"Inner Fears"
-----
"Ahahahahaha!" Nabiki exploded into unrestrained, purely amused laughter.
Sighing, Ranma waited for the smartest woman he knew to shut up and bestow her opinion of his predicament. Though an inner voice hinted she'd spoken eloquently.
"Nabiki, what can I do? I know what waits, and I am helpless before it." Shuddering, Ranma absently rubbed his stomach where three painful puncture wounds no longer existed, and pictured what had happened when he'd returned............
-
--FB/--
For the second time Ranma Saotome appeared in eightfold crossroads of the Kami Realm. He knew the path to avoid. He maneuvered his body like a master ninja, but when he stepped onto a road, it was always the Southwestern path: the Path of Good Intentions.
Carefully walking away backwards ended in brief disorientation. When the mental fog cleared, he was standing on the road leading to his despair. He always came back to it: the road leading into nightmares. With a waiting demon faster than he dared dream, and powerful enough to brush away his best. No fiancée needed saving, prompting him.
Shooting eight orange, thin frustrated ki-lances in eight directions into the kami sky ended with eight small divots in an arrow shaped pattern, pointing down the Path of Good Intentions.
Stymied, in the end Ranma Saotome laid with his back against the signpost, doubting the success of his quest to remove the Bane of Heirs from his lineage. Simply stated: he was afraid of the devil in the dark. He feared the soul swallowing darkness down the monster's hungry maw.
To his surprise, the sign he leaned against read a different message, this time in elegant letter-perfect romanji:
"Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer. For in life it is difficult to say who do you the most mischief -- enemies with worst intentions, or friends with the best."
In the end, he had simply walked away, back into the Cave of the Ghost Boar, and struck the walls bitterly in defeat.
--/FB--
-
"Why, if you can't win the game, change the rules." Said Nabiki at last, after she had finished picturing the great, arrogant Saotome Ranma cowering like a whimpering mouse. Rarely could she remember seeing Ranma this disturbed, and it bothered her inside her mask of amusement.
"Meaning?" Prompted Ranma.
"Meaning you don't have to do this alone. Who says you can't go in with guns blazing? What dictates you giving in to despair? Maybe, you should change the intent behind your purpose, or try walking beside the right road rather than demanding the obvious path?"
"Nabiki," said Ranma with a twinkle in his eyes, "Why, that is absolutely brilliant!" Impulsively hugging the salvation of his dilemma, he heard a soft whisper.
"Twenty thousand yen please!" Asked Nabiki as she blew in his ear.
Handing over the money that would reappear tomorrow, he couldn't help but comment, "You shouldn't buy and sell salvation, it corrupts the meaning behind the commodity."
"On the contrary, Ranma-kun, salvation means nothing unless a price is attached to it. Traditional, you see." Explained Nabiki, counting her easy money.
"Even if the money were to vanish tomorrow, along with this memory from your mind; swept away like a rushing mountain river?"
Radiating satisfaction, Nabiki gently explained: "If that happened, you would still remember. You'd remember I was your salvation, and that rather than turning elsewhere to solve your problem, you came to me. And I made it all better! In a way, that memory is more expensive than its physical form." Smirking, the girl riffled the wad of yen with relish, and stuck it into the back pocket of her pastel blue short shorts. Then she returned to reading her manga.
Recognizing a dismissal, the not-so invincible martial artist left, pondering why his salvation often took the name and form of Nabiki Tendo.
-----
New day. Splashdown. Shaking off cascades of water, the red-headed girl blurred for instant, before standing on an unconscious panda's stomach while laughing hard. Taking an experimental jump, as one who's just discovered a wondrous trampoline, the victorious girl elicited a groan from her barely conscious father, who hardly knew what landed on him.
The unusual noise of trampled panda left Kasumi with an 'oh my' hanging on her lips as she prepared breakfast, and she rushed outside to find Mr. Saotome holding a sign stating "The pain! The pain!" -flip- "Have you no consideration boy!" Dismissing the occurrence as normal morning exuberance, she returned to her miso.
Minutes later when the eldest girl announced breakfast, Ranma was already jumping over the gothic iron metal gates of the Kuno mansion. Expertly avoiding the no-longer random traps, she paused on the pointed arrow atop a magnificent flowing water fountain. The arrow, about to fired by a cupid resembling her cursed female form, supported her full weight. The mustache on the statue looked out of place The icon's symbolic bow pointed at a decapitated suitor. The black crayon commentary over the ruined statuary led Ranma to believe the younger Kuno had not approved of her brother's tribute.
Changing gender in mid-leap, the pigtailed boy braced himself as he crashed through the glass barrier of Kodachi's window. Dodging a handful of finely ground cayenne pepper that the instantly awake gymnast hurled at his face, Ranma swiftly immobilized Kodachi Kuno and hogtied her with the black satin curtains around her shattered window.
"Sasuki!" Bellowed a red-haired girl.
Appearing instantly, the diminutive ninja retainer bowed and recited, "Yes mistress" in his woebegone voice. Noticing the surroundings, he and produced and proceeded to use party favors with gusto.
Observing the ninja doing a happy dance with a black rose-shaped noisemaker after cracking two cones of black confetti, Ranma again yelled "Sasuki!" causing the celebrating minion to pay attention.
"Oh happy day!" Rhapsodized the small weasel-like man, "As mistress Kodachi stated on numerous occasions, her Ranma-sama has finally decided to elope in a sexy, somewhat barbaric, but surely exciting for-a-young-girl-like-her way!"
Groaning while holding the back of her head, Ranma explained the plan.
--
The helicopter marked with symbols of clan Kuno settled down in front of Fushimiinari a half hour later.
Carrying a comatose black-satin wrapped girl up the 108 winding stairs, Ranma immediately sought out Brother Yojin and Master Sentaro. At his instructions, they quickly exorcised the Sanity Drinker, after Ranma isolated it with seventeen precise bursts of crushing spiritual will. The young Saotome almost felt ready to perform the procedure by himself now.
"Ranma-sama, did you know you're under a curse. . . . and why am I in my nightclothes on what feels like a sanctified marble altar?" Asked Kodachi blearily after she awakened.
"Heh 'Dachi, I listen carefully; I need help. . . "
Rapidly evaluating her situation, the gymnast deduced her priorities, and immediately grabbed her darling rescuer in an intimate embrace, whispering seductively, "Yes! Oh yes, my love! Take me now!"
"Not that kind of help!" Yelled Ranma, attempting to wriggle away; unfortunately the no longer distressed damsel took this as encouragement.
--
Around 10:30am a helicopter hovered briefly near the second story of the Tendo compound. A black ribbon whipped out of the side-compartment, going through an opened window and encircling a sleeping girl. As the girl wore a black hood complete with the best noise-proofing money could buy, she didn't hear a thing. Fortunately she was dressed from breakfast. She'd experienced a glorious vision of sleeping in after Akane stomped off to school alone.
Kasumi waved merrily at the abductors, and noticed Ranma was already present. Undoubtedly Nabiki would be perfectly safe. Whistling cheerfully, she continued folding laundry; it was considerate of them to wait until she had gotten it off the lines.
--
What finally woke the power-napping mercenary was being dumped unceremoniously on the bottom of a tightly cramped helicopter, as the device accelerated to its last destination.
Expertly unclasping her beauty mask, the displaced girl noted her surroundings. She wondered why Kodachi was wearing a leotard with a prominent yin-yang motif, but dismissed that detail.
"Kuno and Saotome. . . . this is going to be very expensive." Nabiki was not a morning person. One word sheathed in the tempered steel of her extreme displeasure summed it up: "Explain."
Cringing, Ranma wondered at the wisdom of shanghaiing his team. Kodachi was unnaturally pushy, but she would follow orders. Well, mostly. Nabiki was just unwilling because she hated adventure; grabbing her while she slept was the only way to get her along. Now how to put this?
--
"I am not visiting the Kami with you." Assured Nabiki in a voice oozing self-assurance.
"Good!" Sneered the devil hunter. "A lowborn hussy like you can guard the transportation; I'm sure the Gods would immediately condemn you to Hell for such an insubordinate attitude." While she was freed of her demons, The Black Rose had not miraculously transformed into 'nice.'
"Whatever." Rejoined the uncommitted brains of the operation. "At least I'm careful enough not to bungle my own business ventures, unlike certain ditzy devil hunters who can't guard themselves from possession!"
Feeling bad things coming, Sasuke sped the helicopter up to maximum, making the two adversaries settle for glaring at each other as the noise factor inside the chopper drowned out conversations.
Preoccupied at finding himself in an active leadership position, Ranma mentally rethought this entire scheme. Of his fiancées, Akane would just be in the way, Shampoo would only try to sleep with him, and while Ukyo might be helpful, she wasn't on his level. Kodachi wasn't either, but her relics granted magical powers he could not duplicate, even with his advanced spiritual training. That part wasn't a liability. Nabiki was necessary because when properly motivated, she could easily out-think him. After rashly bartering for the Amulet of Presence, Ranma wanted the absolute best negotiator on his side when dealing with ageless trickery.
In her own way, the mercenary Tendo had already exacted a high price. He'd tried convincing her to cooperate in the morning for the past week, but the girl had always rebuffed his offers, muttering 'Wacko Kami or sleep in: not a tough decision,' before slamming her door shut. This led to a cascade of events involving Akane that would waste most of the morning, effectively ruining his plans of traveling to Shikoku in a timely fashion.
Yes, there was no option besides his chosen course. Now he needed to convince his team.
He noticed Nabiki mouth 'Rich Bitch' at Kodachi, who returned by mouthing 'Closet Lesbian' at Nabiki. Simultaneously realizing if they didn't look at each other, they wouldn't be insulted, Nabiki and Kodachi now both glared at Ranma instead. Settling back in his seat as if napping, Ranma closed his eyes.
--
Despite his inadequacies, the ninja retainer of the Kunos could pilot, and the helicopter landed in the clearing by the Cave of the Ghost Boar with only a small bump.
"Is this the place Ranma-sama?" Asked Kodachi.
"Yeah; have the lunch Sasuke packed while I open the way. It should take about forty-five minutes." Ranma jumped off the side of the vehicle and headed into the cave.
"Mistress!" Implored Sasuke meekly, "Does this mean I can eat with you too? I brought enough for twenty people."
"I see no reason why not, lowly minion." Said Kodachi indifferently as she observed a black rose-patterned picnic blanket and refreshments being diligently arranged. The insufferable Tendo mercenary remained inside the helicopter.
"Thank you so much Kuno-sama!" Groveled the small man, who loyally elaborated. "Young Master Tatewaki would instruct me to save the rest for an uncertain and possibly dangerous future, if this was his mission!"
"What have I told you about mentioning my obsessive brother in my presence?" The question was delivered conversationally with a small hint of menace.
"Forgive me mistress! I am unworthy to serve!" The retainer quickly grabbed three food containers and vanished from her presence.
Pondering a further response while enjoying a batch of lentil soup, the rich girl lost herself contemplating suitable punishments.
Observing lunch was ready, Nabiki pulled Sasuki aside from where he hid behind the helicopter, watching dispassionately as he gorged on his favorite dish of octopus balls.
"You prepared the meal yourself, and only by yourself with handpicked ingredients free of any possible thought altering spices?"
Nodding while frantically chewing, the midget ninja concentrated on proper nutrition.
Taking this as her cue, the unwilling prisoner saw nothing wrong with lunchtime.
Before carefully consuming middle portions of chosen items that had not touched their packing materials or containers, Nabiki announced, "I consider eating this meal in no way an obligation to go on a useless quest, merely as a small expense accrued from kidnapping me."
Kodachi, who couldn't care less, proceeded to ignore her. Ranma-sama had made her promise not to kick the Tendo girl's ass, earlier, before they picked her up.
The meal passed in glaring silence until Ranma, who looked half-exhausted and was Kissing the Face of Life to replenish his energies, joined enthusiastically. Unobtrusively, Sasuki followed and began packing empty containers.
"You know Kodachi," mused Ranma, "no one will know what happens to us in the kami-realm. Whatever great and wondrous treasures we find will be totally tax exempt."
Leering at him, the gymnast stretched to accentuate her breasts, and bantered back, "Yes, it will be wonderful! We'll be free from the Chinese bimbo, the low bred chef, and the stupid gorilla Tendo clan." She laughed merrily. "We can elope with panache and find a true God to sanction our betrothal!"
"I'll make sure to let Akane know who you threw her over for." Replied Nabiki cheerfully, enjoying a crème parfait. "Have fun you two!"
"Oh, I don't know 'dachi, I'm sure with meeting all the extremely rich, intelligent, and eligible divine bachelors you might soon decide to settle down with someone else."
Shaking her head in denial, the cleansed devil hunter whispered softly, "I could never abandon my savior twice over."
"Somehow I doubt you'll be visiting immortal bachelors or searching out caches of treasure." Scoffed the middle Tendo, who lacked a boyfriend. "Rushing off to cure the Bane of Heirs won't give you much of an opportunity for socializing."
"Ah, you misunderstand." Smirked Ranma while leaning back lazily on the rose-embroidered blanket, attempting to imitate a devious pattern learned from the one he was trying to tempt. "Since we have no clue where inside the Kami-planes an answer may be, we must visit around, and perhaps raid multiple storehouses of arcane and priceless relics. I have no use for junk like gold, diamonds and rubies, and neither does Kodachi. Unless someone with us wanted it, we'd merely leave it."
"I'm already rich." Agreed the scion of house Kuno, secretly thinking new accessories might be welcome.
"Danger doesn't agree with me." Parried Nabiki demurely, though a bead of sweat had broken out on her forehead and her pulse had started racing.
"You would be along as a consultant, protected foremost by us, entitled to whatever you wished to bring back, along with say, a small percentage of what we carried."
A small pause for thought greeted the implied offer.
"Should I decide to go, hypothetically, I'd want a percentage overall rather than being restricted to what a poor, weak girl like myself could manage on her own." Making an effort to spoon the last of her desert away, Nabiki utterly exaggerated her helplessness.
"Hypothetically, I could see us agreeing to a large percentage; right Kodachi-chan?"
Dreamily the long-haired girl nodded, not caring what she was asked, only that her love had addressed her by a pet name. For the next few minutes she retreated into her own inner world, planning their wedding.
"Ninety-five percent." Stated the businesswoman flatly.
"Fifty." Retorted Ranma, knowing going too low would scare the pigeon away.
"Ninety percent; I hate unknown variables."
"Sixty percent; I don't want to be weighed down by useless baubles."
"Eighty-five percent; I am not here by choice."
"Seventy percent; listening to laughing girl and you argue about her carrying stuff will get on my nerves."
"Eighty percent, and you explain to rich bitch she's carrying treasure you want as a privilege."
"Heh; I can do that so long as you don't tease her or piss her off much. Deal?"
"Deal."
Both Ranma and Nabiki smiled shark-like at each other, aware they had totally conned the other.
A breeze swept through the picnic area, spinning the polished metal blades of the helicopter, and offering a respite from the shining noonday sun. Leaves rustled in the trees near at the outskirts of the clearing.
Coming back to reality as she finished desert, Kodachi instructed her servant: "Whatever portions we don't finish will be lovingly spared for future contingencies, however our pack mule," she paused to significantly glance at an indifferent Nabiki Tendo, "is weak and stubborn despite her gorilla ancestry."
The joy of understanding suffused Sasuki's face, and he redoubled his efforts at packing up the extra food. Thanks to his Secret Ninja Game Boy, guarding the helicopter while his mistress and her friends faced dire circumstances was a task within his abilities, unlike going with them.
"I am not wearing a backpack." Stated their new third member flatly.
"Eighty percent." Reminded Ranma, managing to keep the smugness from his voice.
--
The devil hunter prodded the Sword of her Soul at the crossroads showing in the open Kami-portal. A wavering appeared across the landscape, and for a moment the scene ripple-blurred, as if the gate was a lake that had felt a tentative raindrop.
"Put the toy away." Muttered Ranma irritably.
Expressionless, the backpacking middle Tendo observed. The rough dirty stone walls of The Cave of the Ghost Boar did not look intimidating, lacking stalagmites or stalactites. Angled outside sunlight and the peculiar radiance of the gate meant Nabiki's eyes didn't adjust to the expected cavern darkness. The benevolence inside the cave reminded her of Kasumi's room when her sister was babysitting for Mrs. Tanaka, though Kasumi would never tolerate this amount of dirt.
Dismissing the short sword back into astral storage, Kodachi looked briefly annoyed.
"Listen carefully," Said Ranma. "We are holding each other's hands, and then we are leaping together. Under no circumstances release your grips. At the moment we leap, think of crossroads at the other side of the gate, or your place of dearest home."
"Ranma-sama, what happens if we -do- let go?"
Considerately, that fate was explained: "Um, I'm not sure, but you'll be lost in the void. If you die there your soul probably won't be consumed by oblivion."
"Great. Give me your word as a martial artist that you'll die before you let go." Asked Nabiki with barely concealed distaste.
"Given. To both of you." The kami seeker bowed his head solemnly; any danger his companions faced remained ultimately his responsibility, for taking them along.
Nabiki's grip was vice-like, whereas Kodachi did her best to turn her grip on Ranma into a grope.
"At the count of three -- say it with me." The girls nodded.
A nervous chorus began: "One. Two............. Three!"
The companions jumped through the open Kami-gate hand in hand. For an instant, thousands of worlds flashed across their eyes. Fast enough to dazzle, without time for remembered impressions. Having listened to Ranma, they were properly grounded, and two of the three landed gracefully on their feet next to the signpost on the Kami-plane.
Nabiki landed on her backpack. Kodachi's hand abandoned her easily as she unbalanced.
As she fell holding his hand, Ranma was pulled on top of Nabiki in what looked like a sexually compromising position. Her legs were involuntarily held open by Ranma's knee and his nose was planted squarely between her breasts.
Quickly, he withdrew his face and tried to formulate an apology.
With a vein throbbing on her forehead, Kodachi considered the situation, since she still held Ranma's other hand. "Miss Tendo, that looks like quite the initiative! Let me show you how a real woman does it."
Swiftly, the devil hunter joined the pile, putting her full weight on Ranma while rubbing herself against his back in what really -was- a sexually comprising position. This squished the lowest in the pile (and her backpack). It also slammed Ranma's face back where it was before the gymnast jumped on.
"Remind me again, before I forget Saotome!" Instructed Nabiki icily as she uncomfortably felt squished underneath two people.
"Eighty percent." Came the muffled reply from the middle of her chest.
-
"A proper martial artist could at least sweep a girl off her feet correctly." Still miffed though everyone now stood separately, Nabiki got her dig in.
"Yes, Ranma-sama, it should have been no problem to dump the harridan, or stop her from falling for you. Did you choose the position that happened?" The Kuno-girl unsheathed her claws.
Kodachi's double meaning sailing over his head, Ranma simply said: "The signpost changed again. It surprised me."
Suddenly realizing they weren't in Japan anymore, the group stopped focusing on each other and looked around, taking in the austere crossroads and simple marker. The meadow of lazy green grass around them stretched out farther than their vision could penetrate.
Ranma thought the signpost read in Han Dynasty Chinese: "The first duty of a leader is to make himself be loved without courting love. To be loved without 'playing up' to anyone - even to himself."
Nabiki translated aloud from modern business English: "She who is in love is wise and is becoming wiser. She sees newly with every look at the object beloved, drawing from it with her eyes and mind those virtues it possesses."
Kodachi mentioned she saw Devil's Hunter secret script reading: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Ranma saw eight paths leading in the directions of the compass points. Nabiki saw a single path heading about seventy degrees north, and Kodachi saw thirteen branches pointing south.
"Be careful; these crossroads confront travelers with the flaws in their souls." Warned their leader. Like a drill phobic person with a festering cavity facing the salvation of dental surgery, Ranma both longed for and feared what awaited him on the Path of Good Intentions.
"Then, why bother with established routes?" Asked the innovative high school student who created her own betting business.
"Because somehow, you always end up coming back to same dilemma." Voice slightly frustrated, Ranma thought to himself 'Here's where I see if bringing Nabiki was a good idea.'
Deliberately backing away from her path, Nabiki reached a set distance from the signpost, about a hundred feet, and then vanished. She reappeared with her left foot upon the road she attempted to evade.
Observing the transfer, Kodachi called forth the Sword of Her Soul and used it like a dousing rod. Briefly, it glowed golden. Succinctly, the devil-hunter reported: "This is a divine test of worthiness. We must overcome to continue. Let us begin."
"So be it." Sighed Ranma, not looking forward to facing his flaws and fears. "We walk them together."
" 1 "
" 1 "
-1st path taken-
Holding Nabiki as she led them north, Ranma and Kodachi felt a spiritual veil reluctantly widening as they stepped on the road. Both noticed the crossroads disappearing, as if a masterful illusion had healed itself.
The girl being tested, however, fell to her knees in shock; this was painful given the highway's contents. "Wow!" She gasped, observing the stony road receding into the horizon contained nuggets of gold, silver, platinum, and electrum. She even spotted an occasional unworked ruby or emerald among the normal 'stones' in the semi-sharp gravel.
"Nabiki, why are you rolling in the stones and dust?" Asked Ranma, who shared none of the mindset that trapped people on the Path of False Wealth.
"Stop pouring dirt on our dinner!" Called Kodachi in alarm as Nabiki started storing 'riches' in her backpack. "Stupid bitch," muttered the devil hunter, who walked over to Nabiki while building a yellow glow in her sacred bracelet.
"Ah, just who I needed." Greeted the businesswoman suavely while holding up a double handful of dirty pebbles. "Carry these."
Ignoring the grime, Kodachi chanted mantras in a lilting, hypnotic language while holding her relic up to the enthralled girl's face before slapping. White light flashed with the sound of flesh meeting flesh, and Nabiki watched her immeasurable wealth turn into worthless detritus.
The shock immobilized her speechless for a good thirty seconds. Uncomfortably, Ranma noted the area around the Path of False Wealth resembled a desert or a beach. Lots of sand with the occasional struggling plant life. Though, most deserts didn't have exotic bonsai trees for cacti.
Knowing Kodachi's work in botany, Ranma looked at her admiring the scenery as they waited for Nabiki. Noting this interest, she smiled, showing she wouldn't need a similar rescue.
"I won't forget this." Said Nabiki slowly, with great emotion as she found her voice. She deliberately rubbed the red welt on her cheek, to remind herself anew of Kodachi's future pain. For Nabiki, this was vowing revenge more painful than being staked naked in the sweltering jungle in front of a termite mound covered in honey and excrement.
"No need to thank me, I enjoyed the task." Kodachi assured her plebian companion no hard feelings existed on her end as she played with a carefully pruned bonsai leaf.
The group headed forward, and experienced a brief burst of disorientation. They found themselves at the Kami-signpost where they originally arrived.
"Money matters that much to you?" Ranma asked curiously, having felt no desire or disturbance on the Path of False Wealth.
Looking unusually vulnerable, Nabiki smiled lightly. "Money represents a life without obligations and powerlessness. For a moment, Saotome, I was freer than I had ever been."
Not knowing how to reply, Ranma nodded and followed Kodachi onto a southern pathway, wondering what hidden depths would confront the girl with such a twisted sense of mortality.
" 2 "
" 2 "
-2nd path taken-
Kodachi led the others onto the middle of her thirteen choices, and the sky became gray and lifeless as they walked.
This path was a flat highway, typical of rural areas everywhere, even having yellow parallel lines down the middle for vehicles. Gravel shoulders and forested hills decorated the landscape. A green billboard-like sign written with large white characters, stated 'The Path of Destroyed Enemies.'
A solemn mood engulfed the travelers, and they hesitated to break the silence. It felt more extreme than talking in a library; laughing during a Christian funeral in the middle of the eulogy as the Priest rhapsodized over 'dust to dust, ashes to ashes' might capture the spirit of violation better.
"Nabiki!" Whispered Ranma, "Bury any bodies in your business?"
"Hey! I'm an ethical girl!" Her schemes were mostly amusement driven, with profits being nice too. "What about you, any great rivals crushed as you mastered the Art?" She whispered back.
"Nah, dead people never come back with new techniques, not to mention killing attracts negative attention and can't be reversed. Most of my friends were once enemies, actually." No longer technically whispering, Ranma's reply was delivered in low tones that didn't carry far.
"Be on your guard!" Snapped Kodachi tensely. "While I haven't been called much as a Devil Hunter, I did destroy nests of concentrated activity. We could encounter mind-drinking gaki, forest oni, and even an occidental mound spirit."
Slowly, the demon huntress and the martial artist advanced, with the frightened schoolgirl who hated adventure in the place of maximum protection between them. The camaraderie stopped.
Twenty minutes later, their middle member called out with all of her voice projection skills, "Ok, I know you're out there. Building the dramatic tension of ambush serves no further purpose, except to give these two the chance to see through your stealth techniques."
Nabiki clearly saw a rotting corpse she guessed to be mind-eating gaki motion to two separate oni groups. Ranma and Kodachi stiffened as they saw themselves surrounded by enemies they had previously slain.
Behind them, Ranma saw the thirteen oni and their leader he had decimated earlier in the Kami realms. Immediately ahead, Kodachi confronted her own defeated opponents. Ignoring most, she glared at a pair of gaki in the back of her Horde with undiluted hatred.
-
"So you guys here for a rematch?" Inquired Ranma of the bearded, thirteen-foot tall oni leader, who still emitted a muted aura of darkness.
"We lived and died by battle, no grudges held." Explained the greater oni. "This visitation isn't for revenge, but for settling old debts. We must have your forgiveness for both of us to proceed."
"This means you have no power over your murderers?" Asked Nabiki from what she hoped was a safe distance.
Laughing evilly, the towering monster replied: "We have only the reality our callers give up. They may empower us with rage or free us with forgiveness. My band and I, though we ache to tear and rend, would be ineffective against one who does not hate. Release us back into the killing fields of paradise!"
Bowing gravely, Ranma said: "You are forgiven." Satisfied, the oni cohort vanished with bloodthirsty battle cries.
-
"Sword of my Soul, come forth." Stated a female voice with steely determination from behind Ranma.
"I won't forgive you for using the form of my grandparents against me a second a time!" Screeched the devil huntress, remembering a brush with death from being too trusting of the familiar.
Glaring at a collection of moss covered forest oni, none more than four feet tall, she snarled, "This has nothing to do with you. Seek your final piece or I will show no mercy!"
The tree-like beasts collapsed on the cement like dying plants, recognizing an enemy who defeated them. In seconds, they shriveled and vanished completely.
Glancing at the pack of mind-easting gaki that remained, the ying-yang symbol on Kodachi's devil hunting leotard began to glow. "By the Nine Spokes of Eternity, I dismiss you into What Comes After." Brilliance flared, and a wave of radiance projected from her body, dissolving the shambling mind-eating gaki. Ultimately, though, the attack failed.
All Kodachi could focus on were two remaining creatures in the back. Perhaps the deity overseeing the confrontation understood that deep inside the Black Rose, she could reconcile with everything but this.
"I'll see you annihilated for this mockery!" Kodachi screeched at the gaki in the bodies of her grandparents, summoning the full strength of her bracelet. Soon she glowed with a shining golden aura, like concentrated sunbeams. "Shatter!" She commanded with an echoing harmonic, hurling the Sword of her Soul directly upwards and releasing twin sunbursts from each hand.
As twin golden ovoids shot forth, Ranma and Nabiki became aware of what the other member of their team was about to do – attacking and therefore empowering her defeated enemies.
"Don't!" They yelled in tandem.
The sunbursts struck with a high musical B-Sharp in an ever-brightening nimbus. The Furinken students shielded their eyes, until they felt more than saw the attack fade. When they looked again, Kodachi held her sword defensively, obviously facing relatives.
The aristocratic family resemblance was noticeable in the strides the two gaki began taking towards their nemesis, emulating Tatewaki Kuno's measured yet relentless pace toward an object of his affection. No longer resembling decaying corpses in crumbling linen shrouds, they appeared more ghost-like with a faint hint of the attire they preferred in life.
If she was unnerved by the second failure, the devil huntress didn't show it as she waved her sword in an intricate pattern, etching the characters for redemption and life in the air. "The Second Spoke," she announced coldly as the tracery completed, "Redeem."
Flashing briefly with a white light, the kanji for life/redemption illuminated the two ghost-like gaki, suffusing them with power from whatever entity Kodachi worked on behalf of.
The two standing behind the defiant girl shielded their eyes. When they could look, a white-haired woman wearing traditional a red kimono, emblazoned with roses and the symbols of clan Kuno, stood on Kodachi' right. A bald gentleman in a silken magistrate's robe flanked her left side.
Seeing their presence as a threat, Ranma rushed at the old distinguished man with a grapple he intend to turn into a distance throw, only to pass right through Grandpa Kuno in surprise.
Nabiki watched Ranma's failure and quick recovery on the paved highway, and caught his eye, shaking her head. Warned off, Ranma sat on cold cement and watched; while he couldn't read lips, he knew emotionally wrenching body language.
Silent tears flowed down the youngest Kuno's face, as she refused to believe what was required. When ten minutes of ghostly communion passed, she embraced her grandparents, and they faded with gentle smiles.
Not bothering to wipe her sorrow away, the devil hunter said thickly, "I forgave them for being used against their wills to hurt me; it's the hardest thing I ever did."
Leaving the place of confrontation behind, the three continued silently on the Path of Destroyed Enemies, coming to a curve a few hundred steps down the road. At the end of the lazy turning, they found themselves once more at Ranma's eightfold crossroads.
As they approached the signpost, the highway behind them evaporated into the sky, like a vanishing mirage. The oppressive solemnity went with it, and they felt conversation possible again.
" 3 "
" 3 "
-3rd path taken-
"Now that we've faced our wrenching emotional challenges, what does Mr. Macho Martial Artist have waiting for him?" After seeing the stuck up rich girl suffer more than she, Nabiki's emotional equilibrium completely restored itself.
"Don't worry Ranma-sama, we'll be with you." Assured the devil-hunter, having collected her composure.
"Stay well behind, I expect I'll be facing a hideous demon that nearly killed me before." With the hands of both girls on his shoulders, Ranma Saotome tensely stepped onto the Path of Good Intentions.
The rustic route remained the same, though this time he immediately spotted the ominous blackened peaks of the border to Hell rising in the distance. Dark smoke drifted upwards from their depths.
After walking a mile, the grasses around them stirred, and a band four tailed Kitsune wearing the tanned skins of humans arose from the sparse cover on either side of the path, surrounding Ranma's group.
The thirteen foxes were human sized, in the five-foot range, and their leader stood a massive ten feet and sported a bad triple-claw scar on his left cheek. Their stances showed they had batto-jutsu rapid strike training, and each carried a sheathed katana and wakazashi (Japanese short sword) in easy reach.
"You must get through us to continue." Spoke the eldest fox in an oddly accented voice. It was almost like he sang the words.
Smirking arrogantly, Ranma snorted. "Come get some, you unlucky freaks!" A gilded silver bo staff appeared in his hand, courtesy of Hidden Weapons.
Laughing with her trademark, 'OH Hohohohohoho!' Kodachi produced a black ribbon, which she tied to the hilt of her devil-hunting sword. Soon it began glowing with golden power.
Annoyed her companions immediately jumped to battle-mode, Nabiki whispered to Ranma, "If something goes wrong, your job is saving me." Then she brazenly walked over to the gray-muzzled fox that had spoken the warning.
"We can use more human ears for belts!" Growled the leader in a low baritone. An aggressive round of yipping echoed him as twelve foxes encircled Ranma and Kodachi.
-
"Exactly why are you Kitsune guarding a tract of land in the middle of nowhere?" Drawled the Tendo girl lazily while smiling at a battle scarred four tailed fox, indicating she was enraptured by his looks and charm. They walked into the tall dark green crab grass that lined the beaten dirt trail of the Path of Good Intentions. Both wanted to be well away from the coming battle.
"Actually, we're border guards." Explained the old fox, who was missing most of an ear. He absently scratched his stomach through the cured brown leather he wore; his visible fur had aged into a tangled ratty gray mess. Noticing this, Nabiki gave him more room, fearing hell-fleas. "This is the edge of Hell, and we warn off idiots like you. If we were defeated, then evils would run rampant across the Kami-realms. However, looking at your pathetic friends, it's likely we'll have new decorations soon."
"Foxy-baby, why don't you and I step over there away from this little fight, and you can tell me all about what a chore it is guarding the border to Hell." Nabiki's invitation was offered in a sultry voice, though they walked rapidly away from approaching fight.
"I'm not a cross-species pervert." Explained the older kitsune, who continued following the girl off to the sidelines.
"Of course not, foxy-baby! Whatever made you think I was interested?" Delivered Nabiki playfully. "Anyway, while we watch our respective companions, you can fill me on the details." They stopped about two hundred feet into the weedy meadow of crab grass.
"I suppose I could," muttered the old fox, "after your friends die, we can always use good slaves. You don't have a fighter's aura, so I could easily subdue you."
-
"Dachi, the leader is mine, can you handle the rest?" Glaring the large red fox-mutant, Ranma used obscene hand gestures to convey clearly that he was the proper opponent.
"I can't imagine these foxes are tougher than piddling oni." Responded the gymnast loudly, spreading her hands in derision and eliciting snarls from the massed troupe.
Holding his left paw out, the leader brought it straight down, signaling a rushing attack in their band's assault code.
"Come get some boys!" Purred the Black Rose, sending a lightning arc from her glowing golden ribbon and blasting a Kitsune airborne.
Ranma closed on the leader, who had a reach advantage, and engaged his silver staff against black twin swords.
Five of the remaining ten Kitsune toppled over, paralyzed. Half were from needles Ranma hit their Immobilization Points with during his gesturing. Half were from poisoned darts Kodachi used with high precision when she spread her hands mockingly. In a display of overlapping intentions, one poor fox had been subjected to both. That one would sleep for days.
Settling in a good testing rhythm, Ranma had begun evaluating the huge Kitsune's style when suddenly he ducked his head.
The fox Kodachi blasted airborne spun its tails like propellers to regain altitude and soon started another strafing run. The golden blast left no noticeable injuries on the flying kitsune.
The Devil Huntress meanwhile was hard-pressed fighting against two foxes simultaneously, while her ribbon absorbed and redirected shuriken, ki attacks, and hostile magic bursts from three more. It acted like a sentient creature as she backed down the dirt track at a measured pace, giving ground while readying her next move.
The Kitsune leader became overmatched as Ranma executed Splitting Cat Hairs while whirling his bo-staff, and he clicked his evil swords together, sending a huge ki-wave to disrupt the images, which the real Ranma flowed around using the Essence of the Sea. The reckless energy continued toward the flying fox, forcing a frantic ascent and effectively removing him from combat.
Kodachi was down to four opponents, after tracing out 'Justice' as part of a defensive sword form. Having not been truly evil according the laws governing the Fourth Spoke, the fox in the way was merely unconscious as opposed to being vaporized. The kitsune's human-skin clothing had been completely destroyed.
Sensing an opening while holding off the deadly dance of the leader's relentless swords, Ranma used a dual ki blast from his staff ends. It forced the huge Kitsune into an unfavorable parry, his left sword slicing a furrow into the ground as the tall fox struggled not to unbalance and fall.
In general, things were looking up for the Japanese kids, when the need for fighting was removed. Nabiki finished her interrogation.
"Stop this!" Yelled the running Kitsune elder from the sidelines. He emitted a series of yips and yelps, which translated to 'The anal-retentive Japanese Kami are screwing with us' provided the blandishments about non-functioning genitalia, ancestry, hygiene, and cleanliness were omitted.
"Break off, it's a trap!" Added Nabiki, walking leisurely over, noting her side had been kicking fox-ass.
Wearily, the remaining foxes backed off, awaiting an explanation. Their leader barked his gratitude to his shaman, knowing his life had been saved. The airborne kitsune crash-landed, and slowly stopped spinning his tails.
-
"The short version is the leader of these humans is directly responsible for assigning us this shit job of guard duty." The gray, dog-eared fox shaman explained when things settled and no one was obviously dead.
"We should kill them for that!" Bellowed the kitsune-leader, fingering his swords until Kodachi glared at him and he cringed.
"The reason behind that assignment is the previous guardians, a band of oni from Hellside, were eradicated in mortal combat. By him." Stated the elder Kitsune, pointing at Ranma.
"That's it! Call the head office! No divinity pisses on my Damnation for any reason!" Pulling out a dark crystal that essentially functioned as a Hell phone, the leader threw it to the elder fox. "Rip some flaccid bureaucrat a new one for the team, Nipso."
Using a series of barks and yips, the gray-muzzled Kitsune activated the crystal, and was answered in kind.
A brief droning cadence indicated headquarters put them on hold.
In the interim, Nabiki cheerfully explained what was going on. "Basically, from what we figured out, these guys guard a restricted pocket of Hell housing high-powered demon renegades. This duty is shared by the kami and the devils, since those sealed within turned against both. Traditionally the guards number thirteen, have additional symbology associated with being outcast, such as facial scarring, and are led by a demigod class entity. If somehow they are all killed, one of the seals around the prisoners fails."
"So that shapeshifting dragon-thing that nearly killed me isn't showing up?" Asked Ranma in relief.
Yelping merrily, the fox soldiers absorbed this: "The Formless Duke is loose? He usually kills a couple Gods before they trap him."
The dark telison crystal emitted a string of barks after the happy news.
"Headquarters says your test is over, and they are sending someone down to clear up the mess." Translated the elder fox. "They also said somegod exceeded their authority and it won't happen again." Spitting near a clump of tall crab grass, Nipso added, "Like I believe that."
With a tinkling of bells a small winged man materialized ten feet above them. He wore a miniature white suit and red tie, and suddenly the air smelled of ripe cherries.
"I'm here for a Wild Child, Black Rose, and the sister of the Misty Way of Heaven."
"That's us." Waved Nabiki, indicating Ranma and Kodachi.
Brightening, the minor kami pulled out a scroll and a small pair of eyeglasses.
"Ahem." He read: "It's not the intentions themselves which place a person on the road of Hell, but the consequences and repercussions of acting on those intentions. If the ends and means are not worthy of another, then there is Hell to pay. While you indeed have mastered this test, you did not do it alone. Therefore I'm afraid you'll be learning this lesson again in the Kami Realms, Ranma Saotome. Think more, when you don't have friends guiding you."
The kami's pronouncement was met with an amused smile from Nabiki. "So are we required to look in the mirror anymore?" Asked the materialistic one sarcastically.
"No, you've revelation enough for now. Take the visible path into the lands of Yomi; you may find help from any kami whose sphere of influence extends into the elements, energy, or medicine. Ki-no-mata-no-kami, Mi-wi-no-kami, and Amatersu-omi-kami are the closest choices, though Su-san-O might be most expert."
The small winged man raised his little hands. With a burst of magic, they found themselves back at the eightfold crossroads, facing the only pathway present, to the north.
-
After the humans vanished, the Cherry Blossom Sprite found himself confined in a malevolent binding of hatred and scorn.
"Maybe after we feast on your power and send your head back to headquarters, they'll learn not to use the dangerous Hell-confinement zone for pointless tests of worthiness." Absently licking bruises from the previous battle, the ten-foot tall Kitsune bared his teeth. He had anger to channel, having gotten the sense that male he fought played with him.
"That bitch Izanami made me do it!" Wailed the sprite.
"We must ask ourselves, 'are the ends and means worthy of each other.' " Retorted the gray-muzzled Kitsune shaman.
"I'd say there's Hell to pay!" Yelled a smaller fox from the sidelines.
"Don't worry, after a week or so, you'll be dead. Izanami won't mind." Nipso assured the sprite, who fearfully realized his disturbing lack of backup.
Violence commenced.
--
This time when the three stepped unto an unpaved wide dirt road, common to feudal Japan, the signpost behind them remained and did not vanish. Nothing happened as the travelers moved down this newest direction. Ranma first sensed the waiting presence, but Kodachi promptly pointed out it was masking its true power and holy in origin.
They proceeded, agreeing this waiting Kami felt peaceful. Soon they saw their judge: A wizened old man stood in the middle of the road. He leaned on a staff of air and dust and was dressed in robes bluer than the skies of Earth.
"Hey gramps," greeted Ranma with typical respect, "you know anything about removing a curse called the 'Bane of Heirs?' "
Nabiki rolled her eyes and adjusted her backpack; the old boy was obviously a major kami. Even she could feel his welcoming aura of peace. Hopefully the Saotome mouth wouldn't make him too pissed off.
Kodachi's eyes merely widened at the controlled magical power she felt. The vibes from her relic again reassured the Devil Hunter the aura was genuine.
"Well, well, you're certainly not what we expected." Greeted a jovial airy tenor voice from the ancient mouth. "While you are a bit headstrong, you seem able to ask for help. The crossroads were designed specifically to stop you alone, not even we thought you'd make it beyond."
Seeing Ranma about to talk, Nabiki stepped forward while smacking the back of his head, letting him know to shut up. "We mean no trespass on your domains sir; we are merely travelers trying to remove a burden of misery from our somewhat stupid companion. I am Nabiki Tendo, and these are Ranma Saotome and Kodachi Kuno." She bowed diplomatically and the others followed a second later.
Chuckling a bit, the old man smiled. "Thank you miss Tendo. You can call me Izzy-chan. I am a watcher of displaced views, though people who stare back at me are often struck by my beauty."
"I can't imagine why." Muttered Ranma before Nabiki's elbow hit him.
"So Izzy-chan," spoke Kodachi, tasting a strange phrase as she spoke the name, "do you know how to remove a curse like the Bane of Heirs?"
The old man scratched his bald scalp for a bit, and answered. "Down of business so soon. I guess I don't mind. Yes, I know exactly who can help."
"But?" Questioned Nabiki, filling in an awkward drawn out pause.
"My wife would be unhappy if I didn't send you up to meet her. She'll help you with the other burden yoked to your neck as well, provided you can ride out her tempest. When you get there, let her know 'Izzy-chan says storms may drift apart.' "
As the old man finished his cryptic message, a white cloud settled around him until he became hidden from view. It dissolved quickly, leaving no trace of the ancient one after it dispersed. The path now led to an impossibly high stone tower that looked like it kissed the sky.
Cautiously, Nabiki advised: "He didn't say his wife was the one who would remove the Bane of Heirs."
"Let's go." Said Ranma happily, seeing a clear goal. Anyone who lived in a monument like that surely had the power to remove a simple curse.
--Meanwhile--
"So you thought guarding the helicopter while your insane rose-girl and her servants faced dire circumstances was a task well within your abilities?"
Nodding meekly from where he was hogtied on the ground, Sasuke stared up at the annoyed face of Ryouga.
"I still owe those wackos something from the last time they tried to cook me -- Breaking Point, Advanced!" Yelled Ryouga while touching the Kuno symbol on the helicopter.
Watching horrified as the finest transportation he had been privileged to pilot became mangled wreckage, the incompetent ninja retainer began praying not-so-silently.
"If not for the haunting melody oddly reminiscent of the "Legend of Zelda" I never would have found this place." Mused the lost boy aloud.
At this point Sasuke broke into angry tears; betrayed by his own Secret Ninja Game Boy!
Not sure about what to do about a wailing ninja weasel, Ryouga wandered off.
---
Soon the three travelers approached the base of Sky Tower, staring at the architecture as it ascended into the heavens. It resembled a totem pole full of stacked Japanese shrines, all with a prominent primal motif. The height of the structure could not be usefully estimated beyond ten thousand feet, where the edifice disappeared into cloud cover.
"I have a bad feeling." Said Ranma wearily. "I think we're dealing with Izanami and Izanagi, the brother and sister who married each other in myths and created the Edo of Japan. That staff the old guy was leaning on was probably Ame-no-Nuboko, the Heavenly Spear."
"Didn't they get the first Japanese divorce after Izanami died giving birth to the God of Fire, and was consigned to Yomotsu-Kuni, the Land of the Dead?" Asked Nabiki, thinking the entire situation too convenient.
"According to myth, Izanagi went to rescue his sister-wife in from the Land of the Dead, but somehow broke a promise. He ended up sealing Izanami in the underworld and she threatened to kill a thousand of his followers a day until he apologized. He said he'd merely make fifteen hundred new followers a day, and left her."
Looking at Ranma strangely for his demonstrated knowledge of myth, Nabiki answered, showing suspicion, "I guess they got back together. Wasn't Izanami the one who sent the little kami to us on the Path of Good Intentions?"
The tatami doors of the bottom shrine slid open, cutting off his reply with an impossibly loud grinding. Ranma would have expected an avalanche to rumble so, not a mere paper screen. But the bottom shrine was an Earth Shrine, which might explain the cacophony.
Kodachi, who already knew the mythic background, had investigated the entrance while Nabiki had gotten up to speed. She hadn't knocked; the doors slowly rumbled apart at her cautious approach.
"We are expected." Stated the devil hunter blandly. "It might be wise to maintain physical contact while again stepping into an unknown."
Recognizing Kodachi's veiled attempt to grope him, Ranma also saw wisdom in the plan.
They entered the threshold hand in hand, and walked into a temple honoring the Clay of Creation. The shrine was shaped like a donut, with a huge stone support column taking the place of central hole. A winding spiral staircase attached to the massive cylindrical support led upwards to the next sacred shrine. Frescoes and carvings showing a celebration of Earthen forms decorated the walls, explaining how to shape the Clay of Creation. The atmosphere felt like a sacred museum.
Ranma's thought to start climbing, but he noticed his companions didn't agree. Kodachi was carefully examining the frescoes for hidden warning or traps, and Nabiki was engaged in feeling around the central column.
Sitting on the stair second from the bottom, Ranma watched with a slightly bored expression. Kodachi had completely walked around the circumference of the shrine when Nabiki called out triumphantly.
Prodding a slightly raised section of the huge central column, the middle Tendo caused the wall to slide sideways, exposing an opening. Her shouted obscenity brought her companions running.
Inside the central support whirled a tornado, perfectly contained. The winds refused to die, but oddly produced no greedy suction on objects outside the column.
"This is a strange magic." Ventured the devil hunter unhelpfully, pointing her bracelet at it, and moving it around in attempted analysis.
"It is certainly not the elevator I hoped for." Groused Nabiki while sitting and massaging her aching feet.
"Actually," muttered the master of the Hi-Ryu-Shoten-Ha, "this might do."
Staring at the martial artist like he was insane, the tired backpacking girl began violently shaking her head in denial. "No way! I'm not being thrown into a tornado. Not gonna happen. That's final."
--
"Remember Nabiki, keep your eyes completely closed." Soothed Ranma as they flew upwards inside the heart of the winds.
The girl in his arms whimpered again. Hanging on to her ribbon, wrapped around his left ankle, Kodachi laughed in sheer joy. She'd always wanted to fly!
Mostly lost to the tempest, an occasionally 'hoho' still drifted upwards to the passenger in Ranma's arms. Soothingly, he patted Nabiki on the back of her head and muttered 'eighty percent' a few more times, feeling her marginally relax.
--
Spinning out of the top of the tornado, Ranma expertly controlled his trajectory, and landed easily, setting his passenger down gently. Kodachi tumbled through several somersaults, and bounced off the top of the circular dome while retracting her ribbon with a snap of her wrist. Gracefully, she landed next to her love in a gymnastic 'tree' position, with the arms stretched over her head like protective branches.
Examining their surroundings, they could stare down into the raging windstorm, and shudder from vertigo. Standing on a stone balcony with no railings, they saw a spiraling staircase heading downward to a shrine celebrating passion, and one ascending to what seemed to be a patch of starlight. The ceiling was slightly domed in a concave oval, and a mysterious light source illuminated the raging storm below.
Catching their breath, the group headed upwards into the dim light.
Emerging from the short staircase, and entering the top of Sky Tower left a lingering impression of majesty. The entire top level was enclosed in a protective transparent bubble, and Ranma became struck by the starry black sky. Harsh starlight glowed gently on the comfortably hanging collection of fungi populating the roof. Rows of exotic mushrooms adorned the edges of the open circular garden, occupying trenchers of lustrous metals.
Nabiki blinked as she swore the silver triangular pot holding a giant shiitake emitted a feeble whisper for help.
Identifying the throne of skulls nestled at the eastern edge of the strange garden; Kodachi spotted their hostess at last.
Not hesitating, Ranma walked boldly toward the withered elderly lady in black lounging on the obviously uncomfortably chair with jawbones sticking out at unnatural angles, and introduced his party. Those polished bones leering at them emptily must be bumpy.
Each bowed their heads in turn, when he mentioned their name. After minutes of awkward silence, their hostess finally deigned to acknowledge her visitors, directly adding to their memories her august deifications. Mother of Fire, Ruler of the Lands of the Dead, Wife to the Sky, and Mote in the Eye of Space were perhaps the most impressive. Izanami's voice spoke of secrets long buried, and enduring passions tempered into ordinary life. She reminded Kodachi of her deceased grandmother.
"A high-level ki adept, a Devil Hunter serving the Spokes, and a Japanese school girl of no significance. Is she here for a particular reason?"
"None that I can tell, great Goddess." Replied Kodachi politely, liking a fellow botanist already, though her choice in thrones left much to be desired. Personally, the Black Rose would have used the bones for fertilizer and rested her delicate ass in something neo-Victorian with lots of soft cushions.
Examining Nabiki closer, the Goddess frowned. "Her soul is old, and her current incarnation is clever and cynical. She has strong sexual attraction to power, and the symbols representing it. Because of a high libido, she is unusually manipulative. No magic potential, less corruptible thanks to family bonds. Have anything to say for yourself, girlie?" Izanami intently gazed at the normal girl, staring at her soul.
"My special power is my overwhelming strength of character!" Sneered Nabiki defiantly, shaken by the exacting analysis.
"She is our group's negotiator." Explained Ranma gravely.
Laughing like a gentle breeze, the grand olde dame smiled. "You're not as stupid as we thought, Ranma Saotome. Now, to business."
Mastering her discomfort, Nabiki suavely explained: "It is the primary focus of this expedition to remove a curse from our leader know as the 'Bane of Heirs.' While I don't doubt your power to do this, it must be done without altering otherwise sound parts of Ranma Saotome, such as his mind or other magical blessings upon his person."
"Let me examine you then Ranma Saotome, step forward." The ancient voice of the Goddess sounded hungry, but whatever nebulous abyssal fears it dredged up in the minds of his companions did not affect the cursed martial artist, who stepped closer to the throne of piled skulls.
A sickly transparent weave of power surrounded Ranma, as if a ghost were embracing him and drawing his substance into itself. This spiritual tug only lasted but a minute; a minute of eternal worry for Nabiki and Kodachi, who found themselves paralyzed in place for the duration of the strange exam.
"I detect great influences of power upon you, warrior." Croaked Izanami belligerently. "I only care about one. So you are presumptuous enough to bring that artifact into my Presence!"
Looking at Izanami, Ranma belatedly remembered Yusaku's warning involving the Amulet of Presence in the Kami realms. To keep away from Izanagi, or was it Izanami? Something about an old bitch being homicidally fixated on the Amulet. With Lin as secretary, he wondered if the fallen kami knew the difference between male and female.
Absently fingering the Amulet that ignited Izanami's temper, which he had honestly forgotten, Ranma felt an energy pulsation of great strength behind him. Walking slowly backwards, his eyes never leaving the angered goddess, Ranma vision gradually expanded to encompass a pillar of purple light.
The bottom of the pillar was made of nine broken sticks, each of them with a pointed ending dipped into primal darkness. Behind the malevolent barrier, a flaring golden circle fought for freedom. It reminded him of Kodachi's bracelet.
Raising her hand off an armrest of polished bones, the Ruler of the Land of the Dead effortlessly levitated a paralyzed schoolgirl. "The Servant of the Spokes will not be a factor in this round of 'talking.' " Hissed the ancient being. "But you may use your negotiator if you wish. Her mouth functions, though she slowly becomes sculptured marble."
The mistress of Furinken's betting pools, whose shoes were now the glistening white of sandblasted tiles, looked at him accusingly. "Don't 'eighty percent' me this time Saotome; this one is completely your fault. I warned you earlier."
Amazed her voice held so little nervousness in it, Ranma hoped Nabiki's faith in him was deserved.
-Back in the mortal plane, late that night. . . . .
"Lin, Lin! I can't find it Lin!" Rushing around his cubbyhole office at the Martial Arts Genealogy building, Yusaku-no-kami panicked while hyperventilating.
Holding up the book the frantic man had been reading that afternoon; his secretary walked over and calmly struck him on the head with it, forcing a reaction. Dozens of emergencies had been solved in this fashion.
Eyes focusing on the object used to attract his attention, Yusaku grabbed it absently, glancing at the cover. Then he pitched it over his shoulder unconcerned, and resumed tearing his office apart.
Stunned, as the book bounced off her head, Lin wondered at the cause of such behavior. For her boss to manhandle a work of knowledge was blasphemy in his opinion.
"Yusaku, what is it you're looking for?" Asked the bewildered secretary.
"The Amulet of Presence!" He shouted frantically. "It should automatically return, but somehow it's been stolen."
"What's the big deal? That stupid bonsai talisman is only a locator on the kami planes; it doesn't really do anything." Sounding bored and puzzled, Lin looked like she wasn't sure if her boss had snapped.
Completely knowing the history and powers of the artifact he no longer possessed, Yusaku ignored this criticism. The Amulet of Presence required periodic exposure to the kami plane to maintain functioning, but why did he longer have it? A hunch told him it would return next Tuesday, but Yusaku-no-kami focused on the havoc the relic might cause in the wrong hands.
After another bout of fruitless searching, the small kami in disguise sat heavily in his personal clutter. 'Oh well,' he thought gloomily, 'its not like a major goddess will freely acquire it and invert Presence into Absence. I probably found a moron to dupe into recharging it and bungled a memory spell.'
Reassured, the man realized he was sitting on the spine of his original copy of "War God Lineages" which had its cover torn and two pages ripped out. Seething at this desecration, he yelled at Lin for hours.
-
"So what exactly is it you want?" Evaluating the amount of power being used by the Mistress of Sky Tower, Ranma did not think he could win and save his companions. Izanami would exterminate them. Gambling against permanent death was not good odds -- Yomotsu-Kuni, the Land of the Dead, had been under her mythological rule for thousands of years.
Her voice reverberated with an ultimatum: "Yield the Amulet of Presence, and I will free you and arrange for the Bane of Heirs to be removed. Otherwise I will track its progress through the astral as you perish." Completely in control, the elder goddess sounded like she looked forward to closing the deal, and either outcome appealed immensely.
"Do it! Give it to her!" Shouted Nabiki desperately, now frozen in marble up to her waist.
Hesitantly, Ranma removed the talisman from his neck, and held it out with his right hand. A wave of what his ki-senses interpreted as devouring hunger arose from the goddess. Looking at the silvery chain and simple inscribed disk, he realized he had no idea what its true purpose was. For a power like Izanami to use this level of force, it must do something wonderful.
"Lady, I yield this Amulet to you, freely of my own will, provided you do not use it to harm anyone, that you follow your earlier promise, and that no kami will ever curse me again." Holding his hands open with the trinket on display, Ranma motioned for the goddess to take it.
A tendril of dark purple energy emanated from the Izanami's forehead and levitated the amulet to a place of prominence around her neck. It settled snugly, like it had always belonged.
The pillar surrounding Kodachi ceased, and she fell heavily to her knees in near exhaustion. Nabiki's transformation reversed, and she soon became flesh and blood again.
"What will that thing do for you anyway?" Asked Ranma curiously, sensing the danger had passed.
After a brief pause, a series of images and information appeared directly inside his mind, as when introductions took place. The world as it was today in all its modern glory. People turning away from the kami for life's answers. A blasted planet becoming fertile. A beam of death transfigured into healing through the bonsai tree on the Amulet. A baby crying.
Other confusing images he couldn't understand, but the intent of the elder kami was using the Amulet as a catalyst to create life on another world, and be worshipped again. By now, Ranma easily understood more worlds existed than he could count.
Blinking away the ambitions of the goddess who had manipulated them, Ranma was greeted by the concerned faces of his companions. Nabiki looked particularly annoyed as she asked, "Izanami showed us the trap of repetition you have fallen into Saotome, but that can't be true, can it?"
"Completely." Replied their leader.
Crestfallen, Nabiki muttered to herself, "Eighty percent, my ass. Too good to be true."
"Our hostess drew the sigils of Void and Energy upon your forehead with her powers. From what I can tell, they prevent kami magic from altering your appearance or behavior. My relic informs me that while you cannot be cursed, you also cannot be healed." Sticking to the facts, Kodachi was embarrassed she couldn't have been of greater assistance.
Absorbing these details, Ranma used hot and cold ki, switching between male and female and assuring himself Jusenkyo still functioned. Finally he turned to the Mistress of the Sky, and muttered "Izzy-chan says 'storms may drift apart.' "As instructed by the old kami who directed them here.
A wave of satisfaction emanated from Izanami before she controlled herself. Then she spoke.
"Now, the answer to your heart's quest, Child of Wild Chaos." The voice coming from all direction was unforgettably multi-harmonic. Ranma suspected the goddess had used power to vibrate the air to achieve the effect, which spoke very highly of her control. The subsonic overtones inspired adulation and horror. "While I can easily cut magic from your soul, it would remove too much, leaving a pale shadow. Seek out the god's physician, who dwells inside Castle Uka. The delicate touch of his lineage can safely remove the Bane of Heirs from your inner tangles. Take the northern path, and beware the lesson you shall relearn."
A period of silence greeted the pronouncement as the humans mastered their awe.
"I have one additional condition." Added Nabiki, pressing her luck. "From what I understand we will not remember this day when we awaken tomorrow. I want Kodachi to remember she's made peace with her Grandparents."
Smiling with darkness in her eyes, the primal goddess nodded. "Very well Nabiki Tendo, you and the Servant of the Spokes will relive the spiritual lessons taught about yourselves in future dreams."
As the echoes of this judgment faded, the group's negotiator realized she hadn't specified those dreams to be pleasant or soon.
"They will unsettle you shortly girls. Now wrap everything up, your leader's day is ending. Time flows strangely upon this Shore of the Sky." Their hostess sounded matronly this time.
Looking within himself, Ranma realized the truth spoken by the goddess. Oddly, his day should have already reset, but extra time had been granted with divine intervention. The power used for this felt familiar, too.
Izanami smiled benignly at him from her Thrones of Skulls, made from the crushed followers of her husband. She reminded him of a younger Cologne.
"You tricked me!" Accused Nabiki admiringly. "I'd say 'I won't forget this' but I really will. Since I won't be myself again, I must confess, for the first time I'm sorry Akane got you." Blushing a bit, the Tendo girl allowed herself to fade.
"Ranma-sama, your word I'll be freed again, when your repetitions end."
"You know you have it, Kodachi-chan."
"Then I'm content." She too, faded.
An instant later, Ranma Saotome found herself in the koi pond. She was grateful her quest for ending the Bane of Heirs progressed, but immeasurably saddened the experiences shared with Nabiki and Kodachi were lost on the winds of time. Ranma had gained respect and appreciation for her companions during their day of bargaining with the kami. Perhaps even enough respect to seriously consider marrying them.
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Next: "Castles of Pride"
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--Signpost quotations on fear/good intentions from Charles Caleb Colton, (1780-1832, author, clergyman)
--Signposts: Ranma 2nd quote from Andre Malraux, Nabiki quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Kodachi quote is attributed to Einstein, though he may not have said it.