Chapter Sixteen
"It's done, Master. All that you desire is now within your grasp," Ryoga said, kneeing on one knee before Oro Hiroshi, bowing his head, in the basement of the Hiroshi residence. Beside him was Copycat Ken, but he was standing, holding Nabiki Tendo. She struggled against his grip, but it was futile. He was too strong.
Oro Hiroshi looked at her with an annoyed stare, and said, "And what of this? Why have you brought me this girl? She was not on my list."
"Her name is Nabiki Tendo," Copycat Ken replied. "She discovered who I was, so I had to flee the Tendo residence with her in hand. Unfortunately, I think Ranma saw me. But he did not pursue."
"I might be able to use her," Oro Hiroshi said. He went over and cupped Nabiki's chin in his hand and grinned thinly. "I can use this girl as bait to lure Ranma to me. But I will still need Akane Tendo. She is the woman Ranma loves. With Akane as my hostage Ranma is assured to meet my challenge."
"Forgive me, Master," Copycat Ken said. "But why not just kill Saotome now and be done with it? You have the power to destroy him."
Oro Hiroshi released Nabiki's chin and looked at Ken with an annoyed stare. Ken looked down, afraid to look directly into his Master's eyes, ashamed he questioned his motives. Oro Hiroshi turned around and went to a throne made of skeleton bones and sat down. "You're a smart kid, Ken, but you fail to comprehend the reasoning behind my intention to kill Ranma and his father," he said casually. "I endowed you with some of my powers to aid in my plight, but you still have much to learn about honor and dignity."
He continued. "In order for my family name to be restored from the oblivion of dishonor and for my original body to be restored I must kill those who banished me to the eternal darkness, where souls reside restless forever. I have searched all over China and Japan for the last remaining survivors of the Saotome Clan and now that I have found them I will have my revenge. I will allow my father and my family to rest with honor."
"Whatever your plans are you won't get away with it," Nabiki suddenly said.
Oro Hiroshi looked at her semi-amused and raised a hand and silenced her with an invisible force. She collapsed limp in Copycat Ken's arms and he suddenly had to balance her weight to keep her from falling face first to the floor. Copycat Ken looked at him with a shocked look. "She's not dead," Oro Hiroshi said. "I've taken her soul. But hers will not be enough to lure Ranma Saotome to accept my challenge. You must kidnap Akane Tendo. By this time tomorrow my power will be at its zenith. Love is a very powerful emotion. In conjunction with anger love is said to conquer all. When I have killed Ranma Saotome and his father and taken then souls, my family will finally rest with the dignity and honor they deserve. And as they rest I will start to conquer and rebuild the Xi'an Clan and restore it back to its original glory. With you two as my field generals and my new army to command I will be unstoppable! No one on earth will be able to defy us!"
"No, this can't allow this to happen!" Ryoga retorted strongly.
He immediately grabbed the attention of Oro Hiroshi and Copycat Ken. Ryoga's face cringed with pain as he attempted to overcome the demon that was controlling his body. "I can't be a part of this, you must be stopped! I will not allow you to harm Akane!" Then he said, "Shut-up, you fool! You will obey the Master." He tightened. "Never," he then said. "He is not my master. No one commands me. I am my own master!"
"Ryoga, step forward," Oro Hiroshi said.
The demon once again regained control.
He stood before Oro Hiroshi apologetically. "I'm sorry, Master," the demon said. "It's getting more difficult to hinder the boy's influence. His spirit appears to be getting stronger, but I don't know how."
"I sense Ryoga was a strong willed individual when I first met him. But fear not, his efforts are in vain. After sundown tomorrow, he will not longer be a problem. Deal with him until then."
The demon bowed. "I will endeavor to subdue him until sundown tomorrow, Master," he said. "Thank you for your understanding."
Despite Cologne's strictest wishes Ranma ventured out into the streets late at night to look for Nabiki and any signs of Ryoga and Copycat Ken. But much to his hope he couldn't find them. It was then that he visited the Hiroshi residence and sensed an evil presence. The entire place was brimming with a powerful energy that those sensitive to such a thing could only feel. He was one of those people. He was a martial artist.
As he crept onto the property, he noticed that the retaining wall had still not been fixed and debris from the dojo was still littering the grounds. It was as they had started to clean up and then just forgot about it. Perhaps with the little deal Oro Hiroshi had made with Mr. Tendo, he figured that he didn't need his dojo anymore and would take over control of the Tendo Dojo. Why spend money on rebuilding one when you can just seize another one?
When he climbed the steps of the porch, he suddenly stopped and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. He felt a cold breeze coming from the front door and he started to see his breath. On a TV program he had watched a couple of weeks ago on ghosts and spirits it mentioned that when spirits were in the vicinity, the area suddenly got very cold. From what Cologne told him about Xi'an, and his spiritual presence… this could be what he was feeling.
Suddenly he jumped startled as he felt a hand cup his right shoulder. He turned around quickly and saw his father standing behind him and behind him were Akane, Kasumi Cologne. "What the hell are you guys doin' 'ere?" he said quietly.
"We figured you might be here so we came to help you, boy," his father said.
"You shouldn't be 'ere," Ranma said. "This is no place for girls. Xi'an's 'ere. I can sense him."
"What are you sayin', Ranma? That Kasumi and I aren't good e'nuff to look for our sister?" Akane said, a little too loudly. And Ranma tried to wave her quiet. "Typical showvanistic attitude!" she then said. "You men always think that you're better than us just because we're female."
Ranma shushed her with a finger, then said, "Quiet down, you want'em to hear us?" He then said, "I'm not getting into a debate about who is better - though there's no contest. You girls shouldn't be here, especially Kasumi."
"I brought a frying pan," Kasumi said, holding it up.
"That'll hardly be useful in a fight with these guys," Ranma said. "Perhaps in a conventional fight, but not when they have spiritual powers. I want you three to go back home and wait until we return. It's safer. Pop and I can handle this."
"No!" Akane rebuked. "I'm here to rescue my sister and intend to do it. Nabiki is my sister and I have a right to be here."
Ranma went down the porch steps to her. "I'm not going to get into another argument with you, Akane, this isn't the time or the place," Ranma said. "I want you three girls to get outta 'ere so the men can fight."
Akane crossed her arms across her chest. "I aint leavin'," Akane said, standing firm.
"Maybe we should go," Kasumi said, being the voice of reason. "From what Cologne described, Xi'an is a pretty devious and formable character."
"You can leave, Kasumi, but I'm stayin' here to fight!"
"You can all stay and fight!" a voice boomed from the rooftop, and they looked up to see Ryoga standing on the arch of the two-story house. "It's early, Ranma, but I've decided to up the time table on our fight," he said. "My master isn't ready for you yet."
"What have you done with my sister?" Akane demanded.
"Nabiki Tendo is being prepared, like all the others I've kidnapped tonight," he said. "She will be inserted into the master's personal army. Much to our surprise, your sister wields some pretty interesting hidden talents. She has a warrior's spirit."
"Give her back!" Akane demanded further.
"E'nuff games, Ryoga! If you wanna fight then let's fight!" Ranma shouted.
Ryoga grinned and chuckled innately. "I knew you'd accept, Saotome," Ryoga said, and slid down the arch of roof, ripping tiles as he came down, flipping forward when he reached the gutters, performed a gymnastics flip and landed with perfect form on the ground. "I never told you I took gymnastics, did I? My mother thought it would be prudent for her son to know the gracefulness that it wielded. When my father died, she took over my training. She taught me more gymnastics than martial arts, but I've learned her training has come in very handy in the last couple of years especially when it's come to our battles, Ranma."
"You're boring me, Ryoga," Ranma said flatly. "If you wanna fight, then stop flapping your gums and let's get it on! And when you lose, you're gonna tell me where you've taken Nabiki and the others. I'm tried of playing whatever game you're playin'. You're a loser. I'd rather battle the Master. Where is he?"
"He's preparing at the moment, but I've been sent out to play with you. It's time to have a little fun."
"Bring it on!" He said, and readied himself.
"Ready to die, Saotome?" he said.
"I aint gonna hold back! I do anything to get my friends back!"
"That's the way I want it. No-holds barred. Anything goes. This is gonna be a fight to remember, trust me."
For some unexplained reason Ranma gulped nervous. He felt an intense evil aura around Ryoga intertwined with his own fighting spirit unlike he had felt before. There was a demonic spirit controlling Ryoga. He knew this was not going to be a typical battle like they'd had before.
To be continued...