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 28
Monday, December 14th. The Saotome estate, 8:00 AM
It was a winded Ukyo and an oddly energized Akane that made their way into the main court of the Saotome estate. Ukyo shook her head as she watched Akane bounce lightly on her toes.
"I know I'm in good shape, sugar, but you seem to be in a league of your own." Ukyo said as she walked a bit.
"Are you sure about that, Ukyo? I don't think I was pushing us that hard " Akane said as she continued to bounce on her toes.
"Sugar, we ran most of the way on the last half of the circuit." Ukyo said as she shook her head in wonder.
Akane blinked and looked at her as she seemed to ponder that. "Maybe we did make it a little faster than normal…"
"A little? You started to run, then practically finished it in a dash." Ukyo said, then looked at Akane. "And you're not winded at all."
Akane shrugged and rolled her shoulders. "I don't know. I haven't really been doing anything different, really. I've been eating a bit more than usual, and I've just felt… Good. Really good. KInd of warm inside? It's hard to explain.." Akane trailed off, lost in thought.
"Well, have you been doing anything different? Something new you're eating, or doing?" Ukyo asked as she stretched.
"I don't know. I've been doing exercises and meditations a bit more, some I learned from Ranko. Qigong, among a few others. They are odd, but they seemed to have helped me? Maybe when she comes back next week we can ask her about them?" Akane said as she grabbed a bottle of water.
"Maybe we can make them part of our exercises. If they are helping you this much, maybe we should all be doing them?" Ukyo said as she finished her stretches.
"I don't see why not? Let's go eat and collect Ranma and we can run through the basics and see where we need to start with you?" Akane said in a questioning tone .
"That sounds good, sensei." Ukyo said as she bumped her hip against Akane's.
Akane laughed as she bumped back. "Come on, let's go get some food and then we can get to work."
With a happy nod, Ukyo led the way into the mansion, finding Ranma already sitting at the table, a newspaper in his hands. He looked at them, then the clock.
"Did you run short?" He asked curiously.
Ukyo shook her head before she gave him a gentle kiss and sat down next to him. "Someone decided that our pace wasn't fast enough and pushed up the pace, twice."
Akane coughed and looked bashful. "I didn't think we were going that fast."
Ranma arched an eyebrow at that. "You were not aware? Were you feeling impatient today, Akane? Or just in a hurry? And while I can tell Ukyo was a bit pushed by it, you don't seem to be showing the same signs."
Akane shook her head and huncher her shoulders. "I honestly don't think so? I just...It felt so good to run, I felt so light. It's been happening more and more lately. I feel this… energy, like liquid sunshine pooling in my core. I honestly haven't ever felt this good before."
Ranma nodded slowly, as he looked thoughtful. "Ranko has asked me about chi manipulation before, in her notes to me. She said she felt muted, somehow. Like her energy had been sapped. She thought it might have been from the injuries we shared. But she described it the same way once, like liquid sunshine pooling in her core and flowing through her arms and legs. Maybe it's something you two will have to ask her about, directly. Have you been doing anything new lately?"
"Just some variants of Qigong and Tai Chi. Some forms and exercises I hadn't seen before. She walked me through them, and joined me in the ones that don't require legs or lower body movement. I never knew there were just so many ways to breathe!" Akane said as the energy slowly bled away.
Ranma made a soft noise of assent and nodded. "Perhaps you will have to show us today. We can work on forms and meditation, then move into kata."
Ukyo looked at the two of them with narrowed eyes. "Why do I get the distinct impression you two are taking it easy on me because you don't think I can handle it? Did you both forget that I'm the physical therapy person here? I might not have kept in practice, but I'm in excellent shape. I'm strong, supple and flexible, I will let you know, sugar!"
Ranma coughed as he blushed and looked away and Akane rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you are in excellent shape, and I would bet more than fairly flexible, neither one of us wants to rush anything. We both are trained in fairly rough styles as our primary, and we know nothing about your family style. So, today we teach you the basics of ours, and you show us what you remember of yours. That way we can all learn, and I don't accidentally break you." Akane said as she looked down.
Ukyo bristled a bit at that, until a gentle hand on hers from Ranma settled her. "I think she might be worried about using more force than she intended, if her jog this morning is any indication. Is that what you are thinking as well, Akane?" Ranma said.
Akane nodded almost meekly. "I don't want to risk hurting either of you, if I don't have complete control over just how much force I am putting into my strikes. The Saotome school focuses on speed, aerial combat, and grapples. The Tendo is a more direct striking style that also practices weapon forms. If I am off by even ten percent on my control, I could seriously hurt anyone besides Ryouga that I spar with. The only reason I am not concerned with him is that guy is a walking mountain, and can take hits like no one else I have ever met." Akane explained, unable to meet the eyes of her friend.
Akane jerked a little as Ukyo rested a hand gently on her shoulder, then reached down to take Akane's hand in hers. "Thank you, sugar, for watching out for me. Okay, then we do form and kata's today, and you start teaching us what you learned from Ranko-chan of those meditation practices. I kind of want to see if they really do increase your stamina as much as they seem to have with you." Ukyo said with a warm smile on her face.
Akane laughed and nodded as she gave Ukyo's hand a tentative squeeze. "Sounds good. And, when Ranko comes back, we might have to have her oversee some of our practice sessions. I have to admit, I am curious about what differences there might have been, between her world and ours, when it comes to the school. Some of the stuff she has said that her parents used for training…. I just don't see how it would work, or how the student was expected to survive it." Akane said with a little shudder.
"How bad could it be, sugar? I have seen and heard of some crazy stuff." Ukyo said hesitantly.
"Believe me, you don't want to know. I don't want to know, and I know." Akane said before she shook herself. "Okay, let's finish up here and then get ready! I have a bit of time until I have to go adult, but I sadly don't have all day. And, from what Ukyo said earlier, neither do you two."
Ukyo laughed and nodded as Ranma shook his head and stood up slowly. Ukyo was at his side almost instantly as Akane snorted. "You two don't get distracted, okay? I will see you in the courtyard in a few." Akane said before she went to change in the room she shared with Ranko.
Akane stood for a few moments just soaking in the sights and smells of the room, before she walked out and retrieved her gi from where it was hanging in the closet next to Ranko's own workout gear. She rested her hand lightly on the outfit for a moment before she shook her head with a rueful little laugh. "And you were admonishing them for getting distracted." Akane said to herself, before she changed into her gi. The whole time she was changing, she couldn't seem to shake that same feeling from earlier of being watched, but she just shook her head and ignored it. She just wasn't used to this place yet, that was all it was.
Akane made her way down to the courtyard, and was soon joined by the other two and they began their workout for the day. They stretched and warmed up before they started to work their way through the forms and katas that the Saotome and Tendo schools shared. After that, they let Ukyo lead them through what she remembered of her own style, with Akane and Ranma comparing notes as they analyzed it, and were soon following along with Ukyo. The last bit of their session was spent working on the meditation exercises that Ranko had taught Akane, afterward all three martial artists compared notes, and made a list of questions to ask Ranko next week, when they would have access to the diminutive martial artist.
The one thing that all of them noticed was the odd feeling of warmth that had spread through their cores at the end of the session. Akane noted that it felt like liquid sunlight, pooling in her core and spreading throughout her body. The warmth was there for the other two, but neither of them felt it was as intense as it seemed to be for Akane.
All too soon for all involved, it was time for them to go their separate ways. Akane had a client she had to prepare for, and Ukyo and Ranma were to meet the new physical therapist for their first official appointment.
All in all, a very busy day for all of them.
The Toho Center for Physical Rehabilitation, 3:00 PM
Ukyo was feeling extra bubbly at the moment. After Akane had left, Ranma and her might have gotten a little distracted in the shower, and she was still feeling tingly. All in all, it was definitely something she could and hopefully would get used to. It did make her feel for Akane, though. It had to be rough on her friend, just like it had been for her. But, they would tackle this together, just like they had promised.
It was really nice to be able to hold the hand of the reserved man sitting next to her. Even if he did tend to let go when they were in public. Baby steps, as Akane had put it. In time, Ranma would probably continue to open up more, and Ukyo had to admit that she was looking forward to it.
Ukyo grinned at the brunette who was walking towards them, dressed in a tracksuit and wearing one of the facility's ball caps to keep her long hair out of the way. Ukyo grinned as she grabbed Ranma's hand and impulsively gave it a little tug. "They are here! Your new trainer is an old friend of mine from school, and then college." She said to Ranma as she stopped and smiled happily at the other trainer. "Ranma, I would like to introduce you to an old friend of mine. This is Tsubasa Kurenai, and they will be taking over your physical therapy from now on."
Tsubasa smiled and bowed to the taller man. "I look forward to working with you. U-chan has told me so much about you!" The brunette gushed as she smiled winningly at Ranma.
"Tsubasa, no hitting on my boyfriend, okay? We don't need ANOTHER one scarred, alright? And you know how long it took me to convince the dorm mother that I wasn't gay?" Ukyo said as she leaned into Tsubasa's personal space. They held that pose for a moment, before they both broke down into laughter and hugged each other. Ukyo stepped back and resumed her place next to Ranma. "As flaky as Tsu-chan is, I trust them to take good care of you, sugar."
"Like he was my own, U-chan." Tsubasa crooned, then backed off with a laugh at the look that Ukyo had on her face. "Okay, okay. I will behave." Tsubasa said, as they pulled out a clipboard and notebook and checked it over. "Your notes are excellent, as always Ukyo. Still, I just want to see with my own eyes what we are working with, so go get changed and we will hit the track. I think we will save the pool work for next time you visit, Mr. Saotome." Tsubasa said as they led the way to the changing rooms.
"I will see you two on the track." Tsubasa said before they walked through the doors to the inner part of the facility.
"Tsubasa is good at what they do, just don't let them get under your skin." Ukyo said with a smile and a wave as she went to change, as well.
Ranma watched her go, then went and changed as well. The other two were waiting for him when he emerged from the locker room and the three of them ran through the familiar battery of stretches and warm ups that they had settled on, with a few minor variations from Tsubasa as Ranma's current state was assessed.
What followed was a mild workout, mostly to learn the ins and outs of Ranma's particular case and to discover any particular areas that they should work on. Afterwards, Tsubasa and Ukyo exchanged a few more notes before the couple left, with an energetic Tsubasa waving them off.
"She seems… Excitable." Is Ranma's first comment when they get into the car.
"Oh, Tsu-chan isn't that bad. I've been around them since high school. Honestly, they have mellowed a lot over the years. I just wish that they would just make up their mind once and for all." Ukyo said with a chuckle.
"Make up their mind? And why do you say they and not her?" Ranma said in a confused tone of voice.
"That is something that is up to Tsubasa to explain, sorry sugar." Ukyo said apologetically.
Ranma eyed her for a bit, before he slipped his hand back into hers and laid his head back and relaxed. "I will leave it be for now. I just want to relax a little before we get home. Tomorrow I will go visit the dojo, what are your plans for tomorrow?"
"I have to get back to work, sugar. I will have to leave in the morning…" Ukyo trailed off as her thumb stroked the back of his hand.
Ranma chuckled as he held her hand a bit tighter. "You are insatiable."
"I don't hear you complaining." Ukyo said as she settled against him.
"And I don't imagine you will." Ranma said as he pulled her closer.
It was a very nice ride home, for both of them.