Author Note: Well its Christmas Eve and I wanted to wish all my readers a happy Holiday, I hope you will enjoy this new edition to my story.
S-D Ch:3
Ranma paced back and forth looking rather perturbed, while the tricolor-haired girl laid on the floor behind her bed watching his every step from under it with growing annoyance as she didn't like pacing however she couldn't face him if she wanted to her voice had stopped working a long time ago for some reason or another.
Then when Herb thought her nightmare would continue, the male martial artist finally stopped pacing and moved to sit on his bunk leaning against the wall, at which he looked across the room at her making eye contact briefly, she quickly diverted her eyes by rolling over to face the wall.
"Say wanna come out from under there and talk or somethin'?" Ranma called in his native tongue to the cell's only other occupant, of whom seemed intent on ignoring him. 'Jeez the one person I can chat with it would seem is bent on being anti-social.' he thought to himself, just as footfalls gained his attention letting him know someone was coming, and the opening and shutting of the gates that separated each area.
A young Japanese woman dressed in a rather revealing black outfit if you could call it that consisted of a corset and thong and garter stocking set with white lace trimmings, was now standing at the gate holding an orange pan in her hands, while two burly soldiers stood behind her, one of which moved forward opening the gate with his keys.
"Eh" Ranma let out quickly looking away from said woman as she entered his cell, approaching him, the guards stayed outside closing the gate.
The woman looked to the raven-haired boy with auburn eye's. "Could you please stand for me and strip so I can get your measurements?" she requested of a seemingly flustered Ranma who slowly obliged her request standing up, placing his hand on the sash that tied his gi.
"U'm do I gotta ya k-kn-ow st-s-tr-ip?" he questioned seeming to stutter, his cheeks flush.
The woman set the orange plate on the bed, quickly taking hold of the sash removing it from Ranma's person, at which she walked behind him taking hold of the gi of which she pulled it off of him, of which he allowed his arms to move to make this rather easy.
"There that wasn't to hard now was it?" the woman questioned, as she took his left hand into her right hand leading him to the shower, at which she made him stand under the shower head, as she turned on the cold water.
Much to his now her embarrassment, Ranma sat shivering from the cold crossing her arms over her now bulbous chest, while the woman turned the water off, then took hold of the neko-girl's right bicep leading her back over to where she had set her plate.
"Arms up out to the side please." the woman commanded, while picking up a cloth measuring tape, while Ranma hesitantly complied all to aware of the two male soldiers standing outside the gate ogling her shame.
The woman quickly went about taking measurement's, even going so far as to place the cloth measuring tape just above and under her feline tail, which didn't help Ranma's nerves much since she knew all to well what was there which caused her to shiver with fear.
"You know your lucky compared to some most hybrid felines have fur all over their bodies with you seems you got it on your ears and tail only." the girl noted, while continuing to take measurements now working on the smaller girls legs.
Ranma continued to tremble with fear. "H-ho-w l-lu-cky I-i m-must be." she got out through chattering teeth, of which the girl finally finished her work, bent down taking the dirty old gi that was crumbled on the floor in hand along with her orange plate before standing back up and headed for the gate.
"Hey those are my cloths!" Ranma called lowering her arms as the woman exited, and the gate was shut behind her, at which she watched as the woman continued out of her sight along with the two burly soldiers as well. Her attention was then called to the rooms other occupant when a cloth item was tossed at her of which she barely caught in her right hand before it could tumble to the floor.
Herb was now standing stretching slightly before she unbound her hair, walking passed the red-head and entering the shower area, carrying a blue towel in her right hand.
Watching the mysterious girl enter the shower she heard the sound of running water, Ranma unfolded the cloth item observing it to be a long white gown that was in the shape of an oversize t-shirt with a design on it in the form of a heart with an arrow through it along with the word love written in kanji in gold glitter, of which she quickly put on observing it came down a little below her knees.
"Thank you." the neko-girl called however once again heard no answer, taking a seat on her bed, she quickly wrapped a blanket around herself.
After what seemed like thirty minutes had went by the water stopped running, and Herb walked out wearing nothing at all drying herself off as she walked causing her cell mate to look away blushing rather profusely.
"U'm doesn't it bother you to ya know be in such a state of undress in front of a guy?" Ranma questioned, as she peeked observing the mysterious girl now had the towel wrapped around herself and was now brushing her hair once again seeming to ignore her question. 'Does she not speak Japanese or something?' she wondered.
Herb continued to look into the mirror as she brushed her locks observing a young teenage girl who seemed rather sad. After being locked in her female form since the age of seven hormones had done their job of convincing her mind with little doubt she was no longer apart of the male sex.
Her gaze then centered on the collar around her neck grimacing slightly, as it's charcoal black appearance seemed to mar her beauty, barely visible hairline cracks etched into it's clasp, and throughout its ring were a sign the collar was slowly weakening in magical power and losing it's durability and may someday soon fracture. 'It's almost finished.' she thought a warm feeling of hope building deep inside her heart and soul.
Ranma continued to sit with her blanket wrapped around herself, her gaze centered on the floor watching a cockroach that skittered by crawling up and over the bottom bar of the cell-gate and into the corridor. 'Must be nice to be you right about now Mr. Cockroach free to come and go as you please.' she thought of the tiny critter since all she could do was sit and wait.
Meanwhile and somewhere else in China a raven-haired Japanese boy around the age of fifteen now walked through a treacherous mountain pass, wearing a yellow long-sleeved shirt that did nothing to hide his well chiseled chest and rock hard biceps, a black and yellow bandanna, and green pants with ties surrounding the bottom cuffs of his pant legs, brown slippers, his eye's almond colored, just showing below his upper lip two fangs at either side.
He paused in his walking trying to get his barrings as his gaze scanned across the land scape. "Where in the Hell am I now!" he shouted out causing birds to leave their nests and or perches and nearby wildlife to run away in fear. An Aura of green seemed to surround the boy as he stood there his eyes looking as if they had been through untold horrors and humiliation over his travels.. his current predicament being that he was lost with no sense of direction.
Retrieving a map from his pack, he unfolded it and began looking over it to find out where it was that he was now located. 'I must be in China.. but where all these places look the same.' he casually observed, before folding his map placing it back in his pack before starting in a random direction.
After what seemed like five minutes he found himself somehow walking down a long winding tunnel until finally finding himself in a small square-shaped room with a shower head, and a drain, scanning his surroundings he observed a doorway that gave way to a larger area of which he walked inside. First thing he observed to his right was a bed with female clothing hung over it, along with a cute girl he might have seen three months ago however he couldn't be sure also unaware of the red-head that was sitting to his left staring at him in wide-eyed shock.
"Excuse me can you tell me again where I can find the training grounds of Jusenkyo?" he queried as he looked to the tricolored-haired girl, of whom turned to face him giving a blank look of which gave him proof she was indeed the same girl.
Herb eyed the raven-haired boy. 'Oh great I am seeing things again.' she thought to herself worry deepening that she was losing what little sanity she still possessed, none the less she opened the drawer in front of her up producing a pad of paper and a pencil.
"Oh I see you have a friend now. Oh that reminds me I have something for you sorry it's a little late, but should still be edible." Ryoga called, while scanning his surroundings, while looking around, he then walked over to the dragon princess, taking his pack off setting it on the floor then started to rummage through its holdings.
Herb quickly jotted down directions once again though she couldn't be too sure since she wasn't quite sure where in the prison she was located. Once finished she showed the message to the fang-toothed martial artist reading:
[You need to head North down an old winding path just after entering the Byankala range for about three miles then head due east for another mile and you should arrive at Jusenkyo directly.]
"Thank you." Ryoga said with a warm smile as he read the note, and pleased he found what it was he was looking for retrieving a candy bar that was in a blue and white wrapper, with the word Crunch written on it. He then offered the bar to the dragon princess of which she took graciously unwrapping it and devouring it like it was the best thing on the planet, while he took the note with the directions in hand after tearing it off the paper, then after putting his pack back on he then made his way back out heading in another random direction of which the red-head quickly got up from her spot following him into the shower area.
Herb after gobbling her treat was now licking her fingers clean when she heard the loud slapping of flesh on granite sound out and a thumping sound on the floor along with a "Ohmph"
In the shower now laying on her back rubbing her face, Ranma blinked twice at the wall of which she had seen the teenager walk through it as If it was transparent. 'What the heck he walked right through the wall?' she questioned herself, looking up as a shadow fell upon her observing Herb still wearing a bath towel and was looking at her with a look of surprise.
Herb made a gesture with her left hand as if to say you saw him too, Ranma gave a simple nod of her head.
"Yea I saw him plain as day. Has he been through here before?" she questioned the taller girl, as she slowly got up off the floor, while said girl had already started walking back to the vanity before writing another message.
Ranma followed after the dragon princess looking over her shoulder at what she had just written in Japanese reading: [Yes he has been through here four times before.. but I figured it was my mind playing tricks on me again. Though I didn't follow him into the wall like you did!]
"Uh huh I bet you hit the wall once or twice yourself." the red-head snapped at the blatant fun poking in the note.
'Guess if she is writing to me then that means she is mute.. great...' she trailed in thought, though this didn't say much for her powers of observation somehow missing that not once did Herb speak to the raven-haired boy. If a certain famous Scottish detective had been there he would have said "It's elementary my dear Watson."
"Say since your willing to write can we exchange names mines Saotome Ranma whats yours?"
Herb quickly wrote out a note: [Herb]
"Herb what no upper name?" Ranma questioned after reading the note, observing the girl's handwriting in his native language was a step above if not more than his own writing skill.
Herb jotted down yet another note: [Just Herb I don't have an upper or last name.. it's not how my people do things.]
"I see.. so Herb about what that big guy said your not going to slit my throat in my sleep are you?"
Herb grimaced at the red-heads words quickly jotting off another note reading: [As long as you don't try to kill me I won't kill you.]
"I see." Ranma said with great relief as it now appeared to just be a scare tactic that Kenny had fed her, then she found another note reading: [I noticed your clothes when you came in are you a martial artist by chance?]
"Yea I am a martial artist probably the best in China as well and one day maybe even the best in the world!" Ranma boasted with pride, before looking to Herb. "Are you a martial artist as well?"
[No I don't know any martial arts.. but maybe someday I will learn if I ever get out of here.] Herb wrote out a seemingly white lie though it wasn't far from the truth her training was never complete past the mid level, however she had obtained a great deal of chi abilities which she had been fed since the cradle by her father and through the dragon blood that flowed through her veins.
Ranma after reading the note gave a soft sigh. "I could teach you ya know the basics if you like then later on some more advanced techniques?" she offered.
[I'll think about it for now let me finish brushing my hair and getting dressed.]
"Oh yea sorry." the red-head quickly replied, while walking back over to her bed and laying down staring up and at the ceiling. 'Doesn't seem like a murderer so maybe she could make a decent ally.' she considered.
Meanwhile Xian Pu currently riding towards her home village on her pale steed, while a storm was brewing threatening to spill rain all over her, she quickly retrieved an umbrella from somewhere to keep said rain water off of her if and when it fell since her curse would be activated should any rain water reach the top of her head and soak into her hair.
While traveling she observed several men on horse back the closer she got she could see the banner which had come to be known as dread to many around the Jusenkyo area the Banner of the Musk Dynasty.
"Halt!" a wolf hybrid human with orange hair dressed in traditional leather battle armor, a two wicked scimitars were in their sheaths on his back called out, four of the other Musk men started joined his position.
Xian Pu came to a stop just about ten feet from the Musk patrol, raising her Umbrella just as the rain started to fall. "Why you stopping me this is a public road is it not?" she questioned the wolf hybrid observing an insignia on his right shoulder pad indicating he was a captain.
"No longer this is Musk lands as of yesterday.. Now state where your going Missy?" the wolf hybrid questioned, while his men drew their weapons.
Xian Pu frowned while wrapping her free hand around the reins to her horse if she had to make a speedy charge through the checkpoint. "That is none of your business and this is Amazon lands you have no authority to have a checkpoint here as stated in the treaty with your King what was his name? Oh yea Spice that's it King Spice." she replied, while eying the Musk soldiers.
"You must be out of touch Chiwen village is now back in Musk hands as of a week ago and soon you all will be bowing down to our King now off that horse woman." the wolf hybrid commanded, while taking a few steps closer to the lavender haired Amazon, drawing one of his swords.
Rain drops thumping off her umbrella, Xian Pu frowned since she had heard talk of an Amazon strong hold that had been invaded but no one knew who had invaded. "Who are you to order me around wolf boy? Yaw!" she shouted the last as her steed barreled through the patrol, the wolf hybrid getting trampled while his men moved out-of-the-way.
The Musk Captain lay stunned for a moment, before rolling over and glaring to the fleeing girl. "Don't just stand there you morons after her!" he shouted angst heavy in his voice, while his men ran and climbed onto their horses giving chase.
Xian Pu charged through the rain, while keeping her umbrella upright, looking over her shoulder she observed the Musk soldiers were gaining on her, she gritted her teeth looking forward barely missing a tree as her horse luckily went around it.
"After her!" one the men cried, as they continued forward, the captain of the group trailing behind since he had just got onto his own horse.
Xian pu continued forward observing a side path, of which she steered her horse through loosening the reins so she could easily let go when the time came, she looked ahead observing a low-lying ridge.
'There I just jump turn into cat and let them follow my horse on a wild goose chase!' she thought with mirth, since she had a sense of humor, and realizing open confrontation would only get complicated since she wasn't so sure she could take all the riders at once.
A few minutes later Xian Pu sat up on the ridge in feline-form her fur thoroughly soaked, while her pursuers chased after her horse which was heading back into Musk territory. 'Stupid men!' she thought, while then making her way towards her home village avoiding roads and heading through the thickets since her small form she could pass under them.
In Tokyo Japan at that very moment, two young woman were attending a cosplay convention, the taller of the two had a petite build, with blue hair done in pigtails, a pair of fuzzy wolf like ears atop her head, pale color eyes, wearing a blue and white cotton long Sleeves Ruffled Cape Lolita Outfit, with matching pair of four-inch heeled boots, carrying a hand bag that also matched. The shorter of the two was buxom looking having raven hair that was cut short her eye color brown, ears pointed, wearing a black and orange tiger-striped spaghetti ribbon Lolita Outfit that was made of cotton.
Both girls were currently standing on a stage posing in cute positions while photographers were busily taking snap shots. After a few more minutes of this they were finally off stage and walking around the area enjoying the sights that the convention had to offer.
"Oh my goodness look at that outfit Lime it would so enhance your boobs!" the taller girl called much to the shorter girls annoyance pointing at a clothing display.
Lime gritted her teeth. "You know you're enjoying this way too much Mint!" she drawled, while stopping at a soda machine to buy herself a drink considering her friend. 'I don't get it.. this is just supposed to be a disguise.. and he's lapping it up and acting like a woman..' she thought to herself also somewhat jealous of the role reversal since her friend was now a lot taller than her.
"Oh C'mon Lime lighten up.. as you recall the master ordered us to take on these curses and hide.. so why can't we just make the best of it?" Mint questioned, while looking over a cute busty girl whose boobs seemed to bounce as she walked.
Lime sighed to herself frustration building. "Because we are men who are just lying low not woman!" she growled fiercely in a whisper.
"Your only saying that because of your date with that guy a week ago." Mint commented offhandedly, while reaching for some money to also buy herself a soda.
Lime growled at her friends comment. "I didn't go on a date numb-skull how many times must I tell you that!" she snapped.
"He sure had his hands all over your breasts sure looked like a date to me." Mint pointed out, slipping some coinage into the coin slot, then punching in an indicator of which a can of grape soda fell down into the tray.
Flustered Lime huffed at the memory. "I wasn't on a date you bimbo how many times I gotta say he grabbed me on the train against my permission.. besides if I had gone on a date with the guy do you think I would have thrown him off the train and into the river?"
"Well U'm may...be?" Mint returned, before retrieving her soda popping the tab taking a sip of her soda.
Lime glared fiercely at her partner, her brow ticking ever so slightly, then her view fell on a young man dressed in a red feudal style robe, at his side was what looked like a sheathed Katana, his eye color gold, his hair was white as snow, atop his head were dog ears, his smile with two fangs protruding from under his top lip, he was accompanied by a young woman who wore a white and red feudal era kimono her hair raven eye's a chocolate-brown.
"Hey wanna go get something to-" Mint started to ask when she found her mouth covered by a delicate hand and was being dragged into a nearby photo booth.
A young raven-haired Japanese man who was rather slim, and slightly tall dressed in gray slacks and a white button-up shirt, was quite surprised when two beautiful Chinese women interrupted his solo-shoot.
"Why did you yank me in here?" Mint questioned in her native tongue, after prying her friend's hand from her mouth, while also noticing the guy in there with them.
Lime peaked through the curtain observing a possible Musk operative. "I think they may have found us.. so keep your voice down." she whispered.
"Are you sure they found us I mean I doubt they even know we left China?" Mint queried, while stepping back sitting down next to the young man on his right side.
Lime continued to watch the suspicious duo. "Yea well its been nearly seven years so they might have figured it out by now. They stopped to play some games so we might be here for a little while." she observed, while stepping back sitting down on the left side of the young man.
'Oh my.. I am in between too hot babes!' the young man excitedly thought while putting coinage in for yet more photo's to be taken, placing an arm around each woman.
Lime looked to a screen that depicted herself and her friend. 'Oh that's interesting.. but instead of news its a view of Me.. Mint and whoever this fellow is.' she thought just as a bright flash temporarily blinded her.
"Oh look at the magical viewing device Lime don't we look cute!" Mint cooed, while brushing up closer to the young man, who seemed to have a cheesy grin to his lips.
The young man continued to pose for pictures, while Lime and Mint did the same. 'Oh this is too good to be true!' he thought just as an image of an enraged woman came to mind. 'Naru is going to kill me if she ever finds out about this.' he thought with trepidation.
Back with Ranma and Herb, the red-head now was laying on her bed, while the tricolor-haired girl was just finishing her hair, by placing her ornamental comb in it. Once this process was finished she then turned her attention to the rooms other occupant, picking up the pencil and writing out another note once finished, she got up carrying the note over and handed it off to the neko-girl of which she skimmed over the note.
[So whats it like outside?]
"U'm what you mean the rest of this place?" Ranma questioned, with a contemplative expression trying to ascertain what was being asked.
Herb looked to the red-head with frustration, while she then took the paper back and wrote out another set of words reading: [No the outside world.]
"Oh outside of the prison its well rather cool and rainy out.. not sure about now may have stopped already." the neko-girl casually explained.
Herb sat down on the floor, sitting Indian style. 'Rain so we are either approaching the rainy season or.. winter is coming soon.' she thought, while trying to imagine a rain storm showering the land below since it had been so long since she had seen the outside world.
"So Herb what were you doing ya know before you were brought here?" Ranma questioned, with a curious brow raised.
Herb quickly jotted out a reply. [I was participating in the great hunt.. It's an event my people holds yearly]
"Ah so you were a hunter before you were captured?" Ranma questioned, while waiting for Herb to write out an answer.
Herb jotted out yet another note but with a vague answer. [Not really my father had me compete since it's a tradition.]
"I know a thing or two about tradition myself.. I been a martial artist since the age of five.. my father says I am the soul heir to the Saotome School of anything Goes Martial Arts." Ranma said with a slim smile, and an air of pride.
Herb considered her new found friends words. 'An heir.. sounds nearly like me except I am the soul heir to a Dynasty... and a destiny that my uncle denied me.' she bitterly thought, a faint aura of depression building around her.
"So U'm why did they refer to you as Princess?" Ranma queried with a curious brow raised, while the dragon princess quickly wrote out a reply.
[Why did the big guy call you Gurly?]
Ranma chuckled somewhat at the note. "Good point they give all their prisoners pet names don't they?"
[Yea.. so did you read the instruction manual?] Herb questioned in her newly created note.
Ranma shook her head. "No I chucked it out into the hallway.. it's ridiculous I am a man.. I'll be damned before I conform to their rules!" she exclaimed emphatically.
[Good I hope you keep that conviction.. though you may consider making some concessions unless you wish to be locked away all the time.]
Ranma looked to Herb with a questioning gaze. "What you mean we can leave our cells at some point?"
[Yes if your willing to be in cursed form and dress the part they allow you to leave your cell to either do duties such as laundry or to go eat in the mess hall.]
Ranma contemplated Herbs note. 'Hmm.. I could use that to my advantage and maybe find a way out of here.' she considered, a plan taking shape.
As time progressed both cell-mates continued their conversation, eventually breaking off from one another to do other things, Ranma went into training a kata while Herb had retreated to her bed to get some rest since that tended to be the dragon princess's past time which was sleeping if not being interrogated.
Two days later in Joketsuzoku village which was the home capital of the wayward Amazon tribes that were scattered around Jusenkyo valley. The day was rather sunny, as Amazon males worked the surrounding farmlands, and or performed other mundane tasks, on the far south of the village many young female warriors were training in combat both in martial arts and training in the use of weapon mastery.
An older Amazon woman with white hair with a red headband that decorated the front portion, and to some looked ghoulish in appearance, she was also rather short almost chibi like dressed in a robe of dark hunter green with red designs on the cuff's, and yellow designs on her shoulders and chest most likely the crest of her tribe, gripped in her right hand an old gnarled staff, she was looking over a map.
Standing in front of her was Xian Pu she dressed in a pink silk shirt, with pink silk pants, her hair lavender dressed in its usual style, two bells decorated her longest bangs that framed her face.
"The Fat man said Ranma being held at that location.. He also say it's heavily guarded I will need help if I am to get in there and finish my promise." Xian Pu relayed in hopes she would get the go ahead to acquire a war party.
While waiting her attention was taken by a white-haired young woman who was currently dressed in a red gown, her eye's green, her hair pulled back into a braided ponytail of whom offered her a cup of tea of which she took. "Thank you Sugar." she replied, while the white-haired girl giggled girlishly, before turning to leave, heading back to the tavern.
"So the castle is still populated is it. Why didn't we think of this earlier." the elder said aloud, while her great grand-daughter took a sip of her tea.
Xian Pu then spoke up. "So you know of this place Great Grand Mother?"
"Yes it was a place of death.. there once was a powerful warlord who lived two thousand years ago. He was known to slaughter entire villages, and or imprison woman who were taken as trophies of war in the dungeons below the castle.. it is there that the worst atrocities happened or so the legend goes." the elder explained in a casual tone.
Xian Pu frowned. "Sounds barbaric who put a stop to him?"
"It really has no baring on the matter at hand that was then this is now.. I need time to go over this with the council. The Musk have stepped up hostilities while you were away Xian Pu I am not so sure we can afford to send a war party to retrieve your quarry." the elder relayed, as she rolled up the map.
Xian Pu frowned at her elder. "But Great Grand Mother honor demand that I kill Ranma.. All I need is a few sisters to help me get in I kill Ranma we get out its simple."
"I am sorry Xian Pu but this really must be passed through the council first be patient I am sure they will see it your way in time." the elder quickly returned, while beginning her pogo towards the main hut which was a medium-sized structure at the middle of the village.
Xian Pu watched her go sighing to herself in frustration. 'Stupid red tape!' she thought to herself in agitation since she was rather impatient and the council was known to take forever in such matters when the Musk were involved in some way shape or form.
Chapter Notes: Well in this chapter we learn about different going on, we also observe Ranma having a conversation with a girl revealed to him to be named Herb who seems mute and only able to write notes..
We also get a look at Lime and Mint, as well as Xian Pu asking for a war party to help her enter the prison, and a white haired girl named Sugar that's all she wrote this round see you next time.
