Chapter 1 The next morning
The day started normally, breakfast, fighting with his father over his food, arguing with Akane over absolutely nothing. The same nonsense that always happens. Then it changed. Ranma got up from the table and announced, "I won't be here for lunch, and maybe not dinner. Mom's asked me to spend the day with her alone, so I am going to be there today."
Gemna roared, "What about your training? You're getting weak, son!!"
"Pop, you have had me for ten years, the least you can do is let Mom have me for a day or two, unless of course you'd rather tell her otherwise," Ranma replied. His father cowered in horror. Ranma smirked, then left, saying "See you guys later."
As he neared his mother's home, he heard the warning sound of the bell on Shampoo's bike. As she was about to hit him with the tire as usual, he dodged. Shampoo fell off the bike. She jumped up and attempted to glomp onto him. Ranma grabbed her arms and prevented the hug.
"Nihao, Airen!!" she exclaimed, "Ranma excited to see Shampoo, yes?"
"No, Shampoo, I'm not excited to see you. After what you did at the wedding ceremony, I don't want to see you for a long time. I haven't forgiven you for what you did!"
"Ranma no want to marry Violent Girl!!" Shampoo said, "Ranma belong Shampoo."
"I don't know if I did or not, but I don't belong to you. I'm not a piece of property. Now leave me alone. I have things to do, and you're not part of them," Ranma said, then he pushed her away and ran off.
That evening, after dinner, Ranma entered the Tendo house. He was obviously exhausted. Akane asked, "Ranma, what happened to you?"
"Just some training with Mom. She made me promise not to talk about it, though, not even to you, sorry Akane. I'll be doing this for a week or so. If it's ok, I'm going to bed." With that, he went upstairs.
"He looks beat. What's his mother training him for," Akane wondered.
"I'm not sure I want to know, if it is taking that much out of him, it must be pretty strenuous," Soun said, "Another game, Saotome?"
Sure, think you can beat me? Gemna's sign read.
The next morning, Ranma got up early and went to find Kasumi. As usual, she was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. "Kasumi, I need your help with my training," Ranma began, "I would like you to help me with Pop."
"How can I help?" Kasumi asked. He told her. She giggled and agreed.
At breakfast, everyone sat down. Gemna began trying to steal the food off of Ranma's plate. Kasumi said sharply, well sharply for Kasumi that is, "Mr. Saotome, I haven't really said anything about your fighting at the table, but I have had enough of it. If you can't behave at the table, I'm afraid I won't be cooking for you anymore." Everyone froze in astonishment. Gemna stared, a bead of sweat formed and dropped.
"Gomen, nasai," he said, bowing, "I am sorry for my behavior."
Kasumi smiled, then continued, "Also, the fighting inside the house must stop, the repairs are getting entirely too expensive."
Nabiki chimed in, "Our budget really can't handle much more, unless of course, one of you would consider getting a job," she said with an evil glint in her eye.
Gemna turned into a panda, I'm just a cute panda his sign said as he juggled a beach ball.
Ranma turned to Nabiki, "I'm sorry for my part in the damage, Nabiki, though I think those pictures you took of me makes up for it," he said. Nabiki froze, and then nodded her head. "Any way, it's time for me to go. I'll be at Mom's all day again." With that he ran off. The rest of the week went much the same, except for breakfast being much more peaceful. Ranma and Akane even managed not to insult each other.
That Saturday evening, Ranma manage to get home in time for dinner. He wasn't looking nearly as exhausted as he had been the previous days. After dinner, Akane went up to her room to read. She heard on knock on her door, "Akane, can we talk for a minute?" Ranma asked. Akane went to the door and opened it, motioning Ranma to come in.
"Thanks, Akane. Mom said I could tell you what I was doing if you're interested, that is?" he asked. She nodded. He then knelt on the floor, and bowed, saying "Gomen, nasai, Akane."
She looked startled, Ranma apologizing to me. "Ne?" she said.
"I need to apologize for all of the insults, Akane. I realize now how much they must have hurt ya, and I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean them."
She said softly, "Ranma, this isn't like you, what is going on?"
He said, "I went to Mom for some help. I guess I realized that many of the problems in my life are because I don't know how to treat people correctly. After all, imagine Pop as a role model. So I asked her to help me train myself to be better. It was really tough, the hardest martial arts I have ever tried to learn, but she made it a challenge to learn, and you know me, I can't turn down a challenge."
Akane giggled a little, "Yeah, that always works. So what did she train you in?"
"The school of martial arts politeness, among other things," he said, with a grin.
"Ranma, I'm not sure I can forgive you yet, please give me a little time. Not all of it is your fault. I get angry with you too easily, and that helps cause the fights," she said.
"Yeah, there's some truth to that. I don't like being called a pervert, or baka, myself, and if you would listen before getting angry with me, it would help. That's not to say I don't deserve you getting mad at me sometimes, I know I say and do things that make you mad. I want to try to get better there, I want to try to be nicer to you" Ranma replied, "Remember what you asked when you first met me? I do want to be friends with you."
Akane nodded, and said softly, "So would I. Do you think your mom would train me? If you're going to start growing up, I guess I need to too."