--- TT ---
…Sentiment for the Remaining Flowers…
By Kei, Krimzon & Rayne.
--- TT ---
…ep2… …fire at will…
Shoot to thrill, ACDC
--- TT ---
The air was cooler now, about one or two degrees drop by her reckoning. It's probably also humid-er… well, more humid, because humid-er isn't a word. Duh, like everybody doesn't know that.
"It's going to rain soon…" One of the women in dark headgears remarked softly, turning the head of her comrades and sisters to look at her. Everyone in the group knew it was uncommon for her to talk so when she does, everyone pays attention.
"What do mean, Tomo?" The one closest to her asked.
Tomo, or rather, Tomoshibiyuri means a flicker of light; it was the name she'd chosen for herself… after all, not all of them can be called Ranma or Ranko (Not that they wanted to be call Ranma or Ranko in the first place), that would be too confusing. Beside, a name is supposed to signify who you are as an individual and none of them are Ranma anymore. And a flicker of light was exactly what she was.
But that wasn't the question she'd asked was it?
"The weather forecast was wrong… it's going to rain soon." The quiet woman replied, still starring off at the distance sky above.
The other woman turned to their leader Sachiko who nodded; she understood what the casual comment really meant. If it were to start raining, Ranma could've gone back into the house or someone could come out to look for her.
The eventual rain was a new element altogether; it was a time limit.
"Sword One, this is Gunner One, operation Elegant Swordwoman is a GO. I repeat, OPERATION ELEGANT SWORDWOMAN IS A GO!!!"
There was a moment of silence as all eyes turned to Sachiko the woman whose codename was Sword One. They watched unblinking as she slowly lifted her hand to her throat-microphone and pulled it off. She raised it to her mouth and sucked in a huge gulp of breath before…
"STOP SCREAMING INTO THE GOD DAMN MICROPHONE… and for crying out loud, this isn't some kind of military movie… I already heard you the first time; you don't have to repeat everything twice, got it?" The sword woman screamed into the audio receptor device, causing everyone to wince at the momentary deafness that followed.
The enraged woman seethed for another minute before calming down. She suddenly turned to face her friends with a look of determination on her face.
"Let's do this."
They all snapped to attention and gave each other a nodded, showing their absolute conviction. The effect was sort of ruined by the fact that most of them had a huge sweat drop in the back of their head. Is it safe to follow someone whose mood is THAT instantaneous? Sure they all trusts each other with their life but Sachiko didn't look exactly stable right now. In fact, if they didn't know better, they could've swore she's schizophrenic or something…
"Ah hem!"
They all gave a collective eep and stepped back as one; even though they all have the exact same eyes, those blazing ones Sachiko had glaring at them were down right scary.
"We should go…" Someone commented softly. All eyes turned toward the direction and found that, to no one's surprise, it was Tomo who said it. The silent girl was looking at them ingenuously, as if she was oblivious to their prior bickering. The girl had already taken off her black, camouflage, ninja-like outfit and was standing there in a red Chinese T and black sweatpants; the same attire that 'Ranma Saotome' commonly sports.
"…really…" She said again, pulling the clip that kept her hair in a tight bun off. With calm precision, she reached behind her back and started tying crimson locks into a pig tail.
That seemed to have snapped them out of it.
"Crap…" Sachiko grumbled as she glanced at her watch, they've just wasted a couple of their precious minutes. She spun to face the others and gave her orders in a low voice. "Okay you all know what to do, let's go."
Suddenly, just as they all were about to go their separate ways, they all turned back to face one another and smirked as one. Bickering aside, they all share a bond that's more personal than the ones twins have.
--- TT ---
"What do you think they're doing?" The new girl asked Kijo, the oldest of the group and its supreme commander… a rather grand title for someone who felt like she's an underpaid babysitter half of the time.
"It a sentimental moment thingie… I'm actually not sure myself, it best that you ask Akane about this." She answered with a wave of her hand.
"Right…" The girl muttered, thinking about her Akane and the one she'd met yesterday. The thought of going to her analogue tomboy seemed ludicrous but this Akane was different.
'I'll just go ask her later. Maybe I'll give her a hand in the kitchen tonight; I wonder what she's making for dinner.'
--- TT ---
"I wonder what she's making for dinner tonight." Genma mumbled absentmindedly, glancing at the retreating form of Kasumi Tendo, his dear friend's oldest daughter who was leaving for her kitchen after having served him her father some tea and biscuits.
"What was that Saotome-kun?" Soun asked, looking up from the chess pieces scattered about on the wooden board. They were currently enjoying their constant game of chess. Of course, it wasn't like there's something that requires their urgent attention, right? So what's wrong with spending their entire afternoon playing board games while one of their children was going through a personal crisis?
Nope none at all.
…
Yeah, and they call me an air head… those stupid moronic reprobates… they ought to be…
"What was that, Kasumi-chan?"
"Nothing, Father." The long haired homemaker said, turning around and smiled serenely at her father; she was holding the empty tray vertically so it would hide her shaking fist. "I was simply contemplating what we shall have for dinner."
"And what are we having Kasumi?"
Oh I don't know… how about you fat free-loading ass?!
Kasumi slowly turned to Genma before speaking to him with a forced smile transfixed on her face. "I was thinking of Sukiyaki."
Yes, nothing like succulent fatty pork meat boiled to satisfy ones hunger, and if that rid the world of one more thieving pig then that's just the bonus isn't it?
The two fathers gave each other a confused look. Had they said something wrong? If not then why did Kasumi just run off like that? And that look on her face, it was as if she was crying or laughing…nah couldn't be….
Alas, it was too much of a bother for them. Solving mystery… heck, even thinking wasn't their strong suit.
The next few minutes of the inane match continued in a somewhat uncomfortable silence.
Sstt….
That was the sound of a sliding door…sliding…open. The Tendo patriarch inclined his head and saw a red headed girl easing the door close slowly behind her as she stepped into the living room. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright red; she looked like she had been crying. That little piece of information processed through his skull and disappeared like the ships that went into Bermuda.
The girl glanced at them expectantly but didn't say anything.
"Saotome-kun?" Soun whispered to his friend who was apparently too deeply engrossed with the game to realize who just entered.
"Yes Tendo-kun?" Genma said distractedly, still looking down at the board. A kindly nudge propelled him to look side way toward the door. "Oh hello, B…eh, Girl."
"Hi, Old man." The pig tailed martial artist said stiffly before walking over to the couch and sat on it… Hm, that didn't sound nearly drastic enough, let's rehash that…
The melancholic pig tailed girl said dejectedly before stumbling over to the couch before collapsing on it.
…
Silence.
…
Silence… nothing but the monotonous 'pachi's of chess pieces hitting the wooden board.
…
The cursed teen started to sniffle softly to herself but was doing so with exaggerated movements and noises, like she was trying to be inconspicuous but at the same time, wasn't?
…
Pachi.
…
"Gah!!! I can stand this anymore!" The red head suddenly screamed, causing both of the adults to jump up in alarm. She stood up, pulling at her hair in a visible sign of out right frustration. She started muttering angrily to herself…
…then she turned to the two so-called men of the house, who gulped audibly at her furious glare. She was scowling.
Then her scowl turned into a grin.
A really nasty grin.
Soun and Genma shared a look sheer terror and gulped again.
--- TT ---
Tomoshibiyuri stepped into the kitchen. The girl spotted her target immediately; she was standing by the sink, busying washing some dishes. The red head quietly approached her but apparently she wasn't quiet enough.
"Could you hand me that towel Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi guessed, holding out her hand. Akane normally makes more noise when she walks and no one else comes into the kitchen unless it was to snack on something and that means they usual just head to the fridge or the pantry.
The Tendo girl felt the towel on her finger. She took it and began wiping down the clean plates and saucers. As soon as she'd finished drying one plate she was joined by the girl who took one of the wet plates and began drying it.
How sweet of Nabiki-chan to help, after all, she hated any and all kind of domestic chores with passion.
"Thank you… Ranma-chan?" Kasumi said turning around, surprise was quite evidence within the last part of her words.
"You're welcome, Kasumi." The girl said in a monotone. She seemed different but, from what she gathered the attitude was completely justified. After all, wouldn't you be devastated too if you stuck in a foreign body of incorrect gender?
They continued like that in silence for another short while, Kasumi drying and Tomo putting the dried ones away. It was easy and simple task; it doesn't require a lot of interaction and it was completely within her element. She didn't have to broach any uneasy topic with the sadden girl and for that she was glad. Unbeknownst to her, Tomo was also glad, because she wasn't much of a talker either.
Kasumi smiled. Tomo smiled.
…
Oh no, they ran out of dishes to dry… and they've finished with the cutlery too!
"Would you like some tea?" Kasumi said uneasily.
Oh yeah, tea what a brilliant idea? Why don't you just go ahead and shoot youself now you silly girl? Poor Ranma-chan is going through a frickin crisis and the best you have to offer is tea and biscuits?
"Yes please." The shorter girl mumbled.
Okay… guess that works.
Kasumi put the kettle on. Kasumi put in the tea leaves. Kasumi poured out two cups of tea. Kasumi drank tea with Tomoshibiyuri.
They also had biscuits.
Then Kasumi fell over, asleep.
The red headed girl stood up and mumbled a quiet 'I'm sorry'. She washed, dried and put away the cups and the saucers before leaving Kasumi lying down on the couch, looking like she'd fallen asleep while reading a book.
She left the kitchen and peered around the corner into the living room. One of her friends, Joanne, was there. She was standing over two smoking remains of Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome. She was looking at her rifle and seemed to be considering something. It didn't look like she noticed the presence of her friend at the door.
Joanne walked over to the table and took one of the cups and splashed its content on Genma's unconscious form. As expected, the middle aged man morphed into a pudgy panda bear upon coming in contact the cold liquid.
Then Joanne brought up her rifle, took aim and fired.
Tomo didn't blink.
Joanne fired again; she put two more shots into Genma before turning her attention to the Tendo patriarch.
She shot him also.
Tomo walked over to her friend and looked at her curiously.
Joanne blushed and looked away.
"Eh… they were asking questions and being really scrutinizing and stuff so I had to take care of them before they realized I wasn't the other Ranma-chan… yeah, that's it…" The girl with the French name hastily explained. She was also scratching the back of her head nervously but that seemed to have gone unnoticed by the quiet girl.
Tomo just smiled at her friend's antic before reaching over and clicking the safety of the other girl's rifle on. Seriously, her friends can be really childish at time.
Above the safety there was an inscription in small letters. It read, PR1.0 Full Automatic Rifle with Knockout Rounds. Caution: One shot for human and three for large mammals is recommended. Note that even used in small dosage, these bullets will result in severe hang over-like symptoms.
'Someone's not going to like waking up tomorrow.'
Joanne gave her friend a sheepish smile. She gave the two idiots lying on the floor the trademark 'Ranma' smirk before leaving with Tomo. So what if they have a job to do, it doesn't mean they can't have fun doing it.
--- TT ---
Author's note: Another episode done… forgive me for the grammatical mistakes okay? I know you guys are picking a lot up but I'm trying my best… I don't exactly have a lot of time to spend on writing right now…I'm still trying to get used to college level work load… I swear, we're having topic tests and practical reports ever other days.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Review would be really welcome.