Hey guys…Long time no see! Yes, it is me, your forgotten pest Milana Pashmina. I'm sure a lot of you don't remember me, but I do! Barely… In the 17 months I've been gone, a lot has changed. I'm not the girl I was when I began nor am I any better as a person.

However, I have grown up a little and am a better writer, I hope. I've been wanting to update this story, because it's been on my mind lately. So, without further to say,

Until We Meet Again

(and, no, I do not own Ranma ½)

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Ranma POV

When I awake, groggy, blurred human figures and worried voices greet my poor, aching head. "Wh-what's going on?" I groan.

"Ah! You're awake! You had us worried there, Ranma," Dr. Tofu says.

"You were helping Nabiki with her tournament, when…"Kasumi gently begins.

"And Seigo Nakao clocked you!" Akane finishes with a grin.

With a wince, I sit up on the narrow bed that I remember sitting on before after getting beat up by Akane years ago. "No way. I didn't get beat up; you're lying!" I pout as I blush.

I just remember kissing her last night, and everything else, too.

"You did! That kid clobbered you!" she laughs.

"Shut up!" I gripe.

"Now, now, Ranma, Akane, let it go. Just because Ranma got beaten up doesn't give us the right to pick on him," Dr. Tofu laughs gently.

There's a bump on my head, I notice, and several bruises. I ask, "What is that kid?"

Now patching me up as she did in the old days, Akane replies, "He's just some kid. Maybe 17 years old. I guess he takes Martial Arts. Anyway, you shouldn't get bent out of shape. When you were that age, you were the same thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you were pretty much the best martial artist around. Now, I mean, you're younger, and I doubt you've been practicing nearly as much as you used to."

"Oi! Are you saying I got worse! "

"well, you were just beaten weren't you?"

That little…! with her haughty attitude acting all high-and-mighty. I bet she hasn't trained at all! Who is she to insult me! Even when I was in my prime and she in hers, she wasn't so great. Shampoo, Ukyo, Ryoga, Mousse, we were all way better than her. I never liked that conceited attitude of hers.

"I seem to remember you getting beaten in a lot of matches. In fact, I almost always had to come save you," I snip.

Big mistake. With a wet slap, she smears my whole cheek with some oily ointment guaranteed to prevent scars. That's going to be a mess to get off. I see she's gotten subtler.

"Ah, but Ranma, I never got knocked out for three hours," she says sweetly.

"That kid! What's his name?" I demand, decidedly more willing to seek revenge instead of a fight with Akane.

"Seigo Nakao. He's a member of the Tomoryuu Dojo. He's the owner's son," Kasumi calls from her baby's room.

"You can always issue a challenge and defend your honor, Ranma," Akane smirks with deliberate provocation.

Ah, last night. She was so sweet and innocent, a teenage girl again. A fluke of fatigue, perhaps, but it was nice seeing her so cute. What ever happened there?

"Hey, Akane," I reach for her sleeve like a child. "About last night."

"What about it?" confused, she asks.

"Well, you were so cute. Now you seem…macho by comparison."

"WHAT!"

I catch note of the danger just a little too late. First clue I missed? I was knocked out in the tournament, and Akane said I was unconscious for 3 hours. Second clue? Akane's confusion about what happened last night. Third clue? Akane would have been much more shy if last night had really happened.

So…it was a dream!

While my brain utilizes detective skills worthy of the great Sherlock Holmes himself, my stupid mouth has to rely on its own mind. I swear it has one.

"Come on. I know you can be cute when you want to, but kiss-," thankfully she doesn't let me finish.

"Kiss! Who said anything about kissing YOU?" I fear I am about to be punched through the roof, but instead, I am only slapped, even if it is right on a tender bruise.

"Ow! Never mind…jeez," I mutter, massaging my cheek

Akane stomps away, muttering her something under her breath. Complaints, I'm sure.

Akane POV

That stupid Ranma! He had me worried, all passed out and helpless, then he wakes up, hears he got bested in combat, and has to insult me! Honestly! Why does he take it out on me? Not like I beat him up or anything. Hmph.

"What's with him, Kasumi-onee-chan?"

We're in the kitchen, doing dishes. She hands me a cup to dry. My task is completed with surprising ferocity, even for me.

"Wipe gently, Akane," she says before replying, "He's just been away. And he's a stubborn sort of person, so losing puts him in an unhappy mood. Unfortunately, you're his favorite outlet for such frustrations."

How can she say that with a smile?

"So, I should just put up with it like I did when we were teenagers?"

"Oh, you never put up with it, silly."

"Kasumi, I really wish you'd stop teasing me," I scowl.

"Who's teasing you? Akane, you always overreacted when you were kids. Now, you're an adult. You should learn to calm your anger and behave like one."

Kasumi can't be serious. I'm 24 years old and she treats me like a child. But…Kasumi's not mean or spiteful, so…do I deserve to be treated like one?

There's nothing I can say for a few minutes. The shame just sort of washes over me. Not to say I'm too ashamed, because I wasn't the only one wrong. But I softly place down the towel onto the counter. "Kasumi-onee-san, do you mind finishing the dishes by yourself?"

For just a moment, she studies me, then, as if she's proud of me, lightly says, "Of course I don't."

I wind around Tofu's practice and home to the den, where a patched up Ranma is politely chatting with the doctor.

On the verge of laughter, they fall silent when I stand in the threshold. "Yes, Akane?" Tofu questions.

"Can I talk to Ranma for just a minute?" I pronounce monotonously.

"What'd you—," Ranma begins, only to be cut off by Tofu.

"Go ahead."

I stare impatiently as Ranma sets down his tea and follows me out into the backyard.

He crosses his arms and towers over me. "What?"

"You are such a jerk."

"You drag me out here to say that to me?"

"It's true. But I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

"Huh? Akane, are you okay…?"

"I'm fine. I mean, we were both wrong, and you just got back to Japan. I don't want to fight with you like this right away."

My thumbs suddenly become a lot more interesting, so I look intently at them for the ostensible hours until he speaks again.

"Apology accepted. Thank you."

Not quite what I expected. "That's IT?"

"What more do you expect?" he balks.

I can't stop myself from becoming sarcastic. "I wanted some denotation that you're sorry too, maybe?"

"For what?"

"For calling me names like you used to! How old are you, anyway?"

"Oh, so now she insults me!"

"RANMA NO BAKA!" I yell.

"Haven't heard that in a while," he sneers. "Akane, you are so simple."

"RANMA!" I bellow once more, but follow it with a milder, "Ranma, what do you think of me?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

On the verge of shouting again, I clench my teeth and fists, and force the words in my throat to come out. "I don't want the same relationship we had when we were sixteen. I want to be your friend Ranma. We've never had a civil conversation in our lives! We're adults now, so why don't we act like it?"

"Akane, if you feel that way," Ranma starts, and I feel myself being irresistibly drawn into him.

"If you feel that way, why can you never get along with me?" he concludes.

"Haven't you been listening to anything I've said, you jerk? I want to try to be friends with you!"

"But you aren't trying!"

"Yes, Ranma, I am! I want to punch you so hard in your face but I-."

"So do it."

"what?"

Ranma sighs. "We don't have the chummy kind of relationship that most people who've known each other since high school have, Akane. So punch me in the face, shout 'Ranma no baka' and we'll go on with life, with things just how we left them."

"But Ranma!" I begin to cry from sheer frustration. He just doesn't get it! How dense can a guy be? "We only met each other in high school and knew each other for a year! It's been seven since then, with absolutely no contact with each other. We're practically strangers, Ranma!"

"Well, when you put it that way…"he mutters.

Going on momentum now, I wipe away tears and half mumble, "Besides, I don't want the same relationship we used to have. I told you I don't. We could be so much more than that. I want us to be…more. Please, Ranma, try to be civilized, and I'll try too."

My vision is too blurred by tears. I shift my gaze to the ground, and wipe the stupid things away. After several poised thumps, Ranma's feet point right at mine. He lifts my face up towards him so that I look him right in the eye.

"Akane, I'm sorry I was so slow in realizing what you wanted, and I know we've hurt each other and we're both sorry for that, and I'm sorry for this, but you are so dumb!"

Before I can hit him, he hastily continues, "C'mon, think about it. We might be almost-strangers, but we still know each other! We may be adults, but we're still the same people at heart. And it's just in our nature to fight. Think how boring things would be if our day began with 'Good morning, how did you sleep? Yes, I concur the rice is exceptional this morning.' Can you picture that?"

I can't help but choke out a laugh. "I didn't mean like that! I just don't want to constantly antagonize each other."

Ranma smiles a rare, sweet smile. "I guess we could try it."

"Thanks," I sniff.

We turn a little timidly back to the house. Ranma holds the door for me, and as I walk in, he nonchalantly mentions, "Say, Akane? There's something I should probably tell you. You know, as a friend."

"What is it?"

Faltering under my intense gaze, he scratches his head, looks away defiantly, and smarts, "Nothing."

"What are you hiding from me?"

He mischievously responds, "Lots of things, but I'll tell you tomorrow. We should get home. Look, it's already starting to get dark."

As a part of our tête-à-tête, I didn't sulk when we went in the house.

Ah! Everyone! Milana Pashmina (feels weird to write that again) is out…enjoy this: a sentence in Japanese: hopefully, my stupid comp loves me

私はらんま 及びあかねを結婚する望む本の実質のため、しかし

Oh, and I will continue with this despite how few people are sure to respond to this. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed it!