����� I just "broke up" with my girlfriend of five years.� I'm currently
with this very nice, impulsive, down-to-earth girl, and I'm getting mixed
reactions from people.� I'm very much confused as to where my life will
go.� I feel lost and scared but at the same time adventurous and daring.
But the real question is, after all that has happened, can I still write?
Well, only one way to find out.
---------------
������������������������������� The Leper
�������������������������������� Part 14
�������������������������� "Birds of a Feather"
��������������������� by Nikholas "NomaD" F. Toledo
����� Ranma 1/2 is the property of Kitty, VIZ and the omnipotent Rumiko
Takahashi.� I am a property of Switch (so you know who to sue).
����� I am NomaD... I am coming... I am near...
����� Don't expect any summaries...
����� Names and spellings have been explained in part 1...
-----------
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Adversity is the opportunity for growth.� - Miss Temple
-----------
����� Approaching a mirror, you see a reflection.� As you move, it moves
with you.� As you speak it speaks to you.� Its voice is not yours, yet it
views your world with the same round glass spectacles.� You see before
you a duck... instead of a chicken.
~~~~~
����� And the darkness envelops him once more as Nabiki Tendo closes the
door of the training hall.� There was a slight shifting of the air.� Kii
turned around and stared into the darkness.
����� "Who's there?"
����� A faint rustling answered his question, as a shadow dropped from
above.� Kii could barely make out the man's appearance.� He was dressed
in a Chinese-style tunic with matching trousers.� But what really caught
his eye was the features of this man's face.� It was like...
����� "... like staring at a mirror."
����� They stood there for a while, studying each other's features.
����� "I'm not one to normally say this, but... you're a very handsome
man."
����� "You're not so bad-looking yourself - should've kept the hair,
though."
����� "Couldn't be helped, work hazard."
����� "I know what you mean, I was there."
����� "What can I do for you?"
����� "On the contrary, there's something that I can do for you.� Come,
let's sit and talk.� We've only got a few minutes left."
----------
����� "N-Nabiki?"
����� Everyone turned and ceased their consumption of Kasumi's late
afternoon snack.
����� "Nabiki, you look absolutely bedraggled?� Are you all right?"
����� "Hmm?� I'm okay, dad.� It was just a bit too much for me."
����� Akane smirked.� "Looks like apologizing can take its toll on you,
Nabiki."
����� "Apologizing?� Huh?� Oh yeah, right.� If you guys don't mind, I'd
like to rest for a while.� Just call me when Ranma arrives."
����� Without waiting for an answer, Nabiki Tendo went straight up to her
room.
----------
����� "Your accent and clothing betray your true nature.� You are not
Japanese, are you?"
����� "I'm impressed.� You are right, I am actually a native of China.� I
used to travel all over with a Chinese carnival but I'm really a male
member of the..."
����� "... of the Chinese tribe of Amazons."
����� "Again, I'm impressed."
����� "But enough chitchat - you said that there was something YOU can do
for ME?"
����� "I've got some information concerning Ukyou Kuonji."
����� The name struck him cold.� He felt anxious all of a sudden.� How
could Ukyou be involved in all this?
����� "U-Ucchan?� W-what about her?"
����� "The information I hold, though petty, may prove crucial to the
coming battle..."
����� Kii snapped forward.� "Oh, will you just tell me already?!?"
����� He stood up.� The tension was evident from his fidgeting.� The
excitement of the battle to come and the presence of this peculiarly
handsome man were starting to unnerve him.
����� Mousse calmly stood up and used the silence to his advantage.� He
knew he was playing his cards right - all he had to do was show his hand.
He was a picture of tranquility compared to Kii's growing agitation.
����� "WELL?!?"
����� "First, I have to do a little something..."
����� "Then do it already!"
����� "Very well."
����� Mousse brought his hands together and it seemed as if he was
drawing something from underneath his sleeves.� He suddenly threw his
arms outward.
����� Instinctively, Kii leapt backwards, thinking that this robed figure
was attacking him.� But he was wro- WAIT!
����� Kiiroi leapt upwards just in the nick of time as a pair of
grappling hooks came from both sides, just barely missing him.� He saw
Mousse thrust his arms forward and an endless series of chains bombarded
Kii on his way down.
����� The darkness played with his eyes.� Chains would appear out of
nowhere and fly towards him.� But, with his speed, he dodged the
projectiles easily.
����� *CLONK!*
����� Well, almost all of them, anyway.
����� Kii never had a chance to get the license plate of the four-door
sedan that hit him.
����� "Gotcha."
����� The momentary daze was all Mousse needed.� Immediately, chains
wrapped themselves around Kii's appendages.� He crashed to the ground,
still dazed and unable to move.
����� "When in the dark, never battle a blind man."
����� Kii looked Mousse in the eye.� "Hidden weapons... Chinese circus?"
����� Mousse nodded and smiled.
����� "Should've known."
����� "Now, we can start."
����� Mousse rolled down his sleeve.� His hand was now visible in the
darkness.� He flexed his forefinger and constricted his middle finger in
an odd way that only Kii identified with in shocking realization.
����� "That's...!"
����� "Ai no bakusai tenketsu.� Don't worry, this'll be over in a few
seconds."
����� Mousse gently jabbed Kii's chest.� He then drew a small book from
inside his robes.
����� "I believe this is yours."
����� "M-my book!� So that's how you got past my cat."
����� "Uhuh!� Feisty little fellow, too."
����� Mousse threw the book beside the immobile body.
����� "Now for the valuable information.� By piecing various info and
events, I just realized recently that you, Kiiroi Niwatori, are not aware
of the identity of Ukyou Kuonji's ex-fianc�."
����� A moment of silence passed between the two.
����� "N-no.� I asked her about it but all she said was that he was an
childhood friend.� But he left her and she's been pursuing him since
then.� I asked her for more but the memory only seemed to hurt her."
����� "Then I would advise you to ask her now."
����� "But..."
����� "No buts!� And if you can, do it DURING the battle."
����� "During?"
����� "No more questions.� I'm going to let you go now."
����� "You know, I could just not ask and it'll foil your little plan."
����� "I doubt that.� Your concern for Ukyou is too great.� Now, don't
struggle."
����� Mousse grabbed the end of the chains and an unseen force started
pulling them inside the robes.� The other end of the chains started
unwrapping the bound martial-artist.
����� As soon as Kii was free, he quickly got up and ran up to the
weapons-master with first ready.
����� "Why, you...!"
����� "Chai hwai!"
����� Mousse exploded into a cloud of smoke before Kii could reach him.
Kii shielded his eyes until the smoke cleared.� He then stared up and saw
the hole in the roof.� He was about to jump up after the circus clown
when...
����� *BAM!-BAM!-BAM!*
----------
����� "Oh my, is that...?"
����� Akane's heart leapt and a smile crossed her face.
����� "R-Ranma!"
����� Soun looked at Genma and the two elders stood simultaneously.� A
procession began towards the rear entrance of the Tendo household.
����� Upon reaching the gate, Genma and Kasumi immediately positioned
themselves at both ends of the gate and began opening the wooden
structure.� Soun stood firm, awaiting the entrance of the disgraced Ranma
Saotome.� Akane stood by his side, her face could not hide her longing to
see him once again.
����� On the other side, Ranma could see the image of Mr. Tendo appearing
from within.� There was a light breeze and the sun just barely touched
the horizon.� Ukyou, standing just behind him, was already pumped up with
excitement.
����� "Ranma Saotome!� You are about to step into my home and challenge
the Tendo Training Hall to be its rightful heir.� By doing so, you will
regain your honor and your place in this family."
����� "I will regain what was rightfully mine!"� Upon uttering this,
Ranma stared meaningfully at Akane.
����� Soun paused, not expecting to be interrupted.
����� "Hrmph.� Very well.� But you will follow this house's rules to the
letter if you wish to continue."
����� "I do, and will."
����� "Then so be it."
����� Tendo turned and trod the cobblestone path heading towards the
dojo.�� The rest of them followed, with Ranma and Ukyou following last.
Upon reaching the dojo, Soun Tendo threw the doors open.
����� Lazy, orange light crept inside to show the standing figure of the
young Niwatori.
����� Kiiroi stood waiting, chest bare, heart rapidly beating.� His first
reaction was to cover his eyes, for the sudden onrush of light was
blinding.� Then the indoor lights blinked themselves to light.
����� Genma entered, then the Tendo sisters minus Nabiki, then Ukyou, who
gave him a worried smile, and finally, Ranma Saotome.
����� "Ranma."
����� "Kii."
����� "I'll try not to make it easy for you."
����� "I hope not."
����� The two smiled confidently at each other and positioned themselves
in the center of the dojo.
----------
����� She looked at the clock - it registered 5:50 in the afternoon.
����� She looked down on her bowl of ramen.� She drove her chopstick into
it and slurped in a generous amount of noodles.� It wasn't that hot
anymore - oh well.
����� She shifted her gaze towards the kitchen.� She could hear the
splashing of water and sound of glass and ceramic hitting each other.
She could also hear the humming of her most-prized possession.
����� She took a sip of the lukewarm soup.
����� Just then, the back door opened and the boy was back.� He had a
stupid grin on his face, but then, he was always stupid.� If only he knew
that he was just playing a piece in the young Niwatori's chessboard.� She
wondered if he knew this already or did he still think that everything
was happening by chance.
����� She looked up the clock again - 5:55, time to go.
����� "Shampoo, are you done with those dishes?"
����� "Just drying, great-grandmother."
����� "Good.� We'll leave after you're done."
����� "Oh!� We going somewhere?"
����� "To the Tendos."
����� "Good!� Shampoo get to see Ranma-darling.� Hope Ranma not taken by
Akane back.� But if husband was, it be fun chasing again ^_^ and... oh,
why we go there anyway, great-grandma?� What is happening there?"
����� Cologne paused and thought about the question.
����� "History, no doubt."
--------------
end of part 14
--------------
����� Now, before you start commenting on how short this thing is, let me
inform you that I wrote this one together with Not 14 (just like 8 and
interlude).� Well, ladies and germs, I'm back... for good I hope.� And I
hope you didn't have trouble looking for the new site.� For my loyal
readers, feel free to mail me, I'll be most certain to reply.� For
comments and suggestions, please write to the "Nikholas F. Toledo Zu" at
niftol@i-manila.com.ph, care of NomaD.
����� I'd like to thank the following people:
Switch, still a bastard Zu Keeper.� Biting of more than he can chew once
more.� Careful, don't choke.
Nomadess, no hard feelings.� It's been a swell five years.� I had no
regrets.
Elf, fantasizing about men and their minds again, no doubt.
Deedee, hi babes.� Miss you every time you're not here.
Katana, welcome the newest member of the Zu.� Unlucky person who opened
the wrong bathroom door.
Definition is limitation.
����� It is better to keep him and love him less than to leave him and
love still.
����� - Julie Yap Daza
����� Too late for that now.
-NomaD-
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
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