Genom Research Presents A Suika Roberts Fanfic Tip Warnings and Disclaimers in Part 0. Day Five: I wake, pressed under the warm weight of my beloved, and wonder for a moment where I am, who's futon this is, then realize that it's Ukyou's, and her shop, and her waist I've still got my legs wrapped around. She wakes with a soft shriek, calming quickly as I run soft hands over her shoulders. `Hey, it's OK, I'm here, it's OK,' I whisper over and over as her breathing slows. `Thanks,' she murmurs at last, `I don't think I've ever had that happen before.' `What, screaming about waking up with a girl in your bed?' `Exactly,' she bends down to kiss me, and I capture her invading tongue between gentle teeth, stroking my own against it. After a few moments I let her have it back, and she nibbles lightly at my nose in retaliation. I'm sure the goofiest happy look is on my face. - `You sure you'll get to school on time? I can be late if I need to be.' Kodachi smiles that wonderful smile I've been seeing recently, and I glory for a moment in the warm happy feeling it generates. `I'll be fine, I'll change when I get to school, and they won't hassle me too much.' `I'll feel better if you let me walk with you,' the words are out of my mouth before I can censor them. `Thanks, I'd like that, if it isn't any trouble,' and her choice of phrase lets me know it is only a token protest. Her arm brushes my shoulder every few steps the first little bit, then she turns to me with a mischievous look on her face, `Race you,' before taking off, bounding onto the closest rooftop before I can fully parse the words, then to a next before I can begin to respond. Her three house lead has shrunk to not quite three meters by the time we get within sight of St. Hebedeke, and I overtake her at the very end. `You went easy on me,' she gasps accusingly. `Me?' I ask, my breathing quite steady, `Guess so.' `Thanks,' she touches my shoulder before stepping though the gate. I glance at the flury of students and suppress the urge to cuss, then take off at full speed for Fuurinkan. The gate is just closing as I leap the wall, and once more I have reason to be thankful that the third floor windows are never latched. I'm only a few moments late, all told, and Hinako-sensei just scowls at me. `I'll need to talk to you after class, young person,' she growls. [the phrase often translated as young man / young woman / whippersnapper, `wakai mono' is lit. `young thing', and has no gender at all ^_^ --S] `Hai, sensei.' - `Well, Ranma, did you have fun?' `Of course, didn't you?' `Yeah, but I noticed a lack of marks on you, so I thought I'd ask.' `One doesn't need to get hurt to have fun, it just makes it easier.' `Oh?' `Yeah.' - `Come with me,' Akane says, her voice harder than normal. I wonder for a moment what she's up to, then follow. - She smiles as I turn to look at her, the most lovely look on her face. I hope she'll like this. - She leads me where I rather expected her to, and I wonder for a moment why this storage room always seems to be empty, other than us sukebe, that is. She opens the door, grabs me by the arm, and practically throws me into the room. I skid a little bit on my feet, then turn to look at her, warm tingling feelings flowing through my body like honey or something. Maybe motor oil, if it wasn't so greally. I smile at her, desire burning softly through my veins as I watch her approach. `Down, on the mat,' she tells me. I blink at her tone, `Akane?' `Do it,' she growls, sounding almost like Ryouga when he's trying to kill me again. `Are you OK?' I reach for her, wondering if this could be why I'm feeling such agitation from her. The slap is completely unexpected. It catches me across the face, knocking me off my feet. I stay down, not wanting to provoke her as I try to figure out what is going on. - I glance at my hand, shocked at what I just did. Ranma has her face cupped in her hand, a scared look on it. `Why?' the voice is so small for a moment I wonder if it is mine. A moment disabuses me of that notion, as Ranma starts to cry softly, quiet tears dripping down her face. - It takes me a long moment to realize why my face is wet, and I look down when I finally do. Akane is quiet, her silence making the cold lump wrapped around my heart grow heavier and tighter with each passing moment. - I stand there, stunned, unable to move, as my thoughts run in small circles, chasing swirls through my mind, with no indication that they will ever stop. This deadlock breaks when Ranma slumps to the mat, her shoulders starting to shake as she sobs. A few words, a slap, and she's crying. I feel sick when I realize what the feeling in my chest is. Part of me is happy, for I've finally beaten her, but most of me is yelling and screaming to do something about the horribly lost look on her face. I drop to my knees beside her, then place a hand on her shoulder to try and gather her up against me. She shivers, then rolls back, away from my touch, `What do you want? You willing to talk now?' `Please,' I look at her again, note that her face is once again its normal pale cream, `Tell me what's wrong?' `You should be smart enough to figure that out, but, you drag me off to here, giving off agitated vibes like they're going out of style, then throw me in, and that's all fine. Then,' she shakes her head, tears falling in picturesque arcs. I slip over closer to her, and this time I manage to gather her into my arms. She struggles a little bit, then relaxes. I stroke her hair, `Then?' She snuggles closer to me, her face tucked to my neck, `The words carry weight that mere battery can't. I can cope with people beating on me a whole lot easier than I can with you just calling me a pervert, or with what you just said, although the way you said it was worse than what was said. The slap was just the icing on the cake, you know?' I stroke her back with soft hands, `It was just a game, I didn't mean it, I thought you'd like it,' now I'm almost sobbing, so I press my face to her neck. `That only works if I know that it's a game. You didn't bother to tell me anything about it, so all I could think is that,' she shakes her head against my shoulder, `I don't know what to think. Please, just don't do that again without making sure that I know it's a game, OK?' I nod, my chin brushing against her back. She relaxes a little bit, wrapping her arms around me. - Akane relaxes as I hug her tightly, very glad to have this worked, at least a little bit, out. I shift, pressing my face to her neck, kissing her softly, the warm tingly feeling of arousal filling me again, and I press her back against the mat. `If this is OK,' I ask, stroking her side through her thin blouse. - I look up at her through my lashes, a faintly queasy feeling in my gut. I want to be close to her, but I don't know if I want this right now. `Let me just hold you, OK?' - I nod, just a little disappointed, before wrapping her more firmly in my arms. I smile at her, then tuck my head back under her chin and close my eyes. - `Saotome-kun, this behavior cannot continue.' `What behavior, sensei?' I ask the small woman in front of me, one of the very few people smaller than I am. `This taking off from class to play with your friends. If it weren't for the fact that you are a very responcible young person I'd be very worried by this.' `And why is that?' `One of my friends from school would sneek out of class to spend time with her boyfriend, when I was in high school. Actually, several of my friends would, but only one of them told me that she got pregnant. There was quite an uproar, and she eventually aborted the child. She didn't take it very well,' Hinako-sensei has an unusually serious look on her face, `And I really would prefer not to have to try to help anyone deal with that, OK?' `If I was doing something like that, I'd be careful, but I ain't, so I ain't, OK?' `Gotcha. I haven't seen you as a boy all week, I wonder why,' she smiles a funny smile. I watch it for a moment, trying to figure out what it means, `Oh,' I say, suddenly knowing she's letting me know that she knows. I nod, `Indeed.' Hinako-sensei nods back, then turns to go. `Wait, I got somthing I'd like to show you.' `What is that?' `Oh, I learned a new shiatsu technique from Shanpuu's great-grandmother recently. I thought you might be interested.' She looks up at me, considering. I give her my best "trust me" smile. `Sure, I'll bite,' she replies, what seems to be a "let's see what the trap is" look on her face. `I'd prefer just a little bit more privacy.' `What, gonna have your wicked way with the poor defenseles teacher?' `No, how could you even,' She cuts me off with a laugh, `Thought so,' then bounces along towards her office. The office is tiny, cluttered with books, papers, and manga. I glance at the manga, recognizing a few of them. `So, what is this technique Ranma-kun?' I note the less formal address, `It's been an Amazon secret for over a thousand years, she said, and was originally developed to incapacitate one's enemies, which it does pretty well.' `Oh?' `Here,' I strike a dozen spots in less than two seconds, then step back a little bit as she sags back against the desk. `Oh,' she murmurs softly, `I can see why, this feels absolutely wonderful,' she lets her head fall backwards a little bit, a soft smile on her face. `Doesn't it?' I lean back against her door, the knob pressing against my ribs. `What's it called?' `Obaba called it a shiatsu satiation point.' `As in sexual, I'd guess,' her smile quirks up a little, and she snorts softly. `Yeah. What's the snort for?' She shakes her head, then bites her lip and looks up at me, `I really shouldn't be talking to you about this, but,' she looks down at her twisting hands. `You don't have to, and really shouldn't if you don't want to.' `I want to talk to someone, and you volunteered, so,' she shakes her head again, `You know my physiology is a little odd, right?' `That's kinda obvious, you know,' I smile to try and lessen any sting to the words. `Well,' she looks down again, `this is so embarrassing,' she brings her head up to look me straight in the eyes, `I can't stay in my other form long enough to get off, and while it feels quite fine to touch myself in this one I never get anywhere, just a building sense of anticipation about something that I've never felt.' I blink at her, sure that if I had this kinda problem I'd never talk to anyone about it at all. `My friends in school would go on and on about how nice it was, but I'd always kinda figured they were exagerating,' her smile turns crooked, `Guess they weren't.' `The satiation spot isn't as nice as having sex with someone who loves you, but it is better than, apparently, a lot of women ever experience, just from the stats I've seen.' `Well, that's a bit of a comfort,' her smile twitches a little, quirking up to one side, `So, can you teach me?' `Sure, I can, but you'd probably do better to learn it from Obaba, she's less likely to scramble it, since I only learned it yesterday.' `Ah,' she looks down, `Um, Ranma,' I blink at the even more familiar address. `Could you do that again?' when she looks up at me her eyes are large and soft, a faint quaver to her voice as she speaks, a longing. `Sure,' my fingers dance over her again, and she sags softly against the desk, `Um, could I ask a personal question?' `Sure,' she giggles, `You've already got me begging for more, so why not?' `What were you sick with?' `The doctors had no idea. I was just wasting away, and they couldn't find anything wrong with me.' `And then Happosai came along, and you just as mysteriously got better.' `Yep,' she smiles softly, lazing against the desk like a nice, fat, happy lizard. `Then maybe we could reverse Happosai's process and you'd be normal again.' `Or more normal.' Hinako looks contemplative, `That takes a month, right?' `Yeah.' `And, at least it seems, if we stop early things just stay the same.' `So it would appear.' `Lets do it. Worst case, we don't notice that whatever was eating me is still around until after the month's out, and I have a few years as an almost normal adult to spend.' `You sure?' `Yeah, I'm sure.' I step up close to her, then press my fingers to the trigger spots, four on her buttock and three on her breast. After a moment I let them go. She shakes herself, then turns back to face me, `Thank you, Ranma,' she tells me, then leans forward and plants a kiss on my lips, her own staying closed. `Don't mention it,' I tell her, brushing my lips with my fingers. - `Hey,' I turn to look at Utchan. *when did I start calling her that?* `We need to talk about this, so, could I take you out someplace, buy you dinner?' `That'd be fine.' `Good; I knew Ranchan wouldn't turn down food, but I wasn't so sure about you.' - `We're going to a nice resteraunt, so I'd like you to dress up for it.' `We?' I ask Utchan, curious. `You, me, Akane.' `What kind?' `Normal Japanese food.' `OK. When?' `Seven.' `You'll come by to pick us up?' `Of course.' - `Good Afternoon!' Kodachi greets us, a happy note to her voice. She drops lightly from the wall to the sidewalk in front of us. I smile in instinctive reply, remembering the wonderful feel of her body under mine. `Good afternoon, Kodachi-chan,' Ranma greets, stepping into the tall girl's personal space. With a soft smile she stretches up to kiss the point of her jaw. Kodachi's face almost melts, she seems so happy. Not to be outdone I step forward, then enfold them both in a tight hug. Ranma twists a little in my arms and plants a wonderful, soft, lingering kiss against my shoulder, then Kodachi kisses my cheek. All three of us stagger as my knees go weak. - Akane's stagger at Kodachi's kiss is just too much, and I break into soft giggles. Kodachi joins me almost instantly, and then Akane a few moments later. I clutch both young women firmly, wonderfully happy. After a while Akane loosens her grip, so I step back a little and ask, `What brings you by, Kodachi-chan?' `I wanted to see the both of you. I was hoping perhaps we could do something together, or something,' her soft voice drops to almost inaudible as she speaks. `Hmm, Utchan asked us on a date this evening, but I don't think she'd mind if you came along. I'll call when we get home, OK?' Akane rests one hand on Kodachi's shoulder, her thumb making small circles on her collarbone. I wonder if she knows she's doing it. `Thank you,' Kodachi's eyes glimmer, and her voice quavers a little bit. I wrap her in a firm hug, `Don't mention it.' - `Hey,' `Akane?' `Yep. Kodachi met us on the way home, and we're wondering if she can come with us this evening?' `Mmm,' I can almost hear her thoughts running around trying to find a way out, `Sure, that'd be great.' The real enthusiasm in her voice shocks me, and so it takes me a little bit to find my train of thought, `Thanks, this means a lot to her.' `What got into her, do you know? She's normally so brash and haughty, and now she seems so meek.' `Those guys, they had her pinned and one of them already had his pants open.' `oh. Shit. You did hurt them really bad, right?' `Took one out with a steel can to the forehead, the one with his pants open took a hit to his back near his kidney, broke most of one's ribs, shattered another's thigh, and broke both of the last one's arms. They should be out of trouble for a little while.' `That's good,' Utchan's voice says that she's not so sure. `Kodachi's good, and they looked like they'd done this before.' `True,' Utchan's voice is soft, `I'll be by at seven. Wear something you can fight in, since we won't have time to take a bus if we're gonna make our seven thirty reservation.' `And you can call and tell them it'll be four?' `Thanks, wouldn't want to forget. Ja ne,' she says, then softer, `Suki yo.' `Ja ne,' I hang up the phone, a pleasant warmth in my belly. - Kasumi and my mother aren't quite making out at the kitchen table as I prepare a small snack for the five of us, but it is a really close thing. The two of them are sitting really close, thighs and shoulders brushing as they pretend to look over a cookbook, hands fluttering easily over each other. Kodachi watched for a while as I got things out, then she decided to help me. Or something. I let my head loll back, brushing against her shoulder, as she steps up close behind me again, pressing me up against the counter as she reaches to add the celery to the small stir-fry I'm working on. `Ranma,' she says, in a very soft voice, `I,' I stir the food for a few minutes, waiting, as she just stands behind me, holding me close. `I think it's done,' I say at last, giving the food one last stir before turning it off. I walk carefully towards the door of the kitchen, making sure that Kodachi can easily accompany me. Akane enters before I can get ten steps, `Food done yet?' she asks, bending to give me a firm kiss. I gasp when she breaks it, getting a faceful of shirt when she stretches slightly to kiss Kodachi, `Feeling OK?' `Yes,' Kodachi says, `Since I'm with you,' the sincerity in her voice wrenches at me. - I can't help it, I start to cry at her words. I pull her towards me, getting a protesting squawk from Ranma, who squashes pleasantly between us. I let go quickly, then Ranma pulls us both back into a hug. - `Yeah, I know, it's a little silly, but I can't help it. I just ain't used to anyone telling me that, OK?' I hide my face against Kodachi's shirt, surprised at the extreme reaction I'm having to her simple words. *Really, someone telling you they love you shouldn't make you cry. It didn't before.* `I used to say it all the time, and you never cried then,' she prods gently. `I guess I just didn't believe you then.' A sudden strangled noise makes me look up, and I just catch a glimpse of shimmer before she presses her head to my shoulder. `Shh, it's OK, I'm here, shh. I won't let anyone I can stop hurt you, ever, OK?' `Thank you,' she manages, her voice a little choked. `HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO AKANE?!?' a familiar voice yells from behind me. - I look up at the shouted words, `Ryouga-kun! Where have you been?' He ignores me completely, charging towards Ranma, `FOR THIS I'LL KILL YOU!!' Ranma disengages herself gently from Kodachi, pausing to kiss her on the forehead as she stands, `Akane's right here, maybe you should ask her.' `YOU!' Ranma dodges a quick punch, `Let's take this outside where we won't destroy the house, OK?' and leaps out the window. `SHI SHI,' I step in between Ryouga and the window. `AKAne,' Ryouga's roar falters in mid-word. `What are you doing?' I ask him, `Can't I sit in my own room with two of my own girlfriends without someone barging in to try and kill one of them? And in my name, no less?' `I'm gonna punish that two-timing slime,' he growls, starting to step around me. `It's more than that by now, but,' I step to block him as he growls and sets himself to charge forward, `what is it you have against Ranma anyway? I thought he tormented you, but even when he doesn't you're a real creep anyway.' `I, I, I, He,' Ryouga stammers incoherently. `What, did he steal your girlfriend?' Ryouga's eyes roll back in his head and I have to step out of the way as he falls over. - `What was that?' Akane asks as I hop back in the window, vaugely amused by the sight of Ryouga passed out on the floor. `He thinks he's in love with you,' I tell her, `And he followed me to China and pretty much blames me for everything that happened there and since.' `Oh,' she says, `I'll have to talk to him more when he wakes up, then.' `That'd probably be good. Try not to kill him, he's just scared, not really evil.' Akane gives me a funny look, then walks out of the room. I sink down next to Kodachi, `I'm sorry 'bout this, I really try to avoid the fights.' `It's OK, you are really good, and I know you'll be safe,' and she leans forward and kisses me. - `I can't believe that that, that, that, pervert! would think I'd,' I seethe loudly as I storm down the street towards Utchan's. A car honks at me, so I turn to glare at it, quite gratified when it coughs and dies, leaving its owner to try and get it started again. Ranma's words from earlier echo in my head, *he's a little dense, yeah, but who didn't notice that her pet pig and her friend the wandering martial artist had such striking similarities?* *she's right. What else am I missing?* - `Hey, P-chan, we should have you back to normal in another six changes or so, but really, did you have to say that? You know how she gets when she's annoyed, right?' `Yeah, but,' ^Splash^ `bwee,' ^Splash^ `How was I to know she'd get so,' ^Splash^ `Perhaps the same way you knew better than to actually tell her how you felt?' ^Splash^ his femur has almost completely healed now, `But I didn't, I was just,' ^Splash^ `Afraid she wouldn't like you and call you a pervert?' ^Splash^ *good, the hard tissue damage is healed* `But,' ^Splash^ `You might want to get lost for a little while. She'll calm down, don't worry.' The little black pig nods sadly, then gets to his feet and walks out the door. I blink in shock. - `Utchan,' I whine, stepping behind the counter and wrapping my arms around the tall girl, `Did you know that Ryouga,' I sniffle a little, and shift to keep from leaking on her clean shirt, `is P-chan?' `You didn't?' `Would I have let him sleep in my bed if I did?' `So you're not as much of a pervert as I thought. How disappointing,' she turns to one of the customers, `Hai, o-machi.' I can't help it; I start laughing at her tone. After a few minutes I let her go and step back, `Thanks.' `Glad I could help. You planning on wearing that?' I glance down at my outfit, then up at the clock, `I might have too, I don't have time to get home.' `Try upstairs, in my closet, box labeled "Girl's clothes," something in there'll probably fit. `Oh? And who did they belong to?' `Girls I went out with. They kept leaving things, and after the first three or four I stopped trying to give them back.' `Hun.' - `So, how does that fit?' `Pretty good. The waist is a little tight, but the rest is fine.' I stroke my fingers along the seams, trying to gauge the stress, `It should hold,' I continue to stroke her, lightly entranced by the way she trembles. `Do you like it?' `I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't, but, yeah, it looks really good on you,' I smile at her as I meet her eyes in the mirror. - Some of the clothes are large, probably too big even for Kasumi, while others are tiny, and I wonder how many girlfriends my Utchan has had. *and, while we're at it, how well she knew them.* *This* I hold the small, reddish purple dress up, *is wonderful. Why was it left here?* I look it over carefully, then stand near the mirror to get a feel for whether I can wear it. It looks good, so I give it a good sniff to make sure Utchan's washed it, *Good, just soap.* - `Mmm, and what are you going to wear?' `I don't know. That black one just looks so good on you,' I shake my head, running my scant wardrobe through my head. `How about this green one?' Kodachi pulls a long-skirted almost Chinese style dress out of the closet. *Where did this come from?* I take it from her hands, turning to look in the mirror, *probably a larger one would be nice, but* I shift and wiggle, managing to get a fair idea of what the dress looks like. *Maybe the old woman got it for me, or Shanpuu. Either would be good* `Very nice,' Kodachi interupts my train of thought, reaching to finger the thick quilted silk brocade. `Yes, I think so too,' I shuck down, pleased by the entranced way Kodachi's eyes follow my every move. The dress fits perfectly, just tight enough to show off my quite remarkable curves, yet not so tight as to be really uncomfortable. `Ara,' her voice is soft and almost reverent. I turn to face her, `So you like it?' `Yes, although,' `Although?' `The slits might be a little high, your boxers show.' `Hmm,' I contemplate that, running my finger up my hip, checking that *gyah. quite a lot of them, too* `What do you suggest?' `Well, you could just do without any underwear at all,' the crooked half-smile on her face tells me what she thinks of that idea. I shudder, `I ain't givin' the sukebe who always attack me that kinda show.' Kodachi looks down, her hair falling forward to frame her face. `I don't mean you. Besides, you've already gotten a good look, right?' The small smile that lifts her face is just wonderful, `Well, I haven't gotten to look up this new dress of yours, and I'm sure it would be an edifying experience.' `Well, if you put it that way,' I pull my boxers down, then pause to check just how high up my hips the slits actually go. *Not too too high* I take a deep breath to steady myself, then turn to face Kodachi. She slips her arms around me, soft lips pressing against my neck, then she trails down my body, her nose brushing lightly along one of the front seams. I gasp, feeling my face heat as she reaches for the front panel of my skirt. `Stop that,' I manage to giggle, batting ineffectually at her hands. She manges to pull the front panel of the skirt out of the way, and I'm shocked both by how vulnerable the touch of the cool room air on my tender parts makes me feel, and by the amount of comfort I can draw from Kodachi's gentle nibbles on my thigh. `This,' I manage a slightly shaky breath, `Should probably wait. Lemme get some underwear on, then we should be going.' `Oh? And what, pray tell, have you decided to wear?' she pauses for a moment, then catches my pubic hair in her teeth, giving a little tug before continuing, `here?' `Briefs. Lemme go, for a moment, OK?' `If I must,' she smiles, mild annoyance in her words. `Please,' She lets me go, and I glide over to the closet, pulling out the drawer where I keep my underwear. My few pair of women's briefs are where they always are, under the false bottom of the box I keep my hadagi in. Happosai thankfully doesn't go after traditional underwear, so it is sufficient. The violent edginess dies back as I pull them on, and I I chide myself for being foolish. They provide no real protection at all *sure make me feel safer, though* I bend and twist a little, then pull the material of the dress up my hips a little bit to see how much it would take to expose the black fabric of my briefs. `Good enough.' `I thought you didn't wear,' a faint hint of a smile, `briefs.' `Most of the time I don't. Mom made me get some, back when we first re-met.' `Ah. Do you need to do anything more?' I check my face in the mirror, *something bigger would really be nice*, and decide it's fine, `Nope, you?' `I need to brush out my hair, and then I'll be ready,' she smiles softly at me, making no move to get anything. After a few moments I clue in to her hint, and dig about for my hairbrush. Being a rarely used item, it takes me a while to find it, but I manage eventually. `Would you, may I brush your hair for you?' `I'd like that a lot.' I kiss her cheek before I unbind her hair. - `What do you think?' I ask when she comes up the stairs. Utchan just blinks for several moments, `Nice.' I relax into her touch as she presses a soft kiss aganst my lips. - `Well, what are we going to do about you?' I look up at my mother, `Do?' `Yes, you really should not run around on your iinazuke like this,' she smiles at me as she says it, stroking my shoulder with her fingertips. `Going on a date with my iinauke is not running around on her,' I glance around, to make sure that there isn't anyone other than her, Kasumi, Kodachi, and Shanpuu watching from outside. `Oh?' `Yep. Utchan's taking us to a vaugely nice Japanese restraunt.' `Us?' `Me, Kodachi and Akane.' `OK. And why are you doing this?' `Because I enjoy spending time with all of them.' *just like you enjoy spending time with Kasumi, recently* `And they're OK with this?' `They'd be trying to kill me if they weren't, right?' Kasumi starts giggling, then both Mom and Kodachi start laughing as well. - `Let's get going.' `Yeah,' Utchan looks at something in her drawer, then turns to me, `let's go.' - I look up from the yard, towards where Shanpuu is watching us. I finger the short left sleeve of my new dress and raise an eyebrow at her. She smiles, raising a hand to point at herself. I smile back, then blow her a kiss. She blushes prettily. `Well, are we going to be there on time?' Akane says from behind me. `I'd think so,' I look out the gate at them. - We drop to the ground in a flutter of fabric. Ranma and Kodachi look remarkable, absotively lovely. Utchan's outfit is more masculine, and her chest is bound again, making her a very image of proper Japanese manhood. `Hey, you OK? You seem a little out of it,' Ranma waves her hand in front of my face. `Yeah, just got lost in contemplation of my good luck to have you lot.' - `You,' I manage, then give up and just give her firm hug. - Ranma's hug prompts the other two to join in, and I get firmly squished. *so nice* With a well-executed show of reluctance Kodachi lets me go, then Utchan, then Ranma, peeling off like layers of an onion. `Shall we go in?' - I can't help but be amused by the way Ranma's sitting, legs crossed, like a boy. Her skirt manages to keep what little modesty she has, but it is close. Utchan is also sitting like a boy, but at least she's dressed like one. Kodachi is still in seiza, reading her menu with a soft smile on her face. - Dinner is good, the food not quite as good as Kasumi's, but fairly close. I take ruthless advantage of Utchan's generosity, but she doesn't seem to mind. `I'd like some more of the rice, and another plate of sushi,' I look at Utchan to make sure she is still willing to fund my bottomless pit. `And some more tea all round,' Utchan tells her, smiling at me. I shift slightly in my seat, enjoying the happy feeling that smile brings out in me. - `Dancing? Or home?' `Dancing.' Both Utchan and Ranma chorus, in eerie unison. Kodachi laughs softly, `That sounds fine with me.' `So, dancing it is.' - I sip slowly at my small glass of ouzo, greatly amused by the sight of Akane dancing with great abandon and more than usual grace, three sheets to the wind. When she gets back I'll have to get some more water down her if she's not going to have a killer hangover in the morning. Both Kodachi and Utchan seem to be showing better sense, Kodachi sticking to soda, and Utchan stopping after the single shot of something that almost made her turn green. *not sure if I like this stuff* I swirl the clear liquid in the glass *too much thinking about Greek food* I take another sip, swirling the licorice liqueur over my teeth. - Utchan catches Akane as she suddenly goes from dancing vigorously to falling in a dead faint. I'm there before Utchan has a chance to turn around, and help them off the dance floor. `Is she OK?' Utchan asks me, lifting the young woman onto the bench of our booth. I answer after a quick check, `Pretty much. Acute alcohol poisoning, probably. She'll be out of it for a while.' `Then Ukyou-chan can watch her for a little while, and we can dance a little?' Kodachi asks me hopefully. `If you want. I ain't very good.' `That's fine,' she brings her face close to my ear, `neither am I.' - We stagger down the road, or, a little more accurately, Akane staggers and we try to keep her from falling on her face. The attempt to get a sufficient quantity of water down her has been a failure so far, but a hangover is good for a person's character. Or at least that's what Oyaji'd tell his friends before fleecin' 'em. I'm feeling pleasantly tired, Kodachi and Utchan having worked together to keep me on the floor for, near as I can tell, six hours. I twist a little bit, stretching my spine and letting some of the fatigue slip along my muscles in a pleasant ache. - `Hey,' Akane slurs, `We jus goin to bed, or we gonna do somthin firs?' `Just going to bed,' Utchan tells her firmly. `'K. Night.' `Good night,' I tell her, then help strip her down and put her to bed. Slipping back to the other side of the room, I look at Utchan and Kodachi with a faint question in my eyes. I'm not quite sure what it is, but. `Yeah, I think we should just rinse off and go to bed.' `Together,' Kodachi looks hopefully at Utchan, `Or seperately?' `Together should be fine.' - `Hey,' I complain, covering certain parts, `cold water.' `Please? I don't like cold water, it makes me cold,' Kodachi almost whines at my ear. `No peeking, then.' `What, afraid one of us is going to take advantage of you?' `Um,' I chase the idea a little while, `Um,' *and around it goes again* `No, it's just modesty, I think. Still,' I stay with my back to the other two. `You're no fun,' Utchan grouses. - Kodachi's almost asleep by the time I'm a girl again, and we almost carry her up the stairs. I'm pretty close to asleep by the time we get Kodachi into bed, and barely have the energy to hold the blanket open for Utchan. I shiver slightly as Kodachi shifts to pull me closer to where she is wrapped around Akane. Utchan finally climbs in, and wraps her arms around all three of us. I snuggle myself up against her shoulder, then stop fighting to stay awake. - Ra/Ak -ouch Ra/Hinako Ra/Ak/Uk date- -* --- log: 1999 June middle: re-read Gratuity, started 1999 July 5: added log 1999 July 24-27: wrote about 1600 lines . . . 1999 July 28-Oct 9: wrote about six hundred lines . . . 1999 Oct 10: Finished day three ^^; I don't know if I'll be able to finish this by the middle of next month at this rate. 1999 Oct 10: four hundred lines 1999 Oct 13: Two hundred lines so far; maybe I'll finish day four soon 1999 Nov 5: a few paragraphs of dialog, after not working on it for almost a month. If I really hussle, maybe I can still finish this in six months. 1999 Nov 8: a little more 1999 Nov 13: Finally got the Duo running; and added a good bit. 1999 Nov 16: Worked for an hour, added over a hundred lines, then had the Duo decide that her battery was too flat and crash. great fun. 1999 Nov 17: got some more done. 1999 Nov 18: Yay! nother section! 1999 Nov 27: Actually got a decent bit done. Yay! 1999 Dec 1: got most of day five done. 1999 Dec 2: updated log for Dec 1, added a tiny bit of day six 1999 Dec 3: Finished day five, tiny bit more of day six 2000 Feb 12: worked on it off and on over the last few couple months. The Duo got to be too obnoxious, both because she's a bit slow, but mainly because I don't have a power-addapter for her. Got the 520 back, because she didn't sell for a price I'd like, and so I'm back to work again. 2000 March 9: more playing with boxen. Got a Compaq Contura Aero 4/25 in trade, got linux up and running on it, got back to work, maybe. Did a little bit of work on the 520, but not much. 2000 March 19: Got some more done, finally. I hope to finish day six soon. 2000 March 25: Finished the first draft! Finally! YAY! 2000 March 28: First full edit. 2000 December 3: reread and editted. 2001 May 20: re-wrapped at 78 columns 2005 March 16: cut up into bit-size chunks.