(C&C welcome. Not to mention needed)

THE PROTECTOR
By Angela Jewell

An Alternate Reality Fanfic:
Same beloved characters, but whole new twists...

Standard Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property and creation of Rumiko Takahashi—there are lots of other names that are supposed to go here as well, but sadly, they all escape me. And more importantly, none of them are mine.

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Chapter 5
Breaking Hearts
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She was still a good distance away, but she was walking now, her bag held before her, her head down.

Damn, she was still angry. He could tell just by the way she walked. Her back was straight, her body tense… and she was currently walking away from a light pole that was suddenly sporting a very large dent. Shrugging, Ranma fought back a smile. Aw, well, he thought. Not like anger was a new emotion for her or anything. Grinning, he prepared to jump down to the pavement below...

"RANMA, YOU JERK!"

…and stopped. His head shot up, foot suspended in mid-air. What the—? Had she seen him? Slowly, his foot returned to the fence as his eyes instinctively searched for the tomboy. She was still a good distance down the road, her back to him. Then, she began hitting a brick wall with her book bag, cursing his name with every blow.

Swallowing nervously, Ranma took a few steps back. "Hmm…" he wondered. "Maybe I should stay right where I am." After all, he could watch her just as well from here, he reasoned—at least until she had time to cool down. Which, from the sizeable dent she was making in another street post, didn't appear to be anytime soon…

Ranma frowned. He couldn't understand why she was so angry in the first place… it wasn't like he would've actually done anything with that crazy gymnast girl. Sure, she was cute… but he did have standards. And he woulda told Akane that too—was planning on telling her—even though he wasn't sure why the opinion of an uncute tomboy like her mattered to him so much, anyway…

…And then to his surprise, that same tomboy's head suddenly swung in his direction.

"I know you're there," she said, glowering. "Now go away."

Ranma, stunned—and he hated to admit, a little impressed—hopped off the fence as he made his way towards her. It had been awhile since someone managed to catch him by surprise, especially when he was masking his presence… and sure, he had been distracted, but he was never one to make excuses.

Ignoring the death glare she was throwing his way, Ranma waved. "Yo," he said, confident that such casualness alone would annoy her.

Akane, true to form, scowled as she saw him walking closer. "Don't you ever listen?" she demanded.

"Nope," Ranma said, laughing. "Well, not to macho, uncute tomboys anyway," he added with a smug smile.

Growling in frustration Akane turned away from him, walking at a much quicker pace than before. Ranma, adjusting his pace accordingly, soon caught up and was walking at a comfortable speed beside her. They walked that way for several minutes, in complete silence as Akane studiously ignored him. Eventually though, she seemed to relax and resign herself to the fact that he wasn't going to just disappear.

"So, where we going?" Ranma asked at last, putting his hands behind his head.

Wordlessly, Akane held up her hand. The knuckles were red and badly scraped, and a little blood had started to bleed from the small abrasions. Before she had time to explain, Ranma had suddenly grabbed her hand in his, closely examining the wound.

"Hey!" Akane protested, blushing furiously at the contact. "What do you think you're—"

"You dummy," he muttered, ignoring her as he turned her hand to the side to get a better look. "What were you doing goin' around punching poles if you were just gonna get hurt?"

Akane quickly tore her hand away. "That's why I'm going to Doctor Tofu's," she explained, her voice suddenly soft. "He'll have me fixed up in no time." At the mention of the family doctor, the girl beside him began to smile; all of her remaining anger seemingly draining away.

Ranma watched her suspiciously for a moment, suddenly remembering what she had said the day they first met.

…I already have someone I like…

Could the guy she likes be her doctor—that Tofu guy?

A strange tightening in his chest started to form at that thought, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why.

*          *          *

Akane shot him a warning look, as if knowing exactly what he was thinking. Then, turning away from him, she quickly pulled the door open and headed inside. He trailed close behind, less enthusiastic, but still curious all the same.

Quickly removing her shoes before entering, Akane began to look around the waiting room, her bodyguard following at a safe distance behind her. "Doctor Tofu," she called, walking past the green couch and extra chairs that comprised the small area. "Are you in?"

Ranma rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the sickeningly sweet voice suddenly coming from the violent girl.

Stepping around a corner, she stopped abruptly, and Ranma found himself running into her back. "Geez, Akane," he complained, backing up. "Whaddya do that for?" Annoyed, he glanced up at the girl in front of him—the girl whose eyes were wide, and who looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.

Following her gaze, Ranma peered around the corner, and his mouth fell open in shock.

There, standing by the coffee maker and styrofoam cups, leaning against a small counter, was the good Doctor Tofu and Kasumi Tendo. Kissing.

"Oh," Ranma said quietly, glancing at Akane with worry. She didn't look too hot—her eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and her mouth was drawn into a thin quivering line, her hands shaking. He had no idea what to say to her, no idea what to tell a girl who had obviously just had her heart broken… and then, he didn't have to. A second later she was running out of the office, her long dark hair flying behind her, brushing against his shoulder as she passed.

Ignoring the oblivious couple behind him, Ranma turned and followed after her. Heartbroken or no, she was still his client. He couldn't let her just wander around town by herself—especially if that Amazon was in the area, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Dutifully, he left the building, quickly hopping onto the nearest fence as he reached the street, spotting Akane a good distance ahead.

She was running now, her school bag flying beside her. He was sure she was crying—most girls would be. And that thought alone made him pause; he wasn't sure how to handle a crying girl, let alone what to say to make one feel better… and they sure as hell didn't teach that kind a' stuff at the academy.

But he wouldn't get anywhere just watching her from a distance. Determined to actually do something, Ranma jumped off the fence—and suddenly felt a wave of cold water hit him head on. Before he knew it, his clothes were sopping wet and a few sizes too large; an old lady with a ladle stood innocently behind him, happily watering her sidewalk.

Ranma groaned. Just her luck...

Wringing her wet shirt, she tied the drawstring of her pants tighter around her waist and sighed as she started following Akane again. The other girl had started walking at a more sedate pace, and Ranma trailed behind, dragging her fingers along the fence as she walked.

What to do…what to do…

Akane might get a little freaked if some pseudo-stranger just walked up to her and tried to cheer her up. An how would she explain Ranma's absence anyway? It wouldn't do if he kept disappearing whenever it was convenient… Akane might start to get suspicious.

On the other hand, it'd be too embarrassing to comfort her as a guy. 'Sides, if people saw him talking to a weeping girl, they might think he was actually the one making her cry.

Feh, perhaps it was better to be a girl after all.

With newfound resolve, and putting the largest fake smile she could manage on her face, Ranma ran to catch up with the other girl—a feat that wasn't hard, considering Akane's pace had slowed to almost a creep.

"Hey!" Ranma yelled cheerfully, stepping in front her, "fancy meeting you here, Akane!"

The fake smile didn't take long to disappear. Akane, if it were possible, looked even worse than she had feared. Her cheeks were red from the cold, and fresh trails of tears had dried on her face, leaving her eyes puffy and red from crying

Akane quickly lowered her head, wiping her eyes dry with her sleeves. "Hi, Ranko," she replied half-heartedly.

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked, feigning surprise. "Ya seem kinda upset. You okay?"

Akane nodded, though her shoulders were slumped and she looked anything but okay. "Oh, oh I'm fine, really," she replied, laughing bitterly at something only she knew. Slowly she headed towards a nearby empty bench and sitting down, stared at the book bag she had placed carefully in her lap.

Ranma sat down awkwardly beside her, unsure what to do next. She kept glancing nervously at Akane every few minutes, her mouth half-open as she prepared to say something helpful, uplifting… until she finally gave up and settled for silence.

She tried to concentrate on something else in the meantime, the birds nearby, a couple of noisy kids who were chasing each other around some trees… but her eyes kept drifting back to the girl beside her. Akane's long hair was framing her face, and her hands had begun to tighten around her bag's handle.

"I—I really liked him," Akane said at last, her voice so low Ranma had to strain to hear. "I've liked him ever since I was nine. I always knew he liked Kasumi—everyone does—but…" she sighed for a moment, gripping her book bag even tighter. "I never knew she liked him back." Wiping at her eyes again, she laughed sadly. "I feel like such a fool."

"No," Ranma replied just as quietly, "you're not. How were you to know? Kasumi ain't the easiest person to read, ya know."

Akane laughed again. "No. No she's not," she agreed, a hint of a smile on her face.

Again they grew quiet, and Ranma glanced once more at Akane. Now she was staring intently at the ground, not saying a word. Ranma leaned back and rested against the bench, though his eyes never left the other girl. "It uh, musta been a shock," she said, watching her closely. "Seeing em kissin' like that... you sure you're okay?"

Akane nodded, but then stopped suddenly as she turned to look at Ranma in confusion. "How—how did you know I saw them kissing?" she asked.

Ranma froze, her eyes instantly widening.

Aww, crap!

Akane's mouth fell open and her fists shook; abruptly she stood. "Just great," she muttered irritably. "The whole town already knows!" Ranma watched as Akane's grip on her book bag seemed to tighten even more—her knuckles, turning white.

"Uh, actually," Ranma began, eyeing her warily.

"Don't worry," Akane interrupted, throwing herself back down on the bench with a sigh. "It was bound to get out eventually. I just didn't know that news travels that fast."

"Yeah," Ranma said, laughing nervously. "Neither did I."

Akane suddenly smiled; a real smile that reached her eyes. "My dad's certainly in for a shock though."

Ranma nodded as she lifted her head to glance over at Akane. The other girl's head was titled slightly, her gaze fixed to the sky as the wind blew her hair, causing stray strands to escape from its bow, framing her face perfectly. Ranma could feel her heart tightening in her chest as she watched her—her own face burning as she suddenly blushed. Quickly she looked away, embarrassed and confused. Why was the dumb tomboy having that effect on her!

Akane looked over at her then, and smiled.

"I like you like that," Ranma said quietly, her eyes quickly returning to stare shyly at the ground.

Akane frowned in confusion. "Like what?" she asked.

"Laughing," she explained and her blush deepened. "Smiling. It looks a lot better on ya."

Akane looked surprised for a moment, but then her smile slowly grew as she slapped the other girl lightly on the shoulder. "Why, Ranko," she teased. "What would Ranma think?" Standing up, she stretched, her arms raised high above her head, her bag on the bench. "Besides," she continued, turning her gaze to the sky. "I couldn't stay sad forever, could I?" A hint of sadness still remained despite her words, but she turned to look again at Ranma and smiled. "And a good cry is just what I needed. I already feel a lot better."

Ranma couldn't help but smile at that. "I'm glad."

Leaning forward, the other girl's expression suddenly turned coy. "Do you know what would make me feel even better?" she asked.

Ranma was tempted to back away… not liking the way the other girl was looking at her. "No… what?"

Akane grinned happily. "Ice cream," she said, laughing. "It's the cure for everything."

Ranma, relieved, quickly stood up. "Sounds good," she said, trying to hide her excitement. She was already imagining all of the delicious things she would buy—things she never dared order as a guy.

"Great," Akane replied happily. "And you're buying, of course." She bent down to grab her book bag… she suddenly stopped. Her long dark hair had suddenly fallen over her shoulder, and she stared at it… no longer hearing Ranma's good-natured complaints, or the sound of a screaming child running past… she saw the ribbon, tied perfectly towards the end—just like Kasumi's, only longer—and felt her heart catch in her throat.

Ranma noticed her serious expression, and gently nudging her asked, "You okay?"

Forcing a smile, Akane quickly stood up, gripping her book bag just a tad bit tighter. "Yeah," she replied, a small waver in her voice. "I just… I need to make a quick stop first," she explained, glancing down at the ground.

"What's the matter?" Ranma asked.

"Nothing," she replied, shrugging. "Should we go find Ranma so he can join us for ice cream though? He was with me a little while ago... he's probably worried by now."

Ranma laughed uncomfortably as she quickly cut her off. "Nah," she replied, waving the idea aside. "He could be anywhere. Besides, he refuses to eat ice cream since he's a guy."

Akane clucked her tongue in disapproval. "Some bodyguard," she muttered. "What would he have done if Shampoo had suddenly appeared and you didn't run into me?"

Again, Ranma laughed uncomfortably. "Nah, he would' a been here. He's real dependable, an, and responsible… and a great martial artist—not to mention the best at the agency."

Akane laughed. "Really, Ranko," she said, shaking her head sadly. "That's just cause you like the big dummy. To everyone else he's a mean, perverted jerk." Without giving her a chance to reply, she started heading out of the park, her bag swinging by her side.

Ranma followed at a more sedate pace… though every now and then she couldn't help muttering the words "uncute tomboy," under her breath as she walked.

*          *          *

Ranma, fighting back a blush, quickly nodded. "It looks good," she said, her gaze drifting momentarily to the two ice creams she held in her hands. One was already starting to melt, and she could feel it starting to drip on her hands; but she ignored it as she looked once more at the other girl. "Short hair, I mean… it really suits you."

And it did. If anything, it made her look even more like a tomboy—something he had considered almost impossible before. But even more than that, it made her look more mature somehow, more self-assured. Ranma was finding it harder and harder to tear her eyes away… Akane just looked so different—like another person almost. And then there was the way the strands perfectly framed her face, their ends brushing against her neck…

Heart pounding, Ranma quickly looked away.

What was wrong with him, anyway? He'd seen tons of pretty girls before—some a lot cuter than Akane. Hell, he'd seen beautiful women that put her to shame! So what was so great about that violent, stubborn, tomboy that would make him act like this? It was bad enough feeling these things as a guy—but even when he was a girl!

Really! He had limits.

Ranma, suddenly angry, held the extra cone out for Akane. "Here," she said gruffly, still avoiding her eyes. "I got ya this while I was waiting. Hope ya like chocolate."

Akane smiled as she took it. "Thanks, Ranko," she said, completely missing the sudden hostility in the other girl's voice.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Akane happily eating her ice cream cone as Ranma quietly sulked, refusing to even glance at the other girl. Soon, however, his own ice cream was gone, and he had nothing left to distract him. No longer able to stand the silence, Ranma cleared her throat noisily.

"Why'd you decide to get your hair cut, anyway?" she asked, watching her out of the corner of her eye as curiosity finally got the better of her.

Akane looked away. "I just felt like a change, that's all," she said evasively.

Ranma nodded, not completely convinced. The expression on Akane's face just then, told her it was much more than that. But before she could question the other girl further, she spotted the Tendo Dojo up ahead. Akane was eyeing the gate nervously, no doubt preparing herself for when she saw Kasumi.

There couldn't have been a better cue; Ranma was impatient to turn back into a guy.

"I really should get back to the agency," she explained, a little too eagerly. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Akane said, waving the concern aside.

Ranma grinned. "Good," she replied, relieved. "I'll make sure you get into the house alright before I go though… just to be safe. The agency would kill me if Xian Pu showed up the minute I left, and you got hurt."

"Actually, I'd welcome the challenge," Akane said with a laugh. "The only thing that seems to cheer me up besides a good cry and ice cream is a good fight."

Ranma couldn't help but smile at that… she really was a tomboy.

"Thanks again for today, Ranko," Akane said, bowing in thanks. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't run into me like you did."

"Aww, it was nothin'."

Akane shook her head. "It really meant a lot to me," she said, her expression serious. "Friends?" Extending one hand, she looked at Ranma expectedly, patiently waiting.

"Sure," Ranma said, taking the other girl's hand in hers in a friendly handshake. It was always good to have another ally; she had enough enemies as it was…

Akane smiled happily, and released the other girl's hand. "I'll see you later, Ranko," she said, before waving goodbye one more time before turning and disappearing completely thru the gate.

Ranma waited several minutes; wanting to be sure she was gone. Then, glancing briefly down both sides of the street, she quickly withdrew a hot water bottle from her bag, eager for the chance to become a guy again. It took only a second to dump its contents over her head… only a second for the cold water to wash over her, for her body to grow while other parts disappeared completely.

After it was all over, he was standing in the street—chilly, wet, but all male. He never felt so relieved…

…Until he heard the sound of someone clapping behind him.

Ever-so-slowly he turned, a new fear rising within him: there, emerging from behind a large brick pillar was Nabiki Tendo. Smiling.

"My," she said. "That was interesting."

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End of Chapter 5
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CHAPTER 6