Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Balance of Power ❯ Journey-Admissions ( Chapter 7 )

Journey

Chapter 1

Admissions

Kasumi made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. The sun was just beginning to show itself and she needed to get breakfast ready. As she began to get all the ingredients out, Nodoka walked into the kitchen. She started to help Kasumi without a word spoken between them.

"I hear that nice Ryoga boy is being released from the hospital today," Nodoka told her.

"Well, we can make an extra special supper tonight then. Maybe we can invite some people over to," Kasumi suggested.

Nodoka smiled very motherly at Kasumi. "I suppose one of the guests will be a certain doctor."

A blush touched Kasumi's cheeks and she quickly tried to regain her composure.

"Dr. Tofu is just a friend, Auntie Saotome," Kasumi said.

"Hmm, I bet he is. Well then, I guess I'll just be the one to invite him over then," Nodoka said as she began to walk out of the kitchen.

"No Auntie!" Kasumi nearly shouted. She realized what she had just said and tried to recompose herself. "I mean, I can invite the guests while you plan tonight's supper."

Nodoka smiled knowingly at Kasumi and made her way back into the kitchen. "All right dear, if that's what you really want."

Kasumi looked at Nodoka and nodded. They started back on breakfast without a word passed between them until Soun walked in.

"Good morning you two," he greeted, not showing any signs of his knowing that he had risen almost an hour an a half earlier than he would usually.

"Good morning Soun," Nodoka smiled. "I believe it would be too much to hope for if my husband were awake yet."

"I'm afraid he is still sleeping Nodoka, and he shall probably remain that way until the sun has already raised itself high into the sky," Soun replied, a smile lighting up his face.

"Yes, he has always been a late-riser. Oh well, he might as well stay in bed as of now, for if he were to wake he would be in here pestering us for some snacks," Nodoka told him.

Soun smiled but didn't reply.

"So what made you get up so early father?" Kasumi asked.

"Oh nothing, just have some things to do today," Spun replied. A very goofy grin spread across his face as if he had just shared with himself a very funny joke.

"Are you hiding something Soun," Nodoka asked.

"Uh, no of course not, why would you ever think that I would be hiding something," Soun said. He realized he had not been very convincing and sighed his defeat.

"Yes I do have a secret," Soun told them. "You must keep this a secret and not tell anyone, for I promised Ryoga I would not tell a soul," Soun paused and waited for them to nod. "Ryoga is going to ask Akari to marry him."

Nodoka and Kasumi both gasped in surprise before nearly squealing with glee.

"Oh how wonderful!" Nodoka and Kasumi both exclaimed.

Soun was taken aback by their sudden outburst and took a step back as if fearing for his safety.

"When are they having the wedding?" Nodoka asked.

"I-I don't know," Soun stammered.

"Do Ranma and Akane know about this yet?" Kasumi asked.

"No, I don't think so," Soun admitted.

"Akane should be returning from her jog right now," Nodoka said.

"Well, I'll go meet her at the door and tell her," Kasumi told them as she left the kitchen. She was followed by Nodoka who turned in the other direction and went up the stairs to go tell Genma and Ranma.

"Hey!" Soun yelled after them. "Didn't you hear me say you can't tell anyone!?"

Soun went to go intercept Kasumi before she could relay the news to his youngest daughter. To his surprise he found Kasumi staring at a note pinned to the front door.

"What's the matter Kasumi?" Soun asked, cautiously approaching her.

Kasumi finished scanning the note and handed it to her father with one of the saddest expressions he had ever seen grace her pretty face.

Soun took the note and began to read it.

Dear Tendo's and Saotome's:

I regret to inform you but, due to Ranma and Ryoga's involvement with my efforts to attack the growing drug problem in Japan, their lives, Akane and Akari's lives, and your own have been placed in jeopardy. I have enlisted the services of some close friends to ensure that nothing untoward will happen to your family. But for the Ranma and the others, their lives are in far more danger than I had once contemplated. Therefore I have removed them from Japan and to a place where their safety can be ensured. Once again I apologize for what has happened, this was never intended to happen. We shall contact you as soon as possible.

Seiji Inafune

===============

Nodoka was walking back down the stairs after awakening her husband when she heard Soun emit a very loud wail. She ran to the front of the house where she found Kasumi comforting her father as Soun continued to cry.

"What's wrong?" Nodoka asked.

Kasumi handed the note over to Nodoka without a word except a very sad look.

Nodoka read it quickly. She emitted a moan as she found she had lost the strength to stand. She had to place her hand on the wall to keep from falling over. When she spoke, her voice was filled with grief.

"Oh Ranma."

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Ranma slowly awoke to the low drone of the aircrafts engines. He was a little nervous as anyone would after waking up in a very unfamiliar place. He sat up and gazed at the sleeping boy next to him. Ryoga was sleeping quite soundly. Ranma could hear the slow steady breaths he was taking. Ranma let his gaze wander across the aisle to where Akane and Akari were. Akari was reading a magazine and he saw that Akane was sleeping.

"Hey, Akari," Ranma whispered as quietly as he could, "Would you mind switching places with me?"

Akari looked over at Ranma and smiled. "Of course not Ranma, just as long as you have nothing perverted in mind."

Ranma laughed quietly as he got up and switched places with Akari. Akari leaned over and winked at Ranma as he sat down. Ranma saw her snuggle up close to Ryoga and grab his discarded blanket to cover them.

Ranma glanced over at Akane's sleeping form. She looked so cute; her face was the picture of contentment. Ranma, mimicking Akari's movements, wrapped his arms around her and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. He smiled to himself for doing all of that without waking Akane up. His smile faded as Akane began to move; she flipped over to face away from Ranma. Ranma nearly gasped as Akane moved. Due to the placement of his hands on Akane's back, his left hand was now cupping Akane's breast.

Ranma, frozen in fear, forgot to remove his hand as Akane slowly awoke.

"A-Akane," Ranma stuttered out.

Akane looked back over her shoulder and smiled at Ranma. "Hello."

"Uh hi," Ranma said.

Akane looked down at her chest. "Ranma, how come you're over here?"

"I uh, traded places with Akari," Ranma told her.

"Okay and how come your hand is clutching my breast?" Akane asked in an oddly calm voice.

Ranma realized he had still not moved his hand and quickly tried to pull it back but found that something was firmly holding it in its place. Akane was turning around and Ranma saw what was holding his hand in place. Akane's hand.

"A-Akane?" Ranma asked questioningly, a blush spreading across his face. Akane raised a hand to her face and silently shushed Ranma. Though she was leading the way the situation was heading, Ranma could tell that she was big time blushing.

"Akane, we can't possibly do this here," Ranma protested quietly, though his voice told that he would not mind continuing things from where it was heading.

"We aren't Ranma; I just want to be with you right now. I want to tell you that I am not blaming you for what happened; I don't think it's your fault that we have to escape to China. You did what you thought was best and I know you did better than anyone else could have. I also want to apologize for all the times I've called you a pervert and knocked you through the roof without really hearing what you had to say. If I had only just listened to you," Akane said thoughtfully as she stroked his face.

"Akane," Ranma said, a smile playing across his face. "The way you're acting makes me think that your trying to name yourself as the person responsible that things were stalled between us for so long. I took nearly every chance I could get to stall things between us. We are both responsible for the things that kept us from taking our relationship to a further level."

Akane opened her mouth to protest, but Ranma silenced her with a shake of the head.

"I can't believe how many times I've had a chance to admit my love for you and I would chicken out. Though I guess, in my own defense, I never really had a clear picture of my feelings for you," Ranma told her.

"What do you mean?" Akane asked.

Ranma looked thoughtful for a second; as if trying to choose his words carefully.

"Akane, there have been times during our year and a half together, that I have felt so angry with you that I have actually entertained thoughts about leaving Nerima altogether."

Akane looked very hurt as Ranma said this, and a look of self-condemnation crossed her face.

Ranma saw this and quickly tilted her chin so she was facing him. "And then there have been times where I have been so damn hot that I have come so close to going into your room at night and getting into your bed."

Akane looked shocked, Ranma smiled and gently closed her mouth which had been hanging open.

"H-How close have you come to going into my room?" Akane asked shakily.

"I've had to stop myself from turning the handle all the way on your door," Ranma told her. "I never really had the guts to actually go into your room. I always thought that you would just pitch me out the window as soon as you saw me."

"Maybe not," Akane said quietly.

Ranma felt like he was doing way too much talking and decided it was about time Akane started telling him these things.

"So when did you realize that you loved me?" Ranma asked her.

Akane was taken aback by Ranma's bluntness and the shock was clear on her face. "I-I don't know."

Ranma nodded knowingly and began to turn away from Akane, removing his hand from her chest. Akane quickly spun Ranma back around and grasped his head so he was facing her.

"Don't you go into some damn pit of despair Ranma," Akane said forcefully. "Just because I said I didn't have a clear idea when I fell in love with you doesn't mean I don't feel like I've loved you for my entire life. I want you to know that the first time I felt strong feelings for you was when I saw you naked in the bath on your first day coming home."

Ranma didn't respond to what Akane said, instead he stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Akane was blushing furiously from admitting something like that in an airplane. She stared at Ranma and slowly leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. Ranma, breaking out of his stupor, instinctively kissed Akane back. As they pulled back, Ranma smiled.

"Did you really feel that way when you saw me naked?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah," Akane admitted shyly. "Didn't you ever wonder why I never even attempted to cover my chest with that towel?"

"Well, no," Ranma said, a blush touching his cheeks as well. "Its okay Akane, when you're with the person that you want to spend your life with, you can let your feelings get the better of you."

"The rest of your life?" Akane asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, when me and Ryoga were doing all that stuff for Seiji, Ryoga had come out of the blue and asked me if I could ever live my life without Shampoo."

"And what did you say?" Akane asked, her voice holding a slight edge.

"I told him yes," Ranma said. "Then he asked me if I could go my whole life without Ukyo. The answer was the same for what it was for Shampoo. Lastly, Ryoga asked me if I could life every day of my life without you Akane."

Akane was hanging onto every single one of Ranma's words as if they were her lifeline. She slowly nodded her head and gazed at Ranma.

"I thought to myself, could I go my whole life without you, never being able to see you or hear your voice, or never being able to touch you."

Ranma paused for effect, and so he could fight back the tears that were threatening to escape.

"I could never live my life without you Akane, every day that goes by that I'm not with you, your almost always on my mind. When I was fighting Herb and Saffron, you were my inspiration; you were what I was fighting for. I want to spend my life fighting for you Akane, if you'll let me."

Akane threw her arms around Ranma as tears flowed freely from her eyes. She kissed Ranma deeply. As they parted Akane smiled at Ranma.

"Remind me to thank Ryoga."

===============

"Its going to be okay father," Kasumi said as she tried to comfort the over emotional Soun.

"How can it be okay!?" Soun shouted, "Akane is gone and there may be murderers after her."

"But Ranma will be with her the whole time," Kasumi countered.

"So! Ranma and Akane don't even get along together, how am I supposed to expect that they'll get along wherever their going. They hate each other!" Soun wailed. He did not actually believe what he was saying, he was simply ranting.

"That's not true!" Nodoka screamed.

Coming from Nodoka, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to face the red-faced Nodoka.

"Ranma and Akane do love each other Soun," Nodoka said, her voice still hovering between a shout. "I don't know how they possibly could be, after everything that they have been put through because of you and my husband. But they are."

"And how do you know this Nodoka?" Genma asked.

"Just let me call someone," Nodoka said as she walked to the phone. She lifted the receiver and dialed a number. All eyes in the room were on Nodoka as she waited for someone to pick up on the other end.

"Hello, Dr. Tofu?" Nodoka asked. "Yes this is Nodoka; I need a favor, could you please come over to the Tendo's please. Thank you."

Nodoka hung up the phone and turned to look at the other occupants of the room.

"Now we wait."

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Author's Notes: This is the first chapter in the Journey series. The Journey series lasts about eleven chapters. I hope everyone is enjoying this story, and I would like to think that everyone is reviewing as well, for that would be greatly appreciated.