[FFML] [R.5/TM!] Ryoko Saotome [18]

Two to One

This was good, right. And for at least a
moment all their worries seemed distant and
unimportant. What mattered at the moment was that
this chance at life would not be lost.
In the background the flow of air seemed to be
a pair of sighs, as of relief.

********

Mihoshi stared at the blank screen in a small
amount of confusion.
"Is something wrong, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked.
"Ryo-Ohki isn't accepting calls," Mihoshi said.
Kiyone narrowed her eyes and looked over. "Didn't
Washu say there was no way to block this out?"
"Ryo-Ohki is a living being," Kiyone said. "So
maybe it changes the rules a little."
"Should we be worried?" Mihoshi asked.
"She probably just wants to be left alone,"
Kiyone said. "There's nothing we really need to tell
her anyway."
"If you think so," Mihoshi said, then
brightened. "Maybe she's doing something with Ranma?"
She smiled brightly. "You think?"
"Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "That isn't our
business."
"I just hope she's okay," Mihoshi said.
"I'm sure she is," Kiyone said.

********

"Look at what we did," Ryoko said quietly.
"What?" Ranma asked, not catching the thread of
humor in her voice.
"We can't very well anull the marriage now,"
Ryoko answered with a slight smile.
"Oh," Ranma said, then he smiled, catching on.
"Guess we'll just have to
stay married then."
"I guess we will," Ryoko said, and then sighed.
"You don't feel guilty about this?" Ranma frowned at
the question and considered it.
"I don't know," Ranma said. "I kinda think
that Akane would be yellin' about how stupid I was
being all the time. Ya know, like on the show, 'don't
waste what I've given you, baka.'"
"Yeah, same here," Ryoko said. She paused a
moment. "I think that was part of it, too."
"That your Tenchi would want you to be happy?"
Ranma asked.
"Yes," Ryoko said. "And I didn't want to be a
zombie the rest of my life."
"I thought I was the zombie," Ranma said.
"Yeah, well," Ryoko said, tracing her hand
along the floor. "Takes one to know one. Maybe I
should tell Ryo-Ohki to let calls come in again."
"Wait a minute," Ranma said, looking around
nervously. "She was watching?"

********

"Good morning," Sasami said encouragingly as
she entered the hospital room. Her sister rewarded
the effort with a brief, polite smile. "They'll be
here tomorrow."
"Ryoko, Mihoshi and Kiyone," Ayeka responded.
Her younger sister nodded as she sat down. Ayeka
remembered Sasami excitedly reporting of Nagi's
capture to her only a few days before. It had been a
somewhat chilling discussion for the first two
minutes.
Ayeka had been shocked at the initial
enthusiasm with which Sasami had approached what
sounded to be a rather painful and humiliating
experience someone else had been put through. There
were things she couldn't remember, but she was been
quite certain that Sasami would never wish pain on
someone. She was very, very glad when Sasami had
quickly revealed that her enthusiasm was because
everybody left was safe. That nobody had died this
time.
Ayeka couldn't truly remember the bounty
hunter, and Washu wasn't interested in educating Ayeka
on the missing chunks of her life yet. What she knew
about Nagi was acquired by pretending to know what
people were talking about and listening. So she
guessed that Nagi had something to do with Tenchi's
death, and everything else that had gone wrong. But
it was an intellectual knowledge that left her
unconnected to the person emotionally, and as a
result, unsatisfied with the woman's capture.
She would probably never be satisfied.
"Onechan?" Sasami asked. Ayeka blinked and
looked at her sister.
"Hmmm," Ayeka said in response. "Oh, I do
apologize Sasami, my thoughts wandered. You were
saying?" She didn't have to feign interest in what
Sasami was saying very often, it was how she learned
about her past.
"Umm...Washu said you took a walk yesterday,"
Sasami mentioned.
"Yes," Ayeka said, distastefully. Granted she
was recovering faster under Washu's care than she
would have expected otherwise, but she still did not
like to think of her rather pathetic physical state.
"I shambled about on a cane, like some decrepit old
woman."
"You're getting better though," Sasami said.
"It won't be long before you can be up and around."
Her tone was hopeful but strained, something was
worrying her.
"Is there something wrong, Sasami?" Ayeka
asked. Sasami flinched and sighed.
"Mihoshi and Kiyone told us something," Sasami
said, hesitating. "That you might not like." She
knew enough of her sister to know that Ayeka might see
this next peice of information as a betrayal. Still,
Sasami felt she was following the spirit of Washu's
rather stringent concerns regarding rude surprises
this way. The alternative was to spring it on her
tomorrow.
"What is that?" Ayeka asked cautiously.
"Ryoko married someone," Sasami said
soothingly. Ayeka narrowed her eyes and sighed.
Sasami was surprised when there was no violent
outburst about betraying Tenchi's memory. The elder
princess shook her head and considered the information
slowly, carefully.
The paths of her thought brought her to things
she'd rather not consider. She did have clear
memories of both Ryoko and Tenchi. A large number of
clear, unfoggy memories considering her predicament
and the amount of time she had known Tenchi. She
did have a strong emotional tie to both of them. And
despite Washu's best efforts she did know they had
gone to battle to rescue her. Ryoko and Tenchi.
Tenchi had died and Ryoko, by all reports, had nearly
done so as well.
She had to wonder why Ryoko had risked her life
and the life of her loved one to rescue a rival.
There might be holes in her memory, so didn't know for
certain, but she thought that the Ryoko she knew would
have tried to take Tenchi away from danger. Even if
she herself tried later, why would she let Tenchi
come. Unless...
"Oh, Lord Tenchi..." Ayeka whispered.
"Onechan," Sasami said nervously. "You're
not...going to fight with Ryoko are you?"
"No, Sasami," Ayeka said. "I do not believe I
will."
"That's good," Sasami said. She sighed again.
"I can't stay too much longer, Onechan, is there
anything you want to talk about?"
"Nothing specific," Ayeka said, unconcernedly.

********

"There's Jurai," Ryoko said tensely.
The rings of defense satellites were gone, by
Ryoko's hand, and had not yet been replaced. There
were, in fact fewer satellites in orbit than even
Earth had. The serene glow that it had had when Ryoko
had last been here was muted somewhat, though not
much. They were on the wrong side of the planet to
see where the palace had been, where the damages were
heaviest.
"Ryoko," Kiyone's face flashed into view.
"What do you want, Kiyone?" Ryoko asked.
"Before we start dealing with the landing
zone," she said. "Why don't you come on board. No
sense having two ships on approach, and I'm certain
Ryo-Ohki would appreciate the rest."
"Miao," was the cabbit's echoing reply, sending
Ranma into momentary convulsions. The only thing that
kept him mostly under control, while surrounded by
cat-like sounds, was knowing it was Ryo-Ohki
. "Something wrong?" Kiyone asked.
"No," Ranma said tightly. "I'm fine."
"Sounds good," Ryoko said quickly. She paused.
"What was the last word on Ayeka?" She'd seen the
news herself, but she was betting that Kiyone knew
more.
"She's recovering very quickly," Kiyone said.
"She's walking on her own now. She's using a cane,
but she's out of bed at times. Sasami says that Washu
is going to let her out of the hospital in another
week or two." She frowned a moment.
"What is it?" Ryoko asked.
"Mihoshi told Sasami about Ranma," Kiyone said.
"I didn't know if you wanted that to be a secret or
not, but thought you should know the cat was out of
the bag." Ranma shivered.
"Can you not say that word?" Ranma asked.
"What word is that?" Kiyone asked.
"I'd don wanna say it," Ranma answered.
"Well, how can I not say it if you don't tell
me what not to say?" Kiyone asked.
"Just don't say it!" Ranma insisted.
"Cat," Ryoko interrupted. "Ranma's afraid of
cats, okay?"
"Ohhh kay," Kiyone said. "Anyway, we're ready
for you to come over."
"Maybe we'll be talking over one of Sasami's
meals by the end of the day," Ryoko said hopefully.
"She's got a few responsibilities these days,"
Kiyone said.

********

"How they do that?" Ran-Ran asked as Ranma,
Ryoko and the cabbits popped into existence in front
of her.
"Now you behave," Shampoo insisted quietly in
Mandarin.
"Or I will tell Musk you interested," Ranma
added seriously, narrowing his eyes.
"When did you learn Mandarin?" Shampoo asked
fixxing her eyes on Ranma.
"College," Ranma said. "Good for reading
scrolls in old pervert's stash."
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Shampoo
asked Ran-Ran.
"Ummm, it slipped my mind," Ran-Ran said.
"We'll talk later," Shampoo said.
"What are they saying?" Mihoshi asked.
"Why are you asking me?" Ryoko asked. "I don't
speak the language."
"Oh, sorry," Shampoo said, returning to
Japanese. "I was just reminding my sister to behave
herself, and Ranma was saying something that goes past
profanity and verges on blasphemy."
"For an Amazon, maybe," Ranma said with
something of a vicious smirk.
"That's the point, isn't it," Shampoo asked,
frowning. "I have explained things to her, she WILL
behave herself." She glanced down to Ran-Ran who
pouted.
"We're next in line," Kiyone called back over
the intercom. "Mihoshi get up here for the landing."
"Well, gotta go," Mihoshi said, standing up and
walking forward to the cockpit.

********

Sasami waited impatiently for the ship to land.
Her friends, her family, were on that craft, and she
wanted to see them. The small-seeming craft landed,
and slowly, too slowly, taxied into a parking hangar.
Sasami nervously switched her attention to the doors
leading to the hangar.
"Calm down, your highness," Azaka said. "It
will only be a few minutes more."
"I know," Sasami said, nodding.
She didn't calm down, though. She continued to
shuffle nervously and impatiently until a familiar
silver-haired woman passed through the doors. Several
people jumped in surprise at the sight, as the more
usual passengers came in through the doors normally
behind her.
"Ryoko," Sasami said, smiling. Now that Ryoko
was back, she was almost afraid that she'd wake up and
find herself beside Ayeka's bed. Ryoko still missing
and her sister still fading despite Washu's best
efforts.
"Hey kid," Ryoko said. "Still doing everybody
else's work?" Sasami hugged the ex-pirate tightly.
Ryoko smiled and patted the girl on the back.
"Lady Ryoko, it is good to see you well," Azaka
said respectfully, bowing to the further surprise of
Sasami's more official attendants.
"Yeah," Ryoko said. "Well, somebody insisted."

"Hey Sasami!" Mihoshi yelled out. Sasami
released Ryoko and looked past her to see Kiyone and
Mihoshi.
"Everybody's here," Sasami said happily, though
it was touched by a bit of sadness. She noticed, at
last, the three strangers that were in the party and
looked at them curiously. Especially noting the young
man that had been in the news reports. "Oh, hello,
you must be Ryoko's...husband."
"Yeah," Ranma said. "That's me. My name's
Ranma, you're Sasami?" Sasami nodded and then looked
up, questioningly, toward Ryoko.
"It's a long story," Ryoko said. "I'll tell
you later."
"Okay, and who are your..." Sasami started to
indicate the two Amazons when one of her officials
cleared his throat.
"Your highness," the man said. "Your presence
is needed at the clean-up sight." Ryoko frowned at
the man. Ran-Ran perked at the use of the honorific,
though Shampoo merely nodded as her suspicion was
proved.
"She's no fighter," Ran-Ran said in Mandarin.
"Why is she the ruler?"
"Not all countries are ruled by the warriors,"
Shampoo esplained back.
"That's right," Sasami said wearily.
"Hey, lay off her," Ryoko said. "She's just a
kid, she works too hard as it is."
"She has to make an appearance soon," the man
protested. "Morale is..."
"Morale is high since Nagi was recaptured,"
Kamidake interrupted. "Princess Sasami has plenty of
time to spend with her friends."
"Of course," the man said weakly. "If you say
such things, they must be true."
"That's all right," Sasami said. "Ayeka will
be taking control soon anyway." She sounded both
hopeful and worried in that statement. "They'll get
your rooms and everything and I'll be back to talk to
you real soon, okay?"
"I guess that's fine," Ryoko said, not seeming
to think it was fine. "But don't let them push you
too ragged, Sasami."
"I won't," the little girl promised. "See you
in a bit okay? Nice to meet you Ranma."
"Okay," Ryoko said as Sasami was escorted out
of the area by Azaka and most of her attendants. "She
works too hard."
"If you'll follow me, Ladies, Gentlemen," one
of the remainder said. "I shall take you to the rooms
you'll be staying.
"This is her house?" Ranma said, surprised. "I
thought it was an airport or something." Shampoo and
Ran-Ran nodded somewhat similarly as they followed the
servant to their rooms.
"I suppose this would be Princess Sasami's
place of residence in time," the servant said.
"Though Crown Princess Ayeka will probably dwell here,
at least until the main palace is repaired."
"MAIN...palace?"

********

"This is what that guy called 'sparse'?" Ranma
said looking about the guest room with a trace of
disgust. It was a near monument to the fortune and
power of one of the oldest families in the galaxy.
"They're Jurai nobles," Ryoko said, lounging
comfortably on the bed and frowning up at the ceiling.
She was not one to be annoyed with lavish luxury, as
Ranma apparently was. So that wasn't bothering her,
she was thinking of her coming "discussion" with
Ayeka.
"Well, well," a familiar cocky voice said.
"The prodigal returns." Ranma turned around as Ryoko
sat up and both looked to the door to see a little
red-haired girl leaning against the door frame.
"Washu," Ryoko said. "I was wondering when you
would show up."
"Who's this?" Ranma asked.
"Only the greatest scientific mind in all this
universe," Washu said, standing away from the
doorframe, and walking in.
"Where are the dolls?" Ryoko asked. Washu
shrugged.
"I thought that would be a little much," Washu
said. "Don't you think?" She approached Ryoko and
looked her over curiously.
"What are you doing?" Ryoko asked, nervously.
Ranma tensed ready to act if he had to. Washu held
out her hands and summoned one of her key pads and
started typing a few keys.
"Just checking something," Washu said.
"Nothing to worry about."
"With you there's always something to worry
about," Ryoko said. At that a circle of light
appeared over her. Ryoko looked up and sweated,
getting a little more nervous. Last time she'd seen
that she'd been a kappa for an hour. Trying to move
proved futile, she seemed to be frozen for the moment.
"Hey!" Ranma snapped and started forward, only
to slam into a solid, invisible something and find
himself hanging upside down a few feet away.
"Come, come," Washu said, pausing to smirk.
"Let the doctor do her job." The light above Ryoko
faded away after she spoke, shortly before Ranma
smacked into the floor, and Ryoko found herself able
to move.
"Okay," Ryoko said angrily. "What did you do?"
"Just a quick check up, Ryoko," she said. "And
looks like everything is fine and healing well. No
trace of the energy feedback I expected to find."
"Energy, what?" Ranma asked.
"You probably noticed while trying to use your
powers," Washu said. "The Dark Jurai attacks produce
a feedback in someone using normally aspected Jurai
power. It's like a poison. Kamidake might have
survived his other injuries if it weren't for that, or
vice versa. He seemed to be recovering fine the first
week, but eventually the complications proved too
much."
"I thought he was dead," Ryoko muttered.
"Otherwise why just one of them with Sasami." Washu
nodded.
"Ayeka caught some in the fight as well,"
Washu said. "And it interferred with my treatment of
her as well. Until I figured out how to flush her
energy field. If she had taken a direct injury, from
Kagato no less, then I probably would have failed. It
still might cause her problems later."
"What about Ryoko?" Ranma interrupted
insistantly.
"Ahhh, he's worried about you," Washu said,
smirking again.
"Get to the explanations, you little runt,"
Ryoko snapped, leaning down angrily in Washu's face.
"Yes, I was afraid that Ryoko would be likewise
'poisoned'," She paused. "Especially when I saw how
you handled Nagi. I almost expected to find you
basically crippled, by this point feeling wracking
pain and probably unable to metabolize food. I guess
you don't have enough Jurai in you for a foothold
though." Ryoko sat back heavily on the bed,
swallowing nervously.
"They had to take away my powers for a few
days," Ryoko said. "I was hurting for a month before
that, and the wound kept reopening."
"They," she glanced to Ranma.
"A doctor I know," Ranma said. "She got hurt
when she tried to blast me so I had him block her chi
until the wound healed. She's going to be okay
right?"
"You flushed her energy field," Washu said,
ignoring the question.
"I guess," Ranma said. "Block her powers and
let the chi rebuild itself naturally, right."
"How'd you know what to do," Washu asked.
"There're lots of chi poisoning moves," Ranma
said, shrugging. "Ain't my thing, too slow. But been
hit by other stuff not so bad. The Doc knows most an'
how to stop em though. I only know the gist of it."
Washu looked over Ranma for a moment.
"I might have to pay this doctor friend of
yours a visit," Washu said. She turned to Ryoko.
"Well, Ryoko, looks like you were lucky. Mixxed blood
and access to people that actually know more about
something than me."
"You can actually admit that?" Ryoko asked.
"There has to be something left to learn,"
Washu said tsking. "And there's always going to be
somebody that knows something I don't. I just know
more things than everybody else."
Washu stretched out and walked out the door to
the confusion of the occupants. A moment later she
stuck her head back in the room. "I'm going to check
on Ayeka, you coming?" Ryoko hesitated a moment.
"Yeah," she said. "Just give me a moment."
Washu shrugged and turned back into the hallway,
stopping and leaning against the far wall.
Ryoko considered the, now, fast approaching
meeting and took a deep breath before standing up off
the bed.
"Want me there?" Ranma asked.
"You watched...Tenchi's death with me," Ryoko
said. "This can't be as hard." She didn't sound too
certain. "Let's go."

********

"Physical therapy time, I see," Washu said as
she found Ayeka. The princess had her back to the
door and was at the moment trying to hold her arms out
straight with small weights in each hand. A nurse
stood nearby just in case.
"Physical torture you mean," Ayeka muttered,
though the statement lacked the old vehemence her
insults used to possess, as if it was said merely for
form. She let the weights dropped and turned around.
"Certainly you have a..." she paused and stared for a
long moment. "Ryoko."
"How're you doing, Princess?" Ryoko asked
nervously.
Then Ryoko saw something she never expected to
see directed at her from Ayeka. A small, sad smile.
"It is good to see you," she said. She glanced
past Ryoko and saw Ranma. "And this must be your
husband that I have heard about." Washu blinked in
surprise.
"Somebody's been talking to you," she said
disapprovingly. Ayeka nodded and shifted around in
her seat to more easily face the newcomers.
"Wait, your not mad at me?" Ryoko asked,
confused.
"Tenchi would have wanted you to be happy in
any case," Ayeka said quietly, frowning. "I have
blank spots, I'm sure you've been told about that.
But I am certain that Tenchi would not want to have
hurt you, even if he had lived."
"Even..." Ryoko repeated confused. ~Wait, she
must be certain that Tenchi chose her over me!~ She
almost protested out of long habit. Fortunately Ayeka
spoke before she could.
"You'll forgive me if I do not stand to greet
you," Ayeka said formally, directing her gaze on
Ranma. "But I am still recovering you see. I am
given to understand that we have you to thank for
Ryoko's continued existence." Ryoko twitched a
little, this was hardly the Ayeka she knew. She was
formal, yes, and stiff, yes, but the Ayeka she knew
had a lot more spirit.
~Let her think that,~ Ryoko thought to herself
finally. ~That fight doesn't matter anymore.~
"My I ask your name?" Ayeka asked, she had
heard it before, but it was polite to let guests
introduce themselves. Ranma stepped forward to stand
next to Ryoko.
"Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Martial
Arts," Ranma said, giving a polite bow. He looked to
Ryoko's momentarily annoyed face and gripped her hand
encouragingly.
"Perhaps while you're here you can participate
in a tournament," Ayeka said haphazardly. "Ryoko is a
Hero of the Jurai for helping Lord Tenchi rescue me."
Washu flinched again and gave Ayeka another surprised
look. "And again for capturing Nagi, I suppose since
you helped in that regard...that would make you a Hero
as well."
"If you say so," Ranma said.
"Take a seat," Ayeka said. "Both of you, I
would like to know something of what I missed and what
I've forgotten. If that is okay with Washu, of
course."
"I'll listen in," Washu said. "But it sounds
like you know the biggest ones anyway."
Sasami joined them soon after, as they were
talking to Ayeka about things that had happened in the
past. Kiyone and Mihoshi weren't far behind. Ranma
relaxed as the friends discussed old matters,
generally only talking when someone asked a direct
question about him. It reminded him of his own
friends, and recent discussions. Times when he had
been quiet and non-participatory for quite another
reason.
But Sasami was called off on government
business, and the police officers had duties of there
own and so Ryoko and Ranma were the last, besides
Washu, to leave. Only leaving when Washu started
insisting it was time for Ayeka to rest.
"Thank you for talking with me," Ayeka said.
"Today has been most educational."
"Could you stop with the act, Ayeka?" Ryoko
asked. "It's me you're talking to, not another Jurai
noble."
"I suppose you expected me to rant and snap
like some rabid beast," Ayeka said.
"Well, yes," Ryoko said. Ayeka shrugged.
"I was going to," Ayeka said, narrowing her
eyes. "My first response when..." she glanced at
Washu and then back at Ryoko. "I was told about your
situation, Lady Saotome, was just along those lines."
Ryoko was actually comforted by the spark of anger she
saw in the Princess's eyes.
"So what changed your mind, then," Ranma asked,
saying the question for Ryoko.
"It seemed pointless," she said shrugging. "If
our earlier encounters were often childish, we had the
excuse of being children. I do not have that excuse
now. Besides, not all of those memories were of
battles. Though, I suppose, my memory can't be
trusted."
"No, we didn't always fight," Ryoko agreed.
"And, as I said," Ayeka added. "Tenchi would
want you to be happy."
"You too, Princess," Ryoko said. Ayeka smiled
slightly, though it didn't touch her eyes.
"Perhaps," she said. "But not yet, I think. I
shall see you again, of course, a Jurain trial is
short, but you'll still be here some time."
"Don't give up, Ayeka," Ryoko said. "Sasami
would never forgive you."
"Of course not," Ayeka said. Ryoko and Ranma
started out the door when Ayeka called out again.
'Oh, and Ryoko?"
~Here it comes,~ Ryoko said tensing, almost
hopefully. "What is it Princess?"
"Perhaps, before you visit Tenchi's tomb,"
Ayeka said. "You can wait for Washu to release me. I
would appreciate being with you when we both attend
for the first time."
Ryoko hesistated, she had been planning on
doing that much sooner, but she nodded. She did owe
Ayeka that right, she supposed.
"Will do," she said.

********

It was another month before the trial was
finished. A month that saw Sasami finally step down
from active participation in government and Ayeka to
take her proper position again. Rumors and jibes
about how effective a brain damaged Princess would be
were quickly silenced afterwords. Talks ranged from
who the Princess would marry to the idea that she
might take the Imperial Throne on her own.
Ranma, Ryoko, Kiyone, Mihoshi and the Amazons
stayed on for another month after that, but eventually
they all had to return to Earth.
"Do come and visit sometime soon," Ayeka said,
she still made use of the cane to walk. "I shall try
to visit myself occasionally, but I now have a number
of duties."
"It's only a month from her to Earth, right?"
Ranma asked. "That ain't much."
"Yeah," Ryoko agreed. "We'll visit when we
can. But we should be getting ready soon."
"Well there is one matter to attend to," Ayeka
said.
"What is that?" Ryoko asked sharply.
"A favor I was asked to attend to, two
actually," Ayeka said. "First, Sasami wishes to
return to Earth. She hasn't said anything about it to
me, but she does. I think perhaps she would make a
good ambassador, don't you? If we ever reveal our
existence to your governments that is."
"So we're taking Sasami back with us?" Ryoko
asked.
"If she will go, yes, I'd appreciate it," Ayeka
said. "She would be happier there, away from all
this."
"The second favor," Ranma asked, suspicious of
that part.
"Oh, just another ferrying request," Ayeka
said. "There are some passengers that would like to
make a return trip back to Earth with you, I hope you
don't mind."
"There are more terrans here?" Ryoko said,
disbelievingly.
"Yes, quite a few," Ayeka said. "They arrived
by chance today, and after they handle there business
they would require travel back. I thought that
between your two cabbits and that 'shuttle' Washu
built for Kiyone and Mihoshi, you should have no
problems."
"What business do they have here?" Ranma asked,
thoroughly confused.
"Come along," Ayeka said. "It should be
getting started soon. We can sit through it then you
can all be off." Ayeka started limping down the
hallway. Ranma and Ryoko glanced after her and then
at each other before following her.
"Isn't this the grand hall?" Ryoko asked as
they approached a huge set of doors.
"Yes," Ayeka said, smiling. She still seemed
quite subdued to Ryoko's mind, but Ayeka proved that
she still did have plenty of spirit, even if she
generally only applied it to ruling now. The Princess
opened the doors and walked in, with the couple behind
her.
The first thing they noticed was that the
Terrans who had business here all seemed to be one of
Ranma's friends.
"Hey, Ranchan," Ukyou shouted from the front of
the room, standing next to Ranma's parents. Ranma
only barely noticed that his mother seemed to be
putting on a little weight, but was too confused to
put that together. "About time you showed up."
"What? Is this?" Ryoko asked, blinking.
"I understand you have not yet had a wedding,"
Ayeka said. "Merely a civil marriage. I contacted
Lord Ranma's parents and his mother indicated that his
father had an interesting idea for a surprise wedding.
Somewhat unorthodox, true, but then so are you."
"This is a wedding?" Ranma repeated.
"Yes," Ayeka said.
"For us?" Ryoko added.
"Yes," Ayeka said tightly. "And I believe it
is time to get started." Ryoko and Ranma, still
glancing about in some shock didn't seem to be
reacting. "That means rise up to the altar and
proceed with the ritual."
They both blinked and then laughed nervously in
response to Ayeka's continued efforts to get the idea
through to them. They walked nervously to the altar,
where Ayeka took a place at Ryoko's side, and Ryouga
stood up next to Ranma.
"Oh, the city offices are open," Ryouga said,
drawing a pair of unamused looks. Then the ceremony
was started, and everything seemed to be a blur,
mostly because they were trying to follow along to a
Jurain wedding ritual without having any rehearsal and
in Ranma's case, no experience with one, until...
"And now rise," the Jurain priest intoned
solemnly. "You who were once two are now one. Ranma
and Ryoko Saotome."

=====
"Caffeinated Kender? What's that, a berserk spell?" -
Tribble, Kender Warrior of the Celestial Kingdom
"God has to have a sense of humor, it's the only explanation for sex." - my father
"I have to write a how-to paper for class, so I'm writing a paper on how to be psuedo-evil." - my brother

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