"Oh, my!"
"Is there a problem, Tendou-san?"
Kasumi blinked on hearing that question, and then she turned to see Motoko gazing curiously at her. "Oh, Aoyama-san," the eldest Tendou daughter breathed out, and then she indicated the dining table, which was now covered with food ready to be eaten. "It appears that dinner's been served."
Motoko looked herself, and then she blinked several times as she took in that scene. "Strange. I did not see Shinobu-san work on dinner today." She then paused as something came to her. "As a matter of fact, I have not seen Shinobu-san since the house meeting earlier this afternoon."
"Maehara-san isn't here right now," a voice announced, making Kasumi and Motoko look over as Taiko approached. "She's gone with Onii-chan back to the History Cave on Yiziba." The new landlady then gave the kendou-ka an even look. "Besides, it was utterly reprehensible in my eyes to force Maehara-san to act as our unpaid housemaid." A sympathetic glance to Kasumi. "Much like what I've heard you were treated like when you were living with your father, Tendou-san." Back to Motoko. "The custodial units are programmed to prepare meals at set times in the day. And since dinner is prepared, it's time to eat."
With that, she took her place at the head of the table, and then began to serve herself. Kasumi and Motoko blinked as they watched Taiko start to eat, and then they perked on hearing two other Terran-turned-Yizibajohei walk in. "Oh, the food's ready!" Kanami said as she slipped into a chair to Taiko's left, Akane moving to sit to the landlady's right. "Itadakimasu!" she called out.
"Itadakimasu!" Akane echoed her before they dug in.
Silence fell over the scene as the three girls dug into the roasted pheasant, herb-laced steamed rice, stuffing and mixed vegetables. Kasumi and Motoko remained rooted in place as they watched their housemates enjoy their meal. Soon enough, the other Yizibajohei who had taken residence in Hinata-sou come into the room, assume places at the table, and dig in. While their table manners were quite proper in a Western way, their silence clearly leaned to more Oriental traditions when it came to enjoying meals. Shortly after the members of the Fabulous Quartet entered the room to enjoy the evening repast, Naru and Nabiki stepped in. "Oh, it's dinner already?" the former asked before she took her own place at the table. "Itadakimasu," she called out before reaching for the mixed vegetables.
The latter moved to take her own place, and then she stopped on seeing her elder sister and the kendou-ka standing there. "Aren't you people hungry?"
Kasumi and Motoko jolted on hearing Nabiki's question, and then they found their cheeks reddening as they realised they HAD been standing there like a pair of lumps while everyone else was enjoying their meal. Sitting down, they dug in. Around that time, Mitsune and Kaolla made their appearance. "Why didn't someone tell us dinner was on?" the former asked as they took their place.
"That was covered at the house meeting, Konno-san," Taiko stated.
"Where's Shinobu, Onee-chan?" Kaolla asked.
A tendon started to twitch over the landlady's eye. Noting that, the Matron sighed as she leaned over to whisper at the Terrans, "Girls, it's considered very bad form to speak during dinner time. Save your questions for after dinner."
Both women blinked, and then they looked on the other Yizibajohei at the table. While Akane and Kanami were giving them warning glances and Taiko was obviously trying not to look their way, the others of the Preacher's Choir and the Quartet were concentrating on eating. Quickly realising that these people did have their own sense of propriety, Mitsune nodded before she turned back to her food. Kaolla blinked several times as she registered the silence around her, and then she moved to call out to Taiko. A warning look from the Matron quickly silenced the Molmol princess, making her duck as she turned back to her food.
"Well, at least we're learning some things about these people."
The original residents of Hinata-sou were now in Naru's room. While they all felt quite refreshed from the filling meal they had just enjoyed — was this going to be normal at the house from now on? — there were things that were ringing alarm bells inside all their minds. "Yes, their polite manners at the meal table are quite surprising given what we've already been told about what their society is like," Motoko noted. "Perhaps times such as meals are considered necessary points of respite from the battles they're said to often engage in."
"It became a tradition in its own right, you mean?" Mitsune asked.
"Most likely."
"It wasn't any fun!" Kaolla lamented. "And where's Shinobu and Onii-chan?"
"Keitarou's gone to Yiziba," Naru answered.
The others jolted. "EH?!" Kaolla whined. "Onii-chan LEFT?!"
"Yep," Naru affirmed with a nod. "As for Shinobu-chan, I've no idea…"
"Unless she went with him," Mitsune proposed.
Silence.
"WHAT?!" Naru and Motoko shrieked.
"Eh?!" Kaolla gasped, and then she moaned. "Ah! That's no fun! Shinobu's having fun with Onii-chan on Yiziba and she didn't invite me with them!"
As the princess began to sulk, Naru and Motoko began to quake in anger and fear over what their friend might be going through at that very moment. "Damnit! She would go after him, knowing her!" Naru snarled as she bolted to her feet, surging over to where her kotatsu table was located. "And if she's alone with that pervert there…!" she growled as she shoved the table aside…to see plain floor there. "Eh?" she stopped, blinking.
Motoko walked over to stand beside her. "A problem, Naru-san?"
Naru blinked several times, and then she pointed. "Where's the hole?"
"What hole?" Mitsune asked.
"The hole in the floor that allowed me to go down into Keitarou's room!" Naru demanded, and then she blinked as she remembered the first thing Taiko had done on arriving at Hinata-sou. "Those robots…"
"They must've fixed it up, then," Mitsune noted, and then she perked as something came to her. "Oh, I see!" she crooned as she leered at Naru. "Sneaking looks at your boyfriend when he was asleep at night, Naru-chan?"
"HEY!" Naru screamed out.
"I can make a new hole for you!" Kaolla volunteered as she leapt to her feet, and then she bounced off Naru's bed before lashing out with her feet…
CRACK!
"OWWIE!"
Everyone gasped on seeing the princess collapse on the floor, her arms wrapped around a now badly bruising right ankle. As Mitsune moved to comfort the moaning Kaolla, Naru and Motoko blinked as they stared at the place on the floor where she had struck. "She's as good with her foot as you are with your sword!" the former hissed as she stared at the latter. "How's it possible…?"
"Never mind!" Motoko said as she snap-drew Shisui. "This insanity has gone on long enough! SHINMEI-RYUU ZANGAN-KEN!"
KRR-RANGG!
"AAAAARGH!"
Motoko cried out as Shisui literally SHATTERED on contact with the floor, the pieces shooting around like bullets, barely missing both Mitsune and Naru! The kendou-ka herself was barely able to let go of her blade's handle before the recoil of the failed strike shattered her wrists and lower arm bones. As she dropped to her knees, she clutched her arms close to her as she fought the understandable desire to shriek out in pain. Naru was instantly at her side.
Looking up from her vanity, Kanami blinked, and then she smirked before turning back to finish with her makeup. "Onii-chan was right," she muttered to herself before lifting her lipstick to her mouth. "Only way those idiots'll learn anything is to have it shoved right down their throats!"
Minutes later, the sound of a doorknob being turned make Taiko look up from her history textbook. Before she could stand up to see who it was, Naru's voice echoed from the hallway, "Hey! What the hell's the matter with this door?!"
Taking a deep breath, the landlady walked over to unlock it, and then open it. "Narusegawa-san, does the concept of knocking mean anything to you?"
Naru jolted on hearing that question, and then she surged forward to grab Taiko by the collar. "Look here, you…AAAAH!" she then screamed out as her hands made contact with some invisible force field not thirty centimetres in front of Taiko, parallel to the inner frame of the door, which jolted her with a hard shock of electricity that made her collapse to her knees. "Itte…!" she whined.
Taiko sighed. "Are you now going to behave yourself, Narusegawa-san?" she asked before turning to see a sobbing Kaolla in Mitsune's arms and Motoko leaning against the wall, her hands buried in the opposite armpits. "What happened?"
"That damn ceiling of yours is what happened!" Mitsune snapped. "Su-chan tried to kick into it and nearly shattered her ankle! Motoko-chan's sword didn't fare any better! What the hell did you do to this place, Taiko?!"
Taiko's eyebrow started to twitch. "I had the house's structure reinforced with carbonized neutronium, Konno-san. The floors, walls and ceilings have been all coated in a transparent aluminum-tungsten alloy the Academician created one day to help with building maintenance. It'll certainly save up on the repair costs, especially given how destructive Su-himesama and Aoyama-san love to be at times. So since it was obvious you were all deciding to be your obnoxious selves as usual and try to disturb me while I was studying, what's the matter?"
Mitsune, Naru and Motoko jolted on hearing Taiko call THEM obnoxious, and then the Toodai aspirant surged to her feet. "Where's Shinobu-chan?"
"She's gone with Onii-chan to the History Cave on Yiziba," Taiko answered.
Silence fell as they took that in, and then Naru shrieked, "WAS KEITAROU OUT OF HIS MIND, TAIKO?! HOW COULD HE ALLOW SHINOBU-CHAN TO GO THERE OF ALL PLACES?! DOESN'T HE CARE ONE BIT ABOUT HER SAFETY?!"
"Of course he would," Taiko calmly answered. "Despite your obvious major malfunction when it comes to seeing what the world around you is really like, Narusegawa-san, Onii-chan is aware of what could happen to any norm should they ever make their appearance on Yiziba. Besides, given where on Yiziba they did go, there's no threat whatsoever to Maehara-san."
"What do you mean?!" Mitsune demanded.
"The History Cave is Onii-chan's version of Tari-chan's Doll House or Superman's Fortress of Solitude," Taiko explained. "It's the one place on the planet where he could go to be totally at peace, away from any fight scene. And given that it's a vast storehouse of historical treasures he and his predecessors have been guarding since the Dawn of Power — a storehouse many heels would gladly do anything to destroy if they got the chance — its location is unknown. Even to me. Don't worry about a thing, Konno-san; Maehara-san is as safe as one can be on Yiziba. Now, since I'm going to be busy tonight at the cram school studying for the next Centre Test, I'll let you go."
She turned to close the door on their faces, and then she stopped. "Oh, by the way, if you're wondering about the force field, I've had Madame Fabulous place a security system in the bedrooms. Mine is now keyed to keep all of you out of my room. Keep it in mind for the future." With that, the door was shut.
Leaving three gaping women staring at the door in disbelief.
"Thank you for doing this for us, Tendou-san."
"I've rather become used to it, Aoyama-san," Kasumi said as she finished wrapping the pressure bandage around Kaolla's ankle. "Fortunately for Kaolla-chan, the bone wasn't broken, but it'll be quite sore for a while yet."
"Why won't Onee-chan want to play with me…?"
Eyes locked on the Molmol princess' face, which was still damp with tears, though they were clearly of sadness, not pain. Standing at the doorway to Kasumi's room, Nabiki took a deep breath. "Most likely because the kanrinin's got other things on her mind than being a babysitter to an out-of-control kid," the middle Tendou daughter noted. "If she — when she and Keitarou-kun were one and the same, of course — was worrying about keeping this place up as well as studying his ass off to get into Toodai, every distraction that turned him away from that must've been seen as a very unwanted annoyance."
Hearing that, Kaolla's eyes went wide, and then she started to sniff. "I'm not annoying…!" she burbled. "Why does Onee-chan think I'm annoying…?"
"You're not, Su-chan," Mitsune affirmed as she flashed the young princess a sympathetic look, and then she gazed at Nabiki. "Yeah, she's rambunctious and all that, but we've long gotten used to her! Even Keitarou-kun got used to her! What the hell's Taiko's big problem, anyway?"
"Isn't this what you guys always wanted?"
Eyes spun to the open doorway to see Kanami leaning against the wall behind Nabiki, an amused grin on her face. "What does THAT mean?!" Mitsune asked.
"Well, you guys never liked the idea of a man being the kanrinin of this place," Kanami noted with a shrug. "Which is understandable, of course. So, when the Crystal gave him the chance, Keitarou went and got himself a sister in Tai-chan. She agrees to take over as kanrinin, which honours his obligations to his family concerning this place and ultimately makes things easier for all of you in the long term. What's the big objection here?"
The original inhabitants of Hinata-sou jolted on hearing that, and then they exchanged confused looks for a moment. Seeing that, Kanami's grin grew a little wider as she decided to drive a knife into their thoughts. "I think the real reason you're all so upset about this is the fact that Tai-chan isn't going to let you push her around like you did Keitarou when he was the kanrinin." Seeing Naru's, Motoko's and Mitsune's faces redden in shock and anger at the hidden accusation, Kanami quickly gazed on Kasumi. "Kasumi, do you think the rules Tai-chan laid out here this afternoon are fair?"
"Oh, yes, Kanami-san…" — Kasumi decided that given Kanami's hinted dislike of those who had associated with Ranma in the past, it would be wiser to be more formal when addressing her — "They're all quite fair."
"What do you think, Nabiki?"
"Well, by themselves, they're alright. We've got young kids in this place, so seeing drunks stagger in and out won't be a good thing." Nabiki didn't take notice of the shudder that ran through Mitsune. "And if Ranma-kun was right all along stating that some Yizibajohei are as powerful as Superman himself, keeping the fights out of this place make sense." Here, Motoko began to shake. "And I assume that with the reinforcements to the structure, there was some sort of sound-proofing added?" On seeing Kanami nod, Nabiki shrugged. "Well, at least if people are discrete, the second rule won't matter as much, either." Naru and Motoko both shuddered on hearing that. "But still…!"
"But what?" Kanami asked.
"How did you pay for our rent anyway?" Nabiki asked. "I don't like getting any sort of charity, Kanami-chan. And I REALLY don't like being dependant on you or Ranma-kun for that matter. So what's the deal here?"
"And why is that, I wonder?" Kanami mused with an icy smile before she turned to head back to her room. "Relax, Nabiki. Akane has sources of precious metals she can tap into; she was the one who paid for the rent."
With that, she headed off. Nabiki watched her go, and then she tensed on seeing Mitsune move to stand beside her. "What's her problem, anyway?"
"It's a long story," Nabiki lamented before she stared at the older woman. "Want a quick word of advice, Mitsune-san?"
"What's that?"
"Whatever you all used to do to Keitarou, don't try it on Taiko," Nabiki advised before she turned to head back to her room. "If Taiko's anything like Kanami, she'll be looking for chances to get back at you guys for whatever you might've done that hurt her brother. And if what she warned Motoko-san is any indicator, she's probably looking for an excuse to evict you guys out of this place. Don't push your luck; this time, it'll bite you back hard."
Mitsune jerked as Nabiki headed off. Inside Kasumi's room, Naru and Motoko were exchanging worried looks on hearing that.
A little later, Taiko stepped out of Hinata-sou, her backpack full of books as she moved to head off for an evening's worth of studying. Already outside was Naru, who had braided her hair up and donned her reading glasses, her own book bag in hand. As the latter watched, the former paused before clapping her hands several times. Streaks of silver zipped up to her, melting into the custodial robots she brought with her from Yiziba. "By your command, Mistress?"
"Go to standard defence/maintenance mode," Taiko ordered. "Key in your DNA scanners as well. I don't want Su-himesama to try to break into your programming just to make you tick, much less do something to the House."
"Compliance, Mistress."
The robots raced off. Taiko took a deep breath, and then she nodded as she descended down the stairs towards Naru. Reaching that level, she turned to head off in the opposite direction of the local streetcar station that would take people to the Sagashi Seminar, the juku where Naru and Keitarou (before today) attended to prepare for the Centre Test and the Tokyo University entrance examinations. Seeing that, Naru then called out, "Hey, wait! Taiko! Where are you going?! The streetcar's THIS way!"
Taiko stopped, looking back over her shoulder. "I won't attend Sagashi, Narusegawa-san. I'm going to the Koojunsha Seminar over in Kawasaki."
Naru jolted. "KAWASAKI?! That's on the other side of the hills! How the hell are you going to get over THERE in time for your classes?!"
Taiko smirked as she levitated herself off the ground, stopping at about two metres. "You were saying something, Narusegawa-san?"
Naru's jaw dropped to the ground in shock. With that, Taiko shrugged as she soared off to the northeast, in the general direction of Miyamae, one of the wards of Kawasaki that bordered Yokohama. Naru watched her go, a shout fighting to surge up her throat, and then she lowered her hand as she turned and slowly trudged off to the streetcar stop. Arriving there, she stood alone, keeping a distance from the rest of the crowd as they waited for the next car to come.
The wait is not long. As the car stopped by the shelter, Naru slipped herself into the lineup, quickly getting aboard and finding a seat. As the car then trundled off down the street, she turned to gaze out the window at the passing townscape. "Keitarou…" she whispered to herself.
"Hey, Naru-san?"
She jolted, spinning around to see two of Keitarou's closest friends — and brother veterans of cram schools and failed entrance tests for the last year and more — standing close by. On recognising them, she then looked away. "What do you two perverts want?!" she demanded.
Shirai Kimiaki and Haitani Masayuki jolted, both of them backing away automatically from her, waving their hands in a warding gesture to make her back off. "Hey, take it easy, huh!" the latter said. "We're just wondering where Keitarou is, that's all! He's usually with you on class nights!"
"He's not here!" Naru snapped.
"Okay, where is he then?" Shirai asked.
Her head snapped around to allow her to give them a glare. "Do I look like that pervert's keeper?! Get lost, you idiots! Go bug someone else for a change!"
They looked at her, and then they sighed, turning to head back to another seat. "Guess those loons decided to beat the shit outta the poor guy again," Haitani muttered, though he was loud enough for Naru to hear.
"Why doesn't he just boot them outta that place and turn it into a guy's dorm?" Shirai wondered as they took a seat.
Hearing THAT, Naru started to shudder. "He's too kind-hearted, dude," Haitani noted as he glanced at the back of her head. "You know that."
"Hope he'll wise up one of these days."
"He already has."
Both men jolted, and then they turned around to see a beautiful redhead seated behind them. Naru herself had turned back to look on recognising Kanami's voice. "Well, hello, hello, hello!" Haitani said, a delighted grin crossing her face. "And who might a beautiful lady like you be?"
She smiled. "Hayashi Kanami. I'm one of the new residents of Hinata-sou."
"Really?" Shirai said, and then he tensed. "I hope you're not…"
"Relax, Kimiaki-kun — you ARE him, aren't you? — I'm not like that living volcano several seats away, much less that insult to martial artists worldwide currently back at the dorm mourning the fact that her sword is now in a thousand pieces," Kanami assured him with a wink. Out of the corner of her eye, she was quick to see a caldron of heat start to billow from Naru's head. "Keitarou and her sister Taiko are good friends of my brother and I. Matter of fact, Keitarou allowed Tai-chan to take control of Hinata-sou earlier today."
"Did he?" Shirai asked, and then he jolted as something came to him. "Wait! I thought his sister's name was Kanako, not Taiko."
"Kanako's his adopted sister. Taiko's his twin sister."
"He never said anything about that," Haitani noted.
"They've been separated for quite a while, Masayuki-kun," Kanami reported straight-faced. "But believe me, when she came along and volunteered to take over the dorm from him, he was more than happy to let her have it. He was tired of putting up to idiots who just LOVE to blame him for every idiot thing that's happened there since he was forced to become kanrinin by his grandmother." A tired sigh. "So he left to find his fortune elsewhere; that's why he's not going to classes at Sagashi for the next while."
"Too bad," Haitani noted.
"But…" Kanami added with a wink. "I know Tai-chan's looking for a date."
Both men tensed. "She is?!" Shirai asked.
"Hai. She's studying at the Koojunsha Seminar over in Kawasaki. You boys might want to think of switching over." Kanami then blinked on hearing that the streetcar had just arrived at Hinata-eki Station, right beside the town's main railroad terminal. "And here's my stop! See you around, guys."
Both men watched her go, their eyes entranced by the sensual sway of her hips as she headed for the exit. "Nice girl," Haitani crooned.
"She is that," Shirai said, and then he sighed. "Unfortunately, she's taken."
"Huh?"
"Look there, dude."
Haitani looked to see Kanami run over to embrace a handsome man with shaggy brown hair, a stubble beard and a trimmed moustache covering his face. "Handsome guy she's got there," he then lamented as the car pulled away from the terminal, both of them watching as Kanami escorted Moroboshi Ataru to the other side, where they could catch a tram back to Hinata-sou.
"He is that," Shirai noted. "At least she was pretty friendly with us."
"She was that," Haitani agreed, and then he looked over. "Shirai?"
"Yeah, dude?"
"We have to definitely make sure that Keitarou's sister isn't corrupted by Naru or that kendou nut. Much less taken advantage of by that idiot Konno."
Shirai took that in, and then he nodded. "Damn straight about that, Haitani!"
Up ahead, Naru jolted as she fought the urge to look back on Keitarou's friends.
So now we…
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(Posted Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:34)
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