Sloth (Parts 1 and 2) by David Houghton Credits to Chris Schumacher (Ten Commandments) I have seen much in my time and know far more than people realize. Everything that goes on around here, I know. People think I cannot see what goes on. I was the best fighter in town - no one accepted that, though. Eventually, we were drawn to Nerima. Recently, things have gone crazy, even for there. Who am I? Oh, I'm Mu Tsu. Thought I was someone else? Say, like Khu Lon? As I was saying, things have been weird, even for Nerima. Ukyou and Akane have started dating each other. Nabiki and Ryouga are trying to win Ranma's heart. Akane hasn't been kidnapped. But best to tell you what had happened in my own words. It starts before you think. The curse of a dying man, ages ago. "You will never be free until a fighting man arises again. Until the law is defied by your princess. And for love, a man refuses to kill a woman's groom. And an outsider has priority over an Amazon. Last but not least, a male will be on the ruling council." There are two laws I really want dealt with: the marriage law and the killing law. They drain off our best fighters. The killing law must be dropped and the other is a holdover from when cruel men ruled the village. Now, cruel women do and it is worse. Khu Lon sat down with Xian Pu and looked at her book of spells. Things were moving rapidly - very rapidly. Khu Lon told Pu to lay off for a day or two while she did research. I listened carefully. There is nothing wrong with my ears - only my eyes are, shall we say, less than fully functional. Khu Lon wormed her way through the plan. A sin amplification spell. Ideal. Best to cast it at Nabiki - she walked the narrowest line - and she was about to fall off. Best to make it go the way the wanted it to. You have never heard Khu Lon laugh. If she ever did, take the worst aspects of Kodachi's and Biko's and put them together. Horrible. You can even hear extra exclamation marks. That is her good laugh. Still, I couldn't interfere, not until later. I then saw my tutor - an outside woman by birth, Lo Xian. She always looked younger than Khu Lon but was to be trusted less. She was somewhat exotic. What was she up to? I had my arms full dealing with the ghoul's plots, let alone this snake's. I had edged Amazon laws, pushing them to their limit. I was the only fighting man. Weak, blind fool, they call me - it is a description of the Elders. I left the restaurant. "Where are you going?" "I have deal with someone." "Not Ranma, I hope." "No, Matriarch." That ought to confuse her. The only appropriate destinations for an Amazon are places where women are treated as slaves. Few leave the village, fewer still leave the country. Lo Xian told me of her travels and why she was dishonored: she saw men ruling countries where there was no marriage law, nor the killing law. Instead, a man who attempted such a thing was thrown in jail. Nasty things happened to them from the other prisoners. "Rape," the name they give our law. I agree - and the stupid blind council doesn't understand that it is just a matter of time until men take over our village. I have done what Shampoo could not - I defeated Ranma. Once only, I admit, and what is more, I wasn't trying to kill him. Stupid, blind, weak fools. Lo Xian wasn't expecting me. She spun. She fears only two people. The old ghoul is one - I am another. If she meddles here, she will be in deep trouble. Genma, though cowardly, when his ire is raised, is deadly. He has many secrets. Happosai is a pervert but will fight alongside them. Khu Lon has not quite offended them enough. Powerful, they are - very powerful. I knew Khu Lon was losing her wits, but who on the council will listen to a man, stupid, blind, weak fools. Amazon power. Fools. I knew that even then the most secret scrolls of the Tendos, Saotomes, Hibikis and even the Kuonjis were being readied. Even the Kunos had joined in - powerful families, they are, very powerful. Until now, they have been careful - a clan war was not wanted, but all agree... Khu Lon must be dealt with. Stupid, weak blind fool. "Lo Xian!" "Mu Tsu! What are you doing here?" "Warning you. Meddle here and you will be dead. What is more, Xian Pu is here with her accursed Grandmother. They almost have made enemies of the four most reputed martial-arts families here. The hunt has not been successful. Sell the usual wares, not your genuine ones." "It's too late for that. I already sold some Passion Spice. Can't remember who to, though. The person defiantly wanted some. And they've seen the effects. Gave them the standard warning." "Remember, Lo Xian." "I will, Mu Tsu." I left wondering who would be stupid enough to use something so unpredictable as passion spice. I know now, but I'm keeping my mouth shut. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Elder Mu Tsu's sealed statement) I came back and Khu Lon looked at me, surprised. She asked me exactly where I had gone. What was more important than the restaurant? For once, I had an acceptable, though not exactly honest, answer. "Protecting an Amazon elder. My tutor has arrived here in Japan." "Lo Xian, here?" the ghoul spat. "That snake could wreck everything we have worked for." Indeed, the village could have been embroiled in civil war. Despite our differences in opinion, we both wanted a peaceful resolution. The ghoul couldn't see that, unless she gave, it wouldn't. A small token gesture would have saved people on both sides. They left to deal with Lo Xian. As they went to deal with one snake, another entered. This snake is one you know from Xian Pu's and Khu Lon's 'progress' reports. Nabiki snuck into the Nekohanten and saw the huge jar with a big red label on. The label says, as you've no doubt gathered: 'Truth Spice. Danger. NEVER EVER USE. Truth CAN KILL.' Nabiki nodded knowingly as she put it in her pocket. I could not let her take it; it is far too dangerous. I snatched it out of her hand - and in Hammerspace, too. I could see her thoughts: Only one other person is as good as manipulating it as she is - Genma, Akane, and even Ranma are dabblers compared to.... MU TSU! "That is dangerous." I glared at her. "Not so much as Passion spice, mixed with Inhibition Spice," she said. So she had a reason. But who ate it? "You didn't?" "No, Ranma did." "But Cologne never authorizes the use of Passion spice, ever since the incident 12 years ago." Nabiki looked extremely guilty, head downwards to hide her blushing. I was extremely shocked - I'd always thought Nabiki had a conscience, not much of one, to be sure, but one all the same. Then it clicked - I understood why she wanted the Truth spice. I took some and swallowed it. I could then give her the correct instructions. "Don't get it in your eyes. You'll see true." "Surely, that's a good thing." "Knurd!" "I want to cure him, before anything goes wrong. Ukyou and sis are mad at him, since she kissed Ryouga and can't admit it." "What's reason you did it?" "Avarice - though I fooled myself into thinking it was for the family. Get the threesome stabilized, and this would be the last dirty job I'd ever have to do." "You ate the inhibition spice?" "Yes." "You were lucky, Nabiki - the ghoul cast a sin amplification spell on you. If it hadn't been for her playing the long game, you'd never have recovered." "Don't tell Ranma about this, please," pleaded Nabiki. In her eyes, there was something I've never seen before - desperation. "I won't - it's your choice. I won't wreck your chance with him. I'll use the truth spice. But don't eat it." (End of sealed statement) *******