I own none of the characters from Ranma ½, they're maker was Rumiko
Takahashi.
Sunrise on a Cloudy Day
The Light Begins
Its Presence gives me Hope
Promises of Warmth to Come
Threats of Darkness Remains
Rain To Ruin the Light
Still I Hope
Akane was sitting in the shadows near her former home nibbling on a piece of stolen meat and bread.
It had been two years since that horrid day when her father had chased her out of the house, the only thing that had saved her that day was she was now faster, stronger and tougher.
Even Doctor Tofu had turned her away, not even Kuno liked her now, instead he seemed to have turned his obsession from dating her to killing her.
Finishing her meal she watched the shadows play across the yard.
"FIANCÉ????!" The shout startled her out of her reverie.
Those were her sisters!
Akane's curiosity was invoked and she crept closer to the door to listen in, her enhanced hearing would prove useful to this she thought with a smirk.
"…He has been travelling with his father on a training journey and recently went into China."
"Ooh China."
"I do hope he is older, younger men bore me."
"Is he cute?"
"I have no idea, I've never met him."
The silence was deafening.
"WHAT?"
"Daddy, you've engaged us to someone you've never met!"
"That can be easily fixed." She heard her father chuckle.
Listening carefully she heard a knock at the door.
"We have visitors."
That would be dear sweet Kasumi, too bad even she was scared of Akane.
Akane's eyes narrowed at the sudden scream, she was preparing to defend her former family when she heard an unfamiliar voice.
"Leggo ya old fool your scaring em spitless."
"You wouldn't be…?" Her father.
"I'm Saotome Ranma, sorry 'bout this."
"I'm so happy!" There was a pause
"'He' is a girl daddy." That slightly sarcastic tone would be Nabiki, good old Nabs.
"Could you please not do that?"
She heard a thump, that would be daddy of course, he never could handle emotional strain well.
Akane watched the redhead interestedly, it wasn't everyday you find out your ex-sisters are engaged… to a girl none the less.
Akane sniffed the air delicately trying to sort out the scents of the two visitors and nearly yelped in shock.
They stank of magic!
Magic even stronger then that sword she had stolen from Kuno, the damn thing glowed whenever she was within fifty meters of it.
The girl and the panda were enchanted somehow.
They would bear watching.
She noticed her dad was stirring.
"How could you engage us to a girl daddy." There was wonderfully sarcastic Nabs again.
"I was positive Saotome's son was a boy."
"Do these look like they belong on a boy daddy?" Nabiki was now poking the small girl's chest.
"Please don't do that." The girl was quite almost meek.
After Nabiki had stopped poking her she spoke grudgingly. "I guess you are our guests for a while Ranma, would you like to see our Dojo?"
Akane saw the slight nod and followed the two out to the Dojo keeping to the shadows.
When Nabiki passed her on the way back to the house she didn't notice Akane.
Curiosity overcoming Akane she moved to the Dojo doors and peeked in.
What she saw made her gasp, the girl was going through a kata, a highly complex one with leaps and bounds all over the dojo moving with a grace Akane never had witnessed before.
The girl stopped "Someone there?"
Cursing herself for her inattention Akane hopped to the house's roof from where she had been standing.
She saw the redhead come out of the Dojo and look around.
The redhead shrugged and then headed into the house.
Below her Akane heard Kasumi speak. "You want to go into the furo Ranma?"
"Ah no thanks."
"You must be sweaty from the exercise, go on it's ok."
"Sure." Akane smiled at the resignation in her voice.
Akane wondered why the girl stank of magic, maybe she could find out more about her just be watching her.
So thinking that Akane lightly ran across the roof towards the furo window.
Well running she heard something snap and felt her outfit fall to the ground.
"Dammit!" Akane would have to go steal another gymnastics outfit from one of the schools; they were the only things that allowed her wings full movement.
Scowling at the ruined clothes she continued to the furo then gasped at the sight of a tall young man emerging from the furo.
Her gasp alerted the young man to her presence and he turned and stared at her.
Noting his stare she bared her teeth at him and unknowingly made her eyes flare bright gold.
The young man blanched and ran out of the furo only stopping to grab his clothes.
Down below she heard Nabiki's voice.
"Who are you!"
"I'm Saotome Ranma, sorry 'bout this." That wasn't Ranma that was a male.
Thinking about that she blurred and was on top of the dining room roof.
"This is my good old friend."
"Saotome Genma." Another unknown voice.
"And my son."
"Saotome Ranma." The first unknown voice.
"What happened to the girl Ranma?" Kasumi.
"How am I going to explain this, aha I know!"
Akane traced the form of this newest Ranma as he fell to the pond. Suddenly the scent of magic being used flowed over her.
When Ranma emerged he was the she Akane had saw practicing in the Dojo.
Transforming magic? Interesting.
She ignored the boy and older man fight, knowing that the larger man must have been the panda, their normal forms didn't smell of magic, yet their cursed forms did.
Interesting to say the least.
Akane watched as the boy threw a bucket of water at the older man. The smell of his magic was slightly different then the boy's, though the overlaying scent was identical, must be the different forms they had.
Akane's father's one-track mind snapped me out of my musings.
"… So which one will you pick for your fiancé Ranma? My eldest daughter Kasumi, she's nineteen or my youngest daughter Nabiki she's seventeen."
"Oh he wants Nabiki!"
"WHAT? Like I would want some sex-changing boy."
"Hey your no catch either, besides you probably prefer my girl form, you certainly felt me up enough."
Akane grinned at that as she peeked over the edge of the roof in time to see her sister throw a heavy lamp at the girl's head as she turned away from the girl to stomp off.
The only reason it hit her was because he saw Akane. She felt vaguely guilty for that as she watched the boy/girl crumple to the ground.
Akane listened under the window they had put the girl/boy in.
"You really should apologize to Nabiki for that comment Ranma, it was uncalled for."
"Yea yea, by the way who was that strange winged chick?"
"Winged chick?"
"Ya she watched me in the furo and I saw her face when Nabiki got me with that lamp."
She then barely heard the boy/girl mutter under his breath "She was cute though"
He… He… He… thinks I was cu… cute? Were Akane's suddenly stuttering thoughts.
"FATHER AKANE IS AROUND." I heard Kasumi get up and rush out of the room.
"Kuso" Akane swore out loud.
Suddenly Akane froze; the girl had managed to get in front of her!
"What are you?" Was her question.
"I don't know. I've been called mainly a demon since I grew these wings." Silently she thanked the gods that her wings could cover what the missing leotard couldn't!
"What? Why?"
"I have no idea, it's just that everyone seems to hate me now." Akane hung her head at that, she hated being hated.
"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" Akane suddenly glared at her.
"Umm not that I was staring or nothing but isn't it chilly?"
Akane smiled at his panicked reply. "If you must know my clothes got wretched and I haven't bothered to go steal a new set yet." She said her tone deliberately frosty.
"Ah, would you like to have mine? I have spares."
Akane blinked. Someone was being nice to her? The Demoness Akane?
"Ah sure, I can only take the pants, most shirts don't really work."
She quickly stripped off his pants and held them out to her.
"Umm Thanks." Akane shyly slipped on the pants.
This would be a big risk, she was setting herself up for a world of hurt, but maybe, just maybe it would work out.
"Hi I'm Akane want to be friends?" Akane gave her a smile, her first real smile in two years.
At her nod Akane would have leaped for joy, instead she heard the voices of her father and sister's.
"Please don't believe what they say about me, I'll explain later. Bye" With that Akane leaped off the roof and spread her wings. Glad at least for the partial covering the pants afforded.
Ranma Saotome was considering something as he listened to Tendo Soun's story.
"My wife was in perfect health even after two perfect baby girls were born. Shortly after Nabiki's birth Kumiko became pregnant with a third child Akane. During the pregnancy she became increasingly weak and barely survived giving birth. She lasted three years before dying. After her death I became a shell of my former self I quit teaching and only taught Akane the basics of the Art, I quit even that when she reached seven. When Akane was fourteen she began to experience sharp pains in her back, which would cause her to become unconscious. After a month of those pains she one day sprouted wings, I recognized the golden eyes, fangs and wings as a type of demon who steals the life of unborn children and mothers."
Soun's eyes glowered. "Obviously the creature had decided to move on to another victim, but for some reason she is unable to leave the area."
Ranma nodded at this. He had his doubts though; the girl seemed surprised and pleased when he had offered the pants.
Her smile had been genuine and definitely not evil.
But Tendo-San's story was convincing.
Well he would talk to Akane later; maybe she would explain things.
Ranma awoke like always in the air, subconsciously already dodging his fathers strikes. His father had probably decided he needed extra training to deal with the demon.
His speculations were already proven to be true when his father spoke as he attacked.
"Boy, since even Tendo hasn't been able to kill this demon I'm going to be taking you on a training trip to teach you my two most deadly set of techniques. Until we actually go we will work extra hard on toughening your body and increasing both your speed and strength in BOTH forms."
He was serious about this. Especially with his father talking about training his cursed form.
He must trust Tendo-San a lot.
After thirty minutes of intense training, half of it he was a she they both heard something that made them stop cold.
"Breakfast!"
Both Saotome's seemed to teleport to the table.
"This looks wonderful Kasumi."
"Why thank you Saotome-San." Both Saotomes began to perform their vacuum- like eating style, trying to grab food off of each other's plates.
After finishing the elder Tendo spoke "Ranma you will be attending school, you do need a proper education to run a Dojo you know."
"School? Do I havta?"
"Yes boy, Tendo is right. Proper schooling is important to running a Dojo." Genma tried to look stern and wise, all he managed was a vaguely constipated look.
"But I don't have any supplies." Wordlessly Ranma's father handed him a bag.
"I don't know where it is."
"That's easily fixed. Nabiki? Nabiki where are you?" Soun began to look around.
"She already left father." Came the call of Kasumi from the living room.
"Well Ranma turn left at the gate, go down three blocks then turn right. Go straight down that way and there will be the school in five blocks." Soun turned around.
"Hurry or you'll be late, I've already registered you."
"Alright, alright I'll go."
Mumbling about stupid fathers and stupid school he ran out of the door. Hopping onto the fence he began to run.
After taking the turn he jumped onto the wire fence besides the canal.
He was surprised when he felt water splashing him and lost his balance.
"Ouch."
"Stupid curse."
"Where are you going Ranma?" He looked up at the sound of the slightly cheerful voice.
"Oh heya Akane, just going home to get some hot water. Can't go to school like this." The girl was perched on top of the rooftop smiling down at her as she gestured at her body.
"There is hot water at the school, you don't want to be late do you?" Akane laughed gently.
"I guess not, thanks Akane."
"No problem Ranma, talk to you after school?"
"Sure." With that Ranma jumped back on the fence and began running.
Akane shook her head still laughing. -What a strange boy- she thought, -Nice though. -
As Ranma entered the schoolyard a tall young man with a bokken blocked her path in hand.
"Fair one hold, may I enquire as what 'tis your name?"
Ranma a bit flustered by the archaic speak stammered "Huh? Me? Well my name is…"
"Yes it is customary to give ones own name first, very well then. I am this high schools kendo champion and best fighter at this school. My name is Kuno Tatewaki also known by my peers as the Blue Thunder of Furinken High, age seventeen."
"Umm well I'm Saotome Ranma of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, pleased to meetcha."
"So thou is a member of that formidable School, Saotome Ranma I would date thee." Ranma looked queasy.
"No thanks."
"I challenge thee to a match and should you win we shall date." Ranma began to look furious as well as green.
"I said I DON'T WANT TO DATE YOU." Ranma blurred and kicked the kendoist as hard as she could.
"Pigtailed… Goddess…" Kuno collapsed into unconsciousness against the wall he had hit.
"Pathetic Kuno baby." Came Nabiki's voice as she looked down at him.
Ranma watched as the girl began to drag Kuno towards the school.
Grumbling under her breath she hiked her pants up and began to look for some hot water.
A few minutes later she found a restroom and entered.
Turning on the hot water tap she waited for it to heat up, not noticing the two guys entering the restroom.
"You do know this is the guy's bathroom right?" Came the voice from behind her as she pored the cupped water over her head.
"Huh?" He turned around and saw two guys gaping at him. "Whatcha want?"
They didn't answer and after waving his hand in front of their eyes he shrugged and left the restroom, he had to find out where his class was.
Ranma grumbled to himself as he waited for class to end. After waiting in the hall for ten minutes carrying buckets for being late he had managed to stay awake most of the day, despite almost nodding off three times.
School was boring but he thought Tendo-San might have a point, he would have ignored his father if Soun hadn't agreed with him.
With the ring of the bell he immediately jumped out of the window, glad to be free of imprisonment.
Hopping from roof to roof he began to look around for Akane.
Stopping briefly he wondered out loud "Where is she?"
"Behind you." Ranma gave a startled squeak and turned around to see Akane's grin.
"How'd you do that?" Ranma gasped out; "I didn't even feel your presence."
"Something I learned from watching Doctor Tofu, it's useful for getting meals and avoiding demon hunters."
"Doctor Tofu? Demon HUNTERS?" Ranma's voice rose on the last one.
"Doctor Tofu is the local chiropractor, he's quite good and he is infatuated with Kasumi. I used to have a crush on him before _this_ happened." She gestured to herself.
"As for the demon hunters, well whatever I am seems to set off demon sensors, I had to steal a sword off of Kuno because he used it to find three of my hideouts before I grabbed it. Luckily most demon hunters only have items that detect things when people are in danger."
She shook her head. "So what you want to talk about?"
"Umm tell me about what your life was like."
"Well, I'll start at the beginning." Steeling herself for disappointment and rejection she began to talk.
"My mother died when I was three so I don't really have any memories of her. My earliest memories are that of my dad teaching me the Art. When I reached seven Nabiki had a small car accident and this caused my father to complete his breakdown from when my mother died. He stopped functioning really. Since I loved the Art I continued to practice it on my own but since I didn't really have any idea what to do I was largely self-taught. I also had an unstable temper that got me into a lot of fights otherwise I had a normal childhood. After I turned fourteen I began to experience sharp pains in my back which caused me to black out. Then _these_ sprouted" She pointed to one of her wings.
"Anyway after my dad chased me off shouting about how I… I… Killed mother I was desperate. Even Doctor Tofu was scared of me and tried to attack me. About a week after I started hiding I discovered everybody and everything was scared of me, if they didn't run away they would attack me." Akane sniffled.
"It was horrible, I had to sneak around to even get food. Even if I wore sunglasses and hid my wings they would be scared. Kuno then started chasing me around to kill me with a strange glowing sword. He would call me vile temptress and succubus. I was actually lucky Kuno was the first demon hunter I encountered, he gave me valuable experience, and I would have died the first time I encountered real demon hunters. Even with the experience I nearly did."
She shook her head to clear the bad memories. "Enough about me. Tell me about your life."
"Well I left on a ten-year training journey when I was six. I barely remember my mother. We traveled quite a lot and I rarely got a chance to make friends. My first friend was a boy named Ukyo, I called him Ucchan and he called me Ranchan." Ranma smiled at the memory then shook his head.
"Anyway two years ago we went into China then about two months ago we came to Jusenkyou…" Akane interrupted his story.
"I heard this part, I listened to you two explain it last night."
"Oh, well anyway after chasing Oyaji for a few hours I headed back to the Guide's hut where I discovered that thing about hot and cold water. Oyagi hired the Guide to take us out of the valley. After receiving a kiss of death from this strange Amazon girl we headed here."
"Kiss of death?" Akane looked curious.
"Ya, apparently if an outsider defeats an Amazon she has to kill him, even if it takes chasing the outsider to the ends of the earth. We had to hide almost once a week when she caught up to us."
"Sounds like you've had an interesting life Ranma." She grinned and Ranma snorted indelicately.
"Well that's the basics of my life, I might tell ya the rest later." Then Ranma decided to use the Saotome Ultimate Technique Open Mouth, Insert Foot
"So you aren't evil are ya?"
Akane looked indignant and bopped the boy on the head.
"No I am not evil, everyone just thinks that. The evilest thing I've done is steal clothes and food. And the only reason I do that is I can't approach anyone for a job without them screaming and running away."
She then hesitated. -Should I mention _that_? Technically killing someone is evil, but they were about to begin raping that poor girl. They also had raped and killed two others -
Pushing the thought out of her mind she turned onto a more pleasant topic.
"I saw you practicing in the dojo, you want to spar? You might be good enough to fight me without getting seriously hurt!" Ranma looked hesitant.
"What, are you scared of fighting me?"
"Hey I'm not scared of anything!" Ranma was indignant
"Then what?"
"I don't like hitting girls."
"Ranma, I'm no ordinary girl. See this?" She was pointing to a scar on her right bicep.
"Kuno nearly cut off my arm when he trapped me in a building, it was completely healed within an hour." Ranma's eyes got wide at that.
"So I ask you again, do you want to spar?"
At his nod she gave him her brightest smile and grabbed his arm. "C'mon I know a great place, its completely surrounded by buildings and no one can see in it."
Ranma gave off a yelp of surprise as Akane lifted him into her arms and leapt off the roof spreading her wings wide.
"YAAAAAAAA" After receiving an amused glance from his ride he began to enjoy the feeling of moving through the air.
To Ranma this was almost as good as roof hopping.
After the brief and enjoyable ride Akane landed in a large grassy clearing that was in between three buildings and a ten-foot high concrete wall.
"This place used to be used by workers during there off break from that building. After the owner went bankrupt this lot hasn't been used and someone who had it condemned bought the building. I use it as my weekend hideout." She said to his questioning glance.
"The only way to get to it is through the roof, all the ground entrances and windows have been boarded up."
"Well shall we?" At Ranma's nod Akane got into a classic kempo stance. Ranma slightly adjusted his own stance and waited for her first move.
Akane accepted the invitation and charged.
"WHOA!" Akane's speed impressed Ranma, she was faster then him, a lot faster, the only thing that allowed him to dodge was that she was telegraphing her moves.
Cautiously Ranma felt out her defenses with a few punches, they were a lot of holes there but she didn't even acknowledge those that got through.
Ranma was encouraged to go full out against this girl. Grinning at the challenge she presented he began to use his full acumen at the Art.
For an hour they danced, parried and struck out in the abandoned park. Akane was left panting on the ground, much of her blows spent on empty air. Ranma was lying on the ground near her bruised on almost every inch of his body, the strikes Akane had gotten through had hurt.
Both of their bruises were healing at a visible rate though Akane's were already almost gone. Ranma's would be gone by tomorrow morning.
"Great fight 'Kane." Ranma panted out.
"Ya Ranma, great fight, I'm glad you aren't a demon hunter I would be in trouble otherwise."
"Tell ya what Akane, you help me train in my speed and strength and I'll teach ya the Art so you don't have ta worry so much about demon hunters."
"Really?"
"Really, after all what are friends for?" At that careless comment Akane gave a beautiful smile and then grabbed Ranma in a bone-crunching hug.
"C-a-n'-t Br-e-ea-a-a-th" Ranma managed to get out.
"Oh sorry Ranma, thanks again, see you around." Akane smiled once again flexed her wings and jumped up thirty meters and flapped her wings sending a powerful gust of wind down at Ranma. Hovering she waved and took off.
"See you tomorrow Ranma, Come back here at the same time tomorrow and we'll spar again!"
Ranma hopped roof to roof whistling cheerfully. He had a new friend, someone who was a challenge in the Art and liked him despite his curse.
Leaping down into the Tendo's yard he was immediately beset by his father.
"Where have you been boy? We have training to do."
"I've been sparring pop, he was pretty good, stronger and faster then me, though not as skilled in the art as I was."
Genma looked at his son. "You won of course, didn't you?"
"Naw, it was a tie, we decided to help each other out, I'd help him in the Art and he'd help me get my strength and speed up, we're meeting again tomorrow." Ranma figured a little lie, such as the exact gender and species of his friend wouldn't hurt. His father was always harping on how weak girls were.
HA as if they hadn't been chased scared by some girl throughout China, and Akane definitely wasn't weak.
Hell even his girl-form was almost as strong as his guy form. Faster then it too.
These thoughts continued as his father began to start his speed and strength training, along with the annoying lecture on how he should ALWAYS win.
Shrugging at the weights his father had attached to his body his began to push himself to move as fast as he could without losing any iota of control and precision in his form.
Genma stared at the twin scrolls in his hands. He had sworn never to use these again until his heir was ready for the responsibility they represented.
The Umi-Sen-Ken and the Yama-Sen-Ken were the ultimate in killing styles, he had banished them because they were as dangerous to they're user as to they're opponent, now… he had no choice their was a demon out there who was stronger and faster then his friend Soun.
Someone who had killed his friends wife.
Someone who had killed six men who were trying to save three little girls from rape and murder.
It was then he glanced out the window and he saw her.
She was strolling along a roof, wings barely visible.
If he hadn't been looking for them he wouldn't have noticed them.
That wasn't what had alerted him to her nature; no it was the sheer evil and vileness that radiated off her. Worse then the master she was.
When she turned her head and looked at him he was frozen in fear. Those glowing eyes seemed to promise torture and death if he neared her.
Always a coward at heart his gaze turned away and once again vowed his son _would_ kill that demon.
Well first chapter is done; you will learn more of Akane's history as we go on. Next chapter lets meet Ryoga!
Sunrise on a Cloudy Day
The Light Begins
Its Presence gives me Hope
Promises of Warmth to Come
Threats of Darkness Remains
Rain To Ruin the Light
Still I Hope
Akane was sitting in the shadows near her former home nibbling on a piece of stolen meat and bread.
It had been two years since that horrid day when her father had chased her out of the house, the only thing that had saved her that day was she was now faster, stronger and tougher.
Even Doctor Tofu had turned her away, not even Kuno liked her now, instead he seemed to have turned his obsession from dating her to killing her.
Finishing her meal she watched the shadows play across the yard.
"FIANCÉ????!" The shout startled her out of her reverie.
Those were her sisters!
Akane's curiosity was invoked and she crept closer to the door to listen in, her enhanced hearing would prove useful to this she thought with a smirk.
"…He has been travelling with his father on a training journey and recently went into China."
"Ooh China."
"I do hope he is older, younger men bore me."
"Is he cute?"
"I have no idea, I've never met him."
The silence was deafening.
"WHAT?"
"Daddy, you've engaged us to someone you've never met!"
"That can be easily fixed." She heard her father chuckle.
Listening carefully she heard a knock at the door.
"We have visitors."
That would be dear sweet Kasumi, too bad even she was scared of Akane.
Akane's eyes narrowed at the sudden scream, she was preparing to defend her former family when she heard an unfamiliar voice.
"Leggo ya old fool your scaring em spitless."
"You wouldn't be…?" Her father.
"I'm Saotome Ranma, sorry 'bout this."
"I'm so happy!" There was a pause
"'He' is a girl daddy." That slightly sarcastic tone would be Nabiki, good old Nabs.
"Could you please not do that?"
She heard a thump, that would be daddy of course, he never could handle emotional strain well.
Akane watched the redhead interestedly, it wasn't everyday you find out your ex-sisters are engaged… to a girl none the less.
Akane sniffed the air delicately trying to sort out the scents of the two visitors and nearly yelped in shock.
They stank of magic!
Magic even stronger then that sword she had stolen from Kuno, the damn thing glowed whenever she was within fifty meters of it.
The girl and the panda were enchanted somehow.
They would bear watching.
She noticed her dad was stirring.
"How could you engage us to a girl daddy." There was wonderfully sarcastic Nabs again.
"I was positive Saotome's son was a boy."
"Do these look like they belong on a boy daddy?" Nabiki was now poking the small girl's chest.
"Please don't do that." The girl was quite almost meek.
After Nabiki had stopped poking her she spoke grudgingly. "I guess you are our guests for a while Ranma, would you like to see our Dojo?"
Akane saw the slight nod and followed the two out to the Dojo keeping to the shadows.
When Nabiki passed her on the way back to the house she didn't notice Akane.
Curiosity overcoming Akane she moved to the Dojo doors and peeked in.
What she saw made her gasp, the girl was going through a kata, a highly complex one with leaps and bounds all over the dojo moving with a grace Akane never had witnessed before.
The girl stopped "Someone there?"
Cursing herself for her inattention Akane hopped to the house's roof from where she had been standing.
She saw the redhead come out of the Dojo and look around.
The redhead shrugged and then headed into the house.
Below her Akane heard Kasumi speak. "You want to go into the furo Ranma?"
"Ah no thanks."
"You must be sweaty from the exercise, go on it's ok."
"Sure." Akane smiled at the resignation in her voice.
Akane wondered why the girl stank of magic, maybe she could find out more about her just be watching her.
So thinking that Akane lightly ran across the roof towards the furo window.
Well running she heard something snap and felt her outfit fall to the ground.
"Dammit!" Akane would have to go steal another gymnastics outfit from one of the schools; they were the only things that allowed her wings full movement.
Scowling at the ruined clothes she continued to the furo then gasped at the sight of a tall young man emerging from the furo.
Her gasp alerted the young man to her presence and he turned and stared at her.
Noting his stare she bared her teeth at him and unknowingly made her eyes flare bright gold.
The young man blanched and ran out of the furo only stopping to grab his clothes.
Down below she heard Nabiki's voice.
"Who are you!"
"I'm Saotome Ranma, sorry 'bout this." That wasn't Ranma that was a male.
Thinking about that she blurred and was on top of the dining room roof.
"This is my good old friend."
"Saotome Genma." Another unknown voice.
"And my son."
"Saotome Ranma." The first unknown voice.
"What happened to the girl Ranma?" Kasumi.
"How am I going to explain this, aha I know!"
Akane traced the form of this newest Ranma as he fell to the pond. Suddenly the scent of magic being used flowed over her.
When Ranma emerged he was the she Akane had saw practicing in the Dojo.
Transforming magic? Interesting.
She ignored the boy and older man fight, knowing that the larger man must have been the panda, their normal forms didn't smell of magic, yet their cursed forms did.
Interesting to say the least.
Akane watched as the boy threw a bucket of water at the older man. The smell of his magic was slightly different then the boy's, though the overlaying scent was identical, must be the different forms they had.
Akane's father's one-track mind snapped me out of my musings.
"… So which one will you pick for your fiancé Ranma? My eldest daughter Kasumi, she's nineteen or my youngest daughter Nabiki she's seventeen."
"Oh he wants Nabiki!"
"WHAT? Like I would want some sex-changing boy."
"Hey your no catch either, besides you probably prefer my girl form, you certainly felt me up enough."
Akane grinned at that as she peeked over the edge of the roof in time to see her sister throw a heavy lamp at the girl's head as she turned away from the girl to stomp off.
The only reason it hit her was because he saw Akane. She felt vaguely guilty for that as she watched the boy/girl crumple to the ground.
Akane listened under the window they had put the girl/boy in.
"You really should apologize to Nabiki for that comment Ranma, it was uncalled for."
"Yea yea, by the way who was that strange winged chick?"
"Winged chick?"
"Ya she watched me in the furo and I saw her face when Nabiki got me with that lamp."
She then barely heard the boy/girl mutter under his breath "She was cute though"
He… He… He… thinks I was cu… cute? Were Akane's suddenly stuttering thoughts.
"FATHER AKANE IS AROUND." I heard Kasumi get up and rush out of the room.
"Kuso" Akane swore out loud.
Suddenly Akane froze; the girl had managed to get in front of her!
"What are you?" Was her question.
"I don't know. I've been called mainly a demon since I grew these wings." Silently she thanked the gods that her wings could cover what the missing leotard couldn't!
"What? Why?"
"I have no idea, it's just that everyone seems to hate me now." Akane hung her head at that, she hated being hated.
"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" Akane suddenly glared at her.
"Umm not that I was staring or nothing but isn't it chilly?"
Akane smiled at his panicked reply. "If you must know my clothes got wretched and I haven't bothered to go steal a new set yet." She said her tone deliberately frosty.
"Ah, would you like to have mine? I have spares."
Akane blinked. Someone was being nice to her? The Demoness Akane?
"Ah sure, I can only take the pants, most shirts don't really work."
She quickly stripped off his pants and held them out to her.
"Umm Thanks." Akane shyly slipped on the pants.
This would be a big risk, she was setting herself up for a world of hurt, but maybe, just maybe it would work out.
"Hi I'm Akane want to be friends?" Akane gave her a smile, her first real smile in two years.
At her nod Akane would have leaped for joy, instead she heard the voices of her father and sister's.
"Please don't believe what they say about me, I'll explain later. Bye" With that Akane leaped off the roof and spread her wings. Glad at least for the partial covering the pants afforded.
Ranma Saotome was considering something as he listened to Tendo Soun's story.
"My wife was in perfect health even after two perfect baby girls were born. Shortly after Nabiki's birth Kumiko became pregnant with a third child Akane. During the pregnancy she became increasingly weak and barely survived giving birth. She lasted three years before dying. After her death I became a shell of my former self I quit teaching and only taught Akane the basics of the Art, I quit even that when she reached seven. When Akane was fourteen she began to experience sharp pains in her back, which would cause her to become unconscious. After a month of those pains she one day sprouted wings, I recognized the golden eyes, fangs and wings as a type of demon who steals the life of unborn children and mothers."
Soun's eyes glowered. "Obviously the creature had decided to move on to another victim, but for some reason she is unable to leave the area."
Ranma nodded at this. He had his doubts though; the girl seemed surprised and pleased when he had offered the pants.
Her smile had been genuine and definitely not evil.
But Tendo-San's story was convincing.
Well he would talk to Akane later; maybe she would explain things.
Ranma awoke like always in the air, subconsciously already dodging his fathers strikes. His father had probably decided he needed extra training to deal with the demon.
His speculations were already proven to be true when his father spoke as he attacked.
"Boy, since even Tendo hasn't been able to kill this demon I'm going to be taking you on a training trip to teach you my two most deadly set of techniques. Until we actually go we will work extra hard on toughening your body and increasing both your speed and strength in BOTH forms."
He was serious about this. Especially with his father talking about training his cursed form.
He must trust Tendo-San a lot.
After thirty minutes of intense training, half of it he was a she they both heard something that made them stop cold.
"Breakfast!"
Both Saotome's seemed to teleport to the table.
"This looks wonderful Kasumi."
"Why thank you Saotome-San." Both Saotomes began to perform their vacuum- like eating style, trying to grab food off of each other's plates.
After finishing the elder Tendo spoke "Ranma you will be attending school, you do need a proper education to run a Dojo you know."
"School? Do I havta?"
"Yes boy, Tendo is right. Proper schooling is important to running a Dojo." Genma tried to look stern and wise, all he managed was a vaguely constipated look.
"But I don't have any supplies." Wordlessly Ranma's father handed him a bag.
"I don't know where it is."
"That's easily fixed. Nabiki? Nabiki where are you?" Soun began to look around.
"She already left father." Came the call of Kasumi from the living room.
"Well Ranma turn left at the gate, go down three blocks then turn right. Go straight down that way and there will be the school in five blocks." Soun turned around.
"Hurry or you'll be late, I've already registered you."
"Alright, alright I'll go."
Mumbling about stupid fathers and stupid school he ran out of the door. Hopping onto the fence he began to run.
After taking the turn he jumped onto the wire fence besides the canal.
He was surprised when he felt water splashing him and lost his balance.
"Ouch."
"Stupid curse."
"Where are you going Ranma?" He looked up at the sound of the slightly cheerful voice.
"Oh heya Akane, just going home to get some hot water. Can't go to school like this." The girl was perched on top of the rooftop smiling down at her as she gestured at her body.
"There is hot water at the school, you don't want to be late do you?" Akane laughed gently.
"I guess not, thanks Akane."
"No problem Ranma, talk to you after school?"
"Sure." With that Ranma jumped back on the fence and began running.
Akane shook her head still laughing. -What a strange boy- she thought, -Nice though. -
As Ranma entered the schoolyard a tall young man with a bokken blocked her path in hand.
"Fair one hold, may I enquire as what 'tis your name?"
Ranma a bit flustered by the archaic speak stammered "Huh? Me? Well my name is…"
"Yes it is customary to give ones own name first, very well then. I am this high schools kendo champion and best fighter at this school. My name is Kuno Tatewaki also known by my peers as the Blue Thunder of Furinken High, age seventeen."
"Umm well I'm Saotome Ranma of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, pleased to meetcha."
"So thou is a member of that formidable School, Saotome Ranma I would date thee." Ranma looked queasy.
"No thanks."
"I challenge thee to a match and should you win we shall date." Ranma began to look furious as well as green.
"I said I DON'T WANT TO DATE YOU." Ranma blurred and kicked the kendoist as hard as she could.
"Pigtailed… Goddess…" Kuno collapsed into unconsciousness against the wall he had hit.
"Pathetic Kuno baby." Came Nabiki's voice as she looked down at him.
Ranma watched as the girl began to drag Kuno towards the school.
Grumbling under her breath she hiked her pants up and began to look for some hot water.
A few minutes later she found a restroom and entered.
Turning on the hot water tap she waited for it to heat up, not noticing the two guys entering the restroom.
"You do know this is the guy's bathroom right?" Came the voice from behind her as she pored the cupped water over her head.
"Huh?" He turned around and saw two guys gaping at him. "Whatcha want?"
They didn't answer and after waving his hand in front of their eyes he shrugged and left the restroom, he had to find out where his class was.
Ranma grumbled to himself as he waited for class to end. After waiting in the hall for ten minutes carrying buckets for being late he had managed to stay awake most of the day, despite almost nodding off three times.
School was boring but he thought Tendo-San might have a point, he would have ignored his father if Soun hadn't agreed with him.
With the ring of the bell he immediately jumped out of the window, glad to be free of imprisonment.
Hopping from roof to roof he began to look around for Akane.
Stopping briefly he wondered out loud "Where is she?"
"Behind you." Ranma gave a startled squeak and turned around to see Akane's grin.
"How'd you do that?" Ranma gasped out; "I didn't even feel your presence."
"Something I learned from watching Doctor Tofu, it's useful for getting meals and avoiding demon hunters."
"Doctor Tofu? Demon HUNTERS?" Ranma's voice rose on the last one.
"Doctor Tofu is the local chiropractor, he's quite good and he is infatuated with Kasumi. I used to have a crush on him before _this_ happened." She gestured to herself.
"As for the demon hunters, well whatever I am seems to set off demon sensors, I had to steal a sword off of Kuno because he used it to find three of my hideouts before I grabbed it. Luckily most demon hunters only have items that detect things when people are in danger."
She shook her head. "So what you want to talk about?"
"Umm tell me about what your life was like."
"Well, I'll start at the beginning." Steeling herself for disappointment and rejection she began to talk.
"My mother died when I was three so I don't really have any memories of her. My earliest memories are that of my dad teaching me the Art. When I reached seven Nabiki had a small car accident and this caused my father to complete his breakdown from when my mother died. He stopped functioning really. Since I loved the Art I continued to practice it on my own but since I didn't really have any idea what to do I was largely self-taught. I also had an unstable temper that got me into a lot of fights otherwise I had a normal childhood. After I turned fourteen I began to experience sharp pains in my back which caused me to black out. Then _these_ sprouted" She pointed to one of her wings.
"Anyway after my dad chased me off shouting about how I… I… Killed mother I was desperate. Even Doctor Tofu was scared of me and tried to attack me. About a week after I started hiding I discovered everybody and everything was scared of me, if they didn't run away they would attack me." Akane sniffled.
"It was horrible, I had to sneak around to even get food. Even if I wore sunglasses and hid my wings they would be scared. Kuno then started chasing me around to kill me with a strange glowing sword. He would call me vile temptress and succubus. I was actually lucky Kuno was the first demon hunter I encountered, he gave me valuable experience, and I would have died the first time I encountered real demon hunters. Even with the experience I nearly did."
She shook her head to clear the bad memories. "Enough about me. Tell me about your life."
"Well I left on a ten-year training journey when I was six. I barely remember my mother. We traveled quite a lot and I rarely got a chance to make friends. My first friend was a boy named Ukyo, I called him Ucchan and he called me Ranchan." Ranma smiled at the memory then shook his head.
"Anyway two years ago we went into China then about two months ago we came to Jusenkyou…" Akane interrupted his story.
"I heard this part, I listened to you two explain it last night."
"Oh, well anyway after chasing Oyaji for a few hours I headed back to the Guide's hut where I discovered that thing about hot and cold water. Oyagi hired the Guide to take us out of the valley. After receiving a kiss of death from this strange Amazon girl we headed here."
"Kiss of death?" Akane looked curious.
"Ya, apparently if an outsider defeats an Amazon she has to kill him, even if it takes chasing the outsider to the ends of the earth. We had to hide almost once a week when she caught up to us."
"Sounds like you've had an interesting life Ranma." She grinned and Ranma snorted indelicately.
"Well that's the basics of my life, I might tell ya the rest later." Then Ranma decided to use the Saotome Ultimate Technique Open Mouth, Insert Foot
"So you aren't evil are ya?"
Akane looked indignant and bopped the boy on the head.
"No I am not evil, everyone just thinks that. The evilest thing I've done is steal clothes and food. And the only reason I do that is I can't approach anyone for a job without them screaming and running away."
She then hesitated. -Should I mention _that_? Technically killing someone is evil, but they were about to begin raping that poor girl. They also had raped and killed two others -
Pushing the thought out of her mind she turned onto a more pleasant topic.
"I saw you practicing in the dojo, you want to spar? You might be good enough to fight me without getting seriously hurt!" Ranma looked hesitant.
"What, are you scared of fighting me?"
"Hey I'm not scared of anything!" Ranma was indignant
"Then what?"
"I don't like hitting girls."
"Ranma, I'm no ordinary girl. See this?" She was pointing to a scar on her right bicep.
"Kuno nearly cut off my arm when he trapped me in a building, it was completely healed within an hour." Ranma's eyes got wide at that.
"So I ask you again, do you want to spar?"
At his nod she gave him her brightest smile and grabbed his arm. "C'mon I know a great place, its completely surrounded by buildings and no one can see in it."
Ranma gave off a yelp of surprise as Akane lifted him into her arms and leapt off the roof spreading her wings wide.
"YAAAAAAAA" After receiving an amused glance from his ride he began to enjoy the feeling of moving through the air.
To Ranma this was almost as good as roof hopping.
After the brief and enjoyable ride Akane landed in a large grassy clearing that was in between three buildings and a ten-foot high concrete wall.
"This place used to be used by workers during there off break from that building. After the owner went bankrupt this lot hasn't been used and someone who had it condemned bought the building. I use it as my weekend hideout." She said to his questioning glance.
"The only way to get to it is through the roof, all the ground entrances and windows have been boarded up."
"Well shall we?" At Ranma's nod Akane got into a classic kempo stance. Ranma slightly adjusted his own stance and waited for her first move.
Akane accepted the invitation and charged.
"WHOA!" Akane's speed impressed Ranma, she was faster then him, a lot faster, the only thing that allowed him to dodge was that she was telegraphing her moves.
Cautiously Ranma felt out her defenses with a few punches, they were a lot of holes there but she didn't even acknowledge those that got through.
Ranma was encouraged to go full out against this girl. Grinning at the challenge she presented he began to use his full acumen at the Art.
For an hour they danced, parried and struck out in the abandoned park. Akane was left panting on the ground, much of her blows spent on empty air. Ranma was lying on the ground near her bruised on almost every inch of his body, the strikes Akane had gotten through had hurt.
Both of their bruises were healing at a visible rate though Akane's were already almost gone. Ranma's would be gone by tomorrow morning.
"Great fight 'Kane." Ranma panted out.
"Ya Ranma, great fight, I'm glad you aren't a demon hunter I would be in trouble otherwise."
"Tell ya what Akane, you help me train in my speed and strength and I'll teach ya the Art so you don't have ta worry so much about demon hunters."
"Really?"
"Really, after all what are friends for?" At that careless comment Akane gave a beautiful smile and then grabbed Ranma in a bone-crunching hug.
"C-a-n'-t Br-e-ea-a-a-th" Ranma managed to get out.
"Oh sorry Ranma, thanks again, see you around." Akane smiled once again flexed her wings and jumped up thirty meters and flapped her wings sending a powerful gust of wind down at Ranma. Hovering she waved and took off.
"See you tomorrow Ranma, Come back here at the same time tomorrow and we'll spar again!"
Ranma hopped roof to roof whistling cheerfully. He had a new friend, someone who was a challenge in the Art and liked him despite his curse.
Leaping down into the Tendo's yard he was immediately beset by his father.
"Where have you been boy? We have training to do."
"I've been sparring pop, he was pretty good, stronger and faster then me, though not as skilled in the art as I was."
Genma looked at his son. "You won of course, didn't you?"
"Naw, it was a tie, we decided to help each other out, I'd help him in the Art and he'd help me get my strength and speed up, we're meeting again tomorrow." Ranma figured a little lie, such as the exact gender and species of his friend wouldn't hurt. His father was always harping on how weak girls were.
HA as if they hadn't been chased scared by some girl throughout China, and Akane definitely wasn't weak.
Hell even his girl-form was almost as strong as his guy form. Faster then it too.
These thoughts continued as his father began to start his speed and strength training, along with the annoying lecture on how he should ALWAYS win.
Shrugging at the weights his father had attached to his body his began to push himself to move as fast as he could without losing any iota of control and precision in his form.
Genma stared at the twin scrolls in his hands. He had sworn never to use these again until his heir was ready for the responsibility they represented.
The Umi-Sen-Ken and the Yama-Sen-Ken were the ultimate in killing styles, he had banished them because they were as dangerous to they're user as to they're opponent, now… he had no choice their was a demon out there who was stronger and faster then his friend Soun.
Someone who had killed his friends wife.
Someone who had killed six men who were trying to save three little girls from rape and murder.
It was then he glanced out the window and he saw her.
She was strolling along a roof, wings barely visible.
If he hadn't been looking for them he wouldn't have noticed them.
That wasn't what had alerted him to her nature; no it was the sheer evil and vileness that radiated off her. Worse then the master she was.
When she turned her head and looked at him he was frozen in fear. Those glowing eyes seemed to promise torture and death if he neared her.
Always a coward at heart his gaze turned away and once again vowed his son _would_ kill that demon.
Well first chapter is done; you will learn more of Akane's history as we go on. Next chapter lets meet Ryoga!