Magical Interludes:  December's End
Fanfic by J.K. Hayashi

Chapter 9:  Reflections - Part III

Akane:  "Holy one, what is this?"
Monk:  "Well, child, there is a demon of lust locked into the person 
	below the second bell.  We hope that by ringing the bell 
	above him we'll be able to exorcise the demon from his 
	soul.  We do not have much hope, but we must try."

Ranma looks under the bell and sees that the figure is Happosai.

Ranma:  "Umm... holy one, can we ring the second bell more than 
	once?"
Monk:  "You shouldn't, but the demon has been bound to this soul 
	for so long that we plan to ring the bell throughout the 
	night in the attempt."

Ranma rolls up his sleeves, preparing to access the speed of 
'chestnuts roasting over an open fire'.  Behind him stand three 
grinning girls, their kimono sleeves also rolled up.

***************

Tatewaki Kuno could not believe the disgrace that had been heaped 
upon himself and his family.  He and his sister arrested, and he had 
still not been able to beat Ranma Saotome and win Akane Tendo's 
love (or the pig-tailed girl's).

He knew the cause.  It was because he had not been purified.  He 
would go to the temple and purify himself, which would then 
remove the evils that haunted him, and then victory would be his.

***************

The kitchen at the buddhist temple served the hot soba to those 
attending the service.  The dining room was filled with people from 
the community, all talking and catching up with one another.  
Ukyou calls out and sits next to Ranma and Akane.

Ranma:  [tentatively]  "Uk-chan..."
Ukyou:  "It's OK, Ran-chan." [smiling]  "I've decided to go home.  
	Only for a few days, to see my parents again.  Then I'll be 
	back."
Akane:  "Are you sure, Ukyou?"
Ukyou:  "I'll come back, Akane.  All my friends are here.  My 
	restaurant is here."  [smiles]  "And besides, I haven't 
	finished training Mi-chan yet."

Ukyou is suddenly dragged away by a laughing trio of girls.  Ranma 
and Akane suddenly smile at each other at being left alone for 
awhile and hold hands.  Ukyou and Midori return to the table.

Ukyou:  "Ran-chan, do you think it would be OK if Midori went 
	home with me?"
Ranma:  "Do you want to go, Midori?"

Midori nods.

Ranma:  "Maybe you should ask mom."
Midori:  [giggling]  "We already did.  She said it was OK."
Ranma:  "Then why did you ask me?"
Midori:  "Well, you are my father, after all."

Akane squeezes Ranma's hand tighter.

***************

Everyone goes outside to watch the fireworks announcing the new 
year as they make their way to the Shinto Temple.

Kuno:  "Ranma Saotome, prepare yourself for defeat!"

Kuno comes running from the direction of the temple, bokken held 
high above his head.  He suddenly trips and falls into the road, 
sending up a cloud of dust.

Monk:  "Buddha provides."
Inspector:  "I thought that was your staff."
Monk:  [winking]  "Sometimes you have to act in his place."

Everyone goes back to watching the fireworks explode in the sky.

Ranma:  "Are you still jealous?"
Akane:  [frowning]  "Why do you say that?"
Ranma:  "Well, when Midori called me her father you squeezed my 
	hand so hard it hurt."
Akane:  "Did I?"
Ranma:  "Akane, I told you that I loved you.  It was one of the 
	hardest things I ever did.  I don't know how to reassure 
	you."
Akane:  [quietly]  "How about you kissing me.  Right here for New 
	Year's."
Ranma:  "In public... in front of everybody?"
Akane:  "That's the point, Ranma."

Ranma hesitates but draws Akane into his arms and leans his head 
in close to hers.  Everyone's attention is suddenly on them instead of 
the fireworks.  Akane completes the distance as the crowd erupts 
into cheers.  Kuno springs up to his feet.

Kuno:  "Saotome, you animal!"

Kuno's legs are suddenly swept out from under him as the monk 
swings his staff.  The monk twirls his staff in vertical circles as 
Kuno starts to windmill in midair.  The monk suddenly pulls out his 
staff and Kuno starts to cartwheel on the road, eventually running 
into a wall.  The crowd starts to disperse as the fireworks show 
finishes.

Inspector:  "Interesting technique."
Monk:  "One I thought up after your father and I left our master... 
	you lock the back of the knees around the staff and then the 
	body becomes a rigid block that you can twirl around its 
	center of mass..."

Ranma and Akane break off their kiss to a street made darker 
without the lights from the fireworks, but to the smiles of their 
parents.

***************

Nabiki watches the inspector walk off with the monk.  She had seen 
him the night before at the festival, both at the mochi pounding and 
outside of Uc-chan's, but she hadn't talked to him.  She looks briefly 
at Ranma and Akane; obviously happy with the way their 
engagement came out, wondering if it could be the same way with 
her.  Then at Kasumi and Dr. Tofu.

Of course, she wasn't engaged.  But neither was she a child.  She 
had only a month to go before her eighteenth birthday.  Practically 
an adult.  And not being engaged she had to catch her own man.

She sighs to herself; there was no need to rush things.  Neither she 
or the inspector were going anywhere else in the near future.  There 
was time to do a little more investigating into his background and 
finances before she made a decision.

While it was true that exploitable markets do not remain so for long, 
it paid to know which markets to go after.

***************

Everyone washes their hands and mouths at the basin and line up to 
pray at the shrine.  Ranma tries to copy what Akane does, but is 
obviously uncomfortable for his first time.  They pass underneath 
the shimonawa and finally reach the front of the line.

The Shinto priests wave the gohei over them as first Akane then 
Ranma rings the bell in front of them, clapping their hands and 
praying for the blessings of the gods.  They then stand back and 
make way for those following them, both taking and drinking a 
small cup of hot sake as they made their way to the booths.

***************

*****************************finish Chapter 9, Part III