“Ah, Sasuke, you’ve returned. I trust your task has been completed?”
The ninja bowed solemnly. “It has, Kuno-sama—however, I’m not certain that it went over as planned.”
Tatewaki raised an eyebrow in concern. “How so?”
“Well, even though young Mr. Saotome accepted your offer, he seemed… less than enthused.”
“He does not have an interest in observing the Art?”
“That’s not quite what I meant, sir. His reaction seemed to be a mix of skepticism and confusion. I fear he may have merely given his verbal assent in an effort to get me ‘out of his hair,’ as it were.”
“I see… well, then there’s only one thing to do.”
“And that is…?”
“I shall allay his worries and concerns on the morrow, before our schooling begins.”
“That sounds like a plan, sir.” Of course, Sasuke notably refrained from saying it was a good plan, but it was one that didn’t require anything of him personally, which made it acceptable in his mind.
“Do you want me to show you again?” Ranma asked as the hot water dripped off of his skin and onto the floorboards.
For her part, Ukyo was glad she’d accepted Ranma’s offer to sit down for his ‘demonstration.’ She sighed, closed her eyes, and put her hand against her temple. “No, you don’t need to. It’s just so…”
“Stupid?” Ranma replied.
“Yeah, that’s the word. I mean… do you really turn into a girl every time you get hit with cold water?”
“Well, I guess that depends.”
“On what?”
“On what you mean by ‘turning into a girl.’ If you’re asking if my boobs are real and the plumbing’s changed, then yeah, I do. But if you mean acting like a girl, then no, I don’t ‘really’ turn into one.”
“Great. Those nosy gossips back in Osaka are going to have a field day.”
“Why is that?” Nodoka asked.
“Well, you know how cross-dressing and homosexuality aren’t the same thing?”
“I take it these gossips don’t?” Nabiki asked.
“Oh, I’m sure they do, but they’re the type who won’t let reality get in the way of a nice, juicy scandal. I think you can imagine what will happen if they find out I’m engaged to a guy who turns into a girl.”
“Well, I don’t intend to keep this stupid curse forever,” Ranma pointed out. “At least, not if I can help it.”
“I still can’t believe your father would tempt fate like that. What, did he think that a cursed training ground would make you more careful?”
“Actually, he just didn’t bother learning about the springs before we trained.”
“But… how could someone who’s smart enough to fast-talk people like my father do something so… so…”
“Stupid?” Ranma finished for her. “I dunno; I guess he’s one of those… uh… what’s that word for someone who’s really, really smart when it comes to one or two things, but a complete idiot when it comes to everything else?”
“A savant,” Nodoka replied.
“Right. Pops is like one of those.”
“Um, Ukyo?” Akane asked. “Can I ask you a… personal question?”
“After Ranma and Jerkass left me behind, I didn’t want to deal with men, so I started dressing like one to throw them off,” Ukyo replied. “Or were you going to ask me about something else?”
“Er, no.”
The young chef sighed. “Now I need to find a place to stay.”
Ranma cleared his throat. “Uh, well, I don’t wanna put words into anyone’s mouth, but I do know someone who has a room that just opened up…”
Ranko laughed. “I know where this is going, and fortunately for Ukyo, my husband agrees with me. Letting you stay in our spare room for a while is the least we can do after what my father put you through.”
Ukyo smiled in return. “Thank you.”
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(Posted Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:22)
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