Rejected

Part 8 - Second Sunday - Insane Desires.

By Lord Archive

This is a bit sad and dark. 

Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, etc..., and are 
used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them. I 
can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on.

--------------------------------

At last I am ready. Today my dream will come true, I will be with my 
love.

I sigh, preparing for my mission to free my love from the horrid 
marriage he has found himself in. My toxin proved to be ineffective, 
so I have to try a new batch. My gas had an effect I did not expect 
was possible. Too bad brother-dearest was the first victim of it, but 
someone had to be my guinea pig.

I wonder what I should do with him now. Buy him a flea collar? I laugh 
wonderfully at my joke. Soon Ranma-sama will laugh with me.

I wish I had more time to study how I turned my brother into a dog, 
but there is no time to waste. That wretched Tendo girl has corrupted 
Ranma-sama. She dare even make him take her name. I would have gladly 
taken his name even though custom dictates otherwise.

Let's see, I've got spiked clubs coated with my new paralyzation 
toxin, ribbon, bokken? How did that get there? I toss it to the side. 
And, gas filled balls. Oh, wait until the Tendo girl gets a breath of 
this. I laugh beautifully at the thought.

Hmm... a little after five a.m... perfect! I'll attack while they 
sleep. I could take the vile wretch in a fight, but why take the 
chance? I will free my darling Ranma-sama and nothing will stop me.

Exiting my green house, I see brother-dearest sits by the pond staring 
at his new face. I wonder if he'll stay there long enough for 
Midorigame to get hungry. I hope my little pet won't eat my brother... 
the poor dear would get indigestion.

I laugh for it is time to visit the home where Ranma-sama resides and 
set him free. Thoughts of how I'll soon be reacquainted with my love 
has me bounding across the roof tops.

Soon, oh so very soon, I shall free you, my darling Ranma-sama.

There is the bed chamber of the wretched girl that dares to take my 
love. Stealthily I enter and...

It's empty?! She is not here? Where can she be?

Grrrr... Of course. The vile girl must be in the bedchamber of my 
love. She must have corrupted his mind. I will free him though he is 
tainted.

I enter the hall and walk like a ninja towards my love's room. The 
sight of the wooden sign that has both their names inscribed on it 
makes me want to cry and vomit at the same time.

Carefully I open the door.

I shall never forget this horrid... horrid sight. The wretched girl 
lies upon my love without a trace of clothes. Forget turning her into 
a stupid dog, SHE DIES!

I approach like a tiger of the hunt. I do not make even the slightest 
sound. She will die for what she has done.

I raise a spike club, preparing to spill the worthless girl's 
lifeblood on my love to free him from whatever spell she has cast 
upon him.

I hear barking?! Brother-dearest dares to come to aid this girl! I 
must act quickly or...

My love moves like lightning. Before I'm aware Ranma-sama is awake he 
kicked my club from my hands and knocked me into the wall.

"Kodachi, get the hell out of my house!" my love says fiercely.

I don't care what causes him to say such things, all I care for is 
the sight in front of me. "Ranma-sama! You are truly a man!"

My love is far enough away from the wretched girl that has enslaved 
him. Now I can use the gas on her. I pull out one of the balls and 
throw it at her.

"What?!" My brother intercepts the ball. He dares play fetch! He 
sends the ball back to me.

"No!" The ball explodes and the gases enshroud me.

What have you done to me, my brother? You wish to turn me into the 
same vile creature you've become.

Choking on the gas, I see my brother standing between Ranma and the 
gas.

"Kuno? What the hell happened?" My love is able to tell that is my 
brother?

I can't breathe...

--------------------------------

I awake to find myself bound by my own ribbon. Who ever did this 
shall pay! Unless this is a game of my darling Ranma-sama of course.

"I see you are awake," my brother says. He lifts me up into a 
kneeling position.

I stare at him. "How? I thought my gases turned you into a dog." He's 
wearing the white robes of that blind, Chinese waiter.

"I turn into a wolf, not a dog. As for you turning me into a wolf, 
you are partially at fault. Yesterday I was exposed to magic that 
turned me into the wolf. That would have been a temporary affliction, 
but it has somehow reacted with either your gas or your toxins, or 
possibly both, to potentially make it a permanent curse. For now, 
when splashed with cold water I shall take the body of a wolf, and 
hot water shall return me to a man." My brother's eyes speak of pain, 
sadness, and betrayal.

"What... how were you exposed to this magic?" If I find this out I 
can find the means to make it permanent and turn all that dares stand 
in my way into stupid dogs.

"It does not matter how it happened. Now Kodachi, would you be happy 
if the pig-tailed girl marries someone besides Ranma?" my brother asks 
with an odd smirk.

"You married her?!" I shall kill her. She will not taint my family 
bloodline.

"No, but she has married."

"Then I'm happy for her." I don't care if she was forced to marry the 
troll that steals my undergarments, as long as she is out of the way, 
I'm happy.

"Would you avoid interfering with her relationship?"

"Of course." Why is he asking me this?

"Do you swear by honor to not interfere?"

What is he getting at? Who cares as long as she does not interfere 
with my love and does not become part of the family. "I swear."

"Good." My brother now levels his gaze at me. "Now I shall tell you a 
little of the magic that affects me. The term used for my affliction 
is called Jusenkyo curse. I am now one of several who bears the 
curse. Not all of us turn into wolves. The pig-tailed girl is another 
person who is afflicted. Actually that is the curse form, she is 
really Ranma."

I laugh. "What sort of joke are you trying to play, brother-dearest? 
There is no way Ranma and that evil girl are the same person."

"But they are the same person. As I am now a wolf as well as a man."

"What foolishness is all of this? You think I'd ever believe that?"

My brother sighs. "I guess a demonstration is in order."

My brother picks me up and carries me from the dojo, where I was, to 
the dinning room.

I am greeted the angry glares of Akane and my beloved. Why does 
Ranma-sama glare at me so? Does he not see that I love him? That I'd 
do anything for him?

Nabiki is also in the room, but she looks strangely... meek. She 
spares a glance at us, and then stares at the table.

"Ranma, could you demonstrate your curse so my sister may come to 
believe it."

My love grumbles. He picks up a glass of water and moves closer to 
me. Ranma-sama stares me into my eyes with such fierceness that I am 
overcome by my desire to bear his children. He flips the glass on top 
of his head.

My love shrinks?

Ranma-sama's hair is now red?

He now has bosoms?

"Oh Ranma-sama, it must pain you to have such a horrible curse 
afflicted you. I'll still love and accept you even with your curse." 
Besides, imagine the added value in the bedroom when we can do it so 
many more positions!

"In case you haven't noticed, I already married the girl I love."

I'd slap him if I wasn't tied up at the moment. "How could you love 
that wretched peasant? She is completely worthless! Flee with me away 
from this horrid marriage you found yourself in."

"I'd sooner kill myself than be with you!" 

"How can you say that, my love?" Tears coming to my eyes.

"Because I don't love you. I don't even like you."

"But, I love you. I can give you anything you want." I cry.

"The only thing I want is you out of my life."

"I'd do anything to be with you. Please don't keep me away!"

"Kodachi, let me make it absolutely clear. There is nothing you could 
do that'd make me want to be with you."

Ranma we belong together. If I have to kill every person on the 
planet, I'll make you understand that.

Ranma goes over and sits next to the wretched girl that married him, 
and she puts her arm around her... er, him.

"Now Kodachi, do not dishonor our family further with the pointless 
pursuit of Ranma. He will never return your love."

"Shut up, brother-dearest." I lean over and fall on the back of his 
knee.

My brother falls, face first, onto the table, which causes a glass of 
water to splash him. My brother is now that stupid looking dog again.

I see Nabiki look at my brother sadly and say, "I'm sorry."

My brother starts barking poetry.

"Kuno-sempai, use the signs we gave you," Akane says.

Out of nowhere, my brother pulls out a sign which reads, [Tis not your 
fault.]

"But I..."

My brother flips the sign in his mouth. [You did as you needed to do.] 
He flips it again and a new message is there. [I would rather spend 
the rest of my life like this...] He flips the sign again, and yet 
another message is written on it. How does he do that? [than spend 
another moment as I was.]

"Still, if I hadn't..." 

I glare daggers at the mercenary. So she is the one who has cursed my 
brother. I will see she pays dearly for what she did.

[The fault is more mine than yours.]

Nabiki looks down and says, "I'm still sorry." Nabiki gathers what he 
was wearing and leads my brother out of the room.

I still remain on my side when they return moments later. My brother 
is now a man.

"Now Kodachi, do you promise not to attack them?"

"I promise." To kill them.

My brother unties me. 

"Tis time we depart." 

I follow my brother out of the miserable little house.

We are now a block away, and I take out my ribbon and attack him. I 
wrap the ribbon around him and smash him against a wall, repeatedly. 
He falls unconscious.

Now to return to deal with those evil Tendo girls.

I move to a position and wait. I watch them sitting in the dinning 
room. Akane will be a problem, since she is always near Ranma. Nabiki
will be easy prey.

My patience grows thin. Ranma is still in the same room as both my 
targets. Finally my love and the wretched girl leave.

I strike! I wrap my ribbon around Nabiki and slam her into a wall. 
Unlike my brother, she is already unconscious from just the one blow. 
Damn bitch won't even get to feel the pain of dying. But she will 
die. I snap my ribbon again.

My brother comes to her rescue?! He cuts through the ribbon with a 
bokken and catches Nabiki.

"Why do you come to the rescue of that evil mercenary that cursed 
you?"

"In case you have forgotten sister, you are the one who made it 
permanent. She only did it to teach me a lesson, a lesson which was 
to last a day. Thanks to you, I shall always bear the mark of my 
ignorance and delusions."

"I will not let her live for what she did!" I really need a weapon 
right now.

"What of your own culpability?"

"I've done nothing wrong!"

My brother looks at me strangely. "You attempt murder and made my 
curse permanent, and you've done nothing wrong?"

"Yes! There is nothing wrong with that. That mercenary and the 
wretched girl deserve to die!"

"What about cursing me?"

"She did that!"

"You made it permanent."

"So? It's her fault! She cursed you!"

My brother now looks at me sadly. "I'm sorry sister, but I see I have 
no other choice." He attacks me...

------------------------------

I awake to the sound of voices. I'm in a padded room and straight 
jacket?! Brother, what have you done to me?!

"You will see she gets proper treatment?" I hear my brother ask 
someone.

"Yes, she is in capable hands," an unfamiliar voice answers.

"I shall visit often."

"Of course. It is good to see that she has someone who loves her 
enough to get her the help she needs."

My brother, my own brother, has committed me!? How dare he do this to 
me?! I will see he pays for this. I will kill him, the Tendo bitches, 
and anyone else who gets in my way.

I start laughing wonderfully.

"Kami-sama, that laugh is enough to drive me insane."

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Ah, I return home just after sunset. Such a wondrous vacation I had. 
It was truly fortunate that beauty contest was held in Tokyo. It 
saddens me that they canceled the lingerie portion, just because a 
few girls didn't have any.

Such a delight that lingerie was, too. Maybe I should have freed them 
after that portion of the contest.

I think I'll cry my sorrows away with some of Akane-chan's panties!

I prepare to sneak into her room... but I don't hear her panties 
calling to be free.

I enter and it's... empty. Where? Where is Akane-chan's stuff? Where 
is Akane-chan?

She isn't here! Where is my darling little Akane-chan? I must find 
her. Can't have the heir to Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts 
disappear with all her panties.

"Akane-chan?! Akane-chan?!" I shout, leaving her room.

The door to Ranma's room opens and Akane exits? "Hello, Happosai. We 
were wondering when you'd get back."

I stare at Akane in shock. She's only wearing a robe, and I mean 
only. One quick tug and she's nude for the world to see. And she just 
exited Ranma's room?!

If it's possible, my eyes widen in shock even more. I can tell now 
that my dear sweet little Akane-chan isn't a virgin anymore. "Oh 
Akane-chan, what has befallen you?!"

I leap at her to give her a comforting hug...

"Just what do ya think ya doing, old freak?!" Ranma shouts angrily as 
he has snatched me out of the air just as I'm about to touch Akane.

"What have you done to poor lil' Akane-chan?" I tap his arm with my 
pipe and he flies through his room... 

His room which now has Akane-chan's stuff in it?!

I now find myself plastered to the business end of Akane's mallet. She 
stares at me coldly. "We have a lot to tell you, and don't you dare so 
much as turn Ranma into a girl or attempt to glomp either of us." Her 
tone is as cold as the meat locker I accidentally hid in a while back.

"What has happened, my darling lil' Akane-chan?"

"We'll tell you in a minute. Wait down stairs." She then carried me 
over to the window, and threw me outside.

"Oh, master Happosai, you're back," Kasumi greeted me from the dinning 
room. She looks unusually... sad.

My curiosity is suddenly aroused as I don't see Genma. Soun is still 
there with the shogi board, playing as if Genma was there, but he 
isn't.

Something has happened. Something big, and I'm not talking about Akane 
sharing Ranma's bed. I realize Akane is upstairs getting dressed right 
now, but for some reason I don't feel like peeking in on her.

I go over and sit at the dining room table. I take the tea Kasumi 
offers. I should be gleeful just returning here, but there is a 
tangible aura of death here. I'm afraid my best student has died.

Ranma and Akane join me after getting dressed. I can see by Ranma's 
expression that he is extremely hurt. While Akane is leaning on him, 
it's clear that Ranma is the one being supported.

They sit down and without a word take the tea Kasumi offers them.

The cloud of morbid silence gets to me and I speak first, "So, 
Ranma-chan, what has happened here?"

Ranma closed his eyes. "A week ago mother came by for a visit. She 
found out about the curse and deemed me not to be a man. She was going 
to make us all commit Seppuku, but Akane convinced Mom to let me live, 
if I married her and became a Tendo. This did not stop Mom from having 
Pop and herself commit Seppuku."

I sit there, staring at them in stunned silence. His mother was here. 
That damned, over-honored bitch who took away my best student came 
back and killed him.

"Where? Where did Genma die?" I ask, barely restraining myself.

Ranma, Akane and Soun get up and lead me to the dojo. I don't have to 
ask where exactly they died since there are blood stains on the floor.

"Damn her! DAMN HER!!" I start tossing Happo Dai Karins at the blood 
stains.

"STOP!" Ranma shouts grabbing in a bear hug. I'm unable to move. 
"Stop." Ranma starts crying.

"She killed him. She killed my best student. Damn her," I think that's 
what I'm saying.

Soun comes over and hugs us. We are all crying. 

I'm not sure how long we remain like that. 

As I start to regain control, I see Akane looking at us with concern 
and a little shock. I doubt she expected me to react like that.

After a little while, we all sit around the blood-stained and burnt 
floor.

"I knew Genma shouldn't have married your mother. She was too damned 
honorable. I think that's one of the reasons why he married her. She 
was everything he wasn't. She was everything he wanted to be, but 
couldn't."

"Pop wanted to be honorable?" Ranma asks. I'm a little surprised. If 
Genma were still alive Ranma would have made a joke about it, but his 
question wasn't a joke.

"Yes. He wanted to be honorable, but he had met her only after I spent 
years training him. He was already far too dishonorable to be truly 
happy with her, or her him. He was already to far set down the road of 
the true power of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"What do you mean 'true power'?" Akane asks.

"As you know, I gain strength from touching women and women's things. 
I gain power from lust, one of the seven deadly sins. Genma approached 
the point where he would gain power from gluttony, since that is his 
greatest weakness, it was also going to be his greatest strength. I 
guess he realized that, and it scared him. He would become like me. 
So he did what he thought might save him. He decided to find and marry 
a woman that could control him, and possibly even redeem him. When he 
met Nodoka, she was everything he wanted. She was to help him find 
honor, and strangely enough they feel in love."

"I guess I know at least Pop loved her. He coulda run off at the end. 
He could've refused, but he didn't. He stayed and committed Seppuku," 
Ranma said tearfully.

I nod. "Genma loved your mother, and she did love him. That damned 
woman killed my best student." 

I sigh. "Ranma, your father was a much better martial artist than you 
think. He even developed two schools of techniques that were so 
dangerous and powerful he could have demolish the Tendo home and dojo 
in minutes. His desire for honor caused him to seal the techniques 
after the only person he taught them to died while practicing one of 
the moves."

They just stared at me, unable to come up with something to say.

"You do realize Genma saw you as the means to redeem himself. He 
thought he could become the honorable man he wanted to be, but 
constantly failed to be, if he could raise you and make you a man 
amongst men. If he did, it'd mean he wasn't a failure, that he had 
some honor."

"Pop put me through hell. I guess he tried to make me the greatest 
martial artist because he thought that'd make me a man amongst men. I 
remember how he'd be so happy when I learned a new move or technique. 
I don't think I ever saw him happier than when I first truly defeated 
him." 

Ranma chuckles lightly. "That was shortly after the Neko-ken training. 
I was so upset at him for what he did, I literally kicked his ass 
around the small village we were at. I'm sure it was funny to see a 
ten year old toss around his father like rag doll. Pop even fought 
back, but somehow I was partially in Neko-ken and I creamed him. After 
that, Pop moved from teaching me the power techniques to aerial and 
speed techniques. By the time I was twelve I as able to defeat him a 
fair amount of the time."

After a moment Soun starts talking, "Saotome was a good friend. We 
endured much hardship together, and overcame him... er... them." I'll 
ignore that. "We were closer than brothers. If it wasn't for him I'd 
have never met Akane's mother. I owe him so much, that I could never 
repay him." He starts crying beyond the point of speaking.

Akane decides to talk now, "I didn't get to know Uncle Saotome as well 
as I'd like to have. While he did have his bad points, he was a good 
man. I can never thank him enough for bringing Ranma into my life."

"I wish I got to know my mother," Ranma said sorrowfully. "I should at 
least be able to say something about her, ANYTHING about her... but 
all I can do is think 'Why? Why did she do it?'"

Akane hugs Ranma, letting him cry into her chest. Why can't she do 
that for me?

"Life is not fair, Ranma. Life just isn't fair," I say to him.

After a while they leave me alone in the dojo. I stare at the spot 
Genma died. I put so much work into making him what he was. It was all 
wasted.

I doubt I have many years left. I don't have much time to train a new 
student. I don't even have a student to train. Ranma would've been 
good, since his greatest weakness was his pride, but his mother 
shattered it when she rejected him. Akane wasn't that good considering 
her greatest weakness was envy, which was followed by pride. She would 
end up defeating herself. Now neither Ranma nor Akane can be used 
since their love for each other will prevent them from achieving the 
true power.

Love gets in the way of the true power. Love causes another to control 
you. I cannot, will not be controlled. Not by Cologne, not by anyone.

I sigh.

I'm going to have to find someone already on the road to the true 
power and train him.

I wish I could make Nodoka pay for what she did. Genma had been so 
close. He could've truly been my successor, but that damned woman took 
him. 

What is the need of honor anyway? Honor does not get you what you 
want. Honor is a way for others to control you, make you do as they 
want. I have no need for honor.

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Author's note:

Thanks to Free Mage, David Tatum, DreAshaman, and everyone else who 
have sent me C&C on this series.

If you want previous parts of the series you can find them at:
http://www.mich.com/~archive/anime

C&C and MSTs welcomed.
If you wish to give me C&C privately, contact me at archive@mich.com