I don't own Ranma ½ but I do own Element. This whole story starts after the second failed wedding which was after the Phoenix Mountain incident if you haven't figured that out yet. Sorry about the delay, now on with the show.

Chapter 6: Changes

"Sasuke!"

"Yes Master Kuno?" the dimutive ninja asks from his bowed position after popping out of nowhere.

"Sasuke, I want you to find out everything about Junsui Umi. I have learned that she is residing at the Tendo Dojo and is being held by the foul sorcerer Kagayaki Denko. Now go." Tatawaki Kuno explains.

"Yes Master Kuno." Sasuke says and with a final bow he disappears.

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The next morning Ranma and Akane walked out of their room rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they were up late doing homework that was interrupted by a few kisses and they weren't exactly used to sharing a room. Kagayaki and Junsui walked out at the same time and thought they saw something different about the other couple but couldn't get a clear view.

"So are you guys ready for some practice before breakfast?" Kagayaki asks.

"Yea were ready, I nearly forgot that Pop wasn't here to throw me out of bed for some early morning training." Ranma says with a slight smile.

"Well it looks like the changes have started." Junsui smirks.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Akane asks confused and still tired.

"Have two looked in a mirror lately?" Junsui smirks a little more as the teens race to the furo to see what she was talking about.

When they stood in front of the mirror their jaws dropped at the sight of their reflections before looking at each other. Ranma's eyes had become a glacial blue color with slitted pupils, while Akane's eyes had changed from a chocolate brown to a golden honey color with slitted pupils that she had only seen in pictures of birds of prey.

"Told ya there'd be changes" Kagayaki smirks leaning in the doorway with Junsui just behind him with a smile.

"I wonder what's next, the hair or the mark?"

"Ya wanna bet?"

"That would be interesting... what would we bet?"

"I dunno... loser pays for lunch Saturday?"

"Works for me. I bet it will be the hair next."

"Okay, I bet it will be the mark next."

"Hey!" Ranma and Akane yell when they here that bets are being made on them.

"Waddya think you're doing!?" Ranma yells at the betting teens.

"Friendly betting and we're the only victims here if we lose." Kagayaki quickly explains.

"Foul demons! Unhand mine precious Akane Tendo and Junsui Umi!" Kuno yells as the four teens walk through the school gates.

"So who wants to relieve us of his big, stupid mouth, ego, and very small mind today?" Junsui asks the others as they dodge Kuno's attacks and earning a growl of irritation from the samurai wanna-be.

"I don't know but with all of us jumping around like this it's kicking up a lot of dust." Akane replies feeling a sneeze coming.

"Hey I took care of him yesterday so someone else can do it." Kagayaki shouts through the ever thickening dust cloud caused by their shuffling feet and the lack of a breeze, unless you want to count all the hot air coming from Kuno as he shouts at Ranma and Kagayaki to release their hold on the girls.

"Too much d-d-dust. Ah-Ah-Ah-CHOO!" Akane sneezes accompanied by a large blast of fire the enveloped Kuno charring most of his clothing, bokken, and the wig that he was wearing to cover his rather recently shaved head with beyond recognition as well as burning off most of the hair that wasn't shaved.

"Ya didn't have to try roasting me too!" Ranma yells as the smoke clears revealing that his clothes were singed in a few places as well as the tips of some of his hair.

"He he he...sorry 'bout that Ranma, the dust..."

"Don't forget the phoenix."Junsui chips in.

At the mentioning of a phoenix Kuno woke up from his place on the ground and looked around wildly, for he distinctly remembered the phoenix egg incident.

"Looks like we both lost the bet." Kagayaki laughs.

"Yea and maybe we ought to treat them out for lunch for finding a way around it?" Junsui says joining her fiancé in laughter.

Back at the Tendo estate after school had let out, Akane and Junsui were having a girl talk on the back porch while Ranma and Kagayaki were practicing katas in the backyard. Kasumi and Nodoka were preparing dinner, Genma and Soun were playing shogi again, and Nabiki was out collecting some money that people owed her.

"So Junsui, how did you and Kagayaki meet?"

"Well... about a year or so back I had run away from home and as I was walking through a forest, some demons started to chase me. I though I was the only person in that part of the forest and I thought I was going to die right then, but out of nowhere, Kagayaki comes and slices the demons to bits and helped me get out of the area before more came."

"Wow, at least that's better than how me and Ranma first met."

"How's that? I thought I was gonna die."

"Um..." Akane began blushing bright red at the memory, "When I first saw him as a guy I was going to take a bath and I walked in thinking he was a girl and found him just getting out of the furo."

"So let me guess, you both took your time staring at each other?"

"Yea." Akane mumbled so quietly Junsui almost didn't hear it, but she did and laughed loudly at the mental image she was getting.

"Please don't tell anyone I liked what I saw...EEP!" Akane realized what she had just said and blushed even brighter that she was before.

There was nothing Akane could do to stop the blonde girl from laughing loudly, but she was at least able to get a nod of agreement out of her that she wouldn't tell. The boys however, they were lost at the cause of laughter and Akane's glowing red face full of embarrassment. Kagayaki simply shrugged and figured he'd find out later and went back to his katas, Ranma was a little more curious and decided that he'd pester Akane into telling him what was so funny.

Later that night, Ranma was thinking of the first night he and Akane shared a room that could be called theirs. They had both stood in the room looking around for at least thirty minutes with faintly red faces that grew brighter every time they looked at the other before Ranma pulled a second futon from the closet, dropped it next to the first, and simply fell on it ready to sleep. Akane had simply watched the whole thing silently but when he patted the futon that he normally used she got the hint and lied down on it.

Being the nice guy that he was, Ranma pulled the sheets and comforter over her before pulling his own over him. Akane was glad that Ranma was actually thinking and happily snuggled deeper into her bed and a little closer to her fiancee. Ranma took the moment to give her a quick peck on the forehead before falling asleep.

In the morning to their confusion, they had woken up with Akane's head on Ranma's shoulder and one hand on his chest, her legs were wrapped around one of his. His arms were wrapped protectively around her waist and he had his face buried deep in her blue-black hair. Even though they were both awake and knew the other was as well, they had formed a silent agreement that this was very nice and maybe they needed to go shopping for a double futon later on. They had stayed there and would have been more that happy to until Kasumi had peeked in to see if they were awake.

Now, Ranma was definitely happy that they had admitted their feelings three days ago as he ran his hand through Akane's hair as she slept with her head on his chest before he too joined her in the world of dreams.

To be continued...

Author's Note: If anyone has questions feel free to as in a review, a reviewer in the past has helped me with the story already and they should know who they are so keep the reviews coming and trust me, things are really gonna heat up real soon now that Ranma and Akane's Elemental Spirits have stated to show themselves. Oh yeah, and for those of you who like plenty of Kuno bashing... I already have plans to make you happy, very happy. Those of you who like that baka, I got something in mind that will make you happy as well. I'll try to update faster for now on.

Ja ne!

Lightning Bob