Disclaimer: No gerbils were harmed in the writing of this fanfic. Pay no attention to their protest lines.

ASHES - A Cinderella Story
Chapter Five - A Primrose by Any Other Name

Woven lies take us to task
When we hide behind a mask
Let us jump and let us jive
Here we go with Chapter Five.

NERIMA:

"She isn't really gone, you know."

The man dabbed at his face with a handkerchief and turned his eyes toward the woman who had fogged into being beside him. "In your world, perhaps," he said. "Here in mine, where I have chosen to remain, it gets a little lonely." He nodded his head and added, "I am honored. I did not expect you to come, yourself."

"For one of our most important - and cutest - mortals? How could I not?" The woman looked at him more closely and said, "You have decided!"

He took a deep breath and said, "Yes. One last glimpse. And you are the only one who can help me see her as she was. That is how I want to remember her."

There were few people around in the tidy park, with benches overlooking neatly groomed flowers and bushes. The one exception was this man sitting on one of the park benches, admiring the flowers, with a portable television set hissing white static beside him.

"Soon," she promised. "Right now, I am up to my...armpits...in work. It seems someone managed to introduce a 'worm' virus into Yygdrasil."

"Impossible! Can it be?" Any thought he had that she might be joking vanished at the seriousness of her frown.

"Tensquare on the truthmeter - she wasn't lying. It's there," she said through gritted teeth. "I just can't find the blamed thing."

"Ah," the man ventured a hesitant smile, leaning back to gaze at the manicured trees around them. "Yygdrasil, the ancient ash tree."

"Yep," the woman said, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees, taking in the quiet peace of the park. With a sardonic smile, she added, "Yygdrasil. The original hierarchical structure."

"As I recall my mythology," he said, "the tree has always been under some kind of attack. Snakes in the roots, goats in the branches. A never-ending battle, with the tree refreshing itself from your well."

The woman stopped as if stunned. "She wouldn't have," she muttered to herself. "But then - I believe you may have given me something to think about," she said to the man, as she hastily rose from the bench. The television set began to sputter again. "Please forgive me for delaying your wish, and for my abrupt departure!"

"Oh, do not trouble yourself on my account. I have waited this long to see her, I can wait awhile longer," the man waved her on, and the woman vanished. For a while he sat and enjoyed the warm breeze, then he shut off the television, checked the time, and left.

FURINKAN:

"Yo, Akane! Why was Mr. Tendo dressed up, last night?" Ranma coasted into class barely before the bell.

"He just went out, Ranma. Dads do that, sometimes."

"Yeah? Mine don't. He was bored 'cause he didn't have anyone to play 'go' with, so he tried to pick on me."

"You were a little noiser than usual. Didn't you bring an umbrella, today?"

Ranma looked back at Akane, who was covering a bookcase with plastic, and said, "No, why should I? It ain't supposed to rain, is it?"

"He hasn't heard the announcement," Yuki told Akane, unfolding her own umbrella. There was a 'whump' sound as other umbrellas opened about the room.

"What announcement?" Ranma asked. He jerked his head as the fire alarm sounded and a fine mist briefly clouded the room.

"The principal wanted to test his new sprinkler system," Yuki explained.

"Oh, great," growled Ranma, shaking water from her pigtail. "He did that deliberately!" The instructor nodded wearily as Ranma signalled for permission to get some hot water, then waited impatiently as a male Ranma returned to reclaim his seat.

The school room quiet was broken again when Ukyo came to class late, limping, using her battle spatula as a cane.

The instructor sought to bring order back to the furor as he said, "Class, Miss Kuonji is quite capable of walking to her seat without your chatter. Please return to your books and go to page number forty-three."

Ranma leaned toward Ukyo and whispered, "Yo, wha'happen?"

Ukyo directed a melting glance toward him. Noticing the teacher, who was watching Ranma's blatant disregard of class-room discipline with an accelerating tic in his eye, she hissed, "I'll tell you later, Ranchan!" As the instructor again prepared to render his assignment, she sat upright and faced the front of the room, entertaining visions of being comforted by her Ranchan.

-----------

"She got you, too?" Akane asked, unconsciously testing the tenderness of the purple smudge on her own face.

"Same gal, sounds like," growled Ranma. "She challenged Akane and Kodachi."

"She didn't say a word, Ranchan. She just hit me. I didn't even see her, until it was too late." Ukyo reached for the security of Ranma's strong arms, but he had prowled away from her. She continued, "I am more worried about Konatsu. He left without saying a word after he saw what had happened to me. I haven't seen him since."

"Who's next?" wondered Akane.

Ranma merely opened and closed his fists, his knuckles creaking. "Only attacks girls, eh?" he said.

"Unless she got Konatsu, too," Akane mused. "Ranma, are you thinking of doing something dumb?"

"Whaddya mean, 'dumb'?"

"You have that look in your eye."

"What look?"

"The one you get when you are going to do something stupid and maybe get yourself hurt!"

"Since when do you care if I get hurt? I am supposed to get myself hurt! That's how I learn!"

"Hummph! I couldn't have said it better, myself!"

"Yeah? And what would you suggest, huh?"

"What kind of plan is that? Go out as a girl and hope someone attacks you? I've fought this monster! She's powerful! She scared even me!" Akane stopped abruptly, put her hand over her face and moaned, "Oh, no. Now I've done it."

"Aw, what d'ya know? Stupid tomboy. I don't care if she's built like an elephant! I can beat her! She's only a girl!"

"Listen to yourself, Ranma. Whoever she is, she could take you on right now, and your girl side does not have your strength or reach."

"Ain't no girl so strong that I gotta be scared of her!" Ranma snorted. "Except maybe you, that is."

Akane stiffened. "What do you mean by that?"

Ranma appeared to actually calculate the result of two plus two and replied, "Uh, nothin'."

"I was only trying to help, and you start insulting me. And I am not a gorilla!"

"Well...I wasn't going to say that, exactly."

"That's what you usually call me! And another thing. I am not unsexy and uncute!" Akane's lower lip quivered with building rage. "I'm not!"

"Heh...one thing ya are, though."

"What is that?"

"Loud."

Akane suddenly noticed the circle of interested faces, and she turned scarlet. Grabbing Ranma, she dragged him back to class, trying to ignore smiles and laughter from observers.

HAINOKO:

"I, Hainoko, swear that Cinderella is my friend. Furthermore, I agree to become the personal servant of Deirdre and Deirdrum for one (1) year if I cannot get Cinderella to perform at the charity bazaar hosted by their mother. P.S. If Cinderella or her assigned agent does not appear immediately and agree to this, then I am a great big liar and a cheat."

"That's not fair!" cried Hainoko. "You didn't let me read all of this!"

"Too late," sneered Deirdre. "You've already signed it. You swore that Cinderella was your friend. Now, prove it!"

"Or we'll tell the teacher who really brought that Cinderella poster to school," piped Deirdrum. "She got very excited when she found it in the lockers. If we tell, you'll be in big trouble!"

"I can't help it," sniffled Hainoko. "Somebody told her where it was." She looked suspiciously at Deirdrum's smug grin.

"You think you are so special!" crowed Deirdre. "We'll see! Mother is going to be so disappointed when Cinderlla does not show up. She's going to hate you! And, you are going to have to apologize to everyone at her bazaar, because you told a lie!"

Hainoko folded the paper and hid it in her backpack, aghast. She was trapped. A whole year as personal servant to those slobs. She'd die!

She would have to ask Hiroshi to give the message to Cinderella. She would have to humble herself and be nice to him, and he hated her. What if Hiroshi refused? What if Cinderella refused? So Cinderella had come to see Hiroshi once. That did not mean they were great friends.

"Still," she sniffed, wiping her nose, "At least she came to our house. She hasn't gone to visit any one of them!"

IN A DARK ALLEY:

I tried to talk to Daisuke again, but it was no use. He was acting peculiarly. He shut the door in my face, saying that he could not face me without cold water. I said, 'Fine! I wish you'd forget about it!' It was only later that I thought about whether or not it had been a real wish.

I didn't know what he was so upset about. Several girls were hanging around his house waiting for him to come out and say 'hi.' I wasn't jealous, or anything. Why should I be?

So I went out to spread my own somber mood around. No way I was going to sit at home and brood, merely because I was stuck with an alter ego that threatened my manhood.

I sought companionship with someone I figured could identify with my problem. I was ready to confess all and tell him what had happened. However, he was not at home, so I never got the chance to discuss it. She was 'out', according to Kasumi. I found her acting preoccupied, prowling about the streets near the Cat Cafe.

"Hey, Ranma!" I said. "Why are you sneaking around like that?"

"Shhh!" she hissed, "I'm trying to catch someone!"

"Who? I don't see anything."

"Listen!"

I stopped and strained my ears, which was a strange feeling, but the sum total of my hearing was the whir of tires from a passing bicycle and a distant clatter, perhaps a stray dog knocking over a trash can.

Ranma tilted her head slightly. She must have heard something because she turned and said, "See ya." Then she left at a dead run.

I was curious. I followed, as best as I could, which was not very fast. Before I got so tired that I was gasping my lungs out I came upon Ranma again, standing in a posture of alertness outside an alley.

From within the alleyway I heard a thump, then an angry voice, "Aiyah! You think you fool Shampoo with ugly mask! You will die!" Then another thump, the rattle of a loose bonbori and a crash, followed by a groan of pain from Shampoo.

"She's getting killed!" I panted.

"Not if I can help it," Ranma muttered as she stepped away from the corner and leaped into the alley. In the darkness all I could see was Shampoo facing shadows, some of which were moving, until Ranma barreled into the middle of them. Something hit something else very hard and very fast - blows, counterblows, blocks and above it all the gasps and yells of three girls in mortal combat.

Excitement drew me closer, until, suddenly, the air was filled with howling projectiles, blowing a trash can beside me into tatters. The flurry of pointy things whining past reminded me of a fact of great import - I was a coward. I scrambled away from more flying splinters and watched the scuffling shadows from the shelter of the alley entrance.

Then I heard a sound that sent chills down my spine. Several sounds, in fact - a splash, a yowl, and Ranma's voice saying, "Ca...ca...ca..."

I did what any sensible person would have done. I ran like hell.

Somebody sped past me like I was standing still, except she did not duck around the electrical utility poles at the end of the street. She hit one dead center and knocked herself silly. I found Ranma lying flat on her back, with Shampoo nosing her face to comfort her.

I picked Shampoo up off Ranma, getting several scratches in the process, and carried her away from the spot, cautioning her to go back to the Cat Cafe. The thought occurred to me that I could probably dump some hot water on Shampoo and bring her back to human form, but since she would be unclothed and not in a very civil mood, logic and self-preservation dictated that I merely get her out of Ranma's sight. I was not going back into that alley to retrieve her clothes. Shampoo wanted to stay but she finally thought better of it and limped stiffly home.

I never did see who they had been fighting, though I saw a darker portion of the shadows move once, out of the corner of my eye. Also, I think someone followed us while I helped Ranma back to her feet. Ranma in girl form was small but solid - I did not get to carry her or even support her, and I was too scared to try to get a feel anyway. She decided that she had skulked enough and headed for the Tendo dojo, while I headed for home. I kept hearing noises, but nothing more happened.

PRACTICE STUDIO:

The next evening I went to practice with Primrose.

The Primrose Path had found an empty practice hall close to Ucchan's, somehow, and they were using it for their rehearsals. The band greeted me enthusiastically and introduced themselves - Juupooku on the bass, Sakku-chan on the sax, Guapo on the drums, and Michiro on the synthesizer. They gave me a round of applause when I took off the trench coat, but then went back to tuning their instruments and wisecracking back and forth about baseball and rollerblading.

Heaven. I was definitely in heaven. Kidori and I rehearsed songs that I know that I did not know that I knew. I heard nothing different about my voice, but for once no one cringed or turned the TV louder when I sang. Primrose seemed to glow with happiness when our voices blended, and she praised my footwork. We danced, each with our own routine, and I could dance beyond my most outragous fantasies.

Before each number, Kidori would go centerstage and do a kind of dance routine I did not recognize. I asked Guapo and she said Kidori was practicing a kata, because martial arts forms limbered her up for the dancing she had to do during a live performance. She seemed to be somewhat stiff as she moved, however.

When she finished the song which was to be the finale, Kidori reached into a pocket somewhere and tossed flower petals onto the bare floor which represented the audience. I asked her where she hid the flowers, since, like me, she had only the barest essentials of a costume...although, in all honesty, her costume had more places to hide stuff than did mine. She would not divulge her secret.

"I wish I could do something like that," I said, and I snapped thumb and forefinger. There was a -zap- and a tingle.

-poof-

A sparkling blue ribbon appeared in mid-air above the 'audience floor' and fluttered down.

"How did you do that?" she asked, wide-eyed, while Guapo retrieved the ribbon.

"It's a secret," I replied smugly, even as I searched the shadows for Ryoga. My thumb was stinging from snapping my fingers. I truly did not know where the ribbon had 'appeared' from. I had my suspicions, but how could I have a wish answered without Ryoga nearby?

"Look at this!" called Guapo. "It says, 'From Cinderella to Guapo-chan'. Can you beat that? Instant autograph!"

"Who belongs to this oinker?" Juupooku laughed, holding up a struggling black pig. "If no one claims it, I oughta invite him for lunch."

"I think that's Akane's pet," I said. "Hang onto him and I'll take him back home."

"Never mind, I couldn't hold onto him. He lit out when I mentioned 'lunch'," Juupooku said, leaning forward over his guitar. "Pop out another ribbon. I want one."

Snapping out the ribbons became easier after a little practice. Each band member got one, plus a few extra, with names I did not recognize. They assured me that the names were of friends, and not a ribbon went unclaimed. One final ribbon fluttered down, and Kidori grabbed it.

Her legs seemed to give out and she sat flat on the floor. "I don't understand," she said with a puzzled frown. "This one says 'Hiroshi loves Kidori.'"

I almost freaked out. "Throw it away!" I blurted. "I'll try to make another one!"

"No. I think I'll keep it," she said, very softly, folding the ribbon away. A tiny glimmer appeared in her eyes, and I thought I saw something like loneliness shining through, before she shook herself and called, "Okay, break time. Let's go get some food."

After I helped her to her feet, I checked the time. For once the clock was good to me. I still had over a half hour before I would have to run away from the ball.

While the band opened their bentos, Kidori and I went to Ucchan's. We went in disguise - that is, we dressed up in the latest fad - boy's clothes - which felt weird, since mine did not fit me. She borrowed some clothes from the band - Michiro's silver moon suit and space boots, since he was about the right height.

I did not explain why I happened to be carrying a pair of pants and a shirt along - let them wonder. Every time I changed to Cinderella my clothes had changed, too, but I was wary lest I get stuck as a boy wearing my blue scanty outfit. Go ahead and laugh. It has happened to Ranma.

"Oh!" Kidori exclaimed, "You look so cute in boy's clothes!"

"Heh," I blushed. "It's something in the jeans."

Our disguises got us into Ucchan's without mishap, except for a couple of sharp-eyed urchins who stopped us and demanded autographs. Primrose smiled graciously and complied, and I found myself so enraptured by her grace that I signed 'Cinderella,' without complaining, on the notepads the kids held out to us. It felt odd, suppressing the twinge of irritation, remembering that at one time I had actually wanted to be a rock star.

At Ucchan's I surprised her by holding her stool. She hesitated as she sat, easing into the chair as though in pain. "I helped move furniture last night," she explained.

Oh. That would explain the scratches on her arm, as well, I thought. Seemed perfectly logical to me. "The katas didn't help loosen you up?"

"Katas?" Her gaze was blank for a second, then she smiled, "Oh, you mean the exercises. No. Those are Mother's idea of relaxation. They really don't seem to ease the stiffness."

I looked around. "Where's Ukyo or Konatsu? They usually wait on customers by this time."

"Right here, Sugar. What'll you have?" Ukyo limped up behind the counter. Kidori jerked about at her voice, knocking over a condiment tray, scattering bottles, shakers and sauce.

"Oh, I am sorry!" cried Kidori, gazing in horror at Ukyo's scrapes and bruises, "I am so terribly, terribly sorry!"

"It's all right, Sugar," said Ukyo tiredly. "No problem. I'll get another tray."

UCCHAN'S:

At the far end of the counter, a conference of war was going on - five heads with but one thought, five hearts with but one ambition: vengeance.

"Only an uncultured barbarian would waste their strength on direct blows when a sophisticated twist would be so much more effective," Kodachi spoke, imperiously. She shifted her body into a more stylish posture, then slumped back on her stool to brood. "For that reason, I suspected this peasant Akane, because of the forceful attack the masked girl used."

Akane sat with her eyes fixed straight ahead, though the countertop she was gripping began to bend. "I thought we weren't going to get into personalities!" she said, "Or is this more of the 'revenge of the Kunos'?"

"We all got hit, and hit hard," Ranma said, for once the arbitrator. "Can ya think of anything that might help us figure out who it was? I remember seeing someone sneaking about just seconds before I went into the alley."

"And what about you?" Akane asked, "I thought you were above hitting girls!"

"I didn't exactly hit anyone," Ranma replied stiffly, setting aside his third okonomyaki only half-eaten. "I blocked."

"Airen block very good," Shampoo added with a smirk. "Shampoo have scar to prove it, from time we fight. Macho girl want to see?"

"Keep your clothes on, Hot Stuff," Ukyo ordered. "Let's concentrate on the problem at hand."

"Well, I believe you, Ranma-sama," purred Kodachi.

"Since when do I gotta defend myself?" demanded Ranma. "We got ourselves a problem!"

"Shampoo puzzled," the purple-haired girl said, "Why mask girl attack spatula girl without warning, but challenge rest of us?"

Ukyo shook her head. "She never said a word," she said. "I also remember seeing someone skulking about in the shadows. When I stepped out the door to investigate, I was hit from another direction. Then I saw that hideous mask. Afterwards, I found flower petals scattered about." She propped her chin on her hand and frowned in reflection.

"What sort of flowers are these?" Akane asked, "I didn't even notice them until Nabiki pointed them out."

Kodachi fingered the petals disdainfully. "Common field flowers. I would not even allow them into my yard. The tramp is an uncultured boor."

Ukyo lifted her head to growl, "All you grow are black roses, Kuno. What would you know?"

Kodachi laughed, which made everyone shift uneasily, then she said, "I chortle at your ignorance! I know all about flowers, Merchant. This is cowslip, an ugly plant which grows wild in the fields or alongside the road. Another name for it is the European Primrose."

Ranma's eyes shot wide open. "What did you say?" he yelped.

"Primrose?" Akane answered.

"But she's..." Ukyo began, and five heads turned toward the far end of the room, where Kidori and Cinderella were attacking their respective dishes, as they liked them.

End: Chapter Five