"And it could be some other way?" Ranma asked.
The unmasked ninja let his brows raise a bit. "Of course. It happens all the time. Girls try to show off and join the guys that they want to be with."
"Like a girlfriend."
"Eh... something like that."
"Ah. Well, that's good for you. She ain't gonna look at ya that way," the pigtailed boy murmured.
"Of course. I've always tried to look out for her, and it looks like she wants to return the favor. Or at least just be like me."
"Sounds pretty nice for ya."
"Yes, but that still leaves things out between you and her."
"What?"
"Remember, you were one of the few people to not see her as a 'poison child', unlike almost everyone else not too long ago," Hayate told the young Lord with a mixture of seriousness, approval, and admiration.
"So?"
"'So'... you made an impression. When the village was punishing her for something that wasn't her fault, you treated her with kindness and... respect," Hayate replied, and seemed to be almost amused. "At least, your teasing was more affectionate and friendly than the nasty stuff that the other kids threw her way."
Ranma blinked at him, wondering what would have him picking on the pale girl. "Why would I be nasty?"
"Exactly."
"Oh... kay.... Not sure why whatever I did was special...."
Glancing over at Ryu, Hayate caught his friend's own raised brows and fought an urge to chuckle. Apparently, their Lord's actions towards his sister had been so natural to him that he hadn't seen any other way to behave. That was very fortunate, considering what Ayane had to go through, but she was overcoming the past. Since it wasn't a defining point for him, her life was now becoming her own, and she was being known for her accomplishments, not where she'd come from.
He was pleased by that, as he didn't like to consider why she'd been so shunned by the others. Rape was so rare that just having it happen was bad enough, but men simply did not do such things in this world. However, Raidou had done just that, and had actually gone forth and forced himself upon Hayate and Kasumi's mother. This awful act had apparently come from a jealousy over what his older brother had, from skill in the Art, to his wife. The dishonorable and banished fighter had gone and not only been envious of his elder brother's position, but had actually used sex to try and claim his wife, who it seemed that he'd felt would have been better as his.
In a time when men were more likely to be pursued by overly amorous women than to do anything in the opposite direction, the very idea that a male, especially one not motivated beyond anything but jealousy and self involvement, would do something like this was simple disgusting and unacceptable.
The problem was that Ayane had been blamed for that transgression even though she had done nothing but be born. In fact, she hated her biological father more than anyone. Yet, people had been curt and dismissive of her when they were unable to simply ignore her existence.
It was their Lord's example who had proven to be a boon for her. He simply hadn't seen her as the girl who would only get seen as the girl who would get physical intimacy when it was 'convenient' for that partner, and who was mainly tolerated due her elder brother's protection. With him having so easily treated her with his own brand of respect and companionship, she had what other girls had taken for granted. As such, he had gained her loyalty, among other feelings, and Hayate's own estimation of the young nobleman had raised quite highly.
Shrugging, Ranma figured that what he'd been told about was likely good from what he'd heard, so it wasn't anything to worry about, while:
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(Posted Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:49)
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