Saipan
Chapter 9
By Alessia '79
http://www.akane.it
 
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Ranma watched the sea roaring under the hotel terrace
where he was standing, his mind a mill of thoughts.
 
"Ranchan?"
 
He turned. "Ucchan..."
 
"Tell me one thing, Ranma...why her?" She was having
an hard time speaking because the words tended to
die in her throat beneath waves of tears.
 
"I don't know Ucchan...it's just...happened..."
 
"But...why? I was the cute fiancée, the one who can 
cook, the best choice...just tell me...why?" she nearly 
screamed the last word.
 
"Aw, man! You can't choose who you fall in love with! I
love Akane, I'm only sorry because I know this hurts 
you, but I've loved her for so long now. I haven't said
anything before because I knew it would make some people
sad."
 
"But I love you!"
 
"I know Ucchan...but my heart belongs to Akane."
 
"Akane Akane Akane...it's always Akane! Can't talk of
anything else? Akane has done this, Akane has done 
that...where is Ucchan in all those Akanes?"
 
"Ucchan is always in my heart...she has a very special 
place: my best friend."
 
"I don't know if it's enough for me."
 
"It's all I can offer."
 
Ukyo looked at Ranma for a long time, then she hugged him
tightly and kissed him on the cheek. Leaving she said, "I think 
it's a deal, then."
 
/////\\\\\
 
"Ryoga! What are you doing out here on the pavement?" Akane
asked surprised.
 
"I...uhm...wanted to go away, but after a full day I'm
still here!" he said blushing.
 
"I'm glad you're still here."
 
"Really?"
 
"Yes, I need...we need someone to side with us."
 
"We? Who are you talking about?"
 
"Me and Ranma, of course! Do you remember the mess...
earlier today...?"
 
"Yes, I remember...but I'm not sideing with you...I... 
can't." he said sighing.
 
"Excuse me? Why not? I mean, I thought you were a friend to
us and..."
 
"You were wrong, I'm not a friend...I hate Ranma for a
lot of reasons, but most of all because he has your
heart."
 
Akane was taken aback by the confession and its meaning
slowly dawned in her mind. "You don't mean..."
 
"I love you Akane, for all it means now," he said, 
turning around and walking towards the hotel (although
he wanted to leave Saipan), but the girl grabbed his 
arm and turned him to look into his eyes.
 
"It means a lot! I'm flattered, really, but you know I
love Ranma...I don't want to lose you, though. You are
my friend."
 
"I don't want to be your friend...or maybe yes...I don't
know. I guess I need time."
 
"I understand," She let go of his arm and lowered 
her gaze to the ground. She felt so sorry for him. She
gazed at him again, ready to say something when the
sprinklers of the hotel's garden started working and then,
poor Ryoga transformed in front of her. Akane watched
with horror as the lost boy became her little pet P-chan,
the sad look on her face replaced by a mask of anger.
 
All over Saipan a yell was heard.
 
"Ryoga! I'm gonna kill you!"
 
/////\\\\\
 
Nabiki walked slowly towards Tatewaki and Kodachi. 
Michael was holding her hand but she was still a little
worried. She had explained earlier to Michael that she 
wanted to take care of the Kuno siblings, and even if he
hadn't fully understood why she wanted to do such a 
thing, he had offered her all his support.
 
The reason was simple. She was the only person Kuno 
listened to. She didn't know why but when she talked
with him he have always gave her all his attention, he
never listened to Akane when she said to leave her alone
nor to Ranma, she was the only one. For a while the
thought had even made her feel...special. 
 
But now Tatewaki has to listen carefully...she didn't 
want Akane's happiness be threatened by him or his 
sister. She would charge her little sister later, for this
one.
 
"Hey, Kuno!" Tatewaki and Kodachi turned.
 
"Nabiki Tendo!"
 
"Hello Michael!" said Kodachi winking.
 
Michael blushed and unintentionally took a step back.
 
"Kuno, I'm going to say this only one time, so listen
carefully. Leave Akane and Ranma alone!"
 
"I can't do that, I love her!"
 
"But she doesn't love you, she loves Ranma!"
 
"The sorcerer has casted a spell..."
 
"Nobody has casted spells on anybody...maybe it's 
chemistry, but it's a natural event to fall in love!"
 
"I can't let her go."
 
"Sure you can. You just need time, I'm sure there are
plenty of girls that want you to forget my sister."
 
"Are you serious?"
 
"Hell! I was one of them before meeting Michael!" Nabiki
put a hand on her mouth but the words had already left 
her lips. So she simply stared at Michael, her face
flushed with embarassment. 
 
Michael stared back in desbelief and after a few moments
he dropped her hand and ran away.
 
<What have I done?> Nabiki thought, but before she could 
move a single muscle she saw Kodachi run after him 
yelling, "I'm going to console him! Give Ranma my respects!"
 
A tear fell, then another, then more.
 
"Thanks for what you said...but I'd run after him if I
was you." Tatewaki said.
 
"So would I...life goes on Tatewaki, don't waste your time
with someone who doesn't love you back...and make a 
treasure of whom who does." This said, she ran.
 
/////\\\\\
 
A paper addressed to Ranma and Akane was found at the
hotel reception, on it in a neat writing was written:
 
"Dear Ranma and Akane,
 
 I wish you to be happy together. After this letter you 
won't hear from me again. I'm going back to China, to the 
Tribe, to my mother and father...I miss them so much.
 
I have had to keep a secret from you, but now I can tell
you that there is an Amazon Law that allows me to 
declare null and void my marriage with Ranma if he fell
in love with another woman, and now it has happened...
 
I don't love you Ranma and I don't hate you Akane, but I
had to pretend for my family's honor. Now I can go home
with my honor untouched and I'm happy. For the first
time in a long, long time...
 
 Love, Shampoo" 
 
 
Chapter 10 (Epilogue)
 
Ranma and Akane relaxed on the beach watching the sea. They sat on
the fine sand with Akane's back on Ranma's chest.
 
"It went better than I thought." Ranma said.
 
"Yeah, even if I'd never have imagined that I'd be the one to get angry
today." she said with a tone of accusation.
 
"I already told you I couldn't say anything, besides I dropped
hints whenever he showed up!"
 
Akane sighed, then tightening her grip on Ranma's arms that were 
holding her, she said, "I know, but...I've told him my secrets, I've
changed in front of him, I thought he was only a pet!"
 
"That's why I was jealous when he was around."
 
"Now I understand...thank you, Ranma."
 
He kissed her the top of her head.
 
"And I love you, Akane. I want to tell you over and over!"
 
"Ranma?"
 
"Hmm?"
 
"I love you for what you are, you know? I don't care which form you
are next time we kiss, as long as you keep on kissing me."
 
"Oh, Akane..." he said, kissing her neck. "Do you mean that?"
 
"Of course I mean it."
 
He got up and with a devil grin he said, "Try to catch me!" as he ran 
into the sea.
 
Akane's heart skipped a beat. <Here we are!> she thought and ran after
him...her...Ranma. She caught her by the waist making her fall into the
water, and when they resurfaced, she threw her arms around Ranma's neck
for a hug.
 
"You don't have to, if you aren't sure." Ranma whispered in her 
ear.
 
Akane looked into her eyes. 
 
"But I want to do it."
 
And she kissed her fiance.
 
/////\\\\\
 
Nabiki ran as fast as she could, never letting her pace slow down. 
She, however, was not use to running and soon she was gasping for 
breath. She knew where Michael was: he would be on the beach, where 
they first met, she was sure of this.
 
When she was almost there she met Kodachi. She arrived right from where
Nabiki was heading.
 
"Ah, Nabiki Tendo! Trying to remedy the mistakes?"
 
"Leave me alone Kodachi! I've got more important things to do!" Nabiki 
said, passing the Kuno.
 
"Surely he is worth your struggles." Kodachi said. "And a great kisser,
indeed!"
 
This made Nabiki stop, she turned and with ice in her eyes she said, 
"Go away, Kodachi!"
 
"Well, well. What are you going to do, Tendo-san?"
 
"Go away!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.
 
This scared the other girl, and she ran away really fast. It wasn't 
what Nabiki has said that made Kodachi ran, it was the tone of her 
voice...the one a desperate woman would use. And a desperate woman 
could loose control at any moment, becoming really dangerous.
 
Nabiki walked on the sand towards Michael, he had his back facing her
and so he couldn't see her, but she was sure he knew she was there.
 
"What do you want from me?" he asked bittelry. "Your Kuno-chan is not
here."
 
She felt a pang of guilt at those words, but swallowed the lump in her
throat and told him, "Kuno means nothing to me, he had meant something 
in the past, but that's the past! You're my present, Michael, and 
hopefully my future. I don't want to loose you!"
 
"How can I be sure that you're telling the thruth? That you are over
him? That I'm not a rebound since you can't have him?" he asked, 
turning around, and revealing the tears in his eyes.
 
"You have to trust me. I want to be with you, not him."
 
"I don't know if I can trust you. I felt so betrayed when I heard you
say those words to him...maybe I don't even have the right to tell you 
these things...I'm nothing to you..."
 
"Don't say that!" she said taking his hands. "You are very important to
me! Before I was only a money grabbing bitch without emotions, 
without feelings...you've showed me there were other things..."
 
"I can show you much more Nabiki, but I've to be sure you're entirely
in this relationship of ours before...before..."
 
"Before what?"
 
"Before I fall in love with you."
 
"Do you think I'm worth the trouble?"
 
"I'm sure you're worth the trouble, but only if you can give me all
your attention."
 
"My full attention is yours."
 
"Good." he said hugging her tightly. "Don't you ever, ever do
this to me again!"
 
"I won't, I promise!" she said wipping away a tear. "Michael?"
 
"Hmm?"
 
"One more thing...I want this...relationship to be a serious one...and
so I have to ask...would you want to be my boyfriend?"
 
He took a step back to look at her. "Boyfriend?"
 
She nodded.
 
"Yes." he said before kissing her.
 
/////\\\\\
 
Soun was alone on the beach thinking about the last time he was in
Saipan with his family, one of the last moments of his beloved Kimiko.
 
<My dear, our daughters are turning into beautiful women. They are so
much like you...and I miss you so much!>
 
"I'll always love you." he whispered to the wind.
 
"Daddy!" a voice called, it was Kasumi and...wait a moment! What was
Tofu doing there? And why weren't his glasses fogged up? Kasumi was 
right beside him...holding his hands?
 
"Kasumi! Good morning Dr Tofu, nice to see you here." he said.
 
"Daddy, we've something to tell you...The truth. Ono has 
something to tell you, right?"
 
"Uhm...yes. I'm here because...I want your blessing. I want to
marry your daughter Kasumi, whom I love with all my heart." he said
with a low bow.
 
Soun looked at the young man in front of him, then at his daughter, and
the look she was giving at her love.
 
"You have my blessing, son." he replied at last bowing in return.
 
After an awkard moment of silence the two man shook hands under
Kasumi's loving smile.
 
"So...uhm...when do you two plan to get married?"
 
"We were thinking three months from now." Ono said.
 
"That soon?"
 
"It's not so soon. In three months, we can do lots of things...there is
only one problem..." Kasumi answered.
 
"What is it?"
 
Kasumi looked at Ono, then at her father. "If I leave the house, there 
would be no one to take care of it...Nabiki wouldn't even try and 
Akane...we know too well what she could do, when left alone in a 
kitchen." Everybody shivered at the thought. "So..we were thinking...if
you agree...Ono could move in our house..."
 
Soun thought about the eventuality a little. "There is no reason to say
no. Welcome aboard, son."
 
/////\\\\\
 
*EPILOGUE*
 
[Same beach, ten years later]
 
"The last to get in the water is a klutz!" a childish voice yelled.
 
"Sakura! Toshi! Don't swim too far!" another, more mature, voice said.
 
"Come on, Akane! Don't be so apprehensive! They're smart kids."
 
"Unlike their father." Akane replied, kissing her husband's lips.
 
He answered by hugging her by the waist. "Do you remember? This place 
changed our lives."
 
"Sure I remember. How could I forget? I love you, Ranma."
 
"And I love you, Akane." he said kissing her again.
 
"Are you two still at it?" came Nabiki's voice.
 
"Michael, take your wife away, please! I've got to tolerate her 'cause 
we live in the same house. I don't want to handle her smart ramarks on 
vacation!" Ranma said, pretending to be annoyed.
 
"Show some respect for a pregnant woman, Ranma. Please!" Michael
replied with a chuckle.
 
"Where are the other inhabitants of the Tendo household?" Akane asked.
 
"They are trying to get Kaori, Kyoko and Yoshi to sleep...they
won't be here for hours!" Nabiki replied.
 
"Triplets! I remember Ono's face when the doctor told him was going to 
have three children...priceless!" said Michael, hugging his wife from 
behind.
 
In the heavens a couple watched with smiles on their faces.
 
"This is a magical place for our family."
 
"Yes, it is."
 
"I love you, Kimiko."
 
"I love you, Soun."
 
 
*END OF SAIPAN*