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The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising
Chapter Six: Coming of the Angel
Ryoga was surprised by the condition of the Dojo. It was not exactly run down, but it was a far cry from the way Kasumi had kept it. The gates to the compound themselves had paint peeling, and the sign out front was looking warn. He looked up at the quickly approaching sunset, and decided to knock.
He had been elected as their representative here, since the Tendos knew him well as both Ranma and Akane's friend. He was not comfortable doing this, but from what Ranma had said, and what he knew about the Kunos, he had to agree that this was necessary.
His rapid knock echoed through out the silent streets, and they waited. Akari moved up beside him, and wrapped an arm around his waist. He smiled down at her, and kissed her forehead gently. Konatsu, still dressed in guys cloths, was standing to the side of the gate, watching. He smiled sadly at the couple, and wished he had someone like that for himself.
It did not take long before someone came to answer the door, and as the gate opened, and Kasumi looked out, Ryoga suddenly felt such guilt for not coming over more often, to help them out.
Kasumi was looking haggard. Bags under her eyes, her dress not half as neat and clean as it would have been, and her hair was looking a bit on the unkempt side. She looked out at the three of them, not recognizing anyone. She looked afraid.
Konatsu and Akari were understandable, since she had never met his fiancée, and Konatsu was dressed as a man now. Had he changed that much in a year? He was dressed in fairly new cloths, a pair of loose running pants, a white t-shirt, and running shoes, none of which had ever seen the travel he used do. He even wore his hair shorter, since Akari liked it that way. Only his ever present Bandanna was the same, and he wore that around his neck now days. He decided introductions were in order.
"It's me Ryoga, Kasumi. We decided to stop by and see how you and your family were."
She studied him again, staring into his eyes now, and gasp faintly. "Oh my…" It was completely unexpected when pushed the gate wide, and grabbed him in a hug so fierce he didn't even thing HE could break it. "Oh Ryoga! Thank goodness you're here!"
******************************************************
Ranma was not feeling well. It was not anything physical, that he WAS sure of. It had something to do with all the memories he had been receiving and sharing. They were racing throughout his mind, each as powerful and vivid as if they had just happened. All the emotions, all those events, tearing him apart.
He staggered into an alley, almost two blocks away from the Neko Hanten still, and collapsed to his knees, stomach retching, but he had not eaten in over a day, and their was nothing to come up. He just knelt there, on his hands and knees, wishing he could die.
When it was finally passed, he rolled onto his back, gasping for air, and tried to focus his mind, but he could not find his center. Too much was running throughout his head. He could remember his death, feel the cutting of the skin across his cheek, the violation in the most painful and demeaning way, the guilt at failing Ranma and Akane, Loving Ranma with all of his heart.
"NO! Those aren't mine. I AM Ranma Saotome! Those things happened to other people. Not to me. No to me!"
He was helpless for the moment, lying there, waves of depression and sadness leaving him a worthless wreck. The sun finished it's decent, and the alley he was in was lit only by a faint street light. And through that gloom, he heard the beat of wings on the cold evening air…
*****************************************************
Ryoga was busy fixing up some of the loose wall and floor boards inside the dojo. He had picked up quite a few repair tricks while on Akari's farm, and had been glad to help out around the Tendos.
The fact that they were helping out around the home was an amazing occurrence. It was mainly Akari's doing. As soon as she had seen that they had needed help, she had immediately began offering help. Kasumi had tried to refuse, sighting the fact that they were guests, and it had become a match between the irresistible force, and the immovable object. He had been betting on Akari the whole time though. When she turned on the sweetness, no one could resist.
So they had All set out to start helping around the old place. Konatsu had the main house, and was working up a storm. He cleaned with a skill that impressed even Kasumi. He had taken the dojo, since he preferred to be working out here, so close to a place where martial artists trained. That, and to avoid her.
He set the hammer down for a moment and rolled into a sitting position. The floor board would have to wait. Wiping his forehead with one hand, he picked up the cup of sake Mr. Tendo had given him. He was not much of a drinker, but tonight, he figured he could get away with a little. He sipped it, and relaxed. The last two days had topped every other bit of weirdness he and the rest had ever experienced.
Ranma's return had been unexpected, but since he had touched his mind, he found that there was certainly a good reason for it. For Ryoga, it had laid the last of his demons to rest. Or at least most of them. He felt more at peace than he had in his entire life, more focused, more centered. He knew his life with Akari was his destiny, and he was happy with that. But there was still that one ghost, that one thing that was not quite laid to rest. It had kept him away from here for so long.
He finished his drink, and set the dish down, and an amusing thought came to him. He wondered if Soun had finally stopped crying for joy at their arrival yet. The three of them had been gone for almost and hour, Akari having taken them shopping for things that they could no longer afford. Like decent food. Their current financial state took away a lot of his humor. His fist punched the floor softly, and still the boards creaked.
"I should have come around more often…"
"Yes… You should have."
He wheeled, rising to his feet in a blink. He was ready for the trouble Ranma had warned them would come. But instead of some minion of the Kuno's, or one of the Amazon women, he found the one person he had been hesitant to see.
Akane had changed more than he would have believed, in ways he would have given anything to have changed. She was thin, and her body no longer had the tone or grace of the martial artist. Her hair was swept back in a simple ponytail which was set high on the back of her head. The mass of scars that even modern medicine had not managed to remove changed half her face into a pale white mask of lines. It was her eyes that hurt him the most though. They were dark, still as beautiful as he remembered them, but they no longer held the life they once had. The watched him like the eyes of a dead person might.
She moved her crutches forward, taking slow, and shifted her weight , swinging her legs forward. She came to him slowly, silently, and he saw why he had not heard her approach. She had gotten very good at moving silently on them.
She got close, and eyed him carefully, as if expecting him to fly away at any moment. Ryoga got kind of embarrassed, and rubbed the back of his head.
"Kasumi told us you were asleep."
"I was." She continued to stare at him, slowly reaching a hand out, and touched his chest. Her hand recoiled from the touch, as if surprised. Her next movement surprised him, and suddenly she was hugging him close, fiercely, as if to never let him go. "Your real! I-I-I thought it was a dream. I thought you never wanted to see me again. I was so alone…" Her tears wet his shirt in an ever increasing downpour.
He hesitated only briefly, then wrapped his arms around her, soothing her, rubbing a hand through her hair. He let her get it all out, all the loneliness. He could think of only one thing to say.
"I am so sorry Akane. So very sorry…" He hoped it was enough.
*****************************************************
Konatsu had seen Akane come down the stairs, one carefully after the other, and had watched silently as she went outside. He knew Ryoga had a past with her, and decided to leave the two of them to it. He went back to working on the living room, scrubbing the floors with great detail.
He almost missed the light knocking at the Tendo's gate, so intent on the floor, so intent on blocking out thoughts of Ukyou. It was the second knock, louder than the first that brought him around. He got up, tossing the scrub brush into the bucket he had been using, and started to go answer the door. He remembered the Tendo's reaction to company though. No one came here anymore. Who ever here was certainly not expected.
Remembering Ranma's warning, he get his short ninja-to from the things they had brought, and unwrapped the hilt. He had never taken a life before, and had no intention of starting now, but if he had to defend himself, he would. He hurried to the door, as the third knock came.
He gave himself a moment to focus his thoughts, letting his ninja training take over. Calm now, focused and at the ready. he opened the gate just a tad, during the persons third knock, and peaked out.
Ukyou Kuonji stood outside, dressed as he had not seen her in almost a year. She locked eyes with him, and smiled warmly.
"Ukyou!" He swung the gate open fully, to let her inside, as was completely overwhelmed by her rushing him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him with a passion he had never dreamed of. He lost track of time, unsure of how long they stayed that way. When they finally broke the kiss, both were breathless.
She looked into his eyes, which burned with a need, for him, he was surprised to see.
"I love you Konatsu Kenzan. I am sorry it took so long to say, but I am saying it now. I only hope you feel the same way still…
His answer was to kiss her again. They stood there, lips pressed together, in each others arms, beneath the rising moon, and he felt things were suddenly right with the world.
*****************************************************
The bird was watching him, staring with an intensity that cut through even his current emotional state. They had locked eyes what seemed like forever ago, and neither had moved. Slowly, through this focus, he began to regain his control, reign in the sadness. As he began to feel better, the bird cawed once, a sharp bark that startled him, and he jerked away from it, and into a crouch. Satisfied, it took flight, into the darkness it flew, back on track with it's mission.
He sat there, and stared at the walls of the alley he had stumbled into. He was still learning his powers, learning what he could do, but he did not like what this one was doing to him. It was good that it had helped his friends, had taken their sorrow and regrets away from them, but somehow he was holding on to them, like the skills he was taking from some of them. He was not the smartest man in the world, but even he knew his mind was not meant to deal with things like that.
Still pondering this, the connection to the crow came, and he was seeing as it saw, seeing what it saw…
******************************************************
The Neko Hanten was busy, shampoo handled all the waiting of tables with the ease of some one with long practice. Even this late into the evening, her Amazon goddess-like good looks could draw the crowds in. She was smiling and taking orders as if she had not a care in the world.
The view turned, and there was Cologne behind the grill with Shampoo's father. Both churned out food at a rapid pace, yet their combined skill was barely keeping up with the demand and Shampoo's speed.
Cologne froze for a moment, and raised her eyes to look out the window. She was staring directly at the crow, and her brows were furrowed in deep concentration. The bird took flight, having no wish for a confrontation, and soared up into the sky, breaking their shared view.
******************************************************
He rage flared with a strength it had never before, not even against Mousse. It burned white hot and flared up, threatening to consume him whole. He was beyond thought now, beyond reason. The angers of Akane Tendo and Ryoga Hibiki burned along side his own, and he knew only on thing. Justice must be done.
He moved with a slow, deliberate pace, striding from the alley, and startling a passer by. His aura flared, and cast a red light around him, strong enough for even the untrained to see it. People cleared out of his path, fear lighting their eyes.
The restaurants doors were before him before he knew it, and he only saw a hindrance to his goal, a barrier. He lashed out with a kick driven by strength driven beyond the supernatural, and the doors blew off their hinges, spraying bit all over those nearest the door.
His aura flared again, brighter than before, and he jabbed a finger out, selecting his target. The young Amazon girl was just turning to face him, an angry look on her face.
"What you do, smash in restaurant door. You pay for…" Their eyes locked, and hers went wide in terror. She spoke in a whisper…
"Ranma…?"
"Time for you to face your crimes, Shampoo. You and the Old Ghoul."
He was moving before she could blink, the power of the afterworld giving him speed beyond anything she could hope to match. He was just within striking distance when the blows fell. He counted a dozen lethal strikes, all delivered with a precision and force that assured death for their target. He went flying into a far wall, knocking aside patrons in his flight. He struck the wall with enough force to collapse part of it.
******************************************************
Cologne had been in the back of the restaurant when the Ki she had felt days ago flared again, so close it made her drop the food she had been fetching from the cooler. It's strength overwhelmed her, drove her to panic, if just for a moment. She stood there helpless as she felt it draw closer.
*"…you will face justice…" Happi's words struck home suddenly, and she was springing into motion just as the doors exploded She did not freeze when she saw who had entered the restaurant, moving towards her great-granddaughter. She simply struck. She blows were aimed to kill, with all her power and focus behind them. Even with his amazing speed, he did not see them coming, and was launched into a nearby wall. Landing, she was not concerned any longer. Nothing could have survived an attack like that. Not from her.
"Great-Grandmother! That Ranma? How he alive?" She was still in shock, afraid of what was happening, and unsure of the fight that had just occurred. Even with all her skill, Shampoo was not capable of having followed something of that speed.
"It was not. It was simply some kind of spirit. It was using Ranma's form to try and trick us. I have… taken care of it."
She was completely unprepared for the Ranma to rise again, shaking the dust from his body, and growling.
"You guys haven't taken care of anything, Old Ghoul. This is far from over."
Cologne rounded on him, her staff before her, body relaxed, face calm. Far from how she felt inside. He was still alive after that attack. No, wait. Ranma was still alive after the events of a year before. He was here now, standing before her stronger that she had ever seen him, and unharmed by blows that would have killed just about anything. What on earth was going on?
"Ah. Son-in-Law. How good of you to have come back to us. We have missed you. Care for something to eat?"
He growled again, and slammed a fist against the nearest table. IT splintered under the blow. She wondered why he had not already attacked, seeing how mad he was. The few patrons left were scurrying out in of their way, and she smiled inwardly. He was buying them time to get away. A weakness to use, should she have to.
"I don't want food. I want to pay you back for all you have done. All you have caused."
"You are not a killer. We both know that."
He smiled then, a thin, tight line that made her realize this was not the same youth she had seen die. He was a whole lot harder. Yet could even death have turned him into a killer?
"I guess you don't watch the news much. Bunch of guys dead on the docks, huge explosion. Sound familiar?"
She heard Shampoo gasp. They had both watched the news. The horrific explosion, men literally beaten to death with a savageness that shocked even her. If what Ranma said was true, then all bets were off. She could not expect anything to be the same with him.
"Listen Ranma. You don't want to do this. I don't want to have to hurt you."
He laughed at that, with an arrogance that was most disturbing, considering what she now knew, and what she had seen with her own eyes. She readied her staff, just in time, for he moved. Her staff blurred, spinning in a defensive whirl, and was satisfied when she deflected flesh, heard bone snap as she knocked his punches away. In a blink he was past her, and she was turning, staff still at the ready.
He turned back, a sick smile on his face, both of his arms held before him, the broken bones obvious as they swayed at awkward angles.
"You don't have the power to hurt me, old woman. You once did, but no longer. Now I have the power. Power to make you pay." His arms snapped downward suddenly, and the snapping of bone could be heard again, and his arms were whole, back to normal. His face had never changed as the bones popped back into place, despite the terrible pain she was sure he had to feel. She did not have long to think on the matter though, as he came at her again…
****************************************************
Shampoo could not follow them as they fought. They were like tricks of the light, one moment here, the next over there. Great-Grandmother had always been this fast, but rarely used it. She had no need to. No one could match her. But now, Ranma was just as fast, if not faster, and he seemed to feel no pain, seemed unstoppable. She began to worry for her life, as well as Cologne's.
She had to help. But something was holding her back. It was a feeling that warred with her sense of self preservation. It told her she deserved what was coming, they both of them had brought his wrath down upon themselves. How could she fight back against something her honor demanded was just? How…?
She made her decision, and grabbed a nearby glass of water. She splashed herself, and felt the tingling, slightly painful twist of her transformation. She crawled out of the dress she had been wearing, and leapt into the air, fully intent on her target. She could scare Ranma away, using his fear of cats. It had always hurt her, how afraid of her he had been in this form, but now she was dependant on it.
She was not quite sure of what happened next, for she was grabbed in mid-air so fast that her world spun. The grip was not kind, too hard by far, and all she could do was dangle from his grip on the back of her neck.
*****************************************************
The fight had stopped. Ranma and Cologne found themselves both staring incredulously at the cat dangling from Ranma's grip
"I'm holding a cat…"
"Yes you are." Cologne's eyes were as wide as his. The Neko Ken was the last thing she needed in this fight. He was not nearly as skilled as he had been, but he was matching her thanks to his sheer speed and endurance. With the added power of that technique she would die most certainly.
He looked at her.
IS it just me, or have you noticed I am not running in terror?" He seemed surprised. She did to, in fact. His only real fear had been of cats. Yet here he was, holding one, and he seemed to be just fine. What kind of changes HAD he been through.
"What has happened to you, Son-in-Law? How have you gotten this strong? How did you conquer your fears?"
His laugh was so sudden and loud that she took a step back, feeling fear for the first time in two centuries. It had a manic overtone to it, and a darker underlining. It was a sound she was sure belonged to a mad man.
He finished as abruptly as he had started. His eyes meeting hers, and they gleamed with a dark, malevolent light "What has happened to me? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME!?! I died you old bitch. Because of you and your Chinese cronies, because those damned Kunos. I have seen the afterlife, I have seen hell! And I am going to show it to you. Show you just how we felt, as you destroyed our lives."
He was so wrapped up in his speech, that he seemed to not sense Shampoos father. The man was far from a skilled warrior, but he was a member of the Amazons, even if a male, and had a fierce pride. He had gotten one of Shampoo's swords from somewhere, and had slipped up behind Ranma. He was intent on saving his daughter. The blade came down silently, whistling from the side, intent on severing Ranma's head. The caw of a bird came from outside, loud and harsh, and Ranma moved. From up the sleeve of the oversized jacket came a short sword of his own, and he held it over his shoulder, catching the attack in mid-stroke. He pivoted it over, and slid the blade away from himself, and reversed the grip, stabbing backwards, under his arm. Shampoo's father collapsed as the steel was pulled from where it had entered his stomach. Blood began to pool around his moaning form on the floor.
He never took his eyes off Cologne. The sword came up, and Shampoo, who had been struggling after seeing her fathers attack, froze as it touched her neck.
"I think this is enough for tonight. I have Shampoo, and I can come back for you. I know you won't run off with her in my possession." He started to back away, and from the darkness outside the restaurant, something swooped. Cologne watched silently as a huge crow landed on Ranma's shoulder. It watched her with unreadable eyes, and she frowned at it. Something about it was tickling the back of her mind. These events were like something from her past. Something she knew she should remember. But she had no time to think about that. She had to get Shampoo away from him.
He continued his watchful exit of the restaurant, until he reached the door. He slid the sword back up his sleeve, using a hidden weapons technique, and smiled at her.
"I know you will try and follow. Just to keep you busy how ever…" He leveled his hand, and his Ki surged forth. "Moko Takabisha!" His ki blast shot forth, and tore into the kitchen, and she glanced at its path for only a brief second, but when she looked back, he was gone.
Her danger sense flared, and for a moment, she wondered why. It was then that she remembered the gas in the kitchen. The stoves. She could already smell the waves of fumes rising up. She acted without thought, scooping up Shampoo's father, and in two great leaps was out side and into the night. The explosion tore the Neko Hanten apart, and threw her into the street, her burden rolling away, some feet off.
She lay there for some time. She was exhausted. IT had taken a lot of energy to fight Ranma like that, and the blast certainly had not helped her condition out any. Added to her sleeplessness, it was hard to think, but she needed to. She had to remember where she had seen all of this before, and to find a way to save her great-granddaughter…
**************************************************
They had been sitting on the dojo floor for what had to be an hour, talking non-stop. He, about his life now, with Akari, and of the farm where they lived, raising her sumo pigs. Akane told of all the help she had been getting, of all the time she had to think. She told him of her writing, and how someone was actually interested in some of her stuff. But mostly she talked of how good it was to see her friend again.
Ryoga was glad to see she had done so well. It was a lot to have recovered from. Too much for most. Yet she had, by strength of will alone, managed to fight back, and reclaim some of her life back. But he could sense the weakness in her, the emptiness of having struggled so long alone. He cursed himself silently again.
It was during one of their quiet moments, that Ryoga as the question that had been bugging him since she had walked in.
"I was just wondering when you started to use those." He pointed to the crutches lying next to her. "Last I saw, you were in a … uh…"
"A wheel chair?" She smiled at him. "You can say that, you know. It doesn't bother me." She patted the crutch closest. "The doctors managed to repair a lot of the damage Shampoo did. Not all of it, but a lot. That damned chair was driving me up the wall. The doctors said I argued myself up out of it. In a way I did. I would get so mad at not being able to walk, and would yell at myself a lot. Everyday I would get up and try and walk, push myself a lot more than I should have. But in the end it paid off. I can walk now… Sort of. Though I will always need these things. In six months, it hasn't improved further."
"My turn for a question now. Why are you all here, now of all times?"
He knew what she meant. It had been almost exactly a year since those horrid events. A year since they had last seen each other as well. HE went into the story they had prepared.
"We heard through one of Konatsu's old ninja contacts that the Kuno's were planning something. And with the date and all, we figured it was too much of a coincidence. So we came." He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed of his lie. It still had to be done, but he did not like it. "I should have come sooner… Come to see you more."
She hugged his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You had your life to get on with. With Akari. Plus I don't blame you for not coming around more, wanting to see a cripple like me, huh p-chan?"
"Hey! Your not a…" He froze, and his eyes went wide, face going pale. "Did you just say p-chan?"
"Yea Ryoga. I did. You didn't expect me to be in the dark forever, did you? Plus I had a LOT of time to think about it. How Ranma never wanted you in my bed at night. How you were never around when P-chan was." She reached up and tugged his bandanna and smiled smugly. "I am a little ashamed that I didn't see it before."
"I-I-I-I-I-I can explain!"
"Don't worry about it. I got over that a long time ago. Anyway, aside from seeing me naked a few times, you never took advantage of me. Never once." She hugged him again. "Anyway, I can't let go of my best friend because he turns into a pig, can I?"
He was smiling, and enjoying her company in a way he never had. Being just friends with Akane was a very good thing indeed. Suddenly a thought came to him.
"Uh… Akane? Can we never mention the whole sleeping in your bed thing to Akari? She might not take the too well…
**************************************************
Konatsu and Ukyou had been getting into some very heavy making out when the others arrived home. As the door to the house opened, they scrambled apart, her trying to get her shirt back on before anyone saw, and cursing because she had no idea where her bra had gone.
They were semi presentable when Soun and Akari entered the living room, both of their arms filled with grocery bags. They could here Kasumi slipping off her shoes by the door and picking back up bags of her own.
Akari saw them first. "Hey guys! Glad to se you got here finally Ukyou." She passed over one of the bags, and began to walk towards the kitchen. "You got here just in time to help put away the groceries." Ukyou nodded and followed after, and wondered what Akari bent over and fished out from behind the potted plant before heading into the kitchen.
***************************************************
Soun watched as Ukyou disappeared into the kitchen, an unsure look on his face. Konatsu slid over to him, and took the bags of groceries.
"Is there something the matter, Mr. Tendo?"
"I don't trust that girl…"
He started to say something in her defense, when it occurred to him that he did not really have a reason to. She HAD been one of the fiancées that had kept his daughter and Ranma apart. He picked the best thing to say carefully.
"She has changed, sir. For the better. I can assure you she had nothing to do with what happened." He smiled. "We are kind of a couple."
Soun nodded, and congratulated him, but that distrusting look never left his face. As Kasumi came in, Konatsu also managed to snag her bags as well, and lumbered into the kitchen, insisting that they relax, and allow them to take care of them. Kasumi started to protest, but he reminded her that the guest was always right. She nodded weakly, and took a seat, and her father took one next to her.
"He is such a nice and polite boy."
Soun nodded, and took on the air of the all knowing father figure, as he had so long ago. "He and Ukyou are a couple now days."
She smiled and nodded. "Good for them. She needed someone like him…
****************************************************
Akari and Ukyou were putting things away, when Konatsu came into the kitchen. He was silent, listening to the two women's conversations.
"… bills for all that therapy wiped them out completely. Nabiki had to take a job up in Hokkaido just to support them."
"It's so sad. I hate when stuff like this happens…"
They both noticed his as one, when he slid in-between the two of them, and set his collection of bags down. He smiled at Ukyou, who blushed.
Akari smiled herself, and laid out what she had seen behind the plant. It landed atop his bags, and both of them blinked before going beet red. Ukyou snatched up her bra, and began shoving it into her pocket.
"I guess you two are getting along better now, huh?"
*****************************************************
Ranma had stopped on his late night run through the dark streets in order to dig through a dumpster. He found an old cardboard box, and stuffed Shampoo inside, wrapping a chain from up his sleeve around it to keep it shut.
He was walking past the school now, and caught site of the time. 10:06. Not too late. He had gotten a lot done tonight. He was wondering if he should go and take care of the Kuno's or deal with Shampoo first, when the chains hit him.
A half dozen of heavy weighted balls slammed into him, and he felt ribs shatter. He was tossed back, and dropped the box, in his flight. He rolled as he hit, feeling his body already putting him back together, and rose to a wavering crouch. The chains retracted, and from the shadows stepped Mousse. They young Chinese boy was looking the worse for wear, after the beating he had taken. Ranma wondered how he had the courage to try again.
"Mousse…"
"I am really tired of you, Saotome. Even when you are dead, you make my life a living hell."
"Walk away Mousse. We don't have to do this yet. Not for a while yet. Heal up, and get strong. Come back. Give yourself a chance."
"I have all I need right here, Saotome. All the chances I need." He moved his hand, and a rifle was in his hands, having appeared as if from nowhere. He sighted in Ranma, and fired. The heavy thunder tore through the night, and lead death poured forth, dead on target.
******************************************************
Ukyou, Akari, and Konatsu were skilled in their crafts, and soon the whole house was filled with smells that outclassed even the finest restaurants. They three worked well together, and in less time than even Kasumi believed, they had steaming hot food out on the table, all set up for a late supper. Soun was thanking the both of them profusely, and Kasumi was asking question about their cooking techniques.
It was with some surprise that they heard the outside door slide open, and Ryoga and Akane enter. Both were smiling, and Akane's laughter was like a bright light, illuminating the remaining Tendos, and filling the house with a life that it had been lacking for a long time.
Soun and Kasumi just stared, dumbfounded. Neither had seen Akane happy like this in a very long time. Soun started the water works, and Kasumi smiled. It was just like old times again.
*****************************************************
Hot lead tore through Ranma, and he staggered from the rapid fire impacts of over a half dozen rounds. But he was not worried. If Cologne could not hurt him, than this toy had no chance. His body healed each injury as it happened.
It was an accident what happened next, as a round shot clean through him, and flew on to hit the crow. The bird had taken flight, and was trying to get clear of the fight when the bullet took it's wing. It was far from mortal, but enough to drop it from the sky, to slam into the cold concrete below.
Ranma screamed, a sound of pure pain, and collapsed. He could feel the pain from the birds injury, and felt the loss of something. He was not aware of what, but he knew it was bad. He lie there, in the cold streets, and did not move.
Mousse smiled. He walked over slowly, enjoying the moment he had been long denied. "Finally. I thought I would never get to see you die by my hand. Now, I am finally happy. " He stood over Ranma's prone form. "The Kuno's won't be happy, but I guess they will just have to make do with Young Miss Tendo." He checked his watch. "Sansuke should have gotten her by not…"
It was in that moment of distraction that Ranma struck. He lashed out with all of his supernatural strength, and kicked Mousse in the stomach. He used the movement to right himself, and once again on his feet, he leapt into the air with a brutal spin kick that launched the injured man into the schools outer wall with tremendous force, shattering stone. Mousse slumped to the ground, unmoving.
He was running, unconcerned about the bird, but scooping up the box with Shampoo. He was not going to let her escape, not this time. He felt concern for his companion from the grave, but from what he could tell, it was not dying. It sent him only an urge for him to hurry on, to protect Akane. Somehow he knew that the bird would take care of itself.
He was long gone when the shadowy figure came out from hiding. It's small form had been following the young Saotome, and had witnessed the entire fight. As it approached the bird, it gave disapproving squawk, but was not capable of doing anything but being scooped up. The newcomer cast a wary glance at young Mousse, and thought about ending his life then and there, but decided that there was no reason to waste the time. He would get his, in the end. Yes indeed he would.
*******************************************************
They had been reminiscing as they ate, laughing and talking in a manor so unlike the way that had during the day. So much was happening so fast, and all of it for the good, from what Konatsu could see. He slid just a little bit closer to Ukyou, and she smiled at him. All was right with the world, from what he could see.
So wrapped up in his happiness, he almost missed the gleaming steel shuriken as it flew out of the night. He had no time to push Ukyou out of the way, only had time to shoot his hand up and catch the deadly instrument in his bare hand. He gasp faintly, as steel cut flesh.
Ukyou was surprised by his sudden movement, as was everyone else. They stared as if hypnotized by the trickle of blood that began to flow from his clenched fist. He had to scream to rouse them. "Attack!"
Ryoga and Ukyou moved as one, she grabbing her battle spatula, and he kicking the sliding door that looked out upon the Koi pone closed. They all heard the breaking of glass upstairs as any number of assailants entered. Konatsu moved, and grabbed up his ninja-to, sliding the blade free, and listening.
"Oh great. This is bad. We need to protect the Tendo's and Akari." Ryoga had made it to his own pack, and scooped up his returned umbrella.
"I wonder how many of them are there."
Konatsu shook his head sadly. "A lot. At least a dozen upstairs. From what I can tell at least."
The others cast curious glances at him, but ask no questions. His ninja training was more than combat, and he knew how to use his senses, and how to listen for other ninja.
It was no surprise to him, when the first gas bomb bounced into the room, and began to fill it with its noxious fumes. He called out. "Sleep gas. Get out!"
Ryoga nodded. "Ukyou and I are gonna cover you. Konatsu, lead the way to the dojo. Mr. Tendo, protect the girls!" Even as he was calling his orders out, he flung the door open, and opened the umbrella, using it as a shield, and rushed out. Ukyou was right behind him, with only a worried glance behind her.
He followed, rushing into the night, and was immediately assaulted by a pair of men. From that point on, things got confusing, and he lost track of what was going on.
In what seemed like an eternity, the four warriors battled across the compound, pressing through the ranks of ninja, yet never really managing to take any down for good. Their rapid hit and run tactics were too effective, leaving them reeling from one attack, and barely ready for the next. Konatsu knew without a doubt that they were going to loose.
He heard the scream, and cast a look back, and saw the one ninja he recognized, the Kuno's servant Sansuke. He had slipped behind Soun while the man had been pressed, and had grabbed Akane, leaping away, onto the rocks near the pond. He was laughing.
"This was FAR to easy. I can not believe you were worrying my masters." He grinned, and motioned the ninja's to continue their assault, as he prepared to make his escape. It was then that Konatsu saw the shadow rising into the air above the outer wall, and heard the cry of anger and rage that he recognized.
"AKANE!!!"
End of Chapter Six
Authors notes: Jeeze. This is the longest one by far. I hope you all enjoy it. Anyway, not a lot to say here this time, except to tell you to find and read my El-Hazard story, and my Ranma story What a Day. Remember, the more responses I get, the more I write. Plus I need opinions on the fan fiction that I actually put some thought and planning into.
Oh yea, I need beta readers for my really big series that I am working on. Turning Points. Again, to see if you want to help on it, go read my El-hazard story, found in what ever el-hazard anime section is around where you found this one.
Anyway, I will see you later, when I put the next one of these out. And look for my one shot, Lonely Soldier Boy, when it comes out soon. You might like it. Peace!!!
Dark Angel 98s
Legal Stuff: I don't own any of the copyrighted materials in these little works of fiction that I produce, and am in no way challenging said copyrights. All I have come up with is the story I have stuck them into.
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising
Chapter Six: Coming of the Angel
Ryoga was surprised by the condition of the Dojo. It was not exactly run down, but it was a far cry from the way Kasumi had kept it. The gates to the compound themselves had paint peeling, and the sign out front was looking warn. He looked up at the quickly approaching sunset, and decided to knock.
He had been elected as their representative here, since the Tendos knew him well as both Ranma and Akane's friend. He was not comfortable doing this, but from what Ranma had said, and what he knew about the Kunos, he had to agree that this was necessary.
His rapid knock echoed through out the silent streets, and they waited. Akari moved up beside him, and wrapped an arm around his waist. He smiled down at her, and kissed her forehead gently. Konatsu, still dressed in guys cloths, was standing to the side of the gate, watching. He smiled sadly at the couple, and wished he had someone like that for himself.
It did not take long before someone came to answer the door, and as the gate opened, and Kasumi looked out, Ryoga suddenly felt such guilt for not coming over more often, to help them out.
Kasumi was looking haggard. Bags under her eyes, her dress not half as neat and clean as it would have been, and her hair was looking a bit on the unkempt side. She looked out at the three of them, not recognizing anyone. She looked afraid.
Konatsu and Akari were understandable, since she had never met his fiancée, and Konatsu was dressed as a man now. Had he changed that much in a year? He was dressed in fairly new cloths, a pair of loose running pants, a white t-shirt, and running shoes, none of which had ever seen the travel he used do. He even wore his hair shorter, since Akari liked it that way. Only his ever present Bandanna was the same, and he wore that around his neck now days. He decided introductions were in order.
"It's me Ryoga, Kasumi. We decided to stop by and see how you and your family were."
She studied him again, staring into his eyes now, and gasp faintly. "Oh my…" It was completely unexpected when pushed the gate wide, and grabbed him in a hug so fierce he didn't even thing HE could break it. "Oh Ryoga! Thank goodness you're here!"
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Ranma was not feeling well. It was not anything physical, that he WAS sure of. It had something to do with all the memories he had been receiving and sharing. They were racing throughout his mind, each as powerful and vivid as if they had just happened. All the emotions, all those events, tearing him apart.
He staggered into an alley, almost two blocks away from the Neko Hanten still, and collapsed to his knees, stomach retching, but he had not eaten in over a day, and their was nothing to come up. He just knelt there, on his hands and knees, wishing he could die.
When it was finally passed, he rolled onto his back, gasping for air, and tried to focus his mind, but he could not find his center. Too much was running throughout his head. He could remember his death, feel the cutting of the skin across his cheek, the violation in the most painful and demeaning way, the guilt at failing Ranma and Akane, Loving Ranma with all of his heart.
"NO! Those aren't mine. I AM Ranma Saotome! Those things happened to other people. Not to me. No to me!"
He was helpless for the moment, lying there, waves of depression and sadness leaving him a worthless wreck. The sun finished it's decent, and the alley he was in was lit only by a faint street light. And through that gloom, he heard the beat of wings on the cold evening air…
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Ryoga was busy fixing up some of the loose wall and floor boards inside the dojo. He had picked up quite a few repair tricks while on Akari's farm, and had been glad to help out around the Tendos.
The fact that they were helping out around the home was an amazing occurrence. It was mainly Akari's doing. As soon as she had seen that they had needed help, she had immediately began offering help. Kasumi had tried to refuse, sighting the fact that they were guests, and it had become a match between the irresistible force, and the immovable object. He had been betting on Akari the whole time though. When she turned on the sweetness, no one could resist.
So they had All set out to start helping around the old place. Konatsu had the main house, and was working up a storm. He cleaned with a skill that impressed even Kasumi. He had taken the dojo, since he preferred to be working out here, so close to a place where martial artists trained. That, and to avoid her.
He set the hammer down for a moment and rolled into a sitting position. The floor board would have to wait. Wiping his forehead with one hand, he picked up the cup of sake Mr. Tendo had given him. He was not much of a drinker, but tonight, he figured he could get away with a little. He sipped it, and relaxed. The last two days had topped every other bit of weirdness he and the rest had ever experienced.
Ranma's return had been unexpected, but since he had touched his mind, he found that there was certainly a good reason for it. For Ryoga, it had laid the last of his demons to rest. Or at least most of them. He felt more at peace than he had in his entire life, more focused, more centered. He knew his life with Akari was his destiny, and he was happy with that. But there was still that one ghost, that one thing that was not quite laid to rest. It had kept him away from here for so long.
He finished his drink, and set the dish down, and an amusing thought came to him. He wondered if Soun had finally stopped crying for joy at their arrival yet. The three of them had been gone for almost and hour, Akari having taken them shopping for things that they could no longer afford. Like decent food. Their current financial state took away a lot of his humor. His fist punched the floor softly, and still the boards creaked.
"I should have come around more often…"
"Yes… You should have."
He wheeled, rising to his feet in a blink. He was ready for the trouble Ranma had warned them would come. But instead of some minion of the Kuno's, or one of the Amazon women, he found the one person he had been hesitant to see.
Akane had changed more than he would have believed, in ways he would have given anything to have changed. She was thin, and her body no longer had the tone or grace of the martial artist. Her hair was swept back in a simple ponytail which was set high on the back of her head. The mass of scars that even modern medicine had not managed to remove changed half her face into a pale white mask of lines. It was her eyes that hurt him the most though. They were dark, still as beautiful as he remembered them, but they no longer held the life they once had. The watched him like the eyes of a dead person might.
She moved her crutches forward, taking slow, and shifted her weight , swinging her legs forward. She came to him slowly, silently, and he saw why he had not heard her approach. She had gotten very good at moving silently on them.
She got close, and eyed him carefully, as if expecting him to fly away at any moment. Ryoga got kind of embarrassed, and rubbed the back of his head.
"Kasumi told us you were asleep."
"I was." She continued to stare at him, slowly reaching a hand out, and touched his chest. Her hand recoiled from the touch, as if surprised. Her next movement surprised him, and suddenly she was hugging him close, fiercely, as if to never let him go. "Your real! I-I-I thought it was a dream. I thought you never wanted to see me again. I was so alone…" Her tears wet his shirt in an ever increasing downpour.
He hesitated only briefly, then wrapped his arms around her, soothing her, rubbing a hand through her hair. He let her get it all out, all the loneliness. He could think of only one thing to say.
"I am so sorry Akane. So very sorry…" He hoped it was enough.
*****************************************************
Konatsu had seen Akane come down the stairs, one carefully after the other, and had watched silently as she went outside. He knew Ryoga had a past with her, and decided to leave the two of them to it. He went back to working on the living room, scrubbing the floors with great detail.
He almost missed the light knocking at the Tendo's gate, so intent on the floor, so intent on blocking out thoughts of Ukyou. It was the second knock, louder than the first that brought him around. He got up, tossing the scrub brush into the bucket he had been using, and started to go answer the door. He remembered the Tendo's reaction to company though. No one came here anymore. Who ever here was certainly not expected.
Remembering Ranma's warning, he get his short ninja-to from the things they had brought, and unwrapped the hilt. He had never taken a life before, and had no intention of starting now, but if he had to defend himself, he would. He hurried to the door, as the third knock came.
He gave himself a moment to focus his thoughts, letting his ninja training take over. Calm now, focused and at the ready. he opened the gate just a tad, during the persons third knock, and peaked out.
Ukyou Kuonji stood outside, dressed as he had not seen her in almost a year. She locked eyes with him, and smiled warmly.
"Ukyou!" He swung the gate open fully, to let her inside, as was completely overwhelmed by her rushing him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him with a passion he had never dreamed of. He lost track of time, unsure of how long they stayed that way. When they finally broke the kiss, both were breathless.
She looked into his eyes, which burned with a need, for him, he was surprised to see.
"I love you Konatsu Kenzan. I am sorry it took so long to say, but I am saying it now. I only hope you feel the same way still…
His answer was to kiss her again. They stood there, lips pressed together, in each others arms, beneath the rising moon, and he felt things were suddenly right with the world.
*****************************************************
The bird was watching him, staring with an intensity that cut through even his current emotional state. They had locked eyes what seemed like forever ago, and neither had moved. Slowly, through this focus, he began to regain his control, reign in the sadness. As he began to feel better, the bird cawed once, a sharp bark that startled him, and he jerked away from it, and into a crouch. Satisfied, it took flight, into the darkness it flew, back on track with it's mission.
He sat there, and stared at the walls of the alley he had stumbled into. He was still learning his powers, learning what he could do, but he did not like what this one was doing to him. It was good that it had helped his friends, had taken their sorrow and regrets away from them, but somehow he was holding on to them, like the skills he was taking from some of them. He was not the smartest man in the world, but even he knew his mind was not meant to deal with things like that.
Still pondering this, the connection to the crow came, and he was seeing as it saw, seeing what it saw…
******************************************************
The Neko Hanten was busy, shampoo handled all the waiting of tables with the ease of some one with long practice. Even this late into the evening, her Amazon goddess-like good looks could draw the crowds in. She was smiling and taking orders as if she had not a care in the world.
The view turned, and there was Cologne behind the grill with Shampoo's father. Both churned out food at a rapid pace, yet their combined skill was barely keeping up with the demand and Shampoo's speed.
Cologne froze for a moment, and raised her eyes to look out the window. She was staring directly at the crow, and her brows were furrowed in deep concentration. The bird took flight, having no wish for a confrontation, and soared up into the sky, breaking their shared view.
******************************************************
He rage flared with a strength it had never before, not even against Mousse. It burned white hot and flared up, threatening to consume him whole. He was beyond thought now, beyond reason. The angers of Akane Tendo and Ryoga Hibiki burned along side his own, and he knew only on thing. Justice must be done.
He moved with a slow, deliberate pace, striding from the alley, and startling a passer by. His aura flared, and cast a red light around him, strong enough for even the untrained to see it. People cleared out of his path, fear lighting their eyes.
The restaurants doors were before him before he knew it, and he only saw a hindrance to his goal, a barrier. He lashed out with a kick driven by strength driven beyond the supernatural, and the doors blew off their hinges, spraying bit all over those nearest the door.
His aura flared again, brighter than before, and he jabbed a finger out, selecting his target. The young Amazon girl was just turning to face him, an angry look on her face.
"What you do, smash in restaurant door. You pay for…" Their eyes locked, and hers went wide in terror. She spoke in a whisper…
"Ranma…?"
"Time for you to face your crimes, Shampoo. You and the Old Ghoul."
He was moving before she could blink, the power of the afterworld giving him speed beyond anything she could hope to match. He was just within striking distance when the blows fell. He counted a dozen lethal strikes, all delivered with a precision and force that assured death for their target. He went flying into a far wall, knocking aside patrons in his flight. He struck the wall with enough force to collapse part of it.
******************************************************
Cologne had been in the back of the restaurant when the Ki she had felt days ago flared again, so close it made her drop the food she had been fetching from the cooler. It's strength overwhelmed her, drove her to panic, if just for a moment. She stood there helpless as she felt it draw closer.
*"…you will face justice…" Happi's words struck home suddenly, and she was springing into motion just as the doors exploded She did not freeze when she saw who had entered the restaurant, moving towards her great-granddaughter. She simply struck. She blows were aimed to kill, with all her power and focus behind them. Even with his amazing speed, he did not see them coming, and was launched into a nearby wall. Landing, she was not concerned any longer. Nothing could have survived an attack like that. Not from her.
"Great-Grandmother! That Ranma? How he alive?" She was still in shock, afraid of what was happening, and unsure of the fight that had just occurred. Even with all her skill, Shampoo was not capable of having followed something of that speed.
"It was not. It was simply some kind of spirit. It was using Ranma's form to try and trick us. I have… taken care of it."
She was completely unprepared for the Ranma to rise again, shaking the dust from his body, and growling.
"You guys haven't taken care of anything, Old Ghoul. This is far from over."
Cologne rounded on him, her staff before her, body relaxed, face calm. Far from how she felt inside. He was still alive after that attack. No, wait. Ranma was still alive after the events of a year before. He was here now, standing before her stronger that she had ever seen him, and unharmed by blows that would have killed just about anything. What on earth was going on?
"Ah. Son-in-Law. How good of you to have come back to us. We have missed you. Care for something to eat?"
He growled again, and slammed a fist against the nearest table. IT splintered under the blow. She wondered why he had not already attacked, seeing how mad he was. The few patrons left were scurrying out in of their way, and she smiled inwardly. He was buying them time to get away. A weakness to use, should she have to.
"I don't want food. I want to pay you back for all you have done. All you have caused."
"You are not a killer. We both know that."
He smiled then, a thin, tight line that made her realize this was not the same youth she had seen die. He was a whole lot harder. Yet could even death have turned him into a killer?
"I guess you don't watch the news much. Bunch of guys dead on the docks, huge explosion. Sound familiar?"
She heard Shampoo gasp. They had both watched the news. The horrific explosion, men literally beaten to death with a savageness that shocked even her. If what Ranma said was true, then all bets were off. She could not expect anything to be the same with him.
"Listen Ranma. You don't want to do this. I don't want to have to hurt you."
He laughed at that, with an arrogance that was most disturbing, considering what she now knew, and what she had seen with her own eyes. She readied her staff, just in time, for he moved. Her staff blurred, spinning in a defensive whirl, and was satisfied when she deflected flesh, heard bone snap as she knocked his punches away. In a blink he was past her, and she was turning, staff still at the ready.
He turned back, a sick smile on his face, both of his arms held before him, the broken bones obvious as they swayed at awkward angles.
"You don't have the power to hurt me, old woman. You once did, but no longer. Now I have the power. Power to make you pay." His arms snapped downward suddenly, and the snapping of bone could be heard again, and his arms were whole, back to normal. His face had never changed as the bones popped back into place, despite the terrible pain she was sure he had to feel. She did not have long to think on the matter though, as he came at her again…
****************************************************
Shampoo could not follow them as they fought. They were like tricks of the light, one moment here, the next over there. Great-Grandmother had always been this fast, but rarely used it. She had no need to. No one could match her. But now, Ranma was just as fast, if not faster, and he seemed to feel no pain, seemed unstoppable. She began to worry for her life, as well as Cologne's.
She had to help. But something was holding her back. It was a feeling that warred with her sense of self preservation. It told her she deserved what was coming, they both of them had brought his wrath down upon themselves. How could she fight back against something her honor demanded was just? How…?
She made her decision, and grabbed a nearby glass of water. She splashed herself, and felt the tingling, slightly painful twist of her transformation. She crawled out of the dress she had been wearing, and leapt into the air, fully intent on her target. She could scare Ranma away, using his fear of cats. It had always hurt her, how afraid of her he had been in this form, but now she was dependant on it.
She was not quite sure of what happened next, for she was grabbed in mid-air so fast that her world spun. The grip was not kind, too hard by far, and all she could do was dangle from his grip on the back of her neck.
*****************************************************
The fight had stopped. Ranma and Cologne found themselves both staring incredulously at the cat dangling from Ranma's grip
"I'm holding a cat…"
"Yes you are." Cologne's eyes were as wide as his. The Neko Ken was the last thing she needed in this fight. He was not nearly as skilled as he had been, but he was matching her thanks to his sheer speed and endurance. With the added power of that technique she would die most certainly.
He looked at her.
IS it just me, or have you noticed I am not running in terror?" He seemed surprised. She did to, in fact. His only real fear had been of cats. Yet here he was, holding one, and he seemed to be just fine. What kind of changes HAD he been through.
"What has happened to you, Son-in-Law? How have you gotten this strong? How did you conquer your fears?"
His laugh was so sudden and loud that she took a step back, feeling fear for the first time in two centuries. It had a manic overtone to it, and a darker underlining. It was a sound she was sure belonged to a mad man.
He finished as abruptly as he had started. His eyes meeting hers, and they gleamed with a dark, malevolent light "What has happened to me? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME!?! I died you old bitch. Because of you and your Chinese cronies, because those damned Kunos. I have seen the afterlife, I have seen hell! And I am going to show it to you. Show you just how we felt, as you destroyed our lives."
He was so wrapped up in his speech, that he seemed to not sense Shampoos father. The man was far from a skilled warrior, but he was a member of the Amazons, even if a male, and had a fierce pride. He had gotten one of Shampoo's swords from somewhere, and had slipped up behind Ranma. He was intent on saving his daughter. The blade came down silently, whistling from the side, intent on severing Ranma's head. The caw of a bird came from outside, loud and harsh, and Ranma moved. From up the sleeve of the oversized jacket came a short sword of his own, and he held it over his shoulder, catching the attack in mid-stroke. He pivoted it over, and slid the blade away from himself, and reversed the grip, stabbing backwards, under his arm. Shampoo's father collapsed as the steel was pulled from where it had entered his stomach. Blood began to pool around his moaning form on the floor.
He never took his eyes off Cologne. The sword came up, and Shampoo, who had been struggling after seeing her fathers attack, froze as it touched her neck.
"I think this is enough for tonight. I have Shampoo, and I can come back for you. I know you won't run off with her in my possession." He started to back away, and from the darkness outside the restaurant, something swooped. Cologne watched silently as a huge crow landed on Ranma's shoulder. It watched her with unreadable eyes, and she frowned at it. Something about it was tickling the back of her mind. These events were like something from her past. Something she knew she should remember. But she had no time to think about that. She had to get Shampoo away from him.
He continued his watchful exit of the restaurant, until he reached the door. He slid the sword back up his sleeve, using a hidden weapons technique, and smiled at her.
"I know you will try and follow. Just to keep you busy how ever…" He leveled his hand, and his Ki surged forth. "Moko Takabisha!" His ki blast shot forth, and tore into the kitchen, and she glanced at its path for only a brief second, but when she looked back, he was gone.
Her danger sense flared, and for a moment, she wondered why. It was then that she remembered the gas in the kitchen. The stoves. She could already smell the waves of fumes rising up. She acted without thought, scooping up Shampoo's father, and in two great leaps was out side and into the night. The explosion tore the Neko Hanten apart, and threw her into the street, her burden rolling away, some feet off.
She lay there for some time. She was exhausted. IT had taken a lot of energy to fight Ranma like that, and the blast certainly had not helped her condition out any. Added to her sleeplessness, it was hard to think, but she needed to. She had to remember where she had seen all of this before, and to find a way to save her great-granddaughter…
**************************************************
They had been sitting on the dojo floor for what had to be an hour, talking non-stop. He, about his life now, with Akari, and of the farm where they lived, raising her sumo pigs. Akane told of all the help she had been getting, of all the time she had to think. She told him of her writing, and how someone was actually interested in some of her stuff. But mostly she talked of how good it was to see her friend again.
Ryoga was glad to see she had done so well. It was a lot to have recovered from. Too much for most. Yet she had, by strength of will alone, managed to fight back, and reclaim some of her life back. But he could sense the weakness in her, the emptiness of having struggled so long alone. He cursed himself silently again.
It was during one of their quiet moments, that Ryoga as the question that had been bugging him since she had walked in.
"I was just wondering when you started to use those." He pointed to the crutches lying next to her. "Last I saw, you were in a … uh…"
"A wheel chair?" She smiled at him. "You can say that, you know. It doesn't bother me." She patted the crutch closest. "The doctors managed to repair a lot of the damage Shampoo did. Not all of it, but a lot. That damned chair was driving me up the wall. The doctors said I argued myself up out of it. In a way I did. I would get so mad at not being able to walk, and would yell at myself a lot. Everyday I would get up and try and walk, push myself a lot more than I should have. But in the end it paid off. I can walk now… Sort of. Though I will always need these things. In six months, it hasn't improved further."
"My turn for a question now. Why are you all here, now of all times?"
He knew what she meant. It had been almost exactly a year since those horrid events. A year since they had last seen each other as well. HE went into the story they had prepared.
"We heard through one of Konatsu's old ninja contacts that the Kuno's were planning something. And with the date and all, we figured it was too much of a coincidence. So we came." He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed of his lie. It still had to be done, but he did not like it. "I should have come sooner… Come to see you more."
She hugged his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You had your life to get on with. With Akari. Plus I don't blame you for not coming around more, wanting to see a cripple like me, huh p-chan?"
"Hey! Your not a…" He froze, and his eyes went wide, face going pale. "Did you just say p-chan?"
"Yea Ryoga. I did. You didn't expect me to be in the dark forever, did you? Plus I had a LOT of time to think about it. How Ranma never wanted you in my bed at night. How you were never around when P-chan was." She reached up and tugged his bandanna and smiled smugly. "I am a little ashamed that I didn't see it before."
"I-I-I-I-I-I can explain!"
"Don't worry about it. I got over that a long time ago. Anyway, aside from seeing me naked a few times, you never took advantage of me. Never once." She hugged him again. "Anyway, I can't let go of my best friend because he turns into a pig, can I?"
He was smiling, and enjoying her company in a way he never had. Being just friends with Akane was a very good thing indeed. Suddenly a thought came to him.
"Uh… Akane? Can we never mention the whole sleeping in your bed thing to Akari? She might not take the too well…
**************************************************
Konatsu and Ukyou had been getting into some very heavy making out when the others arrived home. As the door to the house opened, they scrambled apart, her trying to get her shirt back on before anyone saw, and cursing because she had no idea where her bra had gone.
They were semi presentable when Soun and Akari entered the living room, both of their arms filled with grocery bags. They could here Kasumi slipping off her shoes by the door and picking back up bags of her own.
Akari saw them first. "Hey guys! Glad to se you got here finally Ukyou." She passed over one of the bags, and began to walk towards the kitchen. "You got here just in time to help put away the groceries." Ukyou nodded and followed after, and wondered what Akari bent over and fished out from behind the potted plant before heading into the kitchen.
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Soun watched as Ukyou disappeared into the kitchen, an unsure look on his face. Konatsu slid over to him, and took the bags of groceries.
"Is there something the matter, Mr. Tendo?"
"I don't trust that girl…"
He started to say something in her defense, when it occurred to him that he did not really have a reason to. She HAD been one of the fiancées that had kept his daughter and Ranma apart. He picked the best thing to say carefully.
"She has changed, sir. For the better. I can assure you she had nothing to do with what happened." He smiled. "We are kind of a couple."
Soun nodded, and congratulated him, but that distrusting look never left his face. As Kasumi came in, Konatsu also managed to snag her bags as well, and lumbered into the kitchen, insisting that they relax, and allow them to take care of them. Kasumi started to protest, but he reminded her that the guest was always right. She nodded weakly, and took a seat, and her father took one next to her.
"He is such a nice and polite boy."
Soun nodded, and took on the air of the all knowing father figure, as he had so long ago. "He and Ukyou are a couple now days."
She smiled and nodded. "Good for them. She needed someone like him…
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Akari and Ukyou were putting things away, when Konatsu came into the kitchen. He was silent, listening to the two women's conversations.
"… bills for all that therapy wiped them out completely. Nabiki had to take a job up in Hokkaido just to support them."
"It's so sad. I hate when stuff like this happens…"
They both noticed his as one, when he slid in-between the two of them, and set his collection of bags down. He smiled at Ukyou, who blushed.
Akari smiled herself, and laid out what she had seen behind the plant. It landed atop his bags, and both of them blinked before going beet red. Ukyou snatched up her bra, and began shoving it into her pocket.
"I guess you two are getting along better now, huh?"
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Ranma had stopped on his late night run through the dark streets in order to dig through a dumpster. He found an old cardboard box, and stuffed Shampoo inside, wrapping a chain from up his sleeve around it to keep it shut.
He was walking past the school now, and caught site of the time. 10:06. Not too late. He had gotten a lot done tonight. He was wondering if he should go and take care of the Kuno's or deal with Shampoo first, when the chains hit him.
A half dozen of heavy weighted balls slammed into him, and he felt ribs shatter. He was tossed back, and dropped the box, in his flight. He rolled as he hit, feeling his body already putting him back together, and rose to a wavering crouch. The chains retracted, and from the shadows stepped Mousse. They young Chinese boy was looking the worse for wear, after the beating he had taken. Ranma wondered how he had the courage to try again.
"Mousse…"
"I am really tired of you, Saotome. Even when you are dead, you make my life a living hell."
"Walk away Mousse. We don't have to do this yet. Not for a while yet. Heal up, and get strong. Come back. Give yourself a chance."
"I have all I need right here, Saotome. All the chances I need." He moved his hand, and a rifle was in his hands, having appeared as if from nowhere. He sighted in Ranma, and fired. The heavy thunder tore through the night, and lead death poured forth, dead on target.
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Ukyou, Akari, and Konatsu were skilled in their crafts, and soon the whole house was filled with smells that outclassed even the finest restaurants. They three worked well together, and in less time than even Kasumi believed, they had steaming hot food out on the table, all set up for a late supper. Soun was thanking the both of them profusely, and Kasumi was asking question about their cooking techniques.
It was with some surprise that they heard the outside door slide open, and Ryoga and Akane enter. Both were smiling, and Akane's laughter was like a bright light, illuminating the remaining Tendos, and filling the house with a life that it had been lacking for a long time.
Soun and Kasumi just stared, dumbfounded. Neither had seen Akane happy like this in a very long time. Soun started the water works, and Kasumi smiled. It was just like old times again.
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Hot lead tore through Ranma, and he staggered from the rapid fire impacts of over a half dozen rounds. But he was not worried. If Cologne could not hurt him, than this toy had no chance. His body healed each injury as it happened.
It was an accident what happened next, as a round shot clean through him, and flew on to hit the crow. The bird had taken flight, and was trying to get clear of the fight when the bullet took it's wing. It was far from mortal, but enough to drop it from the sky, to slam into the cold concrete below.
Ranma screamed, a sound of pure pain, and collapsed. He could feel the pain from the birds injury, and felt the loss of something. He was not aware of what, but he knew it was bad. He lie there, in the cold streets, and did not move.
Mousse smiled. He walked over slowly, enjoying the moment he had been long denied. "Finally. I thought I would never get to see you die by my hand. Now, I am finally happy. " He stood over Ranma's prone form. "The Kuno's won't be happy, but I guess they will just have to make do with Young Miss Tendo." He checked his watch. "Sansuke should have gotten her by not…"
It was in that moment of distraction that Ranma struck. He lashed out with all of his supernatural strength, and kicked Mousse in the stomach. He used the movement to right himself, and once again on his feet, he leapt into the air with a brutal spin kick that launched the injured man into the schools outer wall with tremendous force, shattering stone. Mousse slumped to the ground, unmoving.
He was running, unconcerned about the bird, but scooping up the box with Shampoo. He was not going to let her escape, not this time. He felt concern for his companion from the grave, but from what he could tell, it was not dying. It sent him only an urge for him to hurry on, to protect Akane. Somehow he knew that the bird would take care of itself.
He was long gone when the shadowy figure came out from hiding. It's small form had been following the young Saotome, and had witnessed the entire fight. As it approached the bird, it gave disapproving squawk, but was not capable of doing anything but being scooped up. The newcomer cast a wary glance at young Mousse, and thought about ending his life then and there, but decided that there was no reason to waste the time. He would get his, in the end. Yes indeed he would.
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They had been reminiscing as they ate, laughing and talking in a manor so unlike the way that had during the day. So much was happening so fast, and all of it for the good, from what Konatsu could see. He slid just a little bit closer to Ukyou, and she smiled at him. All was right with the world, from what he could see.
So wrapped up in his happiness, he almost missed the gleaming steel shuriken as it flew out of the night. He had no time to push Ukyou out of the way, only had time to shoot his hand up and catch the deadly instrument in his bare hand. He gasp faintly, as steel cut flesh.
Ukyou was surprised by his sudden movement, as was everyone else. They stared as if hypnotized by the trickle of blood that began to flow from his clenched fist. He had to scream to rouse them. "Attack!"
Ryoga and Ukyou moved as one, she grabbing her battle spatula, and he kicking the sliding door that looked out upon the Koi pone closed. They all heard the breaking of glass upstairs as any number of assailants entered. Konatsu moved, and grabbed up his ninja-to, sliding the blade free, and listening.
"Oh great. This is bad. We need to protect the Tendo's and Akari." Ryoga had made it to his own pack, and scooped up his returned umbrella.
"I wonder how many of them are there."
Konatsu shook his head sadly. "A lot. At least a dozen upstairs. From what I can tell at least."
The others cast curious glances at him, but ask no questions. His ninja training was more than combat, and he knew how to use his senses, and how to listen for other ninja.
It was no surprise to him, when the first gas bomb bounced into the room, and began to fill it with its noxious fumes. He called out. "Sleep gas. Get out!"
Ryoga nodded. "Ukyou and I are gonna cover you. Konatsu, lead the way to the dojo. Mr. Tendo, protect the girls!" Even as he was calling his orders out, he flung the door open, and opened the umbrella, using it as a shield, and rushed out. Ukyou was right behind him, with only a worried glance behind her.
He followed, rushing into the night, and was immediately assaulted by a pair of men. From that point on, things got confusing, and he lost track of what was going on.
In what seemed like an eternity, the four warriors battled across the compound, pressing through the ranks of ninja, yet never really managing to take any down for good. Their rapid hit and run tactics were too effective, leaving them reeling from one attack, and barely ready for the next. Konatsu knew without a doubt that they were going to loose.
He heard the scream, and cast a look back, and saw the one ninja he recognized, the Kuno's servant Sansuke. He had slipped behind Soun while the man had been pressed, and had grabbed Akane, leaping away, onto the rocks near the pond. He was laughing.
"This was FAR to easy. I can not believe you were worrying my masters." He grinned, and motioned the ninja's to continue their assault, as he prepared to make his escape. It was then that Konatsu saw the shadow rising into the air above the outer wall, and heard the cry of anger and rage that he recognized.
"AKANE!!!"
End of Chapter Six
Authors notes: Jeeze. This is the longest one by far. I hope you all enjoy it. Anyway, not a lot to say here this time, except to tell you to find and read my El-Hazard story, and my Ranma story What a Day. Remember, the more responses I get, the more I write. Plus I need opinions on the fan fiction that I actually put some thought and planning into.
Oh yea, I need beta readers for my really big series that I am working on. Turning Points. Again, to see if you want to help on it, go read my El-hazard story, found in what ever el-hazard anime section is around where you found this one.
Anyway, I will see you later, when I put the next one of these out. And look for my one shot, Lonely Soldier Boy, when it comes out soon. You might like it. Peace!!!
Dark Angel 98s