Ranma-chan smiled happily as she peeled off the bunnysuit piece by piece, idly noting that the process really didn't take as long as it probably should have. Not that that was a bad thing. She had made a killing last night in tips alone, including a generous 3000 Yen donation from that overly-affectionate friend of Tofu's.
Ranma frowned slightly.
She hoped the Doc was alright. He had seemed kind of out of it last night.
Shrugging noncomitally, she snatched up a pair of her usual Chinese tangs and donned them at a slightly more sedate pace, pouting cutely as they rested loosely on her frame. They didn't really flatter her figure very much. Still, she thought with a regretful sigh, she couldn't wear her bunnysuit all the time. There was laundry to do, after all.
Redonning her house slippers, she quickly folded up her bunnysuit and unconsciously pranced out of the room, heading out in search of Kasumi.
Kasumi hummed merrily as she continued to iron out the laundry, smiling in delight as she watched the koi jumping fitfully in the pond, sending glistening droplets of water arcing up to catch the shining midnoon rays. Up in the trees, small birds warbled out their birdsong, occasionally flitting down through the open window to alight upon her head or shoulders, chirping along merrily in time with her tune.
All in all, it was the very picture of peace, tranquility, and serenity.
Of course, the small woodland deer cluttering up the room were a bit inconvenient.
"Hey, Kasumi!"
Kasumi's eyes widened as Ranma-chan's sweet contralto voice suddenly rang out above the din of the birdsong and the soft rustling of the pressed cloth. Quickly turning off the iron, stuffing a bird in one apron pocket, and shooing the deer out the door, Kasumi turned around just in time to see Ranma come into view, as lively and exuberant as always.
"What is it, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked sweetly, turning a dazzling smile on him, "Are you hungry?"
Ranma shrugged, flipping her red pigtail negligently over one shoulder. "Nah. I had an okonomiyaki earlier, so I'm good."
Ranma's stomach rumbled.
"I'll fix you something after I'm done ironing, Ranma-chan," Kasumi replied diplomatically.
"Um... actually, that's what I wanted to talk to ya' about. Do ya' think you could iron this, too?"
Kasumi blinked, gingerly extracting the velvety bundle of blue fabric from Ranma's and deftly unfolding it. When she saw what it was, she sighed.
"Again, Ranma-kun?"
Ranma grinned sheepishly and rubbed her hand across the back of her head. "Yeah... I need it to develop a new martial arts style I've been working on lately."
"Oh, really?" Kasumi asked curiously, seeming slightly mollified. "Well, I suppose that that's all right then. Still, it's not very proper."
"Um... yeah," Ranma mumbled, "Hey listen, err... Kasumi?"
"Yes, Ranma-kun?"
"Um... can I talk to ya' about my new job later tonight. I've got some questions I wanna ask ya'."
Kasumi seemed nonplussed for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "Of course, Ranma. My door's always open, you know that."
Ranma smiled gratefully. "Hey, thanks Kasumi! You're really great, ya' know that?"
"That's nice of you to say, Ranma-kun," Kasumi replied, blushing lightly at the compliment and giggling slightly as the diminutive redhead quickly turned and rocketed out of sight.
Idly resuming her humming, she deftly flipped the iron back on and began working on Ranma's bunnysuit.
Tofu sighed heavily as he trudged up the walk to the Tendo home. When he had left his office early this afternoon, he had intended to come over and have a little talk with Ranma concerning his rather... questionable... new job, but as his feet drew him closer to the front door he found himself beginning to question more and more just what he was doing.
Sure, Ranma working at a place like the Bunny's Delight was certainly suspect at best, but Ranma had done wild stuff before, and with less reason. He just couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he was overstepping his bounds.
Still, he mused, raising one hand up to knock lightly on the door, if Ranma truly was mentally ill, then it was his duty as a doctor to diagnose and help treat him. His resolve firmed, he turned his attention back to the door, waiting expectantly.
He didn't have to wait long.
"Oh my! Dr. Tofu, how nice of you to visit! Would you like to come in?"
Dr. Tofu twitched.
There.
Kasumi.
Held in front of her.
Kasumi holding a costume.
A bunnysuit.
Held in front of her.
Kasumi holding a bunnysuit in front of her.
"K-K-K-Kasumi...?" He stammered roughly, pointing one badly shaking finger almost accusatorily at the freshly-ironed crushed blue velvet bunnysuit that was situated artfully over her housedress. "W-W-W-What?!"
"Oh, yes," Kasumi responded, holding out the bunnysuit and twisting it this way and that, examining it critically, "Ranma-chan gave it to me."
"H-H-He did...?" Tofu stammered, "B-B-But why would he do that?!"
Kasumi smiled sweetly. "Oh he said something to me about a new job and asked if I was willing to help him out tonight. Wasn't that nice of him?"
...
Dr. Tofu didn't even have time to start dancing before his eyes rolled back in his head and he lapsed into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile...
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(Posted Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:10)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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