Akane Mu: Disowned

Akane stopped by Dr. Tofu's office to discuss her plans with him. He was relieved to see her after so long and inquired extensively about what she had been up to. He was interested to find out that she had become an Amazon.

"That's a rare honour; they let few outsiders join. I've been trying to wangle a visit out of Ku Lon for a long time, they have some closely guarded medical secrets that I would love to gain knowledge of" he said and then hesitated and asked "Akane why did you lie to Ranma about your relationship with Mousse?"

"I needed him to believe that we were together, I've been forbidden to contact him" she explained.

"That isn't the truthful Akane that I know" he chided.

Akane hung her head "I know, I hope that this is all over soon so that I can tell him the truth. I miss the big, stubborn oaf" she said.

Dr. Tofu nodded "so you said on the phone that you needed my help?" he said.

Akane gave him her cutest smile and said "are you willing to do anything for my sister?"

Dr. Tofu blushed that the young girl, along with the entire neighbourhood knew him secret, except for Kasumi that is. "You know that I would" he said firmly. "I would die for her; I would walk over hot coals for her"

"Then you'll marry her?" Akane asked. Dr. Tofu's glasses started to fog up, she quickly snatched them off his noses and wiped them clean. "There's no time for tomfoolery. In little over a week's time Kasumi's going to be forced into marriage with Ranma, neither one of them wants this and only you can help prevent it" she chided.

Dr. Tofu forced himself back to reality "how is forcing her to marry me going to help her situation?" he asked.

"She loves you, she doesn't love Ranma" Akane said. His glasses started to fog up again, Akane sighed and wiped them again "stop that" she ordered.

"She told you this?" he asked, when he had worked his way out of the fog of happiness that always took him when Kasumi was around.

"It's clear as day, she doesn't make food or do favours for any other males who aren't related to us or living with us" Akane pointed out.

Dr. Tofu thought about how she acted around him, her giggles, her blushes, her tendency to do special things for him and realized that he was just as blind as her "but what if she doesn't want to marry me? It's not like we've ever been out on a date" he pointed out.

"She will because she doesn't want to marry Ranma and this way she can escape father's plans" Akane said.

"But wouldn't she worry about being disowned?" Dr. Tofu inquired.

"Father would be lost without her, if he did it would be about two days before he begged her to come back" Akane said. Now are you going to marry her, or do I have to find someone else who will?" Akane said.

Dr. Tofu was never an impulsive man, everything in his life was well thought out and planned. From what he ate for breakfast to how he invested his money. He had a house that he had bought for a song in a neighbourhood that he had predicted was turning around. He'd been right and it had tripled in value since its purchase. He lived alone in the four bedroom meant for a family he didn't have. He'd always thought that Kasumi might live there with him, with her father moving in when he turned the dojo over to its new heir. He pictured evenings spent eating dinner with them and then playing mahjong with her father when he wasn't spending time with his wife and children. He would gain not only a male companion whose company he enjoyed nuy the woman he loved. "I'll marry her if she's willing" he declared.

Akane smiled, now it was time to convince Kasumi. She invited her over to Dr. Tofu's clinic, Akane kept pinching Dr. Tofu to keep him grounded in reality when his eyes started to glaze over.

"Marry Dr. Tofu?" she repeated with a nervous gulp.

Akane pinched him harshly on the arm when hearts surrounded him "yes, it will stop father's plan dead. You only need parental consent if you're under twenty, you turned that last month and Dr. Tofu's definitely beyond that" she pointed out.

"Oh my, but it would make father angry" she protested.

"Kasumi your whole life has been spent tending to his needs; do you want your married life to be his too?" Akane asked.

Kasumi looked at the smitten doctor; she'd never realized how gentle his light brown eyes were or how handsome he looked "do you really want to marry me?" she asked.

He shook himself clear of the fog, took her hand and said "with all my heart"

"Kasumi who do you think has been sending you those expensive anonymous presents since you were sixteen?" Akane said.

Kasumi touched the diamond necklace that she'd worn under her clothes since her twentieth birthday "you?" she said, Dr. Tofu blushingly nodded. "I-I'll do it" Kasumi said, finally growing a backbone.

"Okay, the deal is this, we go to the courthouse tomorrow, register your marriage and then you have to tell father" Akane said. "I'll skip school tomorrow and meet you in front of the clinic; someone has to keep Dr. Tofu grounded while this takes place" she said indicating the semi-fogged up glasses on the young doctor. Kasumi smiled at his affectionately and took his hand, causing his glasses to fog up completely and him to begin singing a love song off key. She wasn't worried about this, if love made him crazy, that was a crazy that she could handle.

Kasumi dressed a little nicer then usual; after all it was her wedding day if only it being registered at the courthouse. "Bye father I'm going to the market" she called.

"Of course Kasumi" Soun answered.

"Didn't you just go there yesterday?" Ranma asked.

Kasumi made a guilty expression, this caused him to wonder why and then she stammered "I-I forgot to get green onions" and ran out of the house. Intrigued Ranma followed her. He wondered even more when she went into Dr. Tofu's clinic and emerged with Akane, who was leading a capering Dr. Tofu.

"What's going on here?" he asked stepping out of the shadows, he was surprised when Akane reflexively took a stance similar to Shampoo's when she was about to attack, and then relaxed when it was him.

She glared a challenge at him and said "Kasumi has the right to marry who she wants and she's chosen Dr. Tofu, I'm taking them to the courthouse to get them married and you can't stop us!"

Ranma looked dubiously at the capering doctor, he looked insane and Ranma doubted that anyone would marry them. "Let me help you" he said.

Akane stepped back in shock "then you don't want to marry Kasumi?" she asked.

Ranma looked from one girl to the other "I never have, Kasumi's a wonderful woman but she's not who I want" he said. "Seriously, you need help to get Dr. Tofu sane and I can do that. I know a few pressure points of my own, but we have to keep reapplying them as the effect only lasts for a few minutes at a time" he explained and touched a few places on the doctor's back. Dr. Tofu's glasses unfogged and he blinked his way back to reality. "Welcome back Doc, let's get you hitched" he Ranma said.

Akane gave him a hug and said "thank you Ranma" Her smile made his heart swell and he nearly told her how he felt about her and how much he liked her new wardrobe.

It was slow going there, as it was done with Dr. Tofu walking, and then dancing, which indicated the need of another application. Once they were finally there, they filled out the paperwork, while Ranma kept on touch Dr. Tofu's back at the least sign of fog. "Is your friend okay?" the registrar asked.

"Wedding day jitters" Ranma explained while he hovered behind Dr. Tofu's back like a humming bird. Akane's eyes twinkled at him when he winked at her, she practically glowed from the attention. She'd missed the friendship she had with him just as much as him.

"Congratulations you're married" the registrar announced when he handed them their certificate (A/N sorry not sure what this is called)

Dr. Tofu started dancing "you hear that Kasumi? I'm married to Betty" he said as he danced around the courthouse.

"I thought her name was Kasumi?" whispered the worried registrar.

"He calls her Betty sometimes" Akane explained and laughed when Kasumi joined him in his waltz, Kasumi was feeling just as crazy in love as him. Happily his crazy fog lifted on the way home when he registered that his new wife clung to his arm. Just before the final fog rolled out of his brain, he looked at her and said "I love you Kasumi Tendo"

She smiled back and said "I love you too, but its Kasumi Tofu now"

A smiling Ranma dropped them off at Dr. Tofu's clinic to prepare for their talk with Soun Tendo. He was in a good mood, his engagement was over, a nice couple got happily married and he was walking with Akane.

"Ranma that was a nice thing you did back there" she said.

"It was nothing" he said rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Shouldn't I take you home to your husband?" he asked, suddenly aware that he was walking with a married woman.

Akane stopped "Ranma, I have something to confess to you" she said and took a deep breath "Mousse and I were never together, he's like a brother to me" she said.

"Really?" Ranma asked. "But you said, Shampoo said" he felt like his brain was going to explode.

"I lied, I was hurt that you weren't there when I was disowned and then I promised Ku Lon that I would give you up. I thought that it was be easier if you thought that I was married to Mousse" she admitted.

"But the protection he offered?" Ranma asked.

"It just means that I had the option of taking his last name while I live with him and that I'm considered to be his sister. There's nothing going on between us, we never slept together nor have I even seen him naked" she explained.

"But Shampoo said that you sleep in his room" Ranma said, still trying to process everything.

"I do on a separate futon, the room is divided down the middle by a thick curtain and we take turns dressing and undressing while the other isn't present or can't see. If we were in the Amazon village, I would have moved into his hut or into his mother's and sister's, however he doesn't have one here so we divided his room" she said.

"Then you're single?" he asked.

She smiled at him "yes I am" she was surprised when Ranma grabbed her and kissed her in the street. "Ranma" she said with a blush.

"Akane I should have been there for you, but they threatened to disown me too and I couldn't leave because of the school. The only reason I agreed to marry Kasumi was because I thought that you were gone. I have a plan that will restore you" he declared. "Do you trust me?" he asked her.

She giggled and said "yes"

"Good, expect them to come begging for you to return home" he declared and left her with one final hug and a long kiss. Akane could only stare after him as he strode towards the dojo.

Ranma knew what he had to do now; the plan was so simple that he should have thought of it sooner. He just had to wait a few days until everything was sorted out with Dr. Tofu and Kasumi, then his plan would spring into action.

Soun glared at his eldest daughter as she clung to her new husband's arm. "You defied me" he accused.

"Father I didn't want to but you made this necessary" she implored him.

"Mr. Tendo, we didn't want to do it this way, but we are in love and you were forcing her to marrying another man" Dr. Tofu pointed out.

"You have disappointed me Kasumi, I suppose that I'll have to disown you too now" Soun said.

Kasumi's guilt and hurt turned to rage "so you'll just keep throwing daughters away until you get what you want? Akane did nothing but be kind to a friend of hers and you kicked her out. I have been your housekeeper and chef since mother died and how do you repay my kindness? You try to force me into an unwanted marriage and then try and kick me out. What do you have planned for Nabiki if she won't go along with your harebrained to marry Ranma?" she snarled. "All you do all day long is drink and play mahjong with Mr. Saotome and mettle in other people lives, it stops now father. We're your children, not pawns to be sacrificed"

Soun couldn't believe what he was hearing from the sweet, gentle Kasumi, she reminded him of the fiery beauty that had been her mother at that moment. He felt proud that she was standing up to him. "Kasumi, I can't disown you" he said starting to cry. "Please Dr. Tofu; take her to her new home. Get settled and then come back in a few days and we shall make arrangements for a real wedding"

"Father you mean it?" Kasumi asked.

"Of course, I have to see my little girl properly married" he said.

"Mr. Tendo, just so you know, you can come live with us anytime you want" Dr. Tofu said and went to help Kasumi pack.

Kasumi was surprised when Dr. Tofu took her into a guest bedroom "I thought you might want to wait until your comfortable with me before we start a physical relationship" he explained with a blush, her cheeks glowed in response. She tossed and turned for hours, but couldn't go to sleep. She went into his room. "Kasumi?" he questioned sitting up in bed.

"I've never slept in another bed before" she explained.

"Would you like to lie with me until you fall asleep?" he asked and she nodded. She blushingly slipped under the covers; she wore a practical nightgown and him a pair of flannel pajamas. Still Dr. Tofu glowed with happiness as he held his gorgeous sleeping wife in his arms for the first time.

School had gotten out early so Akane debated calling Mousse to come pick her up. She still was fuming about their conversation the night before.

Flashback

"Akane since those boys that Master Chang beat up are still harassing you, I don't want you to go anywhere alone. Please take either Shampoo or I with you wherever you go" Mousse implored her.

"Mousse my training is going well, you said so yourself. I can handle them" Akane said.

"There are five of them and one of you. Yes, your martial arts training has improved dramatically, but you are in no way as skilled as Shampoo or I. I would hesitate to take on so many myself" he said.

"I can look after myself" she cried.

"Just please do as I say. If you find yourself alone, please call one of us to come get you" he ordered.

"Oh alright" she snapped.

End Flashback

Akane picked up her phone to call Mousse, when she thought better of it. It was a nice warm day and the thought of a solitary walk in the park appealed to her. She reasoned that she would walk a few blocks and then head back to the Neko Hanten with the Amazons none the wiser. She was walking when she felt that she was being followed. She started walking faster and heard muffled laughter coming from the thicket of trees nearby. Finally she started running, when she heard a crash behind her and looked over her shoulder to see the same five guys from the restaurant pursuing her. They were a local gang of troublemakers, whose names she hadn't even gotten to know. They chased her into a fenced dead end. "Well Akane, looks like we get to have fun with you after all" the first one said with a leer. Kenji Honda, she remembered. She took a fighting stance.

"Well check out kung fu girl" he said, then yelped when she drove the flat of her hand into his nose, did a roundhouse kick to his stomach and then climbed the fence and swung over the top with her newly acquired acrobatic skills.

Kenji was groaning on the ground "my nosth, the bitch broke my nosth, get her!" he cried and the other two climbed the fence just as fast. Akane managed to hide behind a bush, she called Mousse "Mousse, it's those guys again. They're after me, I'm in the north east corner of the park near the duck pon.........." she whispered to him and then gasped when her cell phone was wrenched from her grasp and stomped into the ground. She sprang to her feet and took up another stance again, until one of them pointed a gun at her.

"Stop right there Akane" he said warningly. "I suggest that you start acting friendly unless you're bullet proof"

"Shinji, why did you bring that thing?" his friend said nervously.

"I thought she might need a little persuasion" he said. "Now we're going to rejoin our friends and you're not going to try anything funny" he said stepping closer and pressing it to her head.

Akane swallowed nervously "I promise" she said, guns scared her. They led her to a storage shed that they had the key to and made her go in.

"Well Akane, you get to party with some real men, not that limp dicked bitch you've been fooling around with. Strip that silly little uniform off" he ordered.

Akane licked her lips nervously and with trembling fingers started to undo the frogs on her shirt and prayed that the Amazons would get there in time.

Mousse was feeling panicked when he got Akane's phone call, so he dialed a number that he never thought that he would in a million years. "Ranma Akane's in trouble, meet me at..." he said when the other martial artist answered his cell. Then he and Shampoo raced to the rescue. All three martial artists convened and started to tear the park apart looking for their friend.

Akane stood trembling in her panties and bra "continue" her tormentors cried while they all leered at her shrinking form.

Mousse saw the shed up ahead and thought it the most likely place. Taking a hold of the door he wrenched it open, this startled its occupants and the gun went off.

Mousse looked down wondering why his robe was covered with red liquid; there was no pain for a second and then it hit him like a red hot sword was suddenly thrust into his chest, he gasped. His legs turned to jelly and he fell over.

Akane turned; relieved to see her friend, and then she realized that he'd been shot. Her would be rapists scattered. "Mousse" she cried and ran over to him. Shampoo ran to see what the commotion was about, she cried out to see Mousse covered with blood.

She covered his body with her own and kissed him "Airen, Mousse, I love you please don't die" she begged between kisses. Tears streamed down her cheeks unbidden.

Mousse was upset to see Shampoo looking so sad, he couldn't feel pain at the moment. "It's okay I love you too" he said and started singing their song to cheer her up. He doubted that she understood the lyrics. He'd memorized the English words since they'd first heard it, but he knew that she would recognize the tune. He hummed it all the time. He got to the first chorus when everything went black.