DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the owner, creator, and goddess of the Ranma ½ world. “Diamonds are forever” is a James Bond theme song and the lyrics are used here without permission.

Notes: Hello! Wow...thanks for all the awesome and thoughtful reviews. I read ‘em all twice at least! ^_^ Okay..........so here’s Ranma in first-person, something I NEVER thought I’d do, but I couldn’t figure out any other way to get some questions answered, yours and mine both!



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Diamonds are forever,

Hold one up and then caress it,

Touch it, stroke it and undress it,

I can see ev'ry part,

Nothing hides in the heart to hurt me.

I don't need love,

For what good will love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me,

For when love's gone,

They'll lustre on.



Akane Tendo. The girl I’d sworn never to see again. When I first saw her standing outside the Capital, I hadn’t recognized her. I wasn’t in the best of shape to recognize much of anything at the time.

I’d been waiting for my contact from Mr. Yamayato to arrive when the two goons had popped up outta nowhere. One of ‘em had pulled a gun on me, which ordinarily wouldn’t have made a whole lot of difference in my life, such as it was. The past few years had helped some with that.

I figured I could take them out easy.

I stood up, feeling my heartbeat speed up at the thought of a fight. I threw a couple of punches, a kick and oddly enough, I missed them.

What..? went through my mind before one of ‘em kicked me in the stomach. I hadn’t even had time to react. Why the hell was I moving so slowly? I felt fine, but at the speed at which I was moving, I might just as well have been made out of lead.

The other guy caught me in a grapple hold.

That’s when I finally had a stroke of luck. A group of girls had been dancing near us, and one of them, really drunk, slipped and fell against us, sending all three of us crashing into a table. People realized what was happening. I heard someone screaming and wondered where the bouncers were.

I might have been slow but I was still faster than some drunk chick in high heels. I flipped her and she sprawled onto my assailant, tangling him in her legs. I think if he hadn’t been so set on catching me, he might’ve stayed put. Her friends had stopped dancing and were busy trying to pull them apart and of course were more hindrance than help. The first guy was trying to shove his way through them.

Escape and regroup- that sounded like the best option. I headed for the exit, knowing they wouldn’t be far behind me. I tried to run, but I could tell that wasn’t happening. Amazingly enough, I got out past the bouncers, noted the pretty long-legged Chinese hooker in the micro-mini and tried to get out of her way.

And that was how I’d ended up here in Akane’s apartment. When I’d first realized it was her standing on the sidewalk, the most incredible wave of fury and shock and...lust had slammed through me. Talk about your inconvenient emotions at the worst time possible. Then the bullet did the same. Letting her drag me away had seemed like the most expedient thing to do.

Even though my body felt like it was moving in molasses, my mind watched Akane use a gun with cool skill and I marveled at it.

So I wasn’t the only one who’d changed over the years.

Who are you kidding? asked a sarcastic voice in my head. It’s not like eight years went by just for you, dummy. People change.

For some reason, Akane decided we needed three taxis to get home. I really didn’t think my attackers were that smart. Bt it gave me time to fight the drug *it had to be a drug* in me. I used the same method I used when I was out drinking and didn’t want to fall on my face. It was all about regaining control.

Once I’d gone through 17 tequila shots, sitting around drinking with a bunch of guys. My tolerance for alcohol isn’t anything spectacular, but I was the last one to pass out and the first one to wake up the next morning. None of them ever drank with me again.

So I sat in the taxis, working on control, forcing my mind to pick up the reins to my body again.

Control, I chanted to myself. I’m fine. It’s just about...control.

By the time we reached the apartment I was feeling, if not better, then definitely more clear-headed. I had a lot of questions, mainly concerning the goons. And now I had to deal with Akane.

Looking around her apartment, catching glimpses of her in my peripheral vision, I couldn’t believe how much she and her life had changed. At least on the outside. Was she really that different?

Part of me ached to show her how changed I was, too. I wanted to show her how self-confident, how grown-up I’d become. I opened my mouth to dazzle her with my sophistication and said, ““Mmm...you’re in what business...exactly?”

Ack. Where in the world had that come from? I’d sounded like such a jerk. Some evil impulse seemed to have taken over my mind, some part of me that was still so furious at Akane that it wanted to lash out at her until she bled. Letting her KNOW I was angry would be humiliating, would show that she still affected me, and that I simply couldn’t stand.

It just went downhill from there.

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The Butterfly was one of the more exotic Chinese clubs in town. The hostess who showed us to our table was gorgeous, dressed in a long, slinky Chinese costume of red silk. I smiled at her admiringly. I’d learned to appreciate pretty women where I found them. I caught Akane frowning at me.

Seichi Yamayato was already seated at our table. He smiled and rose, waiting for me to seat Akane. She looked surprised when I pulled her chair back for her. I winked at her.

“Akane, I’m pleased to see you.” Yamayato bowed over her wrist. “May I say Thailand agreed with you?”

Akane inclined her head in the gesture of respect. “Sir, since all went well, it certainly agreed with me.”

He smiled and turned to me. “Welcome to New York, Mr. Saotome. May I call you Ranma? I’ve heard so much about you that it’s a much anticipated honor.”

And whatever you heard is still nowhere close to the real truth, I mused.

I bowed slightly. “You honor me, Mr. Yamayato.” I sat down to complete our triangle.

“Ranma, you were given this assignment with little idea of what to expect. What I expect is this. Akane has been given a package to deliver. You must guard her and the package. The package first, Akane second. Akane is adept enough at defending herself. But preferably both.”

“Now both of you have tickets booked to Shanghai. Sir Blaine was checked in at the Silver Lily Hotel, and so are the both of you. From there, you’re on your own. But first, I’d suggest you drop by the office and pick up Ranma’s traveling bag, Akane.”

“Yes, sir.”

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We retrieved my bag from the office. Out on the street, Akane looked at me expectantly. I smiled sunnily back at her.

“Well, the flight’s at eight in the morning,” she said, trying for a casual tone of voice. “Why don’t we meet at the airport at six?” She was dying to get rid of me, I knew. How nice that I had a legitimate reason to refuse.

I shook my head. “That’s not how it works, Akane. I’ve taken on a job, and you’re it. Until that package is delivered, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“You’re joking.” She frowned. “I’m sure I’ll be perfectly alright for a few hours. I don’t even believe I need you in the first place.”

Yeah, so I found out a long time ago. The ever-present rage surged up in me briefly, but I tamped it down and just shrugged breezily. “Doesn’t matter. I’m getting paid for this.”

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Back at the apartment, Akane glanced around.

“Let me show you to the spare bedroom,” she started, but I shook my head, deciding to carry it all the way.

“Akane, I meant what I said. I’m sleeping in your room.”

If only Nabiki could see us now, I mused.

Akane looked irritated, but she seemed to be fighting an urge to argue. Surprisingly, she won.

Wow, she really HAS changed, I thought to myself.

“I don’t know what there could be for dinner,” she said. “I just got back in, and I’ve been gone a couple of days.” She uncovered some frozen lasagna and heated it up in the microwave.

I had to hide a grin. Living without Kasumi, she had obviously realized the advantages of pre-cooked food over her own cooking.

We avoided conversation at the dining table. I stared down at the rubbery lasagna, feeling the silence stretch and stretch.

Is this it? I wondered. Is this the big reunion after so long?

“Where’s your Dad?” Akane finally asked.

I didn’t look up. “I haven’t seen him since I left.”

“Oh.” She said quietly. Looked like neither of us wanted to think of that day.



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I woke up before the alarm rang and sat up silently. Akane was still asleep on the bed. I pulled off the covers and padded down the hallway to the bathroom, trying to remember all my questions from the day before.

Brushing my teeth, I stared into the mirror and wondered again who the goons had been. Why had they picked that spot, a crowded place, to attack me? And how on earth had they drugged m...I straightened. Of course. I’d been careful about making sure no one touched my drink after I’d got it, but obviously it must have been drugged before it came to me. Curiouser and curiouser. I washed up and opened the door to the hallway and collided with Akane, my arms going automatically around her to steady her.

I watched her as memory flashed through her eyes, washing sleep away like clear waves on sand. She looked adorable in her oversized t-shirt and messed up hair. She felt warm and soft and unendingly cuddly in my arms. Why had I left her? With her scent clouding my senses, I almost couldn’t remember. But almost was not enough.

We drew apart at the same time. I kept backing away. “Sorry...” I almost expected her magic mallet to appear out of midair and try to dent my skull, Akane just shook her head. “Sorry, I...forgot...”

She was apologizing to me? I spread my hands. “It’s ok, Akane. I’m done. You can go in.”

I watched her enter the bathroom and close the door. How had she changed so much? And did I care?

Gah! I heaved an annoyed sigh and ran a hand through my hair. That way lay madness.

The airport was bustling even so early in the morning. We walked through the terminal, Akane having dropped off a suitcase when we checked in. I was familiar enough with the place since I’d just landed in New York two days ago.

Once the flight had taken off, I leaned back. It was a long flight to Shanghai and seeing that the flight wasn’t too full, I was gonna do my best to avoid Akane till we got there.

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Notes: I know y’all were expecting a long explainatory chapter on why Ranma and Akane have turned into such different creatures, but it looks like that won’t happen, exactly... It’ll be more of a ‘put-the-pieces- together’ kinda thing, I guess. The other way feels too easy ie here’s Ranma, here’s why he’s weird. ^_^;;

So, please review!

C&C can be sent to roja_cyd@yahoo.ca.