By Bing

Part One: The Ones to Carry On

Chapter 2 - Memories

Akane and Hikaru took the last train going to Nerima that night. As Akane sat back in her seat, a feeling of nostalgia swept over her. Nerima. It had been a long time since she had set her foot in that place. Too long. She could hardly believe that she was going back. When was the last time she ever went home anyway? Ah, yes. It was during her sophomore year in college seventeen years ago…

Akane stepped off the train and looked around. She saw passengers hurrying and being greeted by their loved ones. She smiled for she could already feel the warmth of being home.

"Akane!" She heard her name called.

Turning, Akane saw Nabiki and her fiancée Kuno. She waved at them. "Nabiki!"

The two sisters hugged each other. Then Akane turned to Kuno who nodded politely and said, "Akane Tendo, the day is now much brighter now that I have set my eyes on you."

Nabiki said, "Translation. He's glad to see you."

Akane let out a giggle. She felt more relaxed with Kuno now yet she could hardly believe that he was almost her brother-in-law. He and Nabiki had been going to the same college and began dating during their freshman year. The next thing Akane knew was that Kuno asked her sister's hand in marriage.

The three of them went to the Tendo home where Soun, Kasumi, and her husband Dr. Tofu were waiting for them. Hugs and cries (from her father) greeted Akane. She smiled, thinking just how it was great to be back.

Not long after the family reunion, Akane changed into her gi and headed for the dojo. When she reached the entrance, she stopped and saw the sign. Tendo-Saotome Anything Goes Martial Arts Training Hall. As the name Saotome darted through her mind, she could only say one thing.

"Ranma," she whispered.

She had not seen him since they both left for college. It had been Akane's decision to go to a different university from Ranma. She thought they needed a break from each other. Akane knew that she was falling in love with him, yet he told her that he did not love her before the wedding started. Worse, all their suitors came and destroyed their wedding. Akane felt lost and hurt. When high school graduation came, she knew that she just had to get away.

Akane went inside the dojo and looked around as if she had never been inside it before. Her father and uncle Saotome built the dojo with their own hands. This made her proud and amazed that it was still standing after all these years.

Akane was so deep into her thoughts that she did not even hear that someone came in.

"Akane?"

Akane was startled. She heard that voice before, and it was hard to believe that it was music to her ears. She whirled around and saw him.

"Ranma."

Ranma gave her a small, almost shy smile. "Yo, Akane."

Her heart soared. Akane ran and hugged him. "Ranma, it's great to see you!"

Ranma put his arms around her, quite surprised. Akane felt some hesitation in his arms, but they soon relaxed. After the hug, Ranma looked down at her as she smiled at him.

That smile. What was it about that smile? Ranma could not recall how many times he had called her uncute. Yes, she was uncute. She was uncute because she was beautiful.

"Well," he said, "I see that you still look the same."

"What are you doing here? I thought that you would still be in America."

"I was, but I saved up enough money to come home."

"So, tell me about America. Do you like it there? Is it fun being an exchanged student?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, it's nice. It's a lot of fun."

"I was surprised that you were qualified to go to America. Kasumi wrote to me and said that you and your karate team won several tournaments around the world. You must be very proud of yourself."

"Well, you know how I love a challenge."

Akane laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Listen, Akane I invited your family for dinner tonight at our house. I was wondering if you could come, too. Your family said that they were game."

She nodded. "Okay. Sure. What's this? Some kind of Tendo-Saotome family reunion?"

"Er…uh…not really. I invited Ukyou, her father, Shampoo and Cologne, too."

Akane felt her heart beat faster. Ukyou and Shampoo were coming. She suddenly had a bad feeling about this. "What's going on?"

"I have an announcement to make."

"What kind of announcement?"

Ranma hesitated and said, "Akane, let's take a walk."

Akane agreed and they walked together in silence. They reached a spot with a view of the lake before them. It was the same place where Ranma found her after she ran out of Dr. Tofu's office with a broken heart three years ago.

"So what did you want to tell me?" asked Akane.

Ranma took a deep breath. Okay. Here goes nothing. "Akane, I met a girl in America."

Akane felt her heart break, but her face was stoic. "I see."

"I'm going to renounce my engagements to you, Shampoo, and Ukyou. You see, Michiko and I are getting married."

Akane could not believe what was happening. Renouncing the engagement! As her world was beginning to crumble, she wanted to scream out, "But what about the dojo? What about the family honor. What about me?" But, she did no such thing.

She asked, "Does your family know?"

He shook his head. "You're the only one I've told so far."

"Why?"

Ranma shrugged. "I don't know. I always thought that you had the right to know first."

Akane's eyes narrowed. "Why? Did you think that if I didn't know before hand that I won't be able to handle it in front of all our families, Ukyou, and Shampoo?"

"No, Akane! That's not it!"

"Ranma, you jerk! You are so insensitive!"

"I told you because…because I care for you!"

"Well, you sure have one hell of a way of showing it! You want to be free? Fine! From now on, you are no longer my fiancée!"

She whirled around and began to walk away as he shouted, "Akane!"

Then she ran off before he could see her tears.

~Saotome residence~

Akane and her family arrived just after Ukyou, her father, Shampoo, and Cologne did. Genma and Nodoka welcomed them with a warm smile. Ranma greeted them as well. Dinner was served, and the talk was amiable.

"We're so glad that you invited us, " said Soun.

"Actually, this dinner was my boy's idea. He said that he has an announcement to make, "Genma told everyone.

"Announcement? What announcement?" All the guests talked at the same time and looked at each other with curiosity. Akane, however, looked down, dreading the moment.

Nodoka said, " My son has decided whom he shall marry."

"Aiya!" Shampoo exclaimed. "Ranma pick Shampoo, yes?"

"No way, sugar!" Ukyou yelled at her. She turned to Ranma and smiled sweetly at him. "Ranchan, I always knew it was me! I am the cute fiancée, remember?"

"Er…uh…" was all Ranma could say.

Akane spoke up, ""Why don't you guys let Ranma speak?"

Soun turned to him. "Well, son. You said that you made your decision. Tell us."

Ranma took a deep breath. "I…I, uh, pick neither of the three."

"What?" Everyone, but Akane, turned to him, surprised.

Genma grabbed him by the shirt. "Ranma! What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ranma pushed him away. "It's not nonsense! I am marrying a girl I met in America! I am marrying her on my own freewill, and not because I have to!"

Suddenly, chaos broke out. Shampoo and Ukyou were screaming at Ranma, telling him that this was unacceptable. Soun and Ukyou's father were shouting at Genma who was also yelling at Ranma while Cologne was trying to persuade him to change his mind. Kasumi, Dr. Tofu, Nabiki, and Kuno were having their own conversation as they expressed their disbelief. Akane let out a sigh as she watched them. Somehow, she was a little relieved that she knew about this before anyone did. She stood up and got ready to leave, but Soun suddenly turned to her.

"Akane! You are not even saying a word! Do you realize what is happening here? Say something!"

Akane turned to look at Ranma. "I wish you and your fiancée the best."

"What?" Everyone looked at her in shock.

"Akane!" Soun yelled after her as she was leaving. "Don't you care about the dojo?"

Akane did not pay attention and kept on walking. She no longer cared about the dojo anymore, especially now that her heart was broken.

Akane sat outside the at the Saotome's garden, looking at the stars. She kept thinking of the time when she was in Ranma's arms at Jusenkyo when he thought she was dead. She felt so safe, secured, and most of all loved, yet the events that day shattered the image in her mind. Face it, Akane. He just doesn't feel the same as you do.

She heard footsteps coming up behind her. She figured that it must be one of her sisters coming to tell her that it was time to leave, but it wasn't. It was Ranma.

"Hey, Akane." He pointed to the empty spot on the bench she was sitting. "Can I sit here?"

"Sure, Ranma."

They sat together in silence, looking everywhere except at each other.

"So," asked Akane," are they still arguing in there?"

"No. Shampoo, Cologne, Ukyou, and her father left. Our fathers ain't fighting anymore, but there's still some tension between them."

"They'll get over it," she told him. Just like I will.

Ranma turned to her. "Akane, I want to thank you for what you said this evening."

"I really meant it, Ranma. Actually, I'm proud of you."

That surprised him. "You are?"

"Yeah, you were able to stand up and fight for what you want. I know how difficult it is since we've both been pressured to marry and take over the dojo."

"That means a lot, Akane. I know that we got off on the wrong foot, and we never really got along but I think you are a good person. You deserve better than this."

"Thank you, Ranma. Somehow, despite of everything, I have always known that there's goodness in you." She stood up and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Goodbye, Ranma."

Ranma knew what she meant. She was saying goodbye to both of them.

As soon as he was alone, Ranma could feel his eyes moisten with tears. He knew that saying goodbye would be difficult, but he didn't expect it to be so painful.

***

"We are now approaching Nerima."

The announcement interrupted her reverie. As the train came to a stop, Akane saw the Nerima sign, bringing her back to reality. Once again, she must face the past that she had hoped to forget.