For the curious souls out their I got Ryoga's father's name from Ryoga's japanese voice actor.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Rumiko Takashi's work. Ok I do own this story and characters not in any of the series by said author and anything that sounds like something by someone else is purely coincidental.
Ranma ½ AU Ch 4
"Talking"
Shouting
'Thinking'
*Sound Affects*
{Written Words}
For the next couple of months it became somewhat of a ritual for them. Ranma-chan would practice with Genma. Then she would pick up Ryoga at his house to walk him to school. During lunch Ryoga would stand in the crowd allowing Ranma-chan to use him as a springboard partly because he was the only one that could take it, and he was always there. Afterward she shared her acquired lunch with him. After school she would lead him home and they would spar for about an hour.
"I see your spending a lot of time with Ryoga." Yuki commented one day about three months after Ranma-chan started school.
"What of it?" Ranma-chan asked defensively.
"I don't mean anything by it. Just making an observation." Yuki stated holding her hands up in defense.
"D-d-do you like him." Shiori asked.
"He's a good friend. Nothing more. Besides we're to young to be thinking about that." Ranma-chan replied vehemently as she thought. 'Though I get the distinct feeling that my old man has a plan he's going to drag me into.'
Meanwhile Genma's vigil over the Hibiki house came to fruition.
'Finally Mr. Hibiki has made his way home.' Genma thought as he walked up to the day.
Koichi Hibiki was glad to be home after almost five months of wandering. He was an older version of Ryoga though he had a thick bushy beard adorning his face.
'It looks like someone has been living here regularly for once.' Koichi thought as he looked around the house setting down his backpack only to be interrupted by a knock on the front door.
"I wonder who that could be?" Koichi asked himself as he followed the knocking on the door to locate it. Opening the door he saw that a middle aged man wearing a gi with a bandana covering his head was standing on the porch. "Can I help you?"
"I was hoping that I could help you help yourself. By the way my name is Genma Saotome."
"Well I'm Koichi Hibiki. But tell me how could you help me?"
"For starters what with your families sense of direction your son would be hard pressed to find a girl that would willingly put up with him." Genma explained.
"Yes. I worry about that on a daily basis." Koichi said sadly.
"Well I believe that I can set your fears to rest." Genma replied smiling.
"How so?" Koichi asked quirking an eyebrow.
"My daughter has been spending a lot of time with your son so I propose that we bring them together by betrothal. But as I am but a poor martial artist I'm unable to provide a dowry."
"That would allow me to die a happy man. And who needs a dowry? It should teach them to fend for themselves." Koichi replied brightening.
"Then it's a deal?" Genma asked sticking out his hand.
"Done and done." Koichi answered taking Genma's hand.
Meanwhile across town both Ranma-chan and Ryoga sneezed.
'Oh man pop did something that I'm going to pay for again.' Ranma-chan thought as the bell rang. 'Oh well whatever it is can't be that bad.'
Just down the hall Ryoga was thinking something entirely different. 'I wonder who's talking about me? Maybe it's Ranma.' At that thought Ryoga became all starry eyed and off in dreamland completely missing what the teacher asked. "Huh what?" Ryoga asked coming back to his senses.
"Stop daydreaming and pay attention or I'll make you stand in the hall." Hokido Yamada threatened before telling the class. "Beware of these martial arts types. They talk of honor and other such rubbish but they're really nothing more than scum." Luckily for him Ryoga had returned to daydreaming and thus missed that comment. The rest of the school day passed in similar fashion.
"Come on Ryoga what's with you today?" Ranma-chan yelled at Ryoga who for some reason was dawdling.
'I wonder if I should ask her? The worst she could do I say no. But I don't think I could take the rejection.' Ryoga thought as he walked and was stopped by a light touch on his forehead.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Ranma-chan asked with a look of concern on her face.
"I'm fine." Ryoga said quickly as he scurried off his face flaming.
"Uh Ryoga your house is that way." Ranma-chan said pointing before grabbing Ryoga's hand and dragging him behind her.
'Maybe I don't want to go home just yet. Ever think of that?' Ryoga thought as he let himself be dragged home.
When they arrived at the Hibiki house Ryoga got a pleasant surprise.
"Dad?"
"Hi son been a while. Hasn't it?" Koichi greeted Ryoga.
"It's been almost two years dad." Ryoga said happy to see his dad as he hugged Koichi.
"That long? It has been a while then." Koichi said rubbing the back of his head. "I mean I've seen your mother a few times more than that. But my you have really grown since I last saw you. But that's to be expected I guess." He finished before looking up seeing Ranma-chan. "And you must be Ranma nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine." Ranma-chan replied bowing. 'If this is Ryoga's father that means there's a pretty good chance Ryoga will end up looking like Bigfoot.' She thought looking at Koichi before saying. "While the two of you get reacquainted I'll make dinner for y'all."
'So far it doesn't seem like a bad idea having betrothed them.' Koichi thought as he watched Ranma-chan putz around the kitchen. "Does she do this often?" He asked turning to Ryoga.
"Everyday for the last three months. Then after dinner we'd spar for about an hour."
"Any good?"
"I'm getting better but I can't beat her yet."
"Good for you son you found someone that isn't as lost as you and can help you improve your skills." Koichi said placing his hand on his son's shoulder. He looked like he would say more but was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.
"Noriko what a surprise." Koichi said seeing his wife enter the house carrying a bundle.
"Yes I'm home finally." Noriko replied relieved.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Ranma-chan said as she exited the kitchen stopping when she saw Noriko. "Mr. Hibiki who is this?"
Clearing his throat Koichi began. "Ranma this is my wife. Noriko this is Ranma one of Ryoga's classmates."
"Not exactly she's in the class down the hall from mine." Ryoga explained.
"Well we can't let the food go to waste. Not since this nice girl took the time to prepare it." Noriko said walking into the dining room.
After situating themselves Ryoga could suppress his curiosity about the bundle in his mother's arms. "Mom what is that your carrying?"
"This Ryoga is your little sister Yoiko." Noriko answered smiling.
A second later the three were surprised by a scream of surprise from the kitchen that changed from a girls to a guys.
"Ranma are you okay?" Ryoga yelled as he ran into the kitchen stopping short as he thought he caught a glimpse of black hair turning red as water sprayed from the faucet.
"I'm fine Ryoga just a little surprised." Ranma-chan answered almost to quickly. "Since you're here mind helping me carry dinner into the dining room?"
"Sure." Ryoga answered passing off what he saw as an illusion. 'Her hairs red not black I must be seeing things. Yeah that it.'
This was quickly forgotten as he and Ranma-chan anxiously waited for what his parents had to say about Ranma's cooking.
Koichi almost apprehensively brought a morsel to his mouth remembering with displeasure what his wife's cooking tasted like when they first met.
'I hope she's a better cook than I was at her age.' Noriko thought as she quickly but a bite in her mouth wishing to get it over with. As soon as the taste hit her she couldn't move from shock as she got over it she slowly started chewing then started eating with a gusto as her appetite came on full force.
Koichi pretty much had the same reaction allowing the table to be cleared in short order.
"I don't really have to ask but how was it?" Ranma-chan asked smiling.
"Honestly." Koichi began with a solemn look on his that quickly broke into a smile. "That was the best meal I've had in years."
"I'll bet seeing as it's been at least two years since the three of you have seen each other at the same time." Ranma-chan said with a wide grin plastered on her face.
"Just where did you learn to cook?" Noriko asked.
"To put it bluntly it was either learn to cook or starve because pop is a terrible cook." Ranma-chan explained.
"Amazing." Noriko mouthed to her husband whom had an equally surprised look on his face.
At the public library a short distance away Genma sneezed as he was looking through the books trying to locate information concerning jusenkyo. 'I wonder who's speaking distastefully of me?' He thought as he shivered at the list of people who could bad mouth him.
