Ranma 1/2: Overtime
Chapter 1: Planned Futures(?)
Written by: Xasonnex
Legal Stuff: Ok, so I'm not Rumiko Takahashi, and these ARE her charecters, but I mean no disrespect in using them. I just want to dream up my own stories involving them. And Viz Communications are the people who have the rights to use them. Please don't sue me, I'll give them back Kuno's driving me crazy, should have known better than to use him... Even in my head...
This story takes place right after manga volume 38. It's been said that after the "Wedding Fiasco" that Ranma and Akane's relationship has gone into "overtime," hence the title. Well, overtime is usually a very short time in relation to the corresponding game, sometimes only until the next point is scored. I think it's time to end the game of who Ranma is going to marry. After all, how can you get into basketball season without bringing football to an end? Besides, there's always NEXT season!
Nodoka sighed as the last of the repair crews left the Tendo Dojo. They had done good work, fixing it up completely in just a few hours. But then, any repair crew in Nerima had enough expereience to rebuild the entire district in a week after a year of Ranma and his "friends". For Nodoka, rebuilding the Tendo's a day after the attempted wedding was enough.
"It seems they get better and faster every time," Soun half mumbled to himself as he was returned to his game of shogi with Genma.
"They certainly have enough experience," Genma signed, being a panda at the time. Nodoka stepped past them on her way to the kitchen, one of her only places at the Tendo's where she could think alone.
"They were so close this time," Nodoka thought to herself, pouring herself a glass of tea. "If only dearest hadn't heard about the water fom the "spring of drowned man". She paused to take a sip, noteing how soothing it was going down her throught. She loved Genma, she really did, but it was very hard to with his pig-headedness. "If only Ranma had gotten to the water first, maybe he would have been cured and married Akane out of thanks. Perhaps if he'd gotten it in the end, instead of Genma's "Honerable Master"." She took another sip, pausing to hear Genma and Soun's plans on how to get their children married even after this. She frowned in their direction, then looked at her own hands, hands that also played a part in this latest scheme. She frowned more, engrossing herself in deep thought. "But perhaps,...just perhaps it's been because us, their parents, that true love hasn't had time to bloom." She set her glass down upon the table and leaned further back in her chair, finally realizing a truth that had eluded Genma and Soun for almost a year. "I think we have been pushing too hard, trying to mold them into what we expect, not what they want.
"They're like a bonsai tree. We prick and prod with our clippers and scissors, trying to bend their branches into a pattern we saw in a store window. We didn't realize that they were trying on their own to create their own intricate shape, more beautiful than what we could have imagined. There are, after all, few things more beautiful than a natural bonsai. Those which we shape on own can't really compare to nature's beauty." She considered her reasoning, deciding that it was pretty accurate. "It's worse now," she realized, "now there other people trying to mold our bonsai. They are adding vines and weeds, trying to achive their own vision." Thoughts of Cologne and Shampoo entered her head, followed by mental images of Ukyou and Kodachi. "Some of these things could make the whole picture more beautiful, but nature's balance is disturbed. We must weed out our pot, and try to bend the branches back to their origional direction." Nodoka thought hard. She had tried her own plans to get Ranma and Akane together, Genma and Soun had tried, and even Cologne hadn't succeeded with her century of experience. Pressure and influence didn't work on these two. They had to choose their own destany.
"The bonsai must grow on it's own," she reasoned. "But I need someone who knows how it was growing before outside influence. I need the help of someone who has seen the ups and downs of their relationship and who understands them, who hasn't had their own agenda and is completely impartial." Nodoka had virtually no time to think of such a person before she entered the kitchen to work on lunch.
"Mrs. Saotome, are you done with that glass?" Kasumi asked in her usual, helpful, plesant tone. "If you are, you could give it to me so that I could wash it and put it away."
"Actually Kasumi, I was about to pour myself another. Would you like to join me? I would like to talk to you about something."
"Oh my," (sorry, couldn't help myself ;-) )
Kasumi thought Nodoka's plan over. She certainly did have a good idea, but Genma and Soun weren't entirely amatures either, and they hadn't succeeded yet. And Auntie Nodoka had tried and failed in the past as well. But this plan was different. This plan didn't back Ranma just into a corner, he had a choice. This was an element lacking in previous attemts. While it forced his hand, he had the option to fold, go for a chance, or even try to get delt a trump card. And there was something else she liked about this one.
Akane wasn't a part of the plan. Her sister wasn't going to put through any more torment. Akane had enough stress as it was, she didn't need more. Nodoka wasn't going to try to pull her strings like a puppet. Kasumi really liked that a lot. One way or another, Akane would be affected by the results, but she didn't have to do anything she might regret.
The plan depended entirely on Ranma growing up and making a decision. Kasumi was all for that, the boy did need to learn to take a little responsibility for his actions.
Nodoka took in the fact that Kasumi was deep in thought. "She certainly has a lot to think about. I don't think Husband and Soun have ever sunken to the level of asking poor Kasumi to play a deciding role in one of these manipulative plans." Nodoka had spent about half an hour telling Kasumi her new stratagy for getting Ranma and Akane to wed. She knew she had a good theory, but Kasumi's help was very much needed. The other two girls pineing for her son needed to be kept out of the way for this to succeed, and Kasumi probably had a good grasp on how they thought. Nodoka needed this information to impliment this plan.
Kasumi reached a decision. "Auntie, I belive you have a very good idea, and I would very much like to help. However, I do have a condition."
Nodoka frowned for an instant. Kasumi was a very easy going person and never really asked anything of anyone. This was unexpected. Still, Nodoka needed her help, and Kasumi wouldn't ask of anything too demanding, would she? "And that would be?"
"Although I respect you and your opinions as I would my own mother's, we probably have a conflict of intrest as to how you expect them to act if and when they marry."
"Go on,"
"While I do belive Akane and Ranma care deeply for one another, I belive they may still be a bit young, emotionally, to... um.."
"To?"
"...consumate the marrige."
Nodoka didn't know how to react. Not only did she feel Ranma was ready to consumate after marrige, but she felt it would be very manly of him indeed to have tried it before marrige. That was Manly, wasn't it? And wasn't Ranma supposed to be a "Man amongst Men?" Still, this WAS Kasumi talking, and manly or not, such actions were frowned upon by tradition. And Kasumi was very traditional.
"Now Kasumi, I do belive it is up to THEM what they do after they are married."
"Yes, it certainly is their decision. But I would like it to be an un-influenced decision. They're not even 17 yet, and to my knowlage, never kissed. I belive if they are pressured into...consumating..., it may be too much too fast."
"Hmmm... perhaps you are right. How about this: If this plan succeeds and Ranma does marry Akane, they will get a very varied double-lecture by the both of us, neither influncing abstinense or the opposite, hopefully taking all pressure off of them."
"That sound quite reasonable. OK, Auntie, I'll help you."
"Thank you very much dear, this means a lot to me."
"You are very welcome. I only hope that it works, poor Akane and Ranma have certainly been through enough together as it is."
"I agree."
"Now first there's Shampoo. She's very dangerous when provoked but can be controlled through her Great-grandmother Cologne. Cologne is very intellegent and can be reasoned with, so..."
Ranma sighed as he placed his chopsticks on his bento box (poor lunch, it never stood a chance). Considering yesterday's events, there was little gossip going around about his and Akane's relationship. Oh there was still plenty, but not as much as expected. After a typical morning (consisting of punting Kuno into lower Earth orbit, being caught by the gossip mob, and being late for class), the only real thing different had been the fact that Ranma had actually walked next to Akane on the way to school.
"Why did I do that?" he wondered as he leaned back and rested against a tree. "I guess after China I'm gonna be a little more protective of Akane now, what with her almost dieing twice. Yea, it's gotta be that. Ain't no way it's cause I like her, I mean, it's not like I love her or anything. Naw, she must've imagined me saying I loved her, after all, it's not like I could have ever fallen in love with such an uncute, unsexy, irritating, loyal, helpful, nice..." Ranma had to give himself a mental slap after he started listing Akane's good qualities. "AAArrrgh... what am I thinking? I can't like her, I just can't..."
Ranma pushed that thought out of his mind, trying to think of something else to think about. "I wonder why Ucch...Ukyou was called out of class right before lunch." Ranma had pretty much ignored Ukyou when he got to school, only greeting her and nothing else. He wasn't above holding a slight grudge after her involvment in disrupting yesterday's wedding attempt. "She should be out by now, I wonder what's keeping her?" He leaned further against the tree, deciding to make himself a little more comfortable.
"Oh well, 'snot like it's any of my buisness." He noticed that with his new positioning, he could see the spot where Akane was eating without disruption.
"Huh, isn't that a coincidence?" he thought as he started to become drousy. Akane was chatting with her friends and having a decent time (her friends had finally learned when not to talk about Akane's personel life).
Every once and a while, Akane would laugh, and Ranma would smile unconciously in response. "Man, she may be a tomboy at times, but she CAN look cute when she smiles" he thought, drifting into peaceful slumber... Which didn't last as long as he'd hoped. He was awakened by someone speaking VERY loudly in his ear.
"...ake up Ranma! Honestly, sometimes I think you are as lazy as your father."
"Mom?...mmm...just give me five more minutes..." Ranma grumbled. Then something in his brain snapped: wasn't he supposed to be at school? "MOM?!" He snapped awake. "What are you doing here?"
"Get your things, we're going for a walk." Nodoka stood over his still slightly groggy form, the sun behind her providing for an almost perfect sillouete.
"Huh? But I've still got classes today," he said, getting up to his feet.
"Never mind that, I've already signed you out for today."
Ranma picked up his bag. "What's this all about, mom? I mean, I appreciate you gettin' me out of classes an all, but why? What'd I do?"
Akane's intrest had become perked. What was Ranma's mother doing here? "Mrs. Saotome! Over here!" Nodoka said something to Ranma, who nodded and headed into school in response. She then made her way over to Akane.
"Why hello Akane, what can I do for you?"
"I was just wondering what you were doing here."
"Something came up and I need Ranma's help, that's all."
"Do you need my help too? I'd be happy to lend a hand!" Something wasn't right with Nodoka, but Akane couldn't quite put her finger on it. Was she hiding something?
"Oh my, thank you for the offer, but no. This is something that Ranma can handle himself."
"Yep, she's hiding something," Akane deduced. "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to endure the rest of my classes while Ranma skips out," she pouted.
"I'm sorry dear, but something came up and I really only need Ranma. Next time I pull someone out of class so that they can miss out on quality education, I'm sure it will be you." Nodoka finished with a smile that seemed somewhat forced to Akane, but to anyone else would look perfectly normal.
Akane decided to leave it at that, whatever it was Nodoka was hiding, she'd find out soon enough. "OK Mrs. Saotome, have fun!"
"I shall endever to make sure Ranma has as much fun with me as he would at school," Nodoka finished, beginning a walk to Furinkin's front gate.
Ranma was having a good time. He and his mother had been walking for hours, talking about whatever came to mind. Nodoka rambled on about her childhood days, while Ranma shared several of his less... traumatic training situations. Whenever Ranma asked why Nodoka had pulled him out of school, she would dance around the subject and bring up something else. They walked through the market, by the park, through residential areas, it didn't matter. It was rare for them to bond like this, Nodoka letting the purely traditional part of her drop. But she had gathered him for a reason, and that time had come.
Ranma was a bit surprized when Nodoka came to a sudden halt. "Hey, Mom, what's up?" he asked.
Nodoka was staring down at the ground. "We have arrived at our destination," she stated, raising her head to glance over to the side of the street.
It was then that Ranma realized that they were just outside the Nekohanton. Panic raced through his system, but he kept it down, this was his mother after all, she wouldn't do anything to put him in even MORE trouble with the amazons, would she? "So, uh, what are we doing here?" he somewhat nervously asked.
"We are going inside," she stated simply, doing just that.
Ranma stood outside a few seconds longer. "I was afraid you'd say that," he murmered to himself before he, too, entered.
Mousse looked up from the glasses he was cleaning (drinking, not optical). "Saotome," he uttered under his breath. What was he doing here? Were he and his mother the guests Cologne was expecting? "They have to be," he reasoned to himself, "Ranma should still have about another hour of school, and his mother has him here, instead of there. I should pay very close attention to these two."
Cologne had been waiting patiently since late in the morning, when Nodoka had called to request a private meeting. The Elder's interest had been peaked by Mrs. Saotome's call, leading her to suggest a meeting at this time. "Mrs. Saotome, Future Son-in-law, I am honored by your visit. If you would like, we may talk in the back room. I'm sure you would like no interruptions," Cologne addressed her guests.
"Man, what's up with all the formality?" Ranma wondered. "Oh, I get it, the Amazon's would probably see Mom as the head of the family, so Cologne's treating her with the respect she would any woman with authority. Either that, or she's just trying to make a good first impression," he reasoned.
"Thank you Elder Cologne," Nodoka responded in a very proper tone, "I belive that will be quite acceptable."
"Very well. Mousse! I'm leaving you in charge of the restruant while Shampoo's on her delivery run. Make sure not to let her father slack off in the kitchen while I'm occupied. And if Shampoo comes back before we are finished, don't tell her Ranma is here," Cologne turned to face Nodoka. "As part of our agreement of course."
"Of course," Nodoka concured, nodding slightly.
Mousse was a very confused myopic martial artist. Why didn't Cologne want Shampoo to know that Ranma was here? It didn't really make much sense, considering that Cologne knew that telling Shampoo that Ranma came there at all would excite the purple-haired Amazon. But what did he know, he was just a man, after all (you know how those Amazon's are). "OK, if you say so." he responded, setting the glass down and moving to relive her at the register. Still, he decided he would take every opportunity that was presented to him to spy on them. Whatever they were up to, he was certain that it was important, and he didn't want to be left out of the loop.
Ranma breathed a sigh of relif to learn that Shampoo was out on a delivery run. "I guess I was too concerned with wondering what Mom wanted with Cologne to realize Shampoo wasn't here, though I guess I should have figured that part out by the fact I havn't been glompted onto, or force-fed some ramen. But why would Mom want to talk to Cologne, anyway? I don't like this," Ranma thought to himself as Cologne and his mother started to move to the back of the resteraunt. Passing by the cash register, he could see the confusion on Mousse's face too, though somewhat hidden by a face of contempt. He took a few brisk strides to catch up with the women, stepping through the doorway seperating the kitchen from the dining area. "Nope, don't like this one bit."
The trio took their seats in complete silence. The room was well lit, but still a bit dark, adding an ominus presence to the air. This wasn't good for Ranma, who still didn't have a clue as to what this is all about, so he was a bit nervous. Nodoka seemed to be deep in thought, considering her words carefully. Cologne, on the other hand, seemed to be waiting patiently. The silence was deafening. Finally, Cologne spoke.
"Considering yesterday's events, I assume that you are here to talk to me about my great-grandaughter's involvement in the wedding."
"That is part of it," Nodoka began, " but it is not the sole reason that we are here. However, since you brought it up, let's start with that." Nodoka took a deep breath. "What happened at the Tendo household yesterday is completely unacceptable. There was extensive property damage, but more importantly, someone could have gotten hurt. There were people present who were NOT martial artists who could defend themselves, and those that were, were in almost the same level of danger." Nodoka paused there to let her words sink in, wondering if she should continue. Before she could, Cologne responded.
"I agree with you wholeheartedly. I had no previous knowlage of what Shampoo was intending, and if I had, I would have stopped it. Explosives are not weapons of honor, and I would not have condoned their useage." She turned to Ranma. "I belive you will agree with me that it is not in my nature to mercilessly attack non- martial artists, hm?"
As the way things were progressing, Ranma would have preferred to remain silent a while longer. This was not the case however, so Ranma answered as honestly as possible, hoping it would be enough for now, so that he could sit back and listen more. "No, you are usually very careful not to harm the innocent; some situations with Akane not withstanding." "Woa," he thought, "'Withstanding'? I've been around Nabiki too long. If I start quoting statistics later on, I'm limiting my exposure to her."
Back at Furinkin, Nabiki managed to stiffle a sneeze. "Damn allergies," she muttered before returning to her studies. Buisness class, her favorite.
Cologne turned back to Nodoka. "There, straight from your son's mouth."
"I do not doubt your intrgrity." Nodoka responded.
"Nor did you imply it. However, I would like to point out that Shampoo was not the first or the only person to crash the party."
"That's right, she wasn't. She was, however, one who brought bombs. And I know from a reliabe source that it is not usually in Ukyou's nature to carry around explosives and attack innocents. However, her involvement has already been attended to."
"You mean, YOU'RE the one who called her out of class today?" Ranma asked.
"Yes, and I'll bring up the content of our conversation in a few minutes," she replied to her son. Ranma gave a look that seemed to cry "but I want to know now," but instead he simply nodded and returned to his silence.
"In any case, I apologize for her actions. If you wish she will face punishment," Cologne offered.
"Thank you, but this is not the only reason I came."
Ranma leaned over and listened intently now, this is what he was probably waiting for.
Mousse quietly tip-toed to the door that seperated him and the conversation. Buisness was slow at the moment, and Shampoo's father would ring a bell if new customers came in. Besides, he too wanted to know what was happening. With that, Mousse could risk a few seconds away from the shop.
Nodoka began, "When I let my husband take Ranma on a training trip over ten years ago, it was under the assumption that he would be taken care of and raised to be a 'man amongst men.' While Genma did provide for Ranma and taught him a considerable deal, Ranma was NOT well taken care of, and he was certainly not raised like I would have approved. Genma put him through excercises that were downright abusive and cruel. I belive there is one instance that immediately comes to your mind." There was silence as Cologne brought herself to respond.
"The Cat-Fist training is a very... rigerous training method, with a side effect that has been an inconvenience the whole time I have been here to watch over Shampoo."
Nodoka nodded. While she hadn't been told all the details behind the Cat-Fist, Kasumi had garunteed Nodoka wouldn't like them. Obviously, even Cologne felt there was some injustice in it. Nodoka continued, "Genma also made decisions about Ranma's life that he never asked my approval for. I was aware that he and Soun had hoped to join our family lines with our children, but didn't know they were actually going to make a traditional engagement. Genma also engaged Ranma to Ukyou, and while I know he didn't intend to go through with it, that poor girl has wasted much of her childhood as a result, and by honor Ranma IS also supposed to be engaged to her. Then Dearest took him to that Chinese training ground. Had I known what that place were, I would have forbid them from going at all in my few letters to them."
Cologne did not like the direction this was going.
"By the curses occouring, by honor, Genma should have comitted ritual suicide and taken Ranma with him." Nodoka looked over to see a sweating Ranma gulp. "I am glad that he did not. However, he should have realized at that point that with Ranma far from a "man amongst men," that he was no longer a worthy parent to continue raising him. Genma nevertheless continued to raise him, and it is because of Genma that they ventured into your village. It is also because of Genma's neglagence to teach Ranma proper manners that both he AND Ranma began eating that prize. Unfortunatly, in doing so, Genma was indirectly resposible for engaging Ranma to a third girl. I'm sure you can see the problem there."
Cologne definatly saw the point Nodoka was trying to illustrate, but she had to try to reason with her. "By being engeged to multiple parties, Ranma cannot marry one without tarnishing his and the remaining two's honor. Yes, I see your point. However, Shampoo's engagement is by law as much as honor, while Akane and Ukyou's engagements are based purely on honor. This should give Shampoo's engagement more power than the others."
"And ignore the decade that Ukyou suffered? Or the fact that the Tendo's have offered shelter to Ranma despite having no means of pay for close to a year? Let's not forget the multiple repair costs they've had to pay because of him. Besides, Ranma is not an Amazon, he did not know those laws, and he is now in Japan where your laws have no jurisdiction, so they do not apply anymore. But," Nodoka quickly added before Cologne could get a word in, "I realize that Shampoo has suffered as well. Her claim is just as valid to me as the other two, which brings us back to our problem. With three fiances, there is no way for Ranma and all of the fiance's to continue with their honor. But, I do have an idea that I have already put into action, with you being the last variable. I have come to ask your acceptence of this solution."
"Oh great," Ranma couldn't help but think, "another ploy that's more likely to hurt me than help me." Once his brain kicked in, however, Ranma also thought, "But this is different from other plots, Mom's trying to reason with Cologne, I don't think I've ever tried to sit down and rationally go over this kind of stuff with Cologne or the fiances, this might actually work!"
"And what might this plan be?" Cologne asked in a slightly lower voice, her eyes mere slits of white and black.
"Or, maybe not." Ranma thought. "But it's worth try'n I guess."
"I have spoken with Kasumi, the eldest female Tendo and the person that your tribe probably see's as the head of the family. If I am going to recognize Shampoo's claim, I will go along with your customs for the sake of argument. She is upset that Akane has been put into so many dangerous situations because of the engagement and it's effects on other suitors for Ranma. While she does support Akane's engagement to Ranma, she also belives that at this point, the engagement is doing more harm than good. She is willing to call off the engagement temporarily, until Ranma has found a way to deal with the other girls. I have confronted Miss Konji about her involvement in yesterday's wedding attemt, and have told her that because of her actions her engagement is off, and she is not to approach my son until he makes an outgoing effort to contact her. I would also like for you to retract Shampoo's claims on Ranma for similar reasons."
"And why is that?" Cologne asked.
"If all of the engagements are off at the same time, then Ranma can marry the girl of his choice with no loss of honor on all counts. This would end this pointless conflict once and for all." Ranma was speechless.
Mousse was in a panic. Shampoo had returned from her largest delivery run of the day early, and Cologne didn't want Shampoo to be in the meeting. After hearing Nodoka's last statement, Mousse didn't want Shampoo to know what was going on in there either, so he had to stall her. He ran back to the front of the resturant as fast as he could, giving Shampoo's father an appreciative glance for the signal he gave him. He got back to the counter just as she was putting down the last of her Ramen boxes.
"Aiya, Mousse, where Great-Grandmother? Shampoo want to ask her question."
"Sh-Shampoo... uh.. she's not in right now, something about running a few errands. Won't be back for a few minutes, at least. Would you like to take over the counter? I've got some chores I need to do in back."
"No, Shampoo need to go to the bathroom. Maybe when get out."
"But you don't need to go right now, do you?" In order for Shampoo to get to the bathroom, she would have to go through the back room, where Cologne and the others were. Mousse had to try to stop her, or at least delay her until the meeting in back was over. After all, if Shampoo's engagement were broken to Ranma even momentarily, Mousse would have a teriffic opportunity to woo Shampoo. He couldn't pass that up (as unsuccessful as it was likely to be).
"If Shampoo say she need go, she need go." She narrowed her eyes. "What it matter to stupid Mousse?"
"I, uh, haven't cleaned in there yet today. It's a mess. You shouldn't go in there. Try to hold it."
"It no dirty in there, Shampoo comb her hair before leaving on delivery run in case run into Airen. Why Mousse try to keep Shampoo out of bathroom?"
"Uh, no reason."
"You lie. You tell Shampoo why she no go." Shampoo lifted Mousse by the coller of his robe.
"Oh, if there is a Kami," Mousse thought, "please help me now. Please, please, please please..."
"Well?"
"Yes boy, tell us why she shouldn't go to the bathroom, where she would take off her last pair of panties so that I might add them to my collection."
I, the author, am not going to go into a discussion stating whether or not there is a Kami, or greater power, or whatever. Let's just say that if there IS a Kami, perhaps it was listening to Mousse that day, and if not, well, there's enough insanity around Nerima that the reason Happosai decided to appear is not important.
"Shut up, pervert, Shampoo trying to get Mousse to tell her... Aiyah, what you mean "Last pair of panties"? Shampoo addressed the short man who seemed to be tasting her father's ramen from the kitchen window.
"You know, sweetie, last pair, as in 'I have no others.' Hey! You call this ramen? It tastes like something Cologne made centuries ago and decided to save in Chinese Tupperware!" Happosai hit Shampoo's father in the head with his tiny pipe.
Despite the fact that no name has ever been given to Shampoo's father, I'm going to go with a stereotypical name, "Chan". Hey, "Chan-Pu" works!
Chan rubbed his head where a bump seemed to already be forming. "Damn old man," he uttered in Manderin under his breath. Mousse, while relived the pressure had been taken off of him, had a huge sweatdrop.
Shampoo looked MAD.
"Why would Shampoo only have one pair panties?"
Happosai seemed to remember something else important, "Oh, look at the time, gotta go!!" As Happosai leaped out the door, a pair of panties fluttered to Shampoo's feet, who recognized them as her's.
"Shampoo...KILL PERVERT!! Is last time he steal her panties, is unforgiveable!" Shampoo's bonbouri seemed to magically appear in her hands, ready to smash a certain old man. "Mousse!" Shampoo called out to the robed martial artist, their last few lines momentarily forgotton, "When Great-Grandmother come back from errands, tell her Shampoo doing very important buisness. Shampoo be back later!" At a nod from Mousse's head, she left, her 'revenge' processors in her brain working overtime.
Mousse sighed in releif as Shampoo dissapeared from view, now the meeting in the back was safe. "The meeting!" he remembered, "I have to find out what's going on back there!" As Mousse left for the back once again, one of the Nekohanton's regular patrons couldn't help but notice how quiet things were going today.
In the back, while Ranma was speechless, Cologne was not. "What you ask is difficult to fufill. It is not only Shampoo and mine's honor at stake, it is the whole tribe's. While there may be a clause somewhere in our laws to permit this, it would take much convincing for the village elders to belive this would be in the village's best interests." Ranma could become a strong Amazon warrior yet, Cologne didn't want to give him up so easily.
Nodoka nodded, as if expecting this. "I understand what is at stake for you and your great-grandaughter, but your tribe seems to have a lot of confidence in your judgement, and you are a far way from home, after all. Surely you belive that you've tried your best to ensnare my son in marrige, and that there is very little more you can do to influence his decision."
"And what prevents me from saying that with his other engagements off, Ranma is now Shampoo's?"
"Several things. First, we are in Japan, where your laws do not apply. Therefore Shampoo's engagement is not officially recognized, even if I recognize it personally. Second, as Ranma's mother, and the head of the Saotome family by Amazon laws, I would choose not to let Shampoo marry him. And third, if you do not agree to comply, the other engagments are back on. Now, which would you like, a good chance at winning Ranma fair and square, or for this insanity to continue until he belives he is good and ready to marry, causing even more problems that are sure to amass by that time?"
Cologne considered this. She had a 33 1/3 percent chance of winning,and this would be a lot easier than just waiting for Ranma to make up his mind in his own time. She needed more information before she would agree to any plans. "What would this include, if I were to agree?"
Ranma had quite a few things to say at this point, like "What about what I want?", "Who says I want to marry any of them?", and the like, but he kept his questions silent so that he could hear his mother's plan.
"Thank you for hearing me out. First, you would temporarily anull Shampoo's engagment, that you know. Then we would give Ranma a set amount of time, say a week, to decide who he wanted to marry and marry her. The other engagments could not be reinstated if he were already married."
"That would give Akane an unfair advantage," Cologne pointed out. "He lives in her home, surrounded by her family and his own father, who wants him to marry Akane more than any of the other fiances."
"I have taken that into consideration. My own house is almost repaired from an earlier encounter with his fiances, he could stay with me there while he makes his decision. I promise not to influence his decision in any way."
There was silence as Cologne digested this. It did seem fair, but it didn't seem quite right. "A week is too much time. He should already know who he wants to marry in his heart. In the cases of Shampoo and Akane, a wedding could be made in a very short amount of time. In the case of the Konji girl, only a day or so would be required. I say we give Ranma until midnight tonight to decide. If he chooses Shampoo or Akane, he could be married in minutes. In Ukyou's case, he and she could sign a paper acknowladging thier engagement to be the only true one until her parents could be contacted."
"Midnight tomorrow night. Ranma should at least be able to sleep on it and enjoy his last night as a bachelor."
"Sundown tomorrow. Deal?"
"Deal."
"No deal."
Nodoka and Cologne both turned to face Ranma, both having almost forgotten he was there. Nodoka asked her son, "What do you mean, no deal?"
Ranma sat up a little straighter in his chair and his voice took a serious tone. "I mean, no deal. It's a good plan an' all, but I am NOT ready to get married. I mean, the dust ain't even settled from a failed wedding yesterday, and here you are trying to get me hitched like nothing happened! Besides, who says I want to marry any of them anyway?"
Nodoka responded cooly, "What happened yesterday was an indication of how bad things will get if you continue to put this off. Ukyou and Shampoo are more than ready to marry you, and even Akane was ready to as well." She placed her hand on Ranma's shoulder from across the table. "Even with this plan, our family's honor will be stained, you have to marry one of these girls, or the damage will be irreverseable. Please."
Ranma reguarded his clenched fist. How could they do this to him, make him choose just like that? "Don't I get a choice in how I live my life? Marrying any of them will change it forever, and I don't want that yet. Sixteen, no, seventeen in a few weeks, is too young to marry. I ain't ready for it."
"Of coures you get a choice, you get to choose WHO you'll marry. You have three perfectly good women to choose from, any of them would be a good match for you and would make a good wife. As for you being too young, what do you suggest? You've seen how out of hand things have gotton putting it off less than a year, how long do you plan to wait, until you're eighteen? Twenty? Son, you have to choose now,... for everyone's sake."
There was silence once more. Even Mousse, who had, of course, been listening, was on pins and needles. Shampoo was so close to being free...
After a few minutes, Ranma sighed. "Here goes nothing," he thought. He raised his head to speak. "All right, how about this, I get till sundown tomorrow to choose who I'll marry and I have until my seventeenth birthday to marry her? And none of the fiances can know about this."
"That sounds reasonable," Nodoka responded. "Cologne?"
"We will need written proof that you agree to marry that girl, and that she agrees to marry you under those terms. You and the girl will both sign a contract made out by both me and your mother, and you will have until sundown to get the paper to your mother's house, where we'll be waiting."
She turned to Nodoka. "If you keep Ranma out of school tomorrow and away from the other two, I can keep Shampoo away from your house until sundown." She adressed them both. "Agreed?"
Ranma sighed deeply before he responded. "Agreed."
Nodoka joined in, "Agreed. Ranma, you go wait outside while Cologne and I make the contract. After that, we'll go straight to my house."
"Yes mother." Ranma walked out into the hallway and closed the door, a little surprised to see Mousse standing there.
Mousse waited until Ranma had closed the door behind him. "Good luck making the right decision Saotome," he said before turning around and heading for the front of the cafe, barly containing a smile.
"Thanks," Ranma replied to the dissapearing form. He then closed his eyes and placed his hands on his forhead, slowly running his fingers through his hair. "Man," he thought, "What have I gotten myself into now?"
End: Chapter 1
Coming Soon: Chapter 2, "Tough Decisions, Ranma and Ryoga Talk"
Authors notes: Here is the first Ranma fic I ever completed. Chapter 2 is also complete, but there is a little bit of revising I'd like to do. Please Review!
8-3-08 note: Made some revisions, and hopefully made this chapter easier to read.