Author's Notes:
	This part is a little rougher than previous parts. Any comments and
critiques that anyone can give would be received with open arms, no matter
how it's delivered.  (Heck, I once got snail mail feed back for one of my
Trek Stories)
	I've also ploted out the rest of this story.  It looks like it's going to
be 13 parts.  Then I can get to the part of the plot, I really want to do
"Letters from Ranma" where we get to see Akane's life during the training
trip between the said letters.

Stephen

Part 8: Changes

What has gone before:
	Part 1: Akane meets Ranma at age 12.  They spar.  Akane walks in on Ranma
	Part 2: Ryoga first appears.  Ranma shows off in Gym class.  Ranma is
challenged to teach the class gymnastics.  Ranma walks in on Akane.
	Part 3: Akane teaches the uneven bars.  Sensei Ogawa has an agenda.
Nabiki takes a picture.  Ranma walks in on Akane.
	Part 4: Akane finds the picture.  Akane and Ranma eat away from Nabiki
Ranma and Akane pull a joke on Nabiki that gets Akane a kiss.  Ranma and
Akane talk in the bath.
	Part 5: Ranma and Akane finish teaching gymnastics. The betrothal document
is found. Kasumi walks in on Ranma and Akane.  Kasumi talks to Akane. 
	Part 6: Genma learns of Akane.  Soun cries.  Akane and Ranma walk on
fences.  Nodoka appears.
	Part 7: Nodoka plays sword master.  Nabiki finds out what is planned for
her.  Nabiki and Akane spar.  Nodoka waits for Genma.
	
	Ranma awoke to his mother's humming.  A look at the bedside clock
determined that his father was already off to work.  He'd totally missed
his parent's conversation the night before, despite his intention to stay
up to listen.  He quickly put on his school uniform.  He really didn't like
the outfit.  It was long white trousers, a white shirt, and a dark blue
coat with white lapels.  The whole outfit looked like the Lieutenant's
uniform that he'd seen in that movie "Captain Hornblower" that he and Akane
had watched together last Saturday night on TV.  Still, he did look good in
it, or at least Akane said so.
	"Good morning Mother," Ranma said, as he walked into the kitchen and sat
down.
	"Good morning, Ranma," Nodoka said as she placed a large number of
cinnamon sugared rice cakes in front of him.  "I do hope you're hungry.
You father wasn't this morning."  As Ranma sat down and began eating,
Nodoka picked up her sword and continued polishing it.  "He did pay lots of
attention to the Saotome Family Sword for some reason.  I think he expected
it to have rusted away in my care for some reason."
	Ranma ate the last rice cake, and got up.  "I have to go meet Akane to
walk her to school," he said, picking up his books and heading towards the
door.
	"Your father and I will be having dinner at the Tendos tonight," Nodoka
said.  "I expect you to join us."
	"Okay," Ranma said.  The door slammed behind him.

	Akane walked beside Ranma, his arm around her waist.  She'd gotten use to
the embrace and expected it now.  "So Ranma, what was your father's
reaction when he found your mother there?" Akane asked.
	"I'm not sure," Ranma said.  "I was asleep when he got home and he was
gone when I woke up."
	"Did he even come home?" Akane asked.
	"I think so," Ranma said.  "Mom said he didn't have much breakfast, and I
think he was afraid of Mom's sword."
	"Considering the butterfingers way she handles it, I would too," Akane
said, remembering the previous day's demonstration.
	"That's all an act," Ranma said.  "She always carefully aimed and made
sure it went exactly where it's suppose to go."
	"I couldn't tell," Akane said.
	"Look at the eyes," Ranma said.  "Mom's good at hiding it, but the eyes
give her away."

	Ranma joined Nabiki and Akane for lunch.  Akane and Nabiki both had
chocolate cake for their desert, but Kasumi had thoughtfully included a
piece of cherry pie for Ranma.  Nabiki still was moving a little
sensitively after the day before's sparring with Akane.
	"So Nabiki, what's this about you and Tatewaki Kuno?" Akane said.
	"He's merely playing opposite me in our class reading of Romeo and
Juliet," Nabiki replied, blushing.
	"Would he be Romeo to your Juliet?" Akane asked.
	"Yes," Nabiki said.  "But that's as far as it goes."
	"But you'd like more," Akane said, teasing Nabiki a little.
	"No," Nabiki said, uncertainly.
	"Why not? he's rich," Ranma said.
	"That's not enough," Nabiki said.
	"He looks rather dashing in the school uniform," Akane said.  "Not as much
as Ranma, though.  Plus he is rich."
	"I don't look for money in a man," Nabiki said, rather frustrated.  "And
it's none of your business if I happen to like Tatewaki."
	"All ready on a personal name basis..." Akane began.  She would have
continued the taunt but Ryoga dropped into the seat across from Ranma at
that moment.  Ryoga looked like he hadn't slept in days.  Akane hadn't seen
him in two weeks, about the time since Ranma began walking to school with her.
	"Ranma, I have walked around the world because of you," Ryoga said.
	"Not literally, I hope," Ranma said, looking at the dusty uniform.
	"You know I wouldn't know," Ryoga said.  "One minute I was walking out my
front door, the next I was walking along this strange black wall with
English names carved in it.  I think I passed this barb wire topped wall
with people trying to jump over it.  And I walked on top of this other wall
that was at least four meters wide."
	"You haven't found anyone to walk you to school yet?" Akane asked.  Ryoga
shook his head.  "I'll see if one of my friends will.  Hmmm, maybe Sukura
or perhaps Yuki."
	Ryoga didn't hear her, as he had passed out.

	Dinner was different at the Tendos.  For the first time in over a year,
Kasumi wasn't the sole cook.  Nodoka had insisted on cooking several
dishes.  That left Kasumi to concentrate on some of her favorites, and
improved an already decent meal.  Genma had arrived shortly after Kasumi
got home, so it was a little crowded around the table.
	"Ranma, your mother and I have been talking about your training," Genma
said.  "Since I've been preparing for the Chinese leg of our training
journey, I'm not able to train you like I should.  So I've asked my old
friend Soun to take over your training."
	"Bout time," Ranma said, under his breath.
	"Your father will also be moving home until then," Nodoka said.  "So I've
asked Mr. Tendo if he'd let you live here."
	"It will help you and Akane get to know each other better," Soun said.
	Ranma and Akane looked at each other.  This had promise.
	"Of course, I'll still be over every Saturday and Sunday for our sparring,
boy," Genma said.  "But I'm sure my old friend will be able to teach you
quite a bit."
	"So you'll be moving into the upstairs guest room tomorrow," Soun
concluded.  "Genma, could you spar the time for a round of Go?"
	"Certainly, old friend," Genma said.
	"I better start cleaning out the guest room," Kasumi said.  "Nabiki, it's
your turn to do the dishes."
	"I thought it was Akane's turn," Nabiki said.
	"Akane did it yesterday," Kasumi said, getting up.
	"Ranma, we better get started on that English assignment," Akane said,
standing.
	"We have all weekend," Ranma said.
	"And if we finish it now, we won't have to worry about it all," Akane said.
	"Okay.  I guess it's something to do while our dinners digest," Ranma said.

	Later that night, Ranma and Akane relaxed in the furo.  He'd decided to
begin his stay at the Tendos, after watching his mother and father exchange
glances while he and Akane had finished their English assignment.  His
father seemed some what jumpy, his eyes lingering on the family sword,
which was in a wrapped bundle next to Nodoka.  His mother, meanwhile, was
smiling, and even blew a kiss to his father.  Somehow he knew that it would
be better if he stayed at the Tendo's tonight.
	"Ranma," Akane began, as he placed an arm around her.  "It's going to be
really different with you living here."  
	"Yeah, no more breaking up our kisses so one of us can get home on time,"
Ranma said.
	"Ranma?" Akane asked.
	"What, Akane?" Ranma said, pulling her closer, into his lap.
	"You can kiss me any time you want for as long as you want," Akane said,
blushing.
	"Right now, I think I'll find out if Nabiki was right about you being
ticklish," Ranma said. Soon the room was filled with giggles and requests
for Ranma to stop tickling her.

--
Stephen Ratliff

FAQ & Index Maintainer for Alt.StarTrek.Creative
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