Disclaimer: No gerbils were harmed in the writing of this fanfic, although several might have been traumatized by seeing Cinderella's outfit.

ASHES - A Cinderella Story

Chapter Seven - Don't Look Back

Threads of laughter, threads of joy
Spun with tears by girl and boy
Let us climb the stairway to heaven
As we trot out Chapter Seven.

BASHO:

It is simple. Take the least likely of all probabilities, decide where is the most unlikely place for an event to take place, and then take a random walk. Not entirely reliable, which makes it so effective.

Basho seated himself on the curb and inhaled. The odors of grease sizzling on an okonomyaki grill, noodles in deep fat, peppers and squash joining in a vegetable medley along with sausage, beef and chicken and warm bread, drifted from the food carts across the street. He set a bag full of their products beside him and made himself comfortable. This might take a long time.

Now, to consider. I am wading in the ocean, holding the gelatinous food substance in my hands, feeling the currents moving the Ultimate Truth into being. On another level, Basho recalled that Sensei had mentioned a scroll which contained the one true revelation of the Temple of the Good Deed. Perhaps Sensei would let him take a look at it? If he approached Sensei respectfully, and asked politely, he might. And then again, he might not. Sensei was a volatile, changeable person.

Truth has a texture. Truth has a moment of being, an eternity which lasts only a split-second, yet which rings with a vibration all its own. I can feel the nuances of that vibration. It burrs at my fingertips as I move them through the mold of the gel, it sings in my ears as I draw ever nearer, and nearer, and I can almost feel it! It is...it is...

"Baka! Why can't you stay away from me? You have caused me nothing but trouble! Because of you I have known more humiliation than I have ever had to endure!"

Basho stifled a sob of grief. I have failed. And I have succeeded. Which is more important? Does it matter?

Hiroshi had his back to Ryoga, arms folded, jaw clenched. "What about me?" he demanded, "I have been embarrassed, chased, fondled, and ogled. I have endured hardship, too, you know! Besides, you are the one who is always running off!"

"Well, you would run, too, if you were being chased by some kind of spook!" Ryoga said, pacing restlessly back and forth, "Every time I say the wrong thing, or someone makes a wish around me, I feel this 'thing' appear!"

"Ahem," Basho said, from their side. He was solidly ignored.

Ryoga continued, "All I want is to stop somewhere and rest. Yet, if I only say the word, 'wish', something happens!"

As if to prove his point, the limbs of the tree he was under began to move. They enfolded him while roots pulled themselves loose from the ground to wrap about his ankles.

Hiroshi froze where he stood. While he had become accustomed to odd sights, the creeping tree was a little too much.

Before Ryoga could rip the enfolding limbs from him, Basho stepped up from the curb, withdrew a slip of paper from his satchel, scratched a rune onto it with an aged bamboo pen, and slapped the paper onto the tree trunk. Instantly the branches released Ryoga and collapsed back into their former positions.

"What was that?" demanded Hiroshi, "That tree moved!"

"Tree spirit, under the command of a demoness," explained Basho. "Simple to take care of, if you know what you are doing."

"This is what I have to endure!" Ryoga said, then to Basho, "I don't know how it happened, but I think you had something to do with it!"

The monk shook his head. "Many times you have irritated me. I would say that you are a burden upon my soul and a trial to my spirit, but I am forced to admit a responsibility. Therefore I will try to help you as much as I can, but you must learn to keep your mouth shut about your task. You know who commands this."

"You are the one provoking me!" Ryoga responded. He was brushing at his arms and legs, as if he could still feel the branches and roots imprisoning him. He added reluctantly. "But, since you helped me, thank you."

"Who are you?" Hiroshi asked of Basho.

"A humble student, like you, striving to find truth in a world that is much, much too busy."

"He knows about the..." Ryoga said.

"He knows about the...?"

"Yes."

"He knows you can...?"

"Yes."

"And about her?"

"No, not that."

"How much does he know?"

"That I can...even though I don't want to...and he has a...still going on right now."

"What?" Hiroshi stood between them, head snapping back and forth, following their conversation.

"Then he can..."

"No."

"Does he..."

"Yes."

"What are you guys talking about?" Hiroshi demanded.

"You'll have to read the manual," said Ryoga, and he departed for Tokyo via Hokkaido.

Hiroshi was hot on his heels, determined to have some answers.

BASHO:

Basho was digging into the bag for another sweet bun when a dark cloud -whoomped- into existence in the street before him. Mara stepped from the concealment of the dissipating vapors and faced him.

"Where is she?" demanded the demoness, "Where is that sweet, sickeningly nice do-gooder of a fairy god-mother?"

There was a sesame seed cemented to his cheek in a honeyed paste. Basho caught it with a fingertip and delivered it into his mouth before he stood and spoke.

"I cannot allow you to harass my charge," he said.

"Me? Harass? Oh, you haven't seen harassment, yet!"

Basho flipped the remainder of his bun into the bag and deposited it at his feet. "Therefore, I must stop you before something bad happens!" he said.

He began scribbling the powerful glyphs of goodness that he had learned at the Temple of the Good Deed into the air. "I call upon the forces of goodness and light! You will transform! You must turn into a good person!" A marshmallow cloud appeared above the demoness.

-whump-

"Arrgh!" screeched Mara as her hair changed from blond curls to stiff gray and her face withered into a hideous old woman. "I am a demoness, you idiot!" she screeched, "I am allergic to good!"

"Oops," Basho mumbled contritely. "Heh. Sorry about that!" He edged away from the furious hag who had began to glow a dull, angry red.

"It will take me all day to get this ick off me!" rasped the hag's voice. "Let me encourage you to re-appraise your abilities! You are not yet ready to take on even a demoness second class!" She snickered menacingly and gestured, and Basho found himself snared in a vat of rancid honey. "Eat your way out of that!"

Mired in the sticky goo, Basho mourned, "I am never going to be a do-gooder until I finish the modulations and achieve the right to read the Temple's most treasured scroll!"

"Little prints of niceness all over the place! She left a trail a blind imp could follow," said the hag. "I will catch her and make her my slave! I can use a few wishes, myself!"

"I will stop you!" cried Basho, but his pursuit was a sticky crawl.

HIROSHI:

I never meant to find out Ryoga's secret. It just happened. One minute I was following him through the park, absolutely no one around except him and me. Then the sprinklers came on, and there was only me. Oh. Me and this little black pig, who happened to have a yellow bandana exactly like Ryoga's, and a charm bracelet around his neck. That is how I found out.

"Wow," I shook my head. "Bummer. Double plus ungood, old chum."

"Buee?"

"Yeah. I suppose you got it the same place that Ranma got his?"

"Buee."

"Man, that's terrible," I said, in sympathy. "I mean, you are one ugly pig. Why couldn't you change into a beautiful babe like Ranma?"

"Buee!" Ryoga-pig was trying to get to his charm bracelet, which was not easy since it was around his neck.

"Let me see that," I said, removing it and holding it in front of him. "Is this what you want?"

"Buee." He seemed to be reading something on one of the plates of the bracelet. Looked like shiny metal to me. "Buee!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Buee! Buee!"

"Are you trying to tell me something? Squeal once for yes and twice for no." I once saw this movie from America, about a dog with long brown and white hair, and the dog had tried to tell his master that someone was trapped in the mine and the only way he could make his master understand was to bark.

"Buee!" Ryoga-pig also stomped his feet, to emphasize his point. On top of my head. Ouch. Maybe he hadn't seen the same movie.

"Stop that!" I cried. "Look! If you are like Ranma, all we need to do is find you some hot water. There should be some water up ahead."

He took off, going the wrong direction, frantically squealing. I could not keep up with him.

I could not understand at all. It was plain that I would never be able to communicate with him until I could change him back, and he was determined to go away from the hot water. If only I could catch up and find out what was bothering him. A light came on, a blinding flash of insight.

I blinked and moved away from the street lamp which had switched itself on early.

"I want to be a rock star," I said. Might as well get it over with. Anyway, I had other powers while I was a 'rock star'. I glanced down at my scant clothes and was glad that the park was empty. Then, I set out to catch Ryoga and find out why he was so frantic.

The trees in the park were perfectly normal, so Ryoga could not have been worried about them coming to life and grabbing him. He darted for a fence, ignoring the standard entrance. I bounded after him, almost snagging his bandana as he jumped the stone wall. I was puzzled. He passed shops that would have had kettles of hot water ready to pour.

"What are you running for?" I asked, winded and irritated. He only looked back and redoubled his speed. Another light came on, but I dodged it. He wasn't running to something. He was running from something. Another light. He was not running from me.

I looked behind me. A gruesome hag was hot on my heels.

The sight frightened me so much I forgot that I had magical martial arts skills. All I could think to do was run, and run I did. As I passed Ryoga, I called back to him, "What are you waiting for?" He merely lowered his head and ran faster.

We entered the marketplace, a maze of interwoven streets and alleys with booths, stalls, okonomyaki stands on the side surrounded by tiny tables and stools, flower vendors, grocery and garden shops, meat vendors (which Ryoga avoided), and many, many, avenues of escape. She would never get us there. I motioned to Ryoga to head down the main courseway, then we cut right.

She was waiting for us. We 'yeeped' and headed back the other way, pelting down the stone pathway into another alley. Again, we were too late.

At last I remembered my strengths. I decided to confront her. She was only an old lady, but she scared the stuffing out of me. I faced her directly and demanded, "What do you want?"

She pointed at the charm bracelet I had taken from Ryoga and cackled. "I want that, Dearie!"

"No way!" I shouted. I batted her hand away, and it was like hitting a steel bar. She was very strong. I jabbed at her hideous beak of a nose, and my blow was blocked. She was very fast. My stomach rolled. She was also very ugly.

"You'll give it to me!" she shrieked, "You'll give it to me, or..."

"Or what?"

For answer, she turned her gaze to Ryoga. With eyes like steel marbles she said, "Why, I'll cook your pet pig, here!"

Ryoga-pig gulped and ran. It was an excellent demonstration of the action one should take when faced with a powerful, implacable, not to mention ugly foe. I did likewise.

Again, she was hot on our heels. No matter which alley we took, no matter how we twisted and turned, she was right behind us. At last, we had to stop, trapped in a dead-end. We were cornered, brick walls on three sides.

She occupied the entire width of the alleyway, her tattered cloak spreading stiff and razor sharp so we could not get past her, no more winded than if she had taken an evening stroll.

Smiling evilly, she clasped her clawed hands and cackled, "Now I have you, my pretty! And your little pig, too!"

TOO GLOAT:

"I wish this had never happened!" I called out, and the tableau froze expectantly. Nothing happened, hard and fast, and it went on not happening. I gulped.

The witch lady glanced about and rasped a cackle, "You can't wish for yourself, Dearie! That only works for the person you give the wish to!"

"Drat!" I said. I was sure that Ryoga granted wishes. Where could I have gone wrong?

"Now, give me the little trinket, and we'll call the whole thing off. I won't have to reduce you to your component molecules, and you won't have to spend years in some beaker in my laboratory." She smacked her lips. "And, oh, yes. Maybe I'll turn your pet loose...IN A RESTAURANT!"

Her icy gaze speared me and I tried to shake it off. Attacking her seemed insane...it had not worked before. Still, I had to give it a try. I jumped toward her, aiming a kick at her face. She cackled again and easily caught me by the heel, holding me upside down.

But while she was distracted, Ryoga made a flying leap that almost took my hand off, grabbing the bracelet. The hag dropped me on my head and snatched at him, but he evaded her.

Ryoga bounced off the bricks into a corner. He then shoved his snout through the wrist-band of the bracelet, which expanded to fit his neck. To me, he said, "Buee!"

"What?" I said, climbing to my feet.

"Buee! Buee!"

"One for yes, two for..."

"Buee!"

"You're wasting my time with your trained pig routine!" snapped the old hag. She suddenly widened her eyes, "You're...hold it! You're not the agent! He is!"

"Buee!" said Ryoga smugly, looking at me with expectation.

"But if he's the wish-pig..." she sputtered, and as Ryoga flashed a very indignant frown - for a pig, that is - she pointed at me, "...then what does that make you?"

I grinned hugely, saying, "I'm guessing it makes me one dangerous son of a...wait, that's not right...it makes me...anyway, you're in trouble!"

The hag was wasting no more time talking. She was readying a spell, judging from the putrid green clouds appearing about her hands, so I hurriedly added, "Iwishyouwouldgoawayandleavemealone!"

"You haven't seen the last of me!" she shrieked as she melted into a puddle. "Who'd have thought you would use a pig? Urd, Urd, you baka! Your spells have never worked..."

-poof-

"We beat her!" I was so happy, I did a victory dance. I grabbed Ryoga and hugged him to me in glee. Then I noticed that he was struggling to get away, his eyes glazing over. He was aware of something I had forgotten in my joy. I was still shifted, and I was holding him tight against my...I had forgotten that Cinderella had very prominent...my chest was fuller than I was accustomed to, and...

"Aw, gross," I hissed and dropped Ryoga before he nosebled all over my dress.

He staggered to his feet and turned to stare at the mouth of the alley. I whipped around, expecting to see another foe, but what I saw was shopowners and vendors. Angry shopowners, whose stalls we had run through.

"Ohboy. I hope they're fans," I said, but Ryoga merely grunted.

It turned out okay, though. I did a song and dance routine, the shop owners applauded, and we walked away. We walked fast, because one baker kept hinting that we could help him replenish his supply of pork buns.

HIROSHI:

I walked home slowly, kicking at stones and feeling melancholy. After talking to Ryoga and seeing that tree come alive and go after him, and then getting chased by an old witch, I was also feeling a little nervous. What else could go wrong?

Mom was not home. Nor was Pops, or Hainoko. There was a note on the table, in Mom's handwriting but weak and trembling, "Clinic. Hurry."

I ran.

Pops was in talking to the doctor when I got there. They did not know I was there. The doc shook his head and counted tiles on the floor while Pops ranted, "Are you sure? But she's only...at her age? Why her?"

Again, the doc shook his head. He was not smiling. "You will have to consider the other children," he said. "They need to be told."

"Have you forgotten?" Pops cried, "What if it finds out?"

"Then you'll have to - " the doctor began.

I burst into the room and watched the doctor slap a porcelain smile onto his face. "Where's Mom?" I asked, and the doctor began to tell me how she was all right, she had only suffered a bad cold, and she would be up and about in no time, and she was in such good health. All the time I could see in his eyes that he was not telling me everything.

His nurse came in and I could see Mom lying on a bed in the other room, so I pushed my way to her side.

"She's been sedated," the doctor said. He hurried me away from the bedside, saying, "She nearly collapsed because she has not been eating right, but she is fine, now." I was shuttled outside before I could think of any argument, and Pops sent me home with conflict brewing in his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he would not.

Hainoko wanted to stay at the clinic, and I had to drag her home bodily. Even when I fixed her some dried cereal she cried and moaned, "I want to see Mommy!" She shied away from my grasp and whimpered, "She's dying! I wannaseemymommy!".

"I told you, she's only got a bad cold. She does not want you to catch it, so you can't go in to see her," I said. Maybe I was trying too hard to be positive, remembering the doctor's expression. Mom was all right. Everything was fine. Wasn't it?

I decided maybe also I was being too hard on the little brat. "Listen to me. If you want, I'll take you back to the clinic. You can stand at the door and wave at her. You'll see. She is fine, she just needs some rest."

"I don't want to wave at her! How do I know that is really her? That's somebody pretending to be Mommy so I don't know she's dying!"

"Who else could it be? What's the matter with you, Packrat?"

"Don't call me that! You know I don't like it! I want to be with Mommy!"

"Well, you can't. Go play with Yoriko." It was only later that I remembered that Yoriko and her family had gone on vacation, and that meant Hainoko could be roaming around anywhere.

She sniffed back tears as she left, probably heading for the playground. From the doorway, she shouted, "You don't care! You don't care what I want!"

I sighed as calm settled over the apartment. She's such a snotty little twerp. Where did she get the idea that Mom could be someone else? While she was out of the apartment, I used the opportunity to snoop in her room, looking for my Cinderella poster that she had taken.

Then I got a shock. Among the mound of trinkets and personal items on her dresser was a paper, and it started, "I, Hainoko, swear that Cinderella is my friend."

I let out a groan, "Packrat, what have you gotten yourself into?"

My little sister had been going around, bragging to everyone that she knew Cinderella! Well, in a way, she did. But she had no right to make promises like this! I read farther, my heart sinking. Personal servant? Impossible! And they expected me to sing at their mother's bazaar? "Packrat," I added, "what have you gotten ME into?"

I could take the stress of performing in front of a huge audience, though it was exhausting work. They were always at a distance. There was a fog of unreality between me and the screaming fans, and they could not touch me. I was an actor in a costume. I could dress like a girl and be applauded, even if it offended my sensibilities. That was show biz.

Charity benefits meant small, close, intimate meetings. One on one with fans scared me, because they expected me to be what I looked like, and I refused to degrade myself by acting like a girl.

Now this. Great. Just great. I would simply go down and tell them to forget it, except then I'd have to explain how I, too, knew Cinderella. I could go to them as Cinderella, but then I'd have to explain why I was refusing to perform at a charity, without sounding stuckup and arrogant.

My head throbbed as I rested it in my hands, trying to think of a way out. I did not want to have to face these people!

NABIKI:

"She's called the 'Cinderella Singer', because she vanished at precisely midnight the first time she sang," Satchiko said as she slid the cassette into the VCR. "No one knows who she is, where she came from, or where she goes. Here is a video of her running into a crowd just before she disappeared. She never came out."

Nabiki watched the video, slowing and pausing it as the scene played out, Cinderella merged into the crowd, and then the crowd dispersed to reveal only a few students. She tapped her teeth with a pencil eraser as she thought, rewound the tape, and zoomed the image. Eventually, she pushed back her chair. "That's great, Satchiko," she said, "Good stuff, here. Excellent detail."

"Thanks, Nab-san. Always glad to help a business colleague," Satchiko said as she reloaded the camera. "Any idea what the school assembly tomorrow afternoon is about?"

"I heard that Principal Kuno had something he wanted to present to the school, which is why he gave everyone a day off to prepare for it. Whatever. Anyway, I have someone to visit."

"It is probably a new test to 'improve' morale," Satchiko grinned sourly as she left.

After she was alone, Nabiki leaned back and smiled a Nabiki smile. She purred, "Yep, it's always good to call on old friends."

HIROSHI:

Pops came home late the previous night, and then took the morning off to stay with Mom, while I sent Hainoko, protesting, off to school. With my own school postponed until tomorrow, I settled down to stare at the walls.

It happens once in a hundred years. Maybe more often, but you get my drift. It was a rare occurrence. Someone knocked at the door, and when I went to answer it, it was Ryoga. I grabbed him and pulled him in before he could ask for directions to Furinkan or the Tendo dojo.

"I have another wish!" I cried. "I wish my mother was healthy and well! You gotta do this! And then I want out of this trap!"

We both waited, but there was no answering rumble.

"It's not working! Why?"

He pried my hands loose from his shirt. "I am sorry about your mother," he said. "But you know I can't control these wishes."

"But can't I ask for something? Anything? I've got too much to worry about. My Mom is sick! My stupid kid sister saw me as Cinderella and told someone and now she has promised that I will meet with them and she will be in trouble if I don't! I don't want to stress out Mom, worrying about this, and I need someone to help me meet with these people, to handle all this stuff!"

Ryoga groaned. "Is that a..."

"Yes! I wish for an agent to help me!" I knew, somehow, that my wish was unwise. Troubles are placed on this earth to teach us how to cope for ourselves. We should not expect others to care for us. I knew, and yet I wished anyway.

-poof-

There was a rumble. Seconds later, the door swung open.

"Did someone call?" Nabiki asked, cheerfully.

"Someone shoot me," I groaned. I was doomed. Dee Double-Oh Doomed!

End: Chapter Seven