Ki Cutters: 28

The Prophecy II

Ranma swallowed and glared at the tabletop. Sitting down with a thump, she picked up her teacup and slurped noisily, before pouring a measured portion into her hair. Akane and Kasumi were still reorganizing their thoughts, confused by the spell that had been used on them.

"That went better than I thought," commented Keiichi, dropping back to his place at the table. "Thor was surprising, though."

"Thor can be very sweet," Baradandya commented. "He can also be very dangerous. He has a terrible temper, but a good sense of humor. It all evens out."

"What… what…" Akane stammered, blushing. She was replaying the events and conversations of the last few minutes without the filter of the kami's disturbingly effective emotional controls.

"Oh, dear! I felt so very… I mean…" Kasumi suddenly left the room, blushing furiously. Ukyo huffed and grabbed Ryoga's hand, in need of reassurance.

The others resumed their seats at the table. "I'm really screwed, ain't I?" Ranma said after a short respite.

"Not yet, you're not," growled Akane, "And not while you have us around to help!" Ukyo, Ryoga and Shampoo nodded in unison. "Shampoo, what if we…"

"If you and Ranma do it? Then they not virgin" She looked expectantly at the Morisatos.

Baradandya shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Please understand that the original language is very precise – what I recited was a close approximation. Also, the 'field must be sown': Ranma 'sowing' Akane's fields doesn't match the focus of the prophecy." It was almost painful to see the gentle teacher in such distress, even if it was for someone else. "The program can only be fulfilled if it pertains to girl-type Ranma and is done by a male."

"There is an alternative to the supernatural element," Keiichi said quietly. "Another alternative is to find a human male to… No result is very good but…"

Ranma glared daggers at him. "Oh, really. And are you volunteering for the job?"

Keiichi blushed. "No, no! I'm married to Bel here! I won't do that to her!"

"Oh?" Ranma sat back mollified somewhat. "Then who you suggestin'?"

"It would have to be someone you trust, Ranma," Baradandya said. "I mean it will be unpleasant enough already without adding an outsider into the picture." She glanced toward Keiichi and, noticing his face-fault, reviewed what she had said. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way, Kei! I meant, for Ranma it would be unpleasant…"

"Well, I agree with ya there," Ranma said shuddering. "But who?"

As one they all looked at Ryoga, who blinked and sweated. "Ryoga?" Ranma considered.

"Don't look at me!" Ryoga exclaimed, eyes wide. "I don't do well with that sort of thing."

"Couldn't prove it by me, sugar."

"That's not what it seemed like in the bushes, porky," Ranma snickered. Ryoga went white and stammered wordlessly. "'Course if I'd been slower knocking ya out, I wouldn't hafta worry about this now!"

"Ranma," Ryoga snarled, "how dare you talk about things like that in front of Ukyo and Akane?"

"Don't forget me!" Shampoo said merrily, raising her hand.

"Thank you. Or Shampoo! I can't help it you tricked me into thinking you were my fiancée!"

"Whatever," Ranma said dismissively. "Who else ya gonna shove my way?"

"Excuse me," said Mousse ducking his head around the door. "It was open and since no one answered when I knocked, I let myself in. What?" He looked down then up again. "Do I have grease stains on my robes or something?"

"No," said Shampoo flatly.

"But…" Akane returned.

"Absolutely not," confirmed Ranma.

"Absolutely not what?" Mousse asked. His dark eyes blinked behind the coke-bottle lenses.

"Never mind, Mousse," Shampoo said. "I say no worry about it. Okay?"

Mousse shrugged, "Okay." He looked them over. "Hey, you guys look stressed out. Is something going on?"

They told him. His comment was, "Eeuw! That'd be like breeding my duck form."

"Only if ya laid eggs, Mousse," Ranma grimaced. "I gotta think about this. It's too…" He shivered in loathing.

There was an impact that shook the house. The sounds of combat came clearly to the listeners. Almost as one they ran toward the commotion. Between the dojo and the house, a large man, his head covered by an open-faced helmet adorned with multiple horns, was in combat with an ugly, spiky, talon-and-fanged saurian. A short, heavy, broad-bladed sword stabbed and slashed at the armored monster. It snapped and slashed at its opponent, its blows scoring off armor or deflected by a heavy metal glove the man wore.

Ranma watched the conflict for a heartbeat. He recognized the markings on the man's forehead as similar to those on Thor and Apollo. Looking with ki-vision, he noted the density of the monster's scales. That meant…

He darted forward and struck from behind. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" The monster screamed as it was literally pulverized by Ranma's touch. The force of the explosion threw the immortal off his feet. It left behind a pile of rubble and a very surprised kami.

After a moment, the kami got to his feet scowling, "What did you do that for? I was winning."

"You were tearin' up the yard. I don't like havin' my fiancée's home trashed." Ranma glowered in his own turn.

The stranger looked around and sneered. "When kami meet oni, Earth is the battleground." His attitude was obviously one of 'I honor you with my presence'. "I don't have time for this." He doffed his helmet revealing a strong, heavily muscled face with jet black eyes. His hair was thick, black and long, pulled back in a long ponytail that had fit through a hole in his helmet to hold it on in place of a chinstrap. "Where is Ranma Saotome?"

"You're lookin' at him."

"Good! So, jump in that pond over there and let's get this over with. Those stupid biker gangs back in L.A. are getting ready to rumble, and there's a war in Africa I have to oversee."

"Oversee?" Ranma felt offended by the kami's brusqueness, condescending manner and arrogance. "So you're takin' time outa yer busy schedule ta come save me from a fate worse 'n death?"

"Save you? I don't do 'save'!" The kami drew himself up and pointed his sword toward Ranma. "I have been called many things. I am known as Ares in some quarters, Tyr in others. Hachiman was my shadow. I am the kami of War, and I have come for the power."

"Oh, my," Ranma mocked, "all this way fer nothin'!"

Ares went still in shock. "You… What did you say?"

oOo

In the house, the phone rang. Kasumi was still upset by the effects of the glamour Apollo had set on them all, but her family was busy with this latest nonsense. She hurried to the phone and answered. "Moshi, moshi?" she said, her voice troubled.

"Kasumi, dear?" The voice on the other end of the line was warm and strong. It reminded her of her father's voice before their mother died. "You sound upset. Could you tell me what's wrong?"

Without thought, Kasumi unburdened herself of the latest problem to trouble Ranma. "And now he's outside fighting some kami or demon that is wrecking our yard. Why can't people just leave them alone?" Her question was a cry of frustration.

Then the voice spoke again and the weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. It explained without words and calmed her. If asked, she could never recount exactly what it said. When it finished, it added, "Now, please ask Keiichi to come to the phone. Tell him I want to speak to him. He'll understand." Kasumi nodded and put down the phone. She hurried to the yard.

Ranma was dodging and ducking swipes of the kami's sword, hands and feet. It was unusual in that Ranma wasn't being given the opportunity to counterattack. In their contained arena, martial arts and ki-techniques were used and in some cases invented. The movement was too fast to follow, but was slowly moving away from the dojo.

"Give it up, Saotome. I am the god of War! You can't hope to defeat me using my own techniques."

Kasumi hurried up to Keiichi who was standing grim and upset beside his wife. "Keiichi? There is a phone call for you."

Kei gave her a surprised look. "We're a bit busy now…"

"He said, 'tell him I want to speak to him' and that you'd understand. Isn't that peculiar? He seems very nice, though."

Keiichi boggled and glanced at his wife. She shrugged. Then he hurried into the house.

"Yes, sir?" he said respectfully after picking up the phone. The voice spoke clearly and to the point. Keiichi straightened, gulped a few times and listened. "Yes, sir!" he repeated as the voice finished speaking. "Sir, must I…"

The voice spoke for an extended period.

"G-g-good-bye… Father."

oOo

Ranma was peripherally aware of Keiichi's departure and return. After battling through the koi pond, she had tried to speed away to gain some breathing room but had been blocked by equal speed. She was beginning to exhaust herself. She had already tried the same attack that had killed Saffron, and the kami had smothered it. She tried a three-part basic feint, offering an opening and went to Amiguriken when he fell for it. Eighty punches landed before he began his counter, but once countered, Ares rapidly took control again.

Twice, Akane and the others tried to enter the fight to help Ranma. Ares quickly stated his position. "Anyone else gets involved here, I'll kill them. I only need Saotome after all. This is his fight."

The second time Akane darted in, the sword swung in a short chopping arc. Her shields didn't stop its motion. She flinched, knowing she was going to die…

She opened her eyes, and found Ranma interposing her body between the sword and her torso, the tip just piercing the skin over Ranma's breast. The tableau held for several thumping heartbeats. It was at this point that Kei returned. As he walked up, an odd twitter sounded in the stillness. Ares frowned and backed up, sword extended. He reached for something clipped to his belt and pulled out an advanced looking cell-phone. He listened to a voice that immediately began talking in a commanding tone.

The kami snorted. "Thirty seconds? All the time I need." He flipped the phone closed and gestured.

A bird flying across the sky slowed and stopped, as did the wind. The air seemed strangely thick. Ranma stepped forward as Ares pulled his sword back. "Nice trick, huh?" Ares smirked. "I think we can finish this off without further interruption." He looked over the redhead's body and smacked his lips. "Sweet."

"Ya sneaky sonoffa bitch," Ranma growled wearily. "So this is how ya was dodgin' me. Any time I got close to ya, ya sped yer own time rate up. I ain't never sayin' yes to the likes o' you."

"Too bad, mortal," Ares chuckled. "I don't really need your approval. Rape and pillage are part of my prerogative. You have no choice. You're mine."

Keiichi looked distinctly unhappy as he shifted out of the freeze and stepped forward. In one hand was a wide wand of polished wood the color of old ivory. "I disagree."

The big kami frowned at Keiichi. "Don't interfere, Keiichi Morisato. I am a kami first class, unlimited. You can't hope to compete with me. Get in my way and I will crush you."

"I don't have to compete with you." He turned to Ranma. "Here… Take this. Think about what you need to make it work." Ranma belatedly recognized the 'Tenchi' that had been carved at the Halloween party. Vaguely she remembered the carving of it and that it had been given to Keiichi. She wasn't clear why the man had it with him now, or why it was important to this fight.

"You and me gonna talk later," Ranma warned. She reached out for the object.

Ares' sword, flaming like it had been dipped into lava, interposed. "Nay! I forbid it!"

Ranma grinned. Ares apparently lost his head when he got upset, just like anyone else. Until now, the kami had possessed a clear advantage, but for some reason Kei's 'Tenchi' worried him. Ranma grappled the wrist above the sword and sent the being through a hip throw. As Ares skidded across the unyielding ground, she took the object from Keiichi's hand.

What she needed, first and foremost, was some way to match her opponent's apparent time shifting. That suddenly, she had it. Explicitly, exactly and designed for her use. She grinned at Ares, who was getting up, murder in his eyes, and thought of the Tenchi's origins and what else had happened in the animé.

Light flared up from the hilt, extending into a solid-looking blade. Light flared back along Ranma's wrists, coasting up her arms like a shockwave and leaving behind a… mesh that resembled fine chain mail and fit her like a leotard, sliding under her clothes and across her body. She felt it cover her head as well, and for a moment feared it would cover her mouth nose and eyes, but it refrained. She felt suddenly refreshed as well and recognized its replenishing of her reserves. Had anyone seen her, they would have thought she'd been replaced by a living silver statue of herself. It might not be 'Wings of the Light Hawk', but it worked.

Rather than face Ares in the more formal and limited kendo style, she dropped into the more open stance of the Saotome Ryu of Two Swords. She wished she had a wakizashi to balance the katana-like length of the Tenchi, and light flared again. Her left hand was filled with a shorter complimentary blade. Grinning like a shark, she faced the now wary kami, who drew up short.

"So, ya don't like even odds, do ya?"

"What military man with sense does?" Ares countered scowling. Light flared and he also had twin swords to fight with. He attacked cautiously. Ranma went on the offensive. From a stalemate it slowly edged over into advantage – Ranma's. Several painful engagements later, Ares backed away, cursing as his cell phone went off again. "I won't forget this, Keiichi!" he snarled, before turning and striding away. He used his foot to kick his helmet, discarded after his fight with the monster near the dojo, into the air where he could grab it. Ranma, followed by Keiichi, made certain he did not come near any of her friends, ready to defend in case the angry kami lashed out at one of the people there.

With a last disgusted backward glance, Ares seemed to melt into the boundary wall and was gone. Ranma eyed the people around them. She handed the Tenchi back to Keiichi along with the smaller hilt that had been its matching wakizashi, or short sword, losing the special shielding as they left her hands. Kei looked at the second hilt in a bemused fashion and it flared, vanishing back into the original.

Ranma stared in the direction of the departed kami. "Nasty temper, that one," Ranma observed.

There was a flare and a burst of wind that swirled around them as time and space returned to normal. There was the thunder of multiple impacts and a deep groove suddenly appeared in the grass. Ranma and Kei shielded their eyes from debris, as did everyone else.

"What happened?" Akane demanded. "You disappeared right before our eyes!" She gazed fearfully at her female fiancé. "Did he…?"

Ranma snorted dismissively. "Nah!" Her mouth opened to brag about her success, but Keiichi's eye caught hers and glared. "The guy was usin' magic ta cheat, Akane. He wasn't near as good as he claimed." Ranma shook her head. "He was playin' with energy and time... Once the playin' field was leveled, he decided ta go home."

"And how did you do that?" she demanded. Ranma blurred. Keiichi and Baradandya gasped. Akane blinked foolishly at the empty space before her and wondered at the breeze that swept past.

"Over here, tomboy," drawled Ranma's amused voice. They all turned and gaped at her.

"I'll second Akane's question," Baradandya said. "How did you do that?"

Ranma took a step toward them and went out like a light.

oOo

Ten minutes later, they were all sitting around the table again, Kasumi serving tea. Ranma found himself waking up, his head in Akane's lap and Kiku curled up on his stomach. "Man," Ranma groaned to her, "your dad is gonna have a fit when he sees the yard."

"At least dojo and garden okay," offered Shampoo. She lifted Kiku off and began to pet her. "Just walk and fence need repaired."

Mousse nodded. "Actually that is minor damage compared to some of the things that have happened here, Ranma." He scanned the area for further interlopers and added, "Now spit it out. How did you do it?"

Ranma glanced at Keiichi. "I admit I had some help, the first time anyways."

Baradandya broke her silence. "Keiichi carries a carved wand made of a very special variety of ash. Barry carved it back on Halloween and gave it to my husband during the original fight with Senbei. Because he… got some of Ranma's blood on the wand, it recognizes Ranma as… an authorized user. It loaned Ranma power and certain abilities mortals don't normally have."

"Aiya! Must be very special wood! Is magic?"

"Yes. It allowed my husband to face Senbei and force him to retreat."

"But Ranma did that time thing when he wasn't touching the wand at all!" Akane protested.

Keiichi laughed softly. "Trust Ranma to pick up anything applicable to martial arts." He nodded to the pigtailed boy. "But you couldn't sustain it, could you? It takes more energy than you possess."

Ranma shrugged. "I'm sure I'll work it out."

"Why didn't Barry use it? The wand, I mean," a puzzled Ukyo asked after a moment. "After all, he made it. Why did he give it to Keiichi?"

"The wand instructs you in its use, like a computer with a good Help program," Keiichi replied. "When Barry realized what he had, one of the first things it told him was the consequence of its use." He nodded at Ranma. "He would have been permanently anchored in Ranma's body."

There was a silent shock of dismay at that thought, none more powerful than Ranma's. He recognized this meant that Barry could have stolen his body, and hadn't. But it also meant that Barry let him down in a more subtle way. He didn't remember it. It hadn't been written down. What else had Barry hidden from Ranma?

Keiichi continued. "He already knew my wife and her sisters were opponents to the demons and decided I might be a more appropriate user."

Keiichi handed the wand to Shampoo when she asked to see it. She held it. She put it to her ear then shook it a few times. "I no hear instruction. How it work?"

"It wouldn't work for you, Shampoo," Kei explained. "Your blood isn't part of the Tenchi. I'd have to make a conscious and, I think, irrevocable decision to give it to you." He raised his hand and suddenly, even though Shampoo had a firm grip on it, the Tenchi was in Kei's hands again. "Strangely, only Ranma can use this, other than me, and he couldn't transfer the ownership."

Ranma ignored most of this, lost in thought. He remembered picking up the wood beside Ms. Kamiko and her date. He remembered carving it. He remembered the pain of injuries in combat and the numbness when Hinako had drained him. He vaguely remembered shouting, 'this is for you' to Keiichi. He didn't remember why, or why it seemed so important to be holding the piece of lumber when they had…

"…healed Miss Hinako?"

"That's right, Ranma," Baradandya was saying. "Magic is very personal. Barry was holding the Tenchi when Hinako drained him, so he had to be holding it to undo and alter what it had done to her. Otherwise, she would have died."

Ranma nodded, but inside he was seething. Barry obviously had found some way to hide things from him after all. The nerve of that man! His lips were compressed and his body language tense and unhappy.

Akane put her arm around him. "None of this was in Barry's journal, Mrs. Morisato," Akane observed. "Why not? He said he would include everything of importance for Ranma, and this seems pretty important." Ranma was suddenly warm with gratitude for his fiancée, for putting his thoughts into words.

Baradandya suddenly looked as if her lips were glued shut. She glanced distressed at her husband.

Keiichi patted her arm comfortingly and took over the conversation. "That's our fault, Akane," Keiichi said choosing his words carefully. "We were required to alter things to hide our presence here." Suddenly, in Ranma's mind something crystallized.

"Hide your… Why would you need to hide?" Akane huffed.

"Because they're kami, Akane," Ranma deduced. "Got your orders straight from Kamisama, right?"

"Correct," Keiichi confirmed.

"Urd, Skuld, and Beldandy," breathed Shampoo. "The originals. But where do you fit in, Keiichi?"

"And why ya tellin' us now?" Ranma added. "Is this the sop before ya zap all our memories and play hide and seek again?"

Keiichi grimaced and looked down. "No. I'm a new addition to the family, so to speak, and the present situation has to do with a phone call I took while you were fighting Ares. I was given particular instructions concerning your condition from… from Him."

Ranma gulped. He glanced from Keiichi to his wife and noticed that she seemed to be paler and holding her breath. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Ohhh, no! I told ya I ain't doin' it…"

"I'm not asking you to," Keiichi said unhappily. "My instructions stated specifically: 'Use any means at your disposal to insure that no demon wins the prize of this prophecy'." Keiichi Morisato closed his eyes and leaned into his wife, who leaned sidewise to permit his head to rest against hers. "I won't betray my wife, Ranma, so don't ask, and I really don't want to kill you. The only other option Ican see is that you need to find someone acceptable to… do this with, and do so before the demons overwhelm you with sheer numbers."

Ranma felt his stomach drop. "I ain't…" he began angrily.

"Let's see what tomorrow brings," Beldandy said. "Perhaps we all will have a better idea what to expect. And remember, we're not infallible. There might be an answer we don't see yet."

"Oh, my," Kasumi exclaimed softly, eyes widening. "I spoke to Kamisama?"

Keiichi smiled. "Yes."

"Now I understand why he sounded like Father," she giggled. Her audience boggled a bit at the thought of a weepy Almighty, then put it off to something uniquely Kasumi. "Will you stay the night, then?" Kasumi continued in a practical manner, "It might be easier and safer if everyone concerned stays under one roof."

"Thank you, Kasumi," the Morisatos said in unison.

"Oh, gods!" Ukyo lamented. "My business is gonna go under at this rate." She blushed then and bobbed her head at the Morisatos in apology. "That really didn't come out right."

oOo

When Soun and Hinako came home they were given a somewhat expunged version of the events of the day. The new Mrs. Tendo welcomed her associate and her husband with open arms. As everyone was staying, the Morisatos were given the guest room, Shampoo and Akane doubled up, as did Kasumi and Ukyo. Ranma, Mousse and Ryoga were assigned Nabiki's room. The latter looked around at the walls and the bed and shuddered.

"What's wrong, man?" Ranma asked.

Ryoga shuddered again. "This is Nabiki's room, remember? It's gonna be like sleeping in a dungeon." He glared at a small table. "At least that damn computer of hers went away with her."

Nabiki had taken charge of Ryoga last summer as P-chan, shortly before they had taken the pig on a trip to the vet. What Ryoga had been put through by the middle Tendo, in retribution for his treatment of her sister, had had been deliberately calculated to humiliate and torment the young man, and her computer had been a special tool in that punishment. No, Ryoga would not be comfortable in here.

The three martial artists unrolled the futon. Mousse was offered the bed, as he had never tried one before. They settled down to get what sleep they could.

oOo

The heavy turtle-like form of the kappa blundered around the first floor. The Tendo family and guests came down the stairs and checked out the short stocky figure with a combination of irritated resignation and angry anticipation. Ranma smirked at how similar the thing was to a certain theatrical creation. The Morisatos were more cautious.

"A kappa is a powerful nature spirit, Ranma, very wise but not very smart. It could well wreck the house if you simply challenge it," Beldandy said. Beside her Kasumi flinched. No matter how many times it happened, she always took damage to her house very seriously. "I wonder how it got in here? Nature spirits are usually limited to their territories."

"They're weakened if they lose the water in the cup on top of their heads, right?"

Beldandy nodded at his knowledge. "Yes, but they're very protective of it. And they're used to people tricking them into spilling it."

"I'll just have to come up with a new trick," Ranma suggested. He shrugged and walked calmly out to meet the apparition. "Hi there!" he said companionably.

The thing jerked and swung around. Its face was frog-like and pop-eyed. It blinked at Ranma. "Where is girl?"

"Which one?" Ranma asked. "There are several girls around here. What are you doing here uninvited, anyway? I thought spirits like you kept to your own places."

"Long ago, kappa wronged by member of house. For revenge can come or go as needed." It answered him with assurance. "You… You member of house?" It crouched and rolled its shoulders slightly, making Ranma well aware of the power it possessed and the potential for violence.

"Maybe…" Ranma shrugged as if unconcerned. 'Pop, you jerk," he thought, 'I bet this was your fault.' "How long ago did this thing happen?"

The kappa popped its eyes open and shut a few times. "Long… Many, many passes of seasons." It scratched its head. The movement allowed Ranma to see ripples in the depression on top of its head. Its hands were thick with muscle, having three fingers and an opposable thumb. "A hand of hands of hands of hands of hands of fingers."

"Your hands? Or mine?" Ranma asked, trying to do the math in his head.

"Hands," it said holding up the muscular member. Ranma stepped back in case it thought of using the offered set of digits to grab him. Ranma was frustrated. It wasn't his dad; that was for sure. Happosai maybe?

"Over a thousand years," came a whisper.

The kappa looked around suspiciously. "Who else here? Come out, or I break house down." There was a long silence. "I can do it."

Quietly, individuals filed down the stairs.

"There's too many for any one room in the house," Ranma suggested easily. "Why not have us line up outside?"

The kappa grimaced and thought. Ranma felt he could see steam rising from the little pool of water on its head. "Yes," it said after a moment. It led the way out. Everyone lined up and looked curiously at the creature. Ranma sweated a little as he saw Akane figuratively cracking her knuckles in anticipation of combat. It finished its examination. "No red hair," it grumbled. "All black!"

Ranma grimaced. The thing was abysmally stupid. He was no great guns at science but simple observation would tell anyone that red, or any dark shade, looked black at night. Still this was fortunate…

"Perhaps you should try a flashlight, kappa-san," suggested Kasumi. She fumbled with something, which clicked and revealed her features lit from below. "See? My hair is brown."

"You sorceress?" it blinked. "You make hand light?"

"Of course not," Kasumi protested. "It is a tool, just like a knife or chopsticks." She continued to point the light to others in the line up. "Her hair is violet, hers is brown like mine…" She went down the line but dropped the flashlight in front of the kappa. "Oh, my!"

The kappa, entranced, leaned over to pick up the hand light. Water sloshed. Ranma grinned suddenly. Had Kasumi done that on purpose?

"Here, let me, Kappa-san," Kasumi offered. She showed it how to work the switch. It turned the flashlight on and off delightedly, like a child.

"Ah?" it exclaimed finally, and played the light across the rest of their heads. It frowned. "Still no red hair." It switched the flashlight off. "Oh, well, still have revenge…"

"Wanna bet?" Ranma growled. Akane nodded. They moved away from the others and toward the kappa. "You spilled your water when you picked up the flashlight."

The kappa froze and reached one hand up into the hollow on its head. Then it grinned in a shame-faced manner. "You trick kappa, again," it complained.

"Actually, you tricked yourself," Beldandy said. "But perhaps I can offer an alternative to a fight, kappa-san. You need water to survive the long trip back to your home. If you were offered water by the family here, it would perhaps settle your old complaint against them?"

The pop eyes bobbed and shifted from side to side. "What about new trick…"

"There was no new trick," Beldandy answered sternly.

"So say! Human tricky, bad! Kappa always…"

"Enough!" Light flared and Beldandy allowed the symbols of her divinity to shine forth. The creature blinked foolishly. "I, Beldandy, kami first-class, unlimited, do set the boundaries of your enmity. With this gift your feud is ended in peace." Kappa eyes glazed and it stood frozen in place. "Someone dip water out of the pond and fill his skull cup. Quickly."

Both Akane and Ranma started to run for the kitchen to get a glass. Akane punched him. "Not you, dummy! What happens if it spills?"

Ranma returned grumbling to the waiting family in the yard. Akane quickly returned and poured water into the kappa's head. She backed away.

The kappa shuddered slightly as it came out of its daze. It frowned at Beldandy. "I will obey," it grumbled.

"You will not harm any who cross your path, nor offer violence to those you encounter."

The kappa froze again.

"Don't make me angry," suggested Beldandy.

Whining, the kappa departed out the front gate. Those present decided they never wanted to make Beldandy angry.

At breakfast they were joined by Thor, who was mildly amused by Ranma's sleepy snarl and made rude jokes at the absent Ares' expense, though he alternated between calling him Ares or Tyr. He caught a smaller (though taller that most of the mortals present) angular being that he identified as Loki and called rather familiarly, 'little brother'. This individual reminded them altogether too much of the infamous fox-spirits. Thor agreed; Loki, who shot dagger-looks at him, was a trickster. Escorting the kami away, he waved good-naturedly and vanished much as Ares had done.

They were just getting their lunches together when a humanoid as tall as the dojo roof and apparently made of ice stepped over the boundary wall and waved threateningly at them with a club the size of a car. "Bring me the girl!" it bellowed.

"What is that thing?" asked Ranma, sizing up his opponent.

"A frost giant," answered Beldandy. "Too bad Thor is gone. He hates frost giants."

"Frost giant?" Ranma said disbelievingly. "As in made out of ice?"

"Why, yes!"

"I'll take this one." Ranma turned to the creature that was smacking its club into a huge palm. "Hey, frosty! Try this. Mouko Takabisha!"

He let loose a massive ki-blast. The last impression they had of the creature was a look of extreme shock. For minutes thereafter, dirty slush rained down on the entire block.

"Kamisama," whispered Ranma. "I killed him."

"Don't worry, Ranma," Beldandy reassured him. "You can't kill an immortal that way. You've merely dispersed him. He'll lose a few centuries of activity and be good as new."

"What about Marller?" Ranma asked suddenly. "If Nagasameru had cut her head off with her sword…"

"Naga's sword is an exception. If it strikes a killing blow on an immortal, it's forever."

There was a knock on the door. Urudu Kamiko smiled from under her umbrella. "My goodness, it's late for a winter storm, don't you think?"

oOo

Elsewhere in Nerima, a hand picked up a phone and dialed a number. "Hello? Activity has shot through the roof. Perhaps next time you will carry through with your mission." The figure listened to a protesting voice for only a few seconds before cutting the speaker off. "This wouldn't have happened if your last target, one Marller, had been properly eliminated."

There were further angry protests.

"You're pitiful. Your father's curse, gained in your family's honorable duty of destroying these menaces to humanity, leave the Mirotomanya family with only a girl to wield their legendary blade. Perhaps the sword should be allowed to bond with someone else?"

Hundreds of kilometers away, Nagasameru Mirotomanya gripped the phone till the plastic creaked. "The sword is not your concern, Ghost. Take it by force and it will be worthless to anyone. I'll be there. But I follow my own rules now."

"That's right," said Ghost. "If you don't kill there is hardly any reason for our extensive contacts to keep you out of trouble with the law. Too bad about your father though. They may have been demons, but the authorities recognized them as human. There is no statute of limitations on murder. With his past…"

"You son of a bitch!" Nagasameru was still as a rock. "All right. I'll play your game for now. Don't push me, Ghost." She slammed the receiver down. She sat in thought in the shadows by the phone and looked out on the gentle rolling hills of her family's ranch. Then she dialed a number.

oOo

Cologne hopped along the sidewalk on her staff, watching the teenagers and their unusual teachers with interest. She had finally gotten the low-down on the mess with Ranma and was caught between horror and hilarity. She wanted a front seat at this business, both to give advice and lend support. Meanwhile, she and Urd talked shop, that is, chemistry and alchemy, while Miyo and Beldandy discussed the latest symptoms of their pregnancies. Mousse had been ordered to cover for her at the Nekohanten as the twins' training tended to slack off if left unsupervised and Mousse had developed into an adequate assistant trainer for their level. It had puzzled her how her attempts to question the three women about themselves had always been diverted or frustrated by helpful if ignorant bystanders. Now she knew. The woman beside her was Urd, goddess of history. It was… disappointing.

"Hey Ryoga! Where's… y'know, Ghost-kitty?" Ranma asked as they turned the corner to see Furinkan's clock against the skyline.

Ryoga looked disgusted. "He offered to be unpaid domestic help for my mom in return for a place to stay till this all blows over. Shirokuro thinks he's a big toy."

"At least he's out of the way," Akane said calmly. She pierced her surroundings with a glance that was anything but calm. "I'm sorta surprised he didn't try again for Ranma."

Hinako was picking up the tension and looking about nervously.

"Hinako?" Akane got her attention. "If anything weird shows up, don't drain it. Get away. Remember what happened at Halloween? You could have died. The baby you carry could die or be horribly changed if you drain anything you see in the next day or so."

"She's right, Hinako," Beldandy told her. "I know you wish to protect Ranma and Akane and their friends, but Urudu, Keiichi and I will be doing what we can…"

"What about your baby?" Hinako exclaimed. She had not been let in on the goddesses' secret.

"I'm not a ki-vampire, Hinako. What I do, I push out from me."

As if that were a signal, the rumbling began.

"Here it comes, everybody," yelled Ryoga. "From below…"

A manhole cover blew off violently, to clatter in the street. They spread out, but got into supporting positions about Ranma. There was a long dreadful silence.

The things crawled with bass cries out of the manhole, only slowing when a particularly corpulent individual was pushed through.

"Trolls!" Beldandy identified. "Oh, no!"

"What's wrong, Bel?" Keiichi shouted over the tumult.

"Treaty! We of Asgard can't harm them! It's part of the balance!" Baradandya grabbed her sister by the arm to prevent her from blasting them. "Ranma! They aren't demons, but they're not kami, either. They are immortals of wood and water! I may say no more!"

Ranma jerked his head around and stared at the leering, green warty creatures. He felt betrayed.

Shampoo suddenly yelled, attracting their attention. "Germanic mythos! They are hurt by fire and purification. Her hands flared with fire, but the things were deceptively fast. They were on her, then streaming past her.

Ranma dodged and almost ran into one, then leaped, looking for clear space. His feet found poor purchase on the humanoids' slimy backs. "Don't attack them!" he shouted. He managed to find open ground. The earth rumbled again and similar figures shed rock and earth as they pulled themselves out of the ground. The two opposing columns met with an unearthly thunder.

What was funny was the way many Nerimians simply walked around the roaring, snarling mess, barely giving it a second glance. Ranma and the other martial artists stood aside, with Ranma trying to stay in front of the others protectively, while they tried to drag him back since he was at the greatest risk.

"What's going on?" Ranma demanded. "Whose side are we on?"

"None of them," rumbled a deep voice. They looked behind and found Thor leaning up against a wall. "They both want you, Saotome, but they realize that only one can have you and win the prize." He nodded at the thrashing creatures that were dismembering themselves out there. "Pretty impressive, huh? I found out the earth demons were planning a raid in force and let the trolls in on their plans. Sort of like a back burn to stop a forest fire."

"You caused this?" demanded Baradandya.

"Of course not," he chuckled. "They're doing it to themselves. I just helped a little."

"So what do we do?" Ukyo asked as a twitching troll leg went sailing past them.

"Come now, children," Thor grinned. "You trash the winner, of course."

The rock-things won, barely, and Ryoga and Ranma Bakusai Tenketsu-ed the survivors.

Thor winked out again. "You're gonna have to do this a lot if you don't want dog-piled, Ranma," he said as he vanished.

"How reassuring," grumbled Akane as they continued on their way to school.

oOo

Ranma didn't have to wait long for the next opponents to appear. Just before lunch, a whistling wind flailed the branches of the trees in the quad and rattled the windows as it roared up the side of the building. It shattered the third story windows and surged in to attack. The martial artists paled. It was too similar to the gaki-oni that had attacked them before. Ranma glanced about. They were better prepared this time, but there was more than one demon. These things were hard to hit at the best of times. He leaped for the chalkboards, an idea forming, as their classmates bailed out the doors and inner windows of the room.

Erasers went spinning to his friends. "Fill the air with chalk dust! You'll be able to see when they move close enough to hit!" Dust filled the air.

Ukyo began a strike but stopped. She had felt the demon's presence but the chalk had been relatively undisturbed. Akane growled and shifted closer to Ranma. Shampoo suddenly struck. There was the sound of impact and the winds, which had been cautiously, circling swirled up around the Amazon. Ranma and Akane oriented and struck. Twin shrieks accompanied their efforts. Nekoken did work against these things. Ukyo struck, screaming as she did. There was a matching shriek and the whirling winds calmed and allowed the chalk to slowly drift to the floor.

"That did it," Ranma said. "They're gone." He walked over and knelt beside Ukyo. "When did you pick up the Aikiharaken?"

"Hey, sugar," she grinned through her pain. "You ain't the only one learning here."

"Guess not," he grinned back. He felt power and turned to see Baradandya and Urudu in the door of their classroom. "All covered, Mrs. Morisato, Ms. Kamiko…

The two women looked around the room and nodded. "Well, it's time for lunch."

Ryoga jumped over and picked up Ukyo. "I think I'll be cooking today." He walked out of the room carrying her, letting her point the way. The others followed.

Ranma was one of the last out of the school into the quad. Akane and he looked around but everywhere people seemed to be settling down to enjoy the warm spring day. They sighed, smelling the warm earth and the budding trees. If it weren't for the threat to Ranma, it would be a perfect day for two young lovers to walk in the sun and enjoy the birds as they began to sing and nest. Well, maybe they could. After all they'd probably have a little time before the next attack…

(SPLOOSH!)

"Hey, Saotome!" Kogara stood a short distance away, bucket in hand.

"You stupid, brainless…" Ranma growled slapping water from her wet clothes. Kogara attacked, slashing furiously with a bokken. Ranma dodged while the others boggled at them. The former kendo club captain usually had more sense. And hadn't he been expelled?

Ranma tried to get an offense going but Kogara was surprisingly quick, today. She finally got inside on the boy much as she had often done on Kuno. It was a mistake. Kogara dropped his wooden sword and clenched her in a bear hug.

"Watcha think yer doin'?" screeched Ranma, trying to knee him or break his instep.

"The prize is mine, Saotome," Kogara chuckled liquidly. Ranma felt spikes, sticking out from the inside of the boy's wrists, digging into her back. It suddenly clicked. Those weren't spikes; they were horns. The concealed horns of a…

"He's possessed! An oni!" Ranma shouted as she heaved, trying to get away.

"I'll take care of it, Ranma!" shouted Akane, running up, her fist back and ready. She was tackled to the ground. Behind her, Ryoga grinned wildly, horns sticking up from his head. Ukyo screamed, her blouse smoking. A little weirdly colored balloon rocketed out of her clothes yodeling in pain. She was still carrying demon wards, as was Shampoo. Akane twisted and saw the ugly little thing tumble through the air at her.

"No!" she screamed.

"Akane!" wailed Ranma. Light blossomed from her center like a bomb. Kogara was flung hard against school wall and the demon went shooting out of his head like a bullet. Ranma turned and went racing back to her fiancée, her own arm back for the necessary blow to dislodge the demon.

It was blocked. The next forty-seven blows were blocked or diverted to the body as Ryoga joined Akane's attack, horns glinting from their brows, manic grins distorting their faces. Ki techniques swirled and struck, diverted and negated by Ranma's skill. Shampoo joined in on Ranma's side but was disposed of by a savage back-fist from Akane as she tried to reason with the girl. Ryoga and Akane together had the edge. They were herding Ranma slowly and haltingly while seeking to either knock her out or disable her. Ranma could do no more unless she chose to kill. Rape was cheap at that price. Pain blossomed as something hit her from behind. She tucked and rolled, trying to come blindly to her feet, only to feel bodies tackle her. She screamed in rage as she felt arms and legs pinioned.

"Well, Ranma," Ryoga-demon growled nastily. "It looks like I'm the only one with the equipment to manage this." The martial artist cracked his knuckles and dropped his hands to the belt of his trousers. Ranma noticed out of the tunneling focus she had on him that her sister, Natsume, was holding her legs, horns curling up from her forehead and a nasty expression on her normally serene face.

(SPLOOSH!)

Ryoga stood, eyes wide, as water dripped from her hair. "Try again, demon," Ukyo snarled, bucket poised.

"I'll kill you!" the oni roared as it realized what had happened. "I'll rip you limb from limb!"

She charged Ukyo who, surprisingly, countered instead of fleeing Ryoga's greater strength. Her hand struck first, slapping a demon ward on Ryoga's forehead. The demon popped out with a wail, even as her follow-through knocked Ukyo flying in a heap. Ryoga staggered and groaned before the accumulated injuries of the fighting with Ranma and the shock of transition dropped her to her knees. Her female form was not physically as tough as her male form.

"Find a male!" shouted Akane-demon irritably. She gazed down at Ranma's tearing face and twisted the tsubo holds a little more painfully with a smirk.

Ranma snarled and struggled against the holds. "Why don't ya just take me over?" she demanded.

"It wouldn't fit the prophecy," leered the oni from Akane's face. "Got to do it right or who knows what might happen."

Inside the school, Hiroshi, Daisuke and Gosunkugi unlimbered the fire hose from the box in the wall. "Now what's this about an oni?" Hiroshi asked Gos. "I mean those guys are fighting all the time." They had seen part of the action, but had been dragged inside by their skinny friend almost immediately.

"I'm not kidding you, Hiro," Gos said shakily. "I saw the horns. They're possessed. I can't think of anything else to try!"

"Hey! How is this gonna help, exactly? Didn't Ranma swim upstream against a fire hose, once?" Daisuke commented. "Yeah! Back at the first fight with Kodachi! This won't work." They both glanced at Gos as he gave off a strange yelp.

"You know… You're right," commented Gosunkugi, his voice suddenly silky smooth. He turned and grinned. "It won't have a chance." The two young men stared in horror as horns sprouted from Gosunkugi's head and his eyes began to smolder. "Now excuse me, I have a hot date with a redhead."

Author's note time: My depiction of Ares, God of War is not a slam at any Millitary Readers out there. In the Illiad and other Greek and Roman works Ares/Mars is not so much the God of War as he is the God of the darker passions and desires that drive men to initiate conflict. Though part of the pantheon of law (he does follow rules) he can hardly be considered a force of good, nor particularly admirable by our standards.