Disclaimer

Ranma 1/2 was created by Takahashi Rumiko, and anyone who doesn't already know this won't understand this story anyway. Bleach was created by Tite Kubo; you don't really need to have seen Bleach to understand this fic, but just so you know, anything not Ranma related in here was created by him.

- - -

"I made it...it only took me half a day!" His expression of elation turned to one of confusion. "Uh...I thought that the front door opened into the genkan, not the kitchen."

Kasumi smiled. "You made it here quickly, but you came to the wrong door. Tea?"

- - -

"Pervert! Letch! Animal!"

Ranma scratched his head. "I'm guessin' you're angry with me, as usual? What didn't I do this time?"

- - -

Ranma glanced at the pictures on the shrine. He hadn't met any of the people there...they were all Tendos, and with the exception of Soun's wife, they had all died before he was born.

"Can't ask you guys for advice...If you've met a Shinigami, you ain't gonna be able to tell me about it."

- - -

"Hollows can smell a Shinigami from a long distance. They are also attracted to people with large amounts of spiritual energy."

"You mean like the people in this house. Pops, old man Tendo, Akane..."

- - -

Masami reached for her katana. Her hand encountered air.

"Oh, no...In this false body, my zampakto is bound away!" She turned. "Ranko! You are completely on your own!"

Tail Kinker Presents

Pale Horse

Chapter 4: Mistakes and Misunderstandings

Masami crashed heavily to the mat.

Ranma straightened up, and grinned. "You're gettin' better, I gotta say."

"You call this better?" Masami stood up painfully, gasping for breath. "All that has been happening is that you have been tossing me around the mat like a rag doll."

"Yeah, but you've already forgotten. You need to learn how to fall as much as you need to learn how to throw."

Masami crossed her arms. "I placed very highly in my primary martial arts training, and that included learning how to fall properly."

"I believe ya. Really, I do." Ranma shrugged. "Maybe I'm just more of a perfectionist than your last teacher."

Masami considered this. "Maybe you are a better martial artist than he was."

"Oh, that goes without sayin'."

Masami shifted to a ready stance. "Again?"

"Naw." Ranma shook his head. "You're a quick learner, but you're startin' to lose your wind. First kata. Akane, respond."

"Hai, sensei." Akane jumped to her feet and took her place opposite Masami."

"No meter. Begin."

Masami moved through the kata at full speed, noting with surprise that Akane matched her moves perfectly. The kata was painstakingly choreographed; a mistake by either partner could cause injury to either. The kata was fifty-four steps, and at full speed, Masami was sweating even more heavily by the end. Akane, on the other hand, appeared as fresh as at the start.

"Good. Grab some tea, you two."

Masami dropped down to the floor, and picked up her teacup. Ranma sat opposite her.

"What can you tell me about the kata you just performed?"

Masami considered. "There were no moves in it more difficult that the simplest beginner moves."

"Yes." Ranma nodded.

"Despite having done it only a few times myself, it worked seamlessly with Akane." She frowned. "It seemed that she was compensating for the errors I was making."

"Good."

"And by the time I was done, I was aching all over."

"I wondered about that. You look to be about nineteen, but you told me that you were closer to one hundred and fifty. When did you last seriously practise the Art?"

Masami considered. "That would probably be before I died."

"...Died?"

"Yes. I joined Soul Society about nine years after I died. I was killed at Goryokaku, during the Boshin War."

"Oh." Ranma looked nonplussed. "I didn't think they let women fight in wars back then."

"With this body, it was easy to convince others I was a man."

Akane snorted.

Ranma shrugged. "Well, whoever your sensei was, he laid a solid foundation to work with. But I'm guessing that this fake body you're wearin' isn't properly conditioned."

"No...it's a new issue."

Ranma nodded. "I don't know if it'll do you any good in the long run to condition it, but you're gonna have to in order to progress any further."

- - - - -

The knock at the door caught Kasumi's attention. She turned from the counter, and opened the door.

"Oh, Ryouga!"

"I made it...it only took me half a day!" His expression of elation turned to one of confusion. "Uh...I thought that the front door opened into the genkan, not the kitchen."

Kasumi smiled. "You made it here quickly, but you came to the wrong door. Tea?"

"Oh, thank you. Is Ranma here?"

"Yes. He's in the dojo at the moment. Once you have finished your tea, I will take you there."

- - - - -

"Akane, I need to ask you to excuse us for a short time."

"Okay." Akane stood, and glanced over at Ranma. "Be careful while I'm gone...you've managed to go almost a full month without acquiring a new fiancée...I'd hate to see you break such a winning streak."

"Like I go lookin' for 'em."

"You always seem to find them...Maybe you should start looking, and then you'd have no problems?" She picked up the empty teapot and left.

"Aah..." Ranma waved a hand in her direction. "Always gotta be the smartass."

"Ranma." Masami set down her cup. "This next part is only for the ears of we Shinigami. I think that it is very important that you accept the training that I will offer you. You see...Soul Society does not take kindly to rogue agents. If you do not agree to join us, or to give up your powers...it is likely that you will be slain."

Ranma frowned. "You can just make the powers go away?"

"Yes. But if you recall, when your spirit is separated from your body, neither is at your full strength. Removing the powers of Shaolan from you will cripple you..." Masami considered. "No, it would be more accurate to say that, while you would remain a formidable warrior, you would not be as powerful as you are now."

"So you're sayin' that I gotta work for you guys, or you're gonna try to kill me." Ranma's scowl deepened. "Ain't anyone ever heard of live and let live?"

"You may have difficulty understanding our ways. If your power is not bound to the will of the Gotei Thirteen...you could prove a terrible monster."

- - - - -

"Kasumi, I've brought back the--" Akane broke off, and grinned at Ryouga. "Hi! It's been a while."

"Yeah..." Ryouga stood up. "Thanks for the tea, Kasumi." He turned to Akane. "Can you take me to Ranma?"

"At the moment, he's busy with Masami."

"...Masami?"

"Yeah, she showed up looking for him yesterday. Something about a long-standing arrangement or something. They seem to be doing well, even though she's a few years older than him."

Ryouga's eye twitched.

"They had to quit for a while, because Masami can't handle everything Ranma can dish out...she was covered in sweat. She was also starting to get kinda sore, because she's never really done anything like this before. And you know how hard Ranma is...he worked her over pretty good."

"THAT BASTARD!" Ryouga dropped the teacup, and bolted for the door.

"Oh..." Kasumi watched him run out. "I do hope he realizes that that door goes to the hall, not the dojo."

With some puzzlement, Akane wondered, "What did I say?"

- - - - -

"BASTARD!"

Ranma glanced away from Masami. "Oh, hey, pig boy. What's up?"

"Pervert! Letch! Animal!"

Ranma scratched his head. "I'm guessin' you're angry with me, as usual? What didn't I do this time?"

Ryouga pointed at Masami. "Not only have you collected another fiancée, but you have bent her to your vile desires?"

"You been takin' lessons from Kuno?"

"How dare you toss Akane aside for another woman...and an older one, at that?"

Ranma shrugged. "I ain't tossin' Akane aside...I got plenty of time for her too. In fact, sometimes she helps out."

"Uh?" Ryouga's expression shifted from rage to confusion.

"Yeah, it really helps sometimes to have two chicks around. 'Specially when one of 'em's as strong as Akane...makes the trickier positions an' maneuvers easier. And considerin' that Akane's really good with holds and grabs--"

A single vein on Ryouga's forehead popped into stark relief. "You...I'LL KILL YOU!" He leaped forwards.

And was promptly grabbed and slammed face-first into the mat of the dojo. Masami straightened up, and glanced over at Ranma.

"Was that correct?"

"Perfect, student. It helps that he was too mad to see straight." Ranma knelt down beside the Lost Boy. "Look, Ryouga, I don't understand why you're so mad. So what if I took on a student?"

"...Student?"

"Yeah. Didn't Akane mention?"

"No." Ryouga sat up slowly. "Maybe I should have asked."

"Ya think?"

"Ranma...Something happened to me last night. I don't really know what, all I remember is waking up from a bad dream."

Ranma glanced over at Masami, who waved a hand.

"But I woke up on the porch of my house, and it had rained...my clothes were soaked."

"Wait. You were wet, cold water? And still in your clothes..." Ranma's eyes lit up. "You were cured?"

"Somehow, yes, but I don't recall how."

Ranma glanced over at Masami again, who nodded slightly.

"Cured..." Ranma grinned. "Well, do me a favour. If you figure out how, let me know, okay?"

"Sure. But..." Ryouga stood up. "Now that I am a whole man again, I intend to tell Akane how I feel about her."

"Right," snorted Ranma. "You've tried that how many times? All that ever happens is she says something—anything--and ya lose your mind again."

"If I need to, I will challenge you for her, Ranma."

"Ryouga...If ya manage to tell her, and she decides she'd rather be with you, I'll gift-wrap her for ya, okay?" Ranma looked disgusted. "I can promise ya that, because I know that neither is ever gonna happen. Now, it's almost dinner time, and I gotta finish up with my student."

"Dinner?" Ryouga blinked. "Kasumi was making lunch when I was in the kitchen."

"And how long did you run around the compound until you found the dojo?"

"Uh..."

"It's nearly dark, Ryouga. Do me a favour. Go home."

- - - - -

Ranma seated himself before the shrine.

"What to do..."

He glanced at the pictures on the shrine. He hadn't met any of the people there...With the exception of one picture of his grandmother, they were all Tendos, and with the exception of Soun's wife, they had all died before he was born.

"Can't ask you guys for advice...If you've met a Shinigami, you ain't gonna be able to tell me about it."

He heard the door open behind him. "Have you decided?"

Ranma glanced over his shoulder. "Ya know, ya landed all this on me at once. Ya might give me a day or two to think about it."

Masami smiled. "Perhaps it would be best to give you more to think about. Night has fallen; If there are more Hollows in this town, they will shortly begin roaming."

"Yeah...Ryouga's Hollow said I smelled good."

"Hollows can smell a Shinigami from a long distance. They are also attracted to people with large amounts of spiritual energy."

"You mean like the people in this house. Pops, old man Tendo, Akane..."

"Even Kasumi is above average in this regard."

"I kinda guessed that. She could almost see me."

Masami knelt before him. "If you wish to help them, you will have to make a choice."

"I..." He sighed. "Look, it's all happenin' too fast, all right?"

"There is a Hollow in this house, right now."

"What!?" Ranma jumped up. "Where?"

"Your father has a Jushenkyou curse, does he not?"

"The Hollows cause the curse?"

"Yes." She stood. "This is why Shaolan was sent to Jushenkyou. As a master curse-breaker--" She broke off, as Ranko stepped cleanly away from Ranma.

Ranko grinned, and drew her zampakto. "So Pops is possessed by a Hollow, and if I kill it, he'll be cured."

"Yes."

Ranma rubbed his forehead. "Give a guy a little warnin', next time, Ranko."

Ranko glanced down at the glaive. "Shaolan was a curse-breaker, eh?" She glanced up, and grinned. "Let's keep that part of her alive."

- - - - -

Alone among the Cursed, Genma actively enjoyed his alternate form.

At the moment, he was sprawled in the front yard. His favourite tire – usually used for a disguise, but an entertaining toy for the simple minded – lay nearby, but he was content just to enjoy the evening breeze. A half-eaten bamboo stalk was lying across his furry chest, his paws were tucked behind his head, and he stared up at the stars in the night sky.

Ranko walked up to him. "Yo, Pops. On yer feet."

The panda ignored her.

Masami chuckled. "You realize that right now, he cannot perceive you."

"Crap." She glanced over at the older Shinigami. "But you're wearin' that fake body, right? He can see you."

"True."

"Good. You tell him to get up."

Masami shook her head. "No. This is your task."

"Fat lot of help you are." She sighed, and turned back to the panda. "So he can't see me, an' he can't hear me." She took a step to the side. "But I remember that when I punched Daisuke, he sure felt it."

She delivered a sharp kick to the side of the panda's head.

Genma growfed, and sat up.

"Chance!" Ranko swung the nagimaki, and caught the panda across the back of the head with the haft.

Genma instantly reverted to human, and was pitched forward into the dirt. The shadowy form was knocked a lot further, billowing against the far wall before it started to coalesce.

"Strike now, before it forms!"

Ranko leaped forward, her zampakto extended to lunge, but was just a hair too slow. A massive fist slammed into her side, knocking her sideways and into the bushes.

Masami sighed, and reached for her katana. Her hand encountered air.

"Oh, no...In this false body, my zampakto is bound away!" She turned. "Ranko! You are completely on your own – I am unable to fight in this form!"

"Great." Ranko pulled herself out of the bushes. "Holy crap, this one is big."

The mist had solidified; the resemblance to a panda was limited to indistict patches of grey. But it towered over them, four or five meters tall, and still in a stooped stance. Its bone-white mask covered half of its face, and the eyes behind gleamed with a dull intelligence.

"This one is strong, Ranko...exercise caution."

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Ranko scowled, and started to circle the Hollow. "Ryouga's Hollow had all his attacks, so I gotta expect that Pops taught this thing everything he knew. Not that that'd take long. Think he's got his weaknesses, too?"

"Most likely."

"Then I gotta – whoa!" She leaped to the side, as the creature swung both fists at her. The impact left a crater the size of the koi pond.

"Pops was never this strong!" Ranko leaped in, slashing at the beast's arm. The creature parried the attack flawlessly, then backhanded her into the wall.

"Ranko!"

The Hollow heard Masami's cry, and turned towards her. Dropping to all fours, it began to lumber slowly towards her.

"Shinigami..."

Masami blinked. "Even with this faux body, it can smell me." She took a step back.

The beast reared up on its hind legs, both front paws rising to slash. Its ten-centimeter claws gleamed dully in the light of the sodium street-lamps.

Ranko landed square on the creature's back, and drove the nagimaki into its neck.

The bear-thing twisted sideways, trying to reach her. She clung to the zampakto. "I got this thing buried half a meter in its neck, and it's still fightin'?"

"The mask!"

"Crap. Forgot." She pulled the blade clear, but lost her footing and was tossed to the ground.

The Hollow turned, and swung a paw at her; she barely managed to roll out of the way.

"Get clear, and come at it again!"

"Nope. Pops was never an in-fighter."

She dodged another attack, and then moved straight in, until she was directly underneath the beast's head. She leaped straight up, leading with the zampakto, and slashed through its chin, straight through its entire head, until the blade cracked the mask from the inside.

- - - - -

"One less curse!"

Ranma grinned. "Pops is gonna be sore when he wakes up."

"Angry, or injured? I think it's gonna be both." Ranko grinned. "This is gettin' easier all the time." She staggered a bit.

"Yo, you look like you're about done."

"I got some energy left." She sat down. "No need for me to go away just yet, is there? I mean, Masami's been spendin' all her time trainin' you."

"We're the same person. Did you forget?"

"No." Ranko shrugged. "But I just don't feel like goin' away yet. The night's still young, plenty of Hollows left to kill."

Ranma sighed. "So you wanna stay a girl all the time now?"

"Huh?" Ranko scowled. "Forget that!"

"Unless you rejoin your counterpart, you will remain in female form." Masami looked down. "You are still part of him, and he of you."

"But—"

Ranma stepped forward, and touched her forehead. With the usual sudden crack, she was gone. He shuddered, and glanced over at Masami.

"I'm getting' worried about this."

"She is showing a disturbing level of independence, for one who is merely a reflection of yourself."

"I don't think she is anymore."

"Oh?"

"Yeah...she wasn't so worried about bein' stuck a girl as she said."

- - - - -

Ranma set the bowl down on the table, and dropped his chopsticks into it. He glanced over at his father, sitting morosely beside him.

"Man, that was good. I'm surprised that you weren't tryin' ta steal mine."

Genma grumbled, stood, and wandered off.

"Oh, dear." Kasumi sighed. "You would think he'd lost his best friend."

Ranma snickered. "I think the panda was his only friend."

"Surely Father--"

"Yeah, I guess...he couldn't really cheat at shoji playin' against the panda, could he?"

There was a knock at the garden door, and Masami stepped in. "I am sorry for disturbing you at this hour."

"Yo, Masami. I'm glad you showed up." He jumped to his feet. "Let's go."

He led her through the kitchen, to the back door, but paused before they reached the dojo. "Look, about this whole Shinigami thing..."

"Have you reached a decision?"

"Not really. But I don't know what's gonna happen with Ranko." He sighed. "For her sake, I'll take you up on that training."

Masami smiled. "Excellent. So today, I shall be your master."

"Hai, sensei." Ranma glanced up, and shuddered.

Her smile had turned very cold.