Travels, Training and Trials, Chatper 8
Travels, Training and Trials
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by June “KaraOhki” Geraci
July 3, 2001
Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi and its characters belong to her. I'm merely borrowing them. The story below is for entertainment purposes only, and may not be used commercially.
Chapter 8
The next morning, Genma and Soun waited until their children left the house before resuming their favorite topic of conversation.
"All in all, things are progressing nicely. I don't see a reason to rush anything."
Genma shook his head. "I'd prefer to see them married"
"I can't help thinking that they may be too young. My wife was 18 when we married. If I remember it right, yours was 20."
"Tendo, I told you, they've GOT to get married! It may be a matter of life or death! You know how Nodoka is!"
Soun turned a little pale. "You may be right, old friend. Perhaps this weekend trip may solve everything."
*****
The pair on the fence continued to accelerate as Ranma tried to outrun Akane despite the fact that she was keeping up with him. Other Furinkan High students who took the same route watched in amazement as two blurs passed by.
"Kuno had it wrong," commented one of them. "The best guy for Akane wasn't one who could beat her--it was one who could keep up with her. They're scary!"
*****
"He's not there?" Akane skidded to a stop and gazed all around the schoolyard. "Wow! No Kuno! Why, I wonder?"
Ranma grabbed Akane's hand and dragged her toward the school. "Don't wonder! Just enjoy it!"
On the roof, Kuno stared intently at Akane. Something about her was different, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He put down the binoculars and rubbed his eyes.
Every day he gains more and more influence over you, my love, he thought, rubbing his broken jaw. Do not despair, for I will discover what sorcery he is using, and I WILL free you!
All of the students looked up at the sky as the sound of thunder rolled across the schoolyard.
*****
Three minutes before class was due to start Sayuri ran into the room totally out of breath. She came to a stop and leaned on her desk, looking exhausted. Akane ran over and pushed Sayuri into her seat.
"What happened to you? You look like you're going to pass out!"
"I didn't think I'd get here on time!"
"But you live just down the street! Did you oversleep?"
"No. I went to Ryoga's and walked him to school." Sayuri paused, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her brow. "It was harder than I thought it would be. He kept trying to go the wrong way. Tomorrow I'll leave my place earlier."
"He told you, didn't he?"
Sayuri nodded. "I had to pry it out of him, actually. He was scared I'd break up with him." Sayuri got a faraway look in her eyes, and sighed. "Like I'd EVER do that!"
"Wow, you are SUCH a goner!"
"Look who's talking!" hissed Sayuri. Then her frown turned to a sly smile, because her friend was too tongue-tied to respond.
*****
Late that afternoon, the sound of the doorbell made Mrs. Hibiki put down her mending. She found Ranma standing on the doorstep, holding the hand of a pretty girl.
"Ranma, how nice to see you!" she exclaimed. "And who is this?"
Ranma smiled at Mrs. Hibiki and squeezed Akane's hand. "This is my girlfriend, Akane Tendo."
That made the young lady's eyes open wide, and she turned deep red. She still managed to smile shyly and greet Mrs. Hibiki.
"How do you do, Mrs. Hibiki. Ranma has told me a lot about you."
"How nice! Please, come in!"
Mrs. Hibiki had barely seated the young couple at the table and started preparing tea when she heard the sound of new arrivals.
"Mom? I'm home!"
Two seconds later Ryoga and Sayuri entered the kitchen. Mrs. Hibiki immediately hugged her son and greeted his girlfriend.
"Hello, Sayuri! I was making tea for Ranma and Akane. Won't you stay?"
Sayuri looked chagrined. "I wish I could stay, but I promised my mother I'd help her take down the winter curtains. I was just walking Ryoga home. Can I stay another time?"
"Of course you can! Now run along and help your mother."
*****
Akane was never quite sure how it happened, but the next thing she knew Ranma and Ryoga were out in the yard and she was sitting alone with Mrs. Hibiki, telling her all about her history with Ranma.
"…so we both know that when we get back on Sunday, our parents will expect Ranma to choose one of us."
"And what do you want, dear?"
"Me?"
Mrs. Hibiki nodded, and patted Akane's hand. "What do you want for yourself, and for Ranma?"
Akane looked down into her teacup, but it didn't hold any answers. She avoided Mrs. Hibiki's gaze as she looked around the kitchen. She could feel her face getting hot, and knew she was blushing badly. "I think I wouldn't mind being engaged to Ranma."
"Not mind? Is that all?"
"Well, I guess I would like it, and I guess Ranma would too." Akane didn't think it was possible for her cheeks to feel hotter, but they did.
"As long as your parents don't take it any farther than that, I'd say that's a good idea."
"What do you mean?"
Mrs. Hibiki smiled. "I see nothing wrong with an engagement, but there's a question you need to ask yourself. Where do you see yourself five years from now, or ten? Do you want an early marriage, or do you want to wait?"
Akane opened her mouth to answer, but Mrs. Hibiki wouldn’t let her.
"Wait. Don't tell me. Talk to Ranma. This is something you have to do together, just the two of you."
"But our parents--"
"No. What you do now will affect the rest of your lives. Make sure the decisions you make are ones you can live with, because it will be the two of you living with them, and not your parents."
"Akane!"
Ranma's voice and the sound of running footsteps made both women turn toward the door, where Ranma and Ryoga appeared.
"We'd better get home, Akane. Isn't it your turn to cook?"
A glance at the clock had Akane flying out of her chair. "I'm going to be in trouble."
"Don't worry, I'll help. With two of us, we should get done pretty much on time. Sorry we can't stay, Mrs. Hibiki!"
Akane barely had time to say goodbye as Ranma dragged her out of the house.
*****
Ranma set up the rice cooker while Akane took vegetables and tofu out of the refrigerator. Akane then set about chopping the vegetables. She seemed to be concentrating very hard on what she was doing.
"Akane?"
"Yes?" she answered, without taking her eyes from her task.
"Is something wrong?"
"Why?"
Ranma turned on the cooker and put the bag of rice away. "You didn't say a word all the way home, and you won't look at me. Did I do something?"
"It's nothing."
Ranma took some of the vegetables from Akane. "Let me help with that." He got to work before he continued to talk. "I told you the other day that you were a lousy liar, and you haven't improved any. What's going on?"
The knife clattered onto the cutting board and Akane turned away. "I was just thinking about something Mrs. Hibiki said."
"What did she say that's got you all upset?"
"I'm not upset, it's just that she gave me something to think about." Akane took a few steps away from the counter and peeked out of the kitchen. Then she returned and whispered into Ranma's ear.
"She asked you that?"
Akane nodded.
"What did you say?"
"I didn't. She said it's something we have to talk about."
"Now?" Ranma knew he'd said the wrong thing before he'd finished saying the word.
"NO!" hissed Akane. "Just think about it, and we can talk on Saturday!"
"Okay, fine. You going to finish chopping those, or do you want me to?"
*****
The rest of the week was surprisingly quiet. Ranma continued to develop his fledgling friendships with the boys at school, while Akane spent a lot of her time listening to Sayuri talk about Ryoga. Her friend was trying to talk Ryoga's mother into letting him transfer to Furinkan High so that she'd have to spend less time getting him where he belonged in the morning.
Ranma and Akane spent very little time alone together, and most of that was spent doing homework. By unspoken mutual agreement, any serious discussion between them was going to have to wait until Saturday.
Both of them continued to ignore Kuno, who was watching them with such an intensity that Akane wanted to hit him.
*****
Before they knew it, Friday had arrived. Akane had just finished packing for the next day's trip and was strapping her tent to her backpack when there was a knock on her bedroom door.
"Sis, are you busy?"
Akane opened the door for Nabiki and waved her inside. "I'm just about done packing. Why?"
"Kasumi and I are going to a movie. Want to come along?"
"You bet!" Akane finished securing the last strap and reached for her jacket.
"Think Ranma will want to come with us?"
In the end, everyone but Genma went out for the evening. Genma had pleaded a headache, saying that he preferred to spend a quiet evening resting. He waved them out the door and waited until they were out of sight before heading up to Akane's room.
*****
The next morning Genma came down looking for his son. Nabiki, Kasumi and Soun were at the table, but neither Ranma nor Akane were present.
"Where is that boy?" demanded Genma.
"You mean he's not upstairs? I haven't seen Akane either." Kasumi got up and ran upstairs. She returned moments later.
"Akane's not there either, and her backpack is gone. It looks like they started their trip early."
Genma beamed. "Good boy! He's showing some initiative!"
Soun frowned. "I don't like to see my daughter skipping school."
"Nonsense! School isn't that important."
*****
"Where are we going, Ranma? Is it the same place you went with Kasumi and Tofu?"
Ranma shook his head and led Akane into the train station. "No way. I don't want anybody following us, so we're going somewhere else. I think you'll like it."
Some time later the pair was hiking in the region of Mt. Nantai, where Ranma led Akane to a lovely spot near a stream. They took off their packs and began to set up camp. Ranma was putting up his tent when he heard an exclamation of dismay from Akane.
"What's wrong?"
"Look at my tent!" Akane held up the tent for Ranma to see. It had been thoroughly shredded.
Ranma took the tent from Akane's hands and examined it. "Pop. It had to be Pop."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Him and his 'headache' last night. He had to have done this when we were all at the movie. Might as well toss this thing out--it's not gonna do you any good." Ranma turned and pointed at his own tent. "You can sleep in my tent. I'll just camp out by the fire."
Akane was silent, and Ranma wondered what she was thinking. "Are you sure you'll be warm enough?" she finally asked.
"Heh. I'll probably be warmer than you. I'll have the fire."
The pair finished setting up camp and sat down to eat the sandwiches they'd packed at home. Akane was rather quiet, and seemed to be avoiding Ranma's eyes.
"Akane, are you okay?"
"I guess so."
"You're worried about something."
The only response he got was a nod. Ranma drained his tea, put down his mug, and moved to Akane's side. She jumped a little when he put his arm around her, but responded to his smile with one of her own. She didn't seem inclined to talk, so Ranma did.
"I've been thinking a lot about what Ryoga's mom asked--the part about where I wanted to be in five or ten years. You know, I never really sat down and thought about it before."
"Never?"
Ranma shrugged. "Nope. Pop and I have been traveling around all these years, and all he ever said was I had to be the best martial artist of my generation. I never really thought much about the future. Until now."
His grip around Akane's waist tightened. "I'm not really sure where I'm going yet, so I don't know where I'll be in five years, or in ten. Thing is, whenever I try to think about it, I keep seeing one thing. You. With me. Right now that's the only thing I know I want for sure."
*****
The words "You. With me" echoed in Akane's mind, completely shattering her composure. She knew that she had to respond, and fought to regain her calm. "I've been thinking too. You have always traveled, and I have always lived in the same house. Our fathers want us to stay there, and teach the Art."
"We're not supposed to be talking about them!"
"I know."
"Then tell me what YOU want! That's what's important!"
"I want to be with you. I see us together, even past five or ten years." Akane blushed and continued. "I think we would be happy together."
"So do I." Ranma hugged Akane again, and leaned down to kiss her. "I think then I have only one more question to ask."
"Yes?"
"Will you marry me?"
*****
Akane looked up from her cooking as Ranma entered the clearing, carrying a small load of firewood. He smiled at her and began to stack the wood neatly.
They had spent the entire afternoon talking, planning and making decisions about their future together. They would become officially engaged, and marry after graduation from high school. That seemed very simple and clear, but there was one thing the two of them agreed on. What was simple and clear would become complicated once they got back to Nerima. She pushed the unpleasant thought away and began to fill plates.
"Everything's ready. Come eat while it's hot."
Ranma joined her and she handed him a plate.
"This is good."
"Thank your mother."
"Mom?"
Akane laughed. "I was a disaster in the kitchen before your mother showed up. Mom was trying to teach me before she got sick, but if she looked the other way I added my own ingredients. Even if she watched me carefully so I'd follow the recipe, I burned nearly everything. Poor Mom." Akane put her fork down in her plate and stared into the fire. She was brought back to the present by a hand grasping hers.
"Akane?"
"Sorry. Sometimes I really miss her. I wish she could have met you. She would have liked you a lot."
"Do you think MY Mom will like me?"
All thought of her mother disappeared as Akane looked at the anxiety on her fiance's face. "We can go see her and find out. Then you'll know." Ranma didn't reply, and Akane squeezed his hand. "If we leave early tomorrow morning, we could go see her before we're expected at home. You want to go?"
"You had to ask? What time do you want me to wake you up?"
*****
By the time they finished eating and cleaned everything up it was quite late. Akane retreated to the tent to change into her pajamas, and reappeared a few minutes later. Ranma smiled at the sight of her in bathrobe and slippers.
"You look cute that way."
It was impossible for Ranma to tell if his fiancee was blushing with only the light of the fire to illuminate her face, but he was pretty certain that she was.
"Never mind that. I think you're going to have to share the tent with me."
"What for? I'm not cold."
Akane pointed up at the darkness that was beginning to obscure the stars. "You will be when it rains."
"It's not going to rain!" The rumble of distant thunder contradicted Ranma's statement.
"Hurry up and get in here before you get soaked!"
Ranma barely made it before the rain came down in buckets. He was trying to find a way to arrange things to fit two people in a one-person tent when a huge lightning flash lit it, and he found himself practically being strangled by Akane.
"A-ka-ne!"
"What?"
"I…can't…breathe!"
Akane let go immediately. "I'm sorry! I can't help it!"
"Don't be scared. Help me move these sleeping bags, okay?"
Akane was soon in her sleeping bag, and Ranma turned off the lantern and crawled into his. Ten seconds later there was another lightning flash and he had his arms full of fiancee. Akane was trembling.
Ranma stroked Akane's hair and tried to soothe her. "It's all right. Nothing's going to hurt you." At the same time, he was trying to deal with an intense desire to do more than stroke her hair. Akane eventually fell asleep. It took a long time for Ranma to do the same.
*****
A small bird landed on a low branch near the tent and began singing. It woke Akane, who smiled and tried to turn over. Then she discovered that she couldn't move, because someone seemed to be holding her.
Her eyes shot open. Someone was indeed holding her. Ranma held her close to him, and she had an arm across him as well. She watched him sleep peacefully for a little while. [This feels good. But if Daddy ever saw us this way, we'd be married in a second.]
That thought was enough to make her move. She brought her hand to Ranma's shoulder and shook him gently. "Hey! You were supposed to wake ME up!"
Ranma didn't respond. Akane extricated himself from his grasp, left the tent, and was headed off into the trees when she heard movement inside the tent and Ranma emerged.
"Good morning!" Akane waved and continued on into the trees, noting that Ranma was heading in the opposite direction.
*****
When Akane returned Ranma was uncovering the wood he'd managed to throw a sheet of plastic over before the rain hit. The grass was damp, and Ranma saw her shiver.
"I'm going to get dressed. Be right back."
A few minutes later Akane returned holding her toiletries. Ranma had started a fire and was by the stream getting water. They filled a kettle for tea and brushed their teeth. Akane was washing her face when Ranma reached for the bucket so he could wash his.
"Won't that make you change? The water's so cold!"
"I don't think just washing my face will do it."
It didn't, and Ranma grinned. "I'm trying to figure out how much water it takes to make me change."
"Mmm." Akane sounded preoccupied, and Ranma looked up to see her brushing her hair. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be in another world. Ranma watched, fascinated. There was something about the rhythm of Akane's movement, the way the brush swished through her shining hair and the look of total serenity on her face that made Ranma itch to reach out and take the brush from her. He wanted to be the one to be pulling the brush through the beautiful hair that flowed nearly all the way to her waist.
It was with great difficulty that he restrained himself. "You're going too fast…you're scaring me." The memory of Akane's words made him sit down quickly. He hadn't even realized that he had risen, reaching out toward the brush. Instead he sat watching, and hoping that one day Akane would trust him more. He was having a difficult time believing that she had agreed to marry him. Eventually Akane opened her eyes, gathered her hair together, and fastened it with the barrette he had given her. She seemed to become aware of Ranma's gaze and looked up. Something of his thoughts must have been evident on his face, because she caught her breath and looked down quickly. The serene moment was gone, and Ranma felt a little guilty. He got up and added more wood to the fire.
"I'll start breakfast."
*****
Later that morning two nervous young people walked down a street unfamiliar to both of them. Ranma had been quiet for the longest time, and Akane was beginning to worry about him. She squeezed his hand to make him look at her, and gave him an encouraging smile. "I think we're almost there."
"I don't know if I'm ready."
Akane was surprised to hear so much doubt in Ranma's tone, and covered her feelings with a stern look. "Don't talk that way. I didn't think you were afraid of anything!"
"Besides cats, you mean?" Ranma's weak smile and weaker joke made Akane's heart ache. She wished that there was some way to guarantee his mother's acceptance of him.
"Let's go," she said softly, and led him to a small house, where she rang the bell. No answering call came from inside, and though Akane listened intently she heard no footsteps.
"Hello!" The friendly voice was coming from the side of the house, rather than inside. "Are you looking for Mariko?" Akane stepped back from the door and looked over the fence, where an old woman stood holding a rake.
"No, ma'am. We are looking for Nodoka Saotome."
"I'm afraid she's at the hospital with Mariko." The woman sighed, and it was obvious that she was trying not to cry. "Mariko and I have been friends for over forty years, and I had to say goodbye to her yesterday when they took her to the hospital. She won't be coming home again."
Akane bowed to the older woman. "I’m sorry we disturbed you. Let's go home, Ranma."
"You are Ranma? Nodoka's son? She has been talking of nothing but you for days!"
The disappointment on Ranma's face was very evident to Akane. He had come all this way to see his mother, and she wasn't there.
"When you see her, would you please tell her that I was here? And that I'm sorry I missed her?"
"Of course I will. And what is your name, young lady?"
Before Akane could speak Ranma put his arm around her and smiled proudly. "This is my fiancee, Akane Tendo."
"So you are Akane. Nodoka speaks of you often, and I am glad to meet you. I am Mrs. Mitsuo."
The young couple thanked her again and started their trek to the train station.
*****
"We're home!" Ranma winced as he and Akane called out their greeting, and waited for the stampede. Nothing happened. Ranma looked at Akane as he slipped off his shoes. "Nobody's home?"
"I'm surprised they weren't waiting for us at the station."
"Hi, you two!" Nabiki's voice made them look away from each other as she walked into the hallway. "You've got a couple of hours' reprieve, I think. Daddy and Mr. Saotome went out this morning, and said not to expect them back until dinner."
"Did they say where they were going?" asked Akane.
"No, but they were up to something. I'm sure of it." Before Ranma could say anything Nabiki had her hand on Akane's arm and was steering her away. "At least it gives us time for girl talk. Kasumi! Akane's back!" Kasumi's voice was heard from somewhere upstairs, though Ranma couldn't make out what she said.
Akane turned around and gave Ranma an embarrassed smile. "I don't think I have a choice. See you later."
*****
Ranma waited until Nabiki dragged Akane up the stairs and he heard the bedroom door close before picking up their packs. He walked upstairs and deposited Akane's pack outside her room before retreating into his. He unpacked his things, brought his dirty clothes downstairs, and came back up with a cool drink.
It looked to Ranma like it might take some time before Akane's sisters were done with her, so he decided to study. He opened up the bureau drawer where he kept the book he used to take notes in class and settled down to review them. For some unknown reason, he couldn't concentrate. Something was off, and he closed the book to try to determine what it was.
"Something's missing," he muttered. As Ranma spoke, he realized what it was. He had folded the ribbon Akane had left in his room and tucked it into the book, marking the place he'd wanted to review. Now the ribbon was gone.
He flew to his feet and opened the drawer, hoping that the ribbon had slipped out but a thorough search revealed nothing. Some of his things were out of place, a fact that had escaped his attention earlier.
[Pop's been in my stuff, and he has the ribbon.]
*****
There was a soft thump outside Akane's door and Nabiki opened it. Akane's pack sat there. She picked it up and brought it into the room. Akane reached for it, but Nabiki waved her off. I'll unpack. YOU start talking."
"Where do you want me to start?"
Kasumi laughed. "Did Ranma bring anyone else along?"
"No, he didn't."
Nabiki looked up from Akane's pack. "Did he send you off anywhere?"
"No."
"Then you've been alone with the man for nearly two days. What happened?"
Kasumi would have said more but Nabiki put her hand on her arm and quieted her. Then she looked at Akane and her eyes narrowed. She gestured at Akane's pack. "What happened to your tent? It's not here."
"Somebody trashed it. Ranma thinks it was his father."
"Where did you sleep?"
"Did anything happen?"
The questions came simultaneously, causing Akane to start waving her hands at her sisters.
"Wait a second, and I'll start from the beginning!"
*****
"…and that was when he asked me to marry him."
"What did you say?" asked both girls at once.
"What do you think I said?" Akane's voice dropped to a whisper. "I love him."
*****
"To our children!"
"To our children!"
Two extremely intoxicated men emptied two more glasses and grinned happily at everyone in the tavern. For the twentieth time that night, Genma pulled a yellow ribbon out of his pocket and waved it around.
"That's my boy! Knew he was closer to the girl than he admitted! Knew it all along!"
"Dunno, Saotome," mumbled Soun. "You looked surprised to me when you found it."
*****
"…and on the way home we stopped to see Auntie Saotome, but she wasn't there. Ranma felt really bad about it."
"You're kidding!"
"No, I'm not. Ranma talked to his mother on the phone the other night, and she wanted to see him. Don't tell his father!"
Nabiki looked at Kasumi. "I think we should get Ranma in here."
Akane got off the bed. "I'll get him."
*****
Ranma looked up from his notebook when a soft tap sounded on his door. "Yes?"
"It's me."
The book hit the floor as Ranma got to his feet and opened the door. Before he could say a word Akane had him by the arm and dragged him into her room. When he saw Kasumi and Nabiki there he gulped and looked at his fiancee. "Akane?"
"They don't bite."
Somehow, Akane's remark didn't reassure Ranma.
Kasumi got off the floor and stunned Ranma by hugging him. "First, welcome to the family." Then she took him by the shoulders and shook him. "Second, how could you DO something so dumb?"
"What did I do?"
"You were going to show your mother your curse? Just like that? Don't you realize that you and Akane might have had the shortest engagement on record? That you could be DEAD right now?"
Ranma brushed Kasumi's hands off his shoulders and took a step back.
"I'm a man! Mom's going to see that!"
The last couple of words were shouted in a higher tone of voice. Ranma whirled around in time to see Nabiki hiding a glass behind her back.
"Was that necessary?"
Nabiki gestured at the now-female Ranma. "It's a little reminder of reality, Ranma. You may be male, but you don't LOOK it all the time."
"Do I act like a girl when I look this way? Do I talk like a girl?"
"No, but--"
"Would a girl do this?" As he spoke, Ranma grabbed his fiancee and planted his lips on hers.
Kasumi and Nabiki gasped. Ranma heard them, but ignored their reactions. He was more concerned with Akane's. She was just standing there, stiff. Then suddenly she seemed to loosen up, her arms came up to hold him, and she was kissing him back.
Ranma broke the kiss and moved away from Akane, keeping a firm grip on one hand. "Excuse us for a second."
*****
Akane was still trying to catch her breath when Ranma pulled her into his room and shut the door.
"What happened in there? Was it because I look like this?"
Akane shook her head violently. "No! That wasn't it!"
"Then what?"
"My sisters were looking!"
"Is that all?"
"Ranma!"
Ranma laughed. "Go back to them. I'm going after some hot water."
*****
Ranma found all three Tendo girls sitting on the bed when he returned. He pulled out Akane's desk chair and straddled it, facing them.
"You're all awfully quiet."
"We were waiting for you," replied his fiancee. She smiled at him, but he could tell she didn't have her heart in it. "I think we have a problem."
"If you mean Mom--"
"Besides that. You told her neighbor that I was your fiancee. That means your Mom's going to find out we're engaged. I know Auntie. She'll get involved." Ranma tried to interrupt, but Akane held up a hand. "It won't be right away, because she's probably at the hospital twenty-four hours a day, but it's going to happen, and then we're going to be in trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"Auntie likes to manage things. Between her, Daddy, and your father, they're going to drive us crazy."
"That could be prevented, you know."
All heads in the room swiveled to look at Nabiki.
"Glad to see you're paying attention! We've got a few days before Aunt Nodoka shows up here. Maybe a week or two, depending on how long it's going to take her to settle her aunt's estate, and you can depend on it that she's going to be in a hurry to get here. So you've got to have our fathers under control before that. Make sure you're not going to let them push you around, or rush you. Got it?"
Ranma nodded, wondering what Nabiki had in mind. From Akane's expression, he could tell that she was just as curious. Unfortunately, she didn't get to tell them what she had in mind because there was a huge crash downstairs.
For a second Akane's doorway looked like an old-time Hollywood movie as everyone got stuck in it trying to get out at the same time. Then they all burst into the hallway and flew down the stairs.
Soun and Genma were sitting in the entryway of the house, where they'd evidently lost the ability to walk any farther. The two of them looked extremely intoxicated and extremely happy.
Ranma was thoroughly disgusted. "Two Sundays in a row? You're pathetic, Pop!"
Akane and her sisters were crowded together behind Ranma, and he turned to look at them. They looked at him, and then at each other, and seemed to come to some sort of non-verbal agreement.
"Let's go start dinner," said Nabiki. The others followed her out of the hallway. Evidently they were going to let Ranma deal with Soun and Genma.
Ranma grabbed his father by the arm, and did the same to Soun. "Come on, let's get the two of you into the tub. I'll bring you some tea, so maybe you'll be sober enough to eat." He forced them into the bathroom, got them soaking, and took off to get the tea.
When Ranma got to the kitchen door he stopped and stared. All three Tendo girls were hard at work. He watched as they wove their way around each other like ballerinas performing a particularly complex dance sequence, never getting in one another's way.
"Um, excuse me?"
Suddenly he had three pairs of brown eyes staring at him.
"I just wanted to make some tea. Maybe it'll help them sober up."
*****
Kasumi waited for Ranma's footsteps to fade away before speaking. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions when Ranma first got here. He's a nice guy."
Akane looked suspiciously at her sister. "He's mine! You can't have him!"
"I don't want him, Akane. I have my Tofu. I'm just sorry I treated him so badly."
"Ranma doesn't hold grudges, Sis, but if you want to tell him that maybe you should."
*****
Ranma could hear the wailing before he got anywhere near the bathing room. It looked like Soun and Genma behaved very differently when intoxicated. Ranma's father tended to be loud and aggressive, and evidently Soun got weepy. He wondered how to handle this unexpected wrinkle in the situation. Ranma simply wasn't accustomed to dealing with overemotional men. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and walked in. Soun was in tears, and when he saw Ranma he cried harder.
"My poor baby. You hurt my baby!"
Genma grinned when he spotted his son. "There you are! Well done, boy!"
Ranma put the tea tray down. "What did I do?"
Genma reached over the side of the furo and pulled a yellow ribbon off the floor. "You don't have to hide it from us!" He waved the ribbon around, avoiding Ranma's efforts to grab it. "Nice trophy, boy! You must have pleased her very much!"
"Give that back, old man! It ain't a trophy!" Ranma finally succeeded in retrieving the ribbon. Then he grabbed his father by the head and pushed him under the water. Genma struggled, but Ranma held him down until bubbles began to come up. Soun opened his mouth to object but Ranma growled at him and he backed away, still sobbing. Ranma waited a few more seconds before me hauled his father's face out of the water.
Genma was gasping and coughing, and by the time he was done was quite red in the face. "What did you do that for, boy?"
Ranma shoved the ribbon in his pocket, and pointed a finger in his father's face. "I didn't touch her! Why do you have to jump to conclusions?"
Soun stopped crying. "You didn't hurt my little girl? I thought--"
"You thought so too? Why should I be surprised? Hell, that's what you EXPECTED when you sent us off together! Well you're wrong!" Ranma got to his feet and walked out of the bathing room, throwing one more remark over his shoulder. "Drink the tea. Dinner's nearly ready."
*****
Akane was carrying a stack of bowls into the dining area when Ranma returned. His red face and set jaw told her that something was wrong.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing! Everything!" Ranma turned his back on Akane and then whirled around and pointed toward the bathing room. "It's bad enough that the guys at school think, but Pop..." Words seemed to fail Ranma, and Akane watched as his hands became fists.
"What?" Akane asked quietly. She was pretty sure she knew what Ranma was trying to tell her, but she needed to hear it.
"Pop was sure we were going to--you know. Your father was sure too. They've been planning it all along!"
"I suspected that too, especially after what happened to my tent. They've been trying to manipulate us."
"And they've been doing a very good job of it, haven't they?"
Akane jumped at the sound of Kasumi's voice. "Sis?" she asked weakly.
"Kasumi's right. The two of you have to keep your cool. Think before you talk, and don't let them get to you!"
Ranma and Akane remained silent as the two girls went past them to put the serving platters on the table. Nabiki smiled and waved the couple to the table. "Remember what we said before? You have to be the ones in control. Don't let them get to you!"
*****
Ranma took the advice seriously, and resolved to keep a lid on his temper during dinner. He realized it was going to be a very difficult thing to do when his father came to the table showing evidence of being ready for a battle. He didn't speak, but kept looking back and forth between Ranma and Akane as the serving dishes were passed around.
The girls made an attempt at normal conversation, but the tense atmosphere at the table soon caused the talk to trickle off. Ranma rushed through his meal and began to rise but his father's glare stopped him.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Pop?"
"Sit down, boy!"
Ranma sat. "Well, what do you want?" The words popped out of his mouth before he stopped to think, and then he had to muffle a yelp when Akane pinched his leg. She was reminding him to keep his cool, and the looks coming from Kasumi and Nabiki were sending the same message.
"You know what Tendo and I want. A decision."
Ranma dithered. "Well, I--"
Genma glared. "I've had it with you, boy! You've been putting this off too long! If you can't make up your mind, I'll do it for you!"
Genma looked at each girl in turn, and Ranma's dinner threatened to come back up. He couldn't let his father be the one to choose his wife. He grabbed Akane's hand and stood up, dragging her along.
"You don't have to. I already did."
Genma nodded. "I thought so."
*****
"My little girl is engaged! I'm so happy!"
Akane pulled her hand free and went around the table to her father. She knelt down beside him and put her arms around him.
"Don't cry, Daddy! There's no reason to cry!"
The tears turned off as abruptly as if a switch had been pulled. "You mean it's not true?"
"What?"
"Are you engaged or aren't you?"
Akane hesitated, and her eyes automatically went to Ranma. He came to her side, knelt down beside her, and took her hand in his.
"We are, sir."
*****
Nabiki held her breath and waited for the disaster to happen. She and Kasumi hadn't been able to coach Akane or Ranma about how to handle their fathers, and now it was going to be too late. They would be bullied or manipulated into doing whatever their parents wanted them to.
Soun, however, surprised her. Nabiki was certain that he would start planning a wedding on the spot. Instead, he slapped Ranma on the back. "Good for you, son! I'm very proud of both of you." Then he settled back in his seat and smiled at his family. "Now that that's settled, what's for dessert?"
Nabiki struggled to keep her surprise from showing. "I picked up some ice cream." She got to her feet, trying not to wobble, and gestured at Akane. "Come help me."
Akane headed straight for the freezer, but Nabiki grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the farthest corner of the kitchen. "What is he up to?"
"What?"
"Come on! You didn't fall for that, did you?" When Akane just looked confused, Nabiki firmly resisted an urge to shake her little sister. "That's not Daddy! He should be crying again, or making plans for a huge wedding, or something! He's being much too cool." She paused and thought a second before continuing. "That was all put on, I'm sure of it. Mr. Saotome bullied Ranma into saying he'd chosen one of us, and then Daddy cried until you admitted it was you. They're up to something!"
"What do you think it is?"
"I'm not sure. They started acting weird yesterday afternoon." Nabiki opened the freezer and got out a couple of tubs of ice cream. "Call Ranma in here, would you? I need to talk to him."
"Won't Daddy get suspicious?"
Nabiki growled in exasperation and stuck her head out into the hallway. "Ranma, this ice cream's frozen solid. Can you help scoop it?" Then she turned around and glared at Akane. "You've got to learn to use your imagination, little sister."
Ranma walked into the kitchen and took the ice cream from Nabiki. "How come you didn't ask Akane to do it? She's strong enough."
"I know that! I needed an excuse to get you in here." Nabiki took a stack of dessert bowls out of the refrigerator and put them out on the counter. "The two of you need to be really careful."
"What for? asked Ranma. "We got engaged, so they should be happy!"
"Yeah, right. They should be, but they're not. Don't question me; just trust me. Be careful."
Ranma shrugged. "Okay. What do you think, Akane?"
"If Nabiki is worried then we should listen to her."
"Hey, where's that ice cream?"
"Be right there, Pop! Keep your shirt on!"
*****
Despite Nabiki's warning, Ranma didn't see anything worth worrying about in his father's behavior that night. Genma seemed in an unusually mellow mood, either from relief over his son's engagement or the amount of sake he imbibed. Ranma wasn't sure.
His future father-in-law, on the other hand, was anything but mellow. He spent the entire evening in "celebration" mode, alternately crying and smiling, and telling everyone how pleased he was.
Ranma let them talk, and stayed around until he got tired of hearing what they had to say. Then he got up and gestured to Akane.
"We've still got some more homework to finish. Want to do it together?"
Akane nodded agreement and the two headed upstairs, oblivious of the knowing grins behind them.
*****
Kodachi Kuno was trying to study. She wasn't making very much progress. She finally tossed the book aside in frustration and left her room to knock on her brother's door. He opened it, glared at her, and scribbled a note.
"Did you want something, Sister?"
"Your pacing is disturbing my study, Brother. Is something wrong?"
"I am worried about my love. The fiend Saotome was alone with her all weekend."
Kodachi laughed. "From what you've told me of her, she's quite capable of taking care of herself."
"Perhaps, but I fear he has an unwholesome influence on her."
Kodachi dropped the note on the floor and walked away.
*****
"My turn to make the lunches today. You two get to wash the dishes." Nabiki dashed into the kitchen while Ranma and Akane cleared the table. Kasumi had already left for campus. They were still washing the dishes when Nabiki left them their lunches and picked up her own bento. "Hurry up, slowpokes, or you'll be late. See you there."
Ranma dried the last dish and wiped down the counter. "I'll get our books, you grab the food." He returned moments later and they headed to the entryway to put on their shoes. Soun and Genma stood there, blocking the door. Ranma looked at the expression on his father's face and knew he was in trouble.
"You wanted something, Pop?"
"I want you to go upstairs and change clothes. Put on something nice."
"Why?"
"Because you're getting married."
*****
"What?"
Soun looked at his daughter. Akane's question had come out in the form of a squeak, and the hand that gripped her bag was white-knuckled. "You too, Akane. You can't be getting married in your uniform."
He expected that his daughter would look at her fiance, but he didn't expect them to nod at each other and turn back to them with defiant looks.
"No!"
Akane's father looked at his friend. It was time for Saotome to take over.
"Then you'd better start packing, Ranma."
"You're not making any sense, Pop! Why?"
Genma reached into his pocket and produced a letter. It was addressed to Ranma. "This came in the mail for you while you were away. It's from your mother. How is it that she knows where you are?"
"Um, maybe we should sit down?"
*****
Seconds later all four of them were seated at the table. Both young people looked very nervous, while their fathers seemed completely confident.
"I'm sitting now, Son. Explain this to me."
"Mom called last Sunday while you were out. I got to talk to her."
Genma glared. "Don't you realize how dangerous that is?"
"No, I don't! Mom would never hurt me! Do you know how happy she was to talk to me?"
"And did you happen to mention your curse?"
There was a long silence. Ranma was still hesitating when Akane squeezed his hand and smiled at him.
"No. I didn't. I just told her there was something she needed to know, but that I wanted to show her in person."
Genma turned white. "You didn't! We're dead."
"You're such a hopeless coward, Pop!
"Give me the credit of knowing my wife better than you do! Now get upstairs and change your clothes."
"I already said no!"
"Then we're back to your other choice. Go pack."
"Why does Ranma have to pack, Mr. Saotome?"
"Because, Akane, we're leaving."
*****
Akane's whole world turned upside-down. "WHY?"
"I'm not taking any chances with my life, or Ranma's. If the two of you were married when Nodoka got here, she would accept Ranma as a man. If you won't marry, then we have to leave."
"But we're engaged! Isn't that good enough?"
"I have to agree with Saotome, Akane. It's just too dangerous to take any chances."
"But Daddy, we're only sixteen!"
"That's right, Mr. Tendo. Don't you think we're too young to get married?"
*****
"Of course not!" Soun nearly choked on the words as he remembered what he had said to Genma only seven days earlier. "It's not that you'd be on your own, which would worry me. You'll be here, with older people to guide you!"
"That doesn't make me feel any better," remarked Ranma.
Genma stepped in. "Wouldn't that be better than being on the road again? Permanently? If we leave now, we won't be able to come back." He gestured at Akane, who was holding onto Ranma's hand as if her life depended on it. "You're happy here with the girl. Do you want to leave her behind?"
Ranma turned to Akane. "We gotta talk." Without asking permission to get up Ranma rose, taking Akane with him. Then he snatched his letter out of his father's hands and went upstairs.
When their footsteps died away Genma looked at his friend, a triumphant smile on his face. "It's working, Tendo!"
Soun nodded. "I think it is."
*****
Ranma led Akane into his room and slid the door shut. When he turned around Akane was looking out the window. She was holding herself very stiffly, and the next thing Ranma knew her shoulders started shaking.
"Akane? Why are you crying?"
Her reply was muffled by her sobs. "What did you say? I don't understand you," Ranma said as he crossed the room, took her by the shoulders, and turned her around. She put her arms around him and buried her face in his shirt.
"Will you write to me?" she sniffled.
"Write to you? What makes you think I'm leaving?"
Akane pulled away from Ranma's embrace and took a few steps back. "You don't have to marry me if you don't want to. It's not fair to force you."
"Maybe not, but I can't leave you. I already told you that, didn't I?"
"But--"
"The only thing that'll send me away is if you don't want me to stay."
*****
The knot in Akane's chest dissolved, and the relief was so intense that she nearly fell to her knees. She swayed, and Ranma stepped forward and caught her.
"You okay?"
Akane couldn't speak. She just held onto Ranma and sobbed. She could feel him stroking her hair and back, and murmuring something intended to be soothing. After a minute or two she calmed herself and pulled back to look into her fiance's eyes.
"I was ready to let you go, even though it hurt so bad. Do you think we can do this? Do you think we'll be happy?"
"We'll MAKE it work. We're a good team, Akane. I promise I'll take good care of you. Always." Ranma leaned forward and kissed Akane's forehead. "We'll be okay."
Akane looked down at the floor. Nodoka's letter lay there. "Maybe we should read that."
They sat down on the floor and opened the envelope, which was still intact.
"I wonder why Pop didn't open it."
"It's addressed to you, isn't it?"
Ranma shrugged. "Didn't think that would stop him."
Akane looked over Ranma's shoulder as he read the letter. Nodoka began by repeating what she'd said over the phone about her joy in finding her son. She requested that he have his father contact her, and the tone of the request made Akane flinch. It was Nodoka at her most formal. She also encouraged Ranma to choose the youngest Tendo daughter as a wife. "You are the same age," the letter read, "and I am certain you and Akane would get along very well."
*****
Fifteen minutes later Soun and Genma were twitching with tension.
"If they don't come down soon, we're going up after them," Genma announced. Just then the sound of footsteps on the stairs announced the return of their children.
Ranma didn't own much in the way of "good" clothing, and Genma immediately saw that he was wearing the best of what he had. Akane was wearing a very simple cream-colored dress, and was holding onto his son's hand. They both looked nervous and a little bit angry.
Genma nodded at his son, and got to his feet. "I see you've come to your senses. We should get going."
*****
"I said excuse me, Kuno! I would like to get to class on time." Instead of stepping aside, Kuno scribbled Nabiki yet another note.
"I will allow you to pass, Nabiki Tendo, once you tell me the whereabouts of your sister and Saotome."
"They're on their way! Are you deaf?"
Nabiki pushed her way past Kuno and entered the school. Several of Akane's friends were waiting just inside the entrance.
"Isn't Akane coming today? She's late!"
"I'm sure she'll be here soon."
Nabiki went past them and up to her classroom, wishing she felt as confident as she sounded. She stationed herself at the window and stayed there until her teacher told her to sit, waiting in vain for her sister and Ranma. They didn't come.''
After an hour Nabiki could no longer stand not knowing whether or not her sister had come to school. Once she came to that conclusion, she got her teacher's attention.
"May I be excused for a moment?"
"Of course."
She hurried down the hallway to Akane's classroom and peered inside. Her desk was empty, and so was Ranma's. Two minutes later she was out of the school and on her way home.
*****
Akane fidgeted as the clerk read over the marriage certificate and handed it to Ranma. "Very good. Your stamp goes here, and Miss Tendo's here."
Ranma looked at Genma. "Stamp?"
Genma reached into his pocket and produced a hanko. "Here you go, boy."
"I didn't even know I HAD one of these!"
"I was, um, holding it for you!"
Ranma glared at his father and stamped the document. Genma held out his hand for the hanko but Ranma shoved it in his pocket. "It's mine, isn't it?"
"I suppose you've got mine, Daddy?"
Soun flinched and handed Akane her hanko. She snatched it from his fingers and turned to the clerk. "Where does this go?" He pointed to the proper place on the document, and Akane hesitated. If she refused to stamp the certificate, it would be invalid. But if she did that, Genma would take Ranma away. Her eyes met Ranma's, and she could see that her hesitation was worrying him.
"Akane, you okay? You don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"And lose you forever?" Akane stamped the certificate. "I can't do that."
Ranma smiled at Akane. "Guess you're stuck with me now."
Akane smiled back. "I wouldn't put it that way."
"Excuse me, but would the two of you sign here?" Genma wiggled some papers between the newlyweds, and handed Ranma a pen.
"More forms? I thought we were done!"
"Not quite."
The newlyweds sighed and signed the forms.
*****
"But I have another class!" protested Kasumi as Nabiki dragged her out of the building.
"You're going to have to skip it! Akane and Ranma didn't show up at school! They're not at home, and neither are our fathers. Something's wrong!"
"Where are we supposed to look?" asked Kasumi, and then she gasped when Nabiki turned white.
"City Hall. I'm sure they're at City Hall."
They arrived there in time to see their fathers come out, with Ranma and Akane following them. It didn't take too much thought for Nabiki and Kasumi to realize they were too late.
My thanks to Todd, David, Andrew, Robert, Brad and Ann for pre-reading and comments during the time this chapter was being put together.