Balancing Act

By Turtlehat

Disclaimer:  I don't own Ranma.  I don't own Slayers.  I'm doing this for fun only.

Chapter 3

"You!  You're doing this!" Cologne accused.

"Me?  Of course not!  I wouldn't just attack people without a good reason most of the time, you know.  I just happen to know a few things, is all."  Lina replied indignantly.

"So why are you threatening the village, if you're not responsible for this?  Why should I believe you?" Cologne narrowed her eyes.  Seeing the elder didn't believe her, Lina just shrugged and answered in a carefree manner.

"You're gonna have to take my word for it.  Besides..."

Unseen by Lina, Shampoo stealthily made her way behind Lina and with a sudden burst of speed, leaped at the redhead, intending to knock her unconscious.  Swinging her bonbori down, she was unprepared when it instead hit an invisible wall and bounced right back at her.  Surprised, she didn't let go of the weapon that bounced back and headed towards the back wall, taking her with it.

"Well, I…"  Lina was saying before she was interrupted.

CRASH!

Lina stopped mid-sentence and looked behind her at the gaping Shampoo on the floor still holding onto her bonboris.  Frowning in annoyance, she tapped her foot, crossed her arms in impatience and glared at the younger Amazon.  "Would you quit that?!  We're trying to have a conversation here" she scolded as if talking to a child.

Both Amazons stared unbelieving at Lina.  *What was that?* they both thought at the same time.  Lina, in the meantime, just gave a 'hmph!' and continued on the conversation.

 "Anyway, as I was saying, I didn't even know those things are already attacking your village.  I kinda thought we have another couple of months or something…"  Lina trailed off, deep in thought.

"What do you mean?  What do you know of these attacks?"  the Matriarch demanded.

"Well, according to the prophecy, it was bound to happen sometime.  I would have thought you'd be expecting this to happen soon.  After all, you are the Matriarch, right?"

"Prophecy?  I know of no prophecy which talked about something like this."  Cologne declared, though not as vehemently.  Lina's eyes widened, as if surprised and amazed.

"You mean to say you don't know of the Pyrthania Writings?"

"I'm afraid I am not familiar with it."

Lina smacked her forehead in exasperation.  "Oh for crying out loud!  Why don't you go look it up and we'll talk again tomorrow?!  It should be in your library!  Sheesh!"  Grumbling angrily to herself, she promptly vanished.

"…"

Surprised at her exit, the two Amazons were left blinking at the spot she was standing on.

A second later, Cologne snapped out of it and pogoed her way toward her room.  Stopping at the door, she looked back at the still-shocked Shampoo.

You will speak to no one about this, Shampoo.  I will need to look into this.  Cologne instructed in Chinese.

But great-grandmother!  You don't really believe all that, do you?  Why…there's no way…  Shampoo protested.  I don't think we have anything to worry about, great-grandmother.  When she comes tomorrow, I will be ready to put an end to her threats once and for all.  She declared determinedly.

WHAM!

Faster than the younger Amazon could react, she received a painful bop on the head with Cologne's staff.

You will do no such thing.  Unless we know what that girl was talking about, we cannot afford to make her an enemy.  I don't want you doing anything until I say so.

You…you believe that crap?!

WHAM!  Another bop on the head.

'Crap' or not, her voice has the sound of sincerity.  I will investigate this so-called 'prophecy' before any action is taken.  What I need you to do is to investigate if Son-In…Ranma really does have a sister.

Shampoo frowned at the change of reference to her 'airen' but merely nodded in reply as she rubbed her sore head. 

***

Later that night…

The Amazon Matriarch stared at the old scroll in front of her in self-congratulation.   After several hours of searching, she had found it.  She almost didn't see it until she accidentally triggered a latch that opened a secret compartment in the chest she inherited from the previous Matriarch.  She had kept her important and valuable scrolls in that chest for most of her entire life and never even realized it was there.  Surprisingly, only a couple of scrolls were contained in the secret compartment.  Both of them referred to an oracle named Pyrthania that lived a couple of thousand years ago.  Her prophecies had been the most accurate and documented of all the known history of oracles.  But Cologne had never seen this set.  Hands trembling slightly, she read the first scroll.

A crimson time. 

A tragic time.

When sorrow's waters join as one

When that which was sealed, unsealed

Like a flood that begins with a trickle

Darkness comes from sorrow

Without the balance

Without the sacrifice

The world will die

Blood will flow like the oceans.

Unimaginable terrors will consume all things

Dragons falter

Demons gloat

Humans die

It was clear enough to her.  The 'sorrow's waters' is obviously a reference to Jusenkyo.  And as she knows, the last she heard, it's waters had overflowed and turned into one.  She suppressed a shiver as she started to believe Lina.  Holding her thoughts, she opened the second scroll, knowing what it contained.

It took a while for the Oracle to calm down from this vision.  What she saw was apparently so disturbing that she didn't talk for a day or two.  After she seemed to get back to normal, she tried to explain what she saw.  What she said will give me nightmares for a while.  She talked of seeing terrible things.  Of people dying, maimed and butchered.  Of children tortured in front of mothers.  Of people cursed, growing worms that ate them alive, even as it regenerated them to be eaten again.  Of…it's too horrible to describe.  I will not write them further so as not to horrify myself more.  Suffice it to say that the horrors she saw was too terrible to mention.

The Oracle said that the vision was most likely a possible future.  It was just a possibility and that gives me relief.  She saw a war between what looked like a demon and a dragon.  Around them were all sorts of creatures, including people.  Whenever the dragon wins, everyone stopped.  Whenever the demon wins, a lot of creatures and people disappear, though some new ones appear also to replace the ones who vanish.  Then the two fell together, each falling on one side of a large scale that appeared.  The dragon fell onto one side of the scale, cut into four pieces, while the demon fell onto the other, cut into seven.  Both were the same weight.  Then one piece of each one vanished, tipping the scale.  Then a golden woman came and tears fell from her eyes.  As it fell, her tears scattered on the ground.  A flash of gold and everything but the people vanished.  Then the tears moved, joining into one large body of water.  Out of it came the creatures and monsters.  The small and weak ones came out first, to be followed by the larger and stronger ones.  They all descended onto the people, tearing, gnawing, savaging and killing everyone.  The terrible scenes followed.  Blood flowed, seemingly filling everything.  Another flash of gold and everything disappeared.  There was only emptiness, a void.  Another flash of gold and the scale appeared again.  Then a golden child came and touched the dragon and the demon on each side of the scale, reviving them.  As they flew off the scale, everyone appeared again, creatures, humans, dragons and demons alike…

It went on to speculate on how to interpret the vision.  Cologne stopped reading and got a chill down her back.  If what they are indeed facing is what was described here, then they really are in trouble.  But she still doesn't get it.  What has Ranma got to do with all this?  What is Lina's role in this?  And how did she know of this prophecy?  This wasn't something she can afford ignore, not with this proof and not with the fate of the Amazons at stake.  She'll just have to get more answers tomorrow.

***

Meanwhile…

"Go warn the village.  Quick!" the Amazon warrior shouted at the younger girl by her side.  With a yell, she charged the incoming monsters.  It was a losing battle and she knew it.  As she clashed with the first one, she noticed the younger Amazon staring stupefied at the battle.  Shouting in anger and fear, she yelled out.  "MEI LU!  GET OUT OF HERE!  NOW!"

Mei lu snapped out of her shock and quickly got her bearings.  Now was not the time to break down, as much as she wants to.  She had just witnessed her friends turn into those monsters that are now trying to kill the last two of them.  They were sent to Jusenkyo from the village, to investigate as best as they could what had happened to it.  Moving as stealthily as they could, they were still spotted by the monsters who were wandering by and had to flee for a while.  A journey that would normally take a few hours walk had turned into days of constant hiding and running.  They could not afford to fight.  Out of the eight of them, only five had made it to their destination.  They observed just long enough to see harmless animals turning into those 'monsters' by stumbling into the large lake the cursed pools had become.  Strangely enough, it seemed like each type of animal that fell into the waters transformed in a different kind of monster.  Deciding to investigate, they had even puposedly dunked a mouse and before it could get it's bearings after it's transformation, they had poured hot water over it.  They had to kill it quick when it didn't change back.  Waiting until the coast was clear, they were about to collect water samples when one of the warriors had tripped and caused a rock to fall into the lake, lightly splashing three of them.  Mei lu, who had been the last in line, watched in fascinated horror as the three fell to the ground in agony.  Twisting and turning and screaming in pain, the three had slowly and apparently painfully, transformed into…something.  What used to be proud Amazon warriors in their prime had turned into large dog-like creatures with glittering scales, large jagged teeth, large sharp claws and blood-red eyes.  When the transformation had completed, the three transformed warriors stood on four feet, growled at the last two Amazons and attacked.  Mei lu had frozen in shock until she heard the last other Amazon shout at her while fighting a losing battle.  Seeing her cut down in less than a minute, she turned ran as fast as she was able, not looking back.

An hour later…

Mei lu ran as fast as her legs can carry her.  Giving up any ideas on shaking them off her trail, she had opted for going straight home where hopefully she can get help.  Seeing the village wall ahead of her, she almost wept for joy as she saw warriors pour out of the gate and headed in her direction.  In a matter of minutes, the creatures were killed.  Thankfully, there was no other casualty except for a couple of severe gashes on a couple of warriors.  Carrying the collapsed Mei lu back inside, the council was gathered and were updated with the a most disturbing fact.  Apparently, Jusenkyo no longer just curses, it transforms permanently.

***

Meantime at another unknown city…

"Here you go, Master.  Only the best!"  Genma-panda sweated nervously the dreaded Master drank more sake.  Nearby sprawled an unconscious Soun.  It had been six very long weeks.  Six weeks of the Master's sudden decision to put them through some 'quick shape-up training'.  The two of them are practically dead, having been beaten at least every other day by outraged women armed with various weapons from brooms to kitchen utensils.  One particular woman had even thrown a bathtub at them.  By now, they were covered head to toe in dirty bandages, they can barely move, and they haven't eaten in two days!  They had already tried everything else from bribery, to flattery, to not-too-subtle suggestions that it's Ranma who's the heir and should be the one training.  Nothing worked and even the sake doesn't seem to affect the Master that much anymore so there was no hope in trapping him for another decade or so.  But they were more than desperate.  They can't take it anymore!

"Okay boys!  Time for another round!"  Happosai gleefully exclaimed.  Turning around, he sweatdropped at the sight of not one but both his 'students' out cold on the floor.  "They just don't make 'em like they used to…"

Unseen by the three practitioners of the Anything-goes, a pair of crimson eyes twinkled in merriment from the shadows before vanishing.

To be continued…