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Distractions
Ch 11: (Going) Home, Home on a Plane!
An airplane. A cramped, stuffy airplane full of recycled air, salted snacks, miniature refreshments, and one very discontented martial artist.
'Why am I here?' Ranma groaned to himself as they waited for take-off.
Truth be told, he'd almost attempted to run while still in the airport. For a brief moment he was certain he could grab Akane and make a new life somewhere. Then the reality of being tracked down by people they didn't know from a life they had both forgotten seeped in, and the idea suddenly sounded as crazy as trying to swim to China.
So there he sat beside Mousse, fidgeting in his seat uncomfortably until a better idea came along.
Forcing himself to look out the window, his thoughts drifted to Akane and the note he had left for her. Try as he did, he couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread across his face at the idea of her reading it. Turning further toward the window in an attempt to hide his face from Mousse, he only succeeded in looking extremely awkward in the small seat.
Mousse had been trying to ignore Ranma for some time, but this even more unusual behavior from the pigtailed boy had actually piqued his curiosity.
"What are you doing?" he asked, hoping to sound more annoyed than interested.
"Hmmm?" came Ranma's reply as he continued to stare awkwardly through his window.
"I asked what you were doing," Mousse repeated.
"Hmmm…" Ranma nodded. He knew he was irritating the Chinese boy, which felt oddly good.
"Fine, Luan Ma. I do not care. I'm glad to see you did not lose your ability to irritate along with your memory."
He wished he could just fight like old times, not pretend to be family. Leaning back in his seat Mousse closed his eyes, deciding to go back to ignoring his rival instead of trying to talk. Feeling a pair of eyes staring, he let out a sigh.
"What is it?" he asked, eyes still closed.
Ranma jumped slightly. Not having spoken aloud, he hadn't expected a reply.
"Uh, I was just thinkin' back ta when you told me about, y'know…" he leaned in closer, "the girl thing."
"What about it?" Mousse asked, turning to look at him.
"Well…you said it was a family trait. So you turn inta one too?"
If Mousse weren't trying so hard to hate the boy, he would have laughed.
"No, a duck."
"What?"
"A duck. I turn into a duck."
Ranma sat quietly for a moment, looking at the armrest between them.
"Why ain't they the same? Forget that, why do we change at all?"
"It is a long story…Luan Ma."
"We got a whole trip ta China, I think you can find the time."
xxxxx
After a thorough question and answer session about Jusenkyo, Mousse wondered how much of what had been said was going to be detrimental to Cologne's plans. Smirking, he realized he didn't care.
Not a single one of either her or Shampoo's ideas had ever been in his best interest, and he could only assume the same for this one. They had purposefully been vague on any details, telling him only to take Ranma to China and act as if he were a cousin. What awaited them after that Mousse didn't know, and that made him uneasy.
He looked at his companion and wondered what had happened to cause his amnesia, but knew that it wasn't a question Ranma could answer.
For the remainder of the flight Ranma stared quietly out the window. Mousse decided not to rekindle the conversation, and so the plane touched down in China without incident.
Once away from the airport, the scenery was everything one would expect from a beautiful Chinese mountain vista: Sharply rising, yet gently rounded mountain peaks shrouded in mist and mystery. A river gently curled through the valleys, resembling a silver dragon taking flight as it faded into the horizon.
"Follow me," Mousse instructed, climbing onto a bus. Several hours and a long hike later, the two young men came to a mountain pass. Moving forward Ranma found himself standing in a village, several clusters of small dwellings littering the valley floor.
"We are home," Mousse said unceremoniously. "I will show you where you will be staying."
Despite his Chinese-style attire, Ranma stuck out like a sore thumb.
The villagers began to stare as he was led through the center of town. Several approached them, Ranma could only assume to welcome Mousse back.
The Chinese boy led him quickly to a building not far from the center of the village, eager to get Ranma inside.
"This is where guests stay," he began, "although I am certain that Cologne will have other plans for you. I will be upstairs."
As he turned to go, Ranma back flipped in front of him, blocking his escape.
"Hey! Why're ya so down about me bein' here?" He smiled lopsidedly, "If we're fightin' or somethin', I sure as heck don't remember it! And besides, I could really use a friend here 'cause, if ya hadn't noticed, I ain't got a clue what anyone's saying."
Mousse sighed. He really wanted to stay hating Ranma, he was comfortable there. But he was making it so hard to do!
"Let us just say we do not usually have much to talk about, Luan Ma."
"So? I ain't really a talker anyway. You can fight, right?"
"Yes…" Mousse eyed him tiredly.
"Well, let's go have some fun! I'm not sure what I got, but I'm sure as heck ready to get outta town. I can't put my finger on it, but it don't look like I'm totally welcome just yet."
Mousse smiled.
"Alright. Leave your pack here, I will show you a good place to spar."
xxxxx
Akane was growing restless; it had been days since she'd last seen Ranma. Shampoo had said that they would be going to China soon, but Cologne had insisted that Akane needed to stay inside and recover first. Until then, they would be staying in Japan.
Counting jars had stopped amusing her long ago, and she could only work out in very limited amounts considering her situation. Instead she'd become a voyeur, watching from her small window to the world as patrons came and left the Café.
On some particularly boring occasions, she'd count to be sure everyone who entered actually came back out again. As she began to wonder about number thirty-nine from the lunch rush, she saw Shampoo leave in a hurry.
"Now where are you scurrying off to, I wonder," she asked no one in particular.
xxxxx
"Nabiki, you have a visitor!" Kasumi called up the stairs. Walking calmly down to the door, Nabiki stopped and folded her arms.
"Yes? Now what do you want?"
Shampoo stared, momentarily losing her nerve.
"I looking for Airen. You nosey girl, where he go?"
"Where he go indeed," Nabiki returned, raising an eyebrow.
"That what I ask."
"Was it now?" Nabiki was sure to add a touch of suspicion to her voice.
Shampoo huffed through her nose.
"Stop answering question with question!"
"Oh sorry…was that a question?" She smiled thinly at the Amazon.
"Shampoo no have time for games. If Airen no show up again, we go home to China. Then no have to see annoying girl and family again!"
"Won't that be lucky for both of us," she said, letting her tone drop to ice.
Shampoo balled her hands to fists, and then turned on her heel to leave rather than respond.
"Oh, and Shampoo…" Nabiki cooed, waiting until she had stopped fully to continue.
"Do play nice with my sister and brother-in-law, now. It's only a matter of time, you know…"
Nabiki watched as she got exactly the response she should from someone who knew too much; Shampoo stiffened, then hurried on her way.
Continuing to stand in the doorway until Shampoo was out of sight, Nabiki's smile faded to a scowl.
"That was nice of Shampoo to visit! Did she know where Akane and Ranma may have gotten off to?" came Kasumi's all-too-chipper voice from behind.
"She knew enough."
"Oh good, I worry about those two. If only they could find another way of settling things than fighting, especially Akane. It's just not lady-like!"
"Hmmm, I guess so," Nabiki said casually as she walked back into the house. "But just imagine how dull that would make things."
Kasumi smiled sweetly. "Well, I just hope they make it home soon."
"Don't worry, sis. If I have a say in it, and I always do, they'll be back soon."
"Oh good!" Kasumi said happily. Dusting off her apron she added, "Lunch is nearly ready."
"No problem, but I may be a little late," Nabiki smiled with determination. "I have a few calls to make."
xxxxx
Walking through the Café's doors was a very un-bubbly Shampoo.
"Great Grandmother, we need talk," she said briskly, making a b-line to the back of the restaurant.
"Shampoo-" Cologne began, hopping after the girl.
"I do just what you say, nosey girl still know something not right! She no can be human!"
"Shampoo," Cologne tried once more, "It's all right. We have what it is we came for, and he's in China. She can't link us to him if we are still in Japan. A few more days and we will leave, and then all of this will be behind us. Don't worry so much, granddaughter."
Shampoo still looked uneasy.
"But why I tell her anything? Now she think we do something with Airen."
Cologne began to laugh. "Do you really think we weren't already at the top of her list?! That you went to ask her about Ranma will only help us by causing her to show her hand early.
"And besides, who would she get to oppose us now? Ryoga's gone, and both Ranma and Akane are with us. Let her try to find someone worthy of being called an opponent!"
Shampoo began to smile, an easy laugh slipping from her mouth as she began to understand.
One floor up Akane was plastered to the ground, her ear pressed firmly to the tatami. She had realized that her room was above the kitchen, which proved extremely helpful in eavesdropping on private conversations.
'Someone's looking for Ranma,' she thought. 'He must have family nearby.'
Looking around the room, she began to plot out a course of action.
xxxxx
Nabiki looked at her options and let out a long sigh.
Before her sat Ukyo, Konatsu, Kuno and Kodachi, her team of saviors.
"We can be 'The Five Fighting Fists'" said Kuno, boldly rising to his feet.
"There are ten fists, brother dear."
"Yes, but only four of us fight."
"WHAT?" Ukyo couldn't believe she was missing business hours for this.
"People, people," Nabiki called over the ensuing ruckus, "I don't exactly think of this as my most shining moment either, but I haven't got much to work with. I need help getting Ranma and Akane out of whatever trouble they're in, and I could use any help I can get.
I'm aware that you aren't first string, but you can all fight."
"I will only protect the fair Akane."
"And I only Ranma san," spoke the Kunos with their typical flair.
"Sorry, sugar. Maybe I would if we had a chance in hell," Ukyo looked at the Kunos again, "but we don't. And I've got my shop, I can't just leave. Why not call the police or something?"
"I find that the police aren't as helpful as you may think in these types of situations. Apparently Cologne has a bit of a reputation," Nabiki replied with a hint of dejection to her voice, "and so do I."
"Well look, if there's anything I can do on the home front, let me know. Other than that, I got a business to run," Ukyo said, patting Nabiki on the shoulder on her way out.
"Sorry Miss Nabiki," Konatsu smiled weakly as he followed.
Sitting with only the Kunos, she nearly lost hope when suddenly an eyebrow arched.
"Back me, Kuno Baby."
The two siblings stopped bickering to stare at her in confusion.
"I, back you? In what way?" Kuno questioned.
"In the only way you're useful…Financially, of course," she smiled.
"Brother, she is obviously using you. Would it be so wise to throw away our money on this conniving woman so carelessly?"
"You do pose an interesting point, sister."
Turning to Nabiki he added, "What reason so I have to help you?"
"First, let me make this perfectly clear before there are any misunderstandings. By help, I mean only your money. The two of you tend to get…carried away, to put it lightly. And I don't need the kind of complications you bring."
"Secondly, without your backing I can't get Akane back safe and sound." She leaned toward him, "No Akane means no new pictures."
Leaping up with a finger pointing to the sky, Kuno exclaimed, "She shall have whatever she requires! Hers is indeed a noble cause!"
"Indeed…" Kodachi said resignedly.
XXXXXXX
I tried to make it longer for everyone; this is a small start I know. But I'm very conscious of chapter length now, so I hope I won't disappoint you! (It's all for you, JWG and Roja-Cyd!)
So we move onward, and the plot unfolds!
Next Week: Meanwhile, Back at the Wrench in the Plan…
See ya there!