"Of Loss, Life, & Love"
Chapter 3
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Luna12


The chanting was a soft, surreal drone that barely reached Akane's ears. She felt as if she was in someone's else's dream, but as much as she tried to refuse what she heard and saw, there was no denying the strange reality she found herself in; she was standing before her father's funeral.

Akane had been through the Buddhist style ceremony once before, long, long ago. She had been a small child then, too young to be able to understand why her mother wasn't coming back or how, or why, her body had turned to ashes: cremated. Now, she was a young woman and viewing the ceremony without the naive misunderstandings and denial of a child.

The entire Tokyo area was under a massive heatwave, but the sun's rays, which normally made her feel happy and alive, made her angry. How dare the sun be shining, happy and inviting?! She was afraid of letting herself feel anything other than anger. If she did, she'd feel everything else that came with it –- the hurt, the sadness, loss and regret - and not be able to stop.

The one emotion that was safe to approach was her anger. It was familiar and almost oddly comforting. It was a crutch she relied upon often. When flustered or embarrassed, her temper seemed well able to handle the situation. Yet for the first time, her temper was failing her. It couldn't bring him back and she knew it. Hitting and punching someone or something wouldn't change the situation; her father was dead. Akane refused to face the building internal mass of pain her father's loss made, for it was easier to pretend that everything around her was just a bad dream. She would wake up tomorrow morning and discover it was all a mistake, right…?

Akane forced her eyes away from the urn; both the physical remains and evidence of her father's passing. Her eyes met Kasumi's, who was sitting to her right. Upon the initial news, Kasumi had sobbed openly for a day. Then, in typical Kasumi style, she had put aside her grief, slapped on a weak but constant smile and proceeded to take care of the funeral arrangements with Nadoka and Genma's help.

Nabiki, at Akane's left, hadn't had a full out cry like Kasumi, but had (surprisingly) shed open tears after the initial news. The last time Akane could ever recall Nabiki crying (other than when she was acting and trying to weasel someone out of yen) was when her mother passed. Just as Kasumi found taking care of the family as a distraction from her grief, Nabiki poured even more energy into her financial bookkeeping. Her best comfort was in cold numbers, crunching out costs for the funeral, the inheritance tax, and hospital bills.

Akane turned her head to look at the "friends" gathered. Many guests were invited to be present at the ceremony. As was tradition, each brought a monetary gift to the grieving family, (about 20,000 Yen) and received a small gift in return. Nabiki, of course, handled the arrangements. Akane was slightly vexed at her sister for how she handled this. In typical Nabiki fashion, her monetary lust overrode all other senses of proprietary or conscience; among the invited were Shampoo, Cologne, Kodachi, Kuno and many other loonies from Nerima.

'At least the other fiancées were polite enough to not hit on Ranma at a time like this,' she grumbled mentally. It was true. Although they had clustered themselves as closely as politeness would allow to Ranma, they seemed to genuinely pay their respects to the man who had passed away.

Akane glanced over at Ranma, who seemed to fidget in place. The weather, being scorching hot and muggy, was only adding to his discomfort. He felt like a fish out of water dressed in his formal black slacks and a matching black button-down silk shirt. Of course, the fact that he had no idea how he was supposed to behave or act at a funeral didn't help at all. At the same time, the entire event made him feel unnerved. No matter how bad things had gotten, there had always been a happy ending for him and his friends. He half-expected Soun to come back from the dead and laugh it all off, claiming it was some grand joke or misunderstanding.

He glanced over at his father, a little surprised at how badly his old man was taking it. His father, who had never batted an eye at dangerous training or even let his curse get him too down, was completely off balanced by the loss of his best friend. Genma's enthusiasm for eating disappeared, (he only ate 3 meals a day as opposed to 6) and for the first time Ranma could ever remember, his pop didn't provoke him to train.

However, it was not his father that concerned him most. He glanced over at the youngest Tendo, a blank, lifeless look on her face. At first, he was glad that Akane hadn't started balling like Kasumi. Ranma had enough trouble dealing with any girl who cried, but it was even worse if it was Akane. Yet after he saw Nabiki cry a bit and even caught his father "with some dirt in his eye" one evening, he began to worry that Akane had not once shed a tear. It didn't seem natural, especially considering how close she had been to her father. It was as if she was shutting down as many emotions as possible.

The only thing she did express was her temper. However, even that wasn't being shown normally. Usually when Akane's temper flared, it lashed itself out on the person who irritated her; namely him. However, that wasn't the case this time. Initially, Akane (as if trying to make up for her absence when Soun passed) had been the main comforter for her sisters along with Nadoka, but after Kasumi and Nabiki started to gain control of the situation, Akane became quiet and withdrawn, venting her temper on things that never would have bothered her before, such as when she burned one of her dresses in the attempt to iron it. Normally, that would have gotten her slightly irritated, but not to the point of ripping the dress into tiny shreds in a fit of anger.

Ranma felt at a loss for words. "I'm sorry" seemed hollow and useless. "Cheer up" was hardly appropriate, either. Before now, death to Ranma was something that didn't happen, that had never touched him directly. Even when he'd "killed" Saffron, the guy was reborn moments later – he was immortal, after all. He knew the Tendo's mother had died, but as he had never met her in life, her death never seemed that real to him. This was someone he knew, who was like an uncle to him, (albeit an annoying one at times).

He tried to imagine what the remaining Tendos were feeling, and found himself recalling a memory he would have rather kept buried. Not so long ago in Jusendo, he'd thought Akane had died. He remembered the pain, the shock, the anger of that moment. Because of that, he turned unresponsive and shut himself off from everyone around him. The only emotion he had shown, other than depressed shock, was an outburst of rage when the Juskenyou guide had removed Akane's clothes from his arms. Recalling that moment, he suddenly understood the state Akane was stuck in.

The ceremony ended and the urn containing Tendo Soun's remains was passed to Kasumi, the eldest and new head of the household. It was finally over. But now what?

Nodoka Saotome whispered something to Kasumi and after a quick nod in response, Nodoka turned to face the gathered guests. Ever polite and oblivious to any possible tension, (much like Kasumi in that respect), she invited the guests back to the Tendo household for some tea and to talk about "good ol' times" with Tendo-san. Of the guests who agreed to come were Tofu-sensei, Cologne, Shampoo, Ukyo, Kodachi, and Kuno.

For a moment, Ranma and Akane shared equal looks of distress. Didn't Nodoka realize what she was getting them all into? It wasn't even that long ago that the majority of those guests had destroyed the dojo in the successful attempt to disrupt their wedding. The only destructive people missing were Ryoga, (who was probably on the other side of the globe with Akari), and Happosai, who had disappeared –- as he did periodically - a few months before Soun's heart attack.

Akane's look of distress soon turned into a deep frown. She was not at all pleased with the guest list. The Nerima demolition crew all in her house at the same time! Yes, it was custom to invite relatives and close friends back to the grieving family's home after the initial service, but these girls -– and one Tatewaki Kuno - she did not consider part of either category. She wasn't too annoyed at having Ukyo over, as she got along fairly well with Ranma's childhood friend, but Shampoo? The Amazon who claimed Akane was an "obstacle for killing"? Or crazy Kodachi? Although she could easily take the gymnast (when not playing by rhythmic gymnastic martial arts' rules), she would still have to be on constant guard for the girl's poisons and tricks. She didn't even want to think about Kuno. He was already spouting out annoying poetic words to try and comfort his "tigress in her grief". All it made her want to do was belt him, but she wasn't about to take back an invitation Auntie Saotome made, nor cause such a horrible disruption at her father's wake.

Back in the Tendo household, the girls made sure to seat themselves not-so-subtly around Ranma; meaning Akane's normal seating place beside Ranma was taken. Kuno took the opportunity to sit next to her. Akane cringed and counted to ten. Could this day get any worse?

Ranma traded distressed looks with her across the table, looking as uncomfortable as she did.

'Good. Serves him right,' she caught herself thinking before shaking her head hard, upset that she had jumped the gun again. No, it wasn't Ranma's fault - this time. He hadn't invited the girls over, and he wasn't trying to encourage them – at least not today. Just as she hadn't wanted to invite Kuno or even encourage him. Still, she didn't have to stick around to watch the disgusting display. Even though they were showing more decorum than normal, small verbal barbs were already being thrown between the rival fiancées and Shampoo was looking eager to glomp her "airen".

Akane rose from the table and excused herself, claiming a sudden headache.

Tofu-sensei, who was sitting across from Kasumi, (impressively managing to hold on to his sanity near her presence), managed to break his fogged gaze away at the mention of a sick patient. "Akane, do you want me to -"

Akane shook her head sharply, cutting off any further response. "No thanks, doctor. I'll be alright."

As a result of two years experience and developed survival instincts, Ranma managed to hear past the polite words and fairly neutral tone, to the tense and barely contained boiling temper underneath.

"Akane?" Ranma called after her, knowing that he was going to be in for it later. There was no way Akane was going to assume he was the innocent in this situation, even if he was. Surprisingly, Akane sent him a look that let him know she wasn't actually mad at him, but she sure as heck wasn't going to stay.

Kuno, oblivious as usual, rose to follow. Akane cut off his advances with a sharp wave of her hand. "I'm retiring to my room, ALONE, Kuno-sempai."

"But my dear tigress –" they were the last words he got to utter as he made the mistake of touching Akane's shoulder. It was the tipping point from a day of unacceptable occurrences. Faster than anyone was able to process, Akane flipped Kuno over her head and flung him. She turned and glared heatedly at the hole in the wall. Kuno would be fine, considering how often such drastic maneuvers had been used on the Bokken-boy before. No one, not even the guests, gave the encounter much of a second thought.

Once Akane withdrew from the dinning room, an attitude shift was immediately felt from the girls clustered around Ranma. All were glad that Akane left; it would make things much easier. It was difficult holding themselves back so much, but even they knew which lines not to cross in the name of decorum and Akane's temper. The Tendo family was grieving, after all. At the same time, there was Ranma's marriage to secure and Soun's death changed the dynamics of their marriage game drastically.

Kodachi smirked and stroked her hand on Ranma's arm. "Ranma-sama, it seems that even in this tragedy there is some joy, for now that Tendo Soun is departed, your previous engagement has surely been annulled."

Ranma coughed violently, choking on his tea. Shampoo and Ukyo, (who had been thinking the same thing), were glad the issue was out in the open without having to be the first to voice it.

"How can you talk about stupid engagements at a time like this?" Ranma croaked, glad he had at least managed to keep the tea from sprouting out of his mouth like a fountain. For once, he wished Pop was in the room to take the argument (and the heat) off for him, but the panda-transforming man had sulked off to a corner of the house to "relive his fond memories of Tendo-kun in peace". 'Translation,' Ranma thought, 'he's gonna get drunk off his ass playing Shogi by himself'.

Ukyo, while patting the coughing Ranma's back, spoke up. "Of course, with Akane's engagement annulled, mine is the most valid one remaining."

"What you mean, spatula-girl?" Shampoo cried shrilly. "Amazon honor first. Ranma Shampoo's husband!"

Kodachi's stuck up nose rose even higher in disgust. "You harlots have no right to claim Ranma-sama!"

Ranma groaned and considered using the Saotome Special Technique. The funeral tea was quickly degenerating into a cat-fight on who was next in line to marry him.

Nodoka, also seated at the table, felt too surprised to speak. She also had begun to worry if the marriage was still on, but had not wanted to express her doubts, especially at this time. The agreement had been made between her husband and Tendo Soun. It had not been carried through and everyone knew of Akane and Ranma's disagreements over the arranged marriage. Without Soun around to enforce it, what would pressure Akane into agreeing?

Nodoka was starting to regret inviting everyone to tea. The girls weren't actually battling it out like they had done in her home in search of a non-existent engagement ring, but the words were equally barbed and it probably wouldn't take much to push their heated tempers to violence.

Tofu turned to Kasumi, his eyes wide behind the glasses. "Are they always like this?"

Kasumi's reaction was typical. "Yes, but oh my! After father's funeral, no less…" her eyes began to water.

Nabiki, who had sat at the far end of the table expecting this inevitable result, thought the farce has gone on long enough.

"Girls, girls," Nabiki announced, her steely calm voice cut through the bickering fiancées. They stopped in mid speech to look at the middle Tendo daughter. "I'm sure we can get this all settled in a more civilized manner." Nabiki's eyes gleamed and there was no doubt that by "civilized" she also meant "profitable".

Shampoo spoke up first. "What you plan? Sell Ranma?"

"Hey!" Ranma shouted in protest, but was ignored.

Nabiki smiled a tired and worn-out version of her Cheshire cat grin.

"Something like that. Meet with me one week from now. Until then, we ask you to respectfully give our family time to grieve and not to call on our house."

Kuno, who had regained consciousness at this point and had reentered the dinning room, was the first to speak. "But how can I help my dear Akane in her time of grief if I am not by her side?" Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Trust me Kuno-baby, she's better off without your assistance."

All three girls frowned. A week without seeing Ranma? Well, technically Nabiki hadn't said not to see Ranma, as much not to bother the Tendo family. It was clear the Tendo girl didn't care how much trouble Ranma was in personally, as long as it didn't affect her family. All three wondered what the clever girl was scheming. Still, they knew they were the ones transgressing on the Tendo hospitality and were compelled to agree.

Kodachi flicked her ponytail back in an arrogant huff. "Of course, the Kuno family knows better than to impose on the," she gave the small dinning room a disgusted look, "...bonhomie of a family in grief. We will meet a week from now."

With that, the Kunos left.

Cologne, who had remained quiet and carefully observant during the entire evening, spoke before her granddaughter's mouth was fully open to respond. "We too, will take our leave. Our condolences, again, for your loss."

Shampoo looked ready to verbally object, but a wink from Cologne silenced her, and she followed obediently behind, giving Ranma a longing glance before leaving.

Ukyo, who had behaved slightly better than the other girls, also rose and gave Ranma's shoulder a parting squeeze. "I'll be seeing you, sugar."

She turned to face the rest of the gathered family, bowed politely as a male would, then left.

Ranma let out a long, deep breath of relief. "Wow, Nabiki. Thanks."

Nabiki shot him a serious look. "I didn't do it for you, Saotome." She stood up and once at the door, turned to face Ranma again. "And we're not out of the woods yet."


Author's Note: Well, this chapter came out more angsty than I expected. At the same time, I tried to add a touch of humor at the tea-scene. Hopefully I did a somewhat realistic job in portraying what these characters would do in a very un-Takahashi-like circumstance. So review and tell me what you think. Next chapter will have some R&A moments.

Thanks again to Sabrina-Neo for beta-reading.