I do not own Ranma ½, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and whatever
companies publishing her work around the world.
A.N. I appologize for the editing of the first chapter, but on revising, I think I have nothing to change. There's no dialogue at all, just internal monologue, mostly from Akane if I'n not too mistaken (it's been a few days since I sent it to ffnet). AN2. After another review complaining about the editing, I tried to change it a little bit, I hope it gets easier to read this way.
Anyway, just to make it clear : for thought '''' for dialogue
CHAPTER 2. A FRIENDLY CHAT.
There. He had done it again. She had just asked him to help her sparring and he had mocked her skills for the umpteeth time. She had been angry, no, furious about it but then anger had let way to pain and sadness and instead of hitting him as she usually did, she just ran away. She was wearing some sportive clothes, just for a change from her classical yellow gi, trying something she could wear to train and fight either in the dojo or in the street, like Ranma did.
She walked slowly through the park, stopping by the lake and staring at her reflection. She held her image's gaze upon her. "I'm tired, so very tired..." she muttered to herself. That was when she felt something coming at her. She dodged just in time to avoid Mousse landing on her and crashing on the floor. She ran by his side and handled him his torn glasses.
"Hi, Mousse, another love-round with Shampoo, I guess".
Mousse looked at her, stunned. He had never expected sarcasm from Akane, that was more Nabiki's style. But he could not detect any smirk on her eyes, just sadness. It was not meant to be a biting remark, just ... a statement, that was it. She had just summarized his life in one sentence.
"Yes, you're right. What about you?"
He already knew the answer, the Nerima Wrecking Club members were so predictable...
"Same for me with Ranma, no beating luckily".
"Oh, you mean you didn't mallet Ranma to death?"
Weird. Akane stopped on her tracks
Crap! Why did I have to say that? Am I picking Ranma's "sticking foot on one's mouth" disease?.
He was suprised when Akane started giggling and then laughing. She stopped after a few minutes and looked at Mousse, still smiling.
"No, not this time, strange though it may seem to anyone- she looked at him and help him get on his feet.-We're both hopeless, you know?".
"Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I've loved Shampoo for all my life and all I got from her is insults and beatings. No matter how hard I try, she still thinks I'm just some unworthy scum and should not even be allowed to be near her, just because I don't beat her to a bloody pulp. Can she ever understand that I could not bear to harm even a single hair out of her head? It is so difficult that this idea cannot go through her thick skull?"
"Yes, I know, if she could only see that you really love her, but she has only eyes for Ranma..." Akane bowed her head, barely touching her chest. Ranma....
She sighed. "I have been trying to show Ranma that I care for him, I have tried to learn to cook, even if I know most of the things I do are far from edible, I tried to look more femenine, I even stopped malleting and insulting him every minute of the day, I tried to get better at martial arts... all I was asking was a bit of encouragement, just a single nice word-she sighed- and what do I get? He insults my cooking, my looks, my skills. It seems I can never meet his standards..." She sighed again, her voice a bit cracked. They stood in silence looking at the water, lost in their own thoughts.
"I'm so tired" they said simultaneously. They looked at each other, a sad smile acroos their faces.
Akane relaxed, it was a long time she had felt a bit at ease with someone when talking about what she felt. She had never thought she would find Mousse as a confidant. She had P-Chan, but, oh, well, he sometimes got lost, he would not be pretty reliable.
"Since we both need a shoulder to cry over our lifes, why don't we go for an ice-cream and drown our pains in it?" she asked hesitantly.
Mousse scratched the back of his head. He should be heading for the Neko- hanten right now and help with the evening rush, but then, it's not that he would lose much profit that night, he wasn't there for the big pay he got.
"Um, ok- he played with his pony-tail- You sure you don't mind?"
"No, silly, I believe we have to get these things out of our system. I could give you more advice than your pillow and you can do the same for me, right? Even if we just listen to each other would be enough. More than we get at home, anyways. It's not like we're dating or something" she said, poking his ribs playfully.
"Oh, who says we aren't? - Mousse hit back, a smirk across his face- Akane Tendo, will you go out on a date with me?" he said while bowing.
Akane laughed, her hand pulling her hair behind her ear.
"Of course, Mousse, I would be delighted to go on a date with you".
Mousse offered his arm and Akane placed her own around it. They walked nonchalantly, talking and enjoying the moment.
*************
They went to the new ice-cream parlour in the mall, a nice place for all accounts and it wasn't too crowded to avoid any personal conversation. Mousse already knew most of the story about Akane and Ranma, he knew Ranma never (or almost never) pursued Shampoo on purpose (though he chose to ignore that most of the time), but didn't know much about how he treated Akane.. He had been there for the Saffron episode, about a month away now, and he had expected he had told her he really loved her, but after the wrecked wedding everything was just as before, if not worse.
She didn't spare any good word about her own behaviour, she had her faults too, but at least, she had tried to change a little bit since the wedding, in the faint hope he would do the same. He knew Shampoo was even more agressive in her attempts to win Ranma and creating more havoc for the Tendo girl. He felt sorry for Akane, she did care about Ranma's opinion and every insult bugged her self-steem to the point where she was now, on the verge of depression. He began wondering how could Ranma save her from any monster coming around and then treat her like crap. He started thinking Ranma was the jerk Akane always claimed he was...
"Well, enough about me- said Akane, giving a bit of attention to her milk- shake- now it's your turn "to spill your heart out" as writers say" she tapped her fingers over the table, urging him.
"I don't know where to start..."
"Well, why don't you start for the beginning, about your life in China? I would like to know a little bit more about Amazons".
He did, indeed, spilled the story of his life for Akane, explained the different behaviour expected for males and females in their society, why he would never meet their expectations, earning different sorts of punishments from the elders for rebelling against what he thought were unfair and outdated laws, specially the ones about relationships. He stopped, his throat sore from the two hours-talk.
He chuckled. "The old ghoul would probably break my bones if she got to know I told you about our traditions, but heck, I don't care any more what she thinks, I've had enough by now!".
"Why are you staying there if they treat you so bad?" Akane asked in concern.
"Do you really need to ask?" Mousse answered with a sigh.
"Shampoo, right?
"Yeah- he leaned on the wall, his look lost in some distant place away-. Sometimes I wonder if I'm becoming some sort of masochist, you know, those people that like pain inflicted upon them. I always thought that I didn't mind being hit, as long as it was Shampoo hitting me"
He looked out the window and then turned to look at Akane again.
"It is as we said in the park. I'm tired. I thought I would always love Shampoo, that perhaps in time she would come round to her senses and give me a chance. It didn't come in the past and I don't know if I have the strength or the will to wait for one in the future. All she wants is to become a great warrior, marry a great warrior and raise little warriors of her own, as if we still lived under the Ming Dinasty. She can't or doesn't want to see the times changed and we have to change with them if we want to survive. Cologne doesn't help either. In the village she's considered a high strategist, but I'm beginning to think her tactics might be grown old with her- he sighed.- I've been thinking about quitting my job at the Neko- hanten, but I have nothing else, I don't think it will be easy for me to find a new job...".
They sighed in unison and gave a little smile.
"You know, Akane, it was nice to have a little chat and share my worries with someone who could listen to me for a change."
"Same goes for me, the only other people I could go and talk to is Kasumi, but she would say everything will be ok and some speech about meeting daddy's expectations and family honour... I really love her, she has been there for us when my mother died, I know she threw her own life away for my family, but frankly, I wish sometimes she would mature and get a life of her own. I don't think you can base your family life only on honour and duty, all I ask is a litte bit of love from Ra... from my future husband, but if he can't give me none, why support the case? -she sighed-. I'm glad you listened to me. Perhaps your view of Ranma is biased because of the Kiss of Marriage thing with Shampoo and my view of her too, but still, I don't think we could find any objective opinion on the subject out there" she waved the outside of the parlour.
She looked at the clock on the wall.
"Wow, we have been here for 3 hours now - she said, a bit surprised- I guess we really needed a talk. Shall we leave now?".
"Yes, I'm yearning for Shampoo's loving embrace". Akane looked at Mousse, a bit stunned. They started laughing.
"Yeah, and I'm looking forward to hear Ranma's poetry about me" Akane said, starting another fit of laughter until tears were running freely down their faces.
"You know, Mousse, I never thought I could joke about this, I'm glad I found you in the park, you're a good friend" she squeezed his hand.
"I'm glad too, you cannot imagine how much". He looked at his torn glasses and humphed. Most of his little pay went to buy new glasses, at a rate of 2 per day. Luckily he got some discount, but this had been his last pair, he would have to ask for another set.
"Akane, I need to go to the optics, I need to buy some new glasses..."
"Listen, Mousse, instead of glasses, why don't you buy yourself some contact lenses? I bet you spend a lot of money, with the amount of beatings you go thru. They're cheaper and easier to use, at least, that's what Nabiki says, she didn't like much her glasses, so she wears lenses most of the time. You could have a spare set of glasses for the times you're not wearing lenses."
"Um, I don't know, I've never tried them. Aren't they unconfortable? You have to touch your eyes to wear them and I find it a bit creepy. What if I don't do it right and I got blinder than I am now?"
"Don't worry, they will give you a few lessons how to put them on and off at the shop. Besides... -she looked at his eyes- you really have some beautiful eyes, it's a pity you don't show them" she said with a smile.
Mousse blushed. He had inherited his violet eyes from his mother and loved the way they matched Shampoo's hair, but she had never paid attention, so when Akane complimented him, he felt... well, he felt fine.
He smiled, nodding and Akane led the way. After half an hour, Mousse wore his lenses and felt as if a new man was born out of him. The world was clearer and except for the night, when he should put them off, he wouldn't have to care about his poor eyesight. Still, he wondered what would happen when he got changed to a duck. Would the lenses fall off his eyes? He crossed his fingers, hoping they didn't. The girl at the optics shop said they were pretty flexible, perhaps they would be adaptable enough for his cursed form. He walked Akane to her house and they waved goodbye.
Akane went straight to her room. She watched the sun setting over the town, a little smile on her face. Perhaps she should recheck her concept of Mousse. Not too far away a similar thought crossed Mousse' head.
A.N. I appologize for the editing of the first chapter, but on revising, I think I have nothing to change. There's no dialogue at all, just internal monologue, mostly from Akane if I'n not too mistaken (it's been a few days since I sent it to ffnet). AN2. After another review complaining about the editing, I tried to change it a little bit, I hope it gets easier to read this way.
Anyway, just to make it clear : for thought '''' for dialogue
CHAPTER 2. A FRIENDLY CHAT.
There. He had done it again. She had just asked him to help her sparring and he had mocked her skills for the umpteeth time. She had been angry, no, furious about it but then anger had let way to pain and sadness and instead of hitting him as she usually did, she just ran away. She was wearing some sportive clothes, just for a change from her classical yellow gi, trying something she could wear to train and fight either in the dojo or in the street, like Ranma did.
She walked slowly through the park, stopping by the lake and staring at her reflection. She held her image's gaze upon her. "I'm tired, so very tired..." she muttered to herself. That was when she felt something coming at her. She dodged just in time to avoid Mousse landing on her and crashing on the floor. She ran by his side and handled him his torn glasses.
"Hi, Mousse, another love-round with Shampoo, I guess".
Mousse looked at her, stunned. He had never expected sarcasm from Akane, that was more Nabiki's style. But he could not detect any smirk on her eyes, just sadness. It was not meant to be a biting remark, just ... a statement, that was it. She had just summarized his life in one sentence.
"Yes, you're right. What about you?"
He already knew the answer, the Nerima Wrecking Club members were so predictable...
"Same for me with Ranma, no beating luckily".
"Oh, you mean you didn't mallet Ranma to death?"
Weird. Akane stopped on her tracks
Crap! Why did I have to say that? Am I picking Ranma's "sticking foot on one's mouth" disease?.
He was suprised when Akane started giggling and then laughing. She stopped after a few minutes and looked at Mousse, still smiling.
"No, not this time, strange though it may seem to anyone- she looked at him and help him get on his feet.-We're both hopeless, you know?".
"Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I've loved Shampoo for all my life and all I got from her is insults and beatings. No matter how hard I try, she still thinks I'm just some unworthy scum and should not even be allowed to be near her, just because I don't beat her to a bloody pulp. Can she ever understand that I could not bear to harm even a single hair out of her head? It is so difficult that this idea cannot go through her thick skull?"
"Yes, I know, if she could only see that you really love her, but she has only eyes for Ranma..." Akane bowed her head, barely touching her chest. Ranma....
She sighed. "I have been trying to show Ranma that I care for him, I have tried to learn to cook, even if I know most of the things I do are far from edible, I tried to look more femenine, I even stopped malleting and insulting him every minute of the day, I tried to get better at martial arts... all I was asking was a bit of encouragement, just a single nice word-she sighed- and what do I get? He insults my cooking, my looks, my skills. It seems I can never meet his standards..." She sighed again, her voice a bit cracked. They stood in silence looking at the water, lost in their own thoughts.
"I'm so tired" they said simultaneously. They looked at each other, a sad smile acroos their faces.
Akane relaxed, it was a long time she had felt a bit at ease with someone when talking about what she felt. She had never thought she would find Mousse as a confidant. She had P-Chan, but, oh, well, he sometimes got lost, he would not be pretty reliable.
"Since we both need a shoulder to cry over our lifes, why don't we go for an ice-cream and drown our pains in it?" she asked hesitantly.
Mousse scratched the back of his head. He should be heading for the Neko- hanten right now and help with the evening rush, but then, it's not that he would lose much profit that night, he wasn't there for the big pay he got.
"Um, ok- he played with his pony-tail- You sure you don't mind?"
"No, silly, I believe we have to get these things out of our system. I could give you more advice than your pillow and you can do the same for me, right? Even if we just listen to each other would be enough. More than we get at home, anyways. It's not like we're dating or something" she said, poking his ribs playfully.
"Oh, who says we aren't? - Mousse hit back, a smirk across his face- Akane Tendo, will you go out on a date with me?" he said while bowing.
Akane laughed, her hand pulling her hair behind her ear.
"Of course, Mousse, I would be delighted to go on a date with you".
Mousse offered his arm and Akane placed her own around it. They walked nonchalantly, talking and enjoying the moment.
*************
They went to the new ice-cream parlour in the mall, a nice place for all accounts and it wasn't too crowded to avoid any personal conversation. Mousse already knew most of the story about Akane and Ranma, he knew Ranma never (or almost never) pursued Shampoo on purpose (though he chose to ignore that most of the time), but didn't know much about how he treated Akane.. He had been there for the Saffron episode, about a month away now, and he had expected he had told her he really loved her, but after the wrecked wedding everything was just as before, if not worse.
She didn't spare any good word about her own behaviour, she had her faults too, but at least, she had tried to change a little bit since the wedding, in the faint hope he would do the same. He knew Shampoo was even more agressive in her attempts to win Ranma and creating more havoc for the Tendo girl. He felt sorry for Akane, she did care about Ranma's opinion and every insult bugged her self-steem to the point where she was now, on the verge of depression. He began wondering how could Ranma save her from any monster coming around and then treat her like crap. He started thinking Ranma was the jerk Akane always claimed he was...
"Well, enough about me- said Akane, giving a bit of attention to her milk- shake- now it's your turn "to spill your heart out" as writers say" she tapped her fingers over the table, urging him.
"I don't know where to start..."
"Well, why don't you start for the beginning, about your life in China? I would like to know a little bit more about Amazons".
He did, indeed, spilled the story of his life for Akane, explained the different behaviour expected for males and females in their society, why he would never meet their expectations, earning different sorts of punishments from the elders for rebelling against what he thought were unfair and outdated laws, specially the ones about relationships. He stopped, his throat sore from the two hours-talk.
He chuckled. "The old ghoul would probably break my bones if she got to know I told you about our traditions, but heck, I don't care any more what she thinks, I've had enough by now!".
"Why are you staying there if they treat you so bad?" Akane asked in concern.
"Do you really need to ask?" Mousse answered with a sigh.
"Shampoo, right?
"Yeah- he leaned on the wall, his look lost in some distant place away-. Sometimes I wonder if I'm becoming some sort of masochist, you know, those people that like pain inflicted upon them. I always thought that I didn't mind being hit, as long as it was Shampoo hitting me"
He looked out the window and then turned to look at Akane again.
"It is as we said in the park. I'm tired. I thought I would always love Shampoo, that perhaps in time she would come round to her senses and give me a chance. It didn't come in the past and I don't know if I have the strength or the will to wait for one in the future. All she wants is to become a great warrior, marry a great warrior and raise little warriors of her own, as if we still lived under the Ming Dinasty. She can't or doesn't want to see the times changed and we have to change with them if we want to survive. Cologne doesn't help either. In the village she's considered a high strategist, but I'm beginning to think her tactics might be grown old with her- he sighed.- I've been thinking about quitting my job at the Neko- hanten, but I have nothing else, I don't think it will be easy for me to find a new job...".
They sighed in unison and gave a little smile.
"You know, Akane, it was nice to have a little chat and share my worries with someone who could listen to me for a change."
"Same goes for me, the only other people I could go and talk to is Kasumi, but she would say everything will be ok and some speech about meeting daddy's expectations and family honour... I really love her, she has been there for us when my mother died, I know she threw her own life away for my family, but frankly, I wish sometimes she would mature and get a life of her own. I don't think you can base your family life only on honour and duty, all I ask is a litte bit of love from Ra... from my future husband, but if he can't give me none, why support the case? -she sighed-. I'm glad you listened to me. Perhaps your view of Ranma is biased because of the Kiss of Marriage thing with Shampoo and my view of her too, but still, I don't think we could find any objective opinion on the subject out there" she waved the outside of the parlour.
She looked at the clock on the wall.
"Wow, we have been here for 3 hours now - she said, a bit surprised- I guess we really needed a talk. Shall we leave now?".
"Yes, I'm yearning for Shampoo's loving embrace". Akane looked at Mousse, a bit stunned. They started laughing.
"Yeah, and I'm looking forward to hear Ranma's poetry about me" Akane said, starting another fit of laughter until tears were running freely down their faces.
"You know, Mousse, I never thought I could joke about this, I'm glad I found you in the park, you're a good friend" she squeezed his hand.
"I'm glad too, you cannot imagine how much". He looked at his torn glasses and humphed. Most of his little pay went to buy new glasses, at a rate of 2 per day. Luckily he got some discount, but this had been his last pair, he would have to ask for another set.
"Akane, I need to go to the optics, I need to buy some new glasses..."
"Listen, Mousse, instead of glasses, why don't you buy yourself some contact lenses? I bet you spend a lot of money, with the amount of beatings you go thru. They're cheaper and easier to use, at least, that's what Nabiki says, she didn't like much her glasses, so she wears lenses most of the time. You could have a spare set of glasses for the times you're not wearing lenses."
"Um, I don't know, I've never tried them. Aren't they unconfortable? You have to touch your eyes to wear them and I find it a bit creepy. What if I don't do it right and I got blinder than I am now?"
"Don't worry, they will give you a few lessons how to put them on and off at the shop. Besides... -she looked at his eyes- you really have some beautiful eyes, it's a pity you don't show them" she said with a smile.
Mousse blushed. He had inherited his violet eyes from his mother and loved the way they matched Shampoo's hair, but she had never paid attention, so when Akane complimented him, he felt... well, he felt fine.
He smiled, nodding and Akane led the way. After half an hour, Mousse wore his lenses and felt as if a new man was born out of him. The world was clearer and except for the night, when he should put them off, he wouldn't have to care about his poor eyesight. Still, he wondered what would happen when he got changed to a duck. Would the lenses fall off his eyes? He crossed his fingers, hoping they didn't. The girl at the optics shop said they were pretty flexible, perhaps they would be adaptable enough for his cursed form. He walked Akane to her house and they waved goodbye.
Akane went straight to her room. She watched the sun setting over the town, a little smile on her face. Perhaps she should recheck her concept of Mousse. Not too far away a similar thought crossed Mousse' head.