Guest Ki: Chapter 53
Karaoke Bride
"How about we just catch up on our sleep?" asked Barry nervously. He eyed Akane's sister with trepidation. They had been ordered to relax and unwind. Nabiki had plans on how they might do that. Nabiki's plans were often exactly what she said they were, provided you accounted for the point-of-view. Nabiki's, that is. Akane's sister smirked at his expression.
"You wound me," Nabiki said with a hint of reproach. "This is just a minor setback. You guys will figure it out! Meanwhile, live a little."
Akane and Shampoo stared at her, shocked to their cores. Ukyo jumped to her feet. "How can you say something like that?" she demanded.
"Easy," Nabiki returned. "You people have been burning the candles at both ends for what? Nearly four months now?" They nodded numbly. "You have actually found out how you can exchange places and have taken steps to facilitate it. Right?"
"Pardon me for sounding like something out of Pirates of Penzance but, 'I just didn't go'!" Barry shouted at her.
"Exactly! To which I add — not yet!" Nabiki grew thoughtful. "Actually, this is the first time that Ranma hasn't involved in the solution of one of his problems. Maybe we need cooperation from his end?"
"Huh?" She even had Cologne looking puzzled over that comment.
"Let me put it this way. In four months, Barry assembled a team of researchers and trained them until they were capable of correcting the mistake on this end." Nabiki patted his arm. "He had the advantage of being known by those who were helping him and having the skills inherent in the body he inhabits. Ranma went to your world without any introduction at all, to a body untrained in martial arts and ki manipulation."
Barry nodded. "I think I see what you're getting at. In four months, he'd be working totally alone, unless…" Barry suddenly looked at Akane. "Unless he tried to find his own analogue in my world to help him!"
"Providing Ranma exists in your world," Nabiki modified the idea, "and if Ranma found our analogues and convinced them to help him, it still might take more time. Whatever! Maybe he's simply not ready on his end yet?"
They stared at one another.
Cologne struck the floor a few times with her staff to get their attention. "What did I just tell you about this?" She glared. "Though, to be honest, it is a rather interesting concept," she added. "It is still just as likely that Ranma is stuck in Barry's comatose body."
"But—!" Barry objected.
"You have to admit, Barry-san, "the old woman said meeting his eyes, "your accident was serious enough that you even thought you were a ghost, at first." He nodded, numbly. "As there are any number of possibilities, and we have no way of verifying which ones are correct…" She waved them closer. They leaned toward her for her words of wisdom. "You should all give it a rest so you can come back to it fresh! " They winced and held their ears to stop them from ringing. She hadn't even used a megaphone! Even Nodoka flinched back from her bellow. It was truly amazing the volume that little, withered body could put out.
"Ummm… What was that idea, Nabiki?" Barry said, shaken.
"Ever hear of karaoke?" Nabiki smirked.
It turned into a weird sort of party. Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, Soun, Ninomiya Hinako, Ukyo, Ryoga, Akari, Shampoo, Mousse, Natsume, Kurumi, Genma, Nodoka and Barry all going out for some entertainment. Ling-Ling, Lung-Lung and Cologne did not go; the latter deciding her two most recent protégé's did not need exposed to this facet of decadent western culture. It was a nightclub… sort of. It had dancing, it had drinks and a bar but no one under twenty could order alcohol. It reminded Barry of some of the under-21 clubs back home, except alcohol was served to over-the-age-limit adults. It, of course, had karaoke and there, everyone was welcome. And Nabiki was pushing him to try it.
"Well, why not?" she drawled. "You have a nice voice. We all heard that at the Nekohanten."
"C'mon, Nabs! I'm a martial artist, not an idol singer," Barry complained. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Genma nod approvingly.
"Since when can you sing, Ranma?" A new voice made itself known, and Ryu Kumon stopped at their table. He looked over at Natsume and suddenly became interested in his toes. Kurumi jabbed her sister's side with an elbow, but to no avail. The hearts in her eyes were obvious.
"Of course I can sing, Ryu!"
Ukyo looked over and almost gagged. She nudged the person beside her, Akari, to get her attention. Akari, perfectly comfortable with being elbowed, looked and giggled. She nudged Ryoga and he turned and looked and didn't notice a thing, aside from Barry and Ryu getting into some kind of argument. He was still trying to get a whispered explanation of what happened at the ritual from Nabiki. She was ignoring him, determined to get Barry up on stage. Akari made a disgusted face at him. "Can't you see what's going on?" she said in a stage whisper.
Ryoga looked at Natsume. The girl seemed spaced out. "I thought they didn't allow underage people to drink here?"
"She's not drunk!" snapped Akari. Ryoga jerked. Akari? Snapping at him? He looked again. "Look at that boy!" she specified.
"Ryu?" Ryoga asked. He saw the other man who, when not growling at Barry, was beginning to turn red and digging a hole in the flooring with his toe. He glanced occasionally at Natsume and ignored everyone else present. The idiot looked just like Ranma always did around Akane when he… Ryoga began to smile. He still had trouble with mathematics, and his social skills were only beginning to normalize after years of enforced solitude because of the family curse, but he wasn't quite as thick as he acted. Besides, this had all sorts of opportunities for mischief and Ryoga had had a run in with Ryu a few months back that needed payback. Not damage, maybe, but payback. "Why don't you two settle your argument by a duel?" he suggested.
Barry blinked and turned to Ryoga. "Are you nuts?" he shouted over the noise. "Why not simply ask the entire Defense Force for a visit? It would cause less damage!"
"No, I mean a duel of words. Singing to be specific!" He turned to Ryu. "Kumon, if you plan on criticizing Ranma, you must feel you have some experience?"
Ryu looked at him, then turned and looked at the stage and the karaoke machine standing there. At the present, two girls were performing a duet, enthusiastically if not very melodiously. People danced to the music and occasionally shouted encouragement to the pair. Ryu turned back, his face as grim as if he were about to confront fifty bloodthirsty ninja with a contract on his head. "Saotome?" he growled.
Barry glared at Ryoga. "I'll get you for this." Why the hell did this stuff happen to him? He raised an eyebrow at Ryu. "Okay, buddy! You're on." They retired to booths set aside for practicing performances. Natsume ran after Ryu, and Kurumi and Nodoka followed her to chaperone. Akane, Nabiki and Shampoo followed Barry into another booth followed closely by Mousse who hadn't quite overcome Ranma-envy, even if he knew it wasn't Ranma. Besides, that's where Shampoo was.
Akari and Ukyo gave Ryoga a lo-o-o-ong look. He began to sweat nervously. "What?"
"Why don't you go up and sing?" asked Akari.
"Me?" Ryoga's eyes were 'deer-in-the-headlights'. He thought this a great stunt to pull on Ryu and Barry needed to be distracted. "Why me?"
"Sure!" declared Akari. She turned to Ukyo. "He's actually pretty good. Sometimes he sings when we're traveling."
Ukyo flushed. Why did she wish Ryoga had sung to her? She managed to smile. "Well, I for one would like to hear you sing, sugar." Ryoga stared at her as if betrayed. "C'mon! Is that so bad? Maybe you'll show both those hot-heads up."
Soon they were dragging him off to another practice booth.
Kasumi started to stand up and looked distressed. "Oh, dear."
"What's wrong Kasumi-chan?" asked Miss Hinako.
Kasumi eyed her father's romantic interest with a bit of dismay. She had been more than a little upset to find Hinako at the breakfast table that morning and only Barry's quickness had saved the descending crockery. "I need to visit the ladies room," she said in a small voice.
Hinako immediately rose to her feet. "Of course I'll go with you! I spotted it on the way in." She turned to Soun. "We'll be back." Soun got a goofy look on his face and waggled his fingers at her as she left.
"Tendo," Genma scowled at his old friend, "what are you doing?"
Soun hid his hand, looked embarrassed and took a huge gulp of his drink. "Hah, ha-ha! You wouldn't believe me, Saotome."
"Try me, Tendo," Genma replied, matching his intake of decidedly alcoholic beverage. "This looks worse than the time the Master made us dress up as women and flirt with those beer makers at Kanazawa, so he could raid their tavern." He put one elbow on the table and gave Soun a narrow look.
"How dare you compare Miya to such an event," Soun began angrily causing Genma to flinch. After a couple of seconds, Soun let his head hit the table and covered it with his hands.
"It is, isn't it?" Genma returned to the attack, referring to their past escapades.
"I honestly don't know, Saotome," Soun admitted. "You won't believe me, but I did this to myself!"
"What? How? Why?" Genma looked after the departing woman. "Maybe I can see why…"
"That's not it at all!" snarled Soun. Genma cowered. Soun was unusually aggressive tonight. He hadn't been like this since his wife died. "I wanted to get Ranma to propose to Akane at the dance on Thursday." He went on to explain his attempt to drug Genma's son that evening. They called for refills.
"Tendo!" Genma said with wide eyes. "I'm surprised at you!" Soun nodded shame-faced. "That's such an old routine! Besides, that ki-vision thing he's developed lets him see that one coming a mile away," added Genma.
"This drug masks its own presence," Soun said with a glare. "I overheard the old ghoul when she used it on Ranma after he nearly drowned."
"It's not detectable to the ki-senses?" Genma started. He slugged back the remainder of his drink.
"That's what she said." He smiled foolishly then tried to regain a serious composure once more. "It works rather quickly, too," Soun added absently. He turned and looked after the vanished Hinako. "I never noticed what a fine woman she was, Saotome. I was always afraid of appearances. I mean what would people think?" Tears trickled down his cheeks. "What a blessing that the battle somehow reversed the Master's curse and allowed her to be a true woman!"
"You'd be looking mighty strange if it hadn't, Tendo," remarked Genma. "She normally looked what, ten years old?" He raised his glass. "Kanpai!"
Soun nodded. "It wouldn't have mattered a bit after that drug hit me," Soun said mournfully. "Gods! Due to the legendary Ki-Neutral Hypnotic Elixir Concentrate, I may never know if I truly love her or not!"
Now he wept like the old Soun Genma knew. Genma patted his friend's shoulder. "Now, now…" An idea formed in Genma's mind, was squelched, and then formed again. "You don't… happen to have any more of it, do you?" he whispered conspiratorially. Soun nodded, his head still on his arms and fished out a paper packet. Genma looked it over carefully and frowned. "This looks like antacid powder." Soun glanced up, got embarrassed and snatched the packet away, substituting another. "Ahhh…" Genma gingerly held the packet. "So this is the legendary Ki-Neutral Hypnotic Elixir Concentrate!" He glanced blearily at Soun. "Does it work?"
"I am sitting here, ready to worship the feet of a woman I barely know and you ask meif it works?" Soun looked about ready to explode into a demon-head. Genma waved him down, fascinated by what he held and emboldened by the alcohol under his belt.
"What do you think, Tendo," Genma said belching loudly. "Bed or wed first?"
"Why?" Barry asked the girls.
"Because you guys should compare apples to apples," said Ukyo who had come in to inform him of Ryoga's belated entry.
"But why that song?"
"Barry," Ukyo said with a glare and a hint of disgust, "what's wrong with it?"
"It's a love song."
"What's wrong with that?" the girls asked. Akane grimaced, her stolen memories playing past her inner eye. The others didn't notice.
"Ummm… It's not in character?" He had noticed Akane's expression. He was fighting to keep his own color steady.
"Oh, pooh!" Shampoo snorted. "Anybody not know how Ranma and Akane feel by now blind like Mousse!" She sighed. "Only problem left how deal with honor and leftover fiancées." Akane patted her arm.
"Unless, of course, something else turns—!"
"Bite your tongue, Ukyo!"
"Shut up, spatula-girl!"
Ukyo grinned.
"Do I have to?" whined Barry. They nodded.
"Why wouldn't they let us go as soloists," grumbled Ryu, a little later. The three young men nervously waited their turn at the microphone. "I don't want you guys to screw up my routine!"
"Routine?" inquired Barry. "You planning on dancing or something?"
"D-dancing?" Ryu almost squeaked then regained control of himself. "I barely know the song!"
Ryoga winced. "I'm a terrible dancer anyway. I just hope I don't freeze up out there."
"Stage fright? I know what you mean," Barry nodded. "After you get past the first few lines, it gets easier."
"Oh, joy!" grumbled Ryu. "We aregonna look like a pack of idiots!"
"You don't like that?"
"C'mon, Ranma," Kumon snapped, "are you telling me you do?"
"Not at all," Barry replied. "But if we work together, we can all come across a lot better than if we stand up there and sing in unison. Unless we plan now, we're gonna be moving outa synch with one another; and that's distracting no matter how well we sing." The other two men looked at him.
"What do you have in mind?" Ryoga asked. His butterflies were beginning to get to him.
"Kata." They looked at one another. "We're all martial artists, right?" Barry internally winced. "I'm sure we all have a few kata that are nearly identical. Modify them to a tai chi sort of tempo, this is a love song after all, and match tempo to the music." They looked doubtful. "We have about twenty minutes," he reminded them, "before the folks ahead of us have their chances. Let's get a booth and work this out."
When they came out on stage, Ryoga was in the middle, due to his height, and Barry and Ryu to his left and right, respectively. They had broken the three verses into solos with backup and would sing the refrain as a group. They counted four beats from the beginning of the song and began their kata, a set of blocking moves designed to confront an aggressive opponent and wear down their attack.
Ryoga began.
"I walk alone in the moonlight,
Sleepless, I wander the night, thinking of you…"
It was an appropriate verse for the lost boy, and he sang it with feeling, while behind him, Ryu and Barry sang counter-point by chanting the last word of the line and holding the note till the next line was half over. They went into the refrain then, strong, yet hopeless in love as the song was written, their defensive kata implying their defense of their hearts.
"How many empty days have passed,
How many more stones can we cast,
How much longer can this last?
Can we begin again?"
Barry was next. Both to give Ryu the last refrain, which better suited his feelings with Natsume at the moment and because Ranma's male singing voice was deeper than Ryoga's or Ryu's.
"I reach out for a hand not there,
Are those tears? Or has the rain deceived me?"
Barry wished there were other lines, other songs than the one chosen, but in a way it was good to release some of the pain of the last four months.
There was a musical break here as they entered their kata again, unified in movement as only martial artists of their caliber can be. Ryoga and Ryu were lost in the flow of the movement, concerned with what was done and what was needed. Barry let Ranma's body move on autopilot, only checking the tempo from time to time. He watched the audience's reaction to their performance and was satisfied. Ryu's part was coming and he hoped the hints he had dropped would pay off.
"A gentle breeze touches me
A fragrance like the sakura makes me aware you're near.
By the light of the morning sun,
On the waters, its light reminds me of your smile."
They sang the refrain then and finished it out by chanting 'Can we begin again?' one after the other, in the order they had sung before, as the music died.
There was generous applause, a few people went so far as to stand and applaud, causing both Ryoga and Ryu to flinch and blush furiously. Barry took that moment to whisper in Ryu's ear.
"Hey, Ryu, be careful with my sister. She's had as hard a life as yours, okay? Don't hurt her." He got a startled glance and gave him a thin smile. Ryu nodded and looked back to Natsume. He had picked up on Barry's hint, focusing on her to sing to and ignoring the rest of the audience. Natsume had noticed. Boy, had she noticed! They pulled another chair over and Ryu joined the group.
"Okay! Who thinks I won?" asked Ryu. He blushed as Natsume's hand went up immediately, followed by Kurumi's.
"Hey!" chuckled Barry. "Where's your family loyalty?"
Natsume looked at him coolly. "If your mother had been singing, I might include that in my considerations." She stuck out her tongue at Barry.
"I think Ranma win," Shampoo said. She glanced aside at Akane who frowned and shrugged. Nodoka smiled and nodded to Barry.
"Well, we think Ryoga did a great job," Ukyo said firmly. Akari nodded happily and glomped onto Ryoga's arm.
"By the way, Kumon," Nabiki drawled, amused by the open affection Natsume was emoting for Ryu, "how did you happen to show up just now?"
Ryu got really nervous. "Ummm… I, ah… sorta saw you folks going out and followed you…" He was interrupted when a couple was a little clumsy passing their table. Ryoga was far enough away to avoid it, but Barry got splashed and…
"Oh, forgive us, miss! We're terribly sorry!" The couple moved on, while Barry glanced about the table, waiting for comments. Instead, Shampoo and Akane bracketed her. It was a little nerve-wracking to have them both, this close, in a social setting. Especially since they were both now taller and heavier than she was.
"So, who you think win?" Shampoo asked.
"Hey! Who am I to judge?" retorted the redhead. "I'm not sure. Both Ryoga and Ryu did pretty good.
"But you think you did better?" Ryu growled.
"What can I say? Ranma Saotome don't lose… at martial arts, anyway," Barry smugly added at the end.
Ryu and Ryoga looked at one another. "Was this martial arts? Or not?"
"Who came up with the idea of doing a group routine?" asked Akane. The two arguing men blinked at her.
"Uh… Ranma," Ryu admitted.
"And who thought of using kata for dance routine?" Shampoo asked. They looked guilty, then angry.
"Dammit, Ranma!" they growled in unison, "You tricked us!"
"Whoa, guys!" Barry shouted them down. "Would you rather have looked like a pack of idiots?" They growled and shook their heads. "I may have thought of the basic ideas, but who figured out which kata to use?
"Ryoga did!" admitted Ryu.
"And who came up with the idea to use different verses as solo pieces and do the refrains in unison?"
"Ummm… Didn't Ryu?" Ryoga remarked, looking sidewise at the other man.
"Exactly." Barry glared at the girls beside her. "We all contributed to the end result. I'm perfectly satisfied with how we're individually judged. Besides," her smile grew hard and bright, "if ya beat me this time, it just means we gotta come back for a rematch."
The others looked at her, looked around then grinned at one another.
Genma was annoyed. His son had essentially given away victory and didn't seem to care! It didn't help that his wife seemed to approve. Ranma's decision probably matched up with something in her old aikido training. He stifled a burp. No one could tell, but he was already three sheets to the wind and sailing away to the land of personal idiocies. He still had that packet of powder from Soun. He'd better act tonight before they left. No telling what the boy might do. Why, he might even really embarrass himself and cause Soun to break the engagement! And look at them now! Akane was obviously ticked off again! Odds were that tomboy, Akane, would give Ranma to Shampoo or something equally disgraceful! Besides, for enemies, those two had been awful chummy of late, and Genma still remembered Akane's war cry of 'I hate boys!' Genma had no desire of being a live-in in a Joketsuzoku village. Why, they made men work for a living!
While Genma was brooding, Shampoo was interrogating. Their whispers were unlikely to be overheard with the noise of the dance club. "You two acting funny," observed Shampoo. "Did something happen when you use aura teaching technique?"
Barry and Akane exchanged glances. "Yes," Barry admitted, "I picked up a few of extraneous memories from Akane. I'm sure she picked up some from me."
"No, really?" Akane remarked sarcastically, looking at her drink on the table. At Shampoo's puzzled look, she clarified herself, "Barry's a pervert."
Barry looked irritated and sighed.
"Are you?" Shampoo asked.
"I can't prove that I'm not," Ranma's guest replied, "and because Akane's looked into the realm of my fantasies and hidden thoughts, she might honestly claim to be right."
"I am right," the shorthaired girl said tightly, "And all this time, I trusted you."
Barry looked like she was about to say something, but bit it off. Shampoo shook her head. "I do not understand," she said finally. "You are angry because of what Barry think?" Akane sniffed.
"If she got what I think she got, Shampoo, I don't blame her." Barry sighed looking at the tabletop.
"You'd be angry, too!" added Akane to Shampoo.
"Yup," Barry groaned, "she got it!" Akane slugged her hard enough to rock her.
"Okay. If it involve Shampoo, then maybe Shampoo better hear?" Her gaze became hard. She glared at Barry. "Maybe you take advantage of Ranma's girl-type?"
"Sham-poo!" Barry snapped. "Ranma's body doesn't need stimulation like that. He's had enough trouble maintaining control with you girls hanging all over him."
"Barry was fantasizing us in a threesome with Ranma!" snapped Akane in a sudden rush of whispered candor. She glared at Barry then turned away again.
"I was not fantasizing!" snapped Barry back. "Well, not exactly, anyway. What was I supposed to think, or worry about, when you two haven't explained why you've suddenly become so chummy and what you've been up to?" The redhead grimaced and waited for pain.
They were shocked by Shampoo's giggles. "Sound like fun!"
"Shampoo!" they both hissed at her. She sat there, the tip of her tongue sticking out from between her lips, a mischievous smile on her face.
"If Akane was Amazon instead of outsider, maybe even solve problem," Shampoo added. "Poor Mousse…"
Akane gaped and looked at Barry, who seemed equally nonplused. Mousse, on the other side of the Amazon, went red and the tendons in his hands popped audibly as his fists clenched. "You know that's not an option here, Shampoo, so why bring it up?" he asked in a miserable voice. Shampoo spoke to him, not in Japanese or Mandarin, but in the village dialect of their home. Mousse looked surprised and asked a question in the same language. Shampoo rattled off an answer. Mousse nodded, and then switched back to Japanese. "I wondered if that was how it went…"
"What Mousse?" Barry asked.
"I'm sorry. I can't tell you," the bespectacled man replied. "You'd have to ask Cologne; women's business. You may find out eventually, but… it's unlikely."
"Akane…" Barry turned to her.
She glared and started to turn away, saying, "Why should I tell you?" The redhead stared at her, her eyes almost boring into Akane, while her lips tightened. "You wouldn't dare," Akane whispered, suddenly frightened, realizing what the other must have gotten from the direct astral impression technique.
"I couldn't do that to you, Akane," she said softly. It was all too vivid in the mind's eye…
A young girl, too recently deprived of her mother, running away from the pain, the dead looks of her siblings, the frightening change of her father from a warm strong presence to a broken wailing wraith… The park, even in the lights of the street lamps a haven of memories… picnics with her mother and father, her sisters… Then, as she was beginning to regain her composure and starting to be concerned over how her family might worry, those five high school boys coming out of the darkness to jeer and make suggestive remarks.
They reeked of alcohol. They surrounded her, taking in her short dark hair and huge eyes, her legs, well muscled from her workouts with her sisters and her parents and longer proportionately, due to a recent growth spurt. She fell into a defensive posture, watching, ready to lash out, looking for her chance. One reached in to grab at her arm and paid for it with a kick to the teeth. The other four tackled her to the ground before she could recover. In the shadows of the bushes beside the path, they spread-eagled her and told her in explicitly crude terms what they were going to do to her. With four boys, each twice her weight, pinning her limbs and no leverage, she could barely move.
Faintly, she thought she heard her sister's voice. She bit the hand over her mouth and screamed out, "Kasum—!" before a heavy hand rocked her with a backhand slap. Tears leapt unbidden. Her sister was too far away. She would never have heard her. Then the thought that Kasumi might have to face these five alone, crossed her mind, and she went still in horror.
The boys took it as acceptance of the roll they had planned for her. "That's better, you little witch," said the one she had kicked. He reached under her skirt to start yanking her panties off.
Something moved in the brush. Another presence was there and the boys began letting go with cries of pain and consternation. Akane curled up in a ball, shaking, telling herself over and over that she should get up and help, get up and fight, but all she could do was shake as the boys, faced by superior skill and frightening technique, cut their losses and limped away hurriedly into the darkness. The form reached down and gathered her up into strong arms to carry her to safety. At first she thought it was her father. She looked up at the light glinting off spectacles. "Dr. Tofu?"
"Did they hurt you, little one?" he asked gently, as he carried her home. She shook her head. "Good! I'll make sure they won't try that again," he promised her.
Barry shook her head to clear it. The incident had warped much of Akane's life till Ranma came. Her shame at not helping Tofu fight her attackers had driven her, usually in anger, to train and train and train.
Her father's fear of what almost happened to his daughter had altered his training of her, concentrating on techniques and power, neglecting philosophy and control. Her tendency to feed off her anger in a fight had led to her injuring Soun several times. Yet he had suffered those injuries and praised her for her power even while he retreated from sparring with her. That had also been the end of family sparring, as well.
Kasumi had become too busy, with housework and trying to finish high school, and only practiced tai chi in the early morning. Nabiki had been avoiding martial arts for nearly a year before the incident. She viewed the official action from a different perspective. Akane's attackers had been rich. The official stance had been, 'Since no lasting harm was done, let it drop! Do you want to drag the girl's name through the mud? What had she been doing out so late and alone?' Nabiki had seen the advantages of money and influence. She began seeking ways to gain that power. Her family would be better prepared, next time.
It was startling to Barry that Akane was even aware of these things. Or was she? Barry could see the results from the internal evidence, but Akane was Akane. Had she developed a tendency to block out facts and information that were painful to face? Did she consider it her fault that her mother died? Was it, to her, her fault that Kasumi never went to college as she had planned? Did she feel responsible for Nabiki becoming a scheming hustler?
Barry looked into Akane's dark eyes and shivered. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you about this, Akane," she said slowly, trying to see some way to help her. "Ryoga and I talked about this, on and off, but it never occurred to me that there was no way you could have been prepared for what it would do." She watched Akane's face, but saw nothing. "Ranma and I, we had no choice. We were stuck with each other, and worked out ways to guard our privacy. Not perfect, but they worked most of the time."
Akane let out a breath and dropped her eyes. "Maybe you won't tell anyone, Barry. But if you know, then when Ranma comes back, he'll know."
"We don't know that," Barry objected.
"He'll know!" she snapped. "He'll hate me."
"Akane…" Barry reviewed the memories again, shuddering at her perspective of the shadowed flushed faces, the coarse remarks. "The only thing you'll have to worry about, if he remembers this, is keeping him from tracking those jerks down and killing them." Her head jerked up and, for an instant, he saw an unholy joy of revenge in her eyes. "Don't," he warned her. "Ranma won't do anyone any good in jail for murder." The light of revenge died to leave a look of horror.
"Oh, no," Akane choked. "It will be my faul—!"
"Stop that!" Barry snapped. "No, it won't be your fault! If Ranma does it, it'll be his fault and his stupidity! Your sisters made their own choices. Events that involved you influenced them, but they made theirchoices." He glanced at Kasumi who was watching them from across the table with concern. "Look at your oldest sister and tell me she made the wrong choice."
Akane's eyes met Kasumi's and the latter smiled at her encouragingly, her warmth and love evident. She couldn't hear their discussion, but sensed something of its import.
"Look at your other sister."
Nabiki sat between Ryoga and Ryu, both still arguing over the merits of their performance, subtly egged on by the middle Tendo. She felt Akane's eyes on her and met them, the corner of her mouth tweaking up. She made a subtle gesture, the unspoken language of one sister to another that said, 'Can you believe these two?'
Akane turned back to Barry. "Now, look at your father," he told her.
Soun, obviously tipsy, was whispering something in Hinako's ear. She alternated between blushing and waving away the fumes, but the twitch of her fingers warned the knowledgeable that she was restraining an impulse to ki-drain Soun. Then he and Genma came to some consensus and staggered to their feet, heading for the stage. Hinako and Nodoka exchanged glances. Obviously the older men had drunk enough courage to… entertain them. Their faces were studies of consternation, embarrassment and… amusement at these overgrown children. Hinako hid her face in her hands, while Nodoka patted her on the arm. 'It'll be over, soon,' she seemed to say.
"I don't know if that's gonna last," Barry remarked, "but it's their choice. We all make choices, some good some bad. But regardless of who hurts us, or tries to, as long as we're alive, we retain the opportunity to make the best of it. It's our choice. Your choice, in this case."
"It's not that easy," Akane snorted.
"What is?" Shampoo stuck her two-yen worth in. "Akane ready to give up?"
Akane flushed, and Barry saw something of her old anger directed at Shampoo.
"Not on your little cat-tailed life!" she rounded on Shampoo.
"Is good!" Shampoo said smugly. She reached out a hand to stroke along Akane's cheek. "Akane must face life as warrior, but even warrior have cause for tears, by and by." Her expression changed again to openly mischievous, leaving them startled and uneasy. "What say, get spatula-girl, mercenary-girl and nice-sister and make Barry do Ranma's song and dance at last Christmas party?"
Akane suddenly grinned while Barry protested weakly. "Hey! What if I don't want to?" The redhead was dragged off.
Genma waited until everyone was concentrated on the performance of Soun's daughters and Ranma's fiancées on stage with Ranma doing a remarkably good (and dangerous, with Nodoka around) impression of a bouncy brainless idol singer. Then he drifted about a quarter of the package into Akane and Ranma's drinks and sat back innocently. No one seemed to have caught on. He frowned at his wife. She was clapping right along with everyone else! There were really some times, he thought affronted, when he just didn't understand what was going on.
There was some delay before everyone came back. Barry had seen the looks on some of the faces in the audience and that, combined with Akane's recently acquired memory, had spooked her badly. Hot water was obtained and he returned to his seat with a sense of relief.
There was a brief flurry around the table as hordes of young men descended to hit upon the girls only to slowly swirl away as their real interest, the hot-looking redhead, seemed to have disappeared. A couple of determined individuals hung around until Mousse stood up, stretched and seemed for a second to be constructed out of swords, pikes, scythes, chains and other lethal objects. Spooked, the remainder made tracks.
"Doesn't it bother you to have men coming on to you like that?" demanded Hinako of Barry.
"Yeah, it does; but it wasn't my idea to go up there." Barry shrugged and reached for his glass. "Can I help it if I'm better built?" His hand joggled as Akane elbowed him for the comment. "Akane!" Higher pitched, the redhead's voice accused as she glared at her table companion.
"Ooops!" Akane murmured. She smiled sweetly. "You were overdoing it. (Even compared to Ranma, her eyes accused) Why don't you get some more hot water?" She picked up her drink and sipped it.
"Yeah, yeah! Could somebody get me another drink while I'm gone?"
"Sure," Akane said, placing her glass down on the table. Barry looked surprised.
"You will?"
"Of course," Akane told her. She got up, snagged a waiter and dragged him to their table. "Get another drink for Ranma, here." The waiter nodded frantically and escaped the weird girl with hands like a vise. It was almost time to go off-shift, anyway. He'd make it a little early.
Not far away, a man with a bored expression sat up and took interest. That redhead from the stage was at the next table. His palms grew moist at the sight of her. She had apparently just knocked over her drink. It would be a shame to let her go thirsty. He called a waiter and ordered a drink, fishing in his pocket for a packet of finely ground powder. He'd wait a while after she had drunk his little treat, ask her to dance then maneuver her to one of the exits. After that…
The girl was off somewhere when the waiter returned. He paid him a large tip to leave the tray behind, then treated the drink and made his move. He was dressed in a very similar fashion to the waiters here; it had allowed him to pull this little ploy, before. After all, who notices a servant? He walked over and placed the doctored drink at the redhead's place. She'd be back then so would he.
Genma saw his chance as Soun and Ryu were trying to entice Hinako and Natsume onto the dance floor. The rest of the group was amused by the blushes and excuses of the women and the pleading of their men. Shampoo had left her seat to lend Akari a hand as she tried to convince Ryoga to dance. Sprinkling the remainder of the powder into Ranma's drink, he looked up and froze. Genma had been caught red-handed by none other than Akane. He grew bolder when she made no comment and whispered, "You didn't see me do it." She nodded and turned away again, sipping her drink. Sweating, he slumped back in his chair. Genma tried to avoid looking at Ranma as he returned, male again, to sit down beside his fiancée.
"Don't do that again, okay?" he heard his son grumble.
Akane nodded equitably. "Do what?" she asked quietly.
"Hit me while I've got a cold drink," he retorted. She again nodded agreeably and he gave her an odd look. "Are you all right?"
"I think so." The placid response bothered the young man. Genma held his breath, then carefully modulated his breathing, fearful that any little difference in his behavior would alert Ranma. He watched his son reach over and take the glass from her fingers and examine it.
Barry checked out the glass. As near as he could tell, Akane's ginger ale was normal. Perhaps a little flat, but that wasn't so unusual. He traced her aura and found it much calmer, flatter than normal, but no sign he could pinpoint that indicated any manipulation. He flashed his awareness through the area.
Some guy at the next table was highly agitated and focused on them. He oriented and took a good look at the guy. About Ranma's height, fit but not as athletic, rather nondescript hair. On a whim he got up and walked over to him.
"You gotta problem?" he said in a very flat, threatening voice. The guy looked like he was about to wet himself. "A problem with me, maybe?"
Toshiyuki Aoshima had never run into Ranma before. There was a definite sense of threat that completely overpowered the self-confidence his wealth normally gave him. "N-n-no! I… ah… Is that redhead girl your sister?" he babbled frantically. He hadn't lost his composure this way since… since…
"You could say that," Barry replied. Okay, so this guy was after Ranma's girl-type, not Akane. He looked him over. The idiot looked like a waiter in that outfit. What a moron! "I strongly suggest you leave her alone. I'm very protective of my sister." He looked him over again, fixing his features in his mind. "I'd leave now, if I were you," he added as an afterthought.
Aoshima took a few deep, gulping breaths. Like many Japanese, he had studied martial arts to some degree, both for its value in exercise and because of the poise and protective skills it gave its practitioners. He knew enough to recognize Ranma was a serious physical threat. Trying to be as nonchalant as possible, he called for his tab and left. For some reason this man also reminded him of an angry Beldandy. That was a thought that gave him shivers as well. He called for his sports car and peeled out. He'd just have to take out his frustration with his wife. After all, what else was she there for?
Barry watched the unsavory creep till he got in his car and left. Once he had heard his voice, it had taken every ounce of his control, not to immediately stomp him like a bug! He swept the nearby tables and guests again, with both sight and ki-vision, surprising Genma into an almost defensive gesture. Grimacing, he reached over and patted the man on the arm. Genma had really been improving, lately. He had been acting responsibly with his daughters and even gotten closer with Nodoka, apparently to their mutual satisfaction. Barry figured he would have flinched, too, if he had gotten a look like that from Ranma!
Genma met Ranma's eyes and flinched. He was caught! He was dead! His heart racing he watched his son reach out… and clap him in a companionable way on the shoulder. Genma blinked, waiting for the other shoe to drop, or rather kick toward some unprotected part of his body. "Pops, I just wanted to tell ya, I'm proud of ya," he heard his boy say. Proud? "It's not easy fer me ta say things like this, but, yer doin' good… Real good. I know it's hard ta change, Pops." Genma nodded, looking like a skittish horse, the whites showing around his irises. "But if ya can just keep goin' like this, yer gonna find somethin' special at the end." Genma looked curiously at Ranma. He didn't normally go in for heart-to-heart, but then he hadn't given him much time that way these last ten years or so. "I know yer lookin' to Akane and me, providing a home in yer old age, but look what ya could have! Natsume and Kurumi will eventually marry, and Ukyo may join our family as a sister, and I just can't see her not marryin'. Right now, yer on the steps of heaven; four families, with grandkids ta spoil and train and a wife that loves ya and keeps the home warm and comfortable." Genma's eyes widened. He could be an imaginative man himself, if you could break him from the immediate concerns of his stomach, and the image was indeed heaven to him. He felt his eyes fill with tears. So close…
"It won't happen though, if ya screw up with them the way ya did with Akane and me," Barry told him. "Ta reach that dream, yer gonna have to leave them alone to reach their own decisions, or they won't trust ya." He glanced back at Genma who was frowning slightly. "It'd be true hell to have all that in reach, but be shut out, because they couldn't trust ya not to, oh… take one of the kids on an extended training trip, or promise them in marriage for food. They need ta have respect for ya, and respect needs trust." He saw Genma go pale. "Not to mention what Mom would do if ya started that again. It wouldn't be pretty." He took a sip of his drink. "Pops, I have faith in ya."
Genma felt singed. The visions were, indeed, pure heaven and pure hell laid out before him. What was worse was that Ranma's voice hadn't had that bite of contempt it had possessed since Jusenkyo and the engagement. It was in some ways a transcendent moment for Genma. He had always wanted respect, but Happosai had equated respect with fear and had taught his students likewise. Respect built on trust and backed with skill was something his son had developed despite his father. In many ways, Genma had envied Ranma the respect he received, but had put it down to some intangible gift of the gods. Suddenly he had the equation before him: Trust plus skill equals respect.
He turned to his son. "Ranma, I need to tell you…"
Barry sat looking forward, eyes glazed.
"Ranma?" Genma looked down at the half-empty glass and sighed. Oh, hell! Maybe literally. "Ranma? Akane?" They turned toward him. "You will take orders only from myself or Soun. Everyone else you will treat the same way you would naturally. You will tell no one about this conversation or about any ideas you may get because of this conversation. Do you understand?" They nodded and Genma relaxed a little. At least they wouldn't be agreeing with every jackass that propositioned them. "In about fifteen minutes, you and Akane will start acting sleepy and say you want to go home. You will wait for Soun and I at the dojo. If anyone comes with you, you will go to the dojo to train until we come to talk to you. Do you understand?"
In a surprisingly natural voice, Akane said, "Sure!" and nodded, her smile flashing briefly.
Ranma seemed somewhat drained. Genma repeated his query and got a mumbled "Yesh!" Had the boy been drinking after all?
Soun and Hinako, Ryu and Natsume and Akari and Ryoga made it back to the table from the dance floor. They were conspicuous by their clasped hands. Shampoo and Mousse returned together, as well. Though not holding hands, there was a hint of a blush on the girl's cheek and Mousse looked like he was floating. Ukyo glanced at them and smirked.
"The second kiss?" she asked.
"No! No! No!" they chorused. "Just dance," illuminated Shampoo. "Is okay under Amazon law."
"Sometimes, sugar, I wish you would tell Amazon law where to go," Ukyo grumped.
Shampoo sighed. They'd had this argument before. She looked at Barry and Akane and frowned. Were they still annoyed over the captured memories? "Akane?" she asked exasperated. "It not his fault. Boys like that! It what I count on to catch Ranma when first come." Akane glanced up at her. "Why you still mad?"
Akane looked around then dragged Shampoo into whispering range. "He's a married man, dammit! How dare he!"
"But it only thought, not action! He never try hit on you, me, Ukyo, Kodachi…"
"But he thought it!" Shampoo puzzled over her lack of force behind the words. Akane would normally have announced her thoughts to the next ward.
"So Barry-baka think Akane, Shampoo desirable?" Akane nodded. "That makes him pervert?" Akane sat still for a moment then slowly nodded. "You sure you want Ranma?" Shampoo asked. Akane scowled and nodded. "Shampoo tell you now, you do better with statue! Why you think Ranma always scrunch up and act funny around pretty girl, especially when pretty girl act nice-nice?" Akane looked blank. "He try very hard not to show desire! Ranma passionate man, but very controlled. Akane need to re-think what pervert is."
"So, what is a pervert to you, Shampoo?" She waited, floating on her sea of detachment.
"A pervert is a man or woman who pursue desires over responsibilities."
Akane thought a long moment. Then, "Who?"
"Happosai, Daisuke and Hiroshi, stick-boy, Tsubasa, Copycat Ken, panda-man, Ryoga… Though Ryoga and panda-man better, lately." She broke off as Akane grabbed her arm.
"Why Ryoga and not Ranma?"
"You prove to Shampoo when Ranma or Barry-baka ever use trick to get into Akane's bed and I give up claim to Airen."
Akane sat flummoxed. She thought about the two years of Ranma and the four months of Barry with a certain unreal clarity. She turned to Barry and shoved at his shoulder for attention. "Hey, baka!"
"Wuzza?" Barry looked… drunk? Akane became faintly concerned. Had she driven him to drink?
"I'm sorry. Okay?" she said, patting his shoulder. "I understand, I think, and I'm sorry."
"Zalrite…" Barry went back to contemplating the place setting. He raised his head a little and said, "Ahr ya tired?"
Akane considered. She looked at her watch. "It's not time yet," she said equitably. He considered that and nodded.
"S'not time… Buh A'hm tire' alasame," he told her.
Shampoo looked at Barry and then peeled an eyelid back. She cursed. "Someone drug Barry!" she snarled. She looked around then, using her ki-vision to probe. "See, Akane?" she demanded. Akane activated her vision and looked to where Shampoo was indicating. "See lines over-stimulated? Some nearly block, if Ranma not so strong… or big…" Shampoo's eyes suddenly went wide. "Aiya! Great-grandmother warn! Men use drug to kidnap women for sex!"
"You think someone was after Ranma's girl-type?" demanded Ukyo who had overheard her outburst.
"What's the matter with him?" Ryu asked leaning across the table. Soon everyone knew about Shampoo's surmise.
Genma was sweating bullets. He thought Soun said this stuff was undetectable! So far, they hadn't considered either of them to be at fault, yet. If they decided he was at fault, he was dead, dead, dead! His own past would convict him. He was really beginning to reconsider these plans.
"Akane," Shampoo said, "you take Ranma to Great-grandmother. She know how deal with this. We meet you there after we look around." Shampoo was furious. The very idea of a male manipulating a woman for his own self-indulgence was the very origin of the Amazons. The fact that she had often done the same to Ranma was momentarily forgotten.
"S'tired," Barry muttered. The drug, though he didn't know it, was interacting with the 'ki-neutral hypnotic' in ways even a chemist would have had trouble predicting. He felt Akane shift a shoulder under his arm. Most of Barry was tied up somewhere else.
It had taken him like an impact into purple Jell-O and rushed his brain in a wild ride past cats and horses and giant talking trees. Vaguely, through the springy substance that enfolded him in flashing butterfly sparkles, he heard and responded to his friends if they were direct enough. He breathed red bubbles that noisily shrank away in brandy-flavored flashes. Dimly, he knew that this was all totally wrong. His sense of reference was off, however, and he couldn't find his center. He was slip-sliding eerily down a hot sun and the only delicious coolness came when Akane's shoulder supported him…her? Whatever… If he could have remembered how his arms and legs worked, he might try to get closer. So…hot! Or was it cold? He wasn't even sure anymore.
He floated in and out of this for a while, before becoming aware that they were standing someplace with music playing. It wasn't the music of the karaoke club; that had been…soothing because of the beat underneath. This music had no underlying tempo and he frowned trying to find the beat.
"I don't know, Tendo," he heard a voice yaw in and out. "I'm having second thoughts about this." He focused one eye. Genma was not far away, looking rather ridiculous in a claw-hammer tux.
"I can understand that, Saotome," Soun said quietly, "I'm not feeling too good myself."
"No! About the children!"
"I know, Saotome! I know." Soun straightened and nearly tipped over backwards. He, too, was dressed in a tux instead of his normal gi. "But, they keep pushing each other away! I have to believe they love each other! But they're so obstinate!"
"So true… So true…" murmured Genma.
"They'll never do it on their own! This may be our last chance."
"Last chance?" Genma said looking with concern at his old friend. "Why 'last'?"
"Ranma is very skilled, but also very lucky. How many times has he come close to being killed in the last year?" Soun fixed his eyes on Genma who dropped his. "I conservatively counted some forty times. If Akane feels as I think she does, she has to have something to remember him by and you need someone to carry on the Saotome name when his luck catches up with him."
"Perhaps it is more than luck?" Genma offered. "He is the best martial artist of his age, possibly the best in the world!"
"You haven't been watching my daughter, lately, have you, Saotome?" Soun grinned proudly. "Still, it's due to her fiancé's training." He frowned again. "But her heart is fragile, like mine was. I don't want her going through what I went through when I lost Kimiko." His eyes grew teary. "If I hadn't had my girls, I would have…"
"There, there, old friend, I understand. I just hope they do."
A middle-aged couple bounced past, the white dress of the woman bunched up as her escort carried her through the door. The strains of music grew louder through the open doors. A man in a slick, white suit greeted a party ahead of them and escorted them through the doors. For a moment there was silence, then the music started again. Barry recognized it as a traditional bridal march. Who was getting married? He fogged out again, only to come to, as the smiling gentleman in the white suit came to escort them in.
"Welcome to the Chapel of the Wedded Doves," he smoothly announced. "Is this the happy couple?"
Genma nodded while Soun announced them. "This is my daughter, Akane Tendo, and her fiancé, Ranma Saotome."
"So young… Yet love often blossoms so. You are their parents?"
"Genma Saotome," came a gruff voice.
"Soun Tendo," came the voice of Akane's father, who, emotional as always, sounded like he'd soon be flooding the little chapel.
Barry smiled faintly. Ranma and Akane getting married? That was wonderful. He looked around for Gwen for a moment then laughed to himself. Gwen couldn't make this wedding! Oh, well… That was too bad. She really liked weddings! He blinked, looking up at the lacy, arched ceiling. It looked like something out of a Las Vegas wedding chapel. Not exactly what he would have expected of these two. He remembered the simplicity of the church back home where he had married Gwen. He looked over at Akane and her serious face. Her dress was a little large and almost too ornate with all the lace and 'frosting'. She looked more like a decoration off the top of a wedding cake. Her serious face… Barry tilted his head. That wasn't right. She should be happy. Ranma loved her smile. He'd think she didn't love him. He looked around for Ranma. He wasn't sure what role he played here, but it just wouldn't do for Ranma to see such a glum bride. He tried to think of a joke or a silly story to break her out of her funk, but his mind was so slow today.
The music started up again, and the initial beats of the opening caught his attention and froze his brain. 'Da…da-da-da-da… da… da… da…'
He shook his head and came to himself once more, consciously trying to clear away the fog that inhibited him. He vaguely recognized the hypnotic's effects, but there was more to deal with than that. Besides, he wasn't supposed to think about that, was he? He wasn't sure. He looked at Akane standing beside her father. He heard something about… license? The minister would sign it after the ceremony. He fogged out, fought back and slid out again. Wait a minute! He was Ranma right now! He couldn't marry Akane! He fought harder and dimly heard a sentence, an important sentence.
"If anyone knows a just reason why these two people should not be joined in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace…"
Barry felt his heart thud over. This was important… Why important? Oh, yeah…
"There being none—!" The man was interrupted by a gargled voice. "What did you say?" he asked the young man before him, shocked.
"Ah said-d-d, A'hm a'ready married. Can' ge' married if-f yer a'ready mar-ried."
Soun turned a thunderous face toward Genma. "SAOTOME!" he bellowed, letting loose a respectable and predictable demon head.