The Leper: Diagnosis
by Nikholas "NomaD" F. Toledo
Ranma 1/2 is the property of Kitty, VIZ and the omnipotent Rumiko
Takahashi. I am a property of Switch (so you know who to sue).
I am NomaD... I am coming... I am near.
By the way, this is a self-insertion. My character had a past with
Ukyou, but not the kind you're thinking of. And, because this is my
first Ranma fic, I'm gonna do some weird stuff like use Ryouga and Ukyou
but still keep Kuno, Tendo and Tofu. But I'm not really sure.
This complete version was done with the support of DB Sommer,
Octavian and the occasionals, all of whom have contributed to the
formation of this fic.
Part 14
"Birds of a Feather"
Approaching a mirror, you see a reflection.
As you move, it moves with you.
As you speak, it speaks to you.
Its voice is not yours, yet it views your world with the same round
glass spectacles.
You see before you a duck... instead of a chicken.
~~~~~
And the darkness enveloped him once more as Nabiki Tendo closed the
door of the training hall.
There was a slight shifting of the air.
Kii turned around and stared into the darkness. "Who's there?"
A faint rustling answered his question, as a shadow dropped from
above.
Kii could barely make out the man's appearance. He was dressed in
a Chinese-style tunic with matching trousers. But what really caught his
eye were the features of this man's face. It was like...
"... like staring into a mirror."
They stood there for a while, studying each other's features.
"I'm not one to normally say this, but... you're a very handsome
man."
"You're not so bad-looking yourself - should've kept the hair,
though."
"Couldn't be helped: work hazard."
"I know what you mean, I was there."
"What can I do for you?"
"On the contrary, there's something that I can do for you. Come,
let's sit and talk. We've only got a few minutes left."
----------
"N-Nabiki?"
Everyone turned and ceased their consumption of Kasumi's late
afternoon snack.
"Nabiki, you look absolutely bedraggled - are you all right?"
"Hmm? I'm okay, dad. It was just a bit too much for me."
Akane smirked. "Looks like apologizing can take its toll on you,
Nabiki."
"Apologizing? Huh? Oh, yeah, right. If you guys don't mind, I'd
like to rest for a while. Just call me when Ranma arrives."
Without waiting for an answer, Nabiki Tendo went straight up to her
room.
----------
"Your accent and clothing betray your true nature. You are not
Japanese, are you?"
"I'm impressed. You are right, I am actually a native of China. I
used to travel all over with a Chinese carnival but I'm really a male
member of the..."
"... of the Chinese tribe of Amazons."
"Again, I'm impressed."
"But enough chit-chat - you said that there was something YOU can
do for ME?"
"I've got some information concerning Ukyou Kuonji."
The name struck him cold. He felt anxious all of a sudden. How
could Ukyou be involved in all this?
"U-Ucchan? W-what about her?"
"The information I hold, though petty, may prove crucial to the
coming battle...."
Kii snapped forward. "Oh, will you just tell me already?!?"
He stood up. The tension was evident from his fidgeting. The
excitement of the battle to come and the presence of this peculiarly
handsome man were starting to unnerve him.
Mousse calmly stood up and used the silence to his advantage. He
knew he was playing his cards right - all he had to do was show his hand.
He was a picture of tranquility compared to Kii's growing agitation.
"WELL?!?"
"First, I have to do a little something...."
"Then do it already!"
"Very well."
Mousse brought his hands together and it seemed as if he was
drawing something from underneath his sleeves. He suddenly threw his
arms outward.
Instinctively, Kii leapt backwards, thinking that this robed figure
was attacking him. But he was wro- WAIT!
Kiiroi leapt upwards just in the nick of time as a pair of
grappling hooks came from both sides, just barely missing him. He saw
Mousse thrust his arms forward and an endless series of chains bombarded
Kii on his way down.
The darkness played with his eyes. Chains would appear out of
nowhere and fly towards him. But, with his speed, he dodged the
projectiles easily.
*CLONK!*
Well, almost all of them, anyway. Kii never had a chance to get
the license plate of the four-door sedan that hit him.
"Gotcha."
The momentary daze was all Mousse needed. Immediately, chains
wrapped themselves around Kii's appendages. He crashed to the ground,
still dazed and unable to move.
"When in the dark, never battle a blind man."
Kii looked Mousse in the eye. "Hidden weapons... Chinese circus?"
Mousse nodded and smiled.
"Should've known."
"Now, we can start."
Mousse rolled up his sleeve. His hand was now visible in the
darkness. He flexed his forefinger and constricted his middle finger in
an odd way that only Kii identified with in shocking realization.
"That's...!"
"Ai no bakusai tenketsu. Don't worry, this'll be over in a few
seconds."
Mousse gently jabbed Kii's chest.
He then drew a small book from inside his robes. "I believe this
is yours."
"M-my book! So that's how you got past my cat."
"Uhuh! Feisty little fellow, too." Mousse threw the book beside
the immobile body. "Now for the valuable information. By piecing
various info and events, I just realized recently that you, Kiiroi
Niwatori, are not aware of the identity of Ukyou Kuonji's ex-fianc�."
A moment of silence passed between the two.
"N-no. I asked her about it but all she said was that he was a
childhood friend. But he left her and she's been pursuing him since
then. I asked her for more, but the memory only seemed to hurt her."
"Then I would advise you to ask her now."
"But...."
"No buts! And if you can, do it DURING the battle."
"During?"
"No more questions. I'm going to let you go now."
"You know, I could just not ask and it'll foil your little plan."
"I doubt that. Your concern for Ukyou is too great. Now, don't
struggle."
Mousse grabbed the end of the chains and an unseen force started
pulling them inside the robes. The other end of the chains started
unwrapping the bound martial-artist.
As soon as Kii was free, he quickly got up and ran up to the
weapons-master with fists ready.
"Why, you...!"
"Chai hwai!" Mousse exploded into a cloud of smoke before Kii
could reach him.
Kii shielded his eyes until the smoke cleared. He then stared up
and saw the hole in the roof. He was about to jump up after the circus
clown when...
*BAM!*-*BAM!*-*BAM!*
----------
"Oh my, is that...?"
Akane's heart leapt and a smile crossed her face. "R-Ranma!"
Soun looked at Genma and the two elders stood simultaneously. A
procession began towards the rear entrance of the Tendo household.
Upon reaching the gate, Genma and Kasumi immediately positioned
themselves at both ends of the gate and began opening the wooden
structure. Soun stood firm, awaiting the entrance of the disgraced Ranma
Saotome. Akane stood by his side, her face could not hide her longing to
see him once again.
On the other side, Ranma could see the image of Mr. Tendo appearing
from within. There was a light breeze and the sun just barely touched
the horizon. Ukyou, standing just behind him, was already pumped up with
excitement.
"Ranma Saotome! You are about to step into my home and challenge
the Tendo Training Hall to be its rightful heir. By doing so, you will
regain your honor and your place in this family."
"I will regain what was rightfully mine!" Upon uttering this,
Ranma stared meaningfully at Akane.
Soun paused, not expecting to be interrupted. "Hrmph. Very well.
But you will follow this house's rules to the letter if you wish to
continue."
"I do, and will."
"Then so be it."
Soun turned and trod the cobblestone path heading towards the dojo.
The rest of them followed, with Ranma and Ukyou following last.
Upon reaching the dojo, Soun Tendo threw the doors open.
Lazy, orange light crept inside to show the standing figure of the
young Niwatori.
Kiiroi stood waiting, chest bare, heart rapidly beating. His first
reaction was to cover his eyes, for the sudden onrush of light was
blinding. Then the indoor lights blinked themselves to life.
Genma entered, then the Tendo sisters minus Nabiki, then Ukyou, who
gave him a worried smile, and then, finally, Ranma Saotome.
"Ranma."
"Kii."
"I'll try not to make it easy for you."
"I hope not."
The two smiled confidently at each other and positioned themselves
in the center of the dojo.
----------
She looked at the clock - it registered 5:50 in the afternoon.
She looked down on her bowl of ramen. She drove her chopstick into
it and slurped in a generous amount of noodles.
It wasn't that hot anymore - oh, well.
She shifted her gaze towards the kitchen. She could hear the
splashing of water and sound of glass and ceramic hitting each other.
She could also hear the humming of her most-prized possession.
She took a sip of the lukewarm soup.
Just then, the back door opened and the boy was back. He had a
stupid grin on his face, but then, he was always stupid.
If only he knew that he was just playing a piece in the young
Niwatori's chessboard. She wondered if he knew this already or if he
still thought that everything was happening by chance.
She looked up the clock again - 5:55, time to go.
"Shampoo, are you done with those dishes?"
"Just drying, great-grandmother."
"Good. We'll leave after you're done."
"Oh! We going somewhere?"
"To the Tendos."
"Good! Shampoo get to see Ranma-darling. Hope Ranma not taken by
Akane back. But if husband was, it be fun chasing again ^_^ and... oh,
why we go there anyway, great-grandma? What is happening there?"
Cologne paused and thought about the question.
"History, no doubt."
---------------
end of Diagnosis
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