16. RED CURSE
The bus was old, not to say outdated.
But also rather small.
And somewhat dirty too.
But that was the best they had been able to find.
And since they wanted to arrive in Lanzhou before the night, they couldn't afford looking for a transportation mean for too long. Now wasn't the time to be finicky.
The Five's leader had been forced to use some rudimentary way to communicate with the elderly driver, handing him a piece of paper with the name of their destination written on it and the five raised fingers of her hand to indicate that there were five travellers.
In return, he wrote an amount on the same piece of paper, that he gave back to her, and handed over five tickets after receiving the few banknotes.
A communication deprived of oral words, consisting of handwritten stuff and hand signs, very simple, if not basic... yet pretty efficient.
Ranma was staring incredulously at the venerable vehicle that, unbeknownst to him, had carried dozens of passengers year after year, for a long time now, and yet still proved functional so much time later.
"Not sure that thing won't break down at some point..." he suspiciously said.
"Don't be picky, Ranma !" chided Akane. "It's still in use after all, even if it looks quite ancient, and we don't have any other choice at the moment !"
Ukyo, who had just returned with the tickets, couldn't help chuckling.
"Beggars can't be choosers, Ran-Chan !" she lightly said with a smirk.
"Eh ?" he simply reacted, raising an eyebrow.
"It means that, when in need, you gotta take what's offered without complaining. One cannot always choose, you know..."
He rolled his eyes and, as the girls laughed, they all got on board, choosing the seats at the very back, to avoid drawing attention on them - the train's chaos had shown them that getting noticed could have pretty bad consequences in some cases... – but even like that, they had every single passenger of the bus take a good look at each of them as The Five passed by.
Ukyo and Soraya received particular attention from passengers, the first one because of the giant spatula hanging behind her back and because of her very long hair, the second one because of the beanie she wore and that was pulled down as much as possible (nobody else in the bus wore any headwear, even the two other women already present).
"I feel like a freak, with that beanie… being forced to hide like that, as if I was some kind of monster !" muttered the poor redhead, crossing her arms… then uncrossing them with a wince, as putting pressure on her chest had an adverse effect on her pain.
Ryoga noticed it and immediately asked her whether the pain had slightly subsided.
"Yes, I feel better now. But when I crossed my arms, I could feel the pain increase a bit. But yeah, I'm already better, and thanks again Akane for the painkillers !"
"With pleasure. Just let me know if you need some more, in case the pain returns, okay ?" gently replied the karate fighter with a soft smile.
The pigtailed girl nodded with a reciprocal smile.
(…)
The bus left Dingxi bus station around mid-afternoon, the sun already starting the last part of his daily journey across the sky and now heading to the mountain range spreading before everybody's eyes, to the left.
The venerable vehicle travelled at a pretty constant speed, not as slowly as a snail's pace, but definitely not fast. That much was expected, given the advanced age of their driver : he wouldn't accelerate (or only rarely), would strictly respect speed limitations and, in case of traffic lights, would scrupulously stop, never daring to continue if light was orange.
Therefore, a very cautious driver, with whom the passengers were in safe hands, but not one who would have been very efficient should you have been in a hurry.
Which fortunately wasn't the case of the five teenagers seated at the very back.
"Good thing we're not in a rush, because with that slow driving…" Ranma indeed remarked with a sigh that spoke by itself.
Akane almost frowned, but decided to instead be nice – her old self, who often reacted too hotly, had to remain in the past… - and she smiled instead, saying :
"Come on, Ranma, try to consider the positive side of it : we'll be safe with a cautious driver !"
"Mmmyeah…"
"Hey Man, she's right, you know !" Ryoga chimed in.
"Okay okay, got it, better be safe…"
"…than sorry !" playfully completed Ukyo, and when her former fiancé gave her a look, she lightly chuckled and winked.
Soon, the road gradually sloped up and they soon found themselves in a mountainous environment that starkly contrasted with the long plains of Japan they had been travelling through, notably the part when they were cycling.
"They have many more mountains in China than in Japam…" indeed pertinently pointed out Soraya.
"Yes, it's a very mountainous country, and so is Nepal, a neighbouring country that comprises 8 or 10 of the highest peaks of the world. But since several of them are at the frontier between Nepal and China, they actually belong to both countries, and therefore those highest mountains are also Chinese. Now, in comparison, Japan has less, if not far less summits, and they are less high. Mount Fuji is our highest mountain, and it's under 4000 meters…" explained Ukyo.
They stared at her without a sound.
"What ?" she asked, amused and unable to repress a smile.
"Guys, I've think we've chosen the right person as leader of our group !" Soraya said, but on a serious tone, not a joking one.
"You know so much… that's incredible !" admitted Akane.
"Yup, impressive, Ucchan !" agreed Ranma.
"Where did you learn all that ?" wondered Ryoga, voicing out loud the question that everyone had in mind and was about to ask.
"Oh, partly with my father and partly at school. I liked geography, that's why I retained quite a few things…" she replied with a shrug. "But thanks for the compliments, guys ! And I'm sure that you also know several things better than me. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, even in knowledge."
Her blue gaze turned to another blue gaze.
"Feeling any better, Soraya ?"
"Yes, better now, even if the pain is still there… but no longer acute. The painkillers are starting to kick in."
"I'm glad they're effective, and that you feel better !" exclaimed the Tendo daughter. "Hopefully you'll be even better tomorrow."
"Not sure, but yeah, it's not forbidden to hope, eh !" replied the redhead with a tired smile. "Ryo, do you mind if I rest my head on your shoulder ? Between this morning's energy transfer, the fortune teller's palm reading that foretold danger and that whole "red hair" madness, I feel really exhausted…"
"Of course, I fully understand." he sympathized. "And in fact, you can even rest your head in my lap : you'll be more comfortable that way."
She gave a look to the front.
"As long as nobody complains about this… I don't know what Chinese judge… you know… not moral or vulgar, so…"
"Nevermind them !" he said, but not too loud, despite his upset. "You're my priority, and the most important now is for you to rest and recover some strength. If anyone dares make a comment or start yelling at you, like in the train, they'll find someone to talk to !"
She smiled tenderly at him.
"I'm lucky to have such a caring and protective boyfriend…"
He smiled even more tenderly.
"I'm even luckier…"
She leaned forward and sweetly kissed his lips.
"Thanks…" she whispered in a warm voice.
"Anything, So, anything…"
And with that, she slowly bent forward and nestled in his lap, smiling contentedly…
(…)
After the turmoil she had been involved in, most particularly the "attack" she had been victim of and that had led to their forced exclusion from the train, it was all too obvious and logical that poor Soraya deserved a break to calm her nerves.
The former redhead would have reacted much more roundly, with outrage, aggressiveness, verbal violence. That was what her temper used to be when she shared the same body as the pigtailed boy.
But now that she had got independent, that she had gained a life of her own, her strong, harsh nature had gradually lost its sharpness to evolve into a more mature behaviour, be it physically or psychologically.
That's why, while she was indignant about the way she had been treated, she nevertheless put things into perspective and realized that making a great fuss about it wouldn't change anything, and would actually end up annoying her friends. Hence her feeling resigned and powerless in this case, her accepting a situation she had no control over, and her choosing her own well-being rather than her giving free rein to her rants.
People mature… even those we least expect to.
Ryoga had well realized her transformation, from her tomboyish, aggressive attitude of the first weeks to the calmer, more respectful composure of the last weeks… and that was one of the reasons that had made him fall for her. He knew she had become a better person and was grateful to her for her efforts.
And that's precisely what made him stare at her sleepy body, snuggled in his lap, with such love-filled eyes, with a tender smile lingering on his lips.
She looked so quiet…
Courage, my Love ! I wish I could give you all my strength, and not just support you with words… They also give strength, yes, but far not as much as needed. I wish I could do more for you, my Soraya, so much more…
At some point, he checked on the others and noticed that Akane and Ukyo also had their eyes closed, although they probably were only resting rather than sleeping, he suspected. It was the first time the chef was getting rest during daytime, and seeing her with eyes shut was therefore an unusual and all the more curious sight.
Ranma, as for him, was observing the landscape to his left. But a few minutes later, he also ended up closing his eyes.
Ryoga remained the only one awake, somehow in charge of watching not only over Soraya, but over all of his resting friends.
The bus's slow pace actually invited to sleepiness, but the Lost Boy sensed that he had to remain awake, and his attention was even more triggered when he noticed a change : they were now going down, after quite some time driving up the mountains, and as he glanced to the front, he noticed a structure, a little ahead.
It was a bridge, whose long, complex name was Chan Liu Er Shi Liu Qiao (Zhongqiao Brg).
It looked like a remain from the past, and not too encouraging to cross...
…but it was too late anyway : the bus reached the bottom of the slope and started on the bridge.
Glancing downward, the former Lonely Wanderer could see a deep gorge of God knows how many meters high.
He didn't suffer from acrophobia*, yet he still gulped and felt uneasy.
*fear of heights (contrary to Ryoga, I'm affected by this, alas.. ' )
If the bridge suddenly collapsed, right now…
It didn't collapse…
…but the driver suddenly spotted a brisk movement in front of the bus !
A small animal, whatever it was, ran right in front of the huge vehicle !
The elderly driver, surprised, quickly turned the wheel to avoid the tiny creature.
The bus abruptly veered and drifted to the left.
Fortunately, there was no other vehicle coming from opposite, on the other lane…
…but unfortunately, there was something else : a large rock !
They would wonder later how the hell that rock had landed in the middle of the bridge, but they had of course no way of guessing that it had actually fallen from a truck carrying a load of rocks of various size, about half an hour ago.
The driver saw it at the very last second and couldn't avoid it : he slammed on the brakes, but the wheel still hit the big mineral chunk.
It was fortunate that the speed of the bus was average, for if the vehicle had it the rock at a high speed….
The close combination of the brakes and the collision fully woke up the sleepers, whose confused look searched the road, their brain trying to figure out what the heck had happened since they saw no obstacle ahead.
The driver stood up, turned to his passengers and calmly explained them something in Mandarin, his hands up in a placating gesture.
Nobody uttered anything in return, and certainly not our five heroes, the only ones who couldn't understand a single word.
Then the old man left his vehicle to assess the damage.
The shock had twisted the right wheel, which was now turned at a bizarre angle, and the one in charge wasted no time to get the jack and spare wheel.
"I think we should check if he needs help…" proposed Ukyo. "This man is fairly old and in case the bus needs repairing, it might cost him great efforts. We're young and strong, we could assist him and do the hardest part. After all, he's helping us to continue our quest, so if we can help him in return…"
"You're right, I'll go help him !" immediately offered Ryoga, standing up at once.
"Wait ! I'll go with you !" exclaimed Soraya.
He turned around, visibly surprised.
"So, you don't feel well and –"
"I feel much better, Ryo ! And I wanna help you !"
"But…"
"Please, don't refuse !"
His eyes lingered on hers, and they showed concern, while hers showed plea, almost begging.
"Okay then… but if you feel any pain, please go back inside immediately and rest quietly, right ?"
She offered him a grateful smile and nodded.
"I'll go with you too !" decided Ukyo. "That way, if Soraya can't stay to help you, I will !"
It was Ryoga's turn to nod, and Soraya thanked her for her kind attention.
The driver was lifting the truck, putting all his strength in the task, yet he was visibly having a hard time. Had he been about 30 years younger, the task would have proved easier, even given the weight of that heavy transportation mean.
The muscular boy walked to the driver and, after tapping his shoulder to make him turn around, he pointed at himself then at the wheel, and mimicked the same lifting gesture.
He had to repeat his gestures for the old man to understand and accept to be replaced.
Ryoga quickly finished lifting the bus, grabbed the tool to unbolt the damaged wheel… and had to put extra strength to do that, since the bolts had been tightly secured.
He was sweaty when he finished and, after putting the damaged wheel aside, he grabbed the spare one and turned back to the bus.
Suddenly, there was a loud metallic noise…
…and the jack broke !
The immense mass crashed on the bridge, yet given that it hadn't been lifted very high, the crash was moderate.
But since there was a deep gorge under the bus, and that they had no clue how resistant the bridge was, they all held their breath, hoping that nothing bad would occur with said bridge.
The later held steady and they all felt a wave of relief wash over them.
Ryoga took a quick look at the jack, then turned to Soraya and Ukyo.
"The jack is broken. So I'll have to lift the bus and you'll bolt the spare wheel, alright ?"
Soraya's eyes widened.
"Lift the bus ?! But's it's extremely heavy ! You won't manage, Ryo !"
"At least I'll have to try… but I've gained immense strength, you know, so perhaps…"
"Please be careful, Hon…" Soraya told him, briefly squeezing his hand in hers.
"I will. Thanks, Darling."
He approached the bus and was about to lift it when…
…the driver went to him and told him something that he naturally didn't understand, then put his hands up in a clear 'please wait' gesture, and climbed inside the bus, said something aloud… and soon were all passengers outside, observing the three foreigners, and most notably the boy with the yellow black-spotted bandana.
It was of course logical : without people seated inside, the bus had lightened, and now only its own weight remained now, making it easier to lift for Ryoga.
The later put his hands under the bus, ready for the immense effort, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll lend a hand… and even two, if you don't mind !"
Ryoga smiled at Ranma.
"What is it, Man ? You think I can't handle it by myself, eh ?"
He was clearly teasing his friend.
"One never knows…" replied the pigtailed boy with a smirk… but a kind one.
Both black-haired teenagers focused their strength and put it all in their arms, pulling upward with incredible might.
The front bus was now slightly tilted upward, with enough space for the next task.
The redhead kneeled and, grabbing the spare wheel, put it accurately in the right spot, then hurriedly put all bolts back on and partly secured each of them, for the wheel to remain in place.
"You can put it back down !" she told the boys, who then slowly lowered the huge vehicle, and then Soraya used the jack to tighten the bolts as much as she could.
Ryoga had proposed to do it, but she merely pointed out that he had already done his part and needed to rest, while she had to do her own part.
Finally, she got back up and, turning to the driver, she gave a thumb up, but since he didn't seem to get it, she switched to the circle made with two fingers.
This time, he nodded with a smile and bowed humbly at her.
She joined her hands and bowed back.
But as she did so, two of the closest people spotted the end of her pigtail, that was sticking out from the back of her beanie (at some point earlier, she had rearranged her braid under the beanie, because she felt uncomfortable with it, but the tip of it unfortunately had remained outside…).
And therefore, they noticed her hair colour.
The same scenario as in the train repeated on that bridge : several people pointing at Soraya, half-screaming something they didn't get, then pointing away from her, implying she had to leave, to stay away from them. A tall, bald man was particularly aggressive in his screaming and gesturing.
She didn't get it at first, since her beanie was still on, but when her hands ventured all around her headwear, she noticed the loose end of the pigtail, at the back, and as she put it back under the beanie, everything became clear in her head.
I just wanted to be respectful by bowing… and here's the goddamn result ! If only I had been more careful when rearranging my braid…!
"Soraya, what's the matter ? They couldn't see your hair, so why are they doing this as well ?"asked a worried Akane, who hadn't spotted the pigtail's end as Soraya bowed.
But Ukyo, who was closer than her, had spotted it, so she was the one to reply :
"Part of her braid was sticking out from her beanie and they saw it, as I did. Anyway, looks like we'll have to leave ag-"
But her sentence remained unfinished when she saw the driver, who had taken a step forward, start addressing the small crowd of passengers, his hands up in the same placating way as before.
Some of them replied visibly heatedly, especially the tall bald man, but the driver pointed at Ryoga, Ranma, Soraya and, putting his open hand over his heart, he answered with even more fervour than before.
One of the female passengers walked to the driver and, positioning herself by his side, she also showed the foreigners who had just helped the locals and spoke with all her heart. The driver nodded at her and showed her to the others, then again the foreigners, and he joined his hands as if making a prayer, and vehemently talked on.
Another passenger, male this time, also joined driver and woman, and after pointing at Soraya in particular, he also addressed the crowd, making several gestures indicating he was trying to convince the others.
Then came an awkward silence.
For long, long seconds, no one breathed a single word.
The Five, understanding what the three people had done for them, and that the situation had a chance to be solved, watched with anxiety the group of passengers, which no longer motioned for the redhead to leave, yet either appeared thoughtful or exchanged doubtful looks.
The wait was killing our heroic team.
Then, after a very long moment, one of the men said something. It was very short… but the result was admirable : the driver and the other two passengers who had positioned themselves in front of The Five to address the crowd, humbly bowed twice.
Then the driver turned to Soraya, Ryoga and Ranma and motioned his hand in direction of the bus.
They hesitated, but he insisted with a smile, showing them the vehicle again and motioning forward in its direction.
"He means we can get back in. Go ahead, guys : I'll just thank them for letting us stay." Ukyo told her friends.
Four of the five team members got back into the now operational vehicle, with Soraya avoiding everybody's look and instead focusing her gaze solely on Ryoga's back, before her.
The piercing gaze of the tall bald man indicated he had been forced to accept the situation because the others had "surrendered", but had he been the one to decide, then…
As for their team leader, she remained behind to bow very low, hands joined, to the driver and the two passengers who had clearly sided with him in convincing the others, before turning to do the same with the rest of the passengers who had agreed to let Soraya – and by extension their whole team – on board of the bus.
The totality of the people was soon back on board and the driver drove his vehicle around the rock to finally take his customers on the next part of the trip.
"We were very lucky that they agreed to let us stay. I wonder what the driver and the two passengers told the others…" Akane remarked.
"I'm pretty sure that the driver reminded them that Soraya had helped repairing the bus, and that both Ryoga and Ranma had also contributed…" replied Ucchan. "…and therefore that the three of them were good people, even the red-haired one who, for some reason, scares them so much. He certainly insisted on Soraya behaving positively, even if she has red hair, and –"
"But what's wrong with my hair ? Is it the first time they see someone with red hair, or at least with non-black hair ? Or is red a colour of bad omen ?" Soraya asked to no one in particular.
"We all wonder about the reason. But since Chinese don't speak the same language, we'll probably never know…" observed Akane.
Little did she know that she was wrong…
(…)
Nighttime was on its way when they finally reached Lanzhou.
The bus stopped at its station, most of the passengers got off, with The Five being the last ones to exit.
Ukyo bowed at the driver, soon imitated by Soraya and Akane, and he joined his hands as he told them something on a kind tone.
The vehicle left and they started to look around, noticing that the city was less modern than the big ones they had seen before in that country.
"Time to find a hotel or a inn, no ?" Ranma told/asked them, with a yawn.
He had been sleeping in the bus and looked tired, which made the others guess that the reversal of energy was well on its way.
Soraya, on the other hand, appeared more alert than in the morning… but then again, her being targeted during their recent misfortunes certainly had triggered both her upset and her worry, some feelings that maintained one on their guard and therefore alert.
"Yup. Let's start exploring this new city to find a place for the night." decided the chef. "We do need some rest, after what we've been through… especially you; Soraya ! How do you feel, by the way ?"
They were now following a large street filled with people.
"The pain is returning, but it's bearable for the moment. Better spare the painkillers, in case it lasts longer. And yeah, I can't wait to get some rest : I'm pretty worked up right now and I badly need to relax in a quiet and safe place, away from all those psychos."
Ukyo's hand supported her chin as she walked, in the typical thoughtful attitude.
"I understand how you feel and sincerely empathize with you… but they're not psychos : these people are clearly distrustful, and even downright scared by your hair colour. They certainly have good reasons, and therefore aren't mentally unstable. If only we could find out the reason behind their behaviour…"
They hadn't noticed that one of the bus passengers, the tall bald man of course, was walking behind them, getting closer as he hurried to catch up with them.
"How will we find a cheap hotel in here ? We can't ask anyone, they won't understand us. So…do we just walk around until we see something that doesn't look expensive ?" Ryoga wondered.
"Well, yes, I think that's the most practical solu-"
But the chef stopped as her eye caught a movement.
"SORAYA !" she screamed.
But at the very same time, their "pursuer" grabbed the beanie and snatched it off, exposing the red hair that was so infamous round here.
As they all turned to the tall bald guy, they heard him yell something while pointing at Soraya's head. Needless be very clever to guess what he was saying.
"I recognize him ! He was in the bus with us, and had a sharp look when he looked at you, Soraya !" Akane exclaimed.
"ENOUGH OF THAT SHIT !" bellowed the redhead as she leapt at her new persecutor.
The tall bald man didn't react quickly enough and her hand caught the beanie, but since his hold became firmer, they ended up pulling the headwear in opposite directions.
But when Ryogs charged at the troublemaker, the latter got scared to his core and, dreading a hit, he let go of the beanie to clear off in a second.
Yet his action – drawing others' attention to Soraya's hair colour – alas had the unwelcome result the fugitive wanted : some people motioned for the redhead to get away, like the other times, some shook their fist at her and some started hurling the things they had in hand at her.
Miscellaneous items, some unexpected, started landing on either the poor girl or her boyfriend : newspapers, errands, boxes, hats, books.
"YOU'RE ALL MAD !" roared Soraya, but when Ryoga told them to start running, she left all the rest aside and ran for her life… or at least her safety.
"Follow me !" instructed Ukyo.
The Five, being both martial artists and young, much younger than the locals, they were therefore way faster than these people and could relatively easily leave behind the angry crowd that had threatened their poor red-haired friend.
They took narrow streets, alleys, back streets/alleys and were lucky enough not to end up in a dead end.
Very soon, they found themselves in a less populous area, relieved than nobody had managed to remain on their heels. They were now on neutral ground, with none of the passersby knowing about the particularity of the smallest girl, and therefore none acting menacingly.
"I've had enough !" Soraya said through clenched teeth, her voice trembling with utter rage. "I wanna leave that country ! I'm gonna shave my bloody head, I swear !"
In other circumstances, that might have appeared funny and made her friends smile or laugh… but given the awful mood of the petite female, and realizing how stressful it was for her, none of them found it amusing, as all sensed she was about to lose it.
The braided female winced, feeling the pain become acute, following her outburst.
"Soraya, I know how you feel…"started Akane as she gently put a hand on the poor victim's shoulder…
…but the result was the exact opposite of her expectations : instead of accepting the comforting gesture and thank her, Soraya violently shrugged off Akane's hand and turned incensed eyes at her !
"How could you know how I feel ?! How could you KNOW, for fuck's sake ?! You're NOT the one who's being chased ! Yes, you have to get away too, but you're NOT the damn target here !"
No one dared to say a single word.
The redhead hung her head and her tone switched from anger to exhaustion
"I wanna leave China… I just wanna be quiet… I'm tired, cold, sad, angry, sore, outraged, I feel rejected, banned… I'm not complaining to get your pity or to feel more "important" than you, if I can say so, I'm just… I'm just fed up… dejected…"
A tear reached the tip of her nose and was the first to fall.
Without a word, Ryoga stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
She dearly held on to him and "the dam broke" : she couldn't hold it anymore and started weeping against her beloved, shedding more tears than any of them ever had.
The poor girl felt lost, desperate at people's fear and hate to her.
She wished she could find a way to convince them that she was good, but all they could see was that stupid colour.
It had surprisingly worked during the bus incident, with strangers taking her defense and convincing the others to let her be… but now that they were in another place, the same kind of "curse" repeated.
"I'll help you, my Love. We will all help you. You'll never be alone, and we won't let you down. We will make it through, all together, and we'll protect you. Never forget that. Your friends are here for you, no matter what !"
Ryoga's words were certainly heartwarming, and listening to them, she started feeling a bit better.
It took her a moment to pull herself together, because she really felt bad after being the target of such animosity, but her tears finally ran out and she slowly, somewhat reluctantly left the reassuring embrace of Ryoga.
"Thanks, Ryo. I needed that." she whispered with a sad smile.
Then she turned around and the first gaze she met was Akane's.
"I'm deeply sorry, Akane. I shouldn't have reacted that way and -"
But she was cut short by her friend's warm hands around hers.
"You didn't do anything wrong. I totally understand, and your reaction was normal. And it's me who feels sorry for you… for what you had to endure !"
Ukyo joined the youngest Tendo and put a comforting arm around the shoulder of the pigtailed female.
"We are with you, Soraya. And we will always be. We've got your back and won't let anyone harm you !"
"Thanks, guys. Thanks a lot. And sorry for my screams, I just –"
But she was silenced by Ukyo, who put her finger over the redhead's lips.
"Ush hush now. It's all forgiven and forgotten." Ucchan whispered with a smile, then continued louder : "Now how about we find that accommodation for tonight ? Say what ?"
Soraya wiped her right eye again and nodded, finding the strength and will to return the smile.
(…)
About half an hour later, they were in front of an old family inn and decided to check the prices, as they thought the place might be affordable for them.
The elderly lady who welcomed them, unlike many in this country, did speak their language, so that for once, The Five were able to make themselves understand while in China.
What unsettled our heroes, though, was that she appeared surprised when she opened the door and took a look at each of them, but when they asked her what the matter was (with Soraya noticeably stiffening and clenching her teeth), she simply said that they looked familiar.
She proposed to prepare them dinner, but as they initially politely turned her suggestion down, mentioning their own food, she insisted and informed them that it was a welcome meal that was offered to new guests.
"A free meal ? Really ?" inquired Ranma.
The elderly woman nodded while kindly smiling.
They were soon gathered in the small dining room, Soraya keeping her beanie on, with the others not even trying to persuade her otherwise.
"By the way, you can call me Tsu. That's the shorter form of my firstname and it has become my nickname. All my friends therefore call me Tsu…" the old lady nicely told them as she served them their dishes.
"But we just met ! We can't be to familiar with you !" objected a confused Ryoga.
"Actually, I saw you before, but the situation did not enable us to get to know each other. But you can call me Tsu, really. So please do it."
Then her green eyes focused on Soraya.
"And you can remove your… hat, or whatever it is called. I happen to know why you wear it, courtesy of the first time I saw you, but rest assured : I have nothing against red hair, unlike many in this town, so while you are in my inn, you don't have to hide your hair. You can safely take off your headwear. Sincerely."
The poor redhead, who finally felt accepted in this remote area, still felt slightly uncertain, and her blue eyes turned to the one the group members automatically turned to when a decision was to be made.
Ukyo calmly returned her look and simply said : "You decide."
Soraya's glance flew back to Tsu, who was smiling at her, and she felt that this smile wasn't fake, artificial, but on the contrary sincere, authentic… and benevolent.
That finally help the pigtailed female make up her mind : she removed her beanie, exposing her fiery hair, and observed the elderly woman intently.
"You should now eat your dishes, and in case you want some more, don't hesitate to let me know : you can eat as much as you want. And once you are sated, I will give you explanations that you fully deserve."
She made a short bow and let them make the most of their dinner, although they were busier discussing rather than eating, wondering where that kind lady had seen them and what she would share with them later on…
(…)
The meal had proved delicious, and they had wholeheartedly thanked their considerate host, who had modestly dismissed it and invited them to the adjacent sitting room.
Once they were comfortably seated in the cosy armchairs or sofa that constituted the old-fashioned furniture of that definitely charming place, she took a panoramic look and…
"I will be honest with you, as you deserve the truth. The place where I have seen you before is the train that was travelling to Lanzhou, and in which part of the passengers wanted you to leave the train after an old woman started screaming and pointing at you…"
Her green eyes met the blue ones of the redhead.
"You were in that train when we got kicked out ?" asked Ranma's "sister".
"I was. And I understood the reason why it happened. You have to know that many travellers in that train came from this city – they were actually returning home - and that they wanted you to leave because of something terrible that took place years ago. But before I tell you about it, I would like to know – that is, if you agree to tell me – how you finally arrived here and if you encountered other people who behaved harshly with this kind red-haired young woman here…"
There was a brief silence, then…
"Is that okay with you, guys ?" asked Ukyo.
They all nodded or verbally agreed.
Ukyo explained about the bus incident, then about that tall bald man who had followed them after the bus's arrival here, and how he had managed to get them into trouble by uncovering Soraya's red hair to all those around.
"I see…" sternly said Tsu. "Thank you for telling me, I appreciate your trust. Now I will explain you why red hair is considered so negatively in this city."
She looked at each of them in turn, and as for them, they held their breath, ready to hang onto her every word.
"Three years ago, an inhabitant from Lanzhou married a foreign woman with red hair. It was the first time that we saw a hair of that colour, so many people here very surprised and interested by that woman. She appeared as a nice person and her family-in-law, the couple's friends, and basically all those who got to know her got persuaded that she was a good person."
A deep frown formed between Tsu's eyes.
"I said that she appeared as a nice person… because, as you probably already guessed, she was NOT nice deep inside. It was all a make-believe, a mask she wore in society. In reality, she was a very manipulative person, a sly, sneaky woman who not only cheated several times on her husband, but tricked men into doing her bidding, which included buying her all kinds of expensive clothes, perfumes or other things, taking her to restaurants and Chinese opera, but more seriously have her lovers reveal her socio-political informations that were absolutely secret and should never have been divulged outside the political circles."
None of the five teenagers couldn't utter a single word, so shocked they were… and some of them sensed that the worst was yet to come.
"And what did she do with those secret infos ? Well, she used them to blackmail officials and force them to give her an indecent amount of money, and started ill-speaking of some in front of others, then doing the same thing the other way round. The result of all this was that, because of her vicious tongue, that red-haired woman managed to have many powerful men rise up against each other, accusing one another of deeds that the treacherous woman had maliciously pretended to be true… while they were all lies ! The situation got out of hand in no time, and one of my close friends even got pretty hurt by her scheming. I tried to intercede in his favour and to defuse the menace, but that pest got wind of my attempt to help and threatened me to shatter my family if I didn't stay at large… and given her relations, she certainly had the means to carry out such an evil plan ! Therefore did I have to give up and retreat to avoid a familial catastrophe."
The elderly lady made a short break to take a sip of her tea.
"My God…" whispered the long-haired brunette, voicing what all thought.
"Yes, as you say, young lady !" admitted Tsu, before continuing : "The actions of that viper of a woman resulted in social and political chaos, no less ! Because of her, there were many deep tensions in this city, and many internal "wars" between various members of the dominant political party, which also affected the social balance of Lanzhou. So much that one of the highest members of the party decided to have that accursed female eliminated."
Her expression lost of its seriousness.
"Murder is a sin and judged unacceptable in China. But there can be exceptions, if the problem is too serious that it threatens civil peace… and this was clearly an exception. So, one night, the red-haired threat vanished from Lanzhou and nobody could ever find out what became of her. Well, as far as I know at least. But what is certain is that she disappeared from our city and never reappeared, so you can easily guess the final outcome."
She sipped a bit more tea.
"What a story…" slowly said the short-black-haired female, expressing the general feeling, this time as well.
"You can say that. And regaining some harmony, some balance, some peace in this city proved more difficult than we initially thought, but the officials eventually managed that "little feat". Since then, Lanzhou has been tending to its wounds, and it's only recently that we could say that the situation was back to normal… well, more or less." A brief pause, then a look around, and the conclusion : "And that's the story of the red-haired curse of Lanzhou." Her green eyes focused on the pigtailed girl. "And unfortunately for you, my dear, you happen to also be a red-haired woman, so you can easily guess why many people here have been so openly aggressive to you and wanted to chase you away…"
Soraya swallowed her saliva.
Yes, she did understand, but that didn't mean that people's behaviour hadn't been unfair to her. They had made a mistake, even if they had no way of realizing it, as they didn't know her.
She winced because her pain was back, but she decided to bite the bullet to avoid worrying the elderly lady.
"Yeah, I get it now. Who wouldn't distrust female redheads from then onward ? But still, I didn't deserve their hate : I have done nothing bad, and on the contrary helped the locals during the bus's accident. I'm nothing like that bitch ! Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to say that !"
Tsu chuckled.
"Needless apologize. It's perfectly understandable and spontaneous. And after all, that's pretty much what she was, don't you think ? But I can relate, regarding your frustration and upset. You haven't deserved what you got. I feel deeply sorry for you."
"Thanks. And I do feel sorry for you as well, because you tried to help your friend and got badly threatened in return. You were brave to attempt something… and almost had to pay a high price for that ! Yes, I'm sorry for you, Tsu."
The elderly lady gently smiled.
"Thank you, my dear. I wish you didn't have to come to Lanzhou and go through all these difficulties… no less than three times. But perhaps you had to come here or travel through this city for some reason, and didn't have any other choice, for all I know. But it's still a pity that you experienced this…"
Soraya winced again, and their host thought that her expression was related to the story, having no way of knowing about the girl's pain.
Ryoga, pondering on Tsu's last words, chimed in :
"Yes, we have to travel through Lanzhou to reach our destination and find –"
But he didn't pursue, his gaze stopped on Ranma, then switched to Ukyo.
"Sorry, I didn't want to spill the beans…" he sheepishly apologized.
"I think we can trust Tsu." Akane advocated. "She has been sincere to us, we can reciprocate and also share something with her. What do you think ?"
She looked at Ukyo, then Ranma.
"I don't mind sharing the reason. I have nothing to hide." her fiancé replied.
"And you're right, Akane : we can trust Tsu." Ucchan agreed, then turned to their host : "Our friend Ranma here got cursed by two malevolent siblings, and we have heard that there exists a cure in Bayan Har mountain range. That's where we're heading, and the itinerary was through Lanzhou, hence our presence in this city. It's too bad that Soraya got so many negative vibes recently, but we all hope she'll fell better."
At that very moment, as if on a signal, the redhead winced… but even more than before, and this time, her features left no doubt : it was physical pain that she was enduring !
"Gosh, Soraya, you're suffering !" exclaimed Akane.
"That pain is back… down in my belly… and even sharper than before… I didn't want to worry you…that's why I didn't say anything…" the redhead replied with obvious difficulty.
The Tendo heir soon handed her friend another painkiller and her flask.
"I will bring you a glass of hot milk with cardamome and clove. That's an old recipe to relieve pains…" kindly said Tsu. "And then, I think that you should all go to bed : you have had a long, tiresome, trying day, especially your friend… Soraya, right ? (A nod in response) You should really get as much sleep as possible, because you still have a long road from here to Bayan Har : I once went there and remember it was quite a long journey to get there. So, once you have drunk my remedy, Soraya, I advise you to all go to sleep. And I hope you will have a good night's sleep."
(…)
Just before going to bed, the redhead, whose pain had only slightly diminished, went to the bathroom for the last "draining" of the day, and as she was about to clean herself, her eyes spotted something tiny, round, red… and she instantly knew what the cause of her suffering was.
That pain… I should have known… it was in my abdomen… my lower abdomen… how could I not connect those bloody dots and guess ?! Dammit, that colour red is really a curse for me today !
Then she realized that she had forgotten to take the necessary before starting the journey, which implied she would have to ask Akane or Ukyo.
She didn't dare to go to the first one and rather discreetly beckoned to the chef.
"Hum, Ucchan, I… I know why I have these pains…"
Her friend smiled.
"When I saw your belly ache return earlier, I began to wonder why they were still there, as I thought they were over. Ongoing pains for a woman, and in the lower belly… I got it. I'm sorry for you, Soraya. I hope it won't be too painful… but I will ask Tsu if she has a hot water bottle : keeping it on your abdomen often helps relieving this type of pain."
The poor pigtailed girl offered a weak smile.
"Thanks a lot, Ucchan, you're an angel. But also, when packing up, I forgot to take some pads, so… do you mind lending me some of yours, if you still have some left ?"
"Of course, no problem ! My poor Soraya, today really isn't your day, eh !"
"Yeah, definitely not. Red colour has been my curse today… up until tonight, as you can see ! Call it a bloody day !"
Then the braided female laughed, and so did Ukyo. But since laughter actually triggered the pain, the poor redhead had to refrain her amusement and, once again, bite the bullet.
After Ukyo had brought her what she needed, Soraya wished her good night and went to bed.
She was sad, because she would have loved to have another tender moment with her beloved Ryo, but had to excuse herself as she didn't feel good enough. He had been very comprehensive about it, saying that her health came first, but still… she couldn't help regretting it.
That day had been the worst for her since the beginning of their adventure, a date to forget, and she hoped that tomorrow would be better… but given her condition, it would take her several days until she would feel really good again.
Bah, it can't get much worse, can it…?
But it could.
(…)
(…)
Hey Folxxxx !
I finished writing this chappy a few days ago, but it's only tonight that I could re-read and correct as well as modify its content. I happened to be too busy the past three days to do so, both at home and work, and that's why it's slightly delayed. But I'm pretty happy to still be able to upload it – and therefore update the story – much earlier than the previous times.
About the title… RED THREAT only referred to Soraya, RED CURSE this time refers to three things : still to Soraya, although it mostly refers to her being targeted by aggressive or scared Chinese (it's like a curse for her), but also obviously to the nefarious woman of Tsu's story (she was the red-haired curse of Lanzhou) and finally to women's monthly "curse" which also relates to red colour.
The last part, with our favourite redhead discovering the source of her tiredness and lower belly ache, does have its importance : its implies that Soraya will feel weaker (more tired) for several days, and as you will see, that will have both an adverse effect in a forthcoming event AND an unexpected positive effect after.
Soraya played an important role in the first chapters, but since the beginning of their quest, she became less central to the story, with Ukyo notably gaining importance. Well, in this chappy and the previous one, she regains a preponderant influence on the plot… yet unfortunately for her, in a pretty negative way, given all she has to endure. The scene where she breaks and starts crying reminds readers that, although being an energetic and dynamic person, she still has her weaknesses… and also that she has matured, her capacity to express emotions and feelings (sadness, love, surprise, outrage) having replaced her initial boldness and sarcastic attitude.
About the character of Tsu… I wanted to put a kind elderly lady, perhaps unconsciously to counterbalance the negative effect of the old woman in the train. As for her name, it's the short form of Tsuyu, and if you remember me telling you about watching MHA lately… you'll easily guess the little "wink" of mine here. Btw, Tsu's green eyes reference the green hair of MHA's Tsu. ;)
The usual thanxxxx go to the usual people, especially Arianne Luna for her ongoing interest. Muchas Gracias, mi amiga ! :D
Be as happy as you can possibly be, enjoy life to its fullest with your Dear Ones !
Till soon, Folxxxx !
[ Léo ]