So Urd, finally turned her back on Belldandy. Perhaps, she would never speak to her again. Turning her back maybe not just her, but on the heaven itself. A fallen goddess, forever to be outcast from the throne of almighty.
Tears fell from Belldandy's eyes, sob escaping her chest. She cried for her sister, the one she loved most dearly perhaps. Or perhaps, she cried for what which would soon be occurring to the former daughter of Hild. One last time.
"Goodbye my sister. I hope I never meet you again, especially not in the field of battle." Even to her own hear, her words sounded powerless and hopeless.
Juubaan High
"Hey, my name is Ranma Saotome. I am looking forward to working with you all. Hope we have a great year together."
"Thank you Ranma. Minako Aino, can you please raise your hand. Ranma you can go and sit down with her."
The teacher was thoroughly confused, she could have sworn that seat was not empty moments ago. And Jumbo Hikaro, the geeky looking nerdy guy, was supposed to be sitting here, not all the way in the back with bunch of other guys. Come to think of it, he actually looked like someone had thrown him in his new seat in a hurry. With all his books and supplies thrown all over the desk and on the floor near him. Naw….must be her imagination.
Now, one would be expecting the usual groan from guys and glazed eyed girls running after Ranma. However, what that was not the situation. Ranma did not know whether to be happy that he would not be sought after girls and make enemies with the guys. This definitely was a new feeling. He wasn't used to be ignored, ever. Whenever he attended school, within minutes he would start getting notes from girls, even back in elementary school. This was the reason Genma entered him into all buys school once he started reaching the age, to make sure no member of opposite sex would distract him. Now...
Now he know what average person felt like.
When girls simply ignore you or the guys in the class just don't care.
He even received a warning glare from the so called bullies of the class. The way they sat at the back, their collar buttons undone, their uniform unkempt; it was like they did not have care in the world. He noticed things from the point of view of average guy which had never occurred to him.
Minako knew that she was dealing with a tragedy when she looked over him. The tone in his voice, they way he walked. He was tall for his age, taller than even Makoto, with neatly combed hair tied in a pig-tail. His body did not seem to belong to the type of guys she went for - built, muscular, and athletic. Once he was seated just besides her, she decided to introduce herself quickly.
"Hey, just wondering by any chance are you gay?"
"What the? What gave you that idea?" From all the things he would be expecting, this was not he was expecting at all. That question was just like out of nowhere! Was she disrespecting him?
"I mean seriously whenever a guy comes over, he checks out all the girls, especially Usagi over there." Minako pointed at the blond with strange hair style, who kind of reminded him of a bunny. A very sexy bunny, more like models out of playboy, but bunny none the less. "Or yours truly here, Minako." She pointed at herself smiling. And of course, if Usagi was like playboy model, then she was more like hustler cover girl.
"Then I am sure that you have enough admirers not to bug me. It was nice meeting you, but I have other things to do if you are finished with your silly games." Ranma then ignored her completely, turning his face back to the teacher. He assumed that ignoring her would make her go away, forgetting the age old rule - girls want things they can't have.
Minako pouted cutely, she wasn't used to being ignored like that. It only piqued her interest, something about him just got her confuse. It was a pull she couldn't resist, a poison she would drink willingly. There was something in his blue eyes, which just kept bugging her. She could easily tell the sadness and the depth that laid in them. It seems like there was more to this guy that was being shown on the surface, and she had to go and find out more! She decided to give him some space, however, she gave a look to all the girls in the class Back off bitches!
Makoto only gave Ranma once over when he first introduced himself. He didn't seem her type so she just decided to ignore him. It wasn't an issue, but things changed. The first sign was when the guy besides Minako was booted out of his seat suddenly, making it empty. That is how it always worked. Whenever a cute guy come in the class, both girls tend to kick the guys out beside them-provided that the new guy was cuter then the one besides them. Too bad, none of them worked out once she gets to know them, however she was young and the world was full of cute guys!
So when the seat besides Minato was quickly vacated, that was the first sign. It still did not fazed her much, however when she first started talking to him, that got a raised eye brow. Minako never needed to start the conversation, the guy always started it - always. Even Makoto herself had to break the ice sometimes, and Minako never had to! It was the point that Minako took her time to rub on her on several occasions and also one of the reason for the tinge of jealousy she felt towards the senshi of love. All in all, she could have ignored it and would forget about the new guy.
The third and last straw was when she gave all the girls, especially the senshi of Jupiter the look.
"Oh no you don't." Jupiter growled. She would have just teased Minako later about trying to get Ranma in bed for fun, but she had to go there and stared at her just a millisecond too long! She would have ignored Minato's advances towards Ranma, but this was now war! Now if you think about it, Makoto herself would be a point of jealousy if she got Ranma, having those exotic blue eyes. And he was definitely taller than her! She did not care about the guys height cause she came to face to face with reality that 98% of all the guys were shorter than her. However, there is always a deep want in every girl, for a guy to be taller than her. She should have thrown the guy out besides her just on that virtue, cute or not. Provided Ranma was not as strong looking as she wanted her Romeo to be, but dang it, there are many things she could only do with the taller guy. Many intimate positions, styles,...and then she got herself lost in naughty daydream, the contents of which are not suitable to be put here.
Old habits die hard. That is the nature of human. Even though from all outward appearances it showed that he was paying attention to the class. The fact was, he had already catalogued everyone in the class and their threat level. He also knew who was trying to spy on him, ignoring him, or openly trying to get his attention, like the besides him.
For example, if Ranma looked at his wristwatch, pretending to check time, anyone who was spying on him would also look at watch on the wall or on his wrist automatically. Unaware, that now Ranma knew if he was being watched.
While all this was going on. A small dwarfed figure was seen near the U.S embassy, dropping something and hopping away. The old man was not happy with what happened with his supposed heir of the his school and abandoned by his own parents. However, Happosai did not survive that long by being stupid. He kept tabbed on his favorite pupil, and fully knew where Nabiki was. After all, it was he who arranged the circumstances for her to come to Tendo dojo this time, instead of later as she had planned. Fortunately for our favorite martial artist, the grandmaster had no intention of divulging the information about Nabiki's location to his former students. However, he knew the storm was coming and lot of things would change, for which he must prepare rigorously. A serious look came over the old master's face, as he contemplated his future course of action. Sometimes, to finish one's goal, one must made his bed with the devil.
White House
The President of the most powerful nation in history frowned. He was not happy.
It is funny, to know when you are the most powerful man in the world (correction, history as far as he was concerned), you would think that you finally get the respect you deserve. He went by the book, came from a good family, joined the good old boys club (skulls and bones in Yale), graduated from the top university, married the right girl...etc..etc.
Real life turned out to be totally different.
Well, it doesn't matter what anyone think. He would do what he was born to do. There was a reason that he was elected the most powerful man in the world…..it was his destiny. He vowed to finish the work started by some eons ago.
"Mr. President Sir. We have the report you have requested arrived from the subject in Tokyo." Now that was finally some good news, after all bleak the press he received, claiming he ignored New Orleans. As IF! He only did what God wanted him to do. If the God wanted to punish some people, who was he to interfere in his plans?
"Good, leave it on the table," he stood up, shoulder squared, ready to face the world; looking outside the window, imagining strings coming out of his hands, playing the world as he wanted. For was he not the most powerful man in the world? Was he not the God's chosen one? Frowning, he picked up the file started reading. However, as time passed and he read more and more of it, the frown was slowly replace with a smile. Not the kind of comforting smile one sees on his grandfather, but the one, which warns the prey that soon it is going to be devoured.
Excellent, it was going all according to the plan.
And every plans needed money.
A plan which requires God's work, needed a lot of money.
However, that was not a problem. Billions and billions disappear in Iraq, no one being the wiser. No one cared, public needed him, and he provided them what they wanted. It was not his fault, he was only doing it for the good of humanity after all.
"Orochimaru-sama, soon the world will know the true meaning of the gift you wanted to give it."
Somewhere in God Damn China
"Sir, we have discovered something. You better get a look at this!"
"God Damn, this place is hot like hell! Aright, let me see what the hell you got here!" Big Daddy was not in good mood. He had been digging on the site of ancient civilization for months. He was happy that he was able to help his adopted niece in Japan. Sometimes, being an Italian, mean you gotta work more than your share of work. You get the blood of the ancient roman in you, which would still boil on the slightest hint of insult. He only wished the damn ancient civilizations were in North America. The rural China was still very remote, where the modern world was still an alien concept. Once you leave the cities, it was like another world out there. Nothing beats the amnesties, the good beer, and a good old football game back in good old USA.
This particular site was something special though; the rumor has it, that it was the largest ancient hanging site in history, over ten-thousand men in a single drop! Imagine ten thousand souls were hanged at the same time! They were not killed one by one, or randomly. But were timed perfectly to die at the same time! This was truly beyond anything in history, only the dropping of atomic weapons on Nagasaki and Hiroshima beats that. The villagers near the site refused to go near it. They said that ten thousand eagles come back to fly over the riverbank every century on the anniversary of the hanging. Big Daddy didn't believe in that kind of thing, however that didn't mean he would not check out the site.
Big Daddy was a tall man, restless, dark hair flecked with grey and ice blue eyes. His face touched with scars, including one that ran down through an eyebrow, and up into his hairline; and another that looked like something from hell, where a little girl had accidently shot him in the throat and the doctor had slashed his throat open so he could breath. He had a chipped tooth, a reminder of old bar fight, and what he secretly thought was a pleasant, even pleasing smile – but a couple of women had told him that his smile instead frightened them a little.
"It better be something important, you fuck heads are just pissing me off . I swear that… ..WHAT THE HELL?"
This was definitely, he was not expecting. There was a skeleton of a young woman they uncovered. Any archeologist worth his salt could easily tell she was in her early twenties, medium height, and had some Caucasian features. However, that itself was not what set everyone on the edge. It was how it was found. There was an ancient word written on her skull. Carved with some pointy object.
"Damnation" Big Daddy whispered.
"What was that? I didn't hear you!" John, his assistant who was doing the archeological dig with Big Daddy, had been his partner for over 10 Years. They knew each other way back, and both liked working with each other.
"This word, this freaking word over her, it means Damnation."
She'd been a young woman, beautiful too. Even though she was a skeleton, you can tell so much, just by looking at it. Once you had been working the field long enough. The same way a detective can give one look at the dead body, even mutilated, he can tell so much about the victim.
Her body, from collarbone to her knees, was wrapped around by a wire. A razor sharp, thin wire. The way her face was twisted, the way jaws were opened, she must have been tortured during the final hours of her life. Just by looking at her skeleton, the broken fractures on the bones all over her body, anyone could easily tell that she was in agony beyond any comprehension. Her skeleton was laid on a circular stone, covered in symbols, and painting, and lines.
"A sacrifice, I would say. A damn sacrificial ritual. But what kind of person would do this to other, what kind of gods would they sacrifice their victim to like this?" John contemplated. He took a long drag from his Marlboro, a necessary poison. He had been trying to quit, but now, he definitely need a smoke, maybe a cold drink too.
"Not a God, my friend. But a demon. A vengeful and deadly one I would say," Big Daddy finally released the breath he had no idea he was holding. "Look John, take some pictures, I need this writings and drawing around her to be clearly seen and identifiable in the pictures. I also want the carbon analysis done, fast. I want to know how old this is. I am calling an expert and will be sending them to her. This thing is way above our head."
"Does this mean we are packing soon? Like within a week?"
"No" Big Daddy turned away. "We are packing tonight, and getting the fuck out of here. I have bad feeling about this and unfortunately, when it comes to bad feelings, fuck they always proved right on the money!"
Furinkan High School
"Do me eyes betray me? The beautiful tigress bless the blue thunder with her heavenly presence. Fear no more my tigress, for I gladly accept you in my..."
BAM!
Yep, the batman style punch.
But right where no man should be hit, EVER. The self-proclaimed blue blunder fell, holding his crotch, whimpering softly.
"TAKE THAT YOU STUPID BAKA!" Akane was not in happy mood at all. Since the news spread that Ryoga was out of commission, Kuno and the hentai brigade were back with vengeance. They had tried once after Ranma was kicked out from the Tendos, however Ryoga was not as soft as Ranma. He really laid it on them hard and even Kuno backed off after he was sent to hospital for a month.
Now they were back, trying to make-up for the lost time. This time Kuno was now holding less against her. He figured that he better snatch her before she is given to another guy. This only infuriated Akane more since now everyone start whispering against her. The girls were blaming her for leading the boys on. What she needed was Nabiki, the bitch just disappeared after Ryoga incident and no had heard from her. While she, the poor Akane, had to suffer cause Nabiki was not doing her job. If only she comes back like a good girl and start bringing in the money, then Akane would be able to buy new clothes , jewelry, and all other wonderful things again. She did not even go out on weekend as much, cause she did not have the latest fashion clothes anymore! She had to suffer so much for her family, that was not fair!
The rest of the student parted and gave her the way like the Red sea for the Moses. She grumbled angrily, walking towards her class. Principle Kuno wisely decided, after looking at the fruit of his lions, that perhaps today was not a good day to implement the new rule, where all girls were required to be wearing Hawaiian Hula girl dance customs for the rest of the school year. He figured by doing that, he would only have half the opposition from the student body, hell, perhaps many boys would even join at his side. This would have given him chance to implement more rules, especially the hair cut he always wanted.
Oh well...perhaps the kiki should be left alone for today.
Juuban Mall
Ranma was feeling uneasy. Perhaps, uneasy is not quite the word we should use, more like very nervous. Now in this nice city mall, where teenagers who had nothing to do after school came to spend money and waste time, why should he be nervous? Even though he was not the martial artist of his caliber, and he was assured my Nabiki and Tendos or his family would not be coming near Jubban due to distance and travel cost, he should not have been nervous.
Perhaps the reason for his nervousness was the girl attach to his right arm. Her page-cut hair, the twinkle in her eyes, or obviously her not so modest dress only added to the problem. He had never seen Nabiki wearing her short shorts outside her home, and he thought she would never wear those outside, it was true till now.
Or perhaps the reason was nervousness was another woman, no less beautiful, walking behind them. Yup, the same one he had been living with for all this time was now shooting daggers at his back. He could almost feel her stares piercing his vary soul!
At first it wasn't such a big deal, when they went to the mall at the beginning of the day. Everyone was friendly, girls were smiling and laughing, and there was nothing to worry about. At first, he was afraid about anyone from his old life dropping by. However, Juuban was very rich district. Majority of the residents belonged to upper echelon of the Tokyo society, many connected to the Japan's premiere lawmakers and business families. So it was an automatic deterrent for poor class and trouble makers (including martial artists). They were also too far from Nerima. Nabiki was very highly assured that there would be no problem and one of the reason for them staying in Juuban.
Alas, just like everything, as the day ended, the good feelings slowly gave away to tension between the girls. It all started as friendly jabbing between the Nabiki and Hinako, few sarcastic but funny phrases, and then few challenges which slowly start spiraling out of controls
"You know Ranma, I am very glad that you had decided to help me out in the mall." Nabiki mused as she dragged him all over the place.
"He..he...well I am glad to be helpful when I can."
"It is sooooooo nice of you to take time for us, I mean you really shouldn't have. Imagine how hard the shopping would have been without your help." Hinako chirped her two cents in. There was no way she was going to let poor Ranma be alone with that mercenary. It was not like Hinako was worried or jealous of Nabiki or something. But the gal of this girl, to actually tell her not to dress like the she way she always had been, cause it was slutty. Then she goes ahead and dress like that, in public! There was no way Hinako would let her get way with that!
"You know what? We are not kids anymore. In fact, I was in America for months, without any adult supervision, thank you very much. I am sure Miss Hinako, we can handle the rest ourselves." Nabiki was getting agitated. Her initial plan to loose Hinako eventually was not working as great she was hoping for.
Hinako decided to speed up and took Ranma's other free hand in hers. "Well, I am just giving Ranma some company. You do not want me to leave do you, Ranma?" She gave those puppy eye attack which had made most men cried on their knees before.
Ranma could hardly swallow! For any other mortal, to be held by two beautiful women was a gift from heaven. However, in Ranma's case, it always brought trouble. ALWAYS!
"Well, no no...you can stay, the more the merrier."
"See he doesn't mind. However, if YOU are feeling uncomfortable, you are more than welcome to go back home." Hinako couldn't help but take the last jab.
You could feel the tension, no, you can actually TASTE the tension in the air.
OK TAHTS IT! This Bitch is going down! Nabiki decided it was now time to play fire with fire. She tried to make it subtle, tried to keep things civilize, tried to give her message that he was hers, but Hinako ignored them all. It was time to notch up the game.
Ranma decided to stop it before things go out of hands. He was too old, and too tired of playing this childish games.
"You know, whats the best I like about today?" He asked the girls, his brows raising a little, challenging the girls to make a guess.
Before they opened their mouth, he stopped suddenly, halting the girls in their walk as both were holding his arms.
"Its how we can spend all day, play and smile, and don't get in useless fights and arguments, like the ones in my old life." A gently smile graced his lips and as his blue eyes shined looking at the setting sun, he was unaware of the effect he was having on his partners.
Hinako felt her heart stopped and a tingling going all over her body. A feeling, she had never felt before, not like this. She had no idea what to say. Her eyes frozen, taking the image of him, drinking the image forever burning in her subsconcious.
Similarly, Nabiki was also frozen, looking at the man she gave to her little sister…long time ago. And right now, she wasn't thinking, wasn't saying anything. Whatever she was gonna say, was forever forgotten as she felt the steel determination in his voice. She just stopped analyzing, stopped arguing, stopped planning, and just started feeling.
"I wish….I wish it could stay like this forever. And with you two, besides me, I know I can make it like this forever." He continued.
No more needed to be said.
The childish arguments were totally forgotten. Both girls slowly moved closed to him, and just stood by his side, as they watched the sun slowly swallowed by the night.
Halls of Forbidden
Even before the time of ancient gods, and superstition, a place existed where record of everything was kept. A place forbidden and unforgiving, twisted by the sins of both the mortals and their rulers beyond comprehension. A place where the darkest secrets were kept and recorded, never to be repeated by the lips of any again.
Whose existence known to many but only few dare visits. Sealed by the ancient demons of Zagura, the place went on, its curse recording everything, even when its demonic sealers long cease to exist.
It was in this place the Goddess of Love and Demoness first class found themselves face to face again.
"So are you ready?" Asked the demoness and her once arch rival.
"More than I ever was," uttered the white haired goddess.
"So let's do it."
Slowly they began the song of ancient, long forgotten by many. The key which would unseal the place for them enter. Forgotten eon ago, it was revived again by the voices of the goddess of love and demoness of hell.
It was not the song, but a spell. Sang by the goddess who fell from heaven, and demoness who raised from hell. They sang with all they had in their heart. Love, joy, sadness, hope, and dream. The pain forgotten and revived again by the spark of love they thought they never had. They sang with all the love they felt for the one long ago, long cursed and never to be mentioned again.
Tears flow from their eyes as they continue singing their spell. Their voices, haunting, yet so irresistible. They sang with the longing they had never felt for a millenia and which grew with every moment. The words of the song begged the seals, the ancients souls within the hall to listen, to listen and let them in. The pain within their voices would have shook even the darkest soul.
And as they sang, a wind started. Ball of lights, no bigger than few centimeters started rising from the ground and started drifting and gathering towards them as the ancient souls answered their call.
However the seals remain and refuse to bulge.
But it didn't matter. Because, for now they had hope. Hope they hadn't felt for a long time
They would sing and sing, even it took them another millenia, they will sing till the seals will hear their songs, and give it to its seduction.
Juuban Ice Cream Shop
Only the gods of ancient know what he was doing here, this was not suppose to be happening. Ranma sighed tiredly, while the blonde, the same one besides him in the class, chatted with him tirelessly in basically one-sided conversation. He rubbed his temple, remembering how he ended up here in the first place.
Flashback
After a week attending his new school, Minako had pretty much figured out Ranma's pattern. He would try to disappear during the lunch, avoiding any contact with her and Makoto, who had obviously ignored her warning to stay away from him and was trying to break ice with Ranma. Luckily for Ranma, due to sitting arrangements, she couldn't do anything in the class, and during lunch time and after school, Ranma split too fast for her to catch up to him.
Minako was not an idiot, especially when she wanted a guy. She took her time trying to figure him out, trying to small talk with him, figuring out his likes, dislikes, etc. After the initial disaster, she knew that she had to play her hand carefully. So she did. She was senshi of love and she literally took the saying "In love and war, everything is ok!" What she needed was a break, an opportunity, a gift from gods basically to help her find a reason to corner him.
The gift was sent to her in a form of her match teacher. She swore that he was the agent of the devil himself, out to torture everyone! It wasn't long before she realized Ranma was having hard time trying to keep up with him. So, she told the damn nerd (the one who used to sit at Ranma's seat) to invite Ranma to a study group. Not mentioning, she was never the part of the group before, which she decided to become one. The poor geek was so smitten by her, that he decided to not only let her join his group without others' consent, but also selected the places she wanted them to study at. Suddenly, she was the one basically controlling the groups timings, meetings, everything!
Poor sucker!
It worked brilliantly, since the poor geek was sworn (aka threatened) into silence of not letting anyone know that she had joined them, so no other senshi (especially the slutty of Jupiter) had found out about it. To make sure that no other nerd in the group opened his mouth, she especially wore distracting clothes, with brilliant smiles no woman would ever show, and even shook their hands! Poor souls probably had never felt any females touch of any kind besides from their relatives! They all thought they had chance with her and were too frightened to ruin anything! Now it wasn't all for lose though. Miracles do happen and with Ranma even Minako's grades started improving. So there wasn't much Ranma could complain about the method. What was he going to do? Especially since Minako seems to be the unofficial president of the group anyways.
However, her plans did not end up there. The next phase of plans included calling meetings even when there was no need. Obviously in those meetings, everyone but Ranma and Minako had to leave early, leaving the two alone.
End Flashback
So here he was now, with Minako, and in an ice cream shop, which suspiciously looked too much like a date for him. He should have known better when accepting the meeting in here to begin with. Dang, this study group thing was harder to figure out than he previously thought.
"Now where was I, so tell me Ranma do you have anyone special on your life?"
Ranma came back to the present from his thoughts. "Well I had a fiancée but it is over now."
"What happened? Did you love her? I am sorry to hear that." However, her tone was suggesting she was definitely anything but sorry.
"Let's just say we had different view of lives. She went her way and I went mine. You know, I am pretty surprised, a pretty girl like you spending time here. I am sure your boyfriend would be missing you now."
Minako detected Ranma's changing of subject, she decided to leave him alone and not to make him further uncomfortable. She decided to play along.
"Well maybe he does," she gave the teasing smile, daring him to say anything, "or maybe she does? I mean how can you be so sure that I am interested in guys?"
Ranma nearly spit his drink and started choking. The image of her with another girl coming to mind really got him.
Cough! Cough! Cough! He covered his mouth.
"I mean..uh..."
Minako couldn't help it anymore and just started laughing. Cost of ice cream - 1000 yen, cost of drinks, 50 yen. The look on Ranma's face, now that was priceless!
The Mansion
It was horrible. The dreams they would come and robbing her of her rest and her sleep. She would never know what they were all about, but they always left her, like a broken shadow.
Sestuna crushed another glass in her grip. The broken pieces, piercing her white skin, but not enough to require serious medical attention. It all started when she felt an abnormality in space and time. Something or somethings had come, and when she tried to investigate it, she was totally blocked.
The gates of time had refused her! That never happened! She was its guardian, it wilder, its master. They had always wielded to her. But suddenly they refused to follow her commands! Oh sure, they still do what shed asked for, but if she asked for anything related to the abnormality she had encountered, all she saw was darkness. An abyss. No light. Nothing.
She had a feeling, deep within her guts. A tug that made her feel she was going to vomit - an uneasy fear, about which she couldn't do anything.
The phone ring took her out of her muse.
"Hello, this is..."
"Oh hey Sestuna!" Screamed very hyper voice from the other end. "This is Usagi, what are you doing right now."
"Well I am..."
"Never mind, me and other inners are meeting at ice cream parlor. I think Makoto is spying on the guy Venus is trying to get her claws in and you know how that will end up. You better g..."
"Never mind princess, I will be there." The senshi of time hanged up the phone, while rubbing her forehead, trying to stave off incoming headache.
At least it would get her mind of from the unsettling dreams which she can't remember.
Deciding her course of action, she readied her time staff, to transport herself near the parlor and meet with the group.
Devil Hunter Yohko
"Hey grandma, we got a mail. It is huge package from China!"
"Damn girl. Just leave it alone and do not try opening it!" Screamed the old warrior as she saw her grand daughter trying to open the package.
"But I wanna know what it is! It could be exciting gift!"
"I don't care if it is the gold statue, leave my mail alone. And No...it is not really a gold statue. GO AWAY!. Kids these days..." So the day was going as stressful as usual for Madoka Mano. Dang it, she remember when she was sixteen also. But she was never this hyper or boy crazy. And secretly, she feared that one of these days, Yohko would get in deeper than she could handle. Just like the last guy she tried to date turned out to be demon.
Well the good news is he was taken care of very swiftly. And the chance of Yohko getting another crazy like hopefully was very slim.
I mean what is the chance of Yohko going after another guy who turns to be an ancient demon?
With that thought Madoka eyed the package carefully, sent to her in haste from china. Opening it slowly, she was surprised to find many documents and pictures with a letter urging her to shed her knowledge of what it was in the pictures.
He face suddenly went pale, looking at what she saw in the pictures. A dark and unrelenting fear gripped her heart. Never in her entire career as 107th devil hunter, had she ever felt such a fear.
"No, this can't be..."
"Grand ma? " Asked the ever sex obsessed 108th devil hunter. "Are you ok?"
"No...it must be a mistake. It was only the legends, the myths."
The picture and box fell from her hand, spilling all its content on the floor.
Ice Cream Parlor
Makoto eyed her target with her friends. If that blond ditz thought she could out-smart the senshi of Jupiter, she had another thing coming.
"Psss..Makoto. Why are we here? Come on, lets just get out of here ok? Lets just leave Minako alone. This is childish!" The sailor of mars was unsuccessfully trying to get the Makoto to leave Minako alone for last ten minutes. Maybe it was due to she herself did not have any conviction behind her own words. Perhaps part of her wanted to just stay and see the drama play out.
"Look, just shut up will you. And don't be loud, I do not want her to notice us!"
"Well if you just keep sitting her, sooner or later she will notice you tall gorilla!"
"What did you call me you...you...you uptight prude!"
"What did you call me?" The fire in the eyes of shrine maiden was not the one anyone would like to see.
"Now guys, be quiet. ok. Do not fight right now. Minako is just talking to this guy and he is doing nothing to her. So we don't need to go and break their date!" The ever logical sailor of mercury tried to break the fifth fight in last 15 minutes.
"Date? Did you say date? That's it! I have had it!" Makoto stood up, marching herself straight towards her rival. There is no way she is going to lose to that blonde when it comes to a guy she had decided she want for herself!
"And you know, well then I was..."
"Hey Mianko! How are you doing today?" Ranma suddenly found himself cutoff by the tall her girl in the class who had tried haunting him in several occasions.
Minako grinded her teeth. She knew she should not have chosen this place, since her friends also hang out here, but she was too excited and overlooked the little detail.
"I was doing just FINE before you arrived. Now if..."
Makoto quickly turned around and ignored Minako. Extending her hand in greeting towards Ranma
"Oh wow! You are here? I would have never thought. Nice to finally see you out of the class"
Minako clinched her fists. It was NOT supposed to happen this way. She was even more irked by the dress Makoto was wearing. With her tits almost spilling over from her low cut t-shirt and wearing that small small jean cut-off shorts, she was sure Makoto planned to interrupt her in advance. One of the stupid nerds must have spilled his guts, she would take care of that later. Right now, she needed to take care of the slut in front of her! However, ladies must act curt in all her manners. Fighting like uncivilized brute was not the style of the future ruler of Venus.
Ranma started feeling the old feeling whenever the girls started coming too close for a combat, it was the sixth sense one get just before shit hits the fan. He might not have his old strength, but that doesn't mean he lost feeling with his 6th sense. Before he knew how to bail out, however, now he knew he had to control things delicately, in different manner. Do not be mistaken, he always controlled the situation, even then, no matter how chaotic it looked. That is why none of the girls ever got seriously injured in the battle before, how little did they know that he was keeping an eye on them.
Now, he knew that he has to use his mind. This time he has to keep things in control, in more calm and civilized way, since he cannot depend on his old martial art gifts to jump in and save the day.
"Actually, the pleasure is all mine, why Minako here was just talking about you and telling me how you are one of the most sought after girl in class. Not to mention a great cook and martial artist." He had already figure out about her cooking skills from the way she handled her food and small burns on her fingers. He also did not forget to notice how she handled her food when she ate, her eyes had a look of someone analyzing what she was eating. And he had seen that look in Shampoo, Kasumi, and especially Ukyo. He put two and two together.
"Huh? I was?" Minako anger suddenly deflated when she was suddenly thrown back in the lime light. She was not the only one, Makoto was equally surprised but quickly started throwing suspicious glances at Ranma, she was not buying the explanation that easily.
"Oh yea, I was just telling him about how we are friends and spent our time together. You know...the old stuff, nothing serious. I mean, seriously there was nothing much to talk about." Minako suddenly realized that Rama was just trying to be friendly. That did not mean, she was going to let Makoto getaway from trying to ruin her time with Ranma.
Makoto angrily zeroed in on Minako. It was a jab and challenge to her. How dare she claimed that there was nothing special to talk about her. She was the Senshi of Jupiter and no way in hell she would let Minako slide pass her with that remark. "Why you no..."
"Oh come on..." Ranma quickly interrupted Makoto before she got angrier. Smiling at Minako he continued "Don't be so bashful. You were telling me how Makoto likes martial arts and loves to participates in challenging sports." Then he quickly whispered something in Makato's ears. Her eyes suddenly bulged, with a look of total shock came in her face.
"I ….ohh…Ahhh..", she bit her lips nervously. Her face became totally red. She quickly looked towards Minako then turn away, her body language totally changed from confident and flirty to totally unsecure and shy.
Now Mianko was totally intrigued. What did he tell her! I have never seen her like that! She felt a tickle in her finger and toes, now really wanted to know Ranma had said to throw Mikato like that.
Then Ranma gave his famous grin, "And you know what? I totally agree!"
If it was even possible for Makato to get redder, she did. Her entire body was now blushing furiously! This never happened to her like that before!
Minako mouth was gaping in surprise, her hands were sweaty, and she just cannot wait any longer. She had to know, really really know, what was happening. What the hell Ranma had done to turn the senshi of Jupiter acting like shy, blushing, girl. Like a girl who was talking to her crush first time in her life.
"Thanks Kami you are here!" screamed the ever hyper self-proclaimed princess of time.
If it was everyday event, Sestuna would have little fun with the future princess and tease her endlessly. But today was not the day. The dreams from yesterday still haunted her subconscious. Like a vicious cycle that never ends, a nightmare that always owns you and never lets you go, it hanged out to her very depths of her heart.
She ignored the blonde hyper ball. "Well Usagi, let us see what this commotion is all about. We better hurry if we want to make sure that those two don't turn this district into warzone."
"OK LETS GO!"
But, something was not right. Every inch of her being was screaming not to go, that today is not the day she should listen to her future queen.
"Yea, you see that shop, that's what I am talking about!"
Yep, the same old shop, funny how nice or regular it bused to look. And now it look so ominous, so bright, just not right. Today was not just right, everything was happening fast, too fast. Things come that were never meant to be.
Her heart start beating faster, her hands that never betrayed her, started swearing like they never had in millennia.
Run, Run, and never stop. Go back, go back GOOO BACK!
Something, screamed within her. But no matter how bad it was, there was another curiosity. An undying thirst, a hunger which he couldn't identify, telling her to go forward, to jump into the jaws of the death itself! A feeling, that gets deep within your gut and just don't let you go.
Perhaps, she should have stayed back, perhaps she should have never work up today. So much responsibility, duty, things that never let her rest.
If only, she could share them with someone.
She was quickly dragged by the remaining inners to the ever present ice cream shop. As soon they went in, the blond zeroed in on the table a guy with pigtail and others were sitting.
"Hello guys….and…"
Minako was the first one who noticed inners coming. Last thing she was more people coming and killing her quality time.
The noise and storm within the Senshi of time now grew larger. It screamed to be released, to be freed, to be resolved.
Please, oh Kami please, don't, don't look. Don't turn, Don't let it be.
And then the guy with that damn pig tail finally looked at her.
Those damn blue eyes.
Those forever damned smile that told her that he would never leave her.
That confident foxy smirk that forever haunted her dreams….finally met her again
And those damn words, forgotten a thousand millenia over. In a world and time far far from her ever reality came back to her haunting…like a whisper of lover which is never forgotten.
"WO AI NI,, my love…"
And for a first time in a long time, the senshi of time screamed…
With that broke the locks that held the many things in it secret. Because at the same time, a demoness and goddess also lost conscious.