Disclaimer:

The characters in this story aren’t mine, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other publications. I’m only here so I can practice my writing…

I do not own any of the characters and gains no profit from writing this story, so again please don’t sue!

I already have enough problems managing bill payments…

Bold Italics means sounds/signs

Italics means thoughts...

Author's Pre-notes:

This is Chapter is a flashback of Ranma's past.

Just so you all know...

Previously:

Ranma was lying down in the dojo, alone and hurt, after having another argument with Akane. The argument began when Akane had overheard Ranma talking to Ukyo on the phone. Alone and hurt, Ranma began to think about his life with Akane…

His thoughts brought him to question if he still loves Akane and brings him back to the where they first admitted to loving each other. The day Akane fought against Shampoo…

He began to think about how he prepared Akane on her oncoming face off with Shampoo. It was to be difficult since Akane was nowhere near the level of skill as Shampoo was to be able to defeat her. It took a lot of hard work for Ranma to train Akane, and it amazed him that even Ryoga helped with her training reluctantly, knowing that if indeed Akane wins, she will be accepting her engagement to Ranma but Ryoga's help made Akane's martial arts training a lot faster.

It was also strange that Mousse appeared in the dojo in the midst of training Akane, bearing information that could help Akane win the fight. When Ranma asked why he was helping them, he just shrugged and said that if Akane does succeed, it will mean that amazon tribal law for Ranma will be declared null and void. Which means that Shampoo will no longer chase Ranma. Ranma felt there was more to his story than he lets on but decided that any kind of help will do. For now that is.

Begin Flashback...

He remembered the grand battle between Akane and Shampoo, it took place three to four months after his tireless training of Akane. Soun insisted that Akane will not go to a training trip muttering something about his precious daughter being out in the wilderness. Of course everyone sweat dropped. She was trained in the dojo for those three to four months with Ryoga and Mousse's help. Surprisingly enough, the fight went off with out a hitch either, Ranma suspected it must be Nabiki's doing.

Watching the sea of people gathered around the empty lot behind the Furikan high school to reduce the level of damage. Ranma gathered that Nabiki would have made a lot of money judging from the crowd gathered around, especially seeing one of her lackeys darting through the crowd. He tried to focus on the fight itself. Both Akane and Shampoo entered the man made ring, both sizing each other out. To his surprise, Nabiki walked right in the middle of the two would be fighters. Ranma thought that it would be Cologne who would be refereeing the impending fight since its too dangerous for anyone else to be involve.

Nabiki raised her hand and the spectators begins to settle down. In a brief moment, Ranma was quite drawn to Nabiki, he couldn't explain why though. Maybe its because despite the chaos that went on around him Nabiki was always in middle of it all but never got involved. The way she would always attract control and a silent voice of reason. Its quite different with Kasumi. Kasumi is the epitome of calm and peace that she sublty exudes to everyone she comes in contact with while Nabiki has more of a yin-yang effect, where chaos and order seems to balance around her. Akane also shared some sort of gift like her sisters. Akane represents strength, both in anger and heart.

When he was quite sure that Nabiki had gained the spectators interest in less than 2 minutes, she began to explain the rules of the fight. It won't be a fight to the death but rather whoever yields first. There's no rules since it's Anything Goes Martial Arts vs. Amazon fight but the loser will undoubtedly resign/dissolve their engagement with Ranma. The loser will no longer have the right to pursue him. While rules of the fight were being explained, a couple of people and spectators have wondered what happened to his other inuzuke, Ukyo. They wondered why she was not included in this battle royale when she was also vying for Ranma's hand in marriage but shrugged it off as soon as Nabiki brought her hand down signalling the fight to begin.

At first both combatants were carrying their selected weapons, Shampoo with her two bon-boris while Akane with her mallet. Both fighters circling each other, sizing each other up.

In the sidelines both Mousse and Nabiki kept a closer eye on elder Cologne, both were convinced that she might try something to let Shampoo have the upper hand in the battle, though its very improbable. Mousse has told Nabiki that Cologne was quite confident that Akane was nowhere near as good as Shampoo and it will be beneath the elder if she did intervene but Nabiki remained sceptical.

She was still determined to watch over the elder. Nabiki assured Ranma that she never took risks and even got Mousse to cooperate with her. Finally, Shampoo made the first move attacking Akane with one of her Bon-boris in which she deflected and attacked Shampoo with her own mallet. Their speed and strength astounded the crowd as their wepons impacted against each other as each attacks were blocked and dodged.

Kasumi along with her father tried their best to watch the fight. Kasumi with her occasional "Oh My's" while Soun surprisingly held his composure and sternly watched the match. They were both very competent fighters and was good at evading and deflecting each other's attacks.

Shampoo took an initiative and left herself an opening, luring Akane to openly attack her sign of weakness. Akane took the bait and did so.

Akane was shocked as to how the wide opening in Shampoo's defence disappeared swiftly and left Shampoo to attack her when she unwittingly lowered her guard. She landed a couple of hits on Akane before uppercutting her with her bon-bori, sending Akane a couple of metres away from her. Nabiki wanted to run to Akane and aid her, seeing her younger sister's battered condition. Shampoo did a number on Akane.

Her eyes were blood shot, her left eye was now swollen, as well as her lips. Her gi was slightly tattered. She was well on her way towards her sister, when a hand grabbed her arm. She looked at her arm and then to the offending appendage that stopped her. Her vision trailed to the arm that held her captive and trailed it towards the owner. Her anger slowly grew as she came face to face to its owner, Kuno Tatewaki.

"Let it go" said Kuno while still holding on to Nabiki.

Nabiki narrowed her eyes, showing every bit of anger in her eyes.

"Let me go Kuno!" she managed to say through clenched teeth, shivering in impotent rage!

She wanted to go to her little sister, she never wanted her sister to get hurt through this fight.

No one hurts her family! Absolutely no one! Nabiki's mind screamed. She had sacrifice a great deal of her humanity and reputation to ensure her family was taken care of and at that moment, seeing her little sister battered and beaten simply enraged her! The cool and collected ice queen, is now filled with raw rage….

Ranma noticed how Nabiki began to emit a powerful blue aura, the people surrounding Kuno and Nabiki began to feel an incredible chill caused by Nabiki. It took Ranma by surprise to see that the people began to step away from the two and noticed that the ground she and Kuno occupied had slowly began to form ice as her aura grew! He could tell by Kuno's face that he was getting full blast of Nabiki's growing rage.

Kuno winced as he was also taken by surprise by Nabiki's untapped power. While she didn't have enough formal training on how to use her battle aura, she sure knows how to build it up!

Kuno struggled to hold on to her, he knew Nabiki more than anyone else. If he lets her go, she will do something stupid while under blind rage, like challenging Shampoo herself! But while her aura is strong, probably as strong as Ranma's, she won't last long for she had little knowledge of how to use it. She will simply loose. Not only her ego and pride but her sister's respect. He began to think of something to say that would calm her down.

"This is her fight Nabiki, not yours… If you go to her now, she will loose her self-respect and loose face is that what you want?" he managed to say. Hoping it would be enough.

Back to the other side of the supposedly arena, Happosai was perched on a tree branch and was quite astonish of what Nabiki has just displayed. Making a mental note to keep on eye on the middle Tendo girl, he began to smile to himself. While near the fight another figure smiled.

Elder Cologne wasn't oblivious as to what just happened. She had sensed Nabiki's aura and was quite shocked as well to find out that the girl had potential. At first she thought of the girl annoying , even intimidated by the girl's wit, but seeing her display such a powerful aura without knowing it, provided an idea to the older woman.

She indeed have potential, Cologne thought to herself as she began to formulate plans considering the middle Tendo's hidden potential, provided she gets to her first before Happosai does……

Back to Nabiki and Kuno

Nabiki seemed to have taken to account what Kuno had said and her aura began to subside. While in the crowd, Soun was so engrossed in the fight that he was totally oblivious to what had just happened, just like the rest of the people. Only a certain number of people noticed Nabiki's little display, like Kasumi and the Saotome's.

Kasumi like the rest was shocked when she felt her skin began to crawl and shivers ran down her spine. Upon inspection, she caught a glimpse of her younger sister Nabiki, no doubt pissed off of what happened to the youngest Tendo but she never thought that Nabiki would react with such unrepressed rage.

Kasumi always knew that her sister kept to herself and most likely bottled up every emotion she had, giving birth to the ice queen image but lately she had seen her crack through the wall of ice she had built around herself. To what have caused it was still unknown to her and while it was good to see her sister finally break the wall, she could see how much she tries to maintain her control. She was too strained, using too much of her time and effort for the sake of Akane's happiness. While Kasumi thinks that Nabiki had done almost all that she can to get rid of Akane's rivals for the sake of her sister, she can't help but feel she had an ulterior motive for this.

Nabiki had successfully removed Ukyo's claim, being the easiest as she tracked down her yatai and restored her family name by negotiating with Ukyo's father. She even promised the Kounji's that Genma will pay them back with every yen he owed them as well as with interest by working off what he owed them. Of course Ukyo was heart broken and still tried to pursue Ranma, but Nabiki had advised Ranma that if he truly did care for Ukyo he will not lead her on any further and admit to Ukyo what he really feels for her. When Ranma did take Nabiki's advice, Ukyo was devastated and left. After a couple of days later when she had calmed down, she confronted Ranma and had a heart to heart talk about their friendship.

Looking at Nabiki now struggling to maintain her calm, Kasumi had the desire to comfort her younger sister. She knew all the sacrifices Nabiki made. True no one asked her to sacrifice anything but she did it out of love for her family.

Love… The one thing that the people of Nerima didn't think she was capable of. Kasumi knew how much it hurts Nabiki every time the others called her the Ice queen or Ice bitch but Nabiki never showed them her feelings. Nabiki had taught herself that feelings and emotions were a sign of weakness due to their father's emotional breakdown and therefore swore not to succumb to it. Kasumi was interrupted from her thoughts however, caused by the rapidly growing hysteria of the crowd. Akane had regained her senses and was now again ready to fight the Amazon. Kasumi saw the determination on her younger sister's face as Akane wiped the blood violently away from her injured lips….

The first blood was Akane's.

Everyone saw the determination that gleamed in the youngest Tendo's eyes. Her aura, like Nabiki's began to glow but brightly than ever before. She looked at where Shampoo was standing, still armed with her bon-boris with a come hither look in her eyes. Akane got up and approached Shampoo, once again getting in a battle stance. They began circling each other once again.

"Violent girl wants more?" Mocked Shampoo as she looked at Akane's state.

"You got lucky." stated Akane. "But I'll soon wipe that smirked off of your mouth" Akane warned.

"Make Shampoo then," provoked Shampoo.

"I'll be happy to," replied Akane as she smirked back.

Almost at once, Akane threw a punch at Shampoo which Shampoo dodged. Akane then spun around and using her left hand tried to hit Shampoo with her mallet. Shampoo blocked the hit with her bon-bori before throwing a few kicks her way. Akane expertly held her ground, deflecting and blocking Shampoo's hits. When Shampoo threw a roundhouse kick at Akane, Akane feinted. She immediately crouched down and dropped her mallet. It was a risk that she needed to make. Grasping her two hands she used it to throw a very powerful uppercut which caught Shampoo of guard. While Shampoo was still in mid air, Akane then let loose a series of her attacks, a combination of punches and kicks before grabbing Shampoo and doing a body slam.

But before Shampoo hit the ground however, Shampoo began to twist her body, enabling her to somersault and avoiding a very painful landing. She is now in the same state as Akane. Her clothes where now stained with her own blood and slightly tattered. Her lips where also cut. Shampoo was surprised. Ranma was surely training Akane. She was sure that Akane couldn't have landed a hit on her if he didn't train her.

"Had enough yet?" Akane asked with no emotion. Happy that she got her revenge.

"Just getting started," replied Shampoo.

Again the fight resumed. Each now suffering blows from each other. As the fight went on, both combatants managed to disarmed each other and was now fighting hand to hand combat.

The crowds were all cheering, never before had they witnessed such a fight. It has been already been 45 minutes but it seemed like the fight was going on for hours. The speed and strength both women displayed were simply incredible. The spectators also sensed that the fight was near its end. Both combatants looked tired and eager to finish it off. It was quite clear that no one will give up. It will be a fight to the death. No one wanted to intervene though, for the fight has now turned to a matter of honour.

Both Shampoo and Akane scrutinized one another. It seemed somehow they were now equal. Shampoo now decided she had one move to get rid of Akane in a single blow, the breaking point attack. She will need to perform it close enough to Akane to inflict devastating damage and with Akane's current state, there's no way she can block the attack. Shampoo charged at Akane. In a split second everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Everything became surreal.

Ranma saw Shampoo's desperate look in her eyes and knew in an instant that Shampoo will try and use the breaking point attack. All he could do was yell out Akane's name to warn her of Shampoo's plan.

Akane seeing Shampoo's breakneck speed charging at her, froze. Then she saw it. She saw Shampoo halt inches before her, before crouching down and aim her finger on the concrete ground. She heard Ranma call out her name among Ryoga's and her family. The crowd was thrown into a frenzy as they realised that Shampoo just performed a Ki attack.

But before Shampoo manage to even touch the ground, Akane jumped up before unleashing her own attack, the Dragon ascension! Both attacks collided head on, creating a massive crater that blew the combatants away!

When the cloud of dust and rubble settled, Akane was shown crouching down. Tired and exhausted while Shampoo was in the other side of the arena lying face down. Shampoo then began to rise up while coughing up blood. It was pretty clear that she suffered the full brunt of both attacks. She then struggled to make her way towards Akane. The crowd couldn't believe that Shampoo was still determined to fight after that onslaught. Ranma was now beside Akane, ready to step in and hold Shampoo off and call off the fight when Akane held her hand up to block his way.

"No Ranma, This is my fight. I have to do this. This is for my honour. I have to do this for myself and ….for you…" She managed to get out.

"You don't have to do this Akane" Ranma stated.

"I want to Ranma… I want to because I….because I love you…" Akane replied while trying not to look at him.

"Akane" Ranma breathed out.

Ranma was overjoyed, Akane finally admitted she loved him!

"You don't have to do this Akane, there's no reason for you to do so…. I care about you a lot… I don't want to see you hurt anymore than you do now. I also want to let you know that I love you too and I won't let you get hurt anymore" Ranma stated.

"NOOOO!" screamed Shampoo.

"SHAMPOO AND VIOLENT GIRL FIGHT ON TO SEE WHO GETS RANMA!… FIGHT NOT OVER!" Shampoo cried out desperately.

"ENOUGH SHAMPOO!" intervened Cologne, she was then in Shampoo's side in no time.

"That is enough child, the boy has decided. You have clearly lost the match and is in no condition to fight… It is over" Cologne sadly concluded.

"NO!" Shampoo cried in denial.

Ranma then looked at Shampoo while helping Akane to her feet.

"I'm sorry Shampoo," Ranma breathed out as he closed his eyes and apologised to the beaten amazon warrior.

Ranma then took Akane in his arms and kissed her in front of everyone.

Loud cheers were heard from the crowd as they watched the couple kiss and acknowledge each other's love.

The moment Ranma took Akane in his arms another figure also began to cry. She made her way out of the crowd. She was so happy for Akane. She was also happy for Ranma. They truly deserve each other after what they've been through but it still hurts though. It hurt like hell but still she had made her decision. He had made a decision and she will abide by it. If it made him happy, then she will be content with that. She took one last look at his happy face with one thought in her mind.

"That could have been me…." as she smiled and tried to hide the tears that continued to flow from her eyes.

Author's Notes:

That's it…

hope you like it…

This chapter is pretty long hope it makes up for the shortness of the other one.

The fight scenes, I tried to make more exciting and more graphic, but I dunno if it work…

Please review… I know this seems to be a Ranma and Akane match-up for now, but you have to understand that this was suppose to happen… Im not much for Akane and Ranma so I can tell you right now that this wont be a Ranma and Akane happy ending story…

Can anyone guess who the figure was? Lol… well got to go hope you like it.. Hope this will keep you entertained while I go off and study for my exams… as soon as I finish my exams I will post up the chapters for my other fics…. But for now…

Ja Ne!