Akane Mu: Disowned

Shampoo pulled at Akane’s collar again, she wore a dark blue, almost black satin Chinese long sleeved blouse with matching pants and black cotton Chinese shoes. There was no embroidery on the outfit and the only adornments were that the frogs were a lighter blue colour. It hugged her petite figure perfectly, but not too tightly and brought out thr blue highlights in her hair and emphasized her large brown eyes. Akane probably thought that wearing these clothes made her appear more powerful, but in fact they made her look more childlike. “You sure about this Akane?” Shampoo asked. “It not too late to change into your school uniform”

“I’m sure; Akane Tendo was a dutiful daughter and nice girl who always obeyed all the rules in school. I’m not her anymore, Daddy and Mr. Saotome saw to that. Other students don’t wear their uniforms, why should I?” Akane said. She felt reborn now that she had a different lifestyle and a different family.

“Okay but please remember that being Amazon is lifestyle and not escape” she cautioned the girl.

Akane blushed and then boldly said “Ku Lon told me that warriors are encouraged to take lovers. Did you do that?”

Shampoo was surprised that the normally shy girl would be bold enough to ask this question “just one” she admitted.

“What was he like? I hope you don’t mind me asking, I just can’t picture making love to someone that I’m not going to marry” she said.

Shampoo pushed back the slight pain that always accompanied these memories “he was handsome and very sweet, I did love him” she said.

“So what happened?” Akane asked, intrigued by the idea of Shampoo loving someone besides Ranma.

“I had to break up with him for political reason” she said and then stopped talking when Mousse joined them. She experienced a slight bolt of lust at what he was wearing. He had forsaken his usual robe for a sleeveless black cotton Chinese vest with a mandarin collar and plain frogs. This exposed his lean, muscular arms and allowed the muscles of his torso to show. She knew that he was dressed this way to walk Akane to school, as the only member of his family present; he had to show the world that he was able to defend her. However, the darkness of the fabric made his skin look paler, made his eyes look an even darker green and made his freshly washed hair look even shinier.

“You ready Akane?” he asked and grabbed an apple.

“You not have proper breakfast?” Shampoo asked him.

“I don’t want her to be late” he answered and picked up Akane’s book bag.

“Akane, I made you lunch” Ku Lon said.

Akane felt a rush of tenderness for the old woman and hugged her, she seemed to be surprised, but hugged her back. “Thank you Elder” she said.

“You’re welcome child” she replied.

Akane couldn’t help noticing how cute Mousse looked in what she’d always termed ‘Ranma’s summer wardrobe’ “you look nice like that, you should dress this way more often” she observed. She smiled when he blushed, but she could tell he was pleased.

“My martial arts style makes it rather hard to dress this way” he explained and then returned the compliment “you look nice dressed this way, usually you wear bulky clothing, this suits your body much better”

Now it was Akane’s turn to blush “do you think that Ranma will like it?” she asked.

“Still thinking about him?” Mousse said repressing a smile; everyone could see how crazy they were about each other.

“No!” she said flustered. “Well maybe a little, I can’t believe that dummy hasn’t even tried to contact me!” she cried.

“He’s probably under the same restrictions as you. Don’t give up on him” Mousse advised.

“But, he isn’t mine to claim now” she pointed.

“That’s for him to decide. This can still blow over any day now and then you can go home” Mousse promised her.

“I don’t know if I want to, I prefer being an Amazon” she admitted.

“Yes, but you aren’t in the village; things would be different there. With you being here in Japan, it’s just like you’re on vacation from your regular life. One day we shall return to China and you will have to decide if you want to come with us” he cautioned.

“I suppose you’re right” she said and then stood nervously in front of the entrance to her school. “Do you want me to go to the principal’s office with you and explain what happened?” Mousse asked.

Akane shook her head “they’ve already heard” she said, “I better get going” and squared her shoulders and took her bag.

“Okay, I’ll be here to pick you up at three” Mousse said and left. Akane could hear the vicious whispers start immediately “that’s her lover; I heard that they got married. Stupid slut, he can’t be her first. Why would a decent Japanese girl waste herself on that trash?” greeted her ears. She just held her head high and ignored them.

Ranma frowned to see Akane walking to school with a sexier version of Mousse, in her own Chinese clothes they made a handsome couple. She seemed to be enjoying her conversation with him and they weren’t arguing in the least. They seemed comfortable with each other and that bothered Ranma. He handed her her book bag at the gate and then Ranma waited for them to kiss goodbye, but instead Mousse left with quick wave.

Akane could sense Ranma walking behind her and tried to imitate Shampoo’s sexy way of walking, which didn’t quite work for her. She sat her desk and kept her eyes dead ahead. She was so irked at Ranma for his not contacting her that she almost hated him at the moment, that and she remembered her promise. Their teacher took roll call, when she called “Akane Tendo”

Akane raised her hand and corrected “actually its Akane Mu now.” This was greeted by snickers. The teacher frowned at the disturbance “well Miss Mu, you can go see the principal” she ordered.

Akane gathered up her books and went to see Principal Kuno “Wahine Tendo, why are you dressed funny and why did you give your teacher a different surname?” the flamboyant man asked.

“I’m dressed this way because I’ve been adopted by a Chinese family and have taken their last name. I’m sure that you heard that I’ve been disowned? As for myself having the right to dress this way, I can easily send a picture of how your son dresses to the school board if you disagree” she said sweetly, relishing challenging authority this way.

“No, that okay” he said with a gulp. “Your hair is just fine, please don’t wear anything too tight or revealing” he requested.

“Then you’ll give me the special exemption slip that you gave your son and Ranma Saotome?” she said with a challenge in her voice. Wordless, he slid the pad out of his desk and it filled out for her. He wondered what had made the fiery tempered, yet conventional girl seem so grown up.

At lunch, Akane went to join her friends, only to have Yuka whispered “I’m sorry Akane, but our fathers have forbidden us to mingle with you, they’re afraid that you’ll corrupt us. You’ll have to find somewhere else to sit.”

Akane blanched at looked around, she could see the guilt in even Nabiki’s eyes when she her searched for a place to sit where she would be welcomed. Nabiki gave a sad shake to her head. Akane picked up her lunch and went to move to a free table when she heard someone call “ignore those jackasses, come sit with me Akane”

She turned in surprise to see the normally solitary Ukyou waving her over, feeling grateful she joined her. “Thank you so much” she gushed.

“For what, having a head on my shoulders? If it was someone besides Mousse, I might have believed it” she said.

“I thought that you didn’t like me?” Akane said.

“I’ve never had anything against you, besides us disowned girls have to stick together” Ukyou declared.

“You were disowned?” Akane asked.

“Yes, after my father lost his cart we were both kicked out of our clan, him for losing his livelihood and me for allowing myself to be dishonoured by Ranma” she said with a flash of pain in her eyes.

“Ukyou, I’m sorry, I didn’t even know you had a family” Akane said in sympathy.

“I have a huge one; they developed the martial art of okonomiyaki making. I have tons of uncles, aunts and cousins all over Japan. I’m forbidden to see them though. When my father lost his cart under false pretenses, he discredited himself as a martial artist and me along with him. It was just he and I for years, then he died and then I had no one. I tried to contact my family for help with the funeral, but they refused to talk with me. So now it’s just me against the world” Ukyou said with a false, bright laugh. “I never expected to marry and here I am a fiancée, I won in the end”

“That’s why you want Ranma so badly?” Akane asked, finally understanding the other girl’s obsession.

Ukyou nodded “marrying him would restore my and my father’s honor, he’s the only chance I have” she explained.

“We’re not engaged anymore, you can have him” Akane said, feeling sorry for the girl.

“Thanks Akane. If you ever need a friend, I’m here” Ukyou promised and they hugged, causing most males in the cafeteria to get a nosebleed.

She went to walk and heard someone say “so you’re with Mousse now?”

“Ranma!” she said her eyes lighting, but then she remembered her promises and her friend’s needs and said. “Yes I am and I’ve taken his name” she lied.

“Akane, I wanted to come see you but my father threatened to disown me too, I’ve been engaged to Kasumi” he said. “Akane none of this can be true!” he cried.

“It is true, in the Amazon tradition I’ve taken a lover. I’m sorry Ranma, but we don’t have to be engaged anymore. You’re free to marry anyone that you want. Marry Shampoo, marry Ukyou or marry my sister, all of them are gorgeous and can cook” she said with false enthusiasm.

Something flickered in his blue eyes “is that how you really feel?” he asked.

“Yes” she said.

“Fine so be it” he yelled and took to the roof tops to hide his tears. Akane brushed away her own tears and braved the hostile whispers to get to her next class. As she had a free period, she left early to return to the Neko Hanten.

Ranma found himself in the rain and stopped by Dr. Tofu’s clinic for shelter and hot water. The kindly doctor gave him a dry gi to change into. “Fuck Akane and fuck Mousse” Ranma snarled as he changed.

“Oh how are they doing? I haven’t seen them for a while now” said the astute doctor.

“When were they here last?” Ranma asked.

“The day that Akane was disowned, they came by for a letter to verify her virginity. Oh dear, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that” he said.

“Was she?” Ranma said.

“She didn’t have a hymen, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a virgin” Dr. Tofu said, then realized that Ranma must have missed high school sex education “the hymen is a thin piece of tissue guarding her vagina. Think of it as being a force field guarding a cave, you have to get rid of it in order to enter the cave” he explained to the blushing martial artist. “Hymens can break on their own in females who engage in sports, like Akane” he explained. “Soun being so old fashioned, wouldn’t take this into account, for him no hymen means no a virgin”

“So then there’s a chance that she’s never had sex?” Ranma said.

“There was no sign of sexual activity when I examined her and with the drug that someone fed Mousse, I would have been surprised if there was” Dr. Tofu said.

“Thanks Dr. Tofu, I have to figure something out now” Ranma said with renewed hope.

“Ranma before you go, I have something to give you” Ranma turned bright red when one of them turned out to be a sex education textbook and the other a copy of The Joy of Sex.

“W-why are you giving me these me?” he stammered.

“Ignorance is never a good thing, there’s no reason for you not to know this stuff. I suggest that you read both, your future wife will thank you for it” he said.

Blushing Ranma tucked them as far down in his book bag as possible (almost putting a hole in it in the process) and left. Dr. Tofu waved goodbye after him; he suspected that Kasumi was going to be single again soon.

Akane went up the stairs and found Mousse and Shampoo were in the kitchen. She sat on the counter while he stirred a pot. “Come on taste the spaghetti sauce” he said and held a small bowl out to her. She took the bowl, allowing her fingertips to brush his and sampled it.

“Is delicious Mousse” she declared, staring at him over the rim.

He placed his hand on her thigh and took the bowl from her, “it’s time you start making the meatballs then” he said in a teasing tone of voice.

She got off the counter and leaned over to grab a pot, he grinned as he smacked her taunt bottom.

Akane expected her to hit him; instead she whirled around, “hiya, Mousse naughty boy” she said in mock anger.

Akane cleared her throat and they leapt apart guiltily.

“Oh Akane get off early, Mousse just making spaghetti for tonight. We get sick of Chinese all of time, so him take Italian cooking course. Mousse great with sauces” she said in a rush.

Akane looked from one to the other, wondering what she had just witnessed, she could have sworn that they were flirting with each other.