Of Honor Won and Time Lost
Part 3
"Room and Board and the Ultimate Evil"
Soun: So Ranma, which will it be? Akane or Ukyo?
Ranma: But Shampoo...
Soun:[Interrupts] Has no claim!
Ranma: Well Ukyo ... [Ukyo starts smiling happily, Soun scowls, and Akane looks on unconcerned] She's been my best friend for ages. But I see her more like a sister than a lover .... [Ukyo's smile upends itseld, Soun takes over her grin, with Ryouga following suit. Akane still shows no sign of caring] and Akane I don't even know... [Ukyo regains her composure while Soun loses his]
Soun: Ranma, you have to choose! This has gone on long enough! Honor demands that you marry Akane!
Ukyo: His honor also demands that he marry me!
Ranma: And there's also Shampoo...
Ukyo & Soun: She has no claim!
Ranma: I promised I'd marry her!
Soun: Only after you'd finished with this... and it's not done until you marry Akane.
Ranma: I will not tarnish my honor by breaking a promise.
Soun: It won't be broken! It'll all be to the letter!
Ranma: What use is keeping my word if I don't keep the intent? [Ranma pauses] There's no way I can make a decision until I've spoken to Shampoo, get to know Akane, and come to terms with Ukyo as a fiancee.
Soun: Fint, if your mind is set. But I request that you stay here until you speak to Shampoo.
Ranma: Sure, I'll send a letter today, but what about Ucchan and Ryouga?
Soun:[Thinks for a moment] I guess they can stay here, but you have to earn their keep. You'll have to teach in our dojo to pay for the expenses your friends incur.
Ranma: I've got no problem with that, I'm sure it's acceptable with both of them. Ryouga?
Ryouga: Yeah sure.. no problem..
Ranma: If nothing else Ryouga can help with the instructing. Ukyo?
Ukyo:[Not wanting to be in Soun's debt] I've got enough saved up to open an okonomiyaki shop... I'll pay board or stay there.
Soun: Well when you decide we'll come to terms with your board. [pauses] So then Ranma, I guess you should start on that letter.
Ranma and company turn and leave, but Ryouga lingers behind for several moments to have a word with Soun.
Ryouga: Don't worry... I'll make sure that Ranma chooses Akane... If only for Ukyo's sake.
Soun is about to respond but stops as Ryouga walks out on him. He catches sight of Ranma and Ukyo down the hall and hurries to catch up to them.
Ranma: What took you so long?
Ryouga:[Luaghing nervously] I had trouble finding the door...
Ukyo: Same old Ryouga.. So Ranchan..
Ranma:[Interrupts] Ukyo. I said I'd make my decision after Shampoo get's here. [Pause] I better get that letter done.
With that, Ranma stalked away from the two, leaving Ryouga to stare after him, before turning to Ukyo with a shrug.
Ryouga: I guess he's taking this pretty badly...
Ukyo: Yeah, I guess.. DAMN IT! Why didn't I just tell him when I had the chance?
Ryouga: It wouldn't have made much of a difference...
Ukyo: How so?
Ryouga: Well when I met you, he'd already given his promise to Shampoo, and I doubt there's anything that could've made him give up on 'restoring' his family honor [finished bitterly]
Ukyo:[Sadly] Why does this have to happen to me?
Ryouga: Destiny...
Ukyo: Destiny?
Ryouga: He must have been fated to be engaged to you three, just look at it. Even if you'd met up with him before he agreed to marry Shampoo, by Amazon law he'd still be engaged to her, and his father's promise to the Tendo's would still hang over his head.
Ukyo:[Hanging her head in resignation] Well.. I just hope I win it, I've given up over 20 years of my life on him, and I'll be damned if I don't spend the next 40 with him.
Her proclamation, as if being being endorsed by the heavens, was echoed by a roll of thunder. Both turned and watched as the first of the rain drops splattered to the ground. They watched as the rain increased it's tempo, quickly turning into a storm of tremendouse proportions, as the rain descended in sheets.
[Elsewhere]
Even through the rain, the creaking of wood was audible, as a lightning split tree crashed down onto the rocks, dislodging many of the boulders strewn along the mountain side. Often, in philosophy, it has been pondered; if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, doe sit make a sound? That question remained unanswered, as figure crawled out of a hole uncovered by the mini landslide. The figure rejoiced, he was finally free.
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