Disclaimer: I own neither Slayers nor Ranma 1/2. If I did, I could cast spells and turn into a dog-girl.
Okay, a couple things before the story. First, I don't know how close the hot springs are to Jusenkyo in the manga, but for the purposes of this chapter, they're fairly close. You'll see why.
Also, the references from last chapter. Tensaiga/Tetsusaiga- Inuyasha; Sakabatou- Rurouni Kenshin; Bara Shibenjin(also known as the Rose Whip)- YuYu Hakusho.
And now, on with the chapter!
"..." normal text
'...' thoughts
Spell/Attack names
Laying on the roof of the Tendo dojo, the transgender martial artist stared up at the starry sky. This was the only time he could get a rest from the craziness of his everyday life, the only time he could stop and think.
The past week had been essentially hell in a hand basket. Between the visit to the family grave and getting his house destroyed, the week had just been one problem after another. There was only one bright point from the whole ordeal: his Oka-san. A sad smile passed over his face. He had lived his entire life thinking she was dead, and here she was, right in Nerima.
His features turned bitter, because even his bright spot was dim. His idiot of a father promised Oka-san that he would turn Ranma into a "man among men." When he was two years old! And because of the curse that was HIS fault, Ranma had to hide from his own mother. But even when she found out, she was fine. So long as he kept to girls, that is.
The pigtailed boy got up and dusted himself off, ready to go to bed. 'If only things would calm down.'
The smell of seawater wafted through the window. The rocking of the ship gave a calming effect, lulling most on board into a deep sleep. Even so, Lina was still awake, restless since she got on a week ago.
'Gah, I'm going to die of boredom before we even get there!' she screamed in her head. She glared at the ceiling, as if it would bore a hole through the wood. Sighing, she got out of bed. "If I'm up, I might as well go for a walk."
As she neared the deck, the sound of metal striking wood reached her ears. Curious, she rounded the corner. Gourry, fully dressed in armor, was facing off with a wooden post. He had his new sword drawn, and further observation told her the blade was as black as its hilt.
Crimson eyes narrowed as the swordsman spoke. The words came out in a whisper, but she could hear clearly in the calm of night. "Reveal thy soul," he said.
The night was lit by a flare of bright blue light. Lina jumped, startled, but didn't move away. His muscles tensed, ready to attack. The next moment, he was five feet away from where he just was. A diagonal cut bisected the post, the top half falling to the floor. Gourry smirked, pleased with his work. He sheathed the Sword of Souls, its light extinguished.
Lina gaped, trying to pick up her jaw. Gourry was a master swordsman, yeah, but damn! This was the first time she had seen him move that fast. 'Looks like there's more to that sword than meets the eye,' she mused. 'Things are about to get interesting.'
One week later...
The sun beat down on the ship, high in the sky. Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis stared at Lina, who laid flat on the deck. "Ano, Lina," Gourry said, "You might want to get up before you get roasted."
She rose slowly without a sound. Her hair fell over her face, obscuring her features. A dark chuckle escaped her lips as she stood. Her chuckles soon turned to full blown laughter. Questioning her sanity, the three moved toward her.
"That's it!" Lina screamed. "I can't take it anymore! I'm just going to Raywing over there!" She rushed to the bow, chanting the incantation. Gourry and Amelia got behind her, locking onto her arms.
"Lina-san, you can't! We don't know how far away land is!" Lina fought against their grasp, struggling to get free.
"Actually," Zelgadis interjected, "Yes we do. Try looking at the horizon." The trio froze. Sure enough, there was land, just barely in view. "Yatta! We're here!"
Zelgadis walked away from his yelling friends, shaking his head at their antics.
Sweat dripped down his-currently her-forehead. 'Just what I need,' she thought. 'I finally make it back to Jusenkyo and crazy bird people are after us.'
Ranma was peddling a bike across China, carrying not only herself, but also Moron(Mousse), Bacon Breath(Ryoga), Mr. Panda(Genma), and Plum, daughter of the Jusenkyo guide. 'How, I'll never know,' she shuddered. Plum had come to Japan a week ago, asking for their help. The residents of Mount Phoenix were trying to get the map of Jusenkyo and drain the springs. Why, who knows. All Ranma knew was that she couldn't let them before getting his cure.
She was brought back to reality when Ryoga started stomping on her head. "OW! What's your problem Porky?" The pig lifted a hoof, and Ranma turned her gaze. It was a building, the words "Hot Springs" on the front.
"Alright! About time we got a lucky break!" She ditched the bike, making for the entrance. She pulled off her clothes, not caring if anyone saw. She jumped in, soon followed by the duck, pig, and panda. The water engulfed their forms, then moved away to reveal three black haired teens and a bald old man.
"Sure is nice to relax a bit," said the old man.
"You said it, Pop. Still...," Ranma trailed off. Ryoga picked up where he left off, "All these unconscious people-."
"Are a little suspicious, yeah," Ranma finished. "I suppose we're gonna get attacked." With those words, a shadow in the water made its way towards them. The martial artists tensed, ready for battle.
Moments ago
Lina leapt off the boat, ecstatic at seeing land again. The others calmly followed. As Gourry tried to pry Lina off the ground, Zelgadis pulled Amelia aside. "What is it, Zelgadis-san?" she questioned, blood threatening to color her cheeks.
"I want to get to the spring as soon as possible, but your father said to stay by your side and Lina would want to explore first. So, would you come with me?" He finished speaking, unable to look her in her eyes for some reason.
"Of course I'll come, Zelgadis-san." The pair snuck away, unnoticed by Lina and Gourry.
Lina finally came off the ground. She looked for the chimera and princess. Seeing no trace of them, she growled. "They ditched us! I can't believe they ditched us! Oh, I'm gonna wring his neck when they get back!"
"Well, we're here, aren't we? We might as well look around, ne?" Gourry asked. "Mou, fine. But they're still gonna get it!"
They wandered around for a while. They came across a clearing, buildings scattered and springs covering the vast area. Lina swept her gaze along the area, a smirk on her face. "Well, it looks like we got here first. That'll show him to leave without us."
Her rant was cut short by a tap on her shoulder. "Oi, Lina. How about we go there?" She turned. He was pointing to a building, the words "Hot Springs" in bold letters.
"Sure, why not. I could use some relaxation after that boat ride."
All of a sudden, there was a crash. They stared at the hot springs, when rocks began flying out. Lina got ready to run, but was taken by surprise. One of the rocks hit her head, knocking her unconscious and propelling her into one of the springs.
Gourry's eyes went wide, full of fear. "Lina!" he cried out, running to the pool of water. Bubbles came to the surface, but no body. He took a deep breath and dived in after her.
A blond head of hair broke through the surface, gasping for air. Gourry drew himself out of the water, pulling Lina along. He placed a hand an inch over her mouth, checking to see if she was breathing. Nothing.
Trying not to panic, Gourry placed his hands on her sternum and gave her five compressions. Still nothing. He tried again, but she wouldn't react. Fear clutched his heart.
Seeing no other alternative, he leaned over her face and lifted her chin. Their lips met and he forced air into her lungs. He moved away as she coughed up water. He breathed a sigh of relief.
She grabbed her head, eyes shut in pain. "What happened?" she asked. "You were hit on your head by a flying rock," Gourry replied. He considered telling her about the mouth-to-mouth, but she would smack him into next week.
Lina started to get up, but stopped. She thought about what he said. 'Something's not right. What happened to his voice?' Her vision cleared, giving her a good look at her companion. She gasped, gaping at her partner.
"What? Is there something on my face?" he questioned. She couldn't get any words past her lips, so she merely pointed at him. He blinked, not getting what was wrong, and looked down. "Huh, those weren't there before."
So, who knows what spring that was? I made it kind of obvious, but there's more in store for the sorceress, just you wait. As always, please review. Feedback is much appreciated. Ja ne!
