I do not own Ranma ½, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and whatever
companies publishing her work around the world.
A.N. I forgot to appologize for my English, it's not my mother tongue, so I guess I make mistakes now and then. Be gentle, please (if anyone cares to read this, that is)
for thought '' '' for dialogue
CHAPTER 6. BETRAYED.
The next day they had been surprised to see that Ukyo had skipped classes for the whole day. Akane was not that sad about it. She appreciated the cook, though after her role at the wrecked wedding, she never felt at ease around her. She still got a bit angry whenever she saw her hovering over Ranma and offering him an okonomiyaki or two with her cute smile. She definitely hated it when the chef managed to make a remark about cooking skills or cuteness. Ukyo really knew how to hurt her, using Ranma's words, to make it all worse.
When they left for home, Ranma suggested going to Ucchan's to see what had happened. She agreed half-heartedly. she couldn't care less about the little bitch Did I just think that?.
The restaurant was closed, but Ranma knew he would be welcomed at any time so he just pushed the door to let them in. Akane was surprised to see Konatsu bandaging Ukyo's left arm, a few bruises on her right, her clothes sporting a lot of cuts and her low lip swelling. Ranma was by her side on a milisec, demanding to know what happened. Akane was a bit dazzled. Sure she did not like her much, but she would never want to see her hurting, not physically in any case.
Well, perhaps only by my own hands.... "What's going on, Ukyo? Who did this?" she asked, concern in her voice.
Ukyo sat pensive. She had had a rough day. The battle or better, the result of the battle had left her beaten, way worse than physically. It had been a great dent to her pride and to the art she had devoted her life to. It was hard to tell Ranma about it, specially with Akane around. But the normally jelous, violet psychotic was actually pretty calm and she sounded worried...
She told them briefly about her fight. Her cousin Kenji had come and issued a challenge for the mastery of Okonomiyaki Martial Arts School and defeated her quite easily. He would challenge her father next and then he could be considered the master of their school. She had not much love left for her father, but besides Ranma, okonomiyaki was her life, so it had been quite a blow to her self-image.
Ranma was conforting her in a second and she could not hide her smile. She gave Akane a brief look, but she had a strange blank expression instead of her usual scowl. She could not read her. All the better.
She planned to retaliate on him, but she would have to close the shop and spend some days training. That's when she came upon the brightest idea.
"Ranma, could you give me a hand? I know if you train me I can't possibly lose. You're the best" She batted her eyelashes in the cutest way possible.
Ranma laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, looking alternatively at Akane and Ukyo. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want Akane to be upset, but he would like to help his childhood friend.
"Er, um, I don't know- he was looking at Akane, waiting for her to react in some way, but she kept a well achieved poker face- I guess, um, I... could do something- he glanced at Akane- What do you think?"
Akane sustained his gaze.
"Your time is yours to spare. Do as it fits you". Her voice sounded a bit cold.
Ranma sighed in relief and nodded to Ukyo.
Ukyo was raging inside. Why had Ranma to ask Akane for permission to train his true fiancé? She should know by now she didn't stand a chance. But since it seemed her rival didn't oppose, she hugged Ranma tightly, while he blushed and stuttered in his shy, charming style.
"Er, we could, you know, start tomorrow. Contact your cousin and you could get back at him in a week..." He continued ranting.
"Bye, guys, hope you have a good time training".
Akane waved from the door. Ranma was about to follow her, Akane's demenour was bothering him, but Ukyo was still clutched to his arm and pulled him in front of the grill, asking for plans and tactics.
**************
Akane closed the door and hugged herself, holding to the last bits of her will not to cry. She had been worried about Ukyo's wounds, but when she first heard about the okonomiyaki artist's fight, she dreaded for what had come next: she would ask Ranma to train her and he would say yes.
What indeed had happened. It was a hard work to breath when she remembered the whole scene and her own words. She had tried not to care, but how? She wanted to cry out loud. For God' sake! How she was supposed not to care that the jerk she had for a fiancée would train one of his other fiancés but refuse to train her?
Tears started trailing down her cheeks and her jaw, following their way to her shirt. Some people where murmuring when she passed by their side, but she could not stop crying. Her chest ached, her breath ached.
She walked through the park, going for the meeting point with Mousse. She saw him waving at her in a casual, friendly way. That was it. She ran, throwing herself at him with all her might, though miracoulously they didn't end on the grass. She clutched to Mousse's robe and cried, yes, she cried for a shattered heart, her own heart, her wrenching sobs breaking at Mousse's soul.
He knew something had gone wrong, very wrong. He could sense the air of despair around Akane when she was walking through the park. He already knew the cause too: Ranma. He was beginning to despise the pigtailed martial artist for his ways. He had known a deep hatred for Ranma when he pursued Shampoo, but this was no longer a blind-jelousy driven hate. No, this was born from the fact that he was now a mere spectator and he could see things a bit more clearly, even if he tended to favour Akane from his stand point. But he would have to hear her story first before adding any more cause to his feud with Ranma.
He pulled a handkerchief from one of his sleeves and gave it to Akane. He waited till she got a bit more restrained. After about 20 minutes, she got controlled her sobs and shaking and proceeded with the tale of the day. By the time she got where Ranma had agreed, even if half-reluctantly, to train Ukyo, she started crying again.
There was a fierce look in Mousse's eyes. How he loathed the fool Saotome was! How many times had he broken her? That was the ultimate betrayal, knowing as he did how much Akane valued her training and the many rejections she got from her fiancée. He patted Akane's back, trying to soothe her. Akane washed her cheeks on her sleeves, the handkerchief long ago useless.
"I swear, Mousse, I swear this is the last time he hurts me, I swear!" and started crying again.
Akane was so emotional, so like him... When she was happy, she beamed, when she was sad, her eyes were a pool of sorrow, when she was hurting... well, any man could give his head off just to make her smile again. Any man, except Ranma, most of the time. He could not understand what was going through his long hatred foe's mind, that if, if he actually thought at any time. Except in battle, he would have hard a great time guessing if Ranma really had a brain.
"I will make him pay, I promise, Akane" his voice cold as steel.
Akane looked at him, with a sadness that surpassed anything he had imagined.
"It's not worth the effort...- Mousse tried to interfere- No, Mousse, I've had enough, I won't worry anymore about Ranma and I don't want you to do anything we may regret. He doesn't deserve my caring about him, neither you fighting him. That was the last straw - she looked at the floor- We may not be able to beat him, either together or separatedly, I just don't think violence will get us anywhere, but there IS a way to get me out of this misery."
"You won't be thinking..." Mousse dreaded what might be going through her head.
"No, silly, I won't commit suicide over such a stupid thing. But at least, I can make myself out of harm's way, just as you did with Shampoo. I can't move out of my home and leave my family behind, and I can't kick Ranma and his father out. But I will find a way. I will move on, sooner or later, I will...".
They both sat all silent in a bench.
She might welcome a distraction... He wondered.
"Uh, Akane, why don't we go to the cinema or something, so we forget about everything for a while? I have this night out of work. My treat"
He hope it worked. She nodded.
They chose the last Jet Li movie and sat by the dark, waiting for the film to start. Akane was on the verge of tears again and she leaned her head on Mousse's shoulder for a bit of comfort, she really needed some human warmth. He put his arm around her back and pulled her closer. She had been there for him when he broke down from Shampoo's last rejection. He would be there for her in her time of need.
A.N. I forgot to appologize for my English, it's not my mother tongue, so I guess I make mistakes now and then. Be gentle, please (if anyone cares to read this, that is)
for thought '' '' for dialogue
CHAPTER 6. BETRAYED.
The next day they had been surprised to see that Ukyo had skipped classes for the whole day. Akane was not that sad about it. She appreciated the cook, though after her role at the wrecked wedding, she never felt at ease around her. She still got a bit angry whenever she saw her hovering over Ranma and offering him an okonomiyaki or two with her cute smile. She definitely hated it when the chef managed to make a remark about cooking skills or cuteness. Ukyo really knew how to hurt her, using Ranma's words, to make it all worse.
When they left for home, Ranma suggested going to Ucchan's to see what had happened. She agreed half-heartedly. she couldn't care less about the little bitch Did I just think that?.
The restaurant was closed, but Ranma knew he would be welcomed at any time so he just pushed the door to let them in. Akane was surprised to see Konatsu bandaging Ukyo's left arm, a few bruises on her right, her clothes sporting a lot of cuts and her low lip swelling. Ranma was by her side on a milisec, demanding to know what happened. Akane was a bit dazzled. Sure she did not like her much, but she would never want to see her hurting, not physically in any case.
Well, perhaps only by my own hands.... "What's going on, Ukyo? Who did this?" she asked, concern in her voice.
Ukyo sat pensive. She had had a rough day. The battle or better, the result of the battle had left her beaten, way worse than physically. It had been a great dent to her pride and to the art she had devoted her life to. It was hard to tell Ranma about it, specially with Akane around. But the normally jelous, violet psychotic was actually pretty calm and she sounded worried...
She told them briefly about her fight. Her cousin Kenji had come and issued a challenge for the mastery of Okonomiyaki Martial Arts School and defeated her quite easily. He would challenge her father next and then he could be considered the master of their school. She had not much love left for her father, but besides Ranma, okonomiyaki was her life, so it had been quite a blow to her self-image.
Ranma was conforting her in a second and she could not hide her smile. She gave Akane a brief look, but she had a strange blank expression instead of her usual scowl. She could not read her. All the better.
She planned to retaliate on him, but she would have to close the shop and spend some days training. That's when she came upon the brightest idea.
"Ranma, could you give me a hand? I know if you train me I can't possibly lose. You're the best" She batted her eyelashes in the cutest way possible.
Ranma laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, looking alternatively at Akane and Ukyo. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want Akane to be upset, but he would like to help his childhood friend.
"Er, um, I don't know- he was looking at Akane, waiting for her to react in some way, but she kept a well achieved poker face- I guess, um, I... could do something- he glanced at Akane- What do you think?"
Akane sustained his gaze.
"Your time is yours to spare. Do as it fits you". Her voice sounded a bit cold.
Ranma sighed in relief and nodded to Ukyo.
Ukyo was raging inside. Why had Ranma to ask Akane for permission to train his true fiancé? She should know by now she didn't stand a chance. But since it seemed her rival didn't oppose, she hugged Ranma tightly, while he blushed and stuttered in his shy, charming style.
"Er, we could, you know, start tomorrow. Contact your cousin and you could get back at him in a week..." He continued ranting.
"Bye, guys, hope you have a good time training".
Akane waved from the door. Ranma was about to follow her, Akane's demenour was bothering him, but Ukyo was still clutched to his arm and pulled him in front of the grill, asking for plans and tactics.
**************
Akane closed the door and hugged herself, holding to the last bits of her will not to cry. She had been worried about Ukyo's wounds, but when she first heard about the okonomiyaki artist's fight, she dreaded for what had come next: she would ask Ranma to train her and he would say yes.
What indeed had happened. It was a hard work to breath when she remembered the whole scene and her own words. She had tried not to care, but how? She wanted to cry out loud. For God' sake! How she was supposed not to care that the jerk she had for a fiancée would train one of his other fiancés but refuse to train her?
Tears started trailing down her cheeks and her jaw, following their way to her shirt. Some people where murmuring when she passed by their side, but she could not stop crying. Her chest ached, her breath ached.
She walked through the park, going for the meeting point with Mousse. She saw him waving at her in a casual, friendly way. That was it. She ran, throwing herself at him with all her might, though miracoulously they didn't end on the grass. She clutched to Mousse's robe and cried, yes, she cried for a shattered heart, her own heart, her wrenching sobs breaking at Mousse's soul.
He knew something had gone wrong, very wrong. He could sense the air of despair around Akane when she was walking through the park. He already knew the cause too: Ranma. He was beginning to despise the pigtailed martial artist for his ways. He had known a deep hatred for Ranma when he pursued Shampoo, but this was no longer a blind-jelousy driven hate. No, this was born from the fact that he was now a mere spectator and he could see things a bit more clearly, even if he tended to favour Akane from his stand point. But he would have to hear her story first before adding any more cause to his feud with Ranma.
He pulled a handkerchief from one of his sleeves and gave it to Akane. He waited till she got a bit more restrained. After about 20 minutes, she got controlled her sobs and shaking and proceeded with the tale of the day. By the time she got where Ranma had agreed, even if half-reluctantly, to train Ukyo, she started crying again.
There was a fierce look in Mousse's eyes. How he loathed the fool Saotome was! How many times had he broken her? That was the ultimate betrayal, knowing as he did how much Akane valued her training and the many rejections she got from her fiancée. He patted Akane's back, trying to soothe her. Akane washed her cheeks on her sleeves, the handkerchief long ago useless.
"I swear, Mousse, I swear this is the last time he hurts me, I swear!" and started crying again.
Akane was so emotional, so like him... When she was happy, she beamed, when she was sad, her eyes were a pool of sorrow, when she was hurting... well, any man could give his head off just to make her smile again. Any man, except Ranma, most of the time. He could not understand what was going through his long hatred foe's mind, that if, if he actually thought at any time. Except in battle, he would have hard a great time guessing if Ranma really had a brain.
"I will make him pay, I promise, Akane" his voice cold as steel.
Akane looked at him, with a sadness that surpassed anything he had imagined.
"It's not worth the effort...- Mousse tried to interfere- No, Mousse, I've had enough, I won't worry anymore about Ranma and I don't want you to do anything we may regret. He doesn't deserve my caring about him, neither you fighting him. That was the last straw - she looked at the floor- We may not be able to beat him, either together or separatedly, I just don't think violence will get us anywhere, but there IS a way to get me out of this misery."
"You won't be thinking..." Mousse dreaded what might be going through her head.
"No, silly, I won't commit suicide over such a stupid thing. But at least, I can make myself out of harm's way, just as you did with Shampoo. I can't move out of my home and leave my family behind, and I can't kick Ranma and his father out. But I will find a way. I will move on, sooner or later, I will...".
They both sat all silent in a bench.
She might welcome a distraction... He wondered.
"Uh, Akane, why don't we go to the cinema or something, so we forget about everything for a while? I have this night out of work. My treat"
He hope it worked. She nodded.
They chose the last Jet Li movie and sat by the dark, waiting for the film to start. Akane was on the verge of tears again and she leaned her head on Mousse's shoulder for a bit of comfort, she really needed some human warmth. He put his arm around her back and pulled her closer. She had been there for him when he broke down from Shampoo's last rejection. He would be there for her in her time of need.