Something Unexpected
By Abby Kitty
Disclaimer: As if you don't know it by now..I don't own the Characters of Ranma ½ and I am not using this story for profit.
Hi! Finally, here it is, the next chapter to this story. I have finished the next chapter to Prophecy of Death and it just needs to be edited, and Jen is currently in Alaska.( I apologies for any grammatical errors in this fic. If you have any complaints please e-mail me at Rueby1@cox.net. This is a form of entertainment so I hope you enjoy it!
Enjoy!
On with the story!!!^_^
Chapter 3
Banshee
It was cold, so cold.and gray. A gray that disillusioned color and direction. There was no telling witch way was up, and which way was down. Akane struggled against the gray, dry, and deadly icy water that had engulfed her. Her mind was confused and her body was in pain, all she wanted was to get out. Something told her she wasn't supposed to be here, something said that if she were to stay here it would mean death. With her thoughts as jumbled as they were Akane couldn't even fathomed where HERE was. The only sensation she could really make sense of was the suffocating pain and the overwhelming sense that she was being PULLED DOWN against a strong, alluring current.
A glimmer of sanity appeared in her mind as she thought about that. Pulled down? By.what? How? This water was by all means trying to pull her down stream, (where ever that was), and it seemed as though nothing could resist the strength of such a current. It seemed absurd to Akane that she had been in her guest room a minute ago and now she was here. Where was HERE anyways? And WHAT was holding, no pulling her down?
It was at that moment that she felt, rather then saw, slimy silver hands pulling her down and clasping some strange type of glowing shackles to her neck and hands. The metal itself seemed made of slime and the wandering hands didn't help Akane's feeling of uncleanliness. A high-pitched laughter erupted in the water as the creature holding her came into Akane's line of vision. It was the silver, ghostly, form of a woman, or a man, or.many people.it was strangely beautiful and held an air of long time sorrow that began make Akane swirl down into depression and longing. The creature was completely silver in color and it had a face that seemed to be composed of many faces all at once. The thing's eyes held all the malice from centuries of hate, and the sadness of the loneliness that naturally accompanied such loathing. It's long hair swirled around its ghastly form, half of it braided around her head in a long silver crown. The creature smiled and teeth like a wolves incisors were revealed as it watched Akane suffocate with glee.
In the back of Akane's mind a description of a woman appearing aberration that drug the royal Irish souls into death with its mournful, eerie song came to mind. The name Banshee accompanied the memory of that book that held stories from all over the world. Akane suddenly got a chill, and it wasn't from the water.
"Yes." It sang with a voice composed of all the anguished souls it had been created by, "You are the laaaassstttt!"
Akane looked at her confused and choked on the water as she tried to ask what she meant. She tried to cough and just succeeded in treading more of the accursed water. The color began to drain from her face and the water became filled with the banshee's eerie laughter.
"Soon," The Banshee sang in glee, "Soon it will be YOU who are trapped and not me!"
No, Akane thought, I will not be trapped like some ANIMAL! Not like this THING!
Akane's aura began to glow pure white as the Banshee's laughter escalated, "It's to late!" The Banshee was now screaming her song in joy, "I will be free!"
She didn't notice the strange metallic glint that caught Akane's eye as a shuriken ripped through the water and into the Banshee's silvery flesh. Akane tried to see what had caused it but the Banshee screamed in mournful pain as the shuriken shifted to form new shackles that would renew whatever bond was held over her. The cry finally forced Akane into the powerful current of the strange river and she began to feel very tired. Why not give into the current? A strange lull asked her seductively. Why not just rest.for eternity.
Akane was too tired and sedated to notice two strong arms wrap around her at the moment she fell into unconscious bliss.
~!@!~
Dr. Tofu and Kimiko Tendo both watched startled as the Icicles that had been surrounding the two teenagers on the bed for two hours shattered and flew away from the bodies embedding themselves into anything unfortunate enough to be in the way. Dr Tofu had to grab Kimiko and push her to the ground while a particularly sharp piece of ice imbedded itself into the wall where her head would have been. They both froze as they heard two huge gasps come from the two teens that had come back into life.
Kimiko slowly stood up when the ice bullets stopped and stared at her gasping daughter and the strange boy who was as well trying to breath again. Unlike Akane though, he quickly regained control over his breathing and he looked over at Akane. She began to cough, and she couldn't seem to stop. She was now sitting up clutching her chest with her eyes wide and her breath coming in short, painful gasps. It was as though she were suffocating, or choking on something unseen.
"Shit!" The young man's almost melodic voice startled both Kimiko and Dr Tofu as he got up off the floor.
The young man grabbed Akane's head and supported it as he clamped his right hand gently over her mouth, "Don't rush," He muttered soothingly, "Shhh, calm down, there's no water here. The Banshee's gone, and so are the shackles.all that's in your lungs is blood. Breath slowly."
As he spoke soothingly to her his right hand moved from her mouth down to her chest and a blue glow appeared around the pale hand. His fingers lightly pressed against Akane's chest directly between her breasts where her heart resided and her breathing began to even out as her heart began to slow down back to a normal beat.
"That's it," he whispered, "Breath easy."
He laid her back down onto the guest bed, "Good, now sleep.." His right hand now moved to Akane's eyes and he closed the brown irises gently, "...sleep."
Akane's eyes fell closed under his touch and her chest fell up and down regularly as her body fell asleep. The boy removed his hand slowly and hovered over her to make sure she would be fine. He stiffened again as he became aware of the other two occupants in the room watching in stunned silence.
Silence reigned over the room for a few minutes, then, slowly as though a light had suddenly been switched on Dr Tofu's voice broke whatever spell had seemingly engulfed the room, "Alright." He paused as though searching for words, "What?" another uncertain pause, "What happened here?"
Kimiko who seemed to find strength from Tofu's question spoke up to put her own two cents in, "Who are you?"
The boy hadn't even taken his eyes off of Akane, in fact it seemed as if he hadn't heard them at all. There was silence in the room again before two icy silver irises turned toward the two adults. He seemed to be studying them as if contemplating whether he should tell them anything at all.
When it seemed as though his decision had been made, he nodded to Dr. Tofu and turned his eyes to Kimiko, "The only name I know of is Ranma Saotome." He said it quietly and his face held no emotion.
His eyes turned to Dr. Tofu, "And to answer your question," He paused wondering how these two would take this information, "A banshee dragged this young woman into death unwillingly. Fortunately she didn't pass the first gate or it would have been more difficult to bring her out of it into life, where she belongs."
Tofu and Kimiko were speechless. The boy seemed insane and yet he held so much confidence with his words...,and how do you explain the ice bullets in the wall? Of course these were two very rational people and being the human beings they were raised to be, even watching something supernatural would not convince their boxed in minds. But then, what was that blue glow that he'd used to help Akane breath?
"Should we call the police?" Tofu muttered into her ear.
"That doesn't seem like a bad idea."Kimiko muttered back her voice unsure.
Ranma just sighed, "I know it seems far fetched, but the evidence is there. Just look at how pale her skin is if you don't believe me."
Dr. Tofu cautiously moved toward the bed and Akane as he looked at the silver-eyed boy. His hand reached out and touched Akane's forehead. Said hand retracted from her head as though a snake jumped out and bitten it. The eyes behind his glasses stared at Akane in confusion and a note of concern filled his voice as he spoke.
"She's so cold." Kimiko quickly ran over to inspect her daughter after the Dr.'s proclamation, and her hand had the same reaction as Tofu when she touched Akane's skin.
Unlike Tofu's calm curiosity however, this new development only caused Kimiko to lash out in hostility toward the boy who had been their guest for the past two weeks.
"What did you do to my DAUGHTER!" she yelled out at Ranma.
Ranma's face remained calm, he'd been expecting the woman's reaction to be as such but the Dr.'s silent awe and curiosity was almost intriguing. He looked at the hysterical mother of the girl he'd saved evenly. Kimiko looked away from his intense gaze and looked down to her daughter.
"Well?" She asked more quietly this time.
"I already told you what had happened." His voice breeched no arguments and he continued before Kimiko had a chance to interrupt, "Yes, she is cold and she will be for quite some time. The River's waters do that to a person who is not meant to be there."
"River?" Kimiko asked incredulously.
Ranma ignored the interruption and continued talking, "However, with something warm to eat and a bit of rest, the girl should be fine."
"The River." Dr. Tofu muttered as he looked at Akane contemplatively.
"Acheron-ontis Letum" Ranma stated his intense gaze holding Tofu's face as though looking for something.
Dr. Tofu's eyes widened as he heard the name and he looked at Ranma with dawning recognition, "The lower world, the river of the lower world, the river of...death."
Ranma smiled appreciatively, "Yes," his smile turned to a humorless grin, "I wasn't expecting you to know that Doc. You surprise me."
"I surprise you?" He paused looking at Ranma in wonder, "Here you are telling me that you and Akane were IN Acheron-ontis Letum! Such a thing.it's not..it's only an ancient theory created off the Romans primitive beliefs of their natural afterlife! Not to mention that your aura just displayed a power I'd only read about in ancient Japanese scrolls!" he paused his eyes narrowing slightly, "Who are you.really?"
Ranma's grin grew almost arrogantly, "I am who I say I am. Ranma Saotome."
"Waitaminute!" Ms. Tendo stopped the man bonding and glared at Dr. Tofu with her hands on her hips, "Your telling me you believe him?!"
"Kimiko, I've done extensive research on this and all of the evidence infront of me," Dr. Tofu's arms swung around the room and toward Akane's sleeping form, "Show the boy is speaking the truth! Kimiko, listen, I know it sounds far fetched but think about how this boy came to your restaurant! Not to mention the strange things you and I have JUST seen! I doubt that Ranma is lying."
Kimiko looked helplessly around the room and grudgingly admitted that yes there was definite proof, but not of what they were implying. She glared at both of the men and looked at the shattered window by the bed.
She let out a frustrated growl before walking toward the door, "if what you say is true then Akane will be able to vouch for you when she's well enough," She grabbed Tofu by the arm, "Right now I need to make a few phone calls and you Dr. are going to help me make breakfast and set up for tomorrow morning!"
They left Ranma standing dumbfounded by the bed and he watched the door close and shivered. Kimiko had a temper. His eyes turned down to the sleeping girl on the bed and Ranma gently lifted the covers and tucked her securely into them.
"So you're name's Akane." He whispered more to himself then to her, "Crimson."
His eyes watched as her pure aura lowly regenerated itself as she healed. It was amazing, as pure as the brightest star and he suspected that if he hadn't interfered with the banshee she would have gotten out of those strange shackles herself. He felt connected to the girl somehow and he could feel a rift around her. He sighed another with a rift in time meant that something wasn't right in her life, something had been changed and that meant that the way her life was now..was not how it was not supposed to be. Her rift touched everything around her and it seemed to center around her mother. Was Kimiko not supposed to be here?
Ranma sighed as a headache began to form. There was no use in pinpointing the cause of the rift. A rift in time and destiny was rare but not implausible. Hell, he was a walking rift himself. He'd lost his memory at a young age and he'd been wandering the streams of time looking for his memory for ten years afterward.
He felt as though maybe this girl was the key to finding his lost memories and maybe something else? He watched her even breathing for a few minutes and then turned to the door. His hand rested on the wall next to the door and it glowed blue. He muttered a strange word and the blue glow pulsed like ripples down the walls, floor and ceiling. Ranma looked at Akane one last time before closing the door gently behind him.
Outside a black bird that looked as though it were half decayed watched silently from the tree on the sidewalk under the window to the guest room. Its eyes glowed red in the moonlight and it seemed to be waiting for something. Its eyes flashed and it spread it's decaying wings and soared into the night. The pieces were falling into place and a plan was beginning to unfold. The bird was oblivious to this however as it flew on to inform his master of the activity of it's new found prey.
Well that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed it! Oh and I'm sorry if I got the myth of the Banshee wrong! I lost my special book! I don't remember the entire myth! ( Review if you wish! I'm not expecting anything but if you want to review go ahead and I'll thank you for taking the effort to do so!
Ja for now
-Abby Kitty
By Abby Kitty
Disclaimer: As if you don't know it by now..I don't own the Characters of Ranma ½ and I am not using this story for profit.
Hi! Finally, here it is, the next chapter to this story. I have finished the next chapter to Prophecy of Death and it just needs to be edited, and Jen is currently in Alaska.( I apologies for any grammatical errors in this fic. If you have any complaints please e-mail me at Rueby1@cox.net. This is a form of entertainment so I hope you enjoy it!
Enjoy!
On with the story!!!^_^
Chapter 3
Banshee
It was cold, so cold.and gray. A gray that disillusioned color and direction. There was no telling witch way was up, and which way was down. Akane struggled against the gray, dry, and deadly icy water that had engulfed her. Her mind was confused and her body was in pain, all she wanted was to get out. Something told her she wasn't supposed to be here, something said that if she were to stay here it would mean death. With her thoughts as jumbled as they were Akane couldn't even fathomed where HERE was. The only sensation she could really make sense of was the suffocating pain and the overwhelming sense that she was being PULLED DOWN against a strong, alluring current.
A glimmer of sanity appeared in her mind as she thought about that. Pulled down? By.what? How? This water was by all means trying to pull her down stream, (where ever that was), and it seemed as though nothing could resist the strength of such a current. It seemed absurd to Akane that she had been in her guest room a minute ago and now she was here. Where was HERE anyways? And WHAT was holding, no pulling her down?
It was at that moment that she felt, rather then saw, slimy silver hands pulling her down and clasping some strange type of glowing shackles to her neck and hands. The metal itself seemed made of slime and the wandering hands didn't help Akane's feeling of uncleanliness. A high-pitched laughter erupted in the water as the creature holding her came into Akane's line of vision. It was the silver, ghostly, form of a woman, or a man, or.many people.it was strangely beautiful and held an air of long time sorrow that began make Akane swirl down into depression and longing. The creature was completely silver in color and it had a face that seemed to be composed of many faces all at once. The thing's eyes held all the malice from centuries of hate, and the sadness of the loneliness that naturally accompanied such loathing. It's long hair swirled around its ghastly form, half of it braided around her head in a long silver crown. The creature smiled and teeth like a wolves incisors were revealed as it watched Akane suffocate with glee.
In the back of Akane's mind a description of a woman appearing aberration that drug the royal Irish souls into death with its mournful, eerie song came to mind. The name Banshee accompanied the memory of that book that held stories from all over the world. Akane suddenly got a chill, and it wasn't from the water.
"Yes." It sang with a voice composed of all the anguished souls it had been created by, "You are the laaaassstttt!"
Akane looked at her confused and choked on the water as she tried to ask what she meant. She tried to cough and just succeeded in treading more of the accursed water. The color began to drain from her face and the water became filled with the banshee's eerie laughter.
"Soon," The Banshee sang in glee, "Soon it will be YOU who are trapped and not me!"
No, Akane thought, I will not be trapped like some ANIMAL! Not like this THING!
Akane's aura began to glow pure white as the Banshee's laughter escalated, "It's to late!" The Banshee was now screaming her song in joy, "I will be free!"
She didn't notice the strange metallic glint that caught Akane's eye as a shuriken ripped through the water and into the Banshee's silvery flesh. Akane tried to see what had caused it but the Banshee screamed in mournful pain as the shuriken shifted to form new shackles that would renew whatever bond was held over her. The cry finally forced Akane into the powerful current of the strange river and she began to feel very tired. Why not give into the current? A strange lull asked her seductively. Why not just rest.for eternity.
Akane was too tired and sedated to notice two strong arms wrap around her at the moment she fell into unconscious bliss.
~!@!~
Dr. Tofu and Kimiko Tendo both watched startled as the Icicles that had been surrounding the two teenagers on the bed for two hours shattered and flew away from the bodies embedding themselves into anything unfortunate enough to be in the way. Dr Tofu had to grab Kimiko and push her to the ground while a particularly sharp piece of ice imbedded itself into the wall where her head would have been. They both froze as they heard two huge gasps come from the two teens that had come back into life.
Kimiko slowly stood up when the ice bullets stopped and stared at her gasping daughter and the strange boy who was as well trying to breath again. Unlike Akane though, he quickly regained control over his breathing and he looked over at Akane. She began to cough, and she couldn't seem to stop. She was now sitting up clutching her chest with her eyes wide and her breath coming in short, painful gasps. It was as though she were suffocating, or choking on something unseen.
"Shit!" The young man's almost melodic voice startled both Kimiko and Dr Tofu as he got up off the floor.
The young man grabbed Akane's head and supported it as he clamped his right hand gently over her mouth, "Don't rush," He muttered soothingly, "Shhh, calm down, there's no water here. The Banshee's gone, and so are the shackles.all that's in your lungs is blood. Breath slowly."
As he spoke soothingly to her his right hand moved from her mouth down to her chest and a blue glow appeared around the pale hand. His fingers lightly pressed against Akane's chest directly between her breasts where her heart resided and her breathing began to even out as her heart began to slow down back to a normal beat.
"That's it," he whispered, "Breath easy."
He laid her back down onto the guest bed, "Good, now sleep.." His right hand now moved to Akane's eyes and he closed the brown irises gently, "...sleep."
Akane's eyes fell closed under his touch and her chest fell up and down regularly as her body fell asleep. The boy removed his hand slowly and hovered over her to make sure she would be fine. He stiffened again as he became aware of the other two occupants in the room watching in stunned silence.
Silence reigned over the room for a few minutes, then, slowly as though a light had suddenly been switched on Dr Tofu's voice broke whatever spell had seemingly engulfed the room, "Alright." He paused as though searching for words, "What?" another uncertain pause, "What happened here?"
Kimiko who seemed to find strength from Tofu's question spoke up to put her own two cents in, "Who are you?"
The boy hadn't even taken his eyes off of Akane, in fact it seemed as if he hadn't heard them at all. There was silence in the room again before two icy silver irises turned toward the two adults. He seemed to be studying them as if contemplating whether he should tell them anything at all.
When it seemed as though his decision had been made, he nodded to Dr. Tofu and turned his eyes to Kimiko, "The only name I know of is Ranma Saotome." He said it quietly and his face held no emotion.
His eyes turned to Dr. Tofu, "And to answer your question," He paused wondering how these two would take this information, "A banshee dragged this young woman into death unwillingly. Fortunately she didn't pass the first gate or it would have been more difficult to bring her out of it into life, where she belongs."
Tofu and Kimiko were speechless. The boy seemed insane and yet he held so much confidence with his words...,and how do you explain the ice bullets in the wall? Of course these were two very rational people and being the human beings they were raised to be, even watching something supernatural would not convince their boxed in minds. But then, what was that blue glow that he'd used to help Akane breath?
"Should we call the police?" Tofu muttered into her ear.
"That doesn't seem like a bad idea."Kimiko muttered back her voice unsure.
Ranma just sighed, "I know it seems far fetched, but the evidence is there. Just look at how pale her skin is if you don't believe me."
Dr. Tofu cautiously moved toward the bed and Akane as he looked at the silver-eyed boy. His hand reached out and touched Akane's forehead. Said hand retracted from her head as though a snake jumped out and bitten it. The eyes behind his glasses stared at Akane in confusion and a note of concern filled his voice as he spoke.
"She's so cold." Kimiko quickly ran over to inspect her daughter after the Dr.'s proclamation, and her hand had the same reaction as Tofu when she touched Akane's skin.
Unlike Tofu's calm curiosity however, this new development only caused Kimiko to lash out in hostility toward the boy who had been their guest for the past two weeks.
"What did you do to my DAUGHTER!" she yelled out at Ranma.
Ranma's face remained calm, he'd been expecting the woman's reaction to be as such but the Dr.'s silent awe and curiosity was almost intriguing. He looked at the hysterical mother of the girl he'd saved evenly. Kimiko looked away from his intense gaze and looked down to her daughter.
"Well?" She asked more quietly this time.
"I already told you what had happened." His voice breeched no arguments and he continued before Kimiko had a chance to interrupt, "Yes, she is cold and she will be for quite some time. The River's waters do that to a person who is not meant to be there."
"River?" Kimiko asked incredulously.
Ranma ignored the interruption and continued talking, "However, with something warm to eat and a bit of rest, the girl should be fine."
"The River." Dr. Tofu muttered as he looked at Akane contemplatively.
"Acheron-ontis Letum" Ranma stated his intense gaze holding Tofu's face as though looking for something.
Dr. Tofu's eyes widened as he heard the name and he looked at Ranma with dawning recognition, "The lower world, the river of the lower world, the river of...death."
Ranma smiled appreciatively, "Yes," his smile turned to a humorless grin, "I wasn't expecting you to know that Doc. You surprise me."
"I surprise you?" He paused looking at Ranma in wonder, "Here you are telling me that you and Akane were IN Acheron-ontis Letum! Such a thing.it's not..it's only an ancient theory created off the Romans primitive beliefs of their natural afterlife! Not to mention that your aura just displayed a power I'd only read about in ancient Japanese scrolls!" he paused his eyes narrowing slightly, "Who are you.really?"
Ranma's grin grew almost arrogantly, "I am who I say I am. Ranma Saotome."
"Waitaminute!" Ms. Tendo stopped the man bonding and glared at Dr. Tofu with her hands on her hips, "Your telling me you believe him?!"
"Kimiko, I've done extensive research on this and all of the evidence infront of me," Dr. Tofu's arms swung around the room and toward Akane's sleeping form, "Show the boy is speaking the truth! Kimiko, listen, I know it sounds far fetched but think about how this boy came to your restaurant! Not to mention the strange things you and I have JUST seen! I doubt that Ranma is lying."
Kimiko looked helplessly around the room and grudgingly admitted that yes there was definite proof, but not of what they were implying. She glared at both of the men and looked at the shattered window by the bed.
She let out a frustrated growl before walking toward the door, "if what you say is true then Akane will be able to vouch for you when she's well enough," She grabbed Tofu by the arm, "Right now I need to make a few phone calls and you Dr. are going to help me make breakfast and set up for tomorrow morning!"
They left Ranma standing dumbfounded by the bed and he watched the door close and shivered. Kimiko had a temper. His eyes turned down to the sleeping girl on the bed and Ranma gently lifted the covers and tucked her securely into them.
"So you're name's Akane." He whispered more to himself then to her, "Crimson."
His eyes watched as her pure aura lowly regenerated itself as she healed. It was amazing, as pure as the brightest star and he suspected that if he hadn't interfered with the banshee she would have gotten out of those strange shackles herself. He felt connected to the girl somehow and he could feel a rift around her. He sighed another with a rift in time meant that something wasn't right in her life, something had been changed and that meant that the way her life was now..was not how it was not supposed to be. Her rift touched everything around her and it seemed to center around her mother. Was Kimiko not supposed to be here?
Ranma sighed as a headache began to form. There was no use in pinpointing the cause of the rift. A rift in time and destiny was rare but not implausible. Hell, he was a walking rift himself. He'd lost his memory at a young age and he'd been wandering the streams of time looking for his memory for ten years afterward.
He felt as though maybe this girl was the key to finding his lost memories and maybe something else? He watched her even breathing for a few minutes and then turned to the door. His hand rested on the wall next to the door and it glowed blue. He muttered a strange word and the blue glow pulsed like ripples down the walls, floor and ceiling. Ranma looked at Akane one last time before closing the door gently behind him.
Outside a black bird that looked as though it were half decayed watched silently from the tree on the sidewalk under the window to the guest room. Its eyes glowed red in the moonlight and it seemed to be waiting for something. Its eyes flashed and it spread it's decaying wings and soared into the night. The pieces were falling into place and a plan was beginning to unfold. The bird was oblivious to this however as it flew on to inform his master of the activity of it's new found prey.
Well that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed it! Oh and I'm sorry if I got the myth of the Banshee wrong! I lost my special book! I don't remember the entire myth! ( Review if you wish! I'm not expecting anything but if you want to review go ahead and I'll thank you for taking the effort to do so!
Ja for now
-Abby Kitty