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Chapter Seventeen: Aftermath, Last Stage--To Pick Up the Pieces
"As you so clearly heard in his speech, the President declared that members of Navy SEAL Unit 19, along with an Army Green Beret, assaulted and destroyed the terrorist ship known only as the Crystal Temple. Details are sketchy at this point, but it appears that the team, approximately twenty men, defeated a force of about 5000 personnel, a significant accomplishment for even a Special Forces team.
"According to Government sources, a nuclear catastrophe was averted at the last moment, with the Peoples' Republic of China threatening nuclear war if missiles were launched against the object. NATO and Soviet officials stood down all unconventional weapons in the wake of the situation ending.
"The President's approval rating is very high in the aftermath of how the global crisis was handled, and especially in light of the news that he intends to award the Medal of Honor to the troops involved in the situation. Additionally, the government of Japan has expressed its most heartfelt thanks to the military forces involved in its defense during the situation.
"In Japan, reconstruction of the damage in Tokyo is slowly but sure coming. The country has predicted that it will be in an economic slump for some time until the economy improves from its shock. The yen has been sorely devalued in the last few weeks, and is expected to slide further in world trading. The Diet, Japan's parliament, is expected to approve an emergency measure, along with the American economic aid package, that should set the country to rights.
"There are unsubstantiated rumors floating throughout Washington that the people actually involved in the defeat of the Crystal Temple were not US troops, but instead a clandestine organization of ninjas working for the CIA. Spokesmen for the Windhams, the Shining Foxes, and the Shinryu, the three major ninja clans in the US, declined to comment on this. However, the Windhams did refute the claim that a foreign, possibly Japanese clan was involved. According to the spokesman, 'No clan has the kind of firepower available to destroy such a facility.'
"Reporting from the White House, this is Bernard Shaw, for CNN."
* * *
Shampoo opened her eyes.
She was no longer lying down on the ground in the middle of a jungle. She was in a bed, and a comfortable one, at that. She looked around the room, trying to get an orientation for where she was. It looked familiar, somehow--like she'd been here, before. The room was marble, and jade, with cherry-wood furnishings, silk linen and drapes, and other priceless objets d' art. It was tasteful and opulent, done in the Mandarin style.
Mandarin.
She knew in an instant where she was.
A second later, it was confirmed, as the door to the room opened, and two visitors came in, each carrying a bundle. The shorter one, despite her station in life, wore a simple braid in her hair, and normal pants and a tunic; she was smaller than Shampoo, with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes that looked out of place on her Chinese features. The other woman, although dressed as a musician, had a deadly gleam in her black eyes. She was taller than Shampoo, and had pearl-white hair cut in a fashionable hairdo. Her right arm was in a sling and a cast, and she had a black eye and some cuts and bruises, but still the warrior-minstrel came to see the Amazon--former Amazon, Shampoo corrected herself--and see if she was okay.
Princess Lychee, wife of Prince Kirin, ruler of the principality of Nekonron, was carrying a tray of food intended for Shampoo. Mon-mon, on the other hand, carried a hauntingly familiar looking cat, a white-and-gray Jusenkyo shorthair with bells braided into the fur near its--her--face. The cat looked, if a cat could have a human outlook, depressed. Shampoo knew this cat's emotions very well--all too well.
"Hello, Shan Fu," Lychee said in Chinese, placing the tray in front of her. "It's good to see that you are looking well."
"Isn't that the truth. You've been out for two days. We've been very worried about you." Mon-mon set the cat down at the foot of the bed. "We were concerned that you were a goner, too."
"Thanks, Lai Chen, Mon-mon. It's good to know that my friends are looking out for me." Shampoo felt relief in using her native tongue, as well as the joy of knowing that she was safe. "How did we get here?"
Mon-mon spoke up. "Kirin led an army to attack the Crystal Temple that night. They were upon the valley, when they saw the giant flare. Turns out it was Ranko and Ranma, doing a tandem Hiryu Shoten Ha, trying to get someone's--*anyone's*--attention. The blasts directed us to you, we picked you up and put you on the airship, then brought you here. You guys, I take it, were the ones that leveled the place?"
She nodded, then said, "Yes. I'm sure you've already been told what happened to us." Shampoo paused a second, then added, "Waitaminit...whaddya mean 'goner, too'? Did something happen to my Ranma?"
"No, Shampoo, nothing happened to him. He and Ranko are safe. You, however, were almost a lost cause. Ryoga, too--he didn't come to until last night."
Shampoo took the tray, thanking her host and grabbing one of the dim sum from the plate (the Palace of the Seven Lucky Gods, once Lychee had moved in, was now well stocked with foodstuffs other than rice and pickled vegetables). She devoured one, then reached for another as the realization hit her. "Wait...you didn't mention Muu Tsu. What happened to him?"
"Well, I, um..." Lychee was obviously unwilling to talk about the subject. "Shan Fu, maybe we oughta talk about--"
"Cut the crap, Lychee. You're hiding something." Shampoo's voice took on an annoyed tone. "What is it?"
"I...um," the princess stammered, unwilling to tell Shampoo, unable to even meet the violet-maned girl's eyes.
Mon-mon sat down on the bed beside her. "Shampoo, I've bad news for you. Please calm down, and I'll tell you."
*"I'll calm down when you tell me."* Shampoo's voice immediately took an edge, revealing a suppressed yet growing undertone of rage and anxiety. *"You've got ten seconds, Mon-mon. Spill it. What happened to Mousse."* The last comment was meant neither as a question, nor a request.
"Shan Fu, I won't mince words. Muu Tsu's in a coma. Our doctors have been working on him, but so far there's been no sign of recovery. His injuries...you have to understand--"
*"I don't have to understand anything!!"* Her voice began to break as she shrieked out her fear. *"WHAT'S GOING ON?"*
"Shampoo." Mon-mon's neutral tone froze Shampoo in her tracks. "I'm sorry. He's not expected to live out the week. That he's still alive, according to the royal physician, is a testament to his tenacity. But the separation from his familiar, combined with his already serious wounds, pushed him to the limit--and then over."
*"NO!!!!!"* Shampoo shrieked like a banshee, leaping out of bed...
...and falling to the ground. She couldn't get off the floor, no matter how hard she tried. She began to claw her way across the ground as she screamed, *"WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LEGS?!?"* She looked up at Mon-mon, who had got off the bed and now stood in her way. *"GET OUT OF MY WAY, MON-MON, OR I SWEAR I'LL GO THROUGH YOU."*
Instead of moving, Mon-mon simply picked Shampoo up (with her good arm) and *thumped* her back onto the bed. She spoke in her harshest tone, her voice a soulless rasp. "Get back in bed. I'm not going to let you injure yourself further." She turned her head and said, "Lai Chen, please leave us, milady. Shan Fu and I have things to discuss."
Glad to be let off the hook, Lychee did as asked. She bowed formally. "I'll be back later to visit you, Shampoo." Without waiting for an answer, she quickly stepped out the door.
"Now, then." Mon-mon's voice had returned to its pleasant tones. "Shampoo, listen. For starters, don't do that again. Your legs will be back in working order in a few more hours; it's a side effect of the medicine we've been giving you. Besides, if you were injured, I'd never forgive myself. You're under my personal attention; in fact, you're in my section of the palace."
"Why?"
"About a week ago, forces from the Crystal Temple invaded Nekonron. We defeated Nguyen just before he got to the castle, but at a terrible price. Our lands have been razed, homes destroyed, a fifth of the populace--the population, not just the army--slaughtered.
"I had the misfortune to run into Nguyen, myself. To make a long story short, I lost. He beat and raped me, and would've killed me if Kirin hadn't come to my rescue. As it was, the doctors say I still should be in bed. But I heard about you guys and what you did, and I couldn't stand by while you were in need, Shan Fu. You're my friend--one of the few that I do have. I'm not going to let you injure yourself."
Shampoo was speechless. She'd never before been treated with this much honor, and for someone other than Ranma or Mousse to go the extra distance for her, well, it was *surprising*, to say the least. "Mon-mon, I wasn't the one to kill Nguyen. Ranma did."
"I know that, but it still doesn't change the fact that you helped defeat his forces. Besides, I've already offered Ranma my reparations. I wanted to offer myself as his wife, but out of respect for you and Akane, I didn't. So, I told him that if he ever needed a concubine, he need not even ask, because I would in an instant." She chuckled softly, saying, "Akane blanched when I said that. She said the Japanese don't do that. They have some strange customs, don't they?
"In any event, he assured me that he appreciated my offer, but that he had to decline, saying he had more than enough woman troubles. At first, I thought he refused me because of my current condition--I can hardly perform on demand at the moment. But he said he that wasn't the case. Personally, I think he's just being modest. I'm beginning to understand what you see in him, Shampoo."
"Yes, and now you know why I love him, and always will, no matter what." Shampoo looked evenly at Mon-mon. "Why I can never give him up."
A cat meowed in agreement.
Mon-mon and Shampoo stopped their conversation, turning to look at the cat. The cat, in turn, looked at them with a glance that said simply that she wanted something.
"That's the other thing I wanted to mention, but someone beat me to it." Mon-mon stopped to ponder, then added, "Shampoo, I know you're worried about Mousse. If there's anything I can do, he won't die. I promise I'll give it my all to ensure that he doesn't. In the interim, concentrate on healing yourself. Muu Tsu would want you to; you know he would." The warrior-minstrel then nodded to the cat. "Well, you two have much to discuss, I'm sure. I'll ask Lychee to bring the twins by later; they've been worried about you." Bowing goodbye, she turned and strode out the door, leaving Shampoo to finish her unfinished business with the one person she never expected to have to have a one-on-one conversation with:
Herself.
Shampoo sat up in bed, staring at the cat that was her and was not. That cat sat there, looking at Shampoo with a forlorn expression. They continued this for what seemed like forever, the minutes stretching into hours. Finally, the human Shampoo spoke, beckoning the cat Shampoo forward. The cat padded up, moving with a grace that Shampoo liked about her cat form--a form that was now forever barred to her.
But it was worse for "Neko-chan"--"Miss Kitty", as Shampoo remembered Kasumi's name for her. Miss Kitty was possessed of a human mind, trapped forever within the shell of a cat. Worst of all, because of Ranma's alluraphobia, the man Miss Kitty loved was now forever forbidden to her.
Shampoo grew wistful at that. "I'm so sorry. I wish that I could do something more to--wait! We can go to Chochuanshan! We can get you to the Nyannichuan! You could be human again!"
Miss Kitty shook her head, then mewed. Shampoo couldn't make out clear words, but she did understand cat speech still, and felt what her familiar was saying: <No. Then there'd be two of us after him. Only one of us could have him, and it's better that there be only one. Besides, neither you nor I really *ever* want to go back to Chochuanshan, right? I don't want to stay like this forever, but I may not have the choice.>
"You could change back and return to the village! No one would know! *I'm* certainly not going to tell!"
<That's not right, and you know it.> Shampoo found the cat giving her a knowing glance. The cat sat back down on her haunches before continuing. <*We* would know. I, that is--we gave up the heritage of Joketsuzoku to defend Muu Tsu. To go back now would be a lie, something which you know I won't live. Besides, what would happen the first time I got hit with hot water? The Amazons *do* know about the Chochuanshan. Trust me--in the end, it's better this way.>
Shampoo's heart stung at the dilemma. Shampoo was giving up Ranma so Shampoo could have a chance at him, which was null and void, since Shampoo had given up her Amazon heritage and thus, her claim on him. The eyes of the girl stung as they began to water. "I'm sorry. I never meant it to end this way. I never did."
The cat nodded. <I know. I understand, though it doesn't make the pain any less.>
"What do I do with you? I can't claim you as my sister--no one would ever believe us, nor would they understand! You're not a *pet--you'll never be a pet,* if *I* have anything to say about it! What do you want?"
<You'll think of something,> the cat mwrowred. <I trust you implicitly. Besides, I can't live with you--when you marry Ranma, I'll just be in the way. Don't worry, we'll think of something. Maybe I can live with great-grandmother.>
"Are you sure you want to live like this? What about all my--your--dreams, hopes, ambitions, and whatnot? Everything you've always wanted, everything that you've ever worked for. It's all gone, if you stay permanently as a cat form." The Chinese girl felt pain at the deepest crevices of her soul, each shard of misery and empathy for the cat before her a driven spike within. "How can you give it all up, just like that! Shan Fu, you deserve better in life than that!"
<Yes I do,> the cat mewed. <I also deserve Ranma, because of my love for him. But we are the same, you and I, Shan Fu. When you marry him, in a sense, so have I. When you have his children, in a sense, so have I. As long as you are in my heart, your accomplishments are mine.> The cat paused. <Assuming I mean anything to *your* heart, Shampoo.>
Shampoo reached up and grabbed the cat, hugging Miss Kitty to herself. "You'll always be in my heart, dear one." The cat purred and rubbed her cheek against hers, returning that feeling. They felt a feeling of peace that was never felt before in the lives of either being, as though they'd been reunited with their soulmate. It was a feeling of unity, of oneness, of just being with a person you belonged with. A second or two later, Shampoo reluctantly let go of her familiar, wondering if any of the others felt like this when they held their twin...and especially the Saotome siblings.
A few minutes later, Shampoo yawned, declaring, "I'm still kinda tired. I'm going to take a nap. I'll see you later, okay?" She gently kissed the cat on the top of her head and laid down again, and soon fell fast asleep. A second later, the cat yawned as well, and crashed on the pillow right beside her. Curled in a ball, Miss Kitty purred in time with Shampoo's gentle breathing as the two dreamed of the people and animals they once were.
* * *
Ranma was sitting, like he had been for the last two days, at Ukyo's side. He done nothing more than that, and had not seen Akane--or Ranko either, for that matter. He'd been far too busy preventing Ukyo from her mood swings. She rarely ate, and at present was catatonic when he wasn't around--when he was, her condition improved slightly to a pale shadow of herself. It was a painful, humbling sight to see her--his best friend--in such a condition.
Fortunately, she was currently in one of her fitful, but quiet unconscious periods that passed for sleep. Ranma took the opportunity to nearly fall out of his chair from exhaustion. He straightened himself back onto the chair, flipping it around and leaning against the back for support. "The kami only knows how tired I am," he murmured softly to himself, distractedly, his eyes drooping. "I can't watch Uc-chan day and night, but if I don't then I've failed her."
"Why do you think that?" a voice came from the door.
Kuno Kodachi walked right in, grabbed a chair and sat down next to Ranma. "Ranma darling, you look absolutely beat."
"I feel that way, Kodachi." He remained slumped over the chair, looking up once only to look at her. "Believe it or not, despite the fact that I've loved only Akane, I consider every one of my fianc�es my responsibility. With Uc-chan, it's even more important because she's my best friend, like a sister to me, as important and central to my life as either Ranko or Shiva."
"Just as you are to me," she said, looking at him evenly.
"Kodachi, I don't...I don't want to...I don't *have* the strength to go through that again," he said, the exhaustion and weariness in his voice becoming clearer.
"I didn't mean that way. Ranma, I love you--every one of we girls do. That's nothing that can go away with the wave of a hand. You've chosen Akane. Fine, I accept that now, but only because I have the clarity of mind to do so. Ukyo accepted it because she loves you unconditionally, and she was concerned she might lose the friendship that she has with you two. I honestly think it will be years before Shampoo accepts. But that doesn't mean we love you any less." She looked at the fitful Ukyo, then at haggard Ranma, then at her own sane self, via a mirror. "You know, Ranma, were you the one sleeping there in pain and suffering, despite the fact that you chose another, I would sit here for you, keeping vigil over you."
"Just that? Nothing else?" Ranma raised an eyebrow.
Kodachi blushed. "Admittedly, before my, um, clarity, shall we say--I would've tied you down and...." The blush on Kodachi's face was matched only the sudden onset of Ranma's own. She coughed demurely, then said, "But that was a different Kodachi. You can trust me now."
"If you say so." Ranma spoke out of exhaustion, not paying attention to his words. "Truth be told, I always did trust you."
To her credit, Kodachi did not take advantage of his statement, but instead replied true. "No you haven't--and I don't blame you. All the times I drugged you and tricked you.... I'm more ashamed of myself than I can say. I don't deserve your friendship, certainly not your love, but I'm glad that you still care." She leaned over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I promise that I'll make it up to you for all your kindness and patience. You helped me when I was crying out for help; I can do no less for you."
The young man mumbled something that vaguely sounded like, "Arigato."
Kodachi reached over and took his face in her hands, looking deeply into his bloodshot eyes. "Ranma, go to bed."
"I'm not leaving Uc-chan." He barely yawned that last statement out.
"Next to her, then. That bed's big enough for two." Without further statement, she grabbed Ranma by the arm and pushed him gently into the folds of the blankets. Ukyo, sensing that her loved one was there, uncurled herself from her restless fetal position, wrapped one arm over him, and pulled herself closer to him. Ranma, in turn, looked at his old friend with a look of a memory gone by, then smiled slightly as sleep claimed him.
Within minutes, the two were curled in each other's arms, simply sleeping a peaceful rest. Ranma, dead tired, did nothing save snooze softly, strands of his hair gently following the play of his breath. Ukyo, somehow completely at peace now, smiled in her sleep as she felt the strength and form of her best friend close at hand. They looked like either a commercial for mattresses or futons, or like a happy couple.
Kodachi stood there, watching. Part of her yearned to touch him, to caress him and hold him and tell him how much she loved him; the now-dominant rational part of her mind said that in letting him go, she did the right thing. Once that rotted bond was severed, she would have him there whenever she needed him; he would be a better friend to her than a dissatisfied paramour. Besides, she had Mikado now, who surely loved her as much as she loved him. Yes, it was better this way, she concluded as she bent down to cover the couple with a blanket, then moved back to the chair to begin her vigil, just as she promised she would.
* * *
"Are sure you don't need company?" Mai asked.
"Iie, kekko desu demo arigato gozaimasu, Mai. It's sweet of you to ask, though." Akane smiled at her new "sister-in-law" sincerely. The 15 year-old (minus a few centuries) was trying very hard to adjust to her new family.
"Oh. You probably don't want me around." The younger girl shuffled her feet, staring at the ground...while floating four inches off it. She, at the insistence of Natsumi, was trying to acclimate herself to the modern world. The group had since discovered her spectral secret, but, to her surprise, took this without so much as batting an eyelash; the only comments were from Akane, Kurumi, and Ranko, who were about Mai's size and thus were prime targets for having their wardrobes raided.
"No, Mai, it's not like that. I'd really like to have you around--"
"Great! What should we go do then? Have tea, or...what did airen say...go 'catch a movie'? What's a 'movie', anyway? Is it some kind of animal?"
"--except that I need to be by myself at the moment. I have a lot to think about." Seeing Mai's disappointed expression, Akane then remarked, "Have you asked Kurumi, yet?"
"No, I can't find Kurumi. I think she was with Ryoga, or something like that." The girl sounded disheartened by Akane's response, but the look in her eyes told Akane that she understood. Mai kept staring at Akane over the length of the table, the pair of them watching the sun set.
"Mai?" Akane looked at the girl.
"Yes, Akane?"
The taller girl paused for a few seconds before continuing. Composing her thoughts, she said, "I'm glad you're with my sister. Natsumi's always been silent about her emotions ever since I've known her, but I've noticed that she's come out of her armored emotional shell a couple of times since you've been around."
"I don't understand," the ghost fretted. The look of bewilderment on Mai's face looked so kawaii, the ghost was running the risk of being renamed and placed on permanent display on Azusa's shelves at home. "What do you mean?"
"Oh don't worry about it, Mai." Akane's sunny smile at Mai's relative innocence was refreshing to a woman who been similarly innocent no-so-long-ago. "I'm just glad to have you as Natsumi's wife."
"Thank you. I'm glad to have you as a Big Sister." The ghost gave Akane a cheerful hug before she scampered off the patio, saying, "I'll think I'll go find Kurumi. Have to get to know her as well. Bai Bai." Mai went back indoors, leaving an amused Akane to softly giggle at a ghost who called the Tendo girls "her big sisters," when in truth, Mai was probably older than Cologne and Happosai combined.
Akane continued to sit there as the ball of fire sunk over the mountains in the distance--mountains where she'd been two days ago. They looked so peaceful now, since they were free from the grip of the evil Nguyen. There was no peace in her heart, though.
She was a murderess. She did it to save Ranma, who surely would have died if she hadn't helped him defeat Nguyen, but did that one bastard at the beginning have to be punched past Low Earth Orbit? Was there a meaning to this?
Then there was Ranma. She went through hell just to save him, and he wasn't even here for her. {{No, that's unfair,}} Akane chided herself. {{He would like to be here, but Uc-chan needs him more at the moment than you do. If the roles were reversed, Uc-chan would be by your side instead of Konatsu's.}} She didn't have to remind herself of the fact that Ukyo would never be by her lover's side again, except at the end, in the cold, empty grave.
Just like Shinnosuke--her own childhood friend. Uc-chan at least had Ranma, the person she'd known and loved for a lifetime. What of Akane, who cared deeply (if not loved, in her own way) about Shinnosuke? Where was her solace?
{{That was probably why I really didn't want to be around Mai. She's a ghost, and probably the exception to the rule. She's nice, but a reminder of what Konatsu and Shinnosuke will never become. It's not her fault that she is what she is. But I would give just about anything if Konatsu and Shinnosuke joined her in her ghostly state. Who knows? Maybe there's a kami--}}
"I SAID ENOUGH!"
Akane's reverie was interrupted by the shouting of voices four stories below. Getting out of her chair, she identified one of the voices easily--Ranko. The other one wasn't too clear, but it was male--and it didn't sound like Ranma. {{Probably some guard on watch who wants a shot at the hot redhead,}} Akane thought. {{Well, woe be to him if he gets on her bad side; she's as powerful as Ran-chan, but seems to have much more of a temper than he does.}}
Still, this was her prospective sister-in-law in the hole, and Akane genuinely adored Ranko, probably because she was so much like Ranma--easy to explain because she was Ranma. But sooner or later, Ranko would develop to become her own person, and Akane would be there to help the younger girl out. Like now--someone was probably on Ranma's bad side, and was probably taking it out on Ranko; surprisingly enough, a large number of people were acting as though they already knew the girl from the last time they were here, two years ago.
Akane leaned over the balcony, and saw the redhead arguing with Kuno--that was who the voice was; in the end, it shouldn't have surprised her. Kuno, although he'd given up on Akane, was still very much in pursuit of the Pigtailed girl. What she saw next, though, did surprise her. Ranko gave Kuno the kind of kiss she wish Ranma would give her...which was followed by the kind of slap that she'd given Ranma many a time. While Kuno walked away dejected--walked away on his own--Nabiki appeared from nowhere and began to yell at the redhead, who responded in her preprogrammed nature. This was ended when Nabiki foolheartedly threw a punch across Ranko's jaw, and yelled something loud enough that Akane barely heard it from where she was; it sounded like, "Just stay away from him, you bitch!"
To Ranko's credit, she didn't attack Nabiki--she stood there, watching as Nabiki stormed off in the same direction as Kuno had--probably to console him. Ranko then slumped on the ground. Not a good sign, Akane realized. {{Whatever happened, Ranma's not going to be able to help her; he's too tied up with Uc-chan. She needs someone who cares. Like me.}}
Akane headed for the door, hoping that Ranko wouldn't do anything rash in the two minutes it would take for her to get there.
* * *
"But Pigtailed girl!" Kuno began, "just the sight of you is balm to my weary soul! It is the star in the very depths of my soul! You are my light, my muse, my goddess!"
"You are in need of a hearing aid, Kuno!" Ranko nearly screamed in his ear, her patience nearly spent. "I don't want to date with you! Get a clue! If you want a girl, go glomp on Mariko! She wanted you, not me!" Inside, she was boiling. She'd spent the last two years trying to get away from this bastard, and now that she couldn't change, she was being chased by him constantly. The last two days, when she should've been recuperating from her ordeal and trying to get to know everyone, she spent running from this idiot. She finally decided that enough was enough, and decided to get her point across for once and for all.
Good idea, bad conceptualizing; Kuno wasn't in the comprehension mode. "Oh, my love! Can you not see how much I toiled to rescue thee from the perilous grasp of both the demons within the Black Temple and from that scandalous, roguish outlaw of a lech Saotom--"
"Okay, Kuno." Ranko had finally had enough. "Leave Ranma out of this."
"Saotome has cast a spell on you, my love, don't you understand?" he said, trying to convince her. "That foul sorcerer wishes to covet both you and the lovely Tendo Akane. I gave the fair Akane to him because she truly does love him, but I'll be amiss if I were to surrender your innocence to that wretched--"
*"I said, ENOUGH!"* she roared, her battle aura immediately. *"LET'S GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT! If you EVER pick on my brother again, you will have ME to deal with. I grow TIRED of listening to you accost him for MY choices, do you hear me?!? I'm so sick of you blaming him because I don't love you!"*
"My Pigtailed love, please calm yourself. The spell that you--your *WHAT?!?!?"* Kuno's eyes got to the size of dinner plates as he heard her words. "Pigtailed one, you are saying that the knave--"
*"NO, I'm saying that Ranma is my older brother."* Ranko stood, arms crossed, fury etched in his features. "Leave him alone. He's only been trying to protect me from the likes of you." Then something else dawned on her, which she immediately used as ammunition. "You know what I just realized? You don't even know my real name--you just keep calling me 'Osaga no onna'!"
"Sure I do," Kuno countered, his voice and tone taking on that of someone whose just started to go on the defensive. "It's....um, it's....it's, er...."
"Ranko. Ran-*KO."* The redhead was really becoming irate, seething under her barely controlled temper. "But that's never been important to you, huh? Nothing 'bout me has, except having me. That's because all I've been is nothing but an object to you."
"That's not true!" Kuno exclaimed, shocked that his love actually thought that he didn't care about her. "Haven't I bought you gifts, taken you saili--"
"All in a vain attempt to impress Akane and I into dropping our panties for you." Ranko's comment was crude and uncultured, but seeing Kuno's stunned expression, she noted that she got her point across. "Neither of us care about objects 'n' trinkets 'n' stuff. Not that it matters to you; you never asked us what we wanted. Akane's only loved Ranma--at least you've learned that much. But you've never bothered to think that I don't have any feelings for you, either! And why haven't you listened?"
"I always listen to you, my red-haired deity!" he retorted.
*"NO, you HEAR, but you're not LISTENING. See! THAT'S EXACTLY what I'm talking about!"* A wild idea filtered into Ranko's mind from nowhere, and she decided to act on it. "Let me tell you one last time, and I'll make it a demonstration, just for this to get through your thick skull. Are you listening? *DO I HAVE YOUR COMPLETE ATTENTION??!?!"*
"Yes, my lo--"
She never let him complete his sentence. "If you'd treated Akane or me with any shred of human decency instead of like objects, you would've gotten this." She pulled him down and let him have the most romantic kiss that she could think of, the one that she--her brother, that is--wanted so much to give Akane.
She tossed him back, then said, *"because you couldn't CARE about us enough--CARE, not LOVE--to treat us like people, you'll get this."* She then slapped him. Hard. Not the ki-charged type that would've sent him into geosynchronous orbit, but with enough force to let him know that she wasn't playing. She was serious.
"I do not love you, Kuno Tatewaki. I have not loved you, and I will *NEVER* love you. Get outta my life. If you bother me again, you'll have to deal with *ME.* Or worse, my bro'. And as I've told you before, Saotome Ranma's even better 'n me."
"Pigtail--Ranko." His eyes cleared, then were filled with an infinite sadness. "I...understand." Kuno walked away, shoulders slumped, head cast in the throes of defeat. "Goodbye, Ranko." He walked away into the distance, into the darkness.
Ranko brought a pert grin to her face. {{Guess I finally got my point across. She then made a gagging sound, thinking, but did I have to go so far as to kiss him? Jeez, now I'm gonna be emotionally scarred for life!}}
"I'll bet you're proud of yourself, aren't you?" an accusing voice came from the shadows.
"Well, yeah, actually." Ranko continued to stand there, waiting for the person to show herself. "C'mon out, Nabiki, and please put away the camera."
Nabiki came out of the shadows, wearing a black tube-top and dark blue jeans. She had no camera in her hands...
...but she had a sneer on her face and malice in her eyes. "You were such a bitch the last time you were here, but I didn't dream that you'd cause this much damage, Ranma-chan."
"I'm not Ranma-chan, Nabiki. That was the clone."
"Who are you trying to fool, miss?!? Do you think I'm stupid, Ranma-chan?" Nabiki's voice was filled with anger and venom of a kind that Ranko never thought she was capable of. "You may have fooled everyone, even Ranma, but let me tell you something--I'm not going to stand for you trying the stunts you did last time."
"Wha-what are you talking about, Nabiki? I would never do that to Ranma!" Ranko's mind was immediately swamped with the memories of Ranma's ordeal with the incestuous clone, and the after effects it had on all their lives. "I love him, but not in that way! He's my brother, for cryin' out loud!"
Nabiki, however, was not listening. "Another thing. You didn't have to do that to Tatewaki-kun. He loves the Pigtailed girl. If you want to sleep with someone, try him, not Ranma! You should be glad he loves you; other women would be happy to get his attention!" Nabiki clearly didn't hear her slip of the tongue as she continued. "But you had to hurt him...just as you do everyone else. You're a menace, and I'm keeping my eye on you."
Ranko, however, had heard Nabiki unnoticed comment, and put it to use...thereby, like her brother, putting her foot in her mouth. "Well, you should be keeping your eye on Kuno then, not me."
Nabiki's eyes widened in indignation. *"You little bitch!"* She then, without warning, drew back her hand, made a fist, and threw a right hook across the face of the redhead.
Ranko's head snapped back, then she looked at Nabiki with shock on her face. "Nabiki! Whadja do that for?"
Nabiki looked at the girl, considering dropping into a fighting stance. She realized, however, that would be suicide, as the clone had at least Ranma's skill level in combat; there was no way that she could defeat Ranma-chan. The only thing in fact keeping her alive was the shock value on Ranma-chan's face. "Let me put this warning over your head one last time. Stay away from Ranma--he has enough problems without dealing with you. *Just stay away from him, you bitch!"* The elder girl stormed off in Kuno's direction, in search of her friend.
Ranko, for the most part, whispered, "Nabiki," then slumped to the floor. She was distraught, with no idea of what to do. {{What have I done wrong? Nabiki should know me! I've always been by her side when she needed it, I've endured her pictures of me, I've put up with her renting me out as her fianc�, I've helped out with my share of the fina--
{{No, Ranma's always done that, as far as she's concerned,}} Ranko realized. {{To her, I'm nothing but the Ranma-chan clone, that little minx who tried to sleep with my brother and turn him into a slave! Why doesn't she understand that I'm not her? Why? I would never do that to him!}} She did remember, though that Ranma himself had that same reaction, though his was understandable, since he was the one who suffered under the situation.
The only reason Akane didn't react in the same manner is because she'd been momentarily distracted by the battle--she obviously trusted Ranko. But the others--they were just as shocked to see the redhead. Did that mean that they trusted her, or were they just not as vociferous as Nabiki? These were her kith and kin, the people central to Ranma's life...and to hers. But did she matter in theirs?
Judging by Nabiki's reaction, she did...as a menace to Nerima.
Ranko's fist balled up, and she raised it, then swung down, repeatedly, slamming into the stone tile she was on. These were punches of hurt and sadness, neither ki-charged nor with the speed of the Chestnut Punch. She simply punched back and forth, back and forth, pulverizing the hard paving stone, her hand bleeding slightly from the cuts of the sharp edges. She didn't care.
On the next upswing, though, her hand was stopped, caught by two others. Those hands were gentle but strong. A female voice spoke comfortingly, speaking to Ranko in careful terms. "Ranko, what happened between you and onnechan?"
Ranko didn't even bother to look up at Akane. "Nabiki thinks I'm Ranma-chan."
Akane was puzzled by the query. "But isn't that what you are?"
The redhead looked at Akane, betrayal and fear in her eyes. Her voice rasped, "You too, Akane? You think I'm gonna start chasing after my brother, that I would....?" She shivered in fear of the very thought. {{Even Akane doesn't trust me. What hope do I have?}}
Fortunately Akane caught herself, immediately understanding what Ranko meant. "Oh, no, Ranko, I didn't mean that. I know that you're not her, that you're not the same person as she was. What I meant is that you are his female half, come alive. You're embodied with all the sweetness, honor, nobility, and gentleness that I know and love about him. That's who you are. Nabiki will realize that in time; trust me. She'll come around."
"But what about everyone else? Your sisters, Uc-chan, Ryoga...."
"I don't think they think ill of you either, Ranko. They may be uncomfortable around you, but that's because they're not used to having you around yet. Once they get to know you, they'll like you in a heartbeat." Akane paused. "You know how protective Nabiki is of us. She considers Ranma family, so naturally she'll watch his back. When she gets used to you, she'll do the same for you."
"Are you so sure, Akane? She would've beat me into a stain on the tiles if she wasn't concerned that I'd counterattack."
"But you didn't, right? Once that sinks into her skull, she start thinking, and eventually realize that you're not her." Akane then noticed the blood on her hands. "Ranko! You're hurt!"
"I'm okay, Akane. It doesn't hurt too much." {{She's so sweet,}} the redhead thought. {{He's so lucky to have her. Maybe someday, I'll have someone like that. But it'll be a long time before I can fully think of myself as a girl. A long time.}} She commented to the older girl, "Thank you though, Akane-chan. I really appreciate your concern, but I'll be okay."
"If you're sure." Akane suddenly brightened. "Hey, I've got an idea. Something that'll cheer you up. Last time I was here, there was a place that Kirin showed me, a secluded balcony only for stargazing. He called it the Pavilion of Stars, and from all the stargazing I'd done with Ranma--something you should know--I thought it was the most spectacular thing I'd ever seen. I asked Lychee about it, and she said they'd rebuilt it when they built the palace on the ruins of the old tower. I think you'd like it."
Ranko's response was definitive and clear. "Sure!"
* * *
"Ryoga," Kurumi said, "What was that squeal?"
A bead of perspiration appeared on Ryoga's brow as he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, stammering, "Um, wha-what uh, squeal, Kurumi?"
"Y'know, I coulda swore I heard one too, guys," Azusa replied. She glanced at Ryoga mischievously, then said, "it may have been the wind, though."
"Oh." Kurumi scratched her head in thought, pursed her lips then proclaimed, "Sorry guys. I must be hearing things."
"No problem, Kurumi," Ryoga said offhandedly. "Though I appreciate you two visiting me while I recuperate."
"Oh, it's no problem." Kurumi went to the window, and adjusted the curtains. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
Azusa murmured her assent. "That it is, and the stars are so bright and cuuuuute! Think I'll have to find a way to get one of those, someday."
Kurumi flitted away from the window like a delicate butterfly, her hair being lifted by the minute breeze. She yawned softly as Ryoga watched entranced, and Azusa looking just a bit peeved. "Well, it's been a long day. I think I'm going to go to sleep early. I'll see you guys in the morning. Osayumi nasai."
"Okay, Kurumi. See ya." The youngest Tendo walked out the door, headed towards the room that she was currently using as her bedroom here in the Nekonron palace. She was completely unaware of what was about to occur as she walked away from the room that she'd been in only seconds before.
As soon as the coast was clear, Ryoga reached from behind his pillow and produced one very unhappy pig. "Look, P-Chan," he explained, "if you were out and running around, Kurumi would get suspicious as to why a pig that's been missing for over a year suddenly made his reappearance. People already realize that I was one of the cursed ones after all--they just don't know that you and I were the same. If Ku-chan saw you, then she'd pass that along to Akane, and--oh boy, would that be a problem. You know that."
The small black pig grunted noncommittally, not happy at all about the turn of events, but unable to do a damn thing about it. It still squealed his displeasure with Ryoga, extremely pissed.
"What'd P-Chan say, Charlotte?" Azusa asked.
Ryoga bristled at the mention of that name. "Hey--I thought you were gonna stop calling me that!"
*"That,"* she said, pointing at the little black pig, "is Akane's little black pig, P-Chan. *You,* however," she said, as she wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug, "will always be my darling Charlotte." She smiled sweetly, not entirely intending what she hinted at.
Ryoga blushed. "Um, thanks, Azusa. I also have to thank you about not mentioning about P-Chan."
She waved it off. "Don't mention it. I understand that you kept it a secret from Akane, and besides, if Akane knew that I know, she'd never forgive me. Call it a survival tool, if you will."
"Doesn't mean that I'm thanking you any less," he said, as he moved out from under her arms.
"Doesn't mean you're any less welcome, Ryoga," she said as she sadly moved back to her original position.
"Um, Azusa, I hate to boot you out, but I'm really tired, and I have no idea when Mikado will be returning from wherever he's at." Actually, that was a semi-untruth; although Ryoga was tired, he, like the others, weren't sharing rooms with anyone. He also knew where Mikado was; he'd seen him making out with one of the maids earlier. To make matters worse, he'd just pledged his love to Kuno Kodachi. Although Ryoga didn't know the girl, she was a friend of Ranma's--and he would want to know about it. Additionally, he hated to see any girl taken advantage of like that; he remembered all the times he'd accused Ranma of doing so, but this guy was doing it for real.
"G'night, Charlotte." Azusa blew Ryoga a kiss as she left.
"G'night Azusa-chan," Ryoga replied as she shut the door. He thought to himself, {{Kurumi and Azusa are such nice ladies. I hope they find the person that they're looking for. If I wasn't so in love with my sweet Akari, I would probably ask one of them out. I see that they are attracted to someone, but I'm not sure who. Probably Ranma,}} he sighed. {{He seems to attract them like the butterfly to nectar.}} "Whaddya think, P-Chan?"
The pig grunted a series of harsh sounding tones.
"Y'know, that's rude," Ryoga said with a scowl. "I've already said I'm sorry for what's happened to you, but if you're not gonna listen to me, well then, that's not my fault." He scowled at the pig for a few more minutes before adding, "Look, just forget it. If you're gonna act like a pig, then I'll treat you like one until I give you back to Akane. If you want to act like an intelligent person who's living under a permanent curse, then I'll treat you like it. If not, either shut the hell up or go find Jusenkyo on your own--and it won't be where you'll probably end up."
As Ryoga turned off his lights and sank into the sheets of his bed, P-Chan continued to sit on the bed, unsure of what to do. He finally decided to do whatever it was later--then lay down to sleep for the night.
* * *
Ranko and Akane walked into the Pavilion of Stars, expecting to see the original Mandarin design that they had in its previous incarnation. What they saw impressed they utterly, to say the least. The Pavilion was now in the rough design of a rotunda, with about a third of the entire room sliced away for viewing. The rest of it was devoted to both a huge stained-glass mural of the nighttime sky, while the other end hosted a series of tapestries and ancient European maps of the starscape. On the ground was a sizable map of the known constellations, and the ceiling was an open glass canopy. The whole room was decorated in shades of white, gold, royal blue and indigo, keeping that same European "celestial" design throughout the entire scene, making the chamber appear as though the two girls were standing in their own personal slice of the galaxy.
The pair stood speechless, totally in awe at the sight of the entire room, their thoughts absolutely removed from any semblance other than that of the mere drawing of breath. A second later, as they found their voices, the pair still couldn't find two words to describe the mystical night unfolding before them, the cosmic ballet of stars, galaxies, planets, and nebulae glacially moving before them.
"Wow," was all Akane could muster.
"You got that right," was Ranko's reply.
Then, to add to the already impressive motion of the moment, a flute began its soft, melodic playing. A song not only of sadness and loss, but of hope and joy, was lilting from the fine reed of a bamboo flute. A figure sat at the edge of the rotunda, transfixed in her flute playing. She played a song that seemed to come from the very core of her soul, as though she was pouring her very lifeforce through that wooden musical instrument. It was a oneness with an Art, regardless of discipline or media, that everyone strived for; she seemed to have found it at this very instant.
It was Mist, the Master Shinobi of the Ghost Wolf clan. She was with Coral, the pair obviously not expecting company. Akane suggested that the pair leave them be, but Ranko insisted that she thank the woman or her efforts in rescuing the Saotome siblings. Despite Akane's protests, Ranko went to get the attention of the ninja, Akane tugging on her arm, and wondering if it was fair to use the mallet-sama on the redhead. Despite the noise that the two were making, the ninjas appeared not to have noticed them, seemingly so entranced by Mist's music-crafting that she thought of naught else.
Ranko finally arrived at the side of the ninja, Akane in tow. "Mist-san, I'd like to....ah! Kami-sama...."
Akane looked at Ranko, exclaiming, "Ranko! What's wrong?" She then followed where Ranko's gaze was locked on. The face of the ninja, Mist...
...staring right back at them...
...with her mask off, her face in clear view. "Oh my...." Akane was completely speechless. *"YOU'RE Mist?!?!?!?"* she blurted, unable to comprehend what was presenting itself before her eyes.
Coral leapt to her feet, immediately whipping out her blades, the dangerous gleam in her eyes clearly signalling her expecting an attack. Seeing who it was, she put them away, but kept the annoyed look on her face. She turned to Mist, saying, "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention. It looks like the jig's up."
The ninja turned away, muttering, "Don't worry about it, Umi. I should have been a bit more cautious." She made no move to cover her face as she turned back to the two and answered, "Yes. I am. I'm sorry."
Ranko was stunned. "But I...I..."
"There was no way that you could have known. If I'd been more careful, you still would not know. As it is, you do, and my life has been compromised. There's no way around it, now. This is bad." She placed the flute down on the ground on top of the unused mask. "I should have expected this, actually."
Akane was still not recovering. "But how...how...."
"The skills are all mine. The minute changes in my appearance are done by the flute." She held the shakuhachi for the two to see. "Depending on the tune that I play, I can change my hair and eye color to that of my guise. The tune I was playing must have had the reversal tune in its note, which changed my tones back to normal. Likewise, the flute can create a magical mist, capable of cloaking me, regardless of what time of day it is or the temperature. A bit theatric, perhaps, but I like it." She flashed a comforting smile, one she thought that they knew.
Ranko completely recovered by this time. "But why didn't you--"
"That's for me to know, Ranko; someday I'll tell everyone." Her voice held a tone that implied she was done on that particular subject.
Akane could only stare helplessly at Ranko, then at Mist. For the umpteenth time since this whole adventure had begun, her world was yanked out from under her feet. Ranko went over and hugged Akane for comfort.
Mist got up to her feet, and said, "Well, I have to go. Now that my work's finished here, there are still a few more things I have to attend to before I can return to Japan. Since you'll be here at least for the rest of the week, we should all be home at about the same time."
"But why can't you stay?" Ranko asked, still holding on to Akane, who was now shivering in confusion.
"I can't. You'll just have to trust me on this one." She slipped her mask on, placed the bamboo flute in a pocket. "Ranko, I'm glad to have you back with us, and that Akane has Ranma back. Please tell the others, tell them that I had to leave on another mission. Natsumi will understand; she's a Ghost Wolf and expects things like this."
"Does she know? I mean--" Ranko began.
"Everyone who has to know does," Mist answered cryptically, "and now you two do. I only hope that you won't give away my secret, but I trust you implicitly. Akane, I know I can count on you, and this will all make sense someday. Ranko, I know I can trust you as well, something that certain others will learn eventually."
{{She knows!}} Ranko thought. Then a second later, {{Of course she knows. It's expected.}}
"I will see you back in Japan," Mist said, as she turned to Coral. "Umi, it's been a pleasure. Tell John that I enjoyed working with him once again." She hugged her old friend.
"Drop by the compound when you have a chance, Mist. We'd all love to see you again."
"I promise I will when I get the chance. Until then, Umi."
"Of course, Mist. Of course."
Nothing more to be said, the Shinobi of the Mist simply waved goodbye. Then with a wave of her hand, she said, "Oyasumi nasai, minna-chan," and leapt off the edge of the pavilion, headed towards the ground...
...ten stories down.
Ranko released Akane as she raced towards the edge, trying to grab Mist. When Ranko looked over the railing, however, the ninja was gone. In the end, this should not have been a surprise, she realized; a ninja--especially the Master Shinobi of a clan--should be more than capable of easily making a safe landing out of a ten-story fall. In fact, she should be able to pull this off better than she or her contemporaries.
Ranko then turned back to Akane. "Hey, Akane, you 'kay?"
"No, I'm not." Akane said this in a clipped harsh tone, but made it clear that she wasn't trying to take it out on Ranko. "But I'll survive. I've had to do with worse in my life, after all." Akane continued to be very quiet as Ranko looked at her with a worried glance. She finally looked at the redhead and said, "I'll be fine, Ranko. Please don't worry."
"If you say so." Ranko was going to suggest that they turn in when a slight metallic gleam caught her eye. Turning towards the source of the light, she noticed it was one of Mist's butterfly-shaped shuriken. Picking it up, she then turned to show Akane, but the other girl had already walked away, probably desiring to be completely alone. Ranko would respect that wish, though it tore at her heartstrings to see her go. She instead focused on the butterfly shuriken, as if hoping it would reveal some answer as to why things had occurred the way that they had.
Inspecting the sliver silhouette she held in her hand, trying to find a clue, an answer, Ranko was wondering how the events that has just transpired did--was it destiny or blind chance? There were no answers; instead, all she had was more questions. Like the question regarding the shuriken, and why it was butterfly shaped. Or why Mist had chosen to put her name on the small projectiles.
She didn't have much more time to contemplate, as Coral yanked the throwing star out of her hands and tossed it into the night beyond.
Ranko was livid, to say the least. "Hey, whadja do that for?"
Coral stared her down. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Natsumi--Mist is entitled to her privacy. She's a cursed woman. You all think curses are magical, something caught from some enchantment that went wrong. Well, let me tell you something. Sometimes, it's possible to be cursed just be being born--that's what life is like to Mist, and I'm not going to let anyone make it worse for her. You got me?" There was a flash of rage that didn't look the norm in Coral's eyes; Ranko saw a depth of friendship that could only be equated between Ranma and Ukyo. "If you respect her--and you know who she is now--you'll leave her be until she explains."
Not waiting for an answer, Coral turned away, snarling, "Just remember that, Ranko. Good night."
Ranko watched the girl storm off. She then turned to the stars and uttered one simple word:
"Che."
