Guardian One-Half

by TheDevian

While being chased through town one day, Ranma somehow managed to avoid the walkway washer woman, and his fate subtly changed. My apologies to anyone who has been waiting on the next chapter of my first story, Nodoka 2/1, my editor got sidetracked, and while I was waiting on him to catch up, I started this "short story" idea that grew well out of hand.

37. Chapter 37

Warning: Consumption of this story may cause discomfort and/or a laxative effect.

Chapter 37 - Where to Park?

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Looking at the brochure, they saw that the park was divided up into sections, with varying levels of difficulty, ranging from a children's area, to one that was said to only be for those who were extremely confident in their abilities. Ranma had wanted to head straight for the advanced course, though, once they entered the 'starting house', or office, they found that they were required to go through a 'tutorial course' first. He was not thrilled about being required to wear the harness, but allowed himself to be placated by Kasumi's reassurances that it would still be fun.

After filling out the waver forms, for Ranma, he waited rather patiently for them to explain how the harnesses worked and went over the rules of the park. They did not have to worry about the age restrictions and were certainly not going to be smoking! Though Kasumi was a bit disappointed when they made them tie their loose hair up, so instead, she had Ranma braid her hair much like his own. "Look, now we match! Is it not cute?"

Looking at the braid falling over her shoulder, he had to agree. "Yeah, it looks pretty good on ya."

Blushing, she shied away. "Thank you, Anata."

"Excuse me, honored guest?"

"Yes?" Kasumi turned to look at the expectant employee.

"It is generally recommended that customers who are wearing items such as a dress or a yukata be given the option to change into something that is easier to move in while wearing. Would you like for me to bring you a set?"

"Oh, oh my, that might be wise... What do you think, Darling-kun?"

"Well, we're gonna be climbin' an' stuff, ya don't want nobody ta be able ta ...ya know, SEE anythin'."

"Oh my, do you think someone would try to do that?"

"I know way too many that would... but even if they ain't, if yer climbin', ya just don't know, an' it's better if ya can move more freely."

"Oh my! I never thought of that. I suppose I should change then."

"Okay! If you will follow me, I will show you what we have available."

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Ranma waited near the changing rooms, standing guard as he watched out for any voyeurs who might dare to attempt ogling Kasumi ...or any of the other women who were changing at the time. While he did not figure he had much to worry about at the moment, life in Nerima had made him paranoid and he had still could not shake the occasional feeling of being watched as they walked around town, so he was not willing to take any chances with someone like Kasumi at risk. Most anyone else he knew could mostly take care of themselves, but Kasumi was a delicate flower, and she was so nice that she might even let them peep, just to not be rude to the scopophiliac!

Speak of the angel, he heard her voice behind him. "Oh my, this is rather ..revealing."

"Huh? Are ya okay?" His head turned toward the soft voice.

"Oh, yes, I suppose I am fine, it is just... Oh fuuu..." Opening the door just a crack, she quickly pulled Ranma inside the changing room with her.

Not knowing what to expect, he slammed his eyes closed as he was suddenly relocated. "Ka-Ka-Kasumi-chan, what's th' matter?"

"You are allowed to look at me, even if I were not dressed, we are 'married', remember?"

In hushed tones, he whispered back, "Yeah, but not really..."

"That is okay, I do not mind ...if it is you." Continuing the hushed voices, she moved in closer to him. "While I cannot speak for everyone, I know that Shampoo-chan does not mind you looking either. When you do marry for real, you will need to be able to look at your wife."

"Yeah, but-..."

"Meh!" She tabbed his nose as she chided him in a hushed tone. "Remember, this is training."

"Right, training..."

"You know, this is the first time I have ever given a boy bridal training... er, groom training, well I suppose either would be fine to call it for you."

"Not really ...I don't wanna be anyone's bride!"

"Not even mine?"

"...Isn't bein' yer husband enough?"

"...Most of the time." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"What'd ya mean?"

"...Oh, I do not know, sometimes it might be nice to have a cute 'girlfriend' too." Kasumi gently caressed his cheek with a light giggle, hoping to calm his nerves but with little effect. "Please, open your eyes, you are the only one I can trust to tell me if this looks okay on me. I feel like I am simply too old for this outfit."

Ranma reluctantly opened his eyes, as they hesitantly panned from her feet to her face, blushing as he took in the look of her outfit. The rolled up cuffs of the khaki shorts rode rather high on her thighs, and the mascot and logo of the park on the tanktop certainly called attention to her ample assets. His eyes had almost bugged out when he saw her plunging neckline and generous cleavage, averting his gaze so quickly that he barely even noticed the tan handkerchief tied around her neck.

"So ...what do you think?"

"Gak!"

"That bad?"

"No, I don't! I mean, it ain't! Ya look ...amazin', but I'm surprised ya picked that shirt..."

"They said that none of the ones with sleeves were in my size, and the character on this one is just so cute! What do you think?"

"At least it ain't a cat..." Ranma was finding it difficult to avert his eyes, despite his best efforts.

"What?" Not only was he whispering, but he was mumbling on top of it, and she had difficulty making out what he had said.

"I, I really don't think anyone'll notice it that much." Ranma's eyes were bugging out a little as he tried to force himself to blink.

"Well, I suppose I do not really expect anyone else would care what is on my chest." She placed her hand upon his shoulders before intertwining her fingers behind his neck, pulling him a bit closer and preventing him from looking away. "There is only one person I want to notice. So, do YOU think it looks okay?"

"Yeah, too good. Yer gonna have ta be beatin' off guys left an' right..."

"Oh my!" Fuzzy memories of what she had done the night before flooded back into her brain, causing her to blush. "Wha- whatever could you mean ...Honey? Tee Hee." She covered her mouth with her hand as she nervously giggled.

"I mean yer gonna have ta watch out fer pushy guys, like Kuno, er th' old pervert."

"But Darling-kun, there is only one guy I am supposed to watch on this trip." And for some reason, she was feeling no small amount of satisfaction that he was currently gazing at her in return.

"That's fine, I'll watch out for ya. Ain't no perverts gonna get ya while I'm around!"

His nonplussed answer was both vexing and endearing to her at the same time, though mostly it still impressed her how protective he could be. He may not have been the older 'father figure' she had always thought she wanted, however she found herself thinking that if things had turned out differently, being with him might not have been such a bad thing. While it was certainly too late now, she almost wished she had taken them up on the marriage arrangement on that day that seemed so long ago to her now. "Thank you Anata, I always feel so safe when I am around you. Do you know what I mean?"

"Huh? Yeah, kind a'..." He could not deny that he felt far less on edge when Kasumi was around, she always helped to keep him calm, in a strange way, it reminded him of the old woman who used to help him as a boy ...except not old, and she smelled nice ...like lavender. He found it so relaxing that before he realized it, he had fallen into her embrace and was returning it with each of their heads resting upon the other's shoulder.

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As the flustered couple exited the changing stall, they saw the attendant looking around confused. "Ah, there you are, we thought that you might have left. Might I add that while we completely understand your situation, we do try to discourage you from doing any hanky-panky in our changing rooms... Please try to save that for when you find yourselves alone in the woods." The attendant winked at the embarrassed couple, leading them out of the building.

As they passed the other men waiting on their other-halves, some of them gave Ranma an approving thumbs-up, while the others tried to ogle Kasumi. That was until they saw the evil glare they received from him in response and they all suddenly found something FAR more interesting in the opposite direction, not wanting to invoke the wrath of that 'demon'. Seeing that his intimidation worked, Ranma relaxed as he followed them toward what they called the 'briefing area'.

Ranma paid little attention to anything they showed him beyond how to attach the rope harness, he was not concerned with falling, but there were many 'zip lines' that they were to ride from one course to the next, and they insisted that it was fun. He found himself far more concerned with who was looking at Kasumi and in what way, including himself. This was the part that surprised him the most. Seeing other men starting at her was something he expected, however he was just finding it so difficult to tear his own eyes away from her revealing outfit. Considering the fact that he had seen her nude on many occasions now, he could not figure out why that was the case.

Kasumi was finding it slightly difficult to follow every point their instructor was trying to make, she kept feeling eyes upon her and when she would glance up, Ranma would be looking at her. For some reason she was finding that thought particularly distracting, and she could not discern if it was due to something being wrong with her or her outfit, or if there was some 'other' reason for it. Blushing a bit at the thought of the later, she began looking for what could be wrong.

Bothered by someone neglecting to his instructions, the young man wanted to see if he could help speed up the process, hoping not to have to repeat himself 'too' often with this group. "Excuse me ma'am, is there something wrong?"

"Oh my, I do not know... is there?" Kasumi continued to look herself over, hoping to find the problem.

"Other than you not paying attention to what I am trying to explain to you, I cannot see anything, but this is important. It could save your life!"

"Oh my! Well, that is why I have this guy." Kasumi beamed a smile at an embarrassed Ranma.

"Yes, well, can your husband save you from a fifteen meter drop?"

"Quite easily." The young man was shocked by her relaxed response.

"I'd still rather ya not risk it 'til ya can make th' jump yerself."

Ranma casual reaction gave the instructor pause to consider their sanity. "You WHAT?"

"But, if I did that..." Suddenly, she felt a loss, but wondered if it was fair to Ranma to make him carry her so often...

"Well, it ain't fer everyone, but with how quickly yer learnin', I'm sure ya'll pick it up in no time."

"You think so?" Kasumi looked excited for a moment, before the worry started to show through.

"Hey, ya ain't gotta worry, I'm here fer ya, 'til ya do."

"But, how can anyone jump THAT high?" This conversation had gone far off the rails for the 'mere mortal' who was listening in upon it.

"Ain't ya never heard ya Bruce Lee?"

"Yeah, but that's just special effects... Isn't it?"

Ranma was glad that he had not been drinking anything or he may well have choked on it. "Believe what ya want," Holding up the harness they had given him, he chuckled. "...but I don't need this fer nuthin' but that slide yer talkin' about."

"Well, you have signed your wavers, so I am not going to stop you, but I cannot stress enough how dangerous this can be. One wrong step and you will fall!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Waving his hand, Ranma casually dismissed the threat.

"There is no need to be rude, Honey." Kasumi gave him a stern look.

"Sorry, I didn't mean ta." Ranma bowed to the employee, not wanting to offend the guy who was just doing his job.

"It's not that, you could get hurt!"

"Ya ain't gotta worry about that."

"Oh yes, my Anata can jump over tall buildings in a single bound."

"More powerful than a locomotive?" The incredulous young man joked about the ridiculous claims.

"Humph. Probably." Ranma just crossed his arms, looking defiant.

"Next you're going to tell me you're 'bulletproof' too?"

"I don't know, ain't never fought nobody weak enough ta need ta use a gun before... Even Gosunkugi was more a' a man then that. Probably ain't no worse 'en those vacuum blades a' Ryu's, er th' shrapnel from th' breakin' point though."

The attendant did not exactly understand what his customer was saying, but hoped his bosses would forgive him if they got hurt on his watch, he was trying his best! He offered a short prayer to the gods to look over them while they were there, and did his best to continue his explanation.

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Their practice run down the demonstration obstacle had gone uneventfully, even Ranma had listened to Kasumi and calmly followed the instructions until they had finished the slide. It had been short, but he did enjoy it, it reminded him of some of the early training exercises his father had put him through as a child, and it really took him back.

Kasumi saw Ranma smiling as he waited for her at the bottom of the zip line, and she could not help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. Despite the ride not being scary at all, she still felt a bit of relief that he was there, just in case, ready to lend a hand to help her stand after her slightly awkward landing. "Why thank you 'my love', you are such a gentleman."

Blushing at the pet-name, Ranma was surprised when she almost leapt into his arms as he pulled her to her feet. However, he was more shocked when she whispered softly into his ear. "While we are in public, acting like this, maybe you should call me 'kanai', what do you think?"

"Kanai?" Ranma did not particularly care for the connotations of that word, to him it implied that she should remain in the house, and never come out, which bothered him. It reminded him too much of something his father would say, and he thought she had spent far too much time 'inside the house' already in her young life.

She had always imagined being called that, just like her own mother, but the reality of it was so much more powerful than she had expected.

"...I don't know."

Blushing, Kasumi considered the alternatives. "Perhaps you could try 'tsuma', or ...'aisai'?" She had to bury her face in his chest as she said that last one, 'beloved wife' might be too much...

'Tsuma' reminded Ranma too much of something to be served with sashimi, and he did not want to consider Kasumi as a 'garnish', so he went with his final choice. "Okay ...Aisai." He was not familiar with the word, but if she had chosen it, then it was probably something nice.

"Oh my!" Kasumi had to bury her face even deeper into his chest, that had been the LAST thing she had expected, and her heart did not know how to take it. It was beating so quickly that she could feel it all the way to her toes as they pulsed.

"Ka- Aisai, ya okay?"

"Doki-doki?" Kasumi could still hear naught but her own heartbeat in her ears.

Trying to hurry the pair along, the attendant quietly tried to interject. "Sumimasen, I am terribly sorry, but if you would not mind, we has someone waiting for you to move so that they can slide. If you wish, you can follow me to the next course. Would you prefer I take you to the beginner courses or-."

Ranma did not even let the fellow finish, his mind already more than made. "Advanced!"

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Kasumi could finally hear again by the time they reached the rope ladder, but was unable to let go of Ranma's arm. Between her still rapid heartbeat, and the vibrations coming from elsewhere in her body, she was less than steady on her feet. If only she had thought to turn it off in the changing room...

Seeing that Kasumi was still finding it difficult to walk, and with how slowly their 'guide' was climbing the ladder, Ranma decided he was tired of waiting. Patience was never his strong suit, especially not when there was training to do.

Kasumi's heart started to beat faster again as Ranma hefted her into his arms before leaping to the upper platform so many meters above their heads. Even as he set her down, and her feet touched the wooden planks below, she could not let go of him.

So preoccupied with their own situations, neither of them noticed the young man's jaw drop as he almost fell off of the ladder.

Noticing that the woman in his arms was shaking a bit, his concern quickly grew. "Ya okay ...Aisai?"

This term of endearment was still affecting her more than she would have thought, and she started to wonder if she should have requested he do it sooner, as to give her more time to adjust, though it was not as if she had planned any of this in the first place. "Ye- yes, Love. I- just need a minute."

"Wait, yer ...afraid a' heights, aren't ya?"

"Oh no, no, no, I am just ...excited, yes. I just need a moment, is that okay?"

Knowing what it was like to be ashamed to admit a fear, he tried to comfort her. "Huh, yeah, sure, it ain't no problem. Whatever ya need, I'm here fer ya."

"Thank you, Darling-kun." Kasumi continued to enjoy the comfort of being held as they waited on their guide to finish the climb, and she found that even as her nerves started to settle, she did not really want to let go of him. It was not fear, she knew that much, but she could not place the emotion that was keeping her there. It reminded her of her maternal instinct, like when her sisters would get hurt and she had to care for them, but this was different, she was not taking care of anyone, nor was anyone hurting, and yet she still wanted to stay wrapped in his embrace. Wait ...no, continue holding him, yes, that was her intention, this was about him, not her! She was not doing this for her own sake, it was all for Ranma!

Finally making it to the top, the park employee still could not believe what he had seen! "What? Are you like one of those Dragon Ball guys? You can fly too?"

"Flying? What're ya, stupid? Humans can't really fly, ya know? That's just a cartoon!"

"Then how'd you get up here?" If that wasn't flying, he was not sure what he had just seen!

"I just jumped, ain't nuthin' fancy."

"People can't normally jump over trees either..."

"Meh, it's an old ninja trick. Helps ta start early?"

"You're a ninja? Shouldn't you be hiding your face then?"

"Yes, and now that ya figured out who I am, I'm gonna have ta kill ya... Muahaha..."

"WHAT?" The young man was starting to wonder if he could break his fall enough by holding onto the rope ladder, or if it would just break his fingers trying...

"Hey, I'm just kiddin', I ain't no ninja, just a regular old martial artist."

"I find that difficult to believe..."

"No, really, just a martial artist, ya know, protect the weak an' all that?"

"I've known a LOT of martial artists in my life, some much older than any of us, and none of them could do anything like that!" His grandfather might have been spry of a man of his years, be he could not imagine him EVER jumping over a person, never mind a tree!

Still holding onto Kasumi, he shrugged. "Meh, each school has their own specialties, mine happens to specialize in mid-air combat. It ain't no big deal..."

"No, it really is!"

"Ya just gotta train like yer life depends on it."

"Yeah, right..."

Hoping to change the subject to something that would make the other lad more comfortable, Kasumi decided to ask the boy about himself. "What was your name? Is this a family business?"

"Me? I'm, Saitama, and naw, I am just doing this to earn money for school next year ...in case I get a date."

"Do not worry, I am certain that if you keep working hard, some nice girl will notice you. Just when you least expect it, the right person will fall into your life, just do not be afraid to act when the time comes, or you may end up regretting it. Just take better care of your hair, girls like it when you keep it neat, not messy."

The self-conscious young man ran his fingers through his spiky hair. "Thank you, it's just, you know, hard to keep neat here, what with all the wind, climbing, and all..."

"Yes, I understand. However, you never know when you might meet someone who is perfect for you." Without realizing it, she squeezed Ranma more tightly to emphasize her point.

"Ya want me ta go first, ta show ya how it's done, er ya want ta go first, so I can watch ya from behind?" Seeing her shyly shake her head and then nod at his second suggestion, he nodded back in agreement. "'Kay, I'll be right here if ya need me."

After they checked to make certain that her harness was properly attached, Kasumi finally looked forward toward the current obstacle as she tried not to think about anyone 'watching her behind'. Before her lay out meter long logs that were hanging horizontally, supported by ropes tied to each end with only a short gap between them. Her balance was not so bad that she had much trouble with the first log, it was not until she needed to move to the next that she started to worry. Luckily, she was able to hold onto the cable that held her harness as she tried to cross the small divide.

"Ganbatte, Aisai-chan!"

After blushing slightly at being called his 'beloved wife' along with the honorific, Kasumi was emboldened by his shout of encouragement, and managed to make it to the other side, feeling a bit proud of herself. "Yatta!" As she turned to wave at Ranma, she wanted to cheer him on as well, but wondered if he would find it insulting... Instead, she chose to simply assume that if she could make it, then he would have no trouble at all. "Show us what you can do, Anata!"

Smiling proudly, he waved back, glad that she had made it rather easily and was not hurt. He looked it over, wondering what he should do, he could easily just hop across, but figured that would defeat the point. Tucking the strap in so that it would NOT get caught on anything, Ranma stepped forward...

"WAIT!" The young man called out to him, causing the martial artist to hesitate.

"What?"

"Are you SURE you don't want to use the harness after seeing the trouble your wife had?"

"But if I do that, then I'd be able ta rely on th' harness, an' where's th' challenge in that?"

"Well, maybe, but..."

"Aw, come on, this is still easy, you ever try walkin' on bamboo poles?"

"Well ...noooo, but-..."

"All right then." Without further hesitation, Ranma stepped out onto the piece of timber and casually walked along its length, with only a short hop to go from one log to the next. "Too easy. Now if only someone was attackin' me when I'm doin' it... Maybe one a' ya could swing a stick, er throw rocks er somethin'?"

Saitama's look of horror gave him pause. "NO! PLEASE! Someone might be walking underneath!"

"Meh, it was just a thought. I was only tryin' ta make it more fun, I mean I could a' done that on my hands! ...Hey, there's an idea!"

Just as their young guide was about to hook his own harness to the cable and follow them, he saw Ranma was suddenly standing next to him again. "What, what just happened?"

"Huh? Oh, I just wanted to try one more time..."

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Kasumi looked ahead at the obstacle before her, trying to figure out how she was going to manage to get across the gap. "Would this not be easier if we were to use our hands instead?"

"Well, I suppose so, but getting up on the other side can be hard like that, and the safety cord will not reach that far..."

"Aw, but where's th' fun in that? That's too easy!" Ranma scoffed at the idea of that being a challenge.

"Easy? I suppose for you it would be, but I still need quite a bit more training before I could say that..." Kasumi looked back at the rings hanging from the ropes that filled the space between her and the next platform. "But-..."

"It just requires a light step, an' ya just gotta move fast." Quickly hopping from ring to ring, Ranma crossed, barely disturbing any of them. He moved so smoothly, it was almost as if he were incorporeal. "See, no sweat."

"Oh my." Kasumi found herself appreciating the ease with which her 'husband' navigated the divide, he really was a nimble fellow. She was suddenly curious as to how good Ranma might be as a dancing partner... She never had been given the opportunity to go to a dance when she was younger, and she had always secretly been a bit jealous of her friends in that regard. While she did not regret her choice in giving up her social and school life for her family's sake, there were still times in which she wished she could have had a more normal childhood, filled with normal activities for normal teens.

Ranma promptly crossed back over, landing by Kasumi's side. "Ya ready?"

"Oh, I- I-..." Looking up from the rings, she glanced into his eyes and was moved by the innocent elation expression staring back at her. "I guess?" Cautiously, she looked back toward the obstacle as Ranma helped her to attach her safety harness.

"There ya go, all set. Ya need me ta do anything?"

"No, no, I think I am all right... Just ...please, catch me if I fall."

"Don't ya worry, I'd never let ya get hurt, Kasumi-chan. If ya fall, I'll be down there ta catch ya, I promise."

His tone was so innocent and earnest that she was instantly reassured. "Thank you Darling, I know you are always there for me when I need you. Now, just one more thing ...for luck." Throwing her arms around him, she blushed as she kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Though he had begun to grow accustomed to the affection to some degree, it was still embarrassing, and these public displays of affection were even more so. His face reddened as he stood there, waiting for Kasumi to let go of him, and step off of the platform.

With renewed confidence, the young woman grabbed the first rope, and carefully placed her foot into the loop. This went more or less smoothly, that was until she went to move her other foot. The moment she tried to shift her weight from the platform to the rope, she almost spun out of control and it was only the harness that held her in place. "Oh my!"

Before the other man could react, Ranma was by her side, steadying her. "It's okay, I got ya."

Kasumi found herself being supported by two strong hands on her waist, and after a moment of lightheadedness, she managed to get her other foot into the awaiting circlet. "Thank you again, Darling-kun. What would I ever do without you?"

"Uh, I don't know, have a normal life maybe?"

"You saw my life before, was it what you would call 'normal'?"

"Compared to mine?"

"You make a good point... I am sorr-..."

"Hey! It ain't yer fault! But yer right, maybe it only seemed 'normal' ta me, it ain't like I got any idea, anyone who lived in a house seemed 'normal' ta me. Heh! I guess I should be th' one ta say 'sorry', huh?"

"No, no, you are not to blame either. I am much happier now."

"I guess that's why you two are perfect for each other, right?" The hint of jealousy in his voice was lost on the distracted couple.

Having forgotten that they had an audience, the pair blushed, and quickly tried to get back to what they had been doing. Ranma kept his hands on her hips to help keep her balance as she managed to get her first foot into the second ring. "Oh my, I did it!"

"See, it ain't so bad... Now ya just gotta keep doin' it 'til yer there!"

The young guide had a troubling image flash through his mind as he pictured the two of them together. "How often you have to say it like that?"

"Huh? What do ya mean?"

Afraid he might get pummeled if he tried to explain what he had just imagined, Saitama quickly tried to change the subject. "Um, I just mean, do you do stuff like this often?"

"Oh, well I'm always trainin', but Kasumi-chan just started doin' martial arts again recently, an' this is th' first time we ever did anything like this together."

Happy that his distraction worked, he decided to go with it. "How long have you been training then?"

"Oh, uh, pretty much since I was born, almost every memory I got is a' trainin'."

"Do you think-...?"

Lightly slapping the young man on the back, Ranma chuckled. "Hey man, it ain't never too late ta start ya know, an' th' harder ya work, th' stronger ya can get, ya know? That's all there is to it."

"Well, that does make sense..."

"Oh my!"

Before their guide could even blink, Ranma was back behind Kasumi, stopping her from spinning, and helping her back into the foot straps, only then noticing that something had fallen to the ground far below. "Didja drop somethin'?"

Kasumi finally realized what she was missing, and could not believe that it had managed to work free during her flailing. "Oh no, oh my, I-...!"

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" Casually, Ranma let go and sdropped straight down, vanishing through the foliage to the sound of their guide screaming. Expanding his senses, he searched for anything that resonated with Kasumi's distinct aura. He had never knew anyone whose aura stood out to him so much, it was like gazing into the heavens, and sometimes he felt that if he looked too closely, he might go blind. It may have changed over the last several months, it was brighter, ands he liked to think it was because she was no longer being forced to do all of the housework, and was able to pursue other interests, such as the training they had been doing together. He knew it was far more than her simply improving, she had been expanding her interests, and he was proud to have been able to play even a small part in that. He only wished that he could do more for her, if anyone deserved to have a happy and fulfilling life, it was Kasumi!

Gently landing in among the flora, he picked up the small item his senses had located for him, wondering why it was making a noise. The low buzzing combined with the dampness of its slick surface made it difficult to keep his grip upon it. He wiped it off before shoving it into his pocket, wondering why the vibrations made him feel a bit funny. With a mighty leap, he launched himself into the air, looking for the more sturdy branches to help him return to his awaiting companion.

"Oh my, Husband, you are back so quickly..."

"I'm sorry, but I think this might be broken, it's makin' a funny noise, and vibratin' pretty bad."

"What? Oh... Oh my, no, it is not-..." Knowing her remote had a limited range, she knew that it would not work until he had returned, and had not expected him to locate it so soon. She fumbled in her pocket, doing her best to turn off the device with much haste.

Feeling the reverberations ceasing in his pocket, he got even more worried. "Kuso! I guess it really is broke, now it ain't even makin' any noise. As he pulled it from his pocket, he looked at the words inscribed upon it. "...What's this, 'mini magic wand'? When'd ya learn magic? Ya ain't secretly a magical girl, are ya?"

Quickly snatching it out of his hands, she shoved it into her pocket before whispering into his ear, while at the same time trying to ignore the strange looks they were getting from their guide. "It is for ...uuum, massaging."

Slightly bothered by the idea that he could be out performed by a machine, he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Well, ya know, all ya gotta do is ask... I know what it's like after a workout, an' I'm a lot better 'an any old 'toy'."

Kasumi blushed even harder, not exactly certain how to explain how that might not be the best of ideas, even though she had a certain feeling that he was absolutely correct. "Well, you see... It was a, ...um, 'gift' from your mother, yes, yes. So, I could not refuse..."

Not entirely picking up on her attempted discretion, Ranma wondered how such a small thing could really be worth using, perhaps is just a 'travel sized' version... "Huh... Well, maybe ya can show me how it works later then, if it's so good."

A grin that would have looked far more at home on her younger sister Nabiki crossed her lips, and she blushed thinking about what that could entail. "Maybe I will, maybe I will..."

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-

After a quick lunch at one of the food carts, the trio moved on to the next area, their guide still unable to believe his eyes. "How can anyone eat that much, or that fast?"

"Oh? Well my husband used to have worse table manners, back when father in-law still lived with us. Trust me, this is a huge improvement."

"Like an animal, eh?"

"You have absolutely NO idea."

The expression upon Kasumi's face did nothing to calm the growing jealousy within him, though he was fairly certain that there was not a thing he could do about it, not even if he started training that day... Falling silent as he followed them to the next attraction, he found his eyes lingering, and his resolve strengthening. He would start working out at least a bit every day, not enough to kill himself, but at least enough to attract a beautiful woman like that. It was not as if he was trying to become a superhuman fighting machine, he just wanted a girlfriend! ...And a nice, steady income. He figured for him to become as skilled as this guy, he would not have time for much of anything else in his life. He liked helping people, but it was not as if he was planning to become a hero or anything... "Oh, um, so here we come to what we in the park like to call the 'Blocks of DoOoOom'!"

"Oh my."

His interest piqued, Ranma looked on curiously. "An' howz that work?"

"You will see ...once we get to the top. MuAhahahahaha! ...Sorry, we are really supposed to play up the danger on these later courses."

Not hesitating for a moment, Ranma scooped Kasumi into his arms, and quickly hopped up the rope ladder, skipping all save a few rungs.

Halfway up the ladder, Saitama still could not believe his own eyes as they 'flew' passed him, and almost fell as he leaned back to watch them land on the wooden platform far above him. "Sugoi!"

Ranma gently let Kasumi down to stand on her own feet, though her arms did not move from around his neck. "There ya are, Aisai-chan."

"Oh my, thank you, Darling-kun. However, do you not think it would be better training if I were to climb the ladder myself?"

"Oh, well, I was just tryin' ta help, but I suppose so... Did ya want me ta stop?"

"No! I ...did not say THAT. I mean, you do not need to 'stop', that is to say, it is very sweet of you to think of helping me..." Kasumi did not like putting him out, nor was she generally a fan of public displays, however, she was finding it difficult to deny how much she enjoyed being held in that way, and they WERE on vacation. ...Not to mention that it DID help with his conditioning, did it not? It was partly her duty to help make up for her family's mistake, supporting the boy as he grew more accustomed to being close to women, and she took solace in the fact that they were not in a crowded area.

Finally making it to the top of the ladder, Saitama saw what appeared to be a loving couple in a close embrace, and it both warmed his heart and his loins. "Whoa, I wonder how long that's gonna last? ...Though I do wish someone would do that with me." The young man had mumbled under his breath, not really wanting to interrupt, even if he was a bit jealous. "We do have a nice love hotel not far from here, you know?"

"Oh my! That is not, I mean, it is, but not like that..." Kasumi wanted to deny the idea that they were doing anything that required such a hotel, however as they were pretending to be a married couple, which made it difficult.

Ranma chuckled at how flustered his companion had gotten. "Now ya know how I usually feel. Guess with our friend here, we should probably move on ta th' next event. What'd ya think, 'Honey'?"

Happy to change the subject, Kasumi ignored the pet-name, and turned toward the awaiting obstacle. Aside from the familiar safety cable, there were two lengths of rope, each of them having wooden blocks 'beaded' into them at regular spacing. Each side staggered from the other for a more natural stepping progression, however, it looked like anything but a 'natural' stroll. To most people, the natural idea would be not to look down, though she was afraid that she would have trouble with her footing, and the idea of stumbling, even with the harness and Ranma to back her up, was not particularly appealing. "Oh my..."

"Ganbatte, Aisai-chan!"

Hearing him cheer for her raised her spirits, but she was uncertain how to proceed. "Do you have any advice?"

"Well, fer me, th' faster I go, th' easier it gets, can't give 'em a chance ta even know yer there."

An image of herself dressed as a cute, pink ninja speed hopping across the breach flashed through her mind. "Oh my..."

"Don't worry, Kasumi-chan, just take it easy, an' don't stress nuthin'. Ya just gotta put one foot in front a' th' other. If ya have any problems, ya can always use the ropes between the blocks, they ain't gonna spin much on ya." Stepping up behind her, Ranma pointed toward the 'bridge'. "Look, there's sections a' rope every so often ta keep 'em from swayin' too far fer ya. Is there anything I can do ta help ya?"

"You already are, just do not allow me to fall, please." As she turned her head to try and give him a pleading smile, their lips almost touched. "Oh my!" Afraid of what their guide might think of them, and their public displays of affection, she jumped back, almost falling off of the platform.

Without thinking, Ranma reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist, and preventing her from taking a very nasty tumble. "Hey, ya gotta at least wait 'til yer hooked onta th' safety line, before ya go jumpin' off. This ain't th' way ta learn roof hoppin'." Trying to reassure her with his grin, he pulled her away from the edge.

Kasumi's wide eyes took several moment to blink before she finally gasped, realizing what had almost just happened. "Thank you, Goshujin-sama! You saved me yet again..."

"Shimata!" Saitama could not believe what had almost happened right before his eyes, himself thankful for the other man's quick reflexes. Within an instant, he was on his knees, prostrating himself before the recovering couple. "Please, do not worry about me, this place is not that public, kiss all you like! It's not worth risking your life over! I won't even look! I'll just be down here when you need me..."

"Hey, ya ain't gotta do that, it ain't like we were gonna-..."

A sudden feeling came over her, she was not certain what it wasnor where it had originated, quite possibly how closely she had just come to death, but her impulsive side took control with a sardonic smile that would have done Nabiki proud. "But we could... We DO have permission, do we not ...my hero?" With a silent apology to Shampoo in her mind, she threw her arms back around his neck, guiding him so that his back was against the trunk of the tree before locking their lips together.

"MurfphfuMMmmmmm..." Ranma's resistance faded quickly, even if his danger sense did not...

Seeing a bit of the activity out of the corner of his eye, the young man rethought his possible priorities. 'I guess the life of a hero's not the worst way to go after all... This job's still a pretty good workout, but maybe if I drop my club, I can start training by running here every day after school. It's not as if the manga club is going to help me get dates, some of those guys have never even talked to a girl!'

"Oh, hey man, sorry about that, ya know how women can be, right?"

Looking up, Saitama accepted Ranma's hand to stand, a bit frustrated at the fact that he did not, in fact, 'know how women were', not that his fragile ego would allow him to admit it. "Heh. Yeah, doesn't everyone?"

The feeling of dread kept closing in on Ranma, though he had not been able to pinpoint where it originated, and he did not want to disappoint Kasumi, so he tried to push the feeling into the background. "So, let's get ya hooked up ta th' thing, 'fore ya fall fer real."

Taking a moment longer to recover from her near-death experience, Kasumi finally realized what she had just done, and felt surprisingly less bothered by it than she would have expected. Perhaps she was also had started to grow accustomed to this play acting they were doing, she did have to admit that it had been rather fun, or it could have been simply her instinctive gratitude for Ranma saving her yet again, but either way, she did not regret her actions in the slightest. "Yes, thank you, Anata, for always looking out for me."

Kasumi tried to relax as Ranma helped attach her safety harness, but she could not quell the shudders that filled her as his strong hands brushed her waist and hips, she had to fight off the desire to lean back into him, having him hold her forever. She was starting to think that perhaps she had taken this 'role playing game' too far, however she was nothing if not dedicated and true to her word, so she vowed to see this through, no matter what happened! She resisted the urge to grab his arms from behind her and wrap them around herself, instead, turning her attention back toward the current obstacle. "Oh my..."

"Hey, don't ya worry, I know ya can do it, an' I'll be right behind ya if ya need me. Ya ain't got nuthin' ta be afraid a' here. Ya trust me, don't ya?"

"More than anyone..." Glancing up from the wooden blocks, she caught Ranma's gaze, and could not look away.

"Then show me what ya can do."

Somehow she found his relaxed grin comforting, and with a newfound reassurance she faced off against her foe with determination. Carefully, she reached out with her first foot, daintily placing it upon the first hexahedron, only to have to rotate, causing her foot to slip off of it. "Oh!"

Once again, she found Ranma's strong arms wrapped around her as he lifted her back onto the safety of the platform. "Myyyy..."

"Ya gotta make sure ya hit the center of the block, if ya lean too far ta either side ...well, that happens."

Trying to be helpful, the guild tried to offer his advice. "Most people hold onto the cable with their hands..."

Kasumi had intended to do just that, though she had assumed she could have gotten one step before she would have needed the extra stability ...she was sorely disappointed in herself. Perhaps she needed to spend more time doing the various kata Ranma suggested, and less time simply meditating... With all of her years of dancing around the house, she had always thought she had a fairly well honed sense of equilibrium, but she was starting to realize how woefully inadequate her agility was in comparison. "Anata? No matter what I say at the time, make certain that I wake up to join you for your morning practice from tomorrow forward."

"Are ya sure? I get up pretty early..."

"I am aware of that, however it is not too much earlier than I usually awaken, and it seems that I am even further behind than I first thought..."

"Hey, it ain't like ya gotta worry er nuthin', I told ya, I'd always protect ya."

"As nice as it is, even as my 'husband', you cannot always be by my side, doing everything for me. I need to be able to do some things on my own as well. I will grow weaker if I do not keep active."

"I ain't sayin' that, I just mean, ya ain't gotta push yerself, I'll be there, wherever ya need me, ya can go at yer own pace."

With that, her face lit up with delight. "Oh goodie! Let us begin tomorrow then, okay?" She thought it was rather kind of Ranma to allow her to take breaks whenever she felt like it, not that she wanted special treatment. "However, I do not want you to go easy on me. You need to give me a real workout, okay?"

Kasumi practically bounced in her joy, reminding Ranma a bit of Shampoo in her excitement. "Right, but ...wait, that's not what I-." Realizing that he had been talked into a corner, he relented. "Fine, but fer now, ya oughta calm down, an' focus on th' task at hand." Nodding toward the nominal 'bridge', he tried to change the subject. "Ya ready?"

"Oh, um, yes, I-, I think that I am..." With her fresh respect for the course laid out before her, Kasumi took hold of the cable as she cautiously stepped out onto the first block again with much more success. With her confidence growing, she gingerly moved her second foot while holding onto the safety cable for dear life. "Ara, ara, ara..."

"There ya go, Aisai-chan! Ganbatte!"

Progress was slow but steady as Ranma cheered her on, step by step and block by block, with short rests in between to catch her breath, and before long, she had made it passed the half-way point. As she turned to wave, she heard the sound of rustling leaves and chittering... Before she knew it, seemingly hundreds of birds and rodents were all around her, and Ranma was already by her side, swinging around her place on the obstacle somehow without disturbing her balance in the slightest, shooing off any of the critters that got close.

Annoyed by their timing more than anything, Ranma scooped her into his arms before fumbling with the clasp on her harness. "Let's get ya out a' here, 'Sumi-chan. This ain't safe!"

As she allowed Ranma to manhandle her and threw her arms around his neck, she had to blink several times as what she thought was the same squirrel from before appear in her line of sight, and was her mind playing tricks on her, or did it seem to have weapons and warpaint? "Oh my..."

"Ya ain't got any more nuts on ya, do ya?"

They had thrown all of her 'supplies' out as a distraction last time, so she shyly shook her head. "I am sorry..."

"Damn! I thought that might be why they're still after ya... That's one smart squirrel..." As Ranma hopped over the trees, he looked for the office building. "Hey! That gives me an idea..."

Dropping to the ground, he put Kasumi inside of a phonebooth and closed the door, before he turned to face their lead pursuer. "Let's see if this works." Reaching into his surprisingly deep pockets, he pulled out a thermos, splashing the squirrel with its contents.

Both of them held their breath as they waited to see what effect it might have, and they did not have long to wait. After only a moment, the berry juice started to run, and the embarrassed and frustrated rodent ran off into the woods.

"Well, that didn't go th' way I expected..." Ranma stood there, scratching his head. "I couldn't a' sworn..."

Opening the door, Kasumi threw her arms around Ranma's neck again, looking deeply into his eyes. "Once again, you saved little old me, Goshujin-sama, you are my hero..." Just as she was about to place her lips upon his, they both turned their head toward the sound of the rest of the forest critters breaking through the trees.

Not allowing Ranma to move, Kasumi scowled their way with a chiding, "Fuuuu...", clearly displeased by the interruption, about to pull him back into the protection of the glass booth behind her.

Neither of them could believe their eyes as the entire mob turned tail and fled back into the grove.

Kasumi's mood quickly shifted to something much more pleasant, yet just as unnatural on her beauteous features. "Oh my, I suppose I get to reward my hero after all..."

Ranma could not mount any defense against being lured into the awaiting trap of the booth...

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-

Kasumi was glad to have finally gotten the rest of her souvenirs packed and ready to go home, though she had been surprised by how many Ranma had gotten, she had no idea that he liked eggs so much! The problem she faced now was that unless she wanted to buy a new one for the ride home, she only had two options, either she could wear her stained dress home, or she would have to wear one of the skimpy, silk Chinese dresses that somehow managed to find their way into her luggage. Although, considering the place their host had suggested to her, there really was no choice at all, she needed to look 'nice'.

This was how she found herself, with the okami's help, back into a light pink and blue floral dress, matching the ones she had placed in her hair. As she returned to the lobby, she noticed Ranma look stunned for a moment, and she worried if something might have happened to him. "Is something the matter Darling-kun, or do I just look that silly? I knew this was a bad idea..."

"No, it's just that, ya look ...so ...great, an' I just ain't too good with talkin' 'bout this stuff, ya know?"

"You mean, you actually 'like' me like this?" That nice lady had assured her that Ranma would be pleasantly stunned by her current appearance, however she never could have believed such a thing!

"Well, I told ya ...ya know, ya look great in anythin', but I ain't never seen anyone look that pretty before, yer gorgeous."

Blushing, the demure young woman looked away. "You are far too kind, my love."

"Ain't what most say..."

The remorse upon his face broke Kasumi's heart, particularly in light of how much her own family had been a part of crushing the free-spirited boy's self-esteem. "Oh my, Darling, the people who say that, do not know the real you."

"But-..."

"No 'buts', trust the people who know you best." The matronly young woman, gave him a gentle yet firm gaze, letting him know that she meant what she said.

"That's what I mean, like-..."

"I am not certain that my sister ever truly knew you as a person. Far too many people are blinded by their own preconceptions to see the real you."

"But-..."

"Now, I am not trying to tell you that you do not have room for self-reflection or development, none of us are perfect, however I have been watching you closely for some time now, and I believe you have a very good heart. You put others before yourself. You are willing to dive headlong into danger even for people you do not know! You are a very compassionate young man, I do not know anyone else who could tolerate even half of what I saw you putting up with. How many people would drop everything in their life to travel to another country just to help someone?"

"Well, a bunch a' us did, but it ain't like yer just anyone! How could anybody leave someone like ya in danger?"

"Technically, I was not in any actual 'danger'."

"Th' danger a' bein' kidnapped, an' forced ta marry some prince guy!"

"You mean, being swept off my feet by a prince on a white horse, and taken away from a family that did not appreciate me?" She crossed the short distance between them, batting her eyelashes, and taking his hands into hers.

"Um, well, I mean, if ya'd liked th' guy, I would'a left ya there..."

"Oh Honey, I am just teasing you, I meant you. I had never been so happy in my life as I was when I saw you and the others that day. I never thought I would see any of you again! I can never thank you enough for what you did, and yet you keep saving me over and over again. You have shown me things that I never thought possible. Being able to help you like this, makes me one of the happiest women on the planet."

"But-..."

Kasumi placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to implore him with her eyes. "No. You need to listen to me. You are not an awful person, no matter what some people might say. You deserve a good life. It is not wrong of you to want to be happy. As our friend Shampoo would say, 'no is bad to feel too too good'. You are allowed to enjoy yourself, you do not have to accept a life of torment. You can have fun."

"I know, but it ain't that easy, ya know?"

Seeing his pained expression crushed her, and she pulled his head into her bosom. "I know, I know, it can be difficult to let our pain go, but we eventually learn to move on and live our ...lives. ...Oh my."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I believe I just figured out something important."

"What's that?"

"We each need to live our lives for ourselves, and do what makes us happy. So long as we are not harming others, then we should to what we enjoy, should we not?"

"That's what I've been tryin' ta tell ya, ya should stop worryin' about me, an' do what makes Kasumi-chan happy."

"Who says that I am not?" Her sparkling smile made his protest difficult.

"But, all yer doin' now is takin' care a' me an' th' others, instead a' yer real family."

Kasumi's smile broadened. "Yes, exactly, and I have never been happier. Besides, you ARE a part of my 'real' family ...A-na-ta, and I do not want you to ever forget that. I love my father and sisters, and I always will, but I could not be happier anywhere else. I believe that even my mother would approve of my decision. You make me feel much more ...appreciated than they ever did ...not that I 'need' appreciation mind you, but it is nice to receive. Do you not think?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Ranma cocked an eyebrow, not exactly certain how to take all of that, so he focused on the part that he understood the best. "Well, all I can say is, anyone who don't appreciate ya's a fool! Don't get me wrong, I want ya ta be happy, an' I'm glad yer expandin' yer skills, it's just hard ta believe, it's weird, ya know?"

"What? You really think that I would lie to you?" Kasumi felt wounded, she was an honest person, was she not?

"If ya thought th' truth'd hurt someone's feelin's er somethin' ...maybe. I can't see ya hurtin' a bug, let alone a person."

"But- ...I mean, well, I-..." She did not have a response to that, if she really thought about it, she may have stretched the truth a bit upon occasion to spare someone's feelings, but she still would not ...'lie'. "No, not with you, not with this! Of course I do not wish to hurt your feelings, I ...I love you! You are the best thing to ever happen in my life!" Suddenly realizing what she had just said, and how it must have sounded, she started to stammer over her words. "I-, I mean ...you ...know what I mean... I only want what is best for you."

Stiffening for a moment, Ranma almost panicked, thinking that Kasumi had just confessed to him ...for real. It was only a moment later that he felt both relieved and something else, almost like someone had punched him in the gut, it was the strangest thing. It was also at that time that he became aware of their growing audience, all casually NOT looking on with great interest. "Um, yeah, me too, so um, hey, ya ready ta get out a' here, er somethin'?"

"You do? Oh my... I suppose after you then, Darling-kun." The blushing couple tried not to look as the hotel staff waved at them hurrying out of sight.

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-

After making good on their escape, Ranma paused, turning toward his accomplice. "So, where'd ya wanna go?"

Kasumi grinned to herself as she took his arm in hers. "The okami suggested a nice place to get dinner before we need to catch our train home."

"Oh, okay, sure!" He had been a bit worried she might have suggested something embarrassing, however, having a meal was an idea that could almost always get him excited, though the feeling of being watched would not leave him again.

Kasumi, already self-conscious about her looks, was painfully aware of the stares she was getting as they advanced through the crowd, feeling completely exposed in the skin-tight qipao. Following the directions she had been given, Kasumi led them to what ended up being the tallest building in the area, in hindsight, perhaps she did not need instructions that had been quite so detailed. She had never seen such an ostentatious building in her life, and surprised herself by actually wanting to enter. "Here we are, we should have a reservation, so shall we?"

"It's a bit loud, but I guess as long as th' food's good, right?"

"I have been assured that it is quite fine."

Chuckling to himself, Ranma led them toward the entrance. "Well, I can honestly already say, 'I have had worse'."

"Oh fuu... That is not nice, Darling."

"But true..."

"Oh my...!" Calming her giggles, she spoke to the doorman. "We have a table for two, under the name 'Saotome', please."

"Yer really playin' up this 'newlywed' thing, ain't ya?"

"Oh my, but it is just so much fun being 'married' to you, my love." Ranma blushed at her wink.

"Oh, you two are newlyweds? How nice! Congratulations!" Checking their name off in his book, the young man bowed to the couple.

"Thank you sir, you are too kind." Kasumi returned the bow, wanting to enjoy their little game for as long as she was able.

"Thank you, honored customers. If you will be so kind as to follow me, I will lead you to one of our more 'private' booths." Bowing again, he took two menus from his podium.

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-

"Gee, that WAS good! I ain't sure what an appy-tie-czar is, it don't sound like food, but those little things were great!"

"It is a dish to eat before the main courses of your meal."

"Do ya know how it's made? I'd like ta learn."

"I know how to make many, as for the ones you ordered, I believe I can figure it out, they did not seem too terribly complicated, a slight variation of tsukune I believe. It could take a few tries to get it to your tastes though..."

"Really? Yer just amazin', ya know that? I don't think I could figure that out just from tastin' it."

"Oh, no, not at all. I am nothing special, I am certain with some more practice, you will be far better than I ever could be."

"No way! Yer so much better 'an me, it ain't no contest! Nobody's better 'an Kasumi-sama!"

"Anyone could do what I do, I am really not that good at all, I have simply had to do it for so many years now, just copying my mother. You've only been at it a few months."

"Nah, I always had ta do th' cookin' on th' road, otherwise we'd end up with th' only thin ol' Pops can make, an' believe me, ya can only eat the same rice an' cabbage every meal fer so long, before ya learn a thing er two. After seein' how good Ucchan was at that age, I figured even I could learn somthin'..."

"You just need to think about it the right way, like a martial art."

"Well, I DO know a few people who worked it inta their art..."

"The art of filling your belly!" Kasumi giggled before taking a sip from her cup.

"The art of 'not starving', it is one of the foundations of any good school!"

"You see? It is not so hard."

"Fer most people, maybe."

"What do you mean, you do not seem to have any real difficulty learning a new recipe, in fact, you pick them up far more quickly then I ever did!"

"I'd bet, even as a kid, ya were amazin'!"

"You would be wrong on that, I can assure you. Some of my earliest attempts were almost as bad as Akane-chan."

Ranma gasped in horror. "I don't believe it, no way it could be THAT bad!"

"Oh yes, the first time I finally got it right, Father wept with joy."

"Now THAT I believe!" They shared a laugh, as they both pictured Soun's waterfall tears over Kasumi's first edible meal.

"Yes, Father had been emotional ever since we lost mother, but that was the first time since that day that they were not tears of sorrow, so I could not have been happier that day. From then on, I threw everything I had into trying to keep everyone smiling, which can be more difficult than you might think..."

Seeing her mood shift, he figured it was his turn to try to save her smile. "Hey, ya did th' best ya could, ain't no kid ready ta handle that kind a responsibility, all a' a sudden. No offense, but even more 'an th' forced engagement, the fact that yer dad push all that onta ya as a kid, always really got me steamed. Ya should a' never had ta deal with all that, it ain't right!"

"But ...I like helping-..."

"Yeah, an' that's fine an' all, but what kind a' adult makes a kid do everything? It's one thing ta help, it's somethin' else ta have ta to it all without anyone helpin' ya. Even my pops didn't do that!"

"It is all right, I have people who will help me now, and I am just glad to be around people who treat me as more as a person than a home fixture."

"Yeah, that's what I meant, it's why I started helpin' ya, SOMEONE had ta do it!"

"And 'that' is what 'I' meant, you have a kind heart, you are a good person."

"I don't know, maybe, sometimes, but it ain't like I'm a saint, ya know...?"

Kasumi could see the shame written plainly on his face. "None of us are perfect."

"Yer the most perfect person I know."

"Oh no, I have made many mistakes in my life as well. Some very large and costly ones in fact..."

"Like what? ...Oh, I guess I shouldn't ask, that really ain't polite."

"No, it is fine, you do not have to worry about being 'polite' with me. I want you to know you can ask me anything. My biggest regret is helping to force you and Akane-chan together, as well as not listening to your side as often as I should have. It was selfish of me, and it was not fair ...to either of you."

"Hey, it was a weird day, I don't blame ya, this stupid curse is weird, and freaky, who wouldn't freak out?"

"It might be unusual, but I no longer find it 'weird', it does not 'freak me out', no matter what, I only see the same, sweet person, and I am not the only one. We should have given you a chance, given you time to get settled, and given us all time to adjust, but our fathers pushed, and we ran away..."

"Hey, hey, hey, no need ta get upset, I told ya, I don't blame ya. Any normal person'd be weirded out."

Kasumi took a moment to calm herself, trying to suppress her guilt. "We all make mistakes, but the fact that we regret our actions is a good thing, and it shows that we want to be better people. What is important is that we do not deny our mistakes, but we learn from them instead, and that we do everything we can to correct them. As long as we try to do everything we can to make up for those errors, and most importantly, not repeat them, then we can hold our heads a bit higher. As long as we always strive to be better people, then we can take pride in what we do. Our mistakes do not define us, it is how we correct them that matters."

Ranma's mood and head drooped. "Then, what I gotta do ta make up fer all a' these engagements?"

"How many of them are you 'truly' responsible for getting started?"

"None of um, not really, maybe Shampoo's I guess, in a way, but Pops started eatin' first, an' it ain't like I knew those stupid rules a' theirs! I guess it ain't like we really listened ta th' guide er nuthin', but who could'a guessed they'd take it THAT badly?"

"Then, I suppose that the two of you need to sit down, and talk about how you can work things out. I am certain you can come up with something that will make both of you happy."

"I don't know, Shampoo ain't th' easiest person ta talk ta, ya know?"

"I have never found it terribly difficult, do you wish for me to help you?"

"Would ya?" His eyes lip up at the thought.

"Of course! I will help you do anything, you only need to ask."

"Oh, wow, hey, Kasumi-chan, what can I do ta thank ya?"

"The only thing that I would like for you to do, is for you to be happy, and perhaps..." Scooting closer to him in the booth, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "...keep doing your 'homework'."

"Uuuummm, 'kay." Knowing how this normally went, Ranma settled in for what he anticipated to be the long haul.

Feeling his comforting arms surround her, she let out a low sigh while laying her head on his shoulder. "You know, I actually had a second reason for coming here, I hope that you do not find it terribly deceptive of me..."

"What'd ya mean?"

"Well, please promise me that you will not reject me right away..."

"What'd ya mean? Who could say 'no' ta ya?"

"I do not care about anyone else, I just do not want you to think badly of me for asking this..."

"That ain't possible! I could never think badly a' ya!"

"That is nice of you to say, but you may not feel the same way after I ask."

"What could it be?"

"Upstairs, they have a ...place for dancing, and ...I-would-like-it-very-much-if-you-would-allow-me-to-have-this-dance-please!"

She had spoken so quickly that Ranma had trouble making out what she had asked him, and while he knew nothing of dancing, he could not resist her puppy-dog eyes. "I-, I- guess, but, I-, I don't know how..." He held the slimmest of hopes that she might grant him a reprieve, though that was soon dashed to pieces.

"There is no need to worry, it does not need to be complicated, and it is not as if I have ever been either, that is why I asked. We can just take it slow, as I will show you what little I know, is that all right?"

"I guess so..." Her features shifted from hopeful to overflowing gratitude, giving Ranma the reassurance that he did not make the wrong choice, even if it might be embarrassing. Her stunning smile sent a warmth throughout his body, where it filled his chest and tightened around his heart, making it hard to move. No matter what else happened, seeing her that happy made anything worth while.

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"See, this is not so bad, right?" Resting her head upon his shoulder, they held each other closely and rocked with the slow music.

"Naw, I guess not..." It was not as if it were difficult to do, it was just the idea of being this close to someone in public was embarrassing, and for some reason was still making nervous for another reason, as if all eyes were on them and he expected his danger sense to scream at him at any moment.

"Please, just try to relax, and let the music flow through you."

"Humm..." Glancing around the room, he saw that each of the other couples were moving so that their feet would touch down in time to the beats in the music, some more effectively than others, and he did his best to follow suit, as if it were a kata.

Kasumi noticed that Ranma had been growing more confident with each passing step and it did not take long before he was leading her! It was as if one of her old dreams had been brought to life, Ranma was so strong, comforting, and light on his feet that she almost felt as if she were floating. She barely noticed as the music switched tempo, though it came as a bit of a shock when they were no longer dancing cheek to cheek, however she did her best to follow in step, made all the more difficult by her skin tight dress.

She managed to shimmy and shake as well as most of the other dancers, loving it when Ranma would pull her in closely, and a bit crestfallen each time their bodies would part. Though that slight disappointment did little to detract from her overall elation at the sheer fact that she was out dancing with her hu-... friend, no, younger brother, yes, that was better! She would need to stop thinking of him as her 'husband' very soon, and go back to the way they were, this was only for appearance sake, and his training after all.

"Hey, what's wrong Aisai-chan, ain't ya havin' fun no more?"

"Oh, no, this is wonderful ...Anata. I really appreciate you humoring me like this."

"Don't worry about it, it's actually pretty fun, and good exercise. Maybe we should add it as part of our trainin', what ya think?"

Blushing as she thought about them doing this every day, she had to shake the images from her head to focus on the 'here and now'. "I believe the others would be jealous..." Not wanting to completely give up on the idea, Ranma should have other interests after all, she quickly amended her statement. "...If you do not at least include them as well."

"Oh yeah, ya got a point, I almost forgot about th' others..." Ranma looked a bit sheepish before his sly grin took over with a light chuckle. "It's almost too bad we gotta go back, huh?"

"Oh my!" Kasumi blushed again as she pictured them running away to elope just like in one of the many stories she had read. "What-, whatever could you mean?"

"Well, ya know, it's just so peaceful, no arguin', er bickerin', ain't nobody tryin' ta tell us what ta do er nothin', ya know? We can just have fun, study new stuff, an' all that, train as hard as we want! Don't ya think that'd be nice?"

"Oh my..." Flashes of the 'training' they had been doing on their trip ran through her mind, particularly one particularly long session the night before that Ranma himself was not aware, causing her already flush skin to grow a brighter shade of pink. "Yes, I do believe that it might, but..."

"Yeah, I know, but hey, we can dream, right? Just travelin' around, goin' anywhere we want, not havin' ta worry 'bout nuthin'." Ranma grin filled his face as he got a far off look on his chiseled features.

"Well, you do paint a nice picture, that dose sound like fun, however, I do not know that I would want to hike everywhere, all of the time."

"Well, we could work on your jumping, it is a lot faster than hiking. ...Oh, wait, I keep forgettin' yer afraid a' height, ain't ya, I'm sorry! If ya want ta talk about it...?"

"Oh no! I'm not ...'afraid'!" He chose that moment to pull her closer again, and as she felt his arms envelope her, the words slipped out. "I think I just ...prefer it when you carry me. ...Oh, oh my!" Kasumi was so eager to sooth his guilt, she forgot to keep her own dirty little secret.

"Huh? Ya don't wanna learn?"

"Oh my, no! I am sorry, I do not mean it like that, I really do want to learn, but I- ...I am SO sorry, I just can't help it, I like it when you carry me! It reminds me of a long time ago, when things were much happier, for everyone of us. Back when I did not have to worry about anything beyond having fun, playing with my friends, and obeying my parents. Everything was so simple, and I just felt so ...safe!" The words have just flowed out of her, she had barely even realized that she was speaking. Feelings that she had barely even been aware of having, now laid bare, and hanging in the air between them.

"No, hey, I'm th' one that should be sorry, I didn't know, I didn't mean ta pry. Hey, it ain't like I mind ya know, I'll carry ya anywhere ya wanna go, anytime ya want, okay? Ya ain't gotta worry about nuthin', I want ya ta feel safe too. 'Sides, yer pops'd kill me, if I ever let ya git hurt!"

"It is not as if my father could beat you, I think we both know that."

"If I let ya get hurt, I'd deserve every bit of it."

"I do not want you to get hurt on my account though! You do not deserve it!"

"Hey, don't worry about it, I'm used to it, an' I heal fast."

"I know, but that does not make it right! I want you to promise me, that you will not EVER do that!"

"I'm sorry, I'd do almost anythin' ya ask, but that's one thing I can't promise ya, cause if yer in trouble, I'd do anythin' I could ta save ya. ...No matter what it took."

"But I-..."

"I couldn't talk myself out of it if I wanted ta. I think th' song's about over, ya ready?"

"For what?" Kasumi was still reeling from the blow to the gut that she felt every time she remembered Ranma getting beaten by Kirin to rescue her, when Ranma suddenly changed topics on her.

"Hold yer skirt, I'm gonna toss ya inta th' air like some a' those other guys, but don't ya worry, like I said, I promise ya, I will 'never' let ya get hurt, okay?" Seeing her timid nod, Ranma was as good as his word.

Kasumi managed to hold in her 'Eeeep!', and hold down her dress as she flew high enough to see the individual paint strokes in the ceiling. Her heart leaped into her throat as she began her descent, wishing she had buckled her seatbelt! She had virtually no awareness of anything else beyond her heartbeat. Just as she expected to 'splat' on the dancefloor, she found herself resting gently in Ranma's arms, their faces mere centimeters apart. Without thinking, she brought their lips together to complete the embrace.

Remembering what she said, he did not put her down as he made his way toward the back of the room. "See, I told ya I'd do anythin' ta keep ya safe. Ya ain't gotta worry 'bout nuthin'." Suddenly the feeling of being watched shifted. "Oh ...crap!"

"Is that so, Twinkle-Toes?" They looked up to see two burly men, each over two meters tall, stand as they passed by their table.

"How about ya give us yer wallet then, Playboy?" Flicking out their switchblade knives, the pair began to advance.

Positioning himself between Kasumi and the two unsavory gentlemen, Ranma stepped forward. "Sorry, I ain't got one, but I'll tell ya what, ya leave th' girl alone, an' I won't hurt ya ...too badly." Ranma aura flared up, and the two large men, feeling the intense heat combined with the cold look of death, turned tail and fled only to find their path blocked by the glowing young man.

With nowhere to go, they stepped back into a fighting stance only to find that their tiny knives had been broken, and they were no longer on their feet. Within a moment Ranma had tied them up in their own clothing, and had asked the doorman to call the police.

"Hey, I told ya not ta worry, wimps like that can't hurt th' great Ranma Saotome!"

Despite the danger, his bravado made her giggle as she looked as his expression. "Well, either way, we ought to hurry, we cannot have 'The Great Ranma Saotome' miss a train..."

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BONUS OMAKE: Magical Housewife Kasumi

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After getting settled into their seats, Kasumi fell asleep in the arms of her temporary husband for the last time as the train began to move.

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{It is said by some that during one person's life, there will be many who can change your destiny. I did not believe that, that was until I met my husband, Ranma Saotome, Monster Hunter extraordinaire.}

Kasumi and Ranma walked arm in arm down a dark alley, with construction equipment in the lots on either side. "Do you really think we are in the right place, Anata?"

{Now we find ourselves wandering together, in search of those who might do the innocent harm.}

"Yeah, I can sense it nearby, I know just where to find them, get ready..." They did not get much further before they heard something that sounded wet, like Jell-O slopping around as they were almost deafened by a groaning much like groaning metal. "There it is, RUN!"

Kasumi ducked around the corner as she watched Ranma dash toward the sounds as the horrific beast came into view. "Oh my..."

{Despite how many people we have helped, things are not always as they appear.}

Ranma ran in where he saw several young woman trapped in the tentacles of the gelatinous beast. Working quickly, he slashed through a number of tendrils, freeing the naked ladies, and helping them get to safety while the creature was writhing in pain.

{I have a secret, my magnificent husband has never actually beaten a monster!}

Before he had gotten far, the tentacles had wrapped around him, dragging him back toward the belly of the beast.

{It was actually I, who defeated them, but not as the simple dedicated bride you see before you, no.}

Looking around to make certain that no one was watching her, Kasumi blushed as she reached between her legs to extract a small metal 'wand'.

{For once I extract my henshin rod and say the magical phrase, I transform.}

"Guardian Vibrator, stir-up the storm and summon 'Magical Housewife Kasumi'!" Surrounded by a flash of light, and enough sparkles to make a fairy jealous, her usual clothing was replaced by that of a dominatrix, complete with stiletto-heels, and a mask. She spun around, once again blushing at how revealing her outfit was.

Raising her vibrator into the air, she flew into the sky, and toward the sounds of battle. Arriving just in time to see a female Ranma get knocked unconscious, she flew in to pull the cursed boy free. "You are safe now, Citizen!"

Seeing that Ranma seemed to not be too hurt, she turned back to face the rape monster, with a glare typically reserved for abusive parents and pandas. She flew back into the air as as the phallic-like appendaged came toward her. "I hold no enmity against those coerced into evil, but for those vile beings who abuse the innocent and hurt my baby, I shall be your destroyer! I call upon the powers of Double-D sized batteries to infuse me with your power!" The sky lit up with electricity converging on her metal vibrator, until she aimed it at the magical beast when it got the last shock of its life. "Pika-Pi-Pika-Chuuuuuu!"

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"Almost naked by moonlight,

Making love by daylight,

Never dressed in a real fight,

She is the Magical Kasumi!"

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NOTES

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As for the Vacation to Hakone, the ryokan I used there was a mixture of several others from there, and the Forest Park I used was loosely based on one that would not be built in reality for many years to come. The club, I just made up, I could not even find if they had one in that town, never mind a proper example of one that fit the bill, so I just made one up, since I thought it might be a fun idea. I can see Kasumi, almost as much as Nabiki, appreciating a guy who can dance.

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So, this is the end of our hero's vacation, and now back to the daily grind, but will everything go back exactly the way it was? Tune in next time for, 'Dancing with the Devil in the Pale Moonlight', or ''Pounding Pickpockets', and find out!