[Episode 145921] [Episode 145921]"Papa, you're so silly," she said, breaking him from his reverie with a quiet giggle.
"Hey, watcha starin' at, Ranchan?"
"Airen?"
"Ranma?"
"I'm just really glad to see you all getting along," he said quickly. "That's all." The three former-fiancees exchanged a very thoughtful glance. Swallowing nervously, he quickly said, "We should probably go back to the dojo and let your dad know that you're back from being kidnapped."
"I'm pretty sure he's still in shock from the ... uh ... failed wedding," Akane said, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably. "But you're probably right."
"Hmm, that outfit doesn't quite fit you, Hotaru-chan," Ukyou suddenly decided. Then her eyes widened. "Oh, kami! We're gonna be on television tonight!"
Akane and Shampoo both looked thunderstruck, and Ranma asked, "Wait, again?"
"Yeah," Akane said, nodding. "The exclusive interview you agreed to, Ranma. Oh, no, we've got to get nice clothes -- you can't go dressed like that!"
He looked down at his outfit, dirt-stained and torn in several places. He'd washed his hands and face, but there was still a lot of dust on the rest of his body. "Oh, man," he said, grimacing. "You're right. I'd better hurry home and put on that nice green set of Chinese shirt and pants I've got."
"Airen not look bad in that," Shampoo allowed.
"But I'm thinking we could make you look better," Ukyou added.
"What?" Ranma asked, blinking. "You think I don't look good?"
"We think you look fine, but men can't dress themselves," Akane said quickly. "Now, you hurry home and wash up -- then make sure the bath's ready for us when we get back, we've only got until sunset."
"Ah, Akane, to let me apologize for ... ah ... the...." Ukyou swallowed, and looked Akane straight in the eye. "I caused a big mess at your place last week. And I really did something irresponsible when I ... threw those okonomiyaki at Ranchan. I'd like to apologize to both of you by paying for this."
"What?" Ranma asked dumbly. What was Ukyou apologizing for? It was only a few explosives -- not even that damaging compared to the explosive tempura flakes she'd thrown when he'd first fought her at Furinkan. "Ucchan, I don't think--"
"Please, Ranchan," Ukyou said with insistent force. "I can't think that you wouldn't allow me to try and make it up to you and Akane!"
***
Akane stared at Ukyou in shock for a minute, numbly. Ukyou was apologizing to her? She was willing to go that far? But ... that would be tantamount to Ukyou giving up her claim on Ranma, wouldn't it? She considered that for a minute. No claims were valid on Ranma, at least ... for the next few years.
One of Ranma's last comments was, "It's good to see you getting along." That clicked things into place; surely even Ranma wasn't enough of a pervert to think that he'd want them to do anything inappropriate, especially in front of Hotaru. But it was a tacit admission from Ranma about what kind of girl he liked. Akane's eyes narrowed.
Ukyou's move was a calculated ploy to appear more attractive to Ranma! Well, challenge accepted; Ranma'd brought her back from the brink of death at Jusendou, she wasn't going to give up on him like that!
"Oh, Ukyou-chan!" she cheered, embracing the okonomiyaki-chef enthusiastically. "I couldn't accept that from you! There's nothing to apologize for now, when we stop and look at things, is there? Let's just forget about it and be friends!"
***
Ukyou couldn't believe it. She'd hoped that she could help her Ranchan by doing what he asked, simply getting along with the other girls, and not only had it worked, for once (in Nerima, of all places) it had worked spectacularly! Akane would be her friend! Now, as they grew close, they'd surely let Ranma see that she was the better fiancee.
And if somehow, Akane managed to impossibly win Ranma away, it'd only be after Ukyou'd made her learn how to cook without killing him. And that they'd be close enough that Ukyou could help take care of the children.
She blinked suddenly, as her arms reflexively hugged Akane back. Where had that thought come from?
***
Shampoo took off her nurse's cap, and scratched the back of her head in confusion. Akane and Ukyou were up to something. She didn't know what it was, but she meant to find out! Until she did, she would play along with them.
Surely it couldn't be that her Airen had said she thought Shampoo was fine, as long as she was willing to accept co-wives. Akane eyed Ranma up and down, admiring bits of bare skin that she could see through the tears in his shirt and pants, and then thinking of the times she'd snuck into his bed to sleep next to him, or surprised him in the bath. Well, then if they could at least pretend to get along, she supposed she could accept those two as responsible co-wives.
Of course, now Shampoo was seeing that Hotaru was really a ploy on Ranma's part; a trick he had set up to give them time to train before they could woo him in earnest. Only by coordinating, and working together could they win his heart (and certain other portions). Mmm, she thought, grabbing the other two girls in a hug. "Shampoo too-too sorry, also! She bring cart and buy clothes for Hotaru with allowance, yes?"
Obviously, she would need to make sure she passed this test by learning to love and care for this Hotaru girl. And then, best worm her way into the other two girl's hearts early so she could guide them all properly into a good family.
***
Hotaru hugged her father, then wrinkling her nose at the smell. "You need a bath, Papa," she asserted, while he chuckled nervously.
He nodded in agreement, then glanced over at Hotaru's older sisters and shivered, a worried glint of fear shining in his eyes.
"Papa-san, is something wrong?"
"I don't know," Ranma said uneasily. "My danger sense just went haywire."
The three older girls broke their hug and looked up in alarm. "Is everything okay?" they asked together.
"Yeah," Ranma said, chuckling nervously. "Just great. Um, back to the dojo?"
"You go on," Akane said.
"We're taking Hotaru shopping," Ukyou added, grinning.
Shampoo raised a bonbori. "We protect Airen's daughter, no matter what."
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(Posted Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:03)
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