Sigel walked by carrying a stack of boxes as tall as she was. "Seems that Keiichi's sister made some calls."
A flat look came across the youngest Norn's face. She had been hoping that she would be able to have a quiet reunion with her husband. After waiting for him for all this time, she would stand right where he could see her when he'd first arrive. Then they could look straight at each other before releasing all the emotions that had been locked up during their time apart. Once that happened, then they could have a quiet celebration of the fact that they were there together.
Instead she had a loud party that was going on with a bunch of people there that were treating it more like a club than a temple's grounds. Music was playing, people were talking, and she could just sense that the stove, and her beloved sister, were being overworked by the amount of food available.
This, as it was, happened to be rather annoying. Not that she didn't want to have fun with friends, and let them show their pleasure at what was going on, but she rather thought that they would learn in their own time. With things the way they were, she was not going to get that alone time that she wanted with her spouse. If anything, she was certain that it would be like when a sports team winning, with everyone having to put in their own two yen.
Skuld tried to come up with some positive spin on the disruption of her plans, and knew that it wasn't like she could get rid of the people anyway. That could only be done with a whole lot of offense being given, and she'd rather avoid that. To tell the truth, it was a rather... pleasant feeling that they were all there for a party to celebrate her marriage. Then again, she did also find amusement in the way that some of the guys were giving her long and appreciative looks, especially considering the fact that she'd longed to be seen as being as attractive as her sisters for so long. Of course, a few of them also flushed as they realized that they'd watched her grow up from being a 'kid' to the lovely young woman who was a bit put out over the chaos working over her reunion with her husband.
As it happened to be, she'd actually chosen her clothing, even down to her underwear, to give the proper feel for Ranma's return. When she'd set upon making it a dignified and beautiful day, she hadn't expected to see that exorcist girl Shiho actually show up for something like this. But then, she rather had to wonder why Toshiyuki Aoshima had shown up at all, given that he had never been all that... friendly with her husband. And with the history that Sayoko Mishima had with romantic pursuits, never mind what had gone on with both Keiichi and Ranma, no one would have expected her to be there.
Somehow, just about every human being that she could think of at the moment had shown up at this party.
However, her eyes had reason to widen as she caught a look at a sign that mortals weren't the only visitors. "Lind?! What are you doing here?!"
"Is there some sort of reason that I shouldn't be?" the warrior goddess asked, raising a brow as she effortlessly balanced a plate of food on one hand.
"Well, no.... Not since you actually asked...."
"I suppose it is a shock...."
"You can say that again."
"Don't worry. It's not that there is some sort of big drive to bother you," Lind asked, eyeing a small speck of food as she pulled off the plate by its toothpick. "Although I do have to wonder why these are called 'appetizers'...."
"I'm sure that there is some reason, but still, you have to admit that this is a bit much."
"That's true enough. But then, I'm not here for anything more than to see friends."
"Really?" Skuld asked before she could stop herself.
"I do have a standing invitation to come here, remember. And Ranma and I do get along as both warriors and friends."
"It's just that you don't show up that often...."
The elder goddess shrugged. "Unlike some people, I try to be responsible, and there's always work for me up there."
"Urd is a bit lazy."
"I didn't mean her."
"But then who did you...." The goddess of the Future's jaw dropped open slightly as a thought occurred to her. "Not her. Oh, no, not her."
"It could be worse."
"How? Between offering to 'tutor' my husband, and trying to give me 'advice', what could be worse?"
"Hild could show up," Lind stated.
"There is that."
One normally didn't pack when one went out to a party, but Peorth wasn't planning on simply attending. Considering what the party was for, she had other ideas in mind, and wasn't going to hold back on getting through them. That wasn't to say that she was hoping to do anything that could do damage, but she had read a lot of comics in her time, and some worried that it might have... strained her sensibilities.
"Now let me see," the goddess of the Eternal Moment murmured to herself as she peered into her bag. "One really should bring gifts to this sort of thing, and the kids do so need help. Did I remember the lingerie? Skuld could use it, and that boy of hers is so uptight...."
Ranma could feel his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. Very rarely in his life had he ever been truly nervous, but right now, he certainly was that. His lips were dry, he couldn't move all that easily, and his mind was whirling with panic.
All of it came as he saw the train sliding into the station, and felt the car come to a stop.
"Are you alright?" Akane asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"I'll be fine," he muttered. 'Once my stomach stops doing flip flops, that is.'
"I'm only asking since you seem to be so... tense. It's kind of strange."
"No, it's not. It's... natural."
The youngest Tendo scowled at her male friend. "But you don't seem to be...."
"Trust me, it's natural, sis," Nabiki drawled.
"Then why is he like this?"
"He's about to meet the wife that he loves, and hasn't seen since his old man dragged him off on that stupid trip of his. How do you think he should be?"
"Oh...."
"In the mean time, let's live a little," the short haired Tendo commented airily, and then gave a sly smile. "Who knows? Maybe some intelligent college boy will want to sweep big sis off of her feet."
"Oh my.... I'm sure that wouldn't happen," Kasumi whispered, a blush tinging her cheeks.
"With a pretty girl like you? They'd just love you as soon as they saw you."
"Nabiki...."
"Hey, who knows. Maybe we could each get a college stud for ourselves. We are at the right sort of place. It might be fun to try afterwards," Nabiki suggested, grinning mightily.
"And what do we do in the mean time?" the youngest of the sisters asked.
"That all depends on Ranma here, so long as he really does want to see the girl that he loves again."
"You're damned right that I do," he snapped, and shoved himself out of his seat, leading the Tendo sisters off of the train, while:
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