Kodachi bit her lip to suppress her gasp of pain as she, Ranma, and Akane hid behind the fake food counter, away from the glowing eyes of another Shadow. The beast looked little more then a floating ball with two, thin outstretched arms, but she knew that once in battle it would adopt a new form to fight with. From the frown on the Saotome boy's face, she could tell that he didn't like the fact that he had to hide and the only thing that stopped him from fighting the creature head-on were her injuries and his own exhaustion from the earlier fight with her kidnapper. With the additional problem of Akane being the only reason that the Black Rose was even capable of moving at the moment, stealth was simply a more reasonable option then confrontation.
When the creeping darkness left their view, Kodachi pointed them forward, towards another doorway that was framed on either side by large posters. Each one had a smeared image of what looked to be wrestlers, not unlike the form of the Shadow they had fought against, but the faces and sometimes limbs of the fighters couldn't be made out, looking little more then blobs against what was supposed to be colorful backgrounds. Like the locker room and the surrounding area which held the appearance of concession section of a stadium, it looked fake, like if only made to be scenery. The Kuno girl only hoped that it didn't mean what she thought it did. Putting those thoughts to the side, she tried her best to move her battered body faster.
Through the doorway they exited out of the fake stadium and into what couldn't be described as anything other then a parking lot. White lines dictating where cars could park stretched out in rows before them although no such vehicles were in sight. A dimly lit path seemed to lead to the left off into the distance, however it was impossible to see anything beyond the edge of parking lot. Ranma looked around before them, ensuring there were no Shadows before he waved the girls forward. "We still going the right way?" he asked, turning his gaze to Kodachi. The Black Rose nodded, not trusting herself to speak, but weather that was because of her injuries or because of the feeling of the males light washing over her, she wasn't entirely sure.
"Just a minute..." Akane spoke up, leaning Kodachi against the wall and then taking the spot beside her. The youngest Tendo girl bent over at the waist, breathing slow with her eyes closed and her hands gripped onto her knees to keep from falling over. Ranma frowned, moving beside her and kneeling to get a better view of her face, becoming even more worried by how pale the Tendo girl had gotten.
"Are you ok, Akane? I know you've got more stamina then this." He said, his tone tinged in worry.
"Yeah... I just feel a little sick..." she replied, trying to put on a bit of a smile through the ill sensations. "It's like I went the entire day without eating or something."
"It's this place..." Kodachi spoke up, surprising herself just as much as the others by finding her voice. Perhaps it was the fact that there more dangers here then just the shadows. She could feel her cheeks heat up a bit as Ranma looked towards her, but was fairly certain that he wouldn't notice it with her bruised state. "Humans were never meant to be here, much less stay for any length of time. The very atmosphere itself means us as much harm as the shadows do."
"Then why aren't I effected then? Shouldn't I be in the same state as she is?" Ranma asked, concerned as his eyes turned to the Tendo Girl. He was tired, yes, more so then normal but nothing to the extent of what Akane was going through.
"You are... special..." Kodachi replied, wincing a bit as Ranma's head snapped over to look at her in surprise, the martial artist's eyes wide. The fact that Akane did the same, looking at her sparring partner first and then over to the Black Rose, making the other girl feel uncomfortable. "It would take too long to explain here, let's wait until we can leave this place first."
Ranma frowned at her answer, but nodded after the midnight-haired girl gave a shaky groan as she forced herself to stand up, the pigtailed boy worried for her. The rest seemed, if anything, to make Akane feel worse then before if the grimace on her face was anything to go by. The Black Rose gave a small gasp as Ranma moved to take the Tendo girls place as Kodachi's crutch, the young man instantly looking at her and frowning again. "Sorry if I hurt you." He said, giving her the smallest of smiles, a gesture of kindness and one to make her feel more at ease. All it did was her body shiver, to be so close to his light, to be captured in it.
They soon followed the road leading away from the stadium, the surrounding land appearing little more then muddled shapes in the darkness. Nothing around them seemed to have any definition other then the road itself and they didn't need Kodachi's knowledge about this place to know that trying to go into those undefined spots would have resulted in more trouble then anything else. More then once Akane slowed down, gasping and wincing as if she were about to be sick. Every time that Ranma turned, looking as if he was going to offer to help the tiring Tendo, she simply stood back up and pushed herself past the pair, leading the way for a moment or two before her exhaustion started to creep back in.
"There!" Kodachi said after what felt like an hour of traveling down the bleak road, pointing past the muddled shapes of the Shadow-ruled land and towards something that finally had some definition. A large, raised marble platform made up the bulk of the clearing they now closed in on with a large canopy atop it, though for what weather it would need to keep out in this world not even Kodachi knew. The stone slid off into the lower ground on either side of the platform before them, where they could see a set of train tracks running off into the distance, disappearing into the muddled shapes that surrounded them. A simple sign hung down from middle of the awning, a pair of words written on it that read VOID JUNCTION.
"What is this place? It looks like a train station." Akane said to herself, her face a mix of uncertainty as well as the continued sickness of being within this world. The Black Rose wasn't certain how bad prolonged exposure to this place could be. Definitely not as fatal as dealing with the Shadows could be in a place where they could physically interact with you, but it probably wasn't doing the youngest Tendo girl any favors by staying either.
"I'll explain once we're safe." Kodachi said, trying to shelve away those darker thoughts, before pointing towards the platform. "Up here."
Moving up the stairs of the raised stone, the Black Rose pointed to the left where what appeared to be a full length mirror lay, its surface as smooth as porcelain. It was decorated along the edges, the head of it forming into what looked like a motherly woman gazing down with a small smile, while on either side there was a small hand gripping onto what looked like a cloak.
Breaking away from Ranma's grasp, Kodachi walked gingerly to the mirror with the pigtailed boy hovered around her in case her injuries proved to be difficult,. Raising a bruised hand, she stroked the mirror right against the cheek of the decoration, muttering a soft word under her breath. The eyes of the decoration opened at that word, shining like pearls in the muddled and faded darkness of the shadow world, and the surface of the mirror itself soon followed with a soft glow of black and white spirals of energy.
Turning to the others, Kodachi winced a little as she saw the surprise and shock in their eyes, especially Ranma's. That last little thought made the female Kuno want to smack herself, again bringing up the memory of her brother. There was nothing more about the Saotome boy other then his light that made the girl feel this way, that was the only explanation. "It's safe." She said after a moment. "This will take us back and then we can talk." With that, she touched the surface of the mirror, falling through it as if the glass was never there.
~oOo~
When the swirls of black and white cleared from Ranma's eyes, the first thing he noticed as the lack of the dark, almost oppressive atmosphere of that world. Everything regained the sharpness of detail he was used to, and it was only then did the martial artist realize that they were not back in the alleyway where they had first entered the shadow world. A modestly-sized room now surrounded the trio, with the mirror placed at the center of the furthest wall. Afternoon sunlight drifted through a window off to the left, its curtains dark and parted only lightly, and outside Ranma could make out what looked to be a small pond. To the right lay a small but decorated desk that was neatly kept, a picture that the young Saotome couldn't quite make out adorning the middle of it. Finally the center of the room had a small table with a few chairs seated around it and a simple table cloth covering the wood.
"Mistress Kodachi!" called out a voice that broke Ranma out of his observation, the sound enough to make the exhausted Akane jump in surprise. Dropping from the ceiling above them, a rather small man landed with practice ease on the floor with one hand laying against it in a bow. Dressed in ninja garb, the small man looked up with a mousy face that was twisted in worry, small brown eyes looking at at her in concern and them with suspicion. "Mistress, you're injured! And who are these that come with you? Are they the cause?" That last bit came with him reaching towards his belt, at least one weapon visible against the fabric.
"No no, I'm fine, Sasuke." The young woman said, raising a hand to the small man before he could make any further assumptions. A small smile graced her face, the first that Ranma had seen, as she sat on the nearest chair with only the smallest of winces. The ninja nodded, his hand returning into it's original perch atop his knee, though his eyes stayed locked on both of the Martial artists. "I'd be in a much worse state if it wasn't for these two. Please, fetch the first aid and maybe start some tea, I've got much to explain." she added gently.
"At once, Mistress." he said, bowing to her and turning quickly, disappearing from sight. They waited only for a few moments before Sasuke returned, a small handled box in one hand and a tea kettle with a portable heater in the other. Placing the heater down, the ninja placed the kettle atop the metal stand and turned it on, placing the metal pot atop it gingerly. He then opened the box he brought, placing a few cups he had stored inside on the table before he brought out a bottle and some cotton balls, wetting them with the bottle's contents before lightly cleaning Kodachi's temple of blood.
"Please, sit down.." Kodachi said, just a flicker of pain crossing her face as the alcohol stung at her wounds. Ranma gave a look to Akane, knowing that his sparring partner was a bit more familiar with the girl then he was. She returned it with a nod, sitting across from their classmate, the Saotome heir sitting beside her.
"I believe you all have a lot of questions about what we just went though..." Kodachi started, her eyes focused on the pair even as Sasuke wrapped a bandage about her head, the ninja moving with a practiced ease. "And I would like to start off things here by thanking you for rescuing me from the Other Realm."
"Is that what that place is called? The Other Realm? Just what exactly is going on?" Akane asked in rapid fire succession. She would have clearly asked even more if it wasn't for the fact that the ninja glared at her from his position on the floor, tending to the injuries on Kodachi's leg. The injured girl patted the kneeling man softly, calming him before looking up at Akane and sighing.
"Yes, that place is called the Other Realm... or at least, that's the name it's gone by since I was born." Kodachi said, staring off as she spoke, the distant look in her eyes staring more into the past then at the two before her. "As long as I can remember, my family knew about that place, fought against the beings in there, called Shadows. Some call them spirits of the dead, others have named them demons of the abyss. In reality, they are simply a dark side of humanity, all the negative and hateful thoughts anyone has ever had given flesh and form. These creatures were originally sealed within the Other Realm, unable to interact with our world. The only exception to this was those who had the power to fight them could still see them, could still be effected by those dark beings. It was a way of reminding my family that there would always be need of protection against these dark beings. Though, as you've seen, that shield no longer exists if such a basic shadow was able to make its way through."
"Your mother always said that the barrier wouldn't last forever, Mistress." Sasuke said from his position at her side, covering the last bit of her leg with a tight bandage before placing away the rest of the first aid into the box beside him. Ranma didn't miss the noticeable wince from their classmate at the mention of her mother and wondered if her own story was anything like Akane's. It made him think for a moment to his own mother which caused a small frown to cross over his face. What exactly happened to her? Genma never really talked much about her and often had set more training on the Pigtailed martial artist when ever he had asked. He was distracted from that train of thought when the ninja placed a cup of hot tea in his hands, the martial thanking him and hearing Akane do the same beside him.
"Yes, Sasuke, she did say that." The young Kuno woman said with her voice heavy and thick. She shook her head, sending her pony tail swaying atop her head for a moment before taking a sip of her tea.
"Is that why they were after you?" Ranma asked, his face concerned. "Is that why these Shadows tried to kidnap you? They know you can see them and fight them?"
"See... but not fight." Kodachi replied softly, her lips turned in an almost hated frown. "I was never given my proper training on how to fight these beasts, to bring out the power needed to ward them off and away from those they wish to harm. While I've done my best to learn about them and know their weaknesses, there is little I can do against them myself. That was... another who had that skill." The dark haired woman placed her cup of tea and sighed. "But yes, Ranma, that's why the shadows were trying to kill me."
The pigtailed martial artist winced at her words, even if he couldn't deny them. Those beasts seemed to be out for blood alright, and he was fairly certain Kodachi wouldn't have lived had he and Akane didn't interfere. A look towards the youngest Tendo sibling told him the exact same thought had crossed her face as well. "Is there anyway to restore the barrier? To stop them from entering our world again?" Akane asked, eyes locked with the Kuno girl.
"Maybe, but even if I knew exactly how to do so, I don't have the power to do it. The Shadows have defeated and destroyed people with much more wisdom and skill than I and it was only when they had taken me today did I even know they were capable of breaching the protection that had been placed on this world." Kodachi said, her eyes shutting tight. When she opened them again, she stole a look at Ranma before letting out a heavy sigh. "But that's one of the reasons why I was wishing to talk to you, Ranma Saotome."
The Saotome heir's blood ran cold at those words, even more so as they sparked the memory of Igor's. Those chosen to enter the Velvet room are often faced with trials in the near future, the long nosed man had said. What kind of trial would be bigger then finding out there was another world full of creatures literally made out of the darkness? "What's that, Kodachi?" he asked with a neutral tone.
"You..." she started, taking another glance at him, stopped, and then started again with reluctance in her voice. "You have a power, Ranma. I'm not even completely sure what it is, but it is a light. A light that all the Shadows seem to fear. I've never seen anyone drive them off like you have, and you weren't even aware of them."
"But what would cause that, Mistress?" Sasuke said, a look of confusion on his face, one that became analytical as he turned to give the Anything Goes marital artist another appraisal. Ranma wasn't sure which of the two he liked least. "And what exactly does it mean? No one has had a power to just ward of the shadows and not be aware of them."
Kodachi just shook her head, frowning and not willing to bring her gaze upward. When she spoke again, it was pained, like she was afraid of being shouted or laughed at. "All I know is that Ranma has the capability of fighting the Shadows. Whatever his power is, it allows him to exist in the Other Realm without the weakening effects it has on others. And while it required using something of that world to defeat the shadow, I could tell that Ranma's blows hurt the creature."
Ranma frowned to himself, his memories slipping back to the fight, seeing just what Kodachi had meant. Akane's hit, something that would have winded some of the stronger men that Ranma had seen, did little if anything to the shadow even with her throwing all of her strength behind the punch. His own had hurt the beast, even if only slightly. But if it wasn't for that broken part of the arena, he doubted that he would have been able to bring it down at all.
"Ranma," Kodachi started, bringing the pigtailed martial artist out of his thoughts. He looked up at her and was a little surprised that she was meeting his eyes. She hadn't looked at them at all since the classroom, almost as if she were afraid. There was fear in her eyes now, he could see, but something else that he could quite understand. "I'm wanting to lay this out plainly before you. With the barrier down, the shadows will continue to enter this world, and they won't be focused on going after just me. The light you possess might be one of the few things that is capable of fighting off against them." She paused, taking a small gulp of air before staring at Ranma again. It was then that he recognized the look in her eyes, that of someone desperate for help. "Please, I ask you to help fight the shadows..."
"I don't really know anything about these monsters other then what you told us, Kodachi, but if I can do anything to help fend off these things, you can count me in." Ranma said, returning his classmates look with that of determination and strength. It couldn't be a coincidence that this other worldly event would happen in junction with his meeting with Igor or this 'power' that Kodachi could see. There was also the added desire to avoid acting like Genma Saotome. His father would probably halfway across the country by now had he been approached with this shadow business.
"I'll help too." Akane added in suddenly, drawing all eyes too her. "We can't have these things just wander about."
"I thank you for your desire to help, Miss Tendo, but I don't think it wise to include you in our fight." Kodachi said with a gentle tone, looking at Akane apologetically. "You don't have the light that Ranma has and you were affected by the Other Realm. It would be safer for you never to enter that place again. Besides, after all the troubles my brother has given you, I don't wish to cause you any more grief."
"She's right, Akane, it's too dangerous to have just anyone fighting these things. We don't need anyone else getting pulled into that place like Kodachi did." Ranma agreed, turning to his sparing partner, his face grave. He was serious about that. He was going to keep as many people out of this business as he could.
Akane's eyes narrowed at both of their rebuttals, crossing her arms furiously over her chest. "I'm not a child! I can handle myself just as well as you two!" she growled, teeth clenched.
"You mentioned your bother, what's his deal anyway?" Ranma asked, trying to get off the topic of not letting the youngest Tendo sister help them out.
"Tatewaki is like me, able to see the Shadows even while safe in this world." Kodachi said with a sigh, running her fingers through her hair. "But he never really believed in them, never really cared to have anything to do with them or the powers that our family possess. It made the Shadows go after him even more because of that, refusing to leave him alone. I'm afraid now he's too far gone to acknowledge anything in the real world anymore."
"And what about this mirror?" Akane was standing near the mirror, her back towards them as she asked her question, studying the smooth carving of the headpiece. It was exactly the same as the one they had found back in the Other Realm, but for one major difference. Where its twin had eyes of pearl, shining like lights, the decoration here owned two onyx gems in its sockets, black as night staring down at them all. "If this barrier you said was supposed to be up, how does this work into everything?"
"It was made long ago, when the wall between the worlds was first raised. They knew that even with that protective shield in place, strong Shadows might be able to find their way into our world through weaknesses or by discovering a way to bypass barrier completely." Kodachi replied, looking to Akane for a moment before her gaze rose to the craved figure atop the polished glass. "The mirror was made as a way to get into the Other Realm safely and ensure that nothing is wrong on the other side. I myself make monthly treks into the darkness for exactly that."
"What about fighting these things though? Ya said yourself that a weapon is needed to really harm these beasts, since this light that I have could only hurt them a little. I don't think lugging around a broken arena pole is going to be the best way for taking out Shadows." Ranma said, a small frown on his face. Under normal situations, he wouldn't exactly be all that keen on doing anything lethal in battle. A martial artist is supposed to protect those who can't protect themselves, aren't they? But what ever these dark creatures were, Ranma didn't think they cared all that much about an honorable fight, if they cared for anything at all.
"Leave that to me," Sasuke said, speaking up and making the pigtailed martial artist jump. Ranma had forgot that the ninja was even still there, listening in on everything they had said. It only made sense for someone of his profession to be silent, he guessed. The Saotome heir watched as the short man went over to the desk with the picture on it, moving to the lowest drawer that had been built into it and pulling it open. Slipping his hands inside, Sasuke pulled out a slender sword, scabbard and all, and closed the desk back up before turning to the group.
"This weapon used to belong to Kodachi's grandfather, a man I had served before she was born and he assigned me here. He, like Kodachi, was part of the group that works to protect us against the Shadows and though he knew I couldn't do anything physically to help, he knew that I would have other services I could offer. I had crafted this blade when I first entered his service as a sign of my loyalty, but he wished it used by those younger then him." Sasuke explained, holding the weapon closely. He was clearly reluctant to part with it. "So long as you're working with Mistress Kodachi, you can use it. I can even make you better weapons, should you be able to obtain materials from the Shadows themselves."
"Are you sure about this?" Ranma asked, his hands reaching out gingerly for the weapon, a bit unsure. The martial artist had indeed used weapons before in battle, though nothing with a sharpened edge and not during anything that could qualify as a life and death fight. He could also see how much Sasuke cherished the blade in his hands. The Saotome heir wasn't the least bit surprised when the ninja clutched the blade even tighter in his hands and pulled it closer to his chest.
"No, I'm not sure at all, Mr. Saotome." the small man said with the most neutral mask he could manage, something that came across more as a glare. "But the Mistress has been right before in dealing with the Shadows, as her mother before her. If she says that there's something special about you to help us, I'm willing to help her in anyway I see fit. I give this blade to you and see it as the same as when I gave it to her grandfather; an oath that you'll protect her and fight hard against her enemies."
Ranma nodded, his face serious. "I'll do my best, Sasuke. I didn't run the other way when the Shadow first kidnapped her, I'm not going to do so now."
The ninja's face softened at that, nodding as he placed the blade into Saotome's hands. The scabbard itself was a pale blue in color, decorated only lightly with a single white band wrapped about the head of the case where the sword itself started and a small etching of gold where the tip of the weapon would be held. On the hilt of the weapon itself a small white rose had been etched carefully, probably the symbol of the Kuno family if Ranma had to hazard a guess to its significance. Unsheathing the weapon, the pigtailed teen wasn't surprised at all to see it in the form of a katana. The blade was slender but long enough to give Ranma the advantage of reach, the edge still razor sharp despite having been in that desk for who knows how long.
"I can't thank you enough for agreeing to this, Ranma. This sort of thing isn't exactly easy to believe, I know.." Kodachi said as the martial artist returned the weapon to its scabbard.
"Trust me, Kodachi. I've been through enough to know that this isn't that farfetched. Besides, I kinda fought those creatures myself. Only an idiot would try and pretend something couldn't be real after killing it." Ranma replied with a grin on his face. The fact that the Shadows were plenty strong also meant he didn't have to hold back against them like he had Akane, which he could add in to his training.
"Even so, I'm sure we've all had a little too much excitement for one day. Sasuke, if you wouldn't mind escorting Ranma and Miss Tendo home..." Kodachi paused after a moment, a frown covering her face as she looked about the room, as if searching for something. "Where is Miss Tendo?" she asked, worry coloring her voice.
Ranma blinked for a moment before he too searched about the room, Sasuke joining in as well. Like Kodachi they came up empty, with Akane nowhere in sight. The ninja in particular looked rather upset that someone had vanished without his notice. "She was just here a moment ago, Mistress." the small man said, his eyes scanning the ceiling, a place where Saotome didn't doubt Sasuke often hid himself.
It only took Ranma a moment to remember just what kind of mood the youngest Tendo had been in when she last spoke, the martial artist spinning towards the Mirror. "You don't think..." Sasuke started, gazing at where Ranma was now facing, his eyes widening as the implications set in.
"I wouldn't put it past her... Damn it, Akane." Ranma growled, moving to the mirror himself.
"Wait, you can't seriously think about going after her!" The ninja said, stopping Ranma by stepping before the portal, eyes glaring up at him. "You all just only got out of there! It would be suicide to go back into there so soon with the Shadows actively looking for you!"
"We can't just leave her in there!" Ranma snapped, glaring down at the diminutive ninja. "She doesn't have this light thing that Kodachi's been talking about, she's completely vulnerable in there!"
"Sasuke, Ranma's right. We've got to get her out of there before anything can happen to her." Kodachi said, forcing herself to stand with noticeable effort. Sasuke was instantly at her side, helping support the injured woman gently. She smiled at him for a moment before moving to the mirror beside Ranma, the ninja supporting her every step of the way.
In any normal situation, the pigtailed martial artist would have been against the injured girl joining in on trying to rescue Akane from the Shadows. At best, she would slow them down and he had already seen that the living darkness desperately wanted to end Kodachi's life. But he didn't know the area within the Other Realm, and he didn't know if he could even find Akane without getting lost himself in there. In this kind of situation, he was stuck doing something he'd normally never want to do. "Will he be alright in there? I know you've got some protection in there, since you weren't feeling as ill as Akane." Ranma asked, pointing to Sasuke. All they needed was the one thing supporting the injured girl to fall over sick himself.
"I'll be quite fine, Mr. Saotome. I've got more experience in there then you do!" The ninja snapped, eyes narrowing. "While I may not be able to do much against the Shadows myself, I'll be able to at least make sure the Mistress is safe while we go off on this fool's errand!"
Kodachi put a calming hand on Sasuke's shoulder, quieting any further outbursts from the small man before moving closer to the mirror. As she had done in the Other Realm, the young woman reached up and brushed her fingers against the cheek of the decoration. With a swirl on the surface of the mirror, revealing the same black and white portal that had lead them to the other world in the first place, Ranma gave the pair beside him a nod before leaping into the alternate world once more.
~oOo~
The moment that the swirl of black and white left Ranma's vision and he felt firm earth beneath his feet once more, he drew the sword from it's scabbard, leveling it before him. He heard the sound of Kodachi and Sasuke emerging from the portal shortly afterwords, the ninja fretting over the injured woman almost instantly. "So," He said, eyes scanning about the odd train station they found themselves in once more. "How exactly can we find Akane in here?"
"Leave that to me." Kodachi replied, moving beside him before closing her eyes. The young woman let out a soft breath as she swung out her arms, palms flat before her, and slowly began to turn. The action left Ranma confused for a moment before he felt a surge of energy come from her, focused at her hands. Used to dealing with Ki, life energies that others in the art could mold and shape to their whim, Ranma could tell that his classmate was using something else though it was just close enough for his senses to pick up on. He kept quiet as he watched Kodachi, her hands moving slowly before her until they stopped facing the opposite direction they had come when they first tried to escape from the Other Realm.
"She's that way." Kodachi said, opening her eyes, the blue gray orbs sharp with focus. Ranma nodded the affirmative and started down off the platform, the injured woman and the small ninja following closely behind him.
The surrounding area started to melt away from them as they moved further away from the Void Junction, Ranma glancing back every few moments to make sure the two behind him were alright. The Saotome heir winced when he noticed Sasuke already starting to falter from the poisonous like atmosphere of the Other Realm, the little ninja steeling his face in a hard grimace. Kodachi was beside him, only once in a while needing to use the small man for balance or support. Ranma would have to try and his best to make sure that anything they fought focused him instead of the others.
Soon the blank greyness of the world around them started to sharpen, shades of buildings rising from the ground like trees. Streets appeared under their feet as they continued on, alleys forming between the newly detailed houses complete with hulking dumpsters made for trash. It was only after passing a tall wooden pole that the realization hit Ranma. He knew this place. "We're at the Tendo's Dojo..." he said, confused.
"Oh no..." Sasuke groaned, sickness heavy in his voice despite his best attempts to cover it. "Does that mean what I think it means, Mistress?"
"I pray that it doesn't." Kodachi replied, her tone grim. "Ranma, we must prepared for a fight."
"What's going on?" Ranma asked, frowning as he drew the borrowed blade closer to him, eyes glancing all about him. He was already on edge thanks to being back in the Other Realm and all the young woman's words did was make his body tense, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"We've seen this before, though it was a long time ago. Someone had been brought here before the barrier had been placed, trapped for who knows how long with no way to escape. It took them many days to find them, as the world itself had changed, altering through some means that even now escapes us. When those in my bloodline had finally been able to reach the victim, they found instead a Shadow with more power than any that they had ever seen previous." Kodachi grimaced, the memory clearly unpleasant. "The fight had been costly and the person who had been trapped had died."
Well, doesn't that make things all that much easier… Ranma thought darkly to himself, nodding to Kodachi's words. He knew from the get go that he'd be running into some nasty things, but the fact that Akane still got involved in things left a bad taste in his mouth. Sighing softly, he waved at the pair to follow him as he moved to the front of the Tendo Dojo, opening the wooden doors that lead to the garden slowly.
Almost immediately a pair of Shadows leapt out from the open door, Ranma's quick reflexes being the only thing that prevented him from being chomped down by the aggressive monsters. Spherical in shape, the creatures were all mouth, the only colors about them being black and white stripes that covered their entire bodies. Long, red tongues hung out of their unflinching smiles. A rasping, almost shuddering sound came from the closest of the two terrors which Ranma realized was a laugh. It was all the warning he had before they attacked again.
The first of the smiling Shadows charged at Ranma, maw open wide to take another huge bite at the martial artist. He responded by diving under the flying ball, planting both hands flat against the ground to help force his feet up into the butt of the monster. The Anything Goes student was rewarded by a strong pained sound, the beast flying through the air and hitting a nearby stone wall that surrounded the other world's houses.
The lips of the second smiling orb twitched down for a moment, not expecting any resistance from its meal. Then the beast charged forward, tongue trailing beneath it in an open mouthed attack. Ranma pulled his blade up, the steel catching in the balls mouth. The clash between the two lasted for a moment before the martial artist let out a growl, digging the sharp edge of the katana into the side of it's mouth, ripping through the cheek and rewarding the Saotome heir with the sound of its scream of pain.
"Saotome!" Sasuke's cry came, followed by the sound of the other monsters sound of attack. Ranma whirled about only to find the large mouth was after the small ninja and Kodachi instead of him, the long red tongue of the creature drooling down sticky saliva. The servant of the Kuno's had peppered the front of the Shadow with small but sharp throwing stars, but it did very little visible damage to the hungry beast. Kodachi herself was wide eyed with fear, the girl crouched down tight against herself. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, the pigtailed teen charged, blade whipping about to cut deep into the monsters unprotected backside, driving it away from the pair.
"Damn it..." Ranma growled, moving before the pair once more. The two balls floated before him, their smiling faces turned into frowns now, one of them with a horrible gash in the side of it's mouth that slowly started to seal back in place like nothing had happened. The martial artist kept the weapon before him, making sure now to keep both of the Shadows in his vision. Multiple foes wasn't something he was exactly used to, thanks mostly to Genma's training being focused almost entirely on one on one with only the lightest of strategy on multiple foes being taught. Most of those lessons were focused on getting the guys you were fighting to go after each other instead of him and Ranma didn't think that particular strategy would work on floating heads made from darkness. A small part of the Anything Goes fighter wondered just where was that assistance that Igor had said he'd supply.
Thou art I… Came a strong, smooth voice, the sound clear within Ranma's mind, causing him to stiffen. For a moment, Ranma wondered if he was going insane, if maybe perhaps there was something within the Other Realm that was effecting him mentally. Then he wondered if maybe everything he had been to up to this point was a dream, and he was going to wake up with Genma splashing water in his face. But the voice came again… I art thou…
Ranma tensed at the feeling of a new power flow through him, warming his limbs and pushing away that little nagging bit of sickness that he had felt while in the Shadow's world. He could feel it mingling with his Ki, fusing with it, burning with strength within him. He could hear Kodachi give a small gasp beside him, covering her eyes from a light that only now did the Saotome heir notice was flowing about him. The energy grew, begging to be released and used. All it needed was one simple word that came to Ranma's lips easily, as if he had known it all of his life.
"PERSONA!"
A burst of Ki energy pushed out of Ranma's body with the shout, feeling the energy flow out and reach upwards, becoming visible as it mingled with the light aura about him. He could feel power pulse into the air above him, could feel it taking shape. The martial artist barely registered the shadows flying towards him with wild motions, mouths twisted into crazed gapes of fear. All he did was raise his hand towards one of the striped balls and drop it downward, and the energy behind him responded to the call. A huge pillar of stone slammed down on his chosen victim, crushing the creature and splattering its motes of darkness into that quickly faded into nothing. It was only after seeing the death of one of the shadows did Ranma's eyes follow the weapon to its source.
Behind him now stood a huge figure stepping through the remaining light and Ki energy. Standing taller then any human possibly could, the creature was humanoid and clad in dark, heavy robes that hid most of its lanky frame. Tangled, wild fur cover the visible portions of the creatures hands and face, of which wasn't entirely human, huge sharp teeth taking place in its smiling mouth. Wide ringed eyes glanced down at Ranma and nodded softly, the Persona pulling back the huge stone pillar it used as a weapon with a massive tail warped around the base, the Saotome heir now realized was a staff when comparing it to the wielder. It was then that the figure's name came to the pigtailed teen, one that came to him as easily as the word Persona had just a few moments before. Wukong.
Turning to the remaining Shadow, Ranma couldn't help but grin himself, face mirroring that of his Persona above. He could feel the strength, the power of the figure that had come to the call, and it was easy to tell that the power of Wukong far outweighed the floating orb. The shadow clearly sensed this too, turning around to flee, tongue flailing wildly. It never saw the falling stone staff that came crashing down on it's head.
With the foes gone, the Persona pulled the weapon back to its side before turning to Ranma, gazing down at him with those deep, ringed eyes. They knew everything, all that made the marital artist what he was, the things that he had gone through. The Saotome heir knew more then anything else that he had faced his other self, a facet of his own way to fight the hardships of his life in Wukong. With a final saluting nod, Wukong faded from sight like an illusion. Ranma could still feel the Persona deep within him, waiting to be called upon when he needed it.
The martial artist shouldn't have been surprised at all when he turned back to Koadchi and Sasuke only to see them both wide eyed, the little ninja having the added feature of a dropped jaw. His classmate's eyes looked directly into his, just like she had back at school, and as before Ranma found that he couldn't break that gaze. "So, that is what I felt..." the young woman said after a moment later, breaking away from his eyes. She stared off to the side, her eyes lost for only a moment, uncertain before hardening. "I think we should continue onward, before more Shadows could prevent our rescue efforts once more."
Ranma just nodded, his lips in a straight line. He could tell there was something Kodachi was hiding, something about the Persona that she wasn't letting on. But for now, that wasn't important, the martial artist turning to the swirling red and black portal that would have been just an entrance to the Tendo Dojo in the real world. With Kodachi and Sasuke beside him, the trio stepped into the dark home.
~oOo~
The insides of the shadow dojo proper were identical to the one in the real world, right down to the koi pond that right next to the entrance to the house proper. For a moment, Ranma thought they'd have to search the entire complex to try and find Akane, but Kodachi pointed towards the Dojo itself the moment they entered the grounds.
They found Akane in the middle of the of the training hall, another ball shaped shadow opposite her. The youngest Tendo sister barely dodged out of the way as the creature made its move, the sound of the monster's tongue slapping against the wooden floor sounding a great deal louder then it should. Injuries marred visible parts of her body, mostly red bruises from the blunt attacks, and she was clearly winded. The Shadow, on the other hand, was pristine in its appearance, grinning madly while floating back and forth before the girl tauntingly. Their entrance brought the monster's attention to it and the gaping grin it wore quickly turned to a frown. With the fight no longer being a one on one, the shadow turned and fled.
"Hey!" Akane growled, voice tired and breath heavy. "I'm not done with you yet!"
"Miss Tendo!" Sasuke shouted angrily, causing the girl to jump.
Her eyes narrowed when she turned to the trio, face twisting into a proud smile. She brought up her arms against her hips, each hand clenched into a fist in a stance of triumph. "See!" The Tendo girl said with as much moxie as she could muster. "I told you guys I could handle a Shadow, even without what ever stupid 'power' Ranma has!"
"If it wasn't for the fact that we were here to rescue, Miss Tendo, I'd be the one fighting you myself!" The small ninja growled as he stomped his way to her. Despite his size, the amount of anger that near visibly pulsed off his body was enough to cause Akane to step back a bit. "Not only did we have to bring Mistress Kodachi back in here, who's already been injured from these vile creatures, but this is AFTER you've learned this world isn't kind to humans!"
"I was showing you guys I could fight these things just as well as anyone!" Akane growled back, staring down at the tiny man. "Just because I'm not as good as Ranma doesn't mean I can't be useful in a fight. Don't just shove me off like I'm useless!"
"No one said you were, Miss Tendo..." Kodachi said, rising her hands between the two. "But I'd rather not involve more then is necessary, and I'm not sure if I would have even approached Ranma had you two not rescued me when I was taken. I was willing to try another way for fighting these creatures instead of involving others."
Akane didn't have an answer for that, her triumphant grin she had before had fallen and now her scowl on her lips matched the angered look in her eyes. That gaze was also leveled directly at Ranma, which made the Saotome heir wince softly. He knew how much pride the girl had, which is why he had tried to make light of the whole deal about her not fighting earlier. Clearly he'd not done enough. Before he could say anything, though, a harsh laugh echoed out from the darkness that brought all eyes to it.
"You don't get it, do you?" said the voice, harsh and cold. It's owner came forward into the middle of the training hall, and there was at least one exclamation of surprise among the group. It wasn't that surprising, considering the person that stood before them was a complete carbon copy of Akane. She had the same long midnight-blue hair, a light blue school uniform complete with matching shoes, and she moved exactly the same as the youngest Tendo as well. Of course, it would be hard to mistake this newcomer as Akane what with her evil sneer and her bright yellow eyes, like that of a Shadow. "She doesn't care if you want her or not! All she wants is to be the important one, like always!"
"Just who the hell are you?" Akane demanded, clenching her hands into tight fists, enough so that Ranma could have thought that he'd heard them crack. "And why the hell do you look like me?"
"Ranma! Akane! We must leave! Immediately!" Kodachi near shouted, already backing away from the doppelganger with Sasuke, the woman's face pale. Akane's copy just laughed, waving her fingers almost lazily. The sound of the doors shutting harshly echoed out through the room, the loudest being the one that had just locked tight right in the Kuno woman's face.
"To answer both," the yellow eyed woman said, glancing at the original in almost perverse glee. "Is that I AM you."
"What the heck are you talking about?" Akane growled through gritted teeth. "You're just a no-good impersonator!"
That got another laugh from the Tendo girl's copy, the girl's smile wicked and twisted. Those yellow eyes locked up with the eyes of her counterpart. "Oh, and you're going to claim that you hate everyone treating you like the best? Even those stupid boys fighting over you? That's a bunch of bullshit and we both know it."
The words seemed to cut through Akane, the young teen's eyes widening and face paling in anger. For a moment, Ranma was afraid that she was going to throw a punch. His eyes turned to Kodachi for an explanation, but all he found was naked fear, the woman near quivering in the corner. It was all that Ranma needed to see to place his fingers on the hilt of the katana, the martial artist feeling only the slightest twinge of concern that he already felt so comfortable with the weapon.
Akane's evil counterpart continued with a grin, crossing her arms against her chest with a superior air when the Tendo girl didn't respond. "'She's the strongest fighter around!' 'I'd be the best if I dated her!' All they do is compliment you no matter how good you really are, and you eat it up like a spoiled little brat! Perfect little Akane Tendo, the most important girl in Nerima..." then the doppelganger's face large smile turned into a snarl. "That's at least until Ranma came around!"
It was Saotome's turn to stiffen now, looking at the yellowed eye copy. Just what exactly was this thing going on about? Akane seemed almost embarrassed at the accusing tone of her counterpart, the girl seeming to blush a bit. "S-shut up!" she said with heat, though her voice lacked conviction. "Stop spouting out these stupid little lies!"
The other Akane laughed once more, the sneer back on her face. "What reason would I have to lie? You've been feeling like this ever sense that jerk Ranma came! I'm just telling it how it is, how you feel, because as I said before… I am you!"
"No!" Akane shouted back, tossing her arms out as she were try to throw away something disgusting. "You're not me, you've never been me! I'm not anything like that!"
Ranma tensed as he felt a sudden surge of energy wash over him the moment his sparing partner said those words, and having only recently discovered a power of his own after uttering a single word, he was rather apprehensive about anything spoken that could invoke such strength. The doppelganger laughed louder, harsher then she had ever previously, eyes glowing with a crazed brightness. "Oh yes, little girl. Say that again..."
"You're not me!" Akane near screamed, fists clenched.
The copy's face turned into a wild, insane smile at the words, laughing wildly. "YES!" She cried out in passionate power. A flow of energy surrounded the woman, the bright power Ranma recognized almost instantly as the same that he had used during Wukong's first appearance, if it wasn't for the fact that hers felt like a dark replica. The copy of Akane twisted and warped before their eyes. Her face stretched out into a long, huge snout, full of gnashing teeth and a long serpentine tongue. Her forearms grew thick, fingers morphing into claws with both appendages becoming covered in hard, thick scales. The body extended and grew to four times its normal size. At the end of the now monstrous shadow, a long scaly tale whipped out and took out the back wall of the Other Realm's Tendo Dojo.
Akane's response to all this was quite surprising, the girl falling over onto her back with a heavy thud, face twisted into sickness. Sasuke was at her side almost instantly, pulling the Tendo girl as far as he could from the Shadow. Kodachi moved beside Ranma, eyes locked with the dark dragon. "We must defeat this Shadow, Ranma… if we've any chance of leaving here alive."
"Kinda thought as much. She doesn't look like the type to want to play Shogi." Ranma said, giving Akane a worried look before facing the dragon and drawing his blade.
"I am a shadow, the true self!" Shadow Akane said with a haughty tone, her huge jaws not shifting at all in position as she talked. "I'm the only one deserving of the spotlight! I won't let you take away what's mine!" And with that, the dragon attacked, swinging a huge meaty paw down at Ranma like one might do to an insect.
Ranma jumped to the side, barely escaping the blow but still tumbling to the ground from the sheer force of the attack. Shadow Akane's head twisted to follow the martial artist when she noticed her initial strike had failed, a snarl showing more fanged teeth. The Saotome heir lashed out as he rose with the borrowed blade, watching as it dug into scale and flesh. The dragon let out a roar, though it was more of annoyance then of pain as it swatted once more at her foe, catching Ranma on the side and knocking him clear across the room.
Can't take many of those attacks… The pig-tailed martial artist thought, trying to keep the room from spinning about him. If nothing else like Akane, the Shadow had her strength, amplified to insane levels by its monstrous transformation. A small part of Ranma burned as he searched for a way to fight the dragon, which he quickly realized was Wukong's energy swelling inside of him. Grinning wildly, he pushed his Ki into that energy, feeling it grow and burst from him like it had before. In a flash, the visage of Wukong appeared once more, the grinning monkey bringing down its stone staff against the dragon's head.
Shadow Akane recoiled in pain at the strike, snarling loudly as it's tail whipped about quickly. It hit only air as Wukong's form faded from existence, confusing both monster and martial artist. A wave of physical exhaustion washed over Ranma almost immediately, like he had just spent a good hour training with Genma at his most harshest. It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant. Ok, can't keep Wukong out for long and physical attacks require physical strength. Wish I knew that before I was fighting for my life against an overgrown lizard.
"Ranma, watch out!" came Kodachi's cry, bringing Ranma's attention back to the dragon. The monster's head had reared back, an orange light glowing within its mouth. Knowing he'd never be able to get out of the way in time, the martial artist focused hard on that energy of Wukong, praying that the Persona would respond to his call once more while he brought his blade up before him in a defensive position. Energy washed over him focusing on the katana just as the fire of the dragon washed over him, parting like water to either side. Ranma could still feel the attack, could still feel it sting and pain him, but he could tell the damage would be nowhere near as violent as it would have been should he had taken the attack without defending himself. In fact, some small part of said that fire would always be a problem for him.
"Why aren't you dead yet?!" The Shadow screamed in fury, crazed yellow eyes glaring down at him in hatred. Ranma didn't even bother with an answer, charging straight at the beast with his sword before him. The dragon responded with a roar and did the same, heavy claws thudding onto the ground with its massive weight. The monster barely had time to register the martial artist's grin before he leaped up, running along the length of her scaly arm and to her head. The katana lashed out once more, striking right where his Persona had hit before.
The monster screamed in pain, one claw reaching up to cover her head from the assault while her serpentine tail lashed about to try and catch the martial artist, this attack landing with a heavy thwack against the martial artist's back. It was Ranma's turn to cry out in pain now as he was thrown across the room, just barely able to bring himself out of the free fall before he smacked himself against one of the remaining walls of the dark dojo. Air rushed out of lungs as he landed, it taking a great deal of Ranma's will not to pass out.
"See that?!" Shadow Akane cried out, stomping closer to the pig-tailed martial artist, fire licking at the edges of its mouth. "I'll always be the best and everyone will love and adore me for it! This is what you get for just barging into my life and trying to be better then me!" The dragon roared out after this, inhaling deeply to launch the fiery attack.
Head pounding, dizzy from the damage he took, Ranma glared up at the beast before him. He knew he'd only have one more big attack in him, and if he didn't make this work, he and the others were done for. Forcing himself to his feet, the pig-tailed martial artist stood up and called once more on Wukong, pushing all of his remaining energy into the Persona's power. Taking a breath, he gripped his sword tightly in his hand before shouting up at the dragon. "If you think that they're going to fawn over you when you look like an overgrown alligator, you've got another thing coming!"
"WHAT?!" The dragon shrieked, eyes insane with anger. She had completely forgotten the prepared fire breath as rage took over, the Shadow's huge maw snapping down at the martial artist.
Ranma jumped before the razor fangs could close about him, propelling him up into the air and giving him full vision of the spot in the dragon he had attacked before. He felt Wukong's power building in him, the Persona ready once more to bring its power into reality when the feeling changed from the physical blow that he originally intended. With a rush of snow cold energy that burst through the Saotome heir, the giant monkey-like figure appeared once more.
Instead of brandishing his weapon on the dragon's head, though, Wukong spun the staff about with practiced ease before catching it with one mighty paw, pulling it behind his back. The Persona then thrust out his opposite hand, the index finger extended while while the rest of the digits were bent. The energy that Ranma had built up within him left in a rush, forming a huge block of ice that slammed into the dragon's head in full force. Even as exhaustion swam over Ranma again, mental this time to signify the use of will for the elements instead of physical power, Ranma dropped from the height of his jump through Wukong's fading form, bringing the sharp tip of the katana down and through the monster's head.
The shadow let out a horrified scream, the entire body of the beast shaking, thrashing about as the fatal blow registered. This continued only for a moment before it could struggle no further, the beast falling to the ground in a heavy thud, her form exploding outwards in cascade of dark energy. In it's wake was the form of doppelganger of Akane, trembling before them.
With her Shadow defeated, some strength returned to the original, the midnight-blue haired girl struggling upwards lightly, the supporting hand of Sasuke beside her. "Is… is it over?" Akane asked, her voice thick with a mix of anger and sickness. Her eyes never left the yellow-eyed copy that now slowly stood back to it's feet. "Why is that thing still here?"
"That thing is your shadow, Akane..." The little ninja said with a frown, watching the copy wince a bit at being called a 'thing'. "The reason it went berserk is because you denied it. She came from you, is a part of you..."
Akane frowned herself at Sasuke's words, biting her lip softly. The youngest Tendo girl gave a small jump when she felt a hand placed on hers, turning to see Ranma smiling down at her. "Even if that is how you truly feel, Akane… doesn't make you any less of a person." the martial artist said, wanting to ease a bit of the pain he could see on her face.
With a sigh, she stood up, walking to her Shadow with a serious look on her face. Stopping before the yellow-eyed counter part, Akane spoke, almost too quiet to be heard. "Maybe, Ranma, but it did make me feel like it. I was the best at everything I set my mind to, even without the help of others. And even though it came from those stupid boys at school, was forced to fight against them…I showed them that there was no one who could beat me. It hurt when you came and showed that I wasn't anywhere near as good as I thought I was."
Akane shook her head, taking a shuddering sigh, before clasping her shadow with both hands on the other girls shoulders. "You are me..." she said at last. "And I am you..."
The shadow smiled at the Tendo girl's words, nodding happily. In a burst of energy Ranma was growing to recognize as the Personas, he watched as Akane's counterpart transformed. No longer was it the monstrous shadow that he had fought or a copy of Akane. The figure that stood before them matched Wukong in size, clad in a tight gown that clung to her frame. Atop her brow appeared to be a crown fashioned into the likeness of a dragon, it's maw clad about the Persona's hair. In her arms lay a weapon, a razor-edged fan that continued the theme, the scaled forms of the mythical creatures adorning it in place of the wood that might hold together a mundane one. With a smile, the Persona knelt down, touching her lips to Akane's forehead before vanishing as Wukong had done, the bright light of energy filling into the Tendo girl.
"Otohime. My Persona." Akane said as the woman faded from view. She then turned to the others, her face twisted into a mixture of guilt and embarrassment. "I'm sorry, you guys. I got too full of myself and we all nearly died as a result. I should have listened to you all from the start."
"Even so, Akane..." Ranma stated, stepping forward slightly, a slight smile on his face. "You wanted to show your best, and I nor anyone else can fault you for that. We also could have handled telling ya to stay put a bit better then we did. Besides, I think it turned out alright in the end."
"More then alright," Kodachi agreed, nodding. She then frowned, noticing how Ranma held himself, the overwhelmingly sick look plastered on Akane's face. "But we should perhaps talk about this a bit later, once we return safely to our world. Everyone could do with a little bit of rest."
In full agreement, the quartet left the Shadow version of the Tendo dojo, focused entirely on returning home.
Author's Notes: After thinking about it some again and talking to a few others, I must admit that while the original reasons for Akane's Shadow, while still in theme with her character, were a bit too focused on a singular aspect and didn't match how Akane is as a whole. Thus the rewriting of Akane's shadow to reflect more of how I feel she would be... how her main problem isn't her desire for attention (Which is still a factor for her), but more with the fact that she was the best before Ranma came. While he's still done some to try and sooth her wounded pride, But not enough to stop the Other Realm from giving birth to her shadow.
As for who the Shadows were in this chapter, they would be the Hablerie enemies which tend to be the most generic of mooks that you see as enemies in Persona. Them fighting Ranma and causing him to summon his Persona, Wukong, is a direct nod to how Souji/Yu summons Izanagi in Persona 4.