Author's Notes:
Nihao!
I know, it has been such a long time since I last worked on this, my apologies to anyone who was actually waiting for it. First off, thanks goes to my pre-readers for again daring to try and make sense of some of the things I write. (If I didn't have them, Ranma would be fineing the demon) Special thanks goes to Mike Anderson who helped me out of a corner I had written myself into. Nick, who made the ending so much better; if you like it, thank him, if you don't, well blame me. And Lin Chi for putting up with my constant demands for spot reading. Thank you all. Next, I want to make this clear, I have a healthy respect for Catholics and Catholicism, and this work is not meant to be an insult or a put down. C&C is, of course requested, and I'll start work on chapter 4 sometime soon.
Jusenkyo Guide
*****************
Jusenkyo Productions Proudly Presents
A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction
Journal of the Ages: Ranma
Chapter 3
Nerima: Present Day:
"Cologne, could you repeat that again?" Ranma asked.
"I said, Son-in-law, that Chochuanshan is known to you as Jusenkyo,"
Cologne looked at the suddenly pale Ranma, "Is something the matter?"
"Uh, no, bye."
"Such a fickle young man," Cologne said to herself as Ranma ran from the
shop. "Shampoo?"
"Yes Great-Grandmother?" the bubbly amazon answered.
"I want you to follow him, he's up to something."
Shampoo nodded and ran after Ranma, her footsteps whispering in the darkness.
"That boy is definitely up to something," Cologne mused to herself. Ranma may be a great martial artist, but a terrible liar. When he started to do lie about what he was doing, it meant that something important was going on. She had not lived for 119 years by ignoring powerful, lying, martial artists.
**********
Akane stopped in front of the Saotome home. It had been a few days since she had last seen Ranma. That was far from normal. Even after his mother had moved both him and Mr. Saotome to her house, Ranma had been by almost daily. It wasn't that she was worried about him, nope, definitely not worried about him, not even one bit, not at all, if you made a list of people that Akane was worried about, Ranma would not be on it.
Akane mentally congratulated herself on not being worried.
But it was still a bit weird. So, she had come to the Saotome house to find out what had happened to her, her, her, to Ranma.
Knocking on the door, she waited as the sounds inside the house told her that someone was coming.
"Yes? Oh, Akane, please come in dear," Nadoka said.
"Thank you Aunt Saotome," Akane said removing her shoes and coming up into the house, "Is Ranma here? I haven't seen him for a few days and I was... I mean Kasumi was worried.
Nadoka smiled, "I'm sorry dear, he just left a few minutes ago, he said that he had some errands to run tonight. Would you like to wait here for him?"
Akane tried to not let the disappointment show on her face. "I'm sorry, but Kasumi will have dinner ready soon, if you see him, could you please tell Ranma I was looking for him?"
"Of course Akane, have a good night."
"Thank you Aunt Saotome," Akane said as she turned to leave.
Walking back towards the Tendo Dojo, Akane fumed going over in her head just what those errands might be.
'The stupid pervert is probably over at that Chinese bimbo's place,' she thought to herself darkly.
A mighty cry of, "Ranma no baka!" rang into the night.
Coming into the gates of the dojo, Akane was met by Ranma.
"Akane," Ranma said, a bit surprised.
"Ranma?" Akane said, surprised as well.
"What are you doing here?" they said at the same time.
Both blinked, from behind them, they heard Nabiki snicker.
"I, uh, was just, I mean, I wanted to talk to you," Ranma said.
"I see, your mother said that you had a few errands to run," Akane responded.
"I did."
"Umm, OK, do you want some dinner? Kasumi's making curry tonight."
Ranma looked around, trying to see if any one of his other fiancées planed to show up. He was about to say yes when he felt it, the pull.
'Not yet boy,' the voice said, 'Not yet, you still have more to lean.'
"I'm sorry Akane," he said, rather surprised to find out that he WAS sorry. "I haveta go."
"Oh," Akane said, feeling somewhat disappointed. "Do you still want to talk to me?"
"Ummm, I'll call you tomorrow," Ranma said.
"I'll, I'll talk to you tomorrow I guess."
In the house, one of the other sisters sighed; those two could be so slow sometimes.
"I, good night Akane," Ranma said, then leapt to the top of the gate, a few bounds later and he was gone.
Akane stared after him for a second or two, "Good night Ranma," she whispered.
**************
Ranma entered into his room from the window. The book was where he left it. As soon as he saw it, the pull lessened. Ranma didn't want to read it, but he had to. Glaring at the book, Ranma moved instead to the bathroom. As soon as he was out of sight of the book, the familiar pull started again.
'Not right now,' he thought to both himself and the book, 'I need to check something out. The pull did not lessen.
In the bathroom, Ranma quickly stripped and went over to the faucet. A bucket of cold water later, and Ranma -chan stood in front of the mirror that was in the bathroom.
"This is stupid, there's no way..." she said to herself, but there was only one way to find out. Turning so that her back faced the mirror, Ranma looked over her shoulder. There, on her back was a small scar. She traced it with one finger, lightly brushing the tissue back there. She shivered ever so slightly; it had nothing to do with the cold. Rather, it was the memory of the impact of the arrow. Ranma had her proof, the book was true.
1,500 years ago, she had led the Amazons to victory over the Mongols but had died in the process. Her body had fallen, coming to rest in a pool in the Valley of the Springs. Fifteen hundred years later, A young Saotome Ranma fell into the same pool, coming out looking like he did now.
"Ranma? Are you in there?" her mother asked from the door.
"Yeah Mom, um, could you give me a few? I need to take a bath."
Nadoka winced a bit, while she was overjoyed at having her son with her again; the fact that he could change sex was still a bit... disconcerting to say the least. "All right Ranma, just don't be to long, your father needs to take a bath later as well."
"Pop's a panda again?" Ranma asked through the door.
Nadoka's silence was all she needed to hear.
Bathed, male, and dressed again. Ranma made it back to his room. Once again he picked up the book, daring to open the pages, to sink himself in lives that were, and yet were not his own.
Akane had given the book to another sailor who traveled around the world, back to England, eventually. There it was passed from one man to another, from kings to peasants. Until sometime in the 12th century when it was given to the parents who were expecting a child, a young boy whom in time would dedicate his life to the Church and God's service. His name was
Ranma Jacob Johnson, later, Father Ranma Jacob Francis Johnson of St. Johns Church.
Ranma stiffened, anticipating the change he knew was about to come.
*******************
Vows and Duties
England, 12th Century:
"Father Ranma! " a voice called through the woods, "Father Ranma! " it tried again. "Where is he?" it asked in a more normal tone of voice. The owner of the voice was a young woman, maybe about 20, if that much. She was pretty, but in a plain sort of way. Brown hair, dark forest green eyes, and a expression that looked like it should have been smiling, not scowling like it was now.
"Father Ranma, where are you?! I brought you your food!" she yelled into the forest again.
"Oh? Is it lunchtime already?" another voice asked from behind her.
The lady gave a small yip and started. She spun to face a man who was a few years older than herself, dressed in the smock of a priest. She glared at him, "Don't do that! " she said, "You almost gave me a heart attack."
The young man smiled gently, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,
Akane."
Akane still glared at him, but then softened her expression. She just couldn't stay mad at him, no matter what he did. It was almost as if she had some feelings beyond friendship for the priest.
Akane stopped that thought right there, Ranma was a member of the priesthood, she had no business in thinking such things. Even if there was not the problem of his vow of chastity, she could not steal him from his work.
Father Ranma was new to St. John's Church, replacing Father Bruce after his death. Already there were remarks on how much better the church; indeed, the entire community was prospering under his care. Unlike other priests of the time, Father Ranma seemed more interested in making sure that his charges were cared for both spiritually and physically than in extracting the most amount in tithes. And Akane, she reminded herself, was in charge of making sure that the good man did not starve to death.
"So then," Ranma said, not noticing, or giving any indication that he did,
Akane's pause, "What did Mrs. Smith make me for lunch?"
Akane blushed just a bit, just a hint of red that was lost in the glow of the fall sunlight. "Actually, I made the meat pies myself, Father," she said. She had worked hard on those pies, she was sure she got them right, this time.
Ranma blinked a bit, then sent a silent prayer, 'Lord, I thank you for the good meal that Akane has made for me, please let us all prosper, and protect me from the poison I am about to digest, amen.'
Most men, Ranma included, considered it lucky that Akane stuck with the cleaning and running of the towns only inn, and left the cooking to her older, married, sister.
To Akane, all he said was "Thank you that was very nice of you to go to the trouble."
Akane beamed at him, and handed him on of the pies.
Stealing himself, Ranma took a bight. If one ignored the fact that the crust was hard enough to pave roads, the meat almost burnt to cinders, the vegetables intermixed with chunks of what tasted like wood, and the pie could be called edible, maybe.
Eyes watering, and taste buds convinced that they were undergoing the inquisition, Ranma managed to force out, "It's very good, Akane, I think I'll save some for later."
Akane smiled at him, and his heart skipped a beat, "You mean it? Thank you Father Ranma!" she said, then hugged him.
For a split second, he almost responded, but then he remembered his first love, sternly he reminded himself just who and what he was. 'A servant of God did not have an affair with any woman, no matter how she makes him feel,' he told himself as Akane released him.
"You're welcome my child," he said, "So then, what news have you brought me?"
Akane's features grew worried, "There's been another killing, this time it was old Kurt in Nottinshire, " she said, "That's just a few miles away."
Ranma nodded his face also worried. For the last few weeks, people had been killed, brutally, in the woods, their homes, in their fields. It had been worrying him greatly. He had sent off a letter to the King's Court asking for some assistance, but so far, nothing had come. The townsfolk were talking about demons and witches, and had started to cast fearful eyes on anyone who was strange. Ranma feared for another repetition of the burnings.
Although he was almost alone in his beliefs, Ranma felt that most of the witches burned were nothing more than just old ladies who kept to themselves. He did not what that to happen here.
Grimly he answered Akane's news, "That is indeed too close, could you please tell the Mayor that I wish to speak with him?"
Akane nodded her head, "Yes Father, I'll go right now."
"Thank you, Akane," Ranma said, and turned to go back to his home.
"Oh, Father?" Akane called after him.
"Yes?"
"Don't forget to eat the rest of your pie," she said.
*Urk* "Uh... Sure thing Akane, " he said. 'I'm doomed,' he thought.
*******************
"Bloody fool," Ranma muttered darkly to himself. "Thinks just because it hasn't happened here or before doesn't mean that it won't." The meeting with the mayor had not gone well at all. Privately, Ranma felt that it was his age, he was still young, and the mayor had been a close friend of Father Bruce and did not like to see a young upstart in his place.
He stomped home to his house, a little residence at the edge of the church grounds, already thinking about sending off another letter to the King, as well as the Bishop, maybe the Church would help where the King did not. Besides, he knew that Bishop Mark, for all the posturing that he did, was actually fond of him, and would most likely send help.
So great was his concentration on weighty matters such as the murders and what to do about the rest of Akane's meat pie that was sitting in his home, that he was almost on top of the girl before he saw her.
She collapsed into his arms, he got an impression of honey blond hair as well as a shapely figure before he noticed morre important things. Like the fact that her simple peasant dress was drenched in blood form a slash in her side. There wasn't much left of the dress either, most of it had been ripped or sheared by something.
Weakly the girl lifted her head to look at him, "Please," she got out in a choked off sob, "Please, take me to the church, give me sanctuary."
Ignoring the blood and exposed flesh, Ranma picked up the girl and started to run to his home. He hoped now that Akane would be there, as he would need her father's skills with this woman. Checking her wounds again, he also started to pray, for he would need God's help as well.
******************
Mr. Brewer was a no nonsense kind of man, at least in looks. Age had given him a kind of massive dignity and his gray hair and whiskers added to it. At least that was what he looked liked. The rest of the town knew that Mr. Brewer actually was rather hen pecked by his wife, twisted around his daughters' fingers, and could be expected to break down and cry at the slightest chance that _anything_ could go wrong. The notable exception to this was the situation that Ranma found himself in now. Mr. Brewer was the town's doctor and sometimes barber.
Ranma marveled once again that this man could seem to be two separate people, when Akane had brought him, he had been crying that he would be missing supper, but was still dragging Akane in his haste to get here. When he came in sight of the girl, the waterworks shut off and with cold efficiency ordered both Akane and Ranma to heat up the room and start boiling water as well as getting his herb bag. Ranma gave thanks once again that the man had found this town to his liking and had not moved on.
Hours later, Mr. Brewer came into the church where Ranma and Akane were praying for the girls recovery.
"Father Ranma," the old man said softly.
Ranma rose from where he knelt before the altar, "How is she?" he inquired.
"Father," he sighed, "It is in God's hands, now, she is far beyond my skill, and it has been a miracle that she has lasted this long."
"I see," Ranma said, lowering his eyes.
"She is asking for you, Father, she says that she needs to tell you about something."
Ranma nodded, and went to fetch the robes of his office, "I will be there shortly, tell her I will give her the sacrament as well."
Mr. Brewer nodded to his daughter who got the hint and left, "Father, I have never seen wounds like these. No weapon made them, no man. They look like something done by an animal."
Ranma turned, shocked, "But there is nothing in the woods to cause such wounds," he exclaimed.
Mr. Brewer nodded, "Father, as I was treating her, she kept on mumbling something about a great black shape, a demon, that is why she was trying to reached you, she wanted the protection of hallowed ground."
"There are no such things as demons," Ranma said sharply.
"And normally I would agree with you, but as you said, there are also no creatures in the woods that could cause such wounds." With that, Mr. Brewer left.
His thoughts troubled, Ranma made his way into the room where the girl was trying to recover.
Akane looked up at him with concern, "She's fading fast, Father," she said.
Ranma nodded, at the sound of Akane's voice, the young woman awoke.
"Father?" she cried out softly.
Ranma knelt by her bedside and took one of her hands in his, "I am here my child."
"Father, you must help me, my family, my sister..." she started to sob.
"Shhhhh," Ranma said, trying to give comfort to the girl, "Just start from the beginning."
She nodded wearily, "My father, he was a seaman, a few weeks ago, he brought back from his last voyage a cup of some kind. He said he had found it in the Holy Land, a few days later, we found out what it was. My sister, she was only five, accidentally cut herself on it. I think it her blood on the cup that did it. Father, the cup was the seal on a demon. It exploded and the demon came out. It slaughtered my family, and ... used ... me," she broke off into some more weeping.
Ranma's features hardened, for some reason, an attack on innocents drove him to rage.
Getting control of herself, she continued, "After that, it would hunt for others, always coming back in the daytime to me," she took a long shuttering breath that ended up in a hacking cough, "Yesterday, it got tired of me and tried to kill me, but I escaped. Father, tonight it will hunt me please, let me stay here, please!"
Ranma looked at her, "Of course you will, now rest my child, I have much to think about." With that he laid his hand upon her brow. A flash of white light bathed the room, startling all three of them.
Ranma jerked back his hand, but Akane's gasp brought back his attention from his hand to the girl. She was whole, healed without so much as a single mark.
"Father, how did you..." Akane trailed off, her eyes going very wide.
"I don't know," Ranma replied, looking back from her, to his hand, to the girl sleeping before him, "But I think that the Lord has granted a miracle."
****************
Two weeks later found Ranma deep in study Christine, the girl's name, had awoken and was now actively stalking Ranma. It was very disconcerting the way she kept on trying to attach herself to him. Protests about how he served a higher calling didn't have any affect at all. Her smoldering green eyes were having a definite affect on him however.
His second problem was that the murders has increased, and they were getting closer all the time, Bishop Mark said that he could not spare any help right at the moment, and the King still had yet to send any troops.
'Not,' Ranma thought darkly, 'that troops would do any good.' His third problem was that Christine's story had checked out, her house had been destroyed by something, and the shattered cup as well as the corpuses of her family still was in there. The demon had fled however.
His fourth and biggest headache was Akane; the girl had become as cold as a midwinter night and just as pleasant to be around. Every time he mentioned Christine's name, Akane would seem to reach for something. Once he thought he saw a giant wooden hammer, but he concluded he had just been working too hard. What troubled him more was he wanted to protest to Akane that there was nothing going on. Even though that should have been self-evident. He also found himself thinking about her more as time went on, it was almost a compulsion. One that led to many sleepless nights as of late, for the compulsion to go to Akane was as strong as the compulsion to keep the vows and duties that he loved so much. The question that had been on his mind had been, 'Why?'
Why her, and why now?
Problems with the two girls' aside, Ranma had spent most of the two weeks reading up on how to get rid of demons, and trying to figure out just what it was that had healed Christine. He had gone through every book in his library, and had picked up a black volume that he didn't recall every reading. He wasn't even sure just why he had it in the first place.
Opening the book, he eyes fell to the first line.
'Greetings, Father Ranma,' it read. Unknown to him, Ranma's questions, and prayers, had just been answered.
******************
Praying had not helped; he had knelt in devotion for hours. Praying was his chosen method on how to get a grip on the problem at hand. Usually, after he was done, he would be at peace, but peace did not come to him now. He knew, he finally knew just why it was he found himself attracted to a simple girl from a small English village. This had never been a problem before; he had become devoted to God early in life, and never had any regrets about choosing the life he now led. But from the first time he laid eyes on Akane, she had haunted him. No matter how many times he reminded himself about how improper, he still had feelings for her. And now he knew why.
Sighing, he got up from the altar. He considered his options, he could request a transfer, but with that demon out there the town wouldn't stand a chance. He could negate his vows and take up the love that, if the book was to be believed, was his destiny. But, no, he couldn't. Even if this magic was pulling him to Akane, he had a calling that transcended all, and he had proof. The healing of Christine had proven that to him. A holy healing, he had only read about it and now he had done it. He had directed the Lord's will through his hands.
That thought made him stop.
'Of course!' Ranma thought excitedly, 'The only way, it is the only way!'
He turned back to the altar, and gave a short thanks to the one who had answered. He was chanting 'Amen' when another presence made herself known.
"Ranma," Christine cooed in his ear, and pressed herself into his back.
"Geeeeeayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! " Ranma shrieked, then went as ridged as a board. He was not used to being in contact with THOSE particular parts of female anatomy.
"Ranma, why don't we... " Christine broke off into a whispered suggestion that made Ranma cringe about the amount of repentance he would have to do for even _thinking_ about it.
Christine spun him around, and looked him right in the eye, "Well?" she asked, challenging him with her look.
Ranma took in what she was wearing, which wasn't all that much, and hi eyes glazed over. He started to mumble something.
With an extremely annoyed look on her face, Christine started to shake him, "Snap out of it, what are you saying anyway?" she demanded crossly.
"…Who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name... " Ranma said, then went back to muttering.
Christine dropped Ranma with a hiss, and jerked her hands away as if they burned.
Ranma shook his head and looked up at her, "I... Uh, Oh boy. I'm... I am a man of God, Christine!" he said, while putting as much space between them as possible. Christine grinned like a cat on the prowl, "I know."
"But, but why?"
Christine stopped and gave him a confused look, "I... I don't know. I'm grateful to you for healing me, but... I don't know why... " Her face contorted in pain, and she gave a small whimper and sank to her knees, her face clutched in her hands.
"Christine!" Ranma shouted and, concerned, he ran forward to catch her.
Instead, she gave a wicked little laugh and embraced him. "Who cares why I do it," she said in seductive tones, "I want you, I want you now." She wrestled the shocked Ranma to the floor. "And I mean to have you, now," she said deep within her throat as she pressed herself into him.
"Help! " Ranma squeaked in a tiny high-pitched voice.
Christine threw back her head and laughed a black evil sound.
That was when a potpie that weighed slightly less than a brick hit her in the head.
Christine rolled off of Ranma, spewing curses. Ranma, who was still on his back, scrambled until he reached the altar. In the doorway stood Akane. A very, very pissed off Akane. Her eyes were wide with anger and shock. Although Ranma couldn't be sure, he thought that she was glowing blue.
"Why you... you..." she grated out between clenched teeth and started to advance on Christine.
"Hello there Akane, what ever is the matter?" Christine said sweetly, "Did you want him first?"
Akane stopped for a second, a slow blush crawled up her face.
"You did?! " Christine exclaimed, "Not to worry, you can join us if you like. "
Akane's glow brightened, she started to move again.
Christine looked worried, "OK, you can have him first then," she said.
Akane did not slow down.
"Now just hold on, can't we talk this over?" Christine said with a hint of worry in her voice.
"NO!" Akane yelled and then swung back and through with... Ranma blinked, just where DID she get that giant hammer?
Christine eep'ed and raised her hands in a desperate attempt to ward off the blow. The heavy mallet connected, and lifted the girl off the ground and smashed her against the wall. Satisfied that her rival had been taken care of, she turned her attention to the priest that was currently trying to blend in with the dark wood of the pulpit.
"You... You jerk!" she screamed at him and raised her hammer high, "How
_dare_ you!"
"Akane, it wasn't, we weren't, I didn't, it's not my..." none of the excuses seemed to be working. Ranma prepared to meet his Master.
"Alright, if that's the way you want it!" said a new voice.
Akane turned to see Christine, hale and whole, and also rather angry. A black nimbus of light surrounded her, giving her features a demonic appearance.
So startled was Akane by this that she stopped glowing and her hammer went back to, well, wherever it was that it came from.
"I offered to share, I offered to let you go first, but no, you wouldn't do it. Well, I have news for you, he is MY toy, MY prize!" Christine screamed. She cupped her two hands together, and a black ball of energy started to form in them.
Akane just stood there too scared to move. Ranma took in the scene before him. "No!" he yelled, and ran in front of Akane. He thrust his arm out, palm facing Christine, "I will not let you hurt her!" he said.
His arm suddenly tingled, and a beam of intense white Light shot out of it, striking Christine right in the chest. She screamed, her voice filled with agony. Then Ranma understood.
"You, you're the demon."
The thing chuckled, "Close, I'm the demon that's using her," it replied in tones that could only be called black.
"But I healed her before," Ranma said, his mind working very fast.
"You healed her, but I already had my link, as soon as you made her healthy, it was simple for me to come back." The thing in Christine's body smirked. "I was so looking forward to having you. The corruption of a priest tastes oh so sweet. I guess I will just have to satisfy myself with your death." It started to form another black energy ball.
Ranma drew himself up, his face stem, "I think not. In the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Sprit, I abjure thee, creature of darkness. Leave the girl for I bid thee to begone!" The white Light shot out of his hand again, bathing the creature. It twisted and writhed in pain, but could not escape.
"Begone!" Ranma repeated. It crawled on the floor, trying to get out of the intolerable Light.
"Begone!" Ranma repeated yet again, this time with a note of finality in his voice. The thing shrieked once more, and then it left, leaving Christine's body like darkness retreating when morning comes.
Christine crumpled to the ground, and Ranma fell to his knees, he felt drained. Then he felt someone helping him up; it was Akane.
"Father, I, I just wanted to say, thank you," Akane said as she helped him to his feet.
Ranma nodded wearily, "Have your father come help Christine, I think that thing will not be back again."
Akane stopped, shocked, "You mean you didn't destroy it?" she asked.
Ranma shook his head no, "I cast it out of her, but I didn't destroy it. I couldn't do that without harming Christine."
Akane helped Ranma back to his house, then ran to get her father. While he was busy tending to Christine, Ranma had a talk with Akane.
"Akane, I need to know, how do you feel about me?" he asked.
Akane looked at the floor, the walls, his bed, anywhere except him, "I don't know what you mean," she said quickly.
"It's OK, Akane," Ranma reassured her, "You're not in any trouble, but I have to know. I need to know if what I read was true."
Akane blinked, a bit confused by that last statement. "I... forgive me Father, I think I've become attached to you." She blurted out.
Ranma nodded, "And I have as well," he admitted.
They both blushed.
"Um, so what do we do now?" Akane asked hesitantly.
Ranma sighed, "I wish I knew. To be honest, I really don't know."
"You could, we could live... together," Akane said.
Ranma nodded, and her hopes soared, "But I cannot dishonor the vows I made, Akane, nor can I give up my duties I have to my flock." He sighed again, this time with regret, "I have always known that I have a higher calling, this is the first time in my life that I regret it."
Akane lowered her head; her eyes filled with unshed tears. "Then why did you want to know?" she asked in a small voice.
"I needed to confirm what I have been told, you see Akane, this is not the first time I've loved you."
Akane looked up at him, her face a mask of confusion.
Ranma told her, everything.
A few minutes after he was finished, Mr. Brewer came in, to say that Christine was resting comfortably, and that he would be taking her to the inn so that he may keep a close eye on her.
Ranma nodded, "Take good care of her please," he said, but he was looking straight at Akane when he said those words.
*****************
Three days later, Akane had worked up enough courage to try and see Ranma again. Everyone in her family had noted how she seemed to mope about the inn, her normal duties being done with none of the cheerfulness that she usually did them in.
Akane approached Ranma's house slowly; unsure about just what it was the drove her forward. No, wait a minute, she knew what it was after all. Ranma's house was dark though, and it was obvious that he hadn't been there for a while.
Akane lit a single candle and looked about the house. It was really a single room cabin, with a desk, fireplace, and bed. On the desk was a picture of the blessed Virgin, and a single black bound book.
Like most women of that day and age, Akane did not know how to read, but she opened the book anyway. On the first page, some strange looking letters turned into molten gold, and twisted. Akane found the meaning being sent into her mind.
'Greetings, Akane,' The words said, 'I am sorry to have to put you through this, but it is needed. As my husband points out, there is always a need for people like your Ranma. Perhaps after you experience this, you will understand. However, whether you understand or not, I know you will act. For every Ranma, there is an Akane, and even if my husband will not admit it, we are just as important as he is in the scheme of things. I've argued with him time and time again to put our experiences in this book so that Ranma, whichever one it is, will know just how much he needs us. And we need him. Stubborn old fool won't even listen to me, just wants me to write letters to people, why that… Excuse me child… I feel much better now, anyway, give my love to Ranma and, oh, and mallet him for insulting your cooking, you'd think we would have beaten that tendency out of them by now.
Lady Akane, Master Mage, Beloved of Lord Ranma of Merlin.'
Akane froze, then her world spun around her, as the pages on the book turned by themselves. She had quick fleeting visions of other lives, and then the world resolved into the point of view of someone very familiar, it was Ranma's.
********************
Two Days Ago:
Ranma hated to leave, this town, isolated as it was, was home. He loved his work, his flock, and... Akane. But he didn't destroy the demon, only banished it from Christine. Ranma now had a link with the evil creature. He knew where it was what it was doing, and knew that if her didn't take care of it now, it would come back and hurt others. Maybe even... no, that thought didn't bear thinking.
So he left, without saying goodbye, afraid really at what would happen if he say Akane again. All of his books had agreed only one who was devoted to God and clean of sin could hope to exorcise a demon. He just hoped that Akane would forgive him and go on to something better if he failed.
With his link to the thing, the creature was easy to find. It had holed up in a cave not an hour from the town. As he approached, he could sense its presence. This was much worse that when it had taken over Christine, this was pure evil. And it was waiting for him. Outside of its cave, he said a prayer, and went in.
The stench of evil and the black despair that stabbed at his very soul is what Ranma noticed first. It was all around him; the very air groaned with the evil.
"Welcome, Ranma," its voice caressed his ear, and Ranma had a sudden desire to wash. "Have you come to me at last?"
Ranma shuttered, "I have come," he said in a firm voice, "To cast you out. To drive you back from whence you came."
"Oh really? And how do you propose to do that? It took many of you bastard priests to seal me in the first place," it chuckled, "No, I think I am going to have much fun with you."
It took a heavy effort for Ranma to get control of himself, he pulled out from under his robe a crucifix, "I banish you, creature of hell, I banish you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The cross, which Ranma held, started to glow, and the Light once more shot forth. The creature roared in pain. Then its dark mass seemed to gather into itself, and solidify. It twisted, and took on the form of Akane.
"Father Ranma, please!" she screamed in pain.
"No! You are not her!" Ranma screamed back, and kept the Light on it.
"Please! It hurts!" she cried in agony.
Ranma shut his eyes, and kept on going. But waves of doubt assailed him.
"Ranma, don't you love me?"
Ranma shook his head no; 'It's a trick,' he reminded himself. 'It's not her, it's NOT. She was back in town. It was the demon, IT WAS NOT HER!'
"Ranma, I love you, please, stop hurting me. Please!"
Ranma tried to close his ears, chanting a prayer, something, anything to keep the cries of the girl in front of him from reaching his ears. He began to falter; the Light grew wan and weak.
"Don't you remember, Ranma, about how you told me you loved me, about the book and how you've loved me throughout all time?"
"I… I can't!" The cross tumbled from Ranma's limp fingers. "I, Lord forgive me," Ranma said brokenly. He moved over and picked up the weakly crying Akane in his arms. "I sorry, I'm so sorry, Akane," he said softly as he cradled her in his arms.
She tried to bring her arms around to hug him, but was unable to make them move, "It's OK, Ranma, I'll be OK."
Ranma let out a breath of relief. In the back of his mind, something cried out, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It was of no matter, what did matter what that Akane was going to be safe, that he hadn't hurt her in his attack. "I'm glad," he whispered to her, "Akane, I, I love you."
"Shhhhh," Akane whispered back, "I know, I know all about it. After all, you are mine."
*******
The next two days of Ranma's life were bliss, he was with Akane, her love for him, and his for her, was meant to be, decided before either one of them had been born. They lived together, sharing in the hunting and chores. When night came, he slept beside her. They hadn't joined yet in wedlock, so he kept it to just sleep.
Although Akane always seemed to be mad at him for doing so.
Life was good, now if he could only figure out just why everything felt wrong. Why he hesitated every time he hugged his beloved.
On the third day, he made a small discovery, on the floor of the cave where they lived; he found a small cross. It was remarkable, he remembered having a cross just like it. He had lost the one he had when he… when he… he couldn't remember any more. 'Mustn't have been important,' he thought to himself. He pocketed the thing; perhaps Akane would know where it came from.
It was getting on towards the afternoon, and he expected Akane back at any time. Tonight he had a surprise for her. For tonight he would ask her to be his wife. Again, something felt wrong. Confused, he looked around, but could see nothing that would give him this feeling of unease.
While pondering this riddle, he heard Akane come in to the cave. As usual, his beloved was singing a cheerful song.
"Ranma," she said, and her heart was in her voice. Ranma reflected on how lucky he was to have her, how great she made him feel, and how wonderful of a cook she was.
There it was again, that feeling of wrongness.
He shook it off like a dog shaking water from his coat. She smiled at him as he moved to take her in his arms.
"So how was your day?" he asked.
"I did very well, I got enough game to last us a while. How about yours?" she said.
"Well, I got everything ready for you," Ranma said, then he remembered something, "Oh yeah, I found this on the floor. Do you know where it came from?" he asked. He pulled out the cross he had found.
She hissed and slapped it out of his hands.
"Akane?" Ranma asked, more than a little worried.
She laughed a weak laugh, "I'm sorry, Ranma, you just startled me that's all."
He stared at her, dumbfounded, "Why did you just lie to me?" he asked with hurt in his voice.
"I didn't," she protested, "Like I said, you just surprised me."
"But, you just did, and then you lied to me again. Akane, I'm not mad, I just want to know why you lied to me."
"Because, Father, she is a lie," Akane said from the mouth of the cave.
Ranma looked back and forth, "What, who, how?" he asked in confusion.
The thing snarled, "Little bitch, I'm tired of you interfering with my plans!"
Blackness swirled, and Akane was dead. She didn't even have time to scream. Her eyes wide open with surprise, her body fell at Ranma's feet.
Ranma reached out a shaking hand and gave her face a soft caress," Akane?" he asked softly. "Akane?" more urgently this time. "Akane?! Akane, no!"
"Damn you, damn you to hell," he whispered, kneeling at what had been the body of his love.
"I already am," the thing replied, "Now then, I think the fun and games are over. You will give me what I want, my toy."
Trembling with rage, Ranma placed one final kiss on Akane's brow, then picked up the cross from where it had fallen.
"Go to hell," he said, and the cave filled with Light.
*******
Nerima, Present Day:
With a deep shuddering breath, Ranma came back to himself. He looked at the clock; it was only 8:30. 'Akane should still be awake,' he thought.
Still trembling a bit, he went downstairs to make a phone call.
His room was silent for a bit, then something leapt in and out, all in one quick movement.
Shampoo raced along the rooftops of Nerima, a black book clutched protectively in her arms. Airen had been reading this book, with a strangely blank look on his face. 'This is something Great-grandmother should know about,' the amazon thought to herself, continuing on her path.
Epilog
England 12th Century:
As the light slowly receded, Ranma fell to the cave floor, his strength gone. Where both Darkness and Light had filled the cave, now, only silence.
Then with a weak cry Akane drug herself to her feet, the influence of the demon that had struck her into a strange, dead-seeming state fading with it's demise. Stumbling across the cave, she knelt by the body of Ranma.
"Wake up, father Ranma, wake up!" she cried, shaking his prone form, trying to convince herself that he was just asleep. The still form betrayed her, though. Rolling him over onto his back, Akane was met with a horrible sight. The cross which he had brought to the cave with him, it's engraved image of Jesus making it into a crucifix, was embedded into his chest, dagger-like.
Directly above his heart.
Crying fitfully, Akane sat over the body. As the sun crept towards the horizon, her tears slowed. As the sun, the eye of God, neared its rest for the night, Akane stood in the mouth of the cave to face it. Drawing the dagger she had brought with her, for she knew not why, Akane placed the tip to her breast.
"Holy Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name…" she started, then trailed off, tears rising. Fighting them back with a sob, she continued. "Please, oh Lord, let me be with Ranma, who surely has ascended to your Heaven. I know what I'm about to do is a sin, Lord, but I cannot live without my beloved, Ranma... " Drawing out the name of her beloved, Akane thrust the dagger deep into her chest, feeling the prick of the blade piercing her heart. And then, she felt nothing.
