Draft version.
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.
Vincent Seifert has kindly provided webspace for most of my
fanfics and links to the rest at the following address:
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/kagami/
You can contact me at: kagami@jeack.com.au
---
Cherry blossoms slowly danced across his vision as Ranma
opened his eyes. A veritable cloud of petals drifted down
from the overhanging sakura tree, turning the world a
delicate shade of pink. Where am I? he wondered, staring up
at the orange sky. And where was Akane?
He sat up suddenly and found himself on a small hilltop
amidst a verdant meadow. Long-stemmed green grass flowed in
the breeze, stretching away as far as his eye could see.
Apart from the tree and himself, only one other object
shared the hilltop: a red rose. It lay on the short grass
beside him.
Ranma frowned as he studied the rose. He had seen
countless roses before; both Kuno and Kodachi had a fetish
for the flower. It seemed entirely normal, a perfect
specimen of the species. The petals were fully formed and
scarlet-hued in colour. The stem was long and held several
green leaves. A wonderful fragrance wafted from the flower
to tickle his nostrils as he breathed in deeply.
Why was it here? He reached out to pick it up and pricked
his finger on a thorn. "Ow!" Ranma exclaimed, jerking his
hand away. A drop of blood welled up from the puncture, so
dark it was almost black. He tilted his finger to look at
the minor wound and the droplet rolled down the sudden
incline, falling to land on the rose below.
The petals stained an immediate black, the darkness
welling and spreading from the initial spot of blood. One
petal fell off and shriveled upon touching the ground, and
another followed, and another, until only a single, last
petal was left, stained the colour of twilight.
Then it, too, fell and the rose was no more.
He came awake with a sudden start and rubbed his groggy
eyes, yawning loudly. Man, just a lousy dream. The small
hollow at the base of Fuji-san, Ranma remembered. That was
where they were. He smiled in relief as he looked over to
find Akane lying beside him, still asleep, her cheeks
flushed a healthy pink.
---
An Awakening of Demons
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
By Kagami
Chapter 9: Repercussions
---
Akane Tendo awoke as the light of the early sun pierced
the veil of the morning mist to caress her smooth limbs in
benediction. She raised a hand to muffle a broad yawn,
feeling surprisingly chipper, despite yesterday's events.
What had happened last evening? she wondered. The demon
spider had bitten her and then she had collapsed in the
middle of the battle-- She made a swift check of her
surroundings. Nope, no demons... only Ranma, who returned
her stare, eyes glossy dark in the shade.
"How are ya feeling, Akane?" Ranma asked softly.
"A bit sore, but I feel great," Akane replied, stretching
out the kinks left from a night of sleeping on hard ground.
She looked around again and found no one else present.
"What happened anyway? Did we wipe them out? Where are the
others? And where's Aunty Saotome?"
"Whoa!" Ranma said, raising a hand in protest. "Hold it!
Hold it! The others are probably okay. We got separated in
the dark when we ran. I'm pretty sure they got to the foot
of the mountain. The demons didn't chase us any further. As
for Mom, well, she's safe, I guess."
"We ran?!" Akane was surprised: Ranma had run?! "How come?"
"Er, whaddya remember about it?"
Akane shrugged. Her memories of the battle were dim and
confused. She touched her head and winced slightly. Oh,
yeah. A large rock had clobbered her when Raiha had emerged
from the mountainside. "That huge lightning wolf came out
and Ryoga-kun-- Hey, what happened to Ryoga-kun?"
"Dunno. Shampoo and Kodachi were carting him off when I
last saw 'em. He should be fine. Pig-boy's tough after all."
"Don't call him that, Ranma!" she snapped, then winced as
jagged bolts of pain flashed through her temples.
"Sorry," he said, not really meaning the apology. "So,
what else do ya remember?"
She stared at him for a long time. Hadn't his eyes been
yellow at some point last night? They were completely black
now and utterly unreadable. "Not much else. I got bitten by
that spider thing and everything went kind of hazy. I don't
remember a lot after that."
"Oh."
Only that small exclamation emerged from Ranma. To her
surprise, he seemed vaguely uncomfortable and yet strangely
relieved by her loss of memory. Now, why on earth-- "Hey!
You didn't do anything weird, did you?" Akane glowered at
him, suspicions rising wildly. She groped around, looking
for something, anything, to hit him with. Her katana lay to
one side, but then her eyes alighted on a more suitable
object: a tree branch that was fortuitously close at hand.
She hefted it menacingly.
"No! No! I didn't do nothin'!" Ranma held his hands up in
a warding gesture. "Ya got poisoned, okay? But I shoulda
known it wouldn't have worked on a macho tomboy like y--
Urk!"
Tree branches worked nearly as well as her trusty mallet,
Akane decided.
---
Boring scenery whizzed by the window of the speeding
Shinkansen bullet train. A slightly wet, female and
strangely content Ranma Saotome sat next to a somewhat
grumpy and annoyed Akane Tendo. She still had not lost the
knack of dropping him into the nearest body of water - in
this case, a shallow and muddy puddle. He watched the dull
cityscapes hurtle by as the train approached Tokyo and
tried to ignore the waves of animosity washing over from
his seat partner.
I couldn't have told her the truth, now could I? Ranma
thought. Oh, you were dying, Akane, so I hadda bite you in
the throat an' suck out your blood to get rid of the
poison. Yup, and it was some strange voice in my head that
tol' me to do it and give ya some of my blood...
Ranma could just imagine her reaction. He hid a small
shudder. Still, Akane hadn't pressed the matter further,
almost as though she didn't really want to know. She had
flattened him once, dragged him back to the train station
in Shin-Fuji, and left it at that.
"Ranma."
The flat voice demanded his attention. He turned to look
at her. "Yo, Akane."
"What happened to Aunty Saotome? You said she was safe?"
His contentment vanished. Ranma sat up, his spine ramrod
straight. "I couldn't save her," he admitted, "so I did the
next best thing - I used Umibouzu's power to seal Mom away.
Shukumaru won't be able to get to her now." It had seemed
the correct thing to do, then, but in the light of the new
day, Ranma suddenly wasn't quite so certain.
"You sealed her away?!" Akane exclaimed, sounding shocked.
"How could you?!"
"It wasn't like I had any choice," he muttered
defensively. "Shukumaru had Mom dead to rights. If I had
jumped in, she would have torn Mom's throat out. I just
barely got the seal up, even so."
"You'll be able to get her back out, won't you?"
"Uh huh," Ranma affirmed. Well, he was fairly sure about
it. He sank back into his seat as silence fell between them
again. <Umibouzu!> he called out with his mind. <Can you
hear me?!>
<I am here, Ranma Saotome. What is it?> The gravelly tones
of Umibouzu's mental voice grated harshly in his mind.
Ranma winced slightly, feeling the onset of a headache.
<We can get Mom out again, right?>
<Certainly. But it would be unwise to do so now. Shukumaru
will be seeking any vulnerability on your part. No doubt
she already seeks other allies.>
<I know, I know. I'm just--> Ranma broke off, unwilling to
expose his concern. <So long as she's safe...>
<She is alive,> returned Umibouzu, <and she is strong for
a mortal. She will survive the darkness. Win your war
against Shukumaru quickly, then retrieve her.>
<All right, already. What about allies? If my half-
sister's looking for allies, we gotta stop her or find some
ourselves.> Silence ensured for a long time as the Great
Devourer failed to answer. Curious, Ranma prompted, <Well?>
<There is one that you may seek.> Umibouzu sounded
reluctant.
---
Bustling crowds jostled and shoved their way out of the
halted train at Tokyo Station. A veritable tide of people
carried Ranma and Akane toward the platform stairs. Ranma
was content to flow with the crowd, keeping hold of Akane's
arm, until a strange anomaly drew his attention. The sea of
travellers was parting before them. An ancient and wizened
crone awaited their arrival.
"Old Ghoul?" Ranma blurted out in surprise, staring at the
small figure standing before him.
Thwap! "That's Cologne-chan!" snapped the Amazon
Matriarch. She lifted her wooden staff from his forehead.
Her wrinkled countenance did not permit a pout, but the
fierce glare more than made up for it in style.
"So, whatcha doin' here, anyway?" Ranma continued, rubbing
the small lump on his temple. "Shampoo said you were in
China or something."
"That's right, Ranma. I went to check the Joketsuzoku
Archives for information on demons. There is much I need to
relate to all of you."
"That's wonderful, Cologne-san." Akane was pleasantly
surprised and also a little suspicious. Cologne was capable
of offering excellent advice, but only when it suited her
to do so. What were her reasons this time? "That was a fast
trip you made."
Cologne nodded seriously. "I came back to warn you, Ranma.
I found a journal written by a 15th century Amazon who
travelled in Japan." Cologne held up a battered, travel-
worn book with thin wooden covers and sheets of yellowed
paper. "She reports meeting a powerful half-demon with
little control over his nature. His demon blood would surge
forth when he was under grave stress and he would become
incredibly strong and powerful. However, his human side
would also be lost and subsumed during that period. You
must be careful."
"Is that true, Cologne-san?" demanded Akane worriedly.
"Yes, his name was--" Cologne broke off suddenly, peering
hard at Akane. How had she missed such a great change to
the Tendo girl? Sharp, jagged black lines shot through her
aura - almost as though.... She shot a troubled look at
Ranma. "What have you done?!"
"What?" asked Akane, puzzled at Cologne's sudden shift of
topic.
"Whaddya mean, Old Ghoul?"
"No, never mind." Cologne shook her head, hiding her
foreboding. There would be time to consider the full
ramifications later. "Anyway, you must not let the demon
blood consume you. No matter what the reason. Don't let
your name become 'wild demon', Ranma."
"No problem, Old Ghoul. I can handle it," Ranma said with
more than a trace of overweening confidence. "So why're ya
calling me Ranma now, anyway? You always used ta call me
'son-in-law' and all that crap."
"A good question. I will explain things when the entire
group is at hand."
"Sure. Let's head over to the Dojo. I need ta talk with
everyone. Umibouzu told me about a new ally that he can
take us to."
"That is good news, Ranma. I would like to hear it."
Ranma and Akane walked on, with Cologne following. She
glanced occasionally toward Akane as she hopped along on
her staff, her serene face masking deep concern. The trip
to Joketsuzoku had taken less time than even she had hoped,
flying First-Class had its benefits, but she realized that
she had returned too late, even so.
---
Squawking protests from an angry white duck greeted them
as they walked through the front gate of the Tendo Dojo.
"Aw, man. Did'ja have to bring him back with ya?" Ranma
muttered under his breath to Cologne. The Amazon Matriarch
only smiled in return.
Shampoo paused in mid-hurl; the empty water basin dropping
from her nerveless fingers as she drank in the sight of
Ranma and Akane together. Cologne's presence failed to
surprise her; Mousse's arrival had forewarned her. It was
the disturbing image of the Pervert Girl walking beside her
Airen, both apparently comfortable and even happy, that
stabbed into the core of her heart. She put on a brave,
cheerful face and a bright smile.
"Airen! You back!" Shampoo exclaimed, jumping forward to
hug him tightly. She felt him tense up, but perversely
hugged him harder. "Where you go? Shampoo search whole
night for Airen!"
"Well, well, if it isn't the wandering couple." Nabiki's
sarcastic voice issued from where she was sitting on the
porch. It hid her worry from all who heard, except for
those who knew her best. Typically, she twisted the barb
even further, extracting a measure of revenge against the
cause of a sleepless night. "Enjoyed a quiet night alone,
did we?"
"I missed you too, Nabiki," said Akane, acknowledging her
elder sister's concern. The front door slammed open and two
figures hurtled forth, clamoring welcome.
"Ranma-sama! You have returned to seek out the joys of my
love!"
"Ranchan! You idiot, quit worrying me like that, will you?"
Twin cries of happiness dissolved into near-lethal
vituperation as Kodachi and Ukyo noticed Shampoo hugging
Ranma and passionately purring.
"Get off him, you shameless hussy!"
"Shampoo! Dammit, you get away from Ranchan now!"
Akane sighed slightly as she walked over towards Nabiki.
Somehow, she lacked the outrage to respond to the normal
chaos erupting around Ranma. It seemed a welcome relief to
the darkness that had overwhelmed them all with the arrival
of Shukumaru. Perhaps she was mellowing? Gah, the very
thought made her feel old. "Great to feel missed, isn't it?"
"Heh. So, how are you feeling?" Nabiki asked, eyeing her
carefully. "I mean, for someone who's supposed to be
poisoned and dying, you're looking pretty healthy."
"I'm feeling fine. Can't have been all that bad. I don't
remember much of what happened; I just woke up this morning
and felt great." Akane stared at her hands pensively,
before reaching up to touch the side of her neck
unconsciously. "No, I don't remember a thing after that
white spider thing bit me. I do feel kinda sore though."
"Oh?" Only Nabiki could load so much meaning into a single
word and an arched eyebrow.
Akane flushed red with embarrassment. "Idiot! Not like
that!"
Nabiki merely offered a secretive smile in return. "Why
not come inside? Kasumi's laid out some afternoon tea." She
casually produced a biscuit that had been hidden out of
sight and started munching the scrumptious cookie.
"Okay. But what about them?" Akane jerked a thumb back at
the brawling threesome and an idiotic jerk caught in the
middle of the fracas. The said idiot was getting beaten
around the head by the flapping wings of an opportunistic
white duck.
"Leave them. They seem to be having fun."
---
The gang eventually clustered around the living room
table. Cologne casually appropriated the seat at the head
of the table and watched with amusement as the others
sorted themselves out. Soun Tendo and his daughters sat on
the right-hand side, Akane dragging a reluctant Ranma to
sit at the table end next to her. Kodachi and Shampoo
locked furious gazes in a brief match of inner wills to see
who would claim the seat on Ranma's other side only to lose
it to a swifter Ukyo. Ryoga sat next to her and Kodachi
knelt decorously beside him, leaving Shampoo and Mousse to
the front left of the crowded table.
Kasumi laid out the tea and biscuits, and everyone fell to
with an appetite. Cologne nibbled on one of the baked
delicacies and privately admitted no Amazon would have been
able to match such a delight. Of course, most of them would
never have considered cooking to be suitable to their role
as warriors. Not for the first time, she wondered if Amazon
society was lacking in certain respects. No matter, as long
as she found sufficient reasons to stay in Japan and enjoy
its modern conveniences, she was content.
"Mousse!" Cologne commanded, snapping her fingers, as
various people put down empty teacups with sighs of
happiness. It was time to begin.
"Hey! I'm a martial artist, not a pack mule!" Mousse
protested.
Whack! Thud! Cologne lifted her staff off his crumpled
form. "Unload! Now!" she snapped, utterly unsympathetic.
Grumbling, he sullenly complied. He stood up and started
dumping books, scrolls, bits of weathered parchment,
leather scraps, and other odds and ends from his voluminous
sleeves onto the table. Cologne nodded in satisfaction as
the pile of ancient records and journals grew.
"Aiyah!" Shampoo exclaimed in dismay. "Great-grandmother
loot Joketsuzoku Archives?"
"Only the Demonology section. They won't be missed in a
hurry." Well, Cologne certainly hoped that would be the
case. She pointed her staff directly at the person for whom
she had undertaken the risk. "You had better appreciate
this, Ranma."
"Yeah, sure thing, Old Ghoul," Ranma replied gracelessly.
Cologne sighed and picked up one of the many bound scrolls
from the top of the pile. She unfurled the rolled parchment
and began reading. "It was said, a long time ago, that
demons came from the stars. They were beings of white
light, radiant in their purity, unbent and unbowed. Then
they met the humans of this world and were soon sullied.
Their uncorrupted essence had drawn in all of humanity's
nature - and evil had outweighed good, allowing light to be
perverted into darkness. Thus was born the demon race."
Cologne resonant voice faded as she looked up from the
scroll.
"Oh my. How interesting," said Kasumi as she refilled the
empty teacups on the table.
"So the demons are really aliens from outer space?" Ukyo's
voice bordered on the incredulous.
Nabiki snorted in disbelief. "You don't expect us to
really believe that, do you?"
"Actually, it's a complete fabrication," Cologne said
calmly, tossing aside the old scroll. Several dull thuds
sounded and the soft, tatami-covered floor of Tendo living
room acquired a fresh set of new faceprints.
"Dammit, Old Ghoul!" Ranma picked himself off the floor.
"There's a lot of rubbish mixed in with the gems of
knowledge," Cologne said. "I didn't have time to pick and
choose while I was there. I simply took everything I could
find. However, what I can do is provide some details that I
personally know to be fact. You can always double-check my
words with the journals."
"That would seem suitable," Kodachi said with an uncommon
gleam of interest in her eye. She cast a covetous glance at
the mound of ancient knowledge. The Kuno family library was
missing a great deal of information regarding demons. What
would it take to get the Amazon Matriarch to part with her
treasure hoard of lore?
Nabiki's hooded eyes were also suffused with a greedy
glint. It wasn't everyday that people simply dumped a whole
archive of forgotten wisdom at her feet. Why, museums would
pay literal fortunes to even gain a look at the stuff.
"I'll second that," she murmured, fondling a loose sheet of
parchment. It crackled softly, just like the sound of a ten
thousand yen note.
"Sure thing," echoed Ukyo, staring at the mouldering heap
dubiously. Ranma and the others shared her uncertainty. It
was not, at first glance, a terribly impressive sight.
"Well then," Cologne began, "Demons have always existed
ever since humanity came into being. You could say that
they have a parasitic, or even a symbiotic, relationship to
human beings. They feed from us, forming and growing from
the worst of human nature. Often, they succor our dark
sides and darkest needs. Without humans, the demon race
would probably quickly perish.
"As the human race grows ever more numerous with time, so
too the demons become stronger. In this age of modern
technology and convenience, there is much to seduce people
towards evil." Cologne raised a hand to forestall the
inevitable questions. "Yes, yes, I know what you want to
ask: if they're so strong and powerful, why haven't we
heard of demons beforehand?
"The answer is that there exists a balance in the world to
keep demons in check. The Demon Lords play a major role in
this balance; their power rests on keeping their servants
in line. They understand that maintaining a low profile is
in their best interests. After all, humans do have several
hidden means to deal with any demon who gets out of hand."
Cologne pointed at Kodachi, who preened slightly and
sidled closer to a nervous Ryoga who edged away in turn.
"There sits one of those means. The Devil Hunters destroy
any demon who calls attention to itself and their battle
record matches any the Amazons could hope to display. Other
forces are at play to restrict demonic powers lest they
overwhelm humanity. Ranma, when you have the chance, ask
Umibouzu why he serves a Demon Lord."
Ranma nodded, slightly puzzled as he mulled over the
request. It was a good question. Why did a being who was
five thousand years old choose to serve a demon?
Cologne smiled slightly. "I could tell you the answer,
Ranma, but I won't. Find it out for yourself. However, I
will share with you all a powerful secret about the demon
race. Kodachi is probably aware of this fact, but the rest
of you may not be - essentially, demons are born as
soulless beings. They live to acquire souls for themselves
and ultimately, that is the reason for their existence."
"Huh?" Ranma looked confused. "Are you telling us that
demons act the way they do because they don't have souls?"
"No, of course not. Witness the human race - having a soul
doesn't make anyone good or pure; it merely gives them the
option of such. Without souls, demons tend to be driven by
the darker emotions and they lack a true conscience. That
is not to say that demons cannot love, but rather their
love tends to be of the shallow sort - either fickle or
possessive.
"Older demons may acquire a soul through some means;
sometimes it comes into being spontaneously, but often it
is stolen from a human. Having a soul makes a demon more
powerful, but it also represents a point of vulnerability.
Demons guard their souls jealously and hide them well.
Should you ever face a powerful demon, find and destroy its
soul and you will kill it."
"Hey, whadda about me, Old Ghoul? I've got a soul, right?"
Ranma asked, slightly worried. A soul didn't seem all that
big a deal, but if having one made him a more powerful
martial artist, he was all for it. It'd be a shame if he
missed out just because he was a half-demon.
"Don't worry, Ranma. Your soul is fully intact. Your Kami-
sama is a very generous god." Cologne produced a hideous
grin in an attempt at reassurance. The immediate recoil of
those seated at the table (excepting Kasumi) made it an
obvious failure. "So that is my little lecture for now. Any
questions?"
"Well, why haven't we heard of them before?" Ukyo asked.
"I mean they're slaughtering people all the time. Why
doesn't it get on the news or something?"
"Hah! People today are more interested in their own busy
lives and hearing which way the Nikkei and Dow Jones has
moved. Do you think they'd even care about the ancient
'myths' that still exist today?" Cologne stabbed a finger
at a surprised Nabiki. "Ask her what she truly thinks of
demons, even now."
Nabiki cast a cold and appraising eye at the Amazon
Matriarch. "To be honest" - and she chuckled at the various
groans heard from around the table - "I'd be more inclined
to ask what profit and opportunities they might bring me."
Cologne smirked, her point made. "Demons are wise enough
to cloak most of their activities with powerful shielding
seals and trust in the general disbelief and disinterest
that runs rampant today." She paused, readying herself to
broach a new topic. "I have one other thing to mention: as
of this day forward, Shampoo's claim to marry Ranma Saotome
is hereby dissolved, by order of the Council of Elders."
"Yes!" cheered Mousse triumphantly as his suspicions were
happily confirmed. "Now you will be mine, Sh-- Ack!" A dual
strike from a swift bonbori and a wooden staff took him down.
"Ohohohoho!" chortled Kodachi. "At last the peasant girl
admits defeat! Now if only you two other peasants also see
the wisdom of withdrawal before my righteous claim!"
A silent Ukyo didn't answer. Instead, she was recalling
and mulling over the conversation she'd had with Shampoo
three days past. She wondered again just what the Amazons
were planning. Shampoo never gave up that easily. Akane
wasn't nearly as accommodating, glaring daggers at Kodachi.
Kasumi merely smiled happily and refilled the empty teacups
again.
Soun, who had yet to contribute anything to the
conversation, not even the occasional shower of tears, now
proceeded to do just that. "Oh, happy day!" he burbled in
delight. "I must share this wonderful news with Saotome-
kun." He hurried off to grab the shogi box, and missed the
best reaction of the day.
"B-but... but why?!" yelled Ranma. It should have been
welcome news. One of his more annoying and determined
fiancees had fallen by the wayside. That was surely a cause
for celebration, and yet he didn't feel the least bit
happy. Instead, all he felt was numb shock and irritation.
Shampoo... Shampoo was his, dammit!
No! That wasn't right! That wasn't what he-- Uh oh.
"Ranma!" growled Akane angrily. Faint wisps of blue anger
aura coalesced into being around her. "Don't tell me you
like having her around?!"
"Ranchan, aren't I good enough for you?" Ukyo added her
own little thunder cloud to the veritable storm building
over the table. She hefted her battle-spatula.
"Ranma-sama, how dare you seek to possess such another
peasant girl when you already have Kodachi Kuno by your
side?! Even I only have my two loves - isn't that correct,
Ryoga-sama?"
Ryoga decided judiciously to bolt for the kitchen and for
once in his life, probably because he was too panicked to
get lost, he made it directly. Nabiki and Kasumi joined
him. Nabiki helping to rescue the valuable crockery with
Kasumi, who was already humming and planning to bake a cake.
"Don't hurt him too badly, girls," Cologne cackled. "I do
believe Ranma has something important to tell us later."
---
The hospital room at Nerima General was fairly quiet apart
from the clatter of shogi pieces and Ranma's loud voice. He
was recounting the events of the past couple of days to his
father while Soun and Genma played a shogi game that was
remarkably free of subtle cheating attempts. Instead, with
Genma almost fully immobilized by casts and both players
distracted by Ranma's story, the cheating attempts were
incredibly crude and blatant.
"So I hadda save Akane after she got bit by that spider
demon 'cause she's so slo-- Urk!" Wham! The heavy telephone
directory whanged off his head and landed on the floor with
a dull thump. "Ow! Whaddya do that for?!" Ranma shouted,
using his hands to wrench his tilted head back upright.
"Give it a rest, Ranma!" Akane yelled in return, arm still
outstretched from hurling the directory. "Are you trying to
make me angry?!"
"Yeah! So what?!"
"Well, stop it!" Akane seethed, annoyed at his misguided
attempts to get their relationship back to normal. She
pivoted and stormed out, tossing a last remark over her
shoulder. "I don't want to return to the first stage every
single time you start feeling insecure, you know!"
"Girls... you just can't understand them," muttered Ranma.
"You have a lot to learn about women, boy." Genma shook
his head ruefully.
"Hah! So anyway, Mom's safe for now. But what I don't get
is this thing with the Amazons. Cologne told us after the
fight that it didn't mean Shampoo would stop chasing me.
Only that they wouldn't try ta force me into marryin'
Shampoo. As if they could, anyhow!" Ranma finished
stridently. Now that he knew Shampoo was still going to be
after him, he felt much, much happier. If only Akane and
the others had just waited to hear out the Old Ghoul, he
thought, rubbing his painful lumps.
"I don't know, Ranma, but you'd better be careful. Cologne
never does anything without a reason."
"I know that. Anyway, we're gonna be moving you to the
Kuno estate. Kodachi offered. She said it would be safer to
have everyone together while the rest of us hunt for this
other ally with Umibouzu. The estate's got some mystic
Devil Hunter stuff that'll protect all of ya. Cologne'll be
there too. She's gonna be looking up more about demons in
those books of hers."
"That's probably a good idea, Ranma. Kasumi and Nabiki are
both very vulnerable. Soun and I can protect them there,
right, Tendo-kun?"
"Of course, Saotome-kun," replied Soun, masking his
masterful removal of two of Genma's pieces.
"Ukyo said she'd tell Konatsu to go over there. And you'll
have Kuno and Mousse as well. Akane and I got that idiot to
agree to everything. Bleh!" Ranma spat in disgust,
remembering Kuno slobbering over the pig-tailed girl before
he had clobbered him.
"Son, I still can't see how you can live with yourself,
doing things like that!" Soun protested, before cringing
away from the fierce glare he received from an indignant
Ranma.
"Hey! I did it for you guys, okay?" Ranma snapped.
Ingratitude was one thing, but this...
"Hah hah. Well, boy, I'd offer to go with you all, but..."
Genma waved one hand feebly in a show of insincere courage.
"Good luck, boy!"
"Sure, Pops, sure."
---
Ryoga Hibiki stared at the deadly bay of cold water and
tried not to feel depressed. The shining blue waters of the
Tokyo Harbour stretched out before him, and beyond that was
the endless Pacific Ocean. How on earth was he supposed to
travel on all that stuff without getting wet? It was the
only way though, if he wanted to follow the group and
protect Akane from the increasingly deadly threats. He
shivered, feeling a sudden chill within.
"Ryoga! Here, catch!" Ranma called out as he tossed over a
small object.
Ryoga snapped out his hand automatically and let the item
smack into his palm. It was a bar of soap. He stared at the
innocuous object for a brief instant before feeling hope
rise in his heart. Could it be? "Ranma, is this..."
"Waterproof soap from Jusenkyo Products," Ranma confirmed.
"Cologne picked up some on her way through, and I thought
of you."
"Ranma!" Tears sparkled in Ryoga's eyes. For his old enemy
and rival to do this for him.... "Ranma, you're such a--"
"What?! Thanking me, P-chan?" Ranma interrupted, a smug
grin on his face.
"--damned idiot!" Ryoga finished with more than a trace of
asperity. Ranma just didn't do gracious at all. It was
pointless to even try.
"Anyway, that should keep you from getting wet and
revealing everything to Ak--"
"Hello, Ryoga-kun," greeted Akane as she appeared out of
nowhere to become his personal nightmare. Her eyes were
instantly drawn to the soap in his hand like bees to sweet-
scented flowers. She looked up with a puzzled expression.
"Say, is that waterproof soap in your hand? Why would you
need some?"
No! No! No! No! No! Black depression crashed down upon
him. He was caught. He was going to die. He was...
"N...N...no, A-Akane-san." He chuckled inanely, feeling the
pressure of Judgement Day mentally flatten him - and he
wasn't even a Christian. "W-What makes you s-say that?"
Akane pointed back towards the Chinese Amazons where
Mousse and Shampoo were busy coating themselves with
additional bars of waterproof soap. It was a damning piece
of inference. Just like Akane-san to pick that up and not
follow through. He cast desperate, pleading eyes to Ranma.
Ranma sighed. "Actually, he was just bringing the stuff to
me, Akane."
"Oh, I see." Akane smiled brightly. "That's very kind of
you, Ryoga-kun."
"Ah-hehehe." Ryoga rubbed the back of his head with great
relief. Judgement Day had chosen to declare itself a public
holiday. Fortunately for his unsettled state of mind, a
gigantic serpentine head chose that moment to breach the
waters of Tokyo Bay, distracting everyone, including Akane.
A small tidal wave of water swamped the pier, making Ryoga
feel very, very glad to have the waterproof soap in his
hands. Akari, just wait a while longer, please. As soon as
Akane's safe, I'll find my way back to the Unryu farm, I
promise.
Umibouzu's bass rumble issued forth like deeply growling
thunder. "Ranma Saotome, I am here."
---
Sailing across the Pacific Ocean on the back of a gigantic
seagoing serpent wasn't exactly Akane Tendo's idea of a
romantic cruise. Nor did the presence of three of her major
rivals help in any way, she thought as she made her way up
to the front of the slippery-smooth platform of scales near
Umibouzu's head. Ranma was standing there, on a neck ridge
of the vast serpent, staring ahead at the blue emptiness,
while to the rear the Great Devourer's undulating form
churned through the foaming waves.
Ryoga, Kodachi, Ukyo and Shampoo were also clustered at
the lower end of the serpentine neck. It was the only part
that actually held still while Umibouzu surged ever
onwards. Their destination was a small uncharted island due
east of Tokyo; it had continually failed to appear over the
horizon despite the great serpent's swift speed.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to leave them alone like
that?" Akane asked Ranma, nodding her head back towards the
three girls playing poker, with Ryoga making up a reluctant
fourth.
Ranma shrugged indifferently. He kept his eyes fixed
forward on the black line that marked the meeting of earth
and sky. It remained disappointingly flat. "So long as they
don't start singing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' or talk about
dividin' me up, I don't really care."
A change in the sea breeze wafted over conversation from
the three girls.
"--like him for his cute face."
"But what about his muscular chest?"
"Ranma have good teeth."
Akane quirked an eyebrow at Ranma and muttered, "You were
saying?"
Ranma shivered involuntarily. "Hey!" he yelled out
hastily. "I ain't some kinda horse on auction, you know!"
"What a shame, Ranma-sama. Then I would be able to outbid
these peasants and purchase you outright," Kodachi returned
with a wicked smile. Ukyo snorted her disgust and Shampoo
muttered under her breath about 'Stupid Rose Girl
obstacle'. Ryoga looked as though getting lost immediately
was his preferred course of action.
"Ranma! Shampoo hear demons be great sex perverts. You
marry Shampoo and have harem, okay? Shampoo no mind sharing
a little." The purple-haired Amazon was utterly smug as the
other two girls shot her killing glances.
"A har-- Urk!" Ranma blurted out, incredulous, only to be
suddenly silenced as a tip of a very sharp katana appeared
in front of his throat.
Akane held the blade still and with obvious menace, having
picked up cues from Aunty Saotome about how to handle
Saotome men. "Don't you start getting any perverted ideas,
Ranma!"
"Uh uh! Nope! No way!" he protested. Jeeze, Shukumaru
didn't have to even bother trying to kill him. One of his
eager fiancees would do the job for her one of these days.
Talk about oversensitive. Feh! "You're the one for me,
Akane. You know that!"
"Idiot," muttered Akane as she jerked her blade away and
stalked off.
---
<Umibouzu, can I ask ya something?>
<Certainly, Ranma Saotome.>
<Why do ya serve the Demon Lord of the East, anyway?>
Ranma wondered curiously. The question posed by Cologne had
been churning in his mind. He still couldn't think of an
answer.
A low rumble of amusement shook the surface he stood upon.
Ranma hastily grabbed hold of the nearest scale. <Ah, Ranma
Saotome, you continue to surprise me. You are the first of
your kind to have ever asked that question.>
<Wasn't really my idea,> he admitted. <So, why do ya,
really?>
<And honest too.> Another rumble shook the Umibouzu's
massive body. <Are you certain you are a demon? The answer
is because we are so commanded.>
<Huh? By whom?>
<By those who no longer grace the mortal world with their
presence, save on rare occasions.>
<What?!>
<The gods, Ranma. That is who I mean.>
<Why would they do that? Why ask ya to serve under a bunch
of bloodthirsty demons?>
<I do not know. Even for one who has lived five thousand
years, there are many things I have yet to learn. The gods
are eternal, Ranma, and I choose not to question their
commands.>
<Oh.>
<But I can guess. I suppose the gods see demons as part of
the Great Balance in nature. Even though many humans have
turned away from both gods and demons, Amaterasu and
Susanoo still believe the redeeming of mortals is possible.
Demons play a role in that redemption.> Umibouzu's mental
voice was somber. <The gods also seek to redeem demons as
well. Many demons spring from failed humans; the gaki are
one such example. Their new form is a punishment, though
most do not view it as such, and it is also a last chance
for them to regain souls and become better beings.>
<But... but that's crazy! Demons don't care about
anything! How are they supposed ta get better?>
<As I say, I do not choose to question the gods.> Unspoken
but obvious were the words 'and who are you to question
them?'
Ranma fell silent, thinking about the strange concept of
redeeming demons. It was crazy! Shukumaru obviously only
wanted to kill him and Akane and his mother. So why-- But
he had saved her that night on the warehouse roof where
they had battled rather than let that weird silver weasel
thing cut her to bits. Maybe there was something to this
redemption notion.
A glimpse of a break in the horizon line put paid to any
further thoughts on his part. <Umibouzu!> he called out in
delight, pointing to the distant island.
<That is good. Unfortunately, I am also sensing a presence
that I have not felt in centuries. It is pursuing us
rapidly.>
Ranma snapped his head around, eyes searching for anything
chasing them. His sudden movement also caused the others to
glance back, puzzled. Where? Where was it? Ripples in the
distance answered him. A long black form broached the
smooth and sparkling ocean surface, surging forward. Ranma
felt his mouth dry as he counted the seconds it remained in
sight. Dammit, the thing was huge!
<It is the Ayakashi, the Worm of Chaos. The Eastern
Cardinal Servitor of the Demon Lord of the South. Masakado
must have sent it after us. He still seeks to meddle in
your contest with Shukumaru.>
There was a long silence. Umibouzu quickened his pace,
knifing through the blue waters of the Pacific and throwing
up sheets of icy spray. It did not seem to help. The
Ayakashi continued to close the distance with dismaying
regularity.
<I believe we may have a problem.>
---