Anger can be a curious thing. At weaker levels, it can create an irritation which spreads unhappines and discontent to all around. Stronger, and it can create a driving force which allows the sufferer no rest until its object has been dealt with. At it most terrible levels, it can kill, and whether it kills the one suffering the anger, the object of the anger, or an innocent bystander can end up being nothing more than chance. It can cause a person to make decisions on the spur of a moment, which would never be made if the person had stopped and considered.
On the other hand, anger can be managed. It can be channeled, and can (if only temporarily) give someone the spine they never grew. Too bad that anger doesn't really last that long - for most people.
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'Oughta get someone to go with me, though. Even I can see the row that'd start if I went down to Ucchan's alone right now. Problem is that I don't know who I'd take that wouldn't cause trouble...'
''Bout the only one I can think of is Kasumi, and I ain't too sure what'd come outta that meetin'. Can't trust Nabiki, even if I do pay her, and Akane'd probably hurt me just fer askin'.'
As Ranma wound down from his final kata for the night, he heard one of the outer shoji sliding in its track. Turning, he saw that Happosai had entered. For once the old perv wasn't looking as energetic as usual. In fact, he actually looked somewhat ... ill. This was somewhat unusual, as other than that one time when he'd nearly died, Ranma couldn't remember the letch looking quite so fragile.
"Ranma, m'boy, it's time we had a talk."
"I don't think that you've got anythin' to say that I wanta hear."
"No, no ... no. This is something that I've got to say, and I think that you'll want to hear it."
"..."
"Ranma ..." Happosai bent his head and looked at the floor. "... sumimasen"(1)
"Fer what?"
"When I crashed your wedding, and drank the sake ... or what I thought was the sake ... I didn't know that it was the last of the Nanniichuan water." Happosai peered up at Ranma with his head slightly cocked to one side.
"... I don't believe you. Why would you be apologizing? I mean, fer all I know, you coulda been willin' to throw the stuff out in order to keep me stuck this way!" He waved his hands in the air. "'Instant girl! Just add water!'"
"You might have been right. You might be right again."
"Whatta ya mean by that?"
"After drinking the Young Man Water, I've come to see things a little differently. I don't know if it is an effect of the water, or just old age catching up with me. I don't know if it is temporary or permanent. I just know that things are different. And that I shouldn't have had a hand in what happened that day. I haven't been acting as well as I might have, and wish to change. This is a start."
Ranma was more than a little bit distrustful of what the old man was saying - this was like saying that Jell-o would not make good structural supports for the average house - but some of the changes were fairly obvious - no bucket of water followed by a flying glomp, no fondling of the local girls in the past couple of days ... actually Happy hadn't been seen since the wedding itself when he'd blown up the Dojo. At least this time Soun had allowed some of the local contractors to rebuild the place, rather than insisting on the traditional method and forcing Ranma to rebuild it by hand.
"Old man, I ain't sure I can trust you. Actually, I know I can't trust you. But I'm willin' ta give you one last chance to act honorably. I gotta go and talk to Ukyou over at her place, and I don't wanna go alone 'cause of the trouble I'd get here, and there ain't anyone here I can trust not to start trouble over there. So I'm gonna ask you ta go along with me. But if you start anythin', you're outta there, and I'll do my best ta make your life as miserable as you've made mine."
"I understand. Now, m'boy, let's go and get started on my new career as an honorable sensei!"
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(Posted Sat, 14 Feb 2004 03:07)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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