Cowboy 1

isdh

150 years earlier

He ran his fingers through her short brown hair, as he nibbled at the base of her neck.

"We have to tell them. or they will try to force another wedding on you. I can not afford the repair bill of another attack.."

"Then I will tell them when we get home." he wrapped his arms about her waist, he watched the sun go down. "Another perfect date." When the sun had fallen below the horizon, he swung her into his arms, and stood. "Lets go home my love." He stepped off the water tower...

121

twenty minutes later he cleared the wall, and set her down. As they changed their shoes, Ranma felt something.

then it all went black...

When he came to, he was in another tux, standing before a priest, beside Akane.

"Stop!!"

"But Son," Soun wailed, "the Honor!"

"Will be sated, but on my terms. No marriage until I have been named a Master in the Saotome Ryu ." Ranma declared.

Done! You are a Master!!!

"Nice try Pops, No I mean a full ceremony, not just some quick proclamation just to get me hitched. Then I will talk to my Bride-to-be about what are wedding plans, and include the honeymoon. Besides, I can not marry Akane as things stand now. there are her rivals for my hand as there are radials for hers that are not going to stand aside."

"No problem there." Soun spoke in a high manner, "There is only One suitor that I find suitable for my baby girl, and that is..."

"the 'Guy' she is sleeping with?" Ranma asked.

"WHAT?!?" Akane's outrage was eclipsed only by her battle aura.

"You mean you have not told her the truth about 'Him'" Ranma deadpanned, "I am held by an Oath of Silence, but still I push the 'limits' with my joking. What is your excuse? The only reason I am not yelling that anything improper is happening, is that 'He' is too Honorable, and incapable of improper behavior."

"Why are you speaking up, Ranma?" Nodoka asked from behind Ranma, "It sounds like you are trying to avoid your Manly duties."

"If it were only that simple, Mother." Ranma turned slowly to face her. "But be fore I answer, where is Nabiki?"

"The excitement was too much for her." Soun replied "She is laying down."

"Meaning that she too got a face full of the stuff you hit me with, and only because of Pop's training in poisons and drugs am I standing." turning on Soun, and mimicking a perfect Demon-head, "You are willing to allow one daughter to die, just so you can rush the other up the aisle?" Grabbing the older man by the front of his gi, and with less then an inch between their noses, "If any harm comes to her because this stunt, both you and Pops are going to wish that Happi was training you in the Neko-Ken, because I will."

Dropping the old man Ranma moved to leave...

Only to be blocked by his mother, her hand on her sword. "You will finish this."

"You are correct Mother, I am." then Ranma faded from view.

121

She awoke with Kasumi stroking her hair and a wet cloth on her forehead. "What happened?"

"The Fathers. They tried another wedding, this time they had Auntie backing them. " Kasumi sighed, "something about Ranma fulfilling his 'Manly Duties', really got her steamrolling."

"That explains her presence at the alter." Ranma faded into view. He moved to Nabiki's side, "I laid the first roadblocks, but like the champs they are, they cleared them, until I asked about you. they just said you were resting because you were over excited." he stroked her face, "I said some rather nasty things to your father."

"Daddy will be okay, once he understands that there will be a marriage." Nabiki grinned up at Ranma, "Auntie will be happy as long as Children are in the mix. But one unknown is Akane."

"I hit that nail too. Thanks to you and Kasumi telling me that your father knew about Ryouga as P-Chan, I was able to wedge Akane into the fight. By claiming that another guy is sleeping with her, and that your Father knew, I can claim the wounded suitor." he dropped into her computer chair. "We still need to talk about the girls. Ukyo can cook, and is pretty dissent in a fight. Xain-Pu is the better fighter, but not the better cook. And there is her other form..."

The door slammed open, "You Pervert! In here, taking advantage of my Sister, in her weakened condition!"

Hammer flickered into being,

She swung...

...Ranma caught it, and motioned Kasumi to close the door.

as the door clicked closed, "Okay talk, love the acting by the way."

"Who is in my bed?" Akane asked in a mousy voice.

"Can not tell you. my Oath." Ranma looked her in the eye. "guess."

"What? like 20 questions?" she frowned her cute frown, with that sweet little pout, "Is it a rival?

"Yes, 19 more."

"A Rival. Is he cursed?"

"Yes. 18"

"Do I like him?"

"Clarify."

"Human form."

"Yes."

She went still, then her eyes started to grow, "How could you...Oh, your oath. but with all the hints..." she stopped, walked to the window, looking out. "One question. Do you love me?"

"Complicated. Yes, I love you, Akane. But no, I do not chose you." He snorted in amusement, "I started calling you uncute, because you were not cute, but rather brutish. but as time passed I started calling you uncute because you were not cute, but beautiful." He stood, turned her to face him. lifted her face, and kissed her gently on the lips. "But while you were fighting for my hand, someone stole my heart. I am taking your father's offer. I get to chose which of the Daughters Tendo I marry."

the Tension melted out of Akane. "Who do you choose?"

"Not telling, Not until I am named Master of the Saotome Ryu. I hope that Once I am named Master, I will shortly have a Student."

"Akane, Who do you choose?" Kasumi asked quietly.

"I have yet to Choose."