Chapter # 11

Chapter # 11

Tokyo, mid 1800's-

An awkward silence had settled into the room. Or was it a solemn silence? Hot tea sat on the short table letting off steam while no one was drinking it. A swish broke in followed by another with a thud announced a newcomer to the room. Walking from the doorway, a ray of light hit Ranma's boyish face. Shortly after, Sanosuke also entered not knowing why the gumi called a meeting. It was odd that Misao and Aoshi both would pay a visit without some good reason.

Nerima District, 1990's-

It was a typical day in Nerima: the sun was shining, birds were singing, and the girl squad was on patrol for a certain fiancée.

"Oh my!" Kasumi's face lit up when she walked into the dining area. She looked about and said meekly, "Ranma, did you do all this?"

"Huh?" Kenshin stuck his red head out of the kitchen looking cute with his wide, blue eyes. There on the table was a full meal including rice, soup, fish, fruits, and assorted dumplings.

She wandered to where he was standing saying, "Why Ranma, I didn't know you wanted to cook this morning! You don't normally get up this early." She looked at the clock. It was five forty-five. "I was just about to start breakfast but it looks like—Oh my!" The kitchen was sparkling clean! The counters were wiped, the dishes were washed, and the floors were mopped. Turning around she asked inquisitively, "Ranma, are you feeling all right?" The site evoked a gasp from the young lady.

Outside, Kenshin was finishing putting laundry on a clothesline. He had a pin in his mouth but he managed to muffle, "Oh, I didn't think you should have to do all the chores all the time, so I did some of them for you." He then went back to hanging the wet clothes. On the ground beside him lay an old antique tub with a washboard filled with soapy water.

Raising a finger Kasumi was about to inquire further when a stampede of footsteps and voices made their way to the table. Clamoring over each other Genma and Soun led the procession with Akane and Nabiki tailing along. The four stopped to gawk at this morning's feast. It was set up so perfectly it almost seemed to shine!

Genma couldn't help but comment, "Well, well, Kasumi! Looks like another fine meal you've made for us!"

"Oh," she replied, "you should be thanking Ranma. He cooked today." Simultaneously she and Kenshin added a serene smile.

Everyone's jaw dropped. Nabiki asked in a cynical tone, "Ranma, you cooked this? All of this?"

"Yes." He replied with a nod.

Eyeing the food with more suspicion Genma questioned, "Boy, you had a hand in this? This better not be your new found passion! You are a martial artist, not a culinary artist!"

To that, Kenshin knew not how to answer. But he didn't have to because Soun grabbed him by the collar and whispered, "Son, you know I love you, but you can't be showing up Akane like this! I know she's not the best cook, but she is my little girl and you can't insult her like this!"

"But I didn't mean to offend anybody!"

Suddenly Akane came up from behind and punched Kenshin on the head leaving him on the floor. She stormed, "I heard that! So you're trying to outstage me with cooking, aye? We'll see about that!" With a new determination she picked up a dumpling and ate it. Everyone watched for her reaction. She chewed vigorously and swallowed.

"Well?" asked Nabiki.

Akane's eyes lit up and she said astonished, "It's good! It's really good!"

Not far off in the Cat Café, pots boiled furiously and steam plumed out of the kitchen. A purple haired girl stirred a seething pot containing odds and ends making it look very much like mud soup. A small alarm beeped breaking the hum from the pots. Shampoo immediately lifted the cooking pot off the stove and exclaimed, "Haiya! Finally Ranma love Shampoo! No can resist with special love potion dumpling mix!"

A creak at the entrance made Shampoo jerk around. There, balancing on a cane, was Cologne. She suspiciously sniffed the air and said hopping over, "What are you cooking child? I'd swear I smelled oni root in here."

A drop of perspiration appeared on the girl's cute head. She shook her hand vigorously and denied, "No! No such thing! Shampoo just preparing meat for steamed dumpling!"

It was obvious that something was wrong in the normally confident child's demeanor. She was hiding something…Oh well. Cologne gave one last dubious look at her granddaughter and proceeded to the door. Shampoo let out a sigh of relief and turned back around to her pot. Unexpectedly, the old familiar voice of the Amazon matriarch called again, "Shampoo, be very careful. If the oni root's accidentally slipped into a pot, the consequences would be disastrous."

Not turning around, Shampoo bit her lower lip. There on the counter she'd been working on was an empty glass jar marked "ONI."

A short trip from the Cat Café was Ucchan's restaurant. Inside the small building bustled the normal lunch crowd. People sat around the fryers waiting for a speedy meal of okonomiyaki. It was the best in Japan, actually.

Behind the counter Ukyo worked furiously to whip out the okonomiyaki as fast as she could. It was a busy day today! But she found the wealth of demand welcome. Soon, very soon, she would not be the only one working there, but her dear Ranchan as well! That is, with the help of an ancient sauce that had been fermenting for hundreds of years. It was the Kuonji family secret! A super love sauce you could call it! One bite of it and Ranma would be hers forever!

Then a little walk away was the Kuno Mansion. Deep in the bowels of the large estate a clamor of noise arose waking the entire household. In the dark recesses of an old kitchen a fresh batch of cookies were taken out of the oven. The sweetly baked smell was enough to bring the cows home. The door suddenly whammed open as Kuno thrust his way inside.

He raised his proud head inhaling the wonderful sent. "Aaah. And what scrumptious confectionary has been bestowed upon me?"

"Hohohohohohohoho!" Kodachi extended her mitted hand to her cheek and laughed. "Not for you, brother dear. But for my love!" she said dancing around the room waving her full cookie sheet about. Reaching the table she bounced on her heals while slipping each cookie from the pan into a dainty handkerchief. A red ribbon was used as a tie sealing the treats in the pretty sack. With one swift movement, Kodachi threw off her cooking grab. Under it lay her green gymnast leotard with the signature black rose in the center. Taking the cookies she looked back to Kuno, "Brother dear, I wouldn't dare let you touch these cookies. I doubt you'd want me to hurt you in your current condition." She motioned to the fact he was still covered with bandages from his fight with Kenshin. "So stay clear away!" She leaped out of an open window leaving Kuno by himself.

The brown haired boy watched her leave in a swirl of black rose petals. A curt look passed his face and he muttered, "Hmp. I suppose my twisted sister has laced her cookies with a potion again." Disappointed, he limped off.