Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Nightmare Saga: Warrior of Shadows ❯ A Date of Awakened Truths. ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter Six: A Date of Awakened Truths.

Ranma smiled easily for the first time in a very long while and made his way back down the hall that lead to the rest of the house's bedrooms. His keen eyes easily spotted an eavesdropping Soun and Genma and his stomach twisted as a look of horror crossed his face. When they saw Ranma had discovered them, they ran to him with outstretched arms, crying happily. Ranma frantically looked from side to side but it was no good, he was trapped in the hallway's narrow confines and could not escape.

"Well done, son! I knew he liked her all along! It's just like I've said all along, a little initiative goes a long way!" Soun slapped Ranma on the back as tears of joy ran down his face, drenching his moustache.

Genma laughed loudly and folded his arms. "That's my boy alright! Well done, Ranma! You make me very proud!"

Ranma blushed, and cast his gaze downward. "It's only a trip to the movies, Pop! It's not like we're getting married or nothing!" {We tried that once before and look where it got us!}

The two older men ignored his comments. Inwardly Ranma groaned. He knew he wasn't going to get a break, the older men were too emotional to just settle down quietly. He tried to step around the two older men, but they unintentionally blocked his path, showering him with renewed compliments.

"I always knew you would chose my little girl over all those others! I'll be so proud to have you as my son-in-law!"

"Look," Ranma protested, "I'm only going with her cause I don't feel like watching a movie by myself tonight, that's all!"

"Tendo, we are successful at long last!!" Genma embraced his life long friend, ignoring Ranma completely. "We should celebrate the occasion!"

"Right you are, Saotome!" The two ran downstairs at a mad dash.

Ranma trailed behind them to grab a quick bite to eat before he went to get ready. As he entered the kitchen, Kasumi ran up to him and hugged him with all the intended love of a true elder sister. "Ranma, I'm so happy! Akane is blessed to have someone caring like you to fill her life!"

Ranma blinked. "Word gets around here fast!"

Nabiki popped up behind her older sister and flashed him a sly grin. "I always knew you had it in you, Ranma! I should have started a betting pool on this. I'd be making a killing on how far the two of you will go tonight…" She sighed with remorse, and shrugged comically. "Such is fate, I guess."

Ranma blushed. "Awwww, come on, it's only a crummy date!"

"True, but this could be the stare of something much bigger!" Nabiki stepped up to him, spreading her arms wide for emphasis. "If this keeps up, Daddy might move you into her room and think of what might happen then! Not even your stubborn attitude and her tempter can stop mother nature's grand plan."

"Nabiki!!!" Ranma couldn't think of anything else to say. He really didn't see what the big deal was. It was just the movies, nothing big.

Kasumi smiled at him in a motherly way. "You are such a gentleman! I know you'll do the right thing. Akane may be a violent tomboy at times, but she still has a woman's heart! When you marry her, please take care of her."

"Girls…" Shaking his head, Ranma walked over to the fridge and decided that it would probably be best to ignore them until he left for the movies. He wolfed down a sandwich then hopped up to his room to get ready.

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Akane chose a pretty red skirt from her closet and tried it on. It clung to her body nicely, showing off the beautiful athletic figure she tried so hard to maintain. The garment was also a tad on the short side, rising about five inches above her knees. She grinned wickedly, knowing Ranma was in for the tease of his life. There were times when even she liked to dress up… though she had never wore something this provocative to the movies. In all actuality, she didn't feel one hundred percent comfortable dressing up in such a fashion. But tonight was going to be special and she wanted to catch Ranma's attention without the daily distractions from his cheering squad.

Applying some red lipstick and a bit of blush, she looked at herself in the mirror and was startled at what she saw. She was no longer the regular tomboy Ranma picked on much of the time. In the mirror she saw a beautiful young woman with a surprised look on her face. She realized suddenly that she looked exactly like her mother had in the high school pictures she had looked at in the photo album. She glanced up, smiling slightly out her window at the night sky. {Mother, your little girl is growing up. I'll make you proud of me!}

She wondered what Ranma would think of her. Would he like her or would he make a rude remark as was his custom? There was only one way to find out! Slipping on a pair of red high heels, she walked down the hall and knocked on Ranma's door.

"Come in," he called.

She nervously opened the door, keeping her courage up. Ranma was in the middle of putting on his shoes and didn't look up. He was dressed in his best casual outfit which consisted of a white shirt and black pants. She was hardly surprised at his choice in outfits. He had lived most of his life out on the road with little or no money and as such, had only six or seven different outfits to pick from. The fact that he had an outfit as nice as the one in which he was currently wearing was as amazing as it was lucky.

"We'd better hurry, or we'll miss the previous. I hate doing that," he said, lacing up his shoes.

"Ranma, what do you think of my outfit?" She found herself shaking, and was slightly annoyed with herself. So much rode on his reply and with his track record of bumbling things up, she had every right to worry… But still, she was not some bright eyed jittery girl. She was a martial artist! She had to be more disciplined!

Ranma looked up at her and his eye's bulged out of their sockets. "Akane.... what, errr, I mean...." His brain began to overload. He took a moment to kick himself and forced his brain and mouth to get a grip before he said the wrong thing.

"Umm, you sure you want to wear that to the movies?" he asked, scratching his head.

A cold pit formed in Akane's stomach. "Does that mean you think I look bad then?"

Ranma looked up at her again, flashing a look of confusion, then, by some miracle, realization lit his eyes up. "Nah, You look great Akane, I really mean that." He flash a rare genuine smile.

Akane's shoulders sagged with relief and her soul entered cloud nine. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yeah, it's nice ta' see you get all dressed up once in a while!"

Akane blushed. "You look good too..." She loved how his shirt showed off his lean, powerful muscles. She had always admired that about him. Sure she had seen him naked before on accident, and he had seen her, but she found herself admiring more than just his figure. She was attracted to him, and at last she had realized it would do no good to deny that, especially to herself!

Ranma looked down at his shirt. "Yeah, well, I didn't really have nothing fancy. This is about the best outfit I got."

"It suits you, the white goes good with your black hair and pants."

Now it was Ranma's turn to flush bright red. She had never complimented his appearance like that before and he wasn't sure how to react or what to say. He decided to change the course of the conversation by bringing up a distraction. His chances of saying something stupid increased by at least sixty percent when he was flustered.

He coughed and looked down at his hands. "We'd better leave if we want to make the show."

Akane nodded. Standing up, he walked over to the door and held it open for her, nodding for her to go. This shocked her to no end. He was never so polite! She smiled at him and walked out the door.

The two filed down the stairs and were greeted by Soun and Genma. Both, it seemed, were already intoxicated from drinking a little too much Sake'. They were dancing around the living room and singing old travelers songs, ignoring Nabiki's annoyed shouts as she tried to tune into the stock report on the TV.

"Very nice, you two!" Kasumi admired, clasped her hands together, smiling happily.

Nabiki came up behind Ranma and whistled, grinning wildly. "Woohoo! Nice choice of pants, Ranma!" She eyed him up and down appreciatively. "It shows off your butt really well!"

Ranma blushed deeply.... again.

"Don't worry, Ranma, I think you have a cute butt." Akane whispered in his ear, clearly not able to resist poking fun at his embarrassment.

"…." Ranma felt like he was going to pass out.

"Oh, the two of you look so wonderful," Kasumi said, her eye's growing misty. "Mother would be so proud of you, Akane!"

Akane smiled brightly as Ranma led her out the door. "She is proud of me, Kasumi. I just know it."

"We won't be out too late." Ranma waved good-bye to the others and closed the door, glad to be escaping the embarrassing scene. The cool night air filled his lungs and he breathed deeply, finally feeling up to relaxing his guard, if only a little. Walking beside Akane, he stole a glance at her and felt a light blush touch the bridge of his nose. She was cute, perhaps not in the sexy way that Shampoo came across as, but attractive none-the-less. Akane was a different sort of girl all together, both violent and gentle at the same time. Akane was Akane, and therefore, the only girl he wanted.

When they were sure their children had gone, Soun and Genma stopped dancing and clasped hands, grinning like fools. "Our disguise has been successful, Tendo!" Genma cried out in triumph.

Soun nodded. "Now, we must commence with phase two of the plan! We've waited too long for this moment! We must make sure nothing interrupts them tonight!" With that, the two rushed out the door, half tripping over each other in their excitement.

The two Tendo sisters looked at each other in surprise then shrugged, returning to their normal routines. When Soun and Genma got an idea in their heads, one could never know what to expect! As Nabiki turned back to the TV, Kasumi began picking up the empty Sake' containers, shaking her head in amusement. "Oh father, father, father."

***

Ranma and Akane walked side by side on the way to the theater, enjoying each other's company for the first time in weeks. For once there was no casual indifference between each other. They didn't have to pretend not to have an interest in one another and it shocked Ranma as to how good it felt to just unwind and drop his smart mouth for once! They chatted about little things at school and the dozen's of rumors involving them that circulated through the busy halls to the crazy antics of their high school friends.

Ranma gradually started talking about his fight with Ryoga, recapping the details of the entire fight. She was much more attentive this time, and didn't judge his actions negatively, as she had earlier in the afternoon during one of her angry phases. Her eye's glazed over and a look of concern touched her features as he spilled everything and her hands closed involuntarily around his bicep.

"He's really gotten stronger hasn't he? Are you worried? I mean… worried that things might get really out of hand?" She eyed him intently, prepared for his usual reply about he would 'really beat the pants off of Ryoga the next time he saw him.' She was thrown completely off course when he presented a completely different answer than she had anticipated. Ranma was cocky, that was just a fact of his personality. So it was only natural that the few times he had been entirely truthful about his own feelings on a matter it never failed to take her by surprise.

"Yeah, I'm a little worried. Ryoga is my strongest rival and when he gets mad he goes into a berserk rage. If he gets any stronger one of us is going to get hurt... maybe even killed. I really don't know what to do. I'm good when it come to fighting, but it hasn't solved anything in this case. There are some situations where fighting is the worst course of action."

Akane couldn't remember the last time Ranma had been so open with her in regards to a touchy subject. She was silent for a moment, thinking of a proper response. "Talk to him civilly for once. Make up with him and put the past behind yourselves," she suggested.

Ranma smiled grimly. "I would if I could, Akane, believe me! It's our past that's keeping us fighting."

"What do you mean?" Akane was more than a little confused.

"I...can't tell you, even though I want to. I took a vow and now I-"

"OHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHO!!! Ranma, my love, you have finally come for me, perched on the very wings of love!"

Ranma's blood went cold. There was only one person who's laugh could frighten him to such an extent. The cold feeling settled into the pit of his gut and he found himself wanting to flee, to escape that nightmarish laugh at all costs. He'd rather face the nine level's of hell then the monster he knew was coming.

{No, not Kodachi! Why did she pick this night to show up!?} A cold sweat broke out across his brow.

Sasuke and Kodachi sprinted down the road towards him. Sasuke was carrying a mountain of bags and boxes of various sizes that he just bairly managed to balance in his arms. Evidently the two had just been shopping and had just happened to see him. It was just plain bad luck that life wouldn't cut Ranma a break.

Kodachi jumped on him like a Lion on a Zebra, wrapping her legs around him so tightly he couldn't breath. "Ranma, my love! Darling, forget about that homely featured peasant girl and go on a date with me instead."

Akane fumed silently, clutching her hand into a tight fist. "Kodachi…"

{Uh oh, Akane's going to go home if this keeps up! I gotta' do something!} He tried to push the gymnast off but she clung to his waist fiercely. {No! I won't let her ruin this!}

He was getting angry. Using all his strength, he finally pried her from his body, pushing her somewhat roughly away from him. "Me n' Akane are going to the movies and I won't let you ruin it! Go home, Kodachi. Now!"

Akane gasped in surprise. {Ranma's never told any of the other girls to take a hike before, at least not this directly! What's gotten into him tonight? Could It be that he's actually doing this for me, for my benefit?}

Kodachi sighed in happiness. "I love it when you talk tough, my dearest darling. It makes you seem so manly."

{Damn, she's as dense as Kuno!} Ranma took a hesitant step backwards, unsure of how to deal with this situation.

Kodachi laughed again and drew out her gymnastics' ribbon. "I will free you from this nasty girl's hold, my love!" She threw off her clothes, revealing a green leotard underneath, her form toned and deadly. She lunged at Akane with a vengeance, hand trailing back as she prepared to lash out with her ribbon.

"Oh no you don't! Not tonight!!!" Soun and Genma appeared from the shadows and tackled her. "We've waited over two years for them to get this far! We won't let you ruin all our hard work!"

"Let me go! Let me go!" Kodachi struggled desperately, giving them both looks that promised imminent death and misery. They dog piled on top of her, pinning her to the ground despite her intense struggles.

"I'm sorry miss, but we can't do that," Soun said. "Ranma, Akane, go! We'll hold her."

Ranma nodded and, grabbing Akane's hand, he led her off at a fast sprint down the street. He took a left down a familiar side ally, putting all his heart into simply getting away from her. Kodachi was stubborn and he didn't want to have to run around all night with her in pursuit.

"Hang on Akane. Just a bit more." Dodging into a crowd of people, Ranma slowed up, blending in with the masses to further conceal themselves.

When they were safely away, Soun and Genma released her and helped her up. They bowed to her. Sasuke approached her and looked from her to the older men, not exactly sure of what to make of the situation or what to do.

"You understand, don't you miss? We're just concerned parents." Genma flashed her a smile that could fool a crooked lawyer.

"No hard feelings, ok?" Soun dusted her off.

"None at all sirs…" Kodachi said sweetly, bowing.

Soun and Genma were thrown into the stratosphere seconds later. Kodachi continued home as Sasuke followed close behind, struggling to hold up the mountain of good's she had purchased. "Mistress, could you possibly carry some of these? My back hurts."

Kodachi took no notice of his words and growled, gritting her teeth. {I will have you yet Ranma dearest, just you watch!}

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Ranma paid for two tickets and got them into the movie without further incident. He also bought a tub of popcorn and soda's to tide them over since running through half of Nerima had made them work up an appetite. Few were attending the movie tonight so they had their choice of seats and elected to sit in the middle of the theater.

"Ranma," Akane said, looking over at him. She forced herself to say the words she so dearly wanted to say. It still wasn't easy to open up to him, but that would take time to remedy. "Thank you."

"What for?" Ranma stuffed his mouth full of popcorn.

"For standing up to Kodachi and caring enough to stop her from ruing our… date."

"Feh, I had to do it! I just get so sick of all these girls harassing me and claiming me all the time!" A soul look crossed his face and he took a sip of his soda.

"Am I one of those girls Ranma?

He gulped, growing flustered. "Of course not! Your different."

"How am I different Ranma?" She wouldn't back down, not this time. Even if he said something nasty to cover up his embarrassment, she wanted to know how he felt about matters. Actions were important but so were words.

"Well, I uh... you just are ok?! I mean your... my fiancée and all...." He twiddled his fingers nervously.

Akane smiled and took his hand in her own. Ranma gulped again and looked into her shining gray eye's that were brimming with tears. {I love you Ranma Saotome.} She smiled inwardly. {You may be a jerk at time but your my jerk!}

{What is this I'm feelin'?} Ranma wondered, holding the hand she had touched to his chest in amazement. He had felt something like it before, like the time when Akane had first cut her hair short and had stared up at him, smiling happily after he had gone out of his way to cheer her up. For all his insult throwing, he knew he truly held feelings for the girl. The question was, how deep did those feelings run?

"You ok, Akane?"

She closed her eyes and smiled slightly, wiping her eyes. "Yeah, lets just watch the movie, shall we?"

The move started a moment later and the lights dimmed to nothingness. The two teenagers directed their attention towards the screen. Akane laid her head on Ranma's shoulder, allowing herself, for once, to just let go and be his fiancée without any worry or embarrassment. They kept their hand's interlocked, throughout the whole movie, and each tingled against the other's touch. As Ranma sat there allowing strange new sensations take him by storm, he found himself wishing the night would never end.

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Stepping outside her restaurant, Ukyo took down the flag that hung from the front of her restaurant, signaling that she was closing down for the evening. Wiping away sweat from her bangs that had accumulated from long hours over the hot grill, she enjoyed the cool night air as it whispered through her hair, cooling her skin. Her attentive blue eyes scanned the stars as they twinkled across the heavens and she thought, as she usually did during the evenings, of Ranma, and wondered if he too was looking at the same stars as herself.

Ranma was as far from a romantic as a person could get, but Ukyo still had her hopes and dreams. Ranma was still maturing, changing in ways the boys of his age did. While he certainly wasn't about to come over and sweep her off her feet anytime soon, it didn't mean he wouldn't wise up eventually and get with the program. Ukyo knew all she had to do was be patient and wait. She had waited over twelve years. A few more couldn't possibly hurt.

{Speaking of sweeping…} Whistling softly, she grabbed her broom from it's resting spot against the wall and began to sweep clean the walkway in front of her restaurant. Her skinny arms were strong and honed from years of wielding her huge combat spatula, and she pushed the broom around at a pace so fast it was nearly a blur. She smiled slightly, pleased with her skill especially since she had never received formal martial arts training. Her techniques and styles were completely unorthodox and the fact that she was better than Akane, who had always been a dedicated student to the Anything-Goes style, a style that drew from just about all forms of martial arts, pleased her to no end.

{That's why Ranma will chose me. He's a fighter and is naturally drawn to strength. Akane's not a bad person but she's too weak and her temper will only keep pushing him away. It's all so sad really. At this rate, she'll never find a decent husband, especially not with that volatile temper. Ah well, C'est la vie.} She shrugged her shoulders and resumed sweeping. The problems within the Tendo household weren't her concern. If anything the chaos there could only hasten the rate in which Ranma would wised up and come rushing to her waiting arms.

The streets were nearly empty so she couldn't have missed the familiar and extremely disliked face of Kodachi as she walked with her little ninja manservant in tow. Her normally psychotic disposition was currently dampened by a look of distress and shock, two emotions she wasn't used to expressing. Feeling a mischievous streak run through her, Ukyo couldn't help but make fun of her rival's troubles. Grinning, she dropped the broom and placed her hands on her hips, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"What's the matter, Kodachi? Mental Therapy turn you down again?"

Kodachi turned her head to look at Ukyo and her downcast expression hardened as her eyes exploded with anger. It couldn't replace the look of sadness though, and Ukyo noticed it right away. "Simpleton, if only you knew why I was mad, you wouldn't be so quick to mock me."

Ukyo's grin faded some. That hadn't been the reaction she had been hoping to create. "I don't think you'd be so quick to insult me if I planted my spatula against the side of your head. Then again, it might fix the loose screw up there. Wanna fight?"

Kodachi seemed to deflate some, toning down her Kuno family arrogance a notch. "Oh, what's the point, I've lost my motivation tonight. Poke fun at me if you wish, you wont get another reaction out of me."

Ukyo scratched her head in puzzlement. "That isn't like you. Just what was it that happened tonight to depress you so much?"

Her rival turned her nose up. "Hmph, why would I tell you? You're my rival after all. I don't gossip with my foes. Go back to sweeping, commoner! Slave to the masses and sweep up the garbage on the streets. That's a perfect lot in life for you."

That struck a nerve and Ukyo had to resist the urge to run up and slap her. "Listen here, psycho, and listen good! I don't know who you think you are, but unlike you, I work for my living! I go to bed every night knowing that I accomplished something and earned my own money and way in life. You've always had everything given to you on a silver platter by your rich family. You don't know how to work and if you ran out of money tomorrow you would have no chance of surviving in the world. I'll be able to support Ranma when he comes to me knowing I did so with my own hands as a working girl. That's one thing you cant say for yourself."

At last Kodachi did laugh, though it was bitter sounding and not as loud as was her custom. "From the looks of things, Ranma will not be gracing your life or mine anytime soon. He's busy with that Tendo tramp this eve."

Ukyo felt her stomach contract. It felt like a fist of ice had just reached within her and enclosed it, squeezing painfully. "What are you talking about?"

Kodachi thumbed over her shoulder. "I just saw Ranma a little while ago. He and Akane Tendo are out on a date."

Ukyo found herself shaking her head. "No. No, your lying. Ranma doesn't feel that way about her. It's just a faze. Yeah. Those two aren't even compatible. I know your lying, Kodachi!"

Kodachi grimaced. "You have no idea how much I wish I was. I tried to take him away from her clutches but their parents stopped me. I have no idea where they went and I'm not feeling up to prowling the city searching for him tonight."

Ukyo leaned up against the wall of her restaurant, her head spinning. "One date doesn't mean anything." She tried so hard to appear confident and cool with her response but she found her voice shaking. A deaf person could tell she was lying and she cringed visibly. It disgusted her that she was showing such weakness in front of her hated rival.

Kodachi resumed walking down the street, turning away from the overwhelmed spatula girl. "Come along Sasuke. Spatula girl, I know I wont give him up without a fight and neither will you… but you should at least accept reality. He loves that girl. Heaven knows why, but he does." Her steps echoed away as she made her way down the street without saying goodbye.

Emotions in turmoil, Ukyo clutched at her heart, mind spinning as she struggled to regain her composure. "One date doesn't matter. They'll be fighting again like cats and dogs in no time!"

If that was the case, why was she struggling so hard to convince herself? Clenching her eyes closed, she fell to her knees, cupping her ears with her hands as if to ward the sounds of reality and truth from her mind. Ignorance was bliss and never before had she wanted so badly to be ignorant.

"One date doesn't… mean anything… It doesn't. It doesn't!!!

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When it was over, Ranma and Akane walked home in silence. It was a crisp, pleasant spring night and the entire town seemed to be enjoying it judging by the crowds. Several school kids passed them and pointed but Ranma and Akane paid them no heed. Tonight had been special and both of their spirits were soaring high. Let the students gossip and talk about them tomorrow, tonight there would be no regrets.

Right now, there was no super martial artist Ranma and violent tomboy Akane, they were just two teenagers out on a normal date dabbing hesitantly at emotions and feelings that were coming to them naturally via mother nature. It was a bit ackward, but neither minded. It was a step up in the staircase of maturity that they had been climbing slowly over the last two years.

They took their time going home and it only took Ranma a few moments to work up the courage to fish for her hand. Giggling cutely, Akane interlaced her fingers with his own, marveling, not for the first time, at the side and strength of his hand. With it, he could crush steel like it was paper, land a devastating punch on a hated foe, or throw enough energy to fry someone and yet, he was as soft and gentle as could be. His skin was warm and reassuring, and he gripped her smaller hand firmly and confidently.

The moment of bliss lingered on. As they trekked home, they watched the businesses in town close shop for the night and the clubs started up, attracting the night life to their exciting atmospheres. Tokyo at night was nothing to sneeze at and even they couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement that was being generated from the clubs and other sources of night life. But that was not a lifestyle for them, and probably never would be. For them, at this moment, holding hands was exciting enough.

Finally, they reached the front steps of the house. Ranma stopped short and felt a twinge of disappointment flood through him. It was so pleasant, why did it have to end? Why couldn't time allow such nice moments to last forever? After the last two chaotic years, wasn't it time for a break?

Suddenly, Akane turned to Ranma and gave him a quick, shocking kiss on his lips that sent electrical surges coursing through his body. Her eyes met his and she smiled shyly, judging his reaction as her own blush crept up the bridge of her nose. "Thank you for a wonderful time, Ranma. I promise I'll never forget it."

She turned with the grace of an angel and walked into the house, winking at him as she turned. Ranma just stood there by the front steps long after she had gone inside. A look of pure happiness crossed over his blushing face and a grin parted his lips. At last he finally understood the true concept of love. He loved Akane Tendo, and he had for some time. There, he had admitted it at last. It wasn't so hard to do really.

"Things never stop surprising me in Nerima," he said, shaking his head in amusement. Whistling happily, he walked into the house and hopped up the stairs to change his clothes and get ready for bed. The pressure of Akane's lips on his own was still present as he stepped through the open door and headed up the stairs to his room.

Watching from a nearby bush, Soun and Genma grinned broadly and slapped each other a high five. "WE RULE!"