--------------------------------
THE CLAN

Chapter 19 - The Charge
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DISCLAIMER: Ranma and the other characters belonging Rumiko Takahashi
are used without permission. The following chapter contains some
graphic violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Previous chapters and fanart are available at:

http://www.furinkan.net/fanfic/


* * *

    Dispassionately, the police photographer snapped another
photo, hoping to capture as much detail as he could in the early
morning light. He had become numb to the gore after nearly a decade
on the job, but it still managed to tear at his soul when his
services were required for a child.

    It appeared to be a ritualistic human sacrifice like the last
two, he noted emotionlessly. The arrangement of the burn marks was
too precise for casual torture. The girl's body had been stripped
naked and cut open in several places. The girl had been hung up by
her ankles so that her fingers just brushed the crumbling asphalt.

    The cuts were all in very sensitive areas. There were long
lacerations all up and down her her sides and all along the insides
of her arms and legs. In several places, the girl's flesh was simply
filleted away.  Besides the cuts, however, there were no other signs
of injury. The photographer was no forensics genius, but he knew the
signs. The girl had been purposely bled to death, very slowly he
guessed, since no major arteries were cut. It had probably taken
hours. Whoever had done this was a sick bastard.

    As he took pictures of the burn marks, he carefully noted that
they were in the shape of an eight-pointed star, centered on the
girl's hanging body. Since whoever had drawn the shape had completed
it by drawing it on the wall, the photographer could only assume that
the murderer wanted her to die at a *very* specific location; the
building was just in the way.

    For the first time in years, he had to suppress his gag reflex
as he began to take close-up photographs of some of the wounds. While
he worked, he did his best not to think about the face of his own
daughter, who was no older than this girl.

    "Do we have an ID yet?" a sergeant asked him.

    The police photographer produced a baggie from one pocket.
"This was found in a dumpster nearby. The picture on the student ID
matches the subject. Hinako Ninomiya."

    "Shit. I'm gonna go notify the school and parents, then. Wait
a sec... That's a Furinkan ID, ain't it?"

    The photographer looked away from his grisly work and glanced
down at the blood-splattered card. "So?"

    "Furikan's a high-school..."

    "Uh..."

    Several yards away, hidden in the crowd of gawkers that forms
behind the police line around even the most horrible of sights, a
red-haired girl in a stylish blouse and skirt stood and wept. Her
face was contorted in rage and her fists shook with a sense of
injustice. In the rising sunlight, no one saw her eyes glowing a
sooty red color.

* * *

    Ranma was in a foul mood. He had wokee up that way. To make
things worse, Ranma was *really* beginning to miss Kasumi's
breakfasts. As he walked listlessly to school, his stomach grumbled
despite the meager bowl of rice he had eaten. Sasuke had prepared it
for him, but the ninja's conservative cooking just didn't satisfy
like Kasumi's usual early morning generosity did.

    "Screw this," he thought aloud as he approached the familiar
stone wall of Furinkan, and detoured away from the school. He'd left
early after Sasuke's pathetic attempt at breakfast so he had the time
to spare. Casually, he walked past the Nekohanten and Ucchan's, not
wanting to worsen his mood with an inevitable argument. Eventually he
found a 24-hour coffee and book shop. After seeing several Furinkan
uniforms, he ventured inside.

    Noting that there really were quite a few of his acquaintances
there, he ordered a soda and a few sandwiches and found an empty
table near the window. He settled down and began to relieve the
gnawing sensation in his abdomen.

    He was halfway through shoveling the third sandwich into his
mouth when he heard the first whispered strains of the conversation.

    "Did you hear that the Slasher won't kill you if you're not a
virgin?"

    Ranma glanced up from his post-breakfast snack. In the booth
across from him, three college girls were quietly chatting, their
voices just barely audible to him over the other noise in the shop.

    "I heard some high-school girls talking about it," the
speaker, a plain young woman with short brown hair, continued.

    One of her friends, a girl with long black hair, nodded. "My
sister goes to Furinkan. Apparently they've got an expert on the
slasher crimes who says that there's a satanic cult behind the
killings. They have to have virgins for their sacrifices."

    "Creepy!" the first girl squealed. "What do you think, Nori-
chan?" she asked the third girl.

    Nori, or possibly Noriko, Ranma thought to himself, blushed
horribly. "Well... I heard about it... and so did Hiroto... so...
er..."

    "Oooh! He 'saved' you from the Slasher, huh?" the second girl
asked, nudging her friend in the ribs. "Did it hurt?"

    "Not half as badly as being stabbed to death would," the first
girl noted. "I may spend some time with Moro-chan tonight. I wanted
to wait until he proposed, but..." she left the sentence hanging
naughtily.

    Ranma blinked twice in quick succession. A similiar
conversation, equally quiet, was starting up just behind him, where
he happened to have seen some Furinkan girls sitting.

    Downing his soda in one gulp, Ranma smiled wickedly. Virgins
were disappearing like lace stockings around Happosai and it *wasn't*
because the raveners were getting them.

    "Oh my God! Did you hear the news?" Yuka, one of Akane's
friends, blurted as she ran into the shop. Sayuri, who was already
there, 'shush'ed the girl and waved her over. Done with his sandwich
and soda, Ranma picked up his waste and made for the trash can near
the two girls. He was Genma's son, after all. Eavesdropping was
second nature once you got a taste for it.

    "What is it?" Sayuri hissed in a whisper just loud enough to
be audible.

    "Miss Hinako's dead!" Yuka shouted out, disregarding the quiet
atmosphere in her panic. "The Slasher got her!"

    Ranma's sandwich hit his stomach like a lead weight.

* * *

    After breakfast had been completed, news of the latest killing
started playing on the radio. Akane staggered as they announced the
victim's name. Nabiki winced in sympathy.

    Akane fell to her knees, trying to rationalize the news. Miss
Hinako couldn't be dead! She should have drained the...

    Drained the raveners of all their...

    Akane started to sob.

    "That hits close to home," Ryouga noted as he sat next to
Nabiki. "That's Akane's English teacher, right?"

    Akane nodded, horror and grief being replaced on her face by a
kind of cold acceptance. Her fist clenched in anger and rage.

    Dutifully, Nodoka produced her map and pulled out a pen,
marking the spot the radio announcer had mentioned. She studied that
point and the one previous before placing her pen on a new spot at an
angle to the other two.

    "The next killing will be here," she said, pointing at the
map. "Or possibly here," she said, pointing at a spot on the other
side of the place where Hinako was killed. "There's no guarantee that
the circle must always be built in the same direction."

    "Which place will we guard, Aunty?" Kasumi asked as she
stacked the breakfast dishes.

    "There are five of us now," Nabiki suggested, "if you include
Athia. Akane could rest at home and spend some more time getting used
to her... ahem... new *abilities* while the rest of us split up and
guard both points."

    "Nee-chan! I'm not a cripple, you know!" Akane complained,
bitterly angry. There were tears standing in her eyes.

    "But you *are* going to stick out like a sore thumb if you
don't find some way to hide those," Nabiki said, pointing at the
girl's wings. Akane's pale face turned red in embarrassment and
stared down at the table in irritation.

    "Nabiki just wants you to be safe, Akane," Kasumi said,
explaining her own interpretation of her younger sister's harsh
words. "I know that you're upset about Hinako, but Nabiki's worried
that you might be in danger if you go out without learning to control
your wings first."

    Nabiki looked back and forth between her sisters, and nodded
in agreement to Kasumi's kind words. "Yeah."

    Akane rolled her eyes and stormed away from the table.

    Nodoka sighed deeply as she watched the retreating girl. *Did
we go too fast for her, I wonder?*

    "Nabiki and I will cover this point," Kasumi offered, pointing
to the easternmost point on the map, "if you and Athia-san will cover
this point, Aunty."

    Athia nodded her agreement. "That seems prudent to me. What
shall we do if this is not a simple ravener attack, however? What if
this is the 'Ravener King' that assaulted Nabiki?"

    "No prob," Nabiki waved. "I got him once and I'll do it again
if I have to!"

    "You injured him but he hurt you badly, Nabiki," Ryouga
cautioned. "Maybe I should go with you, just in case."

    "Hmm..." Soun wondered aloud. "We could make an outing of it.
You and I could accompany your wife and her companion, Saotome."

    "Hrmmm. It *is* a martial artist's duty to protect the world
from monsters, Tendou."

    Nodoka sweatdropped as the evening's preparations rapidly
ballooned.

    "I too will accompany Kasumi and Nabiki," Tofuu pledged. "I
have yet to see one of these creatures."

    "This is *not* a field trip," Nodoka cautioned. Her voice was
lost in the din, however, as Soun and Genma started to build a
packing list.

    "Think of it this way," Athia said, whispering in Nodoka's ear
as preparations began. "They'll make for extra distractions if the
situation becomes untenable."

    "That's what I'm worried about. This was so much easier when
it was just Mother and myself," Nodoka groaned.


* * *

    "Sharpened stakes, huh?" Ukyou asked appraisingly.

    "Hai," Shampoo said quietly as she used a machete to take the
corners off another short stick. "For tonight. Great-grandmother say
maybe we need them."

    "Hmm..." Ukyou wondered aloud, looking around at the back of
the store room at the Nekohanten. "I wonder what all the garlic is
for."

    "For the destruction of evil," an old voice sounded out. Ukyou
couldn't help but jump as Cologne jumped out from behind her.

    "What do you want, Granny?" Ukyou asked.

    Cologne laughed wickedly and stared Ukyou in the face. "I just
want you to know a little more about what you're getting into, girl."

* * *

    The day passed too rapidly for Ranma. Neither Akane nor Nabiki
were in school, and both Ukyou and Shampoo were conspicuously absent
as well. They weren't the only ones. There were dozens of girls
missing. Ranma guessed that they had left the city or were being kept
at home by their parents.

    There was an almost palpable miasma of fear and dread. Hinako
was gone, dead. She had been killed by the monsters, and Furinkan
High was shaking in its shoes. Ranma hated it. A lot more of the
students left at lunch. Ranma knew that they were scared and couldn't
do anything to fight the raveners, but he couldn't help feeling like
everybody was starting to give up.

    It was in the semi-deserted cafeteria when Ranma saw her. He
was angrily tearing at a soggy salad sandwich when the nameless girl
approached him.

    "Hey," he bit off.

    The girl was obviously upset. Even though she was dressed
nicely, her features were screwed up into an expression of impotent
rage. Tears stood unshed in her eyes and her fists were clenched.

    "Ya heard, I take it?"

    The girl nodded and sat next to Ranma, holding her face in her
hands. "I saw. A girl was sacrificed so that *they* could gain
power."

    "Well, what're you gonna do about it?"

    The girl was silent, continuing to stare down at the table.

    "Lead me to 'em again," Ranma said, quietly urging the girl.
"Even if you ain't gonna fight. I can beat these guys, I know."

    Ranma finished his sandwich and went back to class for the
rest of the day, leaving the girl to stew in her own angry silence at
the table.

    He was walking out of his classroom when she approached him
again.

    "So, you gonna help me?" Ranma asked.

    The girl, still holding her same expression, nodded. "I can't
tell where the evil is yet, but I will be able to when it starts
moving again."

    "C'mon, then. Let's go back to where I'm stayin' and I'll make
you dinner. Then we fight."

    Sasuke was interested in Ranma's guest, but made no mention of
her. Ranma cooked a quick meal for the three of them. They ate in
silence and watched the TV in the Kunous' lavish home theater room
for news. Neither bothered to start a conversation while they were
there.

    It was well after dark when the girl lurched in the cushioned
sofa and fell screaming to the floor.

    "That'd be our guy," Ranma said.

    "H-he is killing," the nameless girl choked out. "The pain...
no... he's tormenting her!"

    "Let's go," Ranma said emotionlessly. He picked up the girl
and ran out of the house. With the nameless girl nestled safely in
his arms, Ranma took to the rooftops and started following
directions.

    They crossed most of Nerima that way. The girl finally
directed Ranma to stop in the trees near an isolated factory. "In
there," she said, whispering. "The evil is there."

    Ranma nodded and leapt up to one of the window sills. He had
to rub the dust out of the way to look inside. When he did, he wished
he hadn't. In the middle of the floor an eight-pointed star was
burning in the center of a pool of blood. In the center of the star
was a young girl with long dark hair. She had long cuts down both
sides and her wrists and throat had been slashed. Her dead eyes
stared up at the window. Her mouth was open in a silent scream of
horror and pain.

    Near her there was a man in a dark-colored business suit. The
flesh of one of his hands had torn away to reveal rotten white claws
underneath.

    Ranma bit down his bile and turned back to the nameless girl.
"Are you gonna fight with me, or are you gonna go?"

    The nameless girl turned red in shame. "I cannot fight him."

    "Fine," Ranma conceded, "but we're playin' by my rules now.
You go, but you go to the nearest phone. Start callin' cops, fire
department, anybody. Hell, call the TV stations. This is gotta end,
and the more people who know about it, the better. Just don't say
anything about my mother, okay?"

    The girl nodded resolutely. Ranma leapt down and sent her on
her way.

    The nameless girl ran, making a beeline for a convenience
store she had seen on their way over. By the time she got to it,
however, the store had closed. She ran down the street, desperately
looking in every direction for a phone. Seeing an apartment building,
she ran up to it, hoping that someone would let her use a phone. She
was running so hard and was so focused on Ranma's instructions that
she didn't recognize the evil until she was almost upon it.

    Happosai was raiding some poor girl's laundry line for drying
pantyhose when he spied the girl as she ran up. He sniffed once and
grinned evilly. He stuck his tongue into the air just to make sure.
Giggling lecherously, he stuffed the last of the pantyhose in his
sack and leapt down in front of her.

    "You!!!" the girl yelped, startled by the tiny man's presence.
She skidded to a stop and almost fell over.

    "You... Oh, my! I *never* forget a pair of pert bosoms, and
what do my old eyes see but yours bouncing along. Where are you
running off to, girlie-girl?"

    The nameless girl tried to dodge around him, but Happosai
darted back in front of her with the speed that only the master of
the Musabetsu Kakotou Ryuu was capable of mustering.

    "Not so fast!" Happosai warned. "Where are you running off to,
all gussied up like that?"

    "I must call the authorities," the girl pleaded. "Please, you
must let me pass!"

    "No way, Honey! You owe me a brassiere! You promised! You know
you did!" The little letch began to hop up and down in his
excitement. "I fulfilled *my* part of the bargain, so give it over,"
he said. "Give it to me!"

    "Please, I have no idea what you're talking about," the girl
replied. "Please, *his* life is in danger!"

    "Ranma, you mean?" Happosai guessed. "Give me your bra, and
I'll do what ever you want. I don't see why you're even bothering to
help a worthless punk like him, but I can be reasonable."

    The girl turned red with anger and embarrassment but reached
inside her blouse and began to work. Her fingers were trembling but
after a few seconds she produced a strapless lace bra and tossed it
to the old pervert.

    "Sweeto! Ah, the pleasures of ownership!" Happosai sighed and
caressed the bra lovingly against his cheek.

    The girl tried to run past him, holding her now freely
jiggling breasts, but Happosai dodged back in front of her. "Panties
too, Sweetie! I'm not going to miss this opportunity!"

    The girl grimaced in rage and impatience, but squatted down so
the letch couldn't see and carefully reached up under her skirt.
After a few seconds she pulled a matching panty over her shoes and
threw it some distance away. Happosai leapt after it and the girl
took the opportunity to run inside the apartment building.

    "Heh," Happosai said, chuckling in delight. He pulled the
girl's panties over his face and stared out through the leg-holes.
"We'll meet again, my dear! You haven't heard the last of Happosai!"

* * *

    Back at the factory, Ranma kicked the doors in and dodged
inside.

    Akuji Oto looked up from his grisly work in shock. He stared
around in irritated surprise.

    "A visitor! Someone wants to see my work. Look, my dear,"
Akuji said to the body lying on the floor. "You have an admirer."
Akuji turned around until he faced a spot a few feet away from the
swinging steel doors. "Why don't you come out so we can dispense with
the unpleasantness of *killing you*!" he growled.

    A steel bar propelled at Amaguriken speed shot past him,
tearing a significant hunk out of Akuji's upper arm. The Ravener King
growled in pain and shock, not even bothering to clutch at the gaping
hole. Red and black ooze began to run down his otherwise immaculate
suit.

    "Who are you?" he yelled in red-hued pain and rage. "You don't
think you can stop me, do you?"

    Ranma stepped out of the shadows, another bar in his hands.
"You must be the asshole who tried to rape Nabiki," he snarled,
throwing the bar at Akuji's face. The man-monster batted it away,
embedding it in the concrete floor.

    Ranma leapt into the air above Akuji's head. "I'm Ranma
Saotome," he shouted as a battle cry, "and I'm here to kick your
ass!"

* * *

~To be continued...

* * *

Next time:

Ranma vs. the Ravener King.  ^_^

Author's notes will be posted with Chapter 20, which will be
posted later today.

C.
* * *

C. Jones - guilty@furinkan.net
http://www.furinkan.net

* * *
I get full-motion streaming video and sound, I listen to
radio and steal, steal uh, you know, my music through MP3,
like everybody else does. I write the laws that say it's
illegal, and I do it anyway.

            -Senator Bob Kerrey (D) Nebraska