Ranma 1/2 Volume 19, Part 6 (Shonen Sunday #42 1991): Honto no honto (The real reality) Original blurb: Arashi no sankaku kankei!! (Storm of the love triangle!!) Original story and art Copyright (C) 1991 Takahashi Rumiko/Shogakukan This English translation Copyright (C) 1992 Goddess Studio: Translation by Iain Sinclair (axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au) Thanks to Hiroshi Haga (hh0u+@andrew.cmu.edu). CHARACTERS (from SS descriptions): Saotome Ranma: He has a strange body that changes between male and female. Also has a morbid fear of cats. Tendou Akane: The youngest of three daughters, she is Ranma's fiancee. Kuonji Ukyou (Ucchan): Ranma's childhood friend. (And his other fiancee.) ======================================================================== (Flashback to Ukyou & Ranma as children) Ukyou: Did that sauce taste good? Will you look after me for the rest of your life? Ranma: Sure. (Back to present day. Ukyou is bowing before Ranma.) Ukyou: I'm an incompetent person, but I'll try my best, so please permit me to be at your side. Ranma: Umm, there's no need to do that.. is there? Ukyou: You're not gonna say "I forgot the promise", are you, Ran-chan? Ranma: ... Soun: IS.. THIS... THE.. TRUTH... RANMA-KUUUUN? (Ukyou cooks a okonomiyaki with the putrid sauce. The stench drives away Soun's spectre.) Ukyou: These putrid okonomiyaki I made... Ran-chan ate them and said they were good. (Soun attacks Ranma with a halberd.) Ukyou (tearful, into microphone): It's an impossible feat without love. (Ranma and Soun fight on.) Kasumi: Oh dear. Nabiki: Much ado about something... (Outside, Akane is breaking lots of blocks and planks.) Akane: Ranma no BAKAAAAA! I can't believe it! He said he'd take care of Ukyou for the rest of her life... That Ranma... He can't have been serious... But.. what if he keeps his promise? (Akane's nightmare.) Akane: Hmph. Why don't you marry her if you've promised to? Ukyou (to Ranma): Akane-chan said we can. Ranma: Akane... How regrettable. When all's said and done, you never were a cute one. Akane: Ranma... Ranma: Goodbye, Akane. (Ranma and Ukyou, in wedding kimonos, drift up to the heavens.) Fan kanji: long life Akane: Wait, Ranma, I'll apologise! (Back to reality.) Akane: What on earth am I thinking of? (A battered Ranma crashes in front of Akane.) Ranma: Wait a minute, ojisan! (Soun) There's been a misunderstanding. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. Why am I apologising to Akane? Akane: What are you so haughty about! (Later...) Akane: That okonomiyaki sauce... (Flashback to young Ranma, desperately sloshing together a sauce.) You made it? Ranma: Yeah, it's just a minor misunderstanding when I was a kid. Akane: Then, the promise to take care of Ukyou... Ranma: I forgot about it. Akane: You're the lowest of the low! Ranma: In any case... I'll tell her the truth and apologise. Akane: I should think so! These things should be straightened out properly... Kasumi: Ucchan is in Ranma's room... (Ranma whisks open the door.) Ranma: Ucchan, I have to tell you something. (Ukyou has cooked a feast.) Ukyou: Ah, Ran-chan. I've just prepared some boiled rice. It's only for a husband and wife! Ranma: Ehh!.. Ukyou: Being a new wife who welcomes her husband... it's so wonderful. Ranma: Take it easy, Ucchan. Ukyou: I'll become your cute wife. Open wide. Ranma: Aan. Ukyou: Taste nice? Ranma: Mm. Akane (to Ranma): You, there! Ukyou: What's wrong, Akane-chan? Akane (grabbing Ranma): You going to tell her the truth? Huh?! Ukyou: The truth of the matter? (Dogs bark in the distance.) Ranma: ...this is what happened back then. Ranma: It was me who screwed up the okonomiyaki sauce. Akane: So, in short, he made that promise because he felt bad about ruining the sauce. Ukyou: Ran-chan... Ranma: I'm sorry Ucchan. Hit me if it'll make you feel better. Ukyou: Hm.. You poor thing, Ran-chan. Akane-chan made you say that, right? Ranma: Uh? Akane: What. Ukyou: I'll remind you again, Akane-chan. Akane: Of what? Ukyou: That I'm Ranma's fiancee, too. A hastily-concocted lie like that... You're making a big mistake, trying to win back Ran-chan with ... Ranma: It's not a lie... Akane: I won't stand for this! (Nabiki appears at the doorway.) Nabiki: Have you heard ALL the facts... Akane: Sis... Nabiki: Akane, Ranma-kun... You should eventually tell Ucchan about the real situation. Ranma: Eh? Akane: But we told her the truth just a minute ago. Nabiki: Listen carefully, Ucchan; this pair, their engagement is just a facade to conceal the truth from the world. (confetti, streamers, spotlights, microphones held with little finger extended!) THE REALITY IS, THEY'RE ALREADY MARRIED! Ukyou (shocked): It can't be... Ranma: It's a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a liiiiie! Akane: SIS! Nabiki (whispers to Akane): Stupid girl. If we don't say something like that, Ucchan won't give up. Akane (to herself): Hmm, yes. This is a real tight spot. (to Ukyou): Sorry, Ukyou... that's the situation... Ranma (whimpering): It's a lie. A lie. A lie. A lie. (Akane squeezes Ranma in a fierce hug.) Akane: We can't hide this any more, can we, darling? Ranma: EHH. Soun: Ohhh. Kasumi: Gosh. Nabiki (thinking): Great work, Akane! (Akane whisks Ranma out of the room, slamming him against a wall.) Akane: Are you going to leave us* !? (* kanji: this house)!? (getting upset): Is that okay with you, Ranma!? Ranma: Okay, okay, I guess I have no choice. I'll cooperate with you if you want. Akane (yelling): I'm the one who's cooperating with you! (Ukyou pops her head around the corner.) Ukyou: What are you two whispering to each other. Ranma: Agh! Um, our relationship is fine... We're just having.. a.. married people's.. tiff.. Akane: Th..ththat's right. Ukyou (to herself): Huh, how feeble. Soun (weeping): Aah... how long have I waited for this day. Nabiki: They're hot stuff! Ranma: Shush! Ukyou (to herself): If I want to expose this charade, I'll have to go along with it.