==Woowoo! Look at me! =) I'm actually trying to publish my very
==first Ranma 1/2 fanfiction story! No doubt this will be
==skipped, but I will say it anyways: excuse any mistakes you
==see, English is not my first language. Suffice to say, Ranma
==1/2 does not belong to me. ;_; Oh rats. The idea is, for the
==most part, mine. I think I have seen something like this somewhere
==though, but for the life of me, I can't remember where. However,
==I did not deliberately copy!
==Really quick side note, I try to be fair to other people's creations,
==which is why no one will see any charactor-bashing on my part. Well,
==maybe just the eensiest, teensiest bit by way of Akane (it happens
==subconciencely, I tell you!) because I loathe her. =)
==** signifies thoughts.
Shink, click. Dark blue eyes peering out from beneath ragged black bangs of hair reflected in the cold steel as it pointed and then swooped towards the young Amazon lying on the ground, crimson blood spurting from the deep clean cut that crossed her chest, shoulder to shoulder. She screamed with anger as she rolled to dodge it.
The person wielding the aimed sword angled his body to take in accordance of the roll. His vision was filled with purple hair as she rolled beneath him and aimed her elbow for his gut. The sword was quickly exchanged from one hand to the other so he could block the blow with his good arm. His other hung limp at his side, numb with pain as blood dripped off it from the ugly gash that started at his shoulder and ended a few centimeters above his wrist.
She smirked, and then kicked his legs from beneath him. His knees buckled and he fell on top of her. He dropped the sword and curled both arms around her, clamping her own limbs tightly to her body. His face was twisted with pain and his eyes shown bright with tears.
"You are a fool! You cannot hope to defeat me," she rasped, the voice flowing from her delicate throat was ragged and harsh. She effortlessly twisted her head almost 180 degrees and sunk her sharp teeth into his arm, beads of red popping up at their sharp edge.
He grunted and brought his semi-useless hand forward to cover her eyes, looping a leg over her twisting hips. "You're wrong," he said coldly as she tried to shake herself free of his grasp, "I have exactly where I want you." His hand tightened over her head. "Moko takabisha!" Light flared at his palm before it surrounded the head. It exploded like pulp beneath the energy attack.
He fell limp across the body then, watching with a pained heart as the fine, youthful curves disintegrated into dust. He pulled a medallion from beneath his ragged, blood-soaked Chinese shirt and kissed it lovingly. "That was for the dishonorment my wife, you bastard," he whispered.
Chinka chinka chinka chinka chinka
Ranma looked up from where he was arguing with Akane as she stomped to school on the sidewalk and he followed closely behind, balancing on the fence beside the sidewalk. "Do you feel something, Akane?" he asked. She continued on walking with her nose in the air and her jaw set stubbornly. Ranma watched her and then snorted in disgust before his mind wandered back to the pressing energies he felt around himself. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and halted in place.
Akane continued on without him. Ranma did not notice it. His gaze and attention were centered on a spot in the street where his sense told him that the energies were pressing together the most. It dissipated suddenly and flared a bright orange, which blinded Ranma.
He fell from the fence as he tried to shield his eyes from the light. He jumped back on to his feet as he felt something wrong. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand on end. He whirled around to face the shadows of the fence before glanced quickly down the street where Akane was still walking on, ignoring him and disinterested in what was happening. He cast a quick glimpse around; the urging of something absolutely horrible caused his body to tense for a fight.
Ranma heard quick footsteps behind him and he turned around to see a tall and lean young man with long black hair pulled back in a tight pigtail striding quickly towards him. His black clothes were suspiciously damp and clung in certain areas and the sword his hand was tightly clamped on the handle of dripped with a crimson liquid. Ranma stared at it with surprise then wordlessly fell into a fighting position against the person.
Not a word was spoken as the young man stopped in his tracks and glared belligerently at Ranma. His chest heaved with winded gasps for air; the few locks of black hair that had escaped from their tight confinement clung to his damp face. The streets were empty, and as Ranma stole a quick glance to see where Akane was, he saw she had disappeared. He was glad, not wanting her to wind up in this fight. He cast a wary glance at the sword. Ranma followed the glance in to see the other man staring sharply at a spot in the early morning shadows the surrounding buildings cast.
He gestured weakly at Ranma. "Get out of here," he breathed and waved his hand. He gulped and coughed weakly to clear his gravely voice. His body bent slightly in weariness. Ranma stared at him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Why should I?"
The young man drew his free hand across his mouth, keeping his eyes on the spot in the shadows. "Because there is a terrible danger here."
"All the more reason for me to stick around," Ranma shot back, stuffing his hands into his pockets and tilting his head slightly to the side. The young man gave him a look of shock and then his eyes trailed over his figure as if recognizing who Ranma was for the first time. He shook his head to clear it but nearly lost his balance in the process.
"How . . . Never mind. Just get out of here!"
"No! How do I know you aren't the terrible danger?"
The lavender eyes that had been open in shock at the sight of Ranma narrowed dangerously as they darted quickly from the shadows to Ranma and then back again. "I may be one," the young man admitted reluctantly, "but I'm not the one that should be feared." Ranma's gaze traveled over to the shadows to see what had captured his attention so attentively. Something flickered before it disappeared. He looked back at the young man, who was looking at the same spot once more.
"You come out of nowhere with a sword dripping with blood, looking as if you just went all-out in a serious fight, and you expect me to believe that?" Ranma demanded in a dangerous voice, pointing one white-knuckled hand at the offending object.
The lavender eyes hardened and the sword tip titled upward point at Ranma. The young man's body fell into an easy stance with one foot crossed casually in front of the other and one hand held onto the sword while the other guided the blade upward. The position was almost amazingly elegant, taking in the fact that the young man was still breathing hard and a puddle of blood was beginning to pool beneath his feet.
"You'll find that I am not ready to quit yet. Anything that does this to me is not a safe thing to be around with. Don't you have someone to protect?" The last sentence was spit out with a tone that Ranma could only pinpoint as bitter. The young man tensed suddenly, his eyes flickering back and forth between Ranma and the spot that had fascinated him, then launched forward with a slight stumble. "Shit!"
Ranma fell into a ready stance as he saw the young man pounce upon him. He was taken by surprise when the young man knocked him to the side just as something whizzed by his head, the hair upon his head stirring from the brushing encounter.
"RUN!" The young man centered his stance for balance and brought his sword up just as something struck it. He countered and slashed at the almost-human shimmering shape looming above them. Something wet landed on Ranma's cheek. A red slash opened neatly across the shimmering shape before it closed and disappeared as if it never existed. The gray thing whizzed around the young man's next swing and over his head. It descended upon Ranma, shimmering and growing colorful as it absorbed itself through his skin.
Ranma was on fire as time stopped for him. He was going through hell. It was the only thing he could think of as he felt the shimmering object began to twist and mold beneath fiery needles and prods. Sinking into a black pit, he dimly heard a voice yelling towards him.
"Ranma! Ranma fight it! Don't let it get to your weakness! Don't listen to what it says! Keep a sharp focus on something! . . . Damn it, why does everything always happen to me?"
*I know how you feel, buddy,* Ranma thought dimly as everything began to grow more and more faint and he descended deeper into the black pit. A dull roar soon filled his mind, and something jerked sharply. He found himself wrapped in fish sausages. And now, Ranma did know hell as he descended into his worst fear.
The young man stumbled back in shock, his shoulders drooping as he watched the possessed martial artist stand up.
What had been Ranma shook his head, and then opened eyes that were colorless and empty and yet still managed to convey the sense of a great bloodlust and wonder of moving things. They blinked before focusing on the young man.
"Sstupid boy," Possessed-Ranma hissed. "I knew you wouldn't dare sstrike at thiss body while I wass in my weakesst sstate."
The young man clenched his free fist and then aimed the sword at Possessed-Ranma. He cast a wicked eye at the weapon and then smirked. "You wouldn't dare try to usse that on thiss body, and we both know that." The young man glared across the space at him, drawing in deep, steady breaths to regain lost energy. Possessed-Ranma chuckled, and then took a step forward
--- sweeping through the air, weightless and past the streams of time where it is not affected, stand behind the target ---
and was directly behind the young man and made a vicious kick at him. The kick connected and sent the young man sprawling across the pavement. He rolled and came to his knees, his hand still tightly clenched around the handle.
Possessed-Ranma cocked his head and gave him an unreadable glance. "Should I feasst upon you now? You do not have enough energy for me to benefit though." The face broke into a wide malicious smile. "On the other hand, I can jusst wait until you are better before coming after you." A finger came to his lip in a contemplating action. "Yess, that ssoundss like the coursse of action I will go."
"Let him go," the young man mumbled from where he kneeling.
The colorless eyes widened. "Iss thiss a requesst I am ressieving from one of the greater Orca Hunterss? Do I hear pleading?" He cupped an ear with a hand. "Beg louder, and I might obey." He smirked at the withering scowl that the young man responded with. "You are too tired to fight, though I musst admit you were a good opponent. I almosst thought I wass going to ssee the end!" Possessed-Ranma chucked again, and suddenly whirled around to stare at Akane, who was angrily tromping around the corner.
"I knew it!" she angrily yelled. "You're getting into trouble again and thanks to you, we are going to be late for school!" The young man watched as a gleam appeared in Possessed-Ranma's white eyes.
Possessed-Ranma hungrily licked his lips as he watched Akane stomp up next to him. She swung her book bag at him and he effortlessly dodged it before snatching it out of her hands and tossing it over his shoulders.
Akane stared at him in surprise. "Err! Ranma! You're trying to make me late for school, aren't you?" She swung at him, but received another unexpected surprise when he caught her fist and launched a kick at her. It hit her in the midriff and threw her back several feet before she skidded across the sidewalk to a stop, her breath knocked out. Possessed-Ranma quickly closed the gap between them with two giant steps forward and grabbed her by her hair. Akane screamed and tried to punch him again, but he socked her flat against the head and knocking her out just as the young man did some quick contemplation as to whether or not to let the Orca feast upon and thereby destroy Tendo Akane.
It was tempting (oh! So very tempting!), but he had sworn to protect everyone from the Orcas, so with a great effort, he climbed to his feet and stumbled after Possessed-Ranma, trying to catch his balance as his legs wanted to quit on him.
The Orca pinned Akane's prone body beneath his own and was about to sink his teeth into her throat when he sensed the Hunter coming after him. He snorted and then swung backward. The blow connected with the side of the young man's chest. The white eyes narrowed in wicked glee and flexed his arm before pulling it forward.
Something tore and the hand came away bloody as it held a long white bone. The young man collapsed on top of Possessed-Ranma's back and he dropped the sword. The strange metal blade clanged as it hit the ground. The young man's mouth was wide open in silent screams of agony. The Orca hummed and leaned backward against the lean body. The bloody hand lifted the white bone to his lips.
"Perhaps I shall arrange to have ssome fun with you. Thiss body is capable of being both ssexess." Possessed-Ranma's body shifted and changed until it now wore Ranma's cursed form. Her lips ran along the bone before the tongue snaked out to taste the fresh blood that was still slick across the surface. She hummed again and reached down for the young man's hand. She brought it up to rest it against her left breast. "Thiss iss what I like besst of the human body," she whispered, her husky voice breathless with wonder, "they can feel so much!"
She sensed the free hand shifting wearily beside her and smiled. "There iss nothing you can do," she said, dropping his hand and reaching down to grab Akane's hair again. She craned the neck backwards again. Something flared at her side and pain suddenly arched through her body.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you to never underestimate your opponent?" the young man hissed as Possessed-Ranma-chan screamed and the body began to metamorph itself from male to female to male to female and then back once more to male to stay there.
Ranma bonelessly collapsed forward as the shimmering figure seeped out of him and wrapped itself around the metallic blue knife that the Hunter had slipped into Ranma's ribs. It flickered and then the blade's metallic color dulled and faded to black before turning to dust.
The young man stumbled to his feet, his hand pressed against the hole in his side as blood pouring through the cracks of his fingers. With a rough sigh, energy flared at his palm and cauterized the wound, burning and closing the bleeding hole. His shoulders drooped in weariness as he pulled a bundle of bandages and ointment from the same hammer space he had pulled the Eos Blade. His tired gaze fell upon Ranma and Akane as he weakly pulled a strip free, and his handsome features softened. He took a step forward but froze as Ranma and Akane began to stir.
Ranma had just been yanked from a nightmare of Nekoken into a hazy world where all his pain was centered upon one spot in his ribs. He sat up, trying to make heads and tails of his surroundings even as another struggle within him took place in an effort to regain control of his senses.
Akane came to at the same time, but recovered her senses much faster. True to form, with what Possessed-Ranma had just done to her and seeing Ranma sitting on top of her, Akane reacted predictably.
"RANMA! YOU JERK!" She swung a fist and punched him in the nose. He fell backwards, out for the count once more. Akane jumped to her feet and started to aim a kick at Ranma but was stopped when a plastic bottle of ointment was thrown and bounced off her forehead. She turned her wrathful gaze to observe a handsome young man, ragged and bleeding, glaring at her with the most hate she had ever seen before.
She shivered as he limped forward and stooped to pick Ranma up. He fumbled twice before managing it. "I had half a mind to let the demon that possessed him to kill you. I decided against it. You make me regret the decision." He turned his back on the stunned Akane and draped the unconscious Ranma over his shoulder. He hoped the knife wound was clean enough so it wouldn't bleed greatly.
As he limped down the street, Akane glared after the young man and ventured her glance downward. When she saw the drops of blood trailing after him, she guiltily looked up. *So much blood. How can anyone survive that great of a loss?* She jogged over to his side.
"I can show you where Dr. Tofu' clinic is," she began sheepishly as the young man turned hardened lavender eyes upon her. "He's a doctor that could take care of you and Ranma." The eyes softened slightly and the young man cast an almost fond glance at the figure he was carrying. He nodded.
"Do so please," he said. Akane turned down a street then stopped as she watched the young man falter in step when he followed after her.
"Let me carry Ranma," she said. The lavender eyes turned on her again and the hatred flared worse than before.
"Why? So you can hit him in his defenseless state?"
Akane bristled under the words. "Fine! You can find Dr Tofu's on your own! I'm going to school!" She whirled around and stomped off, the anger in her heart burning away the guilt she felt. The young man continued on stiffly with his free hand clutching at his wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Dr Tofu was going through his papers and arranging his appointments for the day when he heard a knock on the door of his clinic. He cast a quick glance at the list and noticed he wouldn't be having anyone for another hour. He shrugged and thought it was one of the Nerima Wrecking Team members (Ranma WAS due for a visit anytime soon). He walked over to the door and opened it, only to have a somewhat ragged Ranma thrust into his arms as soon as he had done so and the tangy metallic scent of blood wafted his senses.
"Huh?" Now what did Ranma do?
"Take care of him," the young man who stood before him said matter-of-factly, leaning against the doorframe for support. "I should have removed the demon from him before his mind was broken and his body poisoned, but there is still the matter of that cut in his ribs. I believe I missed the lungs, and I tried to stop the blood flow the best I could. The wound isn't too bad, I think."
Dr Tofu shot a quick glance at Ranma, then at the young man. "You look worse than him," he stated professionally at the ragged figure.
The young man shook his head. He gazed at Ranma, his eyes resting tenderly upon the martial artist. "I've been through worse, and I am used to what happens to me." He looked up. "I would fear for Ranma though." He bowed his head. "Thank you." He turned and limped down the hall; his shoulders drooped with exhaustion. Dr Tofu adjusted his glasses and looked after the young man. He had disappeared.
He shook his head sadly, but knew from experience it would not help to argue with a stubborn person who was capable of disappearing before Dr Tofu could do anything.
Shampoo was hurrying through the park on her bike with an order in one hand and the other on her handlebars for fine control-well, maybe not so fine. All the flattened squirrels that lay behind her with x's for eyes would agree if they were alive to. As she bicycled through the park, she noticed a dark figure hunched over on a park bench. Shampoo would have kept going if it were not for the fact the sharp scent of blood hung in the air. She skidded to a halt and looked at the figure. It did not stir from the slumped position it lay in.
Shampoo cocked her head as she peered at him. She shot a quick glance at the order she held and then guiltily resumed her biking. Grandmother would be upset with her if the order turned cold. Maybe he would still be there when she got back . . .
==first Ranma 1/2 fanfiction story! No doubt this will be
==skipped, but I will say it anyways: excuse any mistakes you
==see, English is not my first language. Suffice to say, Ranma
==1/2 does not belong to me. ;_; Oh rats. The idea is, for the
==most part, mine. I think I have seen something like this somewhere
==though, but for the life of me, I can't remember where. However,
==I did not deliberately copy!
==Really quick side note, I try to be fair to other people's creations,
==which is why no one will see any charactor-bashing on my part. Well,
==maybe just the eensiest, teensiest bit by way of Akane (it happens
==subconciencely, I tell you!) because I loathe her. =)
==** signifies thoughts.
Shink, click. Dark blue eyes peering out from beneath ragged black bangs of hair reflected in the cold steel as it pointed and then swooped towards the young Amazon lying on the ground, crimson blood spurting from the deep clean cut that crossed her chest, shoulder to shoulder. She screamed with anger as she rolled to dodge it.
The person wielding the aimed sword angled his body to take in accordance of the roll. His vision was filled with purple hair as she rolled beneath him and aimed her elbow for his gut. The sword was quickly exchanged from one hand to the other so he could block the blow with his good arm. His other hung limp at his side, numb with pain as blood dripped off it from the ugly gash that started at his shoulder and ended a few centimeters above his wrist.
She smirked, and then kicked his legs from beneath him. His knees buckled and he fell on top of her. He dropped the sword and curled both arms around her, clamping her own limbs tightly to her body. His face was twisted with pain and his eyes shown bright with tears.
"You are a fool! You cannot hope to defeat me," she rasped, the voice flowing from her delicate throat was ragged and harsh. She effortlessly twisted her head almost 180 degrees and sunk her sharp teeth into his arm, beads of red popping up at their sharp edge.
He grunted and brought his semi-useless hand forward to cover her eyes, looping a leg over her twisting hips. "You're wrong," he said coldly as she tried to shake herself free of his grasp, "I have exactly where I want you." His hand tightened over her head. "Moko takabisha!" Light flared at his palm before it surrounded the head. It exploded like pulp beneath the energy attack.
He fell limp across the body then, watching with a pained heart as the fine, youthful curves disintegrated into dust. He pulled a medallion from beneath his ragged, blood-soaked Chinese shirt and kissed it lovingly. "That was for the dishonorment my wife, you bastard," he whispered.
Chinka chinka chinka chinka chinka
Ranma looked up from where he was arguing with Akane as she stomped to school on the sidewalk and he followed closely behind, balancing on the fence beside the sidewalk. "Do you feel something, Akane?" he asked. She continued on walking with her nose in the air and her jaw set stubbornly. Ranma watched her and then snorted in disgust before his mind wandered back to the pressing energies he felt around himself. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and halted in place.
Akane continued on without him. Ranma did not notice it. His gaze and attention were centered on a spot in the street where his sense told him that the energies were pressing together the most. It dissipated suddenly and flared a bright orange, which blinded Ranma.
He fell from the fence as he tried to shield his eyes from the light. He jumped back on to his feet as he felt something wrong. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand on end. He whirled around to face the shadows of the fence before glanced quickly down the street where Akane was still walking on, ignoring him and disinterested in what was happening. He cast a quick glimpse around; the urging of something absolutely horrible caused his body to tense for a fight.
Ranma heard quick footsteps behind him and he turned around to see a tall and lean young man with long black hair pulled back in a tight pigtail striding quickly towards him. His black clothes were suspiciously damp and clung in certain areas and the sword his hand was tightly clamped on the handle of dripped with a crimson liquid. Ranma stared at it with surprise then wordlessly fell into a fighting position against the person.
Not a word was spoken as the young man stopped in his tracks and glared belligerently at Ranma. His chest heaved with winded gasps for air; the few locks of black hair that had escaped from their tight confinement clung to his damp face. The streets were empty, and as Ranma stole a quick glance to see where Akane was, he saw she had disappeared. He was glad, not wanting her to wind up in this fight. He cast a wary glance at the sword. Ranma followed the glance in to see the other man staring sharply at a spot in the early morning shadows the surrounding buildings cast.
He gestured weakly at Ranma. "Get out of here," he breathed and waved his hand. He gulped and coughed weakly to clear his gravely voice. His body bent slightly in weariness. Ranma stared at him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Why should I?"
The young man drew his free hand across his mouth, keeping his eyes on the spot in the shadows. "Because there is a terrible danger here."
"All the more reason for me to stick around," Ranma shot back, stuffing his hands into his pockets and tilting his head slightly to the side. The young man gave him a look of shock and then his eyes trailed over his figure as if recognizing who Ranma was for the first time. He shook his head to clear it but nearly lost his balance in the process.
"How . . . Never mind. Just get out of here!"
"No! How do I know you aren't the terrible danger?"
The lavender eyes that had been open in shock at the sight of Ranma narrowed dangerously as they darted quickly from the shadows to Ranma and then back again. "I may be one," the young man admitted reluctantly, "but I'm not the one that should be feared." Ranma's gaze traveled over to the shadows to see what had captured his attention so attentively. Something flickered before it disappeared. He looked back at the young man, who was looking at the same spot once more.
"You come out of nowhere with a sword dripping with blood, looking as if you just went all-out in a serious fight, and you expect me to believe that?" Ranma demanded in a dangerous voice, pointing one white-knuckled hand at the offending object.
The lavender eyes hardened and the sword tip titled upward point at Ranma. The young man's body fell into an easy stance with one foot crossed casually in front of the other and one hand held onto the sword while the other guided the blade upward. The position was almost amazingly elegant, taking in the fact that the young man was still breathing hard and a puddle of blood was beginning to pool beneath his feet.
"You'll find that I am not ready to quit yet. Anything that does this to me is not a safe thing to be around with. Don't you have someone to protect?" The last sentence was spit out with a tone that Ranma could only pinpoint as bitter. The young man tensed suddenly, his eyes flickering back and forth between Ranma and the spot that had fascinated him, then launched forward with a slight stumble. "Shit!"
Ranma fell into a ready stance as he saw the young man pounce upon him. He was taken by surprise when the young man knocked him to the side just as something whizzed by his head, the hair upon his head stirring from the brushing encounter.
"RUN!" The young man centered his stance for balance and brought his sword up just as something struck it. He countered and slashed at the almost-human shimmering shape looming above them. Something wet landed on Ranma's cheek. A red slash opened neatly across the shimmering shape before it closed and disappeared as if it never existed. The gray thing whizzed around the young man's next swing and over his head. It descended upon Ranma, shimmering and growing colorful as it absorbed itself through his skin.
Ranma was on fire as time stopped for him. He was going through hell. It was the only thing he could think of as he felt the shimmering object began to twist and mold beneath fiery needles and prods. Sinking into a black pit, he dimly heard a voice yelling towards him.
"Ranma! Ranma fight it! Don't let it get to your weakness! Don't listen to what it says! Keep a sharp focus on something! . . . Damn it, why does everything always happen to me?"
*I know how you feel, buddy,* Ranma thought dimly as everything began to grow more and more faint and he descended deeper into the black pit. A dull roar soon filled his mind, and something jerked sharply. He found himself wrapped in fish sausages. And now, Ranma did know hell as he descended into his worst fear.
The young man stumbled back in shock, his shoulders drooping as he watched the possessed martial artist stand up.
What had been Ranma shook his head, and then opened eyes that were colorless and empty and yet still managed to convey the sense of a great bloodlust and wonder of moving things. They blinked before focusing on the young man.
"Sstupid boy," Possessed-Ranma hissed. "I knew you wouldn't dare sstrike at thiss body while I wass in my weakesst sstate."
The young man clenched his free fist and then aimed the sword at Possessed-Ranma. He cast a wicked eye at the weapon and then smirked. "You wouldn't dare try to usse that on thiss body, and we both know that." The young man glared across the space at him, drawing in deep, steady breaths to regain lost energy. Possessed-Ranma chuckled, and then took a step forward
--- sweeping through the air, weightless and past the streams of time where it is not affected, stand behind the target ---
and was directly behind the young man and made a vicious kick at him. The kick connected and sent the young man sprawling across the pavement. He rolled and came to his knees, his hand still tightly clenched around the handle.
Possessed-Ranma cocked his head and gave him an unreadable glance. "Should I feasst upon you now? You do not have enough energy for me to benefit though." The face broke into a wide malicious smile. "On the other hand, I can jusst wait until you are better before coming after you." A finger came to his lip in a contemplating action. "Yess, that ssoundss like the coursse of action I will go."
"Let him go," the young man mumbled from where he kneeling.
The colorless eyes widened. "Iss thiss a requesst I am ressieving from one of the greater Orca Hunterss? Do I hear pleading?" He cupped an ear with a hand. "Beg louder, and I might obey." He smirked at the withering scowl that the young man responded with. "You are too tired to fight, though I musst admit you were a good opponent. I almosst thought I wass going to ssee the end!" Possessed-Ranma chucked again, and suddenly whirled around to stare at Akane, who was angrily tromping around the corner.
"I knew it!" she angrily yelled. "You're getting into trouble again and thanks to you, we are going to be late for school!" The young man watched as a gleam appeared in Possessed-Ranma's white eyes.
Possessed-Ranma hungrily licked his lips as he watched Akane stomp up next to him. She swung her book bag at him and he effortlessly dodged it before snatching it out of her hands and tossing it over his shoulders.
Akane stared at him in surprise. "Err! Ranma! You're trying to make me late for school, aren't you?" She swung at him, but received another unexpected surprise when he caught her fist and launched a kick at her. It hit her in the midriff and threw her back several feet before she skidded across the sidewalk to a stop, her breath knocked out. Possessed-Ranma quickly closed the gap between them with two giant steps forward and grabbed her by her hair. Akane screamed and tried to punch him again, but he socked her flat against the head and knocking her out just as the young man did some quick contemplation as to whether or not to let the Orca feast upon and thereby destroy Tendo Akane.
It was tempting (oh! So very tempting!), but he had sworn to protect everyone from the Orcas, so with a great effort, he climbed to his feet and stumbled after Possessed-Ranma, trying to catch his balance as his legs wanted to quit on him.
The Orca pinned Akane's prone body beneath his own and was about to sink his teeth into her throat when he sensed the Hunter coming after him. He snorted and then swung backward. The blow connected with the side of the young man's chest. The white eyes narrowed in wicked glee and flexed his arm before pulling it forward.
Something tore and the hand came away bloody as it held a long white bone. The young man collapsed on top of Possessed-Ranma's back and he dropped the sword. The strange metal blade clanged as it hit the ground. The young man's mouth was wide open in silent screams of agony. The Orca hummed and leaned backward against the lean body. The bloody hand lifted the white bone to his lips.
"Perhaps I shall arrange to have ssome fun with you. Thiss body is capable of being both ssexess." Possessed-Ranma's body shifted and changed until it now wore Ranma's cursed form. Her lips ran along the bone before the tongue snaked out to taste the fresh blood that was still slick across the surface. She hummed again and reached down for the young man's hand. She brought it up to rest it against her left breast. "Thiss iss what I like besst of the human body," she whispered, her husky voice breathless with wonder, "they can feel so much!"
She sensed the free hand shifting wearily beside her and smiled. "There iss nothing you can do," she said, dropping his hand and reaching down to grab Akane's hair again. She craned the neck backwards again. Something flared at her side and pain suddenly arched through her body.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you to never underestimate your opponent?" the young man hissed as Possessed-Ranma-chan screamed and the body began to metamorph itself from male to female to male to female and then back once more to male to stay there.
Ranma bonelessly collapsed forward as the shimmering figure seeped out of him and wrapped itself around the metallic blue knife that the Hunter had slipped into Ranma's ribs. It flickered and then the blade's metallic color dulled and faded to black before turning to dust.
The young man stumbled to his feet, his hand pressed against the hole in his side as blood pouring through the cracks of his fingers. With a rough sigh, energy flared at his palm and cauterized the wound, burning and closing the bleeding hole. His shoulders drooped in weariness as he pulled a bundle of bandages and ointment from the same hammer space he had pulled the Eos Blade. His tired gaze fell upon Ranma and Akane as he weakly pulled a strip free, and his handsome features softened. He took a step forward but froze as Ranma and Akane began to stir.
Ranma had just been yanked from a nightmare of Nekoken into a hazy world where all his pain was centered upon one spot in his ribs. He sat up, trying to make heads and tails of his surroundings even as another struggle within him took place in an effort to regain control of his senses.
Akane came to at the same time, but recovered her senses much faster. True to form, with what Possessed-Ranma had just done to her and seeing Ranma sitting on top of her, Akane reacted predictably.
"RANMA! YOU JERK!" She swung a fist and punched him in the nose. He fell backwards, out for the count once more. Akane jumped to her feet and started to aim a kick at Ranma but was stopped when a plastic bottle of ointment was thrown and bounced off her forehead. She turned her wrathful gaze to observe a handsome young man, ragged and bleeding, glaring at her with the most hate she had ever seen before.
She shivered as he limped forward and stooped to pick Ranma up. He fumbled twice before managing it. "I had half a mind to let the demon that possessed him to kill you. I decided against it. You make me regret the decision." He turned his back on the stunned Akane and draped the unconscious Ranma over his shoulder. He hoped the knife wound was clean enough so it wouldn't bleed greatly.
As he limped down the street, Akane glared after the young man and ventured her glance downward. When she saw the drops of blood trailing after him, she guiltily looked up. *So much blood. How can anyone survive that great of a loss?* She jogged over to his side.
"I can show you where Dr. Tofu' clinic is," she began sheepishly as the young man turned hardened lavender eyes upon her. "He's a doctor that could take care of you and Ranma." The eyes softened slightly and the young man cast an almost fond glance at the figure he was carrying. He nodded.
"Do so please," he said. Akane turned down a street then stopped as she watched the young man falter in step when he followed after her.
"Let me carry Ranma," she said. The lavender eyes turned on her again and the hatred flared worse than before.
"Why? So you can hit him in his defenseless state?"
Akane bristled under the words. "Fine! You can find Dr Tofu's on your own! I'm going to school!" She whirled around and stomped off, the anger in her heart burning away the guilt she felt. The young man continued on stiffly with his free hand clutching at his wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Dr Tofu was going through his papers and arranging his appointments for the day when he heard a knock on the door of his clinic. He cast a quick glance at the list and noticed he wouldn't be having anyone for another hour. He shrugged and thought it was one of the Nerima Wrecking Team members (Ranma WAS due for a visit anytime soon). He walked over to the door and opened it, only to have a somewhat ragged Ranma thrust into his arms as soon as he had done so and the tangy metallic scent of blood wafted his senses.
"Huh?" Now what did Ranma do?
"Take care of him," the young man who stood before him said matter-of-factly, leaning against the doorframe for support. "I should have removed the demon from him before his mind was broken and his body poisoned, but there is still the matter of that cut in his ribs. I believe I missed the lungs, and I tried to stop the blood flow the best I could. The wound isn't too bad, I think."
Dr Tofu shot a quick glance at Ranma, then at the young man. "You look worse than him," he stated professionally at the ragged figure.
The young man shook his head. He gazed at Ranma, his eyes resting tenderly upon the martial artist. "I've been through worse, and I am used to what happens to me." He looked up. "I would fear for Ranma though." He bowed his head. "Thank you." He turned and limped down the hall; his shoulders drooped with exhaustion. Dr Tofu adjusted his glasses and looked after the young man. He had disappeared.
He shook his head sadly, but knew from experience it would not help to argue with a stubborn person who was capable of disappearing before Dr Tofu could do anything.
Shampoo was hurrying through the park on her bike with an order in one hand and the other on her handlebars for fine control-well, maybe not so fine. All the flattened squirrels that lay behind her with x's for eyes would agree if they were alive to. As she bicycled through the park, she noticed a dark figure hunched over on a park bench. Shampoo would have kept going if it were not for the fact the sharp scent of blood hung in the air. She skidded to a halt and looked at the figure. It did not stir from the slumped position it lay in.
Shampoo cocked her head as she peered at him. She shot a quick glance at the order she held and then guiltily resumed her biking. Grandmother would be upset with her if the order turned cold. Maybe he would still be there when she got back . . .