Theo thought about it for a moment, then answered, "You're just not used to the suit. Give it some time, and it will feel as if it were your own skin."
Julia smirked as she thought of just how it was like a 'second skin', but she kept her comments to herself. No reason to make herself seem like a pervert.
Sighing, Ranma nodded his head. "I guess... Still, this isn't so bad. Compared to some of the things I've been through, this isn't so bad."
"You mean like your dad throwing you into a pitt of starving cats?" Britanny asked. She couldn't believe how some guy could be as heartless as to throw his own son into a pit of starved cats while wrapped in fish sausage.
"Or that time he took you to Jusenkyo and got you cursed?" Brianna added.
Nodding his head soberly, Ranma said, "Yeah..."
Blinking, Gina said, "I still can't believe anyone's father would be so bad. I mean, why would he engage you to so many girls when you were already engaged?"
Ranma sighed in defeat. "Well, my Pops never was the smartest person in the world. There are times when I seriously think about giving up my family name as so I wouldn't be considered the son of Genma Saotome..."
Theo's eyes widened and he slammed his hands down onto the table. "Did you say, "Genma Saotome'?" This action had shocked Ranma and the Diggers. Ranma because it surprised him, and the other Diggers because they have rarely seen Theo show such conviction or surprise to his words and actions.
Ranma blinked a moment... "Er... Yes." Ranma then sighed. "What did my Pops do this time?"
"Yes Dear..." Julia said, staring her husband down. "What connection do you have to such a criminal?"
Rubbing his eyes with his hands, he spoke softly. "Well, it has something to do with that mission the Conclave sent me on twenty-two years ago, before Gina was born..."
"I remember that. I was pissed at you for leaving me, your pregnant wife alone for a month!" Julia said.
Nodding his head. "I am still sorry about that. As I was saying, that was when there were tales of an evil martial arts master in Japan..."
(---FLASHBACK---)
"I was sent to investigate the possibility that there was a martial arts black sorcerer in Japan, and I met the source of such talk... Happosai..."
We see a younger Theodore, with blone hair and no beard. He is pretty burnt up and has Happosai standing on his back, while a younger Soun and Genma cower in the backround. Genma has a little hair, and less weight, and Soun does not have his mustache.
"Happosai however, to the best I can think of, 'liked me'. And so, he offered to take me on as his student. Naturally, as I had to find out if he was an actual magic-user or not, I offered to train under him for a month..."
We see Happosai offering Theo a hand to get up, and Theo takes it. We then see Happosai instructing the three men. Genma in a white gi, Soun in a dark gray gi, and Theo in a black gi.
"And boy, did I regret it..."
We then see a montage of scenes:
Happosai with a bundle of stolen goods, laughing as he runs. Theo, Genma, and Soun are close behind him, also with bundles of stolen goods...
Theo, Genma, and Soun tied up in a bundle as Happosai kicks them off the side of a cliff...
We then see Theodore, Genma, and Soun inside a store, cleaning dummies which Happosai had stolen the bras off of.
We see Theodore, Genma, and Soun, running and screaming their heads off as an angered Happosai chases them with a few of his Happo-Fire Bursts.
"Overall, I was incredibly glad when it was over... And the night before I left, we ate, we drank, and we actually had a good time, something or a rarity with Happosai...
(---)
We see Happosai and Soun sleeping on the ground, both passed out from alcohol intake.
Theo is in his Mage suit. He is sitting by the campfire and he packing his stuff to return home. He turns his head to see Genma walk over to him. "Is there something wrong Genma?"
Genma tries to put up a good front as he walks over to Theo. "Theodore, I understand that your wife is with child?"
"Yes." Theo said as he was making sure he had everything in his bag. "She should be giving birth anytime this month."
"Good, good." Genma said. Smiling, he said, "Theodore, I've been thinking, though you are gaijin, you have the soul of a true Japanese man."
"Thanks... I think." Theo said. "Is there anything you wanted to speak to me about?"
"Yes." Genma said smiling. "Do you know about arranged marriages?"
"Yes. What about them?" Theo asked.
Sitting down next to Theo, Genma said, "Well, I myself have a wife, and we hope to have a child. And I think about how your wife is with child... Well, how would you like to arrange a marriage between our children?"
"Excuse me?" Theo said.
"I'm serious Diggers-san." Genma said. "I am so impressed what you've told me about you, your wife, and where you live, and I can't help but feel impressed. I know your child would be a perfect match for my child, I just know it..."
"But... You don't have any children..." Theo said.
"Not yet I don't, but someday." Genma said. "And when I do, I would be honored if you would allow our children to coupulate." Then, mentally, Genma added, "Plus, I'd LOVE to get into that money."
Theo thought about it for a moment. He thought about his own life. True, his family had skills in magic, and martial arts, but there was something about the Japanese culture that could truly add a feeling of 'completeness' to the household. Call it alapse in good thought, a simple mistake, or what you will, but Theo agreed.
"I would be honored to make such an agreement with you Saotome." Theo and Soun then shook hands."
(---END FLASHBACK---)
"After that, Genma and I made up a contract. And as a 'down payment' for a dowry, I had given him 10 gold pieces, a turkey sandwich, and a large Coca Cola." Theo finished, as he dug into his Pocket of Holding and took out the contract, which he had kept all this time. He then looked around and saw that his wife, daughters, and Ranma had a total look of shock on their faces, which seemed to get worse as they took a look at the very legal-looking document. "Is something wrong?"
Ranma was the first to gain his thought. He realized that Theo had made the FIRST egagement pledge in written document before Soun and Genma mad the verbal pledge, AND Theo had given Genma a bit of dowry... This mean by all rights that THIS was the engagement to be honored.
Brianna smiled all of a sudden. She realized it would be perfectly okay with her to have fun with Ranma. After all, as the document showed, he was a fiancee to 'a daughter of Thedore Diggers'. And Brianna counted as that.
Gina was shell-shocked. She never realized her father had prepared an arranged marriage before she was born. Why didn't he tell her sooner, instead of letting her spend years trying to find a boyfriend!
Britanny blinked. This prime example of male werecheetah could have been her fiancee? Well, she was already married and nothing was going to come between her and Stryyp. After all, she loved her husband, and no one was going to take them apart so Britanny would make sweet, long, passionate love to Ranma to continue the werecheetah race... Right?
Julia frowned. She hated this, but realized it was a matter of honor as she looked over the document. Julia then decided that she should find an armament suitable of torturing Theo with when they got back to the USA.
Ranma then finally gained his composure and spoke. "GENMA NO BAKA!!!"
"Sorry Britanny, but we most include you too."
Nodoka happens to love the idea. "AW, DAMN IT!"
"It's NOT a puntcake. It's a pancake!"
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Mon, 21 Oct 2002 03:29)
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