As always, all rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi and
Shougakukan
Genma's Daughter
Chapter 12: Adventures in Babysitting
Original concept and sketch by Steve Pardue
Story by Deborah Goldsmith and Steve Pardue
Deborah Goldsmith <dgoldsmith@mac.com>
Steve Pardue <spardue@zebra.net>
http://www.zebra.net/~spardue/anime
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Tadaima!"
Nodoka rushed to the door at the sound of her daughter's voice. She found
Ranko standing in the genkan, removing her coat with a happy smile on her
face. The smile broadened even further as she saw Nodoka. "Mother!"
"O-kaeri nasai, dear. How was your lesson this week?"
Ranko giggled. "You mean my third lesson this week. It was wonderful! Sensei
says I'll be ready for the recital for sure. She asked Murata-sensei to come
to my lessons next week, and he said yes!"
Nodoka beamed. "You've been working harder on your violin piece?"
Ranko rolled her eyes and nodded as she stepped up into the house. "Have I
ever! As hard as I ever worked on my martial arts." She smiled. "But it's
worth it. I... it's just like the Art. As I get better, I find whole new
things to explore. And I'm playing on a whole new level." Her eyes lost
focus. "I love this so much... I can express myself in a way I never could
with the Art. I can put *all* of myself into it."
Nodoka hugged her daughter. "I'm so glad, sweetheart." She held her out at
arm's length. "A mother can't ask for more than to see her child so happy."
Ranko nodded, and arm in arm they proceeded down the hall.
The entire family was waiting for them in the living room, including Ryouga.
He grinned, stood, and gave her a quick kiss. He was starting to say
something when Nodoka interrupted. "Oh Ranko, I almost forgot. A Kobuchizawa
Noriko called, to ask if you would babysit tonight. She sounded pretty
desperate. I told her you would call when you got home."
Ranko nodded uncertainly. Akane grinned. "Miki is certainly having an effect
on your life, Sis!"
Nodoka smiled. "Is Miki who you would be babysitting?" Ranko nodded again,
and Nodoka's smile widened. "I didn't know you were babysitting."
Ranko blushed. "I didn't think I was either, but after I met Miki and her
mother, I started spending time with them. Miki is... a lot of fun. I really
like being with her."
"How old is she?"
"Oh, maybe five or six months." She smiled a huge smile. "Babies sure are
cute."
Nodoka and Genma looked at each other, and their differences vanished for a
moment as they shared the same thought: We're going to be grandparents! They
smiled.
As Ranko moved to the telephone, Ryouga spoke up, an uncertain tone in his
voice. "I... I was kind of hoping we could go out tonight..."
Ranko stopped. "Let me call her. If she's really desperate, I... I ought to
help out. She's been so nice to me."
Ryouga sighed. "How about tomorrow?"
Ranko sagged. "I'm sorry, it's Sayuri's birthday party. I can't skip that."
Ryouga nodded, disappointed. "I'll see if I can get out of this babysitting
job tonight." He smiled.
Ranko dialed the number Nodoka had written down, and the phone rang. On the
third ring, she got an answer: "Kobuchizawa residence." It was Miki's
mother's voice, and she sounded more than a little harried.
"Kobuchizawa-san? This is Saotome Ranko. My mother said you called earlier?"
"Oh Ranko-chan, thank heavens! I was about to give up. Dear, my husband and
I had a night out scheduled for tonight -- our first in months -- and the
babysitter is sick. I called everyone else I can think of, but no one is
available. My husband is leaving work early so we can go out, and I don't
know what to do! Is there any chance you can come over tonight?"
"Could you hang on a moment, Kobuchizawa-san?" Ranko related the gist of the
conversation to Ryouga. "Please? She's been so nice to me, and it's their
first night out in months!"
Ryouga looked at Ranko's expressive eyes, which practically pleaded with
him, and sighed. He could never resist her, and her generosity was one of
the things he loved about her. "I... I was really hoping to spend time with
you tonight, but... sure." He smiled warmly.
What a sweet guy... "Kobuchizawa-san? I'd love to come watch Miki for you."
She looked up at Ryouga, who was looking at her wistfully, and had an idea.
"Would... would it be all right if I brought... a friend over? We had plans
for tonight, and..."
There was a long, long pause. "Oh, Ranko-chan... I... I really don't want to
say this, since you are rescuing me from a bad situation, but if it's a
boy... I feel terrible about this, but I've had a couple of babysitters who
brought their boyfriends, and... they got... ummm... a little too... ummm,
active, and the neighbors complained. We promised it wouldn't happen again.
I know you would never be that irresponsible, but the neighbors... I feel
terrible asking you this when you are doing me such a favor..."
Ranko sighed and looked up at Ryouga, who read her expression and looked
back with mournful eyes. She was about to tell him he couldn't come, when
she had an idea.
"Ummm, my friend is a girl, Kobuchizawa-san. Is that OK?" Ryouga looked
confused.
"Of course, Ranko-chan!" Ranko could hear the relief in her voice. "Can you
be here at 6:30 PM?"
"I'll be there, Kobuchizawa-san. I'm looking forward to seeing Miki again!"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they hung up. Ranko turned to
Ryouga and eyed him speculatively. "She's had a few bad experiences with
babysitters bringing their boyfriends, so she said she'd rather I not bring
mine. I told her I was bringing a girlfriend."
"What's going on? I can't go, so you're going to take Akane-san?"
Ranko took Ryouga by the arm and grinned. "Nope. I'm taking my good friend
Ryouko-chan!" Nabiki started to snicker.
Ryouga frowned. "Ryouko-chan? Do I know her?"
Ranko's grin broadened. "Oh yes. You know *her* very well."
Suddenly his jaw dropped, and he turned crimson as the whole family started
laughing.
*****
Ranko sighed. "You know, you didn't have to come. I only thought this up
because you said you wanted to spend time with me. If you don't want to be
'Ryouko-chan', I can go by myself."
Ryouga looked over at the petite redhead who was walking next to her. "No, I
guess I'd rather spend the evening with you this way than not at all." She
sighed. She'd wanted to hold Ranko's hand, but Ranko had made it clear that
there was to be nothing physical between them this evening.
They reached the Kobuchizawa's apartment building, and in short order were
ringing the doorbell. Ranko frowned; she could hear Miki from out here, and
the baby was not happy. She was wailing.
Miki's mother opened the door, and Ranko's frown disappeared. Noriko was
dressed to the nines and her face was made up; clearly, tonight was a big
night.
"Ranko-chan, thank you so much! You have saved my life." She smiled. "Is
this your friend?"
Ranko nodded, and Ryouga bowed -- boy style, hands at her sides. "I'm Hibiki
Ryou... Ryouko, Ma'am."
"Please come in." They followed her to the inside. Miki was sitting in a
high chair, and looked pitifully unhappy. She looked at Ranko, and for a
moment a tentative smile crept onto her face, but she soon resumed her
crying.
"I don't know what's wrong with her, Ranko-chan. She's been cranky for an
hour or so now." She pursed her lips. "My husband should be home any minute,
and we've got to go right away. I'll try to get her settled down before
then." She threw a cloth over her shoulder and hoisted the baby out of the
high chair, holding her and jostling her up and down. Miki's wail reduced to
a whimper, but she was still in tears.
As she was pacing back and forth, Noriko tried to make conversation. "You
said your name was Hibiki -- are you related to Ranko's boyfriend? You look
quite a bit like him."
Ranko had a blank look on her face, and turned to her companion, who thought
furiously. "Ummm, he's my brother, Ma'am."
Miki's mother smiled. "How nice that you two are friends, too!" She noticed
what Ranko was carrying. "Ranko-chan, is that a violin?"
Ranko nodded. "I was hoping I could practice a little tonight. I have a
recital in a week and a half."
Noriko beamed. "Why don't you play now, while we're waiting for my husband?
Maybe it will quiet Miki down a little bit."
Ranko smiled and nodded, and started to get out her violin. Noriko sat down,
holding Miki on her lap; the little girl was still whimpering. Ryouga sat
next to them.
Ranko finished tuning her violin and started to practice her Bach piece.
Miki and her mother watched, utterly fascinated. Miki still didn't look
happy, but she seemed distracted by Ranko's playing.
After a time, the little girl's attention started to wander, and she started
to cry again. Ranko stopped and put down her violin.
Noriko applauded as best she could with a handful of baby, and so did
Ryouga. "That was wonderful, Ranko-chan! Are you going to be a violinist?
You certainly play like one."
Ranko blushed. "I'm thinking about it, Kobuchizawa-san."
Miki's mother tsked. "Enough with the 'Kobuchizawa-san', Ranko-chan; I'm
only a few years older than you are, after all. Please call me Noriko."
Ranko smiled. "Thank you, Noriko-san."
Noriko smiled back, then looked at her watch. "Oh my goodness, look at the
time! It's been half an hour!" She frowned. "My husband was supposed to be
home by now." She continued to cuddle Miki as the little girl cried, and she
bit her lip. "If he's not home soon, then... then we won't be able to go out
tonight." Her sad expression was in stark contrast to her usual
cheerfulness.
Ryouga shifted uncomfortably. "Is there something wrong with the baby,
Kobuchizawa-san? She seems awfully unhappy."
Noriko sighed. "You know, I used to worry terribly about this kind of thing,
but my mother told me that sometimes babies just get like this. It could be
her tummy, it could be a headache, or any number of things. She's not crying
as if she's really in pain, and I've checked her diaper, I've fed her, I've
tried to put her to sleep, but she just won't have it." She shook her head.
"Sometimes you just have to wait it out." Ryouga nodded, and swallowed at
the thought of spending the evening with a crying baby.
Another 15 minutes later, Noriko looked close to joining her daughter in
tears. "I... I guess something must have happened at work. It looks like
he's not going to make it." She bowed her head.
Ranko bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Noriko-san... it sounds like tonight was
going to be special."
She nodded. "We haven't been out, just the two of us, for a long time..."
she trailed off. Miki started to whimper a little more loudly.
"Would you like me to try holding her?"
Noriko looked at the sad little girl in her lap. "Why not? Nothing else is
working."
Ranko took Miki into her own lap. Miki brightened briefly, but returned to
whimpering in short order. Noriko laughed. "My goodness, we're all striking
out tonight, aren't we? Would you like to try, Ryouko-chan?"
Ryouga looked up, startled. "Me?"
Noriko frowned. She talks like a boy, and she dresses like one... I guess it
must be something girls are doing nowadays; Ranko-chan used to do the same
thing. "Don't you like babies, Ryouko-chan?"
"Ryouko-chan" winced. "Well, uhh... sure, but..."
"I guess you don't want to hold her when she's crying. I can understand
that."
Ryouga had the strange feeling she was being judged and found wanting.
"Ummm... I... uh, sure."
Ranko handed the baby over to Ryouga, who held her as if she were a sack of
potatoes. Miki wailed.
"No, no, Ryouko-chan. Put your hands over there, to support her. Cuddle her
a bit." What is it with girls these days? Haven't any of them held a baby
before?
Ryouga gingerly repositioned Miki, who quieted down to a whimper again. The
little girl looked up at her with wide eyes and blinked. Ryouga smiled, and
started making faces at the baby. Miki watched intently for a while, then
started to laugh; whatever had been bothering her seemed forgotten for the
moment.
"You have a knack, Ryouko-chan! I'm sure you'll make a fine mother some
day."
Ryouga turned beet red while Ranko clapped a hand over her mouth. "Uhhh...
Thanks."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Ryouga was starting to get really uncomfortable with the turn the
conversation was taking. "Ummm, n-no... not right now."
"I'm surprised, a girl as pretty as you are!"
"Yeah, well..."
Maybe it's because she's so butch... "How about you, Ranko-chan? How long
have you been seeing her brother?"
"We just started seeing each other last month."
"So what do you think of him?" She winked. "It's just us girls here. I'm
sure Ryouko-chan won't tell." 'Ryouko-chan' turned red again.
Ranko blushed deeply. "Umm, he's... he's a nice guy. I... I like him..."
"How does he feel about you?"
Ryouga suddenly spoke up. "I... ummm... my brother... he... he l-loves her a
lot." Everyone was staring at her. "Ummm, he... he told me."
Noriko nodded. "I see." She looked at her watch, and her smile disappeared.
"I... it's too late to go out now," she whispered. "I'm sorry I spoiled your
evening for nothing, Ranko-chan."
Ranko went over and embraced Noriko. "Please don't apologize. It's OK. I'm
just sorry your big evening was ruined." Noriko nodded.
As if on cue, the phone rang. Noriko got up and rushed over to pick it up.
"Hello, Kobuchizawa... Dear! What happened?" A pause. "I see. Yes. Yes, of
course." A sigh. "We have guests, by the way. That Saotome girl I told you
about; she agreed to babysit at the last minute. Yes, she is a sweetheart.
She brought a friend. Yes, I know, her evening too....I love you too. I'll
see you soon." She hung up, then wandered back to the sofa.
She sighed. "Work again. They had an important business associate who wanted
to go for drinks. He couldn't say no, of course." She looked at her watch.
"The man got tired early, so my husband's on his way home now. At least I'll
get to see him tonight..." She shook her head. "I wish he weren't a
salaryman. It's like that company owns him."
She looked ready to cry. "He can't ever help with Miki. At this rate, I'll
never be able to go back to school, at least not until she's in elementary
school..."
"School for what?" asked Ryouga.
"Design. I want to be a designer. You know, furniture, living spaces, things
like that." She sighed. "It seems like a distant dream at the moment."
Ranko paled. If she got married, if she had children, would this happen to
her? Trapped at home, waiting for her salaryman husband to show up? And
waiting, and waiting... What would happen to her violin? She shivered; she
couldn't imagine giving up school, giving up her violin. But... but I *want*
children... I want a family...
Ryouga noticed the fear and confusion on Ranko's face, and felt a yawning
pit in her stomach. Kobuchizawa-san... *please* shut up...
Noriko echoed Ranko's thoughts. "If you really love your violin, Ranko-chan,
don't marry a salaryman." She looked down. "I love my husband dearly, but
his job is the pits. I guess we don't get to choose who we fall in love
with..."
Ryouga looked back and forth between Ranko and Noriko, who both looked
terribly depressed, and felt an irresistible compulsion to say something.
Anything. "Ummm... I... my brother... he... he wouldn't do that to his wife!
He wants to, uhhh, to open a dojo or something so he can be with his wife
and children, and... and he would even do a lot of the... the childcare and
housework and stuff, so she could... could be a violinist." Suddenly, she
looked aghast. "Or, ummm, of course, whatever other career the woman he
*happens* to marry wanted to pursue! All hypothetical, of course." She
cringed.
Ranko stared at Ryouga, and swallowed.
Noriko laughed. "It sounds like you've let the cat out of the bag,
Ryouko-chan." Ranko winced at the "c" word. "It sounds like your brother is
pretty serious about Ranko-chan." She turned to the redhead. "You're lucky,
Ranko-chan. Not many men would do what Ryouko-chan says her brother has
talked about. I hope things work out between you and him."
Ranko nodded, a frozen, frightened smile plastered on her face.
"Ryouko-chan, my husband feels the same way -- that's one of the things that
made me fall in love with him -- but the company he works for doesn't, of
course. Your brother is lucky he can have a job that gives him that option."
Noriko's gaze dropped from Ryouga's face. "Well, what do you know? Miss Tiny
Terror has fallen asleep!" Ryouga looked down, and sure enough the little
girl she was cuddling was sound asleep.
Noriko came over to pick up the baby, who sighed but remained asleep. "Just
a second while I put her down. Peace finally comes to apartment 3E!" She
took Miki down the hall.
Ranko swiveled around to look at Ryouga. "Ryouga... what you said earlier...
you... you're really thinking about *marriage*?!"
Ryouga bit her lip and tried to think of a reply, when a key turned in the
front door, and a man's voice called out "Tadaima."
Ranko looked down the hall, but Noriko wasn't coming back yet. She got up
and went to the genkan, where a handsome young man, with tired eyes that
seemed far too old for him, was taking his coat off. She bowed in greeting.
"O-kaeri nasai, Kobuchizawa-san. I'm Saotome Ranko. Your wife is busy
putting Miki-chan to bed right now."
He looked her over briefly, then smiled. "My wife has told me a lot about
you, Ranko-chan. Come on, let's go sit down."
They reentered the living room, and Ryouga stood up. "Hi, I'm Hibiki Ryou...
umm, Ryouko."
"Ryouko-chan is my friend. She's my boyfriend's brother." She winced. "Ummm,
sister."
Kobuchizawa-san grinned, and his eyes grew a little less weary. "I was gonna
say, she doesn't look much like his brother."
At that moment, Noriko reappeared, and his expression softened. "Noriko, I
am so sorry. You know how it is." He looked her over. "You look beautiful
tonight. I'm really sorry."
She nodded. "Thank you, dear. We'll try again some other night." She turned
to Ranko and Ryouga. "Girls," -- Ryouga winced -- "thank you for coming
tonight. I'm sorry your evening was wasted, too."
Ranko and Ryouga looked warily at each other. Ranko spoke. "It wasn't a
waste, Noriko-san."
She laughed. "That's right, your boyfriend's sister spilled the beans on
him, didn't she!"
Both girls turned bright red. "Yeah."
Noriko turned to her husband. "I'm sorry dear, I didn't make anything for
dinner, and it's too late for a restaurant. I guess... I guess I'll heat up
some leftovers..."
Ranko looked back and forth between the two of them. "I know a Chinese place
that makes great ramen, and they deliver." She smiled.
Noriko's eyes lit up. "They do?"
*****
Keisuke blew into his hands to try to warm them up. Of all the nights to get
stuck running his pop's yatai, it had to be Friday night? Man, he could be
out with Rika-chan instead! It was two hours before he could go home, and he
hadn't had a customer in over an hour. He groaned for the hundredth time.
Suddenly he heard voices. Two girls were walking down the street. "I thought
we were just dating! I thought we were going to see what it was like! Now I
find out you want to marry me!"
"Hey, I can't help how I feel! I didn't mean to tell you about it! It just
kinda came out!"
Keisuke rolled his eyes. What a waste of a couple of cute chicks...
"I'm not ready for this! You heard what Noriko-san said. If I get married,
what's going to happen to my studying the violin?"
Keisuke looked more closely, and sure enough the redhead was carrying a
violin case. He frowned. This was reminding him of some show his little
sister used to watch. A lesbian couple... the femme one played the violin...
the butch one dressed like a guy... He shook his head; he couldn't quite
remember...
"I told you, I'll take care of the kids!"
The redhead fumed. "How about pregnancy and childbirth? Maybe you'd like to
do that, too!"
"That isn't very funny, y'know!" The brunette scowled. "Maybe I should
just... get lost." She started to stalk off, and passed Keisuke's yatai.
The redhead stared after the other girl for several seconds as she walked
away, then suddenly started to run. She caught up with the brunette and
threw her arms around her from behind. Keisuke rolled his eyes again. He
knew some guys went for this kinda stuff, but it didn't interest him at all.
Why'd they have to do all this right in front of him?
"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I'm just so... so s-scared.
Being a m-mother is such a big responsibility, and... and things have been
happening so fast... and I... Oh, please don't go..."
The brunette stood there for a few moments, then blew out a breath and
turned around to face her companion. "How do you feel about me?"
The redhead shrank a little. "I... I don't know anymore. I... to be honest,
at first, I... I didn't think I had any feelings for you, other than as a
good friend. But... but now I think, maybe... When you were walking away
just now, I felt... empty, somehow. Sad. Lonely. L-like I was losing
something important." She shook her head. "I... I'm not sure how I feel
about you, but... but I want to find out, b-because... maybe..." She
blushed. "Noriko-san was right. I would be lucky to have a guy like you for
a husband."
Keisuke frowned. Guy? Husband? If she felt that way, why was she going out
with another girl? He shrugged. Women...
The brunette softened. "Really?"
The redhead nodded. "Y-yes. I just need time, I need to understand my
feelings better. You said if I didn't like dating we could give it up. I
don't know if... if I want to m-marry you, but... but I don't want to give
up. N-not yet. I... I care for you... but... I'm so confused..."
Keisuke made a face. What a waste. Especially the redhead. Man, was she
hot... Actually, the brunette was pretty hot, too...
The brunette smiled, put her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders, then
cupped her cheek with one hand...
"Please, not like this... I... it doesn't feel comfortable to me..."
The brunette sighed, and nodded. Suddenly, she seemed to notice Keisuke.
"Hey! You got any hot water?"
Keisuke shrugged. "Sure. Here ya go." He poured her a cup from the kettle.
The brunette took it, and to Keisuke's amazement, promptly emptied it on her
head. However, this didn't even come close to matching his amazement when
she grew half a head taller, and far more muscular. Not to mention changing
sexes.
The brunette, now a guy, handed the cup back to Keisuke. "Thanks," he said,
in a much deeper voice. He turned back to the redhead. "Now, where were we?"
He embraced her gently, and she hugged him back, trembling.
"You know, it's really great to have hands to pour the hot water with. Try
dragging a kettle with your teeth some time." The redhead giggled into his
chest, and seemed to relax a little. She stopped trembling.
Keisuke swallowed. H-hands?
After a time, the guy said "Take all the time you need. I'll... I'll wait."
The girl nodded. He kissed her gently on the forehead, and they slowly
turned and walked off down the street, she on his arm. Neither of them
noticed the young man cowering and gibbering behind the yatai.
*****
"Oneechan?"
Nabiki looked up from the magazine she was reading at the kitchen table.
Ranko was standing in the doorway, wringing her hands. She obviously wanted
something.
Resisting the temptation to roll her eyes, Nabiki folded her arms in front
of her. "What is it, kiddo?" Kasumi looked back over her shoulder briefly,
then turned her attention back to chopping vegetables.
"I... I need your advice. Again." She winced. "I'm sorry."
Nabiki smiled. "It's OK. What's up?"
"It's Ryouga. Right now is a really hard time in our relationship. I'm
trying to find out how I feel about him, whether I want to keep dating him,
or..." she trailed off.
"Go on."
"Well, the problem is, I need to spend time with him. And he keeps...
getting lost. It's really hard on me to have to wait for days or weeks every
time he leaves before I see him again." She bit her lip and looked down.
"I'll never get things figured out at this rate. I begged him to stay here
last night so he wouldn't disappear again." She looked up at Nabiki. "I know
his bad sense of direction is a really tough problem, but is there anything
you can think of?"
Nabiki snorted. "What makes you think I can solve a problem like that?"
Ranko blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Because I think my big sister is
the smartest person I know."
Nabiki stared at Ranko for a moment, then to her own consternation, blushed
herself. "Oh." She looked down for a moment, then back up, her cheeks still
tinged pink. "Give me some time to think about it, OK?" She frowned for a
second. "Tell him to not leave here until I think of something."
Ranko nodded and brightened. "I knew if anyone could solve this problem it
would be you. Thanks, Oneechan!" She practically skipped out of the kitchen.
Nabiki put her head in her hands and sighed. "Oneechan, when exactly did I
become an advice columnist?"
Kasumi turned around briefly to look at Nabiki, then turned back to the
cutting board. Over her shoulder, she said simply, "The life of a big sister
is fraught with peril."
Nabiki stared at Kasumi's back, her eyes bugged out, until Kasumi's hand
shot to her mouth, and they both broke out laughing.
*****
Late that afternoon, Ranko knocked on Akane's door. "Sis? It's me. Are you
almost ready?"
Akane's voice came from inside. "Just about. Come on in."
Ranko entered the room, and closed the door behind her. She found Akane
struggling with the zipper on the turtleneck dress she was wearing.
Akane grimaced. "The darned thing is stuck! Sis, could you zip me up?"
"Sure." Ranko stepped forward. She fiddled with the zipper for a moment, and
it finally gave in, meekly sliding the rest of the way up.
Akane turned around and smiled. "Thanks." She eyed the box Ranko had under
one arm. "You wrapped them already?"
Ranko nodded, smiling. "I'm looking forward to giving this to her."
Akane's eyes drifted up to Ranko's face. "You did a good job on your makeup!
You're learning."
Ranko beamed. "Thank you."
"Which reminds me..." Akane stepped over to her vanity and began to work on
her face.
Ranko went over to sit on the bed. "I feel bad for Ryouga... he wanted to
take me out tonight." She sighed. "But I couldn't skip Sayuri's birthday."
Akane, with the speed born of long practice, was putting the finishing
touches on her makeup. At least there was *one* feminine art she wasn't a
klutz at... "There's always tomorrow night."
"I guess..."
Akane finished, stood, and went to the dresser to fetch her present. She
winced as she looked over the haphazard, sloppy wrapping; it was nowhere
near as neat and pretty as what Ranko had produced. Well, it's the thought
that counts...
"We'd better go, or we'll be late."
They stopped by the living room to bid the rest of the family farewell, and
were greeted by an appreciative chorus of compliments.
"My, don't you two look nice!" said Kasumi. Genma and Souun glanced at each
other, smiling with quiet pride.
Ryouga, housebound by Nabiki's decree, grinned and said, "You look like
you're going on a date... with each other!"
"Ryouga no baka!" said Ranko and Akane in unison; they blinked, looked at
each other, and started laughing, joined by the rest of the family.
Nodoka shook her head. "Sometimes I think Kirara and I were wrong when we
told you two you weren't twins." She smiled. "Why so dressy?"
Akane and Ranko looked at each other once more. "I guess... we're just
getting a little more grown-up, Auntie. Sayuri decided that this year,
instead of having friends over to her house, she wanted us to all go out to
a restaurant together. Partly, it's a dressy place, and partly... we just
felt like it." She smiled.
Souun started to weep. "Waaahh! My little girl is growing up!" Nabiki rolled
her eyes.
Nodoka tried to ignore the waterworks. "What are you giving her for her
birthday?"
Akane held up her package, a little embarrassed by its ugliness. "A scarf."
Ranko smiled and held up hers. "Blue jade earrings. To match these." She
held her hair aside, revealing two beautiful green jade earrings. "Sayuri
gave me these, back when I got my ears pierced." She blushed, and Nodoka
smiled and nodded in understanding.
Akane noticed the clock. "We'd better get going, Sis."
Ranko's eyes found Ryouga. "I'm... I'm sorry. We'll do something tomorrow
night. I promise." She smiled shyly. "And don't forget, Christmas Eve is
this Friday." They turned and left.
Ryouga turned pale. He'd forgotten that the biggest date night of the year
was coming up. And he hadn't made any reservations anywhere! He would have
to scramble to find someplace to take her.
Akane and Ranko walked rapidly to make it to the restaurant on time. Ranko
was a little wobbly: she had recently acquired some new boots, with a rather
higher heel than she was used to. They were a pain to walk in and hurt her
feet if she wore them for too long, but she didn't feel *quite* so short
when she was wearing them. It was nice to be *almost* tall enough to look
other women in the eye (as long as they were wearing flats...). She had been
average in height as Ranma. Now, she was the shortest girl her age that she
knew. She had to look up at Akane, and Kasumi practically towered over her.
Sometimes it made her feel like a little kid.
"How are things between you and Ryouga, Sis? I got the feeling when you came
home from babysitting last night that something had happened."
Ranko blushed and nodded. "I... I couldn't really admit it to myself before
last night, but... I think I'm starting to develop feelings for him..."
Akane smiled. "Really? How do you feel about that?"
Ranko bit her lip. "Frightened. He's... he's really serious. Last night, he
let slip that he's already thinking about marriage."
Akane's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"
Ranko nodded. "He blurted out that he would take care of the kids so I could
pursue my violin." She looked around nervously. "Don't tell anyone... I
*really* don't want that getting around. I wasn't going to talk about it
tonight with the others." Akane nodded.
"Anyway, having him thinking about m-marriage makes it even harder for me to
figure out how I feel about him. On the one hand, I think, maybe I should
try dating other guys first... do I really want to marry the first guy I
date? Am I even ready to think about marriage at all? I won't even be 17
until March! On the other hand, I... I really feel like I'm starting to care
about him... Part of me doesn't want to date other guys..."
"Why do you think your feelings have changed?"
Ranko frowned. "I'm not sure. I think one part of it is that he's changing,
too, a lot. He's... he's not the same Ryouga he used to be. When I started
dating him, I was still thinking of him as my old school friend, the guy who
used to shout 'Ranma, prepare to die!' or 'Saotome, you've made my life
hell!'" They both giggled. "But he's changed. It's like all that anger and
depression he had bottled up is just gone. He's a lot more mellow, a lot
happier."
Akane smiled. "That's probably all thanks to you, Sis."
Ranko blushed deeply and nodded. "Anyway, without all that anger and
depression, he's... a really sweet, considerate, kind guy. He... he dotes on
me. And... I... after seeing him... her... ummm, whatever, with Miki last
night... I... I could really see him as a father." She blushed again. "As
the father of *my* children."
Ranko thought for a few seconds. "I... I mean, if I look at it in a
cold-blooded, calculating way, he's a good 'catch'." She said the word with
distaste. "The perfect husband for someone like me, who wants a career.
But... I can't marry someone just because they're useful to me. I know some
women do that, but I can't. I'll have to love the man I marry; I want a
partner, not a... fish. You... you have to give up something to be married,
to be parents; you have to make lots of compromises. To me, it's not worth
it if I'm not with someone I love deeply. I'd rather not get married in that
case." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm a romantic, but it can't just be a
business transaction. Not for me."
Akane shook her head, smiling. "I wouldn't have believed that anyone raised
by your father could look at it that way."
Ranko laughed. "Well, I've been thinking about it a lot. And... I saw some
of the compromises Miki's parents have had to make." She sobered. "It was
very... educational."
The restaurant, an upscale Italian place on the main shopping street near
Fuurinkan, came into view. Ranko pursed her lips. "I hope I can get this
figured out soon. While I'm trying to figure out how I feel about him, he's
already planning our future. That makes me really nervous. If we broke up
even now, after only one real date, he'd be devastated. I need time, but the
longer I take, the more committed he gets." She sighed. "I have the feeling
he already has the names for our children picked out."
Akane frowned. "Maybe it would be better if you guys took a little time off
from each other."
Ranko sighed. "Maybe it would. But... I don't know if we can..."
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
*****
"How about this one?"
Ranko looked over the movie ad. There were guns, missiles, explosions,
soldiers, helicopters... "Ummm... I don't think so."
"Hmmm." Ryouga flipped through the pages of Pia. "Hey! Have you ever been to
the Takarazuka Revue?"
Ranko made a face. "I think I've had enough of a woman pretending to be a
man to last me a lifetime, thank you."
"Ummm... good point." He continued scanning the ads.
Akane wandered up to Ryouga and Ranko, who were seated at the dining table.
"What are you guys doing? Looking for a movie?"
Ranko nodded. "We're going out tonight."
Ryouga shook his head. "There doesn't seem to be anything good playing right
now."
Akane sat down to look as well. "Hmmm..."
The three were engrossed when they heard Nabiki's voice call from the
genkan. "Tadaima!" She walked in, a package wrapped as a gift under one arm.
"O-kaeri, Oneechan," said Ranko and Akane, in stereo. They looked at each
other and giggled.
Akane noticed the package. "Did you buy a gift for someone?"
Nabiki cocked her head. "Sort of. I just got back from Akihabara."
Akane and Ranko looked at each other in surprise; that was an unusual
destination for Nabiki.
Ryouga's interest was piqued. "What did you get?"
Nabiki grinned. "A prosthetic sense of direction."
She wished she had had her camera with her; the look on Ryouga's face was
priceless.
He finally found his voice. "Wh-what do you mean?"
Nabiki walked over to the table and placed the package on top of the open
issue of Pia they had been perusing. "Why don't you open it and find out?"
Ranko didn't think that any child could possibly have torn open a present
more quickly than Ryouga opened the wrapping paper. He lifted out the box
inside.
He turned the box around, looking at it from all directions. "Model GX-7400
Pocket GPS Receiver?" He looked up at Nabiki, confused.
She nodded. "It took me a while to find that model." Her eyes narrowed. "It
was quite expensive, by the way." The look in her eyes made the other three
shiver; it said, "You owe me, buster. Big time."
"It has an interesting feature: you put in an address anywhere in Japan, and
it gives you step-by-step directions on how to get there from wherever you
are now. It can speak them aloud, too, as an option. It can even update its
database wirelessly over the Internet. Plus, it's water-resistant." Nabiki
folded her arms.
Comprehension started to dawn in Ryouga's eyes. He regarded the box as if it
contained some magical artifact that defied the laws of nature. Finally, he
managed to express an opinion. "Wow..."
Twenty minutes later, they were standing in the park, bundled up against the
late December weather. "OK," said Nabiki, "You're going to lead us all back
home. Go for it."
Ryouga looked at the unit. "Ummm... I don't know your address. Addresses
were never much use to me..."
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "OK. The unit can store a directory of up to 50
locations you want to go to. You can scroll through it by name, and pick
one. Give it here."
Ryouga handed the GX-7400 over to Nabiki. She fiddled with its tiny keypad
for a while. "Let's see... Tendou Dojo... Fuurinkan High School... there."
She handed it back. "I've put the Dojo and the High School in. Just rotate
that thumbwheel, and when you see the place you want to go, hit that red
button."
Ryouga dialed the thumb wheel until the display said "Tendou Dojo." He
pushed the red button. After a short pause, the unit spoke up in a polite,
synthesized female voice. "Please proceed to the park exit nearest the
playground."
Ryouga looked around; sure enough, there was an exit visible near the
playground. He frowned. "This can't be right! Isn't your house that way?" He
pointed in the opposite direction.
Ranko, Akane, and Nabiki all looked at each other. Nabiki answered, "Why
don't you try going the way you think is right, Ryouga?"
Ryouga nodded, and proceeded in what he thought was the right direction. The
unit immediately spoke up. "I'm sorry, that is not the correct direction.
Please turn around." He stopped, and all three girls burst out laughing.
Ryouga's face turned red. "Ummm, that's not the right way?"
Nabiki nodded. "This is very important. If this thing is going to work for
you, you have to completely ignore your own sense of direction. If you start
going the way you think you should, you're already lost. Got it?"
Ryouga nodded uncertainly, and turned around. The three girls followed
behind him.
As he left the park through the exit near the playground, the unit spoke
again. "Please turn right, and continue." He did so.
As Ryouga walked along, making turns at the unit's command, his feeling of
discomfort grew. He looked behind him; the three sisters were still
following him, their expressions neutral. He looked forward again, and
frowned. He was sure this couldn't be right. The unit must be defective; his
instincts screamed at him that he was going further and further off course,
getting more and more lost.
He turned around again. "Are you *sure* this thing is taking us in the right
direction?"
All three girls looked elsewhere nonchalantly, their expressions unreadable.
Ryouga sighed, and turned forward once more. He reached a corner. "Please
turn left, and continue." He did so. His sense of being lost was
overwhelming now. He hoped Ranko and her sisters could figure out where they
were and get them home.
Suddenly the unit spoke up. "You have reached your destination." He looked
up, and found himself face to face with the front gate of the Tendou Dojo.
He stared at the gate, then at the small unit in his hand, then at the gate
again, then back to the girls, who were all grinning at him. Slowly, an
expression of joy crept onto his face, and grew and grew, until he looked
like a little boy who had opened a plain-looking package and found the one
present he had wanted more than anything else in the whole world, the one he
had thought he would never, ever receive.
Ranko clapped her hands together and laughed in delight at the pure,
childlike joy on Ryouga's face; she had never seen him look this happy in
the entire time she had known him. In fact, she didn't think she had ever
seen him actually joyful; it utterly transformed his face. She felt a kind
of joy herself, a warm feeling in her heart that seemed to echo his.
Curiously, a tear ran down her cheek; she wiped it away, and wondered what
it meant.
They never did actually go to the movies that night. Instead, for the rest
of the day, Ryouga led Ranko all over Fuurinkan-cho, quite literally like a
kid with a new toy. The shopping district, the high school, the Tendou Dojo,
the Saotome home: he fairly cackled with glee as the little gadget led him
unerringly to wherever he wanted to go. Ranko found his delight in this to
be more than entertainment enough.
After getting strange looks from passersby, Ryouga noticed the earphone jack
on the unit. Nabiki was happy to supply him with one ("I'm just putting this
all on your tab, you know"), and so he placed the unit in a pocket, with the
earphone in his ear. It looked rather like an old-fashioned hearing aid,
which seemed oddly appropriate.
They ended up on the roof of the Tendou Dojo.
"I'm sorry we never went on our date... and after I gave you a hard time
about wanting one."
"It's OK." She smiled. "Watching you with your new toy was the best date I
could have had. I'm so happy for you."
He put his arm around her, and she snuggled into his shoulder. "It's all
thanks to you asking Nabiki for me." She smiled. "Even if I *am* gonna have
to pay for it in convenient monthly installments." They both laughed.
His face grew serious again. "Everything good that's happened to me recently
has been because of you." He brought his face a little closer, and Ranko
wondered as she looked up into his eyes. His soft, brown, soulful eyes. They
seemed almost to grow, until she couldn't see anything else...
"You know, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You helped me
straighten my life out. You got me out of the rut I was in, the anger and
the hate and the depression. You made me *happy*. You've been like an angel
to me, turning my life in the right direction.
"You have a beautiful soul. I couldn't think of any better way to spend my
life than watching you play your violin, practice the Art, and mother your
children. And... and share all that with you, if... if you'll have me. And
to think I hated you... wanted to kill you... thought you were the *worst*
thing in my life..." He shook his head in wonder. "I could have missed
knowing you. The real you."
She shivered. "Ryouga... I... I..."
He drew her into a tight embrace. "Shhhh. I know. I'm sorry. I just can't
help telling you how I feel." He kissed the top of her head. "Because I love
you. So much that if you decide I'm not the one for you, I'll still be glad
I fell in love with you."
She pulled back a little and looked up at him again in wonder. Was this
Ryouga speaking so poetically? Why had she never seen this side of him
before? Maybe he had kept it hidden, just as she had hidden so many parts of
herself. "Ryouga..."
Her eyes were shimmering, and suddenly she felt drawn to him. She tilted her
head back and leaned forward ever so slightly, bringing her mouth a little
closer to his. Her eyes were half-closed. He smiled, lowering his head, and
they kissed, a gentle, tender kiss, that was somehow passionate all the
same, just from the connection it made between them.
Ranko felt something as she kissed him, a longing for something she couldn't
even identify, much less express, yet joyous at the same time. Her mind
seemed a maelstrom of swirling emotions. Something intangible passed between
them through their lips, something she couldn't put a name to. The more she
felt she got from him, the more she wanted to give to him in return.
Finally, the kiss ended, and they once more looked into each other's eyes.
Ranko couldn't take her eyes off of his. Warm, gentle... loving. She shook
her head slightly; she felt as if her heart were being torn in two, by a tug
of war between fear of what this burgeoning relationship meant, and... and
something else. Something that made her want to hold onto him and not let
go. She snuggled into his shoulder again, and he held her, still not saying
anything.
After a time, she spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "Ryouga?"
"Mmmm?"
"You... you know how you told Noriko that you were my boyfriend?"
He grimaced. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I was your boyfriend. We're
just dating, right?"
She snorted. "N-no. We're... we're not just dating. Not any more. I... I've
been lying to myself. What happened just now couldn't have happened if we
were just dating. I... I wouldn't *feel* this way..." She swallowed. "You...
you were right. You *are* my boyfriend. Ryouga, I... I... I..." she stopped
speaking and trembled in his arms.
"Shhhh." He stroked her hair gently. "It's OK. It's OK." He held her quietly
for a few moments. "I know this has been going too fast for you. I can wait
-- years, if that's what it takes. I'll try my best to do this the way you
want. Because all I want is for you to be happy. I don't want you to be
frightened."
She shivered again. "It's... it's what I want that I'm afraid of..."
*****
The next morning, Ryouga insisted on walking Akane and Ranko to school. No,
on *leading* Akane and Ranko to school. They reached the gates, then paused.
Ranko looked up at him, and blushed. She was still overwhelmed by what had
happened on the roof last night. "I'll... I'll see you tonight." A grin
split her face as her humor returned a little. "It's so weird to be able to
count on something like that!"
He smiled, and moved to kiss her. "No, not here in front of everyone!" she
protested, but it was too late.
"You there! Hibiki! How dare you attempt to kiss the beauteous Saotome
Ranko!"
All three sighed and turned around to face the Blue Thunder of Fuurinkan
High School. Meanwhile, heads popped out of windows like dandelions from a
lawn after a spring rain.
"Did he say 'kiss'?" "I thought she liked girls! Damn, I coulda asked her
out!" "Didn't they used to fight all the time?" "Whoa, way to go,
Ranko-chan!"
Ranko sighed and put her hand over her eyes.
Kunou didn't like being ignored. "Answer me, cur!"
Ryouga, *please* don't say it in front of the whole school...
"Hey! She's my girlfriend, OK?! I'll kiss her if I want to!"
He said it...
"Girlfriend?!" "Man, I missed my chance! Now it's too late!" "But he wanted
to kill her! I wonder when they made up?" "Wow... I guess she's a girl after
all..." "*Definitely* way to go, Ranko-chan!" "Think they've done 'it' yet?"
Ranko turned bright red, and Akane's battle aura started to glow.
Kunou spluttered. "You dare pretend to the honor of companion to the
fire-haired maiden? It is an outrage! I will not permit it!" He charged at
Ryouga, his bokken raised.
Ryouga just stood there, watching Kunou, making no effort to move. The
bokken swung towards Ryouga's undefended side, and Ranko's heart leapt into
her throat. She wanted to leap and intercept the bokken herself, but she had
waited too long, expecting Ryouga to *do* something. She felt a scream
coming...
At the last moment, Ryouga, who had been watching the bokken carefully,
reached out one finger and said quietly, "Bakusai Tenketsu." The bokken
touched his finger and promptly exploded, peppering Kunou with wood
fragments. The kendoist stopped, and slowly toppled over.
Ryouga grinned, and turned to Ranko. "Works every time. You know..." He
trailed off. Ranko was staring at him, tears running down her face.
"R-Ranko?"
"Did you have to show off like that?! I... I thought he was going to *hurt*
you!" Akane drew a sharp breath. Several of the girls watching from the
windows sighed.
Ryouga's heart twisted a little, in a way both painful and exhilarating. "I,
uhhh... Even if he had, it wouldn't have hurt much. You know me." He grinned
sheepishly. "I'm... I'm sorry..."
Ranko stared at him for a long moment, then blushed deeply. His embrace was
so gentle, and it had been so long since they had fought, she had forgotten
he had the strength of a monster. This was a man who could stop a charging
boar with one hand. "Oh... right. Heh." Oh, Kami-sama, did I ever just make
a fool of myself, and in front of the whole school. Ranko no baka...
She wiped her tears away. Still blushing, she nodded. "I'll... I'll see you
later, OK?"
He smiled. "OK."
Ranko and Akane -- who was trying desperately to keep a smile off her face
-- turned and walked into the school. Ranko continued to blush and look at
the ground as she walked, trying hard to ignore the fact that the thought of
Ryouga being hurt had frightened her terribly.
Ryouga watched them enter the school, and just stood there for a while. He
sighed, turned away, and started to walk back to the Tendou Dojo, listening
to the directions coming through his earphone. He hadn't been to school in
so long, and it embarrassed him. How could he hope to run his own dojo, not
even having attended high school? He shook his head. What was the use? He
couldn't very well attend school if he got lost all the...
Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes wide. He slowly turned around and looked back
at the school.
*****
Ranko was headed from the restroom towards the cafeteria for lunch when
Sayuri walked up to her. The rest of her class had already gone on ahead,
and Ranko was surprised that Sayuri had not as well. "Ranko-chan?"
Ranko felt a little nervous; Sayuri looked quite serious. "Yes,
Sayuri-chan?"
"I just wanted to give you something. I think you'll find it really useful
considering what's going on in your life right now."
Ranko was nonplussed. "Really? Th-thank you. What... what is it?"
Sayuri pressed something into her hands; it felt like a... book? "This. I
really think it will come in handy."
Ranko nodded uncertainly, and Sayuri turned and started to walk away.
Ranko looked at what was in her hands; it was a large glossy magazine.
"Graceful Wedding..." Suddenly, she turned beet red. "Sayuri-channnn!!" She
heard laughter drifting from down the hall, and took off in pursuit.
She paused at the school entrance; had Sayuri gone outside? She thought so.
She decided to put on her outside shoes and go check.
After a couple of minutes, she took a last look around, and gave up; Sayuri
was nowhere to be seen. She must have been mistaken about the way her friend
had gone.
She allowed herself a laugh; Sayuri was too good a friend to have meant it
as anything other than good-natured teasing after her display in front of
the school that morning. She looked at the magazine she was holding and
laughed again. As if she would need to read something like this!
Five minutes later, she was deep into the magazine, checking out the
photographs, and wandering back towards the school to eat. She was just
wondering how she would look in the wedding gown on page 110 when she bumped
into a tree. She looked up in confusion. Hadn't she been heading towards the
school? Where was she?
Suddenly, a hideous thought occurred to her: "Oh, Kami-sama, I kissed him,
and it's CONTAGIOUS!!" She looked around and caught sight of the school,
then realized where she was and let out a sigh of relief. She snorted at
herself for thinking of such an outlandish idea; she had merely been
distracted and not watching where she was going. It was a good thing Sayuri
hadn't been around to see her that engrossed in the magazine. Feeling more
than a little silly, she stuck it under her arm and headed back; she would
have to hurry to have time enough to eat lunch.
She was about to enter the cafeteria when Yuka intercepted her, eyeing the
magazine. "Ranko-chan, I don't think it would be a good idea to take that
into the cafeteria right now." She looked worried.
Ranko smiled. "It's a very good idea! I need to give it back to its rightful
owner." She winked. "In full view of everyone else." She offered an evil
grin and marched in, the magazine still under her arm. Yuka was left talking
to empty air, and scrambled to follow her.
She spotted Sayuri and her other friends at their usual table, and headed
over. Time for a little payback teasing. There was a male student sitting at
the table as well, though she couldn't see his face. All the better. Let's
see, she thought, how about "Sayuri-chan, here's your magazine back. I know
you couldn't bear to part with it for long!"
As she marched up to the table, Sayuri spotted her and turned pale. She
tried to wave Ranko off, her eyes filled with panic. Her mouth was saying
"No... no... no..." silently. Ranko grinned. This was going to be fun.
Akane spotted her and turned ashen, and started making warding motions too.
Ranko stopped behind the boy and said "Oh, not you too, Sis."
The boy turned around, and Ranko's heart stopped. It was Ryouga, in a
Fuurinkan uniform. And she had a thick bridal magazine under her arm.
"There you are! I was wondering what was keeping you." He stood up and
spread out his arms, showing off the uniform. "So, what do you think?"
"R... R... R..." was all she could manage.
"Surprised, huh? I figured that now that I can find my way around, I could
start going to school again, so I registered here this morning." He smiled.
"I want to run my own dojo, and I need an education for that." He put his
hand behind his head, a little embarrassed. "I've got some catching up to
do."
Abject terror and pride warred in Ranko's heart. Abject terror was winning.
"That's... that's really wonderful, Ryouga! W-w-what a surprise!"
He laughed. "Yeah. All your friends just about turned white when I showed up
at the table here! Guess I surprised them, too." His eyes spotted something.
"What's that?"
Ranko swallowed. "What's what?"
"That thing under your arm. It looks like a thick magazine."
Yuka sidled up behind Ranko, and surreptitiously slid the magazine out from
under her arm as she went past. Ranko tried to persuade her heart to stop
pounding.
She lifted her arms. "I don't have anything under my arms. See?" She
shrugged cutely. Yuka walked casually around the table and sat down -- on
top of something. Ranko glared at Sayuri, whose face showed miserable
embarrassment, and whose eyes spoke of profound, heartfelt apologies.
Ryouga frowned. "That's odd, I could've sworn..."
Ranko smiled shakily. "I'll... I'll be right back. I forgot my bento."
Akane spoke up. "I already brought yours, Sis." She pointed at the
cloth-wrapped box at the empty seat next to Ryouga's.
Ranko sat down next to Ryouga, and shivered. That had been close...
As she started to calm down, she finally was able to focus on Ryouga's good
news. She took his arm and smiled. "Ryouga, I'm so happy for you. I know how
much missing school has bothered you. Congratulations." Ryouga was grinning
from ear to ear, and they just looked at each other for a long moment.
Ranko's friends smiled, the prank gone awry forgotten for the time being.
Yuka's thoughts went to the contents of the magazine she was sitting on, and
she sighed.
Later, when it was time for PE, Ranko and Ryouga walked towards the locker
rooms together. "Watch out in the locker room. When they find out you turn
into a girl, they'll try to splash you." Ranko blushed. "I always just beat
them up, and it seemed to hold them off for a few months."
Ryouga snorted and cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry." They reached the
locker room doors and paused. "Thanks for the heads up."
She grinned impishly. "Hey, we girls have to stick together... Ryouko-chan."
She winked, and he gave her a sour look, but didn't say anything; her
teasing didn't really bother him any more. They parted.
In the locker room Ranko was startled to find herself mobbed by more of her
friends.
Megumi said "Ranko-chan, he is majorly cute! Way to go, girl!"
The other girls chimed in their agreement. "The whole school is talking
about you guys!" Ranko sighed; when was the whole school *not* talking about
her?
One of the other girls feigned a pout. "Why didn't I notice how cute he was
before? His first day at school and he's taken already! No fair!" Everyone
laughed.
As she changed her clothes for PE, she wondered what she would have thought
six months ago if someone had told her that by the end of the year, she
would be in the girl's locker room, being congratulated for having a
"majorly cute" boyfriend. She giggled. Or that she was Akane's long lost
"twin sister", or that she would be thinking very seriously of becoming a
violinist instead of a martial arts sensei. She shook her head. Wow.
Sometimes, just thinking about all this still overwhelmed her.
She finished changing, straightened up, and gently closed her locker.
"Ranma" would have run for the hills, terrified of what such a life
represented. But she wouldn't trade her life right now for anything; she was
too happy, even with all the pressures and uncertainties of her relationship
with Ryouga. She smiled slightly, her eyes unfocused, and again silently
thanked Kami-sama for what had happened last summer. Thank you for letting
me be me...
Akane walked up, and tilted her head, almost as if she knew what was going
through Ranko's mind. They smiled wordlessly at each other, then headed off
to the gym.
*****
End Chapter 12