Hearts' Healing Interlude - Wedding A Ranma 1/2 - Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki FanFiction By Sinom Bre NOTE: You will need to have read "Hearts' Healing" for this to make much sense. This is also considerably lighter and more humorous in tone than the previous. Blame it on Washuu. __________ This and other fanfictions can be found at http://home.houston.rr.com/onnaranma/index.html C&C very welcome. Post to the FFML or privately to sinom_bre@yahoo.com ----- Continuity ----- This is a Ranma divergence fic, the divergence occurring at the beginning of the Ranma storyline, the day before the fateful trip to Jusenkyo at the end of the 10-year training trip. This is also a continuation of the TM! OAV storyline, although the concentration will be on one character, with the remaining cast coming in as appropriate. ----- Acknowledgments ----- My sincere thanks to T.H. Tiger for excellence in prereading. ^_^ ----- Disclaimers ----- Ranma 1/2 and its characters are the property of Takahashi Rumiko, Shonen Sunday comics, Shogakukan, and Kitty TV (Japan) and Viz Communications (USA). Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki is the property of Kajishima Masaki and AIC/Pioneer LDC. This work of fiction is for free entertainment purposes only. No compensation has been or will be received. ____________________ [June 23, 1998] Their kiss, an untraditional element insisted on by the bride, broke, and the couple rose from their kneeling positions and turned to face an audience. A man, a Shinto priest, elderly in appearance, stood behind them, a hand resting on one shoulder of both the man and woman in front of him. The woman was radiant in her snow-white wedding kimono, and the man was firm and strong in his black and brown hakama. The centuries-old shrine behind them beautifully framed the picture. The priest spoke. "May I present... Mr. and Mrs. Hakubi Ranma." The audience of friends and family broke into applause, and some of the less decorous members hooted and whistled. Crown princess Aeka pulled her two forefingers out of her mouth and joined the majority in clapping, surreptitiously looking to see if anyone noticed her breach of etiquette. Intermittent flashes of camera light added to the sun's illumination, and Masaki Nobuyuki jockeyed for a good position with his video camera to get a shot of the bride and groom for when they walk back down the aisle. "HOLD!!!" a voice commanded from the front row. The applause quickly died down, and everyone looked quizzically at the short woman with the spiky red hair stepping into the aisle. "I want to see..." she paused for effect, "the *brides* kiss!" She snapped her fingers, and a quantity of cold water appeared over the groom and drenched him. A bundle of short, chesty, and redheaded fury stood in a wet and baggy hakama, glaring daggers at her new Mother-in-law. "Waaaashuuuuu-chaaaa-- URK!!" The "groom" suddenly found herself swept up into her wife's arms, arms that could, if she were so inclined, destroy the very planet on which she'd stood. Her wife's mouth swooped down and captured the redhead's lips with her own. The smaller woman fanned her arms and kicked her legs for a moment, but they slowed until they stopped moving, although remaining tensed. The audience was spellbound, waiting for the inevitable explosion. Instead, the smaller woman melted into her wife's embrace, her arms slowly snaking up and around the taller woman's neck. She matched her wife's vigor with her own. Everyone blinked, and the applause and whistling returned twofold. Nobuyuki gave himself a black eye from the eyepiece on the camcorder. The little Mother-in-law stood in the aisle, hands cocked on her hips and smirking. ---------- The reception in the Masaki home was lively, and Ranma and Ryouko were buried under wedding gifts, many from places outside of the solar system. The first dance was, of course, for the newlyweds, and there were few dry eyes in the house. Several people then danced with the bride and groom, and the atmosphere was one of joy. Everyone's conversation and movement died down, but the music played on, accompanying the descent of an unusual sight on the stairway. Ryou-ou-ki, very tall and very adult, paused and looked at everyone nervously. She was dressed in one of Aeka's Juraian kimonos (somewhat retailored), her fur and hair had been brushed smooth, and ornaments had been worked into the white shocks on both sides of her face. The jewel in her forehead glinted as she steeled herself and continued down the stairway. When she reached the floor, she began walking towards Ranma, and the crowd parted before her. Ranma looked over at Ryouko, some distance away, and Ryouko smiled at him and nodded. He looked back to see that Ryou-ou-ki was now directly in front of him. She had her hands clasped in front of her and was looking down. "Ryou-chan?" Ryou-ou-ki looked up and smiled at her friend's new husband. She opened her mouth. "M... M... Miya!" Ranma winced. Ryou-ou-ki shook her head and concentrated. "M... Maaay IIIII-ya." She cleared her throat. "M... May I... ha... haaavee thisss da... daaannccce?" Every syllable was enunciated slowly and carefully. Aeka looked on proudly; she'd worked very hard with Ryou-ou-ki. Ranma graced her with one of his deadly smiles. Every woman in the room felt her pulse rate go up at least a little bit. Hearing a few gasps, Ryouko glared at several of the other women present. Aeka hid a snicker behind her hand. "I would be honored." Ranma held out a bent arm. "Miya!" Ryou-ou-ki shouted in her glee. Ranma grimaced. Ryou-ou-ki shyly looped her arm around his, and Ranma lead them to the dance floor. The music abruptly stopped, and some argument could be heard coming from the direction of the stereo. Eventually, a song for a slow, but not *too* slow, dance came on. Ranma had received some *interesting* dance lessons from Katsuhito and Nobuyuki a few days before. The lessons had quickly degenerated into teary-eyed reminiscences of dancing with their deceased wives, but Ranma had managed to eke out the basic forms. He guided Ryou-ou-ki into the proper position, and they began to move around the floor. Ryou-ou-ki had a silly grin overlaying a slightly dazed expression. All too soon, from Ryou-ou-ki's perspective, the song ended, and Ranma bowed to her. She bowed back and struggled with her final word for the day. "A... Ariiigaaatoouuuu." Ranma smiled widely again, and Ryouko glared around her again. Ryou-ou-ki ran around, skipping and miya-ing, and Ranma's smile cracked a little. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned. A very pregnant Masaki Tsunami stood there, looking at him with a small smile. "May I have the next?" Had he been facing the right direction, he would've seen several small logs materialize around his furious wife and the whole mess suddenly disappear. This moment had been planned for. In the depths of Washuu's lab, Ryouko, Aeka, and Washuu appeared out of thin air. Ryouko was glaring daggers at her friend and mother. With a serious expression on her face, Washuu stepped up to Aeka's forcefield. "Ryouko, calm yourself and listen to what I have to say." The former space pirate crossed her arms and tried to drill Washuu with her stare. Washuu ignored it. "Listen to me. Tsunami, or Sasami, or... whatever, got what she wanted. What's going on out there is just social. As hard as it may be for you to understand because of your love for him, Ranma has *nothing* Tsunami wants. She's not planning on stealing him, too. She's just being social and trying to fit in." Aeka stood quietly, while Washuu stepped a little closer, leaned forward, and matched her daughter's glare. "And don't you *dare* take it out on Ranma! One angry slap from you and he could be dead. I can *not* bring the dead back to life. Do you understand?" Ryouko wilted and suddenly looked very frightened. Washuu motioned to Aeka, and the containment field disappeared. Washuu walked up and hugged her daughter, and surprisingly, Ryouko returned it. "What am I going to do, Mother?" Ryouko whispered. Washuu felt herself go all warm and gooey, but she refrained from bringing attention to Ryouko's slip. She leaned back, looked Ryouko in the eye, and said with a straight face, "Never get angry." Ryouko did a passable imitation of a fish out of water. Washuu snickered. "Just kidding," she said. "Ooooo!!" Ryouko's hair started to fray, but Washuu held something out in her hand. "Ara?" "Put it on." Washuu bounced a wide but paper-thin bracelet in her hand. "What is it?" "What's the matter? Don't trust your Mother?" Washuu smirked. Ryouko raised an eyebrow. "Please?" Washuu went all kawaii. Ryouko rolled her eyes and took the bracelet, slipping it onto her left arm. "Okay, now what?" "See that partition over there? Go over and punch a hole through it." Ryouko looked at her strangely. Washuu sighed in exasperation. "Please?!" Snorting, Ryouko walked over and casually hit the thin sheet of metal. Nothing happened. Miffed, she hit it hard enough to puncture a hundred times the thickness. Nothing. Ryouko looked down at her fist and then at Washuu. "What did you do?" Ryouko asked. Washuu smirked and ignored the question. "Levitate." Ryouko did. "Energy sword?" Ryouko's saber flared into life. "Phase through the partition." Again, success. "Teleport to in front of me." Ryouko appeared, looking down at Washuu, who had pulled out two victory fans. "Excellent! Your other abilities are not affected at all." "Washuu--" "Now, daughter, that bracelet limits your strength to about 1.8 times Earth norm. Need more, simply take it off. The bracelet won't fall off by itself. You have to physically take it off. I suggest, however, that you leave it on until you *need* to remove it for some reason." "Washuu, Ranma doesn't mind that I'm stronger than--" "This is not about what Ranma minds, ne?" Washuu quirked an eyebrow at her stubborn daughter. Her head down, Ryouko picked at the bracelet. "No..." Washuu closed her eyes and nodded. "About Tsunami..." Ryouko's head snapped up, and her hatred twisted the features of her face. "Daughter." Ryouko focused on Washuu's eyes again. "What's past is past," Washuu said. "It has no hold on your present." Washuu smirked again. "Be nice and play well with others." Ryouko let the jab pass and relaxed. "Hai." Aeka walked up. "Shall we rejoin the party, Ryouko-san, Washuu- sama-- EEP!" Aeka was looking down the barrel of a high-tech particle weapon. "Er, um, Washuu-*chan*?" Aeka said sweetly while bigsweating. Ryouko didn't bother hiding her snicker. A broad smile ate Washuu's face, and she dispelled the particle weapon. She grabbed both women by an arm and started dragging them to the lift. "Let's go! I haven't had a dance with my Son- in-law, yet!" "Ranma-san!" Ranma, who had been looking around for his wife, turned and then smiled. "Mihoshi-san! How are you?" Mihoshi giggled, remembering her job was to keep Ranma occupied while Washuu had her talk with Ryouko. "I'm just fine, thank you for asking. Ryouko's very lucky to marry a handsome man like you. How does it feel to be married?" Ranma grinned lopsidedly and scratched the back of his head. "I think I'll be able to answer that question better tomorrow." Mihoshi put her hand up to her mouth and giggled. A blush rose up and engulfed her face. "Ranma-san!" She looked down and then looked back at him, bursting into a fresh spate of giggles. Ranma was beginning to bigsweat. "Ah, yeah. Anyway, how is your grandfather? I never did get a chance to ask about your trip you were on when I, er, met Ryouko. What is this, the third time we've actually talked?" Mihoshi's giggles died away and she frowned. "Grandfather is just fine." "Uh..." "Old lech! I was so worried about him. You see, grandmother died about ten years ago, GP calendar, and he was sounding so lonely when I went to visit, I just had to stick around and cheer him up, but Oooo! THEN I find out he's been sneaking around and seeing this little Catgirl in Communications, the one with the big--" "CA-CA-CATGIRL?!" Ranma was mortified. "Huh?" Mihoshi blinked. "Yeah, from planet, er, um, I forget. Anyway, I'm so mad I could spit, so I give Grandfather a couple pieces of my mind and come home." She sighed and said nothing for a moment, but Ranma sensed something shift in the woman. "And look what happens when I'm gone for a few months," she said slowly, staring at Tenchi and Tsunami dancing. Ranma put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I wasn't here when all that happened, but from what I can gather, it rattled everyone badly." Mihoshi sadly smiled, and Ranma could see her eyes become very sharp and intelligent. "It's okay, I guess. I was a distant third, at best." Mihoshi smiled broadly. "I want some Sake. Do you?" she asked giddily. Ranma blinked at the mercurial changes in her. "Uh, no, thank you. Ano, have you seen--" Two arms snaked around his waist, and he received a kiss on his ear. "Hiiii," Ryouko said throatily. Ranma shivered in delight, while an amused Mihoshi watched and sighed in envy. "Boy, are you two going to have fun later," she said wistfully and walked away, stalking the sake. ---------- After the reception wound down, Ryouko helped Ranma put a thoroughly besotted Katsuhito and Nobuyuki to bed on the downstairs couches. Everyone else had more or less disappeared, leaving the place a wreck. Even Toufuu had gone off with Washuu somewhere, their heads together deep in medical discussion. Ranma looked over at Ryouko. "Say, uh, Dear." "Yes, um, Honey?" Ryouko had little stars in her eyes. Ranma bigsweated, but felt a warmth wash over him, anyway. He moved some used cups around on a table in a desultory manner. "How long will it take us to get to... ah..." Ryouko smirked at him. "Nice try. Like I said, it's a surprise." "I know, I know." He threw some trash into a can. "But it's usually the man's job to plan for the honeymoon, and I just thought I could help or something." He lazily kicked at the wastebasket. "Come here." Ranma looked up to see Ryouko's arms beckoning to him. He smiled and moved into her embrace. "I want it to be a surprise. There's a whole part of me you've never had the opportunity to see. Can you wait? For me?" she asked sweetly. Rolling his eyes and smiling, Ranma nodded, moved forward, and kissed his wife. They went at for several minutes as the two unconscious witnesses snored away. ---------- "Ah! There you are." Washuu hopped down from her floating cushion and walked to where her daughter and son-in-law had just appeared in the lift. "All packed?" Ranma scratched his head. "Ryouko-chan says we won't need anything. I don't see how, but there it is." He looked at Ryouko and saw that her eyes were unfocused and that she had a silly grin plastered on her face. The Ryouko-*chan* had gotten to her. Washuu snorted and snapped her fingers in front of Ryouko's face, bringing the woman back to Earth. "Oi! Kawaii Ryouko-chan." Ryouko glared at her. "You two follow me. Time for your wedding gift." Washuu turned and went back to her cushion. "Here." Washuu tossed an object at Ryouko, who deftly caught it. "Don't put it on, yet." "A plain ring?" "Where's my gift?" Ranma asked, a little petulantly. Washuu ignored him. "Hai! Take your clothes off." Ryouko and Ranma blink-blinked. "Nani?" Ryouko asked. Washuu crossed her arms. "Take your clothes off. There's nothing there I haven't seen a million times, and Ranma *is* your husband now. Besides, since when has nudity bothered *you*?" "Fine!" Ryouko willed her clothes away in a huff, but she was pleased to see Ranma ogling her. Washuu glanced at Ranma. "It's your gift, too, but Ryouko-chan has to be the one to wear it, and it'll only work for her. It may, however, be a while before you can appreciate the gift. Now, Ranma-chan, your turn. Clothes, please." "Eh?! No way!" Washuu sighed theatrically and then snapped her fingers. Ranma's clothes disappeared. "Ack!" Ranma had both hands down, covering his unmentionables. He blushed when he noticed Ryouko giving him an appraising stare. Washuu snapped her fingers again, and cold water once again drenched the newlywed husband. "ACK!!" Onna-Ranma left one hand below and covered her breasts with her free arm. "WASHUU!!" she screeched. Washuu ignored her. "Now, Ryouko-chan, you may wear your ring," she said with no little amount of expectation in her voice. Ryouko glanced at Ranma and back to the ring in her hand. Shrugging, she slipped it onto the ring finger of her right hand. "ACK!!!" Ryouko squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her body shifting and restructuring, inside and out. The process only took a couple of seconds, and Ryouko's eyes blinked after they opened. She looked down and took distant note of the fact that she was now a he. Washuu was giggling in delight and waving her victory fans. "I am SUCH a GENIUS!!" She abruptly stopped. "Ryouko, take a moment and observe your, ah, spouse." Too stunned to argue, Ryouko looked over to see Ranma staring with dinner-plate eyes. He (Ryouko) managed to lock eyes with Ranma, and they stared at each other for a couple of minutes, both noticing an odd pressure building in their bodies. Finally, Ranma could stand it no longer and turned her gaze downward slightly. Her eyes swallowed her face and then rolled up into her head. Ranma hit the floor in a faint, a rush of strange and powerful feelings causing sensory overload. Ryouko blink-blinked and looked down to see what Ranma had seen. He found that *his* body had strongly reacted to *her* presence. Ryouko staggered for a moment. "Oh, Kami-sama!" Washuu had lost it and was draped over her cushion, howling in laughter. Her fists beat the floor, while her feet kicked. "HOO- HOO-HOOOOO!! It's so MARvelously SYMMETRICAL!!" ---------- On the observation deck just outside of Tenchi's room on the top floor of the Masaki home, a smallish figure with spiky red hair watched an odd crystalline ship disappear with a twinkle straight up into the evening sky. Smiling, she reached up and dabbed at the moisture on her face. ____________________ End Hearts' Healing Interlude - Wedding