—-Chapter 14 - A Week of Complications —-
That day and the next, Genma and Soun insist they have take out to celebrate. The Saotome family has returned home and Ranma is back to his original condition. Still changes to a girl's body at times, due to a curse, but that's normal for them.
It is only the third day when people start to notice an issue.
Akane and Ranma are off from school and relaxing together in the family room. It had taken some work, but he managed to hold her hand with only mild embarrassment.
When the two hear footsteps from upstairs, they separate. Akane focuses on her magazine and Ranma is doing a light exercise
Genma looks back and forth at the two. He is in panda form. He scratches himself and sits down.
After a moment, he holds up a sign asking about food.
They shrug.
He shakes the sign.
Akane stands up. "He does make a point. Kasumi would have served food by now."
Ranma looks at the ceiling. "We haven't eaten in a coupla days. Did we upset her?"
The pair walk into the kitchen and find only Nabiki.
"What's going on," Akane asks.
Nabiki holds her index finger to her cheek. "For a fee, I told Kasumi I'd take over…but I don't want to cook, and I haven't figured out how to get someone else to without spending money."
"Why don't you just cook, then," Ranma replies with a glare. "It'd be cheaper for you."
"I feel like if I just make rice, I can sell you pickled vegetables or soup for a profit."
"I'll just make breakfast," Akane happily remarks.
Nabiki and Ranma go to leave.
"I'm not hungry," the boy points out.
"I'll cut my losses," the middle sister remarks.
Akane is only able to drag her fiance back into the kitchen.
"Nabiki!"
"How much will it cost you," she asks from the hall.
"Nevermind. Say something nice at my funeral for 100 yen."
"Hmph. 1000." She negotiates with her future brother-in-law.
"I don't know why you have to be that way. I can definitely cook this time." Akane sighs. She lets a fire burn in her soul. "I can feel it."
"I can see it," Ranma says as black smoke fills the room. "How did you manage that so quick?!"
Akane panics. Ranma puts a lid over the pan and turns off the stove. Emergency over.
He chuckles. She pinches him.
He playfully goes to touch her intimately, but then Nodoka walks in. They split apart.
"Oh my, I hope everything is OK?"
"Akane was just on fire. I put her out."
The young lady elbows her fiance. "I wanted to make breakfast."
Nodoka thinks for a moment. "Leave it to me, for today."
"Thanks Ma." Ranma quickly leaves the room.
Akane tries to snatch him again, but he is too fast. She pouts and looks back to his mother.
"Honestly, I'm not that bad. What does he expect to eat the rest of his life if he doesn't cook and he doesn't trust?"
"What was that?" Nodoka is distracted as she is setting up her cookware.
Akane is frozen like a stone. That was too revealing. "Uh, well, he keeps…can I help you?"
Nodoka looks her in the eye. She has seen Akane's cooking but has never given up hope.
She looks at the smoldering pan with the burnt food.
"I would love if you just watched for today," the mother says, diplomatically.
Akane nods firmly and focuses on what Nodoka does next. She tries to anticipate it and call it out. Nodoka has to correct her.
Upstairs, Kasumi lays on her bed. Her eyes are red from crying. Her pillow is covering her face. Her energy is pure lethargy. No ambition.
The drapes are closed and the room is dark.
There is a knock on the door.
"Kasumi, I heard you traded cooking duties with Nabiki." It is her father, Soun. "I just wanted to check if you're sick."
Kasumi lifts the pillow. Her body takes a deep breath and lets it out. "I'm fine. Just allergies."
He hums. "Ah, I see. Well, please sleep in. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you."
He lingers at the door. "Kasumi, I love you."
She pauses. "I know. I love you as well. Thank you."
Her ears can pick up that he shuffles away.
She lets out another sigh.
Soun enters the living room to see his panda friend. Ranma is nearby drinking some tea.
"Good morning, Saotome. Ranma." He smells the burnt air. "Is Nabiki burning food?"
"Akane."
Soun goes rigid.
"My Ma took over, so don't worry."
Soun relaxes. "Ah, that's great. My daughter is taking her duties as a wife seriously, but can you take her on a camping trip to train when it comes to cooking?"
Genma looks suspiciously.
Ranma jumps to his feet. "She'll never get married. No bum would like a wife like that!"
Akane appears. "What was that?"
"Your dad thinks you're training to be a wife."
She lets go of her anger. "Dad! I'm trying for myself and not some stupid guy."
"Who ya callin–I mean, yep, they'd have to be stupid to marry you!"
"I'm not sure where this anger is coming from," Soun wonders. "Didn't you just say the other day–"
Akane grabs her father in a judo throw and hurls him down the hall.
She chases him out the front door.
"I better help. Stay here."
Ranma hurries after them.
By the wall of the estate, Akane presses her dad against the wall. She realizes this is awkward, and loosens up.
Ranma stands behind her, cracking his knuckles.
"Look, don't tell my old man about this."
"Huh?"
"Please, dad. Don't tell them that we agreed to get married."
Soun looks down in thought. "B-but…the schools–"
"We said it isn't about that!" Both of them argue.
"If you mention it, I will find the old pervert and tell him you took his collection." Ranma grins.
Soun clears his throat. "Hmm, yes. I see. Well, in that case, I should privately enjoy the news of your relationship and eagerly anticipate the day it can go public." He looks the boy in the eye. "However, I will still push for it to be open. So your father and I won't stop plotting how to make it happen."
Ranma steps forward so that he towers over Akane's shoulder. The chi the couple is giving off seems more like a fierce miasma.
"You better hold the old fool back. No silly plots. If you do that, we won't make you suffer."
Soun realizes he isn't sure if Ranma is better than him, but he certainly can no longer win a fight with his youngest daughter.
He concedes.
"Thank you, dad." She smiles.
"Let's eat."
They enter the home just in time to enjoy breakfast. Kasumi stays in her room.
For the next four days, the family is at odds with Akane.
The oldest daughter only leaves her room secretly at night to use the bath. They don't see Kasumi this week.
Laundry is ruined and done half-assed. The food is either burnt, or the kitchen torn apart when Akane tries to help.
Nabiki made dinner one night, but it required Kuno to show up to fund it. He ended up chained to a log and sent downstream.
Ranma made one meal, but it was cup noodles. It was one of the better meals that wasn't done by Kasumi or Nodoka. Genma and him fought and spilt the soup on the only laundry that was successfully cleaned that week.
Genma actually makes a meal, but he actually stole it from the neighbors and they return it before it can be eaten.
Thankfully Nodoka is able to help them avoid starving, but she is not used to cooking for two families. She also keeps making food that everyone complains tastes great, but not right, so they all agreed it is no replacement for what they are used to or their personal tastes.
By Friday, before dinner, they all stood outside Kasumi's door except Genma.
Akane knocks on the door. "Kasumi, are you okay?"
There is a low noise that seems to suggest she is.
"Can I come in?"
A refusal.
Nabiki moves forward. "I will pay you to enter."
No response. "Hmm. That was a pretty good offer, too."
"Honey, please let us in," Soun begs. "Even if it's just one of us."
"I really don't want to see anyone," she responds. She isn't really sure who she is anymore.
Ranma can't contain himself. "Im'a burst through the door!"
Akane hits him with her hammer. He shuffles away.
"Kasumi, dear, we don't need you to cook and clean. But we need you to come out." Nodoka begs.
"I mean, I kind of need her to," Nabiki jokes.
As they are waiting, they hear a noise from inside her room.
Ranma enters through her window. He grabs her pillow and blanket and throws them aside.
"Y'gotta get that tough love, big sis!" He stops. "Since when do I call you that?"
Instead of anger, she laughs.
Since the door isn't locked, the rest enter to see what the commotion is.
Akane elbows her fiance. "Ranma!"
"What?! I said I'd just bust in!"
Kasumi sits up. She is smiling. "Please don't fight." She looks at her younger sister. "Ranma reminded me. From when you were all busy and I helped him recently. Thank you. It's what I needed."
"I did," Ranma questions. "I mean, of course, so else."
Akane looks at him with doubt.
Kasumi giggles.
Nabiki and the rest glance around and back to the oldest daughter.
"Does this mean…you'll make dinner," Soun asks.
Kasumi grins. "Right to it, huh?"
"Ah, well, you don't, but, I just mean…it's not our home without you," he explains.
She nods. "Okay, but, I have to remind you one thing, father." Kasumi puts up a finger. "I'll get married and what if I must leave. You'll have to become more independent."
Soun cries. "No, don't punish your father like that."
"I'll just have to make sure my husband takes you in," she remarks.
"If I inherit the dojo, I have to step up with my cooking," Akane declares. "Train me."
Kasumi's smile becomes wiry. Impossible to curve straight.
"Let me train father as well then."
The group–including Soun–share a laugh.
They begin to depart for downstairs. Kasumi grabs Ranma's sleeve so he hangs back.
"Ranma, you really did help. Thank you."
He looks confused. "I'm not sure how, but I'm happy I did."
"When you thought you were a child, I helped take care of you. I messed up a few times. Sometimes because I forgot you weren't yourself, but other times…because I wasn't ready to be a mother."
"My mum?"
"Well, you called me your big sis, but I felt like your guardian. Especially when Akane and your parents left."
Ranma realizes how he helped. "I get it."
She nods.
"I'm both sorry, and glad, I don't really remember," he expresses. "We never really speak much, and I'm not the sort ta say any mushy stuff, but t'anks for stepping up."
She laughs. "No problem."
"Also," he starts, "I'm not thinking I'm a kid no more. Akane and I are serious. So…we're siblings anyway." He looks around a bit uncomfortable. "I never had one before, but they look out for each other, right?"
"Yes. So I'm happy we can count on each other."
He holds out his fist. She taps it with her own. They both laugh briefly.
"If I want to, talk about the time when you were injured, is that okay?"
He touches his hair. "Yeah, maybe I should know more."
The two come to an agreement. Stories to share and bond over later.
They head downstairs for now. Kasumi frowns at the scene she discovers.
"Father. You and Mr. Saotome should clean the dishes. Akane and Nodoka will help be cook. Nabiki, please gather the laundry. You know how to do the wash.
Ranma, please pick up the mess in the halls and start to sweep and mop."
Everyone accepts whether they want to or not.
Eventually, they start setting the table and food is put out. They all go to wash up.
Since everything was going so well, it's only natural that this time of peace is interrupted.
With a crashing noise, the dining room table breaks and most of the family's hard work is undone.
In the center of the mess was Mousse. Standing proud and wearing his thick glasses.
Ranma arrives first and the two catch heated glances.
"Ah, Ranma. Perfect. It's time for a rematch."
"Yeah?"
The young pigtailed man gets into a defensive stance. "I heard you fought me a coupla weeks ago. I don't remember, but I guess I won?"
Mousse scoffs. "That didn't happen. I just…broke a few bones on my own."
His body landed halfway across Nerima. He was actually fine until he tripped and landed wrong on the pitch of a roof to a cart that sold roast duck.
He broke several bones and tore a few ligaments.
He spent all this time laid up in a rehab facility. Learning to walk again. He heals fast.
Everyone else in the home enters behind Ranma. They look at the food and broken table. Then to the young man from China.
All cramped in the narrow hallway leading to the main room.
"I challenge you, Ranma!"
The martial artist known for his hidden weapons, strikes out towards the anything-goes practitioner.
Ranma does not move. Chains bind his arms as he blocks in order to protect the others.
Mousse laughs maniacally. "I have you now!"
There is heavy concern permeating the room.