Author: Furiousmonkey
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma
PS: I live in Ireland, so I use English spelling, not American, so don't beat me for that!
Ranma- Love at last!
Chapter 13- Peeking
A/N. Hi everyone!
Once again, sorry this took so long. Bloody mock exams, being sick for the first time in four years, English essays, Paddy's, Poker nights, Study and oral Irish and German exams. They all kept me from pretty much touching the computer, let alone writing my fanfic. Thanks again to all those who read and/or review this story, I'm doing it for you guys. So here we go! Hope you like it! ( Please review!)
" Ahh Saotome! You're awake! Have we got news for you!"
Ranma blinked a few times. What in all God's name are Ryoga and Mousse doing here? And why did Ryoga look like he just went through a blender headfirst?
Ranma propped himself up on his elbows and questioned them,
" Hey guys… look, not that I don't appreciate you being here. But, what in all God's name are you doing here?"
Ryoga growled angrily and raised one of his fists up. Through clenched teeth he spat,
" Right now Ranma? I'm burning with anger after listening to you sleep talk!"
Ryoga let out a louder growl and quickly closed in on the prone Ranma.
Ranma reacted quickly. Within a split second he had leapt to his feet and was in a defensive stance with his arms crossed in front of his chest. But the punch never came, for Mousse had moved just as quickly as Ranma had. Producing a long bamboo cane from his left sleeve, Mousse tripped up Ryoga as he rushed past him. Ryoga bit the dust as he landed face first on the ground.
Before Ryoga could leap to his feet again, Mousse had him pinned against the ground with the bamboo pole. Ryoga could only growl in frustration as the pole pressed down hard between his shoulder blades.
Mousse's smug smile returned as he leaned on the pole. He poked Ryoga hard in the back, generating a grunt from Ryoga. Removing the pole he took a step forward and said,
" As amusing as your strange, dirty, sleep talk is…"
Ranma cut across him right there and then,
" My WHAT? I didn't say nothin'"
Mousse laughed and let the bamboo pole disappear into the depths of his sleeve again,
" Whatever you say Ranma! But like I said, as amusing as it was, we have more important things to deal with right now."
Ranma slowly lowered his arms and he returned to a relaxed position,
" What's going on guys?"
Mousse replied just as Ryoga began picking himself up off the ground
" We need to get ready!"
Ranma's eyebrow was raised as he asked,
" For what?"
Ryoga raised himself to full height and loudly proclaimed,
" Herb's back!"
Tendo Dojo: Ranma's room
Akane had regrouped and was no longer crying. She knelt by herself on the wooden floor, scarf still in her hand. She was gazing sadly upon it. Nabiki had taken up residence several feet away. She was twiddling her thumbs nervously, still not knowing if Akane was going to kill her or not. As her burning cheek kept on reminding her.
Nabiki had just opened her mouth to say something when Akane looked up and at her. Slowly, Nabiki closed her mouth again.
In a soft and sad tone of voice, Akane barely whispered,
" I can't believe he actually kept all of these things. Why?"
Not having a real answer and fear of repercussions caused Nabiki to stay silent.
" I can't believe it!"
Again Nabiki remained silent, but the next thing Akane said took her completely by surprise. It was barely audible.
" I love him…"
This little comment made Nabiki snap to. Completely forgetting her burning cheek, she practically shouted,
" What did you just say?"
Nabiki couldn't believe this. She knew this to be true for a long time of course, but she never expected Akane to say it aloud. Not for another while anyway.
Akane replied a lot louder,
" I said I love him. And if you say that to anyone I'll do a lot worse than smack you. Sister or no!"
Nabiki smiled sheepishly, she had no intention of telling anyone. Her life depended on it. Well, maybe she could divulge this to Kasumi. She had a right to know. Well, Kasumi probably knew already, no need to tell her.
" I promise I won't tell anyone. On our dead mother's grave I swear it!"
Akane looked incredulously at her older sister. The one thing Akane knew Nabiki would not and could not dishonour was her mother's memory. Accepting this promise, Akane stood up, piled Ranma's knick-knacks into their tin, grabbed it and turned towards the door.
" Okay. I believe you will."
And as she limped out of the door she called back,
" And don't forget, run any idea's for that baka's room by me first."
Nabiki quickly called out,
" Will do!"
And with that she let out a huge sigh of relief, fell backwards and wiped her hand across her forehead,
" Phew! I'm still alive!"
Nerima streets: Canal
" He's back?"
Ranma practically shouted at Ryoga,
" What? When? Why?"
Mousse stepped forward and began,
" Our little directionally challenged friend had a little encounter in Hokkaido yesterday."
Ranma raised an eyebrow and questioned Ryoga,
" Hokkaido? Yesterday? How in all the god's names did you get from there to here in one day?"
Ryoga looked embarrassedly at the ground and mumbled something intelligible, causing Ranma to shout,
" Spit it out pig-boy!"
Angrily, Ryoga shouted,
" Because he sent me flying most of the way. That's why!"
Ranma burst out laughing in Ryoga's face and pointed a finger at him,
" Hahahaha! Herb beat you up! Hahaha! That would have never happened to me!"
Ryoga growled angrily and just as Ranma leaned forward, clutching his stomach, Ryoga clocked him over the back of his head.
Ranma's eyes crossed and he slumped to the ground. The last thing he heard before falling unconscious was Mousse shouting,
" Good going pig-boy! Now we have to carry him to the Nekohaten!"
Tendo Dojo: Akane's room
Akane was lying on her bed, still in uniform, staring at the ceiling. Her schoolbag was lying, unused, at the end of the bed. In her left hand she still clutched the scarf which had been Ranma's Christmas present some months beforehand.
Having long since calmed down from the shock in the guest room, Akane was mulling things over in her head.
He obviously likes me. That goes without saying… But how do I get him to act more…fiancé like?… He always gets so flustered… Talking to him probably won't help… He'll just get scared and run away… …and being too forward will just scare him away… I'll have to make slow advances… …Damn him for being stubborn…. …Damn us both for being so bloody stubborn…
Akane shifted slightly before turning on her bed. As she gazed over at her desk, her eyes were drawn to the photo of everyone on Toma's island. But the one person in the picture that stood out to her, was Ranma.
It'd be worth it though… …he has a good heart… even if he hides it with all the bravado and jerk-acting…. …..I guess Nabiki was right though… I'm too young to marry…. I do know he's the one though…all we need is time… …time and practice, we live in the same house and we're engaged… …I guess we should act a bit more like couple's should… …We'll start slowly I guess.
She rose to a sitting position on the bed and grabbed her schoolbag. As she pulled it up to herself, she mumbled,
" Well! Better get my homework finished. I'll have to finish school if I want to help run a dojo".
Nekohaten: Inside
The unconscious Ranma is lying on one of the table's. Around that table, Mousse, Ryoga and Cologne are sitting. Ryoga is arguing loudly with Cologne. Mousse on the other hand is leaning back on his chair staring into the Nekohaten's kitchen, where a certain Chinese girl, with her back turned to him, is standing over the cooker and is singing a quiet song in Mandarin. A glazed smile is covering his face.
" So you're telling me nothing that could help then?"
Ryoga was raging at Cologne; she was, on the other hand speaking in a calm tone of voice while standing on her pole,
" What I'm telling you is, that I'm not telling you anything that could help, because I know nothing that can. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have no idea why Herb and his lackeys are back. Just because they are allied to our tribe, does not mean they tell us everything they do. In fact, we lost all contact with the Musk a month ago. The Elder's of the village were getting worried…"
CRASH
Both Ryoga and Cologne turn to see an incredibly embarrassed Mousse lying on the floor. Cologne began poking fun at the myopic boy,
" Been looking a bit too hard have you sonny?"
Mousse grumbled as he picked himself up.
" Leave me alone you old bat!"
Cologne laughed out loud and croaked,
" Either way don't let Shampoo see you do that."
" Do what great-grandmamma?"
Mousse jumped to his feet and began stammering,
" N-nothing S-Shampoo my love! Never mind her!"
" Oh! Okay then."
Mousse left out a huge sigh of relief, just after Shampoo turned. Having his eyes on the ground he never saw the bowl coming.
CRASH
Once again Mousse was on the ground. This time however, he was covered in Ramen noodles.
" If Mousse want to look at Shampoo, he have to try harder not to be seen!"
Ryoga's tension disappeared and he began laughing loudly at Mousse, who retorted angrily.
" Shut up pig-boy!"
Just then a groan could be heard from behind them. Turning they saw Ranma sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.
Cologne was the first to speak,
" Welcome to, son-in-law! Glad you're with us!"
Ranma rubbed the back of his head some more and said,
"Seriously guys, what's going on? Fill me in, for God's sake!"