"Well, my dear," Nodoka said, in a gentle, but still demanding tone. "Would you please be as kind as to explain why you have been after my son, as well as been causin trouble?"
Kodachi nodded her head. "You see, Mrs. Saotome... First off, I would like to say that I am sane... Or at least, I think I am. I have been acting insane for so long, that I'm not sure if I'm still fully there in the head."
"So... it's really just an act then?" Ranma asked. "That still doesn't explain why you would chase me around. What is your 'reasoning' for THAT?" Ranma finished in a rather annoyed tone. Truth be told, Kodachi was not on his good side, what with the blackmail and the poisonings.
Sighing, Kodachi said, "I guess I should start at the beginning. I am two people rolled into one. That of a gymnast of samurai family, Kodachi Kuno and Hikage, a Kitsune."
Becoming rather tense, Kodachi said, "While I was growing up as Kodachi, I was rather abused. You see, unlike the rest of my family, I was NOT insane. And because of that, I tended to be a 'target' for my father and brother's illusions of grandia. Their flights of fancy always lead to me being hurt physically, if not mentally."
Kodachi sighed, rubbing the side of her head with her hand. "Then came a family trip to Ryugenzawa. 'Brother dear' wanted to add one of the fabled animals to the house as a 'trophy', a 'testament to his magnificence' as he said." Shaking in both fear and angry, Kodachi continued. "Only he didn't find much. And the one animal he did find, made a full of him." Kodachi whimpered. "And then he turned on me..."
"Turned on you?" Ranma asked. He had a gut-feeling that what happened was not at all pleasent.
"Yes." Kodachi answered. "He thought it to be my fault and 'punished' me for it. I did manage to break free and ran, and ran... Until I went through a patch of very tall grass and went off the side of a tall cliff and landed in a revine." Kodachi looked at her hands, sighing wistfully. "It was then that Kodachi Kuno had died... And lived again."
"I take it that is when Hikage found you?" Theo asked, having listened to the conversation.
"Yes." Kodachi answered. "Hikage was alone for the longest time, most of her clan having moved onto the etheral plain, for there was still much more she wanted to experience. She had found me, took pity, and decided to save my life by melding with me. Using me as a time-share of sorts."
Kodachi was silent for some time. "As for the insanity act... I was changed. My soul and consciousness were weak, and more, or less, were replaced by Hikage's. They would have noticed that, and I would have been found out. So, I decided that if acted just like them, then they would be very accepting of me."
"So to hide the fact you were a Kitsune, you acted insane." Sheila said.
"Hopefully, that was an end to your problems with your brother." Ranma said.
Looking Ranma right in the eyes, Kodachi said, in all seriousness, "No, that was not the end of my troubles. Instead of them using me as a scapegoat for their insanities, I had to go along for the ride. And it was just as bad... Especially when my brother's... 'Tastes' were for the 'forbidden fruit'..."
This caused the others to stare at Kodachi for some time. Ranma was the first to voice what everyone was thinking. "You mean that..."
"Yes..." Kodachi squeaked out. Looked at Ranma, she said, "That is when I started acting more 'violent' and really went into my insane act. I hated and feared Tatewaki more than anything. I was a slave to him as well. I could not leave the family, and even my share of the Kuno family fortune is out of reach to me, as long as Tatewaki still lives. Basically, I became a permanent inmate in an insane asylum..."
Managing to smile, Kodachi said, "And then you came along Ranma. If my brother knew that there was competition for me, he would back off. And in his deluded mind, he was accepting of the idea that you wanted me, especially since you were supposed to be engaged to Akane Tendo, whoim my brother wanted. I had a chance to play on his delusions with that. As long as I chased you, my brother would think he had a great chance at Akane, and would also leave me alone as a side-effect." Sighing, Kodachi said, "Basically, Ranma, you became a life-preserver for me, in a sea of raging storms."
Kodachi's eyes hardened. "But without you, to keep up the charade that I had someone, my brother will be after me again. For once he knows you are out of the way of getting Akane, and are not with me, he will realize he has a chance of getting Akane, AND he will realize that he can also go back to chasing me as well... And I don't know how much longer I can hold back. He will find out I am a Kitsune eventually. And then he'll let his insanities play upon that. And I do not think I will survive."
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Sat, 31 May 2003 00:59)
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