The Legacy
Part VII
The Power of Hate
All characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, and are used
without her permission
Akane sat next to Ranma's hospital bed, holding his hand. He had
been unconscious since she had brought him in last night. Carrying him in
her arms, she had thought he was going to die. There had been so much
blood . His breathing had been shallow and sporadic, making him moan in
pain with each breath. To complicate matters even further, Ranko had been
crying and unable to walk, still dazed from the blow to her head.
Akane knew she would not have made it, if she had not stumbled
upon the couple sitting on a bench. It had been too much for her. The
perfect night shattered by Ryoga's entrance. She had watched horrified by
what Ryoga wa s doing. His strike at Ranko, Ranma throwing himself in
the way, knocking his child into a tree and unconscious to save her life.
She had heard the snap of Ranma's bones, as Ryoga's blow struck
him. She had watched horrified, as Ryoga raised his fist to kill Ranma, but
then Ranma had swept Ryoga's feet, and rolled to the side and leaped to
his feet, striking at Ryoga, only to miss.
As the fight she had become more and more hysterical, wanting to
stop it, but unable to. What had happened to Ryoga? He had always been
so kind to her. Could this be her fault? Did her rejection drive him to this?
He had ranted about losing her to Ranma. He had raved about Ranma
destroying his life. His words had simply deteriorated into insanity, as he
talked about someone telling him to kill Ranko.
Then he had said everything about how he had found out about
Ranma's death, how he had used it to get to her. Her world had shattered
around her. She could not take it. Sobbing hysterically she had turned away
from the fight, struggling to the still form of Ranko, trying to find
something that made sense, trying to help, the poor child.
She had sobbed and sobbed, rocking Ranko gently in her arms.
Then Ranma had appeared next to her. His face a twisted mask of pain. He
had cried out softly every time he breathed, but he had still pulled himself
next to Ranko and made sure she was alive. He had touched her face, and
brought her back to consciousness. It was the streak of blood he had left
on Ranko's face that had snapped her back into reality. She had cried out in
grief, as Ranma had slumped to the ground in front of her.
The only thought that had entered her mind was that she was going
to lose Ranma, again. The thought had terrified her, it still did as she held
his hand. Fear gripping her heart, she had stumbled to her feet and lifted
Ranko and Ranma in her arms, nearly stumbling under their combined
weight.
Stumbling she had walked down the street, crying out for help as
she went. Ranma's blood had slowly soaked into her clothes. He had lost o
much by the time she collapsed from sheer exhaustion and emotional
overload, that it was amazing he had survived. Akane had just been unable
to go on. She had lain next to Ranma, weakly calling for help in between
sobs. Then the couple had been at her side, offering help, calling an
ambulance, getting the wound stanched. Akane had simply fainted at that
point.
When she had awoke, she had been in a bed next to Ranma's. He
was covered in bandages, his chest protected and held immobile by a cast.
She had stumbled out of bed, and over to him, grabbing onto his, and she
had sat like that ever since.
"Please, don't leave me again," she whispered fiercely, "I can't take
this again. I cannot take it." The tears were running down her cheeks again,
but she did not even notice.
Behind her the door to the room opened, "Akane-chan?" Ukyou
called gently, walking towards the bed. Once there she placed her hand on
Akane's shuddering shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"Oh ,Ucchan" she sobbed turning and burying her face in her
friend's body, "Why does this always happen to us?"
"Shh," Ukyou said smoothing out Akane's hair, "Ran-chan will be
fine. The doctor said he just needed some rest right now, and a few days in
bed to get him back on his feet."
"I know," Akane sobbed, "It's just that..that I'm afraid. Afraid I am
going to lose him again. Afraid of what Ryoga will do."
"Ryoga is not here, and I am sure he did not mean to hurt Ranma."
"Yes he did, I saw him. He only wanted to kill Ranma. He was
possessed, shouting and raving. It wasn't like him, he was different. It
terrified me," Akane finished barely above a whisper.
"It's just that I cannot stop thinking that this is my fault," Akane
explained, "He kept shouting that he would have my love, that Ranma
would not stand in his way. H-he said that he told us Ranma was dead so
he could have me love him>" She felt Ukyou stiffen as she sobbed that last
part out.
"I'm sure that Ryoga told us only what he really believed," Ukyou
said comfortingly.
Akane just could not be sure. Everything was changing. This was
all so wrong. Why couldn't Ranma just have stayed at home? It would
have been simpler for her, but now she was floating adrift, a small boat in a
giant storm, unable to control her life. When she had given up on her life,
she had created for herself a nigh impossible task. She was now being
forced to pick up the pieces of her life and move on, but wherever she
looked there was someone trying to rip it from her grasp. It was
frustrating and terrifying, and the more that it happened the harder it
became to pick up the pieces and start again
Ranma had already become a great help in the struggle.
Even though he created problems himself, he was there trying to help her,
trying to give her her life back. She knew he was holding himself
responsible for everything that had happened to her. It was impossible for
Ranma not to try and solve all of her problems, and she had come to
depend on that in these few short days.
But now he had been taken from her. He needed her help, and she
couldn't even help herself. What was she going to do?
"Ranko?" Ranma muttered groggily. Akane turned back towards
the bed worry being quickly replaced by relief, as she saw Ranma's eyes
flutter open and then look around.
"Ranko!" he suddenly shouted looking around in desperation,
"Where is she? She isn't.." he could not even finish the thought, much less
the sentence.
Akane grabbed his hand, shaking her head, "No, Ranma. She's fine.
Your parents took her back to the dojo a few hours ago. The doctor said
she would be fine, just to keep her from taking any risks for a while." The
fear and worry slid off Ranma's features like water leaving behind his own
mask of pain as he tried to move.
"Lie still," Akane scolded as Ranma tried to move, "You have six
broken ribs, don't make things worse for yourself."
"How are you feeling, Ran-chan?" Ukyou asked as she took a seat
across from Akane.
"Like a truck hit me," Ranma muttered, "When can I get out of this
bed?"
"The doctor said you could come home tonight, if you were feeling
strong enough. You did lose a lot of blood."
"I'll be fine," Ranma said, blowing it off wit a wave of his hand, "I
felt weaker than this after giving birth to Ranko. I'll be back on my feet in
no time."
He looked at Akane and winced, "You've been crying." She nodded
her head. "I'm sorry, Akane-chan. I did not want to fight him, but attacking
Ranko like that, ad then saying all those things. I just lost my head," he said
gently touching her cheek.
Akane shook her head, "I think it was Ryoga who lost it. I just
never thought he could do something like that."
"He didn't," Ranma said quietly, several things beginning to make
sense. He remembered Ranko yelling at Ryoga telling him not to hurt her
father. Then those things Ryoga said about the voice telling him to. Ranma
had a dark suspicion that things had barely even started..
"He was there Ranma," Akane scolded, "And unless he has an evil
twin, that was Ryoga."
"It as Ryoga all right," Ranma said, "I just don't think it was all of
Ryoga's doing."
"Huh?" Ukyou and Akane both said at once.
"Give me some time," Ranma asked, "I need to think all of this
through, but I am sure I know what is wrong with Ryoga." <How do you
tell someone that your hearing voices, and you think Ryoga is trying to kill
you and Ranko because he has the opposite voice in his head?> It was a
problem.
"Sure, Ran-chan," Ukyou said, Akane nodding in agreement. Both
were curious, but knew better than to push an issue with Ranma.
"Now, do you think you could go find a doctor? I would like to get
out of here and get something to eat."
"Hai," Ukyou said, disappearing out the door, leaving Ranma and
Akane alone.
"Do you think Ryoga will be back?" Akane asked.
"I would bet on it," Ranma said, "This goes a deeper than a
personal grudge against me."
"But what is wrong with Ryo..?" Akane asked trying to get
everything in order, but was cut off by Ranma's finger touching her lips.
"Let me worry about that right now, Akane. You need some sleep.
I am not up to carrying you home." A smile briefly touched his eyes, "I
promise nothing bad will happen. I won't leave you."
"Oh Ranma," Akane said, hugging him lightly. Ranma draped his
arm over her shoulders as she started crying, comforting her. After a
moment she fell asleep, her head cradled on his shoulder. Smiling Ranma
slipped back into sleep, exhausted by the previous days ordeal.
Ryoga sat in the park, his shattered jaw throbbing in pain. How had
Ranma survived? Ryoga remembered the broken ribs and the blood soaking
Ranma's clothes. Any normal man would have been dead after his first
blow.
<He is not a normal man.>
"I know that!" Ryoga growled not even realizing he was talking out
loud, "I know that better than anyone."
<You can defeat him though.>
"Sure I can," Ryoga drawled sarcastically, "He was fighting injured
the whole time, was completely off balance and distracted, and he still
managed to beat me. Ranma has no weakness. Even throwing a cat at him
will just make him uncontrollable."
<Oh he doesn't have a weakness? You are blind as well as stupid.>
The rage flared in Ryoga. "Shut up," he shouted, releasing a chi
blast that demolished a grove of aspen. Stunned Ryoga looked at the
destruction he had wrought. He had never loss control that quickly before,
what was going on here?
<Your becoming more powerful. You can defeat Ranma, you just
need his weakness.>
"What weakness?" Ryoga asked again.
<The only one he could have, his daughter.>
"I will not kill her!" Ryoga raged.
<You have already tried.>
"No, I didn't want to. You made me. I was just going to scare her,
get her out of the way. I was going to miss her, dammit!" Ryoga fumed.
He had become horrified by what he had done. Attacking an innocent child
like that. He tried to blame it on the voice, but deep inside he knew that it
had been him also. He remember the feeling of glee that had come over him
as he had realized that his next blow would destroy Ranma's life forever.
Akane would never forgive him if he did something like that, but it
would have destroyed Ranma completely. Yes, the daughter was the
greatest if only weakness in his opponent.
<I won't kill her.>
<I am not asking you to. Let's say more along the lines of put her
in severe danger. Take her from Ranma. Make him come to you to get her.
Then when he does, exchange her life for his.>
<That's not honourable.> Ryoga argued, <I want to beat him in a
fair fight. I don't want him kneeling before me until I have defeated him
utterly.>
<Then just give him a small distraction that involves his daughter. It
would be simple. She would not be hurt, because Ranma would be trying
to save her, and you could defeat Ranma while he was preoccupied with
that. It is not your fault if Ranma cannot keep his attention on a fight,
especially if you challenge him.>
<What is in this for you?> Ryoga demanded silently.
<An old grudge will be solved by this. I get my revenge, and you
get yours, plus your true love. Something for each of us. Now do you think
you could find your way to the Tendo Dojo?>
<I haven't agreed to this yet.>
<Yes you have.> And Ryoga realized that he had without even
debating it. Shaking his head, he stood up.
<Okay, we will try it your way. But I am not hurting the girl, now
or ever.> The voice started laughing as Ryoga slowly walked out of the
park, hoping he could find the Tendo Dojo soon. His jaw burned like fire,
but paled next to the gleeful rage filling him as he walked. This time
everything would work out perfectly.
It had taken the rest of the day to convince the doctors that Ranma
was fit to leave the hospital. After countless arguments with Ukyou and a
obstinate Akane had failed to do anything, after Ranma's pleas to be
allowed out to see his daughter had produced even less of a response,
Ranma had been forced to jump out of bed and get himself dressed, while
fending off the nurses and the doctors. The doctors had relented at this,
warning Ranma to do nothing physical for a while.
Finally they were sitting in a comfortable cab, on their way back
home. At first Ranma had insisted that they walk, but Ukyou had pointed
out that he was in no condition to walk, and Akane had convinced him a
cab would be faster. Ranma had given in without much of a fight, not really
feeling up to a walk in the first place.
Now he was trying to relax in between Ukyou and Akane. Akane
was snuggled into the crook of his arm, her fingers intertwined with his on
his lap. Ukyou was leaning slightly against Ranma, her eyes closed, her face
relaxed.
Ranma was impatient. If he could of, he would have been pacing up
and down within the cab. He needed to see Ranko, he had to be sure. Even
though Akane and the doctors had assured him that she would be fine,
Ranma would not, could not be satisfied until he held her in his arms and
knew for sure that she was going to be fine. It had been his fault she had
been hurt. He could not forgive himself.
"Ranma, what's wrong? Your whole body is tense and shaking,"
Akane asked, looking up at him.
"I'm worried about Ranko," Ranma answered his voice heavy with
regret.
"We already told you she is fine," Akane assured him, burrowing
closer.
Ranma shook his head, "You don't understand."
"Yes I do, " Akane said, "Your a father very worried about you
daughter. That is all."
"Other parents aren't the reason their child was hurt," Ranma said,
his voice filled with despair and grief, "How could I ever forgive myself if
she was seriously hurt. I am supposed to protect her, and what do I do!? I
nearly killed her!" Ranma sobbed.
"Ranma, you did what you had to do," Akane insisted, forcing him
to look at her, "If you had not done that, Ranko would dead right now."
"She's right, Ran-chan. You did the right thing. It was an accident,"
Ukyou said, patting Ranma's knee.
"Accidents like that don't happen. I am a martial artist. I know
what each of movements will do. I should have known where she would
have flown, but I didn't think. I saw Ryoga's fist raised, and my mind
froze. I could only think that I was going to lose my Ranko. I just acted. I
dove knocking her away. I could've sent her into the grass, I could've hit
her with less force. I overreacted, and because of that she could've died."
Ranma was crying uncontrollably now, "I heard her scream. I saw
her fly through the air. I could feel her body striking the tree, and then
there was nothing. She was gone from my mind. The scream had stopped,
her limp body fell to the ground. I thought she was dead. I thought I had
killed my little girl!" Ranma broke down crying on Akane's shoulder.
Akane struggling to console him.
"Can't you just check on her? Find out if she is okay," Akane
asked, rocking Ranma gently so as not to hurt his broken ribs, "I mean you
always seem to know what is happening with her."
Ranma shook his head, against her shoulder. "She's
sleeping, she's not thinking about herself, she's lost in dreams. I can't tell
anything."
Sighing Ranma sank back into the seat. "I don't deserve to be a
parent."
Akane was stunned. How could he say such a thing? He was a great
parent, the best she had ever seen. The guilt must have been destroying
him. She could not stand seeing him like this. "That's not true," she
snapped, "I have never seen a parent more devoted to hi child, give so
much love to his child, than you. If anyone deserves to be a parent, it is you
Ranma. I haven't seen anyone give as much as you do to Ranko. You are
patient. You never lose your temper. Every time she needs you, you are
there. Does that sound like someone who is not a good parent? It was only
an accident, Ranma. Stop this." She fell silent, and pulled Ranma back into
her arms, holding tightly to him.
Ranma held onto her. He knew she was right, but it did not help.
He would not feel better until he saw Ranko, until he apologized to her. He
let his mind wander to her.
She was still sound asleep, dreaming peacefully. Her dreams were
pleasant. He could not tell what they were, but they were relaxing her,
making her happy. She had to be fine. She would be having nightmares if
she wasn't. He still wanted to see her, he needed to assure himself.
Suddenly, he realized Ranko was awake. Then the fear filled his
head. She was terrified, something was with her, grabbing her. He could
hear her screaming in his head, hands grabbing her dragging her. Pain
slammed through his mind as a hand slapped his daughter. Then again, his
mind went blank, as he lost her..
"Ranko!" he screamed bolting upright, "Someone is taking Ranko!
Someone is stealing my child!"
"Ranma! What is it?" Akane and Ukyou shouted at the same time,
grabbing onto Ranma before he could get out of the moving cab.
"Someone took Ranko, I couldn't stop it. I couldn't do anything.
She was so terrified. Oh God, my Ranko!" Ranma had curled in on himself,
tears streaming down his face, "I've failed her again. She's gone. Oh God,
not my Ranko!"
"Go faster!" Ukyou shouted at the driver, as Akane, tried to talk to
Ranma, get him to explain. He could not, all he did was mumble over and
over that someone had stolen Ranko. She knew something was horribly
wrong. She didn';t know if Ranma was right, but if not, she did not want to
find out what had happened.
Holding Ranma they waited as the cab sped towards her home.
Ryoga glanced at the windows in the Tendo home. He had actually
found the place with little difficulty, and now that it was dark he could
capture the girl and have his revenge. His jaw still ached, but he had found
an old woman who had set the bone and put a poultice on it that had
started knitting the bone. It was sore and stiff, but it would heal properly.
<It's time> the voice said.
"Hai," Ryoga answered and slipped out of the tree he had been
sitting in and into the backyard. The family was in the house, waiting for
Ranma to return from the hospital. Ryoga had been pleased to learn that
Ranma had almost died. It made him fell a little better about the loss, but it
was time to lay the path that would lead to Ranma's true death.
Quietly slipping through the yard, he leaped to the roof, and moved
along the windows. <Which room is she in?> he asked the voice.
<The next window.> Ryoga looked at the window and realized it
was Akane's room. <Ranma is sleeping with Akane!> The rage boiled in
his blood. It was just one more thing that he would add to his list.
<Get the girl. You can deal with Saotome later.>
<Hai, find his weakness and exploit it.> Slowly he crept to the
window and opened it. The room was dark inside, but Ryoga's eyes
adjusted quickly. The door was closed, and tow beds were in the room. On
the futon, a small bundle moved slightly, murmuring. It was the child.
Moving quickly, Ryoga moved towards the bed. Unfortunately, a
tray that had held the child's dinner was lying on the floor, Ryoga kicked
the tray, sending it flying across the room. Ryoga froze, a curse leaping to
his lips. He saw the girl stir and sit up, looking around the room.
Cursing, Ryoga moved before she could see him. As he moved her
eyes snapped to him and she began to scream. Lunging Ryoga made a grab
for her. She tried to dodge, but terror, and the blankets kept her confined.
"Shut up!" Ryoga shouted as he grabbed the girl and lifted her out
of the bead. She continued screaming her hands grabbing Ryoga's face and
hair. He felt one of his bandanas ripped off and flung to the floor. Ryoga
could hear people moving downstairs, moving towards him. "Shut up!" he
snapped slapping the child.
She only screamed louder, tears filling her eyes. Enraged, and
scared, Ryoga slapped her again, hard. The child's head snapped back, and
the screaming ended abruptly, the body going limp in his arms. Horrified,
Ryoga checked her, and was relieved to see she was still breathing.
Composing himself, Ryoga dropped the rolled parchment he had brought,
and flitted out the window, a few seconds ahead of the family. As they
burst into the room, Ryoga was already a block away, leaping from rooftop
to rooftop, laughing in glee.
Before the cab had even come to a stop, Ranma was pushing past
Akane and Ukyou, sprinting into the house. As he entered he was already
shouting, "Where is she? What happened? Why the hell did you not stop
it?"
"How did you know?" was the common response.
"I felt it, damn it. Now where is my daughter!"
"We don't know, sir," a police officer said, stepping forward,
Ranma had not even noticed him, "The perpetrator was already gone with
your daughter by the time the family got there"
"Who did this?" Ranma's voice was cold as death, his eyes blazing
fires of rage. There was several sharp pops, as his knuckles cracked as he
clenched his hands into tight fists. The police officer backed away, terrified
by what he saw in Ranma's eyes.
"Why don't you sit down, sir?" the officer suggested nervously.
"Why don't you just tell me what I want to know?" Ranma snarled.
"Ranma," Akane said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "Please sit
down. This is not good for you. You need to take things easy for awhile."
"I don't want to take things easy," Ranma said his voice losing its
edge of anger with Akane but not its rage, "If I die and get my daughter
back, I will be happy."
"Ranma," his mother snapped, "Sit down and listen."
Ranma looked at his mother, surprise in his eyes. "I know your
angry, Ranma, but acting like that is not helping anything. Sit down and let
the officer speak with you." Ranma, dropped his eyes, recognizing the
logic in his mother's explanation. He picked his way to the living area, and
sat down.
"Now," the police officer said again, giving Nodoka a grateful
smile, "We don't know who did this. No one saw anything, but there were
a few things left in the room, which your family claims did not belong
there." He held out a yellow and black bandana.
"Ryoga," Ranma snarled and Akane and Ukyou gasped in unison.
"You know him?" the officer asked.
Ranma nodded, not trusting himself to speak, his mind an inferno of
hate and rage at the moment.
Akane said, "He did this to Ranma last night." She pointed at his
cast.
"Well then, there might be some reason behind this, and now we
know there were two people."
"Huh?" everyone asked.
"There was a note left at the scene. Let me just read.." The note
was ripped from his hands by Ranma.
His aura burning brightly, Ranma opened the rolled parchment and
slowly read the words out loud.
"My revenge is almost complete, Hui-cheng. If Ranma wants to see
his daughter again, come to the beginning, and we will create the ending.
Kaidu khan."
"Damn you!" Ranma screamed, everything clicking into place., "I'll
kill you Ryoga. I'll destroy Kaidu. I'll destroy all of Jusenkyo, if I have to.
No one uses my daughter like this." Completely enraged, Ranma moved
towards the door. His rage was boiling in his head, thundering in his ears.
He did not hear Akane cry out for him to stop. He did not see Dr. Tofu
walk up behind him. He did not feel the fingers lightly touch specific points
on his body. He simply collapsed unconscious.
Akane, rushed forward to the collapsed form of Ranma. Kneeling
beside him, she cradled his head gently in her lap. Looking up at Dr. Tofu
she smiled, "Arigato, Tofu-sensei. He would've killed himself. I just know
he would've."
"Take him upstairs. He will wake in a few hours. Watch over him,
he will probably be mad when he wakes up."
"Hai,"
"I need to find some things out, before he runs off," Dr. Tofu said,
as Akane picked up Ranma's inert form, and started walking with him
upstairs. <I hope what I read and just heard are not related.>