A Second Too Late
	Part 8
	By: P-R-P-Chan and Ranchan

	Ranma stepped down from the train, only to be met by an angry stare.
	"Ranma! Why you so stupid?"
	".. Shampoo? What are you doing here?"
	"I been camping out five days, when you mother let slip that you went to
see violent hammer-slut. Why you do that?"
	"So I take you know?"
	"You think Shampoo stupid? Of course I notice signs. Come with me on date,
now!"
	"A date? What?!??!"
	"Shampoo show you real woman can do." Shampoo said, a feral grin on her face.
	"I'm a little tired, Shampoo. maybe later." Ranma said, trying to avoid
eye contact.
	"Psycho-girl must be better than Shampoo thought... No matters, amazons
make best wife, show you what wife is for."
	Ranma tried to think of a way to get out of the situation, but the only
answer he could come up with was 'very carefully'. "Anyways Shampoo, it was
nice seeing you, I gotta go to work!"
	With that, Ranma leapt off into the distance, leaving a somewhat
distraught Shampoo realizing that she hadn't been to work in five days, and
just how mad her great-grandmother would be.

	
	Ranma opened the door to his home, thinking only of how lucky he was to
get away from Shampoo.  No longer did it take him to open the door, then it
took for Nodoka to rush out of the kitchen to gather him into her arms.
	"Ranma where have you been? I've been so worried about you!"
	"Mom, calm down, I just went to see Akane." Nodoka's expression quickly
changed from concern to pride.
	"My son is so manly, I'm so proud of you Ranma!" Tears of joy started to
roll down her cheeks.  Wiping her face, Nodoka continued, "That Ukyou girl
came by, she was asking about you and Akane, so I told her that you two
were meant for each other, but if she didn't minf being your mistress, I'm
sure you could all work something out."
	Ranma stood there, speechless, stunned by what his mother had to say. The
phone rang, rescuing him from his mohter's odd sense of manliness.
	"I'll get it " Ranma said enthusiastically as he sped down the hall
towards his room and rhe ringing of the phone.

	"Moshi moshi?"
	"It's me"
	"Oh! Akane, Thank god you called! Mom has been giving me the third degree
about um... you know ...us"
	"Nani????? OHHH That!!!"
	"And then she suggested that I take Ucchan a concubine...."
	"What!!! Fine then why don't you run off to your little 'Ucchan'!"
	<Click>

	Ranma was left once again with a dial tone ringing in his ear.  Slamming
the phone down on it's cradle, he let out a sigh of discontentment. "Stupid
Akane.. Ah well I guess I better go and try and talk mom's nonsense outa
Ucchan's head."  With one last glance at the phone, Ranma left the Saotome
household, confused and upset by his fiancee's reaction, he set off for
Ucchan's Okonomiyaki in hopes that he could relieve at least one of the
problems in his life.

	<RING>3X</RING>
	"Hello? Oh hi Akane, no he went over to Ukyou's."
	"It's all my fault, Mrs.Saotome. He wouldn't have gone over there if I
hadn't yelled at him."
	"Mother, dear. Call me Mother, and don't worry about Ranma, even if he
takes her into his bed, she'll never mean more to him than you do."
	"But Mrs.. I mean Mother.. It's not that I'm worried about..."
	"So your alright with that then?"
	"Yes.. I mean NO! Of course not, It's just that something else is
bothering me."
	"What would that be dear?" A look of shock and then joy swept over
Nodoka's face, but all she could say was, "Oh my!"


	"So what are you doing here Ranma? I thought that you were at.."
	"I just got back.  Mom told me you came by and.." Ranma started blushing.
	"Yeah we had a nice long talk.  You know, I've been thinking about what
she said."
	"Wait! Before you say anything, It's just that.. well.. It's kinda.. you
know."
	"Actually, Ranchan. I don't know. I never have known, because you've never
bothered to tell me. If there is anything to say at all."
	"Umm.. Ukyou? What'd I do?"
	"Nothing, you didn't do anything, and that's the problem."
	"What'd I say to get you so mad all of a sudden?"
	"It's what you didn't say! Don't you understand? Can't you see?"
	"umm.. no.."
	"I guess not.. just get out."
	"But.."
	"Now!" Ukyou yelled, throwing one of her mini-spatulas his way.  As the
door slammed shut, she collapsed into a sobbing ball, ignoring her other
patrons who looked on, deciding it would be a good time to pay their bills
and leave.


	Ranma stormed back into his home, angry and confused, with women in
general, and two in particular. 
	"Oh Ranma, you're home!"
	"Hi mom, I'm going to my room, I just need some time to think."
	"Well you should think about calling Akane."
	"Nah, she's prob'ly still mad at me."
	"No, she called for you about two minutes after you left. She was a bit
agitated, but not really angry."
	"And how did she take me going over to Ukyou's?"
	"Oh fine, and she seemed okay with the idea, but not altogether keen on it."
	"She didn't mind? Good, at least someone isn't mad at me."
	"All I had to tell her was that no matter what she'd be first in your
heart, no matter who you slept with."
	"Mom! You didn't did you?!"
	"Well of course I did, It's very manly to have so many women. You do want
to be manly don't you?" Nodoka shot a piercing glare his way to illustrate
her point.
	"Yeah Mom, of course. Listen I gotta go call Akane."
	"I don't know why I'm worrying, from what Akane had to say, your
definately a man amonsgt men."  With this Ranma slunk off to his room, not
wanting to share his sex life with his mother anymore than he already had.
	
	<RING></RING>
	"Hello? Ranma?"
	"Yeah, It's me. Mom said you called while I was out."
	"I.."
	"Before you say anything, I'm sorry about the whole Ukyou thing and.."
	"Ranma!" Akane tried to interrupt, but Ranma continued anyways.
	"No, no, no. Let me finish. You see it's just that Mom got that crazy idea
into Ukyou's head that.."
	"Concubine.. Yes I know.. Will you shut up for five minutes?"
	"You're okay with it?"
	"YES! I mean no! Just shut up already! In two conversations so far, you
haven't let me get a word in edgewise."
	"Alright.. What is it?"
	"There's something you should know.."
	"Oh c'mon if your gonna tell me something, tell it to me already!"
	"Ranma, I think I'm pregnant."
	"Ranma? ...  Ranma? .."

End part 8

authors notes: well we're finally getting to where we were supposed to
be.... about.. four parts ago.. this was originally slated for part 4.
but.. what can I say.. text expansion.. more ideas.. 

Ranchan can be contacted at <ran-chan@usa.net>
P-R-P-Chan at <prpchan@colba.net>

All C&C is welcome, any flames pls send to P-R-P-Chan as he has a thicker
skin than Ranchan does :P