[FFML] [Ranma][Shortfic] Letter of the Law

Just a little something that popped in my head this morn. If you like the concept, feel free to use it.

==================

The Letter of the Law

By Donovan A Willett

I claim no ownership for Ranma � which was created by Takihashi-sensei and is owned by numerous parties.

==================

Ranma sat down, taking a break from repairing the dojo. Part of him could not believe that just the day before, he had stood in this very building with the full intent of marrying Akane. Things did not work out, of course. Everybody who ever had any desire for either him, his female side, or Akane (and sometimes more than one) had crashed the wedding and put everything off for the foreseeable future.

Now it looked like the marriage would not happen for some time to come, but something was different. He had seen something in her eyes yesterday. They would be married, not if, but when.

The only problem was how to deal with the pack of lunatics that hounded them.

He was still sitting there when something caught his eye. Through a hole in the dojo floor, he could see the cover of a book. Curious, he reached down and pulled up the book, only to recognize it. It was the Book of Chinese Amazon Laws that Shampoo had presented them shortly after her arrival in Nerima. Shrugging, he flipped it open thinking that it would be convenient if it had something in there to help in his problems with Shampoo.

He was shocked when he found one.

-----------------------------------

It was two weeks later when the crowd gathered in front of the Nekohattan caf�. To one side, Ranma stood, his father, Soun, Akane and her sisters behind him. Before him stood Shampoo, with Cologne, Moose and three new Amazon women, an elder and two warriors.

After a few moments silence, Ranma stepped forward and cleared his throat. In the back of his mind, he hoped Kasumi could do her part.

"I am Saotome Ranma. By my defeat of Shampoo, I am her husband. I officially accept my status."

Ranma heard several shocked voices behind him, but it was Akane's shocked gasp that penetrated. He looked at the reflection of them all in the windows of the caf� only to see Kasumi wrap one arm around Akane before she could rush forward, her other held up to stop the others. In the silence that followed, he could faintly hear her quiet voice. "I trust in Ranma. If you do not believe my trust, then I will no longer consider you to be part of my family."

Even in the distorted reflection in the window, he could see Akane pale in reaction. The others were not much better.

Now that he was certain he would not be attacked from behind, he returned his attention to the Amazons. He was surprised that Shampoo hadn't attached herself to him, but he could tell that she was barely containing herself in an effort to maintain dignity before the other Amazons. Cologne stood quietly looking at him with suspicious eyes, and Mouse's enraged form was only stopped by the presence of the Elder Amazon's staff against his chest.

"I am a warrior of great renown. Do you dispute this?"

Cologne answered him. "Of course, Son-in-law. That is why you are here."

Ranma nodded. "I faced Herb of the Musk, and I triumphed. Do you dispute this?"

The suspicious look deepened on Cologne's face. "It is true, with the help of others, you defeated Herb of the Musk."

Ranma noted the first hint of understanding cross the face of Mouse and the other Amazon Elder. "And I faced the Lord of Phoenix Mountain and triumphed, is this not true?"

This time, a confused Shampoo answered. "Of course. Airen strong warrior. That why you Airen."

Ranma nodded with an evil grin. "Then, do you acknowledge that I am a Warrior of True Strength?"

Shock crossed Cologne's face as the other Amazon nodded. It was the other elder who answered this time. "You have shown yourself to be a Warrior of True Strength, a warrior equal to any in our tribe."

Cologne started to say something to the other, but Ranma had no intention of letting her. "Then, as Shampoo's husband, I am a member of the Tribe. And as a Warrior of True Strength, I demand the rights due me as such."

"How dare you!" Cologne shouted.

"He has every right to dare, Cologne." The other elder replied for him. "I foresaw this from the moment I learned what happened to Saffron."

Ranma gave the other elder a quick bow. "Then, by the rights granted me, I demand the Right of Divorce."

The elder looked over at his 'wife.' "Shampoo, do you accept this?"

"Iye!" Shampoo replied in a distraught voice.

"Ranma, Warrior of True Strength, do you wish to press this divorce?"

"Hai, I do. I stand ready to do battle." He said in formal tones.

-----------------------------

"I wish you had told us!" Akane said as they made their way back to the Tendo Dojo.

"I had to show that I could solve this one thing on my own." Ranma replied as he favored one leg. "I only told Kasumi because I knew that she would be able to stop you from doing anything rash."

"But where did you come up with this, Saotome?" Nabiki inquired.

"Remember the Amazon Book of Laws that Shampoo gave us when she first got here? I found it while repairing the dojo after the wedding. It must have fallen under the floor during the time when Shampoo was still trying the kill my girl-half. I was flipping through it wondering if there was a way to fix things when I found that part about Warriors of True Strength."

"Used their own laws against them." Soun noted. "I take it that you are the one who called the other Amazons here."

"Yep. If I had just done it with Cologne, Mouse and Shampoo, they would have ignored it. I had to do it in a way to make sure they could not dispute it at all."

"I still wish you had told me." Akane said in a small voice.

Ranma stopped and stood before here. "I had to fix my own problems here Akane, or else I would not be worthy of being anybody's husband. Can you forgive me?"

The others stood in shock. Neither of the two had ever asked for forgiveness from the other. They stood silently for a moment, then Akane suddenly embraced him, burying her face in his chest.

Ranma grunted in pain as she squeezed ribs tender from his final fight with Shampoo, but then wrapped his arms back around her. "I'm sorry Akane. But Shampoo cannot come at me again now. I just wish my other problems were this easy."