Subject: [FFML] [REFUGE] [Multi-Fusion]Martial Artists & Mayhem: Third Edition: Acceptance [16] by Thryth
From: "David A. Tatum" <desaix@sysnet.net>
Date: 7/30/2001, 11:18 PM
To: "FFML" <ffml@anifics.com>

To reply, post publically or e-mail the author at <thrythlind@yahoo.com>
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The FFML Refugee List

       "Oh my goddess," Kasumi breathed.  She moved to
the cot and sat down next to Ranma.
       "Kasumi, that's a..." Akane said quietly.
       "This is Ranma," Kasumi said firmly.  She held
out her hands to start to cast a spell, and then held
off.  "Akane.  Akane."  On the second calling of her
name Akane looked from Ranma to her sister.
       "What is?" Akane asked.
       "Remember when we tried to heal her before,"
Kasumi noted.  "She resisted the magic while she was
unconscious."
       "But it got through," Akane protested.
       "This isn't a hit on the head," Kasumi said.
"Her life force has been directly tapped.  I can't
heal that past her defenses."
       "You want me to take them down?" Akane said
after a moment.  "Kasumi, that'll...that'll hurt
hi...he..Ranma."
       "It is necessary," Kasumi said.
       "Well can't you do it?" Akane asked, nervously.
       "I don't have time to argue with you," Kasumi
said.  "This is a job for a knife."  Akane sighed
reluctantly and nodded.  Kasumi stood up and gestured
imperatively to the seat next to the cot and Akane sat
down.
       Akane flinched as she set one hand on Ranma's
shoulder and raised the other above her head.  She was
surprised when the power came easily.  Ryoko mostly
considered the tanar'ri worthless scum and traitors
fit only to be eliminated.  She had expected to have a
hard time getting the power neccessary to help Ranma.
       Akane dropped her hand into Ranma's abdomen,
contacting lightly.  A red flash appeared as she
touched.  Ranma's eyes snapped open wide and she tried
too sit upright, but Akane held her down.  Akane
expected more, but the half-demon merely fell right
unconscious again.  The red light traveled from where
Akane touched over Ranma's body, the demon spasming as
it did.  Then it had traveled every inch of Ranma's
form and the glow vanished.
       Akane stared for a moment at the half-demon in
shock.  She had seen that spell used before.  The
creatures hit screamed if they had voices to scream
with.  Ranma had woken up for less than a second and
hadn't made a sound.
       "I need you to move now," Kasumi insisted
gently and Akane stood up quickly.  She watched Kasumi
praying to Belldandy for a few moments and then
quickly exited the room and stumbled toward Master
Tofu's well.  She drew up some water and started to
wash her hands.
       "He's a demon!" Akane shouted.  "He's a damn
demon!"  The shock was giving away to anger when she
heard Ryoko shouting in her head.  She had been
shocked at meeting Ryoko face to face.  This nearly
drove her insane for a few brief seconds of Ryoko's
message.

~BLOODFORBLOOD!ITMUSTDIE!RANMAWON'TYOUMUST!!FINDIT!!FINDIT!!KILLIT!KILLIT!BL
OODFORBLOOD!!KILLIT!KILLIT!KILLIT!!PAINFORPAIN!!BLOODFORBLOOD!!ITHURTRANMA!L
ITTLERANMA!KILLIT!~
       It seemed to end all at once and Akane found
herself curled on the ground, reality filtering back
into her mind.  She caught her breath and noticed the
two little mummy girls shaking her.
       "Lady Akane stop yelling," Lin Lin said.  "Is
fine now?"
       "I don't know," Akane said gasping and still
clutching at her head.
       "Mad about friend?" Ran Ran asked, as Akane
stood up.
       "Yeah," Akane said.  "Sort of mad about him."
She tried to shake her head clear as she walked back
into the clinic.  Despite the pain she felt strangely
clear-headed about some things.  At least one thing in
particular.
       "Him?" Lin Lin asked, confused.
       "Maybe mistake in translation?" Ran Ran
suggested.

*******


"RANAMISHURT!GOTOTHECLINIC!HURRY!SHE'SHURT!SHE'SHURT!YOUMUSTHELPHER!YOUHAVET
OGO!HURRY!HURRY!THEY'LLTRYAGAIN!PROTECTHER!PROTECTRANMA!THEY'LLTRYAGAIN!"
       Kodachi panted heavily, huddled in a mass on
the ground.  After that particularly urgent message
from her goddess she found it momentarily difficult to
stand.  People were staring at her, however,and she
had to afford the dignity of her status and position.
More importantly she had to get to that clinic.
       In the last few weeks Kodachi had been seeking
the assassin and comparing notes with the Tendos.  In
that time she had noticed Ranma, both Ranmas, acting
strangely.
       She could have cared less about the female
Ranma, until just now when Ayeka had touched her mind
directly, but she recognized that Ranma was seeing
somebody.  She just hadn't been able to figure out
who.  She hadn't seen the male Ranma going anywhere.
Of course now she realized her mistake.

*******

       Somewhere deep in the wilderness, Ryouga
relaxed after several hours of agitation.  Something
had threatened his quest here in the prime plane.
Logically that meant that Akane had been in danger.
Ryouga clenched his fist and growled for perhaps the
thousandth time.
       "Damn you, Saotome!!" Ryouga shouted.
Obviously Ranma had tried something while Ryouga was
conveniently away.
       "Did you say Saotome?" a voice behind him
asked.  Ryouga turned around to see a brown-haired
woman dressed in practical travelling clothes, a sword
at her side.  Her eyes popped wide as Ryouga turned
around.  "Ryuu...."
       "Its Ryouga," the celestial corrected.  "How do
you know me?"  The woman shook her head clear.
       "No, you just look like a cousin of mine," the
woman said.  She took a close look at him.  "You're
human."
       "Errr...sort of," Ryouga said, scratching the
back of his head in confusion.  "Why?"
       "Mind if I ask a personal question?" the woman
asked hesitantly.
       "Uh...I don't know," Ryouga said.  "Go ahead."
       "Did you have any relatives at Kumon," she
asked.  "Before it was destroyed.  A father maybe?"
       "No one at Kumon, no," Ryouga said.  "I have an
ancestor that helped inspire it."
       Ryouga remembered when the half-elf community
had been destroyed.  It had been one of his mom's pet
projects.  She always hated it when any focus of
inspiration died, but she had been livid at Kumon's
destruction.  So much potential gone in a flash of
uncontrolled magic.
       "Shouldn't have thought so," the woman said.
"The person I'm thinking of doesn't like humans much,
the thought of him having married one is hard to
imagine.  But you look so much like him."
       "Excuse me," Ryouga said.  "Who are you?"
       "Ukyou of Kamiya temple," she said simply.
"And what were you saying about Saotome?"
       "I know of a fiend by that name," Ryouga
explained.  "And for a little bit there I just felt
like he was trying to hurt Lady Akane while I'm stuck
out here!!  I have to get back to Nerima."
       "You know of a fiend by the name of Saotome
that lives in Nerima?" Ukyou asked.
       "Yesss...." Ryouga said nervously.
       "My Lord and Lady." She looked up for a moment.
 "Have business for me in Nerima, but after that's
done there's a jackass by the name of Saotome that I
need to talk to.  Maybe we should travel together?"
       "Uh...sure," Ryouga said nervously.
       "You know the way, right Sugar?" Ukyou asked.
"I think I've gotten a little turned around."

*******

       "Mom," Ranma whispered quietly.  "They were
throwing rocks at me.  Why did they do that?"
       "It's okay Ranma," Kasumi said.  "You're fine
now."  The redhead woke up a little more at the sound
of her voice and looked toward the priestess.
       "Kasumi?" Ranma asked.  Then closed her eyes
and angrily continued.  "He wasn't a nice guy after
all."  Kasumi held back some tears as Ranma fell back
asleep.
       "I told you to be careful," Kasumi said, wiping
Ranma's forehead dry.
       "When I find out who did this," Akane said
behind her.  "What the hell happened to her?"  Kasumi
sat back and sighed
       "Ranma knows," Kasumi said.  "I'll tell you
what I know when we get Ranma home."
       "Is it safe to move her?" Akane asked, suddenly
nervous.  She looked to Ranma and saw that the redhead
was breathing normally now, and her skin had regained
some color.
       "Yes," Kasumi answered.  "She should be fine
with plenty of rest."  She stood up and started for
the door.  "I'll speak to the twins and tell them
we're leaving."  Akane let her past and then moved to
sit next to Ranma.
       "My Ranma," she said quietly and brushed at
Ranma's hair.  "I'm going to have words with you about
this later.  This is a terrible way to learn your
fiancee's a demon."
       "My darling Ranma," a voice said behind her.
She turned to see Kodachi standing there and frowned.
       "What are you doing here?" Akane demanded
quietly.
       "I heard that my darling Ranma was injured,"
Kodachi said.  "I came to offer my aid."
       "And what about your darling Ryouga?" Akane
asked spitefully.  She briefly wondered what point
that question had, but didn't mention that outloud.
Kodachi uplifted her head and crossed her arms.
       "That question is beneath even one of Ryoko's
following," Kodachi insisted.  "Sir Ryouga does not
need me.  My darling Ranma does."
       "He's not your darling Ranma," Akane growled.
       "He is certainly not your Ranma," Kodachi
retorted.  Kasumi returned and looked at them
disapprovingly.
       "Ladies," the elder priestess said.  "Settle
your fight later, you'll wake her up."  Both women
gave her chagrinned looks.  "Really."  Kasumi shook
her head, exasperated.

*******

       "Was it the individual he's been courting?"
Kodachi asked as Kasumi came downstairs.  Akane's
angry glare at her turned to one of surprise, and
Kasumi stopped on the stairs as well.
       "She was not courting anyone," Kasumi said.
"They were courting her."
       "What?" Akane said, confused.  "What are you
talking about?"
       "I am not surprised that you were not aware,"
Kodachi said disparaginly.  "All your kind think of is
the immediate fact."
       "That's better than the way you and yours act
like everything is a foregone conclusion," Akane said
standing up and getting in Kodachi's face.
       "Akane, Lady Kodachi," Kasumi interrupted as
she came into the room to join them completely.
"Please."
       "Sorry, Kasumi," Akane said, calming down.
       "Indeed," Kodachi agreed.  "My apologies as
well."
       "Now sit down," Kasumi said.  "I'll tell you
what I know, and what I suspect."  After she was
finished Kodachi and Akane were both livid.
       "If this guy is the one he's going to die,"
Akane promised grimmly.  Kodachi nodded in agreement.
Kasumi was only partially shocked by the vehemence of
Akane's statement.
       "The Jurai Trees shall die before I let him
endanger Ranma again," the noblewoman promised.
Kasumi looked over both women closely.  For the first
time that day she noted they both seemed signifigantly
more powerful.
       ~Their goddesses have touched them,~ Kasumi
thought with a sharp intake of breath.  "I should fix
us something to eat."  She stood up and walked to the
kitchen to recover from the shock the realization had
just given her.

*******

       "He's doesn't belong to either of us," Akane
said finally after a long silence.
       "Agreed," Kodachi said reluctantly.  "But I
shall always call him my darling."
       "Just as long as you don't expect him to just
fall at your feet," Akane growled.
       Akane had no problems admitting it now, she
wanted Ranma.  She'd be damned if someone else kept
her away.  Whether that someone was an assassin, a
mystery suitor, Ryouga, or some stuck up Juraian
priestess.  After seeing Ranma near death, after Ryoko
screamed into her head to kill the creep that had done
it.  After that it was hard to deny.
       "You expect him to choose a woman that has done
nothing but abuse him?" Kodachi asked angrily.  Akane
winced and slumped back into a chair.
       "Yeah," Akane said.  "I've had troubles with my
temper."
       Kodachi watched Akane's expression with some
interest.  The berserker was not overly confident of
who Ranma would choose given a choice.  Then again,
neither was Kodachi.  She still had more than a fond
thought for the celestial Ryouga, but what she had
told Akane earlier still held.  Ryouga didn't need
her, and Ranma, strong as he was, needed someone to
watch his back.
       "There is a solution that precludes us fighting
over him," Kodachi suggested.  "At least not too
much."  Akane glanced at her curiously.
       "What do you mean?" Akane asked, then she sat
bolt upright.  "That?!"
       "Assuming he agreed," Kodachi said.  "Yes."
They stared at each other for a few moments.
       ~This might be my only chance.~ Both thought.
Kasumi came back into the room and noted the tension
nervously.
       "We can ask him," Akane said.
       "What do you plan to ask Ranma?" Kasumi asked
cautiously.  Both girls flushed and looked at Kasumi
nervously.

*******

       "Get him!"
       "It's a demon!"
       Ranma felt the remembered sting of thrown
rocks.  Rocks that still hurt before her more magical
abilities had begun to emerge.  Back when she could
barely shape change aside from switching genders, and
any excitement could send her back to her natural
form.
       "Can I get strong like Auntie?" He had asked
his mother once.
       "Probably not, Ranma-dear, we're not bred for
fighting," she had said.
       "You're a weak fighter Ranma," his father
yelled in practice.  "Stop acting like a girl."
       "Mother says..."
       "Don't listen to your mother," his father
insisted.  "If you want to be strong, you listen to
me."
       "I'm going to have to go away for a while,
Ranma."  Mother had said that only a few years later,
when the demons started to track her down.
       "Poor child, those nasty cats really took you
apart," it was a beautiful voice, but it was not a
kind one.  "Who will ever love you like that?"  The
voice laughed at her.
       "Oh, hey kid, sorry I was late.  I got lost."
Ranma had a flash of waiting three days for Ryouga to
show up for their fight.
       "Me, marry that pervert!!! Never?!"
       "Everyone will think I'm a pervert too!"
       "DIABOLIST!"
       "Go back and die!"
       "You're getting soft boy!"
       "They don't know a real freak when they see
one."
       "Kuno...I won't stand in your way."
       "Ranma! Prepare to die!"
       "You're still good at running away."
       "RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!"
       "RANMA, YOU IDIOT!"
       "Freak!"
       "Demon!"
       "Little Ruby...perhaps just a farewell kiss?"

*******

       Ranma woke up as that last memory flickered
through her dreams.  She sat up and swung her legs
down to the floor.  She didn't have much chance to do
anything else.  Two forms virtually tackled her back
to the bed.
       "Ranma! You're awake!"
       "Oh, Ranma darling!  We were so worried!"
       "Can't breathe...wings hurt..." Ranma gasped.
Both people released their grip sounding embarrassed
and Ranma released a long breath as dots danced in
front of her eyes.
       "Oh sorry!" The voice sounded like Akane, but
she wasn't certain.
       "You have been asleep for the last day and more
darling," the second voice informed her.  "We worried
that Lady Kasumi might not have healed everything."
       "A day?" Ranma repeated wearily, she stood up
and identified Akane and Kodachi flanking her.  "A
full day for that asshole to..."  She looked back at
Kodachi and Akane.  "I'm a female demon right now,
right?"
       "Men don't usually have these," Kodachi said,
caressing Ranma's breast lightly.  Ranma blushed and
shivered at the touch.
       "Kodachi," Akane said grumpily, crossing her
arms in indignation.  Ranma looked between them and
gave an embarrassed half-smile.  When it came to
flirting, Kodachi and Akane seemed to have chosen the
wrong goddesses at times.
       "This doesn't bother you?" Ranma asked
nervously.  She expected the holy symbols to come out
any time now.
       "Well," Akane said.  "At first, yes...and maybe
still a little.  But..."
       "You're giving me a head start," Ranma said
sadly.
       "Do not be stupid, Ranma-darling," Kodachi said
firmly.
       "What," Ranma crinkled her eyes.  "You don't
want to kill me?"  Akane flushed and shuffled
embarrassingly.
       "Of course not," Kodachi said.  She reached
into the folds of her robe and retrieved a small
circle of golden Jurai wood.  Ranma watched, not
really surprised at this from Kodachi, as the noble
took her hand.  Then she felt Akane taking her other
hand and turned to see a red-gold ring in Akane's
hand.
       "Seeing like that, Ranma, almost dead..." Akane
stopped a moment.  "I don't want to lose you to anyone
or anything."
       "And neither do I," Kodachi asserted quietly.
"You do not know me as well as Akane, but I have no
intention of giving up either."
       "Umm...what's going on?" Ranma asked.
       A nervous Akane reached out to hesitantly kiss
the redhead.  Ranma felt a spark as their lips touched
and a trickle of life coming freely from Akane.  Akane
broke off the kiss and grimaced as Kodachi turned
Ranma to face her gave her own kiss, and again felt
that spark.
       Ranma remembered something her mother had said
once a long time ago, before the curse of her kind
struck her and she had to start hunting.  She hadn't
understood it all then, and she only half understood
it when her hungry started.  Now she understood it
all.
       "I never knew that what we were born to take
can be given freely," she had said quietly, apparently
unaware that Ranma was behind her.  Ranma's mind
snapped back to the present as Kodachi started to
speak.
       "We wanted to ask," Kodachi said.  "Would marry
us?"
       "Both of you?" Ranma asked, incredulous.
       "Well, if you don't want to," Akane said
quietly.  Ranma considered the kisses he had just
received, real kisses with real love behind them.  She
looked between the two women.  Someone wanted her,
really and truly wanted her.
       "YES! YES!"  She shouted cheerfully.  She
circled her arms around both of them and hugged
tightly.  Her wings wrapped around the three of them
as well.
       "Darling!" Kodachi said.
       "Breath!" Akane gasped.  Ranma let them go,
embarrassed.
       "Err...sorry," she said, laughing nervously.
The two other women took deep breathes after coming
out of the crushing hug and struggled to keep from
fainting.  "Umm...when would we do this?"

*******

       The official wedding took place quietly that
night in the small Masaki temple.  It was plenty for
Ranma, but Kodachi and Akane both were talking about a
full ceremony when assassins were found and killed.
The situation had other witnesses besides just Kasumi,
Soun and Genma.  The two old monks having mixed
feelings about the Masaki-style marriage.
       "Are certain this is a good idea?" Ayeka asked
doubtfully.
       "Well its a little late to turn back now,"
Ryoko answered.
       "This is not quite what I had in mind when I
spoke to Kodachi," Ayeka said.
       "Not my idea for Akane either," Ryoko noted.
"So it isn't like we took away their free wills or
anything.  All we did was yell into their heads to
protect Ranma."
       "Yes, Ryoko," Ayeka agreed.  "We touched their
souls when we learned about Ranma.  Such leaves a mark
on mortals.  This could be a sign that they moved
closer to our personalities."
       "Nah, my Akane is still uptight and your
Kodachi is still crazy," Ryoko pointed out.  "Besides,
Ranma said yes, and neither of us had anything to do
with that."
       "Umm," a new voice added.  "That would be my
fault."  Ryoko and Ayeka turned around to see a white
haired woman wearing a very revealing outfit.
       "Ehh?" Ayeka said, losing her manners for a
moment.
       "What did you do, Urd?" Ryoko asked.
       "Well, Sylphiel was saying that this Ranma
person was going to mean a lot of work for her," Urd
said.  "So when I heard those two were going to ask, I
thought that maybe if he were already married the
problems would be less."
       "What did you do to our neice?" Ayeka repeated
for Ryoko.
       "I just sort of gave him some nightmares about
being rejected," Urd said.  "Made him a little more
susceptible to accepting an offer."  Ryoko and Ayeka
stared.  "Hey, this one worked!  Why are you looking
at me like that for."
       "At least they'll watch out for Ranma," Ayeka
said, frustrated.  She turned to look back towards the
prime material world and immediately shut off the
scrying pool, flushing a little in embarrassment.
       "Something wrong?" Ryoko asked.
       "Little Ranma really is all grown up," Ayeka
said simply.  Ryoko shook her head, expecting that
Ranma was probably taking a lot of coaxing to do
anything.
       "It's getting to the good stuff then," Urd said
mischievously, and walked towards the pool.  Both
Ryoko and Ayeka moved to grab her by either arm and
start to escort her out of their realm.  "Don't tell
me you're not interested, Ryoko?"
       "Ranma's family, Urd," Ryoko said firmly.
       "At any rate shouldn't you be speaking to your
superior about your most likely unauthorized actions
today?" Ayeka asked.
       "IT WORKED!!!!" Urd protested.

=====
"Caffeinated Kender?  What's that, a berserk spell?" -
Tribble, Kender Warrior of the Celestial Kingdom
"God has to have a sense of humor, it's the only explanation for sex." - my
father
"I have to write a how-to paper for class, so I'm writing a paper on how to
be psuedo-evil." - my brother

http://members.aol.com/thrythlind/snake.html

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