Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma OneHalf: First steps ❯ Book Two, Chapter Three ( Chapter 13 )

Ranma Onehalf: First steps. Book Two

Chapter three.

Watching the scenery flash by his window Ranma chuckled.

"Whats so funny?" Akane asked.

"Oh, I was thinking about Lia staying at my parents while we're on our honeymoon." Ranma said.

"What about it?" Akane asked.

"Her trying to get Lia to wear a dress and act 'like proper young girls should'." he answered.

They both laughed at the thought of Lia acting anything like a proper young girl. Or wearing a dress for that matter.

"That ought to keep Lia occupied for the next month." Akane said.

Ranma nodded. "Yeah. Though I don't know how Pops is gonna handle Lia being around him all the time." he said.

Akane shrugged. "Well, he does need the exercise." she pointed out.

Ranma chuckled. "True." he conceded. "She will keep him active." he added.

Akane leaned in close and hugged his arm. "So quit worrying about your daughter and relax." she said. "Remember, you're on honeymoon." Akane added.

"Okay, okay. I'll relax!" Ranma said.

"Good." Akane said.

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Akane awoke to birds singing the next morning and predawn light was beginning to filter through the paper screens. Lying there she realized Akane realized she and Ranma were spooning, with Ranma curled around her in a semi -fetal position.

Feeling the cold air on her cheeks Akane snuggled deeper under the covers and draped Ranmas arm across her. Feeling her move in his sleep Ranma reflexively curled tighter and hugged her close.

Laying there in the warmth Akane held onto Ranmas arm and listened to him breathe softly and regularly.

"Now this is one part of the Neko -ken I like." Akane thought with a slight smile.

After they had gotten married Akane had discovered that with his mastery of the Neko -ken Ranmas displays of affection had become much more feline in nature, i.e. physical. Nice in winter or fall, but not so good in summer.

Lying there Akane drifted back off to sleep.

Ranma came to about an hour later and found himself curled around Akane. He quietly lay there listening to her sleep until his stomach told him it was time for breakfast. Very carefully he untangled himself from Akane and got out from under the covers.

"Brrr...cold." Ranma murmured to him self as the morning air hit him.

Heading into the kitchen Ranma fired up the stove and set about making breakfast.

'This is nice." he thought as he began to chop vegetables. "Just me an' Akane, with no jobs or parenting responsibilities to interrupts some quality time." he continued.

Dumping the chopped vegetables into the frying pan Ranma began to stir -fry them. "And it's amazing how romantic just taking a walk can be." he thought. "Or being able to take a bath together." he added with a smile.

After finishing the stir -fry Ranma covered it to keep warm and set it aside. Checking on the rice on the back burner he found it was almost done. Picking up the teakettle Ranma filled it and let it heat while the rice finished.

After brewing up a pot of tea Ranma put everything into serving bowls and began to set the table. He had everything finished and was about to go wake Akane when she shuffled into the main room.

"Morning." he said.

"Morning." Akane returned. "Why'd you get out of bed? I was nice and warm." she began as she sat down.

"Well, I was hungry, and I had to get the day started because we have an appointment later this morning." Ranma explained as he dished Akane some rice.

Akane blinked in surprise. "Appointment? What appointment?" she asked.

"We're being fitted for kimonos, remember?" Ranma said as he poured some tea.

Akane winced as she remembered. "Oh yeah, that's right. Sorry." she said with a shrug.

"It's OK. It's morning." Ranma answered.

"Yeah." Akane said with a yawn.

As she yawned Akane stretched, revealing some very interesting contours for Ranma. He watched and felt himself begin to respond when reason reasserted itself.

"Settle down Ranma"he told himself "there'll be time for that later."

"So what time is the appointment?" Akane asked.

Ranma glanced at the clock. "Ten -thirty. It's eight o'clock now, so we got plenty of time." he said.

"Okay." Akane answered.

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The bell on the tailor shops door jingled as Ranma and Akane came in. A young girl on a stool behind the counter bowed to them as they came in.

"Good morning! How may I help you?" she asked.

"Good morning." Ranma said as she returned the bow. "We're the Saotomes, we have a kimono fitting at ten -thirty." she continued.

"Oh!" the girl said as she checked a notepad lying on the counter. "You're right. I'll go get my father." she said as she slid off the stool.

The girl returned a few moments later and beckoned for the two of them to come with her. "This way please." she said.

"Thank you." Ranma said as they followed her.

In the back of the shop was the tailor, an older man with a slight paunch and glasses. Looking up as they came in he squinted at them and frowned.

"You're the Saotomes?" he asked. "You don't look like them." he said.

Ranma and Akane looked at each other.

"We've gotta show him." Ranma said.

Akane sighed. "I know. I know." he said.

Ranma glanced at the tailor. "Otoru -san, may we have some hot water please?" she asked.

Surprised at the odd request Otoru nodded. "Ah ,yes certainly." he said. "Taka, some hot water please." he asked his daughter.

"Yes Father." she said.

Taka returned a few moments later with two teacups full of hot water.

"Here you go." she said as she handed the cups to Ranma and Akane.

"Thank you." Akane said as he took the cup.

Looking at the tailor Ranma spoke.

"Otoru -san, please watch and try not to overreact." she said before she and Akane dunked their fingers into the cups.

Mr. Otoru watched as Ranma grew and changed into a man, and Akane changed into a woman. His eyes grew wide for a moment and he leaned back in surprise. Steadying himself on the edge of a workbench he spoke.

"You're Jusyenko cursed." he stated.

Ranma and Akane blinked in surprise at his admission. "You know?" Ranma asked.

Mr. Otoru nodded. "Yes. A man with a similar curse makes regular deliveries to my shop on a regular basis." he said. "Only he turns into duck." Mr. Otoru said.

Ranma and Akane looked at each other. "Mousse." they said.

Mr. Otoru looked up at them. "You know him?" he asked.

Ranma shrugged. "We go way back." he said.

"Ah." Mr Otoru nodded. "If you'll step over here, I can begin measuring you." he said, pointing to an open area of the shop.

"Sure." Ranma said as he stepped forward.

In the end after their measurements were taken Ranma and Akane haggled with Mr Otoru for a bit and settled on four kimonos apiece. After they chose some unisex patterns Taka rang it all up for them.

"Before you go, may I ask you a question?" Mr Otoru asked as he handed Akane the recite.

"Yeah." Ranma answered.

"Your father wouldn't happen to Mr. Saotome Genma, would he?" Mr Otoru asked.

Instantly on alert, Ranma nodded. "Yes, he is." he said carefully.

"I thought so." Mr Otoru said with a smile. "He and your mother visited the shop when my father ran it and I was apprenticing." he said.

Ranma blinked in surprise. "You remember that? That was nearly twenty -five years ago." he said.

Mr Otoru chuckled. "Of course I do. Your parents were the first people my father allowed me to make clothes for." he said.

"Huh. Small world." he said.

"It certainly is." Mr Otoru said. "I should have them done by the end of the week." he said.

"Thank you." Ranma said as he and Akane bowed.

Outside the shop they stood for a moment while they decided on what to do next.

"So, what do you want to do?" Akane asked.

Ranma thought for a moment before he yawned. "Go back to the cottage and take a nap." he said.

Akane gave him a deadpan look. "I swear Ranma, you're like a oversized house cat sometimes." she said.

"Ah, you love it." Ranma said with another yawn.

Shaking her head Akane grabbed Ranmas hand and lead him off down the street. "Baka." she said with a smile.

"Tomboy." Ranma countered.

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Akane poured herself a cup of tea as she sat in at the table. There were a couple of magazines on the table in front of her, but she didn't feel like reading. Not knowing what else to do Akane got up with her tea and wandered into the bedroom where Ranma was napping.

Sitting down on the floor she watched her husband sleep curled up in a patch of sun.

I swear, after he mastered the Neko -ken he's turned into a oversized tomcat." Akane thought as she looked at her cat -like husband.

She sat there for a few minutes sipping her tea when an idea popped into her head.

"I wonder..." she thought.

Putting her tea aside Akane got onto all fours and crept up to Ranma. Kneeling behind him Akane carefully reached over and began to massage his upper back. Ranmas response was to twitch in his sleep and start to purr.

"How does he do that, I wonder." Akane thought as Ranma arched his back.

Ranma gradually scooted back until he was lying against Akane. She sat there and took in her husbands sleeping form. They sat there for as the sun slowly moved away from where they sitting along the floor and up the wall.

Ranma awoke shortly after the sun moved off of him. He blinked a couple of times and rolled over to look at Akane.

"Hello." he said.

"Hello sleepyhead." Akane replied.

Languidly Ranma sat up and turned around to face Akane. Stretching Ranma yawned and then shook his head. Akane watched him with interest.

"Oh yeah, he's a tomcat." Akane thought.

"hoo, that nap did the trick." Ranma said.

Akane nodded. "I can tell." she said. "Did you know you were purring?" she asked.

Ranma looked at Akane with a surprised look on his face. "I was?" he asked.

"Yeah. I was rubbing your back while you slept." Akane told him.

Ranma blinked. "Oh." he said.

Akane leaned forward with her hands on her knees. "And you arced your back like a cat too." she added.

"I did?" he asked. At Akanes nod he shrugged. "I guess you're right, I am a oversized house cat." he said with a chuckle.

"I know." Akane said. " And I like it." she said with gleam in her eye.

"Eh?" Ranma asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"RRRow!" Akane said as she leaped forward in a Tendo Spouse Glomp*.

"Ack!" was all Ranma could say before he was knocked backwards.

Afterwards as Akane lay next to Ranma she sighed contentedly.

"That was great." she said as she traced Ranmas pectorals with her finger.

"Yeah." Ranma said. "No worrying about the kids popping in on you, or waking up the rest of the house." he continued.

"Uh-huh." Akane said.

Ranma blinked as an idea came into his head. Looking at Akane he poked her in the shoulder.

"Hey." he said.

"What?" Akane asked, looking up at Ranma.

"We should go on honeymoon more often." he said.

Akane quirked a smile at his suggestion. "Really? Don't you think it would get expensive?" she asked.

Ranma chuckled and shook his head. "No, I was thinking one or two days at most. That way we could get some time in together." he said.

Akane closed her eyes as she thought it over. Opening them she looked at Ranma and gave him a slight smile.

"Okay." she said.

"Great." Ranma said as Akane snuggled up to him.

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Their last week of their honeymoon passed by uneventfully. Finally and with great reluctance they began to pack for their return trip home. As one of the last things they did they went down to Mr Otorus tailors shop and picked up their kimonos.

As they headed out Ranma grabbed an umbrella because it looked like rain. It wouldn't keep them from changing but it would keep them from getting thoroughly soaked. They made it down to the shop without getting rained on and picked up their packages.

However, as the instant they stepped out of the shop the clouds broke into a downpour.

"Shit!" Ranma swore as she snapped the umbrella open and held it up. Glancing over at Akane Ranma saw that Akane was still female. "Uh, Akane..." she began.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Akane said.

Shrugging Ranma adjusted her packages and they headed back to the cottage.

On the train ride back home Akane was unusually quiet. Concerned Ranma nudged her with her elbow.

"Hey Akane, you okay?" she asked.

Akane nodded. "Yeah. I was just thinking." she said.

Ranma tilted her head to one side. "About what?" she asked.

Akane glanced around at the train car before switching to English.

"About why I'm locked." she said. "I think I might be pregnant." she said.

"What makes you think you're pregnant?" Ranma asked.

"Ranma. We did 'it' almost every day last week and I'm late."Akane answered.

Ranma was silent for a few moments before responding. "Well, then when we get back you can have Ono check for you." she said.

"And if I am pregnant?" Akane asked.

Ranma shrugged. "Well, the house would too empty with only three people living in it." she said. "Besides, at least this time we know what we're getting in to." she added.

Akane laughed and gave Ranma a hug. "Thanks." she said as she switched back to Japanese.

"You're welcome." Ranma said as Akane gave her a kiss on the cheek, oblivious to the stares of their fellow passengers.

They were met at the train station by their families. As they stepped clear of the crowds at the platform Ranma saw them standing in a group waving signs that proclaimed 'Welcome Home!' and so on.

"Family at twelve o'clock." Ranma said as she nudged Akane in the ribs.

"Huh? Oh." she said as she saw them. "Where's Lia?" Akane asked.

"What do you mean where's Lia?" Ranma asked.

"DADDY!"

Ranma froze when she heard Lias cry. "Lia, wait, don't-AAACK!" was all Ranma got out before she was enveloped in Lias Panda Glomp.

Ranma was knocked back four feet by Lias impact. Lying on her back Ranma was smacked in her face by Lias pigtail.

"Hello..." Ranma thought as she grabbed the pigtail and looked at it.

"Hey Kitten," she said as she tugged on the pigtail "Nice pigtail." she said.

Lia released her hold on Ranma and sat back on her stomach. "You like it?" she asked as she flipped over her shoulder with a toss of her head.

"Yeah." Ranma said. "Why'd you get it?" she asked.

Lia shrugged. "Oh, Matoko and I were bored." she said.

"Ah." Ranma said. "Could you get off of me Lia? I'd like to get up." Ranma asked.

"Sorry." Lia said as she scrambled off of Ranma.

"It's okay." Ranma sais as she got up.

After collecting everyone the party headed home and Ranma and Akane were treated to a homecoming party. Afterwards Akane took Ono aside and set up an appointment for the next day.

The next day Ranma and Akanes suspicions were confirmed when the test came back positive. The first of Akanes sisters to learn was Kasumi, and by the time Akane and Ranma got home the whole family was there.

Akane was fawned over by her sisters and mother in law, while the men grabbed Ranma and double-timed it to the nearest bar.

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Ranma awoke with a pounding in her head and a all too familiar taste in her mouth. Cracking open an eye she realized she was in the master bedroom of her house. Quietly she lay there listening to her own breathing grate on her ears.

"Good morning." Akane said softly.

Wincing at the sound of Akanes voice, Ranma rolled over onto her side and looked up at Akane.

"Morning." Ranma murmured back.

"You know, I remember something about you swearing off alcohol about ten years or so ago." Akane said with a slight smile.

Wincing again Ranma rubbed her eyes. "They spiked my drinks." she protested.

"Well, you're excused then." Akane said as she rubbed Ranmas back. "You want me to get you something?" she asked.

"Nnnhhh..."Ranma groaned.

"I'll take that as a yes." Akane said as she got up.

Heading downstairs Akane went into the kitchen. Quickly she pulled the ingredients for her family's secret hangover cure out of the refrigerator. As she got out the blender Akane quirked a smile at the irony that she couldn't cook, but she could mix drinks.

Which turned out to be a boon with her current job as a bartender. Putting the ingredients into the blender she mixed them up and poured the mixture into a tall glass. Adding a straw Akane put it on a tray and headed back upstairs.

Stepping into the bedroom Akane placed the tray in front of Ranma. "Here you go." she said.

'What is it?" Ranma asked, giving the concoction a bleary -eyed stare.

"A chocolate milkshake. Its an old cure that has been in our family for years." Akane said. "Try it." she added.

Warily Ranma leaned forward and gave it a sip. She was surprised to find it actually went down well and it actually made her feel better.

Leaving Ranma with her shake Akane went to check on Lia.

Akane found Lia awake and sitting on her futon petting Thor.

"Knock, knock." Akane said as she slid open the door.

"Huh? Oh, hi mom." Lia said as she looked up.

"Can I come in?" Akane asked.

"Yeah, sure." Lia answered.

Akane entered Lias room and sat down next to her on the futon. They sat there for a few moments, Thors purring filling the silence.

"Are you OK Lia?" Akane asked.

"Yeah." Lia said. "But why was everyone celebrating last night?"

Akane paused while she considered on how to describe the situation to a third -grader. Deciding on the truth as the best course Akane spoke.

"Well, Lia, the reason why everyone was celebrating was because your father and I are going to have a baby." she said.

"Is that why Daddy's sick? Is he going to have it?" Lia asked.

Akane chuckled and shook her head. "No Lia, Daddy's sick because your uncles Ono and Tatewaki and you grandfathers took her out drinking. Daddy has a hangover Lia." Akane said. "I'm having the baby." she added.

"You are?" Lia asked. At her mothers nod Lia smiled and looked at her mother. "Cool! Can I name it?"

"If you want to." Akane said.

"Okay. Is it a boy or a girl?" Lia asked.

"It's too early to tell yet, but we should know in a couple of months."Akane answered. "How about some breakfast?" she asked.

Lia froze and her eyes grew wide with apprehension. Seeing her expression Akane chuckled and ruffled Lias hair.

"Don't worry, it's leftovers. Kasumi cooked last night." she explained.

"That's a relief." Lia said. Picking up Thor she got up. "Lets eat." she said.

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*Which is part of the Tendo Marital techniques.