Yatta! Vacation! I can WRITE now! Maybe I'll actually update stuff like
Remnants, or dare I say it, the Feh Squad! Hell, I've been too tired to
play computer games, and THAT is saying something.
This is, as I'm sure you know, Chapter 2 of Oh, My, my R+K matchup. It contains Ranma's thoughts over the same time period. I plan to continue this at least one more chapter - nothing gets resolved in this one. Sorry. After that, whether or not I continue it is up to you people in Readerland who have deigned to spend their time reading my forays, albeit inconsistent, into the field of fanfiction.
I'll get started with this now; expect more random babbling at the end.
Lord Iron-Balls Presents:
A Feh Masters Production:
Oh My, Chapter 2: Ranma
Well, I've finally made my choice. No, ya idiots, gimme a second before you start goin' hysterical. Feh. This whole mess has made me more insane than I thought. I've gotten so bad that I'm being defensive in my own head. No one is going to hear this. And I still can't keep myself from going into Anti- Mallet defensive mode. Not that it helps in real life.
Back to my original point. It's not Akane. It's not Ukyo. It's not Shampoo. And no, I didn't find out about some new fiancée that Pops pulled out of our screwed-up past. If you know the Nerima gang, you know her. And ya probably like her. A lot. Everyone does, but no one really pays attention to her. She's the great cook, the great housecleaner, the one island of sanity in this whole crazy mess we call Nerima. She's there when no one else is. She's willing to listen to your problems when everyone else would exploit them for their own damn agenda. If ya haven't guessed by now, I'm talking 'bout Kasumi.
Yeah. Kasumi. Pick your jaw up off the floor. Feh. Nothing should be all that strange in Nerima. Not even this.
All right. I guess that is a good point. I haven't been exactly Mr. Decisive, have I? It's been a year, and I've had almost every girl in Nerima and a few from out of it throw themselves at me. Hell, if I haven't done anything about it by now, why expect that I ever will?
So ya expected one of my 'three fiancées'. Good. At least ya didn't include Kodachi. Crazy girl. Anyone who thinks I'd choose her deserves to go to the same mental institution I'm sure she'll be sent to one of these days.
Shampoo's the same story. Sure, she's got quite the body, but that ain't much concern to me. I mean, if I haven't taken advantage of it being thrown at me every opportunity she gets, I'm not gonna now. The girl's nuts. Not as bad as Kodachi, but still nuts. She's tried every weird trick in the very large book of them that her 'great-grandmother' has. And when you've been around as long as Cologne, that's a lot. Drugs, medallions, pressure points, even shampoos. I am sick of it. Yeah, ya heard me right. Even the great Ranma Saotome doesn't have a limitless supply of patience.
Feh. My patience went out the window a long time ago. Lucky I got to take it out on Saffron, or I was gonna break pretty soon.
Ukyo - she's a nice girl, really. But why can't she just accept that I love her as a friend. Or a sister. She just ain't the girl for me to marry. I've thought of her as my 'buddy Ucchan' - a GUY - for too long. Even if I've modified that considering the fact that she's a girl - a cute one, I'm not denying' her that - I still ain't been able to think about her in that way. Sure, she's a great cook, a great friend. But that's all. A friend. How many times do I have to explain this to her? Or the rest of the town? Kami, it's earned me enough trips via Akane Airways.
Feh. Akane. Don't get me started on her right now. I ain't in a good enough mood. I've put up with it for long enough now. Every day. Trips to Tofu's clinic, the pond, any inconvenient place I happen to land. Over her own stupid delusions. Sometimes I get the feeling that the girl sees me as her property or somethin'. Not in any romantic sense - just a piece of territory with 'Akane's - No Girls Allowed' written on it. I gave up on tryin' to understand a while ago. Sure, I used to kinda have a crush on her - despite all my complaints, my 'Uncute Tomboys', she is cute. There's a reason why most of the school is obsessed with the girl. But that's evaporated now. I killed a GOD for her! Almost married her, for cryin' out loud! And she still goes back to the same old routine. I can't stand it. I've been on the edge for over a month now. There's only one thing that's kept me sane.
Yep. Kasumi. Kami, she's sweet. She doesn't care about what, when, why. She's willing to help me when the whole world seems to be against me. Those times when I just wanna close up, hide behind my cocky grin, my 'Ranma Saotome can't lose' attitude and the word feh. When I'm close as I can be to vaporizing Nabiki's photo collection with a Moko Takabisha and turnin' a fire hose on Ryoga when Akane's standin' right there. She calms me down. And in turn I've gotten to know her. Better than everyone who sees her as everythin' I've described earlier. I don't know how she does it. Where Nabiki smirks from behind a wall of ice and supports the family with her little enterprises - yeah, she told me about that. I don't have to like the girl, but I do respect what she's doin'. It's made it a little easier to accept her extortions. Not like I use the money anyway. Ah, I get distracted too easily. Kasumi doesn't pretend like the rest of us. She helps everyone as best she can. Straight out. She doesn't ask for anything in return. Kami, it makes me real angry sometimes. The way everyone just blows her off. Expects it from her. I may not be Mr. Smooth, but I always try 'n let her know how much she's appreciated.
Well, I'm back from school. Alone as usual. I generally manage to lose the gang on the way home these days. Gives me a few minutes to talk to Kasumi at least. I enter the kitchen. She's standing there, but her cheeks seem a bit flushed and she purposefully ain't lookin' at me. How like Kasumi. She's probably feeling sick and doesn't want anyone to know about it.
I'm not goin' to let her get away with it. She deserves care as much as the rest of us. "Kasumi? You okay?"
"H-hai, Ranma. I'm fine." Her voice wavers a bit. Not a good sign. "Sure? You look like you might be comin' down with somethin'."
She looks up, apparently not having heard me. "What was that, Ranma-kun?" Ranma-kun. I love it when she calls me that. I know it's just her being nice, but it gives me something to pretend about.
"I said you looked like you might be coming down with something. Are you really sure you're ok?" I can't help myself. I cup her chin and tilt her head up. I'm gettin' lost in her eyes... Snap out of it!
"I - I suppose I'm feeling a little under the weather..." Thought so. She's gonna get some rest if I have to carry her to bed myself. Ugh. Don't go there, Saotome. Kasumi and bed in the same sentence. No, NO! Get your mind out of the gutter.
What? You're surprised? Me, the great Ranma Saotome, resister of Shampoo's charms, is affected that much by Kasumi's physical charms? Yeah, well, I think Kasumi's a hell of a lot better lookin' than the Chinese bimbo anyway. She ain't no old maid. And I ain't immune to physical charms either.
Ah, hell. Nerima timing as usual. The rest of the Tendos have all shown up. Soun overreacts. He always does.
"WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! MY LITTLE BABY IS DYING!!! WAAAAAAH!!!"
"Honestly, Daddy, I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and..."
And I'm in trouble with Akane. As usual. "Ranma you pervert! How dare you hit on my sister!"
How wrong you are, Akane. The one person I would never hit on would be your sister. I respect her too much. Unfortunately, my mouth has been commandeered by Saotome Foot in Mouth Syndrome. Nabiki says somethin' to Kasumi, but I'm too concentrated on tryin' to close my mouth. Too late.
"A-Akane! I didn't do anything! Honest!" Not gonna work. No way.
"Like I'm going to believe a pervert like you!" Here it comes. I barely even feel it these days - I'm just flyin' through the air a second later. Looks like I'm gonna land at Tofu's again. Second trip there today.
The Doc's cool. Actually, I hope that he gets over his problem with Kasumi soon. He seems like the one guy who deserves her here. Oh, I hold no illusions in that regard. I don't deserve her. I love her - yeah, I can say it now. I'm not allergic to that phrase anymore. But I don't deserve her.
After he patches me up, he asks me why I arrived via the roof. Like the idiot I am, I answer. "Well, Akane got mad when she thought I was hittin' on Kasumi..."
Oops.
"Kasumi! Isn't that nice, Betty?" He starts dancing with his skeleton again. I get out of there before he presses any bad pressure points.
This ain't my night. A little old lady dumps water on me on the way back to the Dojo. Soaked, cold and female, I enter and go to the kitchen for hot water. Luckily, no one seems to be around. I change back to male form and enter my room.
Spoke too soon.
"Whaddaya want, Nabiki? Oh, why ask?" I start to pull out my wallet, but she waves a hand, signaling me to stop.
"What do you feel about Kasumi, Ranma?"
My mind goes on vacation. "Uh, uh, what?" I can't have heard that right. No way she could'a figured out what I feel for Kasumi. I've been hiding it really well.
I think.
"You heard me, Saotome. What. Do. You. Feel. About. Kasumi?"
I really don't want to know what she'll do with this information. It could hurt Kasumi. And so, despite the fact that I'm the worst liar in town, I ain't tellin' her anything. I stare her straight in the face. "No. You're not getting anything at all out of me."
She starts to pull out what look like photographs, but I cut her off angrily. "No means no in this case. I don't care WHAT those photos are. You are not going to get anything, because you'll hurt Kasumi with it." I am dead serious. Nabiki should be able to pick up on that.
She does. "Well, Saotome, you really mean it, don't you. Didn't think you had it in you." She cocks her head to the side. "Guess I was right. Normally you'd do anything to get me to destroy these photos. But you really do care about her."
I hold her gaze. I'm not goin' to either confirm or deny that. Cool phrase, eh? Picked it up in a gaijin movie last week.
Nabiki pushes off the wall and walks toward me. Surprisingly, she only says one thing to me before she leaves. "Tell her, Saotome. Tell her now, while you can. And you owe me for this."
Of course. I always owe her. I... did she mean what I think she meant? No way. What's she gonna get out of this? I gotta think.
Damn you, Nabiki. There's this little part of me that's hoping, now. Hoping that she feels the same way. I know it's ridiculous, but this is Nabiki. If she doesn't know it, no one does. Sure, she lies. But is she doin' that now? Is this a sick joke? Or do I maybe, just maybe, have a chance with the girl I love?
End Part 2.
Well, got it all done this afternoon. It was tough, though. Stupid arm brace. Stupid tendonitis in my wrist. Damn inconvenient to type. Hey, on the other hand, I get my driver's license on Saturday.
Notes: I did my best with Ranma's thoughts and such. I've been told I'm pretty good at characterizing him in my Tribute to Feh, and I hope that carries over. Next chapter, I may switch points of view, or do it all third person. Probably the former. Basically, if you had yet to figure it out, their feelings will come into the open. What isn't decided is whether this is a 'happily ever after' fic or a 'Ranma and Kasumi deal with the shit hitting the fan in spades' fic. Let me know in your reviews. Or emails, for CoRK members who are willing to drop me a line on this one. I'm quite receptive to feedback, good or bad (unless it's mindless flames, in which case I nail you with sarcasm). My email is mlamdin@hotmail.com, so do write.
Lord Iron Balls out. I'll try to update my other stuff soon.
This is, as I'm sure you know, Chapter 2 of Oh, My, my R+K matchup. It contains Ranma's thoughts over the same time period. I plan to continue this at least one more chapter - nothing gets resolved in this one. Sorry. After that, whether or not I continue it is up to you people in Readerland who have deigned to spend their time reading my forays, albeit inconsistent, into the field of fanfiction.
I'll get started with this now; expect more random babbling at the end.
Lord Iron-Balls Presents:
A Feh Masters Production:
Oh My, Chapter 2: Ranma
Well, I've finally made my choice. No, ya idiots, gimme a second before you start goin' hysterical. Feh. This whole mess has made me more insane than I thought. I've gotten so bad that I'm being defensive in my own head. No one is going to hear this. And I still can't keep myself from going into Anti- Mallet defensive mode. Not that it helps in real life.
Back to my original point. It's not Akane. It's not Ukyo. It's not Shampoo. And no, I didn't find out about some new fiancée that Pops pulled out of our screwed-up past. If you know the Nerima gang, you know her. And ya probably like her. A lot. Everyone does, but no one really pays attention to her. She's the great cook, the great housecleaner, the one island of sanity in this whole crazy mess we call Nerima. She's there when no one else is. She's willing to listen to your problems when everyone else would exploit them for their own damn agenda. If ya haven't guessed by now, I'm talking 'bout Kasumi.
Yeah. Kasumi. Pick your jaw up off the floor. Feh. Nothing should be all that strange in Nerima. Not even this.
All right. I guess that is a good point. I haven't been exactly Mr. Decisive, have I? It's been a year, and I've had almost every girl in Nerima and a few from out of it throw themselves at me. Hell, if I haven't done anything about it by now, why expect that I ever will?
So ya expected one of my 'three fiancées'. Good. At least ya didn't include Kodachi. Crazy girl. Anyone who thinks I'd choose her deserves to go to the same mental institution I'm sure she'll be sent to one of these days.
Shampoo's the same story. Sure, she's got quite the body, but that ain't much concern to me. I mean, if I haven't taken advantage of it being thrown at me every opportunity she gets, I'm not gonna now. The girl's nuts. Not as bad as Kodachi, but still nuts. She's tried every weird trick in the very large book of them that her 'great-grandmother' has. And when you've been around as long as Cologne, that's a lot. Drugs, medallions, pressure points, even shampoos. I am sick of it. Yeah, ya heard me right. Even the great Ranma Saotome doesn't have a limitless supply of patience.
Feh. My patience went out the window a long time ago. Lucky I got to take it out on Saffron, or I was gonna break pretty soon.
Ukyo - she's a nice girl, really. But why can't she just accept that I love her as a friend. Or a sister. She just ain't the girl for me to marry. I've thought of her as my 'buddy Ucchan' - a GUY - for too long. Even if I've modified that considering the fact that she's a girl - a cute one, I'm not denying' her that - I still ain't been able to think about her in that way. Sure, she's a great cook, a great friend. But that's all. A friend. How many times do I have to explain this to her? Or the rest of the town? Kami, it's earned me enough trips via Akane Airways.
Feh. Akane. Don't get me started on her right now. I ain't in a good enough mood. I've put up with it for long enough now. Every day. Trips to Tofu's clinic, the pond, any inconvenient place I happen to land. Over her own stupid delusions. Sometimes I get the feeling that the girl sees me as her property or somethin'. Not in any romantic sense - just a piece of territory with 'Akane's - No Girls Allowed' written on it. I gave up on tryin' to understand a while ago. Sure, I used to kinda have a crush on her - despite all my complaints, my 'Uncute Tomboys', she is cute. There's a reason why most of the school is obsessed with the girl. But that's evaporated now. I killed a GOD for her! Almost married her, for cryin' out loud! And she still goes back to the same old routine. I can't stand it. I've been on the edge for over a month now. There's only one thing that's kept me sane.
Yep. Kasumi. Kami, she's sweet. She doesn't care about what, when, why. She's willing to help me when the whole world seems to be against me. Those times when I just wanna close up, hide behind my cocky grin, my 'Ranma Saotome can't lose' attitude and the word feh. When I'm close as I can be to vaporizing Nabiki's photo collection with a Moko Takabisha and turnin' a fire hose on Ryoga when Akane's standin' right there. She calms me down. And in turn I've gotten to know her. Better than everyone who sees her as everythin' I've described earlier. I don't know how she does it. Where Nabiki smirks from behind a wall of ice and supports the family with her little enterprises - yeah, she told me about that. I don't have to like the girl, but I do respect what she's doin'. It's made it a little easier to accept her extortions. Not like I use the money anyway. Ah, I get distracted too easily. Kasumi doesn't pretend like the rest of us. She helps everyone as best she can. Straight out. She doesn't ask for anything in return. Kami, it makes me real angry sometimes. The way everyone just blows her off. Expects it from her. I may not be Mr. Smooth, but I always try 'n let her know how much she's appreciated.
Well, I'm back from school. Alone as usual. I generally manage to lose the gang on the way home these days. Gives me a few minutes to talk to Kasumi at least. I enter the kitchen. She's standing there, but her cheeks seem a bit flushed and she purposefully ain't lookin' at me. How like Kasumi. She's probably feeling sick and doesn't want anyone to know about it.
I'm not goin' to let her get away with it. She deserves care as much as the rest of us. "Kasumi? You okay?"
"H-hai, Ranma. I'm fine." Her voice wavers a bit. Not a good sign. "Sure? You look like you might be comin' down with somethin'."
She looks up, apparently not having heard me. "What was that, Ranma-kun?" Ranma-kun. I love it when she calls me that. I know it's just her being nice, but it gives me something to pretend about.
"I said you looked like you might be coming down with something. Are you really sure you're ok?" I can't help myself. I cup her chin and tilt her head up. I'm gettin' lost in her eyes... Snap out of it!
"I - I suppose I'm feeling a little under the weather..." Thought so. She's gonna get some rest if I have to carry her to bed myself. Ugh. Don't go there, Saotome. Kasumi and bed in the same sentence. No, NO! Get your mind out of the gutter.
What? You're surprised? Me, the great Ranma Saotome, resister of Shampoo's charms, is affected that much by Kasumi's physical charms? Yeah, well, I think Kasumi's a hell of a lot better lookin' than the Chinese bimbo anyway. She ain't no old maid. And I ain't immune to physical charms either.
Ah, hell. Nerima timing as usual. The rest of the Tendos have all shown up. Soun overreacts. He always does.
"WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! MY LITTLE BABY IS DYING!!! WAAAAAAH!!!"
"Honestly, Daddy, I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and..."
And I'm in trouble with Akane. As usual. "Ranma you pervert! How dare you hit on my sister!"
How wrong you are, Akane. The one person I would never hit on would be your sister. I respect her too much. Unfortunately, my mouth has been commandeered by Saotome Foot in Mouth Syndrome. Nabiki says somethin' to Kasumi, but I'm too concentrated on tryin' to close my mouth. Too late.
"A-Akane! I didn't do anything! Honest!" Not gonna work. No way.
"Like I'm going to believe a pervert like you!" Here it comes. I barely even feel it these days - I'm just flyin' through the air a second later. Looks like I'm gonna land at Tofu's again. Second trip there today.
The Doc's cool. Actually, I hope that he gets over his problem with Kasumi soon. He seems like the one guy who deserves her here. Oh, I hold no illusions in that regard. I don't deserve her. I love her - yeah, I can say it now. I'm not allergic to that phrase anymore. But I don't deserve her.
After he patches me up, he asks me why I arrived via the roof. Like the idiot I am, I answer. "Well, Akane got mad when she thought I was hittin' on Kasumi..."
Oops.
"Kasumi! Isn't that nice, Betty?" He starts dancing with his skeleton again. I get out of there before he presses any bad pressure points.
This ain't my night. A little old lady dumps water on me on the way back to the Dojo. Soaked, cold and female, I enter and go to the kitchen for hot water. Luckily, no one seems to be around. I change back to male form and enter my room.
Spoke too soon.
"Whaddaya want, Nabiki? Oh, why ask?" I start to pull out my wallet, but she waves a hand, signaling me to stop.
"What do you feel about Kasumi, Ranma?"
My mind goes on vacation. "Uh, uh, what?" I can't have heard that right. No way she could'a figured out what I feel for Kasumi. I've been hiding it really well.
I think.
"You heard me, Saotome. What. Do. You. Feel. About. Kasumi?"
I really don't want to know what she'll do with this information. It could hurt Kasumi. And so, despite the fact that I'm the worst liar in town, I ain't tellin' her anything. I stare her straight in the face. "No. You're not getting anything at all out of me."
She starts to pull out what look like photographs, but I cut her off angrily. "No means no in this case. I don't care WHAT those photos are. You are not going to get anything, because you'll hurt Kasumi with it." I am dead serious. Nabiki should be able to pick up on that.
She does. "Well, Saotome, you really mean it, don't you. Didn't think you had it in you." She cocks her head to the side. "Guess I was right. Normally you'd do anything to get me to destroy these photos. But you really do care about her."
I hold her gaze. I'm not goin' to either confirm or deny that. Cool phrase, eh? Picked it up in a gaijin movie last week.
Nabiki pushes off the wall and walks toward me. Surprisingly, she only says one thing to me before she leaves. "Tell her, Saotome. Tell her now, while you can. And you owe me for this."
Of course. I always owe her. I... did she mean what I think she meant? No way. What's she gonna get out of this? I gotta think.
Damn you, Nabiki. There's this little part of me that's hoping, now. Hoping that she feels the same way. I know it's ridiculous, but this is Nabiki. If she doesn't know it, no one does. Sure, she lies. But is she doin' that now? Is this a sick joke? Or do I maybe, just maybe, have a chance with the girl I love?
End Part 2.
Well, got it all done this afternoon. It was tough, though. Stupid arm brace. Stupid tendonitis in my wrist. Damn inconvenient to type. Hey, on the other hand, I get my driver's license on Saturday.
Notes: I did my best with Ranma's thoughts and such. I've been told I'm pretty good at characterizing him in my Tribute to Feh, and I hope that carries over. Next chapter, I may switch points of view, or do it all third person. Probably the former. Basically, if you had yet to figure it out, their feelings will come into the open. What isn't decided is whether this is a 'happily ever after' fic or a 'Ranma and Kasumi deal with the shit hitting the fan in spades' fic. Let me know in your reviews. Or emails, for CoRK members who are willing to drop me a line on this one. I'm quite receptive to feedback, good or bad (unless it's mindless flames, in which case I nail you with sarcasm). My email is mlamdin@hotmail.com, so do write.
Lord Iron Balls out. I'll try to update my other stuff soon.
