Deception: Prologue
The air hummed, shivering with some undefinable quality that a
sensitive person may have called power. If one looked closely, not
allowing their eyes to focus properly, they would eventually, if they
were lucky, catch a flash of movement, a shadow where none should be
cast. Then, the hum grew, became a high whining that slowly decreased
in pitch until the very walls of the dojo shook. Finally, in a
rumbling roar, a figure emerged from thin air. Chest heaving, his
clothes soaked with persperation, Ranma Saotome slumped to the wooden
floor beneath him. A hazy gray, smokelike aura drifted from his body,
fading from existance shortly thereafter.
"Too much," Ranma gasped."Too much..." And he fell to the panelled
floor, unconscious. He was barely breathing when they found him.
****
The immediate and reflexive urge was to rush Ranma to Dr. Tofu's
clinic. The man wasn't exactly a doctor in the traditional sense, but
his brand of medicine dealt with the arcane and the abstract. Who
better to care for one such as Ranma Saotome? The timely arrival of a
horrified Cologne rapidly changed the plans.
"Oh, son-in-law, what have you done?" Cologne moaned, her tiny little
hands grasping her staff until the gnarled wood groaned in sympathy.
"What's wrong with Ranma?" Akane asked tenuously. She was controlling
herself through a massive effort of will, but tears leaked from her
eyes nonetheless and her entire body trembled noticeably.
"He's gone too far...I felt the eminations all the way from the
Nekohaten...too far," Cologne muttered, tapping several pressure
points along Ranma's upper chest and neck. His breathing became
slightly less labored and gained a hint of regularity.
Nabiki, worried for Ranma, the gullible, lucrative, stupid little
brother that she never had, asked,"What do you mean 'too far'? What
eminations?"
"Eminations in chi aura generated by all living things in Nerima,
child. To one sensitive to it, this little corner of Japan glows like
a bonfire." Cologne shook her head, continuing to administer aide to
Ranma while explaining,"A few minutes ago nearly every passive aura in
this district was blown away by son-in-law. I don't know how he did
it, but the effort has drained his body of life and taxed his spirit
beyond imagining."
"But he'll be all right, won't he?" Akane's hands now shook so
violently that she had to ball them into fists and hold them at her
side. She only succeeded in driving her finger nails deeply into her
palms. The pain, gratefully, distracted her a bit.
Cologne looked at the young girl in sympathy, her eyes relaying as
much comfort as she could manage."Child, for Ranma to survive this
ordeal, I fear that nothing short of divine intervention or some magic
beyond my knowledge will be necessary."
Akane closed her eyes, a deep moan rising from her throat. The girl
felt like she was falling, spiralling out of control, buffeted on all
sides by unseen attackers. A cool, soothing blankness began to
intrudeupon her distressed consciousness.
Kasumi caught her sister as she fell. Unable to support the weight of
her deceptively heavy sister, Kasumi changed the effort into
cushioning her sister's fall by sinking to her knees with the younger
girl cradled in her arms. She stroked Akane's short black hair,
murmurring kind words to her sister. Oh, poor Ranma, such a kind, if
misguided young man! Kasumi thanked the kami that Mr. Saotome and her
father were away at another 'council meeting'. She didn't know what
she would have done to comfort and calm everyone.
Ranma coughed, a series of muscle spasms racking his body until his
back formed a bow. The seizure passed and Ranma slumped back to
inactivity. His chest no longer rose and fell. There was no heart
beat when Cologne checked, virtually blurring with speed in urgency.
Nabiki wathced Cologne shake her head minutely and knew that Ranma was
gone. His face, normally so full of life and overwhelming vitality
was pale, slack. Her respect for Cologne grew tenfold as she observed
the ancient woman frantically trying to bring Ranma back to life with
a hand that glowed purple and seemed to have the same effect as a
defibulator. Eventually, Nabiki knew not how long, Colonge drew back
and looked up at her. The piercing black eyes were hooded and swam
with unshed tears. Oddly, Nabiki felt something wet sliding down her
face. She reached up to brush away the tears, amazed that she was
crying. The last time she'd cried, ever, had been at her mother's
funeral service all those years ago.
****
Ranma Saotome was laid to rest in a small, private ceremony, attended
only by the Tendos, Saotomes, and Ranma's closest friends and rivals.
There was much crying involved, some wailing at the injustice of it
all, and no small amount of cursing Ranma for letting himself die.
Life in Nerima would never be the same.
****
Ranma's eyes opened slowly, adjusting rapidly to the low light of a
nearly full sunset. He felt incredibly weak, but hunger overrode the
feeling. Following his nose, he was led to a steaming bowl of broth
that rested on a small nightstand. He attacked the soup with a
vengeance. Even as he drained a cool mug of water, Ranma felt
strength slowly returning as his rapid metabolism went to work on the
first meal it had had in almost a week.
Just as he was about to attempt to stand, the door to the shadowed
room swung open. Ranma didn't know where he was, but he was sure he
wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight in his current condition.
Despite that, he tensed his muscles, prepared to spring into action at
the merest hint of a threat to his person. A moment later and Ranma
allowed himself to relax.
"Son-in-law, you must rest. You have been through a very trying
ordeal," Cologne said gently. On an ornate silver tray she bore
another bowl of the broth and a small pot of tea."This will help you
to further regain your strength." Placing the tray on the nightstand,
Cologne drew back and asked,"How do you feel, son-in-law?"
"Awful," Ranma croaked, stunned at how weak and hoarse his voice
sounded."Ugh, old ghoul, what happened to me? The last thing I
remember is practicing that new speed technique you showed me...that's
all."
With a hop, the Amazon alighted on Ranma's bed."Ranma, this is going
to be very difficult to accept, and you should not feel guilty. I
blame myself for not warning you, though I never suspected even you to
learn the technique so quickly."
Confused, Ranma asked,"Old ghoul, what are you talking about? What
happened?" He was getting worried. Where was everyone else at? Where
was Akane? She usually greeted him with an insult or two whenever he
regained consciousness.
"When you slipped back into normal space, somehow, Ranma, you created
an enormous shockwave. It levelled the dojo and much of the
surrounding city," Cologne answered, laying her wrinkled little hand
on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
"Akane? Pop? Kasumi?..." Ranma trailed off, his eyes widening in
horror as he realized the finality in Cologne's words. They were
gone. He'd killed them. They were gone. The only family he'd ever
known. Gone. Dead. His fault.
Cologne jumped back as Ranma became enshrouded in a black and green
aura of complete and utter despair. The bed and floor beneath him and
the ceiling above simply dissolved. Then, emotionally spent and
physically exhausted by the momentary lapse in control, Ranma slumped
to the ground, once again unconscious.
****
The best way to break someone was to never let them know they were
being broken. To shape someone to your will is best achieved by
making your will their own.
Cologne's lips pulled back into a ghastly version of a grin. Ranma
would make a truly magnificent addition to the tribe.
****
Author's Notes: Ugh, stupid cold front, damned weather. Thanks to
some kind of illness, I'm guessing a bad head cold with a touch of
strepthroat, major computer problems(Gateway sucks, but at least the
tech support people are nice) and a tad of writer's block(no, the
major case of that from this summer isn't coming back), I haven't
wrote anything in a while. Got this idea last night while I was
trying to go to sleep, and decided to write it out. It's amazing how
little sleep you need when you're too miserable to recognize
exhaustion as anything but another reason to bitch and moan. Anyway,
I'll probably continue this for three or four more chapters, like I do
with almost all my works, then start something else and forget about
it. Maybe not, though, so look out for the next part sometime soon.
C&C is welcome at dark_phoneix@hotmail.com
The air hummed, shivering with some undefinable quality that a
sensitive person may have called power. If one looked closely, not
allowing their eyes to focus properly, they would eventually, if they
were lucky, catch a flash of movement, a shadow where none should be
cast. Then, the hum grew, became a high whining that slowly decreased
in pitch until the very walls of the dojo shook. Finally, in a
rumbling roar, a figure emerged from thin air. Chest heaving, his
clothes soaked with persperation, Ranma Saotome slumped to the wooden
floor beneath him. A hazy gray, smokelike aura drifted from his body,
fading from existance shortly thereafter.
"Too much," Ranma gasped."Too much..." And he fell to the panelled
floor, unconscious. He was barely breathing when they found him.
****
The immediate and reflexive urge was to rush Ranma to Dr. Tofu's
clinic. The man wasn't exactly a doctor in the traditional sense, but
his brand of medicine dealt with the arcane and the abstract. Who
better to care for one such as Ranma Saotome? The timely arrival of a
horrified Cologne rapidly changed the plans.
"Oh, son-in-law, what have you done?" Cologne moaned, her tiny little
hands grasping her staff until the gnarled wood groaned in sympathy.
"What's wrong with Ranma?" Akane asked tenuously. She was controlling
herself through a massive effort of will, but tears leaked from her
eyes nonetheless and her entire body trembled noticeably.
"He's gone too far...I felt the eminations all the way from the
Nekohaten...too far," Cologne muttered, tapping several pressure
points along Ranma's upper chest and neck. His breathing became
slightly less labored and gained a hint of regularity.
Nabiki, worried for Ranma, the gullible, lucrative, stupid little
brother that she never had, asked,"What do you mean 'too far'? What
eminations?"
"Eminations in chi aura generated by all living things in Nerima,
child. To one sensitive to it, this little corner of Japan glows like
a bonfire." Cologne shook her head, continuing to administer aide to
Ranma while explaining,"A few minutes ago nearly every passive aura in
this district was blown away by son-in-law. I don't know how he did
it, but the effort has drained his body of life and taxed his spirit
beyond imagining."
"But he'll be all right, won't he?" Akane's hands now shook so
violently that she had to ball them into fists and hold them at her
side. She only succeeded in driving her finger nails deeply into her
palms. The pain, gratefully, distracted her a bit.
Cologne looked at the young girl in sympathy, her eyes relaying as
much comfort as she could manage."Child, for Ranma to survive this
ordeal, I fear that nothing short of divine intervention or some magic
beyond my knowledge will be necessary."
Akane closed her eyes, a deep moan rising from her throat. The girl
felt like she was falling, spiralling out of control, buffeted on all
sides by unseen attackers. A cool, soothing blankness began to
intrudeupon her distressed consciousness.
Kasumi caught her sister as she fell. Unable to support the weight of
her deceptively heavy sister, Kasumi changed the effort into
cushioning her sister's fall by sinking to her knees with the younger
girl cradled in her arms. She stroked Akane's short black hair,
murmurring kind words to her sister. Oh, poor Ranma, such a kind, if
misguided young man! Kasumi thanked the kami that Mr. Saotome and her
father were away at another 'council meeting'. She didn't know what
she would have done to comfort and calm everyone.
Ranma coughed, a series of muscle spasms racking his body until his
back formed a bow. The seizure passed and Ranma slumped back to
inactivity. His chest no longer rose and fell. There was no heart
beat when Cologne checked, virtually blurring with speed in urgency.
Nabiki wathced Cologne shake her head minutely and knew that Ranma was
gone. His face, normally so full of life and overwhelming vitality
was pale, slack. Her respect for Cologne grew tenfold as she observed
the ancient woman frantically trying to bring Ranma back to life with
a hand that glowed purple and seemed to have the same effect as a
defibulator. Eventually, Nabiki knew not how long, Colonge drew back
and looked up at her. The piercing black eyes were hooded and swam
with unshed tears. Oddly, Nabiki felt something wet sliding down her
face. She reached up to brush away the tears, amazed that she was
crying. The last time she'd cried, ever, had been at her mother's
funeral service all those years ago.
****
Ranma Saotome was laid to rest in a small, private ceremony, attended
only by the Tendos, Saotomes, and Ranma's closest friends and rivals.
There was much crying involved, some wailing at the injustice of it
all, and no small amount of cursing Ranma for letting himself die.
Life in Nerima would never be the same.
****
Ranma's eyes opened slowly, adjusting rapidly to the low light of a
nearly full sunset. He felt incredibly weak, but hunger overrode the
feeling. Following his nose, he was led to a steaming bowl of broth
that rested on a small nightstand. He attacked the soup with a
vengeance. Even as he drained a cool mug of water, Ranma felt
strength slowly returning as his rapid metabolism went to work on the
first meal it had had in almost a week.
Just as he was about to attempt to stand, the door to the shadowed
room swung open. Ranma didn't know where he was, but he was sure he
wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight in his current condition.
Despite that, he tensed his muscles, prepared to spring into action at
the merest hint of a threat to his person. A moment later and Ranma
allowed himself to relax.
"Son-in-law, you must rest. You have been through a very trying
ordeal," Cologne said gently. On an ornate silver tray she bore
another bowl of the broth and a small pot of tea."This will help you
to further regain your strength." Placing the tray on the nightstand,
Cologne drew back and asked,"How do you feel, son-in-law?"
"Awful," Ranma croaked, stunned at how weak and hoarse his voice
sounded."Ugh, old ghoul, what happened to me? The last thing I
remember is practicing that new speed technique you showed me...that's
all."
With a hop, the Amazon alighted on Ranma's bed."Ranma, this is going
to be very difficult to accept, and you should not feel guilty. I
blame myself for not warning you, though I never suspected even you to
learn the technique so quickly."
Confused, Ranma asked,"Old ghoul, what are you talking about? What
happened?" He was getting worried. Where was everyone else at? Where
was Akane? She usually greeted him with an insult or two whenever he
regained consciousness.
"When you slipped back into normal space, somehow, Ranma, you created
an enormous shockwave. It levelled the dojo and much of the
surrounding city," Cologne answered, laying her wrinkled little hand
on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
"Akane? Pop? Kasumi?..." Ranma trailed off, his eyes widening in
horror as he realized the finality in Cologne's words. They were
gone. He'd killed them. They were gone. The only family he'd ever
known. Gone. Dead. His fault.
Cologne jumped back as Ranma became enshrouded in a black and green
aura of complete and utter despair. The bed and floor beneath him and
the ceiling above simply dissolved. Then, emotionally spent and
physically exhausted by the momentary lapse in control, Ranma slumped
to the ground, once again unconscious.
****
The best way to break someone was to never let them know they were
being broken. To shape someone to your will is best achieved by
making your will their own.
Cologne's lips pulled back into a ghastly version of a grin. Ranma
would make a truly magnificent addition to the tribe.
****
Author's Notes: Ugh, stupid cold front, damned weather. Thanks to
some kind of illness, I'm guessing a bad head cold with a touch of
strepthroat, major computer problems(Gateway sucks, but at least the
tech support people are nice) and a tad of writer's block(no, the
major case of that from this summer isn't coming back), I haven't
wrote anything in a while. Got this idea last night while I was
trying to go to sleep, and decided to write it out. It's amazing how
little sleep you need when you're too miserable to recognize
exhaustion as anything but another reason to bitch and moan. Anyway,
I'll probably continue this for three or four more chapters, like I do
with almost all my works, then start something else and forget about
it. Maybe not, though, so look out for the next part sometime soon.
C&C is welcome at dark_phoneix@hotmail.com
