Tender Loving Care
"I'm back!" Akane chirped, finally returning from her errand. As she walked in, she was greeted by her father.
"Akane dear, good news! It seems we won a free trip! You need to quickly pack your bags so we can depart immidiately!"
Akane blinked, "But... someone needs to stay here and wait for the flight line."
Soun paused, remembering the pointless errand that they had sent her on, "You found flight line?"
Akane nodded cheerfully, "Yup. I didn't want to upset Kasumi again by failing in another errand, so I put some effort into this one!" Akane flexed her bicep in a show for her father, "You know? It was a lot easier to find than non-glucose rice. I'll tell ya though, I think they're gonna be ticked at the airport, that's for sure!"
Soun paled, as Akane walked off, whistling happily to herself.
_______________________
So, where we tak'n this vacation?" Ranma enquired, somewhat interested in learning more.
Kasumi jerked in surprise, before whirling around with her knife in hand. Ranma idly leaned away from getting his throat slashed, wondering why she was so jumpy. "o-oh, Ranma... you startled me," Kasumi exclaimed in a highly strained voice.
"Bet you're excited about this trip. Going to the beach or something?"
"Uh... it's a surprise!" Kasumi gave Ranma the best smile she could, which wasn't much as she was trying not to panic in his presence. "Um... could you possibly... go away while I prepare dinner... please?"
"Ah, I must be bugg'n ya, sorry." Ranma bowed, and left the kitchen. Once he was gone, Kasumi gave a great sigh of relief, and went back to mixing the drug recipe she was working on.
_______________________
"Ranma," Akane greeted, sitting at one end of the table.
The pigtailed boy sat at the other side, "Akane."
Nabiki and Soun looked between the two, from Akane happy-go-lucky expression that easily disguised the white hot hostile intentions towards their houseguest, to Ranma's slightly oblivious and flippant facade which masked his maliciousness and more than small suspicion towards Akane. Both the other present Tendous could literally feel the air crackling with their unseen animosity.
"D-dinner's ready!" Kasumi interrupted the 'pleasant' atmosphere, bringing two prepared plates. She set one down in front of Ranma, and then in front of Akane, before returning to the kitchen, and gathering two more prepared plates for her sister and her father.
Akane looked at her food with a wary expression, "Kasumi, what's this?"
Kasumi sat at the table with her own plate, "It's an American style meatloaf with a tomato sauce dressing. I hope you like it!"
"It smells funny," Ranma replied twisting his nose up at it.
"AH..." Kasumi began to panic, "T-try it, you'll like it! REALLY!"
"I don't know, you sure the meat's not spoiled? It seems to happen a lot to me when I'm cooking," Akane asked, concerned about the meal.
"Really... the meat's not spoiled. I... I just was trying a new recipe, th-that's all!" Kasumi gave a weak smile, as Nabiki and Soun shifted nervously.
"Hmm, never had much American food exept hamburgers and stuff like that. Is this like a hamburger?" Ranma asked, poking at the food with his chopsticks
"Yes, YES it is! Now hurry before it gets cold!" Kasumi urged in a near hysterical, cracking tone.
"Are you okay, Kasumi?" Akane enquired, as she saw her oldest sister begin to perspire.
"JUST EAT THE DAMN MEATLOAF!!!" Kasumi suddenly shouted, causing everyone at the table to jump.
"Kinda touchy today, aren't you?" Akane quipped, before picking up her chopsticks, and taking a bite. "Hmm, I guess it's not bad, but you've done much better, sis."
Ranma frowned a bit, as he chewed, testing the flavor. He swallowed before speaking, "Hmm, it's funny. I swear I can taste potent phenothiazine derivatives, and some sort of concentrated diazepa... diaz..."
Both Akane and Ranma both slumped into their meals, unconcious. Soun reached over with his chopsticks, poking Akane first, then Ranma to ensure they were knocked out. After several moments, everyone at the table sighed in great relief.
Immidiately, Soun gathered Ranma onto his shoulder, while Kasumi put Akane on hers. They both then rushed out the back door, which was being held open by Nabiki. The middle Tendou sister then raced down the pathway in the backyard to the back entrance, opening the door quickly for her sister and father, where a van was waiting parked.
Soun and Kasumi then tossed both Ranma and Akane unceremoniously into the back, before shutting the door. Kasumi hopped into the driver's side, while Soun and Nabiki entered the side door.
Igniting the engine, Kasumi wasted no time, peeling out into the street as fast as the van would allow her, while Nabiki and Soun quickly went to work. Nabiki centered both Ranma and Akane on a large square of wood, and then began holding up boards perpendicular with the sides, as her father began nailing them into the base board.
Kasumi expertly navigated traffic, finally arriving at the airfield. She spared a glance out her window, puzzled as to why several planes were currently sitting in mud, and not parked on a flight line. She shook her head, deciding she had more pressing concerns to deal with.
Kasumi quickly pulled up to the first cargo plane she saw, stopped the van, and jumped out. She rushed up to one of the men, obviously the pilot, who seemed to be of Polynesian descent. "Excuse me, sir, where are you going?"
Blinking in confusion, the man answered in a language Kasumi hadn't encountered before, causing the girl to whimper; there wasn't much time left, and they had to get Ranma and Akane away FAST!
Soun hopped out of the back of the van, holding a large crate on his back, and ran over to where Kasumi was talking with the foreign pilot. Nabiki shortly joined them, before closing the doors to the back of the van.
"Where. are. you. going. to?" Kasumi asked, in broken English, hoping the man would understand her.
"Sorry, luv, man doesn't speak a word of Japanese or English. One hell of a pilot, tho'!"
Kasumi turned to the blond, tanned man who had just exited the cargo jet, "You. speak. English?"
"And Japanese, if that'll make things easier on ya, missy," the man with an Austrailian accent replied, "Tho, if I had time, I woundna mind tak'n it easy with you tonight, if ya catch my drift."
"Are you heading, far... far away?" Nabiki interjected, pressing the matter for time's sakes.
The man scrunched his face, "Well, we're hopp'n ta New Zealand, why you ask?"
"We'll pay you! Take it all!!!" Soun shoved a wad of bills into the man's hand, "Just take this crate, and leave it there!"
"Uh..."
"You want more?" Nabiki reached into her pockets, pulling out several rolls of bills.
"I...I have fifty-seven yen," Kasumi replied, counting the change she had left over from grocery shopping.
"Well, if it's that important to ya..." The man quickly grabbed the wads of cash from Nabiki, as well as the spare change Kasumi had, and motioned Soun to load the crate into the side of the plane. After that was done, he put a finger to his lips to motion silence, "We won't be telling the authorities 'bout this, eh?"
The Tendous shook their heads rapidly.
After quick flight preparations, the plane took off. The Tendous waved tearfully as it departed, hoping that it would be a long time before the two teenagers aboard would be seen again. Even better if just one of them came back.
_______________________
"I'm back! I almost despaired, but I found it, non-glucose rice! Amazing the things they make out of soy nowadays..." Genma called out, and frowned as he recieved no answer. "Anyone home?"
Once again, he didn't recieve an answer, and shrugged. His stomach and olfactory senses took over, as he followed the unusual, but tantilizing aroma into the dining area.
_______________________
A cargo plane flew over the thick forests of New Zealand, before expulging a crate attached to a parachute. It landed, barely managing to avoid the chute getting tangled in branches, and shattered outwards.
"What the...?" Ranma exclaimed, looking around.
"I can't believe they drugged us!" Akane shouted in outrage, before a note landed on her face, "Huh? What's this?"
Ranma retrieved the note from Akane's face, and read it.
"Dear Ranma and Akane,
As our vacation funds were rather
limited, we had decided that it
would be best for the two of you
to go, instead of the whole
family. We apologise for the
accomidations, but they were the
best that could be done on the
funds we were given. We wish you
two the best of time, and stay
as long as you like! We don't
mind, as long as you two don't
come back for a long time.
Please, enjoy yourselves and
don't come back for a LONG
time! There is no rush so
try not to come back for a
long.... LONG time. Okay?
The Tendous"
"Huh," Ranma mumbled, crumpling up the note and tossing it over his shoulder, "I wonder where we are...?"
"Never seen anywhere like this in Japan before," Akane opined, looking around.
"We're not in China either. At least nowhere I've been," Ranma replied, leaning down and picking up his travel pack that had been left for him.
"So, where are we going?" Akane asked, picking up her bag, and the pouch of Japanese yen bills left for them.
Ranma looked up, shrugged, and pointed in a direction, "That way's as good as any direction..."
"Alright, you lead the way!" Akane chirped. Ranma nodded, and began heading the direction he had pointed, not catching Akane picking up a large rock, hefting it a couple of times to test it's weight, and tossing it into the air at a seemingly random trajectory. She then followed Ranma, as he pushed a thick tree branch out of his way, then walked past just before Akane caught up with him...
"I'm back!" Akane chirped, finally returning from her errand. As she walked in, she was greeted by her father.
"Akane dear, good news! It seems we won a free trip! You need to quickly pack your bags so we can depart immidiately!"
Akane blinked, "But... someone needs to stay here and wait for the flight line."
Soun paused, remembering the pointless errand that they had sent her on, "You found flight line?"
Akane nodded cheerfully, "Yup. I didn't want to upset Kasumi again by failing in another errand, so I put some effort into this one!" Akane flexed her bicep in a show for her father, "You know? It was a lot easier to find than non-glucose rice. I'll tell ya though, I think they're gonna be ticked at the airport, that's for sure!"
Soun paled, as Akane walked off, whistling happily to herself.
_______________________
So, where we tak'n this vacation?" Ranma enquired, somewhat interested in learning more.
Kasumi jerked in surprise, before whirling around with her knife in hand. Ranma idly leaned away from getting his throat slashed, wondering why she was so jumpy. "o-oh, Ranma... you startled me," Kasumi exclaimed in a highly strained voice.
"Bet you're excited about this trip. Going to the beach or something?"
"Uh... it's a surprise!" Kasumi gave Ranma the best smile she could, which wasn't much as she was trying not to panic in his presence. "Um... could you possibly... go away while I prepare dinner... please?"
"Ah, I must be bugg'n ya, sorry." Ranma bowed, and left the kitchen. Once he was gone, Kasumi gave a great sigh of relief, and went back to mixing the drug recipe she was working on.
_______________________
"Ranma," Akane greeted, sitting at one end of the table.
The pigtailed boy sat at the other side, "Akane."
Nabiki and Soun looked between the two, from Akane happy-go-lucky expression that easily disguised the white hot hostile intentions towards their houseguest, to Ranma's slightly oblivious and flippant facade which masked his maliciousness and more than small suspicion towards Akane. Both the other present Tendous could literally feel the air crackling with their unseen animosity.
"D-dinner's ready!" Kasumi interrupted the 'pleasant' atmosphere, bringing two prepared plates. She set one down in front of Ranma, and then in front of Akane, before returning to the kitchen, and gathering two more prepared plates for her sister and her father.
Akane looked at her food with a wary expression, "Kasumi, what's this?"
Kasumi sat at the table with her own plate, "It's an American style meatloaf with a tomato sauce dressing. I hope you like it!"
"It smells funny," Ranma replied twisting his nose up at it.
"AH..." Kasumi began to panic, "T-try it, you'll like it! REALLY!"
"I don't know, you sure the meat's not spoiled? It seems to happen a lot to me when I'm cooking," Akane asked, concerned about the meal.
"Really... the meat's not spoiled. I... I just was trying a new recipe, th-that's all!" Kasumi gave a weak smile, as Nabiki and Soun shifted nervously.
"Hmm, never had much American food exept hamburgers and stuff like that. Is this like a hamburger?" Ranma asked, poking at the food with his chopsticks
"Yes, YES it is! Now hurry before it gets cold!" Kasumi urged in a near hysterical, cracking tone.
"Are you okay, Kasumi?" Akane enquired, as she saw her oldest sister begin to perspire.
"JUST EAT THE DAMN MEATLOAF!!!" Kasumi suddenly shouted, causing everyone at the table to jump.
"Kinda touchy today, aren't you?" Akane quipped, before picking up her chopsticks, and taking a bite. "Hmm, I guess it's not bad, but you've done much better, sis."
Ranma frowned a bit, as he chewed, testing the flavor. He swallowed before speaking, "Hmm, it's funny. I swear I can taste potent phenothiazine derivatives, and some sort of concentrated diazepa... diaz..."
Both Akane and Ranma both slumped into their meals, unconcious. Soun reached over with his chopsticks, poking Akane first, then Ranma to ensure they were knocked out. After several moments, everyone at the table sighed in great relief.
Immidiately, Soun gathered Ranma onto his shoulder, while Kasumi put Akane on hers. They both then rushed out the back door, which was being held open by Nabiki. The middle Tendou sister then raced down the pathway in the backyard to the back entrance, opening the door quickly for her sister and father, where a van was waiting parked.
Soun and Kasumi then tossed both Ranma and Akane unceremoniously into the back, before shutting the door. Kasumi hopped into the driver's side, while Soun and Nabiki entered the side door.
Igniting the engine, Kasumi wasted no time, peeling out into the street as fast as the van would allow her, while Nabiki and Soun quickly went to work. Nabiki centered both Ranma and Akane on a large square of wood, and then began holding up boards perpendicular with the sides, as her father began nailing them into the base board.
Kasumi expertly navigated traffic, finally arriving at the airfield. She spared a glance out her window, puzzled as to why several planes were currently sitting in mud, and not parked on a flight line. She shook her head, deciding she had more pressing concerns to deal with.
Kasumi quickly pulled up to the first cargo plane she saw, stopped the van, and jumped out. She rushed up to one of the men, obviously the pilot, who seemed to be of Polynesian descent. "Excuse me, sir, where are you going?"
Blinking in confusion, the man answered in a language Kasumi hadn't encountered before, causing the girl to whimper; there wasn't much time left, and they had to get Ranma and Akane away FAST!
Soun hopped out of the back of the van, holding a large crate on his back, and ran over to where Kasumi was talking with the foreign pilot. Nabiki shortly joined them, before closing the doors to the back of the van.
"Where. are. you. going. to?" Kasumi asked, in broken English, hoping the man would understand her.
"Sorry, luv, man doesn't speak a word of Japanese or English. One hell of a pilot, tho'!"
Kasumi turned to the blond, tanned man who had just exited the cargo jet, "You. speak. English?"
"And Japanese, if that'll make things easier on ya, missy," the man with an Austrailian accent replied, "Tho, if I had time, I woundna mind tak'n it easy with you tonight, if ya catch my drift."
"Are you heading, far... far away?" Nabiki interjected, pressing the matter for time's sakes.
The man scrunched his face, "Well, we're hopp'n ta New Zealand, why you ask?"
"We'll pay you! Take it all!!!" Soun shoved a wad of bills into the man's hand, "Just take this crate, and leave it there!"
"Uh..."
"You want more?" Nabiki reached into her pockets, pulling out several rolls of bills.
"I...I have fifty-seven yen," Kasumi replied, counting the change she had left over from grocery shopping.
"Well, if it's that important to ya..." The man quickly grabbed the wads of cash from Nabiki, as well as the spare change Kasumi had, and motioned Soun to load the crate into the side of the plane. After that was done, he put a finger to his lips to motion silence, "We won't be telling the authorities 'bout this, eh?"
The Tendous shook their heads rapidly.
After quick flight preparations, the plane took off. The Tendous waved tearfully as it departed, hoping that it would be a long time before the two teenagers aboard would be seen again. Even better if just one of them came back.
_______________________
"I'm back! I almost despaired, but I found it, non-glucose rice! Amazing the things they make out of soy nowadays..." Genma called out, and frowned as he recieved no answer. "Anyone home?"
Once again, he didn't recieve an answer, and shrugged. His stomach and olfactory senses took over, as he followed the unusual, but tantilizing aroma into the dining area.
_______________________
A cargo plane flew over the thick forests of New Zealand, before expulging a crate attached to a parachute. It landed, barely managing to avoid the chute getting tangled in branches, and shattered outwards.
"What the...?" Ranma exclaimed, looking around.
"I can't believe they drugged us!" Akane shouted in outrage, before a note landed on her face, "Huh? What's this?"
Ranma retrieved the note from Akane's face, and read it.
"Dear Ranma and Akane,
As our vacation funds were rather
limited, we had decided that it
would be best for the two of you
to go, instead of the whole
family. We apologise for the
accomidations, but they were the
best that could be done on the
funds we were given. We wish you
two the best of time, and stay
as long as you like! We don't
mind, as long as you two don't
come back for a long time.
Please, enjoy yourselves and
don't come back for a LONG
time! There is no rush so
try not to come back for a
long.... LONG time. Okay?
The Tendous"
"Huh," Ranma mumbled, crumpling up the note and tossing it over his shoulder, "I wonder where we are...?"
"Never seen anywhere like this in Japan before," Akane opined, looking around.
"We're not in China either. At least nowhere I've been," Ranma replied, leaning down and picking up his travel pack that had been left for him.
"So, where are we going?" Akane asked, picking up her bag, and the pouch of Japanese yen bills left for them.
Ranma looked up, shrugged, and pointed in a direction, "That way's as good as any direction..."
"Alright, you lead the way!" Akane chirped. Ranma nodded, and began heading the direction he had pointed, not catching Akane picking up a large rock, hefting it a couple of times to test it's weight, and tossing it into the air at a seemingly random trajectory. She then followed Ranma, as he pushed a thick tree branch out of his way, then walked past just before Akane caught up with him...