Vermilion Concerto No. 1 – Nerima By Moonlight
2nd Cadenza
Present day
Shiki turned his head, only to find that he was lying in a futon, his head cushioned by a fluffy pillow. Feeling his face, he noted that his glasses were on securely, and he looked around.
"Umm, sorry, did I faint again?"
Next to him was one of the sisters he didn't know yet.
"Yes, you fainted in the dojo after Akane gave you your glasses back." She smiled as she placed a cool damp towel on his forehead, "It's only been ten minutes."
"Ah, that's good, sorry to trouble you like this..." Shiki sat up, and immediately felt a dizzy spell, and he nearly fell until he was held upright by the girl.
"Don't get up yet, take it easy." Her smile was serene, as she softly pushed his back into the futon.
"Thanks, err..." Shiki couldn't recall her name being mentioned so far.
"Kasumi." The Tendo bowed lightly, "Nice to meet you, Shiki-kun."
"Ahh, Is Akane around, I have to tell her something."
Kasumi glanced at the door and nodded, "She's been wanting to speak with you too."
Akane came in, as well as the other sister, who waved briefly to Shiki, "Nabiki Tendo, don't get up for me." She grinned wryly, making him smile in return at her humour.
Akane kneeled next to Shiki and looked anxious, "Are you okay, Shiki?" She looked to his stomach where she hit him, then back to his face. "Are you hurt? That scar looks like it hurts."
He wondered how she saw it, but just assumed they took care of him when he was unconscious. "The scar doesn't hurt, but my stomach stings a little," Shiki knew that it was better not to lie about something even he couldn't fool himself with, in case it made her feel more uncomfortable. He grinned again, "But it'll heal, thanks to the training I don't bruise too easily."
Akane pursed her lips and shifted a bit, "Umm, I wasn't talking about that actually..." Her reddened face meant that she was referring to something else.
"Oh..." Shiki knew that this issue would come up sooner or later. He wanted to let them know most of the truth, just not the entirety, "My glasses help me from seeing something that damages my eyes. So I keep them on all the time." He looked at each one of them, "Please don't tell anyone, not even dad knows this..."
Kasumi rubbed his head lightly before removing the towel again. "I won't tell anyone Shiki-kun."
Akane agreed, "Same here."
Nabiki grinned, giving a thumbs-up from the doorway.
Shiki started moving his body slowly, sitting up at a steadier pace. Akane gave him a hand, as well as Kasumi, to keep him from falling.
As he sat up, he felt his head and smiled, "Good, the dizziness is over." He then stood up on his own, not needing any help from the others.
He looked at Akane, who was still on the ground. "I enjoyed our spar today, we should do it again sometime." He closed his eyes and gave a light smile, "I don't think I was much of an opponent for you though..."
Akane blushed and looked away, "Well, I... I have been training for a few years..."
Nabiki sauntered in, "You mean 'working out', right? You're not exactly training."
Akane glared at her before sighing, looking back at Shiki, "Besides, you're not bad yourself, you're really fast with those punches and the dodging. You only got caught by my strong punches... I got a little too angry..."
Shiki's stomach pulsed once in agreement.
"But I'd like to spar with you again." Akane stated happily, her smile brightening the room.
Shiki liked the sound of that, and nodded enthusiastically.
"So, come on, you have to tell us, Shiki," Nabiki spoke, her tone a little curious, "There's two things you still haven't explained, which I think are quiet important," She held up one finger, "Firstly, you were a girl just a few minutes ago, and then you changed to a boy!" She raised another finger, "Secondly, your last name is Tohno, different to your dad's one." She put her arms on her hips, looking somewhat victorious, "So, which one are you going to explain?"
Akane and Kasumi looked at their sister with mild anger and disappointment, as Shiki stood silently.
"Well, dad probably wants to explain about the curse when mum gets here, so you'll hear about that later..." Shiki looked up at the ceiling, thinking to himself, "There's not much to tell about my family name, it's actually quite simple. My real father, to put it mildly, disinherited me after my accident, and sent me away to live with the Saotomes. This was about eight years ago, nothing more to it."
Nabiki's grin slumped and transformed into a guilty discomfort, as she avoided his innocent eyes. Akane and Kasumi openly showed their sadness on their faces.
"Ahh, it's okay really, I don't remember much of my childhood anyway. Mr and Mrs Saotome have been good to me though, and to me, they're my real parents now."
Kasumi smiled, "Well, you look like you're happy, Shiki-kun." She stood up, "Would you like a drink?"
"Umm..." Shiki scratched his head, "Nothing cold... You know my curse. Do you have any green tea?"
"Of course, I'll bring it to you in a few minutes." Kasumi got up and left the room, the space she vacated being taken over by Nabiki.
As Kasumi left, the silence in the room returned, seeing as all the topics for conversation were exhausted.
"So," Shiki broke the self-imposed quiet, "How does your father know my dad?"
They looked at each other, and Nabiki cleared her throat, "I think they knew each other from a while back, but I'm not sure how, probably something to do with martial arts knowing daddy."
Shiki smiled at her childish name for her parent, "And your mother, is she around here too?" Their faces fell immediately, pained expressions passing over their faces, and Shiki instantly realised that he said the wrong thing, "Ah, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that..." He looked down, "I just assumed everyone else has two parents, I didn't even have a father that loved me, all I can remember is how nice Mr and Mrs Saotome were to me."
Shiki didn't want to say any more, in case he upset them more.
Akane sighed quietly, "Our mother died when we were young, we've been alone with our father ever since." She looked at Shiki sadly, "You didn't need to say sorry, since we asked you about your family first."
Shiki felt glad that the anxiety had left the room, they were slowly getting to know one another. He sat down again, running his hand over the tatami mat.
"I love the feeling of this." He said out loud, surprising them.
"What, you mean you don't have them in your home?" Nabiki asked, surprised.
"Yes, I did, but I travelled a lot with dad, so we didn't get to stay in nice places like this one, I think my last home before living with the Saotomes was a western style mansion, but I can't really remember those years very well.
The only constant he could recall was the grown haired girl that played with him, when he got her to escape from her tutors. He smiled with melancholy at the memories of Akiha, and the occasional times with the pink haired girl, who he couldn't name at that moment.
Seeing the sad faces of the girls around him, he brightened up, knowing what they were thinking, "Oh, don't be sad, please. Mum and dad took good care of me, and like I said, my real father got rid of me, so it's not like I want to go back to my real home."
Kasumi came in quietly, with the tea balanced in a centre of a tray, along with some light snacks. Shiki thanked her and began to drink the tea, sighing loudly when he felt the flavour refresh him.
"I understand that my dad knows your father, but why exactly are we here?"
All three girls stared at each other again, knowing this was a fairly major topic that had yet to be covered. Nabiki took the front and spoke for the others.
"We'll let them tell you... You won't believe it from us otherwise."
Shiki raised his eyebrow at that, but shrugged and continued drinking the tea.
One hour later
The living room
The Tendo family had welcomed the new guest, who introduced herself, and were sitting opposite Genma and Shiki. Nodoka looked delighted at seeing the both of them, especially Shiki, and she showed it by giving him a crushing hug, one that earned giggles from the girls, grumbling from Genma and mild wheezing from Shiki.
Glancing at the grey haired boy, Genma received a silent nod of agreement and confirmation to continue. He cleared his throat to speak.
"It's about time to explain the curse to you all..." Nodoka cocked her head to one side, not knowing about it, "And what happened at Jusenkyo." Shiki steeled himself to remain calm from the upcoming memories. "It all happened a fortnight ago..."
Two weeks ago
North coast of Japan
Genma and Shiki stood on the beach, staring across the sea. The grey haired boy looked up at his elder, noting for the first time that the short tuft of black hair has vanished from Genma's head.
He was taller now, and could feel a certain tightness about his body, his arms and legs, while still thin, were well toned with muscles just beneath the skin, and he no longer had as many blackouts or headaches.
"You must be joking, dad. I can't do that. Besides, I thought we were going back to Nerima."
"We are, just after we go there first, and yes you can swim it, you're real strong now!"
Shiki rolled his eyes at Genma, knowing that it was another lie.
"I can't swim to China, and neither can you!"
"I've done it before!" Genma proudly said, "And I can do it again."
Shiki looked with trepidation at the crashing waves, spotting dark clouds ahead which meant a storm was brewing.
"But..."
"It' okay Shiki, I can carry you if you feel ill or tired. If you want, we can take a boat or plane, it's up to you."
Shiki thought about it, but realised that living his life was important. What was life without a few risks?
"Okay, let's go see this training site of yours then..."
Pulling the strapbelt of the rucksack around his waist, they jumped into the water.
Swimming.
In the sea.
Well, more like across it...
Before I met Genma, I never thought I would do something like this. I can now proudly tell people that I've done it, on my own too!
We're deep in China now, we have our passports if we need help.
There's many mountains here, and a strange feeling too, I can't understand it.
This is a famous training area, where people go.
I wonder why, it doesn't look so special with those bamboo poles...
Ten minutes later
"Aah, Jusenkyo, the most legendary of all training spots."
Shiki narrowed his eyes as a memory of the word 'legendary' came up, "This had better not have come from that book of yours, from 'that' time."
Genma started crying, tears flowing freely over his cheeks, "Nononono! I swear! I never opened it again!"
Blinking, he came back to normal, "That's good then..." He looked up at the poles, "I don't think it's very special though, we've jumped from trees before..."
Genma shrugged, "Maybe you learn something when you train here."
"Ah, sirs! Welcome to Legendary Training Grounds of Jusenkyo!"
A short fat man wearing a Chinese army uniform came out of a small hut.
"Should we say hello?" Shiki asked, walking over to him.
"No, we must train! Spar with me!" Genma dropped his backpack and jumped on the nearby pole and was waiting for Shiki to go up on another one.
"I don't feel like it, dad." Shiki put his hand over his heart, feeling the scar beneath the clothing, "I don't feel too well."
"Shiki, enough, we're going to spar." Genma was not in the mood for arguments.
"I told you no!" Shiki grit his teeth, "I'm tired of all the wandering now, I want a place to live, a home."
He turned around, only to get a pebble in his back.
Shiki grew angrier, and turned to face a grinning Genma, who immediately changed his face to fear.
"I'm going home, and you're coming with me, dad."
Lowering his glasses for a second, he pulled out the knife and sliced through the bamboo pole, causing it to fall.
Knowing that Genma would retreat in only two directions, he lunged at the left hand pole and did the same just before Genma reached it.
It fell into the water, shortly followed by Genma.
"Oh no, sirs!" The Jusenkyo guide was aghast, "He fall in the cursed spring of drowned panda!"
"Cursed?" Shiki felt his scar throb sharply, as a large black and white creature soared out of the pool and landed on another pole further away.
"A panda?" Unmistakably, despite seeing Genma fall in, Shiki could see that it was a live panda on the pole, acting just like Genma, ready to fight.
Thump.
Oww, what was that? Everything went red for a second
Thump.
My head, it's hurting, oh God, it's so bad. This red is annoying me...
InhumanNonHumanCursedCreature
Huh? What?
killitkillitKillItKillItKILLITKILLITKILLIT
No, no I won't do...!
KILLKILLKILLKILL
The glasses fell to the ground as they slipped off Shiki's face, Genma's fur grew wetter from the sweat building up beneath it. Even the Jusenkyo guide was growing whiter, stepping back from the boy whose personality shifted entirely.
"Kukuku, pathetic Inhuman creature... You will die..."
Shiki leaped, straight for Genma, brandishing the blade in a lethal fashion. The panda leapt away in terror, then only moved faster as Shiki kept up with him, perfectly balancing himself on the poles.
Genma knew from the last time Shiki was like this.
He would die.
Deep in his mind, he focussed, thinking of ways to avoid Shiki, his movements were even faster now thanks to the training, and no matter what got in his way, he cut them in two. Half the poles at Jusenkyo now were split in half, and he was running out of options.
Genma was positive that if Shiki ever got close to him with that knife, he would die instantly, given the rare examples of that strength in the past.
"I'm sorry Shiki, I'm sorry Kumon..." He said, though being a panda at the timeit only came out as 'growfs'.
Opening the sealed techniques, he vanished from the top of the poles. Shiki suddenly stopped where he was, one foot flat on the tip of the pole, the other folded above it to maintain his balance.
"Where did you go, demon?"
Without warning, a sharp and painful blow hit him at the base of the neck. Momentarily paralysed, he flew downwards, crashing through three poles and being submerged in one of the pools.
Genma reappeared and ran to where Shiki dropped his glasses, then quickly to the pool, where a red haired girl floated to the surface.
"Oh no!" The guide was shaking, the fight was a real deathmatch, but he said his rehearsed phrase again, "That most tragic legend of all, spring of drowned girl..."
Genma ignored him and picked up the female Shiki, placing the glasses on the sleeping face.
My neck... It hurts...
What happened to me?!
I nearly killed Genma!
This is so much worse than last time, I couldn't even control my body. All I wanted to do was to k-kill him, in the most painful way too...
God, what have I become, am I a killer in disguise? Has the training changed me to do this?
Hang on, why do I feel different...?
Shiki sat up and looked around her, seeing that they were probably in the small hut of the Jusenkyo guide.
"Ah, sir, you have woken!" The guide came up, giving Shiki a glass of water. "You fell in cursed pool!"
"What?!" Shiki stood up, off the floor and looked around, anywhere except her body. "What have I become?"
"Sir, it was spring of drowned girl..."
Genma nodded, still in his panda form. Shiki fought back the urge to kill, but managed to because of the glasses on her face, and the knowledge that again someone almost died.
"Sorry, dad, I..." Shiki couldn't explain it, so chose to figure out what was wrong with the body, "Do you have a mirror?"
"Certainly sir!"
Giving him a hand-held mirror, Shiki stared into it, seeing immediately the red hair, and the two mounds on his chest, as well as noting her height was now about as tall as the guide.
Her mouth twitched, her teeth bared as her irises contracted.
Inhuman!
No! It's me! I can't!
killkillkillkillkillkillkill
No, no I shouldn't...!
KILL YOURSELF!
"GYAAAH!"
Shiki screamed, throwing the mirror to the ground, shattering it into dust, as her left hand pulled out the Nanatsu-yoru, aiming it for the centre of the scar.
Genma leaped up, but couldn't grab it well due to his claws, but was using all his strength to hold back the knife from piercing her flesh.
Shiki then reached out with her other hand, and Genma feared that he would lose his only son.
Only to have the right hand push the blade away, twisting the fingers open until it fell to the ground, embedding itself into the earth.
"You can't stop me, creature, I must kill myself. Get out of my way..." The tone of voice was the one Genma remembered from his nightmares.
Shiki grabbed at her head, stopping it from snapping, then gripped the left arm with the right, before it caught the handle of the dagger.
Pushing her left foot under her right heel, she tripped backwards on purpose, forcing herself to the ground, writhing about in agony, trying to hold in the personalities.
"I have to change back!" She screamed to the guide, "Tell me there's a way!"
"Y-Yes! Hot water change you back, but cold again make you girl." The guide said fast. He knew what she would ask afterwards, "There no hot water here, Chinese Amazons have some, I take you there."
"Good." Shiki looked to the panda, feeling those killing thoughts coming back. "Dad, knock me out, hurry!"
The panda nodded haltingly, and did so.
Present Day
The room was still as the story unfolded, and the silence permeated the walls, as Shiki closed his eyes.
"We made it to the Amazon village, and I got hot water, though not without a cost..." He opened them again, and yawned whilst covering his mouth, "Still, we got back, and everything else is fine..."
"But..." Akane had to let out her immediate thoughts, "Why are you different when you're a girl? I mean, you tried..." She didn't need to say anything more, as the gaze on the ruined and now unplugged fan caught everyone's attention.
Shiki's face shadowed over, before he turned to look at the broken fan, "The Guide mentioned that some pools have personalities attached to them, like the Spring of Righteous Man."
"Ah, so your female curse has a bad personality then..." Kasumi spoke cheerfully, glad it explained everything.
Shiki shook his head, "No, it doesn't I'm afraid... Spring of Drowned Girl doesn't have another personality..."
"But, I don't understand, what personality, how are you different when you're a girl?" Nodoka asked, thoroughly confused.
"It's not like that..." Shiki rubbed his head, trying to explain rationally, "I'm still me, but... I change somehow..."
"You tried to kill yourself." Nabiki stated, mildly cold, "You were calculating your chances of death, not something normal people do..."
Shiki turned to her, "Yes, but I wasn't myself, I said that earlier in the dojo..." He sighed, "It's not important anyway, I'm getting control over that impulse..." He looked at Genma, who then spoke for him.
"My son is cursed to be a girl when the cold water hits him. He changes gender at that moment, but his mind doesn't. However, when he realises the fact of his new gender, be it someone pointing it out to him or mentioning his body or figure," He paused to look at Akane and Nabiki here, who wisely looked away, "then this impulse gets stronger. Thankfully, he's been splashed with water a few times, and most occasions now he doesn't become suicidal." Nodoka paled at the word usage, "He is also angry at me when I'm cursed, it probably has something to do with Jusenkyo and the magic used to change me..." Genma folded his arms, "I trust you girls will respect his wishes not to rub it in further?"
They all nodded meekly, though Kasumi was sympathetic to Shiki.
"So, all we need to do is treat him as normal then, and not force him to become a girl, or even be shocked by the change." She asked this in a kind tone.
Genma nodded in praise, "That's right. With time, I'm sure Shiki will be strong enough on his own to build up his own resistance to this. Seeing as it's still recent, it is very powerful indeed."
Nabiki darkened, and narrowed her eyes, Akane looked at Shiki in puzzlement, and Kasumi remained obliviously knowledgeable to the situation.
Soun cut in, wanting to change the mood entirely, "Come now Saotome, old friend, we haven't a need to talk of such dire circumstances, for today is a joyous day!"
Shiki frowned as Genma too started laughing suddenly in response, "That's right Tendo! A glorious day to join the schools!"
"Join... schools?" Shiki looked to Soun, who was now sitting behind the three girls, he wondered how he moved so fast.
"Akane, the youngest at 17, Nabiki, my middle child, at 18, and Kasumi the eldest, at 20. Pick one to be your fiancée."
Akane's anger cross pulsed on her forehead, Nabiki's murderous stare moved to the hand on her shoulder, and Kasumi's lips thinned by a millimetre.
"Uhh..."
Shiki could read the girl's faces and knew that making a choice between any of them would be the same at debating which torture device he liked the most. Though their anger was directed at their father, if he said a wrong word, it would move to him fast.
"I... I think I need to be honest about this..." He pulled at his collar lightly as the stares of the girls bore into his face, "While they're all very nice people, from the hour I've been with them," Their looks mellowed a fraction, "I can't make a big decision like that right now, not without getting to know them more..." He looked to Genma, "Besides, my real family may not approve of me getting a fiancée without their own approval."
Soun transformed into a monstrous head, one that towered above the people, "So, you're saying that you reject all of them?!"
Shiki baulked at this and reflexively jumped back into an attacking pose. However, he didn't know his surroundings very well, and tripped over one of the rocks near the pond, falling in.
The burst of water that subsequently drenched Genma, leaving him a mute panda, kept everyone away as a redheaded girl leapt over the boundary of the wall.
Genma looked up at the projection of Soun, and held up a sign.
"Well, that was a smart move, Tendo."
The slitted eyelids of the panda was mimicked by Nodoka and the girls, as they all switched their focus to Soun.
Deflating like a fool, Soun went into hysterics, "Waaah, Saotome! I didn't mean it, I thought he slighted my beloved children!"
Genma rolled his eyes, realising that his hope of Soun changing after all those years was misplaced.
Akane stood up, determined, "I'm going to look for him." She scanned the skies around them, "He can't have gone too far, he doesn't know this place so he won't want to get lost."
Kasumi also agreed, "I'll walk around the neighbourhood too, I know of a few places he could have gone.
Nabiki begrudgingly did the same, "I'll come with you sis," She said whilst looking at her elder sister, "two pairs of eyes are better than one. Just let me grab something from my room..."
Within minutes, they had left the Tendo home, Akane taking to the buildings, leaping over walls and fences to get some height and distance fast, whilst the twosome strode on through the moonlit streets to a possible destination.
Leaving the adults behind in the house, Soun continued to wail at the empty living room, Nodoka and Genma having since moved to the dojo.
"Genma, what have you done to my son?" She was inflamed, her fury evident in her eyes.
He felt his fur straighten in fear from her glare, and produced a sign.
"It's not what you think Nodoka." He flipped it round. "I think this is something..."
"Oh, for heaven's sake, just speak to me..." She lazily threw a kettle over him, returning him to his human form, gi and all.
"Yes, well..." Genma was still scared of his wife, but chose to reveal something else to save his own skin. "Like I was saying, this problem of Shiki's is not a part of the curse, but something else..." He was white as the moon above Nerima, "I think it's another side of him..."
Seeing the dramatic change in her husband, Nodoka froze, "Wh-What do you mean?"
Genma shook his head of the first time he heard that voice, but the images still came unbidden...
"I'll tell you another day, Nodoka..." He sighed and wiped his face of the cold sweat that had developed there.
---
Author's Notes
Now we're really beginning to see the difference between Ranma and Shiki's backgrounds. Those familiar with Shiki's personality traits will understand what was implied in the chapter about the mood swings.
The ages of the Tendo girls have been increased by one year, because for them, it makes no difference (it's still considered the beginning of the Ranma manga). However, Tsukihime is very conscious of the time, 'eight years ago', and later '17' being key numbers for the series. Otherwise, Shiki would be in Nabiki's class, not Akane's, and while I'm not declaring any pairings straightaway, I'm not going to deviate from the familiarity of Shiki interacting with people in the same year as with Ranma.
- J