Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Couch Trips ❯ An Akane Remembering ( Chapter 3 )

Couch Trips - Chapter 3
by Henry Burns

An Akane Remembering

-

Akane Tendo was not happy and it was all Ranma's fault. Ranma had been acting strangely for the past few weeks and it was driving Akane crazy. Not that Ranma did anything wrong, on the contrary he had been especially nice. Smiling at her, complimenting her, he hadn't even fought Ryoga when he came to visit. Instead of fighting, he mumbled something about 'misplaced hostility' and just leaped over the dojo wall and didn't come back until Ryoga got lost chasing him.

To top it off, today he even bought her flowers!

For anyone else this would be a good thing, but this was Akane Tendo. This was not the way Ranma behaved! Ranma was a jerk. Ranma said stupid things. And certainly Akane would never expect Ranma to pay her compliments. No, Ranma was acting the way Akane always hoped he would act and that was enough to make her suspicious.

Something was definitely up and Akane was sure it has something to do with whatever Ranma was doing every Thursday. Well today was Thursday and Akane vowed to get to the bottom of it. 'Probably sneaking off to see Shampoo or Ukyo, that pervert,' she thought to herself. 'Well today I'm going to follow him and if I find out he's been going to see one of those-'.

The bell rang signaling the end of another school day and Akane watched Ranma race out of the classroom. Akane followed quickly after, staying close enough to not lose him and far enough away for Ranma not to know he was being followed.

Or so she thought.

"Eek," squeaked Akane as, rounding a corner she almost ran right into Ranma who
was leaning against the wall.

"Following me, Akane?" asked Ranma while he smiled at her.

"Of-of course not," stuttered Akane. "Why would I be following a pervert like you?"

For a second Ranma's smile faltered but was quickly back in place. "Oh, I don't know," said Ranma offhandedly. "Maybe you're trying to figure out where I've been going every Thursday for the last month?"

Even though that was true there was no way Akane was going to admit it. "Why should I care what you do?" grumped Akane. "It's probably something perverted, anyway."

Ranma's smile disappeared. "Akane, I've told you before I don't like being called a pervert. It's not true and it hurts when you say it."

"What?" exclaimed Akane? "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Ranma?" She demanded.

Ranma laughed. "I'm me, Akane, the same old Ranma."

"No you're not," responded Akane vehemently. "You can't be Ranma"

"Why not?" asked Ranma, truly puzzled.

"Well for one thing, you're being nice. You haven't insulted me in weeks," said Akane.

"And that's a bad thing?" responded Ranma, his smile turned a little sad.

"It's just strange," said Akane. "And stop smiling at me, it's making me nervous."

Ranma leaned in toward Akane until their noses were almost touching. Akane almost flinched away but, with great effort, stayed where she was. "Akane, I like smiling at you," he whispered, then his voice got even quieter and Akane had to strain to hear what he said next. "And I-I like you."

Akane 's eyes grew wide as saucers at that last statement. 'Ranma said he likes me?' She thought to herself. 'Ranma likes me, Ranma LIKES me, Ranma likes ME!' went over and over in her head.

"R-r-really?" she stammered.

"Really," replied Ranma.

Ranma suddenly looked at his watch.

'When did Ranma start wearing a watch?' wondered Akane.

"Oh-my-god! I'm gonna be late." He started to turn away and then just as quickly stopped and turned back to Akane. "Do you want to come with me?"

Numbly, Akane nodded.

"Good!" Ranma said while smiling and taking her hand. He started walking quickly.

Akane was so stunned by everything that had just happened that she didn't even notice that they were holding hands until they had walked several blocks and had reached their destination.

"Well we're here," said Ranma.

Broken out of her reverie, Akane looked. It was a non-descript small apartment building in a nice part of Nerima. "What is this place?" asked Akane.

"This is my doctor's office," stated Ranma simply.

Akane 's hand went to her mouth in shock and disbelief. 'Was something wrong with Ranma? Was he dying?' thought Akane.

"Your doctor?" whispered Akane.

Ranma squeezed her hand gently. "Come on I want you to meet the doc." Ranma then led Akane into the building, walked one flight up and knocked on the door of apartment 102.

The door of apartment 102 opened to reveal a man of late middle age. Obviously European or American, with a close-cropped beard as gray as the longish, though thin, hair on his head. He was wearing a white cotton shirt of some sort that had pockets near the bottom and was worn over the faded blue jeans. He wore black Chinese house slippers.

"Ahh, Ranma!" said the man. "You're a little later than usual."

"Sorry Doc" replied Ranma. "But I ran into Akane on the way here and thought I'd ask her to come here with me." Suddenly Ranma slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. Ranma turned to the doctor, bowed while saying, "Sorry, Doc! I'm being rude. Dr. Epstein may I introduce you to Akane Tendo, my fiancée. Akane this is Dr. Epstein, my psychiatrist."

Akane promptly fainted.

-

Akane opened her eyes and found she was lying down and, for the moment, assumed she was in her room and had just woken up.

'I had the strangest dream,' she thought. 'Ranma was being nice to me, told me he liked me and called me his fiancée. He was even holding my hand. Why I can almost still feel his hand." Akane suddenly realized that someone was holding her hand! Her head whipped to the side. There sitting in chair next to her was Ranma.

Holding her hand.

"Hi!" said Ranma. "You fainted."

Akane exploded upright into a seated position. Ranma was holding her hand and habit took over. She snatched her hand from Ranma's grasp. "Let go of me you pervert," she yelled, lashing out suddenly. Akane was frightened and when she was frightened she became angry and when she was angry she had to either break something or yell at someone. Usually both. Especially when it came to Ranma.

Her fist was about halfway to Ranma's jaw.

"Stop that immediately, Miss Tendo," barked a voice.

Akane found that her body did exactly that, stop. For a moment she was frozen in place and then motion resumed. Unfortunately, Akane ended up sprawling and losing her balance; tumbling to the floor. Akane squeezed her eyes shut angrily waiting for Ranma's inevitable snicker and the word 'klutz' to sound. Akane waited and then waited some more.

It didn't come.

Opening her eyes she found herself looking into Ranma's eyes. But his eyes only held concern and relief.

"You okay, Akane?" asked Ranma. "Jeez that was weird. You just froze up for a second and then - are you sure you're okay?"

Akane nodded dumbly.

Ranma extended a hand to help her get up. For a moment she was going to refuse, her pride demanding she not accept any help. But then she saw the look on Ranma's face; so full of concern, and something else. She took his hand and allowed Ranma to pull her to her feet.

"That's better," said the earlier voice, softer now. Akane looked over to where the voice came from and saw the same older man that Ranma had introduced her to earlier.

Ranma took Akane 's hand and led her to a couch and they both sat down. Ranma still held her hand. Dr. Epstein walked into a room in the back, sounds of cabinets opening and closing, dishes rattling soon reached Akane 's ears. In a few minutes, the doctor was back with a simple tea service and two thermos bottles, one white, one black. Ranma served the tea.

Ranma served the tea?

The silence continued until everyone had a cup of tea. Dr. Epstein cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and then spoke. "Feeling better, Akane?" asked the doctor.

Akane nodded.

"Fine," said the doctor. "Now can you answer a question for me?" Akane nodded again. "Why did you call Ranma a pervert?" The doctor raised his right eyebrow and stared hard at her.

"He's always doing perverted things," said Akane "I knew he was a pervert the very first day I met him."

"Akane!" The emotionally hurt Ranma let go of Akane's hand and turned away from her. He had been doing so well too.

"Oh?" asked the doctor evenly. "How's that?"

"Because the very first day he was at the dojo he walked in on me in the bathroom and saw me naked. Twice!" she shouted. She folded her arms across her chest, the perfect picture of righteous fury. Surely this Dr. Epstein would agree.

"Wasn't it an accident?" asked the doctor. "Both times?"

"Well, yes, but he saw me naked," responded Akane a little less certainty in her voice. "And the first time he was a boy!" she added triumphantly. Ranma winced from the memory; he had never been so embarrassed in his life. "And I was never so embarrassed in my life," continued Akane.

Startled by Akane nearly repeating his thought word for word, Ranma blurted out. "Me too."

"Really?" said the doctor "That's interesting don't you think? The time you were most embarrassed was when Ranma was a boy. Hmm, did something happen?"

"He-he-he-" Akane blushed scarlet too embarrassed to continue.

"I-I had an… erection," whispered Ranma his cheeks flaming.

Akane whipped her head around toward Ranma in astonishment. In the nearly two years they had known each other they had never once discussed what had happened that day. And here was Ranma... he was... he said... Akane's mind was in a panic.

"Ranma, you pervert!" she screamed, leaning back to prepare for the punch of all punches. And a sudden lassitude came over her. "What just happened?" said Akane in a small voice.

Ranma was frozen in shock and just gaped at Akane.

"That's easy to explain," said Dr. Epstein, his voice seemed to radiate trust, good will, and calmness. Ranma and Akane whipped their heads toward him. "I stopped you from hitting Ranma. I won't allow violent behavior in my presence."

"Ho-how?" said Akane, she should be frightened, she thought, but she wasn't.

Ranma just stared at the doctor in disbelief. He hadn't detected anything from the doctor, no aura, no overly powerful chi, just that pervasive, Kasumi-like, calm he'd noticed when they had first met.

"Miss Tendo, I must apologize, I normally wouldn't do what I just did, but you left me no choice," responded the doctor, his voice serious. "Before I answer, let me ask you both a few questions."

Akane nodded. She was watching him slightly warily.

"You and Ranma are both highly trained martial artists and you could very easily hurt; even kill someone who didn't have your training. Would you?"

"No, of course not! That wouldn't be honorable," responded Akane.

Ranma nodded.

"What if this same person was holding a gun to a friend's head, what would you do?" inquired the doctor.

"It is the duty of any true martial artist to protect the weak," quoted Ranma.

Akane nodded.

"It is also the duty of all true bearers of 'gifts'." Both Akane and Ranma could hear the capitalization of the word in Dr. Epstein's voice. "Just like yourselves, just like me. Your gifts are what I call physical gifts. People such as you can develop amazing control over their bodies and, depending on the strength and training of the gift, are able to do some astounding things. But there are other gifts."

"And what is your gift?" asked Ranma.

"I'm a full empath," simply stated the doctor.


End chapter 3

Authors Notes: How many of you figured that out before the end, a show of hands now. Wow, That many? I'm impressed. I know this was a very short chapter, but it came together pretty quickly. Hey, I figured with the level of insanity that exists in Nerima, a regular psychiatrist wouldn't survive a day.