Sun Set
Another Day is Done
Sun Rise
Time to have some Fun
Time for Play
Time for Games
Time for a Demon to die Today
Ranma jumped up onto a roof next to Akane.
"Hey Akane-chan."
"Hey Ranma."
"The old ghoul has left for the beach for the summer. I'm heading there with the Tendo's and oyaji. Want to come?"
Akane smiled. "Sure."
Ranma later found Akane sitting down the beach on some high rocks looking over the waves.
"I haven't been to the beach ever since the Change, that was a good summer for me. Kuno was no where around and Yuki and Sakura were with me. We had lots of fun." Akane sighed then shook her head. She depressed herself thinking about the past like that.
"Anyway what do you think?" She gestured to herself. She was wearing a yellow strapless one-piece bathing suit.
"Looks good on ya Akane-chan. You should wear yellow more often suits you."
Her eyebrows raised. "When did you become an expert on fashion Ranma?"
"Hey, I'm just saying it looks good on you."
"Thanks Ranma, you find Cologne?"
"Not yet. I was thinking of we could spar full out."
"Sounds like fun. No restrictions?"
"Nope."
"You first Akane."
"If you insist." Akane grinned evilly.
Suddenly Ranma's body was buffeted by dozens of blows all over his body hitting him with stunning force.
Quickly upping her speed to Amaguriken Ranma put out a frantic defense. Once regaining her equilibrium she retaliated.
Akane smile was feral as Ranma's blows began to strike home, almost as one they leapt back and began to power up for a chi blast.
"PLASMA" "CRIMSON"
"FLAAARE" "BEEEAAAM"
Ranma jumped up just before she released her own attack, causing Akane to miss and Ranma's narrowly miss Akane as she dodged.
Akane quickly attacked with her wings, flapping them at Amaguriken levels to send Ramna flying down the beach as the bullet-force winds hit him.
Ranma groaned as she got up. "Good one Akane, but not good enough!"
She rushed in to engage Akane once again in hand-to hand and quickly exploited Akane's over-extension by using a modified Judo throw to toss her into the rocks behind her.
Not letting up for an instant Ranma mercilessly pounded Akane into the rocks. Stunning punches and kicks rocked Akane as she tried to retaliate.
Then came Ranma's most devastating attack.
"Saotome Anything-Goes Final Attack!" She paused dramatically.
"TICKLE THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE UP!" Still going at amaguriken speeds he began to tickle Akane all over her body causing her to break into giggles and squeals.
After valiantly trying to tickle Ranma back Akane manage to gasp out. "I... I... gi... give... u... up!"
Ranma smiled and then held out her hand.
"Another win for the great Saotome Ranma!"
"Ha, great are you?"
"Yup."
"We'll see about that!"
Bringing her wings forward she launched her counter-attack. "Tendo Anything Goes Special Attack - Feather Tickle Storm!"
Ranma was completely unprepared as the large black feathers moved over her.
Laughing uncontrollably she fell backwards and tried to weather the attack.
"You win Akane, you win."
"HA another victory for Akane the Demoness, Eater of Demons!"
Plopping down besides the gasping redhead she leaned her against Ranma's. Sighing deeply she curled her wing around Ranma pressing the smaller girl against her side.
"Thanks Ranma."
"Huh? What for?"
"Nothing... Just thanks Ranma."
Twisting slightly Ranma looked at Akane curiously "Oh Ok. Your welcome." She turned back around.
Staring into the sea both girls sat there on the abandoned beach content in one another's company.
"Where the hell is that old bag?" Ranma whispered murderously.
"Who are you calling an old bag?" Came a question from behind her along with a sharp rap on the head. "Impertinent youngster."
"Ghoul! Give me that pill!" She shouted turning around and seeing the fleeing form of the Matriarch.
"Ah ah muko-dono, not until you agree to marry my Shan Pu."
The chase was abruptly interrupted when Ranma kicked a stray bench after the old woman and a figure dropped down, cleanly slicing the bench in two and landing with grace and poise.
"SHAN PU!" The figure cried and immediately hugged Ranma.
"Who are you calling Shampoo?" Ranma said calmly her foot buried in the young man's face.
"You're not my Shampoo." The young man swatted Ranma away after peering at Ranma through thick glasses.
The man turned unerringly to Akane who was using the Umi- Sen-Ken to hide in the shadows.
"SHAN PU I've found you at last!" He glomped Akane the same manner as Ranma.
"Who are you calling Shampoo?" Akane growled.
The man stumbled back at the sudden aura what he had thought was Shampoo suddenly erupted. Dropping her Umi-Sen-Ken caused everyone nearby to notice her and start fleeing in panic.
"How dare you impersonate my Shampoo demon. DIE!" The man launched a large amount of weapons at Akane. Akane smiled slightly and sent two large gusts of air via her wings and disrupted most of the weapons so they missed. The ones that actually reached her she slapped to the ground easily.
Suddenly Ranma was on top of the boy's head. "Who are you?"
"I am Shan Pu's groom, Mu Suu."
"You were bested Mousse, you cannot challenge Shan Pu any more." Cologne stated.
"We were only three!"
"Age makes no difference. Besides Ranma here has claimed Shampoo as his bride through tribal law." She pointed at the tiny _female_ redhead.
"You are having the wondrous Shampoo marrying a WOMAN?"
"He is Jusenkyou cursed."
"The Demon?"
"She is the Hunter."
Mousse was silent, the Hunter, a sworn enemy of all those who practiced the Dark Arts.
"I challenge you Saotome to a fight over." He raised a finger to point were his darling Shampoo was approaching the scene warily.
"You can't claim Shampoo, she is already taken..." She chuckled as his finger moved towards Akane, "and I doubt that the Hunter would allow herself be claimed as a prize."
Akane nodded her head angrily.
"Then I shall claim that one!" He pointed to another figure in the shadows. Ranma and Akane were startled when Nabiki stepped out of the shadows.
After a nervous glance at Akane she talked. "Now what have you gotten me into Saotome?" She asked sarcastically. Then she sighed. "You better win. If you don't I'll charge you extra interest on your debts."
"Hey old ghoul how about I get the phoenix pill if I win." Ranma suddenly chirped after shuddering slightly from Nabiki's threat.
It was perfect! A win/win scenario! Lose Nabiki or gain the pill.
"Very well muko-dono."
Ranma grinned. Shampoo, hearing the last said a bit fearfully. "Aiya Airen be very careful Mousse master of hidden weapons and he no like men getting close to Shampoo, is too, too jealous."
"Ok Shampoo, thanks."
Akane twitched as she watched Shampoo hang over Ranma, kami did she want to go and smack the bimbo off of her. Then smack Ranma for letting Shampoo hang over her.
The twitching wouldn't stop as Shampoo hung all over the petite redhead. Though she wouldn't go as far as to kiss her she did practically everything else.
The feeble protests of Akane's fiancée grated on her nerves, Akane wanted Ranma to scream them out instead of stuttering them like she had no will power.
It was then she realized she was putting out an aura, not her normal blue-black aura that signified her Demon-like abilities but an honest-to-kami battle aura. Blue and red jealous rage surrounded her.
Akane suddenly smirked, this would be perfect. Gathering a little of the anger into a ki ball no bigger then softball she let it fly straight at Shampoo.
- Gotcha you hussy! - She thought triumphantly as the ki ball caused Shampoo to yelp and try to rub the burn on her back.
Looking around then spotting Akane Ranma smiled at her in thanks, at least that what Akane thought it was.
Akane's lips twitched in a small smile of her own then returned to the frown she had as she looked around for the challenger.
Akane almost broke out laughing as she saw her ex-sister working the crowds. Same old Nabiki, even with Nabiki's father working in the dojo Nabiki still enjoyed making money.
Mousse was in a quandary, how was he to deal with the Hunter? Even the Dark Arts libraries only had vague allusions and mentions of them in their histories. A second problem was Saotome; the fiend had stolen the right to be her wife.
He should die for that, but it would be difficult to kill him without becoming the target of the old crone's wrath as well as suffering at the hands of the Hunter. He shuddered at the thought; the Hunters had a reputation of being cruel and merciless to those who had incurred their wrath. After all they learned from their prey on the best ways to torture and maim their victims.
It was time.
"A port-a-potty?" Ranma asked incredously after she had swiped the weapon out of Mousse's hands.
"Saotome DIE!"
"RAKING HAWKS TALONS"
"WHOA!"
"Ok that's it."
"PLASMA FLARE!"
**Thud**
"The winner Saotome Ranma."
"Well done Muko-Dono, as promised I will give you the phoenix pill." The old woman chuckled as she handed over the case.
"Finally, I get to be a guy again!" Ranma opened the case and swallowed the pill inside of it.
Grabbing a cup of tea out of someone's hands he dumped it over his head and felt the desired change without the pain hot water had caused him in the last few weeks.
"YATTA!!!!!!!!"
"Hello Ryoga."
"Elder." He bowed politely. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"I was busy with the restaurant, I was wondering if you will taking up my offer for me to train you."
"I have thought about it Elder, I will train with you."
Ryoga scowled at the memory, he had challenged Ranma to a match a few days ago and it had ended dismally, Ranma was faster then ever and his single blows had carried more strength then Ryoga had ever expected.
The old crone laughed. "By the time I'm done with you, you will be able to stand up to Ranma." Her eyes glittered in mirth. "I will train you up on Mt. Terror."
Akane frowned, she didn't understand why she was so emotional over little things like Shampoo hugging Ranma, or him teasing her, or him managing to say a nice thing in midst the foot-in-mouth techniques which he had mastered over the years with his father.
A year ago she was almost completely emotionless except for a deep sadness and loneliness. Now she couldn't go a day without getting angry with him or breaking out in a smile at Ranma.
Watching Ranma move through a kata was beautiful in both his forms. Male he moved it like a panther through the jungle, sleek, graceful, and deadly, absolute control over his every action. Female she ripped through it like wind, fast, untouchable, fierce one moment gentle and soothing the next.
When they sparred she was awed at his mastery of the Art, he could simply use his skill in it to counteract her greater strength and speed, though she was learning a lot it didn't match his ten years of experience solely practicing the Art.
Akane looked at her hands and called her aura, the aura that enhanced her so much in her body. Blackness swirled with a dark blue, sometimes joining one another others just swirling around each other. She felt so powerful like this, She could take on Lords without it, and with it she seemed to grow a hundred times more powerful.
Why?
Why would she need so much power?
Her mind turned to the Neko-Ken as her aura dissipated.
The Neko-Ken, what was it really?
Why was it in fragments?
There was one thing she was grateful of the Neko-ken for.
Ranma.
It always came back to him.
Ranma.
He now meant everything to her.
He had brought his friendship.
He had taught her how to smile again.
He had taught her how to feel again.
And he was bringing more and more people to him who could talk to her without fear... without hatred.
Cologne was merely the first; Akane could feel it in her bones.
She would have another friend soon. A friend!
And maybe... just maybe... in time... he would love her also.
Ranma stared in mirror and willed himself to transform. He stared in fearful awe as his form shifted.
If he was ever in a life or death battle he could lose his control over his form and he didn't want to lose control over the fight because he looked like a THING.
He had to master his fear.
Perhaps a training trip was in order so his father wouldn't nag him when he screamed in terror as he tested himself.
Yes a training trip up to the mountains would do nicely.
Ranma then looked at his hands.
He had killed.
Yes they were demons but he had killed.
He remembered his father's gravelly voice. "Boy you must do anything you can to win, if it means killing then you kill. Life and death fights are just that, life and death. That is one of the facets of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. We win at whatever the cost."
It still bothered him though.
He turned his thoughts back to the trip he was planning.
Maybe he would invite Akane along to keep his edge up while he tried to train the fear of cats out of himself.
Plus it was always nice to spend time with Akane.
She smiled broadly at him, leaving him slightly stunned.
"I'd love to go Ranma." She then began giggling slightly. "Just don't ask me to cook."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Trust me on this one, I could make toxic waste seem edible in comparison."
She smiled a little sadly, she loved to cook but two years on her own had driven the point home. She was a terrible cook.
"Ah come on, I'm sure you can improve."
"You won't be saying that again." Akane grinned; maybe she would cook for him, just once.
Ranma looked at the wok Akane had suspended over the campfire.
"Is it supposed to be glowing pink? And are those yellow blobs moving on their own?"
Akane smiled maliciously. "You promised you'd take a bite."
Ranma's eyes widened as the... well what ever it was seemed to hiss as he neared it. "Yes I promised I'd taste it. But not that it would try and taste me!"
She frowned at that. "Baka, just take a bite!" She bopped him on the head lightly with the ladle.
"Fine one bite."
A few minutes later.
"Look at the pretty colors!" Ranma said as he walked around with the horrible taste in his mouth.
"Ooh."
"BAKA!"
Akane stomped off. He really didn't have to say that her cooking tasted a thousand times worse then toxic waste.
Akane wondered briefly where the mallet had come from though. She had never done that before.
His head hurt, his stomach hurt and his mouth felt like something had dragged itself into it died, came back to life and died again in it.
Then the rain started.
"It couldn't get much worse."
- Wonder where she got the mallet? -
Well it was time to start training. She dragged out her small mirror.
It got worse.
"SAOTOME FOR STEALING MY SHAMPOO DIE!"
"RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!"
The shouts came at once. "Aaaah!"
She dodged the twenty large knives then ducked the umbrella.
"Heya Ryoga." She said then turned to the second figure.
"What's up Mousse?"
**WHAP**
**WHAP**
"Now, now boys, stop playing around. I told you, you will be a match for Ranma when I'm done training with you."
Ranma blinked. "Ghoul?"
**WHAP** "Who are you calling a ghoul?"
"Owwwwww. What is it with girls and hitting me over the head with blunt objects?"
Cologne chuckled. "These two ingrates have asked for training, I was bored so I closed the restaurant for a while and decided to help them."
"OK ghoul, can't wait to see your results!"
**WHAP** "Stop calling that. Oh and Ranma, if you seek to master the fear of cats come and ask me. I'll be glad to help."
Ranma's eyes widened. "How did you know I was here to conquer my fear of cats?"
She merely cackled as she dragged the comatose boys away.
Akane glanced unbelievingly around the camp. "What happened here?" It looked like someone had attacked it, with grenades.
Ranma looked up from the campfire where she was heating up some quick food.
"Ryoga and Mousse, Cologne said she was training them here."
"Really? I wonder why."
"She said something about being bored." She turned around and picked up the handheld mirror.
"Well here goes."
Her form shifted, it shrunk slightly, and fine red fur covered her entire body. Ranma grew even leaner looking and her features were feral.
Akane blinked what a difference between male and female forms. Where Ranma looked like a large panther in his male form, female Ranma-neko looked like a wild half-grown kitten.
Ranma shuddered as she looked at her face in the mirror; she was even more catlike female then the mirror.
"C-c-c-c-c-c-a-cat." Her fur bristled as fear rose in her. No she HAD to master the fear, she just had too.
Slowly she calmed herself down. It was hard, she looked like a monster, someone that clawed and bit and tore out throats and eyes.
"How are you doing Ranma?"
"O-o-o-k-k" She managed to get out.
"Maybe sparring will help you get used to that form Ranma."
"M-M-Maybe."
"Light, first to fall loses, no specials?"
"S-s-sure."
They started out slowly, feather light blows and blocks. As the battle progressed Ranma grew more relaxed and began to speed up.
Matching Ranma blow for blow Akane grinned, Ranma always was the most relaxed in battle, it had been a good idea to spar.
Akane mentally raised her eyebrows as the speed increased beyond Ranma's old limits, and kept on growing.
Both were now merely blurs bounding across the camp.
Ranma speed stopped increasing and Akane slopped off also, easily evading most of her blows and managing to slip a few in between Ranma's own defenses.
"Shall we?"
Ranma gave a shaky grin that was a pale shadow of her familiar cocky smirk. "Sure."
Soon the blows became full powered and Akane staggered slightly in surprise. That had stung!
Ranma-neko was a powerful adversary!
Ranma quickly took the advantage and soon Akane was on her back.
"How are you feeling Ranma?" She asked after she easily got up, light bruises already fading.
"OK, thanks Akane, it was a good idea to spar."
"Well someone has to think for you."
"Oh? Who?"
Akane chuckled at that, good Ranma was getting even more relaxed. "Certainly not you Ranma, I guess I would be the thinker of this little group."
"Hmm is that so?"
"Yep."
"Oh really? Well Demoness Akane-Chan, who hasn't been to school in two years?"
Their bickering continued all night as Ranma got increasingly used to her neko form.
Ranma looked at Akane curiously, the last few days had been fairly good, they sparred, and he had gotten used to his male and female neko forms.
Akane had been curious as what the old ghoul was teaching the two boys.
Now she was pacing the camp a worried expression on her face, muttering something about bakusai tenketsu.
"What's up Akane?"
"Oh, the Elder is teaching Mousse and Ryoga something called the bakusai tenketsu technique. She shattered a boulder into gravel with a touch."
Ranma's eyes widened. "Sounds interesting."
"Maybe we should be a bit cautious. The old woman is also teaching them the amaguriken."
"The ghoul is serious about this isn't she?"
Akane nodded, then grinned, she had watched the Elder prepare everything and demonstrate it.
Maybe she could learn it, with Ranma alongside her.
"I have an idea Ranma, why don't we try to learn it to?"
Ranma grinned and nodded a new technique!
The small figure slipped back to the camp where the two boys recovered from their day of being smashed by a boulder and burning themselves trying to retrieve chestnuts from an open fire.
So the Hunter had decided to try her hand at learning the bakusai tenketsu, this was worrisome but not so much that she would have to interfere. Ranma would have learned it eventually.
That was the problem, unless she actually saw the Hunter she was very difficult to sense. If the Hunter actively tried to hide her it became practically impossible.
There also was the fact that the Hunter's aura was effective on her as it was on everyone else, she just ignored its effects having had to learn early on in her life that magic based fear just grew stronger if you paid attention to it.
Ryoga stared at his supper, though the bakusai tenketsu technique and the katchyuu tenshin amaguriken were both very useful techniques they wouldn't be enough. Oh sure if he got the drop on Ranma he could possible disable him enough to get him hurt enough to drop him off the threat list.
Then Ryoga would die at the hands of the Demon.
He was pretty sure the Demon would be immune to the bakusai tenketsu also.
Mousse knew living things were ineffective with the breaking point. Actually he was surprised the crone was willing him to teach him the two most basic Amazon techniques, she had never shown any favor for him before.
Mousse had a sneaking suspicion that Cologne was using him to further train Saotome, why though?
No elder had actually ever encouraged a male like this before. It was troublesome and spoke of the Elder's determination to get Ranma into the tribe.
Saotome would NOT get his Shan Pu!
The Hunter...
What to do?
He was no match for her, even if he managed to destroy her current body he didn't have enough power to destroy her essence, it would take someone far more versed in the Dark Arts to dispel her.
He was actually lucky she hadn't noticed his skill in magic.
Nabiki paced back and forth in her room, the more she thought of the past few years the more sure she grew.
Her sister, not ex-sister, her sister Akane was a victim here. Nabiki could tell she had let herself be ruled by emotions, unfamiliar emotions.
She had jumped to conclusions and kept to a blind faith that Akane HAD to be evil.
Which was unlike her.
Someone had hurt her family; someone had drove her baby sister away. Her real sister, Kasumi was more like a surrogate mother then sister.
First things first...
She had to find out how.
Then she had to find out why.
Then she had to find out whom.
Nabiki sighed; it was time to bring her family back together.
Genma looked into the night, he hated to admit it but he missed his son. How could that demon steal his only child away from him?
His heir?
His pride and joy, the best user of the Art for his generation.
Ryoga was a fine lad, but he wasn't Ranma.
Soun sat besides his old friend concerned. Nabiki had been acting more off then usual. Ever since the ... incident two years ago the Tendo family had established roles, Soun brought in the money, Nabiki managed it and Kasumi managed the household.
They acted like a family.
Now Nabiki was more distant then she had been after her mother had died, something was troubling his little girl and she wouldn't tell him what.
In a place that wasn't a place a figure stared at a gate that showed a thousand possible futures worriedly.
It was gone, despite all her hard work, all the sacrifices she had made, and it was gone.
And she didn't know why.
A shadow stirred, the time would come...
The time would come.
Well here it is, Chapter eight of On Wings of Black. Next chapter we will have the emergence of some very powerful enemies.
Another Day is Done
Sun Rise
Time to have some Fun
Time for Play
Time for Games
Time for a Demon to die Today
Ranma jumped up onto a roof next to Akane.
"Hey Akane-chan."
"Hey Ranma."
"The old ghoul has left for the beach for the summer. I'm heading there with the Tendo's and oyaji. Want to come?"
Akane smiled. "Sure."
Ranma later found Akane sitting down the beach on some high rocks looking over the waves.
"I haven't been to the beach ever since the Change, that was a good summer for me. Kuno was no where around and Yuki and Sakura were with me. We had lots of fun." Akane sighed then shook her head. She depressed herself thinking about the past like that.
"Anyway what do you think?" She gestured to herself. She was wearing a yellow strapless one-piece bathing suit.
"Looks good on ya Akane-chan. You should wear yellow more often suits you."
Her eyebrows raised. "When did you become an expert on fashion Ranma?"
"Hey, I'm just saying it looks good on you."
"Thanks Ranma, you find Cologne?"
"Not yet. I was thinking of we could spar full out."
"Sounds like fun. No restrictions?"
"Nope."
"You first Akane."
"If you insist." Akane grinned evilly.
Suddenly Ranma's body was buffeted by dozens of blows all over his body hitting him with stunning force.
Quickly upping her speed to Amaguriken Ranma put out a frantic defense. Once regaining her equilibrium she retaliated.
Akane smile was feral as Ranma's blows began to strike home, almost as one they leapt back and began to power up for a chi blast.
"PLASMA" "CRIMSON"
"FLAAARE" "BEEEAAAM"
Ranma jumped up just before she released her own attack, causing Akane to miss and Ranma's narrowly miss Akane as she dodged.
Akane quickly attacked with her wings, flapping them at Amaguriken levels to send Ramna flying down the beach as the bullet-force winds hit him.
Ranma groaned as she got up. "Good one Akane, but not good enough!"
She rushed in to engage Akane once again in hand-to hand and quickly exploited Akane's over-extension by using a modified Judo throw to toss her into the rocks behind her.
Not letting up for an instant Ranma mercilessly pounded Akane into the rocks. Stunning punches and kicks rocked Akane as she tried to retaliate.
Then came Ranma's most devastating attack.
"Saotome Anything-Goes Final Attack!" She paused dramatically.
"TICKLE THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE UP!" Still going at amaguriken speeds he began to tickle Akane all over her body causing her to break into giggles and squeals.
After valiantly trying to tickle Ranma back Akane manage to gasp out. "I... I... gi... give... u... up!"
Ranma smiled and then held out her hand.
"Another win for the great Saotome Ranma!"
"Ha, great are you?"
"Yup."
"We'll see about that!"
Bringing her wings forward she launched her counter-attack. "Tendo Anything Goes Special Attack - Feather Tickle Storm!"
Ranma was completely unprepared as the large black feathers moved over her.
Laughing uncontrollably she fell backwards and tried to weather the attack.
"You win Akane, you win."
"HA another victory for Akane the Demoness, Eater of Demons!"
Plopping down besides the gasping redhead she leaned her against Ranma's. Sighing deeply she curled her wing around Ranma pressing the smaller girl against her side.
"Thanks Ranma."
"Huh? What for?"
"Nothing... Just thanks Ranma."
Twisting slightly Ranma looked at Akane curiously "Oh Ok. Your welcome." She turned back around.
Staring into the sea both girls sat there on the abandoned beach content in one another's company.
"Where the hell is that old bag?" Ranma whispered murderously.
"Who are you calling an old bag?" Came a question from behind her along with a sharp rap on the head. "Impertinent youngster."
"Ghoul! Give me that pill!" She shouted turning around and seeing the fleeing form of the Matriarch.
"Ah ah muko-dono, not until you agree to marry my Shan Pu."
The chase was abruptly interrupted when Ranma kicked a stray bench after the old woman and a figure dropped down, cleanly slicing the bench in two and landing with grace and poise.
"SHAN PU!" The figure cried and immediately hugged Ranma.
"Who are you calling Shampoo?" Ranma said calmly her foot buried in the young man's face.
"You're not my Shampoo." The young man swatted Ranma away after peering at Ranma through thick glasses.
The man turned unerringly to Akane who was using the Umi- Sen-Ken to hide in the shadows.
"SHAN PU I've found you at last!" He glomped Akane the same manner as Ranma.
"Who are you calling Shampoo?" Akane growled.
The man stumbled back at the sudden aura what he had thought was Shampoo suddenly erupted. Dropping her Umi-Sen-Ken caused everyone nearby to notice her and start fleeing in panic.
"How dare you impersonate my Shampoo demon. DIE!" The man launched a large amount of weapons at Akane. Akane smiled slightly and sent two large gusts of air via her wings and disrupted most of the weapons so they missed. The ones that actually reached her she slapped to the ground easily.
Suddenly Ranma was on top of the boy's head. "Who are you?"
"I am Shan Pu's groom, Mu Suu."
"You were bested Mousse, you cannot challenge Shan Pu any more." Cologne stated.
"We were only three!"
"Age makes no difference. Besides Ranma here has claimed Shampoo as his bride through tribal law." She pointed at the tiny _female_ redhead.
"You are having the wondrous Shampoo marrying a WOMAN?"
"He is Jusenkyou cursed."
"The Demon?"
"She is the Hunter."
Mousse was silent, the Hunter, a sworn enemy of all those who practiced the Dark Arts.
"I challenge you Saotome to a fight over." He raised a finger to point were his darling Shampoo was approaching the scene warily.
"You can't claim Shampoo, she is already taken..." She chuckled as his finger moved towards Akane, "and I doubt that the Hunter would allow herself be claimed as a prize."
Akane nodded her head angrily.
"Then I shall claim that one!" He pointed to another figure in the shadows. Ranma and Akane were startled when Nabiki stepped out of the shadows.
After a nervous glance at Akane she talked. "Now what have you gotten me into Saotome?" She asked sarcastically. Then she sighed. "You better win. If you don't I'll charge you extra interest on your debts."
"Hey old ghoul how about I get the phoenix pill if I win." Ranma suddenly chirped after shuddering slightly from Nabiki's threat.
It was perfect! A win/win scenario! Lose Nabiki or gain the pill.
"Very well muko-dono."
Ranma grinned. Shampoo, hearing the last said a bit fearfully. "Aiya Airen be very careful Mousse master of hidden weapons and he no like men getting close to Shampoo, is too, too jealous."
"Ok Shampoo, thanks."
Akane twitched as she watched Shampoo hang over Ranma, kami did she want to go and smack the bimbo off of her. Then smack Ranma for letting Shampoo hang over her.
The twitching wouldn't stop as Shampoo hung all over the petite redhead. Though she wouldn't go as far as to kiss her she did practically everything else.
The feeble protests of Akane's fiancée grated on her nerves, Akane wanted Ranma to scream them out instead of stuttering them like she had no will power.
It was then she realized she was putting out an aura, not her normal blue-black aura that signified her Demon-like abilities but an honest-to-kami battle aura. Blue and red jealous rage surrounded her.
Akane suddenly smirked, this would be perfect. Gathering a little of the anger into a ki ball no bigger then softball she let it fly straight at Shampoo.
- Gotcha you hussy! - She thought triumphantly as the ki ball caused Shampoo to yelp and try to rub the burn on her back.
Looking around then spotting Akane Ranma smiled at her in thanks, at least that what Akane thought it was.
Akane's lips twitched in a small smile of her own then returned to the frown she had as she looked around for the challenger.
Akane almost broke out laughing as she saw her ex-sister working the crowds. Same old Nabiki, even with Nabiki's father working in the dojo Nabiki still enjoyed making money.
Mousse was in a quandary, how was he to deal with the Hunter? Even the Dark Arts libraries only had vague allusions and mentions of them in their histories. A second problem was Saotome; the fiend had stolen the right to be her wife.
He should die for that, but it would be difficult to kill him without becoming the target of the old crone's wrath as well as suffering at the hands of the Hunter. He shuddered at the thought; the Hunters had a reputation of being cruel and merciless to those who had incurred their wrath. After all they learned from their prey on the best ways to torture and maim their victims.
It was time.
"A port-a-potty?" Ranma asked incredously after she had swiped the weapon out of Mousse's hands.
"Saotome DIE!"
"RAKING HAWKS TALONS"
"WHOA!"
"Ok that's it."
"PLASMA FLARE!"
**Thud**
"The winner Saotome Ranma."
"Well done Muko-Dono, as promised I will give you the phoenix pill." The old woman chuckled as she handed over the case.
"Finally, I get to be a guy again!" Ranma opened the case and swallowed the pill inside of it.
Grabbing a cup of tea out of someone's hands he dumped it over his head and felt the desired change without the pain hot water had caused him in the last few weeks.
"YATTA!!!!!!!!"
"Hello Ryoga."
"Elder." He bowed politely. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"I was busy with the restaurant, I was wondering if you will taking up my offer for me to train you."
"I have thought about it Elder, I will train with you."
Ryoga scowled at the memory, he had challenged Ranma to a match a few days ago and it had ended dismally, Ranma was faster then ever and his single blows had carried more strength then Ryoga had ever expected.
The old crone laughed. "By the time I'm done with you, you will be able to stand up to Ranma." Her eyes glittered in mirth. "I will train you up on Mt. Terror."
Akane frowned, she didn't understand why she was so emotional over little things like Shampoo hugging Ranma, or him teasing her, or him managing to say a nice thing in midst the foot-in-mouth techniques which he had mastered over the years with his father.
A year ago she was almost completely emotionless except for a deep sadness and loneliness. Now she couldn't go a day without getting angry with him or breaking out in a smile at Ranma.
Watching Ranma move through a kata was beautiful in both his forms. Male he moved it like a panther through the jungle, sleek, graceful, and deadly, absolute control over his every action. Female she ripped through it like wind, fast, untouchable, fierce one moment gentle and soothing the next.
When they sparred she was awed at his mastery of the Art, he could simply use his skill in it to counteract her greater strength and speed, though she was learning a lot it didn't match his ten years of experience solely practicing the Art.
Akane looked at her hands and called her aura, the aura that enhanced her so much in her body. Blackness swirled with a dark blue, sometimes joining one another others just swirling around each other. She felt so powerful like this, She could take on Lords without it, and with it she seemed to grow a hundred times more powerful.
Why?
Why would she need so much power?
Her mind turned to the Neko-Ken as her aura dissipated.
The Neko-Ken, what was it really?
Why was it in fragments?
There was one thing she was grateful of the Neko-ken for.
Ranma.
It always came back to him.
Ranma.
He now meant everything to her.
He had brought his friendship.
He had taught her how to smile again.
He had taught her how to feel again.
And he was bringing more and more people to him who could talk to her without fear... without hatred.
Cologne was merely the first; Akane could feel it in her bones.
She would have another friend soon. A friend!
And maybe... just maybe... in time... he would love her also.
Ranma stared in mirror and willed himself to transform. He stared in fearful awe as his form shifted.
If he was ever in a life or death battle he could lose his control over his form and he didn't want to lose control over the fight because he looked like a THING.
He had to master his fear.
Perhaps a training trip was in order so his father wouldn't nag him when he screamed in terror as he tested himself.
Yes a training trip up to the mountains would do nicely.
Ranma then looked at his hands.
He had killed.
Yes they were demons but he had killed.
He remembered his father's gravelly voice. "Boy you must do anything you can to win, if it means killing then you kill. Life and death fights are just that, life and death. That is one of the facets of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. We win at whatever the cost."
It still bothered him though.
He turned his thoughts back to the trip he was planning.
Maybe he would invite Akane along to keep his edge up while he tried to train the fear of cats out of himself.
Plus it was always nice to spend time with Akane.
She smiled broadly at him, leaving him slightly stunned.
"I'd love to go Ranma." She then began giggling slightly. "Just don't ask me to cook."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Trust me on this one, I could make toxic waste seem edible in comparison."
She smiled a little sadly, she loved to cook but two years on her own had driven the point home. She was a terrible cook.
"Ah come on, I'm sure you can improve."
"You won't be saying that again." Akane grinned; maybe she would cook for him, just once.
Ranma looked at the wok Akane had suspended over the campfire.
"Is it supposed to be glowing pink? And are those yellow blobs moving on their own?"
Akane smiled maliciously. "You promised you'd take a bite."
Ranma's eyes widened as the... well what ever it was seemed to hiss as he neared it. "Yes I promised I'd taste it. But not that it would try and taste me!"
She frowned at that. "Baka, just take a bite!" She bopped him on the head lightly with the ladle.
"Fine one bite."
A few minutes later.
"Look at the pretty colors!" Ranma said as he walked around with the horrible taste in his mouth.
"Ooh."
"BAKA!"
Akane stomped off. He really didn't have to say that her cooking tasted a thousand times worse then toxic waste.
Akane wondered briefly where the mallet had come from though. She had never done that before.
His head hurt, his stomach hurt and his mouth felt like something had dragged itself into it died, came back to life and died again in it.
Then the rain started.
"It couldn't get much worse."
- Wonder where she got the mallet? -
Well it was time to start training. She dragged out her small mirror.
It got worse.
"SAOTOME FOR STEALING MY SHAMPOO DIE!"
"RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!"
The shouts came at once. "Aaaah!"
She dodged the twenty large knives then ducked the umbrella.
"Heya Ryoga." She said then turned to the second figure.
"What's up Mousse?"
**WHAP**
**WHAP**
"Now, now boys, stop playing around. I told you, you will be a match for Ranma when I'm done training with you."
Ranma blinked. "Ghoul?"
**WHAP** "Who are you calling a ghoul?"
"Owwwwww. What is it with girls and hitting me over the head with blunt objects?"
Cologne chuckled. "These two ingrates have asked for training, I was bored so I closed the restaurant for a while and decided to help them."
"OK ghoul, can't wait to see your results!"
**WHAP** "Stop calling that. Oh and Ranma, if you seek to master the fear of cats come and ask me. I'll be glad to help."
Ranma's eyes widened. "How did you know I was here to conquer my fear of cats?"
She merely cackled as she dragged the comatose boys away.
Akane glanced unbelievingly around the camp. "What happened here?" It looked like someone had attacked it, with grenades.
Ranma looked up from the campfire where she was heating up some quick food.
"Ryoga and Mousse, Cologne said she was training them here."
"Really? I wonder why."
"She said something about being bored." She turned around and picked up the handheld mirror.
"Well here goes."
Her form shifted, it shrunk slightly, and fine red fur covered her entire body. Ranma grew even leaner looking and her features were feral.
Akane blinked what a difference between male and female forms. Where Ranma looked like a large panther in his male form, female Ranma-neko looked like a wild half-grown kitten.
Ranma shuddered as she looked at her face in the mirror; she was even more catlike female then the mirror.
"C-c-c-c-c-c-a-cat." Her fur bristled as fear rose in her. No she HAD to master the fear, she just had too.
Slowly she calmed herself down. It was hard, she looked like a monster, someone that clawed and bit and tore out throats and eyes.
"How are you doing Ranma?"
"O-o-o-k-k" She managed to get out.
"Maybe sparring will help you get used to that form Ranma."
"M-M-Maybe."
"Light, first to fall loses, no specials?"
"S-s-sure."
They started out slowly, feather light blows and blocks. As the battle progressed Ranma grew more relaxed and began to speed up.
Matching Ranma blow for blow Akane grinned, Ranma always was the most relaxed in battle, it had been a good idea to spar.
Akane mentally raised her eyebrows as the speed increased beyond Ranma's old limits, and kept on growing.
Both were now merely blurs bounding across the camp.
Ranma speed stopped increasing and Akane slopped off also, easily evading most of her blows and managing to slip a few in between Ranma's own defenses.
"Shall we?"
Ranma gave a shaky grin that was a pale shadow of her familiar cocky smirk. "Sure."
Soon the blows became full powered and Akane staggered slightly in surprise. That had stung!
Ranma-neko was a powerful adversary!
Ranma quickly took the advantage and soon Akane was on her back.
"How are you feeling Ranma?" She asked after she easily got up, light bruises already fading.
"OK, thanks Akane, it was a good idea to spar."
"Well someone has to think for you."
"Oh? Who?"
Akane chuckled at that, good Ranma was getting even more relaxed. "Certainly not you Ranma, I guess I would be the thinker of this little group."
"Hmm is that so?"
"Yep."
"Oh really? Well Demoness Akane-Chan, who hasn't been to school in two years?"
Their bickering continued all night as Ranma got increasingly used to her neko form.
Ranma looked at Akane curiously, the last few days had been fairly good, they sparred, and he had gotten used to his male and female neko forms.
Akane had been curious as what the old ghoul was teaching the two boys.
Now she was pacing the camp a worried expression on her face, muttering something about bakusai tenketsu.
"What's up Akane?"
"Oh, the Elder is teaching Mousse and Ryoga something called the bakusai tenketsu technique. She shattered a boulder into gravel with a touch."
Ranma's eyes widened. "Sounds interesting."
"Maybe we should be a bit cautious. The old woman is also teaching them the amaguriken."
"The ghoul is serious about this isn't she?"
Akane nodded, then grinned, she had watched the Elder prepare everything and demonstrate it.
Maybe she could learn it, with Ranma alongside her.
"I have an idea Ranma, why don't we try to learn it to?"
Ranma grinned and nodded a new technique!
The small figure slipped back to the camp where the two boys recovered from their day of being smashed by a boulder and burning themselves trying to retrieve chestnuts from an open fire.
So the Hunter had decided to try her hand at learning the bakusai tenketsu, this was worrisome but not so much that she would have to interfere. Ranma would have learned it eventually.
That was the problem, unless she actually saw the Hunter she was very difficult to sense. If the Hunter actively tried to hide her it became practically impossible.
There also was the fact that the Hunter's aura was effective on her as it was on everyone else, she just ignored its effects having had to learn early on in her life that magic based fear just grew stronger if you paid attention to it.
Ryoga stared at his supper, though the bakusai tenketsu technique and the katchyuu tenshin amaguriken were both very useful techniques they wouldn't be enough. Oh sure if he got the drop on Ranma he could possible disable him enough to get him hurt enough to drop him off the threat list.
Then Ryoga would die at the hands of the Demon.
He was pretty sure the Demon would be immune to the bakusai tenketsu also.
Mousse knew living things were ineffective with the breaking point. Actually he was surprised the crone was willing him to teach him the two most basic Amazon techniques, she had never shown any favor for him before.
Mousse had a sneaking suspicion that Cologne was using him to further train Saotome, why though?
No elder had actually ever encouraged a male like this before. It was troublesome and spoke of the Elder's determination to get Ranma into the tribe.
Saotome would NOT get his Shan Pu!
The Hunter...
What to do?
He was no match for her, even if he managed to destroy her current body he didn't have enough power to destroy her essence, it would take someone far more versed in the Dark Arts to dispel her.
He was actually lucky she hadn't noticed his skill in magic.
Nabiki paced back and forth in her room, the more she thought of the past few years the more sure she grew.
Her sister, not ex-sister, her sister Akane was a victim here. Nabiki could tell she had let herself be ruled by emotions, unfamiliar emotions.
She had jumped to conclusions and kept to a blind faith that Akane HAD to be evil.
Which was unlike her.
Someone had hurt her family; someone had drove her baby sister away. Her real sister, Kasumi was more like a surrogate mother then sister.
First things first...
She had to find out how.
Then she had to find out why.
Then she had to find out whom.
Nabiki sighed; it was time to bring her family back together.
Genma looked into the night, he hated to admit it but he missed his son. How could that demon steal his only child away from him?
His heir?
His pride and joy, the best user of the Art for his generation.
Ryoga was a fine lad, but he wasn't Ranma.
Soun sat besides his old friend concerned. Nabiki had been acting more off then usual. Ever since the ... incident two years ago the Tendo family had established roles, Soun brought in the money, Nabiki managed it and Kasumi managed the household.
They acted like a family.
Now Nabiki was more distant then she had been after her mother had died, something was troubling his little girl and she wouldn't tell him what.
In a place that wasn't a place a figure stared at a gate that showed a thousand possible futures worriedly.
It was gone, despite all her hard work, all the sacrifices she had made, and it was gone.
And she didn't know why.
A shadow stirred, the time would come...
The time would come.
Well here it is, Chapter eight of On Wings of Black. Next chapter we will have the emergence of some very powerful enemies.