Greetings all,
Here once again with an installation in my latest epic. ;P
Ranma and Akane are, as always, copywritten to Rumkio Takahashi and her
various other organiztions...The rest are mine.
C&C, as well as more prereaders, can go to:
gargoyle@glasscity.net
gargoyle9@hotmail.com
or
gargoyle4@hotmail.com
Flames, as always, will be filed in the round folder.
Thanks go to my prereaders;
(In no particular order) Kenneth Payne, Matthew Start and Lathrop Preston
So sit back and enjoy!
***
Mythos
By
Joshua Trujillo
Part 6 - Playing Out of Tune
Rei couldn't help giggling at the feel of the cloth against her cheek.
She opened her eyes and held the silken cloth up to the light,
watching the sun bounce around the curves of the fabric.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
The old shopkeeper smiled. This was a girl that obviously knew
her material. Rei looked to the old woman. The scratched an idle
itch and tried to assess the wealth of her young customer.
"And you can make me a fighting tunic from this material?"
"Oh no," the old lady said taken aback, "This is material for the
finest of dresses, my dear. It's for impressing the men, not killing
them."
Rei sighed and thought for a minute. Perhaps...
"When could you make me a dress?" Rei asked.
"Well, we'll take your measurements and have it made by this time
tomorrow," the matron said, "Then we could even have it delivered
to wherever you're staying."
A smile flashed across Rei's face at the thought. They were going
to be in Kellenel for a while. Perfect.
"I'll take it," she said.
"Right this way dear, and we'll get those measurements."
Ikari looked back to the vendor with whom Rei had been talking.
Old women like that gave Ikari the creeps. She shrugged as she
watched Rei follow the old crone to the side area.
"Here you go ma'am," the young man in front of her said.
Ikari took the little stick he proffered and gave him a couple of
coins. He gave her change and a wink. She wanted to knock him
out.
Ikari sighed. These halfwit males all had the same things on their
minds and it really annoyed her. Ikari nibbled on the shofn stick.
She hadn't had one of these since a roving carnival had come to her
village when she was a child. She missed them too. Shofn sticks
had been something she missed about them. Childhood memories
that flooded back with the sweet crystallized meat. A meal, yes but
also something like dessert. It was an odd combination that Ikari
loved.
Ikari walked over to the bench at which Ranma had parked herself
in the noontime sun. Ranma sipped happily away at some frozen
drink thing that she had picked up along the way. Hanasu was not
far off, looking at the wares a local goldsmith had available.
"How much jade do we still have?" Ikari asked quietly.
"About 4 and a half, but then that also takes care of the hotel for
the time we're here, so the remaining is just for food and supplies,"
Ranma said, "And these freezy things. These are good."
Ikari nodded between bites of shofn. They had arrived in Kellenel
a couple of days ago and had since grown quite found of the city.
The jade that they didn't have to pay Tsute came in handy as most
of Kellenel was more expensive, but Ikari thought that was
probably the price for civilization. She looked down the crowded
marketplace that lined the central area of the town.
Ikari had never been in a city this large before and it worried her.
Once they were out in it, Ikari had found that the people were
generally friendly and helpful and that helped. Even the homeless,
whom Ikari had never seen before, seemed to take most things in
stride. Their group had been wet and dirty and generally a mess
when they had arrived. They were able to find a place to stay with
good baths, and free breakfasts, and so many other things. Ikari
had been a little breathless. Rei had joined her, but seemed to
handle it a little better. Ranma had been impressed by the service,
but also took it better. Hanasu acted like it hadn't been enough.
And the baths. Ikari reveled in the thought. She knew Rei had as
well. Growing up in the country made one used to taking baths in
the rain and most of the time in freezing cold water, so the hot
running water in the bathrooms were enough to make Ikari stay.
The hair soap was a neat invention too. Her hair had a little bounce
that she'd never noticed before and it fell about her shoulders in a
way that made her feel good. She liked it.
She had wondered, at one point, how Rei was carving off the little
chunks of jade that they were exchanging for money, so Rei
showed her. Apparently, Rei's grandfather had sent with her a pair
of clippers. Strong blades, or magical or something like that.
Anyway, they got a good deal in the local bank. Ranma and
Hanasu did most of the talking, as Ikari didn't know anything about
it. They found that a very small amount of jade got them a very
large amount of usable money here in Kellenel.
Ikari could see the merchants hawking their wares into the distance
of the central market. It seemed to hold a place of prominence in
the city and led up to the main state building that dominated one
end of it. The building looked very much like a golden mountain
rising up around which a city had been built. Ranma had said it
looked like stuff she used to learn about in school. Similar to the
ancient civilizations in the world from which she came.
Yuubi had been placed in a stable nearest the hotel. Ikari had tried
to get Rei to sell the animal, but Rei wouldn't let her go. She held
on to Yuubi like a pet, and Ranma figured that the animal would
probably come in useful later on, so they decided to keep her. Ikari
hadn't understood the attraction of it. Yuubi was a good work
animal, yes, but she always licked Ikari across her cheek when she
came near. Rei would giggle and comment on how Yuubi liked
her. Ikari just thought it was gross. Ikari finished off her stick as
Hanasu sat down on the other side of the bench.
"So what now?" Hanasu asked.
"Well, Rei said that there is something called seers that could tell
me where Akane was," Ranma said, looking off where Rei was
talking with the old lady, "She said that the only good seers are in
Akamerajh, so we might head there. I've been there before. Nice
town, but I don't remember any seers."
"I've heard that the seers my family use come from Akamerajh, so
maybe that's a good place for you to go," Hanasu said.
"What about you?" Ikari asked.
"Well, I've had word sent to my family and they should have a ship
out soon to pick me up. In the meantime, they'll send compensation
for your troubles to the hotel," Hanasu said, "And I get a vacation
in the process."
"I wish we still had Satori with us," Ranma said into her freezy.
"Good Gods, what for?!" Ikari exclaimed, "Satori was a prick, who
only wanted to have sex with you. He was a lousy seer too..."
"Yeah, but what he did see was incredibly accurate," Ranma said,
as she watched Rei conclude her business, "Remember how he
showed you my true form?"
"That could have been a trick Ranma," Ikari said defensively, "I
really never trusted anything that Satori Futsuu ever did for us."
"Who's Satori Futsuu?" Rei asked as she handed a folded piece of
paper to Ranma.
"He's a jerk."
"He's a guy that Ikari and I picked up about a month after we left
her village," Ranma said, unfolding the piece of paper.
Ranma read it and sighed to herself. She turned her head up to look
at Rei, who remained passive. Ranma sighed to herself again and
nodded, to which Rei began jumping up and down, clapping her
hands. Ikari shot a questioning look to Ranma, who just shook her
head in what Ikari realized, was resignation.
"Don't ask," Ranma mouthed to her.
Ranma got up and Rei took her arm. Hanasu and Ikari followed as
they made their way back towards the hotel.
***
Kowaku sniffed slightly and waved off the vendor that was
pestering her to get out of his tent. She was too busy watching
Shiro. She wondered what exactly was going on with that girl. It
seemed that the tall blonde girl and the shorter blonde girl were
friends. The raven-haired girl was most certainly attracted to Shiro.
Kowaku wrinkled her nose at the thought. She shrugged and shook
her head.
It took all types.
Perhaps that was why Ten'imuhou-sama wanted Yoko. She seemed
to be Shiro's type, that innocent schoolgirl type. Kowaku hummed
to herself slightly. It was good that they had opened up shop when
they did. Yoko was having a couple problems finding the right
combination, but perhaps this would help.
So they wanted a seer, did they? she thought to herself, We just
might have to give them one then.
Kowaku took the little plug out of her ear. The little device fit
nicely into a pouch that she kept near her waist. One of the little
things on the black market from the other side of Kellenel.
Kowaku smiled tightly. It was a listening device and Kowaku had
found something that just might help them.
She stepped back into the shade of the tent flap and watched as
Shiro and his group headed back towards the hotel at which they
were staying. She smirked, even as the annoying little vendor
continued to argue about where she was standing. She looked
around and, finding no one nearby, slipped a knife quickly into his
ribs. He grunted once and tried to fight, but the poison on the blade
took over quickly and he subsided easily into death. Kowaku
looked around as she pulled him inside the tent. She picked up a
couple items from his stand as she left. He was really overpriced
anyway.
Kowaku pulled her robes around her and walked briskly back
towards the blue district. She disliked being placed in the
residential district, even though they had a business.
Bureaucracy, she huffed to herself.
The market crowded around her. Men stared after as she passed.
Kowaku pulled at the hood that covered her head, partially to
protect her from the glare of the sun, but also to keep her
pheromones from influencing the populace of the city. If she spent
too much time in the company of the opposite sex, her pheromones
would drive the men insane with sexual tension. It was one of the
reasons she kept a poisoned blade handy. One slight prick and it
was all over. She smiled to herself. One prick for another.
She turned the corner in the first alley and stepped up to the side
entrance. She put her key on the lock and it glowed slightly,
accepting her pass. Kowaku heard the click of the lock and she
pushed the door aside, closing it behind her.
"Kowaku-san," Yoko said from her workstation across the hall,
"Did you see her?"
"Yes, there might be a problem getting you in though," Kowaku
put the little trinkets on the end table and went to Yoko's station.
"Kowaku-san, this is the latest batch. A little too strong, I think,
but then for Shiro, it should be fine," Yoko said, looking at the
swirling black liquid, "What's the problem?"
"Well, there seems to be a group of girls already with her,"
Kowaku said, setting another trinket down, "And one of them
seems to be very well acquainted with her, if you catch my
meaning."
Yoko raised an eyebrow at her mentor. She sighed and set the flask
onto a small circular pad. The pad began to rotate the flask and
Yoko dipped a nearby brush into a clear liquid. She painted the
sides of the flask as it turned slowly around. Kowaku watched her
student as Yoko then took a glass rod and dipped it in the same
liquid. She ran the rod along the side of the flask as it turned and a
sweet note rang into the air. It rose in volume and timbre until
Yoko took the rod away. She set it down and picked up a little
metal hammer.
"Kowaku-san, I may act nice and innocent," Yoko said above the
note, "But I'm not."
She sharply tapped the hammer against the flask. Kowaku watched
as the liquid inside flared into the neck of the flask slightly and
collapsed in on itself into a tight pillar shape. The note in the air
died away and Yoko tapped the flask again. The pillar inside the
flask heaved and fell away into a cloud inside the flask. Yoko set
the hammer down and wrapped the flask in a towel, removing it
from the pad as she wiped off the liquid.
"Now, all we have to do is wait for the dust to settle, and it's
ready," Yoko said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Well, I think we might have something between us that will bring
Shiro to us," Kowaku said as she watched the dust swirl into
different, delicate patterns.
"What is it?"
"Hm?" Kowaku muttered.
"This thing that we can do to draw her," she sighed.
Yoko silently wished her mentor could hold her own attention for
more than the time it took a man to orgasm.
"What? Oh, that," Kowaku thought for another moment, "She's
looking for a seer."
"Do you know what they were going to ask the seer?"
"No," Kowaku thought again, "It has to be something pretty big
because they were talking of going to Akamerajh to get one. Why
not open the flask now?"
"Because the cloud would get out before it settles to usable dust,"
Yoko explained, "But you didn't hear what it was?"
Kowaku shook her head. Yoko sighed. If she could just find an
angle, then Shiro would be hers. The performance that night could
go a long way towards getting herself in Shiro's group. Kowaku
had told her not to worry about how she was going to do that, but
Yoko still wondered. Yoko watched her mentor walk to the other
room and begin picking out clothes for her for that night. She said
that Shiro liked a certain look in her women and that she could
help give her that look. Again, Yoko wondered.
Yoko looked back to the flask, with the swirling blackness inside.
She didn't like the use of those kinds of powders, but with Shiro
being a Senshuken, Kowaku told her that there was no other way.
Yoko wasn't convinced. There had to be another way, there always
was. Some way to not only get Shiro, but to control her as well.
There had to be a way.
An odd thought passed through her mind at that point, like a flash
of insight. It confused her though, as it didn't make any sense. Why
would Shiro be called 'Shiro Daiou' when it was clear that she was
a woman? Wouldn't she be called 'Shiro Kisaki'?
The question nagged at Yoko, who couldn't come up with a clear
answer. She put it away in the back of her mind to work on later.
Something told her that the question was more important than the
project in front of her. It nagged her like an errant child who won't
go play in the yard. Something about it gave her the distinct
impression that it was the key for which she had been looking...but
how?
"Which do you think would work better?" Kowaku asked from the
other room, "The white or the silver?"
Yoko supposed that, for now, the question would wait.
***
There was a flash on the other side of the courtyard that startled
her. Hana took a couple of deep breaths as she set the bag down on
the bed of the cart. She looked to the origin of the flash and
frowned.
Honestly, she thought, bringing an imadoushin on the trip with
them was pure suicide, especially one that had such raw innate
power.
Hana Son watched as Ijisai trained the red haired girl. The girl had
a small metallic ball suspended in mid air and was playing an
elementary game of keep away from Ijisai. It was an acolyte game
that honed their telekinetic powers. Hana was surprised to see how
far the red haired one had come in such a short amount of time.
Ijisai said at one point that the girl's name was Mikan. Stupid
name. Like the ones the northern tribes would give to older,
unmarried girls.
Hana gasped as the girl-
She caught and corrected herself. Mikan was her name, no matter
how silly it was. She had folded the little metallic ball through
space to the other side of Ijisai. Why the nerve...! That was a high
level sister-protectorate spell. What in the world was Ijisai doing,
teaching something so dangerous to an imadoushin like Mikan?
She would have to speak to the acolyte when she was done with
the days training.
Hana shook her head and looked back to the cart. This was Ijisai's
work. Why should she be forced to...
No, she corrected herself, No one was forcing her to go along.
But then, she knew that Esu couldn't protect herself. She proved
that in the final fight with the namagoroshi. While Esu was off
getting pummeled by the critters, Hana was back in the main
chamber trying, once again, to shatter that damned stone. She had
succeeded too. It left her a little tone deaf when the thing exploded,
but it meant that there would be no more namagoroshi. Well, less
that there had been.
Hana was disgusted to find out that shattering the stone did nothing
to abate the power it held. It simply split it into many, very strong
little stones. Hana stopped trying after that. Apparently, splitting
the stone at least toned the effects down to the point that it stopped
calling the namagoroshi. Maybe by spreading the power out or
something, she didn't know. She took comfort that she was the one
that got rid of them, even if they did attribute it to that imadoushin
of Ijisai's.
What of the flowers? the voice said to her quietly, What of the
pretty flowers and the happiness?
Hana closed her eyes tightly against the voice. She shook her head
and the feeling went away. She had no time for a little nagging
voice that meant nothing but to confuse her. She opened her eyes
again and pushed the sac fully onto the cart. Hana looked at the
sac. She suddenly realized that she had no idea what was in these
bags that weighed so much. She didn't know. That bugged her. Esu
brought them from her place in the storeroom and told her to load
them into the cart, that they were vital to the success of their
mission.
If they were so vital, why didn't she tell Hana what were in them?
Well, because she really didn't have to. Esu was the head of the
sisterhood and that was good enough for Hana.
For the moment, at least.
Hana smiled to herself as she picked up another heavy bag.
***
Esu tapped her finger on the windowsill. Hana was off huffing and
puffing with the bags in one part of the courtyard. Ijisai was trying
to teach Mikan to control her powers in another part. She would
watch, as Hana would see something she didn't like about it all,
make a mental note, smile stupidly and continue loading.
Esu sighed and shook her head. This whole mess would only lead
to trouble. Especially if her plan didn't go as expected. She turned
back to her desk and looked at the possessions box.
"Ranma Saotome, you little ass," she said, opening the box, "Why
did I ever let myself get saddled into helping you?"
She smiled as she picked up the little gold bauble from the box. It
sparkled in the mid morning light and cast a sliver of golden light
across the two other things in the box. Her smile broadened. She
knew she was doing anything that she didn't want to. She yearned
for Ranma's life, to be rid of the responsibilities of the sisterhood,
free from the pressure of leading this group into the new age.
Esu put the ring back into the box and picked up Akane's picture.
She glanced back out at Mikan, who was laughing and making
Ijisai angry at how well she was keeping the trainer from her. The
little ball flit back and forth, warping through little wormholes that
Mikan had a knack for making. It would swoop and glide along the
ground and pop suddenly over Ijisai's head when she was close to
grabbing it. Ijisai finally collapsed on the ground, panting and
laughing with Mikan. Esu smiled fondly. Ijisai would do just fine.
Esu looked at the picture for the thousandth time. She supposed
that she knew the face of Akane as well as Ranma, though not the
person. Mikan certainly had her face, but there was something odd
about her personality. It was as if she couldn't get angry. The
overall affect of this was to put one in a generally good mood
when one was around her. Even the perpetually angry Hana would
lighten up when she was around Mikan. Her laughter would
lighten the darkest of hearts and her positive nature made it easy to
be near her. Esu suspected that she would be quite popular with the
dashing young House princes from her home.
Maybe that was the reason she left? Esu didn't know for sure. A
runaway? Looking at the picture again, Esu thought that there was
probably more to it than that. Esu put the picture back in the box
and looked at the third item. It was an odd scrap of paper, much
like the photograph. It had a strange creature eating some plants on
the front and several odd bits of writing on the back. Ranma said it
was in his own language, something called Japanese. It looked
very much like the tight script of the scribes, but somehow more
ornate. Esu wondered briefly what it said. She'd have to ask Ranma
when she met her again. She put the scrap back into the box and
closed it. She absently brushed a bit of imaginary dust from the top
and smiled fondly.
Box, she thought at it, You and I have been through much together,
my friend.
The box happily sat there. Esu turned her attention outside once
more as another explosion went off. Another on of Mikan's folds
had gone off again, scaring everyone in the complex. Esu sighed
and smiled a sad smile. If Mikan turned out to be who or what Esu
thought her to be, then she could save this world.
Or destroy it.
Esu shook her head. She hated it when she clich�'d herself.
***
Ranma sighed at the image that presented itself in the mirror across
the room. The image looked more feminine than Ranma would
have preferred, but then, what else was new? The jumpsuit that Rei
had given her was nice. A kind of etameran cloth, it was emerald
green and had kind of an iridescent quality to it. It fit well enough.
The gold arm bangle, she didn't know about though. Ranma smiled
despite herself as she slid it on her left arm.
Damn, she thought, It's Shampoo all over again.
Rei had gone all out for this, spending far more than Ranma
thought was necessary, but she said nothing. Rei had asked her for
a date, and Kami damn her, she agreed. Why had she agreed
again? Ah, that was it. To prove to Rei that whatever she did
would not make the slightest impact on her feelings. A challenge
of sorts. Why were there butterflies then? Could it be that she
actually wanted-?
Ranma squashed that thought before it got started. She was
married to Akane. They had even...Well...What married couples do
when they go on their honeymoon. Ranma smiled and she saw the
blush rising in her cheeks. Damned mirror. Ranma took a couple of
deep breaths and let them out, trying to control the wild feelings
she was having. The emotions that were warring with her sense of
honor and loyalty.
One date wouldn't hurt anything, she thought to herself, Rei
deserves that for being as good a friend as she is...
"Then why do I feel like I'm betraying Akane?" she asked the
mirror.
The mirror just answered with the tight smile that Ranma wore.
Ranma sat on the edge of the bed to put on her new slippers, also a
present from Rei. Ranma smiled, again despite herself. Rei had
thought of everything. Ranma looked at the nearby nightstand. The
little band of gold sat on the stand, calling to her. Ranma picked up
the ring and looked it over. She huffed once and slid the band on
her middle finger. It didn't really fit all that well, but it fit enough
that it wouldn't fall off. She looked at it and stood to take in the
whole effect in the mirror. Ranma bit back her thoughts at the
image. She still looked good.
There was a soft knock at the door. Ranma took a quick, deep
breath and exhaled. She opened the door and stepped back in
shock. Rei was...Rei was...
Beautiful.
She had her raven-black hair tied up in a tight, yet ornate bun on
the top of her head. Her neck seemed to stretch forever in the
absence of that hair. Ranma thought briefly that she looked taller.
A single jade teardrop in either ear formed her earrings. Her skin
seemed ghostly pale against the deep blue of the dress. And the
dress...Two silver clasps held it together at the shoulders. The
material scooped in the front just to the top of her chest and around
her throat was a small black and silver broach.
"You don't really have to stare," Rei said quietly, "But thank you."
Ranma could feel the heat in her face as she tried to stammer an
answer. Rei simply smiled slyly and pushed Ranma into the room
with one finger. Ranma didn't resist as she stepped back. Ranma
watched as the sides of Rei's dress lazily swished around her silken
legs.
Hmph, Ranma thought, Haven't seen something like that since
Tougenkyo.
"Are you ready?"
Ranma shook her head and then she nodded mutely. She looked
back down at the ring on her hand.
One decision or another Saotome, she thought.
"Okay," Ranma said, grabbing her coat, "Let's go."
The little gold ring hummed as it spun. It finally came to rest and
lay quietly on the nightstand.
***
"Well, this is it," Esu said from the doorway, "Tomorrow, we set
out to find out what all this is about."
Mikan nodded.
"Scared?"
"Kind of, I mean, I know who I am and everything, but these
powers..." she trailed off, "And the flashes that I get. And the fact
that I don't think Hana likes me very well."
"Hana doesn't like anyone very well," Esu smiled, "Don't worry
about her, I'll take care of her."
"What do you think it means?" Mikan asked, "Ijisai said that you
might have a theory."
"Ijisai talks too much for her position," Esu wagged a finger at the
girl, "But yes, I have a theory about all this. It's a little far-no, it's a
lot far-fetched, but it's the only one we've got to go one for now.
And it means getting you to Ranma."
"Is that why we're going to Akamerajh?"
"Yup," Esu chirped, "We don't know where he is and the fastest
way is to use a seer, which we can find in Akamerajh."
"Then what?"
Esu thought for a minute and smiled.
"I don't know," she admitted, "I was hoping that the journey would
jumpstart something with you, or maybe even when you met
Ranma, I don't know. Something."
"That's okay Esu-san," Mikan brightened, "I'm sure it'll all work
out. And while my family isn't rich by any stretch of the
imagination, you and the sisterhood are welcome anytime."
"Thank you dear, that's sweet of you," and Esu meant it, "Now get
some sleep, because we've got to start early if we want to reach
Cunec in a couple of days."
"Okay," Mikan happily turned over in the bed and tried to get to
sleep.
Esu closed the door as she left. She wondered where it would all
lead, this power of hers. It was certainly manifesting itself now,
though slowly. Esu had another thought, and it was one that
frightened the hells out of her. She shook her head to banish such
thoughts. Ridiculous. Mikan was simply a girl with some strange,
new powers that was in need of help and dammit, they would help.
Esu straightened as a thought caught her. Maybe there was a way
to find out after all.
***
Ranma took a deep breath. It was wondrous. The smells that
weren't there in the daytime. The different foods that were being
prepared along the concourse were a delight for the eyes as well as
the stomach. There was also an odd kind of expectation in the air
that wonderful things would come from this night. Ranma
wondered if this was a special holiday, or if this kind of thing
happened all the time here? She didn't know. And then there were
the sights to behold. The sights that brought the night to life spread
out before her like some kind of huge buffet of humanity. Ranma
hadn't seen anything like it since the last New Year's party that
she'd been to in Nerima. And she'd been too busy then trying to get
some time alone with Akane to worry about the sights.
Huge stages had been set up every so often along the sides of the
market. Ranma saw that some of the more flamboyant vendors
were up on stage making a show of their presentations. She looked
to Rei, who seemed very happy flitting back and forth between
shows and booths. She seemed interested in each of the vendors'
stories. How they got to be where they were, how they picked up
their craft and such. It kind of bored Ranma, but she did like the
shows that were put on by the vendors.
Ranma looked to Rei and sighed. She did look beautiful in that
dress. So animated and happy. Ranma had even realized that the
scars along her neck and face weren't all that noticeable after all.
Even the larger scar that ran from her right shoulder blade, over
her shoulder and down along-
Ranma turned away and blushed at the thought. She shook her
head slightly and watched the stage across the marketplace. Rei's
light laughter drew her attention back to the current vendor that
had Rei's attention. He was an older man with a small sparkling
ring of jade on his old, gnarled hands. In one hand, he held a small
wand of some kind and in front of Rei was a smallish piece of
crystal.
"Ranma," Rei said, pulling her close, "Look at this, it's
fascinating."
There was a slight twinkle to the old man's hazel eyes as he smiled
at Ranma. He looked back down to the crystal and lightly touched
it with his wand. Ranma watched it with mild curiosity as it melted
and mutated itself into various forms, finally settling on a very
intricate butterfly hair comb. Rei inhaled in awe at the crystalline
lattice that formed the wings.
"For you, my dear," the man said, "For listening to an old mans'
stories."
Rei tried to decline the offer, but the old man wouldn't hear of it
and simply slipped it in her hair with a firm hand and a chuckle.
Rei looked to Ranma, who simply smiled and turned so that she
couldn't see the blush rising in Ranmas' cheeks. Rei nodded in the
assent that, if she looked good enough to get Ranma to blush, then
it certainly fit her. Ranma turned back to the man.
"You're very good," Ranma said, noting the other figurines in his
stand, "And I've seen others that seem to have been displaced in all
this. Why is that?"
The old man chuckled again. He picked up a small rag that seemed
to be almost as old as he was and wiped absently at his hands. He
pointed out across the courtyard towards a larger stage set back a
ways from the others.
"Because of that girl," he said, "She and her mother came in about
a week ago and took the town over. She deals in pleasure
magics...I don't know about her daughter, though the daughter
seems to draw more people. I personally can't see it though."
"Come on Ranma," Rei said, "Let's check it out. Thank you sir."
"Your smile, my dear, is thanks enough," he chattered back.
Rei pulled Ranma towards the distant stage and watched the show
that began upon it.
***
Yoko looked around the audience. So many faces in the crowd.
She felt slightly uneasy, but she knew that it was simply a mild
case of stage fright. She'd had it before. Kowaku was out front,
dancing for all the males in the audience. Yoko's performance was
oriented for males, yes, but also for the women in the audience.
She had to attract the attention of a certain female, after all.
Yoko absently straightened the sides of her robe. She blushed at
the immodesty of it. A little white number that was open on the
sides and cut to halfway up her thighs. She was going to have to
modify her performance so that she didn't give anyone a free show.
She also reached up and straightened the tiara on her crown. Yoko
blushed again at the vision that she must present to the men out
there. A little princess for their fantasies. She had more pressing
matters than libido tonight though.
She wondered what Shiro looked like. Certainly Kowaku had seen
her, but Yoko had not. Kowaku had described her as a red haired
demon, fair skinned and tartly. Tartly? Yoko wondered again what
'tartly' meant.
Kowaku had finished with the opening dance and was now
introducing Yoko. She finished and Yoko stepped forward. She
bowed to the crowd and sighed once before going into her dance.
A strange ballet of sorts, it spun her lazily around, like a drunken
puppeteer swinging his poor marionette this way and that.
Four large blocks of stone had been set up on the stage in a loose
semicircle. Yoko spun to the first stone block on her left and threw
a light dusting of the first powder over it. Yoko spun out and
danced a semi circle to the next block, ahead and slightly towards
stage center. She threw her hand forward and tossed another
handful of powder on the block sitting there. She bounded
backward and twisted in the lightly increasing breeze from the far
off sea. She reversed her steps to the next block, directly across
from the second. She sprinkled powder in a circular fashion across
the top of the stone and threw a little bit on the center of it. She
danced her semi circle back to the last stone and dusted the top in
similar fashion.
Yoko brought herself back to the center and whirled to a finish.
She sighed again under the weight of the magic as it coursed across
the pattern she had woven. She traced a small pattern in the air and
shouted a command word. The powder ignited outwards around
her and spread towards the blocks. The powder burned and popped
along the magical lines she had spread on the stage during her
dance. Yoko smiled as the burning lines reached the stone blocks.
The first block lit and a fiery bird came to life on the top of the
stone block. It gave a shrill cry before spreading its' wings and
lighting into the night sky. The second block exploded in a huge
ball that formed upwards in an intricate geometric display shifting
to ever increasingly complex patterns. Triangles within triangles
and squares within squares. It shifted faster and faster until it
blazed apart in a volcanic spray of light.
The third and final blocks lit at the same time, forming a man
shape and a huge lizard shape, which after noticing each other,
began a fated duel to the death. At the end, the man died in the last
grasps of the dragon as it gave its life to end his. As the smoke died
away, Yoko stepped forward and gave a slight bow. The crowd
came alive with applause and rushed forward towards the stage.
Yoko laughed and bowed again, happy with the reaction.
***
Ranma looked at the olive skinned girl in wonder. She was one of
the flashier mages that she had seen in her time here. Well, for a
girl that was. She chided herself for the sexist thought and was
reminded of how Akane would usually pound him into the ground
for it too. Ranma looked to Rei, who was watching the flames of
the firebird as it sped out of sight. The crystalline butterfly in her
hair reflected the dying lights of the fires on stage. A twinge of
guilt ran through Ranma's heart at her thoughts, she knew,
however, that she was still tied to Akane.
Ranma shook her head and smiled as Rei gave her a questioning
look. She would never tell Rei. She couldn't tell Rei. Rei would
most likely try to take advantage of it, if she could. Ranma didn't
know.
The dark haired girl on stage bowed once more and waved for
silence in the crowd.
"My name is Yoko," she said, "And I was wondering if you all
enjoyed the flame dance?"
Another raise of applause broke out and she once again called for
silence.
"I'm glad that you liked it," she said, "What I'm going to do next is
to show you some other things I can do with my powders, which
can do wonderful things for you...For a price. This is business,
after all."
A small group of old men from her left clapped and whistled at
her, to which she smiled and bowed to them. Ranma didn't know.
Investors perhaps?
"Mother?"
The older lady that danced on stage before Yoko came out and
produced a small crystal mirror from the folds of her robes.
"My mother, Kowaku, is an amateur seer-"
"Apprentice, dear."
"Sorry," Yoko choked a smile out, "Apprentice seer. And she will
pick out three individuals that I can try to help from the audience."
Ranma smirked. It was a good ploy, something that snake oil
charmers had been trying in Japan for a time. American, England,
and Chinese. All governments had their problems with it before.
Ranma had only seen it a couple times when he was with Esu, but
never since then. These two would have some people set up in the
audience that they could call on. The girl had obvious power and
Ranma wondered idly why she'd need set up like that.
The mother looked through her mirror and picked out a homely
couple from the audience, as well as a rather attractive lady from
near the front. When her mirror pointed at Ranma it stopped. She
lowered the mirror slightly and looked at Ranma. She looked
through the mirror again. She pointed to Ranma.
"You young lady," she said to Ranma, "You will be the last."
Ranma threw her hands up in protest.
"Come on Ranma," Rei whispered, "What would it hurt?"
"Look, I don't like that kind of stuff," she tried to beg off.
"Well, too bad."
Rei pushed Ranma towards the stage gently. She shot a look back
to Rei, who just stuck her tongue out in return. Ranma huffed once
and stomped slowly to the stage. Ranma scowled as she could feel
the stares of the men surrounding her. She felt like she wanted to
lash out, like she wanted...Well, like she wanted to do things that
would make men cringe. She didn't even know what it was. Her
cycle wasn't due for another month or so, so that wasn't it.
A gentleman was there to help her on the stage, which she kindly
clenched her teeth and denied him the pleasure. Ranma hopped up
on stage in one graceful leap and made her way to stand with the
others. She could see some of the men talking idly about the jump,
but all of them became cautious at her glance. Perhaps, this was
how Akane felt. Ranma wondered briefly why she was getting so
confused lately. Her emotions had never been this muddled in the
past. Why now? This couldn't be a good development.
The mother, Yoko said her name was Kowaku, placed a large
curtain center stage separating the stage so that the audience could
see what was happening on either side of the curtain. Yoko led the
homely man to one side and his wife was on the other. She asked
something of the man but Rei, who was near the front in the
audience, couldn't make out what it was. The man nodded
hesitantly. Rei could see that Kowaku had probably asked the same
of his wife, for the reaction was similar. Kowaku and Yoko
conferred about something through the curtain and Kowaku
skipped quickly to the rear of the stage.
"I will now show you one of my stronger powders, though I must
admit that sir and ma'am are a little hesitant. I have assured them
as I will assure you, that my powders are completely safe," Yoko
said to the audience, "I will explain what happens after I apply the
powders."
Kowaku had brought out a chair to either side of the stage and the
homely couple sat in the chairs. Yoko produced two vials of
similar powders from a small case that Rei had not noticed to one
side of the stage. She gave the man one vial and the woman the
other and motioned for them to ingest the powders.
Nothing happened for a couple of long seconds. Then the man
grabbed his chest and threw himself onto the floor, writhing in
apparent agony. The woman soon followed as the second chosen
person and Ranma looked on in horror. Rei could see that the skin
of the couple seemed to be melting and coalescing through
nauseating flesh tone colors. Yoko looked as though she were
bored and waved off a questioning look from her mother.
Yoko motioned to her mother again and Kowaku produced two
large blankets. One went over what was left of the man, the other
over his wife.
"Now," Yoko began to the audience, "I asked these two if they
would like to spend the night together, making love to the most
beautiful people in the world. Both said yes, but I do have to add
that they are very faithful to each other and should be commended
for it. The powders I gave them were powders of transformation."
Ranma's head jerked to attention.
"Now you will see," Yoko helped the man to his feet as he moaned
slightly.
Rei's heart fluttered at the sight of him. And she was quite sure that
the other female hearts in the audience were breaking too. He was
about six foot three with an extremely well rounded body. Rei saw
that Yoko peaked through the blanket as she wrapped it around
him and nodded in approval. The young man staggered slightly
under the unfamiliar body, but quickly got himself under control.
His bronzed complexion slightly glistened across a broad chest and
washboard stomach. He ran a hand through the full mane of rich,
dark hair and looked at his hand with an odd kind of fascination.
The other side of the curtain held a certain wonder too, as Kowaku
helped the woman into a short kimono. Rei smirked. The
transformations were certainly impressive, but she wondered what
Yoko and her mother were paying these people. The woman was
certainly beautiful. Rei looked around the audience and saw that
she captivated all of the men. She brushed a thick strand of
platinum blonde hair from her face and looked herself over
unsteadily.
Yoko made sure the man could stand on his own and went to the
curtain. She pulled it back and the couple got their first looks at
each other. Both of them stared and gawked at the other. Yoko and
her mother helped them together and they shared a kiss center
stage, to even out the show. Rei smirked again. Having done this
so many times, they must have been pretty sick of each other by
now. She suppressed a giggle. She didn't want to seem rude to the
'couple' or anything. Besides, Ranma hadn't closed his mouth to all
this yet.
Ranma, A flash of thought struck her, Transformations.
"Oh my gods," Rei whispered to herself.
Kowaku began to lead the second woman to the chair, but Shiro
jumped ahead and sat in the chair instead.
"Me! I'm Ranma Saotome and I want to be next!" Ranma shouted
enthusiastically.
Kowaku smiled and clucked softly. She motioned for her 'daughter'
to come to her side, which Yoko obeyed. Kowaku held her mirror
up to Ranma, so that Yoko could view it. Yoko gasped at what she
saw and dropped the vial in her hand. She swore as it began to eat
through the stage. She bounded back to her little supply cabinet as
Kowaku talked to Ranma.
"I'm sorry...Ranma? That was your name?" Kowaku purred at her,
"But you've been selected to receive a free consultation, and I feel
that your special problem could be...uh...fixed."
Ranma looked back at her with the wide eyes of a child who really
thinks there is a Santa Claus. Her eyes narrowed as part of her
rationality came back.
"What do you know of my problem?"
"I know that you have a certain...difficulty," Kowaku smiled
wickedly, "But we can't treat you here. Meet us at our workshop
tomorrow and we'll discuss...treatment options. You see, I can only
read auras to determine problems, but at our shop we can diagnose
the problem better."
Kowaku gave her a little card and Ranma quickly left the stage.
The crowd was becoming a little rowdy with all this whispered
talking and Kowaku and Yoko began the show with the second
girl...
***
"Ranma!" Rei yelled from behind her, "Wait up!"
Ranma stopped and looked at Rei. She had a kind of crazed look
about her that made Rei stop in her tracks.
"Are you okay?"
"Rei," Ranma said, giving her the little card, "They said they might
be able to cure me. I mean, for real! Can you believe it?!"
"Ranma," she began, "In all likelihood, those two were just
charlatans looking for an easy mark. Yeah the transformations
were impressive, but it might have just been an illusion-"
"I don't care!" Ranma yelled, "If there's any chance, even the
slightest, then I'm going to try!"
Rei shrank back and searched around for something to steady
herself against the onslaught. Ranma caught herself and hung her
head. Rei, not quite knowing what else to do, found herself
wrapping her arms around Ranma.
"I'm scared Ranma," she whispered on Ranma's neck.
Ranma returned the embrace and closed her eyes against her own
tears. She opened them and saw the wing of the butterfly comb as
it reflected the moonlight.
"You-You don't have to be scared of me."
Rei pulled back and wiped a stray tear from her own eye.
"I'm not scared OF you, you nimrod," Rei smiled putting a hand
behind Ranma's head, "I'm scared FOR you. I mean, what would
happen if you became a man? Then what? Would you just leave
Ikari and me and set off for that girl of yours? Would we just be
some interesting people that you'd just as soon forget? Would you-"
Rei let out a muffled cry as Ranma's lips met hers. They parted
soon, too soon for Rei, and Ranma looked away. She knew that
Ranma was crying.
"I-" Ranma sniffed twice, "I don't leave my friends. I care for them
dammit. But Rei, I'm not a woman, not matter what my current
form, and if these two can give me cure, then I owe it to all of you
to try it."
Rei thought for a moment, but shook her head in agreement and
wiped another tear from her cheek. She put a hand on Ranma's
shoulder and turned the girl gently to face her again.
"Okay, then if you go, I want to go too," Rei said as she wiped a
tear from Ranma's face.
She leaned forward and kissed Ranma lightly on her cheek. She
turned Ranma in her arm and began to lead her back to the hotel.
Ranma didn't resist and looked ahead, a confused look scrawled
across her face. Rei knew of the warring emotions that were going
through Ranma, and she promised herself that she would not be the
source of any more.
Rei was glad that the night was late, for the blush that rose in her
cheeks at the realization that Ranma had kissed her. Rei bit back a
smile and continued to lead Ranma back to the hotel.
***
Yoko felt great. She had a bath, a good meal, and had found out
the one thing that Kowaku hadn't been able to find. Yoko pulled
her kimono tight around her as she entered the small livingroom
and flopped down in the oversized chair across from Kowaku, who
was counting that night's profit. Yoko brushed out her platinum
blonde hair and idly watched her mentor.
"I thought I told you not to use that damned thing," Kowaku said,
noting the little pencil on the end table, "It'll make your hair fall
out. And only the gods know what it does to your skin."
"Oh poo. I don't have the advantages like you," she said as she
made a grabbing motion with both hands at her breasts.
Kowaku raised an eyebrow and continued to count.
She picked up the pencil; "This little gadget gives me at least one
trick. Well, other than my powders."
Yoko twisted the end of the pencil and touched it to her arm. She
watched as her skin began to redden and then darken and watched
with fascination as it spread along her body. A few minutes later,
she had her olive complexion back, which she quite preferred in
this desert city. Yoko twisted the end again and touched it to her
hair, which flashed darker until it was raven-black. She would have
preferred to keep her normal platinum color, but people would
wonder because of her skin. She sighed. So many people were
hung up on looks.
Like Shiro, or should she say Ranma? Ranma Saotome was her
name. But she wasn't really a she, was she? Kowaku only used the
seer mirror to find the aura, so she had no idea that Ranma was
really a man. Boy would she be in for a surprise. Yoko thought for
a moment. She was really no reason for her to tell Kowaku. It
would be several days before she could get a strong batch of potion
ready for Ranma and all she had to do was get into their group.
The plan that Kowaku had laid out didn't please Yoko, but then
Kowaku tended to be a little heavy handed with these kinds of
things anyway.
This required tact and stealth. Something that Yoko felt her mentor
might never have. Yoko smiled to herself.
So THAT was the reason Ten'imuhou-sama sent me to do this,
Yoko thought.
So, by the time Yoko had a batch that was ready, Kowaku would
be back at Ten'imuhou-sama's castle. Yoko would be in Ranma's
group and possibly, have Ranma all together. Yoko laughed at the
possibility. She smirked at Kowaku's confused expression and
lightly leapt out of the livingroom and up the stairs to her quarters.
Ranma would be hers...
***
Mikan waved at the sister-protectorates as they watched from the
ramparts. They had all become quite good friends in the past
month and she was sorry to go, but Esu-san had said that they were
now on an important mission that could determine the fate of their
world. Mikan wondered why she would always shake her head and
swear something under her breath after she said it. Something
about the world, she supposed.
It sounded awfully important, which was why Esu-san wanted
Ijisai-chan to train her. She was getting used to these nice, new,
wonderful powers that she seemed to have acquired somewhere.
She didn't know why she had them, but Ijisai-chan said that she
could end up hurting someone if she didn't know how to use them
properly. And Ijisai-chan was a great teacher.
Mikan looked around the wagon. It was loaded down with as much
as she had ever seen for a trip. And Esu-san only said that they
were going to Akamerajh, which was only about a week or two
away. Mikan wondered what they were all for. She had her nice
little place near the front of the wagon and Ijisai-chan was across
from her. Ijisai-chan smiled back.
Mikan looked toward the back of the wagon, where Hana-san had
taken up her place. Esu-san had said that she needed someone to
guard the rear, just in case there were any of those nasty
namagoroshi still lurking about. Hana-san was only too grateful
not to have to...What was her word?
Babysit, she thought, but that was silly. There weren't any babies
along on this trip...
The wagon heaved and bumped along the old road leading away
from the nunnery walls. The old trail led south to Cunec and would
eventually turn east towards Akamerajh. Ijisai would be fine. Esu
wondered why she kept reminding herself of that these days. She
knew it was an idle thought, but she thought that she had some
time for them.
Esu and Hana would trade the reigns and the duties. Ijisai would
keep watch at night and Mikan could keep watch during the day.
Esu knew that Hana wouldn't be all right though. She'd already
shown her open hatred for Ijisai and only followed Esu because
she was the head of the sisterhood. Esu sighed inwardly.
The trail spread out several minutes later as it led along the western
wall of the valley. Esu could see the rest of her beloved forest as it
swept southward to the sea. She looked across the valley and
smirked. It had grown back in the two short years since her last
adventure. If you knew what you were looking for, you could just
make out where the Ijutsu Hoshi had landed. It had grown in nicely
and her forest was whole once more. She loved this forest. She just
wished she could shake the sense of impending doom.
It was more than that backstabber Hana. It was more than deciding
who would replace her should she not return. It wasn't even Mikan,
whose powers were growing daily. Esu couldn't put her finger on
it, but she had a bad feeling that it would come in the form of
Ranma Saotome. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl. It was just
that Ranma rarely thought about the unending chain of
consequences that followed events in her life. It wasn't even that
she didn't think things through either. It was that she put herself
and others in positions that she couldn't get out of. Esu looked once
more across the valley to the old crater.
Oh Ranma, she thought, What in the world have you done now...?
***
The day was raining down around her. She looked at the ground
under her feet. It was wooden. She could look through the uneven
slats in the boards to the rough waters below. She looked out to the
seas in front of her. Her seas. The seas from her home were
similar. Not the same though. These were rough seas. She looked
down at herself again. She was wearing some kind of light cloth
dress that was thoroughly soaked through. She didn't feel like
caring though.
Lightening flashed in the distance and she looked into her hands.
She was holding a large piece of pretty looking metal. Kind of
round with a notch on once side. In the flashes from the storm, she
could see that there were strange markings all along one side. It
hung from a large chain around her neck.
The lightening flashed again and pain shot through her head.
Flowers. Yellow flowers. She looked up and for a moment, saw a
face. It drained from her memory as fast as it had come, leaving
her clutching at her head in pain. She fell to her knees as the surges
of images came in pulses with the storm, raging against her head.
Someone helped her to her feet. She looked up at him, a kindly,
gnarled old face. She couldn't hear what he was saying through the
pain in her head. She staggered under an increased onslaught and
stumbled into his arms. He was asking about her. Her name, where
she was from and such. She looked up at him helplessly as he led
her back towards the seemingly distant lights of the city. The
lightening flashed in anticipation of her only question. She looked
up at the old man, who stooped to hear her speak.
"Who...Am I?"
***
I do have a warning for my faithful readers, the next two Parts are going
to be quite dark.
Joshua "Gargoyle" Trujillo
"Stone Cold Protector of the Righteous"
"Owner of The Anime Bar and Grille - The Best Ribs in the Multiverse"
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