By RankoSaotome
Disclaimer on first chapter
Wow, this is getting a pretty good reaction. A lot of questions have been asked to me about the characters and their past. I'll try to answer those questions in the coming chapters.
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Chapter 3 - Through Suffering Comes Courage
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Kasumi and the others in the Tendo household were worried. Ever since the attack by the Dark Acolytes, things had... they'd changed. Genma had shown his true colors by escaping the city with the Tendos, instead of fighting like he had been trained to do. All the Tendos had survived, but with all the casualties about the ruins of Nerima, they still felt bad.
Then there was Ranma. When Genma nad Soun weren't whining about her spending too much time in girl form, they were trying to hatch plans to get Ranma and Akane married. Of course, Ranma was in no emotional shape to deal with that, so Kasumi had been understandably... Disappointed in them.
One day, after the whole catastrophy, Kasumi had asked Ranma why she hated the Acolytes so much.
And Ranma told her a story. A story of a friend she'd had as a child, named Ucchan. Who she had run into later in life...
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FLASHBACK
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Ranma hated this. She'd come to check on her old friend, Ucchan, in Okinawa and this happens. The entire area was under attack by the Dark Acolytes. Ranma had recently gotten her curse, and had come to get advice from Ucchan, who she knew was a bit of a crossdresser. Only...
"Ucchan!" She cried out. The attack was just starting to end, the siege leaving the area, and Ranma ran to the prone body of her friend. Ranma shook the girl rapidly, hoping beyond any doubt that her friend was still alive. Ucchan did not move.
Ranma was in shock. She'd been training to take on the Dark Acolytes for years, but... Once she saw them, she... She froze... And then hid. They just felt so evil, so utterly malicious... She knew that, if she'd fought them, they'd have killed her without a doubt.
Ranma did not shed tears as she realized her friend was gone, though she did swear revenge. Ucchan would be avenged, no matter what it took.
And a week later, she recieved news, via a letter, that her friends at Joketsuzoku were attacked as well. Xian Pu, her closest friend there, had not survived.
Ranma, fearing for those closest to her, immediately confronted her father. "Where is Mom!"
"What!"
"WHERE IS SHE! The Dark Acolytes might be after her next!"
Genma told, and she had taken off, uncaring what form she was in. She merely had to get to her mother and soon.
But, when she arrived... It was too late. Her mother's house was in ruins, but she tredged on with hope as her guide. Digging through the rubble, she eventually came upon her mother's prone body. "M-Mom..."
At those words, Saotome Nodoka's eyes opened, beholding the redheaded girl before her. The form was different, but those eyes... Those eyes filled with utter terror and the tears in them... She would always remember her own child's eyes. "Ranma...?"
"Yes, it's me, Mom... I... I have to get you out of here..."
"No, child... I... I'm just happy to see you again..."
"But, mother!"
"My dear, sweet Ranma-chan... There is a chest in... In the basement... Open it. In there, you will find a sword and hammer. They were especially made... By my grandfather... For you..."
"For... For me?"
"You must... Use them. Only a Spirit... Only a Spirit Blacksmith can stand against... the Dark Acolytes. My child, my beautiful... Baby girl..."
Ranma could feel Nodoka's hand on her cheek, Ranma herself coming to realize her mother was saying goodbye. "Please... Mother...!"
"My dear, be good..." And, with that, Saotome Nodoka passed away.
And no amount of effort on Ranma's part could stop the tears.
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END FLASHBACK
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Ranma had many stories. Three years ago, she'd taken up the sword as her favored fighting style, as per the request of her mother. And before that, she'd recieved her curse. So, she had a good amount of time to grow up with it.
The family was settling in for another day to think, when the door to the guest room upstairs opened. And Ranma came down, a vile of water in one hand.
Genma's face turned ashen.
Ranma looked at all the people concerned, as she started to head outside.
"Don't you DARE, Ranma!" Came from Genma, startling all the people there. What was going on?
"I am sorry, Father, but if I am to draw my revenge upon the Dark Acolytes... I must do this..." Ranma said, inspecting the vile of water in hand.
"What is going on, Saotome?"
"My idiot on is about to lock himself as a girl forever! He has already spent enough time as a girl! Ranma, it's time you get this foolish notion of being a Spirit Blacksmith out of your head and marry Akane!"
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Came Ranma's harsh reply. "You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do! I have let you talk and groan about my choices all this time. But no more! I am a Spirit Blacksmith, the student of Tofu-sensei! And his dying wish was for me to surpass him, and I can only do that as a girl!" She yelled, opening the vile's stopper and pouring the liquid over her head.
Genma's face turned to rage. "Get out. You are no longer welcome in this family."
"If that is your decision..." Genma started to look smug, thinking he still had control of the girl. "Prepare yourself!" And that smug look disappeared instantly, as Ranma drew her sword and rushed Genma.
The battle was short lived, as Ranma knew everything Genma could throw at her. Or so she thought. When he started unleashing the Umisenken and Yamasenken, she was hit a few times, but was relentless. She would dance around most blows, before bringing her sword down upon a good opening.
She was deflected by a shield. Growling, she looked to see who had stopped her.
It was Soun. "Get out of my house, Ronin."
Ranma wanted to fight, she wanted to fight back. But, she merely lowered her sword and replied. "I apologize, Tendo-san. I'll just need to get..."
"No. You will leave your things until you are ready to come back and marry Akane."
"I will sooner die than EVER let someone run my life again. Tendo-san, unless you wish to fight me, to the death, you WILL relinquish my things to me."
"No, I will not."
Ranma was about to reply with a rather biting remark, when Kasumi walked up to Ranma. Ranma stopped, looking at the girl before walking out and sheathing her sword.
On her way out, she heard yelling from Kasumi. "You fucking bastard, father! How dare you merely throw her to the wolves after she saved Nerima! Mother was right, you are little more than a coward!"
"You will respect your father, Kasumi."
"I have no father. All I see before me is a cowardly old man."
"Then leave."
"No, YOU will leave. This house has been in the names of myself and Nabiki for six years! YOU are the guest, not us. So YOU get out of OUR house! You, and Saotome-san as well. I do not know you, Tendo-san! Now get out! But you can take your things with you, since I will NOT allow you to return!"
"Sis! How dare you defend that pervert!"
"Do you want to be kicked out as well, Akane?" This came from Nabiki.
"WHAT!"
"Ranma saved my life from Schmidt. I am deeply in her debt, and you know I hate being in debt. Giving her a home to come back to is the least I can do. But Tendo-san and Saotome-san are not welcome here."
"You two cannot kick them out! This is my Dojo!"
"Then live in the Dojo, Akane. But the house belongs to us."
Then, Ranma heard silence, but she cared not. She merely set off down the street, having a minimum of supplies. But, she was still aware... Of the three people following her.
But they could not keep up, as Ranma took to the rooftops, to the alleys, and every which way, getting the entire group turned around several times. She eventually found her way out of the city.
She didn't look up at all, as she trudged out into the world. She would go to where Tofu-sensei had asked. Lucent Cave was her next goal.
And she got there, with little trouble. Sure, there was the occasional fight, especially with a Knife Master or two, but the trouble was short lived. But, as she moved across the cliffsides to the cave, there was a bit of trouble with a Gear Hawk constantly trying to knock her off to fall to her death.
And when she arrived, she was shocked with how pretty the cave was. Ranma looked around at all the crystals and precious gems about the cave, the sunlight that snuck inside illuminating them like the Aurora Borealis.
"So pretty..." She whispered, moving into the cave. There were all kinds of things to see. Ice formed paths from place to place, and she could see her breath like in the winter. She was a bit concerned when she was attacked by a ninja or two, which was a bit confusing, but she figured they must have been here for the gems. She suffered a few slash marks from the ninjas, but nothing terrible. She still could heal herself.
She was merely cowering when she had spotted a Mace Gearman in the cave, but managed to get passed it without a fight. The beating she had taken from it last time was still fresh in her mind.
It took her a little bit to get farther inside, since the place was made like a maze, but she eventually got to the next chamber. This one seemed to glimmer.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped. Turning, she found herself face-to-face with...
Kasumi. It was Kasumi.
"Wh... huh?"
"I figured you might be here. Let's just go."
Ranma would have talked to her more, but the knowledge others were here made her agree.
And the more the pair explored, the more Ranma was caught in awe. Where once there were ice bridges, now they were made of rainbow translucent ice. It was very lovely.
The next chamber was covered in paths, each path made of ice that led in all kinds of directions. And the next chamber was even more different, with a manmade staircase inside to go to the next floor.
She wanted to ask about it, but did not.
They eventually found their way to a forge. Ranma was surprised by this, before inspecting her weapon and Kasumi's knife. She quickly tempered their weapons, before she nodded to Kasumi. "Let's do this." And they moved up the steps to find a large torch... But it wasn't lit.
"Strange..." Kasumi began, bringing Ranma's attention to her. "I could have sworn there was a flame when I came here when I was little..." Then, she looked to Ranma before an idea came to her. "Tofu's hammer! He was doing something with it when he brought me here to see the flame!"
Ranma, nodding, drew the hammer. When she had it in hand, she had to take a deep breath to prevent the tears before holding it up into the air. Then, she heard something.
"I can hear it... It's like the sound of someone forging... Forging a sword..." With the hammer in the air, it glowed and Ranma was shocked. She almost lost her grip on the hammer, as it rose into the air, the torch suddenly coming alive. It started to resonate with the hammer, as above the torch took the shape of a sword pointing in Ranma's general direction.
"The Elemental Spirits... They're curious about what kinds of swords I forge..." She then rose the hammer back into the air. "Kasumi, come with me!" Ranma cried, as the two were enveloped in light and flame, and taken away from the altar... And they found themselves in a wonderous place... It was like being in a vortex of light...
"The Holy Flame of this Sacred Torch is the power of Light, the only power that can battle the Darkness." Came a voice.
Another voice spoke. "The Holy Flame draws power from the mind. The Darkness draws from hatred. The Light draws from higher love."
Another voice, female. "The flame instills power to the swords. The one who obtains the power of the Holy Flame can use the Elemental Beasts."
Now, another voice, and Ranma could see floating figures of people. "Sacred Altars lie in various places. Use the Holy Flame to forge swords. Alight your hammer with the Holy Flame."
Another voice, as someone floated down. "Use the sword forged with the power of Spirit to protect the Holy Flame from the evil."
Then, the last four disappeared, while the last burst into light. Ranma watched in awe as the light rose into the vortex sky of black, and formed into a dragon.
"The power of water is upon you... I am Aquoon, the Elemental Beast of the water." Ranma was watching it, as it divebombed her. She wondered if it wished to battle, before it merely... flashed out of existence in front of her. But, she could feel it... The power of water flowing through her...
"Oh wow! I can actually feel the wave of power washing through me..." Ranma said, then rose Tofu's hammer over her head. The flame on the new torch, flowed off the torch and into her hammer. The hammer glowed with newfound ability.
"What does it feel like, Ranma?"
"It's great! The power... it flows from the hammer!"
"Tofu once told me... To impart the power of Elemental Spirits, you need the love of a girl with a pure heart and soul. Ranma, let me help you forge the sword together. I know it's embarassing, seeing as to your situation... But I'd like to help in any way I can."
Kasumi then entered the light, with Ranma following. Upon the other side, Ranma growled at the sight that greeted her. A Gearman of the Dark Acolytes, before it spoke.
"Target acquired... Sending Sacred Altar information..."
"God dammit! Don't you little fuckers know not to follow a girl that can destroy you all!"
"Ranma, nevermind that! We have to destroy it before it can send the information!"
And they both rushed the Dark Gearman. Ranma pulled her sword, idly noting the change in color of the sword to red. Ranma was about to attack, when she stopped. Kasumi, get back!"
"What!"
"Trust me!" Ranma yelled, moving between Kasumi and the Gearman, and raising her sword up into the air. It shined with bright blue light. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AQUOON!" She cried out, her form seeming to flash a few times before herself and Kasumi vanished.
The blue dragon of water rose from the flash of light, the dragon taking in the sight of the Gearman before letting loose a stream of water at it. The Gearman stumbled on the hit, both girls reappearing when the dragon vanished. Both girls rushed it once again. Slashes and stabs of their weapons filled the air, as they relentlessly attacked the scouting Gearman. They hoped, upon the Gearman's destruction, that they were not too late.
"Wow, go Ranma!" Kasumi cried, raising a fist into the air. "Alright, they said there are Sacred Altars all over the world. Let's first go through Fort Teve and go to Hatoba, in Searock. We could find a clue to the next Sacred Altar there."
"But, what about your family, Kasumi?"
"It will be harder to leave should we visit... Let's just go."
And Ranma nodded, as the two set off for Fort Teve. They ran into the Gear Hawk again, and Ranma got some revenge on it. Of course, it slowed them a bit, but they made it to Fort Teve before dark.
There, they were met with Ryouga. "Kasumi!"
"Hi, Ryouga!" Then, Ryouga brought his gaze to Ranma, and he lost his smile, which confused Ranma a good deal. What was going on?
"It's been a long time, Saotome."
"You figured it out, did you?"
"I saw your father. He was quite... Informative." TO this, Ranma could only hang her head in shame.
But, it seemed Ryouga didn't mind too much, as he brightened almost instantly. This, was not the Ryouga Ranma once knew. "Well, I'm just glad you're both alright. I heard what happened to Tofu-san and Nerima. But you two, don't get discouraged! Just remember, Tofu-san is in a better place, a place where dreams come true."
Ranma raised an eyebrow at hearing this from Ryouga, before nodding.
"Well, we were actually attacked here during the invasion of Nerima... If only I were in Nerima, I would have been able to help..." Then, Ryouga took up an angry look. "Damn the Dark Acolytes! No forgiveness will be dealt! I'm going with you two, my strength is that of a hundred men!"
"Thanks, Ryouga. Your strength would really help us out!" Ranma said, a smile gracing her features, which brought Ryouga to look at her before smiling.
"You've changed, Saotome, and I think for the better. Well, shall we all get going, ladies?"
"Right! Next stop, the Sacred Altar!"
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"I'm glad you came. You are Dark Master, a Spirit Blacksmith with the power of Darkness."
"Yes, Sir."
"In order for us to rule the world, we need the power of the Light. Your father and grandfather were both talented Spirit Blacksmiths."
"My father?"
"I know you can use the power of the Light."
"Why are you giving an order to a stupid human? Are we not capable? Give me the order!"
"Dark Master, you have the power of both the Light and Darkness. I know you can do this." There was a pause. "Bolt, I command you to help him."
"Me? Okay. I will do my best."
A long pause.
"So, that is the Dark Master."
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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I would have gone further with this installment, but I felt this was a good place to stop this chapter for the next. Don't want the chapters to get too long. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this installment. I'll get the next one out soon.