Revised and expanded - thanks to those who spotted my errors!



"A Change of Scene"  Chapters 64-66
January, 1999, by  June "KaraOhki" Geraci
karaohki@snet.net
To see earlier chapters:  surf.to/karaohki

The characters from Ranma 1/2 in this fiction are the
creations of Rumiko Takahashi, and borrowed without
her permission.
This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.


Chapter 64

Shampoo clutched desperately at Shiro as he broke their kiss.  He
looked amused, and patted her arm with one hand as he fumbled in his
pocket with the other.

"Is something wrong?"

Shampoo blushed.  She was not behaving like a proud Amazon, but rather
like a silly, lovesick girl.  Then she remembered that the decision
she'd just made might very well have cut her off from her Amazon
heritage.

"Shiro, you . . . you may be only family I have now."

"What?"

Shiro withdrew his hand from his pocket, and put both arms around his
trembling fiancee, holding her close.  Shampoo quietly told him what
Cologne had ordered her to do, and the decision she'd come to.

". . . so Shampoo - I - had to choose, Shiro.  I could have you or my
people, but not both.  I chose you."

"You chose me over your family, over your heritage, over everything?
Shampoo, I don't know what to say!"

Shampoo smiled faintly, and caressed Shiro's cheek.

"I had to.  Love you too much to say no, Shiro.  When I smile at you,
you smile back  like I only girl in world.  When Shampoo would smile
at Ranma, he would look frightened, or . . . what is word?  Annoyed.
Yes, that is word, annoyed.  You always smiled back, Shiro, and let me
know that you like me.  No.  Love me.  Shampoo want to be with you
always."

"You are the only girl in the world, Shampoo.  The only one for me."

Shiro lifted Shampoo's hand.

"And this is to tell every other man in the world that you're mine."

Cologne wiped away another tear as she watched Shiro slide a ring onto
Shampoo's finger.  Pressure from home had caused her to push Shampoo
too hard, so hard that she was breaking from her family.  Now it was
too late, since it was evident that her great-granddaughter's
relationship with this young man was not something new.   Cologne
quietly left the Tendo property and returned to the Nekohanten.  She
had a lot to think about.

In the dojo, Shiro reached into his pocket yet again.

"I have another gift for you, Shampoo."

This gift was wrapped in colored paper.  It was also round, but much
larger than a ring.  Shampoo unwrapped it and discovered a wooden
bracelet.  It was carved with an intricate pattern of flowers and
vines.

"How pretty, Shiro!"

Shampoo put the bracelet on, and traced the patterns with her finger.

"I made it just for you, Shampoo."

"I did not know you make - carve, that is word? - things from wood.
This very beautiful."

Shiro found himself at the receiving end of a first-class Amazon
glomp.  It took him some time to get his breath back, and the first
thing he did was chuckle, and kiss his fiancee again.

"I have to make you gifts more often, if this is the way you're going
to repay me."

*****

"Well done!"

Yoshimi walked onto the stage, clapping his hands.

"Best rehearsal we've had yet, people, and you deserve a reward."

Yoshimi waited as everyone applauded him.

"We're having an extra rehearsal Thursday night."

Several copies of the script flew across the stage, hitting Yoshimi,
to the sounds of a collective groan.

"Wait a minute!  Let me finish!  We'll rehearse Thursday night, and
then I don't want to see any of you until Tuesday.  Final dress
rehearsals are Tuesday and Friday.  I think we're ready for opening
next weekend."

Akane looked up at the catwalk, where Ranma was applauding as
enthusiastically as the rest of the cast and crew.    He stopped,
swung himself over the edge of the catwalk, and dropped to the stage.
Akane laughed as her husband picked her up, kissed her, and spun her
around in circles.

"A weekend all our own, Akane."

Then he stopped spinning, and put her down.

"Damn, I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"We promised your Dad we'd go home our first free weekend."

Akane looked concerned for a moment, and then smiled.

"I want to see Daddy, but I especially want to see Kasumi, and maybe .
. ."

"Maybe what?"

"Nothing."

Akane changed the subject.  If Ranma knew she was planning to see
Shampoo, he would think she'd lost her mind.

*****

"Eat this, Ukyo."

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten for two days.  Eat it."

Ukyo looked up at Konatsu.  She'd spent the last two days in bed,
ignoring him and the entire world.  The stern look on her friend's
face told her that she wasn't going to be permitted to do so any more
and she sighed in defeat and picked up her chopsticks.  Konatsu had to
choose NOW to get bossy.


As she ate, Ukyo watched Konatsu, who had retreated to the window and
was looking out into the night.  When she'd closed down her restaurant
in Nerima, Ukyo had told Konatsu not to try to follow her.  Ukyo
hadn't told him where she was going, but it wouldn't have taken much
thought for Konatsu to realize that she would follow Ranma to college.

Konatsu turned around and smiled at Ukyo, who found herself wondering
where he had been, and what he'd been doing.  He looked different.
For one thing, he wasn't dressing like a woman, and had trimmed his
hair.  It was still long, but no one would make the mistake of
thinking Konatsu was female anymore.  He'd quietly taken over
Ucchan's, cooking and serving the customers, and telling them that
Ukyo was taking a few days off.

"I drew a bath for you, Ukyo-sama.  That will make you feel better."

Ukyo nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

Konatsu was scrubbing the grill when he heard Ukyo's footsteps coming
down the stairs.  He smiled to see that she'd washed her hair and had
taken some trouble with her appearance.  That was an improvement.

"I'm going for a little walk.  I think I need some air."

"Let me come with you."

"No."

A glare from Ukyo was enough to prevent Konatsu from arguing with her.
At least her glare still worked on him.

It was cold and quiet outside, so quiet that Ukyo was able to
recognize the voices of the couple approaching before they could see
her.  She ducked into the shadows, and watched as Ranma and Akane
passed by.

Ukyo had spent the last two days regretting her attack on Ranma, when
the true cause of her pain was Akane.  If Akane wasn't in the way,
Ranma could be hers.

If she wasn't in the way . . .




Chapter 65

Shortly after sunrise, Shampoo left the Nekohanten.  Shiro was leaving
on an early train, and she wanted to spend as much time as she could
with him before he left.  Breakfast was on the table when Shampoo
arrived.

"Shampoo, sit down and having something to eat."

Shampoo noted that the table was only set for two.

"You not eating, Kasumi?"

"I'll wait until Father wakes up.  I'm sure the two of you have a lot
to talk about."

Kasumi hugged Shampoo, and went upstairs.

Shiro sipped his tea, and re-opened the discussion he and Shampoo had
started the previous night.

"I'll send you a check as soon as I get back, Shampoo.  Pack up
whatever you don't need right now, and ship it to me.  I'll start
looking for an apartment right away, and get it ready."

"How long you think will take, Shiro?"

"I don't know, but I'll make it fast.  I don't want you living with
Mousse any longer than you have to.  Do you know when he's coming
back?"

"No, but he expected soon."

Shiro frowned.  Shampoo had given him a thorough description of
Mousse's behavior, and how he had been deceiving Cologne.

"I wonder if we'll need Ranma's help."

"What?"

"Mousse is not going to be happy, and Ranma's told me how violent he
can be.  I don't want him hurting you, Shampoo."

Shiro watched as Shampoo transformed from happy young girl mode to
"indignant Amazon."  She glared at him as if he had committed some
sort of major crime.

"Can take care of myself, Shiro!  I do not need help!  Maybe Shampoo
will need to protect you!"

Shiro couldn't help but chuckle.

"You have a point there.  I know I wouldn't stand a chance against
him, and that worries me.  Doesn't it worry you?"

"A little."

A vision of Mousse attacking Shiro made Shampoo flinch, and she
dropped her chopsticks and grabbed him, holding him tight.

"More than a little.  If Shampoo . . . if I am not there to protect
you, what will happen?"

"I don't want to think about that either, Shampoo.  That's why I want
to get married as fast as we can.  Then we can always be together."

*****

Ukyo came downstairs to find Konatsu chopping vegetables.  When she
put on her coat without speaking and walked toward the door, he ran
after her.

"Ukyo!  Have some breakfast first."

"Leave me alone, Konatsu.  I just want to walk."

"But you need to eat--"

"I said NO!"

The door slammed behind Ukyo, and Konatsu blinked several times before
he went back to work.  Ukyo was acting very oddly, and he didn't know
what to do about it.

*****

"Did you hear something?"

Akane looked confused.

"Hear what, Ranma?  I didn't hear anything."

Ranma looked behind him.  He couldn't see anything, and was a little
annoyed when Akane laughed at him.

"Not again, Ranma!  This isn't Nerima, you know.  There aren't people
waiting at every corner to bother us."

"Yeah, maybe not, but I know I heard something just now, and I know I
heard something last night!"

Ranma looked behind him again, and an irritated Akane grabbed his hand
and dragged him down the sidewalk.

"We're going to be late for class!"

The look on Akane's face prevented Ranma from arguing with her, but he
was absolutely certain that he'd heard footsteps behind them.  They
arrived on campus, and a rustling noise from a nearby bush made both
Ranma and Akane turn.  A small animal emerged, and hopped up to Akane.
It was white, with brown spots, and long floppy ears.

"Oh, it's adorable!  Maybe this is what you heard."

Akane gathered the animal into her arms, and stroked it.  Ranma
hesitantly patted it.

"Miyah!"

Ranma turned white.

"C-c-c-cat!!!"

"But Ranma, it can't be.  It looks like a rabbit!"

Akane was talking to herself, because her screaming husband was
sprinting off into the distance, smashing through bushes, benches, and
everything else in the way.  She sighed, gave the little animal
another pat, and put it down.

"You're cute, but you scare my husband.  Now go on home."

Another miyah made her look behind her, where there was another
whatever-it-was looking at her.  This one was brown.  The two animals
looked at each other, miyahed, and hopped away together.    Akane left
in the opposite direction, following the trail of destruction Ranma
had left behind.  Seconds later, a little girl with long blue
ponytails chased after the cabbits.

*****

Ukyo was struggling to disentangle herself from the bush she'd been
hiding in when Ranma ran over her.  Just as she managed to pull
herself free, Akane, who was still following Ranma's path, stepped
squarely on her head, forcing Ukyo back into the bush.

"Ranma, stop!  Come back!!!"

Akane continued racing off, completely oblivious of what she had just
done to Ukyo.  After another minute or two of struggling, Ukyo finally
emerged from the bushes, with her coat full of dried leaves and mud,
and twigs tangled in her hair.

"That's another reason I'm going to get her."

*****

When Shampoo returned to the Nekohanten, one of the small tables was
set for breakfast, and Cologne appeared in the kitchen doorway, a
teapot in her hand.

"Lock the door, Shampoo, and sit down.  I have something to tell you."

Shampoo swallowed nervously, and took a seat.  Cologne poured two cups
of tea, and began to serve their breakfast.

"Great-Grandmother, I--"

Cologne patted Shampoo's hand.

"I said I wanted to talk, Shampoo.  There's a story you need to hear."

"I only wanted to tell you I've already had breakfast.  Go ahead and
talk."

"Many years ago in Joketsuzoku, there were a man and a woman who were
very much in love.  They married, and for a short while everything was
perfect between them.  Then one day the wife was called before the
elders.

"The young woman was told that she was not setting a proper example,
as an elder's daughter should do.  She was allowing her husband, an
inferior male, equal status in their relationship.  The woman was
warned that unless she rectified the situation immediately her
position in their society was in jeopardy."

Cologne paused to see Shampoo's reaction, and she nodded to signify
her understanding.

"The young woman made the mistake of listening to the elders, and she
began to treat her husband rather harshly, as if to make up for her
earlier lapse.  Their relationship deteriorated, and by the time their
first child was born it was nearly nonexistent.

"As tradition demanded, at the time the baby was born the woman's
female relatives attended her, while her husband was forced to wait
outside.  When he was finally permitted in to see her, he had been
anxiously waiting for several hours.  His wife and child were alone in
the room when he came in, and when his wife saw the worried, fearful
expression in his eyes she burst into tears.  It was then that she
apologized to her husband, and asked him to forgive her.  He readily
did so, and together they worked out a scheme to deceive their people.

"To all observers, the woman was still treating her husband as an
inferior, and he was remaining in his subservient position; however,
in the privacy of their home this was not so.  They lived as equals,
and their relationship went back to what it had been at the beginning
of their marriage.  As their children grew, they were taught to keep
this a family secret.  Their daughters passed this on to their
delighted husbands when they married.  Their sons were fortunate
enough to marry women who had similar views, and were willing to join
them in this deception, otherwise their lives would have been
miserable indeed.  The couple had a happy life together, until the
husband's  death forty years ago."

Cologne paused, took a deep breath, and stopped sounding like she was
telling a fairy tale.

"Unfortunately Shampoo, my grandson--your father--was not so lucky."

"What do you mean, Great-Grandmother?"

"Your father married your mother because she was very beautiful, and
he loved her.  What he didn't know when she chose him was that her
views about marriage and the place of men in Amazon society were very
traditional.  She refused to even consider trying our way of life, and
threatened to expose us if your father didn't agree to submit to her
demand to be a subservient Amazon husband."

Shampoo's face fell.  She'd lost her mother when she was 13, and her
father never spoke of her.   Now she knew why.

"Father sacrificed his happiness for his family, didn't he?"

"Yes dear, he did."

Cologne watched her great-granddaughter's face.  She was obviously
thinking hard.

"Great-Grandmother, why didn't Father tell me the truth after Mother
died?"

"He wanted to, Shampoo, but he wasn't sure if he could trust you.
After all, your mother had raised you to have her way of thinking."

Shampoo had tears in her eyes.  Her own father didn't trust her?

"And why are you telling me all this now?"

Cologne pointed at the ring on Shampoo's finger.

"That's why.  It seems you're rebelling against tradition too.  I
don't want you to lose everything, Shampoo, so I want to teach you how
to deceive the elders when you return home with your husband.  I will
tell them that you chose Shiro because you felt he would be an asset,
and you knew that he would adopt the Amazon way."

Shampoo couldn't help but laugh.

"I doubt if Shiro will agree with you.  He doesn't believe in backing
down like that.  You remember the first time he came here?  He wasn't
even afraid of Mousse!"

"Tell him it's only an act, dear.  We can teach him how to behave when
he's in Joketsuzoku, and it will be enough."

Cologne laughed, causing Shampoo to stare at her in wonder.

"Can you imagine us trying to teach this to Ranma?  I think he would
sooner die."

"No--never.  He wouldn't do it."

Shampoo impulsively got up and embraced Cologne.

"Thank you, Great-Grandmother.  I was so afraid you were never going
to speak to me again."

"I couldn't do that.  I want you to be happy, dear.  I'm only sorry
that I won't be able to help you as much as I would like to.  Mousse
doesn't know about our little family secret, and I intend to keep it
from him."

"He won't hear of it from me, Great-Grandmother.  I promise."

"I know that, Shampoo.  Now tell me more about Shiro, and all about
your plans."

Shampoo gave Cologne all the details, and then spent quite some time
explaining to her great-grandmother how Mousse had been behaving
whenever her back was turned.

"That's another reason for you to leave here as soon as you can."

"I hate to leave you alone with him."

"I can take care of myself, Shampoo.  Besides, I don't think Mousse
will stay in Nerima once you're gone."

*****

"Ranma!  Where are you?"

Akane rounded a corner, still following the debris Ranma had left in
his wake.  She passed a smashed birdbath, and the trail of muddy
footprints led her around a corner, where she found her husband, in
girl form, leaning on a wall trying to catch his breath.

"Here.  You'll need this before you go to class."

Ranma looked up to see Akane holding out her thermos of tea.

"Is it gone?"

"Yes, it's gone."

"Thank you, Akane."

A couple of passing students saw girl-type Ranma kiss Akane on the
cheek, and take the thermos from her.  They wondered at it, but would
have been even more confused if they'd seen what happened when Ranma
used the contents of the thermos.



Chapter 66

Ryoga looked at his surroundings, and wondered where he was.  The town
looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't remember when he'd been there
before.  A moment later, he knew he was in Ube when he saw Akane
Saotome walking down the steps of a nearby house.   He began to follow
her, torn between joy and pain at seeing her again.

The street lamps illuminated Akane's way as she walked toward the
hospital to meet Ranma, who was taking her to dinner after his shift
ended.  She walked onto  campus and crossed it, not noticing that
Ryoga was following her.

Ryoga was himself being followed.  Shiro had been on his way to campus
when he saw Akane ahead of him.  When Shiro saw that Ryoga was
following Akane, he felt compelled to keep an eye on her.

When Ranma returned from his honeymoon, Shiro had asked him about
Ryoga, and why Akane kept him for a pet.  Ranma had told him the
entire story of Ryoga's curse,  and the circumstances that led to
Akane's adoption of P-Chan.  It was evident to Shiro that Ranma was
more than a little jealous of Akane's affection for Ryoga's cursed
form, and he was certain that if Ranma had been present he would not
approve of Ryoga's following his wife around.

The fourth person in the parade was angry.  This was the first time
Akane was out without Ranma, and she couldn't get near her.  That
idiot Ryoga was in the way, and Ukyo had no idea who the other young
man was, except that she'd seen him in her restaurant.  She followed,
feeling more and more frustrated, as Akane's path led her off campus,
and towards the hospital.

Then Ukyo got the break she was looking for.  Ryoga suddenly stood
still, shoulders drooping, as he watched Akane walk on.  Then he
turned and walked in the opposite direction, not even noticing Ukyo
standing there.  Moments later, the other man passed her, following
Ryoga's path.

*****

Ranma changed out of work clothes, and was combing his hair when Mr.
Nagata came into the changing room.

"Going somewhere special, Saotome?"

"I'm taking my wife to dinner, Mr. Nagata.  She should be here any
moment now.  Would you like to meet her?"

"Yes, I've been wanting to."

Mr. Nagata paused, and smiled.

"I've been meaning to make up for interrupting your honeymoon,
Saotome, and this isn't much, but I'd like to cover the cost of your
dinner tonight."

He pulled out his wallet, and handed Ranma some cash.  Ranma looked
shocked.

"You don't have to do this, really. . ."

"Nonsense.  Now put it in your pocket and have a wonderful time."

"Thank you."

*****

The steps behind her were getting closer, and Akane had turned around
a couple of times, but whoever was following her was good at hiding.
She finally got tired of playing hide-and-seek, and spoke up.

"Whoever you are, come out.  I know you're there."

"Hello, Akane."

Akane's eyes narrowed as Ukyo stepped out of the shadows.  She had
never completely forgiven her for breaking up her wedding, and was
still seething about her attack on Ranma.

"What do YOU want?"

"Ranma."

Akane's expression changed from angry to incredulous.

"What?"

"Ranma.  I want him, and you're in the way."

Akane couldn't believe it.  First Ukyo beat on Ranma, and now she was
saying that she wanted him.

"Ukyo, it's over.  We're married."

"How did you manage that, Akane?  What kind of threats did you use on
my Ran-chan?  Or did you put some kind of drug in his food?  I KNOW he
couldn't possibly love you!"

"Yes he does!  And I love him!"

"NO!  No one could ever love him more than I do!  He'll be mine once
you're gone!"

That was all the warning Akane had, but it was sufficient.  She
sidestepped Ukyo's first strike and fell into a ready position,
waiting for her next move.  It came soon enough, and Ukyo cried out in
pain and surprise when Akane avoided her spatula, and kicked her.
Ukyo's second blow connected, and Akane screamed in rage when the
spatula sliced her leg.  The cries were heard blocks away, where Ryoga
spun about, crying out Akane's name and nearly running down Shiro as
he ran toward the source of the sound.

Akane circled Ukyo, holding out both hands.

"Stop and think, Ukyo.  Think about how Ranma would react if you kill
me.  Is that going to make him want you?  Do you really want to do
this?"

Ukyo backed up a step, looking at Akane in confusion.  Akane kept
circling.  Sooner or later, Ukyo was going to attack again if she
couldn't talk her out of it.

"I'm not as easy as Ranma, am I?    He won't fight you back, will he?
That's because of that stupid thing he has against hitting girls.  I
will fight you back, Ukyo, and I will hurt you.  I'll ask you again:
Do you really want to do this?"

Akane may as well have been talking to the air.

"Yes!"

Ukyo screamed in rage and went after Akane, striking out wildly with
her spatula.  Akane remained controlled, striking when she could, and
ducking when she had to.  It wasn't long before Ukyo's spatula landed
on the sidewalk.  Ukyo hit Akane a few times, but once she was
disarmed she began to take most of the punishment.  By the time Ryoga
and Shiro arrived on the scene, Ukyo was lying unconscious on the
sidewalk, and Akane was kneeling over her.

"Akane!  Are you all right?"

"Ryoga?  What are you doing here?"

"Never mind that, you're hurt!"

Ryoga pulled off his bandanna and tied it over a nasty cut on Akane's
leg.   It wasn't until he was finished that he realized who was lying
on the sidewalk.

"Ukyo?  Ukyo attacked you?  Why?"

"Why do you think?  She wants my Ranma.  Help me get her to the
hospital, Ryoga.  I think I hit her too hard."

"You should have them look at you too, Akane."

Ryoga lifted Ukyo into his arms, and looked helplessly at Akane, who
led him to the hospital.  Shiro  compelled Akane to lean on him and
accompanied them, wondering how he'd managed to find himself such odd
friends.  Then he grinned.  He was going to marry into that group, so
he may as well get used to it.

*****

Akane was late, and Ranma was worried.  He paced back and forth,
wondering why she hadn't called.  The phone rang in the outer office,
but Mr. Nagata answered it before Ranma could.

"Yes, he's here.  I understand.  We'll be right down."

Mr. Nagata looked down for a moment, and then back up at Ranma.

"That was the emergency department, Saotome.  Your wife is there."

Ranma gasped, and went deathly pale.

"They said it wasn't serious.  Let's go downstairs."

Ranma raced ahead of Mr. Nagata to the elevator, and pushed the
button.  When he saw what floor the elevator was on, he lost patience
and disappeared down the stairs, while Mr. Nagata waited for the
elevator.

The nurse at the front desk of the emergency department looked up as
Ranma ran in, skidding to a stop.

"Akane Saotome?  I'm her husband."

"Room 7.  The doctor is with her now, I don't think--"

She didn't get to finish the sentence.  Ranma flew into the room and
found a doctor leaning over Akane, putting stitches into her leg.
Akane had the beginnings of a black eye, a bandage on her arm, and it
looked like she was going to be rather bruised all over.  Ranma
winced.  He would rather be beaten to a pulp than see Akane hurt.

"Akane!"

The doctor turned around, looking very annoyed.  He pointed to a
chair, which Ranma brought close to the gurney.

"Sit, and be quiet.  You can talk when I'm done."

Akane reached for Ranma's hand, and squeezed it.

"I'm all right, Ranma."

The doctor finished his stitching, and went to the sink to wash his
hands.

"You're very lucky, Mrs. Saotome.  I don't know how you managed to
fight off your assailant, especially with the size of the weapon she
was carrying.  I'm going to get you some pain killers, and then you
can go home.  Take one, put some ice on the bruises, and go to bed.
Come back in a week to get the stitches out."

"My wife isn't lucky, Doctor.  She's a martial artist, and can take
very good care of herself."

The doctor left the room, and Ranma scooped Akane off the gurney and
sat down with her in his lap.

"Tell me who did this, Akane."

"It was Ukyo."

"Why?"

"She still wants you.  She wanted to get rid of me, so she could have
you."

"Is she nuts or something?"

Akane shivered.

"That's what they're trying to find out.  They're keeping her here for
psychiatric evaluation.   I . . . I feel so bad!"

She burst into tears, and Ranma held her close, a tear or two running
down his own cheeks.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
Ryoga stood at the door, Shiro and Mr. Nagata behind him.

"Are you all right, Akane?"

"I'm fine, Ryoga.  Thank you for your help."

"Ryoga helped you?  Did he fight Ukyo?"

Ryoga shook his head.

"Akane did it all herself, Ranma.  By the time I got there, Ukyo was
out cold, and I carried her here."

Ranma looked down at Akane, whose eyes were closing.

"I need to get Akane home, she looks wiped out."

Akane yawned.

"It's the shot they gave me."

Mr. Nagata quietly left.  This was not the right time for him to be
introduced to Akane.

The doctor reappeared, and handed Ranma a bottle.

"This is the pain medication.  Make sure she takes one when you get
home."

Akane yawned again.

"Don't you think the shot was enough?  I can hardly keep my eyes
open."

"Arguing with the doctor, Akane?  Don't be uncute."

Ranma grinned when Akane put her head on his shoulder, and closed her
eyes.

"I'm not arguing, Ranma.  I just want to go home."

"Well, I don't think we're going out for dinner tonight."

Shiro nodded.

"I'll call for a cab."

Ranma insisted that Shiro and Ryoga come home with them, and the four
of them piled into the cab.  When they arrived at the apartment, Ryoga
watched rather wistfully as Ranma carried his wife upstairs and
settled her into a chair before searching through the refrigerator.

"You guys hungry?  I'm sure I can come up with something."

"Ranma?"

"Yes, Shiro?"

"Let me call for delivery."

*****

Akane kept nodding off as they ate, and only showed interest in the
conversation when Shiro announced his engagement.

"That's wonderful, Shiro.  When are you getting married?"

"As soon as I can find us a place to live."

Ranma smiled at Akane.

"That sounds SO familiar, doesn't it?"

Ryoga remained quiet, his thoughts on Akari.  Akane was lost to him,
and it was time that he faced it.

An hour later, Shiro prepared to leave.  Ryoga also got up, putting on
his pack.

"I'd better go too."

Ryoga ended up being the first to leave, and Shiro waited until he
couldn't hear his footsteps any more before speaking to Ranma.  Akane
had gone into the bedroom, but he still kept his voice low.

"Ryoga was following Akane, Ranma.  I was keeping an eye on him."

"Following her?  I don't like the sound of that."

"He doesn't give up, does he?"

Ranma looked toward the bedroom.

"Don't worry about it, Shiro.  I know my wife."

"I still think you should talk to him."

"I will, the next time he shows up here.  The way Ryoga gets lost,
that may be months."

Shiro nodded, and left.  Ranma walked into the bedroom, and found
Akane asleep on top of the futon, still fully dressed.  He undressed
her as gently as he could, and she opened her eyes, and murmured a
complaint.

"Shh, sweetheart.   I'm just trying to make you comfortable."

Ranma tucked Akane into the futon, undressed, and joined her.  She
curled up close to him, and rested one hand on his cheek.

"Akane?"

"Mmmm?"

"Why did you let Ukyo get close to you?  Didn't you think of using
your chi attack?"

Akane's reply was a low murmur.

"I couldn't, Ranma.  She's your friend."

--------------------

to be continued
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