It was Kasumi, surprisingly, who finally broke the extended silence, helping their father to his feet. "Well, supper is ready," she said. "Perhaps you should all stay? I think we all have a lot to talk about."
Supper was an equally subdued affair, with only the barest of conversation, only what was necessary for dinner to function. Minds wandered over Ranma's past, with more than a few poorly disguised glares thrown Genma's way as they did, and they wondered over Ranma's present.
Kasumi's lovingly prepared food vanished, however, and soon the dishes were empty, eight faces looking at each other around the table. Kasumi gathered the remainder, and after putting them in the kitchen, returned. Akane watched her. She moved with the grace and gentleness that reminded her of faintly remembered memories of he mother, but tonight her lips were pressed together in an rather severe line, her forehead wrinkled just a bit as she returned to the table. Akane tensed as her lips parted, not realizing that everyone in the room had focused on the eldest Tendo sister.
"I think, father, that you and your old friend should go on a training trip for a while."
Genma brightened at the suggestion, his relief at getting away from the five glowering fiancees obvious. "Excellent suggestion, Kasumi. Brilliant. Soun, you, I and Ranma can-"
"No, Mr. Tendo," Kasumi cut in. "Not Ranma."
Soun frowned. "Kasumi, Ranma is Genma's-"
"Victim!" exploded Ukyou. "Getting that idiot out of-"
"Now see here-" Genma cut in as the argument began in earnest.
Ami Mizuno looked at the letter in her hand as she knelt in the bedroom with her four closest friends and two advisors, as she skimmed over the memories she now had of a young boy's life traveling with his father, of the Cat Fist training, the pools in China, coming to Nerima, the romantic entanglements.
"C'mon, Ami!" Usagi interrupted at one point, eyes open in disbelief. "That sounds like something out of a comic book, not like anybody's real life."
Luna rolled her eyes. "So speaks the girl, who, on advice from two talking cats, goes out every night to fight against evil as a sailor suited soldier of justice."
Makoto shrugged. "Even so, Luna, I mean, instant girl, just add water? I'm gonna have to side with Usagi here. You sure you haven't had one too many late night cram sessions, Ami?"
Ami sighed. "I know you think I've lost it, guys, but..." She brushed a blue lock of hair from her face as she considered how to explain. "I think it was the memory of just after his training that convinced me. I mean, he remembered me! He's got a memory from something in my past, but it's a completely different viewpoint. I still feel kinda out of my head thinking about it. And besides, there's a rather simple test to see if I'm right or not."
Minako beamed. "We're going to down to check this Ranma out, right? I mean, he's got to be cute, with all those fiancees. You know what they say, a bird in the hand has a real cute tush."
"I think I might be going delusional myself," Artemis put in. "I think that nearly made sense."
Ami shook her head. "No. I just mail the letter. If I imagined it all, there won't be a Ranma there, and they'll return the letter. If I'm right, he'll either write back or he won't, and I can deal with that then."
Rei smiled mischeviously. "If he does exist, then maybe we can vacation to China and push Usagi into the Pool of Drowned Smart Girl."
"Reeeei! Why d'ya haveta be so meeean?"
Ranma was running lightly in the evening light down the fence rail. Dammit! Where was P-Chan, Kunou, or Mousse when you actually needed them? He was simply itching to beat the crap out of somebody, anybody! He stalked down the rail like a wolverine, growling and grumbling as he went in a straight line, over obstacles as if they weren't there.
But eventually, he cooled down. He'd burned off much of his annoyance before leaving, really. "Stupid girls, thinking that killing pop would help." He grumbled to himself, heading back home. Now, hopefully things could go back to the way they were.
As he leaped the back wall, however, Ranma could tell that things had definitely changed.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Will McDuff
(Posted Wed, 25 Feb 2004 07:51)
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