COS44-46
"A Change of Scene", part 9 (Chapters 44-46)
by June "KaraOhki" Geraci, July 1998
The characters from Ranma 1/2 in this fiction are the
creations of Rumiko Takahashi, and borrowed without
her permission.
This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.
Chapter 44
"Where is Ranma?", Akane thought, as she sat fidgeting on his futon. When she got up, the priest
looked at her oddly, and held out one hand.
"Miss Tendo, I need to ask you a question."
"Yes?"
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"Excuse me? I don't understand."
The priest laughed, rather sarcastically.
"Come now, I'm sure you do. You've always made it plain that you don't want to marry your fiance.
Why are you doing this?"
In the hallway Ranma held his breath, waiting to hear Akane's response.
"I'm marrying Ranma because I have to."
The priest and Ranma both gasped.
"It's not what you think! No one is forcing me. I have to marry Ranma because I love him too much
to be separated from him."
The priest nodded, smiling.
"That was all I needed to hear, my dear."
Akane smiled back and stepped into the hallway, where Ranma pulled her into his arms.
"Thank you, Akane. I needed to hear it, too."
Akane blushed bright red.
Footsteps behind them announced Shiro's return. He was carrying a small tray with cups and a bottle
of sake, and was being trailed by the photographer, whom he had intercepted on his way out.
"I told you that you forgot something, Ranma. Don't you need this for the ceremony?"
"You're right, Shiro. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Now I have to see about getting your family up here. But it think it would be
best if you just got started without them."
The photographer preceded Ranma and Akane into the bedroom, and began to set up his equipment.
Akane sat down, arranged her kimono, and picked up her flowers. Ranma simply stared at her. Now
that they were finally in a quiet place, it seemed to him as if he were seeing her for the first
time that day, and he was overwhelmed. Ranma had been somewhat nervous before, but it had been
nothing compared to what he was feeling now, and he couldn't help wondering why this beautiful girl
was marrying him.
Akane saw the admiration in Ranma's eyes, and blushed again. She was suddenly the victim of an
extreme case of nervousness, and her flowers began to tremble. Ranma had always had many, many
girls to choose from. Akane couldn't believe that he'd chosen her.
Their eyes locked, and they sat there, just looking at one another. They may have sat there forever
had not the priest cleared his throat, causing them to look at him.
"I hate to rush you, but we should get this done before someone comes in and tries to stop us
again."
Ranma nodded, and picked up Akane's hand. Holding it felt so right that his nervousness vanished.
Akane stopped shaking when Ranma held her hand, and any fears she'd had disappeared.
The priest spoke briefly of the importance of their commitment to one another, and paused when he
heard footsteps on the stairs. Soun and Kasumi entered the room, and quietly sat down on the floor,
eyes wide. Shiro had told them what was happening upstairs, but they'd had a hard time believing
him.
The priest decided to wait, and within a few minutes Nabiki came upstairs, followed by Genma and
Nodoka. There was no more space available on the bedroom floor after their arrival, so Shiro sat on
the floor in the hallway behind them, with Shampoo beside him. The priest looked at Shiro, and
raised his eyebrows.
"May we continue, or is there someone else coming?"
"We're all here, sir."
Ranma and Akane looked extremely relieved. The delay had caused their jitters to return, and they
reached for one another's hands, holding on tightly. At a prompt from the priest, they began the
recitation of their vows.
Akane smiled as Ranma promised to love her, to be faithful to her, and to take care of her forever.
She knew that Ranma would always call her names, tease her, and pick fights with her, but that was
part of his love and she accepted it.
Ranma listened with a smile as Akane promised to love him, to be faithful to him, and to take care
of him forever. He knew that Akane had a quick temper, would often disagree with him, and might
very well kill him with her cooking, but that was all right with him as long as they were together.
They exchanged rings, shared the sake cup, and sighed with sheer relief when the priest declared
them to be husband and wife. Soun was already sobbing softly when Ranma was invited to kiss his
bride. Ranma didn't need a second invitation, and soon the room was filled with sounds of approval
from family members watching what they had never expected to see.
*****
It had taken a little while for the remaining wedding guests to realize that none of the Tendo or
Saotome families were in the dojo. They huddled together in small groups, wondering what to do.
Sounds of laughter made them all look toward the broken doors and the families re-entered, with the
exception of the bride and groom.
Soun made an attempt to speak to everyone, but his tears choked him, and Genma took over.
"I have an announcement to make. My son and Tendo's daughter were married a few minutes ago, and
they'll be downstairs soon. Let's get ready to give them a big welcome!"
*****
After the photographer finished taking a set of portraits, Ranma waited impatiently while he got his
things together, and hurried to close the door after he went downstairs. Akane was standing at the
window, and Ranma took her flowers from her hand and tossed them onto the bed. He pulled her into
his arms and crushed her against him. Akane held him just as forcefully, burrowing her way deeper
into his embrace.
"We did it, Akane. Despite everything they threw at us, we did it."
"Even Daddy gave up, Ranma."
"He what?"
Akane pulled back, so that she could look into her husband's eyes.
"He told me that our engagement was a mistake, and I didn't have to marry you. He was wrong, Ranma.
I did have to."
"Then why didn't you pound Kuno, Akane?"
"What?"
"I saw you, Akane. When he grabbed you, you pulled away, and I could tell you were getting ready to
send him through the roof, but you just stopped. I would have stepped in if Shampoo hadn't gotten
there first."
Akane laughed.
"You don't know how much I wanted to, Ranma, but I was afraid."
"Not of Kuno!"
"You've got to be kidding! No, I was afraid I'd rip my kimono, and I want to keep it forever."
Ranma pulled Akane back into his arms, and kissed her.
"It's beautiful, Akane."
Akane ran her hands across Ranma's shoulders, and down his arms.
"You look pretty wonderful yourself. Japanese clothing rather than Chinese, or Western. I think I
like it."
Ranma's reply was another kiss, which lingered until they were breathless. Akane slowly withdrew
from Ranma's arms, and retrieved her flowers.
"We'd better go downstairs."
*****
P-chan shivered. He was cold, wet, and aggravated. Ryoga had been visiting his parents, and had
stepped outside to get the newspaper when it had begun to rain. Not wanting his parents to see his
pig side, Ryoga had run off to look for shelter, and become lost.
P-chan suddenly looked up and realized where he was. Why was it, he wondered, that whenever he got
lost he ended up here? The Tendo home was before him.
P-chan ran around the side of the house and was grateful to see that Mr. Tendo still hadn't fixed
the small hole in the fence that he always used to get in. He squeezed through, found his way into
the house, and up to Akane's room. He was soon asleep on her bed.
While the piglet slept, the reception went on at the dojo. Music played while couples whirled
around the floor, and aside from the destroyed doors, no one would have been able to detect that the
place had been a madhouse earlier.
Shiro danced with Shampoo, and wondered at the faraway look on her face. She'd been watching Ranma
and Akane dancing, and he couldn't tell what she was thinking.
Shampoo watched the smile on Ranma's face as he looked at his wife. She'd always wanted to see that
particular smile directed at her, and it had never happened. She tore her eyes from them, and
looked at Shiro. It was at that moment that Shampoo realized the smile she was looking for was
there, but on a different man's face. She smiled back shyly and stopped thinking about Ranma, at
least for a little while.
*****
Soun had been at first amazed, and then overjoyed when he'd witnessed Ranma and Akane's marriage.
Then doubts began to assail him. He'd said earlier to Genma that their children didn't love one
another, and he wanted his daughter to be happy. Soun waited for the music to stop, and took Akane
aside.
"Akane, are you sure this is what you wanted? Are you happy?"
Akane laughed, and hugged her father.
"Daddy, this is exactly what I wanted! Can't you see that I'm happy?"
"I had to be sure."
Akane returned to Ranma for another dance, and Soun continued to watch them. He still harbored some
reservations, but they vanished when Ranma stopped dancing mid-song, picked Akane up, and kissed
her. Oblivious to the fact that they were in the center of the dance floor, Akane clung to Ranma,
returning his kiss.
"They must love one another, to kiss in public like that."
Genma had crept up beside his friend, and his muttered remark made Soun jump. Soun nodded, looking
confused.
"But when did that happen? How could we miss it?"
"I don't know, Tendo."
Genma handed Soun a bottle of sake, and a cup.
"Let's drink to our children, Tendo, and to promises kept."
Akane was sitting with her sisters and Ranma's mother when Ranma approached her and put his hand on
her shoulder.
"Akane, we have to get ready if we're going to make the train."
Akane held out her hands, and Ranma pulled her to her feet. His mother smiled, and also stood up.
"Let me help you, dear."
*****
P-chan woke from his nap. There was certainly a lot of noise coming from the dojo, but he'd been
too tired to investigate it before. He was about to do so when he heard footsteps on the stairs,
and faint voices.
"Where will you be going, dear?"
Akane laughed.
"Wherever Ranma takes me, Mother Saotome. He said something about the mountains, but that's all he
would tell me."
Nodoka thought for a moment, and smiled.
"I think I might know where, Akane."
"Don't tell me, Mom. I don't want to know."
P-chan stiffened, his thoughts in chaos. Why was Akane calling Mrs. Saotome "Mom"? Was she
married? He jumped off the bed and hid underneath it. When he saw Akane enter it wearing a wedding
kimono, he knew he'd arrived at the worst possible time.
Nodoka helped Akane change out of her kimono, and P-chan watched. From the vantage point he had,
all he could see were her ankles, but that was enough to make him miserable, since he knew that now
those little ankles belonged to someone else. P-chan wanted very much to have Akane hold him just
one more time, and was about to come out from under the bed when Ranma came in and Nodoka left to
call a taxi.
"Ready to go, sweetheart?"
P-chan peeked out and was sorry that he had, for all he could see was Ranma kissing Akane. Akane
had her arms wrapped around Ranma, and P-chan was beginning to wonder if they would ever stop when a
strange noise distracted all three of them.
"What the heck was that?"
"It sounded like Daddy, Ranma."
Ranma and Akane ran down the stairs, and P-chan took the opportunity to leave Akane's room and the
Tendo house. There was no longer any reason for him to be there.
*****
Akane found her father weaving around the living room, weeping. When Akane approached him, the
weeping became louder.
"Don't go away, Akane."
"Daddy?"
Soun grabbed Ranma, and shook him weakly.
"Why are you taking my little girl away from me, Ranma?"
Ranma supported Soun, who was barely able to stand, and walked him toward his bedroom. "Father
Tendo, you've been telling me to marry Akane for years. What's the problem?"
"You can't take my little girl away. I won't let you."
Soun suddenly collapsed, and Ranma had to carry him the rest of the way. Akane undressed her
father, and put him to bed. By the time she was done, Soun was half awake, and clinging tightly to
her hand.
"Don't leave me, Akane. My little girl should be with her father."
"Daddy, I'll always be your little girl, but I'm Ranma's wife now. You have to learn to share me
with him."
Ranma chuckled at Akane's words, and ran upstairs for the suitcases. Akane sat patiently, holding
her father's hand as he wept. Soun finally drifted off, and his grip loosened. Akane gently
withdrew her hand, and tiptoed out of her father's room. Ranma was waiting for her just outside the
bedroom door.
"Your father was really upset, Akane."
Akane giggled, and hugged Ranma.
"Daddy's plastered, Ranma. He won't remember a thing he said when he wakes up tomorrow."
Ranma had hoped that there wouldn't be any more delays to their departure, but it wasn't surprising
to him to find Shampoo waiting next to their bags. Shampoo hadn't spoken to them at all since the
wedding ceremony, but had hovered nearby, watching them quietly.
For once in her life, Shampoo didn't know what to say. Then the taxi pulled up outside, and she
knew she didn't have any more time to think about it. She stepped up to Ranma, touched his hand
lightly, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. There was an incredible look of love and sadness in
her eyes when she whispered to him softly:
"Goodbye, Ranma. Be happy."
Shampoo ran back toward the dojo before Ranma could respond.
Akane watched Ranma standing there, hand to his cheek where Shampoo had kissed him. When he finally
looked down, she couldn't help smiling. Ranma looked as though he expected her to clobber him for
letting Shampoo kiss him. Instead, what he heard surprised him.
"Ranma, do you think Shampoo will be all right?"
"I hope so, Akane."
By the time they got to the station, the rain had turned to snow. Akane leaned back against Ranma
as she watched the lights of Nerima receding.
Chapter 45
Nearly all of the guests had departed, and Shampoo knew she couldn't put off going home any longer.
She retrieved her coat, put it on, and found Shiro standing beside her, buttoning his own coat.
"I'll walk you home, Shampoo."
"No, Shiro. Mousse or Great-Grandmother will see you."
"Then I'll walk you most of the way there."
Shampoo couldn't argue with that statement, and said her goodbyes to Kasumi and Nabiki, the only
members of the family still present.
P-chan had been wandering the streets in circles. He'd been trying to find his way to Akari's
house, but had found himself in front of the Tendo home more than once. It was not where he wanted
to be, and hr felt that even more strongly when Shampoo emerged from the house in the company of a
young man he didn't know. The moment she saw him, she scooped him up.
"Ryoga, what you doing here?"
Shiro looked at Shampoo in confusion.
"Why are you calling this pig Ryoga? Isn't he P-chan, Akane's pet? She showed me pictures of him."
Shampoo spoke to the pig instead of Shiro.
"Is ok to trust Shiro, Ryoga. We go back inside."
Shiro was totally mystified when Shampoo ran upstairs to Ranma's room. She went through his closet,
and found some old clothing he'd left behind.
"What are you doing, Shampoo?"
"No can guess? This not real pig. Please give him bath, Shiro."
Comprehension came into Shiro's face, and he raced downstairs to the bathing room. Shampoo followed
more slowly, and soon Shiro and Ryoga emerged from the bathing room. Ryoga was red with anger, and
immediately turned on Shampoo.
"How dare you reveal my curse like that! Who is this guy?"
"Is Shampoo's friend, Shiro. He Ranma's roommate."
Ryoga's face fell, and he growled at Shampoo.
"Not anymore, he isn't."
Shampoo lost her temper.
"Ryoga! Why you follow Akane, when Akari loving you? Silly boy."
Shampoo stopped short, hand to her lips. She'd been describing her own behavior.
After a few uncomfortably silent moments, Ryoga shrugged, and smiled sadly at Shampoo.
"You have a point. Thank you."
The three left the house, where Shampoo took Ryoga by the shoulders and gave him a push in the
direction of Akari's house. She doubted that he would find it, but chose to hope for the best.
Shiro was quiet as they walked toward the Nekohanten, and Shampoo soon noticed.
"Is Shiro thinking?"
"Yes, Shampoo. I have to ask you something. Does Akane know that P-chan is Ryoga?"
"No."
Shiro couldn't believe it.
"What about Ranma?"
"Yes, but he keep secret, like Shampoo."
Shiro couldn't understand why Ranma would keep Ryoga's curse a secret from Akane. Why on earth
would he want her to keep this young man as a pet? This was something he'd have to ask his friend
about.
Shampoo stopped short two blocks before the Nekohanten.
"This close enough, Shiro. You go back now."
She paused, and hugged him.
"Thank you for inviting Shampoo to wedding. Shampoo knows now that Ranma very happy."
"What about you, Shampoo. Are you happy?"
Shampoo thought about it.
"Yes, Shiro. Shampoo happy."
Shiro's response was to gather Shampoo into his arms and kiss her. When he released her, she just
stood there, looking startled.
"Why Shiro do that?"
"Because it felt right, Shampoo. I'll be in touch."
Shiro quickly turned around and walked away, wondering what was happening to him. Since his senior
year of high school he'd gone out with many girls, and had never felt quite this serious about any
of them. He'd intended to stay unattached until he got his degree, but whether she knew it or not,
Shampoo was causing him to re-think his intentions.
The Nekohanten was dark when Shampoo entered it. Upstairs, there was no light coming from Mousse's
door, or Cologne's, and she assumed they were both asleep. Then Shampoo discovered her great-
grandmother sitting on her bed.
"Where have you been, Shampoo? Mousse looked for you all morning. We had no one to make deliveries
this evening. It cost us a lot of business."
Shampoo replied in Chinese.
"I went to Ranma's wedding, Great-Grandmother."
Cologne's eyes widened. She'd heard that the wedding had actually occurred, but how could that be
if Shampoo had been present?
"Why didn't you stop it?"
"I helped, Great-Grandmother! He...he...Ranma loves Akane, not me. It was the right thing to do."
Cologne opened her mouth to chastise Shampoo, and changed her mind. There was too much pain in her
great-granddaughter's eyes already. Tradition demanded that Ranma marry Shampoo, but for once,
Cologne thought that tradition could be overlooked.
"You look tired, Shampoo. We can talk about it in the morning. Will you be all right?"
Shampoo didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure what to think, or what to feel. The first man
she'd ever loved had just married someone else, and she could honestly wish him well. She also had
just been kissed by a young man she barely knew, but who had somehow found a way to slip through the
cracks in her broken heart.
"I'm not sure. I want to go to bed, I think."
Chapter 46
Akane was deep in a dream. She and Ranma were running on the beach, and even though they were
splashing through the surf, he was not changing. Akane laughed, and threw herself into Ranma's
arms. She thought he would kiss her, but instead he took her by the shoulders, and gently shook
her.
"We're here, Akane. Wake up."
Akane rubbed her eyes, and sat up.
"I'm sorry, Ranma. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
Ranma laughed.
"That's ok. I did too."
It was still snowing when they got off the train, but there wasn't much on the ground because of the
strong winds coming through the mountain pass. They began walking, and soon could see the lights of
he inn. The door opened as they were walking up the steps, and a white-haired woman smiled, and
bowed to them.
"Good evening. You must be the Saotomes."
Ranma smiled, and returned the bow.
"Yes, we are. Good evening."
"Please come in. We've been expecting you."
Ranma and Akane put down their bags to take off their coats and shoes, and a member of the staff
immediately whisked them away.
"I'll show you to your room."
The followed the woman down the hallway, and she stopped and gestured toward a pair of doors.
"The baths are here. I thought you might want to take advantage of them while we make your dinner."
They continued down the hall, where the woman unlocked the door and showed them into their room. It
was small - the bed seemed to take up all of it - but flames crackled from the fireplace, and there
was a view of the mountains from the window.
"Bathrobes and towels are there. We'll have dinner for you in about half and hour."
Ranma thanked her, and closed the door. When he turned back to his wife, she was smiling at him the
way that caused his pulse to race, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. Too many
people had tried to come between them, to interfere with them, or to harm them. Finally, Akane was
his, and they were alone, and no one could get in the way.
*****
Akane rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, and immersed herself in the tub. She watched the light
reflecting off the ripples in the water, and relaxed, letting the last of the day's tension leave
her. After everything that had happened at home, Akane felt that it was almost miraculous that she
and Ranma had been able to come to this quiet place. It had been very difficult for them to let go
of one another to go to the bathing rooms, and Akane at the wall beside her, knowing that her
usband was just on the other side.
Ranma lay back in the hot water, staring at the ceiling. His wedding day had come close to being
a disaster, and he was relieved that it was over, and he and Akane were miles away from Nerima.
Ranma felt uncomfortable having Akane out of his sight. He looked at the wall beside him. The
women's bath was just on the other side.
"Akane, can you hear me?"
"Ranma?"
"I'm getting out now, Akane. I think our dinner should be waiting for us."
"Give me five minutes."
Ranma stood by the door of the women's bathing room, waiting for Akane. She soon came out, wrapped
up as he was in one of the robes supplied by the inn. Ranma saw the midnight blue lace peeping out
at the neckline, and smiled.
When they got to their room, they found a maid turning down the bed, and another setting out their
dinner on a low table by the fireplace.
*****
Ranma poured two cups of wine, and put the dinner tray outside the room, locking the door. When he
turned around, Akane was standing at the window, holding both cups. She had removed her robe, and
the firelight reflected off the satin ribbons of her nightgown.
Ranma joined Akane at the window, where they sipped their wine, looking out at the mountains. The
snow continued to fall outside, and the wind howled down the mountain pass. Akane listened to the
howling and shivered, moving closer to Ranma.
"Come sit by the fire, Akane. It's too cold here by the window."
Ranma sat down on the rug before the fire, and pulled Akane into his lap. They alternated soft
kisses with sips of wine, and gentle caresses.
*****
Two empty wine cups sat on the table, barely visible by the light of the dying fire. A short
distance away, a puddle of midnight blue silk and lace lay on the floor.
Ranma gazed at Akane as she lay in his arms, eyes closed, wondering if she was asleep. They'd
been talking quietly, and she had stopped talking, closed her eyes, and pillowed her cheek on his
chest.
"Akane."
"Mmmmm?"
Akane opened her eyes, lifted her head, and smiled at Ranma.
"I thought you might be asleep."
Akane's expression changed. She looked anxious, and grabbed Ranma's shoulder.
"I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid you'll disappear."
Ranma lifted Akane's hand from his shoulder so that he could kiss her fingers.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Go to sleep, Akane."
Ranma fought to keep his eyes open until he felt Akane relax into sleep. He pulled the quilt
higher around her shoulders, and finally allowed himself to close his eyes. The last thing he was
aware of was Akane's hand creeping up to his pigtail, and taking firm hold of it.