Black Waters
Part 9: Going to China
(Warning: This chapter contains a little fluffy romance. Not a whole lot, but enough. If you don't like that sort of thing, you can skip it. Everyone else, enjoy!)
She didn't know where she was, only that it damp, cold and dark. And it smelled awful.
Nothing made sense to her anymore. Had everything she believed been a lie? Though, considering her current predicament, she would rather the lie than this reality.
Her captors had been especially cruel to her, calling her names such as 'the fool', 'bokken-for-brains' and most often 'slave' and 'meat'. And then they did....things to her that she wished to have never experienced. That.....woman....was the worst them all.
She shouldn't think about those things. But, she couldn't do anything else. She didn't have her weapon, and her body was malnourished and weak, so she couldn't break free of her bonds or fight off her captors. All she hoped for was that someone, ANYONE, would come and save her. Even those she reluctantly called 'family'.
She heard footsteps approach. She curled up into a ball, and weeped.
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Nabiki surveyed her surroundings. Those Amazons were such pests. When they got word of Emporer Makio's return, they immediately beared arms and went on the offensive, thinking they could on the great demon lord.
They weren't even a match for Nabiki, now his second most trusted lieutenant. And well on her way to becoming a full-fledged demon herself.
She had completely razed the village, leaving not a single trace of its who she had not killed were made into slaves and toys, to serve the amusement of Lord Makio.
She was starting to call him that now, too. She was hanging around Tsunami too much.
Oh, well. She needn't hang around much longer. The game was almost at its end. She couldn't wait to show Saotome what she was really made of.
That is, if there was anything left of the red-haired martial artist afterwards.
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Akane looked at Ranma, who was sleeping on the youngest Tendo's shoulder. So far, the trip had been uneventful. Whatever makio had in store for them, it awaited them in China.
Akane frowned. Why China? Why would Nabiki want them to go there? There was only one possibility....
Ranma muttered something in her sleep, bring Akane out of her musings. She draped an arm around the pig-tailed martial artists shoulder. She promised to protect the smaller girl when she needed it, and doubtless she would need that now. The tombo knew that Ranma was bothered by how easily she took a life, even if it was some weird cyborg demon thing. Akane too had trouble dealing with how she had defeated the demon Nachtmare. But she was coping.
Ranma had more compunctions with killing. The red-head had explained that while he was in her body, Makio had made her want to litterally take a life. Ranma was scared that she was turning into the same thing as Makio, or even Nabiki.
And so, Akane kissed her fiancee on the forehead, making the red-head relax a little.
"It's okay, you're not a monster." Akane assured the sleeping girl, slowly closing her eyes drowsily.
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Shampoo looked at her airen and the pervert girl as the couple snuggled a few seats away. She fumed. Only SHE should hold her airen like that, no-one else!
"I do so hope you're not thinking about Ranchan, HONEY." Ukyo said, warningly.
Shampoo turned sheepishly to the chef at her side. She was still getting used to having a girlfriend, particularly a girlfriend she once considered a rival. But she was learning, and knew when NOT to bet the brunette jealous.
"Shampoo sorry." She apologised, in her usual lilt. "Shampoo no used to Mana....Mano....Meno--"
"Manogamy." Ukyo finished for the Amazon.
"Yes, that."
Ukyo smiled at the lavender haired girl. "It's okay, just be careful. Ranchan's got someone now, and so do you. You can't go chasing after him or anyone else anymore. Got it, sugar?"
Shampoo smiled back. "Y-yes, Shampoo understand."
Ukyo leaned in, and gave her love a short kiss on the lips.
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(Warning: the following is a little silly. It's a little out of place in a serious/dark fic like this one, but what can ya do?)
Elsewhere, certain individuals lay hidden in the cargo hold. No one else knew of their presence, not even Ranma Akane, Shampoo or Ukyo.
"Saotome, are you sure this is wise? Won't our children be upset we snuck aboard?"
A panda was heard growfing, then pausing. A marker was heard sketching something on wood.
"Dear, It's far too dark to read in here." It was a woman. "Tendo-san, we must ensure my son is safe. I don't trust anything involved with that....demon."
"But, nabiki-san said..." It was hard to tell whether this speaker was a man or a woman.
"Screw Nabiki!" another woman said. "Oh my, that's rather rude of me. But, I can't believe she would --"
"Yes, Kasumi. We are all shocked by the news." It was the first speaker. "To think that my own daughter would such a thing to her mother!" You could hear the tears fall from his eyes.
"I am merely here to serve Akane-sama." a deep, vaguely british voice. "Your personal matters are no concern of mine."
"Of course, Behemoth-kun, we understand." Kasumi said, with her normal politeness.
"I must see to the safety of my grandaughter." An older voice. "And it wouldn't hurt to visit the village."
"I don't trust Saotome. I must make sure he doesn't touch MY Shampoo."
"Quiet, lame one. If it were up to me, you would have been gutted long ago, honourable or not."
"Try me, Giant!"
"Will you two just SHUT UP!" A new speaker, a young man. "If I wasn't injured, I could have handled this. Once I'm all healed up, then I'll show Ranma just who's weak!"
"I thought it was Makio who broke arm?"
"That was just some trick!"
And so, they argued on. Those near the cargo hold were rather...frightened of the ghosts apparently haunting the plane. And apparently each other.
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Ranma, Akane, Ukyo and Shampoo were shocked to find that what seemed like half of Nerima (Ok, maybe not, but you get the idea) had followed them to China.
"What are YOU doin' here, Old Man?"
Genma had somehow acquired hot water during the flight. "Boy, Tendo and I are worried for your safety. And seeing as you and Akane appear to have gone with the engagment (at last) we must ensure that the schools are united!"
This earned him a kick to the face. By both Ranma and Akane. Using both feet. Which sent him flying into a nearby wall, strudy enough to NOT crumble under his weight, since it was reinforced with hard steel.
Ouch.
Eventually, Everyone just accepted it and went off. They only moved a few steps when a familiar voice greeted them in broken japanese.
"Oh, kind sirs! And kind misses! And kind unknown! I told to guide you, like last time!"
The whole group turned to stare at the Jesenkyo guide. Well, this did NOT bode well.
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Makio chuckled to himself. He was currently on a plane. Sometimes, it was best to take the scenic route.
He may keep these 'planes' after he finished the total genocide of mankind.
He could still access his connection to Saotome, but only so he could see and hear everything the girl saw and heard. It was too bad he couldn't see his foe's face. He would have LOVED to have seen the expression her expression at the state of the Amazons, or of that Kuno kid.
He chuckled, thinking of all the wondeful things that awaited the girl who was once a boy. He chuckled all the way to Tokyo, Japan.
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Whew. Decided to end it there. I was orginally going to do the entire trip to China, as well as all the events that happened once they got there, but decided it would be too long, and then you would have to wait for quite some time. Plus, it wouldn't look good alongside the other chapters.
A note on Tsunami, which I was going to save for next chapter. In my original version, he was going to be the main villain, and have the exact same backstory as Makio. But things changed from the original concept, to what we have now. Basically, I wanted a showdown with Ranma and his/her evil side, represented by Makio.
Oh, and Tsunami is made out of ALL the Jusenkyo springs, just like in the original concept.
Hmmm, Now I have to think of some way to work the other cast members into the plot without breaking up the action too much.
Aw, and NerSIS didn't get ANY screentime! Maybe next time.
Hope ya enjoyed it, and please comment!
