Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. This is a crossover between Ranma 1/2 and Love Hina I don't own or any of the characters of those shows. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.
Signed: Benji Himura.
This story begins in the Ranmaverse somewhere in the middle of the events of the chapter thirteen, actually between the release of Hinako and the events of the Gamble King events.
In the Love Hina timeline in the manga it stars after the chapter twenty six but before the chapter twenty seven.
This is a crossover so both stories casts or at least part of them will interact and there will be changes on both stories and on the plotline of Outcast Ranma. For anyone following the main story this scenario doesn't follow the same 'timeline' from the main story, it works on the line that timeline show on the story is the original one.
"Text" Talked sentences.
'Text' Thoughts.
-Text- Sounds effects.
(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.
: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.
Text: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.
Text: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.
"Text" Alteration in the voice, not in the tone but the voice itself.
Chapter eleven: Retying bonds
"Benji!" Benji heard a familiar voice cheerfully calling him, looking at the door Benji smiled at the smiling Tsuruko Aoyama, or as she named herself when they met Kaede Hojo, resigning to his fate Benji swallows the sweet and summons his courage, he would need every ounce of it on the conversation that will follow, after all is not every day that you will tell to one of the most dangerous women alive that you know her darkest secret.
Benji had to admit that Tsuruko was stunning. 'Who would guess that wearing just a pair of jeans and a long sleeved top would make her even more beautiful?' Benji thought as she walks on his direction drawing the attention of everyone in the small café.
Tsuruko sits facing Benji and smiled. "I hope that you weren't waiting too long." Tsuruko said in an apologetic tone. "I don't keep that cell phone on me all the time." "I kept myself distracted." Benji replied. "So I didn't mind waiting." Tsuruko chuckled heartily at his words. "I have to admit that after this long without hearing from you I thought that you weren't going to call again." She said with a smile.
Seeing Tsuruko's good mood made hard to Benji find the right time to tell her what he has too. "Well my life has turned quite eventful since then." Benji said calling a waitress. Tsuruko orders some tea and more sweets for them, after they arrive Benji takes a deep breath, and makes sure to wait to Tsuruko swallow the tea that she just sipped before start talking.
"I called you for a reason." Benji said seriously. "And as much I would love to continue things as we left, this reason is more important." Tsuruko looks at Benji, she appreciated the honesty but in her situation that kind of thing isn't all that welcomed. "You are getting married?" Tsuruko asked. "And you want to set things straight before that?"
"If was just that my life would be so much easier." Benji answered with a sigh. "Before you go ballistic and try killing me hear everything that I have to say okay? And keep in mind that in no moment I intend to use what we have shared and my knowledge as leverage against you."
Tsuruko looks at him seriously, his words made clear that things aren't as easy as she wanted to be. "Four months ago a serious incident took place, and that turned my life upside down." Benji said seriously. "I left the place where I lived with someone who I protect, after two weeks I found a place for us to stay, but because my situation, which I will detail later, I did a background search on the people who live in that place."
Benji takes a deep breath and smile sadly. "Because of that search I learned something." Benji continued. "The sister of one of the people living in that place was someone who I met months before that, on that moment I learned your true identity, Tsuruko Aoyama."
Tsuruko's eyes harden at his revelation and she stares at Benji's eyes. "Calm down." Benji said keeping his cool. "Didn't I just tell you that I won't use what I know against you? I came here to talk to you, not blackmail you."
"Why this?" Tsuruko asked with a dangerous edge on her voice. "I was truly happy in seeing you again Benji; I really was hoping that we would share another special moment like we did when you first came to Kyoto."
"I am doing this because of what we did." Benji answered honestly. "I have no malice on this visit, listen to my story, after you did if you don't have to have any kind of contact with me it is okay, when we come to meet again which will eventually happen since the person who I protect lives with your sister and I am living in the same pension because special circumstances we will meet again, if you wish to cut ties so when that happens we will be perfect strangers."
Benji pauses and sees Tsuruko's reaction, she was angry and tense, but wasn't showing signs that she would jump on his throat. "And if after you hear my tale and want to be friends then when we meet again you introduce me to your sister as an old acquaintance." Benji said seriously. "And keep in mind that in whatever decision that you make I won't ever speak to anyone about us."
Tsuruko takes a deep breath, to ease her feelings and sooth her mind. "Speak." Tsuruko said looking at Benji, and so Benji told her everything since he left Kyoto, about being cursed, about the hunt, moving to Hinata, his quest to destroy Nodoka's organization and how it ended, everything until the moment that they met.
Tsuruko looks at her tea cup, the tea now cold and untouched since the conversation started. "And that is all?" Tsuruko asked him. "Yes." Benji answered, it pained him to see such confused, sad, angry and betrayed expression on her face.
"You know." Tsuruko said after few moments. "You are my first lover, the only man that I have ever shared a bed with other than my husband; there wasn't anyone before you, as there wasn't any after you. But for that I had to lie to you, pretend to be someone else, someone single and uncompromised with anyone. And here you come telling that impossible story after telling me that you learned about my lie, asking to me to help you if you need my help, how I am supposed to believe in that? Even if you tell me that is all truth."
"Tsuruko what other reason I would have to come here and tell to you what I haven't to anyone else who I trust?" Benji asked. "If I was going to lie to you why I would come up with this unlikely story, tell you that just last week I murdered hundreds of people?" "Let's pretend that I buy that story of yours." Tsuruko said seriously. "What is the point of coming all the way here, tell me all that and ask for my assistance?"
"As I told you Tsuruko I was cursed, so was the one who I protect, Ranko, until now no one in Hinata knows about our curses." Benji answered. "We know that we are bound to be found sooner or later, because of that we avoid situations that would lead to wrong assumptions in the future, Ranko never baths or changes with a girl around, watch any girl changing or in less than decent amount of clothes on, she never does anything that would lead anyone to think that she used her curse to abuse from their trust. I try doing the very same, but is harder to pretend to be a wolf than it is pretend to be a girl. Why I am telling you all this? Because when the time comes and the truth is exposed either by accident or intentional I wanted someone who would help the others to understand things, to calm them."
"Trust me Benji I wouldn't be calm either, I don't even buy this curse story of yours." Tsuruko replied. "But if is true I would be angry to learn that a man was using an animal form and having me to caress him." "It wasn't me who started or asked for it." Benji said. "And I can understand the anger, and I can prove the curse to you, and if you want I will do it in a less public place."
Tsuruko remained in silence for a while. "So other than that what you want from me?" Tsuruko asked. "You have to have other motives than that." Benji nodded confirming. "It isn't anything bad." Benji answered. "Before the hunt, the people who I was friends with and me were facing some unknown enemy, and we suspected of an incoming war between us and them, and honestly speaking my side isn't near ready for war. I am not asking you to become a soldier; I am just asking is that if the time comes you would fight with me. You are free to say yes or no, if you deny I will get out of your life."
"And if I say yes?" Tsuruko asked. "Then we see what to do." Benji answered. "Is up to you, if you want to continue our past relation or forget it and just be acquaintances or companions."
Tsuruko thinks about his words in silence, she can't disregard everything mystical that he said, she knew better than that, after all she is a retired demon slayer, she knows the world of magic and demons that most humans forgot about, the curse wasn't so strange, she saw plenty of strange stuff in her past, and she didn't detect any malice or second intentions on Benji, he had even told her the name that he was using, where he is living and about the group of children that he had just rescued, far too many details and information far too much to someone who you intend to betray or trick.
Sure she was angry about him telling her that he learned about her farce, that he was living with her sister, and that most of his interactions with her was as a wolf that she had great fondness to, but he also told that he had never licked her, which for wolves meant kissing, never abused of her trust or used his lupine form to see her changing.
The fact that he taught to Motoko how it felt to stab a human was something else that made her angry, but she also knew how Motoko was stubborn and once with an idea on her mind how she can't be convinced of something else, with all that on the light, plus how she feels about him and how he haven't used the knowledge that he gained to blackmail her to anything, Tsuruko was pending to accept Benji's request.
She knows how easily he could have placed her in a bad situation if he wanted to, how he could make her pay huge sums of money to not reveal their past relation, he was even willing to forget all about it if she refuses to help him and don't want to see him again.
Tsuruko takes a deep breath. "After thinking about everything." She said seriously. "I am bothered by the fact that you taught to my sister the feeling of killing someone, as well how she treats your cursed form, however I do know my sister very well and I know that under all that formality, pride and stiffness of hers there is a gentle, affectionate and loving girl who does love some animals, and I also know how stubborn she is, and while unhappy about you teaching her the feel of killing while I don't think that she is ready, I do understand that ready or not she would somehow learn it, and I trust you to make it the most traumatic as possible so she would be scared of it."
"It was quite shocking to her." Benji commented. "Forcing her to stab my while she cried and protested not wanting to do it, is quite traumatic." Tsuruko nodded pleased, that would prevent Motoko from getting seduced from the sensations of killing, at least until Motoko can learn more about it.
"And I do trust on you." Tsuruko said. "Based in what we shared, and that you offered me to refuse you without you using our relation against me, as well the fact that you trusted me with things that you didn't trust with anyone who wasn't directly involved on the events. So I will help you, I do care about you, I know that you did what you felt that was right about everything, so if I can be of any help I will help."
Benji smiled and thanked Tsuruko; they remain in a comfortable silence for few minutes. "So what we do now?" Tsuruko asked running her index finger on the rim of her tea cup. "What you want to do?" Benji asked back.
Tsuruko smiled at him. "Well I did came here all excited and happy about meeting my lover once again." Tsuruko purred. "Are we still lovers?" Benji felt a shiver running up and down his spine and the hairs in the back of his neck standing up in the ends at her purr and seductive expression; she had a totally different style than Eri that was enhanced by her traditional Japanese beauty, but was as effective and powerful as Eri's.
"As far as I know we are." Benji answered smiling back at her. "Then we should move to somewhere more private." Tsuruko said pleased. Benji smiled and pay the bill. "You are going to get a night that you aren't ever going to forget." Benji softly whispered on Tsuruko's ear as they stand up, she shivers at his low and soft whisper, and holds on his left arm.
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Ranko sighed annoyed, that she minded working as a waitress, she did plenty of that in the past to not be bothered by how people looked at her, it also wasn't the troubles of the Hinata-sou inhabitants, she learned to not make a big deal out of them, it was the fact that she can't get in touch with Benji.
She had called several times during the Sunday and many more Monday's morning, he not even picked up, but she always ended on the voice mail. The work helped to keep her distracted, so did her friends but whenever she had a break she would drift back to all the unsolved issues with Benji.
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Tsuruko sighed in pleasure as she nests against Benji, pressing her body against his, with his left arm around her shoulders; they are covered by a quite wrinkled white sheet. "You did say that was going to be memorable." Tsuruko whispered with her head pillowed on Benji's shoulder. "And barely two hours have passed. You definitely got much better."
Benji softly caressed her silky and lightly moist long hair. "Why the silence?" Tsuruko asked looking up at him. "I don't want to bring up others to our moment." Benji answered. Tsuruko nodded understanding. "Thank you for the thought." She said with a smile. "But I know very well that I haven't claimed exclusivity on you, and whoever you were with before did help you to polish your skills. I can't complain about that."
"But I am amazed with the amount of bruises and scars on your body." Tsuruko said seriously. "I don't recall that many." "I told you before that I was in a really rough path of my life until now." Benji replied with a smile. "But they will be gone in a couple of weeks."
"Good." Tsuruko said kissing Benji. "Tsuruko mind if I ask you something personal?" Benji asked to the woman on his arms. "Well considering what we are doing is so intimate and personal, and on what we agreed earlier it is okay, so go ahead." Tsuruko answered with a smile, for her it meant more intimacy between them.
"Why you were looking for a lover?" Benji asked in a light serious tone. "I mean from what I gathered you were supposed to be happily married." Tsuruko was expecting that question to surface sooner or later.
"Benji did you ever married?" Tsuruko asked. "No." Benji answered, it was true. "Lived together with someone?" She asked again. "That I did, I still do." Benji answered. "I lived with my family, and then with Ranko, now I live in the same pension of your sister."
"Then you know how it is." Tsuruko said seriously. "Living with someone else, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, you know the time, well not all the time together, but you know that when you live together you see mostly everything about the other person, you also exposes about everything about you."
Benji nodded understanding, when you live together with someone you do see things that others wouldn't see. "Things that when dating I found cute or even okay became annoying." Tsuruko continued. "Things that he did or didn't do weren't funny anymore, when dating I would laugh it off. It isn't like suddenly a happy marriage turned bad, but it also wasn't all that gradual either. I had accepted to change my lifestyle, he would also change his so we would be together, for a while it was like that."
Tsuruko pause and takes a deep breath. "The first years were just like when we were dating." Tsuruko said. "We were happy and loved each other and being with each other, but things started to wear out after few years, he wasn't correcting his flaws of connivance, things that I have asked him to not to he would continue doing, or things that I asked him to do he wouldn't do it, like I asked him to not throw his wet towel on our bed, he would do it every single time, the covers would get damp and would smell, that is just one example."
Benji remained in silence. "It was bearable for a while." Tsuruko continued. "He would try to correct things after I told him about them, but a couple days later he would get back to the old ways, it start to get irritating after a while, then he wasn't paying as much attention on me as he used to, I blamed that on the passion wearing off, at that time in the marriage comes the love as things stabilize, I thought that was okay, I didn't asked for him always pay attention to me as he used to in the past, but when I asked for it he was getting more and more uninterested, when I would show him affection he would start complaining about how I was choking him with it, not giving him any space. Eventually we even stopped making love, it had been around one year since we had fully stopped when I met you, and I was tired of being ignored, of hearing his painful words responding to everything that I said."
Benji couldn't understand how a man would ignore a woman as Tsuruko, turning down her affections. "What?" Tsuruko asked seeing Benji's expression. "I can't believe that someone would be that stupid." Benji answered. "How can someone ignore you? You are gorgeous; if you were mine I think that I wouldn't able to stay away from you."
Tsuruko smiled brightly and kissed him. "In case that you forgot I am yours now." Tsuruko whispered against his lips. "But thank you for your words; you don't know how good it feels to hear them after what I experienced." Benji kissed Tsuruko back. "I just say this." Benji replied. "His loss, my gain."
Tsuruko smiled again. "True." She said. "Okay I am ready for more. I have plenty of months of pent up lust to catch up with and you are going to make catch them." "Yes ma'am." Benji replied kissing Tsuruko, he doesn't care to learn more about her reasons, if her husband wasn't even trying to keep Tsuruko's love wasn't Benji's problem, Benji knew that after the marriage doesn't mean that you are supposed to stop your efforts to keep your lover interested and happy, you have to increase them.
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"It isn't like I am happy that you are leaving." Tsuruko said to Benji. "But I don't think that I would be able to take it any longer. Two days in a row, almost non-stop, I am not in shape for that." Benji smiled at the swordswoman, he knew that the increased stamina would surprise her.
"You could have stayed in the hotel and rested some more." Benji said with a smile. "You didn't have to see me off here in the station." Tsuruko smiled back. "I wanted to." She replied. "You did give to me an unforgettable time, and I do look forward to the next time, then I will be fit for it. I realized that I have slacked off in my training."
"You have my number now." Benji said. "You can call me anytime." "I know." Tsuruko replied. "Wait a minute." Benji looks at her a bit surprised, Tsuruko takes something from her pants' pocket. "Give me your right wrist." She said, Benji does so but is confused.
"You always use the watch there?" She asked seeing Benji's watch on his right wrist. "Yes." Benji answered with a small smile. "Since I was a boy." She smiled and takes his left hand. "Then the left one will do it." She said; she quickly straps a flat two centimeters wide thin bracelet on Benji's wrist.
"What is this?" Benji asked looking at the bracelet, it looked like made of metal, but was as malleable and felt like it was made of silk. Tsuruko smiled. "It is a charm." She answered. "It is a secret charm that I learned to make years ago; it will protect you from harmful influences. I made for you in my free time, in the not so vain hope now of seeing you again. Don't worry my sister doesn't know it, and you can bath with it, the water won't damage it."
Benji nodded understanding, they hear the announcement that the train to Tokyo is about to leave. "It is sad that you can't stay any longer." She said. "But you can always come back, or I can go visit you." "It is the same distance in either direction." Benji said with a smile, and then he kisses Tsuruko.
Tsuruko wraps her arms around his neck and kisses Benji back, savoring the farewell kiss, knowing that for an unknown amount of time it will he their last one. After a long while they break the kiss. "And Tsuruko." Benji said before boarding. "It works both ways."
Tsuruko nodded understanding what he said, she didn't need an explanation, he just said that if she needed his help all that she had to do was ask for it and she would readily get it.
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Benji picks his cell phone and puts the battery back on. "It has been a good day, I am still alive and Tsuruko is my ally." Benji commented turning the phone on. "Six hundred and forty six unread messages?" Benji murmured when seeing the message that appeared as soon the phone started.
Browsing through the messages, voice mails and missed calls he sees that is all from Ranko. "Now that I think about it I haven't given her much attention recently." Benji mused scratching his chin. "Between dealing with the organization, Nagisa and now Tsuruko. AH! I forgot all about Nagisa!"
Benji ignores the passengers looking at him and he quickly dials Rin's number on the phone. "Come on Rin, pick it up." Benji said while it calls. "Hello?" Rin said from the other side. "Rin it is me Benji." Benji said. "Is everything okay? Is Nagisa fine?" "She is doing well." Rin replied cheerfully. "We are having tons of fun together, Benji she is a natural in puzzle games! She is totally beating me when we play Money Idol Exchanger!"
Benji sighed relived. "So you two are getting along well?" Benji asked. "Of course we are." Rin answered. "She is like the cute little sister that I always wanted to have. You are going to pick her up any time soon?" "Not yet." Benji replied. "I am still thinking on what to do; I am calling today because it slipped out of my mind to check in."
He can hear Rin chuckling on the other side of the line. "Well we are fine, having lots of fun." Rin said. "Just let me know when you are ready to pick her up." "I will." Benji replied. "And Rin don't spoil her too much." "Hai!" Rin said cheerfully. 'Well at least that is going well.' Benji thinks as the line disconnects.
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Ranko throws herself her room floor. "If I see another plate or get hit on again today I swear that I will go berserk." Ranko said. "Come on Ranko it isn't all that bad." Riko said to her friend. "We aren't the ones washing the dishes." "And that happens since we are what attracts the costumers to the teahouse." Tomomi added. "And it is good since we get plenty tips."
"I am tired of this." Ranko said with a sigh. "Come on it barely have three days that we are working as waitresses." Riko replied. "It is just Tuesday, we just started working Sunday." Tomomi nodded agreeing. "I don't like boys ogling over my body." Ranko said.
"I know that can be a bit uncomfortable, but it is part of life you know." Tomomi commented. "When you are pretty you draw attention." Ranko sighed again; she can't just tell them the truth. "I will go take a walk." Ranko said standing up. "Want some company?" Riko offered. "Thanks but I feel like being alone now." Ranko replied. "After three days with so much attention some lack of it wouldn't hurt."
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Ranma sits on the edge of a cliff. "It is the first time in so many time that I stay like this." He said to himself. "It feels awkward and different." Ranma was back to his male form, it was the first time in several months that he remained as male for more than few minutes. "It almost feels wrong."
The solitude was good, the ocean breeze was cool and the moon offered plenty of light, the best of it all was the privacy, it was the first time that he could remember that he could be alone with out worrying about anyone or anything. "Maybe things would be different if Benji and I had fled to some deserted location." Ranma said looking at the stars. "This kind of solitude isn't all that bad."
"Maybe if we had truly fled Benji wouldn't kill a family that I didn't even knew that I had." Ranma said closing his eyes. "Relatives that I had never met, I shouldn't blame him since it was mother's decision that made them expel her from the family, and later was the old man's decision that kept me away not only from them but from mother. Benji tried his best to make things right, and how I repay him? First I get him cursed, then I make him look over me, and lastly I nearly killed him with only one strike. No wonder he isn't returning my calls. I am just surprised that took him that long to move away."
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"Fuuka can you make a police report?" Benji asked to the magician. "Depends of what kind." Fuuka answered. "I need charges on someone, child abuse and child rape." Benji explained. "I have DNA material, pictures of the victim and other pieces of evidence. So I need you to make a case that would give me the guardianship of a child, we are cousins, but since I altered my identity I need you to alter hers too and make the case on her new name."
Fuuka sighed. "You never make things easy for me." She complained. "It can be done but I need time, what is her new name?" "First name Nagisa." Benji answered. "Family name Ayase. Father Kouichi, dead, suicide when exposed, mother Shion, decease cause accidental fall from a step of stairs."
"Okay that is enough for me to start." Fuuka said. "But what about school?" "She was home schooled, so no one would discover about the father's perversion, we check her level of knowledge later." Benji answered. "You will find more information about her in the computer; she was part of the Himura family."
"So you aren't really cousins." Fuuka said, she already knew that Benji wasn't connected to the family. "Well I will start working on it. What you will do now?" "I am going to take a small vacation, go so somewhere peaceful and relax for one week." Benji answered. "You are Eri need to watch over the girls, and you also need to get Nagisa's new identity ready." Fuuka sighed but nodded, she knew that she would eventually get some rest too.
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Benji leaps over a fallen tree, he lands smoothly not losing any of the speed that he build up to that moment. Less than a dozen meters ahead of his is a large deer running from the predator. Benji was savoring the hunt even in his human form, so different of everything that he had done in the past; that was a pure killing, the reason the purest of it all, food.
Benji closes in and leaps over the deer, impacting on the animal's neck, Benji buries his feet on the ground and while hugging tightly the deer's neck he breaks it with ease. Taking a deep breath Benji smiled dropping the limp animal. Then he picks it up and shoulders it, carrying it back to what he is calling of camp side.
Nothing more than an improvised hut made of leaves and branches near a small creek. Benji ties the hind legs of the deer on a tall branch and starts skinning it, the deer would be his food source for at least three days.
'All this contact with nature made me realize that all that killing that I did was unnatural.' Benji thought while he works on the deer with his knife. 'It wasn't to destroy my enemy, payback on those who betrayed and hunted me; here it was just to fill my stomach, to feed a beast, just part of the food chain.'
Half an hour later Benji is roasting one quarter of the deer while smoking the rest of it, he wasn't carrying anything other than one knife, the clothes that he is wearing a belt bag with a compass, a metal mug, a spoon of string and a flint. He had got rid of the guts of the deer, burying them away from there, he would work on the hide, he was sure that Eri or Fuuka would like a fur coat.
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Ranko was taking one of her breaks from serving the tables, almost two weeks have passed since she last saw Benji, the lack of news added to how her last contact was, just made it all look as if he have abandoned her, she was already starting to believe that she wouldn't ever see him again.
Motoko was also taking a break, thanks to Ranko's friends they had enough staff to take breaks in pairs even with the tea house packed of costumers, Motoko knew what was going on with Ranko; she couldn't blain the younger girl for what she is feeling. Few hours later they are moving to the summer festival of the area.
"Come on Ranko cheer up." Riko said to her friend. "Yeah we are lucky in being here in time for the summer festival." Kitsune added. "We should have fun and enjoy it." "Just because is a festival doesn't mean that I should be happy." Ranko replied. 'Why this feels kind of familiar?' Ranko mused. 'Déjà vu?'
"AH!" A girl exclaimed when she runs into Motoko. "You are okay?" Motoko asked crouching to help the child. "Nagisa! Don't run like that!" A familiar male voice called, Ranko and Motoko's ears perked when hearing that long unheard voice. "Ah…" Benji exclaimed seeing in who Nagisa ran into.
Nagisa stands up and runs to Benji holding on his leg. The Hinata girls look at him confused. "Benji-san?" Shinobu said looking at the tall man. "It is a really long story." Benji said, he was there to meet Ranko and the others, but since he didn't knew where exactly they were staying and Nagisa wanted to go to the festival Benji decided to kill time there until the morning. "Let's say that she is the reason that I was absent."
"Who is she?" Haruka asked seriously, she didn't liked of the idea of Benji who she had little information as well trust on appearing out of the nowhere with a young girl with him.
"She is our cousin." Benji answered. "I was in court this last week and a half, because her father was discovered a pedophile, then killed himself, as her closer adult relative I was named her guardian, but the process wasn't simple since I have changed names because my parents, so changing Nagisa's last name and everything else in the process took time."
Ranko looks troubled and looks from the girl to Benji, and then back to the girl. She did saw the news that Benji killed everyone in her family including the young heir named Nagisa. Haruka looks suspiciously at Benji. "I have all the paperwork back in my hotel if you want to check it." Benji said to Haruka. "I will." Haruka replied.
Nagisa looks at Haruka and then hold tighter on Benji's leg. "Haruka-san you are scaring her like that." Motoko said to the older woman. Haruka turned her nose and walks away from there.
"Well I knew that I wasn't on her good side." Benji commented seeing her walking away. "We will leave the three of you alone." Motoko said to Benji, while pushing the others away. Benji smiled knowing that he would have to make up to Motoko later. "And yes Ranko I didn't lied about her." Benji said turning to Ranko. "She is your cousin."
"Why?" Ranko asked in verge of tears. "I couldn't leave her alone after everything." Benji answered. "I mean why you haven't returned my calls?" Ranko said crying. Benji chuckled embarrassed. "It is a complex story." He replied. "Let's say that between two rushed days, catching up on sleep, dealing with Nagisa as well more things I forgot."
"You forgot?" Ranko asked surprised. "Benji I called you thousands of times!" "I know. Sorry." Benji said apologetically. "I thought that you have abandoned me!" Ranko hiccupped. "That you hated me!"
Benji pulls Ranko in a hug. "I don't hate you." Benji said. "I just had a complex week." "She told me to not bother you." Ranko cried. "That because of me you suffered serious injuries." "She who?" Benji asked confused. "That woman that you gave me the number to call on emergencies." Ranko answered.
"Well Eri altered the truth." Benji said. "I did get some nasty bruises, well few broken bones and sprained muscles added to damaged organs thanks to your hit, and all that after I was healed. Eri can get quite protective; she gets mad when I get hurt, especially when you hurt me since she knows that I will forgive without second thoughts. She did that out of spite, but there is a lesson there too you know."
"I know." Ranko sobbed holding on his shirt. "Not hurt a loved one." Benji nodded agreeing, later he would scold Eri but for now he would let it slide since now he was sure that Ranko wouldn't make that kind of stupid thing anymore. Nagisa patiently waits for Ranko to calm and Benji speak with her.
"Well then." Benji said after Ranko stopped crying. "Now let me introduce the two of you. Ranko this is Nagisa, your cousin, Nagisa this is Ranko." Ranko looks at the little girl with short raven hair wearing a cute yukata with firework designs on it, and Nagisa is looking at the taller girl with bright orange hair wearing a yukata with a moon design on it.
The two hug each other, Benji smiled and looked around knowing that the Hinata girls were nearby, he could smell them, and he also knew them well enough to know that they don't resist in peeking on other people's business.
Benji follows the group as they have fun and play on the stands, he wasn't there to play, but just to watch over Nagisa, let her play and have fun with Ranko, her only live relative. Benji isn't all that surprised in seeing Naru and Keitaro fighting in their own way.
"Why you are keeping this distance?" Motoko asked to Benji after moving closer of him. "I just don't feel like playing." Benji answered. Motoko nodded understanding, if she had killed as many as Benji killed in the past months she wouldn't be as light hearted as he normally is.
"I want to tell you something." Motoko said. "Don't over react about this, but Ranko told me the truth." Benji sighed at Motoko's words, a couple weeks earlier he would be surprised, but now, not much could surprise him. "So you hate us now?" Benji asked. "No." Motoko answered. "I understand you two a bit better now, but I just have one question."
Benji looks at Motoko, and she looks at him. "It was revenge?" Motoko asked seriously. "You did all that for revenge on the girl that betrayed your feelings? That is why you haven't fled the country and decided to strike back?"
"I can't deny that there was a hint of revenge on it." Benji answered sitting on a table with the girls' prizes from the shooting stand. "But most of the reason wasn't that. How we could live a life when we would always fear being hunted or killed by them? Always on the run, never trusting on anyone, not having friends."
Motoko remained in silence, she could understand his reasons. "And there is more." Benji added. "Nagisa isn't the only one who I saved that day. There is ten more, but unlike Nagisa, the others were submitted to experiences, and they would suffer and eventually die as test subjects, never having a chance of living a normal life. I knew that she would hunt us and others; use them on experiences and torture them, not only for me and Ranko, I had to end it all for the sake of the innocent."
"And what you will do now?" Motoko asked. "Return to your past life?" She feared that now without the organization hunting them Benji would leave. "No, I kind of got used to this name." Benji answered. "Besides it is just a name. I might as well continue using this one, I still haven't thought on what I want to do now, but for a while I will just move with the flow and see what happens."
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After hours in the festival Ranko finally found time to be alone with Benji, everyone else was sleeping in the hotel, tired of the busy day and night. "You want to know how it ended?" Benji asked to Ranko while looking at the clear sky.
Ranko nodded. "I wouldn't mind knowing that we aren't being hunted anymore." Ranko answered. "Considering everything I think that we aren't." Benji replied. "There isn't an organization anymore."
"So mother is…?" Ranko couldn't end the sentence. "Yes." Benji answered. "Sixty six bullets, plus a large bomb, them to be even more sure I blew a whole building on top of her, she is dead and buried under thousands of tons of debris, any deader than that is impossible. Same goes to Nabiki and Kasumi."
"I should be happy." Ranko said in a shaky voice. "I know that I really should be happy about that, but…" Benji smiled, he knew what Ranko is feeling. "It is okay." Benji said hugging Ranko. "Let it out, I know that it hurts."
Shaking Ranko holds on Benji and cries loudly, even if was just for a short while, just a little less than two years, Ranko had a loving mother and two girls that she considered sisters, who she cared and loved as such.
Without any reason, any warning or explanation those three wanted her dead, she buried all the hurt feelings deep down on her mind, not wanting to face them, confront whatever horrible truth that lied behind their reasons. Now she won't ever know why they did that, why they changed so much.
Benji continued to hold her, silently comforting her, he couldn't offer anything else to her, no answers, and no reasons for their actions, Benji didn't found any when investigating, he didn't bothered to ask before killing them, and later he was too worried with 'his' new surrogate daughters to worry about that. So all that he could do was let Ranko unwind, cry until she couldn't cry anymore, and perhaps then she would feel better.
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Ranko couldn't help on smiling at Nagisa as she play with Sarah, Kaola and Shinobu, Benji had left earlier to wrap up few things before they all returned to the pension in the next day. Ranko learned the details around Nagisa's presence there and felt really sorry for the girl.
Haruka also learned more about Nagisa from Benji, backed by the documents produced by Fuuka and the evidence collected by Rin from Nagisa it was more than enough to make Haruka accept the girl's new situation. Motoko was also informed by Ranko about Nagisa, while it fed her almost dead despise for males, now she knew that not all men were like that.
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Benji places his Enfield revolver on a metal case with rubber foam insert. "I didn't used you as much as I thought that I would." Benji said running his fingertips on the jet black barrel. "And Elder Cologne had lots of troubled having you made, for now rest there, I will take you out once and a while for cleaning, hopefully I won't have to fire you or any other gun anymore."
Benji closes the box and places inside an already filled chest along with several other weapons; knives, shurikens, guns, bombs and several others. Closing and locking the chest Benji places one of his jackets over it, then the jacket falls on the floor. "That was all that I had here." Benji said looking around. "Everything else is in the armory or in the hidden space; I hope that and I won't need them anymore and they will stay there."
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Ranko sighed annoyed. "I don't want to go back to school." She complained while eating breakfast with the other tenants, including Nagisa. "It isn't all that bad." Motoko replied. "Isn't your club supposed to get some new materials this new semester?"
Ranko nodded confirming. "Still I don't like studying." Ranko said. "It is boring." "You need to set an example to your cousin now." Motoko said seriously. "She is also starting on a new school today." Nagisa was happy in finally being able to go to school with all the other kids of her age.
"You know I get impressed in how quickly your brother manages in finding good schools and enroll you in." Keitaro commented. "He said that he had to ask few favors to get Nagisa on Yuzuhara elementary school." Ranko said. "And that Nagisa aced the entry test. She was supposedly to start on the third grade but he said that would better for her start in the first."
"I wonder what kind of favors he had to ask to do that." Naru mused suspiciously. "And where is he anyway?" "He left earlier today, he said that he had some important arrangements to take care off." Shinobu answered. "Since Yuzuhara school is near my school he asked me to take Nagisa-chan there." Nagisa nodded confirming Shinobu's words.
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"Aren't your class supposed to get a new homeroom teacher today since Shigure-sensei is on a leave?" Motoko asked to Ranko. "Yes." Ranko answered with a nod as they enter on the shoe locker. "I don't know what is worse, restarting school or a new and annoying teacher."
Motoko smiled sympathetically at the younger girl, they change their shoes and move to their classes. Ranko sighed on her seat, Tomomi and Riko looks at the orange haired girl and they chat until the bell announces the start of the homeroom. Toshiko Himuro enters in the classroom.
"As you know you will be getting a new homeroom teacher for the rest of the semester." Toshiko said to them in a formal tone. "Don't give him trouble." She gestures to someone at the door to enter. Benji enters in the classroom wearing a black suit with a dark red shirt and a black tie.
"I am Tachibana." Benji said to the girls with a smile. "Benji Tachibana, I will be your new homeroom and English teacher, nice meeting you girls." "WHAAAATTT!!!!!!!!!!" Ranko screamed in disbelieve.
End of the chapter eleven:
Author explanation corner:
Eleven chapters, over 164 pages, more than 100.000 words, not adding the thirteen chapters in the main story, depending of how you look aren't much but at a different point of view are many. 6434 hits and 21 reviews, not adding the favorites, alerts and C2. What started as a minor story became my second most read story, second only to my main Ranma one, beating even my personal favorite fics that I wrote.
A very impressive mark, in my opinion. I want to thank everyone who is reading and supporting this story, not only who is reviewing but to everyone who is also silently supporting just by reading and leaving your mark in the hit count. Thank you all for the support.
This chapter closes the first phase of the story, with the end of the threat of the organization the violence will lessen (I really hope so, at least for a while) for a while, I want to focus more in interpersonal development, maybe introducing new characters or reintroducing old ones.
Now with tons of things to do and manage, as well mix, season and stir…well they aren't spices but the rescued girls will be eventually meeting the Hinata cast, there is the whole curse thing to deal with, wolf Benji is supposed to be recovering from wounds, eventually someone would question about him.
All that and more to come in the next chapters; and now to the first batch of explanations.
Affair with Tsuruko: In the main story when in Kyoto Benji met a woman named Kaede from a ninjitsu dojo. Since I thought that would be interesting making Benji knowing Tsuruko I decided to make Kaede from a ninjitsu dojo being a fake name that Tsuruko used to have an affair, the last thing that someone would do is use the real name specially someone from a family as traditional as Motoko's and Tsuruko's.
In the manga it is said that Tsuruko is happily married and we only see her husband a couple of times in flashbacks. However in here I decided to 'spoil' the marriage, it was all roses in the beginning, newlyweds' happiness, but after the passion vanishes is when the marriage suffers the first hit.
As said in the story living together shows you a lot from the other person, anyone who shared a room with someone else (brother, sister, whoever) knows how it is, you see things that normally no one sees from the other, the other way around is also truth.
And that isn't all that good at times, sure as any other male (and some females) I would be more than glad in seeing a woman as pretty as Tsuruko changing in front of me, but there is more than just seeing the other naked or in underwear in living together, there is the whole toothpaste issue, toilet seat, dirty clothes, and the list goes on.
There is also the different 'habits' that everyone have, I am sure that everyone here have one or more things that you do in your daily life that would or makes a house/room mate angry.
Tsuruko isn't the kind of woman who would let things slide or mistakes to happen more than few times (if that many), she would talk to her husband about what bothers her, him liking it or not, and let's admit there is things that we do that we don't want to change or that even stopping for a while we do it again later, that would lead to discussions and arguments (I am trusting that she wouldn't use her sword recklessly on him, she must have at least that little common sense).
Based in information gathered from magazines (I have two aunts, one mother, one grandmother, two cousins and one half sister, so there is plenty women's magazines lying around, specially in the bathroom, you tend to read them when you aren't in the mood for manga) it is a common mistake between married couples stopping to 'invest' on each other.
That means going that little extra far to surprise, please, show affection, look good for the partner, keeping the partner interested, after all they are past beyond the 'courting' phase, no more need to keep showing off. And based on studies that are wrong, I won't get in more details, but makes things fall in the routine and boredom, bad things to a marriage since makes the partner lose interest.
Adding to hurtful words, lack of interest in more than one 'area' of the marriage, the small annoying things that even by request aren't removed from the daily life, tends to break a marriage. Certain couples go see a therapist, others pretend that nothing happen (sometimes both sides go find lovers to find what they don't find in 'home', then they pretend that everything is fine), there are others possible things but I won't list all.
Anyway tired of how things was back home Tsuruko decided to get a lover, but that is dishonorable so she needed to hide her identity, a change to a set of clothes that she doesn't normally uses, different hairstyle, leaving the sword home (both Motoko and Tsuruko never are seen without the sword, even when it happens normally the sword is hidden in their clothes, don't ask me how), lastly making up a fake name (Tsuruko hates lie so no one thinks that she would lie).
Benji was lucky in meeting Tsuruko, more details will maybe told later in the story (and remember when Benji first visited Kyoto in the story he didn't knew that the Aoyama family existed there, so when he saw Tsuruko as Kaede he thought that was just a look alike, at least on this version of the story).
Tsuruko after the first time with Benji and his departure would then stop and think about what she has done. Let's not forget that she is married and sworn an oath to her husband (both religiously and by law), so she broke her word, lied to Benji and later her husband, and kept things in secret, so she wouldn't just go around and try finding a new lover.
She would feel guilty about doing that even after everything, she would be conscious of herself, not to mention that when you keep that kind of secret you tend to get quite jumpy and fear that everyone knows that you did and are judging you.
Tsuruko agreeing in becoming Benji's ally: Based on her past as a demon slayer (mentioned in the manga and anime but never show), her knowledge about the Shinmei-ryu, magic (her bird is a shikigami), and her prior relation with Benji, she would believe in his words based in the level of detail on them (of the workings of magic i.e: curse, and about the project girls). She knows that if he had second intentions he wouldn't give that many details (more were given 'off screen'), and he wouldn't say that he wouldn't use their relation on his advantage.
Ranko: I know that her scenes were quite short and mostly focused on Benji, but let's remember that she has that whole hitting issue left unresolved, is a serious issued and not the kind that you can easily forget about it.
Nagisa: She will be better explored in the next chapters, anyway I needed to make a good reason to Benji appear with a six years old girl with him in the beach, Haruka is already wary of Benji and Ranko so I knew that I have to make it good, so the idea of using what really happened to Nagisa as reason would make Haruka accept the whole thing.
Of course there is still plenty of stuff that she doesn't buy from them, but let's admit that even Haruka would let her maternal side surface when facing the fact that a little girl was raped by her father; and that would make her more open to accept her around.
And since I needed more 'uses' for Fuuka I decided to make her able to forge and create documents better and faster than Benji, she is bound to know more thanks to her background, she is currently doing the same with the other girls, I am still thinking in good excuses for Sachiko and Miki, explaining two 'natural' cat girls isn't exactly easy.
Sure if they were teens we could 'make' them be cosplayers who always keep the costume on (tails and ears), the color problem can be explained by a case of Daltonism or color blindness.
Yuzuhara elementary school: I made up the school since I have no knowledge of elementary schools in Japan; I mean names, address and things like that. To anyone who didn't connected the pieces yet it was Toshiko who indicated the school and pulled the strings for Benji, let's admit there is limits to what Benji can do to bureaucratically, also add the fact of Toshiko is more familiar with the school system than he is, what she wanted for setting the test and getting Nagisa on the school? Benji working for her until the other teacher comes back, as well few other small things to be named later (not hentai to those thinking that, not everything works that way).
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Benji clamped his mouth with his hands as hard as he could; his shoulders shaking violently, tears squeeze themselves between his shut eyelids. Eri giggled, then started to chuckle until she couldn't hold it any longer and started to laugh. "Stop laughing!" Fuuka shouted at them.
"I can't take it anymore!" Benji screamed finally giving up and laughing hard at the sight, he falls on his knees and holds his chest. "This isn't funny!" Fuuka shouted. "This isn't funny at all!" "My diaphragm!" Benji exclaimed while laughing so hard that he was crying.
"Sorry Fuuka but is too funny!" Eri said laughing, she also couldn't stop. Fuuka's face get even redder with both shame and anger, she was wearing a stereotyped uniform for kindergarten teacher, it was a rather simple long sleeved pink top, a light red skirt that covers her legs until the middle of her shins, brown leather shoes and a simple green apron.
Of course to add to the image Eri tied Fuuka's short hair with two band making twin tails on her hair; it wasn't more than few inches long but added to everything just made the normally serious mage look even funnier in a cute way when compared to her usual choices of clothes.
"God I haven't laughed this hard in years." Benji said out of breath and sited on the floor. "I can't even remember the last time; I thought that I was going to die." "Same here." Eri replied panting and wiping her tears away, she didn't care that it ruined her make up, the laughter makes up for the trouble of fixing it.
In a rather childish way Fuuka puffs her cheeks angrily. Benji holds his tongue between his teeth to hold his laughter at the new development; Eri didn't even bother in holding and just laughed. Fuuka turns around embarrassed. "Now I got a new reason to keep you around." Benji commented standing up.
"Now I am a fool and not only a babysitter, source of magic items, sex toy, driver, scratching post…" Benji frowned and interrupts the listing. "Scratching post? I don't use you like that." "I do." Eri said. "But I don't mean as a cat sharpening the claws, but her skin is so nice to scratch and she reacts so cutely."
"In the end I am just a plaything." Fuuka sighed sadly. "Come on Fuuka it isn't like that." Benji said. "Excuse me? That coming from the guy to broke ten of my ribs, shattered my sternum, kept me prisoner, tortured me, made me kill everyone who I worked with…" Fuuka interrupted him.
"Who you told us that gang raped you for six weeks and called of anti-interrogation training drill." Eri pointed out. Benji nodded agreeing. "I can't deny that we started with the wrong foot." Benji said. "But we grew to like you, or you think that we tease you just for fun?"
"We do tease her for fun." Eri pointed out. "But yes she is cute and fun to tease because she is so serious all the time; you need to learn to relax more Fuuka. Sure we tease you a lot, but we do that because you are cute and get all skittish when embarrassed, you get even cuter like that. If we didn't like or cared about you, you think that we would give you as much freedom and liberties as we do?"
"And that is supposed to make me feel better?!" Fuuka exclaimed. "You are just angry because we made you wear a dress." Benji said with a grin, Fuuka was trying too hard pushing things on already solved issues. Benji knew that he hitted the sore spot because how Fuuka gasped and tensed.
"That is not it!" Fuuka exclaimed getting even redder. "Let's admit Fuuka, they suit you well." Benji said lightly poking Fuuka's hips with his index finger. "Not that you look bad with a suit, but you look more feminine like this, you should let yourself be more a woman than a soldier."
"Ugh…" Fuuka groaned as Benji keeps hitting the right spots. "Now while I love seeing Fuuka-chan squirming and blushing we have more pressing issues to deal with." Eri said clapping her hands. "I have to start studying to get back in college, and which college I am going to try for?"
"Up to you as long is in Tokyo." Benji replied. "But isn't kind of early to that?" "College entrances exams here are very hard and competitive." Eri answered. "And I am out of college for nineteen years, so I have a lot of catching up to do." Benji nodded understanding.
"Well Fuuka will watch the kids for a while, until they catch up with the studies and can get on real schools." Benji said. "I will deal with other problems." Fuuka sighed annoyed, isn't like that she didn't liked kids, she liked them as long she didn't had to take care of them, and now she have ten genetically engineered girls falling on her lap.
"But I will see if I can get more members to our group." Benji added. "I kind of like of the size of the pack right now." Eri commented, sure Fuuka wasn't a werewolf but as far Eri cared she was part of the pack too, and they just got ten cute cubs. "I don't mind either but we have to admit that we have lots of stuff to do and I am not always around." Benji said. "And we already overload Fuuka a lot."
With that Fuuka had to agree, sure she liked working and researching but the crazy hours were killing her, now with ten kids to watch would be even harder to meet Benji's expectations on the charms. "Anyway first I need to deal with certain things so I will find a nice and deserted mountain and stay there for a week or two." Benji added. "Eri is in charge, but Fuuka you are in charge of the kids, make sure that they eat right, sleep on time, bath and do all those stuff that kids are supposed to do."
"Hai." Fuuka answered not so pleased with her tasks, sure Benji lessened her workload to just making documents for the kids, watching the kids and working on magic charms, but she knew better than trusting that it would be less work for her, but in the bright side it wasn't her who would have to cram the hell up to get back in medical school.
"And Fuuka while I believe in corporal punishment in low level for kids when they misbehave, don't go overboard." Benji said seriously. "Few swats in the butt, or a handful of lashes with a belt in the butt or in the back of the thighs, there is a sizable different between disciplining and abuse. Don't cross it."
Fuuka nodded seriously, she could tell from Benji's expression that she wouldn't like of what she would get if she did, but she also knew the difference between disciplining and child abuse.
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"So how do I look?" Eri winked to Benji and posed with a smile. "You get a kick out of doing this to me don't you?" Benji asked while pinching the bridge of his nose. Eri chuckled while stretching her arms and legs, showing off her long, shapely and naturally tanned legs and puffing up her chest emphasizing her large breasts and cleavage barely and tightly contained by her small swimsuit.
"Come on master how do I look on it?" She pleased. "Really good." Benji answered, he wasn't lying, Eri was the kind of woman who could look good wearing anything, but she filled out the ice white one piece swimsuit that was made of what Benji guessed one long ribbon of fabric, and was styled that most of the fabric was covering the small of her back.
Then Benji recalled one sentence, one particular situation that fit that moment as a glove. "I really feel like blowing something up right now." Benji said, now he could understand what Fox Mulder felt on that particular episode of X-files that he couldn't recall the name.
"And why you are here?" Benji asked to Eri, he was in the beach where the Hinata beach tea house is located, well far from the tea house and the Hinata tenants and Nagisa. "Since you came to the beach I thought in enjoy a day off before start cramming." Eri answered with a smile. "So I left Fuuka alone with the kids."
'By the way that she spoke almost sounds like we are married and have children.' Benji thought idly, while slight annoyed at the surprise, he couldn't deny to Eri a last day of fun before starting catching up with her studies, besides she was too much of a nice view to be fully annoyed.
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Motoko walks to Ranko, who is looking at the beach from the inn veranda. "So how it feels now that everything is over?" Motoko asked when sure that they are alone there. "Not so sure Motoko." Ranko answered. "I know that I should be happy, but at the same time sad, but I only feel sad and confused."
"It is quite understandable in the circumstances." Motoko commented. "Benji said something like that too." Ranko replied. "I don't know what to think or do now Motoko, I mean compared to my old life, this life is almost like a paradise. I have real friends, not only on you but on Riko and Tomomi, I don't have crazy rivals trying to beat or kill me, and if I forget all about the hunt my biggest worry is how I will finish my summer homework. It is a totally different life from before, but I had to give up on certain things to stay like this."
"Give up on what?" Motoko asked. "I mean other than your family, friends and home." "My identity." Ranko answered. "My past self, my self before I met Benji, before he helped me, before I learned to think before acting, to consider other's feelings when I say something, my pride, my honor." 'My manhood…' Ranko added to herself.
"Pride and honor are important." Motoko commented. "I value that a lot too, but lately I wonder if they are as important as I think they are. I saw not even the tip of the iceberg of the hunt on you two, but looking back on those men who attacked the pension, the people that got killed in that night, what they did to innocent children, where is the honor? Where is the pride? Yes honor is important, look at Benji, some would call his methods dishonorable, but isn't he doing an honorable thing not only thinking on his and yours safety but in the safety of countless others who would suffer from the hunt? As much I hate to say and think on this, not everything is black and white, right or wrong, good or evil."
Motoko takes a deep breath. "This whole issue is confusing; I am torn between thinking if Benji is good or bad." Motoko said seriously. "He fooled god knows how many people, did all that, that what we saw him doing and more, but at the same time he saved people, punished bad people. Where is the line? Where is the clear division between right and wrong?"
"It is relative." Ranko said. "Benji once told me that right and wrong, hero and villain, it is all up the point of view, on his words, if you have a lettuce field that you and your family tend with loving care, then you find ants destroying the lettuces, you know that if you leave it alone you will lose the whole plantation, so you get a shovel or a can of poison and kill the ants, destroy the nest, you go back home pleased with yourself, in a way a hero that killed the horrible ants that would wreck your and your family's efforts, now let's look at the ants' side of the picture."
Ranko makes a small pause. "For them you are a monster, like Godzilla or any giant monster that we see wrecking Tokyo or whatever city in live action shows, you killed thousands, destroyed the city that they worked so hard to build, and wiped out their civilization without a clear motive." Ranko continued.
Motoko listens in silence and nod understanding. "I can see where you are getting at." Motoko said. "There is a bit more." Ranko replied. "I don't remember the name of the character or the anime, but she is a princess who is selfish, loves to fight, ill-mannered and with other features that we would see in a villain and is part of an alien race who is invading Earth, but when she meets a certain Japanese guy, falls in love for him and then start to fight to defend Earth from her own race where she is princess, just because that guy, you see she was still as much selfish, ill-mannered, and 'villain' build as before, and the two races are native from Earth, the 'alien' race is an older race who left Earth to explore the space and when they finally returned human race was there, in both sides believe that they are right and the other are the invaders, but since she is now fighting in the humanity side she is now in the 'right' side she is a hero right?"
Motoko thinks in silence about the mentioned scenario, and concluded as Ranko said, that nothing on the alien princess changed other than her alliances and she was as bad as she was before, the only difference is that she fights for the humans for her own selfish motives.
'A hero can use the same weapons than a villain and still be called hero?' Motoko thought. 'Just because she changed sides, she is now a hero? And who are right? The older race that left Earth to go to space or the mankind who evolved later and are still bound to Earth? Now I can clearly see what Ranko means, both sides think that they are right and the other are the invaders, the villains, so they have no reservations in using lethal force. So for Ranko and me Benji might be a hero, but for others he is just a murderer.'
"It is indeed a complex thing Ranko." Motoko finally said. "But you know, that is philosophy, I can understand what you mean with that example and words, it is hard to find honor when looking at things with that light, however even if Benji can use the same kind of 'tools' as the enemy, isn't the fact that he doesn't make him honorable?"
"What?" Ranko asked confused. "Let's put things on this light, Koi, let's pretend that is the leader of the organization since I don't know her name, Koi uses torture, blackmail, hostages and assassins to gain power." Motoko replied. "Benji can use the very same tools, and we both know that Benji used three of those four mentioned methods, he didn't use hostages, meaning, he didn't get an innocent someone who was important to someone in the organization and threatened that person to make the person in the organization do what he wants. By voluntary deciding to not use all the methods of a villain doesn't make him honorable in a way?"
"I guess that it does." Ranko commented. "I don't really have enough intelligence for that kind of complex line of thoughts." "You are pretty smart; you just don't work your brain as well as you do with your body." Motoko replied. "My last argument of this whole hero and villain subject is very simple."
"And it is?" Ranko asked looking at Motoko. "Nagisa." Motoko answered. "No villain would care about her well being, there are also others under his wing that we still don't know so that makes clear in which side he is, even when his methods make the line blurred."
"You do have a point there." Ranko commented. "I just wonder how things will be from now on. Not only about Benji and his actions, but what we will do with our lives. I don't know what I want to do." Motoko smiled to the other girl. "Well Ranko, at least now you have plenty of time to think about that carefully." Motoko said.
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Author explanation corner part 2:
Comment over Eri's swimsuit: Fox Mulder's line in the seventh season episode named First Person Shooter, since originally I saw that episode in Portuguese the sentence isn't the same that he says in the original English version, but an adaptation of the Portuguese one, 'Agora eu realmente sinto vontade de explodir alguma coisa.', the original English sentence is 'I am feeling the great need to blast the crap out of something.', I did remove the part that is focused to Scully since I am only using the second part of the sentence.
The essence is the same in both cases, raging testosterone. I got the original line by downloading the episode from the internet, but Benji in the story only knows the line in Portuguese, and don't recall the name of the episode.
Ranko's conversation with Motoko: Learning that nearly her entire family was killed, she has a cousin that was raped in the tender age of six, and that going back to the old way of life isn't advisable tends to have that effect on people, well we should also add the fact that the person who killed her entire family is someone who she deeply cares for.
So yes Ranko is very, very confused and disturbed with everything that is happening, who wouldn't be on her place, and let's recall that Benji is swinging between kill frenzy and peace seeking, and the struggle between animal instinct and human rationality, hard things to balance, so yes he is also affected by plenty of stuff too.
Back to Ranko, Motoko is the only one that can offer some advice to Ranko when not counting Benji, who is quite absent recently, but as we saw in the end of the main chapter is about to change, Ranko needs time to digest everything that is happening around her, talk to someone and unwind.
Motoko is the only person who she can trust a great deal of her problems, Riko and Tomomi are good friends but telling them everything so soon isn't wise and Ranko is smart enough to know that, no one in the pension is reliable enough with a secret other than Motoko, and lastly Ranko and Motoko's relation got much closer in the last chapters.
Motoko doesn't read comics, I am quite sure that she doesn't read manga, at least not the kind that girls of her age would (I am quite sure that she would have the entire collection of Lone Wolf and Cub in her room), so she isn't familiar with anti-heroes, Ranko also isn't familiar with them either, both are in their own ways too tied up with honor to fully understand everything, so the concept is quite foreign to them.
