Author's note: Thank you to all readers. You people are the BEST!(bow respectfully) anonymous can review here! I don't mind.(smile)
And yeah, I don't own Ranma ½ or Yu Yu Hakusho. Please, I'm sure you people understand.
'Talk' "Mind talk"
4: Of Brothers, Boyfriends, Friends And Fiancées
Ranma woke up with a startle as he was flung from the futon into the fishpond outside.
Ranma-chan emerged. 'What is it this time, ya old man?' she yelled.
Genma shook his head. 'You have been waking up late ever since Resha is not around.'
'So what? It was she who always woke me up before you could throw us both into the pond! It's not like it's my fault!' he defended.
'You rely on her too much, Dummy!' Akane said casually without looking at her as she ate breakfast.
Ranma-chan growled as she made her way to the breakfast table. 'Uncute tomboy!' she said under her breath.
Whack!
Akane produced a mallet out of nowhere and hit her right on the head.
'Ittai! That hurts, you cylinder-waist woman!'
Whack! Whack! Whack!
'Baka! Baka! BAKA!' Akane shouted, pounding with all her might.
Ranma walked on the fence rubbing his head. He then glared at Akane. It was a miracle he didn't die after the ferocious blows she gave him. If Resha was there, she would have counter-attacked her easily.
Although it was sort of bothersome the way Resha always defends him, but today he wished she was there.
After he had waked up, his mom and Mr. Soun scorned him. His Pop even finished his untouched meal!
Nabiki on the other hand, tried to sell him her breakfast at a suffocating price, which he had to say no. He now noticed that Nabiki began to sell his girl-form photos again, now that Resha's not here.
It was because of a terrible incident that happens a few months back when he, Resha and his pop started to live in the dojo.
Flashback
'Sold for 1000 yen each!' Nabiki said as she trade some pictures to Kuno.
'Oh... Resha's photos, Pigtail girl photos! And so arousing too!' Kuno's eyes almost popped out as he stared at the pictures.
'Yo, Kuno! Nabiki! Whatcha guys doing?' Ranma suddenly landed on Kuno's head, looking over the photos. He suddenly grabbed them. 'Oiii! These are Resha's and I...'
He didn't finish it when Resha, who had came with him, suddenly snatched the photos from him and gaped at it in shock. 'Where did you get this?' she asked Kuno in a low and very dangerous voice.
Ranma was startled when he heard it. She never spoke like that before in his life! Her killing aura is very high and Ranma was very aware that she was not in a superior mood.
'I sell them to him. Got a lot from it!' Nabiki answered casually, totally not realizing where she's headed for.
Slap!
Nobody moved. Nothing seemed to move. For a long time, everything was suddenly still and soundless.
'How could you…?' Resha's whisper broke the eerie silent.
Nabiki slowly looked at Resha. Gradually, she put her hand to her now ruby-swelling-stinging cheek. Blood trickled at the side of her lips; her eyes wide open. Nobody, NO ONE ever slapped her! She gazed into Resha's hurtful and vivid injured silver eyes. A sudden wave of guilt overwhelmed Nabiki.
Resha suddenly walked away in almost a blink of the eye, leaving everyone still shocked and stiff.
It was over a fortnight before things calmed a bit. In between that time, NOBODY got the guts to talk to Resha. Even Happosai didn't dare to provoke Resha, especially as her sky-scraping killing aura didn't subdue the slightest between those weeks.
End of flashback
Ranma was very surprised at that. If it wasn't because he was there to see it, he would have sworn it was fake and wouldn't have believed it himself! Resha was usually calm, almost like mom. She was always the wise one.
However, Ranma had acknowledged recently that Resha was tired of being the one to think ahead, to correct Pop's stupid mistakes, to make the right decisions, to defend him when his fiancées started fights and commotions, to be the one who is sensible in Nerima!
He became aware of Resha kept being in her chibi-form, acting and talking as if there's nothing to worry about in this world, like a child! Almost like Pop turning into a panda and playing with the rubber-tyre acting as if he's a brainless animal!
"Must had inherit that from the old man." he thought sweatdropping.
Nevertheless, she hadn't been a child for so long, ever since he could remember! It must have been hard to be mature all the time, to take all the blames, to correct all the mistakes, to manage all the responsibilities, to care and never to receive anything back in return but tiredness and more problems.
She had matured at a very young age, and the curse just might made her valued how much she missed being a child… and how it felt like to be a child.
"Drat!" thinking make his head hurt. "How could Resha think so much all these years?" he frowned then sighed sorrowfully. "How did she do it?"
Akane looked up at him when he sighed. She saw that he looked sad and felt a little guilty about what she did that morning. Maybe it was her fault but her Nerima-size ego didn't let her apologize to him. He was wrong too! How dare he had said she's a cylinder-waist woman! He never insulted her like that! Okay, so he does insult her at times, but those where Resha's lines!
Resha!
She's always provoking her, more than Ranma does, all because their dads made that stupid arrangement thing. Although Resha didn't say a word about it most of the time, she would always fight with her. Not physically, but psychologically. It hurts her deeply, and Resha knew that.
"The arrogant lass! She wants to keep Ranma, and then fine! It's not that I want him… much."
Akane blushed and looked away quickly, not wishing Ranma to notice her flushing.
They both arrived at the school gate and detected Principal Kuno, their school principal making one of his stupid moves.
"Aww, not again!" Akane and Ranma thought together.
'Today, my students, you must find the bomb that I put somewhere in this school, or your tests scores will be announced in front of everyone!' Principal Kuno exclaimed.
Growls and groans were heard everywhere.
"I guess this is life!" Ranma thought as he made his way towards the Hawaiian-dressed obsessive principal to give him a punch or two.
The days go by slowly, but full of contentment. Resha realized that Sarayashiki was nothing like Nerima. It was less…
...ordinary.
There was nobody to come and burst the walls shouting for revenges or challenges and no chaos anywhere. Simple and peaceful; though she did saw youkais now and then as the Reikai Tantei would go and chase the "low-ranked youkais" as Hiei puts it.
One sunny weekend, Resha-chan went to help her now-so-called ni-san in the garden after breakfast.
'Do you always like plants so much?' she asked in her little voice, sweeping away sweats on her forehead with a towel. She had never done gardening before, and she did it to thank Kurama for one of his superb magnifying breakfast.
Kurama smiled at her. 'Yes, imoto. Youko loves it, and I sort of inherit it from him.'
Yes. Kurama started calling her 'imoto/younger sister' whenever they were alone, since his mother would really be upset if she founds out that the two engaged teenagers were actually calling each other brother and sister.
Youko was more than upset. It was because Resha would always be in her chibi-form and it was his big mouth that made Kurama started calling her that, and she actually played along by being a cute little sister. Seriously!
On the other hand, Shiori only saw that the two were getting along very well, though, for a different ground.
'Oh, I see. That reminds me, tell him I said thank you.' Resha-chan said casually.
"Excuse me?" Youko muttered surprised.
'Uh, what for?' Kurama asked curiously.
She blinked innocently. 'Why, he stopped giving me those annoying looks.' She pointed matter-of-factly.
Kurama smiled at her, smirking in his head. "Oh, you stopped?" he mocked.
Youko grunted. "Well, she's always in her chibi-form, and she hasn't 'the look' in this form." He commented on back.
Kurama chuckled mentally. "I think she's adorable."
"Yeah, as a sister!" Youko said dryly. He paused for a while before continuing, "Which do you think is the true her?"
Kurama hiatus for a while, looking at Resha-chan's childish feature –to her unawareness, then said. "The chibi-form is the one she wants to be, and the older-form is the one she wants to abandon." He answered.
"Hmm, that wasn't a real answer but I agree with that. I wonder why…" Youko whispered.
Kurama shrugged and suddenly Resha-chan was splashed with hot water.
'Ittai! That was hot! Who the hll did that!' Resha's silky voice snapped as she and Kurama both turned around.
'Hi, lovebirds!' Yuusuke grinned with a bucket in his hand.
Kuwabara was laughing his head out. Hiei only grunted.
'Lovebirds?' they both said together then surprised, looked at each other.
Yuusuke's grin widens. 'From the look Ku… Shuichi was giving you, I took you two are lovebirds.'
'The look he's given me?' Resha asked, raising an eyebrow at Kurama.
Kurama gave a very faint blush, highly unnoticeable, no thanks to Resha's sharp sight. She smirked and Kurama could have curse under his breath.
"Aiyaa, a misunderstanding! Too bad." Youko said indifferently.
'It's nothing like that.' Kurama assured.
She nodded unconcerned then turned to their visitors. 'Watcha guys doin' here anyway? Another mission, I supposed?'
'Nah, just passing by.' Yuusuke replied.
Mrs. Minamino suddenly popped her head out from the kitchen window. 'Resha dear, would you mind going to the shops? I need some things.'
Resha was just going to say no when she realized she could get her hands on some ice-creams. 'Okay, Aunt Shiori.' She went to get the list from her then jumped on the fence, ready to go. She suddenly turned to them. 'Who wanna join me for some ice-creams?' she grinned.
Kurama sighed, shaking his head. 'You've been eating ice-cream everyday.'
She shrugged, looking down at them all. 'I'll never get fat.' She pointed.
Yuusuke grinned. 'I'll go.'
'Nah, I have a date with Yukina.' Kuwabara said and went off.
'Who's Yukina?' Resha asked.
'Someone he had a big crush on.' Yuusuke replied nearing her.
'Hiei, dontcha wanna join us?' she asked.
'Hn.' was all he said.
'He means no thank you.' Kurama enlightened her when she blinked in confuse.
'Oh...' she sweatdropped.
The two of them went to an ice-cream parlor, after she finished buying the things Aunt Shiori needed.
'Can I have a big sundae, please?' Resha said in her most charming voice to the young man at the counter.
He blushed and stuttered. 'Su…sure.'
Her companion watched in amusement as she flirted.
When they finally sat down, Yuusuke remarked, 'I can't believe you just did that!'
She smirked. 'Got this for half the price, and I learn that from my bro.'
'Your brother?' he said astonished.
'Kurama didn't tell you? I had a twin brother, who also had a curse. He turns into a girl that looks everything like Me. Also, my Pop turns into a panda.' she informed.
'Wow, you have a weird family.' Yuusuke said.
Resha only nodded and started to eat.
Ranma walked downtown of Sarayashiki, looking at Minamino's address in his hand. He suddenly bumped into someone and the paper fell.
'Sorry, I ain't looking where I was goin.' Ranma muttered.
'It's okay. I'm sorry too though.' it was a pretty girl, about Akane's height with short brown hair and hazel eyes. She bend down and picked the piece of paper. "Eh, it's Kurama's house!" she thought, surprised.
'Err... can I have that back?' Ranma uttered.
'Oh, sorry.' She handed him the paper. 'Are you looking for the Minamino's resident?'
'You know where it is?'
'Sure. I'm Ku..Shuichi's friend.' She said.
'Great! Can you take me there?' Ranma asked pleased.
'Certainly! I'm Keiko, Yukimura Keiko.' She smiled.
'I'm Ranma, Saotome Ranma.' He introduced.
"Where have I heard that surname..." she shrugged the thoughts off and walked with him.
Just as they took a few steps, she suddenly froze and her eyes darken.
Ranma sensed her sudden anger and almost jumped! It felt just like Akane when she saw him hugged by Shampoo or Ukyo. Scary!
Keiko was in immersed rage as a few feet in front of her was Yuusuke with an attractive redhead coming out of an ice-cream parlor. They were smiling at each other and chatting attentively.
"Yuusuke!" she marched to the both of them, leaving Ranma still in shock.
Resha felt a very huge aura behind her and turned around.
'What's wrong, Resha?' Yuusuke asked as he also turned around. His eyes almost popped out as he saw Keiko, with an undeniably strong anger. 'Kei...Keiko, I can explain!' he stuttered.
Resha watched in silence. "Oh boy!" she could tell it was going to be like the scene Akane always performed whenever Ranma tried to explain when he's in a complex situation. Plummeting Ranma with a mallet or her fist! "Poor Yuusuke!" To her surprise, the girl stopped raging and actually listened! It's a miracle!
'Yes?' she said impatiently.
'This is Resha! Remember, the one I told you that is staying at Kurama's house? The one with that strange curse?' Yuusuke said in a brief.
"Wow! That was fast!" Resha thought sweatdropping. She looked behind Keiko and saw someone she had been missing so much!
'Ah... now I remember that surname, it's...' Keiko didn't have the time to finish her sentence.
'Ranma!' Resha exclaimed happily and embraced him tightly.
"Wow! And I thought I was the only one who is longing to see her!" Ranma thought as he hugged her back, releasing all the yearning he had been keeping. He felt satisfied, comfortable, and like all the time, safe and sound, the way he always feels whenever Resha is around him.
She released her hold and smirked at her beloved twin. 'Missed me?'
'Cheh!' he muttered, denying.
Resha laughed aloud in her mind. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, you Japan-size egoist. As if I don't know!" she turned to the two bewildered couple behind her and linked her arm with Ranma. 'Yuusuke, this is my twin bro. Ranma! Ranma, this is one of Shuichi's superior friends, Urameshi Yuusuke and his girlfriend which I presume... is Keiko. I heard a lot 'bout you from yer boyfriend here.'
They both become red in the face and shouted.
'She aint my girlfriend!'
'He's not my boyfriend!'
Ranma and Resha blinked. 'It looks like it.' the both of them said in unison.
Yuusuke and Keiko face-fault.
After the brief intro, Keiko and Yuusuke went together. Resha went back to the house she's been dwelling, taking Ranma with her.
It was superb to see him back!
