Boredom can have strange results.
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Disclaimer: Yes, I am crazy, what's your point?
Ranma's Bane
by Andrew Wilson
Chapter 3: Evil's Laugh
Kasumi was feeling uneasy on the way to the Cat Cafe. Nothing she could put her finger on, just a general unease at the situation. She had already told Ranma (though she couldn't tell him more than "I have a bad feeling about this"), but her new husband (both of them were still getting used to that) was convinced that they should meet with Cologne.
Why Ranma wanted to meet with the Amazon Matriarch wasn't much of a mystery. Ranma and Kasumi knew of two people with information on what was going on in the world. They had just parted ways with one the day before, and Cologne was the other.
Kasumi's unease increased the closer they came to the restaurant. The unease was justified as they rounded the corner and saw where the Cat Cafe should have been.
'Should have been' was a very good description, since all that occupied the space was a pile of debris. Kasumi let out a quiet "oh my" as she studied the destruction.
"Whatever it was," Ranma observed, "it was powerful." He held up a dented metal ball, which Kasumi recognized as the remains of one of Shampoo's maces. "And skilled. I can see pieces of a few of Mousse's gadgets in here, too."
"What about Cologne?"
Ranma shook his head. "No trace."
"Because I was not here," Colognes voice came from behind them. Turning, Kasumi saw the old woman sitting on a bench across the street.
"What happened here?" Ranma asked.
"I do not know. Some great darkness is obscuring any attempt I make to view what happened. All I know is that Shampoo and Mousse were alive after the battle," with her cane, she pointed down the street, "and taken in that direction."
"Why would they still be alive after this?" Kasumi asked.
Ranma answered. "Bait."
"It does seem that way," Cologne agreed. "In any case, I have been waiting for your return. Roger contacted me a week ago, to confirm the story you gave him. I deduced you would return here, whether by choice or by fate."
"Now what?" Ranma asked.
"I think we can agree that whatever did this is very dangerous. I need your help in destroying it. More importantly, I need your help in rescuing my great-grandchild and heir."
"What about our families?" asked Kasumi. "Has there been any threats against them?"
Cologne shook her head. "No, thankfully. Though they might be next. We do not have much time, will you help?"
Ranma smiled. "I'm in."
"It would not be proper to let the two of you risk your lives without giving aid."
"Kasumi," Ranma said, "you just need to say yes."
"Oh, then yes."
*******
He watched from a distance, concealed in the bushes. His foe had run away weeks before, and he had scoured the countryside searching for the fiend. Hopeless, he had returned to the fiend's last location. Sure enough, his enemy had returned, once again bringing pain to the innocents.
The target began to move off. It would be tricky to follow undetected, but the hunter knew he could hide in the...
Empty street? What happened to the garden where he was observing his enemy?
"AAAARRRRRGH!" Ryoga Hibiki screamed. "Where am I now!"
*******
The place was easier to find than expected, which made everyone nervous.
It was the Kuno mansion, which made Ranma and Kasumi even more nervous.
Cologne couldn't detect any guards, which made everyone sure that it was a trap.
"So what now?" Ranma asked.
"Now," Cologne replied, "we find a way in."
"That sounds rather easy," Kasumi commented.
"My dear," Cologne began, "you obviously have no experience in these matters, but it is far from easy. Just finding an unguarded insertion point that won't lead us into an ambush-"
"But there is a safe entrance around back. There is a tunnel in the garden that allows access to the main house, it's for when the gardeners need to get inside when Kodachi forgets to feed Mr. Turtle."
Cologne and Ranma could do nothing but stare.
"What? Where do you think Nabiki learned about observation and information?"
"But," Ranma asked, "how do you know it's safe?"
Kasumi shrugged. "A hunch, I've been getting them ever since that day. Almost all have turned out to be right."
Cologne sighed. "Since we have nothing else to go on, I guess we have to trust your 'hunch.'"
"Then let's go," Ranma said.
"Not yet. Don't you think you two should put on your game faces?"
The two youths stared at Cologne for a moment, then recognition flooded their faces.
"I'd rather wait," Ranma said.
"Doctor Owens told us that we are more easy to track when in those forms," Kasumi confirmed. "We shouldn't use them until absolutely necessary."
Cologne could see right through the stall, but let it go. "Alright. But be ready to change when it the trouble starts, both of you are more formidable in those forms."
The two youths nodded, then followed Cologne around the perimeter of the house. They crossed over the wall near a small tool shed, on the opposite side of the small pond from the house. Oddly enough, there was no sign of Kodachi's pet alligator.
*******
Kodachi held the stuffed head up for inspection. It was a shame that the 'gator took offense to the smell of a doppelganger, or perhaps it was the smell of it's mistress' death. Either way, it made a nice decoration.
"What happens now," her 'brother' asked.
"We wait until someone comes to rescue these," Kodachi indicated the two Chinese youths chained to the wall, "or the Master sends us orders to kill them."
The other doppelganger sighed. "I just wish that out doubles weren't such insane morons. Then we could at least move around the city. I don't like the idea of being confined to this location."
"Ah, but it would quickly be deduced that we were not them. Remember our orders."
"You went out to retrieve these two."
Kodachi laughed. "Because I am a better actress than you are an actor."
Tatewaki conceded the point. "How long?"
"If the information I received is correct, the one known as Ranma will come within the next few days."
"Yes, he is supposedly known for causing trouble. But can you trust the information coming from that Night Prince? As a whole, they don't like our kind that much."
"Ah, but I am not exactly the same as you anymore, am I," another laugh. "The Master gave me power from that one I skinned a few years ago. I'm still not quite sure what I am."
Tatewaki shook his head. "Were you surprised to find out that your double is younger that you are?"
"Yes, that was rather odd."
*******
The tunnel was like any other. It was long, dim, and had support beams every few meters. Once they were in the darkness, Cologne's staff began producing a soft glow. It was enough to see by, but not much more than that.
After a few minutes of travel, a lighted doorway became visible up ahead. They had yet to encounter any opposition. Once to the doorway, they could see a large room, with Shampoo and Mousse chained to the opposite wall.
"Anyone else that thinks this is a trap?" Ranma whispered.
"I know it is," Kasumi replied.
"Why?"
Kasumi pointed behind them. "Her."
Ranma spun around. Standing in the tunnel, a smirk on her face, was Kodachi.
"What are you doing here, Kodachi?"
"Killing you, Ranma."
A ripple passed through her form, replacing the typical leotard with a suit of black armor. With a leap, Kodachi planted a kick on Ranma's chest that knocked him into the room. He skidded to a halt at the feet of the elder Kuno sibling.
Ranma jumped to his feet, narrowly avoiding another kick, and dropped into a ready stance. Kuno leveled a katana at him, the steady look in his eyes telling Ranma that there was going to be trouble.
"I know who and what you are, Saotome."
"Since when?" Ranma asked.
Kuno smiled. "Since I used this sword to behead that fool that shared my face."
Ranma blood ran cold as the doppelganger charged. A few seconds of dodging later, Ranma could tell that it was not going to be a short battle.
*******
Kasumi and Cologne faced off against Kodachi. Well, it was fairer to say Cologne faced off, while Kasumi tried to unlock the chains binding Mousse to the wall. Both of the Chinese youths were unconscious, though there were a few signs that they would wake up soon.
Cologne tried to her best to avoid the twin swords Kodachi wielded. Whoever this imposter was, she was good. In fact, her level of skill was comparable to Ranma's.
"What are you?" Cologne asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Kodachi laughed.
*******
"I must say," Kuno sneered, "I'm disappointed."
"Really?" Ranma asked, avoiding yet another blow. "Why is that?"
"When I was brought here, I was told of the great Ranma Saotome, one of the greatest warriors on this world. I here I see nothing more than a peasant, trying to be a warrior."
Kuno tossed his blade into the air, then jumped back to the wall. Once there he ripped another blade from it's sheath and tossed it to Ranma. Ranma caught the thrown sword the same instant Kuno caught his own.
"Now, let us see how well you do with the weapon of a true warrior."
*If you have an edge, use it,* came the thought in Ranma's mind. *If you don't have an edge, get one.*
Dropping into a half-remembered sword form (more like his normal stance, augmented by the sword), Ranma reached into the center of his being and released the power held within.
Kuno smiled as Ranma's morphus emerged. "Now this," he proclaimed, "is a challenge."
"Brother," Kodachi commented, unsuccessfully trying to hit the madly hopping Amazon, "don't be a showman, just kill her."
"As you wish," Kuno replied, then charged.
Dodging the initial strike, Ranma had a split second to evaluate her opponent. What she saw was not good.
*******
Kodachi staggered to the side as a kick to her head knocked her off balance. Spinning around, she saw that Kasumi woman, in her morphus, standing there. Behind her, Mousse was staggering over to Shampoo, a hacksaw emerging from his sleeve.
Kodachi smiled. "Two on one? I like a challenge."
With that, Kodachi began to swing at both of them. Kasumi was not a fighter, so all she could do was stay out of the way. Cologne, on the other hand, was matriarch of a warrior society, and was managing to get a few hits in.
"You're not a normal doppelganger," Cologne stated in between thrusts.
"It took you long enough to figure that out," Kodachi snarled. "The master augmented both of us before sending us to this world. This way, it will be easier to kill troublemakers like you."
By this time Mousse was fully conscious, and Shampoo was waking up. Ranma had Kuno on the retreat, and Kodachi knew that she could not win the battle.
"Brother, dear," Kodachi called, leaping clear of her fight, "I do believe it is time to depart."
"Very well," Kuno gave Ranma a salute with his sword. Ranma lunged in for a strike, but only hit ground as her target evaporated in front of her.
"Goodbye for now," Kodachi called, pulling a knife from her belt. As she teleported out, she launched her blade toward Shampoo, who had just been freed of her chains.
Mousse saw the projectile coming, and was able to push Shampoo out of it's flight path. Missing it's intended target, the foot of black metal instead buried itself in his chest. As he slowly sank to the ground, Mousse looked over to Shampoo. The shocked look on her face was the last thing he saw before departing the world of the living.
Ranma, Kasumi, and Cologne looked on in shock as Shampoo knelt beside the corpse, her eyes watering.
"Stupid Mousse," she cried, "why you be hero? Heroes only die!"
"I don't get it," Ranma said as she watched Shampoo break down in tears. "She never liked the guy, and was always treating him worse than garbage."
"He was her friend," Kasumi replied. "She treated him poorly because he was getting in the way of her claiming you."
Ranma looked over, and saw Kasumi's eyes had ceased glowing, and were now solid black. Then and there, Ranma resolved, for her own health, not to get between Kasumi and Kodachi next time they fight.
*******
"You're returning to China?" Ranma asked.
Cologne nodded. Whatever funeral rites were performed by the Amazons, she and Shampoo had performed them in private. Now, the two of them were boarding a freighter bound for the mainland. The body was already loaded, ready for burial at sea.
"There is no reason for us to stay here," Cologne explained, "and many reasons to return home. The Nightlords have refrained from overt action to this point, but the invasion is scarcely two weeks old."
"You need to protect your home," Kasumi stated.
"Correct. I regret that I could not give you any more guidance, but other matters have made themselves known."
"You've done more than enough."
Cologne smiled. "Thank you child, now I would like to wish you good luck and a safe journey-"
Ranma finished the sentence. "But you know neither is going to happen."
Another nod. "Perhaps we will meet again in the future. I will stay in touch however I can."
"That is more than enough," Kasumi replied.
Cologne turned and boarded the ship. She and Shampoo waved one final time as the freighter pulled away from the pier.
"What now?" Ranma asked as the two of them walked away from the docks.
Kasumi shook her head. "I'm not sure. We have so much time, yet our lives are in danger every step of the way. We have to find Kodachi before she causes more trouble, yet I don't know where to start."
"Well, we could just wander around and wait for something to happen." They were currently in a wide alley behind one of the port district's many warehouses.
Kasumi laughed. "Ranma, we're not going to attract trouble just by walking around, even with what has happened."
Before Ranma could respond to that comment a nearby wall shattered, and sprayed the two of them with stone shards. In the resulting hole stood Ryoga, looking just as enraged as ever.
"I finally found you, Ranma," the lost boy screams. "Now you will pay!"
End Chapter 3.