Should he say something about it? Should he question her about her knowledge of a style that no human could possibly know? He'd only seen him practice the kata once, but he recognized some of the striking zones that she had been focused on, they were meant to overwhelm an enemy with a storm of strikes that flowed from vital to vital in a chaotic deluge of fists and feet, elbows and knees.
"Excellent form Rei-Chan." His voice broke the silence, and her concentration. With a heavy sigh she slowed her kata, bringing it to an impromptu close. She spent several moments with her eyes kept closed, presumably cooling down, refocusing her energies. Another trait that she couldn't have learned, it was a Ranma specialty. Akane kept her eyes open when she practiced her forms, as did he, and even during the brief stint he'd taken her to train with other masters; he'd never seen her close her eyes as his rival once did.
Something had changed in her since her dream. She, a popular child had not once left her home in the weeks since her dream. She'd go to school and returned immediately thereafter. Often her friends would visit only to be turned away almost immediately. He wondered what had driven her to this training spree, perhaps she was reacting to that dream. He was sure it was just that, but he supposed that she could only benefit from this, though isolation would do her no good in the long term. He'd have to talk about that with her.
"You saw." The preteen stated more than asked, apprehensions clear in her tone.
"Saw what?" The fanged man replied, turning on his heel and leaving the dojo and his sag-shouldered daughter behind.
So Cold
By: XZero
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 5 - Calm Night's End
Northern Training Hall - Phoenix Mountain - Herb
Herb was impressed, it had been a week since his arrival at the mountain home of the Phoenix, and since then he had yet to face Saotome. Instead the younger, albeit their technical age was the same, man trained incessantly, seeming to crave control of his seemingly bottomless ki reserves. The wear of years was far more present in one than the other, who seemed no older than he had all those years ago. The dragon prince was not so lucky; years spent governing the sparse remainder of the Musk had worn him, though Herb was gladdened that he would live to see the Musk become a people secure in their survival once more. They numbered in the hundreds once more, and with the new generation birth rates were sure to once again rise.
Saotome had actually declined his challenge when he'd presented it two days prior, something that had shocked the Musk leader into a near catatonic state. He had understood, however, when the man he'd viewed as a friend and rival told him of the problem he'd had with control. Herb's reserves were naturally deep, deeper now than before, and were in fact of a like size with the power he sensed within the other man. He, however, was naturally capable of controlling his power. It was his birthright the same as the vast stores of power he claimed as his own.
Saotome did not have that luxury, and was forced to learn to control the vast power he held. Not to say that Herb was at any stretch of the imagination deficient when concerning the control of his energies. In fact, his natural control extended only to keeping in check the otherwise enormous aura that would leak from him as it was from the pigtailed man.
His thoughts were interrupted as he turned to see Ranma, actually see him. He was not wrapped within the corona, for the first time since he'd been here, and as he'd heard it, the first time since his awakening from his twenty year prison of ice, Saotome was without a visible aura, though if anything, the fierce concentration he displayed meant that he would not be able to hold the power back for long.
Ranma
Ranma smiled at Kiima victoriously, though his flesh was quickly turning blue, even frosting slightly as he struggled to maintain the binding on his power, he hadn't pulled the power in, merely stopped it from going out so rapidly as to be visible. He saw a look of worry cross the silver haired Phoenix woman's features as he felt it, the horrible cold of the air. His eyes crossed slightly as the icy breeze clawed as his flesh. He could tell from the generous blush of her features, and the heaving of her impressive bosom, that it was more than a little warm in the training hall. Kiima seemed to flow toward him with a speed unseen previously. In an instant he could feel the warmth of her body wrap him within her tender embrace. For the first time in so long he relaxed, the warmth of another person reaching his body. But then, as swiftly as the warmth had come, it vanished. He opened his eyes, aching to feel once more the warmth. Instead he felt nothing but the mild chill. He knew without looking that he was once again wrapped in the insulating blanket of energy. The damned thing that had kept him from freezing within the ice, but now trapped him in a state of cold.
Kiima was stilled pressed against him, holding to him tightly. He was surprised even now that her presence was as comforting as it was. He truly could not explain the attraction he felt to her, as if she had been near him forever, yet he knew nearly nothing about her, other than the figurative warmth she seemed to radiate, the light that kept his spirits from sinking. They would have to talk before much longer, decide where they stood. He remembered Herb telling him that he'd gone to Japan to challenge him, he would have to ask him what he remembered of his trip, how things there had been. How Akane...
Once again he felt her grip on him tighten, just as her hand had found his shoulder or his own hand every time he'd began to fall into a funk. It seemed that she knew, whether from his aura, or just from his stance. He hoped Akane was well, hoped she had moved on. He loved her then, he realized, but she was now twenty years his senior. She had undoubtedly moved on; though the thought was painful for him, he could not condemn her happiness in favor of him: a dead man, a ghost.
Kiima
Kiima squeezed Ranma softly, feeling his sadness as if it were her own. She had grown far too attached to him of late, and it seemed as if it would only progress further. She didn't understand what it was that she felt for him, but knew that it was genuine. Nothing had made her feel for him as she did. Perhaps she merely wished to help him through this difficult time. To in some way atone for her actions in the past. Yes, she decided, that was definitely it. It could be nothing else.
Sky Gate - Phoenix Mountain
This was astounding; he could not help but think to himself as he felt the smooth wrought stone of the gate. It was truly amazing. A terrace hundreds of feet in the sky was the main entrance to the Phoenix royal quarter. He had heard that the only true entrance to the mountain was accessible by those with the ability to fly, and it had only been his luck that had gotten him this far. He'd fled from the Phoenix woman, and then, utilizing his curse, flown behind her. His message was of far too much importance to Ranma. He would know how to find him by searching the mountain, his power was near, but it's size made it impossible to tell for certain where he was. Summing up his courage he knocked on the heavy gates.
"I am Mu Tzu, messenger for Elder Ku Lon, Matriarch of the Council of Elders of the Joketsuzoku. I bear a missive for the Lord Saffron, Keeper of the Keys, and God King of the Sacred Mountain of the Phoenix." He announced as the soldiers swarmed out from the gate that had swung open smoothly. Their spears were pointed at him, he could tell that much as he raised his arms slowly.
"Why should we believe you, a filthy landling?" One of the winged men bellowed. He thrust his spear forward as if to threaten. The blind master of the hidden weapons caught the spear as it came too near to his throat. The soldier gulped as his thrust was stopped dead by the blindfolded man.
"Because this pertains to the events of twenty years ago, I was among the party that fought here. Along with Saotome." The winged men all recoiled as if struck. If his words were true, than he was far beyond their power, after all, Saotome was a man of immeasurable power, his own strength rivaled that of the Lord Saffron. They would have to be wary of the man.
The apparent leader seemed to make a decision as he spun on his men, lowering his own spear.
"You, sergeant. You will report the landling's presence to Lady Kiima; ask her kindly to verify the Joketsuzoku male's claims." He had addressed the particularly hostile phoenix tribesman, though there was hesitation in the man.
"Now!" Screamed his superior, and the decision was made. The man dropped his spear entirely, though it stayed aloft, supported entirely from its position, trapped between first and middle fingers. The collective warriors were surprised, knowing that even with their training, the spear, especially the ornate, even if moderately functional, was the heaviest weapon they were trained to wield.
The warrior dashed off, going with all haste toward the training areas where the Lady Kiima was now known to spend almost all her time in the company of Saotome.
Tendo Dojo - Nerima Ward - Mint and Lime
This, this was their destination. It was with tired smiles that the two men rung the bell at the gate, hoping to capture the attention of the occupants. It was midday, and the children were wandering the streets of the district, passing them by with more than a little awe. It seemed that the district had changed greatly from the time that they had last been here. Before their appearance, odd as it might seem to some, had not garnered a second look. Now, they felt as if they were spectacles for the Japanese youth.
"Mint?" The burly man queried hesitantly. He was cautious recently of his smaller friend, Mint seemed to be growing more agitated with him, though why he could not understand, was he not the same as always? Mint was the smarter of the two of them, and would inarguably always be so. Lime knew his strengths, and they were, well, strength. He was a pillar, and he knew that nothing would shake that. Perhaps it was something else bothering Mint. Yes, it must be something else.
"I know Lime, believe me, I know." The tiger-boy sighed, though for once as of late, not because of his slow witted friend. Now it was the gawking children, though the stares they received were not strictly from youngsters. The staggeringly rude children could be forgiven, curiosity often overcame the young. He could remember his own curiosity about women, even into his teen years he remembered his lack of social grace when it came to the fairer sex.
"Let's just ring the damn bell and get this over with." The lupine cutlerist growled slightly as a child came too near, and with a show of his canines, banished the foolish youth from him. In short order most of the younglings ran, taking cover behind streetlamps, even garbage cans as their interest in the newcomers outweighed their fear of the fanged man.
Rei
The clanging of a bell interrupted her practice. At first it might have been her imagination; after all, there weren't any bells around her home. There, again, the noise disrupted her kata, as soon as she had settled again to restart. This time, it was something she couldn't ignore. Stretching herself, she started herself on cooling down from the exercise, knowing that stopping suddenly would invite injury, and that was not something she could afford. Her dream, perhaps it was a vision, occurred when the Sakura were in bloom, and the tree outside had already started to form buds, it would only be a few weeks more, could only be a few weeks more.
She was strong, but not enough so, she wanted to be stronger, to have an active part in this conflict. She didn't know why, but she wanted to prove herself to the man she knew so well, yet had never met. Shaking off the thoughts she opened the heavy wooden gate to the backyard. This was the challenger's entrance, as long as she could remember, that gate had only seen three through it, none of them had stayed long.
Her surprise was apparent as she surveyed the two men standing before her. Her confusion evaporated as one spoke.
"We are looking for Tendo Akane and Hibiki Ryouga." The shorter man was to the point, and apparently well read on her parents. Her father hadn't used his family name in years, having left behind all that he was to be with her mother. Tendo Ryouga was the name her father was now known by, apparently a symbol of giving himself to her. She supposed it was romantic, but from her perspective, it was entirely too sappy.
"They are in the house. I am Tendo Rei, and you are?" She asked politely. Just because they were going to leave in more pieces than they arrived didn't mean they deserved any less courtesy than any other guest.
"I am Mint, he is Lime, and we are friends of Herb." She could only raise an eyebrow as he said their names; it must be a joke, until she heard the final word spoken. Herb, her father had told her bedtime stories about that one, about the battle that shook the foundations of their lives, about how he'd fought with Ranma, about how they'd toppled a mountain with their power while still in their youth.
"I'll show you in, this must be important for you to have journeyed all the way from China." She stated, gesturing for them to follow her into the yard. Her movements were precise, however, in that she would keep her guard up, her father had told her how he and Herb had become friends just the day before when he mentioned him, it had been in direct relation to a statement he'd made about the man called Saotome.
The two followed her without further words, tracking toward the house with quiet resolve. She could only wonder what had brought them here, from her understanding; it wasn't a light undertaking for them to have traveled here.
Akane
It was a scene from the horror stories of old, or would have been if one assumed a lack of change in Nerima. It had been a static place for almost all, but since the premier martial artist of the previous generation failed to return, the weirdness that permeated their lives faded with time. Nerima was once more a quiet district in the Greater Tokyo Area. The kitchen was a hurricane of movement as the exuberance that she had shown for all aspects of her life became apparent in the culinary techniques of Tendo Akane. Her dishes were nearly completed when the closure of the rear door informed her of her daughter's return to the house. Ryouga was upstairs, fixing a hole of something; she hadn't really been listening when he spoke early, too intent on the careful preparation of the meal.
"Rei-Chan, would you please set the table?" She called out over her shoulder; she was closed to the world within the walls of this kitchen. Her concern over other things when preparing dishes in her teen years had been the primary cause of her poor cooking. She simply thought of other things, and was inattentive to the task at hand. She realized what Ranma had meant when he called it toxic sludge. She had also never bothered to taste her own creations.
"Mother, we have visitors." Her daughter stated from the doorway. She turned to give the girl a questioning glance and opened her senses. Two men, with animalistic auras sat in her living room. She knew her husband would meet with her before they could make it into the room; he was already on his way downstairs.
These men were powerful, more so than any mere wandering artists. In fact, she was surprised other martial artists had come here, for over ten years there hadn't been a single challenger. Ryouga was by far more powerful than any man in the modern world. Students filled the dojo almost every day to learn any number of styles in which she, her husband, and even their daughter held mastery in.
"Rei-Chan, please finish dinner for me? I think your father and I will be in conversation with these men for some time. Rei's acceptance was not unexpected, she had always been willing to help out around the house, and if her school records were any indication, she was more than willing to help others. The old Akane remembered the days, remembered beating up bullies, though she frowned at the period during which bullies became perverts, that time was a sore spot in her history, with a ghost that she could never banish. She wished she could settle things between them, but no matter what Rei had dreamed, Ranma was dead and would remain so.
Ryouga
Hammering a new section of wall into place he relaxed a bit, taking note of the two energies that had just entered his home. Finished with his task, he cleaned his tools from the room and headed downstairs, intent to join his wife in the living room. He felt his daughter's aura, controlled and focused, but amateur overall, these others, they were masters capable and in use of techniques to cloak their power, keeping it suppressed. He could feel the make of it, definitely male, and they felt strangely wild, but nothing about them was hostile. These men were powerful indeed, but what did they want here?
When he met with his wife in the hall outside the living room they nodded once to the other in understand before passing into the room, ready for anything. The stunned expressions as they took in two men that had not found their way to Japan for years. But for them to suddenly be in their living room... No, it didn't matter, and it was Ryouga who first recovered from his shock.
"Mint, Lime. Good to see you!" For the formerly directionally challenged man it was a blessing to see them. He suffered without suitable opponents, and wished truly for something to break the monotony, perhaps even the events described by his daughter's dream, though he'd never tell Akane that. She seemed to be happy with the lack of insanity that had ruled in this new Nerima for years now. It was a fleeting thought. That of an adventurer retired, seeking a respite from quiet life.
Akane was drawn back into reality by her husband's declaration, shaking her head slightly as she went with him to the table to greet the two beast warriors.
"Please, you must join us for dinner." Akane insisted of the Musk men. Ryouga saw their uncertainty, but surprisingly, none of the old wonder that seeing a woman brought about in them. He was glad for it; they were friends from time before tragedy, before they had to grow up. He hadn't wanted to have to beat them senseless for asking to grope his wife.
"We will, but afterward we have a message from Herb, he said that it was of the utmost importance." Mint and Lime both knew well what the message said, after all, they too had felt the awesome strength of Saotome as he seemingly, much like the phoenix returned to life. It was a matter of principal that Herb had written the letter, and it would not be right for them to discuss the contents of such before his message was delivered. Beside that, both of the men had a strong sense of smell, courtesy of grandmothers long dead, and were eager to eat a good meal.
Phoenix Mountain - Royal Quarters
Saffron had few advisors, but the very few that were within the inner ring of his trust knew well what his current form was, as they had known for some time. Disinformation to the people at large was never his intention, but it could not be helped. The council who presided over most matters within the mountain had insisted that Saffron not be truly seen by any, save his closest advisors. Spewing excuses, with their fellows to back them. Court often produced useless decisions, but they were necessary in the name of diplomacy. He was an egg still, and would be for at most a week more, after Saotome's display earlier within the northern training hall, he could estimate that he would want to move on, find old friends, or just start a new life. Whatever the case, while he would always be welcome here, he could not imagine him staying here. Well, not yet. A rapping at the door diverted his attention, his senses from within the egg expanding, finding, to his satisfaction, an old friend waiting for response.
'Come in Kozu.'
It was an ancient being who entered the chambers moments thereafter, his skin wizened to the point of seeming leather. Deep wrinkles ran along the lines of his face; though through them shockingly alert blue eyes scanned the room before resting on his long time friend. He was one of few who truly loved his sovereign, not just as his king, but as a man.
"It has been some time Saffron; unfortunately this is not a social visit. I have, in my capacity as Royal Librarian, been doing some reading. Of late I have begun taking note of prophecies made in the distant past, prophecies either entrusted to our people by allies, or by seers from our own people." Kozu had always been a man whom wasted no time dispensing pleasantries, Saffron remembered their conversations about the frankness in which he spoke, having time after time chided him with joking admonitions for his rudeness to the monarch of a people.
'What have you come to inform me of Kozu? What could cause you to ramble on? Do not worry old friend, whatever the problem, prophecy is merely a possible course of history, nothing in the future is definite.'
"I am afraid it concerns Saotome. Several prophecies make mention of a mortal flame who has done battle with the 'burning wings.' I believe that the events foretold should be taken into consideration, the results are not positive otherwise." The old man was serious, and in fact carried two scrolls, both of which were worn and yellowed with age.
"These are third copies of the original texts, all written some time long ago, and later entrusted to our people by unspecified outsiders. What is most unusual is their particular kanji; it is older than any I have ever seen." Kozu seemed to be preoccupied with the details of the scrolls than with their message, after a few moments more of the man rambling Saffron felt it time to end the string as he began repeating himself.
'Old friend, I must ask you to come to a point. You are not making much sense.' There, curt, but not enough so to actually offend the man.
"These are the words as they appear on the scroll:
The mortal flame shall do battle with the burning wings, and so shall be preserved as a frozen flame. When he has emerged from his crystal prison he shall turn onto the land of Wa. The frozen flame must possess the key to his element if he shall stand against the darkness.
What these words mean in their entirety is uncertain to me. Another prophecy found in the third century according to the western calendar, however, leads me to believe this refers to something known as the abyssal shadow." Kozu was in his element here, and it showed. While it had given him something to concentrate on, and to prepare for, he knew by his old friend's tone that it would be some time before he was given the opportunity to rest.
Somewhere
The buzz of power filled the cave as arcane eldritch light cast long shadows against the stone walls. Stalactites hung low and were daggers against the total darkness of the cave ceiling. Not even the otherworldly acid green light could pierce the darkness above. A single figure stood amidst a glowing array. The glyphs flowed in a script unknown to mankind. It was a sight from tales better left to children's stories.
The creature's grinning mouth was full of broken teeth all in various stages of rot, the almost lazy drawl of the vaguely masculine being's voice matched perfectly the pulsating of the oily shadows that were cast in the light the glowing seal produced. Slowly, and methodically gnarled hands toiled at their work. It would take time yet to finish the array, but once it was complete, he would again have the strength to pursue his desires. He would find once more the pleasures of flesh. He would live once more.
To Be Continued...
A/N: Sorry this took so long, between work and a lack of coherency and creative juices. (I ran out of mountain dew) I hope you all enjoy this, and hope to have another update sometime in the next couple weeks. Thank you to all those who reviewed, it actually is directly proportionate to the inspiration for the story. I hope the plot continuity is satisfactory, let me know where you think things could use improvement.