He eyed his two friends and sighed. Ever since a certain incident the two had been rather uneasy with each other. He had a good idea what had happened, but he didn't want to mess up their situation anymore then it already was.
***
A few hours ago..
"Eck! Damn it Ranma! Why do you insist we fight every creepy crawly slimy monster we come across!" Pantha shouted angrily, she was covered from head to tail in a thick caucus green slime that dripped off her body slowly; leaving whatever it touched stained neon green.
Ranma shoved some of the excess slime from his shoulder, not that it did any good. He was covered from head to toe, "Pfeh! Spite for you little trick back at Ryden!" he snarled, "I didn't need some crazy woman chasing me all over the continent calling me her gods be damned son-in-law!"
Theo sighed, flicking some of the slime he had been covered in as well. He made a mental note never to use a Blaze spell while in the epicenter of a giant slime monster. It certainly saved their lives, which Ranma had been quick to point out, but Pantha had been less then impressed by his friends action. "Look, we passed that large pond ten minutes ago right?"
Pantha nodded, giving Ranma one last angry glare before walking back down the path the trio had come, "Yeah. You two stay on your side, I'll stick to mine."
"As if there’s anything we want to see on a uncute tomboy like you!" Ranma jibed back, ignoring the angry snarl to his response as Pantha stamped off in a huff.
"I'll never understand you, Ranma." Theo sighed, walking off after Pantha after giving his friend a disappointed look.
Ranma sighed, but said nothing as he followed. Having Pantha along on their little trip was really starting to annoy him, and he guessed he had no one to really blame but himself for that happening. At first he had been pretty pumped about getting Theo over his little embarrassment problem, but now he was starting to realize the errors of succeeding in that. He'd start listening to Pantha more then he would him. Where would he be if Theo decided to marry the chick or something? God, that would suck. Well.. it's still too early for that, neither had actually stated they liked each other. Maybe he could nip this problem in the bud?
***
"Eh? What the heck is that for?" Ranma stared at the little tablets Theo was throwing in the pond.
"There purification tablets, Ranma. They'll heat the pool for us." Theo explained calmly as he threw the last of the tablets in and began to undress.
"Really? Wow.. thats cool!" Ranma grinned! No more turning into Ranma-chan every time he took a bath in the wilderness. He had to get himself some of those!
***
Pantha looked around as she disrobed. She wouldn't put it past any of those perverts to sneak a peek at her in the buff. Failing to find anyone, she finished disrobing and stepped into the pond.
"Ah.. yeah.." she mumbled, diving under the watery surface to wet herself in full before resurfacing. "This is nice."
***
"Waters ready Ranma."
"Heh, thanks." Ranma said as he slipped into the water. Ahh, good, warm enough not to cause him to transform. "Your not upset with me, are you?"
"Hmm? About what?" Theo seemed confused.
"About the slim devils.. I mean, Pantha seemed really pissed.. I was just wondering if you were." Ranma sighed.
"No." Theo answered simply, "I'm not upset about the slime devils. Just the attitude you've been giving Pantha since Ryden."
"You know damn well why I'm pissed!" Ranma snapped.
"Cool down!" Theo sent a splash of water at his friend, "I do. She doesn't. She was playing a trick on you, you didn't need to bite her head off like that." Theo snorted, "It makes our traveling situation harder."
Ranma glared, rubbing some of the water from his eyes, "Pfeh.. Whatever."
"You know you can't keep brushing it off, Ranma. You need to face your past." Theo cautioned.
"Look. I know what I got to do, just leave me alone, okay?" Ranma grumbled.
"Fine." Theo grumbled, moving away from Ranma and deeper in the bond.
***
Pantha sighed, enjoying the warm water cascading over her form. Hey wait a minute, "Warm?" she blinked. She hadn't put any purification tablets in, and she was pretty sure Theo and Ranma were out. Curious, she began moving deeper into the pool.
***
Theo knew he had upset Ranma with his words, and after listening to his life story while they lived with Gneiss he realized he had every right to be extremely pissed at Pantha concerning the situation. After all, what if this Julia Brigand turned out to be like this Shampoo woman he had told him about?
He shuddered. That wouldn't be good. Still, Pantha deserved the benefit of the doubt. She was just having a little fun, like he and Ranma had been having this trip so far. She didn't have a clue how pissed Ranma would be if she did that. Still.. he could tell their relationship was some what strained. Maybe he should her about the Amazons were Ranma is from? Not the whole story, but enough to make her understand what she did was wrong.
Theo slumped down in the water, "Man, this is getting complicated."
***
Pantha didn't move a muscle. She didn't say a word; she tried to control her breathing to the barest of margins lest the man she was looking at saw her. Heck, she didn't even bat an eyelash in fear that he could some how hear that tiny subtle sound.
She was staring at Theodore.
She was staring at Theodore in the buff.
She was staring at more then just his muscular chest, chiseled face, and firm abs. What she was staring at had her gulping, a rosy hue spreading across her cheeks that was camouflaged by her smooth black fur.
She wasn't blind, not in the least bit. She had been traveling with two, she admitted to herself, attractive men who weren't in the least bit bashful about showing off their chests when it came time to wash up when they found themselves with out access to a water hole.
An idle thought about getting out of dodge before she was discovered crossed her mind before she thoroughly squashed it when Theo turned around and gave her a prime view of his taunt little ass. She almost mewed in disappointment when he sat down in the water, everything from his middle chest and below being covered by the water.
Besides, he wouldn't mind if she just enjoy the view, would he?"
***
Theo frowned. He knew some one was watching him, he could feel it. It couldn't be Ranma; he was on the other end of the pond. Pantha? He didn't think her the type to practice in voyeurism. So that, logically, left some one or some thing that could very well be hostile towards him.
Sighing, he steadied his mind while he summoned his power. In the smallest of whispers he spoke. "Levitate" and raised his hand in the direction he thought his watcher was at.
Pantha blinked, before mumbling in shock as she began to lift up in the air, "Wha? What’s going on!" she whipped her head about, trying to find the source of her sudden weightlessness. When she saw Theo stand up and begin moving towards her position, she gulped. "Busted!" she thought nervously.
Theo blinked as he got close enough to recognize the were-panther through the foliage. He blushed bright red as he set her down, "Pantha!" he looked back, glad Ranma hadn't some how stumbled upon this situation, "What are you doing?" No, he hadn't been looking at her nude body. He hadn't been impressed by her rack, or her long shapely legs, or the way the water cascaded over her form. Nope! Not one bit! She certainly didn't look like an uncute tomboy.
"Nothing!" she dove under the water to cover her modesty, "I wasn't peeking on you, honest!" She ruthlessly denied.
Theo moaned. "You know, if you didn't say that, I wouldn't have suspected you."
Pantha cursed.
***
Back to the present...
"Hey!" Ranma called out to his two friends, "You guys go get us some rooms, 'kay? I'm going to go check out the town abit. I'll see you later tonight."
Theo and Pantha absently nodded as the boy left them alone. The two shot a glance to each other, before blushing and looking away.
Theo coughed, "Ah.. lets go."
Pantha nodded. "Heh.. sure."
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(Posted Sun, 25 Jan 2004 05:28)
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