When I sent out the first part of my FFVII story "CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST", most of the responses I got were on the lines of "Where the
hell are the next parts of TIGER CLAW!". Not much C&C on my FFVII
story ::sniffle::
Well, in response to: 1) the ghost cat story in the latest issue of
Ranma 1/2 comic; 2) all those inquiries (and the occasional death
threat) about TIGER CLAW; and 3) the lack of response to my
FFVII story -- here is the long-awaited Part 3 of "Tiger Claw" in all
its glory. And before you ask, I've already written big sections of
Parts 4 & 5. I hope to have a version for pre-readers within a week
or two. So there! ^_^;
Naturally, any C&C is deeply appreciated.
Warning: There's a LOT going on here. If you need to refresh your
memory, the other sections of the story are located at my website (or
you can ask me to send them to you!)
---------------------------------
TIGER CLAW
Part 3: HARBINGERS OF THE STORM
---------------------------------
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic
---------------
Disclaimer
All rights and privileges to Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko Takahashi,
Shogakukan, Viz Communications, Inc., and associated parties. The
characters of her series are used without her permission for the
purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for
sale or profit.
All original characters are the creation of the author. All
copyright privileges to these characters are reserved for the author.
---------------
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation/ALTERNATE REALITY fanfic.
While I basically follow the manga (and/or the video) continuity to
just after Mount Phoenix, the subsequent wedding ceremony (and the
related bombing by Shampoo and Ukyo) does NOT occur. In this story,
a different incident involving the planned wedding takes place.
---------------
What has gone on previously:
Part 1: It was just another spring day at the Tendo Dojo. Kuno
and Ryoga show up to challenge Ranma but the fight takes an unexpected
turn as a mysterious third party interferes. Between black magic and
the Neko-ken, the duel quickly becomes bloodier and much more lethal
than anyone could have possibly imagined.
Part 2: There are serious confrontations between various people as
everyone struggles to deal with the consequences of the morning's
events. Wife against husband. Mother against son. Fiancee against
fiancee. Some can accept while others can only deny. It is up to
Nabiki to sort out the resulting chaos.
---------------
Text Conventions
( ) -> thoughts
> < -> sound fx
<" "> -> Chinese
**********************************************************************
Part 3a: THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
**********************************************************************
After she left a bewildered Ranma alone in the bathroom, Nabiki
leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths. She felt as if
she'd been tapdancing through a minefield -- admittedly nerve-wracking
but she found it exhilarating all the same. She had won -- this
round, at least. Admittedly, she HAD swore off playing games with
Ranma's life, but she couldn't suppress a satisfied smirk. Even the
terribly high stakes -- Ranma's mental and emotional well-being,
Akane's happiness -- could do nothing to spoil the taste of victory
for Nabiki.
She shook herself. There was so much left to do.
Retrieving Kuno's sword from the living room, she paused a moment
or two to admire the exquisite craftsmanship that had gone into the
weapon. A treasure, indeed. Against the background of the black
lacquer scabbard, she could pick out a subtle, shimmering pattern of
silvery lines that reminded her of lightning bolts. The design was
echoed in the blade itself as Nabiki unsheathed a few inches of it.
The weapon was without a doubt the Kuno family's most prized
possession. Nabiki had no intention of returning it -- not yet, at
least. When the time came to settle matters with Kuno, she wanted
every bit of leverage she could get. The sword would be an important
bargaining chip, her ace in the hole. If Kuno wanted his precious
little toy back, he was going to have to accept her terms.
However, the situation would be entirely different if he died.
Nabiki had no idea just how important the honor blade was to the elder
Kuno or Kodachi. They could consider it a mere historical curio.
Another thing to check on.
Nabiki carefully hid the sword, then went to make a few phone
calls.
--------------------------------------
As she rested from her magical exertions, Yonoko kept track of the
various conversations and confrontations going on within the Tendo
household.
There was nothing remotely magical about Yonoko's eavesdropping.
She actually preferred to use technology under these circumstances.
Skilled martial artists often developed a 'danger sense' or a
sensitivity to magic. She didn't want to risk being prematurely
detected by Ranma or the other martial artists around Nerima. Yonoko
had simply arranged for one of the many repairmen who constantly
tramped in and out of the Tendo dojo to tap into Nabiki Tendo's
personal surveillance network.
Yonoko shook her head ruefully. It was absolutely amazing. That
girl had somehow managed to squirrel away a microphone into virtually
every room in the house. Yonoko could easily think of many reasons
why a person would want to spy on his or her own family. For example,
Yonoko and her twin sister had loathed each other with a passion.
Constant surveillance on her sibling had been an absolute necessity
for survival. But there was nothing in the Tendo family's
relationships that would seem to warrant such extreme measures. And
Nabiki Tendo didn't seem to be the voyeuristic sort. It remained a
mystery to Yonoko but that didn't stop her from happily taking
advantage of Nabiki's meticulous work.
As she idly skipped from one conversation to another, she abruptly
sensed a familiar presence manifesting nearby.
"That Nabiki has potential. And while not the beauty in the
family, she's not without her own unique charm." The voice that spoke
was dark, warm, and velvety. It also contained just a hint of a
beguiling purr.
Yonoko replied, "Yes, it's a pity we couldn't utilize her more."
"She hides it well, but she's very devoted to her family. She
would never knowingly do anything to really harm them."
The sorceress glanced over to a corner of the room. Previously
empty, it was now occupied by a dark, formless mass of shadow. All
that could be clearly seen was two softly glowing smoky blue 'eyes'
and the occasional gleam of white, razor sharp fangs.
"Lord Ebon." Yonoko gave the shadowy mass a respectful nod.
The dark mass seethed slightly. "No need to be so formal, my dear
Yonoko." It paused to listen to the heated words between Akane and
Ranma's mother.
"So. I see that Nodoka is as stiff-necked and stubborn as ever.
Considering her bloodlines, I should have expected no less. A sense
of honor has its place but inflexibility will cost her dearly. By the
way, a most excellent performance this morning."
"Thank you, but I found it a rather nerve-wracking experience. If
Saotome had failed...."
"Oh, I was quite certain that Ranma would indeed be able to access
the greater Neko-ken. But to see it done with such flair,... now THAT
was an unexpected bonus." Ebon's voice sounded vastly amused.
"To be frank, that battle aura scared the hell out of me. I
simply didn't expect it to be so powerful. You TOLD me to dump the
spells on Kuno and Ryoga as soon as the aura manifested but I didn't.
That was really stupid of me." Yonoko flushed with embarrassment.
"It's not that bad. You're just a competitive person. People
like you are driven to measure their strength against formidable
opponents. It's only natural to be curious how your own abilities
stack up against something as powerful as the true Neko-ken."
She sighed wearily. "Well, I certainly paid for my curiosity."
"Will you be able to handle your part tonight?"
"Oh yes. It won't be too demanding, magically speaking, and the
physical activity will be fairly easy. A little rest and I'll be
fine."
"Then everything should proceed according to plan. And Cologne?"
"I've already made the arrangements as you suggested. It took
some time to track the woman down. But she was easy to persuade."
Yonoko grinned. "It's nice to have an unlimited budget to work with."
The shadowy mass rippled as Ebon chuckled softly.
Yonoko paused, then said, "All right. Now that we know that
Saotome's capable of mastering the Neko-ken, what about his Jusenkyo
curse? You said that his female form might be a problem."
"Not a major problem, but the female form is significantly
disadvantaged in reach and strength. That was very clear from his
first formal duel with Mousse."
"But she IS noticeably faster than Ranma's male form."
Long white fangs flashed as Ebon grinned. "Not anymore. But
that's not the main reason I object to his female form."
Yonoko raised a curious eyebrow.
Ebon serenely said, "I dislike the color red...."
She raised her other eyebrow.
"... and I loathe cuteness."
Yonoko blinked, then chuckled softly. "I can imagine your
reaction to seeing Azusa...."
"...Shiratori?" Ebon made an audible snort of distaste.
The conspirators sat in companionable silence for several minutes,
then Yonoko said, "Forgive me for saying so, but isn't this a rather
roundabout way to controlling Saotome? I know that his willpower and
stubbornness would make him a very difficult subject, but surely a
good, solid mind-control spell would still be much simpler."
"You're quite correct, Yonoko -- if I wanted a puppet or a
mindless flunky. But puppets and flunkies are notoriously dull and
stupid. And they need so much constant supervision." Ebon sounded a
bit miffed, then continued in a calmer voice.
"Yonoko, I'm afraid your childhood training is showing. If
something doesn't do what you want, your instinctive reaction is to
brain-blast it into submission."
Ebon sighed, "Now that approach may work in most situations, but
not this time. The true Neko-ken and conventional methods of magical
coercion do NOT mix. It's quick but painful suicide."
Yonoko asked, "Then how do you expect to control him? Saotome's
notoriously stubborn and willful...."
"You mean he's mule-headed."
"Well, yes. Unless you plan on using the Tendo girl as
leverage...."
"Akane? There you go again, my dear. We don't want to send him
off the deep end. No, we are going to keep this on an entirely
business-like basis. An exchange of...favors. Nabiki would
understand perfectly."
"Really? And the purpose of all this intricate plotting, then?"
Yonoko sounded just a tiny bit exasperated. "If you want to keep this
business-like, why not just make Saotome an offer he can't refuse?"
Ebon uttered a soft, rumbling chuckle. "Unfortunately, Ranma
simply isn't good enough right now. He needs more training and more
practice."
Yonoko snorted. "Oh, so we get saddled with that job?"
"Naturally. If you want something done right, it's best to handle
it yourself. Or at least supervise. Now, I've got all the time in
the world, but do YOU really want to spend the next few years waiting
around for Ranma to acquire the necessary skills by sheer luck and
chance?"
She grimaced. "No, I don't."
"In spite of his many faults, Genma Saotome did quite an adequate
job of training Ranma. And the constant turmoil in the boy's life has
only served to improve those skills. But with all that, Ranma is
still an unsharpened blade. He's capable of doing damage but is
nowhere close to his full potential. And what do you do with a dull
sword?"
Ebon give Yonoko a vicious little grin before answering its own
question.
"You hone its edge."
"It's not going to be easy on him." Yonoko's voice was utterly
dispassionate, devoid of any feeling or emotion.
The shadowy mass in the corner shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing
worthwhile is ever easy. Or as humans often say, 'No pain, no gain.'"
Her voice turned thoughtful. "I've always wondered. If a sword
were alive, would it suffer as it was being sharpened -- as bits of
itself are scraped and scoured away? Or would it feel pleasure at
being prepared for its true purpose?"
Ebon shrugged again. "His feelings are quite irrelevant. Ranma
will be schooled to his full potential, if I have to drag him kicking
and screaming."
The mass of darkness started to boil and seethe.
It said, "Luck to you, my dear Yonoko." Ebon then vanished,
leaving a weary sorceress alone with her thoughts.
**********************************************************************
Part 3b: PICKING UP THE PIECES
**********************************************************************
....mine...mine...MINE....
Water sloshed as Ranma sat bolt upright in the tub and stared
around in confusion. He must have dozed off after Nabiki left but had
no idea what had jerked him awake. There was only the faintest
recollection of some profoundly disturbing feeling.
He took a few gulps of air. (Calm down. Kuno and Ryoga are only
wounded. Nabiki said that I didn't hurt anyone else... unless I
imagined it.... That's crazy! I couldn't have dreamed up that whole
talk with Nabiki... could I?)
The more he thought about it, the more dreamlike the conversation
with Nabiki became. Finally, unable to stand the uncertainty, he
quickly hauled himself out of the tub. Stepping into the changing
room, he thankfully noticed his bloody clothes was gone. He dug a
spare outfit out of a hamper, got dressed, and stepped into the
hallway.
The Tendo house was eerily quiet. Ranma peeked through the open
door to the living room. Empty. The kitchen was also unoccupied.
(Where is everyone?)
Ranma enjoyed solitude, probably because he got so little of it.
But at the moment, he felt a strangely desperate need for company.
Anybody. He would almost welcome Kodachi's presence right now.
Perhaps it HAD been a dream. Maybe he had only imagined that
brutal but oddly reassuring talk with Nabiki. Ranma had a horrific
vision of wandering through a deserted house only to come across a
roomful of bloody corpses....
He shook his head hard. (Man, I've gotta get a grip on myself!)
At that moment, Ranma heard a faint, metallic clatter. And
someone was humming an old folk song. Ranma eagerly tracked the
sounds to the open front door.
He took a deep breath, then peeked outside only to see Kasumi
quietly humming to herself as she mopped the encrusted blood off the
stone walkway. The familiar, everyday sight of her cleaning away made
a jarring contrast with the blood and chaotic destruction surrounding
her.
"Uh...."
She looked up and gave him a kindly smile. "Ranma, you're looking
so much better." Her voice was even softer than usual.
Ranma nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, thanks. Um,
where is everybody?"
"Father's resting in his room."
Ranma assumed that meant that Soun was hiding under his bedcovers
moaning and weeping.
"Nabiki's talking to some friends."
Translation? She was wheeling and dealing with business
associates.
"And Akane's taking a nap."
Ranma's eyes widened in alarm. "She's... she's okay, isn't she?"
"Oh yes. She's just a bit worn out by all the excitement."
Kasumi cocked her head slightly. "How about you? Aren't you a little
tired?"
"No. I'm...fine." He looked around restlessly. Finally, he
headed toward the street but Kasumi's soft voice made him pause.
"Ranma, I called the hospital just now."
He spun around and stared at her. She looked at him thoughtfully
as he stood there, pale and tense, braced for the worst possible news.
In a strangled voice, he whispered, "Are they...?"
Kasumi blinked and said in mild surprise, "The receptionist told
me that Ryoga and Kuno are alive and stable at the moment, but she
also said that visitors were out of the question."
"Didn't she say anything else?" Ranma was desperate for details.
"No." She added a bit wistfully, "She won't let me talk to Dr.
Tofu. She said he was terribly busy."
He shivered slightly. Considering the doctor's usual reaction to
Kasumi, it was no wonder that the receptionist had refused. He could
just imagine the resulting chaos.
Ranma hovered uncertainly at the gateway. He wanted to go to the
hospital to check on the two idiots for himself. But something was
holding him back. It took him a moment or two to realize what it was
-- a overwhelming reluctance to stray too far from the dojo... and
Akane. After his conversation with Nabiki, how could he possibly
consider leaving Akane alone like that?
"Are you going to the hospital, Ranma?"
He closed his eyes briefly, then shook his head. "No. Not right
now."
Ranma walked back into the house and glanced upstairs, struggling
with an impulse to run up to Akane's room. He brushed his fingers on
the steps. Freshly cleaned. While he was sitting in the tub, Kasumi
had been hard at work cleaning up his mess. He went back outside to
see her swabbing the stones with remarkable efficiency.
As he watched, Kasumi wrung out her mop. The dirty, brown-tinted
water oozed its way between her white fingers and trickled back into
the pail on the ground. A few stray drops stained the edge of
Kasumi's skirt.
"You missed lunch. Would you like something to eat, Ranma?"
He fought down a surge of nausea and muttered, "No thanks. I'm...
not hungry."
"But you're always hungry unless Akane's cooking," Kasumi said
with mild astonishment.
Ranma simply shook his head.
"Oh, that'll work out fine. I hope to finish cleaning up before I
have to start dinner." Kasumi resumed her humming and mopping.
He found the sight of Kasumi placidly working on another patch of
dried blood profoundly disturbing. It just didn't seem right.
"Kasumi, you... you shouldn't be doing that."
She didn't need to ask what he was talking about. The eldest
Tendo daughter looked at him and said very gently, "It needs to be
done. And who else will?"
"...." Ranma had no answer to give her.
Kasumi scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain. "It's not
supposed to rain for the next several days, so I thought it would best
to clean this mess up right now. We can't just leave it here. What
would the neighbors think?"
A few minutes of silence passed. Then he said in a very subdued
voice, "Do you need... some help?"
Kasumi gave him a sunny smile. "Oh, thank you, Ranma." She
looked around for a moment, then handed him an empty metal pail, a
dust pan, and a brush. "There's broken glass all along the front of
the house. Could you pick it up for me?"
"Broken glass?" He looked behind him at the house. Every window
that he could see had been shattered.
(How the hell did that happen? No, I don't think I wanna know.)
As he bent down and began to carefully scoop up the glass shards,
he muttered, "Sorry about your room, Kasumi."
"Hmm?"
Ranma mutely pointed up at her bedroom. Her curtains trailed out
of the broken windows and fluttered in the mild breeze. Kasumi
blinked but seemed otherwise unfazed by the discovery.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll just put up some blankets. I'm sure
Nabiki can get someone out here tomorrow."
Ranma and Kasumi settled down to a companionable silence as they
began the work of cleaning up the entranceway to their home.
**********************************************************************
Part 3c: UNFORGIVEN
**********************************************************************
Ukyo slowly made her way back to her restaurant. Every so often,
she would look behind her only to see Shampoo still following her.
The Amazon girl made no attempt to attack or speak to her, but she
continued to watch Ukyo's every move.
(This HAD to be one of the worst days of my life. And with the
way my life's been up to this point, that's saying quite a lot.)
Ukyo's thoughts drifted back to another truly wretched day -- the
day that she had allowed pure desperation to drive her into doing the
unforgivable.
[six months ago - right after the Mount Phoenix adventure]
After Ranma and the others returned from Mount Phoenix, Ukyo
sensed that something significant had happened between Ranma and
Akane. There was a growing closeness that badly unnerved her... then
she found out about the plans for Ranma's and Akane's secret wedding.
She was frantic, angry, and desperate -- so desperate that she
ended up breaking one of her own cardinal rules. Ukyo decided to use
magic to 'persuade' Ranma to change his mind about Akane and the
wedding.
It was really for his own good. Akane was totally wrong for him.
Couldn't he see that? She only wanted to save him from the emotional
pain that would inevitably come from such a hopeless marriage. It
wasn't as if she was trying to use magic to force him to love her.
She only wanted to make him back off from the wedding...and Akane.
The bright green vial in the old antique shop's window display
caught her eye and planted the idea in her head. After the fiasco
with Kuno's phoenix egg, she was leery of having anything to do with
that crazy old shopkeeper again. However, she couldn't stop herself
from asking him about the potion.
The shopkeeper -- with a little 'persuasion' from her battle
spatula -- finally coughed up a complete set of instructions for the
supposedly foolproof love potion. A drop of her own blood added to
the potion would ensure that the person consuming the potion would
fall in love with no one else but Ukyo. There would be none of that
ridiculous "first person you see" junk.
She got the potion ready but still had qualms about actually using
it... then Ranma and Akane walked into her restaurant. Watching them
laugh and joke with each other instead of arguing as usual, Ukyo made
an impulsive but fateful decision. A quick flick of the wrist and it
was done.
But even as she watched Ranma gobble down the dosed okonomiyaki,
she realized that it had been an incredibly stupid thing to do.
The potion didn't take effect immediately. Ukyo watched Ranma
dash out of her restaurant with Akane, leaving the chef alone with her
steadily growing guilt, fears, and regrets. She had jeopardized
everything. What if Ranma found out what she had done? The last
thing she wanted was to be treated like just another conniving,
unwanted fiancee -- to be treated just like Kodachi or Shampoo.
By the time she gathered up her courage to say something to Ranma,
it was much too late. The love potion had worked flawlessly. And so
had the half-dozen or more other potions, magical items, and/or spells
that various other people had tried on Ranma.
Ukyo had forgotten that this was Nerima, where impossible
coincidences took place on a regular basis. Or, as she had read
somewhere, "When it rained, it poured." Nerima being Nerima, it
seemed that everyone had come up with pretty much the same solution
for breaking up a Saotome-Tendo wedding -- throw magic at it. And
with his usual luck, Ranma -- not Akane -- ended up taking the brunt
of everyone's schemes.
It might have been just another ridiculous fiasco, just another
comedy of errors. But this time, the mess turned bloody serious and
Dr. Tofu did not hesitate to let everyone know it.
She wasn't really sure who else was involved. Kodachi and Shampoo
for sure. Probably Cologne, Mousse, Mr. Saotome, Kuno, Tsubasa,
Gosunkugi, and Ryoga. Possibly some of the other boys and girls at
school. And then there was Ukyo Kuonji, just as guilty as the rest of
them.
Ranma was whisked off into Dr. Tofu's care. No one really knew
what happened afterward. Ranma reappeared a few days later. He
seemed a little pale, a little disoriented, but otherwise in good
health.
At first, Ukyo's only thought was that of overwhelming relief.
Ranma was fine. The Saotome-Tendo wedding was put off indefinitely.
Everything gradually settled back to normal in Nerima. Her guilty
secret was intact and no one appeared to have any idea of her
involvement. There seemed to be no good reason to say anything to
Ranma about the affair.
[the present]
She had thought that there had been no real harm done. She
couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes, everything was back to normal. She was still good, old
trustworthy Uc-chan. And it was all based on a lie. A simple lie of
omission.
But in the last two weeks or so, Ukyo had begun to wonder if Ranma
DID know something. On rare occasions, she'd catch a fleeting glimpse
of a wary, yet sad, sort of look on his face. And there would be
times when she'd sense the faintest trace of hesitation before he ate
her cooking. True, Ranma never said anything to her about the wedding
fiasco. It could just be her guilty conscience catching up with her.
But she couldn't help but wonder.
The nagging uncertainty made her jumpy, anxious, and bad-tempered.
Everyone noticed. Even Akane had asked her whether anything was
wrong.
(Maybe I should just take my lumps and tell Ranma the truth.)
Ukyo ignored Shampoo as she unlocked the front door of her
restaurant. She obtained what little satisfaction she could from
slamming the door shut. If Shampoo tried to follow her in here, she'd
teach that Amazon bimbo a good lesson or two.
She took a few steps and nearly slipped on a largish envelope
lying on the floor. In a thoroughly pissed off mood, she was ready to
chuck the stupid thing into the trash. But as she picked up the
package, she noticed a semi-familiar address. The envelope was from
her great aunt. She hadn't seen the old woman for many years but Ukyo
had fond memories of her. She didn't have many pleasant memories,
especially after being abandoned by Genma, so she treasured whatever
good memories she did have.
She smiled to herself as she recalled her great aunt's gentle,
soothing vagueness. It greatly reminded Ukyo of Kasumi. The chef
suddenly frowned as she realized her thoughts had again turned back to
the Tendos.
(What's wrong with me? Can't I go ten minutes without thinking
about Ranma or that blasted family?)
She shivered slightly. Was this what it was like for Kodachi? To
have her thoughts gradually becoming more and more fixated on Ranma?
To be capable of thinking of nothing else?
Ukyo quickly shook herself out the mood. No, she was nothing like
Kodachi. She wasn't obsessed, only very determined and admittedly
somewhat stubborn.
As she walked through her restaurant, she briefly considered
leaving Nerima forever. But even as she toyed with the idea, she knew
it would never happen. Not as long as there was the slightest
possibility, the faintest hope, that Ranma would FINALLY come to his
senses and see that Akane was just not the right girl for him.
She knew that Ryoga had tried to leave Nerima, the Tendos, and
Ranma Saotome behind more than once. However, he always came back
sooner or later.
Ukyo laughed bitterly. Besides, where would she go? Back home to
Father? Back to a man who won't even look at her?
She tucked the envelope under her arm and headed upstairs. She'd
deal with it later. She had more important things to think about.
Ukyo wandered into her bedroom. Her battle spatula rested on her
futon, along with a scattering of dresses and two pairs of torn
pantyhose. Tossing the envelope aside, she quickly changed out of her
fancy clothes and switched back to her usual masculine pants and
shirt. She then flung herself down on the futon and stared up at the
ceiling.
No, leaving Nerima would never be a feasible option for her. She
had put too much of herself into her pursuit of Ranma, first as an
enemy and then as a fiance. To leave now was to admit that all her
effort and sacrifice had been completely pointless.
Would she give up now, just based on the words of a brainless
Amazon bimbo and a hopelessly bull-headed girl like Akane Tendo?
She shuddered as she remembered the look in Ranma's eyes as he
crouched on the ground, snarling. Inhuman. That's what it was.
Utterly inhuman.
No matter what Akane or Shampoo said, she refused to believe
that... that creature running around on all fours and fawning all over
Akane was just a fragment of Ranma's own personality. It was simply
too alien, too different from the Ranma Ukyo knew.
She wasn't sure WHAT it was. However, she was certain that Genma
Saotome was somehow responsible for its existence.
Her eyes narrowed. Hold it. What did anybody really KNOW about
the Neko-ken? Genma was the only one who really knew how the whole
mess got started. And Ukyo knew first-hand just what a worthless,
lying bastard Genma Saotome was. Poor Ranma had been only a child at
the time. Did he actually remember anything or was he merely
repeating what Genma had told him over and over again?
Ukyo rolled over onto her stomach and started drumming her fingers
angrily on the floor.
(What if it wasn't simply an incredibly stupid training exercise
with cats? What if it was something much more...sinister? Genma may
be a fool, a liar, and a coward but woud he have been really THAT
desperate to...?)
Before this afternoon, Ukyo would have sworn that the man actually
cared about his son. But Genma's attempts to justify the terrible
things he had done to Ranma now convinced her that Ranma's father was
both stupid enough and ruthless enough to do ANYTHING if he thought it
would make Ranma a better martial artist.
Meddle with the occult? Possession? Why not? Ukyo could just
picture it now.
An ambitious father, a botched summoning of some netherworld
entity, an helpless boy,....
She growled softly to herself. (Genma... if I find any proof of
this, you're a dead man!)
No, there was no way she was going to back off and go away. Not
after what she had seen this morning. She couldn't understand it.
How could Akane and the Tendos just stand by? How could they do
nothing to cure Ranma when it was so blatantly clear that there was
something terribly wrong with him?
Ukyo felt a surge of renewed determination. She was NOT going to
desert Ranma. Perhaps he was possessed. Perhaps he was just crazy.
With a father like Genma, who wouldn't be? It didn't really matter.
He needed her help, whether he knew it or not, and she was not about
to let anyone stop her. Not the Tendos. Not that stupid Amazon. Not
anyone.
(If Akane can't -- or won't -- take care of Ranma, then she bloody
well doesn't deserve him!)
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Part 3d: SKELETONS FROM A CHINESE CLOSET
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Once Ukyo disappeared inside her restaurant, Shampoo turned and
slowly trudged back to the Neko-hanten. She was not looking forward
to her upcoming talk with Cologne. How was she going to explain her
sudden decision to give up on Ranma after eighteen months of trying
nearly everything under the sun, moon, and stars to catch him?
Cologne would demand answers as was her right as an Amazon Elder. And
Shampoo had no answers to give.
The only thing Shampoo knew for certain was that Ranma had chosen
Akane. And she had an awful premonition that trying to separate the
two now would only bring disaster. Not only on herself, but on the
Amazon tribe as well. How she knew, she couldn't say. It was just
gut instinct.
She could just imagine her great grandmother's reaction to her
decision. Cologne had made it quite clear that giving up and going
home was NOT an option. And as for her failure to uphold her personal
honor, Shampoo would be lucky if she simply ended up being banished
from the village for a long, long time. She could be formally
outcast. At worst, she could die for her failure.
Shampoo hoped it wouldn't go that far.
There was no way to hide what had happened at the Tendo house that
morning. That idiot Mousse was sure to have babbled to Cologne.
Shampoo bit her lip. But what about hiding her decision to give
up on Ranma? Maybe she could simply...forget...to say anything about
it and let Cologne assume that her intentions were unchanged.
The Amazon girl shook her head slowly. The idea was tempting but
it was only delaying the inevitable. It might not be today, but she
would eventually need to make her stand and tell Cologne she was
giving up. If she thought wasting a year and a half was bad, what
would Cologne think about wasting two years, three years, or more?
Shampoo's steps slowed even more as she approached the
Neko-hanten. No, that was the coward's way out. She may have done
many dishonest and even dishonorable things since arriving in Nerima,
but she refused to become a coward. She would tell Cologne that she,
Shampoo, was no longer interested in marrying Ranma. She would simply
have to deal with the consequences, whatever they might be.
Shampoo hesitated outside the door, took a moment to gather her
courage, then walked inside.
The first thing she noticed was that the normally bustling
restaurant was deserted.
The second thing she noticed was her great grandmother's cold,
stern expression. Cologne was very, very displeased. Shampoo felt
chills run down her spine.
<"Shampoo, we have a... 'visitor'.">
The young Amazon blinked in surprise. Of all things, she didn't
expect to be greeted by that statement -- or warning, rather. She
glanced to her left and stiffened angrily.
<"Dan Xin,"> Shampoo snarled, her voice bristling with barely
controlled hostility.
Dan Xin laughed nastily. <"Hello, Shampoo. And how is the
husband hunt going?">
Dan Xin was a petite, black-haired Amazon woman with a
well-developed figure. She looked remarkably cute except for the
gleam in her eyes. It was a lean and hungry look -- a look that made
Nabiki Tendo seem like the very soul of generosity.
Shampoo's lips curled in contempt as she noticed Dan Xin's attire.
Instead of traditional Amazon or Chinese clothes, Dan Xin was dressed
in a snugly fitting scarlet leather outfit which bore her personal
motif -- the heron. On her back she carried a familiar crane-hilted
sword. The blade had once belonged to Mousse's mother.
<"What are you doing here?"> Shampoo demanded.
<"Oh, since I was in the area, I just decided to drop in on my
sister Amazons....">
Cologne interrupted in an icy voice, <"YOU ARE NO SISTER OF OURS.
You were cast out of the Amazon tribe for your outrageously
dishonorable conduct -- for inciting treason, not to mention your
involvement in theft, torture, and murder.">
<"Mere rumors. You never found any actual proof of my guilt, did
you? Besides, you and the Council of Elders couldn't afford to have
me executed. Isn't that right, great grandmother?"> Dan Xin smirked
at Cologne.
Cologne stared stonily at the ex-Amazon but said nothing.
Dan Xin continued in an airy voice. <"Well, being outcast was no
great loss. There's so much more to do, so many more opportunities in
the outside world.">
The Amazon Elder narrowed her eyes ominously. <"So I hear.
You've chosen to prostitute yourself by selling your sword to the
highest bidder."> Cologne sniffed contemptuously. <"And I've heard
that your person is also available. For the right price.">
Dan Xin flushed and snarled, <"Well, it's better than sitting
around that miserable village wasting my life raising rice and
chickens!"> She glanced around the Neko-hanten in contempt. <"Or
running some cheap noodle shop.">
The ex-Amazon gave Shampoo a sly look, then murmured in mock
sympathy, <"I've heard that you're having problems with your new
protegee, great grandmother. But what can you expect when you have to
settle for second-best."> She burst into malicious laughter.
Shampoo simmered at Dan Xin's jibe and the reminder that she had
not been Cologne's first choice as successor. And Dan Xin's laughter
reminded her all too much of Kodachi's insane cackling.
<"Poor Shampoo. How does it feel to be a miserable failure all
the way around, cousin dear? You failed to kill the outsider woman
who defeated you in front of the entire village. And then you managed
to get beaten again, this time by a mere boy. Nearly two years and
you STILL haven't managed to marry him! That's truly pathetic.
Please tell me that you've managed to seduce him, at least. Or did
you manage to screw up that as well?">
Before Shampoo could explode in fury, Cologne gave her a hard,
warning stare. The young Amazon clenched her teeth and struggled to
stay calm. Finally, she forced herself to shrug nonchalantly.
<"It's none of your business.">
Cologne's expression did not change but inside, she uttered a
small sigh of exasperation. (You're going to have to do much better
than that, Shampoo, if you want to convince Dan Xin of anything.)
The Elder turned to the ex-Amazon and said, <"Enough of your
insults. Go. You have no business with us.">
Dan Xin uttered a malicious little snicker but turned to leave.
For an instant, Shampoo stood blocking the way to the front door. The
two young Amazons glared at each other for a second before Shampoo
stepped aside, leaving barely enough room for her cousin to leave.
Perched on her stick, Cologne hopped over to the window and
watched Dan Xin disappear down the street. She muttered to herself,
<"She's going to be trouble for sure. What is that traitorous little
bitch doing here in Nerima?">
<"Great grandmother, do you think she wants Ranma?"> Shampoo said
in profoundly worried tones.
<"I can't be sure, but I don't think so. Dan Xin only likes two
things, wealth and power. Men actually rank quite low on her list of
priorities. She's probably just trying to provoke you.">
Shampoo desperately hoped that was true. Dan Xin was a superb
martial artist and her skill was matched only by her viciousness and
greed. Matters were complicated enough without Dan Xin's
interference.
When she noticed that Cologne getting ready to leave, she blurted
out, <"Uh, great grandmother... I have something to tell you. About
Ranma.">
Cologne muttered distractedly, <"Girl, you look exhausted. Let me
guess. Things did not go well this morning.">
<"You... could say that.">
<"Well, I don't have time to deal with it right now. Tell me when
I get back. I need to find out what that wretched girl's up to.">
<"But great grandmother, this is very important! Ranma...!">
Cologne snapped, <"Shampoo, I have more important things to worry
about than your latest screwup with son-in-law! I've been sensing
strange powers at work since last night. Now Dan Xin shows up. It
can't be a coincidence. Wherever that little monster goes, murder and
mayhem follow. I need to learn more.">
<"But....">
<"I doubt that your cousin is interested in Ranma, but if she is,
it would best if I find out as soon as possible. I'll deal with Dan
Xin. You are to stay out of this and take care of the restaurant.">
The Amazon Elder hopped out of the Neko-hanten, leaving a worried and
frustrated Shampoo far behind.
"Ooooh!" After struggling to get up enough courage to tell
Cologne about Ranma, now she finds out that the old woman's too busy
to listen to her.
----------------------
As Cologne made her way across the rooftops of Nerima, her
thoughts drifted back in time.
Dan Xin had been her chosen successor and protegee. Her favorite
great granddaughter... the child of Cologne's most beloved
granddaughter. It had been her own love and affection -- not to
mention pride in Dan Xin's abilities -- that blinded her to Dan Xin's
true nature. Cologne grimly admitted her own fault. She had to bear
much of the blame for what happened nearly eight years ago. The girl
was cunning and deceptive, but there had been definite signs of her
personality flaws. Cologne had simply chosen to ignore their
seriousness. After all, an Amazon must be ruthless and merciless
against her opponents.
Unfortunately, to Dan Xin, everyone was her opponent... and her
prey.
By the end of that terrible winter, over fifteen of the tribe had
died, including Dan Xin's own mother. Although she had not personally
dealt the killing blows in most cases, Dan Xin had been either
directly or indirectly responsible for every one of those deaths.
Everyone in the village knew it.
Unfortunately, there had been plenty of circumstantial evidence
but no real proof. And so it had come down to a trial-by-combat --
Dan Xin against the Council's chosen champion.
But Cologne had done her work too well. After a ferocious duel,
Mousse's mother had died a particularly brutal death at Dan Xin's
hands. Since Dan Xin was technically 'innocent' by virtue of her
undisputed victory, the best the Council of Elders could do was to
declare Dan Xin banished and forever outcast from the tribe.
Ever since her banishment, Dan Xin had wisely stayed out of the
Amazons' way. That made her reappearance in Nerima all the more
puzzling. She had to have a compelling reason to dare cross paths
with her great grandmother. But what was the creature up to? The
situation was fraught with possibilities, both good and bad.
Although Dan Xin was now considered an outsider, even outsiders
recieved a limited degree of immunity if they won a trial-by-combat.
Cologne and the other Amazons wronged by Dan Xin could not take
vengeance against her for her past crimes.
But for crimes newly committed... now that was an entirely
different matter.
And so, high above the streets of Nerima, Cologne continued to
cautiously trail her quarry, watching and waiting.
In a way, Cologne almost hoped that Dan Xin would try to ensnare
Ranma in whatever schemes she might have. Willful interference with
an officially sanctioned betrothal -- such as the one between Shampoo
and Ranma -- qualified as a crime in Amazon law. Normally such a
crime would not merit death but in this case, Cologne was fairly sure
that the Council of Elders would be happy to stretch a few legal
points if it meant disposing of Dan Xin permanently.
And if Dan Xin tried to injure Ranma? Even better, because Ranma
was practically a member of the tribe already -- even if the
ungrateful whelp didn't accept that fact.
Cologne peeked around a chimney stack. Dan Xin was talking into a
cellular phone but the angle was wrong for reading her lips. As the
Amazon Elder prepared to move to a more advantageous position, she
sensed a presence watching her. She careful scanned her surrounding
but could not locate the observer.
(What a fool I am! There's no reason that Dan Xin would be alone
here in Nerima. I must be more careful.)
----------------------
Shampoo spent the next hour or so going over every detail of the
morning's events. When Cologne returned, she needed to be ready with
answers. And she had none. All Shampoo had a sickening conviction
that if someone tried to interfere with Ranma or tried to separate him
from Akane, something terrible would happen. It had been that
certainty -- that feeling -- that prompted Shampoo to prevent Ukyo
from following Ranma into the bathroom. There was no telling what
that stupid spatula girl would do.
Shampoo was still struggling when she heard the back door open.
She ran through the kitchen and said, <"Great grandmother...! Oh,
it's you."> Her voice trailed off in disgust and disappointment.
<"Shampoo! You're safe!"> Mousse ran toward her. Shampoo
briskly fended him off with a wok.
<"Mousse, I'm NOT in the mood for this! You're just as bad as
that crazy Kodachi....">
Barely deterred, Mousse scrambled back to his feet. <"What's
happened at the Tendos!? Why was Ranma running around on all fours?
Why did he go....">
But Shampoo didn't immediately answer. Instead she slowly put
down the wok and sank down onto a nearby stool. She thought about the
insane look of possessiveness on Kodachi's face. Then she thought
about Ranma's icy cold stare as he crouched next to Akane....
(Of course. It was all in the eyes.)
It had been very briefest of looks. Ranma's mother and the other
fiancees had only seen hostility and rage in Ranma's eyes. But
Shampoo had seen something else.
Sheer, raw hunger.
The hunger had such an intensity that it nearly had a life of its
own. It was if a veneer has been stripped away, exposing a dark core
unseen and unsuspected by anyone.
Why had she been the only one to notice?
Ranma was a generous person. Shampoo knew that. After all, he
had put up with her persistant advances for so long. To see this
hunger, this possessiveness, residing in the depths of his soul....
She shivered. How long had it BEEN there, hidden and veiled from
everyone -- buried so deep that she suspected even Ranma was utterly
unaware of its existence?
She suddenly recalled a video tape she had seen. It had been
recorded well over a year ago during something called the Martial Arts
Ice Skating Championship. Mikado Sanzenin had just threatened to
steal a kiss from Akane's lips. What had Ranma shouted...?
'Akane is MY fiancee! Touch her and I'll KILL you!!!'
As she thought back to that moment, forever preserved on video,
Shampoo wondered, (Were his feelings so strong even back then?)
With all the disturbing thoughts churning around in her brain, the
only thing Shampoo could think of saying aloud was, <"Oh my....">
In the meantime, Mousse continued to babble an endless stream of
questions. He finally noticed Shampoo's pale, stunned expression.
<"Did Ranma hurt you? If he did, I'll....">
Shampoo slowly looked at him and grabbed Mousse's robes. In a
low, even voice, she said, <"Don't even try. Do you hear me? You
attack Ranma now and you WILL die.">
Mousse gazed at her in a pathetic, hopeful sort of way. <"Does...
does this mean that you're worried about me, Shampoo?">
Shampoo stared blankly at him, then abruptly released her grip and
gave him a half-hearted shove.
<"I'm worried about Ranma."> Mousse wilted in disappointment.
As she walked out of the kitchen in a daze, Mousse's acute hearing
picked up Shampoo's last words.
<"I'm worried about all of us.">
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(to be continued in Part 3e)