Author's Note: This is a reload to fix Akari's name
Chapter 20 New Troubles in Nerima
Ranma was heading over to Ucchan's. Shampoo had called him to tell him that Ryoga was there. Suddenly he sensed the surge of two battle auras near him. As he did, he saw an arrow coming toward him. He jumped out of its way, hitting it with his hand as it passed, breaking it in two. Looking around for where his assailant might be, we saw Ling-ling and Lung-lung aiming at him again. He ran forward as they both shot. He dodged the arrows and then was upon the girls, knocking their bows out of the hands. What do you think you are doing, sisters? he cried out in Mandarin. The girls froze in shock, both in hearing him speak Chinese as well as calling them sisters.
Ling-ling replied, Why do you call us sisters? We're Xian Pu's sisters, and you aren't her husband?
"When she was banished by your great grandmother, for failing to marry me, my sister Ukyo and my Mother more or less adopted her. I consider her my sister, so that makes you my sisters as well. I'm on my way to see her if you wanna come with me," Ranma replied.
"Lung-lung no understand. Big sister Shampoo no marry Airen. Why Airen no marry?" Lung-lung asked.
"Because I never loved her, and I would never live in your village. I've seen the way you treat males there, and I wouldn't survive," Ranma said, "After I disappeared, Shampoo decided to give up on me I guess. Once I married Akane, that solved our problem with your laws anyway."
But if big sister Xian Pu doesn't get married, then Ling-ling and Lung-lung can't get married, either. Amazon law says so, Ling-ling said.
"You'll have to talk to her about that. She's got a least two guys that she's dating, that I know of, maybe more. She's also turned down at least one proposal, too. Come on, follow me," he said as he continued his trip to Ucchan's. Ling-ling and Lung-lung shrugged their shoulders and followed him.
As they entered the restaurant, Shampoo saw her two baby sisters. Xian Pu, we've come to live with you. The village boys are all idiots, so we ran away to find you. Great Grandmother didn't tell us why you couldn't come home, Lung-lung said, She doesn't know we're here.
"Hey, Ryoga," Ranma said, as he walked over to his friend, "Where ya been?"
"Around, you know me, Ranma, I never know where I am," Ryoga kidded, "Seriously, I was with that girl Akari for a while, but that didn't work out. I missed my friends too much, and she really wasn't what I was looking for. I finally got back this morning and I ran into Shampoo. She brought me to the restaurant, and we got to talk about things. You know, she's really a pretty nice girl, now that she's giving up her obsession with you."
"Hey that's my sister you're talking about," Ranma growled, "You're not thinking about chasing her now are ya?" Then he smiled, "She could do a lot worse than you, you know? You've turned into a pretty good guy yourself, and you deserve some happiness of your own. Ya ought to ask her out."
"Playing matchmaker now, huh. What is it with all the guys I know? As soon as they get married, they think everyone else should be too," Ryoga said, only half kidding. He thought for a second, and then said, "I wouldn't mind going out with Shampoo, she's pretty and smart. Now that she's no longer pretending to be a bimbo, it's amazing what a nice person she is. She hugs pretty good, too."
"Baka, ya don't need to be telling me that, ya need to be talking to her. I thought ya were over your shyness," Ranma smirked, "Hey Shampoo, could ya come over here for a second?"
Shampoo walked over, followed by her Amazon sisters. "Shampoo, would you, uh, like to go out tonight?" Ryoga stammered.
Shampoo's eyes got very bright. Ling-ling and Lung-lung squealed in excitement. "Sure, Ryoga. I'd love to go out with you. I'm going to take the girls over to Mom's. If you want, you can walk us there, and then once we've changed, then we can go out?" she replied, "Besides that way I know you'll be there."
Ryoga blushed. "Hey, I'm getting better. It only took me three days to get here this time. But that's not a bad idea," he said. "Sorry I'm stealing your waitress, Ukyo" he called.
Ukyo just smiled. "Hey, that's not a problem. I just volunteered Ranma to take over anyway," she said with a snicker, "There's a spare uniform in the back that should fit fine."
"Hey, Sis, that's not fair," Ranma said, half in protest, half amused.
"You're the one that talked him into taking Shampoo out tonight," Ukyo teased. Grumbling, Ranma walked into the back room.
Shampoo led her sisters and Ryoga to her Mom's house. She walked into the living room, and startled her mother and Mr. Tendo. They sprang apart, trying to look innocent, and failing. "Excuse me, Mom. My sisters Ling-ling and Lung-lung are here from China. I thought they could stay here tonight, if that's okay with you. Ryoga's here as well. He's taking me out on a date tonight," she said. 'I wonder how long that's been going on,' she thought, suppressing a snicker.
"That would be fine. They can move into Ranma's old room. It will be nice to have youngsters around the house," Nodoka said. Shampoo smiled her thanks and went to show her sisters the room.
That evening, after Shampoo and Ryoga had left, the two girls were in the kitchen helping Nodoka cook. She asked, "How long are you two planning on staying? How old are you?"
"Ling-ling and Lung-lung no plan on going back. Want to stay with Big Sister Shampoo. We are eighteen, old enough to be Amazon warrior," Ling-ling said.
Well, if you plan on staying in Japan, you need to learn to speak Japanese better. I think I will take you shopping tomorrow as well, and find you some clothing that will blend in a little better Nodoka said in fluent Mandarin.
Can we call you Mother, like Xian Pu does?" Lung-lung asked quietly.
You would do me great honor if you would, Lung-lung Nodoka replied, You are Xian Pu's sisters after all, therefore you are my daughters as well
"Thank you Mother," Ling-ling said.
Nodoka turned away from them, and wiped a tear away.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Dr. Tofu was in a conversation with Kodachi's doctor and another man about her condition. Dr. Nomura was extremely agitated. "I know she had made excellent progress. All of our counseling sessions had gone so well. She had admitted her obsession with Saotome and recognized how destructive it had become. If she hadn't convinced me she was cured, I would have never agreed to her discharge," he said.
Tofu said calmly, "I believe you. I sensed something else when I spoke to her. That's why I asked sensei here to examine her. Mr. Higurashi is very knowledgeable about chi, about aura. I want him to talk to her and tell me what he finds out. I also want to get Ranma here as soon as possible. I want him to tell us exactly what happened and then to talk to Kodachi himself."
Mr. Higurashi went into Kodachi's room, while Tofu and Nomura went into the observation room. "Hello, Kodachi, my name is Mr. Higurashi. You remind me of my granddaughter. She's somewhat younger than you. I am a friend of Dr. Tofu and he asked me to come by and talk with you," he began.
Kodachi smiled pleasantly, and said, "It's nice to meet a friend of Dr. Tofu. I always thought he was a nice man. He and Kasumi make a nice couple, don't you think?"
"Yes, I do. I was at their wedding. She made a lovely bride, didn't she? Did you know that she is expecting their first child?" he asked, carefully watching her aura.
"No, I didn't. Tachi hadn't told me. I must remember to send her a present from me and my beloved Ranma," Kodachi said. As soon as she said the words 'beloved Ranma', he sensed a change in her aura. He paled, instead of the relatively calm, clear aura he had been reading; he now felt an aura of pure evil. He excused himself, and went to find Tofu and Nomura.
"I'm glad you called me in on this. How did you detect it," he asked Tofu.
"I didn't. Ranma sensed something wrong when she attacked him and asked me to check her out. When I did, I immediately called you," Tofu said.
"That's not an ordinary man you have there. Very few people could have detected this. You're right. It's as if there are two separate people in that body, one with an almost normal chi, only slightly tainted by something, and the other, pure evil. How long ago was she discharged?" he asked.
"About a month ago. She came in voluntarily about seven months previous, wanting to rid herself completely of her drug addictions and violent behavior. In her calmer moments, she had realized something was wrong. At first, we had to restrain her like she is now, but that only lasted about a month," Nomura replied.
"So something happened to her in the past month. See if her brother can shed any light on what she might have done, or who she might have seen during that time, and look in your records for the same thing while she was here," Tofu said, "I called Ranma, he said he would get over here as soon as he could."
Ranma met Dr. Tofu, Dr. Nomura and Mr. Higurashi outside of Kodachi's room. He had brought Kuno with him. Ranma and Kuno bowed to the men. Tofu said, "Thanks for thinking about Tachi. We need him to find out some things for us. Can you tell us exactly what you saw and felt when Kodachi attacked you, Ranma?" Ranma told them the story, emphasizing that it almost felt like a switch had been thrown when he sensed the change. Tofu said, "Now what we need you to do is to talk to Kodachi. I think there is a second person's aura infesting her. Try to see if that aura is familiar to you."
Ranma looked puzzled, but agreed. He went into Kodachi's room. She smiled to see him, "Ranma, darling, I've missed you terribly. When will you rescue from this horrid place so we can be together forever?" she asked. Ranma gasped in shock. The aura that he sensed, how was it possible?
He smiled weakly and then said, "Kodachi, I'm afraid you're not well. The doctors are doing everything they can do to make you better." He sensed a change in Kodachi. Her eyes no longer blazed like they had done.
"Ranma, please help me. I can't control it much longer," she cried. Ranma felt a chill run up his spine.
"We're doing our best, Dachi," he said gently, using her nickname for the first time, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Kuno's here, would you like me to send him in?" She nodded. Ranma left the room and found the others gathered in the observation room. "You heard her, I assume?" Ranma asked, "I sensed the aura of the demon version of my girl form. I thought she was destroyed."
"Apparently not. Kuno was just telling us about a gift that Kodachi had received in the mail a few weeks ago. It contained a clay doll, a necklace and a letter supposedly from their father. From his description, the doll and the necklace appear to be the same items that were stolen from a shrine many years ago. The thief appeared to match the description of Happosai. Kuno remembered that the package was postmarked the day before Happosai died," Tofu said.
"The freak is dead? I wondered why I hadn't seen him yet. How did it happen?" Ranma asked, "I thought he would live forever." He was amazed he was sounding so calm. 'I better not show how happy this makes me,' he thought to himself, 'they would never understand. Just don't go dancing down the hallway, either!'
"He was found dead lying in the street about a month ago. He made the mistake of stealing the underwear from a touring company made up of nothing but female impersonators. Apparently the shock was too much for his system and his heart collapsed. Before he died, he had written 'curse you Ranma' on the street," Tofu said. "We just got a call from father-in-law. The police just now made an identification of the body and came and told him about it."
"What do you know about the doll and the necklace?" Kuno asked, "Is that how my sister was possessed?"
"At the moment, not much. We just have the little bit that I remembered from one of my books in my library. I had my granddaughter fax me a picture of them from the book and Kuno recognized it as the ones that his sister had gotten. We sent a message to the shrine hoping they might have more," Mr. Higurashi said, "All we can do is wait now."
"Where is this shrine?" Would it be quicker to go there? I can have a jet ready to go immediately! After all money is no object," Kuno said.
"No, fortunately it's local. My granddaughter is on her way over there with the message. She should be back in only a few hours," Higurashi said, "Your affection for your sister does you credit, young man."
Several hours later, a young schoolgirl, around sixteen or so joined them. She had long black hair, and was wearing a white blouse and a short green skirt. "Grandfather, here's everything they had about the doll and the necklace. You're right. The doll can be used to contain a demon. The necklace allows the transfer of a demon into a human," she said.
"Thank you, granddaughter. I thought that your friend was with you?" Higurashi asked.
"He waited in the car. He thought it would attract less attention that way. He said to tell you he could smell demon as we drove up," she said.
"Thank you, Miss," Kuno said, bowing, "Hopefully, this will allow us to save my sister Kodachi. Know that the house of Kuno owes you a debt." She bowed and left.