The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and rights
holders. Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Sailor Moon is the
creation of Naoko Takeuchi. All original content is the creation of Samuel
Phoenix. Recognition is given to John Sanchez for a small kick of
inspiration that helped produce this story, and to Harold Ancell who has
been a near constant source of input, information, and ideas.

Awkward Consequences
Chapter 6: Into the Open Fire
PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)

Ranma groaned as he awoke. He hated getting up in the morning. Through a
clouded mind, he looked down at Hotaru, and froze.

He was in bed with a girl! Akane was going to... He blinked as the
sleepiness cleared from his mind and he recalled the events of the previous
day.

He smiled and though of how they were intertwined. Her head was buried into
his chest, and her body was pressed against his, while his arms were around
her and his led was thrown over her hips. It was kinda appealing, too bad he
was stuck hiding in girl form.

Hopefully they could deal with this quick, before she started getting big.
He didn't want her to have to face the social problems she would be facing
alone. It was his child, and he would be at her in this side no matter what.

He tightened his grip around her and laid his face on her head. Her silky
soft jet-black hair glistened in the sunlight, and he could smell the sweet
floral scent of her shampoo. The feelings which this prompted we're almost
forgotten to him. It had been so long since he had a chance to feel this
way. He was calm, at peace, almost content.

He closed his eyes and laid as he was. He did not know for how long it was.
He knew there was something special about her. She was so kind, so caring,
so gentle, so... non-violent. He could feel something in his heart when he
though of her. He cared about this girl, deeply.

After a while, he slowly squirmed off of the bed, managing not to awaken
her. Laying like that with her was nice, but he had things he need to get
done. Besides, his muscles were starting to get very stiff.

As he stood up, Hotaru rolled over to the center of the bed. He chuckled
when she did this. "Well Hotaru-chan, I see you don't like being squished on
one side of the bed, either."

He slowly stretched to banish the inflexibility from his body. He noted to
himself that when they get married, to make sure a bigger bed is part of the
package. That bed is far small for two people, at least in the long run.

He quietly dressed and left the room. He put on a simple pair of slacks and
a Chinese shirt, the Saotome Ranma classic.

After a few silent early morning stretches he opened Hotaru's bedroom door,
and began to slip out. He glanced around for a moment. Hotaru sure had a big
house. It was really nice. He hoped that he could stay here for a while, he
didn't want to be out of the street again. After having a place to call home
for two years, he'd developed a hatred for being homeless.

He gazed back into Hotaru room, at his mate. He hoped Hotaru didn't resent
him. He took away her innocence and because of him she was being railroaded
towards an early marriage, and was going to have a child.  He was sorry that
he was putting her through this.

He sighed and looked at his sleeping beauty. She looked so content, so at
peace. She was far too good for him.

Ranma closed the door and reentered the room. He gazed down at her, and gave
her a light kiss on the cheek, whispering "I'm sorry, Hotaru-chan. I'll do
everything in my power to make it up to you.

He silently exited the room exited the room and started down the stairs.

"Good Morning, Ranko-chan," said a voice from behind Ranma.

The cursed martial artist turned to see Hotaru's father figure coming down
the steps behind her. The butch lesbian slowly scanned over Ranma's figure,
taking time to appreciate every curve. It made him fell like a piece of
meat.

"Err... my eyes are up here, Haruka-san," grumbled Ranma.

Haruka's eyes jetted direct level to Ranma. She looked like she had been
caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She laughed lightly and rubbed the
back of her head. "Sorry about how I acted last night Ranko-chan, I just had
things on my mind."

Ranma nodded. "She told you yesterday, right?"

Haruka blinked, then looked at Ranma funny. "You know?"

"Yeah, she told me yesterday too," answered the boy turned girl.

Haruka scowled, and nodded. "So, what are you doing up? It's still pretty
early."

Ranma smiled widely at Haruka, "I was going to go outside and do my morning
katas."

At the mention of martial arts Haruka's eye perked up. "You're a martial
artist?"

Ranma smirked arrogantly, and said in a very sure voice, "I'm the best."

Haruka smiled at Ranma. Ranma recognized the look in her eyes. It was a
challenge.

"Prove it."

Ranma chucked to himself. While he seriously doubted Haruka would be a
challenge, he always appreciated a chance to spar with a new person.
Learning from your opponents and adaptation were the hallmark of the
Anything Goes School.  "See ya outside."

The two woman quickly slipped into the back yard. Haruka smiled as she took
up a combat stance. Ranko was just standing there. She was watching her,
observing her every movement.

The Senshi smiled, if the younger girl wanted to test her, she would show
Ranko why she was the most skilled of the senshi.

The two bowed respectfully, and with a resounding cry, Haruka charged
forward and struck at Ranma with a skillful and lightning fast combination
of blows, or at least that is what it was in the minds of most people. To a
world-class martial artist like Ranma, it was painfully slow and sloppy.

As Ranma dodged and wove around Haruka's fury of blows with seemingly
inhuman levels of speed and grace, she analyzed her opponents style.

She was much faster then Akane, but not quite as skilled. Maybe she could
give the tomboy a run for her money. It would be a crap shoot, but she might
be able to get by on speed.

Her style was a creative mixture of Kempo, Shotokan, some elements of Tai
Kuan Do in the kicks, and some stylistic fragments of Wu Shu, probably
picked up from watching one too many Kung Fu Action Movie.

Once he had a grasp of Haruka on the offensive, she decided to put the girl
on the ropes. In a second Ranma was striking back at Haruka using speed the
senshi could hardly believe. While Ranma was holding back on his offensive,
he was still heartily pounding on the Outer. He found this disappointing.

The girl was too much like Akane: she depended on striking fast and soaking
blows. That in its self was curious because her endurance was really nothing
special.

Ranma slipped back onto the offensive and considered this. Haruka could be
useful. While her relationship with Hotaru was strange to say the least, if
she really did care for Hotaru, she might be able to assist in fighting of
the fianc�es.

Ranma's eyes narrowed as Haruka once again committed to the offensive. The
woman was getting sloppy, leavening herself open. Time to end this.

Ranma deftly dodged Haruka's attacks until he spotted a blatant hole,
something to make the woman sour about. While he had learned that you should
never belittle the skills of a semi-competent opponent, as it will enrage
them, you still should shame them. Something to make them want to improve,
face you again, and win.

A single overextended punch was all Ranma needed. He redirected the force of
her punch, and flipped her. A simple technique that every Aikido white belt
was taught in the first few lessons.

Once Haruka had hit the ground Ranma turned around and walked to the older
girl. With a smiled on her face, she reached out her hand, and said,
 "Match?"

Haruka scowled at being so handedly defeated. But while she was angry, she
took her defeat in stride. "Match," she said, as she took the redhead's
hand.

Ranma smiled, and pulled the Senshi back up to eye-level. In a friendly
voice, she said, "Your not bad. You have potential. You really just need
watch your defense. I really don't think you have the endurance to be able
to just soak blows like that."

Haruka nodded, but said nothing. The girl was right. She had become too
depended on her Senshi form's super human durability by ignoring her defense
and committing totally to the offence.

Ranma looked at Haruka, deep in thought. She might not be skilled enough to
handle it, but she was fast. Of course the question was should he. She
probably would use these skills against him. While she would be no real
threat, she could become yet another pain in the ass. No, that was not even
a question. He was going to be a father, time to start acting like one. Put
the child first.

"Could you please get me a few bags of chestnuts?"

Haruka blinked at the unusual request. "What the hell do you need chestnuts
for?"

'Ranko' smiled, and said, "I have a technique I want to show you. I think
you'll be able to handle it. Among other things, the training method
requires chestnuts."

Haruka nodded. She would get the damn chestnuts, but first she had to know
something. "How did you get so damn good?"

The redhead smiled wearily. "I spent ten years on the road training. When
most girls were playing with dolls, I was learning how to fight. The Art was
my childhood, it was my mother, it is my life."

"You're kidding me!" said the blond Senshi.

"I wish, I had no friends as a kid and the Art is really all I know." said
Ranma as he shook his head.

"What kind of bastard will do that to a child?" asked Haruka.

Ranma scowled at the thought of his disgrace of a father. "My Old Man. I'm
never going to pull any of the crap he pulled with my kid!"

Haruka blinked then looked at Ranma inquisitively. "You're a mother?" She
gave Ranma's body a once over then continued, "You don't look like it."

Ranma backed up. Oh, he was not a mother, but he was soon to be a father. He
had backed himself into a hole here. "Err... I mean when I have a kid!"

"Oh..."

"About the technique," interrupted Ranma, cutting Haruka off, "You get the
chestnuts, and I'll get the rest ready."

Haruka blinked, then shrugged. "Okay, so how many do you need?"

Ranma smiled evilly. "Get a lot of 'em. This'll take a while."

----------------------------------


Haruka walked back towards the yard holding a shopping bag. They didn't have
the nuts in the house so she had to go shopping. Ranko had really impressed
her, so she might as well give her a chance. She wondered what kind of
technique Ranko was going to show her. What kind of strange technique
requires chestnuts to learn it?

She blinked as she entered the back yard. Ranko was kneeling in a small
clearing tending to a fire.

"Ranko-chan? What the hell? Was this just an excuse for you to roast
chestnuts? If so, you owe me 5,000 yen."

Ranko motioned for Haruka to come over. Haruka did as she was told and knelt
down next to Ranko. "What are you pulling here?" She asked.

Ranko chuckled to herself, then took the bag from Haruka and threw a couple
of handfuls of nuts into the fire. She then looked over into the blonds
eyes, and said, "I ain't 'pulling' anything. The technique I'm gonna show ya
is called the 'Kashuu Tenshin Amaguriken' for a reason. It's an ancient
Chinese Amazon technique that had the Emperors of China shaken' in there
boot for 3,000 years, or at least that's what they told me."

Haruka blanched at the name. "Imperial Sweet Chestnuts Roasting on an Open
Fire Fist"? What king of stupid name was that? "What kind of technique is
it?" She Asked.

Ranko smiled. "Speed."

Haruka nodded. There was just one thing that she didn't understand. Most
martial artist were very secretive with their techniques. "Why are you
showing me this?"

Ranko sighed and looked down, in complete honesty she said, "To protect
Hotaru and her baby."

Haruka blinked. It was not like she couldn't already do a good enough job as
is, but what could make Ranko so uneasy? Was there some new danger that only
Ranko knew about? She needed answers! "What is threatening Hotaru-chan?"

Ranko sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "Ranma. He got a situation goin'
that's gonna blow up in everybody's face, and it's gonna go soon."

Haruka eyes narrowed for a moment. This was about *him*. "Explain."

"Ranma's engaged to multiple girls, and all of 'em are violent and crazy.
When they find out about Hotaru there is going to be hell ta pay."

Haruka's eyes narrowed and her lip rose into a snarl with barely contained
anger. "That little fucking bastard... first he string along these girls
then he knocks up my little Hotaru-chan?! I'll fucking kill him!"

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Ranma. "It ain't like that, it's my pop's fault!"

Haruka blinked, "Your pop?" Her eyes narrowed. "What's your relationship to
him, are you his sister or something?"

Ranko smiled stupidly then choked out, "Well, you could say that..."

"Great, now I have the sister of the guy who got my little girl pregnant
living with me!" growled Haruka. She then looked at Ranko funny and asked,
"Why we're you kicked out of the house anyways?"

"Ranma said that he was going to ignore the engagements, including the one
engagement that our old man actually cared about, and marry Hotaru. I agreed
with him and pops kicked us out of the house over it."

Haruka features softened as some of her anger drained. He was willing to so
what needed to be done, even if it cost him. She could respect that quality.
"So what do you mean it's your father's fault?"

Ranko scowled bitterly. "He engaged him to all these girls so he could run
off with the dowry! It ain't his choice!" as almost an after though she
added, "Kami-sama only knows how may boys he probably engaged me to!"

Haruka looked down at the fire, and asked, "Is your family name Saotome?"

"Yeah...."

Haruka smiled, and turned her head to the slightly shorter redhead. She had
heard of a "Saotome Ranma" and a "Saotome Ranko" from Nerima. They were
rumored to be among the best in Japan. For a martial artist of that caliber
to consider you good enough to teach was both a privilege and an honor.
"Thank you for being honest with me."

Ranko slightly winced and looked down. "Well, the Chestnuts are done" she
said, as she popped on into her mouth. She then handed a still warm nut to
Haruka. "Want one?"

"Thanks," said Haruka as she ate it. It was warm and sweet. Then her train
of though halted. The fire was still going, she had just eaten a chestnut
from it, and she hadn't seen Ranko use anything to dig one out. Haruka could
not believe it, there was only one even semi-logical explanation.

"Ranko, did you just do what I think you did?"

Ranko smiled, and said, "You catch on quick. Here, let me show you."

Ranko straightened up, turned to the fire, and cried out, "Kashuu Tenshin
Amaguriken!" Her arms vanished in a momentary blur. When they jumped back
into view she had two handfuls of freshly roasted chestnuts.

Haruka looked at her hand and gasped. "Amazing!" If she could have even a
fraction of that speed in her normal form, then her speed as a senshi would
be blinding.

Ranko smiled then dumped another couple handfuls into the fire. "Now its
your turn. If you can pull the nuts from the fire without getting burned,
you will have mastered the technique." Ranko's eyes then narrowed, "I'm
warning you now. Your hands *will* get burned, and it *will* hurt. One of
the few truthful things my father has eve said was this, 'The path of a true
martial artist is wrought with peril'."

"Okay, Ranko-sensei," cried Haruka as she readied to begin her lesson.

"I recommend you take your shirt off so it does not catch fire," cut in
Ranko.

Haruka nodded, and unbuttoned her shirt, casting it to the side, away from
the flames. With her upper body free of all flammable material, short of a
gray sports bra, she once again took her place.

She looked to her teacher for the go ahead, and Ranko nodded.

Haruka smiled arrogantly. She would prove herself worthy of Ranko's
confidence. With a cry of the mantra, she plunged her hands into the flame.

"Kashuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"

----------------------------------


Hotaru smiled as she opened her eyes to the morning light. Her nights rest
refreshed her. It was as if all the stress of the past day was washed away.
Now here she was, in bed, with her Ranma, her lover, father of her child,
and soon to be her husband.

She sighed as she thought of him. He was so cute, so kind, and so
protective. The concern he had for her was sweet, but misplaced. While Ranma
could do some amazing things, she highly doubted he or anyone he knew could
threaten a Senshi. It was all going so fast, but she was happy to have
someone like him.

Hotaru turned over to embrace him. He was not present. "Ranma?"

Her eyes quickly darted around the room. He was not in the room. His packs
were still present, that was good, putting to rest any nagging fears that he
may have abandoned her.

She was slightly annoyed, why couldn't he have waited for her to wake up? Oh
well, he must have had something to do. With a yawn Hotaru stood up and
stretched.

She stood in place for a moment getting the kinks out of her back, then
exited her room. She would get dressed later, because she was hungry right
now. As she opened the door, her nose was greeted by the sweet smells of
breakfast, wafting up the stairs. It made her stomach rumbled in
anticipation.

Hotaru giggled and rubbed her belly. "Calm down, little one. Mommy will feed
you soon." She quickly ran down the steps to have her meal.

When she entered the dining room, she was confused by what she saw.
Haruka-papa was sitting at the table almost topless while Michiru-mama
applied antiseptic cream to a collection of light burns that went up both of
her arms.

In a flash, Hotaru was next to her, healing her wounds. "What happened,
Haruka-papa?" She inquired.

Michiru sighed and turned her view from Haruka's wounds to her daughter. In
a slightly irritable voice, she said, "This baka tried to pull chestnuts out
of a campfire with her bare hands."

Hotaru blinked. "She did what?" She looked at Haruka, and shook her head.
"What would you do something stupid like that?"

Haruka smiled, there was a edge of borderline insanity to it that made
Hotaru uncomfortable. "It's part of a training technique that I'm going to
learn! You should have seen Ranko-sensei!"

"Ranko-sensei?" repeated Hotaru, wondering what kind of screwed up training
method would Ranma have Haruka-papa plunging her hands into an open flame.

Ignoring Hotaru, Haruka continued on her rant. "You should have seen her
move! Wait, you couldn't have seen her move! She was just a blur! She pulled
those chestnuts from that fire with ease! Imagine how fast would be if I
could pull off this technique normally!"

"Where is Ranko?" wondered Hotaru as she finished healing one of Haruka's
arms and went onto the next.

Michiru quickly realized that her services were no longer needed, and gave
Hotaru the space she needed to work. "Your friends in the kitchen. I had to
tend to her wounds so Ranko-san volunteered to cook breakfast." She then
gave Haruka a dirty look and said, "I just hoped this does not become an
every day occurrence."


"I'm not stopping until I learn this technique!" Haruka then turned to the
kitchen door and yelled, "Do you hear me 'Red' I'm going to master the
Amaguriken!"

Seconds later, Ranma, clad in one of Michiru's frilly aprons leaned out of
the kitchen door. "I'll believe it when I see it, slow poke!" He jumped back
into the kitchen, but seconds later suck his head out again, "And don't call
me Red!"

This entire exchange confused Hotaru. It was like Haruka-papa both respected
and disliked Ranma. She referred to him respectfully as "Sensei" while at
the same time they taunted each other. What could make her have that much
respect for him? She doubted it was that silly, pulling chestnuts out of a
fire idea. That was not humanly possible, of course neither was jumping tall
buildings in a single bound and punching out mailboxes she noted in the back
of her mind.

Of course, that was not the big shocker to Hotaru. This was: Ranma could
cook?

Moments later 'Ranko' exited the kitchen, still dressed in Michiru's apron
holding an over sized tray of food. Laying it on the table he looked at the
others and said, "Dig in!"

Hotaru could barely hold her surprise when she glanced at the meal. It
appeared very well prepared!

She slowly took a hefty helping for herself and sampled the cuisine. "Ran...
Ranko-chan this is really good!"

The boy in girl form blushed slightly, and said, "Thanks Hotaru-chan." Then
Ranma sat down next to Hotaru, and grabbed a large helping for himself.

Hotaru blushed and looked at everyone. They were all eating together
happily. It was like they were a family.

"So, how did you two meet?" asked Michiru.

"We... met at my old job! Yeah, we met at my old job! I use to work at an
ice cream place. One day Hotaru came in looking very sad so I gave her a
cone on the house, you know, to cheer her up. We started talking after that
and became fast friends," rambled Ranma, hoping to convince the woman.

"Yeah, that's right," muttered Hotaru.

Michiru glanced at Haruka, then looked at them and said, "I'm not
 convinced."


Haruka, smiled at her lover. "I'm not convinced either." He then looked at
the two youths for a moment and shook her head then continued, "but If they
don't want to tell us, then we shouldn't make them."

Michiru closed her eyes, and nodded. "Haruka... your right. We almost lost
her over one secret. Maybe it's not our business."

Hotaru sighed in relief. "Thank you... I'll tell you when I think the time
is right."

A thin smile cracked across Michiru's face. "Ok, Hotaru-chan... we can
 wait."

"So Hotaru-chan, we gonna go shopping after breakfast?" asked Ranma.

"For what?"

Ranma rolled his eyes and glanced at Hotaru, "We talked about it last
night."

A bright flush made itself visible on Hotaru's cheek. He was talking about
the ring! In a soft, wispy voice, she said, "Sure thing, Ranma..."

Ranma gulped. His cover was blown! Maybe the missed it.

"Did you just call her, Ranma?" Asked Haruka.

Or, maybe not.

Hotaru blushed and shook her head. "No, you're just hearing things
Haruka-papa!

"I don't know," interrupted Michiru, "It sounded like Ranma to me too, but
with names a similar as their, who can blame her for having a slip up."

"Less talking, more eating," cut in Ranma, trying to divert the subject in
his own crude way.

Haruka laughed and said, "Can't disagree with that!"

Michiru smiled and added, "Yes, Ranko-san. I really must compliment you on
your abilities. This is delicious."

'Ranko' smiled and said, "Thanks."

Hotaru sighed in relief as Haruka ad Michiru's dialogue drifted to
conversations focused on their personal lives instead of hers. Maybe things
would calm down.

----------------------------------

Setsuna slowly wobbled her way down the steps. God he head hurt. It was as
if a pair of bull African elephants were dancing a tango in her head.

She really could not remember having a hangover this bad since maybe in '44
when she out drank that entire B17 bomber crew. After those fifty years she
spent with the Norse, she would have sworn she was almost immune to the
effects of alcohol.

Of course, she did suck down an entire jug of 180 proof Kentucky moonshine.
She really was lucky that she could see this morning.

She really was not in good shape physically or emotionally. That "boyfriend"
of Hotaru's was going to make her job as Guardian of the Time Gate much
harder. How could she keep a close eye on the future if her vision was being
constantly clouded?


On the same note, she loved Hotaru very dearly and wanted her to be happy.
It was a hard choice, duty or love. She could turn to Princess Serenity for
guidance on this matter, but she already knew the answer: Love.

With a painful sigh, Setsuna did something she loathed to do. She left it to
fate. Butterflies are like bombs, the more you push them the more likely
it'll be for them to blow up in your face. Besides, Ranma was not a bad
sort. He was crude, but he means well, and he could be a very powerful
asset.

She also noted, that despite her anxiety, not having to play the master
manipulator was a weight off her soul.

She winced, as she smelled breakfast. While usually she would be happy to
partake of the wonderful odor of well cooked meal, all it did now was
aggravating her already pounding hangover.


Straightening her disheveled clothing, she walked into the kitchen. She was
not pleasantly surprised by what she saw. The butterfly was in her house.

Her eyes narrowed as the pain in her head increased ten fold. She sat down,
smiled insincerely, and in an acidic voice she said, "Good morning,
Saotome," while looking Ranma directly in the eyes.


             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'