Anyway, welcome to another lovely comment by the author, i.e. me. )
Don't have much to say about this chapter except that some of your questians will be answered concerning Ukyo. Enjoy. :)
P.S. Thanks to Cylon One for pointing out that this chapter got messed up when it was originally posted. Hopefully if I repost it, the problem will go away. :Crosses Fingers:
Spatulas and Bandannas by Shikoku
Chapter Four: Late Night Visitors or Don't these people have anything better to do!
"I still can't believe you did that!" Ranma was still complaining as he and Akane were walking home after school. He was balancing on the fence clutching the makeshift bandage on his slightly bleeding shoulder, where the spatula had hit him.
Akane was walking on the ground not looking at him, obviously tired of this whole conversation. "Fine, next time I won't save your life. I don't care."
Ranma eyed her, warily, as a breeze blew her long dark hair around her. He jumped down in front of her. "Good, You could have gotten yourself killed pulling off that stunt!"
Akane's brown eyes widened. "Ranma..." She said, clearly touched. "You were worried about me?" Her eyes shone with hope, and a small smile played across her face.
Ranma couldn't help losing himself in her eyes, and his mind went on immediate shut down. She's so cute when she smiles... "Of course I was worried. There's no way you could hold your own against Ukyo let alone Ryoga! Not with your skills you can't"
Akane immediately flared up at this slander to her martial art skills. "So I'm weak, is that it?"
Ranma not knowing any better answered truthfully. "Well, yeah, compared to me or Ryoga, or" But an elbow to his stomach prevented him from continuing.
"I can take care of myself!" Akane shouted at the groaning Ranma. She then grabbed his pigtail and began dragging him down the street.
"Hey, whatcha think you're doing!" He cried, struggling to keep up with her fast pace.
She turned back to him, and her face softened a bit. "We're going to see Dr. Tofu. He needs to take a look at your shoulder." She turned back, hiding a small grin. Too bad Kasumi will be there too, returning a book. Ah, revenge is sweet.
That night it was raining cats and dogs. It was the kind of night best used sitting in front of a fire with a nice cup of hot chocolate and a new romance novel. At least that's what Ukyo thought.
But what was he doing instead?
Standing outside in the rain with an umbrella hoping he wouldn't catch cold all because Ryoga couldn't wait until tomorrow to finish the fight with Ranma.
Oh, Ukyo had tried to reason with the stubborn jackass:
"Come on Ryoga, help me finish setting up the restaurant
instead. Ranma can wait" "Isn't breaking and entering
against the law?", "Why can't you wait until the
morning?" and other reasonable excuses didn't faze him. So
Ukyo had finally given up and grabbed his battle spatula
(the spare). Besides Ryoga looked so cute when he had that
puppy dog "please can we go?" look in his eyes Ukyo
couldn't resist. Besides he wanted to finish off Ranma once
and for all, too.
Still standing in the wet rain made Ukyo wish he didn't relent so easily. He sighed. "Well, this is it, the Tendo dojo. This' where Ranma and his poor excuse of a father are staying."
Ryoga nodded. "Let's do it."
The two would-be attackers didn't focus too much on being quiet, as they walked through the Tendo home which was filled with sleep. They didn't have to. They could hear Ranma and Genma's snoring the minute they entered the dojo. Needless to say, Ryoga didn't need too much help from Ukyo to keep from getting lost.
Soon the two found themselves in the guest room where Ranma and Genma were staying. The walls vibrated with their snores.
Ukyo covered her ears trying unsuccessfully to block out the noise. "Geesh, we could have brought in a heavy medal band and these people wouldn't notice."
Ryoga nodded before kneeling in front of Ranma's head. "Hey, Ranma, it's me, Ryoga," He whispered. "Let's fight."
But Ranma remained asleep.
"Try, again, but louder, sugar," Ukyo suggested.
Ryoga nodded, then turned back to the sleeping martial artist. "Hey, Ranma, wake up." He said in a voice which should have been loud enough to wake up even Soun who's room was on the other side of the dojo.
But Ranma still wouldn't wake up.
Ryoga sighed, clearly frustrated.
"Say it like you're lost," Ukyo suggested.
"Are you sure?" Ryoga asked, doubt clear on his face. He didn't think that would be a good idea. He was usually real loud when he was lost.
Ukyo nodded, before covering his ears. Well they were already covered because of the snoring, but he added some pillows to help block out the noise he was now expecting.
Ryoga took a deep breath, then: "WAKE UP, STUPID!"
Ranma even managed to sleep through that although he did roll over.
Genma didn't, though. With a sign that said: "Shut Up!", he knocked all three of them, Ryoga, Ukyo, and Ranma into the poring rain outside.
Ryoga and Ukyo landed easily. Ryoga even made sure to whip out his umbrella before he got wet. But Ranma wasn't as lucky. With a splash, he landed in the koi pond.
That at least woke her up.
She spitted out water and glanced up at her attackers. "Ryoga, Ukyo, what are you guys doing here?" She asked.
"We're here to finish our fight." Ryoga shouted.
"So fight!" Ukyo added.
And the three began fighting in the mud.
It was here that Akane finally woke up. (She had discovered long ago that the only way to get some sleep with Ranma and Genma in the house was to wear ear plugs. The fact that she was able to hear the fighting even with the earplugs on just shows how loud the fighters were being.)
She looked at her clock to see that it read 3:00 at night. She groaned. Why did they have to finish their fight, now? This is all Ranma's fault! That explanation made perfect sense to her. She thought everything was Ranma's fault.
Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and began to walk downstairs to see what she could do to quiet things a bit. She hoped this involves hitting Ranma. She just wanted a good excuse.
Ranma although half asleep still managed to put up a good fight. It helped that Ukyo couldn't find a good footing in the mud and kept on slipping. The okonomiyaki chef was also further handicapped after one of Ryoga's stray bandannas sliced up the front of his shirt, and he used both of his hands to keep his shirt closed. However, Ryoga wasn't any better since he refused to let go of the umbrella. Still he managed to dodge each of Ranma's blow and strike back with a good kick, now and then. After one of his kicks completely destroyed one of Soun's ceramic statues did Ranma realize that maybe fighting wasn't the best way to solve things. "I don't get it! What did I do to you? This isn't about bread and a stolen cart anymore is it?"
"You got that one right, sugar," Ukyo answered, a serious look on his face.
pika pika Ranma blinked, confused at being called 'sugar' by a fellow guy, but he didn't dwell on it.
"After you ran out on our fight, I followed you... ALL THE WAY TO CHINA!"" Ryoga snarled.
Ranma put two and two together. "Oh, no, Ryoga, you didn't go to Jusenkyo, did you? You have a curse, too?"
Ryoga just growled in answer. "RANMA, YOU'RE DEAD!" He lunged at him, but never got the chance to back up his words. A weight flew out of nowhere and hit him in the head. It knocked him down, causing him to drop his umbrella. The rain finally hit him, but Ryoga didn't stick around to let Ranma see him change. Instead, covering his head with his arms, he jumped over the house and disappeared.
Ukyo stared at her friend in shock. "Ryoga, wait!" He followed Ryoga over the house, but lost track of him.
Ranma followed Ukyo and lost track of both of them.
From her place by the back door, Kasumi covered her mouth in semi shock. "Oh, my, it was just Ranma's friends. Not a burglar after all, Akane."
Akane shrugged. "At least they're quiet now. Goodnight, Kasumi." She turned to go back to her room.
Ryoga was lost again. This wasn't a surprising fact for him, for he was always lost. He hated that.
But Ryoga was also wet. This wasn't a surprising fact for him, since ever since the fateful trip to Jusenkyo he almost always got splashed by cold water at a bad time. He hated that, too.
What Ryoga really, really hated was when he was both lost
and in his curse form at the same time. Particularly, when
he was in the restaurant district.
Ryoga sighed as he made his way out of the dark cave he was
in. How did he get all the way to the Mammoth caves so fast?
The last time he wound up there it took him three weeks to
get out. He sighed. Curse you, Ranma. This is all your
fault Hmm, Ryoga must think like Akane..
Suddenly, the ceiling lowered a little and stayed that way. Ryoga blinked up at it, as it stayed lowered. He decided to venture forward, but all of the exits were covered. But after an experimental nudging, he discovered that the walls weren't solid. Hesitantly, he poked his way through and entered a brightly lit room. So it was a bed that he had been under.
"Where did you come from?" A girl's voice asked from above him.
Ryoga looked up in surprise just as Akane bent down to pick him up. Ryoga recognized the girl that had been with Ranma. That meant he was still in Nerima. He struggled to escape for a second, but the way she petted him was so nice... No! I can't think like that have to get back to-
"You have a bump!" Akane continued, examining his head. "Well, we'll fix you up and make you all better. How's that sound." With that she carried him out of her room and further into the house.
Well, at least this way, I won't get lost before finding Ranma again Ryoga sighed in frustration. This is all Ranma's fault!
Sure enough, Akane took him right to Ranma. There he was, his sworn enemy, a dripping wet girl talking to a wet dog. How much you want to bet, he thinks that dog's me. Ryoga snickered. Oh, if only I were that lucky!
Ranma looked up as Akane entered. "Hey, where'd you get that weird looking pig?"
Ryoga scowled. Weird looking!
"I found him in my room," Akane replied. "Hey, what're you doing with that dog?"
"Uh, nothing!" Ranma hastily replied, looking guilty.
"Isn't that the Mcpherson's dog?" Akane added, looking thoughtful.
"What?"" Ranma quickly stood up and grabbed a kettle. Turning Akane's head away from the dog, she poured the hot water onto the dog. All she got was a... wet dog.
Told you Ryoga sighed, shaking his head.
Ranma stared at the dog, confused. "Oh, well," she shrugged, then stood up to leave.
Akane glanced up at her, clearly confused. "Where are you going?"
"To take a hot bath, I'm probably gonna catch a cold from running around in the rain.'
Speaking of people that have been running around in the rain, Ryoga took that moment to sneeze. Akane looked down at him concerned. "Ranma, wait. Can you take him with you?"
"What! You want me to take a bath with a pig?"
Ironically Ryoga was thinking the same thing.
Akane pushed the pig into Ranma's arms. "Take him."
Ranma did, took him all the way to the bathroom, complaining the whole way. She kept right on complaining as she stripped off her clothes. She was just finishing as she absentmindedly threw the pig into the hot tub.
"Stupid Ryoga, I wonder where he went anyway.." She muttered as she was about to step into the tub. Then a thought struck her. Why hasn't the pig surfaced yet? Scared that it had drowned she peered over the edge of the tub, half expecting to see a dead pig.
What she hadn't been expecting was a wet, naked Ryoga, who quickly resurfaced having finally run out of air.
"GASP!" Ryoga gasped, as he welcomed the air back into his lungs.
"AAAAAUUUUHHHHH!" Ranma AAAAAAUUUUUUUHHHHHed, as she backed away from the tub.
Both stared at each other, completely buck naked and catching their breath. Ranma was the first to finally speak.
"Ry Ry Ryoga..you're the pig?"
Like it wasn't obvious.
Ryoga glared at him. "And you're dead!" He shouted lunging at him.
Akane was just beginning to wonder what was taking Ranma so long to wash her new pet, when the two of them, the pig and Ranma, burst out of the bathroom. The pig ran for its life as a half naked Ranma-chan chased after it throwing bath supplies at it. "Come back here you little creep!"
The pig turned and tried to make a stand, but Ranma easily bashed the pig away after it lunged at her. Akane was horrified. "Ranma! How can you treat a poor pig like that! She grabbed the pigtailed girl in a uh... unpleasant place, effectively stopping her attack. That done, she turned her attention to the poor pig who was crying tears of bitterness (at least that's what he would say if you asked him). "Ah, you poor baby. Was that mean ol' Ranma being nasty to you?" She picked Ryoga up and began to leave.
Ranma saw them leaving and freaked out. "Hey, where do you think you're going!"
"WE'RE going to bed." Was Akane's fun filled answer.
WE'RE? Ryoga thought. I CAN'T DO THAT! UCCHAN'll KILL ME! He struggled out of Akane's arms and began running around the halls like his head had been cut off, bweeing, as he frantically looked for an exit.
Ranma and Akane stared at his performance with shock. "What's the matter with him?" Akane tentively asked.
Ranma merely shook his head.
"P-chan! Over here, baby!" A new voice joined them. Ranma and Akane turned to see this strange girl step into the hall. She was completely soaked, her wet dark brown hair was plastered to her face. She also had a huge tear in her shirt which showed a little more than what was considered modest. She ignored their stares and bent down, catching the frantic pig in her arms. Finally, she stood up and stared at them, waiting for a reaction.
Ranma could swear he had seen this girl before. Wait, wasn't Ukyo wearing those clothes.. He stared at her closer, and put two and two together. "Ukyo? Is that you?"
Ukyo scowled at him. "Of course it's me, you Jackass."
"You've been to Jusenkyo, too?" Sorry, Ranma you can't be right all the time...
Ukyo facefaulted, but quickly recovered and pulling a spatula out of Hammer(Spatula?)space walloped him with it. "Of course not, you idiot! I've always been a girl!"
Akane gasped. Everything made sense to her now. "So you're after Ranma because.."
Because he is my fiancee." Ukyo finished for her. "But he and his poor excuse of a father had taken the oko nomiyaki cart that was my dowry and left me behind!"
"That's not true!" Genma appeared out of nowhere. "He gave it to me, for taking Ukyo off of his hands."
"SAOTOME! HOW COULD YOU?" Soun had also appeared out of nowhere about the same time. He was now in the process of scaring people. "Ranma's engaged to MY Akane!"
"There's NO way, I'm gonna marry that, jerk!" Both Akane AND Ukyo yelled at the same time.
"BWWWEEEEE!" P-chan agreed, nodding from Ukyo's arms.
"Oh, my," Kasumi said as she entered the room.
Nabiki came in right after her. "Can't we keep it down in here?" she asked, grumpily.
Ranma? He didn't say anything. His brain had shut down the moment he found out he had another fiancee.
So ends another typical day in our favorite Nerimian dojo...
Next time: What will Ranma do with his two fiancees? How
will Kuno get involved in all of this?
Find out in Spatulas and Bandannas chapter five
Next time!
All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi!