Lockler starred blankly as Setarial walked away from the group. The news she had delivered was impossible. General Kitano, dead. He couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. For just over a decade the General had commanded the Greyfalls' Legion. Hell he'd created the Legion from scratch, training former criminals and down on their luck men into one of the most disciplined groups in the hundred kingdoms.
That act of creation had, in many ways, saved Lockler. Before the legion he'd been drunk, out of work, and rapidly digging himself an early grave with the debt he owed the Guild. An incident involving a group of legionnaires had ended with him being offered the coin, or the noose. He'd taken the coin.
He'd found himself in a uniform and more sober than he'd been in years before the sun went down the next day. He'd never looked back. And now, the Realm was leaving. He knew why, he'd just heard why. Too many enemies, not enough soldiers. Even if they weren't so heavily outnumbered they would have probably had to leave. Just lacking General Kitano's forces there was no way they could handle another Anathema if he was even half as competent as the ones they'd just met, and been handily defeated by.
After years of loyalty it stung, badly.
"Sergeant." Lockler jerked his head around to face the Satrap. The Dragon-Blood's face was pale and he looked tired. "I need you to send some messengers around. Any Realm citizens need to get out either out of the city, or down to the docks. Once you've done that visit the Scintillating River Palace and let them know. We'll wait until noon. Then we're leaving, sooner if we can't hold it."
Sergeant Lockler saluted. "Sir, yes sir." He snapped out just as he had so many times before.
"Dismissed." The Satrap said and turned back to the other Dragon-Blooded.
Lockler stood there for a second before shaking himself and turning away. It took him a few minutes to find enough men to make the job quick. There were something around ten thousand islanders in the entire Satrapy, most of them spent the majority of their time in Greyfalls itself, but many had manse's and estates in the countryside. That still meant he had somewhere in the range of six to eight thousand people he had to warn.
Somehow he doubted that the Satrap would be able to get most of them out the city before noon. Or even be able to fit all of them on the boats.
As the men he'd gathered dispersed to their jobs he started walking, past the fortress and barracks towards the Scintillating River Palace. Other than the Fortress the Palace was the only other building of any note on Garrison heights.
On a clear day it's marble arches and minarets could be seen towering over the walls that surrounded it on all sides. Being on Garrison heights it was enclosed by the walls of the fortress, and was further sectioned off with an inner wall whose primary purpose was to keep its guards free of unwanted guests. Like Legionnaires for example.
Like that group of four Legionnaires he could see in the torchlight going through the wrought iron gate that separated the Palace grounds from the rest of Garrison Heights.
As the flickering torchlight lit up one of the men's faces, and the large warhammer on his back, Lockler doubled his pace, his slouched posture straightening as he did so. He recognized that man. Belmane Gregor, a troublemaker of Tanu descent. If Lockler had a yen for every time he'd had to deal with the fallout of one of that fool's ill-thought ideas he'd have retired long ago.
Belmane was a former convict, having been recruited right out of prison when the legion first formed. While most former convicts had moved on and adapted to life in the Legion, Belmane was an irritating exception. The man was, at heart, a petty crook who'd do anything for a few yen. Not that he was talented at any of it. Really the only thing that had kept him in the Legion despite his tendencies was the fact that he was tall and strong, even for a Tanu.
He also had no reason to be entering the Palace at this time.
Lockler broke into a run and, despite his own excess weight, covered the distance quickly. As he reach the gate there was a loud scream that echoed, from the wide open Palace doors.
The Sergeant pushed himself as he ran the length of the cobbled path from the gate to the door. Looting. It had to be. Of course Belmane was taking this chance to jump ship and get out of the Legion. Probably intended to take as much that wasn't nailed down as possible and head off somewhere to live the highlife, for however many days his meagre take would grant him.
The scene inside the palace entrance hall was not very good. A group of servants dressed for bed, undoubtedly awoken by the fighting, were standing on the stairs cowering away from the hulking form of Belmane. At his feet Lockler recognized the still form of Bretegani Wild Grove, the steward of the Palace.
"BELMANE!" Lockler shouted. His voice boomed, reverberating off the walls of the entrance hall.
The hulking Tanu turned from where he was threatening the servants, including Wild Grove's wife, and grinned as he laid eyes on Lockler. "Sergeant. I would have thought you'd be riding the Satrap's coattails still." He chuckled. "Perhaps all the way back to the Realm."
Lockler drew his blade and started circling Belmane. The large northman stepped over the body of Wild Grove and matched Lockler's steps, circling the room until the two of them had traded places. Lockler stood between the disgraced Legionnaire and the servants. Behind him two of the men took the opportunity to run down and pick up the unconscious Wild Grove, before hurrying back up the stairs.
"Well Sergeant, what are you going to do?" Belmane asked, "You've come running into a fight without back up, again. This time I'm not on your side, and I'm still the one with the numbers. BOYS GET OUT HERE!" He shouted.
From one of the side rooms a pair of Legionnaires, short and stocky Zaranthi the both of them. Compared to Belmane, or even Lockler, they were short, but Lockler had seen the two of them in a fight before. Cowards they might have been, but they possessed some skill.
"Walk away Belmane." Lockler said as he backed up to the stairs, climbing the first few steps to give himself the high ground.
The Tanu scoffed and spat on the ground. "Or what? There's no one coming here. You know I've never liked you. Always takin' every chance to be a self-righteous ass. It's your fault we got our asses kicked tonight, you know that. Coulda just walked away and let that guy go. No, instead you antagonized an Anathema, and now look at everything." He laughed. "'Course this is a good thing for me. Never wanted to be a Legionnaire, one of the Realm's little attack dogs. But a choice between the coin and the noose is no choice, you know that as well as I do."
Lockler scowled at the rambling fool. "Then leave, no one's going to stop you." He said.
"No, no one to do that anymore is there." Belmane agreed, "But they still owe me recompense for the last ten years. I ain't leavin' 'till I have my pay. If I have to get it by looting this place? Always hated these shiny towers. All this stone and glit for an Empress that never left her fucking island."
"Gregor, we gonna kill him? Or ya just gonna talk him to death?" The Zaranthi on the left asked.
The Tanu dropped his standard issue sword and pulled the warhammer from his back. Hefting it in two hands he smiled. "Kill him o'course. I'd say it was good knowing you Sergeant, but I'd be lyin', and you've always told me not to." He said before raising it above his head and charging with a roar.
Lockler took a step back and the hammer crashed through the step he'd been standing on. One of the Zaranthi slashed at his leg only to be deflected by his short sword. The second one was backhanded away, stumbling down the stairs.
As Belmane ripped his warhammer out of the stairs Lockler caught sight of the fourth looter. Another Tanu, he was carrying a large crate overflowing with what looked like as much gold and silver dishes and candelabras as he could fit. He ducked out the main door.
The sergeant desperately avoided another swing from Belmane's hammer as he fended off the first Zaranthi. The short man took Lockler's boot to his jaw and rolled down the stairs. As the two Zaranthi shook off their injuries there was a wheezing shout as the fourth looter came flying back through the front door, an angry redhead close behind.
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Tangled Fate
Chapter Four: Meetings of Broken Fate
By: Grounders10
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"Follow the inner wall for six hundred feet, there you will find a gate leading to the Scintillating River Palace." Leitleen said, gesturing down the length of the wall. "I would take you myself, but I have others I must deliver invitations to." She bowed low before taking flight.
As the raven flew off into the pitch black sky as Ranma and Ryouga watched. The redhead sighed and looked at her friend/rival. "So?" She prodded, "Should we go?"
The bandana wearing martial artist snorted. "Don't really have a choice do we." He said as he stood up. "Everyone here seems to be clearing out, and I don't remember them being all that eager to answer our questions before."
Ranma snorted. "At the least I should be able to find some clothes." She muttered as she stood up.
"Which way was it again?" Ryouga asked as he looked around. Internally Ranma stifled a groan. Of course he'd forgotten, she'd have to lead him there like usual. Before Ranma could say anything Ryouga snapped his fingers and started walking. "Its this way, right?" He asked as he followed the wall… In the right direction.
Ranma stared after him for a moment. "Well he had to get it right one of these days." Ranma snarked quietly before she jogged up to his side. "So you remembered directions for once pork breath." She said with a cheeky grin.
Ryouga sent her a dark look that she shrugged off. "I'm not that bad." He grumbled.
The redhead snorted. "And I was born a girl." She quipped, earning another sideways look from her rival. Ranma ignored him as she walked ahead. The idea of somewhere warm, and clothing to wear, pulled her along.
The wall led them past the fortress and around a reasonably large set of stables before it took a right hand turn. As they approached the gate they were looking for they spotted two familiar people walking towards them. Well, one was leaning heavily on the other. The one being leaned on had blue hair and her dress was significantly more tattered than it had been when the evening had started. Then man leaning on her looked like he was in considerable pain. A grimace crossed his face with every step they took. Both groups stopped just outside the gate where a pair of burning torches provided decent illumination.
"I see Setarial's message reached you." Lily said after an awkward moment.
"It did." Ranma said, her eye narrowing as she looked at the Magistrate. "I wasn't expecting you be to here."
"The current situation is… different than what it was when you arrived." Lily admitted softly.
"What my student means is that the Realm's forces are pulling out of the city." Zeriah ground out through a gasp of pain. "I would elaborate more, but this is not the time or place for such discussion. If we could head inside, I would be far more able to explain once I am no longer struggling to stand."
The two martial artists exchanged a look and Ranma shrugged. Ryouga sighed and stepped forward. "I can help him if you'd like." He offered.
Lily looked to her mentor who sighed and nodded. "No offence Lily, but walking like this is taking a toll on you as well." He said.
She huffed. "Very well." She said, "But don't complain to me when he drops you on the ground."
"He won't." Ranma said idly as she walked past them and looked through the gate. A long cobbled path lead straight to a set of large double doors that had been flung wide open. Light spilled out from inside, allowing Ranma to make out the shapes of bushes and trees along the pathway.
Voices, faint and nearly inaudible, could be heard from inside the palace. Angry shouting from what Ranma could tell. The loud crash and the scream that echoed faintly moments later served to punctuate the situation.
Ranma ran down the path, her feet making barely a whisper of noise on the cobbled path. The clattering of heels on stone let her know Lily had decided to follow. Ranma wasn't even halfway down the path when a man carrying a large wooden crate ran out the doorway. A silver candelabra was hanging over one of the crate's sides. He seemed to be in a hurry.
"LOOTERS! STOP HIM!" Lily shouted from behind.
The man had no time to react as Ranma's speed doubled with a whisper of golden light so faint that on any other night it would have been impossible to see. She slammed her open palm into his diaphragm, driving the breath from him and sending him flying back through the door with a strangled cry. She caught the crate with one hand and glanced inside. Candelabras, silver plates, and a painting. Nothing that wouldn't take five seconds to grab and thrown in.
"Looters." Lily ground out as she caught up, "I didn't expect to see any. They must have decided to desert rather than leave with the Satrap."
Ranma gave Lily a curious look but kept the questions she had for later. Like Zeriah had said, this wasn't the place to be standing and talking. And she wanted to find something to wear, the cold was starting to get to her.
The entrance hall was a large three story hall with a single wide set of stairs that lead towards the back of the room before breaking off and heading to either side, leading to the second floor. More stairs could be seen off to either side of the second floor leading up to the third. A large chandelier decorated in carved crystals that glowed with a soft white light, providing the illumination for the room.
At the base of the stairs three Legionnaires were in a stand-off with another, somewhat overweight one, who was standing between them and a group of what appeared to be servants. At the sound their comrade hitting the ground the three turned to look at them. The fourth Legionnaire took advantage of their distraction to drive his blade through the side of one's neck. Before the other two could recover he whipped the blade across the neck of the second, sending him stumbling away clutching his neck.
Ranma covered a flinch as the Legionnaire pressed his attack on the third looter. He only lasted a couple seconds before the Legionnaire's blade sank to the hilt in his stomach. The large Legionnaire kicked the looter off his blade and turned to face the two of them. His face went white at the sight of Ranma before he noticed Lily, to whom he raised his blade in a salute.
"Magistrate. Excellent timing." He said with a slight quaver as he glanced at Ranma. "They were about to get the better of me."
Lily smiled as she stepped forward, coincidentally stepping on the first looter as she did so. He groaned as she ground her heel into his chest. "Stay put." She said to him before moving on. "Hello Lockler. You seemed to have everything well in hand."
"Not as well as I'd like. Its disgraceful. Just because the Legion is leaving the city doesn't give them any right to become animals." He said as he cleaned his blade and sheathed it. "You seem to be keeping some odd company as well Lady magistrate."
Lily sighed. "Desperate times, unfortunately. Setarial has called a meeting here for those who are staying behind." She said, "She hoped that whatever lingering issues there are with Ranma here can be resolved without further damage to the city."
The Legionnaire boggled at her. "B- Setarial is the Goddes of Greyfalls. Something like this is… It sounds like something the Immaculates might consider-"
"Heresy?" Lily finished for him, "Setarial is the Goddess of Greyfalls, to not try and organize something in this period of change would be a dereliction of her duty. There is also the fact that the Immaculate presence in the city is currently nonexistent, rendering this entire line of discussion purely academic."
"I- yes of course Magistrate." Lockler said after a moment. He looked back at the servants. "Are you alright? Anyone injured?" He asked.
"No one since you intervened Sergeant Lockler." Said a short and somewhat round woman dressed in a flamboyant purple bathrobe. She walked down the stairs stepped carefully around the blood left by the looters. She walked past both Lockler and Lily and walked to Ranma. She gave Ranma a look up and down with a disapproving frown.
For the first time that night Ranma felt embarrassment as the woman judged her. Her stare reminded the redhead of how her mother would frequently judge how he was acting or dressing. She shifted nervously and turned away slightly. The woman sighed and shook her head, the frown disappearing.
"Honestly. So you are the one responsible for tonight's madness I take it?" She asked.
"Only in part." Lily said before Ranma could respond, "Her arrival certainly didn't help the situation, but she has been remarkably restrained all things considered. Certainly more than I would have been."
Ranma shot a glance at the dead bodies piled at the foot of the stairs. If that was how people around here dealt with their opponents she could just imagine how Lily would have expected her to behave. Visions of the hall and courtyard painted in the blood and organs of the garrison danced briefly in her head. She pushed them away without too many issues.
She knew that her Hiryu Shoten Ha and Moko Takabisha had together added at least a dozen names to the list of people she'd killed, but they're bodies were simply broken not… Torn apart. See the blood pooling and at the foot of the stairs made her feel… odd, lightheaded. Perhaps even a touch nauseous.
"I don't like killing. Not if I can avoid it." She said after a moment.
The purple robed woman followed her gaze to the pile of bodies and sighed. She looked up at the servants. "Brital, Larri, get down here and clear away this mess. It appears to be bothering our guest." She ordered.
Ranma blinked and looked over at the woman. "I-" She started.
"It needs to be done anyway." The woman said waving her off. "Tell me Magistrate, does the Goddess wish for us to take care of this Anathema?" She asked Lily.
Lily smiled and bowed slightly. "She and her companion are to be considered under the Goddess's protection until something more formal can be arranged. She asks that you show hospitality to them at least until the meeting later this morning is over with." She said.
"Companion?" The woman asked, "What companion-"
Ryouga stepped through the front door with Zeriah leaning heavily against him. The Magistrate's breath was heavy and pained. "Can I get a hand here?" Ryouga asked.
"Oh my. Sergeant, if you wouldn't mind helping the magistrate here into one of the sitting rooms." The heavy set woman asked.
The Sergeant hesitated for a moment, his face almost the same shade as snow, before he swallowed nervously. "O-of course Lady Bretegani. Right away." He said as he carefully walked over to Ryouga and Zeriah.
"You huh. Didn't expect to see you again. Not going to start trying to get people to kill me again, are you?" Ryouga asked.
The Sergeant stuttered as he wildly shook his head no. Not terribly surprising if the two of them had had a run in already. Ryouga could be rather terrifying to have as an enemy. The combination of unstoppable juggernaut and ridiculous skill could be very intimidating to the unprepared.
"Now." Lady Bretegani turned back to Ranma, "You are tracking dirt and more blood into this palace." She said before waving towards two young women who were still nervously peering over the railing of the stairs above. "Come down here girls."
The two young woman, both wearing dressing gowns having obviously been woken by the attempted looting of the palace, carefully made their way down the stairs. Both of them had long brown hair and their faces, indeed their bodies, were near perfect mirrors of eachother. Ranma decided that they had to be twin. They gave the bodies at the bottom of the stairs as much space as they could manage before coming to a halt by Lady Bretegani.
"Juniper, Jasmine, I need the two of you to help our guest get clean. She'll need a bath, clothing and someone to deal with that hair of hers." She instructed the two girls.
"Oi." Ranma complained, only to shut up as the formidable woman shot her a scolding look. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Lily snickering into her hand in what she must have thought was a discrete manner.
"Yes Lady Bretegani." The two girls said in sync, creating an eerie echo as they did.
The girl on the left continued, "Which quarters should we use Lady Bretegani?"
The woman paused and looked to Lily, one eyebrow raised. To Ranma's confusion Lily only smiled and gestured with her hands. Lady Bretegani nodded. "She is a guest of the Goddess Setarial, use the private quarters on the fourth floor, east wing. The elevated bathing area should be appropriately private." She leaned in and whispered something into the two girl's ears.
"Of course milady." The two chimed with a bow. They swept forward and each one of them grabbed one of Ranma's arms. "This way milady." They chorused as they pulled Ranma towards the stairs.
"Bu- Hey stop pulling." Ranma protested as they resolutely dragged the martial artist, who was half-heartedly resisting, up the stairs. Behind them she could hear Ryouga's familiar laughter, accompanied by Lily's own chiming laughter. "I'm not a Lady damn it." She said as they cleared the top of the stairs.
"You are High Setarial's guest." Said the one on her left.
"You are a Lady." Continued the one on her right as they dragged towards the next flight of stairs.
Once the three of them were out of sight, and up another two floors, Ranma sighed and yanked her arms loose from the two girls. "I can walk on my own." She said with a huff. The two girls exchanged amused looks.
"If milady insists." The right one said with a bow. Ranma concealed an annoyed twitch.
"I am not a lady damn it." She said angrily. As the left one went to respond she continued, "I'm not even a girl."
The two girls exchanged another set of glances, amusement and confusion being communicated in equal measures. "I think milady has two rather large counter arguments to that claim." The left one said as they looked back.
"Milady is certainly not a man." The right said.
A muscle on Ranma's forehead spasmed as she restrained an annoyed exclamation. This conversation never got less awkward, no matter how many times she had it. "It's a curse." She said.
"Ooh." The left one said as a light of understanding dawned behind her eyes.
The right one continued to look befuddled. "Being born a woman is hardly-" She started.
"No sister. That is not what she means." The left one said with a shake of her head. "She means a literal curse, correct?"
Ranma nodded. "My father took me to a place called Jusenkyo. It's a valley full of cursed springs. Fall in one and you get cursed to become whatever drowned there last." She said, deliberately leaving out that it was because neither of them could read the local language. They'd been in China for most of a year, they should have picked up something by then. Or found someone who could translate a pamphlet.
A slightly disturbed look was traded by the two girls. "Was this a shadowland m- sir?" The one on the left asked.
Ranma blinked. That was a very different reaction than she normally got. "I have no idea what a shadowland is." She said honestly.
The two shared another look. "How can she not know what a shadowland is?" The one on the right asked.
"Perhaps she grew up far away from one?" The one on the left said. She turned to Ranma. "Is that body the body of someone who died?" She asked.
Oh. Well that was… That explained the reaction. "I- I don't think that's the way it works?" Ranma said as she thought about it. "No, I've know someone else who fell in the spring of drowned girl, they look nothing like me. Also I rather look like my mother."
The two servant girls sighed in relief, tension flowing out of them. She couldn't really blame them, it was a rather creepy thought that had never occurred to her. The one on the left smiled at Ranma. "While you may not have been born a girl, milady, Lady Bretegani will not abide us-" She started.
Ranma sighed, her voice full of exasperation. "It's not permanent." She said, interrupting the well intentioned girl. "It's based on water temperature. Cold water girl, hot water boy." If anyone claimed her voice held a long-suffering whine to it she would smack them. Hard. Fortunately the only ones in the hallway to hear her were the two girls before her.
"Oh. Um…" A blush formed with lightning speed on both the servant girl's faces. "We see… milord." They chorused before turning as one and marching off down the hallway. "This way milord." They called.
Ranma stared after them for a second before sighing. Every single time. Really after all this time the sheer awkwardness of the reveal was what bothered her the most. People always started acting so weird the moment they found out. With an annoyed expression Ranma followed the Juniper and Jasmine down the hallway.
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Lady Bretegani Wild Petal stifled a chuckle that tried to emerge as she watched the twins drag of the anathema girl, despite her protests. After a moment the brief moment of comedy subsided. "You are lucky you know that Magistrate." She said, turning to Lily. "Where my husband conscious I have no doubt he would have her thrown out immediately. The orders of a Goddess or not."
The Magistrate sobered instantly. "Setarial has asked certain things of me should Wild Grove become a problem." She said seriously.
"I do hope such things are not required." Lady Bretegani said calmly. Her sympathy for her husband was, as it had been since they had been sent all the way to Greyfalls, at an all time low. If he insisted on angering a Goddess, or an Imperial Magistrate, she could hardly be blamed for walking away. Especially for what he had done. "Fortunately for you my husband has been unconscious since one of those brigands knocked him out. He is being seen to up stairs."
Lily bowed to her. "My condolences Lady Bretegani." She said, "I wish him well in recovering."
"... So do I." Lady Bretegani said softly before shaking herself. She shot a look towards Ryouga who was still laughing to himself. Her eyes glared at the ragged pair of trousers he was wearing. "Tell me Magistrate, is it the habit these days for Anathema to parade around as close to naked as possible?"
Lily snorted. "No more than it is for many dynasts." The Dragon-Blooded said sardonically. Both of them briefly thought of the infamous House Cynis. Being naked in public would probably be the least of their debauched practices.
"More accurate than I'd wish to admit." Lady Bretegani conceded after a moment. She looked back to the stairs where the remainder of her staff remained. Technically they were her husband's staff, but with him out of commission she was the closest thing to a steward that the Scintilating River Palace had.
"Darcy, Willow." She said, waving another pair of girls over. "Take this young man and get him a bath and clean clothes. The Green room should suffice."
"Yes milady." The two servants in question said, both dipping into a bow before sweeping over to the still laughing Ryouga. Darcy and Willow were a study in opposites to those who didn't know them. Where Willow was, much like her namesake, thin and appeared able to be blown over by a stiff breeze, Darcy was tall and quite amazonian in build.
Darcy lay a hand on Ryouga's shoulder, interrupting his slowly dying laughter. "This way to a bath, milord." She said, forcibly steering him towards the hallway to their right. Willow followed after them at a sedate pace.
"And that should take care of both of them for the moment." Lady Bretegani said to Lily.
"For a couple of hours I suspect." Lily replied, "Which should give us time to get ready for this meeting Setarial has planned." Her face was calm but Lady Bretegani had been dealing with Dragon-Blooded for years. Dynasts especially. Compared to many she had seen before the Magistrate's poker-face required some work. The way the edge of her smile tightened ever so slightly was enough for her to recognize that the woman held at least some reservations about this entire affair.
Still one did not turn down a Goddess lightly, especially when there were no Immaculate Monks around to handle the refusal.
Lady Bretegani looked down at her bathrobe and sighed. "If there is to be a meeting here, as her Lady Setarial has requested then I shall have to get changed. There will be a lot to do and this is not appropriate to be doing it in." She said.
"I'll see to Zeriah while you do that then." Lily said, gesturing to the sitting room where he had been taken.
"Just one question before I go." Lady Bretegani said, "How many are coming?"
Lily pursed her lips in thought for a moment. "As many as wish to come." She replied cryptically.
Lady Bretegani sighed. "How… useful." She said. Trust a magistrate to make things more difficult.
Lily chuckled and the Stewardess of the Scintillating River Palace could hear the amusement in her voice as she began to climb the stairs. "I said the very same thing, Stewardess." Well… Perhaps it was the Goddess to blame for this.
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The hallways of the Scintillating River Palace were among the most opulent Ranma had ever seen. She had seen the insides of the Kuno mansion and the Chardin manor, both families were substantially wealthy and had famously opulent tastes. Famously strange tastes as well.
The Scintillating River Palace had them both beaten in taste, and opulence. The floors were richly carpeted in eye pleasing patterns that flowed through the five colours Ranma had seen the Dragon-Blooded display with their battle auras. Reds, blues, blacks, greens and white swirled and blended, not just in the carpet, but in mosaics of miniature tiles that decorated the walls and romanesque columns of the hallway. At least where there weren't elaborate scrolls, paintings or other decorations hanging from the wall.
The room the twins showed her to was far down the hall, near the end. The ornate double doors of heavy oak wood were surprisingly unadorned except for the entwining dragons that formed the door handles.
The hallway behind the door took an immediate right before coming opening up onto a beautifully tiled roman-style bath. The room was dominated by a pool of steam water nearly as large as an Olympic swimming pool. Above the pool there was no roof, nor was the there a far wall, leaving the room open to the cold air. Doors to either side led off into other rooms.
Glowing crystals were set into the walls in decorative patterns that provided enough illumination to give the bathing chamber a soft, almost romantic, atmosphere. The servant on Ranma's right tapped her on the shoulder.
"This way to the bathing chamber mi-sir. This room is for soaking after you're clean." She said gesturing to the right where her sister was waiting beside a door. She flinched as Ranma looked at her.
Ranma stifled a sigh. Ever since their conversation on the way up the two sisters had been skittish and nervous. Occasionally the two would whisper something to each other, the word anathema came up frequently from what little Ranma had managed to overhear. She was rapidly coming to hate that word.
The redhead stepped past the nervous servant girls and into the next chamber. Several dimly glowing crystals provided illumination. The room was less than a quarter of the size of the large pool outside. A shallow pool of water filled most of the room. Soap and other bathing supplies were stacked on an ornate shelf to one side.
She stopped at the entrance and said, "I can wash myself you know."
The girl, Jasmine, frowned. "Lady Bretegani instructed us to give you full courtesy, as befitting a guest of our Palace." She said.
"And you want to see the transformation." Ranma deadpanned. Both girls flinched guiltily and blushed. Ranma sighed. "Well come on. Let's get this over with." She walked over to the side of the pool. The steam coming off it was reassuring at least. She glanced back at the two girls. They were peaking around the corners of the doorway.
Ranma rolled her eyes and stepped into the water. After a few steps she was nearly waist deep in the comfortably warm water. And yet… The redhead prodded one breast with a finger. It wobbled defiantly. No she still had breasts.
She sat down in the water as an uneasy sense of deja vu sank to the bottom of her stomach. The hot water lapped over her chest and teased her braid. She wasn't changing, again. She scooped the water with one hand and gave it a sniff. It smelled like an ordinary spring, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.
Behind her she could hear the two girls talking.
"She's just sitting there. Is the change gradual?" One of them asked the other.
"Perhaps there is no change, and she's just crazy." The other replied, "They say anathema are delusional."
"I'm not crazy." Ranma said, her voice cracking slightly as she did. "It's just- It's just not working." It was taking a great deal of will not to start crying like she had the last time this had occurred. Her mind was whirling with questions as she thought about what could have been the cause this time. No pressure points, no locking ladle. The only odd thing that might have done it was that strange stormt that had dragged Ryouga and her to this place. Well that or a strange interaction with one of the innumerable odd weapons that had been brought to bear against her…
Minutes past as Ranma contemplated what, exactly, had gone wrong; all the while she struggled to keep from crying. Finally she heard the soft steps of bare feet on wet tile as one of the girls walked over.
"Sister!" She heard the other one hiss.
The servant girl ignored her sister as she knelt next to Ranma on the pool's edge and lay her hand on Ranma's shoulder. "This curse… Your reaction. I do not believe you are lying." She said before taking Ranma's braid in hand.
The redhead could feel the string holding it together being undone. "Why would I lie?" Ranma said softly, "It just makes me look crazy."
The servant hummed as she finished undoing the braid and ran a hand through Ranma's hair. "Sister, bring the supplies over here." She called. After a moment Ranma heard the other girl's feet as she scrambled to bring the supplies her sister asked for.
As the servant set to work on the tangled mess that was Ranma's hair she continued speaking softly. "I am no expert on… magic. Of the Dragon's chosen or others, but I know there are those in the city who are. The Goddess Setarial is said to be wise in such matters, perhaps she might be able to help you with this matter."
Ranma brushed a loose hair from her eyes and sighed. "She'll want something from me. They always want something." Ranma said. She let herself sink into the water of the bath. The feel of the servant's hands running through her hair was soothing, it helped reign in the panic that was threatening to overwhelm her.
It helped that being locked was not an entirely new experience for Ranma. It had happened in the past twice before, though with different methods each time. She could handle this. She just needed to find out what caused it, and who might know how to undo it; and she already had one lead.
"Goddess… People have been calling this Setarial a goddess. Is that a title, or do you mean a literal Goddess? Like one of the Kami?" Ranma asked.
The girl's hands paused as they worked at a knot in Ranma's hair. "She is the Goddess of Greyfalls. The nation and the city. She is the spirit of our home given form." She said after a moment, "Do you not having something similar where you come from?" She sounded puzzled as she went back to working on Ranma's hair.
"I… don't know?" Ranma said thinking about it. "We have Kami who we pray to, but I've never heard of one coming and talking to people? Not for a long time anyway."
"We do not normally see the Gods and Goddesses ourselves." The other servant said as she knelt next to her sister. She lifted Ranma's right arm out of the water and attempted to lather it with soap. Ranma absently took the soap from her grip and started to lather herself. The girl pouted before continuing. "The Immaculate Order teaches that mere mortals are too weak in spirit to deal with the gods directly. To do so invites them to excess, and us to heresy."
"So her coming out to see Ryouga and I is, odd?" Ranma asked, curious.
"Very much so." The first girl said as she began to rub something into Ranma's hair. It felt nice, smelled nice too. Like strawberries.
"Is this the first time you've ever had something like this happen?" She asked after several minutes of silence.
Ranma paused, one leg out of the water and pointing towards the ceiling as she lathered it with soap. "Twice." She said after a moment, her voice subdued. She closed her eyes and leg slipped back under the water silently. "The first was simple to deal with. It wasn't even a real 'lock'... This old woman I know used a pressure point on me. Anytime I touched water that was more than cold it felt like I'd just dumped a bucket of boiling water on me."
Ranma could feel the wince from the girl behind her through the hands in her hair. "I managed to beat her challenge and get the cure for it…" She sighed and pulled away, turning to look at the two girls.
"The second one was a bastard. Claimed to be some Half-Dragon Prince from China. His people lived near Jusenkyo and they used to capture strong creatures and throw them into the spring of drowned girl. They'd lock 'em into the form of a girl with this bucket and ladle they had. Bastard used it on me when I didn't just let him and his retainers manhandle Akane."
Herb was a fight that Ranma wished had never happened, and not just because she near lost. "I nearly killed him over that." She said, "I turned his own power back on him and we leveled a mountain. I managed to unlock my curse… It was so close that time…" She sighed and sank back into the water.
"This, just keeps happening… I hate it." She fell silent and after a few moments she felt hands begin to once again work on her hair. The rest of the bath past in an awkward silence.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Lockler carefully helped Zeriah onto the long divan that dominated one wall of the sitting room. The Earth Aspect groaned as he laid down on the cushions.
"Thank you, Sergeant… Ragara wasn't it?" He asked.
"Yes, though of a long separated branch. I doubt we even show up on records anymore." Lockler said as he helped the beaten man get a pillow under his head.
Zeriah chuckled painfully. "You would be surprised at the records the Great Houses keep." He said.
"Perhaps I would be. Though how much I should care is… Excuse me." Lockler flushed as he realized he was speak perhaps a touch too informally. "My apologies, tonight has had me rattled, so to speak."
"It has done more than just rattle people Sergeant." The Magistrate replied as he finally found a reasonably comfortable spot, or at least a less painful one. "Tonight will change the face of Politics in the Scavenger Lands forever. No longer does the Realm have any land to concern itself with so far inland, nor does it have the port here to trade with for goods from the Scavenger Lands." He chuckled and grimaced. "Speak truthfully to me Sergeant, I promise you'll be in no trouble for it." He promised.
The sergeant gave him a level look before nodding. Something about the magistrate's words rang true. He would see no trouble over his opinions this night. At least, not from Zeriah. He looked around for a place to sit. The sergeant found said place in a nearby armchair after a moment's search. He took a few seconds to collect himself.
"I've served in this Legion almost since the day it formed." He said, "Been a sergeant for most of it. I've fought and killed for the Realm and the Realm has taken good care of my home. That changed tonight." He paused and licked his suddenly dry lips nervously. What he had to say was treason. Eventually he continued.
"I get that we're outnumbered by this Vanehan army, but to run away without even trying to hold the city. I've heard rumours of what that Anathema does to anyone he catches associating with the realm. He doesn't care if it was now, or a decade ago and he hates everything we've… they've built." He sighed explosively. "Greyfalls is a city that's been built by the Realm, and it's the envy of everyone we neighbour… Do you see where I'm going sir?"
"Greyfalls is a symbol in the east of the benefits of associating with the Empress' Realm." Zeriah said with a cough. "He'll want to burn it to the ground simply for what it represents. We've thought the same things."
Lockler sighed. "Yes sir. Greyfalls is my home, and to leave it to his hands… He'll kill everyone with even the slightest connection to the Realm as an example. If even half of tales are true I wouldn't expect a single woman or child to make it out of the city… To just walk away when my home is in such danger. Sir, as much as the mere thought of even laying eyes on an anathema of any stripe, especially after tonight, fills me with dread; it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Tens of thousands will die if we walk away."
"Then stay." Lockler jumped as a woman's hand rested on his left shoulder. Looking behind him he found Lily smiling kindly. "We are both staying. This city will need men like you in the coming days."
"You are suggesting I desert?" He said incredulously, "I would have thought if anyone would argue against it the two of you would be the ones."
Lily laughed grimly as she found her own seat. "Our loyalty was sworn to the Empress. Since her disappearance there have been those on the Isle who seek to avenge themselves on those of us who meddled in their affairs over the years." Zeriah said, "We are no longer safe back on the Isle, that is why we came here. We have nowhere to run further."
"For good or ill our fates have become tied to this city." Lily added, "You have family here I assume?"
"I do, though I would be hesitant to claim any of them after all this time." Lockler said, "But I also have friends. If I leave I would be leaving them to die."
"It seems then that you have a dilemma before you Sergeant." Zeriah said, "On one hand duty and loyalty to your Legion and the Realm. On the other, loyalty and duty to your birthplace, your city, and your family."
"Tell us, Sergeant." Lily said, leaning forward, "Which is stronger? Loyalty to a Legion that has is even now taking you away from all you love and care for. Or loyalty to your home, and family?"
Lockler opened his mouth to reply, but he hesitated. He thought and, after a minute of silence, he gave his answer. The magistrates smiled. He hoped he made the right choice.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Kodachi sat at the table under the window in the tea house. The golden glow that had been bleeding off her had long since dissipated, leaving her with only the lanterns for illumination. She didn't mind though, not like she would have even a handful of hours earlier. Or however long it had really been.
It was hard to believe that only a few hours had past, but then, she supposed, meeting a God had a tendency to skew one's perception of time. One moment she had been relaxing in the study reading a novel, and fantasizing about her Ranma, the next the world had come apart at the seams only to be replaced by an expanse of clouds lit by Him.
Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun. She had stood on that expanse of clouds before the lord of heaven himself and been judged. For an instance she had seen her entire life, all her decisions and delusions, laid out bare for her heart to see. What she had seen…
Kodachi's hand clenched around the teacup in her hands and only the sound of creaking ceramic stopped her from breaking it outright. Her mother would not have been proud of her, of the things she'd done. Cheating, assault, poisoning, attempted murder. Such things were not the way of a proper young woman, let alone a noble one. She knew this, had always known, but she had let her desires and obsessions dictate her actions.
Somehow he had found something inside her worthy, something pure… no, something capable of being pure. For there was no way even one such as He could have found something inside her that wasn't tainted by her madness in some way…
Kodachi sighed and rested her head against the teacup. The same thoughts had been swirling through her head ever since she had awoke, they had nearly caused her death when self-recrimination had frozen her before that monk.
"What have I done…" She murmured quietly. Thoughts like this weren't helping anything, but it was difficult to think of anything else. Facing one's inner demons was supposed to be difficult, but all the tales she had read had the heroine or hero facing them after much preparation. She'd had all of a second of awe filled starring before they had been literally ripped from the depths of her soul and laid out for her to see and know.
"Something that has you treating a cup of tea like a bottle of Sake apparently." A woman snarked.
Kodachi looked up from her teacup. Standing a few feet away was a woman dressed in a JGSDF uniform. A rifle was just visible over her shoulder. "I would like to see you have everything you thought you knew proven false and take it well." She snapped at the woman. A moment later she flushed with guilt. There she went again, lashing out at someone who didn't deserve it.
The older woman rolled her eyes and slid into the chair across from the teenager. "Alright, you seem to be having issues unrelated to our situation." She said, slipping her water bottle out of her harness and taking a sip. She screwed the cap back on with mechanical precision and slid it back into its pouch. "Want to talk about it?"
Kodachi blinked. "It's not really any of your business." She said, "This is something I need to think on by myself."
The woman across from her scoffed. "The last time I heard that was from my sister, over a boy." Kodachi hid a flinch, though apparently not well as the woman noticed. "Uh huh. Well if he's done anything wrong he's not worth it. Just walk away."
The girl smiled sadly. "It's not what he's done." She said before taking a sip of the tea. The bitter taste of the tea suited her mood quite a bit. "The things I've done while trying to get him… He even told me to stop, I never listened…" She said, wiping a tear from her right eye.
"One of those then." The woman across from her sighed before reaching out and taking one of Kodachi's hands. "You wouldn't have been the first girl to do something foolish over what she thought was love."
A wry smile graced Kodachi's face. "Most don't try to murder the competition, or kidnap the love interest." She said.
The woman chuckled. "No I suppose not. Of course most girls aren't chasing Nerima's strangest young man either." She said.
Kodachi blinked. "You- know who I'm talking about?" She asked.
"Saotome Ranma, one of the most watched people in Japan. At least by the SDF." She said. "You've picked an interesting man to try and win."
Kodachi snorted in an unlady-like manner. "You mean an interesting man to torment. My mother would be… disappointed." She let out a deep wavering breath.
"We don't always make the best choices." The woman massaged the back of Kodachi's hand in a soothing manner. "So, what are you going to do now?"
Kodachi was silent for a minute. She knew what she had to do, or at least where she had to start. She needed to apologize. Needed to talk with Ranma. There had to be something she could do to make it right. "Who are you?" She asked, rather than give voice to her thoughts, "I didn't know the JSDF had women in it."
The woman chuckled. "Corporal Kawashima Suki." She said before she leaned back into her chair and popped out her canteen again. "There's a few women in the SDF. We're not supposed to be near the fighting unless there's no choice. Like tonight." She said as she took a swig from the canteen. The sigh afterwards was more satisfied than Kodachi would've expected from just water. She wasn't the only one.
"Corporal." Sergeant Ito called from across the room, "If I checked that Canteen I'd find it full of water right?"
The woman threw a cheeky grin across the tea house. "Clear as spring water sir." She shouted back, taking another swig as she did.
"It better be. Since you're in charge here." The sergeant said as he walked over.
The spray of oddly coloured 'water' thankfully missed Kodachi and her tea. "What?" Kawashima asked.
The sergeant chuckled. "An invite has just been delivered to the Lieutenant. A talking bird dropped out of the sky to deliver it. Akiyama and I are accompanying him up to the castle. Which means you are now the ranking soldier here." He said with a grim satisfaction. "Try not to get my men killed Corporal."
"I won't sir." Kawashima replied, snapping up from her seat into a picture perfect salute.
"I'll believe it when I see it." The sergeant said before turning his attention on Kodachi. "I don't know why but Ryu wants you along as well."
"Me?" Kodachi asked, pointing at herself.
"Yes you. Come on we're wasting time." Ito said before turning on his heel and heading out the door. Kodachi stared after him for a moment. Why on earth would they want her?
"Better get moving, he seems to be in a bad mood right now." Kawashima said as she slipped her canteen back into its pouch.
Kodachi took another sip of her tea before sighing and standing. "I- Why would they want me?" She asked the older woman.
The woman's shrug did nothing to reassure her. "Who knows. Only one way to find out." Suki said.
Feeling less than reassured Kodachi followed the sergeant out the door.
-0-0-0-0-0-
It was a rattled Saotome Ranma that stepped out of the bath thirty minutes later, feeling both cleaner than she had in awhile and less confident than she had in even longer. A fluffy white towel, handed to her by one of the twins, found itself wrapped tightly around her torso as she was guided out of the bathing room and back to the large open air pool.
She sat down on the edge of the pool, her legs dangling into the hot water of the shallow end, with a quiet sigh. Being a girl in hot water was, quite truthfully, one of the singular most disturbing things she had ever experienced in her life. Well other than the first week after she'd been cursed, or the neko-ken, or…
She chuckled quietly and ran a hand through her damp hair. So maybe it wasn't the strangest thing she'd ever experienced, but it was up there. Which probably said more for just how screwed up her life tended to be than anything else.
"Um, Miss Saotome?" One of the twins asked nervously.
Ranma suppressed the urge to snap out that she was a guy, damnit. At this point all they had was her word, and there was no way she could prove otherwise. Continuing to insist would make her seem crazier than she already did. Probably. Sometimes people acted in ways she just couldn't understand.
"Yes?" She asked. The two girls didn't deserve having her anger and frustration vented on them, not after what they'd already done.
"We're going to start organizing the next bit. Will you be alright here?" The other twin asked.
Ranma managed to smile confidently. "I'm fine. Just going to enjoy the water for a bit." She said. She slid into the water and sat down on a small ledge, the hot water of the pool reached to the base of her neck, lapping distractingly around her breasts.
The twins exchanged a look, and Ranma was left with the distinct impression she wasn't fooling either of them. "Very well. We'll be through the far left doorway, near the balcony, if you need us." The second said before walking off, "Come along Juniper."
Ranma watched the two of them go and sighed quietly, leaning her head against the hard tiles. "What happened?" She softly asked the room. Her thoughts were going in circles as she tried to figure out what, exactly, she had encountered that had led to this. It had to have something to do with the strange storm that had brought them to this place.
She looked up into the empty starless sky and for a moment she wondered, maybe the storm had killed them and this was the underworld? They'd died and this was their purgatory. She pushed the thought aside with difficulty. It might be an explanation, but she very much doubted that her death would be as painless as this.
She sighed and tried to empty her mind. The water was warm, and the last few hours had left her feeling mentally exhausted. She yawned and closed her eyes. A few moments later she was asleep.
An indeterminable amount of time later her eyes snapped open and her hand lashed out, closing around a thin hand reaching for her shoulder. She blinked and shook off the remnants of her nap before looking up at the very surprised face of Jasmine. The young woman looked somewhat pained by the tight grip Ranma had closed her hand in.
"Sorry." Ranma said as she released the young servant.
"I-my apologies Mi- Si- Mis.. um.." Jasmine stuttered.
Ranma patted her comfortingly on the shoulder as the redhead stood and smoothly exited the pool, stretching carefully as she held the wet towel tight. "It's oka." She said, yawning. Off to one side Juniper stood with a red robe nearly the same scarlet shade as Ranma's hair.
"For you, um… Miss." Juniper offered the robe hesitantly.
The white, and soaked, towel hit the floor as Ranma took the robe and shrugged it on, tying the belt with one hand as she stifled another yawn with the other. The nap she'd just taken had done little more than make her want a chance to actually sleep.
"This way please." Ranma didn't protest as Juniper led her towards the room the two servants had disappeared into earlier.
The room was little more than a short hallway that led through another ornate door into well decorated, and rather posh, parlor. A small table sat in front of the burning fireplace, surrounded on either side with comfortable looking armchairs. After the cold outdoors the room was refreshingly warm. There were two sets of double doors, one directly across from the bath entrance and the other to her left.
Juniper led her through the room to the set of double doors on the far side and gestured for her to enter. Through the door was a large bedroom, easily larger than the one she'd shared with her father back at the Tendo's. A truly massive four-poster bed dominated the room, both in scale and it in splendor with its scarlet sheets only a shade removed from her own hair colour.
Off to one side sat a vanity, with a large mirror framed in a strange golden metal that shimmered in light of the crystal lamps. Another, full length, mirror stood next to it in a frame of a strange otherworldly silver. Bookcases, half full at best, filled one corner along with several more comfortable looking armchairs and a small table.
"Please, have a seat." Juniper bowed and gestured to the chair in front of the vanity.
Ranma sat down. In the mirror she could see the two servants as they loomed over the back of the chair. "And now?" Ranma asked.
"Now my sister will deal with your hair while I see what clothing we have available for you… Do you have a preference milady?" Jasmine asked.
Ranma stifled a flinch at the title. "Do you have anything I could get into a fight in?" She asked.
The two servants exchanged a glance. "Do you.. Expect a fight milady?" Juniper asked nervously.
She restrained a second annoyed flinch at the title. "No? They just tend to happen to me." She said with a shrug.
"I- I will see what we have." Jasmine said. She smiled sadly. "I'm not sure what we have available. Are you willing to accept something else if I can't find something that works?"
Ranma sighed and shrugged. "Just don't expect it to come back in one piece if things go wrong, and they usually do." She said. It was an unfortunate truth of her life.
"Everything stored in this room belonged to former residents of the palace." Jasmine said as she headed for the closets by the bed. "No one will be angry if something happens to it."
"Well that's a relief." Ranma muttered.
"Now while my sister deals with that, let us deal with this hair of yours." Juniper said, taking a brush from the vanity. "Would you like it in a braid again?"
"If you can." Ranma said, her attention already wandering. "This is a fancy room. Are all your guest rooms this nice?" She asked.
"Oh no. This isn't a guest room." Juniper said as she brushed Ranma's hair.
Ranma restrained the urge to turn and look at her. "Who's it for then?" She asked. It was a very beautiful room.
"In theory the Scarlet Empress." The servant girl replied.
This time Ranma did turn to face her. "This is for an Empress?" It certainly looked good enough for a ruler.
Juniper smiled sadly as she turned Ranma's head to face the vanity once more. "In theory at least. Despite Greyfalls having maintained this Palace for centuries the Scarlet Empress has never once visited. The room hasn't ever been used for its original purpose. We keep it clean, but the fact we use it to store old clothes should tell you enough about the odds of her ever coming to visit. Especially since she's been missing for the last six years."
"Huh." Ranma leaned into the chair as Juniper continued her brushing. "Who's the Scarlet Empress?" She asked a moment later. The brushing stopped and Ranma could hear Jasmine's search through the closet stop.
After a moment they both restarted. "I suppose wherever you've never heard of the Realm before, have you?" Juniper asked, sounding curious.
"Never." Ranma said, "I guess she's the ruler of this Realm?"
"Yes, she has ruled it since its foundation nearly eight centuries ago." The servant girl said.
"Eight… Centuries? Eight hundred years?" Ranma asked. Even Cologne was only around three hundred, just how shriveled and gremlin-like would someone more than twice that look?
"Yes. As one of the Dragon-Blooded she is gifted with an extremely long life." Juniper said, "Our home of Greyfalls is far to the East of the Blessed Isle, where the Realm exists. We are the furthest eastern reach of the Empire. I'm not sure why anyone ever thought she would visit our home, the distance is so great…" Juniper trailed off thoughtfully.
"How far away is the… Blessed Isle you called it?" Ranma asked.
Juniper hummed and tapped the hairbrush to her chin. "I'm not entirely sure. Its in the center of the Inland Sea, which is on the other end of the Scavenger Lands… A couple thousand miles at the bare minimum." She said after a moment's thought.
"Somewhat more than that sister." Jasmine called from across the room, "Three thousand at the least. Or so the traders in the markets say."
"Yes, well the exact number doesn't matter." Juniper dismissed as she got back to brushing out Ranma's hair. "It is months of travel, even with the aid of the rivers."
Ranma frowned as the two sisters bickered over semantics. There was no where on Earth that you could hide an Empire with that sort of reach and not have it be internationally famous. Even she could name the nations that had that sort of reach. Add that to an ancient Empress and everything else she'd seen that night.
She eyed the glowing crystal lamps. If they ran on electricity she'd eat the brush Juniper was using. No everything combined was painting a pretty clear picture. Wherever Ryouga and her had found themselves, there was little to no chance this was Earth. Unless they'd time traveled again. God she hoped they hadn't time traveled again. If she had to have another go round with the Nanban mirror she was going to kill someone.
As she had been thinking Juniper had finished brushing her hair and had begun to braid the scarlet strands. Ranma sighed and closed her eyes. At times it was nice to let someone else deal with the small things, and at least Juniper and her sister were proving more competent than Akane.
-0-0-0-0-0-
The ride through the streets of Greyfalls in the LAV was slow and rougher than what Kodachi was used to. The vehicle bounced and jolted without ceasing as it slowly climbed the cobbled stone streets up the hill towards the fortress above. The backseats were also very utilitarian, being little more than plastic fold-outs from the sides of the back. The only blessing was that other than the woman manning the gun the back of the LAV was empty.
The rest of their group were on foot, jogging at a decent clip, and spread around the vehicle as they trundled along. Twice they had run into what appeared to be Legion runners; who, on spotting their small group of twenty soldiers and her, had promptly turned and fled.
No it was clear that whatever had occurred up in the fortress had profoundly changed something about the city. Occasionally, when she glanced out the windows, she could see nervous people taking peeks out their windows at the convoy as it passed.
"They seem scared." Kodachi noted aloud.
Sergeant Akiyama, sitting in the front driver's seat, chuckled grimly. "Of course they are. We dropped from the sky into the midst of their city and immediately started fighting their defenders. Can you honestly say we've made a good impression?" He asked.
When put that way she really couldn't say they had made a good impression. The young woman let silence, except for the creak of the vehicle, reign as she stared out the back window. Eventually the Lieutenant, who had taken the front passenger's seat, called for a halt.
"What's going on?" Kodachi asked as she leaned forward, past the gunner so she could see out the front window.
Akiyama glanced at her. "Take a look." He said, gesturing out the windshield. In front of them, about a hundred feet away across a plaza and up a steep incline, were the main gates of the fortress. Only visible due to the flickering lights of torches and braziers.
Tall and made of stonework in a certainly european styling, if she had to guess perhaps sixteenth century europe, the gates were certainly impressive this close. As were the wall, though they were somewhat less impressive than the gate house given the large gaping hole she could see off to one side.
The great metal doors that should have been barring entrance were wide open and appeared completely unguarded. "No guards." Ryu said. He rolled down his window. "ITO! TAKE A FIRE TEAM UP AND INVESTIGATE THE ENTRANCE! SIGNAL IF IT'S CLEAR!" He shouted.
"YES SIR! Corporal Watanabe, you're fire team's with me." Ito responded. He and the designated group moved up quickly, crossing the open ground of the plaza at a dead sprint and climbed the slope without slowing down. They reached the wall without encountering hostilities. Two at a time they ducked through the gate, and then they were out of sight.
"Now we wait." Akiyama said over his shoulder to Kodachi. The next few minutes dragged on in silence.
"Well there's no shooting yet. That's good, right?" Kodachi said.
Ryu sighed. "Hopefully. It could just mean they didn't see it coming." He said, then winced when he realized who he was talking to. He turned to her. "Look, um.." He started.
Kodachi giggled. "I'm hardly a delicate flower Lieutenant. I think you and your people are well aware of that." She said.
Akiyama chuckled softly. "Ain't that the truth." He said before tapping Ryu on the shoulder. "Top of the wall, looks like a flashlight."
The Lieutenant turned around and looked up. "So it is." He wound down the window. "Everyone, move up." He shouted before looking to Akiyama. "Get us in there first. This thing will take an ambush better than they will."
"Yes sir." The vehicle lurched forward and roared across the plaza, up the hill and through the gate. Amazingly, to Kodachi, the soldiers actually kept pace with the vehicle for the first couple seconds before it outstripped them.
The moment they were through the gate Akiyama slammed on the breaks, bringing them to halt just inside the courtyard. A door into the gatehouse popped open and Ito stepped out.
"Gatehouse is empty. Whatever happened, they bugged out PDQ. There's still lanterns and candles burning in there." He said as he stepped up to the vehicle.
"Which matches what we were told." Ryu said tapping the door thoughtfully.
"Yeah. Then there's that." Ito waved towards the drill yard. A massive gaping hole was visible in the side of the central keep. Bricks and dust covered a wide stretch of dirt in all directions. Then there were the two large blue and red forms that lay in a twisted embraced not far from their position.
"What. The. Fuck… One guy did all this?" Akiyama said, leaning on his steering wheel. He seemed utterly stupified.
Ryu's eyes were fixed on the twisted wreckage of what appeared to be two full mech suits as he nodded slowly. "Yeah." He gulped audibly. "Yeah I think so."
Kodachi wasn't entirely sure why they seemed to surprised. Sure the mechs were a bit odd, even by Nerima standards, but this level of destruction was hardly surprising. "It reminds me of when m-" She barely stopped herself from using an endearment, "When Ranma wins a battle."
"Yes well." Ryu cleared his throat nervously. "We have reason to believe this was done by Ranma."
"What?" Kodachi broke from looking at the destruction to stare at Ryu. Ranma was… here? In this place? And she was, was. Oh god she was a mess. She nee- She breathed out heavily as she counted to five. Then she did so a second time. "I-I see." She finally said. "Was.. was bringing me along to this such a good idea?" She asked.
"The people who called this meeting referred to you as 'The Zenith'." Ryu said, "I want to know what they mean by that, and you being here is the best way." Behind them the rest of their forces started trickling through the gate. Judging by the soft exclamations of surprise they were as shocked by the damage as their superiors were.
"I see." Kodachi sighed, "I suppose keeping them waiting would be rude."
"Something tells me we should try making any additional enemies if we can help it." Ryu replied. He turned back to Ito. "Keep your fire team here and hold the gate. If we have to make a quick exit I don't want this thing locking us in."
"Yes sir." Ito said, "Anything else sir?"
"Stay safe." He said before leaning out the window. "Everyone, let's keep moving. Follow the wall." He gestured to the closest wall, "And keep an eye out for anything that might be a Palace."
"SIR, YES SIR!" The soldiers chorused as they fanned out ahead of the LAV once more. Soon they were moving again. The LAV trundled slowly along as they followed the wall around the central fortress and another boxy building.
"Barracks, probably." Akiyama said as they passed it.
The radio crackled. "Sir, I'm seeing movement in several windows of the barracks building." A woman's voice said.
"Ignore them for now. They're just looking." Ryu said.
"Yes sir." The woman responded.
A minute or so later the wall turned inwards and they followed it. Soon the radio crackled to life again, the same soldier as before said, "We've got a gate here. Looks mainly decorative, but I don't recognize the material. Doesn't look like iron or steel sir."
"Understood. Hold position." Ryu said and a few seconds later they caught up to the soldiers who were gathering around a gap in the wall. The LAV pulled up next to the gateway and Ryu stepped out of the vehicle. "This it?" He asked the woman leading the group.
"Looks like it." She said, gesturing through the gate. Ryu looked past her.
"Yeah that looks fancy enough." He said. "Alright. Akiyama pick a fire team, you're coming with Miss Kuno and I. Everyone else stays here, guard the gate and the LAV."
Akiyama popped the driver's door and stepped out. "Yes sir. Coporal Saito, you're in charge here. Corporal Kita, you're fire team is with us." He said as he walked around the vehicle.
Kodachi opened the side door and stepped out, shivering in the cold evening air. "Bit chilly. Innit." One of the soldier said to her. The woman grinned as Kodachi shot her a look.
"A bit perhaps." Kodachi said after a moment. "Feels like november actually."
"Who knows." Ryu said as he walked over. "It might just be for all we know."
"Sir." The soldier acknowledge with a nod.
"Private Arai. You're part of Kita's team, correct?" He asked.
"Yes sir." She said.
"Stick by Miss Kuno. If things go wrong your job is to get her out. Understood?"
"Sir, yes sir." She replied.
"Good. This way if you would Miss Kuno." Ryu gestured for her to walk with him.
"Of course." Kodachi smiled politely as she followed him to the gate. Once there she could see what he meant by 'fancy enough'. The mansion was a good four stories tall and lights could be seen inside. Strangely they lacked the same flickering quality that the rest of the lights they had seen until not did.
"Let's go." Ryu said taking the lead, his weapon held low as he led the way. Kodachi followed just a step behind and to the right.
-0-0-0-0-0-
"I believe that's good for now." Juniper said as she tied off Ranma's braid.
Ranma yawned and rubbed her eyes as she stirred from the doze she'd fallen into. Ranma blinked and stared at the redhaired girl looking back from within the mirror. Her hair was elegantly pulled back into one of the most intricate braids Ranma had ever seen. It was certainly more intricate than anything she had ever had done before. Of course that was also probably because it was equally more feminine than anything she'd ever done either.
There was one issue though. Thin strands of gold had been, without her noticing, woven into the intricate braid of her hair. They glittered and twinkled as she moved her head, reflecting the light in a way that made her hair seem to be more like a scarlet flame than ever before.
It took a few seconds for her to process the sight before a frown appeared on her face. Though she was further annoyed to notice that it looked more like a pout on the face in the mirror. "Why," She asked, "is there gold in my hair?"
Juniper coughed into her hand and blushed. "Well… Lady Bretegani asked that we prepare you to appear before the Goddess. I.. I may have gotten a touch carried away." She admitted sheepishly.
Ranma ran a hand along her braid and fished the end out from behind her. Unlike her fears it was not tied together with a ribbon or some silly sparkly doodad. Instead all of the threads of gold came together at a clasp of that strange golden metal in the shape of a dragon curled in sleep.
"Sister…" Jasmine sighed. "You should have known that…" She paused obviously searching for the correct word. She sighed again. "That she would not want something so feminine."
"You're the one who said my first attempt was too plain to present to a Goddess." Juniper sniped back as she shuffled nervously in place. "I-If you wish I can undo it Milady. There is still time before dawn."
Ranma sighed and flicked her braid back over her shoulder. She looked at Juniper in the mirror. She was nervous, worried that she'd done something wrong. She had of course. Ranma didn't want gold woven into her hair. It was girly, feminine and… Well it glittered. Still, as she looked at her own reflection, she could only agree, it made her look amazing. The way the light caught the strands of gold and mingled with her hair gave it a glow like the coming dawn.
"How much time do we have?" Ranma asked as she continued to admire the flickering of light of the gold. It was a very nice bit of braiding.
"Dawn after Calibration always comes early the first day." Jasmine said. Ranma shot a glance at the girl who was shaking her head at a dress before putting it back.
"Perhaps.. Just under an hour?" Juniper said swallowing nervously. Ranma frowned and watched as the servant girl flinched. Despite their mostly laid back attitude they were very nervous around her, and had been the entire night. Again it was probably that whole 'anathema' thing that everyone kept going on and on about, and maybe a fear that she was delusional. Despite the blatant presence of magic everywhere she looked it still seemed a bit ridiculous.
"It's fine." Ranma said, putting on a gentle smile. It wasn't really, but, well they were nervous enough around her. And she had been trying follow Lady Bretegani's instruction, and that woman reminded the redhead of her mother. She'd just have to live with it for now.
She shot one last admiring glance at her reflection before looking over to Jasmine. "Have you found something?" She asked, getting up from the chair.
"I- not really milady." Jasmine said as she gave the closets a long suffering look. "I am no soldiers, but I doubt that long ballroom gowns qualify as appropriate wear for a battle."
Ranma walked to the closet and peered inside. "It'll hardly be a battle." She said with amusement. The inside of the closet was packed to the brim with a variety of clothes. So long as you wanted a dress of some sort.
"I do have a couple outfits I found." Jasmine said, gesturing to the bed. "I doubt they're to your taste, but…"
"There's not much in here that would be in the first place." Ranma finished as she looked to the bed. Laying across the pillows was a red, backless, mini dress. Well it was something she could fight in, but it was also something she'd never willingly put on.
Likewise she dismissed the next two outfits she lay eyes on. One was a long dress in the style of a qipao with a slit up one side to allow more freedom of movement, the other was… Well it covered less than the mini-dress and she'd say no more.
"Where did that even come from?" She asked curiously.
Jasmine shrugged. "There have been strange fads even within my lifetime… And some of the things I've seen the Exalted Dynasts wearing is… Hm. Well they look amazing, but I'd never be willing to wear even half the stuff they consider appropriate." She said.
Privately Ranma pushed that little factoid to the back of her mind with a grimace as she went back to examining the meager selection of clothes. Most she dismissed, but there were a couple that might work. One that stood out was less of a dress, and more of a robe like a kimono.
She picked it up walked over to the mirror where she held it up. It reached to around her knees and, unlike a proper kimono, was only made of a single layer of cloth. It wasn't the same styling as a yukata either. The rich dark green and gold thread trimming also contrasted well.
She glanced back at the pile of clothing and the closet. There really wasn't a better choice, or at least not a choice she was willing to wear.
"I think it would look good on you." Jasmine said as she stepped up holding a brown sash that was decorated in gold embroidery. "Do you want to try it on?"
Ranma looked at it in the mirror one last time and sighed. It wasn't pants and a shirt, but it also wasn't some fancy girly ballroom dress. It was basically a kimono, and she'd worn girl's kimonos before. "Sure." She said.
Fifteen minutes later she was standing in front of the full length mirror again picking at the kimono-esque outfit. Well it fit her, quite flatteringly well to though she was sure it had been made for someone less… gifted than she was. Significantly so. They'd had to accept a rather generous bit of cleavage, a bit more than Ranma was comfortably with to be honest, but it worked.
Somewhere they had dug out a pair of slippers in the style she prefered, even if they were, once again, green and embroidered with golden thread.
For a moment as Ranma twisted and turned to get a look at herself she had trouble recognizing the girl in the mirror as her. She brushed that feeling aside after a moment of indecision. It was a feeling she'd gotten used to over the last couple years, and it only rarely reared its head these days.
"It looks good on you milady." Juniper said before bowing. "Sorry for screwing up."
Ranma sighed, looking down for a moment before looking up at the taller girl. "It's fine. Just, don't do it again alright?" She said.
"Yes, milady." Juniper said with another bow.
"And stop calling me milady." Ranma added.
"Of course… Lady Saotome." Jasmine said with an amused smile as Ranma shot her an annoyed look.
The redhead sighed. "Fine. I guess we're done here?"
"Unless you wish for us to help you with make-up?" Juniper offered, only to giggle at the look of disgust on Ranma's face. "I will take that as a no then."
"Definitely not." Ranma said before giving both of them a honest grateful smile. "I should head down then. Which way out?"
"Take the other door in the sitting room, then right down the hall will lead you to the main staircase." Jasmine said. Saying her thanks Ranma made a beeline out the door.
She sighed loudly as she closed the door into the hallway behind her. She pulled the end of her braid from behind her back and gave the dragon clasp a long suffering look. "If it's not one thing tonight it's another." She groused before flipping it back over her shoulder and making her way towards the staircase.
"Locked curses, overly helpful servants girls, and only dresses for miles." She continued quietly, "Just a normal, ordinary night in Nerima ain't it." As she neared the staircase she could hear a commotion down below. "And now there's something else." Because of course the night wouldn't end quietly.
A glance over the balcony told her nothing since the third floor staircase crossed right in front of her vision. Deciding speed was more important she vaulted over the side of the banister and bounced off the railing below, repeating the action until she landed, without so much as a sound, on the landing between the first and second floors.
Rising from the crouch the landing had forced her into she stared down at the scene in the main hall. Five women in JGSDF uniforms were standing in a semi-circle around the entrance and behind them were two people that Ranma was not pleased to see.
It would be a cold day in hell before she forgot the face of the guy who'd tried, and succeeded, in impersonating him to his mother. Nor was she liable to forget the most psycho of her would be suitors.
No as Ranma glared down at the assembled group of JGSDF personnel she was not happy in the least to she Kumon Ryu standing at their front, or Kuno Kodachi trying to hide behind him.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Author's note: Here's 14k words for your reading enjoyment. Or at least I hope you enjoyed it. I swear this chapter has given me so much trouble. I suspect I've probably lost at least some of you with this chapter. Ranma is going to be a girl for a lot of this story, probably most of it. I've got plot reasons, and personal ones for that choice.
Anyway let me know what you think, poke holes in my grammar, my characterizations, anything really. Just let me know how to fix it so I can avoid making the same mistakes.
Speaking of characterizations, Lockler. Really loving writing that guy, he just sorta writes himself.