Trust
Ch2: Untitled
As Ranma approached the nameless village before him he was slowly coming to the conclusion that he may not be on earth anymore or at least in the same reality. The grassy plain that he had just traversed, the mountain range he had been using as a marker combined with the freshness in the air and the general feel of the land he was walking all seemed… different. Now with what he was seeing from his approach of the town, he just shook his head with a sigh. Nothing was ever easy, in fact his life was not only always as problematic as possible but inordinately complicated.
Entering the settlement confirmed what he suspected. The housing mingled some rough stone and woodwork with a simple architecture in a way that just seemed alien. Then there was the way people were dressed. Men clad in simple leather shirts, tight trousers and jackets of different quality leather cuts dominated the streets. He could see the occasional woman wearing modestly long dresses often with embroidered bodices as he walked through the quaint community. There was nothing in all of his wide training travels that had come close to resembling this, even in the most remote communities he and his father had visited.
The looks he was getting as he passed through the village and approached what was hopefully the market place seemed to bolster his view that he was the oddity here and not the other way round. Still the responses he received for directions were so unerringly polite they put his teeth on edge. No one was that polite except for Kusumi and she was a special case. No Ranma thought thinking of his fiancés, from his experience such politeness hid darker motives. Still he was in a different place or time maybe people were different, they had certainly treated him better than he could remember being treated anywhere. He would Ranma decided give them the benefit of the doubt while still guarding against betrayal, besides his former betrayal no longer felt so raw. If he was in fact in another reality then there was no reason he should not give them the benefit of the doubt.
Still, completely trusting these people was foolish so he increased his guard against the building sense of security he had begun to feel since his arrival. It was this increased guard that allowed him to notice a definite change in the atmosphere of the community as soon as it changed. Hardened men with shaved heads, men who looked like they knew how to handle the swords that they wielded, quickly replaced the men and woman he had been observing. Ranma watched as the few women that filled the streets were herded away by other male non-combatants as the dreadful sound of melee filled his ears. The heady smell wood smoke followed the shouted orders and the screams of pain signalling that the town that he had entered hoping to buy supplies from was under attack. An attack, which threatened to engulf the relatively small village.
Still damp from the river he had crossed earlier in the day Ranma withstood being grouped and herded to safety with the rest of the women but he hesitated in running to the town and villagers defence. Something like that would require more trust than he was willing to give. From his experience in Nerima both attackers and defenders would likely unite to attack him upon entering the fray to either defend the villagers or unite with those attacking. Ranma's face-hardened as the cloying smell of blood begun to intermingle with the wood smoke and the sounds of melee approached. A decent brawl was one thing but with the amount of blood he could smell, people were dying while he stood and debated whether to trust these people or not.
Time seemed to slow as a young woman erupted from a side alley and started running in his direction upon seeing him. Behind her a humaniod monstrosity almost twice his cursed forms height and three times her width hefted a spear. Ranma blinked taking in the smell of wood smoke mingled with that of blood, sweat and fear. He widened his eyes in horror as the eagle headed attacker approached the young woman. Its measured pace contrasted the hysterically fast run which the young woman was setting. The young woman's face almost seemed hopeful as her hopeless eyes focused on Ranma's own. Ranma's eyes widened further in horror as the monster let his spear fly, the almost comical way in which the young woman jerked as the spear impaled her and the way in which her hysterically hopeful expression slowly turned to one of pleading and pain seemed to burn itself into his brain.
Ranma clenched his fists at the almost smug look in the non-human face as it continued its measured approached. Time seemed to return to normal as he grew angrier. Was it natural for the strong to prey on the weak, was that an aspect that humanity shared with these demons. He closed his eyes as he felt his aura burst free quickly heating and then evaporating the water that still dampened his clothes. Sighing with satisfaction as his form returned to it's more muscular self he allowed himself a grin, enough hesitating. Enough people had died and he faced his favourite type of fight. One in which he didn't need to hold back and where there was a clear enemy to defeat, a clear objective.
Without further thought the glowing figure blurred forward and slammed the eagle headed fiend into a stone wall, not even noticing the growing cracks that appeared behind the broken body or its broken slump before he moved on.
*****
Shaidar Haran smiled feraly behind his shadowed hood as he tossed another broken body to the side. These top-knotted swordsmen may have been a match for his trollocs and some even a match for an ordinary myrddraal but to him they were merely an annoyance. His powers had jumped significantly since the two seals had been broken and now he felt unstoppable.
He turned his eyeless gaze towards the town in irritation, it seemed his pets were having too much fun even after he had warned them. It had required significant effort to smuggle such a large force so far south of the blight undetected. To justify such an effort most of the towns' folk needed to be recovered for the insatiable forges of Shayol Ghul, especially after the disaster at Tawins Gap. New myrddraal awaited arming with the cursed blades which could only be produced at those cursed forges.
Instead of finishing off the soldiers an increasing number of lowly trollocs were slaughtering the very people he needed, the weak and defenceless villages. Obviously he hadn't threatened them in terms that they had understood he thought with disgust as he casually gutted a nameless soldier with the grace and speed of a snake.
"What…" Shaidar Haran stopped in surprise as he felt coldness in his bones, a coldness, which could only mean one thing. Yes, this would make things much more interesting. While this senseless slaughter was satisfying it lacked what he craved most, a challenge, a challenge which would allow him to search for the limits of his new powers. When a glowing man stepped out from behind a burning house however he started with surprise and prepared to step into a nearby shadow. He could not afford to revel himself to Lews Therin so soon. The great lord still had plans that could only be disrupted by a conflict here. Still he had reports that Lews Therin was much further south so…
When a trio of trollocs charged the glowing figure Shaidar Haran watched closely. He knew how the former dragon would have dealt with such a threat but he was interesting in seeing how the new one would. Besides with Lews Therin's present all was lost in this sortie anyway.
He watched in amusement as the trollocs all prepared to jump the glowing figure from behind in an attempt to over whelm the reborn dragon, "brawn all brawn" he snorted in disgust. "Any channeler worth the great lords attention would never fall from such a brainless tactic – suicide."
Besides there was something about this man that smelt wrong, a smell that he would not have expected Lews Therin to have.
*****
Khellar dry heaved into a blood filled gutter once again, he had long since vomited everything he had eaten in the last three days in his personal defence of the village. All the blood, the body parts and other realities of war sickened him, nothing would have prepared him for the scenes that he had witnessed again and again. He would never be able to forget them and certainly his sleep would be disrupted for years to come. So far south of the blight, he never imagined that he would be witness to such brutality, that didn't stop him from doing his part in the defence of Medo though. It was his duty as a Sherienarian and a man. More than one Trolloc had fallen to his steel tipped arrows surgically delivered from his horse bow. Now with his last arrow he had chosen a target he felt world tip the balance in the lights favour.
So far Medo's defences were barely holding the main body of the dark spawn back, signs of Trollocs slipping through their lines and attacking villages had started to increase. No, if he could turn this tide he would. He was no hero, but this was he felt his duty. The glowing figure had seemingly reinforced the attacking group of dark fiends his deadly grace and unnerving presence seemed to be reforming the attacking group. Already Trollocs were forming behind him in preparation for a new offensive, an offensive that threatened to break the defending swordsman's resolve. But no matter how deadly they looked, they all fell when his steel tipped arrows penetrated their evil, hardened skulls.
Khellar carefully took aim and released his deadly load. One less spawn would bother the light tonight he thought taking his leave, nothing could dodge his arrows once they were in motion. Meanwhile staying would risk attracting the attention of the Trollocs that had gathered around the glowing figure. No, it was best to make tracks now that he was essentially unarmed. Khellar watched in satisfaction as his arrow arched through the sky, cutting tracks in the clouds of wood smoke. He had fired enough arrows in his lifetime to know that this one would strike his target. With one last disgusted look at his empty quiver Khellar ran towards the shelter, even weaponless he would do his bit to defend the women and children.
******
Shampoo starred unblinking in amazement, "I still can't believe grandmother. Why we leave Nerima," she just didn't understand her grandmother's decision at all. Cologne had come to Nerima to help her snare Ranma in the first place, sure he had taken a back seat in her training but to give up completely was unacceptable. As long as the status quo was maintained she could be assured of eventual victory and the longer they delayed the stronger husband she gained.
Cologne didn't even shift her gaze from the gentle swell, which rocked their boat as it crossed the Sea of Japan. "You can speak Chinese Xian Pu, we aren't in Japan anymore. Don't confuse leaving Nerima with abandoning son in law, they are too completely different things now that son in law is no longer at the Tendo's and more importantly out of that fat fools grasp. No I told Tufu the truth, but only enough to mislead him. At the village will be information on how to get to son in law, and you will be going to collect him. Gaining exclusive access to son in law will however change your priorities. No longer will it be acceptable to occupy yourself with more enjoyable ventures such as training, instead you will have to concentrate in snaring son in law completely. This is why we are taking such a laborious route to the village, there is no telling what dangers you will encounter on your journey to reach son in laws side. Nor the dangers you will both face once you become reunited. You must be in peak condition, a condition which you will only gain by fighting a superior opponent, me."
Cologne cackled as she hoped from her cane to the small boats railing "no, I will only be sending misinformation to Nerima. Not even Happosai will be aware how misleading until it's too late and Ranma is irrevocably within our grasp. Mousse will help keep the appearance of the helpful and knowledgeable Amazons, but tell me girl. Are you still willing to pursue Ranma as your husband?"
"Yes matriarch," Shampoo bowed formally, to think that Ranma would finally be hers. What power he would give her, what influence. Her grandmother was right though, she would need to commit all of her focus to Ranma. There would be no second chance if she ruined this opportunity, besides where ever her husband was there was bound to be plenty of opportunity to train. After all like her Ranma lived on the challenges that came with martial arts. For the rest of the trip to mainland China Shampoo couldn't help but dream of what a life with such a powerful husband would be like.
*****
"What's this about Sugar?"
"Yeah, spill it Nabiki, and what's with all the secrecy? If it you know something about Ranma then maybe you should involve Happosai and Dr. Tufu." Nabiki watched her little sister from the corner of her eye, she loved her sister but knew that Akane was too immature and impatient to use this information effectively. No, it was Ukyo that would take the lead in this crisis and possibly find some answers that would help in getting Ranma back. It would be Ukyo and not Akane because Akane was too easy to manipulate.
"The reason I didn't invite them my dear sister," Nabiki drawled staring intently at Ukyo "is because they already know."
"What!!" Akane reddened in anger stomping up to her "you sold out information on MY missing fiancée before telling me."
Nabiki brushed aside Akane's concern with a flip of her hand, she was much more interested in the calculating look in Ukyo's eyes and the way she barely reacted to Akanes proclamation. "Not at all, the reason they knew before you was because that is where the information originated. What they fed you so recently was a fabricated truth. Something to tell his fiancé's so that they wouldn't lose hope."
"So what exactly is this truth that they supposedly kept from us and what reason did they have to lie to us. This better be worth it Sugar," Ukyo gripped her battle spatular tightly in anxiety.
"Sit down Akane, I'm getting to it Ukyo. This tid bit you won't regret paying for," Nabiki watched her little sister sit down with a huf waiting for news of a fiancé she often rejected. "Luckily for you my equipment is hardier than the dojo, it was only by chance that I got this much with the amount of damage done to it."
Ignoring the impatient glares thrown her way Nabiki casually withdrew a tape recorder and pressed play. Despite the work she had done to the recording the sound still remained scratchy and distant. "what will we tell the children, no matter what they thought of him it was Ranma who held them together."
She just watched as her little sister and Ukyo struggled to make out the words of the conversation. There concentration was she knew the only thing holding their anger in check, dumb jock that he was Ranma sure knew how to inspire loyalty.
"So the question now is what we do now we know" Ukyo strained over the tail static of the tape. "If they kept such information from us in the first place then they will hardly help us now that we know and no matter what was said in that dojo, you can be sure that everyone had their own agenda's"
**Crack**
Nabiki turned sharply as Akane put her fist through the floor, "those, those…How long were they not going to tell us, how LONG!!"
"Calm down Akane, we need to figure out what we do now and besides there isn't much we could do to Cologne and Happosai anyway. Besides I'm not convinced that they didn't have a good point not telling us right away."
Ukyo and Akane just stared at her incredulously, "think, what would have happened if word got out that Ranma has disappeared indefinitely with no way of getting back. This way it's just like he disappeared on one of his training trips."
"Right well I'm off to Dr. Tofu's, I still think he has the best bet of finding Ranma and he's not the type of person to refuse help."
Nabiki watched Ukyo leave and turned expectantly to Akane, "so what are you going to do Akane. Who knows what your fiancé is getting up to without you around?" She couldn't help but smirk as Akane quickly started to loose her temper again. Akane was so easy to manipulate, the truth was she didn't want Ranma to come back. The Amazons could have him for all she cared, Ranma was a little too expensive to maintain.
"Umphh, I'll be in the dojo. Ranma can do what he likes besides with his cute fiancé helping him it's not like he'll be gone for long."
The middle Tendo daughter stared disapprovingly at the hole in the floor before once again smirking at the recently slammed door. 'Even if he gets back he won't be staying here, he'll be someone else's problem by then little sister.'
*****
Happosai puffed some more tobacco some into the air, obscuring his view of the sunset. It was peaceful up here on the rooftop, it was a rare occurrence that he could enjoy it, too often the Tendo's rooftop was occupied by his heir. He had been watching Ranma since he had escaped from his temporary imprisonment and he liked what his art had become. Sure it lacked an experience and diversity that only time would give it but what it lacked there it more than made up in potential.
As he once again went over the various conflicts Ranma had been through and plotted the progress of his heir he amused himself by blowing shapes of smoke and creating a parade with his chi. Ranma risked reaching a plateau in Nerima, it wasn't often that one encountered beings of Herbs and Saffrons power and certainly not in Nerima.
Then again there was more than just strength in the art and Ranma would never learn that in Nerima. No, to continue to grow his heir needed to strike out and rely only on himself and his skills. In this respect, his heir being tossed into an unknown world was a godsend, a godsend that he was reluctant to interfere in. He, Cologne and Dr. Tufu had all made pledges to investigate and seek Ranma's return but he knew that just as he had an agenda Cologne would as well.
But his agenda involved leaving Ranma where he was, Cologne would most likely attempt to send Shampoo and possibly some more Amazon warriors after Ranma and then there was Dr. Tofu. Dr. Tofu would have to deal with the kids of Nerima. Nabiki thought she was so clever in telling Akane and Ukyo what she had heard, she still had a lot to learn. That little stunt would make any investigations more difficult, a situation which would most likely favour everybody but those that wanted Ranma's return.
He had some things to consider then, would he stay here and run interference or would he run interference from elsewhere. It was unlikely that he would be welcome in the Amazon village but he could interfere from the Amazons plans from anywhere but Nerima. Who then was the more competent, Cologne or Dr. Tofu he would have to chose since he could disrupt both himself. Ordinarily he would say Cologne but Dr. Tofu had some qualities in his favour. Still he would need to choose soon before the fruition of either of their plans.
Scene with
A/N - Shaidar Haran abilities slowly evolve as more seals are broken so don't think, hey why doesn't he just kick Ranma's ass.
Ch2: Untitled
As Ranma approached the nameless village before him he was slowly coming to the conclusion that he may not be on earth anymore or at least in the same reality. The grassy plain that he had just traversed, the mountain range he had been using as a marker combined with the freshness in the air and the general feel of the land he was walking all seemed… different. Now with what he was seeing from his approach of the town, he just shook his head with a sigh. Nothing was ever easy, in fact his life was not only always as problematic as possible but inordinately complicated.
Entering the settlement confirmed what he suspected. The housing mingled some rough stone and woodwork with a simple architecture in a way that just seemed alien. Then there was the way people were dressed. Men clad in simple leather shirts, tight trousers and jackets of different quality leather cuts dominated the streets. He could see the occasional woman wearing modestly long dresses often with embroidered bodices as he walked through the quaint community. There was nothing in all of his wide training travels that had come close to resembling this, even in the most remote communities he and his father had visited.
The looks he was getting as he passed through the village and approached what was hopefully the market place seemed to bolster his view that he was the oddity here and not the other way round. Still the responses he received for directions were so unerringly polite they put his teeth on edge. No one was that polite except for Kusumi and she was a special case. No Ranma thought thinking of his fiancés, from his experience such politeness hid darker motives. Still he was in a different place or time maybe people were different, they had certainly treated him better than he could remember being treated anywhere. He would Ranma decided give them the benefit of the doubt while still guarding against betrayal, besides his former betrayal no longer felt so raw. If he was in fact in another reality then there was no reason he should not give them the benefit of the doubt.
Still, completely trusting these people was foolish so he increased his guard against the building sense of security he had begun to feel since his arrival. It was this increased guard that allowed him to notice a definite change in the atmosphere of the community as soon as it changed. Hardened men with shaved heads, men who looked like they knew how to handle the swords that they wielded, quickly replaced the men and woman he had been observing. Ranma watched as the few women that filled the streets were herded away by other male non-combatants as the dreadful sound of melee filled his ears. The heady smell wood smoke followed the shouted orders and the screams of pain signalling that the town that he had entered hoping to buy supplies from was under attack. An attack, which threatened to engulf the relatively small village.
Still damp from the river he had crossed earlier in the day Ranma withstood being grouped and herded to safety with the rest of the women but he hesitated in running to the town and villagers defence. Something like that would require more trust than he was willing to give. From his experience in Nerima both attackers and defenders would likely unite to attack him upon entering the fray to either defend the villagers or unite with those attacking. Ranma's face-hardened as the cloying smell of blood begun to intermingle with the wood smoke and the sounds of melee approached. A decent brawl was one thing but with the amount of blood he could smell, people were dying while he stood and debated whether to trust these people or not.
Time seemed to slow as a young woman erupted from a side alley and started running in his direction upon seeing him. Behind her a humaniod monstrosity almost twice his cursed forms height and three times her width hefted a spear. Ranma blinked taking in the smell of wood smoke mingled with that of blood, sweat and fear. He widened his eyes in horror as the eagle headed attacker approached the young woman. Its measured pace contrasted the hysterically fast run which the young woman was setting. The young woman's face almost seemed hopeful as her hopeless eyes focused on Ranma's own. Ranma's eyes widened further in horror as the monster let his spear fly, the almost comical way in which the young woman jerked as the spear impaled her and the way in which her hysterically hopeful expression slowly turned to one of pleading and pain seemed to burn itself into his brain.
Ranma clenched his fists at the almost smug look in the non-human face as it continued its measured approached. Time seemed to return to normal as he grew angrier. Was it natural for the strong to prey on the weak, was that an aspect that humanity shared with these demons. He closed his eyes as he felt his aura burst free quickly heating and then evaporating the water that still dampened his clothes. Sighing with satisfaction as his form returned to it's more muscular self he allowed himself a grin, enough hesitating. Enough people had died and he faced his favourite type of fight. One in which he didn't need to hold back and where there was a clear enemy to defeat, a clear objective.
Without further thought the glowing figure blurred forward and slammed the eagle headed fiend into a stone wall, not even noticing the growing cracks that appeared behind the broken body or its broken slump before he moved on.
*****
Shaidar Haran smiled feraly behind his shadowed hood as he tossed another broken body to the side. These top-knotted swordsmen may have been a match for his trollocs and some even a match for an ordinary myrddraal but to him they were merely an annoyance. His powers had jumped significantly since the two seals had been broken and now he felt unstoppable.
He turned his eyeless gaze towards the town in irritation, it seemed his pets were having too much fun even after he had warned them. It had required significant effort to smuggle such a large force so far south of the blight undetected. To justify such an effort most of the towns' folk needed to be recovered for the insatiable forges of Shayol Ghul, especially after the disaster at Tawins Gap. New myrddraal awaited arming with the cursed blades which could only be produced at those cursed forges.
Instead of finishing off the soldiers an increasing number of lowly trollocs were slaughtering the very people he needed, the weak and defenceless villages. Obviously he hadn't threatened them in terms that they had understood he thought with disgust as he casually gutted a nameless soldier with the grace and speed of a snake.
"What…" Shaidar Haran stopped in surprise as he felt coldness in his bones, a coldness, which could only mean one thing. Yes, this would make things much more interesting. While this senseless slaughter was satisfying it lacked what he craved most, a challenge, a challenge which would allow him to search for the limits of his new powers. When a glowing man stepped out from behind a burning house however he started with surprise and prepared to step into a nearby shadow. He could not afford to revel himself to Lews Therin so soon. The great lord still had plans that could only be disrupted by a conflict here. Still he had reports that Lews Therin was much further south so…
When a trio of trollocs charged the glowing figure Shaidar Haran watched closely. He knew how the former dragon would have dealt with such a threat but he was interesting in seeing how the new one would. Besides with Lews Therin's present all was lost in this sortie anyway.
He watched in amusement as the trollocs all prepared to jump the glowing figure from behind in an attempt to over whelm the reborn dragon, "brawn all brawn" he snorted in disgust. "Any channeler worth the great lords attention would never fall from such a brainless tactic – suicide."
Besides there was something about this man that smelt wrong, a smell that he would not have expected Lews Therin to have.
*****
Khellar dry heaved into a blood filled gutter once again, he had long since vomited everything he had eaten in the last three days in his personal defence of the village. All the blood, the body parts and other realities of war sickened him, nothing would have prepared him for the scenes that he had witnessed again and again. He would never be able to forget them and certainly his sleep would be disrupted for years to come. So far south of the blight, he never imagined that he would be witness to such brutality, that didn't stop him from doing his part in the defence of Medo though. It was his duty as a Sherienarian and a man. More than one Trolloc had fallen to his steel tipped arrows surgically delivered from his horse bow. Now with his last arrow he had chosen a target he felt world tip the balance in the lights favour.
So far Medo's defences were barely holding the main body of the dark spawn back, signs of Trollocs slipping through their lines and attacking villages had started to increase. No, if he could turn this tide he would. He was no hero, but this was he felt his duty. The glowing figure had seemingly reinforced the attacking group of dark fiends his deadly grace and unnerving presence seemed to be reforming the attacking group. Already Trollocs were forming behind him in preparation for a new offensive, an offensive that threatened to break the defending swordsman's resolve. But no matter how deadly they looked, they all fell when his steel tipped arrows penetrated their evil, hardened skulls.
Khellar carefully took aim and released his deadly load. One less spawn would bother the light tonight he thought taking his leave, nothing could dodge his arrows once they were in motion. Meanwhile staying would risk attracting the attention of the Trollocs that had gathered around the glowing figure. No, it was best to make tracks now that he was essentially unarmed. Khellar watched in satisfaction as his arrow arched through the sky, cutting tracks in the clouds of wood smoke. He had fired enough arrows in his lifetime to know that this one would strike his target. With one last disgusted look at his empty quiver Khellar ran towards the shelter, even weaponless he would do his bit to defend the women and children.
******
Shampoo starred unblinking in amazement, "I still can't believe grandmother. Why we leave Nerima," she just didn't understand her grandmother's decision at all. Cologne had come to Nerima to help her snare Ranma in the first place, sure he had taken a back seat in her training but to give up completely was unacceptable. As long as the status quo was maintained she could be assured of eventual victory and the longer they delayed the stronger husband she gained.
Cologne didn't even shift her gaze from the gentle swell, which rocked their boat as it crossed the Sea of Japan. "You can speak Chinese Xian Pu, we aren't in Japan anymore. Don't confuse leaving Nerima with abandoning son in law, they are too completely different things now that son in law is no longer at the Tendo's and more importantly out of that fat fools grasp. No I told Tufu the truth, but only enough to mislead him. At the village will be information on how to get to son in law, and you will be going to collect him. Gaining exclusive access to son in law will however change your priorities. No longer will it be acceptable to occupy yourself with more enjoyable ventures such as training, instead you will have to concentrate in snaring son in law completely. This is why we are taking such a laborious route to the village, there is no telling what dangers you will encounter on your journey to reach son in laws side. Nor the dangers you will both face once you become reunited. You must be in peak condition, a condition which you will only gain by fighting a superior opponent, me."
Cologne cackled as she hoped from her cane to the small boats railing "no, I will only be sending misinformation to Nerima. Not even Happosai will be aware how misleading until it's too late and Ranma is irrevocably within our grasp. Mousse will help keep the appearance of the helpful and knowledgeable Amazons, but tell me girl. Are you still willing to pursue Ranma as your husband?"
"Yes matriarch," Shampoo bowed formally, to think that Ranma would finally be hers. What power he would give her, what influence. Her grandmother was right though, she would need to commit all of her focus to Ranma. There would be no second chance if she ruined this opportunity, besides where ever her husband was there was bound to be plenty of opportunity to train. After all like her Ranma lived on the challenges that came with martial arts. For the rest of the trip to mainland China Shampoo couldn't help but dream of what a life with such a powerful husband would be like.
*****
"What's this about Sugar?"
"Yeah, spill it Nabiki, and what's with all the secrecy? If it you know something about Ranma then maybe you should involve Happosai and Dr. Tufu." Nabiki watched her little sister from the corner of her eye, she loved her sister but knew that Akane was too immature and impatient to use this information effectively. No, it was Ukyo that would take the lead in this crisis and possibly find some answers that would help in getting Ranma back. It would be Ukyo and not Akane because Akane was too easy to manipulate.
"The reason I didn't invite them my dear sister," Nabiki drawled staring intently at Ukyo "is because they already know."
"What!!" Akane reddened in anger stomping up to her "you sold out information on MY missing fiancée before telling me."
Nabiki brushed aside Akane's concern with a flip of her hand, she was much more interested in the calculating look in Ukyo's eyes and the way she barely reacted to Akanes proclamation. "Not at all, the reason they knew before you was because that is where the information originated. What they fed you so recently was a fabricated truth. Something to tell his fiancé's so that they wouldn't lose hope."
"So what exactly is this truth that they supposedly kept from us and what reason did they have to lie to us. This better be worth it Sugar," Ukyo gripped her battle spatular tightly in anxiety.
"Sit down Akane, I'm getting to it Ukyo. This tid bit you won't regret paying for," Nabiki watched her little sister sit down with a huf waiting for news of a fiancé she often rejected. "Luckily for you my equipment is hardier than the dojo, it was only by chance that I got this much with the amount of damage done to it."
Ignoring the impatient glares thrown her way Nabiki casually withdrew a tape recorder and pressed play. Despite the work she had done to the recording the sound still remained scratchy and distant. "what will we tell the children, no matter what they thought of him it was Ranma who held them together."
She just watched as her little sister and Ukyo struggled to make out the words of the conversation. There concentration was she knew the only thing holding their anger in check, dumb jock that he was Ranma sure knew how to inspire loyalty.
"So the question now is what we do now we know" Ukyo strained over the tail static of the tape. "If they kept such information from us in the first place then they will hardly help us now that we know and no matter what was said in that dojo, you can be sure that everyone had their own agenda's"
**Crack**
Nabiki turned sharply as Akane put her fist through the floor, "those, those…How long were they not going to tell us, how LONG!!"
"Calm down Akane, we need to figure out what we do now and besides there isn't much we could do to Cologne and Happosai anyway. Besides I'm not convinced that they didn't have a good point not telling us right away."
Ukyo and Akane just stared at her incredulously, "think, what would have happened if word got out that Ranma has disappeared indefinitely with no way of getting back. This way it's just like he disappeared on one of his training trips."
"Right well I'm off to Dr. Tofu's, I still think he has the best bet of finding Ranma and he's not the type of person to refuse help."
Nabiki watched Ukyo leave and turned expectantly to Akane, "so what are you going to do Akane. Who knows what your fiancé is getting up to without you around?" She couldn't help but smirk as Akane quickly started to loose her temper again. Akane was so easy to manipulate, the truth was she didn't want Ranma to come back. The Amazons could have him for all she cared, Ranma was a little too expensive to maintain.
"Umphh, I'll be in the dojo. Ranma can do what he likes besides with his cute fiancé helping him it's not like he'll be gone for long."
The middle Tendo daughter stared disapprovingly at the hole in the floor before once again smirking at the recently slammed door. 'Even if he gets back he won't be staying here, he'll be someone else's problem by then little sister.'
*****
Happosai puffed some more tobacco some into the air, obscuring his view of the sunset. It was peaceful up here on the rooftop, it was a rare occurrence that he could enjoy it, too often the Tendo's rooftop was occupied by his heir. He had been watching Ranma since he had escaped from his temporary imprisonment and he liked what his art had become. Sure it lacked an experience and diversity that only time would give it but what it lacked there it more than made up in potential.
As he once again went over the various conflicts Ranma had been through and plotted the progress of his heir he amused himself by blowing shapes of smoke and creating a parade with his chi. Ranma risked reaching a plateau in Nerima, it wasn't often that one encountered beings of Herbs and Saffrons power and certainly not in Nerima.
Then again there was more than just strength in the art and Ranma would never learn that in Nerima. No, to continue to grow his heir needed to strike out and rely only on himself and his skills. In this respect, his heir being tossed into an unknown world was a godsend, a godsend that he was reluctant to interfere in. He, Cologne and Dr. Tufu had all made pledges to investigate and seek Ranma's return but he knew that just as he had an agenda Cologne would as well.
But his agenda involved leaving Ranma where he was, Cologne would most likely attempt to send Shampoo and possibly some more Amazon warriors after Ranma and then there was Dr. Tofu. Dr. Tofu would have to deal with the kids of Nerima. Nabiki thought she was so clever in telling Akane and Ukyo what she had heard, she still had a lot to learn. That little stunt would make any investigations more difficult, a situation which would most likely favour everybody but those that wanted Ranma's return.
He had some things to consider then, would he stay here and run interference or would he run interference from elsewhere. It was unlikely that he would be welcome in the Amazon village but he could interfere from the Amazons plans from anywhere but Nerima. Who then was the more competent, Cologne or Dr. Tofu he would have to chose since he could disrupt both himself. Ordinarily he would say Cologne but Dr. Tofu had some qualities in his favour. Still he would need to choose soon before the fruition of either of their plans.
Scene with
A/N - Shaidar Haran abilities slowly evolve as more seals are broken so don't think, hey why doesn't he just kick Ranma's ass.