This chapter is dedicated to ma petite, Val-chan. I love you, dahling. Thank you for all the inspiration!

Also dedicated to my stupid silly beta, Angelic Crimes.

2. The One

Akane stepped into her room, where the boy sat on her bed, a pitcher of water next to him and a kettle of warm water near it. She couldn't help glaring mistrustfully at him, while he couldn't help blushing.

"You say you're Ranma. Prove it."

"You once said that you hated bees with a passion, and I told you I was afraid of c-c-cats."

She winced. Damn, right. She'd never told anyone, not even her sisters that. She sat down on a couch near him, eying him with doubt. "How're you a boy, then? I know Ranma was a woman. You can't fake…I just know she was."

'Ranma' once again blushed a deep red, and stood up with the pitcher of water. He upturned it over his head and she blinked. There stood her Ranma, in her oversized Chinese outfit and pigtailed red hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I…I had to get into the castle. I was told it was the only place that held the cure for my curse. I was afraid that if you knew I was a boy, you'd send me away. I needed this cure."

Akane wasn't sure what was worse; that her maid was really a boy (she'd wanted to BATHE with him!), or that her maid hadn't really wanted to be her friend.

"How…how are you a boy now, then?" He turned the hot water over his head, and was instantly a boy. She swallowed and narrowed her eyes.

WHAM!

"YOU IDIOT! You lied to me for three years, just pretending to be my friend! I can't believe I wanted to- UGH! You were just using me to get to a cure!"

Ranma looked so desolate that she stopped her rambling and looked on him in confusion. A sort of comprehension dawned on her. If all he wanted was a cure, why had he followed her here? He could have used the free time to look for it while she was gone, but he'd come with her…

"As a martial artist, it is my duty to help those in need, and you needed me." He hesitated a moment. "Akane…Princess…you're possibly one of the best friends I've ever had. And if you tell a soul I'll kill you," he added, looking up with furious pride. Akane stood, struggling between anger and happiness that maybe she hadn't lost a best friend.

"But…I feel like you know me and I know nothing of you!" she said, staring at his black silk shirt.

To her surprise, Ranma laughed lightly. "The only thing not true about me was the fact that I'm a boy. I am an only child, I have traveled by myself since I was old enough to walk…what do you think is any different about Ranma the maid and me?"

True, she admitted, her maid had seemed boyish, even though she-he'd called Akane a tomboy all the time. Ranma spoke without fear, fought without fear, and lived without fear. She'd never worn skirts, always choosing breeches. She'd never had on any makeup, never courted any men.

Akane still didn't trust her new found male companion, but she certainly couldn't bring herself to hate him. He had lied, but for a good cause. And he had become the most important part of her life. Maybe…just maybe this wouldn't be so bad…maybe she could learn to-

"My dearest princess, I have come to-WHO ARE YOU BOOR!"

"Damn," Akane whispered, watching as her fiancé brandished a sword at her maid, who looked confused beyond belief. She absently noticed that he'd practically broken her previously bolted door.

Ranma stood up and moved in front of Akane, three years of protecting her taking over. Akane felt a sort of glow inside, then realizing she was about to smile happily, shoved the emotion aside and moved around Ranma, crossing her fingers behind her back and smiling in a way that made her undeniable.

"Oh, my lord, this is my dearest childhood friend. He's come to attend my wedding, at my wishes. Would you send him away from me, my lord?" The sickeningly sweet voice made Ranma want to gag, and he began making choking noises behind Akane. She promptly kicked him through her skirts, making him wince and glare at her.

Kuno instantly became a simpering fool and shook his head empathetically. "Of course not, gumdrop. He may attend. I was merely concerned for your well being, as he is an unknown male in your rooms…" he said, switching his suddenly cool gaze to Ranma, who calmly watched him over Akane's head. Akane felt smugness and anger rolling off the men, and immediately scooted away from Kuno in an attempt to get him away.

"Well, um…dearest, my friend and I have much to discuss, and so we'd really appreciate it if you…" she trailed off suggestively and Kuno smiled brightly.

"I see, honey lamb." Even Akane had to choke on that one, while Ranma was struggling between a major laugh or this unknown anger towards the love spouting idiot. "I shall watch over you and help with the wedding talks."

Akane simply stared and wondered if she could get a divorce. Then Ranma poked her and pointed to the bathroom. When she stared, he pointed to the pitcher that had held the cold water, then himself, then the bathroom.

Understanding, Akane nodded. Ranma moved around her with a smile and a slight bow. "My lord, I have had a tiring journey. I think I'll take a bath, if you don't mind, and I shall see you later, A-Princess…"

He moved towards the bathroom, pausing only to look back at Akane once more, a flash of humor in his eyes. For that brief moment, Akane felt something shift inside herself, and looked down. Maybe she was hungry.

A wet female Ranma came out of the bathroom a male had just entered, clad in only a towel, and Akane furiously noticed her 'fiancé's' gaze change instantly. Ranma, for her part, was horrified. She'd only meant to use the excuse of changing to get him out the room, she didn't want a MALE staring at her like that!

Akane took things into her own hands and stood in front of the recoiling Ranma, who immediately pressed herself against the princess's back, trying to cover any parts the Lord Kuno might see. Akane flushed at the contact of the towel and Ranma's upper chest, but smiled at Kuno sadly.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but I need to discuss some things with my maid here, first. And she obviously needs some time to change, so I shall have to postpone our meeting." Ranma peeked around her shoulder tentatively, and was so close Akane could see red at the corner of her eye.

"Of course dearest," Kuno replied, watching the frightened maid hide behind her mistress. With a jaunty wave, he bounced (literally) out of the room, whistling a song off pitch.

When he was gone, Ranma collapsed in relief. "Oh, thank the gods, I was afraid he was going to jump me or something. I hate it when men stare at me like that!" Akane turned away from Ranma while he reached for his clothing, which he'd left in the bathroom. When she thought she'd given her enough time to dress, Akane turned around. With a crimson flush, she saw Ranma only had the shirt over her head, her chest being completely visible. Then Akane calmed herself. After all, female Ranma had nothing she didn't. She might have had a bit more…but it made no difference.

Now, the male Ranma obviously would have been a little more embarrassing, but definitely more tempt-

Akane turned and covered her mouth, terrified. TEN MINUTES! Ten minutes and already this-this boy had turned her into a hormonal…girl! A splashing sound made her turn around and she saw Ranma, the boy, watching her curiously.

"You okay? You're kinda…twitchy…"

"I'm FINE!" she yelled, storming outside her room. Ranma watched her go with a strange look on his face, before following his 'mistress' with a shrug.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a hint of confusion, strolling along next to the stalking princess. Akane's eyes flipped over to him for a moment, then forward in anger.

"To the gardens. I want to be away from men for a while."

"Oh." It was her imagination, Ranma DID NOT sound disappointed, she only WANTED to think he- NO SHE DIDN'T! Twelve minutes! It must be a new record.

All was quiet, and she snuck another look at the handsome pigtailed boy next to her, then sighed. He just looked too sad, looking down with his hands in his pockets, carefully avoiding her eyes. She heaved another sigh.

"But I guess you can come with me…" she grumbled, trying not to smile when she saw him look up with a small smile. She furiously ignored the sound of her heartbeat increasing, the dizziness his smile gave her head…

With a hopeless sigh, she looked for the garden.

'This is why I don't like boys…' she thought, trying desperately to keep her mind away from the boy whistling next to her.

-

Thirty minutes later, they finally found a servant who directed them to the gardens. When they got there, Akane couldn't help the feeling of nostalgia from waving over her. As if sensing it, Ranma sighed.

"Its nothing like the ones back home, ne?" he asked, looking over the exotic and beautiful flowers and plants. Akane nodded, watching as he walked around.

The gardens in her castle had been beautiful as well, but plain and not too flashy, so you could go and walk around in peaceful silence. There had even been a small rosebush that Akane and Ranma had planted exactly a year after meeting each other.

In the left side of her garden was a cherry tree, and she remembered how Ranma had climbed it with such ease, laughing as she struggled to scale it as well, until the redhead finally helped her up. In the spring, they would jump and try to catch the blossoms from the tree's, explaining to each other (for appearances sake) that it was training. But the truth was, they just liked playing in that garden, spending time there laughing…

That same wave of longing washed over her again, and Ranma turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Something wrong?" he asked, a bit concerned.

"Uh, no…" Akane realized her vision was blurring, and suddenly all of what had happened hit her full on. She was engaged. She was living in her fiancé's home. Her maid was a boy who could change into a girl. Her maid was becoming harder and harder to hate. She missed her home. She wanted to go home, to get away from this sweet boy who was moving towards her with worry in his blue eyes.

"Akane?" he called, and she felt herself fall into darkness.

-

When she woke, the first thing she noticed was warmth and black. Her brown eyes opened in a way that made the raven-haired boy above her smile.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching for her forehead to feel her temperature She nodded absently wondering who this boy was. Oh, yes, her maid. Her throat felt dry and her mouth had the feeling you get when you sleep for a long time. Her breath must smell awful, she thought, and resolved to keep her mouth shut as best she could. When the boy moved away for a cloth, she trusted herself to speak.

"R-Ranma?"

He turned and looked at her questioningly.

"How…how long have I…been asleep?" she asked, watching him dampen a cloth for her forehead.

"Just the evening. I had supper brought up here. Can you believe Lord Kuno wanted your unconscious body to dinner? He said, and I quote, 'I should love to gaze upon her face, even in her sleep, for I cannot be without her.' I had to keep explaining that you weren't technically sleeping, you had fainted, and finally managed to get him away."

Akane stared unbelieving at him for a moment, then, reconsidering, thought that sounded a bit the Lord Kuno she knew so far.

"Are we sure…I have to get married to him?" she said weakly, as Ranma softly pressed the cool rag to her forehead.

She thought she saw Ranma's face harden a moment, but then he was just smiling sadly at her as he turned to light another candle.

"I'm sorry, princess, but to break the engagement, one of you must die, or…perhaps Lord Kuno will change his mind. Your father is bound by honor, but I'm not sure Lord Idiot even knows what honor means. So perhaps there is hope for you, Akane…"

She gave a small smile. The last thing she saw before she fell into a fitful slumber was Ranma's glowing face, watching her carefully…

This is shorter, I know, but I have the chapters divided accordingly.

I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing! 13 reviews for the first chapter! (bow) thank you all so much. I hope you're okay with this chapter! I realize Akane would have normally kicked his ass to kingdom come, but she IS a princess, and Ranma's been training her for the past three years, so she has to have a better hold on her temper. So, yeah. She was just a bit distrustful of him.

And as for her being so attracted to him at first...well, he is Ranma. Her best friend. Just...hotter.

Love you all!