From owner-ffml@ffml.fanfic.com Wed Mar 4 01:18:14 1998 Received: (from majordomo@localhost) by ffml.fanfic.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) id BAA24521 for ffml-outgoing; Wed, 4 Mar 1998 01:18:14 -0500 Received: from geocities.com (mail4.geocities.com [209.1.224.24]) by ffml.fanfic.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id BAA24518 for ; Wed, 4 Mar 1998 01:18:12 -0500 Received: from lawrencm (ppp042.rosenet.net [206.64.3.62]) by geocities.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id WAA08002 for ; Tue, 3 Mar 1998 22:10:10 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199803040610.WAA08002@geocities.com> From: "Rabbit" To: ffml@fanfic.com Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 22:03:23 +0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Subject: [FFML] [Ranma]Village Tale: chapter 2 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from Quoted-printable to 8bit by ffml.fanfic.com id BAA24519 Sender: owner-ffml@ffml.fanfic.com Precedence: bulk ######################################################################## V I L L A G E T A L E A Ranma ½ fanfic co-written by Rabbit AND Adrian Wong. All relevant characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and some others that I don't know of. The story belongs to me and my co-author, legally ^_^ Adrian: I'm not subscribed to the list! Please C&C through private email to <7ahw@qlink.queensu.ca> Rabbit: Let me know what you think either through the list or at usagiyojimbo@geocities.com Japanese dialogues in " " Chinese dialogues in [ ] Thoughts in < > Illusory sounds in / / ######################################################################## Chapter 2 /Unclean....Love....Trash.....Do you take...../ Ranma awoke with a scream. Sweat drenched covered him from head to foot. Ranma thought to himself, the kaleidoscope of images still dancing in his mind. Getting up out of his bed and over to the table, that held a washbowl and a pitcher of water, he poured himself a basin full and proceeded wipe his face down using a washcloth nearby. The cool sensation of the water soaked cloth against his skin chasing the last remaining remanents of the dream away. just as Ranma was finishing up, someone knocked on the door to his hut. Hoping it was maybe it was Shampoo, who for some odd reason hadn't been around for the past day or so,opened the door and was mildly disappointed to see that it was only Colonge. Colonge had been sleeping peacefully when Ranma's scream woke her. , she thought to herself, her thinking still a bit clouded from sleep. A few seconds later, as she left the comfort of her hut to check up on the poor boy, she knew what was wrong. Motioning to the other people, who had been also awoken, to return back to bed, Colonge made her way over to Ranma's hut. she had known it was going to happen sooner or later. the monumentus shock of what happened to him had finally caught up to him. while they had been traveling here she had managed to keep his mind occupied with learning the language of his new home, but now that he'd had a day or so to to settle in it came crashing down on him. colonge knocked on the door and caught the quick expression change after the door opened revealing ranma's face. , she thought sadly, < hopefully one we can put off for a little while.> She had sat down with Shampoo earlier that night to see what she felt about things. it had been a most enlightening conversation. [i know i'm no ravishing beauty but you could be a little more glad to see someone who's concerned for you.], colonge said in attempt to lighten his mood a little. she was rewarded by Ranma looking embarrassed. [I better now, sorry.] Ranma responded. [I think tomorrow you and I need to have a little talk, it may help put your mind at ease a bit,] Colonge said as she turned to leave, [oh and please try to remember that there are ladys trying to get their beauty sleep.] she added with a wink and a smile. She was rewarded with Ranma turning red from holding in his laughter. Ranma closed his door and tried to catch his breath. That last quip had chased away the last of the ghosts from his dream. It had felt really good to laugh or come close to it. As he settled back in to his bed he couldn't help but think haw much better he had gotten along with the old ghoul since...he stopped that train of thought right there, not wanting to think about it, he did not want to start dreaming about it again. as he drifted back off to sleep one last concious thought did drift through Colonge made her way back to her hut with some feeling of accomplishment. she thought to herself, About halfway back Colonge started to feel a bit dizzy. by the time she had actually gotten home her vision had blurred as well. just as she managed to stumble into the hut, her vision cleared and the dizziness faded out as if it had never existed. she thought to herself. As she walked to her bed she happened to glance over at her mirror and stopped dead in her tracks. In a voice barely above a whisper she said [This is a suprise....] ********************************************************** In a dimly lit bar that reminded people of a 70's movie set,where the smell of beer and cigarette smoke was heavy in the air, like a blanket drapped over everything, Herb was listening closely to the manager, a man with a little too much mousse on his hair, as he explained the line of work for him. [. . . and the most important thing is to treat the customers with RESPECT! They've paid well to get into the Duck Cafe, and we've gotta treat them right.] The manage said as he took a drag on his cigarette. [But are you sure that this job can actually make me more humble and patient?!] Herb asked eagerly. [I HAVE to learn these things fast!] The manager stared at him with a jocular expression for awhile before answering his question. [Believe me, young man, by the time you've actually gotten into this line of work, only a dog can be more patient and humble than you.] Herb hardened his eyes as he smiled. An aura would have been flaring around him had he still possessed the Dragon Chi. Finally, he would have the opportunity to learn humility and patience! His people would be so proud of him- His thoughts were cut off as a rather muscular young man strode by. He sweated as he saw that the man was in a collar and a pair of tight jeans. [Oh, by the way, that's the standard uniform of this bar. Go to the back room and try on a set that is you size. Could be difficult, considering you're still undersized according to our hiring policy. But then again, our customers seemed to have developed a taste for young things lately, and you do have the looks for this job . . .] The manager ranted on as Herb's pupils contracted, finally getting a vague idea of the . . . difficulties lying ahead of his path of training. ********************************************************************** It was late night when Akane came home. It had been a day of immense self-gratification and a most unexpected suprise. Akane had wandered around trying to think of ways to 'thank' the oh so noble Tatawaki Kuno for 'saving' her from something she had wanted with all her heart and soul. , this thought was followed by Akane smiling and putting her fist through a nearby wall. Akane was still musing over this when she heard an all too familiar laugh. Looking around and seeing no-one she noticed she was at the bridge Ranma used to come to when he wanted to be alone and think. Again Akane heard Kodachi's laugh, except it sounded more ragged than before. Playing a hunch, Akane went around the side and peeked underneath. Sitting under the bridge was indeed Kodachi, her eyes puffy and red from crying, clutching what looked to be one of Ranma's red chinese shirts. Akane thought to herself. She then realized that she had mentally called her father 'Mr. Tendo' and her siblings as 'the others', she wondered when she had started doing that and realizing it was right after seeing Ranma looking dejected, standing out in front of the entrance while Shampoo tried to get as much of his meager posesstions as she could, and not being allowed to help as if touching anything belonging to him might 'contaminate' her as well. What she heard Kodachi say next snapped her out of her thoughts. "Oh Ranma-sama, why did you have to leave? I was willing to let you go and marry that harridan Akane Tendo, but at least I would have been able to gaze upon you from afar and dream. But they chased you away with that purple haired witch and destroyed your honor! Who cares what your forefathers were, you proved yourself a warrior may times over, yet at the drop of a hat they were willing to throw you out like garbage and try to erase anything dealing with you. Oh Ranma-sama I miss you!!" Kodachi clutched the shirt as if it were a lifeline keeping her from slipping completely over the edge. She then caught sight of Akane standing at the edge. "So you've come to gloat over me have you?" She then turned and pointed an accusing finger at Akane, "YOU HAD HIM, AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CHASED HIM AWAY!!!," Kodachi literally screamed at her, "I LET HIM GO AND YOUR FAMILY DESTROYED HIM!!" After that outburst Kodachi seemed to deflate as she sat down on the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest. Akane stepped back and felt those words slam into her like a ton of bricks. The first emotion to hit her was guilt. It was indeed the Tendo's fault that he had been ostrisesd and isolated. Anger quickly followed though "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!" she roared, "IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR ASSININE BROTHER'S FIXATION WITH ME NONE OF THIS WOULD OF HAPPENED!" Akane started to feel the tears roll down her cheeks, "HE WOULD BE HERE, AND I'D FINALLY BE MARRIED TO THE ONE I LOVE, BUT NO HE HAD TO GO ROOTING AROUND IN PLACES HE HAD NO RIGHT TO GO!" Akane lowered her voice and finished with "and now he's lost to all of us, I guess Shampoo really has won." "What do you mean it was my brothers fault?" Kodachi asked with a slightly puzzled look on her face. "I was told by him that you and your family found out about who his ancestors were at the last minute and spurned him." The sun was well on it's way towards the horizon when Akane finished relating to Kodachi everything that had happened, from the start of the wedding, the leaflets falling, to her getting dragged away by the Tendo family and having to leave Ranma behind curled up in misery. She kept on as everything she had been holding back came forth. How Ranma's mother had no longer wanted anything to do with him. How she had so wanted to go to him and comfort him but was not allowed to. How they threw out anything belonging to him, and not even letting him in the front door. What did suprise Akane though was how Kodachi was acting, it was like the shock of losing Ranma in such a way had made her sane... Kodachi sat there silently for a few minutes as she absorbed what had just been told to her. Normally she would have called her a liar and would have beat her senseless. This time though see had seen the intensity in which Akane had spoken, and with the information she had just given her made several unusual events that had happened that day make perfect sense. Why her brother was so happy on the day his beloved Akane Tendo was getting married to her Ranma-sama. It also made sense why all the household ninjas were gone that day, and Tatawaki saying something about having found the perfect gift for Saotome. "I am going to kill him." she said in a voice that held the chill of the arctic in it, "and what of your family? they are as much to blame as my brother for all this." Akane was almost as suprised as Kodachi by the words that came out of her mouth. "They are not my family. The family I knew was warm, kind and caring. Those people are complete strangers to me." She paused a moment then continued "I have an idea but I need to finalize some things before I do them. As for your brother I don't want him dead, thats too good for him after what he did to me. I want him to suffer a long time indeed" Kodachi nodded when Akane said 'finalize some thing'. She then said after she had finished "As long as you remember to come fetch me when you leave I will say nothing to anyone about it. As for my brother..." Kodachi paused for a minute, then a gleam to her eye as the solution came to her. "I think I have just what we need...I was originally planing to use it on Ranma-sama to show him the error of his ways but now I think I have a better use for it" as she said this a smile grew on her face that was making Akane very nervous. "Come let us go to my home and make ready. My brother has been out late the last few days looking for his pig-tailed girl and you. It should be still quite a while before he returns and on the way I will explain it to you." Normally Akane would be quite leery of any invitation from the 'Black Rose' but they had a common foe and for now it seemed that they had a unspoken truce of sorts in effect. As they walked Akane's eyes grew wide as Kodachi explained the plan to her. At first she felt outrage that she would have even THOUGHT of using something like that on Ranma. That anger then turned into dark amusement as she thought of the suffering Kuno was in for before the night was done. ********************************************************************** Tatawaki Kuno trudged in the front door of the Kuno manor. It had been another fruitless day of searching for his two beloveds. His pig-tailed-goddess had seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth, and the lovely Akane Tendo was still recovering from almost having to marry that burukamen Saotome. He noticed his sister in front of him saying "We've been waiting for you brother dear." and then his world went black. Kuno slowly came to as the sound of someone speaking floated to his ears. "I brewed these extracts myself. I assure you that this will work. Oh I see my brother dearest is awake." Kuno took stock of his surroundings. First of all he was restrained by some sort of jacket. Second was that he noticed that there were straps holding him to a large, heavy wooden chair that bolted to the floor and that there was some sort of wire mesh device on his head. In front of him was a large projection screen. He heard someone walking towards him but he could not turn his head to either side due to the blocks holding his head in place on either side. The people walked in front of him and he saw that it was his sister and his Beauteous Akane Tendo. "Oh how my heart rejoyces....." he started to say when he was interrupted by Akane's hand connecting with his face. "Now, now, Akane we don't want to knock him out again, not when we are just about to start the fun." Kodachi said. Looking Tatawaki in the eye, she continued "You will rue the day you took Ranma-sama from us.", pure venom in her voice. With that she pulled out a syringe and injected it into his arm. motioning Akane off to one side and her to the other she said "and now let the show begin." Kuno watched as video after video played of Akane and the pig-tailed-goddess on the large screen in front of him. Strains of classical music played in the background along with recitation from works of all the great master poets and playwrites. As this went on he noticed that he was starting to feel really ill. He then heard Kodachi speak into one ear, "well brother you look like you aren't feeling too well, just to let you know whats happening we are making it so you can never enjoy anything you love again" Akane picked up her que and spoke in his other ear," Yes whenever you hear poetry or see me or the pig-tailed-girl you will feel like you are going to die, you will never be able to pick up a boken again without your guts feeling like they are on fire, just like you made us feel." It slowly dawned on Kuno what was happening and he struggled to get free to no avail. He tried to turn his head but that too was held immobile. He tried closing his eyes but found they had been locked open. Finally he tried to scream yet this to was denied him as he was thoroughly gagged. All he could do is sit and watch. Akane left the Kuno mansion and started home. While they would not call themselves friends, She and Kodachi were no longer enemys either. Akane thought how much fun it was going to be when everyone went to school the next morning and found the little 'instruction' brochure on their desk detailing Kuno's 'condition' . Akane had also explained her plan for the Tendo's and had found her willing to cooperate. After all Tatawaki was not the only one who commanded the household ninjas. *************************************************************** Authors Notes. Well I finally got it done. (congrats to Lil Tigre on her engagement!!!!) Thanks to my pre-readers Big Bore and Lord Talon for thier valued input. A cookie to anyone who can guess my my movie tribute ^_^. Of course all C&C, MST, R&R are eagerly welcomed.