Untitled Fanfic Written by: Janelle Thompson All rights on charectors reserved to Rumiko Takahashi...('cept for ones that I might make up, which I'm not sure about yet... but I doubt I will.) Hope ya likey! ~~ ~~PART I ~~ "Tendo. We must do this NOW. Time's running out for us." "Yes, Saotome. The years grow shorter...as we grow old -- er," The owner of the Tendo Anything Goes Martial Arts dojo. Both men almost winced at the word "old"... but regained their calm at the "er". "If anything were to happen to us at this point in time, there would be no official heirs to the Tendo-Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts." The bald headed Saotome nodded in agreement with himself, "We must! We MUST! WE MUST!" He props himself up on one leg, hand to the sky, while outta nowhere, crashing waves and lightning appear behind him. A man with a lil' pool, a fan and a fun light up screen pass by behind him. And so, Genma settles down back to the shadows with his companion, facing, knee to knee. They both nod to each other. "It's now or never, Saotome." Soun nods again. Both men stand up slowly... they split up. Genma hovers over a sleeping Ranma, Soun over a sleeping Akane. Soun gently sits beside his slumbering daughter, moving her bangs out of her face. He glances at the clock. Akane blinks her eyes open slowly, looks up at her father smiling. Soun suddenly looks old and sickly. "D-dad? ...are you feeling okay? Is something wrong?" Akane sits up, worried expression on her face. Soun coughs into his fist, "Yes daughter...I feel...alright at the moment." He coughs again, Akane puts a hand on his shoulder, "My daughter, do you love me...?" "Dad! Of course I do...!" She squeezes his shoulder gently. Her eyes shimmer, and are widened by the thought that he might think otherwise. "My darling...youngest daughter...I'm afraid...I may not be here... forever..." Chokes a lil', "I...wish something of you...just one thing... I've never asked very much of you...and this...it - it would be so important ...to me...if you..." Pales a lil', voice fades off. "Dad! If I what? I'll do anything!!"http://www.venus.net/~gopher/ml/fanfic.htm "...marry Ranma so you two may carry on - " "Anything but that." Soun coughs again. "Okay...I'll...I'll...m-mar ..." Gulps audibly. Soun eyes water, he coughs, his back hunched over slightly... She takes a deep breath... "Okay I will." Her head lowers, holding his supposed weak and frail hand in hers. Soun smiles sweetly and innocently to his daughter, "Do you promise...?? Promise you'll marry Ranma?" When she nods... a lil' thought bubble appears behind his head. An image of him dancing, drinking sake... another image... of Akane and Ranma and his new grandchildren tugging on his beard and riding a panda's back. He starts to grin like an idiot until he remembers his reason for being in here in the first place. He starts to get up slowly, his legs wobbly... "Oh no, father...you should get some rest..." Gently slips out from under her covers, and gently lies him down, pulling covers out from under him and resting them on him, "I'll go get you some tea." He cringes slightly, but she doesn't notice. 'Oh my god...what have I done?? I just swore to marry...to marry... Ranma! Oh no oh no... what will I do now? I can't let my father down...b-but Ranma...I...Oh Ranma...' Akane slowly makes her way to the kitchen, Soun starts grinning stupidly up in her room. In Ranma's room, Genma lies in his own futon. A bowl of hot water to one side of him, a dampened towel on his forehead... he too, is pale. A small bowl of rice is on a tray beside him, with some pickled vegetables mixed with beef on the side. His eyes are closed, glasses to the side of the bowl of water. His hands are folded on his chest, and he suddenly breaks out into a coughing fit. Ranma stirs to see what's going on, and looks over to his father. "Hey Pop, what's the big idea, waking me - hey Pop..." Examines scene closely. "W-what's going on? Ya sick or something?" (If we didn't know Ranma better, that could be considered sincerity.) "I...I...just suddenly...don't feel well..." Coughs. "...I woke up... and went to get...s-something to eat...b-but I had no appetite..." "WHAT?! Dad! We gotta get you to the hospital! And quick!" Ranma looks panicked. Real panicked. He starts to pick Genma up when his father holds up a hand to signal him to stop, "...? Pop... w-what's wrong?" "...son...I'm afraid...your old man's getting old..." Stops short. "...very old." Ranma blinks. "I'm afraid...I may not be here...forever..." Chokes a lil', "I...wish something of you...just one thing...please..." "Oh c'mon!" Genma chokes again, and starts a coughing fit, knocking bowl of rice over. Ranma rests a hand on his chest, to settle Genma down, and it works. "Pop..." "No boy...don't interrupt...I want..." Genma's eyes get all watery. "...you and Akane have to..." "NO WAY! I couldn't marry that - " Genma chokes, and starts coughing again, and starts tossing and turning, knocking bowl of water over. "Pop! Pop!" Ranma holds Genma still, and he calms down. "...I need...to know...that the Saotome line is secure...you are my only heir boy...!" Genma starts to sit up, and clutches onto Ranma as if he'd collapse otherwise. Ranma's eyes soften, and become sincere. "...o-okay Pop..." "You'll do it...??" Coughs again. "...yeah...but only 'cause you're dying." Genma tries not to wince. "Do you...promise?" "Pops..." Genma starts coughing again, "Okay okay! I promise..." Ranma sighs, "I'll clean up..." Ranma picks up the bowl and the food tray and carries both downstairs. Ranma, reaching downstairs, jumps a lil', startled to see Akane boiling water. "A-Akane...what are you..." Akane jumps, almost out of her skin. "R-Ranma! What are you..." "I asked first." He sets the tray and bowl in the sink. "Um... I'm just getting my dad some tea..." 'Well, what was I supposed to say? Ranma...I just promised my sick father that I would marry you...' "...oh...well um...my dad just um..." 'What to say?' "He had no appetite so I'm - " "No appetite? Mr. Saotome??!" Her eyes widen. "...yeah...it's weird." 'Yeah, really weird...' An almost worried look comes onto his face. Akane gently rests a hand on his shoulder. "He'll be okay, Ranma, I'm sure." Smiles and rubs his shoulder soothingly. Ranma looks at her, a veil of curiosity in his eyes. 'She's so cute...' his mind says, while the other part of him says, 'Yeah, but only when she wants to be...' Both sides agree, 'Why can't she be like this all the time?' A smile crosses his face, "Thanks, Akane." "...yeah...well. Dad's not feeling too well either... ya think... that... age is finally catching up...?" "With Pop? Or Mr. Tendo? Nah...couldn't be." "Ranma...no matter how we've known 'em to be...they're still human." Both of them frown slightly, and silently walk upstairs side by side, Akane holding a small tray with tea cups and a teapot. When the reach the top of the stairs they look at each other... "Well I'll just be going to my room now..." "Yeah...I'll see ya later..." Ranma watches her go slowly, kinda sleepily to her room, but she turns back for a sec. "If you wanna...join me and my dad for tea..." "...yeah...thanks." He watches her turn around, then smirks. 'Yep...can be so cute sometimes... and my god!' His eyes widen. 'She invited me into her room... Invited! What's the world coming to?' Snickers to himself on the way to his room. Akane sits next to her dad, who seems not to have moved though mysteriously, a picture frame with a picture of Ranma has appeared next to the group picture of the whole gang at the beach. She doesn't really notice as she sets the tea tray onto the table, and pours some into each tea mug. Brushing some hair out of her father's eyes, and his eyes open to lil' slits. "Ohh...A...A...Akane. You're back... is it time for you to go to school already...?" "...Dad...it's Saturday..." Helps him up to sitting position, letting him lean against the wall and offers him some tea, which he takes with a polite nod. "Thank you daughter...you'll make a fine wife..." Akane looks down into the tea in her tea mug and doesn't see Soun smirk. "...yes Father..." 'I don't like being the obedient lil' girl that all parents love...but...he's so weak...and I owe him so much...and somehow I feel like what happened with Mother's happening all over again...I just... couldn't take care of her then...but now, with dad...' "...is there something wrong?" he asks, as if seeing conflict of some kind inside of her. "Tea too hot?" "...just a lil' Father." Soun mentally shrugs it off, and sips some tea. "Why daughter...this tea would make your mother proud." Akane smiles a lil'. So does he. "...thanks, Dad. But all I really had to to was boil water...and I've got the hang of that." 'Thank goodness... or else the family would die if Kasumi ever got sick again....' He simply smiles, and starts to get out of bed, when Akane eases him to let her tuck him in again. "No no no... I have my own bed to rest in... peace - fully." Akane's heart skipped a beat at the "rest in peace" and Soun knew it would. 'I hate to decieve my daughter like this...but it's for the good of the Tendo dojo and the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts.' Soun slowly, and oh so fraily makes his way to his room, Akane holding his hand all the way. Akane came back to her room after being shooed out by her father... sits on her bed quietly and begins her tea, which miraculously is still steaming a tad. A knock comes to the door. 'Oh yeah! Ranma!' she straightens up a lil', tries to show no emotion of the thoughts running through her mind about her 'dying' father and already dead mother... "...c-come in." Ranma hesitantly turns the knob sensing some unsteadiness about her tone. The arrogant side of him brushed it off while the sensitive side took note. He peeks his head through a crack in the door, "Heya 'Kane...um... where's Mr. Tendo?" Akane fingers her tea mug. "...he felt he should rest in his own bed...he doesn't look very well today..." "Yeah, ya mentioned it." Ranma sits down at her desk, "So does that mean the invitation for tea's been nulled?" "...nah, go ahead." Akane, still in her pajamas, and Ranma still in his... just sit together sipping tea. Akane rests her empty mug in both hands. "I'm getting really worried about Dad..." "Hey, you even said everything'll be okay...so everything'll be okay...okay?" Akane smiles a lil', which Ranma found to be very rewarding. Ranma grins widely, "Hey, tea's not so bad..." Akane grips onto mug as if waiting for a snide remark. A small invisible pin stabs Ranma in the stomach. 'I can't start mucking this up now...if I'm...I'm gonna...m-mar...' "So um...how's your dad?" That interrupted Ranma's train of thought. He sets his tea mug down on the tray. "Oh, he's sleeping like a rock..." Akane smirks. "He'll be just fine from the looks of it..." Her lips curve slightly... "Hey, you're dad'll probably perk right up." "...um...yeah..." She starts watching the tea leaves stick to her mug. "Ranma. . ." Ranma looks up at her. "...I'd like to be alone for a while..." No matter how dense Ranma can be...he understands... and gets up slowly. 'God, I hate it when she's like this...it makes me feel like I just kicked a puppy dog or something...I just wanna hold - You're going soft Ranma... - Well this is the chick he's gotta marry. - Well not if his dad kicks the bucket first. - How can you be so insensitive?! - Whatcha think I'm the arrogant side for?' While this conflict pinballs through Ranma's head, he turns to leave, glancing back at Akane, lips curving a lil'. He leaves the room, closing the door quietly, he lets out a deep breath. 'Maybe I'll just go check on her dad for her...' Ranma goes downstairs, and is surprised to find that not only is Soun not in his room... but he and Ranma's own dad are outside in a shady corner of the yard, which is barely touched by dawn...and they're drinking sake and toasting. He marches out their, temper boiling. "Just WHAT do you think you two are doing?!" They freeze. Ranma growls. "You you..." He whacks his father outta the way and stares down Soun. "Do you know that Akane's up there worried sick, possibly literally, about you?! WELL?!" "So, boy...you went to check on her?" Genma came up behind him...and flew into the strathosphere FAR behind him. "I - I had to... for the sake of the school..!!" exclaimed Soun, desperately looking for someone to justify his actions. "What about Akane huh?! She's completely destroyed up there she - " "She's gonna marry you." ". . ." "So shh... would you?" Drags Ranma deeper into the shadows. "Don't wanna wake up anyone ya know..." "Kasumi'll probably be up soon anyway." Ranma says, with a dull look on his face. "Do you want Akane to wake up and then you'll ruin all our plans... she's already promised me to marry you and - " "So that's what this is about! You and Pops got me and Akane to promise to marry each other - " "And you both did. By CHOICE." Ranma winces. 'Dammit he's right. I can't go back on my word... but Akane...she also...it doesn't mean anything. She thought her dad was dying... and since he's the last parent she's got it's reasonable you'd do anything...it has nothing to do with me.' Ranma cringes internally. "Boy, what's done is done." A hand of a battered and tired looking Genma Saotome rests on his shoulder... and Ranma accepts defeat. But this defeat doesn't end here...no siree... for a pair of eyes watches from around a corner...along with a flash and a camera lens. ~~ ~~EPILOGUE ~~ "A raise in my allowance? Is that all?" "Nabiki…daughter… I provide for my 3 children, 2 free-loaders, and a panty stealing master… and I constantly have to make repairs on the dojo…" "Would you want to make repairs on yourself due to Akane's rage?" "…" Soun is unable to respond but simply nods. Nabiki hands him some pictures, and a tape recorder. "There ya go dad… 10,000 yen more every week now…" "Nabik--!" Nabiki glares him down… He nods. ~~ ~~PART II ~~ A knock at the door. Akane turns away from her desk a minute, she still hasn't noticed the picture YET… "Come in…" A familiar pigtailed young man peeks in the door, "Hey…Akane…can I… talk to you?" Akane's a lil' surprised by this visit, and it shows. She gives a lil' unsure nod… and watches him start to sit on her bed, and he seems to change his mind and leans against the wall. "Look…'Kane." He bites his lower lip, and looks away, he blurts out, "Do ya wanna marry me or what?" She blinks. She blinks again. "…" "Hey ditz, did ya hear me or what?!" 'Uh oh. Shouldn't have said that . Now I'm in for it.' He looks and her and all she does is blink. "Hey, you awake in there…?" Walks up to her and waves a hand in front of her face. "Oh yeah…wait…are you…proposing…??" Both of them blushed slightly. Ranma was wide eyed at both the question an the fact he wasn't flying through Akane's open window. "…no no no! I'm just asking, jeez! I mean there's no point…I mean…if if…" Ranma looks over Akane a lil'… she's turned away, staring out the window . That lil' stabbing feeling in his gut stirs again, and he softens his tone. "I mean…if you don't want to…then we shouldn't…you know?" She nods a lil'…"Yeah…I s'ppose you're right…" She pauses, but adds quickly, "…for once." Ranma winces. "So, Akane… do you want to…"-gulp-"…marry me?" Ranma has some how floated to Akane's side, by the desk. 'Why doesn't she just look at me?!' She turns up and looks into his eyes. 'T-that's better…' 'Does he really mean it or is this just some honor thing…?? …oh god, I forgot…about dad…I promised…' She takes a deep, deep breath,"…yes Ranma…I will." They both blush slightly… they look into each other's eyes… Ranma starts to slowly lower his head to hers, as she angles her head up to his… and… Ranma picks up a near by book and throws it through the open window at Genma, who is in a tree. "HEY POP! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING UP IN THAT TREE HUH?! BIRD WATCHING?!" Ranma's pissed. His fists are clenched at either side. Genma plummets to the ground. Akane takes a breather, and leans back into her chair. She rests her cheek into her palm, looking at the wall with that "I can't believe this is happening AGAIN" look. Ranma glances over at her… "…Akane…" She holds her breath. "…I'll just be…um…going! Yeah that's it…" Ranma stumbles his way to the door, looks over the room, and slams the door behind him. 'Was I…were we…gonna…k-ki… - nah!' Ranma shakes his head, and goes downstairs to see a very pissed father. "Hey pop." "BOY! How dare you mistreat your well meaning father! Why didn't ya just kiss her and get it over with!" Genma gets a one way ticket to the other side of Japan. "Jeez…" "So, Ranma, you were gonna kiss her, eh? 'atta boy." "Don't you start Mr. Tendo…" Ranma grits his teeth, Soun sips his tea as if he said nothing. "Ranma… do you REALLY think you guys can keep this charade up any longer." Nabiki had a really bored look on her face. "You and Akane are the most unlikely couple I ever did see, and ya know what? I don't think you could go through with it." "What do you mean?!" Ranma feels that stabbing pain, and he clenches his fists. "No matter how tough you think you are… we ALL know how you feel about Akane, and the only words in that equation are 'uncute' and 'tomboy'. You say 'I do'? Hah! That's a laugh." "And what do you know about it, Nabiki?!" "So you want to marry her." "I DIDN'T SAY THAT!" Ranma, peeved… stomps out of the dojo. Nabiki grins. "See? What did I tell you Dad? They're on their way to bruises and babies." Soun grumbles… "...and you put me on the way to blackmail and bankruptcy…" 'I can't believe... I mean what does Nabiki know anyway?! Who gives her the right to tell me how I feel? -'cause you don't know how you feel? -Shaddup! -Just let the other side of your brain talk a while would ya?! If you'd just leave your ego in some ditch somewhere and just admit that you wanna marry... -I do not! -...Akane... well then, we'll be set. -You're as bad as Nabiki. -Well I'm you pal.' Ranma cringes. His head fighting with itself, he sits down on a bench somewhere and just stares at the floor trying to clear his head. "RANMA!!" "RANCHAN!" Two very familiar voices cried out, 'Oh gee, just what I need... Ukyou and Shampoo." "Ranma, what this Shampoo hear 'bout marrying 'kane?" "Yeah Ranchan, as your fiancé I have the right to know about when you're getting married - TO SOMEONE ELSE!" Both girls ramble on in loud tones about "I'm his fiancé!" "Ranma marry Shampoo!" etc...etc. "WAITAMINUTE!!" Silence. Ranma sighs, "Where did you hear all of this from?" Ukyou holds up a blue flyer, Ranma reads out loud, " 'Everyone can rejoice with the families of Tendo and Saotome at the officially declared marriage ceremony that will join the lovely Akane Tendo and the dashing Ranma Saotome...' Hey! I'm dashing!" Ukyou and Shampoo face vault. Realization hits. "HEY WAITASEC! Where'd these come from??" Ukyou and Shampoo point to a building which is some how vomiting flyers all over into the skies. Ranma immediately races over from roof top to roof top... his features stern. "Dad." "Oh hey...there...um...son. Nice weather out, eh?? "Ranma, you really should learn to control your temper." "But Dr. Tofu-" "Do you have any idea how hard it is to extract a wooden sign from a panda’s anus?" Ranma grins, "This isn’t a joke Ranma. You’re father is in intense pain and-" "Dr. Tofu! You have no idea! Ya think that I LIKE getting beat up by numerous fiancés?! That I LIKE being chased?! YA THINK I LIKE GETTING PUNISHED FOR ALL THE CRIMES HE COMMITS?!" Ranma’s face gets all big and into Tofu’s face. Tofu remains silent. "Yeah, that’s what I thought."