Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not claim any rights to any of the characters or concepts created or owned by Viz Video or Rumiko Takahashi. This is just the work of one fan to the others. The only characters or concepts that I claim are the ones I created or introduced. That said, I bring you:
For Love and Money, the War of the Horse. A Y3 story.
Chapter 12: The scene is set….
Ranma hung in the shaft and waited for several long seconds until she had heard most of the people as they ran in the opposite direction. She had heard the clear, commanding voice of Prince Herb as he had directed his men, so she was sure that the one she didn't want present should be busy chasing where they thought she would be. It was a reasonable expectation, honestly, for anyone who did not think in three dimensions. Most people never really looked up, they didn't think instantly about people going up. A legacy of being ground-dwelling beings, she supposed. Regardless, it should buy her the time she needed. As much as she had been tempted to just go in and grab whatever seemed likely, without the knowledge of what she needed to grab, it was more than likely to not end well.
No, the best option was to have Herb show her just what she needed, and to work from there. Once she knew what it was, she could negotiate with the explosives as the lever to sway compliance. It was the best outcome she could hope for, after all.
Now, she just needed to make sure that everyone played their part in this little play, and that things did not go off script too badly. She really did not want to have to fight Herb again so soon, especially since she had lost the last engagement even with the power of the Neko-Ken behind her. No one was undefeatable, she knew that she could take down even a monster like Herb, she had every confidence in that. That said, why engage in such a fight that would surely leave whoever was still standing in bad enough condition that neither of them could fight off anyone else that came for them? It was always better to resolve things in a way that was not so final, if you could manage it.
Herb was not responsible for what had happened here, he had just been the one that had beaten her to Rai Zur and the rest of her ilk. If Ranma had taken a moment to think, and had not reacted then this situation that she found herself in would probably never have come to pass, if she was going to be honest with herself.
Better to resolve things in the best way possible. She could try to ask Herb for the cure, but she doubted that he would be willing to work with her, since he had not only beaten her, but had trapped her in her cursed form. Perhaps in time they could find common grounds, and meet in the middle. If that was still possible, it was more than likely years down the road, and only if they managed not to kill each other here and now.
Ranma watched for another long moment, then snuck her way into the center of the camp. She didn't know where the items were, but he was pretty sure that she knew where they were not, and that was where she would make her presence known.
She moved quickly from where she had stopped in the middle of the camp, and moved quickly towards the edge and made sure that she knocked over a stack of boxes and small chests on the way. As she had planned, the noise it made proved enough to draw the attention of the last couple of guards away from the hall that Herb and the rest had dashed down, and to herself as she hurried off with the ladle and pail clutched firmly to her chest. She made sure that the guards caught a fleeting glimpse of what she carried before she vanished from their sight.
Now, she just needed Herb to feel like he needed to check the items, to make sure that they had retained at least this other item that Ranma still hoped existed.
As she had hoped, the last pair of guards chose to call out for help rather than to chase after her. She had expected that Herb would leave the least capable of his guards behind, and she had been pleased to find out that she had guessed right. Now, she just had to vanish again while Herb and his men tried to find her, all the while she would watch the feed and see just what it revealed.
With any luck, she would be able to bring this little show to an end sooner rather than later, and return to her birth form again. She just had to keep hoping that a way to undo the lock existed,and that herb would have it with him,
Ranma managed to evade the pursuit once more, and noticed that Herb had placed guards outside of the entrances now, along with those that watched the interior of the room. Luckily, it still seemed that Herb was not fully wary of a vertical approach, so that should help Ranma with what was to come next.
That is, once she had confirmed that Herb had what she needed, that is.
Herb made sure the room was secure before he moved to one of the chests that Ranma had staked out, and unlocked it with a key that he kept under his tunic on a chain around his neck. He carefully pulled out a kettle, and set it aside gently before he checked on the ladle and pail that rested next to it. Once he seemed satisfied, he put it all back once more and locked the chest again.
Ranma now knew what she needed, the rest would depend on if Herb was willing to make a trade. Ranma seriously doubted that the leader of the Musk would put his men in danger when it could be avoided. Regardless of what else she had surmised, the fact that Herb had made sure that he led the chase spoke either of unparalleled arrogance, or the fact that he did not see his men as completely disposable. Even those that had turned on him, he had taken his time in dealing with them without torturing them. It made Ranma think that he had hoped that they could still be redeemed, that he could find a reason not to kill them. At least, that is what Ranma hoped was the case. Otherwise, there was almost no chance that this would work.
Ranma carefully stashed the last few of the explosive charges, and checked the detonators one more time before she watched through the hidden cameras once again. She could tell that Herb was agitated, and had started to order his men to prepare to break camp. It seemed that Ranma had run out of time. She either acted now, or all of this was just wasted effort.
It was time to see if she could deal with Prince Herb of the Musk, or if she would be forced to bring this abandoned temple fortress down around both their ears. There was no guarantee that she could get out safely, but she had to act as if she was in control. She couldn't afford to try an empty bluff, not with someone like Herb. She had to be committed, all or nothing.
She knew that Nabiki would understand if she was locked in her female form, but she wanted to take the risk. There were those that could benefit from what the ladle could do, and with the kettle… It was not a permanent choice.
There was also the fact that Herb had proven that he could not be trusted with the two artifacts. He had proven that he would and could use them, without any thoughts or hesitation.
Plus, it just rubbed Ranma wrong to be treated like this, to be dismissed so blithely. Ranma smiled ruefully as she checked her pistols and knives as she started to jog in the direction of the central chamber. Perhaps she had not grown up quite as much as she had thought she had. Or maybe, it was just that Herb brought this out in her.
Either way,she would not keep the prince waiting.
As Ranma approached the central chamber, she slowed down and slid one of the two detonators into her hand. When she came up on the pair of guards that were stationed outside of the door, she stopped when they jumped and pointed their swords at her. "I'm here to talk to Prince Herb. We need to discuss a trade. I won't cause any problems if you let me see him. If you don't, well… I will be seeing Prince Herb." Ranma said with a cool, calm expression on her face.
The two guards exchanged a nervous look, then glanced at the entrance before they nodded and escorted Ranma in. She already knew that they had been given orders not to engage her if possible, and to make sure that it was Herb who dealt with her.
So far, so good.
Now she just had to negotiate with the Lord of the Musk and make it out with what she needed.
As Ranma entered the chamber, everyone that was present stilled for a moment, as all of the men looked to Prince Musk where he sat on his throne, and Ranma could see the Lord of the Musk as he tensed, his fingers cracking the material of the throne where he sat. Ranma forced herself to try and relax, even as she gripped the detonator in her hand a little tighter. She would have to demonstrate that she had the means to carry out the threat she came to deliver, and hopefully Herb would not force her hand.
"What are you doing here? Did you come to cause me more trouble?" Herb growled out as his body tensed.
"I came to make an exchange, Prince Herb of the Musk." Ranma spoke clearly as she looked at the seated Prince.
"An exchange? What is it you want, then. As if I could not guess." Prince Herb said in a cold, deadly tone of voice.
"I want the kettle that sits in that chest, there." Ranma said as she motioned to the chest where the Kettle and the Ladle were stored.
Herb tensed for a moment, then looked at Ranma. "And if I said that I did not know what you were talking about, then what?"
"Then you would force my hand, Prince Herb." Ranma said flatly.
"Where are the men you have taken? What have you done with them." Prince Herb growled out as he tensed on the throne.
Ranma paused, as a confused look flickered across her face. "Are you saying that you haven't found the guard, then?"
Herb stood up and the glare that he leveled at Ranma would have Frozen a lesser being in their tracks. "What have you done with my men? What do I have to do to get them returned to me safely?" Prince Herb stepped down from the throne and started to walk towards Ranma. "If you have harmed any of them, I will destroy you and your family."
Ranma paused, then looked Herb in the eye. "I swear on my Art and my family, I have avoided hurting your men. I have avoided them whenever I could, and have only bound the ones I have not been able to avoid."
Herb looked into Ranma's eyes for a long moment, then nodded. "What is it you want, Ranma. Do you wish to be unlocked from your curse so badly that you would do all of this and have me kill you. I showed you mercy."
Ranma tensed for a moment, then forced herself to relax. "You did, in your own way. Yes, I want the means to unlock my curse, but I also want her." Ranma said as she pointed a finger at the cage where Rai Zur huddled.
"And why should I hand either over to you? You earned the lock on your curse for attacking me, and that little bird will suffer for what she has done." Herb said as he continued to watch Ranma.
Ranma bowed her head. "I did ask rashly when Iattacked you. I should have talked to you first, but when I saw the head of the mother of my daughter… I reacted in a way that I thought was appropriate at the time."
:So, you are the sire of the Joketsuzuku heir, then. I am sorry for the losses you have suffered, then." Herb said.
"My daughter has survived, and found safety in my homeland, far from the reach of these here." Ranma said honestly.
Herb nodded, and looked at Ranma. "Why did you feel that you should share that with me?"
"Because I am being as honest as I can. And I want to let her know that she and those that she worked for have failed." Ranma said.
Prince Herb paused as he studied Ranma once more. "Are you saying that there are others involved? Do you have proof of this?"
Ranma shook her head as she studied the lord of the Musk intently. "I don't, but it seems like the most likely answer. Rai Zur is ruthless, yes, but I don't think she has the resources or cunning to pull this off."
Prince Herb nodded once more and regarded Ranma in an appraising manner. "But you still have no proof, no reason I should not assume that you are doing anything but trying to distract me."
"There is one person who can answer our questions, and that is Rai Zur herself." Ranma said as she locked eyes with Prince Herb.
Herb paused for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, we will return her to her human form and ask our questions. After that, I will determine what is to become of both of you."
Ranma nodded without hesitation, and started to walk towards where the cage with Rai Zur was.
A loud, ripping series of explosions shook the mountain as one charge after another went off.