Ranma alternate fanfic
Started - 15 October 2003 Completed – pending
Last revised - 21 June 2004 Reason – minor revision
Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all associated characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and are used without permission. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to the Ranma ½ universe.
= = = = =
Lonely Match by Cloud Dreamer
= = = = =
= = = = =
Chapter Six – Tempest Brewing
= = = = =
Tatewaki glared at the restraining order he'd received as a parting gift when finally released on bail. It stated that he (HE! The great Tatewaki Kuno!) was forbidden to approach or remain within 10 meters of Ranma, Akane or Nabiki. This was INSUFFERABLE! The school had already been forced to place him in another class than Nabiki and the Kuno family solicitor had cautioned him that the judge was quite serious and would JAIL him if he failed to comply. Apparently the psychologist had been most adamant on this issue in his report to the judge.
He stalked down the street; pausing suddenly at the sight of a giggling Kasumi Tendou walking hand in hand with a boy burdened with an immense backpack. This was NOT to be allowed!
"Hold varlet! How dare you to sully the hand of the fair sister of my glorious tigress Akane Tendou?" he hissed. He paused in dismay as he realized that he had no bokken at hand.
Ryouga scratched his head in confusion and mumbled to Kasumi "Sully?"
Kasumi reassured him with a warm smile before turning to mildly glare at Kuno. "Tatewaki," she began, "you overstep yourself."
Kuno stopped in consternation and glanced down at his feet even going so far as to look behind himself to see if he was there.
Kasumi slightly frowned at this boor who had caused Ranma and her sisters so much trouble. A mischievous idea occurred to her and she turned to Ryouga. "Ryouga," she asked "do you trust me?"
The lost boy could only blush brightly as he shyly nodded.
Giving his hand a reassuring squeeze before she released it, she explained, "I'm going to invite Tatewaki to go for a walk with me." She grinned and added, "Anywhere you lead us." She added with a feigned obliviousness, "Oh, my; I hope he doesn't get lost somewhere on the way though."
There is a difference between infatuation and affection. The first can make you do dumb things while the latter sometimes leads you to understand the previously unknowable. Ryouga shyly hid his face as he offered her the end of his leash, "My lady's guide awaits;" he softly said.
The eldest Tendou maiden faltered a moment before smiling brightly at him. She then turned to Tatewaki and said, "Young sir, attend me please," she softly demanded as she held her hand out. As soon as he had hold of her hand she gently signaled with the leash in her other hand and Ryouga began to briskly stride forward.
The Blue Thunder was confused by the rapidly moving events. Never had anyone willingly held his hand since he'd become a teenager. He wanted to talk but the pace was a bit too fast to make it very comfortable. When the trio paused an hour later he noticed that dawn was breaking over the rolling hills surrounding them.
Kasumi caught his attention, "Tatewaki," she asked, "could you see if there are any buildings beyond those bushes?"
Kuno strode boldly to the towering thicket; he glanced back but no longer saw the glorious maiden and her 'dog'. He frowned in confusion, 'perhaps she was in another direction?' He peered through the branches and blanched at the sight of a herd of shaggy musk oxen glaring toward him.
He was to discover that 'fleeing to another country' was poorly received as an excuse for missing his court date. Illegal entry didn't make him too popular there either; but reality can sometimes lead to readjustment if it's harsh enough.
Kasumi held Ryouga's arm to her as they slowly strolled together. Noticing that she seemed rather pensive; he hesitantly asked, "Are you worried about Kuno?"
She nodded and softly said, "Do you think that the authorities with be upset with me?" She looked over at him with a cute frown, "I mean that was pretty cruel to the local animals to leave him there."
Ryouga froze in place; Kasumi held that expression on her face for an additional fifteen seconds before she started giggling. A slow grin spread across his face and he sat on a nearby log before he fell over from shock.
While Ryouga remained sitting on the log, Kasumi continued to walk forward a dozen meters or so. Ryouga heard her sigh, "Oh that's so pretty, all those pools with the poles in them with the waters reflecting the setting sun."
A cold chill ran down his back and he carefully walked toward her. He froze as he saw the awful sight. "Ju . . . jusen . . . Jusenkyo," he finally stuttered.
At first the word didn't register with Kasumi, but then she made the connections and blanched momentarily. Before Ryouga could move again, she hissed, "Stop! Freeze where you are." Seeing as she had his attention she tersely demanded, "Leash?"
Ryouga handed it to her but before he could move again, she carefully turned her back on the cliff edge before striding off in the opposite direction towing Ryouga behind her. She marched forward in as near to a straight line as she could until she found a suitable camping site for the night several kilometers later.
The next morning, Kasumi stepped out of her tent into a persistent misting rain. She walked over to the other tent. She softly called out before she entered and picked up the despondent little boar that was sitting on his clothes glaring upward at the small hole in the tent roof that had dribbled rain water on him during the night. "Well, Ryouga, it looks like we wait here until the rain lets up unless you have water repellant clothing or raingear?"
"No?" she echoed as the pig shook his head. She smiled as she reached into fold space and pulled out a new outfit for him. "Guess what?" she asked rhetorically, "you do now. Ranma and I picked out some new clothes for you for a late birthday gift. I then treated then with water repellant. They aren't waterproof like raingear, but they will keep most of the water off you until you can get to shelter." She glanced around noticing the dampness of the tent before putting the clothes away again and smiling softly, "Wait here until I can heat some water for you."
As she stepped back out of the tent, Kasumi was startled to see a dozen primitively armed females surrounding the campsite.
An elderly woman barely four feet high gestured to her companions in what appeared to be signals while she added a few words in Chinese. The only word that Kasumi understood was 'search'.
Two maidens cautiously entered each tent. A moment later one of the maidens that had entered Ryouga's text exited only to hand Kasumi a small piglet before returning to her task.
The elderly leader motioned Kasumi to take a seat with her next to the cold fire pit. Before anything could be said, a maiden came from Kasumi's tent carrying her pack. The older woman listened to the quickly whispered words before arching her brow in surprise and opening the pack. She took out several medical text books and flipped through them quickly.
"What is your name girl?" she gruffly demanded in slightly accented Japanese.
"Kasumi, honored elder," Kasumi responded slowly in halting Mandarin.
Kasumi was rewarded with a brief smile as the other woman continued still in Japanese, "Thank you for the courteous attempt at speaking my language young one, but I believe my Japanese is better than your Chinese. You may call me Har Bou. I have several questions for you. First, where is your companion? Second, why are you trespassing on Amazon territory, do you not know how close to the Musk lands you are? And last, are you a healer?"
Kasumi nervously held her small 'pet' to her breast to quiet his angry squirming and wondered how to answer the first question. Remembering how close the cursed springs were, she decided that honesty was probably the best approach even though she knew how Ryouga hated others to know of his vulnerable affliction. She swallowed audibly and held out the small pig. "Honored Hair Bow; this is my 'friend' Ryouga, he has a Jusenkyo curse though. We did not mean to trespass on your land, we were lost and when I saw those cursed springs in the distance late yesterday, I lead us away from them and quickly made camp so that we would not be traveling in the evening lest we stumble on them unawares. I do not know anything about 'Musk' and yes, I am studying to be a healer; I suppose I might become a nurse eventually." She sighed and added softly, "I'd really like to be more, maybe a doctor but I don't know if I could."
Har Bou grimaced slightly at the way the young girl had mangled her name but her attention was mostly on the small pig the young healer was holding. She studied the small animal and finally nodded, "Yes, I can see by his aura that he is cursed." She stood and gestured, "Come with me. It isn't safe for you to be so near the Musk and I would talk more with you. For the moment keep your companion as he is. Besides with the light rain falling, I doubt that he could stay human for long anyway."
Kasumi hesitantly followed though she did slightly snicker to herself as she watched one of the Amazons try to lift Ryouga's partially empty pack only to be jerked back to her knees by the effort. The largest of the female warriors laughed and reached over with one large hand to pick up the pack from her embarrassed companion only to frown before taking it with both hands and straining to lift it herself. The other Amazons quickly broke the camp and followed their elder.
= = = = =
Nabiki called the Saotome home yet once again as she had every week since Ranma's arrival. Surprisingly though, someone answered this time. This is what Akane heard:
"Hello, Mrs. Saotome? . . . My name is Nabiki Tendou; I would like to talk with you about your son Ranma . . . No, I am not a bill collector . . . Yes, I know about him and where he is . . . No, I will not tell you until I have met you . . . Why? Because I don't trust someone who abandons her son to a louse like Genma on the strength of a seppuku contract signed by a five year old's handprint . . . Don't you DARE yell at me! . . . It may be a matter of Saotome honor but I disagree with you about it not being my business. I plan on marrying Ranma and I won't let anyone hurt him, even his mother . . . No, I don't think going to your house is appropriate at this time . . . Why? I'm not sure you are worthy of being in my life with your son if you are anything like your husband . . . You don't understand? . . ."
At this point, Nabiki held the handset away from her ear while massaging her temple with her other hand. The angry words interspersed with an occasional sob told Akane why Nabiki wasn't really listening at the moment. Akane approached her with a glass of water and several aspirin. Akane quickly pecked her on the cheek after Nabiki had swallowed the painkillers. "Sis, I'm proud of you. If you need back up, just ask and I'll be there."
Nabiki held the handset to her ear again and frostily interjected, "Are you done yet?" Even Akane could hear how the other person on the line abruptly cut off their tirade. Neither girl noticed Ranma pause in the doorway from the dojo.
"Understand me, Mrs. Saotome," Nabiki said, "Ranma is a man. More importantly he is MY man."
Ranma blushed deep red. He wanted to leave but the name Nabiki had spoken held him rooted.
"If you want to meet him, then you have to convince me that you are not like your husband," Nabiki coolly reiterated. "Alright, how about we meet at one of the public tables outside the Nerima Public library?" Nabiki started as she spotted Ranma and her heart melted at the longing expression on his face.
"Today at four would be fine, Mrs. Saotome. I'll be there. Would you mind if I brought a friend? . . . Yes, I understand that this is a rather delicate matter of family honor we are going to be discussing, but I need my girlfriend Ranko there for moral support . . . Besides, she's mute; you know, unable to speak; so that will preserve our privacy . . . Alright, I'll see you then. By the way, if I see your katana anywhere in sight, I'll call the cops instead of meeting you . . . TOUGH! Make up your mind. Is your assine and archaic version of honor more important than meeting your son and being allowed to spoil your future grandkids?"
Nabiki looked perplexed, "Mrs. Saotome? . . . Mrs. Saotome? . . . Hello?" She finally shrugged and hung up the phone.
"Ranko? Mute?" questioned Ranma.
"We can't use your real name so I came up with Ranko. As far as being mute, do you want to lie to your mother about who you are?" asked Nabiki. When Ranma shook his head, she continued, "That is why you are 'mute' plus I'm not sure I can trust you not to say more than you should." She smiled softly, "I know that if I was going to meet my mother, I'm not sure that I wouldn't end up babbling either so I could understand if it happened to you." She sighed deeply, "I want to trust her, but anybody that would marry Genma, abandon you to him and accept that hideous contract is someone that has to prove themselves to me first before I risk you."
Ranma nodded in reluctant acceptance.
Nabiki moved over and lightly embraced Ranma, "Ranma," she began, "I want you to promise me something."
"Anything," he blushed as he responded, "As long as it's honorable and something I can do, anything for you."
Nabiki sighed and softly said, "Actually, it's something that you can NOT do that I want you to promise me." Seeing the confusion in his eyes, she explained, "Please promise me that you will never take your life without my permission?"
"But the contract," he hesitantly began only to stop as she placed a restraining finger over his lips.
"According to our fathers," Nabiki softly said, "their promise to join the schools was made many years before the seppuku contract was signed. That means my claim on your life takes precedence over the contact."
Ranma thought about it for a few moments before he smiled and promised, "Alright, my life is yours first of all."
Nabiki smiled, "Let's get ready to go. I have to prep my NEW laptop for the meeting and you need to change; plus I want to be out of the house before Ami brings the old men back between parties."
= = = = =
Har Bou lead the party into the Amazon village and after a quick conference with several other women just as wrinkled as she was, she then led Kasumi into one of the larger stone and wood beam houses in the village.
Kasumi hesitated upon entering as she immediately recognized that this was a clinic. Her guide quietly conferred with the Amazon they'd found within and a few moments later Kasumi was introduced to her.
"Kasumi was it?" the middle aged woman with platinum hair braided to the middle of her back softly asked.
Kasumi smiled brightly and nodded.
"My name is Klen Sur, I am a master healer for the village and I have been asked to evaluate your skill so that our leaders may know how to classify you." She smiled, "Are you ready to answer a few questions?"
'Oh wonderful! She was actually going to get to talk to someone about medicine,' Kasumi thought and eagerly nodded.
The questions and answers went on for hours before finally lapsing into demonstrations on both of their parts as various villagers were utilized to show various skills and techniques as they unknowingly entered the clinic and were swept into the information exchange. It did get a bit confusing at times such as when the old man with a cold had both legs splinted before his cold was treated.
Through all this Ryouga had quietly sat on top of a modern file cabinet and watched with widening eyes. He slowly realized that he was privileged to learn something about his date that few knew. She was a natural healer; one who had taught herself a considerable amount of information but whose only handicap was a lack of advanced 'hands-on' experience.
Kho Lon pogoed into the clinic. She deftly avoided the two pairs of hands that reached for her while their owners animatedly giggled with each other and offered each other suggestions on how to treat the elder's hypothetical afflictions.
"Klen Sur!" she snapped bringing the master healer's attention to herself. "Have you completed your evaluation of this outsider girl's status?"
"Yes Matriarch Kho Lon," she responded, "The outsider girl Kasumi is a journeywoman healer and has the potential to become a master healer."
The Matriarch cocked an eyebrow, that response was unexpected. She nodded and motioned for the Japanese girl to follow her. She briefly stopped and splashed the piglet with hot water from one of the sink taps. When a blushing Ryouga had dressed with clothes that Kasumi had produced (much to Kho Lon's surprise) for him; she led them to the open square before the village town hall and used her staff to sound the gong hanging there once.
Those within hearing turned their attention to Khu Lon as she began to speak, "My people, we have visitors today. This," she said while gesturing to Kasumi, "is Kasumi of the house Tendou. She is to be accorded the respect of an accomplished journeywoman healer." Khu Lon pointed to Ryouga and added, "This is Ryouga, her guardian. I remind you that because of her status, they are both exempt from outsider and warrior protocols; specifically no kiss of death or marriage or marriage challenge."
Seeing the confusion on Kasumi's face, the Matriarch smiled and explained, "We are a warrior folk but we have long realized that those who heal rarely develop the skills or will needed to defend themselves. Thus by long standing custom, healers and their chosen guardians are outside the harsher laws and customs of our people that keep our village strong."
She smiled at the young Japanese couple and offered; "Come, share the evening meal with me. I would know more of the land of the rising sun."
Khu Lon was amused, that was the only word for it. Even after three centuries, young love still was the stuff of never ending and always fresh soap operas, especially when neither partner was aware of it yet. She did admit it though, that the young man's odd directional curse and its unusual traveling compensation were new to her. If it wasn't for the unusual pictures and the pure aura of the girl, she might not have been convinced of its truth. She chuckled to herself thinking how fortunate it was that the young man was exempt from marriage challenge as she was sure that that particular handicap was not beneficial to the village in the long run.
The Matriarch's attention was drawn back to the pictures when she heard the name 'Ranma'. Quickly scanning the pictures that had just been laid out, she asked "Ranma?"
Kasumi smiled and pointed to a well built black haired boy standing before a water logged panda sitting in a small pond. "Yes, this is Ranma. He is to marry my sister Nabiki."
"Humm," the old woman paused and then asked, "Isn't having a panda a bit unusual?"
Kasumi laughed gaily, "Oh Genma isn't a real panda. He just has a Jusenkyo curse like his son Ranma."
Suddenly aware that she really needed aspirin, Khu Lon asked even while already dreading the answer, "Let me guess, Ranma is cursed to turn into a short but buxom redheaded girl?"
"Oh, my!" Kasumi was a bit surprised but guessed, "You've met the Saotomes then?"
Khu Lon stepped over to a desk and after rummaging in a drawer for a moment returned with photograph. "Tell me dear, have you by chance seen my great-grand-daughter near where you live?"
The two Japanese youths studied the photo before they both nodded.
= = = = =
Ranma tucked her oversize shirt into her loose pants after Nabiki suggested that doing so would make it a little less obvious that they didn't fit her all that well. She walked beside the older girl as they left the house almost four hours before the meeting. Neither of them wanted to meet the fathers just now so Nabiki had suggested going to the park and just relaxing so that they wouldn't be so tense before the meeting.
Ranma was somewhat disappointed as the weekend was when he usually spent most of the day as a guy. But to meet his mother, he was willing to give up his Saturday afternoon to his girl side if that was what it took.
Seeing the pensive look on Nabiki's face, Ranma pulled the other girl into an ice cream shop and bought them both a large sundae to take with them. Nabiki took a few bites before briefly hugging Ranma and softly saying, "Thanks, I appreciate the thought."
The two girls sat beside each other eating their sundaes in the shade in a somewhat private part of the park. Nabiki noticed that Ranma was eating her sundae slowly with a very thoughtful pensive expression on her face. "Ranma, you ok?" she asked.
Ranma glanced up at Nabiki before smiling broadly as if coming to a decision. "Yeah, Nabiki-chan; I'm fine. I've been debating something and after hearing what you said to my mom, well, I've decided that now is the time. It's something that needs to be done before you meet her."
"Huh, what are you talking about, Red?" she asked
Ranma placed her half eaten sundae down on the grass well to the side of the two girls. She shifted to one knee and reached for Nabiki's left hand. Puzzled, Nabiki could only wonder what was happening. Her mind froze as Ranma reached into her pocket, pulled out and opened a small box. Uncomprehending she watched mesmerized as the smaller girl deftly slid a diamond engagement ring with a permanently attached wedding band onto her finger.
"Nabiki Tendou," softly asked Ranma, "would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Nabiki's eyes filled with tears as she stared at the ring. Ranma softly added, "Kasumi gave me your mother's ring set a couple of weeks ago. She said I'd know the right time to give them to you. She said that both she and Akane wanted you to have them for all the things you did to take care of them. I want you to have them before you meet my mother."
Nabiki tossed her nearly empty sundae behind her and engulfed Ranma in a tight hug. Through her tears she whispered, "Yes, always yes, Ranma."
Ranma held the happily weeping girl to her bosom, uncertain about the tears. She thought Nabiki was happy, but the redhead was apprehensive anyway.
Finally Nabiki stopped crying and wiped her face with her sleeves before she noticed the worried expression of her fiancée. With a mischievous smile, she pulled the redhead into her lap and leaned Ranma back as she firmly kissed her.
Several long passionate moments later Nabiki released the kiss and raised her head. She gazed with satisfaction on the now twitterpated neo girl. A small smile crossed her face before she asked; "You know, since you were a girl when you asked me, which one of us gets to wear the wedding dress?"
In unison they slapped their foreheads and said, "D'oh!"
Ranma tried glaring at her fiancée for mocking her but ended up laughing with her instead.
= = = = =
Akane grimaced as she hung up the phone; 'that old woman was ssooo irritating'. Thinking a moment, she called Yuka and quickly left the house to be with her friends.
Akane was walking down the street next to her school with her friends Yuka and Sayuri when shrieks of dismay from the girls of the volleyball team reached her ears. She knew those girls were putting in extra practice at the school, and wondered what the trouble was. Who were they trying to 'spike' she wondered.
Just as she entered the gate she noticed a small gnome like man was dashing from girl to girl copping an occasional feel and flipping skirts as he made his way towards them.
Akane tried a spin kick as the old letch dashed toward her and was stunned as she missed. Seeing the pervert on her chest, she reflexively folded space between her hands and stuffed him inside as he attempted to slip between her hands. Her grin of satisfaction lasted only the five seconds that it took him to escape.
"Very good girl;" the wizened old man said as he stood atop a fire hydrant in order to be closer to her eye level. "Very few families have the ability to do that move and few are the martial artists of those families that manage to develop that skill. Are you a Tendou or a Saotome?"
"I am Akane Tendou of the Anything Goes School!" Akane yelled angrily.
The old man frowned, "Humm, uncontrolled anger. Not good."
Akane blushed and reluctantly bowed slightly to the old martial arts master, "My sensei has said the same thing; we are working on the problem. May I know the name of the pervert I am addressing?"
"I am Happosai, Grandmaster of the Anything Goes School," he replied. "So my old student Soun is training you." He sighed, "I'm a bit disappointed in him," he stated, "you are not as skilled as you should be at this stage."
Akane blushed with repressed anger, "My father stopped teaching me after my mother died eight years ago." She paused then added since it was the old pervert's school anyway as she belatedly remembered the name from some of the scrolls; "Ranma Saotome is my sensei."
"Kimiko died!" Happosai moaned, "Let me have a good cry in your bosom," he crooned. As he leaped toward her, Akane faded from sight. Momentarily stunned, the old man just stood there looking around. He never even saw the large chi mallet that hit him like he was a golf ball.
Akane faded back into sight and shaded her eyes as she belatedly cried, "Fore!"
The other girls cheered as the pervert vanished in the far, far distance.
A dazed Happosai impacted the steel deck of the small freighter. He bounced once before vanishing down an open scupper and ricocheting several times inside the piping before coming to rest against a rarely cleaned filter. It would be hours before he would regain consciousness and discover that the slow small ocean going ship with an all male crew was on a replenishment voyage to Antarctica.
Akane would have been pleased to know that she'd scored a 'hole-in-one'.
= = = = =
Nodoka sat and fumed as she replayed a pair of recent phone conversations over in her mind. The first had happened almost five hours ago but instead of her anger diminishing, it had only grown as her wounded pride had demanded redress. In the end, she had called the Tendou home back only to find that Nabiki had already left. When asked, the young girl who had answered the phone had simply stated that there was no one named Ranma currently at her home. Frustration grew as the impudent snip of a girl on the other end of the line had simply repeated that statement for every question Nodoka had asked even if it had nothing to do with her son.
Nodoka sighed as she waited, her hand nervously seeking the honor blade she had reluctantly left at home. As she glanced around, she spotted a mop of vividly red hair moving her way. Though she had changed a lot, Nodoka did recognize the redhead's companion as Nabiki; a girl she'd briefly met several times almost three years ago. Oddly enough though, it was really the redhead who held the older woman's attention. The girl somehow reminded her of herself at that age. While her hair had never been such a vivid red, it still had a strong tint of red and Nodoka remembered being short and buxom before she'd gotten her last growth spurt and 'grown' into her 'assets' so to speak.
Nabiki stopped at the table and paused, standing without speaking. Finally she arched an eyebrow questioningly. Nodoka sternly stated, "Girls, do be seated."
Nabiki remained standing and said formally, "My name is Nabiki Tendou and this is my best friend Ranko."
Nodoka blushed at the implied rebuke and shortly replied, "I am Nodoka Saotome." It was a small thing but it did establish that Nabiki would not be treated as anything other than an equal despite their age difference.
The Saotome matriarch paused as she noticed the diamond ring and realized she was dealing with someone she probably should not antagonize. She temporized, "That's a lovely ring, dear."
Nabiki's face softened, "Yes, it belonged to my mother. My two sisters gave it to Ranma to give to me when he proposed." She smiled as she sat next to Nodoka, "Even though it was an arranged marriage between the families, Ranma still got to one knee and proposed." She sighed happily, "He made the engagement our decision instead of our fathers' demand." She looked Nodoka in the eyes and stated, "It is merely one of the many reasons that I love him so much."
Neither woman noticed Ranko blush as she silently seated herself on the same end of the small picnic table as Nabiki sat but on the opposite side of the table from both of them.
Nodoka finally broke the silence between them by asking, "Why do you have such a poor opinion of my husband?"
Nabiki speculatively glanced at the older woman and asked in return, "Why did you want to know if I was a bill collector when I first mentioned Ranma?"
Ranma's mother winced and admitted the point when she reluctantly revealed "Genma has often left bills behind. Many of them have ended up at my doorstep." She defensively explained, "I'm sure it's just because they were training so hard that he didn't have time to work that much."
"Humm," softly said Nabiki, "I guess that one could then infer that Ranma probably had no idea about how to hold down a responsible job since he's never seen it done?" She paused and then added, "That would not be a very 'manly' thing to do would it?"
Nodoka flushed, unsure how to respond.
Nabiki though did not let the matter fester but said, "I have some files on my computer that I would like to show you."
Nodoka was surprised as Nabiki pulled a laptop seemingly out of nowhere and quickly had it open and operational. Nabiki started off easy. She explained the 'engagement' files first; then the old police records, including those against her father and Happosai.
Nodoka was literally glowing by this time but she did interject the information that the latter person was the current grandmaster of the school.
Finally Nabiki explained the information she'd gleaned the night Ranma had arrived. When Nodoka learned the details of the neko-ken she had gone absolutely still, her aura guttering out in shock.
Tears streaming down her face, Nodoka silently rose, took five halting steps way from the table before turning and bowing completely to the ground to Nabiki. "I surrender all authority over my son to you. You have shown your love for him while I have only blindly allowed him to be abused and dishonored. I am not worthy to meet him." She softly wailed, "I am not worthy of being his mother."
Unable to stand it anymore, 'Ranko' rushed over and hugged her mother. "Momma! Please don't cry. Please don't say that! I still need a mom."
Confused, Nodoka nevertheless hugged the softly weeping redhead, her maternal instincts, though blighted were still intact.
A loud sigh by Nabiki attracted her attention before she heard the young woman reluctantly admit, "I can't really blame the baka. I'm not sure I could have resisted either." Seeing Nodoka's questioning eyes on her she said briefly, "Magic does exist." Nabiki then produced a thermos and poured the hot water gently over the redhead.
Nodoka froze as she felt the body in her arms change even while she was watching. As the girl now turned boy looked up at her, blue eyes still shedding tears; Nabiki made introductions, "Nodoka, I would like to introduce you to my fiancée, Ranma Saotome, your son."
Nodoka drifted back to the waking world and heard a worried male voice ask; "Do ya think she'll be ok?"
She heard Nabiki reply, "It's alright Ranma. She's only been out about ten minutes."
Nodoka sat up and glanced about rapidly; without hesitation she glomped onto the young man that she had visualized in her dreams for years. She was frightened about what had happened, but that was a small thing beside her need to hold her son again.
A little later when she was calmer, Ranma explained the curse. In the end, Nodoka responded by hesitantly drawing out her copy of the seppuku agreement. She showed it to them and then slowly tore it in half, then again and yet once more before tossing the pieces onto the table. "This does not apply to my son as I have no right to ever judge him. It cannot be applied to Genma because he has no honor."
She turned a bright smile to the engaged couple. "When is the wedding and how soon can I expect grandchildren." She enjoyed their deep blushes as the two glanced at each other nervously.
Nabiki finally responded, "We . . . we dare not get married for at least three years. If Ranma was underage at the time we married, I'm worried that Genma might find some way to take advantage of it to steal our assets or otherwise harm us financially." She added, "We don't even dare let them know that Ranma has proposed to me since we fear that they would force an immediate marriage."
Nodoka nodded in understanding. She agreed that the scanned documents that Nabiki had shown her did indeed justify their fears.
Nabiki giggled and revealed how the fathers still believed that Ranma was engaged to Akane. She also explained some of the girl training that Ranma was enduring. Nodoka was torn between being outraged or lapsing into hysterical giggles but learning how much Genma hated it tipped the balance toward admitting necessity. With a slight grin of her own she offered to take her daughter shopping one day. Ranma only groaned. He hated shopping, especially in girl form.
Finally Nodoka leaned back and thought about what she'd learned today. Eventually she said, "What about if I divorced the panda and transferred Ranma and I to my family's clan registrar and had the two of you move in with me?"
Ranma looked stricken, but Nabiki only got a thoughtful look on her face. Finally she said, "That might be enough but I'd hate to take the risk and I'm not willing to leave my sisters yet." She glanced over at Ranma and added, "Besides, I'm not sure Ranma likes the idea all that much either." The abashed expression on Ranma's face affirmed that supposition.
Nabiki smiled as an idea occurred to her, "You know, the idea of name change might actually help in the long run." She turned to Ranma, "Willing to become a Tendou?"
Ranma smiled and replied, "Sure, it seems a somewhat more honorable name than Saotome at present." He chuckled and added, "Besides, it IS the Tendou dojo isn't it?"
"So that's it?" hopefully asked Nodoka. She sagged as Nabiki slowly shook her head.
Nabiki explained, "It's a start, but not enough. There is another idea that I've been toying with but I'm still not all that confident on how well it would work. But if we did both ideas at the same time, then maybe, just maybe we won't have to wait three years."
Ranma blushed deep red and pulled his pigtail in embarrassment as he thought about being married to Nabiki.
"What's this other idea, Nabiki?" asked Nodoka.
Nabiki smiled quickly at Ranma before turning to answer the question. "Teenage idol stars and their greedy parents are what gave me the idea. It is possible to have a court to declare a minor or underage person as 'emancipated' into adult status as far as legal standing goes. If Ranma and I were both declared to be emancipated minors and then married under the Tendou name, then Ranma's old man would not have any legal standing that he could bring to bear against us should he decide that he didn't like how we are living our lives or running the school." She smiled and added, "And since daddy is planning on making the house and dojo a wedding present in order to avoid estate taxes, he would be dependant on keeping on our good side for food and a roof over his head."
"Oh dear, that sounds complicated," responded Nodoka. She sighed, "I think I still want a divorce though." She hesitated then asked, "Will you need any help doing this and how will you do it?"
Nabiki thought about it again and then said, "Right now it's just in the planning stage; I've thought of contacting an attorney but I've hesitated on taking that step." She grinned and held up her hand so the ring glinted, "But I think it's time to work on the future." She paused and then added thoughtfully, "If you did get a divorce and then after we married under the Tendou name; if both Ranma and I then independently named you as our legal guardian should we become incapacitated on top of achieving emancipation, then I would say we could safely get married while still underage."
Nabiki pointed to the laptop that she had recently shut off. "The files I showed you will almost certainly demonstrate that neither father is a fit parent. My financial records certainly would be convincing proof that I am capable of functioning as an adult." She hesitated and reluctantly added, "The weak spot in this plan is demonstrating that Ranma is an adult."
Ranma's face had a pained look until he noticed the misery on Nabiki's face. He leaned into a hug with her and said, "Truth may hurt at times but not telling or facing it will always hurt more in the end."
She sighed, "I don't like hurting you. You've been hurt so much already."
Ranma scratched his head and asked, "Ain't there some law or custom that says any martial artist above a certain level is legally treated as an adult if he hurts someone when misusing his skill?" He scratched his head as the two women froze, "Don't seem right to toss the book at them like they were adults when they get into trouble without treating them as adults the rest of the time too."
Nodoka gushed, "Sounds like a plan. I'll contact my attorney and see about getting started on all of those points for all of us."
Nabiki thought about it for a moment before she put a blank CD in the laptop's burner after firing it up again. As the incriminating files were being copied, she asked Nodoka; "Do you have access to a computer?"
Nodoka nodded and admitted with a slight blush, "Well, I did have to have something to do while I was alone."
= = = = =
The boyish shadow with the long hair leaned out of the concealing branches of the tree and watched the two older men as they played a game of some sort. She cursed softly to herself as a large blade of some sort strapped to her back snagged one of the branches as she shifted to peer through the open doors to briefly study the three girls practicing in the dojo. Her eyes narrowed in confusion when one of them was called, 'Ranma'.
"I 'will' have my revenge, Genma!" she softly hissed staring with hate filled eyes toward one of the older men again.
Kodachi eased herself a little out of the shadows to better watch the antics of the redheaded harridan that had cheated to defeat her. Unknown to her, another had spotted her prey.
Shampoo blasted a hole in the wall of the dojo and stalked in. She immediately came sailing out as Akane nailed her with a large chi mallet. She literally skipped across the yard like a flat pebble across a pond, until she impacted the wall and slid down it unconscious.
The three young practitioners of Anything Goes walked together to where the girl laid. Akane fuming, "Who was that idiot? Did she think walls are cheap to replace? I'll bet this is all your fault somehow Saotome."
Ranma sighed as she glanced at the girl; "Unfortunately, that is one bet you would have won, Akane," she remarked sadly.
Akane was stunned and instead of smirking, asked, "Hun?"
Ranma explained, "Just after I was cursed, me and Genma went to a nearby village in hopes that they might know of a cure and so we could get some supplies as well. Trust the old fart to screw it up; didn't help that it was raining a little either. First thing we see when we enter the place is this girl up on a big log fighting this really big brute of a woman. Second thing was this table of food." Ranma blushed and continued, "Being hungry and all, we helped ourselves to what we thought was a buffet. Turned out to be first prize," the redhead pointed to the girl, "her prize." She sighed again, "She had a right to be angry and let us know about it. She demanded a panda skin rug and despite my better judgment, I offered to fight her for the prize instead. Naturally, I won but then it turned sorta weird. She got up off the ground and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Turns out it was some sort of 'kiss of death' cause for the next couple of weeks she chased me and the old fart all over china."
"Humm," said Nabiki, "sounds like a really sore loser or else something more is at stake here." Quickly searching the girl, Nabiki pulled out several swords, a couple of bonbori, numerous sets of clothes, all needing a wash and a small booklet.
Akane snatched the booklet and began to look it over.
"What's it say?" asked Ranma.
"Don't know," responded Akane, "I can't read Chinese." She paused and then asked; "Nabiki, you pulled all this stuff from her fold-space didn't you?" At Nabiki affirming nod, she continued, "But how? I know we can see her fold-space and even open it from the inside, but how did you open it from the outside?"
Nabiki gently removed the booklet from her sister's hands and began to slowly turn the pages, paying special attention to the part that was bookmarked. She answered quietly, "I think it's a new chi technique this girl uses. Take a look at the stuff I pulled out. Do you notice the chi tags on it?"
Both Ranma and Akane quickly examined the items removed from the Amazon's fold space. Ranma exclaimed, "Whoa, that's neat!" she said as she experimentally stuffed one of the swords into fold space. "The chi tags make it a lot easier to grab the stuff plus it's marked so you don't have to hunt for what you want." She added excitedly, "I gotta learn how to do that!"
Akane experimentally reached over and pulled the sword out of Ranma's fold space, "Humm, so all you have to do is grab the chi tag to grab the item without even opening fold space. I'm with Ranma on this; I think this is a 'must-learn' technique."
"Humm," said Nabiki as she frowned after rereading a passage in the booklet, "it says that if a warrior is defeated by an outsider woman, then she must give her the kiss of death and track her down to the ends of the earth to kill her." Nabiki frowned, "Yep, seems like a sore loser deal."
"How can you read that Nabiki?" groused her younger sister.
"Easy," responded Nabiki as she pointed to a second column on each page, "There's a Japanese translation on each page that explains all about the kiss of death stuff."
"Aw crap," complained Ranma while Akane began to giggle until she realized that she had also just defeated the Chinese girl as well.
An eyebrow arched as Nabiki began reading the next section, "And if a warrior maid should be defeated by a male, then she is to give him the kiss of marriage and drag him back to the village from the ends of the earth overcoming any obstacles."
Nabiki sighed as she continued to read through the book. She idly reached over to the kitchen stove and grabbed a warming kettle to hand it to Ranma, "Here you go Ranma. She's not chasing your guy side. You just be careful and not defeat her though."
Ranma grimaced and started to hand the kettle back remarking, "Wrong underwear." She paused as she noticed the two garments now hanging from Nabiki's hands; she sighed and then poured some of the hot water onto her head. Now male, Ranma shook the water from his hair and said, "I think you're beginning to like that technique a little too much." Nabiki only grinned.
Two watchers fell into the yard, one out of the tree, the other off the house roof.
The one in the leotard just sat on the ground against the wall watching the proceedings with a dazed expression on her face. The other drew her battle spatula and stalked toward the damp boy.
"Ranma Saotome?" she asked in a low menacing voice.
Ranma looked up at her boyish face and noted her masculine garb; 'boy' flashed across his mind then his attention shifted to the unusual weapon. He paused as a name from the past softly echoed uncertainly in his mind.
Before he could say anything Nabiki leaned in and whispered, "No Adam's apple."
"Ucchan," Ranma softly breathed out in confirmation.
That was all the answer she needed; she swung the blade only to meet empty air. She leaped out of close range and shifted her weapon to a one handed stance while she grabbed for her bandoliered mini-spatulas. Ukyou frantically felt over her chest before anxiously glancing down and confirming that her bandoleers were gone.
She glanced over toward Ranma only to notice that the girl who had been sitting close to him was now idly swinging two familiar bandoleers across one palm while slowly shaking her head 'no' in Ukyou's direction.
Furious at this unwarranted interference, Ukyou swung the blade of her battle spatula at Nabiki flat side toward her in an effort to force her to back off and yield the bandoleers. This time Ranma was the one to intervene. Ukyou froze as her battle spatula stopped as if it had impacted a steel girder. She gulped as she took in the impact of a fist that was imbedded in the spatula blade and had forced its impression four inches toward her face.
"Oh shit," she murmured, "I'm not ever going to get my battle spatula repaired from that." She gulped and carefully lowered the blade, wincing as Ranma's glaring eyes were revealed. 'Ok, plan two it is then' she thought as her eyes began to tear.
Ranma began to frantically wave his hands as she hoped, but she was a bit careless and a small smile crossed her face. Nabiki saw it and realized that it was her turn to intervene again.
Before Ranma could do much more than babble 'I'm sorry,' a few times; Nabiki had placed a finger over his mouth and stepped between him and Ukyou. Forestalling Ukyou's protests, Nabiki began her verbal maneuvers. "Hello Ukyou, Ranma has told me so much about how he missed his childhood friend. Oh my, pardon my rudeness; I'm Nabiki Tendou, Ranma's fiancé since he was BORN by family honor between our two families. Did you know that he didn't even know you were a girl until we found the reports of dowry theft and abandonment filed by your father when you were both only six? You would not believe though how much he was surprised when we also discovered that not only had his father engaged him to me but you and at least five others that we found police records for so far. Of course, the idea that your yattai was dowry was new too since Genma had told him it was a gift. Legally, a six year old isn't liable for any of that so taking it out on my fiancé just won't work."
Nabiki paused for breath and Ukyou asked, "So my ten years of suffering and my plans for revenge just get tossed aside? What makes your engagement any more binding than mine? Do you still have your dowry?"
Nabiki could see where this was going as soon as Ukyou started speaking so she slid a chain from around her neck and deftly slipped on the ring that she had meant to show to Akane and Kasumi first as soon as the oldest Tendou sister returned from her latest date. She held up her hand so the ring was visible and quietly said, "It's valid because it's the only engagement that Ranma actually got to one knee and proposed to the girl for. All the others are Genma's problem, not Ranma's."
Before Ukyou could reply, she found her face planted in the dojo wall as Akane shoved her forcefully out of the way and embraced her sister enthusiastically. "NABIKI," Akane screamed in apparent joy, "When, were, why didn't you say anything earlier?"
Ranma dropped his head in embarrassment and foreboding as he noticed the two (adult?) men dancing a jig together as they emerged from the house brandishing a large bottle of sake each in one hand and waving victory flags or occasionally letting go a celebration streamer with the other hand. He muttered to himself, "Ah crap! I just know those two old farts are gonna screw this up somehow."
Shampoo shook her head and wondered just what the heck was going on. She could smell the sake and the raucous singing of inebriated old men really didn't help her headache. 'Am I in a bar or something?' she thought as she tried to focus her eyes. The sound of girls giggling brought her newest target to her attention as she rapidly recovered from her latest humiliation.
Ukyou pulled her face out of the wood. She glared between the four possible targets she had before making a selection. Battle Spatula in hand she stalked back toward the party in progress.
Ranma cocked an eye but said nothing as Ukyou nailed Genma across the back of the head sending the sake bottle flying.
Kodachi was dithering. On one hand she wanted to break out in her trademark laugh and mock them all but on the other hand; a tear glimmered at the edge of eye as she watched the two sisters embracing and chattering with joy. A joy she hoped to one day experience. She never noticed the sake bottle approaching until it shattered against the wall just above her head. She backtracked its path from the faint trace of sake on the ground and a feral gleam of battle filled her eyes as she watched the fella with the long hair soundly trounce an old man. 'HE would pay for doing this to her,' she soundlessly snarled.
Nabiki was enjoying her sister's enthusiasm for her happiness but was still keeping an eye on what was happening. When she noticed Shampoo in a high arc toward them with bonbori extended to brain Akane, she quickly shoved her sister out of the way toward one side. The resultant force moved her to the other side out of the way of the descending Amazon.
As Shampoo turned to follow Akane she felt light fingers caress her neck. As she fell to the ground, paralyzed and feeling hazy, she realized she had just been defeated by yet another outsider girl. The girl had used a pressure point attack against her but had hit it imperfectly. Fortunately Shampoo recognized the point and hit a counter point under her own chin just before everything went black momentarily.
Nabiki and Akane frowned at the Chinese girl lying unconscious at their feet, "Come on Akane," Nabiki said, "We need to talk to Ranma."
'Ranma!' The hated name echoed in Shampoo's mind as she concealed the fact that she had already regained her wits. Through slitted eyes she watched the two girls who had so casually defeated her.
Ranma was standing near the koi pond watching Ukyou thrash Genma. Twice Genma had made a dash for the wall or the water and Ranma had casually kicked him back toward Ukyou. The second time, Ukyou had returned the volley by blasting Genma with a full armed baseball [spatula] swing that that rocketed the balding old man into the water with resounding splash that had momentarily obscured everything.
Ignoring the floating panda, Ukyou had stalked toward the drenched redhead arriving just as the two Tendou sisters arrived. Then Kodachi arrived, ribbon snapping out at Ukyou and ignoring the protests of the other girls.
Cautiously Shampoo snaked a hand out and gathered in her sword that Akane had dropped earlier. She stealthily slipped into the shadows of the wall and silently worked her way toward the hated girl-type Ranma.
Ranma frowned as she watched the awkward fight between Ukyou and Kodachi. Nabiki and Akane were trying to intervene without much success. Kodachi had momentarily ensnared Ukyou's battle spatula and failed in her effort to jerk it out of the other girl's hands resulting in Ukyou being tossed toward Ranma.
Ranma noticed Ukyou glance toward Ranma's way before suddenly shifting in midair into a stance that telegraphed that Ukyou was going to swing at Ranma as she landed.
Irritated that Ukyou was still attacking her, Ranma nonetheless opted to dodge rather than retaliate. Ukyou yelled, "You bitch, NOBODY kills Ranma except me!"
Shampoo was shocked as Ranma dodged her sword thrust at her back. Shampoo's eyes got very wide as she tracked the rapidly approaching spatula blade; she heard Ukyou's words just before everything vanished in a world of pain.
Kodachi paused in admiration, 'Oh my, such a warrior!' she thought to herself as she decided that enough 'lesson' had been taught and perhaps it was time to move on to a different topic. Sex education sounds nice she decided.
Shampoo looked up at the handsome warrior who had just laid her out with a giant bakers peel. "Wo ai ne, arien," she cried as she glomped Ukyou and kissed 'him' with all of her passion.
"HEY," she yelled, "I ain't like that you Chinese bimbo."
"Bimbo?" murmured Shampoo, "What mean bimbo?" as she quickly flipped back and forth through her tattered dictionary.
Kodachi helpfully leaned in and defined the word in precise Chinese causing Shampoo to blush and snarl in broken Japanese, "Husband need lesson in respecting wife."
"Humm," drawled Kodachi, a thoughtful look on her face, "Well, perhaps you could give him some 'special' flowers," she suggested as she offered a bouquet of black roses.
Shampoo took them in confusion but quickly held them to one side as her sensitive fingers felt the gas trap mechanism activate. Unfortunately it wasn't quite far enough as a streamer of the gas caught her and locked her muscles in place.
Kodachi let out a peal of laughter and smirked into her face, "He's too good for a 'bimbo' like you," she stated before adding, "But a lady like me, that's a match made in heaven."
Shampoo was fuming as she helplessly watched the leotard clad girl stalk her new husband. 'Girl what steal husband is dead!' she snarled haltingly. She shakily rose to her feet, too unsteady to even consider fighting, but resolved on announcing her intentions. Fortunately it was only a few minutes before the trace amounts of gas she'd been subjected to loosened their hold on her.
By this time, Kodachi had managed to discern Ukyou's true gender and was torn between lapsing into a fit of giggles or just having a fit. She noticed the 'bimbo' hesitantly stumbling toward her and arched an impressed eyebrow. It took real stamina to be able to shake off the effects of that gas. As Shampoo reached out a trembling hand to give the kiss of death to Kodachi, a whimsical impulse seized her. It was born of Kodachi's experiences at an all girl's school and the somewhat surreal events of the evening. It wasn't something she would normally do . . . if one could apply the word normal to her that is.
As Shampoo leaned in to kiss her cheek, Kodachi swept her into a passionate embrace and deep kiss. It wasn't until Shampoo felt the tongue that she tried to struggle. The shocked Amazon maid stepped back, eyes wide at the girl who had just defeated her and given HER the kiss of marriage. 'Oh shit!' was repeating in her mind at the moment.
Nabiki smiled at the ranting Shampoo who was yelling at the smugly smiling Kodachi who was inordinately pleased with her mischief. Nabiki took a quick look at the Amazon law book to confirm a suspicion before gesturing Ranma and Akane into a quick huddle with her.
Her whispered instructions definitely provoked strong responses from the other two.
"Ack, Nabs, ya gotta be kidding? No way am I gonna do that!" declared Ranma.
"Ewwe," echoed Akane, "I mean I can see Kodachi doing it . . . but ewww."
Nabiki grinned and said silkily, "Consider it a planned tactical response to her attempts to force her silly laws on us. We'll use those same 'laws' to tie her in knots with respect to future actions she can take against us."
Ranma sighed and added in a slightly apprehensive tone, "Maybe yer right, I mean she is obsessive about them. She followed me all the way from China just to kill me even if it really is nothing more than outright murder as far as anyone else would see it."
Shampoo was yelling in Mandarin at Kodachi who must have been sniffing some of her other potions 'cause the Kuno girl just giggled at everything the other maiden was hollering. Every time she almost had herself together, the warrior would remind her that Ukyou was her husband and Kodachi would lose it again.
Shampoo never noticed the two Tendou sisters come up behind her until she felt Nabiki tap her on the shoulder. She frowned at being reminded of unfinished business but her mind went off line as Nabiki pulled her into a deep kiss; a marriage kiss. Just as she got herself together enough to push Nabiki away, Akane spun her around and initiated lip lock. It was too much for the girl and she swooned in Akane's arms.
Kodachi and Ukyou tentatively sat side by side reading over the Amazon law booklet while waiting for Shampoo to once again wake to her latest version of reality. Ukyou's giggles were what finally brought Shampoo back to waking. 'That not sound right for husband to do,' was her first thought.
Seeing her stirring, Ranma reached over and grabbed the book with a quick 'sorry, need this for a moment,' to Ukyou and Kodachi. She plopped herself before Shampoo and before the other girl could lunge at her; Ranma pursed her lips and made a kissing motion.
Shampoo froze.
Ranma held up the book for Shampoo to see and said, "Humm, I've been reading this and I just realized that I have the option of giving you the kiss of marriage. If I do that, then your kiss of death becomes invalid."
A wide grin split her face, "How about it Shampoo, want to make it five for five for the number of girls that have defeated you and given you the kiss of marriage?"
"Five?" stuttered Shampoo before she violently shook her head and backed away from the posturing redhead.
Ukyou grinned as she opened up the top of her tunic and let a portion of her generous assets show. "Yep, I'm 100% woman."
Shampoo pointed at the Tendou sisters, "Kiss of marriage from them not good," she paused at the wide smiles and shaking heads of Akane and Nabiki as they obviously disagreed with her.
Akane reached for the booklet and took it as Ranma anticipated her need and moved to hand it to her. "I was entitled to challenge you by the laws of your own people." She pointed to the dojo with the large hole in one wall that was currently occupied by a wailing father bemoaning his damaged property. "As heir to a place of combat training deliberately damaged by you, I had every right to retaliate and claim what ever lawful due I chose." She paused and added, "arien."
Akane placed the booklet into Nabiki's outstretched hand and Shampoo's attention shifted to the older girl with a sense of foreboding. Nabiki grinned and said, "By your laws, I am entitled to seek redress from any warrior that seeks to harm my 'spouse'." She held out one hand such that Ranma was in the immediate background and showed the gleaming stone in a golden band; waiting to be sure she had Shampoo's entire attention, Ranma slowly poured hot water over her red hair."
Shampoo reached for the book with visibly shaking hands. She turned to the index before turning to a page toward the end of the book. She finally looked up at Ranma, checked that the water used was hot and whispered, "Jusenkyo?" as she poured cold water to double check.
Ranma nodded, Shampoo started crying. Everybody froze in place, but then Ranma (who was closest), gently embraced the girl and pulled her into a loose hug as she wept.
Nabiki explained to the others, "Shampoo cannot now give Ranma the kiss of marriage because she refused it before witnesses when Ranma-chan offered it and the kiss of death is technically invalid because it cannot be given to a male. Ranma's curse makes no difference."
Sniffling, Shampoo finally pulled away and moved away from Ranma yet remained on one edge of the circle formed by the six girls.
"Ah crap! What a mess," sighed Ranma-chan as she sat on the trashed panda that had finally managed to crawl out of the pond. "Now what do we do?"
"Shampoo know! Shampoo know!" said girl exclaimed. She walked slowly (non-threateningly) over to Ranma-chan, poured enough hot water from one of the kettles that Nabiki had near her onto the redhead to reverse the change and then happily exulted, "See! Shampoo defeat redheaded Ranma, she no here no more! Shampoo make her gone." She then turned to Akane, Nabiki, Ukyou and Kodachi and then continued, "As for other kisses; was all mistake and everybody forget, never tell anybody. Yes? Yes?"
The harsh sound of a leathery voice being cleared drew everybody's attention to an old crone standing an inch over two feet high. Behind her were Kasumi and Ryouga. The old woman stood there with her small arms crossed and was slowly tapping one tiny foot as she studied her sheepish looking great grand-daughter.
Shampoo was frozen in shock and could say nothing. Finally the old crone spoke and said, "Shampoo, if I hadn't seen it myself, I would never have believed that you could get yourself in a situation surpassing your great aunt Li Lak and her infamous Douglas."
Shampoo blushed deeply and hung her head even further.
Kasumi giggled and added, "Oh my, Lilac is such a sweet old dear; and the stories she told about Douglas were simply wonderful."
"Kasumi, child," softly chided Khu Lon, "My daughter Li Lak is a pervert." Cologne massaged her temples and muttered, "Apparently she took after her father."
Ryouga scratched his head and asked, "Do you think that is where Shampoo learned to kiss girls?"
Shampoo moaned softly and began beating her head against the dojo wall.
Ami came out of the kitchen and embraced her son. She was still amazed at Genma and Ranma's curses but had taken it in stride seeing how the Tendous ignored it. She fully intended to tease her son with 'possibilities' though. She and Ryouga soon left for home and the others were invited to spend the evening. Ukyou declined but accepted Kodachi's offer and they both left sniggering together over what had happened.
Shampoo did not sleep well that night and finally asked, "Great-grandma, what Shampoo do about . . . ah?"
"Your harem, dear?" asked the diminutive elder. She sighed and chided her heir, "Shampoo, please quit beating your head against the wall." She added a moment later, "It was nice of the Tendous to allow us to stay in their dojo for the evening but I don't think they would appreciate it if you made another hole in the wall."
Cologne chuckled and finally said, "Well, I think that there is only one thing to do." She paused and then dramatically tossed an envelope on the floor between them before adding, "Go for it dear, I want lots of great-great-grandkids!"
Shampoo took one look at the label and ran off screaming into the dawn scattering both Saotomes as she passed between them in their morning spar.
Cologne picked up the package of instant Nanniichuan and studied it for a moment before cackling "Gottcha!" in glee.
= = = = =
= = = = =
Author's notes:
Additional Ranma fan-fiction can be found on my Web Pages.
C & C to cloud (underscore) dreamer2000 (at) yahoo.com
Main Web-page - www.geocities.com (slash) cloud (underscore) dreamer2000
And alternate - mysite.verizon.net (slash) cloud-dreamer/index.html
= = = = =
= = = = =