Because the club wasn’t far, Ranma had insisted that they walk. While she didn’t say so out loud, Akane secretly thought it was because Ranma was too poor to afford a cab. This was, however, no surprise, considering that he lived in the same house as Nabiki. As Akane mentally dreaded over the condition of a “Night Club” that Ranma could afford, the boy himself fidgeted under the uneasy silence that had spread between them. Sensing Ranma’s discomfort, Akane attempted to start up a conversation.
“So, Ranma. How, exactly, do you plan to pay for this evening?” Slapping a gloved hand to her mouth, Akane cursed herself for not thinking before speaking.
*Ranma isn’t the only one who does it! Argh!*
Ranma simply chuckled at the comment and burst out laughing at Akane’s display of embarrassment. When she peered at him with curiosity, he apologized,
“Sorry, Akane, I couldn’t help it. I didn’t mean to laugh.” When she tilted her head in confusion, he took her elbow and tugged at it,
“C’mon. I’ll explain while we walk. We don’t want to be late, someone’ll take our reservation.” As they walked he continued talking.
“I’m not as poor as everyone thinks I am. Y’know those competitions I’m always winning?” she nodded. Yes, she remembered. He never lost. “Well, Pop used to go from competition to competition, entering me in as a representative of the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Actually, it was to make me stronger, a man among men. Anyway, I won, and kept winning. But the thing that my pop doesn’t know, won’t ever know, is that the prize for winning is money. That’s the only reason I let him enter me in all those matches: for the money. Well, that and the experience. Anyway, over the years I’ve tucked away a large sum of money. That’s why I let Nabiki charge me an arm and a leg for stuff: no matter what she charges, it won’t make that big a dent in my savings. And what ever she takes, I can win back in a competition. So, that’s how I’ll pay for the evening. Long answer, huh?” Akane continued to let Ranma lead her towards the club as her brain failed her.
*Competitions…money…Nabiki…charge…win back…pay for the evening…hold it!*
Suddenly, she slammed on the breaks and Ranma turned to look at her.
“Then why are we walking?” He stared at her blankly. She sighed and reposed her question:
“If you can afford it, why are we walking?” Ranma blinked twice, then smiled.
“What, and miss this lovely night?” He used his arms to indicate the streets, lamp posts, and stars. Akane smiled,
“I see your point.” Ranma returned Akane’s smile and held out his arm to her,
“Shall we?” She nodded her head slightly and accepted his arm.
*Why did he tell me about his money? Why me, and not his dad?*
The mental image of Ranma in chains being dragged from competition to competition while a large panda sifted through piles of money flashed through her mind.
*Oh. Never mind. But wait! How does he know I won’t turn this…very important information over to someone? Or sell it? Or start asking him for more stuff? Does he…trust me?* She looked up at his handsome face through her bangs. He had mixed emotions on his face: excitement, dread, worry, and happiness. Akane smiled and laid her head agents his arm ever so slightly, smiling to herself. Ranma noted the new pressure on his arm and glanced down at Akane. Seeing the happy look on her face he smiled and continued on the path to the Starlight Café.

~**~

Five minutes later, the Soatome party of two was seated at a table immediately adjacent to a large dance floor dotted with couples. As Ranma attempted to hail a water, Akane marveled at the room around her. A crystal chandler hung fifteen feet above her head, suspended by golden cords woven in intricate patterns. The floor was made of black marble with fine white speckles, giving the allusion of a starry night. The tables were spaciously arranged to allow for maximum comfort. The chairs were heavily padded and lined with a soft fur, making them the most comfortable things Akane had ever sat in.
“Wow!” Akane exclaimed, “This place is amazing! No wonder this is your favorite club. I didn’t even know this place existed before you! Forget the Cat Café! This place is a hundred times better then the Cat Café will ever dream of being! Ranma, why haven’t you ever taken me hear before?” Ranma, after having successfully hailed a waiter, smiled wordlessly and handed her a menu. Upon opening it, Akane understood. She sucked in a sharp breath and threw a wild glance at Ranma.
“This place is expensive, Ranma! Are you sure you can afford a dinner for two here?” He laughed and replied,
"Yes, Akane, I’m sure. Now, don’t worry about the prices and order something you’ve never had before. In fact, try something you’ve never even heard of before! It’ll be fun to see how you like it.” Even though Ranma had told her to try something she hadn’t ever heard of before, Akane asked Ranma about everything. How’s this? Have you had this before? How does it taste? What’s this? Finally, after fifteen minutes of questions, Akane gave up.
“Ok, Ranma, I give up.” She handed him the menu back and smiled at his questioning expression. “Here’s how it is, I have no idea what to order, so you’re going to order for me. I trust that you won’t order me anything you think I won’t like.” Ranma laughed at this declaration and hailed a waiter. They exchanged whispers, and the waiter left. Akane bit her bottom lip as Ranma grinned at her.
“So?” She questioned, “What did you order me?” His grin broadened into a smile and he laughed,
“I’m not telling you until after you’ve tried it. Then I’ll have you try some of my meal. I ordered us different plates, so you’d have a chance to try two new things.”
“And drinks?”
“Those,” Ranma said, sitting up straighter as a waitress came up with a try full of beverages, “are right here.” Akane looked at her drink with interest as the waitress put it down in front of her. Moving her gaze to Ranma, he laughed yet again and said,
“You look like a little girl in a candy store! Well, little girl, it just so happens that this certain candy drink is called a ‘Shirley Temple.’ (AN: Hey, what can I say? I love those things! And I probably didn’t spell it right…bad me! Bad!) They drink them in America all the time. Try it, I think you’ll like it.” Ranma propped his chin up with his hand so he could watch Akane experience a “Shirley Temple.” Picking her glass up, Akane took a tiny sip and looked at Ranma with wide eyes.
“This is wonderful!” Taking a slightly larger sip, Akane laughed in delighted glee as the new flavors threatened to overload her taste buds. As Ranma watched Akane taste her drink again and again a new and slightly frightening idea revealed itself to him. The happier Akane got, the more certain he was: this was why he was born. To make this girl happy, at all costs. Akane looked up and saw Ranma staring at her with a slightly troubled look on his face.
“Ranma?” she lowered her magnificent drink slightly, “What’s wrong?”
“Hmm?” His eyes met hers and Akane noticed something new there. It was a warmth, a certain tenderness that Akane had never thought she’d see in Ranma’s eyes. Swallowing, Akane stammered,
“You, uh, looked worried. Are you ok?” Ranma broke the eye contact and waved his hand.
“Fine, fine.” Akane looked at him, skepticism written all over her features.
“Well…ok. If your sure nothings bothering you.” Ranma smiled and moved back in his seat as a water loaded down with food laid a plate down in front of him, and another in front of Akane. Smiling her thanks, Akane peeped under the mettle lid that hid her meal from her. Breathing in deeply, she savored the scents rising from the hidden meal.
“Mmm. If nothing else, I love the smell of this…whatever it is.” Laughing, Ranma leaned over and took the lid off of her plate. Gasping in delight, Akane looked at her with a sense of awe. She looked up and Ranma, and he smiled. (AN: I’m going to describe this on the basis that Akane has never had any of this stuff before. So please don’t kill me…)
“Try at least a bit of everything. As your chewing it, I’ll tell you what it is. Once you’ve tried everything, I’ll tell you what it’s called on the menu, so you’ll know if we ever come back. When you’re done, you can try mine.” She nodded and picked up her fork. First she took a sample of a fluffy white side dish drenched in a dark brown sauce. As she savored the flavors with closed eyes, she heard Ranma say,
“The white stuff is called creamed potatoes and the dark brown sauce that’s on almost everything on the plate is called home-style gravy.” Next Akane tried a deep purple gelatin type thing.
“That’s called cranberry sauce. Interesting, isn’t it?” Akane nodded and went on to the next side dish. This was a light brown bread like dish that had little speckles of seasonings in it.
“That is known by two different names: dressing and stuffing. I don’t know why, but it is.” Moving on the last, ignoring the peas, and main part of the meal, Akane stabbed a peace of first the light, then the dark meat and almost gasped at the flavor content.
“The meat, both light and dark, is from a strange bird called a turkey. The meal itself is called the ‘Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Platter.’ Like it?” Akane nodded vigorously. “Anything on there you don’t like?” At first Akane said no, then she corrected herself,
“Well, I don’t think I care for the…um…cran-thingy.” Ranma smiled,
“The cranberry sauce?”
“Yes. That’s it.”
“It does seem to be an acquired taste.” Akane looked at Ranma, confused.
“Ranma, why are you acting so different? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like you like this, but…why?” Ranma sighed and replied,
“Well, that’s a many part answer. First of all, the difference is in my maturity. I’m usually not this mature. Why? I don’t really know. I think it’s you.”
“Me?”
“Ya. Most people I’m around expect me to be an idiot and immature, but you seem to expect more of me. Almost like you know I’m not really always like that. Also, most of my…well, friends I’d guess you’d call them, think of me in one way, and can’t see me doing anything out of character. If I did, they’d think I was poisoned, or you’d hit me, or something, and they’d go berserk. You’re taking the change in stride. I act immature and, well, stupid when I’m fighting. It gives people a false sense of security. If they think I don’t think well, they won’t expect me to plan, which I do in every fight.”
“I noticed.”
“Huh? You know that I plan my fights?”
“Well, I don’t think you plan to fight, but during the fight’s you plan a head of time. I can almost see you calculating sometimes. It’s amazing to watch you fight. Every time you hit your opponent, you mean to, and just at that spot, too. You know where they’ll go, and how fast. You really are one of the best, you know. And that’s part of the reason why I seem to be expecting you to be mature. I am. I know you can be better than you are. And that’s why I get so mad why you insult me. I know that you could have thought ahead and stopped yourself, you just don’t seem to want to. It annoys and, to tell the truth, hurts me that you do that, sometimes.” Ranma flinched when she said it hurt her.
“I’m sorry, Akane. I really didn’t know you didn’t like it. I thought you thought it was a game, or something. If it really hurt’s you, I’ll stop.” She smiled.
“Good, cause I don’t think you wanna be making me mad with my new play thing always at the ready.” Ranma gulped and gave her a nervous laugh.
“Anyway!” he said, changing the subject, “You’ve gotta try my meal, now. I’ll tell you the name first. It’s called ‘Fetachini Premevera’ and it’s really good…”

~**~

One and a half hours later, Akane and Ranma were both slightly reclined in there chairs, full to the popping point with good things. In the end, Akane had liked Ranma’s meal better than the turkey, and Ranma had gladly traded with the thought
*Heaven forbid that she ever asks me for something she shouldn’t have…*
As Ranma sat listening to the bands soft music, his eyes wandered the room till they landed on Akane. She was reclined in her cozy chair, fighting the lazy, sleepy feeling that always accompanies a really good meal.
“Oh, no, no, no, no, no, Akane! You can’t go to sleep! We still have desert.” A soft mumbling sound was all the response he got. Sighing, Ranma got up and walked over to Akane.
“Ok, c’mon, Akane. We’re having strawberry cheese cake for desert, and you don’t want me to have to eat it all alone, do you?” Again, a soft murmur was all he got. Pulling Akane’s chair out, Ranma took Akane’s hand and hauled her up.
“Hey!” She protested, “Stoppit…” Ranma pulled Akane towards the dance floor.
“Uh-uh. I’m not going to let you sleep through cheese cake. You should thank me, and be a good girl.” Yawning slightly Akane beamed at Ranma and said,
“Thank you, oh mighty Ranma, for not letting me sleep through dancing and cheese cake.” Once on the dance floor, Akane fell into Ranma’s arm’s and they began to move around the floor. Not thirty seconds later, Ranma stopped and looked at Akane in reproach.
“Akane, I’m the guy. Let me lead and everything’ll be fine.” Akane laughed and allowed Ranma to glide her across the floor and never tried to take over again. Ranma and Akane circled the floor again and again, until an idea occurred to him. He knew he cared for Akane, but until this very moment, he hadn’t known how to tell her. Now he wasn’t sure if he had the guts. Taking a deep breath, Ranma lead Akane to the edge of the dance floor, told her to hang tight for a moment, and went to talk to the band, praying Akane liked what he was going to do. At that moment, the girl in question was very confused. After all, dancing had been Ranma’s idea but after only a few songs, he started to look worried. Then he had dropped her off and gone to talk to the band. Was she really that bad a dancer? While she was brooding about it, Ranma came back, and swept her back out onto the dance floor with out her even noticing it. Glancing up at Ranma, Akane realized that it wasn’t her fault he was upset. The look on his face told her he was about to do something…but what? As the band began the opening cords to a familiar song, Ranma took a deep breath…and began to sing.

Unforgettable.
That’s what you are.
Unforgettable.
Though near or far.
Like a song of love that clings to me
how the thought of you does things to me.
Never before
Has someone been more

Unforgettable
In every way
And forever more
That’s how you’ll stay
That’s why, Darling,
It’s incredible
That someone so
Unforgettable
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable too.

As the music continued to play, Ranma pulled Akane close and moved her around the dance floor as if they were they were the only two alive. When the time was right, Ranma continued to sing…

Unforgettable
In every way
And forever more
That’s how you’ll stay
That’s why, Darling,
It’s incredible
That someone so
Unforgettable
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable too.

(AN: Ahh!! I LOVE Nat King Cole!!)
When the music faded and finally stopped, Ranma still healed Akane close, and she still remained in his embrace. When he finally pulled away, Akane had tears in her eyes.
*Oh no! She doesn’t think I’m unforgettable! She thinks I’m crazy! She hates me! Oh, man! I really screwed up this time…*
But Akane didn’t move away, she came closer. Moving her mouth next to his ear, she whispered,
“That was so nice…it really was unforgettable…just like you…” Moving slightly, she kissed him lightly on his cheek and hugged him tight, “Unforgettable.” Suddenly, the crowd that had moved off of the floor to give the young couple some room, burst out in applause. Pulling away from Ranma, Akane looked at the people with a smile and a laugh. As they moved back to there table, several people stopped Ranma to say how well he had sung and Akane to complement her on how well she had taken that and congratulate her on a fine, brave boyfriend. One teenage boy stopped Ranma to ask if he could do something like that to his girlfriend and Ranma had replied,
“Go for it. But let me tell you, it’s nerve wrecking work.” Once they had seated themselves at there table, and Ranma had ordered the cheese cake that Akane had asked for, a silence fell over them that neither could fill. Suddenly, they both started to speak at once.
“Ranma/Akane-“ nervous laugh
“You go first.” Another nervous laugh. The silence continued until the cheese cake arrived. As they slowly ate there slices, Akane gathered her thoughts, not to mention courage, and said,
“Ranma, I have a question to ask you about your song.” He looked up at her and nodded his permission to continue. “Well, since it was that song…and you did sing it to me…I was wondering…does this…I mean, that is to say…oh, hell. Ranma, does this mean you’ve chosen me as your fiancée? Not me and Ukyo and Shampoo, but me alone? Or was it just…for fun?” Ranma looked at Akane for a long while before putting his fork down and replying slowly,
“Well…I wouldn’t…mind you being my only fiancée. That is, if we can figure out how to get rid of Shampoo and how to let Uc-chan down without hurting them to badly.”
“But do you choose me, Ranma? Of your own free will?” Ranma took a deep breath and grabbed Akane’s hand from across the table.
“Yes, Akane. I choose you. Freely and without poisoning or bribing of any kind.” He watched as first anger (the thought that he’d have to be drugged to choose her) and then intense happiness (the fact he had chosen her) crossed her face. She squeezed his hand and smiled at him before continuing her cheese cake. Ranma looked troubled, “And…you?”
“Huh?”
“What about you? I mean, you know that I…like you…but I don’t know if you…y’know…”
“Like you back?”
“Ya…” She smiled and reached for his hand again.
“Of course I like you, Ranma. In fact, I’ve like you secretly for a long, long time.”
“Really?”
“Yup. All those times I’ve hit and/or yelled at you? Suppressed rage at not being able to tell you. That, and the fact that at least three other girls could easily, and daily, tell you what I couldn’t.” Ranma whistled. When Akane looked questionably at him, he said,
“Now who’s acting differently?” It took her a few seconds to remember there earlier conversation about his sudden change of personality and maturity. She laughingly explained that she hadn’t changed in the least towards him.
“You must be imagining things.”
“Oh, really? Just now, I tested you, and you didn’t even know it.”
“Uh-huh. Right, Ranma.”
“Seriously! Just a minute ago, I implied that I’d have to be drugged and/or poisoned to choose you, and though at first you started to get mad, you thought about it, and saw that I was just putting my foot in my mouth. Instead of going for what I accidentally said, you took the time to see what I was trying to say, and you remained calm.” Akane opened her mouth to protest, and shut it again, stifling a laugh.
“See! You just did it again!” Laughing outright, Akane put up her hands in a “guilty as charged” position and said,
“All right, all right! You caught me. Actually, I’ve been able to handle my emotions better sense…hmm…well, sense that thing with you-know-who happened.” Akane hadn’t said the name Alan Break because it always seemed to get Ranma angry. There was definitely something between them, but Akane couldn’t figure out what. Stuffing down his anger, barely, Ranma managed to say, quite calmly,
“Really?”
“Yes. I think…” Akane bit her bottom lip and looked around her, as if she was fearful that the walls had ears. Leaning in close in to Ranma, Akane said, “I think that thing with the sword should have happened a very long time ago. The sword, not just the Wielding, but the Calling and the Dismissal as well, seem to act as an out-lit, a release if you will, of stored up energy and emotions. I had so much anger from my mothers death, and my surprise betrothal to you, and the boys at school, and Kuno, and everything, that I didn’t know what to do with it all. So when you slipped up in the least, I Called and took the extra anger out on you. I know, it wasn’t fair, but I really couldn’t help it. If I hadn’t used you as a release, I probably would’ve gone crazy or run away long, long ago.” Ranma, who was resting his chin on his hands, listening intently, took this pause to pose a question.
“What did you do to ‘Release’ before I got here?” She shrugged.
“I killed dummies and bricks. And kicked Kuno’s butt. And all those other boys. It wasn’t as effective as hitting you, because I had no excuse to Call, but it worked well enough.” Ranma “Hmm”-ed and asked another question.
“What’s the difference in ‘Calling’ your mallet and ‘Calling’ your sword? Is there a difference?”
“Yes. There is a definite difference. Lets see if I can put this into words. Ok, there was always, underneath it all, a deep longing for something. There was a whole in me, and I didn’t know how to fill it. Whenever I Called my mallet, it was like someone filled the space half full. The only problem was, it only lasted a few minutes during, and never before or after. Calling the sword has filled that emptiness. The first time, I knew it was difference. It was like I had been going around my whole life without my right arm. And the entire time, it was right there. It was super strange the first time. Now it’s second nature. And, no, the Sword cannot be replaced or destroyed. ‘If ere one be without the other, both shall cease. I and Mine must be together, always, lest I die’.” Akane shook her head and blinked. “Ranma, where’d I get that? ‘I and Mine’? ‘Lest I die’? I sound like Kuno, for crying out loud!”
“No, no, Akane. Not like Kuno at all. That...thing you just recited…it’s like the mysterious kata…I’ve heard of people having things like that before. It’s, like, hereditary. Passed down. You got it from someone in your blood line. I’ve met people with them before. It’s a flash of a truth, so to speak. There are certain things you need to know about your Sword. I think if I ask you the right questions, you’ll come up with the answers. Ok…how’s this. Akane, where did your power with that sword originate?” Akane blinked twice. “Oh, Ranma, how an I supposed to know that? And what exactly do you mean by that? Which side of my family, or the very first where?” Ranma sighed.
“We’re going to have to go very slowly here, I can see that.” When Akane looked hurt, Ranma quickly finished his thought, “You power, what ever it is, doesn’t seem to do well with complex could-have-many-answers questions. Let’s start again. Akane-“
“Excuse me, sir. But this table was only reserved until eleven o’clock, and it’s approaching midnight. Do you need to extend the reservation or are you quite done?” Ranma blinked at the waiter who had come from no where and sighed.
“We’re done. Please bring me the bill.” “Yes, sir. Right away.” Ranma rubbed his hand across his face and addressed Akane, saying,
“It looks like we’ll have to finish this later, Akane. Maybe tomorrow? At the Dojo?” Akane looked hesitant, but one pleading look from her fiancée crumbled her resolve not to tamper in this…whatever it was.
“Ok, Ranma. Tomorrow. But only if you answer a question for me.”
“Anything.”
“Why are you so interested in me and my sword? You never showed any interest in anything I did before.” “Well, your situation is so…unique. Everyone I had ever met with this thing had been trained in it. If it’s dangerous to you, we have to figure out what to do about it and how to train it. And if not…it’ll be fun anyway. Just you and me, with an excuse to be all alone in the Dojo…” Ranma smiled wolfishly at Akane as he accepted the bill from the waiter, paid in full with a large tip, and stood up.
“Shall we?” Akane smiled at him and accepted his arm.
“By all means.” And so the two strolled back to a house brimming with questions that could not wait till the morning to be answered, and enjoyed one of the last moments of peace they would share before all hell broke loose.

Next time on Crossfire: Akane and Ranma explore the mysterys of the Sword! Not only that, but Ryoga make's an appearance and Akane find's out about P-chan's secret! What will happen? And what's with Mousse? Find out next time in: Chapter 5!