"Oh, hi Setsuna!"
Ranma looked up to see a couple that were obviously deeply in love. She was no fool, she knew what true love looked like. It's just that he had always seen it on the outside looking in. Setsuna noted the look on her face and felt a sight twinge of regret mixed with hope. It was sad how Ranma had never really been a part of a loving relationship like her king-and-queen-to-be had. But at the same time it was that sense of longing that she was hoping for, something to draw him... uh, her to her little firefly.
"Hello Usagi, how was the vacation?" Setsuna asked as she put away her book.
"It was absolutely heavenly! Thanks for letting us know about the place," the moon princess gushed, while her earth prince looked a little embarrassed with the scene she was creating.
Feeling a little out of place, yet getting a feeling that she would be getting to know the strange girl one way or another in the near future, Ranma spoke up. "Hey Meioh-san, who's she?" she asked while jutting his thumb in Usagi's direction.
Setsuna gave a slight smile, as all was going according to plan, "This, Ranma, is one of my dearest friends: Usagi Tsukino. And the man beside her is Mamoru Chiba, her fiancee." Setsuna took note of the wince that come form Ranma at the 'f' word before turning fully to Usagi, "And this Usagi, is Ranma Saotome." At the mention of the martial artist's name, Usagi got stange glint in her eye; like a kid in the candy store with a wad of cash in his hand.
"Um... Hi." Ranma was just a little taken back by the girl's strange reaction.
"THE Ranma Saotome of the Saotome Anything Goes School of Martial Arts?" Usagi just couldn't believe it. She didn't know that she wasn't the only true urban legend.
"Yes... why did pops do somethin' stupid again, like engage me to ya for a bowl of rice or somethin'?"
"No, it's just you're the biggest urban legend outside of the Sailor Senshi in all of Tokyo!" she exclaimed.
"Sailor... Senshi?" Ranma's face was blank.
While Usagi knowing of Ranma training Hotaru wasn't inherently dangerous, the other inners knowing would be a disaster. Of course, Setsuna had already planned for this. "If you'll excuse us for a moment, Ranma. I need to have a quick chat with my friends here."
Feeling more then a little relieved at the interruption, she nodded in agreement. At that signal, Setsuna stood and walked Usagi and Mamoru a little ways away from Ranma. Fortunately for Setsuna, she had chosen a slow hour for commuting just for this occasion. As such, there were very few people in the car they were riding in. Once she felt she was a sufficient distance from Ranma, she began whispering to the young couple.
"Serenity-hime, you can't let the other inners know about Ranma being in the area." Setsuna spoke in a pleading tone used only when addressing Usagi as her future queen.
Picking up on this, Usagi decided to have a little fun. She knew it was important for whatever reason to keep a lid on this, but she wouldn't let it lie till she got some juicy gossip first. "I'll keep quiet, but only if you tell us what this is all about."
Sighing in exasperation, Setsuna relented. She knew that Usagi needed to know more then she was normally willing to share in order for her plan to work. Giving a quick readers digest version, she hoped that would satisfy her princess, "Ok, to put it bluntly, your future self has retro actively engaged Ranma and Hotaru."
To say that Usagi was shocked would be like saying the pacific ocean is full of water. Before she could make a scene, Setsuna put her hand over the princess mouth; ceasing any possible out bursts. When Usagi had noticably digested that tid-bit, Setsuna continued, "It is imparitive that they be brought together. I'll tell you more later, but for now I just need you two to 'run interference' as it were. Don't worry about the match-making, I'll see to that."
Usagi looked thoughtful for a moment, no doubt fighting the temtation to interfer; then she nodded her acceptence, "Alright, we'll run interference. Just as long as you record anything the happens between Ranma and Haruka. I'm sure that they will clash, and if any of the rumors are true, Ranma is sure to bring her down a peg or two."
Setsuna smirked. "More like four. Deal. Thanks for your help. Both of you."
As they gathered back over by Ranma, Usagi realized one very important bit of information, "Wait a sec, isn't Ranma a boy?"
Ranma blushed, "Well it's kinda... um."
"It's a curse he has from a place in China called Jusenkyo. Cold water turn him into a girl," Setsuna pauses in her explanation to pull out a thermos from her purse, pooring the contents over Ranma, "Hot water reveses the effect."
A now male Ranma grumped, "Sure, tell the whole world while your at it why don't ya."
Setsuna just smiled, "Sorry Ranma, but Usagi would have found out sooner or later."
The rest of the train ride was filled with Usagi grilling Ranma for all he was worth. When they had arrived at the station in Juuban, Ranma had practically told his life story; a mostly edited version of course.
Usagi was absolutely amazed... and disgusted, but that would be dealt with later. "Wow, the rumors actually pale in comparison to what really happened!"
"And the scary part," Setsuna added, "is that Ranma isn't even telling half the story."
Ranma looked out the window with a thoughtful gaze. "Well, like they say: 'the truth is often weirder then the fiction'."
The senshi shared a knowing look as the train came to a stop. After grabbing their luggage, they step out into the open air. But just before they could part ways, the inevitable happened...
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:03)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.