Truth in Darkness

Declaimer: I own nothing it is all a figment of my warded little mind.

"speech"

"whisper"

'Thought'

People associate true beauty with good, grace with good, and light with good… but what if that was wrong? What if the light of good was really a light that blinded you form the truth. What if the darkness held the true answers and through the world was truly seen. What would you do if to be good and do good you had to walk in darkness and grieve?

The Dawn of a New Age

Ranma sat at the T.V with the rest of the family watched the news that was being aired around the world in a hundred different languages. Angels, beings of light, had landed and were bringing with them messages of love, peace, and hope all over the world, or at least that was what was reported. Religions around the world were coming forward to greet them and worship them. It was as if they had cast a spell over the world or that was what Ranma though as he sat there staring at the screen. 'They have only been here a month and everyone is bowing and scraping to them' thought Ranma 'So what they have wings and claim to be messengers of a higher power and people just get on there knees and worship'. He looked at the Tendo family plus Genma as they stared at the screen and the angels "sigh" 'At least those things haven't come to here yet', cue ominous thunder in background, 'that is never a good sign'.

Suddenly on the screen there was a breaking news report form the M.A.E.W.S or Martial Artist Early Warning System, the system that warned the residents of Nerima of random Martial Arts battles so they could clear the area, that three of the angels was coming to Nerima. The news had and electric affect on the Tendos and Genma.

"Oh my three of the angels are coming here," said Kasumi as she clasped the cross she wore around her neck.

"I wonder what they will be like," said Nabiki, Ranma was a bit creeped out that there was none of the usually calculating that he saw in her eyes when she said that.

" Genma my old friend with the power of love brought by the angels Akane and Ranma are sure to come together and declare there love and the schools will be joined," shouted Soun .

"Your right Tendo nothing can stop there love now," said Genma with fake tears in his eyes posing with Soun.

"That Pervert better not try anything in front of the angels," shouted an irate Akane.

'Its been two years since the battle at Phoenix Mountain and they still act the same way' thought Ranma has he started at the scene in front of him.

While that was happening the news report said that the angels would be meeting the people at the High school at 5:00 this afternoon. At hearing this the whole of the house hold did a collective turn to the clock which showed a time of 4:00. "Oh my goodness we only have an hour to get ready and get there," shouted a frantic Kasumi. When the dust cleared form the family rushing to there rooms to get ready Ranma was left standing alone listing to the frantic shouts of people trying to find certain articles of clothing that the could have sworn were there earlier but now missing and a heated argument over who got to use the bathroom to freshen up. 'What the hell is going on here I have never seen them act like this before' thought Ranma.

It was 4:55 by the time they all arrived at the school. It seemed that they were some of the last to arrive because it looked like the whole of Nerima was there. Scanning the crowd Ranma saw Ukyo and Konatsu, who he waved to and got a smack to his head for his trouble courtesy of Akane. He saw Mouse in the crowd but no Shampoo or Colonge, they were in China at the moment seeing to some tribal business that needed Colongne's attention and Shampoo wanted to see the village again for awhile. Ranma had to smile at that he, Shampoo, and Ukyo had been getting along pretty well lately. After the failed wedding he went off at them for treating him like a prize during one of the many fights that happened after his battle with Saffron and that had had an affect on them. After the incident they had both come to him and begged his forgiveness because both of them really did care for Ranma. Ranma forgave them because they seemed so heart broken and they had enter a quasi friendship/courtship they sometimes fought still but it was more for sport now than any real anger or want to hurt each other. He saw the Kunos standing near the front of the crowd near the stage that had been built for the angels.

There was something odd though. Kodachi seemed nervous, not the excited nervous of the crowd but a nervousness brought on by dread of something. The thing that drew his attention to this though was the fact that he was dreading something to. All the way to the school with each step something inside of him told him to run and get way with each step his uneasiness grew. Now looking over the crowd Ranma was easily able to spot Kodachi because she had an aura of dread in a crowd of people filled with excitement. Another this that made him nervous was the fact that something happening in his mind. It was has if a haze was clearing that he never knew existed over his mind. It was if he was going into the soul of ice as he walked towards the school, but he was not being separated form his emotion it was as if they were falling into place for the first time in his life. However before he could go into a more in-depth look into his own mind and its workings he heard a gasp form the crowd.

Looking into the sky Ranma saw them, well the outline of them in the sky. The circled the school slowly and with each circle he felt his uneasiness grow. The crowd however seemed to becoming even more enraptured and spellbound. Ranma risked a quick glance at Ukyo and found her looking at the angels with adoration. Now feeling almost completely alone in the crowd he looked at Kodachi who was looking at him with a fearful expression on her face. It was too late to do anything however, the angels had landed.

Silence was almost palatable in the air was they stood there in all there "glory". Each of them stood six feet tall with snow white wings coming out of there backs and wore robes of pure white that seemed to shine with a light all its own. There was one male who had the body of a dancer, lithe and flexible but seeming to posses a deep strength his face was something that would have been on an ancient Greek statute of a god, hair as rich has gold that flowed down his mid back, but his eyes, a clear sky blue, were hollow, devoid of all feeling and pit of emptiness. There were two females with him one to each side of him. They were like the male they each had an eternal and unreal beauty to them and both had honey blonde hair but there sky blue eyes were hollow like the male. Each of them looked perfect… sort of. To Ranma's eyes the image of the angels was somehow off. They were there but they were not. It was as if he were seeing them under water as if they're faces and bodies were slightly blurred. Ranma looked into the crowd and there was nothing but awe, love, and worship on all the faces there but Kodachi's.

"Greetings people of Nerima," said the male angel in a voice that was perfect… sort of. Again there was something of to it a slight echoing like it was not what everyone else was hearing. "My name is Gabriel and my companions are Eve," gestured to the right, "and Sara," gestured to the left," we have come to you today to spread the words of our lord to you," said the Gabriel. "We bring to you the wisdom of our people and love of our master. We wish you all to know of his greatness. We wish for all of you to join us in his service of the greater good and come to love him as we do." Ranma looked into the crowd again hoping to see something other than blind love and worship but again he saw only Kodachi was looking at him fear in her eyes. He felt it to a not fear but dread of what was going to happen but deeper down he was beginning to feel rage. The angels were doing something to these people. Whatever it was it was stripping them of there free will because one look at anyone in that crowd convinced him that they would do anything the angels asked.

Lost in these thoughts Ranma missed the rest of the speech which Gabriel was making but was awakened from his inter thoughts by a cheer form the crowd. "Calm please good people there are, as unbelievable as it may seem, those that oppose our master and try to stop us form spreading the light of his wisdom." The crowd shouted denial that no one could deny them in there light. "We have heard tales of mighty warriors that lived in his place and we wish fore there assistance in fighting the great evil that try to prevent us bring our message to all people." There was another cheer form the crowd and the fighter of the district began to move to the front of the crowd towards the stage. He saw Ukyo, Konatsu, Akane, Soun, Genma, Happosai, Mouse, Kuno, and all the other fighters of the district began to move forward. In the shifting crowd Ranma saw Kodachi heading toward him and he moved to her. The haze in his mind was now lifting faster and he was thinking faster like he was in battle 'Wait the only time that I thought clearly was when I was in battle why didn't I ever notice'.

"Ranma-sama what is going on here," said Kodachi in and voice full of fright and ,to Ranma's ears, sanity.

"I don't know there is to much happening it feels as if a haze is being lifted form my mind, these angels coming here, and people bowing down to them as if there were gods," said Ranma.

Kodachi stared at Ranma and said in a voice full of mixed emotion "Then you feel it too, that you at truly aware for the first time and that something was messing with your mind." She the threw herself into his arms tears in her eyes "I'm sorry Ranma-sama for what I have done to you please forgive me"

"Shhh Kodachi Shhh its ok I understand we can talk about it later but right now I think that you and I are the only ones unaffected by those feathery bastards we need to keep our heads if we are going to get out of this," Said Ranma stroking her hair.

No one noticed the two of them all of the people were staring at the stage and the fighter gathering in front of it. Gabriel was looking at the fighters and seemed to find something missing. "I was told that the greatest warrior of this place was Ranma Saotome but I do not see anyone up here that matches his description. Where is he?" asked Gabriel.

Being know by everyone in Nerima the crowd instantly parted around him and Kodachi.

"Ahh there you are," said Gabriel, "Why have you not taken up your place of honor with the other warriors? Oh and that young lady with you matches the description of Kodachi Kuno, why are you too not with your fellow warriors?"

Ranma felt Kodachi stiffen in his arms "Don't worry I won' let anyone harm you Ko-chan" Ranma whisper to her he didn't know why he called her Ko-chan but if a connection with her at this moment. To know that the girl that was in front of him was not the same one that had laughed manically and thrown bombs poison everywhere. He did not know how he knew but he did.

"I bow to nothing and no one so I am not going to get on my knees and serve you and you had better stop whatever it is that you are doing to these people," growled Ranma staring at Gabriel.

"… I see I will give you a second chance because we of the light are forgiving and merciful. So I ask again will you serve," said Gabriel.

Ranma was about to tell him to shove it where the sun don't shine when he felt something slam into his mind. Suddenly he understood it was not about him it was about serving the Great One to be in him serves to obey to… "Don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone again" it was a small voice that caused him to look down. Still in his arms was Kodachi staring up at him her eyes a raging sea of emotion all directed at him.

Then he realized the haze was coming back thicker than before it was clouding his mind, but this haze was different it was inviting full of promises of love, light, and acceptance.

One of the few things that Ranma had that was his and would fight to the death for was his free will. He had been controlled most of his life and HATED when people forced him or did not give him a choice. That was what that haze was trying to do take his free will…well screw that.

"NO" Ranma shouted.

"It saddens me that you will not join us in the light but it is you choice now you are of the darkness and light destroys the darkness. People of Nerima do you see now that there are those that would fight the light and stop the spread of peace," said Gabriel pointing at Ranma.

"Kodachi you still can come into the…" Gabriel was interrupted by Kodachi, "NO I will never abandon Ranma-sama." "So be it."

Suddenly the people around them stared at them. There eyes full of anger and hate. They wanted them dead. Ranma scan the crowd hoping someone would resist someone come to there senses. He looked to the Tendos and his Father, he saw only hate none of them even trying to resist all he saw was hate directed at him. He looked to Ukyo and he had hope she stood there motionless staring at him a war of emotion in her eyes. Hope died in Ranma as he saw Eve come up behind Ukyo and place a hand on her shoulder. Only Hate was left for him in Ukyo.

"Kill them," said Gabriel.

The worst part of this was that as they charged they were not mindless slaves he saw that each of them was still a person he knew but they wanted his and Kodachi's blood.

Authors Notes- Well this is chapter one of Truth in Darkness. What do you think? I know you guys have a million questions but I'm going to hopefully answer them in the next chapter. If I get enough of a response I'll continue this story if not I will continue to think new ones up. With this story I am making a valiant effort with my grammar so let me know how bad it is so I can try to improve. As for pairings it is up in the air I plan for a couple crossovers so I have no definite match. Anyway review and let me know what you think.