Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows are Stirring ❯ Ezumen ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: The Plan

Akane stepped into the Dojo after her morning run and sighed. Still no sign of Ranma. It had been almost a week since they had gone out and told each other how they really felt, but he hadn't returned yet. Setting up a pile of cinder bricks, she sat down before them and tried to focus. Shaking her head, she stood to do some katas first, hoping to calm herself down.

As she turned halfway through the kata, she stumbled and fell to the ground. Ranma was standing in the doorway, though she hadn't even heard the door open in the first place. "Ranma!" she cried, leaping to her feet and throwing herself at him in a massive hug. "Where have you been?" she demanded when she finally let go of him.

"Can't tell ya right now." It was obvious that he wanted to tell her something, but wasn't sure it was good time and place, given who else could easily be listening in.

Akane stared at him, debating between hitting him or hugging him. She really wanted to hold him again, but she hated him being so mysterious. She settled on a third option. "Can you show me anything now?" she asked. "To help my training?"

"Akane, in order to train you properly, I would have to hit you, right?" he asked with a sigh. She knew he was right, and nodded. "I can't do that. Not really." He turned and left the Dojo, and she heard a splash from outside. Moments later, a dripping wet Ranma-chan came back into the hall and stopped, shaking her red hair out of her face. "I don't think it'll be any easier like this, either."

"Try me," Akane challenged, adopting her fighting position.

Ranma-chan attacked quickly, but stopped with an open palm attack just inches away from her chest. She sighed and backed away. Not only couldn't she hit Akane, but she felt like she had almost grabbed her... and that wasn't what she was after just then. "I can't hit you, Akane. I just can't do it."

"Do you have any idea why I want you to train me, Ranma?" she asked, fighting back a sudden rush of tears. She wasn't sure why she was crying, but she knew it was either because she was glad he couldn't hit her, or because she wanted him to, but he wouldn't. "Do you?"

"You said, yeah..."

"I want to be your partner, Ranma. In fighting as well as life. How can I ever make you mine if I can't fend off all your other fiancées?"

"You've got a point. You don't have a chance against Ucchan or Shampoo..." Ranma muttered. "Kodachi's a nut case, and I know you can beat her out of the ring. In the ring..."

"Ranma!" Akane said harshly. "I know that... but you don't have to be so mean about it, do you?" she asked, looking away from him so he wouldn't see her tears.

She heard Ranma-chan's bare feet padding along the hall as she came over to her. "Akane, how am I supposed to train ya at all if you won't accept my criticism?" Ranma-chan asked her.

"You mean you'll still...?" Akane asked, looking up into his grey blue eyes with her dark brown ones.

"We'll figure out a way. I want ya'll to myself, too, ya know..." she said with a grin.

She swatted him. "There, now that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

"Do you want to go on a training trip?" Ranma-chan asked suddenly, looking quite nervous. "Just the two of us, I mean. I don't want anyone else to know that I'm trainin ya."

"Right, as if we ever could do something like that. I can picture it now: Dad will be getting the wedding in order, and Nabiki will have that evil glint in her eye, while Kasumi will just go `Oh my.' That won't work."

"Nuts ta that, Akane. Look, tonight at supper, I'll just announce that I'm going on a training trip. Pops will suggest that, as my fiancée, you should come with me ta cook and take care of me. If ya put up a good enough show, then it should work. They'll force ya ta come anyway," she explained.

"You'd... eat my cooking?" she asked, amazed.

"I doubt that!" she replied with a laugh. "We both have to survive the trip, remember? Just bring along that notebook of your mother's. It'll be a good chance to learn how to be a better cook, too."

"Ranma!" Akane cried, pushing him away. "Do you always have to do that?"

"What?"

"Make fun of my cooking?"

Ranma-chan sighed. "Look, just promise me that everything will be labelled, so ya add the right ingredients, and that you'll try the food before serving it, and I'll eat it, okay?" she suggested.

"Once it's decided, I'll talk to Kasumi."

The day had run on long, and Ranma stood from the table quickly after shovelling in all his food. "Nice of you to join us for once, my boy," Genma said calmly. "Where have you been getting to all these days?" It was hard to say if he was concerned about Ranma's welfare, or concerned that if Ranma wasn't staying with the Tendos, then perhaps he wouldn't be able to either. Knowing Genma… it was the later.

"Doesn't matter, pops. I'm going on a training trip tomorrow, and I'll be gone for a couple of weeks, just so y'all know," he said, turning to leave the room and go upstairs. "And so none of yas come looking for me."

"Oh, then Akane should go with you. You still have to eat on these trips, right?" Kasumi suggested with a smile.

"Then why would I want ta take Akane?" he retorted.

"Oh yeah, like I'd want to go anyway!" Akane cried, standing from the table and glaring at him. "With a pervert like you!"

"Akane! Ranma! Settle down. Ranma, my boy, you are taking her, and that's final," Genma said sternly.

"Cool off, old man!" Ranma replied, kicking at a bucket of water. Moments later, a giant panda held up a sign with the words `That's Not Fair' written on it. "Tough break, pops."

"And just what is so wrong with my little girl that you can't stand to be with her Ranma?" Mr. Tendo Tendo demanded, his demon head rearing up above Ranma. "Do you really hate her so?"

"N... no sir!" Ranma stammered, speaking despite his resolve, backing up against the wall to try and escape the demon head.

"Dad!" Akane shouted. The demon head vanished as he turned to face his youngest daughter. "Leave him alone! If I have to go, then fine. But you had better be ready to deal with me when I get back. I'm going to cook for a week!" she threatened.

"N... n... now now, Akane, don't be so hasty..." Mr. Tendo replied, holding up his hands. "Maybe you're right... maybe you..."

"Oh come off it! I'll go on this stupid training trip, and I'll learn how to cook then! I'll show you!" she cried, running from the room to go upstairs to pack. Ranma followed shortly thereafter with a small grin on his face once he was out of sight.

A knock on his door caused Ranma to look up. "Where are you planning on taking her, my boy?" Genma asked calmly.

"What do you care?" he replied coolly.

"You had better keep her safe. If your mother finds out that you went into the woods with her and didn't protect her..." he warned.

"Ha! Mom'll be more upset if I don't sleep with her than keep her safe! Be more manly, wouldn't it?" Ranma replied, his face red with fury. "Now get out and let me pack!" He hurtled the futon at the door, blocking it completely. He leapt out the window with a full pack moments later.

Akane turned as she heard the two fighting, and sighed. What had she gotten herself into? Genma was the one who trained Ranma, and now he was going to train her the same way... was that really what she wanted? She looked up suddenly as there was a rapping on her window. Ranma was hanging from the rafters outside, his back to the window.

She pulled open the window. "Ranma? What's going on?" she asked.

"I can't sleep in there tonight. Not with him in the same room. I'll be on the roof."

"No, you'll catch a cold!" Akane said, worry in her voice.

"Like a cold could keep me down," he replied with a smile. "Besides, I've slept up there before."

"But I want us both to enjoy this, remember? Get in here you baka!" she said, pulling on his shirt suddenly. Off balance, Ranma crashed into the ground right on top of Akane. She looked up into his eyes for a moment, and wasn't sure what was going through his mind. She swallowed hard as he leaned down and gave her cheek a quick caress with his lips.

"Sorry," he said immediately, standing and looking away from her. "Shouldn't have done that." He was just thankful that had been all he had done.

Before Akane could reply, her door swung open, revealing Nabiki leaning against the frame. "Oh, wouldn't father be so happy to know that you're in here, Ranma?" she smiled.

"Look, Nabiki, I don't have any money, so don't even ask," Ranma said curtly.

"Well, that's too bad then. I was thinking of not telling everyone else about this little getaway you two are going on..." she replied with a smile.

"Nabiki, please!" Akane pleaded. Her sister looked to her in surprise. "Please don't tell anyone. Look, I'll owe you one, ok?" she begged.

"You'll owe me more than one, sister dearest." Nabiki shook her head, surprised with herself, and walked away slowly. Her sister had better make it up to her. This would have been worth a fortune.

Akane left her room, only to return with a glass of water a few moments later. "Um..." she stopped, looking at Ranma as he sat in the chair at her desk.

"Might be for the best," he replied with a shrug as he took the water and dumped it over his head. "Brr, that's cold," she said, shivering. She accepted the blanket that Akane offered, and sat down on the floor. "Ready for this yet? This'll be the last night here for a while," she pointed out.

Before Akane could reply, there was a rustling sound near the door, and as she turned, a small black piglet leapt into her arms. "Oh, P-Chan! Where have you been, you silly little piggy?" she asked, cuddling the pig into her arms to hold it close to her.

"Akane..." Ranma said softly. She looked over to her sharply.

"I told you not to make fun of P-Chan before, didn't I?" she demanded.

"I was going to ask that, for tonight, please don't let him stay in here..." Ranma-chan pleaded. "Just... not tonight." She looked away from her slowly and out the window, trying to stay as calm as she could in case Akane refused. " Please …"

P-Chan started to struggle against Akane's grip, trying to reach Ranma-chan desperately. The pig looked very upset suddenly. "But Ranma, I won't see him for a few weeks cause of this training trip..."

"Please?" he asked again. He hated to beg, and knew that if she insisted one more time, he would have to accept it, but that didn't mean he would have to like it.

Akane sighed as she looked at Ranma-chan's pitiful pleading. "Fine," she said eventually. She walked to the door, set P-Chan down, and shut it behind her moments later. P-Chan just stood at the doorway, quivering until Akane could no longer see the small pig. She heard it trotting down the hall moments later, though.

"Akane," Ranma-chan said softly. When she looked, he smiled to her. "Thanks."

"Good night, Ranma," Akane said quietly a short time later as she laid down in her bed after changing into her yellow pajamas. "Sleep well." She was answered by a soft snore.

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