�������������������������� The Leper: Symptoms
��������������������� 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.
����� By the way, this is a self-insertion.� My character had a past with
Ukyou, but not the kind you're thinking of.� And, because this is my
first Ranma fic, I'm gonna do some weird stuff like use Ryouga and Ukyou
but still keep Kuno, Tendo and Tofu.� But I'm really not sure.
����� This complete version was done with the support of Octavian and the
occasionals, all of whom have contributed to the formation of this fic.
��������������������������������� Part 6
��������������������������� "Package from Mom"
����� Before everyone saw the great white light, the last thing they saw
was Kiiroi being enveloped by the same brightness.
����� Then it seemed that the entire world exploded.
����� But the odd thing was there was no sound.
����� Or perhaps the sound was so loud it was deafening.� That would
probably explain the ringing in their ears after they regained
consciousness.
����� When people started remembering where they were and what they were
doing there, they immediately looked in the direction of the football
field.
����� Or what used to be the football field.
����� Everybody froze in horror as they stared at a crater in place of
where the field used to be.� The crater was about a mile across and
sloped down to a depth of fifty feet.
����� Then, everybody saw a girl descend the crater followed by a couple.
����� "Oh god, Kii... where the hell are you...?"
����� Ukyou didn't even notice that Ranma and Akane were following her.
Both of them were concerned for Ukyou and Kii (or what was left of him).
����� When Ukyou got to the center, she began digging with her hands.
But there was nothing but dirt.� Her fingers started bleeding and the
blood mixed with her tears.� Ranma and Akane could only watch her agony.
����� "Damn you, Kii!� Where the hell are you?!?"
����� Akane was about to pull Ukyou up when she felt a nudge.� "What?"
����� "Did you see that?� That was the 'Breaking Point Technique'!"
����� "I know what it was, Ranma... but I have to admit, it was pretty
powerful...."
����� "Are you kiddin' me?!?� That thing blew whale, truck, crowd and
everything else sky-high!� I'd bet Ryouga would be weeping his heart out
if he saw this...."
����� "But where are they?� Kii and Tsubasa're gone.� Do you think
they're -?"
����� Ukyou snapped her head back and glared at Akane before she could
finish her sentence.
����� Akane tried to avoid her gaze as if her gaze would turn her into
stone.
����� Angered as she was, Ukyou did wonder...
����� (Where the hell are you...?)
����� "INCOMING!!!"� "WATCH OUT!!!"� "TAKE COVER!!!"
����� At the shouts from the crowd, the three instinctively looked up.
����� As if by reflex, Ranma grabbed Ukyou by the collar and Akane by the
waist, then began leaping for his life.
����� The crowd also ducked for their lives as huge chunks of whale meat
fell from the sky.� There were also the remnants of a monster truck, a
vending machine, a trash bin, and two very unconscious teen-agers.
����� Ukyou saw this and got out Ranma's grasp.� She jumped straight up
and caught Kiiroi in her arms.
����� Ranma also saw Tsubasa falling but hesitated for a moment.� In the
end, he decided to rescue hi- *THUD!!!*� "Whoops!� Too late...."
����� Ranma and Akane walked past the body that was stuck headfirst on
the ground.� When they got to Ukyou, they saw her cradling Kiiroi in her
arms.
����� Ukyou was trying to rouse him, to no avail.� She stared up at the
two.� Her eyes pleaded for Kiiroi but there was nothing any of them could
do but wait.
����� Ukyou's tears fell upon the pale skin of Kiiroi.
����� Kiiroi stirred at the stream of tears flowing on his cheeks.� Ukyou
held her breath and watched with anticipation as Kiiroi began opening his
eyes.
����� Ukyou was about to hug him but turned back at the idea.� She just
stroked his cheek instead.
����� Kiiroi raised his hand to touch Ukyou but jerked it back,
forgetting that his arm was dislocated.� Ukyou hushed him and held his
other hand.
����� Kiiroi could die right now, if the heavens permitted it, but he was
far from death.
����� Ukyou smiled at her friend, her very best friend.� "Guess what...?
You won...."
����� Kiiroi took in breath to respond.� It hurt his lungs to inhale but
he tried not to show this.� "Really?"� A pause.� "How's my hair?"
����� Ukyou laughed beyond her tears.
����� Ranma and Akane just smiled at each other.� It was a long day,
everybody just wanted to go home.� Everybody except for two people.
����� "You have ruined me for the last time... I WILL get my revenge.
Death would be an easier alternative after I'm through with you...."
����� Nabiki's stride was ghostly and silent.� Everybody crept away from
her as if she was releasing some sort of invisible battle aura.� Those
who met her gaze trembled in fear upon seeing the fire of vengeance in
her dark eyes.
----------
����� It was close to sunset and the whole school had been vacated.
����� Yet one soul still lingered.
����� He stood frozen on the rooftop, gripping the fencing.� His tears
had long dried out but he still stared at the field as if the fight was
still happening.
����� The memory of the fight could not be erased from his mind.� Then he
fell to his knees as if weakened, but not from exhaustion.
����� He thought of her.
����� Ryouga cried.� He wept for himself.
----------
����� *KRAK!*
����� "YEEOOW!!!"
����� *CRACK!*� *SNAP!*
����� "GODDAMNIT!!!"
����� *POP!*
����� "SHIIIII... Oh, that feels better...."
����� Ukyou held Kiiroi's hand as the good doctor realigned the
dislocated arm.
����� Kiiroi lay on the bed on his side.� His ribs were broken in four
places and his bare back was still red and swelling from the burns.� But
he had a cast on his torso now and he could see again.
����� Dr. Tofu dipped a washcloth in a clear liquid then he slowly turned
Kiiroi flat-belly on the bed.
����� "Now, Kii, this is gonna hurt a bit...."
����� "What is it?"
����� "Alcohol...."� With that, Dr. Tofu placed the cloth on Kiiroi's
back.
����� Kiiroi screamed in pain and felt as if he was going to faint.
����� Ukyou struggled to hold his hand.� His grip was so strong it made
her wince but she tried not to show this.
����� Dr. Tofu poked Kiiroi's legs.� "Can you feel it now?"
����� "No, nothing still...."
����� "Well, your spinal cord's not broken or anything... nothing a
little rest won't cure.� If you still can't feel anything by tomorrow,
come back and we'll see what we can do.� I've got a pair of crutches I
could loan you...."
����� Ranma walked over to the bed and turned his back on Kiiroi.� "Up
you go, champ."
����� Kiiroi got hold of Ranma's arms and he got onto Ranma's back.� Dr.
Tofu handed the crutches to Ukyou.� Everybody said their good-byes
afterwards.
----------
����� "How come you never told me about that?� After going through all
that trouble training you."
����� "Sorry, Ranma, but it is our family's secret and we only use it
when we're really desperate."
����� "But how did Cologne know?"
����� "That's how my ancestors survived the wrath of the Amazons.� We
gave them the technique and they used it for mining.� Truth is, what we
showed them was just the tip of the iceberg."
����� Ranma stopped walking, but not because he was tired.� Akane felt
Ranma's chill.
����� "Do you mean that the 'Breaking Point Technique' has other
variations?"
����� "Yes, Akane: all things have breaking points, what we taught the
Amazons was only the technique for non-living things."
����� Ranma thought about this and he realized that Ryouga never used the
breaking point on trees or on plants.
����� "Kii, what other things have breaking points?"
����� "Well, let's see... air, water, life..."
����� "WHAAAAT?!?"� Everybody stared at Kiiroi, fearing him for the first
time.
����� "You mean you could've killed Tsubasa?"
����� "No, of course not.� I haven't learned the technique yet, or
rather, I've been trying without any success."
����� "Whew!� But what's with the bandages on your fingers?"
����� "Oh, I had a knack for accidentally touching the breaking point of
things when I was a kid.� I actually leveled our first house.� As long as
I wear these bandages, I'll never be able to use the technique."
����� "How come the bandages don't break?"
����� "I don't know, the bandages were given to us by the Amazons.� It's
some sort of silk or animal skin - they said that it'll never tear."
����� The four eventually reached 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan's'.� As Ukyou
worked on the lock, Akane saw something on the ground just beyond the
light to see.� "Hey, what's this?� It's a package!"
����� Ranma and Kiiroi turned to her while Ukyou opened the door for
them.� "Well, bring it in...."
����� Ranma plopped Kiiroi down and Akane followed behind with two
packages.� They were the size of television sets and one was made of wood
and had holes on it.
����� Ukyou heated the grill to cook themselves dinner.
����� Akane read the labels and her face brightened.� "It's for you, Kii!
It's from somebody named Ming Tsu Niwatori."
����� "Mom!� Oh boy!� It's my stuff!"
����� "But the name sounds...."
����� "Chinese?� Of course, where would my dad find a Japanese in China,
anyway?� I still don't know how that old goat got my mom to marry him,
they're more than a decade apart."
����� Kiiroi began ripping away the packaging and Akane helped him with
it.� Kiiroi opened the box and his face lit up with wonder at the
contents.� Inside the box were clothes, two pairs of glasses, some bags
of tea and an envelope containing a hefty amount of yen.
����� The rest stared in disbelief at the wad of cash Kiiroi held in his
hand.
����� "You gotta love my mom, her timing's impeccable.� And look, spare
glasses."
����� Ukyou almost forgot about her grill until she leaned on it while
trying to see how much Kiiroi held.� Her shout brought everybody else to
their senses.
����� As Ukyou washed her hands, Ranma began undoing the rope that held
the other crate.� Peering inside, Ranma saw a lump of fur in the middle
of cushion.
����� "Hey, what the hell is...."
����� "Mew!"
����� "GYAAAAAH!!!� GET IT OFF!� GET IT OFF!"� But the cat hung onto
Ranma's arm for its dear life.
����� Kiiroi quickly snagged the feline from Ranma and stroked its furry
little head, he then scowled at Ranma.� Ranma didn't notice this though,
for he was cringing at the far corner of the restaurant.
����� "Did the bad man hurt you, my baby?� Oh, you poor thing...."
Kiiroi let his hand slide familiarly along the cat's furry back.
����� The cat seemed to like this and stretched its body along Kiiroi's
arm.
����� Akane was struck with awe at the beautiful cat.� "Oh, what a cute
kitty!� He's your cat?"
����� "Yes, SHE'S my widdle kiddy-widdy!� Yes you are, yes you are...."
He seemed to pause, not at all taking care of a blush.� "Uhurm, yes this
is my cat, Ishi.� Look, Ishi, it's Auntie Ukyou."
����� The cat crawled down Kiiroi's arm and went over to Ukyou.� Ukyou
swiped it off before it reached the grill.� Ukyou cradled the little ball
of fur in remembrance.
����� Kiiroi stared longingly at his fianc�e.� This was probably the only
way he could see Ukyou's affection.� The cat never liked just anybody, it
knew who it could trust.
����� Ukyou cradled the cat and held it near her breast.� How Kiiroi
wished that he was a cat.
����� Akane put out a finger and the cat tried to catch the wiggling
appendage in its paws.� *giggle*� "She's just so cute!� Why is she named
'Ishi'?"
����� "Actually, that's her mother's name.� Her mother was resting on top
of a huge boulder that my late grandfather picked for me to break.� I
caught the mother just in time before she hit the ground.� She gave birth
to Ishi just a year ago.� Oh, that's how I got Ishi... you know, rock."
����� Akane looked inside the box and saw Kiiroi's clothes.� "Don't you
have anything else to wear?� What's with the black attire."
����� "It gives me that mysterious, gothic image... or rather, it used
to."
����� Touching the clothing, Akane felt something hard under them.� "Hey,
what's this?"
����� Akane brought out something black and shiny.� Everybody immediately
knew what it was.
����� Kiiroi was particularly swelling up with excitement.� "It's my
camera!"
����� "That's so nice.� Hey, what's this?� There's a bunch of photos in
here."� Akane brought out a bunch of pictures and showed it to everybody.
They were mostly pictures of buildings and trees and people doing
something.
����� Akane tossed one to Ranma every time she finished one.� But towards
the end of the stack, the pictures became familiar.� They were of Ukyou,
and Kii, and them together.
����� Akane felt warmed up.� The two of them looked so happy.� How she
wished that Ranma...
����� "Wait, was this before or aft-?"
����� "Uhm, before."
����� Kiiroi cleared his throat as he answered.� Ukyou was unusually
quiet.
����� Akane pitied Ukyou for she herself knew exactly how Ukyou felt.
Whatever brief moment she and Ranma spent together before she knew he was
a boy was special in its own way.� But since Kii and Ukyou were friends
for a longer period, the impact of the announcement was a bit lessened.
����� "Hey, why don't you snap a few pictures?"
����� "Love to, Akane, but... no film."
����� "Oh, that's okay."
����� Ukyou finally finished the two okonomiyakis and served it to her
guests.� She glanced in the corner and saw that Ranma had maintained his
position.� "Geez, Ranma, get a grip!� If you don't come here, we'll
finish your share."
����� Ranma started turning his head but he hesitated and stayed in the
corner.� "Make the c-c-cat go away f-first."
����� "You are such a ninny."� Akane grabbed Ishi and placed her down the
floor.� She got a piece of okonomiyaki and fed it to the kitty to keep
her busy.
����� "C'mon, Ranma, the cat's gone..."
����� Ranma crept to the far end of the counter.� Ukyou got a plate and
slid Ranma a slice of okonomiyaki.
����� Akane continued her conversation with Kiiroi.� "So, Kii, tell me
more about the 'Bakusai Tenketsu'."
����� "I'll do better than that...."
����� Kiiroi got on the crutches and went behind the counter, looking for
something in his backpack.� He got out a leather-bound pocketbook.� Akane
saw that the book was much of an antique from the yellowish quality of
the paper.
����� Kiiroi sat beside her and showed her its contents.� Ranma started
moving closer to take a peek but he slid back to his stool when he heard
the cat meow.
����� "On the first page, the heirs to the Niwatori School of Martial
Arts are described.� All of us were to have the following qualities:
light body structure, low strength, high agility and endurance, and most
important of all, long slender fingers."
����� "Why?� What's so important about the fingers?"
����� "Well, if you examine my fingers more closely, they're very, very
pointed at the tip.� This gives us the advantage of being able to touch
the breaking point of a target even if we're blindfolded.
����� "Here, this is the first technique.� This one is used for non-
living things.� Which means that, with this, one can break even dead
things.� It seems that living things have built natural immunities
against the breaking point technique.� That's why my ancestors developed
the later techniques to counter this.
����� "The next technique goes something like this...."� Kiiroi dug into
his pocket and got out two 5-yen pieces.� "These are your weapons...."
Kiiroi laid a coin in each of Akane's palms.
����� Akane just stared at the coins, not knowing what to do.
����� Kiiroi took off his index finger bandage and then, without warning,
he jabbed the coin on Akane's left hand with his index.� It was a light
jab but it was enough shatter the coin.
����� In a blink of an eye, the coin turned into a pile of dust.
����� Akane searched Kiiroi for an answer.
����� "You just lost one of your weapons..."
����� And now Akane understood - before Kiiroi could land another strike
on the other coin, Akane closed her hand into a fist and turned it over.
����� Kiiroi just smiled at her.� Apparently, Akane lost the other coin
by doing what she did.
����� Instead of jabbing, Kiiroi tapped Akane's closed fist with his
index and middle finger.
����� Akane felt a shallow burst from inside her hand.� She turned her
fist sideways and slowly began opening it.
����� To everyone's surprise (except Kiiroi's), powdered metal poured out
of Akane's opening fist.
����� Kiiroi continued.� "Very useful when bearing grudges.� Back then,
those who wished revenge used us to sabotage their enemies.� The
technique could destroy important papers, gold, jewelry and other stuff
hidden in safes and vaults."
����� Akane felt Ranma's gaze.� They were both thinking of the same
thing.
����� "Shampoo used that technique once...."
����� "Yeah, it was during the 'Anything Goes Martial Arts Take-Out
Race'.� She eliminated all of the competition save for Akane and me."
����� "Pity...."
����� "Huh?� Why, Kii?"
����� "They only specialized it on restaurant delivery boxes.� They
haven't tapped its potential."
����� Ranma thought about this.� "You know what, Kii, I think... we all
think it's best if those Amazons don't know about this.� They're pretty
dangerous enough as it is."
����� Akane and Ukyou both nodded in agreement.
����� The three of them paused for a moment.� All of them were trying to
imagine the sort of devious plot the Amazon witches were planning right
now.� A chilling breeze entered the restaurant shivering them up to their
spines.� This seemed to answer their questions.
����� "Whoa, that was eerie... shall we go on?"
����� Kiiroi turned the brittle page and showed them the illustration.
����� Ranma just stared at the drawing.� It was a hand that was executing
the technique.� But the finger was jabbing at nothing.
����� "I don't get it - it's just striking thin air...."
����� "Precisely!"
����� The spectators' eyes began to widen.� Their shock revealed their
ignorance.� All of them were unaware that even the very air they were
breathing was fragile enough to be shattered.
����� "So... how's it work?"
����� "Well, instead of one finger, you jab the air with two.� A blast
will center on the martial artist's fingers.� The power of the blast
depends on the speed of the jab."
����� There was something wrong here but Ranma's brain creaked with rust
as it tried to analyze Kiiroi's words.
����� "Hey, wait a minute... if the blast centers on the martial artist,
then wouldn't he also be engulfed in the blast?"
����� A significant pause.
����� "Err, yeah..."
����� Everyone fell from their seats while Kiiroi developed a gigantic
sweat drop.� "SO WHAT'S THE POINT?"
����� "It's sort of a last ditch effort.� It was developed accidentally
but up to now none of the family members has found a purpose for this
technique.� It's probably a sort of 'hara-kiri' with style."
����� Kiiroi flipped the page and, on the next, there were two
illustrations.� Both illustrations showed the same thing, a hand jabbing
a person on the chest.� Below each figure is shown the proper hand and
finger technique.
����� "What's this?"
����� "These... are the two breaking points of the... heart."
����� Everybody took their moment to let the knowledge sink in.
����� Ranma and Akane looked at Kiiroi with newfound respect.� They may
be a family of cowards but it was a family of powerful cowards.
����� Ukyou just stared blankly at Kiiroi.� The fear was starting to
build up inside her though she didn't know why.
����� "Explain."
����� "The first one is used to turn a person against his own.� This is
sort of a hate potion.� The person will be jabbed and then will be given
a sort of post-hypnotic suggestion."
����� Gigantic question marks appeared on top of the listeners' heads.
����� "Let's say I used this on a married man, then I tell him that his
best friend is having an affair with his wife.� That man will develop the
hate for those two he loves.� The closer the person is to you, the
greater the hate.� But after the loved ones are... eliminated, the effect
wears off."
����� "W-what about the other one?"
����� "This one... is the last.� It's the breaking point of life."
����� Kiiroi waited a moment to check if anybody was going to say
something.� Seeing that he had their undivided attention, Kiiroi went on.
����� "As I said, I still haven't been able to execute this technique.
My grandfather died before he could teach me this one.� And since I
didn't want to go around poking humans and killing them, I tried this one
on pigs first.� But I can't seem to flex my fingers in the right way.
Either that or it just works on humans.� Maybe I should...."
����� "NOOO!"
����� Ranma, Akane and Ukyou stood up in alarm.� All of them were
towering over Kiiroi.� None of them said a word but the message was
clear, stay away from the technique.
����� But up on the shelves, an extra pair of ears heard all.� Her
almond-shaped eyes glinted with satisfaction.� She eased her way out of
the various crockery and slipped out unnoticed into the dark of night.
----------
����� Shampoo emerged from the shower, a towel around her waist and
another on her purple locks.� The steam crept out of the bathroom as the
Amazon girl walked out.
����� Cologne went to her granddaughter while Shampoo slipped into a pink
pajama top.� "So, Shampoo, how was your 'walk' outside?"
����� "The night was a bit chilly, grandma.� But it was worth it.� I got
more than I bargained for."
����� "Do tell, grandchild...."
----------
����� Shaking fingers dialed the phone as sweat trickled down his
forehead.� His glasses began fogging again but he could still see the
numbers.
����� Two rings and then a melodic answer.� "Tendo residence...."
����� "Um, h-hello?� Can I please speak to Nabiki?"
����� "Just a moment...."
����� "Hello?"
����� "Hello, Nabiki?� This is Mousse.� I just overheard the Amazons
talking - now, listen...."
---------------
end of Symptoms
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