makes you sound like Akane? Get the hell out."
"R-Ranma... it's me, it's Akane. I love you, Ranma, please, come here."
"No, you're not, and you don't. Whoever you are, you should have realized that Akane ain't like this, and she doesn't love me. Get the hell out of here before I decide to hurt you."
Tears came to Akane's eyes. He doesn't trust me at all! "You kissed me, you touched me, and I let you! Doesn't that mean anything to you? Damn it, Ranma, it's me, you know it's me!"
"I only touched you because I thought you were Akane. You only thought you could get away with it because with that fake voice, you could fool me since I couldn't see you. You should have looked at Akane a little closer before you tried to pull this off. She hates me, and there's nothing out there that's gonna make her change her mind on that. Get out. Now. Or so help me, I will kill you." Anger was creeping into Ranma's voice.
She was crying again. Akane was losing count of how many times she'd been crying today. How bad did I hurt you, Ranma, that you'd believe that someone would come in here to trick you into sleeping with them, rather then believe that I would love you?
"Damn it, it's me! I'm Akane! Please, come here. Don't... don't run away from me anymore..."
"I'm not running away from Akane. I'd never run from her. I'm running from a stranger and a coward who won't even tell me their real name even though I've seen through their little trick. If you aren't gone in the next minute, I'm going to start beating on you. What were you going to say, huh? That even though we love each other, tomorrow we should pretend like nothing happened, so that your game wouldn't be noticed? Then you'd keep visiting me at night when Akane was asleep? It that it?"
Akane threw her arms around Ranma again. "No! This isn't someone else playing with you! It's Akane, damn you, and I love youuuuufff-"
Akane dropped to her knees as Ranma's fist drove the air from her lungs. Hurts...
"You're not even worthy to say her name. As soon as you can breathe on your own again, leave. Or I'll stop holding back."
Akane began sucking air into her chest, trying to breathe. She coughed as the air drove into her, chasing away some of the pain that Ranma's fist had brought.
"Ranma..." Akane choked. Tears from both the pain of the hit and Ranma's words stung her eyes.
"Good. You can breathe again. Leave now, or the next one will crack a few ribs."
"Wait, Ranma, don't-"
"If you think I ain't gonna hit you again just because you sound like Akane..." She could hear Ranma cracking his knuckles. "... then think again. Get the fuck up, and get out of my dojo. The door should be behind you. Use it."
Sobbing, Akane climbed to her feet, and took a step towards the door.
"...bye, Ranma."
"Out."
She took another step, and tears poured down her face.
"Keep walking. One thing's for sure, you ain't Akane. That shot would never have touched her. Even she's better than that. You're no match for me, or for her. So don't you dare come back."
Only because I know you'd never hit me! I love you! And I... I... trust you, like I hope you'll trust me. Akane reached out for the door. There's always tomorrow. I can try again then. He'll accept tomorrow, he'll have to. He'll know I'm really me. He trusts me enough for that. I didn't hurt him that much, right?
Right?
Please? Oh, god, please...
She opened the door, with the worst feeling of despair and hopelessness invading her soul.
Ranma's voice from behind her. "Coward."
Nothing but a coward Akane would never be so weak as this it sure as hell ain't her she'd make damn sure that she would be heard she's so strong and doesn't let anything stand in her way not even me it's another reason why I love her so much
No, Akane thought. Ranma loves me because I'm strong. I'm not being strong right now. No wonder he thinks I'm someone else. Ranma loves me, I know he does, he thinks it, he said it, he kissed me because I said I love him. I love him, damn it, I love him and I'm not letting him go!
She turned from the door, and charged at Ranma, slamming them both into the floor. "Damn it Ranma, listen to me! I'm Akane, you baka! The first thing I ever heard you say was you yelling at your dad to let you go from out in the yard! And the first thing I ever said to you was when I asked you to join me in the dojo! I tried to hit you six times, and I never even got close! And after the bath, I flattened you with the table when you said you were better built than I was! And when I was walking to school with you, I was going to hit you when you said you couldn't stand macho girls like me, but your dad showed up and hit you first! Then we met Tofu-sensei to change you back into a boy!" Akane's voice began to waver as the tears came back again. "And then I had to beat up the hentai horde at school! Then you and Kuno fought and your dad showed up again and knocked Kuno out because it started to rain! And you got that bruise on your neck from his bokken! And then... and then... we had to stand in the hall because we were late. And Kuno attacked you right before I was going to splash you. Baka." Akane punched Ranma in the chest. "And you jumped out the window into the pool. Baka." She punched Ranma again. "And then I brought you the water when you were up in the tree trying to wring your clothes dry. Baka, baka, baka." Each baka brought another hit on Ranma.
"And I had to fight Kuno so you could have the time to change back and you never did! Baka." Punch. "Then you beat him up, and decided we should go home, even though school wasn't over. Baka." Punch. Tears flowed off of Akane's face, dropping onto Ranma's shirt. "Baka. Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka." She kept pounding on Ranma, oblivious to any damage she might have been causing.
"Ranma no baka. You can't leave me. Not now. Not when I love you. You can't. It's not fair. Baka." Punch. "You have to stay with me. You have to. Don't make me leave, Ranma, please. I don't want to leave, I want to stay with you. I don't want to be alone. I want to be with you. Don't make me be alone anymore, Ranma no baka. Don't make me leave. Please, Ranma, please." She dropped her head onto Ranma's shoulder. "I love you. Don't you dare not love me anymore. Love me back, damn you. Love me back. Love me, Ranma no baka." Her voice was barely a whisper as she clutched at her fiancée's shirt. "Please, Ranma, love me. Love me like I know I love you. Don't make me go away. I need to be with you, so let me stay."
Silence fell onto the room, broken only by the sound of Akane's crying. Ranma's arms lifted from the floor, and wrapped around Akane's waist.
"Akane? Is that really you?"
"Ranma no baka. It's me. It's been me the whole damn time. Just let me stay with you."
"I will, but I just..."
"Dummy, don't you trust me?"
The silence was her answer.
"Please Ranma, forgive me. You didn't deserve it. I know I hit you so much, and called you all those horrible things. I didn't know how bad it was for you. Please, Ranma, just trust me, one time, just this one time, and I swear, I'll make it up to you. I don't know how, but I swear, I'll make all of it up to you. If you love me, then trust me. I only need you to trust me once, and I'll prove it. I'll prove all of it."
"I would, Akane, I really would, but I don't even know if that's really you..."
"So stupid, Ranma." She reached up, and yanked the blindfold from Ranma's face. "There. It's me. See?"
Ranma's eyes found Akane's tear-stained face, looking at her hopefully. And with love. Love came from Akane's eyes. Ranma closed her eyes before the potion kicked in. He pulled Akane against her.
"Alright, Akane. I trust you. Whatever you need from me, you've got it. I trust you, because I love you. I always will."
Tension finally let go of Akane, and she slumped against Ranma. "Thank you, Ranma. Thank you so much. Don't make me leave. I don't think I could take being away from you right now."
"I won't. I won't make you leave. You can stay. You can be with me as much as you want, as long as I can have one thing from you."
"Anything."
"Love me?"
"Always. I love you, Ranma. I'll always love you, and not even you can make me stop."
"That's it then. That's all I need."
"Good. Because that's what you're getting." Akane rolled off of Ranma, and sat down next to her.
"Akane? Where are you going?"
"I'm not going anywhere. I just need to button my shirt back up, since you opened it."
"Oh. Sorry 'bout that."
"I'm not." Akane blushed. "It felt... kind of good."
"Oh. Um, yeah, good."
An embarrassed silence filled the dojo.
"All buttoned?"
"No, Ranma no baka. I've only got one button. The bottom one. I think you tore off all of the others."
At least Ranma has the dignity to blush, Akane thought.
"Sorry 'bout that."
"Quit apologizing. I wasn't blaming you!" Oh, look, a first for you, Akane, she berated herself.
"Oh. I thought you were. Sorry."
"Ranma, cut it... hey, you're just messing with me!"
"Yeah, but I made you smile, right?"
"No, I'm not smiling." The laughter in her voice was obvious. "Dummy, you ruined my blouse."
Drops fell onto Ranma's shirt.
"Hey, are you crying? I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's not that. I'm crying because I'm happy. I'm glad we can be together... even if... even if..."
"Hey, Akane, don't get upset."
"I'm not upset, Ranma no baka, it's just-"
"Shi shi hokodan!!"
The blast knocked Ranma across the room. Akane stared at the door in shock. "Ryoga?"
"Damn you Ranma! I've seen hell because of you! Real hell! It's what's under the Chaos God's office! I saw you kissing Akane this morning, and now I find you've been molesting her, or worse!"
"No, Ryoga, that's not true!" Akane protested.
"Don't try to cover for him, Akane-san!" Ryoga's eyes were wild. "I can see the evidence of it! Your blouse is torn up, you're crying, your bra is over there torn apart, and that piece of cloth on the floor is what Ranma must have used to bind you! Don't cover for the animal!"
Binding? Akane's eyes dropped, finding Ranma's blindfold. "That's the blindfold..." she said weakly.
"Blindfold?!" Ryoga shrieked.
Oops. I didn't make that sound better. "It's not what you think, Ryoga!"
"You shouldn't cover for him, Akane-san, he needs to be punished! Ranma, prepare to-"
The words never came out, and Ranma shot passed Akane, and slammed his fists into Ryoga's face. Ryoga flew into the wall. Ranma was on him as soon as he hit the ground. His fists slammed into Ryoga's torso with all the power and speed behind the kachu tenshin amaguriken. Blood stained Ryoga's mouth.
"Ranma, stop it now!"
Ranma gave no indication that he'd heard Akane's voice. The voice in her head was silent. Does it only work with me?
Akane ran over, and tried to pull Ranma away.
"Moko Takabisha." Ranma's voice was cold as she flung one arm out, sending Akane flying the length of the dojo with the ki blast, before her assault on the lost boy continued. A kick to Ryoga's head sent him flying out the door. Akane barely saw him go by in a blur. Ranma ran after him, his hands curled into fists.
Akane struggled to get to her feet. Her clothes were charred from Ranma's attack, and her ribs ached. Doesn't feel like he cracked any of them.
As she staggered out the door, her brain pointed out in shock that she had never seen someone's face filled with so much raw hatred in all her life. She had no idea how she was going to stop Ranma without getting herself killed.
She ran out in the yard just in time to hear Ryoga scream as Ranma snapped one of his arms.
A/N
Gobstoper: Ah, hello again. Glad to see you're all still out there. No writers block preventing me this time, it was too many ideas. I've got the next dozen fanfics plotted out, and I needed to write down the basics of them before I forgot what they were. Some interesting ideas for after I finish this story. Anyway, I hope everyone's enjoying my little work. I'll talk to ya later!
Oh, and reviews are more than welcome, and it you see any typos, or errors from the manga/anime, let me know. Thanks, all. )
-Gobstopper