Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma or Castlevania. But give me some time, I only need one more Dragon Ball. The Four Star if anyone has it and is willing to trade for a half used packet of Instant Naniichuan, a slightly used bar of waterproof soap, or a Hardsuit with a punctured radiator and some body damage.
Today's theme is: I'm a believer - by Ganasia; Another Rockman theme, this one from X3. I love the music from the Rockman games. ^_^
Bonus theme: When Worlds Collide - by Powerman 5000
Due to the sucky ass service at Animenation, C&C, hatemail, and challenge letters for duels of honor to:
guy_jin@hotmail.com
By: Guy Jin
Savior's Blood
Reunited
++++++++++++++
"Oh man. Okonomiyaki! I haven't had this stuff in years!" exclaimed Ranma as he saw what was sold on the cart he'd come across in the park.
The girl running the stand smiled and gave him a little wink. "Well then I'll just have to make this one extra special for you."
"Thanks a bunch! The last time I had some good okonomiyaki was when I was a kid. My buddy Ucchan's dad owned a cart and he'd make the stuff for us every day."
The girl gripped the spatula in her hand tightly, causing it to be crunched into a little scrap of stainless steel.
"Ranchan?" she asked carefully.
"Hey. How'd you know what he used to call me?" he asked, totally suprised.
"Oh god! It is you!" she yelled as she leapt forward and planted a big kiss on his lips.
The kiss lasted moments but to Ranma it felt like hours. He could only stand there in shock as the pretty brunette cook locked lips with him. He only moved when he realized that something was working it's way past his lips into his mouth.
"Ack!"
The young chef was slightly shocked that the boy had moved away so quickly, until she realized what she'd just done.
"I'm sooo sorry! I-I-I don't know w-what came over me!" she stammered with a blush. A silent moment fell between the two as they both let their minds come to grips with what had just happened.
Figuring things would go nowhere unless he initiated the conversation, Ranma ventured a question."So... What's your name anyways?"
"What the hell do you mean, 'what's my name'?" she asked, hands on her hips in irritation. "Don't tell me you don't recognize your old buddy Ucchan?"
Ranma's jaw hit the ground with a thud. He took as long look at the person before him.
Long curvaceous legs, lengthy brunette ponytail, healthy bust size, big puppy dog eyes. This was most definitely a woman. But Ucchan was a guy... wasn't he? Time for a test.
"Okay, if you're Ucchan, what's my favorite color?"
"Red."
"Favorite Okonomiyaki?
"Pork."
"Aha!"
"But with a little shrimp, and an octopus made in the center with soy sauce."
"Okay then, where did I use to hide my-"
"In the bushes behind the dojo you lived at, inside of a shoe box."
Realization along with a bit of confusion showed on Ranma's face. "You are Ucchan!"
Ukyo smiled and nodded excitedly. "Finally! You understand!"
"Oh my God, Ucchan's a transvestite!!!"
THAWP!!!
Faster than Ranma could see Ukyo had reached behind the cart and pulled out her father's giant spatula. Also faster than he could see she'd whomped him on the head with said spatula.
"I'm not a transvestite you boob!"
"Cross dresser?"
THWAP!!!
"Doppelganger?"
THWAP!!!
"Err... real girl?"
Ukyo was just about to swing again when she realized he'd gotten it right. "Took ya long enough," she mumbled angrily.
The pigtailed boy then began extricating himself from the hole he now lay in. "When did this happen?" he asked, truly and honestly baffled as to how his friend could turn into a girl.
"When I was born you jackass!" came the quick reply.
"..."
"..."
The silence returned as the two reunited friends could only look around the park for something interesting to occupy their attentions. After a while of this Ranma started up the conversation anew.
"Soooo... You ever been to China?"
"Um no. I don't think I have," came the reply. Ukyo was glad that the conversation was turning to something pleasant.
"'Cause they got these springs there that does stuff to people that fall in. And I was figuring that you might've gone there and-"
"What kinda things?" she asked curiously.
"Um, curses and the like. Not a good place to vacation."
Ukyo started to ask why the boy thought she'd visited a cursed springs, when Ranma's stomach decided to make itself known. The pigtailed martial artist blushed slightly while his friend began to chuckle.
"Same old Ranchan. Tell you what. I said I'd make something special for you and I meant it, so lets go back to my place and I'll break out some of my best ingredients. Sound good?" she proposed with a cheery grin.
Ranma's embarrassment was forgotten with the mention of good food.With a happy smile and a nod he helped lock up the cart and followed back to Ukyo's place.
++++++++++++
The building Ukyo rented from was a two story complex, with six apartments total, and was a short distance from the park. Her rent wasn't too bad considering it's proximity to the park, or at least it wouldn't be too bad if the apartments were a bit bigger.
One bed/living room, kitchen, plus bath. It was a pretty small place, only really suitable for a single person.
Ukyo didn't mind that much though. It was a place to sleep after her work, and that's all she needed. But bringing her friend for a visit she felt a bit embarrassed about her current living conditions.
As they entered her apartment on the second floor, Ukyo couldn't help but fidget nervously with her key. She was waiting for Ranma to say something like, "This place is a dump!" or, "How about we go back to the park to make that okonomiyaki, it's a lot cleaner than this place!"
Ranma stood in the tiny room with the futon rolled up in the corner, his eyes wandered around the small area with interest, taking in every detail of the room.
"Cool place, Ucchan!"
The young chef's head snapped and a relieved sigh escaped her lips. "Thank you Ranchan!" she exclaimed with a happy smile, greatly relieved.
Ranma walked over and sat on a stool at the bar separating kitchen and living room. Ukyo walked around the bar and dug around in the kitchen gathering the necessary things for making her specialty.
"So Ranchan. What've you been up to this past decade?" she asked, not even missing a beat in her preparations.
Ranma paled for a moment. What should he tell her? Well this was Ucchan so she deserved the truth... Sooner or later.
"Ah you don't wanna hear about me!" he said with a dismissive wave. "What've you been up to? Where's your dad?"
Ukyo stopped mixing the batter and gave Ranma an appraising eye. "My father's not... with us anymore," was the reply. She then went back to cooking.
"Really?" said Ranma, saddened by the news. "My condolences, he was a nice guy. A little gruff, but nice."
"Thanks. He really liked you ya know. You were one of the few kids my age that really hung around with me. We where always travelling, going here or there. Every time business got bad somewhere, we'd just pick up and go. That's one of the perks of having a cart; freedom of mobility." she said, her voice taking on a melancholy tone.
Ranma nodded understandingly. He could relate to moving around a lot, but then again he almost always had a place he could call home. The house in Japan or the Amazon village. Every time he felt he couldn't take another day on the road, he could just pack up and head home.
"That's pretty much all I do, just work and travel. Lately I've been going to night school though." Ukyo finished mixing the batter and pour it on the grill.
"Hey that's cool!" exclaimed Ranma.
"I don't really got time for regular school, the cart gets good business sometimes, but other times it's not so good. So I have to spend as much time as I can at work."
Ranma noticed Ukyo's voice starting to sound a little tired and tried to lighten the mood. "Well then maybe you need something a little more stable," he offered helpfully.
The young chef almost dropped her spatula. "What!?!" she started blushing and fidgeting nervously. Stable? Could he be asking her...
"Yeah ya know, like a restraunt or something."
"Oh," she replied, a little deflated. "I don't know Ranchan..." she let herself trail off and served her guest the finished meal.
Ranma looked at the food hungrily before swallowing the thing whole. "Whoa! That was good!"
Ukyo blushed modestly. "Ah you're just saying that."
"No I mean it! Your dad made this stuff good but you're great!" Ranma's demeanor calmed and he took on a serious expression. "What I was saying earlier? I do think you can do it. You're a great cook!"
"Well... I'll think about it," came her answer. "But right now I want to hear about you."
"Sure is a good okonomiyaki." Ranma began sweating and his fingertips suddenly became very interesting when she brought the subject up.
"Ranchan!" Her cute face scrunched up into a little scowl and her voice took a sterner tone. She really wanted to know what had happened to make Ranma leave town so suddenly when they were young. When he hadn't shown up for a fight and some food two days in a row she'd gone to his house, expecting to find him with a cold or something.
What she found was a demolished dojo. The place was taped up by the cops, and was going to be torn down because the structure was so damaged that it was near collapse. When she'd asked a nearby officer what'd happened, all he said was that some punks probably took sledgehammers to the place for fun.
When she'd told the man that her friend had been living there, he just gave her a funny look and said that there was no one there when they'd arrived. When she asked neighbors they only confirmed the cop's story, saying that no one had been living there and that all they knew was, that they'd heard some noise and the place was trashed the next morning.
"What happened to you? Why didn't you tell me you were going?" she asked, her voice sounded almost hurt. "I thought you where dead..." With those last words tears formed around her eyes as the memories of her countless nights, crying herself to sleep because she believed something horrible may have happened to her best friend.
That clenched it. "Ucchan... The night I disappeared my father was killed..."
And so he told his story a second time that night.
+++++++++++++
"Hello. What have we here?" commented the woman as she bent down and picked up the wooden chest she'd uncovered while cleaning the store room at work.
The chest was plain, no carvings, no trimmming, just a wooden box with a domed lid and a latch. Curious, the woman twisted the latch, the ensuing click seemed to echo in the dimly lit storage closet. She suppressed a shiver as the room temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
Slowly, she lifted the lid and peered inside.
"Oh wow!"
Her exclaimation drew the attention of the hotel's shift manager. "What's going on Saiyako?"
The waitress looked to her boss and gave a little smile. "Mr. Katsurabana! Check out what I found!" she exclaimed while holding out the chest.
The elderly man looked into the box and gasped at what was inside. A beautifully crafted tea set.
The design and material marked the set as old, and obviously it was hand made. Craftsmanship such as this was impossible by machine.
The pot was made from porcelaine of purest white she'd ever seen, with reliefs of great dragons with sparkling ruby eyes winding along the sides and handle, and wisps of gold stretching through out. The cups were equally fabulous, with racing stallions, soaring birds and other wild animals etched into them. A ladle of the finest laquered wood completed the collection.
"Marvelous," was all the man could say.
The two stood there in the dim room, taking in the beauty of the objects for a few moments more. Then the older man took the chest from his subordinant and left to make arrangements to have the set displayed.
Surely such a fine tea set would attract great business to their hotel.
+++++++++++++
Ranma was walking to school alone, the two Tendo's that usually accompanied him having taken off before he had. Akane because of an argument she'd had with Phil over her slimy pancakes, (at least he was nice enough to try and help Kasumi cook) and Nabiki because... well because she was Nabiki and was probably working some angle.
"Ranchan!"
The pigtailed boy turned around to greet his friend on their first day of school together. Ukyo had decided since she was going to be having a slightly more stable income, she could afford some time to go to regular school.
She'd been reluctant at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea of opening a restraunt. In fact, the arrangements with her investors would be complete within the next few days.
They'd spent the past week hanging out and getting to know one another again. The girl had believed most everything Ranma had said about his life with little to no question, including the stuff on his training. When he'd asked why she so readily believed his story, she simply said. "I can't really think of a reason you'd have to lie about things like that."
"Hey Ucchan. Looking good!" commented the boy.
Ukyo blushed a bit and did a little twirl in her uniform skirt and blouse, with the added attachments for her spatulas of course. "Thanks Ranchan. But why aren't you wearing a uniform?"
"I don't really like 'em," he said with a shrug. "Furinkan's a pretty laid back place. They let me get away with breaking the dress code 'cause I'm one of their more colorful students."
The girl began walking off towards the school grounds as she put a finger to her lips in thought. "Maybe I should wear my normal clothes too?"
"Nah. The uniform makes ya look too cute!"
Ukyo's face flushed a dark red and she seized up midstep. Did he mean that? She looked at him and saw the playful smirk on his face.
"OhmyGodI'msoembarassed! Youshouldn'tteasemelikethat!" she blurted out, while slapping Ranma equally as fast before smashing her bookbag over his head.
"Okay then so it doesn't make you look cute. Whatever you want just don't smack me again," he muttered, picking himself up and rubbing his face. For some reason the healing spell he was using wasn't taking away the stinging sensation in his cheeks.
They walked on a bit more, not really talking about anything in particular.
"Ahem!"
The interruption drew them from their lite conversation as they finally realized they'd reached the school gate.
"Oh. Hey Kuno." said Ranma, noticing the young swordsman standing only a few feet away.
"Good morn to you as well Saotome." responded Kuno with a nod.
"So are you ready for today's match?" asked the pigtailed hunter eagerly. Since Kuno had began carrying that Phantasm Edge with him, Ranma had not been short on good training with his own blade.
"Bite your tongue Saotome!" came the quick, yet curt, reply. "What manners have you, that you would deny such a beauteous maiden the honor of introductions with myself?"
"Wha?" asked Ranma intelligently. He still wasn't fully use to the upperclassman's frilly talk.
"I think he means why haven't you introduced me," supplied Ukyo helpfully.
"Oh... Kuno, this is Ukyo Kuonji. We go way back. Ucchan, this is Tatewaki Kuno."
"Nice to meet you Tatewaki."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance my lovely flower," said Kuno with a deep bow, and producing a bouquet of roses. "For you."
Ukyo accepted the roses with a deep blush. Sure she'd been hit on before, but no one had even given her a bouquet. "T-thank you."
"Yes and now lovely one. You may have the honor of dating me!" yelled Kuno as he leapt with open arms towards an unaware Ukyo.
"Eek!" screamed the girl. Although she was suprised, she was also the sole heir to her school of martial arts. Before Kuno even realized what hit him, he was on the ground, being pounded mercilessly by the Kuonji girl's battle spatula.
Ranma watched amusedly as his friend slumped forward, trying to catch her breath and slow her heart rate. Kuno, as per usual, had taken a lickin' and kept on tickin'.
"Tis' but a love tap," slurred the boy while struggling to remain conscious.
Once Ukyo was calmed enough to speak she asked. "What... the hell... was that about!?!"
"That's just Kuno's way of saying he likes you," replied Ranma. He was struggling to hold back the laughs that threatened to send him to the ground in hysterics.
"Well, whatever Ranchan. Let's just get to class before anyone else crazy shows up."
Ranma agreed wholeheartedly with leaving, even though he was a little dissappointed that his daily spar with Kuno would be postponed. Just as they started for the school, they were once again stopped by an interrupting voice.
"Ohohohohohoho!!!"
"Goddamn it..." cursed the pigtailed hunter. Standing on the fence only a few yards away was the only person in the entire prefecture who could laugh like that.
Ukyo looked up and saw the girl in the black leotard, her hand covering her mouth daintily as she laughed. In her free hand the girl carried what looked like a plate of cookies.
"Who's that?" the young cook asked.
"Tis' my twisted sister, Kodachi. Apparently she hath escaped her imprisonment at the St. Hebereke school for girls," answered Kuno.
Ranma looked at the older boy with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"Come on Ranchan, we're going to be late," said Ukyo as she tugged on her friend's arm.
"Halt!"
Ukyo dodged to the right and rolled into a tight stance with her spatula held defensively. "What's your problem!?!" she yelled at the girl who'd thrown a bowling pin covered in spikes at her.
"Who are you, to treat my love with such familiarity?"
"Me? I'm-"
"Oho! But is it not custom to give one's own name first? Very well. Mine I shall give!"
"Huh?" muttered Ukyo. "If you want-"
Kodachi put down the plate she carried and took up her gymnastics ribbon. Still atop the wall, she spun the ribbon around herself gracefully.
"My name is Kodachi Kuno. Sophomore, group C. Captain of the Rythmic Gymnastics club. Undefeated rising star of the high school Marial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics world. But my peers call me... The Black Rose of St. Hebereke!" Kodachi finished her spiel and struck a pose with her ribbon swirling in front of her, scattering black rose petals to the wind.
"Okay. I'm, uh.... I'm an old friend of Ranchan's."
Upon hearing the honorific used by the girl, Kodachi, being a Kuno, immediately got the wrong idea. "Ran... chan? You... and my pigtailed god? I SHALL NOT ALLOW IT!!!" With a flick of her wrist the gymnast attacked with her deadly ribbon.
"I'm the heir to the Kuonji School of Marial Arts Okonomiyaki Preparation." continued Ukyo while nimbly flipping away from the lightning fast strike. "Hold my bag a sec," she yelled as she threw her bookbag to Ranma. "I am Ukyo Kuonji! And I accept your challenge!"
Ranma watched from the side lines with a big sweat drop. "This seems familiar..."
"Mayhaps thou hast seen a similar situation on the television?" supplied the kendoist Kuno.
"No...No I don't think that's it... Maybe a manga..."
++++++++++++
While Ranma and friends were at school, across town another member of the Nerima crew was attending some business.
Nabiki had just recently been contacted by her informant, Yukito. She'd gone to their meeting place with the intentions of telling him that his services were not needed, but decided to find out what type of information he may have gotten. Ranma may have spilled about his past, but that didn't mean he'd told them the whole truth.
Who would have known that the filthy old lech would dig up a fact that even the great Nabiki Tendo had overlooked. She'd cursed herself for letting something like obviousness impede her initial searches.
But that didn't matter now. Ranma Saotome may not pose a serious threat to her family's safety at the moment. But with the information she'd obtained, she may have a chance to get out of this arranged marriage.
"This is the place driver," she said to the cabbie she'd fared to take her to one of Tokyo's larger prefectures. She slid her money through the little window in the glass that seperated them, and stepped out of the cab as the driver opened the door for her from the front seat. These pnuematic door taxis were odd, but Nabiki did enjoy the little pop they made.
Nabiki walked up to the front gate of the place she'd come to, and walked through the small garden to the main structure. Putting on one of her faces, she strode through the large glass sliding doors and into the reception room of the building. It had a suprisingly homey feel that made the establishment stand out from the offices and restraunts in the area. Nabiki had never come to this hotel herself, but had often heard good things from people that she did business with.
"Hello there Miss. How may I help you?" asked the woman behind the receptionist desk. The receptionist was in her mid thirties, but was still pretty. Her hair was done up in a short style, and she wore a kimono. Nabiki also noticed the familiar facial features.
"Actually, you can help me, by letting me help you," said the young girl enigmatically.
"Pardon?"
"Maybe we could talk over tea, Mrs. Saotome?"
+++++++++++++
Saiyako stared at the elegant tea set. The tea set she had found only days before. It was locked away in the manager's office for safe keeping until the display case they'd ordered arrived. But something as trivial as a locked door could not keep her from the tea set.
That precious, precious tea set...
The thing that haunted her dreams...
That enticed her mind...
Called her soul...
She had to have it...
It had to have her...
It told her so...
Take it...
Use it...
Free that which it imprisons...
+++++++++++++
"Glad you could come by Ukyo!" exclaimed Akane.
"Thanks Akane."
"I can't wait for later. I just love your okonomiyaki!"
Ranma tuned out the girl talk and let his mind wander.
When he'd first brought Ukyo to the Tendo Dojo, she'd recieved different reactions from everyone. Nabiki couldn't really care if Ranma had brought by an old friend. Kasumi of course was a gracious hostess and took to Ukyo right away. Mousse, Ryoga and Phil had also taken to her, but simply because of how good she cooked.
Soun immediately started this big scene about, "cheating on your fiancee, for shame!" and "how could you do this to my babies!". But he calmed soon enough when Ranma explained they were just friends.
As for Akane, well they'd hit it off right out of the gate, and that fondness only grew since the fight that morning when Ucchan had laid it to Kodachi. From what Ranma could figure out, Akane wanted to hook him and Ucchan up. It made sense, if he was in love with someone else then he couldn't marry a Tendo.
But it's not like he'd actually fall for Ucchan. Not that it was an all together unpleasant thought... she did grow up pretty cute...
Ranma gave himself a mental slap. A hard one. Thinking about his best friend from childhood like that. A best friend who up until a week ago he'd thought a boy. What the hell was wrong with him?
At least he'd have some good food that night. It was a shame that Ryoga had finally gotten lost. It happened only three days ago when he'd gone outside to check the mail. He figured that Ryoga would probably be back sometime in the month. They usually got together pretty quick if they were on the same continent.
"Ranma!!!"
Ranma snapped out of his train of thought when he'd heard his name called with such urgency. Only a block away Mousse stood on the wall of the compound, waving his arms.
"Hurry! Get over here!" he called.
The pigtailed hunter broke out into a fast sprint that the two girls were hard pressed to keep up with. Within moments he was on the wall with his cousin.
"What's wrong?" he asked seriously.
Mousse motioned for Ranma to follow and they quickly ran into the house. Where Ranma had suspected some kind of incident, he found a rather tense looking scene as everyone in the house stared anxiously at the television. Just as the boy was about to voice complaint, he saw what was on the news. The two girls that had walked home with him came in at just the right time.
"We are showing you live, the situation at the Shining Goddess Inn, in downtown Tokyo." On the screen was an aerial view of a gate that surrounded a vast field of black, sickly looking mists. The cloud prevented the camera from showing the inside of the area.
"We are not quite sure what this is we are seeing," said the newscaster, he was straining to keep a steady, proffesional tone. "This... mist, for lack of a better word, appeared only minutes ago. It is unknown at this time what caused this phenomenom, but police have warned the public to stay away incase this may be some form of terrorist attack."
The camera view panned down to a man dressed in police riot gear and a gas mask, walking towards the cloud cautiously.
"Here you can see a Tokyo P.D. officer moving towards the gas to determine if there is any danger."
The cop moved forward slowly, a small device in his hands, most likely to measure for any contaminants in the air. As he neared the inky blackness the room was silent. Even the anchorman had stopped talking to watch.
Soon however, the silence would be broken by cries of shock. When the man was only yards from his goal, the mists seemed to come to life and strike out at him. They watched in horror as the man was soon engulfed fully by the horrid gas.
Their horror only intensified as moments later, the fog receded and left behind nothing more than a charred and broken skeleton dressed in the man's torn clothing. The camera quickly switched away from the live scene and returned to the news room. The camera switch occured just as nausea overcame the news anchor and he evacuated his stomach contents all over his desk.
Phil moved over to Kasumi and tried to comfort the girl as she cried for the man. Mousse looked to his cousin as the young hunter dashed down the stairs, having gone to their room to change into his hunting clothes as soon as he'd seen the man heading for the cloud. He'd known what it would do to the officer, and had no reason to stick around.
Akane suddenly gasped as her mind caught up with her. "Oh my God! What was the name of that hotel!?!"
"The Shining Goddess," answered Mousse.
The girl gave a strangled gasp. "Nabiki!"
Soun quickly got up and ran to his daughter. "What about Nabiki?" The man was slightly paniced and shook the girl by the shoulders.
"Nabiki is there! She told me this morning she was going there on business!" screamed the girl before breaking down into tears.
"Are you sure!?!" demanded Soun. A nod was the distraught girl's only response.
The man roared angrily and ran for the door, but was stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder.
"No," said Ranma mechanically.
"What do you mean!?! Let go of me!!!"
Ranma's grip tightened and the older man felt a twinge of pain shoot down his arm. "I mean no. Let me and Mousse handle it."
"You expect me to stand here and do nothi-"
"Do you want her to live!?!" The boy's sudden outburst shocked the man into silence.
"Then leave it to us and don't get in our way." With that he motioned for Mousse to follow him and together they headed for the rooftops.
"Ukyo!"
Ukyo was about to follow after her friend, to help. But Phil's voice was so commanding that she was stopped dead in her tracks.
"You can't help him. You'll only get in the way," said the kappa, still craddling Kasumi in his arms, trying to soothe her strangled sobs.
+++++++++++++
On the roof top of an office building only a block away from the Shining Goddess Hotel. Two young men watched the scene and planned.
"What do you think?" asked the near sighted amazon.
"Usual scenario. We split, you look for survivors, I look for demons," answered his cousin. The hidden weapons fighter grunted in agreement. "Put on your game face," added Ranma.
The two then cast quick glamorie fields to hide their identities, with Mousse casting an additional spell to give him temporarily perfect vision. Mousse had learned the spell early in his training, but used it only in fights because the talismans he used to bind the magic were difficult to make, and wore out after only a day's use.
With their preparations done the two stepped off the ledge of the three story building, and sprinted off to do their part and fight the good fight.
++++++++++++
The two hunters broke through the mists surrounding the Shining Goddess without sound.
Ranma had cleared the way with his Crucifix, while Mousse used his wards to maintain a protective aura and keep most of the fog away.
Once inside they dropped the glamories they'd set before entering. Away from the eyes of civilians it was not needed and would only waste valuable magic.
The inn was not large, only four stories, but the design was extravagant, pointing to it being a very high class establishment.
"What do you think's in there?" asked Mousse.
"We have to go in and find out," said his partner.
They looked to one another and sperated without another word. Ranma head forward past the lion statuaries that guarded the main gate, while Mousse head around to the back looking for another opening they may be able to use for a quick escape in case things got ugly.
+++++++++++
"Argh!!!!!"
Mousse roared angrily as he dispatched what he counted as his twentieth oni. The ugly orges came in more styles than he cared to think about, ranging from big purple four armed ones, to little green no armed one with horns.
He reached into his robes, and pulled out another clip for his full automatic rifle before stepping out of the room he was in. The entire place seemed like just one giant hallway with an endless sea of doorways. He'd been looking around for almost two full hours and had yet to find even the staircase to the next floor.
Whatever magic had created the fog outside had done a number on the inside of the building that's for sure.
He moved swiftly, but had his senses fully extended to warn him of any impending dangers. The things that had taken the place over had realized that someone was intruding on their new lair, and were getting smarter. He'd almost fallen for a few traps earlier but had been able to get through with minimal injury.
Mousse slowed his pace as he came to yet another door. He hated this. If this was just a clean up then he'd just throw in some explosives in the rooms as he ran by, or charge in guns a blazin. But this was an extraction mission. Find survivors; escort them out.
His frustrations were only increased by the fact that this was his first hunt of this type. Usually he'd just go into some cave or house and blast everything that moved, or failing that he could just blow the place to hell.
The man took a deep breath, twisted the knob, and threw the door open.
His magically corrected eyes searched the premises thoroughly. It was some kind of huge trophy room with various trinkets lined up along shelves scattered throughout the room.
He let his senses filter through the energies in the room and deemed that there were no people inside. He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand axe that thudded into the door, closing it.
Mousse spun around and found his assailant to be an Axe Armor that was stepping out from behind a high bookshelf. The massive suit of possesed steel lumbered near and swung it's gigantic axe down on the hunter.
"Shit!" cursed Mousse as he rolled along the ground to dodge. His escape from the axe wielding giant caused him to nearly bowl over a group of the second type of monster in the room.
The Clinking Man he'd almost rolled into swiped at him with it's clawed bronze gauntlet, forcing the gun wielding martial artist to sweep the thing's legs out from under it. With a great clatter the man sized suit of living armor fell over and struggled to retain it's footing.
Nearby Mousse had returned to his feet and surveyed the situation. An Axe Armor and eight Clinking Men, not favorable odds since his ankle was currently feeling like it was made of wet noodles. Those damn things were hard!
He put away his rifle and removed an enormous warhammer from within his robes. The head of the weapon was easily the size of his torso and head together, but the man held it as though it were made of paper rather than the reinforced iron that it was.
One thing Mousse had learned from being a hunter was that you should take every advantage you could get. And guns gave him a great advantage over creatures it would otherwise be difficult to get near. But as a master of Hidden Weapons, he knew that one should not rely on a single type of weapon or it would become a hindrance in battle.
"The right tool for the right job," that was his motto. And right now it was time to get his hands dirty.
"Time to get back to basics," he quiped as he swung his hammer and caved in the torso of the closest opponent.
++++++++++++++
Ranma ran through the hordes of monsters that seemed to be srpinging up from everywhere at once. He'd expected a deal of opposition going in from the front door, but this was ridiculous!
His clothes were torn and splattered with gore from the uncountable number of monsters he'd dealt with. Flea Men, Banshees, even a few weak werebeast. Some of the things he'd encountered weren't even native to Japan.
"Hyah!" Ranma swipped at one of the of the giant mosquitos with his Blood Drinker, slicing it in half while at the same time redirecting two of his crucifixes on the return, and sending a large ice lance at a Merman with his free hand.
He continued onward up the never ending staircase that he was on. There were no walls or railings, and darkness conscealed any foe not in his immediate area. His only light was that which he'd created himself, since there was not even the customary candles present.
An Arachne dropped from above him spit acidic webbing from the gaping maw in it's female torso. Ranma leapt upwards and caught one of his boomerang Crucifixes, then sent it flying towards the spider half of the monster, cutting away the front four legs. While it writhed on the ground trying to stand itself back up, he descended from his jump and stabbed his sword through the head of the demon.
With a grunt of exertion he spun and flung the body down the stairs, effectively crushing the wave of creatures heading his way from below.
On instinct he ducked, but was just a moment too slow and felt sharp talons dig deep gashes into his shoulder.
"Fuck!" The pigtailed warrior swung his sword in a wide arc, taking the leg of the Harpy who'd just tried to take his head. Acting fast, he sent away his blade and recalled his projectiles. With a roar he summoned the sleeve's special tech.
The giant pillar of light engulfed the staircase and sent forward it's giant crucifixes to the sky. The sheer power of the attack caused a whirlwind that sucked up anything not in the immediate area, and chopped it's captives to pieces like a blender set on pureƩ.
When his attack died down, Ranma slumped forward and tried to catch his breath. He summoned a flask of vodka and took a swig before pouring some into his wounds to disinfect them. His magic would take a few moments to restore after that last attack, even with his weapons speeding the proccess. Because of this he could not use his regular healing spells, so disinfection would have to do for now.
In the shadows he could hear the next wave of monsters scrambling up the stairs towards his position. He was not out of the woods yet, so he set off into a lite jog to try and find the source of this disturbance quickly.
++++++++++++++
"I can't believe we're just sitting here while they're out there fighting monster!" screamed Akane angrily. "Nabiki's my sister, I should be out there helpi-"
"Akane," said Kasumi soothingly. "We can't help them. We can only leave it up to Ranma and Mousse. And pray that everything turns out for the best."
Beside the older girl, Phil nodded. "She's right. If anyone can save the day it's those two. That's what hunters do."
"Even still, I wish I could be there..." muttered Soun. Suddenly the man punched the ground, breaking the floorboards and cracking a water pipe that ran directly beneath him. "WHAT A COWARD I AM!!!"
Soun's sudden outburst caught the attention of everyone present. "Daddy, You are not a cowar-" started Kasumi.
"YES I AM!!!" he roared. "Sitting here, pouting about my own uselessness. While two boys, barely out of diapers, go off to protect my city... My home... My family..."
Phil'd had enough. He got up from his seat next to his friend and hopped over Soun in a single bound. The small kappa grabbed the man by the gi and shook him violently before slapping him hard.
"I've had enough of this! There is nothing you can do! Nothing I can do! None of us can help! Your bitching is only making the situation worse! Either shut up and wait for them to return, or go outside and train so that you can help next time if you feel so useless!"
Soun was shocked that a guest in his home would do such a thing to him. "How DARE YOU!!! In my own home!"
"I dare because I'm right! And you know it!"
The older man stared into the deep red eyes of the creature that stood over him. He could see no malice, no hatred, only concern for the well being of the father of his friend. In his heart Soun could not fault Phil for doing what he did.
"T-thank you..."
"Think nothing of it," said Phil with a smile, his demeanor returned to it's usual carefree attitude now that the tense moment was past.
The older man sat there a moment. Contemplating what he'd just been told. One thing rang in his head louder than the rest.
"Phil? Will you help me train?"
The kappa was shocked. "W-w-what? Why me?"
"I must become stronger to protect my family, and training me from scratch in fighting monsters will only hold the boys back. They must remain strong. You however can show me what I must know, so that I can be effective in a battle with magical creatures."
Phil was taken slightly aback by the man's bluntness, but could find no fault in his logic. "I will teach you if you teach me hand to hand fighting. I'm only good with magic."
"A deal," said Soun with an outstretched hand. "But first I think we should fix this hole I made in the floor."
Kasumi smiled at the exchange. Although she'd been shocked at the way Phil had manhandled her father, she knew he was only tryinng to help.
Akane snorted. Imagine her father, a master of his school, practically prostrating himself before a monster, begging for training. Why hadn't he asked her to help him train? Even if she didn't know how to fight monsters, she was just as good a martial artist as anyone in town.
Phil had even admitted that he couldn't fight with his hands... or flippers... or whatever!
Off to the side Ukyo turned away from the others and looked back out the door and into the moonlit sky. It had gotten dark a few hours ago, right about the time they'd seen two people she'd known to be Ranma and Mousse heading into the fog on the t.v. That had been hours ago.
"Ranchan... Come home safe..."
+++++++++++++
"Damn... Shades," muttered Mousse. He was crouched low and peeking around a corner to where to monsters stood guard before a high set of double doors.
The two whispy ghost women fluttered in the air, moving around their smoky bodies seductively, even though they didn't know anyone was watching it was just what they did. These particular types were two of the more common variety.
The one that was a deep marron was a Heat Shade, while it's sister was the light blue Frozen Shade. Not too dangerous, but powerful if you allowed them enough time to use their best attacks.
Mousse figured that if they were just standing in front of those doors, there must be something important on the other side. He produced a tiny white ball of clay, which he drew a small symbol into with a needle made of dried fox hair.
With a little chuckle he tossed the ball towards the two elemental monsters, then stepped away from the corner and waited. The tiny thing fell to the ground at the feet of the two monsters, but they did not register what it was before it was too late.
The ball swelled in size and formed hundreds of spines like an urchin, then with a bright flash and a crackling explosion the little needles shot out and sliced the two things to nothingness.
The hunter walked out from his hiding place and smiled at the handy work of his magical frag grenade. He went over to the doors and studied them a moment. Judging that they were magically sealed he pulled out some chalk and drew some glyphs on the wood.
Once he was finished with the drawing he touched his palm to the center and commanded the door open. It obeyed with a loud banging.
Jack pot.
Inside was dark, and he could sense a number of scared of scared people. Judging from the smell a few had pissed their pants.
In the shadows he saw some shapes moving around. One of the shapes soon walked up to him and said in a haughty voice.
"What the hell took so long!?!"
"Glad to see you too Nabiki," he sighed.
"Whatever. We've gotta get out of here." She turned towards the darkness and called out. "Hey! Help's here, just like I said! You can come out now!"
The shadows shifted again and a group of people stepped into view. Mousse guessed there to be around thiry or fourty people.
"This it?" he asked Nabiki.
"Everyone that didn't try and run," she replied. "We got herded in here when the monsters came out. Anyone that tried to run was killed on the spot."
"How many'd you lose?"
"None, they got us all together and locked us in here," came the response. "Although I'm not sure why."
He nodded. "They can't leave the fog. They probably wanted to kill you and use your ki to lift that restriction," he supplied.
"In any case, what do you suggest?"
Mousse eyed the girl calmly. She was being way too cool about what she was telling him, like she was commenting on the weather. He was used to seeing the things that demons did to humans. But she was not.
Nabiki held a good front, but he could see in her eyes that she was shocked by having actually seen the types of things they'd described to her and her family. It was good that she was level headed enough to give him the facts he needed, but he also knew how bad it was that she was supressing her emotions like that. Either way she'd be having a lot of sleepless nights for a long time to come.
"We wait here. My job was to find survivors. Ranma's on the other side of the place looking for whatever caused this. It's better for us to wait here for him to lift the spells on this place. These halls are crawling with baddies and traps." He emphasized by showing her some of his nastier looking wounds, most were patched and on their way to being healed but he still bled through the bandages of the worst ones. "You guys would never make it to the back door."
"I guess we wait then," sighed Nabiki. Behind her, she could hear the frightened murmurs of her fellow captives. "Hey, shut up! We've got protection now! This guy's a pro, so do what he says if you want to stay alive!"
That shut them up.
"Nice touch."
"I thought so too."
One of the people who had been towards the back walked forward and addressed the young hunter. "Excuse me? Did I hear you say Ranma would save us?"
"Yeah."
"Ranma Saotome?" she asked hopefully.
"How'd you know his name?"
Tears suddenly fell from the woman's eyes as she pulled out some victory fans and did a little dance. "Saving all these people from monsters from hell? HOW MANLY!!!"
Mousse could only sweatdrop. "Uhhhhh...?"
"Mousse I'd like you to meet Nodoka Saotome. Ranma's mother."
+++++++++++++
While Mousse was tending to the captives on the other side of the house, Ranma was having troubles of his own.
"Get off me!" he bellowed as he tossed the Zombie Thief over his shoulder, knocking over the Bone Towers that were barring his ascension. The dagger swinging pile of rotted flesh crashed into the fire breathing skulls with a loud crack.
The path was cleared and he ran up to his final destination. He could see the end of the stairs only a few yards away, and could sense the next mob of monsters coming up from behind.
Once at the top Ranma wasted no time as he turned and struck his palms onto the carved stone staircase.
"Geo Brunt!"
The spell traced jagged lines along the ground which traveled down the stairs quickly. He stepped back a few feet and let the attack run it's course.
Once the veins of magical energy reached their maximum range, they split the ground into sharply protruding rocks, impaling his persuers. His spell also had the added bonus of destroying a good chunk of the path up.
He was stuck here now, but that wouldn't matter when he destroyed the thing that was warping space in the hotel.
Just to be safe he tossed a few pentagrams and some sticks of dynamite into the inky blackness. His caution was rewarded with screams of pain, and the sound of things falling from the air and splatting noisily on the jagged rocks.
With a deep breath he turned and procceded down the hallway that the stairs had tapered into. Here he let down his lighting spell since there was some candles lining up along the walls.
After a few moments of not being attacked Ranma started to get nervous. A second ago he practically had to kill himself just to get a five minute break, now there was nothing? Something wasn't right.
Just a little up the hall Ranma could see a door. It had no knob or handle, and was made of some kind of marble.
He neared it cautiously and studied the glyphs and reliefs carved into it. There were many pictures of wild, powerful animals with accents of gold a precious jewels set into them.
One carving drew his attention more than the others. It was in the center of the door and was of a paper crane with black lettering along the wings.
It looked familiar somehow.
On a hunch he used the Saint Box and pulled out one of his grandfather's books. After a few moments he found what he was looking for.
The Forlorned Maiden.
Ranma had heard the story when he was younger.
A beautiful woman once fell in love with a poet. He sang her songs, and wrote verse in her honor. But the poet was a married man, and so he promised to leave his wife and to run away with her. He was a poor man, and gave to her the only thing he could afford as a gift of promise.
A paper crane with their names written on the wings.
The maiden was from a moderetly wealthy family, but was willing to throw away her life of comfort for the man she loved. On the night they were to meet, she stole from her family treasury a prized tea set that had been given to her mother and father on their wedding day.
The young woman waited the whole night beneath a cherry blossom tree where they'd spent much of their time together. Soon however the morning came, and then the evening, and once more the morning. Her beloved had left her, and she knew he would not return.
She herself was shamed, and could never return to her family. Knowing this, she brewed some tea in the pot she'd stolen, and poisoned it. But her sorrow and anger had bound her to this plane. She had created her own prison within the tea set.
That explained why the monsters were here. They were probably feeding off of the negative magics that the woman's tortured spirit radiated.
Ranma put away the book and reached up to the crane. When his fingers brushed against the carving the entire slab rippled like water. He pushed again experimentally and felt some resistance after pushing so far.
He reared back his fist and struck at the door. It caved inward and the rippling effect happened so violently that the entire door was shattered like glass.
He stepped inside and found hiself standing it what looked to be a room from a traditional japanese home. He was in the foyer and could see a shadow of someone on the rice paper screens to his left.
He stepped to the screen and slid it open with a whoosh. On the other side was a table with a woman sitting on the opposite end. Her face sported gashes that he presumed were self inflicted. The rivulets of blood were the only color in her pale, sickly face.
The woman's hair was wild and her white kimono was filthy and tattered, showing her body lewdly.
"Have you come to take me away?" she asked.
"I've come to set you free," was the hunter's response.
"Will you love me?"
"Lady, I don't even know you."
The woman's face contorted angrily and she lashed out her hand at the man. Ranma felt a wave of power overcome him and found himself flung into the the far wall.
The demon leapt at him, fingers splayed in imitation of a claw. She slashed, causing deep grooves in his flesh. The blood flowed freely as she continued to cut at him, not intending to stop until he could bleed no more.
Ranma was pinned back, his arms and legs splayed. He could only hang there while the thing tore at him relentlessly. He bit his tounge to keep from screaming, trying to think of a way out of this.
He couldn't something like this stop him. He was Ranma Saotome.
And Ranma Soatome never loses.
With a primal scream of pain he broke the spell on himself and struck the woman in the face. She flew back but regained her footing and moved to attack again.
But Ranma, now free, had other plans. He summoned his blade and slashed at her, the air pressure from the magically enhanced blade sliced the thing in half. His attack continued on and smashed the tea set into millions of tiny shards.
The source of the demon's power was destroyed, and the spells were lifted from the hotel.
The fog outside dissipated within seconds. In the halls Ranma could hear the screams of the monsters as the power that they fed on was no more. The inside of the building returned to real space and he found himself standing in an office of some kind.
On the floor nearby was a young woman, her body cut in half. Her innards leaked onto the fine persian rug they stood on. He walked over and closed her eyes.
The hunter stood there, silently praying for the soul of the poor girl to rest.
He would never learn the young woman's name, but that's the way he wanted it. But that was for the best.
She was yet another casualty of a war she never knew existed.
++++++++++++++
Notes:
There ya go! Worth the wait?
Modern society has finally come into contact with forces that it thought long dead, if not only a part of fairy tales. Will this be the last time? You'll have to just keep reading to find out.
This was going to be a light weight chapter about Ranma meeting his mom, but half way through inspirado struck me so hard I was in a three day coma!
Big shout out to Ed for being the first person to ask to preread! ^_^ I'm movin' on up, to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in... I'm sorry. I won't do that anymore.
Also check out Anime Insomniac, it's my new host. The manager is good people. ^_^
Next time: Ranma finally meets his mom.
This fic can be found at:
fanfiction.net
or
tannim.anifics.com/index.html
or
www.geocities.com/c_mach2k1.html
or
www.geocities.com/animeinsomniac.html
Today's theme is: I'm a believer - by Ganasia; Another Rockman theme, this one from X3. I love the music from the Rockman games. ^_^
Bonus theme: When Worlds Collide - by Powerman 5000
Due to the sucky ass service at Animenation, C&C, hatemail, and challenge letters for duels of honor to:
guy_jin@hotmail.com
By: Guy Jin
Savior's Blood
Reunited
++++++++++++++
"Oh man. Okonomiyaki! I haven't had this stuff in years!" exclaimed Ranma as he saw what was sold on the cart he'd come across in the park.
The girl running the stand smiled and gave him a little wink. "Well then I'll just have to make this one extra special for you."
"Thanks a bunch! The last time I had some good okonomiyaki was when I was a kid. My buddy Ucchan's dad owned a cart and he'd make the stuff for us every day."
The girl gripped the spatula in her hand tightly, causing it to be crunched into a little scrap of stainless steel.
"Ranchan?" she asked carefully.
"Hey. How'd you know what he used to call me?" he asked, totally suprised.
"Oh god! It is you!" she yelled as she leapt forward and planted a big kiss on his lips.
The kiss lasted moments but to Ranma it felt like hours. He could only stand there in shock as the pretty brunette cook locked lips with him. He only moved when he realized that something was working it's way past his lips into his mouth.
"Ack!"
The young chef was slightly shocked that the boy had moved away so quickly, until she realized what she'd just done.
"I'm sooo sorry! I-I-I don't know w-what came over me!" she stammered with a blush. A silent moment fell between the two as they both let their minds come to grips with what had just happened.
Figuring things would go nowhere unless he initiated the conversation, Ranma ventured a question."So... What's your name anyways?"
"What the hell do you mean, 'what's my name'?" she asked, hands on her hips in irritation. "Don't tell me you don't recognize your old buddy Ucchan?"
Ranma's jaw hit the ground with a thud. He took as long look at the person before him.
Long curvaceous legs, lengthy brunette ponytail, healthy bust size, big puppy dog eyes. This was most definitely a woman. But Ucchan was a guy... wasn't he? Time for a test.
"Okay, if you're Ucchan, what's my favorite color?"
"Red."
"Favorite Okonomiyaki?
"Pork."
"Aha!"
"But with a little shrimp, and an octopus made in the center with soy sauce."
"Okay then, where did I use to hide my-"
"In the bushes behind the dojo you lived at, inside of a shoe box."
Realization along with a bit of confusion showed on Ranma's face. "You are Ucchan!"
Ukyo smiled and nodded excitedly. "Finally! You understand!"
"Oh my God, Ucchan's a transvestite!!!"
THAWP!!!
Faster than Ranma could see Ukyo had reached behind the cart and pulled out her father's giant spatula. Also faster than he could see she'd whomped him on the head with said spatula.
"I'm not a transvestite you boob!"
"Cross dresser?"
THWAP!!!
"Doppelganger?"
THWAP!!!
"Err... real girl?"
Ukyo was just about to swing again when she realized he'd gotten it right. "Took ya long enough," she mumbled angrily.
The pigtailed boy then began extricating himself from the hole he now lay in. "When did this happen?" he asked, truly and honestly baffled as to how his friend could turn into a girl.
"When I was born you jackass!" came the quick reply.
"..."
"..."
The silence returned as the two reunited friends could only look around the park for something interesting to occupy their attentions. After a while of this Ranma started up the conversation anew.
"Soooo... You ever been to China?"
"Um no. I don't think I have," came the reply. Ukyo was glad that the conversation was turning to something pleasant.
"'Cause they got these springs there that does stuff to people that fall in. And I was figuring that you might've gone there and-"
"What kinda things?" she asked curiously.
"Um, curses and the like. Not a good place to vacation."
Ukyo started to ask why the boy thought she'd visited a cursed springs, when Ranma's stomach decided to make itself known. The pigtailed martial artist blushed slightly while his friend began to chuckle.
"Same old Ranchan. Tell you what. I said I'd make something special for you and I meant it, so lets go back to my place and I'll break out some of my best ingredients. Sound good?" she proposed with a cheery grin.
Ranma's embarrassment was forgotten with the mention of good food.With a happy smile and a nod he helped lock up the cart and followed back to Ukyo's place.
++++++++++++
The building Ukyo rented from was a two story complex, with six apartments total, and was a short distance from the park. Her rent wasn't too bad considering it's proximity to the park, or at least it wouldn't be too bad if the apartments were a bit bigger.
One bed/living room, kitchen, plus bath. It was a pretty small place, only really suitable for a single person.
Ukyo didn't mind that much though. It was a place to sleep after her work, and that's all she needed. But bringing her friend for a visit she felt a bit embarrassed about her current living conditions.
As they entered her apartment on the second floor, Ukyo couldn't help but fidget nervously with her key. She was waiting for Ranma to say something like, "This place is a dump!" or, "How about we go back to the park to make that okonomiyaki, it's a lot cleaner than this place!"
Ranma stood in the tiny room with the futon rolled up in the corner, his eyes wandered around the small area with interest, taking in every detail of the room.
"Cool place, Ucchan!"
The young chef's head snapped and a relieved sigh escaped her lips. "Thank you Ranchan!" she exclaimed with a happy smile, greatly relieved.
Ranma walked over and sat on a stool at the bar separating kitchen and living room. Ukyo walked around the bar and dug around in the kitchen gathering the necessary things for making her specialty.
"So Ranchan. What've you been up to this past decade?" she asked, not even missing a beat in her preparations.
Ranma paled for a moment. What should he tell her? Well this was Ucchan so she deserved the truth... Sooner or later.
"Ah you don't wanna hear about me!" he said with a dismissive wave. "What've you been up to? Where's your dad?"
Ukyo stopped mixing the batter and gave Ranma an appraising eye. "My father's not... with us anymore," was the reply. She then went back to cooking.
"Really?" said Ranma, saddened by the news. "My condolences, he was a nice guy. A little gruff, but nice."
"Thanks. He really liked you ya know. You were one of the few kids my age that really hung around with me. We where always travelling, going here or there. Every time business got bad somewhere, we'd just pick up and go. That's one of the perks of having a cart; freedom of mobility." she said, her voice taking on a melancholy tone.
Ranma nodded understandingly. He could relate to moving around a lot, but then again he almost always had a place he could call home. The house in Japan or the Amazon village. Every time he felt he couldn't take another day on the road, he could just pack up and head home.
"That's pretty much all I do, just work and travel. Lately I've been going to night school though." Ukyo finished mixing the batter and pour it on the grill.
"Hey that's cool!" exclaimed Ranma.
"I don't really got time for regular school, the cart gets good business sometimes, but other times it's not so good. So I have to spend as much time as I can at work."
Ranma noticed Ukyo's voice starting to sound a little tired and tried to lighten the mood. "Well then maybe you need something a little more stable," he offered helpfully.
The young chef almost dropped her spatula. "What!?!" she started blushing and fidgeting nervously. Stable? Could he be asking her...
"Yeah ya know, like a restraunt or something."
"Oh," she replied, a little deflated. "I don't know Ranchan..." she let herself trail off and served her guest the finished meal.
Ranma looked at the food hungrily before swallowing the thing whole. "Whoa! That was good!"
Ukyo blushed modestly. "Ah you're just saying that."
"No I mean it! Your dad made this stuff good but you're great!" Ranma's demeanor calmed and he took on a serious expression. "What I was saying earlier? I do think you can do it. You're a great cook!"
"Well... I'll think about it," came her answer. "But right now I want to hear about you."
"Sure is a good okonomiyaki." Ranma began sweating and his fingertips suddenly became very interesting when she brought the subject up.
"Ranchan!" Her cute face scrunched up into a little scowl and her voice took a sterner tone. She really wanted to know what had happened to make Ranma leave town so suddenly when they were young. When he hadn't shown up for a fight and some food two days in a row she'd gone to his house, expecting to find him with a cold or something.
What she found was a demolished dojo. The place was taped up by the cops, and was going to be torn down because the structure was so damaged that it was near collapse. When she'd asked a nearby officer what'd happened, all he said was that some punks probably took sledgehammers to the place for fun.
When she'd told the man that her friend had been living there, he just gave her a funny look and said that there was no one there when they'd arrived. When she asked neighbors they only confirmed the cop's story, saying that no one had been living there and that all they knew was, that they'd heard some noise and the place was trashed the next morning.
"What happened to you? Why didn't you tell me you were going?" she asked, her voice sounded almost hurt. "I thought you where dead..." With those last words tears formed around her eyes as the memories of her countless nights, crying herself to sleep because she believed something horrible may have happened to her best friend.
That clenched it. "Ucchan... The night I disappeared my father was killed..."
And so he told his story a second time that night.
+++++++++++++
"Hello. What have we here?" commented the woman as she bent down and picked up the wooden chest she'd uncovered while cleaning the store room at work.
The chest was plain, no carvings, no trimmming, just a wooden box with a domed lid and a latch. Curious, the woman twisted the latch, the ensuing click seemed to echo in the dimly lit storage closet. She suppressed a shiver as the room temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
Slowly, she lifted the lid and peered inside.
"Oh wow!"
Her exclaimation drew the attention of the hotel's shift manager. "What's going on Saiyako?"
The waitress looked to her boss and gave a little smile. "Mr. Katsurabana! Check out what I found!" she exclaimed while holding out the chest.
The elderly man looked into the box and gasped at what was inside. A beautifully crafted tea set.
The design and material marked the set as old, and obviously it was hand made. Craftsmanship such as this was impossible by machine.
The pot was made from porcelaine of purest white she'd ever seen, with reliefs of great dragons with sparkling ruby eyes winding along the sides and handle, and wisps of gold stretching through out. The cups were equally fabulous, with racing stallions, soaring birds and other wild animals etched into them. A ladle of the finest laquered wood completed the collection.
"Marvelous," was all the man could say.
The two stood there in the dim room, taking in the beauty of the objects for a few moments more. Then the older man took the chest from his subordinant and left to make arrangements to have the set displayed.
Surely such a fine tea set would attract great business to their hotel.
+++++++++++++
Ranma was walking to school alone, the two Tendo's that usually accompanied him having taken off before he had. Akane because of an argument she'd had with Phil over her slimy pancakes, (at least he was nice enough to try and help Kasumi cook) and Nabiki because... well because she was Nabiki and was probably working some angle.
"Ranchan!"
The pigtailed boy turned around to greet his friend on their first day of school together. Ukyo had decided since she was going to be having a slightly more stable income, she could afford some time to go to regular school.
She'd been reluctant at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea of opening a restraunt. In fact, the arrangements with her investors would be complete within the next few days.
They'd spent the past week hanging out and getting to know one another again. The girl had believed most everything Ranma had said about his life with little to no question, including the stuff on his training. When he'd asked why she so readily believed his story, she simply said. "I can't really think of a reason you'd have to lie about things like that."
"Hey Ucchan. Looking good!" commented the boy.
Ukyo blushed a bit and did a little twirl in her uniform skirt and blouse, with the added attachments for her spatulas of course. "Thanks Ranchan. But why aren't you wearing a uniform?"
"I don't really like 'em," he said with a shrug. "Furinkan's a pretty laid back place. They let me get away with breaking the dress code 'cause I'm one of their more colorful students."
The girl began walking off towards the school grounds as she put a finger to her lips in thought. "Maybe I should wear my normal clothes too?"
"Nah. The uniform makes ya look too cute!"
Ukyo's face flushed a dark red and she seized up midstep. Did he mean that? She looked at him and saw the playful smirk on his face.
"OhmyGodI'msoembarassed! Youshouldn'tteasemelikethat!" she blurted out, while slapping Ranma equally as fast before smashing her bookbag over his head.
"Okay then so it doesn't make you look cute. Whatever you want just don't smack me again," he muttered, picking himself up and rubbing his face. For some reason the healing spell he was using wasn't taking away the stinging sensation in his cheeks.
They walked on a bit more, not really talking about anything in particular.
"Ahem!"
The interruption drew them from their lite conversation as they finally realized they'd reached the school gate.
"Oh. Hey Kuno." said Ranma, noticing the young swordsman standing only a few feet away.
"Good morn to you as well Saotome." responded Kuno with a nod.
"So are you ready for today's match?" asked the pigtailed hunter eagerly. Since Kuno had began carrying that Phantasm Edge with him, Ranma had not been short on good training with his own blade.
"Bite your tongue Saotome!" came the quick, yet curt, reply. "What manners have you, that you would deny such a beauteous maiden the honor of introductions with myself?"
"Wha?" asked Ranma intelligently. He still wasn't fully use to the upperclassman's frilly talk.
"I think he means why haven't you introduced me," supplied Ukyo helpfully.
"Oh... Kuno, this is Ukyo Kuonji. We go way back. Ucchan, this is Tatewaki Kuno."
"Nice to meet you Tatewaki."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance my lovely flower," said Kuno with a deep bow, and producing a bouquet of roses. "For you."
Ukyo accepted the roses with a deep blush. Sure she'd been hit on before, but no one had even given her a bouquet. "T-thank you."
"Yes and now lovely one. You may have the honor of dating me!" yelled Kuno as he leapt with open arms towards an unaware Ukyo.
"Eek!" screamed the girl. Although she was suprised, she was also the sole heir to her school of martial arts. Before Kuno even realized what hit him, he was on the ground, being pounded mercilessly by the Kuonji girl's battle spatula.
Ranma watched amusedly as his friend slumped forward, trying to catch her breath and slow her heart rate. Kuno, as per usual, had taken a lickin' and kept on tickin'.
"Tis' but a love tap," slurred the boy while struggling to remain conscious.
Once Ukyo was calmed enough to speak she asked. "What... the hell... was that about!?!"
"That's just Kuno's way of saying he likes you," replied Ranma. He was struggling to hold back the laughs that threatened to send him to the ground in hysterics.
"Well, whatever Ranchan. Let's just get to class before anyone else crazy shows up."
Ranma agreed wholeheartedly with leaving, even though he was a little dissappointed that his daily spar with Kuno would be postponed. Just as they started for the school, they were once again stopped by an interrupting voice.
"Ohohohohohoho!!!"
"Goddamn it..." cursed the pigtailed hunter. Standing on the fence only a few yards away was the only person in the entire prefecture who could laugh like that.
Ukyo looked up and saw the girl in the black leotard, her hand covering her mouth daintily as she laughed. In her free hand the girl carried what looked like a plate of cookies.
"Who's that?" the young cook asked.
"Tis' my twisted sister, Kodachi. Apparently she hath escaped her imprisonment at the St. Hebereke school for girls," answered Kuno.
Ranma looked at the older boy with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"Come on Ranchan, we're going to be late," said Ukyo as she tugged on her friend's arm.
"Halt!"
Ukyo dodged to the right and rolled into a tight stance with her spatula held defensively. "What's your problem!?!" she yelled at the girl who'd thrown a bowling pin covered in spikes at her.
"Who are you, to treat my love with such familiarity?"
"Me? I'm-"
"Oho! But is it not custom to give one's own name first? Very well. Mine I shall give!"
"Huh?" muttered Ukyo. "If you want-"
Kodachi put down the plate she carried and took up her gymnastics ribbon. Still atop the wall, she spun the ribbon around herself gracefully.
"My name is Kodachi Kuno. Sophomore, group C. Captain of the Rythmic Gymnastics club. Undefeated rising star of the high school Marial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics world. But my peers call me... The Black Rose of St. Hebereke!" Kodachi finished her spiel and struck a pose with her ribbon swirling in front of her, scattering black rose petals to the wind.
"Okay. I'm, uh.... I'm an old friend of Ranchan's."
Upon hearing the honorific used by the girl, Kodachi, being a Kuno, immediately got the wrong idea. "Ran... chan? You... and my pigtailed god? I SHALL NOT ALLOW IT!!!" With a flick of her wrist the gymnast attacked with her deadly ribbon.
"I'm the heir to the Kuonji School of Marial Arts Okonomiyaki Preparation." continued Ukyo while nimbly flipping away from the lightning fast strike. "Hold my bag a sec," she yelled as she threw her bookbag to Ranma. "I am Ukyo Kuonji! And I accept your challenge!"
Ranma watched from the side lines with a big sweat drop. "This seems familiar..."
"Mayhaps thou hast seen a similar situation on the television?" supplied the kendoist Kuno.
"No...No I don't think that's it... Maybe a manga..."
++++++++++++
While Ranma and friends were at school, across town another member of the Nerima crew was attending some business.
Nabiki had just recently been contacted by her informant, Yukito. She'd gone to their meeting place with the intentions of telling him that his services were not needed, but decided to find out what type of information he may have gotten. Ranma may have spilled about his past, but that didn't mean he'd told them the whole truth.
Who would have known that the filthy old lech would dig up a fact that even the great Nabiki Tendo had overlooked. She'd cursed herself for letting something like obviousness impede her initial searches.
But that didn't matter now. Ranma Saotome may not pose a serious threat to her family's safety at the moment. But with the information she'd obtained, she may have a chance to get out of this arranged marriage.
"This is the place driver," she said to the cabbie she'd fared to take her to one of Tokyo's larger prefectures. She slid her money through the little window in the glass that seperated them, and stepped out of the cab as the driver opened the door for her from the front seat. These pnuematic door taxis were odd, but Nabiki did enjoy the little pop they made.
Nabiki walked up to the front gate of the place she'd come to, and walked through the small garden to the main structure. Putting on one of her faces, she strode through the large glass sliding doors and into the reception room of the building. It had a suprisingly homey feel that made the establishment stand out from the offices and restraunts in the area. Nabiki had never come to this hotel herself, but had often heard good things from people that she did business with.
"Hello there Miss. How may I help you?" asked the woman behind the receptionist desk. The receptionist was in her mid thirties, but was still pretty. Her hair was done up in a short style, and she wore a kimono. Nabiki also noticed the familiar facial features.
"Actually, you can help me, by letting me help you," said the young girl enigmatically.
"Pardon?"
"Maybe we could talk over tea, Mrs. Saotome?"
+++++++++++++
Saiyako stared at the elegant tea set. The tea set she had found only days before. It was locked away in the manager's office for safe keeping until the display case they'd ordered arrived. But something as trivial as a locked door could not keep her from the tea set.
That precious, precious tea set...
The thing that haunted her dreams...
That enticed her mind...
Called her soul...
She had to have it...
It had to have her...
It told her so...
Take it...
Use it...
Free that which it imprisons...
+++++++++++++
"Glad you could come by Ukyo!" exclaimed Akane.
"Thanks Akane."
"I can't wait for later. I just love your okonomiyaki!"
Ranma tuned out the girl talk and let his mind wander.
When he'd first brought Ukyo to the Tendo Dojo, she'd recieved different reactions from everyone. Nabiki couldn't really care if Ranma had brought by an old friend. Kasumi of course was a gracious hostess and took to Ukyo right away. Mousse, Ryoga and Phil had also taken to her, but simply because of how good she cooked.
Soun immediately started this big scene about, "cheating on your fiancee, for shame!" and "how could you do this to my babies!". But he calmed soon enough when Ranma explained they were just friends.
As for Akane, well they'd hit it off right out of the gate, and that fondness only grew since the fight that morning when Ucchan had laid it to Kodachi. From what Ranma could figure out, Akane wanted to hook him and Ucchan up. It made sense, if he was in love with someone else then he couldn't marry a Tendo.
But it's not like he'd actually fall for Ucchan. Not that it was an all together unpleasant thought... she did grow up pretty cute...
Ranma gave himself a mental slap. A hard one. Thinking about his best friend from childhood like that. A best friend who up until a week ago he'd thought a boy. What the hell was wrong with him?
At least he'd have some good food that night. It was a shame that Ryoga had finally gotten lost. It happened only three days ago when he'd gone outside to check the mail. He figured that Ryoga would probably be back sometime in the month. They usually got together pretty quick if they were on the same continent.
"Ranma!!!"
Ranma snapped out of his train of thought when he'd heard his name called with such urgency. Only a block away Mousse stood on the wall of the compound, waving his arms.
"Hurry! Get over here!" he called.
The pigtailed hunter broke out into a fast sprint that the two girls were hard pressed to keep up with. Within moments he was on the wall with his cousin.
"What's wrong?" he asked seriously.
Mousse motioned for Ranma to follow and they quickly ran into the house. Where Ranma had suspected some kind of incident, he found a rather tense looking scene as everyone in the house stared anxiously at the television. Just as the boy was about to voice complaint, he saw what was on the news. The two girls that had walked home with him came in at just the right time.
"We are showing you live, the situation at the Shining Goddess Inn, in downtown Tokyo." On the screen was an aerial view of a gate that surrounded a vast field of black, sickly looking mists. The cloud prevented the camera from showing the inside of the area.
"We are not quite sure what this is we are seeing," said the newscaster, he was straining to keep a steady, proffesional tone. "This... mist, for lack of a better word, appeared only minutes ago. It is unknown at this time what caused this phenomenom, but police have warned the public to stay away incase this may be some form of terrorist attack."
The camera view panned down to a man dressed in police riot gear and a gas mask, walking towards the cloud cautiously.
"Here you can see a Tokyo P.D. officer moving towards the gas to determine if there is any danger."
The cop moved forward slowly, a small device in his hands, most likely to measure for any contaminants in the air. As he neared the inky blackness the room was silent. Even the anchorman had stopped talking to watch.
Soon however, the silence would be broken by cries of shock. When the man was only yards from his goal, the mists seemed to come to life and strike out at him. They watched in horror as the man was soon engulfed fully by the horrid gas.
Their horror only intensified as moments later, the fog receded and left behind nothing more than a charred and broken skeleton dressed in the man's torn clothing. The camera quickly switched away from the live scene and returned to the news room. The camera switch occured just as nausea overcame the news anchor and he evacuated his stomach contents all over his desk.
Phil moved over to Kasumi and tried to comfort the girl as she cried for the man. Mousse looked to his cousin as the young hunter dashed down the stairs, having gone to their room to change into his hunting clothes as soon as he'd seen the man heading for the cloud. He'd known what it would do to the officer, and had no reason to stick around.
Akane suddenly gasped as her mind caught up with her. "Oh my God! What was the name of that hotel!?!"
"The Shining Goddess," answered Mousse.
The girl gave a strangled gasp. "Nabiki!"
Soun quickly got up and ran to his daughter. "What about Nabiki?" The man was slightly paniced and shook the girl by the shoulders.
"Nabiki is there! She told me this morning she was going there on business!" screamed the girl before breaking down into tears.
"Are you sure!?!" demanded Soun. A nod was the distraught girl's only response.
The man roared angrily and ran for the door, but was stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder.
"No," said Ranma mechanically.
"What do you mean!?! Let go of me!!!"
Ranma's grip tightened and the older man felt a twinge of pain shoot down his arm. "I mean no. Let me and Mousse handle it."
"You expect me to stand here and do nothi-"
"Do you want her to live!?!" The boy's sudden outburst shocked the man into silence.
"Then leave it to us and don't get in our way." With that he motioned for Mousse to follow him and together they headed for the rooftops.
"Ukyo!"
Ukyo was about to follow after her friend, to help. But Phil's voice was so commanding that she was stopped dead in her tracks.
"You can't help him. You'll only get in the way," said the kappa, still craddling Kasumi in his arms, trying to soothe her strangled sobs.
+++++++++++++
On the roof top of an office building only a block away from the Shining Goddess Hotel. Two young men watched the scene and planned.
"What do you think?" asked the near sighted amazon.
"Usual scenario. We split, you look for survivors, I look for demons," answered his cousin. The hidden weapons fighter grunted in agreement. "Put on your game face," added Ranma.
The two then cast quick glamorie fields to hide their identities, with Mousse casting an additional spell to give him temporarily perfect vision. Mousse had learned the spell early in his training, but used it only in fights because the talismans he used to bind the magic were difficult to make, and wore out after only a day's use.
With their preparations done the two stepped off the ledge of the three story building, and sprinted off to do their part and fight the good fight.
++++++++++++
The two hunters broke through the mists surrounding the Shining Goddess without sound.
Ranma had cleared the way with his Crucifix, while Mousse used his wards to maintain a protective aura and keep most of the fog away.
Once inside they dropped the glamories they'd set before entering. Away from the eyes of civilians it was not needed and would only waste valuable magic.
The inn was not large, only four stories, but the design was extravagant, pointing to it being a very high class establishment.
"What do you think's in there?" asked Mousse.
"We have to go in and find out," said his partner.
They looked to one another and sperated without another word. Ranma head forward past the lion statuaries that guarded the main gate, while Mousse head around to the back looking for another opening they may be able to use for a quick escape in case things got ugly.
+++++++++++
"Argh!!!!!"
Mousse roared angrily as he dispatched what he counted as his twentieth oni. The ugly orges came in more styles than he cared to think about, ranging from big purple four armed ones, to little green no armed one with horns.
He reached into his robes, and pulled out another clip for his full automatic rifle before stepping out of the room he was in. The entire place seemed like just one giant hallway with an endless sea of doorways. He'd been looking around for almost two full hours and had yet to find even the staircase to the next floor.
Whatever magic had created the fog outside had done a number on the inside of the building that's for sure.
He moved swiftly, but had his senses fully extended to warn him of any impending dangers. The things that had taken the place over had realized that someone was intruding on their new lair, and were getting smarter. He'd almost fallen for a few traps earlier but had been able to get through with minimal injury.
Mousse slowed his pace as he came to yet another door. He hated this. If this was just a clean up then he'd just throw in some explosives in the rooms as he ran by, or charge in guns a blazin. But this was an extraction mission. Find survivors; escort them out.
His frustrations were only increased by the fact that this was his first hunt of this type. Usually he'd just go into some cave or house and blast everything that moved, or failing that he could just blow the place to hell.
The man took a deep breath, twisted the knob, and threw the door open.
His magically corrected eyes searched the premises thoroughly. It was some kind of huge trophy room with various trinkets lined up along shelves scattered throughout the room.
He let his senses filter through the energies in the room and deemed that there were no people inside. He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand axe that thudded into the door, closing it.
Mousse spun around and found his assailant to be an Axe Armor that was stepping out from behind a high bookshelf. The massive suit of possesed steel lumbered near and swung it's gigantic axe down on the hunter.
"Shit!" cursed Mousse as he rolled along the ground to dodge. His escape from the axe wielding giant caused him to nearly bowl over a group of the second type of monster in the room.
The Clinking Man he'd almost rolled into swiped at him with it's clawed bronze gauntlet, forcing the gun wielding martial artist to sweep the thing's legs out from under it. With a great clatter the man sized suit of living armor fell over and struggled to retain it's footing.
Nearby Mousse had returned to his feet and surveyed the situation. An Axe Armor and eight Clinking Men, not favorable odds since his ankle was currently feeling like it was made of wet noodles. Those damn things were hard!
He put away his rifle and removed an enormous warhammer from within his robes. The head of the weapon was easily the size of his torso and head together, but the man held it as though it were made of paper rather than the reinforced iron that it was.
One thing Mousse had learned from being a hunter was that you should take every advantage you could get. And guns gave him a great advantage over creatures it would otherwise be difficult to get near. But as a master of Hidden Weapons, he knew that one should not rely on a single type of weapon or it would become a hindrance in battle.
"The right tool for the right job," that was his motto. And right now it was time to get his hands dirty.
"Time to get back to basics," he quiped as he swung his hammer and caved in the torso of the closest opponent.
++++++++++++++
Ranma ran through the hordes of monsters that seemed to be srpinging up from everywhere at once. He'd expected a deal of opposition going in from the front door, but this was ridiculous!
His clothes were torn and splattered with gore from the uncountable number of monsters he'd dealt with. Flea Men, Banshees, even a few weak werebeast. Some of the things he'd encountered weren't even native to Japan.
"Hyah!" Ranma swipped at one of the of the giant mosquitos with his Blood Drinker, slicing it in half while at the same time redirecting two of his crucifixes on the return, and sending a large ice lance at a Merman with his free hand.
He continued onward up the never ending staircase that he was on. There were no walls or railings, and darkness conscealed any foe not in his immediate area. His only light was that which he'd created himself, since there was not even the customary candles present.
An Arachne dropped from above him spit acidic webbing from the gaping maw in it's female torso. Ranma leapt upwards and caught one of his boomerang Crucifixes, then sent it flying towards the spider half of the monster, cutting away the front four legs. While it writhed on the ground trying to stand itself back up, he descended from his jump and stabbed his sword through the head of the demon.
With a grunt of exertion he spun and flung the body down the stairs, effectively crushing the wave of creatures heading his way from below.
On instinct he ducked, but was just a moment too slow and felt sharp talons dig deep gashes into his shoulder.
"Fuck!" The pigtailed warrior swung his sword in a wide arc, taking the leg of the Harpy who'd just tried to take his head. Acting fast, he sent away his blade and recalled his projectiles. With a roar he summoned the sleeve's special tech.
The giant pillar of light engulfed the staircase and sent forward it's giant crucifixes to the sky. The sheer power of the attack caused a whirlwind that sucked up anything not in the immediate area, and chopped it's captives to pieces like a blender set on pureƩ.
When his attack died down, Ranma slumped forward and tried to catch his breath. He summoned a flask of vodka and took a swig before pouring some into his wounds to disinfect them. His magic would take a few moments to restore after that last attack, even with his weapons speeding the proccess. Because of this he could not use his regular healing spells, so disinfection would have to do for now.
In the shadows he could hear the next wave of monsters scrambling up the stairs towards his position. He was not out of the woods yet, so he set off into a lite jog to try and find the source of this disturbance quickly.
++++++++++++++
"I can't believe we're just sitting here while they're out there fighting monster!" screamed Akane angrily. "Nabiki's my sister, I should be out there helpi-"
"Akane," said Kasumi soothingly. "We can't help them. We can only leave it up to Ranma and Mousse. And pray that everything turns out for the best."
Beside the older girl, Phil nodded. "She's right. If anyone can save the day it's those two. That's what hunters do."
"Even still, I wish I could be there..." muttered Soun. Suddenly the man punched the ground, breaking the floorboards and cracking a water pipe that ran directly beneath him. "WHAT A COWARD I AM!!!"
Soun's sudden outburst caught the attention of everyone present. "Daddy, You are not a cowar-" started Kasumi.
"YES I AM!!!" he roared. "Sitting here, pouting about my own uselessness. While two boys, barely out of diapers, go off to protect my city... My home... My family..."
Phil'd had enough. He got up from his seat next to his friend and hopped over Soun in a single bound. The small kappa grabbed the man by the gi and shook him violently before slapping him hard.
"I've had enough of this! There is nothing you can do! Nothing I can do! None of us can help! Your bitching is only making the situation worse! Either shut up and wait for them to return, or go outside and train so that you can help next time if you feel so useless!"
Soun was shocked that a guest in his home would do such a thing to him. "How DARE YOU!!! In my own home!"
"I dare because I'm right! And you know it!"
The older man stared into the deep red eyes of the creature that stood over him. He could see no malice, no hatred, only concern for the well being of the father of his friend. In his heart Soun could not fault Phil for doing what he did.
"T-thank you..."
"Think nothing of it," said Phil with a smile, his demeanor returned to it's usual carefree attitude now that the tense moment was past.
The older man sat there a moment. Contemplating what he'd just been told. One thing rang in his head louder than the rest.
"Phil? Will you help me train?"
The kappa was shocked. "W-w-what? Why me?"
"I must become stronger to protect my family, and training me from scratch in fighting monsters will only hold the boys back. They must remain strong. You however can show me what I must know, so that I can be effective in a battle with magical creatures."
Phil was taken slightly aback by the man's bluntness, but could find no fault in his logic. "I will teach you if you teach me hand to hand fighting. I'm only good with magic."
"A deal," said Soun with an outstretched hand. "But first I think we should fix this hole I made in the floor."
Kasumi smiled at the exchange. Although she'd been shocked at the way Phil had manhandled her father, she knew he was only tryinng to help.
Akane snorted. Imagine her father, a master of his school, practically prostrating himself before a monster, begging for training. Why hadn't he asked her to help him train? Even if she didn't know how to fight monsters, she was just as good a martial artist as anyone in town.
Phil had even admitted that he couldn't fight with his hands... or flippers... or whatever!
Off to the side Ukyo turned away from the others and looked back out the door and into the moonlit sky. It had gotten dark a few hours ago, right about the time they'd seen two people she'd known to be Ranma and Mousse heading into the fog on the t.v. That had been hours ago.
"Ranchan... Come home safe..."
+++++++++++++
"Damn... Shades," muttered Mousse. He was crouched low and peeking around a corner to where to monsters stood guard before a high set of double doors.
The two whispy ghost women fluttered in the air, moving around their smoky bodies seductively, even though they didn't know anyone was watching it was just what they did. These particular types were two of the more common variety.
The one that was a deep marron was a Heat Shade, while it's sister was the light blue Frozen Shade. Not too dangerous, but powerful if you allowed them enough time to use their best attacks.
Mousse figured that if they were just standing in front of those doors, there must be something important on the other side. He produced a tiny white ball of clay, which he drew a small symbol into with a needle made of dried fox hair.
With a little chuckle he tossed the ball towards the two elemental monsters, then stepped away from the corner and waited. The tiny thing fell to the ground at the feet of the two monsters, but they did not register what it was before it was too late.
The ball swelled in size and formed hundreds of spines like an urchin, then with a bright flash and a crackling explosion the little needles shot out and sliced the two things to nothingness.
The hunter walked out from his hiding place and smiled at the handy work of his magical frag grenade. He went over to the doors and studied them a moment. Judging that they were magically sealed he pulled out some chalk and drew some glyphs on the wood.
Once he was finished with the drawing he touched his palm to the center and commanded the door open. It obeyed with a loud banging.
Jack pot.
Inside was dark, and he could sense a number of scared of scared people. Judging from the smell a few had pissed their pants.
In the shadows he saw some shapes moving around. One of the shapes soon walked up to him and said in a haughty voice.
"What the hell took so long!?!"
"Glad to see you too Nabiki," he sighed.
"Whatever. We've gotta get out of here." She turned towards the darkness and called out. "Hey! Help's here, just like I said! You can come out now!"
The shadows shifted again and a group of people stepped into view. Mousse guessed there to be around thiry or fourty people.
"This it?" he asked Nabiki.
"Everyone that didn't try and run," she replied. "We got herded in here when the monsters came out. Anyone that tried to run was killed on the spot."
"How many'd you lose?"
"None, they got us all together and locked us in here," came the response. "Although I'm not sure why."
He nodded. "They can't leave the fog. They probably wanted to kill you and use your ki to lift that restriction," he supplied.
"In any case, what do you suggest?"
Mousse eyed the girl calmly. She was being way too cool about what she was telling him, like she was commenting on the weather. He was used to seeing the things that demons did to humans. But she was not.
Nabiki held a good front, but he could see in her eyes that she was shocked by having actually seen the types of things they'd described to her and her family. It was good that she was level headed enough to give him the facts he needed, but he also knew how bad it was that she was supressing her emotions like that. Either way she'd be having a lot of sleepless nights for a long time to come.
"We wait here. My job was to find survivors. Ranma's on the other side of the place looking for whatever caused this. It's better for us to wait here for him to lift the spells on this place. These halls are crawling with baddies and traps." He emphasized by showing her some of his nastier looking wounds, most were patched and on their way to being healed but he still bled through the bandages of the worst ones. "You guys would never make it to the back door."
"I guess we wait then," sighed Nabiki. Behind her, she could hear the frightened murmurs of her fellow captives. "Hey, shut up! We've got protection now! This guy's a pro, so do what he says if you want to stay alive!"
That shut them up.
"Nice touch."
"I thought so too."
One of the people who had been towards the back walked forward and addressed the young hunter. "Excuse me? Did I hear you say Ranma would save us?"
"Yeah."
"Ranma Saotome?" she asked hopefully.
"How'd you know his name?"
Tears suddenly fell from the woman's eyes as she pulled out some victory fans and did a little dance. "Saving all these people from monsters from hell? HOW MANLY!!!"
Mousse could only sweatdrop. "Uhhhhh...?"
"Mousse I'd like you to meet Nodoka Saotome. Ranma's mother."
+++++++++++++
While Mousse was tending to the captives on the other side of the house, Ranma was having troubles of his own.
"Get off me!" he bellowed as he tossed the Zombie Thief over his shoulder, knocking over the Bone Towers that were barring his ascension. The dagger swinging pile of rotted flesh crashed into the fire breathing skulls with a loud crack.
The path was cleared and he ran up to his final destination. He could see the end of the stairs only a few yards away, and could sense the next mob of monsters coming up from behind.
Once at the top Ranma wasted no time as he turned and struck his palms onto the carved stone staircase.
"Geo Brunt!"
The spell traced jagged lines along the ground which traveled down the stairs quickly. He stepped back a few feet and let the attack run it's course.
Once the veins of magical energy reached their maximum range, they split the ground into sharply protruding rocks, impaling his persuers. His spell also had the added bonus of destroying a good chunk of the path up.
He was stuck here now, but that wouldn't matter when he destroyed the thing that was warping space in the hotel.
Just to be safe he tossed a few pentagrams and some sticks of dynamite into the inky blackness. His caution was rewarded with screams of pain, and the sound of things falling from the air and splatting noisily on the jagged rocks.
With a deep breath he turned and procceded down the hallway that the stairs had tapered into. Here he let down his lighting spell since there was some candles lining up along the walls.
After a few moments of not being attacked Ranma started to get nervous. A second ago he practically had to kill himself just to get a five minute break, now there was nothing? Something wasn't right.
Just a little up the hall Ranma could see a door. It had no knob or handle, and was made of some kind of marble.
He neared it cautiously and studied the glyphs and reliefs carved into it. There were many pictures of wild, powerful animals with accents of gold a precious jewels set into them.
One carving drew his attention more than the others. It was in the center of the door and was of a paper crane with black lettering along the wings.
It looked familiar somehow.
On a hunch he used the Saint Box and pulled out one of his grandfather's books. After a few moments he found what he was looking for.
The Forlorned Maiden.
Ranma had heard the story when he was younger.
A beautiful woman once fell in love with a poet. He sang her songs, and wrote verse in her honor. But the poet was a married man, and so he promised to leave his wife and to run away with her. He was a poor man, and gave to her the only thing he could afford as a gift of promise.
A paper crane with their names written on the wings.
The maiden was from a moderetly wealthy family, but was willing to throw away her life of comfort for the man she loved. On the night they were to meet, she stole from her family treasury a prized tea set that had been given to her mother and father on their wedding day.
The young woman waited the whole night beneath a cherry blossom tree where they'd spent much of their time together. Soon however the morning came, and then the evening, and once more the morning. Her beloved had left her, and she knew he would not return.
She herself was shamed, and could never return to her family. Knowing this, she brewed some tea in the pot she'd stolen, and poisoned it. But her sorrow and anger had bound her to this plane. She had created her own prison within the tea set.
That explained why the monsters were here. They were probably feeding off of the negative magics that the woman's tortured spirit radiated.
Ranma put away the book and reached up to the crane. When his fingers brushed against the carving the entire slab rippled like water. He pushed again experimentally and felt some resistance after pushing so far.
He reared back his fist and struck at the door. It caved inward and the rippling effect happened so violently that the entire door was shattered like glass.
He stepped inside and found hiself standing it what looked to be a room from a traditional japanese home. He was in the foyer and could see a shadow of someone on the rice paper screens to his left.
He stepped to the screen and slid it open with a whoosh. On the other side was a table with a woman sitting on the opposite end. Her face sported gashes that he presumed were self inflicted. The rivulets of blood were the only color in her pale, sickly face.
The woman's hair was wild and her white kimono was filthy and tattered, showing her body lewdly.
"Have you come to take me away?" she asked.
"I've come to set you free," was the hunter's response.
"Will you love me?"
"Lady, I don't even know you."
The woman's face contorted angrily and she lashed out her hand at the man. Ranma felt a wave of power overcome him and found himself flung into the the far wall.
The demon leapt at him, fingers splayed in imitation of a claw. She slashed, causing deep grooves in his flesh. The blood flowed freely as she continued to cut at him, not intending to stop until he could bleed no more.
Ranma was pinned back, his arms and legs splayed. He could only hang there while the thing tore at him relentlessly. He bit his tounge to keep from screaming, trying to think of a way out of this.
He couldn't something like this stop him. He was Ranma Saotome.
And Ranma Soatome never loses.
With a primal scream of pain he broke the spell on himself and struck the woman in the face. She flew back but regained her footing and moved to attack again.
But Ranma, now free, had other plans. He summoned his blade and slashed at her, the air pressure from the magically enhanced blade sliced the thing in half. His attack continued on and smashed the tea set into millions of tiny shards.
The source of the demon's power was destroyed, and the spells were lifted from the hotel.
The fog outside dissipated within seconds. In the halls Ranma could hear the screams of the monsters as the power that they fed on was no more. The inside of the building returned to real space and he found himself standing in an office of some kind.
On the floor nearby was a young woman, her body cut in half. Her innards leaked onto the fine persian rug they stood on. He walked over and closed her eyes.
The hunter stood there, silently praying for the soul of the poor girl to rest.
He would never learn the young woman's name, but that's the way he wanted it. But that was for the best.
She was yet another casualty of a war she never knew existed.
++++++++++++++
Notes:
There ya go! Worth the wait?
Modern society has finally come into contact with forces that it thought long dead, if not only a part of fairy tales. Will this be the last time? You'll have to just keep reading to find out.
This was going to be a light weight chapter about Ranma meeting his mom, but half way through inspirado struck me so hard I was in a three day coma!
Big shout out to Ed for being the first person to ask to preread! ^_^ I'm movin' on up, to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in... I'm sorry. I won't do that anymore.
Also check out Anime Insomniac, it's my new host. The manager is good people. ^_^
Next time: Ranma finally meets his mom.
This fic can be found at:
fanfiction.net
or
tannim.anifics.com/index.html
or
www.geocities.com/c_mach2k1.html
or
www.geocities.com/animeinsomniac.html
