This has the same setting as "The way out" mini-fic, "Autumn Leaves",
"Keeping Up Appearances", "Such things as dreams are made of" and "Family
Business"
What has gone before:
Ranma's better nature and a Chinese-Amazon artefact have combined to
return Akane's mother to life - in Ranma's body. To say Akane has not
taken this well is rather like saying Ryoga doesn't have a very good sense
of direction. Now the moment of truth arrives - will Akane face reality
again?
Consultations: Part 3
Tofu stepped carefully out of the university bookshop, his eyes just
showed above the pile of reference books he was carrying. 'Practical
Psychology', 'Impractical Psychiatry', 'Brains for Dummies' - just a few
of the titles showing. Going to be a _long_ week ahead of me, he thought.
In the Nekohanten, Cologne dusted off another label and consulted an
ancient scroll. There were potions to be tested for potency, herbs to be
considered and references to read. This was all frippery besides the most
important task - straining through 300 years of memories for relevant
information. Truly, she thought, this was going to be a _long_ week.
...
Akane was reluctant to leave. This had been the best week of her life,
although she knew the best was still ahead. Somehow she had the feeling
that going to see Dr. Tofu today would threaten that. "Come on Ranma!
Wouldn't you rather look through the catalogues again? We still haven't
decided on a wedding dress."
Kimiko replied quietly, "We're not getting married, dear."
But Akane heard "That's girl stuff - Why doncha decide yourself?"
Akane was beginning to think Ranma would have to choose a wedding dress
for himself as well, he'd been in female form so much over the last week.
Not that she minded, really, it was who was inside that counted, Akane
told herself.
"Now then Akane, you know it's for the best," Nabiki said. "Or if you
would you rather stay behind - I could always use a couple of models for
a calendar photoshoot," she bluffed.
"Take care!" Kasumi said with an optimistic smile. "Oh! I forgot that
book I borrowed, maybe I should come along, too."
"No need for that!" Akane promised, "I'll take it to him." She grabbed
the book and set off with Kimiko and Nabiki before Kasumi had a chance to
respond.
Akane was surprised to see Cologne there with Dr. Tofu. There were two
sets of empty tea bowls on the table next to them, it appeared they had
been chatting for quite some time.
"Hello Dr. Tofu, Cologne. Are you one of his patients now?" Akane
asked.
"Not exactly," Tofu said, while Cologne cackled gleefully at the idea of
needing any medical help.
"Akane! It's not very polite to ask questions like that," Kimiko
admonished.
"We'll need to talk to Akane on her own," Dr. Tofu stated, "I'm afraid
you will have to wait here."
"We?"
"Don't worry child. This won't take long." Cologne said, leading the
confused girl into the other room.
"Ranma? What's going on?" She asked, looking at Kimiko with a hint of
panic in her eyes.
"I'll be waiting for you," Kimiko reassured her. "Remember, I'll
always love you." Kimiko finished, with a flushed face - unable to meet
her daughter's eyes directly.
Cologne deftly hit a shiatsu point that functioned much like a dose of
tranquillisers. Akane relaxed, against her better instincts.
Akane sat down, as Tofu shut the door and put matches to a number of
candles around the room. The blinds drawn, the room had a dusky half lit
look.
"I doubt that it makes much difference, doctor," Cologne said, "but I
find the old, candle-lit, look comforting and every little helps."
"What is this all about?" Akane asked, feeling unnaturally calm.
"Tofu? If you would..." Cologne said, indicating a thick stick of
incense.
"Just relax Akane," Tofu said, lighting the incense, "this won't hurt at
all."
Akane breathed in the bitter smoke, somehow unable work up the energy to
resist even though she knew the doctor was lying - not physical pain maybe,
but that had always been the least important.
"Akane?" Tofu asked, watching her eyelids droop, "Akane do you hear me?"
"Yes doctor," she replied dreamily.
Cologne hopped over and gently lifted Akane's eyelid. "She's ready,
remove the incense."
Dr. Tofu carefully placed the incense in the far corner of the room next
to a half open window.
"I've countered the relaxation pressure point," Cologne said, "it
shouldn't interfere with the hypnotism - but better safe than sorry."
"Akane, I'd like you to remember ... go back two weeks into the past.
What do you see?" Tofu asked.
"Ranma's fighting with that cheerleader, Mariko." Akane answers with in
a flat voice.
"Good, now come a further forwards. It's just over one week ago and you
are at your mother's graveside. What happens?" Tofu asked.
Akane feels something stirring weakly inside her, but answered with the
truth. "Ranma asked about my mother. We talked a while then stopped at
the Nekohanten on the way back home."
"It's not working!" Tofu whispered urgently to Cologne.
"Patience doctor, try a little subtlety," Cologne answered.
"Err... did you notice anything strange at the restaurant?" He asked.
"No... Wait, yes." Akane answered.
"Well? What was it?" Dr. Tofu asked.
Cologne motioned at him, "Gently, doctor, keep calm."
"Shampoo left Ranma before I had to mallet him," Akane replied,
eventually.
Cologne retrieved the incense. "Watch her pulse, doctor! Let me know
the instant it starts weakening."
Akane breathed the bitter fumes again, once, twice...
"Stop!" Tofu cried... "Good, it's holding steady again," he said,
shortly after the smoking incense stick was removed again.
"Akane?" (Akane remained still, only the faint rise and fall of her
chest showing) "Akane, do you hear me?"
The words passed over and through Akane without effect, like dappled
sunlight through a forest stream.
"Akane! This is very important - Do You Hear Me?" Dr. Tofu asked,
desperation showing in his voice.
"Yeeesss ... Doctor," Akane breathed.
"She's at a much deeper level now, young doctor, be careful what you
say," Cologne warned.
"Do you remember when you told Ranma that you loved him?" Tofu asked.
Akane frowned slightly. "It was the night of the anniversary of my
mother's death. I told her I ... I told him ... I _had_ to have told
him," Akane finished firmly.
Cologne and Dr. Tofu shared a glance, then Tofu continued. "Why do you
say you had to have told him?" The doctor asked, with a gentle voice.
Despite the level of hypnosis she was under Akane's heart started to beat
wildly and her eyes opened wide. "Don't you SEE?" She cried, "If I hadn't
told him I loved him he might have ... might have DIED before I'd admitted
it. He might have thrown his life away on some stupid, heroic act of
altruism!" Akane slumped back, her energy spent and her eyes dulled
again.
"I'm sorry, Akane, you di*GACK*" Tofu stopped abruptly, choking for
breath. He looked accusingly at Cologne as he found the proper points to
reverse the strangulation point she had pressed.
"Doctor, you young fool! Don't you have any idea what forces you are
dealing with?" Cologne asked. "No," she sighed, answering herself, "I
don't suppose you do. One wrong step here and you'll have a perfectly
sane - and completely suicidal - young lady on your hands."
"What can we do then?" He asked.
"Nothing... yet," was the dispiriting answer Cologne gave. "I have a
herbal tea used for battle shock that she should take once a day, it will
lessen the damage when she does realise what has happened. I suggest you
leave a post hypnotic suggestion to return twice a week or so and you can
- very carefully - work on returning her to the real world. Done
gradually enough there's a good chance she will find the truth in a month
or so and be merely very upset."
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Author's Notes
Aren't I a stinker?
(Don't answer that)
I'm sorry if you were expecting a happy result by this point - but I
don't think there's any magic cure to what affects Akane. Time heals all
wounds, some say, but the scars remain.
Stay tuned as for further episodes. All C&C gratefully received.
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