Rain
Part 10
Hell on Earth?
+++++++++++
Ranma opened the gate to the Morisato home and walked in, Urd was
strolling along just behind him, with a rather smug looking smirk on
her face.
"Hey! I'm back!" he called.
Raiden walked by calmly, with Fujin beside him. "You'd best run
now."
"Huh?" said the boy in confusion. He blinked and looked down too
see Kodachi clinging to Fujin's back. "Oh man," he grumbled irritably.
"Ranma-samma!" said the love struck girl, she then blinked and
noticed the third 'Ranma' that had just arrived.
"To think, I would find three such wonderful examples of manliness
in my life! Come to me, my trio of Nubian Gods!" cried the girl as she
attempted too embrace all three of them at the same time.
"Japanese Gods actually," commented Raiden with a small frown as
he moved out of range with Ranma.
"How many?" muttered Ranma irritably.
"Airen!"
"Ranchan!" said two familiar voices as Ukyo and Shampoo rushed
onto the scene.
"Oh boy," grumbled Ranma as he hung his head.
"Where the hell have you been?" snapped Ukyo. "It's been days!"
"Aiya! Airen no tell Shampoo where go! Very bad!" agreed the
Amazon.
"That's because I didn't want any of you to know," replied the boy
irritably.
"Why the hell not? Surely you could have told me at least!"
snapped Ukyo as she pulled her giant spatula off of her back and
glared at him.
"Do you remember what happened to my house the last time I moved
out?" said the boy sourly as he looked at them for a moment.
Both girls fell silent. Kodachi was quite pleased with her
position on Fujin's back, and remained silent. The god didn't seem to
care, and ignored her presence completely.
"Well, you didn't have to tell the others, but you could have told
me! I am your fiancee!" countered Ukyo as she returned his glare.
"I wanted some peace for a while. I knew it was only a matter of
time until you found out. After all, here you are," replied the boy
with a small shrug. "How much did she charge you anyway?"
Shampoo blinked and looked at him for a moment. "Is free this
time."
Ranma looked slightly surprised, and shrugged his shoulders.
"That's weird."
"So when were you planning on letting us know about this?" snapped
Ukyo.
"Um. Never?" said the boy nervously.
"What?" snapped Ukyo and Shampoo in unison.
"Ranchan, you've got some explaining to do," said Ukyo as she
cracked her knuckles.
"Spatula girl right," agreed Shampoo angrily.
"Well, I was planning on coming to see you both later actually and
explain everything," said Ranma with a small sigh. "Come on." He
motioned for them to follow and walked into the home.
+++++++++++++++
A few moments later, he sat with his two brothers at his sides,
preventing Ukyo and Shampoo from taking the positions they had wanted.
The two girls sat opposite them, and simply glared at the trio.
Kodachi was still attached to Fujin, who was starting to look annoyed
with her.
"Well, to start off, these two guys are my brothers. Raiden, and
Fujin," said Ranma as he introduced them.
"You've got brothers?" said Ukyo in shock.
"Yes he does," said Raiden with a rather odd looking smirk.
"I thought you said you didn't know Ranma," said Ukyo coolly as
she stared at the pair for a moment.
"We don't know anyone named Ranma," said Fujin calmly. "His name
is Kura."
"What?" said the girls in shock.
"Genma Saotome, and Nodoka Saotome, are not my parents," said
Ranma.
"Panda man not Airen's father!?" gasped Shampoo.
"Nope," replied Raiden.
"Ha! I knew it!" said Ukyo cheerfully.
"That means I am not bound by any promise or deal that Genma
made," said Ranma with a slightly sorrowful frown.
Ukyo smiled for a moment longer, until the boy's words sunk in.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Your engagement too him, is invalid," said Raiden with a smug
looking grin. Ranma elbowed him in the ribs and frowned at him
angrily.
Ukyo simply sat in silence, and said nothing. "But..."
"I'm sorry Ukyo, I can't," he said with a slight shake of his
head.
"But you said I was the cute one! You loved me damn it!" she said
as she jumped up.
"When did I ever say I loved you?" asked Ranma calmly. "When did I
ever tell any of you that I loved you? Not even Shampoo, or Akane,
especially not Kodachi." He turned his head too look at the girl and
noticed that she was still sighing contentedly against his brother's
back.
"Maybe you didn't say it to me, but I know it's true!" snapped
Ukyo. "So what if Genma isn't your father! We love each other, right?"
Ranma remained silent, and said nothing.
"Right?" snarled Ukyo as she gave him a look that threatened
violence.
"No," he said sadly. "Ukyo, I've got other obligations now. I
can't marry you."
The girl stared at him coldly. "Another engagement?"
"Among other things, long before you were ever born," confirmed
Ranma.
"Who is she?" snapped Ukyo angrily. "I'll show her who's the real
fiancee! Don't worry Ranchan, I'll save you from..."
"If you lay a hand on her..." snarled Ranma as he jumped up and
glared at the girl.
"What?" gasped Ukyo in shock.
"Ha, ha! Spatula girl get dumped!" said Shampoo cheerfully.
"Heh, you're next," said Fujin as he gave her a cold smile.
Ranma slapped him on the back of his head and frowned.
"What?" he said in confusion.
"Shampoo no can be dumped, Amazon law not care about other
fiancee. Shampoo marry Ranma, er...Kura. Is not choice."
"That comes to the second part of why he can't marry either of
you," said Raiden as he looked at them for a moment and restrained his
smile. "Kura isn't human."
Both girls stared at him dumbly.
"What? Is this some kind of joke?" snapped Ukyo.
"Shampoo not amused!"
"Your amusement is of no concern to us, we are above your laws
Shampoo of Joketzuko," said Fujin coldly. "We are the three storms, and
the laws of men do not apply to us."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" cried Ukyo angrily.
"Perhaps I can help with that," said Urd as she walked into the
room.
"Urd...I..." said Ranma as he glanced at the girls for a moment
and backed away.
"It's all right Kura, I can handle this," said the goddess as she
sat down.
"Who you is?" snorted Shampoo.
"I am Kura's fiancee, I am Urd, Goddess of the Past," said the
woman with a slight smirk on her face.
"Goddess?" said Shampoo dumbly.
"Yeah, right. Tell us another one. This is getting old Ranchan,
why don't you just come back with us..."
"She isn't joking. Don't call me Ranchan, my name is Kura Okami,
God of Rain," said the boy in reply.
"What?" said Ukyo and Shampoo in shock.
Kodachi seemed to fade out of her pleasure and stared at the boy
for a moment. "Kura Okami?"
"I have been engaged to Urd since before time started. A few years
later, I died in a battle against the god of evil, Amatsu Mikaboshi.
Sixteen years ago, I was reborn and hidden away as Ranma Saotome. My
memories were sealed away to protect others and myself. Now, I am
remembering my old life, and I have too cut all ties too my old one."
"So, you see, you can't be with him anymore. Even if I wasn't here,
it would end now," said Urd sympathetically.
Shampoo and Ukyo looked at the woman for a moment, and then back
to each other again.
"What have you done to my Ranchan? You witch?" said Ukyo as she
jumped up and attacked.
"Aiya! Shampoo kill!" snarled the Amazon.
Urd started to raise her hand and mutter under her breath as she
backed away from the pair.
Kura was in front of her in an instant, a cold stare in his eyes
as he blocked both strikes and touched each girl in the center of her chest.
The pair were thrown away, and landed on the ground roughly.
"Ranchan?" muttered Ukyo dumbly.
"Aiya!" gasped Shampoo.
"Don't look at me like that. I just saved your lives," said the
boy as he turned a small frown towards Urd.
She backed away and lowered her hands, glaring at the two girls
for a moment.
"Urd, let me handle this," he said gently.
She nodded and turned away. "Fine."
The girls looked ready to attack again, and stood to their feet.
"I won't let you take him away like that!" snapped Ukyo.
"Fujin, don't hurt them," said Kura.
The demon god nodded and raised his hand. Both of the angry girls
were thrown into the wall, and held there by an impossibly strong wind.
"Let us go! You bastards! I don't know what you did to my Ranchan,
but..."
Ranma stepped forward, unaffected by the winds. "They didn't do
anything. Calm down, right now," he said firmly. "Whether you believe
me or not, it ends now. I can't have you two spending the rest of your
lives like this. Please," he pleaded with them and grasped their
shoulders. The winds died down, and they were released.
"Ranchan?" muttered Ukyo dumbly. She began to shake and clutched
his arm. Tears started to flow down her face.
Shampoo frowned and stood against the wall. "Being god not matter,
law still says Shampoo marry."
"Do you really think your tribe will be stupid enough to move
against the will of the gods for your sake?" said Raiden with a small snort.
Shampoo glared at him. "Shampoo know so."
"I suppose I'll have fun destroying them then," commented Fujin.
Raiden nodded cheerfully. "It's been so long since we've had to wipe
out upstart villages. I'm looking forward too it."
The Amazon stared at the pair in shock. "You not underestimate Amazon
strength."
"How could I do that? I know exactly how strong you are, after all,
I've killed enough of you in the past," said the demon god coldly.
A bolt of lightening struck the ground just outside the room, and Ukyo
and Shampoo stared at it in horror. The god's eyes began to glow
slightly as he smiled at them and crossed his arms.
Kodachi stood in front of Ranma, absolute adoration in her eyes.
"Kura-sama! Is it true? Are you a god?"
He blinked and nodded, without even realizing what he was doing.
"At last! A man truly worth of the name Kuno! My brother cannot
question your bloodline any longer! We shall be together! There is
nothing to stand between us!" She latched onto him and he simply stood
there, struggling to remove her arms from his body.
"Hey! Cut that out! I ain't marrying you!" he cried.
"Kura-sama! At last we will be together for all time! Come and
take these lips of mine!" said the girl excitedly as she attempted to kiss
him. Ranma grit his teeth and cried out in alarm. Kodachi simply
stared in shock as her beloved changed into a puddle of water in her
arms, and then moved across the floor to a nearby wall. He reappeared
and clutched his chest while leaning against the wall.
"Man, that was close!"
Fujin snorted as she clutched him, moving to the next 'Ranma'
within her line of sight. "You could help me you know."
"It seems you have this under control," said Nodoka as she
appeared in the room and looked around for a moment.
"Yamma-chan? What are you doing here?" said Kura as he noticed
her. He blushed and looked confused, it had felt weird calling his mother
that.
"Kura-san, I have come for the Amazon," said the woman cheerfully.
"It's nice of you to call me that again. I got tired of being your
mother, it was really strange hearing you call me that." She blushed
and looked away from him.
"Yeah, well. Feeling's mutual imotochan," grumbled Kura as he
looked at her for a moment.
"Imotochan?" said Ukyo dumbly.
"Yes, Kura is my older brother," said the goddess calmly.
"Mrs. Saotome?" said the girl in shock. She turned back towards
Kura again and frowned. "You were raised by your little sister?"
"Better than having one of these idiots as my father," said Kura
as he jerked his thumb back towards Fujin and Raiden.
"What want with Shampoo?" snapped the Amazon as she glared at the
woman.
"I've come to take you back to your great grandmother. She's waiting
for you, so that you may return to China," said the woman cheerfully.
"You lie! Great grandmother not give up on Ranma!" snarled the girl.
"I thought this might happen," muttered Yamma with a small frown.
"Look child, you've lost. Give up. I have favored your tribe for
almost three thousand years now. If I were to change my attitude, you
would die out in a few years. Your great grandmother has revoked the
kiss, and you are too return home now, with your new husband."
Shampoo blinked. "Husband?"
"Yes, she is to marry Mousse," said the goddess to Kura's
questioning gaze. "It will retain her honor, and keep her family
in good status with the tribe."
"Shampoo rather die!" snapped the Amazon as she backed away in
terror.
"That's up to you," said Yamma with a small shrug. "Come now,
you have lost child. Your tribe will no longer support this hunt."
Shampoo frowned and glanced from Kura to Yamma for a moment.
"BAD!" she screamed and rushed out into the yard, jumping over the wall
and into the streets.
"Oh dear," muttered the Goddess with a small frown. "Oh well. I
tried." She gave a small shrug and sat down at the table. "What of
this one?"
Ukyo was sitting with her shoulders slumped down, she had a
rather dead look in her eyes as she sat there.
"I'll...deal with it," said Kura with a light smile on his face.
"I'd still like to be friends Ucchan."
She looked up at him and frowned. "I hate you." Her entire body
trembled as she cried openly and glared at him.
He reacted as if he'd been slapped, and turned away. "I..."
"Kura! You have to get out of here!" said a new voice.
The god looked up and blinked for a moment. "Benten?"
"She knows!" said the goddess desperately.
"She?" he muttered for a moment.
"We'll see you later bro," said Fujin as he grabbed Raiden by
the arm and quickly vacated the area.
"Run you idiot!" snapped Benten as she slapped him with several
of her arms, snapping him out of his stupor.
"KURA OKAMI! GET YOUR CUTE BEHIND OUT HERE NOW!" said an angry
sounding female voice.
"Um...is that?"
"I'm too late," said Benten as she moved away from him.
"Venus? What are you doing here?" said Kura as he walked out
obliviously and looked at the blond goddess. She was floating in the
air, and glaring down at him angrily.
"So! It is you!" she snarled. "How dare you! How dare you not
call me! Everyone thought you were dead for all time! You've got some
nerve showing up now and not calling your girlfriend or anything!" She
thrust her hands down at him, and a golden energy beam slammed into
the ground at his feet.
"Huh? Girlfriend!?" muttered Kura dumbly.
"That's right!" snapped Venus.
"She's gonna kill him again!" said Benten as she peered out the
door and watched.
Yamma strolled out into the yard fearlessly and scowled at the
goddess. "Stop it right now!"
Venus turned her gaze at the goddess for a moment. "You little
brat! You knew about this and didn't tell me?" she seethed.
Yamma stood firmly for a moment, and then burst into tears. "Wahhh!
I wasn't allowed to say anything it anyone! I swear! I wasn't the one
who told Urd about him! She found him by accident!"
Kura blinked and looked at the goddesses in confusion. It was
extremely weird seeing his mother for the last sixteen years in that
position. She was clutching at Venus's feet, and begging for
forgiveness.
"You were always my favorite!" said Yamma desperately. "Forgive me!"
"I suppose, since your apology was so sincere..." said Venus with a
light smirk on her face. She turned towards Kura and scowled again.
"Now, it's your turn."
"The hell!" snapped the god. "All this time, and you still don't
have a backbone, Yamma?"
"Well...I..." muttered the Goddess in embarrassment.
"Now, what makes you think that I owe you an apology?" said Kura
as he returned the goddess's glare.
"What? Millions of years, and you never said anything to me!"
snapped Venus.
"Sorry, I was busy being dead," he replied with a snort.
"That's no excuse!" snapped Venus as she blasted another beam of
light at him. This time, he caught it in the chest. His eyes seemed to glaze
over, and he jumped into the air, taking the goddess into his arms and
kissing her deeply.
Venus smiled as the kiss broke. "That's more like it."
"Damn it! I told you about doing that too me!" snapped Kura as he
pushed her away.
"Come on, you know you like it," she teased. A smaller beam shot
from her finger, and the process was repeated again.
"Damn it Venus! Stop it!" he snapped.
"All right! Venus Love Me Chain!" cried the goddess as a chain of
hearts appeared in her hand and wrapped around his body. "Now you're
mine."
Kura struggled, but his body was moving without him. His hands
reached up and grabbed her chest.
"Ooh! Not so hard Kura!" she exclaimed.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" snapped a familiar
voice from behind him.
"Uh oh," muttered Kura.
Urd was floating in the air behind him, her power forming in her
hands as she watched the scene.
"We were making out. What does it look like?" said Venus casually.
"Down there," she commanded to Kura.
The god gasped in shocked horror as his hand went under her skirt.
"Oh man."
"Hohohohohoho! Don't worry my love! The Black Rose shall rescue
you from these harradins!"
++++++++++++++
"You'd think he'd have learned by now," commented Fujin as they
hid behind the roof of the home and watched.
"What's going on?" muttered Keiichi as he tried to get
comfortable. It was difficult too lie down flat with his breasts in
his way.
"Kura is about to get himself killed again," said Raiden.
"Should we help him?" asked Skuld with an uncertain look on her
face.
"Oh goodness no!" exclaimed Belldandy.
"But! We'll die!" said Fujin at the same time.
"She's making him do all that stuff though," pointed out Keiichi.
"Urd doesn't care, just watch and stay low," said Raiden with a
cheerful smile. "Don't worry, they probably won't kill him."
"Probably?" said Keiichi fearfully.
"Is he dead yet?" asked Benten as she joined the group.
"I wish I could have done more for him, but Venus is really mean!"
said Yamma as she moved up next to her.
+++++++++++++++
Kura wasn't sure what was going on, but he was in a lot of pain.
Overhead, the two goddesses were dueling it out. Throwing power at one
another, and doing a lot of collateral damage too the yard in the
process. He crawled away, still smoking from Urd's first attack. "I
gotta get the hell out of here!" He glanced over and noticed that
Kodachi was lying prone on the ground still, she had been taken out
early on in the battle, and had yet to move. Luckily, she hadn't
been killed.
"Psst! This way!" said a familiar voice.
"Mara?" muttered the god as he crawled under the back porch and
found her lying there.
"Hiya, Kura, in another mess I see," she said with a small wink.
"Yeah, well..." he muttered irritably as he looked away and
blushed.
"Brings back memories doesn't it?" she said cheerfully.
"Yeah, I suppose it does," he said with a slightly wistful smile.
"You shouldn't be here though."
"Come on. I'm just visiting. Say, doesn't that hurt?" She pointed
at his back, and noticed it was still smoking.
"Yes."
"I'll kiss it and make it better," she said cheerfully.
"Don't you start now," he muttered angrily.
"It was a joke, come on," she said as she pouted cutely and rolled
over onto her back.
"Let me ask you something," she said as she gave him a sidelong
glance.
"What is it?" he replied as he looked out and watched the two
goddesses duel.
"Do you really want to go back to that? I mean, that whole mess
all over again?" she looked up and pointed at the pair.
"Yeah," he said with a sly looking grin on his face. "Believe it
or not, I never really left it. It's a pain sometimes, but I have a
blast most of the time. I think that's why I chose the life of Ranma
Saotome."
"It could end up like what happened too that Kuonji girl. I can
still feel her anger," said the demoness coldly.
"Benten was like that for a while, if you remember," said Kura
with a small shrug. "She thinks I'm the end all and be all of her
life. She'll learn otherwise, and look back on this fondly. I have
faith in her."
"I doubt that," replied Mara with a frown. She hadn't expected
that answer from him.
"It's your job to doubt that. That's why we can't be together. I
know what you're trying to do Mara; I won't go back with you. There's
nothing you can say to change my mind."
"It's also my job to try," she countered coldly.
"I know," he said with another shrug.
"Kura, I don't want to go through this again. Please, come with
me."
"Again?" he muttered in confusion.
"Don't be so stupid. Do you have any idea how much energy a
rebirth like yours takes? No matter how much he loves you, he wouldn't
do it without a reason," she said as she glared at him. "Please, just
come back with me and forget about all this!"
"If I was reborn for a reason, I intend to fulfill it. I can't
take something like being born again, and throw it in his face.
Mara..."
"Don't even bother asking Kura," she replied with a small frown.
"Right. I almost forgot," he said with a small chuckle.
"Well, if I'm fated to die again, I guess I'd better enjoy myself
now," he said as he crawled back out and left her there.
She glared at him as he moved away, and bit her lip. "Damn."
+++++++++++++++
Venus and Urd were sitting next too each other, both looking
rather beaten and charred.
"Keep your hands off of him," grumbled Urd.
"Ha! Like you can stop me," retorted Venus.
"Haven't you two had enough yet?" snorted Kura as he sat across
from them with a scowl on your face. "I don't care if you fight, but
do you have to keep dragging me into it?"
"This is about you!" snapped Urd.
"Yeah! You're mine, and she knows it!" replied Venus.
"Stop that!" cried the god as he pulled them apart. They were
trying to beat each other into submission again.
Keiichi walked up to the trio and set down a box of tools. He
crossed his arms over his breasts and frowned at them. His shoe
tapping on the ground.
"What is it?" said Venus in irritation.
Keiichi pointed at the back yard and frowned.
The two goddesses looked at the mess they had made. There were
holes in the outer wall, and broken branches lying around among the
holes created by the blast.
"You have got to be kidding!" snapped Venus.
"Keiichi, this had better be a joke," muttered Urd.
"Don't look at me, it wasn't my idea," replied the boy.
Belldandy appeared behind him, a scowl on her face told them
everything. "And no magic," she said firmly.
The two goddesses hung their heads and picked up the tools.
"Well, that turned out well," said Yamma cheerfully.
"Yeah, thanks for the help," commented Kura as he gave her a small
glance.
She hung her head and sighed. "Sorry."
++++++++++++++++
TBC...
Part 10
Hell on Earth?
+++++++++++
Ranma opened the gate to the Morisato home and walked in, Urd was
strolling along just behind him, with a rather smug looking smirk on
her face.
"Hey! I'm back!" he called.
Raiden walked by calmly, with Fujin beside him. "You'd best run
now."
"Huh?" said the boy in confusion. He blinked and looked down too
see Kodachi clinging to Fujin's back. "Oh man," he grumbled irritably.
"Ranma-samma!" said the love struck girl, she then blinked and
noticed the third 'Ranma' that had just arrived.
"To think, I would find three such wonderful examples of manliness
in my life! Come to me, my trio of Nubian Gods!" cried the girl as she
attempted too embrace all three of them at the same time.
"Japanese Gods actually," commented Raiden with a small frown as
he moved out of range with Ranma.
"How many?" muttered Ranma irritably.
"Airen!"
"Ranchan!" said two familiar voices as Ukyo and Shampoo rushed
onto the scene.
"Oh boy," grumbled Ranma as he hung his head.
"Where the hell have you been?" snapped Ukyo. "It's been days!"
"Aiya! Airen no tell Shampoo where go! Very bad!" agreed the
Amazon.
"That's because I didn't want any of you to know," replied the boy
irritably.
"Why the hell not? Surely you could have told me at least!"
snapped Ukyo as she pulled her giant spatula off of her back and
glared at him.
"Do you remember what happened to my house the last time I moved
out?" said the boy sourly as he looked at them for a moment.
Both girls fell silent. Kodachi was quite pleased with her
position on Fujin's back, and remained silent. The god didn't seem to
care, and ignored her presence completely.
"Well, you didn't have to tell the others, but you could have told
me! I am your fiancee!" countered Ukyo as she returned his glare.
"I wanted some peace for a while. I knew it was only a matter of
time until you found out. After all, here you are," replied the boy
with a small shrug. "How much did she charge you anyway?"
Shampoo blinked and looked at him for a moment. "Is free this
time."
Ranma looked slightly surprised, and shrugged his shoulders.
"That's weird."
"So when were you planning on letting us know about this?" snapped
Ukyo.
"Um. Never?" said the boy nervously.
"What?" snapped Ukyo and Shampoo in unison.
"Ranchan, you've got some explaining to do," said Ukyo as she
cracked her knuckles.
"Spatula girl right," agreed Shampoo angrily.
"Well, I was planning on coming to see you both later actually and
explain everything," said Ranma with a small sigh. "Come on." He
motioned for them to follow and walked into the home.
+++++++++++++++
A few moments later, he sat with his two brothers at his sides,
preventing Ukyo and Shampoo from taking the positions they had wanted.
The two girls sat opposite them, and simply glared at the trio.
Kodachi was still attached to Fujin, who was starting to look annoyed
with her.
"Well, to start off, these two guys are my brothers. Raiden, and
Fujin," said Ranma as he introduced them.
"You've got brothers?" said Ukyo in shock.
"Yes he does," said Raiden with a rather odd looking smirk.
"I thought you said you didn't know Ranma," said Ukyo coolly as
she stared at the pair for a moment.
"We don't know anyone named Ranma," said Fujin calmly. "His name
is Kura."
"What?" said the girls in shock.
"Genma Saotome, and Nodoka Saotome, are not my parents," said
Ranma.
"Panda man not Airen's father!?" gasped Shampoo.
"Nope," replied Raiden.
"Ha! I knew it!" said Ukyo cheerfully.
"That means I am not bound by any promise or deal that Genma
made," said Ranma with a slightly sorrowful frown.
Ukyo smiled for a moment longer, until the boy's words sunk in.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Your engagement too him, is invalid," said Raiden with a smug
looking grin. Ranma elbowed him in the ribs and frowned at him
angrily.
Ukyo simply sat in silence, and said nothing. "But..."
"I'm sorry Ukyo, I can't," he said with a slight shake of his
head.
"But you said I was the cute one! You loved me damn it!" she said
as she jumped up.
"When did I ever say I loved you?" asked Ranma calmly. "When did I
ever tell any of you that I loved you? Not even Shampoo, or Akane,
especially not Kodachi." He turned his head too look at the girl and
noticed that she was still sighing contentedly against his brother's
back.
"Maybe you didn't say it to me, but I know it's true!" snapped
Ukyo. "So what if Genma isn't your father! We love each other, right?"
Ranma remained silent, and said nothing.
"Right?" snarled Ukyo as she gave him a look that threatened
violence.
"No," he said sadly. "Ukyo, I've got other obligations now. I
can't marry you."
The girl stared at him coldly. "Another engagement?"
"Among other things, long before you were ever born," confirmed
Ranma.
"Who is she?" snapped Ukyo angrily. "I'll show her who's the real
fiancee! Don't worry Ranchan, I'll save you from..."
"If you lay a hand on her..." snarled Ranma as he jumped up and
glared at the girl.
"What?" gasped Ukyo in shock.
"Ha, ha! Spatula girl get dumped!" said Shampoo cheerfully.
"Heh, you're next," said Fujin as he gave her a cold smile.
Ranma slapped him on the back of his head and frowned.
"What?" he said in confusion.
"Shampoo no can be dumped, Amazon law not care about other
fiancee. Shampoo marry Ranma, er...Kura. Is not choice."
"That comes to the second part of why he can't marry either of
you," said Raiden as he looked at them for a moment and restrained his
smile. "Kura isn't human."
Both girls stared at him dumbly.
"What? Is this some kind of joke?" snapped Ukyo.
"Shampoo not amused!"
"Your amusement is of no concern to us, we are above your laws
Shampoo of Joketzuko," said Fujin coldly. "We are the three storms, and
the laws of men do not apply to us."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" cried Ukyo angrily.
"Perhaps I can help with that," said Urd as she walked into the
room.
"Urd...I..." said Ranma as he glanced at the girls for a moment
and backed away.
"It's all right Kura, I can handle this," said the goddess as she
sat down.
"Who you is?" snorted Shampoo.
"I am Kura's fiancee, I am Urd, Goddess of the Past," said the
woman with a slight smirk on her face.
"Goddess?" said Shampoo dumbly.
"Yeah, right. Tell us another one. This is getting old Ranchan,
why don't you just come back with us..."
"She isn't joking. Don't call me Ranchan, my name is Kura Okami,
God of Rain," said the boy in reply.
"What?" said Ukyo and Shampoo in shock.
Kodachi seemed to fade out of her pleasure and stared at the boy
for a moment. "Kura Okami?"
"I have been engaged to Urd since before time started. A few years
later, I died in a battle against the god of evil, Amatsu Mikaboshi.
Sixteen years ago, I was reborn and hidden away as Ranma Saotome. My
memories were sealed away to protect others and myself. Now, I am
remembering my old life, and I have too cut all ties too my old one."
"So, you see, you can't be with him anymore. Even if I wasn't here,
it would end now," said Urd sympathetically.
Shampoo and Ukyo looked at the woman for a moment, and then back
to each other again.
"What have you done to my Ranchan? You witch?" said Ukyo as she
jumped up and attacked.
"Aiya! Shampoo kill!" snarled the Amazon.
Urd started to raise her hand and mutter under her breath as she
backed away from the pair.
Kura was in front of her in an instant, a cold stare in his eyes
as he blocked both strikes and touched each girl in the center of her chest.
The pair were thrown away, and landed on the ground roughly.
"Ranchan?" muttered Ukyo dumbly.
"Aiya!" gasped Shampoo.
"Don't look at me like that. I just saved your lives," said the
boy as he turned a small frown towards Urd.
She backed away and lowered her hands, glaring at the two girls
for a moment.
"Urd, let me handle this," he said gently.
She nodded and turned away. "Fine."
The girls looked ready to attack again, and stood to their feet.
"I won't let you take him away like that!" snapped Ukyo.
"Fujin, don't hurt them," said Kura.
The demon god nodded and raised his hand. Both of the angry girls
were thrown into the wall, and held there by an impossibly strong wind.
"Let us go! You bastards! I don't know what you did to my Ranchan,
but..."
Ranma stepped forward, unaffected by the winds. "They didn't do
anything. Calm down, right now," he said firmly. "Whether you believe
me or not, it ends now. I can't have you two spending the rest of your
lives like this. Please," he pleaded with them and grasped their
shoulders. The winds died down, and they were released.
"Ranchan?" muttered Ukyo dumbly. She began to shake and clutched
his arm. Tears started to flow down her face.
Shampoo frowned and stood against the wall. "Being god not matter,
law still says Shampoo marry."
"Do you really think your tribe will be stupid enough to move
against the will of the gods for your sake?" said Raiden with a small snort.
Shampoo glared at him. "Shampoo know so."
"I suppose I'll have fun destroying them then," commented Fujin.
Raiden nodded cheerfully. "It's been so long since we've had to wipe
out upstart villages. I'm looking forward too it."
The Amazon stared at the pair in shock. "You not underestimate Amazon
strength."
"How could I do that? I know exactly how strong you are, after all,
I've killed enough of you in the past," said the demon god coldly.
A bolt of lightening struck the ground just outside the room, and Ukyo
and Shampoo stared at it in horror. The god's eyes began to glow
slightly as he smiled at them and crossed his arms.
Kodachi stood in front of Ranma, absolute adoration in her eyes.
"Kura-sama! Is it true? Are you a god?"
He blinked and nodded, without even realizing what he was doing.
"At last! A man truly worth of the name Kuno! My brother cannot
question your bloodline any longer! We shall be together! There is
nothing to stand between us!" She latched onto him and he simply stood
there, struggling to remove her arms from his body.
"Hey! Cut that out! I ain't marrying you!" he cried.
"Kura-sama! At last we will be together for all time! Come and
take these lips of mine!" said the girl excitedly as she attempted to kiss
him. Ranma grit his teeth and cried out in alarm. Kodachi simply
stared in shock as her beloved changed into a puddle of water in her
arms, and then moved across the floor to a nearby wall. He reappeared
and clutched his chest while leaning against the wall.
"Man, that was close!"
Fujin snorted as she clutched him, moving to the next 'Ranma'
within her line of sight. "You could help me you know."
"It seems you have this under control," said Nodoka as she
appeared in the room and looked around for a moment.
"Yamma-chan? What are you doing here?" said Kura as he noticed
her. He blushed and looked confused, it had felt weird calling his mother
that.
"Kura-san, I have come for the Amazon," said the woman cheerfully.
"It's nice of you to call me that again. I got tired of being your
mother, it was really strange hearing you call me that." She blushed
and looked away from him.
"Yeah, well. Feeling's mutual imotochan," grumbled Kura as he
looked at her for a moment.
"Imotochan?" said Ukyo dumbly.
"Yes, Kura is my older brother," said the goddess calmly.
"Mrs. Saotome?" said the girl in shock. She turned back towards
Kura again and frowned. "You were raised by your little sister?"
"Better than having one of these idiots as my father," said Kura
as he jerked his thumb back towards Fujin and Raiden.
"What want with Shampoo?" snapped the Amazon as she glared at the
woman.
"I've come to take you back to your great grandmother. She's waiting
for you, so that you may return to China," said the woman cheerfully.
"You lie! Great grandmother not give up on Ranma!" snarled the girl.
"I thought this might happen," muttered Yamma with a small frown.
"Look child, you've lost. Give up. I have favored your tribe for
almost three thousand years now. If I were to change my attitude, you
would die out in a few years. Your great grandmother has revoked the
kiss, and you are too return home now, with your new husband."
Shampoo blinked. "Husband?"
"Yes, she is to marry Mousse," said the goddess to Kura's
questioning gaze. "It will retain her honor, and keep her family
in good status with the tribe."
"Shampoo rather die!" snapped the Amazon as she backed away in
terror.
"That's up to you," said Yamma with a small shrug. "Come now,
you have lost child. Your tribe will no longer support this hunt."
Shampoo frowned and glanced from Kura to Yamma for a moment.
"BAD!" she screamed and rushed out into the yard, jumping over the wall
and into the streets.
"Oh dear," muttered the Goddess with a small frown. "Oh well. I
tried." She gave a small shrug and sat down at the table. "What of
this one?"
Ukyo was sitting with her shoulders slumped down, she had a
rather dead look in her eyes as she sat there.
"I'll...deal with it," said Kura with a light smile on his face.
"I'd still like to be friends Ucchan."
She looked up at him and frowned. "I hate you." Her entire body
trembled as she cried openly and glared at him.
He reacted as if he'd been slapped, and turned away. "I..."
"Kura! You have to get out of here!" said a new voice.
The god looked up and blinked for a moment. "Benten?"
"She knows!" said the goddess desperately.
"She?" he muttered for a moment.
"We'll see you later bro," said Fujin as he grabbed Raiden by
the arm and quickly vacated the area.
"Run you idiot!" snapped Benten as she slapped him with several
of her arms, snapping him out of his stupor.
"KURA OKAMI! GET YOUR CUTE BEHIND OUT HERE NOW!" said an angry
sounding female voice.
"Um...is that?"
"I'm too late," said Benten as she moved away from him.
"Venus? What are you doing here?" said Kura as he walked out
obliviously and looked at the blond goddess. She was floating in the
air, and glaring down at him angrily.
"So! It is you!" she snarled. "How dare you! How dare you not
call me! Everyone thought you were dead for all time! You've got some
nerve showing up now and not calling your girlfriend or anything!" She
thrust her hands down at him, and a golden energy beam slammed into
the ground at his feet.
"Huh? Girlfriend!?" muttered Kura dumbly.
"That's right!" snapped Venus.
"She's gonna kill him again!" said Benten as she peered out the
door and watched.
Yamma strolled out into the yard fearlessly and scowled at the
goddess. "Stop it right now!"
Venus turned her gaze at the goddess for a moment. "You little
brat! You knew about this and didn't tell me?" she seethed.
Yamma stood firmly for a moment, and then burst into tears. "Wahhh!
I wasn't allowed to say anything it anyone! I swear! I wasn't the one
who told Urd about him! She found him by accident!"
Kura blinked and looked at the goddesses in confusion. It was
extremely weird seeing his mother for the last sixteen years in that
position. She was clutching at Venus's feet, and begging for
forgiveness.
"You were always my favorite!" said Yamma desperately. "Forgive me!"
"I suppose, since your apology was so sincere..." said Venus with a
light smirk on her face. She turned towards Kura and scowled again.
"Now, it's your turn."
"The hell!" snapped the god. "All this time, and you still don't
have a backbone, Yamma?"
"Well...I..." muttered the Goddess in embarrassment.
"Now, what makes you think that I owe you an apology?" said Kura
as he returned the goddess's glare.
"What? Millions of years, and you never said anything to me!"
snapped Venus.
"Sorry, I was busy being dead," he replied with a snort.
"That's no excuse!" snapped Venus as she blasted another beam of
light at him. This time, he caught it in the chest. His eyes seemed to glaze
over, and he jumped into the air, taking the goddess into his arms and
kissing her deeply.
Venus smiled as the kiss broke. "That's more like it."
"Damn it! I told you about doing that too me!" snapped Kura as he
pushed her away.
"Come on, you know you like it," she teased. A smaller beam shot
from her finger, and the process was repeated again.
"Damn it Venus! Stop it!" he snapped.
"All right! Venus Love Me Chain!" cried the goddess as a chain of
hearts appeared in her hand and wrapped around his body. "Now you're
mine."
Kura struggled, but his body was moving without him. His hands
reached up and grabbed her chest.
"Ooh! Not so hard Kura!" she exclaimed.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" snapped a familiar
voice from behind him.
"Uh oh," muttered Kura.
Urd was floating in the air behind him, her power forming in her
hands as she watched the scene.
"We were making out. What does it look like?" said Venus casually.
"Down there," she commanded to Kura.
The god gasped in shocked horror as his hand went under her skirt.
"Oh man."
"Hohohohohoho! Don't worry my love! The Black Rose shall rescue
you from these harradins!"
++++++++++++++
"You'd think he'd have learned by now," commented Fujin as they
hid behind the roof of the home and watched.
"What's going on?" muttered Keiichi as he tried to get
comfortable. It was difficult too lie down flat with his breasts in
his way.
"Kura is about to get himself killed again," said Raiden.
"Should we help him?" asked Skuld with an uncertain look on her
face.
"Oh goodness no!" exclaimed Belldandy.
"But! We'll die!" said Fujin at the same time.
"She's making him do all that stuff though," pointed out Keiichi.
"Urd doesn't care, just watch and stay low," said Raiden with a
cheerful smile. "Don't worry, they probably won't kill him."
"Probably?" said Keiichi fearfully.
"Is he dead yet?" asked Benten as she joined the group.
"I wish I could have done more for him, but Venus is really mean!"
said Yamma as she moved up next to her.
+++++++++++++++
Kura wasn't sure what was going on, but he was in a lot of pain.
Overhead, the two goddesses were dueling it out. Throwing power at one
another, and doing a lot of collateral damage too the yard in the
process. He crawled away, still smoking from Urd's first attack. "I
gotta get the hell out of here!" He glanced over and noticed that
Kodachi was lying prone on the ground still, she had been taken out
early on in the battle, and had yet to move. Luckily, she hadn't
been killed.
"Psst! This way!" said a familiar voice.
"Mara?" muttered the god as he crawled under the back porch and
found her lying there.
"Hiya, Kura, in another mess I see," she said with a small wink.
"Yeah, well..." he muttered irritably as he looked away and
blushed.
"Brings back memories doesn't it?" she said cheerfully.
"Yeah, I suppose it does," he said with a slightly wistful smile.
"You shouldn't be here though."
"Come on. I'm just visiting. Say, doesn't that hurt?" She pointed
at his back, and noticed it was still smoking.
"Yes."
"I'll kiss it and make it better," she said cheerfully.
"Don't you start now," he muttered angrily.
"It was a joke, come on," she said as she pouted cutely and rolled
over onto her back.
"Let me ask you something," she said as she gave him a sidelong
glance.
"What is it?" he replied as he looked out and watched the two
goddesses duel.
"Do you really want to go back to that? I mean, that whole mess
all over again?" she looked up and pointed at the pair.
"Yeah," he said with a sly looking grin on his face. "Believe it
or not, I never really left it. It's a pain sometimes, but I have a
blast most of the time. I think that's why I chose the life of Ranma
Saotome."
"It could end up like what happened too that Kuonji girl. I can
still feel her anger," said the demoness coldly.
"Benten was like that for a while, if you remember," said Kura
with a small shrug. "She thinks I'm the end all and be all of her
life. She'll learn otherwise, and look back on this fondly. I have
faith in her."
"I doubt that," replied Mara with a frown. She hadn't expected
that answer from him.
"It's your job to doubt that. That's why we can't be together. I
know what you're trying to do Mara; I won't go back with you. There's
nothing you can say to change my mind."
"It's also my job to try," she countered coldly.
"I know," he said with another shrug.
"Kura, I don't want to go through this again. Please, come with
me."
"Again?" he muttered in confusion.
"Don't be so stupid. Do you have any idea how much energy a
rebirth like yours takes? No matter how much he loves you, he wouldn't
do it without a reason," she said as she glared at him. "Please, just
come back with me and forget about all this!"
"If I was reborn for a reason, I intend to fulfill it. I can't
take something like being born again, and throw it in his face.
Mara..."
"Don't even bother asking Kura," she replied with a small frown.
"Right. I almost forgot," he said with a small chuckle.
"Well, if I'm fated to die again, I guess I'd better enjoy myself
now," he said as he crawled back out and left her there.
She glared at him as he moved away, and bit her lip. "Damn."
+++++++++++++++
Venus and Urd were sitting next too each other, both looking
rather beaten and charred.
"Keep your hands off of him," grumbled Urd.
"Ha! Like you can stop me," retorted Venus.
"Haven't you two had enough yet?" snorted Kura as he sat across
from them with a scowl on your face. "I don't care if you fight, but
do you have to keep dragging me into it?"
"This is about you!" snapped Urd.
"Yeah! You're mine, and she knows it!" replied Venus.
"Stop that!" cried the god as he pulled them apart. They were
trying to beat each other into submission again.
Keiichi walked up to the trio and set down a box of tools. He
crossed his arms over his breasts and frowned at them. His shoe
tapping on the ground.
"What is it?" said Venus in irritation.
Keiichi pointed at the back yard and frowned.
The two goddesses looked at the mess they had made. There were
holes in the outer wall, and broken branches lying around among the
holes created by the blast.
"You have got to be kidding!" snapped Venus.
"Keiichi, this had better be a joke," muttered Urd.
"Don't look at me, it wasn't my idea," replied the boy.
Belldandy appeared behind him, a scowl on her face told them
everything. "And no magic," she said firmly.
The two goddesses hung their heads and picked up the tools.
"Well, that turned out well," said Yamma cheerfully.
"Yeah, thanks for the help," commented Kura as he gave her a small
glance.
She hung her head and sighed. "Sorry."
++++++++++++++++
TBC...