Reviewed, Rethought, Rewritten!
Okay, had a few ideas and decided I'd rewrite. Consider what's gone
before to be a teaser. Sorry it's taken so long to get it out, but
hopefully things will go faster from here on. And I do still have
plans to bring Tenchi Muyo! into it, in a bigger way than I had
planned before.
Insert usual disclaimers here, characters don't belong to me but to
someone(s) else but they were soo much fun I just had to borrow them.
Earth, Moon and the Heavens - Prologue
By Lei
Tsukino Ikkuko looked around the dojo in interest while holding fast
to her daughter's hand. It was a very nice place with carefully
tended gardens and a beautiful little koi pond in the middle of the
yard. A tree cast dappled shadows across the soft green grass and a
cicada chirped from somewhere away to her left.
But still, a dojo?
"Oh, you're new here. Welcome to the Nerima Childcare Centre and
Anything-Goes/Chinese Amazon Wushu Dojo. How can I help you?"
Ikkuko turned at the soft voice that travelled so nicely through the
air and found herself looking at a beautiful, blue-eyed woman with
long silver-brown hair who was wearing a smile and an apron over her
house-dress.
"Um, this is my daughter, Usagi. I need someone to look after her
for a week or two while we finish moving our things into the new
house. It's not that I don't want to keep Usa-chan with me, but..."
The woman's smile widened and if anything grew in cheerfulness and
comfort.
"Oh, I understand. Children can be a lot of work. My son keeps both
me and my husband on our toes constantly! We'll be happy to have
Usagi-chan stay with us."
"By the way, I'm Morisato Belldandy, I help out here along with Khu
Lon-sensei. She and her husband own this dojo."
Ikkuko returned Belldandy's bow. "And I am Tsukino Ikkuko."
"Oh! You moved into the place next door to the temple where we live.
I'm so happy to meet you."
"Kaaaasaaan!"
The two were interupted from their conversation by little Usagi
tugging on her mother's hand and pointing in the direction of the dojo
where a small group of children were playing. At least, Ikkuko hoped
they were
playing.
The small purple-haired girl and the black-haired boy with his hair
tied back into a pigtail seemed to be fighting. And laughing.
"Oh dear. Ranchan! Xian-chan! How many times have we told you, no
sparring unless Khu Lon-sensei or Happosai-sensei are around."
The children immediately stopped, their faces falling a little. The
little boy, contrite, looked up at Belldandy as she approached and
opened his mouth.
"I'm sorry, Kaasan."
"I'm sorry, too, Belldandy-san."
"It's okay. Just don't do it again, or..." a mischievious smile
appeared on Belldandy's face and an apprehensive one on the
children's, as they waited for the rest of the sentence. "I'll make
sure Happosai-sensei doesn't teach you anything until next week."
Ranma's eyes widened in horror and Xian Pu looked to be on the verge
of tears as they stared at Belldandy. She smiled gently at them and
reached out to ruffle their hair.
"I don't need to do it yet though, do I?"
The two children shook their heads, echoed by the others standing
behind them.
"Good. Now come over here and say hello to Tsukino-san and
Usagi-chan."
The group all trouped over to the mother and daughter, still standing
watching with interest.
"Tsukino-san, I'd like to introduce you to some of our children.
This is my son, Ranma," she ruffled his hair again then made a gesture
with her hand to which he responded with a bow. "Next we have Xian
Pu, she's the great-granddaughter of Happosai-sensei and Khu
Lon-sensei. These two both want to be martial artists when they grow
up, along with Ryouga-kun," Belldandy montioned to the other
black-haired boy with cute little fangs, "and Akane-chan." The little
dark-haired girl bowed solemnly then grinned at the blonde in odangos
who smiled back.
"Nabiki-chan and Kasumi-chan are both Akane-chan's older sisters.
Their mother, Tendo Kimiko, helps out here part-time. Oh, and Xian
Pu's parents run the Nekohanten, which sells some of the best ramen in
Tokyo."
Ikkuko smiled at the children and then looked down at her daughter
who was busily occupied in a funny-faces war with Akane, Ranma, Nabiki
and Xian Pu. She bent down next to Usagi and whispered in her ear.
"Sweetheart, how would you like to stay and play with Akane-chan and
Ranma-kun and the others?"
Usagi beamed up at her, blonde pigtails bobbing in enthusiasm, "Hai!"
"I need to go home and tidy things up there, so you can stay here
until I finish that and I'll come pick you up in time for your dinner,
okay?"
Usagi frowned then nodded brightly. "Okay."
"Tsukino-san, how about I bring Usagi-chan home with me and drop her
off at your house on the way, since you live next door. That way you
can spend more time at your house."
Ikkuko eyed her doubtfully, wondering if she could impose upon
Belldandy like that on such short an acquaintence. Something in the
other woman's eyes reassured her and she smiled thankfully. "That
would be wonderful. Um, Usa-chan won't have to..."
Belldandy took her meaning and shook her head. "No, those four are
the only three who do any sparring at all. Usagi-chan will be fine."
"Oh, okay then. Thank you."
Belldandy and the children stood in a small group at the top of the
stairs and waved as Ikkuko walked off down the street, heading for
home and a hard days work cleaning up their new house.
-----
C&C welcome, questions answered
<elisas@geocities.com>
www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Field/2272/