Chapter 6 - Reconciliation

       Ranma, shouldering his backpack, leaped out of the window, leaving a
hastily scrawled message on the table.  'Goodbye Akane!  I should be happy
leaving such an uncute person like you, but I am not.  There is a sadness
that I feel.'  Landing silently on the ground, Ranma strangely found himself
thinking of Nabiki.  'Well goodbye to you too Nabiki, I've been most
impressed with your changes this past week.'  Pausing as if torn between two
positions, Ranma looked at the darkness that stretched beyond the Tendo
Dojo.  Swallowing hard, Ranma steeled himself.  'If Ryoga can do it, so can
I!'  Ranma dashed off, preparing to camp out for the night, and leave Nerima
forever the next day.

     Nabiki cheerfully bounced into the dining room, and took a seat,
slightly amused by the emotional show that her father and Mr. Saotome were
performing.  

     "Why must Ranma be such an insensitive clod?"  sobbed Soun, as he drank
tea.  "Why?  Why must the world be so insane?"  Soun continued to cry,
drenching Genma.  However, Genma was too sad to notice.

      "My son, is such a weakling!  Defeated easily by Kuno!  Why!  Where
have I failed?  The honor of the Saotome School of Anything Goes is destined
to be doomed!" Genma wailed.  Nabiki hid a smile, and she turned to Akane
who was sitting down, her back slouched, and her face showing her inner
sadness.  Guilt seized Nabiki, and she instinctively placed her hand on
Akane's shoulder.  'What have I done?  Is is possible that I love Ranma so
much, that my passion has blinded my conscience?'  

      Akane had been seated for a half-hour, depressed at the events that
were unfolding before her.  In her mind, Ranma's voice constantly echoed, "I
refuse."  She fought back her emotions and tried to put on a straight face.
As she watched her father and Mr. Saotome lament, she just sat in silence,
thinking.  'Maybe Ranma hates me.  But that is no problem.  He's a hentai!
And he's immature, and boorish, and barbaric, and...and stupid!'  Somehow,
even to herself, Akane's thoughts felt hollow.  Suddenly, Akane felt a
comforting hand land on her shoulder.  She slowly turned her head, and met
the gaze of Nabiki, her eyes filled with understanding, encouragement, and a
hint of sadness too.

     For some reason, Nabiki's presence warmed Akane a little, and brought
her somewhat out of her depression.  Nabiki smiled at Akane, and her eyes
seemed to convey, "Everything will be alright in the end."  Akane, despite
her current feelings, felt a tentative smile form.

     "There all done!"  Kasumi walked into the room, carrying the final
dishes for dinner.  She carefully set them on the table, and was surprised
not to find Ranma present, eager to eat.  "So where is Ranma?  Can someone
get him for dinner?"  Nabiki looked around, and found no one moving at all.
Genma was too busy gorging himself and crying.  Soun just looked as if he
was completely lost, and Akane probably did not want to see Ranma.
Shrugging her shoulders, Nabiki stood up, and headed to the guest room.  

       Nabiki gently knocked on the door.  No response.  Slightly flustered,
she knocked again, a little louder.  Still no response.  She semi-shouted,
"Hey Ranma, you ok...  Want dinner?"  The silence overwhelmed Nabiki.
Almost angered, she slammed the door open, and found an empty room.  The
only sound she could hear was a sheet of paper fluttering in the cold breeze
from the open window.  There was no sign of Ranma.  Nabiki walked to the
table and looked at the paper, revealing a hastily written and almost
illegible scrawl.  'This has to be Ranma's.  Wait, oh no!'  Nabiki's mind
flashed back to the message that she had left on her desk almost five days
ago.  Struggling hard, she managed to read the message, which was poorly
written, and covered with scratchouts.

     "Dear Everyone:  Living in the Tendo Dojo for a year has been fun, but
recently I've felt it was my time to move on.  Bye, and I thank Mr. Tendo
for his hospitality."  Nabiki stood there shocked.  Holding the message, she
ran out to the hall, and shouted really loud.  

      "Hey, everyone come here!  There's something wrong!"  In a flash,
Soun, Genma, Kasumi, and Akane surrounded Nabiki."Oh Nabiki what's wrong?
Where? Why? How?"

      Nabiki struggled to keep her emotions in check.  She sort of succeeded
"It's Ranma!"  

      Genma paled.  "No he didn't!"

      "Yes he did..." 

      Genma panicked.  "No!  He couldn't have!  By the way, what did he do?"
Nabiki held out to Genma the note that Ranma left behind.  Squinting hard at
the incorrectly written kanji, Genma slowly read out the message.  When he
was done, everyone panicked.  Genma had fallen to his knees with a loud thud.  

       "Oh, will the gods have mercy on me?  Me, a lowly man abandoned by
his son!"  Genma screamed, tears flowing out of his eyes.  Soun too joined
the crying gallery.  "Oh the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts shall die
and not be passed to the next generation...."  Both Soun and Genma were on
the floor, allowing their tears to flow wildly.  Akane just looked sad, and
she calmly walked into her room, and closed the door behind her.

     'That Dummy!'  Akane thought, as she threw herself onto her bed, and
allowed her pent up emotions to break out.  'Why must he do this?  Why?  He
definitely hates me.'  Feeling a depression crushing her to the ground, she
laid on her bed, and cried herself to sleep.

       Kasumi, feeling sorry for her father, tried to comfort him, leaving
Nabiki with nothing to do.  She walked down the stairs, and she grabbed her
windbreaker as she ran out of the Dojo.  `I've been so self centered, and
I've almost destroyed my home for pursuing Ranma.  I must fix the
problem...'  Her guilt served to push her faster...

****

       Nabiki ran about Nerima searching for Ranma.  Her mind was already
analytically crossing off a huge mental list of places that Ranma could be
hiding.  She crossed off the Neko Hanten, Shampoo was just too hostile now.
She crossed off Ukyou's place, she thought that Ranma wanted to be alone.
She glanced at the sky, and her eyes landed on the moon, which was
completely hidden in clouds.

      After an hour or so, of fruitless wandering, Nabiki was about to give
up, when she luckily happened to stumble in on Ranma's camp.  He was
sleeping on the ground, wrapped only in his jacket.  A small fire burned
with an aura of depression.  Nabiki quietly walked up to Ranma, and gentlely
shook him awake.  He grumbled, and looked up into Nabiki's wet eyes.

      Nabiki hugged him fiercely.  Ranma started to gasp from the force of
the hug.  Nabiki's emotions let out in a torrent.  "Oh Ranma, thank god you
are safe.  I thought you were going to do the same thing I tried to do.
Everyone's worried.  Akane, Soun, Genma, Kasumi..."  Ranma gulped hard,
feeling the new sensations that he felt for Nabiki grow stronger.  His mind
struggled hard and tried to comprehend them, but he couldn't.

      Nabiki blushed when she noticed Ranma staring at him, and turned her
head away slightly.  Unsettled by Ranma's attention, she shifted slightly,
and sat next to Ranma, the small fire illuminating them in bursts of light.
Ranma gloomily stared at the flickering flame, his face betraying his emotions.

      Sighing to himself, Ranma leaned back, and started to speak, mostly to
himself.  "Why does Pop have to be so harsh?  It's not my fault that the
engagement is ruined!  It's Akane's fault!  Why does she have to constantly
beat me for having other fiancees, and boom!  She goes out an gets flirty
with the boys..."  As Ranma spoke, his back slouched down and down.
Simultaneous, Nabiki started to feel guilt gnaw at her insides.
Uncomfortable, she shifted around nervously.

     Ranma continued, completely oblivious.  "Despite how she's been and now
that we are not together anymore, I finally have the guts to say that I
still love her."  Ranma stopped, thinking about all the times that he could
have said, "I love you to Akane."  He looked upwards at the stars, his anger
building up.  'Why can't I ever tell Akane?  Why can't I express my
emotions?' and sat back fighting back the pain that raged within.  Sighing,
Ranma laid down, and stared mindlessly at the sky.  

      Nabiki, her face filled with worry, sat right next to Ranma.  Ranma
almost jumped away from her, but somehow, he managed to stay put.  Nabiki
looked at Ranma, and held his hands.  "Running away won't solve the problems
Ranma."  Ranma looked down at Nabiki, and gritted his teeth.

      "I know, but I can't face it.  I just can not do it."  Ranma leaned
back, his face showing the humiliation of his defeat, his first ever loss.
Every passing moment, his thoughts continued to rip away at his insides and
heart.  Ranma sighed again, and stared at Nabiki.  "I guess you're right.
I'll give it another shot."  Despite the predicament he was in, Ranma found
himself smiling at Nabiki.

       "Well, let's not wait here any longer!"  Nabiki stood up, and moved
to help Ranma pack his things.  Nabiki mentally kicked herself.  'Where's my
edge?  My drive?  I could have had Ranma tonight for my own...  Why didn't I
do a thing?'  Nabiki found herself talking back, and she sighed.  Deep
within her, she knew that it was wrong that she should even desire Ranma.
Holding her longing for Ranma in check, Nabiki and Ranma walked back to the
Tendo Dojo.

* * *

       "We're home!  I found Ranma!"  Nabiki shouted, as soon as she entered
openned the front door.  As soon as she finished her words, everyone
including Akane.  Immediately Soun and Genma, decided to take the moral ground.

       "Ranma, my boy!  What were you thinking?  Were you trying to esacpe
your duties as a martial artist?"  Genma tried to bear down on Ranma.  Ranma
shrugged him off.  "I'm not gonna listen to you right now, old man."

       'I have to do this right... I have to do this right...'  Ranma
dreaded what he was going to do, but he knew that in the end, that it would
be right.  He turned to Akane, and he quietly muttered.  "Can I see you
privately?"  Akane almost took a step back, for Ranma had not spoken
directly to her for almost a week.  

      Akane stood there, and she noticed a smile from Nabiki.  'Wow,
Nabiki's been really nice, maybe she talked some sense into Ranma.'  Little
did she know that Ranma was actually forcing himself to talk with her.  She
hid her smile, and mutely nodded.  With that said, Ranma picked up Akane,
and ran out the door, and leaped onto the roof of the Dojo.  For the brief
four seconds, Akane almost felt blissful again.  She felt Ranma's manly arms
sweep her up, carry her effortlessly.

      Ranma almost bursted out laughing when he saw Akane nod.  Ranma then
looked around, and noticed everyone looking intently at him.  Gulping hard,
Ranma thought of a way to isolate himself and Akane, so they could have a
one-on-one conversation.  Instantly he thought of the roof, and he picked up
Akane.  As he held Akane, his mind wandered, and filled with the glimmer of
happiness as he thought about patching his relationship with Akane.

      Nabiki sighed quietly, and she mounted the stairs, step by step, one
at a time, her back slightly hunched.  She went to her room, and pulled out
her parabolic microphone.  There was no chance that she would want to miss
this conversation.  Donning her headphones, Nabiki began to listen carefully.

      "Uh, Akane?"  Akane stared at Ranma, her liquid eyes turning Ranma
into melting butter.  "I wanted to say this for a long time..."  Akane
looked at Ranma, her eyes betraying her thoughts.

      "Never mind Ranma!  I really am sorry for hitting you and doubting
you!"  Akane launched herself at Ranma, and hugged him quickly.  Ranma stood
still as Akane hugged him, and Ranma willed himself to return the hug.
Somehow to Ranma there was something wrong with the picture.

      Ranma spoke to Akane.  "Wait a minute."  Ranma bent down, pulled a
shoe off, and threw it accurately into a could bushes that had been slowly
creeping forwards.  "Why do I have the feeling that two old fools are
eavesdropping on us!"  Genma immediately jumped out with a bruise on his head.

     "Ranma!  How dare you attack your father?  When I was your age.....
Wait!  Ranma!  Where are you going?"  Ranma already bored by his father's
speech, had turned around, and began to walk off with Akane.  Nabiki, leaned
on her window sill, her face glum, for she had heard and seen everything
between Ranma and Akane.

      She closed her window, and tried to do something else to forget what
had happened.

* * *
   
     The next day marked a new beginning for Ranma.  Overjoyed with his
reunion with Akane, Ranma was not depressed in school.  He acted like his
usual old self, and was again seen with Akane.  At lunch time, Ranma, Akane,
and Nabiki sat together, a first in a long time.  Ranma looked at Nabiki who
was trying to beat off boys, all of whom were trying to hit on her.  Ranma
shook his head, mildly displeased at what he saw, and he turned to Akane.
Silent, he sat contemplating.  'What do I react to Nabiki with boys?  I
should be happy for her.'

      Nabiki sighed mentally, as she turned off another boy who tried to get
a date with her.  To Nabiki, no man was a match for Ranma.  Ranma who had
his rough manish qualities, yet underneath it all was a really sensitive
person.  Plus he had strong morals, and had a really nice body.  Nabiki
shook her head, at a prospective suitor.  'When I compare all of the boys to
Ranma, none come even close.'

       For the rest of lunch time, Ranma found himself torn between Akane
and the boys who ever doting on Nabiki.  Shaking his head, Ranma finally
forced himself to look at Akane with 100% attention.  Ranma was surprised at
his own interest in Nabiki, thought little of it, and forced it out of his mind.

* * * 

     Nabiki, Akane, and Ranma had walked home, and all three sat in the
living room, staring at the television.  Against Ranma's wishes, Akane and
Nabiki were watching very intently a mushy show which had a lot of
gratuitous plots, subplots, and love triangles woven within.  In other
words, Akane and Nabiki were watching a cheesy soap opera.  

      Trying to make time run faster, Ranma leaned back and closed his eyes,
half listening to the rather boring story about a man who was torn between
two loves.  Yawning rather loudly, Ranma stood up, and started to grumble.

      "Well, I gotta do some homework now."  Ranma plodded off to his room,
and did his normal routine of staring at homework mindlessly for an hour or two.

     Seated at his chair, Ranma furiously played with his pigtail.  There
was no way in hell that he could ever comprehend English.  Groaning with
frustration, Ranma gave up trying, and he pushed the books away.  'Damn!
Damn! Damn!  Something's not feeling right.'  He thought as he slowly rocked
forwards and backwards on his chair.

* * *

     Nabiki mentally groaned as she watched the terrible plot unfold in
front of her.  'What?!  He skipped out on his fiancee, and ran off with
someone else?  That's not possible."  She shook her head at the really dumb
soap opera, and decided to do something worth her while.  Excusing herself,
she stood up, and slowly walked to her room, her mind arguing with itself.
On one hand, she was completely happy for Akane, she got Ranma back with a
surprisingly minimal fight.  On the other hand, that meant that Ranma was no
longer free.

     Sighing to herself, she slowly walked up the stairs, and walked to her
room, each footstep barely making a noise.  Laying back on her bed, Nabiki
decided to hell with her homework, and stared at the white ceiling allowing
her thoughts to drift freely, thinking about Ranma, thinking about herself.

     Akane watched Nabiki stand up, and walk away.  Deep within her mind,
she felt a certain sadness whenever she saw Nabiki.  Whether it was the way
Nabiki walked or acted, she seemed to have an underlying emotion that Akane
could not recognize.  Akane shrugged her shoulders, and turned her attention
back to the television.


I've tried to write chapter 7, and here's how it starts.

Chapter 7: Mess.

      "Ah, tis Nabiki Tendo, her face like a blooming flower in a brisk
April breeze!  I must kiss thee!"  Nabiki groaned as she sat at her desk
wishing that Tatewaki Kuno would choke on a sock or something.  Trying to
ignore him, Nabiki turned her attention back to the teacher at the front of
the room, who was struggling to drown out Tatewaki's declaration of love.

     The teacher frowned at Kuno, and remembered that he couldn't really do
a thing.  'Damn him!  Why does the loudest student I have be the son of the
principal!'  Grumbling, the teacher escalated his voice as he explained the
intricacies of Japanese history.  But as he progressed, Kuno got louder.

    Kuno leaped onto the floor, next to Nabiki, and prised one of her hands.
Kneeling, he was about to kiss the hand, when a graphing calculator imbeded
in the side of his head convinced him not to.  Nabiki looked at Kuno
scornfully.  "Whatever happened to my sister, or your pigtailed girl?"