Monday morning is a quiet affair. Akane, at Kasumi's insistence, has to drag Ranma out of bed so that he doesn't oversleep. Despite her usual rough treatment of him, Ranma doesn't bother to complain. Over breakfast, Ranma eats slowly, and much, much less than usual. Kasumi asks, "Ranma, Is there something wrong with your food? I can get you something else if you don't want that."
"Kasumi, your breakfast is excellent. I'm just not hungry today."
Akane smirks, "Ranma not hungry? That's frightening!" Ranma doesn't rise to the bait, which starts people worrying.
Kasumi asks, "Ranma, is something wrong? Are you feeling alright?"
"I feel fine. I'm just tired."
"Well, I'll pack you a little more food for lunch, in case your hunger catches up with you later."
"Thanks Kasumi."
* * *
On the way to school, Ranma walks behind Akane. He doesn't bother walking on fencetops, and he doesn't make conversation. He looks dejected. Halfway to school, Shampoo's bike lands on Ranma driving his face into the ground.
"Nihao Ranma. Saturday was great fun. Let's do something fun this morning."
"I can't, Shampoo. I'm going to school. I'll see you after school when I get my checkup from the old ghoul, I mean your Grandmother."
"Ranma, are you OK? You don't look too good."
Akane snarls, "Maybe thats because you landed a bike on his head!"
Shampoo turns on Akane, "Ranma is too strong to let that bother him. I have to try to land on him. Great-grandmother insisted I train Ranma to detect surprise attacks, and he trains me in making a better surprise attack. Ranma got much better at sensing. He should have been able to dodge."
At this point Akane and Shampoo notice that Ranma has quietly resumed walking to school at a slow pace. The girls catch up to him in seconds. Shampoo begins to worry, "What's wrong, Ranma? You're not acting normal. Are you feeling OK?"
"I'm just tired, Shampoo. I'll see you later this afternoon"
* * *
In spite of his obvious fatigue, Ranma stays awake through class. He doesn't bother taking notes, he just sits there, answering any questions asked of him, but not volunteering anything.
* * *
Between class periods, Kuno walks into the empty hall where the kendo club usually meets. Calmly he surveys the room, and sits. "Sasuke, come forth" *boink* "that you might" *boink* "sample the wisdom of ..." *boink* "Sasuke, appear!" *boink* "For I have..." *boink* "Sasuke please come here, I wish to bounce some ideas off of you."
In a blur, Sasuke appears kneeling before Kuno. "You wished to speak to me?"
"Yes. I find acting in the manner I discribed to you earlier to be exceedingly taxing, and harder to maintain. No doubt it is the force of my own nobility which shines out of me that undermines my attempts at behaving like the hoi polloi. I need to find some means to rectify this situation."
"Well, Sire. I hear they're doing remarkable things with Monoamine Oxydase Inhibitors these days."
"No, no. Drugs are my sister's forte. There must be some manner to use my inherent nobility to work with my attempted change, instead of against it."
"But Sire, you're trying to attempt to completely mask your own nature from those around you. How could it succeed?"
"That's it! from your words I gleen a clue that my intellect can adapt to my purpose. Come Sasuke, we have much to do!"
* * *
As lunch period starts, Akane and Ukyou walk to the back of the room to talk. Ukyou asks, "What's wrong with Ranma."
"I have no idea. He's been like that all morning. I can't think what could have caused it."
"Did anything odd happen yesterday?"
Akane giggles, "You could say that. Ranma made Kasumi the head of the Tendo family, and forced his father on a diet of panda food until he loses 40 pounds."
"What? How did this happen? And why would that make Ranma feel so down?"
"Apparently our fathers were nagging Ranma yesterday morning, so he challenged both of them to a duel. I've never seen him set people up like that, or win so decisively. Our parents went from jeering Ranma to unconcious in about 3 seconds. He said it was an attack he was planning for Happosai. I think he might be able to beat the master without the use of underware or cleavage!"
Suddenly Sasuke appears seated on the teacher's desk, playing a nohkan (type of flute). As the ancient melody starts, the entire class notices Kuno enter. He is wearing something no one there had ever seen before. It was a cross between a male furinkan student's uniform and a Kimono. The entire garment made up of brightly patterned silks. And over Kuno's face, he wore a white mask that looked an awful like Gosunkugi.
Kuno proceeded to sway, and dance, and stride until he was kneeling before Akane. Throughout this performance the entire class whispers and gossips among themselves. Finally, Sasuke finishes his flute piece, and Kuno begins to deliver his speech, using overblown hand and body movements to convey his emotions. "Please permit this humble student the grace and courage to talk to the beautius Akane Tendo; even though I can never hope to consider my worth high enough to consider such an action, still I impose myself on the limitless patience and consideration of the goddess before I, a mear humble student, do debase myself most unworthyly at her feet."
At this point Sasuke addresses the shocked class, announcing "The humble highschool student seeks out the love of his life, and begs her for an audience"
Kuno resumes his speach, "Would the beauteus Akane Tendo permit me to discuss a matter of some delicacy regarding this humble student's search for the consummation of his love which, though resting in this unworthy one's heart, does bear all of the markings and strength of passion as did never two people ever feel before, or at least since the Tokugawa era?"
At this point, Akane's hammer, golf club-like, swings down, impacting Kuno on the side, shattering the mask, and sending him through the closed window of the classroom.
* * *
Kuno enters his classroom once again dressed in his usual kendo uniform, and walks up to Nabiki's desk. "Nabiki Tendo, I would speek with you" *boink* "about a matter of business and of the heart," *boink* "which we had started discussing a few days ago."
"Kuno I wish you had let me know about your performance in Akane's classroom in advance. I'd have loved to get it on tape."
"Much as I agree that the performance" *boink* "Sasuke! enough for now!", Kuno screamed. "Nabiki, I'm having difficulty masking my noble bearing around Akane..."
"So you thought to act like a character from a Noh play?"
"Quite so. What better way for one of nobility to act as a commoner?"
"They're doing wonderful work nowadays with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors."
"Be serious. I have come to you for advice."
"That'll be 3,000 yen, and the outfit you wore today during the Noh skit."
"Here's the money, Sasuke will deliver the garment to your domicile tonight."
"There are two things that the common person has that the nobility lack. Humility and despair. You must learn what these emotions feel like to properly behave as a commoner."
"That's it! That's what I've been missing. Come Sasuke, we have work to do.
Shortly thereafter in Ranma's class, no one notices a blur which coincides with the disappearance of the least noticeable student in class, Hikaru Gosunkugi.
* * *
Another break in the class day occurs, and Ukyou, Ranma and Akane get together to talk. Unfortunately, they're interrupted by Ryouga's voice calling out from the front of school, "Ranma, where are you? Come out here so I can kill you."
Ranma closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. "Could one of you bring the Lost Bo..., Sorry, could you bring Ryouga up here? I'm not in a mood to fight him, and he'll never find his way up here unaided."
"We'll get him, right Akane?" Ukyou asks.
Akane looks at Ukyou puzzled, and says "All right."
As soon as they are out fo the classroom, Akane asks Ukyou "Why'd you want us to get him together?"
"I wanted a word with you. I'm really starting to worry about Ranma today. I've never seen him so ... passive. He normally jumps into fights with Ryouga. And he stopped halfway through calling him Lost Boy. Why'd he do that?"
"I can answer the second one; yesterday, we made a deal. I promised not to call Shampoo names if he'd stop calling Ryouga names. His mother got him thinking about all the insults flying around here."
"Well that's one mystery explained, but what about not wanting to fight Ryouga?"
"I'd better tell you about Shampoo this morning. Shampoo landed her bike ontop of him, While we were arguing, he just continued walking to school."
"I don't think we should leave Ryouga alone with Ranma, while Ranma is acting so oddly."
"You're probably right."
* * *
"Once again Gosunkugi, I find I can use you to further my plans! Tomorrow you will learn grandeur as I learn humility."
* * *
Ukyou and Akane return to the classroom with Ranma in tow. "There you are, Ranma. Lets go outside so I can kill you!"
"No."
"Um, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to fight in here."
"I meant I wasn't going to fight you."
"What's the matter with you! This is a matter of honor! Fight me like a man."
"If you want to spar, meet me in my free time in the dojo. If this is a matter of honor, then it should see the light of day. If I have wronged you, and you want revenge, tell me now what I have done."
"You know what you've done to me, you've made my life hell!"
"You didn't need my help for that. I've more than put up with enough from you to make up for the accident you've had. I've fought you over this more often than I care to count. I feel you have no more right to call me out. If you disagree, I'm willing to put it to a vote. Pick anyone you like, we'll tell them everything, and they'll decide if I have to fight you."
"Tell someone? You wouldn't dare!"
"I told you I wouldn't. But if you want the right to interrupt my day against my will, I insist that you do it. After all, if I have wronged you, it should be easy."
Akane interrupts "Yes Ryouga, I volunteer to judge. You know I'll support you if this Baka deserves it. Besides, I've been wondering for a long time. Ranma said you were trapped in an embarrassing situation due to things beyond your control. You know I'll keep whatever is going on secret, and try to get you out of it."
"Tell you? Embarassing situation? You want to be the Judge?"
Ranma interrupts Ryouga's nervous rambling. "Akane, knowing this and keeping quiet has hurt my relation with Ryouga. He shouldn't risk any of his other friendships."
"Come on, Ranma, Ryouga couldn't have done something that bad."
"I told you it isn't a matter of how bad his actions were, It's a matter of embarassment."
"You just don't want me to judge, because you're afraid I'll support Ryouga!"
"I don't care. I said he could pick anyone he wanted, and I meant it. Go argue with him, and leave me out of it."
Ryouga interrupts "Stop talking about me like I wasn't here!"
Ranma turns to Ryouga, "If you want to fight me, find me in the dojo. If you want to fight me here, choose your judge. If you attack me without one, you are nothing more than an honorless bully. You're better than that. Now, leave me alone!"
Akane turns to Ryouga, "It can't be that big a problem, just pick me and we can settle this once and for all."
Ryouga, with a horrified look to his face, runs for the classroom door, and is within moments lost (in the school's boiler room).
* * *
As Ranma leaves school for the day, Ukyou stops him. "Ranma, you've been acting oddly all day. Whats going on?"
"Nothing, Ucchan, I'm just tired. Tired, and sick of the pointless repeating of the same stupid fights, day after day."
"But I thought you liked your sparring sessions. You usually leap into them with with such joy."
"I guess I'm just not in the mood."
* * *
Cologne examines Ranma, and announces "Now this is odd."
Ranma looks up, "Is something wrong?"
"Not necessarily wrong, just completely unexpected. Let's test your speed with the Amiguriken, I need to doublecheck my findings."
Ranma reluctantly agrees, and their arms blur for ten seconds. Afterwards, Cologne comments "Well, that supports half of my findings."
"What's going on?"
"You're nowhere near your peak. You've dropped to levels from below when the coin was affixed to you."
"And that isn't bad?"
"Your skill was improved when you received the coin. Something is affecting that. We have no records of anything affecting the coin before. It's a detrimental effect, but it might lead to a clue to its removal. Tell me something. What have you learned from our daily Amiguriken tests?"
"I've learned you have always been fast enough to prevent me from getting that locket containing the candy that I thought was the phoenix pill. I figured that out last week."
Cologne chuckles, "I've been working on speed techniques for much longer than you've been alive, my boy. I don't have the flambuoyant strength you and my granddaughter possess."
"You were playing with me all along!"
"Right! why?"
"Why?"
"Yes why. I claimed to be opposed to you. I was the evil troll that trapped your manhood. Why offer you salvation? Why did I have the pill at all?"
"I've already thought that one out. You needed a cure, or you had nothing to bargain with. If the pill was in China, I would have gone there directly. Either they couldn't have kept it from me, or you don't want them to know about this until it's taken care of."
"Pretty good, but not complete. I had the only cure. I had you at a disadvantage. All I had to do was let Shampoo tell you, and then return home with the pill. You would have had to take it from me there, in our home surrounded by my tribe. Wouldn't that have been the wise thing? And why let you get it?"
"If you hadn't given it to me when I went into the nekoken, you would have had to fight Shampoo."
"True again, but still only part of it."
"What am I missing?"
"Once you went into nekoken, all I had to do was to back off until you came out of it."
"I'd have just gone back into it to get the pill."
"And we'd have repeated the process ad nauseum. And you still wouldn't have the pill. All you did was throw our conflict into ko."
"Ko? As in the game Go?"
"Yes, a situation that can't be resolved unless one person backs off, but otherwise equally ballanced. Now why did I back off?"
"You had more than one thing planned, and you gave up your position when there were better things you could do?"
"How did you come to that?"
"From the Go analogy. The only reason to leave a ko to be taken by your opponent would be if there were more advantageous positions to play. Also, never play a Go stone just to attack or defend, If a stone doesn't benefit you in more than one manner, your opponent has probably already won."
"True. The gambit with the pill was partly a test of your skill, partly a test of your determination, ability to pick up new techniques, finding out what sort of man you were, how you fight, how far you were willing to go. You were inevitably going to get the pill. What matterred to me was how you were going to get it. By the time you got it, I'd decided to stay in Japan. I learned enough to see that training you in new skills would educate Shampoo in ways I never could have managed in China. Shampoo loves you, and wouldn't force you to be her slave and return to China. I wont force you because as long as you remain here, and Shampoo pursues you, she learns more in a week, than she would in a month at home. You've also supported the other half of my findings through this discussion."
"What do you mean?"
"Not only are your motorskills decreased, but your thinking isn't as sharp as it was a few days ago. It's almost as if the coin has slightly weakened you in all the ways it normally strengthens. Can you think of anything that might have affected the coin?"
"No. Nothing but the usual insanity happenning. What bearing does this have on my eventual madness and heartattack?"
"Well, the opposite effect of madness and a heartattack would be sanity and life. It's little enough to go on, but it is the first clue we've seen that might be used to save you. All we have to do is understand why and how it is happenning, and we'll know if we can use this. Like I said before, prepare for the worst, but don't give up hope. Now go home, and get alot of sleep tonight. No sense in wearing yourself out, and right now, you're nearly running on empty."
* * *
Nodoka intercepts her son on his way to bed that evening. "Son, I'm trying to decide what to do about your father. He's done so many things that he has to answer for. I've made up a list of the things you've told me, plus as many facts as I remember from what you've told me. Please look it over, and correct whatever seems wrong, or left out, will you?"
"Sure mom. A list of Pop's irresponsibilities, hmm? I guess it is alot to deal with without keeping notes."
"Kasumi, your breakfast is excellent. I'm just not hungry today."
Akane smirks, "Ranma not hungry? That's frightening!" Ranma doesn't rise to the bait, which starts people worrying.
Kasumi asks, "Ranma, is something wrong? Are you feeling alright?"
"I feel fine. I'm just tired."
"Well, I'll pack you a little more food for lunch, in case your hunger catches up with you later."
"Thanks Kasumi."
* * *
On the way to school, Ranma walks behind Akane. He doesn't bother walking on fencetops, and he doesn't make conversation. He looks dejected. Halfway to school, Shampoo's bike lands on Ranma driving his face into the ground.
"Nihao Ranma. Saturday was great fun. Let's do something fun this morning."
"I can't, Shampoo. I'm going to school. I'll see you after school when I get my checkup from the old ghoul, I mean your Grandmother."
"Ranma, are you OK? You don't look too good."
Akane snarls, "Maybe thats because you landed a bike on his head!"
Shampoo turns on Akane, "Ranma is too strong to let that bother him. I have to try to land on him. Great-grandmother insisted I train Ranma to detect surprise attacks, and he trains me in making a better surprise attack. Ranma got much better at sensing. He should have been able to dodge."
At this point Akane and Shampoo notice that Ranma has quietly resumed walking to school at a slow pace. The girls catch up to him in seconds. Shampoo begins to worry, "What's wrong, Ranma? You're not acting normal. Are you feeling OK?"
"I'm just tired, Shampoo. I'll see you later this afternoon"
* * *
In spite of his obvious fatigue, Ranma stays awake through class. He doesn't bother taking notes, he just sits there, answering any questions asked of him, but not volunteering anything.
* * *
Between class periods, Kuno walks into the empty hall where the kendo club usually meets. Calmly he surveys the room, and sits. "Sasuke, come forth" *boink* "that you might" *boink* "sample the wisdom of ..." *boink* "Sasuke, appear!" *boink* "For I have..." *boink* "Sasuke please come here, I wish to bounce some ideas off of you."
In a blur, Sasuke appears kneeling before Kuno. "You wished to speak to me?"
"Yes. I find acting in the manner I discribed to you earlier to be exceedingly taxing, and harder to maintain. No doubt it is the force of my own nobility which shines out of me that undermines my attempts at behaving like the hoi polloi. I need to find some means to rectify this situation."
"Well, Sire. I hear they're doing remarkable things with Monoamine Oxydase Inhibitors these days."
"No, no. Drugs are my sister's forte. There must be some manner to use my inherent nobility to work with my attempted change, instead of against it."
"But Sire, you're trying to attempt to completely mask your own nature from those around you. How could it succeed?"
"That's it! from your words I gleen a clue that my intellect can adapt to my purpose. Come Sasuke, we have much to do!"
* * *
As lunch period starts, Akane and Ukyou walk to the back of the room to talk. Ukyou asks, "What's wrong with Ranma."
"I have no idea. He's been like that all morning. I can't think what could have caused it."
"Did anything odd happen yesterday?"
Akane giggles, "You could say that. Ranma made Kasumi the head of the Tendo family, and forced his father on a diet of panda food until he loses 40 pounds."
"What? How did this happen? And why would that make Ranma feel so down?"
"Apparently our fathers were nagging Ranma yesterday morning, so he challenged both of them to a duel. I've never seen him set people up like that, or win so decisively. Our parents went from jeering Ranma to unconcious in about 3 seconds. He said it was an attack he was planning for Happosai. I think he might be able to beat the master without the use of underware or cleavage!"
Suddenly Sasuke appears seated on the teacher's desk, playing a nohkan (type of flute). As the ancient melody starts, the entire class notices Kuno enter. He is wearing something no one there had ever seen before. It was a cross between a male furinkan student's uniform and a Kimono. The entire garment made up of brightly patterned silks. And over Kuno's face, he wore a white mask that looked an awful like Gosunkugi.
Kuno proceeded to sway, and dance, and stride until he was kneeling before Akane. Throughout this performance the entire class whispers and gossips among themselves. Finally, Sasuke finishes his flute piece, and Kuno begins to deliver his speech, using overblown hand and body movements to convey his emotions. "Please permit this humble student the grace and courage to talk to the beautius Akane Tendo; even though I can never hope to consider my worth high enough to consider such an action, still I impose myself on the limitless patience and consideration of the goddess before I, a mear humble student, do debase myself most unworthyly at her feet."
At this point Sasuke addresses the shocked class, announcing "The humble highschool student seeks out the love of his life, and begs her for an audience"
Kuno resumes his speach, "Would the beauteus Akane Tendo permit me to discuss a matter of some delicacy regarding this humble student's search for the consummation of his love which, though resting in this unworthy one's heart, does bear all of the markings and strength of passion as did never two people ever feel before, or at least since the Tokugawa era?"
At this point, Akane's hammer, golf club-like, swings down, impacting Kuno on the side, shattering the mask, and sending him through the closed window of the classroom.
* * *
Kuno enters his classroom once again dressed in his usual kendo uniform, and walks up to Nabiki's desk. "Nabiki Tendo, I would speek with you" *boink* "about a matter of business and of the heart," *boink* "which we had started discussing a few days ago."
"Kuno I wish you had let me know about your performance in Akane's classroom in advance. I'd have loved to get it on tape."
"Much as I agree that the performance" *boink* "Sasuke! enough for now!", Kuno screamed. "Nabiki, I'm having difficulty masking my noble bearing around Akane..."
"So you thought to act like a character from a Noh play?"
"Quite so. What better way for one of nobility to act as a commoner?"
"They're doing wonderful work nowadays with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors."
"Be serious. I have come to you for advice."
"That'll be 3,000 yen, and the outfit you wore today during the Noh skit."
"Here's the money, Sasuke will deliver the garment to your domicile tonight."
"There are two things that the common person has that the nobility lack. Humility and despair. You must learn what these emotions feel like to properly behave as a commoner."
"That's it! That's what I've been missing. Come Sasuke, we have work to do.
Shortly thereafter in Ranma's class, no one notices a blur which coincides with the disappearance of the least noticeable student in class, Hikaru Gosunkugi.
* * *
Another break in the class day occurs, and Ukyou, Ranma and Akane get together to talk. Unfortunately, they're interrupted by Ryouga's voice calling out from the front of school, "Ranma, where are you? Come out here so I can kill you."
Ranma closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. "Could one of you bring the Lost Bo..., Sorry, could you bring Ryouga up here? I'm not in a mood to fight him, and he'll never find his way up here unaided."
"We'll get him, right Akane?" Ukyou asks.
Akane looks at Ukyou puzzled, and says "All right."
As soon as they are out fo the classroom, Akane asks Ukyou "Why'd you want us to get him together?"
"I wanted a word with you. I'm really starting to worry about Ranma today. I've never seen him so ... passive. He normally jumps into fights with Ryouga. And he stopped halfway through calling him Lost Boy. Why'd he do that?"
"I can answer the second one; yesterday, we made a deal. I promised not to call Shampoo names if he'd stop calling Ryouga names. His mother got him thinking about all the insults flying around here."
"Well that's one mystery explained, but what about not wanting to fight Ryouga?"
"I'd better tell you about Shampoo this morning. Shampoo landed her bike ontop of him, While we were arguing, he just continued walking to school."
"I don't think we should leave Ryouga alone with Ranma, while Ranma is acting so oddly."
"You're probably right."
* * *
"Once again Gosunkugi, I find I can use you to further my plans! Tomorrow you will learn grandeur as I learn humility."
* * *
Ukyou and Akane return to the classroom with Ranma in tow. "There you are, Ranma. Lets go outside so I can kill you!"
"No."
"Um, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to fight in here."
"I meant I wasn't going to fight you."
"What's the matter with you! This is a matter of honor! Fight me like a man."
"If you want to spar, meet me in my free time in the dojo. If this is a matter of honor, then it should see the light of day. If I have wronged you, and you want revenge, tell me now what I have done."
"You know what you've done to me, you've made my life hell!"
"You didn't need my help for that. I've more than put up with enough from you to make up for the accident you've had. I've fought you over this more often than I care to count. I feel you have no more right to call me out. If you disagree, I'm willing to put it to a vote. Pick anyone you like, we'll tell them everything, and they'll decide if I have to fight you."
"Tell someone? You wouldn't dare!"
"I told you I wouldn't. But if you want the right to interrupt my day against my will, I insist that you do it. After all, if I have wronged you, it should be easy."
Akane interrupts "Yes Ryouga, I volunteer to judge. You know I'll support you if this Baka deserves it. Besides, I've been wondering for a long time. Ranma said you were trapped in an embarrassing situation due to things beyond your control. You know I'll keep whatever is going on secret, and try to get you out of it."
"Tell you? Embarassing situation? You want to be the Judge?"
Ranma interrupts Ryouga's nervous rambling. "Akane, knowing this and keeping quiet has hurt my relation with Ryouga. He shouldn't risk any of his other friendships."
"Come on, Ranma, Ryouga couldn't have done something that bad."
"I told you it isn't a matter of how bad his actions were, It's a matter of embarassment."
"You just don't want me to judge, because you're afraid I'll support Ryouga!"
"I don't care. I said he could pick anyone he wanted, and I meant it. Go argue with him, and leave me out of it."
Ryouga interrupts "Stop talking about me like I wasn't here!"
Ranma turns to Ryouga, "If you want to fight me, find me in the dojo. If you want to fight me here, choose your judge. If you attack me without one, you are nothing more than an honorless bully. You're better than that. Now, leave me alone!"
Akane turns to Ryouga, "It can't be that big a problem, just pick me and we can settle this once and for all."
Ryouga, with a horrified look to his face, runs for the classroom door, and is within moments lost (in the school's boiler room).
* * *
As Ranma leaves school for the day, Ukyou stops him. "Ranma, you've been acting oddly all day. Whats going on?"
"Nothing, Ucchan, I'm just tired. Tired, and sick of the pointless repeating of the same stupid fights, day after day."
"But I thought you liked your sparring sessions. You usually leap into them with with such joy."
"I guess I'm just not in the mood."
* * *
Cologne examines Ranma, and announces "Now this is odd."
Ranma looks up, "Is something wrong?"
"Not necessarily wrong, just completely unexpected. Let's test your speed with the Amiguriken, I need to doublecheck my findings."
Ranma reluctantly agrees, and their arms blur for ten seconds. Afterwards, Cologne comments "Well, that supports half of my findings."
"What's going on?"
"You're nowhere near your peak. You've dropped to levels from below when the coin was affixed to you."
"And that isn't bad?"
"Your skill was improved when you received the coin. Something is affecting that. We have no records of anything affecting the coin before. It's a detrimental effect, but it might lead to a clue to its removal. Tell me something. What have you learned from our daily Amiguriken tests?"
"I've learned you have always been fast enough to prevent me from getting that locket containing the candy that I thought was the phoenix pill. I figured that out last week."
Cologne chuckles, "I've been working on speed techniques for much longer than you've been alive, my boy. I don't have the flambuoyant strength you and my granddaughter possess."
"You were playing with me all along!"
"Right! why?"
"Why?"
"Yes why. I claimed to be opposed to you. I was the evil troll that trapped your manhood. Why offer you salvation? Why did I have the pill at all?"
"I've already thought that one out. You needed a cure, or you had nothing to bargain with. If the pill was in China, I would have gone there directly. Either they couldn't have kept it from me, or you don't want them to know about this until it's taken care of."
"Pretty good, but not complete. I had the only cure. I had you at a disadvantage. All I had to do was let Shampoo tell you, and then return home with the pill. You would have had to take it from me there, in our home surrounded by my tribe. Wouldn't that have been the wise thing? And why let you get it?"
"If you hadn't given it to me when I went into the nekoken, you would have had to fight Shampoo."
"True again, but still only part of it."
"What am I missing?"
"Once you went into nekoken, all I had to do was to back off until you came out of it."
"I'd have just gone back into it to get the pill."
"And we'd have repeated the process ad nauseum. And you still wouldn't have the pill. All you did was throw our conflict into ko."
"Ko? As in the game Go?"
"Yes, a situation that can't be resolved unless one person backs off, but otherwise equally ballanced. Now why did I back off?"
"You had more than one thing planned, and you gave up your position when there were better things you could do?"
"How did you come to that?"
"From the Go analogy. The only reason to leave a ko to be taken by your opponent would be if there were more advantageous positions to play. Also, never play a Go stone just to attack or defend, If a stone doesn't benefit you in more than one manner, your opponent has probably already won."
"True. The gambit with the pill was partly a test of your skill, partly a test of your determination, ability to pick up new techniques, finding out what sort of man you were, how you fight, how far you were willing to go. You were inevitably going to get the pill. What matterred to me was how you were going to get it. By the time you got it, I'd decided to stay in Japan. I learned enough to see that training you in new skills would educate Shampoo in ways I never could have managed in China. Shampoo loves you, and wouldn't force you to be her slave and return to China. I wont force you because as long as you remain here, and Shampoo pursues you, she learns more in a week, than she would in a month at home. You've also supported the other half of my findings through this discussion."
"What do you mean?"
"Not only are your motorskills decreased, but your thinking isn't as sharp as it was a few days ago. It's almost as if the coin has slightly weakened you in all the ways it normally strengthens. Can you think of anything that might have affected the coin?"
"No. Nothing but the usual insanity happenning. What bearing does this have on my eventual madness and heartattack?"
"Well, the opposite effect of madness and a heartattack would be sanity and life. It's little enough to go on, but it is the first clue we've seen that might be used to save you. All we have to do is understand why and how it is happenning, and we'll know if we can use this. Like I said before, prepare for the worst, but don't give up hope. Now go home, and get alot of sleep tonight. No sense in wearing yourself out, and right now, you're nearly running on empty."
* * *
Nodoka intercepts her son on his way to bed that evening. "Son, I'm trying to decide what to do about your father. He's done so many things that he has to answer for. I've made up a list of the things you've told me, plus as many facts as I remember from what you've told me. Please look it over, and correct whatever seems wrong, or left out, will you?"
"Sure mom. A list of Pop's irresponsibilities, hmm? I guess it is alot to deal with without keeping notes."