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I've been meaning to finish chapter 2 for a while. It makes it a slighty more
complete in terms of Story.
It still needs some editing, but I hope it's readable at least. Free free
to send any comments.
C&C and all that other stuff much wanted.
Other works can be found at
Http://www.angelfire.com/ny/Ohdear/FANFIC.html
Characters are property of ther respective owners. Saying otherwise
would mean swift actions of events along the line of mallet to the head.
Spirit of the Battousai
*thoughts*
Chapter1: A sword that kills, A protector lost
*Where am I...*
The sound of clashing swords rang throughout his mind. Flashes
of metal sparkled near the corner of his line of sight. Everything was
blurry, constantly moving, distant...
He felt his hands move by their own accord. *A sword!* A
sickening sound was heard. Moist dark liquid tickled at his skin.
*Blood... What is this!?*
A voice spoke out, "I will find a way to protect people without
killing..."
*What's going on?*
A second voice, "Life, death, and the sword, that is your way."
*Am I dreaming?*
"No, never again will I kill--"
"It is who you are..."
*No...what is happening?...no...NO!*
*The ceiling...* Saotome Ranma's eyes finally recognized the
familiar surroundings of his room. *It was a dream...*
Rolling over, he again tried to sleep.
< OH MY! >
"Hey, Ranma. What's with you today?"
Ranma looked up out of his eerie slouching pose and gave Akane a
rude glare. "What's it to you, Tomboy?"
Akane furrowed her eyebrows, anger boiling up. "Well-excuse-me
for caring. Mou, Ranma, you looked like you're half here."
It was true; the great Ranma Saotome was not living up to his
reputation. In fact he kind of looked like the skinny kid that everyone
ignores at school. It was a good resemblance in this way with dark bags
under his lazy eyes. "I just didn't get a good night's sleep that's all.
So drop it tomboy, I'm not up to it today."
"Fine, by me," Akane Tendo, a.k.a, tomboy, refuted. "I hope you
won't put your foot in your mouth on the way to school, or I'll have to
pound you even in this condition," Turning around she stalked off with
not so gracefully, but rather a stiff and rigid stride. She turned
towards her elder sister. "Come on big sis, let's leave the baka."
"What's the rush, Akane," Nabiki replied ever so casually, not
moving the paper in front of her. "Besides, Ranma might be useful. It
seems there was a robbery and murder last night in Nerima. It seems a
recently displayed katana was stolen at the museum, leaving behind 3
dead security guards.
Akane gave her sister a baffled look, "What does that have to do
with us?"
Nabiki wriggled her finger and put on her lecture look. "Akane,
you of all people should know by now that anything that happens in
Nermia has a way of attaching itself to Ranma. I'm just positioning
myself to come out in the best possible way."
Akane couldn't truly understand how right Nabiki was.
< OH MY! >
Ranma dragged himself along an unfamiliar area. It had been a
bad day for him--than usual anyway. He was tired from the nightmarish
dream he had last night and Shampoo just had to do her glomp thing. He
was used to that, but he didn't have to like it. It was a predictable,
'Ranma you pervert' from the tomboy, followed by the water, and the
run around.
Today though, he must have ran farther than usual, because he
was 'slightly' lost. On top of which, Ranma was still tired after waking
up from whatever sleep he had. The only bright spot was the fact that
he had been able to be a man for now.
He had so deep in his own pity, he hadn't noticed banging into
something.
His danger sense suddenly spiked as a tint of light gave him the
moment's notice. The slick sound of the drawing of steel was heard,
but Ranma was prepared for that. He was already executing a precise
counter.
In one swift motion a long object was projected into the evening
sky, flying with graceful arc. Ranma with his skill level easily caught
the sword's hilt as it descended.
"Oi, if you want to kill me, at least give me a reason first, ya
know." Ranma hadn't even gone into a combat stance, casually standing
and resting the newly acquired katana on his shoulder. He may have
been tired, but another 'Die Saotome' opponent was nothing he couldn't
handle.
His opponent flung back his dark cloak to reveal a second
sheathed blade on his hip. "Why you little prick. I shouldn't have been
lazy to let you dodge that hit."
Drawing his own blade, he rambled on, "I had hoped to use that
sword, the legendary sword of the Hitokiri Battousai, but it seems I'll
just have to add another set of blood on my old blade. A little prick like
you don't deserve to be killed by such a great sword anyway."
"Is that so..." replied Ranma not interested in the slightest.
"Die, you prick!" The opponent swiftly closed the distance and
executed a precise slash. Too bad Ranma Saotome could not be hit with
just a precise slash. Before the opponent has even started the attack,
Ranma had already disappeared.
"Hey, where did you go, you prick!"
"You don't deserve this sword..." Ranma's voice behind him
suddenly sounded serious. "You don't have the skill, the strength, or
the spirit to wield the sword of the Battousai."
Turning around, the opponent's eyes widened, "How-when did you
get there..." He took an unconscious step back. *That look...* The
appearance was completely difference from before. *The eyes...* The
eyes were now lowered, cold, distant, the eyes of a killer, and they
were all focused on him; the glint of the light from his eyes reflected
on the moon gave his a disturbing notion he was out classed.
"Why don't you give me the sheath too. This sword doesn't suit
you." A cold voice fluttered out.
The opponent knew he should have just ran, but his pride carried
him on. "Yea, right you little prick. When I'm done with you, I'll give
your rotting body a good whack with the sheath, that's what I'll do!"
"Is that so..." the cold distant voice of Ranma commented again.
For once it didn^�t have a hint of mockery on it.
< OH MY! >
Morning came. The rays of sunlight and crickets chirping loudly
were proof of that.
"Hey Ranma, what happened to you?"
"Eh? What do you mean Akane?" Ranma looked at his fiancee in
bafflement. Again he was in his usual slouched position, the same as
yesterday. This time though, the bags under his eyes were gone.
She gave him an agitated look, "That, you baka," pointing at the
big slab of bandage on his left cheek.
"Oh that," commented Ranma, casually. "Just a little mistake I
made. No big deal."
"I bet," refuted Akane with a snort. "What's with the sword,
then? You never carried a katana before." She made her point by
glazing directly at the sheathed blade at his hip.
"It's nothing really important. I just want to have it on me,
That's all," Waving Akane's concern off, Ranma continued, "I'm heading out
for
a bit. Be back later." Giving no time for Akane to respond, he turned his
back to her and left.
Akane glared at his retreating form, "What's that baka up to?"
< OH MY! >
"Oi, old ghoul, I need to talk to ya!" Ranma gave out his usual
call as he entered the Nekohanten.
"Aiya, Arien come with date, yes?" Followed by Shampoo's usual
line.
"What do you have for me son in law..." Cologne appeared,
balanced as usual on her cane. A flicker crossed the elder's
experienced eyes. "That blade..." Cologne eyed it carefully, up and
down. "That sword you have there son in law, has a powerful aura
around it. It is a very ominous blade, " Looking up at Ranma, "I feel
sickening evil in that sword. Is this what you came to me for?"
"Well yea, sort of..." he trailed off.
"I advise you get rid of it, son in law, a place where no one will ever
find it. Destroy it better yet."
Ranma gave a glance at his blade, "Humm, it doesn't seem all that
evil and stuff to me." Focusing back on Cologne, "I kind of like this
sword, and I want to keep it. I just wanted to ask you to see if it's like
magic or something. I can feel its power. That much I agree with you."
The wrinkled elder gave her son in law a long look. *Those eyes...*
"Very well son in law, come with me into the back.
Granddaughter, stay here." Cologne hopped off with Ranma following.
Shampoo analyzed the two figures. Something was up, and if she
could find a leverage somewhere, Ranma would be hers.
< OH MY! >
Cologne brought out a glass ball out from her trunk of mystical
items. She carefully set it down onto the table.
"Touch the sword on the ball, and focus into it. There, you shall
find your answer," Cologne instructed with an ominous voice.
"Alright."
Ranma slid the blade still in the sheath out from his hip and
touched it on the glass ball. Peering into the ball, he focused...
Images flashed before his eyes. Horrifying images.
*Blood...so much blood...so much killing...bodies, everywhere...*
Then he saw it, the image of a woman, dead...blood soaked
through her kimono...
"No...no...NO...this isn't..."
Faster than Cologne could follow, Ranma drew the blade and
slammed onto the glass ball violently. Eyes wide with horror he
screamed, "NO!"
"Son in la..." was all the elder could get out before the
explosion came.
< OH MY! >
Another time, another place...
"Kenshin!"
"Oro?" Himura Kenshin looked up from his laundry to see Kaoru
and Yahiko running up to him. "What is it, Kaoru-dono?"
"I'll tell you what happened. Someone is impersonating you!"
shouted out an angered Yahiko. As usual he was prepared and ready
with his trusty shinai strapped on his back.
"Oro?"
"The newspaper, Kenshin. Yesterday five policemen were killed at
the police station. An eye witness claim he called himself the Hitokiri
Battousai!"
"I can't believe some guy would do this! And to frame you doing
it!" rambled on a fuming Yahiko.
"We have to do something about this, Kenshin," added in Kaoru.
Standing up, "We should go to the police to investigate," Kenshin
said finally as he raised. The group nodded in agreement.
Walking to the gates of the house, the group saw Sanosuke
leaning against the wall casually and calm. He was dressed in his usual
apparel of white pants and unbuttoned white shirt with the trademark
kanji 'bad' on the back. "I guess you guys heard about the imposter,"
Sanosuke gave a brief chuckle at that. "Lets go and kick this guy's ass
Kenshin."
This would have been a majority cool and heroic scene, if it
weren't for the fact that at that moment, there was a collective growl
of hunger.
Kenshin put his hand on the back of his head and smiled, "I guess
we should eat lunch first on the way there."
< OH MY! >
Walking to the usual place for a good hearty, and for Sanosuke,
free lunch, he was the only one that noticed something odd. It was
almost pure luck for him really. He was nonchalantly looking around
when he caught an image in the mirror hanging by the shop.
"Hum...Hey guys, you go on ahead, while I check up on something
real quick." And with that he walked away.
"What's with him?" Yahiko commented.
"Sanosuke is always weird," answered Kaoru, but just as
confused.
< OH MY! >
"Hey there, any good reason you're following us?"
The cloaked person turned around to find Sanosuke leaning on
the wall with a smirk on his face.
"Impressive, I didn't expect you to notice me," pausing a brief
second, "or did you just get lucky?"
This immediately got on Sanosuke's nerves; what was more was
the asshole was right. Righting himself off the wall, "So are you going
to tell me why you're following us or do I have to beat it out of ya."
Sanosuke hadn't meant it to be a question.
Under the hood of the cloak a smirked formed.
< OH MY! >
A loud crash was heard.
"What was that!?" yell out Kaoru as she twirled around towards
the sound.
"Let's check it out," added in Yahiko.
The gang ran towards the disrupting crash.
< OH MY! >
"Sanosuke!"
"Sanosuke!" doubled Kenshin along with Kaoru.
Sanosuke was lying on the ground and not looking very well with
cuts and bruises all over his body.
A few steps away stood a girl with fierily red hair, tied back.
"Watch out Kenshin, she can really do some ass kicking," groaned
the fallen Sanosuke trying painfully to get up.
Kenshin immediately focused his eyes on the attacker.
Chinese style red shirt and black pants; it was a young girl. She
had a sheathed sword at her hip and there was an eerie look to her. Her
eyes were cold and distant. He knew what those eyes meant too well.
"Who are you?" asked Kenshin his tone suddenly darkened.
Right behind him Kaoru added, "Look at her cheek!"
Kenshin eye's widen finally catching it, as did Yahiko, she had a
crossed shaped scar on her left cheek, the same as Himura Kenshin.
"Even though you hide your aura, I can still feel you. Himura
Kenshin, am I right? The Hitokiri Battousai."
With that she went into stance. Kenshin knew that stance all too
well. Left leg leading, slanted side ways, left hand on the sheath, and
right hand ready. The stance of his style, the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu.
Kenshin was shocked when her image suddenly zoomed up closed
to him. A flash of light erupted as steel met steel. Kenshin grunted as
he barely got his own sword partially out in time to meet her rush.
The young girl wasted no time and immediately pressed her
attack, slashing with horrifying speed. He winced with every clash that
he deflected with his reversed bladed sword. Her skill level was
dangerously high.
Suddenly she blurred in front of his eyes. *Where--* Kenshin
forced a sharp gasp as he felt a flash of pain on his side. Immediately
hopping back, he clutched his side in pain, jamming his sakabatou sword
into the ground in order to keep from falling.
"Kenshin, watch out!" a warning bellowed out from Kaoru behind
him.
Looking up, she was in the air executing her next move.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu-Tsui-Sen!! It can't be!" a wide-eyed
Yahiko spoke out, not believing what was happening.
It was almost a whisper, but it was loud and clear enough to be
heard by everyone, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu-Tsui-Sen," and she
slammed her technique right down onto a shocked Kenshin. Dust clouds
flew out in all directions from the impact.
"Kenshin!!" yelled Kaoru, praying wildly that he wasn't hurt.
Slowly and definitely not fast enough for the three spectators,
the dust clouds finally scattered revealing two figures.
Casually the red haired girl, sheathed her sword, and turned
around. Picking her cloak carelessly on the ground, she draped it over
her shoulder and walked away.
Kenshin stood there, breathing heavily, still holding his sword up
with both hands.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke rushed up to him as best
they can, seeing if he's all right.
"I'm alright everyone..." breathed out the wounded Kenshin finally
relaxing his guard.
"I knew you would be able to dodge her technique, Kenshin,"
smiled Yahiko trying to be oblivious to who was the true victor.
"No Yahiko, if she fought at the same level as before, I would be
dead now. She held back at the last second... long enough for me to
dodge it in time." This gave a sinking feeling to the group.
*It was an almost perfect duplicate of my own technique with one
exception. Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu-Tsui-Sen is a direct downward
slash, but her blade was slightly titled to one side. This would put more
power to one side and... if I had blocked the attack instead of evading...
I might have buckled under the strain coupled with my fresh wound*
"She's the one trying to frame you, isn't she..." Sanosuke finally
said.
"It's possible," Kenshin replied slowly.
"You're hurt Kenshin, let's get you to Doctor Genzai," Kaoru
suddenly ruined the mood by dragging Kenshin to the doctor with the
side his wound was on.
"Orrroooo..." was all he could muster out.
To be continued...
Chapter 2: Two sides to a sword
It was a lazy day from Akane's point of view as she sat on the
porch of the Tendo household. Her father was playing shogi with Uncle
Saotome as usual. Nabiki was reading something she hadn't bothered to
find out, and Kasumi was probably in the kitchen. Nothing was wrong
with this scene, except it was not normal. This has been the consensus
dating back to the arrival of a certain pig-tailed martial artist. This
worried her.
Ranma hadn't been looking very well for the past couple of days,
and he admitted as much himself. Yesturday he had received an injury,
which was nothing out of the ordinary by itself, but the katana was
new. Akane knew as well as anyone living in Nerima, when little
weirdness like this happened, more would be sure to follow.
Almost as subtle as the soft breeze flowing around, the slight
ringing of the bell signaled the front door being opened. This was
enough to snap Akane out of her reverie.
"Elder Cologne, how nice of you to visit us." Kasumi being the
young proper woman that she was, greeted Cologne and Shampoo
entering the Tendo living area.
"I'm afraid I have grave news to discuss, Child," The Elder spoke
with the air of ominousness.
"What is it, Elder?" Akane asked with a hint of worry. Hesitating
a moment, "It's about Ranma isn't it? Something has happened to him."
"It is so, Child," said Cologne gaving her a long calculating
look.
"Settle down, and I'll start from the beginning. Perhaps together we
can solve this mystery."
"A few hours ago, young son-in-law, came to seek me, sporting a
wound on his left cheek and a ominous katana blade at his waist. At
first glance I had already--"
"My boy has a katana!? It can't be!"
--Twap!--
"Quiet Genma. Don't interrupt. Now as I was saying, I had already
felt an evil presence from it and I had told young Ranma as much. At
that moment I saw something from him I had never seen before. I can't
say what it exactly was, but it was cold, and unnerving; perhaps not
that different from an assassin. He wanted to seek the history of this
blade, so I showed him this--"
Cologne suddenly took out a fairly large crystal ball from
nowhere that only powerful martial artist, enraged women, and blind
ducks can.
"This, is the vision sphere. It will show a person something he
has a strong tie to. I knew ever since son-in-law gave me that look that
the
sword had enticed him in one way or another so I had thought this
artifact would show him what he seeked. This is where our immediate
problem lies."
Putting down the ball on the Tendo table, "Please, peer into the
ball and concentrate."
Seeing that Cologne was not going to say more, Akane and the
rest of the household members looked on.
At first Akane could only see mist, then as if the mist started to
part, an image formed. A person was leaning up against a wooden wall,
a blade was hugged closely to him... it was... *Ranma?*
< OH MY! >
Ranma awoke with a haggard groan. His head was hurting and
something stung on his cheek. Trying to move, he realized further
grunting was needed, as his back was sore.
Putting a hand on the sting on his cheek, he felt the distinct
feeling of dried blood. *The wound...* He had assumed that he had
taken a flesh wound from his latest opponent out of carelessness. He
hadn^�t remembered it being cut, but when he woke up the morning
after, the wound was there. A faint cross-shaped cut now resided on
his left cheek. Ranma hadn't known how such a cut could have been
made, but during the fight, he had felt distant, almost as if he wasn't
completely aware of himself. These were grounds for carelessness, so
he just bandaged it up and thought little else of it. Now somehow the
bandage had came off...
Ranma tried to think, but it was all blurry, as if it had been a
dream. Something had happened when Cologne showed him that ball. He
was transported, he figured, sometime into to the past. It was dark
and had started to rain. Two figures approached him, and^�and... he
couldn^�t remember.
Ranma started to get a headache, and decided to think about it
another time. *I probably got some shelter here and slept for the
night* Looking around he was in some old shed. There was some kindle
with a makeshift kettle not far from him. He figured that's how he was
a guy again.
*Funny I don't remember boiling water...*
Shrugging the thought off, he righted himself up to go out to look
for food that would fill his stomach. Almost without a conscious
thought Ranma slipped his sheathed katana onto the left side of his
waist. Adjusting his black cloak to better fit, simultaneously hiding the
presence of the sword, he stalked out.
The first rays from the sun were blinding as customary in the
morning. Ranma took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the sun. His
surroundings proved his eariler thought; everything appeared acient to
his time with makeshift wooden sheds and dirt pack roads that showed
a different era of Japan. Judging from this, he believed he was in a
very shady run down part of the town, but Ranma was never quite
interested in history so it was only a fair guess on his part.
Walking over to a wooden bucket he dipped his hands into the
water that had probably been collected from last night^�s rain.
Thoroughly washing his face he noticed that his cut was nearly healed,
it had not stung at all like a freshly made wound. *Chalk one up for fast
healing-heh-* Giving a fresh scan of his surroundings there was still no
one around. It had appeared this part of town was not populated.
Picking a direction he walked out to find civilization.
< OH MY! >
Kenshin lazily looked up from his comfortable resting position
sitting on the edge of the wall. The sky was a beautiful blue and white
after the stormy night before. But try as he would to think on better
things, his thought's still resided on the attack eariler this morning.
No one had been critically hurt luckly enough. Kaoru-dono and
Yahiko were perfectly fine and verbally fighting as usual. Sanosuke was
also surprisingly in good health besides a body full of scuffles. It had
not phased Sanosuke much at all from the injuries and was how
engaged in another verbal fight with Megumi-dono. The one who was
most injuried was himself. That in it self was not a bad thing, the girl's
target was obviously him. He did not want anyone else hurt because of
that.
*Was she a Tenchu, an assassin, sent to kill me...no if that were
the case the fight would have not ended there. She had held back at
that moment. She might have been testing me, but if so for what
reason? Her style, my style... it had to have been Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu
Battoujutsu. Every attack she made was true to the form. Fast,
powerful, and very unnerving to be at the other end of, especially the
Ryu-Tsui-Sen. But it was different too... It was the Battoujutsu, it was
hard to imitate it to such an extent, but it had felt different. The fight
was not like when Master attacked, it was...different. Perhaps she
_had_ meant to kill me. Then there was the Ryu-Tsui-Sen... a perfectly
excuted one that had been tilted slightly. That should have defeated
the purpose of the techique by changing the angle of power, but it had
almost meant my death. The wound...*
"Ken-san."
Snapping out of his riverie, Kenshin looked up at Megumi-dono.
"Is the wound causing you any more trouble?"
Giving a light smile, "No Megumi-dono, the bandaging was
excellent."
A light blush came on the young appentice healer's face. "Kenshin
was your attacker really using your style? I heard she looked very
much like you. Even the red hair and the scar."
Giving some thought Kenshin replied, " I believe she was. I have
no
idea who she is, though, there are only two practioners of this style
and I was hoping it would die with me."
*Bright red hair with a cross-shaped scar on the left cheek, the
signs that identify the Battousai. What does she hope to accomplish...*
< OH MY! >
Ranma walked down the road now populated with civilians. A
rough sort that signaled he was definitely in the wrong era. This was
when he realized one thing. His hand full of money meant nothing right
now. Food was beyond his reach giving this realization.
Looking around his stomach grumbled for nutrition. He supposed
he would have to work for food. Some odd end job like washing dishes
he guessed, but who would acccept him. That was when he heard a
noise.
There was a gathering in a shady alley near his position. They
appeared to be arguing something, but moments later it was more like
bullying. One person dressed fairly well, was being backed up into the
alley by a bunch of obviously rough thugs. This wasn't an aguement; it
was a robbery. People who were within the immediate distance started
to dissapear or hurry along. This meant that he was not getting any
help.
Ranma decided to step in.
"...come on, just a few yen. It looks like you can spare some. You
should be nice and give us some, or we might have to persuade you a
bit _harder_."
"P-Please, I will give it to you, j-just don't hurt me..."
A shadow suddenly loomed over the gathering. "Now this isn't
very nice." The tone was very dark, if not disturbing. This had an
immediate effect as everyone turned their heads towards the new
arrival.
"What do _you_ want? We're just having a little chat here. Move
along boy, before we get mad," one of the thugs, probably the leader
replied.
"This chat is finished," unconsciously Ranma's hand moved onto
his sheathed sword and twisting it ever so slightly. This not only
surprised the group, it surprised him too. He had never needed to use a
sword before, there was no reason to ever unconsciously ready a
sword for Ranma.
"SO you think a fancy sword is going to scare me, well think
again." Moving a hand to his back, the thug leader pulled on a thin stick.
It was a hidden blade.
Then in a flash before the leader could unsheath the blade to
further his rebuttal, Ranma lashed out with a devistating fist. It had
connected so hard the leader had flown back slamming into his gang.
Wide-eyed astonished gasps resonated from every person except
Ranma. In mear moments after the attack, the effect settled in.
Everyone stumbled and nearly triped on themselves running pass
Ranma and out of the alley, their faces plasted with fear; even the
person who had been saved from the robbery. In his haste he had
dropped his purse with the money.
"H-Hey, you dropped your..." The owner was already far away and
running farther. Ranma sighed. *I suppose I had over did it a little...
but they didn't need to be that scared* Picking up the purse, there was a
surprising good amount of money in there. It was enough for a meal
anyway. *Well something thing good came out of this at least*
< OH MY! >
"Ne- Kenshin. Do you think it's going to be all right with the
girl somewhere about? We should be on our guard or something... What are
we going to do about her?"
Kenshin turned his head back to momentarily face Kaoru. They
were currently walking home after the visit to the Doctor's. "I don't
know, Kaoru-dono. I think we should discuss this further at home. It will
also be safer there too."
Suddenly his senses tingled. A strange presense suddenly
crossed his path. Turning around he caught the sight of a young boy
with a black pig-tail. It had been an eerie sense, but appearently the
boy had not noticed him, with his idle look and satisfied smile.
Kenshin slowly dismissed it as the boy walked away from his
sight. *Something was strange about that boy...*
< OH MY! >
"So why is Ranma stuck inside this ball or world, or whatever?"
Akane asked.
"I do not know why such a thing happened. I did not know such a
thing can happen. The vision sphere was not meant to transport a
person anywere. From what is known, the vision sphere should show a
person what he seeks. The manuscripts are not clear in how they show
it. It might be a world of what has happen, what can happen, or even
what will happen. It is based on the person and what he seeks."
Giving it another thought Cologne continued, "Though I suppose no
one has ever try to strike the sphere or destroy it. That is what young
son-in-law did as he was seeing what he sought. I have no idea what
could cause such a reaction, but this was clearly not forseen."
"Maybe I can borrow it for myself sometime."
"Nabiki!" yelled out Akane with indignation. "There are more
important things to worry about. How do we get Ranma out?!"
"Since such a thing has never happened before, child, I do not
know how to remedy it. Perhaps only Ranma himself can come back on
his own, since it is what he seeked in the first place. I told Mousse to
gather my books to bring them here. When he arrives we will look into
more options. For now we must wait."
"Though even when he comes back, that is still not the true
problem."
Everyone blinked, "Huh? What do you mean?" asked Akane.
< OH MY! >
The sun slowly set and darkeness slowly covered the land. The
roads slowly became devoid of people. In some parts of town it became
desolated. Nature's sounds dominated the area. That is until rapid
foot-steps came.
A person was despriately running for his life. Heavy breathing
was heard from a face wide with fear. He stumbled a few times, but his
legs refused to give away as his life depended on it. Every so often he
would give a frantic cry for help, but none came to answer.
In a half rotted wooden shed. A pair of eyes opened, a pair of icy
blue eyes...
"Help me! Please, Someone Help me!" The person screamed. He
ran into an alley and into another side road and keep twisting and
turning through the different sections of town hoping to lose his
pursuer. Suddenly a shadowly figure loomed over him. In his haste and
indecision he fell to the ground.
Looking up with fright he saw the sword on the waist. Franticly
he backed up but then he saw the face; it was a young girl, it was not
his pursuer. At that moment he didn't care who it was as long as it
wasn't the one after him.
"Please! Help me! I'll give you anything. Money! I have money!"
scrambling into his clothes he produced a fat purse and threw it on the
ground next to her. "Please just help me!"
The young girl looked down on him with those piercing cold eyes
and he almost fell back again. At this point he was mad with hysteria.
"Time to die."
Another shadowly figure came into view. This one though seemed
twice as large as the young girl.
She was not phased, though, by the new arrival. Calmly she
stepped infront of the frantic person, putting her directly in the path
of his pursuer. Almost flowing in one fluid motion her sword hand went
to the sheath sword and twisted it ever so slightly.
"You want to die to, eh? Fine by me."
The pursuer was big, but he was also fast, covering the distance
quickly, he raised a large sword worthy of a man his stature. He came
down with a vicious downward slash on the young red-haired girl.
The blow never came though. She had struck first. A fountain of
blow flew from the big body before it fell to the ground in a lifeless
heap.
Giving a quick flick to rid the blood off her sword, she calmly
sheathed it and turned back to face the man she had saved. Those icy
blue eyes never waver but the man had. He franticly scrambled up and
ran in the opposite diection. The pursuer was dead, but his savior had
been even scarier.
Moments later she bent down and picked up the purse. She did
not leave, though, instead she looked on into the darkness. This seemd
to continue for a bit until a person showed itself.
"Hello there young one" a middle age man greeted her with a
smile.
"Who are you?" the flat cold voice replied.
"Me? Why I am a person interested in what you did. You see, he
was an offical for the foreign embassy. He was supposed to have been
killed, but it seems you had stepped in. A pitty. The man you killed was
good assassin, if not a little boastful."
"And?"
"Well it's not all that important anymore... Now what I have is a
proposition for you." A moment pasted and seeing that she was not
going to reply, he went on. "Why don't we goto a more...warmer... place
and discuss it?"
Her features never wavered and after a moment followed him.
< OH MY! >
"What do you want?"
They were in a small neat room with fine furnishings. A table
separated the two with sake for each person. The middle-aged man
was sipping his. She never touched her's though.
"You should know what business I am in and you are very skilled. I
want to offer you a job. The pay will be very well."
A long moment past between them, "What do you want me to
do?"
The man raised an eyebrow towards her. "Well...let's see... ahh.
There is an offical staying here. He is residing on the lower part of this
town, on the county side, a place on top of the mountain. I wanted him
killed, but since he was staying there, it is quite heavy guarded. The
man...you killed couldn't do it..."
A memory flashed before the girl's mind. "Fine."
Not waiting for the man to continue, she stood up and walked for
the door.
"I'll do it tonight." With that she left.
< OH MY! >
"It's not possible... That can't be Ranma. He would never do such
a thing... to kill like that..." No one else could believe what Akane had
said either, but...
"I doubt son in law would on normal circumstances. But this is our
true problem. It would seem that the cursed katana had somehow
possessed him."
"Still even possessed Ranma would never..." Akane could not
believe it. It was not the Ranma she knew.
"Yes, son in law would not be so easily taken by such an act. He
is
very strong willed and should have fought back, but..." Pausing a
moment to collect her thoughts, "I believe there is more to this story.
You see Ranma was still in conscious control when he was in his male
body but we saw him fully possessed in his female form. This is what I
believe the sword did."
Seeing as her listener's did not fully understand, Cologne
elaborated. "You see, everyone has parts of themselves they try to
hide. Feelings, thoughts, or experiances, they lock away within their
subconsciousness. For Ranma, we know that he resents his female side
very much, given Genma's influence on him," She gave Genma a side-
long glance. "Because of Ranma's feelings, the cursed sword used this
to its advantage. It probably hides its infuence while he is a male, but
when female the sword takes over. To what end or what purpose, I do
not know yet however."
"I see...something had been odd with Ranma today. SO how to we
rid the possession?"
"Demonic possession is a very delicate thing. I am holding my
options until we have more information. That is another thing I hope to
achieve soon. But even then we may be too late."
"What do you mean elder?" Akane had a bad feeling about the
answer.
< OH MY! >
"I hadn't thought you would cause such a big disturbance there,
young one."
The middle-aged man had already retrieved the proper
information before she came back. It was as well as she had not
explained to him any details, just that the job was done.
"Do you have a problem with that?" That voice had been as cold
as ever.
"Ahh... of course not. The job was sucessful. I just had not
expected you to go straight through the guards. Quite a mess it
seems, a bunch of dead bodies all around."
He did not cause a reaction from her though.
"Were you hurt? There seems to be an open wound on your
cheek, little one."
There was a red cross-shaped cut on her left cheek. Bits of
blood had dripped down, signaling a fresh wound.
"No."
He raised an eyebrow at that. Now that she mentioned it. The
wound was red when he had met her the night before. He figured it was
a past wound and not of much relevance.
"Anyway, here is your payment." He took out a metal pass. "This
will let you open a security box in the bank near here. I think you will
find the payment satisfactory. If not we can aways negotiate to a
settlement."
She took the pass in silence.
"Now then, I suppose you are eager for your next job." 'Eager'
was a stretch by any imagination. "I want you to dispose of a
swordsman that resides at the Kamiya Dojo, on the south side of town.
He is a fairly young man in his twenties with bright red hair and a
cross...shaped...scar..." The man's words started trailing off as he
realized something.
"Fine." Yet still the girl had not provoked a reaction. She had
immediately moved towards the door.
"By the way, what is your name?"
She turned back, briefly stopping.
"Adako. Himura Adako."
< OH MY! >
"Kenshin! Big news!" Kenshin looked up to find Yahiko running
towards him with Sanosuke trailing behind.
"What is it Yahiko?"
"Last night, there was a murder. An offical staying in Tokyo was
assassinated. It was a slaughter too. They found dead guards all over
the compound."
Kenshin was at a lost of words to that. *Such violence...*
"I have a guess on who it could be. It may be just coincidence,
but
still..."
Kenshin gave some thought to that. It was just a little too much
of a coincidence.
"What's wrong, guys?" Kaoru came out asking.
Suddenly Kenshin's sense spiked. "Yahiko, Sanosuke, please go
with Kaoru back into the house."
"Huh?" was the dumbfounded reply.
Moments passed when she came in, the young girl who possessed
his style.
Outwardly both Kenshin and the girl looked calm, but inside
Kenshin strained with readiness and fear. He knew full well the girl was
quite prepared no matter how she looked.
He took a long step forward, facing the girl. "Who are you? What
do you want?"
Her sword hand flowed towards her sword and twisted slightly.
That was all the warning Kenshin had before she came, hard and fast.
But this time he was prepared and met her attack. He knew from their
first encounter, a defensive strategy was not good. She had been too
fast, too skilled to read. Even now she was lightning quick, as fast as
he was, maybe more so. In a way she was a mirror image of himself, if
not a twisted mirror image.
Blade met reversed blade. In the air, on the ground, loud pure
rings of steel clashing resonated throughout the household as
Kenshin's companions look on in horror. Their speeds were incredible.
*Is she using the Battoujutsu? She must be. Is she trying to read
my moves as I am trying to her? She moves too fast and hide's her
move too well for me to read her acturately. Can she read mine? Why
does it feel so different? As if she is not using the Battoujutsu...*
The attacks continued and Kenshin met each one with his full
ability. There was no margin for error in this battle, as she was just as
powerful. Kenshin moved, parried and rebounded off the wall. She came
and followed with equal speed and precision.
She attacked to the side, from the air, and twisted. To Kenshin
it looked like she disappeared, but he knew better. *She's using the
wall!* Pivoting himself he prepared himself for her attack.
The attack came as she reflected off the wall and came at him.
But something was wrong *The angle is wrong, she not aiming...* Then
he saw her form... *Ryuu-sho-sen!*
Kenshin immediately changed his stance bracing for the
technique. It came and he felt something different. *The angle is wrong
again!* He still felt the powerful attack and few back, but to his side.
He had to wrestle with the torrent of power, twisting in mid flight to
stumble onto his feet. Still it had not ended there.
Kenshin looked up to the sky and saw her next move *Ryuu-tsui-
Sen! No choice, I have only one chance...*
She came down on him, and he prepared his own attack. With a
yell Kenshin screamed out, "Ryuu-sho-sen!"
Two powerful techniques met in mid flight. Kenshin's
devastatingly powerfuly technique that slashes up met her attack
coming down. A loud ring flew from the clash as both swordsmen flew
back.
Kenshin strained to keep himself on his feet and prepared
another stance. He was breathing heavily now. The powerful attack did
not leave him so well off, but it was better than the alternative.
*Again, it was a prefectly executed Battoujutsu technique, but
the angle was slightly wrong. It should not have been done that way,
but it has served its purpose well. If I had not acted as I had, if I had
been one moment slower...* Kenshin took a long look at her. *She is so
much like me, but at the same time different. She can use Hiten
Mitsurugi Ryuu Battoujutsu as well as I can it seems, but she uses it
different. The same, but different, why? Why is she doing this? Who is
she and for what reason does she have to kill me?*
"Who are you!?" But she still did not reply.
He still waited for an answer, but she started her attack again.
Her speed never wavered as the renewed attacks began. Kenshin again
met every attack, but now he went on the defensive. *Who is she? Why
is she doing this? Why is it the same, but different?*
Suddenly her attack didn't come and she disappeared from his
view. *What?* flashed by his mind before he felt a solid hit on his
abdomen. He felt the wind being knocked out of him. She had ducked
and.. *She kicked! It can't be! Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu doesn't use kicks!*
It was not over though as the girl performing a risking kick spun
and for a moment a wide-eyed Kenshin was at a lost. But at that last
moment before she completed her spin, he saw it. *Ryuu-Kan-Sen!* A
deadly technique that uses the power of the body's spin into a powerful
attack. But now it had been modify, with her being on the ground, like
the other technique, Sou-Ryuu-Sen, an attack that is suppose to have
'god speed' power.
Kenshin grunted moving with all his ability and positioned his
reversed-blade to block it. It was only a chance, but there was no other
choice.
To the onlookers it happened in one horrifying motion. Kenshin in
shock as the attack came. A loud sound was heard and kenshin flew
back crashing into the wall.
It took awhile for the smoke to clear, but Kenshin slowly
struggled up. His companions breathed a sigh of relieve, but Kenshin
was not that well off. He was breathing haggardly now and slouched
into a defensive stance. On his left hand, a deep gash was seen. The
only way he had been able to block the full force of the blow was to use
both hands in defense, and since his blade was a sakabatou, the sharp
side of the blade had cut deeply into his hand.
*Who is she? Why did she use a kick? The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu
incorporated no unarmed attacks into its style, yet she used it in
perfect conjunction with the Battoujutsu. No this is not the
Battoujutsu...*
*The Battoujutsu is a close area fighting style againist multiple
opponents. It draws its strength from reading an oppenent's moves
and counter attacking with both speed and power, thus the name
Battoujutsu. A normal opponent is open when the counter attack
comes, but this girl... her style is different from the Battoujutsu, it...
transends it. She doesn't just counter attack, she breaks down their
defenses. She changes her own style to adapt to her opponent's style.
Like the first time, the slight attack to cause a wound was not
accidental but purfectly placed. Then the a kick had been used to break
down my defense and... In a sense her style is specialized for an
indivual opponent. It's not the Battoujutsu but...*
Kenshin stared into the eyes of the girl. Those icy blue eyes were
cold and emotionless. Suddenly he caught something. A flicker perhaps,
maybe more. Turning he looked towards his companions as they
watched on. He glaze fell over to Kaoru. Finally he knew.
*She doesn't use the The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu Battoujutsu, but a
revised version of it. Shaped it into a personal style to do one thing, to
kill an individual. In short Revenge. She is out for revenge, againist me.
Something I did to her...*
Kenshin finally understood now. His stance relaxed and he looked
towards his companions. He smiled, a soft gentle smile. He knew what
to do now.
Slowly Kenshin straighten up and lowered his guard. The reversed
blade now stood idly lowered by his side. Kenshin still smiled that gentle
smile. To everyone else it was warm and inviting, completely
defenseless and inviting. And she took it.
The red haired girl, with the cross-shaped cut on her left cheek
came in. She never wavered, never slowed down her speed. She came
on to Kenshin and attacked. It was precise and complete and Kenshin
never moved a centimeter. His companion's cried out a warning in
shock, but he had not heard them.
Kenshin fell to the ground in a heap and the cry of "Kenshin!" was
heard. Smoothly the girl sheathed her sword and started walking
towards the exit.
His companions rush towards their friend. Everything had been
forgotten except the safety of their friend.
"Kenshin!"
"Kenshin!"
"Speak to me!"
Kaoru tear's freely flowed from her cheeks as she held Kenshin's
motionless form in her hands. She couldn't believe it. Kenshin had been
killed. Suddenly something came to her. Her hands were dry. This
meant one thing. Looking down, she again checked to make sure. There
was no blood. Kenshin wasn't dead.
As if on cue Kenshin began to stir. He groaned and opened his
eyes. He was still weak, but alive.
She hugged him. "Kenshin you're alive! But how..."
Kenshin gave a smile and replied, "She reversed her blade at the
last moment."
"Baka!" was all Kaoru could say before she dug her head into his
chest.
Kenshin looked up with a serious at the retreating girl's form.
"Don't misunderstand. You will die." Her voice was still as cold
as
before.
"Who are you?" asked Kenshin.
"Adako." And she left.
This sparked a reaction from the group.
"Ah-"
"-da-"
"-ko-?"
"Adako as in the carefree child?" asked Yahiko in confusion.
"Adako as in the flirtatious child?" asked Sanosuke in equal
confusion.
"Mou- it's a wonder how a child with that name grew up to be like
that!" commented Kaoru.
Kenshin, though, wasn't really listening.
"Adako, the child of revenge."
Everyone looked at him with a startled expression.
< OH MY! >
"What I mean child..." Cologne gave Akane a long look.
"Perhaps it is better if I use an old saying: When a man walking
down a path realizes where the path leads to, he has little choice but to
continue following it no matter the consequences."
"You don't mean..." Akane breathed out.
"Right now Ranma is not fully aware of what he has become, but
there will be a time when he will finally realize this. When that happens,
the Ranma we know will be changed forever."
"That can't be..." Akane couldn't finish off her words.
To be continued...
Chapter 3 : The path followed
Author's Babble,
It's been a while, and I had to do something. I am in the process of
going backwards and flushing bugs left and right...and there is always
enough around afterwards. Now I know how Skuld feels. This one might
become a little darker then my usual. Gee and just in time for the holiday
season too. Bug fixes are always appreciated with all the other stuff.
~Kuku