Key: "Dialogue" {My comments} Author's [Genma's wooden signs] *sounds* plop, ahem, boing, etc. One hundred days I still haven't found the words I wanna say, So I thought it through I tried but couldn't get a hold of you. My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down. One hundred nights Sit talkin' to the moonlight Thought it was a phase Thought it'd slowly just slip away But it never fades My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down. I always thought it'd be so easy But now it's here I guess I'll have to get Get over it, get over it My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down My head is spinning 'round I think I'm fallin' to the ground I'm fallin' down Down, down,down Fall down, fall down, fall down, fall -Flick "One hundred days" Let's start -> Ranma waited for Akane to come out of the plane. Yuka had invited her to her house in the Philippines and she had been there for two weeks. Kasumi had suggested that Ranma went to pick her up at the airport; and everybody had suddenly been too busy to go with him. Ranma was thankful to Kasumi, he had really missed Akane, he sure wanted to see her without the rest of the family asking her how her trip had gone and stuff. He wanted to pick her up and then ask her to go for ice cream or something on the way home. The first week after Akane had left he had started to build up the courage to actually ask her out, and since nobody was home they could arrive a little later without nobody noticing. Yes, he was happy to see her again and he was going to ask her out. He smiled broadly at the thought of these. ***** Akina got off the plane. She had had a wonderful trip and her first class food had been great. She came out talking to her new friend Tsen; he was quite good looking and since she was bored she had actually given him a chance to talk to her. She giggled as she walked next to him. "Well, I see my girlfriend and she hasn't seen me yet. If she sees me talking with such a beautiful girl like you she'll kill me. Bye." She giggled at his compliment and said bye too. Whew, she was starting to lose her temper with that jerk. She turned around looking for the exit, suddenly she saw him. He was wearing a red shirt and he was looking right at her too, and his mouth wide open. She walked over to him smiling her flirting smile. She didn't use this smile with many, but this guy was really good looking. She hadn't seen one this good looking in a long time. "Hi." she said smiling up at his beautiful blue eyes. "H.. hi... *ahem* New pants? I like them." She giggled. Wow, not only handsome but straightforward too. "Yes, they're new. Thanks. I like your eyes." He looked really shocked. Then again maybe he wasn't as bold as she had thought. She saw him struggle to find something to say. Smiling she passed her hand through her short black-blue hair. He blushed fiercely. She smiled even more. He was very handsome. She could actually make out his muscles under his red shirt. He looked at her closely, his shyness apparently lost. "Um, are you wearing contacts?" She looked startled but smiled again quickly. "No, this is my natural color." "Weird. I could have sworn you had brown eyes up to two weeks ago." She looked at him skeptically. He had confused her with somebody else. She would have kept up the act if she hadn't sensed the other girl's presence getting off the plane. Tourist seat. She'd have her chance later. "Um. I think you've confused me with somebody else. My name is Akina." He looked really disconcerted. He opened his mouth to say something... "Ranma!" He turned around and saw Akane making her way between all the people. He frowned "But..." He turned around again. The other girl was gone. She had looked just like Akane. Only her eyes had been different. And her way of dressing had been... it was more... insinuative, cheeky. "Ranma?" He turned around quickly. "Hi Akane! Want me to carry your bags?" She looked at him suspiciously. "Who were you talking to? I saw her walk out that door just now." She pointed to a door nearby. "Oh. Just a guy asking where the bathrooms were." "The bathrooms are over there." She pointed to the totally opposite direction where it said BATHROOMS. "Oops. He shouldn't have asked me." He laughed scratching the back of his head nervously. "It was a guy? Looked like a girl to me." She smiled. "Come on. I'm awfully tired." "Wait Akane... um... I was... sort of wondering... if maybe you... you wanted to..." she looked at him expectantly, "go to have an ice-cream or something... on the way home. Of course we don't have to if you don't want to." He added quickly. He winced waiting for the No-I'm-too-tired to come. Akane smiled, "Sure, I have lots of things to tell you. Take these." She said handing him her bags. "I saw some really amazing stuff over there. And I ate some weird stuff too..." They walked off. Ranma carrying all her bags and watchfully hearing to everything she told him. Akina looked at them as they left the airport. Yup, she hadn't seen one that good looking in a long, long time. Maybe two hundred years. She remembered the girl. Unquestionably beautiful. She smiled. They definitely made a great couple. This would be more difficult than she had thought, though not that difficult. She smiled malevolently. ***** That night everybody attacked Akane with questions from her trip. They actually had neglected to go down for dinner in time. After they had eaten they all went to her room. Akane had brought presents for everyone. Nabiki was jumping up and down because Akane had bought her that dress she had seen in a catalog, and she was giving it to her for free! She knew it must have been really expensive, but when she traveled she also brought presents for Akane. Kasumi had been the only one who hadn't asked for a present before Akane had left. Akane had brought her a beautiful dress also and a comb for her hair. "Akane. This is so beautiful! You shouldn't waste your money in stuff like this." Kasumi said looking at the beautiful silver comb. "It's not a waste Onechan. You deserve it. It's been a long time since you last got something new. Besides, the moment I saw it I knew I had to buy it for you. Dr. Tofu will love seeing you wearing it." Kasumi blushed. "Arigato Akane." Dr. Tofu had finally invited Kasumi out the week before. Nabiki had told Akane on the phone. It looked like the timid doctor was finally going to ask Kasumi to marry him. Though it wasn't going to be that soon. "Well. Thanks for the presents Akane. But we should probably let you rest now. Right Saotome-kun?" Soun said looking at Genma who was inspecting his presents on the floor. "Yes. You're right Tendo-kun. Let us all go and let Akane get some rest. She must be tired after such a long trip." They all headed for the door. "Ranma wait. I still have one present left for you. Will you stay so I can give it to you." Akane looked at Kasumi meaningfully and she swiftly, and delicately led all the rest out the door. Ranma stood there for a second and then approached Akane smiling timidly. "Another present? Well. What can that be?" "Sit Ranma." Said Akane pointing to the floor in front of her. Ranma sat and looked up at Akane who was rummaging in her purse as she sat on her bed. Soon she smiled and took out a small sweet. "Here. It's a typical sweet from the Philippines." Ranma took it, and saw the inscription. He didn't understand a thing. "It's really good. I bought lots of those. A whole box..." Ranma looked up at her "What happened to the rest?" Akane blushed a bit. "I ate them." Ranma laughed. "Really? You ate all of the sweets? A whole box?" "Well, they're so good. Yuka told me I wouldn't be able to save them. I tried I swear. I saved some so that everybody would get two. And then so that each one would get one. And finally I just could save one for you..." Ranma looked down at the sweet. She had actually just saved one of those sweets for him? Why not Kasumi? Or her father? He smiled. He suddenly felt very happy. He felt like hugging Akane. "Ranma... you won't tell right? If they know they may get mad at me." "Course I won't tell," he said standing up. "It'll be our secret." He beamed at her, a smile that took her breath away. She smiled back at him and her smile had the same effect on him. After a while Ranma came close to her and kissed her on the forehead. A smidgen of a kiss. Akane almost jumped, but she just stared at his reddening face. "Goodnight Akane." Then he was gone. Akane sat there for some time, astounded. Then she smiled broadly. It had worked. She had to remind herself to thank Yuka for her great idea. She threw her arms up and fell on her bed. She jumped up and rubbed her back. She had fallen on a music box she had bought for herself. She took it and tidied up her room (well, sort of) while listening to the music. She thought about Ranma and how he had kissed her. It was better than she had imagined. She took the music box and made it play the song again. Then she got into her bed. Tomorrow she would finish tidying her room up. She fell asleep quickly, listening to the song. ***** Ranma woke up early the next day. He felt very happy. He felt like going out for a walk or even run all around the city {carrying Betty on his shoulders. Hee hee}. He remembered last night. He hadn't eaten the sweet Akane had given to him. He hid it very well because his father might find it and... No more sweet. He wanted to watch the sunrise. He thought about asking Akane to go with him. Then again, better not. He had been extra affectionate last night. He should leave her in suspense for a while. It was something Hiroshi had told Daisuke when he had asked him advice on girls. He got dressed quickly. And walked out of the room silently. He stopped in front of Akane's room. He looked at the wooden duck with her name on it. He smiled and went down the stairs. He started to walk down the street. It was a beautiful morning. ***** Akina regarded her book. She had never known of this. Could it be that after a century or two a person is born with your same face? No way, that's not the way things work. She looked in the mirror. She brushed her hair. She looked at her green eyes. < I need a new eye color. Anyway he knows I'm another person now. > She imagined him. She remembered his smell. A martial artist. So that girl was his fiancée. She wasn't used to give up on any man she liked, and definitely not Ranma. There was something about him. For a long time she had seeked for perfection, she had to give it up though, it was too difficult, maybe impossible. She knew Ranma was not going to be the exception, but he came close to her idea of excellence. Being a sorceress helped a lot. Yesterday she already knew he would go for a walk all by himself in the morning. She had already remembered the last guy as good looking as Ranma she had last met. Sebastian, 17 years old, 1756 DC. She frowned, when he had found out he had called her a witch. She hated to be called that, sorceress was so much better. It sounded so aristocratic, so refined. He had been really good looking indeed. Maybe as much as Ranma. But his eyes, Ranma's eyes were much better. His eyes revealed his innocence. She smiled, she liked them ingenuous. ***** Akane had waken up really happy. She wanted to walk. While she was at Yuka's house she hadn't gone out in the morning for her walk and she had missed it a lot. She got dressed quickly and went out. It was a beautiful morning. She started jogging and laughed as she remembered last night and how well things had gone. ***** Ranma walked. He had already gone to the park and watched the sunrise. He had regretted not to take Akane with him; it had been a very beautiful sight. He was now walking near Dr. Tofu's clinic. He was starting to get hungry, maybe he should go over to Ucchan's. "Ranma!" He turned around and saw Akane running to him. She was wearing a red tank top and shorts. Really short, tight shorts. He frowned. Akane wouldn't go out jogging in those clothes, she wouldn't go out anywhere in those clothes. Could it be that girl... She stood in front of him and smiled. He looked at her eyes... brown. It couldn't be that girl he had seen at the airport. "Hi," he smiled, a little relieved "how did you find me?" "Sixth sense. Can I walk with you?" "Sure." He still felt uncomfortable, she was acting kind of strange. Giggling. Hey, maybe she was... flirting with him! No way..., but after last night. Anyway he had kissed her... on the forehead alright. But it had been a kiss. He toyed with the idea of Akane flirting with him. He liked it, but then it wasn't like Akane to flirt with anybody. For a while they just walked, they didn't talk. Akina looked at him walking next to her. This wasn't going the way she had planned. She should have studied that girl too, not only Ranma. "Akane?" So her name was Akane. "Yes?" "Are you feeling alright?" "Why wouldn't I feel fine?" She chortled. They walked some more without saying anything. He didn't like this. "Akina?" She noticed immediately. Damn. He was smarter that she had thought "Akina? Who's Akina Ranma?" she said pretending to pout. "No one. I just ... well... " He blushed, he had obviously been wrong. Akane still had a long face. "And why did you ask if I was feeling fine?" "Just that you're acting kind of strange. I thought that maybe you weren't feeling fine " Suddenly she felt her presence, she was really close, maybe spying on them. An idea came quickly. "Strange? Can't I be nice to my fiancé?" She came closer to him. She could feel the other girl's anger. " I've changed a lot after my trip Ranma. I want us two to get closer to each other." Ranma was sweating. Saying he was nervous was putting it mildly. He felt his body tense as his face turned a dark shade of crimson. Akina came closer to him and kissed him. ***** Akane lost track of time thinking. It was time she returned home. But maybe she should go and pay a visit to Dr. Tofu. She could tell him some of the things she had seen on her trip. She was sure he'd be interested. She approached the clinic. As she turned the corner she saw Ranma and another girl. She hid behind the wall. She didn't like this, at all. What was he doing with a girl like that? She was... and her clothes... she just seemed to be in a beach rather than in a street in front of a clinic. She gasped as she saw the other girl come dangerously closer to Ranma... She kissed him! She was about to jump and mallet him. He would regr... Then she saw him smile. She gasped. Could it be? Then Ranma embraced the girl and returned the kiss. She couldn't look anymore, she turned away gasping for air. She felt like someone had just punched her on the chest. With her eyes closed she fumbled looking for support on the wall. "Bastard." She whispered holding in her tears. The sound of her voice more melancholic than enraged. She turned around and started running. ***** Dr. Tofu looked out his window. "Those two finally understood." He whispered smiling. Then he noticed. That girl wasn't Akane. She certainly looked like her, but her aura was different. Not everyone could notice that. This girl's aura even was the same color, but this one was older... a lot older. He frowned. He didn't like this. He quickly walked to the door not knowing exactly what he was going to do. He went outside but they were already gone. He thought and went to investigate this in his books. ***** It was very fast. He didn't know what had happened, Akane had suddenly broken the kiss and had dragged him away very quickly. He saw her in front of him, pulling his arm and running. He wondered. One minute she was kissing him and the other she was running pulling him away from who knows what. "What's wrong? Akane where are you taking me?" Who could have that been? Akina knew somebody that wasn't Akane had been looking at them while they kissed, and that that someone had recognized her. Well, not that, that person knew she wasn't Akane. It was impossible that someone in Japan had recognized her, she hadn't been there in five hundred years. And she looked exactly the same as back then. It was impossible. That person had only known she was not Akane. Probably a very experienced person, who knew Akane. Yes, that was it. *gasp* What if he told her? Everything would be ruined. Damn. < Relax Akina. If this doesn't work you'll think of something else. You'll have it your way, as always. >She suddenly realized she was still running and dragging Ranma behind her. She stopped suddenly and turned to face a quite pretty redheaded girl whose clothes were as wet hers. She looked behind the girl and saw an old lady throwing water into the street. She was really furious. And to top it all, this girl was Ranma! She could feel his presence. Her smell and aura were the same. She stood there looking at the surprised, wet girl. The frown on her face disappeared abruptly. She started to laugh. First a small chuckle which gradually grew into hysterical laughter. Why was she worrying so much? She would just tell him and who cared if he hated her for a while. "What's so funny?" said Ranma smiling at the sight of Akane laughing like that. He saw her bent down to hold her stomach as she put her right hand on his arm. "It's... *laughter* it's just that...oh my god..." she stood up trying to control herself. It only took her a few more seconds. She dried her eyes and said still chuckling a bit "It's just that... *ahem* I'm not Akane." She looked at him, smiling all the time. She saw the smile on his face disappear, but he didn't say anything. She chuckled. "You should say something Ranma. It's true. I'm Akina. Airport? Green eyes, remember? These are contacts." She said fluttering her eyes coquettely. Ranma frowned. "I don't know exactly why or how you turned into a girl, I hope it's not permanent, 'cause if it is you'll give me more work than I had expected and I really hate doing research on weird stuff like this. *sigh* Well, right now I have something very important to do. But I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." She turned around and started to walk away, the she whipped around and said beaming at him, "Oh, and by the way, Akane saw me kissing you". she rolled her eyes "*scoffs* And then you kissing me. Maybe you should use the time you have left with her saying a nice goodbye." "What do you mean?" his face was a deep grimace and his voice an expressionless, gruff mumble. "Why, you don't know yet Ranma?" she asked pretending to be surprised. "Well, you're coming with me. I already decided that. Uh-uh. (she raised a finger and shook it) Don't try to argue now. Don't you think you should try to find Akane first?" She watched him as he turned around and left running. Akina smiled as he left. Then she turned around and strolled happily the other way. ***** Akane ran. She didn't know how much time she had been running. She didn't see where she was going, the tears blinded her. She didn't want to go home. She knew sooner or later she would have to see him in there and that was the last thing she wanted to do. See that bastard. ***** Ranma entered the house like a hurricane. He looked in the dining room. Nobody there. He ran into the kitchen. Kasumi was preparing lunch. "Oh, Ranma. You're a little late. Do you want me to make breakfast for you? Is Akane with you? She went out for her walk and didn't come for breakfast eith... Ranma where are you going?" He went to her room although he knew she was not there. He then went to the dojo. All this didn't take him one minute, he was running so fast. He thought as he left the house and started running down the street. Just when things had started to go so well. If only that Akina weren't a girl, he would have beaten the... Damn. He hated her. She had tricked him, and he had fallen into the trap. And Akane... she had seen it. His face revealed his deep distress. Where was she? How had she reacted? He couldn't know. He thought about other situations like this, when Akane had seen him with other girls trying to hug him and kiss him. She would usually mallet him. Maybe she didn't see... no, why would Akina lie to him about that. She certainly had made sure Akane would see them. He cursed under his breath. He went inside a restaurant he once saw Akane at with her friends. Nobody there. He kept looking in every street, every corner and ally he found. But what if she didn't believe him? It was a pretty weird thing, two people with the same face... he shook his head in frustration, he had to try anyway, he knew he felt something for Akane, if he didn't he wouldn't have missed her so much when she had been away. And it had only been for two weeks! He remembered the weird feeling it had given him going in the dojo and not finding her there. He had imagined her there, working out and then turning around and smiling at him. And he had finally had the courage to ask her out! NO, he had to find her, he had to. He had to explain. If he didn't, he knew it would be over. ***** Akane ran to the forest. The trees were big and dark. She felt scared but she kept running. She had to get away. She wasn't crying anymore. She was too tired, she had cried for hours now. She felt like her legs wouldn't hold her much longer. She started to slow down. She walked through the dark forest. Maybe she should get back. She turned around and started walking back. A thousand thoughts racing through her head at the same time. She started sobbing at the memory of last night, she had been so stupid. How could she have been so...? She felt ridiculous, mocked... pathetic. Had Ranma been like this all along? Making her think that... Had he been clever enough to make her think that he actually cared about her? She stopped and punched a tree. The bark flew all around and some stung her eyes. She fell to the ground crying. "Bastard!!!" She had never felt so used in her life. He had actually made her think he cared about her. He had done it gradually, like a game where you have to jump from level to level. He had kissed her on the forehead last night. Wonder what he was planning to do next. After he just conquered another level. She started sobbing louder. How he had kissed that girl. He really loved her. She remembered his expression, he looked so happy... even vulnerable. And that girl. She had looked so different from herself. He had called her "uncute" a million times. She hadn't seen the other girl's face but she probably was very "cute" to him. Akane stood up again. Looking for support on the trees she tried to make her way to the end of the forest. She started to see the city through the trees. It was quite far. She had ran a lot. When she got there she just stood, looking at Nerima. She felt a little hungry, though she didn't feel like eating anything. What time was it? She saw the sun beginning to set in the horizon. Time went by so fast. She hadn't eaten all day and she was very weak from crying and running. Memories biffed her again. She tried to hold back the tears, but they just started rolling down her cheeks. Hot, salty rivulets of pain. She dried her eyes with her dirty sleeve. < I won't go home today. Tomorrow I'll set things right with him. Yes, tomorrow. > She started her way back to Nerima. She would go over to Sayuri's house. She should be back from her summer vacation on the beach. ***** January 2001