She was about to do the same with the photographs when she noticed a grainy- taken at a distance and obviously blown up photo.
A young boy, covered in bites and scratches, with a flap of skin hanging down over one eye. A terrified boy being tied up in fish sausages.
The words spoken during their discovery of the Nekoken came back to Akane. How Genma had had to throw Ranma back into the pit over and over again. The photo brought it to life more than Genma's words had.
Akane wondered if she really wanted to look at the other photos or the report that Nabiki had just handed her.
When he'd trained his son in the Nekoken, or the Touched Soul, or the Oceanborn - it had been to make his son a legendary martial artist. Ranma having friends, a home, knowing his mother, or wasting time in anything other than the martial arts would have detracted from that goal. Only by being like the lion and continually pushing your cub down a cliff, and then throwing rocks at him when he tried to climb that cliff - that was the path of a true martial artist.
It hadn't been his own hunger that kept him starving Ranma through the boy growing up. No - by starving the boy and forcing him to eat only rice it toughened his digestion. Ranma would be able to get by on less and survive off the land easier that way. Ranma protested a lot, but that was to be expected.
Genma used Ranma to steal food, part of his training journey. Okay, it hadn't worked too well with the okonomiyaki cart. Who would have expected Ranma to hit it off with the father and daughter? Still, it was more speed, sneaking, and agility training. That Genma then got first dibs on the food was also to be expected.
Setsuna knew this. She knew very well that Genma was not evil. Even though Happosai was tainted, he was more pathetic than evil himself.
Yet one thing she had noted throughout the viewings was: not one of the three had ever paid the bill. When Happosai did something - he left his two students to deal with the consequences. When Genma did something - it became Ranma's problem. When Genma rejoined Soun, Soun followed suit - it's all Ranma's fault.
Nabiki came downstairs and whispered something to Kasumi who merely looked curious and went upstairs herself. Nabiki sat across from Setsuna.
Seeing the anger and guilt appearing on Nabiki Tendo's face, Setsuna's opinion of the middle Tendo rose slightly. Not unredeemable it appeared.
"What are your intentions regarding Ranma?" Nabiki finally asked.
"To cut his father's influence and then see where we go from there," replied Setsuna. "I think there's a real prince in there if one can get past certain... experiences."
Nabiki nodded. "I have to think on this."
Setsuna nodded and softly added one more thing. "Miss Tendo. There will be others who know of certain matters coming. Just so that you know." Not that anyone was out to kill Genma. Hurt severely yes. She hadn't sent that letter to anyone who would actually kill Genma. Though it would be nice to have someone yelling "Saotome, prepare to die" and they'd be after someone besides Ranma.
Nabiki frowned at that but nodded again and got up.
Setsuna didn't really pay attention to the two fathers grumbling, and Ranma had gone to the roof to get away from them.
Now, it would be interesting to see.
(Posted Fri, 01 Nov 2002 18:19)
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