Disclaimer: Once again, I hold no rights over Ranma ½ and am simply borrowing but I promise that I'll give all the characters back when I'm done. Unless I decide to borrow them again. In which case I'd give them back after that too.
AN: So it's been a few months. It's not my fault. I had to replace the hard drive on my lap top twice because each time it decided to burn out and each time I lost about 50 pages over all between my 2 main stories and about 7 pages of this fanfic. It was a very big blow to my morale and it wasn't til recently did I get in the mode of writing. Luckily, I've caught up on everything and I was finally able to get this chapter out. Unfortunately, this chapter isn't as long as the last chapter but I've been keeping the length fairly consistent and unless my computer decides that it hates me again, the next chapter shouldn't take nearly as long to get out. I've also gone back and edited a few small mistakes in the last chapters and cut down any long author's notes. Anyway, read and enjoy!
Ranma lay in his bed having not slept at all last night. He had only 3 thoughts in his head 1-Mousse was dating Akane, 2-He had to kill Mousse and 3-He had to get Akane back . . .not that he wanted her back or anything. It was the principle of the matter. She was HIS fiancee after all. That was all. It wasn't as if he had feelings for her or anything. Of course not, that wasn't it at all. After finding a much more comfortable thought to follow, Ranma realized that he still had yet to figure out how to do what he had just said to do. What's more is that he still had to do something about Ryuoga. Akane had gone straight to her room and had only come down to dinner, only to go right back up when she was done eating. Ranma quickly grabbed his pillow and shoved it into his face. He only wished that it was P-chan that he could shove the pillow into.
Akane woke up in a much better mood than the day before. The fact that it was all over and done with it seemed to help matters too. Yesterday's outing had gone much better than she had expected with not having lost her temper once at all and best of all, P-chan had finally come back to her. She had really missed her beloved pet. The last few days had been really tough for her and she really could have used some comforting support during those times.
P-chan, or Ryouga as he preferred to be named, had finally surmised what was happening from the half-grumbling that Akane had muttered under her breath throughout last night about what had happened during the day. Everything was Ranma's fault, of course. Mousse was getting close to his Akane all because Ranma didn't know to take care of her, though it was good that Ranma didn't treat Akane right as she would then be with him, and Ryouga nearly blacked out with that thought, but it didn't matter how Ranma treated her because he didn't deserved Akane who was the kindest and most beautiful girl in the world . . .it was all Ranma's fault and Ryouga felt much happier when his train of ranting thoughts finally traveled onto a caboose of an idea that he understood and accepted perfectly.
It was good that Ryouga finished his thought as it was just then that Akane was now bringing him downstairs for breakfast. She had decided to skip her morning jog so that she could spend more time with her beloved pet as he seemed to always be missing for days and even weeks at a time. Ranma had also, by then, arrived downstairs and his nearly-panicky mood darkened slightly when he saw the her 'pet' in his inazuke's arms and he glowered at the said pig.
"You betta' behave yourself, bacon breath!" Ranma nearly growled in warning to him.
Ryouga's answer to growl back from where Akane held him and she was the one who gave a retort. "Don't you dare start picking on P-chan, Ranma!"
Kasumi gracefully served everyone breakfast. Nabiki sat in her usual spot smirking at Ranma's still glowering expression as he stared at the lil thing in his fiancee's arms as she peacefully ate and fed said dear pet. For once Soun and Genma were sitting quietly though they watched the certain couple very carefully as they tried to figure out exactly what was going on.
Akane, having been the first person to breakfast that day finished first, ran upstairs to put P-chan in her room. "You be good for me, baby. I have to go to school now but I'll be right when it's done." She told him as she gave the black piglet a kiss and set him down on her bed. The young female martial artist quickly grabbed her school bag and began to run out of the front door to get to school on time.
Her fiancé was just on her heels. "What ya in such a hurry for, Akane?" He called out after her.
"I don't want to be late!" She yelled in answer and began to run even faster.
"But this is way earlier than when we usually leave!" Ranma continued to yell as he ran after while on the fence. "Not in a hurry to meet with your friend Mousse, are ya?!"
"What are you talking about, Ranma?" Akane answered in huffs and puffs as she kept at her rate. "I have a meeting with our home room teacher."
"What about?" Ranma asked curiously. He hadn't heard about that before.
"I'm not sure." Akane told him as she finally slowed her pace. "He just said he wanted to speak to me."
"Ching, ching!" A bike bell rang out and Akane nearly groaned out loud. She just didn't have the time to deal with the Chinese bimbo this morning if she wanted to find out what her teacher wanted to talk to her about.
"Airen!" Shampoo cried out happily as she usually launched herself from her bike toward the pig-tailed boy.
Ranma was less than happy to see his Chinese forced-upon fiancee because following her was her ever vigilant suitor. The young martial artist was still wary as to how he should deal with the Chinese hidden weapons master and his intentions to his blue-haired fiancee. The only other option was just to head straight to school and though it was novel idea, it did have its drawbacks as the rumor mill would monger over just why Saotome Ranma would be at school early. On second thought, Akane was already at school and he ought to check on her to make sure that someone from the kidnapper-of-the-month club hadn't come by yet. With his decision made, Ranma did a hop, skip and a jump over Shampoo's bike to get to school.
"Can't talk, Shampoo! Gotta get to school!" The pig-tailed martial artist called out to the purple-haired martial artist.
Shampoo still about a block away knew she was just too far away and decided that she might as well finish her delivery and just see her Airen later that day. It was Saturday and school was only half the day. He would be by for lunch later. Ranma Saotome never turned down free food. Mousse just continued to run after his beloved and figured he'd see his friend later that afternoon.
The young Japanese martial artist stood on the wall that surrounded the yard of Furikan High School. It was still early, about 10 minutes. There were a few scattered groups of classmates and they all stared at the pig-tailed young man and they all wondered 2 things–what was Ranma Saotome doing early for school and why wasn't he with his fiancée Akane Tendo? Ranma stood there for another 5 minutes contemplating his options once again. It was a rare opportunity for the young man to do such a thing as his actions were usually decided for him and he just reacted. He stood there and looked through the window into his classroom and saw Akane standing there talking to the teacher still. The window was, indeed, open, and it wasn't like standing around outside being gawked at was the greatest thing in the world and he leaped from the wall and into the building.
By that time, Akane had already sat in her seat just 2 rows in front of him and to the left and was getting out her notebook and books. The young Japanese girl seemed to be deep in thought and she was smiling. It wasn't her full smile that could melt anyone's steel heart, but it was still eye-catching and Ranma wondered what would make his inazuke smile like that. Akane was cute but when she smiled, she was out-right kawaii, not that Ranma ever took the time to notice, of course. Before the young man could approach and ask what brought such happiness to his fiancee, the school bell rang and everyone began to pile into the classroom and he was forced to take his seat.
The morning passed even slower than usual with Ranma not being able to sleep but the bell for the end of the day rang soon enough and the young man was ready to get out of there. He just gotten out of his seat though when his arm was already accosted by someone else's though.
"Come on, Ran-chan." Ukyo said as she batted her eyelashes at him. "Why don't we have lunch together at my restaurant?"
"Uh, well." Ranma stammered out. He hadn't really planned on going to Uc-chan's today even though that's where he usually went on Saturdays for lunch. He'd rather find out what was going on with his blue-haired fiancee but Ranma Saotome almost never passed up food and he figured he could find out later. "Sure, Uc-chan."
Akane was still putting her things back into her school bag when she saw the couple walk right by her without so much as a glance and once again, she was slightly hurt. She had been hoping to share her great news with her inazuke but decided that it was probably for the better that he wasn't the first to know. She was still supposed to be distancing herself from him after all, but still, it would have been nice. The Japanese girl just gave a mental shrug to herself and set herself on the course for home.
"Tadaima!" Akane called out as she entered her front door. "I have great news that I want to tell everyone!"
It was, of course, her oldest sister Kasumi who came to the doorway to greet her. "Akane, you're home." She said smiling and glad to see sister so happy. "What is this great news?"
"Where is everyone? I want to tell everyone all at once." Akane said as she slipped out of her shoes.
"I'm sorry, Akane." Kasumi said, hating to disappoint her. "Father is out with Mr. Saotome and Nabiki said that she had some business to take care of and wouldn't be home until dinner."
"Oh, well, that's OK." The blue-haired sister said, her happiness faltering for just an instant.
"Well, you can tell me what it is." Kasumi suggested and Akane told her. "Oh my, that is really great news." The eldest sister cheered, giving Akane a hug. "I'm so proud of you. I'll have to cook all of your favorites for a celebration dinner tonight."
"Thank you, Oneechan." Akane said glad that another person was happy for her. "I'll go upstairs and change."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Akane." Kasumi slightly faltered this time. "I was doing laundry this morning and haven't got it all done yet. Your clothes are still drying right now."
"Well, I guess I can wear my uniform for a while longer." Akane said.
"Why don't you wear your new outfit that you bought yesterday?" The brown-haired girl suggested.
"I was saving that dress for a special occasion." The younger said thinking.
"Well, I think that your news is special occasion enough to wear it." Kasumi said smiling. "Would you like to have some lunch?"
"No, I'll go out for some in a bit." Akane, with a warm smile on her face, told her sister who had always taken care of her. "Arigato." She said and she headed upstairs to get changed.
Akane was soon dressed in a pale pink sun dress with a vine of yellow spring flowers that started on the left shoulder that went diagonally across her chest to the right and stopped at the bottom hem of the skirt with a very pretty set of yellow sandals that perfectly matched the dress.
"You look lovely, Akane." Kasumi told her. "You should go out and enjoy the rest of the day."
"OK. Thank you, Oneechan. I will." Akane said agreeing with her and with just a wave of bye, she stepped outside and began to walk and nearly bumped into someone.
"Akane!" Ryouga called out in surprise at finding the petite girl right in front of him. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here, silly." Akane said smiling, very happy to see her friend. "What about you?"
Ryouga looked up at the house in front of him and realized that he was indeed standing in front of the Tendo house. He had been walking around Nerima almost all morning since Akane had left him as P-chan in her room. He had been looking for Ranma so that he could make him pay for the wrongs that he kept inflicting upon Akane. All of that was forgotten though when his eyes finally glanced at Akane. His eyes nearly dropped to the ground in shock of seeing how, well, kawaii she looked in her new sun dress.
"I, uh, well, I was. . . for a walk." Ryouga stuttered out as he tried desperately to keep the blush from rising into his face. "You look amazing."
"Thank you, Ryouga!" Akane said just about beaming at the compliment her friend had paid her. "So what are you doing for the day?"
"I don't really know." Ryouga laughed out nervously. "Wo. . .would you like to do something together, Akane?"
"Sure!" Akane asked feeling very glad that her day was looking to be a lot better than she had expected it to be as she enjoyed hanging out with her friend Ryouga. "What would you like to do?"
Ryouga's face fell as he had no idea what to do with Akane but he was still elated that he was going to be able to spend time with her without have forced to be splashed with cold water. "Well, it's lunch time. Would you like to get something to eat?"
"That sounds like a great idea, Ryouga!" She said agreeably. "Where would you like to eat?"
"Let's just walk for a bit and see where we go." The yellow-bandanna boy suggested as he began to lead the way.
As the two friends walked, they talked about the different places Ryouga was able to travel to and what was happening at school for Akane. She didn't quite tell him about her news though as she wanted to tell her family first. The young martial artist was fine with it and said he couldn't wait to hear it when she was ready to share with him. As they walked, they chatted and caught up with each as they enjoyed the lovely afternoon and even though they had been walking in the opposite direction from the Tendo house, the friendly couple somehow found themselves standing in front of Nekohaten. Ryouga, wanting to play the part of a perfect gentleman, opened the door for Akane to step inside first.
Mousse looked up as he finished busting the last table and saw two more customers walk through the door. "Good afternoon. Please have a seat and we'll be right with you."
"Hiya, Mousse." Akane greeted back. "Maybe you should put on your glasses. Ranma isn't here, is he?"
"Good afternoon, Akane." The Chinese boy said once again while slipping his glasses on and stepping away from the coat rack that he had first greeted. "No, Saotome is not here. Would you like to have a place and eat here?"
"No, not really. Ryouga and I just sort of wandered in here." Akane threw a glance to where the young martial artist was supposed to be standing beside her but realized that he wasn't there. "Where did he go?"
Akane went back outside quickly but did not see him anywhere. Mentally shrugging at how her day might not be going as well as she had hoped it would, she stepped back inside the Chinese restaurant to talk some more with her other friend. "Well, I guess I better go. I'll see you later this afternoon?"
"If you will wait a few minutes, Akane, my shift will be over and I can join you in lunch since Hibiki seems to have disappeared on you." The white-robed boy offered.
"That would be great!" Akane spoke happily. "Maybe I'll run into him later."
"Please wait and I will be join you in a bit." Mousse let her know and disappeared through the door to the back of the restaurant but was back out in just a few minutes. "Let's go before Colonge makes an appearance out here." He whispered to her and began to gently push her out of the store.
With Akane's mood lighted once again and once they were at least a block away from the Nekohaten, the two friends began to gaily chat with each other about anything and everything. Before long, they wondered into a small but well known eating establishment.
Ranma was sitting at the counter and had just glanced to see who had made the bell on the door ring by opening it when he realized who it was in mid-bite of his second Japanese pizza. Ukyo was in the middle of cooking another okinamiyaki just for her Ran-chan when she saw who had just stepped into her restaurant and was pleasantly surprised to see that was it indeed Akane, who looked extremely kawaii in her pretty sundress. Just as Ran-chan had called out, but it seemed that she was with someone. A smile broke out when the brown-haired girl realized who it was. She guessed that the rumors weren't just rumors. The pig-tailed young man was decidedly less enthusiastic.
"Hi Ranma" Akane greeted them quietly. "Hi Ukyo."
"Well, sit right up here at the bar, Akane, and have some home cooked okinamiyaki." Ukyo urged. "You too, Sugar."
"Thank you, Kounji." Mousse said and directed to pull a stool out for his friend.
"It's Ukyo, Sugar." The brown-haired young woman told him as she handed him a plate of fresh Japanese pizza and then started on another.
"So what ya doing together?" Ranma asked with more than a lil suspicion apparent in his tone.
"I was about to have lunch with Ryouga when we ran into Mousse at the Nekohaten but then he disappeared so Mousse decided to keep me company instead." She sat in between the two young men and waited for her serving.
"I won't be able to keep you company for long, Akane." Mousse said. "I have my eye doctor appointment in a few minutes."
Akane's smile became small and sad as she realized that for the rest of the afternoon she would be stuck with Ranma and Ukyo for company or just plain out be by herself. The last option was looking to be the better one as Ukyo continued to give her sly looks and suggestions of what a great couple she and Mousse would make and Ranma seemed to be in more than a bit surly mood as he scowled after each bite of his okinamiyaki.
"Oh, I was hoping that we could discuss more on the different styles of martial arts that China has, Mousse." Akane let her friend know.
Mousse was trying to his best to be polite and just hoped that Ranma wouldn't outright attack him in his brown-haired fiancee's restaurant. "If you like, you can accompany me and we can continue to talk."
"That would be very good." Akane accepted and felt much better about her afternoon. At least Mousse was almost always very good company.
Both Akane and Mousse were finished with their dishes as Ukyo served the pig-tailed martial artist another one and the Chinese young man noticed that Akane looked especially depressed at the moment.
"We must be going now or I will be late for my appointment." Mousse let his friend know and then turned to the other two at the bar. "I thank you for the wonderful meal, Ukyo and I will see you later, Saotome."
"See ya later, Ranma and Ukyo." Akane said as she stood up to leave with Mousse.
"Are you all right?" Mousse asked his friend once they were a bit away.
"I'm all right." Akane responded. "So where is this doctor?"
"Forgive me, Akane, but I told a lie. My appointment is not for another hour but it seemed that you did not really want to stay there." The white-robed young man confessed.
"Oh, Mousse, you didn't have to do that." The young Japanese girl told him.
"It's no problem at all." Mousse said smiling at her. "What would you like to do?"
"I don't know, Mousse." She said giving him a small smile. She was quite thankful to have such a good friend in the young Chinese man.
"You like very nice today, Akane." He let her know.
"Oh, thank you, Mousse!" Akane said gratefully and smiled at her friend's thoughtfulness.
She really is very pretty when she smiles but it's too bad that she doesn't always have a reason to smile, Mousse thought about his friend. "How about I treat you to some ice cream?"
"Really?" Akane said doing a full blown smile. "You don't have to."
"Tendo Akane, you are my friend and I would like to treat you to some ice cream."
"Thank you, Mousse! Let's go." Akane said and she began to gaily chat with her good friend. "I'll tell you my news once we get there!"
Unbeknownst to them, Ranma had quickly finished his okinamiyaki in one final bite, bid Ukyo a quick farewell and hurried out of sight of the couple, following behind them. He had heard the entire situation and couldn't believe it was happening. Mousse had lied to him and Ukyo so that he could go off and spend time with Akane alone. The nerve of that guy, fumed Ranma. If only he could get his hands on him once Akane wasn't in the way.
Just as the two entered the ice cream shop, Ranma was trying to plan on how he could listen in on their conversation without them knowing it. He had just decided on a plan to sneak in through the back and try to sit in the booth beside them when Shampoo landed right in front of him.
"Ranma! You see where Mousse go?" The young Chinese woman demanded from him.
Ranma would have stunned at the fact that Shampoo had just seen him and not glompped or run him over with a bike, except that he was too busy trying to hear what Akane's big news was.
"Listen, Shampoo, they're in there and I'm trying to hear what they're saying." Ranma told her, pointing them out to her.
"Shampoo go in there then!" The purple-haired girl declared but before she could go barging in there, Ranma grabbed her and held her back.
"Shampoo! We can't do that!" Ranma told her. "What would you tell them?! Let's just watch them and see what happens."
"Shampoo agree for now." She said and they both snuck in to get a closer look at what was happening between the two so-called friends.
"Congratulations, Akane." Mousse was saying. "It is a great honor they have bestowed upon you."
"Yes, the best part is that I can ask someone to go with me." Akane continued to explain. "I just don't know who to ask yet."
"It is time for my eye doctor appointment." Mousse let her know as he stood to help Akane up and the two young people walked out of the place once more chatting happily with each other with Ranma, who wanted to let his fist chat with Mousse, and Shampoo, who wasn't sure if she should have either Mousse or Akane chat with one of her bonbories, following after them.
"Ask what? What's she going to ask someone?!" Ranma wondered out loud. "Who's she going to ask?"
"Ranma! No worry about Akane asking right now. They getting away!" Shampoo pointed out to him as the other two began to walk and talk again.
Mousse and Akane rounded the corner of the block and then stepped into a doctor's office. Once inside, Mousse announced his arrival and within just a few minutes was ushered into the back to speak with the doctor. Akane simply sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting room, picked up a magazine and began to glance through it.
"What kitchen destroyer sticking around with Mousse for all of a sudden?" Shampoo muttered darkly as she stood with Ranma in the front of the building as he glanced through the windows to stare at Akane without being seen.
Akane began to look through the coffee table that housed a number of different magazines. She'd just chosen one that looked interesting when the secretary called to her. The blue-haired young lady stood up and approached the desk.
"Are they friends of yours, miss?" The secretary asked, pointing to the two people standing in front of the window.
"Um, not really." Akane responded, narrowing her eyes in anger at the two people. "But I do know them."
"I'm not trying to be mean but could you ask them to leave?" The secretary asked as kindly as she could. "If they're waiting for you and your boyfriend, they could wait for you inside but they can't stand in front of the building like that."
"Sure, no problem." Akane told her. She was too distracted in her anger to have noticed that the girl had said Mousse was her boyfriend and was soon barging out of the front door, making sure to push the door open as hard as she could so that it slammed right into Ranma's back and send him flying across the street. "Ranma! What are you doing?!" She screamed out. "And what are you doing here too, Shampoo?"
"What Shampoo do no business of Akane's." The purple-haired girl replied with a sniff of her nose.
"Well, Mousse has a doctor's appointment here and he asked me to accompany him here." Akane began to point out to her. "You're the one who has no business here!"
Shampoo was about to show Akane why Amazons were such revered fighters when Ranma had finally picked himself off the ground and made his way to where the females were standing.
"What are ya doing hangin' round duck boy so much?" The young man demanded to know of his fiancee.
"What are you doing following us?!" Akane threw right back at him.
"Yeah, well, uh, someone has to make sure you ain't goin' ta get kidnaped, ya tomboy!" Ranma said happy to find a thought to latch onto. "And duck boy sure ain't got the skills to do it!"
Akane opened her mouth to scream something back to her supposed fiancé but suddenly closed at just stared at him. It was this kind of situation that she had been hoping to avoid but yet here she was stuck in it.
Ranma had braced himself to be punted through the air as he used to be by Akane, when several minutes later Ranma realized that he was still on the ground and that his blue-haired fianceé hadn't moved either. She seemed oddly thoughtful or as Akane might have put it, Ranma thought to himself, she was pensive and seemed stuck in her thoughts.
Shampoo wasn't sure what to do, with the other two seemingly frozen in mid-action. She wasn't about to attack the Kitchen Destroyer when her Airen was watching but she really was getting sick of the fact that Akane basically kept insulting her Amazon warrior pride by still being alive. Obstacles were for killing after all. Besides, she was getting way too close to Mousse, ran a stray thought through her mind.
Just then, Mousse stepped out of the building and was instantly bewildered. "Akane, what are you . . .Shampoo, my darling! You're . . .Saotome? What are you doing here??"
"Mousse, why you leave restaurant and leave all work for Shampoo!" Shampoo found herself yelling loudly. It was a valid reason for Shampoo to have followed Mousse after all and she was going to use it. It wasn't like she would follow him because she didn't like the idea of him spending so much time with Violent Girl after all, cause then it might give the idea that Shampoo was jealous and Amazon warriors did not ever get jealous.
"Mousse, is your appointment already done?" Akane asked nicely to try and avoid anymore unnecessary conflict.
"Yes, I'm done." Mousse began to tell his friend. "All I have to do is decide whether I want to do it or not."
"What Mousse taking about?" The Chinese girl demanded to know. She was quite angry to have been brushed by like that just because Akane had spoken.
"Mousse, I need to get going." Akane let him know, not able to hide the anxiety that she was beginning to feel.
Mousse saw the distress his friend was feeling. "Yes, we should. We have just enough time to get some sparring in."
"Oh, really?" The blue-haired girl happily said. "Yes, let's get going! See you later, Ranma, Shampoo."
"Saotome. Shampoo, my beloved, I will see you later." Mousse said nodding his farewell to the both of them and both he and Akane began to walk away.
Ranma and Shampoo were completely stunned. In fact if they were anymore stunned, they would statues, as the other two disappeared from their sights. Akane and Mousse quietly walked back to the Tendo dojo so that the two friends could continue their sparring sessions together.
Just as the got to the front door, Akane turned to her friend. "Hey, Mousse. I know you said that you made a deal with Colonge that you help clean up the restaurant at night so that you're free to spar with me in the afternoons but do you think that tonight, you could stay for dinner?"
"May I ask why, Akane?" Mousse politely queried.
"It's just that I'm not sure how the rest of my family will take my news and I'd really like to have your support when I tell them." The blue-haired girl told her friend.
"If you would really like me to, Akane, I will stay for dinner." Mousse responded.
"Thanks, Mousse." Akane let him know. "I really appreciate it."
"It's no problem, Akane." Mousse said and the two finally stepped into the house.
"Tadima!" The young girl called out.
"You're back." Kasumi answered as she stepped into the hallway to greet her sister. "I'll be starting dinner in just a few minutes if you can go to the market for me. We're out of soy sauce it seems. Oh, hello, Mousse. How are you today?"
"I am well, Kasumi." The Chinese boy politely answered. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. Thank you for asking." The brown-haired young woman responded. "Has Akane told you her news?"
"Yes, she has and it's very good." Mousse said smiling at his friend.
"Onee-chan, is it OK if Mousse stays for dinner?" Akane asked with a smiler on her face now.
"Of course, Akane." Kasumi said. "It's your celebration dinner tonight, after all."
"So you needed soy sauce?" Akane asked.
"Yes, here is the money." The eldest sister said, handing her some money.
"Mousee, would you like to wait here, or would you like to come with me?" The female martial artist asked.
"I will accompany you." The white-robed boy said and they began to go right back out of the door and head to the local convenience store.
They had just stepped out of the store with Mousse carrying a small bag in his hand when Ranma finally spotted them and landed right in front of them. "What's going on here?!"
Akane looked her fiancee oddly. "We're coming from the market."
"Where's the bag?" Ranma continued to demand.
Mousse deftly pulled it out of his sleeve and held it up to the pig-tailed boy. "Would you like to know what we got?"
"Uh, no, that's not necessary." Ranma stammered out in his embarrassment. He knew he was being overly anxious but he just couldn't seem to stop himself at the moment. "I'll take that Mousse. Come on, Akane. Kasumi doesn't want us to be late for dinner."
"Well, then we better hurry, Mousse." Akane said and began to pick up her pace.
Mousse swiftly fell into step with her and they started to walk away. Realizing he was being left behind, Ranma went to catch up with them.
"Mousse ain't coming ta dinner, is he?" Ranma wanted to know.
"Yes, he is, Ranma." She let him know as they all continued to walk back to the Tendo home.
Ranma wasn't even given the chance to respond as they had already arrived. Akane and Mousse quickly made their way through the front door and into the kitchen.
"Oh, my, you're back already." Kasumi greeted them quickly as she hurried around the kitchen. "Domo Arigato, Akane, Mousse. It'll be just a little bit longer before dinner is done. I'm afraid since I sent you to the market that you won't have enough time to spar before, Akane."
"That's OK, Kasumi. Anything that can help with your home cooking. We didn't mind, did we, Mousse?" Akane assured her sister.
"Not at all, Kasumi. It smells delicious." Mousse agreed.
"What would you like to do until dinner?" Akane turned to her friend and the two left the kitchen in the capable hands of Kasumi who had already gone back to her cooking. "Would you like to see my room? I can lend you that book I told you about earlier."
"That sounds like a fun idea." The Chinese boy said smiling at his friend and they began to walk upstairs.
Akane avoided walking back through the living room to see if Ranma was still hanging out around. She just didn't want to deal with his mayhem at the moment. They were just about to enter the room with the wooden duck sign hanging from the door when the door next to it opened.
"Well, well, sis. Sneaking a boy into your room already?" Nabiki asked with a smirk on her face. "What would Daddy, or even, Ranma, say about that?"
"They wouldn't say anything, Nabiki." Akane said with a frown on her face. "I'm just getting a book that Mousse said he wanted to borrow."
"Wouldn't Kasumi tell you it isn't proper to take a young man to your room?" Nabiki continued to egg on her sister.
"Kasumi is fine with it. Mousse is just a friend." Akane said firmly, but then had a brilliant thought. "Besides, Ranma is home. I thought it better that I not leave him and Ranma alone in the same room with each other for too long or Ranma might start a fight with him, but if you really want to pay for those damages, I can ask Mousse to wait downstairs."
"No, it's fine." Nabiki said with her usual stoic manner and hid very well that Akane had gotten her on that one. "Just keep it quiet it in there. I have an important phone call to make."
"Not a problem, Nabiki." Akane answered and she opened the door for Mousse to step in.
She showed him around her space and they talked over several other things for a little while. It wasn't the greatest place in the world but it was Akane's own little area and she was proud of it. It screamed Akane with the dumbbells in the corner on the floor with the bokken laying across them. The walls were white like the rest of the house with a poster on the wall of her favorite music group. Her sheets and pillows were yellow, her favorite color. Her desk was pushed right up to the window just to the left of her bed. Her books, notebooks and such for school were laid out on the desk along with a picture frame of her mother. Right next to her desk was her bookshelf that held her martial arts trophies she won when she was younger and her various books, which is where Akane was now standing beside.
"Here it is, Mousse." The Japanese girl said as she handed said book to her Chinese friend. "I'm sorry about my family. You know how Nabiki is. She's right though. We shouldn't stay in here for too long."
"It is all right, Akane." Mousse said conversationally as he deftly hid the book in one of the many pockets inside of his robe's sleeve. "You know how Cologne is and in Amazon culture, the entire tribe is considered family."
"I guess that's another thing we got in common-crazy families." Akane said and she couldn't help laughing when they stepped out into the hallway.
Of course, that was the moment when Ranma had been heading upstairs. He hadn't been looking for his fiancee though and he definitely didn't care what she was doing with the duck boy. He could care less. Of course not, it was just that Kasumi had sent him to tell Akane and Mousse that dinner would be ready in a few more minutes. She sure was going through a lot of trouble but it smelled really good and she had cooked a whole lot.
"What's blind boy doin' in your room?!" Ranma angrily demanded to know.
"I was getting a book for him that he wanted to borrow to read." Akane said with a slight sigh. She just knew the situation wouldn't turn out well and had to remind herself that her mallet wasn't the way to solve things, as much as she wanted, as much as Ranma would deserve it. Her day just kept going up and down. The kami's just couldn't let her have a middle ground for a while. Akane let out another soft sigh.
"Saotome, I would suggest you drop matters." Mousse suggested bluntly as he pulled the book out of his sleeve to show him.
"I suggest ya look in the right direction, blind boy!" Ranma said as he gave a slight shove at the Chinese martial artist to drive the point into his head even further. "Akane, ya shouldn't be letting him in your room!"
"Ranma, what's the difference of you being in my room whenever I help you with our homework and Mousse being in my room as I get a book for him?" Akane wanted to know, as she tried desperately to keep her temper. Depending on his answer, the pig-tailed martial artist might just get punted down the stairs. She would do her usual of sending him through the air but she didn't want to have to explain to her sister of why she was the one causing the property damage after questioning her on it just a few minutes earlier.
"I'm your fiancé! He's not!" Ranma yelled once more and he was suddenly struck with the fact of what he had just declared. The words 'oh, crap' started running through his head and of course, their fathers did hear it.
"Ranma, m'boy!" Saotome Genma yelled out from the bottom of the stairs. "It's about time you accepted matters! Tendo, it's a joyous day and we should celebrate!"
"Yes, Ranma, you will make my baby girl happy, won't you?" Soun asked from behind his friend.
"Oh, Father, they're too young!" Kasumi tried to remind the men as she appeared from behind them.
"Ranma! You my airen! Not Kitchen Destroyer's!" Shampoo yelled as she came crashing through the front door, literally.
"Shampoo, I'll be charging the Nekohaten for that door." Nabiki said as she popped her head out of her room to see what all the commotion was.
"I ain't no one's! Especially not yours, Shampoo!" Ranma began to yell again as he tried desperately to gain his wits back. "This whole engagement thing was your idea, Pops! I wouldn't have gotten engaged to such a macho, pig headed tomboy!"
Akane just stood there, feeling more and more miserable and decided to stop it. "Everyone, I have news! I'm going to America this summer!"
"WHAT?!" Ranma, Soun and Genma shouted in one voice. Shampoo just stood there smirkng at the idea of her one rival to her Airen's heart would be gone.
"I'm allowed to take an escort with me and I'd like it if Mousse came with me." The blue-haired girl continued speaking more quietly this time. "My teacher noticed the hard work I'd been putting into classes lately. This summer, they're sending a group of students to America to experience their culture and I was one of the chosen to go."
"WHAT?!" Ranma, Soun, Genma shouted again and this time, Shampoo had joined in.
"Mousse no go!" She added.
"Why not, my beloved?" Mousse asked curiously.
"Need Mousse help in restaurant." Shampoo said very decisively, as if there was no argument whatsoever.
"Well, it's up to Mousse if he wants to go." Akane said calmly and she looked over at her friend.
Both of them knew that Akane had originally planned on asking Ranma on going but he didn't seem all that great company for her lately. Mousse didn't mind being the fall back choice. In fact, he was sort of enjoying it. He hadn't expected Shampoo to be so against it so maybe she did feel something more for him than she let on.
"I would not mind at all going with you, Akane." Mousse made his decision.
"I'll tell you more about the trip over dinner." Akane told him as she began to walk past everyone to head down the stairs and wait for dinner.
Mousse was following right behind her. Nabiki began to follow behind him as she wanted to hear all the details about this. Soun had instantly turned into tears at this news that his youngest daughter was leaving for America. Genma was trying his best to console him for once as he schemed for ways to get his son married to his friend's daughter. Shampoo had just turned around and instantly began marching back in the direction of the Nekohaten. She needed to discuss things with her grandmother.
"Yes, dinner is ready." Kasumi said as she watched her youngest sister walk by and then turned her gaze to the young pig-tailed boy.
Ranma stood there, completely stunned and said the last words anyone would have expected to hear from his mouth. "I'm not hungry right now, Kasumi."
He then proceeded to head into his room and shut the door behind him.