Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma
PS: I live in Ireland, so I use English spelling, not American, so don't beat me for that!
Ranma- Love at last!
Chapter 6- Two Choices
A/N. WOOOO-HOOOO!
Sorry! But that's for two things. Getting this chapter done way faster than I ever thought ( Probably because I had it planned carefully from the start Unlike most chapters in which I just have an idea and plan and work from that. This one I actually had fully finished in my mind before I wrote it.) The other is that I have finally read all the Ranma manga. BIG BIG Thank you to EVLNABIKI and SHADE who a few years ago translated all Ranma volumes, which Viz hadn't done yet. The ending is AMAZING. I clearly shows that Ranma and Akane will be together and anyone who thinks otherwise go to http/ and download the final chapter to see for themselves ( It's translated straight from Japanese so it's the original 'real' ending). Actually I would like to recommend EVERYONE for free reliable manga and anime.
Tendo Dojo: Living Room
" We… We're going home Ranma!"
Ranma and Akane's jaws dropped. Nabiki and Kasumi smiled inwardly to themselves. Soun and Nodoka had very serious faces and were looking intently at Ranma. Genma was still grumpily pouting to himself. I was obvious that he did not approve of this.
Ranma finally caught his voice,
" F-For good?"
Nodoka looked at him dead in the eye, her face looked serious but her eye's betrayed her. She was sad.
" Yes Ranma… for good…"
Ranma froze. He heard an almost silent "No!" behind him and felt a warm soft hand grasp his arm tightly. Akane was clinging onto his arm.
Since Akane was standing behind Ranma nobody but Nabiki noticed her holding his arm.
Ranma, in complete shock rigidly turned his head to look at Akane. She looked very worried. He could barely make out her half mouthing another "no".
He jerkily turned his head back to look at his mother and mechanically stuttered,
" W-why?…Why do we gotta go?"
This time it was Soun who spoke up,
" Well son. It was Nabiki and Kasumi who brought to my attention this afternoon that the Saotome residence has been repaired. Both Nodoka and I found it best if the Saotome's were to return home."
Soun and Nodoka glared at Genma who sank further into a pout.
Ranma couldn't believe this. It was bad enough last time he had to go home. He never thought it back then but he really missed living with Akane and the Tendo's. He had missed just being able to talk to Akane. And now with all that happened in the last few weeks, he couldn't believe it. Sure, he loved being with his mother, but last time when he went home he felt lonely. That day when Akane came down to hand him his laundry he was really looking forward to just being able to talk with her. But of course the "other" fiancée's came down and ruined everything.
Ranma had never thought it before but he felt as if the Tendo Dojo was his home.
" W-when are we leaving?"
Soun was again the first to speak up,
" We?… That's entirely up to you my boy!"
Both Ranma and Akane's face's again looked puzzled,
" Wha?"
Nodoka smiled and took over,
" You have a choice Ranma! Either way you're coming home with us tomorrow. But you do have a choice."
Soun butted in at this point,
" Just making it clear son that either way you will remain engaged to Akane."
Nodoka looked over to Soun and said,
" Yes, thank you!"
Turning back to Ranma she continued where she left off,
" First you can stay at home, in which case you will continue school and be allowed visit the Tendo Dojo anytime you want."
Looking at Akane she said,
" Akane dear, you would also be welcome to come to our house to see Ranma at any time."
Akane didn't move, her face was still that of someone under shock,
Ranma, had on the other hand regained himself enough to be able to speak properly,
" And secondly?"
Nodoka smiled and looked back at Ranma,
" Yes of course! Secondly, you would come back to our house for the duration of a week. In which time the Tendo guest room would be, at our expense, be turned into a bedroom in which you would then take residence."
Nodoka and Soun beamed happily, even Genma brightened a little,
Ranma blankly looked at every face in the room before finally coming to rest on Akane's. She looked shocked and saddened.
Soun cleared his throat causing Ranma to jerk his head around,
" Ranma, I know this is a difficult decision, but it's one that has to be made. You have until tomorrow morning to decide."
A very uncomfortable silence descended on the room. Ranma stared blankly at his feet, trying to process it all. Akane was still unbeknownst to everyone but Nabiki, still clinging to Ranma's arm.
Nabiki and Kasumi were smiling nervously while Soun, Genma and Nodoka looked on with very worried faces.
The silence was finally broken when Nodoka stood up,
" I'd ehh. Better start dinner!"
Kasumi quickly jumped up,
" Please allow me to help Auntie!"
With that she jumped up and left through the kitchen door behind Nodoka.
Soun and Genma nervously looked at Ranma and Akane. Quickly turning away Genma said,
" Hey Tendo, how's about one last game of Shogi before I go?"
Soun loudly laughed back at him,
" Don't mind if I do, Saotome."
Both of them quickly got up and scampered out of the room.
Ranma and Akane both turned to look at Nabiki.
She nervously began to slowly move backwards towards the door. Thumbing back over her shoulder she nervously said,
" I ahh, gotta meet some friends so… c'ya later I guess."
She turned around and quickly bailed out of the room.
Ranma blankly stared at Akane. She looked back at him. Her face was still shocked but Ranma saw something else in her eyes, worry.
Turning away from her, he quickly took off towards the stairs. Akane dragged behind him still holding his arm.
" R-Ranma…Where are you going?… Ranma WAIT"
Akane firmly grabbed his arm, dug her heel's into the ground and pulled him back. Ranma spun around, he was clearly angry.
" WHAT IS IT AKANE?"
Akane quickly let go of his arm and stood back in shock, holding her hand to her mouth.
" R-Ranma"
She whispered hoarsely.
Ranma's expression softened. Akane caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes before he turned and fled up the stairs. Akane heard a loud "slam" as the door to his room was slammed shut.
Slowly Akane sank to her knees and steadied herself with her hands.
- I don't believe this is happening! Not again…..I…… It was bad enough last time! And we left on bad terms back then…… I don't want that to happen again…..I……I missed him!-
Akane wiped away an invisible tear and stood up. Heading towards the stairs she quietly said to no one in particular,
" This time, no matter what he decides. Were NOT leaving on bad terms."
Tendo Dojo: Ranma's room
Ranma was sitting on the middle of his futon, knees held to his chest with his arms. He was staring at the ceiling lost n his thoughts,
- Who's smart idea was this? It sounds like another one of Pops and Mr. Tendo's crazy plans. But… Mr. Tendo said his daughters persuaded him. That would never have been Akane….or Kasumi….. DAMN YOU NABIKI! WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?…..I… I… I don't wanna…-
" Ranma? Ranma can I come in?"
Ranma's train of thought was cut short when he heard a soft, sad voice coming from his door. Looking over he saw Akane's head looking in through the gap in the door and one of her soft hands holding the door open.
There was a shadow on her face but Ranma could see she was upset. Casting his mind back to the last time he had to leave he remembered how upset she was. And how upset he was as well. He was sure back then that they could have worked it out. But no, he had to open his big mouth and get them started off fighting. Then they left on bad terms and he spent a very lonely two weeks living in his house. Had it not been for the whole "engagement ring" story he might not have gotten to go back and live with the Tendo's at all.
Something suddenly hit Ranma. The Tendo Dojo was more of a home to him that his real home. He felt as if he belonged here. It was the first place where, despite all the craziness that followed him, he felt stable and secure. He was welcome here, they made him feel part of the family despite everything bad the happened. Damn them for making him chose,
" Come in Akane"
Ranma shifted into a kneeling position while Akane gingerly opened the door and entered. Quietly closing the door behind her she turned, walked forward, knelt down in front of Ranma with her hands on her knees and looked at the floor.
There was a silence for a few moments until Akane finally spoke up,
" This is just all so screwed up!"
Without raising his head Ranma answered,
" Yeah!………Damn them for making me choose!"
Akane shifted nervously on the futon before saying,
" Ranma…. Remember last time you left?
Ranma still stared at the floor and gave a quiet,
"Mmm"
" Remember the fight we had beforehand and how we were both on bad terms when you left?"
"Mmm"
" I don't want to part like that again."
Ranma finally looked up at Akane.
" Me neither!"
Akane looked up as well, both of them locked looks, Akane spoke first,
" Can we not fight so?"
" Don't see a reason to!"
" Good… Me neither…… It just wasn't the same last time when you were gone."
" Yeah…."
Akane looked deeply into Ranma's eyes,
" Ranma?"
"Mmm"
Akane nervously looked at the floor and nervously shifted twice as if trying to overcome some mental block.
Finally she gave in and threw herself forwards catching the surprised Ranma in a tight hug. The alarmed Ranma blushed furiously and stuttered,
" A-A-Akane?"
Although Akane wasn't crying Ranma could sense that she was close to it. She buried her face in his shoulder and quietly mumbled in Ranma's ear,
" I-I'll miss you Ranma!"
The stunned Ranma finally wrapped his arms back around Akane. Feeling the warmth of her pressing against him he brought his right hand around her back, while bringing his left hand to the back of her head and gently held her.
Akane moved her head so that she was now resting her chin on Ranma's shoulder. Her mouth was right by his ear and she was close to crying when she quietly whispered,
" I'll miss you Ranma! I missed you last time! I m-missed you when you went to China and I missed you when you went after Herb."
Now finally sobbed she said,
" I-I-I don't w-want you to g-go"
With that she burst out crying and buried her face in Ranma's shoulder again.
Ranma couldn't believe this. Last time he left he had thought about what he would do if Akane cried. Now that she actually was crying he didn't know what to do, so he chose to say what he had already decided minutes earlier. He rubbed his hand gently through Akane's soft hair and quietly made hushing noises before saying,
" Shh Akane. Please don't cry… I… I'm not gonna leave…."
Akane tensed and pulled back from Ranma and held him firmly by the shoulders,
" Y-your not! Y-your not g-going home?"
Ranma gave her a smile and reached forward with his hand and stroked her hair
" This is my home….You made it my home!"
" Ranma…th-thank you!"
Akane threw herself forwards to hug him again. But this time she kissed Ranma on the cheek before burying her face in his shoulder.
All the shocked Ranma could do was gently touch the spot where she had kissed him before hugging her back tightly.