The Tendou dojo, that evening...
"Welcome, Kuonji-san. You've been expected here."
"Arigatou, Tendou-san," Ukyou bows her head, then gazes on the people within the living room as her empathic senses analyze them.
Genma was openly trembling on seeing the poor girl he wronged so long ago. No doubt she was here for blood. Nodoka was doing as all mothers did on seeing a child's fiancee; appraising her potential. Souun, Akane's father, was burdened with heavy pain; no doubt, the loss of his wife still hung heavily over him. There also flashed some small hope that his agreement with Genma could be fulfilled despite the odds. Kasumi, the elder Tendou daughter, seemed very pleasant, the perfect matriarch for this house. Nabiki seemed concerned about how Ukyou's being here would affect her family, especially her younger sister. Kikuko was just happy that Ukyou was here, no longer wanting to seek revenge on her adopted family. Ranko wasn't here; she was busy helping Shampoo settle down in a guest house nearby. And Akane...! Blessed Mother Ocean, it was no wonder that Ranma was taken away by the youngest Tendou!
"First, I'd like to say that, save for the matter between myself and Ran-chan's father, I bear no ill-will toward anyone within this household," Ukyou clears her throat. "I now am aware of the agreement between the Saotomes and the Tendous. From what I can sense, a rapport is forming between the various members of both families. I wish to do nothing to disrupt that.
"Saying that, I must also state that if I wish to pursue one of your daughters, ma'am, I choose Ranma," she then stares at Nodoka. "What memories I have of your family are centred around her...and it was on her that I locked myself onto when I began my quest years ago. I don't know either Ranko or Kikuko, though I would gladly like to know them as my friends and future in-laws. Further, Ranko is bound to Xian-pu...and sensing the love between them, it would be criminal on my part to hurt that. Seeing as how there're many ways to resolve this to everyone's satisfaction, may...we hold off on any final decisions before we get the chance to know each other much better...as one family?"
Nodoka blinks, then nods. "Agreed, Ukyou-san."
"Ukyou, you've actually had experience in running your own okonomiyaki shop for some time now," Nabiki muses. "Will you do the same here in Nerima?"
"Yes, I will," Ukyou nods. "As soon as I find a nice place to rent out for 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan,' I'll begin. I would like to live here if I may. I've lived in very cramped apartments beforehand and they just don't appeal to me anymore."
"Certainly...though given that we only have one guest room available..." Souun muses.
"Perhaps we can make some renovations to build new guest rooms, Otou-san?" Kasumi muses.
"I agree," Nodoka nods. "Or even better, a guest house. This will allow Ukyou and Shampoo to have their own space here...not to mention Ranma and Ranko, of course. Also, it'll give Nabiki and Akane their own rooms back. Once my husband and I retire to our home, Kikuko can have the guest room to herself."
"We'd all have to chip in for that," Ranma muses. "The funds our sisters in Oshika sent us can only go so far, Okaa-san."
"True, plus there are funds I have available...and I'm sure Ukyou and Shampoo can contribute as well," Nodoka nods. "Even if there're no marriage ties between us...except the one between Ranko and Shampoo...we are a family and should act as one."
"Agreed," the younger women nod.
Genma and Souun exchange looks, their concern quite plain. What of Ranma and Akane? "B-but...!"
"Further, maybe the engagement between Ranma and I should be ended now," Akane hums. "This'll give U-chan an equal chance with me to pursue Ranma's heart, Saotome-basan."
"That seems very fair, Akane," Nodoka nods.
"B-but...!" the men stammer.
"I can agree to that. U-chan?" Ranma stares at Ukyou.
"I'm for it if it doesn't bother A-chan," Ukyou nods.
"B-b-but...!!"
"It's agreed, then," Nodoka beams.
The men continue to stammer...as the door opens. "Tadaima (I'm here)!" Ranko calls out. "Kaa-san, Xian-pu's with me!"
"Konban wa, Shampoo-san. Welcome to Japan!" Nodoka beams on seeing the beautiful Nyuchezuu warrior now holding Ranko's hand.
As conversation picks up, people ignore the stammering "B-but..." emitting from Genma and Souun...
* * *
"Three Sisters"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir kush1@iaw.on.ca
With C&C by Kevin D. Hammel khammel@pacbell.net and Robert Geiger robertgeiger@prodigy.net
**** **** ****
Based on "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****
PART FOUR - ENGAGEMENTS
Later...
"Are you sure staying here's okay for you tonight, U-chan?"
Ukyou glances around the dojo, smiling. A nice place all around. "Yeah, it's okay, A-chan," she nods. "If we're going through with the guest house idea, let's set it up in the corner of the yard, with a covered walkway leading to the dojo itself. I'd like to train here as much as all of you will."
"Aiya, it'll look nice!" Shampoo muses. Ranma and Ranko were there also. "You sure Mother-in-law won't mind, Airen?"
"Hai, koibito-chan (Lover). Besides, it takes away control of our lives from Ji-san and Tou-san. No offense, Akane, but we have to keep moving to ensure Ji-san and Tou-san don't do anything to foul it up," Ranko nods, gazing at Akane. "They're REALLY set in their ways. If they had their way, Nee-chan and you'd be married tomorrow REGARDLESS of what U-chan's been through."
"That's true," Akane sighs, then she exchanges a look with Shampoo before staring at the three Nendo-kata with them. "Is there something you want to tell us?"
"Hai," Ranma sighs. "There're...some things about Nendo-kata biology you both should understand before we press on with this. Would you mind if we talked about that?"
Akane and Shampoo nod as they make a circle in the middle of the dojo floor. "First of all, I'd like to...propose something which could allow both A-chan and I to get something out of this given what I've sensed of you so far, A-chan," Ukyou sighs.
"What?" Akane urges.
"A-chan, forgive me...do you love Ran-chan?"
Silence. Akane blinks, surprised at the bluntness of Ukyou's question...yet not finding herself embarrassed or upset about it, either. After all, honesty was a profound virtue among Ranma's and Ukyou's people. She should respect that, shouldn't she? "Hai, I do love Ranma, U-chan. It's still quite...undefined, I guess, but the idea of staying with her for the rest of my life...it doesn't scare me at all. I can see it happening; in fact, I've seen it happening since I came to better understand who and what she is."
"Okay," Ukyou nods. "Ran-chan, do you love A-chan?"
"Of course I do," Ranma nods. "Akane is everything I could ever ask for in a life-mate."
"Ranma!!" Akane's cheeks flame.
"Alright, then," U-chan nods. "A-chan, I care for Ran-chan very much. I'm happy to be with her again and I want it to work out between her and I. At the same time...I can see myself loving you as well. Ran-chan's right, you know; you are everything people like us could ask for in a mate. Therefore...I propose this: we three," she points to herself, then Ranma, then Akane, "...will form a family. I really don't see myself going back to my dad given what he's done to me over the last few years. I can see myself becoming 'Ukyou Saotome.' Can you see yourself, if you really do care for Ran-chan...becoming 'Akane Saotome?'"
"Yes, I do," Akane nods. "Do you mean a wife-mistress idea?"
"Iie," Ukyou shakes her head. "There's no equality in that when you get down to it...though from what I sense of your mom, Ran-chan, she'd definitely approve. I won't treat either of my life-mates that way. What I propose is that we, to the public, become adopted sisters. We acknowledge Ran-chan's parents as our own. Within our household, we do as we choose. At the same time, to ensure your family carries on, one of Ran-chan's sisters does the opposite and becomes a Tendou. This will ensure both families can continue, but honour the spirit of the agreement between your father and Ran-chan's father. Atop that, it restores my honour."
Akane blinks, then nods. "Uhn!" She then stares at Ranko and Shampoo. "What about you two?"
"There are no rivals for either of our hearts, so it's a straightforward bonding," Ranko gently grasps Shampoo's hand.
"What about Mousse?" Shampoo scowls.
Ranko tenses, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "If that half-blind, love-starved jerk even THINKS of trying to break us up, Xian, I'll drop-kick him to the Moon!"
"Who's Mousse?" Akane wonders.
"Lao Mu-tzu," Ranma sighs. "Xian's version of Kunou, Akane. Good martial artist, specializing in hidden weapons style, but he's so insanely obsessed about Xian, it's funny. He and Ko-chan haven't got along at all since Ko-chan and Xian fell in love."
"My sympathies, Shampoo!" Akane shudders.
"Many thanks, Akane," Shampoo groans.
"I guess so," Ukyou sighs. "Alright, then. Since you seem to want to bond with us, you have to understand a basic fact of our biology...and how it leads to mating and children. Among the Great School, a psi-bond...a telepathic link between two people...is what marks a 'married' couple. But when that bond occurs, it creates a subtle physical change in our menstrual cycle."
"In effect, our cycle will shift over a couple months to match with yours," Ranko adds. "Once that occurs and we sense when you become most fertile...our drive to mate will hit us like a tidal wave. You can guarantee we'll be having kids right after."
"That's why we've wanted all along to wait until we're totally ready before we solidify things," Ranma finishes. "Oyaji and Tendou-san don't understand this. I think, deep down, they won't care much, regardless that it's a very important thing concerning making this work right. They want a bond based on words. We're talking about a bonding of minds, hearts and bodies. When you sit back and think about it, it's a big difference."
Akane and Shampoo hum, then exchange a look before the latter stares at Ranko. "Airen...how soon do you want to bond?"
"I'll bond with you here and now...but given that you're not a Nendo-kata, I'll be the one bearing our first child most likely," Ranko muses. "I do like to finish high school at least. I've no idea how the school board'll react if I become pregnant."
"Okay, I can live with that. After all, we should make the marriage really special!" Shampoo beams.
"I'll go for that!" Ranko grips her hand.
"What happens in a three-way bond?" Akane wonders.
"Well, one of us...I was thinking of you...would be the 'base' for the others to bond to," Ranma hums. "Once the psi-bond forms, our bodies will match to your cycle...and then..." she flusters.
"Oooh, that's gonna be fun!" Ukyou whistles.
Everyone laughs...
* * *
The next morning...
"Good, A-chan! You're showing loads of promise!!"
Souun hums, pausing at the front porch as he watches Akane twirl around Ukyou's giant combat spatula..."Spatula-sama" was the name Nabiki gave it, in reflection of her nickname for Akane's ki-mallet...in a graceful arc. Personally, he didn't approve of weapons...in Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu philosophy, weapons restricted the fighter in melee...but clearly, the okonomiyaki cook knew what she was doing. Further, Ukyou uses the same positive encouragement Ranma used when training his daughter to keep her spirits up.
A resigned sigh escapes him. By all rights, he should be teaching Akane; as her father, it was his duty and responsibility, especially if he wanted Akane to carry on the Tendou-ryuu.
Still, after Kimiko died...then...then...!
"Ohayo, Ji-san," Ranko steps onto the porch, having hopped over the fence from staying overnight with Shampoo.
"Ohayo, Ranko," Souun nods. "How are you and Shampoo-san getting along?"
"What do you think?" Ranko titters delightedly, then heads up to Nabiki's room to get her things.
"My, everything seems so nice today, doesn't it, Otou-san?" Kasumi muses, laying out some food.
Souun nods. "Yes, it does...though still..."
"I know, Otou-san," Kasumi smiles knowingly. "It isn't what you and Saotome-jisan planned at the start. We can't follow that anymore given how much things've changed. I applaud everyone's decision to keep matters fluid until things become clearer. It'll save a lot of problems in the future. That'll make this work."
"I hope so," Souun muses.
"Minna-san! Breakfast!!" Kasumi calls out.
Cries of "Hai!" echo from various places in the house...
* * *
"Thanks for loaning me a spare uniform, Ran-chan. Lucky thing we're the same size."
"No problem, U-chan," Ranma smiles as she and Akane run on the fence, Ukyou staying beside them at ground level. Nabiki and Kikuko had gone on ahead. Ranko was taking the day off to help Shampoo settle in, plus help Nodoka arrange a place for Ukyou to set up her restaurant. "We better get in contact with the SCAA just in case; let them know you're here," the elder Saotome child adds. "You'll probably have an easier time of it than me."
"Don't bet on it, Ran-chan. If my old man finds out that I'm back to being a girl full-time...and that this time, the government won't bend to his wishes...he'll really hit the roof!" Ukyou sighs.
"That's awful, the way he treats you!" Akane asserts. "Why couldn't he understand it wasn't your fault?!"
"My dad's like Ran-chan's old man, A-chan. He's got a pretty unique value system...eh?!"
Ukyou slows down, her eyes glowing. Ranma and Akane slow down, then turn...as a skeletal hand lands on the cook's shoulder. "YYEEEK!!!!" Ukyou spins around, Spatula-sama out...then she stops on seeing the smiling, bespectacled doctor holding up the skeleton now behind her. "Oh, jeez...!" she stammers.
"Oh, Toofuu-sensei, ohayo," Akane smiles as she and Ranma hop off the fence. "Is there something wrong?"
"Not really, Akane," Toofuu Ono hums, then gazes at Ranma and Ukyou. "I heard from some of Nabiki's friends that some people were staying at your house over the next while. Just curious, in case something happens."
The teenagers consider his words, then smile. "Gomen," Akane apologizes, then does the introductions.
"Yoroshiku (Pleased to meet you), Sensei," Ukyou bows. "Sorry about me trying to brain you with this," she hefts Spatula-sama. "Do you normally sneak up on people like that?"
"Not really, especially since I can sense how good both you and Ranma-san are," Toofuu asserts. "Though I must confess, I never thought I would meet a pair of aliens before."
Blink, blink. "You can tell?" Ranma wonders.
"Hai. Your chi patterns're almost like a normal human's, but the differences are pretty glaring for someone who can take real notice of it," the martial artist/chiropractor muses.
Ranma hums. "Well, even with the amount of precautions we can take, the chances are there we could be hurt. It's only wise to have a healer's services close by. Alright, then, Sensei. After school, my sisters, U-chan and I'll come by and we'll fill you in on the whole story. Fair enough?"
"More than fair enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to get back to my clinic."
With that, he heads off. "He's damn good," Ukyou muses.
"That he is," Ranma nods. "Then again, it's partially our fault. We were concentrating so much on Akane, we didn't notice him until he touched you with the skeleton."
"What did you expect, Ran-chan?" Ukyou winks, giving Akane a sly stare. "A-chan IS such a distraction!"
Steam billows from the younger Tendou's neck. "You guys...!"
Heartwarming laughter fills the air as they race for school. Watching them go, Toofuu sighs, a bemused smile crossing his face. "To believe I'm going to be close to a group of Nendo-kata," he clicks his tongue, hoisting Betty up. "Good thing Kay-san told me about this happening. I hope Akane realizes what she's in for."
With that, he heads off...
* * *
"Akane Tendou, come to my arms...!"
*WHOMP!!!!*
Kunou drops face-first into the ground at Akane's feet. She then walks over the insensate kendoist. "Don't you get the hint, you moron?!" she glares at him. "Stay out of my life!"
With that, she heads towards the front doors, Ranma and Ukyou staying close to her. "Hey, A-chan, you okay?" the latter asks, sensing a twinge of trepidation in her new friend.
"I dunno..." Akane stares at her hand, then she gazes on Ranma. "Are you doing something to me?"
"Eh?!" Ranma blinks. "What are you talking about, Akane?"
"The way I've been fighting since you came," Akane wonders. "I just find it so easy to tap into my skills now. I mean...the day you came, it was really hard for me to wear through them all. The day after, I ploughed through them..."
"And you assume I have something to do with it," Ranma hums. "Relax, Akane. One, I wouldn't insult you like that. I know you like to deal with your problems; that says a lot about you. But instead of looking for external sources for your power..." she taps her chest, "...look right there. That never lies to you."
"She's right, A-chan," Ukyou smiles, waving them inside as they slip off their shoes and bloomers, slipping on uwabaki (indoor shoes) before heading to class. "Look, there are two ways of training people. Using positive encouragement or negative encouragement. Most martial art senseis believe negative encouragement's better since it forces you to endure psychological hardship, increasing your resistance to bad vibes and things like that. It's great for allowing you to deal with harsh situations. Actually, it's not a bad idea, but if you ask me, there's a much better way to go about it. That's what we're doing."
"You see, if it was the old me teaching you, I'd be piling on all sorts of degrading insults to piss you off so badly, you'd want to do ANYTHING to show me up," Ranma adds. "That's good in some ways, but you've already got a problem with your anger, Akane. I don't want to make it worse. I..." she pauses.
"Ran-chan's worried that you'd never be happy anymore if you give in too much to your rage," Ukyou supplies.
"Domo, U-chan."
Akane blinks, then sighs. "Arigatou. I appreciate it. But can you give me the honest truth?" she stops, gazing at them. "Do I really have the chance to be as good as both of you?"
"Being just human and not a Nendo-kata who Crossed Over?" Ranma hums, scanning around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. "In time, Akane, you WILL be as good as I was before Jusenkyou. But to have the special abilities U-chan and I possess now..."
"There's only one way to get that right away, A-chan," Ukyou warns. "Would you do it?"
Akane blinks, then her eyes widen as it dawns on her what Ranma and Ukyou are alluding to. The Crossing Over. She then takes a deep breath. "I don't know."
"Our point," Ukyou nods as they head on to class. "A-chan, let's get you up to snuff as best as we can in THIS body," she taps Akane's shoulder, "...and if you like it enough, we'll keep you in it. If you bear our children, you'll end up inheriting our powers through the child's DNA mixing with yours via the umbilical cord while she's in the womb, so you'll evolve to our level."
"Soo ka," Akane sighs. "'S funny, isn't it?"
"Nani?" Ranma wonders.
"We're talking about children and starting families like we would be discussing our homework or a book we read. If this was before I found out about your other sides, I'd be embarrassed as all get out, not to mention pretty angry that we'd be breaching such a private subject. But it doesn't bother me so much..."
"Well, we don't have as many taboos about reproduction as you do. To us, sex and reproduction are vital to the continuation of the Great School and we acknowledge it at that," Ranma wryly muses. "Then again, sometimes, it's as much a surprise to me when I think about it. Before Jusenkyou, I had NO idea whatsoever about sex. Oyaji never told me a thing. I shudder to think what I'd go through as a guy with the way some of our classmates behave."
"Ugh, that's true," Akane winces.
"Akane Tendou!"
Akane stops, then sighs, turning to see a bruised Tatewaki Kunou standing nearby. The determination in the kendoist's eyes is as fierce as ever. Ranma and Ukyou tense, ready to jump the creep if they had to. "Is there a problem, Kunou?" Akane frostily asks.
"That's 'Kunou-sempai'...!"
"And as I said in my speech two days ago, you will NEVER earn such respect from me!" Akane snaps. "I believe Nabiki sold you a tape of it. Are you hard of hearing or what?!"
"Enough!" Kunou snarls. "I must now do everything to save you from these demonically-possessed maidens accompanying you now!" he draws his bokan stick, then charges.
Ukyou is on him first, grabbing him by the stick and sending him through an open window to splash-land in the pool three floors down! "You jackass, we've got no time for you!!!" she snarls.
"The words 'give up' clearly are not in his language!" Ranma shakes her head. "Depressing."
Akane hums. Ukyou and Ranma gaze on her. "The lady has an idea, I believe," Ukyou crosses her arms. "Let's hear it, A-chan."
"You two want to play a mind-game on that idiot?" Akane hums.
"I'd go for it," Ranma muses. "What's your idea?"
* * *
Joketsuzoku, that moment...
"Elder Kun-lon. May I speak with you a moment?"
Cologne blinks, then smiles. "Elder Lo-e," she nods to the youngest of the Council of Elderwomen. Both now meet in the older matriarch's home. "What may I do for you today?"
"I fear my grand-nephew has done himself and your great-granddaughter a grave dishonour," Aloe sighs. "As soon as he learned that Xian-pu had been given permission to travel to Japan to unite with Ranko Saotome, he took off after her."
Cologne jolts, then her eyes narrow. "Lo-e, Mu-tzu may not fully understand what Ranko will do to him if he tries to force himself on my great-granddaughter. Nendo-kata are vicious if they perceive a threat to their chosen life-mates."
"Agreed. Further, Mu-tzu's actions have even come to very much disgrace...Those Who Suffer In Silence," she lowers her voice on mentioning the unofficial protest group, mostly male, who wanted the challenge laws amended out of a fear of spousal abuse becoming rampant among the Nyu-che-zuu. Traditional members of the tribe looked on people like Mousse with barely-veiled disgust. "I've always supported them. Their ideas are very forward, all for giving us better home and family lives while not trying to weaken us when we deal with outsiders. But, much to my shock and disgrace, Mu-tzu clearly looks on Xian-pu as his prized possession. None of Those Who Suffer in Silence would condone that. It is, I fear, as bad as Ranko warned when she was staying with us."
Cologne hums, clicking her tongue. "It was hard for my great-granddaughter-in-law to admit that to me, Lo-e. She knew what Mu-tzu could face if his...overt aggressiveness towards Xian-pu became known. We don't have to be too drastic, though."
"The punishment is clear concerning those who emotionally enslave...or desire to emotionally enslave...their mates, Kun-lon. Aloe shudders. He must face Jusenkyou."
"True. But thanks to Ranko's sister Kikuko, there is a very specific way we can apply the punishment."
Aloe blinks, then her eyes widen in surprised understanding. "But the Nyanniichuan is gone, Kun-lon. The Wanderer that merged with Kikuko Saotome saw to it..."
"You forget their reverence for their own mother goddess, Lo-e," Cologne smirks. "The magic of Nyanniichuan was not destroyed forever. With my help, Kikuko made a way to ensure that if someone has need of that particular spring's power, it can be used...and left it under my safe-keeping," she reaches into the top of her cane, opening a secret hatch to draw out a bright blue stone, glowing with power. "Even more so, as long as this is with me, the power of Nyanniichuan remains out of the Musk's hands. Yes, there are other female-drown springs in Jusenkyou, but this was the most prized of all. I think the farther we get this away from that moron Herb, the better for us all. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Aloe nods...
* * *
Nerima, before lunch...
Kunou shudders as he storms up to the classroom bearing his beloved Akane Tendou and the four hapless maidens who seemed intent on following their enchanter's dark plot and turning Akane from the joys of a man's...his own, with due modesty...love and affections. Clearly, he had to press until he found the devilish warlock who placed the Saotome sisters and Ukyou Kuonji under his spell...then smite him as only a samurai of his calibre could. It upset him that Ranma, Ranko, Kikuko and Ukyou had to suffer. But as surely as Heaven's vengeance was always forthcoming with the assuredness of the dawn, he would make them understand his noble intentions.
Once they comprehended that, they would all, even Akane, shower him with their undying gratitude.
As he only deserved.
Arriving on the third floor, he stops as the door to class 1-F opens, revealing Akane and Ranma. "There you are, fair maidens!" he calls out, racing at them with arms wide...
...then screams out in shock as Ranma draws Akane into her arms and bestows a VERY loving kiss on the latter's lips. The kendoist's brain seems to short-circuit for a second as he watches Ranma and Akane continue their lip-to-lip conversation, then with a scream, he lunges with his bokan stick. "I WILL SAVE YOU BOTH!!!!" he raises it high, aiming for Ranma's head...
...then as it comes down, it smashes into SOMETHING as dense as the hardest diamond, the bokan stick splintering as he stumbles forward. His head slams into that invisible SOMETHING, knocking him to the floor! As the kendoist tries to recover, Ranma's index finger makes a flecking gesture...as Kunou finds himself slammed DOWN the hallway towards the far stairwell!! "***WHAT DARK SORCERY IS THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS...?!?!?!***" he wails as he slams into a wall, then stumbles down the stairs.
Akane and Ranma slowly part, the latter opening her eyes to allow the former to gaze on them glowing. "Don't you just hate it when someone tries to interrupt?" Akane muses.
Ranma's eyes return to normal. "All the time," she hums as she walks Akane back into the classroom. "Sensei, we're back."
"The problem was dealt with, Ranma-san?" the teacher wonders.
"Hai..."
* * *
Lunchtime...
"U-chan, there you are!!"
Ukyou looks up from her grill, then smiles. "Hey, Ko-chan, Xian-chan, take a load off your feet! What's the news?!"
"We found a nice place in Block Six for you to rent," Ranko hands over a brochure. "Turns out, there used to be an okonomiyaki shop there, but the owner closed down a year ago. All the stoves and everything else are in place, just waiting for you to move in."
Ukyou flips through the brochure with one hand as the other flips the okonomiyaki onto Kikuko's plate. "Sounds nice. Rental charge isn't bad. How'd it look to you and your mom, Ko-chan?"
"It seemed okay. 'Biki gave me a number of a good property appraiser. He'll check it out this afternoon on the sly, then call in. Once we get the skinny, we can move in anytime after."
"Even more," Shampoo adds. "Mother-in-law found a contractor to put the new guest house in. They'll start work today and we can all move in by tomorrow."
Ukyou blinks. "That's fast!"
"Mother-in-law said that these people are used to very quick rebuilding jobs," Shampoo augments. "They work for the Mendou Clan over in Tomobiki. The Mendous are friends with my tribe's allies in this country, the Moroboshis."
"Yeah, I know. The first Nendo-kata school to come here is led by Ataru Moroboshi's sister Nokoko," Ukyou nods. "Looks like things are clicking in pretty well...eh?"
Whoops, gasps and cat-calls turn everyone's attention to the cafeteria doorway, where Ranma and Akane were again getting their lips re-acquainted. To everyone's delight, a wailing Kunou was screaming for the girls to awaken from the dark sorcery forcing them in such an unholy union. Try as the kendoist might to pry them apart, they wouldn't budge. "The dork just has no idea what he's up against," Ukyou clicks her tongue.
"Hmmm...shall we?" Ranko stares at her fiancee.
"I won't mind, Airen!" Shampoo smiles.
Their lips interlock as nearby students cheer them on, Ukyou and Kikuko laughing. A glance to another corner sees Nabiki and her friends raking in money from what bets people made concerning when Ranma and Ranko would become publicly affectionate with their fiancees. A pained scream then echoes as Kunou races over to yank Ranko and Shampoo apart. "I will save you, fair ladies...!!!"
*WHANG!!!!*
"Who's gonna save us from you, jackass?!" Ukyou sighs as she returns to her grill, Kunou dropping to the floor.
Ranma and Akane walk up, then the former turns to the latter. "Shall I or do you want to do this?"
"Oh, please, Ranma-sama, may I?" Akane flashes him a "cute as a million kittens" look.
"Alright."
Akane grabs Kunou, then places him in a position where she could belt him out of the cafeteria without wrecking something. Drawing Mallet-sama, she positions herself, then notions for people to get clear. "FORE!!!!" she screams as she winds up, then sends the insensate kendoist soaring into the early afternoon sky!
"How far?!" Kikuko wonders.
"Hopefully, Tokyo Bay, if not the Pacific!" Akane stows her mallet, then sniffs on smelling Ukyou's cooking. "Oh, U-chan, I hope you got a couple of those ready! We're hungry!!"
"Just a sec', A-chan...eh?!"
Ukyou tenses, squeezing her eyes shut so that nearby onlookers don't see her eyes glow. "What is it?" Ranko wonders, then feels herself tense as an unwanted feeling surges through her. "Oh, no...!" she grits her teeth. "What's HE doing here?!"
"Who?!" Akane wonders.
"Someone who wants Ko-chan's blood, sugar...and Xian-chan in bed to do the wild thing ASAP!" Ukyou sneers...
...as a section of wall explodes, dousing a dozen students with shattered concrete and dust. Shampoo spins around, then gasps on seeing the white-robed figure standing there. "Oh, no...!"
"XIAN-PU, THERE YOU ARE!!!!" he bellows in Mandarin.
"Um...is that...?" Akane hums.
"Mousse," Ranma nods.
Leaping inside, the raven-haired master of Hidden Weapons lunges over. "Xian-pu, come to my arms!!" he swamps someone with an over-affectionate embrace.
"PERVERT!!!!" Sayuri screams out as she whips out her own mallet and smashes Mousse into the floor.
Everyone blinks surprisedly. "Shampoo, he sounded like he was after you," Hiroshi stares at Shampoo. "Who is this guy?"
"A pain in the you-know-what!" Shampoo draws out a bonbori, then walks over. "What are you doing here, Mousse?! I thought I left you behind back in Joketsuzoku!"
Mousse leaps up, then tries another glomp...before Shampoo's bonbori slams him still. "Shampoo...!" he moans, dropping to the floor again, a big lump on his head.
"Idiot!" Shampoo flips to Mandarin. "What are you doing here, Mu-tzu?! You weren't permitted to leave the village!"
Mousse moans, then staggers back up. "I'm doing what I must, Xian-pu!" he glares lovingly...though Shampoo is quick to sense the flash of obsessed possessiveness, of lust that no longer acknowledged propriety, in his eyes...at her. "I'm saving you from that alien whore who's been trying to steal you from me!"
Shampoo shudders. "I suggest you apologize now, Mu-tzu. Ranko's standing right behind you."
Mousse blinks, then jolts on feeling the heat of an awesome battle aura warm him from behind. Shuddering, he turns, squinting to see his foe...as Ranko's fist connects. "ASSHOLE, HANDS OFF MY FIANCEE!!!! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO PUT UP TO YOU!!!!"
"Xian-pu...!" Mousse wails as he flies through an open window out of the cafeteria.
Whoops echo through the eyewitnesses as Ranko races for the door. "Stay here!!! I'm gonna kill that creep!!"
Hands grab her by the legs, nearly knocking her down. "No, fair maiden! Don't give in...!!" Kunou moans.
"HANDS OFF!!!!" Ranko drop-kicks him into the ceiling, then races off to get her hands on Mousse.
"M-maiden...!" escapes Kunou's lips as gravity pulls him down from the ceiling, he flopping onto a table to collapse it.
"How'd he recover so fast?!!" Akane demands.
The others sigh. "Geez, and I thought Tsubasa-baka was obsessed?!" Ukyou shudders, then turns back to her grill. "That guy deserves to get thrown into the loony bin!"
"Airen, wait for me!" Shampoo screams as she races after her fiancee. "I can handle that idiot...!!"
* * *
Mousse growls as Ranko charges towards him, preparing himself. He knew she was an inordinately well-trained martial artist, so beating her would be difficult. Then again, there were other ways to deal with this alien seductress, ways that Ranko couldn't so easily defeat. All he had to do was play his cards right...and Shampoo would be his at last, Ranko cast to hell as she deserved for interfering in Mousse's quest! As it always should have been.
"FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!" he screams.
Ranko jolts as she senses his ki send forth a very large object her way, then her fists flash. "***KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!!!!!***" she screams out.
Mousse cries out as the machine-gun speed blows shatter his weapons, then yelps as Ranko dives in for an uppercut to send him stumbling into a nearby tree. "Pathetic as always, Blind Boy!" she dances back. "When are you ever going to learn that'll NEVER work on someone like me?!!"
"Maybe!" Mousse snaps, sending a storm of knives her way.
Ranko ducks the attack, focusing her chi to start absorbing the ki energy Mousse was throwing off. "You're afraid of me!" the hidden weapons master snarls. "No wonder you fled when I tried to challenge you for Xian-pu's hand!!"
"You are SO pathetically stupid!" Ranko weaves, inwardly smiling at his lack of control. Time to coax it to a boil, then let him have a taste of REAL pain. No wonder Koga Shinura, the last master of the Unseen Light...Ranko met and befriended the blind martial artist in her brief visit to Joketsuzoku...never wanted to teach this moron a REAL Art. "You're an insult to your whole tribe, Mu-tzu!! Maybe it's time I did something about it!"
"Witch!!!" he fires off a storm of shuriken.
Another weave. "Slowpoke!!" Ranko flips over him, then delivers a swift kick in the back to send him stumbling. "I bet your grand-aunt's so upset at you right now, she'll GLADLY let you face Jusenkyou for forcing yourself over MY Airen!!"
"XIAN-PU IS NOT YOURS!!!!"
"Says who?!!"
Mousse stops, staring at Shampoo. "Xian-pu!!"
"You're too late, Mu-tzu! I already gave myself TOTALLY to Airen!! Body AND soul!" Shampoo icily grins. "Very soon, Great-grandmother become great-great-grandmother!"
Mousse jolts as that message sinks in, then with a scream, he lunges at Ranko. "YOU DARE DEFLOWER MY XIAN-PU, ALIEN WHORE?!?! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE...!!!!!!"
Weapons of all descriptions lash out at the middle Saotome daughter, causing her to dance and weave as she continues to draw in Mousse's expended ki energy. The mist forms around her as she tries to focus herself, get enough to blow the wind out of this moron's sails. Finally, sensing she had enough, she backflips clear. "Time to dance!" she cups her hands on target.
"HAVE AT THEE, MONSTER!!!!"
"***FUUYOU NO GEKIDO!!!!***"
Mousse jolts as Ranko's ki blast lashes out, smashing into some idiot kendoist's chest, sending him spiralling out of the way. "Aw, CRAP!!!!" Ranko screams, realizing she just blew off a good Wind Dance Fury on the WRONG idiot, then she yelps as Mousse closes the range, his chi focused and ready. "Shit...!!"
"Now I have you!!! FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!"
Another white child's potty lashes out, belting Ranko in the cheek before she could react, sending her flying into a tree trunk. The impact causes the branches to quiver...and an earthen jar to drop out, flipping around as water douses her! "DID IT!!!!" Mousse laughs...then blinks as steam and chi energy seem to mask Ranko for a moment. "Wait a minute...!"
"What did you do?!!" Shampoo demands, racing up to grab Mousse by his robe collar.
"I gave that alien water-bitch a taste of her own medicine, Xian-pu!" Mousse crows triumphantly, gently grasping her hand. "Water from Jusenkyou! Let's see how this water-worshipping whore likes having a curse!!"
Shampoo blinks, her eyes widening...then she jolts on hearing a confused but heartwarming voice. "Hey, what's going on here...?"
Both spin around as the steam evaporates...and Ranko stands, soaked but unharmed! "That's not right!!!" Mousse screams, faltering. "You're supposed to be cursed, you alien witch!!!"
"Pity you forgot that we are BORN of the ocean, Lao Mu-tzu. Magic of THAT nature NEVER works on one of us!"
Shampoo and Mousse spin around to see a tall, raven-haired woman standing five metres away, brown eyes locked on the weapons master. She is dressed in an orange tunic, black form-fitting trousers with leather shoes, an orange tiger-striped bandanna wrapped around her head. A tattoo, something like a red tidal wave, is etched on her left cheek. Beside her now stands someone who appears to be her own twin brother, this one without a tattoo and with a red bamboo-like umbrella in hand, now staring lethal daggers at Mousse. "Who are you?!" he demands.
"So there you've been hiding, huh?!" the male of the twins smirks in heavily accented Mandarin. "Running around making more people's lives miserable just because they won't kowtow to you and your sick dreams?! I may not like the Saotomes too much, but your clanswoman deserves much better than the likes of you!"
Shampoo blinks, then her eyes widen. Say, wasn't he...?
"And who are you to interrupt me?!" Mousse snarls.
"Let's see how good your memory is, Mu-tzu," the other man smirks. "A little over a month ago, you were busy trying to molest the lady beside you...while both of you were in the valley of Jusenkyou! Remember that?!"
Mousse jolts. "I was NOT molesting my love..."
"Didn't look that way to me, jerk...not to mention her," the other man nods at Shampoo. "In fact, I'd say you were stalking her...just like I said it a month ago when you caught me by surprise and knocked me into one of the springs!! Thanks to you, you half-blind slime, I've seen HELL!!! Now you're trying to do the same thing to someone who's earned Xian's respect and love?! Time for you to get a taste of your own medicine!!!"
"We'll see about that!! FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!"
The other man opens his umbrella, then does a sweep with it, the ultra-sharp edge ripping through Mousse's weapons like they were confetti. "Like playing with sharp toys, huh?!" the other smiles, flashing cute fangs. "Let's see if you like MINE, Blind Boy!!" he snaps up four of his bandannas, then lets them fly.
Mousse screams as the bandannas, now as hard as solid steel, lash through his clothes, knocking him back several paces. Ranko and Shampoo back off as the newly-arrived warrior slips his umbrella onto his backpack, then concentrates his chi. To the onlookers' surprise, a green ball of energy forms between his palms, much brighter than even Ranko's ki attack. As the weapons master staggers back to his feet, his attacker locks on target.
"***SHISHI HOUKOUDAN!!!!!!***"
Mousse bellows helplessly as the bolt slams into his chest, the impact sending him flying into the early afternoon sky!! With that, the other warrior growls, moving to follow...then jolts as a hand touches his shoulder. "Don't, Onii-san. If you race off like that, I'll loose track of you. You don't want that, do you?"
He shudders, then sighs, relaxing himself. "Hai, Ryooko."
Shampoo and Ranko stare at them, then the latter notices the tattoo on Ryooko's cheek. "Elder..." she gasps, then looking around to see that the crowd of onlookers were far enough away, she approaches her. "Elder, what are you doing here?!"
Ryooko stares on her. "Ukyou summoned me to meet up with Ryouga-niisan and help him deal with some of his problems, Ranko-chan. It's alright. He understands."
Ryouga blinks, then stares at Ranko. "Ranma...?"
"Iie, Ranma-neechan's my sister...EX-brother, that is!" Ranko smiles. "But I do know of you, Ryouga! Looking good!!"
"I...ah...th-thanks!" Ryouga flusters.
"Oi, Ryouga!! Catch!!"
Ryouga tenses, then sees something fly at him. He snares it out of the air, then blinks. "Curry bread?"
"Heads up!!"
More packages fly at him. Ryouga snares them all, calling out their contents. In a moment, the wandering martial artist has a pile of bread packages in hand. He then notices the person who tossed them at him: a smiling red-brown haired woman with blue eyes he'd last seen on a boy with black hair in a pigtail.
"Ranma...?"
"Owed you," Ranma winks at him.
Ryouga stares at her, then the bread in his hands...before a bemused chuckle escapes him. In a minute, both Ranma and Ryouga are laughing, Ranko and Ryooko joining in. Shampoo still looks confused. "Airen, I don't understand. What's going on between your sister and this fellow?" she gazes on Ranko.
"Oh, it's a long story," Ranko flusters, then gazes on the woman beside Ryouga. "Ryooko Hibiki, right? C'mon in so we can let Ryouga here have something to eat and you can meet the others. We got a lot to catch up on."
"So we do," Ryooko muses...
* * *
"Oooh...where am I...?"
Mousse moans as he slowly picks himself up from the hole he had made in someone's roof, shaking his head. "Gyaa...never thought I'd run into the Lost Boy here..." he grumbles, brushing himself off...then he senses a shadow over him. "Eh...?"
He turns to see a very irate woman with a large broom hovering nearby, her intent plain. "And who's going to pay for the hole you made in my roof?!" she snarls.
Mousse screams...
* * *
"A bread duel?!!"
Everyone relaxes in the cafeteria. It was study hall for Akane's class, so they decided to enjoy the time in a more private place. Ryouga was now snacking on the bread Ranma had given him. "Hai, it was," Ranma blushes, staring at Akane. "Ryouga always had problems trying to get to the confectionary stand in time."
"By the time I got there, there was usually one piece of food left," Ryouga sighs, inwardly envious of Ranma and the fact that his would-be fiancee was so beautiful. "Ranma always grabbed it. I...never took it very well, so..."
"Eventually, Ryouga challenged me to a duel over the whole matter. I was supposed to meet him at the lot behind his house," Ranma sighs, then gazes on her friend/rival. "Ryouga, I did wait for three days, you know."
"And I was busy jaunting around half of Japan," Ryouga sighs resignedly. "By the time I got there, you were gone. So I was off after you, calling you a coward for ducking out of the fight."
"You don't seem so bothered by it now," Ranko muses.
"Well, thank Ukyou and Ryooko-neesan for that," Ryouga smiles at his adopted sister. "I met Ukyou just before she Crossed Over. She was just as obsessed about getting a piece of you as I was, Ranma. But when she Crossed Over..." a whistle escapes him. "The change was something to behold, I'll tell you that."
"U-chan, you've never told us what were the circumstances that made you Cross Over," Ranko stares at her. "What happened?"
"This was because of a jerk who could probably teach Mousse and Kunou lessons about fanatic loyalty to someone who doesn't love them back," Ukyou groans. "Tsubasa Kurenai. He's a master of disguise who got into crossdressing because I was dressing as a boy at the time. He thought it was a way to win me over. All it did in all honesty was just make me sick to my stomach."
"He felt I was trying to 'steal' HIS Ukyou-sama," Ryouga adds. "So he surprised me one night. I lost control, cut loose with a Shishi Houkoudan (Roaring Lion Bullet), then..."
"I got caught in the explosion," Ukyou winces. "Lucky for me, my Wanderer half was close by."
"I'd say!" Ranma breathes out.
"Can someone take over for me, please?" Kikuko sighs.
"Relax, sis, I'll handle it," Ranko smiles, then closes her eyes as she concentrates.
"What are you doing?" Ryouga wonders.
"A second-year student with an obsession towards me, Tatewaki Kunou...who now thinks Ranma, her sisters and U-chan are possessed by demons who turned them into lesbians...has been trying to attack us to help them 'be free' of their lesbianism since they came in," Akane explains. "Is he still by the main doors, Ranko?"
"Hai, still there. Screaming that some sorcerer is trying to stave the noble samurai from carrying out his honourable duties!" Ranko smirks. "Oh, Nabiki's coming in."
"Hello, everyone!" Nabiki walks in through a side door, then turns to the glass main doors, trying not to laugh as Kunou kept bashing at Ranko's telekinetic force field. "Geez, this guy's hopeless!" she shakes her head, then stares at the Hibiki twins. "So who are these two lovely people?"
"Meet my other friend from childhood, Nabiki; Ryouga Hibiki," Ranma smiles. "And beside him is his newly-adopted sister, Ryooko Hibiki, Dreamweaver and Elder of the School of Sages."
Nabiki blinks, then her eyes widen, gazing on Ryooko. "You're of the School of Sages?" She knew that the Sages were seen as the quasi-official "government" of the Great School. "What on Earth are you doing here, then?" she stammers.
"As we of the Great School like to say, Nabiki-san, there's a little Wanderer in all of us," Ryooko smiles. "I...wanted to get away from the Mother Ocean and do some exploring. That's when Ukyou-chan's summons asking for someone to help Ryouga-niisan overcome his problems came in. Here I am!"
"I said I'd watch out for Ryouga, 'Biki. Nendo-kata never go back on their word," Ukyou adds.
"Um...I've got a question," Shampoo hums.
"What is it, Xian?" Ranma wonders.
"What's a 'Dreamweaver?'"
"Ah, I better demonstrate it instead of simply describing it," Ryooko hums, rising. "Ranko-chan, would you let that fellow outside in? Maybe I can help him overcome his delusions and seek the right person he'd deserve as a mate."
"Hai," Ranko nods, relaxing.
A *crash!* of shattered glass draws everyone's attention to the main cafeteria doors as Kunou surges in. "HAH!!!" he hoists his bokan stick high. "I, Tatewaki Kunou, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan, have proven my skill over the unseen monster who has twisted innocent maidens so!!! Now, I shall claim my reward!!"
He lunges forward...only to get Ryouga's foot into his face. "Hold it, buddy!" the wanderer snarls. "Who the hell are you to say that some sorcerer's been messing around with my friends?!"
Kunou staggers back, then glares at Ryouga. "That hurt, you know. How dare you speak to me so disrespectfully, foul knave?!"
"The only disrespect I see is yours, loudmouth!" Ryouga snarls. "You butted in on a private duel between my friend Ranko Saotome and that asshole Mousse. From what I saw of her Fuuyou no Gekido, it's a damn wonder she didn't kill you!"
The kendoist pauses. "It seems that, despite your obviously low birth, you are showing signs of properly acknowledging your betters," he hums. "Do you seek to challenge me?"
"Buster, you're more arrogant than anyone I've EVER met...and lower than the dirt under my shoes!" Ryouga sneers. "Maybe it's time for you to see the world as it REALLY is...right, Onee-san?"
"Agreed," Ryooko rises, her eyes suddenly glowing.
"Wha...?" Kunou jolts, then blinks as soft sniffling is heard from behind him. "Who...?"
"Mariko-san, it's alright!"
Everyone gasps as Kunou turns around...to see a woman in a cheerleader's outfit on her knees, weeping uncontrollably. A friend in the same uniform kneels beside her supportively. The kendoist blinks, then pales. "Mariko-san..."
"It's alright, Mariko-san!" the other cheerleader soothes. "He just hasn't noticed you yet, that's all...!"
"It's not true...T-R-U-E!!!" Mariko chants, trying to be calm. "Kunou-san hates...H-A-T-E-S...me! All he has eyes...E-Y-E-S...for is that Tendou...T-E-N-D-O-U...girl!"
Watching this, the kendoist in question tries to shake his head. "No...she...she can't...!" he stammers.
"She can, Tatewaki-san...and she does."
The image before Kunou fades, then he spins around to gaze at Ryooko. "So...you are the one...?" he snarls.
"Who just showed you the path to the one who truly loves you, Tatewaki-san," Ryooko calmly replies.
That stops him short. "Wh-what...?"
"Everyone in the Cosmic Chain of Life, Tatewaki-san, has a kindred soul linked to them," Ryooko lightly smiles. "You believe a little red string ties your little finger to the one special person you are destined to become life-mates with. Mariko Konjou is the one destined for you, Tatewaki Kunou. I have the gift to understand a person's dreams and destiny. Know that Mariko watches you from afar. Know that every time you act to pursue those who do not desire to have anything with you...you drive a knife straight into the heart of someone who does. If you drive it too far...then you will have an innocent woman's blood on your hand. What then, my friend, will your honour mean if that happens?"
Kunou wordlessly withdraws. The others watch him go, then stare at Ryooko. "Ryooko-san, did you hypnotize him?" Akane asks.
"No, Akane," Nabiki shakes her head. "All Ryooko really did was reach out telepathically to seek the person who loves Kunou-chan the most, then revealed it to him. It's like getting splashed with cold water to wake you up or shake you back to reality. I guess Kunou-chan's gonna have some things to think of for the next while. That was pretty intense."
Ryooko nods. "He flees from reality, believing it too harsh for him to endure. I simply showed him that reality isn't so bad when he gives it a chance. At least, it'll make him think about his actions from now on. To this point, he believes he is totally innocent of any 'wrongdoing,' that no matter what other people say, he can stay the course he set for himself. Now he knows his actions could potentially have grave consequences to an innocent person...and I doubt it'll sit very well with him."
"Well, he's been asking for it one way or another," Ranma crosses her arms. "Besides, that Mariko girl seems pretty nice. And if she's willing to tolerate someone like him..."
"More peace for us," Akane finishes.
Everyone laughs...
* * *
To be continued...
"Welcome, Kuonji-san. You've been expected here."
"Arigatou, Tendou-san," Ukyou bows her head, then gazes on the people within the living room as her empathic senses analyze them.
Genma was openly trembling on seeing the poor girl he wronged so long ago. No doubt she was here for blood. Nodoka was doing as all mothers did on seeing a child's fiancee; appraising her potential. Souun, Akane's father, was burdened with heavy pain; no doubt, the loss of his wife still hung heavily over him. There also flashed some small hope that his agreement with Genma could be fulfilled despite the odds. Kasumi, the elder Tendou daughter, seemed very pleasant, the perfect matriarch for this house. Nabiki seemed concerned about how Ukyou's being here would affect her family, especially her younger sister. Kikuko was just happy that Ukyou was here, no longer wanting to seek revenge on her adopted family. Ranko wasn't here; she was busy helping Shampoo settle down in a guest house nearby. And Akane...! Blessed Mother Ocean, it was no wonder that Ranma was taken away by the youngest Tendou!
"First, I'd like to say that, save for the matter between myself and Ran-chan's father, I bear no ill-will toward anyone within this household," Ukyou clears her throat. "I now am aware of the agreement between the Saotomes and the Tendous. From what I can sense, a rapport is forming between the various members of both families. I wish to do nothing to disrupt that.
"Saying that, I must also state that if I wish to pursue one of your daughters, ma'am, I choose Ranma," she then stares at Nodoka. "What memories I have of your family are centred around her...and it was on her that I locked myself onto when I began my quest years ago. I don't know either Ranko or Kikuko, though I would gladly like to know them as my friends and future in-laws. Further, Ranko is bound to Xian-pu...and sensing the love between them, it would be criminal on my part to hurt that. Seeing as how there're many ways to resolve this to everyone's satisfaction, may...we hold off on any final decisions before we get the chance to know each other much better...as one family?"
Nodoka blinks, then nods. "Agreed, Ukyou-san."
"Ukyou, you've actually had experience in running your own okonomiyaki shop for some time now," Nabiki muses. "Will you do the same here in Nerima?"
"Yes, I will," Ukyou nods. "As soon as I find a nice place to rent out for 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan,' I'll begin. I would like to live here if I may. I've lived in very cramped apartments beforehand and they just don't appeal to me anymore."
"Certainly...though given that we only have one guest room available..." Souun muses.
"Perhaps we can make some renovations to build new guest rooms, Otou-san?" Kasumi muses.
"I agree," Nodoka nods. "Or even better, a guest house. This will allow Ukyou and Shampoo to have their own space here...not to mention Ranma and Ranko, of course. Also, it'll give Nabiki and Akane their own rooms back. Once my husband and I retire to our home, Kikuko can have the guest room to herself."
"We'd all have to chip in for that," Ranma muses. "The funds our sisters in Oshika sent us can only go so far, Okaa-san."
"True, plus there are funds I have available...and I'm sure Ukyou and Shampoo can contribute as well," Nodoka nods. "Even if there're no marriage ties between us...except the one between Ranko and Shampoo...we are a family and should act as one."
"Agreed," the younger women nod.
Genma and Souun exchange looks, their concern quite plain. What of Ranma and Akane? "B-but...!"
"Further, maybe the engagement between Ranma and I should be ended now," Akane hums. "This'll give U-chan an equal chance with me to pursue Ranma's heart, Saotome-basan."
"That seems very fair, Akane," Nodoka nods.
"B-but...!" the men stammer.
"I can agree to that. U-chan?" Ranma stares at Ukyou.
"I'm for it if it doesn't bother A-chan," Ukyou nods.
"B-b-but...!!"
"It's agreed, then," Nodoka beams.
The men continue to stammer...as the door opens. "Tadaima (I'm here)!" Ranko calls out. "Kaa-san, Xian-pu's with me!"
"Konban wa, Shampoo-san. Welcome to Japan!" Nodoka beams on seeing the beautiful Nyuchezuu warrior now holding Ranko's hand.
As conversation picks up, people ignore the stammering "B-but..." emitting from Genma and Souun...
* * *
"Three Sisters"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir kush1@iaw.on.ca
With C&C by Kevin D. Hammel khammel@pacbell.net and Robert Geiger robertgeiger@prodigy.net
**** **** ****
Based on "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****
PART FOUR - ENGAGEMENTS
Later...
"Are you sure staying here's okay for you tonight, U-chan?"
Ukyou glances around the dojo, smiling. A nice place all around. "Yeah, it's okay, A-chan," she nods. "If we're going through with the guest house idea, let's set it up in the corner of the yard, with a covered walkway leading to the dojo itself. I'd like to train here as much as all of you will."
"Aiya, it'll look nice!" Shampoo muses. Ranma and Ranko were there also. "You sure Mother-in-law won't mind, Airen?"
"Hai, koibito-chan (Lover). Besides, it takes away control of our lives from Ji-san and Tou-san. No offense, Akane, but we have to keep moving to ensure Ji-san and Tou-san don't do anything to foul it up," Ranko nods, gazing at Akane. "They're REALLY set in their ways. If they had their way, Nee-chan and you'd be married tomorrow REGARDLESS of what U-chan's been through."
"That's true," Akane sighs, then she exchanges a look with Shampoo before staring at the three Nendo-kata with them. "Is there something you want to tell us?"
"Hai," Ranma sighs. "There're...some things about Nendo-kata biology you both should understand before we press on with this. Would you mind if we talked about that?"
Akane and Shampoo nod as they make a circle in the middle of the dojo floor. "First of all, I'd like to...propose something which could allow both A-chan and I to get something out of this given what I've sensed of you so far, A-chan," Ukyou sighs.
"What?" Akane urges.
"A-chan, forgive me...do you love Ran-chan?"
Silence. Akane blinks, surprised at the bluntness of Ukyou's question...yet not finding herself embarrassed or upset about it, either. After all, honesty was a profound virtue among Ranma's and Ukyou's people. She should respect that, shouldn't she? "Hai, I do love Ranma, U-chan. It's still quite...undefined, I guess, but the idea of staying with her for the rest of my life...it doesn't scare me at all. I can see it happening; in fact, I've seen it happening since I came to better understand who and what she is."
"Okay," Ukyou nods. "Ran-chan, do you love A-chan?"
"Of course I do," Ranma nods. "Akane is everything I could ever ask for in a life-mate."
"Ranma!!" Akane's cheeks flame.
"Alright, then," U-chan nods. "A-chan, I care for Ran-chan very much. I'm happy to be with her again and I want it to work out between her and I. At the same time...I can see myself loving you as well. Ran-chan's right, you know; you are everything people like us could ask for in a mate. Therefore...I propose this: we three," she points to herself, then Ranma, then Akane, "...will form a family. I really don't see myself going back to my dad given what he's done to me over the last few years. I can see myself becoming 'Ukyou Saotome.' Can you see yourself, if you really do care for Ran-chan...becoming 'Akane Saotome?'"
"Yes, I do," Akane nods. "Do you mean a wife-mistress idea?"
"Iie," Ukyou shakes her head. "There's no equality in that when you get down to it...though from what I sense of your mom, Ran-chan, she'd definitely approve. I won't treat either of my life-mates that way. What I propose is that we, to the public, become adopted sisters. We acknowledge Ran-chan's parents as our own. Within our household, we do as we choose. At the same time, to ensure your family carries on, one of Ran-chan's sisters does the opposite and becomes a Tendou. This will ensure both families can continue, but honour the spirit of the agreement between your father and Ran-chan's father. Atop that, it restores my honour."
Akane blinks, then nods. "Uhn!" She then stares at Ranko and Shampoo. "What about you two?"
"There are no rivals for either of our hearts, so it's a straightforward bonding," Ranko gently grasps Shampoo's hand.
"What about Mousse?" Shampoo scowls.
Ranko tenses, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "If that half-blind, love-starved jerk even THINKS of trying to break us up, Xian, I'll drop-kick him to the Moon!"
"Who's Mousse?" Akane wonders.
"Lao Mu-tzu," Ranma sighs. "Xian's version of Kunou, Akane. Good martial artist, specializing in hidden weapons style, but he's so insanely obsessed about Xian, it's funny. He and Ko-chan haven't got along at all since Ko-chan and Xian fell in love."
"My sympathies, Shampoo!" Akane shudders.
"Many thanks, Akane," Shampoo groans.
"I guess so," Ukyou sighs. "Alright, then. Since you seem to want to bond with us, you have to understand a basic fact of our biology...and how it leads to mating and children. Among the Great School, a psi-bond...a telepathic link between two people...is what marks a 'married' couple. But when that bond occurs, it creates a subtle physical change in our menstrual cycle."
"In effect, our cycle will shift over a couple months to match with yours," Ranko adds. "Once that occurs and we sense when you become most fertile...our drive to mate will hit us like a tidal wave. You can guarantee we'll be having kids right after."
"That's why we've wanted all along to wait until we're totally ready before we solidify things," Ranma finishes. "Oyaji and Tendou-san don't understand this. I think, deep down, they won't care much, regardless that it's a very important thing concerning making this work right. They want a bond based on words. We're talking about a bonding of minds, hearts and bodies. When you sit back and think about it, it's a big difference."
Akane and Shampoo hum, then exchange a look before the latter stares at Ranko. "Airen...how soon do you want to bond?"
"I'll bond with you here and now...but given that you're not a Nendo-kata, I'll be the one bearing our first child most likely," Ranko muses. "I do like to finish high school at least. I've no idea how the school board'll react if I become pregnant."
"Okay, I can live with that. After all, we should make the marriage really special!" Shampoo beams.
"I'll go for that!" Ranko grips her hand.
"What happens in a three-way bond?" Akane wonders.
"Well, one of us...I was thinking of you...would be the 'base' for the others to bond to," Ranma hums. "Once the psi-bond forms, our bodies will match to your cycle...and then..." she flusters.
"Oooh, that's gonna be fun!" Ukyou whistles.
Everyone laughs...
* * *
The next morning...
"Good, A-chan! You're showing loads of promise!!"
Souun hums, pausing at the front porch as he watches Akane twirl around Ukyou's giant combat spatula..."Spatula-sama" was the name Nabiki gave it, in reflection of her nickname for Akane's ki-mallet...in a graceful arc. Personally, he didn't approve of weapons...in Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu philosophy, weapons restricted the fighter in melee...but clearly, the okonomiyaki cook knew what she was doing. Further, Ukyou uses the same positive encouragement Ranma used when training his daughter to keep her spirits up.
A resigned sigh escapes him. By all rights, he should be teaching Akane; as her father, it was his duty and responsibility, especially if he wanted Akane to carry on the Tendou-ryuu.
Still, after Kimiko died...then...then...!
"Ohayo, Ji-san," Ranko steps onto the porch, having hopped over the fence from staying overnight with Shampoo.
"Ohayo, Ranko," Souun nods. "How are you and Shampoo-san getting along?"
"What do you think?" Ranko titters delightedly, then heads up to Nabiki's room to get her things.
"My, everything seems so nice today, doesn't it, Otou-san?" Kasumi muses, laying out some food.
Souun nods. "Yes, it does...though still..."
"I know, Otou-san," Kasumi smiles knowingly. "It isn't what you and Saotome-jisan planned at the start. We can't follow that anymore given how much things've changed. I applaud everyone's decision to keep matters fluid until things become clearer. It'll save a lot of problems in the future. That'll make this work."
"I hope so," Souun muses.
"Minna-san! Breakfast!!" Kasumi calls out.
Cries of "Hai!" echo from various places in the house...
* * *
"Thanks for loaning me a spare uniform, Ran-chan. Lucky thing we're the same size."
"No problem, U-chan," Ranma smiles as she and Akane run on the fence, Ukyou staying beside them at ground level. Nabiki and Kikuko had gone on ahead. Ranko was taking the day off to help Shampoo settle in, plus help Nodoka arrange a place for Ukyou to set up her restaurant. "We better get in contact with the SCAA just in case; let them know you're here," the elder Saotome child adds. "You'll probably have an easier time of it than me."
"Don't bet on it, Ran-chan. If my old man finds out that I'm back to being a girl full-time...and that this time, the government won't bend to his wishes...he'll really hit the roof!" Ukyou sighs.
"That's awful, the way he treats you!" Akane asserts. "Why couldn't he understand it wasn't your fault?!"
"My dad's like Ran-chan's old man, A-chan. He's got a pretty unique value system...eh?!"
Ukyou slows down, her eyes glowing. Ranma and Akane slow down, then turn...as a skeletal hand lands on the cook's shoulder. "YYEEEK!!!!" Ukyou spins around, Spatula-sama out...then she stops on seeing the smiling, bespectacled doctor holding up the skeleton now behind her. "Oh, jeez...!" she stammers.
"Oh, Toofuu-sensei, ohayo," Akane smiles as she and Ranma hop off the fence. "Is there something wrong?"
"Not really, Akane," Toofuu Ono hums, then gazes at Ranma and Ukyou. "I heard from some of Nabiki's friends that some people were staying at your house over the next while. Just curious, in case something happens."
The teenagers consider his words, then smile. "Gomen," Akane apologizes, then does the introductions.
"Yoroshiku (Pleased to meet you), Sensei," Ukyou bows. "Sorry about me trying to brain you with this," she hefts Spatula-sama. "Do you normally sneak up on people like that?"
"Not really, especially since I can sense how good both you and Ranma-san are," Toofuu asserts. "Though I must confess, I never thought I would meet a pair of aliens before."
Blink, blink. "You can tell?" Ranma wonders.
"Hai. Your chi patterns're almost like a normal human's, but the differences are pretty glaring for someone who can take real notice of it," the martial artist/chiropractor muses.
Ranma hums. "Well, even with the amount of precautions we can take, the chances are there we could be hurt. It's only wise to have a healer's services close by. Alright, then, Sensei. After school, my sisters, U-chan and I'll come by and we'll fill you in on the whole story. Fair enough?"
"More than fair enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to get back to my clinic."
With that, he heads off. "He's damn good," Ukyou muses.
"That he is," Ranma nods. "Then again, it's partially our fault. We were concentrating so much on Akane, we didn't notice him until he touched you with the skeleton."
"What did you expect, Ran-chan?" Ukyou winks, giving Akane a sly stare. "A-chan IS such a distraction!"
Steam billows from the younger Tendou's neck. "You guys...!"
Heartwarming laughter fills the air as they race for school. Watching them go, Toofuu sighs, a bemused smile crossing his face. "To believe I'm going to be close to a group of Nendo-kata," he clicks his tongue, hoisting Betty up. "Good thing Kay-san told me about this happening. I hope Akane realizes what she's in for."
With that, he heads off...
* * *
"Akane Tendou, come to my arms...!"
*WHOMP!!!!*
Kunou drops face-first into the ground at Akane's feet. She then walks over the insensate kendoist. "Don't you get the hint, you moron?!" she glares at him. "Stay out of my life!"
With that, she heads towards the front doors, Ranma and Ukyou staying close to her. "Hey, A-chan, you okay?" the latter asks, sensing a twinge of trepidation in her new friend.
"I dunno..." Akane stares at her hand, then she gazes on Ranma. "Are you doing something to me?"
"Eh?!" Ranma blinks. "What are you talking about, Akane?"
"The way I've been fighting since you came," Akane wonders. "I just find it so easy to tap into my skills now. I mean...the day you came, it was really hard for me to wear through them all. The day after, I ploughed through them..."
"And you assume I have something to do with it," Ranma hums. "Relax, Akane. One, I wouldn't insult you like that. I know you like to deal with your problems; that says a lot about you. But instead of looking for external sources for your power..." she taps her chest, "...look right there. That never lies to you."
"She's right, A-chan," Ukyou smiles, waving them inside as they slip off their shoes and bloomers, slipping on uwabaki (indoor shoes) before heading to class. "Look, there are two ways of training people. Using positive encouragement or negative encouragement. Most martial art senseis believe negative encouragement's better since it forces you to endure psychological hardship, increasing your resistance to bad vibes and things like that. It's great for allowing you to deal with harsh situations. Actually, it's not a bad idea, but if you ask me, there's a much better way to go about it. That's what we're doing."
"You see, if it was the old me teaching you, I'd be piling on all sorts of degrading insults to piss you off so badly, you'd want to do ANYTHING to show me up," Ranma adds. "That's good in some ways, but you've already got a problem with your anger, Akane. I don't want to make it worse. I..." she pauses.
"Ran-chan's worried that you'd never be happy anymore if you give in too much to your rage," Ukyou supplies.
"Domo, U-chan."
Akane blinks, then sighs. "Arigatou. I appreciate it. But can you give me the honest truth?" she stops, gazing at them. "Do I really have the chance to be as good as both of you?"
"Being just human and not a Nendo-kata who Crossed Over?" Ranma hums, scanning around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. "In time, Akane, you WILL be as good as I was before Jusenkyou. But to have the special abilities U-chan and I possess now..."
"There's only one way to get that right away, A-chan," Ukyou warns. "Would you do it?"
Akane blinks, then her eyes widen as it dawns on her what Ranma and Ukyou are alluding to. The Crossing Over. She then takes a deep breath. "I don't know."
"Our point," Ukyou nods as they head on to class. "A-chan, let's get you up to snuff as best as we can in THIS body," she taps Akane's shoulder, "...and if you like it enough, we'll keep you in it. If you bear our children, you'll end up inheriting our powers through the child's DNA mixing with yours via the umbilical cord while she's in the womb, so you'll evolve to our level."
"Soo ka," Akane sighs. "'S funny, isn't it?"
"Nani?" Ranma wonders.
"We're talking about children and starting families like we would be discussing our homework or a book we read. If this was before I found out about your other sides, I'd be embarrassed as all get out, not to mention pretty angry that we'd be breaching such a private subject. But it doesn't bother me so much..."
"Well, we don't have as many taboos about reproduction as you do. To us, sex and reproduction are vital to the continuation of the Great School and we acknowledge it at that," Ranma wryly muses. "Then again, sometimes, it's as much a surprise to me when I think about it. Before Jusenkyou, I had NO idea whatsoever about sex. Oyaji never told me a thing. I shudder to think what I'd go through as a guy with the way some of our classmates behave."
"Ugh, that's true," Akane winces.
"Akane Tendou!"
Akane stops, then sighs, turning to see a bruised Tatewaki Kunou standing nearby. The determination in the kendoist's eyes is as fierce as ever. Ranma and Ukyou tense, ready to jump the creep if they had to. "Is there a problem, Kunou?" Akane frostily asks.
"That's 'Kunou-sempai'...!"
"And as I said in my speech two days ago, you will NEVER earn such respect from me!" Akane snaps. "I believe Nabiki sold you a tape of it. Are you hard of hearing or what?!"
"Enough!" Kunou snarls. "I must now do everything to save you from these demonically-possessed maidens accompanying you now!" he draws his bokan stick, then charges.
Ukyou is on him first, grabbing him by the stick and sending him through an open window to splash-land in the pool three floors down! "You jackass, we've got no time for you!!!" she snarls.
"The words 'give up' clearly are not in his language!" Ranma shakes her head. "Depressing."
Akane hums. Ukyou and Ranma gaze on her. "The lady has an idea, I believe," Ukyou crosses her arms. "Let's hear it, A-chan."
"You two want to play a mind-game on that idiot?" Akane hums.
"I'd go for it," Ranma muses. "What's your idea?"
* * *
Joketsuzoku, that moment...
"Elder Kun-lon. May I speak with you a moment?"
Cologne blinks, then smiles. "Elder Lo-e," she nods to the youngest of the Council of Elderwomen. Both now meet in the older matriarch's home. "What may I do for you today?"
"I fear my grand-nephew has done himself and your great-granddaughter a grave dishonour," Aloe sighs. "As soon as he learned that Xian-pu had been given permission to travel to Japan to unite with Ranko Saotome, he took off after her."
Cologne jolts, then her eyes narrow. "Lo-e, Mu-tzu may not fully understand what Ranko will do to him if he tries to force himself on my great-granddaughter. Nendo-kata are vicious if they perceive a threat to their chosen life-mates."
"Agreed. Further, Mu-tzu's actions have even come to very much disgrace...Those Who Suffer In Silence," she lowers her voice on mentioning the unofficial protest group, mostly male, who wanted the challenge laws amended out of a fear of spousal abuse becoming rampant among the Nyu-che-zuu. Traditional members of the tribe looked on people like Mousse with barely-veiled disgust. "I've always supported them. Their ideas are very forward, all for giving us better home and family lives while not trying to weaken us when we deal with outsiders. But, much to my shock and disgrace, Mu-tzu clearly looks on Xian-pu as his prized possession. None of Those Who Suffer in Silence would condone that. It is, I fear, as bad as Ranko warned when she was staying with us."
Cologne hums, clicking her tongue. "It was hard for my great-granddaughter-in-law to admit that to me, Lo-e. She knew what Mu-tzu could face if his...overt aggressiveness towards Xian-pu became known. We don't have to be too drastic, though."
"The punishment is clear concerning those who emotionally enslave...or desire to emotionally enslave...their mates, Kun-lon. Aloe shudders. He must face Jusenkyou."
"True. But thanks to Ranko's sister Kikuko, there is a very specific way we can apply the punishment."
Aloe blinks, then her eyes widen in surprised understanding. "But the Nyanniichuan is gone, Kun-lon. The Wanderer that merged with Kikuko Saotome saw to it..."
"You forget their reverence for their own mother goddess, Lo-e," Cologne smirks. "The magic of Nyanniichuan was not destroyed forever. With my help, Kikuko made a way to ensure that if someone has need of that particular spring's power, it can be used...and left it under my safe-keeping," she reaches into the top of her cane, opening a secret hatch to draw out a bright blue stone, glowing with power. "Even more so, as long as this is with me, the power of Nyanniichuan remains out of the Musk's hands. Yes, there are other female-drown springs in Jusenkyou, but this was the most prized of all. I think the farther we get this away from that moron Herb, the better for us all. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Aloe nods...
* * *
Nerima, before lunch...
Kunou shudders as he storms up to the classroom bearing his beloved Akane Tendou and the four hapless maidens who seemed intent on following their enchanter's dark plot and turning Akane from the joys of a man's...his own, with due modesty...love and affections. Clearly, he had to press until he found the devilish warlock who placed the Saotome sisters and Ukyou Kuonji under his spell...then smite him as only a samurai of his calibre could. It upset him that Ranma, Ranko, Kikuko and Ukyou had to suffer. But as surely as Heaven's vengeance was always forthcoming with the assuredness of the dawn, he would make them understand his noble intentions.
Once they comprehended that, they would all, even Akane, shower him with their undying gratitude.
As he only deserved.
Arriving on the third floor, he stops as the door to class 1-F opens, revealing Akane and Ranma. "There you are, fair maidens!" he calls out, racing at them with arms wide...
...then screams out in shock as Ranma draws Akane into her arms and bestows a VERY loving kiss on the latter's lips. The kendoist's brain seems to short-circuit for a second as he watches Ranma and Akane continue their lip-to-lip conversation, then with a scream, he lunges with his bokan stick. "I WILL SAVE YOU BOTH!!!!" he raises it high, aiming for Ranma's head...
...then as it comes down, it smashes into SOMETHING as dense as the hardest diamond, the bokan stick splintering as he stumbles forward. His head slams into that invisible SOMETHING, knocking him to the floor! As the kendoist tries to recover, Ranma's index finger makes a flecking gesture...as Kunou finds himself slammed DOWN the hallway towards the far stairwell!! "***WHAT DARK SORCERY IS THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS...?!?!?!***" he wails as he slams into a wall, then stumbles down the stairs.
Akane and Ranma slowly part, the latter opening her eyes to allow the former to gaze on them glowing. "Don't you just hate it when someone tries to interrupt?" Akane muses.
Ranma's eyes return to normal. "All the time," she hums as she walks Akane back into the classroom. "Sensei, we're back."
"The problem was dealt with, Ranma-san?" the teacher wonders.
"Hai..."
* * *
Lunchtime...
"U-chan, there you are!!"
Ukyou looks up from her grill, then smiles. "Hey, Ko-chan, Xian-chan, take a load off your feet! What's the news?!"
"We found a nice place in Block Six for you to rent," Ranko hands over a brochure. "Turns out, there used to be an okonomiyaki shop there, but the owner closed down a year ago. All the stoves and everything else are in place, just waiting for you to move in."
Ukyou flips through the brochure with one hand as the other flips the okonomiyaki onto Kikuko's plate. "Sounds nice. Rental charge isn't bad. How'd it look to you and your mom, Ko-chan?"
"It seemed okay. 'Biki gave me a number of a good property appraiser. He'll check it out this afternoon on the sly, then call in. Once we get the skinny, we can move in anytime after."
"Even more," Shampoo adds. "Mother-in-law found a contractor to put the new guest house in. They'll start work today and we can all move in by tomorrow."
Ukyou blinks. "That's fast!"
"Mother-in-law said that these people are used to very quick rebuilding jobs," Shampoo augments. "They work for the Mendou Clan over in Tomobiki. The Mendous are friends with my tribe's allies in this country, the Moroboshis."
"Yeah, I know. The first Nendo-kata school to come here is led by Ataru Moroboshi's sister Nokoko," Ukyou nods. "Looks like things are clicking in pretty well...eh?"
Whoops, gasps and cat-calls turn everyone's attention to the cafeteria doorway, where Ranma and Akane were again getting their lips re-acquainted. To everyone's delight, a wailing Kunou was screaming for the girls to awaken from the dark sorcery forcing them in such an unholy union. Try as the kendoist might to pry them apart, they wouldn't budge. "The dork just has no idea what he's up against," Ukyou clicks her tongue.
"Hmmm...shall we?" Ranko stares at her fiancee.
"I won't mind, Airen!" Shampoo smiles.
Their lips interlock as nearby students cheer them on, Ukyou and Kikuko laughing. A glance to another corner sees Nabiki and her friends raking in money from what bets people made concerning when Ranma and Ranko would become publicly affectionate with their fiancees. A pained scream then echoes as Kunou races over to yank Ranko and Shampoo apart. "I will save you, fair ladies...!!!"
*WHANG!!!!*
"Who's gonna save us from you, jackass?!" Ukyou sighs as she returns to her grill, Kunou dropping to the floor.
Ranma and Akane walk up, then the former turns to the latter. "Shall I or do you want to do this?"
"Oh, please, Ranma-sama, may I?" Akane flashes him a "cute as a million kittens" look.
"Alright."
Akane grabs Kunou, then places him in a position where she could belt him out of the cafeteria without wrecking something. Drawing Mallet-sama, she positions herself, then notions for people to get clear. "FORE!!!!" she screams as she winds up, then sends the insensate kendoist soaring into the early afternoon sky!
"How far?!" Kikuko wonders.
"Hopefully, Tokyo Bay, if not the Pacific!" Akane stows her mallet, then sniffs on smelling Ukyou's cooking. "Oh, U-chan, I hope you got a couple of those ready! We're hungry!!"
"Just a sec', A-chan...eh?!"
Ukyou tenses, squeezing her eyes shut so that nearby onlookers don't see her eyes glow. "What is it?" Ranko wonders, then feels herself tense as an unwanted feeling surges through her. "Oh, no...!" she grits her teeth. "What's HE doing here?!"
"Who?!" Akane wonders.
"Someone who wants Ko-chan's blood, sugar...and Xian-chan in bed to do the wild thing ASAP!" Ukyou sneers...
...as a section of wall explodes, dousing a dozen students with shattered concrete and dust. Shampoo spins around, then gasps on seeing the white-robed figure standing there. "Oh, no...!"
"XIAN-PU, THERE YOU ARE!!!!" he bellows in Mandarin.
"Um...is that...?" Akane hums.
"Mousse," Ranma nods.
Leaping inside, the raven-haired master of Hidden Weapons lunges over. "Xian-pu, come to my arms!!" he swamps someone with an over-affectionate embrace.
"PERVERT!!!!" Sayuri screams out as she whips out her own mallet and smashes Mousse into the floor.
Everyone blinks surprisedly. "Shampoo, he sounded like he was after you," Hiroshi stares at Shampoo. "Who is this guy?"
"A pain in the you-know-what!" Shampoo draws out a bonbori, then walks over. "What are you doing here, Mousse?! I thought I left you behind back in Joketsuzoku!"
Mousse leaps up, then tries another glomp...before Shampoo's bonbori slams him still. "Shampoo...!" he moans, dropping to the floor again, a big lump on his head.
"Idiot!" Shampoo flips to Mandarin. "What are you doing here, Mu-tzu?! You weren't permitted to leave the village!"
Mousse moans, then staggers back up. "I'm doing what I must, Xian-pu!" he glares lovingly...though Shampoo is quick to sense the flash of obsessed possessiveness, of lust that no longer acknowledged propriety, in his eyes...at her. "I'm saving you from that alien whore who's been trying to steal you from me!"
Shampoo shudders. "I suggest you apologize now, Mu-tzu. Ranko's standing right behind you."
Mousse blinks, then jolts on feeling the heat of an awesome battle aura warm him from behind. Shuddering, he turns, squinting to see his foe...as Ranko's fist connects. "ASSHOLE, HANDS OFF MY FIANCEE!!!! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO PUT UP TO YOU!!!!"
"Xian-pu...!" Mousse wails as he flies through an open window out of the cafeteria.
Whoops echo through the eyewitnesses as Ranko races for the door. "Stay here!!! I'm gonna kill that creep!!"
Hands grab her by the legs, nearly knocking her down. "No, fair maiden! Don't give in...!!" Kunou moans.
"HANDS OFF!!!!" Ranko drop-kicks him into the ceiling, then races off to get her hands on Mousse.
"M-maiden...!" escapes Kunou's lips as gravity pulls him down from the ceiling, he flopping onto a table to collapse it.
"How'd he recover so fast?!!" Akane demands.
The others sigh. "Geez, and I thought Tsubasa-baka was obsessed?!" Ukyou shudders, then turns back to her grill. "That guy deserves to get thrown into the loony bin!"
"Airen, wait for me!" Shampoo screams as she races after her fiancee. "I can handle that idiot...!!"
* * *
Mousse growls as Ranko charges towards him, preparing himself. He knew she was an inordinately well-trained martial artist, so beating her would be difficult. Then again, there were other ways to deal with this alien seductress, ways that Ranko couldn't so easily defeat. All he had to do was play his cards right...and Shampoo would be his at last, Ranko cast to hell as she deserved for interfering in Mousse's quest! As it always should have been.
"FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!" he screams.
Ranko jolts as she senses his ki send forth a very large object her way, then her fists flash. "***KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!!!!!***" she screams out.
Mousse cries out as the machine-gun speed blows shatter his weapons, then yelps as Ranko dives in for an uppercut to send him stumbling into a nearby tree. "Pathetic as always, Blind Boy!" she dances back. "When are you ever going to learn that'll NEVER work on someone like me?!!"
"Maybe!" Mousse snaps, sending a storm of knives her way.
Ranko ducks the attack, focusing her chi to start absorbing the ki energy Mousse was throwing off. "You're afraid of me!" the hidden weapons master snarls. "No wonder you fled when I tried to challenge you for Xian-pu's hand!!"
"You are SO pathetically stupid!" Ranko weaves, inwardly smiling at his lack of control. Time to coax it to a boil, then let him have a taste of REAL pain. No wonder Koga Shinura, the last master of the Unseen Light...Ranko met and befriended the blind martial artist in her brief visit to Joketsuzoku...never wanted to teach this moron a REAL Art. "You're an insult to your whole tribe, Mu-tzu!! Maybe it's time I did something about it!"
"Witch!!!" he fires off a storm of shuriken.
Another weave. "Slowpoke!!" Ranko flips over him, then delivers a swift kick in the back to send him stumbling. "I bet your grand-aunt's so upset at you right now, she'll GLADLY let you face Jusenkyou for forcing yourself over MY Airen!!"
"XIAN-PU IS NOT YOURS!!!!"
"Says who?!!"
Mousse stops, staring at Shampoo. "Xian-pu!!"
"You're too late, Mu-tzu! I already gave myself TOTALLY to Airen!! Body AND soul!" Shampoo icily grins. "Very soon, Great-grandmother become great-great-grandmother!"
Mousse jolts as that message sinks in, then with a scream, he lunges at Ranko. "YOU DARE DEFLOWER MY XIAN-PU, ALIEN WHORE?!?! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE...!!!!!!"
Weapons of all descriptions lash out at the middle Saotome daughter, causing her to dance and weave as she continues to draw in Mousse's expended ki energy. The mist forms around her as she tries to focus herself, get enough to blow the wind out of this moron's sails. Finally, sensing she had enough, she backflips clear. "Time to dance!" she cups her hands on target.
"HAVE AT THEE, MONSTER!!!!"
"***FUUYOU NO GEKIDO!!!!***"
Mousse jolts as Ranko's ki blast lashes out, smashing into some idiot kendoist's chest, sending him spiralling out of the way. "Aw, CRAP!!!!" Ranko screams, realizing she just blew off a good Wind Dance Fury on the WRONG idiot, then she yelps as Mousse closes the range, his chi focused and ready. "Shit...!!"
"Now I have you!!! FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!"
Another white child's potty lashes out, belting Ranko in the cheek before she could react, sending her flying into a tree trunk. The impact causes the branches to quiver...and an earthen jar to drop out, flipping around as water douses her! "DID IT!!!!" Mousse laughs...then blinks as steam and chi energy seem to mask Ranko for a moment. "Wait a minute...!"
"What did you do?!!" Shampoo demands, racing up to grab Mousse by his robe collar.
"I gave that alien water-bitch a taste of her own medicine, Xian-pu!" Mousse crows triumphantly, gently grasping her hand. "Water from Jusenkyou! Let's see how this water-worshipping whore likes having a curse!!"
Shampoo blinks, her eyes widening...then she jolts on hearing a confused but heartwarming voice. "Hey, what's going on here...?"
Both spin around as the steam evaporates...and Ranko stands, soaked but unharmed! "That's not right!!!" Mousse screams, faltering. "You're supposed to be cursed, you alien witch!!!"
"Pity you forgot that we are BORN of the ocean, Lao Mu-tzu. Magic of THAT nature NEVER works on one of us!"
Shampoo and Mousse spin around to see a tall, raven-haired woman standing five metres away, brown eyes locked on the weapons master. She is dressed in an orange tunic, black form-fitting trousers with leather shoes, an orange tiger-striped bandanna wrapped around her head. A tattoo, something like a red tidal wave, is etched on her left cheek. Beside her now stands someone who appears to be her own twin brother, this one without a tattoo and with a red bamboo-like umbrella in hand, now staring lethal daggers at Mousse. "Who are you?!" he demands.
"So there you've been hiding, huh?!" the male of the twins smirks in heavily accented Mandarin. "Running around making more people's lives miserable just because they won't kowtow to you and your sick dreams?! I may not like the Saotomes too much, but your clanswoman deserves much better than the likes of you!"
Shampoo blinks, then her eyes widen. Say, wasn't he...?
"And who are you to interrupt me?!" Mousse snarls.
"Let's see how good your memory is, Mu-tzu," the other man smirks. "A little over a month ago, you were busy trying to molest the lady beside you...while both of you were in the valley of Jusenkyou! Remember that?!"
Mousse jolts. "I was NOT molesting my love..."
"Didn't look that way to me, jerk...not to mention her," the other man nods at Shampoo. "In fact, I'd say you were stalking her...just like I said it a month ago when you caught me by surprise and knocked me into one of the springs!! Thanks to you, you half-blind slime, I've seen HELL!!! Now you're trying to do the same thing to someone who's earned Xian's respect and love?! Time for you to get a taste of your own medicine!!!"
"We'll see about that!! FIST OF THE WHITE SWAN!!!!"
The other man opens his umbrella, then does a sweep with it, the ultra-sharp edge ripping through Mousse's weapons like they were confetti. "Like playing with sharp toys, huh?!" the other smiles, flashing cute fangs. "Let's see if you like MINE, Blind Boy!!" he snaps up four of his bandannas, then lets them fly.
Mousse screams as the bandannas, now as hard as solid steel, lash through his clothes, knocking him back several paces. Ranko and Shampoo back off as the newly-arrived warrior slips his umbrella onto his backpack, then concentrates his chi. To the onlookers' surprise, a green ball of energy forms between his palms, much brighter than even Ranko's ki attack. As the weapons master staggers back to his feet, his attacker locks on target.
"***SHISHI HOUKOUDAN!!!!!!***"
Mousse bellows helplessly as the bolt slams into his chest, the impact sending him flying into the early afternoon sky!! With that, the other warrior growls, moving to follow...then jolts as a hand touches his shoulder. "Don't, Onii-san. If you race off like that, I'll loose track of you. You don't want that, do you?"
He shudders, then sighs, relaxing himself. "Hai, Ryooko."
Shampoo and Ranko stare at them, then the latter notices the tattoo on Ryooko's cheek. "Elder..." she gasps, then looking around to see that the crowd of onlookers were far enough away, she approaches her. "Elder, what are you doing here?!"
Ryooko stares on her. "Ukyou summoned me to meet up with Ryouga-niisan and help him deal with some of his problems, Ranko-chan. It's alright. He understands."
Ryouga blinks, then stares at Ranko. "Ranma...?"
"Iie, Ranma-neechan's my sister...EX-brother, that is!" Ranko smiles. "But I do know of you, Ryouga! Looking good!!"
"I...ah...th-thanks!" Ryouga flusters.
"Oi, Ryouga!! Catch!!"
Ryouga tenses, then sees something fly at him. He snares it out of the air, then blinks. "Curry bread?"
"Heads up!!"
More packages fly at him. Ryouga snares them all, calling out their contents. In a moment, the wandering martial artist has a pile of bread packages in hand. He then notices the person who tossed them at him: a smiling red-brown haired woman with blue eyes he'd last seen on a boy with black hair in a pigtail.
"Ranma...?"
"Owed you," Ranma winks at him.
Ryouga stares at her, then the bread in his hands...before a bemused chuckle escapes him. In a minute, both Ranma and Ryouga are laughing, Ranko and Ryooko joining in. Shampoo still looks confused. "Airen, I don't understand. What's going on between your sister and this fellow?" she gazes on Ranko.
"Oh, it's a long story," Ranko flusters, then gazes on the woman beside Ryouga. "Ryooko Hibiki, right? C'mon in so we can let Ryouga here have something to eat and you can meet the others. We got a lot to catch up on."
"So we do," Ryooko muses...
* * *
"Oooh...where am I...?"
Mousse moans as he slowly picks himself up from the hole he had made in someone's roof, shaking his head. "Gyaa...never thought I'd run into the Lost Boy here..." he grumbles, brushing himself off...then he senses a shadow over him. "Eh...?"
He turns to see a very irate woman with a large broom hovering nearby, her intent plain. "And who's going to pay for the hole you made in my roof?!" she snarls.
Mousse screams...
* * *
"A bread duel?!!"
Everyone relaxes in the cafeteria. It was study hall for Akane's class, so they decided to enjoy the time in a more private place. Ryouga was now snacking on the bread Ranma had given him. "Hai, it was," Ranma blushes, staring at Akane. "Ryouga always had problems trying to get to the confectionary stand in time."
"By the time I got there, there was usually one piece of food left," Ryouga sighs, inwardly envious of Ranma and the fact that his would-be fiancee was so beautiful. "Ranma always grabbed it. I...never took it very well, so..."
"Eventually, Ryouga challenged me to a duel over the whole matter. I was supposed to meet him at the lot behind his house," Ranma sighs, then gazes on her friend/rival. "Ryouga, I did wait for three days, you know."
"And I was busy jaunting around half of Japan," Ryouga sighs resignedly. "By the time I got there, you were gone. So I was off after you, calling you a coward for ducking out of the fight."
"You don't seem so bothered by it now," Ranko muses.
"Well, thank Ukyou and Ryooko-neesan for that," Ryouga smiles at his adopted sister. "I met Ukyou just before she Crossed Over. She was just as obsessed about getting a piece of you as I was, Ranma. But when she Crossed Over..." a whistle escapes him. "The change was something to behold, I'll tell you that."
"U-chan, you've never told us what were the circumstances that made you Cross Over," Ranko stares at her. "What happened?"
"This was because of a jerk who could probably teach Mousse and Kunou lessons about fanatic loyalty to someone who doesn't love them back," Ukyou groans. "Tsubasa Kurenai. He's a master of disguise who got into crossdressing because I was dressing as a boy at the time. He thought it was a way to win me over. All it did in all honesty was just make me sick to my stomach."
"He felt I was trying to 'steal' HIS Ukyou-sama," Ryouga adds. "So he surprised me one night. I lost control, cut loose with a Shishi Houkoudan (Roaring Lion Bullet), then..."
"I got caught in the explosion," Ukyou winces. "Lucky for me, my Wanderer half was close by."
"I'd say!" Ranma breathes out.
"Can someone take over for me, please?" Kikuko sighs.
"Relax, sis, I'll handle it," Ranko smiles, then closes her eyes as she concentrates.
"What are you doing?" Ryouga wonders.
"A second-year student with an obsession towards me, Tatewaki Kunou...who now thinks Ranma, her sisters and U-chan are possessed by demons who turned them into lesbians...has been trying to attack us to help them 'be free' of their lesbianism since they came in," Akane explains. "Is he still by the main doors, Ranko?"
"Hai, still there. Screaming that some sorcerer is trying to stave the noble samurai from carrying out his honourable duties!" Ranko smirks. "Oh, Nabiki's coming in."
"Hello, everyone!" Nabiki walks in through a side door, then turns to the glass main doors, trying not to laugh as Kunou kept bashing at Ranko's telekinetic force field. "Geez, this guy's hopeless!" she shakes her head, then stares at the Hibiki twins. "So who are these two lovely people?"
"Meet my other friend from childhood, Nabiki; Ryouga Hibiki," Ranma smiles. "And beside him is his newly-adopted sister, Ryooko Hibiki, Dreamweaver and Elder of the School of Sages."
Nabiki blinks, then her eyes widen, gazing on Ryooko. "You're of the School of Sages?" She knew that the Sages were seen as the quasi-official "government" of the Great School. "What on Earth are you doing here, then?" she stammers.
"As we of the Great School like to say, Nabiki-san, there's a little Wanderer in all of us," Ryooko smiles. "I...wanted to get away from the Mother Ocean and do some exploring. That's when Ukyou-chan's summons asking for someone to help Ryouga-niisan overcome his problems came in. Here I am!"
"I said I'd watch out for Ryouga, 'Biki. Nendo-kata never go back on their word," Ukyou adds.
"Um...I've got a question," Shampoo hums.
"What is it, Xian?" Ranma wonders.
"What's a 'Dreamweaver?'"
"Ah, I better demonstrate it instead of simply describing it," Ryooko hums, rising. "Ranko-chan, would you let that fellow outside in? Maybe I can help him overcome his delusions and seek the right person he'd deserve as a mate."
"Hai," Ranko nods, relaxing.
A *crash!* of shattered glass draws everyone's attention to the main cafeteria doors as Kunou surges in. "HAH!!!" he hoists his bokan stick high. "I, Tatewaki Kunou, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan, have proven my skill over the unseen monster who has twisted innocent maidens so!!! Now, I shall claim my reward!!"
He lunges forward...only to get Ryouga's foot into his face. "Hold it, buddy!" the wanderer snarls. "Who the hell are you to say that some sorcerer's been messing around with my friends?!"
Kunou staggers back, then glares at Ryouga. "That hurt, you know. How dare you speak to me so disrespectfully, foul knave?!"
"The only disrespect I see is yours, loudmouth!" Ryouga snarls. "You butted in on a private duel between my friend Ranko Saotome and that asshole Mousse. From what I saw of her Fuuyou no Gekido, it's a damn wonder she didn't kill you!"
The kendoist pauses. "It seems that, despite your obviously low birth, you are showing signs of properly acknowledging your betters," he hums. "Do you seek to challenge me?"
"Buster, you're more arrogant than anyone I've EVER met...and lower than the dirt under my shoes!" Ryouga sneers. "Maybe it's time for you to see the world as it REALLY is...right, Onee-san?"
"Agreed," Ryooko rises, her eyes suddenly glowing.
"Wha...?" Kunou jolts, then blinks as soft sniffling is heard from behind him. "Who...?"
"Mariko-san, it's alright!"
Everyone gasps as Kunou turns around...to see a woman in a cheerleader's outfit on her knees, weeping uncontrollably. A friend in the same uniform kneels beside her supportively. The kendoist blinks, then pales. "Mariko-san..."
"It's alright, Mariko-san!" the other cheerleader soothes. "He just hasn't noticed you yet, that's all...!"
"It's not true...T-R-U-E!!!" Mariko chants, trying to be calm. "Kunou-san hates...H-A-T-E-S...me! All he has eyes...E-Y-E-S...for is that Tendou...T-E-N-D-O-U...girl!"
Watching this, the kendoist in question tries to shake his head. "No...she...she can't...!" he stammers.
"She can, Tatewaki-san...and she does."
The image before Kunou fades, then he spins around to gaze at Ryooko. "So...you are the one...?" he snarls.
"Who just showed you the path to the one who truly loves you, Tatewaki-san," Ryooko calmly replies.
That stops him short. "Wh-what...?"
"Everyone in the Cosmic Chain of Life, Tatewaki-san, has a kindred soul linked to them," Ryooko lightly smiles. "You believe a little red string ties your little finger to the one special person you are destined to become life-mates with. Mariko Konjou is the one destined for you, Tatewaki Kunou. I have the gift to understand a person's dreams and destiny. Know that Mariko watches you from afar. Know that every time you act to pursue those who do not desire to have anything with you...you drive a knife straight into the heart of someone who does. If you drive it too far...then you will have an innocent woman's blood on your hand. What then, my friend, will your honour mean if that happens?"
Kunou wordlessly withdraws. The others watch him go, then stare at Ryooko. "Ryooko-san, did you hypnotize him?" Akane asks.
"No, Akane," Nabiki shakes her head. "All Ryooko really did was reach out telepathically to seek the person who loves Kunou-chan the most, then revealed it to him. It's like getting splashed with cold water to wake you up or shake you back to reality. I guess Kunou-chan's gonna have some things to think of for the next while. That was pretty intense."
Ryooko nods. "He flees from reality, believing it too harsh for him to endure. I simply showed him that reality isn't so bad when he gives it a chance. At least, it'll make him think about his actions from now on. To this point, he believes he is totally innocent of any 'wrongdoing,' that no matter what other people say, he can stay the course he set for himself. Now he knows his actions could potentially have grave consequences to an innocent person...and I doubt it'll sit very well with him."
"Well, he's been asking for it one way or another," Ranma crosses her arms. "Besides, that Mariko girl seems pretty nice. And if she's willing to tolerate someone like him..."
"More peace for us," Akane finishes.
Everyone laughs...
* * *
To be continued...