Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ School Days ❯ Ranko, The Mysterious Pigtailed Girl ( Chapter 6 )

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

 

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters. ^_^

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER SIX

 

Ranko, The Mysterious Pigtailed Girl

 

 

 

“…And that's what happened!” finished Akane. She was at Ukyo's okonomiyaki shop along with Shampoo, explaining the events of the previous evening.

“So…he nearly kissed you, and you were going to let him?” asked Ukyo as she flipped and grilled a few okonomiyaki for her customers.

“I don't know why, but yeah,” said Akane. “It was as though…I don't know, some part of me longed for it. As though I was a completely different person.”

“Miss Akane?”

She looked around at the nearby `waitress' who was offering her some tea.

“It's really not my place to speak…” he said, handing her the tea, “but…it sounds to me as though you hold very strong feelings for this man.”

“The thing is, Konatsu, I don't,” said Akane, accepting the tea gratefully. “Which is why I don't understand why I acted the way I did.”

“Girls can be in love for long time without knowing,” said Shampoo quietly. “Then one day…bam! You realize you in love.”

Akane gazed at her friend sympathetically. “That reminds me, Shampoo…I wanted to talk to you about Mousse,” she said gently.

She jerked her head up suddenly. “What about Mousse?” she asked quickly.

“I know you like him, Shampoo,” said Akane. “And obviously he loves you. So why don't you just tell him how you feel?”

“Akane no understand how absolute Chinese law is,” said Shampoo. “No can go against, or you either exiled or killed.”

“That's the thing, Shampoo, we do understand,” said Ukyo. “But to us, your happiness should be more important than some law. And Mousse said it himself, he's willing to leave behind the Amazonian tribe to be with you.”

“Shampoo…no want to leave tribe,” said Shampoo. “And Mousse understand that. That another reason why he no intend to defeat Shampoo, why he no come out and admit anything.”

“But, Shampoo, when it comes down to it, which do you love more?” asked Akane. “Mousse…or the tribe?”

“Shampoo no can answer,” she said. “Shampoo…don't know. Don't know if Shampoo even love Mousse. And tribe mean everything to Shampoo.”

“You at least like him, don't you?” asked Akane. “Or this wouldn't bother you so much.”

“Akane have no right saying,” said Shampoo. “Why problem with Ranma bother Akane so much if she no like Ranma?”

“…I…” started Akane, but of course, she had no answer, even for herself. Why did she obsess over this so much? Surely she didn't like Ranma…did she…?

“Don't change the subject, Shampoo,” said Ukyo, though she did want to discuss that, too. But Shampoo's happiness was closer than Akane's, and she wanted to work on that right now. “Do you like Mousse, hold any feelings for him at all?”

A silence fell as the girls allowed Shampoo to contemplate this suggestion. Akane looked out the window at the steadily falling rain. Usually she loved the rain, but today, for some reason, it seemed to hold a sort of loneliness. She wondered if it was just the heaviness of her own heart burdening her view of the rain…

“Shampoo…like Mousse,” said Shampoo suddenly. “Shampoo always like Mousse. But…no chance of being together.”

Akane looked back at Shampoo, wondering how to help. She was usually good with love problems, but when it came to Shampoo's or her own, she didn't have a clue. After all, Shampoo had laws she had to follow, and if she crossed those lines, she was in deep trouble.

The silence was broken suddenly by a small beeping sound. Shampoo pulled something out of her pocket and said, “Aiyaa! Shampoo must get back to Cat Café. Great-grandmother has delivery!” She slipped the pager back into her pocket and jumped to her feet. “Shampoo see Ukyo and Akane tomorrow!” she promised, rushing out of the restaurant.

The other two just stared after her, before Akane finally stretched and stood.

“I should get going, too,” she said. “See you tomorrow, Ucchan.”

“Akane,” said Ukyo before she left. “Think about it tonight. Your feelings for him, I mean. Otherwise you'll be completely lost for the rest of however long this will last.”

Akane looked back at her friend, glad she wasn't lecturing her so much as giving her advice. “Thanks, Ucchan. I will,” she promised as she opened her umbrella and stepped out into the rain.

She didn't really feel like going back home yet, so she just wandered the streets of Nerima, trying to think this through. How did she feel about Ranma? He was such an aggravating bastard, but for some reason, she just couldn't stop thinking about him. And worse, she didn't seem to want to stop thinking about him. She thought back to earlier that day, when she had been sitting in class. For some reason, Ranma had been absent today. She wondered if he had caught a cold or something; it had started raining soon after the Saotomes had left last night and hadn't stopped since. Maybe all three of them had caught colds from walking home in the rain.

She paused as she thought about that. He could be sick in bed, and with Mousse working and Ryoga's sense of direction, he might not have had any visitors. After last night, she wasn't really feeling up to seeing him, but how did he feel, lying in his bed, no one coming to see him? She turned back and rushed back to Ukyo's store.

“Ukyo!” she said, rushing back into the restaurant, not even bothering to close the door. “Do you know where Ranma lives?”

Ukyo, on her part, was stunned to hear this. Had she realized her feelings so quickly, and was going to go tell him? “Sure, but…why?”

“I, um…I just want to go see if he's okay,” she said. “Since he wasn't at school today, you know?”

“Oh,” said Ukyo, feeling a little disappointed. “Hold on a sec. Konatsu!” she called to the waiter/waitress. “Man the grill for a moment, would you?”

“Of course, Miss Ukyo,” said Konatsu, bowing and taking his employer's place behind the grill. Ukyo herself walked through the doorway in the corner of the room and reappeared a few moments later with a slip of paper in her hand.

“Here,” she said, handing her the address. “That's his address. Let me know what happens tomorrow, alright?”

“You got it,” said Akane. “Thanks, Ucchan.”

Ukyo smiled as her best friend left once again, setting off for Ranma's house. Konatsu came up behind her, watching Akane's vanishing figure as well.

“She really loves him, doesn't he?” asked Konatsu.

“Yeah,” said Ukyo a little distantly. “She really does…”

“Miss Ukyo? Are you alright?” asked Konatsu.

“Yeah…” she said. “It's just…everyone suddenly seems to be finding someone, Konatsu. Shampoo and Mousse, Ranma and Akane…yet here I am, still without anyone to call my own.”

“He's around somewhere, Miss Ukyo,” said Konatsu, also a little sadly. “He could be standing right in front of you. He'll come along, and when he does…well, I hope you're just as happy as all your friends.”

Ukyo looked up at Konatsu, a surprised smile on her face. “You're right, Konatsu,” she said. “I'll be fine. Thanks.”

She returned to her post behind the grill at the sound of hungry customers, but Konatsu didn't move for a moment as he watched his employer, wishing that somehow, someway, she could come to like him as he loved her.

He looked down at himself, the kimono he was wearing. Maybe it was time for a change…

 

* * *

 

Akane walked along the streets, a few miles away from her house. The rain had begun to fall even harder, but that didn't deter her from her mission.

“According to Ukyo, his house should be on the next block,” she said to herself. She put the little slip of paper in her pocket and looked straight ahead. She blinked as she spotted a bright red shirt through the dreary gray fog. The person didn't seem to have an umbrella and seemed to be walking a little slowly, as though they were hurt.

“Hey!” she called out, dashing toward the person. “Are you alright?”

As she got closer, the person paused and turned around. It was a girl, wearing an outfit that looked hauntingly familiar…as a matter of fact, it looked almost exactly like Ranma's clothes.

“Akane!” said the girl in surprise. Akane slowed down, confused.

“That's my name, but…do I know you?” she asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen her before. She looked very similar to Ranma, except that her hair was flaming red, and, of course, she was a girl. She was also quite a bit shorter than Ranma. But her eyes were the same bright blue, her hair in the same pigtail, the Chinese clothes the same exact colors and style…she even wore protective gauntlets like Ranma.

“Oh!” said the girl. “Um…no, you wouldn't know me, but…”

“You look very similar to my b—my friend, Ranma,” she said, looking down at her curiously. “Do you know him?”

“Yes, um…I'm uh…I'm his little sister,” she said. “My name's Ran…ko. Ranko Saotome.” She bowed. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Oh, likewise,” said Akane, also bowing. “Why don't you get under here?” she added, indicating the umbrella. “You'll catch a cold if you keep walking in the rain.”

“Um…thanks,” said Ranko, stepping under the umbrella.

“So, if you're Ranma's sister, why weren't you at my house yesterday?” asked Akane as they resumed walking. “We had your parents and brother there for dinner.”

“I…um…I was visiting a friend,” replied Ranko. “I had had it planned already so I couldn't miss it…”

“Oh, I see,” said Akane. “So, how'd you know it was me, then?”

“My brother…talks about you a lot,” she said. “He showed me a picture of you…”

Akane blinked, wondering what in the living hell Ranma was doing with a picture of her. She thought that over and shuddered. She didn't even want to know.

“So…why are you in this neighborhood, Akane?” asked Ranko. “My brother told me you don't live near here…”

“Oh, um…I was just on my way to see your brother,” Akane replied. “He wasn't at school today and I wanted to make sure he was alright. Does he have a cold or something?”

“I think so…” said Ranko, coughing a little. “We all caught something last night, I guess…”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” said Akane. “I hope you all feel better soon.”

Ranko came to a stop, and Akane looked around to see that she had arrived at the Saotomes' house. Nodoka herself was walking out with an umbrella, taking out the trash. She looked up to see Akane and Ranko standing there.

“Akane!” she exclaimed. “Whatever are you doing here, and in this rain?”

“I was, um…worried about Ranma,” she said quietly. “I came to see him, you know, to see if he's alright.”

Nodoka furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as her eyes fell upon Ranko. “But he's…”

Ranko looked up and made a quick shushing motion. Akane didn't see this, since Ranko was behind her, but Nodoka did, and she instantly understood.

“He's sick, dear,” she said quickly. “He caught a cold last night. But if you'd like to come in, I will let him know that you're here…”

“Would you?” asked Akane happily. “Thank you so much!”

Nodoka smiled and led Akane and Ranko into the house. They took their shoes off and left their umbrellas, and Nodoka led Akane into their dining room as Ranko dashed off to the kitchen.

“Please, Akane, sit,” said Nodoka, making a motion to the table. “I'll go fix you some tea and let Ranma know you're here.”

“Thank you,” said Akane, sitting down graciously. “I'm sorry for troubling you…”

“Oh, no, it's no trouble at all!” said Nodoka. “I'm quite glad, really. I'm sure Ranma will be elated to see you.”

Somehow I doubt that…thought Akane, remembering the previous night and blushing slightly. Aloud, though, she just said, “Thank you.”

Nodoka walked into the kitchen, where Ranko stood by the stove, boiling some water.

“I take it she doesn't know?” asked Nodoka in a low voice as she took out a second kettle.

“No,” said Ranko, switching off the heat as the kettle began to whistle. “And I don't plan on telling her,” she added. “So please, Mom, don't tell her anything.”

“Alright, dear,” she said. “But you know, if you intend on marrying her…”

“We don't know that yet, Mom,” said Ranko. “So for now, she won't find out.” She grabbed the kettle and left the room, dashing upstairs. Nodoka sighed and finished making the tea. She set a tray and brought it to the dining room.

“Thanks so much, Mrs. Saotome,” said Akane, accepting her tea. “But what about Ranko? Shouldn't she have some? She was walking out in that rain, after all…and without an umbrella.”

“Ranko will be fine, dear,” said Nodoka. “Now then, I've let Ranma know that you're here. Why don't you follow me…I'll show you to his room.”

“Oh…thanks,” said Akane, standing and following her upstairs. They reached the room with Ranma's room and Nodoka knocked gently.

“Ranma, dear?”

“Yeah, come in,” came Ranma's voice from the room. Nodoka opened the door and moved aside to let Akane in before her.

“Akane!” said Ranma, putting down a manga he'd been reading. She waved shyly as she took in his appearance. He really did look a little sick. His face was flushed, as though he was heated, and every few minutes, he coughed slightly.

“Well, then, I'll leave you two alone,” said Nodoka, turning and leaving, closing the door behind her. Akane stood, rooted to the spot, suddenly wondering what there was to say. After all, the last thing she'd said to him last night was that he was a stupid pervert. So now what was she supposed to say?

“So, why'd you come here?” he asked, motioning for her to sit on the edge of his bed. “I didn't even know you knew my address.”

“I got it from Ucchan,” she said, sitting lightly on the foot of his bed. “I was a little worried…you know, cuz it started raining almost as soon as you left and then you weren't at school today…”

“You were worried about me?” he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. “But…I thought you hated me?”

“I don't hate you, Ranma,” she said, looking at him with a little frown. “Where'd you get that idea?”

I wonder…he thought sarcastically. Aloud, he said, “Anyway, why'd you come here? Homework or something?”

“No, I…” She trailed off, wondering. Why did she want to come here, anyway? To see if he was alright, sure, but she knew there had to be another reason in there somewhere…”

“Because I wanted to apologize,” she said suddenly. “For the way I acted last night.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Why would you want to apologize for that?” he asked. “That was my fault.”

“Because…I was pissed because I didn't know how to react,” she said quietly. “I've…never been good with emotions…or boys, for that matter. The only way I've dealt with things for most of my life was either keeping quiet and shying away from the problem, or getting pissed and attacking it. The way I acted wasn't your fault…so I'm sorry.”

He stared at her. He was seriously shocked. He could tell this wasn't easy for her to admit, her being wrong, but here she did it anyway. And the thing was, he didn't even consider last night her fault. He knew that it would be coming, but provoked her anyway. It was just his stupid, selfish fault.

She jumped to her feet suddenly. “Anyway, I just wanted to say that,” she said. “So I guess I'll just be going now…”

“Akane!” he said, not wanting her to leave just yet, but not having a reason to make her stay. However, she did pause and look around at him.

“What?”

“I…I just…” he stuttered, then turned away. “Never mind.”

She looked at him, wondering what was up with him, but glancing at her watch, she realized she needed to get home soon anyway.

“Ranma, I really have to go, so I'll see you later,” she said, opening the door.

“Right,” he mumbled.

“Oh, and Ranma?”

He looked up at her. “Yeah?”

“Get better soon,” she said with a small smile. “I wanna spar with you again.”

He blinked. “Um…”

“Promise you'll get better?” she asked.

“…Yeah,” he said finally with a small smile of his own. “I promise.”

 

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(A/N):

 

You know, it's a really good thing fanfic authors are allowed to write OOC, or else I'd be in big trouble with this story.

 

Oh, and regarding Konatsu:

 

For those of you who may not know who Konatsu is (I don't think he's in the anime, is he…?), he's a kunoichi that Ukyo employed near the end of the series. Yes, I just said he's a kunoichi. He thinks he's a girl because he was raised by women…or at least, people who say they're women but look more like really ugly men out of “The Godfather” or something. Anyway, I think Konatsu thinks he's a lesbian because he's in love with Ukyo, but really, he's straight because he's really a guy. I know, that's confusing as hell.

 

I don't know how many of you have read the manga (after all, I do base my Ranma fanfics off the manga, not the anime…I love the anime but I read the manga first, which is the original story anyway so I always stick to it) and know who Konatsu is, but I'm sorry if you don't support the Konatsu/Ukyo coupling, but I always liked it cuz to me, it seemed funny. After all, Ukyo always looks like a guy, and Konatsu looks like a girl. And I needed someone that wasn't Ranma to be her boyfriend, and frankly, Tsubasa Kurenai scares me. So please don't get mad at me for making Konatsu Ukyo's significant other. I know I'm gonna lose some of my few readers over this but oh well…

 

And that means that I'm using Akari as Ryoga's girlfriend. I think a lot of people forget about poor Akari but personally, I like her. She'll be coming in soon as well.

 

No flames please! On to the next chapter!