Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that i claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:
Broken Mirrors, chapter 35
Monday January 4th. The Saotome estate, 7:00 AM
Ukyo yawned as she stretched and got ready for the morning run with Akane. The uneasy sleep had taken a toll on the young woman, but the sight that greeted her when she walked out woke her up instantly. The grinning face of Akane as she bounced on her toes was not just expected but welcome. The smiling redhead sitting in her racing chair was unexpected but so very welcome.
"I hope you don't mind if I join you two?" Ranko asked with an impish grin.
"Sugar, this is one of the best surprises I could ask for." Ukyo said before she stepped forward and hugged the diminutive red head tightly.
Akane laughed as she watched them, then hugged Ukyo tightly when she had the chance. "We wanted to keep it a surprise. Ranko wanted to tell you last night, but we figured that the look on your face would be worth it. We are going to pace each other, and do this run together. And that is mostly aimed at me." Akane said with a grin.
Ukyo laughed and smiled down at Ranko as she stretched her arms and checked the fit of her gloves. "Thank you for helping me apply the brakes to your fiance "
Ranko grinned a predatory grin. "Oh? And here I was worried about you keeping up with me."
Ukyo felt her face pale as she swallowed hard, as she suddenly felt a lot less secure with the addition of Ranko.
Ukyo looked from one grinning, excited face to the other and sighed as she suddenly regretted a great many things. "I look forward to having you join us, sugar." She deadpanned as Akane laughed.
"It's not that bad, Ukyo! We all have things we need to work on and get better at, and some of us really need to work on controlling what is happening here. I know you are going to catch up, I am just a little bit ahead of you because I started Ranko's special training earlier than you did." Akane said before she kissed the top of Ranko's head.
Ukyo laughed and shook her head. "Fine, fine, you two win! Just remember, we are supposed to be training and running together. That means no super sprints. Or, I might just forget how to cook next time." Ukyo said with a smirk, then laughed at the looks on the other two's faces. "Okay, okay. I will play nice. Jeez, you two…."
All three ladies laughed before they finished their stretches and warm ups and went on their morning jog. Ranko kept a good eye on the other two, and served as an effective means to reign in Akane's overly exuberant energy. It was clear by the end of the circuit that Ranko was a bit winded, but not nearly as much as you would expect from someone who had been confined to a wheelchair for years, and had not kept up on her proper exercises.
"Ukyo looked at Ranko critically, and then ventured a couple of guesses. "I'm guessing that the reason you are not bent over dying like I was the first time I tried to keep up with the speed demon here is a combination of the fact that the physical conditioning Ranma does passes along to you to some extent, and the fact that you now have chi reserves to draw from?"
Ranko nodded as she worked to stretch out her shoulders. "You would be correct. WIthout having at least some access to my chi, I don't think I could have made it through that last stretch. I am drawing on them more than I would like, but I think in time it will even out more." Ranko finished her stretches and looked at the other two. "Okay! Let's go get cleaned up, eat breakfast, and then pretend to be worthwhile adults! Akane and I have to be at the Nerima Center before too long, I have a session with Akiko-sensei, and Akane starts to see her new clients today."
Ukyo nodded and smiled as she led the three towards the mansion. "And I have my own clients to see today. It's probably a good thing that Akane and I drove over this weekend. That will probably have to be more of a thing, so that we don't run poor Shiro ragged every monday morning."
The other two agreed, even if Ranko did seem to object slightly. Ukyo laughed and poked the redhead in the side. "I'm sure that you two will find plenty of time together throughout the week. Honestly, with how much time we spend here it might not be too long until we just move in." Ukyo said with a shake of her head. She stopped as Ranko stopped where she was in the hall and looked at the other two with a serious expression on her face.
"Would that really be a bad thing? I know that you are planning on marrying my brother as soon as you two can figure it out, and I want Akane at my side. I know that she likes living at her family's old dojo, but am I just being jealous in wanting you both here? I'm sure that my stick in the mud brother feels the same, he just won't say anything about it until someone smacks him in the head with something harder than, well, his head." Ranko said as she steepled her fingers.
The other two looked at each other and shrugged as Akane stepped forward and kneeled in front of her fiance. "We have been discussing it, between ourselves, and… Yes, we think that sometime soon we would probably just ask if we can move in. Especially Ukyo, since she and Ranma are engaged already. I have been talking to Kasumi and Ono, and have felt them out a bit on if they would like to move back into the dojo. With their ever growing brood, having more room would never be a bad thing. And yes, Kasumi is pregnant again. I swear those two want to make sure I never am without a niece or nephew to spoil." Akane said as she leaned forward and lightly kissed her fiance tenderly. "Once I get my side figured out, I will let you know." Akane looked over her shoulder at a blushing Ukyo. "And I'm pretty sure that next time your brother comes home, Ukyo will probably see about just making it convenient for both of them and having her live here. She said she had to see about the lease on her current place, right?"
Ukyo sighed and nodded. "I'm talking to them about leaving the lease early, and trying to get settled on the penalty for leaving before my lease is up."
Ranko waved her hand. "Let us take care of that. If nothing else, we can sic Nabiki on them. Mind you, I'm not sure that I'm feeling quite that mean, but… You always use the tools at hand."
Akane and Ukyo looked at each other then at the smirking redhead. "You know, for someone who grew up with no money, you have gotten rather used to throwing it around when it suits you." Akane said with a fond little shake of her head.
Ranko shrugged. "It's because I never had any. It really doesn't mean much to me if it can't be put to use. I'm practical like that."
The other two laughed in wonder as Akane started to push Ranko into the house. None of them noticed the glaring eyes from an upper window, even if Ranko seemed to shiver suddenly.
"Cold, dear?" Akane asked.
"No.. Just, an odd feeling?" Ranko admitted as she rubbed the back of her head.
Ranko clapped her hands. "Well! I know what will settle things better! Tonight, when we all get back." She said with a pointed look at the other two who just chuckled and nodded. "We continue our training!"
The two other women groaned. "More soup?" Akane ventured.
"Soup for all!" Was Ranko's happy answer.
Both of the other women just groaned in response. Ranko chose to ignore them as she continued on her merry way into the expanse of the Saotome family home.
"You think we'll ever be free of the soup?" Akane asked quietly in an aside to Ukyo.
"Sure, sugar, once we match the achievements of the greatest martial arts prodigy of her old world." Ukyo said in a resigned tone of voice.
"You do know I can hear you two, right?" Ranko said with a laugh.
Akane's answer was to lean down and kiss the crown of Ranko's head. "We know dear. We just wanted to express our sentiments without directly referencing you."
Ranko laughed and waved at Ukyo as the group split up, each heading for their own suites to get ready for breakfast and the day ahead of them. Breakfast was a happy affair, as the three ladies joked and talked amongst themselves before they went their separate ways for the day.
While Shiro drove Ranko and Akane to the Nerima center, Ukyo drove herself to the Toho Center to start her week. It had taken some work for her and Akane to both shift their schedules to a monday through Friday routine, but it was worth it as far as they were both concerned. Their weekends with their respective partners, all of them together, was likely going to be what kept both sets of odd couples working throughout the years. Having the other person who also had to deal with the weekly separation at hand was a comfort. It made that first night of loneliness and that last night a bit less draining, knowing that it was a shared experience. Plus, it was nice to have a routine.
Ukyo waved at Tsubasa as she walked in, and rolled her eyes at the overly exuberant greeting and inevitable hug. The pair of them talked about the changes that were coming at work, and finalized the plans for Tuesday, when Ukyo's rather excitable and extravagant friend would get to meet the rest of the ladies. Ukyo was not sure about having Kurumi and Tsu-chan in the same room, but she figured as long as Nabiki, Natsume, and Kasumi were present, it shouldn't get too out of hand. She hoped.
Tsubasa noticed that Ukyo seemed to be favoring one of her shoulders as they walked towards the staff changing room. "Something the matter, U-chan? Don't tell me that you are stiff after a wild night of rampant passion with that wild horse of yours?"
Ukyo sighed and looked at her friend. "Down, girl. And no, sadly. It started right before I left the house this morning. It's the oddest muscle cramp I have ever felt, it almost feels like I have something sitting on my shoulder. Weird, right?"
Tsubasa nodded as they shrugged. "I can work at it, if you'd like?"
Ukyo thought about that and nodded. "I might have you do that later if it persists. I don't want to be hurting during our nightly practice sessions."
"Practice sessions? For what, U-chan?" Tsubasa asked as they went into the women's changing room.
"Martial arts. If I am joining a family that literally makes it living off the Art, I should get back into practice again." Ukyo said before she started to change and blinked as she rolled her shoulder. "Odd…."
"Hrm?" Tsubasa asked.
"It's gone again." Ukyo finished changing then winced and gave her shoulder another roll. "Nevermind. Spoke too soon." She sighed as they walked out, and passed in front of a mirror. Ukyo's reflection would have seemed odd to anyone looking, as there seemed to be some sort of cloudy image resting on her shoulder.
Meanwhile, at the Nerima Center Akane and Ranko had temporarily parted while Ranko had her session with Akiko. Akane took the chance to read over the file she had been sent for her new client, A miss Kuno. It seemed like she had had issues with narcotics over the years, not terribly uncommon among the idle rich. It looked like she had voluntarily entered into an Addiction Awareness program, and even contributed to another program that she was not involved in.
Akane had heard of the Kuno's, there was no one in Nerima who hadn't. She had had the dubious pleasure of having Tatewaki Kuno as a senpai. He had been a most… Unusual… student. Very much into the drama and kendo clubs, which still seemed like a strange combination. He had briefly dated her older sister Nabiki, until they had parted over reasons that Nabiki would never speak of. Akane was not one that would pry into her family matters unless they seemed to be in distress, and Nabiki had not mentioned Tatewaki once after they parted. Still, she hoped that Kodachi was not one to carry a grudge from years ago, because it could interfere in her treatment. Best to make sure that their association, as distant as it might be, didn't interfere with her clients treatment.
That decided, Akane nodded to herself as she waited for Ranko to exit her session before she would have to go to her own office to greet her new client. There should be just enough time to say goodbye and see her to the car without having to rush back. As important as Ranko and her relationship was to her, she couldn't neglect a client, so it was fortuitous that the timing worked out right.
Akane made sure that she was outside of the room where Ranko had her session in time to greet her fiance. They talked a little on the way to the front where Shiro was already waiting for his charge. After a tight hug and a promise to see each other as soon as Akane was done for the day, Akane saw her lover off and made her way to her office. She spent a few minutes in blissful remembrance before she shook her head and smiled as her client entered the room.
Kodachi Kuno entered right on time, and Akane had her first chance to assess the younger sister of the Kuno heir. She was a tall, athletic woman who definitely fell into the more athletic side of the classical Japanese beauty. At one time, Akane knew that she would find the woman who sat across the desk from her attractive, but Ranko was a very hard act to follow, and Akane found that her smile was genuine and relaxed as she returned the bow to the other woman.
"Greetings, Miss Kuno. I'm Akane Tendo, and I hope that we can work together." Akane greeted her pleasantly.
"I look forward to it. You know, you really don't resemble your sister Nabiki all that much. you are not quite what I expected." Kodachi said nonchalantly.
Akane smiled and nodded. "Each of my sisters seem to have gotten a different aspect of our parents. So, you don't think that working with me considering your families history with mine will be an issue, then?" Akane asked with a warm smile.
"Not at all. I care little for what my boorish brother has done in the past. And yes, I do hope that we can work together, Miss Tendo. I hope that you can help me with my little issues." Kodachi said as she smiled in return.
"Well, that is what we are here for, Miss Kuno." Akane said.
Kodachi waved her hand. "Please, just call me Kodachi, if I can call you Akane?"
"As long as it's okay with you, that is fine with me." Akane said.
"Then I am looking forward to our time together, Akane." Kodachi said with a somewhat predatory smile.