HEARTS AND MINDS PRELUDE ONE
			  KUNO TATEWAKI: HOME

		       Ranma 1/2 manga fanfiction
			     by Gary Kleppe

	The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the creation of and rightful
property of Rumiko Takahashi. They are used here without permission.
This story may be freely redistributed, but it should not be altered
substantially or used for profit in any way.

	SERIES NOTES: This is a prequel to "Hearts and Minds", a series
taking place five years after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga. There will
be ten of these, each centering on a particular character or two. They
are intended to be mostly independent of one another;  you ought to be
able to read one without having read the previous ones -- I hope.

	For more info on the series, read the Info post I sent to FFML
(archive # 40384), or see the section for this fic on my web page,
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics#ham

	This will probably be my longest and most ambitious series ever.
All C&C and feedback will be welcomed, seriously considered, and
responded to. Public response is preferred, but private is fine.

                                 ______


	*You can't go home again.*

	Kuno Tatewaki remembered those words from the extensive studies
of poetry and literature that he did in his younger days.  It was a most
profound thought.

	Nevertheless, Tatewaki had arrived at the airport of Tokyo, the
city where he had been born and had grown to manhood. It seemed that
very little had changed, apart from the addition a new snack bar. It
felt almost as if the last five years had been a dream, or another life.

	A pair of security guards, one male and one female, stood by the
exit to the section of airport. The male guard searched Tatewaki for
concealed weapons, as the guards did for all passengers. Finding
nothing, they allowed the kendoist to pass into the airport. He smiled
slightly at the thought of the chaos he had caused five years ago in
this place, when they had tried to search him on his way away from
Japan; he had tried to insist on being searched by the female guard.

	He made his way through the crowded corridors. It would be a few
minutes before the luggage would be unloaded from the plane and Tatewaki
would need to go through customs. He went to a pay phone and called the
number for the Hotel Angui of Beijing. The situation there being what it
was, he knew that he would be lucky to get through.

	The call was answered. Tatewaki requested a certain room number
and was transferred.

	A familiar voice came through the phone. "Nihao, Tatewaki!"

	"Greetings, fair Shan Pu. I have arrived at Tokyo airport
without incident. What news of your meeting in Beijing?"

	"News is not good. They will no help us. They not admit so, but
I can tell."

	"What then do we do next?"

	"I just finish speak with Aunt Lan. She say we go ahead with
plan. Tell me tell you get anyone we can from Nerima to help."

	Lan Zhilei was the Amazon tribe's current leader. It was she who
had sent Tatewaki and Shan Pu on their mission. A few years ago,
Tatewaki would have reacted hostilely. How dare anyone give orders to
the Blue Thunder?

	"I shall do what I can," he said.

	Even now part of him was quite uncomfortable with being told
what to do. But, he reminded himself, he was not merely following
commands like some servant. Rather, he was deferring to Lan's experience
and wisdom.

	"I get on next flight and be there soon as I can," Shan Pu said.
"Good luck, Tatewaki, and thank you." She hung up the phone.

	Tatewaki found his luggage and proceeded to the line for the
customs check-in, thinking all the while on how things had changed for
him, how *he* had changed. In his youth, he had arrogantly pursued both
Akane Tendo and the Pig-Tailed Girl, simply because they were the most
beautiful women at his school. A great and noble warrior, he thought,
ought naturally to be entitled to those women who are worthy of him.

	Now he had come to admire Shan Pu, not only for her beauty, but
for her iron determination and fiery spirit. He hoped that one day she
would find him worthy of her.

	Yes, things had been different back then...

                                 ______


	It was summer in Nerima; a time of celebrations. For many, the
summer itself was reason enough for this. It meant the chance to relax
in the sun, maybe make a trip to the beach.

	Last month's attempted wedding of Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane
was still fresh in the memories of most of the local residents. Those
who desired the love of Ranma and/or Akane were happy that the marriage
had not actually taken place. Others who pursued the love of those in
the former group were also happy about the wedding, as it made it more
likely that Ranma and Akane eventually would become a couple.

	The members of the senior class of Furinkan High school had
another reason to celebrate. It was their last day there. Thanks to the
school authority's overruling of the Principal's "additional
requirements", they were going to graduate. It was a time to say goodbye
to old friends and to hopefully move on to bigger and better things.

	Kuno Tatewaki and Tendo Nabiki were two members of this class.
They emerged from the building just after the final bell sounded.

	"So, Kuno-chan, what will you be doing after graduation?" Nabiki
asked, idly curious.

	"In truth, I know not, Tendo Nabiki. I have been granted
admission to a university. But alas, books and papers are not the lot of
a noble warrior. I ought to undertake a quest, something by which to
prove my courage and battle skills. And you?"

	"I'll be heading over to the United States. I've been offered a
full scholarship for the MBA program at Harvard. I'll make better
connections over there than I would here in Japan."

	"I'm certain that you will. By the way, have you delivered my
message to Saotome Ranma instructing him to meet me at your place of
residence today at four o'clock precisely?"

	"I left him a note. Four o'clock on the dot. You owe me fifteen
hundred yen, Kuno-chan."

	"Have I ever failed to pay you for your services?" Tatewaki
handed over a few bills. "I bid you farewell until we meet again, Tendo
Nabiki."

	Two of Nabiki's classmates approached her as Tatewaki walked
away. "So, what did Kuno ask you, Nabiki?" one of them said playfully.

	"Just a little business, nothing more."

	"We thought... you know," the other one said, "it being the last
day of classes and all... he might... you know..."

	"Spit it out, ladies."

	"We thought," the first one said, "he might have popped the
question. You know, proposed."

	"Me and... Kuno? Married?" Nabiki's eyes went wild as this
possibility went through her mind. Then she burst out hysterically. "HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!"

                                 ______


	Tatewaki walked toward the Tendo home. He could hear Nabiki's
laughter from back towards the school. It was obvious that she thought
him a fool. Yet giving out the small amounts of cash that she asked for
was no great inconvenience to him; and because of them she did what he
wanted. Who was the fool?

	No matter. He had more important things to think about. It was
finally time to free the Pig-Tailed Girl. He had vowed long ago that he
would accomplish this, and he would; by any means necessary.

                                ______


	"I'm home!" Nabiki entered the Tendo home amidst the sounds of
repair work. Her father could be heard crying in the background, while
Ranma and Akane argued. Just a typical day.

	"Hello, Nabiki!" Kasumi said enthusiastically, as she always
did. "This was your last day of classes, wasn't it? Congratulations!"

	"Thanks, sis. I see the house is almost fixed. Now aren't you
all glad I invited all of those guests to the wedding? The money they
paid for admission will be more than enough to pay for the repairs." Of
course, the repairs might not have been necessary if those guests hadn't
been there; but Nabiki decided not to mention this.

	Soun was looking at a letter. "Nabiki! Isn't it wonderful?"

	"Well, *I* think so. I mean, frankly, that school is a lunatic
asylum. I can make good money there, but I'm glad to be leaving."

	"I don't mean that. Look at this!" He showed Nabiki the letter.
It was an offer for a free dinner for two at a restaurant called the
Cupid Cafe.

	"A lovers' cafe?" Ranma asked. "US?"

	"If Ranma doesn't want to go with me, that's okay," Akane said
to no one in particular. "There are plenty of other people I could go
with."

	Happosai burst into the room and made a leap for Akane's bosom.
"I'll go with you!!" Her punch propelled him outside, adding to the
repair bill.

	"I've had guys take me to this place before," Nabiki said. "The
food is pretty good."

	Ranma looked at the letter. "Don't you think it's kinda
suspicious, us gettin' this for nothing?"

	"Apparently the restaurant owner saw your wedding announcement
in the newspaper," Nabiki said. "They give out free dinners to selected
newlyweds, in hopes that you'll tell your friends how nice it was.
Evidently the fact that you didn't actually end up married didn't
disqualify you. It's a legitimate promotion. But," she added, knowing
full well that it was a warning that would be ignored, "it doesn't mean
you shouldn't be careful."

	"If the food's good, I'll go. I just hope Akane don't get all
mushy and stuff."

	"You wish, Ranma."

	"That's the spirit!" A teary-eyed Soun abruptly hugged both
Ranma and Akane. "I'll call in the reservations for tonight! I'M SO
HAPPY!!!"

	Genma, in panda form, just grunted approvingly. He and Soun had
more reason to be happy than they were letting on.

	Mousse had come to the dojo the previous day.

	"Mr. Tendo. Mr. Saotome. I've come here to help you. All of us
want the same thing -- for Ranma and Akane to be happily married, so
that my darling Shampoo will be left for me. Do we see eye-to-eye on
this?"

	"Over here, son," Soun called. "That's a floor fan."

	Mousse found the source of the voice, and offered a small
spherical object. "Here! I want you to use this!"

	Soun examined the object. "This is..."

	"It's the last of the three love pills that Happosai stole from
Cologne nearly a hundred years ago. All you need to do is give this to
Ranma while he's looking at Akane. This one lasts only a day, but
that'll be time enough for them to get married. They love each other
anyway. They're just too stubborn to know it."

	"How did you come by this, boy?" Genma asked. "And why haven't
you just used it on Shampoo yourself?"

	"I found it in the back room of the Nekohanten. And I tried, but
there was no way I could give it to Shampoo without getting caught. If I
did, Cologne would figure out what happened and just keep me away from
Shampoo for a day. Then the two of them might... ah, might make me into
Beijing duck. This way, at least, the finger won't point to me."

	Soun looked at his old friend with a serious expresssion.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Saotome. Perhaps we ought
to put this in your son's food."

	"Let us consider our course of action carefully, Tendo. Is this
an honorable thing to do? Can we truly say that the end justifies the
means? And won't everyone figure out who did it? And is there a recipe
for Beijing Panda?"

	Soun thought for a moment; then a metaphysical lightbulb
appeared over his head. "Ah! I happen to have a friend named Guzen
Noichi. He's a chef at a restaurant for young lovers called the Cupid
Cafe. Suppose that a certain two young lovers were invited for dinner
there..."

	"Excellent idea, Tendo! The romantic atmosphere will make my son
realize his true feelings! With a little help from your friend and this
pill, of course."

	"Agreed, Saotome. It's all for the best. Like the young man here
said, they love each other anyway."

                                 ______


	Kuno Tatewaki entered the Tendo residence at precisely four P.M.
Saotome Ranma immediately leapt over to stand with his feet planted
firmly on top of the kendoist's head.

	"SAOTOME!!!" Tatewaki bellowed as he tried to push his nemesis
away from his cranium. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?"

	Ranma showed Tatewaki a handwritten note. It read, "Ranma:
Kuno-chan wants you to meet him here this afternoon. Four o'clock on the
head."

	"AAAAARG!!" Tatewaki righted himself as Ranma jumped back to the
ground. "This is no laughing matter, you insolent dog!"

	"So what is it this time, Kuno? Another challenge? Okay, let's
get it over with."

	"I would love to smite thee, but I have more pressing concerns
at present. Though the idea pains me, I am prepared to negotiate with
you over the Pig-Tailed Girl."

	"Negotiate?"

	"You will release your hold over she who is my love. I shall
thereafter pay a ransom to you, the amount of which will be negotiated
between the two of us. Do you agree?"

	"WHAT?!?" Ranma couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You want
to BUY the 'Pig-Tailed Girl'?"

	"Make no mistake, Saotome, I relish not the thought of giving
in to your villainy. But you have left me no other choice. I will see my
love freed, one way or another."

	"Kuno, get it through your thick head. The 'Pig-Tailed Girl'
thinks you're a stupid jerk. She does NOT love you. She will NEVER love
you. Understand? And she can't be bought."

	"You would be surprised, Saotome, at just how many things can be
bought."

	"Yeah? Does that include your mom, Kuno?" It was a third-grade
kid's insult, but with Kuno it wasn't worth bothering to think of
anything better.

	Tatewaki's response was to charge at Ranma with his bokken. 

	Moments later, the Blue Thunder was lying face down in the local
garbage collection site.

	This would not deter him, he swore to himself as he struggled to
get up. He would not admit failure, for noble warriors did not fail in
their tasks. The Pig-Tailed Girl would be freed to express her true
feelings to him, one way or another.

	He just needed to rest a bit first...

                                 ______


	"Man, what a dork. 'I would love to smite thee,'" Ranma said, in
an absurdly effeminate parody of Tatewaki's voice. Then he turned to see
his mother watching.

	"Good evening, Ranma," she said.

	With apprehension, Ranma recalled his father's promise that the
two of them should commit seppuku if he were found to be unmanly. "Uh...
Mom... I...."

	"I have no quarrel with your behavior tonight, Ranma. You were
clearly provoked into fighting that young man, and you handled yourself
with dignity as a true man should. But I am curious as to who the
'Pig-Tailed Girl' your classmate referred to is."

	"She's me, Mom. Kuno's seen me as a girl and doesn't understand
that it's the same person. We've explained it to him time and time
again, and he's even seen me change right in front of him, but he still
just doesn't get it."

	"Most unusual."

	"It runs in the family. His sister and his dad are even crazier
than he is."

	"Indeed? What of his mother?"

	"I dunno nothin' about her. Uh, I gotta go get ready for dinner
at that restaurant, Mom." Ranma climbed quickly up the stairs toward his
room.

	He didn't have to pretend to be "Ranko" any more around his
mother, and he was glad. Still, being around his mother made him
nervous. Pop's promise was still hanging over his head. His own mother
could decide he should die anytime she decided he didn't live up to her
expectations as a "real man among men" -- expectations which he didn't
completely understand.

	Maybe that was why he liked fighting better than anything else.
During a fight, he was the one who decided what to do. He didn't have to
worry about what anyone else thought. There were very few other things
in his life like that.
 
                             ______

 
	Nodoka watched her son climb the stairs. She felt lucky to have
such a fine son, not an ill-mannered fool like the Kuno boy.

	But was it truly luck? How much of the difference between Ranma
and a Kuno was due to different experiences and upbringing, and how much
simply was? What part of her son's good qualities could she and Genma
take credit for? How much should the Kunos be blamed for?

	Perhaps the unknown Mrs. Kuno was the cause of her son's
shortcomings. Had she been too permissive with him, not taught him to
behave as a true man should?

	Nodoka's curiosity needed to be satisfied. She would try to find
out about Mrs. Kuno.

                             ______

  
	In the Kuno mansion, the dinner conversation took a rare turn in
that the three participants were actually listening to each other. The
subject turned to Tatewaki's plans for the future. "In truth, I know not
what course I will take," he said.

	"'Ey, Tachi," the Principal said between mouthfuls of food, "I
know what yo' oughtta do."

	"What's that, father?'

	"You goan' get one o' dem new haircuts! De ones wit' de sides
shaved and de top long. HOOHAH!!"

	"You are as helpful as ever, father. What think you, sister?"

	"To be honest, brother dear, I think that those haircuts are
quite ugly. Your hair looks fine as is." Kodachi smiled patronizingly.
"Oh, yes I know what you meant to ask, but there really is no question
as to your future."

	"No?"

	"No. For you have no imagination, brother. You'll go to college
to train for some dull but secure employment. You'll find some
traditional girl to marry who will smile at you as you rant on about how
wonderful you are. You'll raise a litter of children who also have no
imagination, who will grow to adulthood and repeat the cycle over again.
Does not that sound like a good life? You must be *so* looking forward
to it!"

	Tatewaki knew that his sister was insane, but her words still
stung. Did he really have no imagination? He tried to think of what it
would be like be like to have imagination, but for some reason could not
form a mental image of it.

	"Uhh..." the Principal groaned, as his head abruptly fell
forward into his plate of noodle casserole.

	Tatewaki examined his father and found him to be sound asleep.
He glared at Kodachi.

	"Merely trying out a new recipe, brother. It seems you were not
affected. Perhaps you need to eat more."

	"And what reason have you for wanting to drug the other members
of your family?"

	"Why, brother. Who needs reason when one has imagination?
OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!"
 
                                 ______


	It was early in the evening. The restaurant known as the
Nekohanten was empty, save for the staff and a few customers. Cologne
and Shampoo were in the back room.

	"I'm disappointed in you, Shampoo." Cologne froze her
great-granddaughter with a commanding look. "Throwing exploding food at
Ranma and Akane may have been satisfying, but it was not particularly
smart. You let your personal feelings interfere with your duty to your
people."

	"I sorry, great-grandmother," was all Shampoo could say. How
could she explain?

	Cologne's tone softened slightly. "Do you still love him? Even
after all that's happened?"

	"Yes." Shampoo loved Ranma. But she also hated him. Hated him
for never realizing that she would make the best wife; for always
keeping hope in front of her but never letting her succeed. When the
wedding had been announced, part of Shampoo was relieved. At least there
would be no more uncertainty. She threw exploding beef buns at the
couple partly out of anger, but partly because she had just wanted it to
be finally and completely over.

	That wasn't what great-grandmother wanted, though.

	Meanwhile out front, the door opened. Tatewaki Kuno entered.
"Good evening. I wish an order of deluxe ramen, as my sister has
unfortunately drugged the dinner that I was to eat."

	Mousse showed Tatewaki to a seat, listening to Cologne with one
ear. Fortunately, being unable to depend on his eyesight had caused him
to develop keener hearing.

	"You know as well as anyone why we must keep Ranma's good will,"
Cologne continued. "All is not lost as far as your marriage to him is
concerned. The wedding did not take place, and there is still a chance
that he may still switch to you. But from here on it must be his choice.

	"You will promise on the honor of the Amazons never again to
come between Ranma and Akane." Cologne's tone made it clear that what
she was saying could not be argued with. "You will write a statement of
that promise, and an apology for your behavior at the wedding, which
Mousse will deliver to the Tendos."

	"Yes, great-grandmother. I promise."

	"That's a relief," Mousse said aloud to himself. "Shampoo could
have ruined Ranma and Akane's date at the Cupid Cafe."

	"What?" Tatewaki quickly came to his feet. "Akane Tendo is at
the Cupid Cafe?"

	"Er... uh..." Mousse stammered.

	"She surely awaits the presence of her own true love! Be brave,
Akane Tendo! I come anon!" The kendoist strode purposefully out the
front door, leaving behind a slightly worried-looking Mousse.

                             ______


	"Welcome to the Cupid Cafe." Atama Kukiko had what she thought
was the best job in the whole world, waitress at the Cafe. Seeing so
many young lovers every day was just wonderful! "Do you have a
reservation?"

	"Yes," the short-haired woman in the pretty dress replied.
"Tendo Akane and Saotome Ranma."

	"Oh yes. Someone made a mistake, I see. You're listed here as a
man and a woman."

	"Blame that little old lady who throws water outside all the
time," the woman in the 1970's Chinese-style jacket said. "One of these
days I oughtta..."

	"Why don't you just take a different route?" her companion said,
sounding a little annoyed. The pig-tailed girl didn't seem to have a
good answer.

	"That's all right. This way, please." Kukiko picked up two menus
and led the two customers to their candle-lit table in the back, as they
kept arguing all the while. She smiled to herself, thinking about how
young love was. They were fighting now; that meant that later they would
be making up.

                             ______


	Somewhat later, Kukiko was setting two plates down on the table.
"Pork fried rice for the lady, and teriyaki eel for... the other lady."

	"Could we have some hot water, please?" Akane asked.

	"Skp 't, Akne," Ranma said through a mouthful of food. "It's not
worth the trouble of explaining the whole thing. I'll stay like this."

	Akane finished chewing before replying. "How do you think that
makes me feel, Ranma? To be at a lovers' cafe with another girl?"

	"Oh, you're embarrassed to be seen with me, is that it?"

	"That's not what I..."

	"And I suppose you think I like being with a girl as unfeminine
as you?"

	"What did you say?!" Akane snatched Ranma's now empty plate and
lifted it, about to bash it into her fiance's skull.

	She then gave a tired sigh and set the plate back down noisily
on the table. "Maybe you and I are just wrong for each other," she said,
exasperated. "Are we going to be doing this the rest of our lives?
Insulting and hitting each other? Is that the kind of life we want?"

	"I dunno." Ranma was at a loss for a good answer. "I been pushed
around and told what to do so much, I don't even know what *I* want
anymore."

	"I guess I can understand that", Akane said. "Sometimes it seems
like I've been fighting back because I didn't want to be controlled by
other people, that I don't know what I *do* want. Does that make any
sense?"

	"Akane..."

	The two edged closer, each looking at the other's face in the
soft lighting. Could it be that they both felt the same way... ?

	A voice came from the front of the restaurant. "Tendo Akane!
Whither art thou, my love?"

	"Kuno." Ranma said the name as if it were something to be
scraped from the bottom of a shoe. Damn it, they were so close... to
what? "I've had it. I'm gonna put that moron in the hospital."

	"No." Akane's emotions clearly matched Ranma's. "He called for
*me*. That means *I* get to put him in the hospital." She took a quick
drink from her glass of water.

	Tatewaki burst into view. "Tendo Akane!" He turned to notice
Ranma. "And the Pig-Tailed Girl!"

	Ranma's eyes suddenly went wide as he stared at the kendoist.
"Kuno! DARLING!"

	"WHAT??" Akane involuntarily spat out her water in shock.

                                 ______


	"Is everything all right here?" Kukiko asked cheerfully, as one
of her customers held the newly-arrived man in a tight embrace, while
the other one looked on angrily.

	"Hot. Water. NOW!" Akane said between clenched teeth. No, as it
happened, everything was *not* all right. Her fiance was making a fool
out of her once again. Some part of her told her that it might not be
Ranma's fault; she ignored it.

	"Pig-Tailed Girl!" Tatewaki exclaimed. "At last you have cast
off the foul influence that bound you to that dog Saotome!"

	"I belong to no one but you, darling! Let's run away together!"
Ranma reached up and gave Tatewaki a long, slow kiss.

	Akane gaped, unable to form words. She tried to pull Ranma away
from Kuno, but they held together with all their strength. In her heart
she was more than ready to believe that Ranma would leave her for
someone else. But Kuno?? That just didn't make any sense.

	Kikuko re-entered with a kettle of steaming water. Akane took it
and doused her fiance with it, turning him male. "There," she said
snidely. "Kiss all you want now!"

	"Huh?" Ranma blinked as he came to his senses. "What the..." He
pushed Kuno away. His hands went to his mouth as he felt the dinner he
had just eaten coming up from the revulsion of realizing what he had
just been doing.

	Akane fought the urge to believe that all of this was Ranma's
fault. Maybe Kuno had found some magical super-pheromone that made him
irresistable to women. Then why wasn't she affected? Was she as
unfeminine as Ranma said? She didn't want to think about that.

	"Saotome? What trickery..." Tatewaki turned to Akane. "Akane
Tendo, be not jealous! My fire burns for you as well!"

	"JEALOUS?!?" Akane angrily kicked the table towards Kuno,
knocking him down. The water glass from the table fell off, and, as luck
would have it, splashed onto Ranma.

	Akane paused on seeing that Ranma was again a woman. What would
he do now?

	Ranma looked at Kuno with big tearful eyes. "Oh, Upperclassman
Kuno, our love cannot be. For I am cursed by the pools of Jusenkyo!"

	Tatewaki struggled to push the table off of him so that he could
get up. "Pools... of Jusenkyo?"

	"Yes. My father carelessly brought me to that place during our
trip to China. Since then I have been cursed. That is why you see me as
you do now. Dear, dear Tatewaki, you must find another, a real woman who
can return your love all of the time."

	"At last!!" Tatewaki stood and struck a proud pose. "This is the
quest for which I was born!"

	"Huh?" was Akane's reaction.

	"I will travel to Jusenkyo, China, to free the Pig-Tailed Girl
from her curse!" Tatewaki strode toward the exit, filled with a renewed
sense of purpose. "Be brave, my love, until my return!"

	"Have a nice trip," Akane said sourly as she poured more hot
water onto Ranma. Kuno going to Jusenkyo? She wondered what he might
come back as. It would serve him right, whatever it was.

	"A... Akane?" Ranma turned slowly, hesitantly. "I... I..." For a
moment, as he looked at her he felt himself about to lose control again.
Then the influence abruptly faded, and he was back to normal. He felt
the same way about Akane that he always did.

	Ranma and Akane suddenly moved together and held each other in a
tight embrace. In that moment they knew the kind of world that they
lived in, a world full of cursed waters and magical fishing rods, of
powers beyond imagination. There was no way to know what the future had
in store.

	Tomorrow they would go back to insulting and hitting. But for
now, they didn't want to lose each other. 

	Kukiko silently watched. They were making up. How wonderful
young love was!

                                 ______


	At the Nekohanten, a familiar figure in a kendo gi entered.

	"Can I help you?" Cologne asked.

	"It is my quest to free the Pig-Tailed Girl from the curse of
Jusenkyo. I require your assistance in getting to that location."

	Cologne was momentarily taken aback by this odd request. "You
realize that Jusenkyo is a dangerous place? And your 'Pig-Tailed
Girl'..."

	"I will not be deterred. Should you be unwilling to help me, I
shall look for asistance elsewhere."

	"Very well. Make arrangements to travel to Xi'ning in the
Qinghai province of China. Inform me as to your scheduled date and time
of arrival. I will contact my Amazon sisters and have them meet you
there. They will then guide you to Jusenkyo. What happens to you once
there is your own responsibility."

	"Agreed. I shall be in touch." Tatewaki strode toward the exit.
Shampoo knew that the man was deluded, totally unable to understand who
his "Pig-Tailed Girl" really was. Still, she could not help feeling a
twinge of admiration and respect for his dedication and persistence. She
hoped he would be all right.

                                 ______


	He saw nothing.

	Tatewaki had managed to make the arduous journey to Jusenkyo.
Two flights, a rail trip, a bus ride over a road that barely existed,
and a long trek on foot had brought him to his destination. He had come
expecting to fight the guardians of the place; creatures of evil, or
perhaps human servants of some dark power. He could defeat them and
force them to reverse their malevolent bewitchment of the Pig-Tailed
Girl.

	But there were no guardians. Merely a hundred pools of water
with bamboo poles protruding upward.

	"Attend me, you craven dogs!" Tatewaki cried. "I, Kuno Tatewaki,
have come to challenge you for the freedom of the Pig-Tailed Girl! Show
yourselves, cowards!!"

	"You shout into empty air."

	Tatewaki turned to see Lan, the aged Amazon who had guided him
on the last leg of his travels. "Where are the keepers of this place?"
he asked her.

	"There are none. There is nothing for you to fight here."

	"Do not trifle with me, woman!" Tatewaki raised his bokken
threateningly.

	"Oh, you could fight with me, and you would surely win, for my
health is poor. Time has not treated this old woman well. Defeating me,
however, would gain you nothing. Your 'Pig-Tailed Girl' would still be
as she now is."

	Tatewaki looked around. The old woman had to be lying! There had
to be some foe here for him to attack! Perhaps they were concealed
beneath the waters of the pools? He moved slowly over towards one of
them for a closer look. It appeared to be empty.

	"But," the old woman continued, "I can do something to help you.
I can offer you training. Training of the body, of the mind, and of the
spirit."

	"Why do you offer this?"

	"Someday soon, our village is likely to face a crisis. We will
be in need of as many warriors as we can find. I know that your battle
skills are considerable."

	"And your training will enable me to break the hold that this
place has over the Pig-Tailed Girl?"

	"I do not guarantee that. But it will make you a better fighter,
and it will help you in understanding your opposition. You may learn
just what it is that keeps you from achieveing your goals; this might
give you a chance of getting what you seek."

	The afternoon sunlight glistened off the surface of the pool. It
beckoned to Tatewaki, a siren call inside his mind. It was offering him
a choice. Perhaps the Pig-Tailed girl had faced the same set of
alternatives?

	Tatewaki stepped back, slowly and carefully. Though accepting
assistance was a sign of weakness, he could see no alternative. There
was nothing in his mind that told him any way he could deal with this
situation himself.

	Saying nothing, he followed the old woman away from the area. In
so doing, Tatewaki Kuno became the first outsider in recent memory to
leave Jusenkyo *without* having been transformed by one of the place's
cursed springs.

	Tatewaki undertook his Amazon training. Initially, it went very
poorly. He had difficulty mastering the simplest Amazon stick fighting
techniques, and each of his instructors was able to defeat him easily.
He fared no better with his study of Chinese, or of meditation, or of
Amazon thought and philosophy. By all reckonings, Tatewaki Kuno was a
failure.

	And they didn't mind.

	Lan-sensei and Tatewaki's other Amazon teachers did not punish
or cast out Tatewaki for his shortcomings. They simply treated his
failures as difficulties to be overcome, giving him more instruction and
letting him try again and again until he got it right.

	As time passed, Tatewaki realized that this had to be what a
family was like. The Amazons were his family now, not the insane man and
girl who happened to be related to him by blood. When the time came to
help defend the village, he was ready.

	*You can't go home again.*

	Tatewaki now knew that the place he grew up in was not his true
home. That lay elsewhere.

	He only hoped that it would still be there for him to go back
to.

                                 ______

	Big thanks to Cindy Toler, Dave Eddy, Krista Perry, Matt Posner,
Adrian Wong, and E. McGinnis for pre-reader comments and suggestions. I
took the "on the head" joke from a scene in manga vol. 5 -- Viz
translated it in a way that wasn't funny and I wanted to try to do
better.

NEXT: Ukyo (in about a week, I hope)



Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics