Reviewers…THANKS!! It's so good to see some fresh meat in with the old, tastes better that way! If this confuses anyone, I am saying thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!!
Disclaimer: It IS mine. I won it in a game of Craps, go figure.
Distractions
Ch 10: Shampoo Redux
The sun was already past its zenith when Akane opened her eyes. Her long rest, although helpful mentally, had allowed her body to stiffen in no less than a dozen places.
She was about to close her eyes and attempt to sleep-off a recovery when she remembered Ranma.
Whether a girl or a boy, she had to admit that there was something in his eyes that swallowed her whole. Feeling her chest tighten as the desire to see him again swelled, she decided to get out of bed. With a grunt of effort, (she wouldn't admit to the pain) she stood.
Opening the door, she looked out cautiously. Aside from the noises drifting up from the Café, she was alone. Spotting a familiar door down the hall, she made her way into the bathroom and, once inside, stopped to look in the mirror.
"Oh…my?" she finished, questioning the familiarity of the phrase. Focusing back on her reflection, she stuck out her tongue.
"Mwaagh," she teased. "If I keep looking at you, I'll just end up making myself depressed."
Walking back out she nearly bumped into a certain purple-haired girl about her age.
"Oh, sor-"
"Why clumsy girl walk into Shampoo?"
Akane blinked. "Do I know you?"
Shampoo looked at the beating Akane had taken and smiled, happy to feel she had been somewhat responsible.
"We met. You no remember Shampoo?"
"Sorry…Shampoo?" Akane had to wonder why anyone would want to be named after a bathroom accessory, much less make it a family tradition.
"I guess you didn't hear, but I must have hit my head while training. Now I don't really remember much, at least nothing personal."
'I'm going to enjoy this,' Shampoo thought, taking Akane's hand.
"It OK, we like sisters," she smiled, "Shampoo fill in blanks."
xxxxx
The two girls sat on Akane's futon as Shampoo retold the past, allowing many opportunities for history to see things from her side. After several tales were told in such a way as to paint Akane in a much dimmer light, she'd reached the threshold of her patience with the Amazon. Clearing her throat loudly, Akane stopped Shampoo before she could start yet another.
"So…" she began with a slap to her knee, "Who else, uh, lives here…with us?"
She was trying, ungracefully, to segway the topic to Ranma without letting on that they had met.
Shampoo eyed her suspiciously, but Akane was sure to keep her face innocent.
"Who you meet?" she asked too indifferently, eyes never leaving Akane's.
Akane stared back.
"There was your Great Grandmother, and now you. But last night there was a light on a floor up from this one," she said neutrally.
"That only Mousse, he gone to China now."
'Mousse?' Akane thought, confused. Then it hit her: his cousin.
"That's all? I swore I saw two shadows in the window," she said, exaggeratingly counting off 'two' on her fingers.
"You see a lot for injured girl," Shampoo retorted evenly.
"I'm nothing if not observant!" Akane fake-smiled. 'Why won't you just tell me!?'
"Oh!" Shampoo exclaimed, smacking her palm with her fist.
"You must see too too handsome Airen. He gone now too. Shampoo see him real soon though."
Akane thought a moment about the new bit of information, digesting it slowly.
'Gone? But he didn't say anything about going away?'
Then something else caught her attention.
"Airen?" she asked, not liking the word as it rolled off her tongue.
Shampoo smiled triumphantly.
"It mean husband."
Akane's eyes bulged, then dropped to Shampoo's hands, looking them over for a ring. Seeing none, she looked back up with a questioning stare.
"Well, he no is yet. We get married when back in China," Shampoo replied, losing the edge to her voice.
"Oh." Akane had spoken quietly, but her world felt as if it had shattered into a million pieces, thundering as it crashed down around her.
Shampoo rose to her feet, a smile from ear to ear as she watched her rival come apart internally.
"I go now, let best friend rest. I bring up food soon."
Waiting for the door to finish closing, Akane fell backward onto the futon and wished she hadn't woken up.
xxxxx
The hours passed quickly and, before she'd noticed, the room had grown dark. Akane had been tortured by her thoughts all afternoon, Shampoo bringing her dinner only worsening her mood. As the world outside grew quiet with the onset of night, Akane found herself unable to sleep.
'Why didn't he say something? For Kami sake, he saw me naked! Yet he couldn't so much as share with me that he was engaged and going to China to get married!?'
Her temper growing in a sudden burst, the room began to feel too small. She needed to get out, to breathe fresh air again.
Moving quietly through the building so as not to wake anyone, she found her shoes by a rear exit to the kitchen. As she lifted them, something fell to the floor. By the moonlight she could see it was a small triangle of paper, her name scrawled on one side.
Akane quickly shoved it into a pocket then looked around, breaking into a cold sweat. Once she was confident she was alone, she slipped her shoes on and moved silently out into the night.
Calmly walking down the street to avoid drawing any attention, her hand nervously felt the note through her shorts. After several blocks and a glance over her shoulder, she felt confident that she was Amazon-free and dove into her pocket.
Unfolding the note in a flurry she quickly scanned to be sure it was indeed to her and from Ranma, then she smiled.
The note was a mess. Most of it was crossed-out and rewritten, and what was legible was in the most atrocious handwriting. But, at that moment, it was the most perfect thing Akane had ever seen.
Smoothing out the creases, she began to read:
Akane,
It was real great to meet you. I know we don't really know each other
(crossed-out scribbles)
but you seem nice.
Sorry I didn't tell you I was going to China, (crossed-out)
(another line crossed-out)
What I'm trying to say is that I hope I can see you again. I also hope this doesn't sound too stupid (crossed-out).
How about this, WHEN I see you again we'll talk or something.
-Ranma
P.S. Did I mention I ain't no good with words?
Akane read the note twice before gently refolding it.
Not wanting it to be discovered or lost, she took off her shoe. Lifting the insole, she laid the triangle of paper underneath.
Making her way back with raised spirits, she realized he hadn't mentioned Shampoo.
'Maybe it's crossed-out,' she thought, creasing her brow as her temper began to flare.
'I'll just have to try and read what else he's crossed-out and tried to hide!'
Knowing she'd have to wait for better lighting before attempting to decipher the rest of the note, she grumbled to herself some more.
Walking past the storefront where she had been with him the night before, her anger began to subside.
"He didn't seem like a Casanova. In fact, he was pretty awkward," she said aloud as she started to smile at the memory.
'He doesn't know about her.'
The thought popped into her head suddenly, as if spoken by someone else.
'You aren't in any kind of relationship, so stop thinking the worst and trust him!' her inner voice scolded.
Akane finished the rest of her walk calmly and crept up to her room, taking her shoes with her.
After a half-hearted attempt to read the blocked out parts of Ranma's letter, she settled for reading what she could several more times. For the time being at least, she would try to trust him.
Stashing it away once more, Akane curled up on her bed and found sleep as the sun began to light the sky.
XXXXXXX
And so another chapter closes. Don't worry; they do get longer in just a little more time. I really tried to get this out several days ago to make up for the long wait I put you through for the last chapter, so even I'm disappointed that this isn't the following one.
Anyhow, I hope you're all enjoying it. It's nearly completed, just not typed, and I love reading it! I suppose anyone would say that though! ;p
NEXT WEEK: (Going) Home, Home on a Plane!