[AMG/Ranma/SM][Fanfic] A Certain Distance Sidestory: The Wedding Day
Rob Kelk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes:
This is a sidestory to "A Certain Distance", which appeared on
rec.arts.anime.creative during the last half of 2000. That story is
available on my website, at
<http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/fanfics/distance.html>,
and in the rec.arts.anime.creative archives, at
<ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/ranma.xover.a-certain-distance.gz>
While some events from the canonical Ranma, Sailor Moon, and Oh My
Goddess universes can safely be assumed to take place the same way
that they did (or are implied to happen) in the various manga (for AMG
and Ranma) or anime (for Sailor Moon), others took place quite
differently because of the character interaction, or never happened at
all. The sidestory "Urd and Shampoo Save The World", still in
progress, presents an extreme example of this. This story presents a
less drastic difference between the canonical worlds and my crossover
story cycle.
"The Wedding Day" takes place a few months after "A Certain Distance",
placing it either during or immediately after "Urd and Shampoo Save
the World", and a few months before "Lost and Found".
Disclaimers:
"Aah! Megami-sama" (or "Ah My Goddess!" or "Oh My Goddess!") was
created by Fujishima Kosuke, and is licenced to Kodansha, AnimEigo,
and Pioneer Entertainment.
"Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" (or "Sailor Moon") was created by
Takeuchi Naoko, and is licenced to Kodansha, TV Asahi, Toei Douga,
DIC Entertainment, Optimum Productions, ADV Films, and Pioneer
Entertainment.
"Ranma 1/2" was created by Takahashi Rumiko, and is licenced to
Shogakukan Inc., Kitty, Fuji TV, and Viz Communications.
No challenge is intended to any of these intellectual properties.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Wedding Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The long-awaited day had finally arrived, and they couldn't be
happier. They were finally getting married!
Unless somebody decided to interfere, of course. But what were the
chances of that happening?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"No, grandfather Happosai. You may not take her garter before the
ceremony, and it isn't your place to take that pair of panties from
her at all."
"Would you really begrudge an old man some simple pleasures, Kasumi?"
Deep down, Kasumi couldn't believe that she had willingly placed
herself between Happosai and a pair of panties that he had targeted.
But she did, so she had to see it through. "Today I would, yes. This
is her wedding outfit. If you take any of it away, she'll hate you
forever."
Happosai frowned. "I suppose, when you put it that way ..." Then he
moved quickly and ran off with Kasumi's panties. "... that I'll just
have to make do with these! Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"
Kasumi sighed, then smiled again as she locked the door and took a
second pair of panties from her handbag.
"Thank you, Kasumi."
"Think nothing of it," she replied. "Your bridal outfit is still
intact. That's what's important right now."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I think Rei was right," said Ami as she walked to the door. "I'm not
going to be a part of this either. It isn't too late to back out,
guys. Are you *sure* you three want to do this?"
Makoto snarled at her friend. "Damn straight I want to do this!
After how they humiliated us, they deserve some payback!"
"She's right," agreed Minako. "But we can't do this as the Senshi.
Our powers are intended to defend love and justice, so they might not
work if we try using them to break up a wedding."
"Minako, maybe Ami's right and we shouldn't do this," argued Usagi.
"It wasn't their fault that they fought the Senshi. It was those
Goddesses who got them to fight against us."
"Usagi, they made Crystal Tokyo never happen! That means we'll never
see Chibi-Usa again!"
After a moment, Usagi found her voice. "Let's go kick their butts."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ranma and Ryouga were double-checking each others' tuxedos, just for
something to do that would keep them away from the assembled guests
for a few more minutes.
"She's a lucky girl. You're probably the only person on Earth who
could really make her happy."
"You know, there was a time, not that long ago, when I never would
have thought you'd say anything nice about me, and I think I wouldn't
have said any good things about you. And now you're my best man. Are
we growing up?"
"We'd better be - you're getting married today! By the way, why are
you two getting married with a Western ceremony?"
"Because that's what she wants ..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Urd's still not back, is she, Big Sister?"
"I'm afraid not, Skuld." Belldandy looked away from the television
set showing the Senshi's current activities. "It's up to the two of
us to make sure the wedding isn't spoiled."
"Unless somebody else stops them first, of course." Skuld pointed at
the screen and turned up the volume.
"Fair damsels, as much as it pains me, I cannot allow
you to pass through these gates without presenting
your invitations."
Usagi and Minako looked at each other, wondering why
somebody would speak in such an outmoded fashion in
this day and age. Makoto decided to take the direct
approach. "Look, whoever you are, we're coming in
whether you like it or not! We've got something to
say to the groom!" She walked forward until the end
of a bokken was moved into her path.
"Nay, fair maiden. None without invitation shall pass
by the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. This is my gift
to the couple who are becoming joined in matrimony
this day."
"So you want a fight, do you?" Makoto cracked her
knuckles. "Okay, you got one!"
"I strike!" And with a single movement of his bokken,
Kuno sent the interloping girls flying by the force of
the air pressure alone. He then turned to the
teenager standing beside him. "Gosunkugi! Follow
those women and ensure that they have not come to any
permanent harm. I am honour-bound to remain at these
gates so that no other interlopers may pass."
Skuld turned the volume back down. "Well, that problem's solved."
Belldandy frowned slightly. "Skuld, do you really think those girls
would give up so easily?"
The youngest Norn thought for a moment, then got up and started
running to the furo. "We'd better get out there fast!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The music quieted as the bride stepped forward and stood beside her
love. Everyone in attendance turned to look at the priest that was
officiating at the ceremony.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together to witness the joining
in matrimony of Ryoga Hibiki and Akari Unryuu ..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"The ceremony's probably started by now. Darn it!"
Makoto turned to Minako and smiled a thin, cold smile. "Then this
would be the perfect time to show up, wouldn't it?"
Usagi was horrified. "We can't interrupt the wedding!"
"Why not?" asked her two companions in unison.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"... If anyone present knows of any reason why these two people should
not be joined in matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his
peace ..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
While Belldandy disliked the idea of upsetting the order of the
neighbourhood, she liked the idea of the wedding being disrupted even
less. She sighed as she placed the banana peel in the path of Minako,
Makoto and Usagi. She then jumped into the mirror mounted above the
corner of the road.
The three girls walked around the corner and headed toward the Tendo
dojo. Somehow Usagi missed seeing the banana peel, stepped on it, lost
her footing, and fell on her back.
"Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ..."
"Hey, are you okay?" asked Minako.
"I think I pulled a muscle. Ow! Now I *know* I pulled a muscle. I'm
not going to be able to help you guys. I'm sorry!"
Minako kneeled down and helped Usagi get to her feet. "You go on ahead,
Makoto. I'll make sure Usagi gets to a doctor."
After the girls went their separate ways, Belldandy returned and picked
up the banana peel. It wouldn't do to leave litter on the sidewalk,
after all ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Ryouga lifted the veil from over his wife's face, then kissed her
passionately.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Makoto stopped down the road from the gate. The kendoist was still
guarding the gate.
*Okay, so I'm not going in that way,* she thought. *Maybe there's a
back door.*
It took her a few minutes, but she finally found a back way in. It
wasn't actually a door, or a gate - instead, it was a gap in the wall
where the rocks had crumbled to dust. She smiled at her good fortune,
stepped into the gap ... and cried in surprise as a bolt of energy
from above nearly burnt her hair off. She quickly stepped back, then
turned around to see Skuld grinning at her from across the road.
"No way, Kino-san! You aren't getting in that way, not while I still
have a particle beam satellite in orbit!"
"You ... you ... you *brat*! I *hate* you!" Makoto quickly ran off
before Skuld could re-align the targeting systems on her "death ray".
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I don't care if it is traditional at a Western wedding reception,
Ryouga. If you mash a piece of cake into my face, I'll mash one into
your face, then clean it off right here. With cold water."
Ryouga quickly put the cake back onto the plate.
Akane turned to Ranma, who was finishing off his fifth piece of cake.
"Why would Ryouga care about Akari washing his face in front of us?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Makoto finally made it to the property line. Skuld was nowhere to be
seen. Now all she had to do was climb over the wall and she'd be
inside.
Belldandy watched from the sidelines. She didn't have to do anything
this time - others were guarding this approach.
Makoto put her hand on the wall, but then stopped when she heard clear,
low-pitched voices on the other side of the wall.
"Do we really have to do this, Hikari? I like her ..."
"Of course you like her, Senrigan. She's a lot like you."
"Shush, both of you! Lady Belldandy will be upset if our talking
spoils the ambush!"
"Sorry, Kodama," replied the other two to their leader.
Makoto stopped climbing. She had no desire to walk right into a trap.
She dropped back to the ground and started looking for another way in.
After a moment, the three miniature ninja smiled. Their bluff had
worked perfectly.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Is everybody ready?" asked Akari while looking at the wall.
"Ready!" came the reply.
"Then here it comes!" She tossed the bouquet over her shoulder
"Happo five-yen satsu!" Akari turned to see all but one of the single
women collapsed on the floor. That one exception was full of energy,
with a five-yen coin in one hand and the bouquet in the other. "Look,
Soun! I caught it! Aren't you happy?"
Ryouga and Akari decided to wait until after Hinako's energy rush wore
off and everyone else could stand again before continuing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Belldandy was starting to get annoyed. Despite the ceremony being
over hours ago, Makoto was *still* trying to disrupt things.
Makoto saw the banana peel on the road and pointedly avoided it.
(Belldandy sighed; she hadn't really expected the same trick to work
twice, but she was running out of ideas.) Makoto also bypassed the
open manhole, and avoided the alley where Banpei was laying in wait.
It was time for a direct intervention. Belldandy stepped directly
into Makoto's path. "Please don't do this."
"Shut up and get out of my way, megami. I've been through too much
today to stop now just because *you* say so."
"But -"
"No buts! Move before I move you by force."
"Oh, dear. I can't allow you to continue on either of those paths."
Makoto was angry enough to fight anyone in her way, but she wasn't
completely stupid. "Jupiter Star Power, Make-Up! Supreme Thunder!"
Belldandy managed to dodge the worst of the lightning blast, but still
took enough of it to knock her to the ground. As she moved to get up,
Sailor Jupiter brought her elbow down onto Belldandy's back, knocking
her all the way to the ground.
"I'd stay and gloat, but I have a wedding reception to trash ... What
in the world is *that*?"
While she wasn't looking, Banpei had stepped out of the alley and
advanced on Sailor Jupiter. Jupiter fired off another Supreme
Thunder, which Banpei absorbed into his power battery. He then swung
his arm, then attacked her again and again.
After a few minutes, Sailor Jupiter was so bruised and beaten that she
passed out and transformed back to Makoto. Her last thought before
falling unconscious was that Minako was right about the danger of
using their powers to disrupt love.
As soon as Makoto collapsed, Banpei immediately stopped attacking,
administered first aid to his fallen opponent, and helped Belldandy
back to her feet.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Here it comes!" Ryouga tossed Akari's garter behind him once Akari
pointed him in the right direction.
"Whoo-hoo! I got it after all!"
Every other single man glared at the lucky catcher. "Happosai ...!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She may have been alone, she may have been bruised, and she may have
felt half-dead, but that wouldn't stop her righteous fury. She
*finally* stormed into the dojo. "Curse you, Hibiki Ryouga! Because of
you, I've seen hell!"
Akari held her husband close. "Who is this person, darling?"
Ryouga sighed. "Just someone I defeated in fair combat a while ago,
dear."
(Ranma smiled at his friend's comment. He thought that it was about
time Ryouga found out what he had been doing to Ranma's life those
many months ago.)
Ryouga turned to the interloper. "Why did you have to interrupt our
wedding reception? I wanted everything to be perfect for Akari, but
you've ruined it! Shishi Houkoudan!"
The blast sent Makoto flying from the dojo.
"Ryouga, darling, she's gone now. Come dance with me?"
Ryouga's depression vanished as he looked into his bride's eyes. "I'd
love to, my dearest Akari."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Makoto regained consciousness to discover she was laying on a futon.
"Where am I?"
"You're in my bedroom," replied Kasumi. "Don't get up just yet;
you've suffered a nasty blow to the head." She turned to the doorway
and raised her voice. "She's finally awake."
Ranma opened the door and came in. "Hi, there. You okay?"
"What do *you* want?"
"To congratulate you, actually. While you were out cold, Skuld told
me how hard she and her sister worked to keep you away from here.
Anybody who could get past them's gotta be really determined."
Makoto thought for a moment. "I suppose so ... But I still failed,
didn't I?"
"Were you trying to marry Ryouga?" asked Kasumi.
"What? NO!" Makoto flinched as the sound of her own voice made her
headache worsen. She continued in a quieter tone. "I wanted you to
suffer, because you made all of us so unhappy ..."
Ranma chuckled. "The first time Akane met Ryouga, he was telling me
that he was gonna destroy my happiness. Now we're each other's best
friends." He held out his hand to Makoto. "I'm willing to be your
friend, too, Makoto. If you want that."
"After everything that's happened, after everything I tried to do,
you'd still offer that?" Makoto's tears started flowing. "You're a
good person, Saotome. Saotome-san."
"Please, call me Ranma. Hey, you're interested in martial arts,
right? Maybe I could train you in some of the more advanced
techniques I know ..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And then there was the wedding night.
But discretion forbids mentioning what happened then ...
--
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> robkelk -at- jksrv -dot- com
"I'm *not* a kid! Nyyyeaaah!" - Skuld (in "Oh My Goddess!" OAV #3)
"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of
childishness and the desire to be very grown-up." - C.S. Lewis, 1947