Ranma 1/2 Overtime: Chapter 4

Aftermath of a Rushed Wedding! Who'd Have Thought?

By Xasonnex

Disclaimer: All named characters are owned by either Rumiko Takahashi herself, or one of her partners in media. I make no claim on them; this story is not for profit. Anyone who has not yet done so should read as much of the official Ranma manga by Viz as possible, even if you've already read translations and synopses online.

The public transit train passed noisily by building after building, rain sheeting off of the dull yellow exterior. Inside, its passengers were grateful for the protection from the elements. They were quiet, mostly, umbrellas dripping and many clothes were still damp from time spent unfortunately in the rain. Among those passengers was a couple that were being unnaturally quiet, considering what had only recently transpired between them.

Less than an hour beforehand, they'd professed their mutual love and accepted each other's. Less than half an hour ago, they'd been married. They had boarded the train two stations ago and managed to find two empty seats next to one another. They hadn't spoken more than a couple of words to each other since they'd been seated.

Ranma Saotome shifted nervously in his seat. He glanced to his left, taking in his new wife. Akane Tendo was looking down at her lap, their marriage contract in her hands. Her expression neither positive nor negative in appearance, Ranma wondered now if she'd regretted her decision to reveal the certificate's existence to him, without it they wouldn't be married now and the engagements to Ukyou and Shampoo would have been restored. He felt in his pocket the contract he'd been given. Maybe it would have been better to sign that one. He'd been too late in finding Akane to fulfill it though, and had to settle for an immediate marriage. He knew he'd have preferred a little time between now and the actual wedding, instead of cramming a cross-Tokyo chase and emotional confrontation that resulted in marriage into a single afternoon.

As Akane turned to him and gave him a weak smile, he returned it before looking down at his own lap. "She kissed me," he thought, "it bein' her idea and everything! I can't believe that happened. Hell, I can't believe any of this has happened!' He looked across the aisle at a window, trying to get a feel for how far along they were on their journey. "Maybe another twenty minutes. I wonder how Mom an' Cologne are gonna react to this."

"He said it," Akane thought to herself. "He finally admitted he loves me. And what do I go and do? I marry him. I marry the jerk! And why?" Akane glanced over to see Ranma bouncing one knee up and down; he never could keep still unless he was sleeping. "Because somehow I love him too. God I wish he'd say something to me! He's acting like a criminal who just got a life sentence instead of the death penalty!" She fought back the urge to grab his hand and hold it. "I wonder if we're acting too fast? Too late now. Oh well, at least getting married tonight was my idea. She looked down at her lap "The kiss too," she thought, unable to force down a smirk.

Ranma was fighting duel urges. On the one hand, part of him wanted to grab Akane and never let go now that he knew she loved him. The other part was feeling overwhelmed and wanted to just run far, far away. He wasn't ready to be married! This was it, single life was over. Now he'd be expected to take over the dojo for sure, and he and Akane would be expected to have... well, heirs. THAT thought scared the Hell out of the young groom. He'd hardly been raised right, there was no way he knew how to be a father! He wondered ideally if his mother would let them wait to have kids or if that would be considered "unmanly." Further thought was interrupted.

"Ranma," Akane spoke softly, facing him. "It just occurred to me. One of us is going to have to take the other's family name. I'd like it to be our choice." "Especially since we've had so little since this whole thing started," she mentally added. When Ranma didn't immediately respond, she continued aloud. "I don't know if our parents have even discussed his. I, I'm willing to go either way." She looked into his deer-caught-in-the-headlight eyes. C'mon, what do you think?"

"I, uh," Ranma stammered. He'd forgotten all about that! "I dunno. Never gave it much thought."

"Akane Saotome," Akane said, testing how it sounded.

"Ranma Tendo," Ranma echoed. A thin smile crossed his lips. "Heh, it'd almost be worth it just ta tick off everyone who'll have to change 'Ranma Saotome, prepare to die' to 'Ranma Tendo, prepare to die!'"

Akane could have suppressed her giggle but chose not to. "Yea. Sounds OK too. Besides, it's a whole two syllables shorter, so they'd probably like getting to pummel you that much faster."

"Akane Saotome it is, then!" Ranma joked back. "And don't you mean 'getting pummeled BY me?'" They both chuckled before silence returned. Ranma flexed his hand, wondering whether or not to hold Akane's. It wouldn't be the first time, but was the moment right? His flexing turned into twitching before balling up into a fist. He almost jumped as Akane placed her hand on his.

"It's all right Ranma, we don't have to decide just this moment."

"Yea, we do." Ranma was surprised how much conviction was behind this statement. "I chose you. WE decided to marry. I don't like bein' hurried into this, but I want US to make as many 'o the decisions as we can."

As Akane's heart fluttered she played with Ranma's fist, trying to get him to hold her hand and was surprised how eager he was to respond. It wasn't Ranma's insistence that they make the decisions that got to her; it was that for the first time since the park gazebo he'd repeated that he'd chosen to marry her. That it was is choice meant a lot to her.

"Y'know, lookin' at it," Ranma began, "I think that it's more appropriate that I take your name."

"Really?"

"Yea. I mean, what do I bring to the marriage? Me, and just me. You," Ranma squeezed her hand lightly, "you bring the dojo and two sister-in-laws for me. And your family has a lot more going for it. I don't know if the Saotome name will ever recover from Pop's antics."

"I don't care about sense, Ranma." Akane got a little mad at how little feeling Ranma was putting into his decision. "I've already told you I'd be willing to take your name, its reputation doesn't bother me. What do YOU want?"

"To make you happy." Ranma, not used to being so honest with his feelings and not knowing how to act, looked away. "I lo... respect you, and I'll respect your decision."

'What's the matter," Akane was more agitated. "You said it an hour ago. Now you don't love me?" Akane didn't care that they were drawing a little attention from other passengers.

"I love you, it's just," he placed his head in his other hand. "I ain't used to sayin' it. Believing it. I'm sorry." He looked directly into her eyes. "Akane Tendo, I love you. Don't doubt it or forget it." He wasn't lying, just saying it left him breathless.

Akane softened at this. "I know, it's just that I'm not use to admitting it either." Again with the silence.

After a long couple of minutes, Ranma spoke. "I'm taking the Tendo name. If Mom and Pop don't like it, well they're young enough to have another kid. I'm sure I got cousins with that name anyway, let them carry it on."

"You're absolutely sure?" Akane had to admit; it would be easier to not have to learn to sign her name differently.

"Yea."

At the Saotome house, Cologne and Nodoka awaited Ranma and Akane's arrival. Ryoga's call couldn't have been closer to the deadline, Nodoka remembered putting the phone down and looking out the window to a sunless sky.

"Is there anything you'd like?" the Saotome asked the Amazon Elder.

"Just to know what's going on. You have been most hospitable." She sighed. "What on earth could they have signed? Not our contract, the wording was much too clear that they had to BE here by sundown."

Nodoka glanced out the window at the continuing rain. "We'll know soon enough."

Back on the train Akane didn't feel like staying quiet. They were only going to be alone for a bit longer, and she was going to make the most of it. She began to think of another subject for conversation.

Ranma was getting bored. They'd settled on the name issue and the train still wasn't at the station they needed. He could hardly stand to sit still.

"Hey Ranma," Akane started.

"Hm?" Ranma turned to face his wife.

"When did you fall in love with me?" Akane didn't know why she asked that of all questions, but couldn't help admitting she'd like to know.

Ranma stared at her, wide-eyed. "Uh... Never thought about it, why?"

"Just curious," said Akane, shrugging.

"Hang on, "Ranma took his hand that wasn't holding Akane's and started rubbing his temples, as if it would help him think. "Let's see... already loved you then... how about? No, then too... hmmm...I THINK I already loved you then..."

It was Akane's turn to be wide-eyed. "So it's been a while, has it?"

"Lookin' back, yea. I can't really remember when for sure." He turned to face her, his hand back on his lap. "Jeeze, I don't think I really fell, you know? It just happened along the way. Wouldj'a settle for when I knew I liked you?"

"Sure." It wasn't the answer she was looking for, but she'd settle for it all right.

"First day we met," he stated without missing a beat.

Realization dawned on Akane's face. "Oh-ho," she began, slanting her eyes. "It's clear now, you liked seeing everything I had when I walked in on you."

"What? No no no, it was before then," Ranma retorted as he raised his spare hand in a defensive manner.

Akane continued unfazed. "When you learned how much better you were at Kempo than me?"

"No!" Ranma wanted to clear this up A.S.A.P.. "When we first met. Ya smiled and asked if I wanted to be friends." He waited a second for those words to sink in before continuing. "I ain't had many friends, and you were bein' real nice. Plus," he began before Akane could respond; "I thought you looked kinda cute when ya smiled."

What anger Akane had been feeling began to melt away. "Really?"

"Yea."

"Wow." To find out Ranma liked her from day one took Akane by surprise. It was a bit later that she had started to like Ranma. Now she felt a little guilty.

"So what about you?" Ranma asked. "When did you fall for me?"

"We're here," Akane announced, evading the question. She let go of Ranma's hand and bent over to pick up her bag, taking the time to put the wedding contract back in it.

Ranma looked out the window to see that they were indeed at their station. Disappointed that his question wasn't answered, he picked up the umbrella and thermos he'd borrowed from Ryoga. Standing up simultaneously with Akane, they waited for the train to come to a complete stop and the doors to open, and set off.

Umbrella held close to both by Ranma, their trip to Nodoka's was quiet and uneventful. Ranma wondered if he should ask his question to Akane again and thought against it.

Akane was nervous. Her time on the train talking to Ranma had eased her mind, but the old anxiety was back. How would Cologne respond to this? Would she accept it or challenge it?

It didn't take long before the arrived at their destination. As they stood, gathering their courage at the doorstep, they looked at each other. With his hand that was not holding the umbrella, Ranma took Akane's hand and gave it a squeeze for courage. Akane returned the gesture. Looking back ahead, they proceeded to enter the Saotome domicile. No sooner than they closed the door behind them and announced their presence, the rain outside stopped. A few seconds later, the door was cracked open and Ranma glanced skyward.

"I heard that."

"...and so we got Ryoga to sign as a witness." Ranma was wrapping up an abbreviated version of how the day's events had transpired. He looked at Cologne. "I figured you wouldn't challenge him sayin' it happened."

"After all," Akane added, "you've trained him too. Surely you trust him a lot to teach him the breaking point."

Cologne sat back, her face unreadable, pondering. Nodoka fought back tears of joy; her plan had worked! Not exactly as she planed it, but she was happy with the result. The two matriarchs were sitting on one side of the dining area table, Ranma and Akane kneeling next to each other on the other side.

Akane took out the certificate from her book bag and placed it on the table. "Here's the form I told you about."

For the first time since 'story time' began Cologne moved. She reached out and took the contract, examining it. "It is as you say," she stated. She turned to Nodoka. "Your signature is on this. You maintain that you had no knowledge of the priests predated signature and acceptance?" As Mrs. Saotome nodded, Cologne continued. " I suppose I could challenge this, I doubt it would hold up in a court of law, and it is not entirely within the bounds of the contract I had agreed to."

Ranma steeled himself and Akane gulped audibly. "Hey," Ranma began, "you're the one that pushed for the earlier wedding dates anyway!"

"I know that. And just because I could challenge this does not mean that I will. In fact," Cologne shifted her gaze to Akane, "ultimately I believe it would be a waste of time. You have chosen each other and I doubt I could change your minds. And any attempt to remove you," she indicated to Akane, "from the equation permanently would prove to be counterproductive in acquiring you," she looked at Ranma, " for our family. Do you agree with this assessment?"

Ranma nodded. "I ain't marryin' no one else, ever."

"Then I accept this arrangement and congratulate the both of you." Cologne smiled thinly, but warmly.

The newlyweds were speechless as Nodoka spoke. "Wonderful! Thank you for your cooperation."

"You are welcome," Cologne responded, and then turned to face the couple before her. "But don't think that just because Ranma can no longer marry Shampoo that we are finished."

"Wadda ya mean?" Ranma could feel a shiver of cold ice run down his back. Akane unconsciously leaned closer to her husband.

"Shampoo's failure has dishonored our entire family. I still hold you responsible for this, and therefore you WILL be involved somehow with the resolution." She narrowed her eyes. "You may never live your life again without us being a factor in it."

Ranma didn't like the sound of that. As he was about to retort, he could feel a nervous sweat already forming on his brow.

Cologne continued before Ranma could interject. "With that said, I would like to change the subject. You," and she pointed at the now former Saotome, "reek."

As a look of confusion found it's way across Ranma's face, Akane leaned further over and took a whiff. "Pshew! She's right Ranma. Your B.O. is terrible!"

"Hey," Ranma objected, "while you and Akari were taking a leisurely stroll with Ryoga, I was literally running around town tryin' to find you!"

Nodoka spoke up. "Regardless of the reason son, why don't you take a bath now? Your clothes are right where you left them."

Akane was pinching her nose, wondering why she hadn't noticed this on the train. "Pleed doo!"

"OK, OK," Ranma said deciding that Cologne was really fine with the situation. He stood to leave. "I'll go." He almost made it through the door before lifting his arm and sniffing.

Nodoka remembered her talk with Kasumi about not pushing them, but couldn't help herself. "If you'd like to join him, you can dear, "she said to Akane. She grinned as she saw her daughter-in-law blush crimson.

"Actually," Cologne interjected before Akane could respond, "if I could, I'd like a few words with Akane alone."

Nodoka was taken aback, but saw no harm. She looked to Akane and took her silence for agreement. "Very well, I'll be in the kitchen." And with that, she left.

"Well dear," Cologne said as she looked at Akane with predatory eyes. "We're all alone now. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

And with that, Akane was trapped alone with the great-grandmother of her most ruthless rival for Ranma's hand. A woman who knew countless special attacks. A woman who knew the pressure points of a human body like the back of her hand. A woman Akane now feared more than ever.

Next: "Cologne's Offer: Devil's Deal, or Heaven's Smile?"

Author's notes: Well, I may not have updated last summer, but this update took less than a year, as opposed to over three for the last chapter. Hope you liked the new chapter size, it's going to be around for at least two more chapters. That's right, I have the next two chapters written on paper, just need to revise them and type them up. And next chapter there will be a treat in my notes. R&R please!