The Three Saotomes
Part 18
Welcome back!
+++++++++++
Ranma walked down the street in Nerima with Akane beside him, Genryu was
shuffling along with them on the fence top. Akane had a determined look
on her face as she stalked forward.
"Hey, I wasn't the one that suggested this ya know," muttered Ranma as
he glanced up at his younger brother.
"We can't just forget about it!" snapped the girl in retort.
"Man! I can't believe Kasumi would do this to us!" cried Genryu.
"You aren't kidding. I just couldn't say no to her," said Ranma
dejectedly.
"If we're going to skip school for training, we need to get our
assignments so we don't fall behind!" snapped Akane.
"Why didn't we just ask Nabiki to get them for us? She's there every
day," said Ranma in irritation.
Both of the younger teens just looked at him for a moment.
"Oh, right. I forgot who I was talking about," muttered the boy with a
slight blush on his cheeks. "Come on, let's just get this over with."
++++++++++
"You've been skipping school to train for a tournament?" said the
vice-principal as he looked at the three students. He was not a happy
man.
Ranma snorted disrespectfully. "Look here, old man. It just so happens
that my life is the prize in this little game. I'm not taking this
lightly."
"Boy, I don't like your tone. Education is very important it..."
Ranma quickly cut him off. "An education won't do me a damn bit of good
if I'm dead."
The man looked at him and then back to the two younger teens. All of
them had deep scowls on their faces. "Y-your serious aren't you?"
Ranma merely nodded.
"Look, old man, we don't really have time for this, much less coming to
school every day," said Genryu angrily.
"Very well, I'll have your teachers give you the assignments you've
missed, and for the next week as well. I don't want this to happen again,
and keep this between us. I don't want it getting around that you can
just skip class this way." The man gave a heavy sigh and scratched out
several notes for them.
"All right," said Ranma with a small shrug. He wasn't planning on doing
the work until this was over anyway.
+++++++++
As the trio left the school grounds, the bell to end classes rang. They
found themselves quickly swamped by students seeking escape from the
pressures of education.
Akane smiled cheerfully as she was waved over to a group of girls that
she hung around with. She squealed with the rest of them and promptly
engaged in girlish hugging and chatter.
"I thought we were in a hurry?" said Genryu as he looked towards Ranma
with an irritated frown.
"Let her talk with her friends Genryu. She won't see them again for a
week," said the older boy with a small sigh. "I bet none of those other
idiots bothered with this though."
"I know Kuno didn't, and I doubt if Matin did either," said Genryu with
a small smirk on his face. "If Kasumi hadn't said something, we wouldn't
have either."
"I guess that makes us as dumb as the rest of them," replied Ranma with
a light smirk. "Come on, let's go."
Genryu nodded and started to walk after his older brother towards the
Dojo. Akane noticed them leaving and ignored it. She would walk home with
her friends.
++++++++++
"Have you heard from Ukyo yet?" said Ranma as he walked with his brother
along the fence top.
"No. Should I have?" muttered Genryu with a slight anger in his voice.
"She'll want to talk with you soon. You may have to go see her, she does
know little brother, and she'll definitely expect you to uphold her
honor."
The younger boy hung his head and nodded. "Great, just what I need."
"Relax. I got married on a whim too ya know," said Ranma in an attempt
to comfort him.
"Look what it got you," replied Genryu.
"Everything was fine, until you two showed up," snapped Ranma in retort.
"Right, sorry," muttered Genryu with a slight wince.
"Don't worry about it, it isn't your fault Pop is a moron." The older
boy paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Hey, that's... it couldn't
be..." He shrugged his shoulders and turned around. "Well, I guess we
have been here a while now, haven't we?" he muttered to himself.
"What is it?" said Genryu in confusion.
++++++++++
Akane Tendo walked towards her home, idly chatting among her friends.
She was having to answer quite a few questions. Fortunately, only one of
them had dared to ask if she was having an affair with one of the Saotome
boys in secret. She didn't even have to speak to that girl, she simply
stared at her for a moment. No one else had asked anything about the pair
after that. Mostly, she just told of the past week training with the
boys, and how much she hated both of them.
That was when something caught her attention just ahead. A small crowd
of girls was screaming, one at a time. "What the?"
"Akane!" cried the tiny figure as it dove towards her from the center of
the crowd
She reacted instantly, blocking every attempt to grope her body with
practiced reflexes. "T-that attack!" she muttered in shock.
The tiny old man stood in front of her with his eyes wide. She had just
blocked every strike of his favorite move. "Who the?"
"Don't ever touch me again you little pervert!" snarled the angry girl
as she attempted to punch him in the face, her fist met with the concrete
and shattered it on impact.
"My, you're Soun Tendo's daughter all right! So high spirited!" chirped
the old man cheerfullyas he landed nearby.
"You know my father?" said Akane in surprise.
"Eh? You mean, you really are Soun's daughter?" said the pervert as he
stared at her for a moment.
"I think you've got some explaining to do," growled Akane as she cracked
her knuckles.
"Hey! Grandpa Happy!" called a familiar voice. Akane turned to see Ranma
and Genryu running up to them. Ranma, actually had a huge grin on his
face.
"Eh? Who are you?" said the old man as he turned towards the new teens.
"It's me! Lil' Ranma-chan!" said the older boy as he jumped down next to
the man smiling like an idiot.
"Ranma? My how you've grown!" exclaimed the old man.
"Lil' Ranma-chan?" muttered Genryu with an odd look on his face.
"You know this little pervert?" screamed Akane angrily. Most of the
girls still standing around looked slightly sick at the mere concept.
"Sure!" said the boy cheerfully. "He's Happosai, the Grand Master of the
Anything Goes School. He trained both our fathers."
Akane and Genryu both looked at the tiny man as he waved at them
sheepishly. "Hiya."
"You haven't been around in a while! How've you been?" said Ranma
cheerfully.
"I see that you've remembered what I taught you! This girl knew exactly
how to counter my favorite move!" said the old man cheerfully.
"Huh? Oh, sorry about that," muttered Ranma in embarrassment.
"I'm ecstatic! Who could have known you'd grow up to be such a healthy
young man!" chirped Happosai.
"Well, normally, I try to use that move sparingly," grumbled Ranma as he
blushed even deeper.
"I knew it!" snapped Akane.
"Man, my brother really is a pervert," said Genryu with his eyebrow
raised slightly.
"Come on, we'd better get back! Got lots of training to do!" said Ranma
as he whirled around and attempted to change the subject.
"I'll go with you! I haven't seen those two dead beat students of mine
in a while," said Happosai cheerfully.
"Pervert!" snapped Akane as she followed after him.
"Hey! I was married! It's not perverted then!" retorted the boy.
"You did use it on her too," commented Genryu.
"That was different! It was training! Besides, I modified it a little
for that, it usually doesn't hurt," retorted the older boy.
"You got married?" said Happosai as he looked at the boy in surprise.
"Yeah, it didn't last," replied Ranma with a sudden somberness.
"Oh, I see," said Happosai as he quickly changed the subject. "So, how
are my two lazy students?"
"Just as lazy and stupid as ever I'd imagine," said Genryu.
"My father isn't lazy, and certainly not stupid either!" growled Akane.
"She's right you know, only Genma was stupid," said Happosai with a
small nod.
"There see?" said Akane proudly.
"He was just lazy, and a bit of a wuss," continued the old man.
"Some of my pop must have rubbed off on him then," said Ranma
cheerfully.
"Hey! That's my father you're talking about!" snapped Akane.
"So do something about it, you tomboy!" said Ranma as he stuck his
tongue out at her and started running.
Akane screamed and raced after him, fully intent on doing as much bodily
harm as she could.
Genryu looked down at the old man and sighed. "Well, I guess I can show
you the way then."
Happosai was watching the scene with tears of joy in his eyes. "Ranma!
You've done the Anything Goes School proud!"
+++++++++
"Hello Soun, Genma," said Happosai as he stood in front of the two men
quietly.
Both men were merely staring at him in terror.
Finally, Soun spoke up. "Master! Thank goodness you're safe!" He rushed
up and grabbed the man in a rough hug, taking him into his lap. He then
promptly attempted to attack the old pervert, and was then beaten down
rather easily.
"Well, now that's over with," said the old man cheerfully. "I've heard
you two haven't changed much."
Genma and Soun both gulped.
"Relax. I haven't come for revenge," said Happosai with a small sigh.
"Y-you haven't?" said Soun with hope in his eyes.
"No. I'm getting old. It's time I started to train my true heir," said
the old man. "What are you two idiots doing?"
Soun was pulling a cart with his family and most of his belongings in it
towards the gate. Genma had vanished, and a large panda playing with a
beach ball, and a sign that said "I'm just a cute panda," was playing in
the yard.
"What are you two idiots doing?" said Happosai as he watched the scene
for a moment.
"Why, we're moving to China, Master!" said Soun.
"Pop, he knows about the curse," said Ranma as he walked up to his
father.
"What?! How?!" said the animal's sign.
Ranma just pointed at himself and smirked.
"Ingrate!" replied the panda with its next sign.
"Will you two relax! My heir isn't going to be either of you unworthy
fools!" snapped Happy angrily.
"I-it isn't?" said Genma's sign.
"No. I've decided that Ranma will be my heir," said the old man happily.
Everyone, including Ranma was looking at him blankly.
"Huh?" said the dumbfounded boy as he pointed at himself again.
"Of course. You are the embodiment of the Anything Goes School. Smart,
Crafty, and completely perverted!"
Ranma fell on his face as the old man said this. "Hey! Not completely! I
ain't stealing no panties for you again old man!"
Everyone in the room looked at him.
Ranma blushed and scratched the back of his head. "I was little all
right? We used to play this game where I helped him get into my mom's
room. We'd load up and run off."
"Son?" said Genma's sign.
"Mom caught us once. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. She just
left us alone after that," said the boy with a shrug. "She said something
about being manly. I wasn't being perverted, I was just playing with
grandpa. I was to young to be a pervert really." He really wished that
he'd kept his mouth shut.
"This is... interesting..." commented Nabiki.
"Yeah, keep laughing. I know what you've been taking pictures of,
fiancee," replied the boy sharply.
Nabiki found her magazine very interesting all of a sudden.
"What?" said Akane obliviously. "Wait a minute! Don't change the
subject! It doesn't change the fact that you're a pervert!"
"So what if I am?" said Ranma with a shrug. "At least I'm supposed to be
manly, tomboy."
"What does that mean?" retorted the girl with a sudden rage building up
inside her.
"What do you think? Do I have to spell it out for you?" replied Ranma.
Akane screamed and charged at him, he responded by engaging in a sparing
match with her over the koi pond.
"See what I mean?" said Happosai cheerfully as he turned towards Soun
and Genma.
"It can't be! My own son!" said Genma.
"Saotome, perhaps we should engage Genryu to one of my daughters
instead?" said Soun.
"Sorry old man. I'm already engaged, remember?" snapped the younger boy
sourly.
Genma shrank back from the gaze slightly and nodded. "I'm afraid he's
right Tendo. My son Ranma is the only one who can fulfill the promise."
++++++++++
Matin was having a major crisis. He was standing outside the Tendo Dojo,
with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, pacing back and fourth. He was
oblivious to the goings on inside, and most of what was going on five
feet in front of him.
"Hi! Remember me? It's me... no," he shook his head and squat down on
the ground. "Hey! It's me... damn!" He began to pull at his hair in
frustration. "Damn it! I can't think! How do I ask a girl out? I'll have
to tell her my name sooner or later! It's bound to come up!" He stood up
and a fire burned in his eyes. "I must ask this beautiful girl out today!
I must! I shall tell her my feelings today for sure! I love
you...uh...ummm... shit."
++++++++++
Tatewaki Kuno stood in the middle of his yard. The boy was dressed in
his kendo garb, and had a white headband tied across his forehead. He
simply glared at the remains of his practice dummy and frowned. "It is
still not good enough." He turned around and simply stared forward into
the sky as he thought about his situation. "Ranma Saotome, our family
shall be avenged. I swear it."
"Brother dear, I am pleased to see you are expanding your horizons with
new skills, but could you do it more quietly?" said Kodachi as she
rounded the corner.
"I cannot. Fear not dear sister, you shall only be forced to endure for
another week. Then I shall have purified our honor at last. By then, I
will have bested Ranma Saotome in battle, and I shall reign supreme in
the field of battle once again!"
"A week? How dreadfully unpleasant!" snapped the girl, more to herself
than him. "Who is this boy that you seem to hate so much?"
"It is he who broke the Kuno family blade. Fear not sister, he shall be
punished!" snarled the boy angrily. He clenched his fist and shook it
violently towards the fallen practice dummy.
"Broke the family blade? Quite a brave move brother dear," commented the
girl lazily. It sounded like someone she might be interested in meeting,
After all, if he was vicious enough to do such a thing, he might actually
be interesting. "Where might I find this ruffian, the one who would dare
defile our honor so?"
"You need not concern yourself with him sister. I shall deal with him!"
replied the boy firmly.
Kodachi frowned, her brother was being difficult again. "I only wish to
see him for myself brother. I promise not to deprive you of your
revenge."
Kuno snorted in reply and turned away from her. "You shall not find him.
He is hidden away until the day of the tournament, where he shall face me
in honorable battle."
"Hidden?" she frowned deeply. It was just like her oaf of a brother to
scare someone as promising as that away. "What is this tournament you
speak of? You are often at my own matches, but I rarely have the chance
to repay the favor."
"It is the Strongest Under the Heavens Tournament. To be held in two
weeks, outside of Tokyo," replied Kuno. "It is not a sportsman contest,
it is a test of strength. Surely much blood will flow, honorable battle
in its purest form."
Kodachi's eyes went wide. Tournaments like that were highly illegal,
either he was exaggerating quite a bit, or he really had fallen off the
deep end. She had seen the fliers around town, and if someone rich and
influential enough to get the ignorance of the authorities was backing
it... she might actually enjoy seeing something like that. Death was
always fascinating to her. She never had the real desire, or the nerve,
to take a life though.
"I may attend this tournament brother. I have seen these quaint
advertisements around town. It could be interesting." Kodachi turned away
for a moment and ground her teeth in irritation as her brother began to
practice again, making just as much noise as before.
"Brother, dear?"
"Yes, sister?" replied Kuno between strikes.
"I just made lunch. Would you like some?" she said sweetly.
"I do not trust your cooking, dear sister. You know better," he replied
without stopping.
Kodachi growled and stalked away. "I'll deliver him a bouquet later.
Roses for luck or something like that."
+++++++++++++++++
Matin walked back into his home, hanging his head in shame. The flowers
hung limply in his hand and he shoved them into his mother's chest as he
walked by her towards the stairs, on his way to his room. "Here, these
are for you."
"Oh, how nice! Thank you...um...err... son." She put them on the table,
with several similar arrangements. Finally, she turned to her husband.
"I'm worried about him."
"It's just girl problems...uh...dear."
"I know, but he's hardly ever home!" exclaimed the woman.
"I know, don't worry about it. Umm... er... He's a teenager. He'll get
over it, he'll find himself a nice girl and settle down! I did."
"If you say so," said the woman as she stood up and walked back into the
kitchen.
++++++++++
Ukyo Kuonji stood outside the Tendo Dojo. It was dark out, the sky was
cloudy, but it wasn't going to rain. The moon peeked between the clouds,
seeming to shine directly on her as she stared at the gate. A short time
ago, another boy she didn't recognize walked away. He had been pacing
behind her for some time, muttering something to himself. He seemed to be
working up the nerve to ask some girl out. He failed though, and wandered
away. Now she was alone, in a very similar predicament.
"What should I do? What should I say?" she asked herself out loud. "Hi!
I'm Ukyo! You remember me?" She snorted in disgust and shook her head.
"Great. I'm starting to sound like that loser."
She firmed up suddenly and stormed towards the door. Placing her hand on
the gate, she steeled herself to simply barge in. It would come to her,
right? She'd suddenly know exactly what to say to him. "Yeah, right." Her
hand fell limply away and she stepped back again. "Damn! Why the hell is
this so hard?" He was Gen-chan! Her Gen-chan! The one she never should
have hated in the first place! The boy she'd fallen in love with when she
was a child. Only she wasn't a little girl anymore, and she didn't have
any idea who he was either. "Shit. Well buddy, looks like I'm a loser
too." She slowly turned away, walking towards her restaurant again.
"How long are you going to do this?" said an irritated sounding voice
from somewhere behind her.
"What?" she said as she spun around and glared at Ranma. He walked out
of the shadows from a small alleyway a short distance away.
"You heard me."
"How long have you been there?" she snapped angrily.
"Not long, only about five or six minutes. I do know you've been out
here for at least an hour though," said the older boy with a shrug.
"You've been watching me?" she snarled.
"Is that any way to talk to your future brother in law? Of course I've
been keeping an eye on you. I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing
for my little brother."
Ukyo's face fell and she turned away from him. "I never liked you much.
I didn't think I could trust you. You're always acting like you're up to
something. I still don't trust you."
"You should you know. We're practically family," joked the boy as he
walked up beside her and turned away from her casually.
"You always did take care of each other. No matter how bad you seemed,
Genryu always took up for you. Like that time you spilled my Okonomiyaki
sauce. I worked hard to make that you know. He lied and told me that he'd
done it, he even told my father the same thing. Dad was really mad," she
smiled wistfully at the memory.
"Actually, Genryu did spill it. I decided I could take the fall for him,
since your dad seemed to like him so much. We Saotomes do things like
that for each other from time to time," he faced her again and smirked.
"I didn't think you had it in you," she replied with a small smile
returning to her face. "In fact, I still don't."
"Old news, how about making some new?" said Ranma with the same stupid
grin she remembered from better times.
"Better times," she muttered under her breath. "You know, better times
seems too long ago."
"It could be right now you know. I'm not trying to shove you two onto
the altar after all. Make friends with him again at least. You two have
got more time than you realize." Ranma started back towards the house and
opened the gate. "Coming?"
"I think I'll pass tonight," she said with a heavy sigh.
"Ukyo, more time than you realize, but not as much as you think," said
the boy with a small wink.
She looked up at him and nodded her head slowly. "All right, fine." She
walked by him and he smiled as he closed the gate behind her.
Once inside the gate, Ukyo turned and looked at him and frowned. He was
rubbing his hands together and giggling to himself madly.
"At last! My evil master plan is coming together! Bwahahahahahahaha!" He
paused and looked at her for a moment. "Oops, I was supposed to think
that part, wasn't I?"
"Thanks, you've made me feel better. I like you more when I can't trust
you," she replied sarcastically. Truthfully, it was honest, but she
didn't need to tell him that.
+++++++++++
Xianghua sat up in the small cot inside Tofu's office where she had been
staying. She glanced around and felt her face; it was covered in a cold
sweat. "Was I screaming?" she muttered out loud. Whatever the nightmare
was, it was gone now. She closed her eyes and tried to think about her
dream, drawing an almost complete blank. All she really remembered was
some kind of black fire.
She stood up and walked over to the sink, turning on the water and
splashing herself in the face a few times. Finally, she simply hung her
head over the sink and leaned against the edge, simply watching the water
drain away. "What the hell am I doing here?" she asked herself. Finally,
the tears came. She wasn't really sure why, she was simply upset. She
sobbed quietly into the sink for a long time.
Finally, she pulled herself together again and turned off the water
after splashing her face a final time.
"Are you all right?" said Tofu as he walked into the room. Mercifully,
he left the lights off.
"I'm fine. Just nightmares," she replied as she walked over and sat on
the cot.
"You sounded upset," said Tofu with a hint of worry in his voice.
"It's nothing really. I'm just hunting down my husband for murdering my
brother, nothing to concern yourself with," she said coldly.
"I'm sorry," he said gently.
"Don't be, you've been a good friend Doctor. I appreciate it," said the
woman with a slight smile creeping onto her face for a moment. "It was
just a nightmare, really."
"Want to talk about it?" he said as he sat down on one of the stools in
the room.
"I couldn't if I wanted to. I don't remember what it was about," she
said with a weak laugh. "I do remember one thing. I saw a black fire."
"A black fire? I can't really help with that I'm afraid," said the man
with a small shrug.
"It's late," said Xianghua with a heavy sigh. "I've got training to do
tomorrow. You'll help me again after you close?"
"Of course, I've got to train as well," said the man with a small frown.
"I think I'm in better shape now than I was at the peak of my youth,
thanks to you."
"We've got a long day. Good night doctor," said the woman as she lay
down on the cot.
"Good night," he said as he left her. He paused by a small, framed
picture in his room and smiled. It was a photo of Kasumi, taken earlier
in the year. Nabiki Tendo had actually given it to him; it was an unusual
gesture indeed from what he had heard. It spoke of how much the Tendos
trusted him, that was something he wasn't going to give up easily. He
would uphold that trust, and make sure he got that monster out of their
lives, out of her life. He forced himself to look away and walked over to
his bed, taking one last glance at the photo. "Good night."
++++++++++++++
Ryoga Hibiki stood in the middle of Nerima, not sure what direction to
go in next. He had to find Genryu again, find him and make him pay for
his suffering. He paused and shook his head again, that wasn't it. He
hated both of the Saotome men, Genryu was the clear winner in that
contest though, but he had to stop blaming his problems on others. The
main reason he hated Ranma was simple, the damn bastard was always right.
He chuckled to himself in the darkness as he walked down the street.
"I don't hate Genryu all that much, but I still want to beat the crap
out of him. Something about him just bugs the hell out of me!" he thought
to himself. A vicious smirk appeared on his face as he uttered a familiar
phrase once again. "Genryu Saotome! Prepare to die!"
He continued to plod forward with a determined grin now overshadowing
his features. Suddenly, he glanced down as a piece of paper fluttered in
the wind against his leg. Curious, he picked it up and glanced at it for
a moment. "What's this?" It was a flier for the Strongest Under the
Heavens Tournament. His smile grew inhumanly wide. "If I start looking
for this place right now, I'm sure to find it by the time this thing
starts."
Finally having a destination in mind, Ryoga Hibiki wandered off into
Tokyo.
++++++++++++
"Did you just hear something?" said Genryu as he looked at Akane for a
moment.
"Huh? Like what?" said the girl in irritation. She was currently
painting her toenails with Nabiki.
"I dunno, I thought I heard someone say my name outside. It sounded
pretty far away too," muttered the boy with a small shrug.
"No," said Akane as she returned to her task.
"Uh-uh," replied Nabiki as she did the same.
"Oh well," said the boy as he went back to the manga he had been
reading.
The door to the house opened and Genryu looked up with the two girls.
"Sounds like our parents are back early," noted Akane as she heard two
sets of footsteps in the hallway.
"Hiya bro," said Ranma as he walked in, with a very familiar looking boy
beside him.
"Ucchan?" said Genryu as he stood up slowly and stared.
"Ucchan?" said Nabiki as she looked over at Ranma and the new boy. "Who
the heck is this Ranma?"
Genryu looked over to her and was about to answer, when he noticed Ranma
glaring at him and holding his hand over Ukyo's mouth.
"10,000 yen."
"What?" said Nabiki in shock.
"If you want to find out before everyone else in school does. You have
to pay me 10,000 yen, cash, now," repeated Ranma happily.
"Why should I?" snapped the girl in retort.
Akane was holding in her breath and turning red. She would not laugh, it
wasn't funny damn it! No matter what, she would not laugh.
"10,000 yen, or I won't say," said Ranma with a shrug.
"Genryu, who is this guy?" snapped Nabiki.
"Guy?" muttered Ukyo quietly.
"Sorry Nabiki, I don't really want anyone to know about, um... him yet,"
replied the boy as he glanced at Ukyo for a moment. She had most of her
attention on him, in a very unreadable gaze.
"Damn you Ranma! I don't need to know that bad! Besides, I don't have
that kind of money."
"Really, that's too bad," said the older boy with a fake pout. "All the
girls are going to be talking about it too."
"How would you know? Damn it Akane! What the hell is so damn funny?"
said Nabiki as she turned her attention between the pair.
Akane exploded in laughter, and Ranma merely started to walk away.
Ucchan, whoever he was, didn't look like he understood what was
happening. He seemed content with merely staring at Ranma in silence.
"Well Genryu?" said Ukyo finally.
"Come on, we'll go outside," said the boy with a small glance at Ranma.
The pair walked out into the yard and jumped over the wall into the
night.
"Fine! Here!" snapped Nabiki. "Who the hell is he, and why is this so
important? It had better be worth my money! I'm warning you Saotome, this
had better be damn good."
Ranma shrugged off the threat and smiled as he took the money. "Relax
finacee. You'll make a mint off this one. That was Ukyo Kuonji, and she's
Genryu's fiancee."
Nabiki's jaw dropped, and Akane suddenly stopped laughing. "What?" said
the pair in unison.
"You heard me. As for why it's so important, that's easy. I wanted to
distract you, so you wouldn't follow them when they left," said the boy
with a shrug. "I'm sure you'll want to tell all the girls at school about
his, for a price. After all, those photos of him you've been selling have
made you quite a bit, to both boys and girls on campus." He intentionally
neglected to mention the ones of himself and Akane. After all, his
fiancee still had uses.
"Thank you Ranma," said Nabiki coolly as she walked calmly up the stairs
towards her room. Her mind was not nearly as calm. "That bastard! I'll
get him for this!" She forced herself to calm down. He was right though,
she could easily make her money back with this information.
"Anytime Fiancee!" he replied cheerfully. Earning a growl from both
Tendo sisters.
"Oh my! I didn't know Genryu had a fiancee!" said Kasumi as she brought
tea to the table for them. Apparently, she had overheard them. Truthfully
though, her reaction to the situation had been similar to Akane's. So she
stayed in the kitchen, as to not embarrass the girl any more than she
already was.
"Hey, when are Pop and Grandpa coming back?" said Ranma cheerfully as he
looked towards Kasumi.
"They didn't say," said Akane with an angry snort.
"Good, we'll get in a match or two before we turn in then," said the boy
as he grabbed Akane by her shirt and threw her into the yard.
"Hey! I just did my nails!" screamed the girl as she landed.
"Don't be such a wuss," said Ranma as he jumped towards her with a
sidekick.
+++++++++++++++++
Upstairs, Nabiki Tendo growled in frustration. Ranma knew she'd try and
sneak out to find the two lovebirds, if only to confirm his story. That
had sure looked like a guy to her, he could have been lying to her. Now
she couldn't leave without risking being seen, Ranma was fighting Akane
in the yard, and the battles often moved onto the roof. The pair landed
in front of her window for a few seconds, confirming her suspicions.
"Damn," she muttered. Ranma had looked right at her, he was being very
subtle, but she knew he'd be watching for her. With a heavy sigh, she
turned and started to get ready for bed. After all, there were other ways
of finding out what she needed to know tomorrow.
+++++++++++
TBC...
Next time: Ukyo and Genryu!
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com
Previous parts can be found at Http://www.fanfiction.net and R&C Books
International Fanfic Company at Http://members.nbci.com/rc_books_int.html
Ja!