Author note: Ahem. Rouge, Rogue. what's the difference.
(thanks for the call, I think I got most of them in this one)
And Aquaris. you were close. And I haven't decided on Ranma-chan's class quite yet.
* * *
Act 1 : Quest 2
Ranma Saotome didn't say hello to his father as he passed by. He didn't even bother to pause while Akane and Ryoga collapsed on the ground near the campfire. His blue eyes were filled with grim determination as he moved swiftly towards the edge of the Rogue encampment. He would pull her apart, every scrawny limb from every scrawny limb.
Cologne looked up from her writing, feeling the anger headed towards her tent. With a smile she got up and walked outside her tent just in time to see Ranma heading towards her.
"Be careful boy," she said as he approached, "not to do anything rash."
"Rash?" he yelled. "Who the hell are you to tell me that I shouldn't be rash? You set me up! You set us all up."
"What are you talking about?" Cologne said with a smile.
"The Den of Evil," Ranma spat, "it was a trap. There were three Fallen tribes waiting for us. We were almost all killed!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Cologne said. From over his shoulder, she saw Genma, Akane and Ryoga joining them. All three of the youngsters looked exhausted, beaten and bruised. "I didn't think it would be so much trouble. I can heal you all back to perfect help if that."
"Don't try to bribe us!" Ranma returned. "We know you set the trap, we know that you somehow got those tribes to work together against us. And I want to know why!"
"You wrong."
The group's attention snapped away from Cologne to the new voice. There, clad in leather was an Amazon clutching a large spear. Her purple hair moved silently in the breeze. Her purple eyes betrayed no emotion or remorse for what she had just said.
"Great grandmother no set trap. That Shampoo idea."
"Who are you?" Akane asked.
"Shampoo," Cologne said, "is an Amazon warrior. She was traveling with a companion to see me when she ran across a scroll that promised to grant her any wish she desired. But the two of them got into an argument and she accidentally cursed herself and him."
"So what does this have to do with us?" Ryoga demanded.
"Shampoo need help," the Amazon said. "Need strong fighters to travel to desert land to find cure."
"So you never had a cure," Ranma said, turning back to Cologne.
"I have a cure," Cologne replied. "Just not here."
"No matter," Shampoo continued. "Have no use for weak men like you," she said finished looking squarely at Ranma.
Ranma's anger flared again and he drew his sword. "Take it back," he said.
"Ranma," Akane said reaching out to take his shoulder.
"You know truth," Shampoo continued. "You no beat enemy, let dumb barbarian do for you."
"Hey!" Ryoga cried.
"There were three tribes of Fallen," Ranma said. "I couldn't have anticipated."
"No about what you expect." Shampoo continued. "About what you not expect. Road to cure full of non-expected things. You can handle? No. You weak."
"Take it back," Ranma said again.
"No need take back truth," she said, positioning her spear in her hand for an attack. "Unless you prove wrong."
"Ranma please," Akane said, finally taking a firm grip on his shoulder. "We haven't had a chance to rest."
"Stay out this," Ranma said, shrugging her off and crouching into an attack position. His aura flamed red, as it had before. Shampoo smiled and jumped backwards, flipping away effortlessly to a wider space in the encampment.
Ranma advanced, his sword drawn. He walked slowly towards her before breaking out in a run at the last second. It caught her by surprise so that she barely had time to parry with her spear.
The air became filled with a metallic melody as sword and spear crashed against each other. Ranma was tired but he wasn't about to let it show. His muscles were screaming as he pressed his attack, barely giving her a chance to defend herself.
Shampoo was surprised. She hadn't thought that he would fight back this hard. If she wasn't so concentrated on keeping up her defenses, she may have been impressed. Instead, she was desperately searching for a weak spot in his attack.
Instead, he found one in hers. Lashing forward with his sword, he watched her dodge and then quickly brought his shield around to connect with her head. She crumpled and fell to the ground.
"Enough!" Cologne cried. Ranma stopped, breathing heavily as the priestess made her way over to them. "You fight well Paladin, you deserve the role of leader." Looking down at Shampoo, she continued. "And you child, are not ready to lead yet so you shall follow him. Swear it."
Shampoo grit her teeth and didn't speak. "Do it now!" Cologne snapped.
"Shampoo. Shampoo swear allegiance to Paladin Saotome." She stood up and went to retrieve her spear.
"Well boy," Cologne said to Ranma. "Our fates are now in your hands. When we reach the land in the desert, I will find the cure."
Ranma took in a deep breath and looked at her. He didn't understand half of what happened but he figured he had won this round. He felt exhausted but redeemed. The promise of a cure was further away now but not impossible anymore.
Someone started clapping. The entire group turned around and saw a beautiful woman walking towards them, applauding them.
"Well done, Paladin," she said with a sly smile. "The Den of Evils and a duel with an Amazon. You have impressed me and that is a hard thing to do indeed."
Ranma let out an exasperated sigh. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Hinako Ninomiya," she said with a smile. "And I am the leader of the Rogues."
* * *
After a warm bath, several potions and a night's sleep, the group reassembled by the campfire to wait for Hinako to arrive. Ranma pulled at his boot, determined not to look up. On one side, he had Akane who was watching him like a hawk since he had almost collapsed last night after his battle with the Amazon, who watched him on the other side with a look of hatred.
Ryoga didn't look happy either. He was still ticked off for being called a dumb barbarian by Shampoo. He knew that he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer but still. And Akane. She had barely said two words to him last night, she seemed consumed by making sure Ranma was all right. He didn't understand her, he didn't understand her at all.
Genma, was watching his son with much interest. It appeared he had two ladies after him now. Well, so long as the boy remember his promise to Tendo.
Hinako walked towards the group, a Rogue archer by her side. The archer disappeared as Hinako took a seat near the fire, across from Ranma.
"You've proven yourselves worthy of being in this camp," she said softly. "We Rogue do not like to ask for help but in these times. something must be done. I know we have not been forthcoming with you about what has happened but the time has come for us. for me to banish my pride and relate our story.
"Something has ventured deep in our hearts, corrupting some and terrifying the rest," Hinako began. "It started as a few Rogue merely misbehaving, which I was able to take care of easily. But then the numbers began to grow and then the deformities began to surface. It seems that what was corrupting their hearts has started corrupting their bodies as well."
"That explains what we saw on the way here," Akane said.
"Yes," Hinako replied. "Those were the remnants of our last battle. We lost. Our land has been corrupted as have our sisters." She took in a deep breath. "And now my scouts have brought me word that they are encroaching on us again. In our most sacred place, the evil Rogue captain, Monlon, has begun to raise the dead." There was a pause. "Of all the desecrations we have faced, this alone may." Hinako paused. She stood up. "Please, help rid us of this scourge." She quickly ran away.
Ranma sighed and leaned back onto the ground.
"Well, I think we should help them," Akane said.
"I'll second that," Ryoga replied. "They're letting us stay here, it's our duty to help them."
"No," Shampoo said firmly. "No time. Must clear road and go east. Cure is east."
Genma nodded. "The Rogues are not our problem. Someone else will help them."
There was silence as everyone turned to Ranma. He suddenly realized that he was the tiebreaker. He knew what he had to do, no matter how much he wanted to get his hands on the cure.
"Ryoga's right, we have a duty to help others. Let's pack out and get this over with quickly," he said, standing up. Shampoo shot him a dirty look but he ignored it. As he walked away to gather his stuff, Akane ran up to him.
"You're doing the right thing," she said with a small smile. He looked at her and nodded. She went on her way and Ranma could help but feel more confident.
"You waste time." Shampoo said harshly as she passed by.
Ranma sighed. So much for confidence.
* * *
The Cold Plains almost lived up to their name. Very similar in appearance to the Blood Moor, they felt different. Hinako didn't need to tell them the dead were buried near by, they could feel it. Ranma had his sword drawn, Ryoga had his axe drawn, even Akane looked ready to fight. Shampoo ambled along, her spear resting over her shoulder as she tried to look more bored. Genma had of course stayed behind to 'protect' the Rogues again.
Akane was smiling and confident. All those history lectures in school, all the daydreams about adventures, she was finally apart of something. Sometimes she missed home but not now. Now she felt like a hero right out of the Sin War. She looked over and smiled at Ranma who was giving her an odd look.
Ranma nodded back and concentrated back on the road. He had no idea what was going through that mind of hers but it was better than the fear she had felt in the Den of Evils yesterday or that lonely sadness she had had on the way here. And for some reason, it made him feel good to see her smiling. Well, at least it did until Shampoo walked over next to him.
"You good fighter," she said. "But not know Rogue ways. Monton strong fighter. Even Amazon respect her. You need plan."
Ranma nodded. "I've got a plan," he replied.
"Good plan?" she asked.
"It'll work," he said.
"Good. Because there cemetery."
Ranma concentrated on the horizon again and saw the tall iron gates of the cemetery. There were Rogue bodies scattered around it, and he could make out some movement around the tombs.
He called the group to a halt. Looking at Shampoo, he pointed towards the cemetery. Shampoo nodded and went off to scout the area. He sat down on the ground and grabbed a stick to diagram his plan.
First he drew a box. Then he drew a few lines. Akane and Ryoga pondered it for a moment.
"So we just rush her?" Ryoga asked. Ranma nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Shampoo came back, a horrified look on her face. The others waited for her to explain. "Is.horrible. Rogues hang from tree and sick Rogue. she no human. All twisted, skin dead, turn gray. Has. has. music toy with string," she continued struggling for the words. "Plays song and dead come out of grave. All bones and zombie."
She looked down at the picture on the ground and shook her head. She quickly made a few changes, showing four entryways and a large tree in the center. She added an X to where Monton was currently as well as small circles with number to show where there were monsters and how many there were.
"Okay," Ranma said in a hushed voice. "Ryoga, you and Shampoo will go straight through the front. Akane and I will double around the back and try to surprise her from behind. If I'm right, then that lute is the only thing that keeps her magic working. If we can destroy it or her, then it should break the spell on the corpses."
Ryoga nodded and stood up, heading back towards the encampment. It took a moment for her to react but Shampoo quickly ran after him, grabbed his arm and steered him in the right direction.
"Are you ready?" Ranma said as soon as they were gone.
Akane nodded. "Here," she said, casting Enchant on his sword. "For luck," she added with a smile.
Ranma nodded and returned the smile as best he could. Then before she could protest, he picked her up and bounded towards the cemetery. He moved so quickly that Akane barely had the chance to see Shampoo and Ryoga already engaged the first wave of monsters.
Ranma quietly landed on the tree in the middle of the cemetery and got his footing. He looked out from the leaves and watched as the deformed Monton walked around laughing maniacally. She would have been beautiful once, he realized, but when she turned towards them, he could see the inhumanness in her eyes. They locked onto his and he saw her smile.
"Okay," he whispered to Akane. "Try to keep things for hitting me too much. I'm going after her."
Akane nodded and prepared her spell. She watched as Ranma jumped from the tree and headed towards Monton. The deformed woman screeched in anger, trying to rouse her troops to her. But Ryoga and Shampoo were keeping them at bay. Realizing she was alone, she began to sing.
Akane had to grab onto the tree as the ground shook and more zombies emerged. She quickly began casting spells with the wand in one hand, a bottle of mana potion in the other. She was not going to make the same mistake twice.
Ranma was having a very hard time hitting the fleeing Monton. She was incredibly fast and had a long bow she would use to hit him from far away. He realized that his plan wasn't working and that she would tire him out before long. He could feel the heat of Akane's fire spells hitting the zombie and it gave him an idea.
"AKANE!" He yelled. "HIT MONTON WITH YOU FIREBOLT!"
There was a pause in her attack before Akane switched her aim. Fire started spourting from the tree and hitting Monton as she fleed. Enraged and unable to determine where the attacker was, she began calling more troops with her siren's song.
"Fall back to the tree!" Ranma called out to Ryoga and Shampoo.
Soon the trio began to fall back towards the huge fire-spouting tree. The zombies and skeletons followed them but they were quickly slashed to bit.
"This not working!" Shampoo cried.
"She's right!" Ryoga said. "We need to finish her off faster!"
"Akane!" Ranma called out.
Akane heard their anguished cries of her name. Her firebolt was not working. It may have been enough to level a couple of zombies but against a creature like Monton it was enough. She needed to try something else.
Advanced spells, her teachers had once told her, were not to be used before extensive practice in a closed area under a teacher's supervision.
So much for that lesson.
"Hey," Ryoga said. "Is it just me, or are some the skeletons fighting each other?"
Shampoo's eyes widened. "No, can't be."
"What can't." Ranma started.
He was interrupted at the tree behind him exploded into flames. The three fighters barely had time to get out of the ways at the trunk was engulfed. .
"AKANE!" Ranma cried, thinking she had miscast a spell and was trapped. But Ryoga grabbed his shoulder and pointed.
In the center of the inferno, Akane stood on the burning branch, a spout of flame emerging from her outstretched hands. Monton was caught in the spell and unable to move as the spell did its damage. She writhed in agony and finally expired, her body exploding into a field of white light. Most of the dead bodies collapsed as soon as she was gone but a few skeletons still walked around.
Up in the tree, Akane's Inferno was starting to waver, not from any action on her point. She couldn't stop it now, it was just draining all her mana. She could only hope that it would stop once it was gone.
Sure enough, several seconds later, the flame extinguished and Akane collapsed to the ground exhausted. Her hands were burning but she could see the flames were no longer there. With a small smile of satisfaction, she fell into unconsciousness.
Ranma and Ryoga ran up to her to make sure she was okay. Neither Ryoga or Ranma had a mana potion and when they went to ask Shampoo for one, she was mysteriously absent.
"Shampoo?" Ranma called. But there was nothing. "Shampoo!" he called a second time.
Then they heard it. Neither of them understood it but they could feel the meaning to the words. The purple haired Amazon was pushing her way through skeletons as she headed towards a crypt, cursing each one as she passed.
Ranma looked to Ryoga for help. "Go on," Ryoga said. "I'll watch after Akane." Ranma didn't have time to think about it because Shampoo's enraged cries were suddenly much louder. Getting up, he ran over to where she was.
"Yo, Shampoo, what's the problem?" he asked her as she stood standing at the door.
"He here! I know he here! Stupid duck boy follow Shampoo!!"
"What??" Ranma asked.
"Mousse!! Shampoo know you there! Come out or Shampoo drag you out."
Before Ranma had a chance to question Shampoo's sanity, the shadows in the crypt moved and a pale face youth with long black hair emerged.
"Necromancer," was the first thing out of Ranma's lips. He drew his sword. "What do you want here?" he demanded.
Shampoo looked at the sword with a laugh. "No need this. Stupid duck boy can't hurt. Right?" she said looking at the boy.
"I could," Mousse replied. "If I wanted to. So just be glad that I'm just to happy to see my beloved to do anything about it!!"
With that he jumped forward and glomped onto a very mad looking Shampoo. "No no no no no!!" she cried. "Get off! Shampoo still mad for what you did!!"
"What did he do??" Ranma asked.
Suddenly there was a crash of thunder and a wave of rain came tumbling down from the sky.
"Great," Ranma-chan said, as her body emerged from the boy form. "Just what I.. AHHHH! CAT!!!" She got up and bolted, running back towards a still unconscious Akane and a very pig-like Ryoga. Only once he was half way across the cemetery did he look back and see a duck and a cat engaged in a full out brawl.
* * *
Half a day later, Ranma-chan managed to drag himself, Akane and the animal menagerie back to the Rogue encampment. It hadn't been easy. There was no dry wood for a fire and their one fire starter was unconscious. So with Neko-Shampoo far away, Ranma had led them back to camp while carrying Akane.
The group collapsed and waited for the water to boil to bring them back to normal forms. As they did, a young child bounded up and watched them with interest.
"You're not the people I just spoke with!" she said as she looked at Ranma- chan.
"Give us a second," Ranma-chan said.
"Are you lying? I can't stand people who lie! They need to be punished."
"Look, little girl, we've all had a rough day and all we want is a nice hot cup of water and a long night's sleep." As if to answer her, the water started to steam. "Finally," she said. She took the water and dumped some of it on her head. Instantly, she shed her female form and felt her body fill out her clothes.
With a happy sigh, Ranma turned and poured some water on P-chan's head and on Muu-muu (the duck)'s head. Both instantly turned back to guys who quickly pulled on their clothes.
"Wow," the little girl said watching them.
"Yeah, really neat," Ryoga said sarcastically. Mousse took the water from Ranma and headed over to where Neko-Shampoo was (far away from Ranma).
"Believe me," Ranma said, "it's not as fun as it looks."
"Can say that again." Ryoga and Ranma turned to where Shampoo had remerged and stopped breathing. She had not yet redressed and stood there, in naked glory looking at their reactions with mock interest.
Ryoga's nose suddenly burst forth blood and Ranma looked away quickly, trying to hide a blush. Shampoo let out a laugh and said something under her breath about immature boys. Turning to grab her armor, she saw Mousse looking at her with a happy smile on his face.
"Stupid duck boy, no stare at Shampoo!" And then she bonked him on the head.
As soon as they were sure she was dressed, they all turned back around. She greeted them all with a small smile and then looked at the little girl. "Hello little girl." The little girl waved shyly.
"So," Ryoga said, "I have a question. What is going on with you two?"
"Well," Mousse said with a smile. "It's a long long story."
"No is very short," Shampoo said. "Duck boy no can fight. Hired Shampoo to guard on way home. That five years ago."
"And it's been true love ever since!"
"No!" Shampoo said. "Dumb duck boy forget mention that not know where home is. So Shampoo stuck. Try run away, always found. Try to leave behind, always catch up. Try wish home. get cursed."
"Yeah, how did that happen?" Ranma asked.
"Well, if Shampoo will let me tell the story," Mousse started. "My Common Tongue skills are better anyway."
"What you say? Shampoo talk good." She gave them all a glaring look and no one thought to disagree. "But you talk. Shampoo tired." Mousse nodded and continued.
* * *
Several weeks before.
"Stay in village Mousse."
"But Shampoo. I would miss you too much. You beautiful hair that flows down your perfect back."
"No where stupid tree?"
"Your glowing eyes that shine in the moonlight."
"Ah. here tree. And here scroll."
"Your wonderful lips that speak such sweet music to my ears. Wait is that the scroll?"
"Yes. now Shampoo wish you home."
"Wait! I want to use our wishes for something more important. Our future! I will wish for us to stay together forever so I can enjoy your hair and your eyes and your lips and your."
"Mousse, let go you silly."
* * *
Mousse stopped and looked around. And that was silence.
"So she called you a silly goose," Ryoga said.
"And you wished you could enjoy her. her." Ranma looked at Shampoo and Mousse and then Ryoga, who was about to have another nosebleed.
"Yes," Mousse said. "Her hair, her eyes, her lips and her cat-like body, agile and trim."
"Oh," Ranma laughed. "Oh that!" Ryoga started laughing.
"What did you think. oh." Mousse blushed, which looked rather frightening against his pale skin.
"What?" Shampoo asked innocently. "What you think he said?"
"Nevermind," the three men said quickly.
"So you found the old village woman," Ranma said, changing the topic, "with the magic water." Shampoo, Mousse and Ryoga shuddered. "What??"
"Nevermind," the other three replied.
"What the heck is going on with this seer anyway??" he demanded.
"Oh," the little girl said. "You met that seer. You are all bad people!! You will be punished now." The girl whipped out a coin and held it in front of her. Before they could do anything, she had enveloped them in a soft green glow. They all collapsed to the ground dead asleep while the woman morphed into Hinako once more.
"Well," she said sheepishly. "They needed the rest anyway."
* * *
The sun was barely above the horizon when Akane's eyes fluttered open. She stretched and looked around for her morning robe. Then she remembered that she wasn't home but in the middle of the Rogue encampment. She was very far from home.
But then she remembered the fight yesterday and how Monton had fallen because of her spell. Oh, she couldn't wait to write home and tell Kasumi about that one. She would be so proud. well she would be disappointed that Akane had used a spell she didn't practice enough but she had saved everyone.
Speaking of everyone. where are they? She got up and headed outside of the tent, which turned out to be Cologne's. Wandering around the camp, she headed towards the now extinguished campfire and found the rest of the group (plus one stranger) fast asleep. She smiled and was about to walk away to find breakfast when she heard some commotion at the edge of the camp.
She watched as several Rogues ran past her and towards the gate. On the ground, everyone started to wake up from the noise.
"What's going on?" Ranma said sleepily.
Akane was about to reply when a horse broke through the Rogue garrison and ran towards the center of camp. On top of it was a very distraught looking solider, who wore armor that Akane found strangely familiar.
It was then she realized he was screaming something. The same thing over and over again.
"Tristram has been attacked! Tristram has been attacked!" Which was followed by a more morbid proclamation. "Tristram is falling! Gods help us all, Tristram is falling!"
(thanks for the call, I think I got most of them in this one)
And Aquaris. you were close. And I haven't decided on Ranma-chan's class quite yet.
* * *
Act 1 : Quest 2
Ranma Saotome didn't say hello to his father as he passed by. He didn't even bother to pause while Akane and Ryoga collapsed on the ground near the campfire. His blue eyes were filled with grim determination as he moved swiftly towards the edge of the Rogue encampment. He would pull her apart, every scrawny limb from every scrawny limb.
Cologne looked up from her writing, feeling the anger headed towards her tent. With a smile she got up and walked outside her tent just in time to see Ranma heading towards her.
"Be careful boy," she said as he approached, "not to do anything rash."
"Rash?" he yelled. "Who the hell are you to tell me that I shouldn't be rash? You set me up! You set us all up."
"What are you talking about?" Cologne said with a smile.
"The Den of Evil," Ranma spat, "it was a trap. There were three Fallen tribes waiting for us. We were almost all killed!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Cologne said. From over his shoulder, she saw Genma, Akane and Ryoga joining them. All three of the youngsters looked exhausted, beaten and bruised. "I didn't think it would be so much trouble. I can heal you all back to perfect help if that."
"Don't try to bribe us!" Ranma returned. "We know you set the trap, we know that you somehow got those tribes to work together against us. And I want to know why!"
"You wrong."
The group's attention snapped away from Cologne to the new voice. There, clad in leather was an Amazon clutching a large spear. Her purple hair moved silently in the breeze. Her purple eyes betrayed no emotion or remorse for what she had just said.
"Great grandmother no set trap. That Shampoo idea."
"Who are you?" Akane asked.
"Shampoo," Cologne said, "is an Amazon warrior. She was traveling with a companion to see me when she ran across a scroll that promised to grant her any wish she desired. But the two of them got into an argument and she accidentally cursed herself and him."
"So what does this have to do with us?" Ryoga demanded.
"Shampoo need help," the Amazon said. "Need strong fighters to travel to desert land to find cure."
"So you never had a cure," Ranma said, turning back to Cologne.
"I have a cure," Cologne replied. "Just not here."
"No matter," Shampoo continued. "Have no use for weak men like you," she said finished looking squarely at Ranma.
Ranma's anger flared again and he drew his sword. "Take it back," he said.
"Ranma," Akane said reaching out to take his shoulder.
"You know truth," Shampoo continued. "You no beat enemy, let dumb barbarian do for you."
"Hey!" Ryoga cried.
"There were three tribes of Fallen," Ranma said. "I couldn't have anticipated."
"No about what you expect." Shampoo continued. "About what you not expect. Road to cure full of non-expected things. You can handle? No. You weak."
"Take it back," Ranma said again.
"No need take back truth," she said, positioning her spear in her hand for an attack. "Unless you prove wrong."
"Ranma please," Akane said, finally taking a firm grip on his shoulder. "We haven't had a chance to rest."
"Stay out this," Ranma said, shrugging her off and crouching into an attack position. His aura flamed red, as it had before. Shampoo smiled and jumped backwards, flipping away effortlessly to a wider space in the encampment.
Ranma advanced, his sword drawn. He walked slowly towards her before breaking out in a run at the last second. It caught her by surprise so that she barely had time to parry with her spear.
The air became filled with a metallic melody as sword and spear crashed against each other. Ranma was tired but he wasn't about to let it show. His muscles were screaming as he pressed his attack, barely giving her a chance to defend herself.
Shampoo was surprised. She hadn't thought that he would fight back this hard. If she wasn't so concentrated on keeping up her defenses, she may have been impressed. Instead, she was desperately searching for a weak spot in his attack.
Instead, he found one in hers. Lashing forward with his sword, he watched her dodge and then quickly brought his shield around to connect with her head. She crumpled and fell to the ground.
"Enough!" Cologne cried. Ranma stopped, breathing heavily as the priestess made her way over to them. "You fight well Paladin, you deserve the role of leader." Looking down at Shampoo, she continued. "And you child, are not ready to lead yet so you shall follow him. Swear it."
Shampoo grit her teeth and didn't speak. "Do it now!" Cologne snapped.
"Shampoo. Shampoo swear allegiance to Paladin Saotome." She stood up and went to retrieve her spear.
"Well boy," Cologne said to Ranma. "Our fates are now in your hands. When we reach the land in the desert, I will find the cure."
Ranma took in a deep breath and looked at her. He didn't understand half of what happened but he figured he had won this round. He felt exhausted but redeemed. The promise of a cure was further away now but not impossible anymore.
Someone started clapping. The entire group turned around and saw a beautiful woman walking towards them, applauding them.
"Well done, Paladin," she said with a sly smile. "The Den of Evils and a duel with an Amazon. You have impressed me and that is a hard thing to do indeed."
Ranma let out an exasperated sigh. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Hinako Ninomiya," she said with a smile. "And I am the leader of the Rogues."
* * *
After a warm bath, several potions and a night's sleep, the group reassembled by the campfire to wait for Hinako to arrive. Ranma pulled at his boot, determined not to look up. On one side, he had Akane who was watching him like a hawk since he had almost collapsed last night after his battle with the Amazon, who watched him on the other side with a look of hatred.
Ryoga didn't look happy either. He was still ticked off for being called a dumb barbarian by Shampoo. He knew that he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer but still. And Akane. She had barely said two words to him last night, she seemed consumed by making sure Ranma was all right. He didn't understand her, he didn't understand her at all.
Genma, was watching his son with much interest. It appeared he had two ladies after him now. Well, so long as the boy remember his promise to Tendo.
Hinako walked towards the group, a Rogue archer by her side. The archer disappeared as Hinako took a seat near the fire, across from Ranma.
"You've proven yourselves worthy of being in this camp," she said softly. "We Rogue do not like to ask for help but in these times. something must be done. I know we have not been forthcoming with you about what has happened but the time has come for us. for me to banish my pride and relate our story.
"Something has ventured deep in our hearts, corrupting some and terrifying the rest," Hinako began. "It started as a few Rogue merely misbehaving, which I was able to take care of easily. But then the numbers began to grow and then the deformities began to surface. It seems that what was corrupting their hearts has started corrupting their bodies as well."
"That explains what we saw on the way here," Akane said.
"Yes," Hinako replied. "Those were the remnants of our last battle. We lost. Our land has been corrupted as have our sisters." She took in a deep breath. "And now my scouts have brought me word that they are encroaching on us again. In our most sacred place, the evil Rogue captain, Monlon, has begun to raise the dead." There was a pause. "Of all the desecrations we have faced, this alone may." Hinako paused. She stood up. "Please, help rid us of this scourge." She quickly ran away.
Ranma sighed and leaned back onto the ground.
"Well, I think we should help them," Akane said.
"I'll second that," Ryoga replied. "They're letting us stay here, it's our duty to help them."
"No," Shampoo said firmly. "No time. Must clear road and go east. Cure is east."
Genma nodded. "The Rogues are not our problem. Someone else will help them."
There was silence as everyone turned to Ranma. He suddenly realized that he was the tiebreaker. He knew what he had to do, no matter how much he wanted to get his hands on the cure.
"Ryoga's right, we have a duty to help others. Let's pack out and get this over with quickly," he said, standing up. Shampoo shot him a dirty look but he ignored it. As he walked away to gather his stuff, Akane ran up to him.
"You're doing the right thing," she said with a small smile. He looked at her and nodded. She went on her way and Ranma could help but feel more confident.
"You waste time." Shampoo said harshly as she passed by.
Ranma sighed. So much for confidence.
* * *
The Cold Plains almost lived up to their name. Very similar in appearance to the Blood Moor, they felt different. Hinako didn't need to tell them the dead were buried near by, they could feel it. Ranma had his sword drawn, Ryoga had his axe drawn, even Akane looked ready to fight. Shampoo ambled along, her spear resting over her shoulder as she tried to look more bored. Genma had of course stayed behind to 'protect' the Rogues again.
Akane was smiling and confident. All those history lectures in school, all the daydreams about adventures, she was finally apart of something. Sometimes she missed home but not now. Now she felt like a hero right out of the Sin War. She looked over and smiled at Ranma who was giving her an odd look.
Ranma nodded back and concentrated back on the road. He had no idea what was going through that mind of hers but it was better than the fear she had felt in the Den of Evils yesterday or that lonely sadness she had had on the way here. And for some reason, it made him feel good to see her smiling. Well, at least it did until Shampoo walked over next to him.
"You good fighter," she said. "But not know Rogue ways. Monton strong fighter. Even Amazon respect her. You need plan."
Ranma nodded. "I've got a plan," he replied.
"Good plan?" she asked.
"It'll work," he said.
"Good. Because there cemetery."
Ranma concentrated on the horizon again and saw the tall iron gates of the cemetery. There were Rogue bodies scattered around it, and he could make out some movement around the tombs.
He called the group to a halt. Looking at Shampoo, he pointed towards the cemetery. Shampoo nodded and went off to scout the area. He sat down on the ground and grabbed a stick to diagram his plan.
First he drew a box. Then he drew a few lines. Akane and Ryoga pondered it for a moment.
"So we just rush her?" Ryoga asked. Ranma nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Shampoo came back, a horrified look on her face. The others waited for her to explain. "Is.horrible. Rogues hang from tree and sick Rogue. she no human. All twisted, skin dead, turn gray. Has. has. music toy with string," she continued struggling for the words. "Plays song and dead come out of grave. All bones and zombie."
She looked down at the picture on the ground and shook her head. She quickly made a few changes, showing four entryways and a large tree in the center. She added an X to where Monton was currently as well as small circles with number to show where there were monsters and how many there were.
"Okay," Ranma said in a hushed voice. "Ryoga, you and Shampoo will go straight through the front. Akane and I will double around the back and try to surprise her from behind. If I'm right, then that lute is the only thing that keeps her magic working. If we can destroy it or her, then it should break the spell on the corpses."
Ryoga nodded and stood up, heading back towards the encampment. It took a moment for her to react but Shampoo quickly ran after him, grabbed his arm and steered him in the right direction.
"Are you ready?" Ranma said as soon as they were gone.
Akane nodded. "Here," she said, casting Enchant on his sword. "For luck," she added with a smile.
Ranma nodded and returned the smile as best he could. Then before she could protest, he picked her up and bounded towards the cemetery. He moved so quickly that Akane barely had the chance to see Shampoo and Ryoga already engaged the first wave of monsters.
Ranma quietly landed on the tree in the middle of the cemetery and got his footing. He looked out from the leaves and watched as the deformed Monton walked around laughing maniacally. She would have been beautiful once, he realized, but when she turned towards them, he could see the inhumanness in her eyes. They locked onto his and he saw her smile.
"Okay," he whispered to Akane. "Try to keep things for hitting me too much. I'm going after her."
Akane nodded and prepared her spell. She watched as Ranma jumped from the tree and headed towards Monton. The deformed woman screeched in anger, trying to rouse her troops to her. But Ryoga and Shampoo were keeping them at bay. Realizing she was alone, she began to sing.
Akane had to grab onto the tree as the ground shook and more zombies emerged. She quickly began casting spells with the wand in one hand, a bottle of mana potion in the other. She was not going to make the same mistake twice.
Ranma was having a very hard time hitting the fleeing Monton. She was incredibly fast and had a long bow she would use to hit him from far away. He realized that his plan wasn't working and that she would tire him out before long. He could feel the heat of Akane's fire spells hitting the zombie and it gave him an idea.
"AKANE!" He yelled. "HIT MONTON WITH YOU FIREBOLT!"
There was a pause in her attack before Akane switched her aim. Fire started spourting from the tree and hitting Monton as she fleed. Enraged and unable to determine where the attacker was, she began calling more troops with her siren's song.
"Fall back to the tree!" Ranma called out to Ryoga and Shampoo.
Soon the trio began to fall back towards the huge fire-spouting tree. The zombies and skeletons followed them but they were quickly slashed to bit.
"This not working!" Shampoo cried.
"She's right!" Ryoga said. "We need to finish her off faster!"
"Akane!" Ranma called out.
Akane heard their anguished cries of her name. Her firebolt was not working. It may have been enough to level a couple of zombies but against a creature like Monton it was enough. She needed to try something else.
Advanced spells, her teachers had once told her, were not to be used before extensive practice in a closed area under a teacher's supervision.
So much for that lesson.
"Hey," Ryoga said. "Is it just me, or are some the skeletons fighting each other?"
Shampoo's eyes widened. "No, can't be."
"What can't." Ranma started.
He was interrupted at the tree behind him exploded into flames. The three fighters barely had time to get out of the ways at the trunk was engulfed. .
"AKANE!" Ranma cried, thinking she had miscast a spell and was trapped. But Ryoga grabbed his shoulder and pointed.
In the center of the inferno, Akane stood on the burning branch, a spout of flame emerging from her outstretched hands. Monton was caught in the spell and unable to move as the spell did its damage. She writhed in agony and finally expired, her body exploding into a field of white light. Most of the dead bodies collapsed as soon as she was gone but a few skeletons still walked around.
Up in the tree, Akane's Inferno was starting to waver, not from any action on her point. She couldn't stop it now, it was just draining all her mana. She could only hope that it would stop once it was gone.
Sure enough, several seconds later, the flame extinguished and Akane collapsed to the ground exhausted. Her hands were burning but she could see the flames were no longer there. With a small smile of satisfaction, she fell into unconsciousness.
Ranma and Ryoga ran up to her to make sure she was okay. Neither Ryoga or Ranma had a mana potion and when they went to ask Shampoo for one, she was mysteriously absent.
"Shampoo?" Ranma called. But there was nothing. "Shampoo!" he called a second time.
Then they heard it. Neither of them understood it but they could feel the meaning to the words. The purple haired Amazon was pushing her way through skeletons as she headed towards a crypt, cursing each one as she passed.
Ranma looked to Ryoga for help. "Go on," Ryoga said. "I'll watch after Akane." Ranma didn't have time to think about it because Shampoo's enraged cries were suddenly much louder. Getting up, he ran over to where she was.
"Yo, Shampoo, what's the problem?" he asked her as she stood standing at the door.
"He here! I know he here! Stupid duck boy follow Shampoo!!"
"What??" Ranma asked.
"Mousse!! Shampoo know you there! Come out or Shampoo drag you out."
Before Ranma had a chance to question Shampoo's sanity, the shadows in the crypt moved and a pale face youth with long black hair emerged.
"Necromancer," was the first thing out of Ranma's lips. He drew his sword. "What do you want here?" he demanded.
Shampoo looked at the sword with a laugh. "No need this. Stupid duck boy can't hurt. Right?" she said looking at the boy.
"I could," Mousse replied. "If I wanted to. So just be glad that I'm just to happy to see my beloved to do anything about it!!"
With that he jumped forward and glomped onto a very mad looking Shampoo. "No no no no no!!" she cried. "Get off! Shampoo still mad for what you did!!"
"What did he do??" Ranma asked.
Suddenly there was a crash of thunder and a wave of rain came tumbling down from the sky.
"Great," Ranma-chan said, as her body emerged from the boy form. "Just what I.. AHHHH! CAT!!!" She got up and bolted, running back towards a still unconscious Akane and a very pig-like Ryoga. Only once he was half way across the cemetery did he look back and see a duck and a cat engaged in a full out brawl.
* * *
Half a day later, Ranma-chan managed to drag himself, Akane and the animal menagerie back to the Rogue encampment. It hadn't been easy. There was no dry wood for a fire and their one fire starter was unconscious. So with Neko-Shampoo far away, Ranma had led them back to camp while carrying Akane.
The group collapsed and waited for the water to boil to bring them back to normal forms. As they did, a young child bounded up and watched them with interest.
"You're not the people I just spoke with!" she said as she looked at Ranma- chan.
"Give us a second," Ranma-chan said.
"Are you lying? I can't stand people who lie! They need to be punished."
"Look, little girl, we've all had a rough day and all we want is a nice hot cup of water and a long night's sleep." As if to answer her, the water started to steam. "Finally," she said. She took the water and dumped some of it on her head. Instantly, she shed her female form and felt her body fill out her clothes.
With a happy sigh, Ranma turned and poured some water on P-chan's head and on Muu-muu (the duck)'s head. Both instantly turned back to guys who quickly pulled on their clothes.
"Wow," the little girl said watching them.
"Yeah, really neat," Ryoga said sarcastically. Mousse took the water from Ranma and headed over to where Neko-Shampoo was (far away from Ranma).
"Believe me," Ranma said, "it's not as fun as it looks."
"Can say that again." Ryoga and Ranma turned to where Shampoo had remerged and stopped breathing. She had not yet redressed and stood there, in naked glory looking at their reactions with mock interest.
Ryoga's nose suddenly burst forth blood and Ranma looked away quickly, trying to hide a blush. Shampoo let out a laugh and said something under her breath about immature boys. Turning to grab her armor, she saw Mousse looking at her with a happy smile on his face.
"Stupid duck boy, no stare at Shampoo!" And then she bonked him on the head.
As soon as they were sure she was dressed, they all turned back around. She greeted them all with a small smile and then looked at the little girl. "Hello little girl." The little girl waved shyly.
"So," Ryoga said, "I have a question. What is going on with you two?"
"Well," Mousse said with a smile. "It's a long long story."
"No is very short," Shampoo said. "Duck boy no can fight. Hired Shampoo to guard on way home. That five years ago."
"And it's been true love ever since!"
"No!" Shampoo said. "Dumb duck boy forget mention that not know where home is. So Shampoo stuck. Try run away, always found. Try to leave behind, always catch up. Try wish home. get cursed."
"Yeah, how did that happen?" Ranma asked.
"Well, if Shampoo will let me tell the story," Mousse started. "My Common Tongue skills are better anyway."
"What you say? Shampoo talk good." She gave them all a glaring look and no one thought to disagree. "But you talk. Shampoo tired." Mousse nodded and continued.
* * *
Several weeks before.
"Stay in village Mousse."
"But Shampoo. I would miss you too much. You beautiful hair that flows down your perfect back."
"No where stupid tree?"
"Your glowing eyes that shine in the moonlight."
"Ah. here tree. And here scroll."
"Your wonderful lips that speak such sweet music to my ears. Wait is that the scroll?"
"Yes. now Shampoo wish you home."
"Wait! I want to use our wishes for something more important. Our future! I will wish for us to stay together forever so I can enjoy your hair and your eyes and your lips and your."
"Mousse, let go you silly."
* * *
Mousse stopped and looked around. And that was silence.
"So she called you a silly goose," Ryoga said.
"And you wished you could enjoy her. her." Ranma looked at Shampoo and Mousse and then Ryoga, who was about to have another nosebleed.
"Yes," Mousse said. "Her hair, her eyes, her lips and her cat-like body, agile and trim."
"Oh," Ranma laughed. "Oh that!" Ryoga started laughing.
"What did you think. oh." Mousse blushed, which looked rather frightening against his pale skin.
"What?" Shampoo asked innocently. "What you think he said?"
"Nevermind," the three men said quickly.
"So you found the old village woman," Ranma said, changing the topic, "with the magic water." Shampoo, Mousse and Ryoga shuddered. "What??"
"Nevermind," the other three replied.
"What the heck is going on with this seer anyway??" he demanded.
"Oh," the little girl said. "You met that seer. You are all bad people!! You will be punished now." The girl whipped out a coin and held it in front of her. Before they could do anything, she had enveloped them in a soft green glow. They all collapsed to the ground dead asleep while the woman morphed into Hinako once more.
"Well," she said sheepishly. "They needed the rest anyway."
* * *
The sun was barely above the horizon when Akane's eyes fluttered open. She stretched and looked around for her morning robe. Then she remembered that she wasn't home but in the middle of the Rogue encampment. She was very far from home.
But then she remembered the fight yesterday and how Monton had fallen because of her spell. Oh, she couldn't wait to write home and tell Kasumi about that one. She would be so proud. well she would be disappointed that Akane had used a spell she didn't practice enough but she had saved everyone.
Speaking of everyone. where are they? She got up and headed outside of the tent, which turned out to be Cologne's. Wandering around the camp, she headed towards the now extinguished campfire and found the rest of the group (plus one stranger) fast asleep. She smiled and was about to walk away to find breakfast when she heard some commotion at the edge of the camp.
She watched as several Rogues ran past her and towards the gate. On the ground, everyone started to wake up from the noise.
"What's going on?" Ranma said sleepily.
Akane was about to reply when a horse broke through the Rogue garrison and ran towards the center of camp. On top of it was a very distraught looking solider, who wore armor that Akane found strangely familiar.
It was then she realized he was screaming something. The same thing over and over again.
"Tristram has been attacked! Tristram has been attacked!" Which was followed by a more morbid proclamation. "Tristram is falling! Gods help us all, Tristram is falling!"
