COS79-81
A Change of Scene, Chapters 79-81 (final revision)
by June "KaraOhki" Geraci
September 29, 1999
Ranma 1/2 and its characters were borrowed from Rumiko Takahashi. This story was written for noncommercial purposes only.
Chapter 79
Genma stepped forward as the train slowed to a stop. Ranma and Akane exited a car further down the tracks, and he waved to them. It took Akane only a couple of seconds to close the distance between them, but once she reached her father-in-law she just stood there looking terrified.
�Kasumi�s all right. We brought her home a little while ago.�
Akane threw her arms around her father-in-law and hugged him tightly. Genma looked absolutely panic-stricken when she began crying, and seeing Ranma grin at him didn�t help.
�Don�t cry, daughter. We�ll go home and you can see her for yourself.�
Ranma�s grin got even wider when Akane kissed Genma�s cheek before she let him go.
The middle of the night in Nerima can be a scary place, but the three people walking through town found no reason to be afraid. They were too well known for anyone to consider bothering them.
The lights were out in all of the neighboring houses on their street, but not at the Tendo home. Soun had the door open before they�d reached it. Akane let go of Ranma�s hand and threw herself into her father�s open arms. Genma went past them into the house while Ranma stood there watching his wife sob all over her father. This incident had shaken her up more than he�d realized. Soun led his daughter inside, and Ranma followed.
Nabiki was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of tea. When she saw her sister, she jumped up and hugged her. The sisters held each other for quite a while, and when they let go, both were in tears.
Surprisingly, Soun was the one who took charge.
�Nabiki, enough crying. Akane, that goes for you, too.�
He helped Akane take off her coat and handed it to Ranma. Then he seated his youngest child at the table and poured her some tea.
�How much did Saotome tell you when he phoned?�
�I didn�t talk to him. Ranma did.�
�Pop just said that Kasumi had been attacked, and that she was in the emergency room, being examined. He told us to come right away.�
Soun nodded.
�Mousse attacked Kasumi. I think he would have killed her if Dr. Tofu hadn�t come along.�
Ranma jumped to his feet. �I�ll KILL him!�
Akane was right next to him. �Not if I get to him first!�
A new voice joined the conversation.
�Could you keep it down? Kasumi finally fell asleep.�
Tofu poured himself a cup of tea and sighed.
�I heard what the two of you just said. I said something of the sort over at the hospital. The police had something to say about that, and they told me to pass it on to you.�
�To us?�
�Yes. They said to leave Mousse to them.�
�What, are they nuts? They don�t know who they�re dealing with!�
Soun nodded. �I told them that, but they wouldn�t listen to me. They said if we took the law into our own hands we�d regret it.�
Ranma clenched his fists. �Damn. I don�t care what they say! If he comes near anyone in this family, he�s dead!�
Tofu nodded. �Agreed. I�m going to make arrangements to move back to Nerima as soon as I can. No one is ever going to touch my Kasumi again.�
*My Kasumi,* thought Ranma. *Just the way I think about my Akane...only Tofu can say it out loud better than I can.*
Akane had been quietly observing the back and forth exchange between her father, husband, and Tofu. It was evident to her that something very important had been left out.
�Daddy, why weren�t you there when Mousse attacked Kasumi?�
Soun started to stutter, so Genma took over for him.
�We were about to leave for the train station, and your father got three phone calls in a row.�
�Three?�
�Yes. We thought it was strange at the time, but now we think it was Mousse, trying to delay us.�
�Are you sure?�
Soun answered the question. �Almost positive, now that I look back on it, and the third call made me think I know where Mousse might be headed, so I told the police.�
�What do you mean, Daddy?�
�The third caller claimed to be a classmate of Ranma�s. He asked for him, and I told him the two of you were living in Ube. He asked for your address, so I gave it to him.�
Ranma spilled his tea. �You WHAT?�
Akane got up and ran to the phone. �Mrs. Takai! We have to warn her!�
The phone began to ring as Akane put her hand on it. Everyone�s attention was on her as she listened to whoever was on the other end. When she turned pale Ranma rushed over to her. She hung up the phone a few seconds later and leaned on him.
�That was the Ube police, Ranma. Someone broke into our apartment. It�s trashed.�
*****
Two students from Shiro�s dorm exited a bar and turned around to stare inside at its occupants. They�d heard that the Filipino bar was interesting, but no one would tell them why, saying that they�d have to see it for themselves.
�That was weird.�
�You�re telling me? It was YOUR idea to go there.�
�Hey, how was I to know that girl at the bar was a guy?�
�He fooled me too! Are you SURE you didn�t know it was a transvestite bar?�
His friend swayed a little and frowned.
�I�m sure...the guys just said it was a fun place, that�s all. Damn, that Konatsu was pretty...�
�Not pretty. Guys aren�t pretty.�
�Right.�
The two slowly wove their way back to campus. They�d both had more beer than was good for them and were having difficulty walking in a straight line. When one of them walked into a sculpture and knocked himself over, he got annoyed.
�Why�s this city got so many of these things anyhow?�
�They have that competition every year, remember?�
�Oh yeah...�
They managed to avoid any more obstacles that lay between them and the dormitory. As they were climbing the stairs someone dashed past them and ran inside. He was looking at the directory when they reached the lobby. They watched as he ran for the stairs, then slowly followed. Soon there was a great deal of noise coming from the second floor, and the two students came upon a strange scene when they arrived there.
The door to the room formerly occupied by Shiro Hayasuka was shattered. One of their friends was suspended in the air, in the grasp of a very angry-looking young man. They looked at each other, quietly backed into the stairwell, and ran downstairs to call campus security.
�Where is Hayasuka?�
�He doesn�t live here anymore.�
Mousse laughed.
�That�s obvious. The room is empty. Where is he?�
�I don�t know. Ow! I said I didn�t know!�
�You�re lying!�
The last statement was accompanied by a fierce shaking, and the young man�s face grew pale with fear.
�Look, I don�t know where he is because it�s none of my business! Why should Shiro tell us where he went on his honeymoon?�
Mousse let go, and the student fell to the floor. The word �honeymoon� had succeeded in hurting him more than a physical blow. Shiro had stolen Shampoo from him.
The sound of pounding footsteps came from the stairs. Seconds later, two members of campus security appeared. A young man who had followed behind them pointed at Mousse.
�That�s him!�
�Stay where you are!�
He may as well have been talking to the air. Mousse ran through them as if they didn�t exist and vanished down the stairs. By the time the police arrived, he was nowhere to be found.
*****
The light from the hallway barely reached Kasumi�s bed, but Akane was able to see enough of her sister to assure herself that she was all right. She slept peacefully, the bruises on her face the only evidence of the ordeal she�d gone through. Ranma pulled on Akane�s hand and led her to their bedroom.
Akane went to the window and looked out at the night.
�We never should have tried to have a normal life. We should have KNOWN something like this would happen!�
Ranma walked up behind his wife and put his arms around her. �We did everything we could think of to prevent it. What else were we supposed to do? Lock Kasumi in her bedroom?�
Akane twisted out of Ranma�s grasp, turned around, and glared at him.
�Don�t make fun of me! I should have been here to protect her, instead of living at the other end of the country!�
�I�m not making fun of you! You�re not making any sense! Are you sorry we�re going to college?�
�Yes! NO! I don�t know...�
Ranma pulled Akane back into his arms.
�You don�t know �cause you�re tired. We�ll talk about it in the morning.�
Akane didn�t protest when Ranma helped her get undressed and tucked her into bed. She was sound asleep by the time he joined her. Ranma put his arms around his wife and held her close to him. If he was touching her, he knew she was safe.
*****
Ranma woke up shaking. The nightmare of losing Akane had returned. He turned over to assure himself that it was not real. Akane�s half of the bed was empty.
For a second he panicked, then he forced himself to calm down. Perhaps she was making breakfast, or taking a bath.
Or gone.
Ranma grabbed his pants and ran down the stairs as quietly as he could. Akane wasn�t in the kitchen or the bath. He suppressed his rising fear and kept looking. Ranma found her in the dojo, attempting to practice her mother�s kata.
Attempting was the right word. Akane�s movements were stiff and jerky, and the look on her face spoke of complete frustration when Ranma ran to her and pulled her into a hug.
�Let go!�
�No. I can�t.�
Akane�s expression changed to one of concern. �What�s wrong?�
Ranma�s grip became tighter. �I had that stupid dream again. When I woke up, you weren�t there.�
�Oh Ranma,� breathed Akane, as she lifted her hand to caress Ranma�s cheek.
Ranma cut off Akane�s words with a fierce kiss as she melted into his embrace. He stopped to catch his breath and stared into his wife�s eyes.
�Lock the door,� Akane whispered.
*****
Kasumi looked at herself in the mirror. The events of the previous night had seemed so unreal that she didn�t expect to find bruises on her face. They were there, and that proved to her that what had happened wasn�t a dream.
�If that was real,� she whispered to herself, �then that means...�
Kasumi dressed as fast as she could and left her room. She peeked into Nabiki�s room. Her sister was sleeping soundly. The door to Ranma and Akane�s room was open, and it was empty. That left Akane�s old room. She opened the door a crack and looked inside. After a minute she closed the door again and leaned against the wall until her heart rate steadied.
She hadn�t dreamed it. Tofu was there.
*****
Akane lay in Ranma�s arms, resisting the desire to sleep. Instead, she forced herself to review the near argument of the night before. Ranma had been right. She hadn�t been thinking straight.
�Ranma?�
�Mmm?�
�About last night. You were right.�
�About what? Going to college?�
�That, and protecting Kasumi from Mousse. I�m a lot better than I was before, but I don�t think I could beat Mousse.�
Akane shivered, and Ranma sat up.
�Are you cold?�
Akane nodded. She didn�t want to admit that she was shivering because of her fear that Mousse would harm her sister. Ranma retrieved her clothes, handed them to her, and then he began putting on his own.
�You�re a lot better than you were, Akane, but I don�t think you�re ready to go after him one on one.�
�I wish I knew where he was! I hate to think of him out there somewhere.�
Ranma nodded. �Me too, but I get the idea he won�t be back in Nerima any time soon. He�s not stupid. He�s got to know the police are after him. He might not care about that, but he�d be an idiot if he didn�t know WE were after him.�
Once Akane was finished dressing Ranma grabbed her hands and led her into the middle of the floor.
�Let�s practice our kata.�
The two began to move together. Practice had made them able to perform the kata in near perfect unison, but they didn�t have the opportunity to do more than start when there was a knock on the dojo door. Ranma unlocked it and slid it open.
�Cologne?�
Chapter 80
Cologne accompanied Ranma and Akane back into the house, where Akane invited her to join them for breakfast.
�I�ve already eaten, thank you, but a cup of tea would be welcome.�
By the time Akane had finished preparing breakfast the other residents of the house had awakened and come downstairs, where Ranma was describing Shampoo�s wedding to Cologne. When Cologne saw Kasumi come down the stairs holding onto Tofu�s arm she immediately got to her feet.
�Kasumi, I�m so sorry. Mousse has been behaving erratically since he came back from China. I should have known he would do something like this.�
She waited until Kasumi and Tofu had seated themselves before she continued.
�The police came to me last night asking if I knew where Mousse was. I assumed he was looking for Shampoo, but I told him I didn�t know where she was. It is the truth, after all.�
Ranma objected. �But she�s going to China. You know that!�
�Yes, Ranma. But I don�t know where she is right now. Do you?�
�No.�
�Then I told them the truth, or at least a version of it. I came here to see Kasumi, and to say goodbye.�
Kasumi nodded. �The sale went through?�
�Yes. I�ll be leaving for home tonight. I want to get there before Mousse does.�
The reactions around the table were predictable.
Ranma: �How do you know he�s going to China?�
Tofu: �He can�t get away from me that way!�
Soun (tearfully): �Now he�ll NEVER be punished!
Akane: �Would you all SHUT UP and let Cologne finish!�
Quiet prevailed, and Cologne continued.
�Mousse has always traveled back and forth using certain �connections� of mine. I checked with them early this morning. He was already on a boat headed for China.�
Ranma nodded. �Then he�s headed for Joketsuzoku?�
�Perhaps. Perhaps not. He should know that he won�t be welcome. But China is his home, and his first instinct was to return there. I believe he was angry, and also frightened. By the time he reaches China he�ll have had time to calm down and think. If he does that, he won�t go back to Joketsuzoku. He�ll disappear.�
Ranma�s arm went around Akane, holding her close against him.
�Do you think there�s a chance he�ll come back to Japan?�
Cologne shrugged.
�That�s hard to say, Ranma.�
Cologne stood and picked up her staff.
�If I discover anything about Mousse when I get home, I will contact you. In the meantime, I don�t think you need worry about him.�
To Cologne�s surprise, Kasumi got up and hugged her.
�Have a safe journey, Cologne. When will you be coming back?�
�To Nerima? I don�t know. If I do come back, it will be to Ube. I want to be near my great-granddaughter.�
*****
The sound of the surf woke Shampoo. She opened her eyes, smiled fondly at her sleeping husband, and quietly slipped out of their bed. She walked to the window and pushed the curtain aside. The color of the sunrise made the foam on the waves look slightly pink. No one was on the shore, and the only signs of life were some shorebirds and a few fishing boats on the horizon.
Shiro had told Shampoo that this house had belonged to his family for many years, and that some of his earliest memories had been of vacations on the beach. He�d spoken to her of his desire to bring here there in the summertime, but Shampoo had shaken her head. She was too afraid of getting wet and changing into a cat amidst a crowd of beachgoers.
When Shiro told her how quiet the beach was during the colder months, she�d agreed that it sounded like the perfect honeymoon spot. A deserted beach, a small house, and Shiro. What more could she want?
*****
Ranma left Nerima with a great deal of reluctance. Although Cologne had assured him that Mousse had left Japan, the thought of leaving Kasumi unprotected was something he couldn�t bring himself to accept.
His father and father-in-law promised to watch over her, but their failure to do so the previous night didn�t exactly reassure him of their reliability, even if it wasn�t their fault.
Ultimately, it was Nabiki who was able to reason with him.
�Kasumi will be just fine, Ranma. I�ve got it under control.�
�You?�
�Sure. I�ll see to it that either your father or mine will be here at all times, until Tofu gets his affairs settled and moves back to Nerima.�
She paused and smiled.
�And unless I�m greatly mistaken, I�ll be helping Kasumi plan her wedding soon after that.�
*****
Ranma and Akane were very weary when they climbed the stairs to their apartment that evening. They�d spent much of the past 48 hours on trains, and the thought that they were coming back to a trashed apartment didn�t make them feel any better.
The first thing they noticed was that they had a new door. The same lock had been installed, and Ranma took a deep breath as he turned the key and pushed the door open.
The place was spotless. Not everything was where they normally kept it, but evidently someone had taken the trouble to pick up the mess and try to put the apartment in order.
�Mrs. Takai. It had to be her.�
Akane�s voice was full of amazement. Ranma nodded, looking rather thoughtful.
�We�ll have to find a way to thank her. Tomorrow. I have GOT to get some sleep.�
The trash sat outside, waiting for collection. In one of the bags was an unread letter from Genma Saotome to his son which had become soaked when Mousse knocked a bottle of vinegar onto the counter, causing it to shatter.
*****
The rest of their week was quiet. Ranma visited his mother at Ucchan�s to tell her about Mousse�s attack on Kasumi. Nodoka took the news very quietly. She showed concern for Kasumi, but to Ranma it seemed as though his mother had something else on her mind. When Nodoka didn�t mention Genma�s name, he concluded that his parents must have had some sort of argument.
�Wonder what Pop did this time,� he muttered as he made his way to the hospital.
That weekend saw the last two performances of the Sailor Moon play. When everyone gathered together the last night, it was announced that the next play produced would be Romeo and Juliet. More than one person suggested that Akane try out for Juliet�s role, but all she would do was laugh and shake her head.
�No thank you. No more plays for me.�
The cast came out for several curtain calls after the final performance. When the curtain fell for what seemed to be the last time, Ranma came down from the catwalk and joined several other stagehands. They formed a circle around Yoshimi and walked him onto the stage where the girls still stood. The curtain opened again, and Anne motioned for the audience to be quiet. Then she stepped forward and began to sing:
Gomen ne sunao ja nakute
Yume no naka nara ieru
Shikou kairo wa shotto sunzen
Ima sugu aitai yo
Whatever talking was going on in the theater came to a complete stop, as the rest of the girls stepped forward and joined her.
Nakitaku naru you-na Moonlight
Denwa mo dekinai Midnight
Datte junjou dou shiyou
Hatto wa mangekyou
Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare
Nandomo meguri-au
Seiza no matataki kazoe uranau koi no yukue
Onaji kuni ni umareta no mirakuru romansu
As they continued past the first verse, the girls slowly moved toward Yoshimi, and brought him forward. They no longer looked at the audience, but sang only to him. The applause was thunderous when they finished the Sailor Moon theme song and gave Yoshimi a huge group hug. They were still hugging him when the curtain came down.
*****
Akane finished removing the last of her stage makeup, and began to gather her things together.
�Remind me never to let them talk me into something like this again.�
�Don�t ever let them talk you into this again! Owww!�
Ranma rubbed the small bump on his head and laughed.
�Where�s your sense of humor, Akane?�
�I�ll get it back when I�m not so tired.�
�Carry you home?�
Akane�s eyes brightened, then she shook her head
�I promised Mishi we�d walk her.�
�Didn�t she tell you? She�s got a date for the party tonight.�
A knock on the dressing room door distracted both of them. Ranma opened the door to find Anne standing there.
�Are you two coming to the party?�
�I don�t think so, Anne. Akane�s awfully tired. I think we�ll just go home.�
Anne looked rather disappointed.
�Okay. Next time then.�
After Anne left, Akane turned to Ranma with a smile on her face.
�Were you serious about that offer to carry me?�
The watchers in the shadows were disappointed. First Mishi had gone by with her date. Now Akane was passing them cradled in her husband�s arms.
�We may as well go back to the dorm.�
�Yeah. Sooner or later we�ll find one of them alone.�
*****
Shiro and Shampoo sat outside their tent, looking up at the stars. It was hard to believe that the day before they had been on a Japanese beach, and tonight they were in a Chinese forest.
Shiro and his classmates had spent their entire day following their instructor around while he picked various medicinal plants and explained their usefulness. Shiro had filled his notebook with sketches of the plants and taken extensive notes.
He�d noted that Shampoo had also been paying close attention to what was being taught, and more than once had caught her nodding in agreement with the instructor�s words. She�d seemed surprised that he knew as much as he did.
After they had finished with the day�s lesson, the group joined forces to prepare a simple meal. Shiro and Shampoo had excused themselves soon after eating and gone for a walk. Now they sat alone, watching the stars and enjoying one another�s company.
�Two more days, and everyone else will go home.�
�Yes.�
�Then you can take me to meet your father. I hope he likes me.�
Shampoo snuggled closer to her husband.
�He will like you. I hope the Elders like you.�
Shiro smiled. �Me too, but right now I don�t really care, so long as you like me.�
His wife got up, pulled him into the tent, and showed him how much she liked him.
*****
Beside a fire in another part of China, a man sat making a list. Right now it would be unwise for him to return to Japan. The Japanese authorities were notorious for their tenacity when it came to searching for people, and he didn�t want them to find him. He would have to wait before he could go back and take his anger out on the people who were responsible for separating him from Shampoo.
The more he thought, the longer the list became.
Chapter 81
Akane put on her coat and hurried down the stairs as she scolded herself.
�I CAN�T believe I forgot to buy noodles!�
She started to open the porch door, then changed her mind and knocked on Mrs. Takai�s door instead.
�Hello, Akane. Can I do something for you?�
�Actually, I wanted to know if I could do something for you. I�m on my way to the market. Is there anything you need?�
Mrs. Takai beamed.
�Thank you, dear! How kind of you to ask. My granddaughter went shopping for me this morning, so I have enough to last a few days.�
�Okay. See you later then!�
Akane thought about Mrs. Takai as she ran toward the market. She and Ranma had brought her flowers as a thank you for taking care of the mess Mousse had made of their apartment. Since then, Akane had made a point of spending more time with her landlady. Mrs. Takai was a sweet, kind woman, who in some ways reminded Akane of her mother.
Soon Akane was on her way back home with the noodles. She turned a corner, and bumped into someone. A very familiar someone.
�Ryoga!�
�Akane! What are you doing here?�
�I live here. You�re in Ube.�
�Oh!�
Ryoga looked at his feet and twiddled his fingers.
�How�s Ranma?�
�Fine. He�s at work now.�
Akane checked her watch.
�I�ve got to get back to the house. Ranma should be home in about half an hour. Would you like to have dinner with us?�
Ryoga hesitated. Seeing Akane alone was a combination of pleasure and pain. Seeing her with Ranma might be too much for him.
�Well--umm--I don�t know...�
�Please come. The last time you were here I hardly got to talk to you.�
Ryoga nodded. When he�d last seen Akane, she�d just been attacked by Ukyo.
�Okay.�
Akane smiled, and started toward the apartment, Ryoga beside her.
�How is Ukyo? Whatever happened to her?�
�I�m not sure. She�s in the hospital. Ranma�s mother visits her a lot.�
The two soon reached the Saotomes� apartment. Something that smelled rather good was simmering on the back burner, and Akane stirred it before joining Ryoga at the table.
�It�s been so long since we�ve seen you! I�m sorry you missed our wedding.�
�Umm...well...�
Akane just laughed and got out her wedding album. When Ryoga saw the pictures of the fight, he made Akane tell him the whole story. His mouth dropped open when she told him that Shampoo had sided with them against Kuno.
�I thought she would help him break up your wedding! I don�t understand.�
�You have been gone for a long time, haven�t you?�
Ranma walked in the door just as Akane was completing the story of how Shiro and Shampoo met, fell in love, and married. Ryoga was listening intently, watching every expression that crossed Akane�s face. They looked so happy in each other�s company that Ranma had to suppress a fierce urge to throw Ryoga down the stairs. Akane totally missed the look in his eyes, but Ryoga didn�t. He sat there looking very nervous as Akane jumped out of her chair and embraced her husband.
�I missed you!�
Akane hugged Ranma again, then let him go so he could take off his coat.
�Look who I found!�
Ranma waited until he�d hung up his coat and gotten himself under control before responding.
�Yeah. Hi Ryoga.�
�Hi Ranma. Akane was showing me your wedding pictures.�
Ranma�s eyes met Akane�s, and his neutral expression turned to one of affection.
�That was one crazy day.�
�Um, I better be going.�
Ranma and Akane had completely forgotten Ryoga was in the room. Akane pulled herself together first.
�No! You promised you�d stay for dinner.�
Akane moved toward the sink as she spoke, and filled a pot with water.
�All I have to do is boil the noodles.�
Ranma went over to the stove and inspected the bubbling pan on the back burner.
�Don�t go now. Akane made tofu and vegetables. That�s one of the best dinners she makes.�
Ryoga nearly fell off his chair. Ranma was complimenting Akane�s cooking. The world was coming to an end!
*****
Nodoka left the restaurant in Konatsu�s hands and went to the hospital to see Ukyo. Ukyo was thrilled to see her and started their visit with the question she always asked.
�Did the doctor say when I could go out?�
�Not yet. Soon, dear.�
What Nodoka didn�t say was that she�d obtained permission from the doctor to take Ukyo out any time she chose. The only reason she was delaying was that she had to find a day when Ranma would be home, but his wife would not. Bringing Ukyo to see Ranma when Akane was around was not part of the plan.
*****
�Our lawyer is drawing up the paperwork to dissolve our business now. My partner didn�t want me to go, but I think I made him understand about us.�
Kasumi smiled, though she knew Tofu couldn�t see it over the phone.
�I�m glad. How long do you think it will take?�
�Just a few days. I�ve got a realtor looking for office space in Nerima, and an apartment.�
�I miss you, Tofu.�
�I miss you too. I�ll come visit over the weekend.�
The two said their good-byes, and Kasumi went into the kitchen to pour herself some more tea. She was still having a hard time believing that she was not having some sort of pleasant dream. The sparkling ring on her finger and Tofu�s daily phone calls were the only things that kept her from pinching herself.
*****
Two servings of tofu, vegetables and noodles had Ryoga leaning back in his chair, looking perfectly content. He sat back, sipped his tea, and listened in amazement to the story of Mousse�s attack on Kasumi. Ranma finished talking and waited for Ryoga to respond. Ryoga thought for a minute before he did.
�I think something is wrong with Mousse.�
�Why?�
�Come on, Ranma, think! Mousse was with us in China when you fought Saffron. He SAW what you did. I can�t believe he�d be crazy enough to think he could attack a member of Akane�s family without getting into trouble with you.�
�You mean he�s gone crazy?� Ranma asked.
�Maybe.�
Akane shivered, and Ranma put his hand over hers.
�You okay?�
�I don�t know. I�m not sure if I should be afraid of Mousse, or sorry for him.�
Ranma thought about it for a second.
�Maybe both. Don�t be scared of him. I won�t let him touch you.�
Once more the pair had forgotten Ryoga�s presence, and he knew it was time for him to leave.
�I have to get going. It was great to see you two.�
�Where are you headed?�
�Nerima. I thought I�d stop by the dojo and see how Kasumi is.�
Ryoga put on his jacket and picked up his pack. When he turned around Ranma had his jacket on.
�I�ll walk you to the station. At least that gives you a chance of getting to Nerima.�
�Thanks.�
Ryoga turned to Akane and smiled at her.
�It was great seeing you. Thanks for dinner.�
�You�re welcome, Ryoga. It was good to see you too.�
Ranma was silent as the two went down the stairs, and continued to say nothing even after they had walked several blocks. Ryoga just waited. He knew what was coming. Finally Ranma began to talk.
�I�d appreciate it if I wouldn�t find you alone with my wife again.�
�Ranma, I--�
�I know. She invited you up. She doesn�t know.�
�And I�m not going to tell her!�
Ranma didn�t reply. He and Ryoga walked side by side to the station. Ryoga was about to get on the train when Ranma grabbed his arm.
�When�s the last time you saw Akari?�
�I can�t remember.�
�You should go see her.�
�Yeah. Bye.�
Ryoga boarded the train without a backwards look.
*****
Akane rushed her way through the chores of washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. She had plans for Ranma when he got back. She ran into the bedroom, pulled something from one of the drawers, and jumped into the shower. The sound of the running water prevented her from hearing the brief rainstorm that caught her husband on his way home.
*****
Ranma struggled with himself all the way home. Should he tell Akane that Ryoga loved her? That would make her more cautious about being alone with him. Then he thought of something else.
Akane still didn�t know about Ryoga�s curse. Was it time to tell her? That would effectively end any friendship she felt for him. The down side of that idea was that Akane was likely to kill him for not telling her sooner. Ranma was still weighing the pros and cons when the rain started. By the time he got back to the house he was cold, wet, and female.
He trudged up the stairs, unlocked the door, and was confronted with a vision. Akane stood in the bedroom doorway wearing the blue nightgown she�d worn on their wedding night. She had a welcoming look on her face, one that quickly turned to dismay when she saw Ranma�s form.
�Oh no...�
Ranma held up one hand.
�Give me five minutes, sweetheart.�
He was out of the shower in three.
My thanks to DB Sommer and DF Roeder for their comments and criticism. One of these days I�ll learn to use commas correctly!
Special thanks to Allison. Allison recently contacted me when she began reading A Change of Scene, and discovered I�d sent Ranma and Akane to school in Ube. She is currently living there, teaching English in the junior high school system as part of the JET program. Thanks to her, I�m learning about the city itself, and have begun to incorporate that information into the story. (For instance, the transvestite bar is a real place. And they do have an annual sculpture competition.)