Torn Chapter 10 A House of Glass, a ranma fanfic

Notes: Okay sorry for the delay a lot going on, and well I was releasing some story chapters of my own for some of my other long list of stories since they are in need of being worked on.

Ranma 1/2: Torn

Chapter 10: A House of Glass

By Kit'ari

"Mousse! Where you be all morning?! Shampoo have to make ready all herself," Shampoo called once he returned, in his natural form.

"Shampoo, not now. I need to think." Mousse plopped down in one of the booths. A pan could be heard striking the floor from within the kitchen. Shampoo just stared at him. He had slipped out earlier that morning to watch Ranma practice. Hoping that he might find some idea of how to beat Ranma so he couldn't take away his Shampoo. He had fallen asleep in the rafters by the time Ranma finally came to the dojo to practice.

When he awoke, he knew something was off with Ranma and wavered between trying to take advantage of his apparent moment of weakness and learning the cause, in case he could make use of it in the future. Then Akane and Nabiki came in and, for once, he decided to listen.

"You're late, Mr. Part Time. Now get to work, before I decide on duck for the afternoon special." Cologne bopped him on the head for good measure. He turned to look at them both, well he actually looked at a plant and a chair but his intent was to look at them both and sighed. "He was never yours, Shampoo," Mouse said as he took off his glasses and began to clean them with his robe.

"Mousse no know what he talk about. Law says Ranma is Shampoo's!" Cologne's eyes narrowed as Mousse closed his eyes, a pained expression across his face. She had seen similar expressions on his face all the time. He was as bad at hiding what he felt just as bad as her son-in-law. But there was something different this time. 'Maybe he's finally giving up?' she wondered.

"What you do to Airlen?" Shampoo growled cutely.

"I didn't do..." Mouse trailed off, all color leaving his face. "By my ancestors!" Mousse turned and stared straight into Shampoo's eyes. "Please Honored Elder! I didn't know! Believe me, I never would have... if I had known..." Mouse began blabbering. Which earned him another knock on the head.

"What are you talking about, Mousse? And this time I want a straight answer!"

"You had to have known! How could you not have?" Mousse replied, still shaken. "Known what?!" Both Cologne and Shampoo called.

XXXXXX

In her room, Nabiki sat on her bed, her legs pulled tight against her. In her hands, she held a camera that occupied her unfocused stare. In her mind's eye, she saw every picture and every time she took advantage of him. From charging him for water while Shampoo chased 'girl-type Ranma' to kill to all the pictures she sold Kuno and the rest of the school of the 'pig-tailed girl,' she relived them all.

It had always been in fun. A way to tease him, like she teased her sister. The thought of Kuno and all those boys paying to look at pictures of another boy had always seemed a perfect irony. Also, there had been his seeming playboy ways. He had, after all, slipped into her sister's room after everyone had gone to bed. That was not the type of boy Akane needed.

Of course, not that Akane had ever appreciated what a catch she had. Here was just about the perfect specimen of raw maleness. Too caring and honorable for his own good. And because of his curse, able to understand girls in a way no other male could. Was it that she was jealous of Akane? Then, there was the fact that she had always been cursed with a nearly insatiable curiosity.

A desire, almost a need to know the secrets of others. Maybe that was part of it. She was jealous of the fact that he held the answers to questions that nobody else could answer, and he resented it. What had made her do those things, she didn't know anymore. If she ever knew. Setting her camera down on her desk, she rolled over onto her side and began crying all over again.

XXXXX

"How may I help you?" Kurumi, the temple priestess asked of the detective standing at her door. "Does a Tofu Ono reside here?" the detective asked uncertainly, but straight to the point. When he had realized the address given to him was a temple, he had thought that he may have been given a false address.

"This is about last night?" Kurumi asked. The detective nodded, looking somewhat assured. He had more than enough evidence against the boys involved, but there were still some loose ends he needed to tie up before he could formally close the case. "He's should be returning shortly. Please, won't you come in?"

XXXXXX

"Hey Tendo, how about a little spar in the dojo for old times sake?" Genma called to his old friend after having lost ten times in a row at their regular shogi match. He had missed his son at their morning workout and thought Soun could use a little exercise, not to mention a chance to wait out this luck he was having.

"Sounds like a great idea, Saotome," Soun responded, feeling lucky enough to show his old friend some new tricks.

"Uh, I just saw Ranma and Akane walking toward the park!" Nabiki called out from the top of the stairs, having overheard the two fathers.

"You hear that Tendo!"

"Our families will be joined!"

"I think I heard that they were renting boats out for the lake at half-price today," Nabiki tossed in. "Half-price!" "Quick Tendo, that would be perfect! If we can get that son of mine to take Akane out on the lake."

"I'm not so sure..." Soun began, thinking of his daughter's tendency to sink and Ranma's affinity to water, but was dragged off to the park by his eager friend. Nabiki let out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding.

"That wasn't very nice, Nabiki. You know they are both still in the dojo." "Kasumi, we need to talk. This is an emergency that we can't let our fathers know about yet." Kasumi frowned slightly at her younger sister, not liking the idea of keeping things from their father, even if it was necessary at times. "Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed once she noticed that Nabiki had been obviously crying for some time.

"Oh my doesn't begin to cover it," Nabiki responded.

XXXXX

"NO!" Shampoo yelled. "Mousse lie!" Mousse just continued to sit there and receive her verbal abuse. He had just finished his tale.

"If you're telling the truth, you know what this means do you not?," Cologne pushed, trying to call his bluff. Shampoo stopped to look at her great-grandmother. Cologne's expression was grave. Mousse answered with a solemn nod. Shampoo gasped, as she began to fully appreciate just what was going on.

"Shampoo is in no trouble since neither Ranma nor the father stepped forward at the contest. However, Mousse, since your attacks on Ranma have been questionable at best, it probably means certain death should you ever return to the village."

"Y-you're going to let me live?" Mousse quivered. As soon as he had realized his situation, he knew he had only two options. He could have run right then, and let Shampoo continue to dishonor herself, or reveal the truth and save her, at the cost of his own life.

"There are many problems and issues that will have to be addressed. And you showed great courage to own up to your actions. Perhaps son-in..." Cologne trailed off. "No, for now, Ranma... Perhaps Ranma has rubbed off on you some." Mousse frowned at the thought of becoming like Ranma but the seriousness of the situation held his tongue.

"Mousse no wants Shampoo to have Ranma so much, he gives life?" Shampoo tried, her eyes pleading with him. She didn't really believe that, but the alternative was just so... "Shampoo, put up the closed sign, we will not be opening today. I shall go have a chat with Ranma to verify Mousse's story." Cologne stopped at the door but didn't turn back. "Perhaps, Mousse, it would be good that I do not see you again until this is resolved."

"Y-yes, Honored Elder." They both left, Cologne for the Tendo home, Mousse for his room to collect his belongings, leaving Shampoo alone in the dining area to think about this new direction her life was taking.

"Lunch is almost ready," Nabiki called to the pair still in the dojo. Akane was now seated against the back wall while Ranma, still female, was resting in her lap. Ranma's head rested against Akane's shoulder, while red bangs conspired to hide the profile of her face. "We're not hungry, right now," Akane responded softly. She had glanced up as Nabiki entered then returned to looking at her charge.

"Our fathers are out at the moment, and probably won't be back until dinner."

"Thanks," Akane answered simply.

"I-I told Kasumi that Ranma was having some problems with the fight, but nothing else yet." Nabiki searched for something else to say, but couldn't come up with anything. Akane looked up at Nabiki. The middle Tendo felt a little self-conscious of her sister's gaze. Her eyes still felt puffy and dry from her lapse of emotion. "You heard, didn't you," Akane stated after a moment.

It hadn't been a question nor had it sounded like an accusation. It was just a statement of fact. Even so, Nabiki felt the need to respond. "I-I waited just outside. I thought maybe..." Nabiki drifted off. She had had a reason. She always had her reasons. That hadn't made it right.

"What are we going to do?" Akane suddenly pleaded. Nabiki could see the need in Akane's eyes to be told that everything would be all right. They were all in unfamiliar waters, and her little sister looked like she was drowning. The year difference in age between the two had never felt so small to the middle Tendo. "How did Kasumi manage it all those years ago?"

"I don't know," Nabiki replied. After standing there for a while longer she had to ask, "Do you love him?"

Akane almost began her automatic response but held her tongue. Looking again at her iinazuke, she calmed down. "Sis, I can't imagine not having him in my life anymore. I-I... Yes, I love him."

"How about her?"

"If she is half as adorable as Ranma says, how could I not?" Nabiki nodded, already knowing how much Akane loved children. Considering the strength of the youngest Tendo sister's nesting instinct toward p-chan, she seriously doubted Akane would consider any other options.

"That's good, but not what I meant. How do you feel about his curse?"

"Nabiki..." Akane trailed then took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I know how much he hates his curse... And if given the chance at a cure... I could never ask him not to..." Akane ran her fingers through the crimson waves of Ranma-chan's hair. "But this is how I first met Ranma. I've never known him without his curse. I-I..."

"It's okay, Akane. I understand." Nabiki smiled at the two of them.

"I love her just as much as I do him," Akane pushed on. "They're the same person to me, but it sometimes seems she's more willing to open up sometimes than he is."

"Just make sure he knows that when she wakes up." Nabiki turned and left, knowing just how much it took her sister to admit that. "Why?" came the soft voice after Nabiki's steps had faded in the distance.

"Huh?" Akane's eyes widened as Ranma's opened to look up at her. The pain in those blue eyes was almost overwhelming, yet she could see a pleading, maybe even hope there.

"You weren't just saying that? You really love me?" Ranma's trembling voice was so soft, it almost wasn't there. Akane bit her lip, a fresh blush covering her face at being caught. Then she nodded. "Yes," she added. Blushing even more at the thought of admitting it to Ranma while he was female before admitting it while he was male, as she always thought it would be.

"Why?" Ranma asked. Akane blinked, that hadn't been the response she had expected either.

"You could get out of your engagement with me. No more perverted iinazuke to put up with." Unconsciously, Akane clutched her a little closer. "Do you want out of the engagement?" Akane asked. She could almost feel the blood draining from her face. Ranma clutched Akane closer and buried her head into the larger girl's shoulder.

"No," came the muffled reply. Akane relaxed a bit. "Do you love me?" Akane whispered in Ranma's ear after no further response came from the bundle in her arms. Ranma-chan pulled back out and looked at her incredulously. "How can you ask that?" Ranma began. Akane felt her emotions twisting in confusion.

"The way everybody's always going on about it, I figured it must be written on my forehead or somethin'."

Akane blinked. "Of course I love you. I-I think I have ever since..."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought you hated me." Ranma looked down as she said this.

"Whatever..." Akane trailed off. All their fights and arguments coming back to her. She hadn't always started it, but she had been the one that really started it. "No," she began softly, "I never hated you."

"I-I'm not even outta school yet, and I'm a mother, a bad one too, and..." Ranma tried to curl up into her self in Akane's lap.

"Shush," Akane whispered in her ear. "You're not a bad parent..." Akane attempted, trying to calm the red-head. "But I abandoned her!" Ranma whaled into Akane's shoulder. "My own child!" With the floodgates now open, she couldn't stop herself from venting all the stress she had been hiding the past few months... the past year.

"Stop that!" Akane barked at her. She never thought she would ever see Ranma like this. "I know you've gone to see her at least once a week. Probably more than that. You haven't just abandoned her."

"But I wanted to. I tried to put her up for adoption, but Dr. Tofu wouldn't let me." Ranma choked out.

Akane silently thanked Dr. Tofu. She didn't want to imagine what not being able to see her daughter would have done to Ranma. "Dr. Tofu's been taking care of her?" Akane's tone was only half questioningly. Ranma nodded. That answered some of Akane's questions. "So you can still make it up to her." Akane felt Ranma's body stiffen slightly.

"How... what do you mean?" "You can still bring her here." Ranma violently shook her head no.

"Ranma, listen to me."

"What about our dads?! Not to mention mom. I-I couldn't do that to Kasumi either." Ranma seemed to shrink, huddling against Akane. "Not to mention Ukyou, Shampoo, K-Kodachi..." she trailed off, shivering.

"You leave our folks to us. My dad will probably be more upset you hid this from us. And I don't think your mother is about to take her granddaughter's mother away from her." Akane began stroking her fingers through Ranma's hair. Ranma looked back up at her.

"Ukyou's your best friend, right? I'm sure she would want to help." Akane sighed. "And if anyone does try anything, would you rather she be here with you, or across town?" Akane didn't think Shampoo would do anything to hurt a child and Kodachi probably wouldn't care anything about 'that red-headed harlot's' child, but she didn't think she could keep the confidence in her voice if she said anything about them.

"I-I don't know." "Besides, I want to meet this... Himiko, did you say?" Ranma nodded. "That's my mother's name."

"I know." Ranma smiled. "At the time, I-I didn't know my mom's name... and I needed to think of something quick." Akane smiled at this listening. "I thought of calling her Akane, but I didn't want her to grow up to be a tomboy." Red fiery hair streamed over and framed rich blue eyes, still slightly puffy and red themselves. Slowly, cute lips spread into a challenging smirk. Ranma-chan's whole body slowly tensed.

"Why you!" Akane shouted. Her smile belied the forcefulness behind her words. "I'll show you, tomboy!" With that, she began tickling the smaller girl helplessly. Ranma yelped and gave a valiant attempt to defend and return. The Tendou School of Anything Goes Tickle Wars, brought about by years of practice from her two older sisters, combined with Ranma-chan's surprising number of ticklish vulnerabilities, soon left the red-head begging for mercy.

Silently, Nabiki closed the doors that lead to the covered walkway.

XXXXXX

"Akane said they're not hungry right now and..." Nabiki trailed off at the sight of her older sister serving tea to Cologne. "Cologne-san came by to visit. Isn't that nice?" Kasumi responded, sweetly as ever. Nabiki ground her teeth. Now was definitely not the time for this.

"What brings you by, Elder?" Nabiki attempted, shifting into business mode. Cologne raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Nabiki. The sudden cool expression hadn't done anything to hide the mercenary girl's redden eyes. "I think you already know," Cologne replied sagely.

"Oh?" Nabiki replied coyly. 'This is not good,' she thought internally. "Yes, it seems Mousse hoped to learn something from watching Ranma spare this morning." Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "Oh really," she replied flatly. 'No, not good at all.'

"Did they get into a fight this morning?" Kasumi asked innocently. Both turned to look at her. "She doesn't know?" Cologne asked of Nabiki.

"What are you doing here!" Akane demanded from the doorway. "What'd you want, Ol' ghoul?" Ranma-chan said at almost the same instant. "Why, I'm just here to pay a social call, Ranma," Cologne leaned back and sipped her tea. "For the last time, I'm not..." Ranma stopped and narrowed her eyes. She hadn't called her son-in-law.

"Well, if you will excuse me, I have things to attend to," Cologne said as she took upon her staff.

"That's all right. It's always a pleasure to have you," Kasumi beamed.

"So that's it? You just came by for tea?" Ranma inquired uncertainly. Things never went that easy for her.

"That and to let you know that Shampoo and myself shall be leaving for China."

"Really? For how long?" Ranma sniped. "Ranma," Akane hissed warningly at Ranma's rudeness, though she was curious herself.

"Just wonderin' how much peace I can hope for," Ranma-chan replied to her iinazuke. Cologne chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that anymore. You are no longer Shampoo's husband and I have called off her kiss of death." There was a slight sadness in her eyes as she informed the two, but it disappeared quickly.

"Just like that?" Ranma whispered. The surprised tone in her voice competed with the look on her face to express her shock. Akane forgot to breathe for a few heartbeats while her mind took a blind reversed triple axle high dive with all the grace and poise that she always had around Ranma. It looked like the emotional ride they were on today was not finished with them yet.