“Be it ever so humble,” Ranma sighed, looking at the restored shrine.
Mr. Yamamoto had died on this world two years earlier, no heir or student to keep him interested. Though it could have been just one of those simple differences between parallel realities that he died when he did, but not on Ranma’s original world.
When he had arrived on this world, he had been surprised that there was a Cherry Hill Shrine—called the Hikawa Shrine in this universe—here as well. He would have bet against the odds of landing in another universe so similar to his own.
Of course, he could have done without the Hinos seeing him, followed by Rei slapping a sutra on his head, while Elder Hino whimpered about demons coming to claim his only and still single granddaughter.
Both Ranma and Rei seemed to stare at him for mentioning that she was still single. He wasn’t sure if the guy was depressed she was still single and about to die, or was trying to set her up with the supposed ‘demon’.
Quite sad, actually, when Rei stopped worrying about the ‘invading demon’ and turned on her ‘baka-hentai’ grandfather. But then, they were closer to the ones he knew.
What followed was a long discussion about who he was, where he had come from, and what his intensions were.
Rei refused to believe him ... until he mentioned a birthmark she had in the shape of a trumpet that could only be seen when she was fully nude. He had caught it when he was bathing in the furo and she had walked in on him, didn’t even notice the sign saying it was occupied.
Then her friend Ami came over and they talked for a bit, before she left. He noticed she kept holding some small device as if she was scanning him, before her eyes widened and she left.
He just knew that was going to bite him later.
It was later he learned of the fate of Mr. Yamamoto on this world, as well as the present state of the Windy Blossoms Shrine. It had been unattended for those years, as no one fit the needed bill to work in Nerima, or passed the approval of the local priests to take it over.
Well, that was the story. The truth was that simply no one wanted to risk any luck granted to them by the Kami by setting up shop in Nerima. It had apparently gotten worse in the last year, and they were very happy to sacri...I mean, have a volunteer worthy to take it over.
It’s a little weird. He always wanted me to eventually strike out on my own, and yet I am back where I began ... on my own. I’ll miss the old coot.
With the help of the local shrine priests all over Tokyo, he was able to get enough supplies to repair the Temple and bring it up to code, redo the grounds, and even repair the outer walls.
He did wonder what could have damaged them so much.
So here he was, the lone priest running a rebuilt temple on a world so close to his own, working in a part of Nerima Ward that seemed to have scared off any perspective assistants.
“Oh well,” said Ranma with a smile, “I can’t let things keep me down. How can I help others if I am depressed about that which I cannot control?”
With that, he began his usual routine at the shrine, waiting for the first visitor to come by.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have waited at all. The visitor was...
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(Posted Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:51)
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