She wasn't sure if she should go in or not. She'd certainly seemed insane calling them up out of nowhere like that, but wouldn't not showing up be worse? It was a beautiful place, and she couldn't imagine living somewhere so . . . picturesque.
With a sigh she walked up to the door and knocked, glancing down at her jeans and sleeveless blouse to make sure she looked, well, normal.
The door opened silently, and Inaho did her best to paste on a smile as the dark haired young woman studied her.
"Hello. Um, I called earlier, but I doubt you remember me."
The woman smiled and stepped aside, "Of course, Inaho! It's rare we meet someone with stories as odd as ours. I have to admit, you did slip my mind for a bit though. Come in!"
She followed the young woman into a room where Ranma was seated at a table. He looked up from a pile of papers and smiled at her before standing.
"Hey! It's true, you haven't changed a bit!"
Inaho blushed slightly and shrugged, "No, not in years. What about you, Ranma? Did you ever . . .?"
His face lost all animation as he shook his head, "Nope, no cure. Not yet anyway!"
She smiled for him, knowing he needed support from someone new. When the same people continually tell you things will get better, it starts losing all meaning eventually. Inaho knew that well.
The three of them stood there a moment before Akane excused herself to get some tea. She and Ranma sat down, and he pushed the papers to the side.
"So, what have you been doing? How's business?"
She shrugged and looked out the door to the beautiful garden, "Oh, business comes and goes. I'll have a couple of really slow years and my place gets forgotten, then someone wanders in and I'm the next trend." She smiled softly, "I can't tell you how many times the cycle's come around, but it does. Like clockwork!"
They laughed the polite laughs of acquaintences feeling sorry for each other, and then Akane walked in and they were distracted with the tea for a bit.
"How about you two? What do you do?"
Ranma sipped his tea and smiled, "Oh, we run the dojo now. Classes six days a week."
"That's nice."
Akane nodded, "We keep busy, what with the dojo and the nieces and nephews."
Inaho paused, "Oh. You don't have any children?"
They smiled sadly and shook their heads, reaching out to take each other's hand.
"No," Ranma answered, "We think it might be a side effect of the curse. There really isn't a documented case to go by, so we aren't real sure."
Inaho nodded sadly, "I understand. I'm sorry to just drop by, but I thought it might be nice to compare notes. I thought you'd like to know that I hadn't forgotten about you, and that if I ever find a possible cure, I'll let you know as soon as possible."
Ranma grinned, "Thanks, that's nice to know. I've learned to live with 'Ranko', but I wouldn't hesitate if I found a cure."
"Where are you staying, Inaho?"
The redhead smiled and gestured vaguely, "Oh, a hotel not far from here. It's clean, and the rates aren't bad."
Ranma glanced at his wife and grinned at her nod, "Why not stay with us? We've got tons of space, and it's just the two of us now. Really, I insist."
She did put up a fight, honest. But few can stand up to Ranma Soatome, Grand Master of the Soatome-Tendo school of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
***
After dinner, which Inaho insisted on helping with, the trio seemed to click into a comfortable niche as if they'd been friends for years. They chatted about fiancees, adventures, and 'mythical' creatures. If it weren't for their own stories, they all knew that they wouldn't have believed each others'.
Inaho chuckled, "It's nice to find someone who understands. Nobody believes in magic and monsters anymore."
Ranma snorted, "Believe? I *am* magical half the time, if you think about it."
Akane gave his arm a playful swat, "Don't exaggerate. You're much better at dodging water then you used to be. You hardly ever change more than once a day anymore."
When Akane saw Inaho yawning through her grin, she quickly ushered their guest up to her room. She'd packed lightly, and was thankful she hadn't checked in before stopping by the dojo. She changed quickly into her long silk nightgown and slipped under the covers. And so she slept quietly behind the door with the duck that read 'Akane'.
***
"Good Morning you two! I was up early, so I thought I'd make breakfast."
Akane smiled and took an appreciative sniff, "Smells great. It got Ranma up real quick, that's for certain."
"Hey! Dinner was a long time ago!"
Akane rolled her eyes and grinned at Inaho as the two girls started carrying everything to the table. Ranma sighed in defeat and snatched up the last of the dishes to follow. They'd just finished when there was a knock at the door.
"Probably a student early to class. I haven't unlocked the dojo yet. I'll get it."
Ranma jumped to his feet and left Akane and Inaho to continue their conversation on antiques.
"I just buy stuff up and let it sit around for awhile. I can get stuff real cheap now, and it will be worth a fortune in a couple decades. Gotta pay the bills somehow, y'know."
Akane giggled, "You sound like my sister Nabiki. She did whatever it took to put food on the table in the old days. She's a big business woman now, makes a killing."
"Good for her!"
"Uh, Inaho? I think these kids are looking for you."
The redhead turned to the doorway, her smile freezing for a moment before fading into slack-jawed bafflement.
The two children couldn't be more than twelve, and were dressed a little oddly. Though they didn't share any real resemblances, they almost seemed related somehow.
The pale girl had her hair pulled back with a bun on either side of her head with the rest hanging down in tubular pigtails pound in a dark blue cloth. Her light blue dress and kimono-style white robe seemed a little large for her, held in place by a darker blue waistband.
The boy was tan as his companion was pale, his short dark hair spiking out wildly. He wore a baggy olive green t-shirt and cream pants, also pretty loose. He wore red sandles, wrist cuffs, and a belt also, and seemed more than a little bored.
Come to think of it, Akane thought to herself, neither of them seemed overly glad to see Inaho.
"Honoo! Yuki! My God, how . . . What--"
"Geez, Mama Inaho."
Inaho jumped so quickly to her feet that her tea spilt across the table. She wrapped an arm around each child, though neither of them seemed overly thrilled with the embrace.
"Where have you two been? I thought . . . I thought you were all three--"
"Yeah, yeah," Hono waved her off of him, "We were on the moon. You know that. But the Master got bored and decided to take a long jump off a short moon."
Inaho glanced around in excitement, "Mosqui? Where is he?"
The girl piped up, "He landed on a fence."
She held out a bundle of black cloth witha pair of sunglasses tied on top. Inaho snatched it to her chest, closing her eyes against the tears. she sat there for a long moment before reaching behind her to snatch up a knife. Before they quite knew what was happening, Ranma and Akane were witness to the rebirth of Mosquiton.
As the blue haired man settled his sunglasses on his head, Ranma stepped protectively in front of his wife. She rolled her eyes and leaned over to get a better view.
"Oh Mosqui!" Inaho wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly, he couldn't help but be thankful that he didn't breathe.
"I missed you too, Inaho."
With a sigh she walked up to the door and knocked, glancing down at her jeans and sleeveless blouse to make sure she looked, well, normal.
The door opened silently, and Inaho did her best to paste on a smile as the dark haired young woman studied her.
"Hello. Um, I called earlier, but I doubt you remember me."
The woman smiled and stepped aside, "Of course, Inaho! It's rare we meet someone with stories as odd as ours. I have to admit, you did slip my mind for a bit though. Come in!"
She followed the young woman into a room where Ranma was seated at a table. He looked up from a pile of papers and smiled at her before standing.
"Hey! It's true, you haven't changed a bit!"
Inaho blushed slightly and shrugged, "No, not in years. What about you, Ranma? Did you ever . . .?"
His face lost all animation as he shook his head, "Nope, no cure. Not yet anyway!"
She smiled for him, knowing he needed support from someone new. When the same people continually tell you things will get better, it starts losing all meaning eventually. Inaho knew that well.
The three of them stood there a moment before Akane excused herself to get some tea. She and Ranma sat down, and he pushed the papers to the side.
"So, what have you been doing? How's business?"
She shrugged and looked out the door to the beautiful garden, "Oh, business comes and goes. I'll have a couple of really slow years and my place gets forgotten, then someone wanders in and I'm the next trend." She smiled softly, "I can't tell you how many times the cycle's come around, but it does. Like clockwork!"
They laughed the polite laughs of acquaintences feeling sorry for each other, and then Akane walked in and they were distracted with the tea for a bit.
"How about you two? What do you do?"
Ranma sipped his tea and smiled, "Oh, we run the dojo now. Classes six days a week."
"That's nice."
Akane nodded, "We keep busy, what with the dojo and the nieces and nephews."
Inaho paused, "Oh. You don't have any children?"
They smiled sadly and shook their heads, reaching out to take each other's hand.
"No," Ranma answered, "We think it might be a side effect of the curse. There really isn't a documented case to go by, so we aren't real sure."
Inaho nodded sadly, "I understand. I'm sorry to just drop by, but I thought it might be nice to compare notes. I thought you'd like to know that I hadn't forgotten about you, and that if I ever find a possible cure, I'll let you know as soon as possible."
Ranma grinned, "Thanks, that's nice to know. I've learned to live with 'Ranko', but I wouldn't hesitate if I found a cure."
"Where are you staying, Inaho?"
The redhead smiled and gestured vaguely, "Oh, a hotel not far from here. It's clean, and the rates aren't bad."
Ranma glanced at his wife and grinned at her nod, "Why not stay with us? We've got tons of space, and it's just the two of us now. Really, I insist."
She did put up a fight, honest. But few can stand up to Ranma Soatome, Grand Master of the Soatome-Tendo school of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
***
After dinner, which Inaho insisted on helping with, the trio seemed to click into a comfortable niche as if they'd been friends for years. They chatted about fiancees, adventures, and 'mythical' creatures. If it weren't for their own stories, they all knew that they wouldn't have believed each others'.
Inaho chuckled, "It's nice to find someone who understands. Nobody believes in magic and monsters anymore."
Ranma snorted, "Believe? I *am* magical half the time, if you think about it."
Akane gave his arm a playful swat, "Don't exaggerate. You're much better at dodging water then you used to be. You hardly ever change more than once a day anymore."
When Akane saw Inaho yawning through her grin, she quickly ushered their guest up to her room. She'd packed lightly, and was thankful she hadn't checked in before stopping by the dojo. She changed quickly into her long silk nightgown and slipped under the covers. And so she slept quietly behind the door with the duck that read 'Akane'.
***
"Good Morning you two! I was up early, so I thought I'd make breakfast."
Akane smiled and took an appreciative sniff, "Smells great. It got Ranma up real quick, that's for certain."
"Hey! Dinner was a long time ago!"
Akane rolled her eyes and grinned at Inaho as the two girls started carrying everything to the table. Ranma sighed in defeat and snatched up the last of the dishes to follow. They'd just finished when there was a knock at the door.
"Probably a student early to class. I haven't unlocked the dojo yet. I'll get it."
Ranma jumped to his feet and left Akane and Inaho to continue their conversation on antiques.
"I just buy stuff up and let it sit around for awhile. I can get stuff real cheap now, and it will be worth a fortune in a couple decades. Gotta pay the bills somehow, y'know."
Akane giggled, "You sound like my sister Nabiki. She did whatever it took to put food on the table in the old days. She's a big business woman now, makes a killing."
"Good for her!"
"Uh, Inaho? I think these kids are looking for you."
The redhead turned to the doorway, her smile freezing for a moment before fading into slack-jawed bafflement.
The two children couldn't be more than twelve, and were dressed a little oddly. Though they didn't share any real resemblances, they almost seemed related somehow.
The pale girl had her hair pulled back with a bun on either side of her head with the rest hanging down in tubular pigtails pound in a dark blue cloth. Her light blue dress and kimono-style white robe seemed a little large for her, held in place by a darker blue waistband.
The boy was tan as his companion was pale, his short dark hair spiking out wildly. He wore a baggy olive green t-shirt and cream pants, also pretty loose. He wore red sandles, wrist cuffs, and a belt also, and seemed more than a little bored.
Come to think of it, Akane thought to herself, neither of them seemed overly glad to see Inaho.
"Honoo! Yuki! My God, how . . . What--"
"Geez, Mama Inaho."
Inaho jumped so quickly to her feet that her tea spilt across the table. She wrapped an arm around each child, though neither of them seemed overly thrilled with the embrace.
"Where have you two been? I thought . . . I thought you were all three--"
"Yeah, yeah," Hono waved her off of him, "We were on the moon. You know that. But the Master got bored and decided to take a long jump off a short moon."
Inaho glanced around in excitement, "Mosqui? Where is he?"
The girl piped up, "He landed on a fence."
She held out a bundle of black cloth witha pair of sunglasses tied on top. Inaho snatched it to her chest, closing her eyes against the tears. she sat there for a long moment before reaching behind her to snatch up a knife. Before they quite knew what was happening, Ranma and Akane were witness to the rebirth of Mosquiton.
As the blue haired man settled his sunglasses on his head, Ranma stepped protectively in front of his wife. She rolled her eyes and leaned over to get a better view.
"Oh Mosqui!" Inaho wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly, he couldn't help but be thankful that he didn't breathe.
"I missed you too, Inaho."