Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that i claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:

Broken Mirrors, chapter 25

Friday, December 4th. The Saotome mansion, 8:00 AM.

Ranko sighed as she leaned back in the bathtub, enjoying the hot water and the bubbles. She giggled softly to herself as she relaxed. Who would ever have thought that Ranko Saotome, the greatest martial artist of her generation (at least in her world) would be sitting in a massive bathtub filled with bubbles? Her maids and servants were bustling about, getting the house ready for the day while she looked over with a mild blush as the placid looking Chinese woman who was meticulously laying out her clothes for the day. Loh Tain was an interesting woman, to say the least. She hailed from an obscure little province in China and had somehow made her way to Japan several years ago. Calm, gentle and strong as an ox, she was a woman of few words.

She was also Ranko's personal maid, and took care of any number of Ranko's needs. Honestly, she would be lost without the older woman's assistance. Especially when it came to taking care of certain things, that she would be honest with herself and admit she wasn't all that good at before she lost the use of her legs. Personal grooming was one of those things, and she couldn't help but look at the straight razor that was laid out on a white towel with some trepidation.

"Are...You sure that is quite necessary, Loh Tain? I don't think my legs are all that bad…." Ranko hedged nervously. She should really be more comfortable with this by now, after all it had been five years that she had been in this world, and four that Loh Tain had been attending to her.

Loh Tain nodded, then sighed as she looked over at her charge. "Yes, is most sure is necessary. Mistress Ranko need look best for Mistress Akane, no? Is want to make girlfriend too, too happy, yes?" Loh Tain said in her broken Japanese.

Ranko nervously ran her hands over her legs "They really are not that bad, though…" She hedged.

The grin that Loh Tain gave Ranko made her shiver for some reason. "Oh, Loh Tain is going to give Mistress the works. Give Mistress Akane too, too good surprise."

"The works? That...are you planning Loh Tain?" Ranko said as she bit her bottom lip.

"Is going to be too, too good surprise for Mistress Akane." Loh Tain responded.

A short while later, a very red Ranko dressed in a terry cloth robe was being wheeled into her room to be dressed for the day by a smiling Loh Tain. Ranko shifted a bit nervously, feeling rather exposed as she blushed more. Some part of her hoped that Akane would like it, since she was pretty sure she was going to die of embarrassment.

Ranko did her best to relax and leave herself in the capable hands of Loh Tain while she thought about the last week. It had been a very good week, she thought. It was nice to not have to hold back with Akane, and having Ukyo around was very nice as well. As much as she knew that Akane was going to miss her, she wanted Ukyo to be happy as well.

Tonight was going to be special. One of their favorite cellists was going to be performing, and it was a dinner theater. A wonderful meal with amazing music, spent with an incredible woman. It seemed like the perfect way to show Akane just how special she was.

This weekend was going to be even more special, because Akane was staying the entire weekend, and Ukyo would be joining them Sunday for lunch. It was a test, in a way, to see how well they could structure their lives going forward for when they were once more trading places each week.

She had overseen the minor renovations needed for another person to be able to stay comfortably in each of the siblings rooms. An expansion of the closets, another dresser and wardrobe added. All the little things that would make each of the ladies in their lives feel more at home.

And perhaps one day, it would truly be their home, as well.

No need to rush things, even though she didn't know where exactly her brother's thoughts on marriage were, she knew already that Akane was the only person she wanted. She was going to spend the rest of her life with that woman, if the Kami allowed it.

As progressive as Japan was in some ways, the fact that marriage between them, if they ended up desiring it was just out of their reach stung a bit, but she composed her mind, drawing on the many years of practice she had to better set her mind back where she wanted it to be. The faint tingle of power that was just out of her reach was a familiar throb by now. As much as she missed the chi-powered abilities that seemed to be just out of reach, the more mundane aspects of this world were not a bad thing, all things considered.

She looked at the gi that hung in a place of honor, the material worn and damaged by the events of the accident, but still a poignant reminder of who she was and where she had been, what she had accomplished.

Perhaps it was time to look at teaching what she knew, what she was still capable of passing along to another. Perhaps even the basics of the chi abilities that seemed to be hauntingly at the edge of her mind, like seeing a fish drifting under still water.

Maybe someday, the fish would surface once more. For that day, she would continue her practice, continue the art that she could still.

For now, though, she had a few duties to tend to before Shiro would take her to meet Akane. And, of course, before she would leave she would once more be at the tender mercy of Loh Tain.

She chuckled as she shook her head. She had endured all manners of crazy training and trials in her years of wandering Asia for training, but one gentle woman with a straight razor scared her. It was amusing, in a way.

For now though, as she was presented to the house staff for her daily duties, she had other things to attend to.

The Tendo dojo, 4:00 PM the same day.

Akane was once again fretting before her date with Ranko. It had been about a week since they had restarted their relationship, and it had been a memorable one that is for sure. The first time they had made love was an act that would remain with her for the rest of her life. Sleeping next to her girlfriend and waking next to her the next day were things that she would never grow tired of. Yes, she had slept next to her before, but that was more at the whim and plotting of the staff of the household. A group of people that she was getting to know fairly well, if she was going to be honest with herself. It was an interesting world that she was being introduced into, one that was very unlike the one she had known her whole life. She had to imagine it was an even more glaring change for the wandering martial artist that her girlfriend once was. She smiled as she remembered once more the wild, tomboyish young woman that she had met that first day, so full of fire and vinegar. It was understandable, but no less amusing. Now, Ranko had become very much the young lady, a woman of class and status. It was an amazing testament to the adaptability of the woman that she had come to love.

And she did love her, she had accepted that the first week they had been apart. The ache in her chest had been surprising, the sorrow she felt. She had started to not like walking into work, knowing that she would not hear her favorite client's warm voice.

Mind you, the change in their status would necessitate some changes for her at work. Ones that she hoped that Ranko would accept. There was no way that she could, in good faith, remain in the client-provider relationship they had been in before. It was not ethical, and more importantly, there were things she couldn't do while they remained like that. She had a few others lined up, and had even felt them out tentatively on if they would be okay with the significant other of their patient being present.

She had shared her concerns with Ukyo, and was hardly surprised to find that she had been thinking the same thing. Her working relationship with Ranma was a bit different than Akane's, so at least for now she should be able to continue to provide him the physical therapy that both of the siblings needed. She would discuss it with the director, but since he had pretty much thrown her at Ranma, she doubted that there would be any issues.

Akane shook her head, a sad little smile on her face. She had a good idea that Ukyo was hoping that Ranma would ask for her hand in marriage at some point, and as far as Akane was concerned, it was a forgone conclusion that the two would be married sooner or later. That made the realization that Ranko and her would never get to know that experience, at least not in a way that the Japanese government would recognize, a bit bittersweet.

At least society was growing more and more accepting of relationships like hers, and there were a few ways they could be a family, some of them a bit shady when you considered the relationship the two of them shared. It was something that she would have to bring up with each of the siblings at some point, but not tonight.

Tonight was about spending time with the most wonderful woman in the world, and making sure that she knew without doubt that Akane loved her. That she loved Ranko Saotome completely and without question, even with the odd little quirks to their relationship. That she would be fine when Ranko had to be away, and that she would never be jealous of Ranma and Ukyo, or begrudge them the time they spent together.

Akane and Ukyo had had many discussions, both leading up to them deciding to take their chances with the siblings and afterwards. The discussions had covered a surprising range of topics, from how they would handle the transition weekends, to what they would do if something happened to any of them. They were united in this, and that made Akane feel a bit more at ease about getting to effectively hog the shared existence that was their better halves for two weeks.

Now that had been an interesting discussion, when they had worked out how they felt about the fact that the siblings shared so much of their existence with each other. It had led to a very embarrassing discussion about some very private aspects of their lives, and how they felt about sharing their partners, in a way. The transition from one sibling to another had been a topic of discussion over the last week, and they had plumbed Ranko's understanding of it as best as they could. The answers had, if anything, raised more questions. It was not evident if they shared a body that changed from one form to the other, and just swapped souls. Another possibility was that they swapped places, the body and soul of one slipping into the mirror as the other slipped out. Of course, that raised the question of how the things that were done to one sibling's body affected the other's.

Perhaps one day they would be able to track down the mysterious Natsume who had done this in the first part, and settle the questions once and for all.

In the meantime, they had decided that in the end it didn't really matter, even if it might lead to some rather embarrassing situations or discussions at times. They had agreed on one thing, over a lot of wine. The fact that their preferences were oppostie meant that at least they didn't have to worry about one cheating on the other with their opposite partner.

Yes, some very awkward discussions were held over way too much wine and sake.

Akane looked at the clock and shook head as she realized she had to get ready now, or she would be going in the dressing gown she was currently wearing. Akane laughed as she quickly finished her preparations and then waited the last few minutes until she saw the black limo pull up outside of the dojo. With one last quick bow to the shrine for her mother, she walked out to the car, and smiled as she was let in. Ranko looked amazing, as she always did. The fact that her redheaded girlfriend was a shade of red herself did not go unnoticed by Akane, but she figured she would find out why at some point later.

Akane settled into the seat opposite Ranko, as she smiled at her girlfriend "I can't wait, thank you very much dear. I love going to concerts with you, the joy I see as you listen to the music always makes me so happy." Akane said as she leaned forward to take her companion's hands in her own.

A blushing Ranko nodded as she gently rubbed the backs of her girlfriends hands, her thumb traced little circles as she smiled warmly. "If it wasn't for you, I would never have discovered my love of music. I think I am the one that should be thanking you." She said honestly, a tentative smile on her lovely face.

Akane blushed and ducked her head, peering at her companion happily. "Before we go about the usual Japanese routine of trying to out compliment the other, while deflecting their compliments, lets just agree that we are both the luckiest two women in all of Japan right now?" Akane said with a little twinkle in her eye.

Ranko laughed and nodded as she gave another little squeeze. "I can agree with that."

Akane peered at her girlfriend and smiled "So, why are you so red tonight, Ranko dear?" She asked.

Ranko blushed and looked away. "You will figure it out later, I am pretty sure…" She said, unable to meet the eyes of her lover.

And, several hours later Akane did understand. An understanding that lasted well into the morning.