Ranma: The Tenth Hakkeshu or Ranma's Cousin Iori
(------)
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. That is property of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own
The King of Fighters, that is property of SNK. I do however suggest you look up
information on these two properties. You won't be disappointed.
(------)
Note: This takes place well after the Ranma ½ manga and during the King of Fighters '98.
(------)
Ranma: The Tenth Hakkeshu Chapter 40: Orochi Space: Water Palace, Part 1. The
Ghost.
Ranma and crew have taken their time, but they make it to the bottom of the other side of
the mountain. Iori walks over to Kyo, who is lying on his back.
Iori (Kicks Kyo in the side): Hey… Hey…
Kyo: Groooooooooaaannnnn…
Iori: … He lives… Damn…
Kyo: You lied Iori… You said you'd get me down quickly…
Iori: Hey, I didn't lie. You fell pretty fast you know…
Kyo: … Jerk…
Iori: Just die as you are.
Ranma: Would you two please stop bickering? We have to get a move on.
Chizuru: Indeed. Iori, pick up Kyo, and let's get going.
Iori (Eyes Chizuru): You want 'me' to carry 'him'?
Chizuru: Yes. Since it is your fault Kyo's in the condition he is now…
Iori (Frowns, then smiles): Very well… Hm hm hm hm, heh heh heh heh, HA HA HA
HA HA HAAAAA!!!
Kyo starts shivering as Iori walks up to him.
Iori: Are you afraid of me?
Kyo nods his head at a furious pace.
Iori (Smiles): Good…
Iori picks up Kyo, and holds him across his back.
Iori: Well, I got 'dead-weight' here so let's go.
The fighters walk across the bridge that seems to be made from thick wood. Iori purposely
tips Kyo's head as he walks so it hits the railing of the bridge.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): So sorry.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): Sorry again.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): Oops, lost my grip again… Sorry…
!
Kyo: Ow!
Iori: Oops! Did I do that? Sorry…
!
Kyo (With many lumps on his head): OW! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!
Iori (Smirk widens): Your point?
!
Kyo (Eyes a swirls, even more lumps on his head): Oooooh… Pretty lights…
Iori (Smiles genuinely): Ah… Life is good… Hm hm hm hm, heh heh heh heh, HA HA
HA HA HA HAAAAA!!!
Vice (Eyes are little hearts): My Iori-sama is so great!
Kima (Covers her face with her hand and shakes her head): Sigh… There he goes again…
Billy: … Well, as long as he's not hurting me, I don't mind.
Terry: Indeed…
(------)
Once across the bridge, the group sees the next 'realm' in full. The place looks like it's a
tundra. A desert of snow… There's a small, snow-covered mountain in the center of the
place. Ranma sees a large icicle near the area before the bridge they just walked across.
The icicle has kanji carved into it.
Ranma (Reads the kanji): "Mizu"… "Water"… (Eyes widen). LECHAN!!!
Ranma makes a dash to the mountain he sees. Leona could possibly be there if that is her
palace. The others start running after Ranma.
Chizuru: RANMA, WHAT'S WRONG!?
Iori: RANMA, WAIT UP YOU IDIOT!
Mature: DAMN IT, STOP MAKING US RUN! DO YOU KNOW HOW DAMN HARD
IT IS TO RUN IN HIGH HEELS!?
Vice: YEAH! IT'S A PAIN!
Terry: HEY RANMA MY MAN, WAIT FOR US!
Kima (Spreads her wings and flies forwards a bit): DAMN IT RANMA, STOP!
Ranma doesn't listen to there pleas, but keeps running. This is the first time he's actually
felt he may see Lechan again… Unfortunately, the ground beneath him breaks apart, and
he falls down a tunnel of ice.
Ranma (As he falls):
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Iori, Chizuru, Kima, Vice, Mature, Terry, and Billy: RANMA!
Kima, who was flying, flaps her wings together to give herself a burst of speed. As she
makes it to where Ranma fell, the hole seals itself up.
Kima: DAMN IT!
Kima lands and unsheathes her sword. She pushes it into the ground, hoping to reopen the
hole, but…
Kima: … It's solid ground… Then why the hell was there a hole? AND WHERE THE
HECK IS RANMA!?!?
The others make it to where Ranma had fallen into the ground.
Iori: Where is he?
Kima: We saw him fall here… But there's no hole… And I stuck my sword into the
ground, to see if I could reopen the hole when it sealed on me, but… It's solid ground
now…
Iori: Crap…
Terry: Anyone have an idea of what happened?
The others shake their heads, except for Kyo who is still out of it from when Iori kept
hitting him in the head. Iori then moves his head to look at the mountain.
Iori: There…
Chizuru (Stares at Iori): Uh, Iori? What do you mean?
Iori: I know Ranma wouldn't have gotten captured. But if anything, he may have ended
up there.
Iori points at the mountain, and the other fighters just look at each other, then at Iori.
Terry: Um, you sure about this?
Iori: Yes… If that place is a 'palace', we'll still find the Hakkeshu who's in charge here…
And maybe they'll know what happened to my cousin.
Billy: That's a possibility… But not a good one…
Iori (Eyes Billy): You have any better ideas?
Billy: Um… Not really…
Iori: Then follow me! We'll get to the bottom of this!
And so the group starts running towards the mountain…
(------)
Goenitz eyes snap open. He felt the Tenth Hakkeshu's presence literally disappear from
this 'dimension'. Goenitz concentrates some more with the winds, to see if he is wrong.
His winds are EVERYWHERE here; he should be able to find the Tenth Hakkeshu
easily… But he doesn't…
Goenitz: DAMN! Where are you Tenth Hakkeshu? Where did you go? I know you too
well; I know you wouldn't have left here without her… So then where did he go? …
Damn, I hate surprises… Oh well… If he should reappear, he'll get a nasty surprise
indeed…
Goenitz sits back onto his throne, and listens to the wind. He heard that they're heading
towards Leona's 'palace'… This should be quite entertaining for him…
(------)
Ranma slides through the tunnel, noticing his butt is freezing as he gets father down, since
the whole thing is made of ice, so it would be slippery. He slides down for what seems like
an eternity. Suddenly, he's falling in the air, and he lands in a hot spring.
!
Ranma (Bobs his head above the water): COUGH! HACK! Why's it always water? …
Oh well… At least it was warm… Wait… Warm? I thought this place was ice…
Ranma looks around. He is in some sort of cavern, with small springs all around with
steam floating off of them. He notices there seem to be no exits, except for that tunnel of
ice in the ceiling he fell though. Ranma stands up in the spring he's in, thoroughly
drenched. He picks up his backpack out of the water, and walks to land. He then checks
through his backpack to see if any of his stuff is still any good.
Ranma: Let's see… Sleeping-bag… Drenched. I'll have to dry that… Tent… Drenched
as well. Gotta dry that too… Extra clothing… Also drenched… Flashlight… (Fiddles
with the switch, no light goes on). Wasted… (Tosses it aside). At least the canned goods
are all right…
Suddenly, Ranma notices the place begins to feel colder… His senses are practically
screaming that something is wrong.
Ranma: Great… What now? Listen, I don't have time for this! I need to get back to the
others and find Lechan!
Suddenly, snowflakes cross Ranma's field of vision. He's wondering where they came
from, when they suddenly seemingly float in the air, and start moving around in a circular
pattern. A translucent image of what appears to be a man appears where the snowflakes
were floating.
Ranma (Gets into a fighting stance): Dang… Is that a ghost? … I don't need this at the
moment… Okay you, get ready!
Ghost: Fighting me won't do you any good. So calm down, I wish you no harm.
Ranma pays the ghost no heed and charges forward with a punch, but he goes right through
the ghost instead.
Ranma (Thinks): Crap! So you can't hurt these things through normal means. I wish
Chizuru were here… She could use her wards and stuff…
The ghost continues to stare at Ranma. Ranma looks over the ghost, and notices some
detail. The ghost has his hair done in a ponytail, and he has an outfit similar to Goenitz's.
Ranma: Great… Another Hakkeshu…
Ghost (Shakes his head): I was once, but not anymore…
Ranma (Raises an eyebrow): Huh? What do you mean by, "was once, but not anymore?"
Who are you? Why did you bring me here?
Ghost: That… Is not important at the moment… What is important is that I am here to
warn you, to tell you about what to expect here. And I brought you here so I could tell you
without anyone listening in on us.
Ranma: Huh? Warn me? Listen, I don't have time, I have to find the others and rescue
Lechan!
Ghost: Sigh… This boy seems to be dumber than a sack of rocks and more stubborn than
a mule with a toothache… I wonder if he really is the Tenth Hakkeshu…
Ranma: I wish I wasn't. Because of this, I seem to attract all this negative attention from
people.
Ghost: Sorry to hear that.
Ranma: Yeah… (Eyes widen with realization). HEY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
CALLING ME STUPID AND STUBBORN!?
The ghost sighs… Apparently they got this discussion started off on the wrong foot…
(------)
Iori and the others make it to the mountain. It is a structure that is 60 ft high, with a large
opening in the bottom that is 8 ft high and 12 ft wide. The opening is shaped like a
dragon's head, and the opening is the throat to the mouth.
Iori (To Vice and Mature): Palace?
Vice & Mature (Nod their heads): Palace.
The fighters start to walk in, except…
Billy: I'M NOT GOING IN THERE!
Chizuru: And why not?
Billy: It's scary! We'll DIE if we go in there I just know it! AND I'M TOO YOUNG TO
DIE!!!
Iori: Really? How so?
Billy: I HAVEN'T LIVED THE GOOD LIFE YET! AND I STILL HAVE MY HAIR!!!
Kyo: What a wuss.
Iori turns his head to look at Kyo who is still across his back.
Iori: So… You're awake…
Kyo: Yes… But I have one hell of a wicked headache…
Iori: Good.
Iori drops Kyo onto the ground in an unsightly pile.
!
Kyo (On the ground): … Ow…
Iori: Well, let's get going…
The fighters walk inside. The jaws to the dragon's 'mouth' snaps shut behind them once
they are all in.
Billy: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!
The other fighters put their hands on Billy's mouth.
Terry: Quiet Billy! Are you trying to give away our position to a possible threat?
Vice: Yeah idiot! They'll know we're here…
Billy: … Um… I think they'd know we're here by the fact the entrance to the placed
closed up…
All the fighters consider this for a moment, and consider it a possibility.
Kima: So now what?
Iori: Only one thing to do. Move forward.
The fighters march deeper into the place. It is quite a marvelous sight. The place has a
high 'ceiling' that must reach all the way to the top of the small mountain, with many
waterfalls flowing into small lakes. The floor has Lots and lots of shallows lakes and
springs with raised stones for walking on in them. There are also shards of ice where the
'walls' to the place meet the 'floor'. Iori is the first to speak with the sight.
Iori: Water… Why is it always Goddamned water?
Kima: I have no idea why…
Iori: Sigh… Well, better get this off, before it gets ruined…
Iori once again takes off his shirt and jacket; he doesn't want them getting ruined if his
Jusenkyo curse takes affect. He then puts the shirt and jacket into his backpack. He
notices the girls are staring at him intently, as if in a trance.
Iori: Um… Are you four okay?
Chizuru, Kima, Vice, and Mature nod their heads. Terry covers his mouth and chuckles
into his hand. Billy shakes his head. Kyo however…
Kyo: FIEND! HOW DARE YOU SHOW OFF? YOU THINK YOURSELF GOD'S
GIFT TO WOMEN?
Iori: Yes…
Kyo face-faults, Vice glomps onto Iori, Billy mutters to himself…
Billy (With his head in his hand): Why can't I ever get the girl?
Mature looks like she's about to hurt Iori, when Terry notices something.
Terry: Hey you guys! What the heck is that?
Terry points across the way. He sees a figure of a woman, sitting on a block of ice under a
waterfall.
Kima: Isn't that woman freezing?
Iori (Looks at the woman): It's… Leona…
Kima: Really? Maybe she'll know what happened to Ranma…
Kima spreads her wings and flies over to Leona.
Iori (Shouts): NO YOU FOOL!
Iori starts running towards where Kima is flying. The force with which he moves, makes
Vice lets go of him. Kima lands in front of the water covered Leona.
Kima: Leona, it's me, Kima! Are you okay? Do you know where Ran…
Kima feels herself pulled back by someone. She'd protest, but she sees Leona's hand
swipe at the area her head was before she was pulled. She turns her head around to see it
was Iori. He has his wings, since he ran through one of the cold water lakes in the place.
Kima (Confused): Iori?
Iori: Get back!
Iori grabs the handle to Kima's sword, and uses it to block the blow of Leona's combat
knife. What Kima sees terrifies her. Leona is completely changed. Her hair is now red
instead of blue, her eyes no longer have pupils, her clothes are now darker, almost black,
there is steam coming out of her mouth as she breathes, and she has a silver circlet with a
tanzanite gemstone in the center on her head.
Kima: What… Happened?
Iori (Pushes all his strength into the blade to keep Leona back): Riot of Blood…
Iori then suddenly snaps into a roundhouse kick. The kick smashes Leona in the stomach,
sending her back, as Iori twists the sword, and forces the knife out of her hand at the same
time. Riot of Blood Leona snarls at him.
Iori: Leona, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but please… CALM DOWN!
Riot of Blood Leona lets out a roar. She then pounces at Iori while running at him on her
hands and feet.
Iori (Thinks): This is not good…
As Riot of Blood Leona rushes at Iori, Terry performs his Burn Knuckle attack. The punch
smashes Leona in the jaw, and sends her flying back into one of the walls. She lands in one
of the ponds.
Terry: Wow… I didn't think it would be that easy to take down someone in the Riot of
Blood…
Suddenly, the jewel on the circlet glows as it sends great amounts of energy coursing
through Riot of Blood Leona. The beast that Leona has become makes it back to her feet
while standing in the lake. Her aura begins to rise around her and water begins to rise into
the air around her…
Mature: SHIT! GET DOWN!
The water shoots all around the place from Leona, freezing into needles of ice. Most of the
fighters heard Mature's warning and ducked down. Kima wouldn't have been okay, if Iori
hadn't a grabbed her again and pushed her to the ground.
Kima (Blushes): That's twice you saved me…
Iori seems to blush himself for a moment. Than he covers it up by acting like his usual self.
Iori: IDIOT! Is this all I can expect from the 'greatest' 'soldier' of the Mount Phoenix
army? Go into homemaking, or something girly… (Thinks: Shit… WHY did I say
THAT!?)
Kima seems to look shocked for a moment… Then her own aura bursts to life.
Kima: IORI YOU JERK!
Leona comes running up to them, but Kima just grabs her sword from Iori, and kicks him
away. She then points her sword at Leona.
Kima: Come on!
Riot of Blood Leona just charges at Kima. She knocks the sword out of Kima's hand,
grabs her by her shoulders, smashes Kima's head into her knee, and tosses her at Iori.
Kima: Oof! Owwies… That HURT!
Iori: … Mind getting off of me?
Chizuru, Billy, Terry, and Mature surround Kima while Vice goes to help the two.
Vice: Iori-sama?
Iori: Yes? ACK!!!
Vice (Chokes Iori): DON'T EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! YOU HEAR
ME!?!?!?
Iori (Pries at Vice's hands on his throat): Yes, yes, YES! I UNDERSTAND AND I
HEAR!!! NOW LET GO OF ME!!!
Kima sweat drops at the scene unraveling before her.
(------)
Ranma looks all around the place he's in for a way out. All the walls seem solid, and the
only apparent opening is that stupid tunnel that he came in through. The ghost stares at
Ranma all the while…
Ghost: Are you ready to listen to me yet?
Ranma ignores the ghost and continues searching for a way out.
Ghost: Hello?
Ranma continues to ignore the ghost.
Ghost (Demon head attack-mode): HELLO!!!
Ranma (Eyes widen, falls backwards into one of the hot springs): GAAAAHHH!!!
! … WHAT YOU DO THAT FOR!?
Ghost (Turns back to 'normal'): To get you to pay attention! Now will you please listen to
me? My time is VERY limited, even though this IS my realm!
Ranma: … 'Your' realm? The icicle had "Mizu" carved into it. And I thought Leona is
the Hakkeshu of water…
Ghost (Mutters, rubs the temples of his head with his hands): This guy truly is thick
skulled… (Out loud). Anyway, please listen to me now. Your and Leona's fate depends
on how you will act when you see her.
Ranma: What do you mean our fate?
Ghost: Do you love her?
Ranma: … Why do you want to know?
Ghost: DO YOU LOVE HER!?
Ranma: EEP! YES! IS THAT OKAY?
Ghost: Would you hurt her if it were absolutely necessary?
Ranma: NO! I WOULD NEVER HURT LECHAN!
Ghost: … Then you will lose…
Ranma (Confused): Huh?
Ghost: Listen to me. Leona is indeed here in this realm, but she is not herself. Goenitz has
forced her into the Riot of Blood. If you cannot bring yourself to stop her, then you will
lose…
Ranma: … But I can't hurt her… I love her…
The Ghost tries to slap Ranma, but his hand just passes through Ranma's face.
Ghost (Stares at his hand): … Damn… I miss having a physical body…
Ranma: … Listen, I'm not sure what's going on here, but is there any way I can save her?
Ghost: If you want to save Leona, then you must defeat her. You must overcome your
weakness. For if you truly love her then you must overcome your own restriction on
hurting her to save her. For the only way to stop someone in the Riot of Blood is to tire
him or her out. They must go through extreme physical exertion to overcome the effects of
the Riot of Blood… And the fastest way to do it is to fight them…
Ranma: … Anything else I could do?
Ghost: … I'll tell you this Tenth Hakkeshu… She will have a circlet on her head… It
supplies her with enough energy to make her stay in her Riot of Blood mode. Try to
destroy that first, that way you will be able to tire her out more easily…
Ranma: Okay… I'll do it…
Suddenly, the ghost seems to lurch forward, as if in pain. Ranma runs up to the ghost to try
and help him, but his arms just go through the ghost.
Ranma: Are you okay?
Ghost: … No… My time is almost up… And I still have so much to say… So please,
walk over into that hot spring over there…
Ranma: But…
Ghost: JUST DO IT!
Ranma seems to notice the ghost voice sounds very strained. Ranma just complies. He
grabs his backpack and walks into hot spring. The ghost then tries to lift itself to stand up
fully. And the ghost concentrates on its energies to get the final part of its message
across…
Ghost: Ranma, listen carefully… The trial here is different from the others, since Leona
could not think when she was sent here, so the trial made itself based after her inner-most
desire. You must fulfill her desire. Please Son-in-law, SAVE MY SAPPHIRE!
Ranma stares wide-eyed at the ghost… He remembers only one person would call Leona
Sapphire…
Ranma (Hesitant): ……… Guidel?
Ghost (Smirks, does a slight bow): … Some would call me "Hachitaki no Gidiar", but
yes, I prefer Guidel… Sorry to say, that I can't be more to your service Son-in-law…
Ranma stares in awe that the wavering form of Guidel… Suddenly, a thought leaps
through Ranma's mind…
Ranma: "SON-IN-LAW!?!?"
Guidel (Smirks): What? You can't deny you love Sapphire… (Lurches over). URK…
Ranma: Guidel!
Guidel: Listen, whatever happens, please be there for my Sapphire… She deserves a
happy life, after having to live in misery for years… And Son-in-law…
Ranma: Yes?
Guidel: Tell Sapphire I forgive her… That she killed me was not her fault…
Ranma (Stares at Guidel for a bit): … Okay… I will…
Guidel (Points his hand out towards Ranma): Ranma, I'll send you to her palace. Please,
hang on tightly now.
Ranma (looks around for a bit): Hang onto what?
Guidel doesn't answer, but he begins to glow as his form fades… The waters around
Ranma begin to fluctuate, and the water in the spring shoots up like a geyser, sending
Ranma up.
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
Ranma's form crashes through the ceiling headfirst. And the water keeps pushing him up,
farther, and farther…
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!
Guidel (Looks up at the new hole in the ceiling of the place): … I guess he really is thick
skulled… Good luck Son-in-law… Take care of Sapphire… Take care of yourself…
With that Guidel's time is spent, and he finally fades from existence once again…
(------)
Iori clutches at his shoulder, which Riot of Blood Leona stabbed with her combat knife.
No matter what they do Leona seems to get more powerful every time they seem to subdue
her. Iori mutters to himself.
Iori: Shit… Can't anything go right today?
As if to answer him, the ground starts shaking.
Iori: Great… Now what?
The fighters and Leona turn their head to see one of the hot springs in Leona's palace
bubbling… A stream up water shoots above the surface slightly. Suddenly it shoots up in
a huge geyser, and with it comes…
Iori, Chizuru, Kima, Terry, Billy, Kyo, Vice, & Mature: RANMA!
Ranma (As he flies through the air): WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!
Ranma is on top of the geyser for a bit, and the geyser finally stops. Ranma then goes
falling back to earth.
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
!
Ranma (Bobs his head above the water): COUGH! Ugh… I'm getting really tired of
this… (Eyes widen). LECHAN!
What Ranma sees breaks his heart. It is just as Guidel said. Leona is indeed in the Riot of
Blood, and she herself is covered in blood. Ranma looks around and sees some of his
friends sporting some bad cuts… And he sees the bloodied combat knife in Leona's hand.
He comes to the conclusion that the blood covering Leona is theirs and not hers. Ranma
then walks up from out of the spring. He tosses his backpack at Kyo.
Ranma: Catch.
Kyo tries to catch the backpack, but it smashes him in the head instead and he falls to the
ground. Ranma stares at him for a bit.
Ranma: … Idiot…
Riot of Blood Leona takes a few steps towards Ranma.
Leona: Grr…
Ranma (Closes his eyes and speaks calmly): Please Leona… Understand… What I do
next is going to hurt me more than it does you… I'm sorry.
Ranma then charges at Leona, who charges back at him…
(------)
End Chapter 40
Next Time: Ranma Vs. Riot of Blood Leona… Will Ranma overcome the one he loves?
And the trial of the water palace…
Send your questions and comments to either RedPriest17@aol.com or to
Ryutsurugi@yahoo.com
This is RedPriest17, signing off.
Note: Flames will be read and than used to fuel the Orochi fire.
(------)
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. That is property of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own
The King of Fighters, that is property of SNK. I do however suggest you look up
information on these two properties. You won't be disappointed.
(------)
Note: This takes place well after the Ranma ½ manga and during the King of Fighters '98.
(------)
Ranma: The Tenth Hakkeshu Chapter 40: Orochi Space: Water Palace, Part 1. The
Ghost.
Ranma and crew have taken their time, but they make it to the bottom of the other side of
the mountain. Iori walks over to Kyo, who is lying on his back.
Iori (Kicks Kyo in the side): Hey… Hey…
Kyo: Groooooooooaaannnnn…
Iori: … He lives… Damn…
Kyo: You lied Iori… You said you'd get me down quickly…
Iori: Hey, I didn't lie. You fell pretty fast you know…
Kyo: … Jerk…
Iori: Just die as you are.
Ranma: Would you two please stop bickering? We have to get a move on.
Chizuru: Indeed. Iori, pick up Kyo, and let's get going.
Iori (Eyes Chizuru): You want 'me' to carry 'him'?
Chizuru: Yes. Since it is your fault Kyo's in the condition he is now…
Iori (Frowns, then smiles): Very well… Hm hm hm hm, heh heh heh heh, HA HA HA
HA HA HAAAAA!!!
Kyo starts shivering as Iori walks up to him.
Iori: Are you afraid of me?
Kyo nods his head at a furious pace.
Iori (Smiles): Good…
Iori picks up Kyo, and holds him across his back.
Iori: Well, I got 'dead-weight' here so let's go.
The fighters walk across the bridge that seems to be made from thick wood. Iori purposely
tips Kyo's head as he walks so it hits the railing of the bridge.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): So sorry.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): Sorry again.
!
Kyo: OW!
Iori (Smirks): Oops, lost my grip again… Sorry…
!
Kyo: Ow!
Iori: Oops! Did I do that? Sorry…
!
Kyo (With many lumps on his head): OW! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!
Iori (Smirk widens): Your point?
!
Kyo (Eyes a swirls, even more lumps on his head): Oooooh… Pretty lights…
Iori (Smiles genuinely): Ah… Life is good… Hm hm hm hm, heh heh heh heh, HA HA
HA HA HA HAAAAA!!!
Vice (Eyes are little hearts): My Iori-sama is so great!
Kima (Covers her face with her hand and shakes her head): Sigh… There he goes again…
Billy: … Well, as long as he's not hurting me, I don't mind.
Terry: Indeed…
(------)
Once across the bridge, the group sees the next 'realm' in full. The place looks like it's a
tundra. A desert of snow… There's a small, snow-covered mountain in the center of the
place. Ranma sees a large icicle near the area before the bridge they just walked across.
The icicle has kanji carved into it.
Ranma (Reads the kanji): "Mizu"… "Water"… (Eyes widen). LECHAN!!!
Ranma makes a dash to the mountain he sees. Leona could possibly be there if that is her
palace. The others start running after Ranma.
Chizuru: RANMA, WHAT'S WRONG!?
Iori: RANMA, WAIT UP YOU IDIOT!
Mature: DAMN IT, STOP MAKING US RUN! DO YOU KNOW HOW DAMN HARD
IT IS TO RUN IN HIGH HEELS!?
Vice: YEAH! IT'S A PAIN!
Terry: HEY RANMA MY MAN, WAIT FOR US!
Kima (Spreads her wings and flies forwards a bit): DAMN IT RANMA, STOP!
Ranma doesn't listen to there pleas, but keeps running. This is the first time he's actually
felt he may see Lechan again… Unfortunately, the ground beneath him breaks apart, and
he falls down a tunnel of ice.
Ranma (As he falls):
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Iori, Chizuru, Kima, Vice, Mature, Terry, and Billy: RANMA!
Kima, who was flying, flaps her wings together to give herself a burst of speed. As she
makes it to where Ranma fell, the hole seals itself up.
Kima: DAMN IT!
Kima lands and unsheathes her sword. She pushes it into the ground, hoping to reopen the
hole, but…
Kima: … It's solid ground… Then why the hell was there a hole? AND WHERE THE
HECK IS RANMA!?!?
The others make it to where Ranma had fallen into the ground.
Iori: Where is he?
Kima: We saw him fall here… But there's no hole… And I stuck my sword into the
ground, to see if I could reopen the hole when it sealed on me, but… It's solid ground
now…
Iori: Crap…
Terry: Anyone have an idea of what happened?
The others shake their heads, except for Kyo who is still out of it from when Iori kept
hitting him in the head. Iori then moves his head to look at the mountain.
Iori: There…
Chizuru (Stares at Iori): Uh, Iori? What do you mean?
Iori: I know Ranma wouldn't have gotten captured. But if anything, he may have ended
up there.
Iori points at the mountain, and the other fighters just look at each other, then at Iori.
Terry: Um, you sure about this?
Iori: Yes… If that place is a 'palace', we'll still find the Hakkeshu who's in charge here…
And maybe they'll know what happened to my cousin.
Billy: That's a possibility… But not a good one…
Iori (Eyes Billy): You have any better ideas?
Billy: Um… Not really…
Iori: Then follow me! We'll get to the bottom of this!
And so the group starts running towards the mountain…
(------)
Goenitz eyes snap open. He felt the Tenth Hakkeshu's presence literally disappear from
this 'dimension'. Goenitz concentrates some more with the winds, to see if he is wrong.
His winds are EVERYWHERE here; he should be able to find the Tenth Hakkeshu
easily… But he doesn't…
Goenitz: DAMN! Where are you Tenth Hakkeshu? Where did you go? I know you too
well; I know you wouldn't have left here without her… So then where did he go? …
Damn, I hate surprises… Oh well… If he should reappear, he'll get a nasty surprise
indeed…
Goenitz sits back onto his throne, and listens to the wind. He heard that they're heading
towards Leona's 'palace'… This should be quite entertaining for him…
(------)
Ranma slides through the tunnel, noticing his butt is freezing as he gets father down, since
the whole thing is made of ice, so it would be slippery. He slides down for what seems like
an eternity. Suddenly, he's falling in the air, and he lands in a hot spring.
!
Ranma (Bobs his head above the water): COUGH! HACK! Why's it always water? …
Oh well… At least it was warm… Wait… Warm? I thought this place was ice…
Ranma looks around. He is in some sort of cavern, with small springs all around with
steam floating off of them. He notices there seem to be no exits, except for that tunnel of
ice in the ceiling he fell though. Ranma stands up in the spring he's in, thoroughly
drenched. He picks up his backpack out of the water, and walks to land. He then checks
through his backpack to see if any of his stuff is still any good.
Ranma: Let's see… Sleeping-bag… Drenched. I'll have to dry that… Tent… Drenched
as well. Gotta dry that too… Extra clothing… Also drenched… Flashlight… (Fiddles
with the switch, no light goes on). Wasted… (Tosses it aside). At least the canned goods
are all right…
Suddenly, Ranma notices the place begins to feel colder… His senses are practically
screaming that something is wrong.
Ranma: Great… What now? Listen, I don't have time for this! I need to get back to the
others and find Lechan!
Suddenly, snowflakes cross Ranma's field of vision. He's wondering where they came
from, when they suddenly seemingly float in the air, and start moving around in a circular
pattern. A translucent image of what appears to be a man appears where the snowflakes
were floating.
Ranma (Gets into a fighting stance): Dang… Is that a ghost? … I don't need this at the
moment… Okay you, get ready!
Ghost: Fighting me won't do you any good. So calm down, I wish you no harm.
Ranma pays the ghost no heed and charges forward with a punch, but he goes right through
the ghost instead.
Ranma (Thinks): Crap! So you can't hurt these things through normal means. I wish
Chizuru were here… She could use her wards and stuff…
The ghost continues to stare at Ranma. Ranma looks over the ghost, and notices some
detail. The ghost has his hair done in a ponytail, and he has an outfit similar to Goenitz's.
Ranma: Great… Another Hakkeshu…
Ghost (Shakes his head): I was once, but not anymore…
Ranma (Raises an eyebrow): Huh? What do you mean by, "was once, but not anymore?"
Who are you? Why did you bring me here?
Ghost: That… Is not important at the moment… What is important is that I am here to
warn you, to tell you about what to expect here. And I brought you here so I could tell you
without anyone listening in on us.
Ranma: Huh? Warn me? Listen, I don't have time, I have to find the others and rescue
Lechan!
Ghost: Sigh… This boy seems to be dumber than a sack of rocks and more stubborn than
a mule with a toothache… I wonder if he really is the Tenth Hakkeshu…
Ranma: I wish I wasn't. Because of this, I seem to attract all this negative attention from
people.
Ghost: Sorry to hear that.
Ranma: Yeah… (Eyes widen with realization). HEY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
CALLING ME STUPID AND STUBBORN!?
The ghost sighs… Apparently they got this discussion started off on the wrong foot…
(------)
Iori and the others make it to the mountain. It is a structure that is 60 ft high, with a large
opening in the bottom that is 8 ft high and 12 ft wide. The opening is shaped like a
dragon's head, and the opening is the throat to the mouth.
Iori (To Vice and Mature): Palace?
Vice & Mature (Nod their heads): Palace.
The fighters start to walk in, except…
Billy: I'M NOT GOING IN THERE!
Chizuru: And why not?
Billy: It's scary! We'll DIE if we go in there I just know it! AND I'M TOO YOUNG TO
DIE!!!
Iori: Really? How so?
Billy: I HAVEN'T LIVED THE GOOD LIFE YET! AND I STILL HAVE MY HAIR!!!
Kyo: What a wuss.
Iori turns his head to look at Kyo who is still across his back.
Iori: So… You're awake…
Kyo: Yes… But I have one hell of a wicked headache…
Iori: Good.
Iori drops Kyo onto the ground in an unsightly pile.
!
Kyo (On the ground): … Ow…
Iori: Well, let's get going…
The fighters walk inside. The jaws to the dragon's 'mouth' snaps shut behind them once
they are all in.
Billy: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!
The other fighters put their hands on Billy's mouth.
Terry: Quiet Billy! Are you trying to give away our position to a possible threat?
Vice: Yeah idiot! They'll know we're here…
Billy: … Um… I think they'd know we're here by the fact the entrance to the placed
closed up…
All the fighters consider this for a moment, and consider it a possibility.
Kima: So now what?
Iori: Only one thing to do. Move forward.
The fighters march deeper into the place. It is quite a marvelous sight. The place has a
high 'ceiling' that must reach all the way to the top of the small mountain, with many
waterfalls flowing into small lakes. The floor has Lots and lots of shallows lakes and
springs with raised stones for walking on in them. There are also shards of ice where the
'walls' to the place meet the 'floor'. Iori is the first to speak with the sight.
Iori: Water… Why is it always Goddamned water?
Kima: I have no idea why…
Iori: Sigh… Well, better get this off, before it gets ruined…
Iori once again takes off his shirt and jacket; he doesn't want them getting ruined if his
Jusenkyo curse takes affect. He then puts the shirt and jacket into his backpack. He
notices the girls are staring at him intently, as if in a trance.
Iori: Um… Are you four okay?
Chizuru, Kima, Vice, and Mature nod their heads. Terry covers his mouth and chuckles
into his hand. Billy shakes his head. Kyo however…
Kyo: FIEND! HOW DARE YOU SHOW OFF? YOU THINK YOURSELF GOD'S
GIFT TO WOMEN?
Iori: Yes…
Kyo face-faults, Vice glomps onto Iori, Billy mutters to himself…
Billy (With his head in his hand): Why can't I ever get the girl?
Mature looks like she's about to hurt Iori, when Terry notices something.
Terry: Hey you guys! What the heck is that?
Terry points across the way. He sees a figure of a woman, sitting on a block of ice under a
waterfall.
Kima: Isn't that woman freezing?
Iori (Looks at the woman): It's… Leona…
Kima: Really? Maybe she'll know what happened to Ranma…
Kima spreads her wings and flies over to Leona.
Iori (Shouts): NO YOU FOOL!
Iori starts running towards where Kima is flying. The force with which he moves, makes
Vice lets go of him. Kima lands in front of the water covered Leona.
Kima: Leona, it's me, Kima! Are you okay? Do you know where Ran…
Kima feels herself pulled back by someone. She'd protest, but she sees Leona's hand
swipe at the area her head was before she was pulled. She turns her head around to see it
was Iori. He has his wings, since he ran through one of the cold water lakes in the place.
Kima (Confused): Iori?
Iori: Get back!
Iori grabs the handle to Kima's sword, and uses it to block the blow of Leona's combat
knife. What Kima sees terrifies her. Leona is completely changed. Her hair is now red
instead of blue, her eyes no longer have pupils, her clothes are now darker, almost black,
there is steam coming out of her mouth as she breathes, and she has a silver circlet with a
tanzanite gemstone in the center on her head.
Kima: What… Happened?
Iori (Pushes all his strength into the blade to keep Leona back): Riot of Blood…
Iori then suddenly snaps into a roundhouse kick. The kick smashes Leona in the stomach,
sending her back, as Iori twists the sword, and forces the knife out of her hand at the same
time. Riot of Blood Leona snarls at him.
Iori: Leona, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but please… CALM DOWN!
Riot of Blood Leona lets out a roar. She then pounces at Iori while running at him on her
hands and feet.
Iori (Thinks): This is not good…
As Riot of Blood Leona rushes at Iori, Terry performs his Burn Knuckle attack. The punch
smashes Leona in the jaw, and sends her flying back into one of the walls. She lands in one
of the ponds.
Terry: Wow… I didn't think it would be that easy to take down someone in the Riot of
Blood…
Suddenly, the jewel on the circlet glows as it sends great amounts of energy coursing
through Riot of Blood Leona. The beast that Leona has become makes it back to her feet
while standing in the lake. Her aura begins to rise around her and water begins to rise into
the air around her…
Mature: SHIT! GET DOWN!
The water shoots all around the place from Leona, freezing into needles of ice. Most of the
fighters heard Mature's warning and ducked down. Kima wouldn't have been okay, if Iori
hadn't a grabbed her again and pushed her to the ground.
Kima (Blushes): That's twice you saved me…
Iori seems to blush himself for a moment. Than he covers it up by acting like his usual self.
Iori: IDIOT! Is this all I can expect from the 'greatest' 'soldier' of the Mount Phoenix
army? Go into homemaking, or something girly… (Thinks: Shit… WHY did I say
THAT!?)
Kima seems to look shocked for a moment… Then her own aura bursts to life.
Kima: IORI YOU JERK!
Leona comes running up to them, but Kima just grabs her sword from Iori, and kicks him
away. She then points her sword at Leona.
Kima: Come on!
Riot of Blood Leona just charges at Kima. She knocks the sword out of Kima's hand,
grabs her by her shoulders, smashes Kima's head into her knee, and tosses her at Iori.
Kima: Oof! Owwies… That HURT!
Iori: … Mind getting off of me?
Chizuru, Billy, Terry, and Mature surround Kima while Vice goes to help the two.
Vice: Iori-sama?
Iori: Yes? ACK!!!
Vice (Chokes Iori): DON'T EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! YOU HEAR
ME!?!?!?
Iori (Pries at Vice's hands on his throat): Yes, yes, YES! I UNDERSTAND AND I
HEAR!!! NOW LET GO OF ME!!!
Kima sweat drops at the scene unraveling before her.
(------)
Ranma looks all around the place he's in for a way out. All the walls seem solid, and the
only apparent opening is that stupid tunnel that he came in through. The ghost stares at
Ranma all the while…
Ghost: Are you ready to listen to me yet?
Ranma ignores the ghost and continues searching for a way out.
Ghost: Hello?
Ranma continues to ignore the ghost.
Ghost (Demon head attack-mode): HELLO!!!
Ranma (Eyes widen, falls backwards into one of the hot springs): GAAAAHHH!!!
! … WHAT YOU DO THAT FOR!?
Ghost (Turns back to 'normal'): To get you to pay attention! Now will you please listen to
me? My time is VERY limited, even though this IS my realm!
Ranma: … 'Your' realm? The icicle had "Mizu" carved into it. And I thought Leona is
the Hakkeshu of water…
Ghost (Mutters, rubs the temples of his head with his hands): This guy truly is thick
skulled… (Out loud). Anyway, please listen to me now. Your and Leona's fate depends
on how you will act when you see her.
Ranma: What do you mean our fate?
Ghost: Do you love her?
Ranma: … Why do you want to know?
Ghost: DO YOU LOVE HER!?
Ranma: EEP! YES! IS THAT OKAY?
Ghost: Would you hurt her if it were absolutely necessary?
Ranma: NO! I WOULD NEVER HURT LECHAN!
Ghost: … Then you will lose…
Ranma (Confused): Huh?
Ghost: Listen to me. Leona is indeed here in this realm, but she is not herself. Goenitz has
forced her into the Riot of Blood. If you cannot bring yourself to stop her, then you will
lose…
Ranma: … But I can't hurt her… I love her…
The Ghost tries to slap Ranma, but his hand just passes through Ranma's face.
Ghost (Stares at his hand): … Damn… I miss having a physical body…
Ranma: … Listen, I'm not sure what's going on here, but is there any way I can save her?
Ghost: If you want to save Leona, then you must defeat her. You must overcome your
weakness. For if you truly love her then you must overcome your own restriction on
hurting her to save her. For the only way to stop someone in the Riot of Blood is to tire
him or her out. They must go through extreme physical exertion to overcome the effects of
the Riot of Blood… And the fastest way to do it is to fight them…
Ranma: … Anything else I could do?
Ghost: … I'll tell you this Tenth Hakkeshu… She will have a circlet on her head… It
supplies her with enough energy to make her stay in her Riot of Blood mode. Try to
destroy that first, that way you will be able to tire her out more easily…
Ranma: Okay… I'll do it…
Suddenly, the ghost seems to lurch forward, as if in pain. Ranma runs up to the ghost to try
and help him, but his arms just go through the ghost.
Ranma: Are you okay?
Ghost: … No… My time is almost up… And I still have so much to say… So please,
walk over into that hot spring over there…
Ranma: But…
Ghost: JUST DO IT!
Ranma seems to notice the ghost voice sounds very strained. Ranma just complies. He
grabs his backpack and walks into hot spring. The ghost then tries to lift itself to stand up
fully. And the ghost concentrates on its energies to get the final part of its message
across…
Ghost: Ranma, listen carefully… The trial here is different from the others, since Leona
could not think when she was sent here, so the trial made itself based after her inner-most
desire. You must fulfill her desire. Please Son-in-law, SAVE MY SAPPHIRE!
Ranma stares wide-eyed at the ghost… He remembers only one person would call Leona
Sapphire…
Ranma (Hesitant): ……… Guidel?
Ghost (Smirks, does a slight bow): … Some would call me "Hachitaki no Gidiar", but
yes, I prefer Guidel… Sorry to say, that I can't be more to your service Son-in-law…
Ranma stares in awe that the wavering form of Guidel… Suddenly, a thought leaps
through Ranma's mind…
Ranma: "SON-IN-LAW!?!?"
Guidel (Smirks): What? You can't deny you love Sapphire… (Lurches over). URK…
Ranma: Guidel!
Guidel: Listen, whatever happens, please be there for my Sapphire… She deserves a
happy life, after having to live in misery for years… And Son-in-law…
Ranma: Yes?
Guidel: Tell Sapphire I forgive her… That she killed me was not her fault…
Ranma (Stares at Guidel for a bit): … Okay… I will…
Guidel (Points his hand out towards Ranma): Ranma, I'll send you to her palace. Please,
hang on tightly now.
Ranma (looks around for a bit): Hang onto what?
Guidel doesn't answer, but he begins to glow as his form fades… The waters around
Ranma begin to fluctuate, and the water in the spring shoots up like a geyser, sending
Ranma up.
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
Ranma's form crashes through the ceiling headfirst. And the water keeps pushing him up,
farther, and farther…
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!
Guidel (Looks up at the new hole in the ceiling of the place): … I guess he really is thick
skulled… Good luck Son-in-law… Take care of Sapphire… Take care of yourself…
With that Guidel's time is spent, and he finally fades from existence once again…
(------)
Iori clutches at his shoulder, which Riot of Blood Leona stabbed with her combat knife.
No matter what they do Leona seems to get more powerful every time they seem to subdue
her. Iori mutters to himself.
Iori: Shit… Can't anything go right today?
As if to answer him, the ground starts shaking.
Iori: Great… Now what?
The fighters and Leona turn their head to see one of the hot springs in Leona's palace
bubbling… A stream up water shoots above the surface slightly. Suddenly it shoots up in
a huge geyser, and with it comes…
Iori, Chizuru, Kima, Terry, Billy, Kyo, Vice, & Mature: RANMA!
Ranma (As he flies through the air): WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!
Ranma is on top of the geyser for a bit, and the geyser finally stops. Ranma then goes
falling back to earth.
Ranma: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
!
Ranma (Bobs his head above the water): COUGH! Ugh… I'm getting really tired of
this… (Eyes widen). LECHAN!
What Ranma sees breaks his heart. It is just as Guidel said. Leona is indeed in the Riot of
Blood, and she herself is covered in blood. Ranma looks around and sees some of his
friends sporting some bad cuts… And he sees the bloodied combat knife in Leona's hand.
He comes to the conclusion that the blood covering Leona is theirs and not hers. Ranma
then walks up from out of the spring. He tosses his backpack at Kyo.
Ranma: Catch.
Kyo tries to catch the backpack, but it smashes him in the head instead and he falls to the
ground. Ranma stares at him for a bit.
Ranma: … Idiot…
Riot of Blood Leona takes a few steps towards Ranma.
Leona: Grr…
Ranma (Closes his eyes and speaks calmly): Please Leona… Understand… What I do
next is going to hurt me more than it does you… I'm sorry.
Ranma then charges at Leona, who charges back at him…
(------)
End Chapter 40
Next Time: Ranma Vs. Riot of Blood Leona… Will Ranma overcome the one he loves?
And the trial of the water palace…
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