Hi everyone -

	Merry Christmas, Bah Humbug, and all that... I recently got an idea for
a cute, sappy little Christmas Ranma fic, and it's not too long, so if
there's a flood of Christmas fics, could you please take the time to
read mine and give me a little C&C on it? (This is my first Ranma fic.) 
Also, please send all C&C to me via private e-mail, as I'm no longer
subbed to the FFML.  Since I wanted to make this original, I wrote it
from Tendou Souun's POV, and keep in mind that I've never seen the
Tendou Family Christmas Scramble OAV, so if it seems similar to that in
any way, it's pure coincidence.  Above all, please enjoy...


-- 
==Miyu==

"Beliefs are dangerous.  Beliefs allow the mind to stop functioning.  A
non-fuctioning mind is clinically dead.  *  Believe in nothing..."
--TOOL

http://home.earthlink.net/~jardin/

jardin@earthlink.net
miyu-chan@geocities.com
oltros@geocities.com for Final Fantasy related threads


____THE FIC______

	"Ranma no BAKA!!" *clunk*  I looked up from my paper to see Akane
chasing Ranma with a large wooden spoon.  Kasumi looked on nearby,
troubled at the not-uncommon sight, and Nabiki chuckling under her
breath.  I sighed.
	"Boy?"
	Ranma's head jerked up, and he rubbed the lump forming behind his ear. 
"Yeah, Tendou-san?"
	"Ranma, my boy," I began, putting a hand on his shoulder.  He gave me
an exasperated look.  "Ranma.  Now, what did you say to Akane?"
	"I just said it looked like she needed some help.. um.. cooking.."
Ranma glanced apprehensively over his shoulder, fully expecting to be
whapped again, then lowered his voice.  "I bet Kodachi could make better
cookies than that--"
	"Ranma, I heard that!"  Akane reached up to hit Ranma again, just
missing as he slipped under the table.  "You're such a jerk!"  With
that, my daughter threw her spoon down on the table and stomped off into
the kitchen. Kasumi closely followed her, murmuring encouragements,
alternately asking her if she needed help with the recipe.
	I went back to my paper, and Nabiki to her laptop and business
magazine, and not a moment later did flames start shooting from the
kitchen.  Akane ran out shrieking and beating the fire with her apron,
Kasumi on hand with the fire extinguisher.
	"Akane, maybe you should let me help you with the cookies.."
	"I can .. do it my...self!" Akane said forcefully.  "I don't...
need help!"
	"Or at least let me put out the fire..."  Before Akane could retort,
Kasumi had generously sprayed the flames.  She then spied Ranma
underneath the table, who was clinging to one of the legs.  "Ranma?" 
Kasumi bent over to peer at Ranma.  "Will you go to the market for me,
please?  I need a few things." She pushed a list beneath the table, then
pulled Akane back into the kitchen.
	"Akane, would you heat this water for me?"
	After seeing Kasumi gone, Nabiki looked under the table as well.
	"Ranma... what _are_ you doing?"
	"Er... I.. I'm going to the market for Kasumi.  Seeya!"  He bolted from
the house as if Akane were pursuing him with her mallet.
	"Daddy?"
	"Yes, Nabiki?"  I looked up from my paper once more.  At this rate, I
would never finish it by the time Saotome-kun was ready for our morning
game of Go.
	"Why exactly are we celebrating Christmas, again?  It's a Western
holiday, and such an expensive one."
	"Well..." I shook my paper once, then began to fold it.  "It was
Kasumi's idea, really.  She does love having parties, you know, and I
certainly can't wait to sample her Christmas dinner."  My stomach
rumbled at the thought.
	Nabiki sighed.  "Yes, Daddy, I suppose.  But we really can't afford it
this year, not with all these gifts that are supposed to come with
Christmas - and what about that tree?"  She motioned to a large pine
tree I had ordered from a countryside nursery.  "It cost a fortune, and
then the decorations..."
	"Nabiki," I took her hand across the table.  "It's supposed to be a
time of giving and togetherness.  Think of Ranma and Akane.. now, if we
can only get those two together..."
	Nabiki sighed again.  I could tell she was upset over something, but it
wasn't like Nabiki to let that show.  "Well, I guess we can go on a
tighter budget later this year, to make up for it.  I'm going out for a
bit."  She stood, gazing at my hand for a moment before patting it and
setting it down on the table.


	Later that night, I sat at our table once more, wearing my formal
hakama. Snow gently fell outside, creating a strange hush over Nerima. 
I faintly heard a bicycle bell in the distance as the door burst open
and Ranma, now noticably female, staggered in.
	"Kas.. Kasumi?" He held out a frozen package.  "I have your onions."
	Kasumi appeared from the kitchen once more, holding a mop in one hand. 
She smiled softly, taking the packet from Ranma.  "Why, thank you,
Ranma.  Would you care for some hot cocoa?"  Ranma nodded eagerly, then
sat at the table across from me, taking off his blue jacket and rubbing
his... er, her, arms.  "Would you, Father?"
	I smiled.  "That would be wonderful, Kasumi.  How is your Christmas Eve
dinner coming?"
	"Almost ready!  Ranma, why don't you change while I get the cocoa?" 
	Ranma nodded again, running down the hall to her and Saotome-kun's
room. Just as she did so, Nabiki entered quietly, brushing snow from her
fine brown hair.  She looked a little dejected, then her eyes lighted up
mischeviously as she spied Ranma in his female form.
	"Ranma!  C'mere a minute..."
	I looked up again to see Nabiki chasing Ranma, who was barely dressed,
the strap of a black dress hanging over her shoulder.
	"Nabiki, I'm a _boy_!"
	Another moment later, and she ran by in a purple mini-skirt and a
low-cut white shirt, closely pursued by Nabiki, holding a sweater.
	"But, Ranma, you look so cute!"
	"Blleah!"  She stuck her tongue out as she ran by in a sailor fuku.
	"Ranma!"
	I chuckled, shaking my head.  Saotome-kun stood by in his panda form,
holding a sign that read "Ranma, what kind of man are you?"
	Ranma's retort of "Like you're one to talk!" came a moment later as she
frantically tried to hide from Nabiki, who had dressed her in a showgirl
costume.  Wherever did she find that...
	"Saotome-san, Ranma, dinner is ready!"
	"Awwff, grrrf, Krsgmi.  There's nothing like your cooking," Saotome-kun
sighed happily as he poured some warm water over his head.  Ranma
managed to pull the tea kettle away from Saotome-kun and turn back into
a boy, already changed into his more formal green shirt and black pants.
	The family crowded around for Kasumi's mouth-watering feast, Ranma and
Saotome-kun devouring most of it beneath Akane's glare.
	"Really, Ranma!  You could save some for the rest of us, you know."
	Ranma made a face, then proceeded to stuff more rice into his mouth.
	"Well, now, Akane, a young boy like that should have a good, healthy
appetite," I began, only to be cut off by my daughter.
	"He eats worse than a pig!  Even P-chan has better manners.
Honestly!"  She picked up a slice of water chestnut in her chopsticks,
then held it up for P-chan to nibble at.  "Such a good boy, P-chan!" 
Ranma's face contorted weirdly as she snuggled her face next to the
piglet's.
	"Akane..."
	"What now, Ranma?"
	"P-chan.. he..."
	"What?"
	Ranma had no reply, but to stick his tongue out at P-chan.
	*smack* "Ranma, don't pick on P-chan!  Really, jealous of a pig!"
	Ranma rubbed his head in the spot that the rice cooker had impacted.
	"Uncute tomboy!"
	"Pervert!"
	"Akane!" Kasumi gently admonished her sister. "Ranma!  Christmas is
only once a year, and it's supposed to be a time of giving and
kindness.  Please..."
	Both perpetrators looked rather sheepish.  "Sorry, Kasumi," Ranma
mumbled.
	"Akane, would you like to help me get dessert?"
	It was all Akane could do to nod, and follow Kasumi to the kitchen. 
They reappeared a moment later with a pudding and a large plate of
cookies.  Strangely enough, the cookies were a bluish color, with yellow
centers, and appeared to be giving off some sort of radiation.
	"Mmm, that pudding looks delicious, Kasumi-chan!"  Saotome-kun was
already heaping his plate full, Ranma battling him for the food.
	"Hey, pop, don't take it all!  Leave some for me!"
	"Um..." Akane looked uncomfortable as she stood, holding the plate of
cookies.  "Does... does anyone want a cookie?"
	Ranma looked nervously at the plate, as if he expected it to bite him
at any moment.
	"Ranma, my boy," I smiled. "How about you sample one for us?"
	His face twitched as he regarded the cookies.  "Ah..."
	What was wrong with the boy?  His fiancee baked those cookies
especially for tonight and he wouldn't even sample one...
	"Ack!  Fine, I'll try one!"  Strange, how he suddenly changed his
mind.  Ah, well, it's for the best.
	"Atta boy, Ranma."
	"Whatever."
	Akane watched Ranma closely as he gingerly lifted a cookie from the top
of the pile, then sniffed it, his face changing colors slightly.
	"I..."
	One more glare from Akane caused Ranma to quickly take a large bite.
	"Well, Ranma?"  The look of hope on my girl's face was so touching, so
sweet.  It was plain that she'd put a lot of effort into this dessert,
and her smile showed that she had so much optimism for her result.
	Ranma attempted to speak, but no sound came out of his mouth.  His eyes
bugged out, as if he were being strangled, and his body began to twitch.
	He looked up at Akane, and he saw the hope in her eyes, and something
came over him.  He managed to stop the twitching, and swallowed what was
left of the cookie, blinking tears from his eyes.  Ah, her smile must
have touched the boy so much...
	"Ranma?"
	"They... they taste... ..."
	Ranma looked about himself, aware of everyone's eyes upon him.
	"Well...?"
	"..... they taste great, Akane."
	P-chan's eyes grew wide, as he craned his neck to peer at Akane's
face.  She nearly dropped the little piglet, nestled in her arm, as the
weight of Ranma's compliment settled in.
	"Ranma..."
        "Ranma..."
        Her look of shock gave way to a beautiful smile, and Akane
gently placed one hand upon Ranma's shoulder, letting it drop down his
arm until she held his hand and softly squeezed.  Ranma, expecting to be
torn limb from limb, looked up in confusion, then relaxed a bit when he
saw Akane's sweet smile.
	"Arigatou.. Ranma."
	That scene, captured forever by the click of Nabiki's camera, was the
most wonderful gift I could have ever recieved... the happiness of my
little girl.  I managed to wipe a single tear from my eye, seeing
Saotome-kun do the same, before I burst into weeping.
	"Oh my."
	What a lovely holiday, Christmas is.  We really must do this again
sometime.

_________
Fin.