A/N: Ano. I can't spell, HA! (Thanks my Jewell, Angela Jewell! Girl, at one point I wanted to call the man SANOSUKE #teardrop) I MIGHT want to get a Beta. But…..bleh. Again, thank you for the reviews. I wanted to write and epic poem in honor of my reviewers. It was going pretty well….until I had to rhyme Ulquiorra with something. It's like trying to find a word that rhymes with purple. Urkle? Eh. So I decided not to. Thank you for my latest reviews Angela Jewell, Shadowalker666, SpiritDweller13, tomboy 26, Anna, mafufa, animelover116, jdcocoagirl, and bambii46. I'm trying to systematically find a way to get to each one of your pages so I can read (because I REED GUUD AND I LIKES TA REED). Okay! Tally ho! *rides off into the sunset*
A Delicate Covenant
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
-King (Hamlet)
Inochi. You are of the Inochi. Probably THE Inochi since it seems you harvest this power unrestrained."
Akane rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to stomp her foot against the grassed earth. "Look here! I am not anyth-". She halted mid sentence as a beam of light began to gather at the end of Ulquiorra's finger. Before she could grasp what was happening, the beam grew tenfold and a power erupted from him heading straight for her.
She could remember a time when she was pretty normal. Well, as realistically normal as a daughter of Tendo Soun could be. The inheritor to a dojo; taught to block kicks forcefully instead of learning how to serve tea gracefully. The art provided her with the power to conquer anything, so her Father said so she continued on neglecting normalcy to its face while at the same time striving to adopt it. That was her problem, her "Tou-San", had told her repeatedly. "You can't pretend to be normal, Akane. Yet, there is nothing wrong with being abnormal. Abnormalities breed change; they are revolutionary in their acts. That is why we are practitioners of ANYTHING GOES, my love."
So it turns out, she COULDN'T remember a time when she was normal.
But there was a bold, outlined and italic line between abnormal and just plain weird; outrageous even. This, staring her in the face went beyond the realms of her focus. Here stood a man, she'd known for the better half of a second, explaining tomfoolishness about a damn rock, and the moment she drew what was to be the biggest rebuttal slash hissy fit the world had ever seen, he had the GALL to…hell she didn't know. WHAT WAS this thing heading towards her? She looked. Then blinked. Then she realized that she could see the strange, remarkably pale man to her right, and her own body to her left. She blinked again. Then she panicked.
HAVE I died already? Am I somehow witnessing my life before I die! What in Kami's name is going on! Sweet merciful Buddha, I don't want to die!
Subsequently, the next actions of "herself" served to dually heighten her panic yet astound her. She watched, with a sense of awe, herself begin to glow. She had witnessed, up close this "glow" that that damned pigtailed buffoon mentioned every time he got a chance. It was a physical visual manifestation of her battle aura. Not that alarming, if one was to think about it. It was the exotic darkening of her skin, the faint tracings of letters that magically etched themselves down the side of her face, across her chest and now down her arm.
Then she felt it. It was that same burning at the pit of her stomach, that promised something, yet she could never figure it out. The Akane on the ground suddenly whipped her head towards the sky where she "floated". Her body smiled and Akane found herself one again with her body, just as her pupils started to dilate. Her understood now that her mind and her body were one, unlike before were she retained no information of the event. Instantly, Akane was aware of the battle aura of Ulquiorra; a very powerful one at that. She also noticed the ominous beam of light that erupted from him languished towards her slowly. She was a precipice of action; she stared over the ledge as time precariously stood still.
She shook her head, aware of the voices now screaming at her. For her to do something…say something…say anything. She smiled as she recognized the words causing the sensation of a burning fire in her center.
"Invoke."
Her hair caught in the currents of her own aura, Akane found herself in revelation of this power. She consciously was aware of what was happening to her. The green of Ulquiorra's aura, the sudden heaviness in the air caused by the tangible pressure of his power, the tingling of all her senses as the beam of pure energy slowly made its way to her. Then time caught up; she moved. Grinding her foot slightly behind her to give her leverage, she shouted a word that whispered itself, bouncing off the walls of her own soul.
"HATSUDOU!" A beam of pure energy collected itself at the center of her hands, and then released itself into a powerful white hot beam that collided with Ulquiorra's own energy. The resulting blast lit up the surrounding area with a blue glow as the swirling mass of energy grew with the clashing of Akane's and Ulquiorra's powers. The energy pushed up against her, sliding against her provisions; she felt her foot start to slip. She was going fly; she knew that much, only to crash to the earth. And she did, momentarily. But she never felt herself fall, as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her slim waist and grounded her.
When the blast subsided she found herself fit snugly against the strong chest of a Ranma Saotome, his hair windblown and askew, breathing heavily. But his strong reality was there, keeping her from flying off this earth and into another dimension. He had been there for her, without her asking. He slowly opened his eyes, glancing down at her, her wildly exotic skin, and the markings on her chest. He knew that she'd exhibited those strange mysterious powers of hers, yet he didn't care. He searched her body, looking for an injury or anything that would indicate that she was hurt. Finding nothing, he roughly jerked her back into his arms, his mouth by her ear, his grip tight with worry. "You scared the SHIT out of me, girl."
For his part all he could do was watch. When he left the table, he was sure he'd find Ulquiorra and Akane somewhere near, him bestowing her with his best apathetic glancing, while she blew off whatever built up steam she'd acquired. And he wasn't wrong, technically. Akane was, in fact, blowing off steam. Ulquiorra was indeed bestowing his best apathetic stare in her direction. It was just the mysterious glowing, and the two powerful beams of energy that were seconds from an epic collision. That was what he had not counted on.
He had seriously underestimated Akane's anger.
Seriously.
Not to say that it wasn't justified. He considered himself the scum of the earth, not even worth the perpetual body slam that he knew she'd be more than happy to administer. This wasn't the plan. This wasn't the plan at all. Well, technically the plan was to live his life for a few months, come back, marry the bimbo and live his maladjusted life as comfortable as possible. So, Akane was the catalyst for change, but it was the type of change that he desired, wished for. It was welcomed. But he was unprepared, not knowing how to handle the situation. Even if Shampoo hadn't tipped the jar of truth over, she'd found out once they stepped foot onto Chiyoda's grounds. If not then, some ninny of a servant would have dropped the ball, and even if that didn't happen, he would have had to have been honest before he spoke with the council.
The council, the bane of his existence, yet the glue that held them all together, although shabbily. The council consisted of ten of the clans eldest or most knowledgeable members. Appointed for their wisdom of all things clansake, they rule congruently with the Prince of the clan, as well as the Mother and Father of the clan, balancing out the powers until the Prince took effective rule. The three factions voted on various situations, and if a decision could not be reached, the vote was to be thrown to the population. The fourth power was the entire city of Chiyoda; this was the motivation to handle each clan's problem in-house. Situations that were thrown to Chiyodian power were effective, but highly involved, and usually at the cost of the clan's pride. It was an embarrassing ordeal to have your business out in the streets.
Ranma had no real problem with the way things were run. Taichousen clan was noble in its handling of its affairs. Most rulings were strict, but fair. But he was about to approach them with something very "unfair" in the eyes of noble ruling. That didn't stop him, however. He was sure to convince them to hear his side, BE on his side.
Wrong.
The moment he stepped foot into the council chambers, he encountered his Father's fiery gaze from the opposite side of the room. The man had spoke no more than two words on the trip home, despite the anger, then subsequent pity he felt for his son. Genma had decided to hold off on his ranting until this very moment. And he did so in a very Genma fashion. Leaping across the table, he slammed his foot squarely in the middle of Ranma's chest. He who had been watching his father's every move since he entered the chamber, caught his father's foot, and twisted it, the momentum causing him to fly to the ground. Ranma took this opportunity to pounce, grabbing Genma's hand and twisting it painfully.
"THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM? You damned old panda!" Genma grunted roughly at the mistreatment of his wrist, relaxing it against Ranma's hold. Thinking the older man had come to his senses, he loosened his grip, only for Genma to reach up and grab Ranma's forearm with his free hand and throw him up and over his head into the wall. Using speed most wouldn't think the bulkier man was capable of having, he tackled Ranma just as he hit the wall, driving him further into the wood.
"Don't you dare question me, you idiot! I'm going to live a quiet life, you say. I only want to work on my gadget-hoo-haas and invention-thing-a-ma-gigs, you say. I need this adventure as my last, I'll be safe, you say. Safe my ass! How in Kami's name did you get into THIS much trouble?"
Ranma struggled again the strong hold his Father had him in. What he'd do for a bucket of cold water right now. "I'm YOUR son, remember? That's how I got into that much trouble! I don't know what the hell is going on!" He found leverage and slammed his knee into the rib of his Father, buying him enough slack to move as the man move to block a repeated attack. "YOU guys are the council! You tell ME how I got into, " smacking away his father's hand that was inching itself towards his unprotected neck, "-so much trouble!"
The members of the council looked around. The Young Prince had a point. Taking everything that had been reported into consideration, this sounded far removed from anything one man could surmount upon himself in a few months. A weathered alderwoman stood, motioning to the guards to break the pair up. She wasn't surprised by their actions, this is typically how the communicated. She did snort at them while rolling her eyes.
"Ranma. Genma. Cut it out." Genma looked over his shoulder at Issendai, who stood tapping her foot against the oak floor. She turned an empathetic smile towards Nodoka, who was rubbing the hilt of her nose in slight aggravation. Genma looked sheepishly at the floor, before pulling up the rumpled pile of man that was currently his son. After taking their seats as if they didn't just hold a miniscule battle royale, Issendai motioned to every member in the room. "We ARE the council, so Ranma's point is valid. We need to, in a CONSTRUCTIVE manner" she said while eyeballing the Prince and the Father, "investigate how Ranma's identity was found out, what they are after, and the involvement of Akane Tendo."
At the mention of the young woman's name, Genma coughed loudly, directing a pointed look at Issendai, his eyes then distinctively motioning towards a young Prince who was in the process of fixing his attire. She awarded his a puzzled frown, and began to speak again. "Aka-"
He coughed even louder, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. Nodoka rolled her eyes and watched her son lean over her dramatic husband's figure. "Aye, Pops, I didn't hit you THAT hard, did I? You alright?" He smiled wanly at his son. He then began to calm and eyed Issendai one last time, who looked to be on the verge of mentioning the woman's name again and inhaled to repeat his actions. She narrowed her eyes at him cuttingly, and then threw her hands up. "ANYWAYS, we need to collect as much intel as possible. We have Tadao briefing our military faction and security. We have the distinct pleasure of having Yoruichi back in Chiyoda; she will serve as Tadao's captain of Black Ops. Happosai," Issendai paused, looking heavenwards for apparent strength, before continuing on, "has arrived to apparently provide us with …something. What is he useful for, I'm not quite sure, but he is here, nonetheless."
"Prince, we shall keep you apprised of any conclusive findings we have. We have no further clan business and since you have been debriefed, you may go relax until we meet again. Is there anything else you'd like to bring before the council?"
Ranma gulped. Here came the hard part. Well hard parts.
"Actually, two things, Elder Issendai." Turning he addressed the entire council before him. "As you all know, during the events that unfolded over the course of the last few days, I have also managed to capture a bounty."
An aldermen by the name of Jiro, nodded before clearing his throat. "The Ookii."
Ranma nodded in affirmation. "I understand where my powers lie and do not lie for the time being, so I am here to plead on his behalf." He paused at the questioning looks from the council members. "I am here to plead he be released as a free man. There was a collective murmur among the council members at Ranma's request.
"And you've come to this conclusion because…." Jiro spoke up again, leaning forward in his chair in anticipation of Ranma's answer. These are examples of his leadership; I wonder what he has to say.
"His fiancée's decision to pledge allegiance with the Takahashis as a priestess, was partially due to my influence. Because of that decision, as we all know, she was not allowed to marry. Under duress, Taro attacked the Takahashi princess that day. I have spoken with her. She has all but forgotten about the incident. With the young woman now serving outside of that capacity, I think there is no reason to think the incident would happen again. I think it is a matter that should be voted on."
Issendai looked contemplative. "Anyone here willing to second that?" Jiro nodded, raising a single favor for Ranma's vote. "We will take a vote, then. Council members, think wisely about your decision." Standing she spoke loudly and clearly. "In concern of the matters of releasing The Ookii, please respond accordingly. All in favor raise your hand." Eight hands were raised, a majority vote. "That was fairly easy. The favor has it. Taro The Ookii will be released, on a probation period, of course. Any objections, Mother? Father?"
The shook their head negatively and Issendai smiled. "You, Ranma are responsible for his actions until that probation period is up. Is that understood?" Ranma nodded and smiled. "And your other matter, Prince?"
Ranma cleared his throat. He'd practiced this speech a million times in his head. Standing tall, he lifted his head majestically. "This is in regards to my betrothal." He swallowed thickly, as he met the eyes of each council member. "I wish to cancel it."
The once quiet council chambers erupted. The aldermen Bishamon raised his voice the loudest. "What is the meaning behind this? It took us several years to pick out Shampoo as an appropriate bride for you."
"She is indeed a fine bride; do not get me wrong…"
"Then what is the problem! You are a few months away from your 28th birthday. We don't have the time to consider looking for another prospect."
"Elder Bishamon, I already have one picked out."
"You released that option already, Ranma. It is impossible to disregard tradition in that sort. Any new contract we build now will take months, if not years to complete. Not in enough time for your 28th birthday." Jiro crossed his fingers under his chin. He spoke the truth. It took the council 5 years to arrange the marriage between the Amazon tribe and the Taichousen. To consider another would be disastrous. Apparently the rest of the council agreed with him. Ranma looked to his left and his right, in horror to find that both of his parents were nodding in agreement as well.
"THIS is your answer? I have NO say so in this matter whatsoever?" Ranma fumed. "I haven't even told you who I've chosen."
"It does not matter, young Prince." Bishamon stated. "Save her for your mistress, you have the right to do so." The alderman supplied under his breath. Issendai cut her eyes at his remark. The man was crass and, well, she just didn't like him. Never liked him. She then glanced across at Father and Mother's faces. Nodoka faced was doing a poor job of hiding the confusion and pain she felt for her son, Genma on the other hand looked shamefaced but steadfast in his decision not to grant an opposing favor for Ranma.
"No Vote, NO NOTHING. Just ACCEPT this! I won't! No one here will second the favor?" He was greeted with silence. The chill of anger was too much for him, and it took everything in his power to rein that anger in before he did something he'd regret. So instead he turned on his heels and stormed out of the chambers, slamming every shoji door he could get his hands on.
The room was quiet in the wake of his anger filled leaving. Out the corner of his eyes, Jiro looked at his fellow council members. The point was valid, but it still upset him to see the Prince's request rejected so venomously. But that was the nature of Taichousen law. He HAD hoped though, the Prince had picked up on the inkling of information he'd clued him in on.
As soon as the doors shut, Issendai marched over to Genma Saotome with passion. She'd connected enough dots during Genma's ardent distraction earlier; Ranma's display just now and needed to confirm it but had to wait for private council with Father, far from the ears of his son. "Inconceivable! You are not going to sit here and tell me, that he has chosen HER, of all people…"
Genma closed his eyes and let his head fall into his open hands. "Her…of all people."
Ranma ripped through the gardens surrounding the council chambers, trying to find a way to control himself. One second the council seemed to be a functioning sanction of this clan, up to speed and trendy with the changes in society. How quickly they forgave Taro; he was amazed as that decision. He had geared himself up to bring every witness into the chambers, even if it had to Rouge herself. Not that he felt that passionately about Taro's case, but Akane did. He'd do anything to make her smile at this point. But as soon as he'd allowed himself to think that the council had grown, they'd quickly smothered any flame of hope he had. He was shocked at the sturdy wall of negation they amassed, and how quickly it was built. What was he to do now? He returned to his chambers to find a hopeful Ukyo and Ryoga waiting for news, only to shake his head pitifully before he locked himself briefly in his library. He only removed himself when the stirrings of his stomach became too much for him to bear and he eventually made his way to the teahouse with his bodyguards in tow.
And here he stands, watching the fireworks of a very pissed off woman against a very powerful man light up half of the compound. He didn't think he just moved as he saw the shockwave nearing closer to Akane, on the verge of sweeping her up in the currents of power. He jumped into the field, running until he reached her. Wrapping his arms around her, he braced himself, adding his strength to hers. When the blast subsided, he panicked. He didn't know what in Kami's name was going on; all he knew is that she could have been hurt. He checked her thoroughly for any injuries before crushing her against him.
Ulquiorra's watched from his stance on the other side of the field. He was untouched, not a hair out of place. Her power surprised him, but didn't overtake him. His Cero was half powered, mostly wind, little of his actually power backing it. He needed to test his theory. His suspicions had been confirmed. He paced towards to the pair, but not before Ranma forcefully placed Akane behind him, a furious scowl on his face.
"What. The. Fuck? Did you just unleash a fucking CERO at her? A CERO! Are you INSANE?"
Ranma was furious. Out of all the people he knew, Ulquiorra was the only person that was adeptly powerful enough to manifest energy the way he did. This was the distinct reason he was his first sword. There weren't many as powerful as this man was. But due to his power he was pretty much held captive here. No one would be insane enough to let him wander the streets alone. Heaven forbid that mask of detachment crack. And had the feeling that it hadn't crack in Akane's presence, but still the same, he'd unleashed a Cero; the explanation should be flawless.
"No more insane, than you cousin. You unleashed an Amazon on her. "Ulquiorra retained his detached glare at his younger cousin. He valued his cousin's respect, as he was one of the few men who actually could read him, for Ulquiorra did not speak often. That didn't stop his slight annoyance that for one if he'd been thinking with his head and not that insipid heart of his, Ranma would have been able to calculate the pressure used in his Cero. It could not have hurt a fly. And two, to think that Ulquiorra would harm an innocent and powerless…he took that back…just innocent woman, was beyond his scope of understanding. None of this annoyance showed on his face. Nothing rarely, showed on his face, actually.
"You sorry sack of shit!" Embarrassed that the man nonchalantly brought up that subject without so much as lifting a finger, he continued his tirade. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Testing a theory, nothing else." Ulquiorra turned to leave. But not before Ranma raced to him, grabbing his collar. "Hell, you think you're going?" Before he could complete the next string of words that he'd be sure to regret, Ranma found himself with his back on the ground looking up at his cousin. A slick tick mark had appeared on Ulquiorra's cheek. "You'd be wise not to mishandle the collar." Ranma rolled his eyes at his cousin. For a man who didn't seem to have much connection with material things, his attire was nothing to be trifled with. "If you would find your nerves and calm yourself, I will explain…quickly."
With a toss of his head, he motioned for both Ranma and Akane to follow him. Going back a path that led to the left of the field, Akane and Ranma followed the silent man up and over a hill, where a small building awaited them. Once inside, Ulquiorra mentioned for them to sit, while he provided them another one of his dispassionate glances, one hand stuffed in his pocket.
"Before you arrived, in all of your grandeur" He provided the man with a slightly raised brow, "I was accessing Tendo's capacity. I am sure you have seen this reaction to danger from her before?" Ranma glanced sideways at Akane before he nodded. Ulquiorra took a seat opposite of them, pulling a small box from a behind him. Opening it, he pulled out a shiny black crystal, the darkness of it contrasting against the paleness of his skin. It allowed light to shine through as if it were a diamond.
"Does this look familiar to you, Akane?" Her hand flew up to the rock jeweled around her neck. "The stone around your neck is a black tourmaline stone. This here in my hand is the crystallized version. This crystal is a rare form of tourmaline. It only appears every few hundreds of years, but although it looks like a diamond, it is not made in the same process as a diamond is. As it stands now, there are only 3 crystallized tourmaline stones on earth. Two are in Japan. One is located in the dead center of a mountain range in Europe. It is completely inaccessible. My wife owns….rather is the host of this one. And then there is this one."
Ulquiorra glanced at Ranma. "You know everything about black tourmaline crystal. Your fiancé's grandmother brought over a bounty as part of the dowry. Yet the one around her neck went unnoticed."
"Crystallized tourmaline and black stone tourmaline are two different things. We weren't interested in the crystallized version, because it was impossible to get. The only thing we've been able to recreate, on a very minute scale, are the powers in which your wife possess. Akane's…powers do not mimic that of Orihime."
"Ah. That is because you've never seen them in their raw form. When she first became the host of it, her powers manifested themselves just as Akane's have. That stone around her neck will eventually become a crystallized black tourmaline. The host has not been completed and that is why her powers are unsteady and weak. But when they do…"
"Is THAT what they meant by Inochi? Your wife…." Ranma ran a hand through his mussed hair, weighing the implications of it all.
"HEY!" Akane stood up abruptly. It was like she wasn't even there; this conversation about her but not including her was pissing her off. "I'm here. Don't speak as if I'm not. What in all the seven hells are you two talking about! I already told him I wasn't a damn host of anything!"
"I have no reason to lie to you. Do you think whatever power you are in possession of came was awarded from thin air? The risks to you are minimal. You will learn to control this power until you can call on it only when necessary. You being here puts US more at danger than the opposite, Tendo."
Akane kicked the chair behind her. "The HELL you mean by that? Ever since I hooked up with this idiot, I've been bombed, on fire, shot at, chased, cut, flown at, and any other ridiculously dangerous horrors that I imagined only in nightmares. How the hell am I a danger TO YOU?"
"Hell you calling an idiot?" Ranma laid his head angrily on his upturned palm. "You weren't calling me an idiot when you were-"
"If you want to die, mention what I think you're about to mention, and I'll grant it. I will kill you. I will kill you, a lot." She cracked her knuckles loudly to exemplify her point.
The stoic man glanced between the two, his emerald eyes appearing resigned as usual. The young man was stubbornly looking the opposite direction of the woman, grunting under his breath. Ranma was never in heightened control of his emotions or his mouth. "Are you two quite finished?" He raised a raven eyebrow at her.
Akane glared at the pigtail boy before taking her seat, refocusing her attention onto the intimidating man before her. But her eyes softened, as she assessed him quickly. He wasn't all that bad, quiet, scary, but all together, was giving her more insight than she could ask for. "Sorry."
"As I was saying, untamed you could reject the very existence of Chiyoda. Of Tokyo. Japan. Earth. That is what I mean by danger."
"As it stands, you are of a descendent of the goddess Amaterasu, keeper of the sun according to Japanese folklore. Her light shines on the citizens of Japan, especially those of the royal house. That light, when the black tourmaline crystal is involved is Inochi….Life." Akane blinked several times, an eyebrow lifted in slight confusion. Ulquiorra sighed. He wished that people took their studies more seriously. Especially now.
"The power you wield is mythical and revered. It has the power to reject, reduce and induce, practically speaking. When harvested and controlled, you can use your power to…." He stopped, searching the room for a viable example. Seeing nothing he focused a little of his power into the tip of his finger, engraving a circle into the wood of the table they sat at.
"Here. Everything in life works in a circle. Everything has a beginning and an end point. You have the power to control the motion of that circle. You can reject," He motioned with his finger in a counter clock wise motion, "Induce" he motioned now in a clockwise motion, or "reduce, which is to slow down the effects of either motion."
"I didn't do any of that outside. I just…you know…went boom. Blast. Pow. Ya know? None of this makes sense."
"That was nothing. You protected yourself. You gathered your energy and hurled it my direction. Your agility and strength comes from your body's reaction to the stone. That is what I mean you harvest the power unrestrained. Your body understands the structures of chakra now, because it now understands life and life forces. Carbon…water…molecules, atoms…chakra…spirit particles. THAT is what you control, the very basic elements of life."
She lowered her head into her hands. She shouldn't have asked. She should have just somehow ducked the beam. She should have just stayed in Naka…matter of fact, what she SHOULD have done was have taken her work home that night. Her father once told her being a workaholic would bring her grief. Hmph, ornery wise old man. But would that have prevented her troubles, she'd never know. But she knew THIS isn't what she wanted. How in the hells was she supposed to climb the corporate ladder, when every time she felt threatened she could eradicate the whole board room to a pile of molecules. Actually…that didn't sound like a bad idea.
Ulquiorra snapped her out of musing. "You have two options. Adapt or be killed."
Akane's eye flew up to meet steel cold emerald ones. "I'll be damned if anyone…"
"Adapt, then. You will be taken to my wife tomorrow. Right now, we shall go back outside. People were attracted to the blast and have come."
No sooner than the three of them rounded the corner back to the field were the greeted by the half of the residents of Chiyoda. Miroku made his way to the front of the crowd, his eyes as wide as saucers. "What in Buddha's name was that pressure we felt?"
Akane went to open her mouth, but Ulquiorra threw a hand up to silence her before speaking. He noticed a pair of eyes in the trees beyond the field, silencing him with their pointed look. "I apologize for that. I demonstrated a new technique to Akane and lost control. But as you can see, nothing has been damaged." He narrowed his eyes at Miroku, with a promise of a further explanation later. There were too many ears, too many eyes out here to divulging in complete truths. He had a feeling somewhere in this mix of people was a person that was untrustworthy.
Miroku nodded and instantly turned into de facto keeper of the peace as he ushered the inhabitants of the field back towards town. He looked back one last time, nodding at the three that stood there. The one person he could not hold back was the feline. She had felt the pressure of Ulquiorra's Cero, as she has been on the opposite end of his quite a few times. Walking past Miroku's good natured motions in the opposite direction, she paced up to the three remaining, and with a simple cut of her eyes, they followed her. Through various hallways and stairwells, they followed her down three levels of the Taichousen hold until they reached a secured interrogation room.
"A lot of…secret rooms and meetings, here in Chiyoda" Akane mused as she took a seat for the third time today across from someone with something to say.
"I have a feeling I have nothing to explain to you." He peered at her from the corner of his eyes, his hands folded underneath his chin.
She smiled deviously at him. "Can't fool you. I witnessed everything. I always witness everything. That's my job. You can explain later what all that power mumbo jumbo means. But I'm here to tell you that all isn't what it seems within this compound. And you can feel it too, can't you? And after that little firework show, I'm sure I can pinpoint the cause of it all."
She shifted her gaze to the blue hair woman, "You're in danger."
Genma mulled around his chambers, a tense hand firmly attached to the back of a worried head. He'd been pacing the length of his quarters ever since the meeting withdrew. Not even the mild pressure of battle aura drew his attention away from his pacing. A lot of things were beginning to unravel, quickly, and he had not a way in the world to stop them. So many lies, so many untruths and hidden secrets. He'd never thought it would get this big, this out of control. It wasn't enough to destroy him or his family, but it was enough to damage the trust his son had in him. As maladjusted as it was, the trust was a strong link between the two.
At one time, he had a strong link with another man. One he considered to be his closest friend; his brother even. But he hadn't seen that man in years. And it was a terrible lost, almost as if they had pulled his right arm from his body. A man couldn't fight with one arm. He had trained and bettered himself with this man at his side. Yet, there was nothing he could do about it. Even as he stood now, the former price of a mighty clan, and now the Father, overseeing all and knowing all that was Taichousen. In a place of power, but powerless, how sad.
"You're going to wear away the tatami mats with you insistent pacing, idiot."
Genma had to still himself forcefully, his eyes sliding shut in annoyance. He could have sworn he ordered his guards to keep this man away from his quarters.
"Master. "
"Ha!" Happosai gingerly jumped from the windowsill he currently had parked himself within, and paced towards the panda of a man. "That's a better greeting than last time. I should make you bow, but taking a look at those shotty knees of yours, I haven't the time to waste as you mull towards the ground as slowly as you would."
Genma sighed. His master was punishment, he figured, his timing perfect. Only the Kamis would send Hell's angel down to smite him for his sins. Looking down at the smaller man, he decided that if he wanted, he could clobber him against the ground with the heel of his sandal; but then his better judgment kicked in before he did such a thing. He was too young to die, lest at the hands of a hobbit. "How can I help you today, Master?"
"Help me?" Happosai snorted, waddling over now to take a leisurely seat in the large chair that was owned by Genma and typically restricted to Genma's use. "You couldn't help a babe in your state, let alone this old man. You aura is all out of whack. What's bouncing around in that empty head of yours?"
He repeated his sigh. He wanted to retort in jest, but the little midget was right. "I…." His hands fisted tightly at his sides, words failing him.
"I feel it too, Genma. I knew one day all of this would catch up with us. But it wasn't your fault, Soun left. Technically it wasn't his either. He was practically forced. "
Genma's eyes flew towards his master, shock apparent on his face as to how easily he could read him. He looked away, out the window towards the sky. "But I did nothing! I didn't go to him. I didn't try to overrule, find some sort of loophole. I did nothing. I just watched him walk away. He was my brother, my closest friend. All of his service, his loyalty to this clan, his allegiance… and the council just…"
Genma looked at the drooping profile of his student. He too, had felt the harsh pain that came with Soun's judgment. But to go against the council and the community vote was unheard of. The very dismissal of his former student was one of the main reasons he agreed to his stay in Nakofunakata. The politics of this world were very different from those of a martial artist. Words such as loyalty only appealed in a broad sense, as in the loyalty TO your clan, not your clansmen. The judgment here was swift and unfeeling. Cold, hard and unbending. It worked, in most cases, taking the emotions out of the law. But it also hindered in cases such as that one.
Unbeknownst to Genma, after he left Chiyoda, he had checked in on Soun. He had made an outside home with Yuuka, his wife. Happosai always thought her to be a beautiful woman. She had a peculiar color of hair that glinted blue in the light and deep russet brown eyes; soft and nurturing. She also was the keeper of sharp tongue; a beast of wit and intellect. She balanced out Soun's very serious nature quite well. They at the time had three beautiful children. One a toddler, who seemed to match her mother's temperament and energy. The child would grow without knowing the life she could have had but he concluded that Soun had found his happiness after the incident, content with leaving him to be. He had gone there to speak on behalf of the clan, especially for Genma. But when he approached the man, he needed say anything. The pain was there, but so was forgiveness. No anger was to be found in Soun's eyes, and that pleased Happosai greatly.
He had told Genma of Soun's life, how it contrasted greatly to the life he had lived here in Chiyoda, and that it seemed as if Soun had found his happiness. That appeased Genma slightly, but the news years later of Yuuka's death sent Genma back into turmoil. Although he never approached Soun, he found out everything he needed to know about his former friend. Where he lived, how old his daughters were, especially the youngest. Her fate was especially important to him. For years he would send non descript packages of money to the house. But they always found themselves back in Chiyoda; Genma not quite sure how the man knew it was him. Genma resolved to let his friend be and eventually disconnected their lives all together.
But that never stopped Genma from reliving Soun's life in Chiyoda, thinking often of the fonder memories. Under Happosai's tutelage, they honed their skill, both becoming fine masters of the art. Soun was always the more skilled martial artist, always able to concentrate a fair bit more than Genma could. It came natural to him and he was able to pass that knowledge to those in a very special way. Without words. It's no wonder that with Soun's help they both advanced to the Royal Guard in their late teens. Genma knew he couldn't have achieved such an honor without Soun's help and his master's guidance.
There second year as guards, they were both moved to the Taichousen royal hold, watching over the current Prince and his wife. They had no children themselves, but had adopted their younger cousin twice removed into the immediate family. Nodoka was heard of to be very skilled in the art of the sword. She was fabled to have honed her fang to silence as it sliced through the air. But as much as she was known for her swordsmanship, no one other than those closest to her, knew what she looked like. Every public appeared she was always seen with an Uchikatsugi covering her face. She would become their legal heir on her 20th birthday, and the Taichousen Royals took her true identity into secret as a safety precaution.
But the two men happened upon her while she practiced in the garden, uncovered, and Genma was shook to his very core at her beauty. She had the grace of a swan with the fang of a hungry savage wolf. Her battle aura had the sweetest tingle and it took everything in Genma's power not to fall for her right then and there. She noticed him too, and one day asked him to spar with her. "No one around here will do so. They are all predisposed with my safety, so they say. I think they are scared, ne?" Oh, she made him laugh. Soun had urged him to accept her offer, as he could see in Genma's eyes he was a goner for the beauty.
Eventually their sparring sessions turned into something more feral and it became hard for the both of them to hide the flames of their attraction. Thus the highly publicized appeal to the Taichousen council to accept Genma as Nodoka's fiancé. She herself pleaded to the council, pledging to renounce herself if they ruled otherwise. She was nineteen, and with no other heir of age in sight (the next in line was four years old), they accepted Nodoka's offer, only on the condition of Genma's station. They were wed, and Soun became Genma's First Sword.
Life was fine until it wasn't anymore. Until based on his actions, although good in merit, were against Taichousen code and he was forced to leave. They embarrassed the lot of them, Soun, his two daughters Kasumi and Nabiki; who were thankfully too young to know exactly what was going on, other than they were moving to a new home, and Yuuka who was very pregnant with their third child.
"Now, his very daughter is here." Genma drawled, his attention drawn back to his current predicament.
"Yes. Yes she is." Happi said with a frown.
"Under our care, somehow targeted because of our decisions. And she's with Ranma. And they are involved, aren't they? How could this have happened?" Genma slammed his foot down in frustration. Only if I had kept my tabs current on their situation. This wouldn't…couldn't have happened. "We have no choice now, but to tell them."
He slumped, taking an immediate seat in the middle of the floor. "This will cause problems. That Amazon and her grandma…"
"Never mind those two, they shall behave. It's Akane and Ranma you should keep focused on." Happosai chuckled, darkly. "How fate plays its strings, eh Genma. Think of what will happen when they find out they used to be betrothed?"
A/N: Evil laughter and a poof of smoke.
Glossy-ary (Because not only is it full of information…it's so fab'u'los..Glossy..get it…okay…nevermind)
Uchikatsugi - is a long veiled headdress once worn by noble women to protect their anonymity.
I think most of my readers have seen Bleach, based on the excitement of seeing them show up here. Like I said no crossover. No one is going to Hueco Mundo, Aizen isn't the one behind all of this and this is the real world so no gigai, shinigami or espada will ACTUALLY show up. Don't be scuured LOL.
SMALL BLEACH FAQ ( for thine non Bleach maniacs)
Ulquiorra and Yoruichi are Bleach Characters and are probably the most spiritually powerful people in this fic. In the Bleach Manga, they are natural enemies to each other, so thus the terse relationship between the two. Not angry or hateful, just colorful. Sonídois atechniqueused byArrancarwhich allows them to move at extreme speeds. Uliq-san is an Arrancar…Espada. (Don't know why I really telling you this LOL, PLEASE go read that manga or watch the Anime. PLEAAAASE? It's awesomeness, I promise) Cero is a technically called a Hollow Flash, s a form of attack used byMenos, ArrancarandVizard. As a standard energy blast, it consists of firing a powerful blast of concentrated spiritual energy at the target. Ulquiorra is in ownership of a Gran Rey Cero but only used a small percentage of his cero on Akane (in this fic)Orihime and Ulquiorra ARE married in this fic. WHY? Because Tite Kubo…*sigh* anyways. Akane's powers do mirror Orihime. Oh! Orihime is a human. O.O. She has magical fairies (six to be exact) that allow her…let me stop. That's for a future chapter.
A/N Duex: Don't ask me why! I am currently reading two mangas and watching 5 anime concurrently. Let's just hope my brain doesn't explode and Neji and Shikamaru don't show their …wait a minute…*rubs hands together evily…* Ha! Just kidding!