The delay of this showing up for all the world to see (well, at
least, all THREE of you) dealt only with my overinflated ego; I had
been editing this sucker at least seven times already, and somehow
I think I could add a bit more. No matter; here goes.
C&C welcome. MSTs encouraged. Flaming reviews from guys under the
bridge most definitely welcome (I know, bad, bad me!).
---------------------------------------------
#11: Enter the Shadows
The Wheel of Fire, Part 4: The Dying of the Embers
Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@hotmail.com)
http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. And
all that other good stuff. Proper licenses belong to respective
properties and characters. The manga has precedence over material in
the anime.
This file can be freely distributed so long as it appears in its
complete form and proper credit. No part may be reproduced for
monetary gain without permission from the author. (to which the answer
is probably "no")
Author's note: This series takes place after the final manga story,
Vol.38, after my previous fics, "Moments of Transition," "Team Ranma
vs. the Orochi Assassins," "End of the Beginning," "Descending
Spiral," "Specters," "The Law of Amazons," "Doco in the Battle of the
Bands," "Doco in Hawaii," "The Past is Prologue," and "Treasure of the
Musk Dynasty." Knowledge of the previous stories helps in
understanding the minor details of the story (see "Plot Points").
This is the second story in the 'Dying of the Embers' part of the
story, dealing with trouble that has been brewing for quite a while.
Plot Points (from previous stories)
==================================
1. Ranma and Akane are married. Ryoga and Akari are married.
2. Doco (Ranma, the Tendo sisters, the Kunos, Shampoo, Mousse,
Ling-ling and Lung-lung, Ryoga, Akari, Ukyo, and Konatsu) goes
semi-professional.
3. Nodoka insisted that Ukyo join her family to remove her past
dishonor. While Ukyo accepted, she opted to retain her name for duty
to her family.
4. Mousse has reached an understanding with both Shampoo and Cologne.
After being kicked out of the tribe for a while, he's gain new insight
and wisdom, but he still blindly-follows Shampoo.
5. Kodachi and Tatewaki reached an understanding. Both hate their
parents and Ranma. They know Ranma is the pig-tailed girl. Kuno
believes the family was dishonored by Ranma's trickery.
6. Kodachi, Ukyo, Akane, and Shampoo have reached an understanding.
They treat each other like old friends, as there's no reason to fight
anymore.
7. Ling-ling, Lung-lung, and Shampoo's father work at the Nekohatten.
8. Kodachi and Pantyhose Taro admit an affection for each other. Part
of Kodachi's reason is so she can win her bet against Asuka the White
Lily, but Taro is actually flattered about it.
9. Ukyo discovers she can manipulate chi, but as of yet it manifests
only in her okonomiyaki. With proper training she could become more
powerful than Ranma, according to the minions of Orochi. She briefly
studied under Herb.
10. Kuno has devoted himself to mastering every technique of the
Chinese Phoenix Sword to destroy Ranma with. With what he knows now he
becomes a match for Ranma's abilities. He waits for the day of the
battle. The Phoenix Sword consumes the power of one's soul.
11. Mousse is learning to fight without his sight, relying on his
hearing.
12. Ranma has been experiencing terrible nightmares recently: one
where his friends and enemies torment him, a second where they die
instead. Both have troubled him deeply, but he hasn't told anyone
about them. Most recently, Ranma has exerted some control over his
dreams, and he recognizes the face of that who tortures him-- but he
won't reveal it.
13. Kuno has received prophetic visions of imminent combat with Ranma.
14. Ukyo is training in unarmed combat under Ranma.
------------------------------------------------
Opening: Don't Cry Any more (aka Ukyo's song)
(With Ukyo and the Doco girls: Ranma, Akane, Kasumi, Nabiki, Shampoo)
(Ukyo) On a street corner, shining down is
The lonely silhouette which is me
I just heard the line "good-bye" from you
Without quite believing it
My heart beats as though they're drums
Against my chest
Which brings forth tears,
(+ Doco echo) A lullaby
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Once tomorrow's here, it'll all be different
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Set yourself against a new wind, and
Smile again!
(Ukyo) I had felt like
I was totally cool.
In the car that's driving away,
I can see a lovely kiss scene.
You and your girlfriend--
(+ Doco echo) It's no mistake!
Cheer up, don't cry anymore
Only bad things won't continue
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
I look up and embrace the sky.
Smile again!
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Once tomorrow's here, it'll all be different
Cheer up, don't cry anymore.
Set yourself against a new wind, and
Smile again!
* * * * *
The underground lab of Dr. Philip Taydome, robotics engineer from
the best engineering school in America, was dark and cramped. The
English-descended man wiped the dust off his glasses, annoyed that
whoever constructed the lab didn't bother to clean up all the dirt
after finishing modeling.
He flipped-on the master light switch, illuminating the dark lab
with brilliant, fluorescent ceiling lamps. I've got to talk to someone
about those, Taydome told himself, as he really hated fluorescent
lights. Natural light was preferable, but underground, that was one
commodity one couldn't have.
It had been over a month since he demonstrated his pinnacle
achievement in artificial intelligence. It was with the prototype of
the GAIA-series robot armor Taydome had impressed his sponsors, who
wished to remain anonymous. And no wonder, if one was going to fund a
secret United States defense contract, one had to keep their
identities secret. Of course, what Taydome did know about his sponsors
was that they were members of the Department of Defense who resorted
to less-choosy ventures than their publicly-visible cousins
upstairs.
It was this same branch of the Department of Defense that installed
me in this stupid underground lab, Taydome reminded himself coldly.
Ever since leaving his main lab in Oahu Taydome cursed his luck, as
the new lab was installed in Japan, of all places!
Of course, the decision had been out of Taydome's hands; his shadowy
'source' insisted he move there. The source had ordered Taydome to
request that the Department to build the underground lab for them. It
would be here the source would direct Taydome's activities. After all,
the source was the true masters behind the program; they were the ones
who supplied the good doctor with supplies.
Particularly the 'part.'
Ah, the 'part!' Taydome didn't know what it was for, but it seemed
very advanced. Its complex circuit structure allowed Taydome to move
in directions he never would have dreamed of on his own, allowing him
to create the complex matrix that served as the GAIA robot's artificial
intelligence and processing unit. It was what made the GAIA series so
successful.
Dr. Taydome reflected to the GAIA prototype's test run in Honolulu.
There had been a group of Japanese martial artists there at the time,
whom the source specifically told Taydome to use as fodder. He made
sure the prototype could not be traced back to himself, or to the
Department of Defense; a fortunate thing, because the shattered hulk
of the GAIA was confiscated by the government for study.
Of course, Taydome never expected the GAIA to lose. It was equipped
with all manner of weaponry: two high-velocity spearhead projectors,
two arm blades, two heat ray lasers, a rocket booster, heavy armor,
superior strength, and heavy boots. None of that was enough for those
martial artists that the source so desired dead. They were too good!
One day, I will show those upstarts the true potential of the GAIA
program!
Taydome walked to the manufacturing center, where, one after
another, GAIA-series robots were being assembled. He cringed at the
sight of the death's head faces each GAIA possessed, each of whose
mouths were twisted in a sadistic grin. It's supposed to inspire fear,
the sources said. After all, they designed that ugly face.
It worked, Taydome thought darkly.
"Is this facility to your satisfaction, Doctor?" asked the distorted
voice behind the American engineer.
"Yes, yes, of course," Taydome replied. "What is the optimal GAIA
output?"
"At optimum levels," started the speaker, the 'source,' speaking
through a voice distorter resting on the shoulder, "we can complete
three GAIA units a day. The Department of Defense expects the first
shipment of fifty GAIAs delivered to it as soon as possible. However,
I have informed them that they will be unavailable for at least fifty
days."
"You told them we could only make one a day?" asked Taydome,
surprised. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting, considering it
took quite a while even to make contact with the Department.
The source nodded. "We will, of course, set aside one of our three
each day for the organization, but the extra two are to be at my
disposal."
"What do you intend to do?"
"I have an old score to settle. You know the ones."
Taydome nodded. "I... understand."
"Look, Ucchan," Ranma lectured, holding his friend's arm, "you want
to throw yourself into an elbow punch. And, if you're fast enough,
you can add a backhand punch in the same attack."
The day was dawning that Saturday morning. Ranma himself was not an
early riser, but Ukyo was; she insisted on practicing early, just so
she could get back to her restaurant in time to open.
Ukyo gritted her teeth, and tried to ignore the sweat that dripped
over her eyes. "I don't want to put all my weight in it, do I? That's
kind of dangerous."
Ranma shrugged. "I don't know what you mean."
"Well, let go of me, and I'll demonstrate," suggested Ukyo.
"Okay, I'll go easy..." Ranma said, throwing and elbow punch at
Ukyo's gut. But, before the blow could connect, Ukyo grabbed Ranma's
exposed arm, and, with a flick of her arm, managed to turn Ranma over
in mid-air. The young Saotome landed flat on his back with a hard
thud.
The next thing Ranma saw that early Saturday morning was the ceiling
of the Tendo dojo. Somewhere beyond his viewing range he could hear
Akane and Nabiki laughing at him.
Ukyo's concerned face appeared, blotting out Ranma's view of the
ceiling. "Ranchan! Did that hurt much?"
"Ooohhh," groaned Ranma, putting an arm under his head as a pillow.
"I'm glad I didn't put ALL my weight into it...."
"I told you that was a dangerous maneuver," Ukyo said, offering her
hand to her fallen teacher and friend.
Ranma accepted, and slowly rose to his feet, one arm rubbing his
sore back. "Sometimes I wonder if I'd really learned how to fight
just anybody. No one else ever does that to me."
Ukyo shrugged, dabbing her forehead with a towel. "Well, the worst
you can do is stop learning."
Ranma peered at his old friend curiously. "You know, one of these
days, you're going to run out of those words of wisdom."
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Ukyo laughed. "I doubt that."
The sisters, Akane and Nabiki, watched, leaning against one of the
dojo walls. It may have been early in the morning, but that never
stopped either sister from watching such interesting spectacles as
Ranma getting trashed by his student.
"You know, from these past weeks, I can safely say that Ukyo's a
defensive fighter," Nabiki concluded.
"What makes you say that?" asked Akane.
"Well, besides the fact she lacks in raw power, and she isn't as
fast as Ranma," explained Nabiki, "she doesn't ever attack unless it's
a counter hit. She's good at dodging, too; it must be a sixth sense,
almost as if she can anticipate the direction of Ranma's attacks. I
doubt Ranma's been holding-back on purpose, too."
"Since when have you been studying styles?" wondered Akane.
"I haven't," answered Nabiki. "I've been around you too long,
that's all." She folded her arms and faced her younger sister. "Did
you hear the latest at school?"
"Yeah," confirmed Akane. "People are saying that Kuno and Ukyo are
item." The younger sister shook her head. "I don't believe a word of
it. Kuno's a real jerk; what could Ukyo see in him?"
"Beats me," Nabiki replied, shrugging. "I'm surprised that anyone
could get together with Kuno-chan." She sighed. "I suppose if it could
be anyone, it'd be with her. She's too darn nice for her own good."
Then again, if they did get married, and, since Ukyo is now legally
a member of the family, I can gain access to Kuno-chan's money
without conning him.
Sometimes the puzzle pieces do fit, Nabiki thought smugly.
"At least she's moved on," Nabiki said. "Shampoo doesn't look like
she'll move on until next century." Right now Kodachi seems to have a
thing for Pantyhose Taro, but, like Ukyo, who knows how far that could
go.
"You know," Akane started, changing the subject, "ever since the
first wedding, Ukyo's been different."
"How so?" asked Nabiki, unconcerned, but listening nevertheless.
"She seems to be the same Ukyo to me."
"Well, she's been through a lot of emotional hardship, ranging from
losing her first love to accepting herself," explained Akane. "She
may appear to be the same Ukyo, but tempered by terrible trials. She's
certainly gotten a lot wiser, considering how she often makes those
profound remarks. In a strange way, they make sense, even when she
doesn't. I imagine something similar would have happened to me had
Ranma chosen Ukyo instead of me."
"You shouldn't dwell on what might have been," suggested Nabiki.
"Pain is good for the soul."
As Ukyo and Ranma walked out together, Ukyo tried her best to
pretend not to hear that last comment Nabiki made. No, pain wasn't
good for the soul, it was good for the body. The soul was too
precious to risk destruction.
Tatewaki Kuno stood alone in the dark hallway that stretched to
infinity, deeper into the darkness.
"The road one travels is of one's own choosing," began Kuno. "It is
the choice of one's path on the journey that is life that determines
what fate lies in the future. The traveler must not regret the road
not taken; to walk through life in self-doubt is a terrible prospect
indeed. Thus, I, Tatewaki Kuno, have taken the path of least regret,
the road taken is the one chosen by my own free will. Ah, to accept
the consequences of one's actions, to look forward to the future, but
never to fear it."
Kuno spoke thus to himself as he walked the dark path. Every once in
a while there would be a road block, but each obstacle served only to
increase the richman's resolve to make it to the end of the journey.
"Sometimes one's path may take many detours before being put back on
track," someone said, a strange, distorted voice echoing throughout the
dark hallway Kuno traversed.
"Who's there?!" Kuno shouted, coming to a pause.
"It is that which you have known would come," replied the voice. "It
is I, the voice of the future, the voice of truth, that speaks to you
now."
"Yes, indeed," Kuno said. This was indeed the one who had visited
him many times before in prophetic visions. "I assume the time of my
calling draws near?"
"Yes, it has," assured the voice. "Your destiny lies upon the detour
you are about to make in your life path."
Without fanfare or warning, the hallway Kuno had been traveling
convulsed, rearranging itself so that the long, straight pathway with
the light at the end ceased to be. Instead, the road twisted and
turned itself, as if it were a snake on the move. The infinite end of
the hallway could no longer be seen.
"My life is about to take many turns," concluded Kuno. "The symbolism
is not lost upon me."
"Indeed, it is not," the voice said. "Through trial and fire, you
must take this road, no regrets."
No regrets. Never! Kuno vowed silently.
"Go forth, Champion!" encouraged the voice. "Go forth, and regain
that which was wrongfully taken from you!"
"Yes...." seethed Kuno, raising a fist into the air with his right
hand, his left gripping the pommel of his sword. "Yes...." He
unsheathed the sword, allowing the ancestral Kuno blade to shine in
what light there was available in the dark hallway. "By my ancestors,
by the will of Heaven...."
He gripped the ancient Kuno katana in both hands, raising the blade
far above his head. Kuno could feel the power of the phoenix behind
him. Then, with all calmness, the richman made a wide-arcing slice at
the hallway wall.
The wall slid away, revealing a clean-cut hole that lead to further
down the road. No obstacle stands in the way of destiny....
"The day has come," proclaimed Tatewaki Kuno, burning in his own
chi-flames, "that I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall rend punishment on the foul
one, Ranma Saotome!"
It was with such thoughts that Tatewaki Kuno woke from his futon in
his room in the Kuno estate, still early in the morning.
Kuno shook his head, trying to reorient himself. He was indeed
within his own bed chambers. Sparing a glance at the calendar that
hung on a nearby wall, he realized that today was the day.
The day when Ranma Saotome would meet proper justice.
He had hardly made it out the door when Kodachi caught up to him.
"Brother!" called Kuno's younger sister. "Wait!"
Kuno turned around, seemingly unconcerned, to greet his sister. "A
pleasant Saturday morning, is it not?"
Kodachi was out of breath. She looked like she had just gotten up,
as her clothes and hair were in disorder. "Where do you think you're
going with the family sword?" she asked, pointing to the sheathed
blade at Kuno's waist.
"It is time," Kuno said simply, his lips curving into a knowing
smile.
Realization dawned upon Kodachi fast. She grabbed her brother's arm,
as if trying to dissuade him from leaving. "You're going to kill him,
aren't you?"
Kuno nodded wordlessly.
"Wait!" pleaded Kodachi. "Please, you must do me a favor!"
"If you wish that I not kill him, I am sorry," Kuno replied, without
emotion in his voice. "It is not my place to choose whether Ranma
Saotome lives or dies this day; my only concern is to see our family
honor restored. If Saotome must die for that to happen, so be it. If
the fates decree that I must die, so be it. A samurai fears not death."
"But you're not a samurai!" Kodachi protested, trying her best to
dissuade her elder brother. "You don't need to kill him!"
"Your ill-conceived concern for Ranma Saotome clouds your judgment."
"And your silly notion of honor and glory clouds yours!"
"Enough!" boomed Kuno. "I will do battle with Ranma Saotome. You
are welcome to come along if you wish, but stay out of my way. This is
my fight, and I request that you no more interfere in my fight as I
would in your own."
Bitterly, Kodachi nodded. Once Tacchi put his mind on something,
there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.
Mousse had no idea where he was.
He stood alone, in a large, bowl-shaped pit, the size of a baseball
stadium, at least. The curves of the pit sloped gradually, until
reaching its maximum degree angle, perpendicular to the ground where
Mousse stood, right smack in the center of the bowl.
"What am I doing here?" Mousse shouted.
The only immediate response was the echo of his own voice.
"You are being judged," someone said.
Mousse didn't recognize the voice. He scanned the area, his ears
picking up the voice from all around him, echoing back and forth on
the walls of the bowl pit.
It was right above him.
"Very perceptive," the voice congratulated. "Your sense of hearing
has improved greatly."
"Who are you?!" shouted Mousse. "Show yourself!"
"Mousse?" another voice called.
"Shampoo?" Mousse called back.
He thought he was dreaming, but there she was. Shampoo stood next
to Mousse, looking just as confused as he felt.
"Mousse, why you in Shampoo's dream?" asked Shampoo.
"Dream?" Mousse asked, puzzled.
"Stupid!" Shampoo cried back, slapping Mousse across the face.
"Sorry," apologized Mousse. "How can we be sharing the same dream?"
"It bad omen," Shampoo replied ominously. "Shampoo no wake up!"
"The slap should've waken me up as well," noted Mousse. "How do we
know this is REALLY a dream?"
"Trust me, it is," responded the third, mysterious voice.
"Why you do this?!" Shampoo shouted to the one overhead.
"Because Mousse deserves to know the truth."
Mousse peered at Shampoo suspiciously. "What's he talking about?"
"Go ahead," continued the voice. "Go tell him, Shampoo, that you can
never love him. That you've been leading him along these past weeks,
simply because you lacked Ranma Saotome's attentions."
"That not truth!" denied Shampoo hotly. "Mousse is friend!"
"Perhaps so, but you shouldn't lead him around as you do."
"Shampoo?" Mousse said, not wanting to believe the voice.
The Chinese Amazon turned away. "Dream no lie...."
"She's right, you know," added the voice. "Dreams never lie."
"You... you've been using me?" Mousse asked Shampoo, not the least
bit angry.
Shampoo nodded.
"You're not going to hurt Shampoo now, are you?" asked the voice
curiously. "Was this problem not caused by Ranma Saotome?"
At that moment both Shampoo and Mousse stiffened. Both Chinese teens
stared straight upward, into the empty, dark sky.
"Ranma...." both repeated.
"You both know what to do...."
Mousse woke from his deep sleep sweating. He looked around
frantically, making sure he was back in the attic of the Nekohatten,
as he was when he turned in last night.
Quickly, Mousse dressed. Making sure he looked presentable, he
climbed down from the attic, and marched directly to Shampoo's room.
He knocked.
"Go away!" Shampoo shouted from behind the door.
"It's me, Mousse," the weapons master replied. "You didn't happen to
have a dream where we were in a bowl-shaped pit, and you slapped me
across the face because you were mad at me because I thought it wasn't
a dream?"
Silence was the only thing that answered Mousse's burning question.
The door slid open quietly. Shampoo poked her head out of the crack,
looking both ways down the hallway, and beckoned for Mousse to enter.
"It's true, isn't it?" Mousse asked Shampoo.
Shampoo nodded. "Everything."
Mousse made his way to the window, and opened it. He stared out
into the streets of Nerima, gazing at nothing, trying to figure out
what to do.
"Mousse remember what man say?" asked Shampoo.
"Yes, I do," replied Mousse.
"Then not much time. We have work to do."
"It is time," announced the source, still with the distorted voice.
Three other figures bowed low to the floor before the source, each
hidden in as much shadow as their master.
"Go to the restaurant called the Nekohatten," commanded the source.
"There, you will meet an ally, one that shall give you the object of
our quest. Once you have it, make sure the subject receives it."
"We understand," replied the leader of the three. "It shall be
done!"
"Excellent," replied the source. "Remember, you fools, the future of
our world depends on this!"
"So, Ranchan, what do you think?" asked Ukyo, just finishing her
breakfast. Kasumi would have fixed them the meal, had she been up as
early as Ranma and Ukyo had been. It was Ukyo who made the meal, as
Nabiki had other business to take care of, and Akane left for her
morning jog.
"About what?" Ranma said, getting up from his seated position.
"Well, my progress, I guess."
Ranma shrugged. "I don't know what to think. I mean, you're by
no means a beginner, and you are showing-me-up quite a bit, but
still...." He allowed the words to form in his mind before
continuing. "You're not being aggressive enough."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, you never fight back until after you get attacked, for one
thing," Ranma pointed out. "Seems to me you tend to wait until the
time is right."
"The way I figure it," answered Ukyo, "is that one has to make each
and every hit count. If I make a mistake, I leave myself open. After
all, the next hit could be the one that clocks me."
"I suppose there's no arguing with that logic," agreed Ranma. "But
still, you're too much on the defensive. You can't win your fights
like that."
"Maybe, maybe not," reasoned Ukyo. "The last time I talked with
Taro, he said its best to let your opponent wear themselves out first,
then you can make your move."
"Humph, Pantyhose-boy," snorted Ranma. "What does he know?"
"Well, you've gotta admit, you never beat him. There's reason behind
his logic, you know."
"The day I follow his advice is the day I die."
Ukyo shrugged. "Suit yourself." She walked to the open porch, and
stretched her arms out to welcome the rising sun. "Sometimes I wonder
about you, Ranchan."
"About what?" Ranma asked, walking to his friend's side.
"Sure, you may be able to beat the likes of Mousse and Kuno, but
you can't ever beat guys like Taro, who've devoted their lives to the
art," explained the okonomiyaki chef. "You tend to rely on yourself,
you never try to better yourself like the others do, and when you do
its because you can't stand the idea of losing."
"Shouldn't that show that I'm adaptable?"
Ukyo turned to face her friend. "No, it means you only allow yourself
to adapt when the winds of change catch up to you. In these past months
I haven't seen you practice any new techniques."
She's got a point, Ranma admitted. Not since that Ryu Kumon guy had
I tried to learn something new. Not that Pop's little tricks were of
any use, of course. "Oh well, that can only mean I'm the greatest...."
"You don't listen!" Ukyo shouted in frustration. "You never listen!
What is wrong with you?" She stepped closer to her old friend. "You
need to understand, Ranchan, that the strength of one man is nothing
after the strength of many. You can't go on relying just on yourself
to get through your battles."
"You're starting to sound like the stranger we met in Hawaii," noted
Ranma accusingly. "She told me to have faith in others, not just in
myself. I have no idea what she was talking about."
"Then you've still got a lot to learn," concluded Ukyo. She turned
on her heels, and marched back inside.
Shampoo stood alone outside the Nekohatten. As the sun was only just
rising, the restaurant was still closed; only she and Mousse were up
at this time. Of course, soon old Cologne would be up as well, and
there wasn't much time left.
She peered at the small box she held in her hand. Shampoo didn't
know why, but she knew that someone would come by very soon to take
that box from her. It was her duty to hand over the box to that
someone, then her troubles would be all over.
"Are you the one with the 'object?'" someone whispered from the dark
shadows of the alley to the side of the restaurant's entrance.
The voice caught Shampoo by surprise. When she located the source of
the voice, she crept silently over, making sure no one else was around
to watch her.
"You are the one," whispered the voice, belonging to a man.
Shampoo nodded, and held the box before her in an outstretched hand.
"This what you come look for?"
The man accepted the box, opening the lid a tiny crack, just to make
sure the contents were there. Shutting the lid once more, the man said,
"Just as the boss said."
Before the man could leave, Shampoo grasped hold of his shoulder.
"Tell Shampoo why you need it," demanded Shampoo. She raised her
fists, ready to fight, if necessary. "You no confuse Shampoo!"
The man shook his head. "I see...." He waved for one of his hidden
companions to come forth. "Okay, 'Bu, take her out."
The second man nodded, producing a small bag from his pocket.
Shampoo had only enough time to back away a step before the powder
hit her. She crumpled to the ground, drifting off to sleep.
"Pick her up," ordered the first man. "It looks like she needs more
'motivation' to serve our cause."
The only sound that echoed in the neighborhood so early in the
morning was the sound made from Tatewaki Kuno's sandals, with Kodachi
following close behind. Not even the birds chirped as they passed
through the avenue.
"I walk these quiet streets," Kuno began, talking to nobody in
particular, "I travel this lane, to greet my destiny with open arms!
In the early morning of this day, comes the battle which may decide
the future of the illustrious House of Kuno. Alone I do not walk the
path, alone I am not! For even my dear sister stands beside me, though
not for honor, but for concern, be it concern for myself, or for that
vile Ranma Saotome."
"Why do you like talking to yourself?" asked Kodachi critically.
"To keep words as mere thoughts is to hoard them for one's own
benefit, and not for any other. To share my insights with the world,
for those who would listen, and those who would care not to listen;
the world thrives not on the insights of one, but of many. To silence
those who would share themselves with the world would be a great
injustice indeed. If it is not for your benefit, then for that of
Heaven."
Kodachi shook her head disappointingly. Dear Brother was getting
ready to die... again! Why does he concern himself with the ways of
Heaven when the ways of Earth are far-more tangible and important?
"Destiny has one great test in store for every one of us," Kuno
ranted on. "When the deed has been done, there is no chance of
changing it. But, deeds may yet be mitigated! As shall be done this
very day, this battle, this time, Kodachi, my dear sister, I shall
avenge our family's dishonor!"
The two Kunos slowly approached the gates of the Tendo yard. Kuno
stood before the shut gate, staring up expectantly, probably hoping
Ranma Saotome would open the gate for him.
Instead, Kodachi pushed the gate open. It creaked open without
hesitation, being unbolted on the inside. "I hope you weren't thinking
about climbing over the wall."
Kuno passed through the gate wordlessly, ignoring his little sister.
He marched to the front door to the Tendo home, and rapped his knuckles
against the wood.
No answer.
"I think we came a bit too early," Kodachi commented. "No one in
their right mind would be up this early!"
Someone from inside called, "I'm coming!"
Kuno stared at his sister, who shrugged.
The one who answered the door was the one neither Kuno expected.
"Kuno!" Ukyo greeted in surprise. "What are you doing here so early?"
The richman pushed his way pass Ukyo with a gentle hand, and stepped
inside. "I have come to challenge Ranma Saotome to single combat."
Ukyo shot a look at Kodachi, who shrugged. "Well, I don't think this
is the right place to duke it out, you know?"
"It matters not the battleground," Kuno replied, "but what is
being fought for. I fight for the honor of my family, of those who
came before, and for those yet to come. Today is the day destiny has
decided for me to make a stand."
"I see...." Ukyo said, nodding in understanding. Today was the day
Kuno and Ranma would battle for honor... perhaps to the death. No, not
now!
Ranma practiced alone in the back yard, always careful to make sure
he didn't accidentally dunk himself into the pond. He thought over
what Ukyo had said earlier: "In these past months I haven't seen you
practice any new techniques."
She was right, of course. But, then again, if you're as good as I
am, you don't need new techniques. Why bother learning something you
might not need to use? What's with people like Herb and Ryoga, ones
who actively look for better techniques? No confidence in their own
abilities?
Humph, maybe that's one thing I share with Pantyhose Taro. He'd
never admit that his style is pathetic; he spends all his life
perfecting each and every single technique he has, and refuses to
accept any other way. He refuses to use chi attacks or aerial attacks,
but, then again, he probably doesn't need either of them. Well, his
loss; I know how to use anything to my advantage-- why be so choosy
about one's technique?
"Ranma Saotome," someone called.
Ranma looked over his shoulder, and spied Mousse, sitting cross-
legged on the roof of the Tendo house. He merely sat there, not
making any moves, with his thick-lens glasses resting on his head.
"What do you want?" asked Ranma, annoyed.
Mousse stood up, eyes closed. He leaped into the air, landing at
the opposite end of the pond, back to Ranma. "I have been ignoring
my enemies for far too long. Akane Tendo was never enough for you,
was she? Not only must you have her heart, but that of Shampoo, and
any other girl!"
"If it's a fight you want...."
Mousse's lips curved into a smile as he turned to face Ranma, his
arms folded. "Of course!"
Without warning, Mousse threw forth his right arm. A set of three
chains lashed out from his sleeve, flying at high velocity toward
Ranma.
Ranma dodged the chains to the side, as he knew Mousse would try
such a predictable attack. "I don't know why you're mad at me this
time, but...."
"The fact that you exist is enough!" Mousse shot back. Dropping
the first three chains, the Chinese teen launched himself into the
air once more. "Hearts of women everywhere will be liberated from
your control!"
The young Saotome's eyes followed Mousse's path into the sky. He
rolled out of the way as Mousse bombarded Ranma with several spiked
balls, each as large as an orange.
Mousse landed once more, not far from Ranma's position, back turned.
Ranma, wishing to finish the unprovoked fight quickly, threw himself
into a flying kick.
To his surprise, Mousse stepped out of the way, allowing Ranma to
continue his flight path unhindered. At least, until his foot
collided with the wall.
It was then that Ukyo appeared at the porch, a panicked look glazed
over her face. "Ranma!" she cried.
Ranma stood up from the ground, looking at Ukyo's direction. "Can't
you see I'm busy?"
Ukyo jumped from the porch and ran to Ranma. "Kuno's here to kill
you!"
Shit. "I suppose you can't tell him I'm busy?" Ranma asked, pointing
at the seemingly-unconcerned Mousse.
For the first time since coming to the Tendo property, Mousse opened
his eyes, letting his glasses rest on his nose. He peered at Ranma and
Ukyo suspiciously, then snapped his fingers. "You!" he cried, pointing
at Ukyo. "Come with me!"
"Why?!" Ukyo cried back. "What are you doing?"
Mousse smiled. "If dreams cannot lie, then your life must be under
the grasp of the One! The future of our world depends on it!"
He leaped into the air once more, but instead of dropping caltrops,
Mousse threw several yo-yo's at Ukyo. Each and every one of the
tethered projectiles wrapped themselves around Ukyo, binding her
tightly.
"Hey!" was all Ukyo could let out before she left the ground, pulled
away by Mousse.
"Ukyo!" Ranma cried. "Mousse, you come back here, you coward!"
"Ranma Saotome!" someone else shouted.
Ranma looked back at the porch, where Tatewaki Kuno, sword
unsheathed, and Kodachi, stood. "Oh, swell."
"At last, Ranma Saotome!" Kuno shouted, raising his katana. "Today
is the day where you meet your end!"
"Ah, excellent," the source said. "All the pieces are moving into
place!"
Dr. Taydome stood next to the source, and stared at the wall
monitor viewscreen before them. "I've never seen this device before.
What is it?"
The source replied, "It is none of your business. It comes from the
same place as the 'part,' and that is all you need to know."
Taydome nodded. "That boy... he's one of the Japanese martial
artists that destroyed the prototype GAIA, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"And those others, they're part of his party? Why are they attacking
him?"
"The mind works in subtle ways," the source replied cryptically. "I
had to influence them. It was simple for those two: Kuno and Mousse.
The others, however, are much harder to manipulate."
"You mean, like the Chinese girl your men brought in?" asked Taydome
curiously. He had been there when the source's three thugs brought
her and the 'object' into the underground lab, but he had no idea
what they intended to do with her.
"Yes, indeed, Doctor. The one called Ranma Saotome must die, and
that would be easily accomplished if Mousse brings the girl to me!
She is the key to the future of our world!"
The source turned away from the wall-monitor. "Now, my good
engineer friend, it is time to release the first two GAIAs. I am
sure three against one is more than enough for Ranma Saotome."
"Considering how he had help just taking care of ONE," Taydome
added. "Watch, sir, as my creations prove that the machine is far
greater than man!"
"I was wondering when you'd show up," Ranma said, unconcerned that
Kuno wielded a real sword this time.
"Ranma," Kodachi warned, "don't underestimate my brother."
Kuno nodded. "She's right, you know."
"I suppose this has to do with your honor," muttered Ranma. "Well,
if there's nothing else to do, let's rumble!"
"As you wish," Kuno sneered, his lips curving into a malicious
smile. He thrust the katana high up into the air, raised by his right
hand, as if summoning Heaven to his side. Whispering to himself, he
said, "Phoenix flames, guide the hand that wields thee! Heaven, fight
by my side this day! Let the battle be joined!"
Ranma remembered the last fight he had with Kuno: he had been no
pushover then. With the flames of the phoenix on his side, Kuno had
more power than before. The young Saotome watched as chi-flames
erupted along Kuno's blade, casting an unearthly hue on the morning
light. So, Kuno, make your first move.
As if Kuno read Ranma's mind, he swung his blade in circles high
above his head. As the blade made its first full circle, Kuno cried,
"Phoenix," the second, "tail," and, the third, "cyclone!"
Unexpectedly, Kuno threw the flaming sword into the air, allowing it
to spin in mid-air by itself. It curved in its arc, fixing itself onto
Ranma's position. Before he realized it, Ranma threw himself aside,
just as the spinning flame blade shot its way downward.
"Go, cut him like the crude saw blade you mock!" cried Kuno, his
right arm outstretched. "Ha-hah!"
"Careful, Ranma!" cried Kodachi.
Ranma looked up, watching as the flaming sword turned around for
another pass. He dodged that one in turn, then broke into a sprint to
make it to Kuno's position on the porch.
"You're guiding it, aren't you?!" Ranma cried, as he threw a kick
into Kuno's gut. As Kuno grunted to himself and fell, Ranma looked over
his shoulder toward the flying flame blade. It lost its flame, then
clattered uselessly to the ground.
"That's it?!" Ranma taunted, standing over Kuno. "That was the
worst battle I've ever seen!"
"Not quite, Saotome," Kuno replied, gathering himself to his feet.
"What's a warrior without his weapons?" Ranma asked, almost
rhetorically. No way Kuno could continue the fight now; he's just
about helpless without a sword.
"A warrior still!" Raising his right arm into the air, Kuno cried,
"Phoenix nether blade!"
Both Kodachi and Ranma took steps back as Kuno's hand burst alight
in chi-flames. To Ranma's amazement, the chi-flames formed what could
vaguely pass for a sword. It was as if Kuno were holding fire itself,
but not getting burned. Then again, it was his own chi.
"Oh, swell," cursed Ranma. The battle has just begun.
"Behold, Saotome!" Kuno cried, raising his chi-blade into the air.
"The Chinese Phoenix Sword never leaves its wielder unarmed!" He
sliced the air, flames trailing the arcing path of the blade.
"Yaaaahhhh!!!"
Ranma dodged left and right, avoiding each and every one of Kuno's
speed-thrusts of the flame blade. Kuno's advantage may have been
speed, but Ranma was much faster.
Ranma saw an opening in the split-second it took between thrusts.
He threw his arms outward, and, channeling his chi, cried, "Moko
Takabisha!"
Two chi bolts collided with Kuno's chest, sending him flying
backward from Ranma's blast. The chi-flame-created sword ceased to
exist as it left Kuno's hands. Kuno lay flat on his back on the
ground.
"I will not rest easy," muttered Kuno under his breath, "until the
day is won!" He willed the flame blade back into existence, pouring
his energies into increasing the flame's intensity. Kuno stood up,
ready to face Ranma once more.
"I don't believe this," Ranma whispered to himself. Kuno never could
take much punishment before.... He leaped back as Kuno completed his
slicing arc, just barely missing Ranma by centimeters.
Dodging each and every swing Kuno made, Ranma tried his best to
discern a weakness in the Chinese Phoenix Sword. Let's see... flames
generate a lot of destructive power and heat... and heat is a form
of hot chi.... I'll show him!
Without waiting, Ranma threw his arm forth, shouting, "Hiryu shoten
ha!"
Kuno was caught unawares by the sudden appearance of the whirlwind.
He screamed as the chi-created phenomenon carried him into the air.
Not far away, Ranma could hear Kodachi's yell. "Brother!"
Ranma scanned the skies, watching from the bottom of the whirlwind
Kuno's spinning path. "I don't believe how many times this works on
him."
He almost expected Kuno to fly out of the whirlwind, but instead,
something else happened. Crashing almost as thunder, from the center
of the whirlwind, someone cried, "Phoenix... reborn!"
Ranma threw himself back as the whirlwind became consumed in fire.
The intense light of the spinning blaze forced the young Saotome to
shield his eyes.
The entire town of Nerima became enveloped in a sunburst, for all
miles around one could see the flaming column that centered at the
Tendo back yard.
Kodachi was no longer alone at the Tendo porch. The other Tendos
and Saotomes, now alerted to the battle in their yard, gathered
behind her.
"Oh my," was all Kasumi could say.
"The spiral!" shouted Nabiki. "The fires...."
"Look, Saotome!" Soun cried, pointing at the brilliant column of
fire. "Could it be...?"
"The phoenix?" Genma shouted back.
"...cancel out all cold chi...." continued Nabiki.
"Destruction by fire...." Soun started.
"...with overwhelming heat!" Nabiki finished.
The whirling flame column dispersed, as if being sucked-into the
center, as if it were imploding. If one could see the center of the
flames, one could make out the shape of a man within.
Ranma's eyes returned to normal vision, only to be greeted by lots
of smoke. Standing in the midst of the smoke was Tatewaki Kuno, his
ancestral Kuno blade in hand, alight in flames once more. What caused
Ranma to back away was the fact that Kuno was unharmed.
"...and reborn!" finished Soun.
Kuno brushed off his shoulder with his free left hand. "Really,
Saotome, did you expect the phoenix to die so easily? In flames of
its own creation? Ha! It is the flames, the fire, the heat, the
destruction! that fuels the legendary Chinese fire bird!"
He gripped the ancestral Kuno katana in both hands, and summoned
the fires once more. Kuno cried, "Phoenix nether blades, I give birth
to thee, as the myriad tails of the legendary bird!" As if on cue,
six flaming blades came into existence around Kuno, each flying under
their own power. The flame blades spun around Kuno protectively. "The
will of the Bronze Phoenix, known as Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of
Furinkan High to men, commands thee!"
"Oh, give me a break!" complained Ranma, as he got up and ran from
Kuno's mad charge. Doesn't this ever end?!
For each blade Ranma dodged, the other six were there waiting for
him. Kuno's own blade was under his own power, but the other six
behaved as if there were six men wielding them alongside Kuno. Ranma
began to feel the heat of all seven deadly blades, and he tired, for
he could not keep track of them all.
"Why prolong this battle?" taunted Kuno. "Face the inevitable,
Ranma Saotome! Your death is at hand!"
Behind Kuno, unaware of the noise, the wall of the Tendo back yard
burst apart.
"Any last words?" the richman taunted, raising sword high.
But Ranma's attentions were elsewhere, as he heard the minute sound
of something being fired. "No!" he cried.
Without thinking, Ranma threw himself at Kuno, tackling him. The six
flame blades, however, remained floating in the air. Several
somethings whizzed-by overhead at high speeds.
"Get off me, Saotome!" Kuno cried. "Or do you, in your perversions,
wish to die in my arms?!"
"You idiot," Ranma said, pointing to one of the walls, "I just saved
your hide!"
Sure enough, the wall Kuno was facing before he was knocked down was
riddled with several tiny, spearhead-like bullets.
The observing Tendos, Saotomes, and Kodachi, yelled in surprise at
the two new arrivals that pounded down the back wall of the Tendo yard,
arms raised, ready to fire at Kuno and Ranma.
"Your deaths are at hand," announced the first of the death's head
men. What stepped into the Tendo yard were two of Dr. Taydome's GAIA
combat machines, ready and armed for the kill.
"Wait, I don't understand," Taydome piped up, as he watched his
creations attack the wrong target. "I thought they were supposed to
kill that Saotome kid!"
The source laughed a strange, distorted laugh. "It doesn't matter
who they kill. All of them must die eventually. Even tools such as
Mousse and Shampoo must be discarded, when their usefulness is at an
end."
Taydome grabbed one of the source's arms. What it was he felt was
the sleeve of a soft kimono. His attentions were momentarily fixed
on the source's soft, flawless skin, but Taydome shook his head,
breaking the reverie. "But, what about the chef girl?"
"As I said before," replied the source, "she is the key to our
future! She cannot be discarded."
"You keep referring to 'us' and 'our,'" noted Taydome. "Just what
is so important about her? How would you know if she were really
that important?"
The source shook Taydome's grasp off. "It is proper for a scientist
to ask questions, Doctor." One cold, unforgiving finger pointed at
the engineer, forcing him to step back. "But remember, my dear
engineer, ask the wrong questions, and your life is forfeit."
Taydome nodded quickly.
"It's... it's... that machine from Hawaii!" Ranma cried in
recognition. "Two of them?!"
"This does not bode well...." Kuno muttered to himself.
The two hulking machines stepped into the Tendo yard, raising their
arm cannons to bear at Kuno and Ranma.
"Objective sighted," droned the first machine.
"Terminate objective," said the second machine.
"I believe it is time to make a hasty retreat from our present
positions," suggested Kuno.
Both Ranma and Kuno leaped up from the ground, running for their
lives as the two GAIAs fired their deadly volley of bullets their way.
Dirt kicked up on the ground on the heels of the two Neriman teens,
scrambling for cover.
"Brother!" Kodachi yelled. She leaped down from the porch, whipping
out her ribbon, and rushed to get the attention of the GAIAs.
Kuno stopped just as the two machines stopped firing at him. He
looked over his shoulder, and saw his little sister making a reckless
move. "Kodachi, no!"
Kodachi wrapped the end of her ribbon around a small sack. She
twirled the ribbon into the air, creating a fierce spiral in the air.
Black rose petals flew forth from the sack. "Black rose storm!"
"What is she doing?!" Ranma wondered.
The attentions of the GAIAs was caught by now.
"Acquiring new targets."
"Targets incoming. Fire."
Just as Kodachi expected, the two GAIAs started firing at the storm
of black rose petals. As the bag ran out, Kodachi snapped her ribbon
back down, and rolled out of the way.
Both Kuno and Ranma made their way to Kodachi's side. They watched
in wonder as the two machines shot down each and every one of the
rose petals.
"That won't confuse them for long," panted Kodachi. "I guessed
correctly; the machines are designed to attack immediate threats as
priorities. Apparently, my false attack drew their attention. Silly,
really, that one need only shout a threatening yell. Hehehehehe...."
"There's nowhere to find cover, not here, at least," noted Ranma.
Kuno, with all six flaming swords still dancing around him, scoffed.
"I find it without form to attack one when his back is turned! The
only acceptable solution would be to take out our mechanical menaces."
"How?" asked Kodachi. "Last time there was only one of them, and
we had enough trouble with that!"
"Watch," was all that the elder Kuno would reply.
Without waiting, Kuno gathered the six flaming swords together.
End to end, the flaming swords attached to each other, forming one
long chain of swords, the source at Kuno's own blade. He swung the
sword chain above him, shouting, "Phoenix tail strike!"
Kuno lashed out with the chain of swords as if it were a whip. It
caught one of the GAIAs square in the head, wrapping around the
death's head face and bathing it in deadly flames.
"Warning," droned the GAIA. "Heat sink overload...."
*KABOOM!*
The chain of swords ceased to exist, its power expended in the
tremendous explosion on the first machine's head. Where the death's
head face once rested was a smoking stump.
The second machine, however, appeared unharmed.
"Automatic shut-down initiated. Heat sink compensation activated,"
the second machine droned. It simply stood there, unmoving, just as
its partner, giving the group time to think their strategy through.
"So, how're we going to get rid of the second one?" asked Ranma.
"I would not know," admitted Kuno. "The tail strike took much power,
power I had gathered from the flame column."
Kodachi said, "Well, whatever it is, we'd better do it quickly,
because that thing looks like its ready to attack again!"
"Auto-repair sequence initiated," the first machine cried.
"Auxiliary visual scanners on-line."
"WHAT?!" all three Neriman teens yelled in unison.
"Swell, the blast didn't take out the other one!" complained Ranma.
"Now what?!"
Kodachi shrugged. "Don't look at me! I don't know any fancy tricks
like you and Brother do!"
"Saotome," Kuno started, getting Ranma's attention. "Am I correct in
assuming that your dragon spiral was fueled by the heat of my flames?"
"Yeah, so what?" Ranma replied. "Neither of those... of course!"
"What?" Kodachi asked, apparently out of the circle.
Ranma turned back to Kuno. "I need you to get both of those things
really-hot. Can you do that?"
"Of course," Kuno replied haughtily. "I...."
"Kodachi, can you distract those two long enough for me to finish?"
Ranma asked.
"What do you intend to do?" asked Kodachi, still unsure of what
was going to happen.
"Keep cool," replied Ranma cryptically. Without another word, he
threw himself into the pond.
Still standing at the Tendo porch, Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, Genma, and
Nodoka watched as the three teens scattered about the yard.
"What is Ranma doing?!" cried Nabiki. "This is no time for...."
"Ranma!" someone called from the front door. Akane ran to the porch,
and stood by with the others. She looked tired and out of breath.
"What's going on?!"
Nabiki turned to her younger sister. "The fight of the century!"
Kodachi looked at her brother, confused. "I'm supposed to distract
those?!" she shouted, pointing at the now-moving GAIAs.
"Heat sink compensation complete," called the second machine.
"Initiate power-up sequence. Initiate battle program upgrade."
"Auto-repair sequence complete," called the first. "Initiate
battle program upgrade. Acquiring targets."
"Keep them busy!" Kuno shouted back. "I'm trying to gather the
necessary heat!" Bit by bit, Kuno's form became enveloped by an
increasingly-burning chi flame.
Kodachi ran from her brother's side. She threw a couple of clubs at
the two machines, trying to get their attention. "Over here!" she
cried.
Needless to say, both machines opened fire on the immediate threat.
While the first resorted to arm cannons, the second attacked with
twin heat rays, being far-more accurate than the arm cannons.
Unnoticed by all, steam rose from the pond. Ranma, now in female
form, removed all excess heat generated from the scuffle with Kuno's
six dancing blades. She watched Kodachi dance about the bullet shots
of the GAIAs, then turned her attention to Kuno, who seemed ready to
explode.
"Surrender is unacceptable," the first machine called at Kodachi.
"Bah!" Kodachi spat. "I find it unacceptable as well!"
"Kuno, now!" Ranma cried.
"Haaaaaaaaahhhh...." rumbled Kuno, throwing all the energies he
could muster into one final blow. He pointed the ancestral Kuno blade
at the two distracted GAIAs, and shouted, "Phoenix fire stream!"
All chi-flames seemed to drain from Kuno's person as a stream of
fire shot forth from the end of the ancestral Kuno katana. The flame
blast enveloped both GAIAs in a hellish glow. Both machines realized
there was a new threat, and, turning their attentions from Kodachi,
readied their aim on Kuno.
"It's time! Brace yourselves, everyone!" warned Ranma. Throwing her
fist forth, she leaped into the fray, and cried, "Hiryu shoten ha
revised: Karyu shoten ha!"
Kuno continued to pour his energies into the phoenix fire.
The resulting violent mix of hot and cold chi erupted into the likes
that haven't been seen since the battle with Saffron: the great
whirlwind of extreme heat and cold chi ripped the two GAIAs from
their positions, and high into the air. Had there been extreme cold
chi available, the destruction would have been immense.
Instead, the whirlwind, overcome by phoenix flames, burst into the
flaming column as before.
Ranma threw herself backward, careful to avoid the flame column's
deadly effects. Unexpectedly, the column, starting from the bottom,
began to dissipate into thin air. The two machines were nowhere to be
seen; all traces left were a rain of ash.
In truth, Kuno had absorbed the phoenix flames, as he did before,
back into his own person. Observers could detect a reddish tint about
his aura.
Ranma jumped, as Kuno clamped down a hand on her shoulder.
"Ranma Saotome," Kuno said plainly. "All debts and honors have been
paid off this day, as Heaven decreed. Today we part ways; from now on
all bets are off."
Kuno turned and walked away, leaving a confused Ranma behind. She
stopped Kodachi before she walked by.
"Kodachi, I have to ask you something," Ranma said.
"What?" Kodachi asked.
"What did your brother mean?"
Kodachi laughed. "He won't admit it, but by saving his life you
have erased what insult you bestowed upon him." She turned and ran
to catch up with her older brother.
"I don't believe it!" cried Dr. Taydome in frustration. "How in the
world did they take out TWO of my creations?!"
The source chuckled. "They are martial artists with chi on their
side, of course."
Taydome stared at the source with excitement in his eyes. "And what
do WE have?!"
"Now, my engineer friend, we have one of our own," the source
replied, amused. "The girl possesses far more power than those two,
yet she lacks proper training."
"Truly? Why didn't you tell me before?!"
"Chi powers belong to the people who can use it, and cannot be
wielded by machines, no matter how much you may desire it so," the
source replied. "I know too well the results of such a disastrous
union...."
"Sir!" called one of the source's minions. "The re-education
process in Shampoo has been completed."
"Good," replied the source. "And Ukyo?"
"The 'object' has been presented to her. The results were as you
expected," replied the man obediently.
"Excellent!" the source exclaimed in delight. "It is no matter that
Kuno is lost to our cause; Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse combined are far
more than a match for Ranma."
"If you don't mind me asking, why is Ranma's death so important?"
asked Taydome.
The source peered at the engineer curiously. "I'll tell you this,
my friend: his death is vital for the future of humanity. If he is
allowed to live, then we are all doomed."
Everyone was gathered at the table for breakfast as Kasumi served
the meal. Both Kuno and Kodachi shared the meal at Nodoka's
insistence.
"I don't get it," started Akane, "I thought we'd seen the last of
those machines when we left Hawaii."
"So did I," Ranma said, who was back in male form.
"Apparently, you, Ranma, are being hunted," Kodachi proclaimed.
"What makes you say that?" asked Ranma.
"Think about it: those two machines came straight to the Tendo
property," Kodachi explained. "They couldn't have known that Brother
and I were here, and if there's anyone that's dangerous around here,
it would be you."
"So nice to be appreciated," Ranma replied sarcastically.
"Ranma, where's Ukyo?" Akane asked.
"Ukyo!?" Ranma jumped, almost knocking over his dish.
"Don't get all jumpy, Ranma," Nabiki suggested. "Just what
happened?"
"It was the strangest thing," started Ranma. "Mousse was there,
challenging me to battle for no reason. As soon as he saw Ukyo, he
muttered something about joining 'the One,' then he grabbed her and
ran off. I would've followed if Kuno hadn't showed up."
"My apologies," Kuno said. "If I knew that Ukyo Kuonji were in
danger, then our battle may have been postponed."
"Well, then our next course of action may be a trip down to the
Nekohatten," concluded Ranma. "I think it's time to have a good long
talk with Mousse."
After finishing their breakfast Ranma, Kuno, Kodachi, and Akane had
made their way to the Nekohatten. It was still early, so the
restaurant was still closed, but Cologne was awake. Quickly, they
explained the situation at hand to the old matriarch. To their
disappointment, Mousse wasn't around, and neither was Shampoo, for
that matter.
"It is rather unusual for Mousse and Shampoo to leave without a
word," Cologne said, sighing. "I do not know if they left together,
or separately, but one thing is for sure, they were in a hurry."
"Mousse has abducted my beloved, Ukyo Kuonji," explained Kuno. "His
location and intent must be brought to light!"
Cologne nodded. "I understand your concern for your friend.
However, I cannot say what drives Mousse. Shampoo...."
"What would be so important about Shampoo's activities?" wondered
Kodachi impatiently.
"I entered her room, and it appears she has taken something quite
powerful with her."
"And that would be...?" voiced Akane.
"The reversal jewel, of course."
"What would Shampoo want with the reversal jewel?" asked Ranma.
The old Chinese matriarch shook her head. "I do not know. If the
kidnapping of Ukyo by Mousse and Shampoo's departure with the jewel
are connected, someone is working from the shadows, specifically to
bring harm to you, Son-in-law. Dark times are upon us indeed."
"Why is that?!" Kuno vented furiously.
"Because if the reversal jewel is put on upside-down, the true
feelings of the one who wears the magical brooch becomes reversed. In
other words, feelings of love turn into hatred, and vice versa."
She turned to Ranma. "If there is indeed one who wishes to kill you,
Son-in-law, then I believe I know the result of Shampoo and Mousse's
actions. You are in grave danger indeed."
"Why is that?" asked Ranma, confused that the pair of Chinese could
cause him any trouble at all.
"If I guess correctly," explained Cologne, "then the reversal jewel
is intended for your friend, Ukyo."
"And since she is friendly by nature," continued Akane, "if the
reversal jewel were to be placed upside-down on her...."
"No!" Kuno couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Do you mean...."
"Yes," finished Kodachi. "The kind demeanor, her cheerfully-
optimistic attitude, and general outlook of friendliness on life,
turn into cold, unfeeling hatred beyond reason."
"Exactly," said the Chinese matriarch. "Everything that she holds
dear, and then some, will become the object of her wrath."
"I don't see how that's a problem," Ranma said. "I'm far and away
better than Ukyo."
"Think about it, Ranma," Akane explained, "we know that Ukyo has
potential to wield as much chi-manipulating power as Herb, right?
Mousse knows that as well; he was there, remember? If Herb taught
Ukyo anything while she was staying with him, then...."
"...she can use those powers on us," finished Ranma, groaning. To
Kuno, he asked, "You were there with Herb and Ukyo; what did Herb
teach her?"
Kuno lowered his head. "Enough to use it."
"Good," Akane said, nodding. "At least she won't be able to pull
really bad things on us. That's one less thing to worry about."
Kuno rested the tip of his katana on Ranma's shoulder. "Be warned,
if you bring harm to Ukyo Kuonji, you will have to answer to me."
"Who said I was going to hurt her?!" Ranma replied sharply.
"That still leaves the matter of who could be behind this scheme,"
voiced Cologne, changing the subject. "I know of no one with enough
power or ability to coerce even Shampoo and Mousse to serve him,
whether willingly or not. It is given that Shampoo and Mousse are
not acting alone, as the machines you described indicate. There is a
larger power moving."
"Could it be the Orochi?" asked Akane.
The Chinese matriarch shook her head. "It is not the way of the
kami, even one as evil as the Orochi, to resort to machinery. The one
behind this is not a kami of any sort, but man."
"Very few people would want to kill me," Ranma pointed out. "I mean,
I can count them on one hand! There's Pantyhose...."
"He wouldn't dare!" Kodachi cried, cutting Ranma off. "He's too
much a gentleman to resort to cheap tricks as manipulation of others!"
"She has a point," agreed Akane. "That's not Taro's style."
"Besides," added Kodachi, "Taro got attacked by that Hawaiian
machine, too."
"Well, moving on," continued Ranma, "there's also Saffron, but he's
long gone, and Ku... never mind."
Kuno shot Ranma a hard look.
Ranma shrugged. "I can't think of anyone!"
"Then you have offended one who stands in shadows," Cologne
concluded, the last word dripping with ice.
Ukyo had no idea how long she'd lay on the cold, hard slab that
served as a table. Actually, upon further inspection, it was in fact
a very hard cot, typical of American military.
She looked around, and absorbed her surroundings. It was a rather
dark, yet plain, brown-colored square room, with a single door as
the only outlet. The low-level florescent lights barely lit the
room. The only thing that set this apart from an empty room was the
cot.
The okonomiyaki chef rubbed her arms and legs, still sore from
Mousse's yo-yo's. The trip from rooftop to rooftop had ended abruptly
when Ukyo recognized the building. Of course, she didn't expect to be
taken underground, to a facility that the ones above probably had no
idea existed. Immediately Mousse relinquished her to three men, who
appeared a little shocked at their victim, then carried her to the
cot room. She didn't know how long it took for one of them to come
back, carrying a strange little box. He had produced a strange green
brooch, then fastened it to Ukyo's okonomiyaki shirt, just below the
neck. Ukyo had no idea what the jewel was for.
She cursed her luck, as her bandoleer was still back at the Tendo
dojo. Then again, that's what training with Ranm....
Ranma.
That little bastard! He was to blame for all this!
"That's right, concentrate your anger on Ranma," encouraged a
strange voice.
Ukyo turned around. The door was now open, and, standing there, was
a stranger, shrouded in darkness, but plainly wearing a patternless
kimono. She couldn't tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman.
"Who are you?" Ukyo asked cautiously.
"I'm your benefactor," replied the source. The stranger stepped
closer, into the light, removing the dark shadows.
Ukyo gasped. "N...no.... Y..you! How can this be?!"
"Listen to me," continued the source, "the future of humanity
depends on the death of Ranma Saotome! You have the capability in your
hands!"
"I'll gladly rid you of Ranma, but you...." Ukyo started.
"I have no time to explain," the source said quickly, cutting Ukyo
off. "You will have help from others: Shampoo and Mousse have joined
our side. There's also my three minions, whom you've met already.
Unfortunately, Dr. Taydome's robots won't be complete in time for
this skirmish, but we cannot wait that long! I should have waited, but
impatience got the better of me. The sooner Ranma dies, the better."
Ukyo nodded. "Very well, but you're going to have to explain
yourself to me when this is all over...."
"Seiryu," the source said gravely. "Call me Seiryu."
The blue dragon, thought Ukyo. How fitting.
The day was approaching noon, and Ranma and company had no idea
where to look. All four teens remained at the Nekohatten, taking up
space while Cologne opened for business. Ling-ling and Lung-lung
didn't appreciate having to serve tables, as Mousse and Shampoo
were not there to do the job themselves.
The four decided the best course of action would be to wait for
either one of the Chinese teens to return, as none of them had no idea
where they might have gone.
Their patience paid-off when the door opened to three shadows. All
eyes were on the new arrivals.
"Ranma Saotome," Ukyo said venemously. "I knew we'd find you here."
Ranma was the first to stand up. He stopped, noticing the light of
the room shine off the green brooch that rested at the bottom of the
okonomiyaki chef's neck. "Ukyo...."
Standing beside Ukyo, to the left and right respectively, were
Mousse and Shampoo, both having arms folded. All three teens stepped
inside the restaurant.
Kuno stood up. "Ukyo Kuonji, I know not what those fiends may have
done to you...."
"Silence!" Ukyo cried. Throwing her arm forth, a tennis ball-sized
bolt of energy leapt from Ukyo's palm, flying at such speed that Kuno
had no time to dodge.
Shampoo stood forward. "Our quarrel with Ranma, no one else! Ranma
must die!"
Akane shouted back, "Why?!"
"The future of humanity depends on it!" replied Mousse, removing a
chained claw from his sleeves.
Cologne emerged from the kitchen. "If you don't mind, I would
prefer you take the fight outside."
"Certainly," Ukyo said. "I wouldn't want to ruin such a lovely
restaurant." With that, the three turned heels and marched back
outside.
Ranma looked at Akane assuringly. "I'll be fine. Just wait here."
Akane watched as Ranma left the restaurant, with Kuno and Kodachi
following behind. What can I do to help Ranma? He'll need some help,
that's for sure. Now, just who could I turn to for... yes!
With that, Akane jumped from her seat, and exited the Nekohatten.
"Seiryu, I don't understand," Taydome began. "Why are you attacking
the boy now? If we wait until tomorrow, we can be sure that the next
two GAIAs are ready as well!"
"Fool," replied Seiryu's distorted voice. "Ranma must surely be
weak from his earlier battle. If we tire him out, little by little,
it will be a small matter for myself and my three minions to finish
him off."
"But, what if that may not be possible?" asked Taydome.
Seiryu gave a glaring look at the engineer. Taydome cringed at the
close proximity he was to the source's scar over the left eye. It
terrified him immensely-- Seiryu's dead eye seemed to peer into
Taydome's being. He almost thought it glowed.
"Then, my friend, you'd better make sure that the next two GAIAs
are operational by this evening. I don't care if you make shortcuts,
because Ranma dies today or not at all!"
Three against three, arrayed in the street the Nekohatten was on.
On one side was Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse, each armed with fists,
bonbori, and chains, respectively. The other side was Ranma, Kuno,
and Kodachi, the latter being armed with katana and ribbon,
respectively, as Ranma fought unarmed.
No sooner had the six combatants left the restaurant a crowd was
gathering. The customers of the Nekohatten left their seats to stand
by the door and watch the confrontation that was waiting to happen.
Even the twins and Cologne stood by to watch.
"So, Ranma, our time for battle has come," announced Ukyo.
"I suppose so," Ranma said, shrugging.
"You don't understand how important you are to the future," Ukyo
explained. "Seiryu, our leader, has seen it! It is the will of the
One that you must die, lest humanity be doomed!"
"Yeah, and why is that?" asked Ranma.
That seemed to take all three opponents aback. Shampoo shook her
head. "Shampoo... not know," the Chinese Amazon admitted.
"It doesn't matter!" Mousse decided. "It is time to end this once
and for all, for all time!"
Ukyo threw a glance at both Shampoo and Mousse. "You can do what
you will with the others, but Ranma is MINE!"
The six combatants charged, each taking on one opponent each. Kuno
danced around Shampoo, Kodachi tangled with Mousse's chained claw, and
Ranma dodged the furious blows of Ukyo's wild punches and kicks.
Kuno, whose sword was sharp enough to slice the thinnest hair, sliced
both of the huge balls that formed the bulk of Shampoo's weapon in
half. It was training in destroying watermelons that urged Kuno to
attack the bonbori first, almost on instinct. Yawning, as if taunting
Shampoo to think of better attacks, Kuno allowed his guard to drop.
Shampoo saw this opening, then flew into a leaping kick. What the
Chinese Amazon didn't know was that Kuno anticipated the attack, and
side-stepped accordingly, allowing the girl to fly pass in the air.
Kodachi pranced about Mousse playfully, dodging each and every
attack from the chained claw with ease-- her agile body was used to
such quick movements. She lashed out with her ribbon, which normally
would have been no match for a chain, and snagged the claw-end of
Mousse's chain. With a violent jerk, Kodachi disarmed Mousse, but
that didn't stop the Master of Hidden Weapons at all. Reaching into
his sleeves, the Chinese acrobat leaped back, throwing six chains,
three from each arm, toward Kodachi. The Kuno girl merely danced
around the ill-conceived attack.
Ranma, however, was too reluctant to hit his old friend, as she
continued to swing her punches in fury and in such speed that all
Ranma could do was dodge.
"Ukyo, it's me, Ranchan!" Ranma called desperately.
"Fhaw!" spat Ukyo. "You're the cause of all my troubles, and now
you're going to die!"
The reversal jewel! Ranma thought. If I could only just get close
enough to get it off her.... He dodged yet another wide swing, which
prevented the young Saotome from getting close enough to Ukyo.
"Did you want to play with fire?" taunted Ukyo. "Too bad, because
all I play with is water!" Throwing her palms forward, a chi-bolt
was given birth. "Eat this!"
The energy bolt pounded Ranma square in the chest, washing over
him like a glob of water, yet it truly wasn't water. As this was
the force of water, the blow hurt immensely.
Ukyo stood over Ranma. "Pathetic!" she announced. "I expected
more of a fight out of you, Ranma. I am your worst enemy after all."
"You're not my enemy," Ranma forced himself to say, over the pain
in his stomach. "You're my friend...."
"And that's what makes you weak!" Ukyo shouted. "How can you beat
an enemy you can't bear to harm?!" She stretched her palms open,
letting chi pulse within the cupped hands. "I may be inexperienced,
but I know enough to finish you!"
The unexpected blow that hit Ukyo came from behind caused her to
lose her footing. Ranma flinched, almost certain that whoever attacked
Ukyo would come for him next.
"Akane-sama wished that I would help you," Konatsu said, offering
a hand to the fallen Ranma.
"Konatsu!" Ranma exclaimed, accepting the kunoichi's hand. "What
are you doing here?"
"I'm here to save you from Ukyo-sama," explained Konatsu, his
sword still sheathed on his back. He fought unarmed, as he wished no
harm to come to his beloved Ukyo. "If you cannot harm Ukyo-sama for
her own safety, then leave the battle to me."
Ranma nodded, then stepped back.
"Konatsu!" Ukyo spat, getting to her feet. "You little prick, I'll
show you for interfering with the future!"
"I don't know what you speak of Ukyo-sama," began Konatsu, "but I
will do everything in my power to release you from your spell!"
In the meantime, Kuno had Shampoo pinned to a wall at swordpoint.
"I suggest this be a good time to yield to me," Kuno said.
"Shampoo never surrender!" she cried, kicking Kuno between the legs.
"Shampoo!" cried Akane. "Stop this!"
The Chinese Amazon turned to Akane menacingly. "Shampoo no need
fight richman, but fight you! Now you die!" Shampoo threw herself at
Akane, feet first.
"Wait, Shampoo!" Akane yelled, dodging the Amazon's attack. "There's
no reason why you should be doing this! You love Ranma!"
At the mention of Ranma, Shampoo's anger turned into confusion,
flushing over her face noticeably. "My... love?"
"Yes!" Akane encouraged her. "You wouldn't want to kill him because
you love him!"
"Love..." Shampoo repeated. Then, she shook her head violently. "No!
Akane have Ranma's love! You WILL die!"
"No wait!" the youngest Tendo girl shouted hastily, arms raised.
"You can't kill me, or Ranma will never love you!"
That seemed to stop Shampoo in her tracks. She clutched her head in
both hands, shaking nervously. "No, no, no! Get out of Shampoo's head!"
Shampoo screamed.
The scream caused Mousse to halt his barrage of chains. Something
snapped within him, causing him to forget about the battle. He cried,
"Shampoo!" With that, ignoring Kodachi, he ran to his beloved's side,
holding her gently. "Your beloved is here!"
As soon as Mousse put his hands on Shampoo, all doubt was erased from
the Chinese Amazon's mind. She turned around confidently, and decked
him. "Get away, stupid!"
Konatsu, in the meantime, dodged each and every water bolt Ukyo
threw at him. The kunoichi studied his friend's frantic attacks,
trying to discern a pattern in her attacks. Deciding there was none,
he merely waited for an opening.
Without hesitating, Konatsu leaped into the air. At the same time,
he withdrew his sword, exposing the blade to the light of the sun. Ukyo
stared upward in panic, knowing that she was no match against an armed
man without weapons of her own. She merely stood there, jaw dropped,
eyes open wide, waiting for the finishing blow.
Instead, the kunoichi landed just before the shocked okonomiyaki
chef. With the end of his blade, Konatsu flicked the reversal jewel
off her shirt, sending the brooch flying.
Ukyo merely stared at the kunoichi, dumbfounded.
"Konatsu?"
"Ukyo-sama, you're all right," Konatsu assured her.
"I... was going to kill you... and... Ranchan!" she realized.
"The cursed jewel is gone," the kunoichi said, holding his friend
tightly.
Ranma rushed to Konatsu and Ukyo's side. "Ukyo! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," replied Ukyo. "Just... a bit disoriented, I guess."
"Then it's all over," Ranma announced.
"No, it's not, Saotome," Mousse said, walking to the Saotome, one
hand supporting his head steadily. "It is only just the beginning.
Seiryu will undoubtedly be displeased with what has happened here
today."
"Who's Seiryu?" asked Ranma.
"The one who visited our dreams," replied Mousse cryptically. "The
one who used us against each other, just to get at you."
"Me?" Ranma's gaze was a blank stare. For the life of him, he
couldn't figure out why anyone would want to kill him, especially
someone he doesn't know.
"I can't believe it myself," Ukyo began. She grabbed Ranma's
shoulders, and looked him straight in the eyes. "You see, Seiryu is
me."
"It will be a matter of time before they lead Ranma to me," Seiryu
announced, back to the three minions. "When that time comes, it will
be up to us to save the future."
Dr. Taydome chose that moment to enter the private chamber. "I
regret to inform you, Seiryu, that the one who has been tracking me
for the past month is on his way!"
Seiryu chuckled. "So, he's finally caught up to us? Are the GAIAs
operational?"
"Yes, but all the weapons aren't configured properly...."
"Good enough!" Seiryu declared. "I suggest you lay low, Doctor,
for this facility is about to rumble."
"They're hiding under the bathhouse?!" Ranma exclaimed.
Mousse nodded. "There's a secret entrance in the back room. Shampoo
and I have been there quite a few times already, and there's no
traps. It's the source of the GAIA machines."
"We should be careful of Seiryu's three monster minions, too,"
cautioned Mousse.
"What monsters?" asked Konatsu.
"Beings of nightmare," explained Mousse. "They are men with the
features of animals. They're extremely powerful in their own right."
"Strange, I thought they were normal men," Ukyo said doubtfully.
"Shampoo no remember monsters," added Shampoo.
"I'm telling you, there are monsters there!" insisted Mousse.
The party consisting of Ranma, Akane, Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyo,
Konatsu, and both Kunos entered the bath house. There was no one
around; only the empty hot baths and the lights were any indication
that anyone was around.
"I don't like it," Kuno said. "It seems too quiet."
"Welcome, friends," a voice announced over an intercom system.
"Seiryu!" Mousse shouted in recognition.
The distorted voice of Seiryu chuckled. "I'd like you to meet my
three bodyguards." One after another, entering the bath chamber
from separate doorways, entered three shadows. Stepping into the
light, the monstrous features they possessed became apparent to
Ranma and company. "Byakko, Genbu, and Suzaku!"
True to their names, the three monsters bore resemblance to the
legendary creatures of the same name. Byakko, a white tiger-man, had
the upper torso that resembled that of a man, but his lower portion
resembled that of a tiger's body, giving him six limbs in all. Genbu
resembled a snapping turtle, standing on his hind legs, with
opposable thumbs on his forelegs. Suzaku, the red bird, stood on the
hooked talons of a bird, his arms outstretched, throwing open his
wings that were part of the arms. All three animal men peered at the
teens with blood in their eyes.
Finally, Seiryu emerged from the darkness. Wearing a plain kimono
hued almost sky-blue, she had her hair tied-up in a bun. Other than
the long, vertical scar that ripped over the left eye, and perhaps a
bit of wrinkles, Seiryu's face was a startling resemblance to that
of Ukyo. She discarded the voice distorter from her shoulder, letting
it clatter into the hot bath, where it shorted-out.
"She DOES look like Ukyo!" exclaimed Ranma in surprise.
"It is time to end this, for the future!" Seiryu proclaimed.
Pointing a finger at the Neriman teens, she cried, "Attack!"
Genbu lumbered slowly toward Ukyo and Konatsu, snapping his beak
anxiously.
Suzaku took to the air, but Mousse and Shampoo were ready for him.
Byakko charged toward the two Kuno siblings, ready to do battle.
Ranma and Akane were left alone to fight Seiryu by themselves.
Byakko wielded a double-sword: while holding the handle of the
sword a blade jutted from each end of the handle. Kuno's katana
clashed with each end of the double blades, one after another, as
Kodachi contended with the tiger-centaur's raking front paws.
Ukyo, still without her weapons, threw chi-bolts, one after another,
at the exposed armored chest of Genbu, while Konatsu leaped to the
turtle-man's other side, trying his best to pierce the hard shell.
Ranma dodged Seiryu's energy bolts lazily. He noted that the woman
was holding back. "You're the one who's been tormenting me in my
dreams, right?"
"Correct," admitted Seiryu, her dead left eye glowing malevolently.
"I wished to break you from within, but your show of force in our
last encounter proved that it could not be done. Therefore, I had to
resort to the others. Dream manipulation is a delicate, but simple way
of influencing others. After all, the strength of the one is no
comparison to the strength of the many. But, you didn't listen. You
never listened."
Strange, that's something Ukyo had said before! Ranma thought.
"Let this be an end to your days!" announced Seiryu, lifting her
arms high into the air.
Akane looked behind herself, and noticed that the water from the
hot bath was beginning to leap over the side. "Ranma!" she cried in
warning.
While the Tendo girl had enough time to avoid the back attack,
Ranma had no suck luck. Hot water drenched him; the force of the hit
was such that the water wave attack knocked Ranma onto his stomach,
off his feet.
He craned his head up in time to watch Seiryu throw two more chi
bolts his way. Ranma rolled out of the way, the two chi bolts
throwing-up water upon impact.
Seiryu smiled. She threw her left arm downward, letting it tremble,
as if that were the only part of her body that shivered. A low
rumbling sound was all that either Ranma or Akane could discern from
their adversary's actions.
Without warning, something burst from the ground below Seiryu. Now
in her capable hands, Seiryu gripped a long, three-pronged trident in
both hands, holding it up high. "I believe it's time to go fishing,"
Seiryu taunted.
Suzaku tried his best to bombard Mousse and Shampoo with bombs,
but the two Chinese teens kept one step ahead of their avian adversary,
staying above him at all times. The red bird squawked angrily as
Shampoo landed on his back, frustrated at being unable to attack his
prey. Mousse, taking advantage of Suzaku's distraction, threw
several chains, each wrapping around the bird-man's body. He jerked
the chains downward, throwing himself into the hot bath along with
Suzaku and Shampoo.
Soon both Shampoo and Mousse emerged at the surface of the bath,
both catching their breaths.
"Where's the bird?" asked Mousse.
"In headlock!" Shampoo replied, bringing her opponent to the
surface.
What broke the surface of the bath water was not that of a bird
creature, but of an ordinary man, gasping for air.
"Nooooo!" the man cried. "My powers are gone!"
"What?!" both Shampoo and Mousse exclaimed in surprise.
"Could it be...?" Shampoo started.
"Jusenkyo cursed?" finished Mousse.
Ranma, sparing only a glance away from Seiryu to see Suzaku's true
nature, cried, "Everyone! Get them into the baths!" He threw himself
out of the way as Seiryu's trident barely caught his arm.
Ukyo nodded in understanding. Konatsu jumped off Genbu's back,
and swung his blade wildly, trying his best to get the turtle monster
to the edge of the pool. The monster growled, unwilling to enter the
pool when it reached the rim. Shrugging, Ukyo threw both palms forth,
summoning the power of water to her side.
In no time flat the stream of water chi sent Genbu flying into the
hot bath. Soon thereafter the head of a young man popped up to the
surface.
Kodachi threw her ribbon around Byakko, distracted in combat with
her older brother. Wrapping once, twice, three times, Kodachi
flung the huge monster with all her force into the hot bath.
Seiryu snorted, realizing her minions were defeated. "So, you've
discerned the weakness of my bodyguards!" She floated high in the
air, just out of reach of Ranma's blows. The leader of the monsters
folded her arms, trident resting on her right shoulder.
"I'm willing to bet you're not cursed, are you?" Ranma guessed.
"You are correct in assuming that they are Jusenkyo-cursed," Seiryu
said. "It was Herb who said that the mixing of Jusenkyo curses would
only compound the curses. Therefore, they willingly bathed in the
Springs of Bengal tiger, red bird, and snapping turtle, then a trip to
the Spring of Drowned Man!"
"How can you know that?!" Ukyo cried. "Unless...."
"Fools, don't you understand?" the kimono-clad woman cried. "I am
from the future!"
Ranma spared a glance at his old friend. "When were YOU going to
tell me about the springs?!"
"You're the future me?!" shouted the okonomiyaki chef, ignoring
Ranma.
"Precisely!" confirmed Seiryu. "However, my existence in this time
is due to my chi energies alone; without an anchor in time, I and my
companions would cease to exist!"
"Why have you been doing this?!" cried Ranma.
Seiryu floated higher into the air. "Because, Ranma, through your
actions, the future is doomed! It is through your actions that I lost
everything and more, least of all my eye! I brought myself, my three
minions, and future technology, for the sole purpose of making sure
you die!"
It was then Dr. Taydome emerged into the bath house. "The future?!
How fascinating! The 'part,' the weapons... all from the future!"
"Impatience got the better of you," noted Ukyo, nodding sagely.
"You... you've been here for a while, haven't you?"
"Technology as you have been handling, my engineer friend, should
not exist for another ten years!" Seiryu explained, ignoring Ukyo,
her dead eye glowing brighter. "And if Ranma isn't killed before the
day of judgment...." Her voice trailed off. She shook her head
violently. "No! I won't let it happen again!"
Raising her left arm, Seiryu cried, "Annihilate them!"
Ranma turned his head around. Behind him and the others, were two
more GAIAs, their arm cannons ready to fire.
"Oldest trick in the book," muttered Mousse. "And we fell for it!"
"Initiate firing sequence!" droned one of the GAIAs.
"Not while I'm alive!" someone shouted.
"Who's there?!" shouted Kuno.
The new arrival moved like a blur to everybody's eyes. The man ran
about, allowing the GAIAs to consider him a threat. He came to a halt,
standing right between the two machines.
"Taro!" Kodachi cried in recognition.
Pantyhose Taro smiled, and bolted. The two GAIAs, too slow to adjust
their aim, unloaded their ammunition into each other.
Dr. Taydome gasped in surprise. "You! Why don't you leave me
alone?!"
Taro came to a halt at Kodachi's side. "Miss me?" he asked.
Kodachi laughed. "I knew you'd be back!"
"I've been tracking Taydome since we last parted," explained Taro.
"As you know, these machines he's building are too dangerous to exist,
especially if they are from the future! They must be destroyed at all
costs!"
"You've got no argument from me!" agreed Ranma.
"No!" protested Taydome. "No one touches my creations!"
"Come, Doctor!" Seiryu shouted. "We must withdraw! I realize too
late that the battle is lost! If we leave now, we may yet triumph!"
Seiryu turned around, back exposed to Ranma and company. Genbu and
Byakko, both naked, crawled out of the hot water bath, leaving Suzaku
in Shampoo's headlock.
Mousse cried, "The reversal jewel!"
Sure enough, resting on the back collar of Seiryu's kimono was the
reversal jewel, hanging upside-down for all to see.
Seiryu turned in anger. "You won't let me leave, will you?!" She
spun her trident in a full vertical circle. "Very well, then! Get
back, Doctor, because if I fail, then we won't meet again!"
Taydome nodded, and ran to hide. Both Genbu and Byakko did likewise.
"I should enjoy taking you all on by myself," taunted Seiryu.
"If you take off the jewel now, I won't be able to maintain my time
anchor the split-second it takes for my mind to leave the influences
of the jewel."
"And you won't exist...." Ukyo muttered to herself.
"Well, if all you're going to do is wreak havoc for the rest of my
life, I'd say that's a fair trade," Ranma shouted back.
"I knew the dangers of time travel," Seiryu continued. "I've
accepted the consequences of my actions, but now, Ranma, you're
going to have to accept yours!" She pointed the triple-pronged
trident at the Nerimans, channeling chi-energies into the head of
the weapon.
"Look out!" warned Taro, throwing himself and Kodachi for cover.
As Taro suspected, three energy bolts fired from the trident head,
each one firing after different targets. One bolt crashed where
Kodachi used to stand before Taro knocked her down.
Shampoo, still in the hot bath holding her now-human opponent,
ducked her head below the surface of the pool as the second of the
bolts seared the air. To her surprise, the bolt, though made of
chi-created water, continued on its path, crashing at the bottom
of the pool.
The third chi bolt headed into Konatsu's direction. He tripped and
fell on the slippery surface, unable to get away.
Ukyo, recognizing the kunoichi's danger, threw a chi bolt of her
own. By judging the speed of the incoming attack, and calculating the
proper moment to throw the bolt, Ukyo's bolt deflected Seiryu's shot.
Ranma leaped into the air, sailing up and over Seiryu's levitating
body. His opponent's eye followed his arc in the air, distracting her
from making another attack. And, just as he sailed behind her, Ranma
reached out with his arm and snagged the jewel from Seiryu's back.
"Oh my...!" whispered Byakko.
"What has he done?!" Genbu screamed. "We're gonna die!!"
The look on Seiryu's face appeared as that of sudden liberation.
The second that began, her form began to waver, seemingly ready to
dissolve. Slowly, the source behind Dr. Taydome sank to the floor,
unable to maintain her levitation powers.
Ranma caught Seiryu in his arms. "It's over," he announced.
"What's going to happen?" wondered Akane.
Seiryu smiled, her dead eye seemingly glowing for one final burst.
A fine beam of light jumped from the dead eye, colliding with Ranma's
forehead, but having no apparent effects. Ranma shook his head in
confusion at what his former opponent was showing him.
What Ranma was seeing in his mind happened in a split second; images
of the destruction bombarded the young Saotome's thoughts. He even
recognized the smoldering ruins of the Tendo household and of the
high school. Everything was on fire, burning, destroying. He saw, from
Seiryu's perspective, the three volunteers she gathered jump into the
Jusenkyo springs. He saw what he believed to be the time travel
machine that sent the four back in time, barely recognizing who he
believed to be Kodachi, dressed in a dirty white lab coat, hair in
a mess. He saw, from behind rocky cover, Kuno, standing alone amidst
the destruction, katana raised high, and charging to his final battle
against an unseen opponent. Finally, Ranma saw a row of marble slabs
in a dark room, each the final resting place of an unfortunate person.
One after another, Seiryu passed the corpses, stopping at one in
particular. She had said, "I was too late," just as Ranma recognized
the face of the one on the slab: Akane.
And, with the same suddenness, the images vanished.
It only took a split-second, yet it seemed to stretch on forever.
Ranma was shaking at the visions he saw. What... happened?
"Ranchan..." Seiryu whispered, "thank you.... I'm... free...." She
seemed to be choking on her words, trying her best to finish her
message before her existence ended. "Don't... let it... happen...."
"What?" asked Ranma, desperate to know what caused the destruction.
"Just remember... we are all.... One."
Without warning, as if some force were sucking her into a hole in
her stomach, Seiryu imploded, her form disappearing from existence.
In turn, her three minions disappeared as well, in the same manner.
Shampoo tumbled over in the bath with the sudden release of her hold.
Akane leaned over to Ranma's side, and placed a sympathetic hand on
his shoulder.
Ranma shook his wife off. "No... I'm okay."
Of course, Dr. Taydome was just fine. "No one, NO ONE, is going
to touch my creations!" he cried defensively, blocking the way to the
back room.
Taro pushed Taydome aside. "Sorry, Doc, but from what the lady said,
this technology shouldn't even exist! I'm putting you and your
operation out, for good. From now on, the world will be safe from
your weapons."
Inwardly, he added, "And, no one shows me up and gets away with it!"
Taro exited the bathhouse later that afternoon, joining the others
that waited outside. He walked to Kodachi's side. The Kuno girl,
happy to see her love, threw her arms around his neck lovingly.
Dr. Taydome sat alone in front of the empty bath house, sulking,
unsure of what the Department of Defense would do to him.
"It's over," announced Taro. "All records and devices have been
accounted for, and destroyed. We won't see another machine like that
again."
"At least, until that technology is invented in ten years," noted
Akane dryly. "So, you've spent the past month tracking them down? I'm
proud of you."
"Thanks," Taro replied, trying hard not to blush to the woman that
resembled his mother. He turned his attentions back to Kodachi, who
was smiling knowingly. "Come on, let's go."
"Heh-hee," chuckled Kodachi. "I think it's time I showed you the
place I call 'home....'"
"What I don't understand is," Ranma started, changing the subject,
"why the future Ukyo, Seiryu, would want to come back in time, risking
existence, just to kill me."
"I don't know either," admitted Ukyo. "Whatever it is, she said the
event would be happening soon. I, for one, wonder how she got the
reversal jewel on her in the first place."
"I suppose we'll never know the whole truth," Akane decided. "We'll
just have to deal with Ranma's problem when it comes up."
While the three friends talked on, both Shampoo and Mousse left
together, returning home to the Nekohatten. Konatsu trailed behind
Ukyo, as the three started the walk back to the Tendo household.
Ukyo changed the subject. "Ranchan, do you suppose the future
will turn out as bad as Seiryu painted for us?"
"How should I know?" Ranma replied honestly.
"Of course, she never said anything specific," Ukyo added. "I've got
to remember to pay attention to detail the next time I time-travel."
Certainly, losing an eye is nothing to look forward to.
"Well, I think," started Akane, "that since you no longer have the
reversal jewel, Seiryu will never exist; she was a creature born of
hate created by the magic of the jewel."
"Of course, what're we going to do with the jewels now?" wondered
Ukyo. "We've got two of them."
"I don't know," admitted Ranma, fumbling with both reversal jewels
in his pocket with one hand. It was to his surprise that Seiryu's
jewel didn't vanish along with her.
"I guess we'll have to figure that one out later," concluded Akane.
"Ukyo," Ranma started, "why didn't you tell me about the springs?"
"The springs?" Ukyo asked. She snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah, about
Jusenkyo. I'm so sorry, Ranma, but I couldn't think of a good time
to bring it up."
"You could've told me after Herb told you," Ranma replied.
"It's not that simple," explained Ukyo. "You see, Herb says that
the Jusenkyo springs survive every natural disaster thrown at it.
The sources of the springs, what truly matters on the cursed training
grounds, are unaffected, even if the waters are. The thing is, when
a cursed person jumps into another spring, the effects of both curses
are combined, as both take effect at the same time."
"And that's why Taro, after jumping into the octopus spring, only
has those tentacles," concluded Akane. "I can't believe I haven't
thought of that myself."
"Then I suppose it's a good thing you guys stopped me from getting
the water from the Spring of Drowned Man," Ranma said. "I... I don't
know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything!" assured Ukyo. "Just remember to
be careful what you wish for."
"Can you imagine a man-woman?!" Ranma cried in exasperation. "It
could've been me!"
Akane grabbed Ranma's shirt. "If you go even one step farther in
that thought, you're sleeping on the roof!"
"Hey, hey!" Ranma replied defensively, holding his arms up. "It's
not my idea!"
Ignored by all, walking in the opposite direction of Ranma, Dr.
Philip Taydome sighed inwardly, repressing a telling smile. The
fools, they believed I was completely vanquished?
Reaching into a hidden pocket on the inside of his lab coat, the
robotics engineer produced a shiny band of metal. Appearing in some
respects to an oversized watch, the band could fit easily over
Taydome's arm. Prying open the top of the mechanism attached to the
band, he peered inside, staring in wonderment at the circuitry. Sure,
the circuits were damaged in places, and the device, according to
Seiryu, won't ever work again, but just studying the design allowed
Taydome to create a new generation of circuits for his terrible
robots.
The robots and the records may be gone, Taydome told himself, but
the 'part,' and the dream, goes on!
* * * * *
Closing: Lambada Ranma
[Akane:] In our Tendo dojo,
[chorus:] our tenant
[Akane:] Ranma had harsh training at,
[chorus:] Jusenkyo.
[Genma:] Quite a tragedy!
[Ranma:] When I pour water on myself,
[Girl Ranma:] I turn female,
with my messed-up life.
[chorus:] Akane's fiancee!
Ranma: You are SO uncute!
Akane: You've got to be kidding. That pervert, I refuse!
Genma: Hmm, how shall I explain this?
Ranma, I'll kill you! Shampoo
Girl Ranma: Why'd you do this?!
Kuno: I'm the Blue Thunder of Fuurinkan High!
Soun: How do you explain yourself, Ranma?
Oh-hohohohohohoho! Kodachi
Mousse: So, you think my techniques mere tricks?!
Cologne: You're quite skilled, Son-in-law.
Happosai: Hahahaa, I've got Akane's panties!
Bwii, bwii bwii! Ryoga
[Akane:] In our Tendo dojo,
[chorus:] our tenant
[Akane:] Ranma had harsh training at,
[chorus:] Jusenkyo.
[Genma:] Quite a tragedy!
[Ranma:] When I pour water on myself,
[Girl Ranma:] I turn female,
with my messed-up life.
[chorus:] Akane's fiancee!
-----------------------------------------------
Author's Rant
The sources behind Dr. Philip Taydome have been revealed at last.
Note that I failed to refer to Seiryu by any indication of gender
until after the revealation. Now we know why, back in Hawaii, the
robot he sent to attack the Nerima crew was far-more advanced than
any other machine. The premise is similar to that of Terminator 2:
Judgement Day, but with different results. No Skynet, but something
else entirely. You'll see.
Taro had been hunting Taydome ever since he parted company with the
others at the end of the Hawaii story. His motivation: it's either
because the machines were showing-him-up, or a development of duty
to protect the weak, your choice. Taro's duty to protect others has
only gone so far as to extend to women in danger in the manga, but I
see this as an eventual growth of character, since being exposed to
the respect of three others: Akane, Ukyo, and Kodachi. As you can see,
the quest has made him a veritable expert on the GAIAs, seeing how he
trashed them so easily. More ego points for him :)
Kuno's honor has been resolved concerning Ranma, as Ranma saved his
life. This counts for a lot, even if your own enemy saves you. It
wasn't quite how I planned it to turn out, but it was the only way
to do it without Kuno or Ranma dying. All debts and bets are off.
The three goons were created after I wrote Treasure of the Musk
Dynasty, where Herb explained to Ukyo what happened when one acquired
multiple curses from the Jusenkyo springs. I based all four villains
after the four beings, Suzaku, Seiryu, Genbu, and Byakko, representing
the compass points and elements together.
Razorclaw X
http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html
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"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."--JMS, creator of Babylon 5.
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Understanding is a three-edged sword."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Never show your hand until the end."--me, being profound.
--Razorclaw X