Ranma - Hello Ranma, Genma, Happosai and Shampoo!
Hello Ranma, Genma, Happosai and Shampoo![PG-13]
Niklas "Hawk" Jonsson
Summary: When the Tendo girls first meet the Saotomes, the Saotomes doesn't come alone. They've managed to pick up an early-awakened Master Happosai and our favourite cat-shifting Chinese Amazon on their journey. Master Happosai has already declared Ranma his heir and passed on some of his techniques to him. Akane has never needed much encouragement to accuse Ranma of being a pervert, but this time around, she's actually right!
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, the characters and whatnot are not mine, though I certainly wish they were. The story is mine though, all mine. This series deals with mature subject matters and violence. If this disturbs you, don't read. But if it does, then why the heck are you watching the show/reading the manga in the first place?
Feedback/Flames: Yes, please. Both of them are equally fun to read, although I must admit that I greatly prefer the first variety. :)
I can be found on ICQ as 21771860 or through e-mail as iamhawk@yahoo.com, more stories are available at my nifty lil' site at or by clicking on my handle up above.
"speech"
*emphasis/shouts/Kindred Domination/post-hypnotic triggers*
/thoughts/
*/telepathy/*
~translation~
+soundeffect/radio/telephone conversation/TV+
*** Previously, on 'Hello Ranma, Genma, Happosai and Shampoo!' ***
"Shampoo want 'talk' with Airen about knowing have more then one fiancée, but no tell Shampoo about. Shampoo also want talk about now getting more fiancée. Shampoo think she let Bonbori do talking." she added and Ranma took two steps backwards, a nervous look on his face.
"Ahhh, on second thought..." he started, but Shampoo ignored him completely, grabbed hold of his pigtail and hauled him off towards the dojo. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he yelped in pain as she repeatedly tugged at his hair to keep him in motion.
"Oh no, Airen. Come with Shampoo. Shampoo think spar too too good idea." she insisted as the two of them left the room, Ranma directing pleading looks for a rescue back towards the ones remaining.
"Help!" Ranma mouthed as he was dragged out of sight.
*** Roll credits ***
Chapter Four:
"Pops and Mr Tendo are both crazy, Shampoo." Ranma commented, ducking underneath a vicious kick that would have broken several ribs if it had actually hit him. "Do you think being apprenticed to Happosai will make me as crazy as those two?" he asked, sidestepping another fierce kick from his Chinese fiancée. The fact that he'd just found out about yet another arranged marriage didn't upset him all that much. But this was the first time he'd ever met any of his intended brides to be while old enough to appreciate it.
"Aiya! Airen fight real, no fun when distracted and no fight back." Shampoo complained and ducked, spun around and then came up with an elbow in Ranma's gut. She had been upset when she found out about the arrangements, but some sparring and a few bruises on Ranma had done wonders in getting her to calm down. "See? Airen distracted. No fun fight." Shampoo complained as Ranma staggered back, trying to regain his breath as he just barely managed to dodge an oncoming Bonbori, dodging it even more enthusiastically then usual. Perhaps the fact that he now sported a significant bump on his head from when he hadn't dodged in time had something to do with that.
"Sorry." he wheezed and leaned back to avoid a roundhouse aimed at his face. She was right, that elbow would never have struck if he'd just devoted all his attention to the fight. It wasn't much of a problem against most opponents, but fighting Shampoo required all of his focus when she went all out on him. She too was holding back though, distracted by earlier events, which was why he'd allowed himself to grow distracted during their sparring.
"Shampoo know how Airen can make up to Shampoo..." she drawled with a suggestive smile and Ranma sighed, chuckling with a bemused expression as he launched a devastating combo that Shampoo just barely managed to dodge, parry and block without getting hit even once in the process. He wasn't going at full speed or full power, of course, but her accomplishment was impressive none the less. That had been one of the better combinations in his impressive arsenal. Perhaps she wasn't as distracted as he'd thought.
And to think, he'd once had a problem fighting with and hitting girls!
Well, training with Happosai, who'd tried to teach him to view women as nothing but objects to be admired, fondled, groped and as sources of underwear to be stolen, had started to erode that problem. He resisted that as much as he could, but he had to admit that he was starting to get at least a little influenced by it. Though he was still a *very* far cry from viewing them as panty-clad batteries with legs and tits, like Happosai did.
Training on a regular basis with Shampoo, who'd merely snorted at his reluctance to hit girls as something completely ridiculous, then proceeded to relentlessly pummel him until he started to fight back, had taken care of the rest. Though he still felt a guilty twinge in the back of his head whenever he actually hit her, but hit her he did.
If he didn't, he'd probably wind up in a hospital, because Shampoo certainly had no problems hitting boys and the fact that he was her fiancée didn't seem to faze her in the slightest whenever they fought. As a matter of fact, that probably just made her fight harder as she wanted to prove to him just how good she was.
"Oh, I just bet you do." Ranma responded with a wry smile. "What is it this time? Another date?" he inquired, curious despite himself. While horribly embarrassing, some of her suggestions were highly entertaining. Not to mention the fact of how much the more... Exotic... Ones pissed off his father whenever Shampoo suggested them and Ranma pretended to consider them. At least now he knew why pops got upset. To think that the old moron actually intended to honour one of his many crazy arrangements! It was mind-boggling.
"Shampoo had other thing in mind. But if Airen no mind giving Shampoo kiss at end of date this time, Shampoo willing be flexible." she replied, jumping over a kick at her midriff, twisting aside mid-air to avoid the follow-up high kick and using Ranma's leg to gain more altitude, pushing herself away from him. Shampoo had taken to the aerial manoeuvres of the Saotome Ryuu like a fish to water. Though she still had a long way to go before she reached Ranmas or even Genmas level of competence, she learned fast and gained quickly on the father and son.
"Why are you so fixated on that, Shampoo?" Ranma sighed. "What is wrong with just going on a date?" he inquired.
"What wrong with kiss?" Shampoo countered. "Is not like Shampoo ask to make love with Airen..." she said, then blushed. "All that often..." she amended with a sheepish expression. "Shampoo just ask Airen, just ask *fiancée*, for kiss. One little kiss!" she added, stomping her foot and making one of her Bonbori vanish as she had to use her left hand to wipe a few tears away. "One little kiss..." she repeated in a very faint and very weak trembling voice.
"Aw, dammit... Don't cry, Shampoo." Ranma pleaded, walking up to the girl, clearly flustered and very unsure about what to do. /What the hell do I do now?!/ he asked himself, not really expecting an answer.
"Why? Why Airen no want kiss Shampoo? Airen think Shampoo ugly? Think Shampoo not attractive? That it? That why Airen no kiss Shampoo?" she asked, tears trailing down her cheeks.
"No! That's not it at all, Shampoo." Ranma protested. "Dammit! I'm not good at this." he groused under his breath. Fights, he could handle. Arguments, he could handle. But a girl crying? No, that was worse, by far worse. "Shampoo, you're pretty. Very pretty. Cute. Sexy! Beautiful, even. But that's the problem. Happosai unleashed my sex drive, if I know him right, he probably enhanced it while he was at it. He's training me to take advantage of this, to gain strength from it. I'm afraid that if we kiss, I won't be able to stop at that." he confessed. "Hell, do you know how hard it is to hold back? To keep myself under control?" Ranma demanded, turning away so that he didn't have to see her.
"These feelings... These urges... I've never had them, *never*, until Happosai came into my life. I've never had to deal with it before and now, it's always there, always on my mind. It makes me stronger and faster, but it shoots my control straight to hell! Sometimes, it's all I can do to stop myself from ravishing you. Heck, it's not even just you. I've never looked at girls before, never! Now, I can't stop myself. I look, I imagine, I fantasise, I dream. Oh, god. The dreams..." Ranma said, trailing off with a shudder. Then stiffened, in more then one way, as he felt Shampoo's hand on his shoulder, offering silent support.
"Even when we came here, the first thing I did as I saw the three sisters, I started getting these weird mental images. It's... It creeps me out, Shampoo. I've read about these things, stopped at a few libraries and I know that it's supposed to be all natural and shit. But for me, it isn't! It isn't normal for me. It's not that I'm not willing to explore these feelings, these urges... But I'm afraid, afraid of loosing control." he sighed, slumping down onto the floor, holding up his hands in front of his face.
"You know how strong I am, Shampoo. You've seen how much stronger I get around girls now, how much contact with girls affects me. Heck, you've got the bruises to prove that my control sometimes slips these days. If I'm ever... Intimate with a girl, will I be able to control myself? Will I be able to hold back? Or will I... Will I..." he trailed off and wiped a few tears from his own eyes. "I could so easily cause permanent damages, Shampoo. I could so easily scar somebody for life, so easily kill..."
"Shampoo sorry, Airen. Shampoo not know about this." Shampoo stated, kneeling behind Ranma and putting her arms around him. "Airen never talk about this before."
"It's not exactly something I'm comfortable talking about, Shampoo." Ranma admitted. "I'd love to kiss you. But..." he added, trailing off and shuddered again. "What if I... What if... What if I hurt you?" he asked in a voice so faint that Shampoo had problems making out what he said. "Oh, Kami-sama. What if I hurt you?" he whispered.
"Shampoo tough girl, Airen. No break easily. Airen remember when Shampoo teach Breaking Point, yes? Remember training? How Airen think Shampoo get know Breaking Point? Airen learn in week. When Shampoo young, spend three week getting beat up by big boulder before learn." Shampoo replied, then sighed. "But if Airen not ready, Shampoo willing wait. For Airen, Shampoo willing wait." she assured him, then hugged him tighter. "Shampoo sorry for always try push things. Is just... Shampoo love Airen, want do love-love things with Airen. Not just spar, spar and spar again all day. No matter how much fun is, no matter how much learn. No can settle for spar forever." she sighed, shoulders slumping for a few moments.
"Airen promise at least think about other things? Promise at least consider kiss?" Shampoo inquired hopefully.
"I'm always thinking about it, Shampoo. That's the problem." Ranma sighed.
"Shampoo read things too. Read too too interesting article about restraints, ropes and cuffs... Airen no can hurt if Airen tied up..." Shampoo revealed, trailing off with a suggestive drawl in her voice.
"Shampoo!" Ranma protested, blushing furiously and squirming in her embrace.
"No! Out of the question! Nuh-uh! I'm not marrying that pervert! He turns into a girl! He probably takes advantage of his girl body in all sorts of disgusting ways!" Akane ranted.
"Just think of what you might learn. You saw how he moves, how he handled himself. I might not practise any longer, but I know skill when I see it." Nabiki interjected. "You're no slouch, but he's better. *Way* better unless I'm completely off my mark. You're always boasting about your skills and blabbing about being the best Martial Artist in Nerima. Well, if you want to continue saying that without lying, you're going to have to train, learn a thing or two. He'll be both fiancée and Sensei, it's perfect."
"Big mistake, little sister..." Kasumi mumbled, her lips concealed from Akane by a teacup. Nabiki didn't understand why at first, but then she realised what she'd said and nearly groaned at her own mistakes. She was still so shaken up by earlier events that she couldn't even handle her little sister! Not only had she reminded Akane that she was no longer the best in Nerima, but she'd even suggested that there might be something to learn from a boy. Nabiki just knew that Akane would dig in her heels now, there was no way that Akane could be persuaded to accept the arrangement now. Well, one down, one to go.
"How about you, Kasumi? He's certainly not bad looking and you two already seem to work well together." Nabiki drawled, turning to face Kasumi as she prepared to do verbal battle with her. A battle had just been lost, but the war was still in full swing.
"He certainly displayed a greater amount of maturity then I would have expected for somebody so young." Kasumi admitted, calmly sipping from her tea as Akane fumed in the background, muttering harangues about how she had nothing to learn from any perverted boys. "But you're the one who's easily swayed by a pretty face, not me." she continued, turning a sly gaze towards Nabiki.
"You saw how he ate. You'd always have somebody around to really appreciate your excellent cooking." Nabiki countered.
"True." Kasumi agreed. The cookies she'd served with the tea had vanished at near-light speeds. The boy certainly had a healthy appetite! "And a man of his talents would certainly be an excellent provider. I can easily imagine him with a career in the movies, bringing in some extra money on the side, when he's not teaching classes in the Dojo." Kasumi gushed and Nabiki blinked as she considered that. She hadn't even thought of that yet! If he didn't already have money, it'd be easy to turn him into a moneymaking machine! /Strange how Kasumi focused on that, though. She usually doesn't care much about... Oh, I see./ Nabiki thought, then realised that Kasumi didn't really care about that, but knew that Nabiki would!
"True. And he did mention that he studied Shihatsu, Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Perhaps he might even become a doctor, like Tofu." Nabiki drawled, which drew startled looks from both Kasumi and Akane. Nabiki hid a grin, perhaps the battle against Akane hadn't been as much a lost cause as she first believed! "Doctor Saotome. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Having your husband give you a massage after a days hard work doesn't sound all that shabby either."
Akane appeared to waver for a split second, then the moment was over and she started on her 'Boys - Why they suck and how much I hate them'-rants again. Kasumi took a while longer to process this, but brushed it aside.
"Yes. And of course, whomever marries him, will inherit the Dojo." Kasumi agreed and all three of them fell silent. All three had strong memories of their home, it was where they had grown up and it was where their mother had lived. It was a strong selling point for all three of them, even for the normally stoic Nabiki.
"I... I... I can't. I can't marry a perverted boy, I just can't." Akane said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. Kasumi sighed, but nodded, conceding defeat on that point. She then looked over at Nabiki, who impassively looked back at her elder sister.
"The family honour is at stake. One of us has to do it." Kasumi reminded her sisters, then looked down at the floor, absently reaching out to remove a splinter of wood. "I... I do not wish it at this time, but unless one of you wishes to step up or has some idea of how to get us out of this, I will accept the engagement." she finally said, without looking up.
"I'm not *completely* unwilling." Nabiki finally confessed, then her shoulders slumped for a few moments before she looked up with fire in her eyes. "But we've just met him! I hardly know anything about him. It's impossible to make a decision like this, just out of the blue. I suggest we go down there and demand some time to ponder this, some time to get to know him! After we've gotten to know him, we can have this discussion again."
The End! ( For now... )
Niklas "Hawk" Jonsson
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, the characters and whatnot are not mine, though I certainly wish they were. The story is mine though, all mine. This series deals with mature subject matters and violence. If this disturbs you, don't read. But if it does, then why the heck are you watching the show/reading the manga in the first place?
Feedback/Flames: Yes, please. Both of them are equally fun to read, although I must admit that I greatly prefer the first variety. :)
I can be found on ICQ as 21771860 or through e-mail as iamhawk@yahoo.com, more stories are available at my nifty lil' site at or by clicking on my handle up above.
"speech"
*emphasis/shouts/Kindred Domination/post-hypnotic triggers*
/thoughts/
*/telepathy/*
~translation~
+soundeffect/radio/telephone conversation/TV+
"Shampoo want 'talk' with Airen about knowing have more then one fiancée, but no tell Shampoo about. Shampoo also want talk about now getting more fiancée. Shampoo think she let Bonbori do talking." she added and Ranma took two steps backwards, a nervous look on his face.
"Ahhh, on second thought..." he started, but Shampoo ignored him completely, grabbed hold of his pigtail and hauled him off towards the dojo. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he yelped in pain as she repeatedly tugged at his hair to keep him in motion.
"Oh no, Airen. Come with Shampoo. Shampoo think spar too too good idea." she insisted as the two of them left the room, Ranma directing pleading looks for a rescue back towards the ones remaining.
"Help!" Ranma mouthed as he was dragged out of sight.
"Pops and Mr Tendo are both crazy, Shampoo." Ranma commented, ducking underneath a vicious kick that would have broken several ribs if it had actually hit him. "Do you think being apprenticed to Happosai will make me as crazy as those two?" he asked, sidestepping another fierce kick from his Chinese fiancée. The fact that he'd just found out about yet another arranged marriage didn't upset him all that much. But this was the first time he'd ever met any of his intended brides to be while old enough to appreciate it.
"Aiya! Airen fight real, no fun when distracted and no fight back." Shampoo complained and ducked, spun around and then came up with an elbow in Ranma's gut. She had been upset when she found out about the arrangements, but some sparring and a few bruises on Ranma had done wonders in getting her to calm down. "See? Airen distracted. No fun fight." Shampoo complained as Ranma staggered back, trying to regain his breath as he just barely managed to dodge an oncoming Bonbori, dodging it even more enthusiastically then usual. Perhaps the fact that he now sported a significant bump on his head from when he hadn't dodged in time had something to do with that.
"Sorry." he wheezed and leaned back to avoid a roundhouse aimed at his face. She was right, that elbow would never have struck if he'd just devoted all his attention to the fight. It wasn't much of a problem against most opponents, but fighting Shampoo required all of his focus when she went all out on him. She too was holding back though, distracted by earlier events, which was why he'd allowed himself to grow distracted during their sparring.
"Shampoo know how Airen can make up to Shampoo..." she drawled with a suggestive smile and Ranma sighed, chuckling with a bemused expression as he launched a devastating combo that Shampoo just barely managed to dodge, parry and block without getting hit even once in the process. He wasn't going at full speed or full power, of course, but her accomplishment was impressive none the less. That had been one of the better combinations in his impressive arsenal. Perhaps she wasn't as distracted as he'd thought.
And to think, he'd once had a problem fighting with and hitting girls!
Well, training with Happosai, who'd tried to teach him to view women as nothing but objects to be admired, fondled, groped and as sources of underwear to be stolen, had started to erode that problem. He resisted that as much as he could, but he had to admit that he was starting to get at least a little influenced by it. Though he was still a *very* far cry from viewing them as panty-clad batteries with legs and tits, like Happosai did.
Training on a regular basis with Shampoo, who'd merely snorted at his reluctance to hit girls as something completely ridiculous, then proceeded to relentlessly pummel him until he started to fight back, had taken care of the rest. Though he still felt a guilty twinge in the back of his head whenever he actually hit her, but hit her he did.
If he didn't, he'd probably wind up in a hospital, because Shampoo certainly had no problems hitting boys and the fact that he was her fiancée didn't seem to faze her in the slightest whenever they fought. As a matter of fact, that probably just made her fight harder as she wanted to prove to him just how good she was.
"Oh, I just bet you do." Ranma responded with a wry smile. "What is it this time? Another date?" he inquired, curious despite himself. While horribly embarrassing, some of her suggestions were highly entertaining. Not to mention the fact of how much the more... Exotic... Ones pissed off his father whenever Shampoo suggested them and Ranma pretended to consider them. At least now he knew why pops got upset. To think that the old moron actually intended to honour one of his many crazy arrangements! It was mind-boggling.
"Shampoo had other thing in mind. But if Airen no mind giving Shampoo kiss at end of date this time, Shampoo willing be flexible." she replied, jumping over a kick at her midriff, twisting aside mid-air to avoid the follow-up high kick and using Ranma's leg to gain more altitude, pushing herself away from him. Shampoo had taken to the aerial manoeuvres of the Saotome Ryuu like a fish to water. Though she still had a long way to go before she reached Ranmas or even Genmas level of competence, she learned fast and gained quickly on the father and son.
"Why are you so fixated on that, Shampoo?" Ranma sighed. "What is wrong with just going on a date?" he inquired.
"What wrong with kiss?" Shampoo countered. "Is not like Shampoo ask to make love with Airen..." she said, then blushed. "All that often..." she amended with a sheepish expression. "Shampoo just ask Airen, just ask *fiancée*, for kiss. One little kiss!" she added, stomping her foot and making one of her Bonbori vanish as she had to use her left hand to wipe a few tears away. "One little kiss..." she repeated in a very faint and very weak trembling voice.
"Aw, dammit... Don't cry, Shampoo." Ranma pleaded, walking up to the girl, clearly flustered and very unsure about what to do. /What the hell do I do now?!/ he asked himself, not really expecting an answer.
"Why? Why Airen no want kiss Shampoo? Airen think Shampoo ugly? Think Shampoo not attractive? That it? That why Airen no kiss Shampoo?" she asked, tears trailing down her cheeks.
"No! That's not it at all, Shampoo." Ranma protested. "Dammit! I'm not good at this." he groused under his breath. Fights, he could handle. Arguments, he could handle. But a girl crying? No, that was worse, by far worse. "Shampoo, you're pretty. Very pretty. Cute. Sexy! Beautiful, even. But that's the problem. Happosai unleashed my sex drive, if I know him right, he probably enhanced it while he was at it. He's training me to take advantage of this, to gain strength from it. I'm afraid that if we kiss, I won't be able to stop at that." he confessed. "Hell, do you know how hard it is to hold back? To keep myself under control?" Ranma demanded, turning away so that he didn't have to see her.
"These feelings... These urges... I've never had them, *never*, until Happosai came into my life. I've never had to deal with it before and now, it's always there, always on my mind. It makes me stronger and faster, but it shoots my control straight to hell! Sometimes, it's all I can do to stop myself from ravishing you. Heck, it's not even just you. I've never looked at girls before, never! Now, I can't stop myself. I look, I imagine, I fantasise, I dream. Oh, god. The dreams..." Ranma said, trailing off with a shudder. Then stiffened, in more then one way, as he felt Shampoo's hand on his shoulder, offering silent support.
"Even when we came here, the first thing I did as I saw the three sisters, I started getting these weird mental images. It's... It creeps me out, Shampoo. I've read about these things, stopped at a few libraries and I know that it's supposed to be all natural and shit. But for me, it isn't! It isn't normal for me. It's not that I'm not willing to explore these feelings, these urges... But I'm afraid, afraid of loosing control." he sighed, slumping down onto the floor, holding up his hands in front of his face.
"You know how strong I am, Shampoo. You've seen how much stronger I get around girls now, how much contact with girls affects me. Heck, you've got the bruises to prove that my control sometimes slips these days. If I'm ever... Intimate with a girl, will I be able to control myself? Will I be able to hold back? Or will I... Will I..." he trailed off and wiped a few tears from his own eyes. "I could so easily cause permanent damages, Shampoo. I could so easily scar somebody for life, so easily kill..."
"Shampoo sorry, Airen. Shampoo not know about this." Shampoo stated, kneeling behind Ranma and putting her arms around him. "Airen never talk about this before."
"It's not exactly something I'm comfortable talking about, Shampoo." Ranma admitted. "I'd love to kiss you. But..." he added, trailing off and shuddered again. "What if I... What if... What if I hurt you?" he asked in a voice so faint that Shampoo had problems making out what he said. "Oh, Kami-sama. What if I hurt you?" he whispered.
"Shampoo tough girl, Airen. No break easily. Airen remember when Shampoo teach Breaking Point, yes? Remember training? How Airen think Shampoo get know Breaking Point? Airen learn in week. When Shampoo young, spend three week getting beat up by big boulder before learn." Shampoo replied, then sighed. "But if Airen not ready, Shampoo willing wait. For Airen, Shampoo willing wait." she assured him, then hugged him tighter. "Shampoo sorry for always try push things. Is just... Shampoo love Airen, want do love-love things with Airen. Not just spar, spar and spar again all day. No matter how much fun is, no matter how much learn. No can settle for spar forever." she sighed, shoulders slumping for a few moments.
"Airen promise at least think about other things? Promise at least consider kiss?" Shampoo inquired hopefully.
"I'm always thinking about it, Shampoo. That's the problem." Ranma sighed.
"Shampoo read things too. Read too too interesting article about restraints, ropes and cuffs... Airen no can hurt if Airen tied up..." Shampoo revealed, trailing off with a suggestive drawl in her voice.
"Shampoo!" Ranma protested, blushing furiously and squirming in her embrace.
"No! Out of the question! Nuh-uh! I'm not marrying that pervert! He turns into a girl! He probably takes advantage of his girl body in all sorts of disgusting ways!" Akane ranted.
"Just think of what you might learn. You saw how he moves, how he handled himself. I might not practise any longer, but I know skill when I see it." Nabiki interjected. "You're no slouch, but he's better. *Way* better unless I'm completely off my mark. You're always boasting about your skills and blabbing about being the best Martial Artist in Nerima. Well, if you want to continue saying that without lying, you're going to have to train, learn a thing or two. He'll be both fiancée and Sensei, it's perfect."
"Big mistake, little sister..." Kasumi mumbled, her lips concealed from Akane by a teacup. Nabiki didn't understand why at first, but then she realised what she'd said and nearly groaned at her own mistakes. She was still so shaken up by earlier events that she couldn't even handle her little sister! Not only had she reminded Akane that she was no longer the best in Nerima, but she'd even suggested that there might be something to learn from a boy. Nabiki just knew that Akane would dig in her heels now, there was no way that Akane could be persuaded to accept the arrangement now. Well, one down, one to go.
"How about you, Kasumi? He's certainly not bad looking and you two already seem to work well together." Nabiki drawled, turning to face Kasumi as she prepared to do verbal battle with her. A battle had just been lost, but the war was still in full swing.
"He certainly displayed a greater amount of maturity then I would have expected for somebody so young." Kasumi admitted, calmly sipping from her tea as Akane fumed in the background, muttering harangues about how she had nothing to learn from any perverted boys. "But you're the one who's easily swayed by a pretty face, not me." she continued, turning a sly gaze towards Nabiki.
"You saw how he ate. You'd always have somebody around to really appreciate your excellent cooking." Nabiki countered.
"True." Kasumi agreed. The cookies she'd served with the tea had vanished at near-light speeds. The boy certainly had a healthy appetite! "And a man of his talents would certainly be an excellent provider. I can easily imagine him with a career in the movies, bringing in some extra money on the side, when he's not teaching classes in the Dojo." Kasumi gushed and Nabiki blinked as she considered that. She hadn't even thought of that yet! If he didn't already have money, it'd be easy to turn him into a moneymaking machine! /Strange how Kasumi focused on that, though. She usually doesn't care much about... Oh, I see./ Nabiki thought, then realised that Kasumi didn't really care about that, but knew that Nabiki would!
"True. And he did mention that he studied Shihatsu, Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Perhaps he might even become a doctor, like Tofu." Nabiki drawled, which drew startled looks from both Kasumi and Akane. Nabiki hid a grin, perhaps the battle against Akane hadn't been as much a lost cause as she first believed! "Doctor Saotome. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Having your husband give you a massage after a days hard work doesn't sound all that shabby either."
Akane appeared to waver for a split second, then the moment was over and she started on her 'Boys - Why they suck and how much I hate them'-rants again. Kasumi took a while longer to process this, but brushed it aside.
"Yes. And of course, whomever marries him, will inherit the Dojo." Kasumi agreed and all three of them fell silent. All three had strong memories of their home, it was where they had grown up and it was where their mother had lived. It was a strong selling point for all three of them, even for the normally stoic Nabiki.
"I... I... I can't. I can't marry a perverted boy, I just can't." Akane said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. Kasumi sighed, but nodded, conceding defeat on that point. She then looked over at Nabiki, who impassively looked back at her elder sister.
"The family honour is at stake. One of us has to do it." Kasumi reminded her sisters, then looked down at the floor, absently reaching out to remove a splinter of wood. "I... I do not wish it at this time, but unless one of you wishes to step up or has some idea of how to get us out of this, I will accept the engagement." she finally said, without looking up.
"I'm not *completely* unwilling." Nabiki finally confessed, then her shoulders slumped for a few moments before she looked up with fire in her eyes. "But we've just met him! I hardly know anything about him. It's impossible to make a decision like this, just out of the blue. I suggest we go down there and demand some time to ponder this, some time to get to know him! After we've gotten to know him, we can have this discussion again."
The End! ( For now... )