Thanks to those who answered my inquiry :)
Here's chapter 7 :)
The size of this is getting bigger and bigger... :)
Ice
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: Rend 7.txt
Special Thanks to:
MJ Maurice Phillip
Tony Loco Tin and Angel
Jourdan Bickham Jose Aragao
Byooki Desu Carmi Tugday
C. Jones Richard Robinson
David Bateson David Stanley
Jitou King Chan
Lawrence Chu Bert Miller
The Dragonbard Darthcwader1
Erin Outlawone1
And to the person reading this.
I hope I didn't miss anybody...
Sweet are the hours in one's own country
Where all is friendly underneath the sun,
Sweet are the breezes from the native rice fields,
Death less bitter and love more sweetly won!
~~ Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Noli Me Tangere
~ Chapter 7 ~
_...Hikaru Gosunkugi... yes, he was one of Kodachi's sins. She had turned
him into a monster. It seems like Kodachi was skilled in this kinda
thing..._
Soon the hallway was clear except for Sasuke, Nabiki, Ranma and Kodachi.
Kodachi was pale from the experience, but she did manage to lean on Ranma
for
support. Nabiki followed closely behind with Sasuke in the last of their
group.
Ranma pulled Kodachi into their room and looked at her face, Nabiki
raised
her eyebrow in question but did not comment. The bruising was already
starting.
"Get me something to put on her lips to stop the swelling. Sasuke, call for
Ifuku. Nabiki, please come here."
Nabiki sat down gently beside her brother. Seeing them side-by-side,
Akane
noticed the distinct similarities. She could believe they were twins. Both
surveyed her critically. Akane began to feel noticeably faint during the
examination of the twins. She managed to give them warning just before she
fainted.
"The stress must have been too great." Ranma muttered as he laid her down
on
the nearby futon that one of the maids had already prepared for that
evening.
Nabiki looked at Kodachi's head critically, "She's hit her head again,
seems
like Gosunkugi managed to bang her head on the rail of the palace.
Luckily... it
isn't in that old wound." She was referring to the one that gave Kodachi her
so-
called amnesia.
Ranma nodded and turned to the water that Ifuku brought to clean
Kodachi's
cuts, he looked at the water tentatively then at Nabiki, wondering if it
would
activate the curse. He shrugged, then picked up the washcloth and dipped it
in
the cold liquid. Nothing happened.
Gently Ranma cleaned Kodachi's face and scalp, while Nabiki set out to
bandage the worst of the wounds that she had acquired. On Nabiki's orders
Ifuku
disrobed her so that she would soak in the furo. The warmth of the water
would
be good for her body, but only after they washed her wounds.
Silence settled over the three of them as they worked efficiently worked
methodically over her, from her head to her feet. It was not unusual for the
twins to work on minor injuries, battle injuries taught them that much.
There was a long pause before Nabiki spoke up. After the show in the
gardens,
she didn't know what to think of Ranma and whatever reservations he holds
against his wife. "<Ranma... don't tell me you're falling in love with her
again.>"
"<No... no... I don't make the same mistake twice, Nabiki.>" Ranma said
moving the cloth towards her arms and legs, which were dirtied because of
the
scuffle. Gosunkugi had managed to do a lot of damage in such short a time.
"<What's going on Ranma?>" Nabiki sighed, usually the brother and sister
spoke in Chinese when they didn't want to be understood, Genma managed to
teach
them before they were sent on the errand to China, luckily they could speak
some
of the basic sentences before the Matriarch from the Amazon village came to
teach them.
"<I'm just as confused as you are Nabiki... and that's scaring me. You're
never confused.>" He looked at his sister worriedly. "<When I left her to
check
on the border, she was still acting her normal self, and I found her like
this...>"
Nabiki looked at her brother then at Kodachi, her heart constricted at
the
pain in his eyes. She caught him move his fingertips against her bruised
lips,
tracing the bluish black spots. "<She is beautiful isn't she?>" Nabiki
commented
off handedly, trying to see what her brother would say.
"<No... she's adopted the deep brown skin that is a trait of the
commoner,
and she's got calluses, and she's far to brash and...>" Ranma trailed off
helplessly, his hand on her hair.
"<And we were not raised like ordinary Japanese.>" Nabiki laughed. Ranma
was
startled. It was something so rarely heard from her person. "<Ranma, I know
you
like those who don't care much for appearances, women who train in the sun
for
the art... women who don't fawn over you. Women who are the exact opposite
of
your ex-fianc�es and women who definitely are the exact opposite of
Kodachi...
well except for her fawning over you.>"
"That's the key word. The exact opposite of her." He hmphed jerking his
hand
as if it had been burned, he called for the samurai out of the door and told
him
to ready the furo, apparently the twins had thought the same about the bath.
He stood up to leave, but Nabiki blocked him, she really wanted to get an
answer out of him. Just to prove that her hunch was wrong. "<Oh, damn it,
Ranma... you're in love... why don't you just admit it and get it over
with?>"
"<Because if I did... and I'm not saying that I am... it won't be over.
Nothing ever is.>" Ranma looked dejectedly at her, "<You'll tell me her past
mistakes, and you'll tell me she-->"
"<Cheated you more than once, with different men. Framed me and ruined
our
lives. Blackmailed the family. Ruined Ranko's reputation. Doesn't take care
of
her duties to you. Doesn't produce you an heir. Caused me my miscarriage-->"
Ranma's hand went to his brow, and used his other hand to wave her off.
The
list Nabiki was starting to tell was an endless one, "See?"
"But it's true, you fool... and yet you still feel this way?" Nabiki
searched
her brother's face for something, *anything* that would work against
Kodachi.
She found none.
And that scared her. He had hated Kodachi enough, and yet now that she is
a
weak spineless fool -- at least projecting herself as one -- one who showed
proof of violent tendencies... he was still in love with her.
He looked back at her, "Do you think I'm making a mistake... that all of
this
is a mistake?"
Maybe it was. Kodachi wasn't someone you treated lightly, after all,
Kodachi
was the one who had ruined most of their lives... and yet she found herself
helpless against the question. "I -- I -- honestly don't know."
Ranma stared at Kodachi and the samurai arrived and carried her off to
the
bathhouse. He wanted to go to her, but his pride couldn't -- wouldn't let
him.
It was his temper that got him into this situation in the first place, his
temper and his jealousy. It was his pride that kept him there. 'Akane, why
do
this to me?' He didn't notice that he had called her by that name.
For years his life had held a semblance of control... His life held no
joy...
but there was no conflict either... Now...
He didn't know where he was at... Kodachi... for the most part was a
lunatic... the only emotion you used to be able to see was the madness that
took
her eyes... the kami that had played with her soul. Now... it seemed she had
gotten over with her madness... or a different Kami possessed her body.
He threw one final disgusted look at Kodachi then left for his quarters.
Nabiki watched him go... and when he finally was gone... she closed the
shoji
and crumpled to the floor... she would've wept, but tears were useless...
just
as her dreams.
A tear trailed down her cheek... her silent tear... for her forsaken
brother
and their damned life. If she noticed that she shed it or not, did not
matter.
That single tear encompassed the whole of Nabiki Ikkasei -- no she was
Ikkasei no more but Saotome once again -- Nabiki Saotome's grief, then she
stood
up, straightened her kimono and went to her son... her son who wasn't her
son
anymore. Her son who was now Ranma's.
~~~
Ranma bowed low, it had been a whole day after he arrived at the donjon,
and
Happosai was not pleased. He was expected to deliver his findings the moment
he
set foot in the palace and he had deliberately avoided him.
And Happosai was not one to listen to anyone's side patiently. Ranma
hoped
Kodachi's demonstration of lunacies the previous night would make Happosai
think
that he had been merely keeping tabs of his overwrought wife.
Fortunately Happosai did not comment on his late report. He found other
things to criticize with his time.
"My lord Happosai, I fear that I should go back to Rose Brier, as soon as
possible... I request the Lady Nabiki, my sister, to come with me." Ranma
said,
still in his bowed position.
Happosai puffed on his pipe then shrugged leisurely, "Tell me your report
of
the countryside, the estates, and why you want to go and I'll think about
it."
"Ah... Kodachi is suffering from memory loss... and the doctor has
advised to
keep her in familiar surroundings... to help her regain her memory." Ranma
shrugged as he looked up and settled into the cushion. He honestly didn't
like
the idea of Kodachi getting her memory back, the fact that it was gone was
still
in question, but it was the only way he could observe her without Happosai
interfering.
Happosai... for an old man, he was one hell of a manipulator... damn the
man
who cursed them all, he was a worse plague than Kodachi. But he was their
liege
lord and he must be followed... until the right heir takes his place.
"You are aware that this feast is in honor of your mother?" Happosai
asked, a
little bit irritated, Ranma wondered if his presence was needed for the
banquet... the old lech must have some plans set for them.
"Yes sire, but..." Ranma tried not to bite his lip and cursed that Nabiki
couldn't take this interview, since manipulation was her best skill and
proceeded with the story he had come up with Nabiki. He would have to play
out
everything slowly, "Our mother does not need us on the day of her birth...
we
have already celebrated with her and we fear that more days away from our
duties
would bring bad tidings to the clan."
"Bad tidings?" Happosai, for an impatient man, asked a lot of questions.
"Troops have been mobilizing around Nerima, sir, and we fear that if we
leave
Rose Brier for too long, they might get access to the Tokkai(1) Road."
Happosai nodded, the Tokkai road was needed. It started off at Rose
Brier,
and ended at the city of Edo. The Tokkai was the road from Nerima in the
Kanagawa prefecture that had the easiest access to the main city. And Edo
was an
important capital, after all it was the Saotome Clan's main fort.
"And why does Nabiki need to be present?"
"We are two halves of a whole, sire. I handle all things that have to do
with
troops and fighting, and she has the job of thinking things over. Kanagawa
would
be powerless with half of its leadership gone."
Happosai smiled then drew on his pipe again, "Then it seems you should
thank
your wife for handing you Nabiki back on a silver platter. How ever did you
manage to think intelligently these past few years without her?"
Ranma cursed his ill luck he had stumbled again. Happosai has given him
another reason not to kill Kodachi... another reason in a long line of
reasons
that Happosai had come up with over the years. He didn't doubt that if it
had
been Nabiki present, she would have seen though whatever ploy Happosai was
weaving him through.
"My twin and I have compensations for the lack of skill, sire. Though I
may
not be as bright as my sister, or she as advanced in the art... we still
both
have something that the other excels in. We are not one brain halved, merely
two
people who are equal. And since we are not an exact copy of the other... we
each
have an advantage the other does not have. It is what we learned in China,
sir."
Happosai nodded, it seemed Ranma had managed to answer right... for the
moment that is... "Well then, your departure may be arranged, after all, we
wish
the Lady Nabiki to feel better from her sickness, neh? And the soothing
waves of
Rose Brier may just be the cure?" Happosai flashed a toothy smile.
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. What he said wasn't necessarily a lie...
after all troops had been mobilizing... but far from the Tokkai road... and
more
directly towards the Nerima ward than anywhere else.
"Tell me boy... what have you learned from the last errand I sent you off
to?"
Ranma swallowed, now it was time to play a game, how much should he tell
without contradicting himself and how much is too much. How much is he
willing
to reveal, and would these things make Happosai suspicious.
He cleared his mind and began to narrate. "Troops suspected belonging to
Tokugawa Ieyasu's(2) enemy -- unconfirmed exactly to whom -- have been
moving
against the Kanagawa prefecture--"
The interview lasted for five whole sticks. Nabiki was glad she was
ordered
to bed... it seemed that she has acquired the flu rather mysteriously.
~~~
Akane woke up with one hell of a headache and sat up on the futon with
aching
muscles. She learned from Ifuku that she, along with several other
companions,
had been ordered to travel and were being sent back to Rose Brier even in
her
condition. Ifuku tended to her constantly, but Ranma had not visited her
once.
Not even before she departed for Rose Brier.
During their journey, Akane only noted Nabiki, Ranko, Sei and Hanae.
Obviously, Ranma and his mother were left behind in the fort. Ifuku said it
was
because Nabiki advised Ranma that his presence would bring more
complications
going back to Rose Brier. Akane just took that as a sign to befriend at
least
Nabiki or Ranko. The children seem too well trained to be won over by her
anyway, even if they were so young.
The four always stopped by to assess her condition, but they rarely
really
stopped to *see* her. Unlike her first hit on the head, her healing process
was
more gradual, and she barely noticed the days as they traveled.
Once they reached Rose Brier she had decidedly tried to move about but
Ifuku
had forcibly let her sleep the day off. When she finally got out to the
beach
she was restricted to walking.
At the path she looked at the nice little flowers that dotted the way
towards the beach and sighed as she walked along in her day kimono. A cat
mewed
in the distance; she followed the sound and found a kitten. It was obviously
lost and the poor little thing was shivering. She lifted the pitiful animal
up
and stroked its fur softly whispering as she turned towards the house to see
to
some food.
As usual samurai were not too far behind to see her, she ignored them, as
she
usually did. They almost never bothered her unless she had severely
encroached
over certain rules, and even then very lightly. So it came as a surprise
when
one immediately blocked her path.
It was rare that samurai would go out of their way to block her,
sometimes
warn her of a folly or two, but it was the first time she had been forced to
stop, she must have done something really wrong this time. She tried to put
on
her sunniest smile, she was learning the rules, and it was at best a tedious
process. There was no rule book, no norms, and she was expected to know
these
things and implement them. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry Lady Akane," The samurai, Omokage(3) -- if she was not
mistaken,
looked at her uncertainly, then at the small animal at her hands. The
prevention
of cats to gain access to the area was one of the little odd rules that the
Lady
Nabiki had made sure the samurai never forgot, but was not mentioned to
Kodachi.
"No cats are to be allowed within the parameter of Rose Brier."
Assuming that one of the people inside the house was allergic, Akane
nodded,
it was a severe rule for a mere allergy, but was a rule nonetheless, men
were
beheaded for far lesser crimes in these times.
She changed her direction towards the beach when the samurai stopped her
again, "If I may ask the Lady Akane to hand over the kitten? The Lord Ranma
will
not be pleased to see it."
Akane bit her lip as the little thing mewed pitifully in her hands, as a
little girl she had always had an attachment to strays. Little lost
creatures
without a home. She gave the samurai another smile, "Please, Omokage-san, I
promise I won't take it in the house. I'll just go pick raspberries or
something
and feed it. I'm sure Ranma or anybody else won't turn crazy when they see a
cat."
Omokage looked at her then frowned in puzzlement at her comment, unsure
how
to react to her last statement. Akane took this for a yes and thanked him
cheerfully. The samurai followed fairly close, whereas before, he had always
done so at a distance. 'Someone must *really* hate cats or something.'
Sighing she turned to face the samurai, "Um... I think he's hungry, I'll
go
by the border and set it free if you get me some milk?" It seemed that the
cat
was of importance to him.
Torn between loyalties the samurai stared at her. Akane was almost in the
stage of giving up, it seemed he was not going anywhere, "Look, I promise I
won't bring him anywhere near the house, I'll even take him to the farthest
possible place. I'll just feed him and then I'd give him to you to give to
some
little girl who would take care of him nicely. Okay?"
There was a long pause but he reluctantly agreed to do as she wished,
retreating to the woods and then running for the house. Akane stared after
him
'He didn't have to run, he could've taken his time. Oh well...' She walked
towards the beach in relative peace.
"--Ooof." Ranma-chan grunted, the wind knocked out of her. She pushed
herself
upright again... she brought her hand up to her head and moaned softly.
Still it
was mainly her fault she had been recklessly running towards Rose Brier
without
looking where she was running.
It was also attributed to the fact that she had just seen a cat. She
shuddered. It seemed like there has been lots of cats around lately, she
wondered if that girl living some miles North was loosing those cats she was
breeding.
"Are you alright?" Ranma-chan asked looking at who she had knocked down
--
well surprise-surprise -- Kodachi was walking about... the doctor must have
given his okay already. The samurai were under strict instructions to follow
the
doctor's orders.
"No, of course I'm not all right!" Kodachi humphed as she moved to stand
up
brushing her kimono, she glared at the offered hand and stood up without
Ranma-
chan's help, "Would you mind watching where you're going?"
"Well, sorry, my *lady*." Ranma-chan answered indignantly as she turned
her
back to Kodachi moving towards the house again, she really needed to tell
some
samurai to watch the perimeter more closely. Plus the thing about the
troops...
she just had an idea which...
"The least you could do is help me find it..." Kodachi mumbled, already
on
her knees going through some bushes, searching for whatever item she had
lost.
Ranma-chan resisted the urge to grumble, telling himself he would not let
Kodachi get satisfaction from his discomfort. Her message could wait; it was
rare that she could see Kodachi in a situation like this. The troops weren't
really closing in on Nerima anyway, just mobilizing. They were probably
biding
for time. "What are you..."
"Found it!" Kodachi yelled triumphantly which made Ranma-chan look up
from
the place she was searching... unfortunately it was under a low lying
branch...
"Owww..."
She rubbed her sore head for a few seconds before she heard a distinct
meow
behind her... the hairs behind her neck began to stand, "Exactly what was it
that you were trying to find Kodachi?"
"This kitten, silly... you're not allergic to it, are you?" Kodachi asked
worried as she purred over the cat, which thankfully Ranma-chan still hadn't
seen.
'You could put it that way!' Ranma-chan thought nervously, her body
freezing,
the distinct symptoms of her ailurophobia surfacing, she still managed to
speak
"Get it away from me."
"What! This..."
"I said get it *AWAY*!" Ranma-chan almost shouted, her breathing labored,
'Oh
Kami, please let that stubborn witch listen...', "I don't know what you're
trying to prove but get it away from me."
Kodachi looked at the little cat as she cradled it against her arms from
the
grass, a few specks of dirt falling softly on her pale kimono. She scratched
the
back of the cats ears then looked at Ranma-chan contemplatively.
Ranma-chan's response to that was to back away, Kodachi merely looked at
her,
"Oh, come on, Ranko, you can't possibly be afraid of one little cat," She
patted
the small creature as she smiled, "And you can't be allergic or you'd be
sneezing at the moment."
There was no answer from the paralyzed girl as she stared at the cat, it
was
far out of her reach to trigger the Neko-ken but close enough to send shards
of
fear through her. Enough for her to back away, enough for her brain to
obstruct
what would otherwise be normal thinking.
Ranma-chan couldn't run, her feet were firmly planted, huddled on the
roots
of the brush she had had managed to back herself into, she couldn't jump for
she
was immobile, she couldn't scream -- for it would bring her shame, and if
she
did so -- Kodachi wouldn't let her hear the end of it. She could just stare
at
Kodachi, hoping Kodachi would send the cat away.
Then with whatever mercies the Gods were willing to give to her that day,
she
didn't trigger the Neko-ken, and her mind succumbed to oblivion.
Akane looked at the kitten then at the girl, when Ranko fainted she
didn't
know what she would do. She hadn't even known what was happening, much less
come
up something to resolve it. Thankfully, Omokage appeared just as suddenly
with a
bowl of water in his hands, he was looking questioningly at her.
Finally, Akane sighed as she gave the small cat to the samurai with some
instructions to feed it and turn it over to someone who cared before she
turned
her attentions to Ranko.
"Is there any help I can offer?" Omokage asked as he held the kitten and
the
bowl of water, when Akane waved him away. The samurai nodded in submission
and
left her to do what he was instructed to do.
"The cat's gone now, Ranko," When there was no response from the girl,
Akane
waved her hands in front of her several times, finally she pinched the dazed
girl by her shoulder, "RANKO!"
She didn't respond Akane looked at the girl closely and realized the
problem
-- she had fainted. Pulling up the sleeves of the long kimono, she dragged
Ranko
to the beach where she cupped some water and splashed it over her face.
Finally coming to her senses the girl slapped the offending hand away,
and
spluttered at the water that had been suddenly thrown at her. "What did you
do
that for?"
"Well... you fazed out!" Akane answered in a matter of fact way as she
sat on
one of the bigger stones in the beach, it was mid-afternoon and the breeze
was
as refreshing as the lull of the waves, although the sand was scorching.
Dusting
herself, Ranko stood up, "What did you want me to do, drag you back to Rose
Brier?"
"There are some samurai over there you know," Ranko retorted, thumbing
some
trees a distance away, Akane squinted against the sunlight and looked at the
spot hard. True enough some samurai were staying there complacently, "You
could've asked them for help."
"I did the first thing I could think of okay!" Akane muttered in disgust,
of
course there was an option of asking help from Omokage, but she didn't tell
Ranko that. "Besides, I told someone to keep the cat away from you. You owe
me
one."
There was a smile on Akane's lips, Ranko frowned, no matter what angle
you
saw the argument in, Akane was right. Ranko couldn't -- can't deny it, it
would
be such a breach of honor to do so. Still Ranko shrugged then stood up,
fear-
induced palsy wearing off. "I thank you for doing what the *master* bids us
all
to do."
"Still... I think it's more of your reasons than the *master's*, don't
you
think?" Akane retorted as she put down her hand on Ranko's shoulder, her
message
was clear. "You still *owe* me."
"A favor?" Ranko took Akane's hand off and looked at her wearily,
"Please,
spare me, Kodachi, I really don't like giving you any favors."
"Even if you owed me?" Feudal Japan had its advantages. Their honor was
one
thing, their debts another. Feudal Japan was sooo... old fashioned.
Ranko cursed again then sat down complacently in the sand as if nothing
had
happened, ignoring the heat. She turned to Akane in a conversational manner,
and
said it in a way that didn't make it sound like a death sentence, "What
grand
torture befits someone who owes the Lady Kodachi? Seppuku perhaps? Or maybe
just
kill me off? I could think of more gruesome things to do at the moment, but
thinking of a ways to kill myself is not one of my better habits."
"I just want three things." There really wasn't much to ask after all.
She
had everything in the palm of her hands, now all she had to do was use them.
Ranko was the perfect person to ask, and a cancellation of debt the perfect
way
to do it.
There was a guarded look on Ranko's eyes and she weighed the girl before
her,
then, dismissed the things she was going to ask for as trivial even before
she
heard it. Then she intoned in the most formal manner she knew of, "How may I
be
of service to my Lady Kodachi Saotome of the House of Kuno?"
"I don't want you in my husband's bedroom at night," Akane reasoned it
was
for the best, her husband would sleep earlier, the whole household would
sleep
earlier and a lot less grumpy people. It was on no account of jealousy on
her
part, she thought, after all it was for the good of the household. "If
possible
I don't want you wearing his clothes."
Thinking about it, Ranko made a face clearly showing her dislike in the
matter, but she couldn't and wouldn't refuse it. 'It isn't such a hard
bargain
as one that Kodachi might usually drive... and Kodachi usually tired easily
of
her games.' She smiled, '*Ranko* will play your game for a while, Kodachi'
"Where would I sleep and what would I wear, then? Surely you have some
idea?"
"I don't really care, as long as it's not my husband's." She waved her
hand
in dismissal, there wasn't any way Ranko could go around this agreement. No
way
she could go against her precious code of honor. Just as any self-respecting
samurai wouldn't.
"Agreed. I don't really have a room and I don't really have clothes. I
would
then wear your kimonos for the duration and would sleep in your room, after
all
you don't really care."
Inwardly, Ranma-chan congratulated herself on the brilliant idea. It was
obvious that Kodachi was less than happy with how everything turned out.
Ranma
had managed to turn what initially seemed to be a punishment for him into a
punishment to both of them. 'Hell if I'm going to suffer alone.'
Seething Kodachi glared at the red-head. She will not weasel out of the
next
one easily, "Also I want you to tell me about Ranma's childhood."
Of all the things Kodachi could've asked for this one surprised
Ranma-chan
the most. She was taken back, then she shrugged, it was inconsequential,
after
all there was nothing she could do. Things like the past caught up easily,
she
couldn't hide it forever. "Well, do you want me to tell it to you *now*?"
Kodachi gave out what she thought was her most patient smile, "Yes,
please."
She answered sitting close to Ranma-chan to hear her story, she might hate
Ranma-chan for being the consort, but she would like at least if they became
friends.
Ranma-chan shifted uncomfortably at her nearness, the past was something
he
did not readily visit. It was something best forgotten... it was useless to
live
in yesterday when the burden of today and tomorrow was heavily laden on your
shoulders. "I'm only telling this because it's my duty and that I owe you.
But
it doesn't mean I trust you."
"I never expected any more."
That finished, Ranma-chan began to weave a highly edited tale, "There
isn't
really much to tell about Ranma's childhood." Yeah, right. There were a lot
of
aspects in Ranma's childhood that one sitting would not encompass. An hour
into
the story won't even scratch the enigma that was his past.
"He lived like every samurai in the Saotome clan has. The twins were
raised
together, and against conventionality had a single foster parent."
Ranma-chan
frowned as she remembered the man, "Their foster father was Saotome Genma. A
man
was their foster father... because well... he had managed to infuriate
Happosai... don't ask me how. Men are never foster parents (4). He was an
exception. The twins always were *the* exception."
She drew on the sand with her fingers, the sand hot to the touch, a
remnant
of a battle plan long ago. They had a lot of memories, and a lot of pain
went
with them. "Nabiki and Ranma won their first battle at the age ten. Because
of
this, Happosai sent them to China to learn under the Imperial Palace when
they
were twelve..."
The Imperial Palace. It seemed so long buried in the past... and so much
like
the memories of yesterday...
Ranma-chan was irritated and wet. Through their newly acquired forms,
Nabiki
obviously gained strength, but she had still managed to let *him* carry all
her
load. She had reasoned out that since they were indeed the same strength
now,
but her speed was decreased and Ranma's had increased, an excess load would
hamper her pace.
And their speed was essential in the chase that was presently happening.
Their currently panda of a foster father was running along with them...
the
guide puffing along, "Where the hell is the Imperial Palace anyway?"
Ranma-chan
grunted hefting the two packs along. Trying unsuccessfully to bring them in
a
nice enough position while running.
"I think it's that towering thing over there." Nabiki-kun quipped looking
the
impressionable building over. It wasn't hard to miss. It was the largest
thing
in the city after all.
Ranma-chan grumbled, it was perplexing to see him walk beside himself. In
his
opinion, no one should be able to be subjected to such things. It was weird
that
their foster father turned into a panda and Nabiki turned into... himself...
What he thought unusual in the situation was that even though they were
twins...
he certainly didn't turn to her.
"I'll get to the palace first, you guys watch my back! You shouldn't have
much of a trouble... she's after me!" Ranma-chan shouted, when Nabiki-kun
nodded
he threw her both of the packs, which she gracefully caught. Ranma noted
that
she was indeed slowed down by the extra weight of the pack.
Turning towards the palace and jumping towards the roofs, he began to put
on
speed. Amazons, he was starting to realize were very, very persistent. The
Amazon that was chasing them has been in pursuit for seven days!
As he prepared for another jump, he wondered if the palace guards were
going
to give him any trouble. He wasn't really sure if they were expecting them.
Happosai just sent them to China to go under the Imperial palace because
every
daimyo was supposed to send their best students there... of course he didn't
care how they got there... there was no doubt he cared if they were warmly
accepted.
As for Genma, he didn't mind the lack of transportation. Their foster
father
made them swim. Both had been resigned -- if a bit reluctant to label that
as a
training experience. As he -- currently she ran towards the palace gates,
she
saw the guards distinctly close to block her path, weapons rising
threateningly.
Ranma-chan cursed, his balance was too much off at the point to be in the
fight with what seemed like two very able guards. "Outta my way!" He
screamed as
he ran through them, both moved to strike. Ranma cursed and jumped, vaulting
over them, quickly opting for running and hiding, making a two point landing
in
the palace walls. He jumped over the first set of gates and aimed for the
sixth
floor. Luckily, Chinese palaces were similar to Japanese palaces. The layout
would most probably be the same.
He broke through the window using one of the basic kicks and ran around,
trying to familiarize himself. The guards would not reach him in at least a
minute. He found what seemed to be the main room (ticked off by the fact
that at
least five guards were guarding the entrance, it was the biggest room on the
floor.)
The guards he did not bother, and found a joint room, which he broke
through
to get to the inside of the central room, "I need help!" He shouted, at what
seemed like an almost empty audience room... the emperor was seated in what
looked like a throne to Ranma, obstructed by shadows. He hoped the emperor
was
an understanding sort.
A woman leapt from the dark holding what seemed like big balls on a stick
out
to him, quite similar to what the Shampoo girl had used in the Amazon
village,
"<Halt, you are in the presence of the Emperor, you may not walk any
closer.>"
Letting out another curse, Ranma started to analyze the situation. In his
true form he looked his age... yet this body made him -- her look two years
younger, he doubted if this girl or the emperor would believe if he blurted
out
he had been sent by Happosai. Although he hoped his apparent 'youth' would
make
the girl think about any sudden movements, "Talk slow! I can't understand
much
of Chinese! I'm... I need help... my sister, foster father and the Jusenkyo
guide is being chased by an Amazon and I'm under the Kiss of Death...
there's
been this great misunderstanding and --"
The girl attacked Ranma dodged to the side, she smiled, "Yes, you quick,
there no mistake, I am Amazon woman... my name... is Rian Tan... and I will
take
pride in killing you for my sister!"
Ranma's shock had been forced out of him as he dodged another blow and
then
another, just his luck to find an Amazon in the emperor's chambers... at
least
Nabiki and the others would be quite safe... Shampoo's main target was him.
He managed to back flip as his opponent went for his head, she didn't hit
it,
and threw one of her weapons at him. It clipped his shoulder. And he found
out
that those big balls felt really bad against her flesh.
'At least the soldiers were simply watching the fight.' Ranma-chan
thought as
he managed to get a glimpse of the spectators, all of them watched, but none
dared to step in.
With only one fight since the curse, Ranma-chan doubted his odds against
winning a second match so early on. The only reason he had won against the
girl
because that Amazon had been fatigued, underestimated her, and a bit below
his
skill level... the only thing that would win him this fight would be a quick
mind.
The girl -- Rian had every advantage over him, Ranma-chan thought as he
caught the cloth that was whipped to him with his left hand. Had it
connected
the silken belt would have gone for his throat; he pulled it out, and threw
it
to the side.
He counted her advantages, she was well rested, she had reach, she had
weapons, she's on friendly ground and she's a bit skilled -- not more so
than he
though.
He landed a kick on her hand, which made her throw her right hand weapon,
she
quickly shifted the one she had on her left hand towards her more able hand.
With a punch he disabled another, he smiled at her, "Ahhh man, my sister
could
fight better than you!"
"Maybe because your sister is better than *you*!" The Amazon smiled
hefting
another weapon he had not seen her take out, readying herself for another
strike.
Ranma-chan grunted as he got the ball-like weapon on the floor and threw
it
at her, she jumped to the side, that wasn't what was going to hit her... it
was
the kick when she landed... the weapon thrown at her should make her
distracted
enough not to notice his follow up -- which connected. Followed by a kick
and a
flurry of punches. She fell unconscious on his last blow. Ranma was about to
lean over to look if the girl was okay, but stopped when the soldiers
gathered
around the girl.
"Enough!" The emperor called out. "Who are you?"
"I am Saotome Ranma... sorry about this..." He smiled sheepishly as he
bowed
just as Genma instructed him to... with more deference than he did with
Happosai
-- which was to say not much.
"I thought Ranma was male?" He looked at her thoroughly, then remembered
what
the girl said, then nodded, "Ahhh... Jusenkyo then?"
When Ranma-chan nodded, the Emperor laughed, "For a child, you certainly
have
spunk... you defeated my royal guard... bested the best Amazon in your
generation and managed to best one from the village. It's a wonder you and
your
sister are still alive."
Ranma-chan looked at him questioningly, but said nothing, even he knew he
shouldn't talk when not spoken directly to. "I doubt that you know the
Amazon
rules then?"
"Nah... I just know the one that keeps me moving!" Ranma said casually.
The emperor clapped his hands, a woman arrived, and he spoke to her
briefly
he nodded to Ranma-chan, then turned, "If Happosai wasn't such a known
figure
out here... You and your companions shall be given a room in the lower
donjon.
Right now they will be admitted towards your quarters..."
"And young man?" He said before Ranma-chan turned to follow the girl,
"You
watch out, Amazons never let their husbands go."
"Husband?" He looked at the emperor puzzled as he bent over to the girl
lying
on the floor, trying to rouse her... that man was certainly funny...
Of course that bit Ranma-chan didn't see the need to tell Kodachi... she
never said anything about being specific. Such incidents Kodachi never
needed to
know.
"When they returned to Japan at the age sixteen, Ranma and jointly Nabiki
were given twenty ri around Nerima ward. Ranma was married off to you at
twenty-
two around the same time as Nabiki... he were given the Kanagawa prefecture
which contains Nerima, as a wedding gift. Nabiki's dowry was... I think
we're
well moving out of childhood and you know the rest."
"Thank you Ranko... that was... insightful." Kodachi looked off in the
horizon, stood up and walked towards the house... waving a little good bye
towards him.
Ranma-chan watched her go... he had never been so confused before... the
damned woman was confusing him... she acted as if he were two different
people
and God knows she knows that Jusenkyo wasn't a separate entity.
This had him seriously considering the amnesia, but not by much, reminded
of
how much Kodachi loved to manipulate... no it would take more than that to
convince him of amnesia.
Now if he could convince his heart that.
He clasped the golden chain that hung around his neck, it wasn't visible
through his shirt. The cross was a gift from the priests. Every baptized
person
was given the cross to wear, to distinctly mark them as Christians. He
noticed
Kodachi hasn't been wearing hers lately.
Standing up, he began to look for Nabiki.
~~~
As Nabiki watched turned towards the windowsill to watch Ranma, she
decided
that he was definitely avoiding his wife. Although he did wake up well
before
the crack of dawn... which meant *everyone* was to wake up even earlier,
which
irked her a bit.
Aside from this he went to check on Nerima's boundaries quite often, he
left
early in the morning and returned late at night, even Hanae and Sei were
noticing that Ranma wasn't taking charge of their training -- which was left
to
some samurai.
Nabiki shrugged it off and thought it for the best... Ranma's tender
feelings
towards Kodachi should be eliminated as soon as the distance was registered
in
his heart.
'At least I'm sure that absence certainly doesn't make the heart fonder.'
Nabiki thought as she watched Ranma's fleeting figure in the dark horizon,
along
with several samurai.
She was fairly sure Ranma made up his mind to see Kodachi in every person
he
had come to kill on those wanderings and has set his mind to thinking back
to
every misdeed of hers. It was certainly easy to imagine Kodachi trying to
kill
him, she had tried once or twice.
Of course, she wasn't pleased by Ranma's sleeping arrangements... no, not
pleased at all... Ranma shouldn't be sleeping in Kodachi's room, and it
didn't
feel right. Even after he explained that he was in her debt. It was like
Kodachi
to do that --
It didn't help matters that she had asked about their childhood. Those
were
the best and worst memories that she could've asked for. Nabiki closed her
eyes,
feeling a headache coming.
She opened them to stare back at the cherry blossoms in the Imperial
Palace.
The blossoms were at its peak season and they looked beautiful falling
softly on
the ground, carpeting the soft grass with the pink paper-thin flowers. Yet
she
still felt homesick. Back home, the blossoms would have been just as
beautiful
too. Probably a cherry blossom viewing party Happosai was so fond off.
She felt an arm pat her shoulder and looked up, it was her brother,
'Figures,' She thought staring back out the window, 'Only he would disturb
me in
such a time.'
But he didn't talk, just stared out the window with her. They shared
companionable silence for a while; both of them watching the pink blossoms
fall
softly on the ground, a shower of petals. It was one of the sights that
reminded
them of Japan, the cherry blossoms.
"Hey, Nabiki," He said in a soft voice, "Do you miss mother?"
"When I hear the lark sing and I remember her voice, or when I see the
sword
she gave us to bring along, or the furoshiki she gave us to wrap our swords
in.
I miss her those times," Nabiki inhaled the sweet scent of the blossoms,
then
her eyes hardened, "...The rest of the time I try to forget her."
Ranma nodded leaning out the window, perhaps it was best if they didn't
keep
memories of her to haunt them, it prevented them from doing so much more
than
they should be. But she was still their mother and there were times they
were
allowed to think of her. He sighed the few moments of peace they shared
alone
was rare, and sometimes they were just too exhausted, "I miss her too. I
wish I
knew her better, before we left."
"How could we miss someone we hardly know?" She asked, more of herself
than
her brother, Nodoka was rarely with them, and they had been taken away from
her
just as soon as they were old enough to train... and that wasn't very old in
samurai standards, about the age when they could stand, basic training even
before that. "Sometimes, I think it's Japan we miss most of all."
"Maybe, but Happosai won't let us come home." Ranma quipped, a soft wind
blew, scattering more of the flowers in the breeze swirling them about in a
beautiful pattern before letting them fall softly on the ground, "I think he
intends us to stay here for the rest of our lives."
"Maybe," Nabiki frowned as she turned her back from the window and leaned
softly in the banister, she untied her hair, the brown locks falling past
her
shoulder. "I think he wants us out of his way. We're of direct lineage to
him,
if ever the Saotome's decide that he's been head of the clan for far too
long...
you're the best candidate."
"We're only fifteen, Nabiki." Ranma reminded her, and fifteen was not old
enough to be head of the clan, much less threaten an experienced ghoul such
as
Happosai, "No one will want children in his place."
"I wasn't saying they'll do it *now*," Nabiki muttered, she had thought
about
it and it was the only reason why Happosai would detain them in China, "I'm
saying he's keeping us from everyone's sight so that nobody will get any
ideas.
So nobody will see how fast we both learn."
"If you say so." Ranma conceded, he had learned long ago that in matters
such
as this, Nabiki was usually right. "I just want to go home."
Nabiki suddenly broke out into a smile and pinched him slightly in the
shoulder, he spun around to look at her, "You just want to get rid of Xian
Pu
and Rian!"
"You try having them follow you around!" Ranma answered rubbing his
shoulders. Shampoo and Rian were both nice enough girls... if they weren't
trying to kill you. It was good that it was her brother who fought them in
the
first place. She didn't know how well she would've fared if she was the one
being hunted to the death. "I can't even get enough sleep."
"You *haven't*!" Nabiki gasped exaggeratedly her hand flying to her
mouth,
implying the less than honorable reasons for his lack of sleep, "Oh brother,
if
*Lord* Happosai hears of your conquests...! Why... you would make him
proud."
"What the--" Ranma said, he let the words sink in before he managed to
put on
an indignant look, "Hey! You know I'd *never* do something like that!"
"Men!" Nabiki smiled as she ran across the hall, brown hair flying about
her,
her brother hot in pursuit, "You think you know them, and suddenly they pop
up
with these surprises. Oh, Nabiki, when will you ever learn?"
She passed some servants who looked at them with confusion, mostly
because
they couldn't understand Japanese at all. She took the chase outside leaping
out
the three-story balcony. When she looked back, Ranma was still behind her.
"I'll get you for that!" Ranma shouted.
"If you catch me!" Nabiki let out a giggle as she jumped towards the
trees,
shaking the already falling blossoms even more, "You're certainly funny,
Ranma,
first you're trying to get away from them... and then you invite them to
bed?"
"Excuse me?!" Ranma shouted back dodging a low branch, then taking to the
trees as well, he wasn't closing in on Nabiki, she was faster after all, but
he
wasn't getting any farther either. It was okay, she tired far more easier
than
he, "You're the one who's in 'marriageable' age already."
"Not if you don't marry, brother!" Nabiki called gaily, taking a handful
of
cherry blossoms she threw it at her brother's approaching form. Ranma dodged
them all, but it had hindered his pace. One had managed to hit him in the
shoulder, and for flowers, it certainly stung. "I'm to be granted omiai
after
you find yourself a suitable wife!"
"You just want to get married!" Ranma bantered, snapping some branches
from
the trees, he threw one at her and she dodged, sticking her tongue out at
him,
frowning he threw another. She wasn't hit either.
Nabiki smiled at him, her hair obscuring some of her vision, which
reminded
her why she didn't want to grow her hair longer or wished to take off the
strings that bound it. Currently it was running away with the wind.
"For someone who's supposed to be better than me, you've got a lousy
aiiiiiimmmmm!" Nabiki shouted as she fell from the branch she was standing
on to
the ground, she managed to land on her feet, though.
"Wasn't aiming at you." Ranma answered as he lowered himself with a
nimble
leap, Nabiki gave him a small smile, she couldn't quite guess why her
brother
managed to be graceful at martial arts but have this awful swagger when he
simply walked.
"<Children!>" Someone called behind them... and was promptly ignored as
the
two engaged in a small fighting spree. "<Children!>"
Cologne sighed as she jumped over to them and landed two blows on their
heads, they stopped the fight immediately. Bowed to each other then looked
at
Cologne ruefully, hands seeking the back of their necks, and both adopting a
very identical sheepish look.
"<What is the meaning of this?>" Cologne asked as she pointed to the
rather
disheveled looking trees and general chaos abound what was supposed to be a
peaceful garden.
Ranma and Nabiki winced as they looked at the cherry blossoms which they
had
managed to strip to a few flowers by jumping around and the occasional torn
branch or two.
"<You're restricted to your rooms.>" Cologne said in an even tone,
"<Relearn
your meditative techniques, and I want both of you in *my* quarters to
report to
me what you have concluded from all of this! You will both remain in your
cursed
forms for the duration of one week. You will not spar, you will not read and
you
will not have any contact with any other person save myself and your direct
superiors.>"
They managed to look ashamed up to their rooms.
Both of them looked at each other, then spoke at the same time in hushed
voices, "You know... we should try that again some time."
Nabiki smiled at that, turning away from the window and Ranma's
retreating
back... they truly did have an unnatural childhood. China *had* been a part
of
their hearts for some time, but there was something to say about being in
Japan.
Japan was home.
Even though here was where Happosai had dominion over them and here was
where
Kodachi pulled them ruthlessly by their strings. Japan would always be their
home more than anywhere else.
And to keep their home, she must keep lookout of what would keep her from
it.
'Then, I would watch Kodachi for you, Ranma.' Nabiki thought as she left to
face
another day.
And as the days turned into weeks, Nabiki watched from the shadows as was
her
duty to Ranma, as much as she had done the initial weeks of Kodachi's
accident... her first slip... her first fall... yes, Nabiki would learn of
those. And that would be reason enough to kill herself -- with that Ranma
can
finally kill Kodachi... he can finally kill her off.
~~~
"You're honestly sleeping in my room?" Akane deadpanned as she saw Ranko
move
a futon to the ugly room she had to call her own, for the simple fact that
she
had no other.
"I'm honor bound to sleep here." Ranko laid her futon down beside
Akane's,
she stretched and moved towards the closet picking one of Kodachi's sleeping
kimonos. She donned it so quickly Akane was not even sure if she took off
her
initial clothes in the first place had she not seen the pile of discarded
clothing folded neatly in her hands.
That was the only thing that was exchanged between them, before Ranko
slept
in the comforts of the futon. Akane sighed as she mentally asked herself why
she
was in the place again... she wondered that a lot of times... after all she
couldn't have been such a bad person in her past life, right?
Her thoughts wandered over to her husband, who was currently avoiding
her.
Apparently... so was everybody else on the house. The children simply didn't
talk to her and even if they did, she wasn't sure she wanted to. After
all...
they were so ... distant.
Nabiki, she never knew, she disappeared in and out of the house, as if
she
didn't exist, yet it was glaringly apparent she was actually living there.
The
ikebana arrangement on the takonama was always fresh, the house was
distinctly
clean... the samurai were paid. Yes... she was in the house, yet she wasn't.
She
was like the wind, you knew she was there, but you really couldn't see her,
except for the soft touch in your face that makes certain of its presence.
Ranko was constantly missing, the consort of her husband she only saw at
night and only when she wakened from her discreet motions through her
rooms...
and even that rarely, the girl moved with such grace and yet a non-grace
that
puzzled her... a distinct tomboyish sluggishness in her movements, but
something
distinctly feminine as well.
She had all reasons to believe she had dreamt the girl in her room at all
except for the fact that Ranko never touched her bedding. It was Ifuku who
always moved it towards the alcove where they kept the futons. When she
questioned Ifuku about it she shrugged and said in a mild manner that
reminded
her of her sister, "It's my pleasure and honor to keep my master's bedding.
It
would be most improper if he -- she keep it herself. Even my lady Nabiki
doesn't
do it, and you don't. My Lady Ranko deserves the same respect."
"I don't think your lady Ranko deserves any," Akane huffed, jealousy
rearing
its ugly head, she keeps the hussy away from her husband and she still nags
her,
"She's nothing but a whore."
"Ladies don't use such language, my lady," Ifuku offered gently, brushing
Kodachi's long locks, the furo was to be ready in some minutes. "It is
though
sufferance that you are given indulgences... my lord has already been too
kind."
"He doesn't visit me when I'm sick and he's kind?" Akane wondered what
hatred
equated to. His sword flashed through her mind, she gulped.
"It is not through affection that my Lord Ranma shows his benevolence
towards
my lady," Ifuku said, the brush running through her black hair gently, "It
would
please him greatly if you would treat Lady Ranko the same way you treat
him."
"I don't see why I have to be anything but civil to Ranko." She twirled
the
little golden pins in her hands, a sign of discomfort, "It's not right for a
wife to share her husband."
Ifuku didn't respond for a minute, and Akane wondered if she would let it
go
but she finally did, "But Lady Ranko has a right to share Lord Ranma.
Consorts
are what give pleasure to men, my lady. Wives put order to the house."
"*I* don't bring order to the house." Akane grumbled, "Why should *she*
do
what she's supposed to?"
There was a small sound that Akane suspected as withheld laughter, she
must
really sound silly to the maid's ears, she was acting like a spoiled child.
"Maybe the lady should consider doing her duty then? Maybe it would make
Lady
Ranko's presence less disquieting."
Akane let the question go unanswered. She was thankful Ifuku didn't
actually
laugh out loud, she asked, "Um... does Ranma have any more consorts?"
"No, my lady. My lord hasn't been in a woman's arms for a long time."
Ifuku
smiled at Akane's surprise, "He wishes for an heir of his own blood... but
he
desires it from his wife, not anybody else. If my lord doesn't produce an
heir
before he dies, he has granted that privilege to Sei-san."
"But I thought he was Nabiki's son!" Akane frowned, "Why not Hanae?"
"Women are not heirs... they are to be granted omiai(5), just like
yourself,
my lady." She had counted one thousand, she wondered if they would finish up
to
two as they usually did before her head injury, "Lord Ranma adopted Sei when
Lady Nabiki was banished from the Ikkasei clan. My lady Nabiki's being alive
is
a secret of the Saotome House."
"A secret? How so?"
"We really don't meddle with samurai business, my lady." Ifuku answered,
she
didn't know if she should be telling this, but it was her duty to make her
mistress understand the rules... but she also had a greater duty to her lord
to
keep secrets... what to tell and what not to... the eternal game of the
houses.
"I don't know why my lady is to be kept here, but she is, all servants are
ordered to confidentiality."
"My lady Kodachi's bath is ready." Sasuke called as he opened the shoji.
Ifuku nodded as she gathered what Akane would wear for the day following
her
master out to the bathhouse.
Ranma shivered as the cold water hit him -- the change washing over
him... it
wasn't really very obvious when they underwent the curse. There was nothing
to
indicate that they did, except the feeling of dampness and the obvious
gender
change. "I thought the water was hot?"
"Never mind that... the furo is warm anyway." She turned to scrub Ranma's
back, when he threw cold water to her too... she frowned, "Such childish
behavior."
"Want me to suffer alone?" Ranma-chan smiled, "Now scrub my back,
please."
Usually there were attendants who washed the samurai's backs, but because of
their unique qualities regarding water, Ranma and Nabiki almost always
bathed
together.
It wasn't anything new, when they were young and training on the road,
they
had no other choice, after all no one would do it for them. When they
returned
from China, they were ordered to keep the curses secret... and so they were
confined to themselves again.
When Nabiki was married off she found it a little bit harder to keep the
curse to herself... but she managed to get the bathroom house vacant when
she
washed... which had confused people to no end.
"If you weren't my brother... I swear I'd get revenge." Nabiki-kun said
moving her arm towards Ranma-chan's back, usually he had a small cloth
around
his waist where he was branded... but ever since she found out, he didn't
use it
anymore. She briefly wondered at how dense she had been... after all they
had
been exposed to each other's bodies since they were children and she never
questioned the peculiar sash.
"If's the key word here!" Ranma-chan pointed out, then lapsed into
comfortable silence, "Hey, Nabiki... do you ever wonder why we have
different
cursed forms? You know... why I don't turn to you? But you turn to me??"
"Sometimes..." She smiled a little, her brother almost never thought of
such
things, there were simply too much other things to think about, 'martial
arts'
in particular. "I believe it's because we looked similarly in our previous
life,
neh? After all, we're supposed to be twins and we bear little similarity
towards
each other, and that... you have to strain to see."
"You were the guy in our previous life?" Ranma-chan asked as he crumpled
his
face, "I really don't see it."
"Maybe we switched bodies!" Nabiki-kun let out a little smile, "We got
different bodies than we were supposed to! I was supposed to turn to Ranko
while
you were still like yourself?"
"You know... some ideas are so stupid... only intellectuals believe
them."
"Sure, sure." Nabiki smiled, "And back in the Amazon village, you would
be
considered a 'learned' person, you know. Only a step below the Elders?"
"Still it's a weird theory."
"Maybe I'm not your sister in your previous life. Maybe I was Kodachi's
older
sister, which is the reason why I like her so much." She made a face at her
obvious dislike of her suggestion.
"If that's true, then I'm in love with my wife *and* I actually believe
in
love." Ranma snickered as he listened to Nabiki.
"It was only a theory, or maybe the man who died in that spring looked
like
you and his twin died at the Nyannichuan." Nabiki-kun shrugged, there really
was
no telling what the explanation was. "Your turn to scrub my back."
He obliged, "So? Are you okay with this?"
"It's been so long, and you ask it only now?" Nabiki-kun wondered at
Ranma's
ability to think back, "It was our karma to fall in those springs. By
falling to
those springs, we became more able to serve our liege lord. It provides a
totally new identity... Ranko's unrecorded background has given us advantage
over some cases, and the ability to be in two places at once. I never
actually
regretted falling into that spring, Ranma. It gave me more of a way to
protect
you."
"It was a way to protect each other." There was a long pause, "Hey,
Nabiki."
"Yes?"
"Thanks, for everything."
Nabiki-kun stopped what she was doing and turned Ranma's head around to
face
her, her brother's gratitude was as rare as his apologies and even rarer
than
his smiles. "No, it's me who should be thanking you."
"We both thank each other then?" Ranma-chan smiled.
It was then that Kodachi walked in on them... Kodachi blushed and started
to
turn around but stopped and crossed her arms; she was still wearing her
night
kimono. "What are you doing in here?"
Ranma-chan regarded her then turned to Nabiki-kun, Nabiki-kun smiled and
said, "I don't really know... I think I'm making a baby... what do you think
Ranko-san?"
Ranma-chan looked up at the ceiling and twiddled her thumbs,
accomplishing
what looked too much like a guilty flush, "Ah... um... I don't think that's
the
best answer Na-- Ra-- umm... I mean Lord Ranma."
"Fine! See if I care!" Kodachi stomped out of the room and closed the
shoji
with a bang.
There was some silence and Nabiki-kun started laughing, Ranma-chan looked
at
her with a frown, "Do you really wish to see me die so early Nabiki-chan?"
"Oh please, Ranma, spare me." Nabiki said under fits of laughter, "We
both
know that even on her best day Kodachi can't touch you... hell she can't
even
touch me! Serves you right for waking up this late."
Ranma-chan rolled his eyes over his sister's obvious hilarity in his
discomfort. "Besides, you should be happy."
He frowned. "And why is that?"
They have seriously thought about the amnesia thing, it seems... there is
a
possibility it is true... although the Kodachi now seems no better off than
the
Kodachi before. "She's obviously jealous of you. And only women who care are
jealous."
"Why would she be jealous... I mean... I think she *did* see it as a
joke...
right? She can't be *that* dense! I mean 'Ranko' is our 'faraway' relative
as
you've stated... and there's no reason to be jealous... She acts as if she
detests me. I mean I'm supposed to be my own legal consort, right??"
"Of course..." Nabiki-kun drew out a long suffering smile, "Kodachi hates
to
share anything, haven't you noticed? I'm willing to bet she feels bitter she
isn't Hanae's mother and resents the fact that Sei would be your heir."
Ranma-chan winced at her statement, it was far too true for him to
contradict
it. He resolved to talk to Kodachi, Ranma-chan stood up to wash himself of
the
soap.
Nabiki punched him playfully at his side, "Hey, you! You're nor finished
scrubbing my back!"
Okay... so talk to Kodachi *after* he took a bath.
Ifuku winced as Akane dragged on to her room looking around frantically;
she
wished her mistress wasn't looking for something to break because a lot of
things in her room were delicate.
"Define 'a long time', Ifuku!" Akane said anger streaking her eyes.
Her mistress had just received the worst possible answer from the Lady
Nabiki
at the worst possible time.
Sure, Ifuku knew that there wasn't really anything happening inside that
room... after all they were siblings... and yes, Ifuku knew that the Lady
Ranko
was really Lord Ranma and the Lord Ranma she saw there was really the Lady
Nabiki, but that particular knowledge wasn't helping her a bit in this
situation. She doubted if the Lady Akane would truly believe Jusenkyo until
she
saw it. The Lady Nabiki and Lord Ranma would never actually submit to a show
in
front of the Lady Akane. "They were merely playing, my lady surely --"
"Oh, they were playing alright!" Akane continued to fume and walked
around
and around. Ifuku wondered when her mistress would get dizzy.
"Surely you realize that Lord Ranma was only trying to tease my lady?"
Ifuku
tried her damnedest to calm Akane down. It simply wasn't working.
"Tease... tease... Tease... TEASE!!!!" each time the word was repeated
Ifuku
managed to imagine the girl's head growing larger... at least she thinks she
imagined it... "That sonofabitch isn't teasing me! He's down right rubbing
my
face in the fact that we actually haven't slept together in... How many
years?"
"Four years, my lady."
"Four years! I keep Ranko off his bed but he manages to do 'the deed' in
the
bathroom!" She paced around a little more cracking her hands in the process.
"I'm going to pulverize that... that... that..."
Ifuku flinched at the string of profanity that came out of her mistress'
lips, she had thought her mistress thought it was unimaginable for ladies to
swear... unfortunately... along with her great change in attitude comes her
love
for expletives.
She was about to continue on with her tirade when her Lord Ranma -- still
in
his cursed form slammed the shoji open, with his hand on his towel. He
regarded
Ifuku for a moment but didn't dismiss her, then turned to his wife.
"Akane, will you stop bringing the whole house down!" Ranma-chan ordered,
holding the towel firmly around himself, "I was not doing anything with
Nabiki,
okay?! She's my sister for goodness sake."
Ifuku gulped a little, she wondered that if in her lord's condition he
realized what he said. The curse was something they agreed to keep quiet
about.
"I was not referring to *Nabiki* I was talking about *Ranma*. You're a
girl."
She paused for a moment, seemingly contemplating on something, "Unless of
course... you like *that* kind of thing..."
Ranma-chan looked at her puzzled, Ifuku gave a little cough and motioned
a
little. Understanding dawned on Ranma and he eeped... as much as a Saotome
could
anyway, "What?! No... no... no... You're getting this all wrong! Listen
Kodachi
and I'm not repeating this. I AM ONLY RANMA'S CONSORT BY NAME! Not
dissimilar to
your situation! We do not share a bed... we do not sleep in the same
futon...
we're never together... I like his clothes... so what, I like his room...
so? I
am his consort, I have right to stay there... just as you do but have not
done
so in seven years. I give him his back scrub... he gives me mine... it is my
pleasure to do so... he is my lord. I follow what he says. If you ask Ifuku
she
will confirm that Ranma only bathes with his sister or me."
Before she walked away, she turned back, "And no! I don't like *that*
kind of
thing! I have been celibate for nearly four years Kodachi, just as my lord.
I
could only wish I could say the same for you."
Ifuku tensed as she watched the lord leave, she wondered what the lady
would
think about the Lady Ranko having professed her abstinence, perhaps she
would
not realize that the Lord Ranma is the same, neh? Then things wouldn't be so
complicated.
Watching the Lady Akane grab a shoji to steady herself, she rushed to
lend
her support she shrugged it off, she was a proud woman.
Looking at Ifuku in the eyes Akane sighed, "She was telling the truth
wasn't
she?"
Ifuku nodded, of course... she wasn't about to tell her lady that her
lord
omitted some very vital facts... that the Lord Ranma and the Lady Ranko are
the
same, for instance.
~~~
A loud bang issued from the rooms to their left and Ranma grumbled
putting on
his red shirt, another day, another problem, he would've ignored the bang if
it
hadn't persisted. He sighed as he ran towards the general direction of the
noise... his wife's room. Surprise, surprise.
He stood there leaning at the shoji when she noticed him watching her
taking
down most of the black things, and replacing the shoji, pulling the black
tatami
off the floor.
"Oh, Ranma... I was cleaning up the room a bit... it's a bit too gloomy
here... and, I wanted it to be a little bit more cheerful." She said,
thinking
of nothing else to say, she forcefully pulled out one of the shoji down. She
tripped and fell, it seemed like she wasn't used to taking the shoji down
after
all... in their home, Kasumi had done that... in their apartment... there
were
no shoji... it came as little surprise she couldn't do so.
Surprisingly her husband caught her in an instant, she blushed as she
righted
herself with his help... she has never encountered one so fast. He raised an
eyebrow at this, "What? You react as if you've never touched me before."
Akane bit her lip as she gazed to his bluish gray eyes, it was clouded
up, he
looked royally pissed off. "If I have I've actually forgotten."
Ranma nodded, it was good he decided not to do anything about it, he
turned
to leave, "Do you know where Ranko is?"
He stopped, turned around, looked at Akane and frowned, "Why?"
"I wanted to apologize to her... for telling her some pretty nasty
stuff..."
She offered a weak smile at her husband, she hoped he would understand and
help
her explain, "I'm really sorry... It just doesn't feel right to share my
husband."
Ranma tapped his fingers against the shoji, "It isn't right to share my
wife.
More so... law allows me a consort my dear, several in fact. Law demands I
kill
all of yours."
Akane crunched up her face, stupid feudal Japan, here she was being nice
and
he comes up with pretty good excuses. Damn it, she had the right mind to
tell
him that she didn't care. "I'm sorry I didn't know any better. Please,
Ranma. If
it makes you feel better..." She winced at what she was going to say next,
"You
can sleep with her already... I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused...
I'll
tell her as soon as I find her."
"What brought this on?" Ranma looked incredulous, apparently Kodachi
didn't
do this very often. Or maybe it was the fact that he didn't actually need
her
permission.
"I -- Ifuku explained everything... I'm sorry for acting childish, as
your
wife, I should tend to your needs... I've not been doing a lot of that... I
just
realized it... I want to ask for her help... how to run your household you
know... and how to act... like a proper wife."
Ranma snorted, "Ranko wouldn't know how to do that... that's the reason
she's
the consort! The person you should be asking that is Nabiki... and my sister
isn't so forgiving as I am."
FORGIVING! The lout has not even shown her a moment's compassion! -- Okay
so
Gosunkugi was a fluke -- "I'll -- arrange to meet Lady Nabiki, then?"
"Whatever." He looked around the room, at least he was noticing the
change...
"What are you doing with the shoji Kodachi? It cost us a lot... ten samurai
men
actually..."
She didn't know if he picked the dreadful thing so she offered it to him,
she
was met by a grimace, "Burn it if you want, I don't want it touching my
room...
not after ten good men's blood was spilled to get it."
She shuddered, all the more wanting the shoji out immediately... she
wondered
how her room should look...unfortunately she wasn't good at doing creative
artsy
stuff either, she hoped Ifuku would lend her a hand in decorating her room.
Briefly, she thought if she should've asked help for her room *before*
she
tore everything down...
Nahhh...
~~~
Ranma shook his head as he left the house towards the trees, 'Kodachi is
too
damn hard to understand.' He thought leaping for the next tree. He sighed as
he
took off towards the border. When was the last time he had tree-hopped for
the
mere enjoyment of it and not to get away from his problems?
Far too long...
...long?" Nabiki asked from beside the pond, her newly bought Chinese
shirt
hung loosely around her figure.
"Uh... would you mind repeating that Nabiki?" Ranma asked as he landed
beside
her, the pond looked far too inviting, and swimming was the last thing they
should be doing at the moment. "I didn't hear you."
"I said," Nabiki asked throwing him some parcels of clothes, "What took
you
so long?"
"I had to get away from Rian and Shampoo." Ranma answered deftly catching
the
paper wrapped packages from the air. Recently, avoiding Rian and Shampoo
have
been troublesome, Cologne must have been stepping up their training too. The
old
crone seemed to believe that their constant pestering would do good for the
twin's training. "What? You *want* them along?"
Nabiki shook her head, "No, I just thought you might. Come on, Cologne
rarely
gives us our free time, you know. You're wasting time." She re-tied her
recently
grown hair. Ranma just looked at her, when they were younger she had refused
to
grow her hair past her chin, it just took him by surprise that she changed
her
mind, Nabiki rarely did.
"Uh huh, and what do you suggest we do?" Ranma asked opening the small
parcels and found some assortment of Chinese clothes identical to hers. He
nodded, the kimonos they have barely fit them anymore, Genma gave them money
to
buy some clothes, but he had been avoiding the amazons the whole morning and
was
forced to ask Nabiki to shop for him. "If you remember, we don't do much of
*anything* outside of martial arts for fun."
"Put those on, will you? I want to see how you look in them." Nabiki
smiled,
at thirteen they were still of the same height, she still could pick out his
clothes from the market for him without using the Jusenkyo curse.
"I'm sure it'll be perfect, Nabiki." Ranma reassured her as he closed the
packages and placed them in the crook of his arm. Nabiki just gave a little
pout
of disappointment, "As always."
"Well... it *is* our birthday..." Nabiki's eyes twinkled as she gazed at
the
trees, "Come on, let's go tree hopping and terrorize the countryside for a
bit... I'm sure we'll think of something better to do."
"Yeah, sure." Ranma rolled his eyes, then threw her a small box, "Here
catch!"
Nabiki caught it between her hands and opened the small wooden box in
delight, "Oh, you shouldn't have!" She protested putting the two ivory
trinkets
amidst wood shavings from the on her hand. Both were hand-carved. It was
actually clever of him to put the wood flakes there because it protected the
ivory.
"I know." Ranma smirked as he moved closer to see her reaction, "But I
couldn't resist. Some old guy gave me an inch of ivory 'cuz I did something
or
the other. Happy Birthday, Nabiki."
"They look wonderful... thank you..." Nabiki admired the small earrings
in
her hands, if you looked at it on one side, it looked like a small curled up
dragon, if you looked at it on the other, it was an exquisite flower. "How
did
you manage to carve this? Oh, I wish I had a mirror."
"That's a secret." He smiled as she clasped it on, "Okay, now that that's
over we can go and tree-hop if you like."
"Oh no, I've got something for you too." Taking a bag from her other
things
she handed it to him, "I know you disapprove of me making money from Rian
and
Shamps' affection of you, but how else do you think I'd manage enough money
to
buy things?"
"Still..." Ranma smiled as he opened the package and took out a beautiful
three tiered lacquered bento box with a pair of matching lacquered
chopsticks,
both had a design of a dragon etched into them, his name was on the
warabashi.
"Thank you, Nabiki. It's beautiful."
"I know. Happy birthday to you, too." Nabiki answered knowingly as she
fingered the earrings, "You always eat too much I say, and I saw this makie
store just beside the Chinese silks and I couldn't resist." She said echoing
his
words, "It doesn't have gold in the design, so it's not that expensive, and
I
kinda wish it was made off the deigo wood, back at home, but beggars can't
be
choosers..."
"Oh come on, you know I'm not choosy, Nabiki, even a simple note would've
been okay." Ranma answered, re-wrapping the gift gently, makie needed to be
kept
out of winds and direct sunlight for it to last long... and they were going
to
go tree-hopping.
"It wouldn't have been fun." Nabiki answered as she pocketed the wooden
box,
"Come on, time's wasting."
"You're leaving your parcels here?"
"Please, Ranma, Chinese don't steal things in the middle of the forest!"
She
smiled as she took off to the trees, "Come on, I want to show you sunset
over
Jusenkyo valley, it's beautiful."
"I'd rather stay as far from the Bayankala mountains as possible." Ranma
quipped, he was beside her in a moment, "It can't help us any and I hate
what it
reminds me of."
"Don't be such a baby, you remind me of Jusenkyo, you know." Nabiki
laughed
at his expression, "Oh come on, suffer with me for a while."
Ranma sighed as he landed on another branch, his destination was not so
far
off now, and Nabiki was at home suffering through the mere presence of his
wife.
'Yes, Nabiki, we'll suffer along, together.'
~~~
Nabiki leafed through the papers... it was a cookbook of sorts that she
had
to deal with weekly, since the responsibility of Ranma's wife fell to her.
She
was happy with the job... of course, doing the menu was still one of the
most
detestable things, happy or not.
She flipped through the pages, with her brother, you can actually place
the
same boring food in front of him, and still he'd eat it, but she wanted
variation in her food.
'What should I let them cook this week? Somen-coated shrimp(6), we don't
have
shrimp as of yet... Yosenabe(7)? Do we have mushrooms... some shitake
probably,
I'll look it up.' She copied the name and put a question-mark with it,
'Okay...
First day is done... Second Day morning? I wonder if Ukyo will be gracious
enough to serve us some Okonomiyaki when she picks up Hanae? Hmmm... better
prepare some yakitori in case she's in a hurry.'
She flipped more pages as she thought of the second meal... 'Would Kisu
No
Sujime(8), be good? Ranma won't be home for the second meal after all...
Vinegared Fish will suit Kodachi well enough.'
"Nabiki... could I talk to you for a minute?"
Not turning from what she was doing, Nabiki shrugged, 'Kodachi better
have a
good reason for prolonging the menu... I hate picking the menu...'
"Are we in good terms Nabiki?"
'What a question.' Nabiki rolled her eyes, her back still to the woman
putting the feather quill down... If Kodachi wasn't so dangerous in the
kitchen... "I ignore you, you ignore me. That's how the world works around
the
house Kodachi. Let's hope you re-learn that little bit of information."
Her anger rose a notch when she sat down beside her, "Can't we be
friends?"
"I can not be more than civil to you Kodachi." Nabiki snorted, she
decided
she'll just put Kodachi's hated food on the menu... something she had called
plebian once... what was it... 'Ahhh... Fish Simmered in Miso(9) Sauce...
she
hates red bean paste, she hates miso. Disturbing me while preparing the
menu,
aye Kodachi.' She added some side dishes and went on. After all she knew a
lot
of things that Kodachi hated... and Kodachi hated a lot of things.
"It's Akane." She whispered softly.
Nabiki almost broke her quill into two, the damned woman was trying to
get to
her nerves again, 'Calm down, breathe, breathe...' "A nice name Lady
Kodachi...
the color crimson suites your namesake. I would say it reminds me of blood."
"What's wrong Nabiki, you never call me lady... and..."
"My first daughter's name was Akane, lady. It honors me that you should
choose that name for yourself." 'Die you old hag. Wither and die! I don't
see
what the hell my brother sees in you. Have mercy on us all when he decides
to
fall in love with her all over again. What was the thing Kodachi was
allergic to
again... ahh yes... kamboko(10)... I think Chawanmushi(11) would be good for
first meal in the third day, I think I'll ask Yuka to add more kamboko than
a
measly eight... I hope Ranma enjoys seeing his wife bloat up.'
Though it was soft, Nabiki heard her gulp, "If you're at uncomfortable
with
it Nabiki... I could always change it..."
'Yes, be afraid of me Kodachi, be very afraid.', she shrugged as she
remembered that Kodachi particularly loathed lotus and added Age Renkon(12)
to
the dinner list of the third day. "I don't see the reason why my lady needs
to
change her chosen name... as I said I am honored."
Yuka passed by, Nabiki thought she would give the papers she had been
holding
in her hands, obviously it was more recipes, but she retreated, she probably
heard the way she had addressed Kodachi, she never called Kodachi 'lady'
until
she was mad... really mad. And the Lady Nabiki Saotome was rarely angry.
There was a tentative pause, "I want to ask something from you Nabiki."
This time, Nabiki managed not to close her hand on the quill, "My lady
can
ask anything from her humble servant." 'This better not be something really
bad
or I swear your life would be a living hell. She hates turnips because
they're
bland... what is a good recipe... ah irony is it? Kikka Kabu(13) will do for
breakfast, She looked at the diagram of how to prepare and smiled...
flowers...
what a befitting meal.'
"I would like you to teach me... to be a good wife."
She heard Kodachi hold her breath. 'She's been married seven years and
she
wants me to give her pointers on being a good wife, *now*? What the hell is
she
thinking? Miso... are there more miso recipes? Okura no Mosohuri(14)... God
how
I loath Kodachi.'
After writing that down she decided a full three days of Kodachi not
eating
anything prepared by the cooks was good enough she turned to her, "If it's
what
my lady Kodachi wants, her humble servant shall oblige... is there anything
else
you would require from me... should I stop the menus today, or does my lady
want
her lessons now?"
Kodachi looked uneasily at the sheaf of papers on the low table, "What
you're
doing seems important and--"
"Oh no, no, no," Nabiki punctuated each word with a shake of the head...
"I
would always be happy to oblige my lady."
"Well -- would it be better if I knew more things of the house? It seems
truly distasteful that I'm the wife and you and Ranko do all the work." She
bit
her lip... which Nabiki duly noted, Kodachi never bites her lips.
An idea came to Nabiki as she saw Kodachi steeple her hands in worry, it
sounds ridiculous... but after all it was worth a try, "My lady wishes to
know
the Martial Arts of Wife in Good Graces?"
"Martial Arts of Wife in Good Graces?" Kodachi repeated.
Nabiki shrugged, after all if you've heard of a Martial Arts Tea Ceremony
there has got to be a martial art for everything right? Of course Kodachi is
pretty smart when it came to things like Nabiki conning her, but it is worth
a
try... even though no one in their right minds should actually believe that
there's such a thing as --
"Sure I'll try it." Kodachi offered her a warm smile.
'Oh goodie, that knock on her head loosened the few remaining screws
too!'
Nabiki almost stopped herself from laughing, this was too hilarious, 'She's
soooo dense...' "Yes, we can start tomorrow."
There was a small frown then a smile from Kodachi as she walked to her
room -
- which was currently a non-room if she recalled what had been happening for
the
last few days.
When Kodachi fully disappeared from her sight did she finally let out a
smile. She would find out if Kodachi was faking her amnesia, even if it
meant
suffering through the long hours with her and trying to show Kodachi things
she
already knew. And Kodachi hated to be taught something which she already
excelled in.
Footnotes:
(1) What is the Tokkai road? Well it's the road connecting Tokyo and Hakone.
And
since I don't exactly *have* a map of Japan with me, it's the road that
connects to Nerima too.
(2) *Before* someone righteously lectures me about Japanese history and
tells me
that Edo was given to Tokugawa as a fief and all that, please, let me
tell
you, I spent my whole second year high school in Japanese history. If
something doesn't connect with Japanese history it's because I'm
re-writing
it :).
(3) Omokage: Image
(4) Genma as a foster parent? I ask you this, if I made him their *real*
father,
would he actually have time to train his kids? As for him being a guy...
well... read on.
(5) Omiai: arranged marriage. (Isn't it great to have a dictionary?)
(6) Somen: I think this is cornstarch, there's no translation in the recipe.
(7) Yosenabe: It's sorta soup with this clear white noodles called
'sotanghon' o
wait... what's the English of that... I can't remember. If you cook
tinola
with sotanghon (and actually know what tinola is) you'll know what it
looks
like.
(8) Kisu No Sujime: Vinegared Fish
(9) miso: bean paste
(10) kamboko: boiled fish cake
(11) chawanmushi: Steamed Egg Custard
(12) Age Renkon: Field Lotus Roots
(13) Kikka Kabu: Flowered Turnips
(14) Okura no Mosohuri: Okra Miso Soup
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's note:
I'm not satisfied with the reason Ranma got a debt from Akane. Any
suggestions
on that part would be welcome...
Any suggestion would be welcome. C&C begged for :) I answer all replies.
Even
little hi/hello ones. I won't get it if you send it at angelYsis@hotmail.com
Just press the reply button... or send it to ysis@hotmal.com (whichever
works for you)
ICQ: 51376120
P-4 (revised 5/24/00) can be found at:
Mr. Phillip's page: http://members.tripod.com/the_packrat/anime.html
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I write when the spirit moves, and I make sure it moves every day
~~ unknown