Ch. 2 Busy work
-Babysitting again.- Ranma flipped his waist-length braid behind him and watched the minor demons scuttle about the yard. There had been another 'uprising' the other day and D'aray had charged him with keeping discipline among the servants. Some very old friends of his Master were coming tomorrow and he wanted the grounds just so.
He'd even mentioned that 'his Storm' might be able to come to the party, briefly, so he could show off his possession. After a year of tutoring in everything from languages and mathematics to the basics of the dark arts, he felt Ranma might be ready for the public (so to speak).
Up to this point, D'aray had used Ranma mainly as his pet enforcer. If a troll poached in on his territory, the werewolves weren't on time with their payments, or a dark magician looked where he wasn't supposed to, Ranma was enlisted to persuade them that going against his Masters wishes was not in their best interests. However, his Master could only push him so far. As an elemental avatar, Ranma still had his soul. In other words, no murdering humans. The thirst, however, was harder to handle.
Ranma's right hand shifted to caress the katana at his side. Another big change. Ranma needed more than his kempo skills against the denizens of darkness. Even the special techniques he'd learned weren't sufficient. The sword gave him the 'edge' he needed, and the art of the blade blended well with his elemental powers. -I miss the chi blasts, though. Heh. No life, undead, no chi.-
Sensing his Master's call, he gave the grounds one last look and walked soundlessly through the garden to the open patio doors of the library. D'aray was sitting behind an enormous desk of black oak, polished to an ebony sheen. Small stacks of papers and books lay in neat piles in front of him. Ranma paused in front of the desk and bowed.
"And how are you doing, my Storm?"
"Well, Master."
"Are you now. Not getting too bored with such menial tasks?"
"No, Master. I do as you command."
"Well," D'aray continued, running his fingers along the spine of a book, "I have something that might be more interesting to you. It seems there's been a disturbance on the north border. I want you to go check it out."
Ranma looked at D'aray. An icy smile played across the man's lips, but his dark eyes revealed nothing. -A test.- "Yes, my Master. I will go now."
"Oh, and Ranma?"
Ranma paused in the door. -Oh damn.-
After a swift and severe beating, Ranma lay crumpled on the floor at D'aray's feet. "I told you to forget that name. You best remember that. Now go!" D'aray turned on his heel and swept out of the room.
Ranma painfully crawled to his feet, readjusting joints back into place and straitening his clothing. Then, with a swirl of his own cape, he was gone.
* * * *
As Ranma approached the north border, he couldn't help but think that the name trick hadn't been all his Master's cold smile had been about. Then he heard a sound that further chilled his blood.
"Where am I now? Ranma, this is all your fault!"
It was part of Ranma's worst nightmare that D'aray would use the abuses he had suffered in the past to turn him against his friends. He dreamt that D'aray would work him into a killing frenzy, during which he would butcher his former friends and family. At the end of the dream, Ranma would be soaked in their blood, and D'aray would laugh as his servant became completely swallowed up by the darkness.
"Excuse me, sir, but could you direct me toward Tokyo?"
Ranma slowly looked up at the bandana-d boy who was now in front of him. -How'd he do that? Teleport?-
"Ra Ra Ranma?" Ryoga took a step back as he beheld the pale visage before him, shuddering at the glowing eyes.
Ranma licked his lips. Visions of a blood rain had made him thirsty.
Ryoga's surprise turned to anger, and with his fists clenched he took another step, towards Ranma. That was a mistake. Ryoga found himself thrown to the ground, pinned by an incredibly strong and hungry vampire. Ryoga could feel Ranma's cool breath against his neck as he tried to struggle. Then he made his second mistake, he opened his mouth to continue his tirade, and felt a bite.
-Warm. So sweet and warm. And I must admit, the Jusenkyo curse adds a certain flavor. At Ryoga's moan, Ranma suddenly snapped back to himself and thrust Ryoga away. Wiping his lips, he made a decision. -Got to get him away from here.- With a quick jab, he knocked the lost boy unconscious, then threw him over his shoulder.
Calling upon the wind, Ranma flew them both just past the border and dumped Ryoga on the ground facing his master's lands. That way he'd for sure turn the opposite direction. -Well, at least I didn't go too far. I took enough blood to make him a little light headed, but he should be fine.-
Just to be sure, Ranma waited till Ryoga woke up and took off, somewhere in the direction of Hokkido. With a sigh he turned, dreading the report to his Master. Upon his return, D'aray seemed pleased and, after a quick synopsis, waved off the rest of his report. The conversation turned to the preparations for the next day. It was going to be a big event and they needed to be ready.
-Babysitting again.- Ranma flipped his waist-length braid behind him and watched the minor demons scuttle about the yard. There had been another 'uprising' the other day and D'aray had charged him with keeping discipline among the servants. Some very old friends of his Master were coming tomorrow and he wanted the grounds just so.
He'd even mentioned that 'his Storm' might be able to come to the party, briefly, so he could show off his possession. After a year of tutoring in everything from languages and mathematics to the basics of the dark arts, he felt Ranma might be ready for the public (so to speak).
Up to this point, D'aray had used Ranma mainly as his pet enforcer. If a troll poached in on his territory, the werewolves weren't on time with their payments, or a dark magician looked where he wasn't supposed to, Ranma was enlisted to persuade them that going against his Masters wishes was not in their best interests. However, his Master could only push him so far. As an elemental avatar, Ranma still had his soul. In other words, no murdering humans. The thirst, however, was harder to handle.
Ranma's right hand shifted to caress the katana at his side. Another big change. Ranma needed more than his kempo skills against the denizens of darkness. Even the special techniques he'd learned weren't sufficient. The sword gave him the 'edge' he needed, and the art of the blade blended well with his elemental powers. -I miss the chi blasts, though. Heh. No life, undead, no chi.-
Sensing his Master's call, he gave the grounds one last look and walked soundlessly through the garden to the open patio doors of the library. D'aray was sitting behind an enormous desk of black oak, polished to an ebony sheen. Small stacks of papers and books lay in neat piles in front of him. Ranma paused in front of the desk and bowed.
"And how are you doing, my Storm?"
"Well, Master."
"Are you now. Not getting too bored with such menial tasks?"
"No, Master. I do as you command."
"Well," D'aray continued, running his fingers along the spine of a book, "I have something that might be more interesting to you. It seems there's been a disturbance on the north border. I want you to go check it out."
Ranma looked at D'aray. An icy smile played across the man's lips, but his dark eyes revealed nothing. -A test.- "Yes, my Master. I will go now."
"Oh, and Ranma?"
Ranma paused in the door. -Oh damn.-
After a swift and severe beating, Ranma lay crumpled on the floor at D'aray's feet. "I told you to forget that name. You best remember that. Now go!" D'aray turned on his heel and swept out of the room.
Ranma painfully crawled to his feet, readjusting joints back into place and straitening his clothing. Then, with a swirl of his own cape, he was gone.
* * * *
As Ranma approached the north border, he couldn't help but think that the name trick hadn't been all his Master's cold smile had been about. Then he heard a sound that further chilled his blood.
"Where am I now? Ranma, this is all your fault!"
It was part of Ranma's worst nightmare that D'aray would use the abuses he had suffered in the past to turn him against his friends. He dreamt that D'aray would work him into a killing frenzy, during which he would butcher his former friends and family. At the end of the dream, Ranma would be soaked in their blood, and D'aray would laugh as his servant became completely swallowed up by the darkness.
"Excuse me, sir, but could you direct me toward Tokyo?"
Ranma slowly looked up at the bandana-d boy who was now in front of him. -How'd he do that? Teleport?-
"Ra Ra Ranma?" Ryoga took a step back as he beheld the pale visage before him, shuddering at the glowing eyes.
Ranma licked his lips. Visions of a blood rain had made him thirsty.
Ryoga's surprise turned to anger, and with his fists clenched he took another step, towards Ranma. That was a mistake. Ryoga found himself thrown to the ground, pinned by an incredibly strong and hungry vampire. Ryoga could feel Ranma's cool breath against his neck as he tried to struggle. Then he made his second mistake, he opened his mouth to continue his tirade, and felt a bite.
-Warm. So sweet and warm. And I must admit, the Jusenkyo curse adds a certain flavor. At Ryoga's moan, Ranma suddenly snapped back to himself and thrust Ryoga away. Wiping his lips, he made a decision. -Got to get him away from here.- With a quick jab, he knocked the lost boy unconscious, then threw him over his shoulder.
Calling upon the wind, Ranma flew them both just past the border and dumped Ryoga on the ground facing his master's lands. That way he'd for sure turn the opposite direction. -Well, at least I didn't go too far. I took enough blood to make him a little light headed, but he should be fine.-
Just to be sure, Ranma waited till Ryoga woke up and took off, somewhere in the direction of Hokkido. With a sigh he turned, dreading the report to his Master. Upon his return, D'aray seemed pleased and, after a quick synopsis, waved off the rest of his report. The conversation turned to the preparations for the next day. It was going to be a big event and they needed to be ready.