"Ranma," Seto started in a careful voice, "Do you have any other potential brides I should know about?" With the three girls already wanting her very manly grandson she was eager to know if there were more.
To his, seeing as 'she' bit the bullet and used tea to go back to being a 'he', credit Ranma took the question calmly on the outside. "Honestly I'm not to sure these days. The old man," Ranma thumbed over his shoulder to Genma, "Seemed to have a bad habit of arranging engagements to me so he could skip out on them with the dowry." He ignored the indignant panda growls behind him at that, as well as the yelp of pain that soon followed as Nodoka tightened her grip on her husbands fur. "There have been some girls to show up looking for me but most are happy enough with beating the snot out of pops a bit for being a thief once they hear the story." Ranma explained matter-of-factually. "I think I'm just lucky so far he hasn't sold an engagement contract to Kodachi. Right pop?"
The silence that hung in the air for a few moments was enough to ratchet Ranma's tension up and he slowly turned around in the booth. "Right pop?" One could almost feel the steel sharp edge in his voice as Ranma stared at the back of the sweating panda's head.
Ever so slowly a sign crept up into sight over the panda. [She offered so much yen...]
Ranma's voice was literally frosty when we went on, using the soul of ice to stay angry instead of going off the scale towards homicidal. This managed to lower the room temperature a few degrees. "I can't believe you would engage me to her of all people while you have been making us stay at the Tendo's to marry me off to one of them! What the heck is wrong with you old man?"
Akane just groaned again but inside she was wishing she could bash her face into the table for a bit. Why! Why! Why didn't I listen when he said she was a genie! Damn you Genma, why are you such a greedy jerk! Shampoo and Ukyo weren't bad enough, now Kodachi to?
"What is so bad about this Kodachi girl to have you so tense Ranma?" Seto was curious but was also impressed by this strange temperature control ability Ranma was displaying but asking about that would come later. She had more important things to worry about.
Shampoo decided to answer while Ranma was busy smacking the panda about the head and neck with his own signs of protest. "Crazy Flower Girl, not be all right in head. Uses poisons and dirty tricks. She try steal Ranma away!"
"How are poisons any different than potions?" Seto asked shortly.
"Ah," With a bit of a nervous giggle, Shampoo thought a moment on how to answer. Luckily, any immediate reply was cut off by a racket of knocked over pans from the kitchen. Followed a load of muffled shouting from Mousse and Cologne, then a few sharp reports of wood hitting something sounded loudly and things died down a bit. Mousse, now black and blue in the face and with several large lumps on his head, shuffled into the room and woodenly started to haul broken furniture out to the back. It would seem Cologne had to impress upon him the need to behave himself. That managed to mute some of the tension in the room as people watched the battered boy work a moment.
Shampoo decided to capitalize on the lighter mood to state her case. "Shampoo only ever tries show Ranma how much she cares for him and want him to feel same way. Crazy girl use poison to force him, even if he no feels same. She no care, that difference! Shampoo want Airen understand how she feel."
Seto looked from the earnest expression on the younger girl's face to Ranma who had left off battering his father to look towards Shampoo as well. The look on his face said many things to one as adept at reading people as she was. I'll just put it down to the foolishness of youth. They will get along so well in the future. "Very well then. Which girl's home is closer, Kodachi's or Ukyo's?"
"Uc-chan's is a lot closer than the Kuno place." Ranma answers idly then turned towards Seto. "We are going to try and get Kodachi to give up on this right?"
"Maybe. It will depend on if she can be made to see reason. Though perhaps if she has a real problem, something can be done to help the girl and allow her to be a proper partner in a relationship."
Ranma pondered that. Maybe if there was a way to make Kodachi less insane she wouldn't be so bad to be around. Still, he wouldn't hold out much hope. "So we going to Ukyo's next then?"
"I don't see why not." Seto glanced past the teens across form her and saw that her daughter seemed to be done chastising her husband for the time being. "Yes, I think we can leave now."
"Can Shampoo come?" If she had to share Ranma so be it but she would be sure she wasn't going to get bumped aside by not being around.
Cologne nearly objected but on considering that the restaurant wouldn't be reopening that day, thought better of it. If Shampoo could find a way to be with Ranma it would open up to her people the secrets of this Seto's powers.
Seto nodded. "It's only fair. This will have an effect on your future as well. That is why Akane joined us here."
"Thank you!" The smiling amazon chirped as she sprang up from the booth. "Will be minute, Shampoo fetch some things." With that she sped up to the residential portion of Nekohanten. She was back again, a light jacket tossed on, as the group were gathering at the door. "Is ready!"
With that the growing party shuffled out of the Nekohanten. Cologne watched as they passed in front of the window and let out a small huff as they left her sight.
Once again Ranma led the way down the barely crowded streets, Akane and Shampoo closely flanking him. The trio were all rather pensive though Shampoo was the most cheerful of them. Even if he had to take other wives at the same time, she was sure Ranma would soon be her husband and she was looking forward to that. Behind the three youths Genma, still in panda form, was marching between his wife and mother in law as if he were on his way to prison or a questionable zoo. Nodoka kept casting icy glares towards her husband and Seto simply continued along enjoying the day.
Eventually though Shampoo's good mood wore on Akane's nerves and the Japanese girl quietly, yet sharply, made her ire known with a question. "Just why are you so happy about this?"
"Shampoo think it plain why. She finally get to be with Airen!" With a smile the amazon weaved closer to Ranma and hugged his arm, ignoring the small cry of distress he let off as she did so. "Ling Ling and Lung Lung will be sad Shampoo no be able to share husband," She ignored the growing look of panic on Ranma's face, "but for Shampoo this good news! Even if sister wife is greedy girl who try and keep Airen all to self."
Akane's face went a deep red. It was really a collection of smaller reasons to get annoyed and to blush that combined for the depth of color though. Akane felt anger and annoyance towards Shampoo but the blush was for being reminded that, other girls aside, she would be married to Ranma. It was a shame she couldn't think of anything to say back at the over sized pussycat.
Ranma, not wanting to be caught in a game of full contact tug of war, tried a change of subject. "So..." Fortunately he didn't have to try to hard as he was cut off by a his danger sense alerting him to incoming trouble. In a blink he had both Akane and Shampoo (Shampoo having been about to dodge on her own, when she decided to hell with it when Ranma picked her up) in his arms and sprang back out of range as the ground exploded under where the three were walking. As he touched down lightly next to the trio of adults he took in the sight of Ryoga, umbrella firmly planted in the ground where he landed with his head down.
"Ranma, you pathetic cur! How dare you cheat on Akane with that Chinese bimbo!" One could almost feel the indignation pouring off the part time pig in waves.
At least until Akane snapped at him that is. "He isn't cheating on me Ryoga." The part time pig's head snapped up and he gawked at the sight of Ranma standing with his arms protectively around both Akane and Shampoo. "I was walking right next to him. Did you even see me before you attacked?" Akane was a bit annoyed. If Ranma hadn't gotten her out of the impact zone, Ryoga could have hurt her. Not that she would ever admit that out loud.
"And who you call bimbo! Shampoo like see you learn Mandarin and speak like native in two year!" Sure she was annoyed at Ryoga but that didn't stop her from snuggling into Ranma's side as he held her.
Ryoga sat there in his little crater, a bit stunned as he tried to figure out just what went wrong with his plan. Then he heard a new voice.
"And such a cowardly attack as well. Springing from ambush and endangering those girls." Seto 'harrumphed' soundly and Nodoka stood next to her nodding. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
Ryoga was at a loss. What? Someone calling me a coward? No, they just don't know who the real coward is. I need to explain it! With the thought of correcting the woman's obvious misconception Ryoga fell back to his old standby. "But it's all Ranma's fault!"
When Akane tended to stumble into a fight between Ranma and Ryoga, she had the habit of siding with Ryoga. This was due to not seeing Ryoga ambush Ranma and Ranma mocking Ryoga the same way he made fun of her. But being on the receiving end of a sneak attack can cement someone's opinion of a situation fairly quickly. "How is it Ranma's fault that you jumped in at him without looking around to be sure you didn't hurt other people?"
Ryoga went pale as what Akane said hit him with the force of a slap. The girl he loved was angry with him. Angry with him for trying to deliver proper justice onto that two timing slime Saotome! One would have to be hard pressed to say Ryoga Hibiki had a solid grip on reality but with the foundation of his self constructed little world falling out from under him he settled into old patterns. He bolted like a frightened rabbit until he could figure out a way to blame Ranma and have someone agree with him.
"Well that just figures," Muttered Ranma as he watched the retreating form of Ryoga, "I really don't get him some times." That said he let go of the two girls now that he wouldn't need to quickly get them out of danger again.
"What in the world was that about?" Asked Seto as she watched the oddly violent ruffian vanish around a corner.
"I don't know anymore. Maybe he should start seeing a professional or something." Groused Ranma. "Whatever. Ain't like it's anything new. He does stuff like that all the time."
"Really?" The question came from both older women at once.
"Yeah." Ranma nodded as he started leading the group again. "He blames other people for problems he has, mostly me really. And he never seems to let a grudge go."
"He jealous of Ranma. Ranma is better fighter." Shampoo cheerfully supplied as she walked along beside Ranma holding his hand. Then after a moment she added, "Also Ryoga has great big crush on Akane and see Ranma as obstacle. Him shout 'Ranma Prepare Die' so much Shampoo almost think it greeting once."
"What?" Akane blurted out in genuine shock as she nearly stumbled in her step.
"You miss those sorts of things yet you always say I'm the Baka." Ranma hardly flinched as Akane smacked him on the head.
"Quiet you!" Said girl growled.
"Is true." Shampoo pointed out. "Ryoga always challenge Ranma for you or attack Ranma when you complain of what Ranma do. You no see him starting fights and just think Ranma pick on weakling. Sometime Shampoo wonder where he get so many ideas to attack Ranma for."
"He doesn't always-" Akane started before Shampoo cut her right off to point out the obvious.
"Remember when Great Grandmother teach Lost Boy Breaking Point? Who was tied up as prize?"
"Heck, even before that, when he started tossing ice boulders around at the end of the skating match, he was screaming about the winner between us 'winning' you like a damn trophy" Ranma grumbled. "And I sure as hell know he wasn't aiming for me with that damn koi rod. What da ya think he'd a been doin with ya if it had got you?"
"But he's always so nice to me..." Akane tried to defend her friend. Normally she wouldn't be hearing any of this but she was to off balance emotionally to take refuge in her usual stubbornness. Instead she found herself listening for once.
"An Tofu's always a clown around Kasumi. But ya see how different he is when she aint around."
Now that actually managed to make Akane consider things. "He's really that different around me?" Seeing both of the other teens with her nod she hung her head a bit and walked along in silent thought, ending conversation for now. At least until...
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(Posted Fri, 18 Oct 2013 00:50)
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