The Disaster Sisters: Celestial Interference

Part III: Grim beginnings

By Kalio

Ranma's chest tightened as his breath caught in his throat. Nausea wormed its way through him, and he felt like throwing up. Disgusted, and not wanting to see anymore, he climbed back up onto the roof. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' He said to himself. Told you, said the little voice in his head. You let this happen.

'Shut up! God I was right! He is getting all cozy with Akane...' Its your fault its not you in that guy's place, right now.

'God dammit! You don't have to point that out!' He grumped at the voice intruding his thoughts. 'I know by now, I'm not an idiot.' He could almost hear the voice smirk. Not an idiot, eh? Then why isn't it you in there? You could at least be in there right now, raising hell, if not in his place.

Ranma considered this. Why WASN'T he in there kicking that guy's grass, right now? 'Its 'cause you screwed up, fool! You can't blame it on them, either, I mean, if Akane can't get you to pay attention to her, then why shouldn't she pay attention to someone who does? And you can't blame Tatsuya, either because who wouldn't like Akane... other fiancees excluded, mind you. What's your deal? This is all your fault!

'Didn't I tell you to shut up?' Ranma growled. All I'm saying, is that you could fix this, but you're not doing it. Get some guts, boy!

Instead of answering, Ranma glared up at the stars for cursing him in more ways than one.

***

Fate laughed. It was always fun being the little voice in the back of people's minds. It usually got them into gear. Not to mention the fact that they always knew she was right, whether they liked it or not. So far, it wasn't too horrible. Plus, she didn't have to pull any tricks to get Tatsuya and Akane to like each other. Heaven was really helping out her mission!

***

Akane looked at her watch. 'Hey, its getting late. You might want to go meet with Ranma since you're sharing a room with him and his dad. I'll bet he's on the roof. Do you need a ladder?'

'Nah, I'm good. Is your window frame sturdy?'

'Yea, Ranma goes through it a lot.' Tatsuya frowned and decided he didn't want to think about it now, and pushed it to the back of his thoughts to worry about later.

'Right then, see you later, okay?'

'Yea, `night.' Akane waved as he exited the room.

Tatsuya climbed up to the top of the roof to find Ranma staring at the stars. 'Beautiful night, isn't it?'

Ranma, looked over and sighed; even the roof wasn't safe. 'Yea, amazing.'

'So you're the famous Saotome Ranma, huh?'

'Yea, that's me.' He didn't bother to look over.

'Akane says you're an awesome martial artist.'

Ranma looked over in surprise. 'Sh- she did? - I mean- of course she did; I'm the best there is.'

'Hmm, then I'd like to spar with you, then, sometime. Hey, Akane says you won't teach her anything or even hit her in a match, how come?' Ranma frowned. He didn't like where this was going.

'Dude, I don't hit her because I don't hit girls, especially my fiancee. I won't teach her because the stronger she is, the more danger I'll put her in when freaks come to fight me for her.'

'You know, she can take care of herself, even more if she learned half the techniques you have. Besides, its good for her, I mean, did you ever tell her any of that?'

'She never listens when I tell her.' There was an uncomfortable silence.

Tatsuya looked at his hands. 'So... what's the deal between you two? The scoop?'

'What's there to tell, we're engaged by our parents. It's only a matter of time before they try to get us hitched again.' Tatsuya's eyes went wide.

'Again?'

'Yea, we'd already be married if the wedding wasn't crashed.' They sat silent on the roof for a while. Then...

'Do you... love her?'

'...It doesn't matter, she hates me anyway.' Ranma got up and jumped from the roof to the ground and looked up. 'I assume you can find my room from here?'

'Yea...'

***

Akane fiddled with her pencil, not really sure why she couldn't work on the drawing, but more importantly, why she couldn't just put it away.

Her head snapped to the side when there was a knock on her window.

'Hey, `Kane, open up, it's me.' Akane shuffled about trying to put her drawings away before he saw them.

'Just a minute!' She got up off her bed an let Ranma in. 'What are you doing up so late?' He walked to her bed and sat down.

'I could ask the same of you. Anyway, I wanted to know the deal with this guy, Tatsuya. The real story. I deserve it.'

'He's a nice guy. He offered to train me some, too. Something that you would never do. Not to mention he really likes my-' she stopped. 'Opps!'

'He likes your WHAT?!' Conceding, she sighed.

'He likes my drawings...' Ranma deflated... it certainly wasn't what he expected- to his great relief. His voice grew soft.

'You draw?'

'Yea.'

'... since when?'

'Um, since Mom died, but a lot in the last year.'

'Oh.' The room fell silent. 'So you showed him and you never told me?'

'It's not like that, Ranma, I didn't mean for him to see them... they were sitting on my desk... no one knew I draw until today.'

'So he was in your room?' He asked carefully, knowing full well the answer.

'Yea.' Ranma glowered.

'And?'

'And what?'

'What did he do to you?'

'Nothing Ranma, we just talked. Honestly, and you say I'm jealous!' Ranma growled.

'I don't care! You let him put your arm around you- you never let-' He was interrupted.

'You were spying on me! How could you?!'

'Hey, I was only trying to make sure that creep didn't try nuthin`.' Akane scowled.

'Ranma get out, go to bed. I don't want to talk about it!'

'Fine, see if I ever watch out for you again.'

'I'm not a baby, Ranma, I can take care of myself. As a matter of fact, I did let him put his arm around me.'

'Whatever... Just don't come running to me when things get out of hand.' With one last glance he jumped out the window, disappearing into the darkness.

Akane's curtain waved with the chilly night breeze. Akane pulled her drawing out again with a sad sigh. She stared at the person in the picture. Their serious features seemed etched into the paper like the image was etched in her mind. Almost anyone would have asked her how she could draw their features that perfectly without having them stand still.

Had anyone asked, she would have been embarrassed to tell them that she had memorized every curve of her fiancé's face long ago. 'Ranma...'

***

Ranma bounded from roof top to roof top. It didn't matter where he went so long as he got far away. He was hoping that he could wear himself out, but he had been training so hard recently, that a simple run around town would not tire him in the least. 'Dammit, Akane...' He could feel his ki swirling around him in hot wisps. He picked up his speed to a sprint, hoping that it would do the trick.

After a minute or so, moving at top speed, he stopped, collapsing to the ground, not from exhaustion, but from misery. Breathing hard, he held his head in his hands. This was so out of his control. He never expected Akane to actually fall for someone so soon. His worst nightmare was coming true, and he couldn't do much about it.

For the second time in his life, Ranma was truly afraid of losing Akane to another man...

A/n: Ah! more almost-cliffhangers! Well, at least I still think it is. No worries, I'm already hard at work on Part IV. I want to know, guys, is this too melodramatic? Because I think that it's pushing the line. It will probably get worse, but just to let you know, I have not intention of leaving this story completely humorless. Anyway, let me know what you like, dislike, k? No flames, please. Thanks.