You know the drill. None of these characters are mine, I�m stealing them. I
hope somebody doesn�t sue me over this.

Secrets: Chapter 1
By
Morpheus the Shaper

Ranma sat in the small hollow under the overpass. It was only large enough
for a couple of people to sit in comfortably, it was a little cold, and a
little damp, but it was hard to reach, and due to the traffic overhead,
impossible to spy on. Which meant that it was private, and privacy was
difficult to come by in Nerima. Privacy which was now in doubt, as Ranma
caught the sounds of footsteps on gravel which signaled that someone was
making his way towards the hollow. Ranma tensed until Akane�s face peered
past the edge of the wall, �Ranma! There you are, you baka. I just knew I�d
find you hiding here.�
Ranma replied with none of his usual heat, in a tone that anyone who knew
him would be astonished to hear, �It�s okay, Akane-chan. It�s safe.�
On hearing that, Akane relaxed, her body losing the tenseness that it
carried habitually these days, and she favored him with one of her smiles.
Ranma smiled back, �You know, my knees turn to butter every time you do
that.�
�Yeah, I know,� she smirked.
Rolling his eyes, Ranma pulled Akane into an embrace, planting a kiss on top
of her head. �You�re just too cute for your own good.�
Relaxing into Ranma�s arms Akane replied, �Why Ranma, you say the nicest
things.� She lifted her face and kissed him warmly before disengaging and
motioning him to sit. Once he was seated she settled down in his lap and
cuddled up against him. �I�m getting really tired of hiding this,� she
murmured. �More and more, it�s getting to be everything I can do to keep
from throwing myself into your arms in front of everybody and saying to hell
with the consequences.�
Ranma stroked his fiancee�s hair for a moment before replying, �You know we
can�t do that, love. What happened this afternoon proved that. If Shampoo
and Ukyo were willing to throw bombs to break up our wedding when they think
we don�t like each other, what�ll they do if they learn the truth?�
�Don�t you think I can take care of myself?� While a common phrase for
Akane, this time it was delivered with a lot more calm than usual.
�Of course you can, Akane. In a stand-up fight. Against one of them. But
against both? That�s too close a match for me to want to risk it. And if
they decided to fight dirty� Well, you�d probably get one of them, but the
other one would probably get you. And once they had you, they might decide
to kill you. And I couldn�t bear that.�
Akane frowned, �I hate to admit it, but you�re probably right.� She sighed,
�I hate this. When will it end? I�m starting to think those three won�t ever
give up. Ranma, I don�t want to wait any longer. I want an end to this
charade.�
�So do I, hon. But I can�t think of a way to do it.�
Burrowing herself into Ranma�s arms, Akane sighed heavily, �Neither can I.�
�So, until then, we make the most of what we have.� Turning her face he
kissed her passionately and as she responded his hands began to wander her
body, caressing her. For a moment, she made a token protest, then
surrendered willingly to his ever-bolder advances.

As the door to Ucchan�s closed, the proprietor shouted in frustration, �I
can�t believe those two! What will it take?�
Turning from where she shut the door, her companion spoke, �Shampoo know
what you mean. They too too stubborn. Not see what good for them.�
�This plan should have worked! Everyone knows how much they hate being
forced to do anything.�
�Shampoo know. Shampoo beginning to wonder if maybe we wrong all this time.�
Ukyo shook her head.  �Impossible. You�ve seen the way they act around each
other. Especially when they think no one�s watching. They�re both just too
stubborn to admit it. Even to themselves.�
Shampoo nodded, �Not think they this stubborn, though.�
�It�s those two old men. It has to be.�
Shampoo thought for a moment, �Hai. Is so. They intefere too too much.�
�Every time we try to force them apart, those two try to force them together
and ruin it.�
Shampoo nodded again, �Ayiia! Shampoo have idea.�
Ukyo looked up, �What?�
�Not have all details yet, but maybe can get Nodoka-sama to take Panda-man
and Weepy-father away. Then we try break up Ranma and Akane.�
Ukyo considered this for a bit, �Hmmm. It has possibilities, Sham-chan. I
like it. If it works, we�ll have those two married before they know what�s
hit them.�
Shampoo smiled, then glided across the room and insinuated herself into Ukyo
�s embrace, �Then Shampoo free to chase after real woman.�
Ukyo smiled down at her lover, �It�s just a good thing I�m legally a boy, so
we can get married. It�s gonna be hard enough dealing with your
great-grandmother even with a legal marriage and Japanese citizenship to
back us up.�
�Ukyo not worry. Shampoo take care of great-grandmother when time comes.�
�I hope so, hon. I hope so.�

As Mousse entered the Nekohanten he called out, �I�m back, old ghoul.�
Cologne pogoed out into the main area of the restaurant, deserted since it
was closed for the day, �You may drop the act, Mousse. Shampoo is not here.�
�Yes, Honored Elder.�
�Now, tell me. What happened at the wedding?�
�As you surmised, Shampoo and Ukyo broke it up. Interestingly enough, until
they showed up, it seemed as though it was actually going to go through.
Although I believe it to be because either Ranma or Akane, or possibly both,
were being bribed with Nannichuan.�
�Do they still have it?�
�No, Honored Elder. Happosai drank it.�
Atop her staff, Cologne heaved a sigh of relief, �Thank the ancestors. That
would have been a disaster.�
�What do we do now, Honored Elder?�
�We keep up the pressure, Mousse. At this point, I don�t care who Ranma
marries. Shampoo can�t come home until this is settled, one way or another.
You may as well stop harrying Ranma, though. It�s not accomplishing anything
useful.�
�Thank you, Honored Elder. May I also stop pursuing Shampoo?�
Cologne thought for a moment, �No. While it�s pretty plain that it isn�t
making him jealous, its sudden cessation would require an explanation that
we don�t have.�
�Yes, Honored Elder. Is there anything else?�
�Do you know why Nabiki sent out those invitations?�
�Ostensibly it was for the gift money.�
Cologne frowned at him, �I know that. What was the real reason?�
�I believe she knew her sister was being bribed into the wedding, and so
acted to stop it.�
�She�s very loyal to her family, isn�t she?�
�Hai. That she is.�
�The next time you see her, tell her I have a proposition for her.�
�Yes, Honored Elder.�
�That is all, Mousse. You may go.�
With a final bow, the Chinese martial artist departed the restaurant,
leaving behind a tired, old woman muttering to herself.
�I hope you can forgive me for this, Shampoo. This is for your own good.�

In another part of Nerima, two sweat-covered bodies huddled together beneath
the sheets of a bed. �Tatchi-chan, that was wonderful.�
�You are most gracious, o love of my life.�
�How are your bruises?�
�They are mending well. Saotome and Tendo are honorable warriors. I have
only to feign unconciousness, and they will leave me be.�
His companion sighed, �Still, it is a shame to besmirch the name of Kuno by
seeming to be such an ignorant boor as to chase after a woman who obviously
dislikes you, and another who is not even a woman.�
�Shush,� the recumbent upperclassman soothed, �It matters not. Only by
seeming to be completely enraptured by someone else, can I be certain of
preventing any investigation into my personal life. Especially by that
mercenary Nabiki. Luckily, there are two women whom I may safely pursue with
all appearances of vigor, and have absolutely no chance of actually having
to follow through on it. It is only through this deception that I may
continue to enjoy the flower of your company.�
Brushing back the kendoist�s hair, the other spoke, �Oh, I know. I�ve even
been��
Placing his finger upon his lover�s lips, Kuno interrupted, �Speak no more
of things beyond this chamber. We have too little time to ourselves.�
�Hai. I love you, Tatewaki.�
�I love you too, Kodachi.�

Several minutes and some distance away, Nabiki passed beneath a tree as
Mousse�s voice floated down to her, �We need to talk.�
She paused for a moment, then spoke without looking up, �Kiro�s Caf�, 15
minutes.�
�Hai.�
Nearly a half hour later, Nabiki strolled into the small caf�, seeing Mousse
waiting for her at one of the rear tables. Sliding into her seat, she
signaled the waiter, ordering an iced coffee and a small pastry. Mousse made
no comment on her tardiness; he knew better.
After the waiter had left she spoke, �You wanted to talk, talk.�
�The old ghoul wants to talk to you. She says she has a proposition.�
�What about?�
�She didn�t tell me. She never does. You know that.�
�Speculate, Mousse.�
�Well, she�d just heard about the wedding. I imagine it has something to do
with Ranma. She also mentioned that she was getting impatient to return to
Joketsuzoku.�
Nabiki�s eyes narrowed, �What could she be up to?  She knows that I won�t go
along with any plan to marry Ranma to Shampoo and have them go back to
China. He�s too profitable to me.�
�I think she might surprise you, Nabiki.�
�Why is that?�
�She acted as though she thought she had an offer you wouldn�t be able to
refuse.�
�Oh really? Well, she has certainly managed to pique my curiosity. Tell her
I�ll meet her at the Nekohanten at five o�clock sharp.�
�Okay,� he replied, starting to rise.
�Oh, Mousse, one other thing.�
�Hai?�
�My room, 1 AM, enter the usual way. I�ll have the hot water waiting.�
�Hai.� Mousse bowed, managing to hide the thrill of anticipation shivering
down his spine.

Soun paced back and forth in the dojo, weeping as he surveyed the
devastation. �I can�t take much more of this,� he thought. �It was so close
this time. It should have worked.� The problem, he decided, was not his
daughter. He had long ago learned how to get her to do what he wanted. The
problem was the boy. That thrice-cursed, smart-mouthed, mule-headed,
invincible boy. He pushed and pushed, and did the boy give? Not an inch. He
would go just so far and no further.
Soun cursed under his breath. �Damn him,� he thought, �Why won�t he just say
it?  Why won�t he break the damn engagement?  I want a nice, peaceful
retirement, and I can�t take the chaos anymore.�

As Kasumi approached the clinic, she absently noticed the departing
patients. �No,� she thought to herself, �fleeing  patients.� By the time she
actually reached the door, the entire place was deserted, word having spread
much faster than her carefully-paced footsteps. �Convenient,� she said to
herself. Looking around again, she smiled sweetly, then stepped inside.
�Hello,� she called, �Tofu-sensei?�
The office door opened, and Tofu peered out, his glasses instantly fogging,
�W-why h-h-hello, Kasumi. What a pleasant surprise. I mean running into you
here� Small world, isn�t it?�
Kasumi smiled at the babbling doctor, �It�s okay, Tofu-chan. There isn�t
anyone within a block. It worked perfectly� as always.�
Tofu�s glasses miraculously cleared and he smiled back, �Oh, good. I�d hate
to have to hurt someone again.�
Kasumi�s face fell fractionally. For her it was the near-equivalent of a
crying fit. �I�m sorry, Tofu-chan.�
�For what?�
�For forcing you to ruin your reputation this way, just to save mine.�
Tofu came forward and embraced the girl before him, �Kasumi-chan, you aren�t
forcing me to do anything. We came up with this plan together, and so far it
�s worked. If the price of having you is the loss of a little of my
reputation, I count myself to be among the most fortunate of men.�
�Oh, Tofu-chan�� With a glomp that would have been the envy of Shampoo,
Kasumi plastered herself to the young doctor, kissing him passionately, and
rubbing herself against him, almost like a cat. Used to the sometimes
mercurial swings of his amorous lady, Tofu gathered her into his arms and
led her back to the back room, paying no attention to the articles of
clothing left in their wake.

Outside, back at the dojo, under the watchful eye of his katana-wielding
wife, Genma was cleaning up the debris from the crashed wedding. She had not
been lax in informing him that she considered him almost entirely
responsible for its failure and thus charged him with the cleanup, allowing
Kasumi to get out and get some air. Further, she had been quite vocal in her
displeasure at his conduct regarding the Nannichuan water. It had been a
gift for her son, and he had attempted to steal it. She had even gone so far
as to mention seppuku as perhaps a fitting atonement for his deeds. Now she
stood to the side, katana in hand, watching him about his task. More and
more, she was starting to believe that Ranma had become an man among men in
spite of his father, and not because of him. �Perhaps,� she thought �it is
time for me to remove Ranma from his father�s influence� permanently.�
Genma, for his part, kept a careful eye on his wife. It seemed to him that
she was being over-critical of him and overestimated his very small part in
the day�s events. It was, after all, only Ranma�s duty as his son to give
his father the cure. Turning his attention back to the katana-wielding woman
who watched him with cold eyes he thought to himself, �She�s worse than I
remember her, worse, even, than my worst fears. I knew she�d eventually
catch up to us. I can�t stay here much longer. If I do, it won�t be long
before I�m on the receiving end of that blade. But if I leave without Ranma,
I won�t stand a chance. Somehow I�ve got to get the boy to break that
engagement. Akane�s broken it a dozen times at least, but it won�t do a damn
bit of good until he does it too. Then we can both leave, and I�ll be safe.
Now how can I put even more pressure on him. Think, man, think. Your life
depends on it.�

Ryoga wandered the streets of Nerima, lost as usual. It was dark, and he
would have to find someplace to camp for the night. Leaping over a stone
wall, he found himself headed uncontrollably for a small koi pond. Casting a
silent plea of �Why me?� to the kami, he splashed down, feeling the
transformation wash away his humanity. Struggling out of the pond, he felt a
hand reach down and pluck him from the water by his bandanna. Looking up, he
saw that his rescuer was none other than his beloved Akane. Hlding him in
the crook of her arm, pressed against her breasts, she turned to Ranma,
�Look, Ranma, P-chan�s back again.�
Ranma only scowled, �Yeah, great.�
�Now Ranma, I won�t have you picking on him. Honestly, I can�t understand
why you hate P-chan so.�
Ranma just turned away and sulked. From his position in Akane�s arms, Ryoga
smirked at his hated foe�s back and snuggled deeper into Akane�s embrace.
Shrugging her shoulders, Akane turned to the rest of the household, �Well, I
�ve had a busy day. I�m going to go to bed. Goodnight everyone.�
Once everyone (except Ranma) had wished her a good night, she climbed the
stairs and went to her room. Once there, she quickly stripped off her
clothes and changed into her pajamas. Picking P-chan back up from where she
had put him on her bed she cuddled him to her chest again.
�Oh, P-chan, I don�t know what to do. Things are just so hard. The wedding
today was the biggest fiasco so far. Everyone seems to be trying to force us
to do something and everything has gotten so complicated. Oh, P-chan, I love
him so much. And he loves me too� but we just can�t seem to get any real
privacy.�
Ryoga�s eyes got huge as he struggled to understand what Akane was saying,
�She loves him? He loved her? Who is he? Is it me? Is it� Ranma? Kuno?
Someone else?�
�We�ve been hiding it for a year now. If we�d ever let anyone else know how
we felt, well, it would have caused a disaster.�
�Hiding it for a year?� he thought. �It can�t be me, then.� The feelings of
depression crashed down on him and he went limp in Akane�s hands. Fully
occupied with her confession, she didn�t notice.
�I want to do something to end this terrible charade, but neither of us know
how. Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi would try to kill me, Kuno, Ryoga, and
probably Mousse would try to kill him, and the dojo would probably be
completely destroyed in the process.
�Ranma,� Ryoga thought, �It has to be Ranma��
�Oh, but P-chan, the stolen moments of privacy are so sweet. He�s so kind
and gentle and affectionate then. And it�s even sweeter for being so rare.
But I don�t want it to be rare. I want to have it all the time.� She sighed
while Ryoga struggled with his depression. �I never thought it was possible
to love someone so much, but oh, with Ranma and I are together, I just feel
so alive��
Ryoga, his worst fears confirmed, drooped even more. The only thing that
kept him from performing a full shi shi houkodan was the secret he kept
buried in his own heart. Akari. Wonderful, kind, sweet, nymphomaniacal
Akari�

This story had several inspirations, 1) Bob Barnes' _The_Masks_We_Must_Wear,
and 2) H.Torrance Griffon's Deceptions (Which he has graciously given
permission for me to plagarize) and several comments made by various members
of the FFML at about the same time to the effect of "What if *everyone* were
hiding secrets..."
Well, here it is.
C&C is appreciated. My prereader wants me to continue this. Whether I
continue to post it will depend on the responces I get here...

Morpheus the Shaper
http://milamber.home.mindspring.com
milamber@mindspring.com