And here's the second for tonight--last of the reposts tomorrow
night....
DiScLaImEr: Rumiko Takahashi and a bunch of rich corporations own all
the characters in this fic. My use of them in no way is meant to
undermine those claims, and suing me would be a huge waste of time.
If, for some reason, you actually think this meager tribute to RT's
genius deserves to be further distributed, you may do so, so long as
you: a) reprint this disclaimer; b) give me credit (blame?) for the
story and; c) don't actually sell it (Yeah, like that's a concern!).
And now, on with the fic.
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* Illuminations *
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* A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction *
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***************
* By Freemage *
***************
*Author's Note: This story draws on both the anime and the manga.
This is a dark story, with several sexually suggestive scenes,
although no outright Lemon scenes. If such material offends or
disturbs you, please consider not reading this story--Unless, of
course, you like being offended and/or disturbed....
Thoughts are denoted by {X}, text/Panda signs by [X].*
Previous chapters e-mailed by request, or on the Web at:
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/9118/EastWindow/Eastwindow.html
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* Chapter Nineteen *
* Rolling with the Punches *
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Soun Tendou slowly allowed himself to unwind. The steam, the
heat of the furo and the wonderfully skilled way Kasumi
manipulated the tight muscles under his skin all combined to
drain every last bit of tension from his aching body.
And replace it with an entirely new one.
He could only hope she wouldn't notice his... condition.
***********************************************************
Ryouga groaned mentally. How could he have let this happen?
He thought back carefully, examining every step that had led him
to be unconscious in the arms of his greatest rival's _mother_
while she slept.
Finally he came to the conclusion that there was nothing he
could do about it now, as her grip was as firm (if less violent)
than Akane's.
Surrendering to the situation, praying to the kami for just
one lousy, stinking break, he allowed himself to drift off to
sleep.
***********************************************************
Tearfully, Akane crept into the house on cat's feet, striving
to remain utterly silent. She didn't want anyone to witness her
current condition.
{That-that JERK!! How dare he abandon us at a time like
this!? Nabiki's still going to need some recovery time after
she gets back from the hospital tomorrow, his mother doesn't
even know she's a widow, Daddy's a wreck....} Her thoughts
slowly came to a halt at that last idea.
Her father _should_ have been a wreck, that was true, but...
something was wrong. Soun Tendou had been distraught, true, but
certainly within the realm of a "normal" reaction. {He must be
getting better--or maybe he was just holding back the real
waterworks so Auntie Saotome wouldn't figure out what was going
on....}
Eventually, the distraction from her grief provided by this
train of thought allowed the emotionally exhausted young woman
to drift off to sleep.
***********************************************************
Moving through the shadows of the abandoned doctor's office,
Ranma-chan silently set up a small "campsite". {Best not to let
the neighbors know about me movin' in, just yet.}
She didn't know why, but she was sure this place was involved
in all the craziness in her life lately, and she was certain
that solving one mystery would help her with the others.
So, now that Akane--and the others, she reminded herself
forcibly--were out of the line of fire, she could focus on
cracking the puzzle that surrounded this place.
{But that'll have to wait til morning,} the redhead thought
with a bit of reluctance. {There's one more piece o' business
that needs tending to, first.}
With a heavy heart, she slipped out the window into the cold,
rainy night.
***********************************************************
Soun gave a small, inaudible sigh of relief. The bath was
over, and Kasumi was easing him out of the furo. If she had
noticed his predicament, she had not mentioned it.
As he rested on the edge of the furo, she busied herself with
cleaning up their robes from the far side of the room. Her back
was turned to him, and as she bent over, straight-legged, to
pick up his gi, time seemed to slow as he contemplated her
exposed backside.
{take her}
The voice was small, weak, so much so that he could scarcely
credit hearing it at all. But the idea it put forth was strong,
indeed.
{she must want it why else offer herself to you}
The voice's whisperings continued, and he realized how easy it
would be to give in. To force himself upon his eldest daughter,
and in so doing, ease the physical denial he had long faced
since his wife's death. At least it would be easy, were he not
so injured.
{that can be remedied}
And suddenly, he felt the fiery agony in his battered bones
and bruised flesh fade like dew before the rays of dawn. His
blood seemed to course with electricity, invigorating him with
new life. He could feel it flood his head, rushing through his
temples like an undammed river.
{this is but a fraction of what i offer}
Steadily, carefully, he raised himself off the edge of the
furo, and was pleased to find his ankle supported his weight.
He turned his attention back to his nubile daughter's exposed
flesh...
... and stopped. Sitting down hard enough to feel a new pain
shoot through his tailbone, he thought fiercely to the voice,
{Listen, whatever name you wish to go by is, I will NOT do this
thing. Even as weak as I am, I have my limits. I have fed you
on my own base desires, but it will go no further. I know that
you might be able to overcome my will eventually, so I make this
vow to you now: If you persist in forcing me to contemplate
this course of action, I shall cast myself down the deepest,
most abandoned mine shaft I can find, and seal us both in there.
Am I understood?}
{you bluff you find life too dear to throw it away in that
fashion} Despite the bravado of the words, their tone betrayed
the anxiety of the "speaker" at having misjudged its quarry.
{Try me and learn, Foul One! I would not need to maintain the
resolve for long, merely an hour or so. In many ways, I find
the idea preferable to living out my years with you inside of
me, parasite. So, do you yield on this point, or do you more
fervently desire our mutual destruction?}
{i yield you will continue to supply us in the fashion of
before yes}
{Yes. Though it shames me beyond all else I have ever done, I
cannot resist the urgings that are truly part of myself.}
{very well} And the presence receded from the forefront of
his mind, and time resumed its normal flow.
Kasumi stood, drawing her own robe on, further reducing the
desire within him. She walked over and helped him ease a fresh
gi on. She expressed her delight that he was able to move now
with only a little assistance from her.
"Come downstairs, Father. We'll have the tea Mrs. Saotome
said she would fix for us."
"Yes, that's an excellent suggestion, Kasumi. I'm so lucky to
have you here to help me."
"Oh, thank you, Father, but really, it's my pleasure."
Sighing gratefully at his good fortune, Soun eased himself
down the stairs with his eldest daughter's aid, and only stole
two discrete glances of her tender breasts on the way down.
***********************************************************
Nabiki shivered at the sudden blast of cold night air.
Forcing her eyes open, she peered bleary-eyed across the gloom of
her hospital room.
And sat bolt upright.
Onna-Ranma stood in the window, silhouetted against the
flickering of distant lightning, rain-soaked winds causing her
bangs and pigtail to flutter madly. The overall effect was of
unearthly, even fae, beauty.
{Kami.... She could have anyone she wanted, looking like
that....}
"Hello, Nabiki. Sorry to wake you."
Unable to muster her usual mask of indifferent sarcasm,
Nabiki just gaped at the vision before her. "R-ranma?
What-what's going on? Why are you here?"
"I came to ask a favor from you. A big one."
The words triggered a reflex deep in Nabiki's semi-alert mind,
helping her reassert her usual demeanor. "Well, come on in and
let's talk."
"No, it won't take that long. I just want you to give Ryouga
an extension."
Now she was fully awake, not to mention annoyed. "Geez,
Ranma, you woke me up for that? I'll tell you what I told
him--no dice. I know there's probably been some grand upheaval,
but that's the normal state of things at the house, and if you
think--"
"Nabiki, Pop's dead."
"What?! Oh, Ranma... I--How?"
"Sepukku." The redhead uttered a derisive snort. "Who'da
thought he had it in him? He even developed a sense of poetic
justice at the end. He used Ukyou's spatula." She paused a
second time, and the pain in her eyes almost drowned Nabiki.
"And he died as a panda."
"Oh. My. God." The words dribbled from Nabiki like the
blood-tinted spittle of a punch-drunk boxer. "Ranma. I don't
know what to say...." The horror of the situation drove her
mute.
"The worst part of it is, Mom was there. So now she thinks
'Mr. Panda' is dead, but that her son and husband will be coming
back any day now."
"Okay, Ranma, you win. Ryouga gets an extension--one month.
Even Akane'd forgive me that much."
"It might be a little longer than that, Nabiki."
"Oh? Why's that? I hate to be the bitch here, Ranma, but I
can't just let my little sister think that your biggest rival is
her pet."
"Nabiki, I've left the house, and I don't know when I'll be
back."
***********************************************************
After they finished the tea Nodoka had left out for them,
Kasumi assisted Soun to his room, then returned to her own,
where she proceeded to dress for bed. "Busy day tomorrow. It's
a good thing Akane will be home; I'll have to see if I can get
her to help me get things ready. I may have to let her into the
kitchen...."
Distracted by thoughts of impending culinary disaster, Kasumi
drifted off to sleep.
***********************************************************
Nabiki closed her eyes. She wasn't sure how many more shocks
she could take.
"Ranma, of all the things I've heard you come up with, this is
the most irresponsible--" Again he interrupted.
"Wait. Hear me out." Onna-Ranma did enter the room then,
drawing close to Nabiki so that she could speak more quietly.
"There's been a lot of people hurt, or killed, or gone missing
just lately, Nabiki. Pops. The Kunous. You. The Amazons.
Happi. Tell me, what do they all have in common?"
"Well, they all lived in Nerima...."
"Okay, now what about the Jusenkyou Guide? What does he have
in common with everyone else?"
She saw what her sister's fiance was driving at, but she
didn't want to accept it. "I-I'm not sure...."
"Bull. It's me, Nabiki. I'm the common link."
"You can't be sure--"
"No. But I can't take the risk, either. There's only a few
people left who ain't been hurt, just yet. I think I could
probably count 'em on one hand. I don't want there to be any
more. Especially not...." The redhead's voice seemed to fail.
"Especially not my sister." There was no questioning, no
doubt in Nabiki's voice.
Ranma-chan nodded. "Right. Especially not her. So I've
moved out, and I'm hoping that whoever's targeting me will move
on, too."
Nabiki saw the flaw in the reasoning, and jumped at it with
the speed of a cobra striking. "But what if they don't? What
if they--whoever 'they' is--strike at the household again, while
you're gone?"
Ranma leaned forward, and Nabiki recognized the flash in her
eyes, the glint of victory. "That's why I need you to let
Ryouga stick around--and we both know that that ain't likely
once Akane finds out about P-chan, ne?"
Nabiki slumped backward against the headboard. "I don't
believe it," she muttered, "I just got outmaneuvered by a
Saotome."
Sitting up again, she said more firmly, "Alright, Ranma, you
win. Pork Chop keeps his secret a little while longer. But
there's a price."
Onna-Ranma looked surprised, but nodded her assent.
Nabiki looked her square in the eyes and said, "You have to
answer one question, in two parts: How do you feel about my
little sister, and what are your intentions for her?"
Having just sprung a verbal trap of her own, Ranma-chan knew
when she was beat. "I... care about Akane. A lot. I may even
lo--you know--her. As far as my 'intentions' go, if we ever get
through this, I'm gonna follow through on the engagement,
assuming she wants me to, that is."
She gave the fiery-haired martial artist a gentle grin,
utterly devoid of her usual sarcasm. "Good. Now I don't have
to try and get her and Ryouga together."
Ranma-chan nearly face-faulted. "Excuse me?" she choked out,
voice cracking perilously.
"Well, if you were going to chicken out, she'd need some kind
of back-up plan, and I doubt she'd ever realize on her own how
he feels...."
Shaking her head vigorously, Ranma-chan drove out the image
Nabiki's words conjured up in her mind. "Okay, okay, enough
already! Yeesh!" Then she caught the glint in Nabiki's eyes,
and they both collapsed into helpless, somewhat frantic
laughter. Eventually, they got themselves under control.
Ranma smiled gently at her. "Thanks, Nabiki. You and I both
know that he'll stick that invulnerable hide between Akane and
any attackers. You'd better let him know you've given him the
extension, though, or else the idiot will spill the beans."
Nabiki nodded in agreement.
"On the other hand, if you could try to keep him from actually
sleeping in her bed, I'd appreciate that, too," Onna-Ranma
added.
With a chuckle, Nabiki replied, "Sure thing, Ranma. I can't
guarantee anything--you, of all people know how much she likes
sleeping with that pig--but I'll see what I can do about keeping
him on two legs, at least."
"One other thing," Onna-Ranma began.
Nabiki arched her eyebrow. "Yes...?"
"Can you pack up the rest of my stuff and leave it in the
dojo? I'll swing by for it tomorrow night, when everyone's
asleep."
"Sure thing." She paused, and then drew the Ranma-chan's head
closer, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Take care, little
brother, okay? I'm counting on you to come back in one piece."
"You got it." The redhead slipped back to the window, stepped
out on the ledge, closed the impromptu entrance behind her and
disappeared into the rainy night.
***********************************************************
A scrambled call on a secure line.
"I disagree."
"That is irrelevant. The situation is almost completely out
of control."
"No, it is not. His actions only bring him more into my
sphere."
"Oh, really? And what of the others? Are they, too, under
your complete control?"
"Of course, as they have always been."
"Hmph. We shall see. Remember, our organization does not
seek to cause needless suffering--we inflict purposeful
suffering."
"Naturally. Everything is under control."
"Very well. Consider this a probationary warning, though."
"Why you little--"
"Ah, ah. Manners. And don't worry too much. If things are
as under control as you say, a brief probation will do you no
harm at all. Of course, if it turns out that you've been lying
in your reports...."
"Never mind that. Everything is as I have said."
"That is for us to determine now. Good-bye."
*click*
A phone was slammed into its cradle. "Shit! Opportunistic
little backstabbing worm! Rot in Hell!!"
***********************************************************
End Chapter 19
Author's Notes:
Originally, this was going to be a short chapter. Then it grew to a
really long chapter (for me, at least). Then it grew so big that I
couldn't fit it all on one page, so it became a short chapter again.
As a result, Chapter 20 should be out very shortly--Most of it's
written, already.
I _know_ I'm gonna get creamed for putting off the Ryouga Revelations
Scene, _again_, but that's how the story went. For those of you who
have been looking forward to it, though, don't worry--even I can't
stall too much longer.
As always, C&C, MSTs, Acknowledgements and Flames should be sent to me
or the FFML, as I don't have access to your grandmother's mailbox.
--Freemage
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