Caught in the Mist

A Ranma ½ Fanfiction

A/N: Alrighty, anyone who's reading this. This is chapter nine of this fic that was completely written by my good friend Amber. Therefore, any and all flames about bad writing or something should not be directly pointed at me. Or I'll have you sued…

Chapter Nine

Yokusei Defeated

Ryoga stared at Kiri transform into the shi ookami, the water dripping on her coat. He stared in fear, her eyes blue and cold, no cheerful Kiri were in them, only the coldness of the shi ookami.

"Kiri." He said softly but the creature just growled. Youksei smiled.

"You by now must know that she can not hear your voice or anyone elses." He chuckled.

'This pain hurts too much

Feels like they're isn't any more air

I can't breathe, suffocating

"Now my princess, finally get rid of this annoying fool." He squeezed his hand and pain shot into the creature's neck, it stood on its hinds legs and growled in pain, it then ran straight forward, right towards Ryoga. Ryoga, shocked jumped out of the way.

"Kiri! I know you don't want to do this!" Kiri just snarled, Yokusei laughed.

"Fool, she will not listen to you, she doesn't listen to anyone. The shi ookami only wants to destroy and kill, so it will kill anything or anyone in its sight." Yokusei grinned. Ryoga shook his head. No, there had to be another way, he knew that she didn't want to do this. Ryoga jumped into a tree, watching Kiri snarl at every movement, her teeth shinning in the moonlight.

'I don't want to be in pain

I want to be free from it all

From hatred

"Ranma, how do you think we get out of here?" Akane asked, worry in her voice.

"Hold on! I'm trying!" Ranma said as he was trying to pull the bars.

"Damn! These don't want to budge!" He snarled. Akane grabbed on his arm.

"Ranma." Ranma turned pink and turned to Akane.

"What's wrong Akane?" Akane hid her face.

"I'm afraid, this place, Yokusei, this all doesn't feel right, and I'm afraid for Ryoga and Kiri. She's now transformed, we don't know what she'll do, and she can hurt Ryoga." A teardrop fell down her cheek.

'Need someone to save me

Become my prince in shining armor

Free me from my chains

"Akane, you have to have more hope." Ranma said, wiping away the tear, which made Akane red.

"Just right now we have to figure out how to get out of here." Akane nodded. Ranma once again tried and pulled the bars, along with Akane's help, but nothing helped. Then they heard a big noise, like trains on a track only not as loud.

"What's that?" Akane asked, she then looked up and stared in fear, along with Ranma, a big metal block with sharp pointed fangs that gleamed was coming down on them, slowly but not slow enough for Ranma and Akane to make a plan.

"Ranma! What are we going to do?" Akane cried.

'Someone to tell me not to give up

To keep going till the end

Until we reach our paradise

"I-I don't know! Just don't give up!" Ranma responded, but truthfully, in his own heart, fear filled him. He had no idea how he would escape this one, he hoped, prayed for a miracle.

"Kiri! Please wake up!" Ryoga cried on another tree he jumped on, it was just another one before Kiri would destroy it again. Ryoga was not the only one running out of ideas, he couldn't attack her, and he wouldn't be just attacking the monster but Kiri herself. 'Damn it!' He thought, did he lose? Was this the end? Time could now only tell. Ryoga saw Kiri jump onto the tree, Ryoga went to sprint on the other one, but stopped; there wasn't another tree to escape too. He turned around, seeing hair rising, teeth snarling, growling Kiri glaring at him, her eyes narrowed. Her two tails swished and her claws flexed.

"Kiri." Ryoga said, staring at her. Her blood stained chain gleamed in the light.

"Kiri, I know this really isn't you, please, wake up." Ryoga pleaded, Kiri just laughed, the way dogs or wolves laughed.

'Someone to make me smile

Which I haven't in so long

Frowning is the only thing I could do

"Kiri!" Ryoga cried, having no other choice, he ran up to her and threw his arms around her neck. Next thing he knew, teeth had sunk into his shoulder. Ryoga yelled in pain and stepped back. Blood dripped down Kiri's long fangs, the taste of warm blood on her tongue and inside her mouth. She howled in enjoyment, this is what she wanted, she wanted more of it. Seeing the blood on Ryoga, she walked towards him. Ryoga just sat there, helpless. He stared into eyes of a killer, not Kiri. Oh, how he wished so bad to see those friendly eyes of hers, at least before he dies. Hope seemed to fade away from him, it seemed like everything would end right now. He then remembered something Kiri said..

"Kiri, I'm so sorry, I didn't know how much pain you went through." It was when Kiri had gotten back; they were both sitting on the couch. Ryoga felt so bad for Kiri, he had no idea how much pain she had gone through.

"It's ok Ryoga-chan." Kiri said, smiling. How could she smile after all she's gone through? Ryoga stared, shock.

'To hold me when I'm lonely

Tell me I'm going to be ok

I need someone to call my name

"I know it seems shocking but in my head whenever something bad happens, I just keep telling myself that after this is over, there's always tomorrow. There's always new things to happen, there's no reason to give up right away. That's why I always keep a positive attitude towards things, I always am hoping that something good will happen next." Kiri smiled again.

What Kiri said that time now ringed inside Ryoga's head.

"Kiri please, wake up." He begged again, he just saw her come closer to him, ready anytime to strike.

"Kiri remembered what you told me when we got back from the hospital?" Ryoga asked, a tear strolled down his cheek. He hoped that this might work; he took a step towards Kiri, hearing a deep growl rise in her throat.

'I've been in nothing but darkness

No light to be found

But now I see something shining through

"You told me that you always look forward to what happens next, even if something really bad happened. You always hoped that something good will happened next. Kiri, I know that right now, deep down you're hoping for something good to happen next, please Kiri, wake up, we're your friends, we just want to help you." Kiri's mouth opened again as she lunged towards Ryoga, her mouth clamped on to his arm. Tears fell down his face.

"Kiri! I know you don't mean to do this!" Kiri's mouth still hung onto his arm, blood gushed as Ryoga fell on to his knees. He sat there, with Kiri still on his arm. Kiri smiled, this is what she wanted, more blood, the salty warm taste swirled in her mouth, ah, how she enjoyed it.

Ryoga stared at Kiri, who's teeth were sinking into his arm, the pain he couldn't describe, but that wasn't the worst of it. He felt like he had failed in what he had planned to do. He had planned to save Kiri, but was that really it? Or did he really want to save her from her pain? To finally comfort her and do what others could not? Ryoga thought that maybe that was his real plan, but it felt like he had failed, he had not accomplished his plan, that was the real pain. Ryoga shakily raised his hand, he carried it over to Kiri's head, and then he began to stroke.

'Too much pain for me

Been betrayed so many times

But I try and pick up the pieces everytime

"I don't want you to suffer anymore Kiri." He whispered. He heard another growl, but it wasn't as loud as before, it had become softer. Ryoga felt Kiri's grip on his arm loosen. He stopped stroking and looked into Kiri's face, her ice-cold blue eyes were not as ice cold now, they were much softer.

"Kiri?" Ryoga heard a soft low purr come from her throat. Ryoga softly chuckled; he knew that was a good sign.

"Bitch! How dare she betray me again!" Yokusei growled and stomped over to Kiri. He pulled her by the chain, sending her flying to the ground. A whimper of pain was heard by Kiri.

'Life seems so difficult

Been into many mazes

Getting lost so many times

"Now to get what you deserve! I should have just killed you from the start!" Yokusei made his hand into a tight fist and squeezed.

"What?" He noticed something, the stone was gone.

"My control?" He looked around, dug into his pockets but found nothing.

"Looking for this?" Yokusei turned around and saw Ryoga with the stone in his hand, smiling.

"Bastard! Give that back!" He yelled, charging towards him, Ryoga dodged the attack.

"Right, like I'd give it to you now." Ryoga said, sending a kick to Yokusei's face, which made him trip, and fall to the ground. Yokusei stood up slowly.

'Need someone to show me my star

And guide me through the darkness

Showing me the light

Ryoga said, sending a kick to Yokusei's face, which made him trip, and fall to the ground. Youksei stood up slowly.

"Fool! Give me back my control!" Youksei snarled. Ryoga just smiled.

"Idiot, I'm not about to give this back to you, it can just stay with me." Youksei ran to him in rage, sending a punch every which way. Ryoga dodged all of them easily; his anger had gone to his head, making his moves easy to read. Ryoga sent another kick, Yokusei just stumbled so Ryoga went and sent a punch, this seemed to have more effect, and Yokusei fell to the ground and it seemed that he wouldn't get back up.

"I'm not done yet!" Yokusei yelled, sitting back up. Ryoga growled.

"Just don't give up!" Ryoga grabbed a piece of rope and tied it around Yokusei's arms and legs.

"I'll finally get rid of you." He said, tieing him up to a tree.

"Bastard." Ryoga panted as he ran over to Kiri. Blood was dripping all over her body, her fur stained red.

"Kiri, just hang on." He said as he rushed over to Akane and Ranma. He gasped as he saw the spikes closing in on them.

"Ryoga help!" Akane cried and Ryoga searched to make the spikes stop. He couldn't find a button, switch or even keys. With having no other ideas, Ryoga ran to the cage and put his hands around two bars and pulled with all his strength, he made a small hole, big enough for Akane and Ranma to squeeze through.

'I was in a forever sleep

Having nightmares all through it

But now I'm finally awake

"Hurry up!" He yelled as they rushed through the hole, it was just in the nick of time too, the spikes crashed into the bottom of the cage, sinking into the ground.

"Thank you Ryoga!" Akane said.

"Hey, if Ryoga could do that, how come you couldn't?" Akane whispered to Ranma.

"Oh I don't know! Maybe he is stronger then me!" Ranma said with a sarcastic tone and a snort. Akane just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, let's go back, we need to get Kiri to a hospital." Ryoga said, rushing back to Kiri.

"What about you? You're bleeding also." Akane said, pointing to his arm and shoulder.

"I'm not important right now! Kiri is in worse condition!" Ryoga snapped as he picked up Kiri.

'Making me feel different

Like night and day

Like I'm the center of the universe

"We need to find hot water, quickly!" Akane nodded and led them to the Tendo dojo. Ryoga carried Yokusei as they rushed to the dojo and Ryoga scrambled to fill a bucket with hot water, almost tripping; he rushed over and poured it on Kiri. Kasumi smiled sweetly as she saw Yokusei.

"Is this a new friend of yours? Would you like to have some tea?" She asked, smiling. A vein popped in Ryoga's forehead.

"This is the evil maniac that tried to kill us and tried to kidnap Kiri, do you think we want to have tea with him?" He snarled. Kasumi stared blankly.

"Oh." She said and continued to wipe the table. After that, Kasumi called and once again, they went to the hospital. The doctor bandaged Ryoga's wounds and once again Kiri was lying in a hospital bed. Ryoga fell asleep twice, sitting besides Kiri, waiting for her to wake up. The battle with Yokusei had been tough and Ryoga wanted nothing more to sleep, but he kept waking himself up, he wanted to wait for Kiri, until she awoke.

"Ryoga-chan?" Ryoga opened his eyes and looked straight at Kiri.

"Ah Kiri, you're awake!" Ryoga said smiling, he didn't see Kiri smile back.

"Yeah." She said, her eyes turning away, full of sadness.

"Kiri, what's wrong?" Rivers of salty tears traveled down Kiri's cheeks as she cried.

"I know I was the one that attacked you! I'm so sorry! I knew that this might have happened! I could have killed you!" She sobbed.

"Kiri, it isn't your fault." Ryoga said softly. Kiri just shook her head.

"Yes it is Ryoga-chan, I'm the one that transformed!" She buried her head into her hands. Ryoga frowned; he hated her to see her in pain so he pulled Kiri into a tight hug.

"It's not your fault, believe me." Heat rose in Kiri's cheeks, as she turned red. She still cried, her eyes becoming puffy and red, Ryoga knocked back in forth, with Kiri in his arms.

"I'm sorry Ryoga-chan, I'm so sorry." Ryoga held her close.

"It's ok." He whispered. Kiri sobbed in Ryoga's chest for hours, it seemed even longer, more like days. She wanted to keep smelling his heavenly scent and be by his warm body forever, it felt so comfortable against her cold skin, once again; she fell asleep in his arms. Ryoga just stayed there, not moving at all, he didn't want to disturb or leave Kiri now, he just wanted to stay with her. Kiri wanted nothing else right now, she felt miserable but every time she was with Ryoga, she always felt happier, he always tried to help her and understand her pain; she just wanted to stay with him forever.

'Need someone to show me my star

And guide me through the darkness

Showing me the light

Screaming inside my head

But there's finally light

Don't have to worry about getting lost

Need someone to show me my star

And guide me through the darkness…