Remember when I griped about all that shit I had to get done before I could
get anymore writting done? I'm done. I win. And of course, that means
I've been residing in the mythical land of free time...
Having a great time...wish you were here!
...which brings me to
the point of this post. Heres Sunrise 2. I'll be starting 3 ASAP.
Hopefully I won't be leaving you high and dry for too long. I'm gonna
put sunrise 1 on my fics page after I post this so if you want a
refresher or missed it:
http://bobcat.tamu-commerce.edu/~trotter/fics
Till next time: All characters are Takahashi's, C&C welcomed, especaly on
spelling fuck ups...
Matthew Trotter, sig space for rent, cheap.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
Sunrise
Matthew Trotter
-----------------------
Part 2: Dawn's Early Light
Hey little sister
do you know what time it was
when you finaly seen
all your broken dreams
come crashing down
-Rancid
_______________________
The house was huge, it might beter have been described as a mansion...
somehow that seemed right. It was a family mansion. Her family mansion.
"This is home kitten."
"Meor?"
"Oh, I think we can go in. I live here don't I..." that felt wrong...
maybe lived here? Then where did she live now?
"Meow."
"hmmm? Oh, I was just thinking."
She opened the front door, she could hear someone talking. It was a
man, he spoke in a low quiet voice. It seemed familier...
"Meor?"
"I...I think that's Daddy... DADDY, I'M HOME!"
She followed the voice to the study. Her father was there talking to
someone in a chair. The back of the chair was to her so she couldn't see
the person.
"Daughter, we've been waiting for you to get home."
"Who is our guest, Daddy?"
The person in the chair stood up and turned toward her. It was the
doppleganger.
"Ohhohoho, look what the cat dragged in..."
Kodachi looked down to where the doppleganger pointed. The cat's
dead eyes stared up at her with a look of putrification. A large patch
of its fur fell off of its flank splattering wetly on the carpet. She
started screaming...
-----------------------
The doctors had given up. Shampoo knew that. The crazy...Kodachi's
brother had told her that on her last visit. She didn't want to go back
after that. It wasn't fair. The .... Kodachi had saved her and now she
wasn't going to live. It wasn't as if it was a new thing. It had
happened before in China...but then it had been one of her friends who
had saved her. That was different. She felt ok about that. Prell had
known what she was doing. She died for a friend. That made Shampoo feel
good. She was worth dying for... but this...it wasn't right. The cr...
Kodachi had all but died helping a cat. She didn't even have a reason...
<WWHHAAAMM!!!>
Shampoo leapt up, tangling herself in the chair as she did. For one
precarious moment she stood there balanced, then she tumbled to the floor.
"Great Granddaughter, there is no use in moping. Amazon warriors do
not mope!!! This girl is not even dead yet!"
Shampoo just sat on the floor trying not to look at Great
Grandmother. She knew it was true. But it still hurt. She wished she
could have known th... Kodachi. She wished ...
<BONK>
Shampoo rubbed her head and looked up at Great Grandmother.
"This is your chance to go get close to your future groom. He surely
needs someone right now. That someone should be you!"
"He already has someone."
Shampoo kicked out from under the chair. Mousse never came by any
more. She wasn't sure exactly why, but she did miss him.
"Mousse, you come to annoy Shampoo?"
"No. I came by to see if you were doing all right, and to tell you that
the Kuno's called me."
"What?" She dropped into Chinese, "Why would they call you?"
"Because they have called you four or five times and you still have
yet to appear."
Great Grandmother scowled at Mousse.
"They asked me to tell you that Kodachi is now awake."
"Great Grandmother why didn't you tell me?"
"Child, you need to concentrate on your husband, not on this girl."
"But she saved my life!"
"Yes, and now you've wasted the time you had. Now, you must go to her
and explain the whole thing. Now, she can ask the one favor of you that
you don't want to give. Now, you WILL lose your future husband to her."
Shampoo realized that her mouth was dry. The Cra...Kodachi would ask
her...probably tell her, to give up Ranma. She would be going home in
defeat. She would be lower than dirt...and almost as low as a man...
"Ha! She lost Ranma to Akane a long time ago. Kodachi Kuno can only
make her quit harassing him."
"Listen here, sonny boy..."
"No. You try listening to me. If you can't tell that Ranma and Akane
are head over heels by now...Maybe the village elders were wrong to call
you wise."
Great Grandmother looked at her and then back at Mousse.
Mousse shook his head, "It will all fall through sooner or later. I
just hope you don't manage to really make her believe in it when it does."
Shampoo just stared. THAT was Mousse? He was talking over her head.
Strait over her head. She had seen the elders hold conversations like
the one Great Grandmother and Mousse were having. Mousse wasn't supposed
to just turn up one day and act all wise and .. . .that wasn't right...
"How is your new girl friend, Mousse?"
"Shien Chi is well."
Shien Chi? Mousse had a new girlfriend? It . . . it didn't seem
right. Why would Mousse . . . Could it be that Mousse had finally
given her up? Something in her heart wanted to cry...but that was good,
right? Now he wouldn't be there to stop her from casing after Ranma. He
wouldn't be running after her yelling how much he loved her...he probably
wouldn't have time to come by, even for Mahjong...She knew why she wanted
to cry. She was losing her best friend. It made her happy and sad.
"Shampoo?"
"Sorry?"
He leaned down close, "Go see Kodachi. Tell her everything. Let her
set you free. Then see what you want to do with the rest of your life.
Its an incredible feeling...to be free." He kissed her on the forehead and
then left. As she watched him go...her heart told her to follow him.
-----------------------
"You realize that she may not understand...about your condition."
"Shampoo have to make c...Kodachi understand. She owe debt, and must
pay. Even if Shampoo have to . . . have to give up Ranma. Shampoo no
can refuse."
Nabiki sighed, "All right, I can get you in, and I'll even help you
with this ... plan. But I'm not going to try to explain this for you."
Shampoo waited for the other shoe to drop...the one that went 'But
you'll owe me _____ yen.' Nabiki didn't look like she was going to say
anything else. Nothing was for free, if there was one thing Shampoo had
learned while in Japan that was it..."Ok, how much Shampoo have to pay..."
Nabiki just shook her head, "I don't want any money. I'm not doing
this for you. I'm doing it because it breaks my heart to see Tatewaki
trying to distract Kodachi from thinking about the cat she tried to
save. I don't think she believes that your still alive. And she surely
doesn't know that it was YOU she saved."
"Shampoo no understand..."
"There's a surprise. Here."
Shampoo looked at the glass of water, mostly because she didn't want
to look at Nabiki. Somehow she didn't think punching Nabiki would help
her cause too much right now. It might not have been as annoying if
that little corner of her heart that missed Mousse hadn't also been
telling her Nabiki was right. Shampoo tried to relax her grip on the
glass, sometimes it was so frustrating...it wasn't her fault that she
didn't know what everything people said meant. She had never expected to
be stuck in Japan. She dared anyone to come to her village and try to
get by as well...Shampoo took a sip of the water.
Nabiki rolled her eyes, and then slapped the bottom of the glass.
Normally, that would have been it. Shampoo would have .. . .well, Nabiki
was no real warrior...she would have at least sat on Nabiki's chest and
poured water on her face till she begged for mercy. She tried to
convince herself that the only reason she didn't was because she needed
Nabiki's help, and not because she was a cat and the worst she could do
was claw up Nabiki's sweater.
Nabiki put the kitty carrier on the ground next to Shampoo, "Climb in,
if you want to make it into the hospital at all."
Shampoo wanted to scream . . . the worst she could possibly muster was a
yowl . . . now she couldn't even scratch Nabiki's sweater. What else could
make the day any worse?
"Damn!"
She cringed in the kitty carrier, and wondered why she had asked...
"I forgot your...lets call it a passport, at the dojo. This
shouldn't take long."
Shampoo was willing to bet against that as a coincidence...not that
she could voice a bet or anything...though she was becoming more and
more willing to try some yowling...maybe there was some law that you
couldn't walk down the street with a noisy cat...
"Sorry..."
Shampoo tried to look out the bars to see Nabiki's face...she couldn't
quite see... . . . .it sounded like Nabiki meant that...she decided to
let Nabiki's sweater live...Shampoo sat down as Nabiki picked up the carrier...
-----------------------
"Ranma, there's a cat in this box, so stay away."
She heard someone's retreating footsteps, they had to be Ranma's. His
father was much heavier and Mr. Tendo had a much wider stride...
"I'll be right back."
Shampoo stared out at the pond...she had never realized that the Tendo
home was so beautiful...there were footsteps approaching. Too light for a
man...though the stride wasn't the same gliding stride Nabiki had...it
was rougher...like the person was fighting the floor with her feet. Oh no.
Akane sat down in front of the carrier.
"I...Shampoo, I know we aren't friends...but," She looked around, she
seemed to be having problems with what ever she was trying to say. Which
was fine, Shampoo had a feeling that this wasn't going to be good.
"What ever your reason was, thank you."
Akane got up and ran off. Shampoo laid down and put her head on her
paws. This couldn't be good. It was always her experience, that if
people thanked you for something you didn't know you'd done, you probably
hadn't done it. The real question was, what did Akane THINK she had she
done? Surely Akane didn't mean going to see the...to see Kodachi.
Akane had never been one of her friends...now that she thought about it
she didn't ever remember seeing the cra....Kodachi with any
friends...maybe that was what Akane was talking about. Maybe she wished
she could find a way...Shampoo got up irritably. She had to be reading
too much into this...what else could Akane have meant?
Nabiki's even stride broke in on her thoughts...
"Got it, sorry for the wait..."
Again she got the feeling that Nabiki actually meant that. It was kind
of unnerving. Nabiki wasn't supposed to be sorry for making her wait in
a kitty carrier. She was supposed to think it was a real good joke. She
mewed at Nabiki to see what she would do.
"What is that supposed to mean? Do I look like Grizzly Adams?"
"Meow."
"You know, there's a veterinary clinic on the way to the hospital, I'm
sure we can stop off and have you fixed if you want."
"mew"
"That's what I though."
Seemed like the same old Nabiki...only, maybe just a little less...
less... less annoying? No...it was something else...she just didn't seem
as distant...like she was actually here to help, instead of here for her
own personal amusement...
-----------------------
"I'm sorry, I can't allow a cat into this hospital. Some of the
patients might have a reaction. Though I might be able to get you some
clearance if you wouldn't mind 'coming' back to my office for a few
'minutes'..."
Shampoo wanted to throw up. This wasn't happening. Nabiki wasn't
going back to this guys office for a few "minutes". She silently begged
Nabiki not to do this. It was something that . . . she shivered...
"Now, Miss..."
"Tendo, Nabiki Tendo."
"Now, Miss Nabiki Tendo, is there any 'special' consideration you wish
to make me 'aware' of?"
"Yes, there is. I think I have something you'll be very interested in."
"Oh I 'quite' agree."
<THUD>
The "man" looked at the photo album.
"This is . . ."
"Take a look, I'm sure you'll be interested in the subject matter."
The man ran his eyes over Nabiki again, then grinned like a vulture,
"What a naughty girl...lets see what we have to 'see'..." the man flipped
open the album. Shampoo could see pictures of people. Naked people.
She tried to block it out. This wasn't something she wanted to know
about Nabiki. The man dropped the album on the desk, and the pictures
stared out of it at her...it was.s....Nabiki wasn't in any of the pictures.
They were pictures of the man. There were pictures of him with a
couple of women...but mostly with men...there were even pictures of him
dressed up in women's underwear with men...Shampoo felt the fur on her
back start to crawl. She had always thought that Happossi was a
disgusting pervert...but this. . .this made Happossi look like a harmless
old man.
"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THESE!!! YOU THINK I CAN'T..."
"You WILL lower your voice. You will sit back down. You will
listen to what I have to say, and you WILL do as your told."
"You know nobody is going to hear you in here..."
Shampoo's blood went cold.
"There are no negatives in that album."
"oh god"
"You could only be so lucky. This is my PO Box. You will see that
there are 100,000 yen in it at the end of every month. Additionally you
will schedule yourself only for late morning and early afternoon shifts.
If I find out you have been working night shifts you are going to be
finding out what it's like on the receiving end of rape. I hear prison is
a really unpleasant place to be if your a convicted child molester.
Finally, if you go near room 543 you can forget about prison, because I
will make sure you don't live long enough to get sentenced. Are we clear
on this?"
The man's face was white. Shampoo had heard of people turning white,
but this was WHITE. He looked like a corpse. Shampoo felt white. She
had always thought that Nabiki was cold...but this ... it was like
comparing an ice cube to a polar ice cap.. . .
"..I..it...I mean..."
"Answer yes or no."
"yes...oh god. . .what..."
"Good."
Nabiki picked up the carrier....
"And remember, there is NOTHING you can do that I won't find out about."
-----------------------
The elevator was moving, but she could barely feel it. Her head was
reeling. She wanted to be somewhere else. She wanted very badly to be
with someone else...then Nabiki just started talking.
"It makes me sick too. I wish there was something I could do. There
isn't enough hard evidence for a conviction. Not now. If he does
anything else I can put him down, but right now the odds are against it.
The worst I could do now is humiliate him and possibly get him fired. I
don't think there's even enough to get his license revoked."
"Meor?"
"I'm not a saint, I'm just me. I know the money was low, but its
just to make sure He remembers he's being watched at all times. If we're
lucky it will be too much for him and he'll kill himself and save the
world the trouble."
-----------------------
When Nabiki opened the door she could see Kodachi on the bed. She
looked tired. She was talking with her father and brother. Someone had
just said something that made her smile. It was a tired smile, but her
eyes smiled too.
"Kodachi, there's someone here to see you."
Kodachi turned toward them, Shampoo could feel her eyes on the
carrier. She looked very apprehensive. Shampoo felt just like Kodachi
looked...she hoped she was doing the right thing...Nabiki set the carrier
down on the bed and opened the door. Shampoo took a deep breath and
forced herself to walk out of the cage. The look on Kodachi's face
changed...her eyes widened and her expression could only be described as
relief.
"It...its you! Your really ok? I was so worried...come here little
sister..."
Shampoo walked forward and let Kodachi run her fingers through her
fur. It felt good...and Kodachi was beaming now...she seemed so
different from the . . . the person she had been only last week. Could
it be that the comma had erased her madness?
Kodachi's father leaned forward, "Well, Kodachi, does seeing that cat
help you to remember what happened?"
Kodachi closed her eyes, she stroking Shampoo along the neck, across the
back and down the tail...it felt good...the repetitive motion made her
feel drowsy...she let her eyes close to slits...the room hardly seemed to
exist...just Kodachi's hands turning her muscles into mush...
<stroke stroke stroke>
"It was cold...was it some kind of meat locker? Did I hit my head on
something?"
<stroke stroke stroke>
Shampoo heard Mr. Kuno sigh, and lean back in his chair.
<stroke stroke stroke>
She heard Nabiki's foot steps approach the bed...
<stroke stroke stroke>
She could smell a new sent on her...something very territorial...
<stroke stroke stroke>
She almost opened her eyes,
<stroke stroke stroke>
...but she had a feeling she knew what that odor was...
<stroke stroke stroke>
"Well, maybe this will bring back some memories..."
Now Shampoo did open her eyes, the tone of Nabiki's voice suggested...
Warm water cascaded down her back...