Ranma 1/2: Overtime
Chapter 2: Tough Decisions, Ranma and Ryoga Talk
Written by: Xasonnex
Legal Stuff: OK, so I'm not Rumiko Takahashi, and these ARE her characters, 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!
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!
Ranma slumped down to sit on the floor outside the Nekohantton's back room. He had just agreed to choose his life-mate by sundown the next day and to marry her before he turned seventeen. He didn't know if he could take such a huge change in his life, after all, he had just gotten used to the constant level of insanity in his life up to this point, which was a lot. Choosing who he was going to marry wouldn't be easy. No matter who he choose, three people's feelings would be hurt, one of them defiantly Kodachi's. To make this decision, he would have to think with his heart. He usually either thought with his brain or acted with his heart, combining the two could only cause a headache and a heartache.
He could feel the headache coming on already as he asked himself, "What am I gonna do?" His only answer was silence.
Nodoka added the finishing touches to the contract that would ensure who Ranma would wed in only a matter of weeks. She hadn't planned on Cologne adding so many stipulations to her original plan, nor her son, but the end goal of it was unaffected. This contract could very well save her son's (and every one else in Nerima) sanity. That, or it would just create new problems, but you never know until you try.
"There," she said, drawing the first line for a signiture. "Will this do, Elder?" she addressed Cologne.
"Let me see," Cologne responded, taking the paper into her hands.
The contract read:
This contract ensures that it's signers, Ranma Saotome and whomever he chooses as a wife, will wed by the time Ranma is of seventeen years of age. This document is only valid if returned to Nodoka Saotome and Elder Cologne before sundown (Japan time) on the day after this document is given to Ranma. If this is not done, all previous engagements to Shampoo, Akane Tendo, and Ukyou Konji will be reinstated immediatly. This document is a legal contract under Amazon laws, as represented by Cologne and acknowledged by Mrs. Saotome.
Date Date
(spaces for dates and signitures)
To Whom Ranma Chooses: By signing this contract, you are bound by Amazon law, personal, and family honor to marry Ranma Saotome. Failure to marry him by his seventeenth birthday will result in your engagement to be permanently revoked, and the engagements of the other two parties to be reinstated.
Cologne nodded in agreement. "This will do quite nicely Mrs. Saotome." She took a pen into her hand and wrote out her signature and signed the date. "I must admit, your handwriting is a bit better than my own, it has a simple elegance to it. It's perfect for this legal, BINDING, contract, after all, Ranma won't be able to back away from a promise after signing a contract drawn up by his own mother, can he?"
"No, I belive that is the general idea," Nodoka responded while signing the document herself. "There, now all that's left is for Ranma and his future wife to sign, and we can be finished with this insanity for good."
"Hmmm..." Cologne seemed to be pondering something.
"What, is something wrong?" Nodoka asked.
"No, nothing wrong, I was just wondering how beautiful Shampoo's signiture will be next to Ranma's."
A semi-large sweatdrop appeared on the back of Nodoka's head. "Aha, I see. Well, now that everything's in order, I shall see you at my residence at the appointed time." With that, Nodoka rolled up the contract and turned to leave. She was only a foot away from the door when Cologne spoke out.
"Before you leave, there is something I would like to ask you"
Nodoka stopped short. She half-turned her head to the left, just enough to see Cologne out of the corner of her eye. "And that would be?"
"What would you have done if the Ranma you found were any lesser a man? Would you have forced him to commit ritual suicide?"
Nodoka turned her whole body to face Cologne. "You mean, would I hold my honor in such high respect that I would kill my own son, and husband?" Cologne nodded. "Of course not," she lied. "I would never do that, I only agreed to it because I wanted Genma to do his very best at raising Ranma. I could never take my only child's life."
"I suspected as much. Do not worry, I won't take this as a sign that you will not honor your promise, I was just wondering how you would react. I will see you tomorrow."
Nodoka did not leave, she just stood there, herself pondering something. "Let me ask YOU a question. What would YOU have done if I had called my bluff?"
"I would have given Ranma some Nanichuan water to make him a whole man, of course."
Nodoka blinked. "You mean to tell me that you have had some water the whole time?"
"No, I don't. However, I would have found a way to get some had the need arisen."
"Then why not cure your Great-granddaughter and servant?"
"Shampoo's curse is a punishment, meant to teach her a lesson. Mousse's curse was brought on by himself, and I doubt he would really want himself cured if Shampoo had to remain cursed. Ranma's curse is not his own doing, and if it were to cost him his life, that would be unacceptable. Believe me when I tell you, if I felt he REALLY needed it, I would find him a cure. Somehow. But as of now, while it does cause Ranma some suffering, it has taught him more than any other thing could, he just needs to realize he's learned something about respect, but I'm afraid it will take him a while to do that. Right now, I believe it is better for him to be cursed. He'll learn more this way."
"I see, that is sound reasoning. I accept your response, and will see you tomorrow. Good day."
"Good day."
"I can't believe I agreed to this," Ranma said for about the hundredth time since leaving the Nekohanton. Nodoka had wanted to get to her home a little bit before school ended so that she might call Kasumi to relay the final plans before Akane came home, so they were only a few minutes away from Nodoka's.
"Now Ranma, you'll have to make the choice sometime soon anyway, so why not now? Besides, until sundown tomorrow, none of your fiance's will be allowed to come to you, so you'll have more than a day of peace and quiet. I don't see whats not to like."
"Yea, I know, I know, I just hate being forced into this. I wish you all could just wait until I'm ready."
"At this rate, by the time your ready, you'l be engaged to six or seven girls. Believe me, choosing between three will be a lot easier."
"Hey, Mom."
"Yes, son?"
"Do Pop an' Mr Tendo know anything about this?"
"Nothing whatsoever."
"Good. Last thing I need is for them to be pushing me into this too."
"Which is why I didn't inform them of my plans. Well, we're here."
They had indeed arrived at the Saotome home, which looked like it was almost finished with repairs (Nodoka didn't lean on the workers to finish it too soon). Boards and planks were still neatly stacked, and tools were just inside the doorway. "I packed some clothes up in your room so you won't have to go back to the Tendo's for a while. I'm going to call Kasumi now, there are the tools, and the construction workers left blueprints on the kitchen table if you need them."
"You mean, you expect me to finish all this mess?" Ranma wasn't used to work like this, construction was more time-consuming than destruction. Besides, his father's genes aren't non-existant in him, work bad.
"Well, the damage WAS caused by young women you were stringing along. Besides, I've found that work helps a person work out problems in their head.
You can stop working only if you are about to see your future wife, or you finish the job." With that, Nodoka entered the house.
Ranma stood looking at the building materials. "Damn. I was better off in school," Ranma mumbled.
"I see, Auntie," Kasumi replied to Nodoka on the phone while doing the dishes. "So our alibi is that Ranma is finishing repairs at your house so that the two of you can spend some quality time together?" She readjusted the phone receiver between her head and shoulder with her dry hand.
"Yes," the reply came over the line. "Please relay the fact to everyone that we do not need to be interrupted."
"Alright, that takes care of everyone except Happosai and the Kunos, and I'm afraid there's not much we can do about them."
"Well, we're not going to get a better chance than this, and it's all or nothing."
"I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, Akane will be home any minute now, so I'll have to let you go. Goodbye Auntie, and good luck."
"Goodbye, child, and thank you." There was an audible "click" as Nodoka hung up the phone on her end.
Kasumi made sure her hand was still dry before using it to return her phone to it's proper place. She lightly rubbed her ear where it had been pressed up against the phone for five minutes before returning her attention to the dishes. As she dipped her hands into the foamy water, her mind went over the senerio again. "I certainly hope this works out between Ranma and Akane, I just can't see Ranma choosing to marry anyone else. The only question is if he can muster up the courage to ask her in the amount of time given, and if he'll phrase it right so that Akane doesn't kill him on reflex." There was no question in Kasumi's mind that Akane loved Ranma and visa-versa, how could she not notice the obvious like that (forget Dr. Tofu for a moment)?
The sound of the front door opening resounded through the house as Kasumi picked up the last dish to dry. "I'm home!" she heard Akane announce.
Kasumi pressed her lips, it was time to put Nodoka's plan into effect at the Tendo household. "Hello, Akane. How was school today?" Kasumi spoke just loud enough to be heard in the living room.
"It was OK," Akane replied as she entered the kitchen and placed her bento box from lunch in the still filled sink. "This last week before summer break is going to be killer tomorrow, though, with finals starting the day after." Akane started scrubbing her bento.
"Yes, I remember the last week of my final year, it certainly was a hard time on my brain. I almost didn't graduate with a 4.0." Kasumi responded. "I know all too well what you are going through, sister. And with all of the school you've missed due to confrontations, you should get to studying as soon as possible. You don't have as much to spare as I did."
"I've got more than Ranma does. He misses even more school and never studies!" Akane had poured herself a drink while Kasumi cleaned the bento box. As Akane placed her glass back on the counter, she added, "Speaking of the baka, Auntie Saotome pulled him out of school today during lunch. Do you know anything about that, Kasumi? He didn't come back."
"Yes, Auntie just called a few minutes ago. She told me why, but I think it would be best if I told everyone at once, perhaps during dinner would be best." Kasumi let the water out of the sink and reached for a towl to dry her hands.
"Oh, OK," Akane responded. She picked up the glass of the counter and poured herself a little more lemonade. "Well, I'm going upstairs to study. Bye, sis."
"Study hard, Akane." As Akane went up the stairs, Kasumi felt relived that Akane wasn't prying to get details out of her just yet, it was hard for Kasumi to lie, or even bend the truth. That, and Akane took her glass with her, so Kasumi didn't have to wash it yet, she had used the last of the dish soap on that last load. "Better ask Father to go to the store later," she thought as she continued with her day as usual. No one would suspect that she was hiding something.
Krack! "Damn!" The two sounds were getting pretty common at the Saotome residence. Ranma had been working for two hours straight on Nodoka's house and was almost done. However, he would have been done a long time ago if he hadn't been breaking the boards he was using to repair the house while hammering the nails in them. It wasn't that he was doing it on purpose, but his mind would wander to thoughts of Akane hitting him, Shampoo glomping him, Ukyou... just not leaving him alone, and the Kuno's... you get the point.
Whenever he would think of one of his fiances, he could only think of somthing bad happening no matter who he choose. Of course, if it doesn't involve martial arts, Ranma doesn't think that well about it. Anyway, this ment he would want to vent his frustrations, and all there was was those poor boards and nails. Ranma pulled the remains of his last victim off the framework and set about replacing it. He had already placed the board in place and put two nails in it before his mind drifted back to the problem at hand. "All right, let's go over this again. If I marry Ukyou, then I'll have a wife who loves me, cherishes me, and most important, feeds me. She has a business all to herself, only one employe, who would probably get real sore if I married her, try to take his revenge, make my life miserable all while I'm married to someone who dressed for years as a guy, and, " Krack! "Damn!!" "Aw, Hell," he said as he went about replacing THAT board, "Marryin' Ukyou wouldn't be that bad or anything, I just can't see a reason why I should marry her. Dammit, I've been over and over this for hours, and I'm no closer to an answer than when I started." As he was nailing in the first nail in the new board, he spoke quietly, "Man, I need something to get this out of my mind, cause this ain't workin' out as well as I thought."
"DAMMIT, WHERE THE HELL AM I!?" a voice resounded from the street in response to Ranma's wish.
"Perfect." Ranma said as he nailed in a second nail to stabilize the board before he took off in (obviously) Ryoga's direction.
Meanwhile, at "Ucchan's", Konatsu was getting a little worried.
"Miss Ukyou should be here by now, to open the restaurant," he thought. "I hope this doesn't have anything to do with what happened yesterday at the Tendo's.
I've never seen Ukyou-sama so... out of it." Konatsu frowned. "In her state of mind, she could do anything. I KNEW I should have gone with her to school today and keep an eye on her, if anythings happened to her, or she's done something she'll regret, I'll never..."
"Konatsu, I'm home," Ukyou softley announced, gently shutting the door behind her. Konatsu turned from where he stood (in one of thoose knees-bent, fists-clenched, flames-in-the-background poses that are so popular, with his back originally turned to her).
"Ukyou-Sama! what kept you so long? I was worried that..."
"I'd do something stupid like yesterday?" Ukyou looked like all the fire had gone out of her. She walked to the back of the store so she could get ready to open up. As she walked, it didn't look like she was walking because she wanted to, but rather because it was something to do, to keep her mind off of unpleasant thoughts. "Don't worry, Sugar, I didn't." She stopped at a doorway. "And if I'd known what it would cost me, I wouldn't have done what I did yesterday." Ukyou didn't move from where she stood, and Konatsu couldn't tell if it was because she wanted to talk, or because she really didn't know what to do next.
"Ukyou-sama, what happened? You look... like you've been crying for a while." It was true, Ukyou's eyes were a little redder than usual, as was the skin around them.
"Ranma... he... You should have seen the look he gave me this morning Konatsu. I've seen him downright depressed before, and I've seen him mad before, but I've never seen him look like that. I think he said "Hi" and he didn't say a thing to me the rest of the day. When I found out from Nabiki just what happened in China to Akane, and what Ranma went through for her, I felt like such a heel!" Ukyou slammed her fist into the doorway and turned to face Konatsu. "Akane almost died over there. Not once, but twice! And both times, Ranma, from what Nabiki got out of those who went, really thought she had! Ryoga told her he'd never seen anyone so depressed, and this is RYOGA we're talking about. And here, when they got back, Shampoo comes over and convinces me to try to hurt Akane with explosives! Just because I didn't want her marrying Ranchan."
Ukyou seemed weak on her feet, so Konatsu guided her to a chair. Ukyou didn't even acknowledge the ninja's presence, she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts. "He had just gone through almost loosing her, and I just barged in there trying to finish the job. And I like Akane, for the most part at least. But that wasn't the worst of it, Hell no, then Ranma's mother gets me called out of class right before lunch." Ukyou had her elbows on the counter and her fists to the side of her head, tightly clenched. She didn't look like she wanted to go on.
Konatsu didn't like the look of this. Ukyou had done something wrong yesterday, that he knew. But he didn't expect so many repercussions, at least not from what he'd seen in the short time he'd observed life in Nerima. But somehow he knew that Ukyou would need to get this out. "Go on, what did she want to see you about?"
Ukyou finally registered Konatsu's presence. She looked up to him and smiled weakly. "She just wanted to tell me that I had caused the Tendo and Saotome families a great dishonor, and that I had proved myself unfit to be Ranchan's fiance, at least temporarily. She's temporarily nullified my engagement to Ranma on grounds that, looking back, I can't really argue. I'm not to approach him, talk to him, or anything until he starts it first. I've got to "earn her trust." Hmph. This coming form the person who threatened to kill Ranma and Genma if Ranma weren't a real man. Ha! Ha ha ha ha! Awwww. And she calls ME unfit to be with Ranchan." Ukyou placed her head on the counter and put her hands behind and over it.
Konatsu got up and headed for the door to "Ucchans," for one of the first times in his life, he didn't move with any femininity or grace, he just walked. He put up a sign to indicate that they would be closed for the remainder of the day. As he went back ans stood over Ukyou, he could hear muffled sobs. "It's OK, Ukyou-sa, Ukyou. I'm here." He placed a hand on her shoulder. Her cries got a little louder. A tear rolled down Konatsu's cheek as well, as he felt the pain of the woman he loved with all of his heart.
"Ucchan's" didn't open the rest of the day.
Elsewhere in Nerima, in a vacant lot, there were two figures lying on the ground. The surrounding ground looked like it had just been through World War Two. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the two figures were male, both with black hair, one sporting a pigtail. They were also breathing heavily. One of them spoke.
" So, had enough, Ranma?"
The other figure started to get up. "Not a, chance Ryoga."
"Damn. I was hoping you had." Ryoga tried to get up, but failed, falling back to the ground. "Looks like I have though. Guess you win this time."
"Yea, guess so." Ranma stood over Ryoga and offered a hand, which Ryoga gladly accepted. Soon, the two were walking down the street, albeit a bit slowly. "So, where are you supposed to be now, P-chan?"
"Hey, Shut up!" Ryoga quickly looked around to make sure a certain short-haired girl wasn't around.
"So?"
"Well, actually, I'm supposed to be home right now. I found my way there last night after your and Akane's wedding attempt..."
"Which, by the way, thanks a lot for your help there. I coulda gotten cured if it weren't for your and everyone's interference!"
"Hey, shut up about that! I wanted to be cured too, you know? Besides, I was talking."
"Go on."
"Anyway, when I got home I found that Dad had gotten an answering machine the last time he was home. I listened to the messages we had at the time and one of them was from Akari. She had gotten an invitation to your wedding, but wasn't able to come yesterday. Something about a Sumo-Pig tournament. Anyway, she said that she'd be here today at six, and she'd stop by my house first, so we could go congradulate you together. Apparently, she didn't have much faith that I'd actually show up on time."
"For once." Ranma finished for him. "So let me guess, got lost on the way to the bathroom? Or was it the kitchen this time?"
Ryoga grumbled something.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you."
"I said I got lost on the way to the bathroom this time, OK?"
"Right, so you need me to guide you back home so that you can greet her, right?"
"Yea." They walk in silence for awhile, with the occasional "right" or "left" from Ranma. Finally, Ryoga decides it's too quiet. "So whats up with you? That didn't look like the area the Tendo Dojo is in."
"Huh, you noticed. Well, actually I'm staying at Mom's tonight."
"Why?"
"Well, you see, by the way, turn right, your OTHER right, Mom took away all of my engagements until tomorrow night, so that I can finally marry someone and still have some honor."
"Sounds good to me. So why do you look so depressed?"
"'Cause I can't figure out which one I want to marry." This stopped Ryoga cold in his tracks.
"You can't be serious." Ranma stopped as well.
"What do you mean?"
Ryoga seemed to be a little peeved at this point. "How can you not know who to marry? Even I know that!" Ryoga's fists were shaking with anger.
"Huh? Whadda ya mean"
"Do you have ANY idea how you acted when you thought Akane had died the other day?" Before Ranma could respond, Ryoga continued, "Let me remind you. You were DEAD! You didn't talk, you barley moved, and you didn't listen to a word of what was said. Even I was able to deal with it and plan a counterattack."
"Yea, so what's this have to do with who I should marry?" Ranma demanded. "I'd have acted the same way if I thought that anyone else had died."
"Ha! I seriously doubt that. If I had died, you'd probably be filled with rage and stood your ground to fight. Same with Mousse or Shampoo. But when it happened to Akane, you just closed yourself off. It was like a part of YOU had died. I know depression, Ranma, and I think that if you had an ounce of spirit in you then, you could have done a shi-shi hodukan that would have leveled all of Mt Phoenix! You Love her!" Ranma looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't. Ryoga finally continued, "You love her more than I ever did. With... me she was an infatuation. A goddess. Nothing was higher than her. I just... wanted to love her so much that did. And, I think I love Akari now. And I know the feeling isn't the same as I had for Akane."
"Ryoga..."
"And she loves you too! Trust me! She's never said it out loud, even to P-chan.." A quick look around from Ryoga and a slight growl from Ranma before Ryoga continued. "The way she thinks of you almost all day. She wouldn't get so mad at you all the time if she didn't care. I mean, have you ever seen her face when Shampoo or the others glomped you, I mean REALLY looked? She wouldn't get that mad if she weren't jealous. And she was willing to die for you in China! How many other times has she charged in to help you in a fight where she's seriously outclassed? Wouldn't do it if she didn't care. And for the short time I was over yesterday, it didn't look like she hated the idea of marrying you. Hell, if it weren't for everyone and their brother attacking, you tell me she wouldn't have gone along with it."
Ranma seemed a bit defeated. "When I asked her why she was going along with it, she asked me if I loved her and I said no. Then she tol' me 'bout the Nannichuan water anyway. She wanted me to be cured."
"And do you think that she didn't realize what marrying you would mean? She loved you enough to marry you for the sole reason of you being cured. What more can you ask?"
"I... well... DAMMIT! How come you gotta be right for once?"
"Because the sooner you marry Akane, the sooner I can marry Akari without any reservations. Trust me, after all you've put me through, do you think I WANT Akane to marry a jerk like you? But it's what she wants, and as a friend, I want her to be happy."
"Ryoga, thanks man. If anyone else had told me that I had to marry Akane, I'd of ignored them. But for it to come from you, I guess it must really be obvious"
"Uh, your welcome." Ryoga hadn't expected Ranma to actually thank him.
"Now, about getting me back to my place"
Ranma brightened. "Sure. C'mon, this way"
Dinner at the Tendo's was remarkably quiet, though that probably had something to do with the fact that the two bottomless stomachs weren't dueling it out. You could almost feel Genma getting fatter due to the unopposed buffet. Finally, about halfway through the meal, Nabiki spoke.
"So sis, you going to let us know where Ranma is now?" For Kasumi to know something and Nabiki not to, it was eating Nabiki up.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Kasumi responded. "Auntie Nodoka saw how fast our place could be fixed, and wanted her house completely done as well,
so she decided to recruit Ranma to do it. She felt that with him over there they could spend some quality mother-son time together. She didn't want anyone to know so that their time together would be unopposed. From what she told me, Ranma will be spending the night over there. Would anyone like more rice?" Genma profusely offered his bowl.
"Well, that makes sense," Akane thought. "Ranma and his mother do need a little more family time together. And it's nice to have a little peace and quiet around here. Still, I can't help but think that Kasumi's hiding something from us. Maybe it's just my imagination." With that, Akane went back to eating. "I need to hurry so I can get in some quality studying time in." The rest of dinner was uneventful.
Back at the Nekohantton, Cologne was wondering where Shampoo was. Mousse had said something like "She had something important she needed to do"
four hours ago. It was unlike her to be gone for so long. She needed to get home soon so that Cologne could tell her to leave Ranma alone the next day and hold up to her agreement with the Saotomes.
Busy doing double duty waiting tables, Mousse was wondering similar thoughts. "I hope Shampoo hasn't run into Saotome while she was out. Then Ranma could say that the deal was off and she'd be engaged to him again. Oh,I couldn't bear such an injustice!"
Just then, a purple haired blur ran through the resturant, tossing a small item on the counter next to Cologne.
"Sorry late Great-Grandmother but pervert very fast today and Shampoo have hard time catching him until he go into mall where many girls start beating on him giving Shampoo time to catch him and bring him back and Shampoo need to go to the bathroom NOW!" Shampoo spoke very quickly as she bowled over poor Mousse who happened to be in the way of the bathroom.
"Sorry Mousse!" Was the last thing you could hear from Shampoo before you heard a door close very loudly. It was then that Cologne looked at the object that Shampoo had tossed next to her and identified it as Happosai.
"Well Happy, are you hurt seriously?" The little spirals that had been Happosai's eyes became eyes again.
"Ha! You should know me better than that Cologne. I barely felt a thing! Ha Ha Ha!" The bruises all over Happosai's body told a different story altogether though.
"Really? Too bad. If she had hurt you I might excuse her for missing so much work." Over in the corner we can see Mousse trying to get back up. We then hear a flush in the background.
"Heh, she barely got me at all! However," Happosai reached into his shirt, pulling out a pink, frilly bra, "I was able to get through her defenses very nicely. Wah ha ha!" Cologne just shook her head. Just then, Shampoo walked back in the room.
"Sorry late Great Grandmother, but, YOU!!" Shampoo spied her bra in Happosai's hand. "You I KILL!' She yelled as she destroyed Mousse once again, as he was in her way.
"Ha ha! Come and get me cutie-pie!" Happosai proceeded to flee the Nekohanton. Shampoo made a beeline for the doorway.
"Shampoo." Cologne held out her staff to stop the young Amazon. "I need you to stay away from Ranma until the day after tomorrow. I feel that..."
"Yes, yes, Shampoo stay away from Ranma, got it, GET BACK HERE!!" she yelled as she jumped over Cologne's staff and gave chase to Happosai.
"Well," Cologne said, "That could have gone better"
"Are they gone?" Mousse asked from the floor. Of course, he was asking a plant (in his defence, it looked a little like Cologne).
For the third time that night, Akane heard laughter that was suddenly silenced from downstairs. "Darn it, this is getting on my nerves. How am I supposed to study with that racket going on down there?" She finished the math problem she was on and then went downstairs. When she got there, she heard faint voices coming from the living room. She recognized them as Genma and Soun's. She frowned and slowly walked closer so that she could hear them better.
"Ha ha ha, I still can't belive what a great idea this is Genma, it's probably our best ever."
"Sh, shh, keep it down Tendo, Akane might hear. But yea, I don't see HOW this plan could fail. It's practically fool proof!"
"Indeed. So Saotome, how do you plan on getting Ranma's signiture on the certificate?"
"By telling him it's a certificate from his teachers at school. Surely he'll have done something to get in trouble, so he'll sign it with no worry of actually reading it."
"Ha ha! Genius, Saotome. Pure Genius."
"Ha, I thought so. And how do you expect to get Akane to sign it?"
"Well, your plan seems like it will work. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't with a little revision."
"I don't like the sound of this," Akane thought. Genma continued.
"And once we get both of them to sign the contract, they'll be legally married."
"AND, they won't be able to divorce until they're eighteen."
"By which time, they'll have already fallen deeply in love and they won't want to! It's brilliant."
"It's perfect!"
"It's an INSULT!" yelled Akane as she stormed in.
"A-Akane..." Soun was to startled to continue.
Akane spied said contract on the table. "And what is THIS?" she asked, grabbing it off the table.
"Now Akane," Genma began, "let's not do anything rash"
"This, this is... This is the wedding certificate from yesterday," Akane identified. "It has both of your signitures, Auntie Nodoka's, and even the priest! I thought they couldn't do that until after the ceremony."
Genma responded. "Well, technically they can't..."
"But when we told him about your situation," Soun continued.
"He decided to make an exception." Genma finished.
"Are you... mad Akane?" Soun asked.
Akane stood there in silence, with her head down, and the fist not holding the certificate clenched.
"Akane?" Soun asked a bit hesitantly.
"You, try to bribe me into marrying him last time. You've tried to pressure us into it countless times, and now," Akane was visibly upset, " you try to TRICK US?" She stormed over to where they were kneeling. "Listen. If Ranma and I ever decide to marry, it won't be because we're told to. It WON'T be because we were pressured to. AND IT SURE AS HELL WON'T BE BECAUSE WE WERE TRICKED INTO IT! IF we marry, it will be because we love each other THEN, we are ready THEN, and NOT before! If you so much as TRY to do something like this again, I will hurt you in so many ways, Happosai will stay away from me for weeks. GOT THAT?" Soun and Genma shrank back and nodded meekly. Soun was fighting back tears. "Good. Now, I have studying to do. So I'll just take this," Akane indicated to the certificate, "out of your hands, go upstairs, and study. And I DON'T want to be disturbed, GOT IT?" Again with the nodding. "Good. Good night."
With that, Akane, certificate in hand, turned around and went back upstairs.
Just before she closed her door, she could hear Soun break out into tears, crying lines like "she yelled at me," "she doen't love me" and the ever popular "Waaahhhhhh!!" "Honestly, Akane thought, "I wish they'd grow up and leave us alone." Nabiki, in her room, just brushed this off as another of her father's failed attempts, and Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief from the kitchen, happy that she wouldn't have to sneak into her father's room and steal the wedding certificate herself.
Back at the Saotome home, Ranma was eating a late dinner. He had stayed over at Ryoga's, explaining the whole wedding fiasco of the previous day to Akari and just hanging out and catching up with her. After all, she was on of the only girls he knew that DIDN'T want to marry him, and had no stake in it whatsoever. Nodoka had been upset when he came home at eight thirty, even though he had called before seven to tell her thet he would be.
So it was now that Nodoka was grilling him on what he had decided.
"So son, have you decided who you want to marry?"
Ranma was slurping up some noodles. "Yea, I fink so."
"Stop talking with you mouth full. It's rude."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Good. So?"
"So what?" Ranma asked, toying with her a bit.
"So who have you decided to marry?"
"Well, I think I know who," he took a quick gulp of water, "But I think I'll sleep on it and make sure tomorrow." Nodoka came close to face-faulting. "Speaking of which, thanks for a great dinner, Mom, I think it's time I got ready for bed. Don't want to be sleepy when I propose to my future wife tomorrow, right?"
Nodoka recovered and nodded, adding, "Plus you didn't quite finish outside today. there are still a few boards left and you have to paint it still."
"Painting? You never said anything about painting."
"But I did say not to leave the job until it was done. Tomorrow morning you will finish nailing on the boards, and you will go to the store and buy painting supplies. Since you have already choosen who you think you want to marry tonight, you will have more time tomorrow to work." Nodoka finished with one of those smug, mother looks.
"Aw, man," Ranma complained while going upstairs to get ready for bed. "I knew seeing Ryoga would mean trouble, it always does. Besides, my arm still hurts from our sparring match."
"That's your problem, young man, not mine"
"Yea, yea." He responded. "Well," he thought, "at least tomorrow will be a lot easier." Had he bothered to listen, he could hear thunder in the distance.
"Tomorrow," didn't start off too well for Akane, as she found out as she enter the school grounds of Furinkin. First, of course, she realized Ranma wasn't there, at least not on time. Then, there was the complimentary Kuno punting. "Honestly, when will he ever learn?" she asked herself. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Well, at least I'll get to class on time," she said.
"Akane Tendo!" came a high pitched voice. Akane turned to see Shampoo standing behind her.
"What do you want, Shampoo?" Akane asked, already annoyed from waking up in the morning remembering her father's scheme.
"Want to know where Ranma is, of course," Shampoo stated, obviously forgetting her promise the previous day to Cologne. "Shampoo want to take husband on date."
Akane fumed. She was downright blazing when a memory struck her. "Why should I tell you?" she hissed.
Shampoo looked puzzled. "Because Ranma belong Shampoo, and if he stay at school, pervert-girl just hit him. Shampoo want to make nice-nice with him. Violent girl got problem with that?"
"First of all, my name is Akane, not violent girl. Second, I don't know where Ranma is right now either. Third, I don't owe you ANY help after you stormed my wedding with BOMBS! You could have hurt one of my sisters, and as it is, you caused MAJOR damage to my home."
"So?"
"So," Akane took off her backpack. "You have insulted me and my family, and I demand you make an apology!"
"Shampoo no apologize for saving husband from marrige with pervert-girl. But if Akane want fight," Shampoo set her bike up against a tree and took a battle stance, "is Akane's funeral." By now, a crowd was gathering.
"OK, bring it on, hussie!" Akane, too took a battle stance.
"If insist." Shampoo rushed towards Akane. Just as she threw a kick, Akane sidestepped. While Shampoo's foot was still outstretched, Akane tried a legsweep. Shampoo just jumped into the air with her bottom foot. Shampoo back-flipped and landed about four feet away from her previous position. "Akane should give up now and avoid embaressment."
"Keep talking," Akane responded before she ran forward and launched a punch. Shampoo blocked, and a seried of fast punches were exchanged. Only a few of Akane's punched got through, while about twice that amount of Shampoo's tagged Akane. Shampoo's last punch knocked Akane back a little.
"Shampoo give Akane one last chance. Give up now and Shampoo leave."
"Like heck." Without any telegraphing, Akane drilled Shampoo with a straight kick to the midsection that sent Shampoo flying. "Still think I should give up?"
"Akane.. hurt Shampoo," Shampoo said from the ground, not quite beleiving herself. She picked herself back up. "Akane make Shampoo mad. SHAMPOO HURT!" Shampoo charged towards Akane like a bullet train. Akane steeled herself expecting an all out attack. It never came.
"Happo Go-En Satsu!" came a cry in the audience. By the time Shampoo got to Akane, she was dead on her feet.
Akane looked at a barly standing Shampoo. "Is, no, fair," she barely got out before collapsing. Akane turned to see an adult Ms. Hinako.
"Hinako-sensai, I..."
"Ms. Tendo. You have a long day ahead of you in school today, so I suggest that you hurry on to class." Hinako turned and headed into the school, turning over half the male student population's heads. A catcall from the side resulted in that student being removed of excess energy.
Akane turned and looked at Shampoo's sleeping body. "Yes Sensai." She picked up her book bag and headed into the school herself.
As the rest of the crowd followed suit, someone asked "Man, what a start, what else do you think will happen today?" A friend acknowledged their opinion, and a grey thundercloud could be seen in the distance.
End: Chapter 2 coming soo... er, next, maybe, one of these days: Chapter 3: Truer words were never spoken.
Author's notes: I got an e-mail the other day from someone who still wanted to see chapter 2 of this story, despite the fact that chapter one was less than stellar. The plot line, I now realize, still has holes and inconsistencies with the source material (manga). But, seeing as I can't seem to get the juices flowing yet for Chapter 4 of Video Reminder, I figure I might as well post this. I hope you enjoyed it!
If I ever finish Chapter 3, I'll go ahead and post it.
8-3-08 Slightly revised and redone for easier reading.