“For now, you just need to get acquainted with the group. Their leader is in conference with our senior priestess and will join you shortly. She will fill you in on their quest.”
“Uhm... okay.” stammered Ranma. Well, it did sound like good advice. If he was going to have to help these girls out, he would at least need to know their names.
The drow priestess smiled as she saw several of the young adventurers try to introduce themselves at once. Ah, to be so young! Chuckling, she went to inform her superior of the situation.
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Meanwhile, back in Nerima...
“First off, I need to see Ranma’s room.” announced Cologne. “There may be some clue still there that may help.”
“Let me I’ll show you the way.” Nabiki offered. The old Amazon’s serious tone had made an impression on her. This was no idle prank. A chill seemed to pass through her at the thought.
Leaving Mousse tied up under the watchful eyes of Akane and Shampoo, they made their way to the guest room.
“It’s still just like we found it.” Nabiki informed her. “Ranma was alone last night due to Daddy and Genma being out all night.” Happosai had left yesterday on a week-long trip to northern Japan. The fathers had wasted no time in celebrating. They had come home quite late and had apparently decided to continue the celebration in the dojo. Kasumi had found them passed out in there the next morning.
Cologne nodded but didn’t answer. They had arrived at the guest room. Looking in, Nabiki again saw the sight that had made them send for Cologne. A chalk circle with an inscribed pentagram surrounded Ranma’s futon. At the points of the pentagram candles rested. Unlit now, they had provided an eerie gloom that morning. Normally, Nabiki would have wondered how anyone could have slept through what must have been a lengthy and elaborate set-up, but this was Ranma. He could sleep through anything.
Now that she had a chance to really look around, Nabiki noticed something she hadn’t before. Near the entrance to the room sat a small brazier. Next to it lay an old, furled up scroll. Something about the scroll seemed to call to Nabiki.
“Nabiki Tendo, Stop!”
The tone of absolute command in the voice cut Nabiki to the core. Automatically she obeyed. As she looked around, she was surprised to see that she was in the room and halfway to the scroll.
“I think it would be best if you waited downstairs.” Cologne said seriously.
Shivering, Nabiki agreed.
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An hour later Cologne came down the stairs. Everyone was still there, waiting expectantly. At the sight of the Amazon matriarch’s drawn face, they prepared for the worst.
Cologne looked them over gravely.
“Kasumi, I’ve disposed of the dangerous items, so the room is safe now.”
Kasumi nodded, but didn’t interrupt.
“I’m sorry, but there doesn’t seem to be much hope. The scroll Mousse used was real, and he seems to have performed the ritual correctly.”
“No…” breathed Akane.
“Waah… My little girl is a widow, and she’s not even married yet!” Soun was handling this with his usual calm stoicism.
Shampoo gave Mousse a murderous glance that he was completely oblivious to. Genma seemed too shocked to speak.
Nabiki grasped for what hope she could. “But if he did it correctly, why didn’t it work as advertised?”
“That, child, is a good question.” replied Cologne. “A question that Mousse can hopefully shed some light on.”
“I’m not saying anything.” said Mousse.
---------------------------------------------
One pressure point later, the story came out.
Mousse explained how he had stumbled across the Cursed Antique Store while shopping for supplies for the Nekohanten. How the shop’s proprietor had revealed to him that he had the perfect way to eliminate the only obstacle between Mousse and Shampoo. Not that Mousse needed much encouragement, but the man had been remarkably persuasive.
The instructions weren’t difficult, although some of the ingredients were quite rare. Fortunately, nearly all of them could be found in Cologne’s private supplies.
“Stealing from a Matriarch.” Cologne wasn’t really surprised. She had suspected this after seeing the ingredients the scroll had required. “Still, there was one item on that list you couldn’t have found in my room.”
“The hair of a pure and untouched innocent.” nodded Mousse. “I had wanted to get some from Shampoo…”
“But walking in on her while she was dressing wasn’t the wisest thing you could have done. What did you do next, use your own?” Actually, Cologne had hoped he had used Shampoo’s hair. Shampoo may have still been a maiden, but she wasn’t innocent enough to fulfill the requirements of that spell.
“I’m not that stupid! I didn’t take any chances on this one. I used some of Kasumi’s hair.”
“Oh my!”
Cologne sighed. “That should have done it… unless Kasumi has something we should know about?” She didn’t think it likely but…
“Me?” Kasumi asked. “What could I know… Oh!” Blushing furiously, Kasumi shook her head.
“Ha! See old ghoul, I can do some things right! Yesterday while everyone was gone I snuck into Kasumi’s room and got hairs from her comb. Last night I burned them with the herbs and oils exactly how the scroll directed. As they burned I chanted the words just as they were written and…”
“Pardon me, Cologne-san?” Kasumi was still blushing, but now she had a slightly puzzled look on her face.
“Yes, Kasumi?”
“I don’t have a comb.” Like many girls with long hair, Kasumi preferred to use a hairbrush. She hadn’t used a comb in years.
Cologne saw the first glimmer of hope since this whole affair started. She tried not to get her hopes too high. The pressure point she had used forced Mouse to speak the exact truth, but if it was only a confusion in terminology…
Well, there was a quick way to check. “Mousse! Did you get those hairs from a comb or a hairbrush?”
“I got them from Kasumi’s comb, just as I told you.” Seeing Kasumi shaking her head, Mouse felt a shiver of panic. He couldn’t have messed this up!
“It must be yours! I know I was in the right room! An old, small black comb sitting on your dresser…” Mousse trailed off as Kasumi merely looked more and more puzzled.
“Oh!” a look of recognition wiped the puzzlement from Kasumi’s face. “So that’s where I put it! I was wondering what I did with that.”
Suddenly finding herself the center of attention, Kasumi explained. “Grandfather Happosai left it out in his hurry to leave. I meant to put it back in his room, but I put it down to get the laundry and forgot where I had left it.”
Kasumi started toward the stairs. “Oh my. I’d better go put it away before I forget about it again.”
Speechlessly, they watched her go.
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(Posted Tue, 21 Jan 2003 05:15)
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