Love Letters from the Edge
A Ranma 1/2 Elseworlds by the Scriviner
Foreword:
What actually set off this story was an episode
of Kinyo Chui Ho Wapiko-chan, I saw a couple of
months back, where one of the characters hit her head
and had a long elaborate dream sequence where
everyone was acting the opposite of how they normally
acted. I figured it was a great idea for a fic... but
then I figured, it'd be more intriguing to see if I
could make a single change which would result in a
cascade of events which would lead to the resulting
opposite personalities/behavior in people.
In any case, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi,
and I wouldn't dream of trying to steal em. C&C
always welcomed and to be sent to ebon@i-manila.com.ph
And now... on with the story...
- - -
Chapter 1: Home is where...
Somewhere in the Nerima district of Tokyo was a
rather unremarkable structure known as the Tendo
Dojo. The sign next to the entrance suggested that if
one wished to challenge the dojo owner to savage
martial combat, they may use the rear entrance. But
it was more than merely a dojo. For next to it was
the Tendo household... and currently sitting at the
porch, facing the koi pond was the dojo's owner and
master, patriarch of the Tendo family, Soun Tendo.
Soun Tendo was a rather severe looking man in
an old brown gi. His hair was long and he had a
neatly trimmed moustache. He was nearing middle age,
but still lean and trim, the result of his martial
arts training. At the moment, he was rereading a
postcard, for what must have been the twentieth time.
Tears were rolling down his cheeks... he was so
happy. He tended to do whenever he was overcome by
emotion. Which was actually most of the time. But
this was particularly intense... he was crying so
much that the wooden floor under him was warping.
The post card seemed unremarkable enough. On
the back, it had a cute picture of a panda and it was
postmarked as having come from China. The words
written on it were equally unremarkable, but filled
with meaning for Soun. "Coming home. We love you and
miss you all."
It was signed, "Ranma and Akane"
Unable to contain himself Soun leapt to his
feet and called out, "Kasumi! Nabiki!" calling his
other daughters together... he had to share this news
with them.
He was smiling happily even as the tears
streaked down his face... to think that such
momentous news would arrive today of all days... it
was almost too good to be true.
- - -
Two men, boys actually, about sixteen years old
slogged through the sudden downpour. They were
walking down one of the busier streets of Nerima and
people were everywhere. People who had the foresight
to bring umbrellas one of them noted, muttering
darkly.
They looked remarkably alike... same muscular
build, same unruly crop of black hair pulled into a
pigtail, same handsome features... they were even
wearing similar red silk Chinese shirts and the same
type of loose black pants, even down to the
similarity of the huge backpacks they were both
bearing. Surprisingly enough, despite the pack's
weight neither seemed to notice it much and they were
both walking easily, in step.
Truth be told, the only way to tell the two
apart was the fact that one of them was wearing a
pair of plastic hornrim glasses and had a certain air
of crafty intelligence. The other wore no glasses and
was gawking openly at their surroundings.
"Things sure have changed around here, Akan-
er- Akaru," the one who wasn't wearing glasses noted.
Akaru adjusted his glasses, "Yeah, Ranma, sure
does. There didn't use to be this many shops around
here."
"We'd better find you some hot water first,
then," Ranma replied, glancing up at the sky, "I
think the rain's stopped."
"Yeah. I don't want to meet everyone looking
like this," Akaru grinned slapping his chest a few
times for emphasis.
Ranma chuckled, "Especially not dad."
"Nope definitely not," Akaru replied, also
chuckling.
- - -
A limo waited in front of the well apointed
Kuno estates, its driver, a short man in an outfit
which could only be called a ninja uniform sat on top
of several stacked pillows to help him see over the
steering wheel.
Next to the car, Kochou Kuno, a large bluff man
waited impatiently for his wife and children to come
out. He was easily middle age, but still solidly
built. His long curly black hair was tied back into a
short topknot reminiscent of the ancient samurai. It
was an affectation of his that his wife tolerated
good naturedly. As well as his penchant for wearing
kimonos all the time. It was only fitting after all,
their family had come from a long and honorable
samurai lineage. Nobility of his ancestors and
himself aside though, right now, he was feeling quite
put upon... none of his family seemed to quite
understand just how important this meeting was. Of
course, he hadn't told them what it was for, but that
was unimportant. It simply would not do to have them
arrive late...
"Darling?! Tatchi? Kotchi? We're going to be
late!" Kochou called out.
"Daddy, no need to shout. We're right here. I
am, anyway," his daughter said as she swept out of
the door. Swept was an appropriate word to use, she
was in a demure pastel blue dress with a long
sweeping skirt. It practically begged the use of the
word... sweep. In all it's various tenses. She was a
sweetly beautiful young woman, no more than sixteen,
with long black hair, tied off into an offcenter
ponytail, "Tatchi is just finishing something up in
his room. He said he'd be down..."
Kochou harumphed loudly, "Probably jotting
something down in that journal of his again."
The girl hugged her father, "Now, now, Daddy...
just because 'nisama doesn't like martial arts is no
reason to take that tone..."
"I know... I know... it's your mother's
influence I tell you." Kochou said after a moment.
The girl giggled, "Don't let Mama hear you say
that."
"Don't tell her I said it." Kochou grinned.
"What was that about Mama?" A young man of
seventeen asked as he stepped out of the house. He
was handsome, with a slender build, even features
that had a certain cast of nobility to them. He was
in a formal suit, colored dark blue and tailored
precisely. He wore a pair of wire rim glasses and had
a bound journal under one arm.
"Nothing at all, son," Kochou replied with a
grin, "Don't tell me you're bringing that notebook
along?" he asked playfully.
The young man, smiled, "Father, you know
perfectly well I would never go anywhere without it."
"Well, it's a lot less stupid than that bokken
you used to carry around in grade school," The girl
smiled.
The three shared a chuckle over that, "Well,
mama told me it looked a trifle ridiculous... and she
most certainly had a point." The young man said,
slightly embarrassed.
"Alright... is everyone here?" called a voice
from within the door...
"Yes we are, dear." Kochou called back, "Please
hurry, we'll be late."
"I'm sorry, I took so long, Darling." The woman
said as she stepped out of the door. She was a
strikingly beautiful woman in her late forties, but
she looked hardly a day over thirty. She was also
wearing a formal kimono and was smiling gently at her
family. Her long curled hair was styled into a bun
behind her.
"It's alright, Darling," Kochou smiled. He
could never be angry at her for very long. "I'm
certain Sasuke can get us there in time, "Isn't that
right, Sasuke?"
The driver bowed formally, "I shall certainly
endeavor to do so, Master Kuno."
"Well, let's be on our way then..." the woman
said gesturing her children into the car... it had
been a while since she'd last seen Soun and he and
Kochou apparently had some sort of arrangement they
were planning. She smiled grimly, hoping that this
wasn't another of her husband's mad schemes. Nodoka
Kuno was certainly looking forward to finding out
what her husband was up to this time.
- - -
The rain had stopped, finally. Just outside the
gates of the Tendo Dojo stood a boy and a girl, both
sixteen. The boy, Ranma glanced nervously at the
wooden gates, "Well... we're here, Akane. At long
last. We're home."
The girl, a very cute brunette. Her black hair,
braided to match Ranma's swept neatly away from her
face. She was about three inches shorter than he was
and a good deal more slender. She paused to adjust
her glasses, trying to disguise the tears she was
blinking back, it simply wouldn't do to show her
brother she was being weak... it would not do.
"Yeah..." she said quietly. "Let's go in?"
"Yeah... we're not getting anywhere standing
out here."
"Yeah."
They remained standing there for another
minute.
"Well are you opening the gates or not?" Akane
asked impatiently.
"Me? Why don't you open it?"
"Cause you opened it when we left, stupid!"
Akane shouted back.
"ME?! Have you forgotten that we BOTH jumped
over the wall?" Ranma shouted back.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Are you sure?"
"Uh-huh... pretty sure."
"I remember you opening the gate..."
"Nah, it was over the wall..."
The gate slowly swung open as the two continued
their rather simplistic argument.
"Excuse me?" Said a new voice from the now
opened gates.
Both the boy and the girl turned to look at the
beautiful woman who'd opened the door... she was
dressed in a very simple pale white blouse and a long
peach skirt. There was something very familiar about
her face... the soft smile, the long, soft brown
hair, the maternal light in her eyes...
Both Akane and Ranma cried out simultaneously,
"Kasumi!" as they barreled past the half opened gate
both of them hugging her tearfully. The woman,
Kasumi, smiled happily, returning their hugs warmly.
"I've missed you both so much!" Kasumi said
sweetly to both of them, still holding them in her
arms. "How you've both grown!"
"We missed you too, sis!" Akane cried. Ranma
just hugged silently.
"Kiai!" another voice screamed as someone else
leapt on the three.
Ranma and Akane both immediately whirled into
defensive stances, covering one another's flank,
keeping Kasumi behind and between them.
Kasumi gave an amused, though exasperated sigh
at the newcomer, "Nabiki, stop joking."
The fourth person was a pretty brunette no more
than seventeen years old. Her hair cut almost
brutally short, favored them with a feral grin. Her
slender body was toned underneath her gi as she stood
in a ready stance. "You two haven't been slacking off
I see," she said.
"Nabiki?!" Akane sputtered.
Ranma just stared.
"It's so good to see you both!" Nabiki shouted
jumping into Ranma's surprised arms and grabbing
Akane along the way, also hugging her.
Akane laughed and hugged her older sister back,
"What happened to you?!"
Nabiki grinned, more playfully this time, as
she ruffled Akane's hair, "Well, somebody had to
train to inherit the dojo when you two left, and
Kasumi-nesama doesn't like violence... so guess who
daddy's been training?"
"Say... where is dad?" Ranma asked glancing
around.
Kasumi glanced towards the house worriedly and
tapped both Ranma and Akane on the shoulder, "He's
there..."
Ranma and Akane's joy was suddenly cooled. At
the door to the Tendo household proper stood the
patriarch of the Tendo clan. Soun gazed at them
coldly. His face stern and unforgiving. His eyes hard
and staring directly at his prodigal children. Even
Nabiki and Kasumi flinched under their father's harsh
stare. They knew how much he had been hurt by Ranma
and Akane's departure those many years ago.
Long moments passed and no one moved...
"So you've returned." Soun said finally. His
voice cold and distant.
Ranma and Akane moved away from their sisters,
moving towards Soun. As they neared him they dropped
to their knees, heads bowed low. Ranma's muffled and
humble voice replied to Soun, "Yes, sir."
"And how went your quest?" Soun asked in the
same tone.
"It was a futile one, sir." Ranma replied
again.
"So now are you content to be merely a Tendo
now, Ranma?" Soun asked, his voice unchanging.
"No, sir." Ranma's voice replied, "I would not
be content."
Soun's visage clouded over... his cold control
slipping as his face began to twist into a mask of
fury...
"I would be honored... to be known as Ranma
Tendo... if you would have me. Father." Ranma
replied, still not raising his head.
"I see." Soun managed to say finally, the tears
already rolling slowly down his face, "I see... rise,
Ranma Tendo... you too, Akane... it is good to see
you both home."
As the two youngest Tendos rose to their feet,
Soun was unable to stop himself anymore and began to
bawl lustily, "It's so good to have you two home!
We've missed you so very much!!!!!"
It took less than thirty seconds for the newly
reunited Tendo family to get into a group hug. For
the first time in six years... they were complete.
- - -
The family settled into a happy circle around
the dinner table. Kasumi smiling sweetly as she
served tea and cakes. Nabiki, Ranma and Akane
shoveling the food in as though there were no
tomorrow. Soun smiling proudly at his children.
"So, how did you two survive?" Nabiki asked
Ranma and Akane pointedly around a rice cracker.
"Well..." Ranma started, glancing at Akane.
"Well, mostly we got odd jobs here and there,"
Akane replied off handedly, "Sometimes we used our
martial arts to win competitions and stuff..."
"...then Akane would do her best to make the
money stretch out when we didn't have any work. She's
gotten really good at making money last." Ranma
completed.
Soun nodded sagely, "That's excellent, it's
good to see you two have learned from your
journey..."
"Yeah, I guess we did learn quite a bit, it was
like one long training journey." Ranma laughed.
"Actually, it's quite fortunate that you
arrived today, of all days..." Soun said.
"Really? Why's that dad?" Akane asked as she
pushed her glasses up her nose. It was a negligent
gesture, but one which she did often when presented
with an interesting tidbit of information.
"I'm expecting some important guests... people
who will help ensure the continued future of the
anything goes school of martial arts..." Soun replied
enthusiastically.
Nabiki gave a small grimace, she knew that tone
of voice... it was the same one he used on her
whenever he made her learn a new technique. Whatever
it was, she was certain it didn't bode well for her.
"Soun! We're here!" a voice called out from the
gate.
"Oh my, we have visitors." Kasumi said, rushing
to her feet to open the gate.
Ranma and Akane looked at each other curiously,
each wondering what was happening.
When Kasumi returned, she was with Kochou,
Nodoka, Tatewaki and Kodachi. She smiled at Soun,
"Father, the Kuno family is here... I do wish you'd
told me they were going to be our guests, I would've
prepared something special." She chided him mildly.
Kodachi caught sight of Ranma... Ranma caught a
good look at Kodachi in return... their eyes met...
sparks flew... their breaths caught in their
throats... and Akane had to give Ranma a quick elbow
to the stomach to remind him to breathe.
Kochou rushed to Soun, "Ahh! My friend it is so
good to see you again."
"And you as well! I trust everything is
alright?"
"Of course, of course."
As the respective patriarchs of the Kuno and
Tendo clan exchanged greetings, slaps on the back and
friendly banter, Nodoka smiled warmly at the Tendos.
"Auntie Kuno!" Nabiki shouted merrily, bouncing
to her feet.
Nodoka hugged her warmly, "Nabiki, you're
certainly growing up well..." she noticed Ranma and
Akane at the table and blinked in surprise, "Akane-
chan? Ran-chan? You've finally come home!"
Akane and Ranma surged to their feet as well,
embracing Nodoka, "You're both so grown up now!" she
exclaimed.
Kodachi moved to her mother's side, "Mom... is
this Ran-chan?" she asked, not daring to believe it.
Nodoka nodded. Ranma was blushing furiously as
he looked at Kodachi, "Er... Ko-chan? Is that you?"
She answered by throwing her arms around him,
"I missed you, you idiot! Where have you been?!"
Ranma blushed an even deeper shade of red,
accepting the embrace. Akane had to hide a grin
behind her hand, "We were travelling all over
Japan... and China too." She replied for the
speechless Ranma.
Nabiki smirked, "Well, there's something to be
said for childhood friends being reunited once
again."
"It's..." Ranma stammered, "Um... er... very
nice to... uh... see you again... really... could you
let me breathe now, Ko-chan..."
Tatewaki stood off to the side, looking and
feeling a little out of place. Nabiki noticed him and
sent a dagger stare his way. Tatewaki noticed the
glare and looked away quickly, but it was hard not to
feel the hairs on the nape of his neck singing from
the intensity of her look.
Nodoka turned to her husband, a slight
reproving look in her eye, "Why didn't you tell me
that the reason why we came here was to see Akane and
Ranma again. You didn't have to be so mysterious
about it."
Kochou was torn from his conversation with Soun
to look sheepishly at his wife, "Er, actually... that
wasn't it. I'm as surprised about that as you are..."
"So what are we here for, father?" Tatewaki
asked, eager to be away from Nabiki's simmering
menace.
Soun and Kochou traded satisfied grins before
they looked to the two families and said, "For the
union of the Tendo and Kuno schools of Anything Goes
Martial Arts of Course!"
"Union?" Nabiki glowered.
Soun grinned happily, "We'd originally intended
for Ranma to marry Kodachi..."
"WHAT?!" Ranma and Kodachi sputtered.
"But when Akane and Ranma left, we revised our
plan and decided to wed the strongest remaining
practitioner left, Nabiki... to Tatewaki." they
grinned at the two who were still in an embrace,
"They are now engaged."
"WHAT?!" Nabiki and Tatewaki shouted in unison.
"An arranged marriage? In this day and age?"
Nodoka said disapprovingly, "In the name of martial
arts no less. What were you two thinking?" She walked
towards the two of them taking each by an ear, and
dragged them into another room. She turned just
before sliding the door shut with her foot, giving
the teens a grim smile, "Excuse us while we sort this
out."
The four remaining Tendos and two Kunos
exchanged glances. This certainly didn't look good
for their fathers.
"They can't be serious!" Nabiki ranted.
"Oh my..." Kodachi said, "They certainly looked
like they were." Kasumi nodded agreement.
Ranma, recovering from his flush, "They were
actually thinking of engaging me to you?" he said
Kodachi.
Kodachi smirked playfully, "Is it that hard to
imagine?"
Akane grinned, "Well, you did promise to marry
her, right?"
"We were six at the time!" he cried back.
Nabiki continued to glower, striding towards
Tatewaki. She grabbed him by the lapels, "You'd
better NOT be getting any ideas buster!"
Tatewaki acked, "Erhm... no! Of course not! I
had absolutely no notion that father would do such a
thing!"
"Nabiki, lay off of my poor brother." Kodachi
chided, "He's had his nose in his journal all week.
Besides, we didn't even know we were coming here
until we got here."
"I swear to you on my life!" Tatweaki agreed
readily.
"Be ready to back it up, wimp," Nabiki muttered
to him darkly.
Ranma looked puzzled, "Why are you so mad at
Tatewaki-sempai? He didn't do anything to you did
he?" as the beginnings of a frown formed on Ranma's
face. He might've been away for a while, but no one
did anything to any of his sisters.
"Butt out, Ranma. I can handle this." Nabiki
cut him off bluntly. She dragged the elder Kuno's
face down so that it was level with hers, "Let's get
this straight, buster... no matter what my dad or
your mom and dad say we are not, repeat... NOT
getting married. Not in a million years, not in a
billion got that?!"
"P-Perfectly." Tatewaki squeaked.
Akane frowned slightly, and pulled Tatewaki out
of Nabiki's grip, "Nabiki, that's enough... you're
choking him." She looked up into his relieved face
and flashed him a quick smile, "Are you alright,
Tatewaki-sempai?"
Nabiki simmered for a brief moment then strode
away with a huff. Kodachi looked half embarrassed and
half lost.
"Oh, many thanks, Akane..." Tatewaki replied.
"You can thank us by explaining why she's so
pissed at you." Akane asked smoothly, easing her
glasses up the bridge of her nose again.
Tatewaki also pushed his glasses up his nose to
recompose himself, but before he could reply Kasumi
spoke up, "She doesn't like boys."
Akane and Ranma traded glances. "She
doesn't..." they said simultaneously.
"She hates men..." Kasumi added apologetically.
"Are you alright, Tatewaki-kun?"
He smiled shyly at her, "Yes, thank you very
much, Kasumi-san."
"Please forgive Nabiki," Kasumi said gently,
"She is somewhat... high spirited."
Kodachi smirked, "I've never heard of her
referred to in quite that way before."
Ranma and Akane just traded puzzled glances, "I
guess there's a lot we're going to have to get used
to." Akane said finally.
The door finally slid open and a sheepish
looking Kochou and Soun stepped out, followed by a
stern looking Nodoka.
"We..." Kochou began in a somewhat diffident
tone. He glanced at Soun as if looking for support...
then glanced at Nodoka, who nodded, still frowning
slightly. "We have an announcement to make."
"Where's Nabiki?" Soun interrupted.
"I think she went to the dojo, father," Kasumi
replied.
Kochou looked lost, "Er... but how are we
supposed to tel her she's engaged to Tatewaki if
she's not here..."
"I"M WHAT?! NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT NO WAY!!" Nabiki
screamed as she stormed back into the family room.
"Oh my, she's back..." Kasumi said.
Tatewaki's eyes bugged in fear, seeing Nabiki
in the grips of rage... and him a very convenient
nearby target, "Father! You can't be serious! She'll
kill me!"
Nodoka poke sternly to Nabiki, "Calm down,
please. I've decided that since these two..." she
gave the two patriarchs an annoyed glance, "Have
already signed a contract to effect the engagement,
honor demands that it be followed... but there is one
proviso..."
"Er..." Soun began, "That after a one year
betrothal, in the event that you two do not prove to
be compatible, Kodachi will be engaged to Ranma..."
"WHAT?!" Ranma sputtered.
Kodachi murmured, "Great... we're the back up
team."
There was more that surely needed to be said,
but at about that point, everyone began speaking at
once...
- - -
"So... should we tell them?" Ranma asked his
sister, as he smoothed his damp hair away from his
eyes.
Akane shrugged slightly, sweat glistening
lightly on her shoulders, "I don't know... I mean
what with everything happening all at once, maybe we
should let them get used to us being here before we
mention anything about what happened to us in China."
"They're going to find out sooner or later, you
know." Ranma replied.
"It's not as if I can control it, alright?" she
shot back peevishly, "Let's just relax and enjoy
being home for a while... and worry about it later."
"If you say so," Ranma deferred.
"Yes, I do."
"Fine, then.
"Fine."
Long moments passed in comfortable silence
between the two, as Akane braided her hair again. It
had the quality of certain silences between two
people who know each other so well, very little needs
to be said.
"Well... that was an odd homecoming." Akane
said finally, tying her braid off, a smile touching
her lips. She eased a little more against the side of
the hot tub. The hot water was relaxing her
immensely.
"Not what I was expecting at all." Ranma
replied from the other end of the tub, also looking a
bit more relaxed. It was a bit of a tight fit... and
their feet and legs were entangled with each other,
but nothing they weren't used to, "Kinda odd to think
Nabiki-nesama is now engaged."
"To Tatewaki Kuno no less." Akane replied,
stifling a giggle, "The two of them sure changed a
lot while we were gone... they look like they've
hardly got a thing in common."
"Yeah," Ranma added, "I wonder what dad and
uncle Kuno were thinking."
Akane leaned forward and said in a teasing
tone, "Why? Disappointed you didn't get engaged to
Kodachi?"
"That's not it at all!" Ranma sputtered, a
blush creeping up his face.
"I knew it! You still like her!" Akane said
triumphantly.
"I do not!" Ranma shot back, "But while we're
on the subject, weren't you being awfully nice to
Tatewaki-sempai, hmmm..?"
"Was not! I was trying to find out what was
going on!" Akane replied with a sniff.
Ranma grinned cattily, "It's kinda funny
actually... with those glasses he's wearing and that
haircut... plus the way he talks... he kinda reminds
me of the way Doctor Toufuu used to be... I wonder if
he still has his clinic here..."
It was Akane's turn to blush.
"Ah-hah! Gotcha!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Hey, what's all the racket in there?!"
Nabiki's voice called out as she slid open the door
to the bath. Nabiki, still in her gi, stared in shock
at a naked Ranma and Akane both sitting in the tub,
wrestling playfully with each other. She blushed and
turned around quickly, "Ack..!"
Ranma gave a strangled cry and ducked under the
water as far as he would go, positioning his hands
strategically to hide what he felt he needed to hide.
Akane smiled at Nabiki's back, "Oh. Hi, sis."
"I... ah... I didn't know you two had gotten so
close..." Nabiki stamered, "I'll... I'll just get
going now..."
Akane laughed at Nabiki's discomfort, "It's not
like that. Ranma and I just got used to bathing
together cause it saves on water. Besides, we've been
bathing like this since we were little kids so what's
the big deal? Wanna join us? I think we can make a
little more room."
Ranma grumbled something, but it merely came
out as a stream of bubbles.
"Hmmm?" Akane glanced at him.
Ranma lifted his mouth out of the water for a
moment to add, "It was her idea."
Nabiki looked over her shoulder at the two of
them. Her face was a mixture of embarrassment and
worry. "But Ranma's a GUY!"
"He's our brother," Akane replied, "We all used
to bathe together when we were little remember?"
"But that was when we were little..." Nabiki
replied blushing and looking away, "I mean we're
practically adults now... and isn't it embarrassing
to be naked with... with... a guy?!"
Akane smiled playfully, "What? Worried he's
going to try something perverted in the tub? We can
always double team him and wallop him out the
window."
Nabiki giggled a little.
Akane continued with a smirk, "And even if we
WERE doing something kinky in here, it's not like
there's anything really wrong with it..."
Nabiki and Ranma both flushed crimson.
"Akane!" Nabiki frowned.
"We were nearly done anyway, Nabiki..." Ranma
spoke quickly, interupting the potential fight.
Akane gave Ranma an exasperated look and
shrugged, still smiling, "Yeah, I guess we are. Just
give us a little while to dry up and change, then you
can use the bath, okay?"
Nabiki nodded curtly, as she turned around and
walked out. She shut the bathroom door behind her
shaking a little in a stewed mixture of anger at
Akane's taunting, embarrassment, shame, and perhaps a
little excitement... she murmured softly to herself
as she calmed down, "They are DEFINITELY going to
take getting used to."
The rest of the night, passed with nothing of
greater magnitude transpiring.
- - -
end chapter 1
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