Akane hummed lightly as she sat at her dresser and combed her hair. She was wearing a pale blue knee-length dress with white trimming. She was smiling happily. It was her birthday today, and her family was taking her out to dinner. She frowned at the thought of taking Ranma along. 'Maybe it was a bad idea to invite them,' Akane thought to herself. She was really annoyed by the fact that everyone kept calling it a date, her father, Genma, Nabiki - even Kasumi! 'I guess it could be worse . . .' she thought as she clipped some barrettes in place. Akane yawned, placed her brush down and then stood up. She smoothed out the front of her dress then opened her bedroom door and headed downstairs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I feel like an idiot in this thing!" Ranma grouched as he loosened his tie. He didn't like the idea of having to wear a suit just for a night out. Or at all for that matter.
"Don't let that bother you. You must wear it son!" Genma said as he tightened Ranma's tie back up, nearly making him suffocate.
"Gak!" Ranma started turning blue and he tried desperately to loosen the tie again but Genma kept smacking his hands away.
"Yes! You must, if not for your father and I, then for Akane." Soun grabbed onto Ranma's shoulders, hard. Tears streamed down his face as he spoke. "You must be a man. You must wear the suit!" Soun and Genma waited for a response.
" . . . Hel . . .p!" Ranma squeaked, his face now an interesting shade of purple. Soun and Genma went bugeyed and then both fumbled for Ranma's tie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hey Onna-chan, where's daddy, Mr. Saotome and Ranma?" Akane asked as she stepped over to Kasumi. Nabiki was standing by the stairs.
"Dunno, last thing I heard was some shrieks coming from his room," Nabiki answered.
"WAAAAUGH!!!" came Ranma's scream from his room again. "N-no!!"
"Oh my, I do hope nothing's wrong . . ." Kasumi said, placing a hand to her cheek.
"I'm sure they're just fine Kasumi.." Nabiki said, grinning.
"Daddy and Genma are probably just having to drag him out here," Akane growled. 'Of course Ranma doesn't want to go! Why is he so mean? The least he could've done was tell me in the first place that he didn't want to go. Sheesh . . . .' She scowled.
"Oh, hey, here they come, Akane. Wow, would'ja look at Ranma," Nabiki said, looking at Ranma with a sly grin on her face. Akane turned to look at Ranma. When she did her eyes widened and her cheeks took on a tint of pink to them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ranma walked out and into the room Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi were waiting in, staring at the floor as he walked. He was followed closely by Genma and Soun who were both smiling like they had just won a battle. Which they had.
"A monkey suit!" Nabiki said, laughing. "So that's what all the fuss was about."
"A monkey-!!" Ranma looked up at Nabiki to tell her off when he caught sight of Akane out of the corner of his eye. ‘Whoa . . . .' Ranma turned his head and stared at Akane, his jaw nearly dropped and he never blinked once. 'Wow . . . Akane, you sure dolled yourself up . . . I never knew you could actually look . . . look pret-' Ranma stopped his thoughts immediately. 'What're you doing, thinkin' stuff like that?!' He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard Akane speak.
"Why are you staring at me . . . ?" Akane asked him, obviously dumbfounded.
"Huh? What? I wasn't . . . no, no uhm . . . heh . . . ." Ranma blushed furiously. He placed a hand on the back of his neck and laughed nervously.
"Augh, you're such a pervert!" Akane yelled, pulling out her mallet and whamming him in the head with it. Ranma groaned and fell to the ground.
'Ouch,' he thought. 'Aw man, I wasn't bein' a pervert, really! Why can't anyone . . . .' "Augh . . . ." He groaned again and held his head.
"Poor Ranma," Nabiki shook her head. Kasumi blinked and looked at her watch.
"Shouldn't we be going now, Father? We don't want to be late after getting those reservations and all."
"Yes, my daughter. Good eye there. Let's be off now!" Soun said and he pulled Ranma to his feet and stood him next to Akane. Genma opened the door for them all and they walked out. Nabiki looked up quickly.
"I'll be right back, I forgot something in the house." she said as she walked back into the house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nabiki walked quickly up the stairs to her bedroom. Once there she rummaged through her closet and then went to her desk and looked through it. It was crammed full of pictures of girl-type Ranma, boy-type Ranma, film, some IOU's and other stuff.
"Where IS it?" she mumbled. She pulled out a wad of string, gave it a funny look, then shoved it back in. 'I know it's around here somewhere -' "Ah ha!" Nabiki grabbed up a camera, smiling."There we go . . . ." She shoved it into her purse along with some film. "I'd regret leaving this baby here." Nabiki closed her purse and went back down stairs to the awaiting crowd.
"Alright! I'm all ready," Nabiki said, all smiles. She shut and locked the door.
"Then let's go already!" Ranma grumbled, fidgeting. And they walked.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, Genma and Ranma all stood in line at the restaurant where Soun had gotten reservations. Nabiki yawned, gazing casually around at the people.
"Oh, this place looks so nice, Father!" Akane exclaimed happily. She looked around at the crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Potted planets were placed here and there, and there were matching crimson tablecloths at each table. A small fat candle was placed on each table also. The walls were painted off-white with Renaissance-style angels on the walls.
"It is nice," Soun was saying. "I haven't had the chance to come here in a while. But since it's your birthday I thought it might be nice to come here again," Soun said, smiling at Akane as she looked about the room.
"Thank you," she said, eyeing a certain familiar head of hair, the face hidden behind a menu.
"Next please." A young lady with light brown hair wearing a long black dress spoke from behind the small booth, letting the people with reservations in.
"That's us," Soun said, stepping up to her.
"Last name please?"
"Tendo." The girl looked down at the book in front of her and traced her fingertips across it until she came to the name he had told her.
"Tendo, party of six.. We'll have you seated in just a moment. Let me call your waiter." She smiled widely and turned around to stomp hard on the foot of a young blonde-haired man in a black, waiter-type suit outfit. He was leaned up against a wall, dozing off.
"OUCH!" He jumped and turned around. "Hey! El What'd you - oh! Hello." He smiled abruptly. The girl just sweatdropped.
"This is Mike, he'll be your waiter tonight." The girl said, pointing at the young man.
"This way . . . ." Mike mumbled as he started walking through the mass of tables. He shot the lady at the booth a glare, she just smiled back at him. "Alright, we're here." Mike said, waving his hand off to the side at a large, round table.
"Here, Ranma, let me help you into your seat . . . ." Genma said as he pushed Ranma onto one of the seats.
"Hey old man, I can sit down by myself, thank you very much," Ranma narrowed his eyes at Genma as he spoke.
"Here we go, Akane." Soun smiled, forcing Akane down into the seat next to Ranma and sitting next to her. Ranma and Akane gave each other a angry glance then turned to their fathers and glared at them too.
"Well you two look nice and cozy," Nabiki smirked. She sat down next to Soun. Kasumi also took a seat. Mike handed them some menus.
"Alright, um . . .drinks?" Mike asked them as he pulled out a pen and order pad.
"Oh, I'd like green tea, please." Kasumi said, smiling as usual.
"I would like the same," Genma said looking up at the waiter to make to he got it.
"Ah, green tea for me too." said Soun. Mike turned towards Akane and Ranma.
"A coke," Ranma and Akane said in unison. They glared at each other again. Akane turned back in a huff.
"And for you ma'am?" Mike asked.
"Lemonade for me," Nabiki answered.
"Alright then, one lemonade, three green teas and two cokes?" Mike read then looked up to see if he got it right. Genma nodded.
"Be back in a bit to take your orders." Mike walked off.
"So . . .what did you do today everyone?" Soun asked anyone in particular who was listening.
"Oh? Well, I made some fresh bread and gave some to Dr.Tofu." Kasumi said, glancing up at her father for a moment then turning her attention back to the menu.
"Hmm, that's nice. I know how Dr. Tofu loves your bread."
"Yes, we sure do," Nabiki said as she smiled at her sister.
"Oh yes, he says likes it quite a bit. But he always acts so funny when I give it to him," Kasumi said.
"Table 12! Three green teas, two cokes and a lemonade? Have I got that right?" a young waitress asked. She was a petite girl with dark blonde hair, dressed in black pants and a top and she seemed to pop out of nowhere, nearly making poor Kasumi jump. Her tag read "V".
"Yup, that's us," Nabiki answered and licked her lips, thirsty.
"ALLLrighty then!" the waitress smiled and placed the drinks down.
"Thank you," Nabiki said.
"No problemo, have a nice night." The girl called as she walked off.
"Now . . .what to get.." Akane studied her menu, looking for something that might appeal to her.
"Might I suggest the Szechuan tempeh..?" a familiar voice came from behind Akane. She looked up with worry in her eyes.
"That's not . . . ."
"Oh my . . . .o.o"
"My love!" Kuno wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her.
"Kuno?!" Ranma exclaimed, jumping up out of his seat.
"Ahh, but I have longed to hold you in my arms and recite the beautiful foods to you."
"Get OFF of me!" Akane yelled, squirming out of his grasp and hiding behind Ranma. "Ranma Saotome!" Kuno stood and brandished his bokken. "You have taken the fair maiden, Akane Tendo, from I, Tatewaki Kuno! Now I, the Blue Lightening of Furinkan, challenge you to a duel!"
"What? Hey, I didn't do nothin'! Akane, get away from me." Ranma scrambled around and moved Akane in front of him. "There! Take her!" He pushed her forward.
"Ranma! You jerk!" Akane grabbed her glass of coke, turned and threw it in his face. Before Ranma could do anything, Akane spun around, her eyes filling with tears and she ran out of the restaurant.
"Huh?" Ranma blinked. He stood there for a moment, then grabbed Genma's teacup out of his hand just as he was about to take a sip. Ranma splashed the hot tea onto himself. "Akane, wait!!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Akane ran down an unfamiliar street full of vendors. Unable to hold it in any longer she stopped and sat down in an alleyway. Crystal tears streamed down her face. "That Ranma! I can't believe him . . . ." Akane shut her eyes tightly and gripped onto the fabric of her dress. "I just . . .I oughtta . . . ." She punched the wall, making a noticeable crack in it. "That jerk!"
"Akane?" Akane looked up suddenly.
"Who . . . ." She squinted her eyes in the darkness to make out the face of her visitor. "Ukyo-chan?" The figure nodded.
"What's wrong, hon?" Ukyo asked as she walked up to her.
"Oh . . .nothing." Akane lied.
"Then why is your face all wet?" Ukyo raised an eyebrow curiously.
"I . . .it was . . ." Akane stumbled through words, trying to figure out what to say. "What are you doing here, Ukyo?" she asked.
"I sell here. I work in a booth selling okonomiyaki in the off season. Now, why are YOU here?"
"Well, you see um, it's . . .today is my birthday," Akane started.
"Oh? Happy birthday."
"Yeah. My dad was taking me out for it. It was all nice but then..then everything, it just turned horrible! Just horrible, Ukyo-chan! And it got ruined.." She said, looking down. "I just wanted one night of peace . . .one happy night out . . . ."
"I'm sorry, Akane, I really am. But maybe it'll be better when you go back?" Ukyo looked around. "I bet your family's worried about you. You should really go back." She said as she put out a hand to help Akane up.
"I guess I should." Akane looked up and took Ukyo's hand, standing. Ukyo handed her some tissues and Akane gratefully took them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ranma walked down some streets that he thought he might find Akane on. 'Aw, man, where is she?' He thought. "Akane?! Akane?!" Ranma stopped and looked down another street. But still, no signs of Akane. He sighed. 'Idiot. Why did'ja have'ta go and do that? 'Specially on her BIRTHDAY of all days!' Ranma scolded himself mentally.
"AIREN!" Shampoo screamed, riding at Ranma on her bike. She flung herself off of it and at him with her arms wide open.
"Waugh!" Ranma moved out of the way just in time. Shampoo landed on her face, her butt stuck up in the air. She quickly stood up and glomped Ranma happily.
"Aiya! Shampoo not think Ranma be out here so late! Why Airen here?" Shampoo asked, her face full of light and a sickeningly cute smile across her face.
"Er, I ah . . .I was looking for someone." Ranma said as he looked around for someone or something to get him out of this.
"Ranma no find Shampoo, Shampoo find Ranma!" Shampoo said. She dug herself farther under Ranma's arm.
"Actually I was lookin' for Akane," Ranma whispered.
"Violent girl?" Shampoo exclaimed. "Why Ranma want to find violent girl for!"
"Well um . . . ."
"Ranma!" Akane gasped as she looked on at Ranma being glomped happily by the Amazon Bimbo, Shampoo.
'Oh no . . . .' Ranma stared at Akane, and she stared back at him. "It's not what it looks like! Really!" Shampoo glared at Akane.
"First you . . .you try to sic me onto KUNO! And now you . . .ditched dinner for her!" Akane bit her lip, trembling. "You're such a jerk Ranma! I hate you!!" Ranma froze. He felt like his heart had stopped.
"No . . .Akane . . . ."
"Get your hands off of him, you priss!" Ukyo pulled out her giant spatula and lunged at Shampoo. She jumped and Ukyo hit the ground next to Ranma. He freaked and jumped away.
"You no take Ranma from Shampoo! You make unfit wife!" Shampoo told Ukyo.
"Hya!" Ukyo threw some normal sized spatulas at her which Shampoo dodged and blocked. Ranma and Akane watched from the sidelines as Ukyo and Shampoo had it out. Ranma turned to Akane.
"Akane, let's get out of here while we can." Akane just turned and ran off. Ranma followed after her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After getting safely away from the fighting fiancées, Ranma ran up to Akane and grabbed her arm. But she pulled away.
"Leave me alone!" she snapped.
"Akane, wait! Listen to me." Akane spun around, angry.
"No Ranma, you listen to me! You ruined the only special night I get to have with my family. And then you run off with . . .with SHAMPOO!" Tears started to swell in her eyes once again. Ranma felt horrible now. "You've ruined it all Ranma! I should have never, ever invited you in the first place, I knew it was a bad idea from the start. You didn't even want to go!" She turned away from him.
"Akane . . . ." Ranma gulped and bit his lip, lowering his eyes. "Akane . . .you're right. I . . .you shouldn't have invited me. I did wanna go though, and I know I messed up, and I ruined it for you . . . but Akane," Ranma took a deep breath, "I'm sorry." Akane glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, she could tell he was serious. "And if you never wanna forgive me, I . . .I'll understand. I don't know what else I can say but that I know I messed up and I'm sorry for it." Ranma dropped his head down, shoved his hands in his pockets and started to walk away. But Akane grabbed his shoulder and stopped him before he got any further. Ranma looked up sadly.
"What about Shampoo. Why were you with her?" she asked.
"I was lookin' for you when she came out of nowhere and glomped me." He sat down on a bench and looked down at his feet. Now Akane felt bad. She sat down next to him as she thought about all the things she had said to him and how he was treating her now. Akane threw herself into Ranma and sobbed into his chest. This shocked and surprised him greatly. He hesitantly put his arms around her and held her. "A-Akane . . .?"
"I'm sorry Ranma . . .I'm sorry!" She cried out between her sobs.
"What?" He was really puzzled now.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you . . .and I'm sorry for being so rude to you. And . . .and I'm just sorry!"
"It's okay, Akane . . .i-it's fine."
"No it's not! I had no reason . . .I was just angry . . .I-I feel like an idiot . . . ."
"You ain't an idiot Akane, it's ok, really. Please . . .don't cry." Akane sniffed and looked up at Ranma.
"Will you forgive me, Ranma?"
"Y-yeah. I forgive you Akane, just don't cry no more.." She smiled a little. Ranma bit his lip. "But . . .what about me? Ain't you gonna forgive me?" Akane nodded vigorously. He smiled a bit himself, but then frowned. "You don't still hate me though? Do you . . . ?"
"No, of course not! I never did . . .I just said it to get back at you." She laid her head on his shoulder. Ranma was blushing a nice crimson color by now.
"So, uhh . . .y-you wanna go home? Your dad's probably worried about you." Akane sighed.
"I guess I should." Ranma got up and helped Akane up.
"You know, you threw coke on me . . . ."
"Don't be such a baby." Akane rolled her eyes and started walking with Ranma.
"It was sticky!"
"Serves you right."
"Akaaaaaane!" He whined. She laughed.
"Sorry?" She took his hand and smiled as he blushed noticeably. And they walked.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Out in the distance behind a bush stood Nabiki with her camera.
"I'm gonna get a nifty bundle for this.." She grinned and walked away.

Fins!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mushiness overdrive! o.O Even though it's not that mushy . . .I really don't do mushy love scenes. Anyway, this is my first finished fic. I really only stuck with it for El . . . Hope you liked it though! ^_^ *Claps for herself* Uh, yeah, that's right. Hoorah!
~V-chan ^___-!
Editor's Note (That's Arianna, folks): If you wish to contact V-chan, you can email me (The Webmistress) and I'll send it to her directly. She has fifty accounts and I never knew which one she wants used for what . . . thanks!