COS64-66
“A Change of Scene” Chapters 64-66
January, 1999, by June “KaraOhki” Geraci
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 64
Shampoo clutched desperately at Shiro as he broke their kiss. He looked amused, and patted her arm with one hand as he fumbled in his pocket with the other.
“Is something wrong?”
Shampoo blushed. She was not behaving like a proud Amazon, but rather like a silly, lovesick girl. Then she remembered that the decision she’d just made might very well have cut her off from her Amazon heritage.
“Shiro, you . . . you may be only family I have now.”
“What?”
Shiro withdrew his hand from his pocket, and put both arms around his trembling fiancee, holding her close. Shampoo quietly told him what Cologne had ordered her to do, and the decision she’d come to.
“. . . so Shampoo - I - had to choose, Shiro. I could have you or my people, but not both. I chose you.”
“You chose me over your family, over your heritage, over everything? Shampoo, I don’t know what to say!”
Shampoo smiled faintly, and caressed Shiro’s cheek.
“I had to. Love you too much to say no, Shiro. When I smile at you, you smile back like I only girl in world. When Shampoo would smile at Ranma, he would look frightened, or . . . what is word? Annoyed. Yes, that is word, annoyed. You always smiled back, Shiro, and let me know that you like me. No. Love me. Shampoo want to be with you always.”
“You are the only girl in the world, Shampoo. The only one for me.”
Shiro lifted Shampoo’s hand.
“And this is to tell every other man in the world that you’re mine.”
Cologne wiped away another tear as she watched Shiro slide a ring onto Shampoo’s finger. Pressure from home had caused her to push Shampoo too hard, so hard that she was breaking from her family. Now it was too late, since it was evident that her great-granddaughter’s relationship with this young man was not something new. Cologne quietly left the Tendo property and returned to the Nekohanten. She had a lot to think about.
In the dojo, Shiro reached into his pocket yet again.
“I have another gift for you, Shampoo.”
This gift was wrapped in colored paper. It was also round, but much larger than a ring. Shampoo unwrapped it and discovered a wooden bracelet. It was carved with an intricate pattern of flowers and vines.
“How pretty, Shiro!”
Shampoo put the bracelet on, and traced the patterns with her finger.
“I made it just for you, Shampoo.”
“I did not know you make - carve, that is word? - things from wood. This very beautiful.”
Shiro found himself at the receiving end of a first-class Amazon glomp. It took him some time to get his breath back, and the first thing he did was chuckle, and kiss his fiancee again.
“I have to make you gifts more often, if this is the way you’re going to repay me.”
*****
“Well done!”
Yoshimi walked onto the stage, clapping his hands.
“Best rehearsal we’ve had yet, people, and you deserve a reward.”
Yoshimi waited as everyone applauded him.
“We’re having an extra rehearsal Thursday night.”
Several copies of the script flew across the stage, hitting Yoshimi, to the sounds of a collective groan.
“Wait a minute! Let me finish! We’ll rehearse Thursday night, and then I don’t want to see any of you until Tuesday. Final dress rehearsals are Tuesday and Friday. I think we’re ready for opening next weekend.”
Akane looked up at the catwalk, where Ranma was applauding as enthusiastically as the rest of the cast and crew. He stopped, swung himself over the edge of the catwalk, and dropped to the stage. Akane laughed as her husband picked her up, kissed her, and spun her around in circles.
“A weekend all our own, Akane.”
Then he stopped spinning, and put her down.
“Damn, I forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
“We promised your Dad we’d go home our first free weekend.”
Akane looked concerned for a moment, and then smiled.
“I want to see Daddy, but I especially want to see Kasumi, and maybe . . .”
“Maybe what?”
“Nothing.”
Akane changed the subject. If Ranma knew she was planning to see Shampoo, he would think she’d lost her mind.
*****
“Eat this, Ukyo.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You haven’t eaten for two days. Eat it.”
Ukyo looked up at Konatsu. She’d spent the last two days in bed, ignoring him and the entire world. The stern look on her friend’s face told her that she wasn’t going to be permitted to do so any more and she sighed in defeat and picked up her chopsticks. Konatsu had to choose NOW to get bossy.
As she ate, Ukyo watched Konatsu, who had retreated to the window and was looking out into the night. When she’d closed down her restaurant in Nerima, Ukyo had told Konatsu not to try to follow her. Ukyo hadn’t told him where she was going, but it wouldn’t have taken much thought for Konatsu to realize that she would follow Ranma to college.
Konatsu turned around and smiled at Ukyo, who found herself wondering where he had been, and what he’d been doing. He looked different. For one thing, he wasn’t dressing like a woman, and had trimmed his hair. It was still long, but no one would make the mistake of thinking Konatsu was female anymore. He’d quietly taken over Ucchan’s, cooking and serving the customers, and telling them that Ukyo was taking a few days off.
“I drew a bath for you, Ukyo-sama. That will make you feel better.”
Ukyo nodded.
“Yes, thank you.”
Konatsu was scrubbing the grill when he heard Ukyo’s footsteps coming down the stairs. He smiled to see that she’d washed her hair and had taken some trouble with her appearance. That was an improvement.
“I’m going for a little walk. I think I need some air.”
“Let me come with you.”
“No.”
A glare from Ukyo was enough to prevent Konatsu from arguing with her. At least her glare still worked on him.
It was cold and quiet outside, so quiet that Ukyo was able to recognize the voices of the couple approaching before they could see her. She ducked into the shadows, and watched as Ranma and Akane passed by.
Ukyo had spent the last two days regretting her attack on Ranma, when the true cause of her pain was Akane. If Akane wasn’t in the way, Ranma could be hers.
If she wasn’t in the way . . .
Chapter 65
Shortly after sunrise, Shampoo left the Nekohanten. Shiro was leaving on an early train, and she wanted to spend as much time as she could with him before he left. Breakfast was on the table when Shampoo arrived.
“Shampoo, sit down and have something to eat.”
Shampoo noted that the table was only set for two.
“You not eating, Kasumi?”
“I’ll wait until Father wakes up. I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about.”
Kasumi hugged Shampoo, and went upstairs.
Shiro sipped his tea, and re-opened the discussion he and Shampoo had started the previous night.
“I’ll send you a check as soon as I get back, Shampoo. Pack up whatever you don’t need right now, and ship it to me. I’ll start looking for an apartment right away, and get it ready.”
“How long you think will take, Shiro?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll make it fast. I don’t want you living with Mousse any longer than you have to. Do you know when he’s coming back?”
“No, but he expected soon.”
Shiro frowned. Shampoo had given him a thorough description of Mousse’s behavior, and how he had been deceiving Cologne.
“I wonder if we’ll need Ranma’s help.”
“What?”
“Mousse is not going to be happy, and Ranma’s told me how violent he can be. I don’t want him hurting you, Shampoo.”
Shiro watched as Shampoo transformed from happy young girl mode to “indignant Amazon”. She glared at him as if he had committed some sort of major crime.
“Can take care of myself, Shiro! I do not need help! Maybe Shampoo will need to protect you!”
Shiro couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You have a point there. I know I wouldn’t stand a chance against him, and that worries me. Doesn’t it worry you?”
“A little.”
A vision of Mousse attacking Shiro made Shampoo flinch, and she dropped her chopsticks and grabbed him, holding him tight.
“More than a little. If Shampoo . . . if I am not there to protect you, what will happen?”
“I don’t want to think about that either, Shampoo. That’s why I want to get married as fast as we can. Then we can always be together.”
*****
Ukyo came downstairs to find Konatsu chopping vegetables. When she put on her coat without speaking and walked toward the door, he ran after her.
“Ukyo! Have some breakfast first.”
“Leave me alone, Konatsu. I just want to walk.”
“But you need to eat--”
“I said NO!”
The door slammed behind Ukyo, and Konatsu blinked several times before he went back to work. Ukyo was acting very oddly, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
*****
“Did you hear something?”
Akane looked confused.
“Hear what, Ranma? I didn’t hear anything.”
Ranma looked behind him. He couldn’t see anything, and was a little annoyed when Akane laughed at him.
“Not again, Ranma! This isn’t Nerima, you know. There aren’t people waiting at every corner to bother us.”
“Yeah, maybe not, but I know I heard something just now, and I know I heard something last night!”
Ranma looked behind him again, and an irritated Akane grabbed his hand and dragged him down the sidewalk.
“We’re going to be late for class!”
The look on Akane’s face prevented Ranma from arguing with her, but he was absolutely certain that he’d heard footsteps behind them. They arrived on campus, and a rustling noise from a nearby bush made both Ranma and Akane turn. A small animal emerged, and hopped up to Akane. It was white, with brown spots, and long floppy ears.
“Oh, it’s adorable! Maybe this is what you heard.”
Akane gathered the animal into her arms, and stroked it. Ranma hesitantly patted it.
“Miyah!”
Ranma turned white.
“C-c-c-cat!!!”
“But Ranma, it can’t be. It looks like a rabbit!”
Akane was talking to herself, because her screaming husband was sprinting off into the distance, smashing through bushes, benches, and everything else in the way. She sighed, gave the little animal another pat, and put it down.
“You’re cute, but you scare my husband. Now go on home.”
Another miyah made her look behind her, where there was another whatever-it-was looking at her. This one was brown. The two animals looked at each other, miyahed, and hopped away together. Akane left in the opposite direction, following the trail of destruction Ranma had left behind. Seconds later, a little girl with long blue ponytails chased after the cabbits.
*****
Ukyo was struggling to disentangle herself from the bush she’d been hiding in when Ranma ran over her. Just as she managed to pull herself free, Akane, who was still following Ranma’s path, stepped squarely on her head, forcing Ukyo back into the bush.
“Ranma, stop! Come back!!!”
Akane continued racing off, completely oblivious of what she had just done to Ukyo. After another minute or two of struggling, Ukyo finally emerged from the bushes, with her coat full of dried leaves and mud, and twigs tangled in her hair.
“That’s another reason I’m going to get her.”
*****
When Shampoo returned to the Nekohanten, one of the small tables was set for breakfast, and Cologne appeared in the kitchen doorway, a teapot in her hand.
“Lock the door, Shampoo, and sit down. I have something to tell you.”
Shampoo swallowed nervously, and took a seat. Cologne poured two cups of tea, and began to serve their breakfast.
“Great-Grandmother, I--”
Cologne patted Shampoo’s hand.
“I said I wanted to talk, Shampoo. There’s a story you need to hear.”
“I only wanted to tell you I’ve already had breakfast. Go ahead and talk.”
“Many years ago in Joketsuzoku, there were a man and a woman who were very much in love. They married, and for a short while everything was perfect between them. Then one day the wife was called before the elders.
“The young woman was told that she was not setting a proper example, as an elder’s daughter should do. She was allowing her husband, an inferior male, equal status in their relationship. The woman was warned that unless she rectified the situation immediately her position in their society was in jeopardy.”
Cologne paused to see Shampoo’s reaction, and she nodded to signify her understanding.
“The young woman made the mistake of listening to the elders, and she began to treat her husband rather harshly, as if to make up for her earlier lapse. Their relationship deteriorated, and by the time their first child was born it was nearly nonexistent.
“As tradition demanded, at the time the baby was born the woman’s female relatives attended her, while her husband was forced to wait outside. When he was finally permitted in to see her, he had been anxiously waiting for several hours. His wife and child were alone in the room when he came in, and when his wife saw the worried, fearful expression in his eyes she burst into tears. It was then that she apologized to her husband, and asked him to forgive her. He readily did so, and together they worked out a scheme to deceive their people.
“To all observers, the woman was still treating her husband as an inferior, and he was remaining in his subservient position; however, in the privacy of their home this was not so. They lived as equals, and their relationship went back to what it had been at the beginning of their marriage. As their children grew, they were taught to keep this a family secret. Their daughters passed this on to their delighted husbands when they married. Their sons were fortunate enough to marry women who had similar views, and were willing to join them in this deception, otherwise their lives would have been miserable indeed. The couple had a happy life together, until the husband’s death forty years ago.”
Cologne paused, took a deep breath, and stopped sounding like she was telling a fairy tale.
“Unfortunately Shampoo, my grandson--your father--was not so lucky.”
“What do you mean, Great-Grandmother?”
“Your father married your mother because she was very beautiful, and he loved her. What he didn’t know when she chose him was that her views about marriage and the place of men in Amazon society were very traditional. She refused to even consider trying our way of life, and threatened to expose us if your father didn’t agree to submit to her demand to be a subservient Amazon husband.”
Shampoo’s face fell. She’d lost her mother when she was 13, and her father never spoke of her. Now she knew why.
“Father sacrificed his happiness for his family, didn’t he?”
“Yes dear, he did.”
Cologne watched her great-granddaughter’s face. She was obviously thinking hard.
“Great-Grandmother, why didn’t Father tell me the truth after Mother died?”
“He wanted to, Shampoo, but he wasn’t sure if he could trust you. After all, your mother had raised you to have her way of thinking.”
Shampoo had tears in her eyes. Her own father didn’t trust her?
“And why are you telling me all this now?”
Cologne pointed at the ring on Shampoo’s finger.
“That’s why. It seems you’re rebelling against tradition too. I don’t want you to lose everything, Shampoo, so I want to teach you how to deceive the elders when you return home with your husband. I will tell them that you chose Shiro because you felt he would be an asset, and you knew that he would adopt the Amazon way.”
Shampoo couldn’t help but laugh.
“I doubt if Shiro will agree with you. He doesn’t believe in backing down like that. You remember the first time he came here? He wasn’t even afraid of Mousse!”
“Tell him it’s only an act, dear. We can teach him how to behave when he’s in Joketsuzoku, and it will be enough.”
Cologne laughed, causing Shampoo to stare at her in wonder.
“Can you imagine us trying to teach this to Ranma? I think he would sooner die.”
“No--never. He wouldn’t do it.”
Shampoo impulsively got up and embraced Cologne.
“Thank you, Great-Grandmother. I was so afraid you were never going to speak to me again.”
“I couldn’t do that. I want you to be happy, dear. I’m only sorry that I won’t be able to help you as much as I would like to. Mousse doesn’t know about our little family secret, and I intend to keep it from him.”
“He won’t hear of it from me, Great-Grandmother. I promise.”
“I know that, Shampoo. Now tell me more about Shiro, and all about your plans.”
Shampoo gave Cologne all the details, and then spent quite some time explaining to her great-grandmother how Mousse had been behaving whenever her back was turned.
“That’s another reason for you to leave here as soon as you can.”
“I hate to leave you alone with him.”
“I can take care of myself, Shampoo. Besides, I don’t think Mousse will stay in Nerima once you’re gone.”
*****
“Ranma! Where are you?”
Akane rounded a corner, still following the debris Ranma had left in his wake. She passed a smashed birdbath, and the trail of muddy footprints led her around a corner, where she found her husband, in girl form, leaning on a wall trying to catch his breath.
“Here. You’ll need this before you go to class.”
Ranma looked up to see Akane holding out her thermos of tea.
“Is it gone?”
“Yes, it’s gone.”
“Thank you, Akane.”
A couple of passing students saw girl-type Ranma kiss Akane on the cheek, and take the thermos from her. They wondered at it, but would have been even more confused if they’d seen what happened when Ranma used the contents of the thermos.
Chapter 66
Ryoga looked at his surroundings, and wondered where he was. The town looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t remember when he’d been there before. A moment later, he knew he was in Ube when he saw Akane Saotome walking down the steps of a nearby house. He began to follow her, torn between joy and pain at seeing her again.
The street lamps illuminated Akane’s way as she walked toward the hospital to meet Ranma, who was taking her to dinner after his shift ended. She walked onto campus and crossed it, not noticing that Ryoga was following her.
Ryoga was himself being followed. Shiro had been on his way to campus when he saw Akane ahead of him. When Shiro saw that Ryoga was following Akane, he felt compelled to keep an eye on her.
When Ranma returned from his honeymoon, Shiro had asked him about Ryoga, and why Akane kept him for a pet. Ranma had told him the entire story of Ryoga’s curse, and the circumstances that led to Akane’s adoption of P-chan. It was evident to Shiro that Ranma was more than a little jealous of Akane’s affection for Ryoga’s cursed form, and he was certain that if Ranma had been present he would not approve of Ryoga’s following his wife around.
The fourth person in the parade was angry. This was the first time Akane was out without Ranma, and she couldn’t get near her. That idiot Ryoga was in the way, and Ukyo had no idea who the other young man was, except that she’d seen him in her restaurant. She followed, feeling more and more frustrated, as Akane’s path led her off campus, and towards the hospital.
Then Ukyo got the break she was looking for. Ryoga suddenly stood still, shoulders drooping, as he watched Akane walk on. Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction, not even noticing Ukyo standing there. Moments later, the other man passed her, following Ryoga’s path.
*****
Ranma changed out of work clothes, and was combing his hair when Mr. Nagata came into the changing room.
“Going somewhere special, Saotome?”
“I’m taking my wife to dinner, Mr. Nagata. She should be here any moment now. Would you like to meet her?”
“Yes, I’ve been wanting to.”
Mr. Nagata paused, and smiled.
“I’ve been meaning to make up for interrupting your honeymoon, Saotome, and this isn’t much, but I’d like to cover the cost of your dinner tonight.”
He pulled out his wallet, and handed Ranma some cash. Ranma looked shocked.
“You don’t have to do this, really. . .”
“Nonsense. Now put it in your pocket and have a wonderful time.”
“Thank you.”
*****
The steps behind her were getting closer, and Akane had turned around a couple of times, but whoever was following her was good at hiding. She finally got tired of playing hide-and-seek, and spoke up.
“Whoever you are, come out. I know you’re there.”
“Hello, Akane.”
Akane’s eyes narrowed as Ukyo stepped out of the shadows. She had never completely forgiven her for breaking up her wedding, and was still seething about her attack on Ranma.
“What do YOU want?”
“Ranma.”
Akane’s expression changed from angry to incredulous.
“What?”
“Ranma. I want him, and you’re in the way.”
Akane couldn’t believe it. First Ukyo beat on Ranma, and now she was saying that she wanted him.
“Ukyo, it’s over. We’re married.”
“How did you manage that, Akane? What kind of threats did you use on my Ran-chan? Or did you put some kind of drug in his food? I KNOW he couldn’t possibly love you!”
“Yes he does! And I love him!”
“NO! No one could ever love him more than I do! He’ll be mine once you’re gone!”
That was all the warning Akane had, but it was sufficient. She sidestepped Ukyo’s first strike and fell into a ready position, waiting for her next move. It came soon enough, and Ukyo cried out in pain and surprise when Akane avoided her spatula, and kicked her. Ukyo’s second blow connected, and Akane screamed in rage when the spatula sliced her leg. The cries were heard blocks away, where Ryoga spun about, crying out Akane’s name and nearly running down Shiro as he ran toward the source of the sound.
Akane circled Ukyo, holding out both hands.
“Stop and think, Ukyo. Think about how Ranma would react if you kill me. Is that going to make him want you? Do you really want to do this?”
Ukyo backed up a step, looking at Akane in confusion. Akane kept circling. Sooner or later, Ukyo was going to attack again if she couldn’t talk her out of it.
“I’m not as easy as Ranma, am I? He won’t fight you back, will he? That’s because of that stupid thing he has against hitting girls. I will fight you back, Ukyo, and I will hurt you. I’ll ask you again: Do you really want to do this?”
Akane may as well have been talking to the air.
“Yes!”
Ukyo screamed in rage and went after Akane, striking out wildly with her spatula. Akane remained controlled, striking when she could, and ducking when she had to. It wasn’t long before Ukyo’s spatula landed on the sidewalk. Ukyo hit Akane a few times, but once she was disarmed she began to take most of the punishment. By the time Ryoga and Shiro arrived on the scene, Ukyo was lying unconscious on the sidewalk, and Akane was kneeling over her.
“Akane! Are you all right?”
“Ryoga? What are you doing here?”
“Never mind that, you’re hurt!”
Ryoga pulled off his bandanna and tied it over a nasty cut on Akane’s leg. It wasn’t until he was finished that he realized who was lying on the sidewalk.
“Ukyo? Ukyo attacked you? Why?”
“Why do you think? She wants my Ranma. Help me get her to the hospital, Ryoga. I think I hit her too hard.”
“You should have them look at you too, Akane.”
Ryoga lifted Ukyo into his arms, and looked helplessly at Akane, who led him to the hospital. Shiro compelled Akane to lean on him and accompanied them, wondering how he’d managed to find himself such odd friends. Then he grinned. He was going to marry into that group, so he may as well get used to it.
*****
Akane was late, and Ranma was worried. He paced back and forth, wondering why she hadn’t called. The phone rang in the outer office, but Mr. Nagata answered it before Ranma could.
“Yes, he’s here. I understand. We’ll be right down.”
Mr. Nagata looked down for a moment, and then back up at Ranma.
“That was the emergency department, Saotome. Your wife is there.”
Ranma gasped, and went deathly pale.
“They said it wasn’t serious. Let’s go downstairs.”
Ranma raced ahead of Mr. Nagata to the elevator, and pushed the button. When he saw what floor the elevator was on, he lost patience and disappeared down the stairs, while Mr. Nagata waited for the elevator.
The nurse at the front desk of the emergency department looked up as Ranma ran in, skidding to a stop.
“Akane Saotome? I’m her husband.”
“Room 7. The doctor is with her now, I don’t think--”
She didn’t get to finish the sentence. Ranma flew into the room and found a doctor leaning over Akane, putting stitches into her leg. Akane had the beginnings of a black eye, a bandage on her arm, and it looked like she was going to be rather bruised all over. Ranma winced. He would rather be beaten to a pulp than see Akane hurt.
“Akane!”
The doctor turned around, looking very annoyed. He pointed to a chair, which Ranma brought close to the gurney.
“Sit, and be quiet. You can talk when I’m done.”
Akane reached for Ranma’s hand, and squeezed it.
“I’m all right, Ranma.”
The doctor finished his stitching, and went to the sink to wash his hands.
“You’re very lucky, Mrs. Saotome. I don’t know how you managed to fight off your assailant, especially with the size of the weapon she was carrying. I’m going to get you some pain killers, and then you can go home. Take one, put some ice on the bruises, and go to bed. Come back in a week to get the stitches out.”
“My wife isn’t lucky, Doctor. She’s a martial artist, and can take very good care of herself.”
The doctor left the room, and Ranma scooped Akane off the gurney and sat down with her in his lap.
“Tell me who did this, Akane.”
“It was Ukyo.”
“Why?”
“She still wants you. She wanted to get rid of me, so she could have you.”
“Is she nuts or something?”
Akane shivered.
“That’s what they’re trying to find out. They’re keeping her here for psychiatric evaluation. I . . . I feel so bad!”
She burst into tears, and Ranma held her close, a tear or two running down his own cheeks.
They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat. Ryoga stood at the door, Shiro and Mr. Nagata behind him.
“Are you all right, Akane?”
“I’m fine, Ryoga. Thank you for your help.”
“Ryoga helped you? Did he fight Ukyo?”
Ryoga shook his head.
“Akane did it all herself, Ranma. By the time I got there, Ukyo was out cold, and I carried her here.”
Ranma looked down at Akane, whose eyes were closing.
“I need to get Akane home, she looks wiped out.”
Akane yawned.
“It’s the shot they gave me.”
Mr. Nagata quietly left. This was not the right time for him to be introduced to Akane.
The doctor reappeared, and handed Ranma a bottle.
“This is the pain medication. Make sure she takes one when you get home.”
Akane yawned again.
“Don’t you think the shot was enough? I can hardly keep my eyes open.”
“Arguing with the doctor, Akane? Don’t be uncute.”
Ranma grinned when Akane put her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.
“I’m not arguing, Ranma. I just want to go home.”
“Well, I don’t think we’re going out for dinner tonight.”
Shiro nodded.
“I’ll call for a cab.”
Ranma insisted that Shiro and Ryoga come home with them, and the four of them piled into the cab. When they arrived at the apartment, Ryoga watched rather wistfully as Ranma carried his wife upstairs and settled her into a chair before searching through the refrigerator.
“You guys hungry? I’m sure I can come up with something.”
“Ranma?”
“Yes, Shiro?”
“Let me call for delivery.”
*****
Akane kept nodding off as they ate, and only showed interest in the conversation when Shiro announced his engagement.
“That’s wonderful, Shiro. When are you getting married?”
“As soon as I can find us a place to live.”
Ranma smiled at Akane.
“That sounds SO familiar, doesn’t it?”
Ryoga remained quiet, his thoughts on Akari. Akane was lost to him, and it was time that he faced it.
An hour later, Shiro prepared to leave. Ryoga also got up, putting on his pack.
“I’d better go too.”
Ryoga ended up being the first to leave, and Shiro waited until he couldn’t hear his footsteps any more before speaking to Ranma. Akane had gone into the bedroom, but he still kept his voice low.
“Ryoga was following Akane, Ranma. I was keeping an eye on him.”
“Following her? I don’t like the sound of that.”
“He doesn’t give up, does he?”
Ranma looked toward the bedroom.
“Don’t worry about it, Shiro. I know my wife.”
“I still think you should talk to him.”
“I will, the next time he shows up here. The way Ryoga gets lost, that may be months.”
Shiro nodded, and left. Ranma walked into the bedroom, and found Akane asleep on top of the futon, still fully dressed. He undressed her as gently as he could, and she opened her eyes, and murmured a complaint.
“Shh, sweetheart. I’m just trying to make you comfortable.”
Ranma tucked Akane into the futon, undressed, and joined her. She curled up close to him, and rested one hand on his cheek.
“Akane?”
“Mmmm?”
“Why did you let Ukyo get close to you? Didn’t you think of using your chi attack?”
Akane’s reply was a low murmur.
“I couldn’t, Ranma. She’s your friend.”