It was far from the most palatable of meals that Ranma had eaten, having a rather acidic taste to it along with a tough, something leathey texture. At least it was edible, however, once enough of the blood was drained off at least.
Kodachi and some of the medically trained refuges had handled the task, with Kodachi setting aside large quantities of the greenish fluid for some purpose he wasn't certain he wanted to know about.
"We'll need to find shelter fairly soon," Nabiki noted wearily.
"I believe that is not so difficult as you might think," Cologne said, looking around.
The old woman turned to see a familiar, purple-haired figuring working her way towards the fire Ranma and the others were sitting at. She gestured towards her granddaughter, and Shampoo boosted her speed to attend answer the summons quickly.
"Is everything set?" Cologne asked.
"Is guards on all sides," Shampoo said. "Not many fighters, but do what can. No monster surprise us in night."
"Very good," Cologne said. "And what about the people?"
Shampoo shrugged and looked around as if it was an obvious question and she couldn't figure out why she was being asked it.
"Is getting ready to sleep," Shampoo said, pointing.
Kodachi rose up on her eight legs and skittered forward, noting Cologne's tone of voice and drawing her attention to where Shampoo indicated a pair of kumojin forming a hammock out of webbing.
"Hmmm," Kodachi said. "Very interesting."
"What?" Ranma asked, meeting similarly blank faces among the rest of their little group.
"Oh!" Kasumi gasped suddenly. "I wonder if that's possible."
"It is, at the very least," Cologne said, ignoring the ones still confused, "worth a try."
*****
The next day, Kodachi and Kasumi climbed into the trees and started to weave. Working together, they connected strand to strand and sheet to sheet, forming a huge, thick web between the trunks of several trees for a purpose that at first only confused people all the more.
A few came over to see and, among them, some figured out what was happenign and started to climb up into other trees. Soon, there were a multitude of kumojin, mostly kali, in the trees and webs were swiftly taken shape in the canopy of the forest above them.
Men and women who had been engineers, architects or construction workers in Japan moved from group to group offering advise and asking questions on intent.
And by now it was quite obvious, to nearly everybody, just what the project was about.
"What the hell?" Ranma asked, scratching his head.
Again nearly everybody.
"Idiot," Akane said, rolling her eyes.
"It's a house, Ran-chan," Ukyou said emphatically and gesturing to the openings in the thick layers of silk above them. "Or it will be."
"Verily," Kodachi said, dropping down agilely from the trees looking somewhat tired and satisfied. She stretched her human arms out wide and sidled coquetishly from Ukyou to Akane to Ranma, brushing or shoulder suggestively against each, before lowering her body down before the spot of the previous night's fire for something of a rest. "A proper estate to house us all."
"Wait, what?" Akane asked, after pushing aside the
"Estate for all of us?" Ranma repeated.
"It only makes since, son-in-law," Cologne said.
"You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting," Ukyou said, her voice and tone betraying that she'd already considered the thought as well.
"With five women to every man," Nabiki said. "What do you think? I'll bet you'll have loads of fun, Little Sister."
"What are you talking about," Akane said, face flashing redly.
The Shampoo appeared, hugging her from behind and lowering he face on Akane's shoulder.
"What Akane thinks we talking about," Shampoo said huskily.
When the flustered kumo leaped away, presenting warding signs, the Amazon swiftly broke down into a laugh, clutching at her stomach and howling with glee.
"Sister Akane too easy!" Shampoo said.
"Oh no," Ranma said, swiftly failing to continue to deny understanding.
"It is already arranged," his mother said behind him, readying herself to do some more cooking, all of her hands attending to some small task. "In this way, we can fulfill all of your obligations."
Ranma stared silently for a long moment before responding.
"I can't figure out whether to scream or be relieved," Ranma said finally.
"Oh don't worry, Ranma-darling," Kodachi said. "I'll do all the screaming any of you will ever need."
The statement drew winces and smirks from the assorted listeners.
*****
The building proceeded regardless of such small breaks and conversations. Swiftly, it was at least partially completed, and the forest trees were bedecked and shadowed from the thick webbing strewn between their branches and trunks.
The kumojin didn't sleep in hammocks or on the ground that night, but in a ghostly, silvery village of half-finished houses floating over the dark ground.
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(Posted Sun, 03 Apr 2005 19:38)
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