Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Being True To Your Heart ❯ Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
* * *

* * *"You Know That When I Hate

You, It Is Because I Love To A

Point Of Passion That Unhinges My Soul." Julie-Jeanne-Eleonore

De Lespianasse

* * *

Ranma ran through the desolate streets, his eyes scanning buildings and alleyways. Stupid girl, always runnin' off. Where could she be? He suddenly halted his mad dash as an idea popped into his head. Duh! The bridge, she always goes there to throw those giant rocks in the water with that brute strength of hers. He quickly changed directions, now fleeting toward the canal. His steps slowed to cat quiet as he sped her figure crouched by the water. He angled himself to see her face.

Akane's profile was in utter downcast, shiny rivers of tears still ran down her cheeks, one hand trailed through the water while the other fingered a tare in the skirt of the sky blue dress she wore. Ranma caught site of the gaping hole and winced. Whether anyone would have believed him or not, he remembered that dress. They had been in town, running some errands for Kasumi when something in a store window stopped Akane in her tracks. It was one of those girly boutiques that Ranma hated, so of course he got irritated when she stopped and was about to say something about it when he saw the look in her eyes. She eyed that dress in the window with such longing that he had found himself suddenly wishing he could take her in the store and buy it for her. But, since he was no where near affording such a dress nor any where near ready to receive the embarrassment entailed with bestowing a gift on his fiancée, he decided, easing the guilt on himself, to make Akane not want it. He did this, how else, by insulting her figure. It had worked, almost too well. . he sported those bruises for at least a month.

"Oh Ranma. . why. . why do you always have to do this to me. . " Ranma, startled out of his memory, listened as Akane's last word cracked into a soft sob. He took a hesitant step forward, failing to notice the small twig. Akane's head snapped up at the sound, but she did not turn. "Go away Ranma," it was here usual response to him when she was upset but her voice didn't carry it's usual malice, instead her voice was tired, it's tone defeated.

"But I wanted to-"

"Apologize?" She stood to face him. He faltered back at the pain in her eyes. "Save it someone who cares," she looked down, her fists clenching reflexively, "you did it again Ranma," her eyes panned up once again to his only to haunt him with their sadness, "you not only embarrassed me in front of my family, but also my friends, the people I want to respect me."

"I know and I sor-"

"Not good enough! You made me look like a fool!" she shoved him harshly and he fell to the ground. "You called me. . called me. . ." a small tortured cry erupted from her lips as she raised her face to the cloudy night sky in frustration, "I can't take it anymore," she whispered," I just can't. . " Ranma wrenched his face from the tearstained one glistening in the moonlight. He shut his eyes and put his head down, awaiting the impending blow.

It never came.

"You know, sometimes I actually enjoy our fights. . . I don't even mind when you tease me with those names, " her voice now came from behind him, " but you've gone way past teasing. . you insult me, not sometimes, all the time. . and do you know why they're insults Ranma? Because you never tell me how you really feel! If all I ever get from you is 'uncute tomboy' then it makes me think that that's all I really am to you. . . and maybe that's all you really do think of me as. . . but I actually thought we would have eventually had something together, maybe right from the start if we hadn't been forcibly engaged. Maybe we would have become best friends or something more. . ." She took a deep breath. "I do realize that your not the only one at fault, I've made a lot of mistakes too. . but after everything that's happened; Prince Toma, Kirin, Ryuganzawa, Saffron and countless others that could have signaled a change between us. . I know I missed my chances then, but at the wedding and tonight, especially tonight, I really tried to make you lo-to make you admit you cared about me, even just a little bit. . . but I've finally seen that it's never going to change Ranma. . never. . which is why I've come to a decision," she watched his head slowly rise with a tear filled gaze, "it's over Ranma. . everything. . . at least for now. Maybe we can be," she swallowed audibly, "friends someday. . but at this moment I can't stand to be near you anymore." As she turned to make the lonely walk home, a hand reached out to grab her wrist. One word was spoken.

"Why?" His voice too had changed, no longer confident, now hoarse and whispered. She refused to look at that face once more and to crumble once again at the site.

"Because," she gently pulled her wrist from his grasp and straightened her back, "because being near you makes me care about you. . and doing that hurts too much." The hand that had reached forward to yield her once more fell to his side, and the great Ranma Saotome was defeated, not by death defying punches or a powerful final attack but merely by her words. "Goodbye. . Ranma," she walked away, ignoring the pain of her own heart breaking.

Ranma stood, watching her retreating back and fell to his knees. Akane. . The rain began, it's icy drops showering over him, Akane, the change began immediately, Akane I, leaving in it's wake a short red-haired girl with a mixture of tears and raindrops flowing down her cheeks. Akane. . I'm sorry. .

* * *

"If You Could

Feel The Pain Your

Confusion Has Caused Me,

You Would Have Stopped

Before You Spoke." Lisa Loeb

* * *

Chapter Four