So he simply looked at Setsuna and asked, "What's goin' on around here? I know you, but I don't."
The tanned woman sighed. "I think it would be better for you to have your headache attended to first, my Lord."
As if to emphasize Setsuna's words, Ranma felt a throb of pain shoot through his head making him wince. "I think you're right... Setsuna, right?"
"Yes, my Lord."
Ranma winced again as he waved his hand dismissively. "Cut the Lord crap, Setsuna, Ranma would be just fine."
"As you wish, my... I mean, Ranma." The green-haired woman turned to the blue-haired girl. "Ami, if you would kindly attend to Ranma?"
The Senshi of Mercury nodded uncertainly before turning to the boy. "Um..." She hesitantly started. She bit her lower lip.
Ranma gave a reassuring smile when he noted the girl's hesitation. "Let's go outside, Ami. Ya can treat me there and I think I could use some fresh air."
"Of course, my..." Ranma cut her off with a raised finger. "I mean, of course, Ranma." Seeing her patient ably supported by Minako and Makoto on either side of him, Ami turned and led the way back to the courtyard trailed by Ranma and his harem. Along the way she attempted to dredge up her memories of this reality to see what resources she had available as she tried to come up with a treatment plan for Ranma's headache. A blush came over her cheeks as the more... risque memories came to the surface. Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my! I never knew I could bend that way! Never in a million years did Ami even dream of doing even half of what she remembered doing in this reality.
She was broken out of her reverie when she felt someone shake her gently. "Ami?" She blushed even harder when she saw it was Ranma who was shaking her. "Are you alright, Ami? Ya looked kinda flushed yourself." Ranma asked in a worried voice.
"I... I'm all right, Ranma." Ami stuttered. She had some difficulty pushing away the images that seemed to come to her mind unbidden, what with the subject of those memories standing right in front of her. She turned away quickly. "I... there." She pointed to a tree that offered plenty of shade from the sun. "Let's go there so I can treat you under the shade."
"Oh, okay. Whatever ya say, doc." Ranma turned and walked towards the tree, Minako and Makoto still supporting him, followed by the others.
Ami sighed deeply as she composed herself. I hope we can repair the timeline soon. I don't think I can hold out that long against those kind of memories. But despite what she thought, she couldn't help but smile a little. Those were very nice memories after all.
"Papa? You called for me?" Ukyou asked as she stepped into the living room of her family's house.
"Yes, Ukyou. Come and sit." Akira Kounji indicated the space in front of where he sat. "There is something important we need to discuss with you."
Ukyou was immediately put on guard by the tone of her father's voice. That and the presence of her mother as well. She obediently sat in front of her parents and waited for them to tell her what the meeting was about.
"Ukyou-dear," Her mother began making Ukyou wince. Whatever it was, it wasn't something she was going to be happy about. That was always the case when her mother began these family meetings. Damn her father. He knew she could never really refuse her mother. "How are you today?"
"I am fine, mother. Thank you for asking."
"That is good to hear, Ukyou-dear. How was your training?"
"It went well, mother."
"I am glad." Ayako frowned ever so slightly when her husband cleared his throat beside her. A slight movement of her eyes in his direction quickly silenced him.
"What's this meeting about, mother?" Ukyou asked, no longer able to control her own curiuosity making her mother sigh.
"Twenty years ago, your father made a pledge with Lord Genma Saotome. A pledge made to cement the ties between our two clans." The statement made the girl's blood freeze. There was one common way of cementing ties between two clans. Her fears were confirmed when her mother smiled.
"Though our clan may be one of the richest and most powerful merchant clans in Japan and has produced some great warriors in the past, we are still merely merchants, Ukyou-dear, not Samurai. Allying ourselves with Clan Saotome through your marriage to Lord Genma's son will benefit both our clans."
"But..." Was all UKyou was able to say through her shock. One moment her future looked so wide open, the next it was slammed shut.
"Ukyou-dear? Are you all right?"
"But..."
"Do you have a problem with this, Ukyou?" Akira asked.
The voice of her father snapped the girl out of her daze. "Of course I do, you jackass!"
"Ukyou!" Ayako admonished. "Is that any way to speak to your father?"
"But mother...!" Ukyou whined, feeling her resistance fading with her mother's voice.
"Do you have suitors we do not know about, Ukyou?"
"That's not the point, you jackass!"
"Then this should not be a problem for you." Akira ignored the outburst.
"The hell it isn't!"
"I worry for you, Ukyou-dear. Sixteen already and still not married."
"But, mother...!"
"I hear Lord Genma's son is quite handsome. The women I have talked to who have seen him fairly swooned when they described him."
"But..."
"Won't you even consider it, Ukyou-dear? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
Ukyou felt herself deflate. Damn the old man for using her mother to break this to her. That was a low blow. She'll have to think of a way to get back at him for that. Maybe put glue on his saddle when they go to the Saotomes. No, better yet, put glue in his hat. Ukyou grinned inside.
"Well, that settles it then. Tomorrow we shall send a message to the Saotomes to set a meeting for you to meet your future husband."
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(Posted Sun, 27 Nov 2005 01:56)
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