Reading Your Diary
By Lana Atkins
All rights reserved for the ingenius Rumiko Takahashi (Please don't sue me!) who owns the Ranma 1/2 characters and Viz Video for the anime. You rock for creating this anime ! I'm such a fan. Hm. As if she'll ever read this.
Guide:
"" – character's speaking
'' – words from diary
Chapter 1
"Akane! Time to get up. Breakfast's downstairs when you're ready." Kasumi called from the other side of Akane's bedroom door.
Akane threw back the covers and bolted out of bed, yelling back, "Okay Sis!" Quickly, she got washed up and dressed for school, and went downstairs.
Soun Tendo was seated at the dining table reading the morning paper. He looked up when Akane walked in and smiled at his daughter.
"Hi Dear. Had good sleep?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, where are Saotome and young Ranma? I thought they'd be down in a flash as soon as they heard 'Breakfast'." asked Soun.
"Oh Father, you didn't know? Uncle Saotome and Ranma are on another training trip. They left yesterday evening." replied Kasumi.
"Oh, must have missed the memo. So I guess you'll be on your own, Akane. I bet you miss the boy." said Soun somewhat hopefully.
"Nah. Not really. What's to miss? Bet the stupid pervert's flirting with whoever he can find over there." said Akane. Soun and Kasumi exchanged exasperated looks.
"Oh yes, Akane, would you please take these clothes up to Ranma's room? I've just folded them." asked Kasumi, changing the topic, but not quite.
"Okay."
Akane made her way upstairs again, this time carrying a full basket of Ranma's clothes and staggering under the weight. She used her foot to kick open Ranma's bedroom door and dropped the basket on his futon. Phew.
"Hmm. I'm a little ahead of schedule, so might as well put his bricks in the drawers."
Opening the drawers, she started filing in all of Ranma's clothes when suddenly she spotted the edge of a book under all his stuff. Curious, she pulled it out and examined it. It was a rather old, worn-out book and was a pale blue (which was slowly turning brown) with dog-eared edges. She opened the cover and inside in scrawled handwriting were the words:
Diary of Ranma Saotome
Her eyes opened wide in surprise, and a little part of her wanted to read further when Nabiki yelled from downstairs, "AKANE! You're gonna make us late! Making up for Ranma today, are you?"
"NO, I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN!
Then without thinking, she stashed the diary in her satchel and dashed down the steps to join her sister.
Furinkan High
'AKANE! DATE ME!'
A tirade of young men emerged from the school's courtyard. Akane groaned.
' Oh no, they must've heard that Ranma's away.'
' Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, dear sister.' smirked Nabiki.
Not bothering to answer, Akane took a running start and somehow managed to beat every boy before the school bell rang.
Nabiki stared at the pile of injured boys lying before her and snickered in amusement.
"When will they ever learn."
The sisters hurried to their respective classes. Akane took a seat, and sighed. History. Knowing Ranma, if he was here, he'd probably be asleep before the class even started.
Ranma.
Why am I thinking about him? Akane questioned herself silently. Then she suddenly remembered the tattered diary in her satchel and pulled it out.
I never knew he kept a diary—well, I can afford to not pay attention just this once.
Nervous, and a bit guilty, she propped her History Book in front of the diary, and opened the front page. Once again, she lay eyes on her fiancé's untidy scrawls.
Diary of Ranma Saotome
Turning another page, she began reading.
'2nd January'
Hey, the day we met!
'Okay, I know what you're thinking. Guys aren't supposed to have diaries; they're a lotta sissy stuff. But cuz I got nothin' else to do, an' no one to really talk to, I thought, what the heck, It's not like I got anythin' significant goin' on in my life at this point. Well, here goes.
Today, Pop announces that I gotta marry one of his old pal's daughters. So I do what any sane guy would do. I run away. But the stupid old man caught me, an' now I 'm engaged to this girl, Akane. The bad thing 'bout it is, we had this little accident—you see, she sorta walked in on me in my male form. In the bathroom. I wasn't wearing anything, she wasn't wearing anything, you can guess the rest.
Male form you ask? Well, my stupid pop suddenly decided to train one day at the Jusenkyo Springs in China. The old man doesn't speak a word of Chinese, so obviously we don't know the history of the cursed springs. Yes, cursed. First, I kicked him into the Spring Of Drowned Panda, and the next thing I know this panda comes out and kicks me into the Spring Of Drowned GIRL. Three guesses what my curse is.
So now, every time we get splashed with cold water, we turn into our cursed forms. Back to the problem at hand. So she sees me in my male form. Now, she hates my guts an' thinks I'm some sort of pervert. Like I would want to see that uncute tomboy on purpose.''
Akane was seething, wanting to bash Ranma's head in if he were here, but continued reading.
'Well.. I guess she is cute when she smiles.'
"Miss Tendo!"
Akane's head jerked up from the book and she closed it quickly. She stared at the annoyed face of Mr. Nakagawa, who was holding two large pails of water to her.
"Go and stand in the hall!"
Akane stood in the hall for a minute or so, its walls echoing the occasional shout from the boys in the class next to hers and the sloshing of the water in the pails when she moved. Her mind was on the diary still, and she was surprised to find out that she was still clutching it under her arm.
"Well, since I'm going to be out here awhile, might as well continue."
She flipped a few pages impatiently.
'5th January'
'First day of school. I wake up late cuz Akane doesn't bother to wake me up. So I try to catch up with her, an' when I finally do, the whole school is running toward us! Akane gives a groan an' mumbles somethin' bout' bein' late again, an' then starts fightin' all the guys. So I just stand an' watch. I gotta admit this girl is better than most. Normally girls as pretty as her would be more concerned bout' their appearance.'
Akane felt herself go red for a moment as her expression softened.
''That's why she's such a macho chick!'
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. RANMA YOU INSENSITIVE JERK, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!!!!!
'Anyways, later, she explained the whole thing. This senior guy, Kuno (the idiot calls himself the Blue Thunder) made this rule that whoever beat Akane in battle got to date her. So far, no such luck. Of course, I kicked the poetry-reciting nutcase into the sky, to which that tomboy hit me on the head an' told me she could take care of herself. Geez, what is her problem sometimes? All I did was try to help.'
Driiiinnnngggg!
Wow, thought Akane. School's over that quick? Well, I'll read more at home.
Mr. Nakagawa (the history teacher if you're wondering) poked his head out the doorway.
"You may leave now, Miss Tendo."
Akane went inside to retrieve her bag and shoved the diary into it. Just as she was leaving the exit, Nabiki appeared. They started on the walk home. Akane was silent; lost in her own thoughts.
"Pining for him already?"
Akane instantly denied it, calling him a string of names just to prove her point.
Nabiki acknowledged the bright red flush that was spreading across her little sister's cheeks, and only smirked knowingly.
Author's Note:
And that's a wrap for Chapter 1. If you bored enough to be interested, please read on and find out what happens. And please review! If you have the time, that is. Thanks. :)