Chapter 5 Next Day
Ranma was heading into town to do some shopping. He was looking for a little present to give to Akane as a thank you for all of the effort she had put into helping him through school. He wasn't paying a lot of attention to what was going on around him, but he wasn't surprised when Cologne the Amazon elder jumped down in front of him.
"Hello, son-in-law" she said dryly, "Mind telling me what is wrong with Shampoo? She came home in tears yesterday and hasn't come out of her bedroom all day."
Ranma winced at the thought of how he must have hurt Shampoo, but he told himself it was for the best. "Hello, Elder," he replied seriously. 'Uh oh,' thought Cologne, 'this isn't good'. "I told her to get out of my life basically and to leave me alone," he finally answered.
"Why on earth did you tell her that?"
"Gee, why do you think? Do you think I like being attacked all of the time, having to worry about potions and what not all of the time? I just got tired of all of the nonsense," Ranma growled. "Here's the bottom line, Cologne, I don't love your great granddaughter. Shoot, right now I don't much like her. For sure, I will never marry her. I'm not about to marry anyone unless I love her and she loves me. Do you understand that?"
"Amazon Law doesn't give you that option," Cologne responded, angrily.
"Amazon Law, why should I care about Amazon Law, old woman? This is Japan, and I'm not an Amazon. Your laws don't apply outside your village! I just didn't want to hurt her feelings." Ranma laughed. Then suddenly, changing his tone, "Listen Elder, you have a problem, not me. Shampoo will never be my wife. You need to stop filling her mind with anything that says anything different. Now you know me, I don't generally hold a grudge, but you two are really beginning to irritate me. The way I look at it, you can either have me as a friend to the Amazons, or an enemy, and right now your actions are pushing me toward being an enemy. I don't think either one of us wants that to happen."
"What do you mean?" asked Cologne.
"Let me put it in simple terms. I have only hated one person in my entire life. He stood between Akane and me and hurt her, and threatened us. I killed him. I don't think you would like it if I got angry. Any more dumb questions?" he ground out between clenched teeth.
"It is a matter of Amazon honor," Cologne replied.
"Honor, my ass. Is it honorable to use potions and spices, to attack from behind with out warning, to hurt defenseless people! You have no honor as far as I can see, but I am willing to leave you and yours alone if you return the favor," he replied, "It is your decision now, Cologne. Like I said, you can have me as a friend, or force me to become your enemy, the one thing you can't do is have me as Shampoo's husband."
"So you have decided where your heart lies finally?" asked Cologne.
"No, I just know where it doesn't, " he answered, "I still have to find out where I want to go with my life, and straighten out some of the mess that my Pop got me into. I have to take one step at a time. One other thing, if any of my friends gets hurt, I won't be happy with you."
"I understand," said Cologne, "I will take Shampoo back to China where she will face her punishment for not winning your heart."
"I don't think you heard me. I said I didn't much like her right now, I never said I didn't consider Shampoo, and for that matter Mousse, friends. It's not her fault you pushed her into a fight that she could never win. If she doesn't want to go to China, then she has friends here to care for her."
Cologne gasped, "What do you mean by that?"
"Like I said, I think of her as a friend. If she gets hurt, I will visit a world of pain upon you and your village. She deserves better than being punished for losing a battle that she could never win," he replied.
"Farewell for now, Ranma. You have given me much to think about," Cologne said as she left.
A few days later Akane and Ranma came walking into the house after visiting Ranma's mother. They were laughing about some of the conversation that they had had with Nodoka. The day was pretty, the food had been excellent as always with Nodoka cooking, and the conversation had been enjoyable. They had had a good time walking back, hadn't run into any of the other fiancées or wannabe's, so life was good. The good mood that they had was obvious as they walked in the door.
They came into the living room, where Soun and Gemna were waiting for them. Gemna asked, "When are you two going to set a date for the wedding and get married, boy? It's been two years since you were engaged after all!" Akane and Ranma began to get angry.
"Akane, you are getting along so well with Ranma, why can't you make us happy and set a date?" Soun added.
That was the final straw. Akane starting crying, and ran upstairs. They heard the sound of the door slamming. "Ranma, what did you do to your fiancée?" growled Gemna.
"I did nothing, Pop," he said angrily, steam rising from his head, "We were having a good time together until you two ruined it talking about the wedding. Why can't you two just…". He finally lost it and booted Gemna into the koi pond. He dragged him out and proceeded to beat him into a panda pretzel.
"Mr. Tendo, leave Akane alone, I think you've done enough today," Ranma said as he reentered the house. He ran upstairs to check on Akane. He heard the sound of her sobbing through the door. He knocked on the door and asked," Akane, can we talk, please?" She opened the door and let him in.
"Why do they always have to spoil everything, Ranma?" she asked sadly.
"They mean well, Akane, but it gets to me too. I know the constant pressure from them is trying to push us apart. I don't want that to happen, but I don't want to be forced into marriage before we are ready, either," Ranma replied, "Is that about what you are feeling?"
Akane said, "Yes, I want us to be able to be friends, no matter what else happens, but I'm not ready to marry anyone yet." She sat there looking downcast. Ranma's heart was nearly broken looking at the obvious pain on her face.
"Maybe we can talk to Mom again and see if she can get them to leave us alone," he said, hoping to cheer her up.
She looked up, smiling wanly, and said, "Thanks, Ranma, for trying to cheer me up, but that won't help. There's really only one thing we can do to make them leave us alone, that will also allow us to be happy."
Ranma sat there thinking, and said sadly, "Yeah, I know. I'm not really happy with that, though, but I guess you're right. Are you sure you're ok with it, though? You know what will happen once we make that announcement."
She just nodded. She hugged him, and then he left through her window onto the roof. He sat up there just staring at the stars wondering what else they could do.