The girls all coming downstairs, Kasumi stood at the head of the Tendo daughters to speak with their father. “Father, I will be accepting the engagement to Ranma-kun.”
Still a little teary-eyed from his youngest shouting at him, Soun stared at his oldest daughter for a moment. After the moment of surprise passed he finally spoke up. “You will?”
Smiling at the thought of what she had to say, Kasumi peacefully closed her eyes and bowed her head. “Yes, Ranma-kun is quite honorable about the situation, plus she wishes to kindly consider our feelings as well. I would be happy to welcome her into our family.”
Touched by way Kasumi was willing to sacrifice herself for the family plus being reminded of his dear late wife, Soun began crying manly tears of joy. “I’m so proud of you Kasumi-chan. *sniff* Welcome to the family Ranma-kun.”
Sniffling a bit, he did however continue sneaking. “Are you prepared for Ranma-kun to take over the dojo Akane-chan?”
Surprised her father was being so reasonable, Akane had to chalk it up to her big sister’s touch. “Yes, I’ll do my best to help, but Ranma really is talented in the art. I hope to learn much.”
Nodding tearfully, that was obviously it for the tall man as he started choking up again. “Good, good. It’s in good hands then.”
Leaving their father alone, the girls walked with Ranma along the path to the dojo, Akane taking the chance to tease Nabiki. “So what do you do for Ranma sis?”
Smirking the middle sister wasn’t about to let her little sister score over her again. “I’m Ranma’s fluffer of course.”
Still embarrassed to be wearing a dress where people might see despite a lack of teasing about it, Ranma cast her gaze at the grinning girl. “Fluffer? What’s that mean?”
Looking at Akane’s clueless face caused Nabiki to renew her smirk, having chosen something her little sister couldn’t easily deal with. It might have been funnier if Akane had known, but that just meant she could extend the fun. “Oh, a fluffer is just someone that makes you feel good cutie.”
Staring cautiously, Ranma wasn’t about to buy it completely. That tone said there was a lot the middle sister was hiding, although Ranma would take her word for it now. “Oh, okay, thanks.”
Getting to the dojo however, Ranma was back in her element as she turned to Akane. “So you wanted me to teach you some moves?”
Nodding brightly, Akane popped into an easy horse stance.
Ranma however waved her over. “Come over like you’ve just missed with that charging straight punch of yours.”
Blinking Akane remembered that moment of missing earlier, walking up to where Ranma stopped her and getting into the position of throwing a punch that missed Ranma’s gut.
Still holding Akane’s arm from positioning her, Ranma began her lesson. “Your straight is so telegraphed it’s gonna miss, but it works as an opener. You just can’t over extend it. Stop right here, stomp your foot down, shift position, then come back at me with a hammerfist like this.”
Blinking as her forearm connected with Ranma’s waist, Akane soon formed a satisfied smile. “So it’s a combo?”
Nodding in confirmation Ranma stepped back, taking a similar straight punch extension stance. “Right, it’s a good opener, something that strong they gotta dodge. Having a follow up like that, even if it doesn’t hit, it’ll give them something else to dodge so they can’t counter easily. You gotta learn a lot of moves however.”
Demonstrating her point, Ranma did a few slow moves starting from the straight punch position, emphasizing the footwork and body balancing. Finishing displaying six follow up moves, Ranma waited for Akane.
As Ranma finished, Akane began her own repetition of the moves, Ranma correcting her along the way, particularly with how Akane was moving the rest of her body.
As soon as they finished their set, Soun spoke up from where he was watching by the entrance. “That is quite good. If I might interrupt for a moment?”
Thinking her father might be able to teach her something, Akane was mildly disappointed he only wanted to talk. “I would like to borrow your travel pack and catch-up to my old friend Genma. I think the fresh air will do me some good, I’ve gotten terribly rusty. Perhaps I’ll be able to talk some sense into him along the way.”
Blinking at the tall man, Ranma turned to look at the girls and realized that all things considered she wanted to stay. If that didn’t work out she’d rather strike off on her own that spend more time with the old man getting insulted. “Sure, if you want. It’s old and worn though.”
Soun simply nodded in turn. “Well we’re in luck, so am I. If I leave soon I might be able to catch up to Saotome.” Pausing he turned to his eldest daughter. “I trust you girls can continue running the house as always?”
Glancing briefly at her sisters, Kasumi bowed politely to her father. “Yes, no need to worry.”
Smiling at his daughters for a moment, Soun finally nodded his head. Satisfied that everything was well in hand, he turn and went back into the house.
Waiting a moment until he was inside, Kasumi tugged Ranma into the house. “Come, you can help me make some snacks.”
Following Kasumi into the kitchen, Ranma was quickly drafted into making riceballs. As a staple travel food Ranma knew how to make them, but Kasumi had to stop and correct her.
Sighing, Ranma caved in and made them neatly like Kasumi wanted. It grated a little to do it delicately, but Ranma preferred them neater. Even if she’d mostly ignored the windbag, almost a decade of obsessively harping about manliness was a thorn in Ranma’s side that still hurt.
Not only had the bald weasel taken her to Jusenkyou and tossed her directly into the pool that gave her her current body, but the spineless bastard had finally abandoned her.
Ranma wasn’t about to become a girl just to spite him, but wearing an actual dress had turned out to be fairly simple. Being in the kitchen with the gently humming Kasumi was pretty pleasant as well. There was something about what the girls said that struck her, something about being a boy despite being a girl. Kasumi for one made a point of calling her Ranma-kun despite referring to her as a female.
Ranma was aware girls could act like boys without much fuss unlike the other way around, but she hadn’t thought to take it that far. She certainly hadn’t thought she could mix between the two, helping Kasumi in the kitchen and still being, well, Ranma wasn’t sure if she was Kasumi’s boyfriend. “Ah, are we dating?”
Looking over at the red-head wearing little more than a borrowed dress, Kasumi leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“So, I’m your boyfriend?”
Humming to herself, Kasumi turned a sideways smile towards the cutely shy girl. “Future husband perhaps. Akane-chan and Nabiki-chan seem interested as well, but it would be simplest to marry me and take them as mistresses, don’t you think?”
Staring at the older girl, Ranma numbly realized that was far beyond merely boyfriend.
Satisfied that Ranma was calmed down now, Kasumi wrapped the riceballs and left to present them to her father before he left.
With the housewife gone Nabiki bit into her stolen riceball, waggling her eyebrows at Ranma. “So you really can cook huh? I might just have to steal you from Kasumi and make you my waifu.”
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(Posted Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:34)
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