This is my second story, hope you enjoy it.  	

            All characters are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi.       

                                 Ranma 1/2
                           Strangers in the Night
                                      by Naron Theav

        It was always a common rule to walk in twos but today everything
turned out so wrong.  So instead of walking home with Ranma that day
Akane walked home alone.  
        It was pretty dark when she started walking home.  She didn't feel 
afraid, yet she didn't feel safe either.  It was just too damn quite.  
Right now she just wished that Ranma was around.  He would of been if they 
didn't have that fight earlier this day.
        Ranma was being annoying again and he wouldn't eat the food Akane
had made for lunch.  So Akane grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him down
and stuffed his face with a big wad of lunch.  The green goo that was 
inserted so tenderly into Ranma's mouth, slowly trickle down his throat.
        Ranma's face quickly turned into a multi-variation of colors.  
First into a light pink and then into a inferno red.  Streams of tears 
came down his eyes and he started to run around in circles.  Screaming all 
the way.
        When he finally did recover from the strength of Akane's cooking 
he stated in his own loving words "Akane are you trying to kill me?"
        With that Akane got much angrier and stomped off into another part 
of the school.  But before that happen she threw the lunch box full of 
green goo straight at Ranma who apparently wasn't quick enough to avoid.
        We leave the scene as Ranma again is running around in circles and 
it seems that smoke has risen from his head.  
        Akane relives those tender moments of her youth as she continues 
her way home.  She knew that perhaps this afternoon got a little of hand 
and now she wished the fight hadn't happen.
        She was so late getting home today because of the annual school 
fair.  The decorations for the annual school fair took longer than 
expected.  So she, Hitomi, and Karin had stuck around until they had finish.  
Ranma was suppose to be there but he was still mad at Akane and already 
gone home.  When they had finish, it was getting somewhat dark.  So they 
walked home together and each step off at their own home.  The only bad 
thing was that Akane's house was the most distance of the three.
        First Hitomi got home and only Karin and Akane remained.  When they
reached Karin's house, now only Akane remained.  Karin being the nice 
friend that she was offer Akane a ride home from her dad.  Akane answer 
quickly with a no as she said that it was only a couple of blocks to her 
own home.  She didn't want to cause any trouble.  Karin once again said 
it wasn't any trouble but Akane continue to disagreed and walked away.
        Right now Akane kept on thinking why she didn't agreed to be driven
home.  Sure it was only a couple of blocks but it was a couple blocks at 
night.  She consider going back to Karin's house.  She had only walked
a couple of steps but then she didn't want to be thought of as weak.  But
then again it was night.
        She finally made her decision and walked around the block.  Actually
she was sprinting around the block.  The final rays of the sun dipped in the
western seas and it was completely dark.  The sounds of the nocturnal 
creatures began to play their songs.
        She looked at the sign on the street corner and was glad to see that
she had finally arrived on her street.  However she still continue to sprint
towards her home.  
        The fear that compel her to run receded just a little as she saw 
the dojo but that was a far as she got.  Something from the dark had reached
out and grabbed her.  She didn't even have the time to scream before she 
was taken away.  
        The silhouette of a person streak into the night. A long thin object
strapped to side of the shadow.  And life will never be the same for Akane 
Tendo.

        Ranma felt the worst out of the entire family.  How could he feel
any less.  He was suppose to protect Akane but he didn't and a terrible
thing happen to Akane.  The family supported him but couldn't shake the 
feeling that it was partially Ranma fault.  They didn't say it out loud but 
he was suppose to be with Akane that night.
        Everyone had arrived at the hospital.  Ryoga, Ukyou, Shampoo, 
Kodachi, Kuno, Kasumi, Nabiki, Genma, Soun, and a very disturbed Ranma.  
They all watched Akane sleeping on the hospital bed.  Their were slight 
wounds on the arms and face.  Bruise marks were all around her eyes and 
mouth.  Her eyes were closed and the monitor signaling that she was stable 
physically.
        While everyone was looking and wondering, who the hell did this to 
her, a doctor came in.  He pushed all the unnecessary people and started
to talk to the Tendo's about Akane's condition.  
        "Akane has suffer a traumatic injury.  She's been hit several 
times and the marks on the arms are from her blocking from these blows.  
Its seem that she was struggling a great deal with whoever did this.  The
blow on the head suggest that she was hit by a blunt object.  And I'm sorry
to tell you this but she was raped.  She was probably unconscious while the 
attacker raped her."
        "But..who did this.."
        "I'm truly sorry but the police pick her up on Takashi Ave in the
alley next to Oji's seafood restaurant."
        "How is she doing now?"
        "Physically she going to be fine but this might had a lasting 
mental affect."
        The Tendo's and Satome's stood still as they soaked up all the 
information that was just given.  It was a tragedy that was never meant to
happen to such a girl like Akane.  But the world is highly unfair and anyone
is a victim.
        Ranma had half listen to the doctor's explanation but on hearing
that she was raped he nearly punch a hole through the wall.  He succeeded
in only putting a slight dent on the wall.  After that he broke down and
collapse on the hospital floor.

        The incident had taken place two week ago and nothing has changed.
The attacker hasn't been found and their are still no leads.  Akane finally
home after an extended visit to the hospital.  Ranma sulks a lot and tries 
hard not to look Akane right in the eyes.  Its almost like he's afraid of 
her.
        The police had once visited the Tendo's to see if they could ask 
Akane if she remember anything from that night.  Akane couldn't remember 
and said that all she remember was the decorations and the night sky.  
Everything else that happen was a blur and she never did get a good look
at the attacker.  It happen all so fast and before she knew it, she was
unconscious.
        Like the doctor had said the incident might have a mental affect on
Akane.  Akane started to continuously trail off on her training.  Where once
she would come home from school and then head straight for the dojo to 
practice, but now she just heads to her room.  Akane seemed to have lost her
vigil in life.  
        In one shocking event, Akane had a serious talk with her father.  
It seem that Akane wanted to end the marriage agreement with Ranma.  She
didn't give a reason but said that she couldn't and wouldn't.  
        Life was never easy on Ranma but his was having a overall traumatic        
effect on Ranma as well as Akane.  He believe that everything that happen
was his fault.  He couldn't let go of the fact that he could have saved 
Akane from all her suffering.  The thought, "If only I'd stayed with Akane
that day" rang over and over inside his head.  He blame himself day in and 
day out for the tragedy that had occur.
        That's why he decided to leave to dojo one day.  On a note he
said that he would not come back until he found and kill whoever attacked
Akane.

        The cops had no leads on who attacked Akane.  On his way back from
the police station he enter Ukyou's Okynamyaki restaurant.  He needed food 
before his journey and he needed to see a friend.
        "Ran-chan, you look like hell."
        "Been there!"
        Ukyou sense a very nasty tone from Ranma.  She knew what he was
going through and she wanted to help.  In a few minutes she cooked a couple
of Okynamyaki and serve it in front of Ranma.
        "Ukyou, I don't know what to do anymore."
        "There, there, Ranma.  It isn't your fault."
        "But it was.  I should've been there with Akane."
        It wasn't the food Ranma was looking for but the solace of knowing 
that someone believe in him.  Ukyou was his best friend and he hope she 
would be that someone.
        "Ranma what are you trying to do?"
        "I've left the dojo!  I told my family that I wouldn't come back 
until I've found that devil."
        "Ranma I don't know what to say but go for it.  Kill that son of a
bitch!"
        Ranma was caught off guard by the remark Ukyou had given.  He never
knew Ukyou could be like that.
        "Ukyou..?"
        "If anyone ever tried to do that to me, I'd want him dead.  I 
wouldn't care if the police found out, because if I didn't, I know that I 
couldn't live with myself.  Knowing that someone had violated me and got 
clean away.  And that Ranma, must be how Akane's feeling."
        "......"

        The plan was pretty easy and it was pretty smart or so Ranma 
thought.  Ranma had doused himself with cold water.  Got into the school 
dress of Furkrien High.  He stayed late at school finishing off school 
decorations and such off campus activity.  He hoped that the pervert who 
raped Akane would be looking.
        Ranma made himself the perfect target.  He would dress in the 
school clothing but so loosely that almost anyone could get a good look 
at her chest.  Ranma would constantly walk home at night alone.  
        Maybe he was making himself too much of a perfect target.  Since it
was already a week since he put his plan into motion and still nothing had
happen.  Everyday after school he would walk home alone at night and head
over to Ukyou's restaurant where he was staying for the duration of his
mission.  But his hope that the mission would end quickly faded as the days
passed with nothing to show.  He was getting worried that the attacker had
already left town.
        It was a couple of days later and a very depressed Ranma walking 
from school at about 7pm.  The sky had already blacken and only the moon
lit up the Earth.  It was about that time that he started to wonder how in
the hell did someone sneak up on Akane.
        She was almost as good a martial artist as Ranma was.  She should 
have sensed that someone was behind her, unless that someone was a martial 
artist too.  That thought exploded in Ranma's mind and only one person fit 
as the villain.  It had to be Ryoga, Ranma thought.
        That thought continue to surge throughout Ranma's brain.  He 
couldn't be sure but who else could he blame.  Who else could have done it.

        "What!?"
        "RYOGA!  He must be the one."
        "You have got to be kidding me Ranma!  Ryoga!?"
        "Who else could have taken Akane by surprise."
        "But he loved her."
        "And she didn't.  All those times being with Akane as pig and 
probably in couple of times when I didn't toss him out, he might have seen 
Akane naked.  Sleeping with Akane every night and having her so close but 
never to be with her.  It probably drove him to taking Akane by force.  
That's it, that got to be it.  I'm going to kill him."
        "Wait Ranma.  You can't do that, you can't be sure."
        "To hell with that, I'm sure."
        Ranma wasn't sure but he finally had someone to blame and he wasn't
about to give up on it.  He ran for the door of the Okynamyaki restaurant 
leaving a very irate Ukyou.
        "You Jackass!"


        Ryoga was carefully setting camp under a stone bridge.  The sounds
of the car whizzing by in random occurrences.  He sighed as he looked at
the picture of Akane that he had taken out from his backpack.  Carefully
pulling it back he settle into his make-shift tent.  And that's when it
all came crashing down, the tent that is.
        Ranma had the early attack as he broke the tent and it cover Ryoga.
Before he could struggle to get out, Ranma gave a searing kick to Ryoga's
midsection.  A loud groan could be heard.
        Before long Ryoga was able to break free from his bond.  He rubbed
his stomach and looked at the person who did this to him.  He was quiet 
surprised to find Ranma's foot on his face.  
        Ryoga rebound near the edge of a small stream that flowed under the
bridge.  
        "YOU BASTARD!"
        "WHAT HELL ARE YOU DOING?"
        "YOU KNOW WHY, YOU PERVERT!"
        "PERVERT!?"
        Ryoga barely dodged Ranma punch but wasn't able to get far enough 
away from his kick. Another hard kick was placed on Ryoga's upper left 
shoulder.  Some blood was flowing from his mouth and his face was beginning 
to swell from Ranma's earlier attack.
        "YOU COULDN'T HAVE HER SO YOU TOOK HER, DAMN MONSTER!"
        "ME!  YOU THINK IT WAS ME!"
        "DON'T LIE!  IT WAS YOU!"
        "RANMA YOUR AN IDIOT!  HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK I'D DO SUCH A
THING TO AKANE.  I LOVED HER."
        "AND SHE DIDN'T LOVE YOU!  SO YOU TOOK IT INTO YOUR OWN HANDS."
        "NO, I NEVER DID SUCH A THING!"
        "LIAR!!!!!"
        Ranma pull no punches as he started beating on Ryoga.  Ryoga didn't
even stand a chance against an enraged Ranma.  Ranma was beyond reasoning
and his sole reason for this night was revenge on Ryoga.  Perhaps that why
he didn't notice the heavy spatula connecting to his head.
        Ukyou had slammed Ranma with her spatula.  She used all her force to
leave Ranma unconscious.  She looked at Ryoga, who was barely conscious.
        "I'm sorry Ryoga but he couldn't find anyone else to blame."
        "I didn't do it Ukyou."
        "I know Ryoga.  It's just that everything gone to hell this last 
month.  You can't blame him.  He's been blaming himself for not being able
to protect Akane."
        "I don't.  If it was I in his position I would be dead by now."
        "C'mon Ryoga.  Lets go to my restaurant and fix you up."
        "I can't move, I think I've broken my legs or twisted them."
        "I can't carry you both.  I got an idea.  Why don't I doused you
with cold water."
        "You know my curse."
        "Of course, it wasn't that hard to figure out."
        Ryoga looked a little grim but agreed to Ukyou's term.  She reached
for the stream and doused Ryoga with water.  Ryoga instantly turned into a 
small piglet.  He still couldn't move but he was moveable now. 
        The night was cold and Ukyou was a little tired from carrying Ranma.
Maybe she had hit him too hard.  Ryoga was squealing all the way since the
ride was so bumpy and his legs hurt.  She settle Ranma onto the ground while
she sat on the bus stop seats.  
        The perspiration came down her tired face.  Her hair a little messed
up by tonight affair.  However the cool winds approaching her face made her
feel better.  As she looked around, she saw that the streets were empty.
Not even a car was running down the street.
        And then the pig let out a big oink.  Quickly and loud but Ukyou 
paid no attention to it since the pig had been making the sounds all night 
long.   It was bad she didn't listen since a hand reached out from the 
darkness to grab her chest.
        The other hands cover her mouth and she couldn't scream.  The pig 
was trying to move but couldn't.  Ranma was still unconscious.  It seem a 
dire moment.
        The street light flicker underneath the ensuing struggle between
Ukyou and the attacker.  The pig got a good look at the attacker and his
jaw nearly dropped.  
        The attacker quickly took out a thin wooden stick and move it up 
into the night sky.  With a thunderous flash in came down right on Ukyou's 
head.  She was out cold and the attacker could do whatever he pleased.  
He gave a quick glance at the pig and then at Ranma.  A jeer came to his
face and he ran off with Ukyou in tow.

        Some time later a very groggy Ranma woke up.  The world was spinning
around until finally he could see straight.  All he could remember was 
someone hitting him from behind.  He felt the large bump on top of his head.  
Ouch.  And then he looked around to see a piglet with a bow.
        His rage was within him again but something was wrong.  Who pull him
here and how did Ryoga change to a pig?  Who hit him?  It couldn't be Ryoga
but he was sure Ryoga could tell him.  These thoughts calm down his rage
and he was able to control himself to find some hot water.  Very hot water 
as it was.  He doused it on the pig.
        A very mad and naked Ryoga emerged from the boiling water.   Ranma
toss him a few clothing and then walked right in front of him.
        "Ryoga why did you do it?"
        "Damn you Ranma!  It wasn't me and now I know who it is!  It was 
KUNO!"
        "What!"
        "No time to explain.  You've got to save Ukyou.  He got her now and
god know what he'll do!  I can't move that fast, you've got to save her."
        "Your lying."
        "Damn you Ranma.  Look at me!  Ukyou counting on you, do you want 
the same thing to happen to Ukyou as what happen to Akane."
        That brought Ranma full face to the situation and he knew that Ryoga
wasn't lying.  
        "Which way?"
        "That way!"
        Ryoga pointed East
        "Are you sure?"
        "I've never been so sure in my life!"
        Ranma ran off into the direction Ryoga had given.

        Tatewaki Kuno was always running into trouble with the girls.  Fact
was no girl really like him.  Especially Akane.  He would give his love to 
her and she would deny it.  Now that he had found his way into her heart he 
could spread his love around.  
        It had been weeks since he had done the deed but now he hunger
for more.  It would've been great if only he had found the pig-tailed girl
but Ukyou would more than do.  In fact with her clothing stripped down
to her bra and panty she looked damn near perfect.
        Kuno reach down and touch and started to detached the bra 
surrounding Ukyou's breast.  With a snap her bra was unleashed and she was 
still unmoving.  The bokken to the head was sever and she would be out for 
at least a couple more hours.  More than enough time to do what he wanted.
        He quickly fondle her breast with care and put his face against 
hers.  It was light and airy like nothing.  Her skin was icy cold and her 
breathing so shallow.  Quite same to the situation with Akane.  And surely 
it would follow the same route.
        Reaching down Ukyou's stomach, Kuno's hands arrived the pelvic 
section of Ukyou's body.  He was about to take off his own clothing when 
he heard a noise.  A trash can had been rattle but there was no sign of 
anyone.
        It must've been nothing Kuno thought.  That was his only thought as
Ranma gave a upper cut to Kuno's Jaw.  
        "YOU BASTARD!"
        "WHO ARE YOU?"
        The lighting in the alley was so dim that the shadows had entirely 
cover Ranma entirely.  
        "THE DEVIL!"
        "Hah!  Such threats are nothing to me!"
        Wiping away the blood from his jaw Kuno takes out his bokken and
got ready for the attack.
        "YOU BASTARD"
        A passing car headlight beams into the alley and finally Kuno see 
his attacker.
        "RANMA!"
        Moving like a cat Ranma submerged Kuno with the TENSHIN AMGURIKEN
and hits him about 100 times.  The affects were devastating as Kuno quickly
fell to the ground.  Ranma moved up to Kuno and in his state of mind was
ready to finish him off.
        But then he looked at Kuno.  He looked at the wooden stick that was
shatter in half in the short battle.  He looked at Ukyou who was still 
laying down on the dirty alley.  She was half naked but she looked unhurt 
aside from the blow to the head.
        Ranma realized something then.  He realized that he had done what 
he should've done when Akane was attack.  Now he had the chance to get his
revenge on Kuno.
        "What are you waiting for!"  Kuno had utter while still in the grasp
of Ranma's arms.
        "What I do now won't matter but what going to happen to you later
will.  Your going to live with this and I'll never let you forget it and 
neither will the town."
        Ranma gave Kuno another good punch to the head to make sure he was
unconscious.  He looked back to Ukyou and saw that she had regain 
consciousness and she had found some of her non-ripped garments off of the 
ground.  
        "Why?"  Ukyou said quietly.
        "I thought about it for a minute and knew that if I had actually
killed him.  It wouldn't have done anything.  I'd already beat him and saved
you.  It was almost like I was saving Akane."
        Ranma said it with a solemn voice.  Like he was glad he had saved
Ukyou but still felt had could've done more.  
        "Ranma, you did good.  Akane would be proud."
        While this was happening Ryoga came limping into the alley.  Every
time he took a step it could be seen that he was hurting.  Ranma saw him
and walk towards him.  He pulled one of Ryoga's arms and put it around his
shoulder.  With the leverage, Ryoga could walk much better and it seem Ryoga
wanted to see Kuno.
        Ryoga looked at Kuno with disgust and spat on him.  And then he turn
his eyes to Ranma.
        "I'm sorry Ryoga.  I didn't mean to jump to conclusion but it 
could've been you."
        "No Ranma.  If the table were turn I would've done the same.  There
was no way of knowing who did it."
        "Thanks Ryoga for forgiving."
        Ranma went to the public pay phones and called the police.  Mere 
minutes later the police picked up Kuno.  Ranma, Ryoga, and Ukyou walked
all the way to the dojo together.

        The next couple weeks were the most exciting and shocking.  Akane
went to the jail that held Takewaki and stared at him.  Doing so seem to
have lifted her troubled soul.  Matching a face to a faceless attacker.
Kuno could barely look at her.
        The judge sentence him to juvenile care since he was still a minor.
That meant he would be out in a couple of years.  It wasn't fair to those 
people that he hurt but it was the law.
        Akane was slow in returning to her normal ways.  But the fact that
now she knew who her attacker was made it easier for her to recover.  
In fact she is starting to train once again.
        Ranma was finding it easier to look at Akane and once again they 
started to progress towards their old habits with small insult to each 
other.  The official plans of the marriage was never fully reinstated but 
it looks like the link between Ranma and Akane highlighted themselves after 
the incident.
        Ryoga was welcome in the dojo at any time.  Akane had even given him
a slight peck on the cheek when she had heard what he had done to help 
Ranma.  Ryoga of course blushed and eventually got lost.
        After the close incident with Kuno, Ukyou got to be a little more 
suspicious of men.  Except for Ryoga, he was the only one that she really
trust.  For the first time in her life she understood that she would never
have Ranma because it was too obvious that Ranma loved Akane.  That was hard
to accept but she had to do it but their was always Ryoga.
        Ryoga had stop to visit Ukyou's restaurant numerous times to check 
up on Ukyou.  She would greet him with a hello and a free Okynamyaki every 
so often.  They talked about things and what little things happen in their 
lives.  The talk didn't amount to much but it seem like they wanted to just 
keep on talking to one another.
        In the end a tragic event happen but new found relationship develop
between old and new partners.


                                THE END

                                                        April 14, 1997

                Whew!  This one was done under three hours (intially).  I 
        know that what I talked about was harsh topic but what else but 
        murder would incite such emotions in Ranma.  And I didn't really 
        want to kill Akane since that would make Ranma really go over the 
        top and really kill Kuno.
                And speaking of Kuno, do you really think he capable of
        such a thing?  I was indecisive about whether it should've of been
        Ryoga or Kuno.  Then I decided that Kuno would be the better choice.
        For one he had a crazy sister and lived in a crazy home.  He was
        always dejected by the pig-tailed girl and Akane and probably every
        other girl.  Ryoga was the other choice but then I thought of how
        Akane always treated him.  She was kind and always protecting him
        and therefore he wouldn't have done it.  And the final reason that
        I decided that Kuno should be the attacker is that I like Ryoga
        much better then Kuno.  I'm partial to Ryoga and though he wasn't 
        the main hero I gave him a slice of the rewards in the end.
                Ryoga and Ukyou!  The perfect pair.  NUFF SAID!  :)

        I would really like info and criticism on this story.  Please e-mail
        any comment to ntheav@ea.oac.uci.edu.  Thanks again.