Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or any of the characters. This is simply a what-if situation. What if this had happened? Also, I would like to apologize to those that are waiting on me to work on "Evil Kasumi Returns" and "Ranma and the Outers." Although I have not had many ideas for them lately, I will not let them die as I have some of my Previous Tenchi Muyo stories. I'm just taking a slight break from them to work on some other ideas that won't get outta my head until I write them down.
A word about the Amazons: I have received a few reviews that the amazons don't make any sense and how can they kill Ranma after he killed Saffron. Well, you know that their logic never made any sense, so why should they start now? First, there is the kiss of death. Come on, if someone is strong enough to easily been an Amazon like that on their home turf, then how can they hope to kill them later? And then there is the Kiss of Marriage. The guy gets no choice, it is their law, and they don't care about anyone else's laws. So if they are that screwed up on just those two, then why should they not be screwed up about wanting to kill him?
Oh and Rubberneck… I thought I had at least some violence in the last chapter… Ranma did rip apart the Amazon village in Shampoo's dream. But I guess since that was just a dream it didn't count… oh well grins that just means this one will have to be twice as violent to make up for it.
You know… Samurai Demon-God Sekikage, I am not sure what to make of your review. Were you being sarcastic and I missed it? If not, I am sorry this didn't meet up with your expectations, but if Ranma didn't show some remorse then this would just be a revenge story and not just a revenge/angst one. Though I do have to admit... though I like the angst, I can't keep it sad for too long. Must be a mental problem of mine. Shrugs Oh well, on with the story!
Primal Ranma Falls into Darkness
Ranma kept looking at Nabiki and blushing as they walked back to the Tendo Home. The pig-tailed boy knew that he was going to be in big trouble when Akane found out, but he prayed that she wouldn't. Especially right now as he was having trouble controlling his temper. Even now looking back on it, he still couldn't believe what has just happened.
While they were still at the Cat Café, the two of them were going to take a bath. So having walked into the bathroom sans clothing, Nabiki had to cover her ears as Ranma started screaming. However, for the former Ice Queen the look on his face was just too funny and she had started laughing uncontrollably while Ranma panicked.
After screaming for several minutes, Ranma finally calmed down and realized that not only was he not going to get hit, but she wasn't mad. "Nabiki?"
"Ranma…" she said as she finally stopped laughing. "We're going to have to work on your reactions; a girl could get the wrong idea when you scream like that after seeing them naked."
"But…"
"Don't worry Ranma-kun," she told him sweetly and surprisingly enough with a genuine smile. "I'm just going to get cleaned up and take a nice relaxing soak."
"But I'm still here and I'm naked!" Ranma replied in a panic while his face continued to turn a bright shade of red.
"If you think I am going to put those muddy clothes back on, you have another thing coming."
"I... but…" he tried to say in his defense but it didn't work as the middle Tendo daughter started cleaning herself.
Coming out of his musings, Ranma looked at the smiling Nabiki. 'I don't think I've ever seen her smile so much… I just wish I didn't have to be humiliated to get her to smile though…'
Nabiki almost skipped along after they left the Cat Café. Since her clothes were covered in mud, the Amazons offered her some clothes. However since they didn't have spare sets of her clothes like they did Ranma's, she received something definitely different. Instead of her usual pants and a nice top, or her school uniform, Nabiki was wearing one of Shampoo's Chinese dresses. 'I see why she wears these so much…' Nabiki thought happily. 'There's so comfortable, and they make me feel sooo good…'
Most everyone else that happened to see her as she walked by also had a good appreciation of the sexy dress as it hugged her curves much more than they did for Shampoo. This was mainly because Nabiki was slightly taller and it caused the slit in the side to not only show off her leg from the ankle up… but it didn't stop until it got to over her well rounded hip. The obvious result of this was that with every step any male on the street were given a very good look at her long, toned legs. At first, it had made her feel uncomfortable, but after seeing a number of men trip over themselves, walk into walls, lampposts and each other she couldn't help but laugh at their antics.
Of course, this also meant that anytime Ranma looked at her he would blush and if he tried to talk to her nothing but an incoherent babble came forth. After three blocks of walking, he gave up trying to talk at all and just tried to think of anything else but how she looked in it.
Because neither one was paying complete attention to where they were going, both of them ran into someone else.
"Oh I'm sorry…"
"It's ok… Nabiki said from her new perch in Ranma's lap on the ground. "At least its not mud…" she mumbled and could not help but be glad that Ranma caught her before she hit the ground. "Thanks Ranma…"
"Don't mention it," he mumbled from his position. With Nabiki sitting on his legs… and her back against his chest, he now not only had a face full of Nabiki's hair but to protect her he now had his arms wrapped around her.
"Oh my…"
"Wha… Kasumi?" Nabiki asked amazed.
"I… is that proper?" she pointed at her younger sister with a look of concern and a tinge of embarrassment.
"What? I like this dress it's…" Nabiki started then looked down at herself. Ranma's left arm was wrapped around her just over her hips in a barely decent way. However, his right arm was going straight across her breasts with his hand covering her left side. Needless to say he had a handful at the moment. "Having fun Saotome?"
"Ouch…" he mumbled from behind her, and then to the surprise of all three of them… his hand squeezed. "What the…" and then it squeezed again.
"Saotome…" Nabiki growled out.
"Oh my…" Kasumi intoned.
"I'm so dead…" the lone male moaned.
"Ranma?" he looked up at Kasumi and then realized he hadn't moved yet.
"Yea Kasumi…" He asked as he quickly let go of Nabiki.
"Why were you… fondling my sister?"
"Gah! I…" Ranma found out a brain freeze doesn't only happen when you eat ice cream too quickly.
Nabiki blinked, looked at her sister and then started laughing. After last night, this morning… and then under the bridge her emotions have been so completely overwhelmed that the incident at the Amazon's has finally gotten the better of the Ice Queen.
Groaning for a completely different reason now, Ranma realized that he needed Nabiki to get off his lap, as he was suddenly very uncomfortable in this position. 'But her hair smells good…' he blinked as that thought made him sigh again. Unconsciously, his arms clasped in front of the middle Tendo as he rested his forehead on her back just trying to come to terms with what was going on.
"Oh my…" Kasumi said softly as she looked at her sister and Ranma. They certainly did not seem to be acting properly. This was not how she expected her little sisters' fiancée to act towards her middle sister.
Finally getting herself under control enough to move, Nabiki found that she couldn't get rid of the silly grin on her face. She thought that smiling right no was a bit strange as just this morning she has gone from seeing Kunö nailed to the wall with his own family sword, which was quickly followed by Ranma running away in tears. Then Akane and Ukyo showed up and she has tried to warn Ukyo about Ranma, but then things turned for the worst under the bridge when Ranma attacked Ukyo and Kodachi to protect her. This was all nerve-wracking enough but to find out that the Amazons are giving up being an Amazon as well as Shampoo giving up on Ranma was just unbelievable. But even with all of that, she had walked in on Ranma taking a bath!
At that point, Nabiki had just thrown up her hands, and give up trying to figure out what was going to happen next and she did something that she had never thought of before. She took a bath, with Ranma. And now, here she was sitting in his lap, laughing her ass off in front of her surprised sister as Ranma holds her. 'This day can't get any more messed up!'
None of the three noticed the ominous thunder in the distance, nor a little old lady watering her plants just down the street.
With her sisters' help, Nabiki was able to stand back up, and then once Ranma stood up the three were again walking back towards the Tendo home. Along the way, Nabiki informed Kasumi of everything that she had seen so far, starting at the school right up to just a few moments ago.
"Oh my… but Nabiki… isn't it improper to take a bath with Ranma?"
"I was beyond caring at that point big sis. I'd just peeled off my muddy clothes and was looking forward to a nice relaxing bath. There was no way I was going to put those things back on again."
"Oh… I see…" Kasumi Tendo was now rather flushed at what she was thinking, though she seemed to keep herself aware as she walked as though it was second nature.
Ranma was a few paces behind them trying his hardest to not only not listen to them, but to not look at the movement of Nabiki's swaying hips, or the amount of leg that was showing every time she took as step as those two were having an emotional, as well as a physical effect on him. And right now, he did not need a reminder of how she looked earlier when she came into the bathroom. 'Why is this happening to me? He sighed inwardly. 'What's going on and why am I having so many problems just looking at Nabiki now?' Ranma then thought back to his rather one-sided history with the middle Tendo daughter. 'Every time I've talked to her in the past all she's done is take my money, make me feel stupid, and get me to do the stupidest things… I… I should be mad… angry… Like before with Happosai or Kunö…' For a brief moment as he considers these things he gets slightly angry, but hearing the two girls ahead of him giggle his anger vanished, and cannot help but smile. 'Damn it…' he groused as they continued walking.
However, the peaceful mood was unable to last. As soon as the three of them entered the Tendo home, they could all sense something. Stepping into the tearoom, they saw Genma, Soün and Akane already sitting at the table.
"Kasumi dear, can you get us some tea," her father asked.
"Yes father," she said quickly and went to the kitchen.
"Ranma, Nabiki, would you please come here and sit down."
"Um, sure…" he replied nervously.
"Whatever," Nabiki said and took a seat at the end of the table opposite her father. This put Ranma to her left and Genma to her right. Between the two fathers, sat Akane, but one thing the three had in common, was the serious expression on their faces. "So what's going on?" She asked nonchalantly, while feeling the tension slowly rise.
After a few moments, Genma finally spoke, "Son… Akane told us about what happened this morning at school."
Ranma's mood suddenly changed and instead of looking at his father, he bowed his head so that none of them could see his face, much less his eyes. "And?"
"And…" he started to say, but was interrupted by Kasumi setting down a kettle and pouring him and then her father some tea. "And since you seem to be having a problem controlling yourself, I believe that as your father and your sensei I am demanding that until you get control of yourself…"
"…And marry Akane!" Soün put in.
"Yes, until you can calm down, control yourself and marry Akane I am demanding that you stop practicing the art!"
Nabiki's eyes opened slightly at this, though Ranma remained silent.
"Boy, you have dishonored us and the school by acting so recklessly and foolishly that as your father and sensei I demand that you stop practicing the art until you can control yourself…"
"And marry Akane! The schools must be joined!" Soun again added increasing the heavy atmosphere in the room.
Nabiki sighed, 'those two are complete idiots… what?' she suddenly thought as she tried to take a drink of her tea but not a drop came out of her cup. Looking down into the cup, she saw the tea there. 'What the…' she thought as she looked at it only to realize that her tea, which had just seconds before been steaming, was now frozen solid. Looking at the floor, she noticed a layer of frost on the floor around Ranma. 'Not good…'
"You… you dare talk to me about honorrrr…." Ranma growled out causing the table to vibrate.
Akane who had barely been paying attention up until then finally looked up and then gasped at what she both heard and saw. However, what ever Akane saw, the two fathers failed to see. "Yes boy! It's time that you finally fulfilled the honor pledge and marry Akane!"
Right after saying that Akane let out a slight whimper and quickly ducked her head, essentially trying to hide under the table. Soün though let out a startled gasp and backed away from the table which was quite a feat since he was sitting on his legs. Genma though had his eyes closed, his arms crossed and an annoying superior smirk on his face as though he expected what he was saying was going to happen.
"You Genma… have no honorrrr…." Ranma now sounded more... feline than human.
Genma suddenly opened his eyes and he stared at his son. "What?"
"Youuu arrre nothing but a lying fat slob Genma… You have no honorrrr… you have no rrright to talk to me about honorrrr…"
Nabiki felt as though her skin was trying to crawl off her body just listening to Ranma's growling voice. But he still kept his head down so she could not see his face. Though she was wondering if that was actually a good thing.
"Now see here boy!" Genma shouted and grabbed Ranma by his shirt. His plan had been to throw the boy after that into the pond, but as soon as his hand came in contact with Ranma he let out a shriek of pain and rage.
Ranma casually reached up and grabbed Genma's hand, before twisting it and holding it at a painful angle. "Youuuu arrrre nothing…" Ranma said to him.
"Now… Ranma…" Soün tried to say, as Genma's hand was turning blue. However, this was not the color he expected to see; it was almost as though it was being frozen from the inside out.
Nabiki stared at Genma's hand in amazement, she knew that her teachers had told her that the body was made mostly of water, and she guessed that this was Ranma using the soul of ice on the water in Genma's hand. 'That's…' she tried to think of a word to use to describe this, but she felt at a loss for words.
"You darrre talk to meeee about honorrr… you pathetic useless…"
"Ranma!" Soün cried out hoping to help his friend but all he got was Ranma lifting his head to look at him. He knew that he was good with his demon-head technique, and he knew it kept people in line. However, what he was seeing made his demon–head look like a children's mask and Ranma was doing this with just his eyes!
Letting go of his fathers hand, Genma stumbled backwards as he held his hand close to him trying to get warmth back into it. Ranma stood up, though to those watching it seemed as though he floated up and then stretched out his legs to stand. Surrounding him was a battle aura that none of them had ever seen before. At first, they thought it was black, but it seemed to have a deep purple tint to its edges. But the worst part was that it allowed no light to pass through it as though it was a black hole on earth.
"I've endurrred yourrrr stupidity forrrr the last time Genma… I rrrememberrr what its like to be crrrring in the darrrkness… crrrying out to my fatherrr… only to be torrrtured one morrre time…" As he said this, several glowing claws appeared at the ends of his fingers. "Let me show youuu how it feels…" so saying, Ranma began throwing dozens of small glowing slaws at Genma.
Though he tried to evade them, Genma was not fast enough to dodge the dozens upon dozens of small sharp energy claws. Before the others could even realize what was going on Genma's gi and body was suddenly covered in dozens small bloody scratches. "All you carrred about was yourrr own fat belly… youuuu starrrved me… beat meeee… tortured meeee…" as Ranma spoke, more claws were sent at Genma, and more cuts appeared on the fat martial artist. "Youuu neverrrr carred forrr meee… I was just a way to get morrr foood… to steal morrre… and when I wouldn't steal you insulted meee…"
Nabiki was in shock at what she was seeing, this was worse that what happed to Kunö, at least that had been fast and almost merciful. From what she was seeing, she knew that Ranma was only causing pain, and intended to cause more.
From her position on the floor, Akane just covered her head with her hands and prayed to the gods, her ancestors, anyone that this would all end soon. Her father was not doing much better. But at least he knew it was too late. They had pushed Ranma too hard, and now he's cracked and there was no one that could save them.
"Let meeee show youuuu Genma…" Ranma growled and floated over the table causing the table to develop a layer of frost as well on his way towards his father.
Akane whimpered as she felt the cold darkness around her but it soon passed by her leaving her untouched, but she was not about to move. Not until this had passed.
Letting out a tortured scream, Genma tried to move away from his son, but soon everything around him was enveloped in blackness even though it was still early in the afternoon. "No son! Wait!"
"SILENCE!" Shouted Ranma, though the shout in itself caused the windows in the room to explode outward. "Let me show you the Neko-Ken… at it's fullest…" Ranma told him in a menacing voice that seemed to reverberate though the room causing thing to shake. Those things that were not stable fell over. "This is the blackness of that pit…" Ranma told his now simpering father. "The darkness iss complete… therrre iss no way out… let me finish what youuu starrrted… you tried to kill me then… let me end yourrr miserable excuse forrr a life…"
Nabiki and Soün looked at the blackness that seemed to surround Ranma and his father, though neither one of them could be seen. However, Ranma's voice carried easily and the two of them were practically rooted to their positions in fear. Somehow, Nabiki managed to look over at her little sister and noted that she was still alive, though too terrified to move. "Akane…" she called softly and forcing back the fear, she moved carefully to her sister and held her as the screams of Genma's pain from inside the darkness continued. Looking around, she pulled her sister away from the tearoom and after getting Akane out of the room, she handed her younger sister over to her older one that had been clinging terrified to the wall as though she were afraid it was going to fall.
"Nabiki… is that... was that Ranma… is he…" Kasumi asked fearfully.
"Yea, that's Ranma. I think the training and everything has finally overcome his sanity."
"What shall we do?" Kasumi asked as she tried to console the now crying and shaking form of Akane that she held in her arms.
"I… I don't know yet. But if this afternoon was any indication… if Ranma returns to his senses… he won't handle this well."
"What… what would he do?" the eldest Tendo asked.
"He didn't want me to come closer to him then because he thought he might hurt me… now I think he will either run away, commit seppuku or do both…"
"Oh my… Nabiki… you can't be…" Kasumi looked at her sister and then sighed. She knew Nabiki was serious, and she knew that if Ranma stopped to think about what he was doing, the he would do it. "You can't let him."
"What?" Now Nabiki looked bewildered.
The steel and resolve in Kasumi could almost be seen as it gathered strength in her. "You must not allow that to happen. We have to reach him, and help him regain control."
"Sis… you can't be…"
She was interrupted by a loud pained yell, "AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Both looked at each other and then nodded. They knew that something had to be done soon as from Mr. Saotome's last scream he was not doing well.
Stepping back into the room, Nabiki faced the darkness and she realized that this was the darkness in Ranma. This is what he had always been capable of if he just let go and stopped caring. "Ranma!" The blackness faded around the two Saotome's long enough for Nabiki to see the beaten and bloody mass that looked somewhat like Genma and the questioning stare of Ranma. "That's enough Ranma," she told him praying that her voice sounded firm.
"Thisss isss not enough!" he said and took several steps towards her leaving Genma in a bloody heap on the floor.
"Yes it is!" she responded and took several steps closer. Even from this distance, she could feel the overwhelming oppression of emptiness and dispair from the dark aura he was surrounded in.
"Nabiki! Please run!" Her father cried. However, Nabiki did not take her eyes off Ranma. When the two teens were standing far enough apart that his dark aura was almost touching her, Soün acted. "I'll save you!" he cried out and jumped at Ranma.
In less time than it took Nabiki to breathe, her father had jumped Ranma in a futile attempt to save her. Futile in that Ranma easily caught the man's arm, and introduced her fathers; face to the floor.
Holding his attackers arm straight out behind his back with the man face first in the floor, Ranma decided to teach this sniveling coward a lesson. "Sssso, youuu attack while my back is turrred… well… no morrreee… you'rrre life endsss now Soün… say hello to yourreee wife!"
More will be added in the next chapter, but I wanted to get this out so that Rubberneck, glazedlookineyes101 and Wonderbee31 could take the edge off their thirst for violence. I would like to thank everyone for their encouragements.