Rain
Part 12
The End of Ranma Saotome.
++++++++++++
Kura Okami, god of rain, and defender of the heavens, that was who
he was now. He stood on the roof of the Morisato home, staring out
over the city silently.
It was early morning, and after the disastrous attempt at school
life again the previous day, he had decided not to return again.
"Kura?" said a familiar voice from behind him.
He turned and smiled at the woman floating in the sky above him.
She was dressed in a shining robe that sparkled brightly, despite the
dim fog that shrouded the sleepy burg. "Hello Amaterasu."
"I've come to give this to you," she said as she held a small box
out.
"What is it?" he asked as he accepted the small wooden box and
flipped it over in his hands a few times.
"The end of Ranma Saotome," she told him.
"What?" said the god as he looked at her in confusion.
"These are the last of your sealed memories," she said with a
small smile on her face.
"In...a box?" he muttered as he looked down at it.
"Father has a thing for symbolism," she replied with a small
shrug.
"I remember a lot, can't think of what could be in here," he said
as he looked down at the simple wooden frame for a moment.
"Your death, battles fought long ago. These are your pain Kura,
it's time you remembered what being a god truly is."
"And all the way at the bottom, a little bit of hope, right?" he
said with a wistful looking smile.
"Pandora's box," she said with a small nod.
"It's him isn't it? That's why I'm here," said the god as he
stared out at the endless expanse of rooftops.
"Most likely," said the goddess.
"I'm just glad I got to see what I was fighting for, all those
eons ago," he said as he looked out over the rooftops again.
"I'll leave you alone with that, it's only for you," she said as
she vanished from in front of him.
"Right," he said as he looked down at it and lifted the lid. "Just
for me huh?"
+++++++++++++
Kura floated in the sky, the last remaining god. "You bastards."
He looked to be about sixteen years old. His eye was covered by a
black eye patch, hiding the scarred remains of one of his eyes. He was
dressed in a simple brown clothing, and had his hair tied into a
ponytail behind his head. Before him, a gigantic red demon, and a
black demon with a large sack over his shoulder glared at him coolly.
The two demon things leered at him, chuckling to themselves as the
circled him slowly.
"What are you going to do god?" said Fujin coldly.
"Die, that's what he'll do," answered Raiden.
"I won't let you!" said Kura as his power flared around his body.
Water began to fall from the dark clouds overhead.
"Heh, what's he going to do? Wet us?" said Raiden with a dark
chuckle.
"Come little rain god, your fate is sealed," said Fujin as he
slowly moved towards him.
"No! If I'm going to die, I'm gonna take you with me!" snarled
Kura angrily as he rushed the demons head on.
"Fool!" snarled Raiden as he thrust his claws forward. Power shot
from his fingertips, slamming into the smaller god's body.
"I will not..." said Kura in pain.
Fujin appeared beside him and a strong gust of wind tossed the
young god aside. "Never...I won't lose..." said Kura as he managed to
right himself and turned to face the pair again.
The rain in the sky became ice, and slowly shifted forms into
razor sharp spikes.
The two demons laughed, the lethal shower bouncing off their thick
skin as if it was just ice cubes.
"You can never defeat us," said Raiden calmly as he raised his
claws again. His eyes began to glow a cold blue as he bared his fangs.
"Then I'll die trying," replied Kura angrily as he rushed forward
once again.
Raiden and Fujin both blasted him, each using his own power to
drive the god back.
Kura continued forward, pushing against the assault. His body was
beaten and burning, and he was bleeding from almost everywhere.
"Die demons!" snarled the god as a blue light formed around his
body.
Both of the beasts gasped in shock as they were enveloped in a
wave of blue power. They could feel their skin freezing over, and the
water being pulled from their bodies.
The flash ended, and Kura simply floated, staring at the two dried
out husks. He chuckled, and plummeted down out of the sky.
When he landed on the rocks below, he simply stared up, and felt
his life force leaving his body. The last parts of his soul were
floating away.
The two demons were standing on either side of him, cold frowns on
their faces.
"You have lost god," said Fujin.
"It is time to end this," agreed Raiden.
Both of them had oddly respectful tones as they approached him.
"While I still live, I will fight," snarled Kura as he raised his
head to stare at them. His arm slowly rose up, a ball of light forming
in his palm. It was sickly though, and flickered in and out of
existence.
"You have impressed me," said Fujin with a small nod. "Perhaps you
do not need to die?"
Kura snarled at him, still trying to complete his attack.
"Young god, do not throw your life away. Join us, become our
brother, we will revive you. Together, our power will not be rivaled
in all the heavens!" said Raiden as he stared down at the god.
"I'll never join you," muttered Kura painfully, the ball of light
in his hand flared for a moment. "I'll be your brother, if you join
me." It was a joke really, something he hadn't really thought about
saying.
Raiden and Fujin looked at one another for a moment. Not saying a
word. They then burst into laughter, a cold and cruel sounding thing.
"Benten, I'm...sorry..." muttered Kura as he began to fade away,
not even having the strength to hold up his head and arm any longer.
"Very well young god. We accept your offer," said Raiden.
"Wha?" muttered the god weakly, not even able to convey his
surprise.
+++++++++++++
"Why? I came back for you!" cried Kura in as he looked at the
eight armed goddess in shocked horror.
Benten frowned at him, glaring hatefully into his eyes. "You
brought them here. I will not forgive you for that."
"But...I love..."
"Silence! Look at you! The blood of our enemy now flows through
your veins! You were weak!" snapped the angry goddess as she stared at
him coldly. "My line, shall not be tainted by the blood of demons."
Kura merely fell to his knees, staring at her in shock. He could
not even speak.
"Our engagement is over Kura Okami. Father himself has allowed me
this privilege," said the Goddess as she turned her head away from him
in shame. She gave him a final sorrowful stare, and began to cry
openly as she rushed away.
"Benten!" cried Kura as he attempted to stand and move after her.
His legs gave out, and he slumped to the ground. "No. Why?"
++++++++++++++
Kura looked up from where he was seated, he was working on
maintaining a long bow beneath a large tree. "Who the hell are you?
What do you want?" snapped Kura as he turned to face the young goddess
who had approached him.
She had shoulder length white hair, and was built rather well for
her age. She looked to be about fourteen years old.
"Come on, don't be like that," said the young goddess sweetly.
"I don't need anyone's company," he said coldly.
"Yeah, maybe you don't, but I do," she replied with a small snort
as she sat down beside him.
"Fine, see if I care," he snorted as he continued to work.
"I'm Urd. You're Kura right?"
"That's right," he replied.
"I think you're lying. You can get in trouble for that," she said
as she looked out across the field that spread out before them. She
kicked her legs out and relaxed.
"What?" said Kura as he blinked and looked at her.
"You really do need company," she said as she grinned back at him.
+++++++++++
Urd had pulled Kura along on a shopping trip. He crossed his arms
and frowned as he glanced around himself. There were no other gods in
the shopping district. "Why the hell am I here?" he muttered to
himself irritably.
Several of the goddesses were looking at him oddly. He had a
reputation for being somewhat of a grouch, especially when dealing
with goddesses. It was a most unusual sight to find someone as
cheerful and young as Urd dragging him around.
"I'm going in here. Wait for me?" said the young Goddess as she
tapped him in the forehead to catch his attention.
"Why should I?" he replied curtly.
"Because you like me. Now stay put," she said as she hopped into a
nearby store.
"I do not!" he snapped as he crossed his arms, and waited for her.
"Well, if it isn't Kura Okami," said another female voice. Urd had
not been gone ten seconds when she approached.
She was a little older, with long blonde hair and a sort of
swagger to her walk.
"Who the hell are you? What do you want?" he snapped irritably as
he glared at her.
"My name is Venus. I am the Goddess of Love," she said sweetly.
"What's that too me?" he snorted in reply.
"Nothing. I was wondering if you'd mind helping me out here? I
seem to have lost something."
"So?" he replied.
"I want you to help me find it," she said with a shrug.
"I'm waiting for someone," he said with a slight waver in his
voice as he looked away from her. He had yet to uncross his arms.
"It should be around here somewhere though," she said sweetly.
"Fine. What the hell is it?" he grumbled as he finally looked at
her.
"My heart. I think you've found it too," she said as she grabbed
his arm.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he muttered in
confusion.
"Well, I'm throwing myself at you," she said with a small shrug.
She stepped back and removed her robe, revealing her nude body. "See?"
No one in the shopping center seemed to care about the display,
and Venus latched onto his arm again. Kura was frozen in a sort of
shocked horror. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get laid," she said with a small amount of annoyance in
her voice.
"But...I..." stammered the god as he tried to pry her grip from
her arm.
Urd walked out of the store, and blinked. "Venus! What the hell do
you think you're doing?"
"Stealing your boyfriend?" she said sweetly.
"I am not her boyfriend!" snapped Kura.
"Even better! Come on honey! Let's go back to my place for a
while?" said Venus as she bat her eyes at him.
"No! We're going back to my place!" snapped Urd as she grabbed his
arm and began to pull him in the other direction.
Within moments, Kura was standing with a rather bored look on his
face as the goddesses pulled on him from either side. "I'm not going
over to anyone's place today."
"Yes you are! Mine!" snapped Venus.
"No way! He's coming with me!" retorted Urd. "And then we're going
to have hot and wild sex! You tramp!"
Kura sighed. "This is going to be a long day."
+++++++++
"Urd," said Kura with a small nod.
"What the heck do you want?" snapped the goddess. She looked to be
about sixteen now, and the look the pair was giving one another was
not friendly.
"I couldn't talk him out of it," said Kura as he sat down next to
her.
"So we're stuck like this? Soul mates with someone we hate?" she
muttered under her breath.
"I don't hate you, Urd," said Kura as he glanced at her for a
moment.
"Yeah, well I don't love you," she replied with a small shrug.
"We've been over this," he said with a small nod.
"Whatever," snorted Urd as she stood up and walked away.
Kura merely sat on the steps of the Almighty's office and sighed.
"Great."
Urd paused, and turned to face him again. Glancing at him for a
moment. She smiled to herself, and then shook her head. "Stop it Urd.
We've been down that road before."
On the steps, Kura looked up and frowned as Venus stood in front
of him. "Hey handsome."
"What do you want, Venus?" he muttered.
"I just wanted to see if you wanted to go to the baths with me?"
she said cheerfully.
"No he doesn't!" snarled Urd as she appeared next to the pair and
shoved Kura aside.
"I want him to tell me!" snorted the blond in retort.
"He doesn't have to!" snapped Urd.
"Humph! What does it matter to you! You don't like him!" said
Venus with a rather proud looking smirk on her face.
"That doesn't mean I'm going to let a tramp like you get her claws
into him!" retorted Urd.
"Don't you two ever stop? I'm going home," said Kura as he walked
away.
The two goddesses looked up at him and blinked, forgetting about
the argument finally.
The stepped away from each other, and walked away with out a word.
++++++++++++
"What?" gasped Urd as she looked at the group of gods and
goddesses.
Amaterasu stopped the march as the young goddess rushed into the
group and shoved the men aside. She stopped in front of Kura and
shoved him out of the formation.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she snapped.
"Amatsu Mikaboshi is going to assault heaven," replied the boy
calmly as he took her by her arms and moved her aside. "We have to
stop him."
"No! You can't go!" she snapped angrily.
"I have to go. Urd, please," he said as she gently moved her
aside.
"You'll die!" she cried as she rushed in front of him again.
"Maybe," he said with a small nod.
"I won't let you go!" she said as she pushed him back again.
"Urd. Don't," he said as he shook his head and started back
towards the crowd.
"Don't do this to me! I know something awful is going to happen to
you!" cried Urd as she grabbed him from behind.
"I'll be fine," he said with a small smile as he looked back at
her. "Don't worry."
"You...Kura! I can't lose you!" she said as she clutched him even
tighter. "Damn you! Don't make me say it!"
"Urd, I have to go, please..." he said as gently as he could.
"No! I love you! Stay here with me!" she screamed suddenly.
Everyone in the entire group blinked in surprise at the
announcement.
He turned to face Urd and smiled at her, brushing the tears away
from her face for a moment. "I know."
"Kura. Leave us," said Amaterasu firmly as she motioned for the
march to start again.
"I'm sorry Urd, but I have to go. I can't leave my brothers alone
to face this. Please," he said as he looked down at her.
She shuddered, and clutched his chest. "When you get back..."
"You'll be the first to know," he said with a small nod. He kissed
her forehead and rushed away to catch up to the rest of the war gods.
++++++++++++++
The gigantic black dragon roared in rage as it continued to cut
through the forces of the gods. The gates of heaven only a few hundred
feet away from it. Hordes of lesser demons awaited the opening of the
gates a short distance behind it.
"No!" Amaterasu slashed at a few of the beasts that were within
rage with her katana. "How much more time does he need?"
"The seal is not yet ready," said Raiden as he blasted at the
dragon god with enormous bolts of lightening.
Fujin frowned as he assaulted the beast as well. "We aren't going
to make it. Once he gets through those gates, there's no stopping
him."
"Then we'll die with honor, and meet our loved ones on the next
plane," said Amaterasu coldly as she raised her katana high over her
head.
Kura looked back at the gates, and then back to his brothers and
the goddess. They were all that remained between the gates and the
demon horde. He took a final look back at heaven, and frowned to
himself. "Urd." He moved forward, the rain descending from above
growing in intensity suddenly.
"What are you doing?" snapped Raiden.
"Tell Urd, I'm sorry," said Kura as he rushed forward.
The giant dragon opened his mouth, flames forming in the back of
his throat as he rushed towards the last of his opposition.
Kura dove forward, shoving his fist forward as he launched himself
into the demon's jaws. A blast of ice, shot from his outstretched
hand, cooling the flames in an instant.
Amatsu Mikaboshi closed his jaws, and turned towards the three
remaining gods. It raised its head into the sky, and roared in
triumph.
"No!" cried Fujin as he stared at the scene in horror.
"Kura!" cried Raiden as he attacked again.
"Wait! What is that?" cried Amaterasu as she pointed at the
thing's belly with her blade.
Amatsu Mikaboshi's scream of triumph, had changed into a roar of
pain. A blue light was forming in the thing's belly, and its body was
slowly beginning to ice over.
"Kura!" gasped Fujin as he stared at the scene in awe.
The god of evil lurched forward, unable to move it's body as it
froze almost completely. It moved its neck pathetically, screeching
angrily from time to time.
After about a minute, a low rumble started in the sky above.
"The seal!" cried Amaterasu as she stepped back from the demons.
A bolt of power, millions of times stronger than any lightening
bolt blasted down from above.
Amatsu Mikaboshi could only give a painful scream of rage as he
was cast from the heavens in a blast of power. The flames of hell rose
up and swallowed him as the porthole to the realm opened below him,
the demon horde with him was also consumed by the vortex, and then,
only silence.
The trio of surviving gods merely watched the scene coldly. None
of them spoke as they turned back towards the gates of heaven.
When the reached them, a crowd of gods was waiting for them in
silence. There was no cheering, or rejoicing about the heavens being
saved. Their victory had come at a high cost. Out of almost a hundred
and fifty gods, only three had returned.
Urd rushed up to the trio from within the crowd. They paused and
looked at her for a moment, not saying a word. They didn't have too.
Urd turned away, tears in her eyes as she rushed off into heaven
alone.
+++++++++++++
Kura sat up and gasped for breath. He was lying on the rooftop of
the Morisato home, and staring forward at the sky.
"What? I'm..." he shook his head, clearing away the fog that had
formed there.
+++++++++++
About a half-hour later, he walked back into the home and sat down
with Raiden and Fujin. The pair were lounging about lazily in front of
the television.
"So. You got the box?" asked Fujin calmly.
"Yeah," he replied with a short nod.
"Welcome back then," said Raiden.
Belldandy entered the room with a slightly worried frown on her
face. "Kura. There's a phone call for you."
The god blinked and stood up. "Huh? For me?"
He walked into the next room and took the receiver from her hand
with a small nod of thanks. "Hello?"
"Hello Kura. I'd like to speak with you," said a very familiar
voice.
"Father?" he muttered dumbly.
"That's right. We have some things to discuss."
"Okay."
The Almighty hung up rather abruptly, leaving him standing there
in confusion.
"Will you be leaving?" asked Belldandy cheerfully.
"Yeah, let the others know where I'm at will you?" he said as he
walked outside. A small shower of rain started, and he vanished into a
puddle that formed on the ground.
++++++++++++
Kura stood in front of the desk nervously. "Um. You wanted to see
me?"
"It's nice to have you back, Kura," said the Almighty as he looked
down at the young god for a moment.
"Um, thank you father..."
"However, we've hit a snag," said Kami-sama as he interrupted.
"Huh?"
"The engagements are taken care of, most of them dishonorable
greed on the part of Genma Saotome. Since he wasn't your father, you
aren't bound by them."
"That's good to know," said Kura with a slightly relieved sigh.
"However, there is this..." A small video screen flickered to life
off to their right.
A young Ranma Saotome, and Ukyo Kuonji were sitting around what
appeared to be a jug of Okonomiyaki sauce.
"Ranchan. You promise to take care of me forever?" asked the young
Ukyo.
"Sure! You bet!" said the young Ranma.
"Uh oh," muttered Kura under his breath.
+++++++++++++
"What the hell are you doing here?" snapped Ukyo as she glared at
Kura and Urd. The both of them were standing in her doorway and
looking at the floor sheepishly.
"Um. I have to stay here now," said Kura.
"Where he goes I go," said Urd with a small shrug.
"What? The hell you are! Get out!" snapped Ukyo angrily.
"I can't," said Kura without looking up at her. "I'm not allowed
too."
Ukyo paused and looked at him for a moment. "What do you mean?
This is my place, and I say you can't stay."
"Remember when we were little, and you made me promise to always
take care of you?" said Kura sheepishly.
"Yeah? What of it?" snorted the girl irritably.
"Well, when a god makes a promise, he kinda has to keep it.
There's nothing I can do about it. If you try to get rid of me, things
'll start happening to keep me around..."
"What?" said Ukyo dumbly.
"It's the Ultimate Force kid. It makes sure we keep our promises,
there's no way he can get out of it," said Urd with a small shrug.
"Ultimate force or not, I don't have any room for you! I've
already got Konatsu here, and..."
Kura handed her a note. "He asked me to give this to you. We met
him on the way here."
Ukyo blinked, and snatched the letter away. "Dear Ukyo-sama. I'm
sorry, but I must leave you for a time. It seems my stepsisters have
grown very ill, and I must take care of them. Although they were
cruel, they were my family, and I must attend to this matter. I do not
know when I might return. Your faithful servant forever. Konatsu."
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," muttered Ukyo irritably as
she glared at the pair.
+++++++++++
TBC...
Next Time: The Demon God wakes!
Part 12
The End of Ranma Saotome.
++++++++++++
Kura Okami, god of rain, and defender of the heavens, that was who
he was now. He stood on the roof of the Morisato home, staring out
over the city silently.
It was early morning, and after the disastrous attempt at school
life again the previous day, he had decided not to return again.
"Kura?" said a familiar voice from behind him.
He turned and smiled at the woman floating in the sky above him.
She was dressed in a shining robe that sparkled brightly, despite the
dim fog that shrouded the sleepy burg. "Hello Amaterasu."
"I've come to give this to you," she said as she held a small box
out.
"What is it?" he asked as he accepted the small wooden box and
flipped it over in his hands a few times.
"The end of Ranma Saotome," she told him.
"What?" said the god as he looked at her in confusion.
"These are the last of your sealed memories," she said with a
small smile on her face.
"In...a box?" he muttered as he looked down at it.
"Father has a thing for symbolism," she replied with a small
shrug.
"I remember a lot, can't think of what could be in here," he said
as he looked down at the simple wooden frame for a moment.
"Your death, battles fought long ago. These are your pain Kura,
it's time you remembered what being a god truly is."
"And all the way at the bottom, a little bit of hope, right?" he
said with a wistful looking smile.
"Pandora's box," she said with a small nod.
"It's him isn't it? That's why I'm here," said the god as he
stared out at the endless expanse of rooftops.
"Most likely," said the goddess.
"I'm just glad I got to see what I was fighting for, all those
eons ago," he said as he looked out over the rooftops again.
"I'll leave you alone with that, it's only for you," she said as
she vanished from in front of him.
"Right," he said as he looked down at it and lifted the lid. "Just
for me huh?"
+++++++++++++
Kura floated in the sky, the last remaining god. "You bastards."
He looked to be about sixteen years old. His eye was covered by a
black eye patch, hiding the scarred remains of one of his eyes. He was
dressed in a simple brown clothing, and had his hair tied into a
ponytail behind his head. Before him, a gigantic red demon, and a
black demon with a large sack over his shoulder glared at him coolly.
The two demon things leered at him, chuckling to themselves as the
circled him slowly.
"What are you going to do god?" said Fujin coldly.
"Die, that's what he'll do," answered Raiden.
"I won't let you!" said Kura as his power flared around his body.
Water began to fall from the dark clouds overhead.
"Heh, what's he going to do? Wet us?" said Raiden with a dark
chuckle.
"Come little rain god, your fate is sealed," said Fujin as he
slowly moved towards him.
"No! If I'm going to die, I'm gonna take you with me!" snarled
Kura angrily as he rushed the demons head on.
"Fool!" snarled Raiden as he thrust his claws forward. Power shot
from his fingertips, slamming into the smaller god's body.
"I will not..." said Kura in pain.
Fujin appeared beside him and a strong gust of wind tossed the
young god aside. "Never...I won't lose..." said Kura as he managed to
right himself and turned to face the pair again.
The rain in the sky became ice, and slowly shifted forms into
razor sharp spikes.
The two demons laughed, the lethal shower bouncing off their thick
skin as if it was just ice cubes.
"You can never defeat us," said Raiden calmly as he raised his
claws again. His eyes began to glow a cold blue as he bared his fangs.
"Then I'll die trying," replied Kura angrily as he rushed forward
once again.
Raiden and Fujin both blasted him, each using his own power to
drive the god back.
Kura continued forward, pushing against the assault. His body was
beaten and burning, and he was bleeding from almost everywhere.
"Die demons!" snarled the god as a blue light formed around his
body.
Both of the beasts gasped in shock as they were enveloped in a
wave of blue power. They could feel their skin freezing over, and the
water being pulled from their bodies.
The flash ended, and Kura simply floated, staring at the two dried
out husks. He chuckled, and plummeted down out of the sky.
When he landed on the rocks below, he simply stared up, and felt
his life force leaving his body. The last parts of his soul were
floating away.
The two demons were standing on either side of him, cold frowns on
their faces.
"You have lost god," said Fujin.
"It is time to end this," agreed Raiden.
Both of them had oddly respectful tones as they approached him.
"While I still live, I will fight," snarled Kura as he raised his
head to stare at them. His arm slowly rose up, a ball of light forming
in his palm. It was sickly though, and flickered in and out of
existence.
"You have impressed me," said Fujin with a small nod. "Perhaps you
do not need to die?"
Kura snarled at him, still trying to complete his attack.
"Young god, do not throw your life away. Join us, become our
brother, we will revive you. Together, our power will not be rivaled
in all the heavens!" said Raiden as he stared down at the god.
"I'll never join you," muttered Kura painfully, the ball of light
in his hand flared for a moment. "I'll be your brother, if you join
me." It was a joke really, something he hadn't really thought about
saying.
Raiden and Fujin looked at one another for a moment. Not saying a
word. They then burst into laughter, a cold and cruel sounding thing.
"Benten, I'm...sorry..." muttered Kura as he began to fade away,
not even having the strength to hold up his head and arm any longer.
"Very well young god. We accept your offer," said Raiden.
"Wha?" muttered the god weakly, not even able to convey his
surprise.
+++++++++++++
"Why? I came back for you!" cried Kura in as he looked at the
eight armed goddess in shocked horror.
Benten frowned at him, glaring hatefully into his eyes. "You
brought them here. I will not forgive you for that."
"But...I love..."
"Silence! Look at you! The blood of our enemy now flows through
your veins! You were weak!" snapped the angry goddess as she stared at
him coldly. "My line, shall not be tainted by the blood of demons."
Kura merely fell to his knees, staring at her in shock. He could
not even speak.
"Our engagement is over Kura Okami. Father himself has allowed me
this privilege," said the Goddess as she turned her head away from him
in shame. She gave him a final sorrowful stare, and began to cry
openly as she rushed away.
"Benten!" cried Kura as he attempted to stand and move after her.
His legs gave out, and he slumped to the ground. "No. Why?"
++++++++++++++
Kura looked up from where he was seated, he was working on
maintaining a long bow beneath a large tree. "Who the hell are you?
What do you want?" snapped Kura as he turned to face the young goddess
who had approached him.
She had shoulder length white hair, and was built rather well for
her age. She looked to be about fourteen years old.
"Come on, don't be like that," said the young goddess sweetly.
"I don't need anyone's company," he said coldly.
"Yeah, maybe you don't, but I do," she replied with a small snort
as she sat down beside him.
"Fine, see if I care," he snorted as he continued to work.
"I'm Urd. You're Kura right?"
"That's right," he replied.
"I think you're lying. You can get in trouble for that," she said
as she looked out across the field that spread out before them. She
kicked her legs out and relaxed.
"What?" said Kura as he blinked and looked at her.
"You really do need company," she said as she grinned back at him.
+++++++++++
Urd had pulled Kura along on a shopping trip. He crossed his arms
and frowned as he glanced around himself. There were no other gods in
the shopping district. "Why the hell am I here?" he muttered to
himself irritably.
Several of the goddesses were looking at him oddly. He had a
reputation for being somewhat of a grouch, especially when dealing
with goddesses. It was a most unusual sight to find someone as
cheerful and young as Urd dragging him around.
"I'm going in here. Wait for me?" said the young Goddess as she
tapped him in the forehead to catch his attention.
"Why should I?" he replied curtly.
"Because you like me. Now stay put," she said as she hopped into a
nearby store.
"I do not!" he snapped as he crossed his arms, and waited for her.
"Well, if it isn't Kura Okami," said another female voice. Urd had
not been gone ten seconds when she approached.
She was a little older, with long blonde hair and a sort of
swagger to her walk.
"Who the hell are you? What do you want?" he snapped irritably as
he glared at her.
"My name is Venus. I am the Goddess of Love," she said sweetly.
"What's that too me?" he snorted in reply.
"Nothing. I was wondering if you'd mind helping me out here? I
seem to have lost something."
"So?" he replied.
"I want you to help me find it," she said with a shrug.
"I'm waiting for someone," he said with a slight waver in his
voice as he looked away from her. He had yet to uncross his arms.
"It should be around here somewhere though," she said sweetly.
"Fine. What the hell is it?" he grumbled as he finally looked at
her.
"My heart. I think you've found it too," she said as she grabbed
his arm.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he muttered in
confusion.
"Well, I'm throwing myself at you," she said with a small shrug.
She stepped back and removed her robe, revealing her nude body. "See?"
No one in the shopping center seemed to care about the display,
and Venus latched onto his arm again. Kura was frozen in a sort of
shocked horror. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get laid," she said with a small amount of annoyance in
her voice.
"But...I..." stammered the god as he tried to pry her grip from
her arm.
Urd walked out of the store, and blinked. "Venus! What the hell do
you think you're doing?"
"Stealing your boyfriend?" she said sweetly.
"I am not her boyfriend!" snapped Kura.
"Even better! Come on honey! Let's go back to my place for a
while?" said Venus as she bat her eyes at him.
"No! We're going back to my place!" snapped Urd as she grabbed his
arm and began to pull him in the other direction.
Within moments, Kura was standing with a rather bored look on his
face as the goddesses pulled on him from either side. "I'm not going
over to anyone's place today."
"Yes you are! Mine!" snapped Venus.
"No way! He's coming with me!" retorted Urd. "And then we're going
to have hot and wild sex! You tramp!"
Kura sighed. "This is going to be a long day."
+++++++++
"Urd," said Kura with a small nod.
"What the heck do you want?" snapped the goddess. She looked to be
about sixteen now, and the look the pair was giving one another was
not friendly.
"I couldn't talk him out of it," said Kura as he sat down next to
her.
"So we're stuck like this? Soul mates with someone we hate?" she
muttered under her breath.
"I don't hate you, Urd," said Kura as he glanced at her for a
moment.
"Yeah, well I don't love you," she replied with a small shrug.
"We've been over this," he said with a small nod.
"Whatever," snorted Urd as she stood up and walked away.
Kura merely sat on the steps of the Almighty's office and sighed.
"Great."
Urd paused, and turned to face him again. Glancing at him for a
moment. She smiled to herself, and then shook her head. "Stop it Urd.
We've been down that road before."
On the steps, Kura looked up and frowned as Venus stood in front
of him. "Hey handsome."
"What do you want, Venus?" he muttered.
"I just wanted to see if you wanted to go to the baths with me?"
she said cheerfully.
"No he doesn't!" snarled Urd as she appeared next to the pair and
shoved Kura aside.
"I want him to tell me!" snorted the blond in retort.
"He doesn't have to!" snapped Urd.
"Humph! What does it matter to you! You don't like him!" said
Venus with a rather proud looking smirk on her face.
"That doesn't mean I'm going to let a tramp like you get her claws
into him!" retorted Urd.
"Don't you two ever stop? I'm going home," said Kura as he walked
away.
The two goddesses looked up at him and blinked, forgetting about
the argument finally.
The stepped away from each other, and walked away with out a word.
++++++++++++
"What?" gasped Urd as she looked at the group of gods and
goddesses.
Amaterasu stopped the march as the young goddess rushed into the
group and shoved the men aside. She stopped in front of Kura and
shoved him out of the formation.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she snapped.
"Amatsu Mikaboshi is going to assault heaven," replied the boy
calmly as he took her by her arms and moved her aside. "We have to
stop him."
"No! You can't go!" she snapped angrily.
"I have to go. Urd, please," he said as she gently moved her
aside.
"You'll die!" she cried as she rushed in front of him again.
"Maybe," he said with a small nod.
"I won't let you go!" she said as she pushed him back again.
"Urd. Don't," he said as he shook his head and started back
towards the crowd.
"Don't do this to me! I know something awful is going to happen to
you!" cried Urd as she grabbed him from behind.
"I'll be fine," he said with a small smile as he looked back at
her. "Don't worry."
"You...Kura! I can't lose you!" she said as she clutched him even
tighter. "Damn you! Don't make me say it!"
"Urd, I have to go, please..." he said as gently as he could.
"No! I love you! Stay here with me!" she screamed suddenly.
Everyone in the entire group blinked in surprise at the
announcement.
He turned to face Urd and smiled at her, brushing the tears away
from her face for a moment. "I know."
"Kura. Leave us," said Amaterasu firmly as she motioned for the
march to start again.
"I'm sorry Urd, but I have to go. I can't leave my brothers alone
to face this. Please," he said as he looked down at her.
She shuddered, and clutched his chest. "When you get back..."
"You'll be the first to know," he said with a small nod. He kissed
her forehead and rushed away to catch up to the rest of the war gods.
++++++++++++++
The gigantic black dragon roared in rage as it continued to cut
through the forces of the gods. The gates of heaven only a few hundred
feet away from it. Hordes of lesser demons awaited the opening of the
gates a short distance behind it.
"No!" Amaterasu slashed at a few of the beasts that were within
rage with her katana. "How much more time does he need?"
"The seal is not yet ready," said Raiden as he blasted at the
dragon god with enormous bolts of lightening.
Fujin frowned as he assaulted the beast as well. "We aren't going
to make it. Once he gets through those gates, there's no stopping
him."
"Then we'll die with honor, and meet our loved ones on the next
plane," said Amaterasu coldly as she raised her katana high over her
head.
Kura looked back at the gates, and then back to his brothers and
the goddess. They were all that remained between the gates and the
demon horde. He took a final look back at heaven, and frowned to
himself. "Urd." He moved forward, the rain descending from above
growing in intensity suddenly.
"What are you doing?" snapped Raiden.
"Tell Urd, I'm sorry," said Kura as he rushed forward.
The giant dragon opened his mouth, flames forming in the back of
his throat as he rushed towards the last of his opposition.
Kura dove forward, shoving his fist forward as he launched himself
into the demon's jaws. A blast of ice, shot from his outstretched
hand, cooling the flames in an instant.
Amatsu Mikaboshi closed his jaws, and turned towards the three
remaining gods. It raised its head into the sky, and roared in
triumph.
"No!" cried Fujin as he stared at the scene in horror.
"Kura!" cried Raiden as he attacked again.
"Wait! What is that?" cried Amaterasu as she pointed at the
thing's belly with her blade.
Amatsu Mikaboshi's scream of triumph, had changed into a roar of
pain. A blue light was forming in the thing's belly, and its body was
slowly beginning to ice over.
"Kura!" gasped Fujin as he stared at the scene in awe.
The god of evil lurched forward, unable to move it's body as it
froze almost completely. It moved its neck pathetically, screeching
angrily from time to time.
After about a minute, a low rumble started in the sky above.
"The seal!" cried Amaterasu as she stepped back from the demons.
A bolt of power, millions of times stronger than any lightening
bolt blasted down from above.
Amatsu Mikaboshi could only give a painful scream of rage as he
was cast from the heavens in a blast of power. The flames of hell rose
up and swallowed him as the porthole to the realm opened below him,
the demon horde with him was also consumed by the vortex, and then,
only silence.
The trio of surviving gods merely watched the scene coldly. None
of them spoke as they turned back towards the gates of heaven.
When the reached them, a crowd of gods was waiting for them in
silence. There was no cheering, or rejoicing about the heavens being
saved. Their victory had come at a high cost. Out of almost a hundred
and fifty gods, only three had returned.
Urd rushed up to the trio from within the crowd. They paused and
looked at her for a moment, not saying a word. They didn't have too.
Urd turned away, tears in her eyes as she rushed off into heaven
alone.
+++++++++++++
Kura sat up and gasped for breath. He was lying on the rooftop of
the Morisato home, and staring forward at the sky.
"What? I'm..." he shook his head, clearing away the fog that had
formed there.
+++++++++++
About a half-hour later, he walked back into the home and sat down
with Raiden and Fujin. The pair were lounging about lazily in front of
the television.
"So. You got the box?" asked Fujin calmly.
"Yeah," he replied with a short nod.
"Welcome back then," said Raiden.
Belldandy entered the room with a slightly worried frown on her
face. "Kura. There's a phone call for you."
The god blinked and stood up. "Huh? For me?"
He walked into the next room and took the receiver from her hand
with a small nod of thanks. "Hello?"
"Hello Kura. I'd like to speak with you," said a very familiar
voice.
"Father?" he muttered dumbly.
"That's right. We have some things to discuss."
"Okay."
The Almighty hung up rather abruptly, leaving him standing there
in confusion.
"Will you be leaving?" asked Belldandy cheerfully.
"Yeah, let the others know where I'm at will you?" he said as he
walked outside. A small shower of rain started, and he vanished into a
puddle that formed on the ground.
++++++++++++
Kura stood in front of the desk nervously. "Um. You wanted to see
me?"
"It's nice to have you back, Kura," said the Almighty as he looked
down at the young god for a moment.
"Um, thank you father..."
"However, we've hit a snag," said Kami-sama as he interrupted.
"Huh?"
"The engagements are taken care of, most of them dishonorable
greed on the part of Genma Saotome. Since he wasn't your father, you
aren't bound by them."
"That's good to know," said Kura with a slightly relieved sigh.
"However, there is this..." A small video screen flickered to life
off to their right.
A young Ranma Saotome, and Ukyo Kuonji were sitting around what
appeared to be a jug of Okonomiyaki sauce.
"Ranchan. You promise to take care of me forever?" asked the young
Ukyo.
"Sure! You bet!" said the young Ranma.
"Uh oh," muttered Kura under his breath.
+++++++++++++
"What the hell are you doing here?" snapped Ukyo as she glared at
Kura and Urd. The both of them were standing in her doorway and
looking at the floor sheepishly.
"Um. I have to stay here now," said Kura.
"Where he goes I go," said Urd with a small shrug.
"What? The hell you are! Get out!" snapped Ukyo angrily.
"I can't," said Kura without looking up at her. "I'm not allowed
too."
Ukyo paused and looked at him for a moment. "What do you mean?
This is my place, and I say you can't stay."
"Remember when we were little, and you made me promise to always
take care of you?" said Kura sheepishly.
"Yeah? What of it?" snorted the girl irritably.
"Well, when a god makes a promise, he kinda has to keep it.
There's nothing I can do about it. If you try to get rid of me, things
'll start happening to keep me around..."
"What?" said Ukyo dumbly.
"It's the Ultimate Force kid. It makes sure we keep our promises,
there's no way he can get out of it," said Urd with a small shrug.
"Ultimate force or not, I don't have any room for you! I've
already got Konatsu here, and..."
Kura handed her a note. "He asked me to give this to you. We met
him on the way here."
Ukyo blinked, and snatched the letter away. "Dear Ukyo-sama. I'm
sorry, but I must leave you for a time. It seems my stepsisters have
grown very ill, and I must take care of them. Although they were
cruel, they were my family, and I must attend to this matter. I do not
know when I might return. Your faithful servant forever. Konatsu."
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," muttered Ukyo irritably as
she glared at the pair.
+++++++++++
TBC...
Next Time: The Demon God wakes!