Second  Chances

				By Lord Archive



The first chapter is sad and dark. The following chapters are not. 

This story begins over six months after Manga volume 38.

Legal Babble: 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.



			   ------------------------
			   Chapter 6 - Date With Me
			   ------------------------


Akane fussed with her dress. She wanted everything to be perfect. She 
had waited two years for this, even if Ranma had only waited less than 
a week. She couldn't begrudge that. He just hadn't known her as long as 
she had known him.

 A tear rolled down her 
cheek.  Akane 
stood there crying.

 Akane wiped away her 
tears. 

Akane gazed back into the mirror, checking, once again, that she looked 
the way she wanted.  She walked out of her room and 
greeted her somewhat nervous fiance. "Ready?"

Ranma nodded. "You look... cute."

"Thanks." Akane blushed. She wasn't about to compliment him on his 
normal Chinese attire.

"Oh, you two make me so proud!" Soun cried.

Nabiki shook her head. "Have fun you two."

"Be sure to be back at a reasonable time," Kasumi advised.

"Sometime tomorrow is reasonable," Genma grinned.

"Mr. Saotome! They aren't even married yet!" Kasumi said, 
scandalized.

Akane shook her head. "Bye." She dragged Ranma off before anyone could 
say anything more.

Nabiki grinned as they left. 

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

Ranma and Akane stopped at Aires Family Restaurant for dinner. Ranma 
talked about a couple of the saner adventures he had growing up, while 
Akane talked about her mother and some of what it was like for her to 
grow up.

Akane was a little dismayed at how Ranma played up how great it was 
wandering around Japan and China. It looked like he was trying to say 
he would never settle down. She did note the longing look to his eyes 
when she described her somewhat stable childhood.

After dinner, they left for the movies. They stopped outside, looking at 
the movie listings.

Ranma looked at the list with a puzzled expression.

"Why don't we see this Jackie Chan movie? It's sort of martial arts 
action and comedy," Akane suggested, knowing he would like the movie and 
didn't mind it much herself.

"Okay," Ranma shrugged. He didn't know too much about movies because of 
how he was raised.

They were about to walk in when Kuno appeared. "Allow me to..."

Akane interrupted him with a LEO kick to the chin.

Ranma blinked at the kick. He never saw someone ever kick somebody that 
way and with that result. "Cool," he said to himself.

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

Akane and Ranma walked closely together as they walked home from the 
movies. 

Everything had gone perfectly as far as Akane was concerned. She felt 
she only made one mistake, she had pointing out something of about the 
movie that had only been released in Japan yesterday. She hoped Ranma 
didn't notice that. 

They stopped at the bridge for a moment, and looked at the 
reflections of the moon and stars off the river.

"This night has been perfect," Akane said, turning towards Ranma.

"Yeah... it was." Ranma turned toward Akane thinking how good looking 
she was. Before he knew it he was starting to lean towards her.

 Akane couldn't believe it as she watched 
Ranma ever so slowly lean towards her. She closed her eyes, waiting for 
the final contact. She felt a strong breeze, and then nothing. She 
opened her eyes.  Ranma wasn't there. 

After a long moment, Akane tearfully walked home, alone.

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

Akane walked towards the dining room for breakfast, and could hear Genma 
drilling Ranma about details of the date.

"Come now Ranma, did you kiss her?" Genma asked.

"NO! What's it matter anyway? There's no way I'm going to marry her!" 
Ranma shouted.

 Akane thought sadly.

"You're not in a position to decide," Genma said firmly.

"Why should I have to marry someone as cold as Akane? Tell me that!"

 Akane started crying.

"Because family honor demands it!" 

"Besides, she isn't cold. She's just got a good head on her shoulders, 
and she is helping teach you," Soun added.

"She can't teach me nothin'. I'm way better than she is."

"There is more to martial arts than just knowing how to fight," Soun 
said.

"Hmph. I still say there's no way I'm goin' to marry her!"

Akane couldn't listen anymore and ran back to her room. Ranma noticed 
her running away and felt something. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, 
but he didn't like it.

Akane wanted to know why. Why was he pushing her away? The only thing 
she could think of was the near kiss. That they had moved too fast, too 
soon. She hoped that was the case. She didn't want to think of the 
alternative. That she was somehow too cold and unemotional for Ranma. 
That he wouldn't love her...

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

"So you have come, my Water Sprite Girl!" Kuno said, walking towards 
onna-Ranma.

"You don't learn quick, do you pal? Well? Where's your sword?" Ranma 
asked.

"Heh. I have no need of a sword."

"Yeah? Pretty confident, I guess."

"Confident enough to give you THIS!!!" In a flash of movement, Kuno 
threw a bouquet of roses at Ranma, which she caught. "I love you."

Ranma stared at him in shock.  She saw 
Kuno walking of into the sunset. "Kuno-sempai!" Ranma snarled. 

 Kuno thought blissfully. He turned to see Ranma 
running towards him.

"There is no way I'd ever even like you. If I want love, it'll be from a 
woman." Ranma shoved the bouquet into Kuno's mouth. "Chew on that!"

Kuno spit out the flowers, watching Ranma's retreating form. "A 
challenge. She will yet learn tis better for a woman to seek the love of 
man. I will be that man!"

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

Ranma and Akane ran to school. It was obvious Ranma was still pushing 
her away, and the incident with Kuno had not helped. It made Ranma even 
more upset. When they got to school, they plowed through the assembled 
boys and Kuno.

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

Akane stood watching the scene unfold as Kuno demanded to know Ranma's 
connection to the 'Water Sprite Girl.' She decided to step in after 
Nabiki poured hot water on Ranma while Kuno was hugging him in his girl 
form. When she approached them, Kuno shouted, "Hold Saotome! Where have 
you hidden my goddess?! I shall not be fooled by this trickery!"

"Listen... Kuno..." Ranma stammered, trying to figure out how Kuno could 
be that dense. 

"Kuno-sempai, Ranma has not hidden her..." Akane began, glaring at Kuno, 
"because he is that girl."

Kuno looked at her strangely, "Excuse me fair, Tendo Akane, by what do 
you mean by that?" 

"I mean the red haired, 'Water Sprite Girl' and Ranma are one and the 
same person. Splash him with cold water, and his body is female. Hot 
water returns him to normal. That ability was picked up from a ancient 
Chinese curse."

Kuno stood there for a moment. "Then I must splash him with cold water, 
and prevent hot water from touching her. Then she shall be free!"

"What?!" Ranma screeched.

"Kuno-sempai! His body changes, not his mind."

Kuno stood there for another moment. "Curse?... Magic?! He's a foul 
sorcerer and has cast a spell on thee. He makes you say such outrageous 
lies!"

Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki face-faulted.

"Vile sorcerer, I swear by the honor of the glorious house of Kuno, I 
shall destroy thee." Kuno attacked, striking at Ranma multiple times. 

"How stupid can you get?" Ranma mused. He leapt over the bokken and 
kicked Kuno in the chest, sending pictures flying.

Ranma caught one of the pictures.  
He was distracted enough for Kuno to hit him.

Ranma landed, pain flaring in his side. He then proceeded to start 
catching all of the photos, despite Kuno's continued attacks.

"You look elsewhere in the midst of battle... YOU DON'T TAKE ME 
SERIOUSLY!!"

Ranma flipped and rolled away from Kuno's attack. He ended up, upside 
down, at Akane's feet. 

"I think you should know, over confidence is a rather big weakness. You 
should pay attention to the fight," Akane said flatly.

"And I think you should know, those panties are a little too flesh 
colored. One might think..."

"Stop with the fashion statement, and finish the fight!" Akane shouted 
angrily. She was more than a little tempted to punt him at Kuno.

"Fine," Ranma sighed. He got to his feet, and did a running jump kick at 
the egotistical Kendoist.

"The game ends!" Kuno snarled. He attacked repeatedly.

Nabiki was amazed at the statue next to Akane was starting to crumble. 
"Whoa. Just by air pressure..."

"Out of the way stupid!" Ranma shouted at Akane.

Akane stood firm. "Pay attention to the fight!"

With a flash of motion, Ranma kicked Kuno repeatedly. Kuno fell, 
unconscious.

"How... how did you?" Nabiki stammered.

"He kicked Kuno multiple times. Each hit was at a vulnerable spot," 
Akane answered.

"You kicked him?! I never even saw it!" Nabiki flipped Kuno over and saw 
several foot prints on his body.

"'Kuno-sempai' didn't have much, did he?" Ranma belittled his fallen 
opponent.

"You still took a hit. What distracted you anyway?" Akane asked.  She grabbed a couple photos off him, and smiled. 
"Oh! Pictures of me. Honestly Ranma, why were you concerned over 
pictures, when you can get some from me by just asking?"

"HEY! Kuno had the pictures!"

Akane went to glare at Nabiki, but she was oddly absent. 

"You don't look good on photos. I, on the other hand, look great!" Ranma 
smirked.

"Oh really," Akane said darkly. She really hated how Ranma kept pushing 
her away like this.

"These pictures are a work of art," Ranma grinned.

 Akane 
angrily snatched the picture out of his hand and was shocked. The 
picture was... was... tasteful, beautiful even. It was of onna-Ranma 
doing a kata, capturing her in fluid motion.  

Akane shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Let's go to Dr. Tofu, and 
have him look at that hit you took."

"Uh, okay," Ranma shrugged.

"Ranma, this is a rather nice picture. Mind if I keep it?" Akane asked, 
sweetly.

"I, ah, guess."

Nabiki stepped out of hiding. 

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

Akane, wanting to think of a way to get Ranma to stop pushing her away, 
went to look through the journal she had brought from the future. Only 
it wasn't where she left it. She started to search frantically. She had 
to find it.

Akane heard a knock at her door and said, "Come in." Akane turned to see 
Nabiki open the door and walk in.

"Akane, I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed a book from you." Akane's 
eyes widened in shock and fright as she heard Nabiki's words and saw 
what was in Nabiki's hands. "I found it a rather interesting read, don't 
you think, OLDER sister."

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

Author's notes:

Thanks to the numerous pre-readers and those who sent C&C on this 
series.

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