Black Rose, Blue Thunder (part 12 of 19)

a Ranma 1/2 fanfiction by Dreiser

Back to Part 11
The group of assembled athletes that were gathered in front 
yard to Furinkan High were exchanging various notes about 
Akane's odd behavior lately. 

"She told me she has love problems," said Sugo Yumi. She 
paused to shake her head then said, "I almost didn't believe it at 
first. I mean, the Captain with love problems? Everybody I know 
wants to date her." 

At this comment, all the girls nodded sagely. 

"And Akane has plenty of prospects," added Wubei 
Tahashi. "Remember when that Prince from India kept showing up 
last year trying to marry her?" 

"You bet," said Yumi. She looked at one of the softball 
players then said, "How are you getting along with Abduel these 
days, Mizuki?" 

"He's building me a palace!" replied Riwa Mizuki happily 
as she flashed a wide grin. 

"I just don't get it," Tahashi mused. "Who could possibly 
get the Captain so confused? I mean, what sane person wouldn't 
fall in love with Akane?" 

"Whoever they are they either have brain damage or are a 
complete and total idiot," said Gozen Chiaki who was on the girls 
tennis team. "That's the only explanation." 

"Or maybe they're an asshole," Shikomo Miho, a fullback 
on the soccer team, said grimly before she hit her open palm with 
her fist. "If that's the case, I'm going to teach them lesson." 

"Yeah, me too!" 

"All of us will teach them!" 

"We'll beat them up for the Captain's sake!" 

Holding her hand up in the air, Yumi said, "Ladies. I think 
we all know what we have to do and who we have to do it for. We 
must insure Akane's happiness in every possible way." 

The air was quiet as all the athletes listened to this with 
solemn expressions and together they raised their fists up to the sky 
then shouted, "For Akane!" 

"Hey, you guys. Whatcha doing?" 

Slowly the crowd of athletes turned around and looked at 
the figure of their beloved Captain being held in the arms of an 
extraordinarily beautiful girl. 

The girl set Akane down on the ground carefully and when 
she did some of the athletes noted the slight look of disappointment 
that Akane wore on her features. 

And the others noticed that Akane was, for some strange 
reason, handcuffed to the other girl. 

Yumi was one of the few who didn't notice the handcuffs 
and as she took a step towards the pair, she said, "Akane, can I 
ask who your new friend is?" 

"You just did," Miho muttered under her breath. "Why not 
ask her about those funky hand--" 

The rest of Miho's statement got cut off when Tahashi 
clasped her hand over the soccer player's mouth. 

"Just ignore Miho, she's tired from last night," Tahashi said 
as she formed a nervous smile. 

"Last night?" asked Miho as her eyes grew wide. "But we 
didn't do anything last night--" 

"Shh!" said Tahashi lowly. "I'm trying to deflect from your 
screw up. It's not our business what the Captain likes to do in 
private. So what if she's into S&M?" 

"But Tahashi--" began Miho in protest. 

"No buts," Tahashi interrupted. "Or do you want me to tell 
them about our little games? They might like to see you in that oh 
so adorable pink and poofy--" 

"Okay, okay!" Miho hissed as she waved her hands in a 
warding gesture. "I'll mind my own business." 

"Good girl," said Tahashi with a smug smile. 

When they finished, Yumi could only blink while Akane still 
smiled. Yumi turned back to Akane then said, "Uhm... so who's the 
girl, Akane?" 

Clinging onto the beautiful girl's arm, Akane said happily, 
"This is Chocolate! Isn't she pretty?" 

Observing Akane's beaming expression and Chocolate's 
kawaii blush at this compliment, the pieces began to fall into perfect 
place for Yumi. 

"I see," said Yumi with a smile. "And I bet she was the one 
who you were talking about yesterday, huh?" 

Akane giggled before releasing Chocolate's arm to dash 
over to Yumi and in the process she dragged the surprised Amazon 
along with her. Akane then whispered to Yumi, "I don't have love 
problems anymore. Not since I followed Dr. Akihito's advice. But 
Chocolate's still awfully shy." 

"That was the problem?" Yumi asked in surprise as she 
leaned closer. "She was too shy for you?" 

"Oh yeah," said Akane in soft but enforced tones. 
"Chocolate wouldn't even take her clothes off when we slept 
together and she wore a blindfold when we took a bath!" Akane 
paused to murmur, "I feel bad for not asking if she was allergic to 
hot water. I almost made her sick but she warned me in time." 

"Yeah, I'd feel bad too," said Yumi who was trying not to 
sweatdrop on hearing Akane's words. "I'm happy that everything 
worked out for you, Akane-chan." 

"Me too!" Akane said brightly. "Chocolate is the coolest!" 
Akane then looked at Chocolate who was trying her best to avoid 
the various gawks and stares she was getting from the gathered 
athletes all while she attempted to hide the handcuffs from their 
view. "I think that Chocolate just might be the one." 

"The one?" echoed Yumi. 

"Yeah," said Akane as she looked back to Yumi. "The 
one, the person you're fated to be with. Haven't you ever read any 
shojoai mangas, Yumi? They talk about that stuff all the time. I 
think Chocolate is my soulmate." 

"Your soulmate?" asked Yumi with wide eyes. "Isn't this a 
bit sudden, Akane-chan? How long have you known her? Are you 
even sure that she's sane?" 

"Of course she's sane!" Akane exclaimed. "She's from 
China and no one crazy comes from China." 

This time Yumi did sweatdrop as Akane pulled away and 
offered another cheerful smile. "I have to get going, Yumi-chan, or 
Chocolate and I will be late for our appointment with the Doctor. 
I'll see you later!" 

With that, Akane took Chocolate by the hand, revealing 
the handcuffs they wore to Yumi and any others who may have 
missed them before. Akane then dashed into the school with her 
usual burst of incredible speed. 

Yumi stood there for a long moment before she turned to 
face the other athletes who wore various faces of annoyance as 
they looked at her. 

"Heh," Yumi gave a sheepish laugh as she wrung her hands 
together. "It seems that I was wrong about the Captain having love 
problems. She's worked it out all by herself." 

The athletes continued to glare at Yumi for a moment 
before they broke into easy smiles and gathered around her with 
teasing comments. 

They couldn't hold it against Yumi for being concerned for 
Akane's welfare, because it was a crime that they were all guilty of 
at one time or another. 

But this did prove a theory that they, and anyone else who 
knew Akane, held very close to their heart. 

A person really would have to be utterly insane to not end 
up falling in love with Akane. 

--- 

"Why Ukyo-kun," said Kodachi in lilting tones that rung of 
definite humor. "Whatever is the matter?" 

"You!" Ukyo shrieked as he backed away from Kodachi 
and pointed at her. "What are you doing here?!" 

"I'm doing what comes most naturally," Kodachi said with 
a smile. "Using my influence to get what I want." 

"Oh no," said Ukyo who backed away again. "There's no 
way I'm going through this again, Kodachi. I told you the last time I 
wasn't interested! Why can't you just let it go already?! It was all a 
big mistake! Honest!" 

"Are you still focused on that trifling event?" asked 
Kodachi. "That's of no consequence to me anymore. I'm only here 
to represent Nabiki darling's interests. And to pay my respects to 
an old friend of course." 

"Old friend?" asked a dry and mocking voice which caused 
everyone in the group to look into the handsome features of 
Kurenai Tsubasa. "If you're an old friend then I'm one of Ucchan's 
many stalkers." 

"Basa," said Ukyo in obvious relief as he subtly stepped 
behind his friend and fellow Kung Fu star. 

"What do you want, Kodachi?" asked Tsubasa. "I doubt 
that you're here to try and win Ucchan over again." 

"I told you," began Kodachi with teasing exasperation. "I'm 
here as a representative of Nabiki's interests. I'm her agent and if 
Ukyo-kun wishes for her to be in his movie then he'll simply have 
to deal with me." 

"Yeah, right!" Ukyo exclaimed huffily as he walked out in 
front of Tsubasa. "I know what you're up to and it won't work. No 
matter how much you stalk me I'm never gonna go out with you! 
Just get over it already!" 

"Me? Go out with you?" Kodachi asked in droll tones. 
"Perhaps once I would have agreed to such a thing but I've found a 
man that surpasses you in both charm and intelligence. And he's a 
much better kisser." 

On hearing this, Ukyo turned red faced and screamed, 
"That's because I never kissed you of free will! You were always 
forcing yourself on me!" 

"Free will, force," said Kodachi glibly with a wave of her 
hand. "Isn't it all the same thing really?" 

"Kodachi..." hissed Ukyo as he took a slow step forward 
with a look of definite rage on his features. "You tell me who's this 
guy you're dating. I want his name." 

"Oh? And why is that?" asked Kodachi slyly. "Are you 
truly so terribly jealous, Ukyo-kun?" 

"No," said Ukyo in low and deadly tones. "I want to warn 
him to escape from you while he still can. Or else he'll end up like 
me and I doubt he'll want that." 

"Oh yes," said Kodachi derisively. "It's so hard to be a rich 
and famous movie star, isn't it now? You may have not wanted my 
affections, Ukyo-kun, but you must admit they've brought you far. 
Or will you try to deny it?" 

"Maybe they did," Ukyo admitted tightly. "But you don't 
know the whole story. If you did then maybe you'd know just how 
much you screwed up my life, Kodachi." 

"You always were a drama queen," said Kodachi with a 
smirk. She arched her head to look back at Ranma, who had been 
observing the entire scene with shock and wonder, and said, "It's a 
trait that my Ranma darling lacks and for that I'm very much 
appreciative." 

"Ranma darling...?" Ukyo asked as he looked to Ranma 
who met his gaze. "You mean Ranchan's the poor sap that you've 
got ensnared?" 

All it took for Ranma to snap out of his momentary shock 
was hearing his name being spoken. He then walked over to 
Kodachi's side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and gave Ukyo 
his most charming smile. 

"I'm not poor and I'm definitely not a sap but you're right 
when you say she's got me ensnared," Ranma drawled. "But it's the 
sort of snare I don't really want to get out of, you know what I 
mean? You must since it seems like you and Dachi used to go out 
in the past, Ucchan." 

"Went out with her?" Ukyo's eyes went wide. "Oh no... I 
never went out with Kodachi. She just chased me around like a 
relentless stalker and made my life miserable for five months before 
she ended up skipping town. And by then I'd already been roped 
into doing my first movie..." 

"You make it sound like it's something you never wanted to 
do," Kodachi said as she studied Ukyo closely. "Are you telling me 
that you would not have wished such success upon yourself if you 
had the chance?" 

"Yeah," Ryoga chimed in, as he was still feeling partially 
upset over the attention Ukyo had paid to Nabiki. "Are you saying 
that you don't like being a movie star?" 

Ukyo opened his mouth in way of reply but faltered and 
then looked back at Tsubasa who wore a soft expression of 
understanding on his features. 

"Forget it," said Ukyo gruffly. "You wouldn't understand. 
None of you. And especially you, Kodachi. Not after everything 
that you put me through." 

"So you really did go out with Dachi then?" asked Ranma. 
He looked at Ryoga and said, "Pay up. I told you so." 

"Awww," said Ryoga as he handed over a thousand yen to 
his brother. "We still don't know for sure if he went out with Dachi. 
He never said for certain." 

"I never went out with her!" Ukyo shouted while turning 
even more red faced. "She stalked me and caused me to break up 
with the only girl that I've ever loved!" 

"Which is Dachi, of course," said Ranma to Ryoga and 
Shampoo who were gathered around him along with Nabiki who 
was still hiding from Ukyo due to her immense crush on him. 

"It sad how he can't admit he used to love demon thief," 
said Shampoo with a shake of her head. "But then again, Shampoo 
not sure if she could admit to that either." 

"But I never went out with her!" said Ukyo in desperation. 

"Stop denying it, darling," Kodachi said with a coy smile. 
"You must have known that you couldn't have abandoned our love 
so easily. It's power is most impressive." 

At this, Ukyo released another scream of frustration before 
tangling his hands in his oak brown hair as he muttered, "I never 
went out with her. Why won't anyone believe me?!" 

Instead of an answer to his question, Ukyo received the 
sound of low and seething voice saying his name. When he looked 
up, Ukyo saw the tall boy who had been standing near the purple 
haired girl pointing a katana at him while wearing a look of quiet 
rage on his features. 

"Hello," said Ukyo as he looked at the katana which was 
inches away from his nose. "Do I know you?" 

"You do not," said the boy. "I am Kuno Tatewaki, 
Kodachi's elder brother, and I insist that you stop marring her 
name with denials of your relationship with her. Movie star or not, 
it matters none to me and I shall punish you if you continue to 
blemish my sister's reputation this way." 

"You must be kidding," said Ukyo in disbelief. "Me blemish 
Kodachi's reputation? Why would I need to do that when she can 
do it perfectly fine on her own?" 

It took Tatewaki less than a second to move into attack 
position and by the time he did, Ukyo was wielding a katana of his 
own and wearing the rakish smile that his millions of fans were so 
used to seeing on the big screen. 

"I may be a movie star," Ukyo drawled. "But I still know 
how to kick ass. In fact, ever since I got this gig I've studied all 
sorts of martial arts from the weaponless styles to the ones where 
you fight with any weapon available. Did you know that it's 
possible to kill someone with a spoon?" 

"A spoon? Wow, you have to teach me that sometime, 
Ucchan! I wanna know how to kill someone with a spoon!" 

Turning his head, Tatewaki looked at Ranma who wore a 
huge grin on his features, and said, "Saotome... I'm trying to have a 
duel here. At least attempt to act dignified." 

"Why should I?" asked Ranma with a smirk. "I don't see 
anything dignified about your stupid duel at all." 

Deciding to ignore this statement, Tatewaki gritted his teeth 
then turned back to Ukyo to begin their duel. 

A duel which soon ended up on the Nerima Rapid Action 
News shown every night at six o'clock. 

Luckily or unluckily for Ukyo, depending on how you saw 
it, everyone who attended the audition assumed it was all some sort 
of publicity ploy for the movie itself. 

It was unfortunate that the publicity ploy happened to move 
into downtown Nerima and destroy a few cafes in the process. 

But, as someone told Madame Francine and Signora 
Maria after their restaurants had been destroyed the second time 
for the month, that's show business. 

--- 

"You mean to say that you want to teach me about magic?" 
asked Kasumi with wide eyes. 

"It's called sorcery, my dear, and yes I do," said Siren. "I'm 
the only Mage in the tribe and as such, it's my right to chose 
whoever I want as my apprentice. And I've chosen you." 

"But why would you do that?" Kasumi asked. "Just 
because I'm Perfume's Airen doesn't mean that I would be a good 
Mage for the tribe. In fact, I was more interested in becoming a 
Healer more than anything else." 

"So I heard," said Siren dryly while she folded her arms 
across her ample chest. She paused to form an all too sensuous 
smile and reached out to cup Kasumi's chin in her hand as she said, 
"But would you at least do me the favor of listening to my words 
before you make a decision?" 

"Certainly," Kasumi stammered as she blushed bright red 
from her head to her toes. 

On seeing this, Perfume scowled then muttered a string of 
curses in Mandarin under her breath before she pushed her 
Grandmother's hand away from the light grip that it held on 
Kasumi's chin. 

"Grandmother," said Perfume rather darkly. "Why don't 
you tell us your words right now?" 

"Very well," Siren said as she flashed yet another genial 
smile. "But sometimes, seeing is believing." 

Then with a light flick of her wrist, Siren rested the tips of 
her fingers against Perfume's forehead before saying a soft chant 
and seconds later a golden hue surrounded the Enforcer and when 
it faded Perfume released a soft sigh. 

"There now," said Siren in surprisingly gentle tones. "Are 
you feeling better?" 

"Much, Grandmother," replied Perfume with an easy smile 
that Kasumi had never seen on her. Forming a puzzled expression, 
she said, "Only how you know that my condition was bothering 
me? I thought--" 

"Condition?" Kasumi interrupted as her eyes grew wide 
again. "What condition? Are you sick, Perfume? Why didn't you 
tell me?" 

"I not sick, Airen," Perfume assured while she tenderly 
clasped Kasumi's hands in her own. "I promise." 

"Then what did you mean by saying that?" asked Kasumi in 
obvious confusion. 

Perfume turned a hapless gaze to Siren who shook her 
head a bit then said, "You never were very good when it comes to 
admitting your weaknesses, Perfume. You do remind me of your 
Grandfather in that way." 

Meeting Kasumi's gaze, Siren said, "What Perfume has 
failed to tell you is that she has a rare genetic condition which 
makes her predisposed to pain. To put it simply, she has an 
extremely heightened nervous system. It makes the smallest scratch 
to you and me, seem like a gaping wound to my Perfume. What I 
just did for her took away the pain she'd been feeling over the past 
few weeks because of this self same condition." 

"Perfume," said Kasumi as she turned to regard the 
Amazon with tear filled eyes. Gently cupping Perfume's cheek, she 
said, "Why didn't you tell me? Maybe I could have done something 
to help..." 

Before Perfume could respond, Siren cut in with, "There's 
nothing you can do. I'm the only one who can ease her pain 
because I'm the only one who has researched her condition 
thoroughly enough. You see," said Siren. "As a Mage I can heal 
some hurts that Healers can never think of attempting. Some things 
can only be truly fixed with the help of magic." 

"Why haven't you cured her?" asked Kasumi in sharp tones 
as she jerked her eyes away from Perfume to look at Siren. "If you 
know so much and can do so much with your sorcery then why 
haven't you done that?" 

"Because I can't," Siren said in the barest of whispers. "I've 
worked for nearly a hundred years and I can still find no cure. You 
see, it plagued my husband, Calgary, as well. In fact, that was how 
we met. He asked for my aid in curing him of this condition but the 
only spells I could find would take away his heightened senses 
which made him the best tracker of our tribe." She paused to look 
at Perfume, the said, "Unfortunately, my daughter and 
granddaughter chose to follow in his path. They both chose to keep 
the pain this condition causes rather than have their special skills 
taken away." 

At this, Kasumi wore a face of shocked disbelief then 
turned to look at Perfume who ducked her head to avoid meeting 
her Airen's gaze. 

"Perfume," said Kasumi slowly. "Is what she said right? 
You want to keep this condition? You want to keep being hurt? 
No..." Kasumi said as she shook her head in a gesture of clear 
denial. "That can't be true." 

"It who I am, Airen," said Perfume after a long moment. 
She then lifted up sapphire eyes to meet Kasumi's gaze and said, "I 
no want to change who I am. It may hurt but this is part of who I 
am... it part of my mother and I not want that taken away." 

There was another long moment of silence before Siren's 
voice said in droll tones, "Wrong." 

Both Kasumi and Perfume turned to look at the Mage who 
smirked then repeated, "Wrong. You're wrong, my precious 
Granddaughter. You wouldn't want to have the gift of heightened 
senses taken away but don't tell me that you wouldn't like for your 
hyper awareness of pain to end. Because that would be a lie, 
wouldn't it now?" 

"But what does that matter?" asked Kasumi who reached 
out to hold Perfume's hands in her own in a warm and protective 
grip. "You said that you couldn't do that." 

"True," said Siren with a smile. "Not yet, I can't. I'm still 
working on it. But my work would go much faster if I had someone 
to help me. Say, an apprentice maybe? One that I could teach all 
the ways of sorcery to. Especially the ways that include healing the 
downtrodden and sick." 

Kasumi's eyes were narrowed slightly as she considered 
this, but nonetheless she broke into a small smile before she said, 
"Is that an offer?" 

"Most definitely," said Siren smoothly. 

"Then I accept," said Kasumi as she reached out to shake 
Siren's hand. "I would love to be your Apprentice and help you 
heal the downtrodden and the sick." 

"Starting with my Perfume, of course," Siren added with a 
knowing smile. "Because it's always the stubborn patients that need 
the most help." 

"Of course," Kasumi agreed as she smiled in return. 

With that, the two women walked into the Tendo dojo 
talking about the start of Kasumi's training as Siren's Mage 
Apprentice and left Perfume standing alone. 

After a moment, Perfume formed a scowl then shouted at 
their backs, "What you mean by calling me downtrodden and 
sick?! And I not stubborn at all!" 

--- 

The man known as Dr. Akihito was usually prepared for 
anything when it came to his sessions. 

This was because he believed that psychiatry sessions were 
like being in love. 

Both were incredibly unpredictable and you never knew 
just what might happen when in the middle of them. 

This belief was proved true by his most unusual 
introduction to the girl who went by the name of Chocolate. 

After all, it wasn't every day that Akihito was greeted by 
the fierce words of, "So you're the one that's responsible for all of 
this! You almost made Akane cry!" 

And it definitely wasn't every day that he ended up buried 
underneath a huge pile of cannonballs that appeared from out of 
nowhere to land on top of his head. 

It was good for Akihito that he happened to possess a very 
hard head. 

Too bad it wasn't a trait that Chocolate appreciated. 

"Dammit," said Chocolate in dark tones that were 
somehow still extremely kawaii. "You survived." 

"Chocolate," Akane said in chastising tones while she 
remained clinging to the other girl's arm. "That wasn't nice of you. 
That could've given the Doctor a headache." 

"Chocolate?" asked Akihito as he looked up from rubbing 
the top of his very sore head. He stood up and gave the Amazon a 
close study then murmured, "It all makes sense now. You're 
uncomfortable with your own sexuality. Your confusion is adding to 
Akane's own and causing a spiral that will cause your relationship 
needless turmoil." 

"My what?!" Chocolate exclaimed as she turned bright red. 
She narrowed her teal eyes before she stalked forward and 
dragged Akane along with her. "What did you just say to me?" she 
demanded in low tones. 

"I said that you're not comfortable with your own 
sexuality," said Akihito while he calmly met her gaze. "It's pretty 
obvious so don't try to argue with me on this, chickadee. Your 
reaction shows that my assessment is true." 

"I'm perfectly comfortable with my... my..." 
Chocolate paused before she finally shouted, "Sexuality!" 

Chuckling at this, Akihito sat down in his leather chair and 
spun it around to look out of the window. "Don't try lying to me, 
beautiful," he said. "I may not be good at a lot of things but I'm 
excellent at reading people and finding out ways to help them 
improve their lives." 

"Yeah, right," Chocolate snorted derisively. "You're just 
some quack who convinced Akane-chan the best way to talk with 
me would be to handcuff us together. If that's an example of your 
ability to read people and help improve their lives then it's a 
complete crock." 

Spinning around to face Chocolate, the Doctor formed a 
slow and relaxed smile as he said, "Stupid." 

There was a long moment of silence before Chocolate said 
rather dimly, "What?" 

"Stupid," Akihito repeated. "That's what you're thinking, 
isn't it? Whenever some boy compliments you that's what you 
think. They're stupid for liking you. I even bet that a little part of 
you thinks Akane is stupid for liking you. That's because you really 
don't think they like you. Isn't that right?" 

"You're crazy!" said Chocolate heatedly as she turned red. 
"Just get the keys so we can take off these handcuffs! Or do you 
want me to throw more cannonballs at you?!" 

"Chocolate?" said Akane softly. 

Turning to the other girl, Chocolate's eyes widened and she 
said, "Akane... I..." 

"Oh, Chocolate," said Akane as she lifted up the hand that 
was handcuffed to cup Chocolate's cheek. "How could you think I 
don't like you? You're so nice and you listen to everything I say. 
Really listen. Do you know how many people have done that?" 

"No," said Chocolate quietly. "How many?" 

"Four," Akane replied. "Including you." 

"But how is that possible?" asked Chocolate in shocked 
tones. "So many people love you... all those girls in front of the 
school and your family. How could--" 

"Because," interrupted Akane gently. "They don't know the 
real me. They have this idol they've created and when I first saw 
you I knew... I knew you'd understand about everything. About 
how things are. Or don't you?" 

"Those guys," said Chocolate as she came to a sudden 
understanding. "They're always chasing after me like they..." 

"Like they chase after me," finished Akane. "They chase 
after what they think they see but it isn't really us. I like you for 
what I see, Chocolate. Not for what they see." 

Chocolate ducked her gaze and at looked at the floor as 
she said, "Do you know that no one has ever liked me before? The 
first time I really felt liked was when those guys began chasing me 
but I inside I was just... disgusted by the whole thing. Then I met 
you and I figured that you were like them. I mean, why else would 
someone like you want me?" She paused to meet Akane's eyes 
and said in heartfelt tones, "I'm sorry." 

"I think you're pretty, that's true," said Akane while she 
moved closer and lightly laid her hand on Chocolate's tiny waist. 
"But that's not why I like you. It's because of who you are inside. 
We're the same in that with us people only see what they want to 
see. I thought that together we could try being who we really are 
without having to worry about upsetting other people and their 
expectations." She paused to smile and tip her head to one side. 
"What do you say?" asked Akane. "Does that sound good?" 

"That sounds great," said Chocolate in shaky and emotion 
filled tones as she gazed at Akane. 

"Good," said Akane as she formed a very bright and 
pleasant smile. She then pulled Chocolate closer to her as she said, 
"Want to seal our agreement with a kiss?" 

Smiling without helping it, Chocolate blushed lightly before 
she said quietly, "I'd like that." 

When the two girls separated from the tender embrace of 
their second kiss, they found Akihito gone and a pair of keys lying 
on the top of his desk. 

Dr. Akihito might be lax in many ways when it came to his 
morals but long ago he made a strict policy to never remain present 
after his therapy caused any kind of significant breakthrough with 
the couple he was counseling. 

Because unlike psychiatry sessions and being in love, the 
result was fairly predictable. 

It was so predictable that Akihito knew his patients 
wouldn't appreciate him witnessing it. 

And frankly, neither would the Doctor. 

Especially when he had some lovely ladies of his own 
expecting his attention in an all too similar manner. 

Sometimes being a psychiatrist can be good but being a 
love doctor is always great. 

At least if your name happens to be Akihito. 

Nerima's most infamous love doctor. 

--- 

Hotsprings were a nice place to relax. 

This fact was pretty well known to anyone living in Japan 
and other parts of the world. 

If you wanted to relax and if you could afford it, you went 
to hotsprings resort and soaked your tensions away. 

Unfortunately for the visitors of the Bubble Over 
Hotsprings Resort, something that was not all that relaxing was 
lurking in the midst of their serene environment. 

Well, perhaps lurking isn't the best word. 

One really can't lurk when trapped inside of a cave that's 
blocked by a huge boulder and happens to be buried underneath 
several thousand gallons of hot water. 

The lurking or lack of lurking wasn't the problem though. 
The problem was the fact that soon it wouldn't be doing that 
anymore because soon it would be free. 

Then amidst the sound of content laughter and happy 
conversation the first crack in the boulder formed. 

The crack grew larger until the boulder was completely 
decimated but the sound wasn't loud enough to rouse the attention 
of the hotsprings customers. 

But the figure of a gnarled old man leaping out from the 
bottom of the hotspring and glomping onto the chest of every 
young girl in sight was enough to rouse their attention. 

Rouse their attention and their screams. 

As the screams of the glomped women echoed throughout 
the night, hundreds of people shuddered. Each of them somehow 
knowing that he had escaped. 

That the Demon Master, Happosai, was free. 

And that he was up to his old tricks. 


To be continued... 

------------------------------------------------

I'd like to thank Jim Robert Bader, Red 
Death, and my brother Patrick for listening to my goofy ideas. Also 
special thanks to Wade Tritschler for allowing me to be a part of 
his Altered Destinies project. 

Author's note: Well, I'm pretty much all settled in at Chicago but 
from now on chapters will be taking longer to come out because 
I'm back at school full time. Oh, and to note, the next up portion 
below is just what I think I might write about not what I definitely 
will write about. 

Chat with me on ICQ! My ICQ # is: 37674780 

Thanks to Red Death all of my fanfics are archived at: 
http://www.lvdi.net/~reddeath/dreiser.htm 

Next up: Happy's back and there's gonna be trouble... oh yeah, 
Happy's back! Heh. Sorry, but I do like the old songs. 

"I can't die now. I have a date with Turkish twins." 
-Hayami Ryoichi; Special Duty Combat Unit: Shinesman- 

Onwards to Part 13


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