[FFML] [ffml][fanfiction][fusion/x-over]Ranma's Bane, chapter 16

Once again, many thanks go to Mark Engelbert and Slacker for
their help by pre-reading.

Complete story is avalible at
http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/KasumiandRanma/ and
http://tannim.anifics.com/

-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: rbane16.txt

Disclaimer: The characters in this work of fan fiction belong to their original creators, and are not used for the purpose of monetary gain.

Chapter 16: Crusade

Nabiki Tendo was normally a paragon of emotional control. Nothing seemed to affect the 'Ice Queen.' In a corporate boardroom, her poker face led to the downfall of more than one competitor.

Which is why the expression of hopelessness on her face shocked Ranma to the core.

Her penthouse apartment was being cleaned out, since a large hole in the wall had rendered it uninhabitable. Ranma briefly flashed his identification to the security team (handpicked, part of a large collection of martial artists, psychics, and a Nightbane or two) the wandered over to where Nabiki was staring at the remains of Hotaru's room.

"The investigators say that a gas line malfunctioned," Ranma said as he came up to stand beside his sister-in-law.

"Not likely," Nabiki whispered, "there aren't any gas lines in this building." In fact, nothing built in the past ten years had such things. While technology hadn't skyrocketed (R&D at TOC was still working on a prototype flying car), some improvements had been made since the end of the twentieth century. The appliances weren't as bulky, and the power sources were cleaner (fusion power was quickly becoming the norm in Japan). All things considered, Ranma was insulted that such a thin story was used as a cover-up.

"That's what I told them, but they wouldn't listen. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a bunch of Hollow Men or Doppelgangers in that bunch."

"Why?"

Ranma shook his head. "To goad us on. That's the only thing that makes sense."

"But why her? Why not me? Or Alita? Or..." Nabiki trailed off, pausing to wipe away the tears that were threatening to flow.

"I understand what happened to me," she continued, "all those years ago. Akane, your mother and I were kidnapped to force you into making some kind of deal. But why Hotaru?"

"I don't know," Ranma placed his hand on Nabiki's shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze, "but I plan to find out."

"Bring her back, Ranma. I don't care who you have to kill, just bring her home."

"You got it, Nabs."

As Ranma backed away, Kasumi moved over to spend a moment with her sister. Ranma walked over to where the others were waiting. They were all wearing their 'work clothes.' Ranma had on his black silk shirt and loose pants, Kasumi was in her leathers, Zelgadis (as always) wore his tan coverings, and Setsuna had a black suit. Alita, not about to be left out of the rescue, was wearing a slightly more modest imitation of her mother's leathers (Ranma made a note to talk to Alita about where she got them) covered by a long, white trench coat.

"Anything?" he asked Setsuna.

"Not really," the green-haired woman replied. "Though whatever blew up the wall was psychic in nature."

"Why would they bother?" Zelgadis asked. "It would alert too many people. And the psychic traces would alert us as to who did it."

"We already know who did it. As for the explosion, I'd say it was a failsafe, left behind to cover up traces of whatever dimensional traveling method they used. Considering the fact that Hotaru is human, they couldn't have used the Mirrorwall very easily. Add to that the fact that Zelgadis placed guards on the mirrors in this apartment shortly after Nabiki moved in."

"So," Ranma summarized, "someone broke in here, grabbed the girl, then set off some sort of psychic bomb to clear out the evidence of who did it and how."

"That's about it," Setsuna replied.

"But why bother since we know it was Xelloss?"

"Maybe revealing their hand wasn't part of the original plan."

"What's next?" Zelgadis asked as Kasumi walked up.

"Three options. We can start contacting people to see if anything big has been happening lately."

"Not since the Chinese nuclear arsenal was sabotaged," Zelgadis said.

"Right," Ranma nodded. "Option two is a full frontal assault on Ahriman's fortress."

"Which is a very grandiose suicide plan," Kasumi mused.

"Right again. That leave information gathering, followed by a search and rescue."

"I guess we can try to find Xelloss and beat the information out of him," Zelgadis suggested.

"And he'd been in range of your sword how many times in the past decade?" Ranma shot back.

"Good point."

"Xelloss can wait," Kasumi stated, "the priority is finding Hotaru."

Though all this, Alita remained silent. Worry for her closest friend's safety (actually, her only friend's safety, the fact that they were related only cinched the matter) had her mind racing about, trying to keep track of the information being exchanged and analyzed.

"Can't you find them with your powers?" she suddenly asked.

Zelgadis sighed. "That's what we're trying to figure out. We don't know where to look-"

"Not like that," Alita interrupted. "I mean, with all the talk about psy-whatchamacallit traces, can't you make something that's like a compass, except it points to Hotaru instead of pointing north?"

"She's got a point, Zel," Ranma said, giving his daughter a smile.

Zelgadis was about to argue the point when Setsuna's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "I have an idea. After all, she has to sleep sometime."

As Zelgadis nodded, everyone else stared.

"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked.

Setsuna simply smiled. It was a smile Ranma had learned to recognize. It was Setsuna's answer to Xelloss' 'that is a secret.' It also meant that Setsuna wasn't going to be revealing any information.

"Fine," Ranma said, "keep your secret for now. Let's just get out of here, okay? I want to feel like we're actually doing something."

*******

The mists of the Dreamstream parted as Setsuna floated through them. All around were countless bubbles in the mist, containing varied images and scenes. Those were the dream pools, where a person's mind and spirit resided while the body rested. Finding a particular person's dream was difficult, but not impossible.

Finding the dream of someone who was being hidden was much harder.

An inky blackness off to the side forced Setsuna to change her course. She was performing reconnaissance, and could not afford to be delayed by nightmares that had escaped their creator's minds.

But the blackness was moving, accelerating until Setsuna was all but surrounded by it. Biting back a curse, she stepped out of the dream.

*******

When Setsuna appeared in the middle of the suite's main room, breathing heavily, Zelgadis immediately rushed over.

"I'm alright," she said before he could inquire. "I just came a little close to a nightmare."

"Bull," Zelgadis countered.

"It was a nightmare. Just a rather large one. Bordering on a chaos storm."

"At this time?" Ranma checked his watch. "It's just past noon."

"And in other parts of the world," Setsuna patiently explained, "it's just past midnight. Where I'm going, geographic distances mean little."

"Like the Astral Plane," Kasumi observed.

Setsuna nodded. "There have even been theories that they're one and the same, despite the obvious differences, such as the method of entry."

"Nice," Ranma half-growled, "but what about the search?"

"It's only been three days," Setsuna replied. "I would like to see you try and search an infinite area in that amount of time. We're searching for a ball bearing on a rice farm."

"Shouldn't that be 'a needle in a haystack'?" Alita asked.

"A haystack is too small to be used as a comparison," Setsuna replied.

Ranma sighed, then walked over to hotel's window. They couldn't go home, and couldn't stay in Tokyo, so the group had started moving around. At the moment they were in Kyoto.

"In that case, we have a couple of choices," Ranma observed. "We can head over to the mainland, and hope Ahriman's doing something obvious over there."

"Fat chance," Zelgadis replied.

"Exactly. The other choice is crossing to the Nightlands, and going from there. Setsuna, can you do that little trick of yours from the other side of the Mirrorwall?"

Setsuna nodded in reply.

Ranma hung his head. "I was hoping you wouldn't be able too. I really hate that place."

"We all do," Kasumi corrected.

"What's a Mirrorwall?" Alita asked.

Ranma glanced around. "I'll take her through. Zel, you make a portal and meet us on the other side."

"Right," Zelgadis replied. "I guess it's a good thing we kept ready to go."

"Yeah, I just hope we're back before Nabiki wonders why we aren't sending her reports. What's a good place to switch over?"

Setsuna pointed to the suite's private bath. "He checked earlier. It's at the peak of a rather tall building on the other side. Thankfully, the building is uninhabited. Watch out for patrols, though."

"Right. See you there."

As Ranma led Alita from the room, he could hear the slight hum as Zelgadis opened a doorway of darkness.

"Where'd they go?" Alita asked.

"Through the looking glass," Ranma mumbled.

"So now we go there?"

"Yeah," Ranma sighed. "Change forms, like we taught you."

"Why?"

"Because we have to be in our Morphus in order to use some of our powers."

"Why?"

Ranma remained silent as he changed. "Because that's how it worrrks," she explained.

Alita shrugged, still a little unnerved at her father's transformation, and triggered her own. Less dramatic than either of her parent's, Alita's change was a simple ripple moving up her body, changing skin and bone to metal plates and parts.

"Watch," Ranma instructed, "and pay attention. I needed to see this morrre than once to pick it up. I bet you could do it just by watching me. Okay?"

Alita nodded.

Ranma walked over to the full-length mirror, and placed her hands against it. Concentrating for a moment, she felt the mirror open up, and drag her in. Not resisting, she let herself tumble though the dark tunnel between worlds, quickly emerging on the other side.

Turning, Ranma saw a few small bulges appear on the mirror's surface, as though a small object was being poked at it. With a sigh, Ranma reached through, grabbed Alita, and pulled her across the Mirrorwall.

"This is not the time to play arrround."

"What a rush," Alita gasped, then remembered what her father had said. "Okay, Dad," she said with a bit of a sulk.

Ranma smiled. "It does that the firrrst few times. It took you motherrr and I a few months to get used to it. Even then, we neverrr liked coming... herrre."

'Here' brought another gasp from Alita. The Nightlands, with their gothic buildings and a never-ending dome of black, rolling clouds, were not a prime vacation place. Add to that a sense of general wrongness and many hostile creatures, it always managed to trigger a little voice in the back of Ranma's head that said *nice place, can we go home now?*

"Are you two just going to stand there all night?"

Ranma and Alita turned to see Setsuna walking up. Zelgadis and Kasumi were standing a few yards back, discussing something Ranma couldn't overhear.

"Arrre we clearrr?" Ranma asked.

Setsuna nodded. "Most of the city is deserted. I think there might be a few Hunter patrols, but they're a fair distance away."

"Rrright," Ranma stated, "then tell Zel to find a secure spot, then you can go into your trance."

Setsuna nodded. "Alright."

*******

Enemy after enemy fell before the hero's blade. Even the mightiest samurai could not stand before the champion of Heaven. Her razor sharp sword cut through armored forms like a hot knife through butter. Nothing could stop her-

Except the sound of a throat being cleared.

The champion turned, and saw a young girl, clad in strange armor.

"Who are you?" The champion demanded.

"You're Nodoka?" the girl asked, ignoring the champion's question.

"I am known as such."

"Nodoka Saotome?"

That name shocked her, and brought a semblance of reality to the world around them. The battlefields of feudal Japan dissolved away, leaving the interior of a Kendo training hall. "Yes, who are you, and why am I dreaming about you?"

"I'm your grand-daughter. And you're dreaming about me because my dad swore you'd never meet in the real world. Muttered something about a 'moronic, out-dated oath'."

"You cannot be my grandchild, since I have no son that could have sired you."

The girl stared at Nodoka. "He told me you were nuts, but I didn't think it was this bad. How long have you been denying reality."

Nodoka was about to give the girl a piece of her mind when a ripple appeared in the air and a hand grabbed the intruder's shoulder, pulling her out of the dream.

*******

"What do you think you were doing?" Setsuna asked.

Alita fidgeted under the crimson stare. "Well, Dad wouldn't tell me much about her, or even tell me where she lived. So I wanted to see if it was as bad as he and Mom had told me."

Setsuna's gaze softened. "Was she?"

Alita nodded. "She's like that Kuno guy Mom and Dad used to tell stories about."

Setsuna decided to change the subject. "Do your parent know you can enter the Dreamstream?"

"No," Alita replied. "I just found out after I saw you do it the first time. It's kinda neat."

"Do you go to sleep, or shift over?"

Alita looked confused. "You can get here by sleeping?"

Setsuna chuckled. "Everyone touches this realm in their sleep. That's why it's called the Dreamstream. It's how I'm trying to find Hotaru."

"By finding her dreams?"

Setsuna nodded. "I could use your help. But first, I think we'd better go back, your parents must be worried sick."

*******

Setsuna was right. Both Ranma and Kasumi were ready to chew nails when the pair reappeared in the small room that was serving as their base camp.

"Where have you been?" Ranma snapped.

"With me," Setsuna replied. "It seems that Alita is able to enter the Dreamstream. I was merely assessing her innate abilities."

Ranma's expression indicated he didn't believe a word of it.

"What did you find?" Kasumi asked. When Ranma shot her a look, she simply shrugged in reply.

"I may have found her," Setsuna answered. "Alita and I will check while the rest of you try to get some transportation."

"Right," Zelgadis replied. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a small diamond in a round, gold setting.

Setsuna smiled. "Really, Zelgadis, I thought you wanted to wait until you made some progress on your cure before proposing."

"Very funny," Zelgadis grumbled, handing over the jewel. "Take this with you next time you transfer over. It might help us track her."

Setsuna nodded as she slipped the device in her pocket.

Ranma regarded Zelgadis. "Think you can scrounge something up to ride in?"

Zelgadis nodded. "Of course. There is still a garrison here, and the minions don't teleport all the time."

"Okay. You and Kasumi see what you can find. I'll wait here while Setsuna and Alita take one last look in...whatever that place was. Any questions?" There were none. "Alright, let's get moving."

*******

Ranma had been waiting just long enough to be bored when a distant explosion lit up the northern sky. About that same time, Setsuna and Alita stepped out of the air, walking backwards in combat stances.

"Something up?" Ranma asked.

"Nothing much," Alita replied.

Setsuna shot the girl a look. "Just a few nightmares. You really have to stop attracting attention when in the 'stream."

"A few what?" Ranma asked.

"Living Nightmares," Setsuna explained. "Occasionally a person's bad dreams are able to gain sentience and escape the dream pools. Once, it was rare for something like that to happen. Now, however, they are much more common. And where is Zelgadis? Or Kasumi for that matter."

Ranma checked his watch. "They should get here right about..." a loud screech came from up the street, "now."

Like a bat out of Hell, a large truck blazed around the corner, pulling to a stop in front of the building's doorway. Zelgadis leaped out of the bed and opened the rear door to the cap.

"Not much time," he called, "get in!"

Setsuna and Alita immediately complied, but Ranma hesitated.

"What about gas?" he asked. There was no way that a truck that big was electric.

"No problem," Zelgadis replied. "It's a Living Chariot that Kasumi managed to link with. It's willing to help us."

Which was exactly what Ranma was hoping they would find. Living Chariot's were constructs, like Hounds, that could change their shape into that of various vehicles. Once bonded to an owner, they were the ultimate form of transportation. "I guess I'll take your word for it."

Zelgadis settled into the seat and slammed the door closed. Setsuna was opposite him, on the driver's side, with Alita between them. It wasn't until Ranma opened his door that his brain did the math of who was driving.

"Buckle up, everyone," Kasumi warned.

"Um... Kasumi?" Ranma asked. "Why are you the one driving?"

"Well, Zelgadis and Setsuna will have much of their concentration on keeping us on course and making sure nothing sneaks up on us, you need to be available in case something attacks, and Alita is too young-"

"We can start teaching her," Ranma quickly suggested.

Kasumi laughed. "But her feet won't reach the peddles in a truck this large. Ranma, are you suggesting that something is wrong with my driving?"

Ranma sighed. "No, of course not."

"Wimp," Alita muttered in the back. Ranma shot the girl a glare, and received a shrug in reply. Zelgadis and Setsuna looked on in puzzlement. While Ranma would never say so about his wife, she tended to be a bit... uninhibited behind the wheel of a vehicle.

End chapter 16