A.N: Thanks to all who review chapter 9: Me, Velvetine muse, Michael85, Luv a lot girl, The reviewergirl, Celestialfirefox and Iwata-hatori (thnx…for the compliment I mean).
Be my beloved enemy
Promises to keep
"Magic"
The world slipped hoarsely through his thin dry lips. Though it had not been an intense thing, he grimaced in pain; as if that very word had sliced his lips opened. A callous hand encircled the glass of martini that stood on the tea-table; a lone finger gracing its edge. Soft music was being played while Genma breathed heavily, sitting close to the fireplace in his favourite black leather sofa. The shadows in his face moved up and down while his eyes settled upon the drink whose mirage was just as golden as the fire. Subconsciously his tongue darted out to wet his sandy lips turning the glass in his other hand. The classing from the ice-cubes bothered him. Genma angrily stood up and threw the glass into the fireplace.
"MAGIC!" he bellowed, this time enraged; panting even from the effort.
It looked as if the fire had come alive too at his outburst; as the alcohol burnt with great intensity. For a little moment, it seemed the action had cooled him down but, as the incessant fire came back to normal, so did he. In a rough movement, very much like before, he snatched a bottle of brandy from a shelf and in a gulp, made it go down his throat. As the hot liquid ran through his mouth, burning every crevice, Genma's lips draw a smile; a sad and dark one.
"If anything, people might say I found contentment in sodomazing myself" he drawled while moving with difficulty.
He bumped against the chambers furniture to end up propping up in a chair. His neck lolled back, his eyes blurred and blotchy rested upon his working desk. In a new found wave of rage, he grabbed the papers that covered the table and flew them away. Just a very ancient book laid opened over it.
The dusty smell of history surrounded the chamber, yellow pages in which one could taste Genma's fear, dark red words that welcomed him into the nightmare. The source of a very ancient magic was uncovered before his eyes. The course had been found.
Et vull
Placed upon the beloved ones the course provides love and safety.
It was invented during Cleopatra's reign in order to guarantee the safety of her beloved Marc Anthony. Its base forms part of the Greek tradition; it was a cult to Aphoditha (goodness of love).
Not much is known about 'Et vull' and only a documented case has been found. During the 2nd century the Spanish inquisition talks about a curse registered by the name of 'Voler' or 'Vull' (the name is variant). This is a direct quote extracted from a paper written by Fernando Martínez, a well-known inquisitor:
"The curse is unbreakable, not even death can ruin it as the forces that come to help are not from this world and there is no way to dissolve them. It acts on stages and does not stop until the pact is fullfiled"
Genma's fingers graced the words slowly; the fine writing and drawings catching his attention a bit longer than intended. He closed the book engrossed in the softness of its leather cover. Never had he paid any heed to that particular shelf and, as his gaze rested upon the empty space the book had created, he pressed his lips tightly. The book had belonged to Ranma's mother, Nodoka.
"Damn woman! You had it all prepared. It was planned, planned…."
He re-opened the book, passing its yellow pages; it was clear that someone had taken away a few pages.
"Where are they? Where the hell are the pages you took away from this?" He asked out loud talking to no-one and waving the book in his hand.
Finally he dropped the book on the desk; brought the bottle up to his mouth and swallowed the liquid quickly.
"You betrayed me… Magic, magic, magic…." he mumbled. His lips once more quirking up as he laughed like a mad-man until the effects of the alcohol took its prey.
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Akane was slouched in a chair; her head rested against her opened palms; face down, she kept on reading. The library was empty at that time in the morning; the silence was so deep that even her breathing could be heard. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat while rubbing her forehead vigorously with her thumb. She turned around the page and continued reading before closing the book down.
'How stupid can I be?' she berated herself.
Her gaze had fallen upon something as she hurriedly stood up and brought out a book from a nearby shelf. The dim light coming from the windows was hardly enough to read.
"Martial arts' techniques"
Akane propped down on a chair and, opening the book by the first page. Her forefinger traced up and down the index as her eyes looked for something.
'Casts' She had found the code word and a sly smile formed upon her lips and in a rush she was passing the pages of the book.
As soon as the page fell open before her eyes, a shadow emerged behind her; snatching the book away from her. She jumped not expecting the action and then turned around in her seat.
"What the hell do you think you are doing? She cursed at Ranma who was towering behind her.
"I should be the one asking that. What are you playing at?" his raw voice had turned deep and husky as to not arise the librarian's attention.
"What are you talking about?" she said in a whisper, though the venom was not forgotten in her tone.
"This " he hissed waving the book before her eyes "Do you wish a repetition of it?" he asked her menacingly.
"I just…you just scared me. ok? I just wanted to know what had happened to you"
"What a load of bollocks! You were trying to get back at me!" he said darkly.
"I was only worried" she said defending herself.
"How sweet, I'm touched" he replied mockingly.
"I don't owe you an explanation so just give me the book back" Akane demanded.
"and what if I don't want to? What will you do?"
"Scared I may find something against you?"
"you…" he bent down to hiss against her ear "…will stop this investigation about me now"
"But, weren't you the one who said, and I quote directly 'I must keep track of my enemies'?" she asked standing up, face high.
"Come with me"
Ranma yanked her by the arm and dragged her into the bathroom.
"Listen to me!" he bellowed as soon as the door had closed.
"No, you listen to me; Jerk. Who do you think you are?" She freed her arm from him and poked his chest hard.
The unexpected reaction took him by surprise making him fall on the floor. 'Serves him right' she thought
"You just sit there and shut up!" Akane ordered him with her finger "I don't want to hear anymore of your sass" she said turning around ready to leave
"No-one tells me to shut up!" he reached for her ankles and grabbing them pushed her down. She fell on top of him.
"Let me go!"
"Don't you like this position?" he smirked at her. "I prefer this on better" Ranma said at the same time he was rolling her onto her back, positioning himself on top, his knee between her legs. "Yeah, it feels better like this" he said inching closer to her face. Akane could see the tiny silver flecks in his blue eyes.
"Bastard"
"I can assure you I'm not one" he said, his lips quirking up.
"Stop it!"
"You wouldn't mind if it were my cousin instead, would you?" he growled at her
She spat at him but he kept on talking.
"I'll tell you something. Your curiosity might get you killed one day" his hot breath tickled her sensitive skin "If you must know, it was your entire fault; you prepared the attack with the cats. You pushed my buttons. You…." He stopped suddenly
"I? I what? Level with me!" she demanded even in her position. "Tell me what's wrong with you!" her gaze boring into his. "That my dear…" his hand fumbled with her ivory hair "is none of your business" he hissed.
"But I might just be able to help you!" she said out of the blue.
"Enemies do not help one another!" he snapped back at her. 'She couldn't be that thick; could she?'
"But we must!" Akane demanded again "there's something strange happening to us…Tell me what's wrong with cats!"
"Cats… they've nothing to do with this. They just change me, making me act upon my instincts, making me more aggressive. It's all your fault, you bring out the worst in me and I loathe you!"
"Why? What have I ever done to you?"
"You didn't die" he said, venom dripping from every word.
Akane's mouth hung opened; she hadn't expected an answer from him. Ranma released her and stood up. She could tell there was something bothering him. His head was down as he walked to the mirror, his hand searched for something inside his pocked. When he found it, the hand went out again showing something out. Akane gasped at the sight. The golden orb had appeared back.
"You" she said, not knowing what else to do "It's you"
"Don't go making stupid assumptions about things you don't know!"
"It's been you"she blanched as she recoiled the silver orb standing on her bed that very morning.
"Your assumptions of me are wrong!"
"And what assumptions do you think I have about you?"
"That it's me the one you've to blame. That this is all my fault. That everything I do is premeditated!"
"And it isn't?"
"NO!" he shouted with fury.
Ranma closed his hand over the orb and punched the mirror hard, letting the orb fall from his now bloodied fingers. Little fragments of glass scattered all around.
"What's happening?" he asked to no-one but himself as he looked to his damaged hand.
Akane looked at him astonished and Ranma slouched down to the floor again; pressing his bloody forefinger upon her lips. She now understood it had not been the cat technique he had been worried about but this. The golden orb that stained with his blood was now forming a name on it. Now she understood it; he'd been looking for her; because he too, wanted answers.
"What's happening…?" He whispered against her lips as his finger trailed her upper lip slowly.
"…to us?" she breathed unsure whether to speak or not.
His eyes were like molten silver. A crash from the outside made them jump apart. Some steps were heard approaching the bathroom and both teens froze in place. Ranma's hand instinctly flew to Akane's mouth covering the girls gasp as they waited for the steps to die away.
"I'd go. Someone might see me here with you" he said sharply getting up
"Yeah. I forgot you've a reputation to uphold" she said sarcastically and then adding under her breath 'how to be the world's best jerk'
"damn right! If someone saw me with you that'd be social suicide" he said already from the windowsill
"As if I give a damn. Buzz off already!" She snapped at him tired already of his attacks.
Ranma turned around and before leaving said.
"Don't forget me. I'll come visit you in your nightmares"
'I'll wait for you there. I promise' she thought but never told him
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Shinosuke secured his scarf around his neck as he walked to the library. He didn't know what was wrong with his sister and why she had become a bookworm all of a sudden. As he approached the building something caught his eye; a boy was going out of it from a window.
'Books make people go crazy' he thought inwardly as he entered the front gate.
He walked around the shelves and found Akane's mallet placed upon a chair and some books spread over a table. All of them related to martial arts.
'What was she looking for?'
He didn't expect to find her on the floor when he opened the bathroom door. He legs were spread at an odd angle, her lips bloodied and on the ground; small pieces of broken glass covered the room. His eyes flew to the open window on instinct.
"Who was he" Akane's brother sounded harsh and menacing so unlike his usual cheerful and concerned self.
"Saotome" she told him still on a trance.
"Saotome?" he asked.
She nodded and licked her lips. The coopery taste of his blood was sweet and she smiled because after all she was not alone in the mess.
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Ranma was sitting on a stone near the koi pond as Ryouga came back from school.
"I see you've been hanging out with the Tendo girl" he said mockingly pointing at his now bandaged hand.
Ranma only growled in discomfort
"You should stop stalking her"
"Not possible" he said getting up and turning his back to Ryouga
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I've to fulfil a promise" he turned his head and smirked at his cousin.
Ryouga was confused as hell but he let him go.
'Yeah, a promise. I'll visit you tonight. Just wait for me in your nightmares' Ranma's smirk did not disappeared at all.
AN: Plzzzzz review!