Chapter 2: Ghostbusting

Afterward, Ranma and Tofu left the barn. "Is Kazue an Elder Animal?" Ranma asked the disguised Kitsune.

"I'm not sure," Tofu answered. "Not if Haruo has her age right, but he could be wrong. Normally, I can't see an Elder Animal as a servant. But she certainly has potential to become one if she's not. She's way smarter than other horses. She understands Japanese clearly and can communicate back. She's also aging very slowly. I'd be very surprised if she wasn't capable of some magic. At the very least, she's probably Shielding her mind, because I pick up nothing – no stray thoughts at all."

"Hmmm…" Ranma started. "I wonder if…"

That was as far as he got. As the two men hit the middle of the yard, a fierce wind arose. It seemed to be blowing down the hill from the tree on top. The wind was freezing, as if it was trying to drain the heat from their bodies. But Tofu was protected by his Fire Magic and Ranma was invulnerable to the cold. Tofu shouted a caution to Ranma above the wind: "Remember: nothing visible!"

Ranma called back: "Got it!" Without making a gesture, he countered with a windstorm of his own, making sure *not* to allow a whirlwind to form. Immediately, Ranma knew the wind was not natural in any way, shape, or form. It was definitely being driven by a single emotion: extreme anger. Once the Martial Artist realized that, he dropped his windstorm and instead absorbed the energy his opponent threw at him blindly. Suddenly, the wind vanished and everything fell quiet.

"Well, that was interesting," Tofu said understatedly. "Nice play by the way."

"I just picked up a lot of energy," Ranma told him. "Haruo mentioned ghosts. Wanna go ghostbusting tonight?" Tofu's answering grin was vicious.

Later that night, the two couples left the guest house, walked across the yard, and climbed the split rail fence separating the tree and its field from the ranch yard. The moon was past its first quarter phase, so there was a fair bit of light to walk by. "Oh my, I hope were not trespassing," Kasumi fretted.

"No, I checked," Tofu answered. "The field belongs to the ranch. Guests can hike here, but most don't."

"Why not?" Akane asked.

"Because the ranch tells everyone the field is haunted. That wind that springs from nowhere is an excellent persuader," Tofu told her.

"There are no horses here either," Ranma noted.

"That's because the ranch hands truly believe it's haunted, so they don't risk the horses," Tofu explained.

"I don't Feel or See anything though," Kasumi commented.

"I don't either," Tofu agreed. "Maybe when we get to the tree."

They climbed the hill in silence until they reached the tree. Kasumi placed a hand on the bark and said: "If this is haunted, it's the quietest ghost I've met."

"Yeah," Akane agreed. "No chills, no fright. Weird."

Ranma walked around the tree and moved around the top of the hill. "But that wind came from here. Something was angry…" he started.

"Ranma!" Tofu called out in warning, but Ranma was already blocking the high incoming blow. His assailant could not be seen in the moonlight, but Ranma grunted under the strike.

"Everyone look away," Akane ordered. "Nova Burst!" she cried out. A flash lit up the night, but nothing was revealed.

"It retreated," Ranma said.

"What was it?" Tofu demanded.

"I don't know. It felt like someone swung a club at me. Whoever it was is strong," Ranma answered. "They can also move fast."

Suddenly, Tofu dove out of the way. Something seemed to rush through the space he had been standing in. No one could see the thing clearly, but their Martial Artist senses told them something was there. It flew by Ranma and launched a lateral blow against the pig-tailed man. Ranma blocked again, but the force of the blow lifted him up and tossed him back ten meters. He landed on his feet and ran back at the thing, but it was already retreating. However, not before Akane and Kasumi managed to launch Chi blasts and score hits. A scream tore across the night and then everything was silent.

"What the hell is it?" Ranma demanded harshly.

"It's Cloaking heavily, but it's physical," Tofu stated.

"And it can be hurt," Akane concluded.

"Everyone, put your back to the tree and fan out," Ranma ordered. They did so and scanned all around. However, as the minutes ticked by silently, it became obvious that their attacker was gone.

Tofu looked at the ground. "It left no tracks in soft soil," he observed.

"It could attack physically," Kasumi added.

"And blur its form in a Cloak even when attacking," Akane noted.

"And it's not use to pain," Ranma finished.

"All right, so what does that leave us?" Tofu prompted.

"Mage – Wind Mage," Ranma concluded. "A really good one, but he – or she – is the size of the Dojo Destroyer."

"Oh my. That would make sense," Kasumi said. "He sees Ranma as an intruder or a challenger."

Ranma looked thoughtful for a moment and said softly: "The Mage on the Hill."

"Sorry?" Tofu prompted.

"It's something my 'Inner self' told me last Christmas. He said that there was a Wind mage closer than your friend in Hokkaido. He said the Mage was aware of me and wanted a fight," Ranma explained.

Tofu let out a sigh. "Will you tell me things like that?" he said exasperatedly. "Please?" Then the doctor straightened up. "Well, I said we were going on a training trip. Looks like I was more right that I knew…"

That night, Ranma meditated…

He appeared in his Spirit Center – the Plaza of the Three Temples. After a quick check of the Yang and Yin temples, he walked over to the Feline Temple. He stopped briefly to check the statue of Akane in her gi that sat on a pedestal in the middle of a fountain. Even though the gi was correctly tied, the cut of the top showed a bit more than it should – something Akane arranged when she was here once. The gardens in the plaza where in full (perpetual) bloom and the skies were partly cloudly, reflecting Ranma's overall contented state, but also showing his concern about the Mage on the Hill.

As he entered the temple, he called out: "Rera?" He also stopped to pet the three cats that ran to him. Fortunately, the spirit cats didn't trigger the Cat Fist because Ranma was now comfortable with this part of himself.

"Upstairs!" the Wind Spirit yelled back.

Ranma walked up the stairs to find Rera staring at a large translucent floating globe of the Earth. About five dozen cats watched Rera and the image. The planet was overlaid with Dragon lines showing the power flows through the atmosphere. Ranma noted a black splotch over the Bayankala Mountains in China. "It's larger," he observed.

Rera nodded. He appeared to be ten year old boy wearing a sky blue gi. He had dark hair and blue eyes, just like the young man who sheltered him. With a gesture, Rera conjured two cups of tea and handed one to Ranma. "We have to get rid of Henna by the Solstice – most likely on the Solstice. Our allies will be at their strongest then. If we don't succeed, it's all over and the planet disasters start; then World War."

"Caused by the shortages," Ranma finished. "We'll be ready," he stated.

"Speaking of which…" Rera prompted.

"The Mage on the Hill?" Ranma quizzed after he took a sip of tea.

"This area is his place of power," Rera agreed. "I don't know him though; I just know the echoes he's causing. Even so, I'm not suppose to play favorites," he added with a smirk.

Ranma snorted and responded with "Yeah, yeah…" The two spirit brothers were comfortable with their relationship. "What can you tell me?"

"Don't get stuck in your thinking," Rera warned seriously. "Hopefully, things won't be what they seem. He's definitely arrogant, prideful, and stubborn, but he may not necessarily be evil. Unlike some of your past battles, these battles between Mages are usually not to the death; but he might try to make you wish you were dead though. This is about Willpower. That's all I can tell you right now. I won't know more until after we meet him." Ranma just nodded his head.

Rera made a gesture and the translucent globe vanished. "All right, enough saving the world for now; I want a break," he said as he grabbed Ranma's hand and led the pigtailed man toward the stairs. "Come teach me the Libra kata. I need some ideas for handling Apay without pulling rank. She's winning too many of our matches otherwise…" Ranma suppressed a laugh.

The next morning Kasumi and Akane waited for the men downstairs in the dining room. "What is taking them so long?" Kasumi wondered out loud.

"Judging from the fighting I heard, Tofu's having trouble getting Ranma to move," Akane said off-handedly.

"But, Ranma's been doing so well since the beginning of the year…" Kasumi started and then cut off at Akane's knowing look. "Oh my."

"Tofu just doesn't provide the proper motivation like I can," Akane continued whimsically. "Things would go a lot faster if we switched to our normal sleeping arrangements. You belong with your husband."

"I need more sausage," Kasumi said quickly as she got up.

"Yes, you probably do," Akane murmured just loud enough for Kasumi to hear.

"Nabiki's a bad influence on you," retorted the elder sister.

While Kasumi was gone, the men came to the table. "Any luck?" Tofu asked.

"I managed to rattle her a little, but that was it," Akane said. "This morning's fight was inspired though."

"What fight?" Ranma asked.

"Didn't you two have a fight this morning?" she pressed.

"We sparred out in the field behind the guest quarters," Ranma said. "That was it."

"She's talking about the tape recorder I set up to go off at eight AM," Tofu explained. "I had it play one of our classic arguments." Ranma put his hands to his mouth to stifle his laughter. Akane just tightened her lips – a lot. "I have a few other surprises that may make her think twice," Tofu added.

After breakfast, the four of them were working with Haruo. Ranma was riding a horse named Ken, a large and strong horse. The animal was also very obedient, although Haruo claimed that was because the horse was very dumb. In truth, Ranma found that the horse responded best to the reins – it seemed Ken couldn't figure out Kazue's leg and posture commands. When Ranma mentioned that to Haruo, the ranch hand laughed. "That's Ken for you," Haruo said. "He's a bit oblivious to the finer details of life."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Akane chimed in. Ranma settled for fixing her with a sour look.

"But he's a good horse anyway. Does exactly what you tell him," Haruo continued.

"Ah…there they differ," Akane added. Ranma blew a raspberry at his bride-to-be.

Haruo turned to Kasumi. "I thought you said they weren't married?" he quizzed.

"They're not. They're engaged," Kasumi stated firmly.

"Could have fooled me," Haruo shot back with a laugh. Akane and Ranma just grinned. Haruo turned back to Ranma and said: "You have to watch the trail for Ken. He won't do it himself."

"Got it," Ranma acknowledged.

They worked with the horses for an hour or so and Haruo said: "Good. Let's get out of the ring and go for a ride."

They left the corral and hit another wilderness trail. After a bit, Akane called out: "Hey, Haruo? Where are we exactly?"

Haruo looked back at Akane with confusion: "We're about a kilometer out. Why?"

"No, I mean, whose land are we on? The ranch can't own all this land – it would cost a fortune," she clarified.

Haruo smiled. "You've got a good head on your shoulders. We're on government land. The ranch is next to national park that allows riders. It's one of the reasons we get a lot of business."

"That works," Tofu noted.

The doctor was about to say more when Haruo's radio squawked to life: "Haruo! Pick up, man!"

The ranch hand unhooked his radio from its holder on his belt. "Haruo here!"

"He's back!" the radio crackled.

"Damn it!" Haruo swore. "I was hoping he was gone for good! I'm on my way!"

"Trouble?" Tofu prompted.

"Yeah, ranch business," Haruo told them. The rancher thought for a minute and said: "All right, you lot are doing well. Why don't you keep going?" He handed Tofu his radio. "Just follow the blue markers; they loop back to the ranch in an hour or so. Call if you get lost. There's also a GPS in there with the Home coordinates."

"I know how to use one," Tofu reassured him.

"All right. Enjoy your ride." With that, Haruo turned his horse and rode back down the trail.

"Oh my. I wonder what's up?" Kasumi asked.

Tofu shrugged. "Haruo wanted to get back quickly without us slowing him down."

"Should we go back and help?"

"Help with what? For all we know it's a banker or a relative," Tofu responded. "I'm afraid it's none of our business…yet."

"So you don't believe that," Ranma pushed.

"I believe we should continue our ride. There's something over that way we need to see," Tofu said with a gesture to the north, off the trail.

"What's there?" Akane prompted.

"A blank spot. I can't See into it," the doctor answered.

"A Mage Ward?" Ranma asked, his eyes glittering.

"Just something that needs a look," Tofu said noncommittally.

They made their way over to the ruin in the forest cautiously. It was an old large two floor farmhouse that the forest had reclaimed. There was moss on the walls and a few holes in the roof. There was also a spooky feeling about the place – a feeling that said "Go away!"

"It's not right," Ranma said after studying the place.

"What's not right?" Tofu asked studying his student. His eyes almost glittered.

"The inside is pitch black despite the holes and the windows; and the walls are way to solid for all that moss. It's either a shell or an illusion," Ranma answered.

"Full points," Tofu smiled grimly. "It's a shell hiding a smaller house inside. Let's take a closer look."

"Doesn't look as if they want visitors," Kasumi warned.

"He'll see me," Ranma said confidently.

"Famous last words," Akane commented in a hushed voice.

They tied their horses to trees a way back from the house and approached the house carefully, looking for any signs of Wards or traps. As they got to the front door, Ranma was about to knock when he stopped. "This is it," he told them. "I can feel the Ward. If I break it, there will be a blast of cold and an energy drain. We can't get in."

"Oh well," Tofu shrugged. "It's not polite to go in uninvited. Now we know where he lives. It's not much, but it confirms a Mage in the area."

"Surely, there has to be a way to get his attention," Kasumi stated.

"Love, he's a hermit. He doesn't want to give anyone his attention," Tofu told her.

"He started this," Ranma said. "Back up." They did so.

"Ranma…" Tofu began. Ranma never listened though. Instead, the young mage fired a Chi blast at the front door. The Ward responded explosively, blowing dirt and leaves all over them. "And that proved what?" Tofu asked.

"I knocked at the front door," Ranma shrugged. "He'll either answer or attack."

They waited five minutes. "Or he's not home," Akane stated.

"Looks that way. I doubt he'd pass on Ranma's challenge," Tofu observed. Ranma blew out his frustration.

"Let's go back a get cleaned up," Kasumi requested as she brushed dirt off of herself. Ranma grabbed a stick and began to dig at the ground. "What are you doing, Ranma?" she asked.

"Letting him know I was here," Ranma answered.

Tofu stopped him. "He'll know. The Ward will tell him. Let's go."

They rode back to the ranch and witnessed a strange sight – all the ranch hands were lined up at the bottom of the hill behind the fence shouting at the top of their lungs. In among them was Kazue, neighing and screaming while looking up the hill. On top of the hill, just under the tree, was a tall dark grey stallion with a white star on his forehead. He seemed to be shouting back at the crowd.

"What the hell?" Ranma wondered.

"Now we know who Haruo meant by 'He'," Tofu said. "Somehow, there's a wild stallion in the area. Breeding season is soon, too. He probably wants at the mares."

"Great, a horse Kuno," Akane sighed.

Two ranch hands ran over to them. "We need to put the mares in the barn," one of them told the quartet. They quickly grabbed Kasumi's horse as she had the only mare in the group.

"She wants the stallion," Tofu noted as the first man led the resisting horse away.

"The mares are all enamored with the stallion," the second man said.

"Kazue's not though," Kasumi pointed out.

"The grand lady has never been interested in him her entire life," the ranch hand agreed before heading back to the crowd.

"Now what?" Ranma asked Tofu.

"Now we lead our horses to the barn and take care of them," Tofu told them as he slid off his horse.

Ranma and Akane followed his actions and led the horses across the yard toward the barn. Halfway across the yard, they noticed that the stallion started to scream even louder and began frothing at the mouth. Ranma stopped to turn and look at the animal on the hill. "Is it rabid?" he wondered aloud.

"Just extremely angry," Tofu said. Ken shifted in Ranma's grip and nudged the young man. "Come on," Tofu continued. "Let's get the horses out of here."

Out-of-sight of the spectacle out front, Ranma, Akane, and Tofu rubbed down their horses with Kasumi helping Tofu. "Why didn't these three react to the stallion?" Ranma quizzed.

"Because they are geldings, Ranma," Tofu explained.

"Say what?"

"They've been castrated."

Ranma looked horrified. Then he laid a hand on the horse's neck, "Damn!" Ranma exclaimed. Fortunately the horse only nuzzled him.

Akane was also troubled. "I forgot they did that to most of the males. You poor thing!" she said as she hugged her horse.

"Oh my," Kasumi replied to the teenagers' responses. She raised her hand to hide her smile.

"Horse breeding is expensive and tightly controlled," Tofu continued. "Gelding also creates a calmer, more stable, and more tractable animal.

"Of course he's calmer," Ranma retorted. "He's afraid the legs are next if he acts up again."

"That may be true, too," Tofu admitted.

Once they were done, the quartet went back to the main yard where they found things had returned to normal. The grey stallion was nowhere in sight. "I guess he gave up," Tofu said.

Something was bothering Ranma though. "I'll be back in a minute," he said. He hopped the split rail fence and then started to walk up the hill. When he got to the tree, he stopped and looked around, waiting. When the blow came, no made no effort to block it. There was a rush of something in the air, a vague shape racing toward him, an impact to his side, and he was launched back down the hill. The pig-tailed man staggered up and managed to walk down the hill with some decorum. Before anyone could ask a question, he told them: "Not here. Back to the room." They all quickly followed him.

In his room, Ranma carefully lifted his shirt and studied the bruise pattern. Everyone else was silent. There was no mistaking the two hoof prints on his side.

Next up : Challenge