Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Heartaches ❯ Chapter 5: Consequences ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: Consequences

Ranma, where are you when I need you? If you really loved me you'd be here right now. Oh Ranma, I wish you knew. If I die you'll never know.

"I wish I had told you…"

Akane started to cry and didn't hear when footsteps approached.

"Told me what, Akane? I know that's your voice, but where are you?" asked a very confused Ryoga.

Akane gasped and tried to move, but the weight was too much.

Ryoga heard her cry and then noticed the pile of broken cement and the foot that stuck out of the pile. It was then that Ryoga realized that Akane was buried in that pile.

"Oh no! Don't worry Akane, I'll save you!"

Saotome, how could you let this happen to Akane? It's all your fault and you must die!

Ryoga rushed to the pile and frantically began to dig out his beloved. After a few moments he had her uncovered and he almost fell backwards when he saw her. In addition to the broken wrist, Akane was covered in cuts and bruises. She was also bleeding from a gash under her eye.

"Oh Akane!" was all Ryoga could say.

He gently lifted Akane out of the rubble and held her in his lap. Akane fought for breath and struggled to keep her eyes open. Ryoga stroked her hair and told her everything would be all right, although he was skeptical.

He had never seen her hurt so badly. Not even after fighting Shampoo, Ukyo, Kuno, or even Ranma. Ryoga also knew that it was no accident that Akane had been buried under her practice bricks. That left only one option, Cologne had finally begun to seek revenge on Akane for being Ranma's favorite fiancée. Ryoga knew that he couldn't stop Cologne since the damage had already been done, but he knew what he could do.

"Come on Akane, hold on to my neck. I'm taking you to Tofu Sensai."

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Ranma walked into the dojo to find complete destruction. Cement everywhere, blood, and some of Akane's hair. Immediately he knew something was wrong.

"I have to find her!"

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Akane groaned and sat up. Head spinning, she tried to figure out where she was.

"Ugg. Where am I?"

"Lay down Akane, you're at my clinic," replied the soothing voice of Dr. Tofu. "Ryoga brought you here. It's a miracle that he could find his way."

Ryoga looked cross but only for a moment, then he smiled, proud that he had not gotten lost once on the way to the clinic.

"Will she be okay, Sensai?" Ryoga asked.

"I think she will recover quickly. I have managed to heal the scratches and bruises but she will always have a small scar under her eye. That was a nasty cut that you had there, Akane."

Akane sat up again, insisting that she felt better. She saw that her arm was in a sling and questioned about it.

"It was broken, Akane. Once you no longer have trouble sitting up for long periods of time, we will do exercises to strengthen it again. I healed it so the bone is fused back together, but you cannot move it because the muscles are still weak," Dr. Tofu explained.

Akane thought about this for a moment and then said,

"Dr. Tofu, do you think it can be fixed by tomorrow? You see, there's this dance at school and…"

"You wish to go with young Ranma? I see. We'll do the best we can to have you ready to go-"

"I don't want to go with Ranma!" Akane exclaimed. "I just want to go, that's all."

She finished on a softer note. She looked at Ryoga and smiled.

Ryoga took this as a hope that maybe if he could ask her without getting a nosebleed, she would go with him to the dance.

"Um, Ryoga?" questioned Dr. Tofu," Can you please go call the Tendos and tell them what happened and that I have Akane here?"

Ryoga wanted to stay, but he obliged and left the office.

Now to find the telephone…

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Ranma figured that, if Akane was hurt, she would be at Dr. Tofu's clinic. He decided to go there and look, maybe Tofu had some answers.

He had just left the house when he heard the "Ching Ching" of the bell on a certain flying bike and the "Nihao!" of a certain purple haired Chinese Amazon.

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Dr. Tofu was showing Akane the last of her exercises when Ryoga wandered back into the office.

It had taken him an hour just to find the phone (which was right next to him the whole time) and another forty-five minutes after he called to find the office again.

When he finally found his friends, Akane was ready to go home.

"Perfect timing, Ryoga. Let's go home, I'm worn out," Akane told him.

Ryoga willingly agreed, he was worn out too. Getting lost was hard work!

"Now Akane, remember what I showed you and take these pills. You should be all ready for tomorrow night. If you need anything come right back over," Dr. Tofu said to her.

"Thanks Dr. Tofu!"

Akane, still a little dizzy, took Ryoga's arm and they walked out of the clinic.

Ryoga couldn't remember a time when he was happier.

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"Shampoo, not now! I have to find Akane!"

Ranma tried to shove her out of the way, but Shampoo stood firm.

"Why Ranma want angry-girl when Shampoo right here?"

"Ugg! Let me go!" Ranma finally managed to get past the Amazon and began to race towards Dr. Tofu's clinic.

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"Ryoga, thanks so much for helping me. If you hadn't wandered in I might still be in there. Ranma didn't even try to help me!"

Ryoga blushed and tried not to get a nosebleed. It was almost too much! To have Akane holding his arm, being so close to him, thanking him for saving her, and bashing Ranma all in the same moment!

"O-oh, it's, um, nothing. You know I'm there for you."

"Just the same, thank you." Akane smiled and put her head on his shoulder.

Ryoga could be so sweet sometimes, she thought.

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Ranma was racing on the fence posts when he saw something that made him stop short and almost made him fall of into the river below.

It was Ryoga and Akane, arm in arm, with Akane's head on his shoulder!

"Well, how'da ya like that," Ranma said.

He was slightly ticked off but he did his best not to show it. They were headed towards him so Ranma decided to stay sitting on the fence to see what would happen.

"Speak of the devil," Akane muttered when she saw Ranma sitting on the fence. "Come on Ryoga, let's go home a different way."

"Akane, it's all right. I'll take him out right here and now, then you won't have to worry about him anymore."

"Ryoga, I don't want you to get hurt. I have another idea, let's just walk past and pretend we don't see him. Okay?"

Even though Ryoga knew that he wouldn't get (seriously) hurt and was sad that Akane doubted him, he decided that it was best to do whatever she wanted to do.

Ranma, however, had heard what Akane said and was now prepared to be ignored (or not ignored, if he had his way).

As they were about to walk fast, Ranma decided that he would make Akane talk to him. Akane had different plans though.

"Hey Akane, Ryoga! Akane, are you alright? I saw the dojo and…"

"And if you cared you would've been there to help me. Fortunately, Ryoga popped in and saved me from dying. So Ranma, here's my thanks to you. Thanks for nothing! Eat fish Baka!" Akane somewhat calmly replied and them pushed Ranma off the fence and into the river.

A sputtering Ranma-chan emerged and yelled,

"What'd ya do that for?"

Akane just laughed and turned back to Ryoga.

"At least someone cares," she said loud enough for Ranma-chan to hear. "Come on Ryoga, let's go home."

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When Ranma-chan finally made her way out of the river and back to the dojo, it was almost midnight. She tried to quietly enter the house but Kasumi heard her anyway.

"Oh Ranma, what happened? You must be freezing! Let me get you some hot water."

"Thanks Kasumi, then I'd better get to bed," Ranma-chan replied, shivering.

It wasn't that cold outside but there was a cool breeze and being wet didn't help either.

Kasumi brought her the hot water and poured it over her chilly friend.

"Thanks again, Kasumi. I'm heading upstairs, goodnight."

"Night, Ranma."

Ranma went upstairs and paused outside of Akane's door, which she had left open. Ranma quietly tiptoed in and stared at her sleeping form, chest rising and falling with her steady breathing. P-chan was sleeping next to her and Ranma frowned.

Sometimes I'm jealous of you, Ryoga, he thought then regained his composure and whispered,

"Akane, you're so beautiful! Especially when you're asleep and not mad at me. Even when your mad, no matter what I say, you're still cute."

Ranma leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Akane, I love you."

Akane stirred but didn't wake up. Ranma quietly left the room, casting one last glance at his sleeping fiancée.

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Ranma awoke the next morning to the smell of Kasumi's cooking, something he didn't often miss.

"I wonder how Akane's doing. I hope she's not still mad. The dance'll be a disaster if she hates me."

He then jumped up and raced downstairs. His biggest worry right now was to get his food before a certain Panda got a hold of it.

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"Oh P-chan, I had the most wonderful dream last night. I dreamed that, P-chan? Where are you?"

P-chan had run downstairs to get breakfast. After all, pigs have to eat too.

"Oh well, all I have to worry about today is getting ready for the dance. It's gonna be awesome! I have the best costume too!"

On that note Akane hopped out of bed and got dressed. Breakfast smelled wonderful, and after last night, she was really hungry.

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"Ryoga, can you help me with these exercises? There's only a few hours left to get ready and I can't wear this sling to the dance!"

"Sure Akane, whatever you want."

Ryoga helped Akane stretch and strengthen her wrist for about an hour when she stood up and thanked him.

"I have to go find Ranma, I need to apologize for yesterday. After that I need to get dressed for the dance. You're going, aren't you?"

Ryoga nodded and watched Akane walk out of the room. He had just lost his chance to ask her go to the dance with him.

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"Shampoo, I told you, I don't want you! I have things to do, please go away!"

"Ranma no like Shampoo? Shampoo sad now. Ranma take Shampoo's present?"

"Fine, I'll take it! Then will you leave me alone?"

Shampoo nodded and handed Ranma a small box. Ranma untied the bow and pulled the lid off the box. Immediately a blue smoke filled the room and Ranma started to choke. Shampoo smiled in delight as Ranma's eyes glazed over. Now Ranma was in a state of hypnosis and would be subject to whatever she wanted him to do.

"Now Ranma, when Akane enter room you tell her…"

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"Nabiki, have you seen Ranma? I can't find him anywhere!" Akane asked her older sister.

"I know where he is but how much is it worth to you?"

Akane sighed and paid her sister.

"He's in the front room with Shampoo."

"Auggg! Thanks Nabiki!"

Akane ran to the front room and flung open the door.

"Ranma, I…"

"Akane, can you leave us? I love Shampoo and I have no desire to talk to you anymore. I will stay home tonight to be with Shampoo. I'm not going to the dance."

Akane was so surprised and upset that she failed to notice that Ranma's eyes were glazed over and his voice was one tone, like a robot's.

"Yes angry-girl, Ranma love Shampoo. We no want you here," Shampoo said touching a pressure point on Ranma's neck causing him to slam the door in Akane's face.

Akane began to cry and ran up to her room. So much for apologizing, who needed Ranma anyway? She was better off without him.

Akane pulled out her costume from the closet and began to get dressed.

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Ranma wants Shampoo now! Maybe I do have a chance with Akane! Ryoga thought as he prepared for the dance.

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Ranma came out of his trance only to find Shampoo wrapped around his neck. Suddenly he realized what happened. He remembered telling Akane that he loved Shampoo and to get lost. He didn't want to lose her! He figured that Shampoo must have put some kind of magic powder in the box that had controlled his mind. That's why he had said those awful things. He had to find Akane and tell her what had happened to him before she hated him forever, but first he had to get rid of Shampoo.

"Ranma love Shampoo, Shampoo happy now!"

"And Ranma will be happy if Shampoo let him do one thing."

"Anything for husband!"

"Follow me, Shampoo."

Ranma led Shampoo outside and into the front yard, he then picked her up and dropkicked her halfway to China.

"One problem solved, now to apologize to Akane."

Just as he said that, Akane emerged from the house looking radiant in her long white angel costume. Ryoga was close on her heels wearing a tux with his bandana(s) still in place. A car pulled up into the driveway, inside it was Akane's friends Mariko, Hanako, and their dates.

"Come on Akane! We're gonna be late! Where is Ranma, isn't he coming?" Mariko yelled.

That's when Akane noticed that Ranma was standing just a few feet away.

"Ranma's here, but he's not coming," Akane glared at him and tried not to cry. "You remember Ryoga, right? He's my date tonight."

Akane entered the car and motioned for Ryoga to follow.

Ryoga glanced at his rival and smiled,

"Sorry Saotome, but it looks like I won this time," he said, loud enough for only Ranma to hear.

Then he got into the car next to Akane and they drove off into the dusk, leaving Ranma behind. Ranma decided he hadn't lost yet. He knew that Akane was just mad and would be over it soon. He also knew that Akane had wanted to share the evening with him. Ranma resolved that he would still go to the dance. No one had to know it was him but he wanted to be there, even if only to get a glimpse of Akane having a good time. He would stay in the back round and just watch her. That was enough for him.

Ranma rushed up to his room to adorn himself with his black ninja costume. With this on he knew he wouldn't be recognized. Ranma checked to make sure that his mask was on straight and that no one noticed his departure (especially Nabiki!). He jumped out the window and onto the roof. From there he slipped into the night and began running to Furinkan High, to the dance, and to his one and only love.