Ranma could only look around at the hotel room, trying to focus more on it that what it could mean. The room was very lavish, easily bigger than what he would have expected to find in Tokyo. The room had a soft carpet, an open terrace that showed the tops of many of the local buildings, with the skyline posed on either side to give one a view of either sunrise or sunset. To his left, he could see the bath area, a hot tub and western style toilet with a large shower stall. Of course given his luck with his curse, the hotel would be experiencing a hot water problem within a few hours.
Then there was perhaps the most fearful item to Ranma, the thing that inspired more fear in him than even the Nekoken: the bed. Despite his earlier fears that what it might be, given that Herb had apparently spent time with his mother, it was a large king size western style bed. The appearance given by both the covers and pillows seemed to show it would be very soft to sleep on.
That was assuming of course he couldn’t find a way to get the hell out of this situation. A training trip was beginning to sound good at the moment, after Herb had revealed his mother’s plans.
I wonder if Kiima needs some help training Saffron. “Um ... I need to go back and get my clothes,” he said, hoping to find a way out of the situation. True, Herb might have been okay with the situation, but unlike her, Ranma had only had less than an hour to get used to the ideas he could only guess, were going through the neo-Princess’s mind.
“No need,” said Herb, pointing to a pile of bags. “Your mother purchased you an ensemble of clothes while we spent time together.”
Ranma could only pale as he made his way over to the bags, half fearful that they contained pink dresses and other female clothes.
Instead, good luck did shine on him. While most were definitely male clothes, and pretty nice if he had to admit, there was obviously only a few meant for his girl form, including a dress that looked strangely like what Herb was wearing. He held it up, looking at her with confusion.
Herb could only smile. “Your mother insisted that when we went out to eat sometimes, that we do so as females.”
Ranma felt very faint at the moment.
“She did say that makeup would be optional, but I should be prepared to explain it to you.”
He wanted to cry. It just kept getting worse.
“If it will help,” said Herb, “several of the bags over there contain hard liquor,” she said, holding up several bottles. “When I explained my ... nervousness ... about our reunion, she purchased these for us. To be honest, I do fear I will need to consume much of this before I am ready to kiss you as a man, instead of your female form, perhaps some even then.”
Ranma rubbed his temples. “Oh boy,” he muttered.
“You need some now, don’t you?” asked Herb, holding out a bottle of vodka. “Forgive me, but I am not certain how or what may be the proper way to partake of these liquors.”
“Let me show you,” said Ranma as he got up and took the bottle over to a table. Yes, he needed to be drunk at the moment.
And then maybe a nap. Yes, he’d get drunk, go to sleep, and wake up to find out that this was all a bad dream.
And if not, the hangover would hopefully distract him.
As the girls continued to argue debate over Nodoka’s plan, a certain problem crept into Nabiki’s mind.
It wasn’t so much that she was being forced to participate within this debacle. Nor was it the fact the others were all staring at her after her older sister’s question about where she shopped for her ‘toys’.
Though she did have to wonder how Kasumi knew about those things.
And the collar. That was still in the packaging.
But what caught her attention also gave her a way to get away from the somewhat demonic stares that Akane, Ukyo, Kodachi, and Shampoo were directing towards her. “You said Ranma is with one of his concubines?”
“WHAT?” came the unanimous reply from the girls, their attention swiveling back to Nodoka.
“Oh, I hope she’s treating Ranma well,” said Kasumi. “I guess I’ll need to change the menu then.”
Nodoka nodded. “He is currently with his first concubine. She is understanding of his situation, and wishes to spend the week getting to know him better.”
“But he is Shampoo’s husband!”
“Like hell!” yelled Ukyo. “He’s my fiancé!”
“That pervert!” yelled Akane, her eyes misting a bit at the prospect that Ranma was leaving her.
“So,” said Kodachi, “we now know why the redheaded harridan that doth besmirch my Ranma-sama’s name is not with us.”
Nodoka merely stared at the girl. “Kodachi, do not tell me that you have not been informed of my son’s curse.”
“Curse?” asked Kodachi.
“Yes, the curse my foolish husband inflicted on my son, changing him to my daughter when he is hit with cold water. I’m told he takes after me in his girl form.”
Kodachi blinked a bit, trying to comprehend what she had been told. “But how is such a thing possible?”
“Because Airen’s father is too-too stupid,” growled Shampoo, remembering her own curse.
“Haven’t you ever noticed how much Ranchan looks like the redheaded girl your brother is always obsessing about?” asked Ukyo. “I mean, I’m not certain you’ve ever seen him change, but still...”
“Nabiki,” said Nodoka, “do be a dear and bring us what we’ll need to convince and explain this to Kodachi. We need to be prepared for any of the other girls that will wish to join the tournament.”
“Other girls?” asked the fiancées.
“Oh, and bring your toys, Nabiki-chan,” said Kasumi. “I need to figure out what else I need to go shopping for.”
Nabiki blushed a bit, as the fiancées attention was torn between her—and most likely the wonder of why she had such things and if she had plans to use them on Ranma—and the latest bomb Nodoka had dumped on them.
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(Posted Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:01)
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