Into Every Life, a Little Rain Must Fall A Ranma 1/2 (manga) fanfic by Nemesis_Zero Act 4: A Rhythm in the Flames Part 2 Pre-readers: Aondehafka Edward Simmons Marquis Le'Quack Zorknot Recap of Last Chapter: Following the hectic night of Ranma's 'brilliant' fiancée ultimatum, things cooled down a bit for the jilted girls. Ukyo wandered back to her home/restaurant alone, where she found her new Amazon husband/annoyance waiting at the door and agreed, reluctantly, to let him stay the night. Akane and Nabiki went straight home and to sleep, and so missed Soun's attempts to sneak Ryoga back into the house... and perhaps more. Shampoo took out her frustrations on training equipment until the racket woke Cologne. The elder gave Shampoo instructions to settle all their remaining business in Nerima, then left to check in on Ranma. A good thing, too, considering that Ranma was at that moment fighting a desperate battle in his recurring dreamscape against the mysterious Norou; a battle he lost. After the one-sided confrontation the demon began to explain his case, but was interrupted when Genma, seeing his son suffering under the demon's influence, woke him. Cologne soon appeared, explained that she may know what is happening to him, and suggested that she take Ranma back to the Amazon village. After much discussion, they eventually agreed that she would also bring along Ranma's mother and cousin, Ryu... but his father would have to stay behind. --((o))-- A wise man once said that every day is an opportunity for learning. By that standard, 'Awesome' Taro was a very wise man. Why, already this morning he had learned the following: 1) Children can sometimes have trouble distinguishing between an injured, unconscious person and a corpse. 2) Given enough leverage... say, by way of a fallen branch, even a young child can land a very painful blow to an expert martial artist who isn't ready for it. 3) Someone in the Saotome residence thinks that sheer nylon garments are acceptable bandages for open wounds. 4) Removing a nylon from a clotted wound, such as a bloodied and broken nose, is incredibly painful and has a good chance of tearing the clot loose. 5) Kodachi wasn't kidding about the traps in the yard. Thus the previously mentioned Kuno found him in his current bedraggled state; a blood-smeared mess slouched at the bottom of a moderately deep pit sealed by steel bars. "I take it you found him, then?" asked the gymnast rhetorically, "...and Ranma won again, of course. Bastard." Normally he would have taken her final remark as an insult, but Kodachi seemed far from hostile. Her eyes were sunken and dark-ringed. Pale cheeks, though dry, held faint traces of redness. Her unbound hair drifted and tangled in the breeze. "He just got a lucky shot, nailed me while I was changing forms..." Taro began hesitantly, unsure of her mood. "Oh, he got lucky? I see," Kodachi interrupted in a surprisingly quiet tone. "Funny, Ranma seems to get lucky in just about every fight. At least if one listens to the losers, that is..." She laughed softly, completely unlike every time he'd previously heard. "All right, so maybe I underestimated him a little... I never really fought him one-on-one before though, just so you know. Every other time he had help, so I thought he'd be easy. Next time I'll get him for sure." She was still laughing, though he wasn't sure if it was directed more at him or herself. "Oh, save your macho posturing for later," she said, producing a remote control device, causing the bars of the cage to retract. With a sudden whip-like crack she lassoed and tossed the young Chinese man back up to ground level with a thin length of ribbon, depositing him roughly at her feet. "I'll deal with him myself, at the proper time." "But you said..." "Forget what I said. I simply changed my mind, as is a woman's prerogative." "Hey, whatever," he relented with a shrug. It wasn't like he needed her permission to fight Saotome. "Couldn't you have gotten me out of there a little easier?" he complained, sitting up. "Yes," she replied, "but I could have chosen to do far worse. Just be thankful you managed to blunder into one of the more merciful traps... not that you should have come across any of them after I warned you." "I thought you were joking about them... it's hard to tell when you're being serious." He watched her eyes, noting a slight lack of focus. Was she high on something? "I am always serious... except when I'm not," she quipped as she crouched next to him, frowning. "It appears that your nose will require attention. Here, inhale this." He looked skeptically at the strange grey powder she held in her hand, but her face showed no ill intent. He leaned down and huffed in a deep breath through his mouth, and immediately began coughing. "What, hurff, what the hell is this stuff?" "It is a fairly potent mix of chemical tranquilizers that I find comes in quite handy on occasion... mostly GHB, I believe. In small enough doses it's actually rather enjoyable." She wiggled her fingers before his face, letting the last traces of the powder evaporate into the slight breeze. "I managed to convince a pharmacologist that I suffer from seizures, and the fool put me in touch with a source that lets me buy it in bulk." "I feel, uh, weird... tingly." A sensation not unlike a foot suddenly regaining circulation raced up his spine and through his limbs. "It will pass soon, and then you'll be mostly unable to move. It usually takes effect quite fast," she whispered, leaning him back to the ground with a gentle shove. "Don't worry, it won't hurt. In fact it should help dull the pain in your nose." "Iss nat thaa baad, reelliee," he tried to explain, surprised at the heavy slur in his voice. The world dimmed and spun around Kodachi's dark, mischievous eyes. "No, I meant it will help dim this pain," she explained with a smile. With casual grace she grabbed his misshapen nose and pulled away from his face, slipping it back into proper alignment. Taro groaned, the closest he could manage to the scream he really wanted to let out. He tried to shove his brutal nursemaid away, but was unable to move his arms more than a short distance. As the pain faded in sharpness a wave of dizziness replaced it, and his eyes came unfocused. "No no, silly boy... if you aren't careful I'll have to set it again," she half-threatened, then dropped her voice to a deeper, richer tone. "Unless that's what you want, of course... Does pain turn you on?" Her fingers traced across his chest and arms with subtle pressure, kneading his already slack muscles. He managed to shake his head with some effort. Hopefully she wouldn't get mixed signals from the only part of his body that did seem freely capable of movement at the moment. He was honestly a bit scared of this girl right now... and, despite himself, he rather liked it. "Hmm... too bad," she sighed, then abruptly stood up. "Well, I feel like enjoying a nice hot bath. When you decide to stop bleeding you can try to reach the house again. I suppose that if you are quick enough, you might even be able to join me before my brother or father return..." she teased, and sauntered off up the hill. His eyes tried to track her, but she quickly dissolved into just another part of the blur. Taro closed his eyes against the dizzying colored swirl the world was quickly becoming. He focused on the rhythm of his pounding heart, trying to regain some sense of centeredness and control as his blood rushed in two rather different directions... neither particularly helpful at the moment. He tried to move his arm again, this time with a little more success. He pondered the situation as he lay paralyzed in the grassy yard, surrounded by kami-only-knows how many booby traps. This girl was either going to screw him again, try to kill him... or possibly both. Obviously he'd underestimated her when they'd first met, something he'd have to keep in mind for later. Her increasingly overbearing manner wasn't going to fly for long, either. Why, he asked of his strangely reluctant mind, was he even contemplating sticking around? "Don't take too long, however," her voice trailed down from unknown heights, now traced with frost. "I am likely to be rather upset if yet another man disappoints me." He smirked and clenched a fist, feeling the effects of the drug already beginning to fade. Ah... of course; the vulnerability, the barely acknowledged need beneath her threat was unmistakable. How sweet breaking her in properly would be, and how easy now that Ranma's games were made clear. He decided that the next time he fought the young man he'd thank him first... then nail the bastard while he was confused. Kodachi thought she'd found in him a plaything, but he'd have the leash on her own neck soon enough. Well, as soon as he could walk again, that is. --%%%%%-- "Not quite what you expected, eh?" Cologne asked, snapping him back to wakefulness. "What?" Ranma replied, followed by a deep sigh. The cracked vinyl bench seats weren't at all comfortable, but he could easily admit to sleeping in worse places. At least the engines had finally settled into a constant drone, something easy to block out. "This seaplane, truly a marvelous invention isn't it? Quite a bit more convenient than swimming across the ocean and hiking to the valley, wouldn't you say?" "Yeah, I guess," he replied, letting his eyes drift closed once again. A sharp poke in the ribs roused his anger. "Damn it, what the hell do ya want?" he spat. "I want you to stay awake, obviously," the elder replied, setting her staff across her lap. "If the demon visits you in dreams then I can't allow you to have any." "So you expect me ta just stay awake forever? Yeah, that's really gonna happen. Besides, how am I supposed to fight this thing off if I'm exhausted?" "Oh, enough with the drama, boy. Once we reach the village I'll prepare a tincture to grant you dreamless sleep. Until then, you'll just have to show a little gumption." Ryu snorted in his sleep, scratched his nose, and fell limp once again. Ranma growled at the sight, which drew the attention of his mother. He shook his head to indicate it was nothing, and she, after smiling, went back to oiling the blade of the family sword. He felt a chill run up his spine as he looked into the gleaming metal, almost ghostly black one moment and blazing the next as her ministrations moved it in through the hazy morning light. He supposed it probably was a good idea to bring a weapon along, just in case, but all the same really wished she hadn't. "Alright then," he began, tearing his eyes from the scene. "If I've gotta stay up then you can at least put the time to use. Tell me about this 'Pale One' you think I've got muckin' around in my head." "A history lesson to keep Saotome Ranma awake?" she asked, one eyebrow cocked. "From what I hear of your school life, that's a fool's errand." "Well, liven it up then. Leave out the dates and crap and just get ta the big stuff, the fireworks," he offered. "Well... I suppose I'll have to simplify it quite a bit. This trip is hardly long enough to hold three thousand years of history, after all," she chuckled. "I asked for tha goods on this demon, not your life story," Ranma cracked. He caught the expected cane strike to his head with a grin, but didn't expect her to pull a second one out of nowhere. Nodoka glanced their way, but said nothing. "The foe we face is the oldest charge of the Amazon people, in fact one of the prime reasons for the tribe's existence," she explained as Ranma rubbed his jaw. "Though it certainly predates us by untold eons. "A little more than three thousand years ago the great Shang Dynasty fell to the barbarous hordes of the Chou. The official Chinese account tells us that the last Lord of Shang, Di Xin, was a weak and immoral man brought down by the mandate of heaven. These men are too preoccupied with maintaining modern power to admit the true role of the supernatural in the affair... that Di Xin was deceived by a treacherous Hujing, a fox spirit much like your kitsune that clouded his mind and corrupted his generals into allying with the nomadic tribes of the West. When the truth was exposed the emperor killed himself out of shame. "Following this honorless victory, the Chou's king, Wu, made sacrifices of those whose loyalty was not for sale to his patron gods, all of their cursed names long forgotten. Many fled this tyranny, of course, leading to the first colonization of the land now known as Korea. One group in particular however, consisting of the emperor's private guard and his court of favored women, all of them prime targets for sacrifice, fled in the most unlikely of directions; they traveled by night, straight through the heart of the enemy lands into the forbidden mountains of the far West." "So that's the Amazons, huh?" Ranma interrupted, then stifled a yawn. "So what's the point? This demon is one of these dark gods of the Chou Dynasty?" "Oh, not at all... it's likely far older than that. I just wanted to give you some context for the story, to make it more real to you." Satisfied with her work, Nodoka sheathed the blade and sat it across her lap, turning her attention to the story now as well. "Well, all I see ya doing is making it longer," Ranma replied, suppressing a yawn. "It's a long flight, as you said," she snapped with annoyance. "Have a little faith, Ranma. I'm just coming to the first round of 'fireworks' as you said." When he failed to add a pithy comment, she continued. "The group knew these mountains would be safe, for the Chou feared their ancient reputation as a magical land protected by great beasts. They had no doubt of their worthiness to enter the realm, supposedly protected by the soldiers of the Yellow Emperor. What they found instead was a being of fire, a titanic form of wrath and power in the shape of a great bird." Seeing the question forming in her audience's mind, Cologne shook her head. "No, it was not your young bird king, Sa Fu Rong. They met his father, Zhu Rong, the god of flames and enforcer of heavenly justice. "The fire god was once charged with destroying a great demon known as Gong Gong, an enormous serpent-beast with a single great horn, and shrouded in deadly black mists. During the battle the demon's head was slammed into one of the great celestial pillars with such force that it is said to have caused all of heaven to tilt. "The blow not only dazed the demon, but it released a flood of sacred waters from beneath the column. Zhu Rong thrust the great serpent into the pooling waters, then boiled it alive with his unquenchable flames. Only then did he realize that his foe was not as he appeared. As the evil influence melted away and was sealed into the magical waters, the fire god realized that his foe had actually been a friend. Huang Long, the great yellow earth dragon, lay battered and broken in the sacred waters. He thanked the fire god for freeing him from his wretched state, manipulated by dark forces to commit his crimes against the heavenly order. He swore, as penance for the weakness of spirit that allowed his corruption, to guard over this pool and keep its prisoner contained." "That's great and all, but why does it matter?" Ranma complained. "Boy..." she began, and for a moment he thought she was about to smack him again. He was saved, however, as the cabin shook suddenly and the engines whined in a higher pitch for a moment. "Sorry about that, Elder," the pilot, a bulky Chinese man with an unusually broad forehead and flattened nose, said with a sheepish glance over his shoulder. "Hit a rough spot there. Turbulence." "No matter, Ji Táng... I expected the occasional bump," she replied with a half smile, followed by a roll of her eyes when the flat-faced man turned back to his work. "Ranma, the legend I just told you is tied directly into the problem we now face. Think about it for a moment... A mountain shattered by a god of flame. A demon covered in black mists. Magic water that reveals hidden truths when heated. Now, does any of this sound familiar to you?" He paused a moment in thought before answering. "So... you're sayin' that's where Jusenkyo came from? Saffron's pop made it when he beat the demon; a demon with a black aura like mist..." "...or was it an aura of destructive ki like the one you've developed? You said you fought Saffron in a mountain hall, the source of the springs, that the destruction of the battle shattered the mountaintop and altered the flow of the waters. In effect, you reenacted the battle of so long ago with just one important change; this time the fire god fell." Ranma's mother cleared her throat. Her eyes took on a strange, cold shine, not unlike the blade before. "So, you're saying that my son has adopted the mantle of this beast? That he's destined to pick up where the former failed and bring the heavens crashing down?" "I assure you, I won't allow that to happen," the elder replied. "Yeah, no way that's happening ta me, Mom," Ranma answered with confidence. "Norou Mizumei... 'curse of dark water'. Geez, I shoulda figured that out right from the start. Course, I couldn't remember the dreams so good at first either." "Regardless, the recent past is less important than the history of the tribe," Cologne remarked, "and the knowledge of the enemy it contains. "The earliest Amazons encountered the fire god, who related to them the tale of the demon. Seeing their plight he offered them entrance to the valley to which they had come, and in exchange charged them with safeguarding Gong Gong's prison from the trespasses of evil men. They trained hard, men and women alike, for they took this sacred duty very seriously. They learned powerful new arts of combat from the blessed world around them, and celebrated their benefactors' greatness by creating the Hiryu Shoten Ha." "So when you taught it to me..." he wondered. "...I was, in effect, adopting you as a full Amazon warrior, an honor which Shampoo, because of her failure to kill or marry you, will likely have to wait several years before attaining." The elder paused to let the gravity of that statement settle in, then pressed on. "Many years passed, and the village grew strong. Eventually Zhu Rong was called away, ordered to attend to other matters by his August Jade Personage no doubt. But before he left, he blessed the greatest female warrior of the village with the gift of his essence. She eventually gave birth to Saffron, the radiant child who would soon grow to become king of the tribe... too soon. Knowing his heritage and witnessing his incredible might, many Amazons worshiped him as a god. They were fearful of his wrath, and so gave the boy too much power for his young mind to wield responsibly. "This mistake nearly cost us everything. "One day the patrol found a strange man, pale as moonlight, thin as dry bone, and dressed in a cloak that flowed through many colors like water in shadowed light, wandering towards the village from within the valley. He showed no fear or aggression towards the guards, and because of this they were unsure what to do with him. They brought this man before Saffron, so that the king might decide what should be done." "I assume that this was the demon in question?" Nodoka interrupted. "But how did it manage to slip its bonds? What power or happenstance released it?" "It was one of the demons, to be sure... we suspect perhaps even the original, though nothing is certain," the matriarch replied. "Over the years other demons had been brought to the sacred pool to be contained, even dark things from foreign lands. On some rare occasions it is recorded that one of these things escaped. Our scholars have come up with many theories over the years, though the one I prefer is that an outsider somehow slipped past the patrols and disturbed the waters in some fashion, becoming possessed by the evil spirits of the waters just as the great dragon was enticed by the spirit of Gong Gong. "Regardless, the young king, all of fourteen years of age, became quite enthralled by the Pale One, the name by which we have come to know this creature. His mysterious presence, his soft-spoken paradoxical advice, the calm that could not be roused by any barbs and a half-smile that projected no humor... all these traits led Saffron to take the stranger on as advisor despite his still questionable origins. Though many distrusted him at first, the confidence of Saffron and the stranger's beneficial public council eased all concerns. "Under his tutelage, the young godling soon became more brazen and demanding, and began to send out raiding parties to expand the influence of the tribe. Soon he was master not of a protected valley, but rather a growing empire with several villages of outsiders held in thrall. At some point the Pale One revealed to the young king a problem; his rule was not uncontested, for the great yellow dragon waited beneath the heart of his domain... gathering its strength and biding its time before returning. "Saffron in his madness led his warriors into the dragon's lair, and he ordered them to attack it while it slept. Its response was vicious, rending the human retainers to pieces with its powerful claws, even though their blows barely scratched its hide. When the dragon saw king Saffron it momentarily mistook him for his father, and in its hesitation the godling struck it a grievous blow." "Bah, dragons ain't a big deal," Ranma drawled. "I killed one just the other day. I don't think I even needed to fight dirty to win, either." The Amazon was taken aback. "You... how could you do such a thing, you foolish boy? Don't you realize that dragons are benevolent creatures, set by the gods in ancient days to keep safe those things and places which humans ought not trifle with? This is a great wrong you have committed, Ranma." "Oh yeah?" Ranma snapped in defiance, "so I guess you don't enjoy still being alive? 'Cause that's the only alternative, Old Ghoul... the Orochi made it pretty clear that if I wanted the moss of life I'd have to go through it to get it, and it sure wasn't holding back. Hell, it attacked me first! Benevolent creature... yeah, my ass it was." Nodoka was shocked as well, but not unpleasantly so. "You killed the Orochi, my son? Oh, to think you've proven yourself the equal in battle of Susano-o himself!" "Wait a moment," Cologne interrupted. "You said you don't – think- you fought dirty? Explain." "I, um, don't really remember what happened, not clearly anyway," he said, reaching for his absent braid. "But Ryu said I kicked its butt real good, and I wasn't hurt at all. All the dragon gave me was this new haircut." "Then I can only assume that the Pale One's influence is already stronger on you than we realized." Cologne hesitated before continuing. "I do not approve of this, Ranma, but what's done is done. It appears I am hardly in a position to complain, and in any case it was not your fault. If nothing else, the symmetry of your recent battle to the legends only further proves my theory. "For hours Saffron fought Huang Long in the rocky depths the dragon called home. The yellow dragon was still but a shadow of his former power since his great battle with Zhu Rong. Outmatched, he tried to reason with the young king that he meant no harm, but in his tainted heart Saffron knew no reason, no mercy. "Saffron returned to the village alone, but victorious. He returned, but the villagers were afraid of what they saw; their vibrant young king still coated in the steaming blood of his kill, even glorifying in his savagery. They shied away from him, but the Pale One greeted him with mocking laughter instead. "'Foolish boy' the demon mocked him, 'you've killed your greatest ally at the barest whim of your sworn foe! Ha! I was only the demon of the cursed pool, but now I will be a demon known throughout the world of men because of you! Come, young godling... let your strength be the first I claim this time!'" "Thus Saffron, already battle weary, was attacked by the demon we now face. His every blow seemed to steal the young king's strength bit by bit, as if he were striking his soul rather than his body. The phoenix king fought back, of course, but more often than not the demon disappeared just before the attack could land, only to resume the fight from another location." "Yeah, that's the guy all right," Ranma grumbled, suppressing a yawn. "They fought on land and in the air, but eventually the boy king grew weary. The demon grappled Saffron, and drained his life away in earnest. However, in his giddiness and triumph the demon made a critical mistake. With the last of his strength Saffron hurled them both from the sky, tumbling with his foe in an iron grip even as his soul was torn away until they both crashed... back into the sacred pool. "The Pale One struggled and panicked, but the phoenix did not release his grasp. He gave forth one final burst of his flames, channeling all his remaining life into the final attack. The waters boiled and the earth shifted, leaving only the pools we now know as Jusenkyo where before there was a great lake. The young king's sacrifice reforged his father's seal, and by dividing the waters he weakened the demons trapped within, so that from this point on those who tested the waters were cursed but not possessed." "And is this why your people grew lax in protecting this accursed place after such an ordeal?" Nodoka asked. "After such a calamity I would have thought your efforts would be redoubled, and yet my son and husband were allowed to blunder upon this prison without your people's knowledge. How do you explain such negligence?" "Much has changed since these ancient days, and as I said I myself believed these tales mere folklore until last night," Cologne admitted. "Our society was left shattered and leaderless, and the records of history became less detailed for many years afterwards." "It is said that an infant was either found or born who resembled the fallen Saffron in his youth, and some of the villagers proclaimed this infant child their god-king reborn. The others felt they had suffered enough for their former leader's folly and refused to accept this, driving out the believers. It would seem that recent history has proven the cultists, presumably the ancestors of the phoenix tribe you encountered, were correct. "Later still, a group of male warriors tried to return the tribe to its previous expansionist ways. These foolhardy men rose up against the council (composed of both men and women in those days), and attempted to seize control of the tribe through force of arms. Though the battle was fierce, they too were eventually driven out. We thought them dead or forgotten, but Prince Herb and his followers claim that they survived, through degenerate means, to become the Musk." "And having driven out or killed so many of the capable men," Nodoka finished, "the women were forced to take charge. Thus your... Amazon lifestyle, I assume." "Quite so," Cologne nodded, "though I suggest there is nothing unnatural about our ways, as you seem to believe. In your own civilization is it not the women who truly run the households?" The Saotome matriarch smiled, but her eyes were cold. "So really you aren't three thousand years old. Your culture, I mean," Ranma amended. "The Amazons only go back to whenever the Musk left." "In some ways," the elder snapped, cutting him off as she refocused her glare. "But what is important to remember is that we are the only ones who kept to the old ways, the original pact with Zhu Rong." "...Who you thought was just a stupid legend until yesterday," Ranma replied a smirk. "You would do well not to rouse my anger," the elder warned, "especially when the three thousand years of history you mock may be your only hope." Ranma said nothing, though a hint of his grin remained until Nodoka gave him a mildly reproving look. Ryu snorted and rolled over, still oblivious. Cologne looked out the window at the vast expanse of blue, and sighed. "Now I've talked long enough, though we've still a long way to go. So, who else has a story to share?" "Uh, well it's not really a, ya know, story, exactly," Ji Táng offered amiably. "More like, well, just this really long joke I heard the other day. I don't really get it, but the guy who told it sure seemed to think it was darned funny..." Cologne closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "Yes, a very long way to go," she sighed. --$$$$$-- "Nabiki..." She was awake. This felt like a generally bad idea, so she rolled over. Perhaps she was just dreaming she was awake? Gee, what a lousy dream. "Nabiki, it's time for lunch. I know you're still tired, but if don't get you up now you'll never get to sleep at a reasonable time tonight." "You aren't going to leave, are you?" the exhausted girl deadpanned. "Nope," Kasumi replied cheerily. With a heavy sigh she rolled back to face the intruder and narrowly opened her eyes. "Fine..." she yawned, stretching in cat-like fashion before sitting up. "Can you make me some strong coffee, sis?" "It's already brewing," Kasumi replied with a wink before strolling out towards Akane's room, no doubt to continue her reign of horrible cheerfulness. Yawning again, Nabiki rose from her bed and stretched again, her eyes closing as she let her head roll back. She rubbed her eyes free of grit as she plodded down the hall to the small half-bath she shared with her sisters. She flinched after turning on the light, more from the mirror than the illumination; she was sporting the worst case of bed-head she'd ever seen, fully one side of her head now home to a gravity-defying cowlick while the other side of her hair was practically etched on her cheek. After a few splashes of water, several painful passes of a brush through her tangled locks, and a quick change from her sleepwear into baggy, comfortable clothing, she was finally ready to go downstairs. Nabiki really wanted a long soak in the furo, but the wafting scent of liquid caffeine proved the more effective lure for now. Kasumi was just finishing the lunch spread, apparently choosing a fairly routine meal today. Akane, still dressed in her clothes from the night before, sat at her usual place next to her father, apparently deciding that it wasn't worth the effort to look presentable yet. Soun smiled as the last of his daughters joined the table. Nabiki took her usual seat next to Kasumi and immediately took a sip of the steaming beverage waiting before her, smiling as the bitter liquid lent her its warmth. She set it back down and looked across the table to find nothing... just the vacant space where Ranma used to sit. She found herself glaring at the space in futile annoyance, but came back to the present when Kasumi nudged her and handed her a pair of chopsticks. Lunch proceeded in relative silence, with only Kasumi attempting to spark conversation. Akane grunted once, then went back to concentrating on her dish of noodles and vegetables. Even Soun seemed preoccupied, eating at a very restrained pace and occasionally glancing at the hallway door. "Ryoga my boy! Come, have a seat!" The tone changed rapidly when Ryoga strolled uncertainly into the room and sat at Ranma's place. Akane flushed and tried without success to improve her appearance. Soun ignored this, and beamed a smile at the boy while Kasumi went back into the kitchen to fetch another place setting. Nabiki contented herself to glance between the latecomer and her father. "So, what brings you here today, Ryoga?" Kasumi asked as she handed him a spare plate. "I, uh," the boy mumbled, fidgeting with his bandana. "I ran into the lad this morning, and invited him over," Soun replied for him. "Suppose I should have brought you myself though, eh, considering the occasion." "What occasion?" Akane puzzled. "Why, your engagement of course," the Tendo patriarch replied merrily. Kasumi dropped her chopsticks, while Akane snapped hers. "Are you out of your mind!?" Akane demanded, slamming the shattered remains of her utensils on the table and rising to her feet. She glared at her father then turned on Ryoga, who backed away wide- eyed. "I didn't know he meant to take it that fast, I swear!" the boy pleaded. Nabiki sighed and rubbed her temples in anticipation of a headache. "Honestly Daddy, have you learned nothing in the last two years?" Kasumi gave her a reproachful look at the comment, but her father apparently ignored the comment completely. "Now Akane, there's no need to be so shy..." Soun explained as the girl in question stalked menacingly towards her fiancé/prey. "Ryoga here is a fine, responsible young man, and he takes quite a fancy to you. Since he's helping you train and you two already seem to get along, I thought it would only make sense to bring him into the school so the two of you can take over the dojo." "So this wasn't your idea?" Akane demanded, prompting Ryoga to shake his head vigorously. "And you didn't know about this at all?" Ryoga paused at this question, averted his gaze, and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Right then... I'll deal with you later," she snapped. She then turned the full burn of her gaze on her father, who cringed and raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Daddy..." "I thought you'd be happy!" he wailed, burying his face pathetically in his rice. "One day. You couldn't wait even one full day before handing me off to the next guy in line. Damn it, do I really seem so desperate, Dad? Do you think I'm just so helpless that I have to have some kind of bodyguard with me at all times?" Kasumi choose the moment to intercede. "I'm glad you didn't end up with Ranma, but breaking that engagement is still a stain on your honor. I'm sure Father was only thinking of your well-being when he decided on this course of action." "No, that wasn't it..." Soun replied, looking up from his mess. "The dishonor falls only on Ranma as far as I'm concerned. I was thinking of the future of the school; with the Master dead Ranma is actually in charge now. I was hoping that as his chief rival Ryoga could help us take control back from him and salvage what we can of the situation." "So once again I'm supposed to just go along with whatever you say for the sake of the school, is that it?" Akane demanded. "The exact same brand of stupidity, now in a shiny new package!" Nabiki quipped with exaggerated enthusiasm. "It isn't the same this time! I made sure he cared for you, and I know you're good friends with him already." "But I don't love Ryoga, Dad!" the youngest Tendo snapped. "I love that stupid jerk Ranma!" Nabiki glanced at the empty spot again, this time with regret. Ryoga rose mutely and stumbled towards the door. "You didn't at first, though," Kasumi replied softly, cutting through the tension of the room like an unexpected cool breeze. "In fact you reacted very much like you are now." "So you're against me on this too, Kasumi?" her youngest sister demanded. "I'm not against anyone, Akane; I just want you to see that this isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. In time you could learn to love Ryoga, just as Ranma grew on you with time." "You, um... really think so?" the youngest answered, her anger almost visibly deflating. "I think he's better for you than Ranma was. As for the rest, perhaps you should talk about it with him instead." "Nabiki?" the girl asked, turning to the only family member who hadn't advised her yet. "Honestly?" she began, ignoring a pleading look from her father, "I think Dad's just being a moron again, and his sense of timing is incredibly bad, no doubt." "So you think I should ignore this engagement idea then?" "For now, absolutely," she replied confidently, but glanced towards the open door and the sickly greenish hue of light it reflected. "...But then again, you could probably do a lot worse than Ryoga, Sis." "I.... Well, I guess I should go talk to him about all this," Akane replied determinedly. "Don't get too happy though, Dad... I'm not done with you yet." Soun cringed as she glared at him one last time, then relaxed as she went outside. "Thank you, my daughters, for helping to convince her." "I didn't do it for your sake, Father," Kasumi snapped. "I agree with Nabiki, you're being a complete idiot. Ryoga may be a better choice than Ranma but he still leaves quite a bit to be desired. I was just trying to get Akane to go out and defuse him. The last thing we need is another crater in the yard or a hole in the wall from either of their childish tantrums." "Ka, Kasumi," he sputtered, "I was just thinking of the future of the school. Is that really so bad?" "When you put it above the future of one of your daughters?" Nabiki snarled. "Yeah, you'd best believe it is. Kami, you don't have some random idiot all lined up for me too, do you?" Soun stumbled for a reply but was saved by the bell. The telephone, to be more precise. He rose awkwardly to answer it while his daughters traded glances and went back to the remains of their lunch. "Yes?" "What do you want now? It's not the best time to talk." "I... yes, in that case I will make the time. Where and when?" "That's fine. I'll put together something explosive, just in case." "Oh, I'll bring the girls along. Probably Akane's new fiancé too." "Yes I'm serious!" "And whose fault was that? Goodbye!" Nabiki watched him as he came back, cocking one eyebrow. "Something... explosive?" "Yes, yes, nothing to worry about," he replied, not-so-subtly using the excuse to escape the conversation. "Saotome just wanted to get all the details ironed out for the Master's funeral tomorrow." "Typical." Nabiki smirked as he backed out of the room towards the entryway. She didn't really feel up to more arguing at the moment, so instead chose to let her father escape, for now. There were other things to keep in mind here anyway... Nabiki strolled over to the sliding porch door and cracked it open... just to make sure Akane was okay, of course. She felt a little unsettled, noting that Ryoga was still glowing an ugly shade of yellow- green, but at least he didn't seem as agitated now. More interesting, Akane stood before him in a similar posture, strain evident on her face but not without cause; thin streaks of red light danced around her, and the occasional spark of crimson lightning arced between her outstretched hands. Obviously she was still angry, but at least she was putting it to some use this time. Ryoga was good for something after all. Well, maybe. --&&&&&-- A sudden noise downstairs startled the Amazon, snapping her instantly to full attention. She'd likely dozed off, understandable considering her general lack of rest since early the day before. Tap Tap Tap There... even from the second floor she could detect the sound of someone seeking entrance to the restaurant despite the obvious closed sign. Usually the building would be so full of bustling chatter that nothing short of a slam would penetrate to her room, but the hollow halls of the Cat Café seemed little more than an echo chamber today. Shampoo rose from the disorganized ruins of her life and casually strolled to the door, her annoyance growing with each illiterate tap. She caught the offender mid swing when she opened the door and snapped, "Why idiot weakling not read sign? Even Shampoo can read sign! We is closed!" The would-be customer backpedaled, narrowly avoiding falling over. "Uh... U'm nut heea fur lunch. Pleez..." he whined. Shampoo's gaze narrowed, focused on the ridiculous accessory of a bright green plastic clothespin fastened on his nose. "What, you want challenge Shampoo? This say Shampoo stink?" "Nu, uh, nuthun like thut," Hikaru pleaded. "I jus hurd yuu hav uccult muteriuls hur." Something about this boy clicked. "So, weakling come to Shampoo looking for... black stinkweed, maybe?" His eyes went wide, then he closed them and threw his arms wide in celebration... and then she sucker punched him in the gut. "Why... did you... do that?" he moaned from the sidewalk, more understandable now that the clip had fallen off his nose. He seemed to realize it and looked around for the clip. The Amazon casually tossed the lost item between her hands. "You is one cause trouble for Ai... Ranma, and too greedy girl, no? Shampoo no help you even if could." "It was... accident," he gasped. "Akane..." She really wanted to stay angry, but knew all too well how easily plans involving love potions and the like could go wrong. Her scowl melted a bit. "Well, Shampoo still no can help. Great-Grandmother take all her important things back home." "Then I'm doomed," he croaked. "I smelled it yesterday... spent most of the afternoon... walking around shopping district, chasing it. Even now... feel like going back there, just to see." The Amazon shook her head and bent down to mercifully replace his nose clip. "Great Grandmother say that mix have time limit. Hold out whole month, problem gone." "Tree weeks... U'l neva make ut," Gosunkuji groaned. "Shampoo already help more than should have. Go home, lock self in closet, maybe weak boy get lucky." With that she turned and returned to the building, shutting the door and wiping her hands clean of his problems. She still had more than enough of her own issues to deal with. The biggest concern was packing; she was leaving this new world behind, perhaps forever, and had been entrusted to make sure everything important made the trip as well... but she obviously wasn't going to bring everything. Choices had to be made, and Shampoo was the only one here to make them. Some of the choices were easy, or already made for her. Great- Grandmother had already taken everything really important, so there wasn't any particular pressure in the decision. All the various decorations, furniture, and tools of the restaurant she was willing to leave for the next owner, perhaps to sweeten the deal. Mousse could pack his own belongings, assuming the bothersome fool even decided to show again before the property was sold. Shampoo paused at the small table besides the stairs, eyeing the sealed envelope the matriarch had left behind for Mousse. The temptation to open it, fueled by curiosity and bitterness that she hadn't been trusted to tell him whatever the note detailed, was hard to resist... but she managed. More difficult was the task ahead, deciding which of her own collected debris would have to stay behind. Back in the village she owned nothing that wasn't essential, thus packing for her vengeance quest was a thoughtless act. Here, though, amid these strange foreign lands, she had found herself quickly developing a taste for the acquisition of trinkets and gadgets. A curious device here, something hideously cute there... in two years the Amazon warrior had become a closet shopaholic. Somehow the materialism of this culture had infected her to the point that abandoning her detritus felt almost like an act of self-mutilation. The first slice was both the most obvious and the most painful; everything requiring electricity would be useless, battery powered or not. The small TV set with purple knobs, the portable radio headset with plastic cat ears, the 'dancing' pink flower with sunglasses, all of it, even the Hello Kitty back massage wand that made spatula girl so strangely uncomfortable when they plotted their attack on the wedding... all would be left by the wayside. The choices that remained were paper cuts by comparison, but they were many and aggravated the previous wound at every strike. Any clothing requiring special washing processes or simply not sturdy enough for a warrior's lifestyle was shoved aside. Her small collection of bishonen manga would only weigh her down and had been read plenty of times before. Her box of simple, cheap jewelry and the make-up kit she had assembled would be less than useless; they would become items of scorn. The half-filled album of photographs... No, those were coming along even if she had to keep them secret. She paused in her painful work to flip through the pages: Herself in a nurse's outfit, smiling and posed with the lifeless Betty. Mousse kissing a mop. Airen in his girl form, struggling to keep pace with Great-Grandmother's cooking... No, not Airen. Just Ranma. Bang! Bang! The door again... and when had she started crying? She rose quickly and headed towards the door, intending to show the idiot the closed sign, repeatedly and forcefully if necessary. The album fell from her grasp, forgotten, and landed in the discard pile with a dull thump. Bang! Bang! She paused at the door just long enough to wipe her eyes, and then threw open the door prepared to launch into a tirade using several parts of her Japanese vocabulary that Great-Grandmother would frown on. Getting hit in the face was not an expected part of this plan. "Oh, what wretched twist of fate roused my blow at this ill- chosen moment?" her new Airen demanded of the sky before turning back to her. "Please, my fuchsia feline, if indeed you are still mine, I beg thee: revisit upon my traitorous visage just reprisal." "Shampoo fine, just... unexpecting," she replied, her pride the only thing bruised by the incident. "What Airen want?" "Why, to inquire of the evening's proceedings, of course. Did your heart dare to doubt I would sleep fitfully, if at all, veiled as your fate was to me? I took care to withhold my questions until a decent hour, knowing full well how tiring such a lurid business as sentencing an innocent maiden to slake the depraved instincts of the questionably-gendered fiend must be. But now, my lilac lynx, pray deliver unto my troubled soul good tidings!" "What 'ly-lak' mean? Shampoo not knowing." "Ah, I referred to you as my 'lilac lynx', dear one," the young samurai explained, switching to her first language. "I've been pondering various informal ways to refer to you... would you prefer my earlier attempt, fuchsia feline? Mauve mouser? Orchid ocelot? Purple-" "Just Xian Pu is fine," she interrupted, ushering him in off the street. "Hearing my name spoken correctly is rare enough in this place." "As you wish, Xian Pu." He smiled, but less enthusiastically than she had come to expect. "Now, please... to whom was Saotome bound?" Shampoo briefly explained the evening's outcome, prompting a victorious laugh from her suitor. "Ha ha! So the heavens have intervened at last! Oh, how I feared this day would never come... the beast forced to live out an exile from the fairer sex. Surely this is punishment more befitting his crimes than mere death could atone!" he crowed, then turned to her quizzically. "Why then is your heart troubled? What further ill has befallen thee?" Shampoo wiped at her eyes again, annoyed that they had betrayed her mood. "Great-Grandmother has left me, and I must make preparations to return to my home for good." "Ah, but that is no great care! Trouble yourself no more about it, for I shall make arrangements for the two of us and all your things to be flown to your home. Allow me but a day, two at most." "Don't be silly... there isn't an airport anywhere near Joketsuzoku. Besides, I still need to sell the restaurant and Mu Tsu has instructions as well." "The building is easily dealt with; I'll simply instruct our bank to purchase the property from you at a more than fair market price. I can't speak for the foul-tempered serving wretch, but I assure you travel won't be a problem... if necessary we can hire coachmen with off-road vehicles to convey us." "That's really too much... I can't ask that much of you." Shampoo replied. "But of course you can, Xian Pu. What sort of husband would I be if I failed to make these trifling problems disappear when it would be so very easy?" "You would be a very understanding Amazon husband," she returned, with a bit of fire in her voice. "These tasks were given to me, not you. I must accomplish them on my own, as a matter of honor. Your assistance would rob me of the challenge." Tatewaki paused, and gazed at her for a lingering moment in silence, chewing his lip absently. "I see..." he began, more to himself. "In my culture it would be a great shame for me not to do these things, but perhaps we can reach a viable common ground. I propose you allow me to set up an auction for the property on your behalf. An agent of the bank can see to it the spoils of the market are deposited into an account in your name." Now it was Shampoo's turn for contemplation. The offered compromise was a fair one, allowing her new Airen to help without bailing her out personally and thus leaving her responsibility intact. She actually wasn't sure how to deal with this development, something Ranma's stupid pride would never have allowed were places different. This man was a fool as quick to obsess as Mousse, less skillful and generally softer than Ranma had been, but perhaps beneath his prideful speeches he was far more reasonable than he appeared. "Okay... you can set that up, and the plane... but we will travel from the airport to my village on foot. Bringing vehicles and servants would be far too showy an entrance, and likely a sign of weakness." Kuno smiled broadly and nodded. "As you wish. Now, if I might have use of your phone..." --YYYYY-- "Uh, Miss Ukyo, Aaa!" Konatsu yelped, quickly slamming the door again. "Sorry, I didn't know you had company!" The young woman in question sprang to a sitting position, wide awake. "Company?" she wondered aloud. The young man lying next to her, shirtless and above the covers, neither raised his head nor opened his eyes. His stilled breathing and tensed muscles gave away his alert status. She pulled back to wallop the idiot, who was supposed to be on the floor not in her bed, but stopped when she noticed a series of dark bruises running up his side. Ukyo merely shoved him roughly off of the mattress and straightened her nightshirt. "Um... sorry?" the pile of Mousse replied meekly from the floor. "What did you need, Konatsu?" the chef called out, pointedly ignoring the Amazon for now. "It's just that the lunch crowd is starting to come in. Oh, but don't worry Mistress, I'm sure I can handle it..." "Damn, that late already? I'll be down as soon as I can, Konatsu," Ukyo answered, then turned to the other long-haired occupant of the room. "You can plan on helping out too, jackass." "Uh, of course," Mousse replied. "And it really was an accident... I must have went to the bathroom and just wandered in without thinking." "I'm going to take a quick shower, which you better damn well not interrupt," she announced. When he nodded and averted his gaze she made her trip across the room. "So, what happened to you, anyway?" "Ryu happened. Imagine fighting with a faster, smarter Ryoga." "Got your butt kicked again, eh Mr. Quackers? Seems like that's all you do anymore," she laughed, closing the door. "Or did you just think playing the sympathy card would get you lucky again?" "I didn't lose. It was just a sparring match, so I didn't use any of my dangerous techniques... though I wish I had, now. And please don't call me that." "Whatever you say, Ducky," she replied cheerfully, turning on the shower. "After the lunch rush you can take off and find somewhere else to crash. You blew your free ride, flyboy." "Please don't call me that stuff..." "Oh fine, I'll stop. Geez, cursed people just have no sense of humor," she mumbled as she tested the water temperature, then slipped inside. "Where else can I go? Shampoo won't let me in, and the only other people I know around here are the Tendos. They haven't exactly been friendly in the past." "Not my problem." The warmth of the water soaked into her skin, washing her cares down the drain. "But, you're my wife..." The water wasn't all that soothing, after all. "Mousse, I don't know how much clearer I can make this. I don't care about your silly laws. It was a stupid, one-time thing; a mistake. We. Are. Not. Married. End of discussion." "Easy for you to say. You're not the one who can't go home because of this. Not alone, anyway." "I... I can't go home either," Ukyo mumbled, hopefully too low for him to hear. "Mousse, just don't tell anybody and you've got no problem. Easy." "But Ranma knows! If he said anything..." "If he planned to say anything he would have done it last night. Hell, Ranma-honey may not have even suspected we did anything beyond drinking." She sure hoped so, at any rate, though it sounded hollow. "The old mummy will know. She always knows. And what's more, I'll know what happened." "You'll just have to learn to live with it. Bury it deep down and don't think about. If you do that, it won't show," she advised. With practice you can keep almost anything secret from anybody; even yourself. Almost. "What do you care about this law so much for anyway?" she asked, cutting off that line of thought. "It isn't like you've been a model Amazon male from what I've heard and seen." "I guess the law was never on my side before now." She paused at that. Something in his tone resonated with her in a way she found uncomfortable. "They don't really respect me back in the village, on account of my eyes. Some of the elders want to kick me out just because I know a bit of the art. I don't have any family to speak of." "Mousse..." "It's even worse here though. Japanese people are so arrogant, so... well, racist. They hate me even before they find out about my other problems. No way I can get an education here, or land any decent job outside of another stupid stereotypical restaurant. I hate the way they compliment even the simplest action, like I'm a damn 4-year-old." "Then you should travel," she suggested, "maybe to the States?" "Yeah, so I can deal with even more racism, from people so ignorant they actually think their comments aren't offensive just because they say 'Asian' now, instead of 'Slant' or 'Gook'. Besides, I hear that many of them hunt ducks for fun. No thanks." "I don't have an easy answer for you, Sugar," she replied, rinsing off a layer of soap suds. "But keep at it... You'll find your happiness out there somewhere." "I know that. I found it two nights ago." "Mousse, no." She sighed in frustration. Why was he being so stubborn? "Don't you see Ukyo? All my life I've been passed around by people who don't think I'm worth a damn. Back in the village, here, even... even Shampoo treated me like dirt most of the time. Everywhere I've ever been, everyone I've ever talked to is just the same... except you. Sure you deny it, but I can tell it's just an act even if you haven't admitted it to yourself yet." "I barely know you, and what little Ranma told me about you hasn't been all that complimentary," she replied, shutting off the flow. "Just because I don't treat you like crap doesn't mean I'm interested." "We may not have known each other for long, but we already know each other better than practically anyone else in town, Ukyo. I know where you've been in the darkness of your heart, during those sleepless nights, on the empty road in a strange land... I know you in my soul, and the other night, when you finally dropped all your walls, you knew me too." She paused, then went back to drying off. "Maybe we did have something there that night Mousse, but it wasn't love. I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I still love Ranma. Stupid jackass stunts and all." "You know he doesn't deserve you!" "Maybe not," she answered, defensively, "but for all the trouble I've gone through in the last dozen years, I deserve him. Now that Shampoo and Kodachi are out of the picture it's just me and Akane... and she doesn't have that family honor line to fall back on anymore, either." "You're just deluding yourself, Ukyo. He won't take you now that he doesn't have to choose anyone." She threw her towel down, and huffed. "I'll make him love me, just you wait and see. Hell, if you stick around long enough you'll probably even end up helping me." "No, I learned that lesson well in Jusendo. Shampoo could have been my slave but I gave her freedom... and now she hates me anyway. Ukyo, just because you love someone doesn't mean that you should blindly help them get what they want." "Oh, and I suppose fighting with me is going to win my love? You're a complete jackass, Mousse! Kami, do you think I'm stupid enough to take relationship advice from someone who thinks winning a fight is the basis of romance?" She was growling the words out now as she pulled on her leggings. "...And I'm done arguing about this for now. You're too mad to listen anymore without twisting everything around." "You know what, Duck Boy?" she taunted, bitterly, "I changed my mind about work today. I'd rather you just got the hell out of here before I end up breaking my hand on your face." No answer came for a while, though she could still hear movement coming from the room as she finished dressing and put up her hair. Finally she opened the door to find the bed remade, the futon out of sight, and the Amazon, fully dressed, standing by the open window. His hair was wild and his eyes looked a little red around the edges. "I'll be back," he announced flatly, staring down the dresser, "And I'll make you see that the bastard you've been chasing all this time never really existed, at least not like you see him." He turned to face the window and paused long enough to mutter, "Damn him," before jumping out. With a huff she slammed the window closed, and locked it. She walked over to the mirror above her dresser and growled out loud in frustration, then let out a sigh and forced a smile. It wasn't genuine, but it was good enough for business... and that was good enough for now. Author's Notes: I said I'd update sooner, and I reckon I'll be danged if I didn't! Um... well, a little faster than last time, right? Right? Cologne's history lesson was based on a combination of real history, ancient fiction, and Chinese folklore. It was researched primarily with Wikipedia, but also using several other websites... whose addresses I seem to have forgotten to note. Great. Anyway, I found some contradictory information among the many sources, but in the end just did a 'pick and choose' from the lot, tweaked around with the parts that worked with the story, and ignored the rest. There is also quite a bit more to these stories if any of you would like to read further. I especially recommend looking up the traditional tale 'Fengshen Yanyi', which details the fall of the Shang Dynasty with mythological flair. The Kodachi/Taro scene was still far more troubling to write, though. I tried several different versions of that encounter, playing up different angles of each's personality, but the characters just refused to go where I wanted them to. In the end I just decided to write it from start to finish as a stream, and figure out what to do with the plotting later... so, at least in a small way, this fic is now officially off the rails. The Shampoo scene was slightly autobiographical. I just got a new job, you see, and while finishing up this chapter have been making the preparations to move. While I'm certainly not planning on leaving all my electronics behind (and no, that doesn't include a Hello Kitty 'massager'), I still do feel a bit of existential woe at having to decide what bits of my collected nest aren't worth the trouble of packing. Everything in the trash pile is practically useless or worn- out, but all the same it's my useless junk, damnit! I'm not gonna spring for an actual moving company though, so out it goes... the couch is just more important. Name Translations: Ji > hope Táng > to fall flat on one's face Nourou > to curse Mizu > dark, or 'Engrish' for Mrs. Mei > a lake or similar body of water New Scene Divider: --((o))-- = Taro, because I was thinking of all his tentacles waving around. If you don't know what I mean by this, it's probably because you're viewing this fic on Fanfiction.net, whose Quickedit software screws up my system of individualized scene dividers. If you're curious (it really isn't a big thing of important to the story... yet), check out the originally intended version archived at www.nabikiandranma.com, and a bunch of other good reads, too! If any of you still haven't realized it, let that link be all the proof you need that this will end up a Ranma/Nabiki pairing. Eventually. Kinda. Nemesis_Zero, AKA Brian #2 Reviews welcomed, appreciated, and sometimes even answered! Wow!