Meeting Later - Chapter 3.

Text Version

      Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is pretending to be Australian.

      Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favourite authors. Tom has given me the honour of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work. To view more of his work, which I personally recommend, his web site is http://www.geocities.com/twrensch

      Last Updated: 13/12/05

*****

      Akane's stomach growled as she finished cleaning the bathroom. She had been staying with Aunty and Ranma for a week as of tonight, and things had begun to settle to the point that she was almost set on her daily routines, well on school days anyway. Wake up, morning run and do some practice kata and training, bath, fight with Ranma over breakfast, school, homework, dinner, sparring, bath, bed. A single visit to Ukyo at her restaurant and the three surprise visits by Shampoo were the only times she heard from Ranma's fiancées, not a bad thing since both were quite hostile when Ranma or his Mother weren't watching. She had begun making friends at school, although sorting those who wanted to be friends to get close to Ranma was thinning those ranks quickly.

      Since today was Sunday, Ranma had gone to give massages down at the clinic with Doctor Tofu, but he had said he would be back in the afternoon to begin tournament training, whatever that was. Although Doctor Tofu didn't say no to her learning some of the massaging techniques and helping on Sundays, Nodoka eventually argued convincingly that she still needed some help with her cooking and would prefer teaching her on Sundays rather than Akane working. Akane knew Nodoka was meaning this as a form of bridal training, but was unwilling to oppose the woman who had been a good friend while she grew up without her own mother, and who now had let her stay in her home. Besides her cooking did need improving, although Aunty was harsh making her toss away all that food she had made this morning because it wasn't 'Up to standard for her table'.

      Entering the main room she began to straighten everything, idly listening to the TV on in the background. Her stomach cried out again and she glanced at the clock, ‘Nearly lunch time’. Her breakfast battles with Ranma had continued, and he had yet to figure it out, the idiot. He looked so down after he lost again this morning. He had secretly starved himself since breakfast the day before in the belief his hunger could make him slightly quicker. And he had been using chopsticks in both hands since Friday breakfast. It was actually a good thing for her confidence because he was still better at normal sparring.

      Akane giggled at another memory of Ranma from during the week. He had still been full at midday from his large breakfasts, and couldn't finish his lunch, while she normally attacked her lunch full force after only eating half her breakfast. Ranma had seen this as yet another challenge and would dig back into his to the point of making himself sick. Though she was a bit worried at the thought of gaining a few pounds through all the snacking she'd been doing.

      Today was the end of his oath, and after he declared he would beat her before the end of the month, two weeks away, she had taken pity on him. Taking him off to the bathroom so that Aunty wouldn't see, Kami knows what she'd think, she showed him the basis of Martial Arts Cuisine. She opened her mouth as wide as it would go and stuck her whole clenched fist in. This was, thankfully, as far as she'd gotten in proper La Belle France teachings. She had nearly choked on her own fist, as she laughed at Ranma's reaction. He watched fascinated, then started nodding his head and humming thoughtfully, but the look in those blue eyes said he had no idea what to do about this.

      Another deep rumble from her stomach was echoed by the TV. Turning, she saw a commercial for a Ramen shop. Some super attractive, over endowed, ultra slim model in a form hugging leather fighting outfit attacking a huge bowl of noodles with her chopsticks and, most likely using trick photography, flicking globs of the Ramen noodles to hungry sumo wrestlers before digging in for herself, with some lame caption about 'Shishimi Takeout, fighting the biggest hungers Japan wide' coming up under her smiling face.

      Some idle yet vicious thoughts about 'anorexic models' with 'plastic figures' playing at being 'martial artists' and 'eating anything they wanted' passed through her head before she heard a rhythmical tapping at the front door. Getting up and straightening her clothes and apron as she walked towards the door, idly thinking about 'anorexic models' with 'plastic figures' playing at being 'martial artists' and 'eating anything they wanted' showing up and beating her up for such thoughts.

      Opening the door with a hello, she looked up into the face of that same 'anorexic model' with a 'plastic figure' playing at being a 'martial artist' and 'eating anything she wanted' from the TV commercial. Her long golden hair was arranged in twin plaits down her back. A short, tight fitting, red dress was squeezed onto her over-endowed figure, and her long bare legs ended in matching sandals of intricate straps. A gold and silver brooch hung into her cleavage and her grey eyes bored into Akane from her fine, high cheek boned face.

      Sakura Shishimi looked down appraisingly on the short girl before her. A slight smile crossed her lips as she realised it was merely a maid and not yet another rival for her love. In her most melodious voice she spoke down at Akane. "I'm here to speak with my fiancé, Ranma Saotome?"

      Akane blinked twice in the face of yet another of Ranma's fiancées. Before she could answer Nodoka's voice came from behind her.

      "Oh I'm sorry, my son is currently running an errand for me, anything I can help you with Ms Shishimi."

      Sakura's eyes lit up. Passing a magazine and a cup of ramen that had appeared in her hands to Akane she stepped past, whispering, "Take a break." Akane looked briefly at the fashion magazine cover to see a picture of Sakura, and a caption saying 'exclusive interview inside'.

      "Mother in law, so good to see you. I was just hoping to find my fiancée, as I managed to get this whole afternoon free from my busy modelling career, and was hoping to share some time with him."

      Nodoka's voice sounded to Akane as far too saccharine "Unfortunately Ranma isn't going to be back until at least very late tonight. I am so sorry but your timing couldn't be worse. You see there is no way I could recall him either."

      Despite the sweetness in both their voices Akane could see the coldness in each other's eyes.

      Sakura finally broke her gaze with her future mother in law and idly fanned herself some sheets of paper. "Then perhaps you could pass these along?"

      "Of course, what are they?" Taking the papers, Nodoka's eyes never left Sakura's.

      "Oh, just the pre-approved paperwork for Ranma and your husband to go straight past the preliminary fights to the final televised events at the tournament. The executives decided some of those who did well last year should be allowed straight in."

      "Oh dear, my husband isn't in town for the next few weeks, he's going to miss the tournament."

      "Oh in that case..." Sakura's hand went out to grab one of the two sheets, but Nodoka moved them to idly tap them against her chin.

      Nodoka's eyes glanced at Akane's with an unsaid question. Akane nodded twice quickly.

      "There is another Anything Goes student in the area, perhaps Genma's slot could be passed down?"

      "Oh, I don't know, the producers may not approve of just anyone going through."

      "If you're worried about their fighting ability, I can happily say Ranma himself acknowledge during their first sparring session that he had very nearly lost. You remember don't you, Akane?"

      The surprise showed on Sakura's face before she swung her head back towards Akane.

      Akane stared into the narrow glare of Sakura's eyes, before carefully choosing her words as Aunties lead had shown. "Oh yes, Ranma said that it was as closest he had come to a defeat in a very long time, and that he admired the Tendo school's moves." She did her best to maintain a vague smile on her face under the glare.

      "Tendo School?"

      "Oh yes" Nodoka's voice was still very saccharine "The heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts is staying with us for the time being."

      "Oh dear, if he's not local to Juban he won't be allowed to compete."

      "Ah, but while we have the two heirs training together, they are staying here and attending school together and will be for the foreseeable future."

      Sakura finally decided that it wasn't worth the effort of arguing. Faking a conspiratory smile, she spoke with a hushed voice. "I'm sure we can work something. I'll send one of the producers around to affirm the paperwork, to let him take your husbands place."

      "Wonderful. Speaking for both halves of the Anything Goes Martial Arts School, I thank you."

      Sakura's voice took on a slightly higher pitch. "Oh no need Mother, I mean we're almost family. Give Ranma my love, Bye Byyye." Turning quickly she moved back through the still open door. A couple of men in dark suits waited by the gate for her, a black stretch limo parked behind them.

      "My son will marry that overindulged little brat over my dead body."

      Akane very nearly choked on the mouthful of ramen she'd snuck. It was as close to out right swearing she had ever heard Aunty come.

      "I thought Ranma was over at the clinic today."

      "Oh I'm sure he is, but Sakura knows that's where he would be today. Which means the people at the clinic saw her coming, and hid him."

      "What? How bad is she?"

      "Oh, the last time she found him at the clinic, she cornered him in an examination room, and used her family's take out martial arts in an attempt to strip and bed him. Her technique relies heavily on chopsticks as a weapon and Ranma had yet to come up with an effective counter without attacking her out right. He eventually got away but his clothes when he got home, my, at first I thought he had gotten a poker dot version of his favourite outfit. Then I realised the dots were flesh coloured. The bruises he had, everywhere tiny bruises. And Doctor Tofu said the examination room look like someone had let off a black and red confetti bomb."

      Akane shut the door with her foot as she took another mouthful of ramen. Gulping it down, she followed Nodoka to the kitchen. "Ranma had better start praying this fourth fiancée is more his type because his choices seem pretty slim."

      As Akane walked past to put the ramen cup in the bin, she missed the smile Nodoka gave her.

*****

      Nodoka pulled out a recipe book from a shelf above the fridge. "I was thinking we might try baking this afternoon, how about we try cookies?"

      "Sure." Akane's voice was less than enthusiastic.

      "You don't like cookies?"

      "No, I love cookies. It's just the last time I cooked some, they hurt a couple boys."

      "Badly?"

      "No, they were all back the next day, but they were all pretty upset."

      Nodoka's eyes narrowed. "How many boys?"

      Akane answered without looking up from her shoes. "Twenty Two."

      Nodoka gripped the bench and stifled a giggle "I'm sure it was as much bad ingredients as anything else."

      Her voice was almost a whisper "I only baked fifteen cookies, and there were three left over."

      The burst of laughter from the hall covered the giggle that escaped from Nodoka's lips. The two women turned to see Ranma rolling on the ground, howling with laughter.

      Not happy at Ranma's reaction, Akane promptly stomped out of the kitchen. His laughter was cut short by her taking surprisingly little steps while leaving over his body.

      Regaining control of her own mouth Nodoka put as much reproach into her voice as possible as she spoke to the still giggling pile in the hall. "It isn't really nice to laugh at a girl like that Ranma, you should go and apologise."

      Ranma looked up at his mother and could see the twinkle of mirth still in her eyes. "Fine, I'll apologise but don't give me that pout, you were busting a gut trying not to laugh."

      "That's not the point. I assume you came home to make sure that Sakura had moved on?"

      "Not that hard to guess, Mom."

      "She sends her love, but she also dropped off the paperwork for her tournament. I assume you still plan on entering?"

      With Ranma's nod she continued "She has decided that that since you and your father did so well last year that the two of you don't need to go through the preliminaries. Since your father is staying with Akane's father, Akane and I convinced her to give the spot to Akane... You don't like this?"

      Ranma stopped shaking his head and shrugged. "Oh no, it's just going though the preliminaries would let her have a go in that stupid ring and get a grip on the rules, don't matter that much, I can teach her."

      "Go speak with Akane then, while I ready some lunch."

      Ranma didn't lose his grin while getting up and dusting himself off. He found Akane coming down the stairs in her gi. "Hey, look... sorry, I wasn't laughing at you as ...I didn't mean it as.... look if it happened to someone else you would a been rolling on the ground with me, it's just a funny story." He looked into Akane's eyes hoping he had gotten it right.

      Akane looked back into his eyes and finally nodded, "Okay, it would be a little funny, but I feel really bad. After that no one would even look at my food. Except Kuno, and I wouldn't want him to have anything I made. Hey, since I'm going in this tournament you want to give me some tips on how to beat Sakura?"

      "Sure, get change and I'll meet you outside."

*****

      Akane had to break her warm up to dodge and roll to the side as Ranma's leaping kick from the roof put a large divot in the grass where she stood.

      "Good reflexes, that'll help against Shampoo. Let me warm up some and I'll run you through the rules. Hey, who's this guy, Kuno, anyway?"

      Ranma was beginning to suspect that the odd look of disgust that he had seen on her face a few times now was specifically for this Kuno guy. Starting with a groan of disgust Akane began to describe Tatewaki Kuno.

      "Tatewaki Kuno is the most despicable, dishonourable, lecherous, cheating, insane, insensitive, delusional, idiotic jerk you will ever hear of."

      Thoughts of a certain school grand master came to Ranma's mind, "I don't know, I know some pretty perverted idiots. Hey isn't he the Japan Kendo champion?"

      "Yes, he is, the cheat. Over a year ago the idiot decided he was in love with me. He kept challenging me for a date. After I started refusing he would issue the challenge and attack without giving me time to refuse. Then one day he saw another boy in school asking me out, so he declared that to date me they must defeat me. After that, most of the boys would charge out every morning that I went to school to try to beat me to date me. Kuno would wait until after them so they could wear me down. He still didn't win but he got close more than once. Then he got this wishing sword..."

      "Wishing sword? Does he still have it?"

      "He's still got the sword but he used the three wishes. The first wish was for a date with me. With the sword's help, he defeated me and all the school pressured me into accepting to date him. Then on the date he wished to kiss me. It paralysed me so I couldn't resist him as he kissed me."

      "Wait, he used magic to force you to kiss him? What an asshole!"

      Akane looked at the odd combat posture Ranma had taken, but brushed the thoughts away to continue the story. "Yeah, then he used the final wish to make him the greatest Kendo Champion to ever live so that he may win more dates from me."

      "With a flash he was. Just one fight, he had me down with ease. He used to be able to send shock waves through the air, now tornados and cutting winds. He improved so much! After a second date he started pestering my father for an engagement. Fortunately my sister and I distracted him into attending tournaments to prove how good he was. I was going to run away from home when Grandfather stopped me and started training me in his special attacks. When he returned I was better than ever before and I put him down hard. He's still after me, but I'm back to beating him."

      "This Grandfather of yours sounds pretty cool, must be a great martial artist, does he do the Anything Goes?"

      "Oh yes, but he's not really my Grandfather, he just likes to be called that. He's certainly got his faults but he's helped me too many times, I owe him so much. And after he stopped groping my sisters, my friends, or me, he is actually fun to be with."

      Ranma's face paled, "Groping!?! No, you don't mean the old letch!?!"

      "Master Happosai?"

      Ranma's face changed again, to red with anger. "I have to drive him off from hanging around here every few months. Dirty old pervert has been almost as bigger pain in my life in one year as my father has over my whole life, and that's a lot."

      "He's not that bad, you should try to get along with him. I wouldn't be half the martial artist I am without Grandfathers help."

      "He is that bad, Akane, because of his enemies my Mom's been kidnapped twice, I've been beaten up & fondled, and my friends have been hurt. He himself has caused me no end of pains. He's tried to use magic to make me love or obey him five separate times. Never-ending attempts to steal my girl underwear, constant attempts at getting photographs of me. No, helping you is the only thing I've ever heard of him helping anyone but himself. The only help he's given to my training has been to try and get me to give up the art. Hell, he's trained my enemies in techniques to beat me. I don't want anything to do with the little creep."

      Ranma got up and began a warm up kata, leaving Akane sitting, lost in thought. She knew Happi caused problems for people but he'd been mostly harmless, now she'd heard from someone she'd come to trust he'd really hurt people.

      "I'm sorry Ranma, I don't know what to say. I'd hate to think how bad my life would be without his help."

      Ranma really didn't want to argue with Akane, especially over the old fart. "Look Akane, just forget about it for now. Let’s just get some training down, okay?"

*****

      Ranma faced Akane after some light sparring, a light sheen of sweat on her face. "The Shishimi tournament is one on one, best of three fights, in a ring. I'll take ya to the place I used for practice last year later on. You lose if you're knocked out, thrown from the ring, or pinned for more than a three count. You can submit, but if you get knocked out and don't awaken within five minutes you loose the next fight and that round."

      "Who made these rules?"

      "Sakura most likely, that knock out rule is for sure. So is another rule, no replacement of equipment, and no one can come and help until the round is settled unless your bleeding. Last year she used a sleep drug to knock me out in cursed form, Mom was able to wake me up just in time with the smell of food."

      "It sounds like Sakura has this pretty well rigged."

      "Well that's Sakura's main style for ya, an' I've only told you the tip of her pile of tricks. I'll show you her main moves so you can put her down before she can try her dirtier tricks."

      After they exchanged smirks Ranma continued "Anyway the ring itself is made with traps to trip and throw off Sakura's opponents..."

*****

      Akane admired the view while trying to regain her breath, wiping the sweat from her face with her hand before wiping it on the black pants. Since they were training outside of the house, they had agreed Akane should wear some of his older (and smaller) clothes rather than her gi or sweat clothes. The stares she'd gotten from men as they'd run here in the blue sleeveless Chinese shirt and black slacks had been more than a little flattering, she had even caught Ranma watching once.

      After lunch Ranma had led her at an even paced run out into some woods over ten miles away. High up on a hill was an old water storage tank a good seventy foot tall and at least a hundred and fifty foot across. After leaping the fence and climbing via some old rusting piping, they were at the top and able to look back over Bokuto and the larger Juban area. It was actually very pretty. Up here they could see larger buildings like the school, police station, hospital and recreation hall and could make a decent guess where Ranma's house was, all against the backdrop of the distant skyscrapers.

      The roof of the tank was dented and pitted and needed a new coat of paint. The low concave slope of the top gave a dome feel but it had warped over time so bulges and different gradients where common. Aside from the locked stair/ladder, the only thing to rise above the height of the tank were eight thick rounded steel pillions, evenly spaced around the rim, and even then they only rose about four feet over the lip. Their footsteps boomed lightly inside the tank beneath them.

      Akane was stirred from the view by the sound of Ranma flipping and rolling away from her across roof. It wasn't until after he was more than half way across she realised he was blind folded. "RANMA!"

      Ranma smirked at the panic in her voice, but continued the last of his rolls and flipped to his feet facing her. Taking off the blindfold, he did a quick check. He was only two feet from the rim. He had meant for five feet but he had no qualms about the minor error.

      "Idiot! What the hell do you think your doing?"

      "This was how I learnt to trust my sense of touch. You have to feel the floor as you go or ya twist wrong and hurt yourself. It ain't that hard. Come on, your turn, no more than a one count on any one foot or hand."

      Akane was still amazed at what Ranma considered training at times. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with them when it came to actual practice but in theory they were ludicrous. The walking on fences was on the whole a good practice. She had, when her attire allowed, joined him on the fence. Although she couldn't run while doing it she was getting better. He would also stop by the children's play area at the park on the way home from school to practice leaps and kicks through jungle-gyms and blindingly fast rushed laps crawling through a wooden castle set.

      Akane set out with drops and rolls, feeling self-conscious of the lack of aerial movement compared with Ranma. After only a few meters she landed wrong and twisted her wrist enough to stop her movement.

      Ranma's voice came across slightly disappointed, "Come on, you can do better than that. Feel the ground as you touch and adjust. Stay light until your body tells you it's safe."

      Akane began again doing slightly better but a lot slower.

      "Faster, speed it up."

      Akane started feeding on the anger his voice was beginning to give her. She sped up trying to feel her way clear. 

      Finally she made it over to him.

      "Good, now this time jogging around the outside."

      Akane looked up at him wiping away some of the sweat from her face. "I had to do it the hard way before the jogging?"

      Ranma's face split in an evil smirk as he tossed a strip of cloth to her. "Hard hasn't even started."

      "Oh no, uh uh, no way."

      "Oh yes."

      "Ranma, it's insane, I'm not going to run around the edge blind folded. I could fall."

      "I'll never let you fall."

      Akane locked eyes with him as a blush started creeping over her features. The way he said it, not with his usual arrogance but more of a promise to never let her be hurt… Visions of his weak attacks during sparring, how he caught her when she failed while fence walking, and other minor incidents flashed through her mind.

      His eyes showed absolute innocence, that he didn't even realise what he had said. She couldn't face those eyes any more, so she snatched the blindfold from his hand and began tying it.

      Ranma began backing a few steps away while she finished tying. 'Wonder what's with her?' "Okay, now just follow my voice." With that he began walking backwards around the tank reciting a prayer song he'd heard from some old Shinto monks when he and his father had been training. It maintained a complex and long patterned beat that was very hard to grasp. He picked it so as not to give Akane a rhythm but force her to pick the pace herself, changing the pace the instant she seemed too catch it.

      Akane began walking after him taking tentative steps trying to use only a small area like her toes on the uneven metal. As the minutes passed Ranma would call for more speed, then more to force her to use the whole foot. But no matter the criticising, she still wouldn't run.

      Visions continued vying in Akane's mind with her focus. The vision involved her tripping and rolling off. Still she tried, continuing to follow Ranma's voice meters ahead, enforcing a desire to roll to the right, and the centre of the tank, if she fell.

      After a second lap she felt herself trip to the left. Even before she touched the metal, let alone rolled off the edge, she felt his strong hands on her shoulder and she was flipped back to her feet. Ripping the blindfold off, she saw him standing casually a few meters away. She could feel the reverberations of his feet in the metal dome, saying he had just got back there.

      "What? Come on, a few more laps."

      She stood there panting, trying to think of something to yell at him for but nothing seemed that justified. Putting her blindfold back on, she began following his voice. The knowledge that he really wouldn't let her fall brought strength to her focus and soon she was rushing over the uneven metal.

      Ranma ran her around the dome a few more times, before beginning zigzagging over the dome. Soon he could see the tiredness in her face and decided to skip to the end. He darted forward snatching the blindfold from her head as he flipped over her.

      Akane was suddenly worried when he went quiet, then the blindfold was ripped from her head. Just as her eyes adjusted to the light, she ducked the punch at her face. Sparring was on.

*****

      Jiro Ohata rushed down the street. He hated running anywhere, but this may be the breakthrough he needed. He politely greeted two young women he sped past as he turned a corner. The young man was a handsome figure in the dark blue slacks and white shirt, his brown hair perfectly set and his dark eyes flashed. He glanced at his reflection in some shop windows and idly thought he might even be more handsome since he lost build when he swore off martial arts.

      He gazed at the front of the Bokuto School looking for the damage. One of the wire fences had been knocked down, he noted as he approached. He opened the flap on the mobile phone he carried and hit redial before holding it to his ear.

      "Hello, Toko's phone."

      "It's me, where are you?"

      "He's just making a third loop of the gymnasium. I don't think he even realises."

      "Good, I'm almost there."

      Flicking the phone shut and into his pocket. He slowed as he approached the gymnasium, straightening his clothes. He gathered his wits, knowing how unstable this person was, but if he wanted Ranma Saotome to suffer, this man was far too useful.

      Turning the last corner he spotted the sullen man walking towards him. His clothes were dirty and dusty, even the bandanna that held his dirty hair. His shoes and leggings showed dried mud and a branch with some dead leaves stuck out from his backpack.

      "Ryoga Hibiki?"

      Ryoga's eyes shot up as he lifted his head to look at who ever had interrupted his thinking. He took in the young man standing before him. "Do I know you?"

      "Probably not, but I know you. My name is Jiro Ohata, and I'm a big fan of yours."

      Ryoga snorted at the idea of having a fan. The only person he knew who had fans was Ranma.

      Ohata saw the anger cross the lost boy's expression and the clenching of his fist. A smile came to his lips as he played out his plan. "Any enemy of Ranma Saotome is someone I like."

      Ryoga's thoughts were frozen by this. "You hate Ranma as well?"

      "I would be more than happy to see that red haired freak ground into dust."

      Ryoga had a sinking feeling. "You do know he's a guy don't you?"

      A disgusted look crossed Ohata's face. "Of course, I do. Better than you would. Regardless, we both want that hermaphrodite beaten and broken." As the confused look passed over Ryoga's face at the word 'hermaphrodite', Ohata mentally ticked his assessment of the lost boy's intellect.

      Ryoga gave up trying to guess on what 'hermaphrodite' meant and cracked his knuckles. "Just lead me to him."

      Ohata chuckled, and signalled Toko to come over. "Great enthusiasm but I have a better idea. Defeat him before all of Japan."

*****

      Ranma watched from atop the fence as Akane hobbled home. "You did real good today, Akane. I'm surprised that you had that level of endurance."

      She ignored him as she continued to walk stiffly back to the house. The sun was just setting and the streetlights coming out. She was beginning to regret not taking his offer to carry her.

      "If we shoot over straight from school to practice there you should be ready for the tournament in two weeks."

      Akane decided to conserve energy and so just gave him a dirty look.

      "I mean it, you really did well. After the lack of opportunity training from you over the past week, I was afraid you were actually more tomboy than martial artist."

      Akane simply reacted. Exhaustion forgotten, the mallet was out and tracking the pigtailed martial artist.

      He just dodged and smirked. "What was that? It was feeble."

      Twisting, Ranma began dodging backwards down the street towards home. He loved seeing this 'light angry' mode she'd get in. It was different from her other 'serious' angry mode. This was more... just... well tomboyish anger.

      Ranma's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of launching chains. A sound he found all too familiar. Dashing forward under the mallet, he lifted Akane up and jumped.

      Panicked when Ranma suddenly hugged her, Akane reacted as per training. An elbow caught Ranma in the face before she shucked out of his grip. Finding herself in mid air she rolled and landed on her feet on the roof of a house beside the road.

      Ranma landed beside her but still dazed from the head blow he landed on his face, before sliding off to fall back to the ground, landing in a bush.

      "I have you now, Saotome."

      Looking down at the man addressing a post box wrapped in chains, Akane frowned in confusion. He was wearing a set of white robes and a pair of glasses sat uselessly atop his head. His long hair was dark and obviously well kept. Although his Japanese was flawless, his accent was Chinese.

      "You will answer one question before I kill you," stated the figure before the post box.

      Akane decided she was tired and wanted this over with. "Hey, that isn't Ranma."

      "Eh?" The figure placed his glasses on and looked up at the girl on the roof, before staring back at the post box. "Oh, thanks. Do you know where he is?"

      "Ah, he just ducked out. Can I ask why you're going to kill him?"

      The boy finished recalling the chains into his sleeves while giving a shrug. "Habit. I was hoping by some small chance he wasn't entering the up-coming tournament."

      "Sorry buddy, but I'm in. That money is needed to pay off all the debts Pops made." Ranma stumbled out of the bushes in the front yard.

      Akane used the opportunity to leap down to a fence, then the ground.

      "Would you change your mind if I said please?"

      "No can do. So how does Shampoo figure in this?" Ranma asked, knowing she must be involved somewhere here.

      "Cologne's not going to let her lose this tournament, the old mummy has been showing her a new technique. The 'Twenty Stabbing Stars'. She keeps going on about what the two of you'll do as victory celebration."

      "She'll try celebrating with me even if she doesn’t win. Hell, she'll try celebrating just for getting IN the tournament. So what's this technique do?"

      "It is supposedly one of the favoured techniques of Roe Ling Pinn, the Crusher. One of the most feared Elders in our history, both for fighting prowess and ability to keep the males in check. The technique itself is only available to women. The basis of the technique... I don't know."

      Ranma just shook his head as Akane approached the pair. Mousse looked at her first before bowing. "I have found him, thank you for your help."

      "Oh hey Mousse, this is Akane Tendo. Akane, Mousse of the Amazons. Akanes' staying with us for the next couple months."

      "Oh Hello, Shampoo mentioned.... somebody.... staying with Ranma."

      Akane picked up on it pretty quickly and gave him a grin. "I'm sure she didn't use those words."

      "Well, Shampoo isn't that good with your language," he returned diplomatically.

*****

      "You're late... Oh dear, Akane you look exhausted."

      Akane looked up wearily as she entered the house. "I am Aunty, I am."

      "Go have a quick bath while I set out dinner."

      Akane nodded and headed quickly down the hall, eager for a soak.

      Nodoka's eyes quickly caught onto Ranma's "Ranma, why is Akane so exhausted?"

      He shrugged. "Training. She did really well too."

      "I'm sure she did." With a sigh, she relaxed her gaze at her son. "Don't be too hard on her, she's not up to your level. Now come and set the table."

*****

      Akane watched Ranma inhale his food. Even though they weren't fighting, he still ate fast. Couldn't blame him, he was eager for a bath.

      She rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the stiffness from today's training, eyeing Ranma clearing the last of his bowl.

      "That was great Mom. I'm going to have a bath."

      Nodoka watched her son leave with an amused look, like at some private joke. Glancing at Akane her face became more serious.

      "Akane dear, do you think Ranma could be a good martial arts instructor?"

      Thinking about her day, Akane swallowed some more rice. Finally she began nodding "If he learns some patience, yes. He knows a lot and is good at showing someone how to do it right, but he isn't patient when I take too long to learn something."

      Nodoka nodded silently for a few moments. "Thank you, Akane. Are you enjoying training with him?"

      Akane glanced towards the bathroom before a wiry grin cracked her face. "Yeah, it’s been a long time since I've trained like this, not since Grandfather started training me. Most of my training over the past couple of years has been fighting perverts." The two began to giggle lightly but Akane winced slightly at the tightness in her muscles.

      Nodoka watched on thoughtfully. "Akane dear, are you feeling a bit stiff?"

      "Yeah, I don't think my bodies quite fit enough for what we did today."

      "Akane, Ranma has been trained in five different types of massage. Maybe you should have one before bed?"

      "No! Ah, that is no thank you, Aunty."

      Aunty looked at her evenly. "Is there a problem, dear?"

      "No problem, I just..."

      "Akane-chan, I think those perverts who have made you the martial artist you are today, have also given some... bad training."

      "But Aunty..."

      "Akane, I'm going to ask you a question and I'd like an honest answer. Was one of the reasons you fled your family to come here because you feared you were being forced to marry some pervert?"

      Gazing into Nodoka's eyes, her denial was held back and she dropped her head and stared into her food. "I...maybe...probably."

      "Akane, I'm not going to force you to have a massage, but I think you should have one, for more than just your muscles."

      Akane thought about it for a while before nodding. "Thank you Aunty."

*****

      Ranma walked into the kitchen towelling off his hair in a black singlet and black silk pyjama bottoms with red swirls on them. "Hey Mom, any leftovers? Akane hit the sack?"

      Nodoka handed him the already prepared bowl with a gentle smile. "Hurry up. Akane's waiting for you."

      "Huh, what for?" came out between gulps.

      Nodoka looked back at him with a curious smile. "I suggested you give her a massage to ease the stiffness in her muscles before bed."

      "Huh, good idea, probably won't sleep well other wise." Finishing the bowl he tossed it into the sink with the chopsticks and opened one of the higher cupboards, grabbing a couple of bottles of creams and oils before heading upstairs.

*****

      Ranma stepped up to the upstairs landing and walked straight into his bedroom. Lying on his bed face down was Akane. A lot of Akane. Clad in only a sports bra and assumed panties under the towel over her rump, she was quite a sight to behold. His mind locked. It wasn't the sight by itself but augmented by something more. A wanting.

      Akane had her face turned away from the door not wanting to see Ranma looking at her, especially with the blush she had had since lying on the bed.

      Ranma's body reacted as expected without the brain working. The mouth fell open, the eyes bugged out and the hands clenched. The hand holding the glass bottle was fine, the one holding the plastic bottle popped the lid and jetted cream up into his face and mouth. Regaining his senses, he spun around in front of his desk and put the bottles down before a towel flung through the door hit him in the face. With a silent thank you to his mother, he wiped his face and spat as much cream off his tongue as he could. He heard the door shut with a click.

      Akane turned her head to face him at the choking sound he was making but his back was turned and he was wiping his face with a towel. "Is something wrong?" She asked not sure what answer she wanted.

      "No" Ranma's voice was high and he coughed quickly before swallowing. "(Bleh) No, nothing wrong, what could be wrong?" Tossing the towel over one shoulder he squeezed some cream into his hands and turned around, concentrating on the knowledge that the taste in his mouth was with him for the duration.

      Seeing him turning around, Akane flipped her head back to face the other way again, her memory filtering through all the times over the past week Ranma could have been a pervert but hadn't been.

      Ranma was desperately trying not to ogle her half naked form. He'd massaged all three of his other fiancées at least once each without this level of trouble, and had certainly seen his share of naked women. But none of them were Akane. Why was this different?

      Giving up trying to figure it out, Ranma set his focus and stepped over, kneeling beside his low bed.

      Akane was virtually holding her breath, not sure what to expect when he first touched. Regardless it wasn't the ice-cold palm on her shoulder.

      At her gasp when his hand touched her shoulder and Ranma nearly panicked "What?!, Are you hurt there?"

      Akane summoned her will. "No, it's fine, your hands are icy..."

      "Oh, damn, sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

      Before Akane could consider what he was paying attention to, a pair of almost hot palms came down, kneading into her shoulders.

      "Wow you really are tense. Give me a sec, one, two and three." As Ranma counted aloud, she felt one hand leave her shoulder and flowed down her spine counting ridges before moving out to the side an inch and pressing. A jolt went through every nerve in her body and she jolted in a spasm. Then he began kneading again. "Much better."

      "What did you... ahhh... do."

      "Just a pressure point Doc showed me for relaxing people. I can't use it on most of the people I massage."

      Akane felt herself melting under his strong hands. She felt as they shifted from massage types - gentle to deep to shiatsu and others she couldn't even identify. He worked the muscle groups of the shoulders around the sports bra, sometimes reaching under it to get at the lower shoulder blades, before moving out along the arms.

      "Why can't you use that point normally?" came out between sighs of release.

      "When the school found out I was doing the massages, several of the girls were constantly there on Sundays, then my fiancées found out and they were over there nearly every night trying to get one, and from Shampoo more, which would bring Mousse crashing in, tearing the place up. It wasn't until Mom decided to finally acknowledge Sakura's claim, from her deal with Pop, that we convinced them it would be best if I didn't give any of them massages at home and made them think they had to live without to stop the other two from hanging around here."

      "So they were at the clinic every Sunday and Doc started having problems with them and others breaking appointments when they found out I wasn't available. So he allocated me to patients with medical problems and that point jolts the entire body so isn't good for tendon injuries, broken bones, and other stuff."

      The two were silent as he finished on the arms and moved down to the legs. Ranma found his control slipping again and tried to start a conversation, but couldn't think of any subjects.

      Akane was almost half asleep as her body relaxed when Ranma finished on her calves and was working on her knees, lifting the lower leg to rotate the joint with one hand and manipulating the knee itself with the other. She had just dozed off when he moved up to her thighs, her eyes snapping open as the thought of how vulnerable she was to Ranma right now. Between the tiredness and her relaxed state, could she stop him if he did anything?

      "Did I hurt you?"

      "What?!" Akane's voice was very loud to both of them.

      "You just tensed up, did I hurt you? Is something wrong?"

      Akane heard the concern in his voice and calmed down. "No, I... dozed off and panicked. Sorry."

      "Oh."

      Akane calmed down running through the opportunities for being a pervert Ranma already had, as she felt him starting on her thighs again. Deciding distraction may work better as his strong hands lulled her in warmth radiating from her thighs and...

      "So what's the story with Mousse? One minute he attacks you, the next you're friends."

      Ranma was happy to have a topic handed to him and so eagerly began. "Mousse came after Shampoo, when she came after me from China. He is totally obsessed with her even though she treats him so bad. He firstly showed up trying to defeat me, hoping Shampoo would love him since he thinks the only reason Shampoo loves me is her stupid laws."

      "Is she?"

      "I gave up trying to figure that out. I think that since I'm a guy, she can't see me as an equal so she loves me to a point, if that makes sense. One time, Shampoo got this stupid brooch that made the wearer reverse their love. Suddenly she hated me, as much as she loved me but reversed, she would just ignore me unless we came face to face, then she'd pound me into the pavement. I was kinda worried for a bit, then Mom pointed out that this meant her claim must be over and we began ignoring her. Next day she's all over me again, and she was trying to put the brooch on me. I was really mucked up by it, then she brought out a cat she'd caught to try... well..."

      Akane remembered what Aunty had said about Ranma's fear of cats. "The Nekoken?"

      His hands immediately stopped "You know about that?"

      "Aunty told me. I hope you're not upset."

      Ranma was silent for a few moments "Nah, just means ya might not freak out when it happens next."

      Akane could hear the self-disgust in his voice, much like when he spoke of his curse. She tried to get back into the story to make it go away, "So she tried to put you in the Nekoken?"

      "I'll only go to those I care for while in it, so she was trying to use the brooch to control me. The cat freaked me out though and I was off, running down the street as fast as I could. Of course Sakura decided to come see me and as soon as I saw her I was all over her like a pervert, I just knocked her down in the street. Cologne showed up and took back the jewel back before I… did anything."

      Akane slumped her head in defeat that her change of subject had taken him straight back to a place that disgusted him. "Why did Shampoo want you in the Nekoken?"

      "I talked with Mom about it later and the fact Cologne was nearby. Because I can't be controlled in the Nekoken, they can't just take me off to their village. Cologne's been trying to be friends with Mom ever since she found out about the cat fist, because they need her to calm me if they want to take me back to China. Shampoo was planning on showing how she could control me through the brooch to convince the Cologne to leave Mom behind and drag me off."

      Akane felt his hands leave her thighs and was waiting for the towel to be lifted when his hands were on her lower back. She let out a sigh, but out of relief or disappointment she couldn't say for certain.

      "Back to Mousse, he tried to defeat me a lot but in the last few months he finally accepted I didn't want Shampoo and has given up trying to kill me. He just wants Shampoo. She's pretty mean to him normally but when she was wearing the reversal brooch she was really mean. Once we figured out the brooch reversed the feelings of the wearer, he was so happy."

      "You sure have some odd friends, Ranma."

      "Welcome to the weird life of Ranma Saotome."

      Akane smiled gently feeling his hands over her back. She noticed his hands working around the sports bra's thick straps. Nodoka's words came back to her. Steeling her will she asked, "Would it be easier without the bra?"

      Ranma didn't notice the hesitation in her voice as he tried maintaining his focus. He tried to answer as casually as possible "A bit...but you can leave it on if you want."

      "No Ranma, I trust you."

      Ranma turned around as she began to sit up. Trying to mask his own nervousness, he busied himself putting more cream into his hands when he spotted some incense sticks he put on the top shelf of the book case beside his desk. "Hey, I've got some incense sticks that may help you relax."

      He heard Akane's muffled acknowledgment as he reached for the sticks, trying not to think about her. As he brought the sticks down a number of small squares fluttered down. His reflexes took over and his free hand shot out grabbing them from the air.

      Mumbling a curse on his father's panda butt, he moved to replace the condoms back on the top shelf. It was then, that he heard the odd skipping rhythm of footsteps in the hall.

      Shampoo burst in through the door with a low and seductive "Nihao Airen!", wiggling her lingerie clad figure. She stopped wiggling when she was faced with a beautiful girl in panties throwing her bra over the back of a chair and a husband in night-clothes holding condoms.

      With an inarticulate yell she dropped the ramen take out box and drew her bonbori to face Akane. "HUSBAND STEALER!!" Her voice thundered through the room as the two turned to face her.

      Ranma was stock still facing the Amazon.

      Akane was bewildered by the sudden appearance of the purple haired aggressor. She turned to ask Ranma what was going on and saw he had condoms in his hand. She saw red, 'I trusted him!'

      "PERVERT!!"

      *wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack*

      Ranma was trying to regain his senses as both sides of his face were stinging really bad. His eyes refocused finally on Akane's chest. Akane stood furious in front of him, her hands opening and clenching to alleviate her stinging palms. She traced his line of sight.

      *Wham*

      Shampoo wanted to kill the dark haired girl but she was now beating Ranma. It was too confusing.

      Tying shut a robe, and with her hair hanging down, Nodoka Saotome rushed into her son’s room, taking in the scene. Shampoo in a sheer, midnight blue teddy with bonbori, standing beside a Cat Café take away box, which was leaking onto the floor. Akane had a furious look on her face was putting her robe back on, while her son was laying into the shattered doors of his closet. "What is going on here?"

      "Husband stealer beat up Airen!"      "Ranma is a pervert!"

      Nodoka could feel the headache beginning. "Stop! Akane, why is Ranma a pervert?"

      Akane stalked over to the desk and picked up a condom. "He was only doing the massage to have sex with me. He got me to take off the bra and then got these out."

      Shampoo was about to say something but was cut off by Nodoka's hand in front of her face. Akane saw the hardened look cross Nodoka's face. Her voice was calm an even as she held out the other hand to Akane for the condom. "Tell me exactly what happened."

      "He got me to take off the bra and while I did he claimed he was getting some incense sticks but was really getting condoms. Then Shampoo charged in."

         Nodoka looked at the condom and down at the incense sticks in Ranma's unconscious grip. "Okay, Akane, please calm down. Shampoo why are you here?"

      "Shampoo here with snack for husband. Good thing, else husband stealer take what not hers."

      "Akane and my son were not going to have sex, Shampoo. Ranma was giving Akane a massage at my request."

      Shampoo was still unhappy with the answer, but had learned long ago being disrespectful to Ranma's Mother would never help her cause.

      "Why didn't you ask me before entering my house, Shampoo?"

      Shampoo put on a too too cute look as she tried her prepared excuse, "Shampoo saw light off, no want to wake."

      "Shampoo, go home, I will have words with Cologne tomorrow regarding your behaviour."

      Shampoo paled slightly but stuck to her guns. "No, Shampoo must protect husband from thief."

      "I am not a husband thief!"

      "Akane, I said calm down. Shampoo go home, any more late visits without my permission and I will consider your claim on my son invalid."

      "Great Grandmother no accept."

      "Even after Saffron?"

      Akane had been watching the argument until these last words spoken by Nodoka in a hushed tone. Shampoo slumped slightly before nodding and glaring at Akane. "Husband thief touch husband again, give Kiss of Death!" That said, she whirled and left the room.

      Nodoka watched the Amazon leave, trying to find her calm, her heart beat rushing in her ears. She finally tuned to the short dark haired girl standing beside the bed. "Did my son ask you to remove your bra?"

      Akane considered the dark eyes before her. "He said I didn't have to but it would be easier without."

      Nodoka lightly smiled as the last piece fell into place. "Could you please reach up to the top shelf and grab some of those incense sticks."

      Akane looked a bit perplexed before reaching up on her toes to reach the high shelf and grab some sticks. Coming down she noted another condom poking out over the lip of the shelf.

      Nodoka reached up and grabbed it, holding it up as evidence. "When Ranma and his father returned from their training trip there was an issue of Ranma's manliness with his curse. In an effort to make Ranma seem manlier, Genma hid some condoms around his room in the belief that I would find them, therefore seeing Ranma as more manly. Unfortunately my husband is an idiot, and he was very liberal in stashing the condoms here. As you can see these are still here over a year later. I'm sure that if Shampoo had not burst in Ranma would have simply tossed them in the bin."

      Akane sheepishly nodded as she accepted the explanation. She looked down at the unconscious heap in the closet. "What about him?"

      Nodoka smiled. Taking the towel from the bed, she kneeled and righted the fallen take-out box. Dabbing the wet tatami mat with the towel she held it up for Akane. "Wave this under his nose."

      Akane giggled and did as instructed, wincing slightly at the redness of Ranma's face and the swelling already starting.

      Nodoka opened the box and was surprised the noodles were all still in the bowl. With quick wipes of a second towel she dried the base and placed it on the desk before beginning to mop up the juices.

      The scent of ramen brought Ranma back to the living. He began to smile before seeing Akane was near him and panicked away from her. "I ... I can explain."

      "Aunty already did. Sorry for hitting you." She stood and stepped away from him as he picked himself up. Without looking back she spoke quickly. "I better get to bed, thanks for the massage."

      "Ah sure." Ranma's face swung from her retreating form to his mother and back as she left.

      Standing Nodoka lifted the take out box. "Akane just panicked. She saw her fears of others she knows in you. She needs this time away from them to become comfortable again." She smiled as she left the room, "Oh, and I'd expect Shampoo to try to attack Akane during the week, you may want to try and keep her calm when you see her. Good night, my son."

      "G'night Mom." He idly considered Shampoo and his situation in general while digging into the bowl of noodles, noting how the taste failed to clear the taste of the massage cream he'd swallowed.

      (To be continued)

      Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf and Sakurabana for proof reading and advising.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/odonoghuet/index.html