[Episode 132476] [Episode 132476]Kasumi really should not have allowed Nabiki to play that prank on their sister and her fiancé.
Before either of them had recovered enough to dissuade Nodoka from her idea, they could hear Akane's door opening upstairs.
Ranma and Akane were coming down the stairs. Maybe they had already realized on their own that this whole legal slavery thing was too ridiculous to be true. They would be slightly angry, but there would be no need for anyone else to be enslaved. And if not, Kasumi would just have to tell them the truth before it could go any further.
The two teens entered the living room. Ranma had his arm around Akane's shoulder, holding her close. In his other hand, he had the end of a chain that was connected to a collar around Akane's neck. They both looked very happy.
Ranma was beaming proudly at them and Akane, while looking slightly embarrassed, also appeared to be very much where she wanted to be.
After a short moment it seemed like Akane remembered something. She took a small step forward before speaking.
"Kasumi, Nabiki, Aunty Nodoka," she addressed them before announcing, "I am Ranma's slave now."
She was blushing fiercely as she said this, but also looked very happy and determined. When Kasumi, Nodoka and Nabiki continued to stare at her incredulously, she made a small embarrassed eeping sound and hastily returned to Ranma's protective embrace.
Nabiki had said that Akane had taken to the idea of being a slave, but until just now Kasumi had not really credited it.
"I guess you already know," Ranma added. "We were just catching up after our minor blackout and are still getting used to it, but it looks like Akane is now my property."
"Yes, we have heard," Nodoka replied, "and it is a fine possession that you have acquired there, son. I am sure that with a bit of training Akane will make an excellent slave-girl."
Kasumi was shocked, but Akane seemed to take it as a compliment and Nabiki had even recovered enough to quip, "Yeah, good choice, Ranma. You will have little sis trained up in no time, she is practically half there already."
"Truly," Nodoka agreed, "Ranma could not have done better for his first slave-girl."
The way she said "first" was enough to freeze the smile on Nabiki's face and silence her, but Ranma seemed not to notice the subtle interplay.
"Where are Pop and Mr. Tendou," he asked instead.
This was something that Kasumi could answer without having to lie or evade the truth. "Grandfather Happousai took father and Mr. Saotome out on a training trip; they won't be back for a few days. You will have to wait to tell them your news until then."
Ranma and Akane visibly relaxed. It seemed they had not been looking forward to having the two older men interfere in their relationship again like they had done so often before.
In Kasumi's eyes, the two fathers had been one of the main reasons why Akane and Ranma had not gotten together a long time ago. The two teens deserved their short time of peace to make their relationship work. Seeing the two of them so happy together, Kasumi just could not bring herself to tell them the truth and destroy their chance.
"And I have to say, that I am happy for you two, too," she told them with approval.
The grateful smile that this remark earned her from Akane was almost worth the feeling of doom that she experienced as she actively made herself an accomplice in the deception.
Ranma was happy that their family accepted their somewhat unusual choice, and that they would have some time before having to deal with the stupid panda and Mr. Tendou. And Akane seemed to be happy, too.
"I have something for you, Ranma," his mother announced, drawing his attention back from the slave in his arms.
Nodoka hefted a large wicker-basket onto the table. Had she prepared a picnic? Ranma could do with a snack.
"You originally were supposed to get this for your wedding, but as that ended like it did, I kept it until you and Akane were ready. I think it will be just as useful for you now as it would have been on your honeymoon," Ranma's mother said.
Since the wedding fiasco? If it had been food it wouldn't be edible anymore.
Curious, he stepped forward to take a closer look. Akane followed, and her sisters also approached the table to find out what the basket contained.
It turned out to be full of... stuff — colorful stuff. The basket was filled with lots of strange items made from plastic and other materials. Were those toys? Perhaps Nodoka giving a hint about expected grandchildren? They actually looked more like dog-toys. Some of them had leather straps.
Baffled, he picked one bright-red, cucumber-shaped object up, trying to decipher its meaning.
"I am sure that Akane will demonstrate its use for you later in your room," Nodoka said.
"Akane?" Ranma asked, turning to his former fiancée.
He gave his slave a quizzical look. She blushed and wouldn't meet his eyes but nodded meekly.
"Yes, Master," she said, "I will demonstrate how they are used."
"Hey, with remote control," Nabiki exclaimed on his other side.
She had fished something out of the basket and pressed a button on it. The thing in Ranma's hand suddenly came to life like an electric toothbrush. It startled him so much that he almost threw it in Akane's face from where he had held it out for her inspection. Akane gulped.
Ranma wanted to chide Nabiki for scaring him like that but she had already moved on to something else.
"Look, Akane, double-ended for cold water fun," she said cryptically, holding up another strange item. "There is even a chastity belt in the basket. Exactly the thing to put on your slave, eh Ranma?"
She seemed to be doing this mostly to make Ranma look stupid and Akane squirm and blush. She dropped what he was holding and picked up another thing. It was a rubber ball with straps at its side.
"Trust me, Ranma, this will come in useful if you don't want to keep the entire neighborhood awake at night. You know how vocal Akane can get," she told him, grinning.
Ranma stared at her in incomprehension.
Nabiki held the ball up by its straps in front of her face. She opened her mouth and mimicked pulling the straps behind her head.
"Do you wish to try the gag on, Nabiki?" Nodoka asked bemused.
Nabiki dropped it like it like a hot potato and hastily took a step back, no longer smiling.
Sensing her son's confusion, Nodoka took pity on him.
"There are a few booklets that you might find helpful," she pointed out. "I am sure that you are a man among men, but these might fill any gaps in your education that Genma has left."
Ranma took the books out of the basket.
He read the titles: Sex-ed for Dummies, Cliff's Notes on the Kamasutra and Advanced Deviant Hedonism in a Nutshell.
Slowly it began to dawn on him what the present was all about.
"I know the last one with the panda-woodcut on the cover might seem a bit technical at first," Nodoka said, "but it contains useful diagrams and pictures."
Ranma nodded dumbly. No wonder Akane was blushing!
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(Posted Thu, 17 Feb 2005 20:27)
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