Memories (a Ranma 1/2 fanfic)
by Nikholas "Mayhem" F. Toledo
To those of you who have the time to check and read your mail and find
this vain attempt in literature, thank you.
The author had been reading fanfics for some time now and has decided to
leave his mark as well. This is my first foray into this art form and
there will be some grammar and spelling errors.
To those of you who would want to give comments of suggestions, please
understand that I cannot answer your mail immediately since I *don't*
have an Internet account at home as of yet and the lines at the place
where I have access are verrrryyyy, verrrryyyy looonnnngggg. Please do
understand.
Perhaps this part should be reserved to thank those special people who
need to be thanked. And it is!
Special thanks to the Rumic One for the fantastic world of Ranma which we
common people who in a million years will not find the creativity to
write (and draw) a world like this.
Thank you also to Nikholas "Switch" F. Toledo who introduced me to Ranma
as a whole and to the fanfic world. See to it that you read NFT fics for
their freshness and vibrant... stuff inside.
And of course for the Great Writer (fanfic and otherwise) for everything
else...
The Ranma 1/2 Universe was created and therefore owned by Rumiko
Takahashi, Viz Communications and Shogakukan. If you do own Ranma and I
have failed to mention you, that is because I am not worthy to even write
your name since you are really incredible people and earn a million
dollars just to write up the characters in the Ranma 1/2 title. I would
also declare that I will not get a single cent from this work and that I
am only doing this to pass away time and for my own personal artistic
fulfillment.
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|Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!|
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Chapter Two
A Moment's Respite
There are rather odd times of the day in Nerima where, from the
regular chaos, there comes a brief period of order. These are, of
course, at dawn (because of the rather long reason stated in the last
chapter), the early afternoon (where some people have the tendency to
snooze and it would be too hot for perverts to do their work), and
whenever it rains (frilly things disappear from window ledges to avoid
getting wet).
There is also the time after sunrise to around after breakfast,
which comes only to certain areas of the town. For the Tendo-Saotome
families, the master would be out of the house, creating trouble
elsewhere. The two other trouble-producing elements, Ranma and Akane,
would be currently too busy doing their own morning rituals to mind each
other. (That is, of course, until Akane enters the bath, to which Ranma,
not of his conscious knowledge, will follow and *WHAM*.)
Nabiki was allergic to quiet times like this, due to her want of
action. There are moments where it seems nothing will happen for the
rest of the day and she was in the middle of it. Having dressed up in
the generic school uniform, she waited patiently for breakfast, patience
being one of the virtues a person close to martial artists would
inherently get.
Taking care not to place too much weight on the 10th step, (which
was cracked by the way,) she stalked downstairs, now using this lull to
take care of other matters.
The phone was located near the front entrance at the foot of the
stairs. Dialing the number from her black book, she waited for the
connection to be made. After a few seconds wait, the phone rang at the
other end. "Hello," a distinctly muffled voice answered. "Who is this?"
"Is this the Kuno Mansion? I would like to speak to Kuno. Tell
him it's Akane Tendo." There was the sound of running as the master of
the house hurried to the phone.
"Oh, Akane Tendo, my love! At last, you cast away your shyness and
show your burning love for me! My love for you is as strong as the
tides, as enduring as the mountains, etc. etc." Nabiki had to increase
the distance between the receiver and her ear as the Blue Thunder
delivered his messages of love in a slightly loud voice.
"Kuno! KUNO!"
The voice stopped. Then it resumed again. "Who are you, fiend!
How dare you impersonate the fair Akane Tendo! I SHALL FIND THEE AND
SMITE THEE INTO THE GROUND!!!"
"Kuno, it's Nabiki."
He calmed down. "So, it is the middle sister of Akane Tendo. Tell
me, what is your need for such an urgent communication so early this fine
morning?"
"We have a deal, remember? I have the pictures. Do not forget to
do your part."
"I am honorbound to our coalition. The objects you requested will
be there when you come to school."
"Thank you, Kuno. Remember, if this goes out, you will regret it."
"I shall keep our affairs in the deepest recesses. Goodbye, fair
Nabiki. Do not forget to send my love to your sister, know that you know
how much I love her..."
The phone clicked and Nabiki set the receiver down. "At least
that's finished." That was the second time that day that she had to talk
to someone that had a screw loose in their main processing device. This
scheme better return profit or people will get hurt.
Then for a brief second, she felt lighthearted and warm inside,
something she had felt very rarely. But the moment she acknowledged its
presence, it disappeared just as suddenly. "Must have been the
weather..."
Ukyo had already eaten breakfast. While cooking earlier, she had
found that she had few ingredients left over. "Do I still have to go
out?" she sighed, noticing what a great state of disarray her abode was
in. She won't be needing new supplies anyway after--
Then she remembered. It was a Monday and Ranchan would be in
school. She couldn't let him eat the food served at the cafeteria, since
the cooking there was almost akin to Akane's. Also, that hussy Shampoo
will also think of the same thing. And there could be those certain
ingredients Shampoo would certainly add that would elicit certain
reactions from Ranma which would certainly not be to her liking.
Oh well...
The morning shone in all its beauty as Ukyo sang a happy tune on
her way to the market. The just-risen sun had not warmed the atmosphere
and the dew hung lightly on the grass. There was a distinct freshness to
the air. The happy tune became even happier...
Until she noticed a slight change in Nerima's skyline. "Wasn't
there supposed to be a building over there?" Curious, she decided to
take an alternate route that wound its way past where the structure used
to be. Arriving at the site, the erection had been reduced to a pile of
rubble and there was this certain martial artist in the middle of it.
"Curse you, RANMA!!!" Ryoga roared to the near-dawn sky. Buried
from the neck down in building remnants, he did the only thing that any
person would do. He tried to free himself. However, the beans he ate
for his early morning breakfast decided to do something really horrible
to his stomach. "Eep," he stuttered as the Hibiki digestive system went
into a gastric meltdown. "What would I do for anti-constipation
medicine?" he asked himself, and found out that thinking made his bottom
feel a little bit heavier. He blanked his mind, not even daring to think
of anything, even Akane. Uh-oh... too late.
Martial artists have to have control over their body, even normal
bodily functions. But in situations like this, control seems to leave
when you need it the most.
When the sun rose up, Ryoga was filled with hope since people would
be coming by, if he was not using all of his concentration to prevent
that thing to go down the drain rather prematurely. When Ukyo came up to
him, his eyes were glossed over. Ryoga did not even recognize her at
first, taking a long time gazing at her face. Ukyo felt a slight flush
wash over her.
"Ukyo, help me..." Ryoga squeaked. His voice was not as loud as it
used to be.
"Sure, hon," Ukyo snapped out of reverie. She shook her head,
trying to remove the cobwebs. "I must have imagined it..." She dug him
out, wondering why he couldn't do it himself. The answer became
apparent.
Ryoga was sweating hard. "Ukyo, can I use your bathroom?" Before
Ukyo could even say yes, he ran away like a bat out of hell. Worried
that Ryoga would get lost, as usual, she ran with him, having trouble
catching up. Ryoga's largely unused sense of direction kicked into
overdrive, taking the direct route to Ucchan's (a straight line), bashing
through houses, the Cat Cafe (the store was on the other side of the
vacant lot across the street from the wrecked building), trees, laughing
martial artists (Duh?), a water fountain (he ran too fast for the cold
water to even touch him), even taking out part of the front of Ucchan's
before finally settling down to the foremost destination in mind.
(To avoid any gross explanations and to keep the reader from
suffering the same fate as Ryoga, the author will avoid describing any of
the character's activities in the little boy's room. All the author will
say is that for a brief period of time lasting for around a quarter of an
hour, Ryoga would have kissed the hand of the blessed owner of the
fabulous contraption he was sitting on.)
Mousse had been transformed back by Shampoo and was now helping
clean up the mess he had made earlier that day. He picked up the plates
and was currently fixing the tables when he overheard the following
conversation (and sound effects) from the kitchen:
<Sound of ladle stirring liquid (soup) in stainless steel cauldron>
"Must be breakfast," Mousse thought.
<Sound of pages being turned>
"Uh oh, sounds like the BIG BOOK," Mousse thought again.
Shampoo: "Granma, where put Powerful Love Potion #276?"
"Sounds like really powerful stuff," Mousse alarmingly thought.
Cologne (from somewhere else): "Herbs like that are too strong to
keep in the spice rack. It's here with me in the cellar."
"The spice rack! That's what made me sneeze!" Mousse slapped his
hand on his forehead. "It's a good thing Shampoo didn't check the
cupboard or she would have found the whole thing in disarray." And guess
who will be for dinner...
Mousse waited until...
<Sounds of Shampoo moving towards the cellar>
"Now!"
Mousse ran towards the kitchen and took out the more basic tools a
Master of Hidden Weapons should never leave home without.
"Scattered powder gatherer and bottler!"
<Sound of powder being gathered and bottled>
"Universal Tool Kit!"
<Sound of Spice Rack being reassembled>
<Sound of Shampoo returning to kitchen>
<Sound of Spice Rack being reassembled in a hurry>
Shampoo: "Mousse, what you doing?"
<Sound of Spice Rack finished and cupboard door being shut
discreetly>
"Gotta think fast..." Mousse started to sweat. "Uh, I was just
tasting your wonderful cooking, Shampoo!"
Shampoo: "Okay..."
<Sound of Powerful Love Potion #276 being placed on the kitchen
counter>
<Sound of Mousse being slammed around the kitchen pathetically>
"Ouch!" "Pain." "Mommy!"
*WHAM*
Mousse fell in a blooded heap on the floor.
"Serves you right, tasting husband lunch," she wiped her hands.
"There no way in world that I get to marry you, stupid duck brain."
It was then that Ryoga decided to take a shortcut passing through
the Cat Cafe.
<Really loud sound of Ryoga passing through the Cat Cafe>
<Sound of sneezes as dust entered Shampoo's nasal openings>
When the dust settled, a new door from the kitchen to the dining
room to the back in the shape of Ryoga was formed. Debris littered the
floor. The kitchen counter and the newly fixed tables were destroyed.
However, there was something else missing...
"HO-HO-HO-HO!" Kodachi Kuno was really happy. The lipstick that
she had been working on all night was finished and today will see its
first field test. "Ranma Saotome, your lips will be mine at last."
Jumping from roof to roof, she went on a direct line to the high school.
She did not notice the other person also on a direct line but
having a relatively different objective.
*SLAM*
Kodachi was shot back by the impact of the intestinally challenged
Ryoga. She twisted in midair to achieve a proper fall, as gymnasts were
trained from birth to do. However, the place where she was landing was
definitely not a carpeted exercise hall.
A dumpster decorated the rarely seen back of the Cat Cafe. Today,
a large population of cats congregated around it, as if waiting,
watching. Kodachi fell like a angel from heaven.
Instantly, when the contents of the dumpster were exposed, the cats
twisted and turned to give reverence to the great cat in the sky.
Kodachi rose up from the trash bin. "And I just took a bath," she
wailed. Seeing the cats and not understanding the homage they were
giving her, she blasted away to where her future husband was waiting.
The cats watched her until she had disappeared into the distance. Then
they scattered, spreading the gospel.
Powerful Love Potion #276
Formerly known as Love Potion #3493-A
(until the Lao-Tze potion reclassification system
gave it its present name.)
Its discovery was attributed to...
The formula must be ingested with hot liquid, preferably
ramen. This mixture must be used with extreme caution.
Inhalation would cause the subject to fall in love with the
first person seen after the first sneeze. The next nasal
seizure will revert the victim back to original emotional
attributes. Subsequently, the next sneezes will flip back
and forth the target from original and indoctrinated cardial
focus. Symptoms last a few days.
The effect is very similar to Opposite Potion #54 or commonly
known as Blue-Haired-Housewife-Turned-Blond-Rambo Formula
from its first successful test.*
(* This excerpt was taken from the Big Book of Chinese Amazon Cooking
(for dummies) 1598th edition published 1993 with permission from the
authors.)
Cologne worked quietly the massive storeroom below the Cat Cafe.
Rows upon rows of herbs and spices greeted her vision. She fixed the new
shipment from China and placed it in carefully labeled sacks with clearly
defined warnings on their use at the back. The sacks were then placed on
shelves, or refrigerated for the more fragile foodstuffs. Thanks to the
Lao-Tze Classification system most modern Chinese Amazon storerooms
implement, she was able to find the potion Shampoo was looking for rather
quickly. "#276 is rarely used, Shampoo," she lectured. "Remember, treat
herbs with care or you will be the one needing treatment." She handed
her the sack. "Thanks, Grandma," Shampoo happily ascended the stairs.
She wondered whether Shampoo was experienced enough to handle
spices that strong. There was always the danger of them backfiring on
you, or having the wrong effect, as what was the common problem with son-
in-law. She could also mix the wrong ingredients, resulting in a totally
different result, most frequently disaster. The laboratory-blowing
mixtures of the West were no match to the earth-shattering explosions
that occurred when inexperienced people fool around with Chinese herbs.
"There's always a first time for everybody," she thought, assuring
herself.
Assurance went out the window when an earth-shattering explosion
happened on the first floor of the Cat Cafe. "Shampoo!" she ran up the
stairs, and was shocked by what she saw.
Mousse woke up to find Shampoo peering over him with jaded eyes.
Then, a weird change took over her form. Jaded eyes were transformed,
becoming warm and friendly, an event Mousse saw sometimes whenever she
looks at Ranma and even rarely, very rarely when she looked at him. "Wo
ai ni," she whispered softly. Jaws dropped. "Eep," was all he could say
before Shampoo glomped him. "Oh, Mousse," she held on tightly to him,
"Shampoo sorry for bashing Mousse to ground." She sighed, looking at his
face. "Oh, Mousse..."
"Maybe this is going to be a nice day after all..." he thought.
Ukyo ran as fast as she could to catch up to Ryoga. She didn't
have the trouble losing him anyway, as an easily discernible path of
destruction led directly to her quarry. Jumping over buildings, she
kicked a pail of water that happened to be blocking her way, dumping its
contents on a very angry couple. The shouts turned to animal sounds.
"Sorry!" she yelled back. "Gotta hurry, or Ryoga would get lost."
Nearing the path's end, she was surprised to find the Ucchan's.
"Hey, his mind's working properly!" The door was wrecked and the same
amount of damage the Cat Cafe had had that morning was experienced by the
okonomiyaki shop. Walking inside, the trail led to the lavatory, proof
of the superiority of the Hibiki navigational instinct, when used.
Ukyo waited for the occupant to finish with his business, thinking
of the momentary loss of awareness when Ryoga looked at her. Why did she
feel a warm rush? Martial artists should have complete control over all
bodily functions and that includes emotional expressions as well. She
had been always able to prevent herself from revealing any indication of
what was happening in her heart at any time, except from Ranma. Does
that mean that she cared for.... She couldn't answer that. Ranma was
the only one... Ranma was the only one in her heart, as it was then, now
and--
There was the sound of falling water inside the room. But that was
not the only thing that went a-flushing.
Ryoga was soo happy! Having finished his primary objective, he
wanted desperately to thank the proud owner of the magnificent machine
and kiss her hand and.... He stopped. Kiss her hand? What was he
thinking? He had reserved his first kiss, hand and otherwise, to the
only person he loved. Now he was thinking of giving it away just to
Ukyo? He loved Akane alone, no matter who she chose. He will love her
for the rest of his life. Then why did he feel so warm inside just
thinking of her? He shrugged it off, "must have been the beans getting
to me..." He opened the door and found said owner staring into his face.
"Uh oh..." as another thing went a-flushing.
Ranma was currently busy fixing the mess that he did not make.
The anger he had felt inside him began to wear off as time passed by, due
to the sheer amount of ladies' wear. That Akane, always hitting him
before he could have a chance to explain. Macho chick. He wondered why
he ever protected her from all those perverts and monsters and villains
who came to Nerima every so often. All he gets for thanks is that
blasted hammer in his face. It was his dumb father fault, promising
things that he couldn't keep, expecting his son to honor the agreement.
He was a martial artist, he shouldn't think of fiancées and stuff like
that. Why didn't he just leave? Why not go to China and go to the
Spring of Drowned Man to be rid of this curse? That would have been a
better way to spend his time instead of staying with stupid Akane. Not
that he didn't try. How many times has he planned of leaving and yet
returned? What kept him there? It was that same girl who drives him
away. That same chick that was the worst cook in the world.
There were times that Akane was nice. And cute, too. Whenever she
was not mad at anything, she had this nice smile...
He remembered the first time they went to Dr. Tofu's. He tried to
stop it, but the feeling of jealousy kept coming up. He had wished Akane
would be that gentle to him. He couldn't even believe she could be that
compassionate. Then, Dr. Tofu said, "Akane is a very understanding girl.
You will find that out soon, anyway," and hit a pressure point. On the
way home, his legs gave out and Akane had to carry her. He did not want
to, at first, since it would be embarrassing since he was "a guy and guys
have to be the ones to carry girls." Akane poured cold water over him as
a compromise and piggy-backed her home. How the stars shone that night!
Everything seemed to stop as he held his hands loosely around her. He
remembered the soft smell of perfume that wafted in his nose as he gently
placed his head on her shoulder. He regretted having shouted at her, but
what was done was done.
"Her hair was still long then..." he thought. He cared for her a
lot, even though he wouldn't admit it, even to himself. He hated
himself, he hated himself for saying the wrong things to her. Just that
when he opens his mouth, all that keeps coming out are Akane-bashers. He
couldn't tell her. He just can't. Whenever she was near tears, he
couldn't comfort her, fearing his presence would push her over the edge.
He wished that he was a better person. He couldn't let mentally unstable
people like Ryoga and Kuno ruin her life. He simply couldn't let any
pervert take her, anyone...
"Anyone but me..." he dared thought, and felt a soft fuzziness
around him. Snapping back, he finished the rest of the job. Dragging
himself to Akane's room, he placed the lacy objects in a neat stack
outside her door. Hearing movement inside, he knocked, not wanting to be
at the wrong place at the wrong time again. "Akane, I placed your things
by the door." He stood up to take his bath, adding, "and I did not take
those!" He wanted to say that he was sorry, but that might be taken as
admitting guilt. A heavy heart walked down the stairs. "There is always
tomorrow..."
Nabiki prowled in her younger sister's room. "I shouldn't have
fallen asleep," she murmured. Stealing was not really a mainstream
aspect of any of her schemes, even the most conniving ones, but desperate
times call for desperate measures. "If I was a picture, where would I
hide?" she asked. She had planned to take pictures of Akane while she
slept as additional trump cards; however, she herself fell asleep. Her
eyes lit up when she found Akane's pictures in a drawer but clouded when
she heard Ranma knock. "Akane, I placed your things by the door."
"Stupid, I didn't expect that." Nabiki was in trouble now. The whole
thing would be destroyed. "And I did not take those!" Ranma shouted as
he went downstairs. She breathed a sigh of relief. "That almost got
me." Achieving her goal, she discreetly went out of the room. "I guess
excitement will come soon enough," Nabiki thought as she noticed Ranma's
eventual destination.
Akane let her thoughts drift in the tub, quietly letting the suds
cleanse her lithe body. She remembered the dream she had last night. It
was during the play Romeo and Juliet. (The events that happened in the
real thing was way different from the version by Shakesphere, but she had
let Ranma kiss her, with tape over his lips, of course.) It was the
final scene where Ranma had some difficulty to kiss Akane. Akane asked,
"Ranma, do you hate me that much?" "No, if I did, then this would be
easy." He sighed and looked into her eyes and suddenly the stage and the
audience disappeared, and they were alone. "Akane, I do care for you,"
he whispered gently in her ear. "Oh, Ranma," she was overjoyed. "I've
waited so long for you to say that." Ranma reached and his hand softly
carressed her face. Then she woke up.
"It seemed so real...." Akane felt her face, the tingling
sensation still there when she opened her eyes. She wished that the
dream could have lasted a little bit longer. But it never does.
Waking up earlier, she had half-expected Ranma to still be that
way, to continue where they left off. She hoped that he would be nice to
her. But he even stole her underwear. "That jerk," she said aloud,
getting angry again. The temperature in the tub crept past her zone of
comfort as the battle aura she was emitting heated the water. She let go
of her hate and waited for the water to become more bearable. Her
thoughts cleared, she found out that she couldn't think of Ranma anymore
in a negative light.
She sighed. Ranma kept complaining that she never listens to him.
But, whenever she does, all she keeps hearing are, "macho chick, thick as
a brick, can't even kick," the list went on and on. Why does he keep
doing that? What did she ever do to him? Is it because of her? Is it
that he wants her away from him? Akane did not dare think of the
statement's affirmation.
Ukyo and Shampoo are better than her at everything. There's no way
she could win him back if he decides that one of them was better from him
than her. All she wants was that Ranma care for her as much as she cared
for him, although she wouldn't admit it to herself. What if she lost
him? There wasn't space for anyone in her heart. She felt so helpless
that she couldn't show her feelings to him, even when he was trying so
hard.
She even keeps hurting him, like the time in Ryugenzawa. She saw
how his heart went to pieces. She could see it in his eyes. Eyes trying
to cover the pain inside yet not succeeding. "Akane, why did you choose
him instead of me?" The words kept echoing in her mind, hurting her as
well. "But, Shinnosuke was dying," she tried to explain. She wanted so
much to throw her hands around him, to show him that she cared, to show
that everything would be all right. But nothing seemed to matter to him,
except that he had lost her forever. Akane was too afraid.
Ranma had almost killed himself in the battle with the Orochi
trying to save her. In the monster's mouth, thinking that she would die,
Akane wished for another chance. A chance to tell Ranma that he is the
one. She blacked out, waking up to see Ranma's face smiling over her.
"You and your crazy stunts." She could have told him then, thanking God
for the chance to see his face again, but Fate did not smile that day.
The Orochi continued on in its rampage. "Shinnosuke, take care of
Akane," could have been his last words had she not saved him.
Akane felt Ranma's love for him there, during the moments when it
counted. Ranma would die for her sake. When he thought he had lost her,
death seemed the only way out, to do the greatest battle against the
Orochi since life wasn't worth living anymore. Not without her. And
still, Akane couldn't respond. "Ranma, I'm sorry but I just can't."
Akane sobbed softly, tears diluting in the water, remembering how she
held his hand then on the way home and the long train ride, wanting to
tell him then, but still too afraid. The only person she knew who cared
for her so much. And she just punched him into the ground just this
morning. "Maybe I doesn't deserve him. Maybe I should marry Kuno. Why
can't I tell him? What's wrong with me? Why can't I just say it." She
took a deep breath. "Ranma, I care for you..." she said softly to
herself, and felt a warm flush.
She didn't hear the bathroom door open and then close.
Ranma dragged himself downstairs. He did it again. He should have
said sorry then. Maybe she's mad at him. Very mad. Passing the
kitchen, the smell of breakfast cooking failed to raise his spirits.
Entering the bathroom, he took off his clothes and put them in the nearby
hamper. "Oh, Akane, I'm sorry for all the mean things I keep saying," he
spoke softly to himself, practicing. What if that was the final straw?
What if he was booted out of the house? What if he really lost her?
"Akane, I wish that I could tell you straight out. I care for you..."
he did not know if he thought this or said it aloud, it just didn't
matter.
Two pairs of hands slid open the shower curtain, one going in, the
other going out...
Cologne found the future leader of the Chinese Amazon tribe glomp
the dumbest man on earth. "Oh no!" She knew she shouldn't have trusted
Shampoo with the formula. She rushed to stop them from doing something
Shampoo would regret in her proper senses, but was beaten to it by a pail
of cold water. "Sorry!" the departing martial artist yelled back.
Thanking her lucky stars, Cologne retrieved the cat, placing pepper on
her nose. Then she returned them to their proper form. Mousse, not
knowing better, glomped Shampoo. "You dirty old monkey! Your plans are
over! Shampoo loves me and will become the mother of my children!" A
large battle aura signaled Mousse of the futility of his last words.
<Really loud sounds of Mousse being bashed around kitchen, this
time for blood>
"PAIN!"
"STOP!"
"HELP!"
"MOMMY!"
"BLOOD!"
"DIE, MOUSSE!"
*WHAMMM!!!!*
Once again, the broken body of Mousse slammed on the floor.
"Pervert Mousse, you never touch Shampoo again!" Shampoo screamed,
kicking him for emphasis.
"Grandchild, why did you not take care of the formula as I said?"
"No fault, Granma. Place formula on counter then stupid lost boy
make kitchen all kaboom!"
"I knew this was not going to be a nice day. Shampoo, I think you
should finish your cooking in time for lunch for son-in-law, and take
extra precautions this time. Powerful Love Potion #276 symptoms last for
a few days." She continued on, warning Shampoo. "If Mousse shall take
your lips when you," she frowned at this, "are crazy, the indoctrinated
effect will become permanent. Surely you want Ranma to be your husband?"
"Yes, Granma! Shampoo make Mousse go to very bad place if he
tries."
Cologne made a mistake that Mousse was by now unconscious. Hanging
between light and dark, he grasped the importance of the past statements
before passing out.
Ryoga and Ukyo stared at each other in complete silence. The
toilet bowl had already finished its washing cycle and was ready for its
next occupant when anyone dared speak. "Ryoga," "Ukyo," they spoke at
the same time.
"Can I get you..." "Thanks for..."
"Don't mention..." "Sorry 'bout the..."
"It's okay..." "I'll fix it for..."
"No need, Ryoga. No need for repairs," she finally managed to get
a coherent sentence through. As an afterthought, she added, "for now..."
She was afraid Ryoga would see how red her face was.
Ryoga laughed nervously. His mind screamed, "gotta get out of here
before something happens." "I guess I better go now..." he chuckled,
backing out.
*GROWL*
Once again, Ryoga's stomach became a traitor.
In emergencies, the first stable thoughts that come to mind are the
most important. In house fires, "Where is (nearest of kin)." Lost in
the wilderness, "where's my compass?" While drowning, "where is the
surface?" In the process of falling from a great height, "did I pack a
parachute?" In front of a 16-wheeler truck, "did I make peace with
(beloved deity)?"
The situation where Ranma and Akane found themselves could be
considered to be a bona-fide emergency situation. At least in Ranma's
viewpoint.
"Did he/she hear me?"
"..."
"My face is so red, I hope Ranma/Akane couldn't see it."
"..."
"..."
"WHAT IS HE/SHE DOING IN THE BATH!!!"
"YOU JERK!!!/I'M DEAD!!!"
*SPLASH*
*SLAMMMM*
"You jerk!" Akane cannot believe she had been thinking nice
thoughts about the person currently suffocating underneath the bathroom
door. "Ranma, I don't believe you..." she screamed. Grabbing a towel,
she stomped over the door (and the one below it) and upstairs to her
room.
"What was that, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked as the *SLAMMMM* reverberated
through the house. Nabiki helped Kasumi take the plates (!) from the
kitchen to the dining room, perhaps to build up an alibi. "I don't know,
sis. Maybe someone getting what he deserved..."
"Who got what, Nabiki?" Soun questioned her from the dining table.
A cool breeze blew through the open door from the koi pond outside. Soun
sat quietly at the head of the table. "Don't tell me it's Ranma
again..." "Oh daddy, who else could it be entering the bathroom at this
time of the day." She smirked, remembering the other person also
entering bathrooms at the most inopportune time.
"You mean Ranma did it again?" Kasumi cheeringly entered the room,
bringing the fried eggs.
Nabiki and his father bigsweated. "Huh?" "WHAT?" (respectively)
"You mean you forgot, Nabiki? You were there when it happened.
Ranma almost came rushing in when I was taking a bath." Soun's eyes
bulged out. "Good thing the shower curtain's closed or..."
"You mean Ranma tried to peep on you?" Nabiki asked, incredulous
that her bigger sister did not know who was the real guilty party.
"Hey, I heard that!" Ranma-chan came dashing in, carrying the
bathroom door, being rather naked. "Kasumi, I didn't peep on you. I was
asleep at the time!"
"If you didn't, who did?"
The shadows moved, spitting out a balding man. A empty kettle was
thrown, hitting Ranma in the head. *PONK* "Ranma, how dare you peep on
Kasumi!" Genma strode in. "And I raised you to become a man among men,
and you do this?" He began to cry. "What kind of father have I been."
Soun cried too. The sobbing fathers hugged each other, seeking
support. "What kind of pervert have I engaged to my daughter..."
Genma blinked. "Ah, Tendo.... Let's not go that far shall we? I
know Ranma won't do it again, won't you?" Before she could say anything,
Genma continued, "see.... He is a good boy. I know you didn't do it on
purpose, Ranma." He patted her back.
"But I didn't..."
*WHACK*
A towel hit Ranma's face. "You're pathetic, Ranma," a uniformed
Akane came up from behind. "First you steal my underwear, then you peep
on me, *then* you peep on my elder sister, and after all that," she
yelled at his face, "YOU WALK ALL AROUND THIS HOUSE NAKED!!!" A fist
flashed in the early morning sunlight - *CRASH* - knocking Ranma
backwards. "Take a bath, Ranma! The tub is empty now, or do you want
someone to share it with?"
Ranma screamed from afar, "fine, then! Since no one wants to
listen to me anyway, I'll just go ahead and take my bath!" She stomped.
"And if any of you want to blame me if the city blows up, I'll be in the
bathroom waiting!"
A slightly shocked troupe waited for Akane in the dining room.
"Wow, you didn't have to hit him that hard," Nabiki broke the silence.
"Perverts deserve to die" was all Akane would say.
"Speaking of perverts," Nabiki asked Mr. Saotome, "where were you
when the crime occurred?"
*SPLASH*
<I'm just a cute little panda!>
"Oh, shut up!"
*GROWL*
"You're hungry. Don't worry, I'll cook you breakfast," Ukyo
quickly offered, a little too quickly for her peace of mind. She
gathered up the ingredients and a few minutes later two okonomiyaki fried
in the grill.
The smell tickled Ryoga's olfactory lobes. He couldn't look her in
the eye as the food sizzled. When was the last time he had felt so
embarrassed with someone other than Akane? He remembered the time when
they (Ryoga and Ukyo) had conspired to pass Akane and Ranma through the
cave of lost loves. They (Ranma and Akane) even thought that they (Ryoga
and Ukyo) were in love because of their secret meetings and hushed
conversations. The rumors spread and by the time everyone got home, they
(everyone else) thought that they were a couple. They fought teasing
from every side, and in the end, brought about by Ryoga's habitual
disappearances, the taunts ceased. But when he left, there were so many
unanswered questions. Questions never asked, afraid of knowing what the
answers would be.
Ukyo finished, and a plate passed before Ryoga's eyes. "Thanks,
Ukyo," he said daring a short peek. Regretting it, he looked down on the
food for the rest of the meal.
"Sure, *hon*."
"Uh oh, didn't mean to put the emphasis there," Ukyo's palms
started to sweat. Too fidgety to keep standing up, she sat down on the
only other fixed seat, which was right across the table from Ryoga. She
sat still, looking down on the floor, each wanting to start a
conversation going, waiting for the other to speak first. The meal
passed in a thick silence, broken only by the occasional <sound of
okonomiyaki being munched and swallowed>.
Ryoga, becoming *really* uncomfortable, "could I have a glass of
water... please?" He wanted to say her name but was afraid that the
emphasis would show.
Ukyo was surprised, (it's very hard to catch a martial artist off-
guard.) "okay." The hand that currently supported her head moved
downwards, sideswiping a cleverly placed salt shaker.
"I'll get it!" from one side of the table.
"I'll get it!" at the same time, from the other side.
"..."
"HO-HO-HO-HO!" Kodachi Kuno laughed her distinct laugh. She had
risen from the ashes of the dumpster to the glorious heights of pure joy.
The clock tower of Furinkan High was very near and soon she would be with
her Ranma darling.
So great was her ecstasy that she failed to notice the massive
horde of cats following her.
"WHAT A HAUL! WHAT A HAUL!" Happosai screamed with pure delight.
His grand tour was not even a quarter finished and already he had filled
his burlap bag. Placing his collection on a well-secluded spot, he took
out another bag. Furinkan High was very near and there were the girls in
gym class. Enough to fill the other sack as well. Jumping at high speed
from building to building, he easily avoided 1/4 of the female populace
of Nerima out for his blood.
"HO-HO-HO-HO!"
"WHAT A HAUL! WHAT A HAUL!"
*SLAM*
"Eee!"
"Arrgg!"
*CRASH*
Ryoga and Ukyo blinked. Ryoga held the shaker in his hand, being
faster. Ukyo held on to his. There was a slight twitch in his hand and
before they knew it, fingers intertwined. She was amazed how comfortable
her hand felt in his. The warm feeling and the temporary loss of
awareness returned and she found herself liking it. Her heart beat
faster. She looked into his eyes and saw herself.
"Ukyo...." Ryoga talked first.
"Yes..." She didn't speak further, knowing he was in the brink of
saying something important.
"I... I..." Ryoga felt that he couldn't continue. But Ukyo's deep
brown eyes urged him to challenge his limit, to go where he never dared
to go, to do the only thing he had been dreaming of for his whole life
but never did. To say...
"I think the okonomiyaki's getting cold."
Ukyo facefaulted.
Happosai was catapulted by the impact with the laughing martial
artist to a point near his origin. The mob at his heels calculated the
factors before and right after the impact, determining the crash site.
Then, the many-headed monster turned, destroying everything in its path.
It was the sure end to whatever uneasy yet essential peace a certain
martial arts family temporarily enjoyed.
Ryoga winced. Where did that come from? "Arrrgghhhh, what did I
do wrong!" He helped her to her feet. He wanted to say sorry. He
wanted to say so many things. But the moment was lost.
Ryoga finished his meal rather quickly after that. Ukyo took her
position again in front of him, amidst the rubble of the shop. She had
wished something special could have happened to them. She wanted
desperately to tell him about the.... But, she couldn't.
Ryoga stood up to leave. "Thanks, Ukyo," he said. "Where's the
door?" Ukyo, suddenly feeling too tired, pointed to the direction to the
kitchen. He went out the exit. She sighed again. "I won't be seeing
him again for a long time." She looked down the street he was swiftly
disappearing, until he turned down a corner, and was gone. By the time
he came back, she would have been.... She wished that there could be
second chances. Maybe fate could smile on her this time...
Fate didn't smile on Kodachi today. She had taken a long bath that
morning, and fell inside a dumpster. She was in the middle of
daydreaming about her beloved, and this perverted old man comes out of
nowhere and bashes her into the ground. And this rather large ball of
fur bore down upon her wherever she goes. She had enough. She had
enough! "DIRTY OLD MAN!" the battlecry roared. "I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN TO
THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!" Lightning raged, thunder roared and a few nearby
trees were torn off in the gale-force winds as a storm appeared in the
sunny skies of Nerima and then disappeared. Picking up some of the
fallen weapons, she followed the cloud of dust that headed to where she
was certain the freak was hiding, bringing with her feline
reinforcements.
Ranma had had a very very bad day. She sullenly splashed hot water
over himself. "Some days it just doesn't pay..." In the past half hour
since daybreak, he had been charged with three crimes. The first one
when he had just woken up. Having fallen asleep at the scene of the
crime, with no witnesses and the jury (Akane) being a little bit biased
on the judgment (the said stolen objects were hers, after all). He was
not given a chance to even speak in his defense.
The verdict: GUILTY AS CHARGED. The sentence: DEATH BY AKANE'S
HAMMER.
If that was not enough to start one's day, he went over the
invisible demilitarized zone extending from the bathroom door to the far
wall which was implemented when said fiancée was inside. However, there
were no clear warnings of any occupant inside. The judge, jury and
executioner were the *same* as the victim. Once again, the right to
speak was withheld and the right to remain silent was strictly enforced.
No one was available to pronounce his innocence, except for the
mysterious person prowling inside the party of the second part's
bedchamber.
The verdict: GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT.
The sentence: BE STOMPED REPEATEDLY UNDER A BATHROOM DOOR.
The last trial was even more a farce. He had a perfect alibi for
the second violation of the Bathroom Treaty. The victim could not even
point to the guilty party, since she was not sure. However, his only
witness, his own flesh and blood, was a traitor. His case was airtight
and yet...
The verdict: THE GREATEST PERVERT ON EARTH.
The sentence: A SLAP FROM AKANE'S FIST OF JUSTICE.
What was he supposed to do? He was always the most outspoken
person in the house. Everyone else had a reason why they couldn't be the
one at fault. Kasumi was always exempted from any guilt automatically.
Nabiki always had this way with words and plenty of strings to pull.
Tangling with her would be equivalent to revealing his secret to his
mother (sepukku). Mr. Tendo was "a very high-strung and upright man," a
very shallow excuse for the said Tendo illegitimate daughters, which
everyone stupidly believed. Mr. Saotome could change into a panda and
remain inarticulate for as long as he wanted to be. Now that was a good
fringe benefit of his transformation. Happosai was already guilty of
enough crimes of perversion to mete him death by cannonball squad or to
even be tied on top of a nuclear bomb as it goes off. But why is he
still unpunished?
That leaves him and Akane. Now she would either bash your head in
before you even opened your mouth, or, very rarely, cry her guts out.
Tears would make you feel ashamed, or at least Ranma, and any suspicion
would be retracted. *Then* she would bash your face in.
"Now, I'm all that's left," he said, finishing his bath. He took a
nearby Chinese ensemble (with a blue shirt), and stalked his way to the
dining room, carefully putting the door aside to avoid any further
mishaps.
The rest of the family already was in the middle of breakfast. His
father had surreptitiously changed into a panda, amidst piercing looks by
Nabiki. "He must have done something wrong," he watched, enjoying seeing
the old man squirm. Taking his usual place at the table, beside said
fiancée, he attempted to avoid any eye contact, concentrating all his
anger attacking the fried eggs and rice Kasumi had made for them, since
any confrontation during breakfast would ruin digestion for the rest of
the day.
Soun vainly complained as Kasumi tried to apply an ice bag to the
bumps on his head. "Thanks, *ow* Kasumi..."
"Father, you should really go to Dr. Tofu's," she said, looking
Ranma over to see whether any medical attention was needed on the recent
arrival. "Akane, can you take dad over to the clinic on the way to
school." She added, "Ranma can come along too to save time..."
"Okay, Kasumi," Akane took a bite from her sandwich.
"I don't need any help. I'm a tough guy," Ranma exclaimed,
finishing what's left of the meal.
"Tough guys don't wet their beds..."
Ranma's eyes bulged out. He had forgotten all about that. "I-I
didn't-" he stuttered.
"Oh, you mean he did it again?" Kasumi unknowingly interjected.
And a bomb went off.
"AGAIN?" a chorus of voices (and a sign) greeted the houseperson.
"Oh my, I shouldn't have said that..." Kasumi apologized. But the
damage had been already done.
Akane was laughing out loud. "You mean <laugh, laugh> Ranma <more
laughs> *again* <ha-ha-ha>?" The last part of the sentence was no longer
coherent enough to be understood.
Nabiki smirked, silently thinking how much she could charge Ranma
to keep this thing under wraps.
Genma put on a face of shame. <What kind of son have I raised.>
"I'm free at last!" he laughed inside.
Soun was too busy contemplating on the meaning of life and the
bumps on his head to pay much attention. Laughing made his skull throb.
Ranma was by now all red in the face. "I didn't do nothing!" he
exclaimed, taking to mind once more the great saying, "sometimes it just
doesn't pay to wake up in the morning."
Suddenly there was a splash from behind him as an object from above
crashed in the koi pond, drenching the group near the window with water.
"*RANMA, DEAR GIRL, GRANDFATHER'S HERE*" a diminutive martial
artist shouted as Ranma-chan turned to look. She realized that the day
was only beginning...
"What a way to start a day," Ryoga thought to himself as he
struggled to get lost *real* fast. "Oh no! What have I done," he asked
himself. He felt that warm feeling when he looked into Ukyo's eyes. He
was really going to say it.... He really was...
With his mind functioning normally (?) he regretted his actions.
"I have been unfaithful to you, Akane!" he screamed. "I promised to love
you for the rest of my life (although I haven't said it). I can no
longer be worthy of your hand ever again! I have done the worst sin!"
He forced tears back, praying to the gods for a sign that the girl of his
dreams will forgive him.... Just one little sign.
Out of the blue, a massive storm hit. Lightning streaked across
the once sunny sky. Thunder roared. Trees torn from their roots by the
gale-force winds. Raindrops tore like bullets through his skin. Then,
just as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished into thin air.
"That wasn't what I had in mind..." P-chan whimpered softly. With
the sun shining once again, he held his head low as he searched for a
kettle to warm himself.
Thunder roared once again raged near where he was. Turning around
to look, his countenance changed from sadness to that of sheer terror.
"Arrgghh! Get off me you old freak!"
Genma smiled. He had beaten Nabiki at her own game! He had
removed the clutches of the middle Tendo sister from his neck and he
looked at her with jeering eyes. Of course his son had to be a
sacrificial lamb to thwart her, but that was a small loss.
Ranma screamed from his right. "Stop doing that!" She tried to
pry the old man from his current position on her chest, but to no avail.
"Akane, don't just stand there and give me a hand!"
Akane stood up. "Sure, Ranma!" She clapped.
Genma grinned like a prisoner walking out of jail. He gloated,
staring into the frowning face of Nabiki. She seemed deep in thought.
"The greatest of plans call for improvisation," a wise man once said.
Nabiki was brainstorming hard enough to cause a small battle aura to
surround her, too weak to be detected by anyone with a wayward glance.
Finally, the last pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. "Hmm, sounds
good enough," she murmured softly to herself, finally allowing herself to
smile. She glanced to her right and found the panda's eyes bulging out,
pretty far out. "Boy, do you look stupid."
"Ranma, my boy, I'll let you go if you wear this for me..."
Ranma bashed Happosai's head, but nothing seemed to faze him.
Akane pulled at him from behind. "Why don't you just turn back into a
guy or something..."
Kasumi stood up. "I'll go and heat some water for you." She
turned and disappeared into the kitchen.
Nabiki smirked, "time to put other cards in play." She said aloud,
"Ranma, I can't believe that your letting the old man touch you like
that."
"As if I had a choice? You wouldn't say that if you were in my
shoes." Ranma took one of Genma's signs and tried to use it as a
crowbar.
Nabiki crossed her arms and stalked out of the room. "If I didn't
know any better, I say that you're letting him do that." She turned
around the corner and as a parting note, "you're becoming more a pervert.
First you steal Akane's underwear, then you peep on Kasumi..." She
didn't have to finish the statement.
Nabiki's last few words had a weird effect on the master. "Ranma!
How dare you peep on Kasumi!" The room was filled with a horrible red
battle aura.
Oh boy...
"HO-HO-HO-HO!" Kodachi laughed as she joined the fray. The feline
mob joined forces with the anthropoidian one, kicking off an even more
violent dust storm. The crowd grew even more bloodthirsty, not even
bothering to use convenient features like streets. She put herself in
the middle of the group and laughed even louder as familiar landmarks
indicated where she was going. "Ranma darling, I'll be in your arms even
sooner that I thought!" She laughed again, not seeing the new but
unwilling member of the troupe.
"The old man's really ticked off this time," Ranma realized as the
old pervert jumped off her. His eyes were a blazing red. A sudden gust
of wind filled the room.
"Oh master, please don't do this!" Soun and the panda pleaded
remorsefully. "We shall punish him for you. We humbly prostrate
ourselves before you and..." Their pleading became louder and even more
desperate as the room started to shake down to its foundation. "MASTER,
PLEASE!"
"Ranma!" Akane screamed from somewhere, trying to be heard above
the din. "Do something!" Ranma turned, just as Akane was knocked to her
knees. "Ranma!"
A cord snapped. "That's it, old man!" Ranma challenged him. "IT
ALL ENDS HERE NOW!" He knew what a desperate battle he was going to
fight. He had no choice.
Akane's mind screamed as massive wind blasts slammed around the
room. She saw Ranma go into the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts
traditional fighting form. "This is it!" She groped around and tried to
find something to hold on to. "RANMA!" Her heart thumped in her chest.
What if he... if he... "Ranma! NO!"
Happosai was ablaze. "Ranma! You have gone beyond the line! Even
I have limits! Even I cannot even dream of doing that to Kasumi! And
you dare pervert the hand that feeds you!" His voice was already
disembodied, almost like a god. The rumbling became louder and louder.
"RANMA, PREPARE TO FACE THE WRATH OF THE FOUNDING SCHOOL OF ANYTHING GOES
MARTIAL ARTS!"
"I brought the hot water, Ranma," Kasumi cheeringly entered the
room.
"Why, hello again, Kasumi," the old man cheeringly smoked from his
pipe.
Ranma facefaulted.
The two fathers breathed a sigh of relief. Too soon...
"Why, you creep!" Akane menacingly approached Happosai. She was
entering striking distance when she noticed something strange.
The rumbling became louder and louder.
"What the?!?"
The far wall of the Dojo disintegrated and the large agglomeration
of living things blasted through. "DIE OLD MAN!!!" the many headed
monster screamed.
"P-chan!" Akane shouted, noticing the familiar snout somewhere in
the crowd.
"Kodachi!" Ranma shouted, noticing the familiar black rose petals
somewhere in the crowd.
"My girls!" Happosai shouted, noticing *the* crowd.
"My house!" Soun shouted, noticing the amount of damage dealt *by*
the crowd.
<My breakfast!> Genma exclaimed as the eggs made flip-flops on the
floor.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said somewhere in the back.
The onslaught moved onwards, gorging a trench from the street and
rapidly approaching the house, particularly the living room.
Ryoga's prayers were answered, "Akane!" he beweed happily. He
found her so quickly. Overjoyed, he almost forgot that he was in a
middle of a hornet's nest.
Kodachi's prayers were answered. She was in the same house as her
one and only love, Ranma. Not only that, the old perverted man and the
cursed pig-tailed girl were there just in front of her, shaking with
terror (or most probably the mini-earthquake her present company was
doing to the neighborhood, but she couldn't spare a thought). She could
destroy them both in one swift attack and then take his beloved, all in a
minute! She unfurled her ribbon. "The time of vengeance is at hand!"
The mob's prayers were answered. Finally the old man will be
crushed! The dreadnought moved on, a wake forming in its path as it
marched on through the koi pond.
Akane's reunion with her beloved pet was joyful but short. The
house will be blasted to smithereens! "Ranma," she exclaimed, "do
something!"
Ranma stood up, "I'll just--<gasp>." She choked on the last word
as she perceived the other half of the crowd. "C-c-cats!" Immobilized,
she waited for the inevitable pain to arrive.
"They've all come for me! How sweet!" Happosai said, waiting for
the inevitable lace to arrive.
Soun's head ached. "Oh no!" was all he could say.
Genma was too busy retrieving his meal to give any regard to the
doom that was fast approaching.
Kasumi was in the back, throwing the kettle in surprise. It flew
in the air.
The hot water did not even faze the anger of the multi-racial
throng. It came closer and closer...
*BOOT*
Nabiki instantly emerged from the chaos. She booted the old man
into the stratosphere (hence the sound). The mob blindly followed his
trajectory, turning left and skirting the side of the house. Two martial
artists learned that individual aspirations disappear in the face of
collective interest.
"Akane!" Ryoga called out as he and Akane parted ways.
"Ranma!" Kodachi's ribbon was tangled by the footsteps of the
rapidly vanishing group.
*CRASH*
The masses moved on, destroying the part of the back fence of the
Dojo before retreating into the distance, a large cloud of dust (and an
occasional water geyser) marking their passage through the other parts of
the town.
The others walked outside, trying to see where they went. Kasumi
rushed to the obliterated fish pond, to the side of the fallen fish.
"There now, little fish. Kasumi will save you." Acting quickly, she
took the dented but still functional kettle and gathered up the remaining
water in the pool. She placed the fish inside. "I'll take you back as
soon as your home is fixed," she quietly assured the carp.
"My yard... my head... my yard... my head..." Soun repeated over
and over, the two problems foremost in his mind.
"Nabiki, thanks..." Akane turned to her sister. "If you weren't
there..."
"Don't sweat it, sis. Your home is my home too. My savings would
have been lost had they made it in." She turned and ran up to the dining
room. "No use just gawking around. We still have classes you know."
She stared at the panda absentmindedly scratching his head. "Have your
fun, Mr. Saotome." Eagle eyes pierced through his panda skin. "I'll get
you sooner or later."
Kasumi called from the garden. "Nabiki! Your lunch is in the
kitchen!"
She waved her thanks and went off to school.
"I guess we'll have to go now, Kasumi. I wish we could stay and
help around the house." Akane apologized to her sister.
"Don't worry about it! Just go and take father to Dr. Tofu's. And
in the afternoon, you and Ranma could help in fixing the yard." She
smiled. "I packed your lunch. There in the kitchen, by the microwave."
She put a hand to her face. "Oh, I forgot to do Ranma's!"
"Don't worry about him. I'm sure his lunch will come," Akane
frowned, knowing that *those two (maybe three)* will be more than happy
to feed him. "By the way, where is he?"
There was hiccuping near the table as Ranma lay down in fright.
"Serves him right," Akane muttered, entering a dark mood. She dragged
him by the pig-tail. "Come on, Ranma. This is no time to be over-
acting." She took their bags. "Dad, let's go!"
Soun followed. "My yard... my head... my yard... my head..."
Kasumi heard their footsteps (and dragging), following them until
she heard the front door shut. She sighed. A whole day of work lay in
front of her. "Guess I better start early," she said with a smile.
Taking the kettle with the fish inside, she went inside, footsteps like
music on the grass, then on the wooden floor. Before entering the
kitchen, she took a look at Genma.
"Are you okay, Uncle Saotome?"
The panda groaned. <Don't worry, just have a tummy-ache.>
"I'll get you some medicine," she said as she went out.
The window chime twinkled softly...
@----------------------------------------------------------------------@
|Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!|
@----------------------------------------------------------------------@
At last, Chapter 2 is finished. It might be a longer time for any new
installments on this fic. Exams are coming up.
Anyway, please send any comments. The silence sucks. Please, just tell
me anything. If you send, "we hate your fic," I will go down on my knees
and thank you, at least you saw this.
Watch out for the next thrilling chapter, Bumps and Bruises, around next
month. Coming soon to a text file near you.
@----------------------------------------------------------------------@
|Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!Mayhem!|
@----------------------------------------------------------------------@
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Don Juan, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD,
Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, Elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem
Fanfiction @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/fanfics.html
Warp Zone @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/thirteen.html
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The logo of the Church of All Worlds is nine concentric circles.
Word from the Laity: Wipe yer feet! Bloody 'ell...
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