Chapter 34

Her head was pounding as she made each step towards home. She kept a hand above her head to stop the morning sun from getting in her eyes. Oh my head she thought to herself as she walked along. Whatever that panda spiked the punch with, it was strong.

With it being her native tongue, Xian Pu rarely ever thought in any other language than mandarin (unless of course she was thinking about how to pronounce certain Japanese sentences). She never really spoke much Chinese anymore. Not even to her great grandmother. Mu Tsu would sometimes sing to himself in Chinese and she would listen to him and admire his voice. (Not directly of course, she didn't want him to know about her feelings towards him.)

As she thought about last night she remembered what had happened between her and Kho Lon and how humiliated she felt after finding out she was being lied to. How could she do that to Ranma? She thought to herself. How could she even have done that to me? Her own family?

When she arrived home, Xian Pu was surprised to find the Nekohanten closed. This isn't like great grandmother she thought to herself as she took out her key and let herself in.

Inside the restaurant was dark and silent. The chairs were still stacked on top of the tables from when they closed last night. The only thing that was different was the envelope on the counter. Picking up the envelope Xian Pu noticed that it was addressed to her. This is great grandmother's handwriting she thought as she opened it and began to read the letter inside.

Dear Xian Pu,

I'm sorry. What happened last night can never be undone. Though you may never forgive me, I hope that you will understand my actions as I explain them.

When you returned to us after failing to kill Ranma, I was ashamed of you. The champion of our tribe defeated by an outsider and then refusing to take her vengeance. Such a thing could never be forgiven. But when I found out that this Ranma was a man, I saw the chance to redeem you and our family. And then you became cursed. And an opportunity presented itself.

I knew that finding a cure would be your one priority and that you would forget about marrying Ranma. But it just so happened that a cure was also on his mind as well. So I led him to believe that a cure was obtainable. That way he would be like putty in our hands. But in order to maintain this advantage, I was forced to hide the truth from you as well. If you knew there wasn't a cure then there lay the possibility of Ranma finding out too and he would be completely lost to us. I simply couldn't allow this. So I lied. I lied to him, I lied to Mu Tsu but most importantly, I lied to you. And for that, I am truly ashamed of myself.

Please understand that what I did was for your own good. As is what I'm about to do now. As matriarch of the Amazon tribe, I Kho Lon hereby nullify the marriage agreement between you and Ranma Saotome and also declare that no other Amazon woman shall come after you in order to seek justice against you. To insure this, I am returning home to our village in china and I intend to stay. I leave the restaurant in your more than capable hands.

Now that you are a free woman, I ask that you find someone who makes you as happy as I always wanted you to be.

Your ever loving great grandmother.

PS. Don't forget to let Mu Tsu out of his cage in the kitchen. He's a good boy really and he cares about you a lot.

Xian Pu wiped the tears from her eyes as she put the letter down. "Thank you great grandmother." she said as she heard the sound of a duck rattling his cage in the kitchen. She then went into the kitchen to let Mu Tsu out.

Flapping his long white wings frantically Mu Tsu shot out of his cage in search of hot water. "Mu Tsu hold still." Xian Pu said as she filled a bucket of hot water and dumped it over the white duck, changing him into a tall black haired (and naked) young man.

"Xian Pu!" Mu Tsu said covering himself with one of the pan lids. "What are you doing here? Where's your grandmother?"

Xian Pu sat up on the bench and tried not to look at the pan lid. "She's gone home." she said "She's gone for good."

Mu Tsu stumbled about the kitchen and tried to grasp his bearings. "I can't find my glasses." he said feeling his way around "Or my clothes."

"Xian Pu has glasses Mu Tsu." Xian Pu said handing the large pair of spectacles to him and started looking around for his clothes. "Can't find clothes anywhere. Wait here Xian Pu be right back." She then slipped out of the kitchen and darted towards Mu Tsu's room and found his clothes neatly piled on top of his bed with a note placed on them.

Remember what I said

At that moment Xian Pu realised that Kho Lon had moved Mu Tsu's clothes last night so that when Xian Pu came home she could see him naked. Smiling Xian Pu left the clothes where they were and went back to the kitchen empty handed.

"Xian Pu can't find any of Mu Tsu's clothes anywhere." she said pretending to look innocent as she entered.

"Oh no!" Mu Tsu said panicking "What are we gonna do?"

"Xian Pu have idea." she said as she opened up her dress and let it fall to the floor along with her bra and panties. "Xian Pu have very good idea."