Tender Loving Care
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!!" Screamed the pretzel shaped thug. The slate gray haired Amazon stood over her fallen opponent.
"No want to see you here again, if do..." She idly swiped her broadsword at a light pole. Nothing seemed to happen, but the thug did note the razor-line cut that went all the way through it. Nodding his head the best he could, the frightened mugger scurried on his hands to wherever the rough Chinese chick was not.
"Tha, thank you!" The woman carrying groceries breathed out in relief, Pai Hoon kneeled down and helped gather the spilled groceries back into the bag on the ground.
"Is no problem, I glad to stop bad mens." The woman reached out with her free arm to accept the second bag, but the Amazon shook her head and gestured for the woman to lead the way to her home.
__________________________________
"So, you'll be staying for an indefinite amount of time, master" Soun asked, sweating bullets.
"Quite so, that impudent Redhead is in the area, and I don't think she'll be going anywhere for now."
"We'll go wherever she goes for our combined vengeance, and stay where ever she stays," Rouge added.
"Of course," Happosai continued, "She seems pretty hot on Ranma though, maybe we'll leave in one piece so my heir can, heh, indulge himself.
"Heir?" Soun gulped, and then turned a questioning glance towards the panda.
"[Oh, didn't I tell you?]" Read the sign.
"Why of course, Ranma impressed me far more than you two lazy bums ever did, at such a young age too!"
Ranma listened to the conversation from his hiding place. Happosai and Rouge were going to be staying longer, that didn't bode too well. He was going to have to be on guard for those two. He didn't really take Tarou, Ryoga, and the Amazons into account; Tarou already knew about the curse and knew fairly well what his 'husband' wanted, and the Amazons only were concerned about his girl side, and he could deal with all of them fairly easily. The problem was, Rouge and Happosai both had brains and weren't that easily fooled (except for his quickly thought up excuse for the similarities between him and the female 'Ranma'). If they were to find out about his curse, he wouldn't get any rest. The pigtailed boy shrugged; there wasn't anything he could do about it now.
__________________________________
Ranma woke up the next morning, making sure to take any contingencies in case his father wanted to wake him up with a cold shower; too much could happen on the way between the kitchen or bathroom from his room. Gathering the thermos that he prepared before he went to bed, Ranma gathered his things, and went to the bathroom to take his bath.
"Morning Ranma," Akane said in a tired voice, she hadn't gotten much sleep because she swore she saw shadows of a bunny every so often last night in her room. The aluminum baseball bat she had grasped in protection had finger indentions in the handle.
"Hey, morning, 'Kane, you're not looking too good."
"Oh, I'm fine, just *yawn* a little more tired than usual."
"Well, I'll let you take some time to wake up, and then I'll let you have the bath, okay?"
"Fine, thanks," Akane replied, sleep still dominating most of her senses. Ranma had already entered the bathroom before Akane's eyes lit up in realization, "HEY! IT'S MY TURN!!!"
Ranma chuckled after he closed the door, and turned around, and screamed
"Are you okay, Ranma?" Rouge asked, holding the bucket of water over her head, Ranma immediately redirected his eyes. At the splash of water, Ashura turned her attention back to the pigtailed boy, "Problem?"
"Er, no, I mean, I'll... wait to take my bath," Ranma responded, blushing deeply.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to interrupt your schedule, you have school, right?" The six-armed Goddess almost seemed to coo.
"Icanwaitlater!" Ranma quickly turned around, but before he could get his hand on the knob, a fist sized fireball slammed into it, melting it to slag.
"I insist..."
Ranma gulped, stripped down, and walked to a stool and sat down, making sure to keep his eyes from the Hindu Goddess. Ashura managed to use her six arms effectively, scrubbing every inch of herself, and rather slowly, much to Ranma's nervous chagrin.
"Don't worry, I'll get rid of that red headed pest, so that she will never be your bane again," the Golden deity growled, making Ranma gulp.
"Tha-that's good to," the pigtailed boy gulped again, reaching over to make sure that he filled the pail with warm water, "to know."
"Isn't is customary to use cold water to rinse down?" Rouge asked curiously.
"Uh, I... filled it with warm water by accident," Ranma internally grimaced; he was rapidly falling into a worse position than he was in before.
"We can share what's left in my pail," the goddess's innocent look threw Ranma off.
"Heh, er, waste not, want not," Ranma quickly upended the pail onto his head, mentally sighing for not changing into a girl in this instance. Rouge pouted, and went back to scrubbing herself.
Ranma quickly finished up, and rinsed off with warm water again, this time not earning a comment from Rouge, and started for his clothes.
"Aren't you going to take a bath?" Ashura asked with a slight smile.
"No, I'm fine!" Ranma replied with a crooked grin, and made the mistake of turning towards the room's other occupant.
"Get in the bath," Rouge commanded. Ranma yipped, and knew that it wasn't a good idea to anger the Goddess.
Hesitantly, he went and set himself in the bath. Too quickly for his liking, Ashura quickly rinsed off, and joined him.
Rouge sighed as she gained her original form, "This feels wonderful!" Ranma's throat went dry, as the girl's sighs did interesting things with her chest, "Aren't you glad you decided to take a bath too?"
Ranma could only nod. Summoning a major amount of will power, the pigtailed boy redirected his eyes again, "Uh, Rouge, aren't you, well, uncomfortable taking a bath with a guy?"
Rouge looked at Ranma with a lighthearted smile, "Nonsense, I know you're a complete gentleman." The girl leaned back and closed her eyes. Ranma took advantage of her inattention to silently get out of the furo without making too much motion in the water, dried himself off, got dressed, and pried the door open to escape.
Once Ranma left the room, Rouge opened one of her eyes, and then sulked.
__________________________________
Ranma walked alongside Nabiki since Akane had to wait a bit longer in order to take a bath. He was still thrown off kilter by Rouge's display earlier; he recalled the girl being extremely modest and bashful before...
"Ranma, you're going to school as a guy?" Nabiki asked curiously.
Ranma finished surveying the area, and grinned, "Not anymore." He walked directly into the path of an old woman soaking her walkway.
"What was that all about?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow, awaiting an answer.
"Didn't want to change until the coast was clear of Amazons."
"And I presume our other houseguests have nothing to do with this?" Nabiki asked with a sardonic tone. Ranma narrowed her eyes; this girl was going to have to have her mind directed towards other matters.
"Oh, Nabiki, don't be so silly!" Ranma-chan lightly punched Nabiki in the arm, and subtly moved closer to the older girl. Everyone standing out in the schoolyard noticed Nabiki walking rather intimately with the redhead girl. The whispers started instantly.
Every so often, Ranma would look up towards Nabiki's face with a seemingly serene and happy expression, hopefully this would work out as planned.
"HALT!" Kuno demanded, causing both Nabiki and Ranma to pause.
"What is it you want, Kuno-baby?" Nabiki drolled, not really wanting to deal with the idiot at the moment.
"I did not wish to solicit you, Nabiki, I had called for the fair pigtailed one."
"That's really flattering and all, Baka-Sempai, but I'm busy," Ranma-chan replied, removing her foot from where the kendoist's face had been previously. Ranma hugged Nabiki's arm, before separating, "I'll see you after school!"
Nabiki shrugged, and continued into the building, not paying attention to the incredulous looks from everyone present.
__________________________________
"Uh, Ranma, is it true?" The redhead blinked, and turned to look at her classmate.
"Huh?"
"Well, you and Nabiki... well..." He nervously put his index fingers together, he had seen her fight, and only his hormones were making him brave among his classmates to ask their cumulative question.
"What about..." Ranma's eyes lit up in realization, "Well, one day, she *may* be my fiancée." Ranma kept her smirk from forming, wayyyyy too easy.
"You... how..." the crushed young man stammered.
"Oh, please don't tell her I told you! She gets so embarrassed about it and, it would just break my heart if she just refused me!" Ranma make with the crocodile tears.
"Oh, don't you worry!" The boy exclaimed, patting the crying pigtailed girl on the shoulders, "Your relationship with Nabiki will be kept under wraps!"
"Oh, thank you, I just don't know what I would do if I were to get her rejection," Nabiki should be busy with that, and out of her business for a while, at least.
::FWOOSH!!!!!::
Ranma turned quickly to the hole in the wall, seeing a flying ticked off Goddess floating on the outside of it, "AT LAST!!!! I WILL DESTROY YOU!" Ranma-chan gulped, and took off running to the classroom exit.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!!" Screamed the pretzel shaped thug. The slate gray haired Amazon stood over her fallen opponent.
"No want to see you here again, if do..." She idly swiped her broadsword at a light pole. Nothing seemed to happen, but the thug did note the razor-line cut that went all the way through it. Nodding his head the best he could, the frightened mugger scurried on his hands to wherever the rough Chinese chick was not.
"Tha, thank you!" The woman carrying groceries breathed out in relief, Pai Hoon kneeled down and helped gather the spilled groceries back into the bag on the ground.
"Is no problem, I glad to stop bad mens." The woman reached out with her free arm to accept the second bag, but the Amazon shook her head and gestured for the woman to lead the way to her home.
__________________________________
"So, you'll be staying for an indefinite amount of time, master" Soun asked, sweating bullets.
"Quite so, that impudent Redhead is in the area, and I don't think she'll be going anywhere for now."
"We'll go wherever she goes for our combined vengeance, and stay where ever she stays," Rouge added.
"Of course," Happosai continued, "She seems pretty hot on Ranma though, maybe we'll leave in one piece so my heir can, heh, indulge himself.
"Heir?" Soun gulped, and then turned a questioning glance towards the panda.
"[Oh, didn't I tell you?]" Read the sign.
"Why of course, Ranma impressed me far more than you two lazy bums ever did, at such a young age too!"
Ranma listened to the conversation from his hiding place. Happosai and Rouge were going to be staying longer, that didn't bode too well. He was going to have to be on guard for those two. He didn't really take Tarou, Ryoga, and the Amazons into account; Tarou already knew about the curse and knew fairly well what his 'husband' wanted, and the Amazons only were concerned about his girl side, and he could deal with all of them fairly easily. The problem was, Rouge and Happosai both had brains and weren't that easily fooled (except for his quickly thought up excuse for the similarities between him and the female 'Ranma'). If they were to find out about his curse, he wouldn't get any rest. The pigtailed boy shrugged; there wasn't anything he could do about it now.
__________________________________
Ranma woke up the next morning, making sure to take any contingencies in case his father wanted to wake him up with a cold shower; too much could happen on the way between the kitchen or bathroom from his room. Gathering the thermos that he prepared before he went to bed, Ranma gathered his things, and went to the bathroom to take his bath.
"Morning Ranma," Akane said in a tired voice, she hadn't gotten much sleep because she swore she saw shadows of a bunny every so often last night in her room. The aluminum baseball bat she had grasped in protection had finger indentions in the handle.
"Hey, morning, 'Kane, you're not looking too good."
"Oh, I'm fine, just *yawn* a little more tired than usual."
"Well, I'll let you take some time to wake up, and then I'll let you have the bath, okay?"
"Fine, thanks," Akane replied, sleep still dominating most of her senses. Ranma had already entered the bathroom before Akane's eyes lit up in realization, "HEY! IT'S MY TURN!!!"
Ranma chuckled after he closed the door, and turned around, and screamed
"Are you okay, Ranma?" Rouge asked, holding the bucket of water over her head, Ranma immediately redirected his eyes. At the splash of water, Ashura turned her attention back to the pigtailed boy, "Problem?"
"Er, no, I mean, I'll... wait to take my bath," Ranma responded, blushing deeply.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to interrupt your schedule, you have school, right?" The six-armed Goddess almost seemed to coo.
"Icanwaitlater!" Ranma quickly turned around, but before he could get his hand on the knob, a fist sized fireball slammed into it, melting it to slag.
"I insist..."
Ranma gulped, stripped down, and walked to a stool and sat down, making sure to keep his eyes from the Hindu Goddess. Ashura managed to use her six arms effectively, scrubbing every inch of herself, and rather slowly, much to Ranma's nervous chagrin.
"Don't worry, I'll get rid of that red headed pest, so that she will never be your bane again," the Golden deity growled, making Ranma gulp.
"Tha-that's good to," the pigtailed boy gulped again, reaching over to make sure that he filled the pail with warm water, "to know."
"Isn't is customary to use cold water to rinse down?" Rouge asked curiously.
"Uh, I... filled it with warm water by accident," Ranma internally grimaced; he was rapidly falling into a worse position than he was in before.
"We can share what's left in my pail," the goddess's innocent look threw Ranma off.
"Heh, er, waste not, want not," Ranma quickly upended the pail onto his head, mentally sighing for not changing into a girl in this instance. Rouge pouted, and went back to scrubbing herself.
Ranma quickly finished up, and rinsed off with warm water again, this time not earning a comment from Rouge, and started for his clothes.
"Aren't you going to take a bath?" Ashura asked with a slight smile.
"No, I'm fine!" Ranma replied with a crooked grin, and made the mistake of turning towards the room's other occupant.
"Get in the bath," Rouge commanded. Ranma yipped, and knew that it wasn't a good idea to anger the Goddess.
Hesitantly, he went and set himself in the bath. Too quickly for his liking, Ashura quickly rinsed off, and joined him.
Rouge sighed as she gained her original form, "This feels wonderful!" Ranma's throat went dry, as the girl's sighs did interesting things with her chest, "Aren't you glad you decided to take a bath too?"
Ranma could only nod. Summoning a major amount of will power, the pigtailed boy redirected his eyes again, "Uh, Rouge, aren't you, well, uncomfortable taking a bath with a guy?"
Rouge looked at Ranma with a lighthearted smile, "Nonsense, I know you're a complete gentleman." The girl leaned back and closed her eyes. Ranma took advantage of her inattention to silently get out of the furo without making too much motion in the water, dried himself off, got dressed, and pried the door open to escape.
Once Ranma left the room, Rouge opened one of her eyes, and then sulked.
__________________________________
Ranma walked alongside Nabiki since Akane had to wait a bit longer in order to take a bath. He was still thrown off kilter by Rouge's display earlier; he recalled the girl being extremely modest and bashful before...
"Ranma, you're going to school as a guy?" Nabiki asked curiously.
Ranma finished surveying the area, and grinned, "Not anymore." He walked directly into the path of an old woman soaking her walkway.
"What was that all about?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow, awaiting an answer.
"Didn't want to change until the coast was clear of Amazons."
"And I presume our other houseguests have nothing to do with this?" Nabiki asked with a sardonic tone. Ranma narrowed her eyes; this girl was going to have to have her mind directed towards other matters.
"Oh, Nabiki, don't be so silly!" Ranma-chan lightly punched Nabiki in the arm, and subtly moved closer to the older girl. Everyone standing out in the schoolyard noticed Nabiki walking rather intimately with the redhead girl. The whispers started instantly.
Every so often, Ranma would look up towards Nabiki's face with a seemingly serene and happy expression, hopefully this would work out as planned.
"HALT!" Kuno demanded, causing both Nabiki and Ranma to pause.
"What is it you want, Kuno-baby?" Nabiki drolled, not really wanting to deal with the idiot at the moment.
"I did not wish to solicit you, Nabiki, I had called for the fair pigtailed one."
"That's really flattering and all, Baka-Sempai, but I'm busy," Ranma-chan replied, removing her foot from where the kendoist's face had been previously. Ranma hugged Nabiki's arm, before separating, "I'll see you after school!"
Nabiki shrugged, and continued into the building, not paying attention to the incredulous looks from everyone present.
__________________________________
"Uh, Ranma, is it true?" The redhead blinked, and turned to look at her classmate.
"Huh?"
"Well, you and Nabiki... well..." He nervously put his index fingers together, he had seen her fight, and only his hormones were making him brave among his classmates to ask their cumulative question.
"What about..." Ranma's eyes lit up in realization, "Well, one day, she *may* be my fiancée." Ranma kept her smirk from forming, wayyyyy too easy.
"You... how..." the crushed young man stammered.
"Oh, please don't tell her I told you! She gets so embarrassed about it and, it would just break my heart if she just refused me!" Ranma make with the crocodile tears.
"Oh, don't you worry!" The boy exclaimed, patting the crying pigtailed girl on the shoulders, "Your relationship with Nabiki will be kept under wraps!"
"Oh, thank you, I just don't know what I would do if I were to get her rejection," Nabiki should be busy with that, and out of her business for a while, at least.
::FWOOSH!!!!!::
Ranma turned quickly to the hole in the wall, seeing a flying ticked off Goddess floating on the outside of it, "AT LAST!!!! I WILL DESTROY YOU!" Ranma-chan gulped, and took off running to the classroom exit.