Heh. Ryoga is perfectly rational and worldly... Unless Ranma, Akane or maps are involved. XD
Water slide 27
Cherico
Machine
Water slide
"Boy, what did you do?"
God, Genma is an asshole.
"Akane started a fight in class, I didn't do anything."
He put me in a headlock and gave me a noogie, while ranting about not messing this up, whatever this was. It was painful and humiliating. Then I went to the kitchen and started cooking like that strange girl told me to. Let's see, mom owned the kitchen back home, Sensei did teach me how to cook, but my knowhow was all western style, I didn't know how to cook japanese style food. I looked through the pantry, god did no one here shop?
This wasn't that hard, the place wasn't that dirty but it wasn't clean and... hmm yeah, cheese some onions I could work with this. I started cooking for the family it took awhile but.
"Whats that smell."
"Dinner."
"Cooking's a woman's work."
Did? Did Genma actually say that? That's... thats retarded, I mean completely and utterly retarded. There are a metric ton of male chefs, hell the two of them were supposed to have traveled the world, at one point they would have had to cook. I, I think my brain actually hurts.
"It's me or Akane."
Remember what that woman said and... yep he's grimacing.
"Whatever."
I felt relief as he walked away, the rest of them showed up to the table and I presented the meal. They ate in silence, and then smiled.
"Where did you learn how to cook this?"
Does all of Akane's questions sound like acusations? Is she figuring it out?
"It's french onion soup. I was in France, where did you think I learned how to cook this?"
Nabiki nodded and smirked at me.
"Well, I guess even Ranma's capable of learning something."
What a bitch, now granted she's a hot bitch, but still I cooked you a meal the least you can do is-
"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"
The family then proceded to dogpile on me because Akane got in trouble at school. I just kept quiet and tuned it out.
"I have to go do my homework."
They didn't stop me as I locked myself in my room. The homework itself was pretty easy, after I finished it I looked through the desk and saw a crumpled mess. I looked through the tests and cringed, did he even try? I looked through each one and sighed, he did try apparently very hard, but he didn't have the foundation needed to pull it off.
Math was painful to look at, a lot of equations and practice work arriving at wrong answers, a lot of wasted effort. History had long epic guesswork that was giftedly bad. After going through it I realized just how big the holes in his knowledge were. It's like he missed the whole of middle school and big chunks of elementary school.
I layed back and saw a suitcase hidden under the bed, I pulled it out and saw mounds of paperwork.
"English."
I read through it and saw a steady progression, Macguffin Sensei worked you long and hard until you were perfect. I felt something at the bottom. I gently pulled out a picture frame, carefully preserved like some precious treasure was a test marked with an A+. I put it all back, somehow feeling guilty.
I took a nap and waited for the people inside to go to bed, then I experimented with water, both hot and cold. The female form was faster and more flexible, the male one slightly slower but stronger. Chocolate tasted better in the female form, I used warm water and returned to the male form. The next day I met up with Ranma.
"Ru?"
He smiled.
"So, I assume you checked out the curse."
I blushed.
"Yeah, it sucks sometimes, but goddamned am I hot."
He then looked around and went close.
"So I was, um checking stuff out and um why isn't there any hair?"
I blinked.
"What do you mean."
"You know, um down there, down anywhere."
Huh oh OHHH!
"Me and Sensei get everything below the neck waxed, you don't want some errant hair screwing up a potion or some rune work, or a lot of other things, plus it's slightly eaiser to manipulate water with out it in the way, not by much but when I'm dealing with Kuno every little bit helps."
Ranma stared at me in horror.
"Wax?"
"Yeah, they put hot wax on you and rip the hair out with strips."
"But doesn't that hurt?"
"So does a spar."
"A spar doesn't involve you know down there. Anyway how's the house treating you?"
"Your father's an ass, I have to do all the cooking, and everyone hates me."
"oh... good they haven't figured it out then."
I blinked.
"You go through that every day?"
"Yeah."
"So this guy Ryoga says he's coming for you."
"P-chan figured it out?"
"That was P-chan?"
Ranma laughed.
"Yeah that was, figures it's only fair, Uyko figured out I wasn't you pretty fast too."
"and?"
"We patched things up, what the old man did to her family was fucked up. So I told her where he hangs out and what usually makes him go down in a spar."
"Isn't he your father?"
Ranma shrugged.
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, he's been telling me that for a long time. Figure it's time for him to win a stupid prize. Also mexican food is awsome, it's a shame the waits so damned long."
I blinked.
"Really?"
"Yeah, all the gajin in Tokyo heard there was a mexican place and they swarmed it."
"Sensei's never going to let me live that down, I told him she should stay with-"
"The pancake thing? There are thousands of places like that in town, I don't know of any other mexican resturants in Nerima, or Tokyo, actually I haven't ever eaten in one in Japan at all or China. Point is Ucchan's doing all right for herself and that's good."
I stared at him.
"But didn't the two of you have a fight?"
He nodded.
"Yeah we did, but she had a legit reason to be mad and stuff, we had a fight and now it's over. I'm not going to push away one of the few friends I have over this crap. I mean, it's just you and Ucchan."
I nodded.
"Oh I get it."
He snapped his fingers.
"You have a crush on her."
I blushed and looked away.
"I mean, I heard you had a crush on a girl Ru and.... look, I know there was the fiancee thing but considering the Akane mess. Well you have my blessing and stuff but if you make her cry I'm going to kick your ass, nothing personal it's just I don't have a lot of friends."
He cracked his back.
"Well, got to go back to dealing with old Mac, he's been riding my ass about school stuff. Don't know how you deal with it Ru."
"He's all right."
"Yeah, see you later."
"Boy, what did you do?"
God, Genma is an asshole.
"Akane started a fight in class, I didn't do anything."
He put me in a headlock and gave me a noogie, while ranting about not messing this up, whatever this was. It was painful and humiliating. Then I went to the kitchen and started cooking like that strange girl told me to. Let's see, mom owned the kitchen back home, Sensei did teach me how to cook, but my knowhow was all western style, I didn't know how to cook japanese style food. I looked through the pantry, god did no one here shop?
This wasn't that hard, the place wasn't that dirty but it wasn't clean and... hmm yeah, cheese some onions I could work with this. I started cooking for the family it took awhile but.
"Whats that smell."
"Dinner."
"Cooking's a woman's work."
Did? Did Genma actually say that? That's... thats retarded, I mean completely and utterly retarded. There are a metric ton of male chefs, hell the two of them were supposed to have traveled the world, at one point they would have had to cook. I, I think my brain actually hurts.
"It's me or Akane."
Remember what that woman said and... yep he's grimacing.
"Whatever."
I felt relief as he walked away, the rest of them showed up to the table and I presented the meal. They ate in silence, and then smiled.
"Where did you learn how to cook this?"
Does all of Akane's questions sound like acusations? Is she figuring it out?
"It's french onion soup. I was in France, where did you think I learned how to cook this?"
Nabiki nodded and smirked at me.
"Well, I guess even Ranma's capable of learning something."
What a bitch, now granted she's a hot bitch, but still I cooked you a meal the least you can do is-
"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"
The family then proceded to dogpile on me because Akane got in trouble at school. I just kept quiet and tuned it out.
"I have to go do my homework."
They didn't stop me as I locked myself in my room. The homework itself was pretty easy, after I finished it I looked through the desk and saw a crumpled mess. I looked through the tests and cringed, did he even try? I looked through each one and sighed, he did try apparently very hard, but he didn't have the foundation needed to pull it off.
Math was painful to look at, a lot of equations and practice work arriving at wrong answers, a lot of wasted effort. History had long epic guesswork that was giftedly bad. After going through it I realized just how big the holes in his knowledge were. It's like he missed the whole of middle school and big chunks of elementary school.
I layed back and saw a suitcase hidden under the bed, I pulled it out and saw mounds of paperwork.
"English."
I read through it and saw a steady progression, Macguffin Sensei worked you long and hard until you were perfect. I felt something at the bottom. I gently pulled out a picture frame, carefully preserved like some precious treasure was a test marked with an A+. I put it all back, somehow feeling guilty.
I took a nap and waited for the people inside to go to bed, then I experimented with water, both hot and cold. The female form was faster and more flexible, the male one slightly slower but stronger. Chocolate tasted better in the female form, I used warm water and returned to the male form. The next day I met up with Ranma.
"Ru?"
He smiled.
"So, I assume you checked out the curse."
I blushed.
"Yeah, it sucks sometimes, but goddamned am I hot."
He then looked around and went close.
"So I was, um checking stuff out and um why isn't there any hair?"
I blinked.
"What do you mean."
"You know, um down there, down anywhere."
Huh oh OHHH!
"Me and Sensei get everything below the neck waxed, you don't want some errant hair screwing up a potion or some rune work, or a lot of other things, plus it's slightly eaiser to manipulate water with out it in the way, not by much but when I'm dealing with Kuno every little bit helps."
Ranma stared at me in horror.
"Wax?"
"Yeah, they put hot wax on you and rip the hair out with strips."
"But doesn't that hurt?"
"So does a spar."
"A spar doesn't involve you know down there. Anyway how's the house treating you?"
"Your father's an ass, I have to do all the cooking, and everyone hates me."
"oh... good they haven't figured it out then."
I blinked.
"You go through that every day?"
"Yeah."
"So this guy Ryoga says he's coming for you."
"P-chan figured it out?"
"That was P-chan?"
Ranma laughed.
"Yeah that was, figures it's only fair, Uyko figured out I wasn't you pretty fast too."
"and?"
"We patched things up, what the old man did to her family was fucked up. So I told her where he hangs out and what usually makes him go down in a spar."
"Isn't he your father?"
Ranma shrugged.
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, he's been telling me that for a long time. Figure it's time for him to win a stupid prize. Also mexican food is awsome, it's a shame the waits so damned long."
I blinked.
"Really?"
"Yeah, all the gajin in Tokyo heard there was a mexican place and they swarmed it."
"Sensei's never going to let me live that down, I told him she should stay with-"
"The pancake thing? There are thousands of places like that in town, I don't know of any other mexican resturants in Nerima, or Tokyo, actually I haven't ever eaten in one in Japan at all or China. Point is Ucchan's doing all right for herself and that's good."
I stared at him.
"But didn't the two of you have a fight?"
He nodded.
"Yeah we did, but she had a legit reason to be mad and stuff, we had a fight and now it's over. I'm not going to push away one of the few friends I have over this crap. I mean, it's just you and Ucchan."
I nodded.
"Oh I get it."
He snapped his fingers.
"You have a crush on her."
I blushed and looked away.
"I mean, I heard you had a crush on a girl Ru and.... look, I know there was the fiancee thing but considering the Akane mess. Well you have my blessing and stuff but if you make her cry I'm going to kick your ass, nothing personal it's just I don't have a lot of friends."
He cracked his back.
"Well, got to go back to dealing with old Mac, he's been riding my ass about school stuff. Don't know how you deal with it Ru."
"He's all right."
"Yeah, see you later."
Last edited:
SrForgotten
Fate's Guide
(X) Hikaru's Parents
(X) Ukyo
'Cause I'm getting "designated love interest" vibes from her and I'm curious.
Also? I suspect Ru's parent's thoughts can be summed up as "Our son is slightly less of a disappointment and we now hope for grandchildren we don't have to pay for. Thank you, filthy gaijin-sensei!"
'Cause I'm getting "designated love interest" vibes from her and I'm curious.
Also? I suspect Ru's parent's thoughts can be summed up as "Our son is slightly less of a disappointment and we now hope for grandchildren we don't have to pay for. Thank you, filthy gaijin-sensei!"
Water slide 28
Cherico
Machine
Water slide
I woke up, put Ranma's homework in a pack and started fixing breakfast, they had eggs, flour and rice, god there's a lot of rice. Damn it Sensei, we live in Japan, rice is one of those things we need to know how to cook... Screw it, they're getting french toast, the ingredients for that exist. I started cooking as the arguing started.
Nabiki and Akane were fighting about Nabiki stealing one of her outfits, which.... is stupid. Nabiki has money, she can easily buy her own goddamned outfits. I put the plates of food in front of the family.
"What is this?"
Akane poked at the meal, and I felt just a little insulted, my parents think my french toast is great.
"French Toast."
"Where did-"
"FRENCH TOAST!"
She frowned and took a bite.
"This is terrible."
Something inside me stopped giving a damn at that moment.
I calmly removed her plate and put it in front of Genma.
"Hey."
"You don't want to eat my cooking, then fine, fix your own breakfast."
The tension in the air was tangible, Akane went red and the hammer came out.
"Are you going to throw another tantrum?"
My sensei once told me that when I started whining too much, and honestly after a day of her crap I was firmly tired of it.
"What?"
"Another tantrum, because this is exactly what got you in trouble at school yesterday."
"Ranma-"
I ignored the old man, maybe it's the ice element but when I get mad I get cold, Sensei's the same way.
"How-"
"PUT THE DAMNED MALLET AWAY, YOU GODDAMNED CHILD."
The mallet dropped and she stared at me, like I had grown another head.
"We're supposed to be eating breakfast not fighting like barbarians if you're not capable of acting like an adult then get the hell out of here."
I stared at her, my blood boiling, Akane sat down and grabbed some French toast from the central pile. For some reason she's, oh my god blushing, that.... You know what, I'm not going to even bother trying to figure out her mind. I'm just going to try to get through today.
When I got to school I noticed that Ranma had a black eye and bruises all over his body.
"Kuno's an ass."
We were alone.
"And?"
"And how do you deal with it Hikaru? All these idiots act like they're better then you and shit, the girls just refuse to talk to you, and this body's just so damned slow and weak and I'm always tired and the training is-"
I shrugged.
"What's so bad about the training."
"Mac's doesn't just tell you a thing and it's over with, he expects you to think about it. He will tell me a thing and then tell me to disagree with it. There are all these questions that go nowhere and I have to learn about all these things and-"
"Oh the philospical training, yeah Sensei's big on that, Sensei says that my training's like a buffet and I'm supposed to pick and choose what works for me personally. I still have to learn it, because I should have that as background knowlege."
"So he expects you to learn things you don't need?"
"I'm a mage, knowing lots of things is our thing, it's about seeking wisdom for the sake of seeking wisdom."
"Why doesn't he ever give simple answers?"
"Because life isn't simple."
Ranma groaned as he sat on a bench. I sat next to him.
"It's hard, the training, harder then anything I've ever done, and you do this every day?"
"Well yeah, I'm his apprentice, I knew the price when I was getting into it. Your life though, goddamned Ranma I had no idea Akane was such a bitch."
"She is very uncute, but you know I'm stuck with her cause of the old man, things were better when Kasumi was around, but she's married and Nabiki getting sent to prison was kind of the last straw for her."
We continued sitting, both of us frustrated and in pain.
"Ryoga says he's coming after you."
Ranma rolled his eyes.
"Figures he would figure it out, who else has?"
"Just him."
Ranma let out a breath of air.
"Figures, just figures the only one who manages to figure it out is P-chan."
"How did you two become..."
"Bread."
I blinked.
"The whole reason that mess started was over bread?"
"It was really good bread."
I woke up, put Ranma's homework in a pack and started fixing breakfast, they had eggs, flour and rice, god there's a lot of rice. Damn it Sensei, we live in Japan, rice is one of those things we need to know how to cook... Screw it, they're getting french toast, the ingredients for that exist. I started cooking as the arguing started.
Nabiki and Akane were fighting about Nabiki stealing one of her outfits, which.... is stupid. Nabiki has money, she can easily buy her own goddamned outfits. I put the plates of food in front of the family.
"What is this?"
Akane poked at the meal, and I felt just a little insulted, my parents think my french toast is great.
"French Toast."
"Where did-"
"FRENCH TOAST!"
She frowned and took a bite.
"This is terrible."
Something inside me stopped giving a damn at that moment.
I calmly removed her plate and put it in front of Genma.
"Hey."
"You don't want to eat my cooking, then fine, fix your own breakfast."
The tension in the air was tangible, Akane went red and the hammer came out.
"Are you going to throw another tantrum?"
My sensei once told me that when I started whining too much, and honestly after a day of her crap I was firmly tired of it.
"What?"
"Another tantrum, because this is exactly what got you in trouble at school yesterday."
"Ranma-"
I ignored the old man, maybe it's the ice element but when I get mad I get cold, Sensei's the same way.
"How-"
"PUT THE DAMNED MALLET AWAY, YOU GODDAMNED CHILD."
The mallet dropped and she stared at me, like I had grown another head.
"We're supposed to be eating breakfast not fighting like barbarians if you're not capable of acting like an adult then get the hell out of here."
I stared at her, my blood boiling, Akane sat down and grabbed some French toast from the central pile. For some reason she's, oh my god blushing, that.... You know what, I'm not going to even bother trying to figure out her mind. I'm just going to try to get through today.
When I got to school I noticed that Ranma had a black eye and bruises all over his body.
"Kuno's an ass."
We were alone.
"And?"
"And how do you deal with it Hikaru? All these idiots act like they're better then you and shit, the girls just refuse to talk to you, and this body's just so damned slow and weak and I'm always tired and the training is-"
I shrugged.
"What's so bad about the training."
"Mac's doesn't just tell you a thing and it's over with, he expects you to think about it. He will tell me a thing and then tell me to disagree with it. There are all these questions that go nowhere and I have to learn about all these things and-"
"Oh the philospical training, yeah Sensei's big on that, Sensei says that my training's like a buffet and I'm supposed to pick and choose what works for me personally. I still have to learn it, because I should have that as background knowlege."
"So he expects you to learn things you don't need?"
"I'm a mage, knowing lots of things is our thing, it's about seeking wisdom for the sake of seeking wisdom."
"Why doesn't he ever give simple answers?"
"Because life isn't simple."
Ranma groaned as he sat on a bench. I sat next to him.
"It's hard, the training, harder then anything I've ever done, and you do this every day?"
"Well yeah, I'm his apprentice, I knew the price when I was getting into it. Your life though, goddamned Ranma I had no idea Akane was such a bitch."
"She is very uncute, but you know I'm stuck with her cause of the old man, things were better when Kasumi was around, but she's married and Nabiki getting sent to prison was kind of the last straw for her."
We continued sitting, both of us frustrated and in pain.
"Ryoga says he's coming after you."
Ranma rolled his eyes.
"Figures he would figure it out, who else has?"
"Just him."
Ranma let out a breath of air.
"Figures, just figures the only one who manages to figure it out is P-chan."
"How did you two become..."
"Bread."
I blinked.
"The whole reason that mess started was over bread?"
"It was really good bread."
Water slide 29
Cherico
Machine
Water slide
Just one more day, just one more day.
"Foul sorcerer."
You know what, screw masculinity I'm finding some cold water. Having Kuno act like a hormonal puppy humping my leg was slightly better then fighting him... you know what scratch that. I threw dirt in his eye and tried to use what speed and mobility I had to kick his ass. Even then it was pretty close. I put in my homework and then dealt with more nagging from Akane.
I watched the clock in a kind of existential horror, waiting for the day to end and for this nightmare to finally end. When the final bell rang I went over to Sensei. Ranma for his part looked disheveled and injured. He blinked at me and nodded.
"Never again."
"Fuck no."
He chuckled and then grabbed his sides.
"Owe."
"So what have the two of you learned?"
"That switching bodies isn't a good idea?"
He nodded at Ranma.
"Good, the grass is always greener on the other side. Now, step into the circles."
We stepped into them and I felt pain and agony, and then I felt slow, heavy and god it was good to be back. I even felt the kind of familar lethargy that my body had. Sensei tossed me my canteen and I started healing all the injuries. Ranma bounced around kicking, punching and then smiled.
"Good to be back."
We shook hands and I walked to Uyko's.
"So Akane..."
"I'm over her, she's a monster."
Sensei frowned.
"She isn't."
"I thought you wanted me to get over her, wanted me to hate her."
"No."
We took our seats.
"You have to take the good with the bad, Akane's a human being, she isn't an angel and she's not a demon. She's a person, a fucked up person but still a person. I'm trying to get you away from absolutes Ru."
I cracked my neck as Uyko put down some food, she was dressed in a blue outfit and tights and a bow and...
"So me and Uyko?"
Sensei raised an eyebrow.
"She has a thing for Ranma, but if she got over that? Well she's a good cook, the two of you get along all right on a personal level. You're going to have some pretty solid prospects after high school. Yeah, it could theorectically work out."
He took a bite of his food.
"But if you ever cheated on her, she would murder you."
I chuckled until I noticed that he wasn't smiling.
"I'm not kidding, she's got trust issues, and expects monogamy. Ukyo Kuonji doesn't share, ever and if you expect her too then you will be corrected. She's also a lot more mature and will have a life outside of you."
I nodded, it made sense.
"Maybe I should hold off on any romance stuff."
"Kid, get your shit taken care of and the girls will come to you."
I snorted, there was no way in hell any woman was ever going to have a crush on me.
Just one more day, just one more day.
"Foul sorcerer."
You know what, screw masculinity I'm finding some cold water. Having Kuno act like a hormonal puppy humping my leg was slightly better then fighting him... you know what scratch that. I threw dirt in his eye and tried to use what speed and mobility I had to kick his ass. Even then it was pretty close. I put in my homework and then dealt with more nagging from Akane.
I watched the clock in a kind of existential horror, waiting for the day to end and for this nightmare to finally end. When the final bell rang I went over to Sensei. Ranma for his part looked disheveled and injured. He blinked at me and nodded.
"Never again."
"Fuck no."
He chuckled and then grabbed his sides.
"Owe."
"So what have the two of you learned?"
"That switching bodies isn't a good idea?"
He nodded at Ranma.
"Good, the grass is always greener on the other side. Now, step into the circles."
We stepped into them and I felt pain and agony, and then I felt slow, heavy and god it was good to be back. I even felt the kind of familar lethargy that my body had. Sensei tossed me my canteen and I started healing all the injuries. Ranma bounced around kicking, punching and then smiled.
"Good to be back."
We shook hands and I walked to Uyko's.
"So Akane..."
"I'm over her, she's a monster."
Sensei frowned.
"She isn't."
"I thought you wanted me to get over her, wanted me to hate her."
"No."
We took our seats.
"You have to take the good with the bad, Akane's a human being, she isn't an angel and she's not a demon. She's a person, a fucked up person but still a person. I'm trying to get you away from absolutes Ru."
I cracked my neck as Uyko put down some food, she was dressed in a blue outfit and tights and a bow and...
"So me and Uyko?"
Sensei raised an eyebrow.
"She has a thing for Ranma, but if she got over that? Well she's a good cook, the two of you get along all right on a personal level. You're going to have some pretty solid prospects after high school. Yeah, it could theorectically work out."
He took a bite of his food.
"But if you ever cheated on her, she would murder you."
I chuckled until I noticed that he wasn't smiling.
"I'm not kidding, she's got trust issues, and expects monogamy. Ukyo Kuonji doesn't share, ever and if you expect her too then you will be corrected. She's also a lot more mature and will have a life outside of you."
I nodded, it made sense.
"Maybe I should hold off on any romance stuff."
"Kid, get your shit taken care of and the girls will come to you."
I snorted, there was no way in hell any woman was ever going to have a crush on me.
I'd understand that canon Ru's had selfconfidence problems, but this Ru got a lot of things going is way. Yes he is a teenager and that is always an angsty time but his actual situation and abilities are nothing to scoff about: magic, some good friends (one a girl, so first score there), a good teacher and a supporting family, and in a few years he will be a succesful man with good career prospects, money on his account and a considerable amount of personal power. What's more, he has tasted what life is for someone that he was jealous not much before.
I think is time for him to start showing some confidence.
I think is time for him to start showing some confidence.
Last edited:
- Location
- Wall Gazing
I just want to read more of your writing, don't care exactly what it is.
Cherico
Machine
if she wins the vote you will, if you have the most comments and vote that way you will.
If you figure out what Mac Guffins last jump was and vote that way you will.
- Location
- Hunting in the Void
(x) Ukyo
As much as I'm curious how the parents see their son, I'm more curious how the more immediate character sees the situation and or our main character.
As much as I'm curious how the parents see their son, I'm more curious how the more immediate character sees the situation and or our main character.
I'll join the (x) Ukyo band wagon. I'd also like a Soun Tendo for the road.
Actually.,.. Shampoo or Cologne... they'd be interesting.
Cherico
Machine
Cologne has been picked by the Beta, Shon tendo has been picked by a contest winner, Kirel posted the most comments and gets a vote of choice. If that helps.
Water slide 30
Cherico
Machine
Water slide
It was the weekend and the three of us were back at the amusement park, Sensei used a tuning fork over the various wishing wells and ponds until he stopped. He took a small wad of cash and tossed it our way.
"Got to get this thing scanned."
He pulled out some chalk and the two of us rode some rides, and then went to the pizza place, by now I had mostly recovered and was back to fighting strength. Ranma stared at me as he took a bite of pizza.
"I need your recipes."
I froze.
"For?"
"French onion soup, French toast, and toad in the hole, Akane keeps bugging me for French toast."
"Oh."
We continued eating, and Ranma looked up.
"How do you deal with it?"
I looked up.
"With what?"
"Being invisible, I thought you were all popular and stuff."
"Why?"
"Well you get straight A's, it's a school where they teach you stuff so the best guy should get all the praise right?"
"Doesn't work that way."
I let out a sigh and he nodded.
"It's a nightmare world in there, Ranma."
"Yeah it is."
Sensei took a seat and we looked at him.
"Ok, I scanned it."
He pointed to Ranma.
"Ask your questions."
"How did that happen?"
"Parks built on an old buddhist shrine that got destroyed, the wishing well predates that but the buddhists helped improve the general enchantments, it's maintained with a slight draw on a not too distant leyline and works like this."
He brought out some paper.
"Wish magic is very old and goes back to the cave man days."
"Wish magic?"
Ranma blinked.
"Wish magic works by taking the intent for something to happen and then just pouring Ki into it and letting the universe take the most energy effiicent way to make it happen. It's not practiced that much because it's insanely ineffiicient. Human sacrifice, mass murder, these things may not provide enough energy for a single wish."
He nodded.
"So the wishing well's like the lottery, everyone puts in a small amount of Ki, then when it's topped off and someone brings it to enough energy to fullfill said wish, the wish is granted. Ranma has an epic ton of Ki so he brought it to full, it's probally going to take years, if not decades for the next wish to be granted."
Ranma nodded.
"So hey, could you fix my curse?"
Sensei turned to him.
"Which one?"
Ranma stared.
"What do you mean, which one?"
"I mean you have a huge amount of curses, some of them very nasty. There's no way I could remove your water curse with out handling those curses first."
"Then why am I so..."
"You know how in Egypt occasionally a mummy gets loose and wreaks utter havok. Want to know how?"
We nodded, remembering the death toll in Cario last week.
"Some mage decided to twist the fucking knife. Most of these mummy's, in life they were just ordinary dudes who fucked up or got accused of something. So the Pharaoh decides that it's not enough to simply kill him, but to also lock him away from the afterlife and put him in a permanent hell."
Sensei sighed.
"But this takes energy, so they tap the leyline's to power this torture machine, which is supposed to be forever, and bit by bit the magic seeps into the mummy's body and soul. By the time he gets out, he's basically a god because of the sheer amount of magic flowing through him and insane from centuries of torture."
He grabbed a slice of PIzza.
"Likewise some mage decides, hey it's not enough for me to fuck you over, I'm going to fuck over your family, and all future decendents just to be a dick. I don't have enough energy for that personally so I will do X. As a result most people on the planet have some kind of hereditary curse on them, then there are old defenses that never closed down and crap like that."
He sighed.
"At least a third of Japans leyline network is dedicated to just maintaining all of the hereditary curses and other assorted nastyness, and as good as I am it would take me centuries to clean that up."
"Get to the point Mac."
Ranma was not subtle.
"Point is, those curses also infused you and your soul with magic, like training weights that make you stronger. If I removed all the curses, which would take a whole lot of time you would be incredibly strong but your children would have to earn their power the hard way."
"Oh."
Ranma thought it over.
"So fix it?"
Sensei smiled and looked at me.
"I think this is the kind of task my Apprentice should do, after all curse breaking should be a part of any healing mages handbook."
I looked at Ranma's hopeful face and remembered his home life.
"I'm in, and um I guess I will help you out with your schoolwork while we're at it?"
Ranma looked shocked.
"Why?"
"Because we're friends."
And to my surprise, I meant it.
It was the weekend and the three of us were back at the amusement park, Sensei used a tuning fork over the various wishing wells and ponds until he stopped. He took a small wad of cash and tossed it our way.
"Got to get this thing scanned."
He pulled out some chalk and the two of us rode some rides, and then went to the pizza place, by now I had mostly recovered and was back to fighting strength. Ranma stared at me as he took a bite of pizza.
"I need your recipes."
I froze.
"For?"
"French onion soup, French toast, and toad in the hole, Akane keeps bugging me for French toast."
"Oh."
We continued eating, and Ranma looked up.
"How do you deal with it?"
I looked up.
"With what?"
"Being invisible, I thought you were all popular and stuff."
"Why?"
"Well you get straight A's, it's a school where they teach you stuff so the best guy should get all the praise right?"
"Doesn't work that way."
I let out a sigh and he nodded.
"It's a nightmare world in there, Ranma."
"Yeah it is."
Sensei took a seat and we looked at him.
"Ok, I scanned it."
He pointed to Ranma.
"Ask your questions."
"How did that happen?"
"Parks built on an old buddhist shrine that got destroyed, the wishing well predates that but the buddhists helped improve the general enchantments, it's maintained with a slight draw on a not too distant leyline and works like this."
He brought out some paper.
"Wish magic is very old and goes back to the cave man days."
"Wish magic?"
Ranma blinked.
"Wish magic works by taking the intent for something to happen and then just pouring Ki into it and letting the universe take the most energy effiicent way to make it happen. It's not practiced that much because it's insanely ineffiicient. Human sacrifice, mass murder, these things may not provide enough energy for a single wish."
He nodded.
"So the wishing well's like the lottery, everyone puts in a small amount of Ki, then when it's topped off and someone brings it to enough energy to fullfill said wish, the wish is granted. Ranma has an epic ton of Ki so he brought it to full, it's probally going to take years, if not decades for the next wish to be granted."
Ranma nodded.
"So hey, could you fix my curse?"
Sensei turned to him.
"Which one?"
Ranma stared.
"What do you mean, which one?"
"I mean you have a huge amount of curses, some of them very nasty. There's no way I could remove your water curse with out handling those curses first."
"Then why am I so..."
"You know how in Egypt occasionally a mummy gets loose and wreaks utter havok. Want to know how?"
We nodded, remembering the death toll in Cario last week.
"Some mage decided to twist the fucking knife. Most of these mummy's, in life they were just ordinary dudes who fucked up or got accused of something. So the Pharaoh decides that it's not enough to simply kill him, but to also lock him away from the afterlife and put him in a permanent hell."
Sensei sighed.
"But this takes energy, so they tap the leyline's to power this torture machine, which is supposed to be forever, and bit by bit the magic seeps into the mummy's body and soul. By the time he gets out, he's basically a god because of the sheer amount of magic flowing through him and insane from centuries of torture."
He grabbed a slice of PIzza.
"Likewise some mage decides, hey it's not enough for me to fuck you over, I'm going to fuck over your family, and all future decendents just to be a dick. I don't have enough energy for that personally so I will do X. As a result most people on the planet have some kind of hereditary curse on them, then there are old defenses that never closed down and crap like that."
He sighed.
"At least a third of Japans leyline network is dedicated to just maintaining all of the hereditary curses and other assorted nastyness, and as good as I am it would take me centuries to clean that up."
"Get to the point Mac."
Ranma was not subtle.
"Point is, those curses also infused you and your soul with magic, like training weights that make you stronger. If I removed all the curses, which would take a whole lot of time you would be incredibly strong but your children would have to earn their power the hard way."
"Oh."
Ranma thought it over.
"So fix it?"
Sensei smiled and looked at me.
"I think this is the kind of task my Apprentice should do, after all curse breaking should be a part of any healing mages handbook."
I looked at Ranma's hopeful face and remembered his home life.
"I'm in, and um I guess I will help you out with your schoolwork while we're at it?"
Ranma looked shocked.
"Why?"
"Because we're friends."
And to my surprise, I meant it.