New in Town
-Chiba Hiro
(Disclaimer: A Ranma ½ and Urusei Yatsura crossover. I do not own anything of Rumiko Takahashi's and not for promotion or copy right.)
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Chapter 8: Finale
"Ranma, are you gonna be alright?" Ryuunosuke asked Ranma. "What happened?"
"Ah, Mousse took care of everything, and after he cured me, I gave him a little payback for all that stuff he did to me." Ranma explained.
"So, what are we gonna do now?" Ryuunosuke asked.
"It's too late to do anything now. Wanna go home?" Ranma suggested.
"Back to your place?" Ryuunosuke asked uncertain.
"Yeah."
... ... ...
At the house. "So, do you have any plans for your living situation yet?" Ranma asked.
"No, I don't." Ryuunosuke answered with some doubt.
"I mean, you don't wanna stay here, do you?" Ranma emphasized.
"Hey, are you trying to get rid of me?" Ryuunosuke inquired.
"No, I mean, you don't wanna live here after all that's been happening, do you?" Ranma elaborated.
"What do you mean by 'after all that's been happening'?" Ryuunosuke asked.
"My crazy town, the guys, and girls, you know." Ranma said.
Ryuunosuke thought for a second. "Now that you mentioned it, the town does seem sort of...different, and I'd probably be driven insane if I was in the middle of the craziness, but you know what, I think I like it. Tomobiki could never amount to something as upscale as an all-out war against a person they hate, and I certainly think that weirdness has nothing to do with it. Ranma, if you want, could I stay here with you?" Ryuunosuke asked, blushing.
Ranma looked quizzically at Ryuunosuke, but thought for a second. "I don't see why not. After all, you're like the sister/friend that I never thought a guy like me could have in...a century maybe. I'm glad that you like it." Ranma said.
"Ranma, Ryuunosuke, dinner is ready for you!" Kasumi called from downstairs.
"Okay!" they answered, and rushed down to the dinner table at the same exact time.
Everyone eyed them differently now, before, they almost thought that the two could have been twins, if not for the hairstyles.
Ranma and Ryuunosuke ate the same way, they sat the same way, and they had the same amount of food on their bowls, doesn't that make people wonder if these two were related?
After a while, Ryuunosuke set her bowl down, and looked to everyone else occupied with eating. "Um, Ranma?" Ryuunosuke asked.
"What is it? You gonna say something?" Ranma said.
"Maybe now would be the 'best' time to tell them about 'that', right?" Ryuunosuke said.
"Oh, yeah. Um, Mr. Tendo, Ryuunosuke wants to say something." Ranma said.
"Yes, what is it, so-, I mean, Ryuunosuke?" Tendo asked.
"Um, I was wondering if you could help me with my living arrangement. You see, I don't have a permanent home here, and I'd like to know about the best place to live for a while." Ryuunosuke explained.
"Well, you've come to the right place. Say, why don't you and Ranma live together? I don't see any wrong in it, wouldn't you agree, Saotome?" Tendo said.
"Yup, I agree." Genma said.
"So, with that being said, how would you guys feel about that?" Ranma gestured to Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane.
"I think it would be a fun experience." Kasumi commented.
"If you ask me, I think it's just another mouth we gotta feed. But, I have objections to the living arrangements, if you want to crash somewhere else, I'll hook you up with a real estate agent." Nabiki suggested. "How about you, Akane, what do you think?"
Akane looked at Ryuunosuke, then to Ranma, and then back again. "Uh, I think she should...be free to stay anywhere she wants, and if she's comfortable living here with us, then I think she should stay." Akane said finally.
"Did ya hear that? You can stay here if you wanted to!" Ranma exclaimed.
"Uh...I don't know, I don't wanna intrude or anything. I don't wanna be in the way all the time. Like Nabiki said, it's just gonna be another empty stomach to satisfy, and I'd be abusing your kindness if I were to accept this so easily, without thinking of possibilities." Ryuunosuke admitted.
"Whatever you think is right to do, I'll help you do it." Ranma said. "So, what's your choice?"
"Um, Nabiki, I kinda want your help in this too. Is that okay?" Ryuunosuke said.
"Sure." Nabiki simply replied. "How much do you need? I should warn you, I charge a hefty price if my help is wanted."
"Are you sure about that? Nabiki will scam you." Ranma whispered in Ryuunosuke's ear.
"Whatever the price is, I'll do it. So, Nabiki, will you help me?" Ryuunosuke asked again.
"It's a deal now." Nabiki said. "Tomorrow morning, I'll hook you up to an apartment manager. You have to be up bright and early, because real estate does not tire easily."
"Yup, whatever it takes, I said, I'll be there." Ryuunosuke stated.
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Next morning, Ryuunosuke walked downstairs with Ranma to where Nabiki said she would wait for them.
"*Yawn* What's the deal with waking me up so early in the morning? It's barely six-thirty." Ranma said, glancing at the clock.
"She said we had to get up this early." Ryuunosuke said.
"Where is Nabiki? She said she would meet us down here at six-thirty sharp." Ranma said, groggily.
"Well, do you need water to wake you up?" a splash of water came from behind Ranma, and he turned instantly from male to female.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Ranma shouted, and spun around to meet Nabiki face to face. Nabiki held an annoyed expression, and she held a bucket over her shoulder.
"Excellent, you're awake." Nabiki said with a grin, and walked past Ranma. "Follow me." She said, and she led them to wherever she had planned to go to.
Ranma and Ryuunosuke walked side by side, or head to side in Ranma's female case. Ryuunosuke looked down at the petite martial artist, and could not stop staring at her.
*Hey, why can't I stop looking at her- I mean him! Damn, even in that form, he's as hot as a chili pepper!* Ryuunosuke thought fiercely.
Ranma looked up at Ryuunosuke, and saw that she was pounding her head with her fists. "Um, what are you doing?" Ranma asked.
"Nothing." Ryuunosuke said, and put her hands down. "So, uh, I was wondering, how does the Jusenkyo curse get picked out? I'm still confused."
"Like I said before, whenever you land in a cursed spring, you obtain the cursed form. It's hard to define, but let me give you an example, when you land in, let's say, the spring of drowned girl, and you obtain the creature's form, or obtain the form of the girl that drowned there." Ranma explained.
"So, if I fell into that spring, I would have red hair, a pigtail, and a set of curves?" Ryuunosuke speculated.
"Why do you wanna know that? You're already a girl, and it doesn't make sense for you to change into the same type of form. Unless, you're unhappy with the way you look, or how you see yourself." Ranma teased.
"No, that's not what I'm trying to say." Ryuunosuke said.
"Anyway, Nabiki, how far do we have to walk?" Ranma asked.
"Oh, we passed by the place a few blocks back there, actually." Nabiki said.
"What? You mean we walked past the place already, and you didn't stop and tell us!" Ranma shouted. "Why, I ought ta'!"
"Oh, relax, I was just kidding, gosh, can't take a joke these days." Nabiki said.
"That wasn't funny!" Ranma snapped. "How far are we now?"
"Oh, I think we just passed by it." Nabiki said.
"Don't joke around with me now!" Ranma fumed.
"I'm not kidding this time, I think we passed it. We have to go back another block." Nabiki said.
"We have to walk back! How could you get lost? I thought you knew this place!" Ranma shouted.
"I did, but I got sidetracked." Nabiki said.
"Yeah, whatever." Ranma said sarcastically.
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"Okay, here we are!" Nabiki exclaimed cheerfully.
Ranma and Ryuunosuke walked slowly behind her, and stopped to catch their breath.
"That felt more than just one block, Nabiki!" Ranma stated.
"Well, we're here now, let's go inside." Nabiki said, and led them into the building.
Once inside the building, Nabiki went up to the front desk, and asked the deskman something that Ranma and Ryuunosuke could not hear.
"Oh, thank you." Nabiki said finally.
"Guys, over here!" she shouted to them, and they walked toward the front desk.
"Follow me, please." The deskman said, and led them into an office at the back of the lobby.
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He opened the door, and they walked inside. "Mr. Takahashi is expecting you. He'll be with you in a moment." The deskman explained, and closed the door.
The office had three chairs, two for the clients, and one for the agent. The office included a desk, a computer, some papers and documents on the table, and some pictures of various people.
Ryuunosuke and Nabiki sat in the two chairs, while Ranma stood behind them, waiting.
A moment later, the door opened, and a man with a bald head, and glasses walked in.
He situated himself in front of Ryuunosuke and Nabiki on the opposite side of the desk. "Good morning, ladies." He greeted them, and set his papers down.
"Well, let's start with your names." He said.
"I am Nabiki Tendo." Nabiki introduced herself.
"Ah, so you're Miss. Tendo, and this, uh, lovely young...lady must be Ryuunosuke?" he said uncertainly.
"Yeah, it's a long story, anyway, let's get down to business. We're here to look for a living space for Ryuunosuke Fujinami." Nabiki started.
"Alright." He said, and booted up his PC. "So, what did you have in mind, Miss. Tendo?" Mr. Takahashi asked.
"Whatever you have available for one person." Nabiki said.
Mr. Takahashi typed some things on the keyboard, and then turned to Nabiki and Ryuunosuke.
"Well, in our inventory, we have three spaces opened. In a condominium in Furinkan Park, that place has many wonderful spaces for one person each."
"Tell us if it can be suitable for Ryuunosuke." Nabiki said.
"What did you have in mind that young Ryuunosuke needs?" Mr. Takahashi asked.
"We want a one person living space, with a small kitchen, two bedrooms, working bathrooms, a living space, and a small study space. We want the price range to be ten thousand or below. And we want it within a two mile walking distance of Furinkan high school. Do you have any of what I just mentioned?" Nabiki explained.
"I have only one option with that kind of place. I have an apartment complex with those kinds of elements. It is located on Furinkan Avenue, and it has everything that you mentioned." Mr. Takahashi said.
"How much does it cost?" Nabiki asked.
"For it to be fully paid off, we need twelve payments of three hundred for the next year." Mr. Takahashi said.
"That's reasonable. When will this be ready to move into?" Nabiki asked.
"You're just in luck. You'll be able to move in within the week." Mr. Takahashi said.
Mr. Takahashi pulled out a clipboard, and some papers. "You need to sign this three paged document, saying that you agree to the terms you're responsible for."
"Deal." Nabiki said, and she signed the documents.
"Have a nice day!" he said.
"It's a pleasure doing business with you. I'll be able to ship the full twelve payments by this time next week, so it'll all be covered." Nabiki said, and they left the office.
... ... ...
"Well, thank you, Nabiki. I don't know what to say." Ryuunosuke thanked.
"You don't have to thank me. Now get your stuff and let's go see your new apartment." Nabiki said.
"Wow, that's great for you! We're glad that you're finally getting a place all to yourself!" Ranma said with little enthusiasm.
Ryuunosuke saw through this, and managed to smile at him. "This doesn't mean that I won't leave you for good. I may have a new place for myself, but this doesn't mean that I won't get to visit you once in a while, and speaking of which, we never did get to settle the score between us. Whadda you say we settle it now?" Ryuunosuke proposed.
"It sounds good to me!" Ranma agreed, and the two raced their way out of the building and sparred against each other with much enthusiasm.
"Ha, punks." Nabiki smirked, and left them to continue sparring.
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A/N: Well, that's it for this story, folks. I'd like to thank you guys for rating, commenting, and reviewing this story. It means that maybe I'll get to be a better writer someday. Anyway, thanks for reading, and if you have any story ideas that you want me write, that's original, and appropriate, please let me know by email or write it in one of your reviews, it doesn't matter. Thanks again! Bye!