**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma 1/2. That masterpiece is the property of Rumiko Takahashi.**
** Thank you for the reviews. Thank you, Ranma420 for the well wishes regarding the crazy storm we endured here. Things are getting back to normal for most of Southern Ontario now, and hopefully we will stay that way. It was unlike anything I've ever seen around here. I had to add it into the story. Hope you enjoy the new installment.**
Akane looked over at Ukyo with concern. "That's where Kaze is. Do you think he's okay?" she asked.
Ukyo nodded. "He's in tennin form, so I am confident that he's fine. Let's not worry too much over it. I'm sure he will call and let you know he's alright," Ukyo reassured her friend, although unsure if she even beleived herself.
Akane nodded, although still worried. "You're right. I just got a rotten feeling in the pit of my stomach when I heard the news. I'm sure we will hear from him soon," Akane said as she forced a smile.
Megami reached for Akane with a concerned look on her face. "Nay Nay?" Megami asked. Akane's jaw dropped. "Megami! Are you trying to say Akane?" Akane asked, her concern turning to excitement at hearing the small child's attempt at speech.
Ukyo chuckled and said, "She called Ryoga Oh-Ga earlier. She's a smart little girl!"
"I wonder if she will be advanced since she's half celestial. You're a special little girl, Megami," Akane smiled at the baby.
Megami squealed and clapped for the change in the mood of the room that she created. She reached over and grabbed Akane's hand then smiled up at her.
"Megami, you really do know how to brighten someone's whole day," Akane said as she patted Megami's head with her other hand with a growing smile on her face and her worries forgotten for the moment. "Hey," Akane said, "Megami's eyes are turning blue like Ranma's!"
Ukyo furrowed her eyesbrows as she took a look at Megami's eyes. "You're right! Maybe you will look a little like your dad, afterall, kiddo!"
"Listen, I don't know why you've suddenly decided that I need to marry this woman I've never met, but I already have a fiance that is waiting for me back where I've been living. I am committed, happy and in love with who I am already with," Ryoga tried to explain to his parents with increasing desperation.
"Nonsense. Young men your age don't know what they want. The Negishis are a wealthy, intelligent family who have helped us tremendously with our direction issues in the past year. They need a male heir to their fortune and business. This is the least we can do," Mr. Hibiki insisted.
"But-" Ryoga started.
"Sweetheart, this is what we have decided. We can not sign permission for you to go against our promise to the Negishis. They have been waiting for you to return for some time. Now, I would like you to take Machiko out tonight so that you two could get to know each other," Mrs. Hibiki added.
"But-" Ryoga tried again.
"That's final, son," Mr. Hibiki demanded.
Ryoga's jaw remained dropped as his brain scrambled to make sense of the current situation. Ranma leaned into Ryoga's ear and said, "Hey, just take her out and talk it over with her. Maybe she doesn't want this, either."
Ryoga turned to Ranma with a raised eyebrow, then nodded hesitantly. Ryoga turned to his parents. "I will take her out tonight, but I can not make you any promises," he told his mother and father. His mother smiled at him while his father maintained his stern look. Ryoga looked over to Machiko and then approached her. "I'm sorry you've been dragged into this. Perhaps we can discuss the matter over some dessert?" Ryoga suggested. Machiko smiled politely at Ryoga. Ryoga walked back over to Ranma. "I hope you're right, Ranma," he said.
"Don't worry. You sort this out with Machiko and I'll distract Ukyo. I'm sure Machiko doesn't want to be forced into an engagement to a man she's never met, either," Ranma winked at him, as if knowing from experience.
Ranma approached Ucchan's and took a deep breath before opening the door and taking a step inside. He spotted Konatsu behind the counter today. "Hey, Konatsu! Do you know where Ukyo is?" Ranma called over.
Konatsu turned to look at Ranma. "I think she's still over at Akane's," Konatsu told him. Ranma nodded and thanked Konatsu before heading back out. Ranma walked along, his hands in his pockets, deep in thought about all the different ways life was trying to mess with him and his friends. As best man in a wedding for two of his best friends, Ranma felt obligated to make sure this wedding happened flawlessly. After some time, Ranma approached the Tendo home and knocked on the door.
Nabiki answered the door. "Yo, Ranma. What's happening?" Nabiki greeted with a smirk.
"Hey Nabiki. Is Ukyo here?" he asked.
"She just left a few minutes ago with Megami. Don't you know where your daughter is?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow at him, although very clearly joking.
"Well, I would if Ukyo told me where she was going. Do you know where she went?" Ranma asked.
"Not a clue. You should ask Akane. She's upstairs," Nabiki moved out of the way to allow Ranma in the house.
Ranma thanked Nabiki as he moved past her and up the staircase to Akane's room. He tapped lightly on the door. "Come in," Akane called.
Ranma cautiously opened the door. They hadn't seen each other since the incident and he wasn't looking to upset her further. "Hey, Akane," he said sheepishly.
"Hello, Ranma," Akane said as she looked away from him.
"I'm sorry to bother you. I know you probably don't want to see me right now. I want to start by saying how sorry I am that you got poisoned. If I was smarter, I would have known that Shampoo had switched the mushrooms for the poisonous ones," Ranma started trailing an explanation.
"So, it was Shampoo?" Akane asked, as she finally looked over at Ranma.
Ranma nodded. "I got her to admit it. It was definitely her," he told her.
"Why, though? Why would she poison me? I'm not a threat to her," Akane asked.
"She thinks you are because of how I feel about you. I'm so sorry, Akane," Ranma said. "I can't understand why you always get hurt on my behalf, but this seems to be the real curse in my life."
Akane nodded. "I understand, Ranma. Her actions are not your fault. Setting up a date for me while knowing I'm dating Kaze, though? That's on you. We had a chance and you ran off with another woman instead. I moved on and now you are trying to set up dates? Ranma, I think it's time we had a serious talk," Akane insisted.
Ranma looked down. "I'm sorry, Akane. I just needed you to know how I truly felt before you took things further with Kaze," Ranma explained.
"What I do with Kaze is none of your business," Akane said sternly as she shot him a cold look. "You should sit down, Ranma," Akane continued as she motioned toward her bed for Ranma to sit. Ranma did as instructed. "Ranma, what is going on with you? I really thought we were going to get married and that we loved each other after Jusendo. But instead, you went cold toward me and fell for someone else. Now you're back for me? We really need to sort through whatever this is."
Ranma looked away, sadness overwhelming the look on his face. "I'm sorry, Akane."
"I know you are, but that doesn't really explain it. I don't want to hear that you don't know what happened or any of that other stuff you've said before. I want the truth," Akane said as she crossed her arms.
Ranma looked back up at her, anxiety rising and a debilitating fear turning him mute. He wanted to unleash every feeling he had since the first moment he thought she was dead at Jusendo, but he still hasn't been able to put it into words. The more he searched to find the words, the harder it became to get any of them to come out of his mouth. Akane noticed this and sighed. She got up and walked over to Ranma, sat beside him and placed her hand on his. "I'm sorry, Ranma. I know there's a lot of hard stuff going on with you and I'm not trying to make this harder. We just really need to sort this out," she told him as she softened her face.
Ranma half smiled at Akane then looked away. "Well," he started, "When I thought you had died at Jusendo, something inside me just.. broke. I don't know how else to explain it. Everything changed in that moment. I didn't know anything anymore. Nothing made sense. The world just seemed to drown under a fog and I was stuck in it, unable to make sense of anything. Then, we found out you weren't actually dead and we could save you. I mean, you know how the story goes, you were there. When I thought I lost you the second time.. whatever was left of me just shattered. If you didn't open your eyes when you did, I don't know where I would be today. I care about you so much, Akane," Ranma looked back over at her. Akane just nodded, silently listening to Ranma's story. Ranma looked away again before he continued. "When we got back, I'm not entirely sure what I thought I was doing. I guess I felt the failed wedding was some sort of a sign that we shouldn't have been together. Somehow I convinced myself that it was my fault you were always getting hurt in some way or another and the only way to keep you safe was to push you away. I did a really good job of it, too. I know I was being awful to you, but it just kept coming out of me. Inside, I really didn't mean any of it. When I met Miyuki.." Ranma slightly smiled at the thought, "she basically just came barreling into my life. She was a force and she broke down all my walls without much effort. She got me to talk about things that were bothering me without judgement and I felt safe with her. I think she saved me in a way. It killed me that it hurt you, but I just couldn't deny this incredible instant connection I had with her. I don't think I will ever be able to fully explain what happened in my head, but when I was with her I felt.. better. I felt like I was being put back together in a way no one else was able to. It wasn't anything anyone did or said, it's just something only she seemed to be able to do. It was so intense. I saw how hurt you were, but I needed her at that moment. I'm so sorry, Akane," Ranma continued.
Akane moved to get a glimpse of Ranma's face, which was still looking away, and noticed his eyes were full of tears just waiting to fall. Akane felt almost shocked. She had never seen Ranma this vulnerable. "Ranma, thank you for sharing all that with me," Akane told him
Ranma kept looking away, not wanting Akane to see his face, knowing the tears were ready to let go. "Then she was gone. Just.. poof, gone. I didn't get to say goodbye. I didn't get to talk to her about anything let alone becoming a father. Megami is so precious to me, but I had no idea she was even coming. Instead of dealing with the fact that Miyuki was just all of a sudden dead, I had to worry about a tiny little person that I helped create the one time I did anything.. like.. you know," Ranma took another breath.
Akane nodded. "You never got a chance to grieve for her, did you?" Akane said sympathetically.
Ranma shook his head. "No, not really. I was too busy learning how to take care of an infant. I still don't know why no one told me she was pregnant. It honestly doesn't make any sense to me. She was still alive then. Someone, anyone, could have come down and told me what was going on," Ranma said, with a hint of frustration.
"You're right, Ranma. That wasn't fair to you or Megami," Akane agreed.
Ranma looked over and smiled at Akane. "Through all the crap that's happened since we've met, you've always been there for me when it mattered."
Akane smiled back at Ranma. "That's what friends do, Ranma," Akane said.
"I'm still your friend?" Ranma asked.
"You haven't been kicked out of my room yet, have you?" Akane asked jokingly.
Ranma chuckled. "I guess not. I'm just so sorry I let all this happen. We would be married right now if our wedding wasn't ruined and I.. I would have been more than okay with that," Ranma paused for a moment as he remembered his lack of knowledge regarding the whereabouts of his daughter. "Hey, Akane?" he asked.
"Yes, Ranma?" Akane responded.
"Do you know where my baby is?" Ranma inquired, sheepishly while scratching the back of his head.
Akane giggled. "She was getting fussy, so Ukyo took her for a walk. I'm not actually sure where she went, but I'm sure she will be back soon. She said she would come see me again in a little while," Akane explained.
Ranma nodded. "That's not super reassuring, but I'm sure Ukyo is taking good care of her. Ryoga needs me to find her, though," Ranma explained.
"Why is that?" Akane asked.
"It's complicated. Long story short, we found Ryoga's parents," Ranma explained.
"What? Already? That was a lot faster than anyone thought!" Akane said, excited for her friends.
"So, she told you finally?" Ranma asked.
Akane smiled and nodded. "Our friends are getting married. You're the best man, and I'm the maid of honour. For Ryoga and Ukyo of all people," Akane said with a chuckle.
Ranma nodded. "You're okay with that?" he asked.
Akane nodded again. "We are friends, Ranma. We will get past all this craziness and still be friends at the end of it," Akane said. Although she thought she was being reassuring, she was actually stabbing Ranma's heart a little at the thought of potentially being permanently friend-zoned.
"Okay. That's good then. I'm going to go see if I can find Ukyo, if that's okay. If I don't find her before you do, can you let her know I'm trying to find her? It's really important," Ranma asked.
Akane shifted in her seat. "Is there something going on that I should know about?" Akane asked.
"Not if I can help it," Ranma winked at her with a half smile as he turned to walk out the door.
"Ranma," Akane called, stopping Ranma in his tracks as he turned back around to face her. "Be sure that you can help it." Akane told him, trying to have confidence in him and Ryoga. Ranma smiled and nodded before turning back to leave.
Ryoga sat down at a small table across from Machiko in a small ice cream shop on the outskirts of Nerima in an attempt to avoid being seen by anyone he may know. Machiko smiled at him as he placed an order of ice cream down in front of her and one in front of his spot on the table. He looked at her in stunned silence, trying to figure out where to begin and she shoved her spoon into her dish and put a generous helping of the frozen dessert in her mouth. Ryoga chuckled nervously to fill the moment in time as he formed the words he needed to say to the girl in front of him.
Machiko smirked at him. "Listen. I'm not going to marry you. You can relax," she said to him, matter-of-factly.
"Wait, what?" Ryoga said as his eyes widened.
Machiko laughed. "I mean, it's nothing against you or anything. I'm just not looking to be forced into a marriage with someone I don't even know, let alone someone harbouring feelings for someone else," Machiko laughed as she took another bite.
Ryoga let out a sigh of relief. "Wow. Okay. That's good. We can figure out how to deal with this, then," he said, incredibly relieved at the turn of events.
"Not so fast," Machiko said, stopping him, "If I'm going to get you off the hook, you're going to need to do something for me, too."
Ryoga blinked a few times. "I guess that's fair. What do you want?" he asked.
Machiko giggled and fanned her face. "That other guy you were with.. Ran? Ran something?" she asked.
Ryoga raised an eyebrow. "Ranma?" he asked, slightly bewildered.
"That's it. What's his story?" Machiko asked.
"Well, he's 19 years old, is about to graduate high school and has an infant daughter," Ryoga told her, unsure of her intentions with this information.
"He has a daughter? Does he have a wife?" Machiko asked.
"No, he doesn't have a wife," Ryoga answered.
"Interesting. Where is the baby's mother?" Machiko asked.
"She, sadly, died in childbirth about 7 months ago," Ryoga said.
"Oh, so he is still honourable, then," Machiko stated.
"What are you getting at here?" Ryoga asked.
"Well, I couldn't help but notice how utterly handsome Ranma was. Here's the deal. You set me up on a date with Ranma and I will make sure this engagement perishes quickly," Machiko offered.
"What is it with women falling for Ranma? Seriously?" Ryoga said with exasperation.
"Is he a womaniser?" Machiko asked.
"I used to think so, but I think he's just a magnet whether he likes it or not," Ryoga chuckled slightly at the strange 'misfortune' his friend seemed to have.
"Then it's settled. You set me up with Ranma and afterwards I will tell my family that I refuse the engagement," Machiko smiled as she placed another spoonful into her mouth.
"What if Ranma won't do it?" Ryoga asked, a bit concerned at this ultimatum being based on the decisions and actions of someone else.
Machiko chuckled. "I'm sure you'll figure out a way to make it happen," she said as she winked at him.
Ryoga took a deep breath. Alright, Ranma. You better do this for me.
"Yo, Ryoga!" Ranma ran up to his friend. "I haven't been able to find Ukyo yet. I have no idea where her and Megami are,"
"That's weird. Did you check Ucchan's?" Ryoga asked as he started walking with Ranma.
"Of course I did! That's the first place I went!" Ranma said, starting to sound panicked.
"Hey, Ranma. Relax. I'm sure they are okay," Ryoga said, noticing Ranma's heightened anxiety.
"I have never not known where my daughter is for this long. The longer I don't know, the more panicked I seem to get," Ranma explained, apologetically.
"You've definitely become a parent," Ryoga chuckled. "Don't worry. We will find them together," Ryoga lightly slapped Ranma's shoulder as they continued looking for the girls.
Ryoga and Ranma continued walking down the street. Ryoga didn't want to bring up the potential date with Machiko with Ranma until after they found Ukyo and Megami, so he left it alone for now. They started to walk past the park near the Tendo residence when they spotted Ukyo sitting on the bench with a stroller. "Ukyo!" Ranma called over to her. Ukyo turned her head and smiled with a small wave at the two men.
Ryoga walked up behind Ukyo and wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Hey there, handsome. Did you find your parents?" Ukyo asked.
Ranma immediately looked in the stroller to identify the child before picking her up and hugging her as if he hadn't seen her in years. Megami squealed with delight at her father's sudden appearance and Ukyo raised an eyebrow at Ranma.
"Actually, we did!" Ryoga announced.
"Awesome! Are they coming to the wedding?" Ukyo asked.
Ryoga looked away and turned a light shade of red. "Uh, yeah, they will be there," Ryoga told her. He didn't truly believe it to be a lie, since he fully intended on following through with Machiko's plan and reversing his parents' decision.
"Perfect! Everything is going smoothly, then," Ukyo smiled, then looked back at Ranma. "Is Ranma alright?" Ukyo asked Ryoga.
"He's just a helicopter parent," Ryoga laughed.
"I heard that," Ranma shot at them as he kissed the top of Megami's head.
"Good. What are you going to do when she goes to school or starts dating boys?" Ryoga asked with a smirk.
Ranma's face dropped. "Shut up, Ryoga!" he said as he hugged Megami a little tighter. Ukyo laughed along with Ryoga.
Later that evening, after Ranma had put Megami down for the night, Ryoga turned up at Ranma's house to talk to him about Machiko. Ranma let him in and they both sat at the table. Nodoka brought them tea, then retired to her room to give the boys some privacy.
"What's going on, Ryoga? What did Machiko say?" Ranma asked, expecting a best man task to be given.
"I need a favour, Ranma," Ryoga stated.
"I figured. What do you need me to do? This is wedding related, isn't it?" Ranma asked.
"I'm going to say yes. It's pretty important to the wedding, for sure," Ryoga said just before he took a deep breath. "I need you to go on a date with Machiko."
Ranma's eyes widened. "What?! Why?" Ranma asked, flabbergasted.
"Turns out, she's into you and not me," Ryoga stated. "She said she would refuse the engagement to her parents if I set her up with you."
Ranma let out a quick, sharp breath. "I don't understand women. Fine. I will do it, for you, but you can't tell Akane," he told Ryoga.
"I won't. I know this wouldn't help your chances there," Ryoga agreed.
"Alright, just tell me when and where. I'll need someone to watch Megami. I'm not bringing her to meet random women," Ranma told him.
Ryoga nodded. "I'm setting it up for tomorrow. I really have no time to lose. The sooner my parents agree to give permission for the wedding, the better," Ryoga insisted.
"Akane!" Kasumi called from down the stairs.
"Yes, Kasumi?" Akane appeared at the top of the staircase.
"The telephone is for you!" Kasumi smiled, holding out the phone.
Akane descended the stairs and grabbed the phone from Kasumi. "Hello?"
"Akane! I'm so sorry! I would have called earlier, but it's been a bit crazy over here!" the voice on the other end said.
Akane recognized the voice immediately. "Kaze! You're okay! We were so worried!" Akane said with relief.
"I'm so sorry it took this long! I know you probably heard about the freak storm and tornado that blew through here. So much property was destroyed. Some cars were flipped over, windows smashed, shingles flying off roofs, and so many trees ripped apart. I am going to stay a little longer than planned to keep helping with the clean up efforts. I haven't found the potentially cursed person yet, but I felt like this was more important for the moment," Kaze told her.
"You're right. I'm just glad you're okay! That sounds crazy. You're not hurt at all?" Akane asked.
"No, no, I'm okay. Sorry you had to worry this long. I will be back in a couple days, is that okay?" Kaze asked.
"As long as you come back," Akane said, smiling with an overwhelming sense of relief.