Poisoned Honor
A RANMA 1/2 FAN FICTION
BY WILLIAM O'HALLORAN
AKA Nuki Mouse
Authors notes: This is a story based on characters owned and copy righted by Takahashi Rumiko and VIZ Communications. I wrote this story for entertainment purposes only and have not received any money for it, nor will I attempt to.
Encloses the thoughts of the character.
" " Enclose the spoken words of a character.
* See Authors notes at end of chapter for definition
Chapter Nine: Evening Encounters and Escalations
"Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee..." the fearful cry rang out through the area, radiating outward. Its pitch was almost inhumanly high and the sharp eared canines of Tokyo, from the south harbor to the northernmost ward, pricked up their ears and howled in response.
It echoed through to a hammock in the tropical jungle under Furinkan high school, where a middle-aged man in Hawaiian shirt mumbled "Sum lit'l Kewaunii in big trouble, big Kahunna think." The cry reverberated down among the apartment buildings in Azabu-Juuban were a ditzy princess wanna-be panicked about a new Youma attack. It resonated to Tomobiki, were it prompted a flying green haired, horned Oni to search for her "Darling," while said 'Darling' was hightailing out of town before 'they' could blame him for causing that mournful wail. Needless to say, everyone heard it.
Or almost everyone. In the upper floor of a house in Nerima lay two young girls, one curvaceous and lavender-haired, asleep in the guestroom; the other, more trim and athletically built with short blue-black hair, asleep in a narcotic-induced slumber in her oneechan's bed. Although they did not hear the scream, it did enter into their dreams, and helped to forced the two back towards consciousness.
In a room down the hall a third girl, with a wasp-thin waist and a dark brown pageboy hairstyle, looked up from her tear-stained pillow, eyes red with sorrow, as she immediately, instinctively, knew the source of that cry. RAMNA! her heart cried out, before being seized in a cold icy grip of fear, reminiscent of her well-know moniker. She shivered in her bed and drew her blankets tightly around herself, no longer wanting to be cold in any way.
In the same house, as she dutifully washed the dishes, a tall, slender, young woman with long brunette hair and lovely brown eyes, flinched at the sound of the wail. The teacup in hand slipped through her fingers and shattered into a thousand pieces on the kitchen floor. Oh my... She thought, I never dropped two cups before in one day ... as she spun around to stare a the wall phone, willing it to ring, but dreading the news it might divulge.
Several small search teams, under the direction and employment of their own 'mistress,' the Ice Queen, had been dutifully searching the environs of Nerima ward. They knew that others were also searching for their elusive quarry but the money and the honor of the win would go only to the ones who found and reported him or her first. Spurred by their loyalty (and friendship) to their 'Queen,' the desire for pocket money, and for the fun of it. They had already covered much of the area and were sweeping towards the local parkland along the canal and its graceful bridge, when they heard the mournful cry for themselves. While none were cowards, none were martial artist or healers either, just high school students caught up in "The Game," as they referred to their 'assignments'. They all decided, after their hearts started to beat again, that discretion was the better part of valor and that there were safer ways of making money (and having fun), and they all high-tailed it back to refuge of their own homes.
Up on the rooftops, an aged woman, gray-haired and stoop-shouldered, defied both her age and gravity as she seem to fly from housetop to housetop, her eyes scanning the ground for any signs of her quarry. She had quickly outdistanced her student, the young healer, and had reached the eastern boundary of the ward when the cry echoed up from behind her. That's Ranma! she realized, knowing her worst fears of the poor girl's plight must have come true, as she literally reversed direction in mid leap and bounded off towards the center of Nerima and the source of the scream.
The student, white doctor's coat billowing behind him and his medical bag in hand, struggled to keep up his part of the search, checking all the locations the despondent girl may hide. His thoughts wandered between the task at hand and his beloved and their new special "bond." Then the same cry reached him and its eerie wail, so full of obvious pain and despair compelled the healer in him to answer. Could that be...? he asked himself, suspecting the worst, and he turn back towards the heart of Nermia.
Another young girl, with long brown hair, dress in a stylized dark blue chef's uniform accented with little metal spatulas, was slowly and methodically checking all the normal spots her 'honey' was known to hide. A second apparent girl shadowed the first, and although she was dressed in a brightly colored kimono, she blended almost invisibly into her surroundings. Both heard the scream, rising from the canal up ahead and they dropped in unison into their fighting stances, instantly on guard against whatever monster stalked in the night.
The cook, welding her four-foot-long spatula, and the transvestite ninja, armed with twin hand fans concealing his shuriken and throwing knives, were both ready to battle for their lives. They knew whoever made that scream was in mortal terror and despair and although it just couldn't be her 'honey,' the girl felt honor bound to respond, and the ninja would follow his mistress anywhere.
The young bandana-clad wanderer was lost, which was his normal state. But at times like this, he did not know which of his curses was the worst, being lost or being... porcine... Ranma! Where are you? he thought. You may have hurt Akane, I don't know, but I do know you need help! And a few seconds later he added ...and a friend.... The wail or cry that reached his ears was faint and distant, but still it chilled his blood. Depression and despair were somewhat of a specialty with him, and he could recognize a cry of mortal anguish better than almost anyone. Their was only one person he knew that could be making that cry.
"RANMA, I WILL FIND YOU!" he yelled out and tried a move of desperation. All he knew was that he would go somewhere, and with luck it would be to Ranma, if not, the far ends of the Earth, literally. He closed his eyes and swung his bamboo umbrella in an arc around him. It suddenly pulled him and off he ran in that direction, eyes still closed. He felt the familiar moment of disorientation and dizziness that happen every time right before he got lost. He found himself crashing through some bushes as he slowed to a stop and opened his eyes.
A auburn-haired woman in a blue and gold kimono and a cloth-wrapped bundle sheathed in her sash was walking briskly on her errand of mercy, towards the only place she knew the stricken girl may go. The home of the girl's cousins was only a few blocks past the bridge up ahead. The sudden high-pitched scream resonated up from somewhere near it and the sheer intensity caused her to wince and try to cover her ears to block out the pain, while her next impulse was to RUN! in sheer panic from the terror that evoked such a cry. She saw (or thought she saw) a glowing specter hurtling up into the night sky. In a flash, the cloth wrappings were flung aside and the lady kendo master held the naked blade of her katana before her in a warding position, evoking its powers, as her eyes scanned the sky for the wraith.
Damn! Damn! Damn! How much of a baka can I be? the Kami cursed himself. Sure, I stopped her suicide, as directed, only to shock her into drowning! Kami-sami won't be happy with this! he thought. If I materialize, I could... BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! Just my astral form did this, what would the physical manifestation of my body do to her? Here I am, a guardian, granted powers by Kami-sami himself, and I'm too thick headed to spot a trauma victim! The Kami extended his "senses" and could "see" into the girl's soul and knew of her rape and new fear of men.
After being unexpectedly flung away from the girl, the Kami watched from on high, well from about 50 meters "on high," that is. From his vantage point he saw that the woman in the blue and gold had drawn her sword, a katana and it radiated an aura of its own, as she wielded it in a warding motion and he could sense the psychic shell extend around her, as she scanned the night sky.
SHE saw ME! The Kami gasped in amazement, as he "willed" himself to be unseen by all. Normally only the family head or warleader could see him unbidden, but that woman, no! that sword, had pierced his aura of invisibility. The Kami was rocked by shock again, as several things fell in place at once. THE SWORD, her hair color, the stance and technique of the woman's style, and lastly the warding 'spell' she evoked.
It was from his own family secret school, though as a male he had never mastered the style, and the sword must one of their secret family treasures, three blades of immense power, used in the old days to fight evil spirits and monsters. All he thought lost, if they ever really existed, when he was but a boy of 11 or 12, when his family's stronghold fell. He had long thought none of his family survived that time, save one or two, like him, "adopted" by others.
The Kami turned his eyes away from the woman and back to the girl still laying in the canal. Though dirty, bruised, and wet, he could see that she was related to the swordswoman, the resemblance was striking, especially the hair. She will be the first to arrive the Kami noted of the swordswoman, Then those two as he saw two more young ladies, one also in a kimono and moving like a ninja, the other brandishing the strangest looking battle axe he had ever seen.
It was good, he knew, that a woman be first to find, comfort, and aid the girl. There was no telling what may happen if another man approached her right now. He could "sense" they meant the girl no harm and were in fact searching for her. Since girl's "rescue" was imminent, he withdrew from the locale. The Kami didn't want to risk being seen by the girl again until she was in better shape, both mentally and physically. He had much to think about, and some "research" to do before their next encounter. Fate (and Kami-sama) does move in mysterious ways, and he was rarely mistaken when it came to spotting its interventions; he didn't think for a second this was a random or one-time meeting, but the start of a new long-term assignment.
The Kami WAS mistaken in one way: it was NOT a woman that was first to arrive. Only moments after Ranma-chan landed face-first in the canal, there was a sudden commotion in a nearby shrubbery. At the same instant the Kami left, the bandana clad wanderer staggered out of bushes, holding his umbrella out before him like a dowsing rod, and eyes still shut.
As he came to a stop, Ryouga slowly opened his eyes. He was in a clearing along a small river next to a arched bridge. Although he didn't immediately recognize his surroundings, he rarely did, the bridge did look vaguely familiar. Maybe it worked, but I still may be in Albuquerque again. Barely visible in the shadows, a limp form was laying face down, half in and half out of the water. Suddenly the area brightened, as the street lamps lit up with the coming of night. With the area now illuminated, Ryouga could more clearly see the limp form.
"RAN-(ugg-aukk-uck)..." Ryouga tried to yell as he recognized the bruised and bloody body, but the bile rising in his throat choked it off. In the water in which she partially laid, a darker stain spreading out from her prone form, flowing with the current along the edge of the canal. On the ground, next to her empty hand, was an engraved tanto, its edge coated with blood.
"NOOOooo...!" Ryouga screamed when he saw the knife and realized the stain in the water was blood. He yanked Ranma-chan from the water and cradled her in his arms, missing by mere milliliters enough canal water to trigger his own curse. OhPleaseKami-Sami!, Let her be alive! Ryouga wished with all his heart. He looked down upon her midsection and saw it was bright red with fresh blood. Ranma really did it, committed seppuku... suicide... he thought.
Cradled in his arms, Ryouga couldn't tell if Ranma-chan was alive or dead. He gently laid her out on the ground, and started to fumble with the wet sash and kimono, making little head way. Ryouga, red-face, nose bloody, and hands shaking, worked his hand under Ranma's kimono. His hands roamed over Ranma's midsection, searching the gut wound he believed he would find there. He failed to find the wound but his hands were covered with warm blood from somewhere. Her Vitals! What are her Vitals? Though untrained in medicine, Ryouga had picked quite a bit of first aid in his travels and to his utter relief as he laid his head over her heart and put his hand over her mouth, he was relieved to hear a faint heart beat and feel the shallow breaths she was taking."
Nodoka's eyes scanned the sky but failed to find the spirit, wraith or phantom she thought she had seen a moment ago. Her attention then turn to the poor soul who must of uttered that cry. Could that... um, scream... have been... Ranko? Nodoka wondered. "RAN...! NOOOoooo....!" She heard a masculine voice cry out from the bridge ahead, as if in answer to her thoughts. The icy grip of fear and terror that almost panicked her moments before returned, as she ran for the bridge in defense of the girl.
As Nodoka reached the bridge, shadows obscured the clearing below. The streetlights flickered on and Nodoka heart jump, she quickly spied the lifeless body of Ranko OH MY, she did it was her first thought. Another, a young man and a martial artist by his build and movements, if she was not mistaken, pulled her from the water. To her disgust, she saw him fumble with Ranko's kimono before reaching under it to grope her body while nuzzling his head her chest and clamping his hand over her mouth. To stifle her screams, no doubt she thought. This man (she used the term loosely; this pervert didn't deserve to be called a man) was not a rescuer, but a hentai, intent on taking advantage of the stricken girl.
Ryouga gaped at Ranma's face, getting his first clear look at it. The left was bad, eye blacked and face swollen an bruised, but the right... Ryouga had to divert his gaze from the bloody wreck of Ranma's right side, else he might puke on her. His eyes fell again on the tanto and he swiftly seized it, half a mind to fling it as far away as possible. Instead he sliced though the wet knotted sash, completely severing as quick and effortlessly as Alexander and the Gordian Knot.
Two minutes before, the idea of loosening Ranma's robe was barely tolerable, One minute before, he had still gotten the shakes, blushed red, and a nosebleed from just trying to find Ranma's stomach wound. But in those minutes, Ryouga had gained years of maturity. He had been forced to mature by his friend's plight. He had to save her life, and doing that meant being mature. Of course the fact that Ranma-chan had just been attacked and beaten and didn't look very 'feminine' at the time helped as well. He tossed the knife aside and gripped the kimono in both hands, ripping it open, baring her body from head to foot.
Ryouga had mentally prepared himself for the worst, the view of Ranma's belly sliced open and her innards hanging out, but he was only slightly relieved at what he saw. Although there was a deep fresh gash on her stomach, it had not penetrated to the abdominal wall. But it was the rest of Ranma-chan's body he was not ready for. The bruised ribs, the swollen right shoulder all the cuts and abrasions, it seemed to defy some physical law, that Ranma could have been beaten like this. His eyes grew wide in total shock as they quickly darted down to Ranma-chan's groin, and although he was no expert in rape the evidence there was staggering, literally. Where the idea of Ranma being beaten bloody was barely comprehensible, that of her being raped seem to violate some universal absolute.
Ryouga fell back, away from Ranma-chan's body, suddenly ashamed for his own actions. He had always thought the worst of her and blamed her for all his own troubles. He failed his friend, getting lost and not finding her, arriving too late, and lastly, not protecting her when she need it. He had generally been a jerk to her and felt dishonored by his actions. Shame overcame him and he bowed his head in dishonor, adverting his gaze away from her nude body. That action also saved his life.
Nodoka stood shocked still on the bridge, unable even to cry out for help as she watched the hentai seize up HER family's tanto and use it to sliced through Ranko's clothes. What was worse, he just tossed it aside like a piece of garbage when finished. He then stripped her nude in one swift tug and then seemed to look over the body like a hungry man at a buffet, trying to decide where to start. She couldn't take it any more.
A cold rage came over her and she whipped her katana forward Moku-Ryuu Tsuku! Nodoka silently commanded Silent Dragon Attack! She felt the chi manifest itself around her, making her as quiet as a mouse and almost as hard to spot. As far as she knew, she was the last practitioner of the "Servant of Silent Dragon God", and with no daughter to pass the skills onto, they would die with her. She slowly crept up on the pervert as he was "busy" with poor Ranko.
Nodoka finished her silent approach behind the hentai, his back to her and his neck exposed. She knew the keen edge and power of her katana would remove his head cleanly, with little pain, but he would be DEAD! Swift as the winter wind the blade sped towards the man's neck, but at the last moment the unthinkable happened and the hentai's head and neck moved aside. With only the slightest whisper of sound the sword grazed the side of the man's head, cutting his hair, but nothing more.
"Swish!" Ryouga eyes opened wide as he heard the sound. A sword came out of nowhere and as it passed, it just grazed the hair on the back of Ryouga's head. The ever so slight tug on his hair and the shower of black clippings spoke of the razor-sharp keenness of that blade. He caught a quick glimpse of a woman in a blue and gold kimono, katana in hand, as he tucked and rolled away from her. Unfortunately he rolled right over top of Ranma-chan, squishing her none too gently under his weight.
Nodoka saw the hentai roll over and lay himself on top of poor Ranko, seemingly oblivious to her attack. That Ecchi! He's going to rape her right in front of me! she thought as her anger, already a blazing fire, became a raging inferno. The idea of a quick and painless death for the pervert flew out of her head. She wanted to castrate him and feed him his own balls before gutting him with a dull knife, and wished for once she wasn't too "proper" and "honorable" a lady to do just that. Instead she yelled out her intent to behead the hentai bastard and she thrust forward , trying to impale him on the point of her sword.
"Ecchi! HENTAI RAPIST! Get off of her, you honorless cur, SO I CAN CUT YOUR HEAD OFF!" screamed Nodoka in righteous rage.
Ryouga reacted instinctively, dodging the blade as he scooped Ranma-chan up in his arms. Why is this madwoman attacking ME? Ryouga, being his normal pig-headed self, failed to realize that to this woman, HE appeared to be a brutal rapist. Neither did he really listen to what she yelled at him, being too busy dodging the sword and tying to save his life. To Ryouga, with his own skewed way of looking at things, it was all Ranma's fault that he was being attacked! If she hadn't been hurt, he would not need to defend her or risk his own life. And of course, it must be Ranma that she was really after! Ranma! What did you do to HER? Ryouga silently yelled at the girl beneath him.
Ryouga quite effortlessly hoisted the slight weight of Ranma-chan in his arms and vaulted straight up into the air. "LEAVE US ALONE, YOU BITCH! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S HURT!" Ryouga cried out as he flipped over the startled woman to land behind her. "IF SHE DIES, I WILL KILL YOU!"
To Nodoka surprise, the hentai scooped Ranko up in his arms and in a tremendous feat of strength, leapt at least five meters up and over top of her, flipping around to land on his feet behind her. His cry for her to leave them alone seemed so totally out of place that she just couldn't comprehend it in her rage.
Ranma-chan chose that moment to let out a loud moan and started to tremble as she again fought her way to consciousness. She opened her eyes and nausea almost overcame her as the world seemed to be spinning upside down. As she tried to orient herself, she found herself looking at the upside-down image of a red-brown-haired woman in a blue kimono wielding a sword. "Mother," she managed weakly, instinctively, to say, just loud enough for Ryouga to hear. A sudden sharp, jarring pain swept through her body, eliciting another loud moan, as Ryouga completed his flip and landed in a kneeling position. The impact caused Ranma-chan to realize that she was cradled in someone arms, and she managed to twist her head slightly to peer up at her 'guardian.'
To say Ryouga was perplexed would be one of the greatest understatements of all time, like the Titanic reporting "a little ice." During his flip he quite clearly heard Ranma mumble out the word "mother." The auburn hair, the katana, her age, all fell into place. Although they had never met, he was sure that the swordswoman had to be Ranma's mom, Saotome Nodoka. She was the worst and last person Ryouga could think of to meet up with right now.
It never just rains, it pours, Ryouga thought fatalistically, as he was now fully dismayed. As P-chan, he had been present when Genma informed Ranma and the Tendo's of the seppuku pledge he had made all those years ago. Now, as if her rape wasn't bad enough, her mom was obviously here trying to "enforce" that damn pledge. A pledge Ranma has already tried to fulfill Ryouga thought as he gazed down at Ranma, still cradled in his arms.
He could see that Ranma's eyes were open and that she was staring up at his face. Suddenly a look of sheer terror spread over her face, making the already horrendous features even more gruesome. She knows! Ryouga assumed. She remembers the pledge as well.
Ukyou ran down the path, rushing to the source of that wretched cry. Her heart suddenly chilled as she realized the clearing below the bridge was another of Ranma's "special spots", and she hoped her heart was wrong and the cry had nothing to do with her Ran-chan. Konatsu had, of course, disappeared, but she knew that was just an illusion. He would be, like always, in the shadows or up a tree, watching her back, ready to aid her.
As she reached the clearing, in the weak diffuse light from the streetlamp, Ukyou watched an encumbered Ryouga performing a spectacular leap while holding in his arms the small body of a child, trying to avoiding the slashing sword of..., of... who? ...Ranma-chan?
A series of questions plagued Ukyou's thoughts. What in the Kami is going on? Ran-chan with a SWORD? Why is he... she attacking Ryouga? As her eyes were slow to adjusted to the light, Ukyou could barely make out the vague shape of Ranma-chan, readily identified by the red in her hair while she stalked the back of Ryouga as he knelt at the shadow's edge to comfort the injured child cradled in his arms.
Why..., how...? Did Ranma do that...? as she look again at the child in Ryouga's arms. Even in the dim light at the edge of the clearing, Ukyou could see that the child had been beaten severely. Is... is he... um, she dead? ran through Ukyou's mind as she saw just how extensive the injuries were. There MUST be a reason..., an explanation... Even if drugged by Shampoo, Ukyou found it impossible to believe Ranma could hurt an innocent child.
Is that really Ran-chan? she wondered, as the figure stepped nearer. She looks just like Ranma-chan, but.... Ukyou noticed the differences as her vision improved ...just a little taller, a few years older, like a older sister or ...MOTHER! Ukyou had never really 'met' Ranma's mother before, but felt as if she actually knew her, from all the descriptions, discussions and soul-searching Ranma spent at her okonomiyaki counter on that subject. This... This MUST be Nodoka! and for some reason this filled her heart with dread.
To her horror, she realized who the "child" in Ryouga's arms must be. Oh-my-Kami NO!, it couldn't be... she can't... Ukyou tried to deny what her eyes, mind and heart suddenly told her. The battered body, the bruises, the blood, and what Ryouga had told her earlier coalesced and she KNEW that Ranma, ...no, Ranma-chan!, must have been raped.
Ranma's MOM! Damn! The PACT! Ukyou blanched as she, like Ryouga, also guessed wrong about Nodoka's presence, and her rage now focused on the woman. She's here to enforce that damn pledge! Ukyou fumed. Ignoring all the good Ran-chan has done, all the people he has helped, and condemning him for something beyond his control she thought, meaning both her rape and his trans-gender ability. Ukyou seethed with growing anger. As if HE chose either in the first place!
Ukyou saw Nodoka raise her sword to strike at Ranma, still nestled in Ryouga's arms. If... If I hurt her, Ukyou thought, referring to Nodoka, Ranma would never forgive me! But if I don't stop her...! Ukyou knew of the deep, secret love Ranma still held for his mother, even after 12 years of separation and learning of that damn pledge. She also instinctively knew that Ranma's sense of "honor" would cause him, (or her!) to fulfill that pledge if his mother demanded it. Ukyou came to a quick decision, one she knew that could have changed her life and dreams forever. She was determined to stop the woman and the threat to her Ran-chan for all times, by any means, even if she lost Ranma by doing it.
Nodoka spun around, expecting to see the rapist in full flight, carrying off his 'prize' with him. Instead he was kneeling with his back to her, cradling Ranko's body. For the first time Nodoka saw the girl's face, her eyes open and staring right at her with a look of longing in them, as a low moan escaped her battered lips. Nodoka reeled in horror, as blood drained from her face and she became momentarily lightheaded. What inhuman beast could do that to an innocent young girl? she wondered as she drew her katana back for a full swing and closed on the suddenly motionless man.
That it, just stay there and don't move, Nodoka silently pleaded to the rapist. Just another meter.... She saw Ranko turn to look up at her attacker and a look of true terror washed over her face. She knows! She sees her own fate if I don't stop this! Nodoka realized and heard the poor girl emit a load groan. As she swung her sword, Nodoka saw that the man may yet evade her blow and she called out "Divine Justice Guide My Hand," one of her most dangerous attacks.
Without warning, a blue-clad figure leapt from the black shadows to land near the hentai, wearing what looked to be a cook's outfit, accessorized with what? Crisscrossed bandoleers of tiny metal shovels? The figure wielded a giant version of the very same 'weapon,' held in a two handed grip, while rushing in from the other side. She could see the strange weapon's sharp and beveled edge, and it dawned on Nodoka that it was, of all things, a spatula. Good! she thought, Between us we'll make chopped meat out of this perv!
Ukyou heard Nodoka's words and saw the blue chi light up her blade. SHIT! She's using a chi attack! Ukyou thought in mounting terror. She had plenty of experience witnessing chi attacks, especially from the two figures on the ground in front of her, and knew that they usually involved massive pain and damage and always scared her when used. She rushed towards the forms of Ryouga and Ranma in a desperate attempt to somehow stop the blow. "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY RAN-CHAN, SUGAR!" she yelled to Nodoka
With a cold feeling like death itself approaching, Ryouga abruptly realized that with the repeated surprises of the last few seconds had distracted him and that he was now kneeling frozen, his arms encumbered and his back wide open to a most formidable kendo master. He could sense the blade already descending towards his un-protected neck. Too late! he mentally screamed as he willed his body to move. he knew that his only chance of escape would be to either abandon Ranma to the "mercy" of her mother, or to try and take the blow, trusting his conditioning, and protect Ranma a little longer.
That was a choice he never had to make. Out of the corner of his eye, Ryouga caught sight of another fighter, emerging the shadows and vaulting over his own head, followed by a clash of metal on metal. OH THANK YOU KAMI-SAMA! WE'RE SAVED! Ryouga rejoiced, as he caught a whiff of cooking oil, noodles, and soy sauce and heard the yell announcing Ukyou's arrival on the field of battle. A moment later, Ranma's moans of pain transformed themselves into a hiss of rage. Ryouga felt the limp body of Ranma-chan go whipcord taught and a sinister cry emerged from her throat.
The new arrival, as Nodoka could now see, was actually a girl of 17 or 18, although her clothing and demeanor was quite masculine. Except for the bow. But rather than joining her in a game of "Whack the Pervert," the girl performed an impossible move of her own, vaulting over the hentai and Ranko, and to attempt blocking her own blow, via the giant kitchen utensil. Well, almost impossible, She did do it, after all It is almost as if.... the startled Nodoka let the thought trail off. Nodoka was equally shocked to feel the chi seem to drain away from her sword as the girl's own weapon appeared to taken on a bluish glow.
Nodoka also heard the newcomer's yell as she backhanded the blade, not just blocking it but swatting it away like some bothersome insect with a force that all but numbed her arm. It also left her wide open for the flying body check delivered by girl's shoulder. The SPELL! It failed... a shaken Nodoka thought as the impact of the girl's body drove her back and away from the young man and Ranko.
No! Not failed! It was rebounding back on HER!Nodoka realized. The sword 'spell', or more correctly 'prayer' she cast, had to asked the Silent Dragon Kami to help guide her blow. If it was used in a just cause, one that the Kami supported, it would be all but unstoppable, but it would fail utterly if used for selfish or unjust reasons and could even reverse, aiding the caster's foes.
This... This can't happen! Nodoka was unable to believe it or the implications of the failure. But that must means that the pervert..., the boy..., that he is not a rapist... Nodoka had to finally accept the truth, as she took a defensive stance and faced the irate girl. I am luckily she didn't KILL me Nodoka realized a moment later, surprised at just how wide open the girl's counterblow had left her. If she, (or the Kami) had wanted my life, she could have taken it.
Ukyou felt a strange force or energy envelop her. It started as a tingling in her arms and swept over her entire body as a divine force seemed to energize and direct her. The energy seemed to calm her and helped to clarify her thoughts as well. Something really astounding was happening to her , something she would never fully understand or fully believe, even years later. Ukyou never could decide if she had actually lost her free will, or if she had been merely aided in moves she chose and directed.
Ukyou WAS too afraid of the chi attack to place herself in real danger (from it), but she then found herself jumping over Ryouga and Ranma, into the path of the blade. She WAS going to just place her weapon between Ryouga's back and Nodoka, to hopefully deflect the chi aided sword. INSTEAD, Ukyou found the courage to face the chi charged weapon directly, swinging her spatula in a classic 'tennis racket' style backhand that easily and with almost no any guidance from her, parried the sword stroke. More than that, the spatula drove Nodoka's sword wide, leaving the woman exposed for whatever Ukyou wanted to do.
Ukyou knew what she had to do. She could see three different ways to easily kill Nodoka at that moment, and thus end the threat to Ranma. Then she felt "something" calming her, cooling her anger, clearing away all her doubts, helping her to think and analyze her own deeply suppressed feelings. Ukyou found she did not WANT to kill, not even to protect her Ran-chan. Instead, she twisted sideways and gave Nodoka a full shoulder check, driving her back and away from Ranma-chan, placing herself between mother and "son".
The sense of calm and clear-mindedness this "force" bought to her helped Ukyou reach an epiphany about the relationship between her and Ranma. Ranma would not hesitate to hurt, even kill in cold blood, to defend... to defend...! she tried to force herself to think "me," that is "Ukyou" but deep down she knew that the true answer was really "Akane."
Ukyou felt the last of that 'tingling' force leave her and some of her anger return, but not the killing rage that had threaten to overwhelm her. She retrieved a trio of throwing 'spat's and launched them at Nodoka, aimed to distract and harass her rather than to kill her.
Nodoka saw the girl's hand flicked over the bandoleers and three of the mini spatulas were flying towards her. Now that the influence of her misused chi attack had dissipated, the fact that she could defeat or even kill the girl Nodoka never doubted. But I mustn't hurt her. She doesn't want to kill me, Nodoka thought, just help 'her Ran-chan' recalling the girl's anguished cry. Just the same as I do. She realize that this must be a friend of Ranko, although the cry 'her Ran-chan' sounded a little more, um... intimate than friends.
"Silent Dragon Shock Wave!" Yelled Nodoka, as she slashed her blade downward. A blue wave of chi sprang out from her katana and radiated outward as an expanding undulation of chi energy. It intercepted the spatulas, deflecting the paths of all three enough for Nodoka to easily avoided them. The 'wave' rolled on, not at all fast, but at a slow, almost walking pace. It washed over the panicking spatula girl, slightly lifting and pressing her backwards, much like a large breaker crashing past her. The look of terror on the girl's face changed briefly to revulsion, then to immense relief when the chi wave left her
Nodoka's yell and the chi wave she generated startled Ukyou, and she saw her 'spats bounce away when they hit the expanding blue wall. It's coming this way! It's headed towards ME! Ukyou felt fear replacing her anger. although she just blocked a chi attack, the "divine" force aiding her was gone and this attacked was aimed at her! She had never before realized how strong her phobia of chi attacks was and her fear of the awesome damage they could do, to ME! she though in horror.
Ukyou tried to hold her ground, to stand fast and protect Ranma, but the fear and panic only grew. In the end, she gave in to her panic and tried to leap aside, out of the path of the approaching wall. Too late! The chi blast crashed into her and she waited for the imagined pain to hit her. But instead of pain, she felt her body buoyed up and forced back as a wave of what? Pressure? Force? Wind? swept over her accompanied by a disgusting sensation like a thousand tiny insects crawling all over her body, but it only lasted a second or two.
The relief Ukyou felt was tangible, it felt like she had been reborn. When the blast had reached her, she had been so sure that it brought her pain and death. Now that it was past, she rejoiced in her life. Ukyou spun her giant spatula around in front of her with a joyous bravado like a baton. Ukyou strutted her abilities, ignoring Nodoka, absorbed by her feelings of elation at her survival. This, unfortunately, lasted only for a fleeting moment.
Ranma-chan was almost catatonic with fear. Trapped in the arms of a vile, villainous male, Ranma-chan's terror was as tangible as Ukyou's relief. It showed on her face. It shook her body. It chilled her blood. She was trapped, captured, there was no escape, no hope. When Ranma-chan looked up at the face of the one holding her, she did not recognize him as Ryouga. She did not even really "see" him. She just saw a MALE. Another one of her tormentors. An oni, as insidious as a cat....
Cat! Ca-ca-CAT! the terrible word echoed in Ranma-chan's mind as she remembered what WAS her most dreaded fear, and recalled the way to escape that fear as well. Normally Neko-ken took several stages of increasing fear as well as several minutes, always giving Ranma a chance to try and escape from it, but her present level of terror was FAR beyond that and her mind was searching for any escape possible. In an instant, the primordial cat, the bakeneko that dwelled deep in Ranma's psyche seized control of her mind and body.
Ryouga was staring at the transformed girl in his arms. The look of terror and agony on her face had been replaced with one of animalistic fury. Her hand, moving faster than even Ryouga could follow, raked across his face and he felt four chi claws cut deeply into his cheek. The edges of her mouth pulled back, barring her teeth and a yowl and hiss of pure feline rage escaped as fresh blood began to ooze from her split lips again. "MMEERROOWLL, HIISSSSS!"
Ryouga had seen this transformation before, but never so quick or as complete as it was this time and never focused DIRECTLY on him, either. Part of his mind screamed OH SHIT! I'M DEAD MEAT! while another tried to deny it. It can't be! there are no cats around! The two parts of his mind started to argue with each other ITS NEKO-KEN!, ...but it can't!, She's gone Bakeneko!, ...but where are the cats?
.
Nodoka turned just in time to see the lightning swift swipe of Ranko's hand to the boy's face. Nodoka was inwardly pleased to see the feisty girl she remembered showing some more definitive signs of live and start to defend herself against the boy. He deserved THAT blow, Nodoka thought in secret glee. He MAY not be a rapist, BUT I still think he's a hentai pervert. Nodoka fumed. She strove to recognize the strange sounds now emerging from Ranko's throat. Like a giant dog... no, CAT! as she noted a definite 'meow' and 'hiss' added to the cry.
Feeling trapped, Neko-Ran yowled in rage at her "captor." She lashed out with her forepaw, but the pain and stiffness in the limb caused only a glancing blow, though she still relished in the joy of hurting her tormentor as she felt her claws slice though flesh. The tight grip her foe's paws had on her loosened, and she cried out her battle call and sunk her fangs in it's body, trying to rip the jugular from it's throat but scoring high on it's shoulder instead.
Ryouga felt Ranma's teeth bite into his shoulder and by some miracle she just drew blood alone. The two parts of his mind were still ensnared in their Neko-or-not debate when a third part, the one that obviously had the most brains in it, screamed WHO CARES! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER BEFORE SHE HURTS US SOME MORE! as he unceremoniously released Ranma-chan and leapt away.
Ryouga's escape landed him in the deep shadows at the edge of the clearing, out of Ranma's view and he grasped his torso as sharp parallel pains lanced thought his belly, evidence of his near brush with death. CHIKUSHOU! That SMARTS! Ryouga thought as he rubbed the bloody scratches. "OH-KAMI!" he exclaimed as implications of Ranma's actions sunk in. I've seen Ranma go neko before! She might beat up or 'play' with her 'prey' but she has never tried to KILL before!
Thoughts of rage and freedom dominated Neko-Ran. She savored the taste of her enemy's blood as she spat out the 'fur' from her mouth. The hold of the other's claws on her again loosened and Neko-Ran was ready to ensure that it was the last mistake her foe would ever make. She smelled the victory, as her deadly rear legs were free to rake and gut the underbelly of her hated foe.
Neko-Ran felt her body fall free from the grasp of her foe, as it leapt away from her claws. The huntress's legs lashed out in a desperate attempt to slay, but it was too late! Her claws only found the strange fur covering its body, and nothing more. Neko-Ran twisted and rolled to land on her four feet like any proper cat would and arched her back as she spat in fustration. Although she still looked more dead than alive, the feline rage and energy radiated from her body as she was able to tapped her yet untouched reservoirs of chi.
Ryouga realized that Ranma must have been in a state beyond normal Neko-ken, Neko-ken combined with something else, but what? With all the terror of her rape, the fear voiced in that dreadful scream, the attack that's left her almost dead and drove her to suicide Ryouga theorized. But what triggered it? He... SHE needs cats to go neko! But there are no cats around. She seemed OK until she saw... SHIT! I'M THE TRIGGER! Ryouga suddenly realized. It was ME that drove her neko!
But how? And why me? Ryouga pondered. Could it be because of our "talk" this afternoon? No, although I did evoke a response in her, it sure wasn't FEAR! he thought as he remembered their amorous "encounter" in the flowerbed. Ryouga watched Neko-Ranma-chan peer around, her eyes blinking and slightly unfocused, and saw her trying to 'sniff' his scent in the air. Ranma scrutinized Ukyou, but seemed to dismiss her presence as inconsequential . In a leap of insight, the normally dense Ryouga suddenly realized it was not him as "Ryouga," that had so terrorized Ranma, but him as a MALE, that had!
Ryouga saw that Ranma was now crouched low to the ground. Rage made her chi glow as her attitude towards Ukyou seemed to visibly "flip-flop." She was now stalking Ukyou as she faced the swordswoman. Like a cat with a mouse! No, more like a lion and her prey! Ryouga heard Ranma voice another loud feline snarl as she leapt at the cook.
Nodoka watched Ranko, fascinated by the girl's feline persona and graceful, fluid, movements. Ranko was now in a stance that even seemed to parody that of a giant cat, and Nodoka could almost imagine the image of a cat superimposed over her. Where is she getting the energy? Nodoka wondered. Nodoka saw Ranko's gaze flit over girl in blue, but then her gaze fell on her. Ranko's eyes seem to light up and Nodoka sensed some sort of bond or recognition pass between them.
Nodoka saw Ranko ire ignite as she turned her attentions back to the blue-clad girl. With a feline cry of rage, Ranko launch herself at the girl's back and this time Nodoka could see the glowing red 'claws' extend from her hands and feet. Oh-My-Kami, Ranko is using her chi! Nodoka gasped. She wanted to stop Ranko, but she was too far away, and no time to use her own skills. There was only one thing she had time to do. "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!" Nodoka yelled a warning to her former "foe."
Neko-Ran slunk low to the ground, cringing away from the black insidious shadows that surrounded her. Her prey and her enemy, the Male, was out there, some were, waiting to attacker her, to ...hurt... her again. "Roowwlll" She vented her rage and fear at the darkness, at the shadows that cloaked the evil ones as she felt their eyes upon her waiting, all ways waiting, in the dark...
With a mighty effort, Neko-Ran fought to overcome her fear. She frantically swung her head back and forth as she searched for her foe, watching the shadows. Her sight was blurred, her head rang, and the smell of her own blood and sweat all but overwhelmed her nose, confusing her. Neko-Ran's eyes then focused on a new figure; but after a moment she dismissed it and continued her search. It wasn't her mate nor a male like her prey.
Neko-Ran noticed that yet another, one that had been fighting with the female/not-mate. Slowly, something, not so much of a picture as a knowing surfaced in her mind. That one was a pride member, ...her... her mother? Suddenly, she was filled with the feline instinct to protect the pride and home.
"Meerroollww," Neko-ran voiced her rage at her mother's foe. "Hiiiisss," she spat as she crouched low and readied her pounce, prepared to defend her pride leader. No one attacked her hearth, her family! She leaped, chi claws extended from all four paws, Kill, Kill, Kill! her only thoughts.
End Part Nine.