The Heart Sutra
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
By Ashoka Roque
Disclaimer: These characters, with the exception of Ti Xiu, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. While I have put them in situations that diverge somewhat from the original storyline, I have done so with intent to avoid compromising the integrity of her work. I make no profit from this story. The character of Ti Xiu is my own creation
Warning: PG. Slightly harsh language
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Chapter Two: Itadakimasu!
Ranma arrived at school only slightly late that morning. At lunchtime, he ran into Akane and the middle Tendo daughter, Nabiki.
"What's up with the stuffed pigs?" asked Ranma. "It's like I'm drowning in a sea of P-chans."
"It's those stupid Piggachus," replied Akane. "Almost all the girls have at least one, and even a few of the guys are carrying them around."
"Hmm - I bet this would really freak out Ryouga!"
"Ryouga-kun?" said Akane, dully. "Why would he care?"
Nabiki's face was glazed over in a look of lustful greed. "Brilliant..." she whispered, admiringly, "Absolutely f'ing brilliant! They must be making a fortune..."
Both Akane and Ranma shook their heads, and looked away. It was obviously useless trying to engage Nabiki in any type of rational conversation when she was in this state.
"Well, enjoy your last month of freedom..." said Ranma to Akane, as he started to head towards the lunch counter line.
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" snapped Akane.
"I mean - enjoy the last month before our wedding. Once we're married, you are definitely starting the bridal training crash course. And I am sure it will be taking up all of your free time. I may not want to be married, but I don't want to get out of it by dying from your cooking."
"RANMA!" screamed Akane, her head somehow appearing to grow until it was almost three times the size of the rest of her body. "What have you done now, you total baka!!"
A single, very large bead of sweat began to run down Ranma's face. "Didn't your father tell you?"
"Don't you 'your father' me! I know this your fault! Just get me married, stuck at home, out of your way, and you will go wandering around, enjoying yourself!" Akane was panting with anger. "You will never get away with it!"
"As if I would marry you under any circumstances, unless I was forced to! Who wants to marry an un-cute, tomboy, flat-chested, bulldyke..."
SLAP!!!
The sound echoed down the halls of the school, out into the courtyard, and across the previously peaceful fields of Nerima.
Ranma arrived at the Tendo dojo just before dinnertime, a large red handprint still clearly visible on the left side of his face. The evening was to be a festive occasion. The proud fathers, wishing to announce the upcoming marriage date, had invited Dr. Tofu, one of the town's most respected citizens, to witness the happy event - and to provide any medical attention that might be needed. Room for two more guests was made at the Tendo family table when Dr. Tofu arrived with a welcome Hibiki Ryouga and a foreign monk.
While the eldest Tendo daughter was finishing meal preparations, Dr. Tofu introduced his guest.
"Everyone, this is Master Ti Xiu. I studied with him briefly many years ago. He will be staying at the clinic while he is in town."
Introductions were made all around. Ranma noticed that the man seemed to be so calm, so centered. And, over the course of the evening, talk of the upcoming marriage seemed to be forgotten as an air of serenity filled the atmosphere around the Tendo family dinner table.
Only two minor incidents broke the feeling of calm companionship that night. Ranma noticed the slightest shadow cross the monk's face when Haposai bounced by with his most recent haul of ladies undergarments. And, of course, after Kasumi entered with the evening meal, the suddenly-uncoordinated Dr. Tofu caused minor destruction at almost every opportunity. When he spilled a pitcher of icewater on Genma, promptly changing him into a panda, Ti Xiu did not blink an eye. It was only later, when Tofu almost scalded himself in a most embarrassing place with very hot tea, that Ti Xiu broke the serene mood.
"Tofu-kun, just ask the girl to go out with you. I'm sure she would."
Under more usual circumstances, this comment might have resulted in an energetic response from those around the table. But in the relaxed atmosphere of this particular evening, the main reaction was amusement and curiosity. Ranma and the others waited to see what would happen next.
"I, uh..." sputtered Dr. Tofu, "I just don't know what you mean, Ti-sensei."
"A thousand pardons to everyone for my horrible lack of manners," continued Ti Xiu, "but compassion compels in certain circumstances. I am so used to dealing with those under curses, I sometimes forget myself."
There was a general murmur around the table. "Curses? Did he say curses?"
"I suppose I should explain myself," continued Ti Xiu. "I am here in Nerima because of the horrible concentration of cursed individuals and families in the area. Why, around this very table, almost all of you are affected!"
Ranma griped the edge of the table. "Are you talking about the Jushenko springs?"
"In a way," said Ti Xiu, somewhat evasively, "But it goes beyond that."
The monk turned to Dr. Tofu. "Tofu-kun, my old student, the men in your family suffer from a curse rendering you all incompetent boobs around women you like. No matter how competent you are otherwise, you become a blithering idiot, until you actually express yourself and allow your relationship to grow. Your father was the same way."
Dr. Tofu turned red. His nose turned red, his ears turned red - Ranma blinked - - were his glasses even turning red??
"Hibiki-kun," continued Ti Xiu, "My new friend. You at least have the advantage of knowing your curse - that of absolutely no sense of direction."
Ryouga tensed, then relaxed. At least it seemed as if the monk was not going to reveal the secret of P-Chan to Akane.
"Tendo-san, my dear host," Ti went on, "If you will forgive the unforgivable rudeness of an old man, most of your family suffers from a curse that renders them blind to certain obvious facts about themselves and those close to them."
"I'll say," said Ranma, stuffing a whole raw squid into his mouth.
Later that evening, Ranma and Ryouga were soaking in the tub. The serenity of the evening had taken the edge off of their normally difficult relationship, and the two had even shared a small joke. They were laughing together as Ti Xiu entered the room to use the Tendo spa for his evening bathing, as Dr. Tofu's clinic could not boast a nice warm hot-tub. As he cleaned the dirt of the road from his body, both boys got out of the tub to towel off, allowing the older guest respectful space for his soak. Neither of them could help noticing that the old monk was in very good shape - probably even more so that either the elder Tendo or the elder Saotome, both of who were many, many years younger.
As Ti Xiu soaked in the tub, the boys sat down on the edge, towels wrapped around waists.
"Uh ... Ti-sensei?" began Ranma, hesitantly.
"Yes, son.." replied the monk.
"When you mentioned curses, I was sure you were going to talk about the Jushenko Springs. But you didn't."
"No, that I did not," replied Ti Xiu, "For a very good reason."
Both boys leaned in closer, over the tub. "Why not, Ti-sensei?" asked Ryouga.
"Because those springs are not exactly cursed, you see."
"WHA??" cried both boys, in chorus.
"Oh, I know you both have been effected by them - - as well as half the folks in this town, or so it seems. You must have chartered a summer tour to Jushenko, neh?" Ti smiled slightly at his own joke.
"But," said Ranma, perplexed, "How can you say they aren't cursed. I fell into a random spring, and now I turn into a girl when doused with cold water. My dad fell into a random spring, and now he turns into a panda."
"And I turn into a pig as the result of being PUSHED into a random spring..." concluded Ryouga, resulting in a glare from Ranma.
"My sons..." said Ti, "What you say is true, from your limited point of view. But nothing in life is random, and those springs are only cursed in that they force all who fall into them to deal with the challenge of a transformation. My monastery has dealt with those springs for over 3,000 years of Chinese history. Today, they are called the Cursed Springs. In times past, they were known as the Blessed Springs."
Both boys facefaulted. Ranma turned to Ryouga - "You gotta be kidding me!"
But Ryouga, perhaps having developed a little more respect for the monk after the incident on the road, recovered quickly from his shock. "Please, sensei, tell me ... tell us, how could the springs be considered blessed?"
Ti Xiu nodded approvingly. "Remember when I said that nothing in life is random? Those who fall into a spring don't just fall into _any_ spring. That fall into the spring that changes them to the form best suited to them. The form that can most rapidly help them develop their whole being."
Ryouga left to make his bedroll in the dojo training room, apparently needing time to digest what the strange monk had said. But as Ranma was leaving, Ti Xiu asked him to stay for a moment longer.
"Ranma-kun, I hear that congratulations are in order. Akane-chan will certainly make a most lovely bride."
Ranma paused. Damn!! The unusual, relaxed feeling of the evening had made him totally forget his father's ultimatum from earlier in the day.
"Um, well, ah..." he sputtered, unable to come up with an appropriate response.
"Ranma-kun, is everything going well between you and Akane-chan?"
Oh, what does it matter? thought Ranma, I need to talk with someone, and Ti-sensei is certainly the most trust-inspiring person, even if I have just met him. Within a matter of minutes, Ranma had related the whole story to the attentive monk, up to and including his father's admonishments about duty and family that very morning.
"Ah, so..." said Ti Xiu, as Ranma finished, "These things, ~on~, duty, and ~giri~, family honor...so important in our lives. But, my son, these things are not just meant to constrain us - they are a way to free us as well. You father wants what he wants for a reason. The Heart Sutra says we must look deeply to our loved ones, and their suffering, to find a compassionate response."
Ranma sighed, "I know why he wants what he wants. Are you saying I should just go through with it?"
The monk shook his head. "No, no, my son. But by looking deeply at the suffering of those we love, we may find ways to give them what they need while being true to ourselves. Would it be compassionate to Akane-chan to marry her against your own feelings? Would it be compassionate to yourself?"
"Well, no - of course not."
"I know you are a boy with a good heart. Train it, as you do your body when you prepare for a fight." The monk smiled broadly, "Think of it as the 'Anything Goes Heart Technique' if you will. Now, you are sleepy, I can see. You should be off to bed - young people need much more sleep that us elders do."
Ranma departed for his room. After a good long soak, Ti Xiu got out of the tub.
One last bit of business before I return to Tofu's.
Ti Xiu followed the sound of gentle humming to the Tendo living room. Though the hour was late, a lone, demented figure was ironing several items of women's undergarments, delicately handling each one like a treasure.
"Ah, my precious...." hissed Haposai, as he folded a teal-colored thong.
"Still at it, I see..." said Ti Xiu.
"You!" shrieked Haposai, "I thought you had left for the evening."
"I knew you were avoiding me. Your habits continue to bring pain and suffering to others. While I am in Nerima, I think it would be best if you were elsewhere. I cannot bear to see the havoc you cause, but I am not eager to confront you with force if I can avoid it. Leave!"
"I don wanna, I don wanna, I don wanna!!" wailed Haposai.
Ti Xiu looked Haposai directly in the eye. Somewhat shorter, Haposai looked up at Ti Xiu.
"I am older now, Haposai, and in some ways not as patient as I was in my youth. A repetition of our last meeting would not please me."
Haposai vanished.
Continues in Chaspter Three: Confrontation
C&C appreciated - ashoro@excite.com