**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY RIGHTS TO BLAZBLUE OR IT'S CHARACTERS**
Hakumen: "Cat, you knew the Beast is a father?" Jubei: "He ain't no dad." Hakumen: "WHAT?!"
Author: That won't happen but wouldn't it be amazing?!
Curious Encounters
Chapter Eight: Memories Can Kill
Fire. . . Why is it always fire? I only have two real rules in this world damn it. . . ONE, Don't be on fire. Two, Stay away from things that want me dead. . . SO THE HELL IS THE ROOF ON FIRE! God damn it Bang, I will kill you.
Ragna sprung out of the wooden shack of a building as another fire-infused upper cut flew by his head. He didn't know how long this had been going but it felt like this skirmish had lasted for a long while. Bang stood in a triumphant stance in the doorway of the inferno he created just moments ago and he didn't look like he was going to move any time soon. Ragna could taste that over powering metallic flavor that accompanies the pain of a bloody mouth and it only increased his rage aimed at the ninja who stood between him and his mate.
"BANG! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!"
"No." Bang said sternly as he spread his legs, he lowered his center and rose his arms in a similar fighting stance. Tao is in there, There is no time for this!
Sucking a deep breath in, Ragna rushed towards the ninja cloaked in green clothes and flames withdrawing his blood-scythe was a shout. Today this sword is my Blood-Scythe! "INFERNAL DIVIDER! GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Ragna swept his blade upwards into the air as he aimed for the ninja's head. Bang didn't move fast enough and he was tossed deeper into the fiery hell that the clinic had become. Though he would never run away in the middle of a fight, Ragna sprinted past the knocked over fool and he turned into a room filled with black smoke and the cries of frightened women. "TAO!"
"Ragna!" screamed a familiar voice but it wasn't Taokaka, it was too low sounding for the cat girl, too old. Ragna squinted and coughed through the thick acidic smoke til he found four tiny forms hidden next to a bed. "Ragna help us!" Litchi begged as she worked on a splint for Noel's leg. Noel's tears dribbled down her cheeks as she chanted something about being sorry and not wanting to die but Ragna tuned it out as he tried to figure out how she got here again. Platinum huddled into herself as Sena screamed bloody murder about how Ragna was an idiot for not getting them out earlier and Tao. . . Tao sat motionless on the floor, hood pulled down over her eyes and upon seeing her Ragna's heart sank. His head hurt, his eyes stung and most of all his pulse thundered through his ears making the rest of the world silent. No. . . NO, GOD DAMN IT NO!
The sound of fracturing timbers caught Ragna's attention and he reached for Platinum and Tao before he bolted for a open area leading out of the clinic. It was a window, or an open area that could have been called a window before the fire, but now it was a small wall of flames licking up from the remains of the wooden banister. Gasping for another breath of air, Ragna dived through the flames and rolled painfully upon the cobblestone road safe outside with both girls still slung over his shoulder safe from the blow. "CATCH!" Litchi shouted trying not to cough as she threw the sobbing Noel out the same hole. Ragna arms shrugged off the other two girls and he dove to catch Noel in time. Though he was a second late he helped her absorb some of the blow as she cried out in pain and surprise when her butt hit the stone with a thwack. Litchi gracefully sprung out of the clinic and landed a meter away from the dazed warrior covered in burns and soot. For a second Ragna's eyes shifted from side to side in confusion and he rose with Noel silently sniffling in his arms. Litchi's eyes locked on Ragna's and neither spoke while they breathed heavily, too shocked to speak.
Finally with a growl of animosity Ragna spoke shakily and loudly, "This can't be happening!"
"Ohhhhh, yes it can Rags!" Shouted a sinister and whimsical voice that slithered down Ragna's spine before it resounded, unleashing a throaty cackle. "What do you think Rags?"
"BASTARD!" Ragna bellowed before turning to find the black coated Hazuma smiling gleefully behind his hat. "How did you do this?!"
"I didn't. . ." Hazuma said snidely as he slumped against another building in mock boredom. Ragna felt his teeth grinding together as he looked from the manipulative Terumi to the silent Tao.
"What did you say?!" Ragna raged, dropping Noel, who squeaked once she hit the ground, he reclaimed his sword in his hand and gave the man a bone chilling glare of utter hatred.
"Think about it you fool." Another voice intruded and Ragna fought not to jump at the sound of Rachel's cool and arrogant voice. "Does any of this make sense to you?" Ragna's jaw dropped as he gazed up at her, she stood on the roof of a building adjacent to the burning clinic. With his head still pulsing in throbbing bursts of pain he snarled at the vampire, She betrayed me?! No way, that bitch isn't that cold. . . What the hell is going on.
"This doesn't make any sense! Why!" Ragna shouted and he felt something stroke the side of his face in a gentle caress and he struggled to focus on Rachel any longer.
"It won't, but this can happen. I'll make sure of it!" Hazuma shouted fiercely as his hat flew off of his head from a rush of dark and baleful wind and his hair rose to reveal Terumi's demonic eyes. The demonic man screamed as he launched several serpentine like spiked chains at the unconscious Taokaka; Ragna had no time to intercept them. All he heard was "OUROBOROS!"
"NO!" Ragna screamed as his head shot up from the soft lap it'd been laying on and the painful pulsations surged back into his awareness. Ragna cringed at the influx of painful stimuli and he wished he hadn't shouted. Tao looked down at him with those big red eyes and Ragna eased back down putting his head down on her lap again. "Ugh, god. What happened?"
"Well," Tao started with a soft and scared mew but she gazed upwards before continuing any further. Ragna's eyes followed Tao's to a tearful and blushing Noel.
"Oh my god, Ragna! I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you." Noel hastily squeaked from behind her raised hands. Ragna's head twinged in pain again and he tried not to growl in understanding. Of course it didn't make any sense. Stupid girl knocked me out. I was just having a nightmare. . . God, it was awful.
"Tao was worried about Ragna and so was Lacking Lady." Tao tried to explain as her frown deepened. Ragna pulled his eyes away from the quivering Noel and he sighed as he readied himself for the pain it would take to stand. Pulling himself to his feet, he sighed and he swayed from side to side until he could regain his balance.
"Don't call me tha-"
"Noel, why did you attack me?" Ragna offered as he grabbed his head. He pulled his hand away and glanced at it, mildly annoyed as he realized he was bleeding from the area of his head behind his ear.
"I, I-I" she stammered while looking to the ground in shame and Ragna audibly sucked in a breath. I will not kill Noel, I will not kill Noel, I will not kill Noel. . . "I am so sorry Ragna, I wanted to- I mean I was."
"Look, Noel we need to talk. You can answer me later but you're pissing me off with all that stuttering and stammering!" Ragna grunted as he hobbled towards where he thought Litchi's clinic was. He actually wasn't quite sure due to the nausea and pain keeping him from concentration too intently on anything for more than a second before giving a new burst of throbbing pain. Though he didn't want to admit it, he wanted to go there to ensure it was alright more than anything else. . . that and to get my head checked out as well.
"Uhhh Rag, is it okay for you to move? Tao doesn't think Tao can carry Ragna very far but Tao will try." Tao breathed worriedly as she trailed him with soft steps. Noel hummed an uncertain sound before she noisily bounded after the two.
"I'll be fine Tao, just wanna get to Litchi's clinic for now." Ragna assured as he lifted his arm for Tao to snuggle into. Tao slide underneath his arm as if she was trying to help me balance but she let off a pleased purr once she realized it wasn't for that kind of support. Noel gasped softly and sprinted up to Ragna's other side before grabbing his arm and throwing it over her shoulder to support his balance. Ragna opened his mouth to yell at her but he reconsidered once his thrumming headache pulsed again. It's not worth it and Kokonoe needs her. I'm going to regret this I'm sure of it.
"Ragna," Noel softly huffed from under his added weight, "I'm sorry, I'll stop. I just, never mind. What do you need to talk to me about?" Ragna raised an eyebrow at her as they trudged their way together towards the clinic.
With a slight annoyed smile Ragna sighed. "Well. . . It's a long story."
"So, Kokonoe wants to use my. . . my powers as Mu to help you?" Noel summed up as she uncomfortably slide back into her chair. Ragna strained not to shout out as Litchi patted at his wound with a wet cloth. They had arrived to a loud hail from Bang and Litchi only rolled her eyes upon seeing Ragna's newest cut. Tao mostly sat next to Ragna and eyed Noel with a mix of confusion and suspicion, but she occasional threw a curious glance to her bosoms, or lack of bosoms, as he explained what he'd learned from the scientist earlier.
"Yeah." Ragna answered shortly as Litchi clacked away with the red spotted cloth in hand. Tao shifted uncomfortably besides him and he felt the urge to pat her thigh and say it would be alright but doing so in front of Noel didn't seem prudent. "She wants us to work together to finish off Terumi before anyone else gets hurt. I think she just wants revenge, but then again so do I."
"I see. . . What can I do?" Noel softly inquired and Tao frowned toothily at the question.
"Ragna will need Lacking Lady's help so, Lacking Lady needs to help by talking to big sis!" Tao exclaimed with an exaggerated fist pump thrown into the air. Noel frowned at the nicknamed but nodded sadly as she pushed herself up to stand.
"I said- Never mind, I'm sorry Tao. Well. . . How do I get a hold of Kokonoe?" Noel pressed as she morosely looked to Taokaka. Ragna shrugged before answering but it came out with a laugh even through he attempted to keep his response serious.
"Ha, I don't really know how. She said she'd send Nu out looking for me, Uh, I mean Lambda. I guess. . . yeah, not sure."
Silence filled the room as soon as he finished and for a second he thought about his nightmare. He'd hadn't realized how much the idea of losing them would hurt him. He obviously loved Tao but Noel was a lot closer to him than almost anyone else. Ragna mulled over the thought of losing them to Terumi and he blanched, sick to his stomach. The loud click-clack of Litchi's shoes on the wooden floor broke the silence and Tao and Noel sighed in relief for the interruption. Litchi brought a white painted box with her as she drew up to Ragna and she searched inside it with a clattering sound. She pulled out a small strip of tape and a new set of cloth gauze as he turned to look at her. "Try not to scream when I put this on you, it has Iodine on it and it'll sting."
"YOW!"
"Cry baby." Litchi accused with a slight smirk coloring her lips as she strapped the bandage to his lacerated scalp.
Ragna tensed his arm as he bared the pain and Noel winced in understood pain, that or regret for hitting me. . . Damn it. Tao's stomach grumbled and she gazed down at her audible stomach. "Ohhhhhhh, Tao is too hungry to wait any longer. Hungry. . . Tao needs food but Tao doesn't wanna leave Ragna."
Very rarely did Tao make Ragna laugh in public but the absurdity of the whole situation forced him into a fit of loud belly clinching laughter. Litchi eyed the injured man speculatively, she probably thought he was delirious. Noel frowned and flinched at the sound, she probably thought Ragna was crazy. but Tao just gazed to Ragna in confusion, she probably thought meatbuns sounded good right about now and that's what made him laugh the hardest. "Sure Tao, go ahead, I'm not going anywhere any time soon. Sorry to keep you waiting." Ragna finally squeezed out as he calmed himself out of his hysterical laughter.
"YAY! Tao is gonna get us food!" chimed the famished kaka and she rose with a quick hop before launching herself out the door towards the front of the clinic. "Tao will be right back!"
"TAO! Slow down, this is a clinic!" Litchi chided as she quickly strolled her way after the cat girl. Ragna laughed though it caused him to tense up due to a new shooting pain. Noel sat silently, happy to be alone with the Bloodedge but she waiting patiently for him to relax before she was going to speak again.
Ragna inhaled deeply as he pain settled to a dull, almost unnoticed thrum and he noticed Noel had returned to sitting a few meters away. Her face held a kind of determined focus that he knew meant she wanted something. She rarely gets like this in front of me, I have a bad feeling about this.
"Hey Ragna. . ." Noel began and Ragna stifled a sigh, Yep. . . Just what I need. "Mind if I ask you a few questions."
"No, go ahead." Ragna figured if he got this out of the way now perhaps it wouldn't be an issue anymore, but that was just wishful thinking, he thought sourly and he forced his face to remain neutral.
"Okay. . . So how did you become Tao's. . ." Noel struggled at the last word and Ragna blushed lightly as he interjected and absently looked away from the girl.
"How we came to be together? Well, Tao just sorta asked me." Ragna admitted with an embarrassed faced shrug, "I wasn't expecting it but I mean we enjoy being around each other so. . . Look, I'm not good with this. She just asked me and I went with it."
"I see. . . So that's how it went." Noel said sadly though she kept her face in a neutral expression. "Would it have worked if I asked you like she did- I mean had I just asked would you have been mine?"
"You want me to be your mate?" Ragna struggled not to cough but he held it to a throaty grumble.
"I- That's not what I meant! I just meant us being together like you and Tao!" Noel stammered embarrassed but Ragna smiled to her as he brought his eyes to hers as if to say it was alright and he understood what she meant. "I just want to know if we could have been, you know together."
Ragna let the smile droop a little and he rose his shoulders in a shrug, "I'm not sure, I think it would depend on how you asked me," he answered but Ragna hadn't really put any thought into it until that moment. I care about Noel, I mean I worry about her plenty. She is a friend and that's more than I would say about most people. . . If she had asked me would I have said yes? I sorta got tricked into it with Tao but I'm happier now than I'd been in a long time. Maybe I would have enjoyed being with Noel, She'd certainly be as sweet to me as Tao but. . . I'm not sure. I think maybe I was just lonely that first night, who knows. "I am not sure." Ragna admitted as he realized she'd been holding her breath while he considered it. Noel eyes fell to the floor with her heart but Ragna straightened and murmured lightly. "I think I was ready to say yes if you had, still depends on how you would have said it."
Noel smiled and blushed profusely though she tried hard not to show her excitement. Ragna looked at her and blushed too as he averted his eyes and coughed out loud. "What's wrong with you, stop smiling damn it!" Ragna growled and Noel shook her head but her smile remained.
"I'm sorry, I'll be leaving now, I'll be in the area if Lambda shows up. I don't mind helping you and if this is the fastest way I'll do it." Noel chirped with that same soft smile and she rose with a renewed energy. Ragna started towards getting up but the waves of vertigo pulled him back towards his cot with a lurch. Noel smiled, waved and started for the door but Ragna frowned as he wanted to watch her go. Damn it, why is it so hard to move? "It's okay Ragna just stay here and heal up. Sorry again!" And with that Noel pranced out of the clinic, leaving Ragna in silence and pain. Damn it. . .
Ragna stumbled out of the clinic hoping to sneak out without Litchi scolding him. Sitting in a bed for long periods of time while trying to avoid sleep wasn't how Ragna wanted to spend this evening. Fresh air seemed appealing to him and he stubbornly headed out the door in search of both peace and quiet and some time to relax and clear his head. Ragna slowly strolled down the side of the clinic breathing deeply of the early night's crisp and chilly air. An odd sound gurgled from behind him and he tensed up upon turning to find a wiggling blackness against the wall of the hospital. SHIT!
Arakune slithered off the wall before raising in front of Ragna with a ragged sputtering coughing sound. "Don't p-panic. . . Don't want to fffffff- frighten you." Ragna's adrenalin pulsed causing his head to ache lightly but he remained still, he hadn't brought his Bloodedge and he didn't want to push the abomination into motion. "I wa'ch what has happened t-to you."
"Uh huh." Ragna stammered blinking at the black blob creature. He's been watching me, great. . . This day can get worse.
"I haaaaa-have regain'd much. I know how itttttt feels." Arakune offered as he turned his metaphorical back to Ragna since in his opinion the creature didn't really have a back in the first place. Ragna carefully took a step towards the being and he cleared his throat.
"What happened to you? Litchi was searching for you for a long time, she doesn't even talk about you anymore. . ."
Sighing a guttural sound, Arakune drew up to his full height and turned his attention to Litchi through a open window. "I recovered from mmmmm-mmm my deteri'ration. I had mmmm-my Chance. I had to 'at her me'ories of me and I'd gave up Litchi, I was grantttt-ted a wish. She could live with'ut me." explained the former scientist with a melancholy gurgle and he turned his attention back to Ragna. Ragna's eyes opened wide in realization as the malformed man nodded to him.
"You gave up on Litchi and she forgot about you?" Ragna revealed horrified at the thought of doing that to Tao.
"YYYYYY-yes. So sh' could be h-happy. And A'ive, she w-would have tur'ed into somethi'g like m-me."
"You saved her from your fate and made her forget. But you can't forget." Ragna figured and he took another step towards the black creature.
"No I can n't, but it is alr'ght, she can be happy and I get t' wa'ch. . . Don't let them hurt yo'r woman, 'ove is all that ma-matters." Arakune explained with a gagging shutter. Ragna twitched at the sound and he looked down at his artificial arm debating whether he could ever do what Arakune did, force Tao to forget about me, ignore me. . . When Ragna looked back up the blob was slithering away again silently following the shadows.
"Wait!" Ragna shouted after the creature but he knew he couldn't catch him in his current state. "Tch, damn it."
"Thought you could sneak out huh?" rung a feminine voice and Ragna stiffened. Shit. . . Ragna spun to find Litchi standing over him in one of the open windows with her staff standing next to her in a silent warning. "Unless you want me to beat you into unconsciousness, I suggest you back in bed of your own accord."
A cold gust of wind whipped past the weaponless Ragna and he sighed in defeat, "Yes ma'am."
Though Litchi ensured his privacy and a measure of silence by putting him in a room to himself sleep still proved impossible as Ragna sat in his cot waiting for Tao to return. Something must have caught her attention, it's been at least an hour or so since she left. For Ragna, waiting proved to be the hardest lesson to learn. He didn't like waiting, it took him out of the position of control he thrived on. Then again lately I've been having to clean up all the problems with Rachel so I haven't been in control in a while. . . But with Ragna planning on going on the offensive again soon he smiled at the idea of taking control again. A nagging thought kept poking at him and he tried to ignore it but like all good annoyances, it's persistence won out. What if Tao gets mixed up with Terumi's plans? I am not sure how I would deal with it. First Kokonoe says I should leave her, Arakune warns me to protect her. . . What if-
"He's over here," Ragna heard Litchi say from the other room and he cringed realizing since he was the only one in the room she was leading someone directly to him. "He's resting so don't cause too much of a ruckus."
"Don't fret ma'am," came a gruff southern accent from the other room and Ragna sighed in relief as he lowered himself back down to the cot and brought his hand away from his sword, "I won't be botherin' him none."
With a few soft pawed steps Jubei entered Ragna's vision followed closely by a bored seeming Jin. "Master, and Jin? What's going on?"
"Well boy, I could ask you the same question. Why ya in a bed? Who hit ya this time?" Jubei chortled and Ragna and Jin both glanced at the sword master with slight annoyance.
"Noel shot me." Ragna spat the words with a slight sneer.
"I see." Jin added softly as he inspected his resting brother.
"Damn it Jin, shut up." Ragna growled as he started reaching for his sword once more, I'm not gonna hit him but he doesn't know that.
"Hehe, Don't you mind him. He's ain't use ta people gettin' the best of 'em." Jubei cajoled as he shuffled over to Ragna's cot. "I heard from Tao you 'ere here. Glad to see it wasn't anymore serious than just a little thing."
Ragna stiffened as his master mentioned Tao and his mind raced to Kokonoe's plans as well as the nightmare he witnessed while he was unconscious. Maybe it'd be okay if I asked for their help. . . "Master, could you do me a favor?"
"Hmmmm?" Jubei raised an eyebrow at the pleading tone in Ragna's voice and his focused his one showing eye harder on the Bloodedge. "What ya need Ragna?"
"Could you take care of Tao for me? I am working on get back on the trail of hunting Terumi down and I don't want Tao to get hurt." Ragna's eyes fell to his hands as he continued to beg. "She would be safer with you and I want her to help Jin find her mate too."
A grunt came from Jin as Ragna finished his request. "Mate? Excuse me, I didn't-"
"Sure, I don't mind helping out Tao and Jin at the same time. I think it's a good thing." Jubei interrupted with a sly grin and Jin huffed annoyed.
"Thanks master, I appreciate it." Ragna took a deep breath and smiled as Jin started out the room. Jubei shrugged as his eye followed Jin's rueful escape and he also started for the door.
"Call if ya need anythin' Ragna." Jubei called over his shoulder and once again Ragna was left in silence.
"Yeah, I will."
Silence soaked into him in a way that unnerved him. It wasn't right, waiting wasn't right, something wasn't right at all. Where the hell is Tao?! Ragna rose to his feet and reached for his sword as a pit started to form in his stomach. The nausea of hungry mixed with the worry of his uncertainty as he hurried out the door of the clinic into the fridge winds of the winter night.
AN: This chapter is a good bit longer than I thought it would be but it was a chapter I've been looking forward to. I am sure the beginning confused a lot of people and the title of the chapter made that even worse but I think a touch of misdirection is good from time to time. The 'Memories' portion of this chapter is from Arakune and I thought it was a nice touch. Once I learned about his actual story and that ending I knew I had to bring it into this story. I wanna thank my buddy Abyssal Kurokari for help on this chapter, get better soon and Get back online!
Also wanna thank Dark Drow. . . GET AN ACCOUNT! How can I talk with you about the story if you keep leaving reviews as a guest... Oh well. I'm almost at 20 Reviews and 2k views. I am extremely impressed, thanks guys. You seriously rock. I am about to start posting another story but it's not BB, so follow if you wish but I'm not pushing for that one as I am for this story. KEEP READING PLEASE! Just kidding. . . Sorta.
Chapter 9 will be mature so check out the mature version! Consider yourself warned.
So. . . meine freunden, lesen sie Geschichten und Bleiben sie nobel. . . It pretty much comes out as:
So my friends, keep reading Stories and Stay Classy.
