Miss Susan looked out over her class. Everyone was hard at work, writing. Things were quiet once again. Leaning back in her chair as she watched her students, she allowed herself a small smile. There were benefits, sometimes, to being not quite mortal...as long as you had someone to share it with.
She glanced down at her hand, at what was only almost there, not quite real within the flow of time. It was quite a bit of craftsmanship, a gift of promise from Lobsang, as he still liked being called. Glancing down at herself, she remembered the OTHER present...one that would be a gift for the both of them. She wondered how she would break the news to him...also how she'd explain it to her Grandfather.
Of course, her Grandfather probably already knew, in the same way he seemed to know everything that was going to happen...except when he was caught off guard, since he hadn't been able to perceive Lobsang, so perhaps this would be a surprise to him as well.
Glancing up, she noticed something odd. There was an extra student in her class. She checked the records. Apparently, this boy had been enrolled and placed in her class...but she couldn't remember meeting the boy - or his folks - and yet apparently he'd been in class all day. She even had a few of the assignments he had turned in. She pulled out his report on today's excursion.
'Today we went to a place called Oi Dong, and met an old man named Lu Tze. He told us about Rule One, and explained about the difference between time and Time. Also, he taught us the Right Way to sweep a floor. I liked his mountains.'
The boy's spelling was excellent, and he didn't seem to have trouble with any of the concepts he had been presented with. She decided she would talk with him after class, if he had time, and schedule a parent teacher conference so she could meet his folks.
As class ended, and the students filled out, the new boy stayed in his seat. She approached him, and he looked up. "You wanted to talk to me, Miss Susan?"
She blinked. "Yes, I did. I don't believe we've had a chance to talk yet."
"We have, but it wasn't necessarry at the time. Is it necessarry now?"
"I believe so. Handling the class well?"
"Yes. Dad says I should learn how things work, so I thought I'd attend school. Was that the right way to do things?"
"You enrolled yourself?" Miss Susan was surprised...and impressed.
"Yes. I had some help, though. Rune took care of the paper work."
"And who is Rune?"
The boy smiled. "Rune is my friend. I could call him, but he might not come." Turning, he spoke up. "Rune, Miss Susan wants to meet you."
A shadow in the dorner of the room uncurled itself and walked forward. It was a cat the black that is more than the absence of color, but so far on the opposite side of the spectrum as to be the opposite of color. Its eyes, though, were a deep violet. It hopped up onto the desk and rubbed its head against the boys hand, purring.
Susan stared. It didn't take the eyes of someone not quite mortal to tell that the cat wasn't an ordinary cat, anymore than the boy was ordinary. "What was your name again?"
The boy looked up. "I'm Ranma."
Miss Susan nodded. "Ranma, I think I should speak with your parents about your schooling. When can I meet them?"
"I don't have a Mom, but I can send Rune to fetch Dad. He'd be here in a few moments."
Susan thought for a bit, then nodded. "Please do."
Ranma nodded. "Rune, go get Dad, please. My teacher wants to talk with him."
Rune seemed to chuckle to himself, and leaped out the window without bothering to open it first. As the window was 20 feet away and did not break, this confirmed Susan's suspicions that Rune was not an ordinary cat.
After a time, a familiar white horse walked in through the wall, Rune perched on teh saddle, smirking. A familiar figure held the white horse's reigns.
"Dad!" Ranma called happily, throwing himself at Death to hug him. Death caught Ranma in his arms, a look of surprise managing to shape itself on his skull, but he was grinning.
HELLO, RANMA. HOW GOES YOUR STUDIES?
Susan stared. Then she pointed at Ranma. "Again, Grandfather? You did it again?"
Death seemed to wince. RANMA, YOUR TEACHER AND I NEED TO HAVE WORDS. GO PLAY FOR A BIT, OKAY?
"Okay, Dad!" Ranma hopped down. "Come on, Rune." He and Rune casually ran through the wall like it wasn't there.
Susan looked at her grandfather. "Explain."
I REMEMBERED THAT I HAD DONE IT, AND SO I DID IT. THIS - RANMA BECOMING MY SON AND YOUR UNCLE - WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
Susan sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Okay...I guess I can see your reasoning there...so what happens next with him?"
I DON'T KNOW.
"Come on, Grandad. You don't have to keep me in the dark on this one."
I DO NOT INTEND TO. IN THE CASE OF RANMA'S FUTURE, AND WHAT FATE HAS IN STORE FOR HIM, YOU KNOW AS MUCH AS I.
Susan blinked. "Oh. This is going to be a headache, isn't it?"
QUITE POSSIBLY. DO YOU MIND HAVING HIM IN YOUR CLASS? I COULD FIND SCHOOLING FOR HIM ELSEWHERE...
"No, it's fine. He's a good student."
I AM GLAD. Death paused for a bit. SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW WITH YOU? Death started to sit on a desk.
"Lobsang asked me to marry him, and I said yes."
Death fell through the desk. WHAT?
"Lobsang - you know, Time's son, the new Time? - asked me to marry him, and I said yes." She held out her hand, showing the ring that only existed just outside of time, and could only be seen by those for whom time was optional.
Death examined the ring in minute detail. I SEE...CONGRATULATIONS. AM...WILL I BE INVITED TO THE WEDDING?
"Of course you will. You're family, after all. Someone has to give me away, you know."
Death futsed nervously with his robe of woven darkness. He was plainly overcome. THANK YOU, he said, his voice thick with actual felt happiness. Susan's eyes widened hearing it. AND WHEN IS THE WEDDING?
"Soon. Hopefully before I start to show."
SHOW WHAT? Death asked, turning to pass through the wall to call to Ranma.
"Grandfather, I'm pregnant."
Death failed to pass through the wall with a hollow sounding clonk. YOU'RE WHAT?
"Pregnant. I'm going to have a baby."
...HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU?
"About six hours."
DOES HE KNOW YET?
"I presume so, depending on how many dimensions he's thinking in just now."
I SEE...UMM...
Susan smiled. "I wouldn't dream of keeping her away from you, Grandfather."
Death grinned, and although it was the only expression he could present to the world, it was plainly a genuine one. I'LL TRY TO DO A GOOD JOB BEING A GREAT GRANDFATHER. I HOPE I HAVE THE RIGHT KIND OF KNEES.
With that, Death left to collect his son, yet again inordinately pleased that his family was growing.
He found Ranma standing over a few thugs in the Shades, holding a basket of kittnes.
"You don't hurt cats," he was saying to the groaning teenagers. "Be glad it was me who caught you and not my Dad." Rune sat nearby, tail lashing in fury, eyes glowing.
RANMA, Death said. YOU CAN PLAY WITH THEM LATER. IT'S TIME TO GO HOME. ...BRING THE KITTENS.
"Okay, Dad!" Ranma hopped up onto Binky's back, carefully balancing the basket.
Binky casually trod on one of the thugs hands as they left, leaving his final hoofprint burning there before vanishing.