Disclaimer: If you were clever, you'd know that these characters do not
belong to me.
___________+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++_______________________
"Men can have long hair, too."
Ranma sat down on a chair and crossed his legs. "Good suggestion, but there was a rose at the scene of the crime, too."
"Is that a problem? Can a man not pluck a flower from its bush?"
Ranma picked an apple from the fruit tray on Ryouga's desk and bit into it. "Right again. I'm so clever; I knew that I should have come to talk to you."
"You know, Ranma, the thief can be anybody. It could be someone from the ton pretending to be from the Underworld. Or maybe that person could be a servant in our house or-"
"A maid in our house? Which maid would be so stupid as to steal from his or her master?"
"Servant, I said servant; it could be a male, after all."
"Yes, whatever, now, I ask you: which person would be so stupid as to steal from us and stay under our roof?"
"A smart person. You yourself have doubted this, Ranma, perhaps the thief thought the same."
"But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would the thief want to stay with us anyway? Isn't it dangerous?"
"Yes, it is," Ryouga said. He walked towards Ranma and placed both hands on the bed, "but the thief could have done it so as to cover up his tracks."
Ranma snapped up from his position and threw the apple out the window (which landed on a man who wondered how an apple could drop from the sky).
"You're right, Ryouga!" Ranma beamed. "Now we're getting somewhere."
Ryouga took out a chart and placed it beside Ranma. "You see, the thief could be in one of our houses right now. We'd never know whose house at the moment but we know that he is somewhere in here."
Ranma nodded excitedly.
The chiming of the grandfather clock could be heard. Ranma gasped. "Oh, no. I've to be back. I've got to go now, Ryouga. See you soon."
Without caring for Ryouga's response, Ranma hopped onto the windowsill and out.
Ryouga remained motionless in his spot, smiling at his friend.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane saw lord Ranma go out through the window. Where was he going?
"At least he isn't as bored as me," Akane sighed and reached out through the holes where she had seen everything that had happened in the past few minutes.
She pressed what she thought was a hard and cold object. The wall suddenly gave way and Akane fell forward.
"Ouch!"
The girl massaged her hip on which she'd landed.
"Stupid wall." Her body ached and it hurt a lot. "Will the pain never go?"
Akane looked up and saw that she'd been looking through the eyeholes of a portrait of a pretty woman. The lady had lovely blue eyes and long, black hair. She donned on a lavender pink gown with white laces ribbons. The woman must have been Ranma's grandmother or something.
The woman had her hand set under her chin and a ruby ring was inserted upon her finger. Akane reached out and touched the gem, which was what she'd pressed unknowingly. So this was how she could open the secret door to the tunnel. Akane nudged the button again and the wall moved out and turned so that Akane could enter it. A few seconds after she was in the tunnel, the door swung back to its original position. She placed the wood back in between the slit and walked back to her room
She'd had enough excitement in one day.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next day contained an opera performance in which the one and only Kodachi Kuno would be singing.
The maids were busy dressing up Shampoo and Ranma, who were to be present at the concert. Sadly, Nodoka wasn't feeling well and could not attend the performance. Hence, someone else was asked to fill in her place. As Akane was now thought of as the highest of the maids, she was suggested, and thus, had to go, which caused an eruption to go off when the news was spread to her.
"Why me?" she screamed exasperatedly. "Why me why me why me why me why me?"
Yuka and Sayuri kept their distance from their best friend, trying their best not to upset her any further.
Akane, meanwhile, was boiling with anger and frustration which had built up for days. Why did it always have to be her? First, her father had coerced her to be a maid and serve the breed which she'd hated most. Now, she'd to go out with them? Not forgetting that previously, she'd attended the stupid ball in which the people danced and did practically nothing else.
Akane balled her hands into fists and slammed them into her bed, venting her anger on the innocent object.
"Ha..ha.." Yuka smiled hesitantly. "Don't be sad, lady Kodachi will be there. She's most famous and her performances are not to be missed."
Nabiki was standing at the door, waiting for an opportunity to earn money.
"My, my, sister, you sure have changed."
Akane glared at her sister. "How so?" she dared her sister, as if not expecting Nabiki to answer her.
"You're more emotional."
Akane was taken aback but did not give it much thought. Nabiki, after all, was always known to utter rubbish as long as it helped her get money.
"Akane, you'd better hurry. Everybody else will be leaving in a few minutes' time."
Akane slid her hand through her hand and complained again. "Why couldn't it be someone else? I mean, we're all servants."
"Not you, Akane, you're a you-know-what," Nabiki winked slyly at her younger sister.
Flustering, Akane argued. "Makes no difference! Right now, I'm a maid."
Hirake walked in smoothly and handed Sayuri a dress. "Make sure Sazara gets into this and Nodoka said not to worry about her hair," she instructed, her hands waving about.
Akane examined the dress up and down. It was blue, thank goodness, but had lots of laces and ruffles, which would make her skin itch terribly. There were gloves, too, with the Saotome initials printed on it and a pair of matching satin shoes.
Akane moaned; she hated such clothing compared to her simple but comfortable and fitting dress.
Sayuri and Yuka walked towards her to dress her up but Akane grabbed the clothe from their hands and ordered them out.
Holding up their hands in surrender, the two left.
"Onee-chan, that does not leave you out. I need a moment of privacy."
Nabiki chided her softly. "Tut, tut, you shouldn't be so rude to your sister."
"I know," Akane said dryly and shushed her out.
Akane hastily changed into the gown and before she left the room, she plucked the rose from her vase and popped it smoothly behind her ear.
Her friends, seeing the result, grinned and held out their arms towards the doors.
"The night awaits."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Moonlight wafting through the silence.nobody knows about its vengeance.Listen to the song in the wind! Does it seem like an innocent sin? The flowers are dancing with the song."
Akane's head nodded on and off. She was falling asleep. It turned out that Kodachi was a pretty woman who tied her hair up to a side ponytail and wore skimpy dresses. The lady called herself Kodachi the Black Rose for she loved roses which were dark and secretive.
At first sight, Akane decided that she disliked Kodachi greatly. Now, all she could think of was doing her best not to yield to the power of her eyes.
She yawned and looked to her far left. There sat lord Ranma and lady Shampoo. Shampoo had wrung her hand around Ranma's wrists and leaned close to him.
Akane watched all this in disgust. Affection was not to be shown in public. Obviously, the Amazon didn't understand what courtesy meant.
Akane made a silent vow that she'd leave as soon as the show was over.
The gloves were itching harder than before but she could not remove them before everybody else.
Kodachi slowly danced her hands in the air dramatically as she sang of how two lovers could not marry as the male was already betrothed to another. Soon, a tall man with a sword hopped gracefully like a ballet dancer onto the stage and sang along with her.
The rhythm of the music became fast and staccato; it spoke of how the two lovers escaped their old lives and eloped; about how they were almost caught and brought back to their homes; the intensity and the scariness of it all embraced Akane, making her attentive for once. The feeling was a little too familiar, but Akane couldn't place it.
Finally, the man held on to Kodachi's hands and raised it into the air together. The two looked at each other lovingly while serenading the last part which was how the two were finally married to each other.
Everyone in the theatre applauded, some even catcalled out to Kodachi (which was extremely rude, making the fair lady frown disapprovingly). Akane clapped her hands methodically, feeling that the performance was just some stupid boring thing.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Airen, you enjoyed the show?" Shampoo asked as she snuggled closer to him.
Ranma moved away, his body uncomfortable. "Yes, it was quite lovely."
Shampoo leaned in closer, her mouth at the nape of his neck. She sniffed his scent in and shivered with delight.
"You smell wonderful, darling," Shampoo lowered her voice seductively. Oh, she couldn't wait till they were married. Ranma was a strong and handsome man who would give her strong and beautiful children. She loved him very much and melted at the sight of his smile.
Ranma shifted while trying in vain to push her hands off his arm. "Yes. Uh, so do you."
"Oh," Shampoo sighed, hitting him on the arm, "You flatter me."
She fluttered her eyelashes and rubbed his body with her back.
Ranma couldn't take it anymore. As soon as the curtains closed and people left for the ballroom, he snatched his hand out of Shampoo's reach and hurriedly ran off.
Shampoo, though, had thought that he'd run off as he couldn't stay with her any longer without going crazy over her.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane fingered the roses gently and lowered her head towards the roses. She smelt the fragrant perfume of the beautiful and vulnerable flowers.
She was in the garden, sitting on a hard, grey rock. Her knees were folded behind her atop the rock.
The garden gave her a sense of peace which she could not describe. She felt like she was born there and meant to live there and even die at that location. The roses made her serene and happy.
"They're simply splendid and appealing, aren't they?"
A voice came from her right side, from the house. Akane whirled her head around and saw..
Kodachi.
She'd heard that the woman was not in her right mind but if Kodachi loved roses herself, she shared a common trait with Akane. And that was why Akane would try to strike up a conversation with her even though she hated the nobility.
"Yes, they make you feel perfect and right, don't they?" Akane asked as she plucked out a rose and placed it behind her other ear which didn't already hold a rose.
Kodachi stiffened which made Akane frown curiously.
"Usually, I wouldn't allow anybody to take my roses but since you love them as much as I do.I'll make an exception," Kodachi explained, her eyes glinting in the moonlight.
Akane smiled. "Thank you, then," she said. "Do you know you have a great voice?"
"If I didn't know," Kodachi rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't be singing, now, would I?"
Very true, Akane thought as she nodded her head.
"What the..they just had to do it..why is it."
Kodachi and Akane heard curses and mutterings from a corner of the garden. Looks like they weren't alone at all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ranma drank down the lemonade, which he'd been holding for the past few minutes. The ice had melted, diluting the drink.
He'd spent his past time hopping away from Shampoo and the other women.
At last, he'd managed to be alone. Perhaps he would bump into Ryouga or someone.
Ranma walked towards the refreshments table and saw someone whom he knew but didn't quite expect to see.
"Ukyo?"
Ukyo turned and waved at Ranma.
"Hey!" Ranma cried out as a servant tripped, sending some drinks crashing down onto him, turning him into a girl.
Ranma looked up to see how others would react. Ukyo was staring him, an expression of astonishment on her face. Then Ranma heard something he was afraid to hear.
"Girl Ranma, I kill!"
It was Shampoo who advanced towards his wet form which was still dripping and shivering wet. She held her bonboris and ran as fast as she could. Ranma, not wanting any trouble, quickly ran out through the closest exit and found himself in the garden.
He might not be so lucky next time.
Cursing, Ranma wandered down a path and saw two girls talking. One was the opera singer and the other was the maid.
"They just had to do it, didn't they? They just had to spray water onto me," Ranma grumbled as he walked towards the girls. Suddenly, the two ladies spoke.
"Are you a cross dresser?" they asked in unison.
Ranma glared at them angrily. "Of course not!"
"Oh," the maid said. "It's just that, you're a woman in a man's suit."
Ranma looked down, feeling angry.
If only there was some way to reverse the curse, he would never have been in all this trouble at all.
"There's always a reason for something," he muttered.
Akane looked suspiciously at the red haired girl who seemed pretty angry.
Well of course, she told herself, if you were in a guy's clothes, wouldn't you be angry too?
Akane chatted some more with Kodachi about roses and how they could thrive in several places before she left to get some snacks.
As she left, Ranma, who'd taken on the identity of Ranko, stared after her. The maid didn't seem to be that bad. She could be rough-hewn sometimes but when the girl wasn't irked or pissed off, she was a polite and nice girl.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I'm so tired I could take a day off today," Akane said. She rubbed her sore arms and legs.
Nabiki laughed a sly laugh. "Today's Friday, my dear imouto, and unless you don't want your day off, you can lie still in that bed all day."
Akane forced herself out of the bed, brushing back her black hair which was mussed up from sleep. "Where should we go today?"
"I've heard of a café which has just opened in town today. Business is good and so is the food. We could go there."
"Are Yuka and Sayuri coming along?" Akane hid behind the board and changed into her daily dress.
"Yes, they just have to grab some breakfast for us from the kitchen," Nabiki took a ribbon from Akane's drawer. She stared at it in deep thought, "This could fetch me a couple of dollars."
"Onee-chan!" Akane shouted. "Don't touch my things without permission. And that ribbon isn't for you to sell."
Nabiki grinned apologetically. "Okay, okay," she said but still put the ribbon in her pocket.
Akane and Nabiki walked out of the room, which was a little stuffy as Akane had closed the window the night before, and into the hallway towards the kitchen. Their feet padded against the cold wooden floor and the noise echoed around the walls.
At the kitchen, Sayuri could be seen reasoning with Yuka.
"Akane doesn't eat that much," Sayuri said and held out an egg sandwich. "This will do just fine."
"No, this is what she loves to eat," Yuka argued, holding out a plate of spaghetti and brownies.
"You're wrong, Akane can't eat all that."
"But she's hungry today."
"She can't eat that. It's too much!"
"Whoever you're talking about may not be able to eat that, but I am," came a gruff voice from the door. It was Ranma in his I-just-woke-up-so-I'm- like-this state. His hair was a little neat from having been combed. His eyes were still droopy and tired but everybody within a radius of five miles could definitely hear his stomach growling.
Yuka and Sayuri swiftly placed the dishes on the table and muttered apologies while curtsying.
Akane was not far behind the trio and had heard all the commotion. She stepped up and commented, "Always the pig, aren't you?"
Sayuri gasped whereas Yuka's hands flew up to her mouth. Ranma grinned. She was 'challenging' him. He loved challenges.
"Yes, but at least I can still eat a lot and not have thick thighs like somebody," he whispered in her ear.
Akane's eyes flared dangerously. "I dare you to repeat that."
Ranma seeing her wrath, decided to avoid it by taking the food and running away, which was exactly what he did.
Nabiki chortled. "Leave him alone. He's trying to irritate you."
Akane took her sister's advice and ignored him. She said, "Sayuri, Yuka, what I would like to have is sandwiches and a drink. Now, all of us are going out together so why don't we just grab something which all of us would like?"
Sayuri and Yuka nodded, understanding what Akane was trying to say.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So, on Fridays I'll handle the dojo with Shampoo?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The foursome half-walked half-skipped down the road to the 'Mei Shi' café. They were playing 'I spy'.
"I spy." Yuka paused, looking around, "something white with two holes."
"Lamppost!" Sayuri shouted out.
"No, silly, a lamppost doesn't have holes and it's not even white."
"It is."
"No, it's not. It's grey.'
"White."
"Grey."
"Anyway," Nabiki interrupted, "Yuka, is the answer a post-box?"
"Bingo!"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Mother, I've been called away on business matters. I can't handle the dojo today."
"But I've already told Shampoo."
"You'll have to either ask her to handle it herself or else find someone else to take my place for awhile."
Nodoka massaged her forehead. "I'll do my best."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I spy something green and tall."
"Tree," Sayuri answered Nabiki's easy-as-hell question.
The four girls arrived at the café, pushing the door open which tinkled some bells.
They sat at a table and talked while the waiter took down their orders.
"Leek soup."
"Same."
"Two of your Special Soup."
"Plus four servings of vanilla ice cream, please."
"Is that all?" a lady in her late twenties asked, writing down on a piece of paper. She took the order to the back and Akane continued on with their game.
"I spy something small, brown and has a cone."
Nabiki yawned, feeling bored with the game. Really, her sister and her friends were childish. "Chocolate ice cream."
"Nabiki! Shush! You've almost told us the answer to every question!" Yuka chided.
"Yes, the game ain't fun anymore with you telling us all the answers!"
"Fine, fine. I'll be next."
The girls leaned forward in anticipation to hear what Nabiki spied.
"I spy..something with a pigtail, Chinese clothes when he's supposed to be in a coat and all, and male."
Sayuri, Yuka and Akane looked around the café. Their gazes lingered and fell on a guy with a pigtail.
Ranma.
"Ohmykami," Akane moaned. "Twice in one day. I've met him twice in one day. How unlucky can I get?"
"You know, Akane," Nabiki said loftily. "The more you don't want something to happen, it happens and vice versa."
"So?"
"I'd say that you're either jinxed or cursed."
"Oh, man. Can my day get any worse?"
"Yes," Yuka said in a tone which made dread creep up Akane's spine.
"He's spotted us."
"Oh, dear," Akane said.
Sayuri warned. "That's not all."
Akane stiffened, expecting the worst.
What she heard was a million times worse than worst.
"He's coming over."
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A/N: You can sue or scold me or you want. I know this chapter isn't that good. I'm half asleep, that's why. I've got tons of work and I haven't finished them; it's already eleven and I don't care, I'm going to sleep in five minutes time. I'm going to ignore all more homework and just go to school to copy the answers from my pals tomorrow. I know, I know, it's a horrible trait marks my character as lazy. But I detest school so much (I'm having mood swings for school. Only school) that one second I like it and the next, I don't. I'm going to have tuition on Saturday after my music class which is after my co-curricular activity (so sad! A whole busy day!). And on the seventh day, I don't get to rest but to worry on whether I've completed my schoolwork or such.
I'm miserably tired, my eyelids are drooping and don't worry, Ranma and Akane will fall in love faster. This is just the second stage. I'm so darn.tired that I can't.concentrate.
So, I'm sorry if this story doesn't live up to your expectations. Let's just pray it does. Well, Chinese New Year's coming and my class has to do some renovating. We're going to decorate it with red packets. Class with best decoration will win! Not like I'm really that excited and all. Well, I'm excited about the festival but not the celebration in school ( Did I tell you I hate school? Well, who doesn't?).
Oh, and I prefer home schooling. If there's anybody out there who doesn't mind coming to my home to tutor me for a very, extremely, utterly, absolutely cheap price, mail me.
K, basically, nobody has asked me any questions so I don't have to reply them. If I've made a mistake, please remind me (like you have in other chapters). I'll try to type a longer story (and get on to Ranma and Akane as soon as possible). And.this sounds like a New Year's Resolution.
Still, Happy Chinese New Year!
And God bless.
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"Men can have long hair, too."
Ranma sat down on a chair and crossed his legs. "Good suggestion, but there was a rose at the scene of the crime, too."
"Is that a problem? Can a man not pluck a flower from its bush?"
Ranma picked an apple from the fruit tray on Ryouga's desk and bit into it. "Right again. I'm so clever; I knew that I should have come to talk to you."
"You know, Ranma, the thief can be anybody. It could be someone from the ton pretending to be from the Underworld. Or maybe that person could be a servant in our house or-"
"A maid in our house? Which maid would be so stupid as to steal from his or her master?"
"Servant, I said servant; it could be a male, after all."
"Yes, whatever, now, I ask you: which person would be so stupid as to steal from us and stay under our roof?"
"A smart person. You yourself have doubted this, Ranma, perhaps the thief thought the same."
"But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would the thief want to stay with us anyway? Isn't it dangerous?"
"Yes, it is," Ryouga said. He walked towards Ranma and placed both hands on the bed, "but the thief could have done it so as to cover up his tracks."
Ranma snapped up from his position and threw the apple out the window (which landed on a man who wondered how an apple could drop from the sky).
"You're right, Ryouga!" Ranma beamed. "Now we're getting somewhere."
Ryouga took out a chart and placed it beside Ranma. "You see, the thief could be in one of our houses right now. We'd never know whose house at the moment but we know that he is somewhere in here."
Ranma nodded excitedly.
The chiming of the grandfather clock could be heard. Ranma gasped. "Oh, no. I've to be back. I've got to go now, Ryouga. See you soon."
Without caring for Ryouga's response, Ranma hopped onto the windowsill and out.
Ryouga remained motionless in his spot, smiling at his friend.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane saw lord Ranma go out through the window. Where was he going?
"At least he isn't as bored as me," Akane sighed and reached out through the holes where she had seen everything that had happened in the past few minutes.
She pressed what she thought was a hard and cold object. The wall suddenly gave way and Akane fell forward.
"Ouch!"
The girl massaged her hip on which she'd landed.
"Stupid wall." Her body ached and it hurt a lot. "Will the pain never go?"
Akane looked up and saw that she'd been looking through the eyeholes of a portrait of a pretty woman. The lady had lovely blue eyes and long, black hair. She donned on a lavender pink gown with white laces ribbons. The woman must have been Ranma's grandmother or something.
The woman had her hand set under her chin and a ruby ring was inserted upon her finger. Akane reached out and touched the gem, which was what she'd pressed unknowingly. So this was how she could open the secret door to the tunnel. Akane nudged the button again and the wall moved out and turned so that Akane could enter it. A few seconds after she was in the tunnel, the door swung back to its original position. She placed the wood back in between the slit and walked back to her room
She'd had enough excitement in one day.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next day contained an opera performance in which the one and only Kodachi Kuno would be singing.
The maids were busy dressing up Shampoo and Ranma, who were to be present at the concert. Sadly, Nodoka wasn't feeling well and could not attend the performance. Hence, someone else was asked to fill in her place. As Akane was now thought of as the highest of the maids, she was suggested, and thus, had to go, which caused an eruption to go off when the news was spread to her.
"Why me?" she screamed exasperatedly. "Why me why me why me why me why me?"
Yuka and Sayuri kept their distance from their best friend, trying their best not to upset her any further.
Akane, meanwhile, was boiling with anger and frustration which had built up for days. Why did it always have to be her? First, her father had coerced her to be a maid and serve the breed which she'd hated most. Now, she'd to go out with them? Not forgetting that previously, she'd attended the stupid ball in which the people danced and did practically nothing else.
Akane balled her hands into fists and slammed them into her bed, venting her anger on the innocent object.
"Ha..ha.." Yuka smiled hesitantly. "Don't be sad, lady Kodachi will be there. She's most famous and her performances are not to be missed."
Nabiki was standing at the door, waiting for an opportunity to earn money.
"My, my, sister, you sure have changed."
Akane glared at her sister. "How so?" she dared her sister, as if not expecting Nabiki to answer her.
"You're more emotional."
Akane was taken aback but did not give it much thought. Nabiki, after all, was always known to utter rubbish as long as it helped her get money.
"Akane, you'd better hurry. Everybody else will be leaving in a few minutes' time."
Akane slid her hand through her hand and complained again. "Why couldn't it be someone else? I mean, we're all servants."
"Not you, Akane, you're a you-know-what," Nabiki winked slyly at her younger sister.
Flustering, Akane argued. "Makes no difference! Right now, I'm a maid."
Hirake walked in smoothly and handed Sayuri a dress. "Make sure Sazara gets into this and Nodoka said not to worry about her hair," she instructed, her hands waving about.
Akane examined the dress up and down. It was blue, thank goodness, but had lots of laces and ruffles, which would make her skin itch terribly. There were gloves, too, with the Saotome initials printed on it and a pair of matching satin shoes.
Akane moaned; she hated such clothing compared to her simple but comfortable and fitting dress.
Sayuri and Yuka walked towards her to dress her up but Akane grabbed the clothe from their hands and ordered them out.
Holding up their hands in surrender, the two left.
"Onee-chan, that does not leave you out. I need a moment of privacy."
Nabiki chided her softly. "Tut, tut, you shouldn't be so rude to your sister."
"I know," Akane said dryly and shushed her out.
Akane hastily changed into the gown and before she left the room, she plucked the rose from her vase and popped it smoothly behind her ear.
Her friends, seeing the result, grinned and held out their arms towards the doors.
"The night awaits."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Moonlight wafting through the silence.nobody knows about its vengeance.Listen to the song in the wind! Does it seem like an innocent sin? The flowers are dancing with the song."
Akane's head nodded on and off. She was falling asleep. It turned out that Kodachi was a pretty woman who tied her hair up to a side ponytail and wore skimpy dresses. The lady called herself Kodachi the Black Rose for she loved roses which were dark and secretive.
At first sight, Akane decided that she disliked Kodachi greatly. Now, all she could think of was doing her best not to yield to the power of her eyes.
She yawned and looked to her far left. There sat lord Ranma and lady Shampoo. Shampoo had wrung her hand around Ranma's wrists and leaned close to him.
Akane watched all this in disgust. Affection was not to be shown in public. Obviously, the Amazon didn't understand what courtesy meant.
Akane made a silent vow that she'd leave as soon as the show was over.
The gloves were itching harder than before but she could not remove them before everybody else.
Kodachi slowly danced her hands in the air dramatically as she sang of how two lovers could not marry as the male was already betrothed to another. Soon, a tall man with a sword hopped gracefully like a ballet dancer onto the stage and sang along with her.
The rhythm of the music became fast and staccato; it spoke of how the two lovers escaped their old lives and eloped; about how they were almost caught and brought back to their homes; the intensity and the scariness of it all embraced Akane, making her attentive for once. The feeling was a little too familiar, but Akane couldn't place it.
Finally, the man held on to Kodachi's hands and raised it into the air together. The two looked at each other lovingly while serenading the last part which was how the two were finally married to each other.
Everyone in the theatre applauded, some even catcalled out to Kodachi (which was extremely rude, making the fair lady frown disapprovingly). Akane clapped her hands methodically, feeling that the performance was just some stupid boring thing.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Airen, you enjoyed the show?" Shampoo asked as she snuggled closer to him.
Ranma moved away, his body uncomfortable. "Yes, it was quite lovely."
Shampoo leaned in closer, her mouth at the nape of his neck. She sniffed his scent in and shivered with delight.
"You smell wonderful, darling," Shampoo lowered her voice seductively. Oh, she couldn't wait till they were married. Ranma was a strong and handsome man who would give her strong and beautiful children. She loved him very much and melted at the sight of his smile.
Ranma shifted while trying in vain to push her hands off his arm. "Yes. Uh, so do you."
"Oh," Shampoo sighed, hitting him on the arm, "You flatter me."
She fluttered her eyelashes and rubbed his body with her back.
Ranma couldn't take it anymore. As soon as the curtains closed and people left for the ballroom, he snatched his hand out of Shampoo's reach and hurriedly ran off.
Shampoo, though, had thought that he'd run off as he couldn't stay with her any longer without going crazy over her.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Akane fingered the roses gently and lowered her head towards the roses. She smelt the fragrant perfume of the beautiful and vulnerable flowers.
She was in the garden, sitting on a hard, grey rock. Her knees were folded behind her atop the rock.
The garden gave her a sense of peace which she could not describe. She felt like she was born there and meant to live there and even die at that location. The roses made her serene and happy.
"They're simply splendid and appealing, aren't they?"
A voice came from her right side, from the house. Akane whirled her head around and saw..
Kodachi.
She'd heard that the woman was not in her right mind but if Kodachi loved roses herself, she shared a common trait with Akane. And that was why Akane would try to strike up a conversation with her even though she hated the nobility.
"Yes, they make you feel perfect and right, don't they?" Akane asked as she plucked out a rose and placed it behind her other ear which didn't already hold a rose.
Kodachi stiffened which made Akane frown curiously.
"Usually, I wouldn't allow anybody to take my roses but since you love them as much as I do.I'll make an exception," Kodachi explained, her eyes glinting in the moonlight.
Akane smiled. "Thank you, then," she said. "Do you know you have a great voice?"
"If I didn't know," Kodachi rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't be singing, now, would I?"
Very true, Akane thought as she nodded her head.
"What the..they just had to do it..why is it."
Kodachi and Akane heard curses and mutterings from a corner of the garden. Looks like they weren't alone at all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ranma drank down the lemonade, which he'd been holding for the past few minutes. The ice had melted, diluting the drink.
He'd spent his past time hopping away from Shampoo and the other women.
At last, he'd managed to be alone. Perhaps he would bump into Ryouga or someone.
Ranma walked towards the refreshments table and saw someone whom he knew but didn't quite expect to see.
"Ukyo?"
Ukyo turned and waved at Ranma.
"Hey!" Ranma cried out as a servant tripped, sending some drinks crashing down onto him, turning him into a girl.
Ranma looked up to see how others would react. Ukyo was staring him, an expression of astonishment on her face. Then Ranma heard something he was afraid to hear.
"Girl Ranma, I kill!"
It was Shampoo who advanced towards his wet form which was still dripping and shivering wet. She held her bonboris and ran as fast as she could. Ranma, not wanting any trouble, quickly ran out through the closest exit and found himself in the garden.
He might not be so lucky next time.
Cursing, Ranma wandered down a path and saw two girls talking. One was the opera singer and the other was the maid.
"They just had to do it, didn't they? They just had to spray water onto me," Ranma grumbled as he walked towards the girls. Suddenly, the two ladies spoke.
"Are you a cross dresser?" they asked in unison.
Ranma glared at them angrily. "Of course not!"
"Oh," the maid said. "It's just that, you're a woman in a man's suit."
Ranma looked down, feeling angry.
If only there was some way to reverse the curse, he would never have been in all this trouble at all.
"There's always a reason for something," he muttered.
Akane looked suspiciously at the red haired girl who seemed pretty angry.
Well of course, she told herself, if you were in a guy's clothes, wouldn't you be angry too?
Akane chatted some more with Kodachi about roses and how they could thrive in several places before she left to get some snacks.
As she left, Ranma, who'd taken on the identity of Ranko, stared after her. The maid didn't seem to be that bad. She could be rough-hewn sometimes but when the girl wasn't irked or pissed off, she was a polite and nice girl.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I'm so tired I could take a day off today," Akane said. She rubbed her sore arms and legs.
Nabiki laughed a sly laugh. "Today's Friday, my dear imouto, and unless you don't want your day off, you can lie still in that bed all day."
Akane forced herself out of the bed, brushing back her black hair which was mussed up from sleep. "Where should we go today?"
"I've heard of a café which has just opened in town today. Business is good and so is the food. We could go there."
"Are Yuka and Sayuri coming along?" Akane hid behind the board and changed into her daily dress.
"Yes, they just have to grab some breakfast for us from the kitchen," Nabiki took a ribbon from Akane's drawer. She stared at it in deep thought, "This could fetch me a couple of dollars."
"Onee-chan!" Akane shouted. "Don't touch my things without permission. And that ribbon isn't for you to sell."
Nabiki grinned apologetically. "Okay, okay," she said but still put the ribbon in her pocket.
Akane and Nabiki walked out of the room, which was a little stuffy as Akane had closed the window the night before, and into the hallway towards the kitchen. Their feet padded against the cold wooden floor and the noise echoed around the walls.
At the kitchen, Sayuri could be seen reasoning with Yuka.
"Akane doesn't eat that much," Sayuri said and held out an egg sandwich. "This will do just fine."
"No, this is what she loves to eat," Yuka argued, holding out a plate of spaghetti and brownies.
"You're wrong, Akane can't eat all that."
"But she's hungry today."
"She can't eat that. It's too much!"
"Whoever you're talking about may not be able to eat that, but I am," came a gruff voice from the door. It was Ranma in his I-just-woke-up-so-I'm- like-this state. His hair was a little neat from having been combed. His eyes were still droopy and tired but everybody within a radius of five miles could definitely hear his stomach growling.
Yuka and Sayuri swiftly placed the dishes on the table and muttered apologies while curtsying.
Akane was not far behind the trio and had heard all the commotion. She stepped up and commented, "Always the pig, aren't you?"
Sayuri gasped whereas Yuka's hands flew up to her mouth. Ranma grinned. She was 'challenging' him. He loved challenges.
"Yes, but at least I can still eat a lot and not have thick thighs like somebody," he whispered in her ear.
Akane's eyes flared dangerously. "I dare you to repeat that."
Ranma seeing her wrath, decided to avoid it by taking the food and running away, which was exactly what he did.
Nabiki chortled. "Leave him alone. He's trying to irritate you."
Akane took her sister's advice and ignored him. She said, "Sayuri, Yuka, what I would like to have is sandwiches and a drink. Now, all of us are going out together so why don't we just grab something which all of us would like?"
Sayuri and Yuka nodded, understanding what Akane was trying to say.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So, on Fridays I'll handle the dojo with Shampoo?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The foursome half-walked half-skipped down the road to the 'Mei Shi' café. They were playing 'I spy'.
"I spy." Yuka paused, looking around, "something white with two holes."
"Lamppost!" Sayuri shouted out.
"No, silly, a lamppost doesn't have holes and it's not even white."
"It is."
"No, it's not. It's grey.'
"White."
"Grey."
"Anyway," Nabiki interrupted, "Yuka, is the answer a post-box?"
"Bingo!"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Mother, I've been called away on business matters. I can't handle the dojo today."
"But I've already told Shampoo."
"You'll have to either ask her to handle it herself or else find someone else to take my place for awhile."
Nodoka massaged her forehead. "I'll do my best."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I spy something green and tall."
"Tree," Sayuri answered Nabiki's easy-as-hell question.
The four girls arrived at the café, pushing the door open which tinkled some bells.
They sat at a table and talked while the waiter took down their orders.
"Leek soup."
"Same."
"Two of your Special Soup."
"Plus four servings of vanilla ice cream, please."
"Is that all?" a lady in her late twenties asked, writing down on a piece of paper. She took the order to the back and Akane continued on with their game.
"I spy something small, brown and has a cone."
Nabiki yawned, feeling bored with the game. Really, her sister and her friends were childish. "Chocolate ice cream."
"Nabiki! Shush! You've almost told us the answer to every question!" Yuka chided.
"Yes, the game ain't fun anymore with you telling us all the answers!"
"Fine, fine. I'll be next."
The girls leaned forward in anticipation to hear what Nabiki spied.
"I spy..something with a pigtail, Chinese clothes when he's supposed to be in a coat and all, and male."
Sayuri, Yuka and Akane looked around the café. Their gazes lingered and fell on a guy with a pigtail.
Ranma.
"Ohmykami," Akane moaned. "Twice in one day. I've met him twice in one day. How unlucky can I get?"
"You know, Akane," Nabiki said loftily. "The more you don't want something to happen, it happens and vice versa."
"So?"
"I'd say that you're either jinxed or cursed."
"Oh, man. Can my day get any worse?"
"Yes," Yuka said in a tone which made dread creep up Akane's spine.
"He's spotted us."
"Oh, dear," Akane said.
Sayuri warned. "That's not all."
Akane stiffened, expecting the worst.
What she heard was a million times worse than worst.
"He's coming over."
--------------------------------++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------- -----
A/N: You can sue or scold me or you want. I know this chapter isn't that good. I'm half asleep, that's why. I've got tons of work and I haven't finished them; it's already eleven and I don't care, I'm going to sleep in five minutes time. I'm going to ignore all more homework and just go to school to copy the answers from my pals tomorrow. I know, I know, it's a horrible trait marks my character as lazy. But I detest school so much (I'm having mood swings for school. Only school) that one second I like it and the next, I don't. I'm going to have tuition on Saturday after my music class which is after my co-curricular activity (so sad! A whole busy day!). And on the seventh day, I don't get to rest but to worry on whether I've completed my schoolwork or such.
I'm miserably tired, my eyelids are drooping and don't worry, Ranma and Akane will fall in love faster. This is just the second stage. I'm so darn.tired that I can't.concentrate.
So, I'm sorry if this story doesn't live up to your expectations. Let's just pray it does. Well, Chinese New Year's coming and my class has to do some renovating. We're going to decorate it with red packets. Class with best decoration will win! Not like I'm really that excited and all. Well, I'm excited about the festival but not the celebration in school ( Did I tell you I hate school? Well, who doesn't?).
Oh, and I prefer home schooling. If there's anybody out there who doesn't mind coming to my home to tutor me for a very, extremely, utterly, absolutely cheap price, mail me.
K, basically, nobody has asked me any questions so I don't have to reply them. If I've made a mistake, please remind me (like you have in other chapters). I'll try to type a longer story (and get on to Ranma and Akane as soon as possible). And.this sounds like a New Year's Resolution.
Still, Happy Chinese New Year!
And God bless.