Ranma ½: A Wedding
Disclaimer: I don't own it. It ain't mine. Don't sue me; I already owe too much money as it is. Voices copyright Yoko Kanno
Chapter Three
"I wake up to beat the sun from her glory
I'm only one cigarette away from mobility
It's always punch in punch out
go to work and go back home
there's only one chance left
and I know and I know
where she is waiting."
Seven Mary Three, "Punch in, Punch out"
Cologne sat at the counter of the cat café, cataloguing the current stocks for her Sunday shopping trip when Ranma stepped through the door. A quick study of his features confirmed that the information that she had bought from the mercenary had been accurate. The Son-in-law had not been sleeping well as of late. But then, every scrap of knowledge she had gleaned from the middle Tendo had proven to be true… Eventually.
He was trying to hide it. There was still a spring to his step, and his face had the half-smirk mask of confidence he bore so well. It would be hard indeed to tell if there were anything out of the ordinary with the son-in-law, but then he was three-hundred years to young to fool an Amazon elder. The signs were all there if you knew what to look for. The crow's feet, the spider web of red that fanned out from his irises, not to mention the barely visible circles under his eyes. She had seen it numerous times. Many times the victim had been one of her more promising students. The first kill was always the hardest.
"Come in Son-in-law," she said, bringing her pipe to her lips, "Something weighs on your mind. Pull up a seat, and sit a while to chat."
Ranma walked up to the counter, grabbing a stool on his way. "What makes you think I've got something I want to talk about?"
Cologne chuckled to herself, "I am four-hundred years to old to believe that, boy," she said as he sat down in the stool, his arms folded across its back as he leaned over it. The old mummy poured herself a cup of foul smelling tea, "But I will let your comment stand for now. You will talk when you are ready."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ranma asked, his chest puffed out slightly at the insult.
"Hear already about nightmare." Shampoo's voice said from behind him, "It keep Arien up at night, yes? Ranma should come with Shampoo. Shampoo know way give good dreams, yes?"
"Yes… I mean no," Ranma said, climbing the stool, to place a bit more distance between him and her. Shampoo gazed at him as a tabby looks at a goldfish.
"Ranma," Mouse said through gritted teeth, as he looked up from the table he was bussing.
Cologne tossed a glass filled with cold water at the boy, "Hey, Mr. Part-Timer, what have I told you about trying to start fights on the clock?"
Mouse side stepped the water, catching the glass in mid-air and placed it with the rest of the morning dishes. "Yes, old ghoul."
Cologne smiled, if only briefly. The training was going well, and the boy had shown considerable improvement through the years. His reflexes and stamina was getting better. If he continued to improve at this rate she could begin to instruct him in some advanced techniques. But then, she would have to find a way to disguise her instruction as either abuse or work. His struggle wouldn't be nearly so interesting if he ever knew that she wasn't completely set against him. Besides, there was some truth to the old saying about prizes gained to easily…
The Son-In-Law grabbed the counter, "Look, what's going on in my head is my business, so just butt out!"
"As you wish, boy," Cologne said, as she poured him a cup of tea, "but try this. Trust me it helps."
"Oh?" Ranma raised an eyebrow and glanced down at the cup suspiciously.
"Her name was Juju." Cologne said gazing down at her tea, "She was jealous that Marjoram chose to challenge myself instead of her. I made several attempts to end it using less forceful measures, but in the end I had no choice."
"You were married?" Ranma asked. Amazon women only married outsider males who could best them in single combat. This left the pig-tailed boy trying to imagine the type of man who would bed the old mummy. A shudder worked its way involuntarily up his spine.
Mousse laughed as he gave the pig tailed boy a disdainful look. Shampoo flashed her unwanted suitor a harsh glance, "How Arien think Great Grandmother be Great Grandmother if she no have husband?"
Ranma shrugged, and took a sip of the tea. It tasted both sweet and bitter, but the brew was not too unpleasant. "Not bad," he said as he took another sip, "What's in it?"
"Chamomile, Green Tea, St. John's Wart, and crushed, lifetime-strength, true-love pill," the elder said. Ranma gagged, closed his eyes, turned his head as the tea spewed from his mouth in a fine mist. The old Amazon chuckled softly to herself, "I love that joke. You can relax Son-in-Law…" He exhaled and opened his eyes slowly as the elder's eyes became slits. "For now… You want something from me. What is it?"
Ranma reached behind his head and grabbed his ponytail, "What makes you think I want something?"
"You never come by unless you want something or you're hungry," Mousse said, as he leaned against the kitchen door, hands folded across his chest.
"And since Arien no order…" Shampoo said.
"What is it that you want?" Cologne finished.
Ranma sighed. He was a terrible liar. On more than one occasion he had lost vast sums of money and property at the poker table. Whatever he told the old ghoul he had to be careful or he would give it all away. Damnit, why had he agreed to Nabiki's plan in the first place?
"I give you 3000 yen, and this is the best that you can do?" Ranma asked, "The Cat Café? You… the 'Great Nabiki', the Ice Quean… The Cat Café?"
"Yes, damnit, that was the best that I could do," Nabiki's eyes narrowed into fine slits, "I called in every favor, and pulled every string I could find."
"But…"
"No 'Buts'," Nabiki growled, "Ranma, I called every business in a three city radius. No one would take you. Hell, a few places even offered to pay me to find you a job somewhere else."
"How much," Ranma said, his eyebrows perked in interest.
"Enough to clear your account," Nabiki snapped, "Ranma you and your gang of friends have such a reputation for wantondestruction that this really is the only option left open to us."
"So what do we do when the old ghoul asks why I need a Job? Everyone knows I'm a terrible liar."
Nabiki shrugged, "Then tell the truth… Just don't tell them all of it."
Ukyo stood over her grill, and watched the pedestrians rush past her shop. It was a quarter passed two, and she had just finished cleaning up from the lunch dishes. Everything had died down at Uc-chan's and more than likely would not pick up again until after dinnertime. She had sent Konastu out fifteen minutes ago, with a list of everything that the café would need for the rest of the week. He would be gone for at least an hour or two. There was nothing left for her to do but to sit, and wait.
Her eyes followed a well dressed salary-man as he walked past, a teddy-bear head popping out of his attaché case. A slight smile crossed the cook's lips. It was probably his daughter's birthday tonight. He would walk through the door, with the bear tucked behind his back. His daughter would give him a hug, and ask about her present; pouting slightly. After a few minutes of interrogation, he would finally concede and hand over the bear. The birthday girl would pirouette to the living room, bear in tow, while the father would lean over to his wife, and give her a hello kiss.
It was her favorite past time, to watch the pedestrians and imagine what they are like at home. To visualize them in their most private moments, when no one else was watching them and they could be themselves. Like, the woman pushing the stroller. She could just see her in the park, holding out her hands to her toddler as he wobbled towards her on shaky legs.
And then there were the ones like the boy outside. Ukyo smiled wistfully as he fluttered by, nose buried in the classifieds. She wondered what it would feel like to have those strong arms wrapped around her pulling her closer, as she pushed his yellow bandana off of his forehead and out of his hair….
"Wait" she paused, "Yellow Bandana… with black polka-dots?" There was only one person she knew who wore a bandana like that. Which meant… "Oh god, no." She mumbled as she shook her head violently to clear her mind of the image. She had just been fantasizing about Ryoga, the eternally lost boy who had the crush on Akane. But that wasn't possible, she was Ranma's girl. She belonged to Ranma. She would never do something like that to him… It wasn't her fault, which meant that it must be Ryoga's.
Brandishing her spatula over her head she dashed out the door, "Ryoga, you jerk, prepare to die."
Walking along in what he thought was a small district on the outskirts of Shanghai; Ryoga looked up from his paper just in time to see the spatula descending like the hand of God.
"I need a job." Ranma said, folding his hands in his lap and bowing his head in shame.
Cologne leaned on her staff. So that was what the boy had come to her for. But there was something else, something more to this. She could feel it in her five hundred year old bones. "Oh, why can't you take up a few more classes at the Dojo, surely Soun would allow it?"
"I can't do that," Ranma said, "Neither Mr. Tendo or the old man can know about my needing money."
"And why not?" the elder asked.
"I kind of need it for an engagement ring." Ranma muttered.
Shampoo dove across the room, knocking the Pig-tailed martial artist off of the stool, "Arien get ring for Shampoo! Shampoo to to happy!"
"Shampoo! Wait…"
Cologne sat and smiled to herself. Did Ranma actually believe that he could fool her? He needed a ring, therefore he had finally come to a decision on which fiancé he would take. But it wasn't Ukyo. If it had been Ukyo he would be working at her restaurant. Neither was it her Great-Granddaughter. If that was the case then why didn't he come out and say who the ring was for? No, he was protecting this girl, trying to keep her from harm, and there was only one person that Son-in-Law would fight the forces of Hell and Heaven to defend. Her granddaughter had lost, but then there were plans in place to cover for that occurrence. The elder sighed, the excitement here would be ending soon, and then there would be nothing for her but the passage of the years. But there was still this to be played out. The others had yet to divine the truth, and watching him try to hide it would provide at least some entertainment. Besides, this gave her a chance to change her bet in Nabiki's fiancée pool.
"You will start this afternoon, Son-In-Law," Cologne nodded solemnly, "You will help Shampoo catch the Lunch and Dinner rushes in your girl form, and assist Mousse afterwards with busting tables as a boy. I'll pay you 819 yen an hour and you'll receive a paycheck at the end of every week. Is this acceptable to you and your fiancé?"
"Grandmother, that perfect! Now Shampoo and Arien can practice for when married?" Shampoo threw her arms around Ranma's waist, tackling him as the two rolled across the floor.
Mousse looked up from the table he was wiping down. Water was streaming through the knuckles of his fist as he gripped his dishrag. "What! If you think I'm going to just sit here and let him…"
Cologne tagged the male Amazon in the forehead with the narrow end of her staff, sending him flying over the tables and into the restaurant wall. Like a high bounce ball, the elder followed the blind martial artist across the room. The world stopped spinning for Mousse after his head hit the wall. His glasses hung loosely from his ears. Everything in the restaurant was blurry, except for the narrow tip of the walking stick pointed at his nose.
"Listen closely, because I will only tell you this once," the elder said, "If Mr. Saotome, Tendo, or for that matter, Ukyo learn about this arrangement Son-In-Law, and his bride, will be feasting on duck during their wedding banquet. Is this clear?"
Mousse nodded his head.
Ryoga cradled the bag of ice against the knot in his forehead, as he reclined on the grill on his elbow. "There I was just walking along some district in southern China, when suddenly you show up and… Why in the hell did you hit me upside the head again?"
"Trust me," Ukyo glared at him from over her shoulder as she stood at the sink, washing the lunch dishes, "You deserved it. Now stop being a baby and keep that ice on your head." Ukyo paused for a moment as she dunked another dish into the hot water, "You never did tell me what you were doing reading the classifieds."
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm looking for a work."
"What type?"
"Construction mostly. I get the best money though in Korea, they keep finding these caves they want collapsed for some reason. Maybe if I could speak the language I could figure out why."
"You work in Korea, and you don't speak Korean?"
"Hey, give me a break, it's one of the hand full of languages I don't speak."
Ukyo put the dish she was rinsing on the stack to her left, and turned around to scrub the grill with her kitchen rag. "Somehow, sugar, I find that hard to believe."
"Just because I can't find my way to high school doesn't mean that I am an idiot."
"Then how many languages do you know?"
"All but a hand full of Native American languages, and Korean. Very few people speak the Native American languages anymore, and no one but a native speaker could ever learn Navajo."
Ukyo pushed her rag across the grill, pausing with her nose only a few inches from Ryoga she said, "Say something in German then."
Ryoga looked up at Ukyo, and just for a second was caught mid breath as he looked directly into her bright, questioning eyes. His body refused to breathe. (I would tell you that your eyes look like two sapphires, but when I look into them, my body is paralyzed by your gaze).
"And what is that supposed to mean." Ukyo laughed.
"That your rag is burning." Ryoga said pointing at the grill. A small whiff of smoke rose between the two teenagers. Ukyo yelped more from embarrassment than fear, as she threw the rag across the kitchen and into the sink behind her. Turning on the faucet, she doused the smoldering cloth.
"So why are you looking for a job?"
"I'm going to propose to Akane next week."
"You're kidding right?" Ukyo crossed her arms. "You can't stay coherent when she looks at you, and now you're going to propose? What brought this on?"
"Akane broke off their engagement." Ukyo's face turned a bright shade of violet as she fought to regain her breath. She grabbed Ryoga's collar and pulled him across the table. "Ryoga I swear by all the Kami in the heavens, if you are lying to me…"
"No, it's true… She told me three days ago. Why else would I be looking for a job to buy the ring?"
Ukyo released the pig-boy from her death grip and pirouetted around the room. "It's over Ryoga! Now he'll move in with me, and we'll get married and there will be kids…"
Ryoga laughed; somehow he had never imagined the cook acting so feminine before. "And you can have what you've always wanted, and I can be on my way…"
Uc-chan stopped in mid-twirl. "Oh, leaving so soon?"
"Well, I have the diamond, but I still need to get the ring to mount it in…" Ryoga shrugged, "and rings cost money."
"Why don't you stay here? I could always use some help with the dishes."
"You would do that for me?"
Ukyo smiled, "Of course, what are friends for?"
"Thanks, Ukyo… this means a lot." Ryoga said blushing.
Ukyo waved the lost boy off, "You would do the same for me."
Ranma walked into the Tendo home after his second full day of work. He still could not decide whether the old Ghoul knew what he was up to and was trying to kill him, or if she was just wearing him out so that it would be easier to drag him back to China. Between dashing between tables, dodging Shampoo's random glomps (and an occasional hurled weapon from Moose), and scrubbing the restaurant after the rushes, Ranma was exhausted. But there was one more thing he had to do.
"Yo, Akane," he said, taking off his shoes.
"What?" Akane said from the living room. She and Nabiki sat under the table watching the late movie while her father, on the back porch, looked up at the stars.
"Get your gui on meet me in the dojo in ten minutes."
"Why?"
"Because if mom and pop are going to force to keep living here, then I need to teach you how to beat the hell out of every fool prince who mistakes you for the idea housewife so that I don't have do it for you"
Nabiki looked up from the television and raised an eyebrow. Soun turned to watch the exchange between his daughter and her fiancé.
"You mean you're going to train me?" Akane said springing to her feet.
"That's what I said isn't it?" Ranma rolled his eyes, "Gesh, I knew your head was hard, but I think its starting to affect your hearing too. Well what are you waiting for? Get dressed."
Akane dashed out of the living room and up the stares, to excited about the training to care about the insults. Soun looked at Ranma as the tears started to pour from his eyes. "Ranma has taken my daughter in as a student! At last the two families will be joined."
"Don't you start any of that crap, old man. This is your entire fault you know. If you would have trained her right, I wouldn't have to do this."
"What do you mean, trained her right?"
"Hell, she practically comes with her own ransom note! What did you teach her? The ancient art of Tomboy?"
"Well, I thought I taught…"
"Her how to over extend her stances and bring her kicks in short? Sure, she's as strong as a mule, but she has the grace of a bull ox in a china factory. Hell, her form has so many holes in it that Nabiki could probably take her if a thousand yen were at stake."
"Thanks." Nabiki said from the floor.
Ranma ignored the middle Tendo, her failure to find him work anywhere but the Cat Café was still fresh in his memory. "So just shut up and leave us the hell alone and maybe I can undo some of the damage your instruction has caused," Ranma said as he stormed down the hall.
Soun sat on the porch and looked down at his daughter in disbelief.
"Don't look at me," she said as she tuned the channel to the stock report, "I took last year in the betting pool. Talk to Nadoka."
Ranma stomped up to the top of the stares to be greeted by the sight of an indignant fiancé.
"I could not help but hear what you said to my father. How much of that did you mean?"
"Only the part about me needing to train you for your safety."
"And the rest?"
Ranma glanced about to make sure no one was looking, gave Akane a quick peck on the cheek, "Just to keep up appearances."
Behind them Nadoka closed the door to the guest room and smiled quietly to herself.
Moose eyed the old ghoul as she reclined in her chair. He could only guess from her impersonation of a buzz-saw that she was asleep. He slipped passed her and out the door he had watched Ranma use as he carried the afternoon trash outside. Reaching into his sleeve he selected a hooked sword, drew in a deep breath and focused his chi. "Ranma! Prepare to die."
Ranma twisted to his right to avoid the blade only to be caught by the hook as Moose drew the blade back. "What in the hell Was that for?" He asked as he flipped back to his feet.
"I'm not going to let you take her without a fight."
"Take who?" Ranna asked, as his snap kick connected with the blind boy's wrist, jarring the sword from his hands.
"Your chosen fiancé, who else would I be talking about, moron," Moose pulled a toilet seat from his robe and hurled it at the pig-tailed boy.
"Jesus, when did you start chasing Ak..." Ranma dodged the unusual projectile... "Wait how did you know about the engagement?" ...Only to be struck by the follow-up toilet.
"I was there when you told the old ghoul." Moose said as he readied a mallet, "If you think you can get out of this by playing dumb Soatome, you've got another thing coming."
Ranma side stepped the mallet as its downward arch intersected with the space his head had occupied only a moment before. "Hey, duck-boy, did you hear me ask Shampoo to marry her?"
"No but…"
"Then what makes you think that I want to marry Shampoo?"
"But then who is the ring for?" Mouse raised the mallet again in frustration. Ranma said nothing, but made a small gesture at the mallet with his hands. "What?" Mouse looked up at the mallet in confusion, and then understood. Ranma wasn't giving the ring to Shampoo, "Oh… When did you ask?"
"I'm going to as soon as I can get the ring."
Mouse followed the mallet with his eyes as he eased it back down, allowing its head to rest gently against the earth, "Then what are we fighting for?"
Ranma shrugged, "Its fun?"
"Well, yes. But…" Mouse swallowed in apprehension as he looked back up at Ranma, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Ukyo sat at the grill with a stack of receipts to her left as she counted the days earnings. The receipts were divided into four piles: cash, check, credit, and personal tabs, each of which was organized in its own particular way. The cash receipts were in time order, checks receipts were sorted by check number, credit card receipts by credit card type then time, and the personal tabs were alphabetized, last name first. Each stack had been counted four times, and the total had been written on the top receipt from each stack in green ink. "Why am I three yen short?"
Ryoga looked up from his current breaking point training project, "Did you check in the register under the change till?"
"Yes, and on the floor around the register, I can't find it anywhere, sugar."
"Maybe you gave a few extra coins to someone during the afternoon rush."
"For the last time, I did not give away any extra money. Its here somewhere, I just need to count the drawer again."
"I have three yen in my pocket, do you want me to…"
"No, it will throw off my book keeping, I'll just count again."
"If you say so…" Ryoga picked up his project again, and struck it with a straight pin, "But could you explain to me why I have to sit here while you do it."
"To keep you from wondering off and ending up in Russia," Ukyo said, "and to keep me from making any mistakes while I get this deposit ready."
"I haven't helped much with that then, have I?" Ryoga smiled sheepishly.
"True, but you haven't left for Moscow yet either," Ukyo said as she pulled out the single yen coins for the fifth time. Ryoga made a sharp movement with his hands, distracting Ukyo yet again. "Ryoga, honey, what are you doing?" she asked, grinding her teeth together.
"Cutting Akane's diamond."
"Cutting it?"
"Shaping it, so that it reflects the light."
"Can I see?"
"Sure," Ryoga said, holding the diamond in his left hand closer to Ukyo. She watched as he took the pin that he held in his right and made a quick jab at the diamond. The pin lightly tapped the stone, and a portion of it shattered, leaving behind a perfect facet.
"Wow," Ukyo exhaled, "When did you learn how to do that?"
"When I learned the breaking point technique." Ryoga tapped the stone again revealing another facet. "At first when I looked at an object I could only see the objects breaking point, but the longer I looked the more I began to see… nothing its stupid really."
"What did you see, please tell me…"
"Look I know it sounds silly, but sometimes, an object will show me what it really looks like… underneath the extra material that it was buried in, and all the breaking points inside of it that will eliminate the extra material around it."
"You're right, that does sound silly," Ukyo stuck out her tongue at the bandana wearing martial artist.
"I told you so," Ryoga shrugged.
"So what does that diamond want to look like?" Ukyo asked.
"Well, I'm not sure," Ryoga placed the stone down on the counter and just looked at it for a second. "Its still a bit fuzzy, but I think that its two strait lines with a curved top and a line going through it. So it should look like a Romanized A. But like I said, I'm not sure."
Ukyo looked up at Ryoga and laughed.
"What? What did I do this time?"
"Nothing. You didn't do anything." Ukyo stifled another giggle, "It's just… you usually have such a hard time talking to Akane…"
"Akane is a girl," Ryoga shrugged her shoulders.
"And I'm not?"
"Well no, I wouldn't say you were exactly a girl."
"Oh, then what would you say that I am?" Ukyo stopped counting coins.
"You are just a friend, you're not a girl."
Ukyo rolled her eyes, "Well what about Konastu?"
"Konastu is a guy."
"You have a point with that one." Ukyo started counting coins again. "Wait, I have an idea, why don't you practice on me and Konastu, that way you can practice for Akane."
Ryoga stopped cutting the diamond. "Do you think it will work?"
"Its bound to, after all it was my idea." Ukyo finished counting the coins again, this time coming up with the correct number, "Yatta! I found the three yen."
Ryoga rolled his eyes.
Nabiki opened the front door as the doorbell rang for the fifth time. "May I help…"
"Hello," A twenty-something man said as he pushed his way into the furrow, "You must be Nabiki Tendo, I recognize your photograph from the application you have on file at the school."
"And you are?"
"Senshi Kousa, I am with the admissions office at Tokyo University, and I am here to tell you all about the wonderful opportunities which await you when you enroll for classes next…"
Nabiki held up a finger and touched it to the admissions councilor's lips, "And you're here at the request of…"
"Your father of course," he said cheerfully, "Now let me tell you all about the department of business, and managerial studies…"
Akane stood in the center of the dojo, the pants of her gui popped as she snapped her foot in a high side kick.
"Again." Ranma said, "Only this time don't bring swing your foot back down when you kick. Leave you foot fully extended and push your opponent further away with your chi."
The short haired girl said nothing. She just kicked, following her instructor's commands.
"Again. Better, only you're bending your knee on your plant leg."
Akane, kicked.
"Again, now don't lean back."
The girl kicked again.
"Stop. That's enough for today; tomorrow we'll work on the hole in your punch."
"Yes, sir." Akane bowed at Ranma, her face in a small frown.
"Hey, Ak-chan," Ranma asked, bowing his head to meet her eyes, "What's the matter?"
"Its nothing," a drop of sweat rolled off of her nose, and onto the floor at her feet. "I just thought that I would do better than this."
"Really?" Ranma smiled, "And how long has it been since your father last taught you anything?"
"Four years."
"You're just a little rusty, that's all. To tell the truth, you're doing better than I thought you would."
Akane glared at him, "Thanks."
"No, seriously, from the way that your father moves I thought that I would have to make you start all over and completely re-teach you so that you could learn my school. As it is I think once we correct a few of your bad habits, you will be ready to learn some more advanced moves."
"Like the chestnuts attack?"
"I'm not so sure about that one, it doesn't fit your style. I thought you would be better off learning some techniques that were more in line with your personality."
"Oh, which ones then?"
"Some of the phoenix tribe attacks for starters… Your personality seems to be more attuned to fire than ice."
"What makes you say that?"
"Your temper."
Akane's side kick caught Ranma in the chest, sending him flying into a wall. Realizing what she had done, the short haired girl ran to her fiancé and cradled him in her arms. "Oh my god. Oh my god. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Ranma are you alright."
"See, when you don't bend your back leg it makes the kick more powerful."
Akane looked the pig-tailed-boy in the eyes and laughed.
Cologne straddled her staff and hopped out from behind the counter, "Hey, son-in-law!"
"Yeah, old Ghoul?"
"I have another errand I need to run at the embassy. Finish wiping down that table, and then take a break before the dinner crowd begins arriving." Ranma let out a sigh, "Oh, and make sure you tell my grand-daughter and Mr. Good-for-Nothing that I will be back before five." The pig-tailed martial-artist nodded his head as the elder hopped by, cracking his skull with the knob of her staff mid-jump, "And show some respect for your elders."
He gritted his teeth as the Elder hopped out of the restaurant. One day he was going to figure out the trick she used to keep herself balanced on that damned staff, and then… well, he would think of something. But now it was time to relax before the nights rush. The Pig-tailed boy wrung out his rag in the pail on the floor, and carried it past the kitchen, out the back. Slinging the pail back with one hand he braced its bottom with the other and slung the water across the back lot, only to be startled by several stars as they slammed onto the side of the restaurant door.
"Sorry, Arien, Shampoo make this quick. Arien no get hurt." Shampoo dropped back into a low stance, barely avoiding the swipe of Mouse's halberd blade. Bending her front knee, she shifted her weight to the front, and brought her fist crashing into the blind boy's jaw.
Mouse recoiled from the blow, but recovered to catch the haft of the pole-arm on the Amazon's shirt just above her shoulder, pinning the girl against the restaurant wall. "Shampoo, my love, the victory is mine."
"How many time must Shampoo tell Mouse? Shampoo, no need Duck boy. Shampoo have Arien." Shampoo grabbed the haft of the halberd and twisted, throwing the unsuspecting boy across the yard into the brick fence. Shampoo turned away from the Chinese boy, her face a blank mask. "Moose go home. Shampoo no want see get hurt"
Ranma looked closely at the girls face, he wasn't quite sure but for a moment he swore he saw a trace of sadness in the girl's eyes. She glanced up at him and the moment was over, a smile returning to her lips, "Yo, Shampoo, the old witch asked me to tell you she stepped out for a while. She said something about going to the embassy."
"Go to give Arien and Shampoo time alone, no?" Shampoo smiled, "Come up with Shampoo to Shampoo's room. See where room be when you stay here for good."
Ranma took a step back and but his hands up to keep the girl at bay, "That's ok, how about later?"
"Ok, Ranma loss." The Amazon walked past Ranma, making sure that her hips popped with each step she took as she went back through the kitchen. Ranma waited till the door closed behind her and then walked over to Mouse.
"So if you want her, why don't you fight her all out?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," the blind boy said, as he pulled himself to his feet.
"I've fought both of you. You're better than that. You intentionally lowered your right arm 3cm so that she could get the leverage she needed to throw you. Don't deny it either, I watched you do it. Why? You win and its over, she's yours."
Mouse walked past Ranma, "You wouldn't understand."
Nabiki, pushed open the gate to the Kuno mansion and walked into the front garden. Satsuke met her half way, bowing in respect. "Ms. Tendou, what a privilege to see you here today, unannounced… To what do we owe this honor? But I regret to inform you that young master…"
"I have business, with Kuno-baby." Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "He will see me. Now."
"Yes, Ms. Tendou." Satsuke bowed, and then disappeared into the shadows of the Kuno estate.
The Mercenary-girl cradled an envelope in her crossed arms, as she looked about the estate with a new found respect. There were many scams and schemes that she had concocted in her short eighteen years, but the one she was looking at now… And to think no one had ever bothered to check. Yet, knowing what her research had uncovered, everything about the Kuno family suddenly made perfect since. It was almost enough to make her laugh.
"Hello, Tendo Nabiki," Kuno walked out of the estate and into the garden, "to what do I owe the pleasantries of this visit?"
"Enough flattery Kuno-baby, I'm here on business."
"From you I would expect as much."
Nabiki flinched, the words hurt. She was not sure why, but they hurt.
"So what can I do for you?" Kuno said, turning his back to her.
"You can start by leaving by sister and the 'Pig-tailed-goddess' alone. Burn the pictures. Destroy the shrine. Stop drooling over them. Find new objects for your affections."
"Abandon my true loves?" Kuno laughed, "Or else what?"
"Or else it would be a shame if someone at Emperor's palace were to learn of the contents of this envelope." Nabiki handed the small package to the would-be samurai. "I understand that crimes of this sort still carry a large penalty… even today."
Kuno took the envelope, and opened it, scanning the contents. "Satsuke."
"Yes, young master?"
"Gather up all of the photos of Tendo Akane, and the Pig-Tailed-Goddess."
"Yes, Master Kuno."
"Sutsuke, make sure that you include the photo's in the shrine as well."
"Yes, sir."
"This is low, even for one such as you Nabiki." Kuno turned to face his classmate, "I count the days till I am rid of you."
"Then good news, Kuno-baby." She said as she walked towards the gate, "Come the end of the summer you won't be seeing me anymore."
"Oh, why not?"
"I'm going away for school… in America."
"Oh," Kuno turned toward the gate, "Where at?"
"Harvard. Its one of the best schools in the world to study business."
"Funny, I've never heard of it." Kuno said as she closed the gate.
"Master Kuno," Satsuke said, as he dropped from a tree to the would-be samurai's right, "I have gathered the pictures as you ordered, would you still have me to destroy them?"
"If you would please," Kuno said as he walked back inside of the estate.
"Master," the servant looked up at his lord in fear, "what was in the envelope that would require you to do such a thing?"
Kuno looked back at Satsuke and smiled, "I do not know, I never read the contents."
Cologne stood behind the desk as the chief diplomat fidgeted behind his desk. It was common knowledge that the elders of the tribes of the Jusinkio area were exempt from all laws. You could not force one to do anything that she did not want to do of her own free will, and here hundreds of miles away, in Japan he was face to face with a very irate Elder. What had he ever done to anger the ancestors?
(What do you mean there has been no word from the region?) Cologne asked, leaning across the desk.
The diplomat squirmed in his chair as he wondered how a woman so short could manage to look down her nose at him, (I've talked with the officials in Beijing and there has been no word from the district in over a month. No official word has been able to leave the region, and all agents which have departed for the area have yet to return.)
The elder sighed, (What word has the Party received unofficially?)
(Unofficially we hear of rebellion. But from whom we are not sure. You understand our hesitance to enter the region in force without the support of your tribe.)
The elder nodded, if united, the three tribes would be more than a match for any army. (Then what do we do from here?)
(I am not sure, but when the party learns anything new, you will be the first to know, I promise.)
(Thank you,) Cologne said as she stood up to leave.
Akane sat up in her bed as she heard her name screamed through the wall. Today had been rough on everyone, especially Nabiki who had come home from her errands cursing and screaming. Kasumi had tried to lighten the middle sister's temperament, but that had resulted in the normally collected mercenary throwing a skillet through a window. As a result, everyone in the house just kept their distance while she stalked the halls, pacing and muttering to herself. It was almost as if Nabiki had computed the family's taxes only to find that they owed money. Now Ranma was having the nightmare again. She couldn't understand why he would not just tell her what the dream was about… It obviously involved her. She hated to hear him suffer like this. It hurt. She had to do something, but what?
Sliding out of the bed, the short haired girl slid into her slippers, and slinked across her room. Peering out the door she watched as a Panda holding a pillow shut the door to the guest room, and walked down the stairs. A light turned on. "He actually managed to wake you up?" Nadoka said from down stairs.
"Mowr," replied the Panda.
The light turned back off. Akane crept across the hall and opened the door. Ranma lay in his futon, tossing in his sleep.
"No, I won't let you kill her again."
Akane paused for a moment, puzzled. 'Again', what did he mean 'again?' She sat down next to the boy, and listened.
"To, hot. Akane drying out. Dehydrated. Need water. Water gone." Ranma shifted in his sleep, and wrapped his arms around the tomboy. His arms were firm, yet tense as the pig-tailed boy shook with fear. "No water. Akane don't leave."
"Its ok," the girl said, as she stroked his hair, petting him the same way that she did when he was in the neko-ken.
"No, I can't loose her."
"I'm here, its ok." Akane said. Ranma's shaking grew more violent as he held her in his sleep. She had to do something, or the nightmare would wake him again, and he would not be able to get back to sleep before his shift at the café in the morning. Cologne was working him to death, and if he didn't get sleep soon…
Thinking back to her own nightmares, she searched her memories for anything that could help. She remembered the song her mother sang to her as a child. Pulling her love close to her breast, she leaned forward. It would not hurt to try.
Hitotsume no kotoba wa yume
nemuri no naka kara
mune no oku no kurayami wo sotto
tsuredasu no
futatsume no kotoba wa kaze
yukute wo oshiete
kamisama no ude no naka e
tsubasa wo aoru no
tokete itta kanashii koto wo
kazoeru you ni
kiniro no ringo ga
mata hitotsu ochiru
mita koto mo nai fuukei
soko ga kaeru basho
tatta hitotsu no inochi ni
tadoritsuku basho
furui mahou no hon
tsuki no shizuku yoru no tobari
itsuka aeru yokan dake
we can fly
we have wings
we can touch floating dreams
call me from so far
through the wind
in the light
mittsume no kotoba wa hum ..
mimi wo sumashitara
anata no furueru ude wo
sotto tokihanatsu
Finishing the song, Akane closed her eyes, and cradled her head on his shoulder. Slumber found her, as Ranma stopped shaking and settled down. The two lovers slumbered in silent peace.
Main Page