A.N. Uh, I must say I was delighted to see the last reviews I got, I have
my little ego, you know. C&C are welcome at anytime, even flames (it's cold
here at night, hehehe), but please, with a logical reason behind.
I must say I have doubts about the development of the plot. If anybody was wondering, I wanted an Akane/Mousse pairing, if anything, because it's original (I only have read one example in about 2000 ff stories I have read over the last year) and I value originality above all. If anyone wants to know, I had started this story long before I read that one, though it sounds a bit lame... I have my doubts now about the pairing, I would welcome some feedback about it.
I'm a great fan of A/R get together stories, I'd rather say that I love them, but I've been buying the manga lately and, from all the reading I did, I think this two have to do some grow up ahead and have a long, long, long talk before they can try anything.
I'm already writing the scene of the break up, but it will take me some time before I send it to ffnet, I like to go over and over again everything I write.
Btw, I had a lot of fun writing the scene of Akane trying to learn to play chess and I would like to think I portrayed her well. Please, do tell me!!!
An2. I finally found which is the little problem with the paragraphs... I swear, I swear this is the last time Word 97 for Windows deludes me, I swear! (hehehe)
CHAPTER 7. IT'S ALL OVER.
They watched the movie in a companiable silence. They shared a few snacks in their way to the Tendo Dojo. Akane stopped and turned to face Mousse. She gave him a sad smile and squeezed his hand.
"See you tomorrow. Same hour, same place" and she walked into the house.
Mousse would never know how much it had meant for her his staying by her side, she might have done something really stupid. She had never thought she had a suicidal streak on her character, but today's events had taken their toll on her. Had she been alone... Well, better leave that trail.
She passed by the kitchen and greeted Kasumi. She looked concerned.
"Ranma came about two hours ago and asked where you were. He went out on your search. I was wondering why you didn't come home together from school".
She saw Akane tensing a bit.
"We went to Ucchan's first to check on her and she and Ranma had some issues to discuss. I didn't want to bother and I left. On the way home, I found a friend of mine by the park and we went to see a movie"
There was something else, Kasumi could tell, why should her baby-sister leave her fiancée alone with one of her rivals and without putting up one of her jelous fits? As far as she could understand from Ranma, they didn't fought on their way home, but Ranma was obviously in some kind of fault.
"Is there something else you would like to talk about?" her worry obvious in her voice.
"No, nothing, thanks, Kasumi"
Akane's voice sounded hollow, but she didn't want to press her into any confession. That was not her way and she doubted Akane would welcome Nabiki's mind games.
"Fine, just let me know if you need something" and kissed her brow.
Akane walked to the furo. She needed a bit of relax. She made sure she had put the "Occupied" piece on the door and closed it before she made it to the water. She sat on the bath, enjoying the warm water. She felt cold inside, a cold even the hottest bath could not warm up. Before now, even when she got real mad at Ranma, she never stayed that cold for too long, her rage and her sorrow washed away with the water or crying herself to sleep, but she felt she could no longer cry.
I guess there's nothing left.
She stayed there for half an hour, when she felt she was falling asleep. She trodded to her room and closed the door and the window shutters. She wanted to be left alone. She certainly didn't want to see Ranma and hear to any excuse he might make up.
************
She got up for her morning jog, practicing some jumps on her way. She was getting better, she could tell. She had been running for more than an hour now and she almost didn't break a sweat. With her strenous sparring with the chinese amazon boy, that wasn't a surprise. She headed home and had a quick shower.
She knocked at the guest room, calling for Ranma. She could not skip of "her obligations to her fiancée" but nobody said she had to wake him either. She would avoid him as much as she could.
She had breakfast quickly. Kasumi frowned a bit when she told her she had already called Ranma, but he didn't stir. Her little sister had not spared any method to wake the sleepy head above before. Why being so polite now?
"Bye, guys, I'm leaving for school!"
"My, Akane, you're not waiting for Ranma?"
"No, sorry, Kasumi, I already tried to wake him up, I won't be late just because he prefers his futon to school".
Kasumi did not like that, even if her sister was somewhat right.
"But you always waited for him before..." she said, a begging hint in the statement.
Akane sighed. "Perhaps I got tired" and she left.
I have the feeling we're not going to like the outcome of all this Kasumi shook her head while finishing her miso soup. The situation was maybe worse than she had imagined when they talked after leaving Tofu's office. Akane was growing up, but not in the direction she would have liked.
Ranma woke to the sweetest good morning his father could bring upon him: a trip to the koi pond. With the usual yell "Whadoyadodafor?" she trodded to the table for her breakfast, adjusting her pants to her new size.
"Aw, man, he should know me better than that... - she looked at the table- Um, where's Akane?"
"She left for school about 10 minutes ago"
Ranma choked on her soup.
"What? She didn't even call me?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, she did call you, you didn't wake up in time, it seems" Kasumi said.
She left for the kitchen, once she saw Ranma was running in a frenzy to get ready for classes. She put the kettle to boil. When Ranma passed by the kitchen, now male, she was sipping some tea.
"Tell me, Ranma, you didn't do anything to upset my sister yesterday, did you?" Her smile was as cheerful as ever, yet Ranma could not avoid but sweat.
"Uh, no, not that I know..."
"She told me you both went for a visit to Ucchan's and that's where she left. Could you tell me what happened?"
Ranma was holding the neck of his shirt, to cool off. He was in the hook. He told her about Ukyo's plea and how he had agreed to help her train. The cup nearly fell from Kasumi's hand. Ranma waved his hand in front of her face.
"Yo, Kasumi, are you all right?" She nodded. "Well, I'm leaving now, bye."
She looked through the window, as he jumped the wall onto the next roof. You really don't know what you got yourself into... She could not approve of her sister behaviour to her fiancé, but the fact was. that she was right in some way. Something had to be done, before it was to late, but what? She shook her head. This is going to be a long day.
Uncute tomboy! Why did she had to leave without me?
Ranma was running on the fence as if pursued by the worst demon on earth. He could not avoid the sweet embrace of the purple-haired amazon, though.
"Agh! Shampoo! Get off me, could ya? I'm already late!"
"Aiya! Airen no need class, take Shampoo on date, yes?"
"No, I won't take you on a date and I would be really glad if you let me go!".
He somehow managed to get disentangled from Shampoo's glomping ways and raced to school. He counted himself lucky, though. Since Mousse had left the Neko-hanten, there was a lot of work there to do (they could not hire any other one to help) and Shampoo didn't have so much time to spare chasing him. Only, whenever she saw him, she was more agressive, trying to make the moves on him. He was grateful Mousse didn't attack him any chance he had too, in fact, he seemed to avoid him. Perhaps he won about 5 minutes rest everyday thanks to Mousse's beravioural change.
He had gone (again!) through the morning shower under the ministrations of the old lady. He was more than late, since he had to look for some hot water. No way he was going to classes as a girl. He was charged with bucket duty, but it wasn't a surprise.
He humphed after the teacher told him he could go again into class. Like he had any interest. Or maybe he did. He sat at his table and sneaked a glance at Akane. She was scribbling down some notes, she was the model student, after all. She looked all serious and focused. There was no anger he could detect by reading her aura; or there was a little spark, but nothing like her typical outbursts that made her aura a living flame. He was a bit surprised to say the least. He had expected her to mallet him for agreeing to train Ukyo, but she had said she didn't care... Well, those weren't exactly her words. 'Your time is yours to spare, do as it fits you'. It sounded so cold, so... unlike her.
He sneaked another glance at her. Most probably she hadn't waited for him this morning just to pay him back. Perhaps a bit childish, but ... this was her only answer. He bowed his head. He knew he deserved it. And from what he had learnt from their common past, he deserved a lot more. In fact, the former day he had even wanted her to be herself and hive him a good beating. Masochism? No: a fair price to pay if one looked carefully what he had done... Instead, she had just disappeared and she wasn't home when he was back from Ucchan's. she wasn't either at the park; that was the first place he had checked, he knew it was her favourite place to go when something was bothering her. But she was nowhere to be found. And when he got back to the dojo, she was already in her bed, the window closed and the curtains drawn. She couldn't have said it clearer: she didn't want to see him.
And she was right. In her place, he wouldn't want to see himself. Even if he had been able to go into her room and apologise, what would he say? He knew Akane wanted to better herself in martial arts, he was no fool not to see that. Why would she ask him to spar with her if it wasn't the case? But... He just wanted to keep her away from all the dangers and troubles he had undergone to be what he was now, a fine practitioner of Anything Goes.
She was fine like she was, he could admit to himself, even having done most learning on her own, obviously too much centered around strength (he had suffered many concussions and bumps to prove that particular point). Why not keep it that way? Martial arts was just one more hobby, like every other sport she played.
He sighed inwardly. Ukyo was another story. When they had first met, she told them she had trained for years against the sea waves. She was both strong and fast with her weapons, but not much of a threat without them. Their first fight had proved that right away. But she had gone through a rough life and came up with a tough character; she could go under his training mostly unharmed... when he came up with a technique suitable for her, that is.
Akane would try, stubborn as she was and surely, in her eagerness, she'd get injured or worse. He closed his eyes. He couldn't even stand the thought of seeing her damaged, even the slightest scratch. That, at least, he had learnt at Mount Phoenix.
He just... didn't know any longer what he wanted, except keep her safe, because... well, he cared for her, maybe even something more, because he knew he didn't feel the same about Ukyo or Shampoo, and certainly not Kodachi. But he didn't dare name it, because if he did... most probably the world would get going and the sun would still set on the east... or maybe chaos would devour them all.
He frowned and kept his eyes shut tight. He wanted to keep his feelings at bay, but it was getting more and more difficult lately.
He knew instinctively that things should change, but he knew he wasn't ready to take them. The last year and a half were the closest he had as a normal (?) life. But he still felt like he didn't fit into an every day's life.
Whe would he keep his alertness 24 h/ 7d up? Or put his paws on any food that walked up on his way? He still felt like he was on his training trip with his father in some senses. He lived up to the day and never gave a thought about the following, unless he had any upcoming battle or something of the kind.
He was interrupted on his musings by the teacher.
"... Saotome, I see that for once, I've managed to get your attention and you didn't sleep in my class. Would it be too much to ask for the answer to the problem on the board?"
He looked at the board, all self-conscious of the attention he had drawn. Rats.
"Uh, 24?"
The teacher sighed. You cannot ask for two impossible things the same day. This was no 'Alice in Wonderland'.
"Haruka?" he turned to another student.
"27.5"
Ranma had stopped listening by now. He had side-glanced at Akane, waiting for her to turn to him and mouth 'jerk'. She never did, just kept on writing, sparing sometimes a glance at the patio.
He drew his eyes back to his table. Just when he would welcome a good nap at class, sleep would refuse to take him on his cloud.
What to do?
Writing a note? It could work, they could talk at lunchtime or something. He snatched a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote some sentences. He tighted it into a little ball and aimed at her table, just between her forehead and her forearm.
He started fidgeting nervously, waiting for an answer, a scowl, a snort, something.
His hope was short-lived. She threw it through the window.
He had been waiting for lunch-time to ask Akane why she didn't wait for him, but she left school with her friends and Ukyo didn't let him go. Ukyo didn't help, trying to monopolize his time and giving him the cute smile, but he felt, well, uncomfortable. She was far more moderate than Shampoo but she took any chance to rub against him, in the pretence she had to know how to take all the moves the right way.
He was nervous about that, he had never expected that from his best friend. By this time, she should know (he hoped she knew) he saw her as a friend, even as a sister, but nothing else. He tried to keep the training to minimuns, but certainly, he had not trained to resist "the lost-puppy eyes attack" and conceeded.
I must say I have doubts about the development of the plot. If anybody was wondering, I wanted an Akane/Mousse pairing, if anything, because it's original (I only have read one example in about 2000 ff stories I have read over the last year) and I value originality above all. If anyone wants to know, I had started this story long before I read that one, though it sounds a bit lame... I have my doubts now about the pairing, I would welcome some feedback about it.
I'm a great fan of A/R get together stories, I'd rather say that I love them, but I've been buying the manga lately and, from all the reading I did, I think this two have to do some grow up ahead and have a long, long, long talk before they can try anything.
I'm already writing the scene of the break up, but it will take me some time before I send it to ffnet, I like to go over and over again everything I write.
Btw, I had a lot of fun writing the scene of Akane trying to learn to play chess and I would like to think I portrayed her well. Please, do tell me!!!
An2. I finally found which is the little problem with the paragraphs... I swear, I swear this is the last time Word 97 for Windows deludes me, I swear! (hehehe)
CHAPTER 7. IT'S ALL OVER.
They watched the movie in a companiable silence. They shared a few snacks in their way to the Tendo Dojo. Akane stopped and turned to face Mousse. She gave him a sad smile and squeezed his hand.
"See you tomorrow. Same hour, same place" and she walked into the house.
Mousse would never know how much it had meant for her his staying by her side, she might have done something really stupid. She had never thought she had a suicidal streak on her character, but today's events had taken their toll on her. Had she been alone... Well, better leave that trail.
She passed by the kitchen and greeted Kasumi. She looked concerned.
"Ranma came about two hours ago and asked where you were. He went out on your search. I was wondering why you didn't come home together from school".
She saw Akane tensing a bit.
"We went to Ucchan's first to check on her and she and Ranma had some issues to discuss. I didn't want to bother and I left. On the way home, I found a friend of mine by the park and we went to see a movie"
There was something else, Kasumi could tell, why should her baby-sister leave her fiancée alone with one of her rivals and without putting up one of her jelous fits? As far as she could understand from Ranma, they didn't fought on their way home, but Ranma was obviously in some kind of fault.
"Is there something else you would like to talk about?" her worry obvious in her voice.
"No, nothing, thanks, Kasumi"
Akane's voice sounded hollow, but she didn't want to press her into any confession. That was not her way and she doubted Akane would welcome Nabiki's mind games.
"Fine, just let me know if you need something" and kissed her brow.
Akane walked to the furo. She needed a bit of relax. She made sure she had put the "Occupied" piece on the door and closed it before she made it to the water. She sat on the bath, enjoying the warm water. She felt cold inside, a cold even the hottest bath could not warm up. Before now, even when she got real mad at Ranma, she never stayed that cold for too long, her rage and her sorrow washed away with the water or crying herself to sleep, but she felt she could no longer cry.
I guess there's nothing left.
She stayed there for half an hour, when she felt she was falling asleep. She trodded to her room and closed the door and the window shutters. She wanted to be left alone. She certainly didn't want to see Ranma and hear to any excuse he might make up.
************
She got up for her morning jog, practicing some jumps on her way. She was getting better, she could tell. She had been running for more than an hour now and she almost didn't break a sweat. With her strenous sparring with the chinese amazon boy, that wasn't a surprise. She headed home and had a quick shower.
She knocked at the guest room, calling for Ranma. She could not skip of "her obligations to her fiancée" but nobody said she had to wake him either. She would avoid him as much as she could.
She had breakfast quickly. Kasumi frowned a bit when she told her she had already called Ranma, but he didn't stir. Her little sister had not spared any method to wake the sleepy head above before. Why being so polite now?
"Bye, guys, I'm leaving for school!"
"My, Akane, you're not waiting for Ranma?"
"No, sorry, Kasumi, I already tried to wake him up, I won't be late just because he prefers his futon to school".
Kasumi did not like that, even if her sister was somewhat right.
"But you always waited for him before..." she said, a begging hint in the statement.
Akane sighed. "Perhaps I got tired" and she left.
I have the feeling we're not going to like the outcome of all this Kasumi shook her head while finishing her miso soup. The situation was maybe worse than she had imagined when they talked after leaving Tofu's office. Akane was growing up, but not in the direction she would have liked.
Ranma woke to the sweetest good morning his father could bring upon him: a trip to the koi pond. With the usual yell "Whadoyadodafor?" she trodded to the table for her breakfast, adjusting her pants to her new size.
"Aw, man, he should know me better than that... - she looked at the table- Um, where's Akane?"
"She left for school about 10 minutes ago"
Ranma choked on her soup.
"What? She didn't even call me?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, she did call you, you didn't wake up in time, it seems" Kasumi said.
She left for the kitchen, once she saw Ranma was running in a frenzy to get ready for classes. She put the kettle to boil. When Ranma passed by the kitchen, now male, she was sipping some tea.
"Tell me, Ranma, you didn't do anything to upset my sister yesterday, did you?" Her smile was as cheerful as ever, yet Ranma could not avoid but sweat.
"Uh, no, not that I know..."
"She told me you both went for a visit to Ucchan's and that's where she left. Could you tell me what happened?"
Ranma was holding the neck of his shirt, to cool off. He was in the hook. He told her about Ukyo's plea and how he had agreed to help her train. The cup nearly fell from Kasumi's hand. Ranma waved his hand in front of her face.
"Yo, Kasumi, are you all right?" She nodded. "Well, I'm leaving now, bye."
She looked through the window, as he jumped the wall onto the next roof. You really don't know what you got yourself into... She could not approve of her sister behaviour to her fiancé, but the fact was. that she was right in some way. Something had to be done, before it was to late, but what? She shook her head. This is going to be a long day.
Uncute tomboy! Why did she had to leave without me?
Ranma was running on the fence as if pursued by the worst demon on earth. He could not avoid the sweet embrace of the purple-haired amazon, though.
"Agh! Shampoo! Get off me, could ya? I'm already late!"
"Aiya! Airen no need class, take Shampoo on date, yes?"
"No, I won't take you on a date and I would be really glad if you let me go!".
He somehow managed to get disentangled from Shampoo's glomping ways and raced to school. He counted himself lucky, though. Since Mousse had left the Neko-hanten, there was a lot of work there to do (they could not hire any other one to help) and Shampoo didn't have so much time to spare chasing him. Only, whenever she saw him, she was more agressive, trying to make the moves on him. He was grateful Mousse didn't attack him any chance he had too, in fact, he seemed to avoid him. Perhaps he won about 5 minutes rest everyday thanks to Mousse's beravioural change.
He had gone (again!) through the morning shower under the ministrations of the old lady. He was more than late, since he had to look for some hot water. No way he was going to classes as a girl. He was charged with bucket duty, but it wasn't a surprise.
He humphed after the teacher told him he could go again into class. Like he had any interest. Or maybe he did. He sat at his table and sneaked a glance at Akane. She was scribbling down some notes, she was the model student, after all. She looked all serious and focused. There was no anger he could detect by reading her aura; or there was a little spark, but nothing like her typical outbursts that made her aura a living flame. He was a bit surprised to say the least. He had expected her to mallet him for agreeing to train Ukyo, but she had said she didn't care... Well, those weren't exactly her words. 'Your time is yours to spare, do as it fits you'. It sounded so cold, so... unlike her.
He sneaked another glance at her. Most probably she hadn't waited for him this morning just to pay him back. Perhaps a bit childish, but ... this was her only answer. He bowed his head. He knew he deserved it. And from what he had learnt from their common past, he deserved a lot more. In fact, the former day he had even wanted her to be herself and hive him a good beating. Masochism? No: a fair price to pay if one looked carefully what he had done... Instead, she had just disappeared and she wasn't home when he was back from Ucchan's. she wasn't either at the park; that was the first place he had checked, he knew it was her favourite place to go when something was bothering her. But she was nowhere to be found. And when he got back to the dojo, she was already in her bed, the window closed and the curtains drawn. She couldn't have said it clearer: she didn't want to see him.
And she was right. In her place, he wouldn't want to see himself. Even if he had been able to go into her room and apologise, what would he say? He knew Akane wanted to better herself in martial arts, he was no fool not to see that. Why would she ask him to spar with her if it wasn't the case? But... He just wanted to keep her away from all the dangers and troubles he had undergone to be what he was now, a fine practitioner of Anything Goes.
She was fine like she was, he could admit to himself, even having done most learning on her own, obviously too much centered around strength (he had suffered many concussions and bumps to prove that particular point). Why not keep it that way? Martial arts was just one more hobby, like every other sport she played.
He sighed inwardly. Ukyo was another story. When they had first met, she told them she had trained for years against the sea waves. She was both strong and fast with her weapons, but not much of a threat without them. Their first fight had proved that right away. But she had gone through a rough life and came up with a tough character; she could go under his training mostly unharmed... when he came up with a technique suitable for her, that is.
Akane would try, stubborn as she was and surely, in her eagerness, she'd get injured or worse. He closed his eyes. He couldn't even stand the thought of seeing her damaged, even the slightest scratch. That, at least, he had learnt at Mount Phoenix.
He just... didn't know any longer what he wanted, except keep her safe, because... well, he cared for her, maybe even something more, because he knew he didn't feel the same about Ukyo or Shampoo, and certainly not Kodachi. But he didn't dare name it, because if he did... most probably the world would get going and the sun would still set on the east... or maybe chaos would devour them all.
He frowned and kept his eyes shut tight. He wanted to keep his feelings at bay, but it was getting more and more difficult lately.
He knew instinctively that things should change, but he knew he wasn't ready to take them. The last year and a half were the closest he had as a normal (?) life. But he still felt like he didn't fit into an every day's life.
Whe would he keep his alertness 24 h/ 7d up? Or put his paws on any food that walked up on his way? He still felt like he was on his training trip with his father in some senses. He lived up to the day and never gave a thought about the following, unless he had any upcoming battle or something of the kind.
He was interrupted on his musings by the teacher.
"... Saotome, I see that for once, I've managed to get your attention and you didn't sleep in my class. Would it be too much to ask for the answer to the problem on the board?"
He looked at the board, all self-conscious of the attention he had drawn. Rats.
"Uh, 24?"
The teacher sighed. You cannot ask for two impossible things the same day. This was no 'Alice in Wonderland'.
"Haruka?" he turned to another student.
"27.5"
Ranma had stopped listening by now. He had side-glanced at Akane, waiting for her to turn to him and mouth 'jerk'. She never did, just kept on writing, sparing sometimes a glance at the patio.
He drew his eyes back to his table. Just when he would welcome a good nap at class, sleep would refuse to take him on his cloud.
What to do?
Writing a note? It could work, they could talk at lunchtime or something. He snatched a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote some sentences. He tighted it into a little ball and aimed at her table, just between her forehead and her forearm.
He started fidgeting nervously, waiting for an answer, a scowl, a snort, something.
His hope was short-lived. She threw it through the window.
He had been waiting for lunch-time to ask Akane why she didn't wait for him, but she left school with her friends and Ukyo didn't let him go. Ukyo didn't help, trying to monopolize his time and giving him the cute smile, but he felt, well, uncomfortable. She was far more moderate than Shampoo but she took any chance to rub against him, in the pretence she had to know how to take all the moves the right way.
He was nervous about that, he had never expected that from his best friend. By this time, she should know (he hoped she knew) he saw her as a friend, even as a sister, but nothing else. He tried to keep the training to minimuns, but certainly, he had not trained to resist "the lost-puppy eyes attack" and conceeded.