Black Waters

Part 10: Cursed Waters

When they had reached the Amazon village, Joketsuzoku, Cologne and Mousse stood, unbelieving. Shampoo bawled while Ukyo held her comfortingly. Ranma and Akane stood, anger rising. Everyone else was just confused.

After all, where there once stood a proud village of great warriors, there was now only a blackened patch of earth. Not even a ruin stood.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Ryoga asked. "Maybe we just got lost..."

Cologne glared angrily at the lost boy. "Speak for yourself, boy. We would know where our home was, unlike you. No, this is the place. at least, it was..."

"What could have happened?" Ranma asked through gritted teeth. She somehow had a feeling who was responsible.

"From the looks of things, I'd say it was burned to the ground."

The whole group turned. Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, Cologne and Konatsu were shocked. There, a little away from them, stood detective Hirai, in his girl form, and the NerSIS. All of them.

"Why are you guys here?" Ranma asked.

Hirai smirked. "What, you think we would actually allow a criminal to escape justice? Please, we want to catch Makio just as much as you do."

Natasha Brier, who had been bandaged up after the fight with Mekio, moved forward. "We also have some information for you, Saotome-san." She said, matter-of-factly.

"What information?"

"About your heritage." Brier clarified. "It would appear that Mekio was correct. You are decended from a samurai line, that much is true, but the Saotome name actually belongs to woman named Ranko.

She was a priestess. She had mastered a technique that 'banished evil from the realms of light'. It's supposedly anchored by mixing one's ki with some ancient charm held within the sword. We are not quite sure.

She supposedly died while fighting a 'demon without equal in power or maliciousness'."

"Makio."

"Correct. As for your supposed resemblance..."

A rather nerdy-looking, overweight man who was losing hair pushed past her, smiling. "I'll take over from here. Katsui Hironobu, assigned to Shan Pu, expert on all things magical and mysterious.

It would appear that, from what was gathered from the demon in question, you are the reincarnation of the self-same woman who drowned in the Nyannichuan. Now, this same woman was a priestess that was supposedly strong enough to defeat a demon as powerful as Makio. I'm sure I don't have to tell how big of a feat THAT is, do I?"

Ranma nodded, ignoring the confusion of certain members of her own entourage.

Katsui continued. "Well, we have seen other victims of the Nyannichuan, namely Herb. He did not resemble your female form at all, so why is it that you look exactly like the priestess? Well, according to Makio at least.

Anyway, my theory is that the spring's magic somehow recognized your soul, as it were, and reacted to it. And so, instead of merely giving you a female version of your own body, it gave you the body of your past self."

"I see."

Genma was getting annoyed at this point. "Boy, I demand to know who these people are!"

Ranma turned to the larger man. "They are a bunch of police officers, who apparently watch our every move."

Hirai smirked. "And have we got some dirt on you, Saotome-san. We could put you away for a LONG time."

Genma promptly turned into a panda (where'd he get the water?) and tried to look small and inconspicuous. Which is hard, considering he's much larger in his panda form.

Hirai chuckled at the man's antics. "I'm just jerking your chain. Truth is, you're far too pathetic. Besides, I don't want to take away the retribution you'll recieve from those you stole from."

"What's that!? You STOLE, dear!?" Noddoka asked, furious. "That is not something a member of our family should enact, or indeed, ANYONE with an ounce of honour." She reached for her katana, blushing upon the realisation that she no longer had it.

Genma tried to make himself look even smaller. Again, failing miserably.

"If we can cut this little slapstick routine short, we have some important matters to discuss."

Everyone turned to find Tendo Nabiki sneering at them all.

Soun stepped forward. "Nabiki! Please tell me it's not true!" He was, as always, weeping.

Nabiki cocked her head to the side. "Whatever do you mean? Do you mean how I joined with Makio to gain the power I've always craved? Or, maybe you want to know how it was I was able to kill my own, dear mother?"

"So, it's true?" He asked, not wanting to hear this.

"But of course. She found out about certain....interests of mine, and asked me to stop. So, I disposed of the obstacle the best way I knew. She looked so pathetic, asking me to be a 'good little girl' til her dying breath."

"You bitch!" Kasumi screamed, leaping at her sister, fist raised.

"Well, well." Nabiki commented. "So it is true. You did train." She blocked Kasumi's fist from hitting her face. "But, I've been at it longer, and with better instructor's than father dearest."

Kasumi smirked. "Father taught me nothing."

Nabiki didn't see the kick coming as it hit her stomach. She staggered, clutching her stomach.

She looked at her elder sister with fury. "That's IT! You're DEAD, Kasumi!" She pointed at the rest of the group. "You broke our deal, Saotome. I said no-one else! Now, suffer the consequences!"

And that's when the army of demons came rushing forward.

Ranma moved forward, but was stopped by Cologne. "Son-in-law, now is not the time. I will avenge our village against the demon tribe. You and your fiancee have to go to their turf, and free the fool boy."

The couple nodded. "Hai."

"Shampoo knows the way. I have shown it to her many times. She will take you there."

Ukyo hefted her ever present battle spatula. "I'm not going to let my girl venture into enemy ground. I'm going too."

Konatsu moved to her side. "I am duty bound to follow Ukyo-sama wherever she goes."

The old woman looked at the unflinching teenagers. She knew when she could argue with them, and when she could not.

"Very well then, but I do not approve of your relationship with my great-grandaughter, Kuonji-san."

Ukyo nodded. "Duly noted."

And with that, the five teens went off to face...whatever lay before them.

The rest charged at the demonic battalion.

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Tsunami entered the gir'ls cell. The girl tried to get as far away as she could from the water demon. She curled up into a ball in one corner of the room.

"Now, don't be like that, child. Soon, your purpose will have been served."

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

Tsunami kneeled, and stroked her hair comfortingly. "Why, it's what you have always wanted. Someone's coming to save you."

She looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes. "Really?"

Tsunami smiled at her. "Of course, child. They are very good friends of yours."

"Why are you so nice to me?"

"Because I am not like those others. They are barbarians."

"But you do bad things."

Tsunami sighed. "That's only because they are are for the sake of my most precious person. In truth, I abhor what I have done. But, I have no choice but follow him, even if it means following him into hell itself. Now, get up child. It's time to meet your friends."

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Genma, Nodoka and Soun had found a quiet spot to watch/hide. Everyone else had charged into the fray.

So far, the battle was pretty well matched. Though there were some demon casualties, Those in their number still able to fight still far outnumbered the Nerimans.

Ryouga, even with a broken arm, was able to easily bring down a few demons with his bakusai tenketsu. He also alternately used his heavy umbrella against them, though it had been quite some time since he last used it.

Cologne and Mousse fought out of vengaence. These...creatures had destroyed their home, and they would not hold back against them.

Behemoth had made himself a new sword, and used it with ease, having overcome his previous weakness. Training with Ranma before the trip had allowed him to become faster, even with a weapon. The demons didn't stand a chance, and some even tried to escape him. But they didn't. They were honourless scum. They didn't deserve any mercy.

And Kasumi still battled Nabiki. No-one wanted to get in the middle of THAT.

"So, you finally dropped your mask." Nabiki taunted.

"So have you." Kasumi noted.

Nabiki sneered. "I never hid my intentions. I may not have explicitly told anyone my ambitions, but it's not like I hid where I stood on matters."

"You've got me there." Kasumi accepted.

A punch connected with Nabiki's face, sending the middle Tendo flying. She hit the ground with a thud, and got up. A tooth had been knocked, and her nose was a little broken. She was bleeding from both the mouth and the nose.

"Lucky shot." She scowled. "You won't get lucky again." She charged at her elder sister, fist raised, snarling like an animal.

Kasumi barely dodged the attack, but got tripped by her sister's leg. Nabiki kneed the elder girl in the stomach, making Kasumi vomit a little.

"Eye for an eye, sis." The moneylender sneered.

Kasumi recovered quickly, spinning around, sending a leg into her sister's side, and an elbow to the neck. Nabiki staggered, more blood dripping from her face. She glared at the elder girl.

"Oh, that's it. I was holding back so I could enjoy myself, but now, no hold's barred. YOU'RE DEAD, TENDO KASUMI!"

Her murderous, blood crimson ki flared. Her hands became clawed, and fangs grew in her mouth, handily replacing her missing tooth.

She grinned, cackling. "This is where it ends, big sister." She pointed a hand at her dumbfounded sister, ki gathering. "There's no surviving this! BLOODLUST MASSACRE!"

And with that, ki fueled by pure, unadulterated murderous intent came spewing forward. Straight for Kasumi.

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When they went through the cavernous underground cave, they had found the survivors of the Joketsuzoku massacre. Konatsu, Shampoo and Ukyo went about freeing them as Akane and Ranma continued onwards.

The couple had silently agreed to face this together.

They soon found themelves at a huge underground lake, with the cavern floor splitting off in two directions.

"Where do you think we should go?" Akane asked her companion.

Before Ranma could suggest anything, a huge coloumn of solid water rose from the lake. On it stood a young girl with short black hair in a kendoist's uniform, and an unusual individual.

This other figure wore a kimono-like robe; and had green, clawed hands. He had long blue hair that mostly went to the floor, but the top half stood up in a crown. He wore a plain white mask with two eyeholes. Its eyes were completely white.

"I am sorry it had come to this." The figure stated. "It wouldn't have come to this if you had simply allowed lord Makio his revenge. Now, people have suffered."

"Pig-tailed girl!" The girl cried. "You're real!"

Ranma studied the figure and the girl. The clothes, the hair, and that nickname. It all added up.

"What did you do to Kuno?" She asked, fury in her eyes. She didn't wish her curse on ANYONE, not even Kuno.

Tsunami chuckled. "It seems you are still a man at heart, huh, Saotome? Yes, that is Kuno Tatewaki. I have simply allowed him to share your pain. Ironic, no? Perhaps now, he can see sense."

"Who are you?"

"I am Tsunami, Lord Makio's most trusted advisor and confidant. I am also the one most devoted to our lord. I am the one who shall ensure your death, and thus hopefully appease my lord's fury."

"Get Kuno down here, and then I'll fight you." The red-head stated, evenly.

"Of course. Unlike my lord, I am not cruel. I have simply done this according to his wishes." He knelt down to the female Kuno. "Tatewaki, I know you are scared, but trust me. You remember those two, correct?"

The girl nodded. "I knew them back when I was.....a b-boy." She stuttered at this last part, unsure of herself.

"Very good. Tendo-san shall attend to you while Saotome-san and I settle a little squabble of ours. Will you be alright?"

The girl nodded. "Y-yes, I think so, Tsunami-senpai." She added with a smile.

"Alright then."

The coloumn lowered, and tsunami and Kuno moved across the surface of the lake. When they reached the edge, Kuno ran to Akane. She hugged the tomboy and started crying. Akane could only hug the frightened girl in shock, too stunned to properly register what was going on around her.

Tsunami did not move from the lake.

"Why don't you come up here and face me, coward?"

"I am afraid I cannot. As long as there is water, I can move. I cannot touch solid ground, else I die. Besides, this is my soul. This whole lake holds my entire being. I am strengthened as long as I stand here." He paused. "If it were somehow destroyed, that would be the end of me." He added with a chuckle.

Ranma quirked her head. "I don't think it's wise to tell me your weaknesses."

The water demon chuckled. "Oh, yes. I am aware of that. However, it wouldn't be gentlemanly of me. Now then, draw your weapon. I know you have it."

Ranma nodded, and drew her ancestral blade. HER blade. As she hefted it, the weight felt familiar. This proved it to her. She WAS that priestess, once upon a time. She shook her head. She wasn't that person anymore, she was RANMA Saotome, Man Amongst Men, no matter what body she occupied.

Tsunami nodded. "Good. Now come at me with all you've got!"

Ranma leapt to the side as Tsunami's arm stretched at went straight for her face. She sliced with her blade, cutting the appendage. It fell to the floor, exploding into a harmless puddle of water. She stared at it in shock.

Tsunami giggled. "Oh, yes, my whole body's made of water. I have mixed the very waters of Jusenkyo into me, in fact. However, as long as there is water, and my soul water is intact, I can simply regenerate any wounds sustained. And, by the way, any attack from me won't be harmless. My water can cut through bone!"

At this, droplets of water rose from his lake, and fell onto the red-head. She could only dodge a few droplets as the downpour curt through her body. Fortunately, the wounds weren't lethal. Yet.

"Is that all, Saotome? Is that all you can muster? If you hold back, you will die!"

He stretched his arm again, this time moving before Ranma could react. He impaled her leg. then retracted his arm.

Ranma fell to the ground, gasping. This...creature was stronger than any she faced before. How could she win against an enemy who could regnerate himself.

Her sword glowed. She looked at it, eyes widening.

"Enough! If you wish to die, then so be it!"

With this, a mighty wave rose. It looked solid enough to crush bone. And, judging from Tsunami's words, it probably could.

It was then that Ranma instinctively swung her blade, unleashing a great light that evaporated the wave and cut through the lake's surface, as well as Tsunami's body. His body collapsed into liquid, only to reform.

"Good." He said. "You're starting to get it. When you face a demon, you musn't hesitate, musn't hold back. You have killed twice in your life. But, as long as you kill only when you have to, and only for a good reason, then it's alright. Not everyone will back down if you just pummel them."

Ranma stared at the water demon. He was right. And she hated it when her enemies were right. She can't hold back. Especially if she were to face Makio.

Tsunami smiled, though it's hard to tell with the mask. "Good, now come at me." He stretched his arm again, and it went for Akane, his hand encircling around her throat.

"NO!"

Tsuanmi sighed unhappily. "I only do as my lord asks of me. He asked me to kill your lover, so you could feel a great pain. I dislike to do such things, but I cannot question him. I love him too much." He sounded on the verge of tears. "Please, don't allow me to harm her. I have no desire to take an innocent life."

Ranma stared at him. "You want me to beat Makio."

He nodded. "Yes. I love him too much, so I can't harm him. But you have no reason to hold back. Please, stop this madness."

"You're the one who brought him back aren't you? That demon was talking to you when this began."

"Yes, he was. I simply wanted my love back. I did not know it would turn out like this. At first, I blamed you, and welcomed my lord's vengaence. But I see now how much of a fool I was." He was crying now. "Please, kill me."

Ranma nodded. Her ki flared, and this time it wasn't of it's regular blue hue, but in fact a pure, blinding white. It was flowing into the sword.

"Good." Tsunami remarked. "It's been years since I've seen that brilliant light. Before I go, I must tell you: Makio is not here."

"Where is he?" Ranma calmly asked.

"He is in Japan. I believe he intends to finish what he started, and begin his campaign to kill innocent people. You must stop him."

"Very well then. I will. I am sorry."

"Don't be."

With that, Ranma pointed her sword straight at the water demon.

"Divine Light!"

The surge of ki was vast, and powerful. It disintergrated Tsuanmi's body, as well as his lake. The water demon who fought out of love and devotion was dead.

Akane gasped, the ability to breathe returned to her. Kuno began to cry, mourning the loss of her only true friend.

Ranma walked over to the girl, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tatewaki. But you heard what he said. It's what he wanted."

The neo-girl nodded. "I'm glad you stopped him. He was too kind, I didn't want to see him hurt anyone, especially not Akane."

Ranma sheathed her blade at last. "You know everything now, right?"

"Only a bit." The girl admitted. "I remember certain things, important things. And I now know you're Ranma. But, it gets confusing. And I'm scared."

"What do ya want to do?"

"For starters, don't call me Tatewaki. It's too weird."

Ranma blinked. "What should we call you?"

Kuno thought. "As long as I'm like this, you can call me Tae."

Ranma nodded, then smirked. "Funny you should mention that. You see, the thing about the curse is..."

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Shampoo, Ukyo and Konatsu ran through another part of the cavern. The cells where those enslaved by the demon tribe were held.

Shampoo had been angered by what had become of her people. She just wanted to go out there and kill those that would dare enslave an Amazon.

"Sugar, I don't like that look in your eye." Ukyo warned her love. "If you are interested in vengaence, that's your problem, but right now, we need to see if they've got anyone else locked up."

Konatsu stood at the Amazon's other side. "Ukyo-sama is right, Shampoo-san. Even if it involves a demon, hatred is not an easy thing to live with. Vengaence equally so."

"How boy-girl know that?" Shampoo asked the kunoichi.

"Just know that I have gained my vengaence." She/he answered enigmatically.

Before more could be said, they had come across a big, steel door. It was chained up.

"Must be something important." Ukyo stated.

"Leave this to me." Konatsu said, drawing her/his blade.

The sword came slicing through the chains. Shampoo pushed against the door, and it opened up.

They gasped at what they saw.

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Nabiki laughed maniacally, her madness unveiled. "YES! DIE! JOIN MOTHER! ENJOY YOUR TIME TOGETHER!"

She stopped as Kasumi appeared behind her.

"You think you're the only one who can move fast?" The elder girl said as she wacked the middle sister on the head, knocking her out. A NerSIS officer picked the unconcious girl up.

"Shirohito Daisuke. I have been assigned to Nabiki for some time now. I knew about her activities for a while, but lacked the ability to sufficently arrest her. Thank you for allowing justice to be done." He bowed.

Kasumi bowed back. "Are you sure you can hold her?"

"Don't worry. We have facilities specially prepared for people such as her, and Ranma." He winked at her. "You keep at the training. You did well out there." With that, he bowed again, and walked over to his superiors.

Seeing their leader fall, the few remaining demons (Their numbers had dwindled some, mostly from Nabiki's attack) thought it prudent to retreat.

As the demons ran, five teenagers were seen moving towards the group, followed closely by a young girl and some very beaten up women. Konatsu and Shampoo were dragging a cart that carried four large casks, with 'JUSENKYO' written on the side.

Nodoka ran to her son/daughter and embraced her. She was in tears. "Thank God. I fought I'd never see you again."

Ranma hugged her mother back. "Of course you would. Saotome Ranma doesn't lose."

Genma noted the cart with interest. "What's on the cart?" He wrote on a sign, being a panda still.

Ukyo glared at the man. "They're not for you. These casks are filled with water from Nyannichuan or Nannichuan. We're going to decide what to do with them after this mess is over with."

Genma hung his head, beaten for now.

Ukyo put her head close to Konatsu. "Konatsu-chan, you make sure the panda doesn't do anything sneaky." she whispered. The kunoichi nodded.

Cologne realised something. "You said 'when this is over'. Did you not finish off the Demon Emperor?"

Ranma shook her head. "He's not here."

Then where is he?" The matriarch asked.

"Japan."

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Makio cackled. His blade shook with impatience, hungry for blood. Soon, this will all be over. His vengaence against Saotome Ranko would be complete. He howled with laughter, visions of a beaten red-head at his feet.

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Well, thus ends my longest chapter yet!

Yes, the end is nigh. Soon, Ranma shall face her toughest challenge: the emperor of demons, Makio himself! Will she succeed, or will Makio have his vengaence? Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!

A note on yet another new technique: Divine Light. This is the most powerful of all techniques, using the entire emotional spectrum to channel the attack. It uses hope as a major anchor, however, and can only be used in conjunction with the Saotome family blade, Shirohane. It has the side effect of making the user eerily calm and controlled. Just as the Demon Lord Black Vengaence technique can only be used by a demon, Divine Light can only be used by a priestess of the Saotome line. Ranma bypasses this by actually being the reincarnation of a priestess, and thus on some level retain the requirements to use the technique.

Oh, and I realise that Tsunami is acting a bit contrary to his personality displayed in earlier chapters. There are two explanations for this: 1) when Kuno was inside his body, Tsunami somehow absorbed some of his morality, or 2) he was simply pretending to be evil for the sake of Makio and the other demons.

Truthfully, it's because I completely forgot about his earlier characterisation. But, even with such a glaring continuity error, I still won't change it. So just deal. I just like to apologize for this error, and avoid you all pointing it out.

Hope ya all enjoyed it! And please comment, as always!