Okay, let's see if THIS will finish it all up. Honest, folks, I have
NO idea where this is going, I'm just making it up as I go along. Bear with me.
=========================================
The Rage, Part Four
=========================================
"Slow day," Nabiki commented as they entered the Nekohanten. Only
two tables in one of the corners were occupied, the people sitting there
talking amongst themselves over bowls of steaming ramen. The volume of
vacant tables gave the restaurant a feeling of increased space, as was true
with any other. When the place was filled to capacity, as it often was
during lunch, the sheer noise alone was enough to make one feel like they
were in a madhouse.
"Welcome to Nekohanten!" called a bubbly voice from out of the
kitchen. Shampoo bounced out into the dining area, an apron over her
form-fitting cotton pants and blouse. She stopped at the sight of Nabiki,
visibly startled at the bandages.
"Nabiki?" she asked, "what happen?"
"Long story," Nabiki replied sardonically. It wasn't really all that
long, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to the airheaded Chinese right
then. "Where's Cologne?"
"Great-grandmother in back. Very busy."
"Well, she may want to take a little break for this." Nabiki could
feel the stares from the people in the corner. Though she couldn't hear
their now whispered conversation, she easily knew who the subject was.
"Can no disturb," Shampoo said with finality. "Great-grandmother
doing inventory. She say no bother."
"It's about Ranma. Think she can make an exception?" Nabiki could
feel the headache coming on from dealing with Shampoo. Honestly, WHAT did
Mousse see in her?
"Oh! What wrong with husband?" Shampoo demanded. Nabiki inwardly
groaned. Why couldn't she just take them to the old ghoul already?
"Please, Shampoo," Soun began, "we need to speak with Cologne at
once!" Shampoo paused for a moment, obviously considering.
"Shampoo take you. Follow."
======================================
//Let's see, seven crates of noodles. That should last us until next
month.\\ The stockroom, situated in the back of the Nekohanten, was loaded
with boxes and crates of all different sizes. Each was stacked in a precise
order, organized by size and contents. A slight musty smell hung in th air,
despite the ventilation ducts that circulated air in and out of the small room.
Cologne stood in the center of the room, the light from the two bare
bulbs overhead casting her in a garish pool of illumination. She studied
the clipboard in her hands, checking and re-checking the figures. She
frowned at the numbers, they were lower than they should be. Perhaps she
should stop letting Ranma eat for free here.
The door opened behind her, a flash of irritation at the disturbance
surging through her as she turned to the entryway. Shampoo stood there with
a concerned look on her face, the two behind her drawing a curious stare
from the old woman. Soun Tendo stood in the rear, someone she never expected
to see there. Nabiki, on the other hand, looked a mess. From the way the
girl moved, it was plain that she had taken quite a pummelling recently. How
did this concern her?
"Shampoo! I told you not to disturb me!" Cologne snapped.
"Am sorry, Great-grandmother, but is important. Nabiki need talk to
you. Something wrong with Ranma."
//So Ranma is involved. Why am I not surprised?\\ Cologne thought as
she shifted her gaze to the middle Tendo daughter. "Speak, girl. What is it?"
"It's this," Nabiki replied, indicating her bandages. She took a
step forward, the limp in her left leg obviously genuine.
"You're saying someone beat up Ranma?" If that's what this was all
about, then Cologne would definitely have to talk to these people about
wasting her time. There was no way she'd teach him another secret technique.
"No, Ranma did this to me!"
//Well, now! THAT was unexpected.\\ For the first time in years,
Cologne found herself utterly confused. The thought that Ranma could even
raise his hand at a woman, much less cause damage like this, was almost
laughable. The boy couldn't bring himself to hit a girl, a trait that
Cologne both detested and admired at the same time.
"He did?"
"I'd say that it's pretty damn obvious!"
"Watch your tone, child," Cologne warned, "I am not fond of
insolence. Now, what is happening?"
"It started this morning," Soun began, "at breakfast. Ranma suddenly
snapped at his father, shouting at him even!"
"Well, that's hardly news," Cologne said sarcastically.
"To make a long story short," Nabiki said, "he nearly attacked a
teacher, slapped Ukyo, almost pummelled Akane, beat the snot out of Ryoga,
then attacked me in the dojo."
"Afterward, he began shouting at all of us. After he used some sort
of strange ki attack, that is."
"What sort of attack was it?" Cologne asked. This was getting
interesting.
"I do not know," Soun replied, "but it burned away most of the
dojo's front wall."
//A flame attack? This may be more serious than I thought.\\
"Where is he now?"
"We have him tied up at the dojo," Nabiki answered. "Doctor Tofu
used a pressure point on him that should have knocked him out. Instead, it
just weakened him."
Cologne almost asked which point that was, but thought better of it.
After all, how would Nabiki know about Shiatsu techniques? The only way to
determine what was wrong would be to go see him at the dojo.
"Very well. Shampoo, you are to stay until the remaining customers
leave. Afterward, close up and come to the Dojo. I shall see to son-in-law."
"Yes, Great-grandmother!" Shampoo turned on her heel and walked out
into the main restaurant like a soldier after recieving marching orders.
Cologne sighed silently as the girl left. When would she learn that she
wasn't some sort of robot?
"Let us go. We cannot afford to waste any more time."
======================================
Ryoga Hibiki had known lonliness and despair before. The seemingly
endless months he spent on the road, without a single soul to talk to, had
taught him what it meant to be truly alone.
Or so he had thought. Sitting alone in the bathroom, the hot water
was of little comfort as he replayed the scene again and again. Ranma
shouting his secret in front of Kami-sama and everyone. The stares of shock
and disbelief as his lack of honor was exposed for all to see. He, Ryoga,
the one who had proclaimed himself Ranma's superior in honor, had been
brought low. The shame was unbearable.
In the pit of depression and anguish, a familiar sensation overcame
him. It was the thought that had always kept him going, always gave him the
strength to rise in the morning. It was all Ranma's fault.
The more he told himslef, the more Ryoga began to believe it. Ranma
had *sworn* never to let that out! And what did he go and do? Tell everyone!
That honorless coward had betrayed him! It was time for Ranma to pay, once
and for all.
Ryoga rose from the bathwater, tiny rivulets running down his
muscular chest and washboard abs. He toweled off, moving toward the clothes
that Kasumi had been kind enough to leave for him. Even she had been stunned
and revolted, Ryoga felt it as she carried him into the bath. Well, it
wouldn't matter. Before long, Ryoga would have his vengeance. Nothing else
mattered anymore.
Ranma's glare hit him as soon as he walked in the room, filled to
the brim with fury. The chains wrapped around her body held her immobile,
lengths wrapped around her torso and abdomen that pinned her arms with two
chains crosing between her breasts. More were around her knees, both above
and below. Ranma's feet were bent behind her, doubtlessly bound to her
wrists. The red-haired pseudo-girl leaned against one of the corners, a
black bar with straps leading around her head between her lips rendering her
mute. Ryoga briefly wondered just why Nabiki had such a thing, but decided
it wasn't any of his business. At least it would be quieter this way.
"You've ruined me, Ranma," Ryoga said in a voice devoid of all
emotion. He should have felt angry, enraged, but instead felt nothing. He
felt as if he were a spectator, watching the events unfold from the stands.
Ranma continued to glare at him, muffled sounds from behind the gag
the only sounds she was capable of making. She began to struggle against her
bonds, starining for all she was worth to get free. Ryoga had no illusions
of what Ranma wanted to do to him, but did not care. It was time to finish this.
Ryoga raised his parasol above his head, ready to deliver the blow
that would crush Ranma's skull like an overripe melon. There was no fear in
Ranma's eyes, just a loathing and anger beyond even his comprehension.
Somewhere deep inside, however, Ryoga knew it was wrong. Ranma was
bound and weakened. Killing him, or her in this case, would have been
detestable.
//Not that it matters,\\ he thought, //he's without honor anyway!\\
But if he killed Ranma, he would prove to everyone that he was indeed as
honorless as Saotome, if not moreso.
Ryoga tried to bring the parasol down, somewhat surprised to find
himself unable to do it. Something inside him refused to allow him the
satisfaction of killing Ranma, some deep reserve of decency and honor that
prevented him from finishing his hated nemesis once and for all.
He began to lower the heavy weapon, finally realizing that it was
wrong, when the door behind him opened...
Akane stopped dead in her tracks, the glass of water falling from
her numb fingers to shatter on the floor. The feeling of cold terror swept
over her like a raging tide as her heart threatened to stop.
"Ryoga!" she shouted.
"Akane." Ryoga's voice was lifeless, dead, but Akane didn't notice
or care.
"You.... how... DARE YOU!" Ryoga lowered his umbrella, his eyes
meeting hers for a brief second before falling to the floor.
"I'm..."
"Don't say it, don't even SAY IT!" Akane screamed, the frozen terror
melting into burning rage. The knowledge that she had been duped all this
time by him, taking him into her own *bed*, that he had been lying to her
all the while, fused with the sight before her to complete her
newly-discovered image of Ryoga Hibiki. "GET OUT!" Ryoga just stood there,
the same lifeless mask on his face. Didn't he hear her!
"Akane..."
"GET OUT!" Akane scarecely registered the thundering footsteps
coming up the stairs from below, her only focus the liar standing in front
of her. "I wish I'd never met you! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! NOW!" Ryoga simply
stood there for a moment before moving toward the window. Without a word, he
slid open the glass and leapt out. Let him get lost, she didn't care!
"Akane!" Ukyo said as she slid to a stop beside her, "what's goin' on!"
"Ryoga..." she snarled, straining to keep her temper in check,
"tried to kill Ranma!" She heard Ukyo gasp in disbelief, asking that stupid
question all people asked when told something like that.
"Really?"
"You think I'd lie about that?"
"Easy, Akane," Ukyo said softly. "Wow, I never thought he'd do
something like that."
"Wish I could say the same."
"Oh, dear, I have to clean this up," Kasumi said, "we have company
coming!"
Akane and Ukyo both resisted the sudden urge to facefault.
======================================
Ukyo descended the stairs to find Cologne waiting in the foyer. She
didn't bother to hide her disgust at the old creature, convinced that she
was the one responsible for Ranma's behaivior.
"This is most disturbing," Cologne said to Doctor Tofu, who merely
nodded in agreement.
"I've never seen anything like this before. Do you have any ideas?"
"No, I shall have to see him."
"You know, alright," Ukyo snarled as she came up behind Cologne.
"No, I do not," Cologne replied without turning to face her, "and I
do not like that tone, girl."
"I don't give a rat's ass if you like it or not, you did it!"
"Ukyo, please," Tofu pleaded, "this isn't the time..."
"What, is this some sort of plot to get Ranchan to marry that..."
Ukyo never saw it coming. The blow slammed into her stomach like a
sledgehammer fired from a cannon, sending her flying into one of the walls
with concussive force.
Ukyo opened her eyes to find Cologne standing over her, a cold glare
piercing into her very soul. She did her best to match the elder's awesome
gaze, but soon realized that she was outclassed.
"I did not do anything to son-in-law," Cologne said in a voice that
could freeze the air, "and were I you I'd be very careful about making such
strong accusations without the facts. I am here to help, but that does not
mean I will put up with your nonsense. Do I make myself clear?" Ukyo said
nothing, not willing to give the old bitch the satisfaction. Cologne
continued to stare at her for a few seconds more before turning away.
"Take me to him, please," she said to Akane.
=================================
//What in the....\\ The rage, the sheer power of it buffeted Cologne
the second she entered the room. She looked into Ranma's sea-blue eyes,
astonished at the unbridled hate she saw in their depths.
She moved over to the bound and gagged girl, thankful for the chains
that kept her immoble. Tofu had shown her the point he used, a spot at the
base of the skull that should have put Ranma out for several hours at the
least. Despite that, the girl was still wide awake. At least it had weakened
her to the point where the chains would hold. At full power, Cologne didn't
want to think what could happen.
Ranma began to struggle wildly as Cologne placed her hand atop the
girl's head. The surface was incredibly hot, almost enough to make her pull
her hand away on contact. The sound of rustling steel chain faded into the
background as she searched for the source of the power coming from the young
woman.
The power! It surged through her, threatening to burn away all that
she was as it leaped into her mind. Images of death and destruction, of a
rage and hatred alien to any rational mind lanced her consciousness again
and again in a confused jumble of fire and hate.
She ripped her hand away, panting from exhaustion and fear as the
images slowly faded away. This... she had heard of such a thing, but had
neve actually seen it before! And if memory served, Ranma was in more
trouble than he had ever been before.
"Cologne?" Cologne stood there for a moment more, bringing herself
back under control.
"Get downstairs and bring everyone to the table," she said in a
raspy voice.
"Is it bad?"
"That... is an understatement. If we do not hurry, Ranma will surely
die."
==============================================
Ah, I think I'll end it here. ^_^ So, this wasn't the end, and it
only took one day to write! That's the fastest I've ever gotten a fic done.
Anyway, C&C? Love to hear it!
Jed