I do not own Ranma ½ or any character part or parcel of that great work, nor lay claim to any of the incredible ideas expressed by Rumiko Takahashi, or Viz video. This is just a labor of love from one fan to the rest.
Like Fallen Leaves, the Willow Weeps. A Ying, Yang, Yakuza story (Y3)
Chapter 34: Side story one: The Tale of an Outcast and a Little Bird, Part Eleven.
Kotori walked with the grace and poise that had been burned into every fiber of her being by the diligent work of her Mistress, and Qiang Pu. Once again, she found herself glad to have taken after her mother, and not her father. Her slight, thin frame was much better suited to the lines of a traditional kimono over what her father's more squarish frame would have given. Having spent so many days tending to her Mistress had improved her skills with hair and makeup, talents that were going to be put to quite a bit of use in the coming days, it would seem.
It was good practice for her, without having the reputation of the Teahouse hanging over her. Still, she would protect the reputation of the inn that Mistress Tachi's family oversaw as if it was the Teahouse itself.
To do less would bring dishonor on her Mistress.
Hayate Kuno walked behind the young geisha with a strong, purposeful stride. He held his head high as he kept a careful watch on his surroundings. He most certainly would not do anything as lowborn or base as watch the gentle sway of the geisha's hips, or pay attention to the light, floral scent that drifted from her. Doing such things would not be acceptable of a Kuno, after all.
He had to live up to the noble heritage that he came from. He had to live up to the high standards of his father, as he had been told of them by his loyal servant. That is why he had come here, after all. To avenge the ignoble death that was inflicted on his honorable father and aunt by the cowardly, low-born curs that he had come here to give justice on the edge of his sword.
His servant had tried to talk him out of this, to get him to resist the urge to seek vengeance. To keep his Master's hands free of the dirty blood of the coward that had taken the life of his father. Unfortunately, that was not an option. He had to do this, as an act of familial duty.
To prove that he was worthy of the name Kuno.
Kotori knelt and opened the door for the young Kuno, and bowed to him as he walked in. "Will you wish to take your meal here, young Master?" Kotori asked as she continued to hold her position.
Hayate looked about the room, then nodded at the young geisha. "Yes, that will be acceptable." He said, then watched as the young Geisha bowed gracefully once more, before she slid the door closed and left the young man by himself.
Now all that was left for him was to find the one-armed man that he had been informed of. The person that his instructor had prepared him to fight. He had trained for the last three years to get revenge on his father's killer. His teacher had taken a lifetime of training, and honed it into a blade aimed at the heart of two people, both of them one-armed. A woman and a man that bore strangely similar disfigurements, that surely had to be the vengeance of the Kami themselves.
Yes, he would extract justice on both of them, starting with the man that he had been informed would be in this area.
Kotori walked back into the kitchen with a graceful, flowing pace and nodded to Chika as she started to lay out all the proper elements for a traditional tea. Kotori looked up as Chika placed the cup on the tray for her.
"So, what do you think about our young guest? Quite the dashing young man, is he not?" Chika asked as she cast a sidelong glance at the young geisha.
Kotori blushed and gave a look at Chika that drew a laugh from the older woman. "Mother, I have had quite enough of boys like him over the years. They rarely have room for anything besides their ego and self-importance in their heads, and they certainly don't know how to treat a lady…. Plus, I can tell he is not one of those who would be…. Happy…. Once he did get my kimono off."
Chika paused as she looked at the young girl, and nodded before she started to work on preparations for supper. "You are very correct in that, dear. Boys like that would never appreciate a fine woman like you."
Kotori smiled and relaxed as she looked at the older woman. "Thank you, Mother."
"You are welcome, daughter. Now, will you help me please? I figured we had best go all out for our important young boy " Chika said, and smiled as the young trans girl slipped in next to her and fell into the rhythm.
It was nice to have another woman in the house
Meanwhile, in Tokyo at the residence of the Tendo's…
Qiang Pu packed the last of the items she would need into her bag, and checked over everything else one last time. She had the address to the inn, the numbers she would need, everything was in order. Now, she just had to clear one last hurdle….
Her parents.
Qiang Pu took a slow breath, then another before she placed her packed bag to the side of her door, and walked out to where her parents were cuddled up on the couch with a blanket placed over the pair of them as they watched a movie. The youngest member of the household was having a sleepover at his aunt's house with Kaya. The two sets of parents did such exchanges on a pretty regular basis, not just so that the two young children could play with someone around their own age, but also so that the parents could get the occasional child-free night.
When her parents looked up at her, Ranma with a curious look on her delicate features, and Nabiki with a certain twinkle in her eyes. Qiang Pu was already certain that her parents had known all along just what she had planned. Or, to be more exact, what idea Yaayaa had stuck in the young warrior's head.
Qiang Pu took a breath, then bowed deeply to her parents. "Mother? Father? I was hoping that I might ask you something…"
Her parents exchanged a look, then Ranma nodded and Nabiki spoke up for the pair. All three knew that regardless of what gender Ranma currently was, that the young warrior still saw Ranma as her father. One of the quirks of her upbringing was that Qiang Pu would always take what Nabiki said more to heart on a deeper level, long habits that were still hard to break even after five years living in Japan and far away from her village in China.
"You can always ask us anything, Qiang Pu. You don't have to stand on formality so much, but we appreciate the seriousness of what you want to ask us. Now, why don't you ask what it is that has been on your mind?" Nabiki said as she smiled softly and reassuringly at her adopted daughter.
Qiang Pu smiled nervously and bowed quickly before she took a deep breath and started to make her request. "I.. I want to go on a little trip… Just… For a few days, a week or two at the most? I guess you could say it is a training trip, of sorts?" Qiang Pu blushed as she realized how much she had started to ramble. She was glad that she had not resorted to the horrible broken pidjin Japanese she had spoken when she had arrived in Japan, at least.
Nabiki nodded and forward as she gently took Qiang Pu's hands in her own. "Just take a breath, dear. You have nothing to worry about. Now, where do you plan on going, and how much have you packed in your bags?"
Qiang Pu laughed softly and stepped back after a minute before she reached up to fiddle with her ponytail in a way that reminded both of the adults of Ranma when he had been younger. She took a breath and then started again with more confidence. "I want to go visit Kotori and Mistress Tachi. I… Yaayaa helped me come up with a whole list of reasons… But… In the end…" The young warrior laughed and looked at her parents with a flush to her face. "I miss having her around."
"And you are sure about this? Positive that is not only what you want to do, but the correct thing to do?" Nabiki asked as she looked into the eyes of her adopted daughter.
Qiang Pu stood up straight and nodded once before she dipped back into a bow. "Mother, Father…. Elders…. I humbly ask your permission to go see Kotori and Mistress Tachi."
Ranma and Nabiki shared a look before Ranma pulled an envelope from where it had been placed and stood up. Ranma chuckled a little as she had to look up at her daughter before she handed her the envelope. Qiang Pu blinked and looked down at the envelope before she looked at her father and cocked her head to the side.
"Open it. Go on, Qiang Pu. Open it." Ranma said as she smiled at her daughter.
Qiang Pu nodded and licked her lips as she opened the envelope and looked inside. Inside was a train pass, along with a fair amount of yen. The young warrior looked at her parents as they stood side by side, and had to wipe away the tears before she rushed forward and hugged them both tight. "How did you know?" She asked as she held them both tight.
"We do know you fairly well by now, dear. And Gosunkugi keeps a good eye on Yaayaa, you know. We want you to follow your heart, and things might get a bit hectic around here soon, so it's a good time to go visit a friend." Nabiki said as she hugged Qiang Pu tightly.
"Keep a good eye on Tachi and Kotori for us, okay? And have fun with your friend. Just, not too much fun, if you get my meaning." Ranma said as Qiang Pu turned redder and redder.
"I… I have no idea what you mean! We… We are not like THAT! I've never looked at her… in that way…." Qiang Pu said as she found it impossible to look at either of her smirking parents.
"You do know we approve, right? And we have ever since we figured out how you two felt for each other." Nabiki said as she placed her hands over Qiang Pu's.
"But she probably doesn't even feel that way about me…" Qiang Pu said quietly. "I'm a girl, after all…. And Kotori likes men …"
Nabiki smiled and hugged her adopted daughter tightly again. "Dear, one thing I learned from your father, is that it is the person you fall for, not the form. Not if you really care for them. I'm not saying that it will work out for everyone, but for some of us? It definitely can. You just need to talk to her, tell her how you feel and see what she has to say. Have a little more faith in yourself, dear." Nabiki then placed a small package into Qiang Pu's hands and gently closed them over it.
Qiang Pu blinked and looked down at her hands as she started to open them, then blushed even redder as she very quickly closed her hands and looked panicked for a moment before she stuck her hands firmly behind her back. Her parents watched with barely concealed amusement as the former Amazon's brain melted down there and then, before she took a deep breath and bowed to her parents before she retreated back to her room. She looked down at the box once more, then hurriedly shoved it into the very bottom of her bag after a moment's hesitation before she rushed out and grabbed the envelope on her way to the door. She couldn't even look at her smirking parents as she put on her shoes, then hurried out of the door and on her way to the train station.
"You know, that was not very nice, Nabiki dear." Ranma deadpanned to her wife as she sat back on the couch and pulled the unresisting taller woman into her lap.
"Be that as it may, Ranma dear… Every young lady should have some on hand, just in case." Nabiki said before she slid off her lover's lap and cuddled up against the shorter redhead's side.
Ranma laughed and nodded as she gave one more worried look towards the door.
"It's going to be okay, Ranma. We have always known that she would have to learn to fly on her own eventually, but she will always have a safe place to rest when she comes back." Nabiki said and smiled up at her partner.
Ranma sighed and nodded, then leaned down and kissed Nabiki gently, before she snuggled up against the taller woman. "I know, but it doesn't make it any easier."
"I never said it would, dear." Nabiki answered before she wrapped Ranma tightly in her arms.
