Sore wa Nibunoichi Megami-sama.
(That's 1/2 My Goddess.)
A Ranma 1/2 - Oh! My Goddess meld fanfic by Scriviner
c&c to ebon@i-manila.com.ph
That's 1/2 My Goddess Part VIII:
Of Friendly Visits and Family Relations...
Ranma Saotome, heir to the Musabetsu Kakuto
Saotome Ryuu, college student, athletic scholar,
Physical Education undergrad and alleged playboy,
drove a fist through seven concrete blocks, failing
to split the eighth and chided himself for becoming
lax in his training. There used to be a time when ten
bricks wasn't a problem. He admitted to himself that
while, Yes, he was still the best martial artist in
the district, he'd also gotten a little soft over the
past few months. Ever since the goddesses arrived
he'd hardly had time to rest, much less practice
properly. Not that THAT was any excuse. There was
never any excuse for not training. That was one of
the things his father had drummed into him. So
misgivings about waking up early aside, here he was.
He whirled around, pivoting on one foot, while
simultaneously lashing out with both arms as he
turned, neatly smashing a perfectly usable board into
so much matchsticks. The Temple's courtyard was a
great place to practice. Roomy, peaceful and plenty
of places to put up targets. There was only two
problems with it. First, it made him feel a little
homesick practicing like this. He hadn't gotten any
letters from home since he left the dorm, it made him
miss them a bit. He usually practiced with his
sisters back in the dojo at home. He wondered idly to
himself how they were doing... he grinned a little
and wondered what they'd think of his current living
arrangements if they ever found out. They'd probably
tease him about it.
The other problem, was that he always felt as
if he were being watched. He supposed that could just
be paranoia, after all, this WAS a temple, and who
knew what spirits still lived here. But the feeling
that he was being watched always nagged him while he
was practicing... Then again, that was hardly
surprising. Since he was usually being watched while
he did his routines.
Akane, who through no fault of her own, was by
nature an early riser. But Kasumi rose at an even
earlier hour than she did and Akane had found Kasumi
had taken over the temple's kitchen and was in the
process of preparing some breakfast. Despite wanting
to help, Kasumi mildly, but firmly told Akane that it
was all taken care off and that she shouldn't worry
herself. Having nothing else to do until breakfast
was served, she sat on the sill of her window and
watched Ranma. She knew he was good. Those few times
she'd sparred with him, at her suggestion, she could
never lay a hand on him. But it had been a long time
since she'd seen him actually move like that... the
grace... the speed... the precision... the beauty...
Unbidden a sigh escaped Akane's lips and she
was surprised to find it echoed. She leaned out a bit
and saw Ranko, similarly sitting on the next room's
windowsill looking at her. They frowned at the same
time.
"You," Akane said without much enthusiasm.
"You," Ranko replied.
After a moment's pause while they glared at
each other, Ranko turned to look at Ranma again.
"Amazing isn't he?" She murmured in an awed tone.
Akane followed suit and watched Ranma as well,
"You could say that..." She replied distantly,
concentrating on his movements... After a few
moments, Akane turned to look at Ranko. Ranko's eyes
were firmly on Ranma. Her face was flushed and she
had an expression of rapt fascination. Her breathing
was coming in shallow gasps as if she were trying to
keep from breathing lest she interrupt him... she
looked... Akane couldn't tell what she looked like.
She'd never seen Ranko like this.
Akane stepped out of her window, murmuring a
quiet spell... she walked across the thin air and the
two story drop separating their windows. She stood on
thin air for a moment, while Ranko realized what she
meant to do and moved aside a little on the window to
let her sit.
"You really do like him, don't you?" Akane said
finally.
Ranko snapped out of her reverie, looked at
Akane. She smiled an uncharacteristically gentle
smile, "I don't like him at all. I hate him...
"But..."
"Because I'm in love with him..." Ranko sighed.
Akane made a face, "You're kidding right? That
makes absolutely no sense! I mean you've spent all
this time trying to break us up and get home and
annoying him... all this time..."
Ranko grimaced at Akane, "Give me a break
Akane. Up until Nabiki showed up, I couldn't get near
him without his turning into a girl... that or he'd
be spending all his time with you... and you were
acting like he was your personal property already. It
wasn't exactly something I enjoyed seeing you know...
so of course I wanted to get home..."
"But..."
"I'll admit, I started out trying really hard
to hate him... so I could pull all those stunts to
convince him to send us away, send us home... but
after a while... it became less a matter of going
home and more a matter of not seeing you two
anymore..."
"You mean all of those tricks, all of those
stunts and spells were because you were jealous?"
Akane asked incredulously.
"Got it in one hammer girl. But now I can be
close to him and he doesn't have to be scared of
me..."
Akane merely frowned in reply.
Ranko frowned back, "Don't look at me like
that. He's not yours."
"He's not yours either!" Akane shot back.
"Yes, but I have no illusions about it. And I
know perfectly well how I feel about him and I can
tell it to him now. Which is more than I can say
about you.
Akane was taken aback, "He... he knows how I
feel..."
"Which is nowhere near actually telling him."
"That's not the point! I'm not a wanton woman
like you..!"
"But it is the point, Akane. It's not a matter
of being wanton, but honesty... I'm willing to be
honest with him... I want to be... Think about it. If
we'd started out on equal footing, without the stupid
sex-changing thing, who do you think he'd be with
now, hmmm?
"But you just admitted that you weren't being
honest with him early on!"
"Times change, cousin. Situations change... it
wasn't right before..." Ranko cut off the rest of her
statement to look at Ranma again who was currently in
the process of delivering multiple blows to a wooden
man. "It could be right, now." Ranko smiled, running
a hand across the neckline of her robe...
"You wouldn't dare!" Akane sputtered.
"I've got you worried now, don't I?" Ranko's
grin widened.
Akane pushed her anger down with an effort of
will, but distant thunder rumbled. She crossed her
arms and looked away, "Not at all. He's already told
me that he'd rather be with me than with you."
"Mortals can be fickle, Akane." Ranko all but
purred.
"Not Ranma." Akane replied firmly.
"You know you're not as sure as you sound."
Akane had no reply to that.
Ranko turned back to watch Ranma, who by now
had stopped his routine, and her eyes widened in
surprise as Kasumi stepped out of the temple and
approached Ranma, a towel in hand.
"What the..?" Akane frowned.
Ranma, laughing nervously, accepted the towel
from Kasumi who seemed to be insisting that she
should wipe him down with it...
Ranko laughed suddenly, "Why that sneaky... I
didn't realize Kasumi had it in her..."
"It's probably not like that... I mean... this
is Kasumi..." Akane replied weakly, "She's just being
nice to him."
Ranko thought for a moment then smirked, "You
know, you're right. Nabiki wouldn't do that without
an ulterior motive, but Kasumi would do it just
because."
Akane sensing the change in the mood and the
topic of the conversation continued, "You and Nabiki
still don't get along do you?"
"Not since she sold those photos of me to all
of those Juvenile Gods a couple of years ago..."
Ranko admitted.
"But I thought you enjoyed showing yourself
off..." Akane smirked.
"Yeah, but I didn't make a cent off of that
deal." Ranko grumped, "Besides which she didn't sell
a single one of them to any good looking Gods, just a
bunch of geeks..."
"I... I see... I guess." Akane nodded slowly.
"Hey... who's that?!" Ranko cried suddenly,
pointing to the outer courtyard wall.
"Wha..?"
Someone, a woman with long brown hair, tied
into a ponytail with a long white ribbon, dressed in
a beige oversized sweater and black leggings leaped
over the wall. She had a duffel bag over one shoulder
and what looked like a rugbeater in one hand, raised
over her head in an attack position. She was followed
by a second woman... a girl really, with a messy
thatch of short brown hair, she wore a pastel pink
jumper and a white shirt underneath in hand she
twirled what looked like a gymnastics ribbon.
"They're attacking Ranma!" Akane cried out,
unhitching her hammer from its holster. She leapt off
the window to rush to Ranma's aid.
Ranko stared for a moment before she frowned,
"Now what?" She murmured quietly to herself as a
glowing sphere of energy began to form between her
hands... she wouldn't use it unless necessary, but
she wasn't going to be taken by surprise...
Ranma casually sidestepped the first swipe with
the rugbeater and danced out of range hurriedly as
the woman hurled the duffel bag at him. The woman,
undeterred, gave chase whirling her weapon in a
complex pattern as she did so.
Kasumi merely stood aside and allowed the woman
to pass, a look of faint surprise on her face, "Oh
my... I see we have guests," Kasumi said.
Akane managed to intercept the girl before she
could reach Ranma. Akane swung her hammer in a low
sweep hoping to catch the girl's legs out from under
her, but the girl jumped up, avoiding the sweep
easily. At the end of its arc, Akane shifted her grip
quickly on her weapon and swung it in a neat overhand
arc. She didn't really want to hurt them too much,
but it would be easier if they were knocked out. The
girl, still in mid leap, lashed out suddenly in
response to the descending hammer with her ribbon.
Akane found her hammer entangled with the ribbon and
pulled unceremoniously off target as the girl gave
the ribbon a quick jerk.
"She's good..." Akane thought to herself as the
hammer embedded into the ground. The girl, who Akane
only then realized was barefoot, landed on the head
of her weapon, balancing easily.
"...But not good enough!!" Akane shouted as she
ripped the hammer out of the ground, giving it a
mighty heave, sending the girl flying into the air...
Ranma had gone into a series of defensive
movements, ducking and weaving.. The rugbeater
swiping dangerously close, but never close enough. He
was laughing, "Is that the best you can do?!"
The woman gave a snarl and lunged, thrusting
her weapon at him. Ranma timed it and launched
himself at her to avoid the strike. He flipped
forward, placing a hand on her head to vault with.
The woman stumbled forward as Ranma sprang away. She
glances up at him as he hung in the air and she gave
an amused smile. He was making faces at her as he
began to correct his position to land... Busy as he
was with that, he didn't hear the cry of "Gotcha!"
until it was too late.
He tried to twist in the air for a better view
of the new threat, but was unceremoniously tackled
out of the air and dropping to the ground, bracing
for a hard impact. Unfortunately, Kasumi, who was
walking slowly back to the house to set new places at
the table, was in the way.
Akane rushed to save Kasumi and get her out of
the way, thunder rumbling closer now... when the
woman vaulted in using her rugbeater to pull Kasumi
out of the way of the tangled mess that was Ranma and
the girl with the ribbon.
Ranko who was gauging the emotions of the
combatants finally allowed her energy ball to
dissipate. She'd felt almost no aggression or anger
whatsoever from the two strangers... if anything...
she'd felt a great deal of... affection... what was
going on here? She wondered to herself as she leapt
down to join them.
From the tangled heap on the ground... there
was much squirming... and a decidedly odd noise could
be heard... laughter. Akane, Kasumi and Ranko stood
confused. The woman lunged at the laughing heap and
also began to participate in what was going on...
"Peace! Peace! I surrender!" Ranma cried out
breathlessly, still laughing. He had an arm around
the waist of each of the two strangers and was
holding them too close for Akane's comfort.
"Gotcha!" giggled the girl who had her arms
wrapped around his neck.
"What is going on around here?!" Akane
demanded.
"Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts
Two Pronged Tickle Assault!" The girl declared
happily.
Ranma looked up at the three women standing and
realized that Akane had that 'Someone had better
explain this to me or they will be hammered' look in
her eye. Ranko was just smiling in a rather
disturbing manner at him, if he had to guess,
probably imagining herself twined around him... and
Kasumi... well... Kasumi looked like she always did.
The other woman sat up her hands still
playfully on Ranma's stomach, looked at each of the
three goddesses in turn and then turned to Ranma,
"'Nichan, who are they?"
"'Nichan?!" The three goddesses said
simultaneously. Akane's tone was of surprise...
Ranko's was speculative... Kasumi, being Kasumi, took
it calmly.
From the house, Nabiki stepped out and called,
"Hey... Saotome! Phone call... What's going on over
there..?"
The girl turned to the look sat Nabiki then at
Ranma, "Our brother is being a naughty boy again."
"Looks like it," the woman said in reply, "Four
at a time? That is amazing."
"Hey, quite talking about me like I'm not even
here!" Ranma voiced.
All eyes turned to Ranma Saotome...
"Well, since you're here anyway, an explanation
would be nice." Akane growled.
"It's not what you think!" he replied, trying
to untangle himself from the two girls... they
weren't quite cooperating.
Nabiki called again, "You'd better get this
call, "Saotome. This is costing you..."
Ranma sprang to his feet, separating himself
hurriedly from the two strangers, "I'll get that...
why don't you introduce yourselves to each other..."
The woman and the girl exchanged glances, "Is
it just me or is he getting better at making these
exits?" the woman asked.
"Looks like it." The girl replied. Just as
Nabiki made her own way to the group of five women.
"Now..." Akane said, as she helped the two up,
"Who are you guys?"
Nabiki put her hands at her hips, "This looks
like its going to be interesting..."
Ranko merely glared at Nabiki.
"I'm Natsume Saotome," the woman replied,
"Ranma's sister. This is our youngest sister,
Kurumi."
"Hi!" Kurumi waved to them, "So... are all of
you 'Nichan's girlfriends?"
Nabiki chuckled and gave a grin, "Only if he
paid me..."
Kasumi seemed slightly puzzled but she
blushed...
Akane choked slightly...
Ranko nodded quickly, moving closer towards the
Saotome sisters, "Nope. Just me."
"No, you're not!" Akane quickly recovered.
Natsume shook her head slowly, "And he used to
be such a shy guy..."
Kurumi merely nodded.
Ranma mentally blessed whoever it was on the
other end of the phone, as he dashed into the house.
Regardless of who it was. He could explain the entire
matter easily, but not with the ENTIRE Tendo family
of Goddesses looking at him like that. Especially not
Akane in that state... hopefully Natsume and Kurumi
could straighten out the situation on their own...
unless Kurumi decided to make matters worse... it was
a little late to regret his decision to bug out...
He picked up the phone and said, "Hello?"
On the other end of the line, Ryouga's voice
replied, obviously annoyed, "What took you?"
"Oh. You. What do you want, Ryouga?"
"Mousse and I have come up with a sure fire way
for the Martial Arts Varsity to score big money
before the sem ends."
"Oh yeah? What bright scheme is it this time?"
Ranma said incredulously.
"Well, the school fair's coming up soon,
right?"
"Yeah..." Ranma replied cautiously... he'd
learned not to trust Ryouga and Mousse's get rich
quick schemes...
"Well, we come up with a presentation for the
fair. With you, Akane and Ranko in it and we can
charge people for entrance! Much as I hate to admit
it, between your three fanclubs we'll rake it in! "
"Ranko and Akane have fanclubs?"
"You haven't heard?"
"No." Ranma replied incredulously... he needed
to pay more attention to what happened in the
school...
"I though mine broke up already? You know...
after me and Akane at the start of the sem..."
"Yeah it did, but Kodachi managed to reorganize
'em again after the rumors you two split up started
popping up again."
"I don't believe this."
"Better believe it." Ranma could almost feel
Ryouga grinning on the other end of the line.
"By the way, the jury is still out for the
'Break up cause' betting pool... but we've kept the
odds pretty low on the 'Just another nasty rumor',
just in case."
"Good thinking." Ranma replied sourly.
"In any case, Ranma, we're giving you the
starring role, for the crowd draw potential."
"What?! What're you talking about, Ryouga! I
don't know anything about acting!"
"What's the matter Ranma..? Chicken?"
"What?! Who're you calling a chicken?! I just
said I..."
"Okay... I guess you don't care what happened
to the Varsity... "
"I didn't say that either!!"
"It's alright to say it... if you're too much
of a coward to help us out, we understand..."
Ryouga's voice said slowly, in a hurt tone, "Maybe we
can give you a little job... like fanning the REAL
star... or holding the sandbags... or something..."
"Fine then! I'll star in your damn play! It's
the least you owe me!" Ranma shouted into the phone.
"Great! We'll be there with the rest of the
club to discuss the preliminaries in half an hour!"
Ryouga replied.
"Fine!" Ranma shouted into the phone, before
slamming it back into the cradle... it didn't occur
to him until a few beats later what he had once again
wandered into a Hibiki and Mousse get rich quick
scheme. He slapped himself on the forehead and
wandered out to the foyer... he HATED it when they
did this to him.
Back at the Martial Arts Varsity Gym, Ryouga
traded high fives with Mousse, watched by the other
members of the varsity team.
"Hook line and sinker, Ryouga-kun, as always."
Mousse grinned.
"Man, is Ranma ever gullible..." Ryouga
chuckled.
Shampoo stood near them her arms crossed and
her toe tapping angrily, "Shampoo still say this no
good idea... maybe should've asked Ranma-sempai nice-
nice, maybe he agree without fast-talk..."
"Saotome would never agree in that manner,
Shampoo-chan." Mousse replied.
"Besides," Ryouga grinned, "This is more fun."
"Um... what play ARE we going to present,
sempai?" asked the pink-haired newbie, over whom
opinions as to the masculinity or femininity thereof
were still in question, even now two thirds of the
way through the sem...
Mousse and Ryouga traded blank expressions,
"Er..."
Shampoo shook her head reprovingly at the two
heads of the club, "Silly sempai... obviously no
know."
Ranma stormed out of the house to find the
girls had all gathered around the table at the foyer
and were chatting amiably. Ranko, Akane and Nabiki
were all talking with Natsume, while Kurumi helped
Kasumi bring breakfast out...
The scene was enough to give him some pause. It
was almost a little too... pleasant.
"Everything, okay?" Ranma asked hopefully.
Natsume waved to him, "Of course it is,
'Nichan. You could've introduced us to them sooner
though."
"Why didn't you tell us you had sisters?" Akane
asked, smiling at him.
Kurumi giggled as she put the tray down, she
said in a mock hurt tone, "Probably ashamed of us or
something... what a bad brother..."
"You know that's not it, sis..." Ranma replied.
Natsume grinned and said to the three women she
was talking to, "I'm still not quite getting this
though... so you're Ranma's girlfriend, right?" She
pointed to Akane.
"Not formally..." Akane blushed. Ranma blushed
too...
Ranko sighed and rolled her eyes, "No. they
aren't. He's still a free agent," Ranko moved up to
Ranma suddenly, "Isn't that right, honey?" she moved
as if to wrap an arm around his waist, but he jumped
out of her reach, landing next to the seated Akane.
"Hey! Stop that!" Ranma and Akane said
simultaneously, both glaring at Ranko.
She winked at him and blew him a kiss, "Tease."
Nabiki grinned, "As you can see, things have
been quite interesting here."
Natsume nodded in agreement.
The food having been set, could hardly be
ignored, thus they dug in. It quickly became apparent
that a ravenous appetite was a Saotome family trait.
As Ranma, Natsume and Kurmi ate with much gusto...
Akane watched in horrified fascination as the three
of them managed to consume thrice what the combined
Tendo's had... thank goodness Kasumi liked cooking
large meals.
Conversation had ground to a stop during this
time for obvious reasons...
"So, guys," Ranma asked his sisters after the
last of the food had been consumed, "What are you
doing here?"
"Didn't you get the letter Pop sent?" Kurumi
asked.
"Letter? What letter?" Ranma asked, confused.
"The one telling you we were coming." Natsume
replied.
"I didn't get one."
"Funny, it should've arrived a week ago..."
Natsume said thoughtfully.
Akane and Ranko looked at each other. The two
traded embarrassed glances.
Akane sprang to her feet and dashed for the
hallway.
"Wha--?" Ranma asked. Ranko rolled her eyes up
to the ceiling and quietly counted the cracks...
Akane came back a few moments later, holding an
envelope in one hand and a handful of papers in the
other, "Was this it?" she asked as she passed it to
Ranma.
"Yeah, that looks like Pop's handwriting."
Kurumi said.
Nabiki leaned uncomfortably close to Ranma to
peer at the envelope, "That's someone's handwriting?"
"Well, Pop's got a sloppy hand," Ranma replied
as he opened the letter. "Where was this, anyway? I
haven't seen it before."
"Well..." Ranko began, slightly embarassed...
"Do you remember the night Nabiki arrived?"
Akane asked.
Ranma glanced at Nabiki, who had by now moved
back to her original position, "Yeah, what about it?"
"Remember when I was... um..." Akane stammered.
"When she was chasing me around the house
trying to hammer my lights out for planting a great
big wet one on you." Ranko smiled silkily at Ranma.
Akane turned to glare at Ranko a moment before
she continued, "In any case... she knocked over the
table in the hallway where we keep the new mail..."
"Me? It was you who knocked it over, swinging
the polo hammer of yours..." Ranko shot back
gesticulating wildly, "That letter must've fallen
behind it..."
"Whatever!" Ranma interrupted, "I get the
picture. Somebody knocked it off..." as he read
through the letter. He looked up at Natsume in
surprise as he finished, "Wow. I didn't realize
they'd advanced you that much."
Natsume gave a grin and shrugged, "What can I
say, I'm not just another pretty face."
Kurumi chimed in, "Yeah, you're not even that."
Natsume glared sourly at Kurumi.
"What does it say?" Akane asked reclaiming her
seat next to Ranma.
"Well, just that it turns out that Sis finished
high-school ahead of everyone else, she's already
applied to Nekomi Tech and passed the entrance
exam... she's going to be studying here."
"Oh my, that's wonderful, does that mean you'll
be able to visit?" Kasumi asked.
"Probably so," Natsume grinned, "You've got a
cozy set up here... and this food's great."
"Thank you." Kasumi smiled.
Natsume turned to Ranma, "I was sort of hoping
you'd help me look for an apartment..."
"Sure no problem. I know of a couple of
places," he replied.
Akane added, "I think Ukyou still has that back
room available."
Ranma nodded then turned to look at his
youngest sister. "Of course this doesn't explain why
you're here though..."
Kurumi smiled sweetly at him, "Aww, come on,
'Nichan... You don't expect 'Nechan to visit without
bringing me along. Besides we missed you, you never
call, you never write..."
Ranma looked slightly sheepish.
Natsume elbowed her sister, "And now we can see
why he never invites us to visit..." the two giggled,
and Nabiki hid a smirk behind the back of her hand.
Ranko rested her chin on her hand and grinned
at the Saotome sisters, "Well, it's not every day you
find out that your brother's got his own personal
harem, hmmm?"
"Ranko!" Akane sputtered, shocked.
Ranma colored slightly and cast about
desperately for a way to change the topic... "Er...
um... good thing we only lost that one letter, huh?"
Akane glanced at the handful of papers she
still held, "Actually, it fell along with the rest of
the bills..."
"The bills?" Ranma groaned... "I was wondering
why they took so long!"
Akane looked through them, "Um... it looks like
they're going to be cutting our water and electricity
off soon..."
"Oh my." Kasumi paled slightly.
Nabiki snatched the bills out of Akane's hand,
"Not to worry about that, sis. I'll take care of it."
Ranko, Akane and Ranma boggled at Nabiki, even
Kasumi's moderate expression slipped slightly.
"You what?!" Ranko burst out.
Kurumi and Natsume traded confused looks,
"What's wrong with her paying the bills?" Natsume
asked.
Ranko faced the two sisters and jerked a thumb
in Nabiki's direction, "This is the shrewdest, most
tightfisted, money grubbing mercenary on the planet!
She'd never offer to do something like that!"
Nabiki waved a hand airily at Ranko,
"Compliments will get you nowhere, cousin."
Kasumi put a hand on Nabiki's forehead,
"Sister, are you feeling, alright?"
Nabiki laughed Kasumi off, "I'm fine, 'sis. In
any case," she grinned at Ranma, "Let's just say I'll
be happy to get Ranma owing me a little more."
For some indescribable reason, everyone who
knew, felt slightly more relieved by Nabiki's
statement... everyone except Ranma of course.
"I'll pay you back next payday, Nabiki." Akane
said.
Nabiki tsked, "Now, now, sis. The one who owes
me is Ranma, not you. No paying off his debts for
him.
Natsume leaned towards her brother, "'Nichan...
you've got some heavy duty weird living companions."
Ranma mouthed, "You don't know the half of it."
Nabiki stood up, "In any case... I've still got
some business to take care of. It was nice meeting
you Natsume, Kurumi." She bowed to each.
"I'll see you around." She smiled as she walked
off.
Kasumi stood up as well, "I'd better get
started on lunch..."
"But we just finished breakfeast..." Ranma
said.
"True enough," Kasumi said as she swept into
the kitchen, "And before you know it, you'll be
hungry again, best to have an early start."
"Better make a bit more than usual, though,
Kasumi-san." Ranma called after her, "The Martial
Arts Varsity going to be dropping by in a while!"
"They are?" Akane asked "Did they say why?"
"They want you, me and Ranko to star in some
sort of production for the school fair."
"They want me to act? Moi?" Ranko smiled,
genuinely flattered, "Well... it's about time, I got
noticed..."
"Sounds interesting." Akane nodded agreeably.
"Martial Arts Varsity... say... didn't you used
to live at their dorm?" Kurumi asked after a moment.
"Yeah, I did..."
"When you wrote home a while back that you'd
moved out of the dorm, Mom and Dad thought you'd
gotten some girl in trouble and they wanted to rush
over here to see what was going on." Natsume grinned.
"Er..."
Ranko and Akane swapped glances, then burst out
laughing.
"Not quite."
"Sort of."
The two goddesses chuckled simultaneously,
despite Ranma's mild scowl.
Kurumi's eyes widened, "You didn't..! 'Nichan,
don't tell me you've already got a baby you haven't
been hiding from everyone! Who's the mother?"
Akane gaped in surprise, totally caught off
guard. Ranko broke out into a fresh burst of
laughter...
"Hey! Quit talking like that, 'Nechan! What if
someone heard you and..."
A familiar voice called out from around the
corner, "What was that about Ranma having a baby?"
"Oh great..." Ranma bowed his head, "It never
fails... one small totally false rumor and everyone's
heard of it inside of a day..."
Ukyou walked into plain view, "Ranma and Akane
are going to have a baby?" She looked pleasantly
surprised at the news. She was dressed as usual in
her shirt and slacks, but she hadn't taken any
blatant pains to hide her femininity, but she still
gave a definite impression of being an androgynously
handsome young man.
Akane blushed, "No, that's not it!"
Ranko went into a mock tragic pose, "Yes...
yes... oh the shame of it all... an unwed mother at
the tender age of nineteen all because Ranma refuses
to do the honorable thing and make an honest woman of
her..."
"Ran-ko!" Akane thundered.
"Is everyone going to keep talking or are they
going to listen first?" Ranma asked, looking
harassed.
Natsume and Kurumi looked at Ukyou
speculatively, then at each other.
"Nine." Kurumi said.
"Eight and a half." Replied Natsume.
"Beg pardon?" Ukyou asked... she did a double
take as she looked at the Saotome sisters... "Nat-
chan? Kurumi-chan? Is that you?"
The Saotome sisters looked at Ukyou again in
surprise, "What?" They tried to get a closer look at
her, but it proved too difficult as she'd already
barreled past Ranma and was in the process of
smothering both women in chest crushing hugs...
"Ohhh... it's been so long!" Ukyou bubbled.
"Er..." Natsume tried to begin...
"Who..?" Kurumi attempted to ask, trying to
fight her way out of the hold...
"Wha..?" Ranko asked, slightly miffed that her
speech was interrupted.
Ukyou released them somewhat and pulled back
just enough for them to get a good look at her face,
"It's me guys, don't you remember Ucchan any more?"
Natsume's eyes widened in recognition, "Ucchan?
Ukyou? It IS you! I didn't recognize you!"
Kurumi ohhhed, "Ukyou-nesan, you looked like a
guy!"
Ukyou laughed warmly, "Just a fashion
statement, guys. Nothing to get upset about." She
turned to Ranma, "Now... what did I just hear about a
baby?"
"Let me TRY to explain it from the top..."
Ranma said, sighing internally... once again he was
being forced to play catch up.
He was still there trying to straighten
everyone out and give his sisters the more or less
accurate (although lacking in certain significant
portions) backgrounder on what had been happening to
him the past semester when the entire club arrived.
Incidentally, just in time for lunch. Kasumi
had the foresight to provide enough food to feed a
small army. Ranma decided to himself that it wasn't
wise to question just precisely WHERE she had gotten
all of that food. He'd gotten so used to strange
things happening in his vicinity that he could almost
begin to edit them out.
Of course... the ENTIRE club caught the tail
end of the 'Ranma and Akane's baby' discussion and
despite Ryouga and Mousse's smiling assurances that
the story wouldn't go ANYWHERE, Ranma knew perfectly
well that come Monday the betting pools would be set
up for whether the theoretical baby was a boy or a
girl...
Introductions were of course made... certain
others of course pointedly ignored certain people...
and certain people with crushes were forced to keep
them unexpressed...
By the end of the afternoon... four fist fights
had broken out and been broken up, snacks had been
served twice, Natsume and Kurumi had somehow managed
to get themselves recruited as honorary members into
the Martial Arts Varsity.
By eight in the evening, the intended reason
for the meeting had long since been forgotten and the
entire thing had degenerated into a much delayed
housewarming (or is that templewarming?) party...
People had fun.
Most of them anyway.
On her bed, Nabiki tapped idly on her
calculator... Kasumi sat on the chair facing her as
she knit what appeared to be a scarf.
"I still need a little more before he'll be
ready, Kasumi..." Nabiki said. A hint of concern in
her voice.
Kasumi smiled gently at her, "I'm sure you can
do it before the time comes, 'Nechan..."
Nabiki sighed heavily, "I wish I had your
confidence, 'Nesama... I really do."
"Now, now... don't do that to yourself, you'll
only make yourself feel worse. Just do your best."
Nabiki put the calculator away and grinned,
"This would be so much simpler to do if I wasn't who
I was..."
Kasumi set aside her knitting and looked her
sister straight in the eye, "Nabiki-chan... don't say
such things. The Office of the Goddess of
Transactions is a very powerful and honorable
office."
"I know that... I just wish I weren't so..."
she clenched a fist, "Limited."
"We aren't allowed to be perfect," Kasumi
replied gently.
"Yeah, yeah... old and established roles... I
know. I just have this feeling, sis..."
"Yes?"
"The thing we're preparing for..?" Nabiki
continued, "I've got a feeling it's going to be
approaching sooner than we realize."
"Oh my. I hope not."
Outside the temple... beyond the reach of the
temple's influence... beyond the lights and music and
laughter... on a lamppost on the street across... a
shadowed figure stood with certain balance. The moon
shining behind it left it little more than a
silhouette, but the definite impressions left were of
those of a young child... in the wind a balloon
danced lightly, as a wordless tune echoed through the
streets...
to be continued...
----------------------
If you want the rest of this series (That's 1/2 My
Goddess) you can get it at the Scriviner's Vault:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/1227/
For private correspondence email the Scriviner at:
ebon@i-manila.com.ph.