As Ranma idly jingled the keys in his hands, the almost-musical sound joined with his distracted state to mask the sound of his window sliding open from his ears. But they couldn't do anything to hide the sound of a familiar, accented and undeniably feminine voice.
"Nihao, Ranma!"
"S-Shampoo! How'd you get in here?" Ranma blurted. The question was more instinctive than required; he could see plainly the open window behind the blue-haired Chinese Amazon. Shampoo smiled, an unusually soft and reserved expression in contrast to her more common beams of joy.
"Shampoo hear about Ranma's grandmother. Shampoo know how hard it is to lose family. Shampoo come to see Ranma, make sure Ranma alright."
Having said that, she gently and swiftly stepped towards Ranma, who instinctively began to scuttle backwards lest she break into one of her usual passionate hugs. Strangely, she didn't, instead she sank down onto her knees so that she was kneeling beside Ranma and remained there, not even trying to grab hold of him. Before Ranma could fully process this unusual turn of events, the door to his room suddenly opened.
"Ranma-honey, I- what are you doing here?"
The words 'uh-oh...' echoed inside of Ranma's head at that familiar Osakan voice. Sure enough, Ukyo Kuonji was standing at the open doorway, gazing forcefully at Shampoo. Ranma readied himself for sparks to start flying- while the girls didn't attack each other on sight, he knew that this situation was bound to provoke tension. However, despite his expectations, conflict failed to erupt- and for once it was Shampoo, usually the first of his fiancees to suggest something like fighting for him, who calmed things down.
"You have same idea as Shampoo? Hear that Ranma's grandmother die, come to see that Ranma is alright?"
Ukyo nodded mutely, apparently as startled as Ranma to hear/see Shampoo taking up the role of peacemaker. They remained in their positions for several long seconds, and then Ukyo finally walked into the room. As she did so, she noticed the scroll that Ranma had been reading before, which was now lying on the floor. Curiosly, she picked it up.
"Hey, what's this?" She asked. Before Ranma could say something -anything- to stop her, she had pulled it open and started reading. Ranma watched in horror, paralyzed by fear of what her reaction would be, Shampoo looking at him in confusion. Finally, after what felt like hours, Ukyo looked up at him.
"Ranma-honey, is this true?"
"Is what true?" Shampoo asked in confusion.
"This scroll here says something about Ranma-honey having some kind of family curse that makes him draw weirdness." Ukyo replied, still watching Ranma, who was ferverently praying that the curse would make itself useful and whip something to get him out of this.
"What you talking?" Shampoo asked. Ukyo promptly rolled the scroll back up and lobbed it underhand to the Chinese Amazon, who snatched it from the air and began reading. Finally, she looked up and directed her own gaze at Ranma.
"Well Ranma, is true?"
"I... uh... yes." Ranma finally answered, hanging his head and waiting for the inevitable outburst.
"Shampoo did wonder. Even village not home to quite so many weird styles as Shampoo see in Japan- personally, Shampoo waiting for Ranma to get challenge from Martial Arts Baker."
"Why's that, sugar?" Ukyo asked, staring at the blue-haired girl in open confusion, as was Ranma himself.
"Want to see how good Ranma do at cook pastry and sweets." Shampoo shrugged at their mutual stares of disbelief. "What? Shampoo have sweet tooth and not get to indulge it too often."
"So... you don't mind? The curse, I mean?" Ranma asked hesitantly. Both girls shook their heads.
"Like Shampoo just say, Shampoo thought Ranma have it already- just not know it passed down through family."
"Like she said, it makes sense. I can't help but wonder though... was me and you meeting because of your curse, or because of your dad's?"
"Shampoo think it probably best not to think about it too hard. Might not like answers."
Ukyo apparently thought so too, for she wandered over to the chests and started looking them over. Shampoo drifted over as well, while Ranma pulled himself off of the floor. A part of him couldn't help but wonder at how well they had taken it. Another part asked him if he had been actually hoping that they wouldn't take it well so that he'd be free of his engagement. Ranma promptly ignored that part of him.
"So, Ranma-honey, you gonna open the boxes?"
"Yes, wife should get to know about husband's family." Shampoo beamed.
"And who's going to be his wife?" Ukyo asked pointedly. Shampoo didn't reply, but her movements and her eyes made it clear nonetheless. Ranma promptly unlocked the chests in an effort to distract them before they started fighting.
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(Posted Mon, 24 Dec 2007 08:52)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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