Hello all!
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Author's foreword:
I started "The High Cost of Loving" in September of 1996, shortly after
posting "The Second" and "Well, Well" to raac. The idea was to take a
few of the stories that I had written and combine them into a series.
The first story was "Money." The name was later changed to "The Money
Pit" since the title "Money" was already taken. Due to Real Life and
family business, I had to stop for a while. THCOL is set in the manga
universe of Ranma 1/2 and takes the place of vol. 36-38. The only
exception is the two stories in vol. 36 that are referred to in chapter
one.
The first time around I received comments and encouragement from the
following and I would like to thank them for their comments and C&C:
Kun-chan, Sebastian Weinberg, Raphael See and Don Wang.
Please enjoy the stories and C&C if you feel the leading.
And remember, "There Can Be Only One."
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Thy beauteous face doth invade my sight.
Beauty such as thine, controls my life.
Thy melodious voice visits my ears at night.
Beauty such as thine, holds sway over my dreams.
Thy healthy figure inspires me toward perfection.
Beauty such as thine, brings to my mind many scenes.
Thy amazing strength shows my heart thy resolve.
Beauty such as thine, reveals no weakness.
Thy impressive agility displays all thy years of training.
Beauty such as thine, is apparent in thy actions.
Thy wondrous friendship brings a smile to my face.
Beauty such as thine, fills my life with peace.
"Beauty Such As Thine" by Suds-kun (Shaun Schillinger)
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Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction
"The High Cost of Loving - Chapter Two"
"The Money Pit - Part Four"
by Suds-kun (Shaun Schillinger)
Version 1: 10/1/96
Version 2: 1/16/97
Version 3: 3/14/98
Version 4: 11/22/98
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Ranma 1/2 characters are created by and copyright Rumiko Takahashi.
Published by Shogakukan Inc. and VIZ Comm.
Story copyright Shaun Schillinger.
Intended for the sole non-profit use of fans.
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"Get off me, old man!" onna-Ranma shouted as she shoved the panda off
of her. She stood up, stretched and looked around. They had set up
camp near Furinkan High so that she wouldn't be late for school. "It's
been a while since I took a morning run as a girl." And with that, she
started jogging towards the athletic field.
The panda yawned and stood up. After looking around and seeing no one,
he gathered up the camp and left.
===
"Good morning, oneechan!" announced Akane as she knelt at the table.
"Good morning, Akane-chan. Here is your breakfast." Kasumi set down a
bowl of rice in front of Akane. She watched her little sister for a few
seconds before kneeling at the table herself.
Akane looked around and noticed that only Kasumi was at breakfast.
"Where's daddy and Nabiki, oneechan?"
"Nabiki left for school already, she said that she had some things to
take care of before school started. Father is at an emergency meeting
of the town council. They wanted father to attend, since he was the
head of the auxiliary police force once."
"What happened?"
"The nice policeman that came to get father said that another
restaurant was destroyed last night by an explosion. It seems that
Happosai was involved."
"I heard an explosion last night, could it have been one of Happosai's
fuse bombs?"
Kasumi looked at Akane and paused before she answered. "It seems that
there were some women's lingerie found in the debris, so I assumed it
was Happosai. But the reason for the meeting is that the store owners
want to prevent further destruction before anyone else gets injured."
Akane looked at her sister in shock. "Anyone else gets hurt? What
restaurant was destroyed?"
"The Neko Hanten. The policeman said that it was almost completely
destroyed. Also, one of the employees is in the hospital. A young man
with long black hair."
"Ranma!" shouted Akane as she jumped to her feet and started for the
door.
"Akane! Stop!" shouted Kasumi.
Akane froze in her tracks, not from the order but from the realization
that her sister had shouted at her.
"Father asked the policeman what the young man looked like and was told
that he was Chinese and wore glasses. It's Mousse in the hospital, not
Ranma. That's when the policeman escorted father to the meeting."
Akane knelt back down at the table. "First Ucchan's and now the Neko
Hanten, no wonder the store owners are nervous. I hope Mousse is O.K."
Kasumi smiled at Akane, "Father will tell us all about it when he
returns from the meeting, but you need to go to school." Kasumi handed
a larger than usual lunch to her. "The extra lunch is for Ranma, if you
see him today."
Akane started to scowl, but slowly smiled. "Hmmm. Thanks, oneechan!"
Kasumi waved as she watched Akane leave. She then cleared the table and
set some large pieces of paper on it.
"Let's see," she hummed, "we can put a spiral design here and another
here. A bench can go next to the wall, there." Kasumi's smile seemed to
grow wider as she drew designs on the paper.
===
"Thanks for the lunch, Akane." Ranma said as he took another bite.
Akane smiled at him. "It's been a while since we've been able to talk
like this."
Ranma looked at the smile and swallowed. "Has your father said anything
more about us getting married?"
"No, he's been pretty quiet about it." Akane paused and then looked at
Ranma. "What happened last night at the Neko Hanten, Ranma?"
Ranma looked at Akane in shock. "How, how did you find out about that?"
"Daddy was taken to a special town meeting by a policeman this morning.
The storeowners are worried that someone is systematically destroying
restaurants. Ranma, what really happened?"
Ranma looked away when he began to speak. "Well, Cologne had been
pressuring me into dating Shampoo or just out right marry Shampoo. I
kept refusing. Shampoo would always grab me and try to get me to kiss
her or something. But, last night Mousse lost it when Shampoo grabbed
me again. As we started fighting, the old letch ran in and grabbed me.
He threw one of his fuse bombs and I knocked it back at him. That just
got him mad and he tossed a _huge_ bomb. The next thing I knew, the old
ghoul was waking me up. I noticed that Mousse was hurt trying to
protect Shampoo from the blast. I stopped the bleeding while Cologne
called for help. The paramedics said that he was going to be fine since
I stopped him from bleeding to death. After the ambulance left, Cologne
kicked me out, she was quite upset with me."
"I haven't talked to Uc-chan in a week and I don't know if she's still
mad at me. Shampoo spent the night at the hospital with Mousse. I'm
just worried that I've got another curse that destroys the places where
I live and alienates my friends."
"That's not true, Ranma." Akane put her hand on Ranma's arm, trying to
console him.
Ranma turned to Akane, taking her hand in his. "Why isn't it? Your dad
kicked me out after getting tired of all the damage to the dojo. Uc-
chan kicked me out after I destroyed her restaurant, and now the Neko
Hanten. It's almost as if someone is making sure that everywhere I stay
gets trashed, big time."
Their eyes met and locked. After a couple seconds they both looked at
their hands, blushed and quickly let go of each other.
"Uhm, thanks for the lunch, Akane. I really appreciate it."
"I'll ask oneechan if she can make another for tomorrow. O.K.?"
"I'd like that, Akane."
They both noticed their classmates returning to the school as lunch
time ended. They quietly gathered their things and followed them
inside.
===
Ranma stood outside the classroom, bucket in hand, thinking. "First she
sucks my ki and then she makes me stand in the hall. It's not my fault
I fell asleep! Kasumi's lunch was so good, I couldn't keep awake."
"Saotome Ranma!" shouted Kuno Tatewaki as he charged, waving his
bokken. "Release the osage no onna from your sorcerous grasp."
Ranma easily dodged the attack and shouted back. "Why do you want her?"
"I love her! And I wish to prove my love to her!" announced Kuno,
puffing out his chest.
Ranma glared at Kuno and then started to smile. "You want to prove it,
huh?"
"That is correct, Ranma"
Ranma smiled, a devious gleam in his eyes. "I'll release her to you if
you can pass a single test. You have to survive living with her for one
week."
"My joy soars and knows no b.." Ranma's fist stopped Kuno's oratory
short. "Why did you do that?" He mumbled.
"Here are the rules, Kuno. One, her and her pet panda get their own,
private room. Two, they can come and go as they please, along with any
of their friends. Three, she or her panda are not held responsible for
any damage that may occur to your mansion or any one staying in your
mansion. If, after one week you do not throw her out of your mansion, I
will release her. It will then be up to her if she wants you. If you
do ask her to leave before the week us up, you renounce any and all
interest in her? Do you agree?"
"I agree to your test, Ranma. Where is my osage no onna?"
"I'll go get her, but you MUST ask her nicely to stay at your mansion."
Ranma then walked away and turned the corner as Kuno started spouting
poetry of his love for the pig tailed girl.
Ranma dumped the bucket on himself and confronted Kuno.
"Hello, Kuno-sempai." Onna-Ranma said as she batted her eyes.
Kuno rushed toward onna-Ranma with his arms outstretched, ready to
bequeath a meaningful hug. "Ah! Megami-sama! Thy beauty doth erf.."
Onna-Ranma's fist stopped Kuno in mid-sentence. She removed her fist
from his face and batted her girlie eyes at him. "Ranma-sama said that
panda-san and I can stay at your big mansion for a week. Is this true
sempai?"
"It is most assuredly a truth, my lovely erf.."
"And will I have my own, private room?"
"Hai, My beautiful erf.."
"And can I invite any of my friends over?"
"Hai. Any of your friends, oh my beaut..erf."
"When can I move in, Sempai?"
"I will have the room ready for you this afternoon, my beau..erf."
"I'll see this afternoon, sempai!"
"Hai!" Kuno flinched reflexively at the expected fist. When it didn't
come, he opened his eyes and found that his osage no onna had
disappeared.
===
Akane jogged into the dojo, her afternoon run just completed. She
quickly changed out of her jogging attire and into her gi. After
finishing her warm up stretches, she went through her kata. She then
turned her attention to the stack of cement blocks, taking two blocks
and setting them up. "Hiyaaa!" she screamed as her fist broke through
the blocks. With a sigh she tossed the broken pieces into the wheel
barrow and headed for the yard.
As she made her way to the godzilla sized pile of broken blocks, she
noticed Kasumi watching her. "Oneechan! Did you need me for anything?"
Kasumi smiled and walked over to Akane. "Akane, you seem to have quite
a collection there."
"Hai. I still haven't figured out what Ranma did with the broken
blocks. These just seem to have piled up quickly." Akane sighed as she
dumped the load of broken cement.
"Do you think you can build something out of these pieces?"
Akane looked quizzically at her sister, "What do you mean?"
"I was thinking of a rock garden. You could turn this corner of the
yard into a nice, quiet, private place."
Akane looked at the pile of cement, and then at the walls of the
property and then at her sister, a smile forming on her face. "That
sounds like a great idea, oneechan!" Akane's smile quickly faded. "But,
I don't have any idea or experience in building something like that."
"Oh, don't worry, Akane-chan. I can help you out. I'll show you which
pieces to use and where to put them. You can pound them into place. It
could be training and fun at the same time.
Akane smiled. "Can we start now?"
Kasumi returned the smile. "Supper is already prepared, and I have a
few ideas for designs."
Kasumi began explaining her ideas to Akane as the two set about
preparing the yard and deciding which pieces of cement went where.
===
Drool dripped from Onna-Ranma's open mouth as she stared at the table
in front of her. Spread out before her was the most food she had ever
seen in her life. Some of the dishes she recognized, others seemed so
exotic and foreign. She looked across the table to Kuno. "Did you make
all of this for me?"
"Hai, my goddess in pig-tails. You may eat any of the dishes you see
before you."
The panda poked onna-Ranma in the ribs, as he pointed at the plate of
bamboo in front of him. She scowled at him and then giggled. "Oh,
panda-san! Don't you want to eat that yummy bamboo?"
The panda growled at the laughing girl and swatted her on the head.
"Hey! Cut that out!" She yelled and started punching the panda.
"My osage no onna! Why do you fight with your pet? Don't you like the
banquet that I have laid out before you?"
Onna-Ranma and the panda stopped and the two looked at Kuno, who was
now standing. She batted her eyes and mustered the most kawaii voice
she could, "Oh, sempai! Panda-san thinks the food you've prepared is so
yummy, that he wants to eat it too! Can he, sempai?" She tilted her
head, clasped her hands to her chest and blinked her eyes like there
was no tomorrow.
Kuno knelt back down at the table as if his whole body had melted.
"Hai, my beautiful one. Eat as much as you like."
"Thank you!" shouted the red head as her and the panda began eating.
Not your normal 'open mouth and shovel' eating, but the kind where you
check to see if the table service has disappeared.
A shocked Kuno Tatewaki stared at the sight before him, the great
number of dishes that had covered the large table were quickly
vanishing. Coming to his senses, he grabbed up the plate before him,
just as a small hand darted toward it. He turned and protected his
meal, as he watched the last morsel of food on the table be grabbed by
his osage no onna. He quickly ate the small serving of sushi-rice in
his possession, a reaction more out of survival instincts than hunger.
"Ahh! That was delicious, Kuno-sempai!" announced onna-Ranma as she
wiped her mouth with her sleeve.
"Gurowwf!" added panda-san.
Kuno just stared at the girl, until Sasuke got his attention. "Master,"
he whispered, "we're going to run out of food in two days if this
occurs every evening. How long is she going to stay here?"
Kuno looked down at Sasuke in disgust. "The mighty Kuno family can
easily support my osage no onna's desires for a week! No matter what
they may be!"
"A WEEK!" shouted Sasuke. He quickly shrunk back as he saw the menacing
stare from Kuno. "Yes, master. You are always correct." He bowed and
scampered away.
"Yaaawwwwwn."
Kuno turned to watch his beloved stretch as she stood up from the
table. "Ah! My beloved godde..erf."
Onna-Ranma pulled her fist from Kuno's face. "Sempai, panda-san and I
are going to our room for the night. We'll have our privacy there, just
like you promised?"
"Hai." replied the deflated Kuno. "Sasuke will wake you in the morning,
so you can prepare for school."
"Oh, sempai? When is your sister coming home?"
"My fair sister will be arriving in three days, her gymnastic tour is
ending tomorrow afternoon."
Onna-Ranma nodded her head and then turned. "Thank you. Good night,
sempai."
Kuno smiled as he watched his goddess walk down the hall. "What grace!
What movements! You will profess you love for me as ..." Kuno stopped,
expecting a fist in the face. When he did not receive one, he smiled
again and turned toward his room. "Success!" he thought, "By the end of
the week I will have broken down all of her defenses! She will be
mine!"
===
Nabiki eyed her sister carefully as they walked home from school. She
was smiling, humming and even had a bounce in her step. "Something
happened today," she thought, "and I bet it's something about Ranma."
"Isn't it a beautiful day out, today, oneechan?"
Nabiki looked up at the overcast sky. "Yes, the sun is blinding." She
then looked at her smiling sister and wondered on which planet she
currently was. "Hey, sis!" shouted Nabiki.
Akane turned her head toward the noise. "Did you say something,
oneechan?"
Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Yes, Akane. Did something happen today that
you liked?"
"Oh, Ranma asked me over for dinner tomorrow."
"Dinner? Where is he taking you?"
"Well, he's staying at Kuno-sempai's mansion and"
"What!" shouted Nabiki.
Akane stopped and looked at her sister. Nabiki was glaring at her.
"Oneechan, what's wrong?"
Nabiki quickly regained control of herself and waved her hand at her
little sister. "You just surprised me, that's all. Ranma is staying at
Kuno-chan's?"
"Hai, Ranma got Kuno-sempai to let him stay at his mansion as the pig
tailed girl for one week. If Kuno-sempai doesn't kick her out before
the end of the week, she will then be 'free' to choose Kuno. Of course,
Ranma says that the 'pig tailed girl' will not choose Kuno."
"What does this have to do with dinner?"
"Ranma thinks that if he can eat Kuno-sempai out of house and home and
have his two 'loves' be the culprits, Kuno-sempai will stop hounding
us. Ranma even asked me to bring P-chan. He said that if his 'pet'
panda and my pet pig eat with us, Kuno should get even more bothered."
"So, Ranma is trying to get Kuno-chan to stop chasing the two of you by
making him sick of you? I didn't think Ranma could make up such a
complicated plan." Nabiki started walking again and Akane resumed her
daydreaming.
"Ranma asked you out on a date?" thought Nabiki, "no wonder you're
happy. Even after all of this you still get to go out on a date."
Nabiki's free hand clenched into a fist and she furrowed her brow.
"It's just not fair!" she screamed to herself.
===
*knock* *knock*
"Come in, Nabiki." replied Kasumi as she folded up her designs and
placed them in her desk drawer.
Nabiki closed the door behind her and slowly made her way to Kasumi's
bed, where she sat down.
Kasumi noticed that her sister was a little preoccupied by something.
"How was your day today, Nabiki?"
"Ranma is staying at the Kuno mansion." Nabiki said icily.
"Akane mentioned that at supper tonight. She was quite happy with Ranma
asking her out."
"But Ranma is going to use that date to get Kuno-chan to stop chasing
him. Daddy and Uncle Genma are also planning something when Kodachi
returns. Kuno-chan is going to be hurt when they get done."
Kasumi looked at her sister and quietly gave a knowing smile. She moved
from her desk to sit next to Nabiki on the bed.
"Kuno Tatewaki will be all right. It's better for Ranma and Akane if
he's not chasing them."
"I just didn't expect Ranma to move in with Kuno-chan." Nabiki paused
and looked at the floor. "I just wish _I_ could get all dreamy over a
guy like Akane did today. It's just not fair, oneechan."
Kasumi put her arm around her sister and gave a quick hug. "Remember,
your next after Akane."
Nabiki took in a quick breath as she started to shake. "But will he
survive this, so we can, can ..." Tears started to slowly emerge from
the corner of her tightly shut eyes. She then shook her head and wiped
away the tears.
*ahem* Nabiki cleared her throat and straightened her back.
"We better get those two together as soon as possible." Nabiki stood
and walked towards the door. "Thank you, oneechan. I'm glad I have a
sister like you." Nabiki smiled as she looked at her smiling sister.
Nabiki went to open the door then stopped, deep in thought. She turned
and walked over to her sister, then kneeled before her. "Oneechan, you
have always been so supportive of Akane and myself. Thank you very
much, oneechan. I promise that I will be there for you, whenever you
need me."
Kasumi wiped at her eye as she listened to her sister. "Nabiki, right
now I'd really appreciate a hug." Nabiki quickly complied. "I was a
little jealous of Akane and even you, today. You both have someone on
your hearts. I have no one. No one visits me or shows any interest in
me."
Nabiki hugged her sister fiercely and whispered to her. "I promise that
I won't rest until we find you someone, oneechan, I promise with all of
my heart."
After a few minutes they separated and wiped away the tears, Kasumi
offering tissues to Nabiki.
"Good night, oneechan."
"Good night, Nabiki."
Nabiki quietly shut the door as she left. "If only you could recognize
that Tofu-sensei has got it bad for you." Nabiki walked into her room
and snickered. "You know, I wonder how daddy and mom ever got along
together, considering how the three of us are so inept at
relationships.
===
Kuno Tatewaki smiled at the visage before him. His osage no onna and
Tendo Akane eating the banquet that he had prepared for them. Even
their pets were joining them as they ate. The pig tailed girl was as
full of life as always, but seemed to be quite uncouth when eating. The
strong and masculine Akane was acting quite feminine and laughing at
the jokes that the pig tailed goddess made. How different they are
acting than when they are at school.
"Akane, when are you going to let P-chan dig into the food by himself?
He's had his eye on my food ever since we started eating."
Akane looked at onna-Ranma and then at the little black pig. "Is that
what you want, P-chan?" The piglet shook his head quickly and jumped
out of her arms toward onna-Ranma. He landed in a large bowl of rice
that was setting in front of Ranma.
Onna-Ranma laughed, "What a pig!"
Akane giggled in response. "I guess you were right, he did want to eat
by himself."
"Isn't this great, Akane? Kuno's supplying the food and is honor bound
to not bother us."
Akane smiled at the red head as she reached for an exotic looking plate
of food. "Do you think I could cook food like this, Ranma?"
Onna-Ranma started to reply when the hair on the back of her neck stood
on end.
"OH HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO !!!!!!!"
Big sweat drops appeared on the panda, Akane, onna-Ranma, Sasuke and
even Kuno.
Kodachi bounded into the dining hall, twirling a ribbon. "Dear Brother,
I am home! Where is Sasuke? He is needed to carry in the many awards
and trophies I obtained at the tournament. Ah, there you are Sasuke. Go
and take my luggage to my roo.." At this point Kodachi noticed the
table of food and the visitors.
"How dare you enter this house, you vile stealer of my Ranma-sama's
heart!" Kodachi threw a spiked-club at onna-Ranma as she continued to
rave.
Ducking the projectile, Onna-Ranma grabbed a plate from the table and
flung it at Kodachi's ribbon hand.
The panda quickly grabbed up as many plates of food as possible. One of
the bowls also contained a struggling pig.
"Welcome home, Sist.." was all Kuno could say, before the deflected
plate hit him square in the face.
Kodachi continued to laugh and rant as she snagged a leg of the table
and flipped it up. The bowls and plates of food landed on both onna-
Ranma and Akane.
"My dress!" shouted Akane, "You're going to pay for that! Well, at
least the dry cleaning!"
With a kick, Onna-Ranma split the flying table in two.
As the battle progressed, the panda took the little pig into a side
room. In the room were a number of steaming tea kettles and a couple
changes of clothes. The panda poured the contents of one kettle on the
pig and then tossed the clothes at the naked Ryouga. After getting
dressed, Ryouga looked out the door at the escalating fight. He grabbed
a kettle and started for the fight. "Now you're going to pay, Ran..."
Ryouga's shout was stopped short as he caught a pork bun in his mouth.
Spitting it out, he charged onna-Ranma and tossed the hot water from
the kettle at her.
The shock from Ranma's change lasted only a split second.
"Ryouga!" shouted Ranma.
"Ranma-sama!" shouted Kodachi.
"Saotome!" shouted Kuno.
"Ranma!" shouted Akane.
"Well, now I know who all is here." Sasuke thought sarcastically.
"You're going to pay for ripping out part of my heart, Ranma!" Ryouga
then threw a barrage of bandannas.
Ranma leapt out of the way of the razor sharp projectiles they made
small holes in the wall. "Ryouga! Stop! What are you doing?" shouted
Ranma.
Kodachi glomped onto Ranma, which knocked him onto his back. "Oh,
Ranma-sama! I am so glad you came to welcome me home!" She leaned over
and kissed him on the lips.
Ranma immediately struggled to escape the kiss and pushed her off.
Akane stared in disbelief as Ranma struggled. Her expression turned to
anger as Ranma looked at her after pushing Kodachi off. "Unfaithful
Hentai!" shouted Akane as she punted Ranma away from Kodachi and into
the collapsing wall. Which finished collapsing onto Ranma. Akane then
stormed out the hole in the wall. "I'm leaving!"
Ranma dug his way out from the rubble, searching for Akane. Except,
Kuno found Ranma.
"Vile sorcerer!"
Ranma dodged Kuno's bokken, but the wall behind him was not as lucky.
The force of Kuno's attack caused the section of the wall to explode
outward.
Leaning against another wall, Ranma tried to catch his breath. The
respite was not long lived.
"Bakusai Tenketsu!"
Ranma repeated the jumping, leaping and dodging from one part of the
hall to another. Trying to avoid each attack.
"Enslaver of women!"
"Ranma-sama!"
"Shi shi houkoudan!"
"Vile sorcerer!"
"Ranma-sama!"
"Shi shi houkoudan!"
"Base Letcher!"
"Ranma-sama!"
"Shi shi houkoudan!"
"Hey!" shouted onna-Ranma as a bucket of water landed on her head. She
glared at the retreating panda, and then at the little black pig that
was chewing on her ankle.
"My pig tailed goddess!" shouted Kuno as he grabbed onna-Ranma in a
hug.
"Get off me, you pervert!"
Onna-Ranma then punched Kuno away and was ready to shout something else
when she stopped. Kodachi and Sasuke were staring at the ceiling.
"What?" whispered onna-Ranma as she looked up.
Kuno stood up and looked around, trying to see what the others were
staring at. "'Tis a beautiful night out, tonight. The wind is blowing
the leaves around and the clouds.." Realization of what has happened
finally dawns upon him.
"Brother! What have you done? The great Kuno mansion is in ruin!"
Onna-Ranma could only see a couple rooms that were untouched. She
guessed that about half of the mansion was missing.
"Sempai, where am I going to stay?" Onna-Ranma walked up to him and
covered her mouth with her hands.
Kuno looked down at her and started to tremble. He then dropped to his
knees. "Oh, my pig tailed goddess! Please forgive me, but your room has
been destroyed. There is no where else in the mansion I can let you
stay."
"I, I must leave? You won't let me stay here?"
"That is correct! You wicked girl!" interrupted Kodachi. "Leave! Now!
Before you destroy what is left of the great Kuno mansion!" She then
threw a club at her brother and knocked him unconscious before he could
speak.
The panda suddenly appeared and tossed a backpack to onna-Ranma. She
put it on and picked up the angry little black pig. They then left
through the very large opening behind the still form of Kuno.
===
"Ahhhh." Moaned Akane as she enjoyed the hot bath. "This feels so
gooooood." She slid further into the tub, so that she could rest her
head on the edge.
She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her thoughts kept returning
to Ranma and their dinner. "Why did that unfaithful baka have to make a
mess out of our dinner? My new dress is ruined and it's his fault!"
Akane took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "O.k., time to calm
down. Kasumi says that I need to stop and figure out why I'm mad at
Ranma. Let's see, while we were eating he was grabbed by Kodachi and
let her kiss him. So, I kicked him away from her." Akane paused,
remembering her sister's advice. "Did I trust Ranma and give him a
chance to explain?"
She closed her eyes and thought. The angry expression on her face
slowly disappeared. "No, I didn't. She kissed him before he could stop
her, and he did push her off."
Akane turned her head toward the door. She could hear someone stomping
up the stairs.
"Just, just leave me alone!" shouted a voice that sounded on the verge
of tears.
"That was Nabiki!" thought Akane, "Why was she upset? She doesn't get
upset like that. Well, not very often. I bet it's Ranma's fault."
Akane shook her head. "That's not fair, Akane! Everything is not
Ranma's fault. That's Ryouga's excuse." *sigh* "Well, he did ask me to
dinner. He didn't insult me, we even had a good time before Kodachi
showed up." A smile started to come to her lips. "He was even nice to
... P-CHAN!"
Akane jumped out of the tub and quickly began drying herself.
"I forgot about P-chan! I hope nothing happened to him. He could be
lost anywhere in the Kuno mansion. That baka got me so mad that I left
P-chan behind. Kodachi might try and cook him if I don't hurry and find
him."
Akane grabbed her clothes from the laundry room and hurriedly dressed.
She opened the door and headed for the front door when she stopped in
her tracks.
"P-CHAN!"
The little black pig hopped off the floor cushion and jumped into
Akane's open arms.
"I'm so sorry, P-chan. I didn't mean to leave you behind. How did you
get home?"
"Ranma dropped him off." replied Kasumi.
"Ranma?"
"Hai. He said that you got mad at him and left without your pet. He was
very sorry for what happened."
"Ranma?" repeated the shocked Akane.
"He left a couple minutes ago. He also said that he and his father were
going to be camping out again. They were kicked out of the Kuno
mansion. It seems that most of it was destroyed in a fight."
Akane's mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh, no." she said quietly. She
turned and looked up the stairs. "Nabiki ..."
*knock* *knock*
"I wonder who that could be?" asked Kasumi as she went to the door.
"Good evening!" Came the greeting from the visitor.
Kasumi stared at the woman and then quickly recovered from her shock.
"Good evening, Auntie-Nodoka!"
Nodoka smiled. "Is dear or my son home?"
=======================================================================
Those funny looking words:
Sempai Upperclassman
Oneechan Older/Elder sister
Hai Yes
Baka Akane's pet name for Ranma
Hentai Akane's second pet name for Ranma
Osage no onna Kuno's pet name for Ranma
Kuno-chan Nabiki's pet name for Kuno baby
suds-kun (Shaun Schillinger)
suds1964@tir.com
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/8222/
"THIS time, we didn't forget the graaavy!" Cat & Mouse to Dog