Dog Days
Ukyou walked away from the guide, carefully watching her step. Everything went according to plan. It was so easy, why didn't they do a one man trip earlier? Most likely, because no one trusted the other to let someone go alone to China. Now, she, Ukyou, had what they dreamed.
After Ranchan was cured, he would make his choice. Ending the half life everyone suffered in. If one fiancee could be happy, wasn't worth the cost?
Something tickled her leg, inside her pant leg. She slapped her leg, but it evaded and started to move further help. Her struggles brought her close to a spring's muddy bank. Again, she struggled for balance. She almost caught herself. Which means-
SPLASH!
Ukyou struggled in the oversize traps her clothes became and made it to the surface. She paddled to the edge of the spring.
The guide waited for her. "Oh dear miss. You fall into spring of drowned dog. Tragic story 1,750 years ago. Oh, I did warn you."
Ukyou growled. The guide managed to get her floating clothes and pack.
"Please join me at home. I'll heat some water."
The guide went over the whole curse. Cold water would change her to a dog, warm water would change her to human. The guide convinced her to stay the night. After all, her whole life changed. She needed time to readjust.
She lay awake thinking about several things. Traveling would be 4 times as hard. Cold water was everywhere. Hot water was unfortunately harder to run across. She could remodel the restaurant and change the tap in the bath so she could nudge it open. But that's Japan. She needed to focus on now. She could almost envision everyone's pitying looks. She shook her head. No one was going to find out about this, not even Ranma.
The morning came and Ukyou packed up. She looked at the thermos. The guy's cures. Why doesn't she just take a dip into spring of drowned girl before leaving? That should cure her. Maybe just borrowing a container and walking out to the border of the springs. She could cure herself and move on without fear of getting another curse.
Then again, if getting uncursed was that easy why didn't the guys do it. Especially Ranma? Likely by assuming it couldn't be done. Another thought came to her mind; they were likely thinking how the change effected fighting styles, first. So she would have the guide point out spring of drowned girl.
After eating her delicious breakfast, the guide regretted that Ukyou would leave that day. It wasn't often he ate someone else's cooking. Typically, the martial artists that still came here in spite of the danger didn't bother to learn to cook.
"I don't usually leave before cleaning dishes, but I really have got going. If you could point out spring of drowned girl, I'll uncurse myself and return home."
The guide paled. This never happened before. He should've expected it since she came here to cure her guy friends. "Miss, there is no spring of drowned woman."
Ukyou's eyes flashed with anger and she drew her spatula. "I would believe that, if my childhood friend didn't get cursed by spring of drowned girl."
The guide nervously laughed. "I was correct, no spring of drowned woman." He held his hands up. "Listen, I wanted to spare you the bad news. The springs. they will fight you. You just became cursed."
"But I got water from drowned boy, to free my friends. Why can't I do the same for myself? If I have to fight some avatar, or you. I'll give you a fight." She moved into a battle stance.
"No, no! Not me!" He exclaimed. Ukyou relaxed from battle stance, but stood ready with her spatula. He sighed. "The springs. very old. Many souls here in the springs have drowned. Springs, intelligent enough not to let you go. Not intelligent enough to prevent your original mission. Understand?"
Ukyou sheathed her weapon. "I suppose. I want to try, anyway."
The guide shook his head. "You risk angering the spring and getting a double curse. Dog, you'll be able to get all of places. Would you get in the same places, if you looked monstrous, or unique to capture?"
"Then, I need to figure out another plan. I suppose."
Ukyou walked away from the guide, carefully watching her step. Everything went according to plan. It was so easy, why didn't they do a one man trip earlier? Most likely, because no one trusted the other to let someone go alone to China. Now, she, Ukyou, had what they dreamed.
After Ranchan was cured, he would make his choice. Ending the half life everyone suffered in. If one fiancee could be happy, wasn't worth the cost?
Something tickled her leg, inside her pant leg. She slapped her leg, but it evaded and started to move further help. Her struggles brought her close to a spring's muddy bank. Again, she struggled for balance. She almost caught herself. Which means-
SPLASH!
Ukyou struggled in the oversize traps her clothes became and made it to the surface. She paddled to the edge of the spring.
The guide waited for her. "Oh dear miss. You fall into spring of drowned dog. Tragic story 1,750 years ago. Oh, I did warn you."
Ukyou growled. The guide managed to get her floating clothes and pack.
"Please join me at home. I'll heat some water."
The guide went over the whole curse. Cold water would change her to a dog, warm water would change her to human. The guide convinced her to stay the night. After all, her whole life changed. She needed time to readjust.
She lay awake thinking about several things. Traveling would be 4 times as hard. Cold water was everywhere. Hot water was unfortunately harder to run across. She could remodel the restaurant and change the tap in the bath so she could nudge it open. But that's Japan. She needed to focus on now. She could almost envision everyone's pitying looks. She shook her head. No one was going to find out about this, not even Ranma.
The morning came and Ukyou packed up. She looked at the thermos. The guy's cures. Why doesn't she just take a dip into spring of drowned girl before leaving? That should cure her. Maybe just borrowing a container and walking out to the border of the springs. She could cure herself and move on without fear of getting another curse.
Then again, if getting uncursed was that easy why didn't the guys do it. Especially Ranma? Likely by assuming it couldn't be done. Another thought came to her mind; they were likely thinking how the change effected fighting styles, first. So she would have the guide point out spring of drowned girl.
After eating her delicious breakfast, the guide regretted that Ukyou would leave that day. It wasn't often he ate someone else's cooking. Typically, the martial artists that still came here in spite of the danger didn't bother to learn to cook.
"I don't usually leave before cleaning dishes, but I really have got going. If you could point out spring of drowned girl, I'll uncurse myself and return home."
The guide paled. This never happened before. He should've expected it since she came here to cure her guy friends. "Miss, there is no spring of drowned woman."
Ukyou's eyes flashed with anger and she drew her spatula. "I would believe that, if my childhood friend didn't get cursed by spring of drowned girl."
The guide nervously laughed. "I was correct, no spring of drowned woman." He held his hands up. "Listen, I wanted to spare you the bad news. The springs. they will fight you. You just became cursed."
"But I got water from drowned boy, to free my friends. Why can't I do the same for myself? If I have to fight some avatar, or you. I'll give you a fight." She moved into a battle stance.
"No, no! Not me!" He exclaimed. Ukyou relaxed from battle stance, but stood ready with her spatula. He sighed. "The springs. very old. Many souls here in the springs have drowned. Springs, intelligent enough not to let you go. Not intelligent enough to prevent your original mission. Understand?"
Ukyou sheathed her weapon. "I suppose. I want to try, anyway."
The guide shook his head. "You risk angering the spring and getting a double curse. Dog, you'll be able to get all of places. Would you get in the same places, if you looked monstrous, or unique to capture?"
"Then, I need to figure out another plan. I suppose."