Actually one had. Instead of jacking up the price, he'd cut them a break. Apparently a slave himself, who empathized. (That there was a network of such was just urban legend of course. Couldn't possibly happen.)
Her name was Tenten and after she'd cleaned up some it had taken her a little while to get the story out anyway. Apparently being slammed with a set of protocols that dated back to the Iga Ninja Wars had scrambled her memories a bit.
During that time it was discovered that she was a weapons user and never going to be an unarmed specialist. Thin bones in the hand and wrist, and while the support tissue could be toughened - there wasn't a lot that could be done about the bones and chi enforcement could only go so far. Oh, she'd be able to fight unarmed and do well - but not at the level Ranma and his father did.
During the two months of accelerated healing, Ranma had taken care of and hand-fed his slavegirl. That had eliminated a LOT of Tenten's shyness/Ranma's unfamiliarity with the female body.
The protocols were initially a problem. She would not be able to practice as a shinobi. She could not attack her Master, even to spar. She could not use her shinobi talents. The first time she'd tried to do so, the programmed nausea and blindness had required MORE time where she'd been dependent on Ranma.
The answer was to train around those limitations. She wasn't using talents as a 'shinobi' or 'ninja' but as a 'mamluk trainer' and 'bodyguard' - even though Ranma didn't usually need one. Finding someone to help lessen the job done on her so that she could spar had even turned up a little 'program-bomb' waiting to go off.
"Here we go," said the clerk. "She's a little groggy still, but otherwise doing quite well."
"Yeah, well," began Ranma as his ninja-girl practically collapsed on him. "Geez. Never thought a girl leanin' on me would get so familiar."
"Sorry, Master," said Tenten.
"We found some very odd things," said the clerk. "That doctor you used was quite correct. These were not performed by anyone associated with the Bureau. While the laws regarding ninja-war and salvage are quite complicated, we were able to remove most of it without due process."
"So," said Ranma, uncomfortably aware that Tenten's hair smelled faintly of some herbal shampoo and she was clinging to him.
"When was the last time you two-" the clerk made a gesture.
"Huh?" asked Ranma.
"Well, we uncovered a few things during our checkup," said the clerk. "I must say, you made quite an impression. She trusts you to an almost unheard of degree, but when you factor in some other items - I'd really suggest you tend to those needs of your slave at the first opportunity."
"I don't understand," said Ranma.
Tenten attempted to hide her face in his shirt.
"Mister Saotome, it's perfectly normal behavior," said the clerk, turning to the boy's father. "Or is this something regarding martial arts training?"
"Huh?" repeated Ranma.
"Ah, never mind, I'm just including this pamphlet into your paperwork," said the confused clerk. "In any case, as to the other inquiry you made-"
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(Posted Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:36)
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