The Harada Spirit
Chapter 1: Lady Akane
A great silence often descends just before the tornado drops out of the cloud and such was the scene in the Tendo home: complete silence for the space of several breaths, then a tornado of words as everybody tried to talk at once.
"LADY Akane!!"
"Who ARE you?"
"Growf???"
"Oh, my Baby!!"
The one with all the answers, however, had sat back down and started sipping his tea.
"Yo. Old Guy. The Tomboy's a Lady? No way!" Ranma's words captured Akane's attention even in the verbal tumult and Ranma made his third trip to the pond via mallet express.
"Please everyone, sit down and enjoy your breakfast," the aged man said. "I'll explain everything as you do." Ranma scrambled back into his seat at the table, still wet, as the man continued, "To answer your question, Lord Ranma, yes, the 'Tomboy' is a Lady. More specifically, she is the Lady of the Harada Spirit."
"You... you know me?"
"Well, you have a female form, but your aura is very much male. That makes you Lord Ranma, doesn't it?"
"Lord....?"
"Lord Ranma...consort of the Lady Akane...yes. Would you like to change back into your male form now?"
"Co..co..con.."
"Consort. I'll assume that when your brain stall works through you will want to be male. Allow me." The master makes a small gesture with his hand and Ranma returns to his male form. Silence again returns, as the master sips his tea. Finally, Nabiki finds her voice.
"How did you do that?"
"Turn him back? Simple. The Jusenycho curse is basically a ki manipulation curse: fantastically complex, of course, and extremely strong, but still and all, a ki-manipulation curse. You switch forms by manipulating the ki. Watch the panda." Another hand gesture and Genma emerges. "The curse cannot be removed, but if you can control ki, you can have some measure of control over it. Lady Akane, I have much to tell you about who you are, and it will take some time. May I speak briefly to Ranma and his father about their curse?"
"Of c..c..cor. Of course," she stammers, still stunned by what she's seen.
"Thank you, Lady. Ranma, the Jusenycho Curse was designed to test the mettle of the best martial artists. Only the very best fighters will challenge the training ground, today or anytime in the last three thousand years since it was made."
"It was by design?"
"Yes, Nabiki." Addressing the group, "Surely, you people didn't think it was some sort of naturally occurring thing, did you? No, the Jusenchyo Curse was by design. It was placed there by an extremely powerful fox-kami to bring humility to the best fighters. Each pool brings with it a different curse and so, a different set of challenges. A lesser martial artist will look at those poles above those pools and remember that he has urgent business somewhere else to complete. Only a great martial artist has the courage and the self-confidence to take to the poles, so only the greatest martial artists are cursed. In ages past, a Jusenchyo curse was quite the badge of honor in the martial arts community."
"What about the people who originally drowned there? They weren't martial artists!' stated Kasumi.
"No one has ever drowned there, my dear Kasumi. Those are just stories made up by the locals. Remember, these pools are over three thousand years old. They were around for centuries, cursing martial artists, before the earliest stories came up."
"But, not everyone is cursed." Akane was becoming fascinated by the lore. "Cologne was there, but she isn't cursed."
"I am assuming that you are referring the Honored Elder of the Amazons, Battlemaster Ku Lon, and just because you haven't seen her curse form doesn't mean she doesn't have one. She is cursed. She fell into the spring of drowned mountain goat when she was a young girl. Haven't you guessed that from the way she bounces around? In fact, she is one of the youngest Amazons ever to challenge Jusenchyo and is greatly honored at the council fires of the warriors of her village. She has learned to totally control her curse form which gives her even greater honor."
"The curse is an honor?" Ranma finally found his tongue but can't stretch his mind around the news.
"Yes. Haven't you noticed that the Amazon warriors are not the slightest bit upset that you are cursed? Also, Elder Ku Lon's great- granddaughter is cursed. Do you see her scurrying around trying to find a cure? She can't control her cursed form yet, but she is certainly comfortable with it, even if she has to trigger it the regular way. She knows what an honor it is."
"How do you know all of this," asked Nabiki.
"Well, Elder Ku Lon I know of old, but I've spent the last three days camped outside of Nerima, reading minds and memories. I know each of you as well as you know yourselves...maybe even better than you know yourselves."
"Moose doesn't like his curse." This from Akane.
"Master of Hidden Weapons Mtu Zu is not privy to the lore of the Amazon warriors: not news to you, I sure. But speaking of him and his relationship to his curse, I need to caution all of you about seeking a 'cure' to the curse by using water from the spring of drowned man. It won't work and may make things worse for you."
"What do you mean?" cried Ranma and Genma together.
"Think back to that other Chinese boy, Taro. He went into the Spring of Drowned Octopus, but he didn't turn into an octopus. The octopus melded with his curse form. It did not replace it. If any of you, the girl, the panda, the duck or the pig, get into that Spring of Drowned Man, you'll add manlike characteristics to your present cursed forms."
"WHAT?" from the Saotome duet.
"You, Ranma, might become a she-male in your curse form: male from the waist down and female from the waist up, or vice versa, or something. The point is, you still might be able to live in normal society. However, a panda-man, pig-man, or duck-man is sure to draw attention of the worst sort. A regular duck, pig, or panda can co-exist with human society: an altered curse form couldn't. They'd have to live as Taro lives: away from people."
"Wait a minute, "gasped Akane, "Who turns into a pig?"
The room is again quiet. No one can meet Akane's eyes.
"Why are you all looking like that! WHO turns into a PIG? ...Ranma, who...Ryoga! It's Ryoga, isn't it? Ryoga turns into a PIG, and you all KNEW! Why didn't you TELL ME? Ranma, why didn't you tell...? You tried to tell me, didn't you ... Oh Kami-sama. HE WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN I WAS GETTING UNDRESSED! I'LL KILL..." Ryuho gently cuts off Akane's tirade.
"Lady Akane, Ryoga did not see any part of you. He always turned away when you were dressing. That boy is so shy that if he actually saw you nude he'd die of a brain hemorrhage. As to why he so worshipped you that he would stoop to becoming your pet, that has to do more with you than him."
"WHAT...?
"Lady Akane, you are the Keeper of the Spirit of the Harada. Allow me first to tell you the tale, and then, I will answer any question that you have. Will that be acceptable to you?" Ryuho tone was subservient, gently begging. Akane immediately laid aside her anger to hear the soft words of HER chief retainer.
"It will be. Proceed, Master Ryuho," said Akane, in a tone even she didn't recognize.
"Please, Lady, to you I am only Ryuho."
"Ryuho, then...tell."
"Yes, Lady. Almost two thousand years ago this land was a war with itself. Blood flowed in rivers as first one lord and then another strove to kill his way to becoming the most powerful warlord. In the middle of the fighting was the clan Harada. When the Lady of the Clan had lost her father, her brothers, her husband, and her sons, all spitted on this man's steel or that, she called, 'Enough.'
"She fled with her three daughters to a sacred grove in the mountains. There, she called upon all spirits to forge for her a weapon that would protect life forever, a weapon that would end wars with a minimum of bloodshed, a weapon which could be wielded only by women, as she had had enough of men and their wars to last every woman for all eternity. To purchase this wonderful weapon, she offered payment far surpassing any material wealth of this world. She offered the lives of her daughters: Murakumo, Shirayuki, and Asagiri.
"Murakumo was a healer whose very presence could ease the pain of those wounded in body and those wounded in spirit. Shirayuki was a tactician whose intelligence and cleverness could outwit the wisest of men. Asagiri was a warrior who could not be broken in battle. The three willingly gave their lives to buy their mother's weapon.
"The Kami of the grove accepted with grace the sacrifices and gave to the Lady Harada a truly unique weapon: a weapon of spirit, rather than of steel. The weapon could only be used by a woman and was only effective against men. It would last until the end of the Lady's bloodline, being passed down from mother to daughter. To honor the three who died, the Kami commanded that the personalities of the three daughters would be revisited in the Lady's bloodline, so that the spirit weapon would be wielded by each of the personalities in turn.
"And so, Lady Akane, the spirit weapon comes to you. You three, Kasumi, Nabiki, and yourself, are the personalities of Murakumo, Shirayuki, and Asagiri reborn. The weapon came down to you as was not supposed to be. It was passed from your grandmother, Kagero, to your mother, who like Kasumi, was of Murakumo's personality and was to have come to you in the fullness of the time. However, when Kimiko lay dying, the spirit passed to you too early, as it is Asagiri's turn to express it."
Ryuho's voice stopped and for several minutes, it was as if everyone was still under the spell of those soft words. The listeners felt as if they had lived through the story as Ryuho had told it. Finally, Akane spoke.
"Why weren't we told any of this?" she whispered.
"That was your mother's wish, Lady. In passing from mother to daughter, the spirit normally passes to adult women, not young girls. Kimiko was afraid that the responsibility might be too much for a child, for any child. So, she asked me to withhold your heritage from you and your sisters. I have done so out of my love and respect for her."
"You never actually said what the weapon does. What does it do?" asked Nabiki.
"It draws men to you."
"That's it?" Ranma exclaimed. "It draws men to her? What kind of useless weapon is that?"
"A much more powerful one than you think, young Lord. It gathers men to her, draws them to worship her, and allows her to control them if she wishes. Understand, if you send an assassin against the keeper of the weapon spirit, she will turn him into her own assassin. Send a spy: you've given her a spy. Send an army against her: she now has an army. Provided they are all male, of course. But, males make up most of the armies, most of the spies, and most of the assassins. The Harada spirit makes a most dangerous weapon."
"How do I use it?" Akane asked timidly.
"As far as controlling it, I teach you that. It already flows from you naturally."
"What do you mean," Akane demanded.
"When you started to make the change from girlhood to womanhood, the spirit started to make itself known. Think of all the trouble you've had with boys. Most of it has been because they are being drawn to you. Kuno and your fan club are an example. They say they love you: what they actually feel is more akin to worship than love. Kuno told them to fight you to show you their love. They tried it and you fought them back. They saw the light in your eyes during the battle and knew that at some level, you were enjoying it. So, the morning fights became their way of worshipping you. That's why they never stopped, even though it must have seemed silly even to them. They could not possibly all date you if they had won. By the time Ranma arrived, you were pretty tired of the whole thing and ready for it to end. But, you could have ended it before then. You could have ordered the horde to attack Kuno. You could have demanded of them that they kill him. They would have done so, or died to a man in the attempt, just to make you happy.
Think of Ryoga: he claims to love you but treats you like a goddess, not a woman. Think of Gosinkugi: the mere notice of him by you was enough to send him into ecstasy. Think of how many times you've been kidnapped: why you and not some other? They're all drawn to you. Speaking of kidnappings, why weren't you afraid? Part of it is you have great personal courage and part of it is you knew Ranma would come for you, but the greatest element was that the Harada spirit recognized them as tools and not threats."
Again, the silence stretched. Finally, Kasumi asked, "What about Ranma? He doesn't worship her."
"Yeah!"
"Yes, what about him?"
"Ranma is a special case. The Harada spirit wasn't fooled by his female form. The warrior personality recognized immediately that this was a boy worthy of her, worthy to be her consort, champion, and bodyguard: the only boy she had met who was. But, to fulfill such roles, he would have to be an equal, not a slave. So, the spirit chose not to affect him. He's fallen in love with you all on his own."
"Are you crazy? I don't love that Tomboy! I've had eno...urk" Ranma's voice choked out and quit.
"Be quiet!" Rhuyo completed a complex hand gesture that cut Ranma off. "Tell all of that to someone who can't read your mind. I know exactly how you feel about her, and how she feels about you. Kasumi, can I get some more tea, please? Thank you, dear."
"How does he feel about me," Akane asked timidly.
"He loves you, my Lady. He loves you as much as you love him. Even without the weapon's effect, he has faced gods, monsters, and demons on your behalf. He could no more leave you unprotected and in danger than he could flap his arms and fly to the moon. And, he is powerful. I've never known of one so young who could wield such power. When he can actually control the catfist, he will be all but unstoppable. He's perfect for the role he must play. After all, who can guard you more completely than the one who shares your bed, yes?" Ranma and Akane both blush a bright red and look at the floor upon hearing this, but neither speak. They each realize they have heard the truth spoken. It is Nabiki who sees the critical question.
"Why does my sister need a bodyguard?" With a sigh, the old man answers.
"Because, she is the incarnation of Asagiri. Through the ages, reincarnations of Asagiri have often been killed while wielding the spirit weapon. In each case, they died because they could not stand back and let their soldiers fight alone. Their own warrior nature would demand that they personally lead their troops into battle. In the forefront a battle, sometimes the best-protected position can be overrun and the people there killed.
"About five hundred years ago, however, a solution was stumbled upon. One of your kinswomen, my Lady, had as her consort a powerful half-demon. Though he was a tremendous warrior, his primary concern was her safety. He protected her at any cost and she lived a long life: one of the few Asagiri reincarnations to do so. We, the retainers of the Harada spirit, realized that was the formula; to provide the Asagiri keeper of the spirit weapon with a fantastically skilled fighter who was totally dedicated to her safety and well-being. He cannot be one of her worshippers because they would always follow her orders.
"Her protector must be willing and able to move her, by force and against her protestations if necessary, to safety if the situation should call for that. Since then, we have always sought to provide the Lady with a consort that is exceptionally skilled, loving, and dedicated to her and her safety, even if that means defying her. To that end, we were overjoyed to find out what a powerful young man Ranma was turning out to be. Kasumi, this tea is delicious and talking is thirsty work. Might I have some more?
"Of course, Master Ryuho."
Akane and Ranma sit quietly, each occasionally sneaking looks at the other. The rest of the family also sit quietly, digesting all the information the little old man has provided. Finally, Ranma finds his voice.
"So, she won't stay back, huh?"
"You already know the answer to that, Lord Ranma. How many times has Lady Akane chided you about butting in on her fights? With regard to her, you must forget all of the things your father ever told you about women. She is of such a nature that she will never be able to stay home and wait for your return from a battle. Her place will always be at your side, in the thick of the conflict, when she isn't covering your back. That is pure Asagiri." Suddenly, the old man turns sharply toward Akane.
"Oh, while we're talking about Asagiri's nature, Lady Akane, it is very important that you never, never, never try to express love through cooking. The original Asagiri could not cook and all the reincarnations of her spirit are cursed in the same way. You might be able to make something very basic for the purpose of staving off starvation, but if you try to prepare a traditional meal, it will be a disaster. You won't believe this, but some of the previous reincarnations of Asagiri have produced things in the kitchen that would qualify as life forms. Ha ha. Why are you all looking like that?"
Chapter 1: Lady Akane
A great silence often descends just before the tornado drops out of the cloud and such was the scene in the Tendo home: complete silence for the space of several breaths, then a tornado of words as everybody tried to talk at once.
"LADY Akane!!"
"Who ARE you?"
"Growf???"
"Oh, my Baby!!"
The one with all the answers, however, had sat back down and started sipping his tea.
"Yo. Old Guy. The Tomboy's a Lady? No way!" Ranma's words captured Akane's attention even in the verbal tumult and Ranma made his third trip to the pond via mallet express.
"Please everyone, sit down and enjoy your breakfast," the aged man said. "I'll explain everything as you do." Ranma scrambled back into his seat at the table, still wet, as the man continued, "To answer your question, Lord Ranma, yes, the 'Tomboy' is a Lady. More specifically, she is the Lady of the Harada Spirit."
"You... you know me?"
"Well, you have a female form, but your aura is very much male. That makes you Lord Ranma, doesn't it?"
"Lord....?"
"Lord Ranma...consort of the Lady Akane...yes. Would you like to change back into your male form now?"
"Co..co..con.."
"Consort. I'll assume that when your brain stall works through you will want to be male. Allow me." The master makes a small gesture with his hand and Ranma returns to his male form. Silence again returns, as the master sips his tea. Finally, Nabiki finds her voice.
"How did you do that?"
"Turn him back? Simple. The Jusenycho curse is basically a ki manipulation curse: fantastically complex, of course, and extremely strong, but still and all, a ki-manipulation curse. You switch forms by manipulating the ki. Watch the panda." Another hand gesture and Genma emerges. "The curse cannot be removed, but if you can control ki, you can have some measure of control over it. Lady Akane, I have much to tell you about who you are, and it will take some time. May I speak briefly to Ranma and his father about their curse?"
"Of c..c..cor. Of course," she stammers, still stunned by what she's seen.
"Thank you, Lady. Ranma, the Jusenycho Curse was designed to test the mettle of the best martial artists. Only the very best fighters will challenge the training ground, today or anytime in the last three thousand years since it was made."
"It was by design?"
"Yes, Nabiki." Addressing the group, "Surely, you people didn't think it was some sort of naturally occurring thing, did you? No, the Jusenchyo Curse was by design. It was placed there by an extremely powerful fox-kami to bring humility to the best fighters. Each pool brings with it a different curse and so, a different set of challenges. A lesser martial artist will look at those poles above those pools and remember that he has urgent business somewhere else to complete. Only a great martial artist has the courage and the self-confidence to take to the poles, so only the greatest martial artists are cursed. In ages past, a Jusenchyo curse was quite the badge of honor in the martial arts community."
"What about the people who originally drowned there? They weren't martial artists!' stated Kasumi.
"No one has ever drowned there, my dear Kasumi. Those are just stories made up by the locals. Remember, these pools are over three thousand years old. They were around for centuries, cursing martial artists, before the earliest stories came up."
"But, not everyone is cursed." Akane was becoming fascinated by the lore. "Cologne was there, but she isn't cursed."
"I am assuming that you are referring the Honored Elder of the Amazons, Battlemaster Ku Lon, and just because you haven't seen her curse form doesn't mean she doesn't have one. She is cursed. She fell into the spring of drowned mountain goat when she was a young girl. Haven't you guessed that from the way she bounces around? In fact, she is one of the youngest Amazons ever to challenge Jusenchyo and is greatly honored at the council fires of the warriors of her village. She has learned to totally control her curse form which gives her even greater honor."
"The curse is an honor?" Ranma finally found his tongue but can't stretch his mind around the news.
"Yes. Haven't you noticed that the Amazon warriors are not the slightest bit upset that you are cursed? Also, Elder Ku Lon's great- granddaughter is cursed. Do you see her scurrying around trying to find a cure? She can't control her cursed form yet, but she is certainly comfortable with it, even if she has to trigger it the regular way. She knows what an honor it is."
"How do you know all of this," asked Nabiki.
"Well, Elder Ku Lon I know of old, but I've spent the last three days camped outside of Nerima, reading minds and memories. I know each of you as well as you know yourselves...maybe even better than you know yourselves."
"Moose doesn't like his curse." This from Akane.
"Master of Hidden Weapons Mtu Zu is not privy to the lore of the Amazon warriors: not news to you, I sure. But speaking of him and his relationship to his curse, I need to caution all of you about seeking a 'cure' to the curse by using water from the spring of drowned man. It won't work and may make things worse for you."
"What do you mean?" cried Ranma and Genma together.
"Think back to that other Chinese boy, Taro. He went into the Spring of Drowned Octopus, but he didn't turn into an octopus. The octopus melded with his curse form. It did not replace it. If any of you, the girl, the panda, the duck or the pig, get into that Spring of Drowned Man, you'll add manlike characteristics to your present cursed forms."
"WHAT?" from the Saotome duet.
"You, Ranma, might become a she-male in your curse form: male from the waist down and female from the waist up, or vice versa, or something. The point is, you still might be able to live in normal society. However, a panda-man, pig-man, or duck-man is sure to draw attention of the worst sort. A regular duck, pig, or panda can co-exist with human society: an altered curse form couldn't. They'd have to live as Taro lives: away from people."
"Wait a minute, "gasped Akane, "Who turns into a pig?"
The room is again quiet. No one can meet Akane's eyes.
"Why are you all looking like that! WHO turns into a PIG? ...Ranma, who...Ryoga! It's Ryoga, isn't it? Ryoga turns into a PIG, and you all KNEW! Why didn't you TELL ME? Ranma, why didn't you tell...? You tried to tell me, didn't you ... Oh Kami-sama. HE WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN I WAS GETTING UNDRESSED! I'LL KILL..." Ryuho gently cuts off Akane's tirade.
"Lady Akane, Ryoga did not see any part of you. He always turned away when you were dressing. That boy is so shy that if he actually saw you nude he'd die of a brain hemorrhage. As to why he so worshipped you that he would stoop to becoming your pet, that has to do more with you than him."
"WHAT...?
"Lady Akane, you are the Keeper of the Spirit of the Harada. Allow me first to tell you the tale, and then, I will answer any question that you have. Will that be acceptable to you?" Ryuho tone was subservient, gently begging. Akane immediately laid aside her anger to hear the soft words of HER chief retainer.
"It will be. Proceed, Master Ryuho," said Akane, in a tone even she didn't recognize.
"Please, Lady, to you I am only Ryuho."
"Ryuho, then...tell."
"Yes, Lady. Almost two thousand years ago this land was a war with itself. Blood flowed in rivers as first one lord and then another strove to kill his way to becoming the most powerful warlord. In the middle of the fighting was the clan Harada. When the Lady of the Clan had lost her father, her brothers, her husband, and her sons, all spitted on this man's steel or that, she called, 'Enough.'
"She fled with her three daughters to a sacred grove in the mountains. There, she called upon all spirits to forge for her a weapon that would protect life forever, a weapon that would end wars with a minimum of bloodshed, a weapon which could be wielded only by women, as she had had enough of men and their wars to last every woman for all eternity. To purchase this wonderful weapon, she offered payment far surpassing any material wealth of this world. She offered the lives of her daughters: Murakumo, Shirayuki, and Asagiri.
"Murakumo was a healer whose very presence could ease the pain of those wounded in body and those wounded in spirit. Shirayuki was a tactician whose intelligence and cleverness could outwit the wisest of men. Asagiri was a warrior who could not be broken in battle. The three willingly gave their lives to buy their mother's weapon.
"The Kami of the grove accepted with grace the sacrifices and gave to the Lady Harada a truly unique weapon: a weapon of spirit, rather than of steel. The weapon could only be used by a woman and was only effective against men. It would last until the end of the Lady's bloodline, being passed down from mother to daughter. To honor the three who died, the Kami commanded that the personalities of the three daughters would be revisited in the Lady's bloodline, so that the spirit weapon would be wielded by each of the personalities in turn.
"And so, Lady Akane, the spirit weapon comes to you. You three, Kasumi, Nabiki, and yourself, are the personalities of Murakumo, Shirayuki, and Asagiri reborn. The weapon came down to you as was not supposed to be. It was passed from your grandmother, Kagero, to your mother, who like Kasumi, was of Murakumo's personality and was to have come to you in the fullness of the time. However, when Kimiko lay dying, the spirit passed to you too early, as it is Asagiri's turn to express it."
Ryuho's voice stopped and for several minutes, it was as if everyone was still under the spell of those soft words. The listeners felt as if they had lived through the story as Ryuho had told it. Finally, Akane spoke.
"Why weren't we told any of this?" she whispered.
"That was your mother's wish, Lady. In passing from mother to daughter, the spirit normally passes to adult women, not young girls. Kimiko was afraid that the responsibility might be too much for a child, for any child. So, she asked me to withhold your heritage from you and your sisters. I have done so out of my love and respect for her."
"You never actually said what the weapon does. What does it do?" asked Nabiki.
"It draws men to you."
"That's it?" Ranma exclaimed. "It draws men to her? What kind of useless weapon is that?"
"A much more powerful one than you think, young Lord. It gathers men to her, draws them to worship her, and allows her to control them if she wishes. Understand, if you send an assassin against the keeper of the weapon spirit, she will turn him into her own assassin. Send a spy: you've given her a spy. Send an army against her: she now has an army. Provided they are all male, of course. But, males make up most of the armies, most of the spies, and most of the assassins. The Harada spirit makes a most dangerous weapon."
"How do I use it?" Akane asked timidly.
"As far as controlling it, I teach you that. It already flows from you naturally."
"What do you mean," Akane demanded.
"When you started to make the change from girlhood to womanhood, the spirit started to make itself known. Think of all the trouble you've had with boys. Most of it has been because they are being drawn to you. Kuno and your fan club are an example. They say they love you: what they actually feel is more akin to worship than love. Kuno told them to fight you to show you their love. They tried it and you fought them back. They saw the light in your eyes during the battle and knew that at some level, you were enjoying it. So, the morning fights became their way of worshipping you. That's why they never stopped, even though it must have seemed silly even to them. They could not possibly all date you if they had won. By the time Ranma arrived, you were pretty tired of the whole thing and ready for it to end. But, you could have ended it before then. You could have ordered the horde to attack Kuno. You could have demanded of them that they kill him. They would have done so, or died to a man in the attempt, just to make you happy.
Think of Ryoga: he claims to love you but treats you like a goddess, not a woman. Think of Gosinkugi: the mere notice of him by you was enough to send him into ecstasy. Think of how many times you've been kidnapped: why you and not some other? They're all drawn to you. Speaking of kidnappings, why weren't you afraid? Part of it is you have great personal courage and part of it is you knew Ranma would come for you, but the greatest element was that the Harada spirit recognized them as tools and not threats."
Again, the silence stretched. Finally, Kasumi asked, "What about Ranma? He doesn't worship her."
"Yeah!"
"Yes, what about him?"
"Ranma is a special case. The Harada spirit wasn't fooled by his female form. The warrior personality recognized immediately that this was a boy worthy of her, worthy to be her consort, champion, and bodyguard: the only boy she had met who was. But, to fulfill such roles, he would have to be an equal, not a slave. So, the spirit chose not to affect him. He's fallen in love with you all on his own."
"Are you crazy? I don't love that Tomboy! I've had eno...urk" Ranma's voice choked out and quit.
"Be quiet!" Rhuyo completed a complex hand gesture that cut Ranma off. "Tell all of that to someone who can't read your mind. I know exactly how you feel about her, and how she feels about you. Kasumi, can I get some more tea, please? Thank you, dear."
"How does he feel about me," Akane asked timidly.
"He loves you, my Lady. He loves you as much as you love him. Even without the weapon's effect, he has faced gods, monsters, and demons on your behalf. He could no more leave you unprotected and in danger than he could flap his arms and fly to the moon. And, he is powerful. I've never known of one so young who could wield such power. When he can actually control the catfist, he will be all but unstoppable. He's perfect for the role he must play. After all, who can guard you more completely than the one who shares your bed, yes?" Ranma and Akane both blush a bright red and look at the floor upon hearing this, but neither speak. They each realize they have heard the truth spoken. It is Nabiki who sees the critical question.
"Why does my sister need a bodyguard?" With a sigh, the old man answers.
"Because, she is the incarnation of Asagiri. Through the ages, reincarnations of Asagiri have often been killed while wielding the spirit weapon. In each case, they died because they could not stand back and let their soldiers fight alone. Their own warrior nature would demand that they personally lead their troops into battle. In the forefront a battle, sometimes the best-protected position can be overrun and the people there killed.
"About five hundred years ago, however, a solution was stumbled upon. One of your kinswomen, my Lady, had as her consort a powerful half-demon. Though he was a tremendous warrior, his primary concern was her safety. He protected her at any cost and she lived a long life: one of the few Asagiri reincarnations to do so. We, the retainers of the Harada spirit, realized that was the formula; to provide the Asagiri keeper of the spirit weapon with a fantastically skilled fighter who was totally dedicated to her safety and well-being. He cannot be one of her worshippers because they would always follow her orders.
"Her protector must be willing and able to move her, by force and against her protestations if necessary, to safety if the situation should call for that. Since then, we have always sought to provide the Lady with a consort that is exceptionally skilled, loving, and dedicated to her and her safety, even if that means defying her. To that end, we were overjoyed to find out what a powerful young man Ranma was turning out to be. Kasumi, this tea is delicious and talking is thirsty work. Might I have some more?
"Of course, Master Ryuho."
Akane and Ranma sit quietly, each occasionally sneaking looks at the other. The rest of the family also sit quietly, digesting all the information the little old man has provided. Finally, Ranma finds his voice.
"So, she won't stay back, huh?"
"You already know the answer to that, Lord Ranma. How many times has Lady Akane chided you about butting in on her fights? With regard to her, you must forget all of the things your father ever told you about women. She is of such a nature that she will never be able to stay home and wait for your return from a battle. Her place will always be at your side, in the thick of the conflict, when she isn't covering your back. That is pure Asagiri." Suddenly, the old man turns sharply toward Akane.
"Oh, while we're talking about Asagiri's nature, Lady Akane, it is very important that you never, never, never try to express love through cooking. The original Asagiri could not cook and all the reincarnations of her spirit are cursed in the same way. You might be able to make something very basic for the purpose of staving off starvation, but if you try to prepare a traditional meal, it will be a disaster. You won't believe this, but some of the previous reincarnations of Asagiri have produced things in the kitchen that would qualify as life forms. Ha ha. Why are you all looking like that?"