Some Christmas Waff I threw together.
Late Christmas Eve.
Akane sat in her room, exempt from the cooking this night. The one night in all the year she didn't want to cook was Christmas Day; that had been a sacred night for as long as she could remember. Her mother never let anyone near the kitchen; neither did Kasumi after she took control. Nodoka had tried and had, not too violently, been refused entrance.
But thinking of times that had been brought forth thoughts on the last year, a year where the craziness around Ranma had involved crazy dragons, birds, cats (including Ranma), pigs (maybe P-chan needed to be neutered), Amazons, and, most of all, very crazy parents.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm."
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Nabiki finally managed to balance the last account, as she had always done at Christmas. For her this was the real start of the new year, many got a clean slate at Christmas, as a sort of good deed.
The year that had passed had had it's ups and downs, but thinking of the craziness they witnessed on a daily basis almost always got a smile to her face, not so much due to monetary gains, as a base for maturing the to-be-weds.
But Christmas Day was special, too special to be surrounded by chaos. Nabiki always connected her mother to Christmas, she had never understood why.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm."
Nabiki sighed, she knew it wouldn't be, but you can always hope.
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Wandering through the forest, Ryouga was thinking. He thought of Akane, Akari, Ranma, Cologne, and all the fights he had been part of. His shouts of death and destruction had never been anything other than a private joke. Sure, it was a hard life being lost almost constantly, but he met very many different persons, most of them really kind.
Becoming the pig had been a sad thing at first, but he learned to live with it, and he was almost as lethal when a pig. He no longer blamed Ranma for it, he would've been as furious as Ranma had been. Sighing he turned left around a tree and walked straight into a busy city.
"I wonder where I am this time. I wish Christmas Day would be calm. Even better if I can spend it with Ranma, Akane, and the rest of them in Nerima. And why am I talking to myself?"
Ryouga walked into a nearby store.
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Kasumi was in Seventh Heaven, she loved cooking, and taking over after her dear mother was a dream come true, but it could have waited a while.
Kasumi had fond memories of Christmas, she still remembered, somehow, when Akane said her first actual word during dinner at Christmas. She giggled a bit for her self as she remembered a Soun from years passed, and a mother she would always cherish. She wanted to try and make every Christmas as special as that one had been, so she gave her all for this one dinner.
But she didn't know if it was to be, she could only hope.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm."
'In memory of my mother.'
Kasumi took a short pause in her cooking to look skywards; a cooking pot soon drew her attention away though.
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Ukyo was having a busy time, it seemed as if all last minute shoppers had decided to have an okonomiyaki, which was nice and all, but at the same time?
Konatsu ran circles around Ukyo and the restaurant, trying to maintain order, and giving the customers the right order. Konatsu was happy, but wished the customers had come a bit apart.
'Can never have it all,' he thought and took what seemed to be the last order.
Ukyo started slowing down at Konatsu signalling having taken the last order. Silently sighing to herself she thought back to earlier Christmases, their relative calm, and happiness. Sure, she was happy Ucchan's was loved, but she wouldn't do this again. Finally finalizing the last order she looked at the crowd, she was happy, but a bit of piece and quite would be nice.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm," she whispered.
"What was that, Ukyo-san?" the kunoichi asked.
"Nothing important." 'But it sure would be nice.'
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Mousse was polishing his weapons, thinking back on his fights with the Saotome heir. It surprised him that he and Ranma still seemed to be more or less equal, he knew he hadn't improved as much as his foe. It was almost as if Ranma was acting having trouble.
Mousse thought on it some more and hardly noticed having totally stopped polishing. He was brought out of his reverie by sounds from the bottom floor. He looked at his weapons, and noticed they hardly had any scratches at all. Saotome was indeed better than he seemed. Normally Mousse would have flown off the handle in the name of punishing Ranma for not taking him seriously, but he dropped that thought.
'What good would it do? I'd be pummelled into oblivion if I asked him to fight properly. I'll have to ask him if he would train me instead, or maybe his is this way.' Mousse grinned to himself.
'Unconsciously training, I like that.'
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm."
'More chance of a Ranma one can talk to if it is. This night I really miss the others from the village. One homesick Amazon male won't do, I'll be on my best for Shampoo's sake.'
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Cologne was over-viewing Nerima, together with another person of the same generation.
"I wonder how much longer we can stay here," she started. "I've prolonged the stay quite a lot already. The girl will be heartbroken any way."
"I don't think there will be much happiness in this ward for a long time," countered the Grand Master. "Ranma will never marry anyone willingly. Partly due to honour, but I don't think he'll be mature enough to marry in several years. Yet, Soun and Genma won't wait that long. They never learn."
They sat together in silence for several minutes, enjoying the company, and watching over the place they lived at.
"They say 'home is where the heart is', but I wonder if that's true. My heart is still in the village," the Amazon said.
"Do you think it would've worked?" Happosai asked.
"Yes," Cologne started only to sigh softly. "Yes, I think it would've worked. Why DID you leave? A quiet life without much strife."
"I think I knew that, and that was my reason. I could never have settled down, I don't think I ever will. I know I never will. You know where my heart is, and always have been, but I can't stay there now. When I finally want to settle down, I can't. Life truly is a grand joke."
"Settle down, I like the sound of that. I hope Shampoo will some day. Maybe she can become a worthy Matriarch still."
Silence reigned once more; the two said nothing for several minutes.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm."
"So do I, Cologne, so do I."
"Here's to hoping."
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Genma was silently watching Nodoka sleep. Calming her after being refused to cook for the Tendos was not easy. He had tried to convince her that it wasn't an insult to her skills as a cook, after three bottles of sake he had succeeded. Of note was the fact that he hadn't had a single drop, he was foolish, but he wasn't suicidal. Nobody steals Nodoka's sake.
The old master had taught him many things, but not even he were unable to make mistakes. One such mistake was trying to steal Nodoka's sake one night; that night became the sole reason Happosai never tried to attach himself to Nodoka ever again.
Stroking her hair he thought of how much he had missed her over the years, the fact he had hid when he and Ranma had returned still pained him. What he missed even more was the calm; the calm of a sleeping house, the calm of a lover's embrace.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm," he whispered, being answered by a content sigh from Nodoka.
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Shampoo was in the kitchen, trying to outdo everything else she had made for her Airen earlier. The way to Ranma's heart definitely went through his stomach, but Shampoo doubted she would be able to do it. Sending a pot to the floor for failing to hold what she wanted she started crying. She now knew she would never gain Ranma's love, she had known it for quite some time, but you don't give up a dream so easily. No, dreams must never be abandoned, merely put to rest.
Sighing, Shampoo began to clean the kitchen in the small restaurant; she would miss the place when they moved back to the village. Suddenly grinning she thought of Mousse. No, he wouldn't expect what the future held, not at all. Catching her thoughts she remembered this could very well be the last Christmas she could spend with anyone in Nerima for years to come.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm," she muttered, and looked out the window in the direction of the Tendo Dojo.
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Sitting in the middle of the Tendo Dojo was a beaten man, he had seen much, too much. The death of loved ones, failed marriages, odd combatants, ridiculous claims and challenges, irresponsible fathers, and incredible feats of martial arts. But this dojo was still as sacred as the day it was built, more now than then he corrected. Now it held the alter of his wife, his wonderful wife who left the earthly life much too soon.
He knew the eldest of the daughters were doing her utmost to make this Christmas more special than all earlier. Christmas day had always been a special day; it was the day he had confessed his love to her. That Akane had spoken her first word during dinner on Christmas Day had only furthered its position. He thought back to that Christmas, and silently smiled. Had things gone a bit differently, a fourth Tendo child could've come to be due to that Christmas.
"I wish Christmas Day would be calm." 'For you, Kin.'
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On the roof of the Tendo house a lonely figure was laying, having no fights to bother about, nor any fiancées he was doing his best at relaxing, and thinking. He was thinking of those he had met, those he would meet, and those he never would even see. The curse also had a special place; he knew he wouldn't be the man he was, unless he had gotten it.
Looking to the stars, Ranma searched for something, he didn't know what. Ranma managed to relax a bit, he wasn't dropping his guard though; he had learned early that attacks almost always were surprising. He had to admit, the attacks had been less frequent lately. Most opponents had started to cool off, thankfully.
"I wish tomorrow would be calm."
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It was time for dinner in the Tendo household, the Saotome family visiting was a given. As they sat down the doorbell chimed, this scared many, as it was a highly unusual occurrence. Kasumi, being the gracious hostess she is, answered it. Soon after Ukyo entered the living with Konatsu in tow, both bringing suspicious-looking boxes. A quick check later the contents had been added to an already full table.
Kasumi barely had time to think of sitting down before the doorbell chimed again, all looking at each other in utter shock, even Nabiki was looking a bit jarred. Kasumi opened the door and found three Amazons standing outside. Numerous greetings were flying across the room as another few boxes of food were added to the feast.
When the doorbell chimed a third time even Kasumi's smile looked forced. Soun, seeing as Kasumi had been disabled, rushed to the door and opened it on two more martial artists, one of great skill, but lesser height, the other of strength, and endurance. The two carried rather big bags, of something, soon revealed as doodads form around the globe.
Dinner proceeded under the sign of peace and friendship, most had seen hard times, but all had stayed friends, or comrades, through it all. Friendly banter carried on for hours after the last pieces of food was devoured.
All three Amazons managed to drag Ranma aside for short conversations between four eyes, or six in the case of Mousse.
"Shampoo promise Ranma not to disappear."
"Why d'ya say that?"
"Shampoo soon return to village. Shampoo promise send letters, not want loose friend Ranma."
"Yer movin' back? Never thought that'd happen. D'ya know when ya leave?"
"Shampoo not know, just soon. Ranma answer letters, yes?"
"Sure, it ain't that hard ta write letters."
At this point Shampoo hugged Ranma, and for the first time he didn't flinch.
"Saotome, I promise never to attack you again, unless you want me to."
"What're you up to, Mousse?"
"A truce, and, hopefully, friendship. What do you say Saotome?"
"I dunno. Sounds good and all, ya sure there ain't no catch?"
"No, Saotome, not anymore. I'm tired of all the fighting. But let's hope we can keep in touch."
"Sure, that ain't no problem. Friends?"
"Friends, Ranma."
The second Amazon to hug Ranma this evening didn't raise a flinch either, but rather a sense of calm.
"So, boy, I've seen you've talked to the younger generation."
"Yeah, Shampoo said sumthing 'bout movin'. You going ta leave?"
"Yes, in due time. You'll have to wait a few more weeks before you get rid of us, but we are moving out of town. Shampoo's acceptance just makes it easier."
"You'd forced her?"
"I would have had to, Ranma. I'm forgiving, but the Council isn't always. I hope we haven't aggravated you into a war against us."
"I ain't stupid, you've probably got enough magic things in yer village to make anyone worthless. Truce?"
"I'm impressed, Ranma, you knowing such words. But, yes. A truce would be most welcome."
Ranma moved to hug Cologne, but she dodged and cackled at him.
"You're 200 years to young to try that, sonny-boy!"
After making similar deals with both Ukyo and Ryouga, Ranma finally found himself relaxing properly for the first time in years. He knew he had let his guard down, but he didn't care. It was just he and a lot of friends. He absentmindedly remembered something the history teacher had told the class just a week earlier, about the two enemies in the First World War celebrating Christmas together in the middle of a field. Maybe this was just the same, but it was too good to destroy with petty challenges.
"Merry Christmas, everyone," he mumbled.
As the last guest left the house Kasumi finally relaxed, she had managed to fulfil her dream, a perfect dinner.
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A/N; Something I suddenly felt like writing. No proofreading, no proper spellcheck, no nothing. I haven't even read it after I wrote it. This is my way of saying;
Merry Christmas
Joyeux Noël
Fröhliche Weinacht
Feliz Navidad
Merii Kurisumasu
Stay safe, drive safely, and all of those things. ;)