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V I L L A G E    T A L E      

A Ranma � fanfic co-written by Rabbit AND Adrian Wong.

All relevant characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and some others
that I don't know of. The story belongs to me and my co-author,
legally ^_^

Adrian: I'm not subscribed to the list!  Please C&C through private
email to <7ahw@qlink.queensu.ca>
 Rabbit: Let me know what you think either through the list or at 
usagiyojimbo@geocities.com

Japanese dialogues in " "
Chinese dialogues in  [ ]
Thoughts in < >
Illusory sounds in / /
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Chapter 2


 /Unclean....Love....Trash.....Do you take...../ Ranma awoke with a  
scream. Sweat drenched covered him from head to foot. <Kami....what a 
horrible dream,> Ranma thought to himself, the kaleidoscope of images 
still dancing in his mind. Getting up out of his bed and over to the 
table, that held a washbowl and a pitcher of water, he poured himself 
a basin full and proceeded wipe his face down using a washcloth nearby. 
The cool sensation of the water soaked cloth against his skin chasing
the last remaining remanents of the dream away.  just as Ranma   was
finishing up, someone knocked on the door to his hut.  Hoping it was
maybe it was Shampoo, who for some odd reason hadn't been around for
the past day or so,opened the door and was mildly disappointed to see
that it was only Colonge.

	 Colonge had been sleeping peacefully when Ranma's scream woke her.
 <What now?>, she thought to herself, her thinking still a bit 
clouded from sleep.  A few seconds later, as she left the comfort of 
her hut to check up on the poor boy, she knew what was wrong.  
Motioning to the other people, who had been also awoken, to return 
back to bed, Colonge made her way over to Ranma's hut.  she had known 
it was going to happen sooner or later.  the monumentus shock of what 
happened to him had finally caught up to him.  while they had been 
traveling here she had managed to keep his mind occupied with 
learning the language of his new home, but now that he'd had a day or 
so to to settle in it came crashing down on him.  colonge knocked on 
the door and caught the quick expression change after the door opened 
revealing ranma's face. <just one more stab to the heart for him>, 
she thought sadly, < hopefully one we can put off for a little 
while.> She had sat down with Shampoo earlier that night to see what 
she felt about things.  it had been a most enlightening conversation. 
 [i know i'm no ravishing beauty but you could be a little more glad 
to see someone who's concerned for you.], colonge said in attempt to 
lighten his mood a little.  she was rewarded by Ranma looking 
embarrassed. [I better now, sorry.] Ranma responded.  [I think 
tomorrow you and I need to have a little talk, it may help put your 
mind at ease a bit,] Colonge said as she turned to leave, [oh and 
please try to remember that there are ladys trying to get their 
beauty sleep.] she added with a wink and a smile.  She was rewarded 
with Ranma turning red from holding in his laughter.

	 Ranma closed his door and tried to catch his breath.  That last 
quip had chased away the last of the ghosts from his dream.  It had 
felt really good to laugh or come close to it.  As he settled back in 
to his bed he couldn't help but think haw much better he had gotten 
along with the old ghoul since...he stopped that train of thought 
right there, not wanting to think about it, he did not want to start 
dreaming about it again.  as he drifted back off to sleep one last 
concious thought did drift through <I wonder what she wants to talk 
to me about?>

 	Colonge made her way back to her hut with some feeling of
 accomplishment.  <At least he will be able to finish sleeping 
quietly,> she thought to herself, <the talk we are going to have 
tomorrow may upset him a bit.> About halfway back Colonge started to 
feel a bit dizzy.  by the time she had actually gotten home her vision 
had blurred as well.  just as she managed to stumble into the hut, 
her vision cleared and the dizziness faded out as if it had never 
existed.  <Must be more worn out than I thought, getting more sleep 
should be just the thing I need> she thought to herself. As she 
walked to her bed she happened to glance over at her mirror and 
stopped dead in her tracks.  In a voice barely above a whisper she 
said [This is a suprise....] 


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

	 In a dimly lit bar that reminded people of a 70's movie set,where
 the smell of beer and cigarette smoke was heavy in the air, like a 
blanket drapped over everything, Herb was listening closely to the 
manager, a man with a little too much mousse on his hair, as he 
explained the line of work for him.

	[. . . and the most important thing is to treat the customers with
RESPECT!   They've paid well to get into the Duck Cafe, and we've 
gotta treat them right.]  The manage said as he took a drag on his 
cigarette.

	[But are you sure that this job can actually make me more humble and
patient?!]  Herb asked eagerly.   [I HAVE to learn these things fast!]

	The manager stared at him with a jocular expression for awhile 
before answering his question. [Believe me, young man, by the time 
you've actually gotten into this line of work, only a dog can be more 
patient and humble than you.]

     Herb hardened his eyes as he smiled.  An aura would have been
flaring around him had he still possessed the Dragon Chi.   Finally, 
he would have the opportunity to learn humility and patience!   His 
people would be so proud of him-

	His thoughts were cut off as a rather muscular young man strode by. 
He sweated as he saw that the man was in a collar and a pair of tight
jeans.

	[Oh, by the way, that's the standard uniform of this bar.  Go to the
back room and try on a set that is you size.  Could be difficult,
considering you're still undersized according to our hiring policy. 
But then again, our customers seemed to have developed a taste for
young things lately, and you do have the looks for this job . . .]  

	The manager ranted on as Herb's pupils contracted, finally getting a
vague idea of the . . . difficulties lying ahead of his path of
training. 
**********************************************************************


	 It was late night when Akane came home.  It had been a day of 
immense self-gratification and a most unexpected suprise. Akane had 
wandered around trying to think of ways to 'thank' the oh so noble 
Tatawaki Kuno for 'saving' her from something she had wanted with all 
her heart and soul. <Making him hurt isn't enough, I want to pull out 
his heart and crush it, just like he did to mine!>, this thought was 
followed by Akane smiling and putting her fist through a nearby wall.

	 Akane was still musing over this when she heard an all too familiar
laugh.  Looking around and seeing no-one she noticed she was at the
bridge Ranma used to come to when he wanted to be alone and think. 
Again Akane heard Kodachi's laugh, except it sounded more ragged than
before.  Playing a hunch, Akane went around the side and peeked
underneath.  Sitting under the bridge was indeed Kodachi, her eyes
puffy and red from crying, clutching what looked to be one of Ranma's
red chinese shirts.  <She must have gotten it after Mr. Tendo and the
others threw what was left of Ranma's stuff in the garbage.  After all
they only let Shampoo in for only a few minutes to grab a few items
and wouldn't even let poor Ranma past the gate!> Akane thought to
herself.  She then realized that she had mentally called her father
'Mr. Tendo' and her siblings as 'the others', she wondered when she
had started doing that and realizing it was right after seeing Ranma
looking dejected, standing out in front of the entrance while Shampoo
tried to get as much of his meager posesstions as she could, and not
being allowed to help as if touching anything belonging to him might
'contaminate' her as well. What she heard Kodachi say next snapped her
out of her thoughts.

	 "Oh Ranma-sama, why did you have to leave?  I was willing to let 
you go and marry that harridan Akane Tendo, but at least I would have 
been able to gaze upon you from afar and dream.  But they chased you 
away with that purple haired witch and destroyed your honor!  Who 
cares what your forefathers were, you proved yourself a warrior may 
times over, yet at the drop of a hat they were willing to throw you 
out like garbage and try to erase anything dealing with you.  Oh 
Ranma-sama I miss you!!"   Kodachi clutched the shirt as if it were a 
lifeline keeping her from slipping completely over the edge.  She 
then caught sight of Akane standing at the edge.  "So you've come to 
gloat over me have you?" She then turned and pointed an accusing 
finger at Akane, "YOU HAD HIM, AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CHASED HIM 
AWAY!!!," Kodachi literally screamed at her, "I LET HIM GO AND YOUR 
FAMILY DESTROYED HIM!!"  After that outburst Kodachi seemed to 
deflate as she sat down on the ground and pulled her knees up to her 
chest.

	 Akane stepped back and felt those words slam into her like a ton of
bricks.  The first emotion to hit her was guilt.  It was indeed the
Tendo's fault that he had been ostrisesd and isolated.  Anger quickly
followed though "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!" she roared, "IF IT WASN'T FOR
YOUR ASSININE BROTHER'S FIXATION WITH ME NONE OF THIS WOULD OF
HAPPENED!"  Akane started to feel the tears roll down her cheeks, "HE
WOULD BE HERE, AND I'D FINALLY BE MARRIED TO THE ONE I LOVE, BUT NO HE
HAD TO GO ROOTING AROUND IN PLACES HE HAD NO RIGHT TO GO!" Akane
lowered her voice and finished with "and now he's lost to all of us, I
guess Shampoo really has won." 

	 "What do you mean it was my brothers fault?"  Kodachi asked with a
slightly puzzled look on her face.  "I was told by him that you and
your family found out about who his ancestors were at the last minute
and spurned him."

	 The sun was well on it's way towards the horizon when Akane finished
relating to Kodachi everything that had happened, from the start of
the wedding, the leaflets falling, to her getting dragged away by the
Tendo family and having to leave Ranma behind curled up in misery. 
She kept on as everything she had been holding back came forth.  How
Ranma's mother had no longer wanted anything to do with him.  How she
had so wanted to go to him and comfort him but was not allowed to. 
How they threw out anything belonging to him, and not even letting him
in the front door.  What did suprise Akane though was how Kodachi was
acting, it was like the shock of losing Ranma in such a way had made
her sane...<Almost, she still has that look but somehow she seems to
have a firm grasp of whats goin on....>

	 Kodachi sat there silently for a few minutes as she absorbed what
had just been told to her.  Normally she would have called her a liar
and would have beat her senseless.  This time though see had seen the
intensity in which Akane had spoken, and with the information she had
just given her made several unusual events that had happened that day
make perfect sense. Why her brother was so happy on the day his
beloved Akane Tendo was getting married to her Ranma-sama.  It also
made sense why all the household ninjas were gone that day, and
Tatawaki saying something about having found the perfect gift for
Saotome.  "I am going to kill him." she said in a voice that held the
chill of the arctic in it,  "and what of your family? they are as much
to blame as my brother for all this."

	 Akane was almost as suprised as Kodachi by the words that came out
of her mouth. "They are not my family.  The family I knew was warm,
kind and caring.  Those people are complete strangers to me."  She
paused a moment then continued "I have an idea but I need to finalize
some things before I do them.  As for your brother I don't want him
dead, thats too good for him after what he did to me.  I want him to
suffer a long time indeed"

	 Kodachi nodded when Akane said 'finalize some thing'.  She then 
said after she had finished "As long as you remember to come fetch me 
when you leave I will say nothing to anyone about it.  As for my
brother..." Kodachi paused for a minute, then a gleam to her eye as
the solution came to her.  "I think I have just what we need...I was
originally planing to use it on Ranma-sama to show him the error of
his ways but now I think I have a better use for it" as she said this
a smile grew on her face that was making Akane very nervous.  "Come
let us go to my home and make ready.    My brother has been out late 
the last few days looking for his  pig-tailed girl and you.  It 
should be still quite a while before he returns and on the way I will 
explain it to you."

	 Normally Akane would be quite leery of any invitation from the 
'Black Rose' but they had a common foe and for now it seemed that they
had a unspoken truce of sorts in effect.  As they walked Akane's eyes
grew wide as Kodachi explained the plan to her.  At first she felt
outrage that she would have even THOUGHT of using something like that
on Ranma.  That anger then turned into dark amusement as she thought
of the suffering Kuno was in for before the night was done.
**********************************************************************


	 Tatawaki Kuno trudged in the front door of the Kuno manor.  It had
 been another fruitless day of searching for his two beloveds.  His 
pig-tailed-goddess had seemed to have dropped off the face of the
earth, and the lovely Akane Tendo was still recovering from almost
having to marry that burukamen Saotome.  He noticed his sister in
front of him saying "We've been waiting for you brother dear." and
then his world went black.

	 Kuno slowly came to as the sound of someone speaking floated to his
 ears.  "I brewed these extracts myself.  I assure you that this will 
work. Oh I see my brother dearest is awake."  

 	Kuno took stock of his surroundings.  First of all he was restrained
 by some sort of jacket.  Second was that he noticed that there were
straps holding him to a large, heavy wooden chair that bolted to the
floor and that there was some sort of wire mesh device on his head. 
In front of him was a large projection screen.  He heard someone
walking towards him but he could not turn his head to either side due
to the blocks holding his head in place on either side.

	 The people walked in front of him and he saw that it was his sister
 and his Beauteous Akane Tendo.  "Oh how my heart rejoyces....."  he 
started to say when he was interrupted by Akane's hand connecting with 
his face.

 	"Now, now, Akane we don't want to knock him out again, not when we
 are just about to start the fun." Kodachi said. Looking Tatawaki in 
the eye, she continued "You will rue the day you took Ranma-sama from
us.", pure venom in her voice.  With that she pulled out a syringe and
injected it into his arm. motioning Akane off to one side and her to
the other she said "and now let the show begin."

	 Kuno watched as video after video played of Akane and the 
pig-tailed-goddess on the large screen in front of him.  Strains of 
classical music played in the background along with recitation from 
works of all the great master poets and playwrites.  As this went on 
he noticed that he was starting to feel really ill.  He then heard 
Kodachi speak into one ear, "well brother you look like you aren't 
feeling too well, just to let you know whats happening we are making 
it so you can never enjoy anything you love again" Akane picked up 
her que and spoke in his other ear," Yes whenever you hear poetry or 
see me or the pig-tailed-girl you will feel like you are going to 
die, you will never be able to pick up a boken again without your 
guts feeling like they are on fire, just like you made us feel."  It 
slowly dawned on Kuno what was happening and he struggled to get free 
to no avail.  He tried to turn his head but that too was held 
immobile. He tried closing his eyes but found they had been locked 
open.  Finally he tried to scream yet this to was denied him as he 
was thoroughly gagged.  All he could do is sit and watch.

	 Akane left the Kuno mansion and started home.  While they would not
 call themselves friends, She and Kodachi were no longer enemys 
either. Akane thought how much fun it was going to be when everyone 
went to school the next morning and found the little 'instruction' 
brochure on their desk detailing Kuno's 'condition' .  Akane had also 
explained her plan for the Tendo's and had found her willing to 
cooperate. After all Tatawaki was not the only one who commanded the 
household ninjas. 

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

Authors Notes.

	Well I finally got it done.  (congrats to Lil Tigre on her 
engagement!!!!)  Thanks to my pre-readers Big Bore and Lord Talon 
for thier valued input.  A cookie to anyone who can guess my my movie 
tribute ^_^.  Of course all C&C, MST, R&R are eagerly welcomed.