Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma or any of the characters, they belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi.

AN: I truly appreciate any kind review, even if there are only few. To the guest reviews as I cannot thank you personally: Thank you for your encouraging words! Here comes a bit content and conversation, as the story must go on.

oOo

There have been few mornings that appeared to be as beautiful as this one. Akane savoured everything, the damp morning air, the misty sky, and the singing of the birds, least to mention the titillating sensation in her belly. She couldn't stop smiling, which was alright as she was the first to rise this morning, so no one would notice the silly grin on her face. Surprisingly, sleep came easy last night, and her dreams were full of wonderful encounters between her and him. What was even superior, it seemed like she did not have to think about what might go wrong: everything seemed to work out like clockwork. The family was occupied with Kasumi's wedding; their suitors were, little by little, retreating, Akane had not even heard of Shampoo for a long time; and school was off so they could completely concentrate on themselves. Moreover, Ranma had offered to practise with her: it wasn't sparing but at least it revolved around the arts. Her enthusiasm was so spurred, that she sprinted her jogging route in a new best time. Huffing she arrived at the dojo, meeting Kasumi who was now up starting to bustle about in the kitchen.

"Oneechan, this is the day before your wedding, you shouldn't be up working." Kasumi smiled. "It's alright, I savour the silence of the morning. Besides, it distracts me from my own excitement." She smiled her warm-hearted smile. "How was your evening with Ranma? He was a bit beside himself when I saw him retreating from Granpa's room." Akane smiled sheepishly. "Er, we got startled from Grandpa. He distracted us while we were working on… some exercises." Exercises. She grinned inwardly. "We didn't even know he is back in town, let alone in the dojo."

Happosai had arrived at the Tendo residence just yesterday in the afternoon, when Ranma and Akane were out with little Hi. He then had engaged into heavy drinking and decided to take a little nap in the closet until dinner. It didn't take Ranma long to put the old leacher back to sleep, so that he has settled for a couple minutes with the remaining company in the family room. "He joined us for a short while, his head in the clouds, but trailed off as soon as he was certain Happosai weren't about to come outside his room" Kasumi stated. Akane tiled her head, lost in thoughts. If she had stayed awake just a bit longer, she might have heard him come up the stairs and eventually lured him into her room. Again, she couldn't supress a grin. She didn't even feel bashful about her own thoughts, she just couldn't wait for the next opportunity to be alone with him– and undisturbed. Kasumi teared her out of her thoughts: "Akane? Are you okay?"

"Hm? Hai!" The older Tendo grinned. "Now I was about to leave to the market. Would you like to come?"

"I'd love to. Let me have a quick shower and I'll be ready."

"Wonderful. Maybe you could wake up Mr. Saotome? I asked him to come and help carrying some groceries. I might not be cooking for my own wedding, but I still want a say in the ingredients being used." Typical of Kasumi, she wanted to make sure that her guests shall want for nothing. Akane nodded and hurried into the bathroom. Waking up Genma would mean that she'd eventually wake Ranma as well... robbing him of his sleep was not what she intended but in a way the sight of a sleepy Ranma had always melted her heart. On days he did not start off with training, she'd go wake him up and she secretly savoured the look of his dozy face, the messy hair and the pyjama that was out of place. Somewhat fidgety about the thought, she rushed upstairs and quietly knocked at the Saotome guestroom door. Genma, in panda form, opened the door and lifted a sign "All ready." Akane peeked into the room only to see the empty futon of the boy. Was he already awake? The panda, noticing her surprise about the boy's absence, lifted yet another sign: "Ranma is out for practise." She nodded knowingly. Of course, he would use any minute possible to train with Taro and Ryoga, yet somehow, she felt disappointed. I am dying to know what he is thinking about last night… Did he manage to soothe Happosai? How did he sleep? How does he feel? What was he actually going to tell me before Happosai interfered? Is he as psyched as I am about what happened? Well, maybe that's why he went to practise that early…Maybe that means he'll be home soon… Lost in thoughts and with a sleepy panda in tow, she returned to the Kitchen were Kasumi waited and off they went to the morning market.

oOo

Kick. Block. Punch. Dodge. Their movements were fast as lightning, even Ryoga found it difficult to follow the duel, not to mention the purblind Mouse. Both men had a hard time acknowledging, that Ranma was a superior fighter, but as of today even they couldn't deny it anymore. The winged bull, even in his human form, was a ferocious sparring partner who brought out the best of Saotome, and each day they would raise the bar; be it for training or to test out who would have the upper hand in a real fight, Ryoga and Mouse could only assume. Like each day, the four of them had started off together, each against each other, free combat without using Ki attack techniques, but after at least one hour, Mouse and Ryoga had reached their limits whilst Ranma and Taro kept fighting for at least another thirty minutes. Today, already fifty minutes have passed since the lost boy had thrown the towel, and he clenched his teeth watching the sparing duo. When has Ranma become so good? I had caught up to his level using Shishihokodan, but his physical abilities have improved manifold. Maybe, we really don't have to fear anything after all… As if emphasising Ryoga's thought, Ranma took the final blow and delivered Taro scrunching into the adjoining construction fence. The fight was over and Ranma was the winner. Gasping, he wiped away the sweat on his forehead and in no time donned his infamous boastful grin. "Oops, Pantyhose. I almost thought we'd keep fighting till afternoon. Not that I mind, but I do have other plans for today." Taro got back on his feet and pressed his hands against his back where the fence has left its marks, pressing between teeth: "If I was fighting with full power, you'd be dust in no time. But I am not half the idiot you are. I mean who goes all in during training, seriously."

Ryoga eyed the cursed stranger and sensed his fading battle aura. He swung big words, but truth be told, Ranma dominated the ring. Ryoga clenched his fist. He did not mind per se, but he knew how the arrogance of Saotome would get hold of him and make him unbearable. Mouse adjusted the glasses on his nose. "Who won?"

"Mouse, get yourself some new glasses."

"But I can see perfectly clear. Now, who won?"

"Ranma did. As always." Annoyed, Ryoga turned his back to the ring to gather his belongings; there wasn't much left to do here anyways. He could use the rest of the day to train for himself, meditate, and think of a way to catch up to the level of his nemesis. Suddenly he heard the familiar ringing of a bicycle bell.

"Airen!" Shampoo entered the empty lot on her delivery bike. "You come Nekohanten? Shampoo make breakfast."

"Shampoooooo!" The blind boy raced towards her, until the red bike came to a halt: front wheel in the boy's face, his glasses went flying away in a high arc. "Now you can get some new glasses" Ryoga muttered rather to himself.

Ranma cringed upon the sight of the new arrival. He hadn't seen the amazon chick the entire summer. After their trip to China, the contact was sparse: she must have noticed that her behaviour towards Akane in Yusenkyo was even below her standards. Unfortunately, he has been the one who broke the silence that day, he went to the Cat Café to inform the amazons about the strange guy Ryoga has met and who was about to collect cursed martial artists like stamps. And since then, she was clingy as usual. He sighed. "I'm not that hungry, thanks."

"But we are!" Taro jumped forward, more than happy about the offer although it wasn't even directed at him. "How about we all come?"

"Is okay" Shampoo smiled. "I serve traditional Chinese breakfast."

"Yippee!" The Chinese boy cheered, and all his injuries were forgotten. Four pairs of astonished eyes were fixed on him and his apparent outbreak of joy. He flushed, immediately returning to his prior serenity. "What? I've been eating Japanese Pancakes for the last two weeks. Can't I embrace the small delight of a Chinese homemade meal?"

Loud, carefree laughter broke out. The absurdity of the situation overwhelmed whatever tensions laid between the group members. Ranma strolled towards Ryoga, reaching for the grumpy boy's head, and tucking him playfully into a headlock. "Alright, but only if this one comes along, too." Ryoga snorted. "Pff, I knew you were gonna show off."

oOo

The market was already crowded: mostly restaurant owners and chefs, who bought fresh ingredients in larger quantities, gathered in the aisles. Kasumi, often shopping here, was known by almost every vendor and chatted jauntily with each and every one of them. The whole town seemed to know about her upcoming wedding and the stall seller's smelled big business, so she had to politely decline quite a few bargains. The Panda, right by her side, shed some tears about the vanishing possibility to be drowned in luxurious sushi and fugu sashimi. On the other side of the market, Akane wandered separately, musing about her own recipes she was planning on preparing in near future, as she bumped into another person. "Sumimasen!" She bowed at the person she had tackled as she looked into a familiar, turquoise pair of eyes. "Ukyo! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." The young chef picked up the shopping bag she had dropped. "If Konatsu is not around, I come here at least twice a week. It's the best market in town. What about you?"

"I accompany Kasumi. She wants to buy some things for tomorrow." Akane hesitated. "You still coming, right?"

"Sure, I am looking forward! Kasumi must be such a beautiful bride." Akane smiled. It was rare, that Ukyo showed this girly side of hers. Akane picked on the topic: "And Taro, you're still taking him?"

"Yep. Why shouldn't I?" She saw the worried look in Akane's face. "Don't worry, he'll behave himself. I know, when you met him, he was a different kind of breed. But he has changed. In fact, I can tame him pretty well. Nothing will be broken…" Grinning, she lifted her hand to emphasize her oath: "I swear on my honour as a chef!" Akane regarded her earnestly. "Ukyo, that's not the problem. What I mean is… what we thought about is… Look, you don't know him for so long, what if he's a fraud?"

"Huh?"

"I don't know how you met, but don't you think you might have rushed things? I mean, not too long ago you still fell for Ranma" she swallowed hard after speaking it out, her thoughts wandering back to the disaster of the failed wedding. She continued: "And now you're with this guy you barely know. He has a dangerous curse and might hurt you… for all it's worth, what if he is just with you to get back to Ranma?" She hadn't overthought her words before they came out, but once spoken she realized how harsh they must have sounded. Understanding, Akane first thought the chef was about to fly into a rage, yet the opposite occurred: Ukyo started laughing. It wasn't a maniac laugh, rather a fond one. "Akane," she began, "I am glad that you are so concerned for me. Obviously, you have been thinking quite a lot about that new circumstance." Her eyes sparkled. "But let me assure you: Neither Taro nor I knew about the connection we had in Nerima until we were already…" she blushed, not ending the sentence as she didn't feel the urge to admit too many details to her friend. Instead, she said: "He's a tough nut and a powerful man, but the harder the shell the softer the core… isn't that what we are so attracted to, Akane?" Tendo blushed. To put it bluntly Ukyo was correct. She remembered Ranma's soft kisses on her neck and his timid words: You need to stop me if I am going to far… I don't want to hurt you. A prickle went down her spine, the memory itself left her senseless. Ukyo now laughed even louder: she didn't know what memory she had awakened in Akane's mind, but it was more than obvious that it evolved around Ranma. She hooked into her friend's arm and pulled. "Let's find Kasumi, I want to check out what she's bought so far."

On the other side of the market, the oldest Tendo sister regarded a ripe melon whilst musing, if she could put the Panda through carrying even more bags than he already had in his paws. Whilst the vendor was immersed into another conversation, a costumer approached from behind. "That's one nice Melon, my dear. I've only seen melons like that on melon island." She turned her head towards the middle-aged man. His tanned face showed signs of age, yet his hair was still full and pitch black and his eyes emitted a childlike curiosity. His tall figure was lean and muscular: he must have been an attractive lad in his younger years, in fact, he still was a handsome man. Kasumi's cheeks flushed, but she regained her composure fast enough. "I agree, last year my family and I went on a holyday near that island. The fruits were extraordinary." He smiled. "You have been there? So, you sure know to value the quality of this beauty. Here, let me buy this one for you, it'd be a pleasure."

"How kind of you, thank you."

"Can you carry it home?"

"Yes, I brought some company to help me." She gestured towards her furry escort a few metres away, who gabbled to a vendor waving his wooden signs, trying to snatch some free samples. The man raised his eyebrows. "That is some interesting company you got there, Miss." She giggled. "You should meet the rest of the family. It is an interesting bunch indeed, but I love them all the same." She didn't notice the twinkling in his eyes. "Are they?"

oOo

"Now, did I get you right, we can't transform during combat? How am I supposed to beat that guy?" Taro smashed his fist onto the tabletop so that the empty plates clanged loudly. Ranma wasn't as amused either, as on occasion his female form did bring him advantages in battle. Ryoga, troubled to calm bis voice upon Taro's iterated outbreak, roared: "Are you guys ever listening when I talk? For days I've been telling you that." Ranma intervened: "Now, how about you share important information like that when we are not in midst of sparing?"

"You morons." Ryoga flashed an evil eye towards Saotome. "If you concentrated more on our training as a team instead of your cock comparison" he eyed Taro as well, "you'd have noticed, and we might have better chances as well." Mouse cleared his throat, politely cleaning his mouth with a napkin before speaking: "The way I see it …"

"With no eyesight" Taro murmured.

"Hem. The way I see it, we are in a good spot to fight one single person. Transformation or not, we are four against one."

Ranma grumbled: "You're a duck, you don't mind not changing anyway."

"And you're a girl" Taro fired back. "And we are five: Ukyo wants to join combat as well."

"Shampoo fight, too." The Chinese girl emerged from the kitchen just in time to proclaim her commitment and set a tray with iced tea before her guests. Ranma folded his arms and smiled towards Ryoga. "See, we are six. Unless he is a half-god, which I doubt, I don't fear him." He remembered the creature from Mount Phoenix and shuddered inwardly. Ryoga stood up, on the edge of losing his temper. "Do you forget that I've been in Jusendo as well? I know what I saw and who I fought in the woods, and that man is no less dangerous than those phoenix people. We can be glad that we are in the majority, but I am telling you not to take it lightly." He did not know when they lost their respect for him or the upcoming battle, but it was obvious that the group was not taking him seriously anymore. He shook his head and headed towards the exit of the Cat Café, when suddenly the door banged open. Akane stood in front of the lost boy, completely out of breath, with an equally enraged Ukyo behind her. "Kasumi" she called forth between breaths, as she suddenly halted at the sight of the gathering and especially the familiarity of her, seated right next to him. Ukyo followed right on her heels and exclaimed: "She got kidnapped. Ranma, your father as well, we lost them at the market." Ranma sprang to his feet. "What happened?"

"Don't know, we only saw the remnants of the battle they fought. It was devastating, various stalls were destroyed, luckily no one was harmed. Your father fought a stranger, elderly but very athletic, black haired and well dressed, as far as we found out from witnesses." All eyes went to Ryoga who nodded in approval. "That's him."

"So, my old man lost and was taken captive. What about Kasumi?" The name of her sister brought Akane back to reality. "Here, this was tucked to a wooden beam." she handed Ryoga a shabby piece of paper, with a delicate handwriting that said: If you want the young girl, bring the cursed people outside of the city, where the canal meets the river. Ryoga pondered: "East of Nerima."

"Yeah West."

"We have to go, now." Ranma exclaimed. Taro intervened: "This is a trap: we mustn't fall for it. Let's wait what he does next."

"We can't wait!" Akane shouted. She looked Taro dead in the eyes. "My sister is in the hands of a maniac, and so is Ranma's father."

"Who you are to decide" Shampoo responded dryly. Akane squinted. How did this hussy dare to speak up about matters that were none of her business? Akane fumed yet decided not to answer to the amazon's comment. Instead, she addressed her fiancé: "Ranma, we need to go and get them."

"We won't go anywhere. You'll go home and we will rescue Kasumi."

"I agree, Akane-san. Don't get me wrong, but you underestimate his strength." Ryoga, still standing right next to Akane, tapped her back to soothe her. His heart ached at the sight of her concern, but it was clear: Akane was the one least skilled in combat and he couldn't stand the thought of putting her at risk. Akane regarded the two boys in disbelief. "What are you two talking about? Of course, I am going, she is my sister."

"Akane Tendo, this is not about family honour but fighting a real enemy" Mouse proclaimed. Akane countered, her voice shaking: "But I am a martial artist, too." A brief moment elapsed in which she felt an unpleasant helplessness facing these strong, independent martial artists, each of them having their own particularity and history, whilst she was only an ordinary high school girl, born with the fortune of being heir to her father's dojo. Despite the pride she'd always held in her passion for the arts, she felt so small at this moment, so irrelevant: she herself doubted her capability of saving her sister. She directed her gaze back to Ranma, urging, begging, and she glimpsed a hint of apology in his eyes. Yet before he spoke, it was yet again Shampoo who usurped the word: "What does the violent Tendo girl want do? Use moxibustion?" Her voice echoed in Akane's head several times before she grasped the significance of her words. Her stomach turned dolorously.

Moxibustion. He told them. They sat here, chatting, and he casually told everyone about what we did yesterday... Probably he was laughing about it while he spilled the tea about us, laughing about ME, and Shampoo clung to him and joined the laughter… Her eyes filled with tears as she redirected her look from the smirking amazon to Ranma. She almost tasted the bitterness of the truth in her mouth. He told everyone. I thought it was our secret… it had felt so special, but it was just a game to him... He's probably proud of himself, that he lurked me into the dojo and toyed with my emotions yet again…

Ranma grimaced as Shampoo spoke out the words. That sneaky hussy, she must have eavesdropped on his conversation with Ryoga while they headed to the café. "Ryoga," he had whispered, "Akane and I practised on some moxibustion techniques yesterday, and we found one that might help you with your utter lack of orientation."

"I don't know what you're talking about, my sense of direction is perfectly fine."

"Yeah, sure, but how about you let Akane practise on you? She'd be happy to help and you would do her a huge favour as well." Ryoga had considered upon the remark, that Akane would carry out the moxibustion, until Ranma interjected: "With one condition though: I'll be present during the treatment. Don't believe I'll let you be alone with her, pork chops."

"Shut up Saotome, I am a man of honour. I find it more interesting how you seem to be overprotective, almost jealous." After further bickering the conversation had ended, and Ranma never recognized that anyone caught the chat. Granted, it was only logical that Akane would take it the wrong way. He lifted his hands in defence: "Listen, Akane, I…"

"Don't listen to her." Ryoga interrupted, "I'll gladly help you with that moxibustion technique, just tell me when and how and I'll…"

"Quiet!" Her voice, strident yet trembling, froze the men. The nausea turned into a well-known emotion, an emotion, that had accompanied her all too often during her teenage years and which allowed her to hide all insecurities, fears, and sorrows: the emotion was anger. She felt a pulsing beat in her temples whilst her vision narrowed to a tunnel, focussing the very cause of her fury. He opened his mouth to explain himself, to yet again come forward with a ridiculous plea, but the only thing she heard was the swoosh of blood in her head.

"Akane, you get this wrong, I told Ryoga about …"

SMACK.

The sound of the slap resonated in the café as it was completely quiet. The friends stared in disbelief, shocked, the girls red as beets and the boys frowning. The noise of Akane's footsteps fainted rapidly outside and Ranma still stood there, frozen to the spot. He held his face, nonplussed, recalling her hurt expression and the single tear that had run down her cheek, following the same line he had just yesterday traced so tenderly with his fingertips.

"What the heck is her problem?" Taro asked gruffly. Ryoga regarded him questioningly. "Ranma? What just happened?"

"We kissed" the pig tailed boy whispered. "That's what happened."

oOo