Multiplication
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci
February 20, 2000
The Ranma 1/2 universe was created by Rumiko Takahashi and belongs to
her. This story may not be used for commercial purposes.
This fic is the result of our FFIRC monthly "One Hour Project"
It was what the meteorologists would call a "weather phenomenon". The
heat wave was very small, and very concentrated. It passed through
the Amazon village, leaving everyone fanning themselves and gasping
for breath, and continued to the cursed springs.
As if guided by some unseen force, the heat settled over one spring,
and remained there. The water began to evaporate. Soon, a small
storm cloud formed. Shortly afterwards it drifted off, leaving the
spring half empty.
*****
"What is that?"
Two Amazon women watched as a small cloud began to drift over the
village.
"It looks like a Jusenkyo cloud to me. Warn everyone!"
Within seconds, the streets of the village were empty. Should the
rain come, no one would be harmed.
The cloud, however, had other ideas. It had no intention of raining
on the Amazons. It rose into the air, traveling swiftly towards its
destination.
Nerima District, Japan.
*****
Ranma Saotome was concentrating on teaching his class when the dojo
door slid open. When he turned around his wife was standing there.
She was wearing a bright yellow dress and a straw hat.
"You wanted something, Akane?"
"I'm on my way to the library. You're still meeting me for lunch,
aren't you?"
"Yup. I'll be there. See ya later."
Ranma blushed a little when Akane stood on her toes and kissed his
cheek. He hadn't yet become accustomed to Akane's kissing him in
public.
*****
Akane strolled down to the library and returned the books she had
borrowed. Ranma wasn't due to meet her at the restaurant for an hour,
so she took a book of poetry off a shelf and sat down to enjoy
herself. Some rain pattered on the window, but she ignored it.
*****
"Where are you going, sister?"
"To the marketplace. I need some herbs."
Tatewaki Kuno frowned at his sister. She bought altogether too many
herbs, as far as he was concerned.
"I shall accompany you."
"What would you want at the market, brother dear?"
Kuno's face reddened. His sister knew him too well. Ever since that
monster Saotome had married poor Akane, he had been sending her
flowers to ease her pain. For some reason, the flowers were being
returned to him, accompanied by notes asking him not to send any more
of them. The notes were supposedly signed by Akane, but Kuno knew
better. Akane's husband was sending them back, and preventing them
from reaching the poor miserable girl.
He and Kodachi were nearly to the marketplace when he was blessed with
inspiration. "I shall deliver them myself!" He left his sister's
side and sprinted into the marketplace.
"Brother! Wait!" Kodachi began to run after her brother, but was hit
in the face with a small blast of rain. She looked up at the fast
moving cloud that was now moving ahead of her, and continued running.
Several merchants smiled and waved at her, calling out friendly
greetings. This confused Kodachi greatly, since most of the people in
the marketplace only spoke to her when she approached them.
Kuno was striding through the lane between the flower sellers' stalls
when the rain reached him. He stopped in front of a display of deep
red roses, and gestured to the display's owner.
"These will do. What is the price?" In his hurry to get the flowers,
Kuno didn't notice that his voice did not sound quite right.
"For such a lovely lady? You deserve the best price I could possibly
offer."
Kuno couldn't understand how the stand's owner would know that the
flowers were meant for the lovely Akane, but he wasn't about to turn
down a bargain. He paid for the roses and turned around, to bump into
their intended recipient.
"Ah! The fair Akane! This time that foul Saotome will not be able to
prevent you from receiving this token of my esteem."
Kuno held out the flowers, but Akane just stared at him. She was
looking quite lovely in a kimono that was somehow familiar. What was
unfamiliar was the confused look on her face. Then the look turned to
anger.
"Do not mock me, Akane Saotome! You husband thief!"
"Pardon me, Akane, but I only meant to comfort you at this difficult
time--"
"I am NOT Akane! YOU are!" Akane stopped short, and looked again at
the person she was addressing. She certainly looked like Akane
Saotome, but she was wearing a man's kimono, and was carrying a bokken
along with the roses she held. Why?
A third voice entered the conversation.
"What the HELL is going on here?"
Ranma stood there, looking back and forth between the two women. They
both looked like Akane, but something wasn't quite right.
"Ranma-sama!"
"SAOTOME!!!"
One Akane glomped Ranma, while the other tossed the roses she was
holding aside and reached for the bokken at her side. Ranma barely
managed to evade the blows as he tried to get free from the
stranglehold on him.
"You ain't Akane! And neither are you! What the hell is going on?"
"Ranma?"
Akane's voice made everyone turn around. This time Ranma was sure the
woman standing there was his wife. She was wearing a yellow dress,
and a straw hat.
"Akane! I don't know WHAT is going on!"
For once, Akane agreed with Ranma. There was someone who looked
exactly like her hanging onto her husband, and another "her" who was
standing there looking very confused. Then she recognized the
clothing, and the bokken.
"Kuno?"
"Ah! Fair Akane! How is it that there are two of you to love? Come,
I must have you both!"
The Akane holding onto Ranma let go of him. She produced a ribbon
from nowhere, and wrapped it around Kuno-Akane.
"I am not Akane! I am the Black Rose!"
Ranma took Akane's hand, and backed up a few steps. "How did this
happen?"
Then the answer came. The cloud passed over again, and water fell
down on the flower vendors. Seconds later all of them looked like
Akane.
Kuno-Akane's mouth dropped open, and the bokken fell from his hands.
"Such bounty! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I
would be blessed like this!"
She rushed at one of the stands, and stopped short. The stand was
filled with ladies' hats, and Kuno-Akane was standing directly in
front of a mirror. The reflection that looked back at him was Akane
Saotome. Her stillness caused Kodachi-Akane to become curious, and
she ran forward, only to catch sight of herself in the mirror.
"What! How could I, the Black Rose, look like that peasant Akane
Saotome? This is a disaster!"
"Oh no," whispered Akane. "The cloud--it must come from my spring at
Jusenkyo!"
"Then that means we can fix this!" Ranma dashed into the restaurant
he and Akane were to have met at, and came out with a steaming kettle.
Moving almost faster than Akane could see, he ran from person to
person, pouring the water. Soon everyone was back to normal.
"Where's the cloud?"
Akane pointed. "It seems to be breaking up. I don't think it will
rain any more." She looked around. "Ranma? I think we're in
trouble."
The Saotomes were surrounded by a crowd of angry people--the vendors,
several shoppers, and the Kuno siblings.
"We're outta here, Akane." Ranma pulled Akane into his arms and
sprang over the heads of the crowd. Within minutes he and Akane were
at home, and Ranma was on the phone.
"You're sure? That's a relief. Thanks a lot!" Ranma hung up the
phone and hugged Akane.
"Plum says that it's not a permanent curse. It should work like the
instant powdered stuff, except that it'll take a few days to wear
off."
Akane looked extremely relieved. "Thank goodness. I hated the idea
of a whole bunch of extra Akanes running around town."
"Yeah, one of you is more than enough! Ow!!! Can't you take a joke?"
*****
"Brother, how long are you going to stand in front of that mirror?"
"Forever. As long as I am like this, I can look at my love forever."
-------------
Thank you to my brother Tom (PikaOhki) for giving me the idea of the
Jusenkyo cloud.
C&C is welcome - public or private
karaohki@snet.net
www.karaohki.com
"Karaoke? Sounds like a dessert." - Wakko "Or a disease." - Dot