This is my second chapter of this story, this one is a bit larger than the previous. As I got writing I decided to change my idea and take a different course of direction that wasn't as I had planned before. I think it came out better than my previous idea for this chapter, that is up to you to decide. Hope you enjoy it! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takashi owns it.
" " –talking
' ' –thoughts
Italics -flashbacks
Bold –emphasis
* * -other language (Chinese or English)
The snow stopped falling from the skies, the snow left on the ground was seen everywhere, there was no place it didn´t covered. The temperature outside was really cold, but that didn´t stopped the residents of Nerima from trying to get the perfect presents for the people they cared about. Almost all the stores were full of persons buying things, others arguing for some products, even there were two persons inside a store actually fighting for an object in special.
The ones fighting were a cute young girl in a pink and white dress with long brown hair and a tall boy with short brown hair holding a bokken in his hands.
"Give me that you peasant! I saw it first!" Said the teenage boy, holding his bokken in an aggressive manner towards the girl who was holding the object he was talking about.
"You saw it first? What the heck are you talkin' about. I saw this first and I got it first too, you just want to take it away from me!" Said the girl holding the object close to her chest in a protective manner.
"Are you assuming me Tatewaki Kuno, Master of Kendo age 17, is a liar! You have no right to say such felony. I know I got that first, it is the perfect present for my pig-tailed girl; who deserves nothing but the best, and I will give it to her." Kuno said.
"Pig-tailed girl?...wait are you talking about Ranma?" The girl asked.
"Don't mention such a name in my presence! He is a vile sorcerer who somehow imprisoned my dear pig-tailed girl under his spell! Not only her but he also manipulates Akane, he is a danger to all woman! And I Tatewaki Kuno 'The Blue Thunder' will stop him from harming another victim and liberate my two loves from his malevolent curse!" Tatewaki said with a very dramatic tone, as if he was acting on a play.
"What are you talking about..." Said the girl with a thick drop of water in the back of her head. (You know like they do in the animes and mangas, is just that I don't know how to describe it. :P)
"The pig-tailed girl you are talkin' about is actually him, he turns into that girl." The brown haired girl said.
"What nonsense are you speaking about?! Oh no, he put you under a spell too! Curse you Saotome, another girl under your evil scheme, well it is my duty as a Master of Kendo, as a protector of the innocent, to extract the dark magic that influenced on you. Even if you are such a low class proletarian; I shall rescue you."
"Low class! Who are you callin' low class, you little-! I'll take you down and show you who the low class really is when you are on the ground eating dirt!" Said the girl in a very masculine way, obviously angry at what Kuno told her.
She put the object of their desires on a table besides the entrance to the gift store they were in, there it would be safe from harm. The she positioned herself in front of the self-proclaimed master of kendo.
"You give me no other choice but to fight you, even if I normally don't fight girls... " He paused at that and took another look to his opponent, then he resumed talking.
"Well you'll have the honor to be beat up by the most handsome kendoist you will ever see. I just hope my stunning beauty doesn't make you to drop you defense." Said Kuno admiring himself and bragging about his so called abilities and looks.
"Girl?! Who are you callin' a girl?! I am a man!" Said in rage the teenager in front of Kuno.
"What? Don't try to make fun of me, I know how to distinguish a boy from a girl!" Said Kuno holding his bokken tighter.
When Kuno said that some of the people watching their confrontation laughed out loud. Some laughed while pointing at Kuno and making comments, most of the public were students of Furinkan who new how Kuno couldn't admit to himself that Ranma and the pig-tailed girl were the same. Kuno looked around the people who were staring at him and laughing, he recognized some of them from the school he attended.
Then angrily he blurted a question to them. "What are you scum laughing at!"
"Hahahahaha! I'm so sorry Kuno haha is just that hahaha! Nothing forget about it." Said Hiroshi, one of Ranma's friend.
"Yeah Kuno hahaha! We aren't laughing with you haha we are laughing at you haha!" Said Daisuke, another of Ranma's friends.
At this Kuno got his temper rising, and his face color was becoming a shade of red. This went unnoticed by everyone there.
"Hey isn't it backwards?" Asked another guy who was with them.
"Backwards? How am I supposed to say it backwards? Wait let me try.. uoy ta gnihgual era ou-" Before Daisuke could finish was interrupted by his friend.
"No man, is; "We aren't laughing at you, we are laughing with you"." The other guy said trying to correct Daisuke.
"What? Laughing with me? Who's laughing with me? " Said Daisuke looking around.
"Oh yeah I see Hiroshi is laughing, but he always laughs whenever I say a joke." He said looking at Hiroshi who was still laughing.
Tatewaki got his temper rising more and his face color was becoming a deeper shade of red. He couldn't believe how students that attended his same high school were so stupid.
"No you dumbass! I meant you are supposed to say: "We aren't laughing at you, we are laughing with you" that's how it goes. You get it now?" Asked his friend getting annoyed by the stupidity Daisuke showed.
"Oh, yeah I get it. But I always meant to say it the other way, since it's the truth." Said Daisuke.
"How dare you scum insult 'The Blue Thunder'! For that you'll be punished!" Kuno said finally letting out his anger.
With that said Kuno flaring with aura, he swung his wooden sword to the left side of Daisuke's rib causing him to lose his breath, then he stroke him on the head and gave another final blow to Daisuke's stomach. Daisuke fell to the concrete unconscious.
"Daisuke!" Shouted Hiroshi, then he looked at Kuno angrily for what he had done to his friend. "I'll make Ranma kick your ass." With that he went to help his friend get up.
The other Furinkan student just took a look at Kuno and said.
"You know, you shouldn't use your kendo techniques against normal students. You're taking advantage and he didn't even had anything to defend himself with. If you are so noble as you say, then why do you attack a defenseless guy?"
"That's none of your business bystander; you know he deserved it, besides I didn't even harmed your weak friend much, he'll get up in no time." Kuno said.
The guy just walked away from Kuno to help his friends. Kuno stared at them helping Daisuke getting up from the floor, then he remembered what he was about to do.
"Okay now you are the next one...where is she?" Kuno said looking around for the girl he was going to fight. He found her a short while ago, she was walking away from the store cashier with the object they were going to fight for.
"Oh no, you will not escape from me!" Kuno said running up to her. "Hey you, I haven't finished with you yet!" Said Kuno holding his bokken at the side of the girl's neck.
The girl turned to her left and moved the wooden sword away with one hand.
"I already paid for it. Now it is legally mine." She said holding a red bag where the object was.
"I'll pay you for it, so just tell me how much you want." Said Kuno slightly lowering his sword.
"I don't want your money. It's not for sale." With that she walked outside the store building.
"You have to sell it to me." Said Kuno who followed her outside. "Or I shall take it by force, but fairly."
"I don't want to."
"Fine then, if that is what you wish, you lady leave me no other option but to fight you for it. In that way we can fairly decide who keeps it, by winning the match; which obviously will be me, and you will be the loser. That is just how it works." Kuno said.
"What did you called me?" Said the girl who didn't paid attention to a lot of what Kuno said.
"Loser? Well since I will win the match you-" Kuno was interrupted by the girl in front of him.
"Not that you idiot! Did you just called me a lady?!" She shouted turning around to see Kuno's face.
"Umm well yes, but.." He was abruptly interrupted by her again.
"Why are you calling me a lady!!! You moron!"
"I didn't know that would hurt your feelings, I sincerely don't consider that an insult..unless...you were a-"
"Yes I am!" The supposedly girl said before the kendoist could finish his sentence, thinking she could predict what Tatewaki was going to say.
"-a Mrs.! So you already have children! Oh how couldn't I have known. Although I have to admit it still somehow amazes me that a girl no older than me has already had se-"
"What the hell are you talking about!? I am not a lady! Much less a Mrs.! I am a guy! Ok, a guy!!!" She, I mean he said interrupting what Kuno was saying again.
"What? Lady err, I mean Mrs. could you explain me what you are talking about, I am afraid I am confused." Said Kuno slightly forgetting about the object he wanted to get to one of his love interests.
"I said I am not a lady, not a Mrs., not a girl at all!!! I am one hundred percent man! Can't that little piece of information get into your brain?!" He said.
"A man? How can that be if you look one hundred percent like a girl. I cannot mistake the difference between a girl and a guy, I'm an expert on that area." Kuno said.
There were some laughs heard form other students of Furinkan that passed by them and heard what Kuno said. Although this went unnoticed by him this time.
"I can't believe how stupid you are! I am a man! I have a **** and I don't have what girl's have down there! Can't you see, this is just a disguise!" The boy said furiously.
"So are you telling me that you dress up like a girl, but you truly are a boy?"
"Yes! Exactly! In fact I'll take my disguise off to show you I'm not lying." He took off his dress quickly and without being noticed he now had on a suit like that of a business man. And there was not any sign that he was a she after all.
"I can't believe it! How dare you falsify you are a girl to get boys attention when you are a genuine guy! Making people think you truly are a girl just to take advantage of them, of their ignorance of your true gender. That is perverted! Disgusting! Immoral! That is just sick! I ought to teach you a lesson not to do that felony anymore. Also I have to take the present I chose for my pig-tailed girl from you! You don't deserve it!" Kuno said.
With that said he charged to the guy dressed as a girl. Kuno missed just by a mere centimeter, courtesy of the cross-dresser moving to the opposite way just in time..
"Hey you are the perverted one here! You are in love with a guy! At least I like girls." Said the cross-dresser.
"Do not insult my pig-tailed girl like that you bastard! She is not a he! She is a genuine beautiful girl!" Kuno said with rage, he couldn't take an insult to his love and much less form a weird cross-dresser. He charged again to the disguised guy, while the one defending himself moved to his right as fast as he could but this time Tatewaki's sword grazed the left side of his neck.
"What the heck man relax! You may not know it but it's true. The pig-tailed girl you talk about really is Ranma. They aren't two different persons they are one in equal!" He said while touching the side of his neck.
Kuno turned around to look at his opponent. Then he said.
"Liar! He imprisoned her with a malicious magic cast!"
"He did not! They are the same, same soul, same mind, the same person! Why is that too hard to understand?" The cross-dresser asked Kuno wondering why couldn't he comprehend.
"Ok, now I see the truth..." Said Kuno more calmly.
"Oh so now you get it. Finally." The cross-dresser said thinking he finally understood his point.
"Now I know what is going on...Ranma Saotome placed a mind altering spell on you and made you fight me to prevent me from giving the perfect present to the pig-tailed girl and make her fall more in love with me! So that is his evil plan, how couldn't I have seen it earlier." Kuno said dramatically.
"Please tell me you are kidding...." The cross-dresser said unbelieving what he was hearing. "I ain't being manipulated by anyone. I just came here to buy a gift for my lovely Ukyo, that's all. So now I need to leave, I don't have time for this." The cross-dresser said walking away from Kuno.
"You say you are not being manipulated, well that is exactly what a manipulated person would say; and for the weak mind you posses it shouldn't be a difficulty to take control over your mind. Saotome the vile sorcerer and you criminal cross-dresser shall both pay and feel the fury of 'The Blue Thunder' of Furinkan high school!" While saying the words blue thunder and raising his bokken to the heavens, this time more dramatically than the others he said a while ago, a background of a thunder appeared out of nowhere making it even more dramatical.
Meanwhile
When the thunder came from the skies it stroke a light pole, then that fell on top of a new sport car destroying it while also activating the noisy alarm. The pole also obstructed the street and the cars behind the pole couldn't advance further, this caused all the cars to retreat and try a distinct direction to their destination.
Right beside the seemingly expensive car a guy was just going to open the door for his girlfriend. Fortunately they were able to avoid the light pole and were harmless.
"Wh-what happened to m-my daddy's car?! Oh my god I'm so gonna get grounded this time! My daddy is gonna kill me! This isn't fair, first when I was with Sarah, then with Denisse, and also with Clarissa!" The guy said this while sobbing loudly and as dramatically as he could muster. "Why God, why must bad luck follow me!" The teenager said now kneeling down to the ground with his head hung down too, still sobbing loudly; he didn't cared if everyone saw him
"Your dad's car! But you told me this was your car! And who are this Sarah, Denisse, and Clarissa huh?!" The teenage girl asked him in an angry mood that could be slightly compared to the one of Akane.
The guy raised his head to look at his girlfriend while trying to find an explanation, he stammered when the words came out.
"Th-the car was a gift f-from my daddy, he just didn't knew he gave it to me and oh, umm about the g-girls I named they are my umm...cousins. Yeah cousins." The seemingly rich guy said trying to calm his girlfriend.
"Cousins huh? Well then why do you say their names while you sleep? Didn't you told me you were dreaming about your sisters, and that it wasn't a sensual dream or fantasy?! Don't dare to lie to me again! Tell me the truth Richard!" The girl said getting angrier about the dishonesty of her boyfriend.
"I talk when I sleep? And umm, did I told you that? Haha well I uhh..." The rich guy said trying to come up with another excuse and yet another lie. Nothing occurred to him so he said whatever came out to his mouth first.
"I have three sisters and three cousins that are named the same..yeah that's how it is..babe." He said that as an explanation, although he knew there was more probability of a zombie to kidnap his girlfriend than of her believing his lie. Anyway he tried to go along with it and tell her what he supposedly felt for her, in a way to flatter her and calm her down.
" Ya know I wouldn't cheat on you babe. You're my only one. I love ya too much baby." Richard said while hugging his 'babe' from her back, but she abruptly freed herself from his grasp and stepped back from him.
"If you love me so much, as you say so. Do you even know what my name is?" She asked him looking closely at his eyes.
"I uhh, of course I know what your name is babe, haha how could I forget hehe if your name is the most beautiful I've ever heard hehe." Said Richard obviously nervous, and laughing while speaking didn't helped him at all either. Still he was trying to hide his nervousness from her.
She noticed his nervousness and spoke.
"Well tell me then. What is my beautiful name?"
"Why do way want to know, you know it already hehe." He said trying to avoid to answer.
"Just tell me." She said seriously.
"Well, uhh is...uhh Lindsay?" He said more like a question.
"You are such a dumbass." She closed her eyes and shook her head from side to side, then went to him and slapped Richard hard on his left cheek.
"My name is Yuka, you moron." Yuka said bitterly, and then started leaving his side, not looking back. "By the way, we're over." She said in a cold tone of voice still not looking at him.
Richard stroked his left cheek tenderly, trying to make the pain pass away, while he stared at her leaving form. He looked sad, like if he lost something really important in his life.
"Oh my god I can't believe it!" He started saying. "How did I got into this again! Why does this happen to me all the time?!" He said loudly tears starting to come out of his green eyes.
A lot of people saw what happened between Richard and Yuka; everyone heard him, and they where feeling bad for the poor guy.
"Poor guy." One of the spectators said.
"Well, you can't say he didn't deserved it." Another said.
"Yes maybe he did, but he really seems to feel bad. Maybe he really regrets what he did." The first one said.
"Yeah, if he really wants her back he should go for her and ask her for forgiveness. After all if he seems to really love her after seeing how he cries after she left him." Another person said.
"I can't get one of my daddy's car without crashing it, burning it, or destroying it. This must be some kind of curse! How could this happen to me?!" Richard said exaggerating his cries and shouts.
Everyone listening to him had a thick drop of water in the back of their heads, unbelieving what the teenager in the middle of the street was saying and crying about.
"I knew he wasn't really sad about his girlfriend." One man said.
"I can't believe what he is saying...he really doesn't appreciate people. He cares more for artificial things than feelings." One girl said.
"Well that's exactly how all of the rich, handsome guys are. So don't ever marry one. You can date them, but remember it is just to have a good time not to fall in love or anything like that." A woman in her thirties said giving advice to the girl that had spoken.
"Uhh okay." Said the girl.
"Well I guess I'll have to tell him some one stole it. He won't doubt me so I will not get in trouble after all." He said stopping his cries and yelps and getting up from the floor. He touched his left cheek again remembering what happened earlier.
"That Yuki slapped me really hard on my perfect face! I can't believe I dated her! She is not even that pretty, she was average! After today I promise myself I will only date girls that are tender, sweet, cheerful, and loving oh and pretty and sexy." The rich teenager said to himself, not knowing everyone around him was hearing.
After shaking off the dirt from his expensive clothing he went walking to the opposite direction Yuka had gone.
Everyone who was there started to leave after the show was over. Some of them shook their head in disapproval while taking a last look at Richard.
At last the local police and the firefighters arrived to where the light pole had fallen.
"Where did that came from?" The cross-dresser asked looking at the skies which were clear and no clouds around.
"Now you see how mysterious and amazing my power is, I invoked that thunder. I can control them!" Kuno said.
"You can?"
"Yes!... Well maybe not in an expert way, but I will learn how to use them in my attacks someday. Hey don't distract me from what I was going to do! You will not escape from my fury you cross-dresser pervert!" Kuno said while getting ready for his next attack.
"I'm tired of your nicknames! Hey stick I also have a name you know; and that is Tsubasa! And I am not a pervert! I'm tired of bein' called that from many people just because I like to dress like a girl. That is not bad is just a hobby I like." Tsubasa said.
"Whatever Tsubatsu. Prepare to die!!!"
"My name is Tsubasa you moron!" The cross-dresser said, though Kuno didn't paid him the least attention.
The kendoist came running up to Tsubasa as fast as he could and when he was in reach he swing his sword from right to left. The cross-dressed guy tried to dodge them but he just couldn't keep up with the speed of his opponent. Sooner or later he was going to get hit with the sword so he tried a different thing.
Tsubasa ran away from Kuno and climbed a tree, there he disguised himself as green leaves.
"You can run but you cannot hide from me, Tatewaki Kuno, Master of Kendo!" Kuno said vigorously following the path his opponent took. After looking around to where he saw Tsubasa running he couldn't see anything but a small thin tree, just a few meters taller than the kendoist.
'With me it's actually backwards, I may not be a great runner, but I am an expert on hiding and disguising myself.' Tsubasa thought while still in his hiding position on the tree.
"Where are you! Show yourself you coward! Cross-dresser! Pervert! Where are you! Fight like the man you are supposed to be! Or are you really what you dress up like; a worthless girl." Kuno said from bellow the tree, trying to tease Tsubasa to come out from his hiding.
'I can't take this! I should go down and shut him up!' Tsubasa thought trying to fight the urge to go down and beat Kuno up.
Kuno looked up the tree, he thought he saw something move in the leaves.
'Maybe he is hidden up there. Well if he is I shall cut the tree and find out.'
He thought.
"Blue Thunder Attack!" Kuno shouted while releasing fast strikes with his bokken to the thin trunk of the tree where Tsubasa was. He cut the trunk and the tree felt, Tsubasa came falling down from it still in his disguise.
Kuno went to where the boy felt, he pointed his bokken to his throat.
"Give me the gift now." Kuno said as serious as he could handle, he actually seemed dangerous and since Tsubasa didn't knew much in martial arts or in any type of fighting; besides charging his opponent with his costumes, he had nothing else to do.
"But, but this is for my dear Ukyo. I can't go to her with my hands empty, and I have no more money left. I can't give it to you..." Tsubasa said still laying on the ground.
"I'll give you 1000 yen for it, but give it to me. I need it more than you do."
"1000? But this cost me a whole lot more than that!"
"2000 no more. Be thankful that I am even offering you money for it. If I was not as noble as I am I would just take it away from you."
"What, but you are actually stealing it from me! You know I bought it first, why do you want it so much! My dear Ukyo needs it way more! I know she will like it, it's just perfect for her."
"Give it to me or I'll take it away from you! Now!" Kuno said pressing his bokken towards Tsubasa's throat.
Seeing the kendoist was dead serious, he reluctantly gave up and gave him what he wanted.
"Here you go. Please take good care of it and I hope Ranma- I mean your pig-tailed girl likes it since I can't go to Ukyo like this; with nothing special to give her. I just want someone to enjoy it." Tsubasa said with tears in his eyes, almost crying. Secretly hoping the kendoist would feel sorry for him and return him the gift.
Kuno reached down to grab what he was fighting for and retired his wooden sword from Tsubasa's throat. Then he reached into his pocket and kept the gift there.
He started to walk away but suddenly stopped, looked at Tsubasa still on the ground and went walking to him. Tsubasa looked at Kuno, he was almost going to cry all out, but saw that Kuno reached into his pocket and with that his hope of regaining the gift he bought for Ukyo was again reviving.
"Here, I'll give you not 2000 but 2500 yen. Since it's almost Christmas take that as a gift." Kuno said smiling like if he was doing a good deed.
Tsubasa could only stare at him, then at the yen Kuno gave him in disbelief, his hopes crashed down to zero again. The guy didn't had any pity for him after all!
"Ho-how could you do this?" Tsubasa asked weakly.
"Oh don't worry about the 500 extra, consider it as a Christmas gift. I know, you ask yourself how can I be so kindly, but well is just the way I am. Merry Christmas Basatsu!" Kuno said while smiling. Then he stood up and went his way home with the perfect gift for his so called pig-tailed girl. He walked away proud of himself and thinking how good of a person he was.
Meanwhile Tsubasa thought exactly the opposite of the kendoist.
"2500?! That cost me a year's savings! And my name is Tsubasa! Not Basatsu!" He said in rage towards the actions of the so called 'Blue Thunder'.
He stood up and thought to go and attack him from the rear, but he had no energy left and the low temperature was getting worse. He just sighed and went walking to the opposite direction of Kuno had taken.
'I will not be able to see Ukyo If I don't have a gift for her. And what can I buy her with 2500 mere yens! No, I will not see her this Christmas, maybe new year but not this Christmas.' He thought while walking away depressed and in defeat.
Nabiki had gone out earlier to recollect some bets from her victims, I mean customers.
Everything had gone calmly for her, well except for what happened earlier and with Kasumi, but outside of that everything was right as she had planned. She got quite a fairly amount of yens in her purse courtesy of everyone who lost their bets.
"¨These guys they can never stop gambling." Nabiki said to herself in a low voice.
She was walking through thousands of stores, having special sales, and 10 to 50 percent off products, 2 products for the price of 1, everything to try to get the attention of the ones doing gift shopping. Nabiki didn't really care for all that stuff though, she had her mind on more important things.
She passed through one of the biggest stores in the city. It had a round yellow happy face as a logo in the entrance. She stopped for a brief time and looked at the enormous building to her left. Few seconds later she resumed her walk.
There was a Santa Claus just beside the entrance to the gigantic building, or most likely a man dressed as a Santa Claus holding a small bell in his right hand was saying.
"Everyone have a Merry Christmas! Please help our community have an especial Christmas this year by donating! Anything you are willing to give is good!"
Some people stopped to left him money in the big red sack he had right beside him.
"Thank you for your donations, have a merry Christmas!" He said politely to the people who donated.
Nabiki didn't stopped her walking when she was just in front of the man dressed as Santa Claus, instead she slowed her pace and stared at him with, she put her hands inside her pockets, looked forward and was going to resume her walking, but the Santa Claus man caused her to stop by speaking at her.
"Hello young lady. Would you be kindly as you are and donate to our organization, anything you want to give is good, as long as you don't feel you are being forced to" The big man said.
"Well, I'm not sure. How do I know the donations will be used for good purposes.
What if is some kind of fraud?" Nabiki asked her expression one of coldness.
"Hmm, yes you're right actually; there are millions of psychos here that are just trying to get money without working, for their own expenses. Without forgetting the ones that want the money to buy illegal stuff. But I can assure you that I'm not one of those, our donations go to help the most needed kids and families; to get them a Christmas where they won't suffer from cold, or hunger, we even make sure they receive a gift. Here is the description of where our organization is located." He gave her a small white card, Nabiki didn't even bothered to read anything on it and kept it in her pocket.
"You can go check if you want to, is a small white building, it has some light decorations, the title of the organization is; "The North Pole"." The man dressed like Santa said.
"Yeah, well I need the money I have, since I don't have much either." Nabiki said leaving no clue that she was lying. "But, maybe I'll go to your organization to check it out, though right now I can't, I'm kind of in a hurry."
"Well, don't worry young lady, the intention matters a lot too. If you go you can leave a gift or food there, we don't ask just for money; anything you can help us with is good.
Have a merry Christmas." He said with a small gentle smile on his face.
Nabiki left the man she was talking to and went her way to the Tendo residence, then she heard again from the man dressed as Santa Claus.
"Nabiki, don't waste your 60,000 yen on anything unnecessary! I know your sister Kasumi would like a new dress! If you need any help with anything just go to where the card says!" The big man dressed in red said.
As soon as Nabiki heard this she turned around to see the man in the Santa suit.
'How did he knew my name? And my sister's name?' She thought while walking up to the man.
"Hey who are you? Are you a stalker or something?" She asked her tone of voice louder than normal and assertive.
The man turned his gaze at her and said.
"What are you talkin' 'bout?"
Nabiki saw his face and it just wasn't the same. Even if he had the same costume, he just didn't looked like the other man who was there earlier. This one was younger, smaller, thinner and with tanned skin, and his face just looked normal not handsome nor ugly, just average.
She remembered the first 'Santa Claus' she saw there was way taller, bigger, whiter, and older. His face was..she couldn't even describe how his face was, but she knew that it was beautiful in a way she couldn't define either; she just knew that it resembled patience, generosity, and kindness, even happiness.
"Oh sorry, I confused you." She finally said. "Umm do you know where can I find the other man dressed as Santa who was here a little earlier?" She asked.
"The other man? Which other man? This is my turn of bein' here, I just went to the restroom quickly I don't think I took more than 5 minutes, but I didn't left anyone else in charge." He said confused by Nabiki's question.
"What? So you mean there was not another guy like you asking for donations a while ago?" She asked quite confused about the answer.
"Yup, there was no one else."
"Oh, well sorry for wasting your time." She said while thinking about the things the other man had told her.
"Your welcome and no ya didn't wasted my time. By the way would ya like to donate?
It's for a good cause, you see we-" He was interrupted by Nabiki.
"Donate? Yeah sure. I know for what it is." She said while taking money out of her pockets. "Here you go."
"Oh thanks! Have a merry Christmas!" The guy said while watching the generous donation Nabiki made.
"Yeah you too." She said while leaving slowly and thinking about the man again.
'How? How did he knew?..Maybe he really is...nah that can't be, he is not real is just an old tale.'
"Ughh my mind is playing games on me, I better stop drinking those energy drinks." She said to herself.
Ranma was already inside the Tendo residence, Akane was inside too and she went directly to the restroom. He took his jacket off.
He still couldn´t get his mind off of the mysterious man he met at Ucchan´s, he still wondered who he was and why did he looked so familiar, still he couldn't remember him if he happened to really know him.
Ranma went to the living room and sat down in front of the TV, though this time he didn´t turned it on. He looked at the clock that was hung on the wall, it read 8:33 p.m.
He wondered why Kasumi wasn't still home, she always greeted him when he came in, and it seemed that Nabiki wasn't home yet either. With nothing better to do he relaxed and thought back to what just happened earlier.
6:15 p.m.
Akane got out of her room while Ranma was in his bedroom putting on a blue jacket.
He got out and found her, she looked at him with a frown but then a small smile crossed in her face. Ranma got confused because he thought she was going to be mad at him, which didn't seem to be the case.
"Hi Ranma. Where are you goin'?" She asked.
"Uhmm, I'm not sure. I just want to go outside that's all." He said looking at Akane, trying not to make her angry by saying he was going probably to Ucchan's.
"Well, can I go with you?" She asked, with no hint of being mad or angry.
"You want to come with me? It's cold outside ya know." Ranma said, surprised by her petition.
"Yeah that's true, just let me get my sweater." She said going to her bedroom. As soon as she entered she came out with a red sweater. "There, let's go!" She said walking down the stairs.
"Umm okay." Ranma said following Akane down the stairs.
Outside the house Ranma and Akane started walking towards wherever Ranma could think of. After a while of them walking silently on the cold snow Akane broke the silence.
"Hey so, where do you think we're going?" Akane asked looking forward.
"Umm, okay I think I was goin' to umm..."
"To?.." She asked. Then she looked to the way Ranma was guiding her, she saw Ucchan's close by. She knew now where they were going, but unlike other times she wasn't mad with Ranma. She did wanted to go since she hadn't eaten in all day.
"So we're going with Ukyo huh? Well hope she gives us discount." She said getting cheered up.
"Wha-what?Ya actually wanna go?" Ranma asked very surprised for what Akane told him.
"Yes, why not. I haven't eaten in all day, and I'm really hungry. Just tell her to make us a discount." She said looking at Ranma with a small smile on her face.
"Umm okay, yeah I guess I'll ask her for it." Ranma said still confused for how Akane was acting, she didn't seem angry at all. That was actually a change, he thought how much longer would this last.
They got inside Ucchan's Ranma entered first.
"Yo Ucchan!" He greeted her waving his hand.
"Oh hi Ranma-honey! I'll be with you in a minute." Ukyo said attending some customers not noticing Akane.
The restaurant was almost full with people; obviously this had Ukyo busy. There were few spaces where to sit. Ranma and Akane sat down at a table that had just been unoccupied, close to where Ukyo was cooking.
After Ukyo served the customers she was attending she looked to where Ranma was, that was when she noticed his companion.
"Akane...I didn't knew you were here." Ukyo said, disappointed that Ranma wasn't alone for her.
"Yeah I'm hungry so since Ranma was coming here I accompanied him." Akane said. "So would you like to cook us two okonomiyaki?" Akane asked the chef..
"Two? You must really be hungry to eat two." Ranma said.
"Why Ranma-honey don't cha want one?" Ukyo asked. "You know I'll give you a 20 percent discount." Ukyo said smiling to the teenage boy in front of her.
"Yeah Ranma, don't you want one too?" Asked Akane.
"Hmm, I don't think so. I'm kinda full since I ate a lot a while ago." Ranma said.
"Oh yes, I forgot that Shampoo brought food." Akane said her tone of voice with a hint of bitterness.
"Wait that bimbo fed you? How can you let that happen Ranma? How can you eat what other girl's prepare you?! You have me, you don't need her." Ukyo said with a little of anger in her tone of voice.
"Oh c'mon Ukyo she didn't fed me up, she just brought the food Kasumi ordered. She was just doing her job that's all." Ranma said.
Akane looked at Ranma.
'Why is he defending her?' She though still staring at him her temper rising again.
"Ok, I'll trust you Ranma-honey. After all that's what good couples do; trust each other." Ukyo said looking at Ranma with her anger him fading, but increasing at the Amazon. "So did you at least checked her food before eating it? You know since she has put magical potions before, you should check it out before trying it, you can't rely on her cooking." Ukyo said worrying about Ranma.
'More unreliable is Akane's cooking...you should've seen it. Now that is toxic!' Ranma thought but instead of saying that he said.
"No I didn't checked it before eating it. Everyone started eating first and no one seemed to be affected by anything abnormal. Also it smelled so good and it was delicious. By the way she hadn't put something mysterious inside any of her cooking since a long time ago. So there really wasn't anythin' wrong." Ranma said.
'He is defending her again! That's not fair, how come he never defends my cooking or me?! This jerk is going to pay-no I should stay calm, besides there is no need to start an argument here...but when we go back he'll hear it from me.' Akane thought silently.
"Well maybe you're right.." Ukyo said while thinking.
'Did he just defended her?..Nah I better change the subject.'
"Then you don't want to eat huh?" Asked Ukyo.
"Nope, thanks but I'll pass." Ranma said.
"And you Akane, you want two or one okonomiyaki?" Ukyo asked.
Akane was deeply in thought but heard what Ukyo said.
"Yeah I just want one." Akane said.
"Ok." Said Ukyo, she started cooking the okonomiyaki as soon as Akane answered. It was done a little while later. "There!" Ukyo said.
Akane started eating the okonomiyaki very fast to the surprise of Ranma and Ukyo who were happening to be watching.
She finished with it in less than two minutes. She looked up at the teens that were staring at her.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Akane asked.
Both Ranma and Ukyo shook their heads no.
"Oh well. I guess I want another okonomiyaki." Akane said looking at her empty plate and her appetite still asking for more.
"Okay Akane." Ukyo said while starting to cook another one, she gave it to Akane as soon as the previous one.
Akane started to eat again as fast as before.
"Excuse me miss." Spoke an old man to Ukyo.
Ukyo turned her gaze from Akane to the old man.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Ukyo asked politely.
"Would you please cook two okonomiyaki? I had already asked you like three times but you didn't seemed to notice me." The old man said.
"Oh I'm sorry sir, I was just distracted, but don't worry I'll cook em' for you in no time!" Said Ukyo again cooking two okonomiyakis
"No, don't worry that's ok." Said the old man with a small smile across his face.
The smile he gave her made Ukyo feel relaxed somehow. It even made the old man appear younger."Here sir! Enjoy them." Ukyo said cheerfully.
"That was fast. Thanks young lady. I am sure I will definitely enjoy them." Said the old man still with his smile. He went to sit in an unoccupied table behind where Ranma and Akane where sitting.
Ukyo stared at him silently, without noticing a voice that was speaking to he.
"Ukyo! Wake up!" Said Akane waving her hand from left to right in front of Ukyo's face.
"Ukyo are ya there?" Asked Ranma looking closely at his long-time friend.
"Uhmm, oh what's up? What's going on?" Ukyo finally asked.
"Man, what was that Ucchan? We were talking to you for like 5 minutes and you didn't spoke until now." Ranma said.
"Yeah, I told Ranma to throw you a glass of cold water on your face to see if you reacted, but he didn't wanted to." Said Akane.
Ukyo stared at her, ignoring her comment while making a mental note that she would have to charge her double for what she just ate. Then she turned to look at Ranma and said.
"Really Ranma? I can't believe it, I just didn't heard you."
"Yeah you seemed to be really into that man over there." Akane said looking towards the old man who was currently eating the food. "Maybe you found a new love." Akane said in a teasing tone.
"Haha how funny Akane." Ukyo said getting angrier at Akane.
"Yes I know I'm humorous." Said Akane. The mood between the two girls seemed to be getting tense now. Ranma looked at both of them and knew what was going to happen if he didn't tried to change the course the girl's conversation was directing to.
"Hey but how come ya didn't listened to us Ucchan?" Asked Ranma.
"Mmm I ain't sure, but I just got caught up watching that man over there-" Ukyo started saying a low tone of voice but Akane interrupted before she could finish.
"See I told you, she fell for him." Said Akane mockingly. Ranma turned his face to where Akane was and shook his head slightly. Then he turned his face again to look at Ukyo.
"As I was saying, when I saw that man I just got this feeling of tranquility and peace. I don't know how but when he smiled I felt my negative feelings washing away..." Ukyo whispered so that only Ranma and Akane could hear.
"So what you're sayin' is that the man over there made ya feel better?" Ranma asked in a low tone of voice trying not to be heard by the man they were talking about. Ranma also was having a hard time trying to understand what Ukyo was talking about.
"Exactly, and not only that, but when he spoke to me his voice was smooth and full of kindness...he made me feel like if I had known him for a long time; I just felt that security and trust..." Ukyo whispered confused about her feelings, wondering why she felt like that after talking to a stranger she had never seen before; in fact it was the first time that this man had come to her restaurant, she couldn't remember seeing him before, but somehow she felt she and he knew each other.
"Really? Well maybe Akane's right..ya fell for him haha." Said Ranma teasingly.
"Oh shut up! It's not like that. Is just..I don't know how to explain it to you to understand." Ukyo said teased by Akane and Ranma assumptions of her falling for a man who seemed to be way older than she was.
"Haha don't worry Ucchan I was just kiddin' that's all. Though I have to be honest, I still don't get why did that man made ya feel that way." Ranma said, he put his right hand on his chin, that was his position to think. "I don't find anythin' special 'bout him." He said looking at the man they were talking about.
"Maybe he put a magic spell on you Ukyo." Akane said again trying to tease Ukyo again.
Ukyo didn't stayed quiet this time, and she didn't ignored what Akane had just said, like she did before.
"You know what Akane I'm getting tired of your little jokes. Don't you see I'm being serious? I don't want to hear another joke from you anymore." She said loudly enough for every customer to hear, fortunately there were not many customers left.
Ranma turned his head from Ukyo to Akane back and forth. This was what he wanted to prevent; a show were Ukyo and Akane ended up fighting each other and somehow managing to hit Ranma too.
"Hey girls relax, chill. We don't wanna get attention here." Said Ranma trying to make his two fiancées lower their temper.
"Yeah Ranma is right...maybe we should go outside." Akane said in a loud voice.
"Ok sugar, whenever you want." Ukyo said getting hold of her giant spatula.
"Girls, girls stop it!" Ranma said getting in the way between Akane and Ukyo. "Ukyo you still have customers, you need to keep attending them if they need somethin'. And you Akane c'mon don't do jokes that aren't even funny. I mean at least say something funny, not the lame jokes you bring up." Ranma said.
"Oh so instead of telling her to stop making fun of me you just tell her to say good joke?" Ukyo asked obviously upset at Ranma.
"What, oh geez Ukyo I didn't knew it bothered you, I just thought ya though her jokes were bad; which they are." Ranma said.
"Oh yeah so my jokes are bad huh? Well I don't see you being a joker!" Akane said. Ranma and Ukyo just stared at her for the bad pun. "What I meant is, Ranma you're not even funny at all. Who are you to criticzise? Everything I do is bad to you isn't it?" Akane said getting upset at Ranma too. Her temper rising once again.
"I was just bein' honest ok, that's all. It's not my fault ya couldn't make a good joke even if your life depended on it." Ranma said, his temper starting to rise too.
"Well it's true Akane you just aren't funny." Ukyo said.
"You say that because I was focusing my jokes towards you!" Akane said this time louder.
"So you call an insult a joke?!" Ukyo said loosing her patience towards Akane, forgetting slightly that Ranma was there too.
"If you took it as an insult, that's not my fault!" Akane shouted, also forgetting about Ranma.
Ranma stared at the two girls who were having an argument, he shook his head again and placed his right hand on his forehead, while closing his eyes.
"Not again...why can't they just be at peace for one time?..." He said to himself quietly.
The tension between the two girls was growing, as well as their argument.
Every customer stared at them, all of them familiar with how Ukyo and Akane treated each other when they disagreed. All of them were already expecting a fight between them, some male customers were glad to actually see them fight since they would be very entertained; they even considered it exciting.
Before the physical fight between Akane and the chef was going to begin, the old man spoke clear and loud to Ukyo.
"Miss, would you please tell me how much will I have to pay?" He asked not a bit intimidated by how the girls were comporting.
"Huh?" Ukyo said breaking her verbal attacks with Akane. She turned he face to see the old man they were talking about earlier. "Oh, yeah. It's gonna be 150 yen sir." Ukyo answered calmly to the old man.
The old man took the yen out of one of his pockets and handed it to Ukyo.
"I'm sorry miss, but I'm afraid I still need 50 yens to pay you, is just that I forgot I need the money for a taxi to home. If you could tell me another way to pay, I'll gladly do it.." the old man said smoothly.
"Umm, I.." Ukyo started saying feeling awkward when the man touched her hand. She looked at the 100 yen he gave her and looked up to him again. "No, that's ok. In fact take this. You need it more." She said giving the money back to him.
"Are you sure young lady? I will not feel comfortable if you feel pity for me or anything like that. I prefer paying for what I consumed, I'm not the one that takes advantage of the other generosity." The man politely said.
When the man said that last sentence Ranma groaned remembering his own father, who would take any advantage he could to get free food, even if it involved lying and trading his son.
"No, don't worry. I don't pity you or anything, is just...well take it as a forwarded Christmas gift." Ukyo said smiling to the man in front of her.
"Thanks Ukyo. I will never forget your kindness, just you don't forget it either." The man said. He walked out of the door, but before he got out he looked back at Ukyo and said.
"You shall receive more than what you generously gave me, I will make sure of that." With that said the mysterious man got out to the cold night, disappearing from Ukyo's and everyone else's sight.
"Wait, how did he knew my name?" Ukyo asked to no one in special. She went out of the building just to see that the man had already left. She came into the building a few moments later after she made sure he wasn't out there.
"I knew that was not a normal person." Ukyo said.
"Yup, when you told me how ya felt earlier after seeing him; I think I just felt the same way right now when he spoke to you. Somehow I know I have seen him before somewhere, but I just can't quite tell when or where." Ranma said wondering why that man made them feel strange, in a good way.
"Me too. At first I didn't believed you Ukyo, but now I do after I felt the same way you described." Akane said. "I don't think we should fight anymore, I'm just not in the mood." She said her temper finally lowering.
"I even completely forgot we were supposed to be fighting." Ukyo said looking at Akane. "Actually I lost my interest in fighting you." Ukyo said with a small, peaceful smile in her face.
Ranma looked at his both fiancées who seemed to be peaceful. He couldn't figure out how did that man stopped them from fighting, since he was sure the man had something to do with it. It took a lot to stop them from arguing, and much more to prevent them to physically fight each other, but somehow that man could with no real effort. Maybe Akane was right and that old man really put them under some type of spell, but then again why would he do that if it wasn't affecting them negatively?
Instead of thinking more deeply about it, Ranma simply went up to Ukyo.
"Hey Ucchan, what would that man had meant when he said he would pay you more?" He asked curiously.
"Umm.." Ukyo started thinking about an answer, but she couldn't find any. "I'm not sure Ranchan. There is a lot of things I would of like to know about him, but I guess I won't be able to until we see him again." Ukyo said.
"That is if we ever see him again." Akane said looking at the entrance.
The three teenagers stayed quite for a moment, all of them wondering who the mysterious man was. Seconds later another customer arrived and asked for food.
Ukyo quickly went to her cooking area and cooked what she was asked for as fast as she always did satisfying the client.
"Hey Ucchan we have to go already. You are getting more customers and you'll be very busy, so we don't wanna distract you more." Ranma said while placing his hands inside his pockets.
"Yes, it's getting late. Well just tell me how money much I owe you." Akane said.
"Oh yeah, almost forgot. It's gonna be 200 yens." Ukyo answered while cooking another okonomiyaki for customers who recently came in.
"200? But why if you charged the other man with 150 yens, why do you charge me more? That's not fair." Akane said.
"Well after you were making fun of me, I made a mental note to remember myself to charge you more...and actually I'm bein' nice since I thought I would charge you at least double the price." Ukyo said while still attending her clients, not looking directly at Akane.
"That is not fair Ukyo. I even thought you would give us discount." Akane said.
"Us?That sounds plural to me." Ranma started saying.
"Wow Ranma you actually know what plural means? Congrats, I'm really impressed." Said Akane sarcastically and faking amazement.
Ukyo giggled at what Akane had just said. Ranma finally understood that she was making fun of him, and his word knowledge.
"Hey don't make fun of me! I don't make fun of your cooking do I?...Wait oh yeah I do, but just 'cause you deserve it." Ranma said.
"I think your grammar skills are much worse than my cooking skills, which by the way are not bad; they just need some little improvement." Akane said.
"Little improvement? Yeah right, whatever. And my grammar skills are not as bad as your cooking, if that's how you call it, is. Now don't try to find a way out of your little payment problem and pay Ukyo already." Ranma said trying not to get angrier at Akane.
"I wasn't trying to find a way out, I was just sayi-" Akane was interrupted by Ranma.
" Akane if you don't want to pay now that's ok, I'll charge you later. That will still be 200 yen ok." Said Ukyo.
"What, but why 200? I was just kidding, it seems you don't have a sense of humor." Akane said.
"Oh c'mon Akane just pay her or pay her later. It's just for 50 yens more after all." Ranma said.
'Well yeah since she makes you a discount..' Akane thought.
"Ukyo I only brought 150 yens with me." She said.
"Then don't worry and pay me later."
"But you are charging me more than you normally do. Charge me the same you did with the old man that was here."
"Nope." Ukyo simply said now with her hands free since she wasn't cooking anything at the time.
"Why not?" Akane asked not giving up on convincing the chef to reduce her charge.
"Because I fell for him Akane." Ukyo said trying to hold back her giggling. "Didn't you said earlier that I've felt in love with him?" She asked more as an statement. "Well you were right, I did. That's why I charged him 150 yens and I even gave him free okonomiyaki." Ukyo said failing to hold her giggling longer.
"Oh yeah how funny. Ok I get it, I know what you want." Akane said. She sighed and continued. "I'm sorry for making fun of you Ukyo."
"Ok, now kneel before me and beg me for forgiveness." Ukyo said mockingly still giggling.
Ranma looked at his long time friend and started laughing slightly too.
"What?! Hell no I'm not going to beg you for anything!" Akane said, not knowing it was only a joke.
"Hahaha! Akane I was joking haha! I knew you wouldn't do that." Said Ukyo still giggling.
"See how it feels? That's how you made me feel, it's ok to have fun with other people, but not when they are being serious." Ukyo continued, her giggling stopped making her know that she was being serious now.
"Okay, okay now I get it. I learned my lesson." Akane said in an annoyed tone of voice.
"Now will you accept my 150 yen yes or no?" Asked the youngest Tendo girl.
"Let me think about it....no." Ukyo responded.
"What?! But wh-"
"I was kidding. Yes I'll take your 150 yens." Ukyo said mockingly. " Anything for you to leave me alone." She said after she took the yen Akane handed her.
"Oh yeah, well I shouldn't had came here in the first place." Akane said getting angry at what the chef was telling her.
"C'mon it was only another joke. Don't make such a big deal 'bout it." Ranma said with a grin across his face.
"Yeah Akane, you need to learn to laugh at jokes not be insulted by them." Said Ukyo with a grin across her face too.
"Hey but you started saying that I shouldn't insult you and all that!" Akane said.
"Well, I guess I was kidding with that too haha." Ukyo said while starting to laugh.
"Yeah we just tried to mock you, that's all." Ranma said also starting to laugh.
"You guys...are so gonna pay for this." Akane said looking at the two teens who just fooled around with her all the time.
"Aww c'mon Akane, don't take it seriously. Besides its what is fair, you joked with us earlier so to take revenge we joked with you." Ranma said his laughter fading.
"Miss would you give me another okonomiyaki please?" Asked one of the customers who just arrived.
Ukyo had forgotten completely about her business, she was paying all of her attention in getting revenge from the youngest Tendo girl.
"Yes, yes I'll go right now." Said Ukyo going to the area were she cooked.
"Well now we're leaving. You' re really busy..I know I said that a while ago but this time is for reals." Ranma said making his way out of the building.
"Yeah Ranma-honey! Visit me again soon ok!" Ukyo said still busy with other customers who just entered to dinner.
"Ok Ucchan; see ya!" Ranma said while he waved his left hand to his friend. Then he left the building.
"See you later Ukyo. Next time we'll resume our fight, you got lucky it was interrupted by an stranger." Akane said while making her way out of the building.
"Whatever sugar, you know that I'm gonna win next time." Ukyo said while serving the horde of clients asking for more.
Ranma started walking quickly to the Tendo residence even if Akane still hadn't came out from Ucchan's. He was really cold so he didn't really want to stay out anymore, even if it wasn't a long time ago that he was inside a warm place.
Akane came out shortly after Ranma. She saw that he had taken his way home already without waiting for her. She hurried and went running to where he was at.
'The jerk can't even wait for me.' She thought while making her way to where Ranma was. She catch up to him, gave him a stare and asked him.
"Why didn't you wait for me?"
"I'm cold, and you're really slow. All I wanna do now is go home and relax." Ranma answered. He tried to warm his hands by placing them inside his pockets.
"You just think of yourself Ranma. You're so selfish." Akane said looking away from him.
Ranma didn't responded to Akane, he didn't had the mood to; maybe it was because of the coldness of the temperature.
They finally arrived home, they were both cold and numb from the freezing wind that was blowing furiously. They both entered through the front door, being glad they arrived to a warm place.
Actual time 8:37 p.m.
Akane got out of the restroom and went directly downstairs, she went to the kitchen and was surprised that her sister wasn't there at this hour. She went to were Ranma was and asked him.
"Hey Ranma have you seen Kasumi?"
"Kasumi? Nope, she said she was going with to give him some cookies or somehtin' like that. Though I'm surprised that she still hasn't arrived. I thought she would be here by now." Ranma said.
"Hmm, don't you think that maybe something happened to her? I mean she is not of the persons that delays." Akane said showing concern for her oldest sister.
"Nah, I don't think so. Maybe she stayed with him to I dunno, talk." Ranma said.
"Oh so you don't worry about Kasumi do you?" Akane asked more as an accusation.
"Hey calm down, I didn't meant it that way. Ok, if in another hour she doesn't arrives we'll go out and look for her kay?" Ranma said.
"Well fine, in another hour. Though I hope that nothing bad happened to her." Akane said still worrying about her sister.
"Also my father and yours are gone." Akane said.
"They are? I didn't knew they were going out. They'll be back soon, don't worry." Ranma said.
"Yeah maybe you're right." Akane said trying to keep her concern in the back of her mind."Hey and what about Nabiki? " Akane asked.
"I think she said she was going to recollect some bets. Doin' her job ya know." Ranma said briefly remembering the times Nabiki made profit out of him.
Akane was going to say something to Ranma but she was interrupted when she saw the front door open.
The Cat Cafe was full of customers, all of them seeking for some warm, delicious food to satisfy their appetite. There were always more customers than normal this time of the year, since it got really cold outside and the Cat Cafe was a warm relaxing place with delicious food were one could go and take a rest from shopping and enjoy themselves.
"Three orders up Shampoo!" Cologne said while handing the tray with plates to her great-granddaughter.
Shampoo settled the plates in a table were three young male customers sat.
"Here you go! Hope enjoy your meal!" She said cheerful as always.
*"Yes of course we will. Ya know the ramen here is the best I've ever tried. Back in North America I've tried lots of restaurants, but this one in Japan is definitely the best!"* One of them said in English, with a smile on his face.
*"Yes it is Robert, I agree with you. I've never eaten so well back we're we live, it's all just, burgers, fried chicken and you know, but here everything it's all delicious."* Another of the guys said in the same language, looking at Shampoo and smiling.
*"Yup, that's right Fred. I don't know much about Japan yet, but I'm sure this is one of their finest restaurants."* The other one said also smiling towards Shampoo.
*"Oh guys thanks. I have to take other orders, so excuse me."* Said Shampoo speaking in English, which she knew more than Japanese, almost perfectly.
*"Wait! What is your name sweetie?"* Asked the last one to speak.
*"My name is Shampoo."* She answered.
*"Shampoo huh? That's a nice name. My name is Richard, nice to meet you Shampoo."* Richard said while grabbing Shampoo's hand and kissed it tenderly, like the French tend to do.
Shampoo was surprised that the customer did that. Even though there had been a lot of customers who obviously wanted something with her, and were too forward about it, even to the point to almost disrespect her; of course not knowing Shampoo could defend herself extremely well. The always learned that until too late.
But no one had been as respectful to show his emotions as this guy had been.
*"Umm ok, nice to meet you too Richard."* Shampoo said with her hand free from his.
*"Oh by the way I'm Fred, you may have heard that hehe, but well nice to meet you too Shampoo."* He said with a seductive smirk and a wink.
*"Yes nice to meet you. I gotta go now ok."* Shampoo said trying to leave the table and get the other orders Cologne already had for her.
*"Wait, don't forget about me. I'm Robert, I think ya heard that earlier too hehe. Anyways nice to meet ya know what, I like your name, since I use it everyday haha."*
Shampoo just stared at him not finding funny his 'joke'.
*"Nice to meet you Robert."* She said politely.
*"Bobby. You can call me Bobby."* Robert said smirking to Shampoo in a sensual way.
*"Bobby?"* Shampoo asked raising one of her eyebrows.
*"Yep. That's how the pretty gurls call me. But since you aren't pretty.."* Robert started saying.
Shampoo stared at him plainly thinking he was going to call her ugly or insult her looks.
*"I don't know how ya can call me, you know you aren't pretty right... since you're beautiful, the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. You surpass even beautiful, you are...gorgeous."* Robert said while giving his best seductive smile to Shampoo, obviously flirting with her.
*"Thanks..ahh talk to you guys later, I've gotta work."* She said and with that she went to get the orders that were ready.
*"Man that girl really is hot."* Said Robert who didn't looked away from Shampoo.
*"Yup she sure is man. I'll give her a ten."* Fred said also looking lustfully at Shampoo who at the moment was attending the customers.
*"Nah, she would be like a twelve." Richard said, while eating his warm noodles. "Maybe I'll hit one her."*
*"What? Wait dude I saw her first. Ya know the rule, don't break it."* Robert said turning his face to see his friend.
*"Rule? What rule are you talking 'bout? There are no rules when tryin' to get with a girl. That's how the game is. The only rules apply only after getting with the girl." Richard said "Which are only two rules; one is to never get with the girl one of us has without permission, since it would be like theft. And second and the most important is to never fall in love, that's just stupid."*
*"Oh, well then it doesn't matter if I get with her first right?"* Robert asked.
*"Nope it doesn't matter."* Richard replied.
*"Cool, then I guess I'll hit one her."*
*"You're gonna hit on her too? Haha, come on Robert you're the one who is less experienced in the game." Fred said. "You have just recently turned into a playa. So let the experienced ones, like me, take care of this."*
*"Whateva Fred. I may not have been a player before, but I know how to treat a lady."*
*"Robby, Robby when are ya gonna learn...Ya know what I'll hit on her right now, she seems to be the easy kind. Just watch and learn."* Fred said getting up from the table and going towards Shampoo.
*"Hey how is work goin'?"* Fred asked Shampoo from behind.
Shampoo turned around to look at him, but she had to look up to see his face, he was taller than what she thought he was.
*"It's going fine, I'm just waiting for more plates to serve the customers."* She said.
*"Oh, so it's a busy day huh?"*
*"Yeah very busy."*
*"So umm do you have somethin' planned later for tonight?" He asked hoping to take her on a date.
*"Not really."* Shampoo said honestly.
*"Oh, that's cool then would you-"*
"Two orders up!" Cologne threw the tray at Shampoo. Fred got out of the way and Shampoo catch the tray easily with her left hand. Then she went to serve the other waiting customers. Fred just watched with amazement what the Amazon just did.
*"Wow, now those are reflexes." He said.
*"Ha! I knew it he didn't got a date with her. I still have an opportunity."* Said Robert.
*"Hmm, it seems that he got interrupted by that mummy-like thing." Richard said after he finished his noodles. "Anyway I know that even if he does get a date with her, she will prefer me over him whenever I ask her out."*
*"Hey, but didn't you said we weren't supposed to get with the girl of one of us?"*
*"Yeah, and I won't break the rule dude. For that to apply she has to be officially his girlfriend, which won't happen when you have me as competence."* Said Richard.
*"Oh, ok I get it now. So if he just dates her but she isn't his official girlfriend, then another one get with her?"*
*"Yeah, you got it."*
*"Hmm, but wouldn't that be bad? I mean Fred would feel bad if he dated her, and then you or I go and flirt with her too."*
*"Hahaha, Robert you're so funny. That's why you're one of us now that I remember." Richard said. "Fred feeling bad for me dating his little date? Come on. It's not like if Fred's a sentimental guy or anything, in fact he's totally the opposite. His feelings doesn't get hurt since he doesn't have sentimental feelings to any of his dates, he just does it for fun, for pleasure. If he ever gets mad at any other player trying to date his girl, that would be because of his ego, not because he gets hurt haha."*
*"Yeah I forgot he was the strong type of guy."*
*"Yeah, he is like my bodyguard. He deals with anyone who disturbs me or gets in my way."*
*"He gets paid well, doesn't he?"*
*"Paid? Haha no idiot he does it just for doin' it, just 'cause we are great friends."* Richard said.
*"Yeah I know, I was just kidding."* Robert said looking towards where Fred was.
'He is gonna ask her again to date him..I hope she says no.' He thought.
After Shampoo was done serving the plates she went to sit down on an empty chair right besides were Cologne was cooking.
"Where Mousse at great-grandmother?" She asked Cologne.
"He is outside putting the Christmas decorations. Although seeing how dark outside is, I doubt he can even see what he is doing." Cologne answered still cooking the food for the customers. "You should go outside and tell him to come in after all he can put the decorations tomorrow in daylight. Besides he needs to wash the dirty plates."
"Yes great-grandmother." Shampoo said standing up and going to do what her grandmother told her to.
Seconds later she got inside, a snow covered Mousse behind her. As soon as Fred watched Shampoo came in, he went up to her.
*"Hey Shampoo I was wondering, would you want to-"* He trailed off when he saw the teenage guy behind her.
Mousse looked at Fred closely, thinking he knew what he wanted to ask her. He remained silent though.
*"Who's this guy? Is he your boyfriend or something?"* Fred asked Shampoo not taking his ferocious look off Mousse.
*"What him my boyfriend? Oh, no you're mistaking him, he is just a childhood friend that's all."* Shampoo answered.
*"Oh, ok. Then since you said you didn't had anything to do later tonight, would you like to go out with me?"* Fred asked now looking at Shampoo.
*"On a date...tonight? Well I-"*
"Shampoo five orders up! Hurry up great-granddaughter the customers are hungry!" Cologne said throwing the tray with plates to Shampoo. Shampoo again effortlessly got the tray from the air without throwing anything and went to serve their customers.
*"No matter how much I see her doin' that it still amazes me."* Fred said with admiration at the reflexes the Amazon had.
*"Yes, she has amazing reflexes and balance." Mousse said. "Hey what is your name?"* The blind Amazon asked.
*"Fred, and what's yours?"*
*"Mousse, look I know what Shampoo told you right now; that we are nothing but friends, but that doesn't mean I don't love her." Mousse started. "Someday she will reciprocate my feelings for her, and understand I'm her best choice. So that's why I don't want you to ask her on a date. Is that clear?"* Mousse asked in a cold tone of voice.
*"So you don't want me to date her huh? Well sorry 'bout that man but I will date her and you can't stop me."* Fred said not intimidated one bit by Mousse.
*"Oh really? You don't know who you are messing with; so I'll warn you again, don't mess with Shampoo ok?"* Mousse said with venom in his tone of voice.
*"Whateveh man. I'll not only date her for a night, I'll get with her and you can't prevent that from happenin'. So why don't cha better give up? That sexy is mine, keep that in your mind."* Fred said.
Mousse couldn't stand this guy, he was even worst than Ranma! He tried hard not to make a fight inside the restaurant, but he knew his patience wouldn't last longer.
*"Do you think she accepted to go out wit him?"* Asked Robert.
*"I don't know dude. Chill, you'll have your time to flirt with her after Fred gets tired of her, he usually does in like 5 days, 2 weeks at the most." Said Richard who was looking around the restaurant for other pretty girls. "Besides if I really wanna go out with her, you won't stand a chance, after all I'm the most attractive of the three not to forget I'm also the most charming. So don't make yourself illusions of bein' with her, that will just bring you down if I decide I want her."*
Robert just lowered his gaze, he sometimes couldn't stand how Richard treated him.
*"But ya haven't decided if you want her...have you?"* Robert asked.
*"Not yet. I'm lookin' around to see if there is anyone prettier than her."*
*"Okay. Hey so what happened to your last girlfriend?"* Robert said changing the conversation.
*"Who, Clarissa?"*
*"No, the other girl you met here in Nerima." Robert said.
*"Oh, yeah Yuki or Yuka..whatever her name was. Well she really wasn't worth it, besides she wasn't that pretty she was average. I broke up with her, she was gettin' on my nerves."* He answered with a lie, though Robert didn't noticed.
*"Why did you broke up with her?"*
*"I told you, she was getting on my nerves. And she slapped me, hard."*
*"She did? Why?"*
*"Because I broke up with her and she couldn't stand it so she went violent and started slapping me. She told me she would stop if I got back with her, but of course I refused. Then I had to calm her down and comfort her, telling her how I felt. Finally she calmed herself down but still continued crying she even kneeled on the floor and begged me to be her boyfriend, but I refused politely and told her that she could get love with another man, but that it wasn't me. She finally stopped crying and I helped her stand up, I even cleaned her tears and told her we could still be friends, but she didn't wanted to; she said it would be more hurtful for her. I never got to see her again."* Richard said as a professional over-paid actor would in a dramatic novel.
Robert didn't knew what exactly happened between Richard and his girlfriend, but he was sure it wasn't what Richard said.
'Even though I know him for a year, it still amazes me what a good actor he is. Damn he should be in one of those reality shows, or those dramatic plays, he would sure raise the rating up.' Robert thought.
Shampoo came back to sit down and rest a bit before serving any other customer. She had been working like this all day, the only break she had was when she went to the Tendo residence.
She could still remember what exactly happened, and what she said to Ranma. They were now supposed to be just friends, although she still had her doubts about her decision. She did wanted a break after all and she even told him she wouldn't do what friends aren't supposed to do. Shampoo definitely did not wanted to break her promise,
she wanted him to know he could trust her, she needed to know she could keep her promise.
'Ranma, I hope I don't make things worse because of my decision.' Shampoo thought.
Fred went to were Shampoo was after he had to deal with Mousse, they didn't fought since Cologne told him to stop wasting his time and to go wash the dishes Mousse refused but Cologne forced him, so there was no problem there.
Fred still hadn't got an answer from Shampoo, and he was desperate to know if she accepted to date him.
*"Shampoo you still haven't answered my question."* Fred said.
Shampoo got distracted from her thoughts. She had felt Fred walking up to her but she didn't paid attention, until he spoke to her.
*"What question?"* She asked not quite remembering what he was talking about.
*"Ya know, if you want to go out on a date with me?"* Fred asked her again while looking to where Cologne was to make sure she didn't interrupted them again.
*"Ohh, that...well I'm free tonight. In like two more hours we'll close the restaurant. "* Shampoo said.
*"So is that a yes? "* Fred asked.
*"Well, let me think about it. I barely met you today so it's hard for me to go out with a complete stranger."* Shampoo said. She wasn't really worried that she didn't knew him, she was more worried about another completely different thing.
*"We can get to know each other in a date. That's the best, and only way to know each other better."* Fred said looking at her faking a sweet smile on his face.
*"Well if you put it that way..."*
Ok that was all for today! I hope you enjoyed reading it, I worked hard on this chapter. Tell me what you think about it. All comments, opinions, critics, and questions are allowed so you can all review, just no insults.
I don't know if any of you noticed, but I made a little bashing of how Ranma uses his girl side :P This wasn't meant to hate him or anything, I just thought it would be funny :) In fact I like how he takes advantage.
Also I made some OC's as you may have noticed, all of them are based on real people I know but with a distinct names. Also Richard knows both languages Japanese and English.
Next chapter will be out next year, maybe in January.I think I will make the next chapter more romantic, I'm not sure though. Also I think the next chapter will be in a different section of characters, I still am not sure about that either.
