"Excuse me?" Ranma asked.
"Well, after what happened last time, you really shouldn't go picking something up," chided the wizard. "I've set a few things out on the desk here."
"So what does this do?" Ranma asked, picking up a thin chain holding a medallion that looked like an eye.
"Ever have trouble with the opposite sex not listening to you, never paying attention to what you say because they're off reacting to something that wasn't your fault?" asked the wizard.
Ranma nodded his head rapidly. Daily occurance.
"This medallion has two effects, one of which is that your powers of persuasion will be quite enhanced," said the wizard. "The other effect will be that you can gain insight to them - their hopes and dreams and fears - even their motivations that drive those very things."
"Oh," said Ranma. Yeah, he could see how that'd be useful. Lately he'd been getting whacked by bonbori, spatulas, and whatever blunt trauma instrument Akane could lay her hands on. "What about this?"
"Ah," said the wizard. "You've heard of love potions, philtres, and the like?"
Ranma hurriedly put the blue vial down.
"This is rather the opposite," said the wizard. "Such potions cloud the mind with false emotions and fantasies. One sip of this would dispel instantly a love potion. One drink and you would be immune to such things, you would also see the world clearly around you for the first time in your life. Unfettered by illusions or preconceptions - you would be able to attain a new level of martial arts within a day of the insights offered by this potion."
Ranma nodded, sorely tempted by this last point. "And this?"
"That is something on loan from a monastery in Spain. Pour a little water in, take a drink, and your curse will be cured. Mind you, so will anything else wrong with you." The wizard looked distastefully at the wooden cup. "Normally wouldn't even allow it near the shop, but it seemed appropriate for the old four items setup."
"And this?" Ranma said.
"Don't touch it unless you're choosing it," warned the wizard as Ranma reached for it. Satisfied when Ranma drew his hand back, the wizard continued. "Ever think that maybe all the suffering you went through had no purpose? Things like the catfist and being starved for long periods, not to mention little touches like throwing you down cliffs to toughen you up - that might have been your life but it counts as suffering in most other people's books. Touch that and you take up the mantle of destiny, my boy. Remember that an adventure is someone else going through all kinds of hardship - touch that and everything you've gone through will be worth it. Great power, great perks, but also great hardship and suffering. Though who's to say you'd get a rider off the hardship by not choosing?"
"Wonderful," said Ranma sarcastically. "Does not choosing any of these have a bad effect?"
The wizard looked thoughtful for a moment, studying Ranma, before shaking his head. "All I'll say is that a lot of child abuse is inherited and often gets worse as things go. You walk the path your father has laid out for you, complaining but you do it, and eventually you will become your father. Now there's a fate I'd not wish on anyone."
"Uh huh, how much?" Ranma asked, wondering if that was the catch. He still had to get Kasumi's gift but if any part of that dream had a basis in reality - he'd get it somewhere else.
"You've already paid, boy. Take too much more of my time and I'll rethink it," indicated the wizard.
Ranma thought free sounded like it fit on his budget. "Fine, I choose-"
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(Posted Tue, 09 Dec 2003 12:42)
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