Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Nezumi ❯ Beginning of the End ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: SoulSurvivor 
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Horror / Martial Arts / Occult / Supernatural / Thriller | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.07.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 755 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Horror / Martial Arts / Occult / Supernatural / Thriller | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.07.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 755 | Status: Completed
The insistent ring of the telephone roused the woman from her early morning slumber, beating out the alarm on her bedside by better than half an hour. Fumbling for a moment, her hand finally alighted on the handset, bringing quiet once again to the sparsely furnished bedroom.
"Moshi-moshi... Ahh, hello, Kimiko... You've seen them?! Where?" The fog of sleep clearing almost instantly from her mind, the woman frantically grabbed a pen and pad from her nightstand and scribbled down the information she was being given. "And you're sure it's them? Thank you, thank you ever so much... Yes, I'll tell you about it when I get back... You have a good day as well, once again, thank you."
Hanging up the phone, she cast about for something to wear, excitement driving away any notion of sleep. So much to do, so much to do... Beaming, she gathered her bath things and laid out her best kimono; so many preparations to make... Yes, it was going to be a good day.
A couple of hours later, still high on excitement, the woman adjusted her silk-wrapped bundle as she boarded a train bound for Nerima.
*****
Not everyone woke up that morning in high spirits, however, Tatewaki Kuno being a prime example of this fact. Opening his eyes, he decided, had been a truly grievous error in judgment. An error he compounded by attempting to move, whereupon his body decided to inform him, in no uncertain terms, precisely what it thought of that idea. Groaning in pain, he slowly staggered through the miles of hallway that separated his bedroom from the furo, whilst every bone, muscle, and sinew in his body screamed bloody murder at the abuse. Finally arriving at his destination, he eased his battered frame into the piping hot water, in hope of gaining something resembling proper mobility sometime before noon. As the heat slowly soothed his aching body, he wondered why it was he'd never felt this badly while insane... Lucidity, he decided, was highly overrated.
*****
The Tendo home was clean, cleaner than it had been in years. When one considers the diligence of its resident homemaker, that alone speaks volumes.
Kasumi had discovered long ago that cleaning helped her deal with stress. The task of maintaining her family's home, while at times dull and tedious, helped her maintain her center, the way kata helped her youngest sister, providing and outlet for the stress created by the madness around her. This last week, however, there simply wasn't enough to do, not nearly enough at all. With Ranma and his father gone, her workload had dropped considerably, and even Akane's daily fights with Father, and the tantrums that invariably followed couldn't make up the slack. Both Father and Akane were adamant in their positions, and the tension this created kept the entire household on edge... She winced as a new wave of shouting emanated from the living room, the battle of wills between her sister and father once again boiling over. This ended abruptly, as the front door slammed hard enough to shake the house, causing her to pause for a moment, listening to her father's inconsolable wails, before re-sweeping her spotless kitchen floor.
*****
As the woman arrived at the address she had been given, she was startled by the thunderclap of a slamming door, then nearly bowled over as a very angry young woman stormed past her and out the front gate. Pausing momentarily to regain her composure, she re-adjusted the silk-wrapped bundle slung over her shoulder before approaching the front door, which was now hanging by a single hinge, half out of the frame. With no small amount of trepidation, she knocked gently on the mangled door frame, then stood back a bit, just in case.
Much to her relief, the door, or what was left of it, rather, was answered by a serene young woman in a housedress. Belatedly remembering her manners, she bowed and introduced herself.
"Good morning. My name is Nodoka Saotome. I was told that I could find my husband and son here."
*****
Far away, in the woods of Mt. Terror, Genma paused for a second as a chill ran up his spine. This, however, proved to be a bad thing to do while sparring, something proved immediately, as his ever so ungrateful offspring proceeded to pound him with a thirteen punch seven kick combo that effectively ended their training for the next few hours.
*****
Shortly before the clock struck noon, a much happier Kuno finally finished his soak. Feeling much better about life in general, he dressed and made his way to the kitchen for a much belated breakfast before heading back to the Nekohaten... That was his plan, anyway. Instead he found himself confronted by Sasuke, who, instead of being his normal timid self, was this day most dour of countenance.
Before he could comment on this change, the diminutive ninja bowed formally and addressed him in the gravest of tones.
"Master Kuno, I regret to inform you that circumstances have arisen that require me to leave your service at this time and for the foreseeable future."
Blinking momentarily in confusion, Kuno looked at his family's retainer in bewilderment. "I don't understand... What circumstances could take you from my family's service?"
Sasuke found his need for revenge suddenly challenged by a lifetime of loyalty to his unstable charge. Steeling himself as much as possible, he pushed on. "Please, Master Kuno, don't make this harder than it already is. I have... personal... business that must be attended to... A family matter that I must deal with personally..."
Responding to the pain in his servant's eyes, Kuno placed a hand on the man's shoulder while replying. "Say no more, you can take as lon- Argh!"
On a lance of flame, the vision assaulted his mind, an unstoppable torrent of images wrapped in a blanket of rage and sorrow that drove him to his knees, unable to do aught but watch. A raven-haired woman, torn to pieces while still alive... The monster from the Nekohaten gloating over her remains... The pain of a father discovering that he has outlived his child... Tunnels and rats, so many rats... An ancient rat-man on a throne of refuse... Pain... Sickness... Rebirth... Darkness.
Kuno awoke where he'd fallen, a cold compress across his brow and Sasuke by his side. Looking the agitated ninja over, he composed his thoughts before speaking.
"The girl, the one killed by the Kumo, she was your daughter."
Stunned by Kuno's bluntness, all Sasuke could do was nod.
"And you, you are one of them now, one of the rat-folk."
Mentally pole-axed by Kuno's matter-of-fact tone, Sasuke was at a loss. Never before had the boy inferred this much specific information from a vision. Looking at his charge with new respect, he finally found his voice. "We are called Nezumi, Master."
Rising to his feet, Kuno motioned for Sasuke to follow him as he made his way to the kitchen. There, he had the ninja sit as he prepared himself a sandwich, then joined him at the table.
"Nezumi... A fitting name... Tell me, Sasuke, what do you know of the Kumo that killed you daughter?"
Sorrow crossed the little man's face as he answered, "Nothing at all, Master, I can only hope its lair is in this area, as its trail is quite cold."
Kuno's lips pulled into a grim smile. "Not as cold as you might think, definitely not as cold as the beast would like, that much is for sure." Pausing a moment to take in the ninja's look of confusion, he continued. "The beast you seek attacked the Nekohaten yesterday afternoon, as it apparently holds a grudge against the old crone that owns the establishment. Between the old woman, the busboy, and myself, we were barely able to drive it off, wounding it sorely in the process. Moreover, the elder is convinced that the beast will try again, which is why I am headed there shortly."
Worry and elation danced across Sasuke's features at this news. "The creature cannot be far, then. Do you intend to remain at the restaurant?" Seeing Kuno's nod of assent, he stood. "Then I shall know where to find you once I uncover the beast's lair!"
He was gone before Kuno could respond.
*****
A trail of destruction marked Akane's progress through the streets of Nerima. Pock-marked walls, mangled street signs, and other bits of random devastation stood as testimony to her rage. Fuming, she stormed on, totally oblivious to the wide berth being given to her by terrified pedestrians, more accustomed to a certain bandanna-clad boy being responsible for this behavior.
How could he do this to her? Didn't he give a damn about HER feelings? Didn't he care that Ranma had become a monster? How the hell could he expect her to marry someone, no, someTHING like that? "Daddy no baka!" Lashing out, she looked up to find her fist embedded to the wrist in Nerima General's front sign. Sighing in frustration, she extracted her slightly bruised hand and made her way across the parking lot to the entrance. Perhaps talking to Ryouga would help take her mind off things.
As she approached his room, she heard a splash, followed by a shriek as a nurse nearly trampled her while fleeing the room. Rushing in, she was stopped dead in her tracks by the sight of a strange girl in Ryouga's bed. Blinking in confusion, she was about to re-check the room number when she noted the distinctive yellow and black bandanna on the girl's forehead. "R-ryouga?"
Slightly panicky, the girl held her hands in a warding position as she tried to get her vocal cords to function. "Eh... Uh... Akane!" she squeaked. "I... Uh... I can explain?"
Her desperate attempt to come up with a plausible explanation was interrupted by Akane's logical leap to the wrong conclusion.
"You don't have to... I can't believe this! After everything that baka has done to you... You got yourself cursed trying to find a cure for him, didn't you?" Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "That is just so like you."
It was Ryouga's turn to blink in confusion as she tried to follow her reasoning. Giving up, she offered her a rather sheepish grin and silently praised her good fortune as she answered her. "Yeah... Yeah, that's what happened alright... Just trying to help... Yeah, that's it." Better that lie than explaining how he'd somehow jumped into the wrong spring while trying to cure his own curse. Damn that guide and his lousy directions, anyway.
Painfully, Ryouga-chan made her way to the bathroom sink to change back as Akane sat down. Male once again, he returned to his bed, only then noticing the troubled expression on Akane's face. Worried, he arranged the pillows so he could speak to her comfortably.
"What's the matter? You're not upset about my curse, are you?"
For a moment she said nothing, then, sighing, she looked up at him, anger and confusion warring on her pretty face. "No, it's not that... It's... Well, it's my father... He, he still insists on going through with the damned engagement! Even after all this crap, he still wants me to marry Ranma! Why doesn't he understand that I can't do that?"
Ryouga's tone was conciliatory as he agreed, trying to calm her. "Of course you can't marry him, how can you marry someone you don't love?"
Standing, Akane paced the room in frustration while giving voice to the turmoil within her. "That's just it... I do love him." Oblivious to the shattering of Ryouga's heart, she went on. "Or at least I thought I did... I don't know anymore! How can you love someone you're terrified of? I've had nightmares every night, always of him going berserk and attacking me!" She paused in her pacing, fear plain on her features as she turned to face him. "I think of all our fights, all the times I've hit him, and I wonder... What if he hadn't run into you? I was following him, that day you know... I was angry, so angry, and I would have yelled at him like I always do, I would have hit him like I always do, like I always do... Only this time..." Slowly she fell to her knees, tears coursing down her face. "It could have been me, Ryouga... It could have been me..."
Clumsily, Ryouga vacated the bed. Ignoring the pain of his injuries, he knelt and wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest, his joy in her proximity tempered by her sorrow. "Shh... It'll be alright... I would never let him hurt you, you know that..."
Eventually, Akane's sobs died down, leaving her acutely aware of Ryouga's embrace. After a moment's consideration, she decided to remain there for a while.
*****
Kuno was a little surprised to find the Nekohaten open for business when he arrived later that afternoon. Nodding a greeting to Mousse and Shampoo, he made his way to the back of the dining area where Cologne sat with a teapot and two cups before her.
"Well, I must say, you look like hell, Kuno."
Wincing as he took the vacant seat across from her, Tatewaki gave the matriarch a once over. "One could say the same for you as well, Madam. We can only hope the beast is in worse condition than ourselves, else we may not have the upper hand should it deign to return today." Pouring himself a cup of tea, he went on. "However, it appears we have an unexpected ally in this battle."
Arching an eyebrow, Cologne sipped her tea before responding. "You don't say... And who might this be?"
"As it turns out, my family's ninja Sasuke, of all people. His daughter was murdered by the beast, now he's joined the Nezumi in his quest for revenge. Even as we speak, he is laboring to track the beast to its lair."
"Interesting... Do you believe he can accomplish this?"
"Sasuke has served my family for longer than I have been alive, and in all the time that I have known him, he has never once failed me... If the beast can be found, Sasuke will find it... The question then becomes, what then? Even with his help, can we kill this creature?"
The malicious grin that split her features would have sent demons scurrying in fear for their lives. "Oh, trust me, boy, I have that angle covered, covered indeed."
Evening found a fragile peace in the Tendo Dojo, as a slightly shell-shocked Nodoka tried to fully absorb what she had learned. While she had found the curses hard to swallow at first, a reluctant demonstration by the Chinese delivery girl had changed her mind on the subject, much as she'd rather believe otherwise. Her son... Her MANLY son... What had her foolish husband done?
Idly, she caressed the hilt of her katana, tracing its shape from pommel to tsuba as she tried to come to terms with this new view on reality, the terms of her husbands contract etched clearly in her mind. What could she do? The contract stated the terms clearly, A Man Amongst Men. How could Ranma fulfill that now? After all this time, all this wait, she was going to lose her only child to magic, something that until this day she hadn't even believed in... If only he didn't have that damned curse! Then... Then what? There still remained his recent transformation into some form of beast... A transformation that was due to his lineage, if Genma's explanation to Soun were to be believed... Then again, how could Ranma be judged for something he'd been born into? Something he had no control over... No control over, just like his curse.
Relief washed over her as the concept took root in her mind. The contract counted Ranma's upbringing and training, NOT magical influence. Of course! It was right there before her the entire time! Besides, wasn't it said that a man was judged by his actions? On how he overcame adversity? What better test then, than to see how Ranma dealt with not one, but two curses? Relaxing for the first time in hours, she finally returned her attention to her surroundings just in time to watch the young woman, Akane was her name, that had nearly trampled her earlier, enter through the recently repaired front door.
While no longer angry, Akane was, if anything, even MORE confused about her feelings. Kicking off her shoes in the entryway, she made her way through the house in a daze, not even noticing the strange woman sitting across from her father in the living room as she silently climbed the stairway towards her room. Once safely ensconced within, she sprawled on her bed and went over the details of her afternoon, trying to make sense of her jumbled emotions.
What had she been thinking? Her behavior with Ryouga bothered her, and yet, at the time it had seemed right... While it had not gone further than that one embrace, that was bad enough. Why had she let it go on? What did she want? Then again, why did this bother her so much? All he was doing was comforting her... Right? And yet, the way he had looked at her that first day, made impossible to ignore the fact that he... That he... Loved? Did he? If he did... Then what? Why did the idea bother her so? Kuno loved her, Ryonosokke loved her, hell half the male population at Furinkan claimed to love her! Why did Ryouga's feelings matter so much, then? More so, how did she feel about him? He was her friend, yes, but did she want him to be more?
Burying her face in her pillow to muffle her shriek of frustration, she found the day's emotional drain taking its toll. Slowly, she faded into sleep, her unanswered questions remaining just that... Unanswered.
"Moshi-moshi... Ahh, hello, Kimiko... You've seen them?! Where?" The fog of sleep clearing almost instantly from her mind, the woman frantically grabbed a pen and pad from her nightstand and scribbled down the information she was being given. "And you're sure it's them? Thank you, thank you ever so much... Yes, I'll tell you about it when I get back... You have a good day as well, once again, thank you."
Hanging up the phone, she cast about for something to wear, excitement driving away any notion of sleep. So much to do, so much to do... Beaming, she gathered her bath things and laid out her best kimono; so many preparations to make... Yes, it was going to be a good day.
A couple of hours later, still high on excitement, the woman adjusted her silk-wrapped bundle as she boarded a train bound for Nerima.
*****
Not everyone woke up that morning in high spirits, however, Tatewaki Kuno being a prime example of this fact. Opening his eyes, he decided, had been a truly grievous error in judgment. An error he compounded by attempting to move, whereupon his body decided to inform him, in no uncertain terms, precisely what it thought of that idea. Groaning in pain, he slowly staggered through the miles of hallway that separated his bedroom from the furo, whilst every bone, muscle, and sinew in his body screamed bloody murder at the abuse. Finally arriving at his destination, he eased his battered frame into the piping hot water, in hope of gaining something resembling proper mobility sometime before noon. As the heat slowly soothed his aching body, he wondered why it was he'd never felt this badly while insane... Lucidity, he decided, was highly overrated.
*****
The Tendo home was clean, cleaner than it had been in years. When one considers the diligence of its resident homemaker, that alone speaks volumes.
Kasumi had discovered long ago that cleaning helped her deal with stress. The task of maintaining her family's home, while at times dull and tedious, helped her maintain her center, the way kata helped her youngest sister, providing and outlet for the stress created by the madness around her. This last week, however, there simply wasn't enough to do, not nearly enough at all. With Ranma and his father gone, her workload had dropped considerably, and even Akane's daily fights with Father, and the tantrums that invariably followed couldn't make up the slack. Both Father and Akane were adamant in their positions, and the tension this created kept the entire household on edge... She winced as a new wave of shouting emanated from the living room, the battle of wills between her sister and father once again boiling over. This ended abruptly, as the front door slammed hard enough to shake the house, causing her to pause for a moment, listening to her father's inconsolable wails, before re-sweeping her spotless kitchen floor.
*****
As the woman arrived at the address she had been given, she was startled by the thunderclap of a slamming door, then nearly bowled over as a very angry young woman stormed past her and out the front gate. Pausing momentarily to regain her composure, she re-adjusted the silk-wrapped bundle slung over her shoulder before approaching the front door, which was now hanging by a single hinge, half out of the frame. With no small amount of trepidation, she knocked gently on the mangled door frame, then stood back a bit, just in case.
Much to her relief, the door, or what was left of it, rather, was answered by a serene young woman in a housedress. Belatedly remembering her manners, she bowed and introduced herself.
"Good morning. My name is Nodoka Saotome. I was told that I could find my husband and son here."
*****
Far away, in the woods of Mt. Terror, Genma paused for a second as a chill ran up his spine. This, however, proved to be a bad thing to do while sparring, something proved immediately, as his ever so ungrateful offspring proceeded to pound him with a thirteen punch seven kick combo that effectively ended their training for the next few hours.
*****
Shortly before the clock struck noon, a much happier Kuno finally finished his soak. Feeling much better about life in general, he dressed and made his way to the kitchen for a much belated breakfast before heading back to the Nekohaten... That was his plan, anyway. Instead he found himself confronted by Sasuke, who, instead of being his normal timid self, was this day most dour of countenance.
Before he could comment on this change, the diminutive ninja bowed formally and addressed him in the gravest of tones.
"Master Kuno, I regret to inform you that circumstances have arisen that require me to leave your service at this time and for the foreseeable future."
Blinking momentarily in confusion, Kuno looked at his family's retainer in bewilderment. "I don't understand... What circumstances could take you from my family's service?"
Sasuke found his need for revenge suddenly challenged by a lifetime of loyalty to his unstable charge. Steeling himself as much as possible, he pushed on. "Please, Master Kuno, don't make this harder than it already is. I have... personal... business that must be attended to... A family matter that I must deal with personally..."
Responding to the pain in his servant's eyes, Kuno placed a hand on the man's shoulder while replying. "Say no more, you can take as lon- Argh!"
On a lance of flame, the vision assaulted his mind, an unstoppable torrent of images wrapped in a blanket of rage and sorrow that drove him to his knees, unable to do aught but watch. A raven-haired woman, torn to pieces while still alive... The monster from the Nekohaten gloating over her remains... The pain of a father discovering that he has outlived his child... Tunnels and rats, so many rats... An ancient rat-man on a throne of refuse... Pain... Sickness... Rebirth... Darkness.
Kuno awoke where he'd fallen, a cold compress across his brow and Sasuke by his side. Looking the agitated ninja over, he composed his thoughts before speaking.
"The girl, the one killed by the Kumo, she was your daughter."
Stunned by Kuno's bluntness, all Sasuke could do was nod.
"And you, you are one of them now, one of the rat-folk."
Mentally pole-axed by Kuno's matter-of-fact tone, Sasuke was at a loss. Never before had the boy inferred this much specific information from a vision. Looking at his charge with new respect, he finally found his voice. "We are called Nezumi, Master."
Rising to his feet, Kuno motioned for Sasuke to follow him as he made his way to the kitchen. There, he had the ninja sit as he prepared himself a sandwich, then joined him at the table.
"Nezumi... A fitting name... Tell me, Sasuke, what do you know of the Kumo that killed you daughter?"
Sorrow crossed the little man's face as he answered, "Nothing at all, Master, I can only hope its lair is in this area, as its trail is quite cold."
Kuno's lips pulled into a grim smile. "Not as cold as you might think, definitely not as cold as the beast would like, that much is for sure." Pausing a moment to take in the ninja's look of confusion, he continued. "The beast you seek attacked the Nekohaten yesterday afternoon, as it apparently holds a grudge against the old crone that owns the establishment. Between the old woman, the busboy, and myself, we were barely able to drive it off, wounding it sorely in the process. Moreover, the elder is convinced that the beast will try again, which is why I am headed there shortly."
Worry and elation danced across Sasuke's features at this news. "The creature cannot be far, then. Do you intend to remain at the restaurant?" Seeing Kuno's nod of assent, he stood. "Then I shall know where to find you once I uncover the beast's lair!"
He was gone before Kuno could respond.
*****
A trail of destruction marked Akane's progress through the streets of Nerima. Pock-marked walls, mangled street signs, and other bits of random devastation stood as testimony to her rage. Fuming, she stormed on, totally oblivious to the wide berth being given to her by terrified pedestrians, more accustomed to a certain bandanna-clad boy being responsible for this behavior.
How could he do this to her? Didn't he give a damn about HER feelings? Didn't he care that Ranma had become a monster? How the hell could he expect her to marry someone, no, someTHING like that? "Daddy no baka!" Lashing out, she looked up to find her fist embedded to the wrist in Nerima General's front sign. Sighing in frustration, she extracted her slightly bruised hand and made her way across the parking lot to the entrance. Perhaps talking to Ryouga would help take her mind off things.
As she approached his room, she heard a splash, followed by a shriek as a nurse nearly trampled her while fleeing the room. Rushing in, she was stopped dead in her tracks by the sight of a strange girl in Ryouga's bed. Blinking in confusion, she was about to re-check the room number when she noted the distinctive yellow and black bandanna on the girl's forehead. "R-ryouga?"
Slightly panicky, the girl held her hands in a warding position as she tried to get her vocal cords to function. "Eh... Uh... Akane!" she squeaked. "I... Uh... I can explain?"
Her desperate attempt to come up with a plausible explanation was interrupted by Akane's logical leap to the wrong conclusion.
"You don't have to... I can't believe this! After everything that baka has done to you... You got yourself cursed trying to find a cure for him, didn't you?" Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "That is just so like you."
It was Ryouga's turn to blink in confusion as she tried to follow her reasoning. Giving up, she offered her a rather sheepish grin and silently praised her good fortune as she answered her. "Yeah... Yeah, that's what happened alright... Just trying to help... Yeah, that's it." Better that lie than explaining how he'd somehow jumped into the wrong spring while trying to cure his own curse. Damn that guide and his lousy directions, anyway.
Painfully, Ryouga-chan made her way to the bathroom sink to change back as Akane sat down. Male once again, he returned to his bed, only then noticing the troubled expression on Akane's face. Worried, he arranged the pillows so he could speak to her comfortably.
"What's the matter? You're not upset about my curse, are you?"
For a moment she said nothing, then, sighing, she looked up at him, anger and confusion warring on her pretty face. "No, it's not that... It's... Well, it's my father... He, he still insists on going through with the damned engagement! Even after all this crap, he still wants me to marry Ranma! Why doesn't he understand that I can't do that?"
Ryouga's tone was conciliatory as he agreed, trying to calm her. "Of course you can't marry him, how can you marry someone you don't love?"
Standing, Akane paced the room in frustration while giving voice to the turmoil within her. "That's just it... I do love him." Oblivious to the shattering of Ryouga's heart, she went on. "Or at least I thought I did... I don't know anymore! How can you love someone you're terrified of? I've had nightmares every night, always of him going berserk and attacking me!" She paused in her pacing, fear plain on her features as she turned to face him. "I think of all our fights, all the times I've hit him, and I wonder... What if he hadn't run into you? I was following him, that day you know... I was angry, so angry, and I would have yelled at him like I always do, I would have hit him like I always do, like I always do... Only this time..." Slowly she fell to her knees, tears coursing down her face. "It could have been me, Ryouga... It could have been me..."
Clumsily, Ryouga vacated the bed. Ignoring the pain of his injuries, he knelt and wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest, his joy in her proximity tempered by her sorrow. "Shh... It'll be alright... I would never let him hurt you, you know that..."
Eventually, Akane's sobs died down, leaving her acutely aware of Ryouga's embrace. After a moment's consideration, she decided to remain there for a while.
*****
Kuno was a little surprised to find the Nekohaten open for business when he arrived later that afternoon. Nodding a greeting to Mousse and Shampoo, he made his way to the back of the dining area where Cologne sat with a teapot and two cups before her.
"Well, I must say, you look like hell, Kuno."
Wincing as he took the vacant seat across from her, Tatewaki gave the matriarch a once over. "One could say the same for you as well, Madam. We can only hope the beast is in worse condition than ourselves, else we may not have the upper hand should it deign to return today." Pouring himself a cup of tea, he went on. "However, it appears we have an unexpected ally in this battle."
Arching an eyebrow, Cologne sipped her tea before responding. "You don't say... And who might this be?"
"As it turns out, my family's ninja Sasuke, of all people. His daughter was murdered by the beast, now he's joined the Nezumi in his quest for revenge. Even as we speak, he is laboring to track the beast to its lair."
"Interesting... Do you believe he can accomplish this?"
"Sasuke has served my family for longer than I have been alive, and in all the time that I have known him, he has never once failed me... If the beast can be found, Sasuke will find it... The question then becomes, what then? Even with his help, can we kill this creature?"
The malicious grin that split her features would have sent demons scurrying in fear for their lives. "Oh, trust me, boy, I have that angle covered, covered indeed."
Evening found a fragile peace in the Tendo Dojo, as a slightly shell-shocked Nodoka tried to fully absorb what she had learned. While she had found the curses hard to swallow at first, a reluctant demonstration by the Chinese delivery girl had changed her mind on the subject, much as she'd rather believe otherwise. Her son... Her MANLY son... What had her foolish husband done?
Idly, she caressed the hilt of her katana, tracing its shape from pommel to tsuba as she tried to come to terms with this new view on reality, the terms of her husbands contract etched clearly in her mind. What could she do? The contract stated the terms clearly, A Man Amongst Men. How could Ranma fulfill that now? After all this time, all this wait, she was going to lose her only child to magic, something that until this day she hadn't even believed in... If only he didn't have that damned curse! Then... Then what? There still remained his recent transformation into some form of beast... A transformation that was due to his lineage, if Genma's explanation to Soun were to be believed... Then again, how could Ranma be judged for something he'd been born into? Something he had no control over... No control over, just like his curse.
Relief washed over her as the concept took root in her mind. The contract counted Ranma's upbringing and training, NOT magical influence. Of course! It was right there before her the entire time! Besides, wasn't it said that a man was judged by his actions? On how he overcame adversity? What better test then, than to see how Ranma dealt with not one, but two curses? Relaxing for the first time in hours, she finally returned her attention to her surroundings just in time to watch the young woman, Akane was her name, that had nearly trampled her earlier, enter through the recently repaired front door.
While no longer angry, Akane was, if anything, even MORE confused about her feelings. Kicking off her shoes in the entryway, she made her way through the house in a daze, not even noticing the strange woman sitting across from her father in the living room as she silently climbed the stairway towards her room. Once safely ensconced within, she sprawled on her bed and went over the details of her afternoon, trying to make sense of her jumbled emotions.
What had she been thinking? Her behavior with Ryouga bothered her, and yet, at the time it had seemed right... While it had not gone further than that one embrace, that was bad enough. Why had she let it go on? What did she want? Then again, why did this bother her so much? All he was doing was comforting her... Right? And yet, the way he had looked at her that first day, made impossible to ignore the fact that he... That he... Loved? Did he? If he did... Then what? Why did the idea bother her so? Kuno loved her, Ryonosokke loved her, hell half the male population at Furinkan claimed to love her! Why did Ryouga's feelings matter so much, then? More so, how did she feel about him? He was her friend, yes, but did she want him to be more?
Burying her face in her pillow to muffle her shriek of frustration, she found the day's emotional drain taking its toll. Slowly, she faded into sleep, her unanswered questions remaining just that... Unanswered.