Summer vacation is almost here!!! Is everybody excited? Even though school will be over, I will have absolutely nothing to do except going on-line. So, if anyone is interested in becoming my e-mail/IM friend for the summer (and maybe even longer) please e-mail me privately to (or say so in your review). I would really love to have a friend who likes anime and especially Ranma ½ (I only have one, but even she barely knows about anything in those categories). By the way, since I will have more free time, I'll try to write more and my chapters will come out sooner.
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Ai Shite Nai Wake Ja Nai Chapter 2: Love that was left behind.
Unlike the night before, the next morning brought a sense of discomfort rather than peace. The gentle wind was not so gentle anymore. It was blowing the tree trunks so severely that they were almost ripped out of the damp, morning earth. Once completing its mission of successfully knocking down one tree, the great force receded. Instead, it softly whispered "Come Back! She still needs you!" into the nothingness of the cold morning air. Dark, menacing clouds formed in the sky, it was going to rain. Hard. The day was so horrifying, even the sun was not bothering to come out leaving the world in almost complete darkness. However, it was not the solemn weather that would affect everyone, it would be the fact that the greatest martial artist in the history of Japan left... forever.
That morning Akane woke up with a strange feeling, it was a feeling of uneasiness, a feeling that something was terribly wrong, but where did it come from? Maybe it was just an aftermath of the wedding, but it felt new, like she had never felt anything so heartbreaking before.
She sat up in her bed. Memories from last night's dream came flooding back to her and she blushed at the thought. The dream was absurd, but strangely pleasant. In it, Ranma had sneaked into her room and kissed her. It was just a soft gentle kiss, though it was filled with love. Yet, Akane knew it was too good to be true. But that kiss felt so real... she shook the thought out of her head, that jerk would never kiss her by his own free will, he didn't love her, or did he?
After she had almost died at Jusenkyo, Akane was almost sure that Ranma felt something for her, but that idiot denied it before the wedding. Maybe Ranma was just afraid that she didn't love him back, but that wasn't true. Akane was not sure if it was love or not, but every time he was near her, she felt her heart flooding with an unexplained emotion she did not know about. Maybe it was just anger. Besides who could ever love an insensitive jerk like him?
With that thought, Akane got up from bed and changed into her school uniform. She didn't notice that the house was unusually still and silent for this time of the day. She didn't notice that no sounds came from the koi pond where Ranma and his father sparred each day, she was just lost in her own little fantasy involving her and Ranma who was beaten up to a bloody pulp. On her way out, Akane did not even look at her desk, nor did she notice Ranma's note. She had absolutely no idea that Ranma was gone, but she would soon find that out.
When she went into the kitchen, the delicious breakfast was already made, however Kasumi was not wearing one of her trademark smiles, instead she looked worried about something, but what?
"Kasumi-oneechan, is anything wrong? You look troubled. " Akane inquired
"It's Ranma" Kasumi replied staring into nothingness, "He left"
Akane gasped in horror, she knew the wedding was a complete and horrifying disaster. However, Ranma was... well he was Ranma and Akane knew he would never do anything like that. Still, her heart always knew that someday Ranma will find a way to rid himself of the chaos in his life, but the idea of simply running away never seemed like one of the options that Ranma would think of.
Akane tried to bottle out the anger she felt rising within her, but instead spat out: "Like I care! If that coward is gone, well, that's his problem. Stupid baka, he can't even face up to his problems without running away!" Okay, so bottling up her anger didn't work, but at that moment she was mad, no she was more than just mad. Akane was completely enraged at Ranma, for leaving her just when she needed his comfort, for letting her be at the mercy of the raging fiancée horde, for everything. Kasumi, however, interrupted her thoughts.
"Akane, there is no use at getting mad at him. Ranma is not coming back and I'm sure he had a good reason to leave." Akane opened her mouth to blurt out another series of insults, Kasumi, however, continued speaking anyway. "If you're going to ask how I know that he's not coming back, look into his room, all of his belongings and clothes are gone" she said with the kindest voice she could manage in that situation.
Akane's sanity started coming back to her. She believed every word her older sister had said, but she dashed into the guest room nonetheless just to see if maybe, just maybe Ranma left something behind. An important item. Something that he would need to return for, perhaps even stay for.
When she finally reached the room though, Akane found out that their two foolish fathers were already inside arguing about something. Akane swiftly slid behind the screen door, since she did not want to disturb their conversation, or worse, become a part of it herself. Not noticing her presence, they continued to ramble on.
"Your son is not a man! A true man would never abandon his fiancée, especially right after their wedding!" roared the mad voce of her father
"A failed wedding you mean," Corrected Genma Saotome, "the ceremony never happened. I knew it was a horrible plan from the beginning; they have always hated each other. It was just plain stupid of us to force them into the marriage, even or the sake of our schools. "
"But running away is not a suitable decision for the problem!" Soun continued, "We must do something!"
Genma interrupted, "There is absolutely nothing that can be done! The boy is gone, so who cares?"
Just as Akane suspected, right at that moment her over-emotional father's waterworks began to flow, leaving him weeping on the floor in front of Ranma's father. How could he dare to even say anything about Ranma being unmanly, when he broke down in tears at the slightest sign of a threat.
"Now the schools will never be united, our legacy will remain lost forever!", he wailed, "The engagement is off! I'll find someone more suitable than your coward son to marry my daughters, maybe someone like..."
Unfortunately, Akane had never gotten to hear the end of her father's speech. She could not take it anymore. She rushed out of the house, past a surprised Kasumi.
"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed as Akane ran right past her, "I don't think she's taking Ranma's disappearance well."
Meanwhile, outside the menacing clouds finally reached their ultimate size and burst out with a sudden thunderstorm. Akane was soaked before she knew it, but she did not care. At that very moment, she was fuming with rage. How could they cancel the engagement just like that? Of course, Ranma would be absolutely delighted to hear that he was not engaged to an uncute tomboy anymore, but he was far, far away by now.
In a peculiar way, it was as if the engagement broke when Ranma left, but she did not want to acknowledge that fact. She still didn't want to believe that it was over. Just thinking that made her heart filled with sorrow and hurt.
Akane looked at her watch. "Damn!" she muttered under her breath, she was late for school. She hopped into the street and started running faster and faster trying to escape from her problems. She looked up at the fence half-hoping that Ranma would be there, running along with her. All she saw was darkness.
As Akane neared the school gates, she was greeted with a familiar sight, too familiar for her. "My dearest Akane," Kuno declared standing before her with a bouquet of red roses, "Now that thou is free from marrying the vile sorcerer Saotome, you, the pig-tailed goddess, and I, Upperclassman Kuno shall live together in perfect peace and harmony forever!"
Little did he know that today Akane was in absolutely no mood to hear his little Shakespearian speech. Instead of at least listening to the rubbish he had to say next, she sent Kuno, as well a his flowers flying into the air and out of the vicinity with her trusted mallet-sama.
"Surely, the evil sorcerer Saotome has bewitched the precious Akane to turn against me. Oh, to what extent will he go to keep Upperclassman Kuno reunited with his one and only true love?!" thought Kuno to himself just as he landed in Osaka, before going into a deep coma.
The rest of the school day was mostly spent peacefully due to the lack of fights and challenges Ranma always brought upon himself. Akane tried not to think of him during the teachers' lectures, but thoughts of him slowly, but steadily crawled into the mind nonetheless. She couldn't even bear to look at his seat, which was now empty, not that Ranma would ever care if he missed school or not. Ukyou was also absent. Akane figured that the okonomiyaki chef would not want to show her face at Furinkan High for a long, long time. She was right.
The walk home was silent except for the far away rumblings of thunder. It was like walking in a desert; to Akane everything just seemed so plain, so monotone. When she finally reached her house, her surroundings were altered, however the mood remained identical. She softly walked to her room and for the first time that day, broke down crying.
Akane had struggled to suppress her tears throughout the entire day, but right now, no one was looking and she could express her true feelings. She wondered what her future would be like without Ranma. However, no thoughts came into her mind. A life without him was not worth living and she knew it. Why did that jerk have to leave her?!
Just then, an insignificant piece of paper that was placed neatly on her desk caught her attention. She drew closer and closer until she could see that the piece of paper had her name scribbled unevenly at the top. Shaking, Akane picked it up and read it.
Dear Akane,
I'm tired of all the chaos in my life, three fiancées, multiple suitors, not to mention Kuno. I'm tired of our fathers forcing us into a marriage you don't want. I have to leave to end this chaos; coming back will not be an option. Please forgive for all the pain I have caused you; I truly didn't mean any of it. You are not a kawaiikunee, or a macho chick, or irokeganee, and even if you are a tomboy that's one of the things that I love about you. I also want to say that when I occasionally, and rarely said that you are cute, I really meant it. To tell you the truth, I love you. Even though I know that my love will never be returned, because you despise me. I guess it's all my fault for putting you down all the time and taunting you. I know I was wrong, but all I ask for is your forgiveness. I hope that when I leave you, your life will be a lot easier.
Yours Forever,
Ranma
Akane just stared at the note, mesmerized. Ranma loved her! RANMA LOVED HER!!! But why did he think that she despised him? Had she really acted that horribly towards him?
There was only one more thought, however, that mattered to her now, Ranma didn't leave because of cowardice. He left because of a broken heart and to protect her from the Nerima wrecking crew.
In addition to that, he loved her! Akane had never felt so excited about anything in her life, but sorrow closely followed the newfound excitement. It was entirely her fault that Ranma left, and she knew it. If only she had confessed her feelings before the wedding, then everything would have been perfect. But, like always, Akane's temper took the best of her and all that remained of Ranma were only memories. To Akane, that just wasn't enough.
Hoping that she didn't lose too much time, Akane dashed out of the Tendo household and into the streets of Nerima. Akane knew that she could never catch up with Ranma, she was far too slow. But giving up was much, much worse than trying something she could never accomplish.
Soon, Akane was doused by the rainwater from head to toe. She wasn't giving up, instead of slowing down she ran faster, trying to go further into the darkness of the night. The wind began to pick up slapping her face with all of its might, rain clouded her vision, but at that moment, nothing mattered.
"Ranma! Where are you?" She screamed repeatedly into the dead air, but no response came. Akane halted and turned around, Ranma was gone. Gone from Nerima, gone from her life, gone forever. Akane stared into the empty streets of Nerima. She tried to stop crying, but the pain was too much for her. Akane knew that as long as Ranma was gone, it would never go away.
It was too late to catch up with him now.
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I'm done with another chapter! Just in case anyone wanted to know my PC was taken away because my parents found out that I had anime files on it (200 songs, 50 wallpapers, 20 music videos, and other interesting stuff). Let me just say I'm so happy that people are actually taking their time to read my story, so please review. It's not that hard and if I only get three or four reviews I'll have no choice but to discontinue this fic. Moreover, I know that some people are enjoying my story and don't want that to happen. In addition, whoever said that Akane will catch up with Ranma and talk to him was WRONG! I think I made it pretty clear in this chapter. Don't worry though, this will be an Akane Ranma story, you'll just have to read to find out how I'll do it. Ja Ne!
P.S. People who wanted longer chapters, I hope this is long enough for you.
Sneak Peek at Chapter 3: What horrifying deeds shall happen during Ranma's absence? Uh oh, here comes Ryouga!