Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that I claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:
For Love and Money, Chapter 30
The morning of the next day arrived, and the first swap was scheduled for just after breakfast. Tofu had a set of tests and exams to do while Hina had control of Yaayaa's body, and it would be Yaayaa's first time in the doll. It would be the small body for all of the early exchanges, at least until she learned how to make the doll move.
As Yaayaa sat in her bed and ate her breakfast with Amaya and Hina at her side, the young girl cast a sidelong glance at the ancient spirit's body and wondered once again what it would be like to look like her, to be her. To never again know sickness or the fragility of the body she had been born with. To be slim, young and cute forever.
To not be able to see her family and old friends again. To know that they had accepted Hina, and forgotten about her. Yaayaa but her lip as the tears started to well up, then jerked a little as she felt the cool arms of Hina gently slide around her, and the soft, cool cheek of the body that housed the spirit of her cursed relative against her. Yaayaa took a few slow breaths, just like Amaya and the therapist had taught her as she tried to accept the feeling, like she had been told to try to do. As she accepted the deep love and care that those around her showed her. After a few minutes, Yaayaa gently hugged Hina back and smiled at her when the ancient spirit leaned away to get a good look at the young girl.
"I'm okay now, Hina. I promise." Yaayaa said as she felt some of that ache ease at the obvious worry that was expressed in how Hina looked at her. That, and the surprisingly grounding presence of Amaya helped her find the resolve to push forward once again.
When Hina moved back, Yaayaa was not surprised to see a cup of the now familiar medicinal tea placed neatly on her tray. Yaayaa gave a thankful little smile to Amaya and drained her cup before she finished her breakfast. After that, they just had to wait for Doctor Tofu and then they could start this first trial.
Shortly, a gentle knock on the door heralded the arrival of the doctor, and they were soon ready for the first transfer. Hina had put her larger body away, as she swapped her essence to the smaller doll and sat herself in Yaayaa's lap before the transfer.
Yaayaa looked down at the doll in her lap and bit her lip. "What… do I have to do? I mean, do I have to say or do something?"
Hina laughed and rested her hand on Yaayaa's. "All you have to do is relax, okay? And try not to panic." Hina said, then Yaayaa's world seemed to change, to move and grow.
Yaayaa started to panic then became ever more and more worried when she could not move, then tried to cry out, but couldn't make a sound. Her panic only grew when she realized that not only could she not move or speak, she could not breathe.
As her mind spiraled more and more out of control, Yaayaa found herself being held tight as Hina spoke softly in her own voice, but honestly it sounded more like Yaayaa trying to imitate Hina.
"It's okay, dear. Just relax, okay? You are perfectly safe. It will all come to you in time." Hina said softly as she held Yaayaa's doll body until she could tell that the young girl had calmed down somewhat. Afterwards, Hina was handed off to Amaya while Doctor Tofu did his examination of Yaayaa's body.
Amaya carefully shifted as she held doll-Yaayaa in her lap as she angled herself slightly so that Yaayaa could see what the Doctor was doing to her body.
Doctor Tofu did a set of basic checks first, as he pressed gently down the back of the young girl, and watched closely for reactions. After he had completed that preliminary check, he had Hina do a series of manual dexterity tests, to see just how the integration from the spirit and her host body worked. He was tempted to have Hina try and move her feet, but decided that over-stressing either the body or Yaayaa would not be in the best interest of either. He looked at the clock, and pulled off his glasses before he put them back where they perched on his nose. "I think that is probably enough for today. Go ahead and change places with Yaayaa if you would, Hina." Doctor Tofu said in a calm tone of voice, as he hoped that the ancient spirit would stick to the agreement that they had reached.
Hina took one more long, deep breath, then smiled and held her hands out towards Amaya who passed the doll back to Hina. Hina hugged doll-Yaayaa in a comforting manner, then returned the body she had borrowed to its current owner. Her mind adjusted rapidly to the shift in perceptions, and the sudden lack of so many sensations that no matter how much time had passed, she would never forget. She could not let herself.
Yaayaa opened her eyes, then took a shaky breath, then another longer one. She clenched Hina to herself tightly, and took comfort in the steady, familiar presence and found herself relaxing quickly. After a minute, she spoke slowly. "That… was really weird. It was kind of… Disorienting." She took another breath and looked at Hina. "I will be able to move and talk in that body, if I work at it, right?"
Hina nodded, and smiled softly at the young girl. "It just takes a little bit of practice, a few more transfers, and you should start to see results."
Yaayaa bit her lip and nodded then looked up as Doctor Tofu cleared his throat and smiled warmly.
"If it would be okay with you ladies, may I examine you, Yaayaa? I need to see if there are any immediate effects from the… transfer." Doctor Tofu said, then smiled and started his examination once Yaayaa had shyly nodded.
Amaya sat with Hina in her lap, then spoke the doll. "If she was more motivated, it would be easier for her to master that new body, yes?"
The doll looked up and nodded before she answered just as softly. "It probably would. What did you have in mind?"
Amaya smiled a secretive smile. "This One knows that our dear Yaayaa is fascinated with the martial arts, and that any young lady would benefit from knowing how to protect herself. This One cannot promise, since only Mother Konatsu can make that decision, but this One would be willing to teach you both."
Hina blinked then pointed at a surprised, blank look on her face.
Amaya smiled and nodded slightly. "Yes, this One would teach you as well. As long as Mother Konatsu allowed it, of course. This One also has to be able to take care of her duties at the Teahouse as well."
Hina thought about it as she tapped her lip with one delicate finger and smiled. "I think it would work, as long as Mother Konatsu says it's okay."
Amaya smiled and nodded as she watched Doctor Tofu carefully out of the corner of her eye as she reflected that it was a shame in some ways that it would not be a good idea for her students to meet each other, at least not yet.
Once Tofu had finished his examination, Amaya took her leave along with Doctor Tofu and left Hina and Yaayaa to spend time together. As the two of them walked, Doctor Tofu looked at Akaya and adjusted his glasses. "I would like to hear your opinion on what we just saw, if I may?"
Amaya walked silently beside Doctor Tofu for a moment, then nodded before she spoke. "This One has seen many strange and miraculous things since she has come to the Teahouse. This was something new, even to this One. She would say that it seemed genuine, in both the act, the transfer, and the care that Hina showed towards Yaayaa. Otherwise, this One would not have allowed them to remain together without anyone to watch over them besides Gosunkugi. This One thinks that Gosunkugi is to be trusted, as long as it is in the best interest of Lady Hina."
Doctor Tofu nodded and pulled off his glasses to wipe them down thoughtfully before he placed them once more in their usual spot. "I agree with you. There are no obvious signs of stress or damage, but I have concerns for when we let the transfers last longer, and allow Hina more freedom of movement."
Amaya nodded as she paced along smoothly next to the doctor. "This One will make herself available as often as her other duties allow. This One has little doubt that Mother Konatsu will have any objections to teaching the ladies how to defend themselves. It is quite likely that she has already anticipated this, in fact."
Doctor Tofu nodded and smiled. "It's quite likely that she had. Still,we had best act as if we were not just going along with whatever she has planned already."
Amaya smiled and nodded as she thought about what she would ask, and how to schedule her time so that she could teach all three young ladies .being able to handle her other tasks, as well.
Perhaps it was something to ask her sisters for help with organizing to make it beneficial for all three young ladies.
With that decided, Amaya walked alongside Doctor Tofu with a resolute step. She would do what was in her power to make a better life for all three of them.
It was, after all, the best retaliation against who Xaph Ti Pyn had been forced to become, and the psychopath who raised her like that. Some would say it was strange, or even petty to think like that. Amaya would just attribute it to karma, and setting the scales as close to even as she could. It was her way of atoning for the things she had done over the years, as well.
A short time later, Amaya watched the nurse who had been assigned to Yaayaa accompanying her ward and Hina as the ancient spirit pushed the young girl in her wheelchair. The fact that Yaayaa had not been stuck in her bed all the time was the result of the strange and eclectic collection of knowledge that Doctor Tofu had acquired. A combination of modern and ancient Japanese and Chinese medical arts and practices had made him one of the most sought after doctors in both the underworld and professional circles.
Then there was the fact that Doctor Tofu was one of those that practiced and sparred with not only Ranma and Tachi, but Mother Konatsu as well. Amaya had never sought him out for practice, mostly because she knew very well where her skills and expertise lay, and where she sat in the hierarchy of combatants in the Teahouse.
Amaya pulled her thoughts back to the pair of young ladies in front of her, and smiled slightly as she found herself looking forward to speaking to Mother Konatsu later that night. She would leave for the Teahouse after supper, and probably be home until the day after. Tomorrow, Lady Kasumi would be visiting along with two of Nabiki's capable employees, so she was not overly concerned about the young ladies while she was gone.
And, it would be nice to spend time with young Xaph Ti Pyn again, and to see how the other ladies were doing.
Yes, her life had changed greatly from when she had been wandering in the dark, and it would surely only continue to change more as she moved ever forward. She would continue to learn and grow, and live the life that she had found. The young ladies she had started to teach and watch over were the legacy that she would leave behind.
All in all, she had found happiness.