Second revision. Thanks to Gary Kleppe and Vincent Seifert
for helping to improve this fic.
C&C is most welcome.
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi
and her publishers. I am merely using the characters for
the purpose of profit-free entertainment and make no claim
on them.
The following people have been kind enough to create a page
to host my fanfics, so please take a look:
Vincent Seifert:
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/kagami/
Yoshiro_san: http://members.xoom.com/Yoshiro_san/mother/
David Pascal: http://www.davidpascal.com/smj/
You can contact me at: kagami@jeack.com.au
---
The breeze whipped through Akane's hair as she flew
through the moonlit night. Well, not literally. Instead,
she was cradled tightly within Ranma's strong arms as he
leapt gracefully from rooftop to rooftop without pause
or stumble. The feeling was exhilarating, she admitted
to herself. She felt warm, safe, and secure. She had to
battle against the overwhelming urge to simply snuggle
back into Ranma's comforting presence. The 'Die, Akane
Tendo!' glares she was receiving from the other three
girls who were barely managing to keep up with Ranma didn't
hurt either.
Of course, he hadn't given her a choice about it. Ranma
had simply scooped her up and leapt for the rooftops,
leaving Ryoga and the other girls to follow. That had been
annoying, and yet she couldn't find it within herself to
complain. Maybe it was the unusually serious look in
Ranma's eyes as they headed towards the Saotome home -
that, and the uncertainty. As she reminisced about the end
of the harbour battle, Shukumaru's kidnapping of Ranma's
mother, and the unknown fate of Uncle Saotome, Ranma spoke
up.
"Akane," he said softly, the wind carrying and dispersing
the sweet sound of her name. "I never did nothing bad when
I was in the Neko-ken, did I?"
"Well, you--" kissed me, she finished silently. Somehow,
the words wouldn't emerge audibly. When had she stopped
classifying that act under the category of evil, perverted
deeds performed by Ranma? Phoenix Mountain, her mind
answered: where she had died, and grown up... a little.
"No... no, you never did," she answered, delighting in the
sudden relief displayed in his dark eyes. But why had he
asked?
"Did something happen when you were fighting Shukumaru?"
she prompted, seeking to learn more about that fight. She
had never seen him move that fast before. If she had
blinked during the last confrontation when that weird
sickle-weasel had shown up she would have missed
everything. Hope blossomed in her heart. Ranma's
question... did that mean he was ready to open up to her,
to act as if they were a couple in more than just name?
"I don't want to talk about it," he said, as they alighted
upon the roof of the Saotome family home.
She wanted to kill him.
Luckily, Ryoga landed beside them followed by the girls.
Shampoo and Kodachi threw venomous glances her way, and
Ukyo didn't look that happy either. Upset with Ranma, she
ignored them all with considerable aplomb. She forced a
neutral expression to her face before glancing down at the
silent house beneath her feet.
"Looks kinda dark, Ranma. Sure this is your place?" Ryoga
asked.
"Of course it is, Ryoga. You've been here before," Ranma
answered, somewhat irritably.
Ryoga's answering look clearly said 'So?'
"Ranma-sama, I think it best--" Kodachi got out before
being interrupted.
"Airen! Is best we check out house. If demon foxes come
here, Panda-man no good enough to fight them off," Shampoo
said, exchanging a hostile glare with Kodachi. The
temporary truce for the battle was clearly over.
In answer, Ranma leapt down to land before the front door,
and pushed. It swung open in silent entreaty, revealing a
shadowy, cavernous maw that lead into the throat of a dark
beast. No, it wasn't that. Ranma shook away the macabre
images that swarmed his mind. It was then that he noticed
the stickiness on his fingers where they had touched the
wood of the door. The smell struck him suddenly. Pungent,
metallic... and invigorating. He had to resist the urge to
lick his fingers free of the red fluid. "Pops!" he shouted
as he leapt into the heart of the shadows.
---
An Awakening of Demons
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
By Kagami
Chapter 4: Preparations for War
---
The steady beeping of the life-support machine was a
constant annoyance to Nabiki, who placed hospitals right at
the top of her list of locations to avoid. Maybe it was the
occasional nightmares she had of being trapped in a deep
comatose state, unable to prevent the vile depredations
of... someone; she could never remember exactly who. She
shook off the vague discomfort that the dream memories
produced and concentrated on the occupant of the hospital
room bed instead.
One Genma Saotome, her mind noted critically - currently
unconscious, suffering multiple claw wounds to the upper
torso, severe contusions to the head and body, broken right
arm, broken left leg; prognosis: uncertain. He was wired to
enough machinery to stabilize his condition, but it didn't
look good. Even if he regained consciousness...
Step. Step. Step.
Of course, Ranma's relentless pacing around the room like
a caged tiger wasn't helping to steady her nerves either.
She was about to open her mouth to snap at him when her
father broke in.
"Waaahh!" cried Soun, tears gushing from his eyes. "Don't
die, Saotome-kun! Who will I play shogi with in my old age
if you do?"
"I... I'd appreciate a bit more concern than that, Tendo-
kun."
"Saotome-kun!"
"Pops, you're alive!" Ranma exclaimed, springing to the
side of the hospital bed in one ground-devouring bound.
"Heh, t...take a lot more than a couple of demons to put
your old man down, boy." Genma shifted in the bed
uncomfortably before meeting Ranma's eyes. "I'm sorry, son.
I couldn't stop them from taking your mother. Guess I'm not
good for much other than being a panda."
"Give the self-pity a rest, Pops. I'll get her back."
Ranma cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Then, my 'older
sister' will have a little something coming her way."
"I guess you will, Ranma. I guess you will." Genma tried
to nod his head sagely and confidently, but only ended up
looking as though he wanted to retch. He kept quite still
for a few seconds to let the nausea pass, then asked, "Now,
tell me about the battle, Ranma."
Ranma described the confrontation with his demonic half-
sister and her army of oni. His voice dipped and rose as the
battle took shape before Nabiki's eyes. This was the first
time she'd had a complete story told from Ranma's point of
view. After making sure that Genma was getting treatment in
hospital, Ukyo and Kodachi had quickly consoled Ranma on
his second loss of the night and retreated. To prepare,
they had mentioned, before promising that they'd return
soon. Shampoo had left soon after, also to prepare, she'd
said. Prepare for what? Nabiki snarled mentally. Akane had
roped Kasumi and Ryoga, the latter literally, and headed
home as well, seemingly intent on performing an excavation
on the Tendo attic. That had left Soun and Nabiki to act
as representatives for Genma's recovery.
Of course, Nabiki had remained merely to obtain a complete
story from Ranma, but he had been incredibly reticent about
his part in the battle... until now. Her ears pricked up
involuntarily as she slid closer to the talking Saotomes.
"So, boy, are you sure she called out 'Raiha' when she
used the lightning attack?" Genma asked.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Why? Is it important?"
"I'm trying to remember... Damn, if only your mother was
here!" For a moment, the two Saotomes shared a bleak look
that etched their faces and turned them into mirror images
of one another. Nabiki shook her head in bemusement. If she
hadn't heard the truth of Ranma's real parentage from Aunty
Nodoka herself, she would have sworn that they really were
father and son.
"I think that Raiha was one of Ansou's primary servitors.
The Thunderbeast, if I remember right. If Shukumaru called
out his name and used what could only have been his power,
then she's bound him as her servitor. That means that your
next duel with her at the 'Shrine of Thunder' is going to
be a bigger trap than you think." Genma paused to examine
the problem. "You'll be going against her in her home
territory, and with a good likelihood that this servitor
beast will also show up. You'd best prepare yourself well,
boy."
He turned to look around the room, acknowledging Nabiki
and Soun with a brief glance. "Where's everyone else?"
"Preparing," Ranma answered grimly.
---
The inside of the Ucchan was astonishingly spotless
despite her neglect in the evening. Of course, with her
resident kunoichi in place, she shouldn't have been
surprised, but then Konatsu was easily... distracted. Even
as the thought of the kunoichi crossed her mind, Konatsu
appeared with a broom in hand.
"Ukyo-sama, welcome home. I glad that you've returned
safely." Konatsu bowed, sincere happiness flashing across
his face.
"Thank you, Konatsu," Ukyo replied, both touched and
warmed by the displayed concern. She reflected on the
thoughts that had occupied her mind as she walked back
from the hospital. Genma had been badly injured, her
beloved Ranchan had turned out to be a half-demon, and Mrs.
Saotome had been kidnapped. Shouldn't she be feeling
something other than numb acceptance? No, there would be
time to reflect on all of this later. "Konatsu, I need you
to go to my home town in Kansai."
"Of course, Ukyo-sama. I would be happy to do it," said
the kunoichi. "What is the task that you wish me to
accomplish?"
Ukyo didn't answer immediately. Instead, she grabbed a pen
and paper and began scribbling. "Deliver this note to my
parents and follow their instructions. Hopefully, they'll
agree to my request." She folded the piece of paper and
handed it to Konatsu.
"Very well, Ukyo-sama." Konatsu accepted the folded note
and carefully placed it within his kimono. "I'll return as
soon as I can."
"Thank, Konatsu. I'd go myself, but Genma was attacked by
demons and he landed up in Nerima General. I want to stay
near Ranchan in the meanwhile." She paused and gathered her
thoughts. "I'll explain everything to you when you return,
Konatsu. You have to be back by tomorrow night, so.... I'll
either be here or over at the hospital. Please hurry."
Konatsu bowed gracefully and vanished.
---
The delicate silver casket gleamed quietly in the shadowed
light as Kodachi Kuno gently traced her fingers over the
filigreed surface. Mother... her mind whispered, you are
sorely missed by your beloved daughter. She touched the
large opal that was set in the upraised lid before lowering
the cover to hide the now-empty internal compartment of the
casket.
"Dear sister, what do you intend?" The carefully cultured
voice of Tatewaki Kuno penetrated the dark confines of the
Kuno manse's basement.
Kodachi spun around quickly. "Why, nothing, dear brother.
Merely cleaning up a few items." She forced a laugh. The
hollow sound was undoubtedly due to the echoes in the
basement. She slipped the silver item behind her back and
attempted a nonchalant stance.
"That foul demon Saotome has lured you into another of his
fiendish schemes, has he not?" Tatewaki tried to sound
sternly disapproving.
Oh, brother, Kodachi thought, if only you knew.... Her
darling Ranma-sama was half a demon. What did that little
truth mean for Kodachi Kuno? As the Devil Hunter of the
Kuno Clan, her course was clear: all demons had to fall
before her, and so Ranma-sama must perish as well. As
Kodachi, the beautiful high school student aged eighteen,
Ranma-sama... Ranma-sama was her heart, her soul, her
reason for life - well, him and Ryoga-sama as well, of
course. What course should she follow? What path should she
choose?
Well, it would be of no use to speak to her brother of
this pretty dilemma. "Of course not, dear brother. Have the
pig-tailed girl and Akane Tendo rejected your advances yet
again that you prove so suspicious of my actions?"
Her brother flinched as her words struck true. Tatewaki
recovered and turned away, his back stiff with inflicted
offense. "Very well, sister. Do as you please. I merely
came to inform you that the servants has prepared our
afternoon repast in the Teak Room. Join us there if you
will."
Kodachi sighed internally. Why was it that she could only
speak to Tachi through subtle insult? "Certainly, brother.
I will join you shortly."
---
The Nekohanten stood dark, lonesome and cold, but Shampoo
was oblivious as she rooted happily through a pile of
Amazon artifacts. She was certain her great-grandmother
wouldn't mind their use in a worthy cause. It was really
quite simple - save Airen's mother, and win his undying
gratitude and love. She would have to thank this Shukumaru
for the opportunity... before killing the demoness for
offering insult to Ranma's family.
Yes, indeed, a worthy plan that her great-grandmother
would certainly respect, and her unapproved usage of the
artifacts would pass without censure. Besides, why else had
her great-grandmother brought them here if not for use?
The sharp ringing tones of the telephone interrupted
Shampoo's happy planning. She grabbed it on the third ring.
"Nihao, have reached Nekohanten restaurant. We closed...
oh, is you, Mousse." Shampoo looked unenthusiastically at
the phone as it started burbling sickeningly happy words of
delight at her. Luckily, various sounds of pain soon
overcame the declarations of love and marriage, and a
withered voice replaced the undoubtedly unconscious Mousse.
She switched to Chinese and started explaining the night's
events.
"Yes, great-grandmother. I'm fine.... Yes, Umibouzu
appeared... the memorized speech worked really well. Learn
the other fifteen by heart as well?" Shampoo's voice trailed
off dejectedly. "Yes, great-grandmother. But... listen,
great-grandmother, Airen's mother was kidnapped by his demon
half-sister... Shukumaru... yes, we're going to rescue her...
tomorrow... protect the others? But, why... very well,
great-grandmother. I will. Good-bye, great-grandmother."
Shampoo replaced the handset as Cologne's voice cut off.
Frowning, she retraced her steps towards the pile of
magical artifacts. She picked up the next one, contemplated
it for a while, then placed it into the stack of useless
discards. Dragon fang? No. Magical gourd? No. The Eye of
the Matriarchs? No. Ancestor's Stone? *shudder* No. Ah,
prayer bead necklaces. Now, they would be useful.
---
"Hah! I found it!" Akane's voice echoed triumphantly in
the vast space of the Tendo attic. "I knew it was here!"
"What would that be, Akane-san?" Ryoga asked from the
other end of the attic. The connecting rope between himself
and Akane was stretched to its utmost length. It was most
embarrassing, especially since most passerbys had chosen to
gape at the both of them - his fist clenched involuntarily
at the memory of that bokken-wielding weirdo who had tried
to accost Akane - even though Kasumi had somehow evaded
censure. Still, he understood the reasons.
Both Tendo sisters walked over to join him. Kasumi was
dusting a cloth-wrapped package in her hands while Akane's
face bore a brilliant and enchanting smile. "My mother's
katana. I'll be able to carve up those pervert monsters if
we face them again!"
Ryoga nodded in agreement, though some small part of him
shriveled at her vehemence. "But why is it up here?" he
wondered aloud. Surely, the blade was a family heirloom and
deserved prominent display?
"Oh." Akane's face was briefly shadowed as his question
obviously raised distressing thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Akane-san. I shouldn't have--" he blurted.
She cut him off with a decisive shake of her head. "No,
it's not your fault, Ryoga-kun. When mother passed away...
it was a painful time for all of us. The merest sight of
any item cherished by mother would drive dad to tears and
he'd sink into despair for days. In desperation, we hid
everything up here until he could recover. He never did,
though, not really, so all of mother's treasures stayed up
in the attic."
Akane paused as Kasumi raised the cloth-covered family
blade. A faint tug at the strings untied the knot, and they
unraveled to fall on the floor. She drew aside the covering
cloth to reveal an ancient hilt, black with age and
lacquer, yet strong and firm, and demanding to be held once
more.
"Hidden away, but not forgotten," murmured Kasumi as she
touched the hilt. "Unseen, and yet still cherished." Her
fingers seemed to withdraw reluctantly. The blade had
always been carried by her mother. It had seemed so much a
part of her that Kasumi could hardly bear to part with it -
and yet, the Tendo heritage would once more be guarded by
the family blade. That was surely right and proper. Kasumi
bowed her head in respect. "It is yours, Akane-san," she
said formally. "May you use it well."
Akane bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Onee-san."
---
The hospital room was silent. Genma had been efficiently
cleaned and reclothed by one of the floor nurses, and was
now staring unenthusiastically at his dinner - his very
unappetizing dinner. The hovering presence that was Ranma
didn't exactly help his appetite either.
"Out with it, boy," he snapped irritably.
"What?" Ranma looked up distractedly from his pacing.
"What do you mean 'what'? You've been hovering about me
like a horse-fly, Ranma. It's getting annoying." Genma
pointed his fork at his adopted son. "So, out with it!"
Ranma glared at his unrepentant father before slumping
down in a chair. "Look, Pops. Why did'ja train me in the
Neko-ken anyway?"
"Eh? What does that have to do... ah, your power, it's
finally appeared. That's great, son!" he congratulated
Ranma. "Or maybe not," Genma added as Ranma favoured him
with another glare. "So, what's the problem with it?"
"I couldn't control it, that's what. It almost took me
over. I wanted to... to kill Shukumaru, to kill everything,
and then--" Ranma stopped abruptly, tightening his lips as
the memory reached out and reclaimed him: 'All of creation
stood before his power. He only had to reach out and seize
it, to claim it for his own. Shukumaru would be first. He
would seize her, use her, discard her, then kill her. Then
he would take all of his fiancees as concubines, making
Akane his first....' Again, he stopped short of completing
the thought.
He remembered it so vividly: the sudden and savage lust
for control, the raw desire to possess everything and
everyone - to make them all his own. The sensations had
been powerful, unslakeable, disturbing... and yet, oddly
compelling. He shook his head and took a deep breath.
"You can't run away from your power, boy. Surrendering
such an advantage in the face of an enemy is foolish. Take
it, use it, and only then consider the consequences. That's
the core of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu, after all," Genma
said sagely.
Ranma hid a sigh. Expecting good advice from Pops? What on
earth had he been thinking?
---
The planning session wasn't going well. Ranma was still at
the hospital while Ryoga was helping Kasumi in the kitchen,
so it was left to the four girls and Nabiki to work out a
decent attack plan.
The tension in the air could probably be cut with a knife,
Nabiki thought as she entered the room. The frosty glances
that each 'fiancee' flung about made the room seem as cold
as a fridge. Well, better than having them burning up the
furniture with hot auras, she guessed.
"So, have you done anything about travel arrangements?"
she asked casually.
The quickly turned heads and stricken glances sent her way
told her no. She hid a sigh and held up six Shinkansen
tickets. "Well, I expect to be reimbursed for these.
Ranma's ticket will be my contribution, I guess. Ryoga's,
though..." She left the thought hanging.
"Have no fear, Nabiki Tendo." Kodachi sniffed
superciliously. "I shall reimburse you for both those
tickets."
Bingo, Nabiki thought. There was something between Kodachi
and Ryoga. She'd have to find out what eventually, but for
now... "In that case, I have another offering to contribute
to Aunty Saotome's rescue." She held up a rolled sheet of
paper. "The complete maps for the Shrine of Thunder and the
surrounds."
"Aiyah, Shampoo impressed," the purple-haired Amazon said
as she reached out with an eager hand.
"Same here, Sugar. How did you get these?" asked Ukyo.
"Oh, it was pretty easy. I blackmailed Old Man Higurashi
up at the Higurashi Shrine," Nabiki answered casually.
"Nabiki! You didn't!" Akane exclaimed, completely outraged.
Nabiki sighed theatrically. "How little you think of me,
little sister. You didn't really think..." She shook her
head mournfully as Akane nodded firmly. "You wound me."
"I know you, Nabiki," Akane replied.
"Actually, I simply bribed him with a plateful of Kasumi's
cookies. He said it was for his grand-daughter, who was
suffering from tuberculosis, but from the greedy look in
his eye I figured he wasn't really going to share." Nabiki
smiled in amusement at Akane's doubtful look and clarified.
"Well, last time he mentioned she was suffering from
leukemia, so I took it with a pinch of salt. Got these as
well, though I don't know how useful they'll be." She laid
down a stack of o-fuda beside the Shrine of Thunder maps.
Shampoo unrolled the maps, carefully weighting down each
corner of the fragile paper. The Shrine was completely
exposed, she thought with dismay. It was nestled on a large
flat spot between two rising slopes on the side of Fuji-
san. A weathered path serviced the shrine, winding its
narrow way along the slope. "No trees, no cover," she
muttered. "Is not good."
"A frontal assault doesn't really appeal to me, Sugar,"
Ukyo commented.
"We could split up," offered Akane. "Fuji-san is
climbable, so one party comes up the front and the other
sneaks around back."
Shampoo shook her head. "No, is bad idea. You split force
when face bigger enemy, you..." She struggled to find the
right words.
"... invite defeat in detail," finished Kodachi. "The
Amazon is clearly correct in this instance. We either
attack the front or the back. That seems to be our only two
choices. Which will it be?"
The sliding door opened to permit the graceful entrance of
Kasumi, who balanced a tray with one hand and unobtrusively
guided Ryoga with the other. They both made it to the table,
which was hastily cleared to make room for the refreshments.
"So, what did I miss?" asked Ryoga.
Kodachi pointed him towards the unrolled map and he bent
over it eagerly. A moment later, he sat back with a shake
of his head and a frown on his face. He reached for a
cookie without comment, and bit into it decisively. A bout
of hearty munching followed as each person eyed the
disheartening picture before them, broken only by Ryoga's
question, which hung in the air unanswered.
---
The cold cell provided little variation for a prisoner:
stone walls on all four sides, along with a plain ceiling
and floor. Only the dim light bulb overhead and the stout
wooden door facing Nodoka offered faint relief from total
boredom. She sat on the hard surface, shivering slightly as
the heat slowly leached from her body. She did not complain,
for there was no one to receive such a complaint, nor was
she inclined to make such anyway; the ten years of
emptiness in her life had inured her to such deprivation.
Genma - would she ever be able to think of her husband's
name without recollecting the crack of broken bone or the
spray of bright blood? He had seemed so still afterwards.
Was he still alive? Nodoka closed her eyes and tried not to
feel hatred towards her captors. It was difficult.
The change was sudden. Between one moment and the next,
the solitary nature of the cell was broken. Shukumaru
calmly set the stool in her hands upon the floor, dusted
it, and sat down facing Nodoka. She hadn't even seen the
door open or close. She blinked, and in that moment, a
filled wineglass appeared in the hand of her 'hostess'.
Ansou's daughter, her mind acknowledged even as she failed
to react overtly to the soundless intimidation. She seemed
nothing like her father. Human in shape and looks, but her
eyes revealed the truth. Bright with fire and zeal, and
yet, so cold and soulless - empty of anything resembling
kindness or warmth. Ansou had been more human. She
desperately wanted to believe that, but a tiny voice
whispered that perhaps he had just hidden his nature better.
Nodoka banished the thought as worthless and raised her
chin in silent defiance. Her captor would learn nothing of
use from her, no matter the personal cost. Then her
determination proved irrelevant.
"So, my brother loves that hot-tempered girl, does he?"
Shukumaru asked nonchalantly.
Nodoka couldn't prevent a start of surprise and she hid an
inward groan as Shukumaru's smile widened. She would not
speak to confirm it, though: that much honour she had left.
Shukumaru was not deterred by her captive's stony silence.
"Does it surprise you?" she continued. "That a demon should
know love? And why should it - when you had the love of my
dear father." Her smile turned bitter and she drank deeply
from the wineglass in her hand. "My dear, deceased father,"
she added mockingly before snarling, "That damned
hypocrite!"
The fire in her voice reached her eyes, making them
glitter like cold ice. Nodoka shrank back involuntarily
before steeling herself once more to present a facade of
outward calm towards her demon captor.
"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled. "Ansou was never
hypocritical."
"Perhaps he merely chose not to share that side of himself
with you, dear stepmother," Shukumaru replied in a tone as
bitter as raw almonds. "But never fear. For I, Shukumaru,
shall have my revenge!"
She clenched her hand suddenly and the wineglass
shattered. Shards of broken crystals spun and sparkled in
the dancing light of the overhead bulb as they flew in a
dazzling rain to disintegrate upon the cold stone floor.
Shukumaru licked at the blood dripping from the shallow
cuts in her palm. "Hot, cold, dry or tasteless - I will
have my revenge! That bitch of my brother's will journey to
my sanctum, and I shall ensure that she dies before his
very eyes!" Shukumaru's laughter echoed in the small room.
Nodoka Saotome closed her eyes and fought against despair.
---
Author's Notes:
1) 'Raiha' - translates as 'lightning attack'.
2) 'Shinkansen' - the Japanese bullet train; one of the
stops along the Tokyo-Kyoto line is Fuji-san (at the Shin-
Fuji Station).
3) 'o-fuda' - Japanese spiritual wards, believed to
provide protection against ghosts, spirits, and demons.
They are simply prayers written upon paper and infused with
the priest's spiritual/holy power.