Be sure to watch your monitor in a brightly lit room and do not stare at it for long periods of time....Are you listening?
Ranma decided to tell the whole truth. For one thing, he didn't think that lying would gain him anything. It won't hurt to tell the whole story. Besides, Kamahito reminded him of Doctor Tofu.
Kamahito believed him..especially after Ranma showed him his Jusenkyo curse. Kamahito was boggled to say the least. Kamahito prevailed upon Ranma to stay at the temple for a few weeks, at least. Kamahito's reasons are as follows
1) Ranma's word usage would mark him as out of place in Taisho Roman Japan. Staying at the temple would help him pick up what words he can use to mean something without offending TOO many people.
2) Ranma's causal mention of his use of the use of his ki also drew Kamahito's attention. This brought up another subject: Kamahito is also an omyou mystic. A ki master among other things. Since Ranma's curse is water based, there are exercises that Kamahito can teach Ranma to control his curse. Ranma agreed. A cure would be nicer, but control could do just as well.
So a bargain was struck. Ranma would remain at the temple for a time and be considered an apprentice for the time being. He would recieved room and board plus ki training from Kamahito. Ranma was later introduced to Nakahito, a young boy 13 years old and Kamahito's younger brother.
2 weeks later...
Ranma was sweeping the shrine grounds, dressed in shrine priest's clothing. It's been a fairly busy week. It seemed that word has spread that a handsome and muscular man has been working in the temple. Young girls had been making a pilgrimage to see for themselves, depite the temple's location at the outskirts of Tokyo. A few of the bold ones tried flirting with Ranma, but no to avail. It seems that Ranma's cluelessness about women is still the same, providing Kamahito (and Nakahito) with hours of enjoyment. A few of the girls had been so frustrated as to sport battle auras. Luckily for Ranma, the mallet-sama technique still hasn't been invented yet.
"Ranma" called out Kahamito.
"Sensei"
"It seems Nakahito has been dragged off by his friends again. Could you go and bring him back."
"Of course, sensei". Ranma stored the broom away. He then went to the top of the shrine stairs and closed his eyes. He concentrated, searching for a sign of Nakahito's ki.
What's he doing so far from the shrine? Oh, well....
Ranma with a ki-boost jumped up and away from the top of the shrine staircase and into an empty field. He landed with a soft thump in a grass covered field and leapt away again. At the top of his jump, he spotted a house surrounded by a forest. Bursting from the edge of the forest, he recognized Nakahito's trio of so-called friends. He changed the angle of his descent to intercept them.
BOOM!
The trio stopped in fear and shock when a figure plummeted down from the sky and landed in front of them in a cloud of dust. "It's another demon" cried the one in the school boy unform. "No, it's not. It's thew new guy staying at Nakahito's temple" replied the scruffy looking guy. Expressions of relief washed acrossed their faces, followed by sweatdrops.
Ranma folded his arms. "Okay, where is Nakahito?"
"The Demon Doctor got him! We were running to get help!" replied the school boy.
"Riight..." Ranma had seen Soun and the panda pull this sort of stunt before. The stories of the Demon Doctor was just that..stories."So where is he?"
"He's in the house beyond this forest..in the basement" replied the scruffy-looking of the trio. As he pointed in the house direction, the sound and feel of the ground rumbling could be heard and felt, growing in intensity.
"Go. I'll find him." Following the boy's trail, Ranma took off. The trio all took a look at each other and started running in the other direction. Ranma came upon an open window at what looked like the basement level of an imposing 3 story stone house. He wriggled his way feet first..hung on the sill..then dropped down.
It took Ranma a few moments to adjust to the dim light. There were boxes and cables and all sort of weird scientific equipment. It reminded Ranma of a mad scientist's lab he'd seen once on late night television. He also spotted what looked liked a diagram of a girl in a strange uniform.
Maid's uniform?.
Ranma shook his head and called out "Nakahito..where are you?
Ahhhh!
Upon hearing the shriek, Ranma rushed over to the sound and found Nakahito in a room..staring down at something in fright.
"Nakahito" barked Ranma. Nakahito whirled around and saw Ranma. He flung himself into Ranma and started crying. "Ranma-niichan" choked Makahito.
Remembering how Kasumi acted in times like this Ranma patted him on the back. "There, now Nakahito. You're almost a man. Men do not show fear or cry, even in the most dangerous situations. Feel better now?". Nakahito stepped back and dried his eyes with his sleeve.
"Feel better now?" Nakahito nodded. "Now what was it that spooked ya?" Nakahito turned and pointed toward what looked liked in the dim light a bed. Ranma narrowed his eyes and walked toward one side of the bed, Nakahito following and ending up on the other side. Ranma saw a figure lying on the bed as he walked closer.
"Is she a doll?" asked Nakahito
"Dunno" replied Ranma. He could now see better close up. It was a girl lying on the bed. A girl with a beautiful face, framed by long pink hair. The scene reminded of a Western story he heard once when he was child. Now what was it?..oh yeah,Sleeping Beauty.
Ranma frowned...But Sleeping Beauty was a princess, not a maid. Looks like a fighting maid at that..
The girl was dressed in a maid uniform of an unusual design. A one piece blue dresss with puffed up short sleeves, with the hem of the skirt ending at the upper thighs. Her legs were encased in long socks reaching past the knee and ending in the lower thigs. Her feet had white and blue buckled shoes. Over the dress was a maid's apron and a vest with frilly shoulders, kept in place by a buckled wide blue belt. She wore elbow lenght blue gloves, overwhich are worn white fingerless gloves. A red bowtie at her throat, a maid's cap at the crown of her head and a red bow which tied her hair. The overall impression was a uniform that allowed for great freedom of movement.
Better check and see if she's still breathing...
Ranma just started to lean over when the ground started shaking....
Cue Steel Angel Kurumi BGM....
In the next episode of Steel Angel Saotome
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(Posted Tue, 13 May 2003 03:27)
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