~~~~~~~
Part 2: Of Minako and Men
Disclaimer: Ranma and Sailor Moon aren't mine,
but nobody else was crazy enough to
try to write this particular story except me. ^_^
-Shade
~~~~~~~
Ranma smiled as he walked back
toward the Tendo household. Today
had been the best day of his life.
He hadn't felt this good since...
since...
...since Ucchan.
A friend.
Finally, after so many failed attempts
he'd found a real friend at last.
And maybe someday...something more.
Nothing could spoil his mood at the moment.
*Splash*
Well...almost nothing.
The pigtailed red-head shot a dirty look at the old lady,
she was STILL cleaning the sidewalk at this hour?!
She (formerly he) started to walk away, then paused
in midstride as an idea hit her. This Horse was
through with letting people ride her into the dirt
and just letting them get away with it.
It was payback time...
~~~~~
Ranma pressed herself against the wall
surrounding the house to avoid detection.
Grinning mischieviously she hefted a bucket
of cold water she'd gotten from a garden hose,
listening carefully for the sounds of her
target on the other side of the stone wall.
Heave-ho!
*Splash*
An old woman screamed in utter
outrage as she was drenched
by an icy downpour.
The pigtailed girl clapped a hand over
her mouth to keep her laughter from escaping
and giving away her location as she ran off.
Revenge was sweet.
~~~~~~~
The Tendo household was concerned, where was Ranma?
Akane had arrived earlier saying that "the Baka"
had been delayed and would probably be coming back
later. The hours had passed, dinner came and went
and still no Ranma.
Kasumi had put aside part of the meal for
him despite Genma's protests. Even Akane was
starting to worry as guilt over her earlier
actions began to set in. She'd left him behind
when she knew he couldn't walk, could something
have happened to him?! Maybe she should go out
to look for that jerk and yell at him for making them worry!!
Just as Akane sprang up to tell her father that she
was going out to look for her not-fiancee (she didn't
really care about him, but it just wasn't right to leave
him out there) a cheerful and badly out of tune whistling
floated up from the front door.
~~~~~~~
-A short while later
"How dare you worry your father like that Ranma! That kind
of irresponsible behavior is a disgrace to the Saotome family!!"
Nod.
*Mumble, mumble*
Nod again.
"Pay attention!!!"
The younger Saotome was occupied with matters
of a more important nature, namely feeding the
black hole laughingly referred to as his stomach.
This lecture had been going on ever since he'd set
foot back in the Tendo residence, but experience had
taught him how to tune out the old man's irritating
voice. After a quick "Hello" to Kasumi and the
wonderful discovery that she'd saved him some of
dinner for him he'd gotten right down to business.
Fifteen minutes later the edge had been taken off his hunger
and he felt much better.
"Thanks a lot Kasumi. I really needed that,
it's been one heck of a day."
Ranma shot her a grateful smile that seemed to light
up the room. That was the straw that broke the back
of the anorexic camel of restraint.
"YOU JERK!!! First you get us all worried and now
you're FLIRTING with my sister!!! Keep your perversions
away from Kasumi!!!"
"Knock it off ya stupid tomboy, it was your fault I'm late!"
Akane's fist rocketed out. Her method of winning an
argument wasn't logically sound but very effective
none the less.
*POW*
A sharp flash of pain to his forehead was
the last thing Ranma felt before he collapsed.
Genma took this oppertunity to make off
with his son's dinner and devour it before
anyone could stop him.
Seeing that he wasn't going to be waking up anytime
soon the rest of the household left the unconscious martial
artist where he was at Genma's insistance "to toughen the
boy up". That didn't stop Kasumi from covering him up with
a warm blanket for the night, or Nabiki from rooting around
in his pants (get your heads out of the gutter!) for enough
yen to pay for the old pillow she slipped under the large
lump protruding from the pigtailed boy's thick skull.
"He never learns. Akane's definitely
going to be wearing the pants in their
marriage."
Well, as long as she got paid it was none of her business...
"Nabiki! It's not nice to say things like that."
Kasumi shot her mercenary sister a disapproving look.
"Well Tendo, it looks like the sparks between our children
are heating up, they'll be married in no time!"
"Yes Saotome, soon our dream of uniting the schools
will at last be fullfilled!"
Tears of joy poured forth from Soun's eyes.
Once the sake was produced there was no going back.
~~~~~~~
Gurgles of nausea erupted forth as the viewers
were put through the Anything Goes Singing and
Drinking Chorus Line.
"What reality are those two morons living in?"
"Even the Gods don't know that one."
The Guardian felt a need to pay tribute to the
porcelain goddess. Bad enough that they were already
pulling out microphones, but Disco?!
"Somebody smite them, please!"
~~~~~~~~~~
The changes in the timeline started to snowball...
That last punch had been the final blow.
The emotional credit limit of one Ranma Saotome
for one Akane Tendo had just been reached and
overextended. The act of kindness that would
have pulled it back into the black and trapped
the boy in an unhappy fate was not delivered this
time.
In hopes of having her as a friend Ranma had
given Akane a *huge* starting balance of emotional
credit when they first met (the equivalent of a
platinum card). But over a short amount of time her
childish temper tantrums and cruel abuse had used up
all of that initial sum and more. Lots more, so much
that even if Akane had been able to breathe from the
top of head she'd *still* have been in the red.
The first required payments to keep the account active
had been made by Genma and Soun, their insistance on the
engagement being a matter of honor had just been able to
satisfy the first interest payment incurred. But the
principal of the debt had still remained. And without
any positive deposits, not even a single kind word or
smile from the Tendo girl, Ranma's heart had no choice
but to shut the account down.
Meanwhile, a new account had just
been opened for one Minako Aino.
*Her* account was starting firmly in the black....
~~~~~~~~
Of some importance later on but not having anything
to do with what was happening right now was the first meeting
between Usagi Tsukino and a black cat with a crescent moon on
its forehead had just taken place on the same day.
The white cat with the crecent moon on its forehead
on the other hand did have an immediate bearing on
the story at hand so while a certain martial artist visited
"la la" land the scene shifted toward a certain girl's bedroom
where Artemis was giving his charge a long and very through
lecture on why it was dangerous to even think of getting in a
relationship with anyone at the present time.
"Blahblah...It's too dangerous...
Yakkity yack...You can't afford to
relax your guard...Etc...etc....
remember what happened last time?
Minako? Minako?! MINAKO!!!"
The attractive blonde he was addressing
was busy hugging a stuffed teddy bear to
her chest as she lay in her bed and
replaying that run in with that boy again.
Her smile seemed to have an extra glow to it,
one that had been missing for weeks ever
since she had returned from England.
"He had such dreamy eyes...Did you say something Artemis?"
*SPLAT*
After picking himself up from his facefault the cat leaped
up to reach an equal level with the daydreaming girl's head.
That was one of the drawbacks of his feline form, how could
anyone expect to take you seriously when they had to always
look down at you?
"You are not going to see that guy, whatshisname again. Understand?"
"Ranma Aino...not bad...Minako Saotome...
that has a nice ring to it."
Veins started to throb and bulge on his head as
the cat guardian began to hyperventilate. This
was getting out of hand!
"MINA!"
"I'm kidding Artemis. Sheesh, you're no fun at all.
It's not like the world is going to end if I just happen
to make a friend here. And as for what happens later...
well, who can say?"
"Nothing is going to happen, that's what! We have a very
important mission, remember!!"
"I know, I know. Protect the world from the evil
Negaverse. Honestly, that doesn't mean I can't
have a life as well!"
Artemis wisely decided not to argue
with that last part right now.
First things first.
"What's gotten into you Mina?!
You're not acting like yourself!!"
"What are you talking about Artemis?
I feel fine....just so much more alive now."
"See! that guy's already having a bad influence!"
"I told you already, all we did was talk. Ranma's really a
very nice person at heart. It's not his fault that he's scared of
cats. You really shouldn't have teased him, maybe an apology is
in order."
"Me?! Apologize to that...that...scoundrel?!"
"Why Artemis, you sound almost...jealous."
Sometimes even a prissy cat guardian needed
to be taken down a peg or two.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS!!!"
Minako's laughter rang like a melody of fine
silver bells, a innocent sweetness that was
pleasing to the ears and uplifting to the spirit.
However, for a certain moon cat it was pure torture.
~~~~~~~
-The next day
*CRASH**POW*SMASH*
*CRUNCH**SNAP**POP*
[I give up! I give up!]
"I'm not finished yet Pop! Take that!"
Ranma grabbed the wooden sign that his father
turned panda had been waving around and beaned
him a good one with it.
*KLONK*
*SPLOOSH*
Landing on one of the rocks bordering the koi pond,
the pigtailed boy shot his unconscious opponent an
angry glare before stepping toward the house to
get ready for *ugh* school.
"Feeling better Ranma?"
"Not really Kasumi. Stupid old man would have
to go and eat my dinner and leave me out cold in
the dining room."
"I'm sure things will turn out all right
in the end. By the way, breakfast is ready.
I made extra helpings since I knew you'd be
hungry once you woke up."
"Thanks a lot Kasumi!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An arrow hissed through
the air before missing its
intended target.
Somewhere nearby a demon started swearing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When he didn't immediately go
charging in to eat Kasumi looked
quizzically at him. Although he
had only been here for a few days
she knew that this was not like him at all.
Something seemed different about him today...
She couldn't quite put her finger on
it but it was almost as if...
As if...
"Um...Kasumi."
"Yes Ranma?"
"Did you put that blanket on me?"
"Yes I did, why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason. I just wanted
to...um...thank you."
Was he...blushing? What could that possibly mean?
"You see I'm not really used to, um....I mean...that it's
that not many people have ever really done something
nice like that for me before..."
"But surely your father..."
He started to snort in digust
but then changed his mind and
just looked her straight in
the eye.
"Oh...I see...he wouldn't, would he..."
Silently he shook his head.
"So anyway, uh...that's all I had to say...um...."
~~~~~~
A second arrow whizzed by.
It was a doozy.
That was when the demon started cursing up a storm.
It actually did succeed in calling one up,
but the cloud refused to rain on anyone
except him.
~~~~~~
For a moment Ranma raised his head and
looked at her as if he wanted to say
something more. Then the moment passed
and the martial artist ran off to the
breakfast table.
"Oh my, what was that all about?"
If she didn't know better she could have sworn that...
~~~~~~
Ranma silently cursed himself for his cowardice.
What had come over him? He'd just been thanking
her when something had caused him to take a second
look at the eldest Tendo daughter. He'd never realized
exactly how pretty she really was before. It was as if he'd
been wearing a blindfold for the past few days and had just
removed it this morning. Then when he'd been about to tell
her that he'd decided he was not going to go through with this
engagement with Akane he just couldn't do it. Kasumi was so
nice and considerate that she didn't deserve to be hurt by his
decision and its consequences. Or at least that was what
he kept telling himself.
Maybe after school was over he could find Mina-chan again.
That thought cheered him up immediately. But he'd have to take
extra precautions to keep the curse a secret, that had been one
thing he'd left out of yesterday's chat. Ranma hated having to
hide the truth from Minako but he didn't have a choice as he saw it.
He didn't want her to think he was a weirdo or some kind of pervert.
Once he was sure that she could accept him as he was, that she
wouldn't reject him because the difference a few degrees in
the temperature of any water contacting him made...then he'd
tell her all of it.
Till then, he'd just make sure to watch out
for cold water when he was with her.
It was a perfect plan.
Nothing could go wrong.
And pigs would sprout wings and migrate to Canada.
~~~~~~~~~
"He really thinks that stalling will make it easier? That never works!"
The Bard wasn't quite as dumb as everyone thought he was.
"This is going to get ugly."
Rowan sighed, he'd been in the same situation once before.
It was better to just get it over with, waiting would just make
things worse.
"50 gold coins say that he can't keep
her from finding out for more then a week."
"You're on, Shadow."
The Guardian couldn't resist a smug grin.
This was one bet he couldn't lose!
Of course that was what he'd thought the last
ten thousand times too.
~~~~~~~~~~
-Somewhere, Somewhen
Sailor Pluto felt the first
signs of a major migraine forming.
It was going to be one of *those* milleniums.
(to be continued)
Part 2: Of Minako and Men
Disclaimer: Ranma and Sailor Moon aren't mine,
but nobody else was crazy enough to
try to write this particular story except me. ^_^
-Shade
~~~~~~~
Ranma smiled as he walked back
toward the Tendo household. Today
had been the best day of his life.
He hadn't felt this good since...
since...
...since Ucchan.
A friend.
Finally, after so many failed attempts
he'd found a real friend at last.
And maybe someday...something more.
Nothing could spoil his mood at the moment.
*Splash*
Well...almost nothing.
The pigtailed red-head shot a dirty look at the old lady,
she was STILL cleaning the sidewalk at this hour?!
She (formerly he) started to walk away, then paused
in midstride as an idea hit her. This Horse was
through with letting people ride her into the dirt
and just letting them get away with it.
It was payback time...
~~~~~
Ranma pressed herself against the wall
surrounding the house to avoid detection.
Grinning mischieviously she hefted a bucket
of cold water she'd gotten from a garden hose,
listening carefully for the sounds of her
target on the other side of the stone wall.
Heave-ho!
*Splash*
An old woman screamed in utter
outrage as she was drenched
by an icy downpour.
The pigtailed girl clapped a hand over
her mouth to keep her laughter from escaping
and giving away her location as she ran off.
Revenge was sweet.
~~~~~~~
The Tendo household was concerned, where was Ranma?
Akane had arrived earlier saying that "the Baka"
had been delayed and would probably be coming back
later. The hours had passed, dinner came and went
and still no Ranma.
Kasumi had put aside part of the meal for
him despite Genma's protests. Even Akane was
starting to worry as guilt over her earlier
actions began to set in. She'd left him behind
when she knew he couldn't walk, could something
have happened to him?! Maybe she should go out
to look for that jerk and yell at him for making them worry!!
Just as Akane sprang up to tell her father that she
was going out to look for her not-fiancee (she didn't
really care about him, but it just wasn't right to leave
him out there) a cheerful and badly out of tune whistling
floated up from the front door.
~~~~~~~
-A short while later
"How dare you worry your father like that Ranma! That kind
of irresponsible behavior is a disgrace to the Saotome family!!"
Nod.
*Mumble, mumble*
Nod again.
"Pay attention!!!"
The younger Saotome was occupied with matters
of a more important nature, namely feeding the
black hole laughingly referred to as his stomach.
This lecture had been going on ever since he'd set
foot back in the Tendo residence, but experience had
taught him how to tune out the old man's irritating
voice. After a quick "Hello" to Kasumi and the
wonderful discovery that she'd saved him some of
dinner for him he'd gotten right down to business.
Fifteen minutes later the edge had been taken off his hunger
and he felt much better.
"Thanks a lot Kasumi. I really needed that,
it's been one heck of a day."
Ranma shot her a grateful smile that seemed to light
up the room. That was the straw that broke the back
of the anorexic camel of restraint.
"YOU JERK!!! First you get us all worried and now
you're FLIRTING with my sister!!! Keep your perversions
away from Kasumi!!!"
"Knock it off ya stupid tomboy, it was your fault I'm late!"
Akane's fist rocketed out. Her method of winning an
argument wasn't logically sound but very effective
none the less.
*POW*
A sharp flash of pain to his forehead was
the last thing Ranma felt before he collapsed.
Genma took this oppertunity to make off
with his son's dinner and devour it before
anyone could stop him.
Seeing that he wasn't going to be waking up anytime
soon the rest of the household left the unconscious martial
artist where he was at Genma's insistance "to toughen the
boy up". That didn't stop Kasumi from covering him up with
a warm blanket for the night, or Nabiki from rooting around
in his pants (get your heads out of the gutter!) for enough
yen to pay for the old pillow she slipped under the large
lump protruding from the pigtailed boy's thick skull.
"He never learns. Akane's definitely
going to be wearing the pants in their
marriage."
Well, as long as she got paid it was none of her business...
"Nabiki! It's not nice to say things like that."
Kasumi shot her mercenary sister a disapproving look.
"Well Tendo, it looks like the sparks between our children
are heating up, they'll be married in no time!"
"Yes Saotome, soon our dream of uniting the schools
will at last be fullfilled!"
Tears of joy poured forth from Soun's eyes.
Once the sake was produced there was no going back.
~~~~~~~
Gurgles of nausea erupted forth as the viewers
were put through the Anything Goes Singing and
Drinking Chorus Line.
"What reality are those two morons living in?"
"Even the Gods don't know that one."
The Guardian felt a need to pay tribute to the
porcelain goddess. Bad enough that they were already
pulling out microphones, but Disco?!
"Somebody smite them, please!"
~~~~~~~~~~
The changes in the timeline started to snowball...
That last punch had been the final blow.
The emotional credit limit of one Ranma Saotome
for one Akane Tendo had just been reached and
overextended. The act of kindness that would
have pulled it back into the black and trapped
the boy in an unhappy fate was not delivered this
time.
In hopes of having her as a friend Ranma had
given Akane a *huge* starting balance of emotional
credit when they first met (the equivalent of a
platinum card). But over a short amount of time her
childish temper tantrums and cruel abuse had used up
all of that initial sum and more. Lots more, so much
that even if Akane had been able to breathe from the
top of head she'd *still* have been in the red.
The first required payments to keep the account active
had been made by Genma and Soun, their insistance on the
engagement being a matter of honor had just been able to
satisfy the first interest payment incurred. But the
principal of the debt had still remained. And without
any positive deposits, not even a single kind word or
smile from the Tendo girl, Ranma's heart had no choice
but to shut the account down.
Meanwhile, a new account had just
been opened for one Minako Aino.
*Her* account was starting firmly in the black....
~~~~~~~~
Of some importance later on but not having anything
to do with what was happening right now was the first meeting
between Usagi Tsukino and a black cat with a crescent moon on
its forehead had just taken place on the same day.
The white cat with the crecent moon on its forehead
on the other hand did have an immediate bearing on
the story at hand so while a certain martial artist visited
"la la" land the scene shifted toward a certain girl's bedroom
where Artemis was giving his charge a long and very through
lecture on why it was dangerous to even think of getting in a
relationship with anyone at the present time.
"Blahblah...It's too dangerous...
Yakkity yack...You can't afford to
relax your guard...Etc...etc....
remember what happened last time?
Minako? Minako?! MINAKO!!!"
The attractive blonde he was addressing
was busy hugging a stuffed teddy bear to
her chest as she lay in her bed and
replaying that run in with that boy again.
Her smile seemed to have an extra glow to it,
one that had been missing for weeks ever
since she had returned from England.
"He had such dreamy eyes...Did you say something Artemis?"
*SPLAT*
After picking himself up from his facefault the cat leaped
up to reach an equal level with the daydreaming girl's head.
That was one of the drawbacks of his feline form, how could
anyone expect to take you seriously when they had to always
look down at you?
"You are not going to see that guy, whatshisname again. Understand?"
"Ranma Aino...not bad...Minako Saotome...
that has a nice ring to it."
Veins started to throb and bulge on his head as
the cat guardian began to hyperventilate. This
was getting out of hand!
"MINA!"
"I'm kidding Artemis. Sheesh, you're no fun at all.
It's not like the world is going to end if I just happen
to make a friend here. And as for what happens later...
well, who can say?"
"Nothing is going to happen, that's what! We have a very
important mission, remember!!"
"I know, I know. Protect the world from the evil
Negaverse. Honestly, that doesn't mean I can't
have a life as well!"
Artemis wisely decided not to argue
with that last part right now.
First things first.
"What's gotten into you Mina?!
You're not acting like yourself!!"
"What are you talking about Artemis?
I feel fine....just so much more alive now."
"See! that guy's already having a bad influence!"
"I told you already, all we did was talk. Ranma's really a
very nice person at heart. It's not his fault that he's scared of
cats. You really shouldn't have teased him, maybe an apology is
in order."
"Me?! Apologize to that...that...scoundrel?!"
"Why Artemis, you sound almost...jealous."
Sometimes even a prissy cat guardian needed
to be taken down a peg or two.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS!!!"
Minako's laughter rang like a melody of fine
silver bells, a innocent sweetness that was
pleasing to the ears and uplifting to the spirit.
However, for a certain moon cat it was pure torture.
~~~~~~~
-The next day
*CRASH**POW*SMASH*
*CRUNCH**SNAP**POP*
[I give up! I give up!]
"I'm not finished yet Pop! Take that!"
Ranma grabbed the wooden sign that his father
turned panda had been waving around and beaned
him a good one with it.
*KLONK*
*SPLOOSH*
Landing on one of the rocks bordering the koi pond,
the pigtailed boy shot his unconscious opponent an
angry glare before stepping toward the house to
get ready for *ugh* school.
"Feeling better Ranma?"
"Not really Kasumi. Stupid old man would have
to go and eat my dinner and leave me out cold in
the dining room."
"I'm sure things will turn out all right
in the end. By the way, breakfast is ready.
I made extra helpings since I knew you'd be
hungry once you woke up."
"Thanks a lot Kasumi!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An arrow hissed through
the air before missing its
intended target.
Somewhere nearby a demon started swearing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When he didn't immediately go
charging in to eat Kasumi looked
quizzically at him. Although he
had only been here for a few days
she knew that this was not like him at all.
Something seemed different about him today...
She couldn't quite put her finger on
it but it was almost as if...
As if...
"Um...Kasumi."
"Yes Ranma?"
"Did you put that blanket on me?"
"Yes I did, why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason. I just wanted
to...um...thank you."
Was he...blushing? What could that possibly mean?
"You see I'm not really used to, um....I mean...that it's
that not many people have ever really done something
nice like that for me before..."
"But surely your father..."
He started to snort in digust
but then changed his mind and
just looked her straight in
the eye.
"Oh...I see...he wouldn't, would he..."
Silently he shook his head.
"So anyway, uh...that's all I had to say...um...."
~~~~~~
A second arrow whizzed by.
It was a doozy.
That was when the demon started cursing up a storm.
It actually did succeed in calling one up,
but the cloud refused to rain on anyone
except him.
~~~~~~
For a moment Ranma raised his head and
looked at her as if he wanted to say
something more. Then the moment passed
and the martial artist ran off to the
breakfast table.
"Oh my, what was that all about?"
If she didn't know better she could have sworn that...
~~~~~~
Ranma silently cursed himself for his cowardice.
What had come over him? He'd just been thanking
her when something had caused him to take a second
look at the eldest Tendo daughter. He'd never realized
exactly how pretty she really was before. It was as if he'd
been wearing a blindfold for the past few days and had just
removed it this morning. Then when he'd been about to tell
her that he'd decided he was not going to go through with this
engagement with Akane he just couldn't do it. Kasumi was so
nice and considerate that she didn't deserve to be hurt by his
decision and its consequences. Or at least that was what
he kept telling himself.
Maybe after school was over he could find Mina-chan again.
That thought cheered him up immediately. But he'd have to take
extra precautions to keep the curse a secret, that had been one
thing he'd left out of yesterday's chat. Ranma hated having to
hide the truth from Minako but he didn't have a choice as he saw it.
He didn't want her to think he was a weirdo or some kind of pervert.
Once he was sure that she could accept him as he was, that she
wouldn't reject him because the difference a few degrees in
the temperature of any water contacting him made...then he'd
tell her all of it.
Till then, he'd just make sure to watch out
for cold water when he was with her.
It was a perfect plan.
Nothing could go wrong.
And pigs would sprout wings and migrate to Canada.
~~~~~~~~~
"He really thinks that stalling will make it easier? That never works!"
The Bard wasn't quite as dumb as everyone thought he was.
"This is going to get ugly."
Rowan sighed, he'd been in the same situation once before.
It was better to just get it over with, waiting would just make
things worse.
"50 gold coins say that he can't keep
her from finding out for more then a week."
"You're on, Shadow."
The Guardian couldn't resist a smug grin.
This was one bet he couldn't lose!
Of course that was what he'd thought the last
ten thousand times too.
~~~~~~~~~~
-Somewhere, Somewhen
Sailor Pluto felt the first
signs of a major migraine forming.
It was going to be one of *those* milleniums.
(to be continued)