Chapter 18 Ranma's Birthday
Dinner at the Tendo home with the Tendo's and their houseguests was always interesting. Tonight's dinner was no exception. With the addition of Shampoo, and tonight Ukyo, to the evening meals, they had rearranged the seating around the dining platform. Kasumi knelt at the head of the table, where it was easy for her to pass the dishes around; Nabiki was seated at her right, with Shampoo and then Gemna to her right. Nodoka sat at the foot of the table, with Soun to her right. Ukyo sat between Soun and Akane, and Ranma was next to Akane. Nodoka's katana was ever present, and Shampoo's bonborris were never far away. Between the two of them, Gemna was forced to behave. Tonight, for some reason, Ranma felt very nervous. Nabiki was across from him, looking at him with an odd, predatory smile. Ukyo had glomped onto him in greeting when she walked in and only let go when Kasumi asked her to help in the kitchen. Akane was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with him, making contact with him every chance she got, her nearness beginning to make him sweat. Kasumi just smiled at him with that weird Mona Lisa smile.
Ranma finished his dinner and said, "Kasumi-chan, dinner was especially good tonight. You really outdid yourself."
Kasumi blushed prettily, and said, "Thank you, Ranchan. There's dessert in the kitchen as well. Akane, Nabiki could you help me bring it in?" The girls went into the kitchen and then shortly came out. Kasumi was carrying a cake with seventeen lit candles on it. Akane and Nabiki were carrying several brightly wrapped packages.
"Happy Birthday, Ranma!" everyone shouted.
Ranma looked at his mother, his eyes filled with tears of happiness. This was the first birthday he remembered ever celebrating. Kasumi set the cake in front of him and said softly, "Make a wish and blow out the candles, Ranma!"
Ranma thought for a while, and then smiled. He took a deep breath and blew as hard as he could, and blew out all of the candles. Everybody applauded. Kasumi began cutting up the cake, giving the first piece to Ranma and then one to everyone else. As they sat around eating, Akane asked, "What did you wish for, Ranma? A cure for your curse?"
Ranma smiled, and then said, "No, but if I tell you, it's not supposed to happen, right? And it was a good wish too, so I want it to come true."
"Open your gifts, boy," Gemna said, "Don't ya want to see what ya got?"
"I've already enjoying one of them, Pop. The gift of friendship," Ranma replied.
He opened Akane's gift, inside her box was a handmade black scarf, with his initials embroidered on it in white thread. It was wrapped around a small picture frame, containing a picture of her. He hugged her in thanks. She lightly kissed his cheek.
He opened Nabiki's present, and found a collection of amines about a girl searching for lost jewel shards with her companions. "Nabiki, this is one of my favorite series, thanks," he said as he hugged her. Nabiki hugged him back.
Next he opened Ukyo's present, she had given him a small MP3 player, and a picture of her beside a yatai. Ranma kissed Ukyo's cheek, and said "Thanks, Ucchan." She blushed in surprise that he had actually kissed her.
Soun gave him a small, traveling shogi set for him to take on his training trips. His parents gave him a laptop computer for his schoolwork. His mother also gave him a small necklace, with a pendant shaped in the form of the Yin-yang symbol. He bowed politely to Soun and his parents, but his mother pulled him into a hug, and said, "I'm so proud of you, Ranma."
Shampoo gave him a sandalwood box containing several different Chinese Amazon healing salves. She gave him an Amazon Glomp, which had the other girls glowering at her. "Stepson," she teased, "Try not to need these too soon."
Finally, he opened Kasumi's present. It was a handmade, red Chinese shirt, made out of silk. He hugged her, and then she kissed him. They both blushed.
"Thank you, all of you," Ranma said, "I want ya ta know how much this means ta me." He carried his presents upstairs to his room and then came back down to the dining area. By that time, Soun and Gemna had broken out the sake and were engrossed in a game of shogi. The girls were all helping Kasumi clean up the kitchen.
Several days later, Ranma was heading home from school by herself. Shampoo had gone to work at Ucchan's and Akane had said something about staying late for a tryout for a play.
"That old lady just can't wait to get me wet," fumed Ranma as she walked home. As she neared the Tendo home, she saw a small, old woman hopping down the street on a cane. Ranma ran over and said, in Chinese, with a smile, Hey old ghoul, how've you been?
Cologne stopped and hit Ranma gently on her head with the cane. Show some respect for your elders, child. I've come a long way to talk to your Mother, she replied.
Great grandmother, I've missed you, Ranma said as she hugged the wizened old woman, Mom's at work still. She should be home in about an hour, though.
Grandchild, it is good to see you too. Is there someplace we can talk without being interrupted? I don't want Xian Pu to know that I am here yet, Cologne said.
Sure. We can wait in the dojo. I'll show you where it is and then go change, Ranma replied. She led Cologne over to the dojo and said, Xian Pu is at work. Gemna won't be here for a while either. He won't get back from his job until much later. I'll be right back. She ran into the house., and poured warm water form the ever present kettle that Kasumi always had ready. "Kasumi-chan, Akane said she would be home later. I'll be in the dojo for a while visiting with an old friend. She wants to talk to Mom when she gets in, too," Ranma said, "Would ya let her know when she comes home for me, please?" Kasumi smiled and nodded.
Ranma went back into the dojo to talk to Cologne.
So this is what you look like normally, grandchild, Cologne said. If only I was two hundred years younger, she said with a sigh.
Not funny, Grandmother!! I have enough women trouble as it is, he said, What with the arranged marriage to one of the Tendo girls, and all of the other fiancées Pop fixed me up with.
I think there is much of you life that you haven't shared with me. What has your father done to you? Cologne asked.
Ranma told her the familiar story of his life with Gemna, about all of the different things he had endured and about all the times his father had sold him for food. When he reached the part about learning the Neko-Ken, he was shocked to see how angry Cologne was getting. Finally he was finished with his life story. Cologne was livid with rage, only her finely honed control of her emotions, gained through three hundred years, kept her from erupting.
How much of this story does Xian Pu know? Cologne asked.
"Most of it, Elder," Nodoka answered from the doorway where she had been listening, You must be Khu Lon, welcome to Japan. My name, of course, is Nodoka Saotome, the proud mother of Ranma and the unfortunate wife of Gemna Saotome. She bowed gracefully to Cologne.
Cologne returned the bow. "Mrs. Saotome," she began.
Nodoka interrupted, saying, "Nodoka, please."
Cologne smiled. "Nodoka, again I apologize for allowing my granddaughter to challenge your husband. It was not my intention to cause you any problems, she said.
Nodoka replied, "There's no need to apologize, Elder. The problems that I have are not of your doing. My husband has caused the many problems for us all. Besides, I have an easy escape from the issue with Shampoo; I could simply give Gemna to her. I like her too much to do that to her, and besides, no one deserves that kind of punishment."
Cologne chuckled dryly. "I assume from that comment that you aren't exactly enamored with your husband. If it is not too intrusive, may I ask what your plans toward him are?"
"It's still a bit premature for a decision. I find myself extremely angry with him still for all of the havoc he has caused so I'm trying not to make any decisions about him right now. I also want to protect Ranma from him and his fear of my displeasure is one of the tools I have to do that," Nodoka replied, "However, as pleasant as it is to discuss my husband's multiple shortcomings, I'm sure you didn't come all this way to only discuss this."
"True, I would like talk about Shampoo," Cologne said, "Perhaps my grandchild could get us some refreshments?"
"That's an excellent idea. Ranma, why don't you ask Kasumi for some refreshments for our guest?" Nodoka asked.
"Of course, Mother. How long do I need to take to ensure that you have enough time to discuss Shampoo without me overhearing?" Ranma said with a wry grin,
"Impudent child!" Cologne said with a chuckle, "About a half-hour should be sufficient, I would think, for what I would like to keep private."
"Okay, grandmother, Mom, I'll be back around then with some tea. I think Kasumi has some that you will like, Grandmother," Ranma said as he left.
"Not that I really mind, but why do you call Ranma 'grandchild'," Nodoka said, curiously.
"We grew close in the village while he stayed. He started calling me grandmother, and I decided that step-great-great-grandchild was just too cumbersome. At the time, I was hoping that Ranma might actually stay with us, but I quickly realized that he wouldn't fit in," Cologne replied.
"Cologne, I have come to think of Shampoo as a daughter. I hope you don't mind," Nodoka said, "You are aware that Shampoo doesn't want to marry Gemna, she just feels obligated to follow your traditions. What are your plans for her now?"
"I agree with you that Gemna is not a suitable husband for her, or you for that matter. However, I don't intend to tell her that yet. I still want her to learn that she is too arrogant. That is a common failing among us Amazon women. I blush to think how long it took me to learn humility myself. While we have a three thousand year old tradition to guide us, we do need to be aware of the outside world. If we do not adapt to it, our culture will be destroyed. One of the traditions that I want us to discard is both the Kiss of Death and the Kiss of Marriage. I am grooming Shampoo to be the leader of the Amazons, and this experience will help her understand why that tradition is outdated," Cologne said.
"How can I help you with that?" Nodoka asked.
"Just be yourself, I suspect. The report that I received from our people in the Embassy is that you are an extremely honorable person, intelligent, with a strong will. Our culture honors that type of woman. Shampoo will respond to you positively. She needs someone outside of our ways to turn to, and she will turn to you. She also had begun to boast of her skill in martial arts. Ranma is a much better martial artist than she will ever be, and that will teach her that there is always someone better," Cologne said, "Between what I have taught her, and what she will learn from the two of you, I believe she will indeed be a worthy successor to myself."
"I am honored by your confidence in myself and my son, Cologne. I also owe you a debt that this will help repay. From what Ranma has said to me, your kindness and acceptance of him even though he was cursed, allowed him the time to accept who he was. I know that you saved his sanity, possibly his life, doing that. He learned a great deal from you, and is a better person because of it. I thank you for that," Nodoka said.
"Is it safe to come in now, the tea is ready," asked Ranma from the doorway.
Cologne said, "We are finished for now, Ranma. Please come in. We can talk about other things over the tea, but I must leave soon after that. I will let you know where I am staying."
Shampoo came out of the school building and started heading toward the restaurant. She heard a male voice cry, "Shampoo!!" and then she was grabbed in a big hug. "Say you'll go out with me, Shampoo, please," the boy pleaded. Shampoo broke free and started running.
"Shampoo no date with you, I already have Airen," she said over her shoulder. She ran as fast as she could to stay away from her pursuer. Behind her she could her the sound of his footsteps.
"Shampoo!" the young man called as he ran after the love of his life.
Shampoo took one look at her pursuer and swore. 'Why did Ukyo hire him for the restaurant?' she thought, 'I guess she felt sorry for him, but did she really think what it would mean?' She jumped up on top of the fence next to her and disappeared behind it, and then ran down an alley at random. She looked back, 'Yes, she had lost him finally,' she thought to herself. She headed back towards the restaurant hoping to get there before she was found again. She shuddered at the memory of the hug she had just received before she had broken loose and ran away. 'Why doesn't he take no for an answer,' she thought to herself, almost tearfully, 'Stop it Xian Pu, Amazon women don't cry over men, you are a proud warrior.' She reached the restaurant and walked in only to be confronted by her pursuer.
"Shampoo, I love you!" he cried.
"Shampoo no love you. She already have Airen. Why you no listen?" she said angrily.
Kiss me Xian Pu, go on a date with me!' he said.
"Baka!" she said as she splashed him with cold water, watching dispassionately as he turned into a small black pig, wearing a yellow and black spotted bandanna.
The pig protested, "Bwee!!" as she picked him up and put him in his cage.