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* Chapter Ten *
* *
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Twenty-five years ago.
Soun Tendou sat, crosslegged, and stared into the
bonfire. At first, he had thought that he had won the
argument with Genma over who would go into town to buy some
much-needed supplies, but now, Soun was not so sure. The
old man's behavior was growing increasingly perverse as
night wore on, and Soun wondered just how far the drunken
lecher intended to go.
Happousai lowered the bottle of sake--his fifth--and
gave his pupil a knowing look. "You don't approve of my
behavior, eh? Maybe you think it undignified of me to be
fondling these..." The old master of Anything-Goes Martial
Arts held up a freshly-stolen brassiere.
Soun thought carefully before responding. Though the
Master looked ancient and decrepit, long, hard experience
had taught his two pupils the dangers involved in arousing
his wrath.
"It is not really my place to say, revered Sensai. Yet,
I can't help but feel that your actions run counter to what
you have always told us about discipline and self-control."
"Heh. So you were listening, after all. We'll make a
martial artist out of you yet." Happousai chuckled at his
student's obvious discomfort.
"And yet...You do not yet understand how such things
can be relative." Suddenly, the Master's face took on a
darker countenance.
"Please, Master, I meant no disrespect!" Soun cried in
terror as the Master leapt over the flames at him.
"Oh, stop whining. Just consider this another part of
your training." Happousai exhaled, vapors from his ever-
present pipe encircling Soun's head. Even as the fumes
seemed to force themselves into his mouth, his nose, he
swore he could see an evil, malevolent face in the wisps
of smoke.
And then his world turned inside out. Every dark desire,
every lustful craving, every impure thought he had ever had
came running to forefront of his mind. He felt his manhood
stir, and was overcome by the urge to rape, to pillage, to
conquer. Every woman would be his sexual servant, and every
man would bow before him or be destroyed. Nothing would be
safe, and no taboo would remain unbroken.
And then it passed. The Master was sitting across from
him, inhaling a cloud of smoke. Again Soun saw that evil
and malign visage, but this time it seemed to him to have a
dark beauty, as well.
Overcome with repulsion at the things he had felt, Soun
crawled over to a nearby ditch and vomited, violently. When
he had finished purging himself, he staggered weakly back to
the fire and sat down again.
"What was that...that Thing?" he asked in horror.
"That was the result of my youthful arrogance. When I
was just a young lad, developing the School of Anything-Goes
Martial Arts, I traveled across Asia, searching for any new
techniques I could find. At one point, I came across a
village that was in the grip of an ancient and powerful
demon. Though similar in nature to the more common onii,
this foul creature was to them as we are to the ants. Full
of confidence in my own prowess, I challenged the Beast to
a duel.
"The evil fiend agreed, but set a high wager: If I
won, it agreed to quit this plane for all time, but if it
was the victor, I would allow it to inhabit my body.
"For two long weeks, we struggled, neither willing to
give in to the other. In the end, though, it overpowered
me, and sank into my body.
"Ever since then, I have struggled with this malevolent
fiend. Although I have often succeeded in weakening it, I
have never been able to drive it out."
Soun interrupted, "But, surely, a priest could...."
Happousai cut him off. "Five have tried. Each is dead
now, and I will be responsible for the deaths of no more.
"Instead, I have managed to channel the creature into
something I could control. I draw power from the lechery
it induces in me, and I am able to force it to subsist on a
few minor vices--drink, the occasional grope, and of course
my little hobby.
"We have reached a state of equilibrium, and when I am
ready to die, I will be able to expend my power fully and
achieve the demon's destruction. Indeed, I would have done
so already, were it not for my desire to ensure an heir to
the School I have created.
"So perhaps you will be a little more tolerant of my
'excesses' in the future."
The Master paused for a brief moment, then went on, "I
trust, of course, that you will never mention this to
anyone, not even Genma. If you do, I shall allow the demon
to have his way with me the next time we are alone like
this."
The two men went to sleep shortly after the old man had
finished his tale. Soun had some of the most powerful and
erotic dreams of his life.
******************************************************
"This is all very interesting, but what does it have to
do with what I saw the other night?" Genma demanded.
The two men were seated in the living room, alone.
Ranma and Ryouga were at the hospital with Nabiki, Akane
was at school and Kasumi had gone shopping. In the rare
privacy, the two men were finally able to talk, and Genma
wanted some kind of rational explanation for what he had
seen up in the attic.
"As you have no doubt noticed since you and your son
came here, I am prone to overdramatic displays of emotion.
This is the legacy of Happousai's little 'lesson' that
night. Though the Master meant it only as an exercise in
humility, the brief contact with the fiend rent a small
wound in my soul. As time has gone on, the wound has
widened, until every little impulse is able to emerge
without restraint."
"I see. It must have been very trying for you."
"Yes, although there have been...compensations." Soun
gave his old friend a mirthless grin. "The `demon head'
technique you have witnessed is one."
"But that still doesn't explain...."
"I know. I was getting to that. Apparently, the
Master was wrong. He must not have been able to defeat
the demon when he died. As a result, the fiend was free to
seek a new host. Since I was already close, and as I had
never truly recovered from my exposure to it, the demon
chose me as the best available target."
"And so...," Genma prompted.
"And so, I am now forced to do exactly as the Master
did before me. Whereas he succumbed to a fetish in order
to sate the demon's lusts, I am now required to indulge in
my own, long-buried, vice--voyeurism."
"But why..."
"Why Kasumi? Isn't it obvious, old friend? Since the
death of my wife so many years ago, Kasumi has been the
guiding light of the household. She takes care of us in
much the same manner as her mother. Meanwhile, for reasons
I have never been able to fathom, Nabiki has become a cold
and manipulative girl, while Akane's attitude towards men
has made it difficult for us to become close. While I love
all of my daughters with all my heart, is it any wonder
that I am more...fond of Kasumi than the others?"
"Perhaps not, Soun, but this cannot go on."
"I agree, yet I know not what to do about it. Can you
help me?"
"I shall try. Let us ponder the matter for a few
days, and then we can see what options the other has come
up with."
In silent contemplation, the two men went through the
motions of playing a game of Go. It would have struck any
normal observer as a normal game, but anyone who was
familiar with the two men would have realized from the lack
of cheating that their minds were on other things.
******************************************************
Ranma and Ryouga sat, fidgeting nervously under Nabiki's
thoughtful gaze. She finally seemed to reach some inner
conclusion and nodded.
"Right. I suppose you two are wondering why I wanted
to talk with you both, right?"
Mutely, the pair nodded with a synchronicity that struck
Nabiki as highly amusing.
"Hmmmm...I think this will save a lot of time." Moving
faster than either boy would have expected, Nabiki flicked
the glass of ice water she was holding in her good arm.
The room now contained an injured brown-haired girl, a
sputtering redhead and a terrified-looking pig.
"That ought to prevent any time-wasting denials, don't
you think?" She motioned at a teapot on the bedside table
and Ranma-chan, realizing her intent, poured the hot water
over herself and Ryouga.
"So how'd you find out?" Ranma asked, stalling for
time while he tried to figure out what Nabiki's angle was.
"Spy camera hidden in the bathtub. Remember the night
you gave 'P-Chan' a bath, so that Ryouga could heat up the
water for you?"
"So what do you want?" Ryouga asked warily.
"First, a few answers. Don't bother talking, nods or
head-shakes will do. I assume that this is the result of
a dip in Jusenkyou?" Nods. "And I take it, Ranma, that
you made some kind of promise not to tell Akane?" Another
nod. "And you blame Ranma for this, Ryouga?" Yet another
nod. "And a lot of the troubles you two have gotten into
have been related to this?" A final pair of nods.
"OK, that's all I needed to know."
"So how much is this gonna cost us, anyway?" Ranma
asked, figuring it best to start the haggling as soon as
possible.
"Oh, it's not going to cost either of you anything."
Both boys' eyes boggled at this unexpected answer.
"You mean you're not gonna charge us for keeping this
secret?" Ranma's voice seemed to be a battleground
between amazement and relief. "That's great!"
Nabiki fixed him with a hard look. "Ranma, you can
be *so* thick sometimes. The reason I'm not going to
charge you is that I have no intention of keeping this a
secret." Before either of them could begin to articulate
a protest Nabiki continued, "In one week, I get out of
here. If, when I get home, Akane is still unaware of
truth about 'P-Chan', then at that time I will tell her
the full story, understood?"
Faced with Nabiki's firm voice and no-nonsense
expression, the two curse victims could only nod in mute
agreement.
"Good. I suggest you two head home, now, and figure
out how to tell her without getting creamed." As the
two reached the door, Nabiki added, "Oh, and I advise
you, Ryouga, to resist the temptation to have one last
time as P-Chan--Akane's anger is going to be dangerous
enough as it is."
Alone at last, and exhausted from the confrontation,
Nabiki leaned back into her pillow. {At least they were
too stunned to put up a fight,} she thought as sleep
overtook her.
******************************************************
"Ummm...Mr. Saotome? Could I have a word with you? In
private?"
Ranma turned to Dr. Fujishima.
"Hey, Doc, what's up?"
Ryouga turned Ranma. "I'm gonna crash on the sofa in
here--" he pointed to the waiting room, "Just come and
get me when you're ready."
"OK." Ranma turned back to the doctor. "Is it about
Ucchan?" he asked, hopefully. He had spent the last
few days in a state of constant anxiety, and felt that he
was due for some good news.
Fujishima smiled. "Yes, and I have wonderful news to
report. The injuries were nowhere near as bad as we first
thought--She just had a badly pinched nerve. A few hours
of spinal manipulation and she was as good as new. There
wasn't even any internal damage. The stake you told us
about must have passed straight through."
Ranma gave a nervous grin at the mention of the "stake".
He and the others had agreed to not tell the hospital, or
the police, about the Amazons' involvement in Ukyou's
injuries, placing the blame, instead, on a "training
accident". Although Ranma was sure the police were at
least a little suspicious, they had not been able to prove
that anyone was lying about the incident, either.
"That's great! I'll go to her room right now, and
congratulate her. Thanks, Doc!"
Fujishima paused for only a moment before taking Ranma's
shoulder. "Actually, she's already left her room. She
asked me to give this to you.''
Ranma looked with confusion at the envelope Tofu was
handing him. "I don't get it. Why would she write me a
note, when I can just run by her place later?"
"I don't know, Mr. Saotome, why don't you read it and
find out?" Ranma was so lost in thought as he went into
the waiting room that he failed to notice the odd alchemy
of regret and relief that mixed on Fujishima's face.
******************************************************
Ryouga shot Ranma a nervous glance. The pig-tailed boy
had not said a word since he started reading Ukyou's letter,
about half-way back from the hospital to the dojo. The
silence finally got the better of him.
"So what's in the letter, anyway?" He was dying of
curiosity, and had been ever since Ranma had told him
about Ukyou's recovery and departure.
Silently, Ranma just handed the letter over to him.
{Ranma-Honey, [it read]
I hope you can forgive me for this someday. I
know that this is going to hurt you, and I'm
sorry, but it can't be helped. You see, I was
conscious when you were holding me in the dojo's
yard. I heard what everyone said. Akane needed
your help, and you went. I was bleeding in your
arms, but you left me to go get her sister.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm glad you were
able to rescue Nabiki. But that doesn't change
the simple fact that, when we both needed you,
you went to Akane's aid, not mine.
I realize that part of you is going to feel
guilty about this--If you didn't care about my
feelings, you would've given me the heave-ho a
long time ago. I know that now. But as much as
you care for me as a friend, you *love* Akane.
I accept that, even if I don't like it. Even if
it hurts.
This isn't exactly good-bye--It's more like,
"I'll see you later!" We are friends, and I
need all the friends I can get. But I also need
some time. Time to adjust, to heal. Someday,
I'll be back, and who knows? Maybe if you and
she haven't worked out after all, I'll give it
another try. But I'm not betting on it. Not
any more.
I'm sorry.
I'll always love you.
Your friend,
Ucchan}
******************************************************
"Well, I did as you asked."
"Thank you. I know it must have been hard for you to
do, but it was necessary, really."
"I still think he would want to know the truth."
"Probably. But there was no real alternative. Maybe
when I come back, I'll be able to tell him the truth."
"So you will return, then?"
"Yes, but not for a long, long time. After all," the
best okonomiyaki chef in Nerima said with a sad smile, "you
are the one who said it would take five to ten years of
therapy before I'll be up to full mobility. Can you
imagine trying to survive one of our weekly free-for-alls
when I have to use these...," here she hefted an oversized
spatula, "...as crutches? He gets into so many fights, and
if I were around like this, it would distract him."
"I still think you should have let him make up his own
mind on the matter," Fujishima countered.
"Doctor, if there's one thing Ranchan does *not* do
well, it's make up his own mind."
She used the spatulas to stand up. "Well, Doctor,
thanks again for getting me into that special therapy
program in San Francisco. Maybe I'll be able to open a
shop there, too."
"It was nothing. Just a few phone calls to some
friends working in the U.S."
"Remember, though--Don't tell Ranma about these, or
where I've gone to."
"Don't worry. I won't violate one of my patient's
confidentiality."
Satisfied, Ukyou swung herself through the door and
down the street to the docks where her ship was waiting.
Dr. Fujishima could not help but shed a tear at the thought
of the young girl's pain.
*****************************************************
End Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
T&R
OK. It was ugly, but it's done. The obstacles are out of
the way. The Amazon crew are in Dreamspace, Ukyo's left the
country, and P-Chan is about to have his cover blown. We
are rapidly approaching a final confrontation. Let's see...
There should be three more chapters after this, although I
am still not quite sure how this is going to end (four
possible endings, and counting). I may have to have an
epilogue, too.
Heh. Heh, heh. BWAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!
Just reread this after sending the repost of Chapter 15 to the
FFML--I was so naive back then.... Imagine, thinking that this
thing would ONLY take 3 or 4 more chapters to sort out....
Forget it, you're in for the long haul, Valued Reader, the VERY
LONG HAUL....
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