A Lesson In Love
By Marisa Price
Copyright to Marisa Price, 1996
All Rights Reserved

Chapter XI: There and Back Again

        Ranma glanced up at the clock: it was almost 7:30 and.... quitting
time! The restaurant itself had closed a half-hour before, but Ranma had the
grueling task of washing the mounds of dishes afterward while Ukyou cleaned
the tables in the dining room.
        He looked down at the brown bubbly water with distaste. He thought
of the whole dishwashing thing as "Ukyou's revenge." When she assigned him
the task she KNEW that having to keep scrubbing the dishes in the hot water
and then needing to rise them in the cool water would cause Ranma to have to
suffer through the "change" over and over and OVER again.
        Ranma sighed and looked down at his sudsy hands and then began to
scrub again at the caked utensil.
        It was difficult to concentrate on this stuff this particular
evening, as it was the anniversary of the day he and Akane had first met.
Akane had realized a few days before that it had been a year since they had
met, and he somewhat shyly had suggested that they have some sort of
celebration.
        It didn't seem as if a year had already passed since he met Akane,
but, then again, it felt as if he had known her forever... As stupid as it
sounded, he had know from the day he met her that they were "destined for
each other."
        Ranma chuckled. He worried that the shojo manga he had stolen from
Nabiki was having a twisted effect on his mind... Perfect love, destined to
marry each other...
        He suddenly shivered a bit, because they had also agreed that it was
time to tell the family about their revised situation. Somehow (probably
because Nabiki had kept her mouth shut after the "incident") no one had
noticed that Akane and Ranma's feelings had changed. Ranma shrugged. In some
ways, that was for the best. However, it might be easier to tell them now
and get it over with than to wait for someone to figure it out and have them
married on the spot.
        Like Pop. Like Mr. Tendo. Like Mom.
        Ranma shuddered again.
        However, this time he was going to do it right. To ensure it, he had
a surprise gift for Akane. It was carefully wrapped among his dress clothes
in the linen closet, waiting for the evening ahead. He wondered if should
would like it.
        Ranma chuckled to himself. What was he thinking? Of COURSE she would
like it... in fact, she would LOVE it. Maybe it would make up for the time
that he...
        Ranma's thoughts, and his dishwashing, were interrupted as he felt
two arms wrap around him from behind. It was definitely a female embrace.
Ranma stiffened and said, quietly, "What 're you are doing, Ucchan?"
        There was a familiar giggle and a cute face framed by short black
hair peeked her head around Ranma's arm and smiled up and him. She said,
slyly, "Ok. You passed."
        Ranma sighed in relief and laughed a bit.
        "Whew," Ranma said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, and
finished with, "You really surprised me... I was scared for a sec that Ukyou
had decided to start goin' after me again or somethin'. Hey..." He looked
curious, "What dija mean by 'passed'?"
        Akane smiled again and said, "You acted the right way. If you had
turned around to sweep 'Ukyou' into your arms, I probably would have killed
you on the spot."
        "Uh..." Ranma bigsweated.
        She giggled and added, "Maybe I should test you more often?"
        Ranma got even more disturbed looking and then asked, pleading,
"Please, no? I've had enough of that stuff to last me a lifetime..."
        Akane chuckled again and walked around to stand in front of Ranma.
Ranma took a good look at her, drinking her in. She was dressed in a short
dark blue velvet dress. It fastened around the neck and was sleeveless and
open-backed. A small triangle framed the front of the dress, showing
(deliciously) a bit of cleavage. Ranma stood, open-mouthed.
        "Do you like it?" she asked, noticing his glazed stare, and did a
quick turn to show him the full view. She added, "Nabiki helped me pick it
out. Do you think it is too adult for me?"
        Ranma managed to pick his jaw up off the floor and said, softly,
"You look... so pretty, Akane." He reached his hand out to cup her cheek and
she gave him a sweet smile, her eyes glowing.
        She backed up a bit before they ended up making out in the kitchen
and getting caught by Ukyou, and said, "Well, I came to pick you up for
dinner and I -really- didn't want to have to wait outside, so I snuck in
through the back door. Are you ready to go yet?"
        Ranma nodded and finished the last rinse and wipe and drained and
cleaned the sinks. He washed his hands with soap and hot water, and dried
his hands. He grinned at her and said, "Give me a sec, I gotta go change."
        Akane nodded and sat down at the small chair in the corner of the
kitchen. She prayed that Ukyou wouldn't come barging in, and hoped that they
could leave without having to say goodbye.
        That girl. Akane wished that she would just get over it. She should
move on to someone new, Ryouga or whomever. Akane sighed as she realized
that was cold: how would -SHE- feel if Ranma had dumped -HER- and gone for
Ukyou instead? She shivered. And Ryouga... Ryouga might never be coming
back. Poor Ukyou.
        She was lost in her thoughts when Ranma finally emerged from the
back room, all dressed up in his one and only tux. He looked wonderful in
black, and it was cut in such a way that showed off his musculature. 
        Ranma stood there preening and asked, "Well? How do I look?"
        Akane said calmly, "Like a peacock."
        Then she giggled.
        "You look very nice, Ranma. You even brushed your hair... now THAT
is impressive."
        Ranma just stuck his tongue out at her and then gave her a lopsided
grin. He held his arm out and said, casually, "Shall we go, m'lady?"
        Akane giggled and said, "Ohhh! Where have you taken -MY- Ranma! This
debonair guy HAS to be an imposter."
        They both chuckled over that, and Akane walked over and took his arm.
        Ranma said, as he tacked a note to the back door, "We should go out
this way... The last think I want on -our- evening is a fight between you
and Ukyou..."
        Akane nodded and sighed in relief, resting her head on Ranma's
shoulder as they walked out the back door and closed it softly behind them.

*****

        Ukyou was cleaning the tables, frequently sighing. She was -not-
looking forward to Akane's arrival, as she had already heard about the
"anniversary" from her -dear- friend Ranchan, who just -had- to share the
story with his -dear- friend Ucchan.
        Bleah. She scrubbed so hard at the table that a small fragment of
wood popped loose and became embedded in her finger.
        "Ouch!" she yelped, and looked down to investigate the minor wound.
It was deep, but she could probably get it out with her fingernails.
        She grimaced as she slowly started to pull it out, wincing at each
micrometer. 
        Then, she felt the wind softly blow at her hair as someone slid open
the door to the restaurant.
        Ukyou made herself busy, trying to get the splinter out, and said
(without looking up), "Ranma is in the back, Akane."
        "Are you alright?" a masculine voice asked just as Ukyou pulled the
last of the splinter out.
        She started at the voice and raised her head toward the door. She
then gaped at the dirty and tired figure in her doorway: it was Ryouga.
        "Ryouga..." she said, softly, almost hopefully.
        "Ukyou?" Ryouga said brightly, hoping beyond hopes that she was not
mad at him, and moved out of the shadows of the doorway and into the lighted
room.
        Ukyou was about to shout, "I am so happy you came back!" when
reality crashed down on her.
        He had left her. Run off when she needed a friend, ANY friend, the
most. He was just like any other man.
        Her eyes turned cold and she said, quietly, "Get out, Ryouga. Get out."
        Ryouga took a step back he was so struck by her coldness.
        "Wha... what?!" he asked, his eyes rounding.
        "GET OUT!!!" she shouted, and then added in an acrid tone, "Did you
SERIOUSLY think I would just take you back into my home and work after you
just RAN OFF like THAT, LEAVING me when I needed a friend the most?! Your
promises were LIES, Ryouga!!"
        Ryouga stood there, framed by the afternoon light from the doorway,
in shock. He finally managed, "But... Ukyou... I came back to apolo..."
        "LEAVE!! I don't want to hear your APOLOGIES!!! I will give your
stuff to Ranma when he leaves today, and when you find him, no, IF you find
him, he can give it to you! Get out of my store, Ryouga! You are no longer
my friend. You are just the stupid idiot I always thought you were!"
        Ukyou turned her back on him and strode proudly off into the kitchen.
        Ryouga was frozen, his movements slowed by the ice of her vehemence.
His senses, however, were screaming, and his hopes were in shambles around
him. He had gambled, and now, he had lost.
        Finally, Ryouga managed to turn and walk stiffly out the door.

*****

        Ukyou crashed into the kitchen, saying loudly, "God. Ranma. That
loser Ryouga is back. Would you BELIEVE that..."
        Her words trickled off as she noticed that no one was in the
kitchen. The dishes were all clean and on the drying rack, and the sink was dry.
        She caught the white flash of a piece of paper attached to the door.
She walked over and read Ranma's brief note:

        "Hey Ucchan. Me and Akane went to dinner. Its our Anniversary,
remember? Have fun tonight, Ranma."

        Ukyou crumpled to the floor, the note crushed in her fist.
        "Oh god oh god oh god...." she said over and over again.
        Finally she put her head in her hands and cried.

*****

        Ryouga wandered aimlessly. His feet dragged on the pavement as the
heavy weight of his sorrow seemed to pull him toward the depths of the black
earth. He felt blinded, wandering the wasteland of his life.
        It was difficult for him to analyze his depression, and the reason
behind it. He knew he had been rejected, but why the rejection hurt him so
much he did not quite understand. He had also left behind a woman who loved
and adored him, only to be confronted with open disgust and hatred from
Ukyou. A woman he might not be able to easily find again.
        Yet that woman had not been able to spend the time with him that he
wanted. She had not understood the desire he had for a normal existance.
        He wondered if he could have talked to her more about it. If perhaps
he had not approached it correctly. Akari, at least, listened when he needed
her. Unlike some people.
        A stab of pain hit his gut and he fought to control the
shishi-hokodan that threatened to explode from him. He had to think of
something else.
        But the images flooded his mind of Akari and Ukyou. Akari with tears
in her eyes as she realised that he had left. Ukyou standing there with fury
painted brightly on her face, all trace of her feminity gone; she was back
to male garb and male attitude, all hint of softness erased. And both of
them were suffering from pains that HE had afflicted. It was HIS fault.
        Ryouga felt the fire building within. HE MUST NOT! HE MUST -NOT-!!!!
        Ryouga began to scream, a scream of pain so deep and so loud that
many on the streets turned and ran, shops closed and locked their doors, and
priests in temples consulted the fires to see what deamon had been released.
        "I MUST CONTAIN IT!!" Ryouga shouted, and, his face contorted in
pain and dripping with sweat, he managed to send the potent depressive
energy high into the sky, where it exploded (harmlessly) over Nerima like a
supernova.
        Then, his energy spent, he collapsed to the sidewalk and slept.

******

        Ranma tucked Akane under him and threw them under the table. The
blue light filled the sky for a few minutes before it just seemed to
evaporate. Ranma stared up at it in puzzlment, until a muffled voice said,
crossly, "RANNNNNNNmmmmmmaaa!"
        Ranma let Akane go and she stood up, dusting off her dress. She
said, huffily, "Thanks for trying to protect me and all, but you could have
let me go a bit sooner. I almost suffocated."
        Ranma, and most of the other customers in the restaurant, stood up
also, and then he said, "Sorry, Akane. I was just trying to figure out what
that was."
        Akane sat back down and contiued to eat her sukiyaki.  She looked at
Ranma as he sat and said, "I don't know, but, I figure since we spent all
this money, I am going to darn well enjoy my dinner despite everything..."
        Ranma laughed. Most of the other customers (and the waiters) were
fleeing out the door, thinking it had been some sort of bomb, and in fear
were trying to get home to their children. Ranma watched as the restaurant
cleared and then said, cheerfully, "Well, since everyone left, maybe we
won't have to pay at all..."
        Akane smiled and then asked, thoughtfully, "So what do you think it
was, Ranma? It seemed to be some sort of energy based attack, not a military
attack."
        Ranma ate some rice and thought, and then said, puzzled, "I dunno."
        "Mmmm?" Asked Akane, sipping some of the soup.
        "I think it mighta been Ryouga's shishi-hokodan..." Ranma said quietly.
        Akane paused, a strip of meat a few inches from her mouth, and said,
"RYOUGA??? But WHY?"
        "Well, I don't know THAT... But, he's the only one I ever saw who
could make that kinda energy..." Ranma said.
        Akane said sadly, laying down her chopsticks, "Oh no. He must really
be depressed for some reason. We should probably go look for him."
        Ranma shook his head, and then said softly, "No. I ain't gonna let
him ruin this evening. It's too important. After that blast, he is probably
drained of chi and passed out somewhere anyway. Akane..."
        "Hmmm?" She said cautiously, looking in surprise at the intense
expression on his face.
        Ranma stood and came to kneel before Akane, and took her hand in
his. He said, softly, "There was one time when my Mother asked me to give
you a gift. You didn't know, but I thought the gift was a..." He blushed.
"...Well, I thought it was something special and it turned out to just be a
pill box. So..." He gave a shy smile. "You see, I wanted to give you
something special even before that horrible trip to China where you almost
died. I just wantcha to realize that I -DID- care about you before all of
that..."
        Akane's eyes had filled with tears. She reached out one hand to give
Ranma's ponytail a soft tug and then gave him a watery smile.
        Ranma smiled back and finished by producing and a small box from his
pocket, and opened it as he said, "Akane. I want you to have this ring.
It...it...it ain't a diamond or nothing. It is just a pretty star sapphire,
but... I want you to look at it and remember, even when I go to get cured,
that we both will always be together and be looking at the same stars at
night, even when we are apart..."
        Akane's crying increased and she sobbed, "Oh, Ranma!"
        He kissed her softly and then said, "Akane, will you be my fiancee?
For real now?"
        She flew into his arms and showered his face with kisses, each one
punctuated with a, "YES! YES! YES!"

*****

        Ryouga finally came too once it was already dark, and the moonlight
shone down on him, illuminating the night air with silver. He stood and
stretched his aching musles, and looked around to (attempt to) get his
bearings. He looked at the door in front of him with surprise.
        It was the gate to the Tendo residence.
        Ryouga sighed and wondered how, despite everything, he always ended
up here. He walked in the gate and managed to make a beeline for the house.
He heard voices laughing and cheering in the family room, and decided to
take the stairs up and find a place to collapse. His presence there could be
explained later...

*****

        "OHHHHHH! I am SOOOO happy, my son!!" Nadoka said, giving kisses to
Ranma on the top of his head, as he blushed furiously.
        "Gee, I wonder how we didn't even notice," Nabiki said
sarcastically, and gave Akane a conspirational wink.
        "Tendo, I think this is a call for celebration," said Genma, going
to pilfer a few bottles of sake from Soun's dwindling supply.
        Kasumi smiled at Akane and said, "Oh my. Isn't this wonderful. Ranma
is such a nice young man."
        Akane smiled at her sister and nodded.
        Soun was bawling a combination theme of the "I am so happy" and "my
baby-daughter is going to be married" cry.
        Ranma and Akane smiled at each other. It had gone perfectly.
        At first, the fathers had demanded that they marry immediately, but
then, after Ranma and Akane explained that they did NOT feel they were old
enough yet, actually acquised as long as the engagement was now official.
        No one could quite believe they were taking it so sensibly.
        The celebration lasted long into the night, and finally Ranma and
Akane managed to sneak off.
        They paused at the top of the stairs and wrapped their arms around
each other, Akane resting her head agains Ranma's chest. He kissed the top
of her small head and smiled down at her before leaning down to whisper in
her ear, "I don't think they would mind at this point if I came up to stay
in your room..."
        Akane blushed and said, "-I- would mind."
        Ranma leaned back, a bit surprised and said, "Oh, I didn't mean
that. I just want to hold you. It's been such a great night..."
        Akane's ring glowed in the light of the moon from the window. She
squeezed him tightly and said, "Yes, it has... Alright. I am going to go get
my nightgown on and clean up. I will meet you in my room, ok?"
        He gave her a soft kiss and nodded, walking toward his room.
        He slid the door open and started to rumage through his drawers for
some clean boxers and held up his favorite yellow ones. Then he realized how
strange it was that he could see the color even though the light was off in
the room, and moonlight tended to make colors grey... Ranma turned around
quickly, preparing to defend himself, and then paused in shock as he saw
Ryouga sitting in the corner, enveloped with blue energy.
        He looked downright suicidal.
        "Ry..Ry... RyOUGA??" Ranma said sharply.
        Ryouga looked up at Ranma with tear-filled eyes and said, "Hello,
Ranma. I hope you don't mind if I camp out here for a couple of days. Ukyou
won't let me come back and I have no where else near to go..."
        Ranma dropped his yellow boxers to the floor and walked over to
Ryouga, kneeling beside him.
        "Ryouga... Jeeze. I'm sorry. Of course you can stay. I wasn't gonna
even sleep in here tonight anyway," Ranma said compassionately.
        Ryouga looked up at him with bleak eyes and said, "Oh. So you have
had your way with Akane-chan?"
        Ranma backed up in surprise and said, "Uh!! NO!! No, no! I...I just
wanted to hold her tonight. That is all, hold her. I swear."
        Instead of the attack Ranma expected, Ryouga just looked down and
said, "Oh."
        Ranma knew this was bad. Ryouga looked as if he no longer had any
reason to live. Ranma gripped Ryouga's shoulder and forced Ryouga to look at
him. Ryouga's eyes were dark.
        Ranma said, sharply, "Snap out of it, Ryouga. You have to. There is
still hope. You love Ukyou, right? Am I right? Well, I think she loves you
too, and you just hurt her by leaving..."
        "Love Ukyou?" Ryouga asked, dazed, and the said, "But... Akari..."
        Ranma growled and said, "You hafta make up your mind. Why are ya
back if you don't love Ukyou?"
        "I left Akari, she loved me, and Ukyou hates me..." said Ryouga,
still in his oblivion of depression.
        Ranma pulled back in shock. So Ryouga HAD found Akari. That was a
problem. But he had LEFT her? What was Ryouga thinking? Maybe he DID love
Ukyou. Or could Ryouga just not decide??
        Ranma made a quick decision and reached for a bucket of water and
poured in on Ryouga. P-chan did not move or squeal, or even seem to notice
his transformation. But the blue aura had disappeared. Ranma wrapped P-chan
up in his blanket and left him on the futon to sleep. In the morning, he
would do his best to help Ryouga, but, for now, Ryouga needed to sleep and
to work things out in his mind.
        Ranma started to walk out the bedroom door, but turned before he
left and said, "Man, Ryouga. You can be such an idiot. I PROMISE we will
figure out something tomorrow, ok? Get some sleep."
        He shut and locked the door quietly behind him as he left.

******

        Ranma came in and noticed that Akane was already asleep in her bed.
He tiptoed quietly over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and slipped in
beside her. She stirred a bit and opened her eyes and then murmured, "Mmm.
Ranma."
        She snuggled up to him and put her head against his chest.
        Then Ranma stroked her hair and asked, softly, "Hey Akane. Can I ask
you a question?"
        Akane gave a sleepy nod and said, "Hmmm? Sure."
        "What kind of advice would you give to a guy who is equally in love
with two women?" Ranma asked.
        Akane was surprised and pulled back a bit, more awake, and asked,
"What??"
        Ranma said, seriously, "I just know this guy who needs some advice."
        Akane shook her head, knowing that she wasn't going to get any more
of this story, at least not yet, and said, "I would tell him to pick one or
the other. It may not be easy, but it is necessary..."
        Ranma nodded and pulled her close. Kissing her softly, she started
to relax again, and then, tired by the day's excitement, finally fell back
to sleep.
        Ranma contemplated Ryouga's problem and thought, "Man. He went all
the way there and then just turned around and came back again. What was he
thinking? Was I that stupid?" He looked down at the wonderful girl curled up
against him and thought, "Yeah, I was stupid."
        Tomorrow he would talk to Ryouga.
        For tonight, Ranma wanted to be with his fiancee.
        

End of Chapter 11
                
       
        
        
Marisa Price
marisa@value.net
http://value.net/~marisa/