New Beginnings
Chapter 2 - Endings And Beginnings
Life of Chaos - Journey Part 1
Most of the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Communication,
and some other companies. Used without permission. I'll return them as
soon as I finish my other series, and... well... that might take a
while. I lent Ryoga's mom a copy of story plots and well... she's a
Hibiki... it'll take some time before I see her again and find out what
she did with them.
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"Ranma, what are you doing up here?" Akane asked.
"Avoiding Nabiki, same as you," Ranma replied with a nervous grin. "You
should train more. You shouldn't have to use the balcony to jump up to
the roof."
Akane pouted. "Well, we can fix that, can't we?"
Ranma nodded. "Are you sure about going?"
"Of course, I'm sure." Akane scowled. "Don't try to talk your way out of
it."
"You already convinced me about that."
"What about what happens before we leave?"
"Mom insists that we do that, too."
Akane sat next to her fiance. "Ranma, do you want to?"
"To what?"
Akane glared at him. "Do you want to do what happens before we leave?"
Now that a pair of unwanted ears were at the house, namely Nabiki's,
they made it a point to avoid certain words that would give away too
much information. At least Soun and Genma were still at the bar.
"I'd rather wait. I think we're too young."
Akane looked put-upon. "Ranma, your Mom had you when she was younger
than I am now."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, and think how much she regrets it. Married to Pop
and thanks to him she hardly even knows me."
Akane sighed. "Okay, maybe that wasn't the best example. But I think we
can manage."
"Akane, we're making a rather big risk on something you _think_ we can
do?"
"No!" She shook her head violently. "I'm positive we can do it."
"Whatever," Ranma grumbled. "Are you sure we need to do that though?
Couldn't we wait until after the trip is over or something?"
"It will make things easier to deal with. Girls won't flirt with you if
they know you're married. Besides, it gives everybody here time to get
used to us being married before we ever see them. Hopefully, when we
come back, they'll only be a little upset that we left but happier that
we returned."
"I _really_ doubt that." Ranma whapped Akane lightly on the hand. "You
mentioned the m-word."
Akane reflexively pulled her hand closer to herself. She then glanced
around to make sure no one was spying on them. "Sorry. But I know
they'll be upset no matter what we do. I'd rather leave and be with you
than wait and worry about someone trying to seduce you or get me out of
the way. There is no easy solution to this."
Ranma nodded. "You got that right. Probably should stop talkin' about
it, Nabiki is probably searching for us by now."
Akane moved closer to Ranma and both sat there silently for a while.
Their minds were too preoccupied by the 'forbidden' subject of what they
planned to do for them to think of something else to talk about. Twice
they jumped off the roof and waited when Nabiki searched for them there.
Once she left they immediately returned to where they had been sitting.
They entered the house and prepared for bed when it began to rain.
---------------------
"Akane?" Kasumi asked in surprise.
The youngest Tendo whirled around, hid a wrench behind her back, and
looked at her eldest sister as if she had just been caught with her hand
in the cookie jar.
"What are you doing?"
Akane gazed sheepishly at the ground. "Know how insane I said today was?
This prevents the last of it."
"How will turning off the hot water help?"
"Well, I found out that Shampoo plans to visit Ranma and have her way
with him. I'm shutting off the hot water to make sure she can't."
"Why would no hot water stop her?"
"Well, the rain for one, and I already got Ranma to promise he'll sleep
as a girl tonight."
"Oh." Kasumi looked carefully at her sister. "You're going to sleep in
his room tonight to make sure anyway?"
Akane nodded.
Kasumi almost commented that it would not be appropriate, but knew it
would fall on deaf ears. Besides, Akane was going to marry Ranma
tomorrow. Not to mention that Genma and Nodoka would be sleeping there
as well. "Well, goodnight. Do try to get some sleep."
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Ranma was on edge. Too many things were happening too fast. By this time
tomorrow he'd be married and sleeping somewhere far from here. Trying to
get any sleep would be hard enough. Add Akane being in the same room was
too much. He really wanted to sleep, tomorrow would be very busy and
he'd need every ounce of sleep he could get.
But was he ready to be married? It would've been one thing if they were
staying here, since they would have others to rely on. But Akane did not
want to be here. She wanted to get as far away from her troubles as she
could get. Ranma knew that was hopeless. Those troubles would eventually
catch up and be much worse than before. He didn't know how to explain
that to Akane. He hoped he was wrong and that when his suitor problems
returned, they wouldn't be nearly as bad. Unfortunately, past
experiences had proved otherwise.
Then again, those problems had been getting worse with them there.
Things weren't calming down. Maybe the lack of his and Akane's presence
would help make things easier to handle when they returned. Probably
not, but one could hope.
Ranma turned over, trying to get more comfortable. There was still the
issue of being married. He didn't have a clue what it meant to be a
husband. As far as he was concerned, his parents weren't truly married.
His mother barely tolerated his father, not to mention that his father
spent twelve years away from home. He wondered why they haven't gotten a
divorce, because he was certain his parent's relationship wasn't what it
was like to be married. Ranma couldn't imagine being away from Akane for
a month, and yet the twelve year separation spoke of many things, but
none of it was his father's love for his mother.
Could Ranma be a good husband with Genma as an example? Well, maybe for
what not to do. He would just have to figure things out on his own. Take
things as they happen and adapt. That was how he had learned to deal
with things, and it had worked most of the time. Ranma hoped he could be
a good husband for Akane, she deserved that much.
Akane watched Ranma from the corner of the room as he lay in bed. She
knew he was awake. She didn't say anything in hopes they could fall
asleep. But sleep wouldn't come. Her nerves had been on end all day. The
only time she had calmed down was shortly after Ranma agreed to leave
with her and they had talked about plans of what to do. But those plans
had ended up causing her more stress as she realized the extent of what
they were doing.
In a few short hours Akane would be a Saotome and living with him as his
wife in every sense of the word. They would be alone when facing any new
troubles. There would be no Kasumi, Soun, Nodoka, Cologne, or even Genma
to turn to for help. Were they really ready for that?
Akane sighed as she tried to make herself more comfortable. It didn't
matter if they were ready. If she was going to be with Ranma, she
couldn't be anywhere near home. After everything that happened since she
met her fiance, being able to see him and yet not be able to truly touch
him because of how others would react was not something she could live
with. If she wanted to be his wife, they had to leave.
Besides, if they can't make it on their own, they could always come
home. Hopefully that wouldn't ignite the third world war in the process.
Akane smiled as Ranma somehow had drifted to sleep. How he could sleep
while listening to a snoring panda, she couldn't figure out. Well, it
was a bit soothing in its continuous rhythm....
A moment later a cat was not pleased at what she had seen in the room.
She tried to swear since her mission tonight had been for nothing.
---------------------
The morning was full of preparations, but most of it done covertly. Both
Ranma and Akane had woken up early and started to prepare for what
looked like school. However, their school bags held important
documentation and money. Things they would need to get an apartment and
start working. Their backpacks were being set up for what looked like a
camping trip. Ranma's included many of the supplies they would have
normally used. Akane's was packed with more clothes and a couple
personal items.
Genma approached his son, with a questioning look on his face. The
morning had already started out strange with Kasumi fixing the hot
water, but now his son was packing and he didn't remember planning any
training trips. "Why are you packing, boy?"
Ranma stiffened and then gulped. "Akane's wants ta up her trainin' so I
thought I'd take her on a little trip this weekend. Just wanted to make
sure we had everything we'd need."
Genma grinned and nodded. Akane would have to get better if she ever
wanted a chance to defend herself against Ranma's other suitors.
Besides, a weekend alone for the engaged couple would be a good thing.
Though, making sure there was only one tent or having a panda discreetly
watch them would probably be a good idea. "That's the initiative, boy.
Be sure to show her what real Saotome training is. But don't hurt her
too much. Wouldn't want her to be too injured for any nightly
activities." He laughed joyfully.
Ranma glared at his father, and splashed him with water. "Shut up, old
man."
The panda promptly swatted at Ranma and the morning sparring match
began.
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Nabiki cursed her 'extended family.' She couldn't wait for college where
she could move into a nice quite dorm and sleep the entire morning.
Well, quiet in the later morning hours that is. She would be one of the
noisemakers in the early morning. She dragged herself through the
morning. Ranma, Akane, Kasumi and apparently Nodoka were nervous about
something, but she would figure out what it was. It was just a matter of
time. Time she didn't have enough of that morning to find out then. She
promised herself that she would know what it was before the day was out.
Ranma and Akane relaxed a little when Nabiki left for school, but they
still had problems with two overbearing fathers.
"Oh, Ranma, did you remember to pack any tampons into your schoolbag?"
Nodoka asked with an unsettled voice.
Akane fell backwards.
Genma and Soun exchanged very nervous expressions.
A sweat drop formed on Ranma's head. "Ah, no Mom...."
"Well, if you've been menstruating, you need something to collect the
blood."
"But Mom, I can't use those. Do you have any idea how much it'd hurt if
I turned inta guy while I had one of them in me?"
"Oh, you're right. I guess pads would be better for you." Nodoka raised
a finger to her cheek. "But how could you get them to stay in place if
you're wearing boxers. Maybe you should wear panties on those days."
"Mom!" Ranma shouted and then started laughing. The looked on his
father's and Soun's faces were priceless. They would need to fix the
wall fence as the two fathers had run straight through it in their haste
to leave.
"That was fun." Nodoka joined her son in laughter.
Kasumi giggled into her hand.
Akane sat up and stared at Ranma. "That was just to get rid of them,
right? You were only joking?"
"You haven't told her?" Nodoka asked, trying to regain her composure.
Ranma scratched the back of his head thinking of how to answer Akane.
"Um, ah, we'd better finish packing and leave." He was out of the room
before anyone could blink.
"Tell me he doesn't have periods," Akane demanded.
Kasumi and Nodoka exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"Akane, you're going to be married to him soon. You're going to find out
a lot of secrets about him, some good and some bad. That is one you
would've found out about eventually. It isn't really a big deal," Nodoka
said calmly.
"Besides, it means he'll be able to understand you better," Kasumi added
reassuringly.
Nodoka's face brightened a little. "But if that's something you want to
get used to first, you can always stay a while longer."
"I guess it's not a big deal. It doesn't change anything." Akane stood
up. "Do you have the suitcases?"
Nodoka sagged and nodded. The thought of, 'It would be better to see
them off and stay in contact than to find out they had left during the
night,' was the only thing keeping her moving. She might not be able to
be with him, but she would still get to hear from him.
---------------------
The waiting was getting to Ranma and Akane. It was affecting them more
than what they were waiting for. Every minute they stayed here reduced
the distance they could put between themselves and the trouble they were
trying to leave behind. However, when Nodoka and Kasumi went to process
some paperwork, they had done something neither Ranma or Akane had
expected or thought about, exchanging clan properties.
The Saotome home would be transferred to Soun's name and the Tendo home
and dojo would be transferred briefly to Genma and Nodoka, but then
given to Ranma and Akane once their marriage became official. While that
would incur some taxation, it wasn't nearly bad as if they sold the
property outright or left the home as an inheritance. The only other
option was to give Ranma and Akane both properties to avoid the
taxation, but they could only give the homes to their children upon
marriage. By exchanging properties first, Akane's dowry remained intact
and Soun would still have something to give Kasumi or Nabiki once they
married.
After what seemed eternity of paper work to transfer the properties,
only one document was left to be signed. Ranma and Akane stared dumbly
at it for a minute. This one was more important than any other. Signing
it changed everything. They would be married.
"You have to sign that before you can leave," Kasumi reminded them.
Ranma and Akane quickly placed their signatures and waited for
something. They didn't know what. The clerk processed the documents and
handed the couple a copy that officially declared them married. They
looked at the paper and thought in unison, <That's it?> They thought
there would be more to it. Some sense that they were different now. The
fact that Akane was now a Saotome barely registered to them. They
thought that with all the trouble they had gone through to get this far,
that there would be some feeling of achievement. But it felt hollow to
them, as if the paper meant nothing.
Kasumi and Nodoka hugged the newly wed couple. "Congratulations!"
"Why don't we have lunch to celebrate before you leave?" Nodoka
suggested.
Akane was about to object, stating they had to leave; however, Ranma
answered, "Sure!"
---------------------
"What's wrong?" Nodoka asked.
"What do you mean?" replied the newlyweds. Akane picked at her lunch,
while Ranma ate slowly.
"You both seem disappointed."
"Well... I thought there would be more to being married than some piece
of paper," Akane answered.
Nodoka giggled. "Oh, there is more. That paper only makes it legal, it's
what you feel for each other that makes it real. You'll realize soon
enough that there are differences to your relationship now that you're
married."
"Really?"
Nodoka nodded. "I'm sure you'll be amazed at the differences by tomorrow
morning."
"If you say so." Ranma looked at his bowl of ramen, and then finished it
in one gulp.
Akane hoped Nodoka was right. After all the things she had put up with,
she thought there would be more to getting married- even without a
ceremony. "We better get going."
"Good luck, both of you." Nodoka hugged them. "Don't be gone for too
long. We'll miss you."
Tears streaked Kasumi's face when she also hugged them. "Goodbye. Write
back often."
"We will," Akane said tearfully. "Goodbye. Tell Dad and everybody else,
'goodbye and I'll miss you.'"
"Bye." Ranma put on his backpack and picked up both suitcases and school
bags.
Akane scowled at him while putting on her backpack. "Let me carry some
of that."
"Don't worry about it." Ranma walked out of the restaurant.
"Ranma...." Akane chased after him.
"They'll never change," Nodoka mused.
"I certainly hope not," Kasumi replied. "I hope they will be fine."
"I'm sure they will be."
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Author's Notes:
I am by no means an authority on Japanese property taxation laws. I do
know that inheritance tax is outrageous with the only exclusion is the
passing gifts to children during marriage. Also buying property is
highly taxed. At least in this Ranmaverse's Japan, exchanging property
will avoid certain taxes making it more economically possible for the
Tendos to still retain some property considering by the agreement Ranma
gets the dojo and, by extension, the Tendo home when he marries Akane
(Japanese laws probably frowns on splitting properties). If anyone has
any accurate information in this regard, please let me know.
Coming next week: Second Chances Chapter 11.