[FFML] [Fanfic][R1/2] Family Secrets - Chapter 5

[Ignacio Moreno]

Hi.

As I already said, I am not a fast writer. I am sorry that I need more than
a year to finish the fifth chapter.

I hope that you like it.

Greetings.

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Disclaimers:

- Ranma belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

- This story is made for fun and is meant for the enjoyment of the fans.

- I have to thank JadeDragonHawk, Mickibooo & The Keeper of Worlds for
proofreading this chapter. Thank you very much.

- Please Read & Review. Your reviews make all the effort worthwhile. :)

- I'm searching for an artist that could draw illustrations of my fics. If
anybody is interested, please send me an email. Thanks.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chapter 05: A Visitor from China.

The sunlight was reflected off the pristine sign of the Neko Hanten, while
inside unfolded a frenetic activity.

Shampoo's steps over a barely dry floor mingled with the murmur from the
street and the whisper of the broom that Mousse used to sweep the kitchen.

She was just finishing getting the dining tables ready, which had been
thoroughly cleaned beforehand. Always following the same routine, she was
placing the decorations, cups, plates, and such that corresponded to each
table.

Guided by the routine, she would have been able to prepare everything with
her eyes closed, but Shampoo preferred to concentrate on every detail. This
way everything was perfect, the time passed more quickly and she stopped
thinking about what happened in the Tendo Dojo a week ago.

And it worked, but each passing day made it more and more difficult.

Did she have any other choice? No! Cologne had been emphatic; until further
notice she wasn't allowed out of the restaurant. Her great-grandmother had
made it clear that this wasn't a punishment; it was the best way to not
have any contact with the Tendo or the Saotome families until they had
forgotten what happened. But Shampoo didn't want to think how long it could
take. Months? Years?

Worst of all was that Cologne hadn't even been angry. Once she learned what
had happened, her great-grandmother looked at her sadly and asked how she
could't have realized that everything had been a trap to alienate her
husband against her. Shampoo had been lost for words. When Nodoka had come
to talk to her, it had seemed to be an opportunity sent by heaven, and the
young woman had completely fallen into a horrible trap.

It was possible that she had lost her husband forever with her actions.

All of this was unfair! This didn't happen in the stories that her mother
told her when she was younger! In them, the man fell in love with the
strength, beauty, glamour and independence of the Joketsuzo woman. Like any
good story, there were problems that had to be overcome, but these were
almost always due to the antiquated patriarchal traditions of the rest of
the world, or some brokenhearted bride who couldn't see the warrior's
superiority. And always, always, the Joketsuzo spent the rest of her life
happily married to the man she loved.

Now, Cologne said she had to win Ranma's heart again, but what else could
she do that she hadn't already tried?

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on the front door.
Immersed in her work, Shampoo didn't even turn when she answered loud and
clear:

“I'm sorry, but it isn't open yet. Please, come back later.”

She had finished speaking, when the knuckles started knocking at the door
again.

This time Shampoo stopped her work, made a quick mental review and, once
she was sure they weren't expecting any delivery or visit, turned toward
the door.

“It isn't open. Please, come back later if you want to eat.”

Deaf to her words, the knock was repeated a third time.

Mentally cursing the stupid people unable to see when a restaurant was
closed, she left the bundle of sticks that she had been carrying carrying
on a table, and headed for the door.

“I've said that it's closed,” she began aloud. “If...”

“I'm going to enter,” replied a female voice.

Upon hearing the soft voice, she stopped. Luckily, she had enough time to
raise her arms when the door exploded and protect herself from the
splinters that flew towards her.

It hadn't been the words which had stopped her, although it could have
helped that they have been said in the dialect of her region. No. It had
been the subtle modulation of the voice, which had alerted her sense of
danger honed by years of training.

As soon as the noise of the explosion faded, the soft patter of small
objects that had been thrown to the ground by the blast, could be heard.
Then, silence.

While lowering her arms, Shampoo heard approaching footsteps and could see
entering the restaurant an old woman slightly smaller than herself.

She had a long face, surrounded by a beautiful white hair that fell loosely
halfway down her back. Although she probably would have been very beautiful
in her youth, time hadn't been charitable with her. Wrinkles covered her
forehead and emerged from the edge of her eyelashes as furrows plowed by
time. Her eye bags and checks hung flabby, her mouth seemed an abrupt
fault. She wore a typical long Chinese dress which couldn't hide the lack
of muscle of the covered body. Overall, her appearance was that of a
harmless old lady. Only her smooth moves, and vivacity of her tiny black
eyes, could give a hint of what she was concealing.

Shampoo was baffled. During her training she had learned to get an idea of
the degree of threat that could represent any adversary; but all she could
see in front of her was a very old lady. If she hadn't just seen it with
her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that the stranger was able to
break down the iron and glass entrance door.

Without paying attention, the old woman walked past her slowly.

Upon seeing her more closely, Shampoo realized a detail that had gone
unnoticed: the stranger's clothes hadn't suffered any damage. A quick look
at her own clothes confirmed that, despite the distance, they were filled
with small tears and holes, especially the sleeves. Trying to find an
explanation, she turned her attention toward the entrance and tried in vain
to hide her surprise.

The rests of the door formed a vague semi-circle of destruction inside the
premises, but outside it was completely clean. A perfect straight line of
dust and debris separated the two parts.

Was there a variant of the Bakusai Tenketsu with a full control of the
explosion? Shampoo wasn't aware of this, but that was, most likely, what
she had just seen.

The implications were very serious. The stranger had not only mastered
Joketsuzo's secret techniques, but her knowledge was also greater than the
designated heir of one of the matriarchs.

The old woman had stopped next to a table in the center of the room and was
playing absent-mindedly with a pair of chopsticks. Meanwhile, a perplexed
Mousse watched the scene from the door of the kitchen with a dazed
expression.

“Call Kělún,” the strange woman ordered with a soft but authoritative tone.

An uncomfortable heat flooded the girl's body, who had not felt so
humiliated in years.

A strange woman had invaded her home. And she dared to give orders!

Her education and centuries of Joketsuzo's culture came to her aid, pushing
aside her intelligence and self-preservation instinct.

“Who are you?” Shampoo asked to the stranger in her native language. “Why
have you attacked us?”

“Naughty kid.”

The light snap of the chopsticks breaking was the only warning before the
attack. The old woman turned and her arm moved very quickly, too quickly.
Despite all her training, Shampoo only saw a blur and before she could
react, she felt four pricks in her neck. In a reflex action, she brought
her hand to the pierced area, ripping out the pieces of the chopsticks that
had struck her.

But the damage was already done.

The muscles in her throat closed completely, impeding her to breathe or
shout for help.

The panic tried to take control of her body and she had to waste precious
seconds to regain it.

A part of her brain registered Mousse's voice shouting her name and the
sound of a body hitting the floor soon after, confirming the failure of his
attempt to help.

With her instincts under control, her mind isolated itself from the outside
world while it tried to remember in a race against the lack of oxygen.

She knew the technique. Her great-grandmother had talked about it. A
technique designed to kill an unsuspecting target quickly and quietly. A
technique deemed despicable and unsuitable for a Joketsuzo warrior. For
that reason Cologne had not taught it but had shown its counter.

The technique was based on the energy meridians and the musculature of the
neck. The musculature... Shit, why didn't she pay more attention when her
grandmother was teaching it?

The weakness that spread through her body distracted her attention. Her
vision began to blur and her legs stopped holding her.

Hanging on to a nearby table, she slid to the ground before her body
collapsed completely.

In a last-ditch effort, she put her hands around her throat and pressed the
points that should have relaxed her muscles and allowed the vital oxygen to
get through.

Nothing.

Why? Why hadn't it worked? Weren't those the points? Hadn't she managed to
press them? Or perhaps her fading strength hadn't been enough to activate
them?

Unable to keep her arm raised, it fell to the floor followed by her head
that ended up laying over her left shoulder. Inert, the young woman fought
in vain against the mortal lethargy that pervaded her body, trying to keep
open her eyes.

'What a humiliating way to... die; attacked by a... stranger in my... own
home... without any... rea... son... What... a... s... tu... pi... … …'

Before her neurons started disconnecting, an electrifying touch in the
relevant points opened the young woman's throat completely. Her body, avid
for oxygen, started inhaling instinctively with so much strength that
Shampoo ended up coughing violently.

After a few unpleasant minutes, the cough diminished and Shampoo could
afford the luxury to see what had happened around her.

She only needed a glance to discover to her great-grandmother standing
beside Mousse's body, which still was writhing due to the cough

Cologne, proud in her whole small stature, stood motionless with her right
arm outstretched. In her hand she held her trademark wooden stick, not as a
sign of weakness, but of imperious authority. The old woman's eyes were
fixed on the stranger, who held the staring contest with an amused half
smile.

With her strength returning slowly to her body, Shampoo propped herself up
until she was seated with her back leaning against the leg of a table.

“What are you doing here?” Cologne asked to the invader with a voice as
cold as a glacier. “You know that you are not allowed to enter in the lands
of the tribe.”

“Really? I thought that this was only a restaurant.” the stranger answered
mockingly, feigning surprise.

“By our laws, any of our properties is Joketsuzo territory.”

“And what does the Japanese government think of that? And, since we are on
the subject, what about the Chinese government?”

The stranger's questions were answered by a deep silence. During several
minutes both women continued their staring duel, until Cologne asked again:

“Well?”

“I want to talk with you... Alone!”

Shampoo couldn't believe her own ears! She had stormed their restaurant,
she had tried to kill them; and now she had the cheek to give orders to her
great-grandmother! An elder from the Council!

In any other situation, the young champion would have stood up for her
great-grandmother's and the tribe's honour. It wasn't that Cologne needed
any help to defend her honour, but it was Shampoo's duty as the tribe's
champion. However, although her blood was boiling by the humiliation, she
was still too weak to do any other thing that wasn't remain passively as a
spectator.

It didn't matter, Cologne would make the stranger eat her own words.

The malevolent smile that had started to grow in the teenager's face froze
in an incredulous grimace when her great-grandmother, without changing her
position an inch, spoke again.

“Shānpú, take care of replacing the front door. It must be of good quality,
but make sure that it isn't too expensive and, above all, that it can be
installed as soon as possible. If it's today, all the better. Bring Mùsī
with you. We're not going to open the restaurant so you don't need to rush.”

The young woman, who boasted of her promptness in obeying orders, got stuck
while her brain tried to reconcile her expectations with the reality.

“Shānpú!” Cologne called her vigorously.

“Yes, great-grandmother?” She answered, her mental mist dispelled by the
strength of the elder's voice.

“Could you move?” The matriarch asked with a pinch of kindness.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Then be going immediately.”

Shampoo looked at the stranger before turning her eyes towards her
great-grandmother.

“But...” The young woman started in a faint attempt at protest, but was
crushed by Cologne's authoritarian voice.

“Obey!”

“Yes, great-grandmother,” was Shampoo's resigned answer.

“Yes, matriarch,” Mousse answered a little later.

Out of options, both teenagers stood up, shook the dust from their clothes
and headed for the exit, preserving as much of their remaining dignity as
they could.

In the same moment that Shampoo walked by the stranger's side, she told
Cologne conversationally:

“I see that the new generations don't pose a thread for your gerontocracy.
But are you sure that the tribe's champion will be able to carry out the
errand without your supervision?”

Her words tried Shampoo's patience. Her pride and anger took the control of
her body and muffled the weak screams of her common sense and her instinct
of self-preservation.

The young woman turned around furiously and stared into the elder's icy
black eyes.

Shampoo felt her rage disappear into thin air under the stranger's steely gaze,
leaving her naked in the face of the older woman's predatory thirst; whose
message was clear:

Have I humiliated you? Oh! And what are you going to do? Are you going to
attack me? We both know that I can kill you, however I want and whenever I
want. Then, what is going to be? Your life or your pride?

Without realizing it, the teenager started to tremble uncontrollably.

A part of her subconscious wondered if the snake's preys would feel the
same way before being devoured: knowing that stare sentenced them to death,
but unable to look away.

“Shānpú.”

Cologne didn't shout, but her voice was able to penetrate in her
great-granddaughter's brain blocking some areas and activating others,
causing Shampoo to blink.

When she looked again, Shampoo could only see the tired eyes of an old
woman who smiled beatifically at her.

“Don't lose any more time!” The matriarch reprimanded them lightly. “Go
immediately to do what I told you.”

“Yes, great-grandmother,” Shampoo answered, without realizing or caring
about the obvious relief that her words gave off.

Without any more incidents, both teenagers finally left the restaurant and
soon, their steps were lost among the noise of the city. Even so neither
elder moved, watching each other quietly for long minutes.

Finally Cologne loosened the arm that held the walking stick and relaxed
her posture.

“Come inside. The Japanese aren't nosy, but I doubt that the reasons for
your visit can be discussed in public.”

And without waiting for an answer Cologne turned around, jumped to the
window that divided the restaurant and from there, to the inside of the
kitchen.

When the stranger entered, the matriarch was sat down cross-legged over a
chair, with her cane over her legs.

“Was it really necessary to make such a scene?” Cologne asked in a calm
tone.

“Excuse me, I don't understand you.” the stranger replied civilly.

“Please, don't insult me by feigning ignorance. I know how you think. Your
violent entrance and everything else were just a farce to test Shānpú's
reaction and assess her capacities.”

For a moment the old woman didn't answer, but a smile started to spread
from the corner of her mouth.

“It's hard to fool you, isn't it mother?”

“Well?” Cologne replied without being surprised at all by the way that the
stranger had referred to her.

“In my youth she wouldn't have lasted ten minutes. Is she really your heir?”

Her daughter's skepticism didn't seem to affect Cologne.

“She has to learn a lot yet, but the times have changed. We don't need
killers anymore.”

“Is that now your official policy?”

“That's our policy. Period!” The matriarch cut her short with a sharp tone.

Her companion didn't insist and the matter was settled.

The elder knew her daughter too well and, even though she had stated it
aloud, not even for a minute had Cologne believed that the purpose of her
visit was to assess Shampoo. No, the reason for the attack was to send a
message to the elder herself: Your heiress is weak, you are weakening and I
can destroy both of you at any time.

However satisfying it could be to humiliate Cologne, her daughter wouldn't
have come only for this. She needed to know her true intentions as soon as
possible. The best way was to ask her directly, and sift the truth out of
her answers.

“What do you want? The pact doesn't mean that you're welcome.”

Her daughter approached the chair, took a bamboo tube from her clothes and
passed it over.

“I'm only a messenger,” she answered unmoved.

The matriarch grabbed the tube warily; without looking away from the
smiling face of her visitor, she opened it and pulled out a scroll. Cologne
unrolled it, moved it closer to her eyes and read it thoroughly. After a
second reading, she raised her eyes and watched her daughter over the edge
of the parchment.

Said daughter remained serenely on her feet with her hands clasped at her
back, while she took an unconcerned look around the kitchen, but her
attitude didn't deceive Cologne.

The soft rustling of the scroll being rolled was enough to draw again her
attention.

“What is this coming from? What do you want?” The matriarch asked
accusingly while holding the scroll in her right hand.

“I'm only a messenger. By any chance, are you suggesting that I can know
the contents of a stored and sealed message?”

Her words radiated innocence and wounded pride, but her posture and the
predatory sparkle of her eyes contradicted that farce.

With the absolute certainty that she wasn't going to say anything to her
daughter that this didn't already know, Cologne decided to play along with
her. She unrolled the scroll again and, after skimming through the formal
start, she reached the main part of the text and began to read aloud.

“After the recent events that happened in the Phoenix Mountain and, at the
express request of the Dragon's envoy,” The matriarch's tone became more
accentuated when pronouncing the last sentence, but neither the change in
tone, nor the artificial breaks around the word 'express', produced any
reaction in her smiling companion. “The Council have decided unanimously to
declare null and void the kisses that Shānpú, Nǚjiézú warrior and champion,
inflicted on Ranma, young Japanese and victim of the Zhòuquánxiāng, in any
of his genders. The matriarch KěLún will be the responsible for informing
both parties and ensuring the observance of this decree.”

Concluding her reading, Cologne rolled up the scroll and raised her head.
Their eyes met again and resumed the duel of wills.

The seconds passed slowly without the matriarch's inquisitive look making a
dent in the fierceness and determination of her daughter.

If there was something that the years had taught to Cologne, it was that
the pride could be the biggest obstacle.

Deciding that it wasn't worth wasting more time, she granted this small
victory to her daughter and focused her attention on the really important
matter.

“I repeat. What do you want?”

“Isn't clear? We are trying to clear up the problems caused by your
stupidity.”

“Stupidity?”

Her tone of voice didn't change. The only concession that she allowed
herself to the insult was a slight frown.

"There is no other way to define it. A young man, capable of defeating an
enemy that not even the matriarchs Nǚjiézú dared to challenge, shows up and
all that occurs to you is to pester him with your ridiculous laws.”

“That... incident occurred almost a year ago. If we really had wanted to
pester him, he would be now in China married to Shānpú. Besides, we have
helped him many times, even teaching him secret techniques.”

The old matriarch was displeased with the turn that the conversation was
taking. Her words sounded like clumsy excuses to her ears. She had lost the
initiative and her daughter, with an irreverent smile in her face,
continued the attack.

“And how much of all of that was from your own initiative? I know you,
mother. After fighting Ranma you were surprised by his skill and learning
ability. You've always had a weakness for those gifted in martial arts; and
the young Saotome is a genius. Ah! Finding someone worthy of learning all
your techniques! I don't need to ask what you felt: I know. It didn't
matter if that meant moulding the law a little or that your
great-granddaughter lost her trophy. It was a pity, but she is young. She
has a lot of time to fall in love with someone else. Or should I say have a
crush? At least she would learn that you can't always have what you want.
Am I off by much?”

No. She wasn't mistaken. It was true that they knew each other very well
and, for that reason, Cologne wasn't going to admit anything. It would be
stupid to give more ammunition to your enemy, especially when she has
cornered you.

Trying to buy time, the matriarch launched a diversion.

“Were you in such a hurry that there wasn't time to consult me? I wasn't
allowed to give my opinion! Or to vote!”

But her daughter was prepared. Unperturbed by her mother's indignant tone,
she struck back with all her strength.

“It wasn't needed. The decree was approved unanimously and one negative
vote wouldn't have changed anything. I am sure that if you had been able to
change the result, they would have consulted you.”

Completely defeated, Cologne lowered her head. Her shoulders sagged
visibly, as if another hundred years had fallen over them. Her daughter
knew that Cologne was being melodramatic, but she didn't care because she
was enjoying the show.

“And so? Will you accept the Council's decree?” She asked victoriously.

“What else can I do?” Her mother answered resignedly. “The rules have been
met and the decree is completely legal. As matriarch, I can't afford to
violate the law.”

“I'm glad to hear it.”

“And now that you have achieved that you wanted, tell me: Where did that
sudden interest in Ranma come from? You wouldn't be afraid of him, would
you?”

“Your sense of humor hasn't improved over the years.” Deciding to be
magnanimous in victory, her daughter continued. “As you know, our
organization has taken a keen interest in getting good fighters. Once we
confirmed the news of Saffron's defeat, we started to investigate his
opponent. Believe me that it was quite a surprise to discover your
involvement in the young man's life and your strange relationship.
Therefore, we decided to act before you make the situation worse.”

They knew it; they knew what had happened last week during the failed
wedding. Nothing in her words betrayed that knowledge, but Cologne had a
hunch and, at her age, that was enough.

“So you volunteered yourself,” the matriarch said wearily, her eyes fixed
on the wooden knots of her cane.

“Of course! I know that you wish to eliminate me, but you can't and that
makes you nervous.”

“A nervous adversary is a defeated adversary.”

“You see that I don't forget your lessons.”

“Once the council approved the decree, someone had to bring it to me and,
kindly, you asked to take care of it to see me.”

Somehow, the harmonics Cologne used to utter the last word transformed its
meaning. Deep in their minds, the real message appeared clearly: you have
come to humiliate me.

Her daughter's smile filled up for the first time with pure and genuine
satisfaction. Humiliating people is only fun, if they realize they are
being humiliated.

“I see that the years haven't diminished your mental agility. Well,” she
added after a swift break. “I know that I can trust in your word, so my
mission is over now. I really would like to stay, but I don't have time.
I'm a very busy person, do you know?”

While she was getting ready to leave, she said goodbye with words that had
the decency to sound honest.

“That your happiness be as boundless as the East Sea, and your life as long
as the enduring Southern Mountains.”

Her mother didn't answer and looked thoughtful as her daughter headed
toward the door of the kitchen. Just when she was about to cross it,
Cologne's voice was heard again.

“Do you know that his father trained Ranma in the Neko Ken?”

As soon as she heard the words her visitor stopped, but didn't turn around.
She remained under the frame of the door, looking towards the empty
restaurant; waiting.

“Initially, I thought that it was a stupid technique too,” her mother
continued. “But our ancestors didn't used to make such stupid mistakes.
Keeping this in mind, it wasn't difficult to see the sense of the Neko Ken
during the Warring States period...”

“What is the reason for this lesson in history?” Her daughter interrupted,
without even deigning to turn her head slightly. “I remind you that I am no
longer your student.”

Cologne smiled mischievously.

“Please, allow this whim to a poor old woman.”

Her visitor burst out laughing sarcastically at the way that Cologne had
referred to herself, but didn't move.

“As I was commenting, during the Warring States period the Neko Ken would
not only make sense, but it would be very effective. A handful of berserker
warriors would be enough to break the ranks of any army.”

While she was speaking, her voice took on the typical cadence and tone of a
lecture. This was due, on the one hand, to habits acquired after long years
as a teacher but, on the other hand, she was well aware of the effect that
it would have over her daughter.

“With the passage of time it lost its original purpose, and we got a
supposedly invincible technique that only an unscrupulous teacher or a
student desperate for power would try to learn. I guess that I don't need
to explain to you that with the widespread use of firearms that technique
has lost most of its usefulness.”

Cologne saw a slight tremor in her daughter's body. Tiredness? Irritation?
It didn't matter. With a smile the old woman continued her explanation.

“I think that I can safely say that I am the one who has faced Neko Ken
practitioners most often and, until my fight with Ranma, all of them had
been to the death. Imagine my surprise when the young Tendo managed to
control him so easily.”

Her daughter shrugged.

“Perhaps, together with the feline instincts, the berserkers acquired some
of their weakness.”

That comment earned a scornful snort from her mother.

“Creating a technique that anybody could neutralize with a ball of yarn
would be more stupid than creating an uncontrollable one, and much more
useless. I can't imagine that the old masters did such a silly thing. The
only logical explanation is that we have got an incomplete technique.”

Cologne left the cane over the chair, stood up and stretched out her tired
arms.

“It's invigorating to discover that, at our age, we don't have all the
answers yet.”

While she talked, her eyes didn't lose sight of her daughter, who remained
with her back to the matriarch, listening in silence. With a half smile,
Cologne grabbed her cane and walked slowly towards the door.

“Out of curiosity I started researching it. Naturally, the first thing that
I did was request all the information that the Council library had about
it. Unfortunately, the last record of the scrolls was from more than fifty
years ago. Even so I ordered them to be searched, but we didn't find
anything.”

The old matriarch thought she heard a soft laugh, so low that anybody could
have doubted their ears.

It was clear that her daughter needed a lesson in humility.

“Don't worry. You don't reach my age without knowing a good number of
people. Several months ago I got a full copy of the control technique.”

“And I suppose that it's so complicated that only a master could do it,”
her daughter said in a casual tone that couldn't hide completely the effort
of self-control.

“On the contrary, it's an easy technique. Not so easy that it can be
activated by chance, but easy enough so that anybody who knows something
about acupuncture can do it.”

“There must be thousands of people in Japan capable of it. The young Ranma
was very fortunate in finding one that also knew the control technique.”

Cologne smiled. Her daughter had just fallen completely in her trap. She
had not only taken the bait, but swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

“You're right, of course.” At that moment the matriarch's voice acquired a
tone as incisive as a scalpel. “On the condition that he relied on the full
cooperation of the patient. But performing the technique on a berserker
during his state of rage, when he attacks everything he finds? Oh, that's
very different! It would take someone with such a mastery, as to be able to
hit from afar the points with an accuracy of millimeters. Someone trained
in the ancient arts of killing.”

“What're you getting at?”

Cologne noticed as the iron self-control of her daughter weakened and a
slight tone of exasperation leaked from its cracks.

With a teasing smile, the matriarch launched her coup de grâce.

“You were the old woman that found Ranma the first time and managed to calm
him.”

Not receiving any reply, Cologne asked directly:

“How long had you been watching over him?”

Finally her daughter turned around to look at her.

Cologne had expected to find a face contorted with rage, however her
daughter's familiar face was a stone mask from which stood out the ferocity
of her pupils.

“Just like you say: There are things that you don't need to know.”

The matriarch raised her eyebrows.

“Our relationship with Ranma and the help that we have given him, makes us
an interested party. According to our agreement, you must inform us of your
intentions regarding the youth.”

“You don't know what you are asking.”

She didn't add anything more. It wasn't needed. She simply turned around,
crossed the restaurant and went out to the sunny streets of Nerima.

Cologne kept watching, through the door of the kitchen, the dinning room
and the smashed entrance.

She had hit the bulls-eye. She had no idea where she had shot at, but she
had hit it. The story that her daughter had told to explain their interest
in Ranma was good, very good. If it hadn't been for the Neko Ken, she would
have been unable to discover the lie.

Although it was wrong of her to say so, her daughter had had excellent
teachers.

Cologne allowed herself a proud smile of satisfaction. A smile that
disappeared when a twisted part of her mind, trained to look for reasons
inside of reasons inside of reasons, latched onto an idea:

However good the lie was, it was also important that the person who said it
was cold blooded and was believable. Mainly, if she should say it in front
of the Council, whose members had been trained to detect the most subtle
clues and have the experience of a lifetime. And who better to confront the
Council than the most gifted student of its most long-lived member? Now it
was all beginning to fall into place! Her daughter hadn't taken advantage
of the opportunity to bring the message to attack Shampoo and humiliate
her. The attack on her great-granddaughter had been a feint so that her
pride would blind her and prevent her from realizing that they had sent the
only person able to deceive her!

“Well, well,” she muttered to herself while tapping her chin with the cane.

Her interest in the young Ranma must be great to take so many troubles.
This was getting more and more interesting.

When she was sure that her visitor wasn't coming back, Cologne took a
candle and some matches from one of the drawers, climbed to the countertop
and lit the candle. With the message in one hand and the candle in the
other one, she started to pass the flame below the parchment taking care
not to burn it. The heat created yellow stains that were blackened until
they acquired a blackish brown hue, at the same time that it became
delicate ideograms.

When all the hidden writing was revealed, there were two new messages.

The shorter one was formed by two new ideograms. One, Qiàn (Akane), had
appeared beside Luànmǎ (Ranma). Just below and amid both names, there was a
second ideogram: Kàn.

The second message was located at the top of the parchment, previously
empty, and it was longer and more complex: The observations suggest that
the Dragon could be unaligned with the planets.

After rereading both messages and making sure that she remembered them
correctly, the elder brought the flame closer, making it lick the surface
of the parchment. In no time at all this began to burn. Cologne blew out
the candle and, holding the message by a corner, held it over the sink
while she watched as it burned out.

It seemed that after what happened in the Phoenix Mountain, the Council had
realized Ranma's potential as an ally. But why had they included the
youngest Tendo? Was it a way to win Ranma's favour? A possible alternative
plan? Admittedly she had potential, but...

Before the flames reached her fingers, the matriarch dropped the remains of
the parchment, which fell to the sink where it continued to burn under her
idle gaze.

On the other hand, it was the meaning of the ideogram that linked both
names. Its normal meaning was 'see'. But Chinese was a very subtle language
and the members of the Council were experts in the multiple meanings of
each ideogram.

One of the more unusual usages was 'take care'; but if that was the case,
why hadn't they indicated it more clearly?

Having completed its destructive work, the flames went out harmlessly.
Cologne turned on the tap for a few seconds so that the ashes disappeared
down the drain. Once there was no trace of the message, she returned to her
room.

It was clear that they had not chosen a random ideogram. So it meant... The
matriarch mentally revised all the possible meanings of 'Kàn' weighing them
with the rest of the message and her knowledge of the situation, until
reaching a startling conclusion.

Watch out! The council suggested that she proceed with caution on dealing
with these two whelps! So they should protect Akane & Ranma and, at the
same time, be careful with them. Curious, very curious. Well, she would
have time to think about it later. She entered in her room and, after
checking that the door was properly closed, sat down in the floor.

About the other message, now that one was intriguing. 'The observations
suggest, that is, the information hadn't been proven, but it had been
considered important enough to add it. And that information... Unaligned
with the planets... Could it be that the request to the Council could have
been a personal initiative of the Dragon? Certainly no organization is
completely monolithic, and that would also explain her daughter's
involvement; but, for some reason, Cologne didn't see it clearly.

Oblivious to the passage of the time, the elder remained lost in her
thoughts. At last she stood up, went to her small wooden desk, grabbed pen
and paper and started writing a formal petition.

The teenagers returned hours later and they found Cologne sat at the
counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room, watching the
street through the broken door with a blank stare.

When they approached their attention focused on the bamboo wax sealed tube
which rested on the old woman's crossed legs; but despite their curiosity,
neither Shampoo nor Mousse made any comment about it. Both had learned long
ago that undue curiosity entailed painful consequences.

Their greetings were returned by a slight nod from the matriarch, who
continued staring into space while her great-granddaughter told her the way
that they had fulfilled her request.

Only when Shampoo finished talking, did Cologne pay attention to them.

“You must know,” she began solemnly, “that after what happened in the
Phoenix Mountain, the Council have decided unanimously to nullify the Kiss
of Marriage, as well as the Kiss of Death that Shānpú inflicted on Ranma,
without this meaning a detriment to the position or honor of Shānpú.”

As expected, her words caused violent protests on the part of her
great-granddaughter. For his part Mousse, who still didn't believe his
luck, kept asking for a confirmation of what he'd just heard.

The elder remained silent, allowing both teenagers to calm down, until the
frustration and anger of her great-granddaughter threatened to escalate
into violence against the young Joketsuzo.

She grabbed her cane with her right hand and started hitting the counter
until both teenagers returned their attention to her.

“This is a decree approved by the Council and both of you have to abide
it.” She said authoritatively.

Mousse's cheeky smile, contrasted sharply with Shampoo's grief-stricken
eyes.

“Bu... bu... but...” the teenager tried to beg with trembling lips.

Cologne gestured for her great-granddaughter to come close and, with a
calloused finger, dried the tears that ran down her cheeks.

“The Council has nullified the Kisses, but no law can forbid a young woman
from fighting for the man that she loves.”

The kind words of her great-grandmother revived the hope in Shampoo's
wounded heart, and a light relief was written on her reddened face.

While Cologne stepped aside from Shampoo, she couldn't help thinking that
her daughter was right: She had become weak.

Putting aside these useless thoughts, she picked up the bamboo sealed tube
and approached the young man.

“Mùsī, you will be responsible for carrying the message to Akane and Ranma.
Make sure that you give it to them and only them.”

Neither Cologne nor Mousse noticed the expression of surprise that crossed
the face of the young Amazon at the mention of her rival.

Why? Why did they have to tell it to Akane too? Didn't Cologne realize the
tremendous advantage that the young woman had over Ranma's heart? Why the
rush?

Maybe because she blindly trusted in her great-grandmother, perhaps because
obedience to their elders were embedded in her psyche, whatever it was the
thoughts of the teenager didn't crystallize into actions.

“It's better that you wear your glasses, because if you make a mistake I
guarantee you that your pride won't be the only thing that will be damaged.”

That said, Cologne handed him the bamboo tube. On grabbing it, the teenager
realized that the matriarch still clutched it. Surprised, he looked up to
discover that Shampoo's great-grandmother was studying him closely.

“Your family have served during generations as messengers. I trust that you
won't stain the good reputation of your ancestors in your first official
mission for the Council.”

Mousse swallowed hard, trying to ease his nervousness. When he felt the
matriarch release the piece of bamboo, he hid it in his clothes, joined his
hands at the height of his chest and bowed respectfully, before heading to
his room to change his clothes.

Once they were alone, Cologne turned to her great-granddaughter.

“Clear off the tables. When you finish, remove the debris from the door and
clean everything until there isn't anything left”

“Yes, great-grandmother.”

Shampoo, glad to have something to do, pushed aside her gloomy thoughts and
moved quickly to fulfill her tasks. Meanwhile, the old matriarch returned
to the same place where she was at the youths' arrival, sat down and stared
into the distance.

Busy collecting the last remnants of the door, Shampoo didn't notice
Mousse's presence until he said goodbye as he passed by her side.

She looked up to respond to the greeting out of politeness, and she
couldn't help but be taken aback at the sight of her compatriot.

Freshly showered, groomed and dressed in his best suit, Shampoo had to
admit that the short-sighted youth was dazzling.

Unfortunately for Mousse, he was so focused on his mission that he didn't
realize the effect that his appearance caused on the girl that he loved.

Overcoming the initial surprise, Shampoo turned her attention to the task
at hand.

She finished collecting all the debris, cleaned the dust, closed the
garbage bags and threw them into the dumpster. Having finished her work and
without really knowing what to do with the unexpected amount of free time
available, she decided to return to her room.

“Is there anything that you want tell me?” Cologne asked when her
great-granddaughter passed by her side.

The teenager stopped and turned towards the elder. She hadn't changed her
position even a millimeter, which made Shampoo doubt if she really had
heard the question or if she had imagined it.

Unable to restrain any longer her desire for answers, the young woman
decided to take the risk of offending her great-grandmother:

“The old woman who came is related to the cancellation decree, isn't she?”

“Yes.”

“Who was that woman? Why did she attack us?”

She asked the questions quickly looking for an answer, but the last one got
stuck in her throat and she failed to pronounce it: Why didn't you do
anything?

“That woman is your great-aunt.”

“Impossible! None of my grandmothers had sisters...”

As she began to realize what she was saying, her voice lost strength and
slowed down until it disappeared in a whisper.

Cologne turned her head and stared at Shampoo.

“Are you suggesting that I don't know my own daughters?”

The irritation that colored her words silenced any response from the young
woman.

Suddenly the elder stood up, grabbed her cane and jumped down to the floor.
With a simple gesture she indicated Shampoo to follow her, and headed for
the kitchen.

“Do you remember our lessons of history?”

The abrupt question caught the young woman by surprise, and she took a few
seconds to answer.

“Of course, great-grandmother.”

“Good. Summarize the situation of China between the fall of the last
dynasty and the victory of the communists”

Silencing the complaints of a rebellious thought, which didn't understand
the change of course of the conversation, Shampoo mentally ordered the
facts, selected the most important ones and started her presentation:

“It was a time of instability, characterized by the disappearance of the
imperial power, the struggle between the various warlords and the Japanese
invasion. After the defeat of that country in the War of Resistance, the
Communists ended up triumphing over their opponents and seizing the power.
But what does that have to...?”

“And what was our policy during that period?” Cologne shut her off.

Shampoo sighed resignedly.

Whatever it may be that her great-grandmother would like to say, it was
clear that she wouldn't do it until Shampoo had answered her strange
questions. The teenager only hoped this wasn't a complete waste of time.

“After the end of the empire and numerous and lengthy discussions, the
Council decided that the best way to protect the tribe was to conceal our
potential and to wait to see the development of the situation. When it
became clear that the Communists would get the final victory, we started to
infiltrate their ranks. Thereby, we obtained enough influence and allies to
be able to maintain our independence against the power of Beijing.”

During the small history exam, their steps had brought them to the area
that served as home. Shampoo had just finished answering when they entered
the living-room. Cologne sat down in her usual place. Shampoo closed the
door and settled down in front of her.

“Numerous and lengthy discussions. Yes,” the matriarch repeated. “The truth
is that there weren't so many. The decision was clear and the Council
understood it in that way. Nevertheless, a group of our best warriors, your
great-aunt among them, protested against this decision.” Her voice took a
certain tone of reverie as she walked the mists of her memory. “According
to them, we were in a historic moment. A new order was going to be created
and we should help in its construction.”

The matriarch shook her head sorrowfully.

“The council was not so optimistic. In its opinion, the worst that could
happen is that we would be used as cannon fodder. And, even if we could
enter in the elite and become part of the ruling group, our thousands would
be diluted in their hundreds of thousands. Our customs would be lost and we
would be assimilated.”

Shampoo couldn't do anything but agree. Compared with the population of
China, the Joketsuzo weren't more than a drop in the ocean.

“Even though the group had a fair amount of support among the tribe, their
influence in the Council was minimal. Finally, as you said, the Council
decided not to intervene, but rather to wait until the situation cleared
up. It would not have gone further, if they had complied with the
resolution, but those were violent times. About ten years ago the Bolshevik
revolution took power in Russia. For a group of young idealists, the way
forward was clear.”

The way that Cologne pronounced the word idealists, made it sound stupid to
the teenager's ears.

Shampoo wasn't so stupid as to point out that her teachers, among who was
her own great-grandmother, had never mentioned nothing of this. It had been
a long time since she had become aware that the official history hid dark
parts; although she could never have suspected to what extent. Cologne's
reluctance to tell it to her, the tone of her words... everything led her
to the same conclusion. A conclusion as clear as the transparent water of a
spring, but that filled her with uneasiness and made her shiver.

Even so, she needed to know it.

“Was there a civil war? Between Nǚjiézú? Between sisters?” the young woman
asked afraid.

Cologne's expression twisted in a grim smile.

“No. No, because the council acted first and eliminated almost all of its
leaders. Only one ran away.”

The teenager continued listening with mixed feelings. She felt pleased that
her great-grandmother considered her trustworthy to know the secret
history, or at least the hidden one; but, on the other hand, that knowledge
discouraged her and sank her in anxiety.

“In that time I was the protector of the tribe, the executor, and...”

“Executor?” Shampoo asked thoughtlessly, guided by her surprise. “There
isn't such a post! Never... Ay!”

Shampoo couldn't avoid letting out a groan, when her words earned her a
strong blow from the matriarch's stick.

“How many times have I told you not to assume things?” the elder reproached
her great-granddaughter, who massaged her sore head. “Just because you
don't know about it, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist!”

She continued more calmly:

“The Council called me to take care of the leader of the group, while other
elders would take care of the rest. I protested; I told them that the most
dangerous was my daughter and that it would be better to send two members
from the Council to attack her by surprise.”

While she talked, her facial expression became dark and her voice acquired
an embittered tone. Only the hand that held the cane, knuckles white from
the strain, gave a slight idea of Cologne's fight to control her feelings.

“They knew that they couldn't cast doubts on my fidelity to the tribe, but
that wasn't an impediment to attack and mock me. Weak, they called me,
naïve, defeatist... They said that my pride as her mother and teacher
blinded me. Ha!”

Shampoo couldn't believe it.

“Would you have killed your own daughter!?” She exclaimed surprised.

The elder's eyes fixed on her with a coldness that froze Shampoo's soul.

“Do you think that you get the elder title for free?” Cologne asked
abruptly in return. “That it's something that they give you in order to
impress your friends? That it doesn't mean sacrifices? The elder title
means that you are responsible for the defense of the tribe and its
traditions. If you can't make hard decisions and do what is needed, it is
better that you stay at home.”

Cologne didn't shout, it wasn't needed. The sarcasm in her voice pierced
her great-granddaughter and stabbed her heart.

It had been a while since Shampoo had received such a telling-off; not even
when her great-grandmother had found out what happened in the failed
wedding, had her reprimand been so stern. Those words hurt the teenager
more that a cane's blow and she would remember them until her dying day.

Not for the first time, Shampoo asked herself if she really knew Cologne.

“So, she ran away,” was the first thing that her great-granddaughter said
when she dared to talk again.

“Yes, we lost her trail; but not before she killed the elder that the
council sent to eliminate her, five sentinels and a full hunting party
under the orders of another elder. Only then, they finally understood their
error. Even an initiate would have been able to see the danger that she
posed! But their pride blinded them and they didn't think that somebody so
young could be a threat.”

And added, spitting words that exuded venom:

“Ha! Idiots!”

“How old was she then?”

“She was twenty-seven years old, if I remember it correctly.”

“And she defeated two elders? Alone?” Her great-granddaughter asked not
being able to believe it.

The sad, but prideful smile of Cologne confirmed that it had been like that.

“What I don't understand is what all of this has to do with her visit. How
can anyone wanted by the tribe bring an official message from its own
council?”

“Because that isn't the whole story,” answered the elder. “Despite all our
efforts, ten years passed without hearing from her. The council, wishing to
close completely such a bitter chapter of our history, ordered that all the
information regarding this matter would be filed under the strictest
secrecy, and any reference to her name be removed from the records.”

Shampoo shuddered on hearing the punishment. A punishment worse than death,
because it meant removing completely all memories of that person. Even
uttering her name would be punished with great severity!

Her thoughts were interrupted when her great-grandmother carried on.

“In spite of everything, that wasn't the end. After the proclamation of the
new People's Republic of China, we were in grave danger of disappearing. In
part because of its fierce modernizing policies, and in part due to our
inability to ensure sufficient influence among their leaders.

Around that time, a powerful organization offered us an alliance. Its bad
reputation was widely known, but we weren't in position to choose. The
council only needed to know that, in their own way, they held honour in
high esteem, in order to hold its nose and sign the alliance. Once the
documents were sealed was when we got the surprise.”

“My great-aunt was a member of that organization,” Shampoo said, imagining
the continuation of the story.

“No, not a member. One of its main leaders!”

The old woman's mouth twisted into a grotesque grimace, that mixed
admiration for her daughter and scorn for her colleagues.

“Very deviously, she waited until the ink dried to appear before us. I
wasn't there, but I was told that there was a great commotion. Part of our
delegation wanted to cancel the newly signed alliance, but the needs of the
tribe prevailed. At that time we needed a strong ally. Besides, a direct
confrontation with them would have been suicide. Finally it was decided to
continue the alliance using a technicality to save face.”

“Technicality?”

Cologne smiled at the memory.

“We couldn't sign an alliance with someone pursued by the tribe. However,
having destroyed any record or reference about her, according to our laws
she had never existed. So there wasn't any problem signing an alliance with
a stranger.”

Shampoo was surprised.

“That's, that's...”

“The word you're looking for is politics.”

The teenager was starting to get a headache. Civil wars, political
assassinations (including family), dishonourable alliances, … The secret
history of the tribe was darker than she could have pictured in her worst
nightmares.

Was this really what was expected of one of the Joketsuzo's leaders?
Suddenly the post didn't seem as glorious as she had imagined. Cologne's
explanation showed the council under a completely different light: A group
of old women, who weren't free from quarrels and internecine fights; and
capable of committing unspeakable acts for the 'good' of the tribe.

Wearily, she started to rub her temples with her left hand.

“Were they the ones who requested the annulment of the Kisses from the
council?”

Her great-grandmother nodded.

“After what happened in the Phoenix Mountain, they have decided to take
matters into their own hands, and the council couldn't refuse such a
reasonable request. That she herself came to bring the message and attacked
you, was just her way of showing me my weakness.”

“And what is the name of such an influential organization?” Shampoo asked,
annoyed that her great-aunt had used her to insult Cologne through her own
weakness.

On hearing the name, the young woman's face acquired a livid hue and,
despite being seated, she had to lean her hand on the floor in order not to
fall. Her whole body was trembling, and she couldn't do anything to control
it.

With a great effort, she managed to raise her head and look at the elder.

“Why? Why are they doing this? What do they want of ai...?” The raised
index finger of Cologne's right hand was enough to make her granddaughter
correct herself hastily.

“...Ranma?”

“I don't know, but I plan to find out.”

To Be Continued...
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