Permanent 10: A battle of wits.
Ranma snorted as she stood outside the window of the small shop in the
shopping district of Nerima. Akane stood nearby with her friends and
looked at some jewelry in the window of a nearby store. They talked
excitedly and giggled amongst themselves. Ranma merely stood in disbelief
and glared at the window of the much smaller and inconspicuous store. "I
don't believe it, the nerve!" she whispered angrily.
"What is it Ranma?" asked Akane noticing Ranma's agitated state.
"I'll be right back," muttered the red head as she stormed into the
store.
"Hello miss can I help you?" said the elderly man inside pleasantly.
"Yea," said Ranma as she surveyed her surroundings calmly. "You can tell
me what you think your doing selling that book," she snapped as she
indicated the black book sitting in the window.
"Pardon? This is a magic shop my dear we cater..." started the man
smugly.
"How about if I report this to the counsel?" said Ranma calmly.
The man became white as a sheet. "You wouldn't," he said as his voice
seemed to give out on him. "You can't."
"I can and I will, that book is one of the most evil things on this
planet and I want to know how you got it, now," said Ranma as she leaned
over the counter and looked the old man in the eyes.
"Please! A man sold it to me! He didn't want much for it and I could
sell it to some deviant high school kids for a good price. They wouldn't
know how to use it anyway. So I figured..." stammered the man in
hysterics.
"I'm taking it off your hands, I want this store gone by tomorrow and I
never want to see you in business ever again. If I do I take this
straight up to the top," sneered Ranma as she walked over to the window
and lifted the book off the shelf.
"Yes Ma'am," said the shopkeeper as he backed away from her gaze.
A few moments later she walked out into the street with the book under
her arm and sighed. Akane was in a dress shop across the street and
smiled and waved at her as she noticed her. "Hey Ranma, what do you have
there?" asked Akane cheerfully as she noticed a small bag in Ranma's
hands. The book was held tightly under her arm. She felt her skin crawl
as she held it tightly.
"It's a Phoenix egg, I've always wanted one." said Ranma as she shook
the bag.
"What? That's silly," said Yuka as she placed a dress back on the rack.
"It a real one," said Ranma calmly as she walked off.
"What?" said Sayuri dumbly as she turned from her own shopping. "That's
ridiculous."
"If Ranma says its real then it is," said Akane as she frowned and
watched her friend walk off.
"Do you think we should go after her?" asked Yuka.
"Nah, she does this sort of thing all the time." said Akane as she
picked up an outfit that seemed to suit her.
A few moments later Ranma entered the Tendo home and walked up to her
room. She threw the book down violently and fell to the floor clutching
herself in disgust. She crawled over to a large chest she had in the
corner. It had markings she had carefully painted on it when she had
arrived in Japan. It was very special and important to her. She knelt
before it and muttered something as her hands began to glow. The lock on
the box snapped open and she gasped as the dark power sealed inside it
overwhelmed her, she shielded her face against it and picked up the book
she had 'acquired' throwing it into the box with the other assorted books
before slamming the lid shut again. The seal returned and the evil energy
that had filled the room was sucked back into the box. She turned and
looked at a small pile of books next to the chest and frowned. All of
them were Necrinomicon Exmortum. Gosunkugi appeared in the back of her
mind. "Worse? Is that possible?" he said.
"Yes it is," she answered bitterly.
Cologne stood outside the Dojo with a frown on her face. "So that is why
they sent this to you my dear, You've been saving them a great deal of
trouble. I thought it was a bit much to give you something like this just
for playing doctor." she turned away and bounded into the night.
Mousse stood and glared into a mirror. He looked at his hands and
frowned as they shook uncontrollably. At his feet Shampoo purred and
rubbed his leg happily. He had just fed her. "Oh Shampoo, if only you had
been so affectionate with me when you were still human," he whispered.
"Still, I cannot face that monster again yet; I must find a way do defeat
her!" he muttered as he collapsed on the small mat he had been sleeping
in. He held his head in his hands and just sat. Shampoo worked her way on
to his lap and simply sat with a satisfied purr. "You aren't really
Shampoo any more are you? You're just a cat now. Even if I were to find a
way to bring you back you would never be my beloved again," he sadly
stroked her fur affectionately.
"That is correct, It is best if she remains as she is," said a voice
from behind Mousse. He showed no signs of being surprised.
"It wouldn't matter, I know even if her mind didn't leave her she would
have to remain as she is to retain her honor. I am glad she did lose it
and could find happiness," replied Mousse as he turned to face Cologne.
"Why did you take her?" asked the Amazon elder.
"I didn't want to; She followed me, I don't think she truly became a cat
until we arrived here," said Mousse sadly.
"I see," said Cologne simply.
"I wanted to have our revenge together and give her at least that
comfort, but now I must have it alone," he lay down and looked at the
sky.
"Let it go Mousse, you know you have no place in this," sighed Cologne.
"I cannot," Replied the boy simply.
"Then you must be punished," she replied simply.
"There is nothing you can do to me that can be worse than losing my
Shampoo," he said simply.
"I know boy but the punishment is fitting of someone of your loyalty,"
she gave a withered and cold smile. "You will be her guardian forever,
you must care for her always. You may never marry another. Constantly you
will be reminded of her condition, when she dies you will perish with
her, and finally you will never have your revenge on Ranma Saotome. She
is your superior, your better."
Mousse felt a chill run down his spine as her words drove a knife into
his heart. "You mean?"
"Yes, the others are already preparing their assault," she said with a
smile.
"No you can't deny me this! I won't allow it!" cried Mousse as he threw
a volley of weapons at the old woman. She dodged easily and poked his
neck with her staff. Mousse felt his body grow cold as he collapsed. He
fell into a puddle that had formed at his feet. "Bah, I am no longer a
man, I could not even control myself. I don't deserve Shampoo," he
thought as he passed out.
Tatewaki Kuno stood at the edge of the bath and stepped inside. He
sighed as he felt the warmth surround him. His wings ruffled
instinctively as he bathed and sent strange but not uncomfortable
sensations down his spine. His day had not been unpleasant. He had lost
his daily duel with the young Ranma again. It seemed to be getting easier
for her to defeat him and he had to work something out. He had endured
the stares of others on the streets and smiled at the memory. It seemed
that others were afraid of him or simply in awe. He wore gloves to hide
his clawed hand, but the wings were a different problem. It was the
summer and the heat made it difficult to hide them in public. It was a
problem he would deal with however since the added bonus of flight made
the stares well founded and worthwhile. He felt liberated when he took
the skies, it was amazing and he had never felt so free.
His sister seemed strangely absent for the past few days and had
commented several times on the foolishness of wearing such fake looking
decoration. He saw no reason to enlighten her. He stood from the water
after a while wrapped a towel around his waist. His wings ruffled again
and he sat down and preened them carefully. It was another strange habit
he had acquired. "I suppose it is instinct," he thought to himself. He
finished and walked out into the hallway and towards his room after half
dressing himself in a pair of loose pants. He glanced in a mirror vainly
and smiled as he noticed his now golden eyes. "I do look devilishly
handsome don't I?" he asked the reflection. With that he simply walked
into his room.
Kodachi Kuno stared from her doorway in disbelief as her brother walked
by without his shirt on. She gasped as he passed her in the hallway.
"Those foolish wings my brother has been wearing...are real?" she
thought. "This cannot be left unattended."
Ranma Saotome sat up in her bed. She stood and glared out the open
window in her room. "I didn't open that," she muttered as she turned and
looked at her father who was snoring loudly on the ground beside her.
"Who ever you are come out!" she called quietly. Two figures seemed to
melt out of the shadows, both held spears at their sides and one of them
obviously did not know how to use it properly. Ranma recognized their
dress immediately. "Amazons," she whispered in silent horror.
"We greet you Ranma," said the one on her left. "I am Ko li and this is
Talcum." The other girl smiled darkly; Ranma only frowned.
"We'll go out to the dojo and settle this, this is not my home and I
don't wish to disturb them," said Ranma as she leapt out the window. The
two girls followed.
TbC...