Ever After: A Ranma and Akane Story By Mana and Melissa "speech" *thoughts* @->-- A carriage drove through the country side, pulled by two magnificent white horses. It was obvious that who or whatever riding inside was important. Passing an old man sitting on a rock surrounded by children, the rider called the carriage to stop. The old man and the children turned and looked curiously at the carriage. They all stood when the footman opened the door, holding their breaths. They blinked, then bowed respectivly when a short girl with long blue-black hair, arranged in a braid and blue eyes jumped out. She smiled warmly at the group. "Hi! Whatcha all doing?" One of the older kids answered. "We're listening to a story, Princess Ranko." "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I love stories. Which one are you listening to?" "The one about the cinder girl and the glass slipper, your highness." replied the old man. "Really? I suppose you're telling the version you heard from a book then?" "Yes, milady." "Hmmm..." She thought for a bit and turned to the footman. After whispering something to him, he hurried to the carriage. She waited patiently until he came back carrying a gold box. Taking it from him, she turned back to the group. "Perhaps..." she began, "...you would like to hear the true story?" Sitting down on the rock the old man had occupied before, she smiled and motioned for everyone to gather around. A collective gasp sounded when she opened the box. "This," she said, looking at the beautiful slippers inside. "This is the pair of glass slippers my great grandmother wore. She was the true 'cinder girl.' Her name was Akane. Let me tell you her story..." @->-- Inside a vastly decorated room, three young girls stood around talking, their voices light, and cheerful. All were close in age: the oldest, eleven, the other, nine, and the youngest, eight. The eight year old girl fidgeted while the other two tried to dress her. "Stand still, Akane!" pleaded the nine year old, trying to tie the bow at the back of the dress. "Oh, but I'm so excited!" exclaimed the girl. She was beautiful, with short dark blue hair and large expressive brown eyes. "Can you imagine, Nabiki? Daddy's coming home with a new mother and some sisters for me!" The brown haired girl turned to the oldest. "Kasumi, please get her to calm down!" The other girl smiled softly. "Akane, please. Your father wanted you dressed by the time he came home." She finished tying the bow. "Oh, Kasumi, do you think they'll like me?" Akane asked the girl. Since she could remember, Kasumi and Nabiki had always been with her. Being the daughters of older servents, they had been given the task of taking care of Akane a couple of years ago. They were like sisters now. "I'm sure they'll love you fine as long as you act like that good little girl I know is in there somewhere." The three turned to the window when a few small rocks bounced off it. Akane ran to the window and opened it. "I told you, not today, Shinnosuke!" She yelled in an annoyed voice. The dark haired boy looked up in astonishment. "Look at you!" he exclaimed. "You look like a girl!" "That's because I am a girl, you idiot!" she screamed back. "Yeah, but today you look it!" He replied, grinning widely. "Oooooh!!!" she growled. "Girl or not, I can still whup you!" she yelled angrily and ran out of the room, Nabiki and Kasumi chasing after her. @->-- Faces peered out of windows when the sounds of approaching horses were heard. The noise was soon followed by excited chattering and exclaimations that the master was home. People rushed from whatever they were doing to line up in front of the house. A tall man with long black hair and a moustache came riding on a black horse. A servant came and took the horse when he dismounted. "Ahhh, it's good to be home." he sighed. A carriage pulled up behind him. Everyone watched anxiously as the door was opened. A head popped out and a girl with maroon eyes and a thick mane of purple hair stepped out. She stepped to the side as another head became visual. This one had large green eyes and long brown hair with a large white bow in it. She stepped to the other side. Everyone stood up staighter as a hand came out, waiting to be helped out of the carriage. A beautiful woman emerged next. Her long black hair reached her waist, and not a single wrinkle could be seen on her white skin. She looked around a little before saying "Oh, Soun, how charming." He smiled at her before looking around. "Hmmm...where is Akane?" he asked, looking at Kasumi and Nabiki. They both sighed and looked at the ground. "Papa!" a voice yelled happily. Soun's face broke out into a large grin. "Akane!" he cried, scooping up the girl into his arms. He looked at her, taking in the mud caked dress and dirty face. "And here I was hoping to come home to a young lady! Well...I guess you'll have to do," he said, still grinning. "I suppose Shinnosuke is around here somewhere?" Akane nodded proudly. "I slaughtered him!" she declared, pointing to a boy soaking from head to toe in mud. Soun laughed, putting the girl down. "So I see!" He turned towards the three newest women in his life, missing the look of disdain on his wife's face. "Akane, I'd like you to meet the Baroness, Cologne, and her two daughters, Shampoo and Ukyo." "How do you do?" they asked, bowing. Akane smiled at them. "And this," Soun said, ruffling Akane's hair, "is Akane." "She's... Lovely..." Cologne said, trying to hide her disgust. @->-- "So," Soun said, getting ready to tuck his daughter into bed. "What do you think?" "They're amazing!" Akane bubbled. "Did you see how they ate? It was perfect!" She crawled up the bed and climbed into the sheets. Soun smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rectangular object in a small bag. Holding it to his daughter, he told her, "Here, I got you something." Sitting up, Akane took it. "What is it?" she asked curiously. "Oh! Wrist braces!" She looked at them, trying them on. "They’re too big!" "So you’ll fit them when you get older," her father explained. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Now go to sleep. I must leave in the morning." "Again?" the young girl asked, proping herself up on her elbow. "But you just got back!" He sighed. "It's only for three weeks." "One," Akane said. "Two," Soun compromised. The girl shook her head. "One." "T-" the father sighed, seeing his daughter's stubborn face. He held out his fist, the girl mirroring him. "One, two, three," they counted together. The girl laughed happily, pretending to cut the 'paper' with her 'scissors.' Soun laughed. "Okay, you win. One it is." He kissed his daughter once more. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart." @->-- The next morning, Soun walked outside, moving his hand a bit. He looked up and laughed. "I've never seen so many sad faces! Don't worry, I'll be back in a week's time." "Then go, if you must. The sooner you leave, the sooner you return to me." said Cologne sadly, recieving a kiss on the cheek. Soun walked to his daughter. She was looking at the ground, her sadness showing. "Hey," he said, kneeling down to her level. She looked at him. "I'm putting you in charge of showing the Baroness and her daughters the ropes around here. She's not used to getting her hands dirty." At this, Cologne looked at her flawless, delicate hands. Akane nodded, looking back down. Her father took her chin and turned her face towards his, so that she was looking into his eyes. "Off with the sad face! I'll be back in no time, you'll see. In the meantime, you could practice what I've taught you, hmm?" The girl's face brightened visibly. Aside from Count, Soun Tendo was a Grand Master of the Anything Goes School Of Martial Arts, and he'd taught Akane, his only heir, everything he could since she could walk. She was very good for an eight year old, if a little slow and hot-tempered. Her strength and grace, however, over powered those. Soun was very proud of his little girl, and held high hopes for her. "Ok, daddy, but promise me you'll practice with me when you get back!" The older man laughed heartedly, taking her up into his embrace and kissing her cheek. "Take care, sweetheart." Akane nodded as she watched her father mount his black horse. With a click of the tongue, the horse started trotting towards the gate. When he was a ways away, Cologne turned to her daughters and clapped her hands. "Come on, ladies, back to your lessons." She started into the house, but an exclaimation from Akane stopped her. "Wait! He always waves at the gate. It's tradition." Cologne looked at the girl and "hmphed," going to the house. Akane looked upset for a moment, then ran a little ways towards the gate to see her father wave. Meanwhile, Soun looked at his hand, wondering why it was numb. He clenched and unclenched his fist a bit, feeling the numbness spreading. Then he flet a sharp pain in his chest, and he fell off the horse, gasping. Akane, seeing her father fall, screamed. "Daddy!" She started running towards her fallen father. Cologne, hearing the scream, came running out of the house to see what was the matter. Seeing her downed husband, she too started running. Reaching her father, Akane slid to a stop next to him. "Papa!" she cried, shaking him a little. "Get up, papa!" She didn't notice Cologne or the others reaching them. "Papa!" "Oh, Soun!" gasped Cologne, as his eyes focused on her. With great difficulty, he turned his head and focused on his crying daughter. Cologne watched in disbelief. His hand shaking, he cupped her small cheek. "I..." he rasped, "I love you." With that, his hand dropped limply to his chest, closing his eyes. "No... No!" cried Cologne. "Soun, you cannot leave me! You cannot leave me here alone, Soun! Soun!" She shook him some more. She didn't resist as a few hands pulled her into an embrace. Akane, however, wouldn't allow any one to pull her away. "Papa," she cried. "Please, please daddy. Don't die!" She buried her face in his chest, sobbing. She pushed away hands that tried to remove her. "Leave me!" she sobbed. "Leave me alone! Oh, daddy!" @->-- Ranko's voice was heard once more as the screen faded. "It would be ten years before another man would enter Akane's life. A man who was still a boy, in many, many ways..." @->-- "Who does that boy think he is?!" The fat man growled as he strolled down the hall, followed by a small group of people. His glasses slid slowly down his nose and he pushed them back again absently-minded, a scowl on his face. A beautiful woman in her middle thirties, with dark red hair and blue-gray eyes walked beside him, a worried look on her face. "Genma, aren't you rushing things a little? Our son doesn't even know the girl!" Genma Saotome turned red with ire, but did not stop his march. "It is his duty, as the prince of this country, to marry Princess Kodachi and carry on the reign and the school!" Queen Nodoka frowned. "I thought it was because you stupidly promised our son to that crazy King for breaking all those priceless hair shears when we visited ten years ago." King Genma flushed, unaware that in his son’s room, said son had just jumped out of the window. The boy landed gracefully, looking up at the thirty foot drop before darting quickly away. The king and queen reached the room a few seconds later. Genma threw open the door, bellowing, "Ranma! Get up Ranma, we have a lot to talk about..." He stopped his yelling after he noticed that there was no one to yell at. "Oh no. Not again..." Nodoka sighed as she looked at the window her son had just flew out of. @->-- The early dawn light was barely shining when the crow of a rooster was heard. Slowly, the figure of a girl stirred, covered with soot from sleeping in front of the hearth all night. The wrist braces she wore, which fit her perfectly now, shone brightly with the rising sun. She groaned slightly and slowly sat up, blinking her eyes against the growing brightness of morning. Yawning, Akane ran a hand through her long blue-black hair before opening her eyes completely. She glanced around and smiled slightly when she noticed she had fallen asleep after practicing again. Things like this had happened very frequently since her father's death. Since her step mother wanted nothing to do with martial arts, she used to practice during nights, in front of the fire place, so that she wouldn’t get so cold. But sometimes, when she would push herself too hard, she’d just collapse right there. She stretched and got up to go start her morning chores. Kasumi and Nabiki would start breakfast soon, and would need fresh vegetables from the garden. The girl sighed as she thought about Kasumi. Both her and Nabiki were like sisters to her, and they had known each other their entire lives. Two years before, Kasumi had fallen in love and married a poor but good doctor named Tofu, friend of Akane’s, and also a remarkable martial artist. He knew many techniques and pressure points, and assisted her with her training. Used to. Two days ago, the baroness had wanted to sell a five months pregnant Kasumi for money, and her husband had exchanged himself for her. They’d be shipping him to the Americas today. Making her way outside, Akane took a moment to admire the crisp morning air. *If I could, I’d go and buy him right back. But we don’t have the money.* She sighed again. *I should practice after breakfast.* Reaching the tomato patch, she knelt down and started rooting around for the ripest, reddest tomatoes she could find. She looked up to the sound of a horse's hoofs, coming from the Tendo's stable. Her surprised face turned into an angry scowl as she noticed a man fleeing from the place, mounted on her FATHER's horse. "Oh, no you don't!" Droping the tomatoes on her lap, Akane jumped to her feet and ran after the thief, screaming all kind of curses at him. The young woman treasured every little thing that reminded her of her father with her whole heart, and she could not tolerate this. Akane ran as fast as she could, but she knew she wouldn’t reach him, so fast he was going. *What to do? What to do? I KNOW!* She quickly reached into her sub-space pocket and pulled out a wooden mallet. After her father’s death, she found out she could materialize her anger and frustration like this, and she’d managed to master it after a while. Bringing her hand back, she gave a mighty heave at the figure on the horse. The hammer hit him soundly on his head with a resounding ‘thwock’ as he toppled off of the horse. "Why'd you do that for?!?" The man screamed, sitting up. "You tried to steal my father's horse, that's why!" She yelled, throwing a series of punches at him, who had by then stood up. "I was just borrowing it, you violent maniac!" He shot back, raising an arm to block her fist, with amazing ease. Akane saw red. Not only did this jerk insult her, he also batted her most powerful punches away as if they were nothing! "You...you JERK!!!" A sudden kick to his mid-section sent him flying, and the man landed hard on his back, a few feet away. Akane stopped, panting heavily, and wiped the sweat off her brow. *That'll show him.* The thief groaned and sat up slowly, throwing his cape back at the same time. Akane's eyes widened and she shrieked, dropping immediately to her knees and bowing. It was the prince! She had attacked Prince Ranma! "I'm sorry, your highness, I did not see you!" Ranma shook his head dazedly, from side to side. *Boy, she's strong...* His eyes focused on the girl, and he brought a hand to touch the lump on his head. He winced. "Well, your aim would suggest otherwise..." Akane blushed. "I’m sorry, and for that, I know that I must die." Ranma started. "Uh..." He looked down on the flustered girl. She feared him. She was really afraid that he would sentence her to death for protecting what was hers. He looked around in thought. Finally deciding on an action, he pulled out a bag of gold. "Um...don’t tell anyone and...we’ll forget it ever happened." He dropped the bag in front of her, climbing back on the horse. "For your silence..." "We have other horses. Younger ones, if it would please your highness." "No...no...this one is fine." The sound of horses approaching caught his attention. He looked nervously in that direction before turning his attention back to the girl. Beautiful brown eyes greeted him, and a flush came across his face as he realized that the girl before him was kinda...cute. He caught the look of curiousity before the eyes were once again directed to the ground. "Uh...I-I really must be going. Remember. Don’t tell anyone of our little fight." With that, he sent the horse running away from the approaching noise. Akane let out a sigh of relief as she stared at the disappearing form. Then she turned her attention on the bag in front of her. A beautiful smile crossed her face. She knew exactly what to do with the gold. @->-- Akane rushed into the kitchen, dropped the tomatoes on the counter, giving a grumbling Nabiki a sunshine smile. "Good morning, onee-chan!" The other girl looked up at her from the (masa), and sighed. "What’s so good about it, Akane?" She was about to answer, when a tired-looking Kasumi stepped into the kitchen, a tray in her hands. "Oh, Akane-Chan! Where have you been? The Baronness has been asking for you!" She said, placing the tray on the counter before sitting down on a chair, holding her stomach. Nabiki nodded towards the tray. "What's with that, Kasumi?" The older girl glanced at it and sighed. "It's Shampoo; she says she wants one four-minute egg, not four one-minute eggs..." Her sister gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, her face turning red. "That... That..." "AKANE!!!" Came the Baroness' voice from the dining room. Akane winced, Nabiki cursed, and Kasumi sighed, looking down sadly. "Coming!" She called, and turned back to her friends. "I wish Tofu were here..." Kasumi whispered, so softly it nearly broke Akane's heart. It just wasn't fair! She brightened suddenly, though, when she remembered why she had been so happy in the first place. Kneeling before her, she clasped the older girl's hands in her own and smiled sweetly up at her. "Oh, Kasumi! You won't believe this!" @->-- "Come ON, get up!" Ranma hissed angrily, pulling hard on the horse's riens. Still, the huge animal would not bulge from his sitting position and only neighed in response. "Damn you, you stupid beast!!!" He growled. "Trust you to decide to be faithful to your mistress at a time like this!" As soon as they were out of that person’s- whoever it was-property, the horse had refused to go any further, and had stubbornly sat down. Ranma knew he would not get up. He figured he'd have to walk. Or run, for that matter. He knew his father’s guards were not too far away, and he needed to buy time. No way would he marry a strange girl. Looking around him, he noticed the woods started a few feet away and he grinned, letting go of the reins. He turned towards the stubborn animal one last time, glared at it, and finally dashed towards his escape. Or what he thought would have been, hadn't Fate decided to play a dirty trick on him. He crashed into someone the second he jumped over a bush, the collision sending them both sprawling to the ground. He groaned. *This is NOT my day...* He thought, rubbing his head. "Watch where you're going, you idiot!" A beautiful, but quite angry voice shouted, from next to him. "Look who's talking! Get out of my w-Ranko?!" He exclaimed, stunned, as he turned to look at the owner of the voice. The red head stopped her tirade, blue eyes studying him intently for a second. Then they widened. "Ranma?" She asked, surprised. Then her statement turned into one of joy, and she threw her arms around the young man, both laughing like little children. "Ranchan!" "Ko-chan!" "What’s going on?" Ranma asked, looking around. There were bodies of unconscious men everywhere. Ranko giggled. "Oh, just a couple of gypsies thinking they can take advantage of," here, she put the back of her hand up to her forhead and said dramatically, "little defenseless girls like me." A very un-princelike snort came from Ranma. "Yeah, you’re defenseless and I’m the Prince of France." {Mana: *giggle* Pun intended!} Before either could say anything else, a troop of horsed could be heard approaching them quickly. "Ranma," the leader of the group growled, "You promised." "Damn you, Ryouga... When I really need you to get lost, your sense of direction never fails you..." Captain Hibiki shrugged. Ranma turned to his cousin and whined, "Martial Arts are my life, Ko-chan... But I don’t want marry a stranger for the sake of it..." The girl looked at Ranma for a bit, but when he only kept mumbling to himself, she turned to Ryouga for answers. "What is he talking about?" Ryouga chuckled at his friend’s misfourtune. "Ranma suffers from an arranged marriage." Ranma growled at his supposed best friend before facing Ranko. "Ko-chan, please. Maybe you can talk some sense into pops. You’re a modern girl, and he’s stuck in the past. Besides, he’s always liked you." Ranko laughed. "Ranchan, *everyone* like me!" @->-- "Have you lost your mind?" an eighteen year old Shinnosuke asked, turning back from the room's window. "Do you know what the punishment for doing something like this is?" Akane giggled, and pinched her old friend's nose playfully. "Oh, you'd do the same thing for me, admit it!" The young man sighed, and ruffled her hair, smiling. "You know I would, Akane-Chan..." Akane smiled sweetly at him, before running behind a screen. "Well, hand me that gown, I need to get ready." Shinnosuke carefully took the beautiful gown off the mannequin and tossed it over the top of the changing screen where Akane was waiting. "It’ll never work," he stated. "You aren’t prim and proper enough." Akane shook her head and smiled. "You can’t buy a servant for twenty gold pieces either." "Kasumi must be very grateful for this..." Akane’s smile faded as she zipped the dress up. "This is our home, and I won’t see it fall apart..." Shinnosuke nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. "Right." "Can you still see them, Shin-chan?" "Yeah. They’re still buying that broach." Akane growled. "Amazing. We barely have enough money to pay for everything and they’re out there buying jewelry for that...that..." She couldn’t even think of a proper word that would decribe her step-sister. "I’m coming out. Don’t you dare laugh." Taking a deep breath to not only calm her nerves, but to steel them, she stepped out from behind the screen. The boy’s eyes bugged out when he saw his best friend. She looked stunning in the low cut red velvet gown. The bodiced hugged her torso, the neckline dipping down to show a tantilizing amount of flesh. The skirt billowed out and was layered with lace and sequins. He was speechless. Akane looked down embaressed. "The shoes are too big..." "No one will be looking at your shoes." He walked over to her and lifted her face to him. "If you’re going to play this part, you need to act it. You look down to no one." "I’m only a servant dressed up as a noblewoman." *But it won’t stop me from trying!* Giving him a brave smile, she tugged at her dress. "All this fabric and I still feel naked!" "Stop that," Shinnousuke scolded as he stepped back and gave her another critical look. "What about your hair?" Akane twirled a lock of her blue-black hair around her finger thoughtfully. Finally, a sad look appeared on her face. "I’m sorry mother," she whispered, before looking at Shinnosuke decisively. "Cut it. Real short." @->-- Akane quickly ran to the castle. She had to hurry or she’d miss them, losing her chance to make her home better. Arriving at the gates, she slowed down, walking calmly as she could past the guards. "Lady coming through!" She blinked. She’d never been called a ‘lady’ before. It took some getting used to. Something caught her attention and she quickly turned towards it. Below her, she saw a cart being loaded with men. "Tofu!" she whispered happily. Her hand gripped the chain next to her tightly as she sent a quick prayer to Kami that she could pull this off. Once again she hurried towards the cart. When she reached the cart, she pulled at the horse’s reins to stop it. The fat driver gave her a glare, causing her anger to begin to rise. *Calm...calm...that’s it...* She quickly buried her anger and stated in her most regal voice, "I wish to addess the matter of this man here." She gestured to Tofu. "He is my servant and I wish to pay the debt against him." "It’s too late," the driver growled. "He’s already been sold." "I can pay you twenty gold pieces!" "Lady," he said, giving her a look that made her want to slap him. "You can have *me* for twenty gold pieces." Akane narrowed her eyes, hands clenching at her side. Whoever knew her would have known she was about to explode. "Release him, or I will personally beat you to a pulp." She hissed. The man threw his head back and laughed. "And what could a GIRL like YOU do?" He stopped and glared down at her. "Get out of my WAY!" Her eyes glinted dangerously as she stepped forward. She was about to launch him into low orbit when a voice interrupted from behind her. "You dare yell at a lady?!" Akane tensed up...she knew that voice. *Don’t let it be him, don’t let it be him, don’t let it be—oh, DAMN!* She shouted innerly as she turned around to face the prince. She glanced up before quickly bringing her gaze back down. Gritting her teeth, she gave a clumsy curtsey. Ranma stared at the girl in front of him in awe. She was *gorgeous*. Those big brown eyes, pouty lips. Her hair was cut short, which was very unusual, but it looked so good on her. He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs as he became aware of the driver stuttering at him. "I-I’m sorry, your highness. I was only bringing these criminals to the docks." Akane glared at the dirty fat man. "A servant isn’t a criminal!" she exclaimed. "And those who are don’t have a choice." An eyebrow rose on Ranma’s face. Such fire in this one. "Oh yeah? And how do you figure that?" Akane took a deep breath to calm herself. "If you suffer your people to be ill-mannered and uneducated, then you yourself are responisble for creating theives. Then you punish them. Is that really fair?" Some on-lookers heard this and nodded their heads in approval as Ranma rolled this very accurate statement around in his head. Akane watched nervously, hoping that she had not offended the prince. Right now, as much as she hated it, he was her only hope in getting Tofu back. "Release him." "B-but your highness..." "I *said* release him!" The driver nodded and gestured towards a guard. Akane broke out into a bright smile and Ranma was once again frozen. She shoved the bag of gold roughly at the driver, giving him a quick glare before hurrying towards Tofu. "Oh, Akane. Thank you so much!" he whispered. Akane smiled at him and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "Meet me at the bridge," she whispered back. Casting a quick glance at Ranma, she said in a louder voice. "Get the horses. We shall leave at once." Turning around, she began making her way back from where she came. Ranma was surprised when she paused in front of him, locking his gaze in her own. "Thank you, your highness," she said softly as she curtsied again. She gave him a soft smile, making a blush cross his face. He quickly jumped off his horse and rushed to catch up with her. "Hey, wait!" @->-- Ranko had remained silent as she watched the event in front of her. This girl...heh...she like this girl. It wasn’t everyday that she met someone that was as outgoing as herself. She wasn’t like any other noble she’d ever met. There was a fire in her eyes and the way she handled herself was more boyish than ladylike. Hrm...and she moved like a martial artist too. Ranko turned her eyes towards her cousin, about to make a comment about what she oberserved. *Interesting...* she thought to herself. Ranma was frozen and openly gawking at the girl. It wasn’t hard to tell that Ranma was smitten by her. The red-head smiled secretivly as she saw the other girl’s shoes. They were too big. *Very interesting...* @->-- "Hey!" Ranma called, trying to catch the attention of the short haired girl. She turned to him, but didn’t stop. "Yes?" "Um...what’s your name?" He flushed. *Smooth...real smooth.* He thought to himself sarcastically. "Uh..." Akane frantically searched her mind for a plausible name. "Tendo...Countess Tendo Kimiko." She looked at Ranma nervously. "Wh-why do you want to know?" *Uh-oh!* She hadn’t thought about what would happen if someone actually wanted to talk to her. "Well, it’s not everyday that someone shows so much interest in a servant." Akane stiffened. "I happen to care very much for my servants." Ranma snorted again. "What for? All they do is wait around on you." "I take it you don’t talk to many commoners, do you?" "Of course not!" The boy replied, not knowing that he was digging himself into a deeper hole with this girl. Something in Akane snapped. *Why that...that...BOY!* "What’s wrong with commoners?" she growled. "They’re commoners! There’s nothing important about them, and they’re so rude sometimes!" Ranma continued, oblivious to Akane’s anger. "I met with the rudest one today. She was yelling at me and she actually tried to hit me! That uncute, violent, macho tomboy!" "You...you...you pompus, arrogant JERK!" Akane yelled out, barely restraining herself from hitting the prince again. She promptly slapped her hand over her mouth as Ranma stared at her, wide-eyed. Before either teen could react to Akane’s outburst, a voice called out to Ranma. "Ranma! There you are dear!" When Ranma turned to greet his mother, Akane took advantage of the distraction and rushed away. By the time Ranma turned around, Akane was long gone, leaving only a faint reminder of her scent on the wind as proof that she was really there. @->--