The Fellowship was left with a strange dilemma.
They had been delivered from a rather sticky situation quite abruptly. Their rescuer wanted to be friendly, but they did have a rather important quest to continue. Gandalf came up with a solution to their issues. “We are on a rather important journey. If you could use your portal to deliver us to our next destination, we could then spare the time to visit. It would be a welcome respite to enjoy your kind offer of hospitality.”
Ranma knew enough about their situation to know they were in full battle armor and still pretty roughed up. “Sure, it’s a new technique for me, but I’ll give it a try.”
Rummaging through the pocket he was keeping his portable hole in, Ranma noticed he was acquiring a rather heavy amount of pocket change. Pulling some out to see how much pocket money he had on him revealed a surprising amount of gold and silver coins in his pocket.
Unknown to Ranma, his portable hole wasn’t meant to be used as a portal between dimensions. It was something adventurers, or at least guys playing adventurers on paper, would use to sweep massive piles of treasure into more often than not to bypass pesky encumbrance rules. Sometimes they put one dimensional storage space into another, causing both to rip, spilling their treasures into the void between worlds.
Ranma just knew he could convert these coins into enough money to eat well and his new technique seemed to create pocket change too. All fine and good as long as his pants didn’t fall down due to an abundance of gold coins. Finding jewelry in his pockets would be a bit more worrisome after what had happened when the girls thought he had a single ring to give as a gift.
That aside, he needed a place to take these guys so they could relax.
Cologne looked up from her perch on the order counter to see Ranma was bringing her a day more interesting than most.
Today the interesting young man was leading a group of strange men into her restaurant. Only a couple of them looked like normal men, European at that, while the rest had much stranger builds. Moreover they were wearing chainmail armor and carrying weapons, all of it blood-stained and worn. Freshly blood-stained apparently. There were some fresh wounds on the men as well.
Almost as if Ranma had just pulled them from a serious battle. At least they seemed friendly enough and had their weapons put away.
Ranma for his part leaned on the counter as he slapped down some coins with a grin. “Arrhg, some food for me men and yer prettiest wench.”
Cologne had to grin as the boy was rarely in such a playful mood. “You seem in good spirits today Muku-dono.” Poking through the coins, the elder realized quite quickly they weren’t yen or any other modern coinage. Gold and silver, and not of any mint she recognized, more than enough to cover a big meal for this many. She pushed some of the coins back. “This will be enough to cover the meal.”
Ranma waved her off. “Don’t worry about it, just thought I’d give you some good business for helping me out with training and advice and whatnot. You recognize any of the coins?”
Popping the coins into a bag, Cologne was already thinking of antique dealers that might pay her well for such interesting coins, far more than base metal value. “No, although they look vaguely European.” Answer given, the ancient woman had her own question. “Do you really want my great-grand-daughter’s attentions? She’s on her break, so I’m sure she’d be happy to see you.”
Ranma just nodded. “As long as she behaves herself, figured I’d visit since I had the time and all.”
That night had been a pleasant surprise for Shanpu. Ranma had shown up with a group of people that weren’t the Tendos, nor did they include any girls. Ranma had even paid for the meal apparently, but best of all, he’d actually welcomed her to join him for the night.
Their guests were speaking English apparently, so her beloved and elder had to translate for her. Not that she minded at all having Ranma translate for her, keeping her by his side throughout the night. Like her elder had warned her though, she’d toned down the clinginess a bit to give the boy some breathing room.
The night had been nicer in other ways. The ramen slurping contest with the hobbits. Her elder having a nice chat with the old man. Admiring the elf man’s rather nice weapons and chainmail. Watching her elder try to get the dwarf drunk. Watching some regulars turn that into a drinking contest with the dwarf.
Bathing Ranma? That brought a blush to her face despite the fact he’d kept things decent. Running her hands over his muscular chest had been worth her restraint however, the whole experience had been unexpectedly exciting.
She was jarred out of remembering the previous night when she realized this wasn’t her bedroom... or any bedroom she recognized.
Oh wait, they’d moved the party to some other place at some point, the home of the short hobbit guys apparently.
Getting dressed she found her great grandmother and most everyone else in a large gathering place just outside in a courtyard. Oh, and Ranma was doing his morning practice shirtless and male. What a wonderful thing to wake up to, that spoiled Tendo girl didn’t know how good she had it. “Great-grandmother, no stupid duck boy come and ruin this morning, right?”
The old woman smirked, it had indded turned out to be an interesting day. “This is a different world entirely dear. Speaking of which, it seems your beloved is thinking of going on an adventure and seeking a cure. Perhaps if you asked nicely, he’d like a cute companion he can depend on to go with him?”
Shanpu resisted the urge to squee and bounce around. Proud warrior women did not squeal and bounce about. Also it might distract Ranma from his morning exercise and it would be a crime if he didn’t work up a glistening sweat.
That Tendo tomboy must really be a prude to pass up something like this on a daily basis.
Eventually his practice came to an end, and once again he didn’t complain as she freshened him up with a washcloth and towel, although he did speak up when she started enjoying herself a little too much.
Then everyone gathered for a big breakfast, and once it was complete Shanpu found herself alone with Ranma as everyone else prepared themselves to face the day ahead. Sitting beside him on the bench at the outdoor breakfast table in the gentle morning light of the shire, it was the perfect opportunity to talk with him using the Japanese she’d practiced. “Beloved Ranma, you go on adventure, yes? Shanpu want to be by beloved’s side.”
The young man simply glanced at her. “Well, you’re by my side right now.”
Shanpu frowned in concentration as her great-grandmother had had a rather long conversation with her about this. It was uncomfortable to say, but her current situation and lack of Ranma was far more uncomfortable. “Shanpu give Kiss of Marriage and decide is married. Is one-sided. Shanpu not demand Ranma see Shanpu as wife.” Perking up a bit, Shanpu decided to bring up something to lighten the mood a little. “Shanpu behave herself, yes?”
Ranma simply hummed in agreement, a gentle encouragement for her to keep going.
It was a difficult subject for the amorous warrior woman. “Shanpu want be with beloved, so Shanpu will behave.”
Her beloved considered it, although she couldn’t tell if he was being kind or teasing her. “No more tricks now? So I’ll be able to trust you?”
Embarrassed by her previous missteps, Shanpu could only bear it firmly as she nodded. “Yes, Shanpu will behave.”
Ranma glanced sideways at her, the violet haired girl much meeker than her usual self. It was an interesting change of pace. “Well, are you aware my situation in Nerima is a bit tricky? There’d be trouble if we got too friendly.”
“Grandmother explain, Japanese allow for mistress, would have to acknowledge wife.” Left unsaid was that such knowledge had also come from her reading manga, which had given her some ideas for alternate approaches to a relationship with Ranma.
Ranma grinned at her acknowledgement. “Well this ain’t Nerima.”
Brightening up a bit at the implication, she had to agree. “Too true, no stupid duck is bothering Shanpu.”
Enjoying the morning breeze, Ranma had something else to clear up. “Besides, I have no intention of marrying Akane. The tricky part is that our families are close, but we’re just sort of friends at best.” That out of the way, he thought of a new topic. “So if you weren’t behaving, what would we be doing?”
Shanpu considered the question and what Ranma wanted to know. “Shanpu follow Ranma, fight beside Ranma, bathe with Ranma, sleep with Ranma, make love with Ranma.”
The young man considered the young woman beside him with another sidelong glance. Traveling together would have certain logistical problems anyways. “If you can behave yourself, then we can bathe together, sleep together, and hugging should be okay. Just take it easy, okay?”
Shanpu gave him a sidelong glance of her own, noting his was indeed shyly trying to do what he felt was right, just as her grandmother had said. As her reply she simply leaned over lightly into his side.
After enjoying the moment for a bit, Ranma spoke up a bit hesitantly. “If we do more than that, will you suddenly demand we get married?”
The tone of his question finally confirmed it for the warrior girl. Her beloved saw marriage as something people were trying to trap him into, something to avoid instead of a happy occasion. “Shanpu already declare herself, is better to say, is belonging to beloved Ranma. Shanpu burn her bridges and never looked back. Is having medicine to prevent become mother. If beloved want, then Shanpu stop and raise children.” Glancing up at the sky and then Ranma, this was actually making her feel better. “Shanpu not want to capture beloved, is chase after and be by side. Shanpu Japanese not good to say, but no like Ranma in cage, yes?”
“Mhmm...”
“Not to spoil the moment, but if Muku-dono could open the portal home, it’s time for us to go.”
The couple turned to look at Cologne, noting the hungover but happy salaryman and fishmonger with her. Second and third places in the drinking contest, at least they were still alive and happy. Probably best to get them back to Tokyo before the party atmosphere wore off.
Ranma got up to look for a place to create the portal. Now wasn’t the time to try and create one in midair, but he was going to try it eventually. “You just gonna leave Shanpu with me?”
The old woman seemed amused. “She’s been getting soft. Do an old lady a favor and get her back into shape for me, eh?”
Ranma flipped up a table just long enough to create the portal on a flat surface. He was starting to think with portals, but he didn’t think two drunks and an old woman were ready to handle shifts in gravity. “Mhmm, you’re not gonna translate for Shanpu? Seemed like she was trying to say something important.”
The old woman simply nodded at her descendant. “She’s finally trying at least, you’ll work it out with time. Not talking to you was her greatest failing, she never lacked for enthusiasm or ability.”
With that, the old woman finished herding the drunks through the portal. “Well, have fun, and be sure to visit.”
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(Posted Wed, 17 Jul 2013 04:45)
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