Ranma ˝ When It Happens To You! 'Chapter III: May I Have This Dance?' A fanfiction based on Ranma ˝ By Kris Thompson This is a work of fiction based on Rumiko Takahashi's 'Ranma Nibun no Ichi' a.k.a. Ranma ˝ and was created for the author's personal enjoyment. ____________________________ Dressed in a black business jacket with matching skirt and shoes, with the hint of a white silk dress shirt peeking out, she stood there. Ms. Umi Shiratori had arrived right on time. "Is there a Ms. Akane Tendo here?" She asked politely. Sakura, who sat on her desk, and Shampoo, who stood next to it, both pointed wordlessly toward Akane's office. Umi walked over and knocked on the door that was rarely ever shut. "Ms. Tendo?" Akane looked up. "Ah, Ms. Shiratori." "Your appointment at Junko's is a four o'clock, so we have thirty minutes to get there, Ms. Tendo." Umi said quickly. "All right, and please, call me 'Akane'." Akane said with a friendly smile. "Uh, yes Akane. Please, if you will follow me?" Umi turned gracefully and headed toward the stairs. Akane stopped at Sakura's desk. "Oh, Ms. Shiratori! Hang on a minute!" Umi jerked to a stop. "Um, hanging, ma'am." Akane gave her a curious glance then turned back to her two friends. "Shampoo, can you handle it for the rest of today? The paper work's all done, I just need you to supervise, is that okay?" The Chinese woman smiled. "Sure thing, Akane! Leave all to Shampoo!" "Thanks. Bye, you guys!" Akane walked out the doors as Mousse came in them. He glanced back to confirm his thoughts. "Where's Akane going?" Sakura smiled. "To be a princess." ____________________________ When Akane stepped out of the building, she was shocked to see a sleek black limousine was parked by the curb with the prim Ms. Shiratori standing next to it. "What's this for?" Akane asked. "Well, you didn't expect to walk did you?" Umi asked as a young chauffeur got out and opened up her door for her. Akane climbed in and sat down, shocked at the luxury of it all. "Thank you. This, really, is too much." Akane said. Umi sat down next to her and looked at her curiously. "What do you mean, Miss Akane? We wouldn't have you go any other way." Then Umi turned her attention to the driver. "Shiro, Junko's right away." They arrived at Junko's Fashions in at least five minutes. They were ushered in and shown an array of ball gowns from every colour, shape and style imaginable. "What about this one?" Akane asked, twirling around in a blue dress after hours of shopping. "Why, Miss Akane, I think it's beautiful." Umi said. Akane looked at herself in the large mirrors. The dress was long, down past her ankles. It was a dark blue and it was trimmed in silver and the small straps were also silver. Umi smiled. "Do you like it?" She asked. Akane was stunned at her image. "Yes," she managed. Umi turned to the woman. "We'll take it." ____________________________ Later that day… Ranma leaned against the door frame. "Just a minute!" Came Akane's voice. Suddenly the door opened and Ranma straightened up. She smiled. "Wow! You look… fantastic." Ranma said, eyeing her in her new ball gown. She smiled, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Thank you." "Are you ready to go, Akane. May I call you Akane?" Ranma asked her. "Yes, you may." She smiled. "May I ask where we are going?" "Dancing, if you don't mind." He said. "Sounds fun!" Akane smiled. ____________________________ "May I have this dance?" Ranma asked her, bowing formally. Akane smiled. The ballroom that they were in was amazing. The large domed ceiling sported a huge crystal chandelier and the fine array of beauty all around the room. "I'd love to." He swept her off of her feet before she knew it and was swinging her gracefully around the dance floor. He moved like a cat, swift, but graceful. It was all Akane could do to keep up. The song ended with a flourish. Akane laughed quietly at her fumbled ending as did Ranma. ____________________________ Later that evening, Ranma helped Akane out of the car, but didn't let go of her hand. She smiled. "Thank you. I had a lovely evening." "Even better than you had originally thought?" he asked, jokingly. "Yes, I did, in fact." She said as they walked to the front door of her apartment building. She looked up at her window. "Now, when I go up there, I'm not going to find a hundred or so flowers in there, am I?" He smiled. "Not this time, I'm afraid." She blushed slightly and looked down at her hand, which was still locked in his. "Thank you, Mr. Saoto-" He cut her off. "Can't you talk to me without the titles?" he asked her soberly, taking a step closer to her. He still held her hand. "Not with you standing so close," she whispered and dared herself to look up into his eyes. In one quick motion, he was holding her to him, his lips finding hers, kissing her with a passion he knew not from where it came. She resisted for a moment, then gave in, kissing him back with the same hunger as he. She broke the kiss, unwrapping her arms from him - and when had they gotten there? - and stepped back. "Good night, Ranma." He smiled briefly. "Good night, Akane." She opened the door and entered in and shut it. Only when she heard the car door slam and the sound of it driving off did she allow herself to lean against the door. What had she been thinking? Thousands of conflicting emotions filled her now. What should she do? What was going to happen? And why was her heart beating so quickly from it? ____________________________ Ranma walked slowly back to the car. He needed to think clearly, but the only things that were on his mind were her and that kiss… That damned kiss… what has he been thinking? Just looking at her tonight had made his heart ache is such a way that frightened and thrilled him at the same time. Never in his life had he been in a woman's arms and felt that kind of… *need* for her. He'd never experienced that kind of desire or wanting for any human being, for that matter. He'd never felt that kind of passion take him over. "Something wrong, sir?" Renjiro asked as Ranma leaned back against the seat and sighed. "No, just… did you see that?" Ranma changed the subject. "See what, sir?" Renjiro asked in a puzzled tone. "Be cause if you are referring to you locked in the arms of burning desire with Miss Tendo in front of her own apartment, I would have to say 'no'." Ranma sighed. It was then that his cell phone rang. "Hello, Ranma Saotome here." He said into his cell phone. "Ranma, my boy, *what*, may I ask, are you doing?" came a gruff voice. "Dad? I'm… on my way home and I-" "Don't be a fool! What are you doing with the Tendo girl? All you were supposed to do is buy her out! Not take her out!" Genma told him. "Dad, I-" Ranma started. "Son, I'm telling you: do not get romantically involved. Finish the deal and be done with her. In whatever manner you should choose, but be quick about it." And the phone went dead. Ranma pressed the power button and leaned his head against the leather interior again. "Anything wrong, sir?" Renjiro asked once more. Ranma closed his eyes to open them with a hint of determination in them. "Nope. Not anymore." ____________________________ Author's Notes Well, that's about all I can do for right now... I'm having trouble just typing right now. I think I use the word 'now' too much. Anyway, if you're wondering why Genma's so OOC for this fic... I have no earthly clue at this point in time. Just felt like making a minor character a bit ruthless, so sue me. Okay, don't. I have, like, a quarter, okay? Well, I'm about to pass out here. Got like, 5 or 6 hours of sleep last night, I'm so friggin' tired that it took all I had to type out what I had written down in my notebook for this chapter. Ugh. I'll try to start on chapter 4 or whatever tomorrow during my art class or sometime in English IV, but I doubting the latter because I have a lovely essay due in t here... or something... whatever... Signin' off! -Krissy cartoonpaperclips@email.com www.geocities.com/kuroi_hoshi