author's note:
someone asked me once if I named the new character after me on purpose...
no, I did not do this on a total ego trip! I actually named myself after
this character! I like her name (even if I have no idea what it means... :
P)
{ }- Chinese
BTW, this has NO specific timeline!!!
on with the story...
=====
Akane & Ukyo:
Who are _you_?
Shampoo:
(steps forward, slightly raising her bonbori) Airen? Why you hugging girl?
[girls stare at Natsuki, hostile]
Ranma:
(smiling brightly, oblivious to the tension) This is Natsuki Urasawa. I met
her during my training with pops in China.
[Ryoga, Ranma and Natsuki's smiles dim for a fleeting moment]
Ryoga:
(clears throat & hugs Natsuki) Natsu-chan, it's been so long. I thought we'd
never cross paths again.
Ranma:
(surprised) You know Natsuki?
Ryoga:
Yes, we met when I was chasing after Ranma in China. I stumbled upon a
campsite and found Natsuki there.
Natsuki:
That was Saotome-san and Ranma's campsite.
Ranma:
How come I didn't see yak when me an' Pops got back?
Netsuke:
He went to catch some fish and never came back.
Rig:
(sheepishly) Sorry about that, Tusk.
Netsuke:
Sakae, you warned me about that before you left, anyway.
Ukyo:
Well? Are you gonna introduce us or not, Ranma?
Ranma:
(smiles) Netsuke, this is Shampoo, a Chinese Amazon. Akin Tend, whose
house
I'm staying in with my pops, Ukyo Kong, an old friend of mine, and Kodachi
Kuno, a martial arts gymnast.
Natsuki:
(looks at Shampoo warily) Ranma... I thought you said she was out to kill
you?
Ranma:
(uneasily) It's a long story, Natsu-chan.
Shampoo:
(glomps onto Ranma) Very easy, yellow hair girl. Ranma marry Shampoo.
Ranma:
Ch-chigau!
[Natsuki seems curious & a little shocked, but immediately forgets her
question
when she catches sight of Ukyo (who was in her feminine okonomiyaki attire)]
Natsuki:
Ranma, you told me that Ukyo was a guy.
[Ukyo sweatdrops]
Ranma:
Eto... that's what I thought back then... (scrambles to change the topic)
it's, uh, good to see you. I thought you stayed in China. (hugs Natsuki
again)
[the girls tense, tamping down their jealousy at the sight of Ranma openly
showing affection towards the girl]
Voice:
SWEETO!
[a blurred movement streaks past the fianc�es and glomps Natsuki's chest. We
realize it's Happosai.]
Happosai:
What a fine girl you are-
[the hentai is interrupted when he gets yanked away from the bosom of a very
pale Natsuki]
Ryoga:
(throws Happosai into a wall) Happosai, you ojin!
[Happosai shoots out of the wall and is able to glomp Ukyo and Shampoo
before
Ranma grabs him]
Ranma:
(snarls) You little hentai.
[Ranma proceeds to pound him into the pavement. Ryoga stands beside Ranma,
cracking his knuckles expectantly]
[the 4 girls stare, shocked. usually Ranma and Ryoga attacked Happosai out
of annoyance or anger, but now they could sense the fury from the boys]
[Happosai springs away from Ranma but is blocked by Ryoga]
Ryoga:
Let me, Ranma.
[Ranma nods and steps back]
[Happosai, already sorely beaten with Ranma's multiple punches, launches
himself at Akane, but Ryoga intercepts him, and soon beats him into the
pavement, creating a hole beside the one Ranma created]
[In silent agreement, both boys kicked Happosai so hard he disappeared into
the sky. Ranma and Ryoga watch for a moment, then quickly approached
Natsuki]
Ranma:
Natsu-chan, are you-?
[Ranma hesitates as he caught Natsuki shiver, her eyes glazed and unfocused,
her small figure trembing like leaves do in the midst of the wind]
Natsuki:
(whispers) {No... don't touch me...}
Ryoga:
(gently) Natsuki, it's okay.
[Natsuki shook her head as if to dispel the fog in her mind]
Natsuki:
(nods) H-hai.
Ranma:
(takes her by the elbow and turns to Akane) Do you mind if we bring Natsuki
back home?
Akane:
(blinks) // I've never really seen Ranma act this way before... // Ano...
iie. Kasumi can cook up something for her.
Ranma:
Great. (waves to Shampoo and Ukyo) We'll see ya later.
Ryoga:
Matte ne.
[As they leave Ranma catches sight of the speculative look in Shampoo's
eyes]
Ranma:
(steps near Shampoo) Look, Shampoo, you even think of hurting Natsuki with
your weird stuff and you'll be answering to both me and Ryoga. Don't mess
with her. Got that?
[Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyo gapes at him in shock. A hurt look flashes
through Shampoo's
features]
Shampoo:
(nods slowly) Shampoo understand.
[Ranma leaves with Akane, Nastuki and Ryoga]
***
[Ukyo, unusually silent, watches as Shampoo and Kodachi leave]
Ukyo:
// what is wrong with me? when I saw Ranma hug Natsuki, I felt...
disappointed. But watching Ryoga beat Happosai to pulp, I felt a twinge of
jealousy... and longing. I almost wished that Ryoga could care for- //
(sharply) stop that, Ukyo. You love Ranma.
[Ukyo heads towards her shop, picking up the forgotten okonomiyaki,
thinking...]
Ukyo:
// hmm... maybe i should drop by and give this to Ryo- // STOP THAT! Aaargh!
***
Akane:
Tadaima!
Kasumi:
Hello, Aka- Ryoga! What a surprise. It's been a long time since we last saw
you... oh my, who is this pretty girl, Akane?
Akane:
Onnechan, Otousan, this is Natsuki Urasawa. She's a friend of Ranma'a.
Genma:
(leaps up & smiles) Natsuki... you look well.
Soun:
(demon-head rears) Ranma?! Nanda kore ha?! You're bringing home another
fiancee?
[massive facefault (except for Kasumi of course!)]
Genma:
Relax, Tendo. Natsuki is just a friend we met in China.
Voice:
(dryly) Amazing. You mean some girl actually doesn't want to marry Ranma? I
am so shocked.
[Everyone turns]
Akane:
Nabiki...
[Ranma glares at the bored-looking Nabiki. She ignores him]
Nabiki:
Oh well, I have to go. I have a meeting with Kuno. (steps out of the house)
[Ranma heads for the kitchen muttering something about sharks. He strolls
back
with a mochi in hand, on time to hear Kasumi greeting Ukyo]
Ranma:
Ucchan! What are you doing here?
Ukyo:
(surprised) What am I-? Ano... ah... I, ah... I brought Ry- Natsuki some
okonomiyaki.
// Whew. Youshi! I sound very believable... //
Ryoga:
// What's wrong with Ukyo? She looks so tense. //
Ranma:
// What's with Ucchan? She sounds like she ate some of Akane's cooking. //
Natsuki:
Arigato, Ukyo. That was nice of you.
[Ukyo hands her the plate]
Soun:
So...where are you staying, Natsuki? Did you just arrive in Japan?
Natsuki:
Oh, I've been living with a friend of the Saotome's. But ever since I
arrived in Nerima, I've been staying in hotels.
Kasumi:
Goodness... how very expensive. Father, why don't we offer Natsuki a place
to stay?
Soun:
Why, that's a good idea, Kasumi!
Natsuki:
Demo-
Ranma:
Natsuki, accept it already.
Ryoga:
Yeah, so we won't have to worry about you.
Natsuki:
I wouldn't want to be a bother-
Kasumi:
Oh, no bother at all. You can sleep with Akane in her room.
Akane:
(surprised) M-my room?
Kasumi:
You don't mind, do you, Akane? After all, she can't sleep in Saotome-san and
Ranma's room, and since she's a good friend of Ranma's...
Akane:
(sighs) Okay, okay, already.
Natsuki:
Arigato, Akane. I hope I won't be an inconvenience.
Akane:
Don't worry. (turns to Ryoga) So, where've you been these past few weeks,
Ryoga?
Ryoga:
I've been around... oh, yeah, here's a letter from Shinnosuke... I came
across
him a week ago.
Akane:
(smiles with pleasure) A letter from Shinnosuke! (eagerly reaches for it)
[Ranma glares at Ryoga and drags him to the side of the room]
Ranma:
What the hell is wrong with you? Now you're delivering love letters to Akane
from another guy! I thought you loved Akane?
Ryoga:
I do! It's just that... he challenged me when I refused to deliver that
letter. If he won, I'd have to deliver the damned letter. If I won, he'd get
rid of it.
Ranma:
(smirks) Guess I know who won, huh? How could you lose to a wimp like that?
Ryoga:
Ussee na! What were you so angry about, anyway? You're just jealous!
(smirks)
Ranma:
(angrily shouts) I am NOT jealous! Why would i be jealous of some
broom-wielding
bakamon? Huh?! HUH?!
Ukyo:
(from across the room) Sugar, what's got you steaming?
[Ranma turns and finds everyone staring]
Ranma:
(to Ryoga) Kisama...! (turns to others) Nothing!
[Ryoga smirks]
Natsuki:
(shakes head) Still the same, I see.
***
Ryoga:
Well... I have to go.
Akane:
So soon? You just got here!
Natsuki:
Where will you be staying, Ryoga?
Ryoga:
Probably camp somewhere near. I wouldn't want to lose my way.
Ukyo:
You can stay at my place for a while.
Ryoga:
Really?
Ukyo:
(blushes) Sure... why not? I've got room to spare, anyway. C'mon then, let's
get going.
Ryoga:
(to Akane & Natsuki) I'll see you tomorrow, then. Ja! (leaps out of the
Tendo house)
[Ukyo's exasperated voice can be heard faintly]
Ukyo:
Ryoga, you jackass, this way!
=====
Q & A:
1. how could natsuki possibly know about Shampoo when Ranma only got to know
her
before leaving for Japan?
-Natsuki actually met Ranma and Genma while they were running away from
Shampoo. They left her in China right before they went off for Japan.
2. How 'bout Ukyo?
-Ranma considers Natsuki as his 2nd bestest (-no such word! ^^) friend, so
he probably told her a lot about his life.)
3. Why is Natsuki acting so weird?
-ahem. *grins* that's for me to know and for you to find out... *sighs* nah,
I'm just kidding. I seriously don't know. I'll work on her on the next fic,
I guess.