Deluded? You lie! Part 5

Wary passers-by made sure to leave enough space for Kodachi as she stalked furiously from Furinkan High.

Why, the nerve of that Akane Tendo, calling her a lunatic like that in front of everyone! And the nerve of that pigtailed girl, to assume Ranma's place in the classroom after lunchbreak. To make matters worse, the teacher simply did not know her place and treated even the Black Rose as a common high school delinquent, stopping Kodachi from punishing those who irked her. At St. Hebereke's poison gas was considered but a small matter, and certainly not the business of a lowly teacher…

But what really made Kodachi's teeth grind was that no matter what she did to entice her darling to break free from the dark spell the pigtailed girl had put upon him, nothing seemed to work!

It was ironic to her that she should be in the same predicament as her dear older brother, but while his plight was the product of a diseased mind, hers she knew was not.

However had the pigtailed girl cast a spell capable of diverting Ranma's eyes from the many charms of the Black Rose? It would be a powerful piece of magical work that could bypass true love.

Kodachi jumped to the rooftops, where she could better survey the world. She always felt better up here, where she could see the ordinary humdrum peasants go about their daily business, milling around like the ants they were…

No. One so pathetic as the pigtailed girl could not have done that on her own. She must, Kodachi realized, have had help…

*Ranma-chan, Akane, Ukyo and Shampoo stand gathered around a cauldron, each wearing a black robe and a pointy witch's hat.*

"Are you sure you remembered the powdered bat wings?" says Akane.

"Shampoo sure."

"The snake's teeth?"

"They in the cauldron too."

"Everything is ready for the spell…" says Ranma-chan. "Soon I – I mean WE, will be free of Ranma's all-consuming passion for Kodachi, that has so far halted all other spells in their tracks."

"After this spell is cast, it's every evil sorceress for herself, you know." says Ukyo.

"Naturally." says Ranma-chan, as she stirs the contents of the cauldron with a gnarled wooden staff.

"Heh…We steal Ranma from Kodachi so easy!" says Shampoo.

"Yes!" says Akane, grinning evilly. "And she'll never, ever know what happened!"

* Ranma-chan, Akane, Ukyo and Shampoo cackle*

Kodachi snapped out of her daydream with a triumphant grin.

"Ohohohohoho…They shall rue the day they ever interfered with Kodachi the Black Rose!"

Now, exactly how would she do that?

***

Kodachi found Hikaru Gosunkugi lurking outside the Tendo Dojo, doubtless about to watch Akane practicing martial arts, as Akane was wont to do at this time of day. Gosunkugi was armed with a camera and a ladder.

"Greetings," said Kodachi flatly. It gave her no pleasure to be talking to an insignificant, spineless little worm like Gosunkugi, but she had no choice. "I hear that you practice the art of voodoo. Is that the case?"

"Er…yes." Gosunkugi squirmed.

"Then tell me…How might I break a spell of which the purpose is to divert true love's course?"

Gosunkugi glanced around nervously. "Um…um, who…who cast the spell in the first place?" After all, if this was true, he wanted to find out how the caster did it…

"I believe it was the group of peasants who wish to marry my beloved Ranma."

"Akane would…never cast a spell like that. She can't want to marry Ranma…But anyway, it can't be done. Not love spells. They don't work." Gosunkugi's sunken eyes tried not to meet Kodachi's stare. "Are…are you sure that, well, um…"

"What are you attempting to say?" Kodachi gave a frown. This sniveling coward severely tried her patience even on a good day, but today she had evil sorceresses to defeat! Had this boy nothing of worth to say?

"…Are you absolutely sure there was love to divert in the first place? That s-sort of spell never works, like I said…I know, I've tried them often enough."

" 'Love to divert in the first place,'" Kodachi echoed.

Gosunkugi took the few precious seconds as Kodachi's expression slid from shock to fury in which to run for his life.

Another day…Another day, Kodachi could punish Gosunkugi for his impudence! How dare he suggest that Ranma didn't love her? That Kodachi's assumptions were not correct?

Kodachi held back her desire to punish the still-retreating boy, and walked stiffly off to her new destination. As Gosunkugi had proven useless, there was only one person she knew of that might yet be of help…

***

"Now…you wanted to talk to me?" said Cologne, hopping over to Kodachi's table at the Nekohanten. "Make it quick. The evening rush should be in soon."

The Nekohanten had only a few customers, most of which Shampoo was capable of handling on her own. Shampoo hadn't even batted an eyelid at Kodachi's dramatic, swirling black-rose-petalled entrance, which peeved Kodachi somewhat. Of course, if she didn't suspect the true reason for this visit, that was all for the better…

"Ah yes. Old crone, I have reason to believe that your Shampoo, and the various other contestants for my Ranma-darling's hand in marriage have cast a despicable spell upon him! I demand to know how to break this spell."

Cologne blinked. "You've worked out son-in-law's curse, have you? I'm surprised."

"Curse? I speak of a terrible spell that removes the affection my darling feels for me! You might well call it a curse." said Kodachi, indignant.

Cologne facefaulted. "Ah. Perhaps I'm not so surprised, then. But why have you come to me for help?"

"Why, in the hope that you will see reason, of course. I have heard it said that you have the wisdom of the ages, and upon seeing you I believe it is true. You certainly look as if the ages are with you."

THWOCK!

"Hmph. I'll have none of that, girl." said Cologne, lowering her staff.

Kodachi rubbed her head where the staff had hit her. "But it is true!"

"That may be, but it's still not polite to say it. And as for your claims about my great-granddaughter casting a spell…! That is… " Cologne seemed lost in thought for a moment. "That is…well, perhaps I can help you after all."

Cologne went to the back room of the restaurant while Kodachi waited. Now, the Black Rose was sure, Ranma would be hers. She cast a smug look at Shampoo.

"Take this," said Cologne, holding out a small, sealed packet. "It should solve all your problems. If you eat the contents, then everything will become clear to you." she smiled. "Oh. And next time you come here, do remember to order some of the fine food we serve. Our prices are competitive."

Kodachi eagerly took the packet. This will solve the problem of the spell? I cannot wait!

***

Kodachi ate the contents of the packet on her to the Tendo Dojo, to see her darling. It was only a small orange tablet with a grainy texture.

When will it take effect? I do hope it is soon!

Actually, Kodachi was beginning feel rather strange…Increasingly strange. She began to wonder if taking the tablet from Cologne had been a good idea, when everything started to shift around her…

Oops.

End of part 5

Notes: Alright! That's part 5 done. I'm planning maybe another three or four chapters till the end of this fanfic, and then I'll move on to working more on my second fic, which should be out now too. By the way, thanks to everyone who's reviewed this fanfic so far. I'm glad of the encouragement.