What the future holds
*****************************EDIT*****************************************
**2023 Yet another revision as still managed to find so many mistakes, have also slightly tweaked a few scenes/dialogues and added an epilogue and wasn't totally satisfied with my first ending **
Well here I am 15 years, marriage and 2 kids later...back to complete this story, my first and only FanFic. It was never my intention to abandon it for so long but life kind of got in the way. I would always be disappointed when a story I was really enjoying had no ending, so during this lockdown I finally found the motivation to finish this little project.
When re-reading it I was appalled at some of the grammar and spelling mistakes, so I have tried to fix them as best as I can, slightly tweaking some of the content. English is not my first language and I am not perfect, so neither is my writing but I hope it's still enjoyable as it's just for fun.
Not publishing the remaining chapters one by one, have decided to just post the whole lot of them in one go.
So without further ado...here is the completed story!
Note: These characters don't belong to me, they are someone else's awesome property! (Thanks Rumiko Takahashi!)
" " when someone talks
Italics when someone thinks
What the future holds
Chapter 1: The school party
It was a great day, the sun was shining, the sky was the brightest of blue and it was the last day of class in Furinkan High School. You could feel the excitement in the air as all the students were looking forward to a summer of freedom.
Akane sat at her desk waiting for the bell to ring and signal the end of the day.
There were only five more minutes to go but they were dragging ever so slowly, making it feel like an eternity. Her boredom was relieved by thoughts of the party that was going to be held that same night in the school yard.
That party had been the talk of the school for the past couple of days. It was tradition for the students to hold some form of gathering to officially celebrate the end of their high school year. It normally involved music, food, sometimes even a campfire. The party organisers tried to get the gym to hold an American style, but principal Kuno had been a killjoy and denied access to it. Amazingly, he had been persuaded to leave the school grounds open that night for them to use, on the condition that if anything bad happened they would all have to shave their heads. How he would ever enforce that was something that would remain to be seen.
The bell rang at long last and everyone dashed out the door as fast as they could. Akane stopped at the school gates to talk to her best friends for a few minutes before heading home.
"So…Akane, are you going with Ranma?" asked her friend Meiko curiously.
"I don't know what he's doing, he probably won't even go" she replied unenthusiastically.
"I just thought you guys would use this as an opportunity to attend as a couple announce you are in love" Meiko teased in a matter-of-fact way.
Akane frowned in response to the ludicrous comment "Are you mad? What makes you think we have anything to announce? I cannot stand the guy!"
Meiko laughed "Oh Akane you can't fool us; I don't know why you're still trying to deny the obvious. If I had a fiancé like Ranma I would proudly show him off everywhere!"
Akane rolled her eyes "He's really not all that much..."
"Oh your strange insistence in denying the obvious amuses me. I don't know if it's pride or that you are just oblivious to the real world my darling but that fiancé of yours is an absolute catch...handsome, strong, athletic, funny..." Meiko continued to tease.
"You forgot to add conceited, vain, brute and rude to your list of attributes" Akane responded mildly irritated. She only tolerated Meiko because she was her best friend Yuka's cousin. She was a boy-obsessed empty-headed bimbo and hated when she would hang around with them as she just caused unnecessary trouble within the group. This week she seemed to have targeted Akane as her victim and for some reason would keep teasing about her relationship with Ranma which annoyed the hell out of her.
"Oooh I do love a good brute of a man!" Meiko said dreamingly.
"If you like him that much you can have him" Akane said hoping to end the conversation once and for all.
Meiko smiled mischievously "I might just take you up on that offer Akane, I might just do..."
"Well girls, how about we all meet here at 8?" interrupted Yuka eager to avoid a cat fight between her cousin and her best friend.
They all agreed and went their separate ways. When Akane got home she knew Ranma was already there as his shoes where in the hall. I guess he doesn't even know about this party, he never cares about stuff like this... she thought, Why should I even care? I don't even want him there; he'd only be a pain in the ass anyway!
But deep down she knew she wanted him there, because although she wouldn't admit it, whenever Ranma was around everything seemed better and brighter. His presence arose a sense of wellbeing in her that was difficult to explain or comprehend and this annoyed her. Why did he have such an effect on her? On her mind, her actions and her heart? Before he entered her life she was the ultimate boy-hater, independent, fierce and strong. Now her brain would turn to mush just thinking about him and every little sweet thing he did or say.
She decided to subdue her emotions with food and headed into the kitchen. She knew her favourite choc chip cookies would be a great way to perk her up.
When she walked in she saw Ranma standing by the refrigirator drinking milk directly from the carton (oh how she hated that habit!) but decided to ignore him, not wanting to risk an argument. She wanted to be in a good mood for the party. She was tired of being considered a bad-tempered moody girl and promised herself that she would rid herself of that reputation. A new chapter in her life was going begin that very night. She was going to be happy and carefree, she deserved to be.
Ranma saw Akane walk into the kitchen. She looked serious, she hadn't even said hello and that slightly bothered him. He was sure that he hadn't done anything to upset her, at least in the last couple of hours. He noticed she was looking through the cupboards with an air of frustration. He immediately knew what she was searching for, she loved those cookies. He had noticed how every time she'd had a bad day or was feeling sad for whatever reason she would munch on those cookies for comfort. And he also knew that he was the reason she'd turn to them most of the time.
He had been hungry when he arrived from school so the kitchen had been his first stop before heading for his afternoon training . He wanted something quick and easy to just grab and go. There wasn't much, the fridge was quite empty and the only thing that he could find apart from milk and some nuts was the box of cookies which he had grabbed a few seconds before Akane had entered the room.
Akane continued searching and sighed in annoyance. He knew what she wanted and he had it in his hand.
"Here, there are only a couple left, you can have 'em" Ranma extended the box over in a genuine gesture of kindness.
Akane turned round and saw Ranma offering her the small box of cookies "It's ok, you can have them"
Ranma insisted "No, honestly, take them, these are your cookies anyway"
Akane gave him a strange look "They're not mine, anyone can have them, and you got them first so go ahead and enjoy them, I'll get some more tomorrow at the store"
Ranma wouldn't accept her surrender "Look, I know you love these cookies, they seem to be your go-to when something is bothering you…so here, have 'em, it will make me feel better if you do"
Akane was surprised "Ok… thank you Ranma"
He handed the box to her and smiled, then he left.
She suddenly felt warm inside, she also felt confused. He could be such a jerk at times (most times), but he also had seldom acts of sweetness like this one that would catch her by surprise, putting a smile on her face and making her wonder how she could ever be mad at him, although that feeling would never last long because he always managed to do something that would spoil said sweet act.
She went outside where she knew he would be exercising and admired the view. She was fascinated by the strength and agility he possessed. She deeply enjoyed watching him train as she always learned new things from his intricate movements and couldn't help but wish she could be equally as graceful. He made the art look completely effortless when it was anything but. And although she hated to admit it, she thought he looked pretty damn hot with his shirt off. His perfectly toned body moved graciously as drops of sweat began to form on his handsome face. He was the epitome of physical perfection. Damn him for being so sexy.
He noticed her observing him and stopped doing his kata "Hey, ya want anything?
Akane cleared her throat "Well, as you were uncharacteristically nice to me in the kitchen I've decided to repay your generosity, lets share these" Akane pointed at the box of cookies in her hand.
He looked awkwardly "Geez, you still going on about those cookies, I told you, you can have 'em"
Akane sighed "I would feel better if you had one, please…"
Ranma reluctantly agreed, sat next to her and took a cookie from the box.
"I'm so glad school's over, classes were getting too damn boring, I need a rest" he said trying to make small talk.
"Yeah, I know what you mean" she answered having finished her last bite "I was getting a bit stressed myself"
He was surprised "You?! You love school! and you're real good at it too. I would like it too if I was as smart as you"
Akane couldn't believe what she had just heard, Ranma Saotome admitting to being bad at something, admitting to being worse than her at something. She mentally threw her fist in the air as a sign of victory.
"You're smart too, you just divert all your energy to martial arts and training that's all"
Ranma laughed "Yes, maybe I do"
"So..." Akane continued "What have you got planned for the holidays?"
"Well…" he started thinking "Probably do the same as I always do, might go on a training trip with pop or something…how about you?"
"Hmmmmm…"she didn't know what she was going to do, she still hadn't really thought about it "I don't know, I haven't decided yet…but I do know how I'm going to start my holidays…I'm going to celebrate and have some fun at the school party tonight!"
"You're gonna go to the party?" he asked in disbelief.
"You know about it?" Akane asked curiously.
"It's the only thing the guys have talked about all week!. Hiroshi and Daisuke were trying to convince me to go… I'm sick of hearing about the stupid thing"
"It might be stupid for you" She replied "But for most of us it's going to be a great night out, something different, a reward for all the hard work we've done throughout the year…"
She sighed, her fingers darting out to idly play with the empty box laid out in front of her.
"Geez Akane…" he went on "I didn't know you were into those kinda things, people fooling around, getting drunk…"
"It's called having fun, and for once I am going to let my hair down" She snapped back.
"Well, I hope you enjoy drinking, dancing around and flirting with guys then" he said coldly as he stood up.
"I am not going to do that!" She said filled with irritated indignation.
"If ya say so" He shrugged trying to sound unconcerned.
"Why do you care anyway?" She questioned him trying to make eye contact.
"I don't" He said as he averted her gaze.
She took a deep breath, frustrated and disappointed at his lack of interest.
"Well, I might see you there later" He said out of the blue.
"What?" she said perplexed "Are you going? I thought you said it was only a stupid party and you weren't going!"
"I said it was a stupid party, I never said I wasn't going"
He's being a smartass.
"Ok, so I'll see you there then" She said, trying as best as she could to contain her excitement.
"Yep, maybe" He answered as he began doing his kata again.
Akane then got up and left. She was trying to understand what had just happened. It had seemed pretty clear that he was not interested at all in going to the party until he knew she was going and then he had a sudden change of heart.
She downplayed his change of mind and shrugged, happy now that Ranma was now going to go, which she had secretly hoped for.
Suddenly her mind stirred, having uneasy thoughts. She realised that there were going to be a hell of a lot of girls there tonight, and yes, he had seen them all before, but they weren't going to be in their school uniforms, they were going be dressed up in flattering and more than likely revealing outfits. They were going to wear makeup and have their hair perfectly styled.
Akane started to panic, even though she had a long list of suitors she felt really insecure about her looks and Ranma only ever wounded her self-esteem by insulting her at every opportunity. He, on the other hand, was quite confident in himself, he was ridiculously good looking and the jerk knew it. He also knew he could have pretty much any girl at school if he wanted. And although Akane had a lengthy list of suitors, Ranma's list was twice as long.
That thought really depressed her. She started looking through her closet. Why does everything I own look like it belongs to a 12 year old... she thought in frustration I really need to go shopping over the holidays and update my wardrobe!
She hated asking her sister Nabiki for anything as it would come at a cost (normally a very expensive one) but now she knew Ranma was going to be at the party she suddenly felt the need to look her very best. Needs must…