"Of Loss, Life, & Love"
A Ranma ½ Fanfic by Luna12
Chapter 27: "Affirmations"
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Akane raced from the mailbox to Tofu's clinic in record time. It had finally arrived! The 411 formula from Mousse was here.
Akane stepped into the crowded waiting room and forced herself to slow down and take several calming breaths. Just because they had a potential cure in her hands didn't mean they had priority before all the other patients.
Doctor Tofu stepped in and saw Akane carrying the foreign package riddled with Chinese postmarks. The smile on her face was filled with unbridled hope and enthusiasm. He waved the next patient to come into an exam room before approaching her.
"I take it the 411 arrived?"
Akane nodded happily. "Do you think you could treat Auntie Nodoka today?"
Tofu smiled warmly. "I'll make the time." He gestured to the phone at his desk. "You call Ranma and tell him to bring his mother over...but make sure to wait somewhere out of sight before they arrive. I'll have you come back to test its efficacy after."
Akane felt like skipping to the telephone. She and Ranma had developed a code to communicate on the phone without upsetting his mother. She would call and let it ring once and then immediately hang up. She would then wait a full two minutes and then dial again. With the advance notice, Ranma was usually able to make sure his mother was occupied elsewhere and would be the first to pick up the receiver. He could never address her by name, of course, and Akane had to keep her voice down, but it worked well enough to manage. It wasn't that often they needed to go through the hassle, but with Ukyo stalking – er, courting – Ranma so constantly and Nodoka's condition, it was helpful.
Ranma answered the phone, his voice was tinged with exhaustion, and he was nearly whispering into the receiver, but he sounded fairly upbeat. "Hey...please tell me there's a good excuse to get me outta here?"
Akane laughed. "Yes! The package arrived. Bring your mother to Doctor Tofu's and he'll do the restorative shiatsu today!"
Akane could hear the smile in Ranma's voice. "You mean it? That's awesome!" Ranma had ceased to keep his volume lowered, and Akane could hear another, younger female's voice in the background inquisitively pipe up.
Before she could inquire, Ranma had hung up. All suspicious thoughts were put out of mind from her own hopeful eagerness. She couldn't wait for her Auntie to be cured.
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Ranma's previous irritability vanished with Akane's phone call. Ukyo's head perked up from the multipurpose kitchen-living-dining area. She was glad to see Ranchan's mood improved, but something about the phone call being the source made her suspicious.
"Who was that, Ranchan?" She asked sweetly.
Ranma hung up and turned to face her. For a split second Ukyo could of sworn he looked panicked. "Just, uh...Tofu's clinic has the potion for my mother."
Ukyo felt her throat tighten. "Oh. That's great," she replied, trying to keep her voice encouraging, but it came out a little flat. Ranma hadn't noticed, he was too busy convincing his mother of the urgency to leave and get treated. Ukyo sighed and helped put away the breakfast dishes. Even if Nodoka was cured and regained her affection for Akane, that didn't trump Ukyo's agreement. Having Ranma's mother on her side helped, but the ultimate decision was with him. Twenty days of free meals and traditional dating hadn't won him, but she couldn't imagine how Ranma could resist the cute fiancée presenting herself every night in his bed.
With that encouraging thought, she laced her arm around Ranma's. He looked at her with a mixture of strained patience and curiosity.
"Yeah, Ucchan?"
She gave him her best smile. "I'm coming, too. For moral support. Your ma's health is important to me, sugar."
Ranma smiled and seemed to relax. "Thanks." Maybe Ukyo was finally putting away her fiancée dream and was ready to resume being friends.
Once the three of them had arrived at the clinic, Doctor Tofu explained the procedure.
Nodoka's eyebrows rose, more than a little surprised. "You want to shampoo me?" She gave the man a disbelieving look, as if to say, "aren't you a doctor, not a beautician?"
Ranma gave his mother an encouraging smile. "Trust him, Mother."
With skill and precision, if not quite the blinding speed of an Amazon warrior, Tofu administered the 411 and counterpoint shiatsu.
Nodoka had to admit she felt quite refreshed. Ranma looked at her eagerly. "How're you feelin'?"
"Quite fine, son."
Tofu cleared his throat. "We'll test it out." He left the room and when he came back, Akane was with him. Her hands were laced tightly together to control the flood of emotions waging war inside. She was so hopeful and excited, but also terrified that it would fail.
"Hello Auntie," she unclenched her hands to wave gently.
Nodoka saw the young woman and felt the telltale throbbing in her temple begin anew. The different Joketsuzoku shiatsu techniques were at war with the reset Tofu initiated. Suddenly, there was a flood of pleasant emotions and memories - How had she ever forgotten? – of welcoming Akane as if she were her own daughter; of patiently teaching her how to make tea and use a rice cooker, to shopping, to woman to woman talks... but those memories seemed at odds with the overwhelming anger, irritation, and paranoia rising within her, drying up the previous euphoria. It was as if her memories were of a character in a movie, and not the human being before her. She could not connect the two. Now all she felt was this overwhelming urge to protect her son against this person. Nodoka didn't know why, but every fiber of her being was crying out to send that girl away, that she was, somehow, the source of all that was wrong in her life, a threat to her family's happiness. It was as if someone had introduced a viper posed to strike, and then told Nodoka her son was betrothed to it.
Nodoka marveled at the intensity of her reaction. She didn't quite understand where it was coming from, but surely she could trust her own instincts?
"Auntie?" The girl was speaking again. "Are you alright?"
Nodoka's gaze turned cold. "I will be once you leave, young lady. I do not desire your presence here."
Akane's face crumpled into defeat. She had pinned her hopes on this working, but Mousse's warning from before echoed in her mind. 411 could only undo the workings of 911. Any other techniques, especially if combined, would be unaffected.
There was a sharp crunching sound, and all eyes turned to view Ranma, his face filled with frustration. He had clenched the sides of the metal stool so hard they had twisted. He stepped in front of Nodoka and placed his arms on her shoulders. "Mother, you got to snap out of this!"
Tofu stood up and checked Nodoka's blood pressure cuff and frowned. "That's enough, everyone. I think we have our answer. The 411 didn't fully work. It may need more time, or we may need to look for something else entirely. Until then, Saotome-san needs to stay away from stressful elements."
Although Doctor Tofu's words were meant to be professional and indirect, Akane knew he meant that she was that element. Akane felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach, and she quickly left the room.
Ranma watched her leave and felt his chest tighten. He turned to Ukyo, who was doing her best not to inappropriately smile at the turn of good fortune. Akane would have to give up on Ranma, or at least Ranma would finally understand that dissolving the engagement to Akane was the only smart move. What little joy she'd felt evaporated when she saw the crestfallen expression on his face.
Ukyo felt guilty for her previous thoughts. "How 'bout I escort your ma home, Ranchan? Then you can stay and talk with Doctor Tofu some more." Ukyo was almost surprised at her own offer. She knew that it meant a strong likelihood that Ranma would talk to Akane...but she'd do a lot to get rid of the dark gloom in his blue eyes, and she could afford to play the long game, now.
Ranma looked up at her in gratitude and Nodoka patted the chef's hand appreciatively. Without a second glance he tore out of the examination room and through the clinic's exit, desperately hoping he had caught Akane in time.
Akane had only made it to the sidewalk, her pace slow and depressed.
"Akane!"
She turned around. Her brown eyes were almost amber in the sunlight. They wavered before steadying.
"You should go back home," she told him, her voice flat.
Ranma's eyes went wide. "You're giving up? This is goodbye?"
Akane shook her head. "No. It isn't. You managed to break that Xi Fa Xiang Gao technique on me, so I'll just have to find another way to break it on her. Safely."
Ranma's eyes brightened with hope. "Not just you. I'm not giving up either." Ranma gave Akane a determined smile. "I don't back down from a challenge". He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
Akane felt her own courage and confidence buoy from the contact. She nodded and her lips tipped upwards into a tiny smile. "Neither do I, you know." Ranma grinned back.
They continued walking, without much purpose or direction, deep in thought. They occasionally spoke up, batting ideas off each other. They had some peculiar contacts in the world who might have access to strange curative scrolls or artifacts. Herb of the Musk, and the Amazon rival twins Pink and Link were good options to pursue. Even Happosai, next time he turned up. It was even possible that going straight to Cologne for help could work, but both agreed that was a last resort. They still couldn't rule out if she was part of the mess in the first place.
Ranma sighed, hope and frustration battling for supremacy. "I used to think my curse was the worst thing that could ever happen to me..."
Akane watched him with sad eyes and waited for him to finish.
"...it seems like such a small problem, now."
Akane felt like she was back in China, watching Ranma bravely face the ruined Jusenkyo pools. He really had matured from the recently cursed sixteen year old who had shown up at her door nearly two years ago.
Akane squeezed his hand in reassurance. "It could be worse; I think that 411 treatment worked a little on your mom. She didn't seem quite as upset this time."
Ranma gave her a dubious look, then shook his head. "I guess you're right. She didn't take a swing at you."
Akane smiled. "See? Progress," she joked darkly, nudging him playfully in the shoulder. If they didn't find a way to laugh about this situation, they would work themselves back into a depressed funk.
Recognizing what Akane was doing, Ranma allowed himself to be cheered up, though inwardly he couldn't help but remind himself to keep up his vigilance. He would never again let his mother raise a hand to Akane. Ever.
Their walk led them closer to Ranma's new neighborhood, and not wanting to reach his apartment yet, Ranma slowed down as they reached his block. They were directly outside a small florist shop, and a bucket of red carnations were on sale. Akane bent down to sniff them, her eyes closed as her nose crinkled cutely. Ranma felt his heart beat a little faster as he carefully fingered the change in his pocket. He just might have enough to buy one of them. It was Akane's favorite color for flowers, and though not as fancy as roses, he figured the gesture would work well enough.
Ranma was pleased to notice Akane was too busy admiring the sidewalk display to notice his actions as he quietly walked up to the lady at the register. The woman smiled at him, noticing the young woman outside and the telltale bashful nature of a young man attempting to court.
Ranma stepped out of the shop with a single red rose - the shop owner was a romantic and had given him a nice discount - and while doing his best to act nonchalant, presented it to Akane.
The wide eyes and stunning smile she gave him warmed his cheeks. She reached out carefully to take it from his hand. "You remembered they're my favorite?" she asked him, stunned.
Ranma rubbed his head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, well…" he shrugged, feeling at a complete loss for words.
Akane took a deep whiff of her gift, her eyes shined brightly in happiness. "Thanks, Ranma." She leaned forward, feeling compelled to let Ranma know how happy she was to receive such a gift, when a tiny, soulful "meow" made Ranma stiffen, his hair practically standing on end.
A small grey and white kitten was batting playfully at the string attached to the florist's display stand.
Ranma jumped behind Akane, all rational thought put on hold as fear coursed through him, and he thrust her in front of him as a human shield to block the line of sight between himself and the cat.
The shop owner, (who had been watching the couple with as much amusement as a housewife with her favorite soap opera), came out and picked up the kitten. "I'm sorry. Is little Tama bothering you?"
Akane felt pulled between laughter and annoyance, but she settled for wry amusement. "Would you mind bringing him inside?"
The shopkeeper dropped the kitten inside and closed the door. Instantly, the young man relaxed, though it was clear he still felt a bit on edge.
"Are you allergic?" she asked him.
Ranma crinkled his nose, not wanting to reveal his embarrassing phobia. "You could say that."
The florist nodded. "My brother has horrible allergies. Swells like a balloon whenever he visits me, now! But I couldn't resist. A neighbor's cat just had a litter. Tanaka the tea shop owner just adopted one, too."
Ranma scowled. It was just his run of bad luck to have the building right under his apartment have a new kitten for a pet. Why anyone thought those fanged, furry rat-eaters were cute was beyond him.
Akane and Ranma continued walking, and Ranma did his best to get rid of the involuntary shivers that plagued him at the thought of sleeping in a room above such a feline monster. Akane sensed his discomfort. With her free hand, she gently stroked Ranma's arm, slowly moving down to embrace his hand again.
"Ranma, step away from her!" Nodoka shouted her warning demand. She was crossing the street to reach them, and Ukyo was trailing behind with a hapless look on her face.
Ranma's thoughts had been so preoccupied, that he forgot he wanted to avoid the route his mother might likely take with Ukyo from the clinic.
Still, Ranma didn't let go. In fact, he stepped protectively in front of Akane. The action was small, but mighty to Akane. She felt her heart ache in both joy and sorrow; Ranma had never directly crossed his mother, but he was doing so now for her sake.
Ranma felt his frustration and annoyance return. "Ukyo, get her the hell outta here!"
Akane could see Nodoka's face getting red, so she stepped back instead. She wasn't going to risk Auntie's health or damage Ranma's relationship with his mother over a hand hold.
"It's alright, Ranma. Take care of her and we'll see each other at school tomorrow."
Ranma looked like he was about to protest, but Ukyo intervened, her voice just a shade too upbeat. "Let's get your ma home together, Ranchan."
Ranma felt like pulling his hair out. More than ever, he felt certain Shampoo had caused all this mess. It was just like her to ruin his happiness if she couldn't have him on her terms. For the thousandth time, he wished he'd never set foot in China.
Shoulders slumped, he turned around to say goodbye, only to find Akane had already left.
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The following day while her son was at school, Nodoka cautiously knocked on the Tendo household's door. She knew her son would be disappointed, at first, but she knew she had to act firmly for his own good. He kept wanting to see that-that Tendo girl, (even thinking her name made her temple pound) and he refused to trust his dear mother's instincts; instincts that screamed in her head night and day on how that girl was a disaster, that she would bring ruin to them all, that she was a threat...somehow. Ranma was a good son, but he was misguided. He kept trying to convince her that it was some sort of shiatsu that had twisted her thinking and memories. Nodoka shook her head. Yes, she had been plagued with headaches and some high blood pressure, but she could hardly believe that some hair product and a massage were behind it all. The kindly quack of a doctor her son kept taking her to see had already applied a different shampoo and massage. She had felt a bit refreshed from that, and she did admit she remembered some past events more clearly, but it hadn't changed her thoughts or innermost feelings. She was herself, wasn't she? She would know if something sinister had happened to her.
Nabiki opened the door, apparently home from university. She probably didn't have classes that day. "Hey Auntie Saotome. What brings you here? Are you finally feeling better?"
Kasumi came at the sound, beaming her familiar gentle smile. "Please come in. It's so good to see you again."
Nodoka couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic. She still loved the elder Tendo girls, it was just the youngest she had a problem with. If only her son had formed an attachment to one of them.
Kasumi invited her inside and promptly served out tea and light refreshments. Nabiki gave Nodoka an appraising and cautious look, and for a moment Nodoka imagined the young woman could read her intentions.
Like ripping off a bandaid, Nodoka realized it would be best to be fast and get it over with. "I am dissolving the arranged betrothal."
Nabiki's eyes narrowed and Kasumi sat back stunned. "Oh my." She put her cup of tea down, and looked sadly at the prim matron. "I see that you are not feeling well, still. Please, Auntie, can't you see how Ranma and Akane do care for each other?"
Nodoka continued, ignoring the previous comment. "Naturally, I think it best that Ranma stop teaching at your dojo, as well. In fact, I'll be making sure he ceases all further contact with her."
Nabiki crossed her arms, prepared to do verbal battle. "Uh huh." Her voice was full of skepticism. "So… did Ranma ask you to do this?" From her tone, it was obvious she knew the answer to this already, but by asking she was forcing Nodoka to remember Ranma's preferences.
A small flash of guilt crossed Nodoka's face before she schooled her features. "This is my own wish."
Kasumi sighed. "Auntie… have you even told Ranma about this? What if he doesn't agree with you?"
"He's a good son. He will after I tell him this evening."
Nabiki scoffed. "Don't bet on it," she mumbled loudly.
Kasumi looked at the woman sadly. "Auntie, please don't be hasty. Try to remember. You always supported the engagement before."
Nodoka shook her head, realizing how she would have to be firm. "You have forced me to be blunt. Akane is not and never will be a suitable bride for my son. She is headstrong, stubborn, a disaster. The very thought of her being near my family makes me feel ill. I just know she'll do something horrible to my son, and her tomboy nature will make him less of a man."
Nabiki quirked an eyebrow at the woman. "Really?" Nabiki's voice dripped with sarcastic disdain. "You got no problems with the cross-dressing chef." Nabiki motioned with her hands as if to mimic a scale. "So it's not manly for him to marry a tomboy, but it is manly to have his mommy dominate his life? I'm just trying to follow your lack of logic."
Nodoka went red in the face.
Kasumi murmured a scolding, "Nabiki!", but couldn't quite bring herself to apologize for her sister's rudeness.
Nodoka stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry to have caused so much distress to your household. I do wish you two the best. Please give this to your younger sister."
Nodoka gracefully handed over a sealed letter, before showing her self out.
Kasumi watched in a mixture of shock and sadness at the woman's departure. Nabiki simply shook her head.
"Akane's gonna be pissed."
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Back at the Saotome residence...
Ukyo had Ranma's arm entwined with her own as she led him back into the apartment after school. She was stepping up her efforts to woo Ranma with a simpler route: his stomach. So as soon as they stepped inside she went in the kitchen to fix Ranma a snack.
Nodoka realized this would be the best time to reveal the latest events. "Son, I have something important to discuss with you." Nodoka's voice held only the tiniest trace of the nervousness she felt. Nabiki's previous words had stung her confidence.
Ranma stopped halfway out his bedroom door. "Uh sure... but I got to meet Akane in an hour. We got DAFT practice." He went to join his mother at the kotatsu table.
Nodoka frowned at the mention of Akane. Every time that girl's name reached her ears, she felt a nagging pit at her stomach and her thoughts raced uncontrollably. She's bad for my son. I have to protect my son.
Ranma noticed Nodoka's concerned face, the crow's feet at her eyes had only grown deeper in the past week. Instinctively he felt bad news coming his way.
Nodoka looked her son in the eye and braced herself. "Your engagement with the Tendo girl has been dissolved."
At that point Ukyo had been carrying a tray of goodies to the table. She nearly dropped it in happy surprise. "Do you mean that, Mother Saotome?!" She felt like dancing.
Ranma's mouth was still hung open in shock. "Uh, what?" He eventually managed to spit out. He couldn't possibly have heard correctly.
"I said your engagement with the Tendo family has been terminated."
"And exactly whose idea was this?" Ranma asked angrily, trying to make sense of the impossible words.
Nodoka looked mildly upset. "I did. It's for your own good."
Ranma was up on his feet, desperate. "Mother, you gotta snap out of that Amazon brainwashing. You and Pop had us engaged since babes, now suddenly it's off?" He felt as if he were being treated like a yo-yo. Pushed, pulled, thrown, and captured at the whim of others. Now, when he was ready to take control of his love life, when he finally discovered who he really wanted, that was when he was going to be denied?
He let out a string of expletives.
Nodoka remained calm. "Ranma, as manly as cursing may be, do not do so in front of your mother."
"Fine. What in blue blazes is going on?" he rephrased sarcastically.
Nodoka purposely ignored the rude tone of voice. "That Tendo girl is not suitable for you as a wife."
Ranma could hardly believe this was the same person. "Just a month ago you were encouragin' it. Try to remember. You're actin' crazy, not in my 'best interests'."
Nodoka's face flushed with parental outrage. "I am your mother! I only want the best for you. This is not some attempt to hurt you, but to save you from being the wimpy shadow Soun became."
Ranma felt even more confused than before. "Wait, you think I'll be less manly if I marry Akane?" Ranma always had trouble figuring out his mother's sense of manliness, but this was more bizarre than usual.
Nodoka nodded. She had so much trouble trying to reason out her instinctual warning that Akane was a threat, but finally she was able to make sense of it. The biggest threat to her child was not helping him fulfill his contract to become 'a man among men'. Therefore, Akane must be undermining that. Her subconscious had simply picked up on it and manifested it into an emotional, knee-jerk response. "The Tendos turn the men around them into spineless jellyfish. I won't have them do the same to you. From now on, you are free to court or date anyone else you like, or to pursue your other engagement to Ukyo."
Ukyo preened, but Ranma didn't even look her way. He tried to grab his mother's elbow and lead her out the door. "I think I need to take you to Tofu's again. Maybe another dose of 411 will help."
Nodoka batted his hand away. "Ranma, I'm perfectly well."
Ranma shook his head. "No, you ain't."
"Aren't," his mother calmly correctly.
"Whatever. You're still under that Amazon mojo. This isn't like you."
Nodoka tried to reassure her son with a gentle pat to his arm. "I am perfectly in my right mind."
Ranma felt drained as he tried to piece together the situation. "Does Akane know about this?"
"I told her sisters this afternoon. I also wrote her a detailed letter."
Ranma felt stunned for a few seconds, but quickly found his voice. "How do you write a letter like that? 'Dear Akane, I think you'll make a horrible wife. Never see my son again?'"
Nodoka brows furrowed. "Don't take that tone with me, son. I spared the girl's feelings as best I could. Besides, you two always hated being in an arranged betrothal before."
Ranma felt the overwhelming need to leave, to hit something, to try and make sense of a world that kept becoming more unstable and crazier by the minute. He would actually welcome a battle with Pantyhose Taro, or another demon ghost cat, to this real-world craziness.
Ukyo felt unsure what to do or say amidst the family drama. She was inwardly rejoicing, but it was clear being too glad in front of Ranma wouldn't improve his mood. Again, she was reminded of who Ranma saw in the True Love Mirror. She had tried to convince herself again and again that it was a fake, a hoax, some doctored trick that Nabiki used at her expense. But there was no denying the devastated and frustrated aura pouring out of her Ranchan. He wasn't acting relieved, or even slightly miffed like the last time his engagement to Akane had been terminated. He...he really wanted to stay engaged to Akane. It wasn't out of vanity, or to stroke his ego, or boost the amount of attention he got. He wanted to … because he … he wanted Akane.
The realization made Ukyo stagger. She felt all her carefully held dreams and plans shatter.
Ranma headed towards the door. "I'm going out."
"You are not to see her," Nodoka commanded firmly.
Ranma felt his control slipping. "I have a tournament to prepare for. A nice manly competition, okay?!"
Ukyo and Nodoka watched him leave, the door forcibly slamming shut as he departed. The wall's cheap plaster broke into a spiderweb of cracks from the impact.
Nodoka rubbed her aching head, almost doubting herself. Somewhat distantly, she could recall feeling drastically different about the Tendo girl. Now she couldn't bring herself to say her first name, even mentally, without feelings of impending doom and desperate motherly concern for her son. Everyone kept telling her that some herbal shampoo was at work, altering her very thoughts, but she couldn't believe that. If she did, she would have to doubt every thought she ever had, her entire reality - and that was too terrifying an idea to swallow.
Nodoka shook her head. She was his mother and she was acting to insure his best interests. No spell could ever change that.
Even if her choices made him, temporarily, miserable.
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Ranma raced from his apartment towards Akane's house, desperately hoping he could catch her in time. Who knew what his mother had put in that letter? He was better off ripping it into pieces, or at least warning Akane he had no part in it, before she had a chance to read it.
Although he wouldn't follow any of his mother's wacked out demands, he did feel compelled to fulfil the earlier honor agreement. That meant he couldn't just knock on the Tendo front door, or swing into Akane's bedroom. He could only enter the dojo, and even then, he had to be teaching or training.
So he did the next best thing he could think of: he went to a public pay phone and called the Tendo residence, hoping he could reach Akane. He was in luck. Kasumi answered, quite surprised at the caller. "Ranma! I didn't think we'd see or hear from you again."
Ranma could only imagine what the Tendos thought of him after his mother's visit. "Yeah, well, if Mother asks, I didn't call. Is Akane home?"
"She's not back yet. She had promised to grab groceries on the way after school. She doesn't even know about your mother's visit, yet."
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. "Look, whatever you do, don't let Akane read that stupid letter Mother left. Have her meet me in the dojo as soon as she gets back."
"Of course, Ranma." Kasumi's voice remained calm and hopeful. "Good luck," she wished him before hanging up.
Ranma entered the dojo, glad to let loose and run through a series of intense katas and shadow sparring, anything to let him vent the building frustrations threatening to tear him up inside.
He heard the dojo doors open, and Ranma quickly looked up. Instead of seeing Akane, it was Nabiki. The usually flippant and nonchalant attitude was gone. The money lover seemed genuinely steamed.
To keep up with his honorable promise, Ranma continued training, but slowed down to just cool down exercises.
Nabiki's voice dripped heavily with angry sarcasm. "Shouldn't you be somewhere else? Your mommy said you can't play with us anymore."
"I'm not here to see you," Ranma retorted.
Nabiki shook her head. "You got some gall, Saotome. You think you can still use my family's dojo whenever you want?"
Ranma scowled, but kept moving while he spoke. "Look, I had to find Akane. But I also gotta keep my promise - I can only be here while training." He executed a lightening fast kick combination, as a way to take the edge off his nerves and maybe intimidate Nabiki enough to let him alone. "So scram so I can talk to Akane."
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Right. You're only here to say goodbye to Akane forever and leave us to pick up the pieces."
At that moment Akane had walked in the door.
"What?!" Akane's mouth dropped open. "You're leaving forever?"
Ranma glared at Nabiki before turning to Akane to answer. "'Course not! But, well, things got complicated."
"What do you mean, 'complicated?'" she demanded, looking ready to take out an army of 'complicated'.
Nabiki handed Akane Nodoka's letter. "Read."
Ranma lunged for the paper, but was too late. Akane opened the envelope, barely taking in the beautiful calligraphy.
By the end of the letter, Akane's fingers were trembling. This couldn't have been written by Auntie Nodoka, could it? The words seemed so hateful, but the handwriting was unmistakably her own.
Ranma could only guess at the letter's content. "Akane...?"
Akane crumpled up the letter angrily and turned to Nabiki. Her sister usually had some plan, some solution or scheme to solve a problem. "Nabiki, can't you think of something?"
Nabiki shrugged. "Hey, I'm not a miracle worker. Auntie went nutso from some brainwashing voodoo. What can I do?"
Ranma glared at Nabiki at the brutally truthful comment, but stayed silent.
Akane was pacing, feeling the need for action and unsure what course to take. She suddenly stopped. "Does Auntie know you're here?" she asked him.
Ranma huffed. "She forbade me from coming, but I told her I was gonna train anyway."
Akane felt an inkling of hope. Ranma defying his mother just to see her was a good sign.
His excess energy spent, he stopped to stand in front of Akane. "Let's take a walk. In private." he glared pointedly at Nabiki.
They exited the dojo in a depressed funk, neither knowing what to say for the longest time, simply walking side by side on the street.
Akane was the first to speak, her voice quiet. "I miss my mother."
Ranma stopped, surprised at the turn in conversation.
Akane turned to watch the water in the canal, not sure if she could get out the words if she was facing Ranma. "I hardly remember her, but I know the emptiness she left. And now with dad…" her voiced choked and she couldn't get herself to finish. She wiped away at a stubborn tear that escaped, and cleared her tight throat. "What I'm trying to say is: I understand. I won't ask you to choose between us and your mother."
Ranma grabbed her hand, willing her to face him. "I don't want to choose. I want both."
Akane nodded, and finally turned to look at him. "I know."
Her strong resolve crumbled, and she found herself hugging him fiercely. The effort to hold in her tears made her shake. Ranma felt her tremble and felt a new wellspring of determination come over him.
With one hand, he lifted her chin, demanding her chocolate brown eyes meet his gaze. He almost wished he hadn't. She was crying, and he felt the breath sucked out of him. Tears clung to her thick eyelashes, while others trailed down her cheeks, dampening the soft skin. He often felt lost and helpless when a girl cried, but the sight of Akane in tears always undid him. His heart clenched up painfully, and he felt compelled to do anything in the world to make her stop. Anything and everything to make things right and end the torture to his soul, to bring back the cute, breathtaking smile on her face again.
Akane felt ashamed she let her emotions get the best of her. She sniffled and stepped back, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, slowly regaining her composure.
Ranma shook his head. "You got nothin' to be sorry about, Akane."
A ghost of a smile graced her face. "Yeah, well I didn't want to be a crybaby about it."
Ranma grabbed her hand. "I'm not gonna let Mother stop us from being together. We may have to sneak around for a while, but we'll get her a cure. Even if we gotta go all the way to China to do it. I'm not giving up on you, Akane. Ever."
"Ranchan, there you are!"
Ranma breathed out heavily in disappointment and Akane's eyes grew distant.
Ukyo paused, taking in the remnants of what had obviously been an emotional scene. Akane's face was tear stained, and Ranma was a picture of stoic misery. Their hands were joined. Unlike Shampoo, Ukyo was not so catty as to gloat a victory over a rival. She wanted Ranma to be happy. Frustratingly, she even wanted Akane to be happy. Unlike Shampoo and Kodachi, her main rival was kind and caring, (a bit tomboyish, but as a cross-dresser, Ukyo was hardly one to judge poorly for that character trait), nearly impossible to hate. Yet again, Ukyo wished their lives could have been different, that she could fully embrace Akane as a good friend. The only problem was she wanted Ranma and Akane to be happy and not be romantically involved with each other. Couldn't Ranchan see how much better suited she was to be his fiancée and let Akane go? Surely Ryoga or one of the many other boys that panted after the girl could make Akane happy, right?
The moment stretched into painful awkwardness. Akane spoke up first. "I'll see you both later at school."
Ranma's shoulders slumped, but he nodded in agreement. "Sure. But remember what I said, okay, tomboy?"
Ukyo looked back and forth between the two, seeing the light come back into Akane's eyes a bit. Enough was enough. Ukyo could sympathize, hell, her own heart was rather trampled with all her recent soul searching and depressing realizations, but that didn't mean she was going to ignore an opportunity when it presented itself.
Ukyo gently touched Ranma's shoulder - not in the more clingy manor she had used the past month when she snatched his elbow- but simply as a friend, male or female, would do. "Let's head to Ucchan's. No need to race back home, right?"
Ranma gave Ukyo a tight smile. He didn't have much of an appetite right now, but the friendly gesture wasn't lost on him. "Sure," he replied, his eyes watching Akane walk down the street back to her own home.
He turned to Ukyo, feeling the need to tell his friend - not his fiancée - an important truth. "I'm gonna fix this, Ucchan. Somehow, I'm gonna get my mother cured, and I'm not giving up on Akane."
Ukyo's eyes wavered. "Ranchan…"
Ranma shook his head. "I know you think I should just marry you, since you're the only 'real' engagement left, but you gotta know that won't happen, Ucchan. Don't you get it, yet?"
Ukyo put her fingers over Ranma's mouth. Even if she was starting to realize the depth of Ranma's feelings for Akane, she wasn't ready to hear it, and she certainly wasn't ready to accept it and admit defeat. Not yet. Especially not when Ranma may eventually have to accept the bitter truth that his mother may never be able to see or accept her son being near Akane Tendo. That meant she, the old childhood pal, the cute fiancée, the last legitimate fiancée, would be there to help heal his heart and be his one true wife.
Ukyo managed to get her tongue working again. "I get that the situation sucks for everyone, sugar. Now let's get some dinner."
Ranma sighed and relented. Even if Ucchan wasn't ready to give up her romantic claim on him, she at least seemed willing to be his friend. And he really needed a friend right now.
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Author's Note:
This was hard to write and do to the characters, but it has a purpose. I promise.
This is one of those scenes that I had planned out years and years ago, but has morphed and changed as the story has congealed and matured. Hopefully it hit the right notes.
See, I'm not actually a Ukyo hater. She's one of the more complex characters in the series, and I like her. I just like Akane so much more.
As usual, Angela Jewell rocks my socks as my talented beta reader.
Original Publication Date: Nov. 1, 2014
