I do not own Ranma ½, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and whatever
companies publishing her work around the world.
Chapter 7 B. Training time.
*Updated A.N.: Thanks for your review Vivi, I'm afraid you were right, that update I made yesterday was too short, but I just had to reconstruct all the story from a first script I wrote 7 months ago. The training time took less than 200 words to be described then, but when I made my review a few weeks ago, I felt there was a lot missing. It may take a bit before I finish this chapter. Ch. 8 is almost finished and 9 is on the run. Be patient. And please, R&R.
A.N. 1. Am I being too hard on poor Ranma? I had a look back at the story and it seems I forgot about him, specially when he is one of the main characters of the little drama... I tried to look at the situation from the wedding on from his point of view and came up with some conclusions about the consequences of his training trip with his father. It is indeed a dead weight on his shoulders and I have tried to insinuate it (or say it clearly, most of the time) through the story. I know I should have focused on him a bit more, I realized about it when I reviewed the last chapter. The problem is I wrote the first chapter, the only one I didn't make any change, about 7 months ago. The style in the first chapter and the latest 4 is different. I will have Ranma making some introspection some time soon, really soon.
Thanks, Christina, you were really great, and the former review did boost my ego. I hope it doesn't grow to some epic proportions, though.
Thanks also to Taechunsa for your review, it was encouraging, clear and straight to the point. It wasn't my idea to make Akane's story with Mousse so easy, I'm not so sure it would be interesting, though.
I will give it a thought about a final A/R. The story I read about an A/M pairing was pretty particular. And just now I find that the wonderful Brianna Aisling has written something in the way my fic was going... (I'm so jealous...)
Did I really give the impression Akane and Mousse mature in a short time? Then I didn't express myself too well; about four months since the wedding have gone by (more than two months pass by in the first chapter). Four months can change a lot of things. The wedding was a milestone for Akane, I think I should explain more clearly here what was Mousse' one.
Akane is still far from mature. I mean, she smashed an innocent chessboard just because she lost a game... It's just that she knows what she likes, (note, not what she WANTS) and what she is or it not ready to take. I just made out of her a good student, nothing else. She's still too proud and she keeps jumping to conclusions, though it doesn't seem so obvious here. If she was mature enough, she'd confront Ranma and ask him why he's training Ukyo, instead, she instantly thinks he doesn't care about her.
She improves her martial arts mostly because she's taking it seriously and Mousse is a good help, but I will never have her overpowering Ranma or something similar, nor Mousse, for what matters (sorry, Christina).
I've gone through all the other ff I'm writing and I rescued a few ideas from one I don't feel like I will finish, because it lacks something. I think they will fit quite well here and I hope you will like the results.
A.N. 2. Where are Shampoo and Cologne? And Kasumi, for what matters?
I was a bit tired of seeing her depicted as an oblivious person, lost in her cooking and cleaning role (I'd rather say asphyxiated). I think she is intelligent and somewhat ironical (have you read the book 5, I mean the manga, about the Nekoken? Then you might know what I am talking about).
However, I'm not that proud for making Kasumi tell Shampoo off (ch.4), but frankly, she is the only one with the authority to do something of the kind. She didn't feel good about it, either.
So, the morning of the first day of the training period was long enough. I won't go into details about all the week (too tiring), just point out what I think would be more interesting.
A.N.3. Isn't there any Mousse's fan somewhere? I'm trying to make him a co- star without Shampoo and nobody says anything about him!!!
After too much ranting (and I hope you're not flying daggers at me), on with the story.
****************
I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But stil the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time
David Bowie, Hunky Dory, 1972.
**********
Akane sighed. School was over for today. She left in a hurry with her friends, before Ranma could approach her. Perhaps for the first time ever she was glad to see Ukyo perched on his arm and dragging him outside, talking about the training. She didn't want to see him, not today, anyways. That's why she had thrown away his note.
She waved her friends goodbye and headed home. She had a quick dinner and left for Mousse's flat. She hoped, she prayed with all her heart that routine would keep her mind occupied.
Mousse greeted her. She had to be really depressed to keep her temper in check that way. Her greeting screamed of despair.
She needs something different to keep her interest awake. He could picture her studying and drowning in her depression. A break in the routine was called for.
"Say, Akane, have you ever played Ping-Pong?" It was the best he could come up with in so short time.
"Uh, no, not that I remember"
"Why don't we go to the park and play a game or two? You look like you need some fresh air -she gave him a sad smile at that-. We could do our homework later, it won't take long. It might be good for our training..."
"Why?" He had her full interest by now.
"It hightens your reflexes and speed. Com'on, I really want to give it a try. I've never been able to play it with my poor eye-sight, but now that I wear lenses, it should be fine".
She had a hesitant but expectant look in her eyes.
"Oh, I'm taking the chess board, too. We don't want to lose any practice, right?" He grinned.
"Oh, pout". She got a bit angry, but she was smiling by now. "Someday, Mousse, I will beat you, I promise". She was pointing her finger at him in what intended to be a threatening way.
"You can try as much as you want". He was still grinning when she bopped his arm. "Let's go".
***********
Ping-Pong was real fun; once they got the pads and balls, they got into a pretty fast rhythm in some minutes. Akane had a lot of trouble at first to control her strength, but soon fell into a steady cadence.
After over an hour; they went for chess. Games were getting a lot more interesting lately and Akane came up with some moves that made him sweat sometimes, but she still tended to rush into finishing the game as soon as possible, so she made mistakes. Well, she wasn't doing too badly, either.
He had tried once to play chess with Shampoo, but she had refused, saying something along the line of it being a dumb game, only apt for weaklings like him. He grimaced and thinned his lips.
Stop thinking about her, you were doing fine so far...
He focused again on chess. He had lost a tower in that mishap.
******
Shampoo was not interested in chess in that precise moment or at any other time of the day. Since Mousse had deserted them (she skipped the part of her great-grandma making him an outcast in a not very kind way), she was working overtime from breakfast to the latest dinner. She was completely worn out when she finished her day, too tired to try and visit Ranma, even knowing that she was not allowed to do it as long as it involved stepping on the Tendo's property. Cologne had admonished her pretty harshly for admitting to Kasumi that she was the head of the Tendo clan, for the prohibition took effect instantly. They had not expected something like that from her, they had always deemed her as harmless, but perhaps there was something more to her than she let on.
And Mousse? She wondered what he could be doing. Not that she cared for him. She was just curious. The last time she saw him was also that last night she had been to the Tendo's.
She had expected him to come by when he was restored from his broken arm and pledge his eternal love to her. He was so funny. And he made up for an excellent punching bag whenever she was stressed. He also managed to boost her ego with his declarations of eternal love, especially when she had just failed from one of her schemes to win Ranma.
She grimaced. She hardly ever had time to chase her husband and when she did, the results were not at all to her liking. She had asked her great- grandma to use some spell, but she refused, saying they could not be trusted at 100%.
She sighed. She would welcome anything or anyone to get her self-steem back. The leering crowds at the Neko-hanten just made her sick.
She snorted.
Mousse, you dork, where are you?
************
Kenji's victory had been based on a multiple attack with mini spatulas. From Ukyo's description and her scratches, it must be very much alike Kodachi's "thousand clubs attack". He finished with a final blow from his giant spatula. It seems it ran in the family.
Ranma was analyzing the way Ukyo moved. He had tried to show her to keep her arms tighter around her body, but she took it as an offer to lay on his chest and she made him nervous, so he let her go to practice all alone while he made his remarks.
Disarming Kenji might take too long, going one to one after his spatulas, and he could still produce a lot of harm. What could he teach Ukyo? Ranma pondered. He already knew well her style and there wasn't much space left for creating something new.
Unless... what about chi-infused spatulas? He doubted Ukyo would be in total control of herself and her chi to produce a chi-blast, but to work on something she already knew well should be easy and he knew she could focus a strong emotion on them: her love for okonomiyaki. He still remembered about the 10-year sauce story. She had fallen in some short of trance when he had drank all the sauce and she tried to cook him like he was one of her crepes.
He grinned. This would do. He would test his idea the following day.
**************
Akane made a late trip to the library. She didn't feel like going home. She pressed her hand on her chest, it felt so tight...
I must have caught a cold or something...
She picked some random books, going through them without really seeing anything.
She felt a sting on the corner of her left eye. Then a tear would run along her cheek.
There's too much dust in these damned books...
Her vision blurred, she was making a pool over a medical manual.
Who am I kidding?
She closed the book and threw it away. She sat on the floor, her knees bent and her head laying on them, her arms holding her legs. And she cried.
*************
The following day was pretty much the same, though Kasumi was a bit more insistent than Akane woke up Ranma and walk to school with him. The fact was that Akane did call him, but did not use violence against him like in the past, so he never got up in time. Kasumi certainly wasn't ready to use that unkind method to do it herself...
I guess I will have to buy a clock or something she sighed. Genma's attitude was not her ideal of a good start for the day.
Akane kept avoiding Ranma as much as she could when Ukyo was not around. She bit her lips when Ukyo made some remarks about her training session in the girls changing room. Like she needed more salt in her wound.
The day was too long to her liking, she just wanted to get away from everything. She'd thought about playing truant and spend the day out, but finals were just a month away, she could not miss her classes. She had again a quick dinner after classes and rushed to meet Mousse.
*************
"Ucchan, I've been thinking about your fighting style. I don't think I can help much -she paled a bit-, mostly because I never rely on weapons and you wouldn't be up to the challenge on time if I had to teach you to fight barehanded..."
"You mean you're not going to help me?" her mouth was quivering a little bit.
"No, that's not what I meant. I -he scratched the back of his head- ... I think I have something that will work for you. Can you pick up one of your mini spatulas and hold it in your hand?"
"Yeah, sure". She did as was asked.
"Now, I want you to concentrate on an emotion, a strong one".
"That will be easy -she chirped- I just have to think of how much I love you!"
Ranma grimaced. He had feared something like this...
"Whatever, just focus on it and try to drive that feeling through you arm and into that spatula"
What? Why would her Ranchan ask her something so weird? She frowned.
"Just do what I say" he said reassuring.
She shrugged, ready to start. She thought about her childhood, the few months spent with little Ranma and their daily fights and adventures. Then, their first meeting in Nerima, when he had called her cute, and then all the dreams she had about their future life, running her restaurant together, raising one or two kids...
Ukyo was smiling from ear to ear, but as far as Ranma could see, she wasn't in the proper state of mind to do the trick he had asked. It would take long before she realized about it.
***************
By the end of the evening they had called it quits and left for home. Ukyo felt... defeated. She had been trying so hard all the day to get her way with that technique her Ran-chan had suggested, but didn't get any result so far. She felt beaten up.
I've only got 5 days left. What if I don't learn it before?
She had asked Ranma to train her in a physical sense, it would give her a chance to get near him too. It's not a sing to be after his gorgeous body, after all, but he had refused after that first day, when he had shown her the way to keep her defense shut.
It felt so good...
She sighed, a slight blush on her cheeks. When she had tried to channel that thought into her arms and her spatula, nothing came out.
What did she have to expect from that kind of training, in the end? He hadn't said a word. What did he want, that she figured it out herself? Frankly, sometimes, her Ran-chan could be so... obnoxious. But he was the best martial artist in the world, so he had to know what he was talking about, and if he said 'Do this', she'd do it!
She had closed the restaurant for the week, just to have enough time to train. She could have relied on Konatsu to run it for her, but, well, he wasn't the best business manager in town.
I know just what's bugging me, I haven't prepared any okonomiyaki since lunch...
She turned on the grill and prepared the mix in a few minutes, all lost in her task. This was her element and she felt as a fish in a pond in the kitchen.
Not like certain people...
She mused, smiling a bit, about Akane's obvious lack of cooking skills. How in the hell could she be so... bad? Her loss, anyway, it that allowed her to get a much cozier spot near Ran-chan's heart.
She got lost in her art. If someone had looked at her, he would have thought she was performing some sort of a dance with her spatulas, the bowls of ingredients and the batter. She was glowing in the joy of cooking.
She made some small, heart-shaped okonomiyakis and tasted one.
Ummm, delicious...
She ate some and then cleared the grill and the table, leaving everything clean and neat. She yawned.
Time for bed, I guess
It wasn't very late, but she felt tired, anyway.
I will try that trick tomorrow...
***************
Kasumi sipped her tea. The dinner out with Tofu had been wonderful so far. The ikanosusomaki in particular was delicious. She gave him a bright smile. There was no engagement in her case, Tofu had managed somehow to convince her (and her father) that it would be better to get to know one another before taking any other step. His eyes still fogged up sometimes, when they shared a particular close experience, like their first kiss or a quiet walk under the rain. She mused Akane might enjoy something like that, although Ranma would mutter something about curses, rain and stupid fathers...
She lost her smile. Given the present situation Akane and Ranma were stuck into, it was highly improbable they'd share a walk, be it under rain or sun. She sighed, leaving her cup on the table, her hands on her thighs. She looked over the window and sighed again.
"Does something bother you, Kasumi-san?" asked Tofu, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I was just thinking about Akane and Ranma"
"Oh, the couple of the year". He grinned.
She smiled, it would be a funny description of them, wasn't the situation so complicated.
"Oh, I thought WE were the couple of the year"- Tofu blushed and bowed his head, while she giggled, hiding her smile behind her hand.- I was... -the smile was gone again.-I wonder what will come out of this. My sister is... oh, you know her since she was a little child, you know how much of a tomboy she is, how she takes everything to heart and how she usually reacts. I'm worried about her. I fear she's bottling up her emotions. At first I thought she was taking a bit of control over her life, but now... I don't know, she seems so cold. And she refuses to talk to anyone. I believe she hasn't taken too well that Ranma is training Ukyo. You know how much she values her martial arts. I know Ranma can act pretty foolishly sometimes, but I don't think he wanted to hurt her feelings. He has a knack about stuck in the weirdest situations. I thought she would react in some way, but now I don't know. She goes everyday to Mousse's flat and stays out until late. The last three days she came home nearly at midnight and I could tell she had been crying. I fear she may burst out and let out all her frustration in a big bang.
"Do you want me to talk to her?"
"Do you think you could do that? It would be a great help. And if you could talk to Mousse too... They've both been a support to each other lately. Perhaps she confides in him much more than she trust us, I mean, as her family, we haven't been a great help. Father tends to mess up every time he tries something and Nabiki... well, she won't do anything for free"
Was that some sort of disapproval? Tofu was a bit surprised.
"Well, I will try and speak to her and ask Mousse for some help"- He had the feeling there was something missing...- Who's going to do the talking with Ranma?"
Kasumi sighed and sipped her tea. Her throat was a bit sore.
"I don't know. I'm not sure I could do it myself, either he'd dismiss me with a wave of his hand or stay all stricken by the fact that I can speak of something else that is not cooking or doing the house- she giggled a bit- . I'm not sure he would listen to me"
"And Mrs. Saotome?"
"I have my doubts, she has some peculiar views about the way children should be raised; I think she likes Akane, but I don't know how she feels about the other girls, other than thinking her son's very manly for being so much pursued..."
They chuckled. Tofu served her some more tea, while pondering over this news. They drank in companionable silence. Love is surely a magical spring, not too different from Jusenkyo: it could work as a curse too...
He sighed inwardly. He remembered the trick he had played on Ranma the first time they met. Either he'd have to do it a few thousand times... or perhaps they just weren't made to be together. He grimaced at the thought, they were so... right for each other.
If only they had time to smooth their rough sides.... He smiled a bit.
"May I ask what were you thinking about, Tofu-san? I jut saw you change your expression from dislike to a smile in just a few seconds- she smiled-. I'm curious".
He smiled again, more broadly now. How could she be so perceptive?
"I was thinking about those two lovebirds. I just thought they resembled some rough, uncut diamond and some kind of artisan trying to get a nice piece of jewellery out of them".
She giggled. It was a good analogy...
They're both so hard and so fragile at the same time...
One little, badly placed stroke and the hardest diamond could break in a thousand pieces.
***************
It was already Wednesday and it seemed like that withered old lady was just waiting to baptize him like every other day. Some day she would... Ranma- chan humphed; looking for some hot water. She was too late to take the short cut to Tofu's clinic, but she would be late anyhow...
She managed to get some hot-water from a stand-out tea shop. Where did Akane get the teakettles all those times he had been splashed with cold water? He'd have to ask her sometime. Well, if she ever talk to him again. Three days and they still didn't cross a word, either at school or at home. He hardly ever saw her; except for the classes they shared, and he didn't get any chance for a spare minute, with Ukyo hanging all over him.
He could have refused, he should have refused to train her. What did he know about okonomiyaki, after all, except they were fine to eat? And perhaps he had overrated Ukyo. How could she not figure out what was her strongest emotion?
Here we go...
He sighed, and mentally bopped his head, trying to remember that wasn't a manly thing to do. He was going nowhere. Oh, certainly he wanted to help his childhood's friend, but nothing else. And he was feeling like he was some sort of price to be shown, when Ukyo made her way through the courtyard, her arm around his. It bothered him. But it had been his big mouth to get him here... He was stuck.
He sneaked a glance at Akane first after he managed to get into class. She was pale, with a blue shadow under her eyes. He knew she arrived late these last days. He always got an uneasy sleep when she wasn't at home, he just drifted from vigil to sleep until she walked into her bedroom. He knew it, it had been a fact for the last 4 months, but he just didn't want to know why. There would be time later.
Chapter 7 B. Training time.
*Updated A.N.: Thanks for your review Vivi, I'm afraid you were right, that update I made yesterday was too short, but I just had to reconstruct all the story from a first script I wrote 7 months ago. The training time took less than 200 words to be described then, but when I made my review a few weeks ago, I felt there was a lot missing. It may take a bit before I finish this chapter. Ch. 8 is almost finished and 9 is on the run. Be patient. And please, R&R.
A.N. 1. Am I being too hard on poor Ranma? I had a look back at the story and it seems I forgot about him, specially when he is one of the main characters of the little drama... I tried to look at the situation from the wedding on from his point of view and came up with some conclusions about the consequences of his training trip with his father. It is indeed a dead weight on his shoulders and I have tried to insinuate it (or say it clearly, most of the time) through the story. I know I should have focused on him a bit more, I realized about it when I reviewed the last chapter. The problem is I wrote the first chapter, the only one I didn't make any change, about 7 months ago. The style in the first chapter and the latest 4 is different. I will have Ranma making some introspection some time soon, really soon.
Thanks, Christina, you were really great, and the former review did boost my ego. I hope it doesn't grow to some epic proportions, though.
Thanks also to Taechunsa for your review, it was encouraging, clear and straight to the point. It wasn't my idea to make Akane's story with Mousse so easy, I'm not so sure it would be interesting, though.
I will give it a thought about a final A/R. The story I read about an A/M pairing was pretty particular. And just now I find that the wonderful Brianna Aisling has written something in the way my fic was going... (I'm so jealous...)
Did I really give the impression Akane and Mousse mature in a short time? Then I didn't express myself too well; about four months since the wedding have gone by (more than two months pass by in the first chapter). Four months can change a lot of things. The wedding was a milestone for Akane, I think I should explain more clearly here what was Mousse' one.
Akane is still far from mature. I mean, she smashed an innocent chessboard just because she lost a game... It's just that she knows what she likes, (note, not what she WANTS) and what she is or it not ready to take. I just made out of her a good student, nothing else. She's still too proud and she keeps jumping to conclusions, though it doesn't seem so obvious here. If she was mature enough, she'd confront Ranma and ask him why he's training Ukyo, instead, she instantly thinks he doesn't care about her.
She improves her martial arts mostly because she's taking it seriously and Mousse is a good help, but I will never have her overpowering Ranma or something similar, nor Mousse, for what matters (sorry, Christina).
I've gone through all the other ff I'm writing and I rescued a few ideas from one I don't feel like I will finish, because it lacks something. I think they will fit quite well here and I hope you will like the results.
A.N. 2. Where are Shampoo and Cologne? And Kasumi, for what matters?
I was a bit tired of seeing her depicted as an oblivious person, lost in her cooking and cleaning role (I'd rather say asphyxiated). I think she is intelligent and somewhat ironical (have you read the book 5, I mean the manga, about the Nekoken? Then you might know what I am talking about).
However, I'm not that proud for making Kasumi tell Shampoo off (ch.4), but frankly, she is the only one with the authority to do something of the kind. She didn't feel good about it, either.
So, the morning of the first day of the training period was long enough. I won't go into details about all the week (too tiring), just point out what I think would be more interesting.
A.N.3. Isn't there any Mousse's fan somewhere? I'm trying to make him a co- star without Shampoo and nobody says anything about him!!!
After too much ranting (and I hope you're not flying daggers at me), on with the story.
****************
I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But stil the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time
David Bowie, Hunky Dory, 1972.
**********
Akane sighed. School was over for today. She left in a hurry with her friends, before Ranma could approach her. Perhaps for the first time ever she was glad to see Ukyo perched on his arm and dragging him outside, talking about the training. She didn't want to see him, not today, anyways. That's why she had thrown away his note.
She waved her friends goodbye and headed home. She had a quick dinner and left for Mousse's flat. She hoped, she prayed with all her heart that routine would keep her mind occupied.
Mousse greeted her. She had to be really depressed to keep her temper in check that way. Her greeting screamed of despair.
She needs something different to keep her interest awake. He could picture her studying and drowning in her depression. A break in the routine was called for.
"Say, Akane, have you ever played Ping-Pong?" It was the best he could come up with in so short time.
"Uh, no, not that I remember"
"Why don't we go to the park and play a game or two? You look like you need some fresh air -she gave him a sad smile at that-. We could do our homework later, it won't take long. It might be good for our training..."
"Why?" He had her full interest by now.
"It hightens your reflexes and speed. Com'on, I really want to give it a try. I've never been able to play it with my poor eye-sight, but now that I wear lenses, it should be fine".
She had a hesitant but expectant look in her eyes.
"Oh, I'm taking the chess board, too. We don't want to lose any practice, right?" He grinned.
"Oh, pout". She got a bit angry, but she was smiling by now. "Someday, Mousse, I will beat you, I promise". She was pointing her finger at him in what intended to be a threatening way.
"You can try as much as you want". He was still grinning when she bopped his arm. "Let's go".
***********
Ping-Pong was real fun; once they got the pads and balls, they got into a pretty fast rhythm in some minutes. Akane had a lot of trouble at first to control her strength, but soon fell into a steady cadence.
After over an hour; they went for chess. Games were getting a lot more interesting lately and Akane came up with some moves that made him sweat sometimes, but she still tended to rush into finishing the game as soon as possible, so she made mistakes. Well, she wasn't doing too badly, either.
He had tried once to play chess with Shampoo, but she had refused, saying something along the line of it being a dumb game, only apt for weaklings like him. He grimaced and thinned his lips.
Stop thinking about her, you were doing fine so far...
He focused again on chess. He had lost a tower in that mishap.
******
Shampoo was not interested in chess in that precise moment or at any other time of the day. Since Mousse had deserted them (she skipped the part of her great-grandma making him an outcast in a not very kind way), she was working overtime from breakfast to the latest dinner. She was completely worn out when she finished her day, too tired to try and visit Ranma, even knowing that she was not allowed to do it as long as it involved stepping on the Tendo's property. Cologne had admonished her pretty harshly for admitting to Kasumi that she was the head of the Tendo clan, for the prohibition took effect instantly. They had not expected something like that from her, they had always deemed her as harmless, but perhaps there was something more to her than she let on.
And Mousse? She wondered what he could be doing. Not that she cared for him. She was just curious. The last time she saw him was also that last night she had been to the Tendo's.
She had expected him to come by when he was restored from his broken arm and pledge his eternal love to her. He was so funny. And he made up for an excellent punching bag whenever she was stressed. He also managed to boost her ego with his declarations of eternal love, especially when she had just failed from one of her schemes to win Ranma.
She grimaced. She hardly ever had time to chase her husband and when she did, the results were not at all to her liking. She had asked her great- grandma to use some spell, but she refused, saying they could not be trusted at 100%.
She sighed. She would welcome anything or anyone to get her self-steem back. The leering crowds at the Neko-hanten just made her sick.
She snorted.
Mousse, you dork, where are you?
************
Kenji's victory had been based on a multiple attack with mini spatulas. From Ukyo's description and her scratches, it must be very much alike Kodachi's "thousand clubs attack". He finished with a final blow from his giant spatula. It seems it ran in the family.
Ranma was analyzing the way Ukyo moved. He had tried to show her to keep her arms tighter around her body, but she took it as an offer to lay on his chest and she made him nervous, so he let her go to practice all alone while he made his remarks.
Disarming Kenji might take too long, going one to one after his spatulas, and he could still produce a lot of harm. What could he teach Ukyo? Ranma pondered. He already knew well her style and there wasn't much space left for creating something new.
Unless... what about chi-infused spatulas? He doubted Ukyo would be in total control of herself and her chi to produce a chi-blast, but to work on something she already knew well should be easy and he knew she could focus a strong emotion on them: her love for okonomiyaki. He still remembered about the 10-year sauce story. She had fallen in some short of trance when he had drank all the sauce and she tried to cook him like he was one of her crepes.
He grinned. This would do. He would test his idea the following day.
**************
Akane made a late trip to the library. She didn't feel like going home. She pressed her hand on her chest, it felt so tight...
I must have caught a cold or something...
She picked some random books, going through them without really seeing anything.
She felt a sting on the corner of her left eye. Then a tear would run along her cheek.
There's too much dust in these damned books...
Her vision blurred, she was making a pool over a medical manual.
Who am I kidding?
She closed the book and threw it away. She sat on the floor, her knees bent and her head laying on them, her arms holding her legs. And she cried.
*************
The following day was pretty much the same, though Kasumi was a bit more insistent than Akane woke up Ranma and walk to school with him. The fact was that Akane did call him, but did not use violence against him like in the past, so he never got up in time. Kasumi certainly wasn't ready to use that unkind method to do it herself...
I guess I will have to buy a clock or something she sighed. Genma's attitude was not her ideal of a good start for the day.
Akane kept avoiding Ranma as much as she could when Ukyo was not around. She bit her lips when Ukyo made some remarks about her training session in the girls changing room. Like she needed more salt in her wound.
The day was too long to her liking, she just wanted to get away from everything. She'd thought about playing truant and spend the day out, but finals were just a month away, she could not miss her classes. She had again a quick dinner after classes and rushed to meet Mousse.
*************
"Ucchan, I've been thinking about your fighting style. I don't think I can help much -she paled a bit-, mostly because I never rely on weapons and you wouldn't be up to the challenge on time if I had to teach you to fight barehanded..."
"You mean you're not going to help me?" her mouth was quivering a little bit.
"No, that's not what I meant. I -he scratched the back of his head- ... I think I have something that will work for you. Can you pick up one of your mini spatulas and hold it in your hand?"
"Yeah, sure". She did as was asked.
"Now, I want you to concentrate on an emotion, a strong one".
"That will be easy -she chirped- I just have to think of how much I love you!"
Ranma grimaced. He had feared something like this...
"Whatever, just focus on it and try to drive that feeling through you arm and into that spatula"
What? Why would her Ranchan ask her something so weird? She frowned.
"Just do what I say" he said reassuring.
She shrugged, ready to start. She thought about her childhood, the few months spent with little Ranma and their daily fights and adventures. Then, their first meeting in Nerima, when he had called her cute, and then all the dreams she had about their future life, running her restaurant together, raising one or two kids...
Ukyo was smiling from ear to ear, but as far as Ranma could see, she wasn't in the proper state of mind to do the trick he had asked. It would take long before she realized about it.
***************
By the end of the evening they had called it quits and left for home. Ukyo felt... defeated. She had been trying so hard all the day to get her way with that technique her Ran-chan had suggested, but didn't get any result so far. She felt beaten up.
I've only got 5 days left. What if I don't learn it before?
She had asked Ranma to train her in a physical sense, it would give her a chance to get near him too. It's not a sing to be after his gorgeous body, after all, but he had refused after that first day, when he had shown her the way to keep her defense shut.
It felt so good...
She sighed, a slight blush on her cheeks. When she had tried to channel that thought into her arms and her spatula, nothing came out.
What did she have to expect from that kind of training, in the end? He hadn't said a word. What did he want, that she figured it out herself? Frankly, sometimes, her Ran-chan could be so... obnoxious. But he was the best martial artist in the world, so he had to know what he was talking about, and if he said 'Do this', she'd do it!
She had closed the restaurant for the week, just to have enough time to train. She could have relied on Konatsu to run it for her, but, well, he wasn't the best business manager in town.
I know just what's bugging me, I haven't prepared any okonomiyaki since lunch...
She turned on the grill and prepared the mix in a few minutes, all lost in her task. This was her element and she felt as a fish in a pond in the kitchen.
Not like certain people...
She mused, smiling a bit, about Akane's obvious lack of cooking skills. How in the hell could she be so... bad? Her loss, anyway, it that allowed her to get a much cozier spot near Ran-chan's heart.
She got lost in her art. If someone had looked at her, he would have thought she was performing some sort of a dance with her spatulas, the bowls of ingredients and the batter. She was glowing in the joy of cooking.
She made some small, heart-shaped okonomiyakis and tasted one.
Ummm, delicious...
She ate some and then cleared the grill and the table, leaving everything clean and neat. She yawned.
Time for bed, I guess
It wasn't very late, but she felt tired, anyway.
I will try that trick tomorrow...
***************
Kasumi sipped her tea. The dinner out with Tofu had been wonderful so far. The ikanosusomaki in particular was delicious. She gave him a bright smile. There was no engagement in her case, Tofu had managed somehow to convince her (and her father) that it would be better to get to know one another before taking any other step. His eyes still fogged up sometimes, when they shared a particular close experience, like their first kiss or a quiet walk under the rain. She mused Akane might enjoy something like that, although Ranma would mutter something about curses, rain and stupid fathers...
She lost her smile. Given the present situation Akane and Ranma were stuck into, it was highly improbable they'd share a walk, be it under rain or sun. She sighed, leaving her cup on the table, her hands on her thighs. She looked over the window and sighed again.
"Does something bother you, Kasumi-san?" asked Tofu, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I was just thinking about Akane and Ranma"
"Oh, the couple of the year". He grinned.
She smiled, it would be a funny description of them, wasn't the situation so complicated.
"Oh, I thought WE were the couple of the year"- Tofu blushed and bowed his head, while she giggled, hiding her smile behind her hand.- I was... -the smile was gone again.-I wonder what will come out of this. My sister is... oh, you know her since she was a little child, you know how much of a tomboy she is, how she takes everything to heart and how she usually reacts. I'm worried about her. I fear she's bottling up her emotions. At first I thought she was taking a bit of control over her life, but now... I don't know, she seems so cold. And she refuses to talk to anyone. I believe she hasn't taken too well that Ranma is training Ukyo. You know how much she values her martial arts. I know Ranma can act pretty foolishly sometimes, but I don't think he wanted to hurt her feelings. He has a knack about stuck in the weirdest situations. I thought she would react in some way, but now I don't know. She goes everyday to Mousse's flat and stays out until late. The last three days she came home nearly at midnight and I could tell she had been crying. I fear she may burst out and let out all her frustration in a big bang.
"Do you want me to talk to her?"
"Do you think you could do that? It would be a great help. And if you could talk to Mousse too... They've both been a support to each other lately. Perhaps she confides in him much more than she trust us, I mean, as her family, we haven't been a great help. Father tends to mess up every time he tries something and Nabiki... well, she won't do anything for free"
Was that some sort of disapproval? Tofu was a bit surprised.
"Well, I will try and speak to her and ask Mousse for some help"- He had the feeling there was something missing...- Who's going to do the talking with Ranma?"
Kasumi sighed and sipped her tea. Her throat was a bit sore.
"I don't know. I'm not sure I could do it myself, either he'd dismiss me with a wave of his hand or stay all stricken by the fact that I can speak of something else that is not cooking or doing the house- she giggled a bit- . I'm not sure he would listen to me"
"And Mrs. Saotome?"
"I have my doubts, she has some peculiar views about the way children should be raised; I think she likes Akane, but I don't know how she feels about the other girls, other than thinking her son's very manly for being so much pursued..."
They chuckled. Tofu served her some more tea, while pondering over this news. They drank in companionable silence. Love is surely a magical spring, not too different from Jusenkyo: it could work as a curse too...
He sighed inwardly. He remembered the trick he had played on Ranma the first time they met. Either he'd have to do it a few thousand times... or perhaps they just weren't made to be together. He grimaced at the thought, they were so... right for each other.
If only they had time to smooth their rough sides.... He smiled a bit.
"May I ask what were you thinking about, Tofu-san? I jut saw you change your expression from dislike to a smile in just a few seconds- she smiled-. I'm curious".
He smiled again, more broadly now. How could she be so perceptive?
"I was thinking about those two lovebirds. I just thought they resembled some rough, uncut diamond and some kind of artisan trying to get a nice piece of jewellery out of them".
She giggled. It was a good analogy...
They're both so hard and so fragile at the same time...
One little, badly placed stroke and the hardest diamond could break in a thousand pieces.
***************
It was already Wednesday and it seemed like that withered old lady was just waiting to baptize him like every other day. Some day she would... Ranma- chan humphed; looking for some hot water. She was too late to take the short cut to Tofu's clinic, but she would be late anyhow...
She managed to get some hot-water from a stand-out tea shop. Where did Akane get the teakettles all those times he had been splashed with cold water? He'd have to ask her sometime. Well, if she ever talk to him again. Three days and they still didn't cross a word, either at school or at home. He hardly ever saw her; except for the classes they shared, and he didn't get any chance for a spare minute, with Ukyo hanging all over him.
He could have refused, he should have refused to train her. What did he know about okonomiyaki, after all, except they were fine to eat? And perhaps he had overrated Ukyo. How could she not figure out what was her strongest emotion?
Here we go...
He sighed, and mentally bopped his head, trying to remember that wasn't a manly thing to do. He was going nowhere. Oh, certainly he wanted to help his childhood's friend, but nothing else. And he was feeling like he was some sort of price to be shown, when Ukyo made her way through the courtyard, her arm around his. It bothered him. But it had been his big mouth to get him here... He was stuck.
He sneaked a glance at Akane first after he managed to get into class. She was pale, with a blue shadow under her eyes. He knew she arrived late these last days. He always got an uneasy sleep when she wasn't at home, he just drifted from vigil to sleep until she walked into her bedroom. He knew it, it had been a fact for the last 4 months, but he just didn't want to know why. There would be time later.