Someone had to be there to post bail. Someone had to be on hand if the police or hospitals called. Someone had to be home if the others wanted to coordinate their efforts; not that that was likely.
But the main reason was that she couldn't be asked.
That wasn't to say she wouldn't contribute to the evening's entertainment. After all, it was a simple matter to go to the telephone and call the Kuno Residence. "This is Nabiki Tendo; may I speak to Tatewaki, please?"
"No. It's not important, but it is time-critical; and I'm sure that Kuno will regard it as a tragedy of Aeschylean proportions if he were uninvolved."
"Yes, I'll hold."
"Well, Kuno-chan, when I told you about how Ranma derailed a wedding between him and Akane, I left out some details because it was a family matter, not to be discussed with outsiders. But recent events have arisen which I think you should know about."
"Well, you see... While Ranma did derail the immediate marriage between him and Akane, he wasn't able to end the promise made before he was born that he would marry one of the Tendo daughters. If he just dismissed the promise, he would have brought shame on all three of us, including Akane. The only way it could be ended with no loss of honor required, at minimum, a formal omiai; or in this case, three."
"Don't get so worked up about it. All of us have agreed that the omiai is just a formality. None of us want to get married; your dear Akane should be safe. At least she would be if others weren't trying to interfere."
"I'm getting to that! In a few days, our oldest sister, Kasumi, will have her omiai with Ranma. As she's the eldest daughter, it should have fallen to her to marry Ranma, not Akane. Tonight, she and Ranma are on their first date. Our fathers, the ones who wanted Ranma and Akane to marry the evening that they arrived here, are trying to interfere with the date."
"Don't hang up the phone! I haven't told you where they are yet!"
"Now, listen. Akane has already run off to try and stop them. Your purpose is to keep the fathers from ruining the date. You must do everything you can to make sure Ranma and Kasumi don't notice you."
"Because the only thing that would spoil a date faster than realizing you were being watched by people from school would be realizing your parents were watching you! If you make a big disturbance near Ranma and Kasumi, then the fathers will have tricked you into doing their work for them!"
"OK, now here are the details. Ranma's father is a large, stout, bald, middle-aged man dressed like John Travolta from the movie 'Saturday Night Fever.' A white suit with wide lapels and a ridiculous shirt. My father is dressed in an elaborate tuxedo with white gloves, top hat, and a silver tipped cane. They're chasing Ranma and Kasumi; I'll list all of the places they're planning on going."
"Sasuke! I'm off to confront those scoundrels, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome, and rain down heaven's wrath upon their heads!"
"Is that wise, master? Soun Tendo is Akane's father; surely you don't plan to attack the father of the girl you wish to marry."
"Quite right; that would be foolish! Soun Tendo is only misguided by his friend; Even though he's in the wrong, he might hold it against me if I treated him roughly. I shall go in disguise."
"Many places will refuse to admit you if you wear an inappropriate disguise, master."
"No one would dare bar the great Tatewaki Kuno from their establishments!"
"They won't know it is you if you were in disguise."
"Then I must pick a disguise that will facilitate my travels. Lay out an appropriate garment."
"What are the others wearing?"
"That's it! Akane's father is wearing a tuxedo. I shall wear a tuxedo, and will therefore be able to enter any place that he can!"
"Master, your face is very distinctive; may I suggest an eye-mask?"
The dating couple walked at a normal pace to the restaurant. Since the fathers were the only people who didn't know where they were headed, they were forced to follow at the same pace. But Akane and Kuno had separately raced to their destination, and were already casing the joint before the parade of couples arrived.
As Ranma and Kasumi entered the restaurant, Genma pulled Soun into an alcove to plot. Soun asked, "So, what's the plan?"
"Well, the way I figure it, the biggest problem we have is that the two of them are too..." Genma couldn't come up with the word "reticent." "... Reserved. Your daughter is a quiet one, and Ranma doesn't know how to talk to girls."
"What can we do about it?"
"Well, a little alcohol might loosen their tongues."
"But Kasumi rarely drinks. Does Ranma? I doubt they'll order anything alcoholic to drink."
"We'll just order it for them. We can have the waiter take it to their table, and say it was a complementary bottle. Then they'll drink it."
"Excellent plan! But will half a bottle be enough for each of them?"
"That's why you've got to go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of red wine with a high alcohol content, and a fifth of vodka. Just replace half of the wine with vodka, and reseal the bottle."
"Hold Varlets! I have heard your plan!" Kuno may have forgone his customary clothing, and he may have been wearing a tiny eye mask (Which incidentally gave him more of a raccoon-like appearance, and wasn't much use as a disguise), but he failed to leave home his tell-tale bokken. He also couldn't conceal the black and silver metalic cylinder which emerged from his fly, and due to Akane's earlier adjustment, bent to the left. "I am Tuxedo Kendo, the Black Thunder of... some other school!"
"And what are you doing here?"
"Marriage should be a union of love; not a ploy of old men! In the name of Love and Justice, I will endeavor to thwart your nefarious plans with my superior skill, showing my innate excellence!" Kuno paused. "Hmm, perhaps I need to edit that last part down a bit."
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(Posted Tue, 08 Aug 2006 21:26)
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