Chapter 11
Cologne was meeting with the elders of the Amazon village. She had just given them the news that Ranma was no longer available.
"So Shampoo's lost her husband? Not very impressive of one of our finest warriors"
"Unfortunately, that is correct. Some fool in Nerima had acquired a Scroll of Yesterday."
Lotion couldn't believe it. "What? How in the world did one of those get out? We have all of the copies in our vault."
Cologne sighed. "Well, it seems like we thought we had every copy." She reached into her bag and drew out the scroll. "Here's another for the vault. I recovered it from the boy before I executed his punishment"
"You used the scroll on him as well?" Perfume asked.
"Yes, I enforced the traditional punishment for the unauthorized use of the scroll."
"It is an unfortunate set of circumstances that such a chain of events could occur. It is particularly distressing that we have lost such a promising young man. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do for the boy...and the girl as well. Shampoo is released from her responsibilities toward the young man, and must now look for a new husband." Lotion looked at Cologne. "Is there something else you wish to report".
Cologne paused, she knew that the next bit of news would not go over well with the council. She was counting that the council had written off the boy so that her actions would be moot.
"Yes, there is something else. I told you that the boy and one of the girls of the family he was staying with were victims of the scroll. I arrived at their house just as the incantation had been completed and the scroll had been thrown. I knew the finality of what was about to happen and I decided to take a chance on something. Since it has already been a week since the event, I believe the effort was for nothing."
Perfume knew Cologne was avoiding something serious. Cologne never talked in hints and riddles, so whatever she did, it was big. "What did you do?"
"Understand, I saw the boy start to phase away. I know there is no way to return from the banishment, but I decided that the only chance they had was to have...access...to the...archives"
Oh, she didn't do that, she couldn't have... "Cologne, I ask you again, what did you do"
Cologne stopped trying to avoid the subject. "I gave the boy my key."
"YOU DID WHAT!" Perfume screamed.
"I gave him my key. I decided all I was probably doing was destroying my key. Even I'm not sure how he could have used it in time, but I have seen the boy come through in many difficult situations. I felt...I felt he deserved the chance."
The council was quiet for a short while. Eventually, Perfume spoke up. "You know what the penalty is for giving anybody but an Elder access to the archives." Cologne closed her eyes, she knew this was a possible outcome.
Lotion jumped in. "But considering that all she really was doing was just destroying the key, I believe that we should be...understanding of the circumstances."
Cologne looked to Lotion with obvious gratitude. "Thank you, I appreciate your understanding."
"What a mess" said Perfume. "I suppose we should glad that at least we didn't lose you or Shampoo as well. Very well, we will have a replacement made for you. You and Shampoo are free to go. Inform Shampoo that she should begin looking for a new husband, as her obligation to this Ranma is hereby released."
"I understand, thank you." She turned and walked out of the meeting room. Well, that actually went better than I expected...
---
It was the morning after their first 'camp out' and Ranma and Kasumi had already finished breakfast. Ranma had changed into his white gi and was walking toward the dojo when he saw Kasumi walking toward him. She didn't have her usual care-free look, and appeared to be slightly nervous or self-conscious about something. "Hey Kasumi, what's up?"
"I have a favor to ask of you Ranma."
"No problem!" Kasumi's favors were usually quite easy for him to fulfill, he didn't think for a moment that this one would be anything different. Of course, Ranma Saotome had been known to be wrong before...
"I'd like to train with you" There she said it. She'd been working up her nerve to ask him for the last couple of days.
"Wha..Wha..What?"
"I'd like to train with you." She held up her hand to hold off his next well versed counter. "Before you say anything else, hear me out. We've been here over a week, and there has been no sign of anybody. I'm not sure what our next steps should be, but I believe that at best it may be a long time before we get back. I don't know about you, but I don't look forward to doing anything but cooking and cleaning for an almost empty house for much longer. Plus, for the first time in my life, I have enough time to choose what I want to do with my life. I don't know about you, but I'd almost given up hope to ever have that choice given to me. Granted, our situation places certain...restrictions...on what I can do, but I've thought about it and I'd like to train with you."
Ranma was dumbstruck, Kasumi...train...I'd have to hit Kasumi?... "But why?" was all the response he could muster.
Kasumi cocked her head slightly, and her smile grew wider. "Because I think it would be fun."
"Fun?"
"I've been thinking about my life for the past few days. No, that's not really true" she corrected herself. "Actually, I've been thinking about my life for a long time. I've already told you that even though I tried to stay cheerful for the family, I really wasn't happy about my every day life. Until now, I never saw a way to make a change. But now" she paused, looking around. "Now I have a chance to make some choices. I don't expect you to make me a great martial artist, but I'd like to be able to do things with you. I think it would be fun to learn things from you and to work out with you. I'd like..." again she paused, but this time she looked him straight in the eye. "I'd like to be your friend, if I could".
"Friend?" he whispered, still not accepting this unexpected turn of events.
"Yes, friend. Unless you'd like to just work out by yourself. I'd understand of course..."
"No No No No No" he blurted. As he considered her request, he realized how empty his workouts had been without anybody else, heck even the tomboy, around. The enormity of the request hit him, and his mind raced. How am I gonna teach her? How am I gonna hit her? But...wow...to have a friend to work out with...
She saw the emotions flicker across his face as he thought about his response. Kasumi couldn't believe it, she'd finally managed to make herself say the things she said to him. She doubted he'd really thought about their situation that much, his optimism wouldn't let him really consider the consequences, but she had. The last few nights she had lain awake long after Ranma had dropped off. She had to admit to herself that they might never get back, and if they didn't, then they would have to adapt being here alone.
If Ranma didn't want the company, she could live with that, after all, in many ways she'd been alone in the house since her mother died, and this wouldn't be much different, just a lot quieter. Ah, but if Ranma did want a friend, someone to really do something with, then maybe she could start...living...again. Ranma didn't realize it, but Kasumi was just as alone as he was. All of her friends had gone off to school, or some had even got married already. Her duties at home kept her isolated from developing any real relationships.
And so, she had steeled herself to ask Ranma if she could work with him in his art. A cold feeling of dread descended upon her as she kept waiting for his response. The small pessimist in her starting to tell her of course he won't want to be with you, why would he?
"Kasumi, I'm not sure how good of a teacher I'd be, heck my old man wasn't the best role model, but I'd be honored to teach you, and yeah, you're right, it would be fun to have somebody to work out with. In some ways it will be perfect, because with me supporting this Ki drain that this place is puttin' on me, I'm just starting out again myself."
The smile that he saw on her face dwarfed any smile he had ever seen on the oldest Tendo sister. He was fascinated in the effect it had on him as well, as any doubts he had were quickly blown away.
"Thank you Ranma, thank you! I promise to be the best student you'll ever have. I'll go get dressed. I'll be right back." she turned at raced back up to her room, to get the gi she'd placed there yesterday.
I hope she knows what she's doing. He thought as he watched her leave
--
Ranma was torn. On the one hand, it was really nice to have someone working out with him in the dojo. On the other hand, he felt like the worst man in the world which was technically true at the moment he chuckled to himself. I guess I got carried away a bit today. It was just so much fun. Kasumi was sprawled on the couch, exhausted after her initial workout today. Kasumi had been so committed to being a good student that he almost missed the signs of exhaustion she showed during the initial stretching and beginning katas he had shown her today. Once he realized how far he had pushed her, he insisted she take a break and that he'd take care of dinner.
"Kasumi, you know I don't mind cooking, heck, I'm even getting to like doing it these past few days. I insist. Besides, since we don't have a working furo, you can't get a hot soak. The least I can do is to prepare dinner for you."
"Alright, if you insist. I feel so bad, when I was small I used to practice with Daddy, but I didn't realize I had gotten so out of shape."
"Like heck!" Ranma replied. "I just pushed you too hard. I kind of got carried away today. It really was a lotta fun. I just wished we had a hot spring or somethin' close by so you could have a soak."
"I'll be fine, really, it actually felt good to really stretch today."
She lay on the couch, listening to him chopping the vegetables they got from the market yesterday. She really wasn't telling him all the truth. It not only felt good to stretch today, it felt good to be doing something different for a change. No matter how sore she felt, she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world right now. Something new, something...alive! It was wonderful to be off of the sidelines.
"Kasumi?"
"Yes Ranma?"
"I was thinkin'. Like you said earlier, it's been a week now and no sign of anybody. I was wondering, maybe we should try to go to the Amazon village and see if we can find a way back there?"
Kasumi lay still, trying to put into words the concerns she had about just such a suggestion. "Ranma, I think going to the village is a good idea, but I'm not sure going right a way is such a good idea."
Ranma furrowed his eyebrows. "Why not?"
She turned and looked at him. "Well, if we get there, nobody will be around in the village, right?"
"Yeah..."
"So won't we have to figure out everything for ourselves?"
"Yeah, I suppose so..."
Kasumi sighed with frustration. "Ranma, I don't know how to read Chinese, do you?"
"Nope...I sure didn't learn it from Pops. If he could read Chinese, we probably wouldn't have ended up in Jusenkyo!"
"But won't we have to know how to read it when we search for answers there?" She saw his face fall. He tried to keep a look of hope, but he wasn't a very good actor.
"Oh crap! You're right! I never thought of that!"
She smiled at him. "It's okay, it's just that we'll have to do a little learning first before we go to China. I'm sure between the two of us we can learn enough Chinese to figure things out once we get there."
Ranma managed a full blown face-fault. "You mean we're going to have to go to school? But there aren't any teachers!"
"Well, not school exactly, but we'll have to teach ourselves."
"Oh man, that could take a long time..." Part of the reason he wanted to get going to China was to get out of this dead house. "Okay, you're probably right, but I still have a suggestion."
"Certainly Ranma, what is it?"
"I think we should leave this place, this house."
Now it was Kasumi's turn to be confused. Leave her home? "But why?"
Ranma wanted to to this right. He knew Kasumi loved her home, but he also knew they could find a better spot, particularly if they were going to be here for a while. "Well, I've been thinking. First, I don't know about you, but not having running water or electricity is making it tough to be here."
Kasumi nodded in agreement.
"Second, it kinda makes me feel more alone walking around this house. I'm so used to your sisters and your and my father being about that sometimes, it gets a bit too quiet for me. I was thinking, we could find a place in the mountains not far from here. On one of my training trips, Pops and I saw some cabins near some hot springs. Since you seem to like camping, I thought that if we could find a place with running water, plus a source of hot water, it might make it a lot nicer. That way if we need to stay in Japan for a while, at least we'd be more comfortable."
Kasumi looked down at the ground in thought. She really hadn't thought about moving. When she realized they'd probably have to stay in Japan for a while, she just assumed she'd stay in the house she'd grown up in. She was impressed with Ranma's idea though. Roughing it in the Tendo home was becoming more and more difficult, and Ranma was right, it did make it seem slightly lonelier. She thought about the last few nights outside in the stars, and decided that maybe a change was indeed in order. She'd already made the first step in breaking out of her rut by getting Ranma to begin to teach her Martial Arts, why not up it another notch?
"Ranma, I think that is an excellent idea. If we found a place with hot and cold water, and not around all of these empty houses, I think it would make staying here much nicer. Could you show me some of the places you were thinking about?"
The cocky grin returned to Ranma's face. "You bet! We'll start tomorrow"
--
Neither of the two knew that their world and its continued existence were heavily frustrating the red and black spherical creatures who normally would have removed their world from existence long ago. The creatures knew that one of the two humans was somehow preserving the world around them so that they were unable to 'reclaim' it as they had so many times before and since. This particular world was like a grain of sand in an oyster. It irritated the creatures, who buzzed and fidgeted just outside of this world's reality. More and more waited at the edge of its existence, waiting for any lapse in the state of this world. They were eager to set things right and remove this world from its existence, and the moment the life force stopped preserving this environment, they would remove that irritation as fast as they could.
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Authors Note: I'd like to thank everyone again for the kind words and good ideas. Since I'm usually writing about 4-5 chapters ahead of what I post, not everything that is a good idea can be squeezed into the story, but I thank you all very much.