Minna-san,
And here's the "R" Side, which is all new material.
Cheers!
Fred
=====
Fred Herriotfherriot@yahoo.com**** **** ****"Fanfiction IS Real Life!"**** **** ****
______________________________________________________________________
Find, Connect, Date! http://personals.yahoo.ca
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: LoneS-00R.txt
-- Desc: LoneS-00R.txt
Nerima, the Tendou dojo, after dawn...
Ranma's eyes flutter as he finds himself lying on the roof. A
wintry chill warps through him as he tries to recall what he had just
been doing, then he yawns. Damn, he was tired! Then again, should
he really be so surprised? Getting into the fight of his young life
against a GOD of all things, that immediately followed by that insane
farce that should've been his and Akane's wedding, would've sent most
normal people to their graves.
Sitting up, he stretches himself to work the kinks out of his
arms, legs and back, then hops to his feet. Sliding into a warm-up
kata, he takes the time to glance at the city surrounding the dojo.
Damn, it looked to be a pretty nice day ahead of him today. Well,
even if he and Akane weren't officially wed, things were alright.
Akane was alive and safe. The dojo was intact. The idiots were
leaving him alone for a change, as was that perverted freak who
thought he was Ranma's "master." His mother was here, trying to
catch up on their ten-year separation. His friends...
Friends...
Family...
Ranma's lips twist into a scowl. Well, if anything, the wedding
proved one thing: he had less friends than he had normally assumed,
not to mention next to nothing when it came to real family. The
instant the cask of Nanniichuan was brought out, Ryouga, Mousse and
Genma decided their own problems mattered more than Ranma's, then got
into a free-for-all over who'd get use of it first. Hell, he
would've tried to share that with the others; it only seemed fair
since Jusenkyou itself nearly wound up under several metres of water
thanks to the fight on Mount Phoenix.
Would they've shared it with him...? Hell, no! Of course not!
And then Ukyou...
Ukyou...
Ranma slows to a stop, then gently squeezes his fists together.
Damn, how did THAT happen, anyway? Given how determined Genma and
Souun were to see him married to Akane, didn't it stand to rights
that Ukyou, much less Shampoo and the Kunous, should NOT have been
invited, thus risking that sort of nonsense? Who had invited them
anyway...?
"...no, you're not getting paid anything back."
Ranma perks, then crouches. That was Nabiki's voice. Doing
his warm-up kata, he had slid across the roof from over Akane's
room to a point over her sister's room. And given his sharp senses,
he could easily hear Nabiki's voice even up here. Crouching,
he tunes his ears to listen...
"Forget it, Kuonji!" Nabiki seems to laugh. "You come flying
into the dojo with bombs of all things -- some of which got close
to Ranma-kun's mother, by the way -- and you expect to get your money
back?"
Silence. Ranma tries to hear what Ukyou is saying in return,
but that is nothing more than a faint murmur to him. Then Nabiki:
"I don't care about your stupid problems with the panda. If you want
to know, it was the panda and my father who arranged this." Another
quick pause, then she adds, "Though given what I've heard about what
happened in China, it's pretty obvious now that Ranma-kun HAS chosen
who he wants to marry."
Longer pause. No doubt, Ukyou is now ranting over Akane's
many inequalities, comparing that to what the "cute" fiancee is
capable of. Ranma shakes his head, then perks as Nabiki replies,
"Well, gee, I guess you don't know Ranma-kun as much as you'd like
to know him, eh? Doubt he'll be coming by to visit you much in the
future, Kuonji." Another long pause, then, "Don't bother. We've
got loads of witnesses ready to testify against you, Shampoo and
Kunou-baby about what you all did. Your claim on Ranma-kun won't
mean squat after that, girl. Have a nice day."
She hangs up. Ranma blinks, then sighs. *She's right about
that,* waifs through his mind as he slides away from Nabiki's bedroom
window, then moves down the roof to an area near the sitting room.
Genma was no doubt snoring away in the guest room. If so, he might
be able to get in one breakfast without the stupid old man trying
to steal his food...
"...you should've told him the whole story, Akane-chan."
Ranma pauses, then blinks. That was Kasumi. A quick glance
around confirms that he is now over the entranceway. No doubt,
Kasumi and Akane were in the sitting room. He crouches to listen
in...
"There wasn't enough time, Onee-chan," Akane sighs.
"Enough time?" Kasumi sternly replies. Though the eldest Tendou
daughter's voice would still sound normal to most people, to Ranma,
the slight edge in her words speaks volumes about her mood.
"Akane-chan, you know Ranma-kun has dreamt for a very long time to
obtain a full cure to his curse. The fact that Father would actually
try to hold back that keg of Nanniichuan water as a bribe to force
Ranma-kun to marry you..."
"It didn't matter, Onee-chan!"
A *bang!* echoes from the room; no doubt, Akane had just struck
a table with her fist. Ranma blinks, then his brow furrows. *Akane
knew about the casket ahead of time...?* he gasps. *She didn't tell
me...!*
Quaking, he slides away from the sitting room, then makes a
spring for a nearby telephone pole. He needed to go somewhere.
But where could he go now...?
* * *
"Lonely Souls"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2," created by Rumiko
Takahashi; and "Sister Princess," created by Naoto Tenhiro and
Sakurako Kimino. This story is set after the end of the "UY" and
"Ranma" manga series.
**** **** ****
NOTE: The writer's notes are at the end of the "A" Side. This part
of the story begins the morning after the end of the "A" Side
Prologue.
**** **** ****
THE PROLOGUE, "R" SIDE - DARK BEFORE THE LIGHT
"Did it really?" Kasumi sighs. "Akane-chan, you could've
easily taken that casket from Father and hid it somewhere until after
the wedding was over. You KNOW the Jusenkyou Guide sent the casket
to Ranma-kun for what he did when you were kidnapped. Why didn't
you think of that?!"
"I...!" the youngest Tendou daughter blinks, then sighs.
"Alright, alright! I didn't think it through! I admit it, but..."
she pauses, then sighs. "It didn't really matter to me, Onee-chan.
He said it! He said that he loved me! I remember him saying it
after he ki-..." she suddenly stutters on that word, then sighs,
"...after he beat Saffron."
Kasumi blinks, then sighs. She had got an abridged report on
the events on Mount Phoenix from Ryouga just after the madness in the
dojo had finally calmed down. "Yes, I suppose seeing you so close
to death would make Ranma-kun let go of his inhibitions,"
she nods, then shakes her head. "I must confess, I'm disappointed
in Father and I'm VERY disappointed in Uncle Saotome. I'd believe
that after what happened in all the other times they've tried to
force you to wed, they'd've finally learned by now. Not to mention
Uncle stealing Ranma-kun's gift for himself..."
"Well, we can relax and wait for it," Akane sighs. "I know what
Ranma feels right now. I know what I feel right now. There's no
need to press it. And with those two out of the way..." a snort
escapes her, then she sighs. "At the same time, I think Ukyou and
Shampoo've finally learned their lessons. Ranma could tolerate
a lot put on him, but his mother was nearly caught in the crossfire,
too. He won't tolerate that."
"True," Kasumi nods. "Perhaps it's time we force Uncle Saotome
to finally face up to the things he did wrong with Ranma-kun and move
to correct those matters once and for all time."
"Do you really think he'll do anything, Onee-chan?"
The oldest daughter smiles. "There are ways, Akane-chan..."
* * *
Hikarigaoka Park, sometime later...
"Damn, he's not open yet..."
Ranma blinks, then turns away from Nerima's only hamburger
yatai to head into the middle of the large park on the border with
Itabashi. Well, he wasn't too hungry now, though he would be soon.
He had no intention of visiting Okonomiyaki U-chan's or the
Nekohanten anytime in the future.
Heck, if he could avoid it, he wouldn't visit either place
again...
Again...
Ranma stops, then sits on a park bench, leaning his chin into
his hand as he stares nowhere in particular. Thinking wasn't his
real strong suit, but he needed to think right now. Fighting it out
wasn't doing him any real good these days. Yeah, it was good
exercise and all, but too many others took it the wrong way. Where
did it end up after the dust settled?
He closes his eyes. The time had clearly come for some changes.
First big change was Ukyou. He had pretty much ignored her claims
of being the "cute" fiancee, basking in the fact that his oldest
friend came back to him. No more of that. Ukyou would have a choice
to make. If she wanted his friendship, she'd have to let go whatever
marital claims she had. If her help in destroying his family home
wasn't bad enough, the wedding...!
Ranma shudders. Idiot! What the hell was she doing lobbing
food bombs in an enclosed space like the dojo, with dozens of
innocent people in the way? Shampoo, he could understand; the
harshness of her tribal laws demanded things like that! But Ukyou?
What the HELL was she thinking?!
He sighs. No. It was one way or the other. If she wanted
to be his friend, she couldn't be his fiancee. If she wanted both,
she'd have to take it out on Oyaji. Ranma smirks, imagining what
Genma would do if he got wind of that. Well, the fat idiot started
it, after all.
But now...
Akane...
She knew...
SHE KNEW!!!
His fists squeeze. Damn it all, didn't she understand?
Didn't she CARE?! How could he possibly hope to marry her, start
a family with her, if he was still stuck with this damned curse?!
Didn't she...!
*I said I loved her...* his eyes narrow, the sting of oncoming
tears forcing him to squeeze them shut. No! He wouldn't cry...
He...
*Did she really mean it...?*
Damn, why were things so confusing...?
*Does she love me...?*
What could he do now...?
What...?
*Or is she no different than Ukyou and Shampoo...?*
Shuddering, he takes a deep breath, then wiping his eyes, rises.
*Am I a person to her...?*
Ranma slowly walks back towards the dojo.
*Or just a prize...?*
* * *
Sometime later...
"Ranma, are you okay?"
"Eh?" he blinks, then looks down at Akane. Given the numbers
of days both of them missed out in regular classes, the couple had
been forced to attend make-up classes during winter vacation.
That wound up being true for a lot of students at Furinkan, Ranma
learned yesterday, though not much in the way of teaching was done
given the gossiping students engaged in about the wedding, much less
Ranma's and Akane's recent trip to China.
Unlike yesterday, where they had walked side-by-side to school,
he has returned to fence-walking. However, this time, he was keeping
a sharp eye out for a certain Amazon on a bicycle. Much that he
didn't like the idea of fighting a girl -- especially given his many
troubles with Shampoo and her clan laws -- he could at least try to
avoid that. "Didja say somethin' there, Akane?" he glances briefly
at her, then looks around.
Akane blinks, then notices him gazing around. Ranma seemed
tense at the dinner table this morning, hardly speaking at all save
to his mother when she asked him about school. Genma had tried to
engage in some table-top sparring with the chopsticks, but one slice
of Nodoka's katana put a stop to that immediately. In fact, Akane
could've sworn that she saw Ranma forming a chi ball in his hand when
Genma tried to snatch his food. If Nodoka hadn't *cut* in when she
did, Genma might've got an early morning dose of the Mouko
Takaibisha. That would've surprised everyone.
"Are you alright?" she asks. "Something's bothering you."
"Huh?" he blinks confusedly, then rolls the question through
his mind before shaking his head. "Nah, nothin's botherin' me,
Akane. It's cool."
*Liar!* she sharply retorts in her mind, then chastises herself
for feeling anger at Ranma for that. Ranma had always had trouble
vocalizing his thoughts. That was one of the things Genma had
grossly failed to teach his son on the road. Vocalizing things was
a weakness and Genma always wanted his child to be as invincible
as possible. An understandable wish given the sheer number of
enemies Ranma had, but still...!
Taking a deep breath, she then concentrates on the walk to
school. Glancing at Ranma from time to time reveals that he is busy
keeping an eye behind them. *Oh, of course!* Akane nods
understandingly. He was watching out for Shampoo and her infamous
"bicycle of death." No doubt, after what happened two days ago,
whatever trust Ranma might've had with that Amazon slut had vanished
totally, never to return. Good thing and all, but it would clearly
make for some tense days ahead. What would happen?
Finally, the two reach the last stretch of roadway leading
to the front gate of Furinkan High School. Seeing that, Akane
relaxes. Shampoo would normally try to persuade her "airen" to go on
a date long before this. Maybe the stupid hussy had learned a lesson
after all...
"Hold, foul fiend!!!"
Oh, brother! Not THIS!!
Ranma perks as Tatewaki Kunou places himself on the main path
leading to the front doors, his customary bokken in hand. Shuddering
as the idiot kendo club captain launches into his usual spiel, Ranma
feels the chi surge through his arms into his hands, then he locks
on target.
"***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!!!!***"
The students on the front lawn scream as the bolt of confidence
chi slams into Kunou, sending him flying back to smash HARD into the
concrete steps leading to the front doors! Akane stops, her jaw
dropping to the street in disbelief as Ranma hops off the fence,
then calmly heads through the gates. People look at him, a mixture
of fear and shock on their faces. He ignores them; he simply had no
time for those gaping morons.
"Ranma-sama?"
Ranma stops, then spins left to see Kodachi standing near a
tree. As usual, the martial arts rhythmic gymnast is in her black
leotard, her handy whip in one hand. Strangely enough, a storm of
black rose pedals had NOT preceded her entrance. Taking a deep
breath, Ranma relaxes, then allows a ball of chi to form in his hand.
"A problem, Kunou-san?" he wonders.
More gasps from the crowd. Most people at Furinkan knew that
Ranma wouldn't strike a woman. If he didn't believe in that "no hit
girls" rule, Akane and a host of others would've spent a lot of time
in traction for the times they struck at him. But given Kodachi's
known lack of sanity, not to mention her reputation as a honourless
cheat, maybe this time...
"No, no problem," Kodachi remains calm, though inwardly,
she was shivering at the cold look coming her way from him. Deciding
to change the subject -- and the target -- away from her, she glances
towards her fallen brother. "No doubt, Onii-san had THAT coming
to him given what happened two days ago. Much that I do adore you,
Ranma-sama, I've come to realize by now that you don't like being
forced to do anything against..."
"Hey, someone! Get an ambulance!!"
Ranma disperses the chi ball as he glances at Kunou, the
kendoist now being tended to by several of his clubmates. Hearing
the shout from one of them, several students draw out their
cell-phones to put in a call.
By then, Akane has come to stand beside her fiance. "Don't
you think you overdid that a bit, Ranma?" she wonders.
Ranma blinks, then glares at her, causing Akane to duck his
look. "He drew live steel at the dojo, Akane. In a middle of a
friggin' WEDDING of all times. As far as I'M now concerned,
he has no honour at all!" he growls loud enough so that as many
people as possible could hear.
"If that is what you believe, Ranma-sama, I will not stop you,"
Kodachi turns to leave. "Do have a good day."
She bounds off. Ranma and Akane watch her go, then he shakes
his head. "Man, she's just as much a loony as that idiot is," he
thumbs Kunou before turning to head inside for classes. As he
approaches the crowd now surrounding the downed kendoist, he quickly
notices the tense looks on their faces. Given that they were members
of the same club, it stood to rights that they probably respected
their club captain. Well, too bad.
"Any of you care to be stupid today?" Ranma calmly asks.
The other kendoists quake, then quickly move to extract Kunou
from the hole Ranma made for him in the steps. With that, Ranma
heads inside. Behind him, Akane remains rooted in place, stunned
that her fiance was being THIS vicious to anyone, even a total
blockhead like...!
She then shakes her head before heading inside after Ranma.
Well, yes, he certainly had a point about Kunou having no honour.
Besides, all the times Kunou tried to fight Ranma beforehand
hadn't done anything to make the jerk go away and leave them be.
Maybe this time...!
* * *
In class, sometime later...
"Ah, Saotome-kun, I trust you'll be staying in classes for the
next few days," Hinako Ninomiya wonders. "We've missed you."
"Hai, Sensei," Ranma curtly nods.
"Alright then, we'll begin..."
Ranma sighs, his eyes hooded as he tries to pay attention
to the lecture. Around him, other students were concentrating
on their work. Most of them, of course. Akane was dividing her
attention between the lecture and keeping an eye on Ranma. She then
blinks as the student beside her places a note on her desk. Seeing
it is addressed to "Ran-chan," Akane turns back towards Ukyou
Kuonji's seat. The chef gives her a look that was plain for Akane
to understand: "Pass it to him -- and no, it's NONE of your
business." With that, Akane glances at the head of the room to see
Hinako busy writing something down, then she hands the note to Ranma.
Ranma perks on sensing Akane's hand come in close range, then
he relaxes. While most people did believe that he paid no attention
at all when he was in class, that wasn't exactly true. He did try to
stay keenly aware of any potential overt threats against him,
especially from others of the so-called "Nerima Wrecking Crew." It
didn't always work; look at all the times Shampoo smashed her way
into the school to deliver lunch? And given the sheer boredom he
felt with lectures like this, it was just plain hard to concentrate
on the important things and not avoid a spell with the buckets in the
hallway. Didn't anyone understand what he felt?
Did anyone even care...?
Glancing down, he notices the note. Quick to recognize Ukyou's
handwriting, he glaces towards the front to see Hinako still writing
things down at the board, then looks towards the chef. She seems
to brighten as he looks her way. Ranma then turns back to his book,
his hands gently gripping the folded paper. Sighing, he casually
rips the note up, piling the pieces at the corner of his desk, then
turns back to his book.
Seeing that, Akane's jaw drops in surprise. Gods, he did THAT
to a note from UKYOU of all people?! Glancing towards the chef, she
notes that Ukyou was busy writing something down. Turning back to
her own book, Akane shudders as the implications of what Ranma just
did sink in.
*He's rejected her...!*
Akane blinks. Ukyou, Ranma's oldest and best friend. Ukyou,
his "kawaii" fiancee. Ukyou, the one person Ranma told all his
problems to. Ukyou, the most serious potential rival to Akane for
Ranma's love. The one Akane herself wanted as a friend. The one
Akane hoped would step in and be there in case something happened
to Akane herself. The one...
*He's rejected her!*
Akane blinks, then gazes at Ranma before a light smile crosses
her face. *Then that means...* she tries not to scream out. *He's
finally chosen...!* she takes a deep breath. *He's finally chosen
me...!*
* * *
Lunchtime quickly comes. Ranma, who had long been trained
to consider every meal potentially his last, quickly gets out the
bento box Kasumi made for him. He blinks on noting a Saran-wrapped
bowl full of brown-greyish sauce intermixed with vegetables awaiting
him there. "Hey, Akane, did you make some curry today?" he glances
over at Akane.
"Actually, they're leftovers from last night," Akane reports,
then moves to moderate. "Kasumi helped me make it."
"Oh, that's nice," he nods, then digs in.
Hearing this from nearby, Ukyou perks up, then smiles. "Hey,
Ran-chan, do you want some okonomiyaki there? I got my grill."
Akane jolts, then tries not to quake. Damn it all! Instant
she mentions that she cooked something for Ranma, the other idiots
quickly move to "save" him with their own food. No doubt, Shampoo
was on her...
"No thank you, Kuonji-san."
...way...?
What did he just say?
Akane blinks, then watches Ranma rise, heading to the door. The
whole classroom is stunned silent by his reaction, then they turn to
gaze on Ukyou. The chef looks as if Ranma had just stabbed her in
the heart, then the back. "R-r-ran-chan..." she sputters, reaching
for him.
Ranma stops, then gives her a look that could burn diamonds.
Ukyou balks, then trembling, averts her eyes from him. He walks out.
The others say nothing, stunned that they had just watched something
like THIS, then Hiroshi turns to Daisuke. "Me thinks, to quote our
dear ol' Kunou-sempai, that Ranma is still a mite bit angry at a few
people today."
"Not so surprising," Yuka comments from across the way, ignoring
the fact that Ukyou was overhearing everything. "From what I heard,
when everything fell apart, bombs got thrown at Ranma-kun's
mother. I'D be pretty angry if my mother was threatened like that
by some lunatic!"
"True," Sayuri adds.
Hearing that, Ukyou quakes, then quickly withdraws from the
room, trying to mask her tears from everyone else. They watch her,
then Sayuri turns to Akane. "I bet you're happy now. Aren't you,
Akane-chan?"
"Maybe," Akane sighs. "I guess Ranma's still angry at a few
people for dumping the whole wedding on his head just like that, not
to mention stealing what might be his last chance at a cure to his
curse." She scowls as she remembers Mousse, Genma and Ryouga -- why
RYOUGA wanted to get his hands on the Nanniichuan cask, Akane hadn't
begun to figure out -- fighting over the cask, then sighs. "And yes,
he has a right to be angry at Ukyou and Shampoo for what they did.
I just can't believe he'd tear up a note she passed to him without
even bothering to read it!"
Everyone stares at her. "He did THAT?!!" Daisuke gasps.
"He did! I watched him do it, too!" Akane nods.
The others hum...
* * *
Unseen by any of them, Ukyou was presently in the hallway gazing
out the window at the surrounding cityscape. She had perked up on
hearing Akane mention the note, then nearly screamed out in disbelief
on hearing what Ranma had done to it. What Ranma had done...!
No...!
Did he...?!
Did that mean...?
"Ran-chan..." she whispers, then bows her head. "I'm sorry..."
* * *
The Tendou dojo...
"Kasumi..."
"No, Father! This has gone on far enough!" Kasumi glares at
Souun, both sitting in the living room. Nodoka had gone with Genma
to survey the repairs on their family home. "Everyone has been
shirking the basic fact that Ranma-kun is emotionally ill-equipped
to deal with all the suitors your *friend*..." -- one could coat the
living room floor with the scorn dripping from that word --
"...forced on him. That ESPECIALLY includes you AND Auntie Saotome,
Father. If you both REALLY want to see Ranma-kun and Akane-chan
develop a healthy relationship, that means you have to help Ranma-kun
settle all his problems with the others."
"But Kasumi..." Souun begins to sob.
"No, Father!!" Kasumi slaps her hand on the table, causing
her father to jolt. "If you really want to see Ranma-kun and
Akane-chan married, then you WILL make Uncle Saotome deal with the
other suitors or else Ranma-kun and Akane-chan will NEVER be married
as long as they live here!!"
Niagara Falls. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
MY DAUGHTER DOESN'T WANT RANMA-KUN AND AKANE-CHAN TO MARRY!!!!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE
JOINED!!!! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
"Oh, Father..." Kasumi sighs...
* * *
After school...
"I hear you've been giving Ukyou the cold shoulder there."
Ranma perks, then looks right to see Nabiki walking alongside
him and Akane. He tenses for a moment, then relaxes. "And if I
did?"
"Well, I wouldn't blame you at all if you decided to tell her to
go straight to Hell," Nabiki snorts, then sighs. "By the way, thanks
to what you did this morning, Kunou-baby'll be in the hospital
for over a week."
"A week's peace," Akane sighs. "Pity it couldn't last forever."
"Well, we'll just have to make him see that," Ranma snorts.
"That ain't gonna cause us any other problems, will it?"
"After he drew steel at a wedding? Don't bet on it," Nabiki's
eyebrow arches, then sighs. "We've got loads of witnesses who'd be
willing to testify against him and I doubt that his father or his
sister will help in his defence. Regardless, if this gets out into
the general public, his reputation could potentially be permanently
tarnished. I think this'll be swept quietly under the rug and
forgotten in the long term."
"True," Akane nods, then blinks on seeing someone appear to
Nabiki's right. "Sasuke?" she gasps on recognizing the Kunous'
retainer.
"I apologize for intruding, ladies, but Mistress Kodachi would
like to see you, ma'am, as soon as possible," Sasuke gazes on Nabiki.
"She states it is a matter of considerable import to her and she
promises she will compensate you for taking your time, Tendou-san."
"I...! Okay!" Nabiki quickly nods, then turns to follow the
ninja down a side street. "See you guys later!" she waves.
They return their wave, then head on towards the Tendou home.
"I'm surprised she hasn't said anythin' about her bein' the one who
invited all those dorks to the wedding," Ranma mutters under his
breath.
Akane perks, then sighs. "Yeah, you're right there! I
shouldn't've been surprised that she did that! Then again, if things
started to really calm down around these parts, she wouldn't be
making as much money."
"Is that all she cares about?" Ranma wonders, then shakes his
head.
"Does seem like that, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, ya gotta point there," he nods, then turns to her.
"Look, Akane, I wanna go take a walk there. Clear my head an' all
that."
"Oh, sure, go ahead!" she nods. "After what we've been through,
I think we both need the chance to relax for a while."
"Right," he waves before bounding onto the fence and taking
off. "See ya later!" he calls out before disappearing around a
corner.
Akane watches him go, then sighs before she stops. "Would he go
visit...?" she blinks, then shakes her head. "No, he wouldn't
go to that tramp's place, not after what just happened. And he
definitely wouldn't go to Ukyou's place either. Maybe if they
apologized first..."
Sighing, she heads home...
* * *
The Nekohanten...
"He was on the lookout for you this morning?" Cologne asks.
"Yes," Shampoo nods, seated at the bar. Both the warrior-maiden
and the elder were now speaking in Mandarin, as they always did when
matters of great import came up. "I knew I'd be risking Airen's
wrath by attacking him, especially after what happened at Mount
Phoenix, but I had no choice but to defend my hold on him,
Great-grandmother. And now..."
"And now, thanks to you potentially placing Son-in-Law's
MOTHER in harm's way, whatever trust he may have had in you could've
vanished forever into the abyss," Cologne counters, then sighs.
"Leave him be for the next while, Xian. I've already sent a full
report about what happened on Mount Phoenix to the Council. Maybe
we can navigate our way out of this mess, but if we continue to
antagonize Son-in-Law like before..."
"I can't let him go, Great-grandmother!" Shampoo hisses.
"But you CAN give him some breathing room," Cologne glares at
her. "Don't forget, child, he just KILLED for the first time.
Despite the insanity his fool father forced him into during their
training trip, Son-in-Law has NEVER been exposed to the idea of
ending another's life. Right now, I can't predict WHAT he might be
feeling. It's best, for the time being, to give him space and let
him organize his thoughts. I don't want to push him to the point
where he would forever reject any idea of coming to the village.
Remember, Xian, all the elders together couldn't defeat Saffron!
Though it was difficult and he was fighting to save the Tendou girl,
Son-in-Law DID defeat him! He DID kill him!!" Her eyes narrow.
"Do you think you can control Son-in-Law if he ever went OUT of
control?"
Shampoo jolts, then shudders. "I still can't let him go."
"Give him space and time," Cologne ordains. "It's not a
permanent separation, not by far. As the people of the West often
say, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.' Relax. He needs it and
so do you."
The younger Amazon blinks, then slowly, reluctantly, nods...
* * *
Hikarigaoka Park...
"I didn't know you were a connoisseur of ice cream,
Kodachi-san."
"It's a treat I can sparingly indulge in because of my gymnastic
career," Kodachi smiles. She and Nabiki were relaxing near an ice
cream vendor's yatai in the west end of the park. "Well, thanks
to Ranma-sama, things will be very peaceful in the house for the next
week or so."
"You're not angry at him because of that?" Nabiki asks.
"Feh! Of course not! The fact that Onii-san still roils on and
on about your sister and that red-haired harlot, vowing to destroy
dear Ranma-sama just to 'free' them...?! Bah!" the gymnast shakes
her head. "I am so tired of that, Nabiki-san. Very tired of it.
Dealing with that honourless fool who happens to be my father is bad
enough at times."
"Yeah, I suppose I can understand that. My father can be a
stupid idiot from time to time, too," Nabiki rolls her eyes.
"Such as forcing Ranma-sama and your sister to wed almost
immediately after your sister nearly faced her own death in China.
Or so I've heard."
Nabiki stops, then stares at her. "Who told you that?"
"Sasuke overheard the Hibiki boy make his report to your other
sister Kasumi," Kodachi smiles. "You're not the only one who takes
great value in gaining vital information, Nabiki-san. So, is it
true?"
"What?"
"That Ranma-sama actually killed a god?"
Silence falls, then Nabiki sighs. She was still trying to
figure out what sort of bargaining position she could take in this
instance. "Yes."
"Remarkable," Kodachi seems to swoon for a bit, then relaxes.
"Do you believe this Saffron might come back to haunt Ranma-sama
anew?"
"I sure as hell hope not."
"Yes, I'd understand that," the gymnast nods, then sighs.
"There is one thing I have to ask, Nabiki-san. And I wish you to
answer me directly about it. It concerns these rumours many have
persisted in spreading about Ranma-sama and the red-haired girl
actually being one person."
Nabiki blinks, then gazes intently at Kodachi. Wait a minute
here! What was going on? Wasn't Kodachi supposed to be as blind
to things like that as her brother was? When the HELL did she catch
onto that...?
"So it is true, isn't it?"
Nabiki blinks again, then sighs. "Yes, it's true."
"How?"
"A place way in the highlands of China -- actually close to
where Saffron lived -- called Jusenkyou," Nabiki begins to explain...
* * *
"***WHAT?!?!?!***"
"It's true, old friend!" Souun tearfully gazes on Genma. "I
can't believe that my own daughter forced me to demand this of you!!"
The patriarch of the Saotome family shudders, fear and outrage
battling for control over his heart. "She actually wants me to...?!"
"Yes," Souun nods.
"I can't do that!!!" Genma snaps. "If I do that, all my
training with the boy would be for naught!! How can the boy be the
best if he's made to rely on others to fight his battles for him?!
That's not what the Art demands, Tendou-kun!! You know that as well
as I do!"
"I...!" Souun shudders, then nods. "Yes, yes, I do know that.
But still, maybe it would be easier on Ranma-kun if you settle
matters with the Kuonji girl. Her claim on Ranma-kun DOES have
validity because her father did recognize the yatai as a dowry. The
China girl's claims on Ranma-kun are laughable at best and the Kunou
girl has no claim on Ranma-kun at all." He then perks before giving
Genma a peering look. "Unless...?!"
Genma gargles, then shakes his head. "No, no, no! Of course
not! Why would I try to do THAT with a lunatic like her,
Tendou-kun?!"
Souun hums, then nods. "Then you'll at least try to do
something with the Kuonji girl as soon as you can? Remember,
Saotome-kun, you DID take her dowry!" he wags a warning finger at his
old friend.
"I..." Genma blinks, then sighs. "Alright, I'll do that! But
I don't like it! And we shouldn't tell the boy about it, either!"
"Agreed, then..."
* * *
"That's incredible!"
"Yes, that it is," Nabiki licks her cone, then stares at
Kodachi. "So now that you know, what will you do? Tell your
brother?"
The gymnast blinks, then smiles. "Do you honestly believe
he would accept something like that?" she rises, turning to leave.
"No. As you might suspect, he might decide that you yourself have
been 'enchanted' by the 'foul sorcerer' to say such 'lies' about his
'pig-tailed girl.' At least after hearing that, I can try to
understand my Ranma-sama better."
"'Your' Ranma-sama?" Nabiki's eyebrow arches. "I thought I once
heard you tell someone that you knew Ranma-kun didn't like you."
Kodachi blinks, then looks away, her smile broadening.
"That, Nabiki-san, does not bother me. Have a good day."
She bounds off. Nabiki watches her go, then sighs. "Oh,
shit..."
* * *
The next morning...
"***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!!***"
Everyone jolts out of bed on hearing Ranma's shout. That is
quickly followed by the loud *crash!* of a body slamming into the
tree in the front yard. That is in turn followed by a *splash!*
of said body hitting the koi pond. The door to the Saotome's
guest room flies open, revealing Akane. "Ranma, are you al-...?!"
her voice grinds to a stop on seeing him up, now stretching himself.
There is no sign of Genma. "What happened?!"
Ranma blinks, then stares at her before taking a deep breath.
"I wasn't in the mood to spar with Oyaji today. Sorry to wake you
up."
Akane blinks, then walks to the window, gazing onto the front
yard. In the koi pond, a nicely-cooked panda drifts to one rocky
shore. "Oh," she nods, then sighs. "Well, since we are up..."
She heads out of the room, quickly replaced by Nodoka; since
the destruction of the Saotome home, she had been sleeping with
Kasumi. "Son, was that TRULY necessary?" Ranma's mother
reproachfully gazes on him.
"Like I just told Akane, Mom, I wasn't in the mood to spar
today," he shrugs, then moves to get his toiletries to start the day.
"And since he don't listen to me normally, I hadta persuade him
another way."
Nodoka blinks, then nods. "Understandable, especially after
what you just went through. I'll speak to your father about that
when he recovers."
"Make sure you got the katana with you, Mom," Ranma smirks.
"I'll remember, dear..."
* * *
Later...
Ranma and Akane walk through the front gate of Furinkan High
School, then slow down, both tensing automatically. A pause as they
think about what was making them brace themselves, then they relax.
"First, no Shampoo and her stupid bicycle. Now, no Kunou and his
bokken," the latter smirks. "I just hope this sort of thing doesn't
end soon. It's a nice change."
He considers that, then nods. "Yeah, ya gotta point there.
C'mon, let's get to class..." he stops as his internal danger alarms
begin to ring loudly, then he leaps into the air to avoid oncoming
barber shears. "Spoke too soon!!!" Ranma backflips behind the
Principal, then cups his hands as he locks on target, ensuring
Akane was in the field of fire.
"***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!!***"
The tree-topped school administrator cries out before the chi
blast sends him flying head-first into the wall. "De Big..." he
grunts as he slides to the ground, "...Kahuna...! Don't feel...!
That..."
He passes out. Akane blinks, then stares wide-eyed at her
fiance. "Ranma, for heaven's sake, that was the PRINCIPAL!!!"
"So?!" Ranma straightens himself, then heads into the school.
Akane watches him go, then races in after him. Around her,
other students begin to whisper, many sending fearful glances Ranma's
way...
* * *
"Hmmm...! This is NOT good."
Genma grimaces as he watches his son head into the school
building, Akane behind him. Much that Kunou's father WAS a total
idiot, he still was the principal of Furinkan High, thus a figure
that merited some respect. And yes, given the twit's insane
addiction to cutting people's hair, Ranma was well within his rights
to deal directly with him. But to limit his response to a
quick-strike Mouko Takaibisha? Yes, it got the fight done right away
and Ranma, as usual, came out the clear victor, but...!
No. That was NOT good. Not good at all.
Taking a deep breath, Genma extracts himself from his perch in a
tall tree at the corner of the school property, then heads home.
Damn it, why was THIS happening to him NOW? He and Souun had been
within a hair's breadth of seeing Ranma and Akane finally married,
then all of Nerima had crashed in to stop it! And for what? All so
Nabiki to garnish money from all the wedding gifts? Stupid, foolish
girl! What business was it of hers to interfere in what Genma and
Souun had worked so long to see happen?
Then Souun turned around and decided to hold off on things until
all the other potential problems were fully dealt with. In other
words: Ukyou Kuonji, Shampoo, Kodachi Kunou and the rest of those
loons.
And unfortunately, Ukyou WAS his fault, but what could he have
done back then? He had been hungry and the boy was growing too close
to the Kuonji girl for his own good. The less friends Ranma had to
deal with, the better; there was just NO way that Genma's son could
ever be the martial artist he is now without so many petty
distractions.
The patriarch of the Saotome family then stops, his eyes
narrowing. Wait. If he actually paid back the Kuonjis for their
lost yatai, wouldn't that make things between Ranma and Ukyou easier?
Actually...!
Create a TRUE friendship?
No!
That just could NOT happen!
Ranma just couldn't afford such a thing!
Genma scowls. Alright, what could he...?
Wait!
His eyes widen. Of course! It was so simple. So elegant!
Yes...
He knew what to do now.
* * *
Days pass...
The remainder of the first week after the wedding at the Tendou
dojo is uncommonly quiet for Nerima's citizens, people used for so
long to see the so-called "Wrecking Crew" -- not to mention
infrequent super-powered visitor from beyond -- go at each other on
an almost daily basis. For those who disapproved of such violence,
the peace is most welcome, a chance for them to put their minds and
souls at ease. For those who looked on the fights and other odd
occurrences as some odd soap opera, they began to look beyond
Nerima's borders for a daily dose of logic-defying merriment.
They wouldn't find it in Tomobiki, the town on Nerima's west
side.
However, for those who preferred their entertainment
close to home, the sight they confronted over those days was...!
Was...!
Well, it just made NO SENSE!!
There was Ranma Saotome, walking on the fence to school every
day beside one of his fiancees, Akane Tendou. Yet, where was one of
the lad's other supposed fiancees, Shampoo? Almost every day, the
beautiful Chinese warrior-maiden, out on her morning delivery,
would "visit" her Airen via smashing her bicycle into the back of
Ranma's head. Odd way of expressing one's love, indeed, but people
in Nerima had come to accept it. Yet...!
Ever since the wedding, it seemed as if Shampoo was going out of
her way to AVOID meeting up with Ranma. Why? Had she come to hate
him? Had he come to hate her? How? What was going on with those
two?
And speaking of fiancee problems, what was THIS? Ranma and
Akane actually speaking to each other CIVILLY? As if they were
actual FRIENDS as well as iinazuke? What had happened to all the
bickering? Where was all the insults, the "uncute, unsexy tomboy"
and "sex-changing pervert" charges that spiced their conversations
in the past? Yes, things between Ranma and Akane HAD calmed down a
lot in the last few months. But even during that time, scarcely
a week passed when people in Nerima hadn't at least ONCE heard her
scream out "RANMA NO BAKA!!!!" then attempted to send the poor lad
into lower Earth orbit via her trusty Mallet-sama.
Even more, what of what was going on between Ranma and Ukyou
Kuonji, his "cute" fiancee? Why, people at school were presently
saying that Ranma wasn't even SPEAKING to Ukyou anymore. Reports
from elsewhere confirmed that he had not visited her shop ONCE during
the week after the wedding. He turned back all attempts by her to
strike up a conversation, either spoken or over scribbled notes.
He refused her offerings for food by just walking out of the
classroom. Even offerings left on his desk by Ukyou "anonymously"
wound up in the garbage instead of Ranma's stomach.
This...!
This was...!
This was so ABNORMAL!
What would happen next...?
* * *
Watching this is Genma Saotome, who could only grin.
Not once had that stupid China girl come out to "greet" her
precious Airen in the mornings via her bicycle hitting his forehead.
Even more, Ranma was keeping a deliberate eye out for Shampoo on his
daily walk to and from school, ensuring Akane stayed safe, too.
Genma recognized the signs.
Still, it was a pity. He would have delighted to see what Ranma
might have done if Shampoo actually DID sought him out. Perhaps
give HER a dose of the Mouko Takaibisha...? Thinking that, Genma
shakes his head. No, Ranma might not like Shampoo now, but he
wouldn't hurt her THAT way. Perhaps simply jumping clear of her,
letting her crash-land on the fence, would be enough. Yes, that
WOULD be quite an enjoyable sight, indeed.
Even better, Ranma had pretty much cut off all forms of contact
with the Kuonji girl. And it was hurting her, badly. He would not
speak to her, would not acknowledge her save with a curt reply,
usually addressing her as "Kuonji-san" and not the more friendly
"U-chan." And from hearing the local gossips, Ranma had not gone to
her restaurant any time during that week. That was simply adding
delicious insult to injury. If Akane could avoid entering the Tendou
kitchen for the next while and try to concoct one of her "special"
recipes, it would be simply perfect.
And Akane...
It was a dream come true! There they were, walking alongside
each other, talking to each other. No fights, no name-calling,
no taunts and ESPECIALLY none of that stupid chi-mallet coming out to
send the poor lad on an impromptu flying lesson into the Shakujii
River.
Remembering that, Genma shook his head
He had to teach the boy how to destroy that mallet.
It would just not DO to have Akane dominate Ranma like that.
Heaven ONLY forbid what might happen if Nodoka ever handed the
Saotome honour blade to Akane after she had wed the boy.
And the Kunous...
Genma had a good laugh. What fools! The father was a total
joke. Tatewaki? A moron, but a dangerous one. Not too much for
Ranma to deal with, as he demonstrated the second day after the
wedding. As for Kodachi, her supposed "claim" on Ranma was most
likely a drug-induced dream.
And Ryouga and Mousse...?
No problems there. Ryouga was clearly drifting towards that
Akari girl. Even better, Akari had supposedly accepted the lad,
curse and all. Besides, if he proved to be bothersome, all that had
to be done was to threaten to reveal his dirty secret to Akane. As
for Mousse, he was so obsessed with Shampoo, he'd welcome any chance
to see Ranma out of the way. Having the boy marry Akane would do
precisely just that.
Yes, it was just perfect.
Now, all he had to do was convince Souun and Nodoka...
* * *
If Genma only realized how off-base he was about one factor.
Ranma.
Six evenings after the wedding attempt finds the young martial
artist in Hikarigaoka Park once again, this time sitting close to a
fountain. It had been pretty nice at school today. Ukyou hadn't
bothered to send any notes his way, much less tried to cook lunch
for him. That always seemed to bug Akane. Even better, there had
been no sign of Shampoo, either in the morning or at lunchtime.
No sign of Kodachi and Kunou was still in the hospital. Even more,
the Principal seemed to have learned his lesson three days ago; Ranma
hadn't seen hide nor hair of that nutcase since.
Even more so, things at the Tendou home were okay. Nabiki was
still going through all the money and gifts the wedding generated
for the family, so Ranma didn't have to worry too much about the
middle Tendou daughter trying to get scandalous photographs
of his girl-form. Akane had helped out in the kitchen occasionally,
but always under Kasumi's supervision. Of course, Akane's curry was
pretty okay and she was finally getting the hang of cooking rice the
right way. Akane's father was keeping to his promise and laying
off on any future wedding plans. Even better, Oyaji was keeping
his peace about morning training after Ranma ejected him from the
bedroom one day with the Mouko Takaibisha. Having his mother wave
the katana around the fool panda's neck shut him up real quick. But
still...
*Does she love me...?*
Ranma gazes at the evening sky. He STILL wasn't sure.
Yes, he cared for her. Yes, he l-...! Lo-...!
Damn!
Why couldn't he say it NOW?!
Why...?
He perks on sensing a billboard painter step into close range.
Glancing over, he watches the older man paste several advertisements
on a nearby stretch of drywall. Ranma's ears then twitch on hearing
the other fellow chuckle, "...folks here'll like a change from
okonomiyaki and Chinese food, I'll bet. Yessiree, she's one good
cook..."
Ranma blinks. Cook? What was that about? Rising, he walks
over to stand close to the painter. "Hey, Oji-san, what's this
about?"
"Eh?" the other fellow looks over, then laughs. "Oh,
Saotome-san, it's you!!" he waves to the posters. "Read for
yourself."
Ranma looks, then blinks as the message sinks in. "'Tampopo's
Ramen and Beefbowl Bar?' About to open...! Hey, that's next week!!"
"Got that right!" the painter chuckles. "Damn good cook, too.
She offered free dinners to me for the whole of next week instead
of paying me to get these posters set up. She's setting up in
Kasugachou, near the river there, if you want to check it out. I
think she's there now."
"Good cook?" Ranma stares at him, remembering the important
point.
"Very good cook! Trust me on this one, boy!" the painter winks.
"After all, people've been noticing you avoiding the Nekohanten
and that okonomiyaki place your friend runs since you tried to wed
Akane Tendou."
The young martial artist perks, then sighs. "Friend...?"
he gazes nowhere in particular, then shakes his head. "I dunno,
Oji-san. Right now, I'm not sure who ARE my friends these days.
Anyhow, thanks for the tip. Ja nai!" he waves, then heads towards
one of the park gates.
The older man watches him go, then turns back to his work...
* * *
An hour or so later -- Ranma decided to take his time since it
was a nice night and he didn't want to head back to the Tendou dojo
-- finds the young martial artist standing on the Kanpachi-doori,
one of Nerima's main thoroughfares. On the north side of the street,
wedged between two office blocks, is a two-floor house-like edifice
being remodelled to serve as a restaurant. Already, the marquee,
emblazoned with TAMPOPO'S in scripted Romanji, has been erected
over the front door. Inside the main eating are, a small army of
workers is busy getting tables and booths set up.
Directing them is a woman about Nodoka's age, though possessing
brown hair and eyes. She looked as stocky as Genma was, but to
Ranma's trained eyes, there was a considerable solidness to her.
Even more, Ranma could barely pick out something of a battle aura
around her. Well, that seemed pretty understandable. Nerima was
chock-full of martial artists of every calibre and ability, from the
standard to the totally bizarre. Given the frequency of odd things
that hit this place, having some martial art skill wasn't just
prudent. It was at times a survival requirement.
"It'll look like a nice place when it's done," Ranma whispers
to himself, then jolts on hearing an ominous *crack!* from somewhere
near the sign. Looking up, he gasps on seeing the sign slowly peel
away from the wall, just as the door opens to allow the proprietress
out. "LOOK OUT!!!" Ranma screams out, then springs across the
street.
The woman gasps as she looks up, then dodges right as the sign
pulls totally away from the wall. Instantly, a black-and-red
blur from across the street turns into a tall, slender man as he
catches the sign before it could shatter on the ground. He collapses
just as several of the workers come out, muttering about what was
going on. "Are you alright?!!" the woman cries out, lunging over to
pull her sign off the young man.
"Y-yeah, I'm okay..." Ranma sputters, feeling several bruised
ribs, then nods thanks as two of the workers helps him to his feet.
"You okay there, Oba-chan? Didn't trip over anythin', didja?"
"Oh, no, no, I'm fine!" the woman smiles, then looks up to
inspect the damage. "Hmm. Looks like the wood beams were rotted
out."
"We'll get them fixed up right away, Kamekichi-san,"
one of the workers vows after taking his own look.
"Do so," Tampopo nods as she hands the sign to another worker,
then notices the spray of plaster on Ranma's jersey. "Oh, good
grief, you're a total mess there!" she walks over to bat away the
dust from him. "Here, c'mon inside and let me whip you up something.
You look hungry there."
"I...!" Ranma pauses, then chuckles. "Oh, it was nothin' at
all!" he rubs the back of his head. "I was gonna go home anyway..."
"Hush! I won't hear a word of it!" Tampopo waves him down.
"Lucky for you, I have the stoves and refrigerator all set up and
ready to go. C'mon in and relax. You deserve it, after all."
"I...! W-well, if you're sure...!"
"I insist!" she gives him a disarming smile.
Ranma blinks, then feels his cheeks heat. Oh man, if this girl
was his age, he wouldn't know WHAT to do in the face of a smile like
THAT! "Um, well..." he stutters, then nods. "Okay!" He then
catches himself. "Oh, sorry about that! I'm Ranma Saotome. Please
ta meetcha," he bows.
"Ranma...?" Tampopo blinks, then titters. "Pleased to meet you,
too, Ranma-chan. I'm Tampopo Kamekichi; this is my shop. I must
confess, your reputation has preceeded you. Shall we go inside
there?"
He jolts, then sweats. Oh man, he HATED it when people did that
to him. "Don't tell me Oyaji tried ta swindle you outta something!"
Tampopo pauses, then hums. "No, not that I personally recall.
And no, I don't have a daughter who's engaged to you. Besides,
given what I've heard of your father, Ranma-chan, if he ever tried
to do something foolish to me, I'd take it up with him, not force
it all over you."
Ranma blinks. *That's a switch...!*
* * *
The Tendou dojo, late next morning...
"Husband, this is totally foolish!!"
"Indeed, Saotome-kun! This is not the way to do things,
especially after I promised them that we'd stop pressing them about
that!"
"Please," Genma holds up a peaceful hand, then sighs as Souun
and Nodoka calm themselves. "I realize that this is a strange
approach to take, but this is not a normal situation by far.
However," he fixes them with a look. "There are merits in doing this
the way I propose."
"In what way, husband?" Nodoka gently squeezes the cloth bundle
in her hands. "It's been a week since the last attempt at getting
my son to marry Akane-chan. A WEEK, Genma! That's way too soon..."
"But can we deny the fact that they love each other?"
"I...!" Nodoka stops, then hums. "Of course not. But still..."
"But NOTHING, my wife!" Genma soothes. "Akane-chan admitted
her feelings for the boy the day of the wedding. And Ranma certain
SHOWED how he felt for Akane-chan on Mount Phoenix, did he not?"
"Of course he did, Saotome-kun!" Souun nods. "But what of all
the other suitors? What do we do about them?!"
"They're disorientated now, Tendou-kun!" Genma asserts. "I've
kept my eye on the boy since after the wedding. Not ONCE has that
China girl tried to approach him. Even more so, Ranma has been on
the lookout for her since after the wedding. Who knows what might've
happened if the China girl DID come out to meet her 'Airen?!'
Also, not ONCE has the boy spoken to the Kuonji girl. He turns her
away at every opportunity. It's clearly obvious to me that the boy
doesn't want anything to do with either of them. Why? Tendou-kun,
those two girls BETRAYED him, plain and simple."
Hearing that, Nodoka nods. "Yes, husband, you have a point
there. And deep down, I find it bothersome that outlanders like that
Shampoo girl believe they can inflict their archaic laws on us like
that. Yes, it IS understandable that girl would be forced to obey
her clan's laws here, but to have such laws inflicted on us too?"
She takes a deep breath. "I would gladly state that I will not
recognize any claim she has on our son, Genma. But given how
supposedly powerful her great-grandmother is..."
"Almost like dealing with the Master," Souun shakes his head.
"Agreed. But even with her power, can she stand up to the laws
of this land?" Genma wonders. "Perhaps, instead of provoking
trouble for all concerned, Tendou-kun, you can persuade Nabiki-chan
to find some way of driving those Amazons out of this country once
and for all."
"Yes, that is true..." Souun sighs, then stares at Genma. "But
what of the Kuonji girl, Saotome-kun? How do we deal with her?"
Genma sighs. "I agree that I made a great mistake when it came
to that girl. But given the boy's change of attitude towards her,
I think it won't be long before the girl realizes the futility
of it all and withdraws her claim on her own. If she does that, fine
and fair enough as far as I'm concerned. Besides, she had a hand in
the destruction of our home -- which, if she DID marry the boy, would
have become HER home, too -- plus she endangered the wedding guests
AND your daughters AND Ranma AND you, too, Nodoka, when she showed
up with her food-bombs. We could easily apply criminal charges
against her, can we not? Certainly, that could be another thing
Nabiki can do to make up for what she did to ruin things last week."
Souun tenses for a moment -- he just HATED it whenever Genma
bluntly brought up his daughters' shortcomings, no matter how true
they could be -- then sighs. "Yes, you are right there, Saotome-kun.
If Nabiki-chan hadn't overstepped her bounds last week, they would
have been wed. But how can you be truly sure that Ranma-kun does
love Akane-chan?! He's denied it venomously for a long time, even
on the day of the wedding itself! It's clearly obvious he doesn't
want to be pushed into this."
"Agreed. And yes, that was a great mistake on our part when it
came to events last week," Genma nods. "I propose this: we tell
them we want them to wed as soon as possible. No set date, but as
soon as we get their agreement to this, we make the preparations
right away. We warn them that the sooner they do this, the better
it will be for all concerned. Once they are properly married,
then we can be rid of the Amazons and deal with the Kuonji girl from
a position of strength. As for the rest of them, they have no legal
claim on the boy, so it doesn't matter."
"Can we still be sure...?" Nodoka wonders.
"My wife, as I said, I've watched them over the last week.
There has not been a SINGLE argument between them whatsoever.
In fact, they've been very civil to each other when they've talked
to each other. No insults, no taunts, nothing of that sort. Even
more so, Ranma has actually eaten all of Akane-chan's cooking without
a single complaint. That's always been a big problem between them.
And with Kuonji and the China girl effectively out of the way, all
that has to be done now is to ensure Akane-chan can cook more things
than what she can now and they're set!"
"Yes, that has been a problem between them," Souun muses.
"I still have problems with this, husband," Nodoka sighs.
"My wife, don't you want your son to do the MANLY thing?"
Nodoka jolts, then her brow furrows as her eyes narrow. "Are
you saying that Ranma may be failing in that regard, my husband?"
"No, I'm not saying that. What I AM saying is that the boy
needs to be CHALLENGED!" Genma holds up a finger. "And rising to
those sorts of challenges IS a manly thing, Nodoka! How do you think
he could fight a GOD of all things to save Akane-chan's life?
Because he was challenged day-in and day-out to be the best. He
NEEDS it, Nodoka. He THRIVES on it. And if we don't give it to him,
then WE are doing him an injustice."
Silence falls as they consider that, then Souun sighs. "Let's
give it a while before we press this onto them," he proposes.
"I still don't like the idea of going back on my word like this,
Saotome-kun, especially so soon after last week. I do want them to
marry and if they are showing signs that they want this, we should
help them as much as we can. But..."
"Tendou-kun, you won't regret this at all," Genma vows, then
sighs. "We made mistakes last time. We must learn from them, then
strive to do better THIS time. This is something we've wanted for a
long time. I don't want to see us come so close to that goal, then
have it taken away because of a few trivial problems. What are the
concerns of others compared to bringing the schools together like
we've wanted, Tendou-kun?"
Souun blinks, then nods. "One week, Saotome-kun. Let's watch
them over the next week, then we'll decide. Alright?"
"Alright," Genma nods...
* * *
Upstairs, sometime later...
"Oh, my!"
"You got it," Nabiki grimaces. She had been on the patio
outside the sitting room when Genma, Souun and Nodoka had their
little meeting. And it was a VERY lucky thing that she had her
personal dictation machine with her at the time. It struck the
middle Tendou daughter as odd that the adults didn't wait until
Nabiki was out of hearing range before Genma dropped his bombshell
on his wife and Souun. Then again, despite their skills, Souun and
Genma certainly were NOT the swiftest people on the block. It had
been child's play for Nabiki to avoid being spotted by them until
the chance came that she could get to Kasumi and pass on the news.
Kasumi takes a deep breath. "I can't BELIEVE they'd be so
callous about Ukyou or Shampoo and their claims on Ranma-kun!"
she shakes her head. "What are they trying to do? Start a three-way
blood-feud?!"
"Nah! They just don't like the idea of losing control over
things like that, I think," Nabiki shakes her head. "Damn it all,
neither of them are ready to get married, Onee-chan, especially
while they're still in high school! And to have THIS dropped on
their heads so SOON after Akane-chan was nearly killed, not to
mention what might be going on with Ranma-kun?!"
"Oh, my! Is there something wrong with Ranma-kun?"
"I..." Nabiki pauses, then sighs. "I'm not really sure about
it, Onee-chan, but over the last few days, I've sensed that
SOMETHING'S going on with him." She sits down, then traces a finger
in a circle on the desk. "Yeah, I can see the idea of him avoiding
anything to do with Ukyou or Shampoo. And having him be very civil
to Akane-chan is pretty good in and of itself. But..." her eyes
narrow. "Something's bugging him big-time. Problem is, I can't see
what that something might be, Onee-chan."
"What could it be, then?"
"I dunno. And we better find out what it is fast, before the
idiots decide to do something really stupid. Not just the ones here,
but the ones elsewhere," Nabiki warns. "If they do and Ranma-kun
happens to take it the wrong way..." she raises a finger in warning,
she giving Kasumi a look.
The eldest sister blinks, then nods. "Agreed..."
* * *
Okonomiyaki U-chan's, that moment...
"...so that's what happened, Dad!" Ukyou wipes her eyes as she
speaks into the receiver. "I thought I was doing the right thing,
but I..."
"You WERE doing the right thing, Ukyou!" her father's voice
echoes over the earphone. "They had no right in forcing a marriage
between Ranma and that girl without taking into account what happened
to you. I don't care what supposedly happened afterward. You HAVE
a right, a DUTY, to see to it the Saotomes adhere to what they agreed
with us, child!"
"I...! Yes, Dad, I know, but still...!!"
"No, Ukyou!" Haruka Kuonji sternly replies. "There is no choice
but to do this. And if they try to fight it out, we'll fight it out.
Our honour has precedence here, child. Listen, didn't you tell me
about this so-called 'man-above-men' contract Ranma was forced to
sign?"
"Yes, I did," Ukyou nods.
"Well, if his mother supposedly goes along with that, you have
to wonder what sort of mother is she, anyway! Do you REALLY want to
see Ranma living under that sort of threat, Ukyou? Believe me,
child, if you offer Ranma the chance to get away from that woman,
he'll take it!"
"I dunno, Dad," Ukyou shakes her head. "Ran-chan's been getting
along pretty well with her, so I've heard..."
"Come now, Ukyou!" Haruka scolds. "I know her type. She'll
want to do to the boy what people like her've done for ages. Lord
it over their child to the point where he won't be able to do
anything without getting her approval first. Tell me, Ukyou, do YOU
want to have someone like her for a mother-in-law? You know how some
of them can be at times!"
The chef blinks, then sighs. "Yeah, Ran-chan does seem to defer
a lot -- hell, a little TOO much, if you ask me! -- to her."
"My point! And strangely enough, his father did the lad a
favour in keeping him away from his mother by taking him on the trip!
You love how strong Ranma is, Ukyou! How could he be that way, STAY
that way, if he's being forced to defer to his own mother like
that?!"
"Yeah, you got a point there..."
"I'm glad you understand that," Haruka chuckles. "Don't give
up hope, Ukyou. You're in the right. Don't forget that!"
"I...!" Ukyou blinks, then nods. "Alright, Dad."
The conversation is soon concluded, then Ukyou hangs up.
Konatsu, who had been busy cleaning up tables nearby, looks
concernedly at his employer. "Ukyou-sama, do you really think
Ranma-sama will acknowledge what you might demand of him after what
happened last week?"
Ukyou stares at the male kunoichi, then sighs. "I dunno,
Konatsu," she nods. "But I DO know that I have to make up to
Ran-chan somehow. When I do that, then we'll see what we'll do next.
Okay?"
"As you feel is right," he nods...
* * *
The Nekohanten...
Shampoo blinks, a grin slowly crossing her face as she reads
the letter that just arrived by carrier pigeon from her home village:
"To the Warrior Xian-pu Nyu,
"Greetings,
"In the wake of the report sent by your honoured
great-grandmother, the Elder Kun-lon Nyu, concerning the events
several weeks ago on Mount Phoenix in the battle with Saffron,
the Council decrees the following:
"That the marriage, as established by combat, between yourself
and your husband, Ranma Saotome, is acknowledged as true under our
laws.
"That you, Xian-pu, must continue to strive to bring your
husband to the village as soon as possible to consummate said
marriage.
"And that you, Xian-pu, are to eliminate, by whatever means
possible, all obstacles standing in your way of consummating
your marriage with your husband. This must be done in the light of
the many crimes your husband's father, Genma Saotome, student of the
hated Happousai, eternal enemy of the Nyu-che-zuu, committed against
womankind throughout eastern Asia.
"We wish you luck and the Goddess' blessings in your pursuit
of those goals and hope to see you and your husband returned to the
village soon.
"With the Goddess' blessings, I remain,
"Mi-su Nyu, Chair of the Council of Elderwomen"
Shampoo sighs. Mi-su -- "Mist" to most outsiders -- was not
just the supreme leader of her tribe, but a great-grand-aunt
several times removed from her family line. Mist and Cologne had
been friends for ages, standing together against the tribes' many
foes in battle after battle. To receive a letter of this from her
had as much impact on Shampoo as anything Cologne might demand.
Taking a deep breath, she reads the post-script, written in Mist's
beautiful calligraphy: "Remember, Xian, the one who killed Saffron
and fought Herb to a standstill must NOT elude the Nyu-che-zuu."
*Well, that settles that!* she muses to herself, then folds the
letter and leaves it on the bar before taking a deep breath. *But
will Airen accept that, especially after what happened last week?*
Shaking her head, she rises. Since the letter was a personal
one for her, neither Cologne or Mousse had read it. Remembering
the nearly-blind weapons-master, Shampoo grimaces, then takes the
letter and slips it into her jersey. She would have to talk to her
great-grandmother about this, but clearly, an apology to Airen was in
order. Indeed, threatening Airen's mother was not a smart thing to
do. And she would have to speak to the Mercenary Girl about what
precipitated that whole mess in the first place. Shampoo strongly
believed that Airen's fool father and Souun Tendou had forced him
into that whole farce. If so, she'd have some strong words with
them, especially the stupid panda. He had long deserved that!
* * *
Tampopo's, the next afternoon...
"So this is Ataru Moroboshi, huh?"
"Hai, that's him," Tampopo smiles as she cleans up her dishes,
just unpacked out of their boxes after she moved them from Tomobiki.
"Nice-lookin' guy," Ranma whistles, then hooks the framed
picture on the wall near the open doorway into the kitchen before
moving to set up the rest of the pictures Tampopo hung around her
restaurant to make things look more homely. "Heard all sorts of
things about him. Not all nice, y'know."
"Hai, I know, I know," the cook sighs. "But people can say the
very same things about you, Ranma-chan. Not to mention the other
members of the 'Nerima Wrecking Crew.' Don't forget that," she winks
at him.
Actually, "her." Ranma had been splashed by the old lady who
lived near the Tendou home just before coming to Tampopo's. He had
told the cook about Jusenkyou the night they met -- and much to
Ranma's total surprise and delight, Tampopo had simply shrugged
it off. Even more, when some of the workers who had been moving
stuff into her shop tried to flirt with the transformed martial
artist, Tampopo laid them all low with a battle spatula that put
Ukyou's to shame. And her threat about not cooking a THING for them
in response to their trying to "pick up" Ranma was damned effective,
especially after Ranma himself got a sample of her cooking.
"I guess we all got our enemies, huh?" Ranma sighs.
"Yes, that's true," Tampopo nods. "Too many people, especially
your age and male -- and some of the females, too -- in Tomobiki
just HATED the fact that I waylaid Lum every time Ataru-chan
ducked into here to avoid her cooking, not to mention being bullied
by the rest of those fools. It's a pity she got sent home; the last
few nights she was here on Earth, she was actually starting to show
some real progress with Ataru-chan."
"Did you want them to get married?" Ranma stares at her.
Tampopo stops, then sighs. "I really wish I could answer that,
Ranma-chan. My..." she pauses, then shrugs. "My main concern was
the fact that there was this boy, a person who, if he had ever been
given a chance, could've gained loads of friends and had a normal,
healthy adolescence. And suddenly, he is picked to become Earth's
supposed 'champion' in a silly tag game to protect us from being
invaded by aliens. THEN he winds up being 'married' to an alien girl
who didn't understand what her presence on Earth was doing to her
'Darling,' not to mention everyone else! I..." she takes another
pause, then turns to sit at the counter. "Lum is a very nice girl
deep down, but she had no CONTROL over herself. Even more so, her
behaviour influenced her own cousin, a little BOY of five, to act in
the very same manner she did. And then you tack all her friends
from outer space, pile all of Ataru-chan's classmates in on that..."
she then makes an exploding motion with her hand, "...and when it was
all said and done, things got destroyed and people's lives were
disrupted, look what happened? They turned right around and blamed
ATARU for it. Every DAMN time!"
Ranma blinks, then sighs, walking over to sit beside the cook.
"I guess that would get to anyone, even me," she leans her chin on
her palm.
"That's why I did what I did," Tampopo admits. "I gave
Ataru-chan ONE place in the whole of Tomobiki where he could be free
of them all and be at peace. And because of that, he came to trust
me about things that no one, not even Lum, knew about. And I..."
she sighs. "I was more than happy to be there for him. He really
needed it at times."
"So where is he now?" Ranma wonders.
"No," Tampopo shakes her head. "I know you're just curious,
but I won't say anything. There are those who'd take those words
and ruin his life. Chief of which are the twits who're Ataru-chan's
biological parents. He renounced all legal and family ties to them
before Lum was sent home."
"He's roonin now?!"
"No, he's not. His clan is a matriarchy where the succession
goes from grandparent to grandchild, not father to son like in other
families," Tampopo reports. "It skipped his parents' generation
and went straight to him. Muchi and Kinshou -- they're Ataru's
parents -- have no power in that respect, especially now that his
grandmother, Nagaiwakai, is dead."
"Whoa!" the transformed martial artist whistles, gazing at the
ceiling. "He's lucky. Did anyone in Tomobiki know about this?"
"Not really, thanks very much to Kinshou. And I'd rather not
talk about that now. It IS violating Ataru-chan's privacy," the chef
playfully bats Ranma's nose, then rises to prepare something on the
stove behind the counter. "Besides, it's pretty much all settled
now. He's somewhere where no one can hurt him, so he'll finally
have a chance to get his wits about him, then decide what he wants
to do with his life. And you did tell me about your fiancee's
sister Nabiki," she wags a finger at Ranma. "By the sounds of it,
she might take whatever information I might give you about
Ataru-chan, then sell it to the highest bidder. I don't want that."
"Don't blame you," Ranma snorts.
"So what do you want to have?"
"Hmmm...! How good are you at making okonomiyaki?"
"Pretty good. What type?"
"Beef and shrimp with vegetables."
"Alright."
Tampopo gets to work. Watching her, Ranma is quickly reminded
of Ukyou and the magic she could unleash over a stove. A frown turns
her lips as she banishes the young okonomiyaki chef's image from her
mind. No, she couldn't think of Ukyou now, especially after what
happened. If she wanted reconciliation with Ranma, Ukyou had to make
the first move. And if she got uppity about it, well that was no
problem. Ranma had no real intention of marrying her even BEFORE
the fight on Mount Phoenix. Was it really Ranma's fault that Ukyou
never bothered to get the message?
"Hey, Tampopo-chan, can I ask you something?"
"What is it, Ranma-chan?"
"Was Lum really that bad of a cook?"
Tampopo stops, then chuckles. "I'm not so sure. The chances
are good that she was pretty bad no matter what she tried, but I
think that the real problem was that she was busy preparing Oni food
for a Terran."
"Really?" Ranma's eyebrow arches. "Damn, pity she had to go
home. We could've introduced her to Akane." She then stops before
a chill warps through her. "Excuse me! On second thought, that's
NOT a good idea!!"
"She's bad?" Tampopo glances at her.
"Bad...?" Ranma blinks, then sighs. "Well, at the start, it was
plain awful to watch at times! And I got stuck eating it all. It
was a miracle that I didn't wind up dead or in intensive care from
some of the things she made. But..." she shrugs. "Recently,
she's got better. She does a pretty good curry rice, but...!"
another shrug. "I think her big problem is that she thinks she's
good because Kasumi does it every day, three times a day, and Akane
assumes that she can do the same. It doesn't work that way,
Tampopo-chan. You probably know that, don't you?"
"Yes, I do know that. Does she read the recipe at least?"
"Not that I know of."
"Oh, dear. That IS a problem, then. So how many times did you
have your bilges pumped from her cooking, Ranma-chan?"
"I've lost count."
"And no one's tried to stop her beforehand?"
Ranma pauses, then shakes her head. "Not really, I'll admit.
I guess the only one who could is Kasumi, but she doesn't do it
often."
"Kasumi? The eldest sister?"
"Yep."
Tampopo hums. "And their mother's dead?"
"Yeah. She passed away about ten years ago or so. I don't know
the exact date and all that. I..." Ranma shrugs. "Well, I figure
it's kinda personal with them and they are hurting from her dying
and all that..."
"A wise thing to do, Ranma-chan," Tampopo nods. "Still, if
Kasumi has been forced to become the homekeeper there, I wouldn't
be so surprised if she went easy on Akane. To turn from a 'older
sister-to-younger sister' relationship into a 'quasi-mother/older
sister-to-younger sister' situation would be disorientating.
If their father had been smart, he would have remarried quickly.
It would've done the girls a lot of good."
"You think so?"
"I believe it would've been the proper thing to do," Tampopo
shrugs, then sighs. "Ranma-chan, can you tell me something?"
"What?"
"What do you see in Akane, anyway?"
"I...!" Ranma blinks, then sighs. "I don't know."
Tampopo blinks, then stares at her. "Just like Ataru-chan."
"Eh?"
The chef chuckles. "When Lum came and it became obvious that
he was becoming very attracted to her, I asked Ataru-chan that
question. He..." she shrugs, then turns to monitor the okonomiyaki.
"It's nothing to be ashamed about, Ranma-chan. When you feel an
attraction to someone, things do get quite confusing. Let me ask you
this, then: What IS love?"
"I...!" Ranma stutters, then sighs. "Well...! I guess ta be in
love with someone means you're taking a commitment ta be there for
her. Ta protect her and support her and...! And well...!" she
shrugs. "I...!"
"You haven't really had any chance to talk this over with
anyone, haven't you?" Tampopo flashes her a sympathetic look.
"Not really."
"Is there anyone you can ultimately trust to have a conversation
like that, Ranma-chan? Because it looks to me that you really need
to get your thoughts in order before you contemplate doing ANYTHING
about trying to establish a relationship with ANYONE," Tampopo sighs,
then flips the okonomiyaki onto a plate before placing that before
Ranma.
Her nose twitching excitedly as a mouth-watering aroma zeroes
in on her mind's pleasure centres, the martial artist picks up her
chopsticks, then goes to work. "Well..." she mouths around a morsel
of food. "Not really, I guess..." she gulps it down. "I mean,
there's Kasumi, of course..." she cuts another slice, "...but I don't
wanna put her into a position where..." she downs that, "...she
might end up standin' up to the rest of her family an' all." She
then cuts up another slice. "Man, this is really good there,
Tampopo-chan!" Ranma grins, then sighs. "And there was Doc Toofuu
Ono. He was a chiropractor who lived here sometime back. Don't know
what happened to him an' all..." her voice trails off, then she
sighs. "Then again, I remember one time when he used a shiatsu
point on my back to force me to be carried home from his office by
Akane."
"Oh, really?" Tampopo's eyebrow arches, then hums. "That's
not the type of behaviour I'd condone from my doctor." She takes
a deep breath. "What about your mother? I can sense you have little
or no trust in your father anymore, but surely, your mother might
understand some things."
"Not really," Ranma shakes her head. "Mom's pretty traditional
and all that. I...! I guess, deep down, she...!" she pauses, then
shrugs. "I don't know what she wants. Honour and giri mean a lot to
her..."
"Honour? Giri? What about your happiness? Good grief, doesn't
she want you to be happy with your life, Ranma-chan?"
"I...!"
"ARE you happy with your life?"
Ranma blinks, then shudders, squeezing her eyes shut as the
concern in Tampopo's voice shears past all her emotional guards.
Before she could do anything, soft fingers touch points on her
temples. Ranma quakes, then the dam breaks as gentle sobs burst from
her lips. Almost immediately, arms wrap around her as she feels
Tampopo comfort her. "Let it out, dear..." the chef whispers into
the martial artist's ear. "Let it out, Ranma-chan. It's okay. It's
okay. It's okay to cry, Ranma-chan..."
"N-no...!" Ranma burbles. "Men don't cry..."
Tampopo blinks, then shakes her head. "Who told you that? Your
father?" she whispers. Feeling Ranma nod, the chef breathes out.
"He lied to you, Ranma-chan. Kami-sama, I can't believe he'd force
you to accept a stupid lie like THAT! What was he trying to do to
you...?"
Ranma listens to the questions, then sniffles back her tears
before staring at her host. "N-no one..." she stutters, then looks
down. "No one's ever asked me things like that 'b-bout me,
Tampopo-chan..."
"Is that a fact?" Tampopo gazes knowingly on her, then takes
a deep breath. "Ranma-chan, I want you to listen to me for a moment.
I'm going to make a promise to you right now. And I really want you
to believe that I will adhere to this promise, okay? Are you
listening?"
The martial artist nods. "W-what...?"
"I want you to know that if in ANY way you feel you have to
break away from all these people you're dealing with now -- your
parents, the Tendous, all the others -- I will there to help you.
That's a promise I am making to you right here and now. I want to be
your friend, Ranma-chan. I want to show you what REAL friendship
is about. And I want to help you figure your way out of this MESS
you're in. I really do, because you need it more than anything
else in the world. What's more, you DESERVE help. Do you understand
what I'm telling you, dear? Do you?"
"I...!" Ranma stares at her. "Why?"
Tampopo shrugs. "Can't I help you?"
"I...!" the younger woman stutters, then shakes her head. "No!
I can't ask ya to do somethin' like THAT, Tampopo-chan!!
You don't wanna get involved in my life there! You don't!!
Trust...!"
A gentle finger lands on her lips to shush her. "That's part
of your problem, Ranma-chan," Tampopo chuckles. "I take it the idea
of you being the ONLY person to settle your problems is another
thing your father taught you." Her eyebrow arches again. "Well,
am I right?"
She pulls her finger away. "It ain't that!" Ranma shakes her
head. "I mean, yeah, a lot of the crap I've gotta deal with was
because Oyaji's a total lunkhead and all that, but believe me, you
don't wanna get inta this whole mess. People, especially Akane,
Ukyou and Shampoo, not ta mention Oyaji and Akane's dad, won't like
the idea of someone buttin' inta...!"
"And why is that?"
Ranma blinks. "I don't get it."
"Why is it they're trying to stop you from finding some way out
of this mess?" Tampopo asks. "Maybe, I should be asking that this
way: why are they so AFRAID of you making your own decisions
about your life? Why? It's YOUR life in the end! It's not Akane's,
it's not Ukyou's, it's not Shampoo's and it certainly isn't your
parents', either! WHY, Ranma-chan?! Why are you letting them get
away with this nonsense?!"
"I...!" Ranma shudders, tears flowing down her cheeks, then she
leans in as Tampopo comforts her. "I just don't know anymore..."
Sobs steal her voice. Tampopo sighs, then she whispers.
"Then you have to find out, Ranma-chan. For your sake most of
all..."
* * *
The next morning...
"So where were you yesterday? You were gone the whole day!"
Ranma blinks, then glancing around to ensure Shampoo was nowhere
in sight, gazes down on Akane before he shakes his head. "It was
somethin' personal there, Akane. Don't worry about it, okay?"
"'Personal?'" she tenses, then stares at him. "About what?"
He sighs. "Akane, if I tell ya something's personal, it's
personal, okay?!" he mutters, then taking a final visual sweep of the
surrounding area, hops down as they head to the front gate of
Furinkan High. "Sheesh! You don't hear me buggin' ya about
somethin' ya wanna keep personal if ya tell me to mind my own
business! So why're you doin' it to me?!"
She stops, staring wide-eyed at her fiance, then quakes as a
surge of anger roars up her spine. "Hey, don't tell me something
like that, Ranma!! I'm trying to show a little concern for you, you
know!"
He stops some distance from her, then stares at her. "Why don't
I believe that, then?" he wonders before heading into the school.
Akane watches Ranma head inside, rooted in place as his question
echoes through her mind again and again. "Ranma..." she whispers.
"You okay there, sugar?"
The youngest Tendou gasps, then spins around to see Ukyou
staring at her. "Ukyou?!" she blurts out, then catches herself.
"Ah! Um, is there something wrong there?" she places hand to hip.
"Is there somethin' wrong with YOU there?" the okonomiyaki
chef counters. "Did you and Ran-chan have a fight there or what?!"
"I..." Akane blinks, then shakes her head. "No, it wasn't a
fight. It was just a little disagreement. So...!" her voice trails
off.
"If you say so," Ukyou nods. "Look, can you ask Ran-chan
to come to the cherry tree there..." she points to a large tree at
one end of the campus, "...at lunchtime today? I really, REALLY
have got to talk to him. And you, too, Akane. Please, will you two
please come there today?"
Akane stares at her rival, quickly noting the flash of pain and
fear deep in Ukyou's dark eyes. "I...! Al-alright," she curtly
nods.
"Thanks..."
* * *
Lunchtime...
"Akane? Ran-chan?"
The couple in question and Ukyou now sit under the cherry tree
the chef specified before the start of classes. Akane and Ranma take
a deep breath, then gaze on each other before the former turns back
to Ukyou. "Yes, I forgive you," she nods. "I suppose I can't blame
you for getting so upset at what happened last week, you'd lash out
like that!"
Ukyou blinks, then smiles. "Well, since you say it was those
two dingbats you have to call fathers that started it, not to mention
what Nabiki did to milk it along...!" she chuckles, then turns to
Ranma.
He blinks, then sighs. "I forgive you, Ukyou-san."
Ukyou jolts, her mind clouding over on hearing the words she
needed to hear from him, then she's brought up short by the way he
just addressed her. Akane is also taken aback. "Ranma...?"
she gazes on her fiance.
Ranma sighs, bowing his eyes. "And yeah, you certainly had a
right to do what you did last week, Ukyou-san. I don't hold it
against you."
"Ran-chan...!"
"SAY WHAT?!?!" Akane explodes. "What the hell does THAT
mean?!!"
Ranma spins on her. "What about her honour, Akane?!" he
demands, the ice in his voice making both girls duck. "What about
the fact that she spent TEN YEARS as a boy 'cause of what Oyaji
pulled on her?!"
Silence falls. Akane stares wide-eyed at her fiance, then she
bows her head. "Y-yeah, that's true..." she stutters.
"Ran-chan..." Ukyou repeats.
Ranma rises, then turns to leave. "Ukyou-san, I can't begin
to apologize for how much that fool father of mine hurt you. I can't
start to think of any way to pay you back for your sufferings.
I know you love me and want to marry me but..." he pauses, then
shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't reciprocate that. To me,
you will always be my best friend. But I can't accept you as BOTH
friend AND fiancee. Ya have to be one or the other, not both. I..."
he stops, then shrugs. "I'm sorry."
He leaves. Akane and Ukyou watch him go, then the latter
shudders. "Now, just a damned minute here, Ran-chan...!"
she rises to follow.
"No!!!"
Akane steps into her path. "Wha...?!" Ukyou sputters.
"Leave him alone, Ukyou!!" Akane orders, glaring the chef down.
"Don't you understand what you're doing to him?!"
"But he has to...!"
"Has to what?!"
They stare at each other, then glance together towards where
Ranma had gone. The martial artist is nowhere in sight. Both women
blink, then Akane sighs. "Damn, this is such a mess...!" she shakes
her head.
Ukyou takes a deep breath, then nods. "Yeah, you got that
right, sugar," she mutters, then stares at Akane. "Akane, I'm sorry.
I know how much you care for him and all that, but I gotta warn you
now," she holds up a finger. "I can't and WON'T give up my claim
on Ran-chan."
Akane blinks, then stares at her. "Why?"
"'Cause that's what my dad wants, okay?!" the chef snaps, then
shudders before calming herself. "I'm sorry. Look, it's not your
fault and it's really not Ran-chan's fault, either. I happen to like
you, but I just..." she squeezes her eyes shut. "I can't give up on
him, Akane. If I do, then I give up EVERYTHING that makes my life
what it is. I'd be made roonin so fast, it'd make your head spin.
I'd have to start from scratch again, both as a chef and as a martial
artist. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is, Akane. I'm trapped
and the only way out is through Ran-chan. I..." she shakes her head,
then shrugs. "It's the way it is."
Akane stares at her, then sighs. "Ukyou..." she breathes
out, then gazes intently at her. "I can't believe that your dad
would..."
"Believe it," Ukyou flatly announces, then walks away...
* * *
After school...
Ranma and Akane are silent as they head home. Both had small
bundles in their hands, boxes full of freshly-made okonomiayki;
Ukyou had prepared them before the final class. Ranma still keeps
his eyes peeled for Shampoo and her bicycle. Akane stares at him,
then sighs. "Ranma?"
"What is it?" he glances at her.
"You know, you were right," she takes a deep breath. "She was
hurt because of what your father did to her. What could we do to
help her?"
"I dunno," he shrugs. "Try ta find her family yatai if we
could, but I don't remember what Oyaji did with that. She definitely
deserves ta get something out of this. But..." he stutters, then
sighs. "What?"
"Yeah. What could we do to pay back ten years?"
Ranma gazes at her, then sighs. He needed to talk to Tampopo
about this; he didn't trust Akane enough to discuss something
like this with her. "Akane, look, I gonna go for a walk there,
alright. I'll see ya later."
"Eh?!" Akane stares at him. "Where are you going?"
"Somewhere ta clear my head," Ranma bounds to the ground, then
races off. "Tell Kasumi she don't have to cook anythin' tonight!"
he calls out.
Akane watches him go, then stops. "Ranma..." she whispers,
then lowers her head. "Why won't you tell me what's bothering
you...?"
"Aiyah! Is Airen alright?!"
Akane jolts, then spins around to see Shampoo walk her bicycle
up, an empty lunch box on the cargo rack over the back wheel.
"Shampoo!!"
"Did Airen and Violent Girl have a fight?" the warrior-maiden
asks.
Akane blinks, surprised that Shampoo had asked her something
like THAT, then she shakes her head. "No, no fight. What's wrong?"
"Sha-..." Shampoo's voice halts, then she sighs. "Shampoo
want to apologize for what Shampoo did to stop wedding last week,"
she lowers her eyes. "Shampoo hear from Mercenary Girl that Airen's
stupid father and Violent Girl's father set that up. But can
Vio-..." she pauses, then stares at Akane. "Can Akane answer
something? Did Akane really want to marry Airen last week or was it
because of Nanniichuan water?"
Akane jolts, then shudders before nodding. "Yes, I did want to
marry Ranma, Shampoo. He's saved my life so many times, that..."
"Akane think it honour-debt, right?"
Akane stops, then stares intently at Shampoo before relaxing.
"It's more than that, Shampoo. I love him. I...!" she pauses,
then sighs. "I don't know when it started to happen, but it did. I
can't deny it anymore, Shampoo. It's not fair to Ranma and..."
she points to herself.
"Akane think it no fair to Akane, too?"
"Hai."
"Shampoo understand. In fact, Shampoo probably understand
Akane much more than Akane think. But..." she closes her eyes. "It
no change one thing. Shampoo still love Airen, too. And Shampoo
can no give up Airen like that. It..." she shakes her head. "It not
over yet."
Akane blinks, then shudders as a chill warps through her.
"No..."
"If Shampoo no can bring Airen back to village, she..." Shampoo
gazes at Akane hopefully, then looks away. "Shampoo face disgrace
and worse. Even more, village Council no want to let Airen go.
After Airen kill Saffron and defeat Herb, what does Akane think
Council should do?!"
Akane stares at the warrior-maiden, the phrases "disgrace
or worse" and "Council no want to let Airen go" echoing in her mind
again and again. "No...!" she shakes her head, tears glistening
in her eyes, then she turns away. "No...! No! No, DAMN IT ALL, NOT
THIS!!!!" she screams.
"Akane!!" Shampoo cries out.
It is too late; the youngest Tendou daughter is already out of
earshot. Shampoo watches her go, then closes her eyes. "Shampoo
is sorry, Akane. Shampoo really, really wish there could be other
way..."
* * *
Minutes later, a forlorn "Tadaima!" echoes through the main
floor of the Tendou home. Hearing that, Nodoka steps out of the
kitchen, then blinks on seeing tears in Akane's eyes. "Akane-chan,
what's wrong?!!" she gasps, moving immediately to comfort her future
daughter-in-law.
Akane jolts, then stares blankly at Ranma's mother. By then,
Souun has come up, alerted by Nodoka's question. Quickly noting
the sad look on his youngest child's face, the Tendou patriarch
panics. "Akane, are you alright?! What's wrong?!" he parrots
Nodoka's question.
"I...!" Akane blinks, then sighs. "Nothing's wrong, Dad,
Auntie. I'm okay there," she turns to head upstairs.
"Akane...?" Souun shudders.
"Was it something Ranma did?" Nodoka demands.
Hearing that, Akane stops, her eyes widening, then she spins
around. "***NO!!!***" she bellows loudly enough to blow them into
the floorboards. "***RANMA DID NOTHING TO ME!!! NOTHING!!!***"
she then turns on Souun. "***WHY IS IT EVERY TIME SOMETHING GOES
WRONG, YOU TURN AROUND AND BLAME RANMA?!?!***" Then she points
accusingly at Nodoka. "***AND WHY CAN'T YOU TRUST YOUR OWN SON FOR
ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, ANYWAY?!?!***"
With that, she marches upstairs. Souun and Nodoka are quiet
for a moment, then exchange a look. "Do you think your husband
might be right?" the former whispers, glancing up the stairs as the
door to Akane's room opens, then is slammed shut with enough force
to shake the house.
"Perhaps..."
* * *
The week marches on...
Tuesday lunchtime sees Shampoo come to the school cafeteria
to deliver lunch for her Airen. Before presenting a bowl of hot
ramen to Ranma, the warrior-maiden apologizes for her part in the
failed wedding, especially in putting her Airen's mother into harm's
way. Hearing that, plus hearing that Shampoo had not put any drugs
or other strange herbs into the ramen -- a fear Ranma had concerning
Shampoo's meals for a very long time even if that had actually
been rare -- he accepts her apology.
Then, to everyone else's shock, he adds, "Shampoo, you've had to
live with your clan laws for your entire life. I don't really
understand them, but they're something you can't deny, even living
here in Japan. Because of that, I admit that you had every right
to do what you did last week. I can accept it. I can even try to
understand it. Please, it's alright."
Shampoo floated back to the Nekohanten on Cloud Nine...
* * *
After school, Ukyou gives Ranma another packaged okonomiyaki
as a take-home gift. He accepts it, though he still addresses
her as "Ukyou-san," something that still clearly hurts the young
chef. Once she is gone, Ranma parts from Akane, declaring that he
wanted to go for a walk. Akane accepts that, still bothered greatly
by the words Ukyou and Shampoo had spoken to her the previous day.
She needed a chance to be alone, too.
Once they were separated, Ranma proceeds to a park, then quickly
demolishes Ukyou's okonomiyaki before he heads off to Tampopo's
to spend some time with his new friend. There was no way he was
going to insult the older woman by bringing Ukyou's cooking into
Tampopo's restaurant. And besides, he had enough room for whatever
Tampopo might make him, plus any surprises which might be waiting
for him back at the Tendou home.
Before leaving the chef for the night, Ranma receives several
special packets of a homeopathic cure Tampopo once gave Ataru
Moroboshi in case he had to deal with Lum's cooking and couldn't
duck away from his home. "It should be more than enough to deal with
whatever Akane might want to prepare for you," she tells him with a
knowing wink.
Ranma certainly appreciated that...
* * *
"She said that to you?!"
Genma stares hopefully at his wife and his best friend. "Yes,
she was quite boisterous about it, my husband," Nodoka nods. "It
appears that, even if they are uncomfortable openly expressing
it, they do feel it."
"Yes, I do agree with that, Saotome-kun," Souun sighs. "Perhaps
you were right in the long term, but I do want us to wait until this
weekend at the least before we approach them. And we keep the actual
wedding date as flexible as possible. Let them decide when they want
to wed."
"That sounds more than fair enough," Nodoka muses.
Genma blinks, then sighs. "Alright, I can go along with that.
I'll keep an eye on the boy anyway, just in case. I still haven't
figured out where he goes to when he parts from Akane after school."
"Spying on our son, Genma, may not be the wisest thing to do."
"Yes, Saotome-kun, he might take it the wrong way."
"Still, I want to make sure he isn't slacking off too much
there," Genma holds up a cautioning hand. "Don't worry. I won't
press anything with the boy, but I don't want him to lose his edge."
Souun and Nodoka stare at him, then nod...
* * *
"Oh, my!" Kasumi whispers; she is now in the kitchen, having
been there since before Genma had got together with his wife and the
Tendou patriarch. *Saturday...* she grimaces, then sighs.
She had to talk to Nabiki about this as soon as possible...
* * *
Wednesday is also a quiet day, save for lunchtime. Like the day
before, Shampoo had come racing to Furinkan High with lunch for her
Airen. When she gets there, she finds a trivial annoyance in her
way. "De Big Kahuna say there be NO take out in the Big...!" the
Principal cackles.
*CLONG!!!*
"Shampoo no care what Palm-Tree Man say!" Shampoo snaps, then
swats the tree-topped school administrator into the early afternoon
sky. With that, she marches into the cafeteria. "Ni hao, Airen!!"
The warrior-maiden is quick to notice that Ukyou has already
given Ranma a plate full of okonomiyaki. Even more so, there was a
bowl of some brown-grey sauce -- curry? -- there, too? Who had...?
Her eyes then fall on Akane, she having a very expectant look on her
face. Oh, no!
"Oh, hi, Shampoo!" Ranma perks up, then notices her staring
warily at the bowl of curry rice Akane had made. "Oh, relax, relax!"
he waves her down as Shampoo comes up. "This is pretty okay here!!"
Shampoo blinks, stares intently at Akane, who gives her a
neutral look back, then sighs. "Akane always cook no good before,
Airen."
Ranma pauses, then sighs before taking his chopsticks,
forking out a small hunk of curry rice, then holds it before Shampoo.
"Here! Try it."
Everyone stares at the warrior-maiden. Shampoo blinks, then
realizing that Ranma would NOT try to poison her with bad food, takes
the curry rice into her mouth. Munching it down, her eyes widen as
the spices hit home, then she swallows it. "Airen right! It IS good
curry!" she nods, then gazes at Akane. "Might be hope for Akane
yet!"
Akane blinks, then grins. "I am trying..."
"And ya gotta keep on trying there, Akane," Ukyou moderates.
"And listen to your sister and Ran-chan's mom, too. Remember,
they've been at this a lot longer than you have. You can't get it
right overnight."
Hearing that, Akane nods. "Yeah, that's true."
Watching this, the other students exchange looks. Many of them
were clearly wondering when Rod Serling was going to show up and tell
them that they just took a trip into the Twilight Zone. By then,
Shampoo has served out the lunch she made for Ranma, then headed
out. Just as she is about to mount her bicycle for the ride back to
the Nekohanten, she notices a folded note tucked into the frame.
Drawing it out, she opens it to read:
"Xian-pu,
"Come to Hikarigaoka Park, near Fred Yamada's yatai, tonight
at eight o'clock. Don't be late. Ukyou and Kodachi will be there,
too. It's about something you all need to know about Ranma and
Akane.
"Feel free to tell your great-grandmother, but DON'T let Mousse
know about this. You'll understand when you hear what I have to tell
you.
"Nabiki"
Shampoo blinks, then nods, hopping onto her bicycle...
* * *
Thursday and Friday buzz past almost in a blur.
Matters between Ranma and Akane remain cordial, which pleases
Genma very much. Souun and Nodoka also accept what is happening,
realizing that if things were to happen between the two, they best
happen very soon.
Genma doesn't bother to report his failure to trace Ranma down
after school, when he went off to "clear his head." Try as the
Saotome patriarch might, he couldn't trace his son several blocks
before losing him. How was that possible? Was the boy keeping
an eye out for him? If so, how?
School is still quite boring for Ranma, though he does tries
to pay attention to the lectures. Lunch and physical education
classes still remain his only favourite times in the day. Noting
that, his classmates are comforted by one seemingly "normal" thing
in their daily lives.
Though lunchtime does stretch it a bit. On both days, Ukyou
and Shampoo show up with fresh meals for their fiance to enjoy.
Akane also adds in her curry, plus a reasonable attempt at a stir-fry
she made with Kasumi's help. Seeing Ranma's conditional approval
of her efforts -- some habits DO die very hard! -- makes Akane's
smile glitter like the sun.
After school, Ranma parts from Akane and makes his lonely trek
to Tampopo's for dinner and chat. He is quick to notice Genma trying
to track him down, which forces Ranma to dip into his knowledge
of the Umisenken, acquired in the fight with Ryuu Kouman, to ensure
the panda didn't learn of Tampopo Kamekichi. Hearing what Ranma had
been doing on her behalf, Tampopo could only smile, telling him that
it was no real problem. She was prepared to stand at his side
against Genma. Noting the chef's obvious martial art skill, Ranma
could agree, but still felt it was only proper.
One just did NOT put one's friends into danger like that!
During his times with Tampopo, Ranma soon evolves a basic
strategy to get some decent control over his life and resolve a lot
of the outstanding issues over his head. Indeed, Akane's father
had it exactly right after the wedding attempt; things could NOT
happen with the extra fiancees, not to mention all those other
hangers-on, looming over Ranma's head.
And Ranma certainly could do with some peace and quiet.
First priority was Ukyou. He had to do something to repay the
debt his family owed hers. Finding the Kuonji yatai would help. But
he was not interested in marrying her. Ranma just couldn't, for the
utter life of him, envision doing something like THAT with his oldest
friend. He wanted his "U-chan" back, the person he trusted so much
when they were kids. He didn't want her as a wife. And he sure as
hell didn't want a mistress, even if that might be something Nodoka
would consider proper. Well, if Nodoka wanted to press an insane
idea like that, Ranma would refuse.
It was just unfair to all concerned, especially Ukyou.
Next would come Shampoo. Ranma would have to spend some time
looking over the Nyu-che-zuu laws, perhaps with Nabiki's help, to
find some sort of loophole in the Kiss of Marriage. If not...!
Well, Ranma couldn't think of much beyond that point. He did owe
Cologne a lot for teaching him the Chestnut Fist and the Rising
Dragon Ascension. Could his actions on Mount Phoenix be parlayed
into something good for both Ranma and Shampoo?
That would have to be investigated.
Kodachi was a minor problem, but one that might have an easy
answer to it: the gymnast needed some real therapy and couldn't
be allowed to duck out of it until she was in a stable frame of mind.
How that could be done, Ranma had no idea whatsoever, but he'd try to
figure it out.
With that out of the way, he'd have to decide what to do with
Akane. Ranma did like her very much. He cared for her a lot and
certainly didn't want to see her hurt. But the whole matter with the
Nanniichuan casket from the wedding still rankled him. Yes, Akane
had admitted that she loved him just before the wedding, but with the
extra revelations that came after that event, he was unsure of what
sort of love she meant.
Ranma sighed. He didn't want things to go back to the way they
were when he first met Akane. Yes, he instinctively knew that he
could, if he wanted to, avoid her mallet strikes -- how he let that
keep happening, he didn't really understand -- but if he did that,
what would happen? Would Akane be so offended by his "avoiding
his just punishment" that she'd want to end the whole engagement
once and for all? Did he want that to happen?
Even worse, what would his mother think about that? Nodoka
did like Akane a lot and Ranma didn't want to disappoint her.
"I want to learn how to love her, Tampopo-chan. That much I
think I want to do with Akane," Ranma admitted to the chef Friday
night before he went back to the dojo. "But I gotta know first what
her feelings are."
"Do you think you should tell her that soon?" she asked.
"No, not yet. I gotta clear the air with all the others first
before worryin' about that. I'll talk to her about the casket soon,
though. Maybe when I find out about that, I'll decide what to do
then."
"That sounds pretty rational," Tampopo admits...
* * *
Saturday afternoon...
"Tadaima!"
"Welcome back," Kasumi calls out as Ranma, Akane and Nabiki
step into the sitting room. "How was school today?"
"It was alright," Akane admits, then notices Souun, Genma and
Nodoka awaiting them by the dinner table. The determined looks on
their faces makes the youngest Tendou blink. "Is there something
wrong?"
"No, Akane, but there is something we should talk about," Souun
sighs, waving them to the floor mats across the table from them.
"Please sit down. The sooner we get this over with, the better for
everyone."
Hearing that, Akane and Ranma exchange a look. *Uh-oh!* they
seem to tense, though they sit themselves down. "What's this about?"
Ranma asks.
The adults exchange a look, then Souun sighs. "Ranma-kun,
two weeks ago, I promised you that we'd set aside all talk about
weddings until such time as all the potential suitors have been fully
dealt with."
Ranma blinks, then nods. "Yes, that's true."
The Tendou patriarch takes a deep breath, glances at Genma,
then carries on. "Well, when we made that decision, we didn't take
into account that you really aren't...! Well, trained to deal with
this sort of thing. Almost since the day you came here, we've
assumed that you would do the right thing on your own accord.
Clearly, you don't fully and properly understand what the right and
honourable thing is in this case. For that," he bows his head. "I
personally apologize to you for making so many assumptions about you
in the past. It was wrong and it brought a lot of disharmony
and mistrust between yourself and my daughter, Ranma-kun."
Akane's eyes widen. "Dad..."
"I..." Ranma blinks. He hadn't quite expected this. Taking
a deep breath, he nods. "It's alright. You did what you thought
was best."
Hearing that, Souun and Genma brighten. "Well, then, you might
be pleased to hear this, then," the latter chuckles. "Son, when we
made our decision two weeks ago, we assumed that the problems were
many and quite difficult to deal with. We were wrong to assume that,
then mislead both you and Akane-chan. The problems are actually
quite trivial."
The younger people blink. "I wouldn't think of them as
'trivial,' Oyaji," Ranma protests. "They do matter, you know..."
"No, my son, you're wrong," Nodoka speaks up. "You've only been
led to believe they are more than what they seem." She holds up a
finger. "Outside your duty to the Tendou Clan, you have an
engagement with Ukyou Kuonji. After her actions, in the matter when
our house was destroyed, then two weeks ago, she demonstrated
clearly that she would not respect the family she wishes to marry
into. I will not have that woman become part of our family, Ranma.
Yes, she will be compensated for the loss of her dowry, but she will
not be recognized henceforth as your fiancee."
Ranma jolts, then sighs. "Mom, she deserves more than that.
Yeah, I don't want to marry her, but she spent ten whole years actin'
as a boy so she could get her revenge on us for what Oyaji pulled
on her. And I want her to be my friend, Mom. I'm not gonna cast her
off like Oyaji did."
Nodoka stiffens. "I'd hardly call someone like her worthy to be
your friend, my son, much less a fiancee," she frostily intones.
Ranma shudders, then ducks Nodoka's look. Akane sighs. "Dad,
what about Shampoo? What do we do about her, then?"
Souun snorts. "She's an outlander, Akane, trying to impose
her laws on a place where they have no effect. She has no right
whatsoever to think of Ranma-kun as her husband, 'airen' or what have
you!"
Genma and Nodoka nod. "What happens if she goes back to her
village empty-handed, then?!" Ranma demands. "You know how harsh
their laws are!"
"That is her problem, not ours," Nodoka states. "Perhaps
if she is punished because of her 'failure,' then her people will see
reason at last and learn to treat other outsiders much better than
they treated you."
"Agreed," Genma snorts. "The Kunous have no claim on Akane-chan
or yourself, boy, so anything they say is worthless. And if they try
to press the point, we'll deal with them, firmly and finally.
Outside that, there is nothing else to worry about. Now, given that
we know what to do, we can get on with the wedding preparations
and see you both finally married."
Silence.
More silence.
Still more silence.
Then...
"SAY WHAT?!?!?!" Akane and Ranma scream.
"Of course!" Souun nods. "Please. We realize how much you
don't like to be pushed into this, but we DO want to see you wed.
And we DO know that you two love and care for each other a lot. We
are all in agreement about that, so why delay it anymore? Everything
else can be brushed aside if you just let your hearts guide you to
where you should go."
"It is the right thing to do, Ranma," Nodoka gazes on him, her
hands squeezing the bundled katana in her arms. "It's the manly
thing to do."
Ranma jolts. "Auntie..." Kasumi sighs.
Akane blinks as her mind rolls through what everyone had just
said. A smile then creeps across her face, the same type of smile
she had shown Ranma when he first saw her in her wedding gown two
weeks ago.
Seeing this, Nabiki and Kasumi blink, exchanging a look. Why
was she smiling? Did she actually WANT this to happen? Did she
really mind being practically forced into this as soon as possible?
And what of Ranma...?
Ranma...?
Ranma is still staring at Nodoka, a lost, hurt look etched on
his face. As if he was asking himself who this woman was and what
the hell had she done to his real mother. Noting that, Nabiki gazes
on Nodoka, who was now looking towards Souun and Genma. Oh, damn,
did she HAVE to bring up that rotting old seppuku agreement into this
damned mess?!
"Akane...?" Souun probes.
Akane jolts, then flusters. "Dad, I...!"
Before she can say anything more, the door to the sitting room
flies open and twin bonboris sail in. Souun and Genma don't react
fast enough before they're knocked out. Nodoka looks, then bolts
to her feet, her hands moving to unwrap her katana. Before she can
get far, a throwing spatula slams into her wrist, making her drop the
katana. A ribbon snaps up the falling blade, yanking it away from
Ranma's mother to land in the koi pond. "Just before you say
anything there, Akane, we got something ta say to these jerks!!"
Ukyou growls, her battle spatula at the ready.
"Oh, we have more guests," Kasumi smiles.
She heads into the kitchen, quickly followed by Nabiki. "What
are you guys doing here?!" Akane demands, bolting to her feet.
"Stoppin' something that has no right to happen, sugar," Ukyou
snarls, then spins on the adults. "Did you really think you'd get
away with it so soon after we stopped you the first time?!"
"You have no right to be here, girl!" Nodoka snaps. "This is an
honourable arrangement between two families, neither of which you
belong to nor will you ever be ALLOWED to belong to...!!"
She gasps as another throwing spatula wings past her, cutting
several strands of her hair. Nodoka staggers, then turns to Ranma,
who sits where he had been. Before she could say something,
Ukyou lunges in, whipping her battle spatula in an overhead strike.
Before she can get close to Nodoka, Genma bolts up to smash his fist
into Ukyou's chin, sending her flying over Akane into the wall.
Before he could do something else, Kodachi's clubs and another of
Shampoo's bonbori smash into his head. Souun is on his feet by then,
he moving to disarm the girls and throw them out of his house.
Suddenly, the very wall behind Nodoka explodes inward, the force
staggering the older woman. "SHAMPOO!!!!" Mousse screams out.
Shampoo backpedals from Souun's fist before driving her bonbori
into his stomach. "Stupid Mousse, what you doing here?!!"
"Doing something that needs to be done!!" Mousse focuses on what
he thinks is Ranma -- his glasses are on his forehead again -- then
lashes out with a storm of chains and knives. "DIE, SAOTOME!!!!"
"Hey, you're aiming at ME, you idiot!!!" Akane screams as she
dances clear of the weapons-master's onslaught. "Get out of here!!"
Shampoo snarls as she grabs one of her bonbori and flings it at
Mousse. Nodoka is in her line-of-fire, unfortunately; the spheroid
hitting tool wings her in the side, sending her into a wall. Ranma
grabs it out of mid-air, then fires it at its intended target.
Mousse screams out as the bonbori slams into his head, sending him
flying out of the house. Thunder then echoes from the direction
Mousse vanished. "HOLD!!!!"
"Oh, shit...!" Akane rolls her eyes. "He's back!"
People turn as Tatewaki Kunou storms in, bokken in hand. "I did
not grant permission for this unholy union between my fair Akane
Tendou and the foul sorcerer Ranma Saotome to occur!! HAVE AT THEE,
SORCERER!!!!"
He lunges at Ranma, but winds up slamming into Mallet-sama.
"Get it through your head finally, jerk!!! YOU HAVE NO SAY IN OUR
MARRIAGE!!!!"
"Beautiful Akane..." Kunou groans, dropping to the floor.
Akane shudders, then spins around on Ukyou, Shampoo and Kodachi.
"And that goes for you too!!" she snarls. "I've HAD it with you
blasting your way into places where you don't belong!! Ranma is MY
fiance!" she thumbs herself, then points to Ukyou. "Not yours!!"
-- then to Shampoo -- "Not yours and especially not YOURS!!!"
she points to Kodachi. "I would have been married to Ranma had it
not been for you three!!"
"Well, I'm afraid that it ain't gonna happen, sugar!" Ukyou
tenses herself. "If Ran-chan's gonna marry anyone, it'll be me! You
got your dowry!! I had mine stolen!! So you better cough him over
right now!"
"Not a chance!" Akane snaps, then looks over. "Ran-...?!
Huh?!"
Everyone stops on seeing an empty space where Ranma had been
sitting not seconds before. "Where Airen go?!" Shampoo demands.
"I think he left when you girls started arguing over who was
going to marry him," Nabiki announces, she standing at the kitchen
doorway.
The four girls exchange a shocked look, then Ukyou grunts.
"Damn it! We better find him before he gets too far away...!!"
"ENOUGH!!!!"
Everyone spins on Genma, who is now staggering to his feet. "My
son will marry Akane even if it's over all your dead bodies!" the
Saotome patriarch growls, then gasps as a ribbon snares him by the
throat.
Kodachi yanks Genma into the yard, sending him face-first
into the cherry tree by the koi point. A storm of bokken strikes
follows. "HOW DARE YOU PRESUME YOUR SON WILL MARRY AKANE TENDOU?!?!"
Kunou thunders.
"We go find Airen!" Shampoo looks at Ukyou.
"Right!!" the chef nods, then screams out as chains wrap around
her. "Hey!!! What the hell are you doing, Mousse?!!"
"Ensuring Saotome will NEVER have my Shampoo!!" the
weapons-master snarls, then screams out as Shampoo's bonbori slams
into his head.
"Stupid Mousse!! Mind own business for once!" Shampoo growls,
then screams out as Souun lunges at her with a table. "Aiyah!!"
"RANMA WILL MARRY AKANE!!!!" he unleashes the Demon Head.
Shampoo screams, causing Mousse to release Ukyou from his
chains, then he fires a storm of knives. "HOW DARE YOU THREATEN
SHAMPOO?!?!"
Souun screams. Ukyou growls, then lunges into the front lawn
before taking a look around. "Akane...?" she whispers, then curses,
her body quivering. "Damn! She must've gone off after Ran-chan!"
Her eyes fall on Genma, who is under the joint assault of the Kunous.
"Well, might as well get some practice in," she grins, then lunges
over to help...
* * *
Some minutes later...
"Ranma!!! Ranma, where are you?!!"
Ranma jolts, then looks over as Akane runs towards the bridge
over the Shakujii River where he normally came when he wanted to be
alone. He remains quiet as she spots him, then jogs up. "Baka!
There you are!" she breathes out, then puts fists to hips. "Why did
you run off like that?"
He blinks, then breathes out, looking nowhere in particular
before shrugging. "I didn't want to get involved this time. Doin'
that doesn't do spit for any of us, so I decided ta do something
else for a change. Feels nice not to be in the centre of some
useless fight like that."
Akane blinks, then sighs. "Ranma..." she whispers, then takes
a deep breath. "Ranma, they're not going to stop just because you
ducked out. Don't you understand?! It's because of YOU that they're
fighting..."
"***THEN IT'S THEIR PROBLEM!!!!***"
Akane gasps, her eyes widening as Ranma's battle aura clicks
on, surrounding him in a sea of pure crimson fury. "R-r-ranma...!"
He shudders, then points at her. "Is that all I am to you?!!"
he snarls. "Just a THING for all of you to fight over, not giving
a damn that all of you, INCLUDING YOU, don't give a flying DAMN about
what I might want?!! Is that all I am to you?!! IS IT?!!
WELL?!?!?!"
She shudders, her mouth fluttering as she tries to give him some
sort of answer. Staring at her, Ranma growls. "Fine!!" he hisses.
"Since I'm not bein' given any chance to decide anything for myself,
then I say this!! You can beat each other senseless for all I care
now!!! Hell, you can KILL each other for all I care now!! Either
which way, I'll be rid of you all!! When you FINALLY decide ta treat
me like I'm a person, THEN talk to me!!"
He turns, then storms off. Akane is rooted in place, her eyes
wide with disbelief as those words echo deep inside her mind.
Suddenly, a storm of anger wells in her as she feels Mallet-sama
materialize in her hands. Growling, she lunges after him, then
swings. "***RANMA NO BAKA!!!!***"
The mallet slams home on the back of Ranma's head...
...then shatters!
Akane gasps as the pieces cascade around him as he turns around
to glare at her, clearly not the least bit effected by her attack.
Her eyes then lock on his face as a grip of pure FEAR snares her
heart. The look there...! Oh, no! Oh, Kami-sama, please, no...!
Not this...!
Don't let it end like THIS!!
Ranma shudders, then blinks before a strange calm crosses his
face. "Fine," he then declares before turning around and walking
away.
Akane stays rooted in place as he turns a corner, then vanishes.
She then blinks as a voice in her mind begins to warn her that what
she now did was probably the most STUPID thing she'd ever done with
her fiance.
"Ranma..." she shudders, then turns away. "I'm sorry..."
* * *
Nearby...
"I'm surprised he didn't kill her for that!"
"For all his faults, Cologne-chan, the boy is not THAT!"
Cologne blinks, then stares at Happousai before a slow nod
shifts her head, then she glances in the direction Ranma had
disappeared. "He's going to that new restaurant that'll open this
week," she reports.
"Smart thing, given who runs the place," the grandmaster
of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu sighs, then draws his pipe and takes a
tentative puff.
Cologne blinks, then looks at him. "You know her?"
A grin splits his face, then he whispers into the Nyu-che-zuu
elder's ear. She blinks, then her eyes go totally wide. "GODDESS!!!
Happy, you MUST be joking...!!" she sputters, then stares at
Happousai.
He shakes his head. "Nope," he stands, turning to leave. "It's
time for some serious damage control here, Cologne-chan. I'll worry
about the two dunderheads and the fool's wife. Keep Shampoo-chan
occupied for the time being. Maybe the boy'll listen to us with them
out of the way."
She watches him go, then nods. "I hope you're right, Happy..."
* * *
Tomobiki, atop the Toranoseishin Fiances Tower...
"So, you are the one, aren't you...?"
Chikage draws out a tarot card from her blazer pocket, then
looks at it. The Fool, herald of new beginnings. A befitting
card indeed.
"...Ane-kun?"
To be continued...
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