At War With the Undead

Thanks to teal Thanatos for pre – reviewing, always good to get another eye before publishing.

Ch1: Foray into the Hellsing manor

Ranma stood in the corner of the dojo eyeing the challenger critically. The old wooden boards creaked beneath the challengers feet making Ranma wonder what the man hid beneath his large beige trench coat that completely obscured any detail of what he wore beneath. Even his arms were covered in an imitation of Mousse's hidden weapons style.

"As we agreed, Akane will meet your challenge for our dojo's sign Mr. Incognito," Soüns voice sounded strongly throughout the hall. Ranma caught Akane's eye and smiled, they had been getting along better lately. Akane had been controlling her temper and impatience while he behaved a little more discreetly with his other fiancés.

It had worked well, while Akane would probably never reach his level of skill in the school of Anything Goes martial arts she had begun to improve again, something her rage and frustration had been preventing. Her increased skill in the art had allowed her to take over some of the challenges for the Tendo dojo, something that helped regulate her temper a lot more than anything he could do. A calm and happy Akane often lead to a calmer relationship between them.

While this challenger towered above his fiancé he moved slowly, almost clumsily so Akane should be able to match his skill if she concentrated on the fight and kept her temper. The groans of the well maintained wooden boards of the dojo floor attested to the mass of his fiancé's opponent and emphasising the threat he posed to the schools future. This was not a challenger to take lightly but he felt confidant Akane would keep her cool long enough for her skill to show through. He was expecting a tough fight but he doubted Akane would lose; he would have taken the challenge otherwise.

Akane's answering smile made his stomach jump and caused his heart to swell as usually happened when she gifted him with that expression. She seemed happy and more powerful knowing that he held confidence in her ability to win. When Akane was happy he was happy and their relationship was less rocky.

"Lets get started, the thought of fighting the school which was responsible for Saffron's demise makes my blood boil in anticipation." Incognito's eager grin seemed to stretch his pale face even more tightly over his prominent cheek bones and drew attention to the red tattoo imprinted on his scalp and the four gold studs embedded in his skull. It was a ghastly façade and one that was no doubt used to his advantage in fights. Incognito's enlarged left eye only made his expression more frightening.

Ranma frowned at the mention of Saffron, it was not the first time a challenger had mentioned Saffron. Some were indeed powerful while others were pitifully weak and would not have withstood even a few seconds of Saffron's ire. He hoped his initial judgement was correct and this opponent was one of the latter and not the former, if he was they could be in trouble.

To be sure Ranma took a closer look at Incognito's aura, he had based his assumption of the challengers relative strength on the fact that all the strong fighters he knew had easily detectable aura's that screamed to opponents to take them seriously. When Incognito made the challenge Ranma had detected no such aura of strength.

Soün not knowing the significants of the events in China or Saffron's name waited for Akane's signal.

"I'm ready," Akane announced confidently.

"Then Begin!!" Soün roared in reply.

Ranma watched as Akane charged the challenger and nodded in approval as he watched her sacrificing speed in her initial approach in order to increase her reaction time so that she could react instantly to whatever was hidden beneath her challenger's coat.

Whenever fighting someone who concealed their weapons, Ranma had learnt from bitter experience that their first strike was often their deadliest. As Akane quickly bridged the gap between her challenger Ranma became more concerned, from his vantage it appeared Incognito had not moved to accept Akane's attack or shifted for a planned counterattack and that meant that he had something planned. Whatever it was he doubted it bode well for the outcome of this fight.

His eyes widened in shock as he finished his incessant probing of the massive challenger, Incognito lacked an aura. Not even the small flow of Ki present in every living creature was present within his large frame. That was impossible; everybody had an aura of some kind or strength. The only way to completely lose your aura was to die and Akane's challenger was clearly alive and eagerly awaiting her attack, what did it mean?

Ranma looked on in horror as Akane entered the monsters reach only to have claw like hands whip out of overly long beige sleeves and crush her skull. Even as the tattooed giant threw Akane's body away like a rag to leave a bloody trail along the length of the dojo Ranma was launching his own attack. Fighting a feeling of deepening and sickening dread at the ease at which the monster had breached his fiancé's defences, the sickening expression of enjoyment that filled its face and evil laugh that echoed through the dojo Ranma went for the kill.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Jumping over the park bench he had been sleeping on and settling into a defensive stance Ranma looked around, trying desperately to get his breathing and heart rate back under control. An overcast sky and his damp silks signalled what he had come to expect of the weather in London. He hadn't been warm or dry since he had left Japan. It was hard to forget the events that had so recently shattered his life when they reoccurred so vividly every night. Still, at least he hadn't had to re-experience what came next, thank god for small mercies.

He was sure that it would soon be all over though; at the end of it he had a name and a location. Incognito had said that he could be found in London, it was clearly meant to be a challenge and after the events he had endured he wasn't about to back down. Still he had been in London a week already and had only just got wind of a possible lead. In a city of just over seven million people he had been lucky but he would be happy to take what was given.

He had heard rumour of a family which was based in London that was responsible for hunting down and killing any non-human threats to queen and country, Incognito clearly classified. The Hellsing family had a large estate just north of the city and it was the only lead he had found all week. Still Ranma was not so naïve that he would be able to just front up and get answers from those in charge, even if they knew what he was talking about. Organizations such as this were usually held with the highest secrecy with their existence completely denied.

Picking up his pack after finishing off the last of his rations, Ranma started the long trek through the city. By the time he reached the estate it would be early afternoon, a perfect time for him to steel in and snoop around unnoticed while looking for information to further his search for Incognito. Even when a premise was heavily guarded, people rarely expected a thief in the middle of the day and for the son of a master thief who had spent ten years living on the road such as himself that was all the edge he needed.

Sighing sadly and looking around at the signs of a slowly awakening city Ranma set off. Even with the events he had experienced in his life so far and his almost supernatural skills in the art he had been totally unprepared for an opponent like Incognito. He hadn't even imagined an opponent like Incognito existed. Ranma reprimanded himself as his thoughts drifted closer to the challenge match between Akane and Incognito and inevitably what followed, vowing to think of something else.

He began to go through techniques and Kata's in his head, thinking up new counters and counters to the counters. It was an exercise that usually relaxed him and helped to focus his thoughts but today they kept returning to Incognito and what he could have done to stop him and prevent the inevitable outcome. However futile it was he imagined he could have done something, even if Ranma silently admitted to himself a week of introspection after those events that he was as far below Incognito as a non-martial artist was below Happosai.

Ranma just blinked as he felt the sun strongly on his back. It seemed that he had found his way out of London and lost hours in contemplation. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he turned his thought to what he would do when he arrived at the Hellsing manor. If it were like the other older style mansions he had scoped out then it would be almost too easy to break in and move around undetected.

As he reached the edge of the Hellsing family grounds he started to hear sounds of automatic gunfire and the almost inaudible booms of explosives. Instinctively he found himself reliving the events of a week ago and heading away from whatever was happening at the manor.

"Is this all there is, I've seen ghouls stronger than this," the rasping voice of Incognito seemed to echo laughingly through his head as mentally regained control of himself.

"No!!" he told himself forcibly shaking his head clear of unwanted memories. "This is perhaps the best opportunity I will have to get into and out off the Hellsing grounds unnoticed."

Breaking into a run towards the manor he tried to imagine what was happening. Live fire exercise, war games between the SAS and the army or maybe the private Hellsing army they were rumoured to have were just letting off some steam on the surrounding countryside. Whatever it was Ranma certainly didn't expect to see half eaten corpses decorating what could have passed for a castle with some extra fortifications.

"What the hell?" he muttered as he slowed down to a jog, passing through the bus size hole in the outer wall only to throw himself to the floor as a knife passed through where his neck was moments before. "Watch i…." Ranma stuttered out as he found himself facing off against a bloody corpse in riot gear. 'At least I know I'm in the right place now' he thought detachedly. "What are you things!!!" he yelled in frustration releasing a vacuum blade and watching it disintegrate into a pile of maggots –if only such simple means had worked against Incognito.

Thoughts of Incognito brought fresh images of the fight flashing through Ranma's head "Now where getting somewhere," Incognito laughed seemingly unaware that his body had been sliced into little pieces "show me what you've got human." It had been harder and harder to forget the events at the dojo and why he was searching for Incognito over time not easier. Thoughts of Incognito almost constantly filled his head these days, he would be glad when he finally killed the monster.

With the incessant gunfire and the possibility of corpses coming back to life to attack him Ranma wanted to get in and out as soon as possible. Turning sharply towards the duel staircases which led deeper into the manor Ranma stared at the after image of a laughing Incognito. Incognito haunted his waking hours as well as his sleeping ones. "The sooner we meet again the better Incognito," he muttered darkly. He had been caught off guard, never again he vowed as he unconsciously shredded another copse trying to sneak up on him.

Whatever these undead monsters were, they had already died once so he had no compunction in killing them again. Besides if they got their hands on a gun they could become a much bigger problem, to him and the unknowing public. "Concentrate," he muttered to himself as he generated and focused his battle aura. With so many armed copses occupying this manor he would take every advantage he could get in detecting and dealing with them. He had hardly entered the building and already he had been attacked twice, by the time he found anything useful he would no doubt be ambushed again.

It was a fine balancing act however, while the security of the Hellsing manor would be occupied with the attacking dead and would therefore probably not notice another figure skulking around, they would notice someone burning brightly with a battle aura. Focussing his battle aura as tightly as he could around himself he walked deeper into the first floor, almost immediately being confronted with the dead feeding on dead or dying defenders. It appeared that he wasn't the only one interested in the Hellsing manor.

Although the dead didn't contain any aura, the absents of even the little ki imbued into everything from the stone walls to the pollen filled breeze allowed him to sense them within a limited range if he concentrated enough. As Ranma moved deeper into the ruined manor he began to meet with heavier resistance as greater numbers of animated dead emerged from side passages and jumped from the ceiling in attempt to kill him.

Even though individually they were slow and easily taken out the sheer numbers he was encountering was having an increasingly draining effect on his reserves and seriously effecting his concentration. Being on guard for so long was quickly exhausting his already depleted reserves. He knew he would need to find what he was looking for soon, time was running out. The sounds of gunfire was already becoming more and more sporadic, he didn't really want to be around when either side won. Dealing with an undead army wasn't high on his agenda and explaining his presence to the master of the house was equally unattractive. Jerking another door open Ranma stumbled to a halt as he beheld endless shelves of books – he had found a library, perfect.

If this didn't hold the information he needed, nothing would. Scanning the shelves for something useful his eyes focussed on a single text in Japanese surrounded by volumes in English. 'The history of vampires in Japan,' Ranma eyed the lavishly gilded volume suspiciously. Why there would be a Japanese book hidden amongst English books was a mystery. An explosion that seemed to rock the manor on its foundations decided him, grabbing the book he ran back the way he came.

Exiting the manor was easier than his entrance had been since there were no animated corpses to impede his progress, it made him wonder where they had all gone. As he made his way back into the city the sounds of approaching sirens vindicated his sense of timing. Taking a last look at the book he had acquired from the Hellsing manor's library before stuffing it into his pack he couldn't help but grin triumphantly.

He had successfully slipped into and out off the headquarters of a secret organisation gaining some of what he hoped would be some vital information in the process. Sure it wasn't much but it was the first victory that he had achieved since Incognito and it did a lot to help rebuild his confidence. With his stomach growling his mind turned on how to scam or steal some food, having spent so long in London he had exhausted his supplies.

'Bahh,' Ranma thought, his thoughts once again darkening 'spending so long at the Tendo's I've grown soft, no wonder Incognito beat me so easily.' Living on the road for so long was no picnic and he had picked up some other skills in Nerima which would prove useful in stealing some food and once again surviving the life on the road. Spotting a likely restaurant as he passed into the more densely populated regions of London Ranma stashed his pack and looked for a back entrance.

He wasn't too fussed about what he ate and what made this restaurant so perfect was the busy frontage and the un-alarmed back door. It would be too easy to force the latch of the back door leading into the kitchen and if he moved stealthy and was fast enough they wouldn't even notice plates disappearing until it was too late.

The sound of the latch being forced was masked by a busy kitchen, quickly entering and being careful to shut the door behind him to avoid suspicion Ranma crept closer to the bar where the finished meals awaited waitresses. Making a quick dash he grabbed three plates and headed for the unlatched back door being careful to keep his head down. Sometimes those camera's were good enough quality to capture a good likeness and running from the authorities would take too much time from his search for Incognito.

"Hey!!! Someone call the police," but by the time the cooks had created enough of an uproar to notify security though he had grabbed his pack and made good his escape. He had quickly learned that roof hopping was taboo in London but there were other ways to disappear quickly in a city of seven million. After scoffing his meal Ranma discarded any evidence that may link him to the crime and made his way to a park he had passed on his way to the Hellsing estate to camp for the night.

Ranma was always keeping his eye open for a place to camp to prevent people from associating him with any park in particular and this park had good lighting and plenty of space to go though Kata's at daybreak. He missed the sparring sessions with his father though and doubted whether he could find a sparring partner that was as good at bringing out his weaknesses.

Pulling out the spoils of his earlier actions Ranma opened the book at a random page and started reading.

'Although ghouls are the weakest and lowest member

of any demonic army they make ideal cannon fodder

for the aspiring vampire. Being extremely easy to…'

Ranma sighed with depression as the first dots of rain dampened the pages forcing him to close the book for the night. He had first been sceptical about learning anything from a history book but it had been the only book he had spotted in the short time he was at the library that was written in Japanese, so he had grabbed it not wanting the day to be a waste. He didn't know enough English to be able to garner much information from the other books and he lacked the patience to translate them anyway. This book seemed to have enough information to tell him exactly what he was fighting though he suspected that's where it ended. Now the weather once again forced him to change his plans.

'Not that it matters what Incognito is since that's when I fight my best,' he thought to himself feeling a surge of his old confidence for the first time since Akane….. Ranma let out a sob and set himself against a tree for the night. What little protection it offered against the rain would be welcome; another thing he had found out quickly upon arriving in London was that setting up a tent in a public park was not tolerated. He wanted to stay anonymous in this country until it came time to take Incognito down so anything that would cause him to stand out was to be avoided. His fight with Incognito would inevitably cause a stir but he was good at disappearing.

Closing his eyes, Ranma tried to find his centre. Lately he found meditation more restful than sleep. Meditation at least was not filled with violent nightmares which were sometimes a combination of imagination and memories. Despite his best efforts to stave off sleep however he found himself falling into a deep sleep as his meditation slowed his heart rate and deepened his breathing.

Only to find himself standing in the Tendo dojo, completely undamaged and devoid of any evidence of what occurred there only a week before. "You have led me on a merry chase human," Incognito's voice rasped echoing through the empty dojo causing Ranma to step back in confusion moments before Incognito stepped out of the wall. 'What was he doing back at the Tendo dojo? He was in London wasn't he?' Unsure of what was going on Ranma was nether the less determined not to be caught off guard again.

"Incognito!!" Ranma growled letting his battle aura expand dangerously, "you will pay a thousand fold for your crimes." Ranma's rage, hate and frustration were evident in the swirling colours of his aura and naked upon his face.

"What crimes?" Incognito asked flippantly, a knowing smirk on his face. "This one?" Ranma's aura faltered as the screams of the Tendo's filled the air dispersed with the loud explosion of high calibre gun fire. Stepping back in shock and horror Ranma watched as blood started oozing out of the dojo's walls pooling on the floor. "But it was such a delicious distraction."

"What's the matter human, weren't you going to take your revenge for the destruction I rained down upon your pitiful home?" Incognito asked with a widening smirk holding up Akane's crushed head. Ranma stared blankly at the blood dripping from Akane's mangled face and severed neck into the growing pool of blood at their feet.

"You've impressed me human," Incognito said striding forward unimpeded through the congealing pool of blood at their feet. "In the end you've lasted a week when most of your kind wouldn't have lasted a day. Despite your power however you are only human, while I am the true undead. While you will age and wither I will only become more powerful."

Incognito's powerful and sweetly corrupting voice cut through the fog clouding Ranma's brain. "You too could live forever, there would be no shortage of years in which to obtain your revenge, to become stronger in your art." Incognito came closer to Ranma as the sweet sounds of destruction and pain filled the air. Discarding his trench coat Incognito stood naked in the middle of the dojo but for the glowing purple ruins that blazed across his body.

Stepping directly in front of a dazed Ranma Incognito opened his mouth in anticipation, his incisors elongating. "Join me human," he entreated as the screams reached a crescendo and the blood pooled to their waists.

"I don't think so scum," Ranma declared. His face going from a dazed expression to one of confident triumph in a moment, driving his fist through Incognito's body and using an infusion of Ki Ranma blew Incognito's body into a fine red mist. He watched as the mist settled on the pool of blood erasing all traces of the murdering beast.

"Mwhahahahhahahahaha, perfect!!!" The glowing ruins that had previously outlined Incognito's body flared to existence again outlining a silhouette where he had stood moments before. "I had thought the game had ended." A grinning mouth appeared mid air sporting vampiric incisors, "you deserve more than a lowly FREAK chip when the inevitable happens human. I look forward to seeing how much more you can struggle."

"Mwhahahhahaha!!!!"

Ranma leapt from where he had been resting against the old tree and resumed a strong defensive stance looking hysterically around the park with Incognito's evil laughter still ringing in his ears. He was tired and ached as he hadn't for years.

Glancing at the sun rising over the deserted park Ranma attempted to regain control over his breathing and wildly beating heart as had become so common in the mornings. He didn't know how long he could stand this physiological torture – the sooner he found Incognito the better.