[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 1 (2/3)
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"I hope it's Onii-sama or Onee-sama," Sakuya muttered as she and
Karen stepped into the dining room. The former tapped controls to
flick on the television. "Viewer, mark my voiceprint. Who just
called?"
"*Aniki just called, Sakuya-chan. There is a message.*"
"Play it."
The screen flicked fully on, revealing their beloved brother sitting
in the passenger cabin of what appeared to be a Shin-kansen train.
Surprised to see his beard, moustache and much longer hair (tied in a
ponytail), Sakuya and Karen exchanged a look. Both then tensed on
hearing him say "I really need to feel my sisters' hugs." "Onii-
chan," Karen whispered, her eyes misting.
"What happened to him?!" Sakuya wondered.
The dining room doors opened, revealing Haruka and Shirayuki. "Oh,
Sakuya-chan! Did Nii-sama call?" the young chef asked.
"Hai, he did. Get everyone rounded up, Haruka-chan. And someone
find Chikage-chan! We're going to the mainland . . . "
"You need not shout my name, Sakuya-chan. I'm right here."
Everyone cried out at a certain sorceress' entrance. Sakuya put
fists to hips as she tried to glare Chikage down. "Damn you, Chikage-
chan!" the elder sister shrilled. "Will you QUIT doing that
finally?! What are you trying to do?! Give us all heart attacks, for
Heaven's sake?!"
Chikage chuckled as she turned to head out the door. "The travelling
rainbow will be ready in one hour. We'll go to the Toranoseishin
Finances tower in Tomobiki, and then proceed to meet Ani-kun and Ane-
kun from there."
She left. "Hime better get some bentou boxes ready for Nii-sama and
Nee-sama," Shirayuki reported before racing into the kitchen.
"I'll call Onii-chan and ask him where we'll meet," Karen added.
"Alright." Sakuya waved Haruka with her. "C'mon."
"Hai!" The martial artist ran out after her half-sister.
* * *
"Nerima?!"
Ataru stared confusedly at Negako. "Tampopo has relocated her
business to Kasuga-chou," the grandmaster announced. "It is over
eight kilometres from the border with Tomobiki and twelve from
Tomobiki High School. I do not foresee problems from your former
classmates, especially given Lum's demise."
He sighed. "Onee-chan, it's not just those dorks I have to worry
about. There're all the martial arts loons in Nerima, too!"
"You may benefit from dealing with them," she reported with a smile.
"Besides, Tampopo has taken one of them under her wing."
"She has?! Which one?"
"The 'cream of the crop,' so to speak: Saotome Ranma."
Ataru blinked as he recalled the name. Even with the problems he had
to deal with in Tomobiki over the last year and more, he had been
somewhat aware of events in bordering towns and districts. "The guy
with all the beautiful fiancées, the Niángniquán curse from Zhòuquán-
xiang in China, the one who has to deal with more martial arts
challengers than you could shake a stick at?"
"The very same."
"Oh, man! Tampopo-chan's reaching far, isn't she?"
"Perhaps. Tampopo desires me to consult with her on matters
afflicting Ranma. Given her raw talent alone, I would certainly
desire to meet her . . . " Negako's voice trailed as the Aniki
Special buzzed. "The sisters."
Ataru flipped up the screen, tapping controls. A sea of warm faces
stared at him from Welcome House. "BIG BROTHER!"
He waved at them. "Hi, girls!"
"Onii-chan, are you alright?!" Karen probed. "Why didn't you come
back on Monday?! We've been worried sick about you!"
"And what's this about you blitzing through the Korean DMZ of all
places, Anii?!" Mamoru demanded before looking at Negako as she leaned
into viewing range. "What're you trying to do, Anee?! Get him
killed?!"
"If I did not have confidence in Ataru, Mamoru, I would not have
allowed it," Negako reported. "In the meantime, we have been summoned
to Nerima in Tokyo by Kamekichi Tampopo concerning a new friend of
hers, Saotome Ranma. I believe Ranma will benefit greatly from making
your acquaintances as well as Ataru's." Her eyebrow then arched.
"Will you be there?"
Stunned silence fell as the sisters took that in. Marie leaned close
to the screen. "You mean THE Saotome Ranma, Aneue-sama?! I . . . oh,
my!"
"Kaho would LOVE to cheer Ranma-san!" Kaho shook her pom-poms before
she blushed. "But Kaho will always cheer Onii-chama and Onee-chama
first!"
"Oh, it would be an HONOUR to meet a martial artist of his calibre!
P-poh!" Haruka drew her gunsen, fanning herself as she stared
apologetically at Ataru. "N-not that I wouldn't demean your own
skills, Anigimi-sama!"
Ataru waved her down. "Relax! Ranma can have all the credit he
wants. From what I've heard, he seems to thrive on it!"
The sisters laughed. Rinrin turned to Shirayuki. "Hey! We can get
the spare tractor with the mobile kitchen out of the tower in
Tomobiki. You can cook up a big feast there for Aniki, Aneki and
Ranma-san!"
The chef shuddered. "Oh, Hime would LOVE to do that!" She then
sobered. "But Hime doesn't want to insult Nii-sama's friend . . . "
He waved her down. "Relax. I'm sure Tampopo-chan would love to get
help in a picnic like that. Look, when you girls get the tractor and
mobile kitchen from Reigi-kun, DON'T spend any more time in Tomobiki
than you have to, okay? I don't want any of those guys to learn of
your connection to me. ESPECIALLY with the news about Lum's death
getting out and about now. You understand?"
Sakuya nodded. "We'll be careful. I'm really sorry about what
happened to her, Onii-sama. I hoped she could've come back."
He sadly nodded. "So did I, Sakuya-chan. But as they said it in
that one TV show, there are two rules in war. And that applies
everywhere."
The sisters then jolted on hearing a weak "Kusun" from the back of
the crowd. Ataru paled. "A-a-Aria-chan, wh-what's wrong?!" he
stuttered.
The young Parisian gazed at him. Even if there were no tears, the
instant you heard "Kusun," you KNEW Aria was upset. And no one, not
even Chikage, liked to deal with an upset Aria. "Aria doesn't like
Nii-ya's beard."
"How long DID you stay in Sanctuary anyway, Aniki?" Rinrin asked.
Ataru sighed. "Hopefully long enough. We'll see you soon, okay?"
"Hai!" the sisters chimed together.
The link was soon cut. Negako slipped back into her seat. Ataru
sighed, leaning back in his own chair as he stretched himself. "We'll
have to let them learn of things very slowly and carefully, Onee-
chan."
"Agreed. What of *them?*"
"Your discretion, Onee-chan."
"Very well, then."
* * *
Located in the heart of Tomobiki were triple towers, twenty floors
high each, arrayed in a triangular formation pointing to the north.
All the floor space of the northern tower was rented by the
Toranoseishin Financial Group, Japan's largest banking company that
was not allied with an industrial group (though the company was part
of a larger conglomerate of businesses known as the Inshin Group,
headquartered in Sendai). In this age, with the traditional links
between big business, the banks and the government being called into
question, Toranoseishin was often quick to capitalize on fiscal
uncertainty to wedge itself deep into the national economy. Companies
that had in the past taken questionable loans from Toranoseishin
automatically faced bankruptcy if they defaulted. The company was
not, in the words of its operations chief, "In the business of
propping up useless, wasteful companies whose existence cannot be
justified by economic logic." Because of that approach to business,
Toranoseishin had recently attracted much in the way of foreign
investment, ensuring it would remain near the top of its game for a
long time to come.
Yumoa Reigi sighed as he looked through the monthly balance reports
from various banks affiliated with Toranoseishin. A knock echoed from
the doorway. "Yes?" The orphaned half-American twenty-something
looked up, smiling on seeing his senior secretary. "What is it, Yumi-
san?" he asked.
"Sorry to bother you, Reigi-san. Sakuya-sama just called. She and
her sisters will be arriving at the tower shortly. They'll be taking
the tractor and mobile kitchen to meet Ataru-sama and Negako-sama at
Nerima station."
Reigi blinked. "I thought Ataru-kun didn't want any of the girls to
come anywhere close to Tomobiki, especially after Lum left," he mused
before he nodded. "Oh, alright, then. Get the duty driver down to
the garage, and then notify the police about what's going to happen."
"Hai, right away."
Reigi watched her leave, and then he opened a side drawer to draw out
a file. Opening that, he gazed on the pictures posted on the first
page. Twelve girls, blood daughters of Moroboshi Nagaiwakai's
youngest son even if they all were technically born out of wedlock.
In their hands, especially in the hands of the woman born Sukeyama
Sakuya, would rest the dreams, hopes and destiny of the Moroboshi
Clan. "How ironic." He shook his head. "Other clans allowed
themselves to die because Bushido forbade them from strengthening
their numbers with new blood. How stupid can people be at times?
Even now . . . "
He put the file back in its drawer. Standing, he walked to the
window to gaze on the cityscape. A glance south revealed a slender
beam of white light heading in the direction of the tower. Yumoa
Reigi had been quite lucky to be taken on as one of Moroboshi Komeru's
wards. He couldn't be directly adopted into the Clan; only married
members could do that and Komeru, a man born near-sterile thanks to
the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, never really wanted to marry. But
still, being a "son" in all but name to Komeru had done wonders for
Reigi. What might have happened if he had languished in that
orphanage in Ishikawa?
He shuddered. He didn't want to think about that!
The beam passed overhead. As the aft end of Chikage's travelling
rainbow caught up with the prow, Reigi left his office, heading to the
stairwell leading to the roof. Once there, he smiled as the sisters
dusted themselves off. He hadn't made use of the sorceress'
travelling rainbow before, but from what others told him, it was loads
of fun. "Hi, girls!" he hailed with a wave.
"Oh, Reigi-san, hi!" Rinrin waved as Hinako, Kaho and Aria swamped
the financier with warm hugs. "Got the tractor set up for us?"
"It's being readied . . . awk! Hey, Kaho-chan! Go easy!" Reigi
gasped as Kaho nearly bowled him over with her running tackle
embrace. As soon as the younger sisters pulled away from him, he
stared at Sakuya. "How's Ataru-kun?"
"We're not sure." The eldest sister -- Sakuya was born on the
twentieth of December after Ataru's birth, with Chikage, Marie, Haruka
and Karen being born on the following sixth of March, fourth of April,
sixteenth of May and twenty-third of September -- shook her head.
"When he called us, he was on the Shin-kansen to Osaka. Onee-sama had
him go through the DMZ in Korea."
"He didn't seem well," Karen added before she stopped and considered
something. "Reigi-san, do you know what's going on here? Could it
have been something *they* . . . " -- her normally timid voice became
Arctic ice for a second as she glanced towards Ataru's old home --
"Could've done?"
Reigi shook his head. "Not those two. Kinshou stopped coming by to
harass us a week ago. She hasn't talked to anyone else who might want
to cause Ataru-kun or any of you trouble, at least as far as I know."
"Let's just hope the fools learn to mind their place from now on,"
Haruka noted, wishing that Sakuya was of legal age so, as the properly
acknowledged Matriarch of the Clan, she could expel them both and be
done with it finally.
Rinrin shook her head. "Never mind them. C'mon, girls! Let's get
to the tractor and go see Aniki and Aneki!"
"Hai!" the others chimed as they headed for the stairs.
* * *
Mendou Ryooko was bored.
Boredom for THIS lady, the younger child of the Mendous of Musashino
(the pre-Meiji name for Tomobiki), often spelt trouble for many, chief
of which would be Ton-chan and her Onii-san. But neither was
available for her to play with. Mizunokooji Tobimaro was on another
wild training journey in Shikoku. Shuutarou was at Tomobiki High,
preparing for Lum's memorial service on Monday.
Remembering Lum, Ryooko sighed. She currently was sitting in her own
private command car, a birthday present from her Onii-san, heading
towards Butsumetsu Girl's High School. Like Shuutarou, Ryooko had
been sent to a normal school, but her mother insisted she attend an
all-girl's institution. That was all right. Within the walls of
Butsumetsu Girl's, she could drop the mask she presented to others and
try to be normal. She had help to that end thanks to the Kuroko, a
group of Kabuki and Noh actors and stagehands who had been transformed
into her personal troupe of bodyguards and servants.
"Are you alright, Young Mistress?" the driver, a Kuroko in his full
black stagehand's uniform with tubular facemask, asked.
Ryooko perked, and then she sighed. "There are times I wish we were
still using the palanquin," she lamented, tracing her finger on the
windowsill.
"Your father and mother were quite adamant about remaining in a car,
ma'am," the driver reminded her. "Especially given the outpouring of
grief being felt by many in town because of Lum-sama's death."
"True." Ryooko then perked. "Any news of Moroboshi-sama?"
"None, Young Mistress. I am sorry about that."
"It's alright . . . eh?!"
Both perked as the driver stopped by a red light. Driving by along
the main street leading from Tomobiki into Nerima was what looked like
a mix of old-style railroad engine and farm tractor. That pulled a
trailer shaped like a streetcar, that pulling a mobile kitchen.
Ryooko blinked as the road train passed by. She blinked again as her
eyes picked up a flag flying from the smokestack. A black flag
emblazoned with a curled, snarling tiger over a nest of exploding
stars, its forepaws grasping the Imperial chrysanthemum. "The
Toranoseishin Finances flag," she whispered on recognising it before
peering into the passenger compartment. A group of people, all
clearly female, were relaxing there. "Strange," she trilled before
ordering, "Follow them."
"Hai."
The command car peeled into the left-turn lane. When the lights
changed, it made the turn and fell in several cars behind the road
train. It was easy to keep them in sight; the kitchen's chimney
stabbed into the air over the cars using the road. "Who might they
be, Mistress?" the driver asked.
"I don't know, but given what we've just learned about Moroboshi-
sama's connections to Toranoseishin, the chances are that those ladies
might know where he is," Ryooko replied. "Try to not attract
attention."
"Hai."
The heiress to the Mendou fortune relaxed, a mirthless smile crossing
her face. It amused her that Shuutarou had not ONCE picked up the all-
too obvious connection between his classroom rival and the company
whose numerous loans helped the Mendous keep their paramilitary forces
in tip-top shape. Even now, with he hovering on the edge of despair
over never trying to challenge Moroboshi Ataru again, he had yet to
send someone to the latter's home to determine what exactly happened
the nights before Lum was exiled from Earth.
Ryooko HAD done that. And what she had learned from that
reconnaissance disturbed her. Supposedly, five years ago, Ataru's
mother did something that forced a type of amnesia on him. Details
were scant, but it appeared that some kami or other bodiless spirit
had inhabited parts of Ataru's mind since he was six. When said
spirit was discovered, he wanted it to have its own life. That spirit
now lived as a woman named Moroboshi Negako, who acted in public as
Ataru's elder sister and was listed as such on the Moroboshi Clan
register.
How THAT happened, Ryooko's agents had yet to discover.
Angered at his parents' betrayal, Ataru left the house, vowing he
would wait until he was of legal age, then, as a potential heir to his
grandmother's seat as leader of the Moroboshi Clan, he would make his
parents roonin. After Lum was sent home, Ataru and Negako simply
vanished without a trace.
Ryooko's agents soon discovered that Ataru had transferred out of
school. The Education Ministry, pending the time when he would choose
a new school to finish off his high school education, was holding his
records. One of Ryooko's agents overheard two of the Ministry
staffers indicating Ataru might transfer to an all-grade "ladder
school" named Stargazer West College. That was located on an island
in the Sagami Sea known as Oomure-jima, though it was always called by
the English phrase "Promised Island" by natives and visitors alike.
One of Ryooko's agents was dispatched to Promised Island to look in
on Ataru. Not that she wanted to disturb him, much less have
information about him leaked to Shuutarou -- but just to ensure he was
all right. While she, like most in Tomobiki, didn't like Ataru's
lecherous behaviour, Ryooko did like him as a person. Any boy who
could stand up to Shuutarou, especially when it came to interfering in
Shuutarou's desire to win a girl, was okay in her books.
Reports poured in. And they were baffling to say the LEAST of it.
Ataru and Negako were residing in the island's hostel, Welcome House.
They were often seen interacting with twelve female residents of the
House, ranging in age from eight to seventeen. Even stranger, Ataru
had not ONCE made any pass with them. The girls didn't do anything
harsh to him in return. And strangest of all, when the girls'
backgrounds were investigated, NONE were reported to have a father.
Yes, they had stepfathers. But on the birth records in the Health
Ministry, the FATHER'S NAME entry for all of them was blank.
What did it all mean?
* * *
"And that's it! Okay, Ranma! You can relax now!"
Ranma breathed out. "About damned time," she muttered, reaching over
to slip a housecoat over the bathing suit she was wearing for this
photo shoot. "Is that all the shots you need, Kenji?" she then asked.
"Yeah, that should do it for this month's issue." Seijou Kenji
nodded as he rewound his camera. "Usual payment plan, Ranma?"
"Yeah." She tied her housecoat down, moving to head into the
washroom to change back into her normal clothing and her normal
gender. "Make sure you use my Korean name there when you sell those
pictures off, Kenji. I don't want some dork connecting me to what
you're putting out. Okay?"
He winked at her, laughing. "Sure thing, 'Yeo-san!'"
Ranma headed into the washroom before slipping off the housecoat and
bathing suit. She tied her hair in the normal pigtail she preferred;
acting as "Yeo Lanja" (as a girl) or "Nam Lanma" (as a boy), she wore
her hair loose or in a ponytail. Once the Dragon's Whisker was in
place, she got a glass of hot water to change into a man. He quickly
dried himself off before dressing in a white tang and black trousers.
Once again projecting the image of the invincible martial artist, he
slipped his belongings into a duffle bag before heading to the
basement studio Kenji used. "When will you need me next time?"
"I'll contact Tampopo-chan and tell her since you still haven't told
your folks or the Tendous about it," the photographer replied with a
smile, his eyes taking in all the changes Jusenkyou unleashed in
Ranma. "Damn!"
"What's wrong?" Ranma asked.
Kenji smirked. "I'm NEVER gonna get used to seeing how much you
change when you switch from guy to girl! It's a wonder to me how
you've been able to adjust to switching around like that at ALL."
Ranma laughed. "Wonder to me, too! See you later!"
"Take care!"
With that, Ranma stepped out of the Seijou home, and then he made his
way to the Fuji-gaidou, which would take him to Tampopo's. He'd have
lunch there before heading back to the Tendou doojou. Hopefully by
the time he arrived there, Akane might have calmed down from last
night (if she still wasn't off spending the day with Sayuri and Yuka
to avoid facing her would-be fiancé).
** ** **
Truthfully, Ranma hadn't wanted to return to the Tendou doojou.
Thanks to Kamekichi Tampopo and arrangements she made to help him earn
some money, he had become used to travelling around Japan, South
Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and the Philippines, seeing
the sights while he was working, catching up on naps on the flights
taking him from one place to the next.
And what had he done?
Musing on that as he walked to the Tendou compound last night from
his new friend's restaurant, Ranma could only tip his hat to Nabiki
and the things she did with a camera to earn money for the doojou. To
believe being a fashion model was so EASY. Yeah, it wasn't martial
arts, but when Tampopo explained that models had to display a
discipline before the camera that was no different from the Soul of
Ice Ranma used in battle, it became a challenge. And no matter what
else had happened to Ranma during the month he stayed away from the
Tendou home, THAT had not changed. He delighted to be challenged and
Tampopo was, as a friend, challenging him to be truly something
different for a change.
Besides, the people Ranma had worked with were also Tampopo's
friends, or their relatives. How a ramen shop chef got to know SO
many people, Ranma had yet to figure out. And in truth, he avoided
thinking about it. He wanted to keep Tampopo's trust and probing into
her past was a good way of destroying that. Even more so, with
Tampopo keeping an eye on things to ensure he wasn't being taken
advantage of, it was lucrative. To the order of forty million yen to
date. And best of all, thanks to the in-house rules of the bank he
used, that money was HIS, sealed away from any embezzlement by Genma
or Nodoka.
Still, given the feelings everyone must have held towards him these
days, Ranma had more than enough reason to be cautious. He wasn't
worried about Oyaji or Souun. By learning how to do the Demon's Head,
he had a weapon to keep Souun in his place. With Nodoka around, Genma
could be kept in line. If that failed, Happoosai was available to
teach his students respect. And if all else failed, Ranma could
challenge both of the idiots for control of their respective schools.
If they refused him, Happoosai could damn them as cowards and strip
them of their teaching licenses. Not even a visit by a Doojou
Destroyer could be as final to one's career in the Art as THAT!
Even more, Ranma had won over Kasumi and Nabiki. While he didn't
trust Nabiki when it came to keeping his personal life personal, Ranma
knew she valued independence. Thanks to the money he gave her, she
had the ability to seek that without being tied to the doojou. With
that, she could break free of anything Souun might try to keep her
around in case he needed her to be Ranma's fiancée. Ditto with
Kasumi. Given how much the elder daughter had slaved on her family's
behalf, it was only proper. Hopefully soon, she'll take it.
No, the problem was Akane, along with Ukyou, Shampoo and (to a much
lesser extent) Kodachi. If what happened at the failed wedding and
the family meeting two weeks after that didn't hint at how much they
were determined to keep fighting over him, nothing would. And he
didn't want that anymore. He was just sick and tired of it all.
Tired of all the assumptions, the demands for attention, the petty
bickering and everything else. What was worse, they didn't seem to
care a whit about what he might want.
Oh, no! No! No!
That just wasn't RIGHT after all.
Saotome Ranma wasn't supposed to think for himself, it seemed.
It just went against all the laws of the Universe.
* * *
Reaching the gate, he tapped at the door. It soon opened, revealing
a smiling Kasumi. "Welcome back, Ranma-kun!" She embraced him.
"It's good to be home, Kasumi." He pecked her cheek before he gave
her a curious stare. "If this STILL is a home to me, of course."
"Yes, it is," Kasumi declared. "Your father was brought back from
the zoo today. He's with Father in the sitting room. Your mother and
Ojii-san are keeping an eye on them just in case they do something
foolish."
"What of Akane and Nabiki?"
"Akane prepared dinner. I kept an eye on her." Kasumi waved her
hands in reassurance before she gestured to follow her inside. "It
looked alright. Nabiki's been using the money you gave the family to
invest it in several places so it could generate some interest for us
to live on until we head out."
He grinned. "So you ARE planning to go to college, aren't you?"
Her eyes turned down. "I'm still uncomfortable leaving the house
like that, Ranma-kun. I've worked so long to keep it together."
"I know. I guess because I've been on the move most of my life, I
don't fear shifting to a new place as much as you might."
"True. Oh, Ukyou, Shampoo and Elder Cologne will be here soon."
"Your dad or Oyaji know?"
"No, not yet."
Ranma laughed. "You're cruel, Kasumi! Let's go in."
They stepped into the sitting room. Awaiting them were Nodoka and
Happoosai. "Welcome back, my son." The former rose to warmly embrace
him before she gave him an appraising gaze. "You're looking quite
well right now."
"Thank you, Mother. How are you, Jijii?" Ranma asked.
"Pretty good, boy. Seems you got in some decent training while you
were away," Happoosai stated before he gazed on Souun on Genma.
Staring at them, Ranma inwardly winced on seeing the drawn look on
his father's face. No doubt, being stuck as a panda in a zoo for
nearly four weeks -- that tacked to experiencing the strength-sapping
moxibustion AND the full-body cat tongue at the same time -- had hit
hard. Souun didn't look better; without Genma present to back him,
the Tendou patriarch had quickly learned that he had no real power or
influence over Ranma. "Yes, welcome back, Ranma-kun," Souun then
said. "We're just about to have dinner."
"Yes, come sit, boy," Genma grumbled, failing to hide the wounded
rage -- no doubt at his son's "betrayal" -- flashing in his eyes.
Ranma exchanged a look with Nodoka, and then he placed himself by the
table. The kitchen door opened, revealing Akane, she carrying a tray
of food. "Dinner's on . . . oh!" she gasped on seeing who was there.
"Hello, Ranma."
Ranma nodded back. "Akane-san."
Souun and Genma paled on hearing such a formal mode of address.
Akane tried not to drop the tray and run off. Cautiously, she placed
the tray on the table. "It looks good!" Kasumi mused. "We'll just
wait for the others."
Souun and Genma jolted. "'Others?!'" the former demanded.
"Yes, my boy," Happoosai declared, the stern look in his eyes warning
his students that no disagreements would be tolerated from either of
them this evening. "Cologne-chan, Shampoo-chan and Ukyou-chan will be
coming by since they wanted to see my heir as soon as he was back in
town."
Souun sputtered. He then paled on seeing his teacher's eyes narrow.
As he wisely shut up, a voice called out, "Hey! Is anyone inside?!"
"Come in, Ukyou!" Kasumi called back, her smile broadening on seeing
who had come with the chef. "Oh, Elder! Shampoo! Hello."
* * *
The dinner passed under a tense atmosphere. To Ranma's surprise and
delight, Nodoka readily engaged in very meaningful conversation with
Shampoo and Ukyou, not to mention Cologne. A glance at Souun and
Genma revealed that neither man approved whatsoever, but Ranma knew
they wouldn't upbraid Nodoka about it. No, they would come straight
to him in hopes of forcing him to not recognise the others' interest
in him, affirming his love to Akane instead.
Speaking of which, the fiancées had done their best to be civil
while, at the same time, engaged in the one-upmanship they got into
whenever it involved him. Ranma tried not to scream about it. He
would save that until when he got them alone. Given the fates Ukyou
and Shampoo faced if they chose to forego their claims on him, he
could understand why they were determined to succeed.
And Akane?
Akane . . .
Once dinner was done, Ranma turned to her. "That was really good,
Akane-san. You've been improving a lot lately."
"I . . .?" The youngest Tendou daughter's cheeks flushed. "Um, th-
thanks! Onee-chan helped me tonight."
"I know. It takes time and practice. That's where Kasumi has it
over you. It's nothing to be ashamed of." He turned to his other
fiancées. "And the okonomiyaki and the nikuman were really enjoyable,
Ukyou-san, Shanpú."
They both looked down. To Ukyou, having Ranma address her so
formally still hurt. Shampoo was shocked that her Airen addressed her
by her proper name, not by the Japanese bastardization most people in
Nerima regularly used.
"So what did you do over the last month, boy?" Genma cut in to ensure
Ranma didn't pay too much attention to Ukyou or Shampoo.
A level stared responded. "None of your business. Since you chose
never to tell me about things you did supposedly on my 'behalf' during
the training trip, I choose not to speak to you about my recent
activities."
"Ridiculous! I'm your father! I demand to know . . . urk!"
Everyone blinked on seeing Genma grasp his throat. The others
quickly noted that Ranma's fingers were curled around a small marble;
another one just like it was clattering on the floor near Genma.
"Saotome-kun, what's wrong?!" Souun demanded before spinning on
Ranma. "What did you do to him?" he barked.
Ranma glared at the Tendou patriarch. "Oh, just a little shiatsu I
used to shut him up. I'm not in his presence for more than an hour
and I'm already tired of listening to him." He sighed. "In the
meantime, I wish to speak to my suitors ALONE. Jijii, Elder, can you
make sure they don't interfere?"
"No problem." Happoosai winked before glaring at the fathers.
"Let's go, boys. If I'm nice, I'll unlock your throat, Genma."
"But Master . . .!" Souun wailed.
Happoosai's battle aura clicked in. "MOVE, YOU IDIOTS!"
The fathers ran out, Happoosai following them. Cologne watched that,
smirking, before she turned to gaze on Ranma. "I'll make sure Mùsi
remains where he is for the time being, Son-in-law."
She left. Quickly, Nodoka, Kasumi and Nabiki headed into the
kitchen. Once they were alone -- though Ranma was quick to sense that
his mother and the elder daughters were trying to listen through the
door -- Ranma shifted so he could face the others. Seeing the neutral
look on his face, Akane shuddered. No matter what, she had to stake
her position with him. "Ranma?"
"Yes, Akane-san, what is it?"
"I . . .!" The youngest Tendou daughter took a breath before
bowing. "I want to apologise. For not telling you about what Dad did
with the Nanniichuan water. He had no right to do that with something
meant for you. And I . . . " She paused before looking at him, her
eyes misting. "I didn't intend anything malicious about that.
You . . . said what you felt about me on Mount Phoenix. I was
prepared to go through with the wedding, Nanniichuan cask or no."
Ranma nodded. "I can accept that, Akane-san."
"Ran-chan, will ya quit being so formal, for Heaven's sake?!" Ukyou
demanded. "You're spooking the hell out of us both, you know!"
His eyes narrowed. "I have to be, Ukyou-san. If you or Akane-san
happen to have a problem with that, that's just too damned bad."
They shuddered, shocked he would say THAT. "Further, I've grown sick
and tired of the assumptions you've all made about me," he frostily
added. "If I had the power, I'd end this farce once and for all, then
take a long vacation from ALL of you! Unfortunately, I can't do
that. You, Ukyou-san, would be made roonin because of it. You,
Shanpú, would most likely be expelled from your clan, frozen in your
cursed form or put to death if you went home empty-handed. And I
believe you, Akane-san, would likely wind up being married off to
Kunou Tatewaki, knowing how desperate your father's become in seeing
his doojou continue." He gave them an understanding nod. "I know
that. I understand that. And I want to help you girls out of this.
I really do."
They bolted to their feet, glaring intently at him. "The only way
that can happen, sugar, is if you marry me!" Ukyou snarled.
"You're already married to this one! You've no choice but to come
back to village with this one, Airen!" Shampoo asserted.
"Ranma, you're MY fiancé and that's final!" Akane snapped.
Instantly, Souun appeared behind his daughter, waving a fan as jets
of tears poured from his eyes. Thankfully, the water didn't strike
Shampoo. "OH, JOY!" he screamed out. "AKANE'S ADMITTED SHE LOVES
RANMA-KUN!"
Ranma went into Demon Head mode. "***GET LOST, YOU IDIOT!***"
The fiancées screamed as they rapidly backed away from that snarling
image. Souun collapsed into a sobbing heap on seeing Ranma use HIS
attack on himself once again. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Ranma-
kun's scary!"
"Aiyah! When did Airen learn the Demon Head?!" Shampoo screamed.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us, Akane?!" Ukyou whimpered.
"R-r-Ranma . . .!" Akane sputtered.
"ENOUGH!"
The Demon Head vanished as Ranma gazed tiredly on Genma. "Who the
hell gave you your voice back, Oyaji?" he snarled.
The Saotome patriarch lunged at his son. Ranma's fist smashed into
Genma's face, dropping him on the table. It broke in half. Noting
that, Ranma sighed. "Nabiki, I don't think you kept him at the zoo
long enough," he called out towards the kitchen. "He didn't lose a
damned kilogram of fat!"
"Sorry!" Nabiki called back.
Genma staggered to a kneeling position before glaring at his son.
Ranma returned that with a mildly bored look. Quaking with rage, the
former pointed at the latter. "Boy, you listen to me and listen to me
good!" he rasped. "You can't escape this no matter how much you try!
Even your mother wants you to marry Akane! Do you understand me?!
You can't escape . . .!"
A ki ball exploded in his face. Ranma's fist slammed into the back
of Genma's neck, making the latter kiss the floor. The former's hand
blurred over Genma's back, hitting shiatsu points to make sure he
couldn't speak, much less move, from that position. Ranma grasped
Genma by the throat, elevating his head to the level of Ranma's eyes.
Given the locking of the older man's joints, that movement elicited
some sharp cracks from his bones. Hearing that, the fiancées and
Souun shuddered, all of them horrified at Ranma's actions.
He glanced at Souun. "Leave. Now."
The Tendou patriarch scrambled out of the sitting room. Ranma turned
to the fiancées. "I've decided that as soon as the repairs on my
family home are done, I will move out and live there. With Akane-
san's actions since the day we met, I no longer feel welcome here.
That should make it fair. It will be a level playing field. Does
this meet with your approval? Ukyou-san? Shanpú?"
Ukyou nodded. "Th-that's no problem, Ran-chan."
"This one agrees."
"Good. But I warn you this: If ANY of you pull the same crap on my
home that you did before Mount Phoenix, I will consider your claim on
me invalid and I will NOT shed a tear over what might happen to you.
Know this, too. I do not know what love is at the end, but I have
come to realise this: I will NOT marry anyone to fulfil agreements
meant to filled this fool's stomach or those he made when he was
drunk . . . " -- with that, he tossed Genma out of the room -- "Much
less archaic laws imposed on unsuspecting travellers by a village that
too scared of the outside world for its own good." He glared at
Shampoo before he vanished behind the Umisen-ken's null-chi cloak.
The fiancées remained frozen in place. Akane hissed, "He h-hates
us!"
"I can't believe it came to this," Ukyou whispered.
Shampoo looked nowhere in particular. "What do we do now?"
** ** **
Ranma sighed as he walked toward Tampopo's. Waking up this morning,
he had nearly been tossed into the koi pond by Genma before a Mooko
Takabisha made the latter go for an early-morning swim. Coming down
to breakfast later, he found his father ready to force him outside for
a thorough morning spar. Since everything had been served, Ranma
responded by taking his plate of food and dumping it atop Genma's.
"Since you care more for food than respecting what I might like to do
with my life, here! Eat all you want."
He then vanished behind the Umisen-ken just as Happoosai came in from
his morning panty raid. Seeing the heaping plate of food there, the
grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu quickly downed it before the
shocked Genma could fully interpret what Ranma had done. To Ranma's
mirthful delight -- he had remained in the sitting room while his
father was bellowing about his son's disrespect -- Kasumi refused to
cook him anything until lunch. And Genma was so mistrustful of
Akane's cooking that, when she said she wouldn't cook for him, he
asserted that he wouldn't eat her cooking even if his life depended on
it!
Result: Demon Head from Souun and Mallet-sama from Akane!
As Ranma headed down the Fuji-gaidou, he blinked on hearing a *toot!
* Turning to see what made that noise, he stopped beside a puddle as
his jaw dropped on seeing what looked like an old-fashioned railroad
engine towing a passenger car and a caboose heading his way. His
surprise was so complete, he didn't notice the potential danger until
the tractor's wheels splashed into the puddle, dousing him with a
quick waterfall of spray. Sputtering angrily, she gazed down at
herself before breathing out. "Damn!" she grumbled.
"Ah! Sorry about that!"
Ranma saw that the road train had stopped, some of the passengers
staring at her. "It's okay! It's okay!" she assured them before one
of the passengers stepped down from the cab, towel in hand. "Oh, you
don't need ta do that!"
"It's alright," the purple-haired girl in the black cape, red jacket
and grey, ankle-length skirt asserted. "Though it appears that no
matter how far you travel, Saotome-san, Jusenkyou never lets you go."
"Huh?" Ranma sputtered before peering at the younger woman. "You
know about Jusenkyou . . .? Hey! How'd you know who I am?!"
"Chikage-chan, is that Saotome-san?!" a black-haired girl in a pink-
and-black hakama gasped. Seeing the purple-haired girl nod, she
scrambled out of the cabin, another towel in hand. Approaching Ranma,
she came to attention, and then she bowed low. "Saotome-san, it is an
honour to meet you. My name is Tenhiro Haruka. I'm a student of the
Oomure-jima Tenhiro-naginata-ryuu. I am also a student of kyuudou and
the use of the gunsen. Oh . . . p-poh!" She clapped her cheeks
excitedly as they reddened. "I trust y-you weren't hurt?"
"I . . . ah . . . w-well . . .!" Ranma's eyebrow began to twitch as
she found herself stunned this woman was greeting her so
ENTHUSIASTICALLY. Then an old suspicion reared itself: "Um, we
aren't engaged, are we?"
Haruka considered that for a moment. "Not that I'm aware of."
Ranma breathed out, "Oh, phew! I was worried that I might've missed
one of the girls Oyaji tried to engage me to on our training trip!"
Chikage chuckled. "No doubt, you took much advantage of the time you
spent with Ani-kun's friend Kamekichi Tampopo." She absently patted
her cape. "Were you proceeding to her establishment in Kasuga-chou?"
Ranma nodded. "I . . . um, y-yeah, I was!" She then perked. "Hey,
how d'you know Tampopo-chan anyway? Are you friends with her?"
"Actually, our brother has the honour to address Kamekichi-san as his
friend," Haruka replied. "His name is Moroboshi Ataru."
Ranma's eyes widened. "Moroboshi Ataru?! You're his . . .?" She
shook her head. "I didn't know he had sisters!"
"Neither did Ani-kun until six weeks ago," Chikage said. "Our story
is, in it's own way, as unique as yours. Meanwhile, we will be
heading to Tampopo-san's establishment once we have picked up Ani-kun
and Ane-kun at the train station." She indicated the road train.
"Would you like to come with us?"
Ranma considered that. "Sure! Ever since I became friends with
Tampopo-chan, I've always wanted to meet your brother . . . "
A creaking sound then echoed from her stomach. Hearing that, a girl
with a big bow tie in her mauve hair leaned out of the passenger
cabin. "Aaah! Sounds like Saotome-san's a little hungry!" she noted
with an amused chuckle.
"I . . .!" Ranma flustered. "Um, y-yeah! I skipped out on
breakfast this morning 'cause I got in a fight with my old man . . . "
"Shirayuki-chan, do you have extra bentou boxes?" Haruka wondered.
"Hai desu no! Hime *always* has lots of extra bentou boxes!"
Hearing that, Ranma grinned. "If there's one thing Oyaji taught me
right, it's to never refuse free food!" she quickly asserted.
Everyone laughed.
* * *
"Young Mistress, do you recognise that . . . er, person?"
"I believe that is Saotome Ranma," Ryooko answered. The command car
was currently sitting five vehicles back from the road train. "And
these ladies, who most likely are the same ones Moroboshi-sama
associated with on Promised Island, have just taken him -- er, *her*
-- aboard. I wonder why."
"I should have learned how to read lips," the driver lamented.
"Oh, don't worry about it. Stay with them."
"Hai!"
* * *