Nerima Journals
By M. Zephyr

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. The lives of Ranma and Akane as seen through their journal entries. What is reproduced here is only a selection of entries from their journals.

Pre-story note:
This is not precisely a story. Rather it is a look at Akane's and Ranma's lives from the manga, as seen through their own eyes. It will follow the timeline for events which is found on my web site.

I will be adding to this as the mood takes me, and I make no promises that I will complete it. Although I may add descriptions of additional events, it will follow what happens in the manga. I will also be posting this without benefit of thorough pre-reading. I feel that any mistakes which slip through, in either spelling or grammar, or any other form of awkwardness in the writing, will only lend verisimilitude as what might be expected from Akane's or Ranma's writing. If anything, the problem will be to keep it from being too well-written.

Akane's Journal : Sun - 8 Apr

Tomorrow is my first day of high school. I'm so excited! I'll be going to Furinkan High. Yuka and Sayuri will be going there too. The only drawback is that Nabiki also goes there. Oh well. It's not like Nabiki and I will have to see each other much. Although I suppose we'll walk to school and back home together most days.

I've been to the school a few times before, since Kasumi went to school there, and Nabiki has been going there for the last year. Mostly it was for school events they were in. It looks like a nice enough place, I guess. Not very new though.

My homeroom is on the third floor, class 1-F. I'll be taking math, Japanese, history, English and biology. Although biology will be in the lab instead of the homeroom sometimes. I'll also have gym (yay!) and home ec (boo!). I hope home ec won't be too terrible. I'm kind of worried about it.

The school uniform, ugh! Of course, I've mentioned that before, when I was talking about Kasumi's or Nabiki's uniforms. Now I have to wear the thing! Who in the world designed it? It's hard to imagine that they could have made it any uglier. Sigh.

I wonder if there will be any cute boys in my class? I don't want to think about how Nabiki would tease me if she knew I thought about something like that. I don't think I even want Kasumi to know. Of course, I'm not planning to start dating yet, or anything. What with homework and martial arts training, I just don't have time for a boyfriend. Someday though ...

Akane's Journal : Mon - 9 Apr

My classes at Furinkan seem to be okay, at least for the first day. Unfortunately, there are the boys. At first I was thinking that some of them looked pretty nice, but then I noticed they were all staring at me! Leering! Honestly! They made me feel like I'd forgotten to put any clothes on! I hope it's just some sort of first day idiocy and that they'll start behaving themselves. I don't think I'd like the idea of spending the next three years in a school full of perverts.

Nabiki and I did walk to school and back home together. Some of the older girls seemed a little cool to me when they found out Nabiki was my sister. I hope her reputation isn't going to rub off on me too much.

The teachers gave us a lot of homework! And it's only the first day! I always thought I was good in English, but the teacher seems pretty strict, and I think it's going to be a lot harder than I was expecting. I was pretty nervous in home ec, but we didn't do any cooking today. We're supposed to pick up our gym uniforms tomorrow.

Akane's Journal : Tue - 10 Apr

Groan! The boys were just as bad today. Ogling me! Yuck! I almost hauled off and punched one of them when I caught him walking behind me, staring at my bottom.

We got our uniforms for gym today. Sheesh. The people running the school must be as perverted as the boys who go to the school. I don't think they could have made the shorts any shorter unless they turned them into a belt.

Had a little accident with an egg and a microwave oven in home ec today. Don't want to talk about it.

Yuka and Sayuri and I sit together for lunch. Some other girls joined us today. They seem pretty nice. If it weren't for the boys and home ec, I think I'd really be enjoying myself.

Akane's Journal : Thu - 12 Apr

A boy in Nabiki's class came up to me during lunch today and asked me out on a date. His name is Tatewaki Kuno. He's pretty handsome, but I don't know - something just seemed off about him. Maybe it was the way he talked. It was pretty weird, like he stepped out of an old samurai movie.

Anyway, I turned him down, as nicely as I could. He gave me a funny look when I did, as if I was just kidding when I turned him down. Kind of creepy, really. I hope he doesn't try to ask me out again.

I'm beginning to think I don't trust any of the boys at this school. I don't want to go out with anyone unless the boy shows me he respects me first, that he's not a pervert like all the others. Besides, like I said before, I don't have time for a boyfriend or dating right now.

I don't want to talk about home ec again today.

My homeroom teacher came by for the home visit today. Daddy embarrassed me by crying, but I think Kasumi impressed him. Anyway, he said everything seemed fine before he left. I've got to go and finish my English homework.

Akane's Journal : Fri - 13 Apr

I don't believe it. I really don't believe it. I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed in my life. And considering some of the things that daddy's done, that's saying something.

We had an assembly in school today. Announcements to wrap up the end of the first week in school. When it was done, that boy from Nabiki's class, make that that jerk from Nabiki's class, Tatewaki Kuno, just walked up onto the stage and nobody stopped him! He walked right up to the microphone and told everyone - everyone! - and I quote, "I have an announcement for all of the male students. If you wish to date Akane Tendo, you must first defeat her! I will permit no other terms!"

Can you believe that! Who does he think he is! Trying to tell me who I can and cannot date! I am so mad right now! Not that I want to date any of those jerks who go to Furinkan, but still! As soon as that Kuno idiot came down off the stage, I marched right up to him and punched him so hard that he landed right back on the stage!

At least all the boys got the message that Kuno doesn't have any say over who I date!

Ranma's Journal : Fri - 13 Apr

Well, it's my birthday again. Sixteen. Four more years, and I can take off on my own. Sometimes I think that day is never gonna arrive. Not that pops is all bad. He has taught me a lot. But he's done a lot of stupid things too. I'd rather make and fix my own mistakes, instead of trying to fix his.

Pop celebrated my birthday like he always does, by not stealing my food, and by giving me a harder workout than usual. The master of the dojo we're at gave me a pair of wrist bands. They're kinda cool, I'm wearing them right now. The master's birthday is Sunday. Everyone here is preparing for a pretty big party to celebrate.

I asked pop when we're going back to Japan. He said not for a while yet, end of summer at the earliest. Fine by me. I'm learning a lot of neat stuff here. I hope we can stay for a while.

Ranma's Journal : Sat - 14 Apr

Pop got us tossed out of the dojo today, so we're on the road again. What else is new? That's the fifth dojo in China that we've been asked to leave, so far. The dummy had to go and eat all the food that had been prepared for the master's birthday. Just a day after I turned sixteen, too. Fine way to celebrate my own birthday.

We're heading west again, aiming for the Qinghai province. Pop says there's a famous training ground there, according to his guidebook, up in the Bayankala mountains or some such place. I wonder if he'll even be able to find it?

China has been pretty cool so far. I've learned a lot from the places we visited, even if we never had a chance to stay long at any of them. I'm starting to feel like I'm not learning so much from pop anymore, though. Sometimes I wish he'd drop me off at one of these dojos and then take himself off somewhere for a few months. Then maybe I'd have a better chance to learn everything they had to teach.

Some Chinese girl was making eyes at me again today. I couldn't understand a word she was saying, of course. Kind of cute, but I'd rather she left me alone. I don't have time for a girlfriend, I need it all for my training. Besides, if I'm going to pay attention to any girl, it's going to be with honorable intentions, not a quick kiss before we head out of town. When I finally settle down, many years from now I hope, it'll be with someone who's Japanese like me.

Akane's Journal : Mon - 16 Apr

My hand is shaking so hard with anger I can barely write! I've been upset all day. The speech that idiot samurai wannabe Tatewaki Kuno gave on Friday - can you believe it somehow convinced at least thirty boys to attack me before school this morning! When I saw them all charging at me - I was like, why are they attacking me, what are they doing?

Then I found out the reason! Some of the idiots were shouting it. They think that if they win, I'll go on a date with them! They seemed to think I'd be thrilled about it! How could they be so stupid! Oooh, I am so furious!

After I finished thrashing all the idiots, perv boy had the nerve to toss a rose at me and challenge me! I smashed him into the ground and left him in a crater, ha! But he was back up and around before lunch. Still, I bet they learned their lesson and won't try that again!

Too mad to write any more today.

Akane's Journal : Tue - 17 Apr

Sigh. I guess I lose my bet. They attacked again this morning, and after I beat them up, perv boy did the same thing. Tossed me a rose and challenged me. Can you believe he said he'd let me date him if I won? He really must be out of his mind. At least he was still limping when I saw him at lunchtime. I wonder how long this is going to continue? I tried to talk to the people in the office about it, but they didn't want to hear me. Feeling very frustrated right now.

Some of the girls told me Nabiki was taking bets on the fight. Figures. Not that she'd share any of the money with me.

One girl that I thought was a friend turned up her nose today and walked past me without speaking. When I caught up and demanded to know what was wrong, she acted like I wanted those boys chasing me! I tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen. I hope most of the girls have more sense than to believe something like that.

Akane's Journal : Wed - 18 Apr

I had a nightmare last night where I was fighting the boys before school, then slipped and was knocked unconscious. I don't want to talk about what happened next. I must have been making some noise, because Kasumi came to my room and woke me up and held me. I'm still very upset.

How do I get them to stop? They won't listen to me. The teachers won't do anything. I hate this. I hate them.

Is every boy a pervert? It sure seems like it. Even the ones at school who don't attack me, they still look at me like I'm just a slab of meat. How am I going to survive three years of this?

I stopped by Tofu-sensei's clinic after school. I told him I wanted him to look at my knuckles to make sure I hadn't bruised them from all the people that I hit. Really, I just wanted to talk to him. At least he's not a pervert. I wish - why can't he see me when he looks at me? All he sees is his patient, little Akane-chan. I wish I could tell him how I really feel. At least I was feeling a little better when I left. I was able to tell myself that there's at least one man I know who isn't a pervert.

Ranma's Journal : Wed - 18 Apr

We'll be starting up into the Bayankala Mountains tomorrow. I hope that pop knows where he's going. I hope he won't do anything stupid. I hope we'll be able to stay there longer this time. That is, if it's a nice place. So I hope it's a nice place.

That's a lot of hoping, but with pop, it seems necessary.

My old man has been pushing the pace pretty hard the last few days. I think it's to keep me from asking questions. I'm not sure he knows a lot about this place he's taking us to. Oh well, we'll find out more soon enough.

Not much to talk about the last few days. Just hiking across a lot of scenery. Some of it looks nice - meadows, streams, stands of trees. The towns are mostly pretty dingy though. We traded some chores for food at a farm today. Of course, that meant that I did the chores while pop "supervised." At least we have something to eat for a couple more days.

Akane's Journal : Fri - 20 Apr

It's a little hard to write on the paper because I'm getting it wet. Stupid tears, they won't stop. None of the girls want to talk to me at school, except for Yuka and Sayuri. Thank goodness for them. All of the other girls think I want the boys to be chasing after me. I just want them to stop!

What's happening to me? I'm beating the boys up harder in the morning. I'm trying to hurt them like they're hurting me. I feel so full of anger all the time! One of the boys came to class today with his arm in a sling and I felt happy! Then I felt so ashamed because I was happy. I tried to talk to someone in the office again today, but they won't listen! What am I going to do?

I had another one of those nightmares last night. This time I managed to wake myself up without disturbing Kasumi or anyone else. It took a long time to go back to sleep.

Ranma's Journal : Sat - 21 Apr

Rage. Anger. Fury. Humiliation. Despair.

I can barely see this page in front of me. I can barely hold the pen.

Magic exists. Okay, maybe I suspected that before, but now I know! Pop got me cursed, cursed with real magic! I want to kill him. Honest to God, I want to. I got turned into a girl! Me, Ranma Saotome, a girl! I'm so mad, I can't see straight. I just want to scream and scream. But I can't now. I've yelled so much today that my throat is hoarse. I can only whisper now. I never knew how frustrating it is when you want to scream but you can't!

Hot water changes me back into a guy, but only until I get hit with cold water. Then I turn back into a girl again. What am I gonna do? I can't be a girl! I'm a boy! Is there a cure? Is there some way to remove this curse? I gotta find a way! I just gotta!

I tried to go to sleep. I was so exhausted, I thought it would be easy. I was so upset, I didn't even think about writing in my journal. But I couldn't sleep. The idea that I turn into a girl just keeps going around and around in my head, making me sick. So here I am, sitting up and writing about it, while pop lies over there snoring. Doesn't he feel as sick about this as me? I mean, he turns into a damned panda bear! Why doesn't he feel as bad about that as I do about being a girl?

Ranma's Journal : Sun - 22 Apr

I think the universe is having some kind of joke at my expense.

Yesterday I get cursed to turn into a girl whenever I get wet, and only hot water changes me back to a guy. Today some warrior chick kissed me on the cheek, and it turns out to be a promise to hunt me down and kill me. And all because pop and I ate some food she won. I mean, isn't that going a bit too far? We ran off and finally managed to lose her. I hope that's the last we see of her.

Pop says we're going back to Japan. Something about visiting an old friend of his. Originally he said we were going to stay in China until the end of summer. Guess he changed his mind. Something to do with our curses, maybe? Stupid panda. Still, what good is it to go back to Japan? His old friend won't be able to cure these curses.

Sometimes I just don't understand pops. Heh. Make that most of the time.

Ranma's Journal : Mon - 23 Apr

Okay, I am officially getting freaked out. What kami have I pissed off? I ate some porridge today. Just a blasted bowl of porridge! And what happens? When I'm a guy my hair grows so fast that in a minute or two it's longer than me! I trip all over it.

The guy at the restaurant said it had to do with a dragon's whisker. He used it to tie the end of my hair and it stopped growing. He told me I have to keep it tied there or my hair will start growing again, at least while I'm a boy.

So I guess that I'm stuck wearing my hair like this. It's a good thing I look great with a pigtail. Still, the idea that I have to wear it like this for the rest of my life - don't know what I think of that. I don't want to think about it. Doesn't seem like I have much choice, anyway.

If anyone up there is listening, I'd really appreciate it if you could lay off of the magic for a few days.

Akane's Journal : Wed - 25 Apr

Another year without momma. We all got dressed up and visited her grave before school today. Daddy didn't cry as much as I expected. He looked real solemn though. I caught sight of some tears on Nabiki's face. Not that I blame her - I know there were tears on my face too.

I wonder if momma ever watches us from wherever she is. What does she think? Is she proud of me? Does she worry about us? What would it be like if she was still here? I wish I could see her again. It's hard to remember her face. Why did she have to leave us? Why does life have to have so much pain?

I almost broke down and cried after I finished fighting the boys at school later. I wanted to scream at them, "Why are you doing this to me? I just visited my mother's grave! It's the anniversary of the day she died! Can't you leave me in peace today of all days?" I didn't of course. If I did, I honestly think they'd just stare at me, totally not understanding.

If momma were still alive, what would she tell me to do about the boys? Could she help me find an answer?

I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of home ec?

Ranma's Journal : Wed - 25 Apr

Guess what? That warrior chick - Shampoo is her name, I don't think I wrote that before - she's still after me. She caught up with me and pop in some town today. Busted right through a wall. She shouted something about killing me. I managed to get away though.

I'm beginning to wish I could speak Mandarin. Of course, I've written that more than once since we came to China. If I did, maybe I could talk to Shampoo, reason with her. There must be some way to convince her to stop trying to kill me. For now, we'll just try to lose her again.

Maybe it's a good thing we're going back to Japan. If we don't lose her before then, I bet we do when we swim back. I don't know how she's tracked us so far, but she won't be able to do it out on the open ocean.

Pop says we're going to start moving faster tomorrow. Try to throw her off our trail. Guess I'd better get to sleep.

Akane's Journal : Sun - 29 Apr

Showa Day! I'm excited because it's the beginning of Golden Week and we have the whole week off from school! No attacks by stupid perverts for an entire week! I'm feeling absolutely giddy about that.

My birthday is coming up in just a couple of days. Kasumi is planning a party. I wonder what I'll get? I can't believe I'm about to turn sixteen! Wow! Sixteen and never been kissed. (Giggle.) If any of those perverts at school tried to kiss me, he'd lose all his teeth! I wonder what it would feel like if Tofu-sensei kissed me? (Sigh.) Like that's ever going to happen.

I'm going to spend the whole week practicing extra hard. Those boys had better watch out when I get back to school. They're going to find out what it means to mess with Akane Tendo of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.

I wish the nightmares would stop.

Akane's Journal : Tue - 1 May

Sixteen! Had my birthday party today. Yuka and Sayuri were there, and a few others showed up too. Why do so many of the girls at school blame me for the morning attacks? I never asked for them, I don't want them. But nobody listens. Oh well, the party was lots of fun, even if there weren't very many people there. And no boys! Thank you, Kasumi.

Daddy and Kasumi gave me a new dress and a skirt. Yuka gave me a bracelet, and Sayuri gave me a sweater. Nabiki gave me four issues of Maison Ikkoku. The other girls gave me some earrings and eye shadow and a little stuffed - something. I'm not sure what it is. But it is cute. It's looking at me while I write this.

We had lots of music, including karaoke. We played some games. It got boring for a bit when some of the girls wanted to talk about boys, but that stopped when Kasumi put out the food. We had rice, sashimi and stir fry to eat, plus mochi, cake and ice cream. All in all, it was a pretty great party.

It's such a relief not to have the boys attacking me. I'm sick thinking about next week. I wish Monday would never come.

Ranma's Journal : Wed - 2 May

Just a quick note while pop finishes sealing some things up in plastic. We're about to dive in for the swim back to Japan. Shampoo caught up again late yesterday, but we gave her the slip. She'll probably wander up and down the coast for a few days trying to pick up our trail, then give up and go back home.

I'm looking forward to seeing Japan again.

Ranma's Journal : Sat - 5 May

Damn, my arms are sore! It's a lot harder swimming across as a girl! I don't know what time we reached Japan last night, but we're finally here. As soon as we crawled on shore, I found some papers and dried up grass, and managed to make enough of a fire to heat some water. Changed back to a guy as quick as I could.

Then I collapsed. Like I said, that was pretty hard work. The panda seems in pretty rough shape too. Don't know why he didn't change back right away as well. Stupid pop.

I hope I never spend that long as a girl again. It just feels so wrong! Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn't it happen to one of those freaks who wants to be a girl? God, I hate it so much! It feels so friggin' weird. What am I gonna do? Do I gotta live like this the rest of my life?

I'm gonna take a nap now, even if it is broad daylight. I feel so tired. I don't know where this old friend of pops is, but he'd damned sure better be willing to give me a chance to rest before we head out to find him. We'll probably get there tomorrow.

Akane's Journal : Sat - 5 May

It's the last holiday of Golden Week today. (Sigh.) Oh well, it couldn't last forever. One more day off, and then it's back to school.

I had a strange feeling all day, like there was a thunderstorm approaching. Except it was bright and sunny. Still, there was this sense of - waiting. It's like the whole world was taking a deep breath. I just can't seem to shake the feeling.

It's been a pretty good week. I did a lot of training. I'm stronger than ever. I added another layer of cinder blocks to the stack I break through, and I can lift ten kilos more than I could last week. Just you wait, perv boy. After I beat up all the others, I'm going to get you! I'm going to teach you a real lesson for everything you've put me through!

I wonder what it would be like to be one of the normal girls. Not to have all the boys chase you. Able to just walk into school in the morning, chatting with your friends. Would I trade my life for a life like that?

No. I'm a martial artist. That's more important to me than anything else. So what if I'm not normal? I don't need to be. One way or another, the idiots will learn that they can't beat me. Life can't stay this crazy forever.

Can it?

I'm sure that several people are preparing to ask, "Okay, but why aren't you working on Side by Side instead?"

First, I completed a revision of the first chapter of Side by Side a couple of days ago. It is now in the pre-read process.

From my point of view, the more legitimate question is why I'm not working on one of my other stories instead. As regards Side by Side, I sometimes have difficulty writing about modified versions of the events which took place in the manga. I'm more comfortable writing about things which took place after (or before) the manga, where my imagination has freer reign. I like the story Side by Side, and will continue it, but it is going to be very dependent on being in the right mood when I write it. Therefore I expect to work on it in fits and starts.

In contrast, Nerima Journals should not require nearly as much investment of effort, since I won't be changing events, merely reporting on what happened. If things go as I intend, I will add bits to Nerima Journals at times when I'm waiting or blocked on other stories, or during periods when I'm not feeling creative enough to work on original stories. Whenever I accumulate sufficient journal entries, I can post the next set of them as a chapter.

We'll see how it works out.