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Reaping the Souls of the Cursed
By: Ellf
Prologue: Introspective
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Disclaimer: If I owned either Ranma or Bleach, why would I be writing this?
Soul Society's morning air was crisp, clean and full of anticipation. The Captains and Vice-Captains of the Gotei were all gathered around the Court of Pure Souls Central office. A judgment was about to be released.
"Vice-Captain Shihouin Ranma, step forward." The voice of the head of Central rang out. The Shinigami in question walked up from his standing next to the Captain-Commander, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni. Dressed like a typical Shinigami, Ranma had his hair tied up in a pigtail that went down to the center of his back, and his Zanpakutoh sits in a sheath at his side. "Vice-Captain, your judgment for your crime has been decided. Though this crime in of itself did not harm Soul Society for the time being, it had the potential to do great harm to the balance between the worlds."
Bowing his head, Ranma replied, "I understand, Director."
They weren't finished yet. "Shihouin Ranma, you have been judged guilty and will now be sentenced. For your past usefulness, we will not give you the Death Sentence; instead we shall send you to Earth for an indeterminate amount of time. Eventually you may be allowed back into Seireitei, but for now, you will be on Earth."
Ranma did not look surprised at his sentence and bowed his head. "Understood."
"Feel free to do your normal Shinigami duties while on Earth, but you will be limited just as all Vice-Captains and Captains are. Your escort to earth will be Aizen Sousuke, after which he will take away your Hell Butterfly to prevent you from getting back here."
Captain Aizen walked up to stand next to Ranma. "Well, Vice-Captain, shall we go?"
Nodding Ranma opened the portal to Earth, and stepped through, followed shortly by Captain Aizen.
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The portal opened up in a city and out stepped the two Shinigami, Captain Aizen and Ranma. The buildings here were taller than in Soul Society, and unlike in Seireitei it was night here.
"Where are we, Captain Aizen?" Ranma looked at the glasses-wearing Captain.
"Earth, of course. More specifically, we're in Tokyo, the Karakura Town area to be precise. And this is where I leave you." Aizen snatched something that was floating around Ranma. "You can't have this with you, now can you? Your Hell Butterfly would be awkward to leave with you. After all, we can't have you returning to Soul Society."
Ranma turned and faced the city from the rooftop they were standing on. It seemed oddly appropriate that here was where he would face his sentence. After what he had gone through, he had hoped for the death penalty. It seemed that someone up there hated him. Captain Aizen turned around and began to walk through the portal, saying something before he left. "You, of all my experiments, had the most success; it's a pity you won't be there for the destruction of Soul Society." The portal closed behind him, leaving Ranma there on the rooftop to contemplate in silence.
The destruction of Soul Society? Was that what Aizen was after? Why hadn't he seen it before? Ranma thought of Soul Society, and how he could possibly get back to stop Aizen. There was nothing he could do in this situation; Aizen had made sure of that. His oh so heinous crime that he had committed was slightly the fault of Aizen, only because he made an idle suggestion. No. He would take responsibility for his actions. He had gone into Hueco Mundo knowing full well what would happen. It was only luck that he had managed to prevent that Menos from escaping into Soul Society. He had to use Hoshimaru's Bankai in order to do it too. He deserved his punishment and anything that came with it.
Ranma sat on that rooftop for hours, just thinking, wallowing in his own guilt over his crime. A couple of times he thought of committing seppuku, but he knew that even that would not excuse him of his sin.
Only able to take so much of his own self pity, Ranma decided that he would do his best to atone for his sin by taking out as many Hollows as possible. It was at that moment he heard the woman's scream, followed by that damnable roar. Looking down from the roof, he saw it and its prey. The Hollow was insect-like in shape, having six legs and three body parts, but way too large. Its mask-covered face let out another roar before looking at its prey once more. Its prey was a rather pretty chestnut-haired young woman, maybe in her twenties, wearing a kimono.
Well, time to go to work.
The Hollow pinned the woman down with one of its legs, and was about to begin its feast on her soul. Hearing a slashing sound, the Hollow cried out in pain two seconds later as its leg wasn't there any more. Ranma turned to the lady, "Are you alright Miss?" After seeing her nod, he confirmed why the Hollow was after her. "Stay here, it'll be alright."
Ranma leapt into the fray again as the Hollow swung another of its legs at him.
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Nodoka Saotome was elated. Her husband Genma was so manly! Manly enough to get her pregnant on their first try. That Isshin Kurosaki was a wonderful physician, and his wife Masaki was friendly enough that they made her visit fly by.
However that elation only lasted a short while as she noticed a familiar shimmer in the air.
"Keh heh heh, I smell something delightfully tasty." The voice was male, but one couldn't really tell with Hollows. "A meal made of Quincy would be beautiful."
Normally this wouldn't be too much of a problem for Nodoka, but she had the baby too worry about. She was unsure as to how the Quincy abilities she had would affect her unborn child. It was entirely possible that she would draw too much energy and end up taking some of her child's Reiatsu as well.
Having no other choice, Nodoka turned and ran. Maybe she could lose this Hollow to some passing Shinigami or something. Either that or she could get to her father's house. Unfortunately, like all Hollows, this one was fast.
"Where are you going, Quincy? Are you scared of me?" The Hollow followed closely behind her, dead set on having her for a meal. Nodoka was genuinely scared and let out a shriek that would make any schoolgirl proud, only to be drowned out by the roar of the Hollow that followed her.
Running in a Kimono is remarkably hard, and though Nodoka had done it before, this time she wasn't able to fight back. The Hollow quickly caught up to her and pinned her down with one of its legs. Damnable Hollow, if it weren't for her child... She screamed again.
Suddenly, one of its legs came off, bleeding that horrible color blood that Hollows all bleed. A young man, dressed in a black hakama and holding a katana was standing in between her and the Hollow. Nodoka gasped. This man was a Shinigami, one of the slayers of her kind. Her sensei said to her that they had good reason, but her former betrothed disliked them. At the moment she was just thanking all the Kami she could think of that this Shinigami appeared.
"Are you alright, Miss?" The Shinigami asked and Nodoka nodded, still in awe that she was being saved by what she had thought was her enemy. "Stay here, it'll be alright."
Then the Hollow swung one of its other legs at the Shinigami, who dodged it quickly. Using his Zanpakutoh to deflect the legs, he slashed at the Hollow's mask, but only managed to slash air.
"Oooh, Shinigami, you almost hit me with that one." The Hollow's haunting voice resounded throughout the area. The Shinigami then obviously noticed an opening, one that Nodoka herself noticed, and he slashed the Hollow's mask, leaving a scratch. Hearing the Hollow's cry of pain, Nodoka felt some small satisfaction. Any pain to a Hollow, whether caused by herself or others was good pain.
"Shinigami! Try once more!"
"What do ya think I'm tryin' to do, lady?" The Shinigami seemed to be a bit annoyed. "I can't believe I'm going to have to do this."
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Ranma was panting heavily; this Hollow was tougher than usual. Or was it that he was weaker? Either way, he needed to end this fight. The woman should have ran by now, but she was still here.
"Shinigami! Try once more!" Great, the woman knew what he was, and here he was without his memory lighter.
"What do ya think I'm tryin' to do, lady?" No other choice. "I can't believe I'm going to have to do this." Raising his sword at the Hollow, he smirked.
"Ah, Shinigami... What are you going to do? You're tiring. I'll allow you a few last words before I dine on this feast."
"Fine then. Shine, Hoshimaru." His Zanpakutoh began to glow a brilliant gold. As he swung the sword at the Hollow, an arc of golden light came out of the sword, cutting through the Hollow's mask, purifying it in an instant.
"Sugoi! That was amazing!" The woman looked at him, starry-eyed. "You are so... so... manly!"
Ranma sweatdropped. He allowed his Shikai to dissipate, and he sheathed Hoshimaru. Glancing over the woman, he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alright. Though her face was paling quickly. He shuddered as he felt the reiatsu of four strong Hollows. "Oh... shit... Get behind me, quick!"
The woman did get behind him, though the four Hollows surrounded them as they materialized from Hueco Mundo.
"Um... Shinigami... we're in trouble aren't we?"
"It would seem so, lady. Call me Ranma, Miss."
"Nodoka, Saotome Nodoka."
"Alright, Nodoka-san. You can see me, but that doesn't mean much but explain that they are after your high reiatsu."
"I'm a Quincy, Ranma-san."
"A Quincy? Why didn't you defeat that Hollow yourself then?"
"I'm... I'm pregnant."
Nodding as if that explained everything, Ranma released his Shikai once more. Launching a wave of light at the nearest Hollow, he managed to push it back some. "Damn, I wish I wasn't so... limited."
Suddenly, an arrow of reiatsu struck one of the Hollows in its mask, causing it to evaporate immediately, and a firecracker landed inside one of the Hollows' mouth. The firecracker exploded, taking with it the Hollow. Two figures jumped out beside Nodoka, one a diminutive, bald old man with a pipe, the other another old man who was about a foot shorter than Nodoka, armed with a bow made of reiatsu.
"Ishida-sensei, Happosai-sensei!"
"Well, well, No-chan, it seems you have gotten yourself in a little mess. I can't stand it when pretty ladies are in danger. Of course I'll have you reward me later for saving you."
"Happi! Leave my student alone, and let's deal with the Hollows."
The two older men quickly engaged in the battle, the smaller moving around quickly and the larger shooting arrows at the larger Hollow.
"Right, two left. Shinigami! Your name and rank!" Ranma looked at the old man inquisitively as he dodged a Hollow strike. "Quickly, child!"
"Shihouin Ranma, Former Vice-Captain of the first division." Ranma answered as he panted out
"Former? Never mind that, Ranma m'boy can you take out these Hollows if Ishida and I distract them?" Happosai leaped around the Hollow's melee strikes like a Mexican jumping bean.
The smaller Hollow launched a ball of tainted reiatsu at Ranma who deflected it with a shot from his Zanpakutoh. "I think I can if I get a well timed strike. Ishida-san, can you hit the smaller one while this erm... person and I take the larger one?"
Ishida-san nodded and took aim.
Ranma put his palm up at the smaller Hollow. "Shot of Blue Fire!" The blue fireball engulfed the smaller Hollow, doing barely any damage to it, but it did give Ishida-san time to let off his arrow, driving deep into the Hollow's mask.
Happosai quickly got to work on the larger Hollow. "Happodaikarin!" The small firecrackers had amazingly large explosions, causing the Hollow to cry out in pain. "Now, Ranma!"
Ranma launched his attack at the Hollow while it was distracted by the Happodaikarin, and was able to purify it instantly. Panting heavily, Ranma sheathed his sword once more. Happosai and Ishida-san were in a similar condition. Yet another roar resounded through the area. "What is this? Night of the living Hollow?"
An arrow arced through the air, striking the materializing Hollow behind the trio. They then looked over to see Nodoka, armed with her Spirit Bow, collapse.
Ranma rushed over to the woman to check if she was alright. Happosai and Ishida-san had already gotten there.
"Why'd she collapse?" Ranma asked. He looked at the two men as if they might know something. He wasn't on the medical squad in Soul Society, thus he didn't know anything about what might be going on.
Happosai and Ishida-san began to examine Nodoka's body. "Her reiatsu seems to be normal; she shouldn't have collapsed like that from just using her spirit bow."
"Ishida, as usual, you only see half of the picture. That spirit bow wasn't only reiatsu; it had some ki mixed in as well. She poured all her energy and then some into that shot. It would seem she didn't want to be overprotected." Happosai's face paled as he noticed something in her aura. "Damn, she was pregnant!"
Ranma looked at the Master. "What do you mean, 'was'?"
"Look for yourself Ranma, m'boy! The child's soul is coming out of her womb, its reiatsu and ki are both spent!"
Ranma paled as he realized what he was seeing. He was watching her unborn child die. The pigtailed Shinigami could already see the child's soul and its Chain of Fate coming out from the woman's womb.
Not knowing what he could do about it, he began preparations to perform Konsoh. "I wish it didn't have to be this way lady, but your kid is dying."
Ishida-san sighed, "I'm sorry, No-chan. I couldn't teach you enough control."
"Don't blame yourself Ishida. No-chan always had this problem, even before she met you." Happosai looked over at Ranma. "Ranma m'boy, I want to save that kid more than anything, but I'll need your help to do it."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a technique, known as the Soul Fusion. The child's reiatsu is far too low for it to survive. You, on the other hand, former Vice-Captain, have plenty of it. This technique will take your reiatsu and place it in the child, much in the same way as when you use a gigai."
"Huh? You mean I'll become the child?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes, but it is slightly different. Do you still want to do it?"
"Tell me what to do."
"Place your hands on her child's Chain of Fate." Ranma complied. "This may feel funny, but it's the only way. You will become her child, fused with this unnamed boy's soul."
Ranma nodded. "Perhaps... perhaps this is the way I can repent. Do it, Happosai-san."
The diminutive grandmaster smiled and then cried out, "SOUL FUSION!" Ranma's body transformed into light and both his light and the baby's soul were pulled into Nodoka's womb.
Happosai smiled, the child was saved. Perhaps he would make a good martial artist. The technique was draining, but it managed to save the child. He wouldn't remember his time before the birth, unfortunately, but maybe that would be for the best.
"Happi, I've been meaning to ask you, where are your students?"
"Oh, they are just doing some self-training for a while."
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"Saotome, we have to free ourselves of the master!"
"I know, Tendo, I know. And I have an idea on just how to do it!"
Soun and Genma were running from a horde of angry women as they spoke. Eventually they managed to ditch the women, but they had ended up on the opposite side of the town they needed to be on.
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Nodoka awoke in a familiar bed. It was hers. She must have been carried there by someone.
"No-chan, that Shinigami made a wonderful sacrifice for you today." Happosai could be seen at her bedside, looking drained. "He helped to save your child by becoming him. Please honor him and name your son after him."
"What do you mean 'becoming him'?"
"I used a technique that fused his soul with that of your child, placing him in your son's body."
"So my son isn't my son?"
"No. Ranma, assuming you name him that, will very much be your son. He won't remember being a Shinigami at all. He'll still have yours and Genma's traits; he'll just be also similar to the Shinigami."
Nodoka's face became muddled in contemplation. "He'll be my son?" Seeing the nod from Happosai, Nodoka stated seriously, "Then I should name my son after the Shinigami who sacrificed his memories and sense of self to become my son."
"I'm happy to hear that, No-chan. Now I've been meaning to ask you, why did you use your spirit bow if you knew you were pregnant? Surely you knew the effects it would have on your child."
"I... I'm not sure, Happosai-sensei. All I can remember is looking up and seeing the Hollow appearing behind you three and then waking up here."
"I see. This may also explain why those Hollows were after you as well. You were in no way masking your reiatsu. Your pregnancy must have been screwing with your subconscious control."
Nodoka gasped as it began to make sense. "But what about now?"
"I put a dampener on your reiatsu that'll last for a while. You and your child will be safe from Hollows as long as that dampener is active."
"Thank you Happosai-sensei." Nodoka's face turned curious. "Happosai-sensei, where did Ishida-sensei go off to?"
"He said something about having to help Ryuken with his wife, and then he left."
"What about Genma, where is he?"
"I have him and Soun working on some extra study elsewhere. They said to me earlier that they'd take me out for sake tonight." Happosai smiled, there were three things he loved in the world, the Art, his silky darlings (and the pretty women that wore them), and sake.
"Oh. Tell him when you see him that I want to speak to him."
"Alright, No-chan, I will."
"Thank you, Grandmaster."
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That night Happosai was sealed up in his cave, and a little under nine months later, Saotome Ranma was born. How will this little child, carrier of Quincy blood and a Shinigami soul, affect the world? Only time will tell.
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(End Prologue)
Author's Notes: Well that's the end of the prologue for my Ranma/Bleach crossover. Hopefully it turned out well enough. The Japanese in the story will be limited to certain words that I feel sound better if they are not translated. It'll also include anything that has multiple meanings that I have seen in the subtitling and translation of either series. To anyone who complains that I powered down Ranma, a vice-captain, too much, well, I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. He was limited and his subconscious was holding him back some more. He should have been able to take all six of those Hollows himself but ended up needing help. Oh well, but don't think that this is the end. Just only the beginning.