"Yeah. Okay. I think, Nodoka, that you should probably go back and help Kasumi in the kitchen," the middle Tendo daughter said, rubbing at her temples tiredly. Nodoka nodded, and vanished back into the house.
"So, what's the deal?" Natsume asked. "Why did you send her away?"
"Because Ranma seems to be in a bad state right now -- maybe he's just stressed, and I can't blame him. I don't want to tell him that his mom slept with Ryuu, is going to marry Soun, and oh, by the way, according to the story Soun gave his mother, his father is dead," Nabiki deadpanned. "If you'll replace the dojo and are willing to bear the consequences, I welcome any of you to tell him yourself."
Azusa looked like she was considering it, briefly. Ryuu distracted her inadvertently when he shuddered, and she snatched his headband. "Cossete!" she dubbed it happily. Everyone else seemed uncomfortable, and eventually nodded.
"Don't think I'm trying to hide it, I'm just saying ... we'll wait for a more opportune time to let these things slip."
Cologne nodded her agreement, and said, "It seems to me, that unless anyone here lied ... that you were all virgins yesterday, with the exception of Nodoka. And you also all only slept with one-another. Logically, you should not have any illnesses.... But I'm preparing a kettle of a tea that will boost your ability to recover from such things anyway. It will also benefit the children some of you are most likely carrying."
Nodding to herself, Nabiki had to applaud Cologne's delivery. Tell them you're providing what they need, and then tell them how much they need it. All of the girls settled down, eyes widening. "At any rate, that won't be ready for a bit. I should go tend it," the old woman sighed. "Enjoy yourselves, and don't run off."
"That's it?" Rouge asked, frowning. "We don't know if we're pregnant yet, though. We're just ... maybe pregnant. Right?"
"Shampoo pregnant," the younger Joketsuzoku said with a proud grin."
"That test comes later tonight. Don't run off, girls," Cologne advised, before slipping through the doorway.
"Hmm," Kurumi mused. "I wonder what this will do to my appetite."
Natsume looked briefly horrified, and then turned to Ryuu. "Please, if we're going to be marrying, tell me you at least have a house with room for us. Some place where we can get jobs, or the like," she entreated him.
"I'm a wandering martial artist," he protested. "I've got nothing to my name but the clothes on my--" he broke off, as Azusa snagged one of the pouches from his belt.
"Miette!" she exclaimed.
Sighing wearily, he concluded, "I got nothing."
"Same," Kurumi and Rouge said in a depressed monotone.
"Maybe we should marry Ranma," Natsume mused. "He's a provider. He's got this place, right?"
"Excuse me?" Akane asked sharply. "We have this place. Without us, he's a wandering martial artist, too."
"Yeah, but you're not going to kick him out, are you?" Natsume countered.
"I can too provide!" Ryuu protested. "I ... I came back to Nerima to work with Ranma on establishing a new martial art which will allow me to build a dojo!"
"Oh, Ryuu-chan wants a dojo?" Azusa asked innocently.
"Well ... yeah," he said, shrugging. "Who wouldn't?"
Miyo and Hinako tentatively raised their hands.
"Okay!" Azusa cheered. "I'll buy you a dojo!"
"Uh, land is expensive," Ryuu said, shaking his head. "It's not quite that--"
"Val Jean!" she exclaimed, snagging another belt-pouch.
"--easy," he finished, palming his face. "Ugh."
"Oh, I'm just giving you a hard time," Natsume admitted. "I did say you were my first love, and you are."
Rouge coughed. "I had him first," she asserted proudly.
"Not this again!" Nabiki warned. "I'm getting really tired of you two. Rouge, you've nearly destroyed our house once already. Natsume, you remember what you did here. Best behavior, or I'll tell Ranma to put you out on the street."
"He wouldn't do that!" Ryuu protested. "Would ... would he?"
"That's okay!" Azusa cheered. "We can go to my house."
"Since she's the only one of us who even has a home, I think she wins," Rouge admitted. "How large is your home, anyway?"
"It's a mansion! I have twenty five bedrooms," she asserted proudly.
Natsume and Rouge both seemed to think this over for a moment.
"You're rich?" Kurumi asked in surprise.
"Yep!" Azusa replied. "I'm gonna be a first wife, but you can live with me!"
"Marriage contracts cost money," Nabiki said, before Natsume or Rouge could protest. "Aside from which -- either of you would screw the other over. Here, you'll have the knowledge that Azusa's ahead, and you're both at least tied."
Natsume and Rouge swallowed this, though they didn't appear to be happy about it.
"Lunch is ready," Kasumi called, followed by Nodoka. Both were carrying large trays covered with smaller dishes. Cologne trailed the pair, hefting a large tea-kettle, and balancing a tray of tea-cups atop her staff.
See other episodes by Sgt. Chibi De`Ohki
(Posted Fri, 22 Jul 2005 07:45)
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