A.N. I'm wondering, other than the Tendou's, the Saotome's, the demons, Shampoo, Ryouga and Ukyou, who else should I include? And yes, I know Akane is a little OOC. It'll change shortly.
Demons in Nermia!
Chapter 2: Getting cleaned is a messy job
Kasumi quickly got up from her seat and moved towards the door. She opened it, and said,
"Oh! Who might you be?" Erin was momentarily stunned from Kasumi's almost divine presence.
I'll have to be careful around her. She's not normal. Snapping out of her reverie, she said,
"I'm Erin. I was looking to thank Ranma, since he saved me from that nasty demony-thing!" Erin mustered every bit of 'cuteness' aura she had. Kasumi smiled.
"Ranma was just telling us about you. Please, come inside." Erin did just that. As soon as she stepped into the room, the reactions varied. Ranma flinched, due to a combination of her demonic and cuteness auras, as well as having experienced bad things with people who seek him out.
Akane began to fume, as Ranma was now associating with another, extremely beautiful girl. Wasn't he supposed to be her loyal, unwavering, submissive, never-look-at-another-girl fiancee? Nabiki's eyes lit up dollar signs. If she convince this girl to pose for her, there'd be no more need to get Ranma or Akane to pose ever again. Heck, with that kind of money, she could spoil everyone in the house.
Genma's mouth hung open. The boy's got another crazy one following him? Soun's mind picked up on the demonic energy. Unfortunately, due to a sensory mess-up, he thought that the demon aura made her look like a young version of his wife. So he did the only thing Soun Tendou would do.
He fainted. Kasumi, of course, thought she was just a sweet girl that wanted to be Ranma's friend. Nodoka hadn't seen the girl yet. Erin's eyes lit up as she began formulating a plan to get Ranma's soul away from him. So, she quickly ran over to the other side of the room, and enveloped Ranma in a hug.
Ranma froze up. He never knew what to do in these situations. Should he hug back? Should he try to escape? What would they do if he tried? All Ranma knew was that he couldn't stand to see people cry, so he did nothing, and hopefully, that would leave something for them to give him clues to work with.
Akane began seething. She was another friggin' bimbo! Look at them draping themselves all over each other! Akane's anger had nearly hit the boiling point.
Erin began to notice a few things were wrong. Ranma wasn't responding to the hug. The temperature near where Akane was sitting was rising rapidly, and she felt like she was being eyed like a cow from another general direction. Then it hit her. She pulled back and put her face in her hand.
STUPID! Hugging someone you're not intimate with in Japan is taboo! This isn't America, and certainly not Europe. Erin sighed.
Nodoka chose that moment to walk into the room, as Erin was letting go of Ranma. She smiled. This new girl would make a good wife, or at the very least, a good mistress.
"I apologize. I'm not from Japan. A hug seemed like a good way to thank him." However, another person in the room wasn't listening. She hadn't done anything, because she felt that girls were completely without blame. Erin had positioned herself to where if Ranma was hit, she would be hurt. Therefore, when Erin let go of Ranma, Akane chose that moment to attack.
"YOU PERVERT!" Akane said. Ranma again flinched, but didn't begin to move. However, Erin's arm lashed out and caught the other moving arm, and effectively stopped Akane from slapping Ranma.
"Hold on there slugger!" Erin said, in a mock coach voice. "HE might break something like that!" Several people around the room were stunned. Genma, Akane, Ranma and Nabiki because someone was acting to defend him. Nodoka and Kasumi because they knew that Akane was a strong girl, and that Erin had to be stronger then her to stop the slap. Soun had no opinion, because he had yet to recover from his fainting spell.
Akane was most of all insulted. Why did this bimbo stop her from delivering a rightful blow? She got even angrier.
"You whore! Why did you stop me from doing something that had to be done!"
"Why the hell did you need to slap him for my mistake?" Erin was utterly bewildered. Was this girl crazy?
"Girls are infallible. It could only have been Ranma's fault." Akane stated, in an almost challenging voice. Genma nodded.
"I agree to a lesser extent. They may not be infallible, but they always have a reason for doing something." Erin stared at him like he'd grown two heads. She was the demon, she was supposed to be weird! She swiveled her gaze, and landed it on Ranma. She pitied him. She asked,
"Why do you put up with this torment?" Ranma didn't respond, but just turned a nice shade of red.
"Ah. I see." Erin reflected on what she'd just learned. This person who wanted to hurt him for anything she perceived as a slight held his heart for no apparent reason.
"Look, Ranma. I've dealt with those things in the past before. You know, the big thorny things? That black cloud doesn't come off of clothes, and only comes off of skin with a good scrub and a few special soaps.
"Anyone who regularly associates with magical stuff should have a recipe. Just tell them you've been hit by a thorn demon dust cloud." Erin got up, and bow to them.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused. I must be getting home." Erin turned around, and began walking. However, a hand on her shoulder caused her to pause.
"Perhaps I could convince you to stay for dinner?" Nodoka had taken a liking to this girl. Erin smiled.
There are souls to be reaped here. Not that some of the people here would be any different if I took their souls.
"I think that would be nice." Ranma had gotten up, and was walking for the door. His mother turned and asked him,
"Where are you going, son?"
"I'm taking Erin's advice. I'm going up to my room to grab a change of clothes, and go get that soap." Nodoka smiled, and said,
"You do that, son. I'll keep a portion warm for you for when you get back.
Ranma was walking down the street, looking out for a big sign, labeled 'Nekohaten'. Once he found it, he knocked on the door. He heard a tapping sound, and saw Cologne come to the door.
"Welcom to the Neko- Good Lord, son-in-law, what have you gotten yourself into now?"
"A Thorn demon dust cloud is what I think she said." Cologne raised an eyebrow.
"She?"
"A girl I had to save from the thing." Cologne's eye got just a tiny bit wider. Not that she expected anything less from her son-in-law.
"You need soap, don't you?" She said, wearing a smile.
"Yeah. What do I have to do to get it?" Cologne's face lit up in a very scary, sadistic looking smile.
"Shampoo's asleep. Once your done with your bath, go lie down with her. She'll be pleasantly surprised in the moment." Ranma stared at the older woman, eyes slightly widened and twitching. He then pointed at himself.
"Do I look like a person who wants his head on a stick?" He took a step back, and began to walk back down the road. Cologne sighed. He never learns. Its futile to resist the Amazons. She just had to wait until those final pieces came in, and then she'd have him.
Ranma had run away, top speed from the Nekohaten. He headed to the only other person who might have a chance to make that soap for him.
Dr. Tofuu.
"Doc! Doc, are you there!" Ranma asked, while banging on the front door of Tofuu's practice.
"Yes! I'm here. I'm was just making dinner. Come in. I'll be there in a minute."
Ranma walked into the room. Dr. Tofuu called down to him.
"What happened. Nothing serious, as I can tell you walked in."
"I'm covered in something that doesn't want to some off. Something called a thorn demon dust cloud." The moment those words left his mouth, there was a clink of metal on metal, and Tofu came rushing down the stairs.
"Did you just say what I think you just said?"
"Thorn Demon Dust Cloud?" Ranma repeated. Tofuu smiled.
"You never cease to amaze me. You do know that few people have ever lived to tell about those things, right?"
"No. Look, do you have any of the soap?"
"That special formula takes a while to make. Luckily, I just happen to have a small bottle. You'll need to help me make more if those things are going to be attacking Nermia at any time." Ranma smiled.
"Where's the Furo?" Tofuu Pointed up the stairs.
"Take the right hall and its third door down on the left." Tofuu handed him the bottle.
Ranma was relaxing in the furo. It had taken the better part of an hour to scrub the dust off, and he had to drain the furo twice in the process. His arms were aching, and most of his face and his arms were red. Tofuu knocked.
"Mind if I joined you?"
"Not at all." Ranma said. "Come on in."
"Ranma, I had a few questions to ask you about your encounter today."
"Shoot."
"What color was the demon?"
"A yellowy, browny sort of almost color with black skin."
"I see. A rarer variety."
"What?"
"Well, there are many kinds of thorn demons. The more common kinds are things like Briar and Rose. But the kind you've stumbled across is something much more rare. You see, they only speak directly to your id, and they never really give classifying names to anything, so its hard to associate them to their plant."
"I follow you."
"They all have that dust cloud attack though. They force a lot of pollen out into the open air, and then make their getaway while their assailants are trapped in the cloud. Tell me, Ranma, what kind of affects did you feel after being in that cloud?"
"I felt really, really dizzy. Ye' might say I'd been put inta a dryer er somethin'."
"Ah. Dizziness. Tell me Ranma, aside from you chi attacks, how much about the spiritual and mystical side of things do you understand?" Ranma gave him a blank look.
"How does that pertain to fighting?"
"Its quite simple really. Other people and beings will use that to sap your will and strength, and use it to their own ends. Its not so much a matter of using it - but being prepared against it and know what it is." Recognition dawned on Ranma.
"Knowledge really is power, ain't it, Doc?"
"Yes it is Ranma. Indeed it is. Let me explain to you this other side. A battlefield guide to fighting demons and the supernatural, if you may.
A.N. Why do I get the feeling that after people read this, they'll want me to do a Sailor Moon Crossover, to where the Scouts come to fight the demons, even if they have no idea how to do that correctly.
How does everyone like the story so far?
