Meeting Later - Chapter 5.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is pretending to be Australian.
Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favourite authors. Tom has given me the honour of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work. To view more of his work, which I personally recommend, his web site is http://www.geocities.com/twrensch
Last Updated: 15/12/05
*****
Ukyo flicked her ponytail over her shoulder, ignoring the looks from the students of Bokuto High as they entered the gate she stood beside.
Most of the students knew who she was, or at least could make a decent guess. Dressed in black tights and a blue tunic, with the giant spatula on her back and the bandolier of smaller spatula across her chest, she held an okonomiyaki box before her. The box was slightly tilted to show her business logo, and slightly opened at the sides to let the smell waft out to the passing students.
She smiled carefully at the passers-by who looked at her but any who approached she didn't hesitate to ask to please leave since she was waiting for her fiancé. Behind the smile her thoughts tumbled over and again trying to suppress anger at how little she had seen of Ranma of late, and how he wasn't even talked about in the store without mention of her, Akane Tendo. It sounded like wherever one went the other followed, and what was worse was it wasn't far from the truth. She was even seen more and more often in the same Chinese style clothes as Ranma.
She knew what she had done wrong. She had been too worried about her business and too confidant that she was obviously in no danger of losing Ranma to Sakura or Shampoo that now someone new had appeared and was worming her way more into his life than his oldest friend and real fiancée. Now she just had to go and find out what was going on. And maybe make it clear to him that a fiancé shouldn't be hanging with other girls all the time.
Ukyo's thoughts were interrupted as she saw Akane jogging up the fence just ahead of Ranma. Her arms were out slightly and her face showed her absolute concentration. Ranma was slightly behind her smiling about something as he watched her legwork on the thin fence. At least he had better be watching her legwork and not her.
*****
With a smile that nothing could wipe off, Ranma was still thinking about his impending victory next Saturday, the first of November. Now he finally had Akane's martial arts dining technique solved, the breakfast title would be his. The same day as the first fights of the tournament, this weekend was gonna be great. His thoughts were disturbed when his student leapt from the fence a good fifty meters short of the school gate.
He managed to follow his student's glare to the boys who 'happened' to be leaning against the fence slightly up from them, trying to look innocent and not disappointed. They wouldn't have stopped the martial artists from passing but they would have been able to get a peek up Akane's school skirt. He was surprised by the flush of anger that gave him and was about to go over and give them a talking to when he heard Ukyo's voice.
"Ranchan honey?"
His anger forgotten, Ranma turned back towards the gate and smiled and waved, then pointed her out to Akane.
Ukyo managed to hold the smile as Ranma almost immediately spoke to Akane, rather than rush over to his fiancée. As the pair approached she increased the smile for her fiancée, he always liked it when she was cute.
"Hey Ucchan. How are things?"
The brown haired girl managed to keep her smile on her face as she looked past Ranma at Akane. "Akane honey, can you give me a few seconds with my fiancé."
Akane felt a little jealousy and had to suppress an urge to say no, as she heard both the stressing of the 'my' and the fact it wasn't a question. "Sure Ukyo. I'll see you in class Ranma."
Ranma turned to Akane, giving Ukyo the opportunity to glare daggers at Akane's saccharine smile, so much like Nodoka's own patronising look.
"Yeah. See ya there Akane. So what's up Ucchan?"
Ukyo's smile returned as her fiancé faced her again and Akane vanished into the school gate. She held out the Okonomiyaki box and lifted the lid to him. "What? I just wanted to see my fiancé. Hungry?" She waited for his mouth and eyes to lock on his favourite food.
"Ah, actually Ucchan, I kinda had a big breakfast." The moment he saw the shock and disbelief in her eyes he realised he'd done something wrong in refusing the food. He jumped in before Ukyo could speak and plucked it from her grip. "Ah, I'll just let it settle for a second before I eat it. Thanks."
Ukyo lost her shock but her eyes showed her suspicion "Ranchan, I haven't seen you around the shop in the last week. You know I miss you when you're not around."
"I've been busy training for the tournament. Are you, Konatsu, and Junko gonna be ready?"
Ukyo brought out her biggest smile and laid one had on his arm. "Oh, we'll be ready. I can't wait to be up on the slopes with you."
Ranma was lost in confusion for a second before he remembered the prize in the tournament, a ski resort in the mountains with him for four days, well with whoever won the men's division, which would be him. "Ah yeah, that'd be good. Better watch out for Shampoo, she's got some new shooting star technique I haven't seen yet, and you know how dirty Sakura can fight."
"I can take them if it means we get some time for us to be together for a few days. We can pick up from where we left off on our date."
"Date?"
Ukyo almost growled at the complete incomprehension in her fiancé’s eyes. "When we went out after I helped you learn the Hiryu Shoten Ha and get your strength back, silly."
"Oh yeah, that date." If it wasn't for the fact he mastered the Hiryu Shoten Ha that would have been one of the worst weeks of his life, culminating with Ukyo trying to force feed him ice cream on their 'victory date' before Shampoo showed up with that dumb Ghost Cat and its bell.
Ukyo didn't like that his eyes didn't reflect happiness at their date. She stepped in close to him. "Soooo, what are Akane's weak spots?"
Ranma suddenly found he didn't want to look into her eyes and slipped a hand into the box and tearing some Okonomiyaki free. "Ah, she's pretty good all round Ucchan." He shoved the piece of Ukyo's special into his mouth hoping it might placate her a little but somehow even as he tasted it, he knew it wouldn't.
"But she's got to have some holes."
"Not really. Her technique is very good. Let's leave it at that."
Ukyo's hand slipped back onto the large spatula handle. "You don't want me to win!" she accused.
"Ucchan, Akane's like... my student. I won't go telling her weak spots to everyone. And if I told you I'd have to tell Sakura and Shampoo. Would you rather they could win or just a friend."
"Friend? Is she 'just a friend'? You two aren't ever seen apart. Wherever you go, she follows. You're my fiancé Ranma. Why aren't you hanging around with me?"
Ranma was looking from side to side feeling the gaze of the students passing on him. "Ucchan, calm down. I can't really just hang out with any of ya cause if Shampoo sees me she'll be badgering me for a date claiming you got one."
Ukyo looked angrily at her fiancé for a few seconds before she spoke. "If I hear you have even touched her out side of sparring..." She turned away and stormed off, leaving the threat hanging.
Ranma sighed heavily as he watched his oldest friend leaving. Turning he entered the gate, idly holding out the Okonomiyaki box to a couple of the boys who quickly snatched it. As he began to walk towards the building, he was irritated to hear Toko's nasally voice.
"Not so fast Saotome." Looking back over his shoulder he was about to ask what the little jerk wanted but Toko was already pointing past him to the building.
Ranma turned back and his blue eyes narrowed on the couple near the school doors, cursing that he'd given his word to obey the court order that kept him away.
*****
Akane continued to walk up to the school building thinking idly that Ranma deserved better than Ukyo. Hell, she'd be tempted to ask him out if he was single. She'd certainly treat him better than any of his current fiancée’s did. Reaching the stairs, she turned and looked back towards the gate, wondering how long Ranma would be.
"All the boys wonder how he does it."
Looking to her right, Akane appraised the young man who had spoken. Taller than herself with brown hair and dark eyes, he was staring off towards the gate, showing off his handsome profile. "Excuse me?"
"All the boys of this school wonder how he does it. Three gorgeous fiancées and other pretty girls showing up all the time. And now someone as cute as you living with him. What is it? The martial arts?"
Akane looked over the boy with slight anger at his implication. "Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm living with Ranma and his Mother for other reasons. I'm not dating him, we're just friends and training partners."
The boy's smile didn't waver. "Oh? So if I asked you out, you can accept?"
The girl began to blush, it had been since before Kuno had fallen for her that she had last been asked out, without it being a trick or her being used anyway, and she had regretted saying no after what had happened with Kuno's challenge. She tried to cover the blush with a question. "Who are you?"
The boy stepped slightly closer to Akane reading her desire to accept. "Jiro Ohata. So... will you go out with me?"
Akane was caught off guard as his dark eyes looked into hers but her mind remembered Ranma mentioning the boy on her first day of school here, and how he apparently led Toko and his friends. She had an odd form of concern flush through her as she remembered Ranma had hinted at something that had happened between them. Putting her hand on his chest she pushed him back to the length of her arm. "So you're friends with Toko and his jerk buddies?"
Jiro winced slightly. He had feared Ranma had blabbed to her about him but he wasn't going to let it go at this. He could at least try and twist it to his advantage. "Can I ask what Ranma has said I supposedly done to him?"
The dark haired girl looked at Jiro's face as she replied. "Ranma only mentioned you once that I remember. But if you're friends with jerks like Toko, I don't really want to know you." She began to walk into the main building with her back to him.
"I'm disappointed that you don't give me a chance to refute his claims. Do you trust him that much?" he called to her back.
She stopped and looked back at Jiro, "Jiro, he has only mentioned you once and didn't claim anything. If you want to defend yourself, obviously you've done something to him in the past. As for me going out with you, there is as much chance of that as there is of me dating Toko. Nil!" Akane turned and walked back into the school grinning at the sniggers from some others who had been watching and a thumbs-up from one of the girls in the building.
His dark eyes narrowed on Akane as she left, already in thoughts of getting her back even as he ignored the whispers and looks he was being given by some of the students. The same students who had wouldn't have dared to laugh at him when he was the toughest here. Before Ranma Saotome had come to his school.
*****
Akane was surprised when Ranma showed up in class and sat backwards at his desk facing her. "Can I ask what Ohata wanted?"
She was surprised at the odd mix of worry and anger in his eyes. Was Ranma jealous? Or just worried because of whatever happened between him and Jiro before she had come to this school? "He asked me on a date."
"What! You didn't accept did you?"
Nervously looking around at the attention Ranma's shout had drawn, Akane shook her head. "No, of course not."
The pigtailed boy calmed, realising everyone was looking at them. He looked from side to side. "Ah sorry everyone." Seeing most of the students returned to their own conversations, he turned back to Akane. "Good choice. He's a jerk, trust me."
She leaned in a little closer. "I can't really be dating anyone if I'm engaged." Ranma nodded knowing exactly how she would feel on that. "Besides, the only guy I'd want to date here is engaged."
Akane blushed as she realised what she had admitted, but Ranma blushed more as her words reminded him of his mother’s joke about Akane as a mistress.
The bell ringing and the teacher beginning class stopped either from commenting further.
*****
"Oh thank you Doctor, that feels so much better."
"Just hold still for a little more, Shirito-san. Your shoulder still needs to rest from straining it like that. I'll get you a sling and you can go home."
Doctor Tofu Ono left the examination room to the back storage room to get a sling. He lifted the sealed packet from a box on the shelf when he heard the voice behind him.
"Good morning, Doctor Tofu."
He didn't even turn around as the voice summoned up a thousand images of the young woman, always smiling, always polite, always so beautiful. He didn't even realise he was dancing around the room, knocking off shelves, and at some stage grabbing a broom as a dancing partner.
*WACK-clack*
The unique clack of the shinai reverberated around the small room, before the bamboo sword cracked again, this time into his side rather than the back of his head.
Sena's voice was harsh. "None of that brother, you have no idea how hard it was to get Kasumi to give you another chance. You will not be off dancing like that on your date." Sena turned and left with the shinai and the small tape player in hand.
Tofu looked up at the now at the empty doorway, thinking disappointing thoughts about his own foolishness when he only heard Kasumi's voice. He knew he had to be strong if he was even going to face her again, though Sena's training methods were a little harsh he thought as he rubbed his head and side. Picking up another sling he turned off the light and shut the door knowing he'd need to clean all that mess up before closing tonight.
*****
Ranma and Akane were walking home from after school training, as the sky began to darken with the fading sun of dusk. Ranma was walking on the sidewalk while Akane, dressed in her 'training outfit' of some of his too-small Chinese clothes, was walking along the fence
"So Sensei, am I ready for the tournament?"
The pigtailed boy looked up at her question, "You're ready for the ring, but as for the fights...maybe."
"You think your fiancées can beat me?" she said looking down at him, part concerned of his opinion, part just trying to goad him into talking.
"Straight up... Ukyo you can probably take, she's good but doesn't know enough special moves and doesn't fight too dirty. If you're quick, you can put Sakura down before she uses any of her dirtier moves, just use the counters like I showed you. Shampoo though... she's as good as you and I don't really know too much about what special moves she's got. With her, remember what I said about not letting her behind you, keep your cool, and don't let her lead you in the spiral."
"You're adamant about that spiral, what's so special about it?"
Ranma smirked at her for a second, "The Rising Dragon Accession Blast. A little trick I was taught by Shampoo's Great Grandmother. When I used it on Happosai, I put him down hard with one punch."
Akane stopped to look at him, positive he was yanking her chain, but she had picked the smug look on his face. Still, the image of Happi trashing Pantyhose Taro in his monster form was vivid in her mind, "No way, I've seen Grandfather take down an actual monster in seconds. No way one move can put him down, well aside from Miss Hinako."
"I've seen the old pervert come back from all sorts of blows, but doesn't change the fact that this one put him down quick smart. If you get good enough, I might even show you it." He grinned up at her.
Akane turned to keep walking, "And just how much better will I need to be?"
"A bit of focus training and you may be ready. But I'll warn you, that was one of the most humiliating times of my life to learn that technique, and it won't be any easier on you."
"Oh, what'd you have to do?"
"I'll leave that as a surprise, but be ready to be embarrassed."
"This isn't some excuse for you to be perverted is it?"
Checks reddening, his voice held his indignation, "What? No, I'd never..."
Akane laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, picking up speed and running from him down the fence.
"Hey, wait up!"
*****
Shifting her grip on her bags, Nabiki Tendo looked ahead up the road she walked. She'd gotten off at the wrong train station and had to walk twice as far to the Saotome house. She knew she should have taken off a few classes early rather than try and brave Japan Rail and Tokyo as it entered peak hour after school.
Anyway, with the weekend, this was a four day holiday for her and she was not going to waste it, especially on a non-event of sitting at home in an empty house. With Kasumi coming to stay with Aunty in some plan of getting another chance with the good Doctor Tofu, Grandfather had decided to take his two old students on a training trip, 'just like old times' he'd put it.
Her thoughts were interrupted with her stride as someone ran into her, scattering her bags around and knocking her down. She tried to tuck and roll with it, as she had learned when she was younger, but lack of practice and the surprise slowed the reaction too much.
Fortunately a boy caught her before she hit the pavement. A cute boy with big blue eyes and a pigtail, and if the muscles she could feel against her were any indication, a really nice build.
"Are you all right, miss?" The dreamboat asked.
Nabiki considered saying her foot hurt to get him to carry her for a while, but there would be no way to handle the bags. Besides, anyone this good *had* to be taken already.
A girl wearing an outfit similar to the boys came up with her packages. Hopefully dreamboat's sister, but probably his girlfriend.
"I'm really sorry for running into you that way... Nabiki?"
This broke the brown haired girl from her dazed examination of the boy holding her. ‘Akane?’ That meant that this was probably Ranma. Figured, her sister always got the good ones.
"Well," Nabiki drawled. "I've been wanting to meet you Ranma. Though this wasn't quite what I imagined, not that I mind too much."
"I think you can put her down now, Ranma." Akane said in a terse voice. "And Sis, wipe that drool off your face."
Ranma set her down and stepped back. He looked very nervous all of a sudden.
'Looks like Akane had him wrapped around her finger already.' Nabiki thought. "You have him well trained, Akane."
Akane glared at her for a moment, then grinned. "Actually, he came out of the box like this, isn't it adorable."
"Hey!" the boy cried but at Ranma's bright blush, the two sisters just giggled.
"So what are you doing over here? Are you staying with us like Kasumi?" she asked, gesturing to the overnight bag amongst the others.
"Yep, it's a long weekend and Grandfather took Dad and Mr Saotome off on a training trip. I thought I'd come and cheer you on at the tournament."
Akane looked at her in obvious confusion, "But Sis, today is Thursday, what about school tomorrow, we only get the Monday off for Culture Day?*"
(*An actual Japanese holiday event held on the third of November, celebrating and fostering the ideals of the Constitution --the love of peace and freedom-- through cultural activities.)
Nabiki gave her a self-satisfied smirk but her voice was full of innocence, "Principal Kuno decided to close the school tomorrow. Teachers thought it was odd but the fax did have pineapples on it and was from Hawaii."
Akane laughed a little, "Come on, we're running a bit late as it is." Akane handed her sister's bags to Ranma, who took them with a sigh and followed along behind them.
"So, what's been going on at school Nabiki? I've been out of the loop a while."
"Well, your leaving caused a lot of changes, to start with the Hentai Horde just waited the gates as normal for a few mornings before one of them had an even stupider idea..."
*****
Ranma walked behind the gossiping sisters with the bags. Normally he'd have hated having to do this, but watching two good-looking women walk along from behind wasn't too bad.
Akane was walking gracefully along beside her sister, while Nabiki walked with a slight swing to her hips and had legs almost as nice as Akane's.
Watching Nabiki was interesting. She was built almost exactly the same as Akane, but didn't have as much muscle or the firm strength that came with martial arts training. She looked like Akane probably would have if she hadn't been into martial arts as much.
Ranma realised what he'd been thinking of and blushed. Time to think of something else before his perverted thoughts became a little too noticeable.
The rest of the way home Ranma struggled to think of school, seeing Akane's eldest sister again, dinner, or anything else to distract him from the two very attractive girls in front of him.
*****
Kasumi leaned over to Nabiki as Akane and Nodoka's carried the empty plates from the table and Ranma excused himself to go to the bathroom after dinner. "Did you notice our little sister hasn't stopped smiling?"
The middle Tendo sister nodded, "Yeah, it's kinda scary how smitten she is. She's definitely got a crush on him. Did you see how they lean towards each other, all the time?"
"She doesn't seem to care about the curse either. Though turning into a girl is more acceptable than turning into an animal like his father," Kasumi added in a low voice.
Nabiki shuddered slightly at the thought of such a curse, before smirking, "Then again, Akane may like that he can be a she."
"Nabiki!" Kasumi whispered in shock at her sister's accusation. Calming she whispered again, "If you remember, she had a good time on that date with Taro-kun, and was very upset when she found out he..."
Ranma raised an eyebrow when he returned to the room, the girls' conversation stopping instantly. He was about to apologise for interrupting when Nabiki spoke.
"So Ranma, what do you think of our little sister?"
His blue eyes instantly looked towards the kitchen door at the question, before looking back and sitting in his place. "She's a lot of fun to be around and train with, funny, and a nice person. Why?"
She ignored his question, pouncing on his words, "Nicer than your fiancées?"
Ranma shuffled uncomfortably. "Well... she's nicer than Shampoo and Sakura sure, but when Ukyo isn't on about the engagement, she can be pretty nice." He replied, stressing the point on Ukyo.
Kasumi spoke up ignoring Ranma's defensiveness of his oldest friend. "Your father said you only had two other fiancées?"
"Heh, I wish. He's just adamant about Shampoo not being one because he isn't solely responsible for that one, unlike Ukyo and Sakura, and probably the two others I haven't met yet."
"Shampoo? Odd name?"
The boy's shoulders sagged a bit, "Shampoo is a Chinese Amazon. They got this dumb rule about if an outsider woman defeats her she has to kill them, but if a man defeats her, she has to marry him. I had to challenge her in China for the prize in a tournament, a prize that Pop had already eaten. When I beat her in my cursed form she had to chase me over most of Asia trying to kill me, but when she got here she attacked Mom and I accidentally knocked her out to stop her, this time in my guy form. When she found out there was only one of me she decided she still had to marry me or she can't go back to her people with any honour."
Part way through the explanation, Nodoka and Akane came back in with some tea. Nodoka picked up where her son left off. "Because Ranma's actions have affected her honour, we agreed that she should be counted as one of the fiancées contesting for him. This also stopped her from trying to kill the other fiancées and lessened her attempts to bed him."
Kasumi paled, and Nabiki's eyebrows rose, looking at the now blushing martial artist.
"To preserve the honour of the fiancées as much as possible in this predicament, Ranma agreed to give his word to not engage in intimacies with his fiancées till one has been chosen. Although this hadn't stopped Shampoo or Sakura from trying."
Both Kasumi and Nabiki blinked twice in unison, trying to comprehend it all, before looking over Ranma in a way he wasn't sure he liked. Especially the way Nabiki tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips in consideration.
"Ahem." Akane's voice held a tone that brought the pair back to the moment, Kasumi blushing lightly while Nabiki rolled her eyes.
Nodoka served the tea out before bringing up another subject. "Ranma, Akane, we have to submit your outfits for approval tomorrow. I've put what I made up in your rooms. Could I get you to try them on and we can see if you like them."
"Sure Mom."
"Okay Aunty."
The pair gulped the tea in single motions and dashed up the stairs.
A few moments later Ranma came back down.
"Well, ah, what d'ya think?" he asked the three women at the table, his voice betraying his self-consciousness at playing model.
The three women at the table looked at the young man walking back into the room. He wore a clean version of the black pants he had been wearing earlier, but now with black bracers and a crimson, sleeveless silk shirt, still Chinese in style, with gold ties. Turning around, it showed a black stallion, trimmed in gold, rearing on the back.
Ranma was a bit put off by the appraising looks from the two girls but the way his mother nodded and smiled he figured it must look pretty good.
The sound of Akane coming down the stairs made him turn. She wore an outfit obviously made as a match for his, but where he had shirt and pants, hers was a single outfit of the same silk. Cut on the top in imitation of Ranma's, it was the same crimson with the gold ties, though a little tighter on her. But from the waist down it was black like his pants, tight over the hips, and upper thigh, cutting off diagonally from the outside in, revealing her legs generously. A matching black stallion adorned her back as well, and a pair of black bracers encircled her wrists.
Akane looked over Ranma, this outfit so like his normal, but the bright sheen from the deep crimson silk made him seem so much more formal, more powerful. She looked back at his eyes with a light blush, trying not to think about his build, or those wide shoulders, or the way his biceps flexed when he moved his arms. She was initially surprise as she saw his blue eyes were looking down at her legs, but rather than the anger she normally felt at a boy staring at her, she twisted slightly to show more of her thigh revealed by the higher side cuts of the material, his eyes rising up her leg, to her appreciation.
Nodoka, Nabiki, and Kasumi all sat watching the two gazing at each other, slight smiles appearing as Akane led Ranma with her body. But when Ranma realised he was staring and began blushing, which set off Akane's blushing, Nodoka spoke up.
"Do you like them?"
Ranma had to swallow for his dry throat, "Yeah, they look great. Thanks Mom."
Akane was looking down at hers with a slight frown. Her fingers tugged the material slightly tighter over her waist. "I'm not sure here, Aunty." The look in her brown eyes was unsure, but hardened into determined when they saw Ranma was looking at her body again, nodding slightly. "Can we make it a bit tighter around here?"
"Of course Akane. We could add a sash or belt, or would you prefer I could..."
A hard knocking at the door interrupted Nodoka, and Ranma called he had it before anyone at the table could even move. Nodoka rose to stand beside Akane, checking the material around her waist to see if she could take it in. The sounds of voices and scuffling turned the four women's heads turned towards the hall.
Ranma managed to drag himself and the purple haired visitor constricted around his body back into main room. His face was reddening from lack of air, his eyes broadcasting a cry for help. He seemed to be trying to push her leotard clad form off him but his hands were awkwardly on her lower thigh and shoulder, getting poor leverage.
The growl emerging from Akane broadcast her flaring temper as she stepped up to help him, her anger not only on the Chinese girl as he wasn’t trying hard to extricate himself. "Let him go, you hussy!"
Shampoo felt the flaring of battle aura and released Ranma, pushing him back into Akane and assuming a fighting stance. Akane yanked Ranma around and behind her, ignoring him heavily hitting the wall and collapsing, as she appraised the Chinese girl before her.
"Ladies, there is no fighting in my home." Nodoka's tone forced both girls to back down. "Better. Shampoo, why are you here?"
Putting on her biggest smile for her 'mother-in-law', the foreign girl looked to Nodoka, "Shampoo here to show husband fighting outfit for tournament. You like? TV men like very much." She asked, posing to show off her figure and outfit. It was a rich blue leotard, smattered with some tiny sparkles, with darker purple lining, cut high on the hips. Body paint, the same purple as the lining, was painted as three stripes on her biceps and thighs. Topped off with gold hair ornaments and a light sparkling make up on her face, and her finger and toenails in a matching paint.
Both Kasumi and Nabiki looked at it as rather skimpy for a live TV, while Nodoka actually thought it was about what she'd expect for the Chinese girl. It was Ranma's comment from the floor that really made eyes wide.
"What outfit?"
The four suddenly became aware of what he was referring to, as they looked closer at the leotard. It wasn't cloth, it was more body paint. It took effort to pick out the small bikini that made up the only actual material she wore.
The women were initially stunned that anyone would wear such an outfit, especially before a crowd, and even more especially for a television audience.
Looking away as she gulped down her tea to try and regain her composure, Kasumi blushed brightly in embarrassment that anyone would do that.
Nabiki's eyes were wide in amazement, she didn't consider herself prudish but this was ridiculous. This Chinese girl was obviously proud of her body, obviously not shy about showing it, and was offering it to her sister's fiancée on a platter. She glanced at Ranma wondering how Shampoo had not snagged him yet, was he gay?
Teeth grinding, Akane was seething, her jealousy of the girl building up with lightning speed. How dare she wear THAT! How dare she grab Ranma wearing THAT!
Nodoka groaned and rubbed her forehead at this display of Shampoo's. The girl wasn't going to accept not being the winner if they chose anyone else.
Smirking at the reactions, Shampoo kept one eye on the shorthaired girl in front of her. She had heard Akane was now the one to beat in the tournament, and decided to make sure Akane was less then level headed when they fought. She smiled innocently and kept her eyes wide, "That outfit for tournament? It very nice. It hide big waist well, no TV people notice at all."
Akane flashed with blue anger, her arms reaching back as she readied to attack. But before she could, Ranma's hand clamped on her arm, holding her back. She glanced back at him with angry eyes as he held her back from showing this hussy what she should have the first time they met, but his eyes were on Shampoo's.
"Shampoo, shut up. Akane's outfit looks great to me."
The short haired girl’s eyes softened before she pulled him beside her and turned back on Shampoo, gesturing to the two outfits of the Anything Goes competitors, "Better hope this tournament doesn't get shown back in China, Shampoo. It'll be hard to say they'll think he's your 'Airen' and not someone else's in these outfits."
The barb hit the mark, Shampoo's face-hardened and she glared at the girl before her but before she could reply, physically or verbally, Nodoka spoke over them. "Ladies, that is enough. I'm sorry Shampoo, unfortunately we are entertaining guests here and I will have to ask you to come back after the weekend. You outfit looks very nice and we will no doubt see you at the tournament on Saturday."
"Mother-in-law have more women stay with husband?!"
Nodoka's eyes rolled. "Shampoo, this is Nabiki and this is Kasumi, Akane's sisters. They are staying here, and not in my son's bedroom, while their sister is in the tournament."
Shampoo seemed to lose her anger and pointed at Kasumi, "Aiyah! This Doctor's Airen Kasumi? One who make Doctor crazy love dance?"
Kasumi 'eeped' and blushed as all eyes fell on her, most with grins at the accusation. Shampoo could read the reactions and while Akane was looking at her sister, rushed in to give her husband a bone cracking glomp. By the time Akane swung back around she had released him and was walking out. "Okay, see Airen, Mother-in-law, and big waist girl at tournament. Bye bye."
The two families were left blinking as the underclad young lady left again, Kasumi still blushing, Ranma trying to get his breath back, and Akane grinding her teeth.
"Well there's a girl who knows how to get attention." Nabiki drawled, an amused grin attached to her face as she considered the few minutes Shampoo was here.
Nodoka shook her head looking at the door one of her potential daughter-in-laws left through. She wasn't high on Nodoka's list of preferences, but she was in front of Sakura. "That she does. Though she used to go through walls rather then doors. My son does have a tendency to attract some quite enthusiastic and often colourful admirers. Akane dear, I do have another outfit that may show off your slender waist a little more. It's a tad more risqué than this one, though far more modest than what some competitors are choosing."
The youngest Tendo girl looked down at her outfit and then glanced out the door Shampoo had left through, pulling the material of her outfit against her and out again in indecision.
Nabiki spoke up and settled the matter, "You can just try it on and see if it works Akane, if not, go back to this one."
*****
Nabiki, Ranma and Akane sat around the table, the girls listening as Ranma spoke of when Shampoo had first come to Juban after him. Shampoo had found out the 'girl Ranma' was living here, and had attacked his mother for hiding the female him from her, which was when he accidentally knocked her out, this time in male form, becoming her 'Airen'. The girls listened in near amazement as he went on, explaining the ordeal of Shampoo's memory erasure technique she used on his mother. Shampoo offered Genma and Ranma the cure in trade for help killing 'girl Ranma', and after Genma blew his own plan and Shampoo was about to decapitate the bound and tied Ranma-chan, Nodoka instinctively tried to save him. Ranma was freed and after she showed she was also the male Ranma, Shampoo had left. Nodoka had managed to regained her memory through a secret technique Genma claimed to have used. Ranma was obviously still annoyed at not knowing how his father had fixed his wife's memory... and he told the girls with confusion obvious on his face how his mother had ordered him to not succumb to Shampoo's technique, that Genma's cure wouldn't work on him.
The three had been chatting since Nodoka had taken measurements off Akane and went to prepare the alternate outfit. Kasumi had quickly followed her with an offer to help when Nabiki had turned to her in preparation for some teasing about 'Airens' and 'crazy love dances'.
As Ranma's story wound down, Nabiki's business mind directed the conversation onto some ventures this weekend was offering. "So Ranma, what do you think my little sisters chances are this weekend?"
He glanced at Akane before looking back at Nabiki, "I expect that only Sakura and Shampoo can take her, but I reckon she'll do well if they don't get drawn early. Sakura tends to cheat and fight dirty, but Akane's better than her in fighting. Shampoo... she's good and she's never had the chance to go all out on me before so I don't know how good she is, but her Grandmother taught me some of my best moves, so she could be real good there."
The younger sister was smiling tightly, her eyes nearly glowing, "I can take her. She was picking on my waist because she's scared that I nearly took you down. I can take her."
Pleased that sister was going to do well in the tourney, Nabiki moved onto her more pressing concern. "You nearly took Ranma down? As in, you haven't beaten him yet?"
Akane blushed lightly, "Well, not in sparing, no. But I got him beat at the breakfast table."
Ranma grinned a challenge at her. "Only till Saturday, Akane. Then that title is mine."
"You wish Ranma, I am the champion of breakfast, and will be for a long time."
Nabiki watched the two teasingly posturing, but couldn't sit back when she was so close to a nice big load of easy yen. "If Ranma can take you Akane, then he can take Kuno. So you won't mind if I invite Kuno to see the tournament, will you?"
Her sister however looked back at her horrified. "No! No, Nabiki. It's been so good to be without him for these weeks. You can't tell him where I am."
Nabiki held up her hand to stop her sister’s panicked voice. "Akane, he's going to know you're in Juban eventually. He's been offering two hundred thousand yen for your new address, and has even hired a private investigator that tried asking us for where you are. And you know he likes to watched televised fights and think he is there fighting them, he's going to know your in Juban now anyway when he sees you on the weekend. At least if I tell him, we get some money into the house. It sounds like Ranma can take him anyway."
Ranma nodded as Nabiki finished. "If you can beat him, I can Akane. If he starts pestering you, I'll give him some lumps to change his mind."
"Idiot, when he comes after me, he wants to date me. I've seen his killing moves Ranma, Toma and his friends were as good as me and they couldn't stand up to Kuno when he thought I had married him."
The pigtailed boy went pale and his voice was rushed, "What?! Who had married you?"
Akane proceeded to tell the tale of last summer when it was really hot she had been convinced to take Kuno up on his offer of a yacht cruise because Nabiki and the rest of her family wanted to get away from the heat. Toma and his men of Togenkyou Island had kidnapped her and the other girls on the trip. Toma had used his illusion powers to defeat Kuno in their first fight but in the second Kuno tore through him and knocked him out before he could really consider what he was going to do. It was only that Akane held Kuno back that stopped him from killing Toma, but then in a fight with Toma's men, Kuno did so much collateral damage he made the entire island collapse in on itself. They all made it to boats as the island sunk. Even Nabiki looked a bit worried at the memories of what had happened then.
Ranma had an odd look in his eye as he took it in. He was surprised at the nervousness this guy inspired in him, but it was already fading at the thought of a challenger of such calibre, it was kind of appealing. But he also knew he couldn't have any fights with such potential damage from recklessness in the streets of Juban. "Akane, if this guy is gonna show up anyway, you may as well know when he's coming, and we can try and make sure any fights we have are formal challenges. That way we can avoid the accidents of street fighting."
Shoulders slumping, Akane looked at her friend and her sister for a moment, her face showing that she would prefer he not know at all where she was. Finally she spoke angrily, "Argh, why can't he just stay out of my life?"
"Kuno will fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat for a pretty girl, Akane. But it seems you he isn't going to give up on. Just let me tell him, and like Ranma said, we can control when and where he be," Nabiki said, smirking.
"I don't know Nabiki, what if..." Akane was interrupted when Aunty Saotome called her to come upstairs. As she stood up she shrugged, "Let me think about it."
The two watched her quickly leave, the leggings of her outfit fluttering as she moved. Nabiki looked back at Ranma and smirked as he was still watching her sister.
"She's got great legs, doesn't she?"
"Hmm" he agreed with a nod, before suddenly realising and blushing, "Ah, I wasn't..."
Nabiki laughed out loud that he'd even try denying it.
He was still blushing as she wound down her laughter but decided to change the subject from him being a pervert. "So tell me about this Kuno guy, what's he like? If he comes in trying to bully Akane for a date I'm gonna have to challenge him."
Nabiki considered asking for a little payment, but realised if Ranma thought he could take him, he could help Akane let her tell Kuno where she was. She began explaining how Kuno used to be an arrogant jerk, but when he got that magic wishing sword, he became so tough and skilled. He had begun trying to force Akane on dates and into an engagement. Nabiki was surprised by the angry scowl on his face whenever she mentioned something Kuno had tried to do anything to Akane, he even cracked his knuckles at one point.
Still listening to Nabiki, Ranma jumped when Nodoka, Kasumi, and Akane returned, not that Ranma noticed his mother or the older sister as he looked over Akane. She was in a similar outfit to the last, but this one consisted of a short black pleated skirt, still showing a lot of her thighs, with a smaller sleeveless crimson silk shirt, once again with gold trim and ties, and the black stallion rearing on the back. Though this one was tighter on her lithe frame, hugging her chest and upper stomach, then cut off an inch below her breasts, showing off her smooth skin over muscled stomach and narrow waist.
The women looked at Akane with various nods, though Kasumi was still a little wary of it being a little revealing for the public. But the three followed Akane's gaze back to Ranma, who was staring at her body, nodding slowly in approval.
Nabiki smirked, drawing a hanky from her pocket and reaching to dab at Ranma's mouth, as if wiping away drool. "Looks like you have Ranma's vote, Akane."
He flinched, then glanced guiltily around the women watching him, before returning his gaze to Akane, who was blushing at the attention, "Hey, it wasn't like that. It looks... real nice, Akane."
Nabiki was putting her handkerchief away and looked at Akane again, and spoke knowing she was making her sisters choice for her. But Akane always had been a little prudish, "Shampoo will have a fit when she sees you Akane. You going to wear it?"
Any doubt in Akane's mind fled as she glanced at the door Shampoo had left through, her lips in a predatory smile, "Oh yes, this is great. Ranma, would you like to do some light sparing? Make sure we can fight in these?"
With a sharp nod, Ranma followed her out.
"Don't get those outfits dirty you two." Nodoka called after them.
*****
The middle sister looked over at the clock, which said that it was nearly midnight. Nabiki was sharing the guest room with Akane, while Kasumi was downstairs in Auntie's room. She smiled as her sister described the events from the massage Shampoo had interrupted weeks before. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a long gossip talk with her baby sister, it was actually a lot of fun. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear any more about something Ranma did again. Her sister was going to have a fit when she found out Ranma was her fiancé, but she had given her word to Aunty she wouldn't let spill just yet. But nothing in that oath said she couldn't have a little fun.
"... then Aunty explained how her husband had hidden condoms all through his room. I was so embarrassed about it all..."
"You were more embarrassed that you had jumped to the conclusion that he wanted to sleep with you, than that he saw you in just panties? Akane the pervert hater letting a boy put his hands on her and see her near naked, what would Kuno say?"
Akane blushed, "It wasn't... I didn't... Ranma's been a complete gentleman about that. He had the perfect opportunity to have a look and he quickly covered his eyes. I can trust him, unlike Kuno." That last word was said with feeling.
Grinning, Nabiki leaned in. "Yes, Kasumi said she found the two of you sharing a bath the morning after you got here." The middle Tendo kept her voice light, so as to encourage Akane to continue with her confidences.
"It was an accident, the towels just fell as Kasumi looked in. And Ranma immediately covered his eyes." Akane defended, blushing more.
Inwardly, Nabiki was relieved to know that Ranma wasn't being perverted around her sister. She and Kasumi had begun to wonder if their sister would ever feel comfortable around boys, what with all the daily stress Akane had had to face at school and the demolishing of the Hentai Horde. It would have been just too much had Ranma proven himself to be as much of a pervert as any of the others who had been after Akane, although his efforts at watching her today, and her acceptance had been very telling of their attraction. Nabiki's eyes flashed, hiding her inner thoughts as she gently replied, "Oh, I'm sure it was just an accident. But I want to know what our dear sister simply blushed at when I asked."
Akane looked at her sister quizzically, trying to figure out where she was going with this.
Grining, Nabiki shifted her knees closer to her sister, "Just as he got a look at you, you got a look at...?"
Reaching a new high level of blush, Akane shook her head. "No, Nabiki. Forget it. I'm not going there. No way."
Nabiki pouted, "Come on Sis, share?"
"Nabiki, no. I can't."
The older sister grinned as her sister's eyes unfocused, seeing something in her mind's eye, still blushing. "Okay, Akane. I'll just have to ask him about it in the morning." That comment was made with a determined smirk. Nabiki knew exactly which buttons to push on her sister.
"Don't you dare."
. "Why not Sis? It's only fair that if the other Tendo sisters have seen it, all of us should…" Nabiki giggled at Akane
"Nabiki, don't you dare."
"Okay, okay. You know, with how defensive you are of him, I'd have to wonder if you two decided that Ranma's promise not to be intimate with girls doesn't apply to non-fiancées?" It was fun being able to tease Akane about a boy, and especially a cute well-built boy like Ranma. It was even funnier considering the fact that the two still didn't know that they were actually engaged to each other.
Akane blushed more at the thought before grabbing her pillow and stammering heated denials punctuated with pillow blows.
Eventually the pillow fight wound down, Nabiki succumbing to a vicious tickle attack till she agreed to a smug Akane that she wouldn't ask. Quickly coming up with another plan and getting to her feet, Nabiki put on her bath robe over her pink silk pyjamas and walked to the door. Opening it, she looked back when Akane asked her what she was doing, "I'm just getting a drink of water. Kitchen's in the next room right?"
Without waiting for the answer, she grinned like the Cheshire cat and closed the door.
Akane looked at the door for a few seconds before it all clicked. The kitchen was downstairs, the next room was Ranma's!
Yanking the door open hard, Akane rushed out into the hall, her yellow pyjamas making wisping sounds as she moved. Seeing that Ranma's door was open, she looked into the room dimly lit with light from outside the window and saw Nabiki already within, beside the bed, looking back at her with a finger on her lips, the other hand gently drawing back the covers from the sleeping boy.
Stepping lightly but hastily, Akane crossed to grab Nabiki's arm, just as it dragged the covers down exposing Ranma's chest, clad in his black singlet, lying on his side. Akane's voice was a harsh whisper, "Nabiki, stop i..."
Both girls froze as Ranma grumbled something and turned to lie on his back. The two girls just watched him for a few moments, not breathing, waiting for him to wake up to find them in here. Slowly the two exhaled as they realised he was still asleep.
"Come on, Nabiki." Akane whispered as she began to drag her sister out of the room.
Nabiki tried to shake off the grip of her stronger sister before she set her feet and whispered back, "Let me go or I'll scream."
"You won't."
"Will! And I'll tell him you dragged me in here."
Akane flushed red, knowing her sister's talent for twisting a situation. "Don't you dare."
The taller girl’s eyes looked over at the sleeping boy, still lying on his back with his face up, before looking back at her sister with a smirk. "I'm looking, Sis."
"No way, I can't let you do that, Nabiki."
Nabiki eyed her sister for a long moment, "Okay, I won't look... if you kiss him."
"What!?"
Both girls froze and looked at the bed, but both sighed when the boy in there was still not reacting to Akane's loud whisper.
"Either you kiss him or I look. He's facing up, you just have to lean over and kiss him. He won't even wake up." Nabiki whispering back.
Akane looked at Ranma's lips for a few seconds before slowly shaking her head. "No. Nabiki, he'd wake up."
Nabiki broke her sister's weakened grip on her hands, "Then I get to look."
"No."
"Then kiss him."
Akane winced, completely torn on the two options being given. One completely unacceptable and the other... He'd wake up, she was sure of it. She gave a sigh and stepped past her sister. "Okay Sis, you win."
Stepping up she looked down at the handsome martial artist as he slept, his head facing straight up. As she leant down, part of her mind ran through how the hell she was going to explain this to him when he woke up, but she kept on leaning down, driven by the lack of choice from Nabiki's demand, and the small piece of her mind that wanted to do this.
She stopped a scant inch from his lips, his exhale brushing over her lips, triggering a shiver down her spine. Her mind whirled with fears, of him waking, of one or even all of the fiancées bursting in, of Aunty or even her Father suddenly walking by... but none of those things were happening. As she closed the distance, she was shocked at the feel of hands on her hip. Her eyes widened in fear as she was pulled over her sister's leg, tripping her down on Ranma's low bed.
Akane heard Nabiki give a giggling squeal of mirth as she dashed from Ranma's bedroom, but her mind locked up as she saw Ranma move below her. His arms flashed quickly to grab her, before softening to cradle her body as he rolled the pair of them. Akane's motion stopped with a thump as rather than landing on Ranma, he brought her down on the other side of the bed to him, holding her facing him, her legs draped over his.
Still in the hall waiting for Ranma's questions and her sister's excuses, Nabiki frowned when nothing was happening. Peeking in she saw Akane, whose red face obvious even in the dark was looking straight at Ranma's face, which was away from her so she couldn't see his reaction. Realising that the pose the two were making was an opportunity too good to miss, she darted back to Akane's room.
Akane looked in horror at Ranma. Her face felt like it was on fire she was so embarrassed and this wasn't helped by the warmth from his body as she lay on and was held against him. Her mouth worked several times trying to come up with any explanation for why she was in his bed, but locked open when Ranma murmured something. She tried to come up with a reasonable answer to his question but then realised she hadn't heard him properly to answer him.
"Ah, Ranma? Can you say that again? I couldn't hear it?" she said gently, unnerved that he hadn't opened his eyes yet.
"...smell nice, Akane." He murmured, a slight smile on his face as he moved his head against his pillow.
Her eyes opened wider in wonder as she realised he was still mainly asleep. 'Thank the Kami!' Slowly she began to get up, gently picking up his hand from her and laying it back on his hip. Leaning up, she was about to try and climb free when he rolled back onto his back under her, stopping her while she prayed he didn't wake.
"...you, Akane-chan."
Akane stoped still, her eyes wide as she watched him below her, his lips smiling. What had he said? Slowly she bent down, nearly lying on him, and whispered. "What was that, Ranma?"
He smiled wider in his dream and mumbled some more. His chin rose and his lips pursed up towards Akane.
She had no idea what to do, her emotions churning. Did he dream of kissing her? What had he said in the dream? He called me Akane-chan... Even as her emotions and thoughts stormed inside, her own lips pursed as if to kiss him.
*Click*
*Flash*
Looking over in horror she, made out her sister Nabiki was holding something in front of her face when a second flash went off nearly blinding her. Jolting into action she rose to get her sister but her foot slipped on the bed sheet and she fell heavily on Ranma below her. She looked at him in horror as again his arms encircled her, holding her against his warm body again and rolling them onto their side.
Akane was looking at Ranma's face now, her back to Nabiki from this side of the bed, amazed as he continued to mumble lightly, his eyes closed. Yet another flash behind her reminded her of the other problem in this predicament, and she began to try and twist in his arms, trying to gently get herself out of his grip without waking the slumbering boy.
Nabiki smiled and held the button on the camera, the flash pounding light into the room as more photos were taken of the hapless girl struggling in the sleeping boys arms. She whispered to her sister, her amusement obvious, "Oh Akane, work it baby. You are such a bad girl." She almost cried out with mirth as in shifting around in Ranma's arms, one of Ranma's hands moved again, holding her chest, the flash capturing Akane's wide eyes.
Akane felt the grip change, firmly holding her breast as the flash went off again, and heard his murmured words, "Your so soft, Akane-chan." Akane's face was blank for several moments before her face went bright red, from both anger and embarrassment and she turned on the obviously awake pervert.
Seeing her model turn angry, Nabiki darted out of the room, intent on hiding the film before her sister could hurt her sleeping partner, free herself, and catch up. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get to use this film but it would be good for a laugh later anyway.
Akane turned enough to look at Ranma with a glare and threw an elbow back at his face, sucking in breath to give him a piece of her mind. Her words stuck in her mouth as her quick elbow was blocked, Ranma suddenly turning right over in his sleep, his shoulder rising to knock her elbow high. Suddenly freed from his arms and pulling back from her missed strike, she found herself off balanced and gave an 'eep' as she fell from the bed with a heavy thump.
Anger still in control, Akane flipped to her feet and moved to punch him again, but stopped and looked at him. He wasn't giving off any battle aura. He was still asleep? How could anyone sleep through that? Finally her eyes softened and she reached down and brought his blanket back over him.
Akane slipped silently out of Ranma's room, shutting the door. Out in the hall, her nightclothes straightened once again, she set off in search of her sister with a strong urge to stick that camera somewhere permanent.
Back in the darkness of Ranma's room, the pigtailed martial artist dreamt of a warm girl in his arms, a temperamental young woman with short black hair and dark brown eyes.
(To be continued)
The Nabiki entrance scene was reworked from the original scene notes of Tom Wrench. Also thanks to Sakurabana for her assistance in getting the girl talk to flow more fluidly.
Special thanks goes out to Sakurabana, Yukatado, Bessie Chow and Moon Klutz for assisting with the tournament outfits. Though I still have a need few more for various competitors.
Reviews, emails, ideas and recommendations are all very welcome.
Thank you for reading.
Trent O'Donoghue
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http://www.geocities.com/odonoghuet/index.html