Chapter 12
"It's all in the gene's"
"Tell me about your family, Ryoga." Asked the doctor. He exerted his abilities to calm Ryoga. "When did this condition first appear?"
Ryoga nodded. "My grandmother was the first to have it." Said Ryoga. "Though it wasn't as bad with her as it was for me or my parents." Ryoga shook his head. "She'd usually just get lost for an hour or two." Ryoga smiled grimly. "Gram's first husband wouldn't believe her and divorced her right after Dad was born."
"He thought she was cheating on him?"
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah." Ryoga sighed. "She married Gramps a year later and Mom was born a year after that." Ryoga sighed again. "Dad used to tell me that Gram's would never leave them alone for a minute and they were able to have an almost normal childhood."
"Go on."
"Gramps and Grams died in a car accident when Dad what seventeen and mom was fourteen." Tears began to fall from Ryoga's eyes. "After that they had only each other to depend on."
"I see."
"I was born a couple years later." Said Ryoga shortly. "Why?" Moaned Ryoga. "Why'd they have to do that?"
Dr. Epstein calmed Ryoga down. "Ryoga, listen to me". Said the doctor quietly "You are not responsible for your parents actions." The doctor ran his hands through his thinning hair. "But you really must tell Akari."
"No!" Ryoga shouted. "She'll leave me." A surge of depression started to build inside Ryoga. The doctor frantically pressed it back down. The entire room started to shake as Ryoga began to glow a sickly greenish yellow. The doctor grit his teeth as he clamped down harder on Ryoga's mind. The shaking increased and cracks began to appear in the ceiling. Dust started to drift down in increasingly thicker waves.
"Ryoga!" Screamed a voice. It was Akari. Her presence registering only faintly to Ryoga, but it was enough for the doctor. Ryoga collapsed. Dr. Epstein keeled over sideways falling to the floor. The doctor drew a long shuddering breath and dragged himself back to a sitting position and tried to still his racing heart. Once he was able he calm himself he looked over to Ryoga only to see Akari glaring at him.
"What did you do to him?" She demanded angrily.
"I stopped him from killing himself." Replied the doctor grimly. 'And probably half the county.' He thought. The power that had started to erupt from Ryoga was incredible.
"Kill himself?" Akari responded in a shocked voice. "Why would Ryoga want to kill himself?"
Dr. Epstein clasped his hands in front of him and placed them on the table. "What do you know about Ryoga's family?" Asked the doctor.
Akari frowned. "Not really a lot." She admitted. "Ryoga doesn't like to talk about them too much." She chewed her lip for a moment. "It's as if he is ashamed of them."
The doctor nodded. "Miss Unryuu, Ryoga needs someone to care for him, really care for him, regardless of anything his family may have done." He said seriously.
"What his family may have done?" Asked Akari. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"How did you breed such huge pigs?' Asked the doctor instead.
"What does that have to do with Ryoga?" Demanded Akari impatiently.
"Humor me." Replied the doctor.
"Well if you must know it was an accident." Replied Akari. "My family have been pig farmers for generations. The pig that led to Katsunishiki was a sport." She leaned forward to stare at the doctor. "My grandfather first began breeding the sumo pig line over 20 years ago."
"And how did he do that?" Asked the doctor. "I know a little about biology and it's unlikely that the trait is dominant."
Akari nodded. "It isn't." She replied slowly still staring at the doctor. "It took my grandfather nearly ten years of selective inbreeding before he ended up with a large enough breeding population."
"Selective inbreeding?"
Akari nodded. "Mating closely related offspring to each other. In order to breed for a specific trait." She frowned at the doctor. "I'll ask you again. What does this have to do with Ryoga?"
"Both my parents have the same sense of direction I do." Replied Ryoga weakly. He struggled to sit up.
"Both?' Asked a startled Akari. "But that would mean." She trailed off. Suddenly Akari wrapped her arms around Ryoga. "Oh my poor Ryoga." She said.
"You're not upset?" Said Ryoga in shock.
"Upset?" Replied Akari tartly. "Of course I'm upset." She hugged Ryoga tighter. "It's not your fault." She said soothingly.
"You're not going to leave me?" Asked Ryoga in a whisper.
By answer Akari kissed Ryoga fully on the lips. "Never." She said to a dazed Ryoga. "Is that why you wouldn't tell me?" She asked when she broke the kiss.
Ryoga nodded.
"Well I guess I can understand that." She replied quietly. She shook her head. "I don't care who your parents are." She said her voice became more forceful. "I don't care that you become a pig." She said. She smiled. "In fact I think it just proves we belong together."
Ryoga smiled back tentatively. "You think so?" He asked. "How about my getting lost?"
Akari humphed. "Now THAT I don't like." She turned to the doctor. "Isn't there anything we can do about Ryoga's sense of direction?"
The doctor scratched his beard. "Well it's not really my field." He said. "In fact I've never heard of anything like it." He continued to scratch his beard in thought. "Since it's apparently inherited, it's genetic in nature. But whether it is treatable or not is dependant on exactly what the problem is." The doctor shook his head. "I'll look around for a specialist. In the meantime try to stay close to Akari." He said the last to Ryoga.
Akari looped her arms through one of Ryoga's massive arms. "Don't worry about that, Ryoga isn't going anywhere."
"If Ryoga does wander off, call me." Said the doctor to Akari. "I should be able to find him."
"You can?" Asked Ryoga. "How?"
"It's a gift." Replied the doctor. "Now I really should be going." He got up. Akari and Ryoga rose with him and walked him to the door.
"Thank you for coming doctor." Said Akari.
"Not a problem." Replied the doctor. "Besides I'm sure the two of you have some things you would like to discuss with each other. "The doctor chuckled. "If on the off chance you find you need company, I would suggest you invite Ranma, Akane and Ukyo for a visit."
"Do you think they would come?" Asked Akari. "I know Akane said she and Ryoga have settled their differences." She hugged Ryoga's arm tighter. "But." She trailed off. The doctor just smiled.
They escorted the doctor to his motorcycle and a few minutes later the sound of the engine began to fade into the distance. When they could no longer hear the motorcycle Akari led Ryoga into the house.
"You know, I would kinda like to see Ranma." Said Ryoga. "I want to show him the dojo I'm building." He chuckled. "Besides I need someone to spar with."
"Not Akane?" Asked Akari.
Ryoga put his arm around Akari's waist. "I wouldn't mind seeing her either." He replied. "As a friend." He pulled Akari closer. "She's my past, Akari." He said. "You're my future."
Akari snuggled closer to Ryoga.
End Chapter 12
Authors Notes: Okay, I figured it was about time something nice happened to Ryoga. One session with the doctor isn't going to solve all of his problems but at least now he knows Akari cares. And yes, the doctor was making some adjustments to both Ryoga and Akari.
Incest is, rightly, the ultimate taboo among humankind. Not because of any moral reasons, and not even for ethical reasons, but for biological reasons.
Ryoga is lucky he wasn't born severely handicapped, well he is if you consider his ability to get lost in a room with one door, but considering the potential for all sorts of genetic diseases, he got off lightly. As it is, he and Akari will need to be cautious when having children. Something they and the doctor will need to discuss.
At a later date.
I just came back from a two-week visit to Senegal. I wouldn't call it a vacation, my wife called it a cultural odyssey. We stayed in a housing development in the outskirts of Dakar. We take a lot for granted in this country. Good roads, refrigeration, running water just to name a few.
They don't have much but they do have each other. People visit in Senegal. Family and friends are extremely important. They share what they have. They don't have much yet I found myself envying their sense of community and belonging.
Happy Holidays everyone.
Sarge
"It's all in the gene's"
"Tell me about your family, Ryoga." Asked the doctor. He exerted his abilities to calm Ryoga. "When did this condition first appear?"
Ryoga nodded. "My grandmother was the first to have it." Said Ryoga. "Though it wasn't as bad with her as it was for me or my parents." Ryoga shook his head. "She'd usually just get lost for an hour or two." Ryoga smiled grimly. "Gram's first husband wouldn't believe her and divorced her right after Dad was born."
"He thought she was cheating on him?"
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah." Ryoga sighed. "She married Gramps a year later and Mom was born a year after that." Ryoga sighed again. "Dad used to tell me that Gram's would never leave them alone for a minute and they were able to have an almost normal childhood."
"Go on."
"Gramps and Grams died in a car accident when Dad what seventeen and mom was fourteen." Tears began to fall from Ryoga's eyes. "After that they had only each other to depend on."
"I see."
"I was born a couple years later." Said Ryoga shortly. "Why?" Moaned Ryoga. "Why'd they have to do that?"
Dr. Epstein calmed Ryoga down. "Ryoga, listen to me". Said the doctor quietly "You are not responsible for your parents actions." The doctor ran his hands through his thinning hair. "But you really must tell Akari."
"No!" Ryoga shouted. "She'll leave me." A surge of depression started to build inside Ryoga. The doctor frantically pressed it back down. The entire room started to shake as Ryoga began to glow a sickly greenish yellow. The doctor grit his teeth as he clamped down harder on Ryoga's mind. The shaking increased and cracks began to appear in the ceiling. Dust started to drift down in increasingly thicker waves.
"Ryoga!" Screamed a voice. It was Akari. Her presence registering only faintly to Ryoga, but it was enough for the doctor. Ryoga collapsed. Dr. Epstein keeled over sideways falling to the floor. The doctor drew a long shuddering breath and dragged himself back to a sitting position and tried to still his racing heart. Once he was able he calm himself he looked over to Ryoga only to see Akari glaring at him.
"What did you do to him?" She demanded angrily.
"I stopped him from killing himself." Replied the doctor grimly. 'And probably half the county.' He thought. The power that had started to erupt from Ryoga was incredible.
"Kill himself?" Akari responded in a shocked voice. "Why would Ryoga want to kill himself?"
Dr. Epstein clasped his hands in front of him and placed them on the table. "What do you know about Ryoga's family?" Asked the doctor.
Akari frowned. "Not really a lot." She admitted. "Ryoga doesn't like to talk about them too much." She chewed her lip for a moment. "It's as if he is ashamed of them."
The doctor nodded. "Miss Unryuu, Ryoga needs someone to care for him, really care for him, regardless of anything his family may have done." He said seriously.
"What his family may have done?" Asked Akari. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"How did you breed such huge pigs?' Asked the doctor instead.
"What does that have to do with Ryoga?" Demanded Akari impatiently.
"Humor me." Replied the doctor.
"Well if you must know it was an accident." Replied Akari. "My family have been pig farmers for generations. The pig that led to Katsunishiki was a sport." She leaned forward to stare at the doctor. "My grandfather first began breeding the sumo pig line over 20 years ago."
"And how did he do that?" Asked the doctor. "I know a little about biology and it's unlikely that the trait is dominant."
Akari nodded. "It isn't." She replied slowly still staring at the doctor. "It took my grandfather nearly ten years of selective inbreeding before he ended up with a large enough breeding population."
"Selective inbreeding?"
Akari nodded. "Mating closely related offspring to each other. In order to breed for a specific trait." She frowned at the doctor. "I'll ask you again. What does this have to do with Ryoga?"
"Both my parents have the same sense of direction I do." Replied Ryoga weakly. He struggled to sit up.
"Both?' Asked a startled Akari. "But that would mean." She trailed off. Suddenly Akari wrapped her arms around Ryoga. "Oh my poor Ryoga." She said.
"You're not upset?" Said Ryoga in shock.
"Upset?" Replied Akari tartly. "Of course I'm upset." She hugged Ryoga tighter. "It's not your fault." She said soothingly.
"You're not going to leave me?" Asked Ryoga in a whisper.
By answer Akari kissed Ryoga fully on the lips. "Never." She said to a dazed Ryoga. "Is that why you wouldn't tell me?" She asked when she broke the kiss.
Ryoga nodded.
"Well I guess I can understand that." She replied quietly. She shook her head. "I don't care who your parents are." She said her voice became more forceful. "I don't care that you become a pig." She said. She smiled. "In fact I think it just proves we belong together."
Ryoga smiled back tentatively. "You think so?" He asked. "How about my getting lost?"
Akari humphed. "Now THAT I don't like." She turned to the doctor. "Isn't there anything we can do about Ryoga's sense of direction?"
The doctor scratched his beard. "Well it's not really my field." He said. "In fact I've never heard of anything like it." He continued to scratch his beard in thought. "Since it's apparently inherited, it's genetic in nature. But whether it is treatable or not is dependant on exactly what the problem is." The doctor shook his head. "I'll look around for a specialist. In the meantime try to stay close to Akari." He said the last to Ryoga.
Akari looped her arms through one of Ryoga's massive arms. "Don't worry about that, Ryoga isn't going anywhere."
"If Ryoga does wander off, call me." Said the doctor to Akari. "I should be able to find him."
"You can?" Asked Ryoga. "How?"
"It's a gift." Replied the doctor. "Now I really should be going." He got up. Akari and Ryoga rose with him and walked him to the door.
"Thank you for coming doctor." Said Akari.
"Not a problem." Replied the doctor. "Besides I'm sure the two of you have some things you would like to discuss with each other. "The doctor chuckled. "If on the off chance you find you need company, I would suggest you invite Ranma, Akane and Ukyo for a visit."
"Do you think they would come?" Asked Akari. "I know Akane said she and Ryoga have settled their differences." She hugged Ryoga's arm tighter. "But." She trailed off. The doctor just smiled.
They escorted the doctor to his motorcycle and a few minutes later the sound of the engine began to fade into the distance. When they could no longer hear the motorcycle Akari led Ryoga into the house.
"You know, I would kinda like to see Ranma." Said Ryoga. "I want to show him the dojo I'm building." He chuckled. "Besides I need someone to spar with."
"Not Akane?" Asked Akari.
Ryoga put his arm around Akari's waist. "I wouldn't mind seeing her either." He replied. "As a friend." He pulled Akari closer. "She's my past, Akari." He said. "You're my future."
Akari snuggled closer to Ryoga.
End Chapter 12
Authors Notes: Okay, I figured it was about time something nice happened to Ryoga. One session with the doctor isn't going to solve all of his problems but at least now he knows Akari cares. And yes, the doctor was making some adjustments to both Ryoga and Akari.
Incest is, rightly, the ultimate taboo among humankind. Not because of any moral reasons, and not even for ethical reasons, but for biological reasons.
Ryoga is lucky he wasn't born severely handicapped, well he is if you consider his ability to get lost in a room with one door, but considering the potential for all sorts of genetic diseases, he got off lightly. As it is, he and Akari will need to be cautious when having children. Something they and the doctor will need to discuss.
At a later date.
I just came back from a two-week visit to Senegal. I wouldn't call it a vacation, my wife called it a cultural odyssey. We stayed in a housing development in the outskirts of Dakar. We take a lot for granted in this country. Good roads, refrigeration, running water just to name a few.
They don't have much but they do have each other. People visit in Senegal. Family and friends are extremely important. They share what they have. They don't have much yet I found myself envying their sense of community and belonging.
Happy Holidays everyone.
Sarge
