The Insanity Continues

Volume 0 - Ever Changing World

Chapter 2 - New Eyes

Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, etc..., and are 
used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them. I 
can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on.

This begins the day before the final panel of Manga volume 38.

-----------------------------
Sunday

Ranma groaned as he woke up. He didn't want to wake up today. He 
wanted the day to pass by. Today was going to be a bad day, as 
yesterday he almost married Akane, but it bombed, literally. Akane 
would likely be very angry all day, if not all week.

Ranma opened his eyes.  

Ranma got out of his futon. 

He sighed. 

Ranma quickly got dressed. 

Ranma made his way downstairs, just in time for breakfast. Everyone 
ignored him, like they were doing with Akane, who was already there. 
Akane kept glaring at either Genma or Nabiki, but never turned her 
angry gaze at Ranma. Ranma took this as a sign she might not be angry 
at him, but he knew now was not the time to talk to her.

-----------------------------

Nabiki's concentration was interrupted by a gentle knock on her bedroom 
door. Sighing at this latest interruption, she called out. "Come in, doors 
open."

Akane walked into the room. A sad smile crossed her face. This concerned 
Nabiki greatly. Akane was a creature of extremes. If Akane was upset she was a 
raging bull. If she's happy she beams like a shinning star. However, Akane 
had almost a Kasumi air about her, which could mean only one thing: Akane 
was beyond mad. "Nabiki we should talk," Akane said with a gentle voice 
that carried the chill of an arctic wind.
 
Nabiki couldn't help but gulp when she looked at Akane. Sitting next to 
Nabiki on her bed, Akane looked out the window, gazing at nothing in 
particular. "Why did you ruin my wedding?"

"Now Akane, I know very well you didn't want to marry Ranma."

"Do you really know? I may not like being forced into it and I may not be 
ready, but who said I didn't want to."

"You have countless times."

"I haven't said it for a long while now, have I?"

"Come on Akane. I know you were bribed into agreeing to marry him."

"So what if I was bribed? What does that have to do with your roll in 
destroying my wedding?"

"Because, I didn't want you to get forced into a marriage you don't want."

"Do you think I'd throw away my future just because Ranma would get his 
cure?" The ice in Akane's voice started to crack as her angry gaze fell upon 
Nabiki. "I agreed because I wanted to marry him. I would've agreed if there 
was no Nannichaun. I agreed because I love him. And you..." Akane was now 
snarling, "You ruined my wedding!"

Nabiki looked shocked as the mallet fell upon her head.

Akane looked down at her sister. "Damn. Now I have to wait for her to wake 
up before I can get her to help me solve his fiancee problem." She left the 
room and returned with some water and aspirins. She set them on Nabiki's 
desk and then went and stared out the window.

Nabiki awoke a few moments later. She first saw the aspirins on her desk 
and quickly used them. She then felt dread as she noticed Akane standing at 
her window.

Akane began sadly, "Nabiki, I understand that you did what you thought was 
right. I love you for that. But what you did hurt me more than you may ever 
know. I may have been bribed to marry Ranma but that was not the reason I 
went through with it."

Akane took a deep breath then sighed. "I love him Nabiki. More than I can 
even say. And he loves me with the same intensity Dad loved Mom. Even if he 
hasn't said it, I can feel it. When Ranma thought I died in China, I could 
FEEL the pain in him. It scared me that he was hurting so much. I wonder if 
that's what brought me back."

Nabiki was stunned to say the least. The passion and sadness in Akane's 
voice carried like a melody. It took several seconds for what Akane said to 
register. In a choked whisper Nabiki asked, "What do you mean by 'brought 
back?'"

A shudder overtook Akane as she thought back to the day that changed her 
life in so many ways. She hugged herself as if to bring warmth back to her 
body. Closing her eyes Akane told Nabiki the tale of Mount Phoenix. "...and 
I died. Despite Ranma's best effort my eyes finally closed. I remember 
looking down at my body and Ranma holding me. He held me so softly. Begging 
me to wake up. I wanted to reach out to him, to let him know I was there. 
But I couldn't. I could only look down as Ranma finally screamed out my 
name. The pain in that scream shook my soul. It seemed like a beacon for me 
to return. I followed that anguished howl back down to where I laid. I 
seemed to shoot back down to the earth. The next thing I remember was 
calling Ranma's name."

Nabiki could only look at her sister in disbelief. How could her 'little' 
sister have gone through so much so young. She wanted to hold her sister, 
to comfort her in some way. But she couldn't. She didn't know how.

Akane turned around and looked at Nabiki. "Do you know Ranma killed Saffron 
for me? To save me he had to give up his innocence. I think part of Ranma 
died that day also. Do you have any idea what it means to a person like 
Ranma to KILL someone? What that person has to give up?"

"No, I don't." A single tear ran down Nabiki's cheek. "I'm sorry for what I 
did. I was wrong. I SHOULD have asked you first. I was just so afraid that 
you weren't ready. Can you please forgive me?"

Akane sat next to her sister and gently hugged her. "Of course I can. 
You're my sister. I love you too much to stay mad at you. Besides, you can 
help solve Ranma's fiancee problems so the next attempt won't fail."

Nabiki went over some plans she had laid out if Ranma ever wanted to remove 
any one of his fiancees, and was willing to pay the price for it. Going 
over it now with Akane, they started to find errors where the plans were 
concerned with having the fiancees being far less aggressive than they 
proved to be at the failed wedding. Several of the ideas, like deporting 
Shampoo, wouldn't work very well, since she'd eventually return.

Akane got frustrated at the lack of any good, permanent plans to handle the 
fiancees and left to think on her own.

Nabiki lay down on her bed. Her business personality in force since going 
over the plans with Akane. 

-----------------------------

Everyone seemed to be avoiding Ranma today, which suited him fine. 
They didn't know how he'd take the wedding attempt, and quite frankly, 
neither did he. Genma decided to make himself scarce after breakfast, 
since everyone held him at fault for the loss of the Nannichaun and 
partially at fault for the failed wedding attempt in general.

Ranma wanted to lose himself in something that wouldn't let him think 
about the wedding, or about what happened almost a week ago. Martial 
arts exercises didn't work for this, but homework might. He went 
upstairs and heard Akane talking in Nabiki's room, but couldn't tell 
what she was saying. He decided to eavesdrop.

"...while now, have I?" Akane was heard saying calmly.

"Come on Akane. I know you were bribed into agreeing to marry him," 
Nabiki replied. 

"So what if I was bribed?" Ranma's heart sank as he heard this. Akane 
was bribed into marrying him. If she was bribed, then she might not 
love him. He couldn't listen anymore, because he ran. He ran out of 
the house, and didn't stop running.



Ranma's thoughts blazed through his head. He couldn't get the thought 
that Akane might not love him out of his mind. Running for some time 
he got hungry, and followed his nose into a restaurant not thinking of 
where he was. He sat down at the counter, ignoring the chef's 
greeting. It wasn't until seconds after he sat down, that he realized 
where he was, when okonomiyaki suddenly appeared before him.

"Ranchan, what's wrong?" Ukyou asked.

"Lot's of things," Ranma replied, inhaling the first okonomiyaki.

"Um, Ranchan, I'm sorry about attacking you yesterday."

Ranma started picking at the second okonomiyaki, his thoughts 
returning to Akane. "It's no big deal," he said absent mindedly.

Ukyou smiled and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you."

Ranma was so lost in thought he didn't notice being hugged.

-----------------------------

Akane sat at her desk tapping her fingers on her desk. She was 
surprised at how little help Nabiki had been with giving ideas of how 
to handle Ranma's fiancees. Akane heard a knock at the door and said, 
"Come in."

"Hello, Dear. How are you feeling?" Nodoka asked. She was uncertain of 
what she was going to talk to Akane about was a good idea, but she 
felt it needed to be asked.

"Too many feelings to count."

"I see. Now Akane, why did you agree to marry Ranma?"

At that point Akane didn't care who knew she loves Ranma and answered 
matter-of-factly, "Because I love him. I wanted to marry him. The 
chance of not having to deal with the other girls fighting over him 
was a nice incentive too."

"That's good." Nodoka smiled. "Akane, what do you think your life will 
be like with Ranma?"

Akane though for a moment. "Well, we'd both run the dojo and hopefully 
raise a couple children."

Nodoka smiled nervously. "What about the insanity he seems to 
attract?"

Akane sighed. "We'd have to deal with that, too. I'm not to thrilled 
with the idea of dealing with things like demon attack plants, strange 
magical items, Jusenkyo curse victims, and all the other weirdness, 
but I will."

"Akane, do you realize he might not come home from one of his 
adventures. Or that you, your family, and/or your friends will also be 
at risk from his unusual life?"

Akane took a moment to think. "I guess I do. I nearly died a couple 
times in China. One of those times was to save Ranma's life. And, 
Ranma fought an opponent who, by all rights, should've easily killed 
him, just to save me." She looked at Nodoka strangely. "Why are you 
asking me this? It sounds like you're trying to convince me not to 
marry Ranma."

"I do want you to marry Ranma, Dear. I just wanted to make sure you 
know what you're getting into. I don't want you getting hurt because 
you thought marriage would cure the strange events. I didn't realize 
how bad it was until yesterday. I'm happy you know marrying my son 
won't be perfect, but no marriage truly is." Nodoka gave Akane a 
strong hug. "Welcome to the family."

"Too bad Genma comes with it."

"There is good and bad in all things, including him."

"Auntie, please don't tell Ranma about what I've said. I want him to 
realize how I feel about him. I want him to say he loves me first." A 
single tear rolled down Akane's cheek.

"I understand, Dear. But don't wait too long or he might run off with 
another girl."

"He better not."

-----------------------------
Monday

Ranma and Akane prepared to leave for school. Both were a little nervous
of how to deal with the others from school. Ranma was a bit more nervous,
since Akane was smiling. He was confused about the smile, thinking it
might be because she was happy the wedding failed. But the look she gave
him, attached to the smile, suggested something else. She looked at him in a
way that showed a certain closeness, some desire, and even a little
possessiveness. 

Akane was surprised Ranma ran next to her on the way to school, rather
than on the fence, like he normally did. She hoped this meant he wanted to
get closer to her. That he had forgiven her for her part in the wedding
fiasco.

Both were too lost in thought in notice the ringing of a bicycle bell 
that was moving closer. Shampoo launched her bike and landed in front 
of Ranma. She then hugged him and elated her usual morning greeting, 
"Nihao! Husband take Shampoo on date?"

Akane glared at Shampoo, truly seeing, perhaps for the first time, 
that Shampoo was doing the hugging while Ranma wasn't returning it in 
the slightest. She waited to see how Ranma was going to handle Shampoo 
without interference.

"Let go of me, Shampoo," Ranma said a little nervously as the initial 
shock of her hug wore off. 

Shampoo ignored him. "Forget about school and nasty, violent girl, and 
take Shampoo to date. Yes?"

"No date, and let go of me," Ranma said coldly.

Unsettled a little by Ranma's tone she let go. "What wrong?"

"You have some nerve trying this after attacking me. I expected better 
of you."

"Shampoo only did it to stop wedding husband no want."

"I'm not your husband! And how would you know I didn't want to get 
married? I didn't ask you to stop it and you didn't ask me if I wanted 
it stopped, so how could you know?"

"Because Shampoo know Ranma wouldn't want to marry violent, kitchen 
destroyer..."

Akane had heard enough from Shampoo and sent her into lower Earth 
orbit with a surprise kick.

Ranma looked at Akane shocked.

"The bimbo had it coming," Akane said flatly. "We have to run or we'll 
be late for school."

When they arrived at school they, of course, saw Kuno waiting for 
them. "Ah, the fair Tendo Akane saved from marriage to..." Kuno began.

Ranma interrupted by knocking him out with a jump kick to the head.

-----------------------------

Shampoo returned to the Neko-Hanten as a very wet cat. 

Cologne looked at Shampoo shaking her head. "I warned you about going 
to see Ranma so soon after the wedding." Cologne picked up the cat and 
took her to the bathing room. Once there, she tossed Shampoo into the 
bath. "So tell me what happened."

Shampoo looked sadly into the bathtub. "Airen disappointed with 
Shampoo. Thought Shampoo would stay away after attacking him. Upset 
Shampoo no find out if Ranma wanted to get married or not."

"Did he say that he did want to marry her?"

"No. Sounded like Ranma no want to marry her, just wanted to have 
someone ask if Ranma wanted it."

Mousse stopped in the hall as he heard the two talking.

"I see. How did you end up getting turned into a cat?"

"Akane kicked Shampoo into river."

Mousse was uncertain what to do from what he overheard. Akane had hurt 
Shampoo, but it was in his best interests to help Akane win Ranma so 
he could get Shampoo. He would have to have a talk with Akane.

-----------------------------

Akane was not pleased with the rumor horde at school. They would not 
leave Ranma and her alone. She was a little upset at Ranma for taking 
off immediately after school, leaving her behind. Akane was confused 
that Ukyou didn't appear to feel guilty for her part of the wedding 
disaster, like Akane thought she would. 

Akane ran off the school grounds and made it only a block away before 
she was stopped.

Mousse looked at her sternly. "Akane, why did you hurt my precious 
Shampoo?"

"Several reasons, including her trying to get Ranma to take her on a 
date and was also insulting me at the time." Akane's eyes took an evil 
glint. "Care for me to list reasons from last Saturday?"

"I cannot allow you to hurt her."

"Then help me remove her as one of Ranma's fiancees."

"I don't think you want me to do that in the means I can help with."

"Which way is that?"

Mousse reluctantly said, "Killing him."

"You're right, I don't. Isn't there some law that could break the 
engagement?"

"There may be some."

"Then why don't we search for them?" Hope in Akane's voice.

"Can't. The laws forbid telling an outsider any law that doesn't apply 
to them, and most Amazon laws regarding marriage are only for Amazon 
women to know."

"This would apply, since he doesn't want to marry Shampoo."

"Yes, and Ranma is the only one that can ask for them. Until he asks, 
I can't say anything."

"What would happen if you broke the rule?"

"I could be in for a lot of pain. Combining that with several other 
infractions I have committed in hopes of proving my love for Shampoo, 
I might be banished from my home and remain an Amazon."

"Banished and remain an Amazon?" Akane asked quizzically.

"If I'm banished and made an outsider, I could return to the village 
after defeating and marrying an Amazon. If I remain an Amazon, I could 
never return."

"Oh. Mousse, if you have any ideas that'd help me remove Shampoo or 
the others as Ranma's fiancee, please tell me."

"I'll try to think of some. I ask you don't go and hurt Shampoo."

"Can't promise I won't, only that I'll only attack her if she's trying 
to get close to Ranma."

"Akane..." Mousse started angrily.

"Or would you rather I just let her make time with him?" Akane said 
coldly.

"Ah... no."

"Good." Akane ran off before Mousse could say anything more. She 
almost made it home before she was stopped again.

"You wretched girl dare to try and take my Ranma-sama from me. I shall 
make you pay for such impudence," a girl wearing a leotard angrily 
said.

"Cut the crap, Kodachi. Ranma doesn't love you."

"That is irrelevant. I will see Ranma-sama free from you." Kodachi let 
loose her ribbon at Akane.

Akane prepared to dodge, but stopped when she saw that Ranma had 
grabbed the ribbon.

"Kodachi, go away. Do not interfere with my life. I don't love you. I 
don't even like you." There was a coldness to his voice that made the 
girls shudder.

"But Ranma-sama, I love you."

"You and several other girls I know. If I ever do decide to get 
married, it won't be to you."

"How dare you say that!?!" Kodachi screamed, tears welling up in her 
eyes. "Attack of a thousand clubs!"

"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranma returned, blocking Kodachi's 
attack. "Kodachi, go away. I don't ever want to see you again."

Kodachi backed off. "Ranma-sama, why?"

"I don't have time to tell you all the reason, but I can start with 
you showing up at that screwed up wedding attempt in a wedding dress. 
Just go away, and leave me alone."

"Ranma-sama, this can't be the end." Kodachi turned and ran off.

"There was never a beginning."

"Ranma, not that I mind what you said to her, but I could've handled 
her," Akane said.

"Whatever." Ranma walked through the Tendo gate.

Akane almost made him explain that, but the ice in his voice told her 
he was upset and wanted to be alone.

-----------------------------

"Ranma, prepare to die!" Ryoga shouted his customary challenge as 
Ranma and Akane walked to school.

"Impressive, you made it back in three days," Ranma quipped as he 
dodged several punches from Ryoga.

"Ryoga! Stop attacking him!" Akane yelled.

Both of them stopped and stared at Akane.

"I don't know why you attacked Ranma, but we don't have time. We've 
got to get to school." Akane grabbed Ranma's arm and ran towards the 
school.

Ranma was stunned. First by Akane apparently blaming Ryoga for 
starting the fight, and then by Akane grabbing his arm and didn't let 
go until they were almost at school. 

Ryoga stared at them as they left. "I was going to make him pay for 
not marrying you," he said sadly, long after they were out of earshot 
range. "She blamed me. She's always blamed him, but now she blamed me. 
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS WORLD!?!"

Ranma and Akane arrived at school, and before them, yet again, was 
Kuno. "Oh, beauteous goddess of the hunt..."

Ranma interrupted him with a round-house to his jaw.

"Vile sor..." Kuno tried to say.

Ranma then kicked Kuno over the school.

Akane looked at Ranma oddly. This was the second time he stopped Kuno 
and didn't let things get far enough for Kuno to attack either them.

-----------------------------

It was lunch time, and Ranma wasn't to thrilled about it, because the 
rumor horde was still bugging him and Akane. He ate lunch with her 
under a tree. Akane gave a clear indication she didn't want anyone 
asking questions, her mallet sat visibly next to her. This didn't stop 
people from listening in on what they had to say.

"Hi, Ranchan!" Ukyou greeted happily. "I brought some okonomiyaki for you."

Akane glared at Ukyou.

"Um... thanks Ucchan," Ranma answered nervously.

"Oh, Akane, sorry about attacking the wedding," Ukyou said, not 
sounding very apologetic.

"Aren't you going to apologize to him?"

"Already have. He said it was no big deal." Ukyou grinned.

"What?!" Akane started to glow dark blue.

"Well... ah... you see..." Ranma stuttered.

"Ranma! How could you?! You jerk! You BAKA!" Akane wanted to tell him 
why she was angry, but only her usual insults could escaped her lips. 
She grabbed her mallet and embedded him into the ground with several 
hits. She then ran off crying.

"What's her problem? Wasn't she forced into this?" Ukyou mused, 
helping the unconscious Ranma out of the ground. "Ranchan, are you 
okay?" she asked when he woke up.

"I'm fine." He cast a quick look around him. "Where'd Akane go?"

Ukyou frowned. "I don't know. She just ran off."

"Great," Ranma muttered. 

Ranma found out that Akane had gone back to their classroom and was 
extremely angry at him. She was ignoring him completely.


-----------------------------

Akane's Diary Entry:
December 7th, 1993.

Dear Diary,

	I don't know what to do anymore. I love Ranma and I know he 
loves me, but he forgave Ukyou for the wedding disaster and said it 
was no big deal. How could he say that? She attacked him and stopped 
our wedding for Kami sakes. Could it be because he loves her too. That 
would explain why he hasn't told me he loves me. 

	What am I going to do, Diary? I want him to marry me, but I'm 
going against Ukyou. She's sort of my friend, but we both love the 
same man.

-----------------------------

Ranma laid on the roof of the Tendo house over Akane's room. 





-----------------------------

Author's Note:

Almost everything is back to square one with the exception that Akane 
wants to marry Ranma, and verbally admitted she loves him, and Ryoga 
has given up Akane (but will treat her like a younger sister).

(1) Akane wore a Japanese wedding kimono at the start of Manga volume 
37 and a western wedding dress at the end of volume 38.

Akane smiling at Ranma as they left for school, and Ranma running next 
to her to school actually occurs on the last page of Manga volume 38.

The scene where Akane talks to Nabiki was rewritten by suggestion of 
and partially done by William Jones. I feel this works out better as 
Akane's cathartic talk to Nabiki would better set up Akane's talk with 
Nodoka. 

Thanks to Byran Neef, David Tatum, William Jones, the Rams, 
and everyone else who has offered C&C of any sort.

While there is currently only two chapters to this volume I may come 
back later and expand it as there is a considerable gap (approx. 4 
weeks) between end of this fic and start of volume 1. Not to mention 
the gap includes two little holidays know as Christmas (which if the 
cross Kasumi occasional wears is any indication, it might be 
celebrated by the Tendos), and New Years (one of Japan's biggest 
holiday's).

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/fuji/9061/TIC