Ranma ½ Immortal
- Thread starter Dreamingfox
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X X X X X
The silence of the virtually empty dojo made the occasional thunderous boom even was deafening to the lone woman as she knelt on the hard wood floor. Every ounce fiber of muscle in her body cried out for motion, for action, yet she maintained her position on the floor despite her restlessness.
'What's wrong with me?' she asked herself as she fought to control the sense of unease that threatened to overwhelm her. 'There's no one here, but why do I want to desperately hit someone?'
She could feel her hands trembling as she pressed them to her knees.
'I just need to do some katas,' she thought to herself, resolving to work her body hard.
Springing to her feet, she mentally measured the distance between her feet, purposefully shifting her weight so that she was perfectly balanced. The cool evening air rushed into her lungs but did little to calm her nerves even as she executed a perfect high kick.
X X X X X
The purple glow of the stormy sky provided more than sufficient light for the isolated ninja outpost. Fortunately for the master martial artist the pounding rain provided adequate cover. Leaves shook with each raindrop that fell on them, branches burdened with heavy water swayed in the wind, all creating slight twitches of motion that hid his subtle movements as he circled their base.
Finding the outpost hasn't been hard. Though the ninja clans took special measures to hide the locations of their various bases, it wasn't hard for some of the other clans to locate or at least speculate as to the locations of the other clans' bases. Some even knew that some bases were compromised, but the continued use of the base meant that perhaps those bases were used to mislead those who knew of them. Secrets piled on top of secretsà
Still, having Kaede run the gauntlet was necessary. Though they had captured the other ninja, it was necessary for Kaede to capture another just to compare what the two ninja knew. Secrets were meant to be kept, and for ninja it often meant that sometimes they were lied to by their superiors as well as each other. Still, for two clans to be working together it meant that someone had shared information between the two clans and to the teams that had been sent after Kaede. Hopefully someone at this base knew the truth, or at least a shred of information that could lead them to finding out why a hit had been ordered on the young kunoichi.
It was on his second pass that he'd spotted the self-trained ninja. He couldn't help but concede that she was pretty good, for being self-trained. But she was a far cry from Konatsu. True, she'd shown considerable promise, but Konatsu was a master of subterfuge, forcing Ranma to a draw because he'd made the mistake of underestimating the cross-dressing ninja. Still, as a fighter she was decent, but her personal style was not suited for a ninja. Her ability to sneak and hide herself though was superb as even he had managed to overlook her the first time around. Unfortunately her ability to spot someone else could use some work as he'd managed to slip past her twice without really trying. That put her roughly at genin level.
"Long night?" he teased, announcing his presence to her.
Though startled Kaede didn't flinch, "So far, but sessha has had longer nights."
"The hut is the goal, but there are three sentries hidden around the bluff. There are also several traps that I can't disarm, and several more that I can't get to without exposing myself. That means that there are at least a dozen or more that I haven't seen."
The young kunoichi nodded.
"Once we make it into the hut, there will probably be a hidden passageway leading to the real base."
"Probably?"
"They're ninja," he shrugged. "It's not like I've come here before."
"But you have had experience with sneaking into their bases, de gozaru?"
"Something like that."
"Take out the guards, avoid the traps, and then take out the last guardsman û not too hard, de gozaru."
Ranma shook his head. "Avoid the guards, then slip in during the guard change, and follow the old head guardsman back into the ninja lair."
Kaede froze, unsure what she could say about the impossible task given to her.
"It's even worse than that," a new voice added. "The guards don't change at the same time. Not to mention that they're going to be looking for someone to try and sneak past them. They've probably got thermal imagers and infrared cameras along with more conventional security cameras, and any disruption to their power-grid is going to make them deploy more guards both inside and out.
"I suppose you thought you'd be able to slip in, find a jonin, subdue him, and sneak him outside without getting caught?"
"Not really," Ranma replied as he lashed out with a lightning quick kick to the Sanada ninja's stomach, instantly dispelling the complicated illusion that he'd employed. "It's easier to lure one of you guys out here."
The Sanada jonin had failed to see through the illusionary Ranma, allowing the real Ranma to connect with the stunning blow. The stiff kick doubled the man over but kept him from moving as the force of the kick was spread throughout his body rather than sending him flying.
Kaede launched herself at the closest of the chunin, sweeping the ninja off his feet and toppling him into the chunin kunoichi.
With both hands free, Ranma instantly drew two glyphs, aiming them at the remaining pair of chunin. The air around the two ninja instantly froze the water that had accumulated on them as they watched the Ketsueki and subsequently Kaede. Though the ice was not thick enough to incapacitate them, the sudden chill combined with the rigidness of their clothing allowed Kaede the time needed to deliver a knockout blow to each of them.
"Sessha was used as bait," the kunoichi observed, a slight hint of bitterness in her voice.
"First lesson about ninja û it's about misleading and confusing your enemies, and sometimes that means your allies as well. Besides, I thought you'd pick up on it when I told you our goal was the hut then said that it's only going to lead us into their inner sanctum."
X X X X X
If there was one thing that Ranma Saotome hated about ninja the most, it had to be their stupid politics. Of the multitude of clans that still existed, none viewed the "outside world" the same. Hell, most didn't view the other clans the same. Like in everything else there were the long standing rivalries and feuds, as well as the traditional allies and new allies.
Like any martial artist in the know, Ranma knew that the end of the samurai era hadn't spelled the end of the ninja; hell, it hadn't even ended the samurai. True, the samurai's status had been revoked, but some families still practiced bushido and even trained their children in the way of the samurai. Unlike the samurai though, the ninja had always operated in the shadows, and though their counterparts had officially been disbanded, the same could not be done to the ninja. Ninja worked from the shadows as such they were never officially recognized as the samurai had been. Even ordering the complete extermination of a clan didn't help as there were always some unknown sleeper cells.
"Sessha is from a ninja clan?" the astonished girl gasped as she looked down at the battered jonin.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ranma sighed. The masked ninja had spilled very easily, even without torture or truth serum. Still, Ranma wasn't sure if what the man was spouting was the truth or just what had been fed to him.
"Your parents are both Koga ninja," the jonin repeated.
"So how do you know about them?" the immortal prompted.
"Both the Sanada and Ketsueki were contacted to eliminate her. The Head of the Koga himself put out the contract."
"Why?"
The man's grin was evident even through the mask that covered his mouth. "Why?" a manic tone in his voice. Clearly he knew the truth and didn't see a point in keeping it hidden. "She flaunts her parents' independence from the Koga, she's a stain on their honor. They sought to flee from the Koga, and they would have gotten away with it until she came to your brother's restaurant."
In an unusual display of frustration Ranma cursed silently. "How did they know?"
"Background checks, paternity and DNA tests."
He could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on as he pondered the implications. To his knowledge Kaede had only left the campus to train or work at the Grill, leaving no obvious connection to her parents aside from her name.
Modernized ninjaà it sounded like a B-movie plot that the Americans were filming. Then again, the Sanada were one of the smaller clans, perhaps they had adapted to the modern world more readily than the others.
'This from the guy who swam to China.' The world was rapidly changing. Ranma couldn't deny that fact any more. "So ninja have started getting day jobs," he said aloud.
"Most of us have day jobs û your own brother runs a restaurant."
"TouchÚ."
"We can't all run restaurants or inns," the nameless jonin spat out.
"What's your job then? Consultant to Sasuke?"
"Hn," the offended man scowled.
"Anyways, we've got what we needed," Ranma said as he moved to unmask the ninja.
"I may die, but the Sanada will avenge me!"
"You should have taken up Konatsu's offer," grumbled an annoyed Ranma.
For once the aspiring kunoichi was silent.
"They want you back in the fold, but since you've rebuffed them, the only way for them to save face is to kill you. None of the other clans are going to take you in because they don't want to risk going to war with the Koga."
X X X X X
Darkness greeted Negi as he woke abruptly. For the past week sleep had been elusive for the young mage as he'd prepared for the time lag or jet lag that had made the transition of living in England to now living in Japan all the more stressful. It helped that the youngest Saotome, Hiro, had helped him adjust by working the young teacher hard during their spars, though his aching muscles did not seem to enjoy the vigorous workouts Negi had to admit that physical exhaustion make it easier for him to sleep.
Unfortunately the jet lag couldn't be blamed for his loss of sleep. The true culprit more often than not was his sleepwalking which had led him through the unfamiliar house and usually right into a wall. It didn't help that the doors didn't swing open but slide open, impeding his efforts to move through the house in his sleep.
"Negi! Saffron!"
Hearing his name, Negi sat up before rolling out of bed. In a flash he had his glasses on and dashed out of his large room. Heavier footsteps joined his as the newest resident of the Saotome complex joined his. The sound of smooth wood rubbing against finished wood told him that the older and taller Saffron had reached the hallway first.
"It's Narusegawa!" the usually stoic Hiro explained even as Negi forced his door open.
Despite the difference in their strides Negi managed to catch up with Saffron as the martial artist reached the dojo.
On the floor lay the auburn trussed house mother and teacher. Her sweat laden gi clung to her body.
"What happened?" demanded the teen.
"I found her like this."
"She was still practicing when I went to bed," Saffron muttered as he moved to check her pulse. "She's burning up, her heart's beating as though pretty hardà"
The words slowly processed in the young mage's mind as the foreign dialect still took him time to process. "Let me," he finally said as he approached the unconscious Narusegawa. It was times like these that he was glad that the academy taught him basic healing and sensory spells. Hard work and dedication to his craft allowed him to cast the spell without any incantations or other obvious cues that would indicate the use of magic.
Reaching out he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling the unusual heat as he touched her sweaty brow. His eyes opened as the unseen magic in his hand dissipated upon touching her.
"Where's Ranma?" Saffron's gruff, commanding voice demanded.
"He was called away," replied Hiro in a calmer and more collected tone. "He left his cell phone. Tenma's with Luke."
With the others focused on locating the elder Saotomes, Negi conjured a light wind spell, letting it blow in from the open doors of the dojo to simulate a breeze. His hand still on Naru's brow he frowned as the spell failed to lower her temperature. "Call Takahata; he'll know what to do."
X X X X X
The gentle glow of the approaching dawn softened the dark horizon. Few were up at such an early hour, but for Konatsu Saotome, owner and proprietor of Saotome's Grill, it was a late hour. Summer was one of the busiest seasons for the Grill, and to keep up with business Konatsu knew that he needed to get an early start for the day. As it was the cross-dressing ninja had been up for over an hour before the sun had even thought of waking.
The gentle, artificial ringing from the phone broke up his usual morning ritual.
"That's probably Toshi," his wife proclaimed. "Tell him that we latest we can wait for his delivery is dawn û if he argues tell him that we're going to start placing our orders with Ono."
"Yes dear," the ever pleasant ninja replied as he picked up the phone.
"Moshi, moshi, Saotome's," he announced.
"Moshi, moshi," the caller returned. "Konatsu?"
"Yes," he replied, now thoroughly out of sorts by the call. Though the caller was male, Toshi and his subordinates never called him by his given name, only by his family name.
"It's Keitaro," the dorm manager announced, clarifying the situation slightly. "Sorry to call at such an hour, but is Ranma there?"
"No, why?"
"Hiro said that you'd called him out there."
"Ah, he's tending to some other business."
"Oh," the other man sighed. "If it's possible, could you let him know that I'm looking for him."
Before he could even respond the phone's dial tone signaled the end of the call as the former ronin hung up on his end.
"What excuse did Toshi give you this time?" Ukyo demanded as she looked at her husband's slumped shoulders. Unable to see his face she'd read his posture.
"It wasn't Toshi," the ninja returned, snapping to attention as he turned to his wife.
The electronic buzz prevented him from saying anything else as they were once again interrupted. "It's Toshi."
"I'll take care of it," Konatsu stated as he began to fall back into his morning routine.
The early morning deliveries demanded his attention. If they were short of one key ingredient like flour or cabbage then the other ingredients would be wasted. Portions needed to be taken into account, as well as the freshness and cost of some seasonal ingredients like squid, lobster, octopus and tuna before the final menu for the day could be compiled.
But Toshi was a reliable middleman. The man never failed to go to the fish market and his prices for the other ingredients were always reasonable.
"Morning Saotome-san," the every friendly businessman greeted as Konatsu opened the hidden cellar door.
The smell of fish on the man hinted at his morning in Tokyo's fish market. "Good morning Toshi-san."
"I got everything on your list and for a reasonable price too," the balding but fit man proclaimed with a smile.
It was business as usual for Konatsu as he looked over the various supplies before him. Though Ukyo had ordered only a few vital ingredients from Toshi, Konatsu knew that the transaction wouldn't end there. There were the special offers that Toshi occasionally picked up and hoped to sell to people like Konatsu who couldn't get to the fish market regularly.
In no time at all the transaction was completed and the door closed and secured. Despite his slim frame Konatsu was unbelievably strong, much like his adopted brother. The various coolers and boxes that were taken out of Toshi's truck were now waiting for him to put them into place in the large walk in refrigerator or in storage.
"You better not be in the cuttlefish," he stated as he eyed tapped the cooler. "I paid a pretty yen for all of that."
"It's only ice," Ranma announced as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Ah, father's sealed technique. What of Kaede?"
"She's in the potatoes."
"I can't harbor her here."
"I know," ceded Ranma. "But you can tell the Koga that she's willing to come back into the fold."
X X X X X
The sterile white light of the hospital seemed to cast Naru Narusegawa in a pallor. Even the rising sun in the horizon failed to brighten the room. Despite the early hour none of the other occupants of the room could sleep despite the tired and drawn expressions that they each had.
"Where is he?" the youngest of the quintet asked as she held her sister's hand. "He should be here."
The eldest of the group stood somberly in the corner, unwilling and unable to say anything. None in the room had known about his fling with the elder Narusegawa sibling. At first he'd thought it was just the fact that he'd projected his feelings for Asuna onto Naru, but over time he'd come to actually care deeply for her. He'd been on the verge of expressing his feelings to her and had put things off for the summer break, but then she'd abruptly broken things off.
Doubts about his feelings, and of her feelings for him had lingered in the months since their break up, though the faþade he presented kept everyone from telling just how hurt he'd been over the termination of their secret relationship.
The sound of a firm hand on the doorknob drew everyone's attention to the door, each expecting just one man to appear despite their inability to contact him. The sight of the heavy set man in white though sent a chill down their spines.
"Doctor," Mei greeted as she looked up at the newcomer.
"Your parents weren't able to make it?" the man asked as he scanned the room.
The younger Narusegawa shook her head. "They're abroad right now."
"I see," the white clad man remarked idly.
"Whatever you have to say, you can tell them as well," Mei added. "They're the closest thing we have to family right now."
A warm glow passed through Takahata at her words. Being included in Naru's inner circle, even at a time like this, or perhaps because of it, meant more than he'd realized. Negi had only called because he didn't know anyone else on campus, and Hiro and Saffron had relented as neither had anyone else they could think of to help or to take control of the situation but Mei's choice to include him, well, it seemed much more personal.
Fortunately for him none of the others was paying him any attention as Naru's doctor closed the door behind him.
"It's not good," the man stated. "We ran a series of tests"
"What is it?" the usually cheerful and pleasant Mutsumi asked directly.
"It's cancer," the doctor replied. "Specifically a brain tumor, that's why she's in a coma."
For the first time in his life Takahata felt his knees buckle. The words hit him like a blow to the stomach, robbing him of his breath and strength. Still, he stood tall in the corner even as Mei and Mutsumi buried their faces and Keitaro fought to stay strong.
"Wh-what are our options?" the former ronin asked, his voice faltering as Mutsumi sobbed into his shoulder.
"It's too large for us to operate on, and far to advance for chemo," the doctor explained. The not so subtle pause would have been ignored by most, especially given the circumstances, but Takahata and Keitaro had. "I'm sorry."
X X X X X
The lazy golden glow of the late morning sun seemed to sap the last of Ranma's energy as he crossed the threshold of his property. The immortal had been forced to stay alert and on guard as a consequence of the actions he'd taken while protecting the young kunoichi. "Hate ninjaà" he grumbled as he felt the strain on his consciousness. Though his body could regenerate without the needed rest, his mind still required the occasional break to slowly process everything. There had been the whole Saffron incident, not to mention his day long duel with Asuna. Either would have been more than enough for one day, but for them both to happen the way they did had made the day all the more tiring. And then there had been the stupid ninja incident.
Kaede's humble acceptance and enrollment into the Koga clan had been anti-climactic to say the least. Had it been up to him, he would have laughed off their attempts to reign him in, but Kaede was not him. Had she wanted he would have fought tooth and nail for her, as would Konatsu, but she hadn't wanted that. The proud self-taught kunoichi knew her limits, and wasn't willing to risk their lives selfishly.
In a way it was noble, but her actions told of how alone she truly was. In his youth he'd had his rivals that he'd been able to depend on, to a degree. Mousse and Ryoga had aided him in his fight against Herb, Lime, and Mint, though they also had their own best interests in mind as well. Unfortunately for Kaede there was no one she could depend on. She didn't have any comrades or rivals.
Lost in his rambling thoughts he barely noticed the silence that blanketed his home. The unimportant fact was pushed aside as his body moved automatically, opening the door, then walking towards the onsen. Only the flashing red button on the outdated answering machine caught his eye, demanding his attention. It took a moment for his mind to finally register that fact, instantly clearing away all other thoughts.
"Saotome!" the gruff Phoenix cried out urgently.
"What is it?"
"It's Narusegawa; she's in the hospital."
X X X X X
AN û I think I'll leave things here for now. If you follow my other fics you might notice that I've been updating them. Well, updating a few for the format changes. I'm slowly getting back into my writing groove, but with Fantasy Football nearing playoff time I've gotta focus on my teams and making then winning the playoffs. Oh, and the Packers are 9-0! Woo hoo!
Yes, Kaede's little bit was just a diversion for the real story of this arc.
Dreamingfox
The silence of the virtually empty dojo made the occasional thunderous boom even was deafening to the lone woman as she knelt on the hard wood floor. Every ounce fiber of muscle in her body cried out for motion, for action, yet she maintained her position on the floor despite her restlessness.
'What's wrong with me?' she asked herself as she fought to control the sense of unease that threatened to overwhelm her. 'There's no one here, but why do I want to desperately hit someone?'
She could feel her hands trembling as she pressed them to her knees.
'I just need to do some katas,' she thought to herself, resolving to work her body hard.
Springing to her feet, she mentally measured the distance between her feet, purposefully shifting her weight so that she was perfectly balanced. The cool evening air rushed into her lungs but did little to calm her nerves even as she executed a perfect high kick.
X X X X X
The purple glow of the stormy sky provided more than sufficient light for the isolated ninja outpost. Fortunately for the master martial artist the pounding rain provided adequate cover. Leaves shook with each raindrop that fell on them, branches burdened with heavy water swayed in the wind, all creating slight twitches of motion that hid his subtle movements as he circled their base.
Finding the outpost hasn't been hard. Though the ninja clans took special measures to hide the locations of their various bases, it wasn't hard for some of the other clans to locate or at least speculate as to the locations of the other clans' bases. Some even knew that some bases were compromised, but the continued use of the base meant that perhaps those bases were used to mislead those who knew of them. Secrets piled on top of secretsà
Still, having Kaede run the gauntlet was necessary. Though they had captured the other ninja, it was necessary for Kaede to capture another just to compare what the two ninja knew. Secrets were meant to be kept, and for ninja it often meant that sometimes they were lied to by their superiors as well as each other. Still, for two clans to be working together it meant that someone had shared information between the two clans and to the teams that had been sent after Kaede. Hopefully someone at this base knew the truth, or at least a shred of information that could lead them to finding out why a hit had been ordered on the young kunoichi.
It was on his second pass that he'd spotted the self-trained ninja. He couldn't help but concede that she was pretty good, for being self-trained. But she was a far cry from Konatsu. True, she'd shown considerable promise, but Konatsu was a master of subterfuge, forcing Ranma to a draw because he'd made the mistake of underestimating the cross-dressing ninja. Still, as a fighter she was decent, but her personal style was not suited for a ninja. Her ability to sneak and hide herself though was superb as even he had managed to overlook her the first time around. Unfortunately her ability to spot someone else could use some work as he'd managed to slip past her twice without really trying. That put her roughly at genin level.
"Long night?" he teased, announcing his presence to her.
Though startled Kaede didn't flinch, "So far, but sessha has had longer nights."
"The hut is the goal, but there are three sentries hidden around the bluff. There are also several traps that I can't disarm, and several more that I can't get to without exposing myself. That means that there are at least a dozen or more that I haven't seen."
The young kunoichi nodded.
"Once we make it into the hut, there will probably be a hidden passageway leading to the real base."
"Probably?"
"They're ninja," he shrugged. "It's not like I've come here before."
"But you have had experience with sneaking into their bases, de gozaru?"
"Something like that."
"Take out the guards, avoid the traps, and then take out the last guardsman û not too hard, de gozaru."
Ranma shook his head. "Avoid the guards, then slip in during the guard change, and follow the old head guardsman back into the ninja lair."
Kaede froze, unsure what she could say about the impossible task given to her.
"It's even worse than that," a new voice added. "The guards don't change at the same time. Not to mention that they're going to be looking for someone to try and sneak past them. They've probably got thermal imagers and infrared cameras along with more conventional security cameras, and any disruption to their power-grid is going to make them deploy more guards both inside and out.
"I suppose you thought you'd be able to slip in, find a jonin, subdue him, and sneak him outside without getting caught?"
"Not really," Ranma replied as he lashed out with a lightning quick kick to the Sanada ninja's stomach, instantly dispelling the complicated illusion that he'd employed. "It's easier to lure one of you guys out here."
The Sanada jonin had failed to see through the illusionary Ranma, allowing the real Ranma to connect with the stunning blow. The stiff kick doubled the man over but kept him from moving as the force of the kick was spread throughout his body rather than sending him flying.
Kaede launched herself at the closest of the chunin, sweeping the ninja off his feet and toppling him into the chunin kunoichi.
With both hands free, Ranma instantly drew two glyphs, aiming them at the remaining pair of chunin. The air around the two ninja instantly froze the water that had accumulated on them as they watched the Ketsueki and subsequently Kaede. Though the ice was not thick enough to incapacitate them, the sudden chill combined with the rigidness of their clothing allowed Kaede the time needed to deliver a knockout blow to each of them.
"Sessha was used as bait," the kunoichi observed, a slight hint of bitterness in her voice.
"First lesson about ninja û it's about misleading and confusing your enemies, and sometimes that means your allies as well. Besides, I thought you'd pick up on it when I told you our goal was the hut then said that it's only going to lead us into their inner sanctum."
X X X X X
If there was one thing that Ranma Saotome hated about ninja the most, it had to be their stupid politics. Of the multitude of clans that still existed, none viewed the "outside world" the same. Hell, most didn't view the other clans the same. Like in everything else there were the long standing rivalries and feuds, as well as the traditional allies and new allies.
Like any martial artist in the know, Ranma knew that the end of the samurai era hadn't spelled the end of the ninja; hell, it hadn't even ended the samurai. True, the samurai's status had been revoked, but some families still practiced bushido and even trained their children in the way of the samurai. Unlike the samurai though, the ninja had always operated in the shadows, and though their counterparts had officially been disbanded, the same could not be done to the ninja. Ninja worked from the shadows as such they were never officially recognized as the samurai had been. Even ordering the complete extermination of a clan didn't help as there were always some unknown sleeper cells.
"Sessha is from a ninja clan?" the astonished girl gasped as she looked down at the battered jonin.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ranma sighed. The masked ninja had spilled very easily, even without torture or truth serum. Still, Ranma wasn't sure if what the man was spouting was the truth or just what had been fed to him.
"Your parents are both Koga ninja," the jonin repeated.
"So how do you know about them?" the immortal prompted.
"Both the Sanada and Ketsueki were contacted to eliminate her. The Head of the Koga himself put out the contract."
"Why?"
The man's grin was evident even through the mask that covered his mouth. "Why?" a manic tone in his voice. Clearly he knew the truth and didn't see a point in keeping it hidden. "She flaunts her parents' independence from the Koga, she's a stain on their honor. They sought to flee from the Koga, and they would have gotten away with it until she came to your brother's restaurant."
In an unusual display of frustration Ranma cursed silently. "How did they know?"
"Background checks, paternity and DNA tests."
He could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on as he pondered the implications. To his knowledge Kaede had only left the campus to train or work at the Grill, leaving no obvious connection to her parents aside from her name.
Modernized ninjaà it sounded like a B-movie plot that the Americans were filming. Then again, the Sanada were one of the smaller clans, perhaps they had adapted to the modern world more readily than the others.
'This from the guy who swam to China.' The world was rapidly changing. Ranma couldn't deny that fact any more. "So ninja have started getting day jobs," he said aloud.
"Most of us have day jobs û your own brother runs a restaurant."
"TouchÚ."
"We can't all run restaurants or inns," the nameless jonin spat out.
"What's your job then? Consultant to Sasuke?"
"Hn," the offended man scowled.
"Anyways, we've got what we needed," Ranma said as he moved to unmask the ninja.
"I may die, but the Sanada will avenge me!"
"You should have taken up Konatsu's offer," grumbled an annoyed Ranma.
For once the aspiring kunoichi was silent.
"They want you back in the fold, but since you've rebuffed them, the only way for them to save face is to kill you. None of the other clans are going to take you in because they don't want to risk going to war with the Koga."
X X X X X
Darkness greeted Negi as he woke abruptly. For the past week sleep had been elusive for the young mage as he'd prepared for the time lag or jet lag that had made the transition of living in England to now living in Japan all the more stressful. It helped that the youngest Saotome, Hiro, had helped him adjust by working the young teacher hard during their spars, though his aching muscles did not seem to enjoy the vigorous workouts Negi had to admit that physical exhaustion make it easier for him to sleep.
Unfortunately the jet lag couldn't be blamed for his loss of sleep. The true culprit more often than not was his sleepwalking which had led him through the unfamiliar house and usually right into a wall. It didn't help that the doors didn't swing open but slide open, impeding his efforts to move through the house in his sleep.
"Negi! Saffron!"
Hearing his name, Negi sat up before rolling out of bed. In a flash he had his glasses on and dashed out of his large room. Heavier footsteps joined his as the newest resident of the Saotome complex joined his. The sound of smooth wood rubbing against finished wood told him that the older and taller Saffron had reached the hallway first.
"It's Narusegawa!" the usually stoic Hiro explained even as Negi forced his door open.
Despite the difference in their strides Negi managed to catch up with Saffron as the martial artist reached the dojo.
On the floor lay the auburn trussed house mother and teacher. Her sweat laden gi clung to her body.
"What happened?" demanded the teen.
"I found her like this."
"She was still practicing when I went to bed," Saffron muttered as he moved to check her pulse. "She's burning up, her heart's beating as though pretty hardà"
The words slowly processed in the young mage's mind as the foreign dialect still took him time to process. "Let me," he finally said as he approached the unconscious Narusegawa. It was times like these that he was glad that the academy taught him basic healing and sensory spells. Hard work and dedication to his craft allowed him to cast the spell without any incantations or other obvious cues that would indicate the use of magic.
Reaching out he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling the unusual heat as he touched her sweaty brow. His eyes opened as the unseen magic in his hand dissipated upon touching her.
"Where's Ranma?" Saffron's gruff, commanding voice demanded.
"He was called away," replied Hiro in a calmer and more collected tone. "He left his cell phone. Tenma's with Luke."
With the others focused on locating the elder Saotomes, Negi conjured a light wind spell, letting it blow in from the open doors of the dojo to simulate a breeze. His hand still on Naru's brow he frowned as the spell failed to lower her temperature. "Call Takahata; he'll know what to do."
X X X X X
The gentle glow of the approaching dawn softened the dark horizon. Few were up at such an early hour, but for Konatsu Saotome, owner and proprietor of Saotome's Grill, it was a late hour. Summer was one of the busiest seasons for the Grill, and to keep up with business Konatsu knew that he needed to get an early start for the day. As it was the cross-dressing ninja had been up for over an hour before the sun had even thought of waking.
The gentle, artificial ringing from the phone broke up his usual morning ritual.
"That's probably Toshi," his wife proclaimed. "Tell him that we latest we can wait for his delivery is dawn û if he argues tell him that we're going to start placing our orders with Ono."
"Yes dear," the ever pleasant ninja replied as he picked up the phone.
"Moshi, moshi, Saotome's," he announced.
"Moshi, moshi," the caller returned. "Konatsu?"
"Yes," he replied, now thoroughly out of sorts by the call. Though the caller was male, Toshi and his subordinates never called him by his given name, only by his family name.
"It's Keitaro," the dorm manager announced, clarifying the situation slightly. "Sorry to call at such an hour, but is Ranma there?"
"No, why?"
"Hiro said that you'd called him out there."
"Ah, he's tending to some other business."
"Oh," the other man sighed. "If it's possible, could you let him know that I'm looking for him."
Before he could even respond the phone's dial tone signaled the end of the call as the former ronin hung up on his end.
"What excuse did Toshi give you this time?" Ukyo demanded as she looked at her husband's slumped shoulders. Unable to see his face she'd read his posture.
"It wasn't Toshi," the ninja returned, snapping to attention as he turned to his wife.
The electronic buzz prevented him from saying anything else as they were once again interrupted. "It's Toshi."
"I'll take care of it," Konatsu stated as he began to fall back into his morning routine.
The early morning deliveries demanded his attention. If they were short of one key ingredient like flour or cabbage then the other ingredients would be wasted. Portions needed to be taken into account, as well as the freshness and cost of some seasonal ingredients like squid, lobster, octopus and tuna before the final menu for the day could be compiled.
But Toshi was a reliable middleman. The man never failed to go to the fish market and his prices for the other ingredients were always reasonable.
"Morning Saotome-san," the every friendly businessman greeted as Konatsu opened the hidden cellar door.
The smell of fish on the man hinted at his morning in Tokyo's fish market. "Good morning Toshi-san."
"I got everything on your list and for a reasonable price too," the balding but fit man proclaimed with a smile.
It was business as usual for Konatsu as he looked over the various supplies before him. Though Ukyo had ordered only a few vital ingredients from Toshi, Konatsu knew that the transaction wouldn't end there. There were the special offers that Toshi occasionally picked up and hoped to sell to people like Konatsu who couldn't get to the fish market regularly.
In no time at all the transaction was completed and the door closed and secured. Despite his slim frame Konatsu was unbelievably strong, much like his adopted brother. The various coolers and boxes that were taken out of Toshi's truck were now waiting for him to put them into place in the large walk in refrigerator or in storage.
"You better not be in the cuttlefish," he stated as he eyed tapped the cooler. "I paid a pretty yen for all of that."
"It's only ice," Ranma announced as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Ah, father's sealed technique. What of Kaede?"
"She's in the potatoes."
"I can't harbor her here."
"I know," ceded Ranma. "But you can tell the Koga that she's willing to come back into the fold."
X X X X X
The sterile white light of the hospital seemed to cast Naru Narusegawa in a pallor. Even the rising sun in the horizon failed to brighten the room. Despite the early hour none of the other occupants of the room could sleep despite the tired and drawn expressions that they each had.
"Where is he?" the youngest of the quintet asked as she held her sister's hand. "He should be here."
The eldest of the group stood somberly in the corner, unwilling and unable to say anything. None in the room had known about his fling with the elder Narusegawa sibling. At first he'd thought it was just the fact that he'd projected his feelings for Asuna onto Naru, but over time he'd come to actually care deeply for her. He'd been on the verge of expressing his feelings to her and had put things off for the summer break, but then she'd abruptly broken things off.
Doubts about his feelings, and of her feelings for him had lingered in the months since their break up, though the faþade he presented kept everyone from telling just how hurt he'd been over the termination of their secret relationship.
The sound of a firm hand on the doorknob drew everyone's attention to the door, each expecting just one man to appear despite their inability to contact him. The sight of the heavy set man in white though sent a chill down their spines.
"Doctor," Mei greeted as she looked up at the newcomer.
"Your parents weren't able to make it?" the man asked as he scanned the room.
The younger Narusegawa shook her head. "They're abroad right now."
"I see," the white clad man remarked idly.
"Whatever you have to say, you can tell them as well," Mei added. "They're the closest thing we have to family right now."
A warm glow passed through Takahata at her words. Being included in Naru's inner circle, even at a time like this, or perhaps because of it, meant more than he'd realized. Negi had only called because he didn't know anyone else on campus, and Hiro and Saffron had relented as neither had anyone else they could think of to help or to take control of the situation but Mei's choice to include him, well, it seemed much more personal.
Fortunately for him none of the others was paying him any attention as Naru's doctor closed the door behind him.
"It's not good," the man stated. "We ran a series of tests"
"What is it?" the usually cheerful and pleasant Mutsumi asked directly.
"It's cancer," the doctor replied. "Specifically a brain tumor, that's why she's in a coma."
For the first time in his life Takahata felt his knees buckle. The words hit him like a blow to the stomach, robbing him of his breath and strength. Still, he stood tall in the corner even as Mei and Mutsumi buried their faces and Keitaro fought to stay strong.
"Wh-what are our options?" the former ronin asked, his voice faltering as Mutsumi sobbed into his shoulder.
"It's too large for us to operate on, and far to advance for chemo," the doctor explained. The not so subtle pause would have been ignored by most, especially given the circumstances, but Takahata and Keitaro had. "I'm sorry."
X X X X X
The lazy golden glow of the late morning sun seemed to sap the last of Ranma's energy as he crossed the threshold of his property. The immortal had been forced to stay alert and on guard as a consequence of the actions he'd taken while protecting the young kunoichi. "Hate ninjaà" he grumbled as he felt the strain on his consciousness. Though his body could regenerate without the needed rest, his mind still required the occasional break to slowly process everything. There had been the whole Saffron incident, not to mention his day long duel with Asuna. Either would have been more than enough for one day, but for them both to happen the way they did had made the day all the more tiring. And then there had been the stupid ninja incident.
Kaede's humble acceptance and enrollment into the Koga clan had been anti-climactic to say the least. Had it been up to him, he would have laughed off their attempts to reign him in, but Kaede was not him. Had she wanted he would have fought tooth and nail for her, as would Konatsu, but she hadn't wanted that. The proud self-taught kunoichi knew her limits, and wasn't willing to risk their lives selfishly.
In a way it was noble, but her actions told of how alone she truly was. In his youth he'd had his rivals that he'd been able to depend on, to a degree. Mousse and Ryoga had aided him in his fight against Herb, Lime, and Mint, though they also had their own best interests in mind as well. Unfortunately for Kaede there was no one she could depend on. She didn't have any comrades or rivals.
Lost in his rambling thoughts he barely noticed the silence that blanketed his home. The unimportant fact was pushed aside as his body moved automatically, opening the door, then walking towards the onsen. Only the flashing red button on the outdated answering machine caught his eye, demanding his attention. It took a moment for his mind to finally register that fact, instantly clearing away all other thoughts.
"Saotome!" the gruff Phoenix cried out urgently.
"What is it?"
"It's Narusegawa; she's in the hospital."
X X X X X
AN û I think I'll leave things here for now. If you follow my other fics you might notice that I've been updating them. Well, updating a few for the format changes. I'm slowly getting back into my writing groove, but with Fantasy Football nearing playoff time I've gotta focus on my teams and making then winning the playoffs. Oh, and the Packers are 9-0! Woo hoo!
Yes, Kaede's little bit was just a diversion for the real story of this arc.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
It's the holiday crunch. Don't expect too much from me.
Please Read and Review.
# # # # #
The slow yet constant beeping of the various monitors droned in the back of Ranma Saotome's mind as he looked down on Naru Narusegawa as she lay in her hospital bed.
Mahora Health University Medical Hospital was unlike any other hospital in all of Japan. Though few outside of Mahora and the magical community thought much of the undersized hospital Ranma knew that some of Japan's greatest magical and medical minds had already looked over the model-turned teacher's case. As such it didn't surprise him when her doctor had called both Ranma and Takahata out of Naru's room for a secret consult.
"No," Ranma heard himself say. "You can say anything in front of them."
The balding medical mage eyed Keitaro and Mutsumi before looking at the scruffy blond. With a reluctant nod Takahata accented, deferring to Ranma's decision.
"Ms. Narusegawa has Stage III cancer," explained the doctor. "The tumor in her brain has spread to her upper spine." The man paused, waiting for the dreadful news to set in before continuing, "I've only seen cancer spread this quickly a few times. It's unnatural for it to appear so suddenly and spread so quickly. What had started as something the size of a needle's head has grown to roughly the size of a baseball in less than a day."
"It's been magically suppressed," Ranma concluded. Residual knowledge gleaned from his time at Dr. Tofu's clinic sprang to mind.
The doctor nodded, "Yes"
"But why now?" Takahata interjected. "The ambient magical energies in Mahora"
"Aren't sufficient to slow down something like this," the doctor interrupted.
Both Ranma and Takahata paused, their minds slowly processing the information.
"I did it," Mutsumi exclaimed. "I made a deal with a demon as a child. I gave up my power to suppress her illness."
All eyes now lay on the buxom brunette.
"That makes sense," the doctor said as he jotted down a note. "I'm surprised it didn't take your soul."
"He said I was too young to sell my soul," she explained. "I was too young to make a deal of that magnitude with him."
Beside her Keitaro clutched her hand, unsure what to say or do.
"It's your fault," she added, her brown eyes locked on Ranma's blue even as tears streaming down her cheek. "If Naru could fall in love with Keitaro and the two of them went to Todai together then she wouldn't get sick again. But she didn't. Oh, they both went to Todai, but not together."
"If you knewà" Ranma muttered, his throat suddenly knotting up and going dry at once.
"He blocked my memories. He said that it was noble of me to give up on my own happiness, but he didn't want me to bias them."
"You bought her time," Takahata interrupted.
"Naru chose who she wanted to be with," Keitaro added. "Just like I chose who I wanted to be with."
Untold emotions swirled within each of them as no one dared to look anywhere but the ground at their feet except for the doctor.
"What are our options?" the dorm manager finally asked as he pried his eyes from the floor.
"Traditional treatments won't work," explained the doctor. "Her cancer's far too advance and spreading much too quickly. Alternative methods won't work as well. I know of now magi who's strong enough to even suppress Ms. Narusegawa's cancer, much less eliminate it outright, and I'm doubtful that they'd be willing to sacrifice their power for someone they don't know."
"So our best options are to find a more powerful demon and give up our soul or find a genie!" Keitaro scoffed.
"We don't advise such treatment," the doctor remarked. "But if you do go that route, I'd say you have less than 24 hours."
"Can you at least wake her up?" pleaded Keitaro.
"It's possible," the doctor replied wirily, "but only for a few hours at a time."
X X X X X
The bright, yellow golden rays of light shone down on Mahora, warming the isolated city. As the last week of the summer break before classes began the city was slowly coming back to life as students, teachers, and citizens slowly began to get back into their daily rhythm. After weeks of following her new master's strict schedule, it felt nice to be able to get out and about without having to report in to the diminutive vampire. It was even better feeling the warmth of the sun on her soft, fair skin as she made her way around the city.
Few would have paid any attention to the raven haired boy as he exited the nearly packed afternoon train; then again, even fewer had endured the strenuous training under a master of the Musabetsu Kakut¶ Saotome Ry¹. Unsure why the he would be out on his own, Shinobu Maehara veered off course as she gave in to her innate curiosity. "Hiro."
The younger Saotome snapped to attention and immediately turned to face the blunette. To any casual observer he appeared to have been startled, but to someone who had studied under Ranma, Shinobu knew better. Though Hiro looked relaxed, her keen eyes noted his posture and seemingly relaxed stance.
Her discerning eye barely moved from his tense muscles to the ornate staff in his hand before the youngest Saotome was in motion.
Like his father in his youth, Hiro moved like a crow, taking the straightest and thus fastest path. Despite his speed it only took Shinobu a few blocks to catch up with him, her longer legs and fully developed muscles giving her a clear advantage over her former master's son.
"Hiro," she cried out as she grabbed the staff with her left hand, "what are you doing with this?"
"Let me go!" he shouted, a spinning middle kick punctuated the urgency of his demand.
"Not until you tell me what you're doing with that," replied Shinobu as she swept him off his feet and exploited his extensive training in boxing.
Unable to manage the proper footwork for his particular style of offense and defense and keep hold of the staff, Hiro relinquished the magical staff as he flipped in the air before landing on his feet. "Give that back!"
"Why do you have this?"
A barrage of swift punches answered her query as the now upset boy sought to reclaim the staff that the demon known as Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman had once given Ranma Saotome.
Evading his attacks, Shinobu found herself lashing out reflexively as an opening presented itself. The lightning quick kick to the boy's head sent him flying into a nearby table. Fortunately the back street that they were in was empty.
"You were about to leave the city," concluded the blunette. "You were going to summon Graf."
Red faced and furious, Hiro sprang to his feet. "Give that back to me!"
Again he followed up his demand with another barrage of punches, and again he left himself open for counter.
As the more experience fighter Shinobu knew that he was just feinting, waiting for an opportunity to steal back the staff. Unwilling to play his game she leap high into the air, springing off one wall and then another before making her way up to the roof.
At least that had been her plan. A firm tug kept her from springing off the second wall, pulling her down to the once vacant street. Only her years of training allowed her to avoid the fierce kick and punch thrown by the former rivals of 2-A, though in her haste Shinobu was forced to yield the staff.
"What are you doing to Hiro?" a familiar voice demanded, even as the owner of said voice tugged at her ribbon, returning the staff to the younger Saotome.
"She took father's staff," Hiro lied. "She's trying to summon a demon."
"That's why he kicked you out," the fiery redhead said through grit teeth. "But you just couldn't keep away, could you?"
"And now you've attacked your former master's son," the over-protective blond declared as she planted herself firmly between Shinobu and Hiro.
Before she could even utter something in her defense the university student was forced to physically defend herself from three current students of her former master.
A trash can lid flew overhead, preventing her from leaping over her shorter opponents. Asuna opened with her usual jump kick while Ayaka charged in with a right hook.
"It's not what you think," Shinobu cried out as she grabbed the redhead's foot. Planting her foot she pivoted, sending the faster but shorter Asuna flying towards Ayaka. Only Maki's quick ribbon work kept the two from crashing into each other as the gymnast latched wrapped around Asuna's hand and sent her straight up.
With her longer reach Shinobu countered Ayaka's hook with a spinning back fist before jumping out of the way as Asuna landed hard, stomping down on the ground where the blunette had been standing a fraction of a second before. A middle kick turned into a high round house, connecting with Asuna's forearm as the younger girl managed to block the brunt of the blow but was still knocked off of her feet.
"You've learned to redirect the force of a blow," Shinobu grunted as she leapt over a trash can that Maki launched at her. "Let's see if Ranma's taught you this yet."
Reaching into her pocket Shinobu extracted a bag of sunflower seeds. Though they weren't as aerodynamic as marbles and lacked the punch of stones or chestnuts, it was much easier for her to carry a bag without anyone becoming too curious.
The barrage of seeds flew at the larger of her two opponents. A combination of the poor lighting in the back street and the size and speed of the projectiles kept the girls from keeping up with the flicker of movement that signaled an attack. Though the seeds wouldn't do any real damage, by aiming at the girl's eyes forced them to either defend their face or move out of the way. Both girls opted for the latter, leaving Maki alone.
Grabbing the ribbon in her right hand, Shinobu pulled, winning the test of strength against the smaller Maki and sending the startled gymnast flying. Before Asuna and Ayaka could even realize what had happened, Shinobu connected with a powerful uppercut to the petite girl's stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs and taking her out of the fight.
"Maki!" both shouted just as they each launched themselves at the older girl.
Enraged, they fell into their old habits, leaving themselves open to Shinobu's counters. Though they were used to exchanging blows with each other, neither girl had expected their former sempai to have such power behind her blows. A stiff spinning round house connected with Asuna's temple, dazing the redhead even as Shinobu moved out of Ayaka's range. With Asuna between them Shinobu knew that she had a small window/shield from the taller and most experienced fighter.
A front kick to Asuna's kidney sent the redhead flying into her former rival, forcing Ayaka to leap out of the way even as Asuna crashed into a wall. Concerned with her companion's wellbeing, the blond provided just enough of an opening for her opponent as Shinobu connected with a powerful spinning high kick to the ribs.
"Sorry," Shinobu apologized as Ayaka fought for air.
"What did you do?" a new voice demanded.
"I don't have time for this Haruna," the blunette stated as she rushed towards the two new comers.
"Sesha cannot let you go," the taller of the two girls stated.
"Hiro stole Graf's staff," Shinobu stated. "He's headed off campus to summon the demon. He lied and turned them against me so that he could get away with the staff."
As the most clear-headed girl of the group, Haruna contemplated her former sempai's words.
"You know I wouldn't fight you girls without reason," the young woman added. "You know that Ayaka and Asuna can fly off the handle sometimes, it didn't help that Hiro provoked them."
"It's alright," Haruna muttered as she put her hand on Kaede's shoulder. "But it doesn't make sense."
"I know," Shinobu added. "Butà"
Haruna nodded knowingly, neither one willing to tell the others of Ranma's arrangement with the demon and Hiro's history with training under the demon.
"I don't know where Tenma is," Haruna stated. "He's probably with Luke. I don't know where Uncle is"
"and he doesn't have a cell phone," Shinobu finished. "Hiro knows we're looking for him, he probably won't go to the first place off campus he finds."
Haruna nodded.
"I can track him," Kaede stated.
"Fine," Haruna quickly agreed. "You three catch up once you're ready."
X X X X X
The bright afternoon light greeted Naru Narusegawa. Though her eyes were still closed she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin even through the thick double paned glass window. Slowly her mind processed the information that her body was gathering as she woke from her slumber. The first fact she'd processed was that it was much later than normal for her to wake up; the second was that she wasn't in her own bed, or even in a familiar bed. The thick mattress was far plusher than her mattress and the starchiness of the sheets suggested that it wasn't one of Ranma's beds. Takahata didn't have a bed, only a futon mattress that he'd lay out when he was preparing for bed, and he never used a cover sheet.
"Naru?" a soft, feminine voice exclaimed. Warm, gentle hands grasped hers.
"Mutsumi?" she replied automatically. Her parched throat and mouth barely managed to let the woman's name out. Slowly she forced her eyes open, only to be stunned by the bright light coming through the window. "Where am I?"
"You're in the hospital." The firm, gruff voice belonged to Takahata.
Eye closed she focused on the unfamiliar sensations û the tubes over her lip and going into her nose, the needle in her arm, the tape holding the needle and the tube in place, the gentle beeping of a heart monitor û yep, she was definitely in the hospital.
Forcing her mouth to salivate, she tried to work up the strength for more words.
"Drink this." Another male; this one younger than the other, and much more hesitant than Takahata.
Forcing her mouth open, she allowed Keitaro to put a cup to her lips. The cool liquid felt like a balm to her dry mouth, easing away the stiffness. It seemed like an eternity but was perhaps only a few seconds, and the cup and the cooling water were gone. Her body felt rejuvenated by the water, though she knew that it had in fact just water and not some elixir that had been pressed to her lips.
"What happened?" she finally asked. "And where's Ranma?"
"I'm right here," the immortal replied. "Hiro found you passed out in the dojo."
Naru nodded, recalling the previous night. "Sorry to frighten all of you. I guess I didn't know when to stop."
Taking a deep breath she smiled at them even as she slowly opened her eyes, allowing them the time to adjust to the bright and beautiful day. A nagging feeling formed in the back of her mind as she took in the somber looks on her friends' faces.
Mutsumi, the picture of beauty, had a sad look in her eyes as she fought back tears. Keitaro, though older and more mature, seemed to have relapsed back into the timid and meek ronin that she'd first met. The always calm and collected Takahata looked like he was bearing the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. Ranma, the youthful immortal, stood opposite her, his illusions dispelled; rarely seen bags under his eyes told of the long, restless night and day he'd endured.
"Whà what is it?" she finally asked, her eyes now fully open.
Mutsumi was the first to break down, collapsing onto her friend as gentle sobs wracked her body.
"It's cancer," Ranma finally admitted, his striking blue eyes locked with hers unflinchingly. The cool eyes held a sorrow that she'd never seen before, a look that was unbecoming for him.
"It can't be," she found herself saying. "I'm fine! I just over did it û that's all. I'm fine!"
"The doc said brain cancer," the immortal added, his usually cheerful voice flat and emotionless.
"Is there"
"Nothing we can do," Takahata interrupted. "We have no cure for cancer, and yours is too advanced for any conventional treatments."
Her former lover's words hit her like one of Shinobu's punches, robbing her of her breath and the power of speech. Warm, wet trails ran down her gentle cheeks. Overwhelmed by the news her mind failed to process anything else as it sought some plausible explanation or hole in their logic to exploit. "Butà magic."
"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.
"But Ranmaà" she fought a losing battle to clear her vision as she looked at the immortal's pleadingly. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound û can't you help me?"
"Naru," Keitaro interjected.
"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"
X X X X X
"He's headed out of the city," Kaede stated as Asuna, Ayaka, and Maki finally caught up with them.
"Straight as the crow flies," Shinobu muttered. She should have expected it.
"Sorry."
The eldest of the group spared the blond a brief glance and nod. "He knows you almost as well as I do."
"I can't believe he lied to us," grumbled the short-tempered redhead. "When we catch up to him I'm gonna beat him to a pulp."
"You'll do no such thing," Ayaka proclaimed. "He must have good reason to lie, even if he should know better."
"What's with the staff?" the ever inquisitive Maki asked as she clutched her stomach.
"Uncle acquired it from a demon," Haruna explained. "It's supposed to summon him."
The other girls of 2-A gasped.
"Not all demons are bad," the mangaka stated. "But most do seek to take advantage of humanity and our weaknesses."
"What would Hiro want to trade his soul for?" Maki wondered aloud. Her classmates threw her a scathing look. "What? What else would he summon a demon for?"
A shiver ran up the blunette's spine as she glanced at the horizon. "Whatever it is, we have to stop him."
X X X X X
For nearly a decade Ranma Saotome had questioned what it meant to be a man amongst men. That goal had driven his father literally to the ends of the earth, bringing his son with him, as Genma Saotome sought to make the most of Ranma Saotome.
As a fighter Ranma was said to have been the best of his generation û unequaled by even the combined might of his three most prolific rivals. How many times had he managed to best Tatewaki Kuno, Mousse, and Ryoga Hibiki individually and together? Yes, as a fighter he was without peer.
Women flocked to him. First came Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi in Nerima, and then Naru, Motoko, and Shinobu in Hinata.
Physical prowess and charmà they were useful at times, but this was not one of those times.
"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.
A different strength was required here, one that Ranma had rarely employed in his life.
Steeling his soul, Ranma looked at the nearly hysterical Naru Narusegawa.
"But Ranmaà" her pleading eyes blinking away the tears. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound û can't you help me?"
Each word cut at his soul, robbing him of the strength to reply.
"Naru," Keitaro interjected on his behalf only to be shouted down.
"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"
The ring of truth in her words shattered his battered soul. 'She's right, it's not fair.'
"Why do you get to live forever?" she demanded.
"Naru!" Takahata hissed as she moved to her side.
"It's not Ranma's fault," Keitaro insisted. "Do you think it's easy for him? For any of us?"
"You get to live a normal life! You don't have to live with cancer! Do you know how hard it is for me?"
"Naru, please," Mutsumi pleaded as she wrapped her arms around her beloved best friend.
"Ranma!" Naru sobbed, her body curling up in bed as her emotions overwhelmed her. "I'll do anything û please! You have to help me! PLEASE HELP ME!"
X X X X X
It's the holiday crunch. Don't expect too much from me.
Please Read and Review.
# # # # #
The slow yet constant beeping of the various monitors droned in the back of Ranma Saotome's mind as he looked down on Naru Narusegawa as she lay in her hospital bed.
Mahora Health University Medical Hospital was unlike any other hospital in all of Japan. Though few outside of Mahora and the magical community thought much of the undersized hospital Ranma knew that some of Japan's greatest magical and medical minds had already looked over the model-turned teacher's case. As such it didn't surprise him when her doctor had called both Ranma and Takahata out of Naru's room for a secret consult.
"No," Ranma heard himself say. "You can say anything in front of them."
The balding medical mage eyed Keitaro and Mutsumi before looking at the scruffy blond. With a reluctant nod Takahata accented, deferring to Ranma's decision.
"Ms. Narusegawa has Stage III cancer," explained the doctor. "The tumor in her brain has spread to her upper spine." The man paused, waiting for the dreadful news to set in before continuing, "I've only seen cancer spread this quickly a few times. It's unnatural for it to appear so suddenly and spread so quickly. What had started as something the size of a needle's head has grown to roughly the size of a baseball in less than a day."
"It's been magically suppressed," Ranma concluded. Residual knowledge gleaned from his time at Dr. Tofu's clinic sprang to mind.
The doctor nodded, "Yes"
"But why now?" Takahata interjected. "The ambient magical energies in Mahora"
"Aren't sufficient to slow down something like this," the doctor interrupted.
Both Ranma and Takahata paused, their minds slowly processing the information.
"I did it," Mutsumi exclaimed. "I made a deal with a demon as a child. I gave up my power to suppress her illness."
All eyes now lay on the buxom brunette.
"That makes sense," the doctor said as he jotted down a note. "I'm surprised it didn't take your soul."
"He said I was too young to sell my soul," she explained. "I was too young to make a deal of that magnitude with him."
Beside her Keitaro clutched her hand, unsure what to say or do.
"It's your fault," she added, her brown eyes locked on Ranma's blue even as tears streaming down her cheek. "If Naru could fall in love with Keitaro and the two of them went to Todai together then she wouldn't get sick again. But she didn't. Oh, they both went to Todai, but not together."
"If you knewà" Ranma muttered, his throat suddenly knotting up and going dry at once.
"He blocked my memories. He said that it was noble of me to give up on my own happiness, but he didn't want me to bias them."
"You bought her time," Takahata interrupted.
"Naru chose who she wanted to be with," Keitaro added. "Just like I chose who I wanted to be with."
Untold emotions swirled within each of them as no one dared to look anywhere but the ground at their feet except for the doctor.
"What are our options?" the dorm manager finally asked as he pried his eyes from the floor.
"Traditional treatments won't work," explained the doctor. "Her cancer's far too advance and spreading much too quickly. Alternative methods won't work as well. I know of now magi who's strong enough to even suppress Ms. Narusegawa's cancer, much less eliminate it outright, and I'm doubtful that they'd be willing to sacrifice their power for someone they don't know."
"So our best options are to find a more powerful demon and give up our soul or find a genie!" Keitaro scoffed.
"We don't advise such treatment," the doctor remarked. "But if you do go that route, I'd say you have less than 24 hours."
"Can you at least wake her up?" pleaded Keitaro.
"It's possible," the doctor replied wirily, "but only for a few hours at a time."
X X X X X
The bright, yellow golden rays of light shone down on Mahora, warming the isolated city. As the last week of the summer break before classes began the city was slowly coming back to life as students, teachers, and citizens slowly began to get back into their daily rhythm. After weeks of following her new master's strict schedule, it felt nice to be able to get out and about without having to report in to the diminutive vampire. It was even better feeling the warmth of the sun on her soft, fair skin as she made her way around the city.
Few would have paid any attention to the raven haired boy as he exited the nearly packed afternoon train; then again, even fewer had endured the strenuous training under a master of the Musabetsu Kakut¶ Saotome Ry¹. Unsure why the he would be out on his own, Shinobu Maehara veered off course as she gave in to her innate curiosity. "Hiro."
The younger Saotome snapped to attention and immediately turned to face the blunette. To any casual observer he appeared to have been startled, but to someone who had studied under Ranma, Shinobu knew better. Though Hiro looked relaxed, her keen eyes noted his posture and seemingly relaxed stance.
Her discerning eye barely moved from his tense muscles to the ornate staff in his hand before the youngest Saotome was in motion.
Like his father in his youth, Hiro moved like a crow, taking the straightest and thus fastest path. Despite his speed it only took Shinobu a few blocks to catch up with him, her longer legs and fully developed muscles giving her a clear advantage over her former master's son.
"Hiro," she cried out as she grabbed the staff with her left hand, "what are you doing with this?"
"Let me go!" he shouted, a spinning middle kick punctuated the urgency of his demand.
"Not until you tell me what you're doing with that," replied Shinobu as she swept him off his feet and exploited his extensive training in boxing.
Unable to manage the proper footwork for his particular style of offense and defense and keep hold of the staff, Hiro relinquished the magical staff as he flipped in the air before landing on his feet. "Give that back!"
"Why do you have this?"
A barrage of swift punches answered her query as the now upset boy sought to reclaim the staff that the demon known as Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman had once given Ranma Saotome.
Evading his attacks, Shinobu found herself lashing out reflexively as an opening presented itself. The lightning quick kick to the boy's head sent him flying into a nearby table. Fortunately the back street that they were in was empty.
"You were about to leave the city," concluded the blunette. "You were going to summon Graf."
Red faced and furious, Hiro sprang to his feet. "Give that back to me!"
Again he followed up his demand with another barrage of punches, and again he left himself open for counter.
As the more experience fighter Shinobu knew that he was just feinting, waiting for an opportunity to steal back the staff. Unwilling to play his game she leap high into the air, springing off one wall and then another before making her way up to the roof.
At least that had been her plan. A firm tug kept her from springing off the second wall, pulling her down to the once vacant street. Only her years of training allowed her to avoid the fierce kick and punch thrown by the former rivals of 2-A, though in her haste Shinobu was forced to yield the staff.
"What are you doing to Hiro?" a familiar voice demanded, even as the owner of said voice tugged at her ribbon, returning the staff to the younger Saotome.
"She took father's staff," Hiro lied. "She's trying to summon a demon."
"That's why he kicked you out," the fiery redhead said through grit teeth. "But you just couldn't keep away, could you?"
"And now you've attacked your former master's son," the over-protective blond declared as she planted herself firmly between Shinobu and Hiro.
Before she could even utter something in her defense the university student was forced to physically defend herself from three current students of her former master.
A trash can lid flew overhead, preventing her from leaping over her shorter opponents. Asuna opened with her usual jump kick while Ayaka charged in with a right hook.
"It's not what you think," Shinobu cried out as she grabbed the redhead's foot. Planting her foot she pivoted, sending the faster but shorter Asuna flying towards Ayaka. Only Maki's quick ribbon work kept the two from crashing into each other as the gymnast latched wrapped around Asuna's hand and sent her straight up.
With her longer reach Shinobu countered Ayaka's hook with a spinning back fist before jumping out of the way as Asuna landed hard, stomping down on the ground where the blunette had been standing a fraction of a second before. A middle kick turned into a high round house, connecting with Asuna's forearm as the younger girl managed to block the brunt of the blow but was still knocked off of her feet.
"You've learned to redirect the force of a blow," Shinobu grunted as she leapt over a trash can that Maki launched at her. "Let's see if Ranma's taught you this yet."
Reaching into her pocket Shinobu extracted a bag of sunflower seeds. Though they weren't as aerodynamic as marbles and lacked the punch of stones or chestnuts, it was much easier for her to carry a bag without anyone becoming too curious.
The barrage of seeds flew at the larger of her two opponents. A combination of the poor lighting in the back street and the size and speed of the projectiles kept the girls from keeping up with the flicker of movement that signaled an attack. Though the seeds wouldn't do any real damage, by aiming at the girl's eyes forced them to either defend their face or move out of the way. Both girls opted for the latter, leaving Maki alone.
Grabbing the ribbon in her right hand, Shinobu pulled, winning the test of strength against the smaller Maki and sending the startled gymnast flying. Before Asuna and Ayaka could even realize what had happened, Shinobu connected with a powerful uppercut to the petite girl's stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs and taking her out of the fight.
"Maki!" both shouted just as they each launched themselves at the older girl.
Enraged, they fell into their old habits, leaving themselves open to Shinobu's counters. Though they were used to exchanging blows with each other, neither girl had expected their former sempai to have such power behind her blows. A stiff spinning round house connected with Asuna's temple, dazing the redhead even as Shinobu moved out of Ayaka's range. With Asuna between them Shinobu knew that she had a small window/shield from the taller and most experienced fighter.
A front kick to Asuna's kidney sent the redhead flying into her former rival, forcing Ayaka to leap out of the way even as Asuna crashed into a wall. Concerned with her companion's wellbeing, the blond provided just enough of an opening for her opponent as Shinobu connected with a powerful spinning high kick to the ribs.
"Sorry," Shinobu apologized as Ayaka fought for air.
"What did you do?" a new voice demanded.
"I don't have time for this Haruna," the blunette stated as she rushed towards the two new comers.
"Sesha cannot let you go," the taller of the two girls stated.
"Hiro stole Graf's staff," Shinobu stated. "He's headed off campus to summon the demon. He lied and turned them against me so that he could get away with the staff."
As the most clear-headed girl of the group, Haruna contemplated her former sempai's words.
"You know I wouldn't fight you girls without reason," the young woman added. "You know that Ayaka and Asuna can fly off the handle sometimes, it didn't help that Hiro provoked them."
"It's alright," Haruna muttered as she put her hand on Kaede's shoulder. "But it doesn't make sense."
"I know," Shinobu added. "Butà"
Haruna nodded knowingly, neither one willing to tell the others of Ranma's arrangement with the demon and Hiro's history with training under the demon.
"I don't know where Tenma is," Haruna stated. "He's probably with Luke. I don't know where Uncle is"
"and he doesn't have a cell phone," Shinobu finished. "Hiro knows we're looking for him, he probably won't go to the first place off campus he finds."
Haruna nodded.
"I can track him," Kaede stated.
"Fine," Haruna quickly agreed. "You three catch up once you're ready."
X X X X X
The bright afternoon light greeted Naru Narusegawa. Though her eyes were still closed she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin even through the thick double paned glass window. Slowly her mind processed the information that her body was gathering as she woke from her slumber. The first fact she'd processed was that it was much later than normal for her to wake up; the second was that she wasn't in her own bed, or even in a familiar bed. The thick mattress was far plusher than her mattress and the starchiness of the sheets suggested that it wasn't one of Ranma's beds. Takahata didn't have a bed, only a futon mattress that he'd lay out when he was preparing for bed, and he never used a cover sheet.
"Naru?" a soft, feminine voice exclaimed. Warm, gentle hands grasped hers.
"Mutsumi?" she replied automatically. Her parched throat and mouth barely managed to let the woman's name out. Slowly she forced her eyes open, only to be stunned by the bright light coming through the window. "Where am I?"
"You're in the hospital." The firm, gruff voice belonged to Takahata.
Eye closed she focused on the unfamiliar sensations û the tubes over her lip and going into her nose, the needle in her arm, the tape holding the needle and the tube in place, the gentle beeping of a heart monitor û yep, she was definitely in the hospital.
Forcing her mouth to salivate, she tried to work up the strength for more words.
"Drink this." Another male; this one younger than the other, and much more hesitant than Takahata.
Forcing her mouth open, she allowed Keitaro to put a cup to her lips. The cool liquid felt like a balm to her dry mouth, easing away the stiffness. It seemed like an eternity but was perhaps only a few seconds, and the cup and the cooling water were gone. Her body felt rejuvenated by the water, though she knew that it had in fact just water and not some elixir that had been pressed to her lips.
"What happened?" she finally asked. "And where's Ranma?"
"I'm right here," the immortal replied. "Hiro found you passed out in the dojo."
Naru nodded, recalling the previous night. "Sorry to frighten all of you. I guess I didn't know when to stop."
Taking a deep breath she smiled at them even as she slowly opened her eyes, allowing them the time to adjust to the bright and beautiful day. A nagging feeling formed in the back of her mind as she took in the somber looks on her friends' faces.
Mutsumi, the picture of beauty, had a sad look in her eyes as she fought back tears. Keitaro, though older and more mature, seemed to have relapsed back into the timid and meek ronin that she'd first met. The always calm and collected Takahata looked like he was bearing the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. Ranma, the youthful immortal, stood opposite her, his illusions dispelled; rarely seen bags under his eyes told of the long, restless night and day he'd endured.
"Whà what is it?" she finally asked, her eyes now fully open.
Mutsumi was the first to break down, collapsing onto her friend as gentle sobs wracked her body.
"It's cancer," Ranma finally admitted, his striking blue eyes locked with hers unflinchingly. The cool eyes held a sorrow that she'd never seen before, a look that was unbecoming for him.
"It can't be," she found herself saying. "I'm fine! I just over did it û that's all. I'm fine!"
"The doc said brain cancer," the immortal added, his usually cheerful voice flat and emotionless.
"Is there"
"Nothing we can do," Takahata interrupted. "We have no cure for cancer, and yours is too advanced for any conventional treatments."
Her former lover's words hit her like one of Shinobu's punches, robbing her of her breath and the power of speech. Warm, wet trails ran down her gentle cheeks. Overwhelmed by the news her mind failed to process anything else as it sought some plausible explanation or hole in their logic to exploit. "Butà magic."
"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.
"But Ranmaà" she fought a losing battle to clear her vision as she looked at the immortal's pleadingly. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound û can't you help me?"
"Naru," Keitaro interjected.
"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"
X X X X X
"He's headed out of the city," Kaede stated as Asuna, Ayaka, and Maki finally caught up with them.
"Straight as the crow flies," Shinobu muttered. She should have expected it.
"Sorry."
The eldest of the group spared the blond a brief glance and nod. "He knows you almost as well as I do."
"I can't believe he lied to us," grumbled the short-tempered redhead. "When we catch up to him I'm gonna beat him to a pulp."
"You'll do no such thing," Ayaka proclaimed. "He must have good reason to lie, even if he should know better."
"What's with the staff?" the ever inquisitive Maki asked as she clutched her stomach.
"Uncle acquired it from a demon," Haruna explained. "It's supposed to summon him."
The other girls of 2-A gasped.
"Not all demons are bad," the mangaka stated. "But most do seek to take advantage of humanity and our weaknesses."
"What would Hiro want to trade his soul for?" Maki wondered aloud. Her classmates threw her a scathing look. "What? What else would he summon a demon for?"
A shiver ran up the blunette's spine as she glanced at the horizon. "Whatever it is, we have to stop him."
X X X X X
For nearly a decade Ranma Saotome had questioned what it meant to be a man amongst men. That goal had driven his father literally to the ends of the earth, bringing his son with him, as Genma Saotome sought to make the most of Ranma Saotome.
As a fighter Ranma was said to have been the best of his generation û unequaled by even the combined might of his three most prolific rivals. How many times had he managed to best Tatewaki Kuno, Mousse, and Ryoga Hibiki individually and together? Yes, as a fighter he was without peer.
Women flocked to him. First came Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi in Nerima, and then Naru, Motoko, and Shinobu in Hinata.
Physical prowess and charmà they were useful at times, but this was not one of those times.
"We can't use magic to cure cancer," Takahata explained.
A different strength was required here, one that Ranma had rarely employed in his life.
Steeling his soul, Ranma looked at the nearly hysterical Naru Narusegawa.
"But Ranmaà" her pleading eyes blinking away the tears. "Can't you do something? You can heal almost any wound û can't you help me?"
Each word cut at his soul, robbing him of the strength to reply.
"Naru," Keitaro interjected on his behalf only to be shouted down.
"It's not fair!" she heard her voice cry out. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"
The ring of truth in her words shattered his battered soul. 'She's right, it's not fair.'
"Why do you get to live forever?" she demanded.
"Naru!" Takahata hissed as she moved to her side.
"It's not Ranma's fault," Keitaro insisted. "Do you think it's easy for him? For any of us?"
"You get to live a normal life! You don't have to live with cancer! Do you know how hard it is for me?"
"Naru, please," Mutsumi pleaded as she wrapped her arms around her beloved best friend.
"Ranma!" Naru sobbed, her body curling up in bed as her emotions overwhelmed her. "I'll do anything û please! You have to help me! PLEASE HELP ME!"
X X X X X
X X X X X
"I'll do anything."
It was a phrase that he'd heard many times before. Those three despite words were essential to any good deal, often resulting in an exchange for the speaker's soul.
Looking down at the boy's unwavering blue eyes, the grey eyed demon sighed. He'd thought the boy everything he knew about demonic powers and deals hoping to have the boy spread the word to his foolish peers. It wasn't hard for the na´ve and clueless mortals to summon a demon, often willing to exchange their souls for some power, or physical beauty, or even for the love of someone else.
"I expected better of you Hiro," the well-dressed demon stated as he eyed his former student. "You're willing to trade your soul for a woman you barely know."
Resolute in his decision, brown haired Saotome stood his ground. "Can you cure her?"
"How do you know she has cancer?" he asked, buying time. Of all the souls to claim, this was the one that he desired the least. But it wasn't in his nature to decline a deal, still, he couldn't help but try to find a way for the boy to get out of it.
"You taught me healing magic," Hiro explained. "I may not be good with it yet, but I know when I've found cancer. It disrupts the sensory spell, and any subsequent healing spells because it can't be cured by magic. Cancer generates an unnatural influx of chi which by nature disrupts mana. Only a few select people can generate chi and mana at the same time."
"So it's cancer," Graf muttered. "You know that even we can't cure cancer."
"I know that you can't, but you can have it removed," the boy countered. "By binding a Reaper, or a Shinigami, you can have them transfer the disease from one person to another. I'm willing to offer my soul."
Jaw muscles clenched as the demon looked down at his former student. "I don't have the power to bind a Shinigami. Even with your soul and your slowly developing powers I wouldn't have enough mojo to bind one of them."
For a moment Hiro stood his ground, unwilling to give up so easily.
"He may not be able to bind a Shinigami, but I can."
Both demon and protÚgÚ turned to the newcomer.
"This is my deal," Graf hissed as he looked down at the white haired construct. "Besides, you're no demon."
"I know," the youthful looking construct stated. "But I can pull it off; I just need you to broker the deal."
"Do it," Hiro urged.
The demon paused, glancing from one boy to the other.
"If you don't do it, I'll find someone else who's willing to do it," the brunette added. "Please."
"Fine," he relented. "Who do I transfer the cancer to?"
"Give it to me," Hiro replied coolly.
"What a noble spirit," the construct grinned. "I'm going to enjoy owning your soul."
X X X X X
Skin moistened with perspiration, Ranma stared at the floor, the words of his companions falling on his deaf ears as he struggled to reign in his swirling emotions. Drained mentally, physically, and emotionally, he found himself in the hallway as the doctor and several nurses tended to Naru, undoing the spell that had awoken the comatose woman from her slumber in the wake of her hysteria.
"She didn't mean it," Keitaro whispered.
Ranma sighed.
"She's going through a lot right now."
The immortal nodded absently, unable to find the words to articulate his feelings and thoughts. "Takahata." It was his voice, yet he didn't even realize that he'd thought much less spoken aloud. "Take care of her."
The other men looked at him blankly.
"It's you she needs right now, not me." Again the words seemed so distant, almost as though he were watching and listening to someone else speaking. "I'm never going to know what she's going through right now, I lack that perspective that you've got. She's not going to want me around right now."
He didn't even realize it, but somehow he'd made it to the stairwell before Keitaro had caught up to him.
"Where are you going?" his friend demanded.
"She doesn't want me here. She resents me, she's angry at me, I don't belong here."
Exasperated, Keitaro could only gape in surprise as he floundered. Words escaped his grasp at his friend's foolishness.
"Naru's with Takahata right now," Ranma added, further adding to Keitaro's befuddlement. "Well, she was with him before the summer break, and she wants to be with him still. I don't have a place in her life anymore. We've both moved on."
He was running, even though he'd never admit to it. It was the Saotome Ultimate technique, and it worked in not-martial arts situations as well.
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Dreamingfox
"I'll do anything."
It was a phrase that he'd heard many times before. Those three despite words were essential to any good deal, often resulting in an exchange for the speaker's soul.
Looking down at the boy's unwavering blue eyes, the grey eyed demon sighed. He'd thought the boy everything he knew about demonic powers and deals hoping to have the boy spread the word to his foolish peers. It wasn't hard for the na´ve and clueless mortals to summon a demon, often willing to exchange their souls for some power, or physical beauty, or even for the love of someone else.
"I expected better of you Hiro," the well-dressed demon stated as he eyed his former student. "You're willing to trade your soul for a woman you barely know."
Resolute in his decision, brown haired Saotome stood his ground. "Can you cure her?"
"How do you know she has cancer?" he asked, buying time. Of all the souls to claim, this was the one that he desired the least. But it wasn't in his nature to decline a deal, still, he couldn't help but try to find a way for the boy to get out of it.
"You taught me healing magic," Hiro explained. "I may not be good with it yet, but I know when I've found cancer. It disrupts the sensory spell, and any subsequent healing spells because it can't be cured by magic. Cancer generates an unnatural influx of chi which by nature disrupts mana. Only a few select people can generate chi and mana at the same time."
"So it's cancer," Graf muttered. "You know that even we can't cure cancer."
"I know that you can't, but you can have it removed," the boy countered. "By binding a Reaper, or a Shinigami, you can have them transfer the disease from one person to another. I'm willing to offer my soul."
Jaw muscles clenched as the demon looked down at his former student. "I don't have the power to bind a Shinigami. Even with your soul and your slowly developing powers I wouldn't have enough mojo to bind one of them."
For a moment Hiro stood his ground, unwilling to give up so easily.
"He may not be able to bind a Shinigami, but I can."
Both demon and protÚgÚ turned to the newcomer.
"This is my deal," Graf hissed as he looked down at the white haired construct. "Besides, you're no demon."
"I know," the youthful looking construct stated. "But I can pull it off; I just need you to broker the deal."
"Do it," Hiro urged.
The demon paused, glancing from one boy to the other.
"If you don't do it, I'll find someone else who's willing to do it," the brunette added. "Please."
"Fine," he relented. "Who do I transfer the cancer to?"
"Give it to me," Hiro replied coolly.
"What a noble spirit," the construct grinned. "I'm going to enjoy owning your soul."
X X X X X
Skin moistened with perspiration, Ranma stared at the floor, the words of his companions falling on his deaf ears as he struggled to reign in his swirling emotions. Drained mentally, physically, and emotionally, he found himself in the hallway as the doctor and several nurses tended to Naru, undoing the spell that had awoken the comatose woman from her slumber in the wake of her hysteria.
"She didn't mean it," Keitaro whispered.
Ranma sighed.
"She's going through a lot right now."
The immortal nodded absently, unable to find the words to articulate his feelings and thoughts. "Takahata." It was his voice, yet he didn't even realize that he'd thought much less spoken aloud. "Take care of her."
The other men looked at him blankly.
"It's you she needs right now, not me." Again the words seemed so distant, almost as though he were watching and listening to someone else speaking. "I'm never going to know what she's going through right now, I lack that perspective that you've got. She's not going to want me around right now."
He didn't even realize it, but somehow he'd made it to the stairwell before Keitaro had caught up to him.
"Where are you going?" his friend demanded.
"She doesn't want me here. She resents me, she's angry at me, I don't belong here."
Exasperated, Keitaro could only gape in surprise as he floundered. Words escaped his grasp at his friend's foolishness.
"Naru's with Takahata right now," Ranma added, further adding to Keitaro's befuddlement. "Well, she was with him before the summer break, and she wants to be with him still. I don't have a place in her life anymore. We've both moved on."
He was running, even though he'd never admit to it. It was the Saotome Ultimate technique, and it worked in not-martial arts situations as well.
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Dreamingfox
Works for me. I'm just hoping either Naru or Hiro get killed off with this. Naru is more that I generally dislike her (both in series and in fanfics). Hiro, I dunno. A lot of the OC's related directly to Ranma (sons, robots with his memory) irk me because they draw away attention and plots that could involve Ranma, but now don't.
Still, I was pleased to read more.
Still, I was pleased to read more.
Author's Notes -
Bold û Speaking in English or another language, often noted after speaking.
When I started writing 'My Immortal' I had a totally different vision for this fic. It started out as a nice, light crossover and turned into a readable RanmaxNaru fic. And then I tried to expand it to cover more of Akamatsu's works, namely Negima, but then life happened. The plot's taken a dramatic twist, and previous elements have been ignored or pushed aside to take into account the new direction of this fic. I hope you that those of you who still enjoy reading this fic will continue to do so. And for those of you who don't for various reasons, well, I can't please you all, so you're free to write what you want to, but if you do use some plot elements, well, I don't even care if you acknowledge me or not because I'm sure that there are many who have had similar ideas but just haven't put them down on paper (or cyberspace).
X X X X X
The off-white paint gave the room a cold, but clean feeling that unsettled Ranma Saotome's nerves. Logically he understood why the room was painted the way it was, but he couldn't help but feel that the color, or lack thereof, did little to sooth the nerves of those either staying in or visiting the room.
"You should go back to your rooms," he suggested as he looked at the ragged group of girls. "You're going to dirty up the room."
His lame attempt at humor fell on deaf ears as the gathered girls looked down on the tiny figure in the clean bed.
Tears streamed down the faces of his students, some current, one former, as they fought to contain their emotions.
"What happened?"
Everyone turned towards the door at the towering international student as he and Tenma entered the room.
"We were sparring," Shinobu explained, "and then suddenly he fell over. We thought he was just playing around at first, but thenà"
Tenma glanced at the girls, noting their appearance before turning to his brother.
"The doctor says that it's cancer," an edge to his voice as he accepted the man's diagnosis. "Brain tumor, but it's also shot off a clot that got into his lungs."
Tenma's blue eyes focused on Hiro, his artificial eyes taking in everything. "There's nothing we can do," he deduced, his tone cold and even.
"How can you say that?" Asuna snapped, a hint of anger and frustration in her eyes. "Isn't there anything"
"Magic won't work," Luke interrupted. "While magic can suppress cancer, it can't cure it. Only dark magic can truly cure it, but that would require something like another person's life or their soul."
"There are limits to what magic can do," Ranma added.
Only the gentle hiss from the respirator and a few sniffles kept the room from being completely silent as the occupants were at a loss for words.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Maki finally ventured to ask.
"There's a spell that could wake him up for a bit," Ranma stated. "The doctor's gathering mana for it, but won't be able to perform it for another hour. Naru's gone to the house to get some things for me, and Takahata's taking care of Saffron and Negi.
"Tenma, Luke, take the girls back to their rooms, they look like they could use a bath," he ordered. "I'm sure that you and Luke haven't eaten yet, so get some food while you're out as well.
"Haruna, call your parents, let them know what's happened."
Reluctantly they left, leaving him alone with his youngest son.
He didn't know why, but something about the entire situation bothered him. True, he didn't know who Hiro's biological mother was, and what her family history was, but surely Dr. Tofu would have checked her family's history for cancer. A critical illness like this would have worked against his plan to use the children to fight against their father.
It didn't make sense. Something was wrongà but what? What did he miss?
Straining his already exhausted mind, he struggled to make sense of everything. His normally keen mind failed to register the sound of the gentle knocking at the door or of it opening.
"Ranma?"
Glancing up, he felt his unease lighten slightly. "Motoko, what are you doing here?"
"I was told that Naru was in the hospital," the Shinmei-ryu heir replied.
Ranma blinked at the news, "She was, she was here visiting Hiro, but she's gone now."
It was the kendoka's turn to blink as she processed his words. "But Keitaro called and told me that Naru was in the hospital."
The immortal opened his mouth to correct her, only to realize that he hadn't informed Keitaro or anyone from the Hinata Sou about Tenma's condition. "She was admitted for exhaustion, but she was released just before Hiro was admitted."
The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt, as though someone was blocking his memories. If Keitaro and Mutsumi had been here to visit Naru, why hadn't they stopped to visit Hiro?
Straining his mind, he momentarily forgot about Motoko, allowing her to slam her hand against his forehead. The feel of cool metal pressed against his suddenly hot skin sent a soothing wave of relief throughout his body.
"You've been enchanted," she muttered. "It's powerful."
"Damn," the immortal cursed. "What's going on here."
"I'll get a nurse."
"No. I don't trust them."
The kendoka gave him an amused look.
"I'm not in good standing here, you know that. To them I'm still an outsider regardless of what the Dean says."
"Someone sealed and altered your memories, but why?"
X X X X X
Tenma Saotome was not curious by nature. The cyborg tended to simply accept the facts presented to him, but something about this entire situation with his brother was off. The facts just weren't adding up.
"You say that you were sparring," he remarked aloud, surprising himself as he heard his own voice.
"Yes, we were sparring," the buxom blunette stated as she glanced curiously at the cyborg.
"Yeah, we were sparring," Asuna reaffirmed.
"Where?" Luke asked.
"In the forest outside of town," Haruna answered. "Why?"
"You don't look like you've been sparring in the forest." Again Tenma scanned the girls. "There are no grass or mud stains on any of you."
"Did you clean up afterwards?" the more tactful of the two boys asked.
"No, we rushed to the hospital," Ayaka replied.
"Why don't you girls go back to the dorms," Luke suggested. "I'm sure that if we take you back to the dorms and try to get some stuff back at the dojo we won't make it back in time."
"That's a good idea," Shinobu agreed quickly. "Besides, you don't even know where I live now. Why don't we just meet back up at the hospital."
Before Tenma could even protest, Luke placed his firm hand on his friend's shoulder, drawing him away from the girls.
"What are you doing?" the cyborg asked, his English far better than what anyone expected.
"You're basically calling the girls liars," Luke replied once they were out of earshot. "That's never a good thing to do. If things aren't adding up, it's possible that they don't know what's going on either. And with Asuna and Ayaka's temper, calling them liars would probably result in a fight."
There was no denying the werewolf's logic. "So, what do we do?"
"I've got their scent, so we back track it from the hospital, alright?"
"Fine."
X X X X X
It was wrong, it was all wrong.
Naru Narusegawa was smiling, happy even, but she knew she shouldn't be. Not when Ranma was in such misery; not when Hiro was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Yet she couldn't help but be happy.
That was why she'd excused herself from the hospital, why she'd jumped at the chance to leave his side even when he probably needed her support; support that he was far too proud to admit he needed.
She couldn't explain it, but somehow it felt as though she now had a new lease on life.
'Maybe Hiro's mortality that reminded me how short my own life is,' she pondered as she tried to put a different spin on things. 'Not everyone's going to live as long as Ranma, and it's probably tearing him up inside to have to watch Hiro dying before his eyes. He truly is cursed.'
X X X X X
"Where have you been?"
Shinobu Maehara had expected such an outburst upon returning to Evangeline's cabin. The temperamental vampire was prone to such fits, forcing the young university student to deal with her master's mood before getting down to business.
"There was an emergency," she replied as she offered the tiny blond a polite, yet rushed bow. "But I believe my memories have been tampered with."
Temper tantrum abated, she looked into the lavender eyes of the vampire, allowing her master to peer into her mind.
"Yes, they have," Evangeline scowled as she pulled away from the buxom young woman. "It's powerful, but I could undo it."
Reassured, Shinobu offered a weak smile.
"But do I want to?"
She froze at her master's words.
"It's probably better that you don't know the truth," Eva teased. "I gain nothing from restoring your memory, but I risk much. You've a bond with your former peers and my fellow classmates, and you all share the same memory block, though perhaps it's best to not share too much with them."
Her mind raced, catching the subtle hints that the immortal before her dropped. "I wasn't sparring with them, I was actually fighting them."
"Ah, see, you're beginning to piece things together already," taunted the vampire. "You don't need me for this."
X X X X X
Following Luke's keen nose, it didn't take too long for the duo to find just where the girls' had claimed to be sparring. The now empty glade appeared to have seen better days, but not because there'd been a fight. To an untrained eye it might have appeared that way, but to Tenma Saotome it was clear something else had moved things around to hide what had truly happened.
"Magic," the blond stated as he sniffed the air. "Powerful magic, probably at least on the level of a major demon. They're just beyond the city's wards so it's possible.
"It doesn't make any sense; why would they come here to spar?"
"They didn't," the cyborg concluded. "Most magical students spar in secluded areas throughout the city and campus, they never leave the protection of the wards just for a spar."
"Then they were really fighting?"
Tenma shook his head. "Perhaps, but not here. The footprints don't suggest a fight or sparring, but the injuries that the girls' had suggest more than just light sparring." He pointed to the ground and the light dirt tracks. "They were knocked out by a powerful spell, that's what pushed things around."
With no further clues around, the pair reluctantly followed the girls' trail back into the city, making their way swiftly over the roof tops.
"This is where they fought," Tenma declared.
Though the back street had seen plenty of traffic during the day, the wolf's keen nose and the cyborg's discerning eye picked up evidence of the fight between the girls.
"Shinobu picked them apart," Tenma stated.
"Smells like she knocked Asuna into the wall over here," Luke said as he sniffed the wall. "Maki was using her ribbon, and Ayaka and Asuna faced off against Maehara-sempai. Smells like before the girls got here it was just Hiro and Shinobu.
"She cased him from down there," he pointed down the street. "Caught up to him, then tried to get away only to have the girls come across them from over there" he pointed to the other intersection "and Hiro took off going that way" he pointed back where they had come.
"But why was he at the train station?"
Tenma snapped to attention, "He was trying to leave the city."
"But why?"
"We have to get back home," the cyborg declared. "Find what's missing in father's room û that'll tell us what kind of spell Hiro cast."
X X X X X
Despite her earlier protests, Evangeline McDowell knew that she couldn't just let things lay as they were. Though Shinobu was her newest partner and minion, the vampire couldn't let the fact that someone had tampered with the girl's memories go.
The easiest route was of course a magic-canceling spell, but that wouldn't tell her who had altered the blunette's memories or why. True, there was the possibility that once Shinobu regained her real memories she could discover the source and cause, but it was no guarantee.
The other option was to simply overpower the existing spell, no simple feat considering her current predicament. Yes, the full moon would grant her more of her powers, but then they'd have to wait until nightfall. Though the immortal had the time to spare, it was clear from her young partner's pacing that Maehara lacked patience.
"Is there something bothering you?" ventured the vampire.
For a moment the blunette paused, reluctantly looking away. "What do you know about cancer?"
"There's no magical cure," she replied. "Why?"
Again the girl paused.
"Why do you look like you've been fighting?" she asked instead.
"I was sparring with Saotome sensei's students."
Keen eyes narrowed as the vampire eyed her mortal partner.
"I think I might have been fighting with them against whomever altered our memories."
"Really?" That was an interesting morsel. "A wide ranging memory wipeà Tell me everything that you remember about today from the time you woke up until the time you came back to the cabin."
X X X X X
"He was definitely in here," Luke stated as he sniffed the air around Ranma's bedroom. "The door's warded against me though."
The cyborg nodded. Privacy was one of his father's major concerns. It didn't surprise him that he'd protected the room and barred most from entering. But if Hiro had gotten in then he could get in as well. There were only a few times when the cyborg had entered his father's room, usually to get something that the elder Saotome kept in his room. Trusting in the fact that the room wasn't warded against him, Tenma stepped through the threshold, his eyes scanning the room even as he accessed previous visual recordings of his time in the room.
"Shit," he found himself cursing. "Hiro took the staff."
Dashing out of the room, he looked up at his bewildered companion.
"The staff that father used to summon the demon who raised Hiro for the last few years."
Luke blinked at the implication. "Why would Hiro make a deal with a demon? Why would he want to get cancer?"
Tenma paused, running that very question through his processors. It didn't make sense. There was no logical reason why Hiro would do something like that. "I need to report this to father."
X X X X X
The atmosphere of the Sakura Lane Girls' Dormitory was often described as energetic and jubilant by the residents, even during finals and exams as the young girls rarely let anything sour their moods. It was one of the reasons why Chao enjoyed living in the dorms. Not only were her classmates quick to pick up on each other's moods, they were quick to step in and try to brighten each other's day.
As the end of the summer break loomed on the horizon, the class genius had opted to simply enjoy the vibe of the dorm rather than straining to complete her long-term goals. With her resources spread so thin already she should have been trying to discover the reason for the power flare the other day, but with no concrete leads she knew that it was best to just let things go as they were. She'd be able to keep an eye out for any further developments, but for now she couldn't do anything more than push forward with her plans.
"Asuna!" the ever cheerful Konoka called out as she stood before the common room window and waved down to her roommate.
"It looks like they've had a hard day at the dojo," Ako remarked as she joined Konoka at the window.
Stealing a glance out the window, Chao eyed her future opponents. As a student of history, well, her present would be history, she knew which students to watch out for. It was no surprise that Asuna and Ayaka were two of the class' foremost figures, their reputations already spreading throughout the campus. Maki was at best a second tier threat to her plans, but her fervor and loyalty were unquestionable. Haruna was the most troublesome as her abilities and methods were unorthodox. The recent addition of Kaede though seemed to throw a wrench into her plans, though the kunoichi had always been a mystery as she kept everyone but the twins at a distance.
"Something's wrong," remarked the ever emotive Konoka.
"They are back from training a bit early," Ako reaffirmed as she and Konoka turned away from the window and rushed towards their respective rooms.
Curious, Chao and Kazumi, as well as a few other girls followed.
"Maybe Asuna got shot down," speculated Misa.
Sakurako paused to reflect before replying, "I thought she wasn't going to do 'it' until the last day of the break."
"Maybe the found him with another girl?" interjected Madoka.
"Maybe they found out he's gay?" Misa added.
"No way!" exclaimed Sakurako.
"He does spend a lot of time with Luke," said Misa.
"But he's dating Ako," Madoka pouted.
"Well, he is pretty dreamy, and just because Luke can't return his feelings doesn't mean that Tenma might not swing that way," stated Misa. The other cheerleaders sighed, exasperated and defeated by their peer's skewed logic and conviction.
Chao had long ago learned to tune out the frivolous girls' chatter as their random ideas rarely held any relevant information. Kazumi was the best source for any pertinent information, at least anything that hadn't been covered in the various biographies and books about the past which was now her present.
"Asuna," Konoka called out as the usually fiery redhead and the others emerged from the stair well, "what's wrong?"
Never one to keep her emotions in check, it was painfully obvious that Asuna was putting on a strong face.
"It's Hiro," the usually calm and cool Ayaka replied unsteadily with hint of grief and sorrow.
Before anyone could say anything else Kaede stepped forward, shaking her head and immediately silencing everyone. In a rare display of support for her former rival, Asuna put her arm around Ayaka's trembling shoulders, leading the tall blond away from their classmates.
While the younger Saotome was actually just as old, if not older than the girls of 2-A, his appearance was that of someone a few years younger than them. It didn't help that he looked nothing like his older brother, or that Tenma appeared to be significantly older than Hiro despite the year or so difference in their ages û similar to how the twins appeared so young, especially compared to Kaede, despite being the same age as the rest of them. Few had them had met the newest Saotome as he'd only come to Mahora less than a month ago, but more and more had spotted him with Tenma and Luke.
Most knew that Ayaka had a thing for younger boys. But over the past few weeks she'd apparently become enamored with him, mentioning him often in the little time she and the others weren't training and were actually with the girls of 2-A. Evidently she'd latched onto the younger Saotome sibling in her slow progression away from younger boys.
Whatever was happening though had obviously shaken the usually unflappable Class Rep. Only Asuna was capable of getting Ayaka worked up, but for her former rival to offer her comfort and support led the remaining girls of 2-A to speculate on what was going on.
X X X X X
The tiny hospital room was thick with tension as the raven haired immortal paced. Everyone who truly knew Ranma Saotome knew that he thought best while fighting, but it was clear that now was not the time for it. Forced to make do with simply pacing, the master martial artist walked back and forth before the foot of his son's bed.
For her part Motoko Aoyama knew better than to disrupt his train of thought. In the handful of years that she'd known him she'd only seen him thus once before. His keen mind stretched to the limit as it processed a multitude of facts allowed his highly trained body to move automatically around the room. For someone capable of avoiding physical attacks in his sleep, the act of taking a few steps and turning around was unbelievably simple.
"Aoyama-sama," she heard, her own mind too distracted by her friend's situation to pay attention to the world around her. Reflexively she snapped her head to the side, her eyes locked on the young man before her.
"Tenma," she replied, a smile to her lips. Though she knew what the boy actually was, she still accepted him for what his father wanted him to be. Ranma Saotome was a master illusionist. As such his life was full of lies such as Tenma. Despite the fact that that was not the truth, Ranma and Tenma, as well as those who knew both of them had come to accept it as the truth. "And you must be Luke."
The tall blond nodded, unsure what to say to the beautiful woman before him as he followed Tenma into the tiny room.
There was once a time when seeing a young boy blushing as he looked her over would have upset her, but Motoko had long ago matured past that point. In truth she'd gotten used to such looks as she'd accepted the fact that perhaps she wasn't as plain and ordinary as she'd once thought she was.
"She's Setsuna's sensei," Tenma stated as he closed the door to the room.
Her senses tingled as she noticed the cyborg perform a sweep of the room with his electronic sensors. "Father"
"What did you find?" the immortal asked as he glanced at his son.
She could feel Luke's eyes on her, this time looking past her physical beauty as he gauged her trustworthiness. Though she was a martial arts master herself as well as a close friend of his master's the werewolf knew little about her.
"Hiro used the Count's staff," the cyborg stated.
Ranma froze, his pacing halted at the discovery. "That's enough," the elder Saotome stated, ending the discussion.
"But" Luke interjected.
"Not now," Motoko proclaimed. "The doctor will be here any minute now to revive Hiro."
As the head of the Shinmeiryu, she knew the implications. Dealing with demons was forbidden. In the past the Shinmeiryu had been called in to exterminate demons and those who had dealt with them. Only a handful of people knew that Ranma had previously made a deal with a demon, a secret that none of them dared share. As respected leaders of their own clans and schools they could not be associated with someone like Ranma should word ever get out.
Under Happosai the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? had been little more than a small group of unstoppable dojo destroyers, thieves, and upstarts, but under Ryoga the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? had become respectable. With Ranma now in position to become the next Grand Master the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? was set to become a true power inside the martial arts and magical world. A scandal like this though would undo all credibility that both Ryoga and Ranma had established, forcing the others like the Kanto Magic Association and Kansai Magic Association to disavow and shun him. While the other MA's might accept half-demons and even lesser demons into their ranks, forming a contract with a greater demon was unacceptable.
This was serious dark magic and grounds for the other MA's to put a bounty on his head. Even she couldn't protect Hiro. Then again, he wouldn't need protecting, not for much longer anyways.
"Father," the boy called out weakly.
"Hiro." She could hear the tension in his voice as her friend and former lover rushed to his son's side.
"Tenma," the brown haired Saotome muttered as he turned to face his elder sibling.
"Hiro," Tenma returned as he pulled the mask off of his brother's face.
Motoko and Luke stood back, allowing the Saotome family to share the unscripted moment.
"Why?" the cyborg asked as he gripped the magical staff for his brother to see.
The younger Saotome licked his lips, "You'll understand someday."
X X X X X
All of the girls in class 2-A knew that doubt and concern rarely appeared on Konoka Konoe's face. The carefree girl was said to be unflinchingly optimistic even in the face of the most daunting of tasks. Yet something had clearly shaken her.
Tasked as she was to watch over her former childhood friend Setsuna Sakurazaki couldn't help but feel a bit flustered as she noted the furrowed brow on her classmate's face.
"You're worried about her," the class genius stated as she startled the kendoka from her reverie.
"Yes," the unofficial face of 2-A replied.
'Of course, no one really talks to me,' the kendoka thought in relief as she continued to watch from a distance.
"You've grown distant lately," Chao stated as she walked over towards Konoka. "I barely see you two together anymore. Asuna's always with Ayaka, Maki, Haruna, and now Kaede."
"Saotome-sensei pushes them hard," Konoka replied as she forced a smile.
"Sensei no want others to know his training secrets," Ku Fei interjected. "But this different û they no feel like they were training - something bad happen."
A chill ran down Setsuna's spine at the kung fu prodigy's proclamation. Had something happened to Hiro?
"We find out," the foreign born girl urged as she took Konoka's hand into hers, pulling the petite girl out of her seat.
"But," the ever proper Konoka protested.
"You come too," Ku Fei suggested as she turned to the kendoka. "Saotome-sensei should know Hiro have many friends."
The kung fu master's words erased any lingering doubts that Konoka had. Everyone knew that the empathetic girl always had a soft spot for other people's suffering and pain. Though she barely knew Hiro, the youngest Saotome sibling had been spending more and more time with the girls of 2-A over the past few weeks and he was Haruna's cousin. "Okay."
Though her face remained neutral, Setsuna couldn't help but feel concerned about the recent turn of events. Everyone in the Shinmeiryu knew of Ranma Saotome and respected his prowess, but that had not kept some of them from speaking of him behind his back. Not that he was around much, but his bond to the former acting head of the Shinmeiryu's husband and her predecessor made him a frequent target.
Speculation about his numerous children and the fact that none of them had the same mother, and why some had supposedly been raised by less than reputable martial arts masters or magi before being taken in by the Shinmeiryu or by the Grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? tainted the young kendoka's view of the respected master. With as many children as he was said to have fathered, why was he only raising two? And why were they all the same age? Of the ones she'd heard of and met, only Tenma was older than she was, though the difference in their age was supposed to be less than a year. Ryoko, Hiro, and Akira were all her age, and their birthdays were only a few weeks apart.
No matter how she looked at things the facts just didn't seem to add up and it was all the things she didn't know about Saotome-sensei that urged her to be cautious around him. Still, if Konoka was going to investigate, then it was her duty to accompany her, to keep her safe of course.
X X X X X
A/N
Feed back is always welcome.
Bold û Speaking in English or another language, often noted after speaking.
When I started writing 'My Immortal' I had a totally different vision for this fic. It started out as a nice, light crossover and turned into a readable RanmaxNaru fic. And then I tried to expand it to cover more of Akamatsu's works, namely Negima, but then life happened. The plot's taken a dramatic twist, and previous elements have been ignored or pushed aside to take into account the new direction of this fic. I hope you that those of you who still enjoy reading this fic will continue to do so. And for those of you who don't for various reasons, well, I can't please you all, so you're free to write what you want to, but if you do use some plot elements, well, I don't even care if you acknowledge me or not because I'm sure that there are many who have had similar ideas but just haven't put them down on paper (or cyberspace).
X X X X X
The off-white paint gave the room a cold, but clean feeling that unsettled Ranma Saotome's nerves. Logically he understood why the room was painted the way it was, but he couldn't help but feel that the color, or lack thereof, did little to sooth the nerves of those either staying in or visiting the room.
"You should go back to your rooms," he suggested as he looked at the ragged group of girls. "You're going to dirty up the room."
His lame attempt at humor fell on deaf ears as the gathered girls looked down on the tiny figure in the clean bed.
Tears streamed down the faces of his students, some current, one former, as they fought to contain their emotions.
"What happened?"
Everyone turned towards the door at the towering international student as he and Tenma entered the room.
"We were sparring," Shinobu explained, "and then suddenly he fell over. We thought he was just playing around at first, but thenà"
Tenma glanced at the girls, noting their appearance before turning to his brother.
"The doctor says that it's cancer," an edge to his voice as he accepted the man's diagnosis. "Brain tumor, but it's also shot off a clot that got into his lungs."
Tenma's blue eyes focused on Hiro, his artificial eyes taking in everything. "There's nothing we can do," he deduced, his tone cold and even.
"How can you say that?" Asuna snapped, a hint of anger and frustration in her eyes. "Isn't there anything"
"Magic won't work," Luke interrupted. "While magic can suppress cancer, it can't cure it. Only dark magic can truly cure it, but that would require something like another person's life or their soul."
"There are limits to what magic can do," Ranma added.
Only the gentle hiss from the respirator and a few sniffles kept the room from being completely silent as the occupants were at a loss for words.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Maki finally ventured to ask.
"There's a spell that could wake him up for a bit," Ranma stated. "The doctor's gathering mana for it, but won't be able to perform it for another hour. Naru's gone to the house to get some things for me, and Takahata's taking care of Saffron and Negi.
"Tenma, Luke, take the girls back to their rooms, they look like they could use a bath," he ordered. "I'm sure that you and Luke haven't eaten yet, so get some food while you're out as well.
"Haruna, call your parents, let them know what's happened."
Reluctantly they left, leaving him alone with his youngest son.
He didn't know why, but something about the entire situation bothered him. True, he didn't know who Hiro's biological mother was, and what her family history was, but surely Dr. Tofu would have checked her family's history for cancer. A critical illness like this would have worked against his plan to use the children to fight against their father.
It didn't make sense. Something was wrongà but what? What did he miss?
Straining his already exhausted mind, he struggled to make sense of everything. His normally keen mind failed to register the sound of the gentle knocking at the door or of it opening.
"Ranma?"
Glancing up, he felt his unease lighten slightly. "Motoko, what are you doing here?"
"I was told that Naru was in the hospital," the Shinmei-ryu heir replied.
Ranma blinked at the news, "She was, she was here visiting Hiro, but she's gone now."
It was the kendoka's turn to blink as she processed his words. "But Keitaro called and told me that Naru was in the hospital."
The immortal opened his mouth to correct her, only to realize that he hadn't informed Keitaro or anyone from the Hinata Sou about Tenma's condition. "She was admitted for exhaustion, but she was released just before Hiro was admitted."
The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt, as though someone was blocking his memories. If Keitaro and Mutsumi had been here to visit Naru, why hadn't they stopped to visit Hiro?
Straining his mind, he momentarily forgot about Motoko, allowing her to slam her hand against his forehead. The feel of cool metal pressed against his suddenly hot skin sent a soothing wave of relief throughout his body.
"You've been enchanted," she muttered. "It's powerful."
"Damn," the immortal cursed. "What's going on here."
"I'll get a nurse."
"No. I don't trust them."
The kendoka gave him an amused look.
"I'm not in good standing here, you know that. To them I'm still an outsider regardless of what the Dean says."
"Someone sealed and altered your memories, but why?"
X X X X X
Tenma Saotome was not curious by nature. The cyborg tended to simply accept the facts presented to him, but something about this entire situation with his brother was off. The facts just weren't adding up.
"You say that you were sparring," he remarked aloud, surprising himself as he heard his own voice.
"Yes, we were sparring," the buxom blunette stated as she glanced curiously at the cyborg.
"Yeah, we were sparring," Asuna reaffirmed.
"Where?" Luke asked.
"In the forest outside of town," Haruna answered. "Why?"
"You don't look like you've been sparring in the forest." Again Tenma scanned the girls. "There are no grass or mud stains on any of you."
"Did you clean up afterwards?" the more tactful of the two boys asked.
"No, we rushed to the hospital," Ayaka replied.
"Why don't you girls go back to the dorms," Luke suggested. "I'm sure that if we take you back to the dorms and try to get some stuff back at the dojo we won't make it back in time."
"That's a good idea," Shinobu agreed quickly. "Besides, you don't even know where I live now. Why don't we just meet back up at the hospital."
Before Tenma could even protest, Luke placed his firm hand on his friend's shoulder, drawing him away from the girls.
"What are you doing?" the cyborg asked, his English far better than what anyone expected.
"You're basically calling the girls liars," Luke replied once they were out of earshot. "That's never a good thing to do. If things aren't adding up, it's possible that they don't know what's going on either. And with Asuna and Ayaka's temper, calling them liars would probably result in a fight."
There was no denying the werewolf's logic. "So, what do we do?"
"I've got their scent, so we back track it from the hospital, alright?"
"Fine."
X X X X X
It was wrong, it was all wrong.
Naru Narusegawa was smiling, happy even, but she knew she shouldn't be. Not when Ranma was in such misery; not when Hiro was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Yet she couldn't help but be happy.
That was why she'd excused herself from the hospital, why she'd jumped at the chance to leave his side even when he probably needed her support; support that he was far too proud to admit he needed.
She couldn't explain it, but somehow it felt as though she now had a new lease on life.
'Maybe Hiro's mortality that reminded me how short my own life is,' she pondered as she tried to put a different spin on things. 'Not everyone's going to live as long as Ranma, and it's probably tearing him up inside to have to watch Hiro dying before his eyes. He truly is cursed.'
X X X X X
"Where have you been?"
Shinobu Maehara had expected such an outburst upon returning to Evangeline's cabin. The temperamental vampire was prone to such fits, forcing the young university student to deal with her master's mood before getting down to business.
"There was an emergency," she replied as she offered the tiny blond a polite, yet rushed bow. "But I believe my memories have been tampered with."
Temper tantrum abated, she looked into the lavender eyes of the vampire, allowing her master to peer into her mind.
"Yes, they have," Evangeline scowled as she pulled away from the buxom young woman. "It's powerful, but I could undo it."
Reassured, Shinobu offered a weak smile.
"But do I want to?"
She froze at her master's words.
"It's probably better that you don't know the truth," Eva teased. "I gain nothing from restoring your memory, but I risk much. You've a bond with your former peers and my fellow classmates, and you all share the same memory block, though perhaps it's best to not share too much with them."
Her mind raced, catching the subtle hints that the immortal before her dropped. "I wasn't sparring with them, I was actually fighting them."
"Ah, see, you're beginning to piece things together already," taunted the vampire. "You don't need me for this."
X X X X X
Following Luke's keen nose, it didn't take too long for the duo to find just where the girls' had claimed to be sparring. The now empty glade appeared to have seen better days, but not because there'd been a fight. To an untrained eye it might have appeared that way, but to Tenma Saotome it was clear something else had moved things around to hide what had truly happened.
"Magic," the blond stated as he sniffed the air. "Powerful magic, probably at least on the level of a major demon. They're just beyond the city's wards so it's possible.
"It doesn't make any sense; why would they come here to spar?"
"They didn't," the cyborg concluded. "Most magical students spar in secluded areas throughout the city and campus, they never leave the protection of the wards just for a spar."
"Then they were really fighting?"
Tenma shook his head. "Perhaps, but not here. The footprints don't suggest a fight or sparring, but the injuries that the girls' had suggest more than just light sparring." He pointed to the ground and the light dirt tracks. "They were knocked out by a powerful spell, that's what pushed things around."
With no further clues around, the pair reluctantly followed the girls' trail back into the city, making their way swiftly over the roof tops.
"This is where they fought," Tenma declared.
Though the back street had seen plenty of traffic during the day, the wolf's keen nose and the cyborg's discerning eye picked up evidence of the fight between the girls.
"Shinobu picked them apart," Tenma stated.
"Smells like she knocked Asuna into the wall over here," Luke said as he sniffed the wall. "Maki was using her ribbon, and Ayaka and Asuna faced off against Maehara-sempai. Smells like before the girls got here it was just Hiro and Shinobu.
"She cased him from down there," he pointed down the street. "Caught up to him, then tried to get away only to have the girls come across them from over there" he pointed to the other intersection "and Hiro took off going that way" he pointed back where they had come.
"But why was he at the train station?"
Tenma snapped to attention, "He was trying to leave the city."
"But why?"
"We have to get back home," the cyborg declared. "Find what's missing in father's room û that'll tell us what kind of spell Hiro cast."
X X X X X
Despite her earlier protests, Evangeline McDowell knew that she couldn't just let things lay as they were. Though Shinobu was her newest partner and minion, the vampire couldn't let the fact that someone had tampered with the girl's memories go.
The easiest route was of course a magic-canceling spell, but that wouldn't tell her who had altered the blunette's memories or why. True, there was the possibility that once Shinobu regained her real memories she could discover the source and cause, but it was no guarantee.
The other option was to simply overpower the existing spell, no simple feat considering her current predicament. Yes, the full moon would grant her more of her powers, but then they'd have to wait until nightfall. Though the immortal had the time to spare, it was clear from her young partner's pacing that Maehara lacked patience.
"Is there something bothering you?" ventured the vampire.
For a moment the blunette paused, reluctantly looking away. "What do you know about cancer?"
"There's no magical cure," she replied. "Why?"
Again the girl paused.
"Why do you look like you've been fighting?" she asked instead.
"I was sparring with Saotome sensei's students."
Keen eyes narrowed as the vampire eyed her mortal partner.
"I think I might have been fighting with them against whomever altered our memories."
"Really?" That was an interesting morsel. "A wide ranging memory wipeà Tell me everything that you remember about today from the time you woke up until the time you came back to the cabin."
X X X X X
"He was definitely in here," Luke stated as he sniffed the air around Ranma's bedroom. "The door's warded against me though."
The cyborg nodded. Privacy was one of his father's major concerns. It didn't surprise him that he'd protected the room and barred most from entering. But if Hiro had gotten in then he could get in as well. There were only a few times when the cyborg had entered his father's room, usually to get something that the elder Saotome kept in his room. Trusting in the fact that the room wasn't warded against him, Tenma stepped through the threshold, his eyes scanning the room even as he accessed previous visual recordings of his time in the room.
"Shit," he found himself cursing. "Hiro took the staff."
Dashing out of the room, he looked up at his bewildered companion.
"The staff that father used to summon the demon who raised Hiro for the last few years."
Luke blinked at the implication. "Why would Hiro make a deal with a demon? Why would he want to get cancer?"
Tenma paused, running that very question through his processors. It didn't make sense. There was no logical reason why Hiro would do something like that. "I need to report this to father."
X X X X X
The atmosphere of the Sakura Lane Girls' Dormitory was often described as energetic and jubilant by the residents, even during finals and exams as the young girls rarely let anything sour their moods. It was one of the reasons why Chao enjoyed living in the dorms. Not only were her classmates quick to pick up on each other's moods, they were quick to step in and try to brighten each other's day.
As the end of the summer break loomed on the horizon, the class genius had opted to simply enjoy the vibe of the dorm rather than straining to complete her long-term goals. With her resources spread so thin already she should have been trying to discover the reason for the power flare the other day, but with no concrete leads she knew that it was best to just let things go as they were. She'd be able to keep an eye out for any further developments, but for now she couldn't do anything more than push forward with her plans.
"Asuna!" the ever cheerful Konoka called out as she stood before the common room window and waved down to her roommate.
"It looks like they've had a hard day at the dojo," Ako remarked as she joined Konoka at the window.
Stealing a glance out the window, Chao eyed her future opponents. As a student of history, well, her present would be history, she knew which students to watch out for. It was no surprise that Asuna and Ayaka were two of the class' foremost figures, their reputations already spreading throughout the campus. Maki was at best a second tier threat to her plans, but her fervor and loyalty were unquestionable. Haruna was the most troublesome as her abilities and methods were unorthodox. The recent addition of Kaede though seemed to throw a wrench into her plans, though the kunoichi had always been a mystery as she kept everyone but the twins at a distance.
"Something's wrong," remarked the ever emotive Konoka.
"They are back from training a bit early," Ako reaffirmed as she and Konoka turned away from the window and rushed towards their respective rooms.
Curious, Chao and Kazumi, as well as a few other girls followed.
"Maybe Asuna got shot down," speculated Misa.
Sakurako paused to reflect before replying, "I thought she wasn't going to do 'it' until the last day of the break."
"Maybe the found him with another girl?" interjected Madoka.
"Maybe they found out he's gay?" Misa added.
"No way!" exclaimed Sakurako.
"He does spend a lot of time with Luke," said Misa.
"But he's dating Ako," Madoka pouted.
"Well, he is pretty dreamy, and just because Luke can't return his feelings doesn't mean that Tenma might not swing that way," stated Misa. The other cheerleaders sighed, exasperated and defeated by their peer's skewed logic and conviction.
Chao had long ago learned to tune out the frivolous girls' chatter as their random ideas rarely held any relevant information. Kazumi was the best source for any pertinent information, at least anything that hadn't been covered in the various biographies and books about the past which was now her present.
"Asuna," Konoka called out as the usually fiery redhead and the others emerged from the stair well, "what's wrong?"
Never one to keep her emotions in check, it was painfully obvious that Asuna was putting on a strong face.
"It's Hiro," the usually calm and cool Ayaka replied unsteadily with hint of grief and sorrow.
Before anyone could say anything else Kaede stepped forward, shaking her head and immediately silencing everyone. In a rare display of support for her former rival, Asuna put her arm around Ayaka's trembling shoulders, leading the tall blond away from their classmates.
While the younger Saotome was actually just as old, if not older than the girls of 2-A, his appearance was that of someone a few years younger than them. It didn't help that he looked nothing like his older brother, or that Tenma appeared to be significantly older than Hiro despite the year or so difference in their ages û similar to how the twins appeared so young, especially compared to Kaede, despite being the same age as the rest of them. Few had them had met the newest Saotome as he'd only come to Mahora less than a month ago, but more and more had spotted him with Tenma and Luke.
Most knew that Ayaka had a thing for younger boys. But over the past few weeks she'd apparently become enamored with him, mentioning him often in the little time she and the others weren't training and were actually with the girls of 2-A. Evidently she'd latched onto the younger Saotome sibling in her slow progression away from younger boys.
Whatever was happening though had obviously shaken the usually unflappable Class Rep. Only Asuna was capable of getting Ayaka worked up, but for her former rival to offer her comfort and support led the remaining girls of 2-A to speculate on what was going on.
X X X X X
The tiny hospital room was thick with tension as the raven haired immortal paced. Everyone who truly knew Ranma Saotome knew that he thought best while fighting, but it was clear that now was not the time for it. Forced to make do with simply pacing, the master martial artist walked back and forth before the foot of his son's bed.
For her part Motoko Aoyama knew better than to disrupt his train of thought. In the handful of years that she'd known him she'd only seen him thus once before. His keen mind stretched to the limit as it processed a multitude of facts allowed his highly trained body to move automatically around the room. For someone capable of avoiding physical attacks in his sleep, the act of taking a few steps and turning around was unbelievably simple.
"Aoyama-sama," she heard, her own mind too distracted by her friend's situation to pay attention to the world around her. Reflexively she snapped her head to the side, her eyes locked on the young man before her.
"Tenma," she replied, a smile to her lips. Though she knew what the boy actually was, she still accepted him for what his father wanted him to be. Ranma Saotome was a master illusionist. As such his life was full of lies such as Tenma. Despite the fact that that was not the truth, Ranma and Tenma, as well as those who knew both of them had come to accept it as the truth. "And you must be Luke."
The tall blond nodded, unsure what to say to the beautiful woman before him as he followed Tenma into the tiny room.
There was once a time when seeing a young boy blushing as he looked her over would have upset her, but Motoko had long ago matured past that point. In truth she'd gotten used to such looks as she'd accepted the fact that perhaps she wasn't as plain and ordinary as she'd once thought she was.
"She's Setsuna's sensei," Tenma stated as he closed the door to the room.
Her senses tingled as she noticed the cyborg perform a sweep of the room with his electronic sensors. "Father"
"What did you find?" the immortal asked as he glanced at his son.
She could feel Luke's eyes on her, this time looking past her physical beauty as he gauged her trustworthiness. Though she was a martial arts master herself as well as a close friend of his master's the werewolf knew little about her.
"Hiro used the Count's staff," the cyborg stated.
Ranma froze, his pacing halted at the discovery. "That's enough," the elder Saotome stated, ending the discussion.
"But" Luke interjected.
"Not now," Motoko proclaimed. "The doctor will be here any minute now to revive Hiro."
As the head of the Shinmeiryu, she knew the implications. Dealing with demons was forbidden. In the past the Shinmeiryu had been called in to exterminate demons and those who had dealt with them. Only a handful of people knew that Ranma had previously made a deal with a demon, a secret that none of them dared share. As respected leaders of their own clans and schools they could not be associated with someone like Ranma should word ever get out.
Under Happosai the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? had been little more than a small group of unstoppable dojo destroyers, thieves, and upstarts, but under Ryoga the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? had become respectable. With Ranma now in position to become the next Grand Master the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? was set to become a true power inside the martial arts and magical world. A scandal like this though would undo all credibility that both Ryoga and Ranma had established, forcing the others like the Kanto Magic Association and Kansai Magic Association to disavow and shun him. While the other MA's might accept half-demons and even lesser demons into their ranks, forming a contract with a greater demon was unacceptable.
This was serious dark magic and grounds for the other MA's to put a bounty on his head. Even she couldn't protect Hiro. Then again, he wouldn't need protecting, not for much longer anyways.
"Father," the boy called out weakly.
"Hiro." She could hear the tension in his voice as her friend and former lover rushed to his son's side.
"Tenma," the brown haired Saotome muttered as he turned to face his elder sibling.
"Hiro," Tenma returned as he pulled the mask off of his brother's face.
Motoko and Luke stood back, allowing the Saotome family to share the unscripted moment.
"Why?" the cyborg asked as he gripped the magical staff for his brother to see.
The younger Saotome licked his lips, "You'll understand someday."
X X X X X
All of the girls in class 2-A knew that doubt and concern rarely appeared on Konoka Konoe's face. The carefree girl was said to be unflinchingly optimistic even in the face of the most daunting of tasks. Yet something had clearly shaken her.
Tasked as she was to watch over her former childhood friend Setsuna Sakurazaki couldn't help but feel a bit flustered as she noted the furrowed brow on her classmate's face.
"You're worried about her," the class genius stated as she startled the kendoka from her reverie.
"Yes," the unofficial face of 2-A replied.
'Of course, no one really talks to me,' the kendoka thought in relief as she continued to watch from a distance.
"You've grown distant lately," Chao stated as she walked over towards Konoka. "I barely see you two together anymore. Asuna's always with Ayaka, Maki, Haruna, and now Kaede."
"Saotome-sensei pushes them hard," Konoka replied as she forced a smile.
"Sensei no want others to know his training secrets," Ku Fei interjected. "But this different û they no feel like they were training - something bad happen."
A chill ran down Setsuna's spine at the kung fu prodigy's proclamation. Had something happened to Hiro?
"We find out," the foreign born girl urged as she took Konoka's hand into hers, pulling the petite girl out of her seat.
"But," the ever proper Konoka protested.
"You come too," Ku Fei suggested as she turned to the kendoka. "Saotome-sensei should know Hiro have many friends."
The kung fu master's words erased any lingering doubts that Konoka had. Everyone knew that the empathetic girl always had a soft spot for other people's suffering and pain. Though she barely knew Hiro, the youngest Saotome sibling had been spending more and more time with the girls of 2-A over the past few weeks and he was Haruna's cousin. "Okay."
Though her face remained neutral, Setsuna couldn't help but feel concerned about the recent turn of events. Everyone in the Shinmeiryu knew of Ranma Saotome and respected his prowess, but that had not kept some of them from speaking of him behind his back. Not that he was around much, but his bond to the former acting head of the Shinmeiryu's husband and her predecessor made him a frequent target.
Speculation about his numerous children and the fact that none of them had the same mother, and why some had supposedly been raised by less than reputable martial arts masters or magi before being taken in by the Shinmeiryu or by the Grandmaster of the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? tainted the young kendoka's view of the respected master. With as many children as he was said to have fathered, why was he only raising two? And why were they all the same age? Of the ones she'd heard of and met, only Tenma was older than she was, though the difference in their age was supposed to be less than a year. Ryoko, Hiro, and Akira were all her age, and their birthdays were only a few weeks apart.
No matter how she looked at things the facts just didn't seem to add up and it was all the things she didn't know about Saotome-sensei that urged her to be cautious around him. Still, if Konoka was going to investigate, then it was her duty to accompany her, to keep her safe of course.
X X X X X
A/N
Feed back is always welcome.
Author's Notes û
I have to admit, I've been feeling unmotivated recently. I really want to start writing something else, but writing this arc has been therapeutic in a way.
So depressed, stupid Packersà Now I gotta hope that the Pats knock everyone else out, and hope that Brady finally gets his revenge on Elià Don't want stupid Alex Smith winning, and I'd rather Eli represents the NFCà
As always, please Read and Review.
# # # # #
Gentle footsteps filled the spacious room as the cabin's lone occupant paced about the room. "I shouldn't have let her go," the platinum blond grumbled.
"Isn't that why you sent me after her?" her artificial partner replied over the personal radio.
"I should be working on breaking the memory lock," Evangeline huffed.
"But Maehara expressed her desire to be at the hospital," the gynoid replied.
"It's not like she can keep him from dying," the immortal snapped.
"She is not as practiced as you are at facing death," Chachamaru replied.
The muscles in Eva's jaw clinched. 'Young or old, age doesn't matter if you care for someone.'
"Kazumi is at the hospital," the gynoid stated. "Shall I withdraw?"
"She's at the room?" 'Of course she's there,' the vampire mentally scolded herself. Chachamaru would not have mentioned that tidbit of information had the reporter not been on hand.
"Yes," the gynoid's curt reply almost sounded snippy, though Eva knew better.
"Scan everyone for magical tampering."
"It's the hospital," Chachamaru replied. "Almost every patient is undergoing some sort of magical treatment."
"Never mind," the vampire grunted. "I'll be there momentarily."
X X X X X
Hospitals. Few people gave the towering buildings little thought except when confronted with them. Though the assortment of specifically placed fauna was meant to make the building appear visually appealing and relaxing, it did little to sooth Ako Izumi. As class 2-A's 'nurse' the grey haired girl had spent the most time at the hospital leading all but those closest to her to believe that she was comfortable being there. That was far from being true though.
The hulking, disinfected building was definitely Ako's least favorite place despite the amount of time she spent there. Playing nurse had come naturally to her as she'd spent innumerous days there since coming to Mahora. Then again, it really hadn't been her choice. Learning how to handle needles, band aids, gauze, and about various medications had never been a choice.
'No wonder Makie didn't say anything,' mused Ako as she watched the quintet of girls hastily enter the hospital. 'She knows how I feel about coming here when I don't have to.'
"Ako," Kazumi called out as the class reporter popped up beside her. "You're pretty friendly with the hospital staff, right?"
Reflexively the smaller girl nodded. Now really wasn't the time for her to reveal her own secrets and lies. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, I was thinking that your contacts might be able to give us the scoop on why they're here," replied the ever noisy redhead.
"I think it's best that we just follow them for now," Konoka suggested as their classmates headed for the back of the lobby.
"Yeah," Ako agreed as she allowed the brunette to take the lead.
Their conversation momentarily ended, the girls rushed to keep up with their classmates while trying not to draw any attention to themselves. Fortunately for her none of the staff bothered to greet her or the others as they made their way past two reception desks, two waiting areas, and up one of the side stairwells.
"I'm glad you came along," Kazumi giggled as the grey haired girl led the group. "I probably would have gotten lost already."
Reaching the landing that the other girls had exited, Ako paused. She'd been here once before. Once, soon after she'd arrived in Mahora. Unfortunately she'd been too young to remember much, though the drug induced haze probably helped as well. Still, simply standing before the Intensive Care Unit sent chills down her spine.
"They went this way," Konoka said, her voice drawing the other girls' attention away from the sign before them. No one paid the grey haired girl any heed as they followed Konoka's lead into the ICU.
"We shouldn't," she squeaked out in protest. Only Ku Fei's firm hand kept her from staying behind as the proud and unabashed martial artist dragged her into the ICU.
"I think they went down here," Kazumi added as they reached an intersection and pointed to the right. The unmanned reception desk kept the group from being questioned as the skeleton crew of nurses attended to their patients' needs.
Ako could feel a lump forming in her breast and stomach. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't stop the others. 'I'm just a background character after all,' she lamented. 'They're not going to listen to me, not when they've gone this far already. There's nothing I can say or do to keep them from going down there.'
As one the group reached the end of the hallway. Urgent beeping escaped the open door of the last room, drawing the ever curious Kazumi and ultimately the other girls.
"Out of the way!" a nurse cried as the uniformed woman rushed past them and into the room. "Call Dr. Morishita!"
A second nurse rushed to the wall, picking up the phone. "Dr. Morishita, it's Saotome."
Tears streamed down the grey haired girl's face. In all the time she'd spent at the hospital she'd only heard that tone of voice used twice before.
Almost as though it were reflexive Akira appeared beside her, the swimmer's strong arms wrapped around the smaller girl in support.
"What's wrong Ako?" Konoka asked.
"We shouldn't be here," Ako replied as she blinked through her tears.
"Hiro?" Ayaka's powerful voice cried out as the tall blond rushed past the door towards the bed. "I'm here Hiro."
Realization hit the other girls, most if not all having been spared from experiencing such a powerful moment before. Though they'd all cried (or joked) at such scenes in the movies or on their favorite shows, the reality was that this moment seemed far less entertaining.
From their vantage point in the hallway they could all see a haggard and wiry Saotome-sensei as he stood beside his son's bed, grasping Hiro's hand. The proud and proper class representative was anything but as she sobbed at the foot of the bed, her fierce rival standing beside her in an uncustomary show of support. The mangaka was almost unrecognizable without the mischievous glint in her bespectacled eyes, though her eyes were glistening as tears ran down her usually grinning cheeks. Even the usually cheerful and energetic Makie looked sullen and unkempt as she wiped away her own tears. Kaede stood tall as she tried to suppress her emotions, though tears threatened to spill over and out of her closed eyes.
Only the flash of white and blue of the doctor's uniform broke the scene as the aforementioned Dr. Morishita rushed into the room. Through the sobs of her peers Ako could distinctly hear his voice as he calmly and clearly proclaimed, "Time of death 11:13am."
X X X X X
Death, it was a curious thing. Though she knew the technical and clinical definition of the word, the artificial human had never experienced it before. The look on her classmates' faces, their tears û all of it baffled her. The depth of their emotions for this boy they barely knew was confusing.
Conversely the lack of emotion from the deceased boy's sibling and father wasn't as confusing to the gynoid. Clearly they weren't as emotionally invested despite their closer bond, but being male it meant that they weren't as likely to allow their emotions to surface. Regardless of what they might feel they were supposed to remain free of emotions as well as to provide a strong front for the women around them.
"I hate hospitals," her master grumbled as the diminutive vampire gazed at the entrance to the hospital before them. "The blood of the stupid doctors always tastes bland and watered down if there aren't unhealthy amounts of medicine in it."
"What do you hope to accomplish?"
"I simply wish to confirm my suspicions," Evangeline ground out. "I really hate hospitals."
"You shouldn't be here," the vampire's newest partner remarked as she appeared beside them.
"You don't tell me what to do," snapped Eva.
"She's not," a new voice interjected. "She's merely giving you some advice."
Instantly the vampire and gynoid were on the defensive as they turned towards the mysterious man in the shadows.
"No more games," he proclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself.
"Saotome-sensei," the gynoid exclaimed as she offered a formal and polite bow to the teacher.
"You'd reveal yourself to me?" scoffed the bemused vampire. "The death of your boy must have really rattled you."
"It's not like you can do anything in your current condition," replied Ranma. "It'll be the full moon tonight, but right now it's high noon. Even with the little bit of energy you get for the full moon you're far from being at full strength.
"Besides, it's easier for me to just report you and get the Head Master and the administration to come down on you."
It was a rare occasion for Chachamaru as she witnessed her mistress being backed into a corner verbally. The usually sharp tongued vampire tended to be on the other side of things but against Saotome she was at a loss for words.
"I know you're curious about the memory spell," he said, finally addressing the matter at hand. "But you're not to investigate it further. No, I did not have a hand in it, but I am going to ensure that it remains in place."
"Why?" Shinobu exclaimed. "It"
"It affects more than just you, me, and my students," he replied. "But I chose to believe in the person who had it performed on us."
"You're willing to keep someone's secret?" Eva smirked as she tried to find an angle to play.
"Of course," Ranma replied. "That's what I do û I keep secrets."
The vampire eyed the mysterious teacher, catching his subtle hint. "Fine," she relented. "But this isn't over."
"Of course it isn't."
X X X X X
"Setsuna, Konoka," a familiar, commanding voice called out. Instinctively the young hanyo stiffened, standing at attention before turning to face her master.
"Aoyama-senpai," she replied with a formal bow.
"Auntie," Konoka greeted as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. "What brings you here?"
"Konoka," Motoko returned as she offered her niece a comforting hug. "I'm sorry I didn't call you, but as you can see I came to deal with an urgent matter."
"She's your aunt?" the class reporter asked as she jotted the tidbit down.
"I did not know that you were familiar with the Saotome family," the eloquent woman said as she ignored the other girl's inquire and focused instead on her niece and her student. "I would speak with you about your further instruction in the arts. Please wait until I've concluded my business with Setsuna, Konoka. Then we can catch up."
"Yes Auntie," Konoka replied as she pulled away from the older woman.
With the other girls dismissed Setsuna stood at attention. The silence of the hospital hallway was broken only by the occasional beep from one of the multiple rooms as mechanical devices continued to monitor the well being of the remaining patients. 'I shouldn't have come here,' Setsuna thought as she tried to sooth her parched throat by forcing some moisture into her mouth.
"I will be staying with the Saotomes until the funeral," Motoko stated. "But once the service is complete I would speak to you further about your instruction in the arts."
"Yes, ma'am." Though Eishin was her instructor, Setsuna knew better than to ignore a request from the mistress of the entire school.
Motoko nodded, "That is all for now."
X X X X X
What do you say to someone who just lost a loved one? "I'm sorry for your loss" seems to imply that the speaker understood the bond between the deceased and the survivor(s). But how to emulate or understand the bond between a father and his son when you yourself lack such a bond? Does one have to be a parent to understand the bond between the parent and child, and how the loss of that child could/would devastate the parent? Could someone without such a bond truly understand such a loss?
"You can't hope to understand how he's feeling," Evangeline stated. "No, I'm not reading your mind. It's written on your face."
The pale light of the full moon shone down on the quartet of dark magi as they lounged on the cabin roof. The buxom blonde's predatory eyes needed little light to see virtually every detail for at least a kilometer. Even with her telepathic link to her partner it was painfully obvious what the human was thinking.
"You just want to go hunting," Shinobu countered.
"Doesn't mean that you shouldn't go see him," the vampire sneered. "I'll miss having you as my wing-woman, but I think I'll get by."
"Because all the students are returning to campus and the staff are busy dealing with them." As a student she knew that there were multiple social gatherings, some planned most spontaneous. It was the last weekend before classes commenced this was the last chance many students had of getting together without having to worry about responsibilities and assignments. Even though the sun had set the night was still young.
"Or you could stay here and have me dissect your relationship with your former sensei."
In a flash the platinum blond was on her, her glimmering eyes staring into her soul. Firm hand gripped her shoulders, preventing her from escaping. "I guess I'll have some fun with you tonight."
X X X X X
Sleep continued to elude the exhausted man as he entered his kitchen. Responsibilities plagued him, demanding his attention even as he tried to process everything going on around him. Secrets needed to be kept, which meant that he had to play his role masterfully to prevent others from suspecting. Unexpected funeral plans needed to be made, transportation of Hiro's remains arranged, and dealing with his students' grief nearly overwhelmed him. A lesser man would have broke. Ranma Saotome was not a lesser man.
Though his mind demanded respite, Ranma Saotome gave into another primal need, his body acting automatically.
"I'm amazed that you're still up," a friendly voice chided him.
"Hm," he replied, his mouth full of rice even as he waited for the water for the instant noodles to boil.
"Ah, yes, you can't sleep on an empty stomach," Motoko teased.
"Um," he nodded.
For a moment the two masters sat in silence on opposite sides of the island, Ranma vigorously ingesting food while Motoko cut some vegetables and meat.
"When were you going to tell me about Shinobu?" the Shinmeiryu master asked.
Ranma shrugged as he added the dehydrated noodles to the boiling water. Grabbing the fruits of the kendoka's labor, he added that to the pot. "What's to tell? She found another master to study under."
"There's something you're not telling me," she prodded.
"Of course," he replied as he watched the boiling water. "She's formed a Pactio or whatever you call them. I can't continue to pass on the secrets of my school if her loyalties are to another school."
Keen, perceptive eyes looked him over, examining every involuntary twitch and movement. "If you were fresh you might be able to fool me," she sighed as she added water to a kettle.
"My right eye?"
She nodded. "That slight twitch of yours."
Ranma nodded as he took the pot off the stove, allowing Motoko to replace it with the kettle. "She seduced me."
Had the kendoka still had the kettle in hand he was sure that she would have dropped it. "Shinobu? Seduced you?"
"I am a man amongst men."
Again she looked at him, unsure if he was merely deflecting or truly being honest with her.
"This was after she'd made her Pactio," he added.
"Evangeline."
Grabbing a pair of chopsticks he tested the firmness of the noodles and vegetables.
Of course she knew about the legendary day-walking vampire. As the head of the Shinmeiryu it was her duty to keep track of all dark creatures, even if they weren't in her territory.
"I've already corralled the runt," Ranma stated as he offered her his noodles. "She's been here since the Thousand Master imprisoned her"
"Trapped in the body of a ten-year old girl," Motoko finished. "But she's still a threat."
"Old man Konoe has her in check," assured the immortal. "I'm just added security."
"But she's made a Pactio"
"And every full moon she gets some of her powers back. I encountered her on one of my first weekends here. She's not nearly as powerful as she thinks she is.
"I'm more concerned about my house guests."
"Lord Saffron and Negi Springfield?" Motoko blinked, finally recognizing the boy's surname.
"The Thousand Master's son." Taking a deep bit of the noodles he savored the taste and texture of the ramen and vegetables.
"Now you're deflecting," she interjected. "Back to Shinobu."
He nodded as he finished the mouthful. "She's not a little girl anymore, trust me. I made it so that she can't talk to her new master about me, well, about my big secrets at least."
Piercing eyes inspected him once again. "She's been corrupted."
Again he nodded, "I think I'm to blame here."
"You're too much of a man for such an impressionable young woman," Motoko sighed. "You're not the only one to blame. I should have talked to her sooner. Naru"
"Has her own life to live," he interjected. "Her path is not Shinobu's, and I doubt Shinobu would have listened to her. She's an adult now, free to make her own choices, even if they're not what we think is right or good."
Straightening her back, Motoko sat up straight. "You're going to have to talk to her."
Hunching over his food he nodded before taking another bite of food.
"Do you care for her?"
Her question caught him off guard just as he was in the act of swallowing. His mouth full of food, he barely managed to keep it from flying out onto the island counter.
"Treed carefully," she advised. "Love, in all of its forms, can be a tricky thing."
X X X X X
The pale light of the full moon illuminated Mahora, casting the city in a silvery glow as the light haze of the evening reflected the light. It was a breath taking scene, causing even the cyborg to take a moment to pause and savor the beauty of the night. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes, etching the vision in his memory banks.
"You can come out now."
The tall, curvy figure emerged from the shadows. "You noticed me, I'm not surprised."
"You're just a novice compared to my uncle," he stated as he resumed his post. With the full moon he was responsible for Luke. Even with the werewolf in a safe house it was necessary for him to ensure that no one entered the building while Luke was transformed, not only to ensure that his secret remained a secret, but to prevent others from endangering themselves or others by exposing themselves to the lycan. "What brings you here?"
"Thrill seeking," she replied.
His expert eyes noted the slight crook of her knees as they bent. Reflexively he blocked her high kick with his hand, catching her ankle before using her momentum against her and tossing her at the shadow clone before him, instantly dispelling it. "Is that thrilling enough for you?"
A coy smirk answered as she pushed herself off of the ground and sprang at him. "I've been told that the best way to keep from thinking about the present it to keep one occupied with something else."
Again he blocked her attack with his left hand before grabbing hold of her gi and throwing her to the ground. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked again as he straddled her and pinned her to the ground.
"Death," she huffed, "it doesn't seem to bother you."
"Should it?"
"Your brother died," she pointed out. "Do you feel nothing, de gozaru?"
He paused, contemplating even as he kept her from escaping his hold on her. "No." In a sense, it was true. He didn't feel anything. His sensors detected nothing out of the ordinary, but things still didn't make sense.
A gleam appeared in her eyes. "That's what sessha was searching for û to feel nothing when dealing with death."
That didn't make sense at all. "Why?"
"Because of what sessha has become."
Cautiously he let her up. "A ninja."
She nodded. "A kunoichi," she corrected. "To not fear death nor to be affected by it when faced with it, de gozaru."
"It is not that I do not fear death," he replied. "Perhaps I just do not understand death sufficiently. But what I do know is that everyone is affected by death even if they don't show it. Even Ià"
She raised her eyes at him curiously.
"Perhaps I lack the ability to properly understand and articulate what I feel," he finally admitted. "While I do not fear death, I know that it is not something that I want to be accustomed to dealing with.
"You wish to master death in that you wish to no longer be afraid of death, correct? Because ninja face death on every mission û either their own or their enemies."
Anger flashed in her eyes as she listened, unable to respond either physically or verbally.
"I do not envy you," he stated. "I'm sure that you've already heard that the path of a ninja is perilous, and many sacrifices must be made if you're to be successful as a ninja."
"You speak like a machine, de gozaru," Kaede sniped. "Your words lack emotion and understanding."
Tenma paused. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that, though usually it was Luke who teasing him. The moment's delay was all the kunoichi needed to slip out of his hold. Long, powerful legs swept his feet out from under him.
"Sessha was right, you are interesting," the ninja ceded before slipping into the shadows.
X X X X X
There were many times in Asuna's short life where she'd been at a loss for words. As one of the Baka Rangers of 2-A words were her kryptonite. Of the two it was Ayaka who was articulate and masterful with her words, often throwing them in Asuna's face and prompting them to brawl back in the day when they were fierce rivals. It was one thing for Asuna to be at a loss for words, but for Ayaka, well, that was another matter altogether.
Once, many years ago, Asuna had been forced to rely on her physical skills to keep Ayaka from focusing too much on the loss of her still-born baby brother. His death had been the start of their rivalry, peaking every year at around the anniversary of his death. Things had cooled down over the past term and summer break once both of them had been accepted into Master Saotome's dojo and the sudden arrival of the youthful looking Hiro Saotome.
Unfortunately things had apparently been too good as his sudden death had rocked not only Ayaka, but the other girls who had come to know the quick witted yet somber boy. It was one thing for a young and emotionally immature Ayaka to deal with her brother's death, but for the teenage girls who had formed a strong bond with the youngest Saotome sibling it was another thing altogether.
The usually fiery redhead didn't know what to say or do. They'd cried together, sat in the onsen together in silence, laid in bed sleeplessly tossing and turning as they tried to come to grips with their loss. Yet all their tears failed to bring them the much needed closure.
The early morning train out to Hinata from Mahora barely bothered the tired girls, though from the look of things they weren't the only ones to endure a sleepless night. Ranma, Tenma, and Luke each appeared as though they had barely slept the previous night, though at least the three of them had cleaned up well.
Asuna was torn between the friends who had for so long been there for her and the boy that she couldn't stop thinking of. Then again, she didn't know what to say to either of them. What did you say to someone who'd lost their brother? As an orphan she'd never had that of bond beforeà what did it mean to be a sister or brother? To want to have someone to look out for and who looked up to you?
Unable to comprehend the bond and the loss of such a bond, Asuna reflexively began to massage her forehead.
"Something bothering you?" Ayaka ventured to ask.
"Huh?"
"Whenever you're stressed about something you always start to rub your forehead like that," the taller girl stated.
"Sorry, I didn't realizeà"
"We never do." Her former rival smiled weakly. In the glow of the morning the shorter girl could see the results of Ayaka's crying. Yet behind the red swollen eyes a slight gleam could be seen in her blue eyes.
"You look better." It was the truth, though given the circumstances could have been a lie just to placate.
"Thanks."
"You do look better," Asuna repeated. "Like you've gotten cried everything out."
Leaning back in her seat, Ayaka smiled again. "I think you're right." Glancing at Asuna she then turned her gaze at Tenma. "I'm fine now," she stated. "I'm just sorry that we didn't have a chance to get to know him better."
Asuna nodded, unsure what to say.
"Thanks," Ayaka added. "You were there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and when I needed someone to kick my ass."
Asuna smiled as she recalled the start of their rivalry.
"Go," Ayaka suggested.
Following her friend's eyes to Tenma Asuna blushed.
"Go."
X X X X X
Few things say so much about a person as their funeral. For the girls of 2-A the short service was a stark reminder that they barely knew Hiro Saotome. In truth the funeral said more about their master than of his late son. The strange monk had kept things short and to the point, giving those gathered just the minimum time needed to pay their respects.
While the service had been quick, a fair number of people had attended. Though a few were faces most belonged to people they had encountered in Mahora or at the restaurant, a handful were new.
"You must be Ranma's students," a muscular man exclaimed.
Stepping out from the group, Tenma offered the man and his wife a formal bow. "Master Hibiki."
"It's good to see you Tenma," the elegant woman by the man's side greeted.
"Lady Tsuruko," the cyborg returned. "Please, allow me to introduce you to Father's students."
"No need," Master Hibiki said with a grin. "I already know Kaede Nagase" he inclined his head at the tall kunoichi "Haruna Saotome" the brunette beamed "Setsuna Sakurazaki" the pale girl almost blushed "Ayaka Yukihiro" the elegant blond smiled faintly "Makie Sasaki" the petite girl did blush "Asuna Kagurazaka" the redhead nodded "and Luke Scwantez" the blond boy nodded. "I've already met Saffron."
Though most of them had worked at the restaurant, none of them save for Setsuna and Haruna had met the man, leaving them slightly puzzled by the formal yet rugged man before them. "I am Ryoga Hibiki," he finally said.
"The Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakut? Ry?," Haruna explained.
Awed, the others suddenly bowed their heads out of respect.
"This is Lady Tsuruko," Ryoga added, "my wife and the former head of the Shinmeiryu."
The pale girl was glad to have her makeup on as it hid her blush. The reminder that even her former master was tied to the upstart school stung the proud kendoka.
"I realize that the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? has not had the long, illustrious history of the Shinmeiryu, I have come to realize that even we can learn something new," the elegant woman stated with a tender smile. "Setsuna" the pale girl stepped forward "I believe that you could learn much from studying and training with Master Saotome, just as Motoko had in her time."
"And you will not be the only one," Motoko added as she stepped towards the group. "This is Ryoko Mitsurugi and Akira Tenkawa, they will also be joining you at Mahora as well as in Master Saotome's dojo."
X X X X X
"Dying sucks."
Ranma spared his companion a sideways glance.
"I'm fortunate enough to not remember much from my previous lives," Saffron explained. "But there are some nights that I wake up and I recall how I last died."
Ranma blinked. This wasn't what he'd expected, not at all. "Wait a second, I killed you last time."
The foreign prince nodded. "It's particularly gruesome, but I only lose a little sleep here and there.
"In all my lives, I've learned not to get too close to anyone, simply because I don't want to have to bury them. Compared to the nightmares, burying someone usually is much harder."
He had to admit, he really liked this Saffron better than the one he'd had to kill. "Thanks, I think."
X X X X X
A/N
Funerals are hard to write. Not everyone grieves the same way, and it's a process that takes varying amounts of time for everyone.
Things are definitely going to be tricky for everyone.
Next chapter û the new term starts. 2-A gets their newest classmate and their new teacher.
Dreamingfox
I have to admit, I've been feeling unmotivated recently. I really want to start writing something else, but writing this arc has been therapeutic in a way.
So depressed, stupid Packersà Now I gotta hope that the Pats knock everyone else out, and hope that Brady finally gets his revenge on Elià Don't want stupid Alex Smith winning, and I'd rather Eli represents the NFCà
As always, please Read and Review.
# # # # #
Gentle footsteps filled the spacious room as the cabin's lone occupant paced about the room. "I shouldn't have let her go," the platinum blond grumbled.
"Isn't that why you sent me after her?" her artificial partner replied over the personal radio.
"I should be working on breaking the memory lock," Evangeline huffed.
"But Maehara expressed her desire to be at the hospital," the gynoid replied.
"It's not like she can keep him from dying," the immortal snapped.
"She is not as practiced as you are at facing death," Chachamaru replied.
The muscles in Eva's jaw clinched. 'Young or old, age doesn't matter if you care for someone.'
"Kazumi is at the hospital," the gynoid stated. "Shall I withdraw?"
"She's at the room?" 'Of course she's there,' the vampire mentally scolded herself. Chachamaru would not have mentioned that tidbit of information had the reporter not been on hand.
"Yes," the gynoid's curt reply almost sounded snippy, though Eva knew better.
"Scan everyone for magical tampering."
"It's the hospital," Chachamaru replied. "Almost every patient is undergoing some sort of magical treatment."
"Never mind," the vampire grunted. "I'll be there momentarily."
X X X X X
Hospitals. Few people gave the towering buildings little thought except when confronted with them. Though the assortment of specifically placed fauna was meant to make the building appear visually appealing and relaxing, it did little to sooth Ako Izumi. As class 2-A's 'nurse' the grey haired girl had spent the most time at the hospital leading all but those closest to her to believe that she was comfortable being there. That was far from being true though.
The hulking, disinfected building was definitely Ako's least favorite place despite the amount of time she spent there. Playing nurse had come naturally to her as she'd spent innumerous days there since coming to Mahora. Then again, it really hadn't been her choice. Learning how to handle needles, band aids, gauze, and about various medications had never been a choice.
'No wonder Makie didn't say anything,' mused Ako as she watched the quintet of girls hastily enter the hospital. 'She knows how I feel about coming here when I don't have to.'
"Ako," Kazumi called out as the class reporter popped up beside her. "You're pretty friendly with the hospital staff, right?"
Reflexively the smaller girl nodded. Now really wasn't the time for her to reveal her own secrets and lies. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, I was thinking that your contacts might be able to give us the scoop on why they're here," replied the ever noisy redhead.
"I think it's best that we just follow them for now," Konoka suggested as their classmates headed for the back of the lobby.
"Yeah," Ako agreed as she allowed the brunette to take the lead.
Their conversation momentarily ended, the girls rushed to keep up with their classmates while trying not to draw any attention to themselves. Fortunately for her none of the staff bothered to greet her or the others as they made their way past two reception desks, two waiting areas, and up one of the side stairwells.
"I'm glad you came along," Kazumi giggled as the grey haired girl led the group. "I probably would have gotten lost already."
Reaching the landing that the other girls had exited, Ako paused. She'd been here once before. Once, soon after she'd arrived in Mahora. Unfortunately she'd been too young to remember much, though the drug induced haze probably helped as well. Still, simply standing before the Intensive Care Unit sent chills down her spine.
"They went this way," Konoka said, her voice drawing the other girls' attention away from the sign before them. No one paid the grey haired girl any heed as they followed Konoka's lead into the ICU.
"We shouldn't," she squeaked out in protest. Only Ku Fei's firm hand kept her from staying behind as the proud and unabashed martial artist dragged her into the ICU.
"I think they went down here," Kazumi added as they reached an intersection and pointed to the right. The unmanned reception desk kept the group from being questioned as the skeleton crew of nurses attended to their patients' needs.
Ako could feel a lump forming in her breast and stomach. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't stop the others. 'I'm just a background character after all,' she lamented. 'They're not going to listen to me, not when they've gone this far already. There's nothing I can say or do to keep them from going down there.'
As one the group reached the end of the hallway. Urgent beeping escaped the open door of the last room, drawing the ever curious Kazumi and ultimately the other girls.
"Out of the way!" a nurse cried as the uniformed woman rushed past them and into the room. "Call Dr. Morishita!"
A second nurse rushed to the wall, picking up the phone. "Dr. Morishita, it's Saotome."
Tears streamed down the grey haired girl's face. In all the time she'd spent at the hospital she'd only heard that tone of voice used twice before.
Almost as though it were reflexive Akira appeared beside her, the swimmer's strong arms wrapped around the smaller girl in support.
"What's wrong Ako?" Konoka asked.
"We shouldn't be here," Ako replied as she blinked through her tears.
"Hiro?" Ayaka's powerful voice cried out as the tall blond rushed past the door towards the bed. "I'm here Hiro."
Realization hit the other girls, most if not all having been spared from experiencing such a powerful moment before. Though they'd all cried (or joked) at such scenes in the movies or on their favorite shows, the reality was that this moment seemed far less entertaining.
From their vantage point in the hallway they could all see a haggard and wiry Saotome-sensei as he stood beside his son's bed, grasping Hiro's hand. The proud and proper class representative was anything but as she sobbed at the foot of the bed, her fierce rival standing beside her in an uncustomary show of support. The mangaka was almost unrecognizable without the mischievous glint in her bespectacled eyes, though her eyes were glistening as tears ran down her usually grinning cheeks. Even the usually cheerful and energetic Makie looked sullen and unkempt as she wiped away her own tears. Kaede stood tall as she tried to suppress her emotions, though tears threatened to spill over and out of her closed eyes.
Only the flash of white and blue of the doctor's uniform broke the scene as the aforementioned Dr. Morishita rushed into the room. Through the sobs of her peers Ako could distinctly hear his voice as he calmly and clearly proclaimed, "Time of death 11:13am."
X X X X X
Death, it was a curious thing. Though she knew the technical and clinical definition of the word, the artificial human had never experienced it before. The look on her classmates' faces, their tears û all of it baffled her. The depth of their emotions for this boy they barely knew was confusing.
Conversely the lack of emotion from the deceased boy's sibling and father wasn't as confusing to the gynoid. Clearly they weren't as emotionally invested despite their closer bond, but being male it meant that they weren't as likely to allow their emotions to surface. Regardless of what they might feel they were supposed to remain free of emotions as well as to provide a strong front for the women around them.
"I hate hospitals," her master grumbled as the diminutive vampire gazed at the entrance to the hospital before them. "The blood of the stupid doctors always tastes bland and watered down if there aren't unhealthy amounts of medicine in it."
"What do you hope to accomplish?"
"I simply wish to confirm my suspicions," Evangeline ground out. "I really hate hospitals."
"You shouldn't be here," the vampire's newest partner remarked as she appeared beside them.
"You don't tell me what to do," snapped Eva.
"She's not," a new voice interjected. "She's merely giving you some advice."
Instantly the vampire and gynoid were on the defensive as they turned towards the mysterious man in the shadows.
"No more games," he proclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself.
"Saotome-sensei," the gynoid exclaimed as she offered a formal and polite bow to the teacher.
"You'd reveal yourself to me?" scoffed the bemused vampire. "The death of your boy must have really rattled you."
"It's not like you can do anything in your current condition," replied Ranma. "It'll be the full moon tonight, but right now it's high noon. Even with the little bit of energy you get for the full moon you're far from being at full strength.
"Besides, it's easier for me to just report you and get the Head Master and the administration to come down on you."
It was a rare occasion for Chachamaru as she witnessed her mistress being backed into a corner verbally. The usually sharp tongued vampire tended to be on the other side of things but against Saotome she was at a loss for words.
"I know you're curious about the memory spell," he said, finally addressing the matter at hand. "But you're not to investigate it further. No, I did not have a hand in it, but I am going to ensure that it remains in place."
"Why?" Shinobu exclaimed. "It"
"It affects more than just you, me, and my students," he replied. "But I chose to believe in the person who had it performed on us."
"You're willing to keep someone's secret?" Eva smirked as she tried to find an angle to play.
"Of course," Ranma replied. "That's what I do û I keep secrets."
The vampire eyed the mysterious teacher, catching his subtle hint. "Fine," she relented. "But this isn't over."
"Of course it isn't."
X X X X X
"Setsuna, Konoka," a familiar, commanding voice called out. Instinctively the young hanyo stiffened, standing at attention before turning to face her master.
"Aoyama-senpai," she replied with a formal bow.
"Auntie," Konoka greeted as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. "What brings you here?"
"Konoka," Motoko returned as she offered her niece a comforting hug. "I'm sorry I didn't call you, but as you can see I came to deal with an urgent matter."
"She's your aunt?" the class reporter asked as she jotted the tidbit down.
"I did not know that you were familiar with the Saotome family," the eloquent woman said as she ignored the other girl's inquire and focused instead on her niece and her student. "I would speak with you about your further instruction in the arts. Please wait until I've concluded my business with Setsuna, Konoka. Then we can catch up."
"Yes Auntie," Konoka replied as she pulled away from the older woman.
With the other girls dismissed Setsuna stood at attention. The silence of the hospital hallway was broken only by the occasional beep from one of the multiple rooms as mechanical devices continued to monitor the well being of the remaining patients. 'I shouldn't have come here,' Setsuna thought as she tried to sooth her parched throat by forcing some moisture into her mouth.
"I will be staying with the Saotomes until the funeral," Motoko stated. "But once the service is complete I would speak to you further about your instruction in the arts."
"Yes, ma'am." Though Eishin was her instructor, Setsuna knew better than to ignore a request from the mistress of the entire school.
Motoko nodded, "That is all for now."
X X X X X
What do you say to someone who just lost a loved one? "I'm sorry for your loss" seems to imply that the speaker understood the bond between the deceased and the survivor(s). But how to emulate or understand the bond between a father and his son when you yourself lack such a bond? Does one have to be a parent to understand the bond between the parent and child, and how the loss of that child could/would devastate the parent? Could someone without such a bond truly understand such a loss?
"You can't hope to understand how he's feeling," Evangeline stated. "No, I'm not reading your mind. It's written on your face."
The pale light of the full moon shone down on the quartet of dark magi as they lounged on the cabin roof. The buxom blonde's predatory eyes needed little light to see virtually every detail for at least a kilometer. Even with her telepathic link to her partner it was painfully obvious what the human was thinking.
"You just want to go hunting," Shinobu countered.
"Doesn't mean that you shouldn't go see him," the vampire sneered. "I'll miss having you as my wing-woman, but I think I'll get by."
"Because all the students are returning to campus and the staff are busy dealing with them." As a student she knew that there were multiple social gatherings, some planned most spontaneous. It was the last weekend before classes commenced this was the last chance many students had of getting together without having to worry about responsibilities and assignments. Even though the sun had set the night was still young.
"Or you could stay here and have me dissect your relationship with your former sensei."
In a flash the platinum blond was on her, her glimmering eyes staring into her soul. Firm hand gripped her shoulders, preventing her from escaping. "I guess I'll have some fun with you tonight."
X X X X X
Sleep continued to elude the exhausted man as he entered his kitchen. Responsibilities plagued him, demanding his attention even as he tried to process everything going on around him. Secrets needed to be kept, which meant that he had to play his role masterfully to prevent others from suspecting. Unexpected funeral plans needed to be made, transportation of Hiro's remains arranged, and dealing with his students' grief nearly overwhelmed him. A lesser man would have broke. Ranma Saotome was not a lesser man.
Though his mind demanded respite, Ranma Saotome gave into another primal need, his body acting automatically.
"I'm amazed that you're still up," a friendly voice chided him.
"Hm," he replied, his mouth full of rice even as he waited for the water for the instant noodles to boil.
"Ah, yes, you can't sleep on an empty stomach," Motoko teased.
"Um," he nodded.
For a moment the two masters sat in silence on opposite sides of the island, Ranma vigorously ingesting food while Motoko cut some vegetables and meat.
"When were you going to tell me about Shinobu?" the Shinmeiryu master asked.
Ranma shrugged as he added the dehydrated noodles to the boiling water. Grabbing the fruits of the kendoka's labor, he added that to the pot. "What's to tell? She found another master to study under."
"There's something you're not telling me," she prodded.
"Of course," he replied as he watched the boiling water. "She's formed a Pactio or whatever you call them. I can't continue to pass on the secrets of my school if her loyalties are to another school."
Keen, perceptive eyes looked him over, examining every involuntary twitch and movement. "If you were fresh you might be able to fool me," she sighed as she added water to a kettle.
"My right eye?"
She nodded. "That slight twitch of yours."
Ranma nodded as he took the pot off the stove, allowing Motoko to replace it with the kettle. "She seduced me."
Had the kendoka still had the kettle in hand he was sure that she would have dropped it. "Shinobu? Seduced you?"
"I am a man amongst men."
Again she looked at him, unsure if he was merely deflecting or truly being honest with her.
"This was after she'd made her Pactio," he added.
"Evangeline."
Grabbing a pair of chopsticks he tested the firmness of the noodles and vegetables.
Of course she knew about the legendary day-walking vampire. As the head of the Shinmeiryu it was her duty to keep track of all dark creatures, even if they weren't in her territory.
"I've already corralled the runt," Ranma stated as he offered her his noodles. "She's been here since the Thousand Master imprisoned her"
"Trapped in the body of a ten-year old girl," Motoko finished. "But she's still a threat."
"Old man Konoe has her in check," assured the immortal. "I'm just added security."
"But she's made a Pactio"
"And every full moon she gets some of her powers back. I encountered her on one of my first weekends here. She's not nearly as powerful as she thinks she is.
"I'm more concerned about my house guests."
"Lord Saffron and Negi Springfield?" Motoko blinked, finally recognizing the boy's surname.
"The Thousand Master's son." Taking a deep bit of the noodles he savored the taste and texture of the ramen and vegetables.
"Now you're deflecting," she interjected. "Back to Shinobu."
He nodded as he finished the mouthful. "She's not a little girl anymore, trust me. I made it so that she can't talk to her new master about me, well, about my big secrets at least."
Piercing eyes inspected him once again. "She's been corrupted."
Again he nodded, "I think I'm to blame here."
"You're too much of a man for such an impressionable young woman," Motoko sighed. "You're not the only one to blame. I should have talked to her sooner. Naru"
"Has her own life to live," he interjected. "Her path is not Shinobu's, and I doubt Shinobu would have listened to her. She's an adult now, free to make her own choices, even if they're not what we think is right or good."
Straightening her back, Motoko sat up straight. "You're going to have to talk to her."
Hunching over his food he nodded before taking another bite of food.
"Do you care for her?"
Her question caught him off guard just as he was in the act of swallowing. His mouth full of food, he barely managed to keep it from flying out onto the island counter.
"Treed carefully," she advised. "Love, in all of its forms, can be a tricky thing."
X X X X X
The pale light of the full moon illuminated Mahora, casting the city in a silvery glow as the light haze of the evening reflected the light. It was a breath taking scene, causing even the cyborg to take a moment to pause and savor the beauty of the night. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes, etching the vision in his memory banks.
"You can come out now."
The tall, curvy figure emerged from the shadows. "You noticed me, I'm not surprised."
"You're just a novice compared to my uncle," he stated as he resumed his post. With the full moon he was responsible for Luke. Even with the werewolf in a safe house it was necessary for him to ensure that no one entered the building while Luke was transformed, not only to ensure that his secret remained a secret, but to prevent others from endangering themselves or others by exposing themselves to the lycan. "What brings you here?"
"Thrill seeking," she replied.
His expert eyes noted the slight crook of her knees as they bent. Reflexively he blocked her high kick with his hand, catching her ankle before using her momentum against her and tossing her at the shadow clone before him, instantly dispelling it. "Is that thrilling enough for you?"
A coy smirk answered as she pushed herself off of the ground and sprang at him. "I've been told that the best way to keep from thinking about the present it to keep one occupied with something else."
Again he blocked her attack with his left hand before grabbing hold of her gi and throwing her to the ground. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked again as he straddled her and pinned her to the ground.
"Death," she huffed, "it doesn't seem to bother you."
"Should it?"
"Your brother died," she pointed out. "Do you feel nothing, de gozaru?"
He paused, contemplating even as he kept her from escaping his hold on her. "No." In a sense, it was true. He didn't feel anything. His sensors detected nothing out of the ordinary, but things still didn't make sense.
A gleam appeared in her eyes. "That's what sessha was searching for û to feel nothing when dealing with death."
That didn't make sense at all. "Why?"
"Because of what sessha has become."
Cautiously he let her up. "A ninja."
She nodded. "A kunoichi," she corrected. "To not fear death nor to be affected by it when faced with it, de gozaru."
"It is not that I do not fear death," he replied. "Perhaps I just do not understand death sufficiently. But what I do know is that everyone is affected by death even if they don't show it. Even Ià"
She raised her eyes at him curiously.
"Perhaps I lack the ability to properly understand and articulate what I feel," he finally admitted. "While I do not fear death, I know that it is not something that I want to be accustomed to dealing with.
"You wish to master death in that you wish to no longer be afraid of death, correct? Because ninja face death on every mission û either their own or their enemies."
Anger flashed in her eyes as she listened, unable to respond either physically or verbally.
"I do not envy you," he stated. "I'm sure that you've already heard that the path of a ninja is perilous, and many sacrifices must be made if you're to be successful as a ninja."
"You speak like a machine, de gozaru," Kaede sniped. "Your words lack emotion and understanding."
Tenma paused. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that, though usually it was Luke who teasing him. The moment's delay was all the kunoichi needed to slip out of his hold. Long, powerful legs swept his feet out from under him.
"Sessha was right, you are interesting," the ninja ceded before slipping into the shadows.
X X X X X
There were many times in Asuna's short life where she'd been at a loss for words. As one of the Baka Rangers of 2-A words were her kryptonite. Of the two it was Ayaka who was articulate and masterful with her words, often throwing them in Asuna's face and prompting them to brawl back in the day when they were fierce rivals. It was one thing for Asuna to be at a loss for words, but for Ayaka, well, that was another matter altogether.
Once, many years ago, Asuna had been forced to rely on her physical skills to keep Ayaka from focusing too much on the loss of her still-born baby brother. His death had been the start of their rivalry, peaking every year at around the anniversary of his death. Things had cooled down over the past term and summer break once both of them had been accepted into Master Saotome's dojo and the sudden arrival of the youthful looking Hiro Saotome.
Unfortunately things had apparently been too good as his sudden death had rocked not only Ayaka, but the other girls who had come to know the quick witted yet somber boy. It was one thing for a young and emotionally immature Ayaka to deal with her brother's death, but for the teenage girls who had formed a strong bond with the youngest Saotome sibling it was another thing altogether.
The usually fiery redhead didn't know what to say or do. They'd cried together, sat in the onsen together in silence, laid in bed sleeplessly tossing and turning as they tried to come to grips with their loss. Yet all their tears failed to bring them the much needed closure.
The early morning train out to Hinata from Mahora barely bothered the tired girls, though from the look of things they weren't the only ones to endure a sleepless night. Ranma, Tenma, and Luke each appeared as though they had barely slept the previous night, though at least the three of them had cleaned up well.
Asuna was torn between the friends who had for so long been there for her and the boy that she couldn't stop thinking of. Then again, she didn't know what to say to either of them. What did you say to someone who'd lost their brother? As an orphan she'd never had that of bond beforeà what did it mean to be a sister or brother? To want to have someone to look out for and who looked up to you?
Unable to comprehend the bond and the loss of such a bond, Asuna reflexively began to massage her forehead.
"Something bothering you?" Ayaka ventured to ask.
"Huh?"
"Whenever you're stressed about something you always start to rub your forehead like that," the taller girl stated.
"Sorry, I didn't realizeà"
"We never do." Her former rival smiled weakly. In the glow of the morning the shorter girl could see the results of Ayaka's crying. Yet behind the red swollen eyes a slight gleam could be seen in her blue eyes.
"You look better." It was the truth, though given the circumstances could have been a lie just to placate.
"Thanks."
"You do look better," Asuna repeated. "Like you've gotten cried everything out."
Leaning back in her seat, Ayaka smiled again. "I think you're right." Glancing at Asuna she then turned her gaze at Tenma. "I'm fine now," she stated. "I'm just sorry that we didn't have a chance to get to know him better."
Asuna nodded, unsure what to say.
"Thanks," Ayaka added. "You were there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and when I needed someone to kick my ass."
Asuna smiled as she recalled the start of their rivalry.
"Go," Ayaka suggested.
Following her friend's eyes to Tenma Asuna blushed.
"Go."
X X X X X
Few things say so much about a person as their funeral. For the girls of 2-A the short service was a stark reminder that they barely knew Hiro Saotome. In truth the funeral said more about their master than of his late son. The strange monk had kept things short and to the point, giving those gathered just the minimum time needed to pay their respects.
While the service had been quick, a fair number of people had attended. Though a few were faces most belonged to people they had encountered in Mahora or at the restaurant, a handful were new.
"You must be Ranma's students," a muscular man exclaimed.
Stepping out from the group, Tenma offered the man and his wife a formal bow. "Master Hibiki."
"It's good to see you Tenma," the elegant woman by the man's side greeted.
"Lady Tsuruko," the cyborg returned. "Please, allow me to introduce you to Father's students."
"No need," Master Hibiki said with a grin. "I already know Kaede Nagase" he inclined his head at the tall kunoichi "Haruna Saotome" the brunette beamed "Setsuna Sakurazaki" the pale girl almost blushed "Ayaka Yukihiro" the elegant blond smiled faintly "Makie Sasaki" the petite girl did blush "Asuna Kagurazaka" the redhead nodded "and Luke Scwantez" the blond boy nodded. "I've already met Saffron."
Though most of them had worked at the restaurant, none of them save for Setsuna and Haruna had met the man, leaving them slightly puzzled by the formal yet rugged man before them. "I am Ryoga Hibiki," he finally said.
"The Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakut? Ry?," Haruna explained.
Awed, the others suddenly bowed their heads out of respect.
"This is Lady Tsuruko," Ryoga added, "my wife and the former head of the Shinmeiryu."
The pale girl was glad to have her makeup on as it hid her blush. The reminder that even her former master was tied to the upstart school stung the proud kendoka.
"I realize that the Musabetsu Kakut? Ry? has not had the long, illustrious history of the Shinmeiryu, I have come to realize that even we can learn something new," the elegant woman stated with a tender smile. "Setsuna" the pale girl stepped forward "I believe that you could learn much from studying and training with Master Saotome, just as Motoko had in her time."
"And you will not be the only one," Motoko added as she stepped towards the group. "This is Ryoko Mitsurugi and Akira Tenkawa, they will also be joining you at Mahora as well as in Master Saotome's dojo."
X X X X X
"Dying sucks."
Ranma spared his companion a sideways glance.
"I'm fortunate enough to not remember much from my previous lives," Saffron explained. "But there are some nights that I wake up and I recall how I last died."
Ranma blinked. This wasn't what he'd expected, not at all. "Wait a second, I killed you last time."
The foreign prince nodded. "It's particularly gruesome, but I only lose a little sleep here and there.
"In all my lives, I've learned not to get too close to anyone, simply because I don't want to have to bury them. Compared to the nightmares, burying someone usually is much harder."
He had to admit, he really liked this Saffron better than the one he'd had to kill. "Thanks, I think."
X X X X X
A/N
Funerals are hard to write. Not everyone grieves the same way, and it's a process that takes varying amounts of time for everyone.
Things are definitely going to be tricky for everyone.
Next chapter û the new term starts. 2-A gets their newest classmate and their new teacher.
Dreamingfox
That's why I said it may not matter to you. If they don't use that in your area and ICU is more recognizable, then I would use that. Even if the placards on the wall say CCU, most people know what ICU is since it's so recognizable. I suppose that some hospitals may have gone back to ICU to avoid confusion as CCU also can mean Cardiac/Coronary Care Unit. :huh.:
Author's Notes û
Yes, there are more characters involved in this fic, but the story is going to focus more on Ranma and how he's dealing with things now. Death is hard for everyone, but when a parent buries a child it's, well, unnatural. Considering Ranma's current curse, it's just going to be compounded.
# # # # #
Life goes on.
Everything that he saw was a reminder of that fact. Everyday presented new struggles, lessons and memories. Ultimately each and every single moment, each decision and choice brought him to this very place at this particular time. Everything happened for a reason.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious as he approached the door before him. Taking a deep, calming breath, he pulled the door open even as he stepped through. Only his height, or lack of stature in this case, allowed him to avoid the falling eraser. Rushing through the threshold to avoid the trap, he failed to notice the tripwire.
It really wasn't the best way for him to make a positive impression on his new charges, it definitely left an impression.
X X X X X
Bodies at rest stay at rest, bodies in motion stay in motion. For Ranma Saotome the latter part of the statement best described him. Movement was easy, it allowed him to focus on the world around him and what needed to be done. Moping around, mourning for Hiro wouldn't benefit anyone, certainly not him.
Thus he was surprised when his students were startled to discover that they had evening practices still, just a few days removed from Hiro's funeral. Yes, they had just had their first day of classes for the new term, but that was an insufficient reason for them to cancel their daily training and sparring sessions.
It helped that he had four new students, though technically Kaede wasn't a student, just someone who trained with him during the week before sending her off to Konatsu's for the weekend. Unfortunately the other three 'new' students were all Shinmeiryu trained, meaning they had learned to use and fight with a sword. He'd definitely have to break their habits.
"Alright, everyone in line," he barked out as the last of his students rushed into the dojo. Walking down the line he eyed everyone before finally assuming his position before all of them. "I wanna see what you've all learned under Master Hibiki û free sparring outside." Stepping aside he waited for them to rush out of the dojo and into the yard. "Begin once I'm outside."
Luke was the first outside, his long, powerful legs carrying him out into the sunlight.
Kaede was next, though the kunoichi vanished the moment everyone else started their mad dash for the door.
Makie was the first to go for a weapon, her complement of tools now hanging on the wall along with every other weapon that Ranma had managed to collect in his years of fighting. It didn't surprise him that Ryoko followed suit, grabbing a bokken, though Akira took a moment to eye the wall before opting to forego the use of weapons. Setsuna grabbed her own bokken before dashing out of the door.
He watched as Ayaka stopped in the middle of the yard, giving herself plenty of distance between her closest peers even as she eyed them. Everyone else jockeyed for position, claiming similar spots throughout the sloped ground and bamboo foliage. Only Akira and Makie took positions in the field of bamboo poles, perching themselves above the others.
"Eliminate your opponent by knocking them into a pool," he instructed. "Begin!"
He'd expected Ayaka and Asuna to be the first to close, but seeing the tall blond charging the busty kendoka wasn't completely unexpected. As the presumed alpha of 2-A it fell on her to test the newest member of 2-A. Though unarmed, Ayaka had some experience dealing with armed opponents. Standing a full head taller than her opponent, the class rep grabbed a handful of dirt and gravel before closing with Ryoko. Flinging the tiny stones, she tested her opponent's hand and eye coordination, carefully testing the other girl's abilities.
As the number two male, Luke opted to test Akira seeing as Tenma opted to simply wait for someone to close with him. Leaping onto a bamboo pole the taller boy gracefully navigated the field, his long limbs making short work of the randomly place poles.
A yelp from the astonished Asuna told him that Kaede had struck as she finally revealed herself. Stealth and cunning pitted against sheer stubbornness as the two began exchanging blows. Kaede had the advantage of reach, speed, and experience, but Asuna had the edge in durability. Avoiding the first volley, Asuna took two punches to the ribs and stomach before Kaede pulled back, unwilling to move into her opponent's range. Slowly the kunoichi lured her opponent into the bamboo grove, using the fiery girl's temperament against her as she landed several light punches in each exchange before retreating.
For five agonizing minutes Ranma watched as his students tentatively tested each other. Ranma Saotome was a man of action and motion. Simply watching them sparring wasn't enough. The best way to gage their ability was to test them directly. Sure, watching how they fought against others provided him with different insights and perspectives on their abilities, but it wasn't until they fought the best that they brought out their best.
Luke was the first to notice, and the first to fall as Akira took advantage of his momentary lapse, tripping the taller boy and sending him sprawling into one of the many pools of water beneath the bamboo shoots.
Rushing at Haruna as she held her ground against Setsuna, Ranma swept his niece's feet out from under her with a spinning leg sweep. Grabbing hold of her shoulders he tossed her through the air towards a nearby pool.
Ducking under a wicked slash, Ranma was glad that Setsuna was using only a bokken. Though he couldn't see the mana she unleashed, he could feel it manifest in the pressurized air of her attack. 'She's almost as good as Motoko was when I met her,' he mused. "Let's see how good you are without your bokken!"
Catching the tip of her weapon with his right, he countered with a palm-strike to her sternum. Standing tall she appeared to absorb the force of the blow, but not the ki that he'd infused her with that disrupted the mana she'd used to fortify her body. Ki and mana, both were fundamental aspects of martial arts and magic respectively, though few understood that they could be used for the same purpose. Most assumed that they would cancel out; few knew that the stronger of the two prevailed. Even fewer knew that the two could be combined. Unfortunately most could not endure having both mixed. Clearly Setsuna fell into that camp.
Only Haruna's surprise attack kept him from capitalizing against the stunned half-hanyo as his niece recovered and countered his previous attack. Sidestepping Haruna's sneak attack he smirked, 'She's learning.' The shaking bamboo shoot was all he needed to know how she'd avoided the pool and covered the distance in such a small amount of time.
Pretending to focus on the golem before him he deftly avoided its attack.
'There you are!' A quick spinning back elbow connected with Haruna's stomach, knocking the wind out of her and dispelling the golem/clone. Bringing his hand up he grabbed hold of her gi before wrenching her off of her feet towards yet another pool of water.
He couldn't help but marvel at his niece's abilities. Though she would never match her parents' physical, the girl would become a masterful ki mage. Her mental aptitude combined with her powerful ki reserves would see to that. All she needed was to hone her body to best take advantage of her body's ability to channel and produce ki.
In that regard Haruna and Setsuna were opposites. The kendoka's hanyo blood meant that she used mana, yet she used it best in martial arts and just dabbled in magic as a magical swordswoman. Opposite power sources for opposing styles.
Focusing his ki into his hand, Ranma turned his attention to the still incapacitated kendoka. The look in her eyes told him that she was surprised by what he could do. It was one thing to enhance oneself with ki or mana, another to infuse either into someone else, but to physically manifest ki, well, few ever made it to that level.
The normally pale blue light appeared slightly greenish, giving Ranma a slight cause for concern. Flicking his finger, he launched the tiny ball at the startled hanyo, hitting her dead center and blasting her off of her feet and into a nearby pool.
"Two down," he proclaimed as he turned to face the rest of his students. "Well, three," he amended as Luke pulled himself out of the water.
It came as no surprise that Makie was the next to face him as the tiny gymnast stood alone atop the bamboo poles. Months of training under him had bolstered her confidence, but seeing him leap atop of the bamboo poles the gymnast felt her confidence deflate. Though she was best as a midrange fighter, everyone knew that up close she was limited. Still, she held her ground unflinchingly, exchanging her favored ribbon for clubs.
"Ready?" he asked.
A firm nod was all the answer he needed as the lithe girl struck with her clubs. A blinding barrage forced him to retreat to another pole. 'Her hand speed is good, but she's no match for Kodachi.'
Dancing around her attacks, he slowly got a feel for her effective range and speed. As an aerial specialist it was pointless to just throw her in hopes of landing her in a pool. Though each bamboo pole stood in a pool Ranma knew that it'd take much more than knocking her off her feet to get her to land the water.
Smirking, he allowed her to continue her attacks, luring her into a false sense of security as he set her up. Landing atop a long, limber shoot, he waited for her to give chase. Instead of leaping back he instead leaned back, shifting his weight so as to force the still live plant to gently bend, giving him just enough room to avoid her barrage. Wrapping his arms around her he hugged her to him even as they continued to descend. At the last moment he released his hold on the shoot, accelerating their fall. Spinning, he deposited her in a pool even as he landed on the firm ground.
"No fair!" Makie pouted as she emerged from the pool.
His victory was short lived though as Akira and Tenma charged at him. Springing back into the foliage above, he eyed the two boys. The resemblance was uncanny. Both stood just as tall as he was, with raven black hair (Tenma's flowed freely while Akira's well groomed locks just kept out of his way), striking blue eyes, and lean builds, they could almost be mistaken for twins if not siblings.
But the similarities ended there as Tenma's raw power was nearly a match for Ranma's while Akira used his flexibility and nimbleness to seek out any potential holes in the elder Saotome's defenses. Both moved like the wind as they pressed him, attacking from opposite sides to stretch his defenses and divide his focus.
Seeing the trees/shoots shaking behind him, Ranma led the boys on.
'They're learning,' he mused as the pair began to coordinate their attacks. Rather than both of them attacking simultaneously one would engage, forcing him to either evade or counter, allowing the other to react to any possible openings or to attack where they though he'd retreat to. It was a clever ploy but against someone of his level they were years away from being successful with it.
Leaping away from Tenma's fierce roundhouse, Ranma feigned leaping onto a short tree. Lifting his feet just enough to avoid landing on the shoot, he instead dropped to the ground, avoiding Akira's punch. Reaching out he grabbed hold of the shoot, preventing Tenma from landing on it. With no other plants within reach Tenma prepared himself to land with one foot on another shoot and the other on the ground, narrowly avoiding falling into a pool.
It was a good plan, but one that failed to consider what Ranma was about to do as he released the bamboo shoot in his hand. Though the blow as insignificant, it was enough to disrupt the cyborg's landing. Tripped up by the plant, Tenma tumbled to the ground, landing hard on his shoulder.
Springing off of another shoot, Ranma delivered a powerful kick that sent the cyborg crashing into another bamboo shoot, the same one that Akira had just landed. The resulting collision was better than Ranma had expected as both boys crashed into the water.
"Impressive."
His reflexes prompted him to jump just a fraction of a second before the polished and hardened wooden blade descended on him.
"Master Hibiki warned us that you were, what did he say?"
"'An elusive bastard'," Akira finished as he stood up and shook off the access water.
"You don't know the half of it," Ayaka remarked as she leapt into the air. Grabbing a hold of a shoot she spun around, delivering a hard double kick.
With a simple twist he avoided the attack, flipping over the buxom blond.
"You think that the two of you can do what they couldn't?" he teased the girls.
"Four of us," Asuna cried out as she sprang off of a shoot and aimed a fierce jump kick at him.
Still twisting, Ranma extended his arm, throwing off his flight path by shifting his center of gravity and by adding air resistance. With his other hand he batted aside her kick, before grabbing her ankle and spinning around her so that she now was between him and Ayaka. The former rivals collided in mid-air. Only by twisting in the air did Ayaka managed to land on her feet, holding the shorter Asuna in her arms as she did so.
Accepting their challenge, Ranma landed in the midst of the girls, allowing them to believe that they had him cornered. Spinning to the side he avoided Kaede's axe kick as she descended from the foliage above. An elbow to her kidneys sent her flying towards Ayaka, forcing the class rep to pull back. Moving to his left towards the closest pool of water caused the other girls to hesitate as they'd anticipated the exact opposite, giving him the time he needed to slip out of their range.
With their time as rivals and then as comrades in arms, Ayaka and Asuna showed the most and best teamwork, forcing him to throw them off by using one of the other girls as a shield or obstacle. The uneven ground and bamboo plants kept Ryoko at bay as they limited her striking ability and bokken, leaving just Kaede as the greatest threat as she slipped into the shadows and waited patiently for an opening.
Ranma smirked as he eyed the three girls before him. "We've all got secrets."
His proclamation forced the girls to pause. Beyond them the others watched from a safe distance, some of them wringing out their soaked clothes. Before any of the girls could react four glowing balls of energy slammed into them, knocking each of them into a pool of water.
"Wh-what was that?"
"Wooh!"
"I know that some of you are new to me, but I know that all of you have been exposed to magic and the magical world," he stated as he stood before all of them.
"That was a magical attack?" Haruna exclaimed.
The immortal shook his head. "That was a ki attack."
"Ki?" Ayaka gasped as Luke helped her out of the pool. "Are you going to teach us to physically manifest ki into an attack?"
"Perhaps," he shrugged. "But not all of you are ki users."
The bewildered looks on his students faces was predictable. Though they knew of ki and mana, they still didn't understand the difference. "Ki and mana are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Both can be used to enhance your body, but how they do it is different. As opposites they also tend to negate each other.
"Setsuna, you're a mana user, but you've learned to use mana instead of ki in your martial arts. Haruna's the opposite û she's a ki user but uses it to power her spells. People like the two of you are unusual, but with the right training and a bit of stubbornness, well, it's possible.
"I'm going to teach you what I know about ki and mana and how best to use either one to improve yourself."
As the others helped the remaining girls out of the water he appraised each of them.
"The world you live in is far larger and mysterious than you think you know," he stated he stood before them. "There are many things that I can't tell you, and I'm sure that someday you'll have things that you can't tell me. There are secrets that I can't share with you because of who they involve and thus not mine to share. I ask that you trust in my decision about keeping them, as I trust all of you in keeping and maintaining the secrets that you hold as well."
"You've finally reached the point where you're all capable of taking the next step," Ranma finally said. "Though you all must continue to hone your physical skills and master your growing bodies, I will help you take that next step so that you can each use either mana or ki. Once you've mastered enhancing your bodies I'll teach you some of the secret techniques that our school has acquired. Please do not share these techniques with anyone and do not use them lightly."
"Secret techniques?" Haruna squealed.
"Techniques and styles," Ranma added, a slight smile on his lips. "I regret that I could not pass these onto Hiro, but I'm sure that each of you will find these techniques useful.
"Now, go, clean up."
X X X X X
In the time that she'd studied under Tenma and Ranma, Asuna couldn't help but notice how different her sensei was. In class he was the playful and articulate speaker, but in the dojo he barked orders and instructions. Today though he was exceptionally short as he tried to explain the intricacies of ki and mana.
"It's not something I can explain to you," he finally said as he took her hand. "Close your eyes and just feel."
Doing as instructed, she closed her eyes.
"Tenma, you're good at reading other people's ki, why don't you work with Asuna," Master Saotome suggested.
Asuna was glad that her eyes were closed, though she could feel her face warming as blood flowed to her head. A slight tingling sensation ran up her hand and arm as he took her hand into his.
"Do you feel it?" though their voices were so similar she could tell that it was Tenma speaking to her.
"Yes," she replied breathlessly. She could only hope that his eye were either closed or focused on anything but her face.
"Do you feel it running up your arm, through your muscles, your ligements, tendons, bones, and blood?"
'I feel something alright,' she thought as she focused on his hand in hers.
"Good job Setsuna," Ranma's voice proclaimed. "I knew you had it in you. You're probably the most aware of your inner energy."
"Thank you sensei."
Though Ranma rarely gave out any praise, Asuna couldn't help but feel that she'd rather hold hands with Tenma then receive any praise and acknowledgment from her sensei.
X X X X X
Yes, there are more characters involved in this fic, but the story is going to focus more on Ranma and how he's dealing with things now. Death is hard for everyone, but when a parent buries a child it's, well, unnatural. Considering Ranma's current curse, it's just going to be compounded.
# # # # #
Life goes on.
Everything that he saw was a reminder of that fact. Everyday presented new struggles, lessons and memories. Ultimately each and every single moment, each decision and choice brought him to this very place at this particular time. Everything happened for a reason.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious as he approached the door before him. Taking a deep, calming breath, he pulled the door open even as he stepped through. Only his height, or lack of stature in this case, allowed him to avoid the falling eraser. Rushing through the threshold to avoid the trap, he failed to notice the tripwire.
It really wasn't the best way for him to make a positive impression on his new charges, it definitely left an impression.
X X X X X
Bodies at rest stay at rest, bodies in motion stay in motion. For Ranma Saotome the latter part of the statement best described him. Movement was easy, it allowed him to focus on the world around him and what needed to be done. Moping around, mourning for Hiro wouldn't benefit anyone, certainly not him.
Thus he was surprised when his students were startled to discover that they had evening practices still, just a few days removed from Hiro's funeral. Yes, they had just had their first day of classes for the new term, but that was an insufficient reason for them to cancel their daily training and sparring sessions.
It helped that he had four new students, though technically Kaede wasn't a student, just someone who trained with him during the week before sending her off to Konatsu's for the weekend. Unfortunately the other three 'new' students were all Shinmeiryu trained, meaning they had learned to use and fight with a sword. He'd definitely have to break their habits.
"Alright, everyone in line," he barked out as the last of his students rushed into the dojo. Walking down the line he eyed everyone before finally assuming his position before all of them. "I wanna see what you've all learned under Master Hibiki û free sparring outside." Stepping aside he waited for them to rush out of the dojo and into the yard. "Begin once I'm outside."
Luke was the first outside, his long, powerful legs carrying him out into the sunlight.
Kaede was next, though the kunoichi vanished the moment everyone else started their mad dash for the door.
Makie was the first to go for a weapon, her complement of tools now hanging on the wall along with every other weapon that Ranma had managed to collect in his years of fighting. It didn't surprise him that Ryoko followed suit, grabbing a bokken, though Akira took a moment to eye the wall before opting to forego the use of weapons. Setsuna grabbed her own bokken before dashing out of the door.
He watched as Ayaka stopped in the middle of the yard, giving herself plenty of distance between her closest peers even as she eyed them. Everyone else jockeyed for position, claiming similar spots throughout the sloped ground and bamboo foliage. Only Akira and Makie took positions in the field of bamboo poles, perching themselves above the others.
"Eliminate your opponent by knocking them into a pool," he instructed. "Begin!"
He'd expected Ayaka and Asuna to be the first to close, but seeing the tall blond charging the busty kendoka wasn't completely unexpected. As the presumed alpha of 2-A it fell on her to test the newest member of 2-A. Though unarmed, Ayaka had some experience dealing with armed opponents. Standing a full head taller than her opponent, the class rep grabbed a handful of dirt and gravel before closing with Ryoko. Flinging the tiny stones, she tested her opponent's hand and eye coordination, carefully testing the other girl's abilities.
As the number two male, Luke opted to test Akira seeing as Tenma opted to simply wait for someone to close with him. Leaping onto a bamboo pole the taller boy gracefully navigated the field, his long limbs making short work of the randomly place poles.
A yelp from the astonished Asuna told him that Kaede had struck as she finally revealed herself. Stealth and cunning pitted against sheer stubbornness as the two began exchanging blows. Kaede had the advantage of reach, speed, and experience, but Asuna had the edge in durability. Avoiding the first volley, Asuna took two punches to the ribs and stomach before Kaede pulled back, unwilling to move into her opponent's range. Slowly the kunoichi lured her opponent into the bamboo grove, using the fiery girl's temperament against her as she landed several light punches in each exchange before retreating.
For five agonizing minutes Ranma watched as his students tentatively tested each other. Ranma Saotome was a man of action and motion. Simply watching them sparring wasn't enough. The best way to gage their ability was to test them directly. Sure, watching how they fought against others provided him with different insights and perspectives on their abilities, but it wasn't until they fought the best that they brought out their best.
Luke was the first to notice, and the first to fall as Akira took advantage of his momentary lapse, tripping the taller boy and sending him sprawling into one of the many pools of water beneath the bamboo shoots.
Rushing at Haruna as she held her ground against Setsuna, Ranma swept his niece's feet out from under her with a spinning leg sweep. Grabbing hold of her shoulders he tossed her through the air towards a nearby pool.
Ducking under a wicked slash, Ranma was glad that Setsuna was using only a bokken. Though he couldn't see the mana she unleashed, he could feel it manifest in the pressurized air of her attack. 'She's almost as good as Motoko was when I met her,' he mused. "Let's see how good you are without your bokken!"
Catching the tip of her weapon with his right, he countered with a palm-strike to her sternum. Standing tall she appeared to absorb the force of the blow, but not the ki that he'd infused her with that disrupted the mana she'd used to fortify her body. Ki and mana, both were fundamental aspects of martial arts and magic respectively, though few understood that they could be used for the same purpose. Most assumed that they would cancel out; few knew that the stronger of the two prevailed. Even fewer knew that the two could be combined. Unfortunately most could not endure having both mixed. Clearly Setsuna fell into that camp.
Only Haruna's surprise attack kept him from capitalizing against the stunned half-hanyo as his niece recovered and countered his previous attack. Sidestepping Haruna's sneak attack he smirked, 'She's learning.' The shaking bamboo shoot was all he needed to know how she'd avoided the pool and covered the distance in such a small amount of time.
Pretending to focus on the golem before him he deftly avoided its attack.
'There you are!' A quick spinning back elbow connected with Haruna's stomach, knocking the wind out of her and dispelling the golem/clone. Bringing his hand up he grabbed hold of her gi before wrenching her off of her feet towards yet another pool of water.
He couldn't help but marvel at his niece's abilities. Though she would never match her parents' physical, the girl would become a masterful ki mage. Her mental aptitude combined with her powerful ki reserves would see to that. All she needed was to hone her body to best take advantage of her body's ability to channel and produce ki.
In that regard Haruna and Setsuna were opposites. The kendoka's hanyo blood meant that she used mana, yet she used it best in martial arts and just dabbled in magic as a magical swordswoman. Opposite power sources for opposing styles.
Focusing his ki into his hand, Ranma turned his attention to the still incapacitated kendoka. The look in her eyes told him that she was surprised by what he could do. It was one thing to enhance oneself with ki or mana, another to infuse either into someone else, but to physically manifest ki, well, few ever made it to that level.
The normally pale blue light appeared slightly greenish, giving Ranma a slight cause for concern. Flicking his finger, he launched the tiny ball at the startled hanyo, hitting her dead center and blasting her off of her feet and into a nearby pool.
"Two down," he proclaimed as he turned to face the rest of his students. "Well, three," he amended as Luke pulled himself out of the water.
It came as no surprise that Makie was the next to face him as the tiny gymnast stood alone atop the bamboo poles. Months of training under him had bolstered her confidence, but seeing him leap atop of the bamboo poles the gymnast felt her confidence deflate. Though she was best as a midrange fighter, everyone knew that up close she was limited. Still, she held her ground unflinchingly, exchanging her favored ribbon for clubs.
"Ready?" he asked.
A firm nod was all the answer he needed as the lithe girl struck with her clubs. A blinding barrage forced him to retreat to another pole. 'Her hand speed is good, but she's no match for Kodachi.'
Dancing around her attacks, he slowly got a feel for her effective range and speed. As an aerial specialist it was pointless to just throw her in hopes of landing her in a pool. Though each bamboo pole stood in a pool Ranma knew that it'd take much more than knocking her off her feet to get her to land the water.
Smirking, he allowed her to continue her attacks, luring her into a false sense of security as he set her up. Landing atop a long, limber shoot, he waited for her to give chase. Instead of leaping back he instead leaned back, shifting his weight so as to force the still live plant to gently bend, giving him just enough room to avoid her barrage. Wrapping his arms around her he hugged her to him even as they continued to descend. At the last moment he released his hold on the shoot, accelerating their fall. Spinning, he deposited her in a pool even as he landed on the firm ground.
"No fair!" Makie pouted as she emerged from the pool.
His victory was short lived though as Akira and Tenma charged at him. Springing back into the foliage above, he eyed the two boys. The resemblance was uncanny. Both stood just as tall as he was, with raven black hair (Tenma's flowed freely while Akira's well groomed locks just kept out of his way), striking blue eyes, and lean builds, they could almost be mistaken for twins if not siblings.
But the similarities ended there as Tenma's raw power was nearly a match for Ranma's while Akira used his flexibility and nimbleness to seek out any potential holes in the elder Saotome's defenses. Both moved like the wind as they pressed him, attacking from opposite sides to stretch his defenses and divide his focus.
Seeing the trees/shoots shaking behind him, Ranma led the boys on.
'They're learning,' he mused as the pair began to coordinate their attacks. Rather than both of them attacking simultaneously one would engage, forcing him to either evade or counter, allowing the other to react to any possible openings or to attack where they though he'd retreat to. It was a clever ploy but against someone of his level they were years away from being successful with it.
Leaping away from Tenma's fierce roundhouse, Ranma feigned leaping onto a short tree. Lifting his feet just enough to avoid landing on the shoot, he instead dropped to the ground, avoiding Akira's punch. Reaching out he grabbed hold of the shoot, preventing Tenma from landing on it. With no other plants within reach Tenma prepared himself to land with one foot on another shoot and the other on the ground, narrowly avoiding falling into a pool.
It was a good plan, but one that failed to consider what Ranma was about to do as he released the bamboo shoot in his hand. Though the blow as insignificant, it was enough to disrupt the cyborg's landing. Tripped up by the plant, Tenma tumbled to the ground, landing hard on his shoulder.
Springing off of another shoot, Ranma delivered a powerful kick that sent the cyborg crashing into another bamboo shoot, the same one that Akira had just landed. The resulting collision was better than Ranma had expected as both boys crashed into the water.
"Impressive."
His reflexes prompted him to jump just a fraction of a second before the polished and hardened wooden blade descended on him.
"Master Hibiki warned us that you were, what did he say?"
"'An elusive bastard'," Akira finished as he stood up and shook off the access water.
"You don't know the half of it," Ayaka remarked as she leapt into the air. Grabbing a hold of a shoot she spun around, delivering a hard double kick.
With a simple twist he avoided the attack, flipping over the buxom blond.
"You think that the two of you can do what they couldn't?" he teased the girls.
"Four of us," Asuna cried out as she sprang off of a shoot and aimed a fierce jump kick at him.
Still twisting, Ranma extended his arm, throwing off his flight path by shifting his center of gravity and by adding air resistance. With his other hand he batted aside her kick, before grabbing her ankle and spinning around her so that she now was between him and Ayaka. The former rivals collided in mid-air. Only by twisting in the air did Ayaka managed to land on her feet, holding the shorter Asuna in her arms as she did so.
Accepting their challenge, Ranma landed in the midst of the girls, allowing them to believe that they had him cornered. Spinning to the side he avoided Kaede's axe kick as she descended from the foliage above. An elbow to her kidneys sent her flying towards Ayaka, forcing the class rep to pull back. Moving to his left towards the closest pool of water caused the other girls to hesitate as they'd anticipated the exact opposite, giving him the time he needed to slip out of their range.
With their time as rivals and then as comrades in arms, Ayaka and Asuna showed the most and best teamwork, forcing him to throw them off by using one of the other girls as a shield or obstacle. The uneven ground and bamboo plants kept Ryoko at bay as they limited her striking ability and bokken, leaving just Kaede as the greatest threat as she slipped into the shadows and waited patiently for an opening.
Ranma smirked as he eyed the three girls before him. "We've all got secrets."
His proclamation forced the girls to pause. Beyond them the others watched from a safe distance, some of them wringing out their soaked clothes. Before any of the girls could react four glowing balls of energy slammed into them, knocking each of them into a pool of water.
"Wh-what was that?"
"Wooh!"
"I know that some of you are new to me, but I know that all of you have been exposed to magic and the magical world," he stated as he stood before all of them.
"That was a magical attack?" Haruna exclaimed.
The immortal shook his head. "That was a ki attack."
"Ki?" Ayaka gasped as Luke helped her out of the pool. "Are you going to teach us to physically manifest ki into an attack?"
"Perhaps," he shrugged. "But not all of you are ki users."
The bewildered looks on his students faces was predictable. Though they knew of ki and mana, they still didn't understand the difference. "Ki and mana are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Both can be used to enhance your body, but how they do it is different. As opposites they also tend to negate each other.
"Setsuna, you're a mana user, but you've learned to use mana instead of ki in your martial arts. Haruna's the opposite û she's a ki user but uses it to power her spells. People like the two of you are unusual, but with the right training and a bit of stubbornness, well, it's possible.
"I'm going to teach you what I know about ki and mana and how best to use either one to improve yourself."
As the others helped the remaining girls out of the water he appraised each of them.
"The world you live in is far larger and mysterious than you think you know," he stated he stood before them. "There are many things that I can't tell you, and I'm sure that someday you'll have things that you can't tell me. There are secrets that I can't share with you because of who they involve and thus not mine to share. I ask that you trust in my decision about keeping them, as I trust all of you in keeping and maintaining the secrets that you hold as well."
"You've finally reached the point where you're all capable of taking the next step," Ranma finally said. "Though you all must continue to hone your physical skills and master your growing bodies, I will help you take that next step so that you can each use either mana or ki. Once you've mastered enhancing your bodies I'll teach you some of the secret techniques that our school has acquired. Please do not share these techniques with anyone and do not use them lightly."
"Secret techniques?" Haruna squealed.
"Techniques and styles," Ranma added, a slight smile on his lips. "I regret that I could not pass these onto Hiro, but I'm sure that each of you will find these techniques useful.
"Now, go, clean up."
X X X X X
In the time that she'd studied under Tenma and Ranma, Asuna couldn't help but notice how different her sensei was. In class he was the playful and articulate speaker, but in the dojo he barked orders and instructions. Today though he was exceptionally short as he tried to explain the intricacies of ki and mana.
"It's not something I can explain to you," he finally said as he took her hand. "Close your eyes and just feel."
Doing as instructed, she closed her eyes.
"Tenma, you're good at reading other people's ki, why don't you work with Asuna," Master Saotome suggested.
Asuna was glad that her eyes were closed, though she could feel her face warming as blood flowed to her head. A slight tingling sensation ran up her hand and arm as he took her hand into his.
"Do you feel it?" though their voices were so similar she could tell that it was Tenma speaking to her.
"Yes," she replied breathlessly. She could only hope that his eye were either closed or focused on anything but her face.
"Do you feel it running up your arm, through your muscles, your ligements, tendons, bones, and blood?"
'I feel something alright,' she thought as she focused on his hand in hers.
"Good job Setsuna," Ranma's voice proclaimed. "I knew you had it in you. You're probably the most aware of your inner energy."
"Thank you sensei."
Though Ranma rarely gave out any praise, Asuna couldn't help but feel that she'd rather hold hands with Tenma then receive any praise and acknowledgment from her sensei.
X X X X X
X X X X X
The familiar feel of his muscles aching only to be relieved by the soothing warm waters of the onsen was a balm to Ranma Saotome. With the hectic schedule of the previous days he'd been unable to get a proper work out. True, the sparing session with kids hadn't been much of a work out, but the intense session with Saffron after he'd excused the others had been nice. The combination of raw power and physical skill made this Saffron much more of a threat than the previous one. Add in the fact that he didn't have full control of his powers and the prince was truly unpredictable.
Still, he was glad that the others had left. The first day of each term was always busy. For his three children it meant that the other clubs were trying to recruit them to supplement their numbers. It didn't help that the word of them had already spread to the various martial arts clubs or teams. Though the national competitions were already done, the teams were still looking to improve themselves either by recruiting transfers or by changing their training methods.
Both Ryoko and Akira had full transcripts while Tenma's was obviously made up. The latter had been based off of Ranma's transcripts û traveling and learning abroad, just as Hiro's had been. Akira and Ryoko had both participated in their respective schools' teams, the former in Judo, Karate, and Kendo, the latter in Ju Jitsu and Kendo. As such both had encountered their Mahora counterparts at the national tournaments over the summer break, resulting in their heavy recruitment by those squads.
That left just Tenma.
"Father."
"Tenma," he returned as he glanced up at the hazy figure.
"I believe now is the best time to discuss what happened the other day."
'Straight to the point,' Ranma nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"I understand why you kept us from speaking of it in the open, but why have you not followed up on the matter? Are you not curious as to what memories were altered or erased?"
"Curious, no," he replied curtly. "I already know what happened and why."
"How?"
"Mana and Ki generally don't mix," Ranma stated. "I'm a ki mage."
"Your ki overpowered the mana used in the spell."
"No," the immortal shook his head. "I've a contract with the demon who performed the spell. There's a sub-clause in the contract that limits him when he performs magic on me unless I request it. Even though he is only the facilitator of Hiro's contract, the effects of his spell on me were temporary."
"So you know"
"You and Luke are unaffected by the spell," Ranma stated. Unsure how to articulate things without giving away too much information, he eyed his eldest son. "Activate protocol thirteen."
"Activating protocol thirteen," Tenma repeated. "It's that serious?"
The immortal nodded. "If the administration knew what happened they'd come down on all of us. Demon contracts aren't to be taken lightly. Old man Konoe may turn a blind eye to mine, but if word got out to the others, well, they may not be able to do anything directly, but it would burden the beneficiary."
"I do not understand. Who benefited from the contract? Hiro is dead, what would he benefit from dying?"
"He doesn't," Ranma explained. "He sacrificed himself for someone else, someone who had cancer."
"Because even magic can't cure cancer, only transfer it."
"Most who transfer it shift it to someone who they feel deserves it, or if they're vengeful, to someone they hate. The memory spell was to protect the beneficiary."
"Narusegawaà" the cyborg muttered.
"Let her be happy," Ranma ordered. "If she were to know what he did for herà" 'or what she'd saidà'
"She would be devastated," Tenma finished.
The immortal nodded, swallowing the bile in his throat. He really didn't want to remember what she'd said to him, even if it was said in a moment of weakness and despair.
For a moment Tenma's blue eyes glowed red as he accessed his memory. "What I do not understand is why they had their memories erased, what purpose does it serve?"
"They were following him, it's possible that they discovered what he was about to do, forcing him to have their memories altered."
"And the girls? When will you tell them?"
"For now, they' don't need to know," he asserted. "They have too much to worry about already. Besides, their emotions are too raw right now. I doubt that they'd take it lightly that Hiro manipulated them into fighting Shinobu."
"What of Shinobu?" the cyborg asked at her mention.
"Her master won't break the spell, even if she could," he assured the cyborg. "With Shinobu converting her ki into mana I doubt that she'll be able to break it either."
"Does she not deserve to know the truth?"
Ranma shook his head. "That her onetime rival and the woman she sought to emulate and replace has cancer? No, it's no longer relevant."
It was Tenma's turn to shake his head, "That Hiro manipulated the others into fighting her."
He paused to reflect on his son's rational. "Perhapsà"
X X X X X
A/N
I'll leave things here for now.
Yes, I'm tying into things that have happened before but not resolved. Not everything resolves in the same story arch or chapter.
Dreamingfox
The familiar feel of his muscles aching only to be relieved by the soothing warm waters of the onsen was a balm to Ranma Saotome. With the hectic schedule of the previous days he'd been unable to get a proper work out. True, the sparing session with kids hadn't been much of a work out, but the intense session with Saffron after he'd excused the others had been nice. The combination of raw power and physical skill made this Saffron much more of a threat than the previous one. Add in the fact that he didn't have full control of his powers and the prince was truly unpredictable.
Still, he was glad that the others had left. The first day of each term was always busy. For his three children it meant that the other clubs were trying to recruit them to supplement their numbers. It didn't help that the word of them had already spread to the various martial arts clubs or teams. Though the national competitions were already done, the teams were still looking to improve themselves either by recruiting transfers or by changing their training methods.
Both Ryoko and Akira had full transcripts while Tenma's was obviously made up. The latter had been based off of Ranma's transcripts û traveling and learning abroad, just as Hiro's had been. Akira and Ryoko had both participated in their respective schools' teams, the former in Judo, Karate, and Kendo, the latter in Ju Jitsu and Kendo. As such both had encountered their Mahora counterparts at the national tournaments over the summer break, resulting in their heavy recruitment by those squads.
That left just Tenma.
"Father."
"Tenma," he returned as he glanced up at the hazy figure.
"I believe now is the best time to discuss what happened the other day."
'Straight to the point,' Ranma nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"I understand why you kept us from speaking of it in the open, but why have you not followed up on the matter? Are you not curious as to what memories were altered or erased?"
"Curious, no," he replied curtly. "I already know what happened and why."
"How?"
"Mana and Ki generally don't mix," Ranma stated. "I'm a ki mage."
"Your ki overpowered the mana used in the spell."
"No," the immortal shook his head. "I've a contract with the demon who performed the spell. There's a sub-clause in the contract that limits him when he performs magic on me unless I request it. Even though he is only the facilitator of Hiro's contract, the effects of his spell on me were temporary."
"So you know"
"You and Luke are unaffected by the spell," Ranma stated. Unsure how to articulate things without giving away too much information, he eyed his eldest son. "Activate protocol thirteen."
"Activating protocol thirteen," Tenma repeated. "It's that serious?"
The immortal nodded. "If the administration knew what happened they'd come down on all of us. Demon contracts aren't to be taken lightly. Old man Konoe may turn a blind eye to mine, but if word got out to the others, well, they may not be able to do anything directly, but it would burden the beneficiary."
"I do not understand. Who benefited from the contract? Hiro is dead, what would he benefit from dying?"
"He doesn't," Ranma explained. "He sacrificed himself for someone else, someone who had cancer."
"Because even magic can't cure cancer, only transfer it."
"Most who transfer it shift it to someone who they feel deserves it, or if they're vengeful, to someone they hate. The memory spell was to protect the beneficiary."
"Narusegawaà" the cyborg muttered.
"Let her be happy," Ranma ordered. "If she were to know what he did for herà" 'or what she'd saidà'
"She would be devastated," Tenma finished.
The immortal nodded, swallowing the bile in his throat. He really didn't want to remember what she'd said to him, even if it was said in a moment of weakness and despair.
For a moment Tenma's blue eyes glowed red as he accessed his memory. "What I do not understand is why they had their memories erased, what purpose does it serve?"
"They were following him, it's possible that they discovered what he was about to do, forcing him to have their memories altered."
"And the girls? When will you tell them?"
"For now, they' don't need to know," he asserted. "They have too much to worry about already. Besides, their emotions are too raw right now. I doubt that they'd take it lightly that Hiro manipulated them into fighting Shinobu."
"What of Shinobu?" the cyborg asked at her mention.
"Her master won't break the spell, even if she could," he assured the cyborg. "With Shinobu converting her ki into mana I doubt that she'll be able to break it either."
"Does she not deserve to know the truth?"
Ranma shook his head. "That her onetime rival and the woman she sought to emulate and replace has cancer? No, it's no longer relevant."
It was Tenma's turn to shake his head, "That Hiro manipulated the others into fighting her."
He paused to reflect on his son's rational. "Perhapsà"
X X X X X
A/N
I'll leave things here for now.
Yes, I'm tying into things that have happened before but not resolved. Not everything resolves in the same story arch or chapter.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
Yeah, it's been a while since I've updated, much less written anything. So much going on and all, but that happens.
Yes, this current extended arch will deal with the Negima timeline, but don't expect Ranma to get too involved in Negi's business.
# # # # #
Time stops for no one. That was one fact that Ranma Saotome had learned during his self-imposed exile nearly half a decade ago. Even an immortal like him could not stop the passage of time, only try to ignore it.
Though he'd tried to ignore death was an inescapable aspect of life that he couldn't ignore. He'd previously tried to forget about it, but even after a decade on the mountain he'd barely gotten over the death of his parents, fiancÚe, and her family. Hiro's death was simply salt being rubbed into his still recovering wound.
"It gets better over time."
Not in the mood to be lectured, Ranma did his best to try and ignore the well dressed man in his kitchen as he focused on the food before him. Razor sharp knives flashed in the air, cutting through a basket of freshly picked vegetables.
"Impressive," his uninvited guest remarked. "I bet it's going to taste wonderful."
"Isn't it always?" the immortal retorted, offended at the insinuation that anything he did was less then exceptional.
"I knew you couldn't ignore me forever," the well dressed demon smirked.
"Hiro didn't know, did he?" he finally asked, as he set his knives down.
The grey haired demon shook his head, "No, he didn't."
"And the contractor?"
"He suspects, but doesn't care," Graf replied.
"You didn't come here just for small talk," the immortal stated. Wiping down the knives he stood across from the demon. "And I doubt that you're here just to rub things in."
"I did not enjoy facilitating that deal," the demon replied.
"Are you asking for forgiveness?"
Again Graf shook his head. "From now on, we're going to be on opposite sides of things. I've been sent here to insist that you stay out of our way."
"'Our way'?" the immortal repeated.
"My new employer, and the owner of Hiro's soul," Graf clarified. "My inability to properly influence you with magic limits my effectiveness in the group. I figured that I would make up for that by trying to negotiate your impartialness."
Turning away from the demon Ranma placed his wok on the stove. "That depends on who it involves."
X
Delicate fingers danced along the rim of her goblet, the warm blood inside slowly cooling as the pale girl lounged in her cabin.
"Mistress, is something bothering you?" her partner's voice rang in her ears.
An annoyed scowl appeared on the tiny vampire's face as she sent the goblet and its contents crashing into the wall.
"You are displeased with your dinner," the gynoid stated as she assumed the worst.
"It's Springfield," her newest partner concluded.
"Our new homeroom teacher?" the artificial human asked.
"It's before your time," her oldest partner explained. "I'm surprised that you know of him."
The tiny puppet turned to glance at the buxom blunette.
"I did my research," Shinobu explained. "Before I agreed to become your partner, I did my research. Nagi Springfield, the infamous Thousand Master, rumored to have defeated Evangeline MacDowell. He's the reason why you're trapped here, right?"
Tiny eyes glared at the tall young woman, daring her to say more.
"With the Thousand Master having vanished almost ten years ago rumor has it that he's passed," the blunette added. "But with an heir it's possible that Master could use his blood to break the spell he has on her."
"Death comes to everyone, even the infamous like the Thousand Master," Eva scowled. "His brat coming here saves me from having to find an alternative to breaking the spell. I never thought that he'd die though.
"The brat's probably too young to have known his old man, and he's probably just graduated from the Academy, so he's easy pickings."
"He's staying with Ranma," Shinobu interjected.
"What?" Irked by that tidbit, Evangeline glared at the blunette. "Why the hell did you not tell us about this sooner?"
"Part of the conditions that you agreed to," a new voice interjected.
Four sets of eyes turned to the newcomer, each alarmed at his sudden appearance. The shimmering, pale visage was clearly an illusion, a mere projection sent by the master illusionist.
"Of course I sealed away all the secrets of my household and school before I allowed her to leave."
She should have felt indignant, yet Shinobu couldn't help but feel flustered at his admission. 'When did he do that?'
"So now you're undoing the seal?" Eva sneered.
"Not everything," the phantasm ceded. "I'm allowing her to tell you what you need to know when it's appropriate."
"You've been using her to spy on me," the vampire deducted.
"I won't go that far, after all, it would impede what you teach her, and that's what she's here for, to learn from you. But I can use her as a medium for us to communicate. Check her yourself - there are no other spells or enchantments on her, at least not mine."
"Hold out your hand," Eva ordered.
Acquiescing, Shinobu did as her master commanded allowing the tiny vampire to sink her teeth into her wrist.
Taking the time to taste her partner's blood and test it for any other lingering magic, Eva pulled away. 'How did I miss this?' "You're clean," she surmised. "You were lovers, but your bondà there's something more too it."
"She was my first student," the illusion added.
Eva scowled. There was always something between a teacher and his first student, but for them to have strengthened that bond to become loversà "What a tangled web you weaveà"
For a moment they all stood in silence, each unable to articulate what they were thinking.
"In regards to Springfield," the phantasm finally said, "make your plans, but you are not allowed to reveal yourself or to touch him until next term. He's far too green and young to be of any use to you right now, and if something were to happen to him now the senior faculty would become involved."
As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point.
"Give him a term to mature, and I'm sure that once he proves himself capable of reigning in your classà"
Eva had to smirk. It was cunning, and he was right, she couldn't touch him without drawing the other teacher's attention. They'd be much more lax should the runt actually prove to be just as effective as Takahata. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Someone else is interested in Negi as well," Ranma stated. "The boy needs to be able to stand up to you first before he can stand up to any other threats."
"You think I'm going to go easy on him?" Eva snapped.
Ranma shrugged. "Perhaps."
X
Seeds of doubt filled Naru Narusegawa's mind, finally taking root after a week of unexpected happiness and bliss. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling so happy, yet she couldn't help but feel as though she'd had a new lease on life.
Few paid it any attention, not when her peers and co-workers were so focused on Ranma. While Hiro wasn't the first person Ranma had buried, he was by far the youngest and perhaps the most tragic. The promising youth was perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, but his unexpected illness and sudden death had left a noticable void in the Saotome household as well as in the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.
Yet even Hiro's passing failed to put a damper on her mood. Perhaps it was her own relative youth and immaturity combined with the fact that Ranma himself was immortal that made her and those around her forget about how truly fleeting a person's life could be. None of the other students at Mahora could honestly say that they thought today would be their last day. Each of them expected to see the next dawn and sunset, taking for granted those everyday things until it was too late.
Though she'd barely known him Naru could honestly say that Hiro had left a lasting impression on her. She would not take anything for granted. Dreams and long forgotten goals needed addressing. No longer could she simply push things aside hoping for things to happen next week or next month; no, if she wanted something to happen then she needed to set the ground work for herself.
X
"One week," Ranma grumbled as he eyed the frozen image on the monitor, "he couldn't even make it a week without using magic."
Beside him his companion smirked. "At least he's talented," the vampire assessed. "Brewing a love potionà I wonder what he used as a catalyst."
"Or where he got the ingredients," the vampire's partner added.
Both Ranma and Eva glanced at the blunette as the images on the monitor rewound.
"It's not easy finding or obtaining the key catalysts used in a love potion," Shinobu deadpanned. "Not that anything like that would work on you, sensei."
"Who was the potion supposed to be used on?" Ranma asked quickly.
"I think he was making it for Asuna," Chachamaru replied.
"They do know about magic," the master martial artist ceded, "and Negi knows that they know about magic."
"Looks like he's going down the path of becoming a better mage, not a better man," Eva remarked. "Let's see what other trouble he's capable of getting into."
X
The waning moon hid behind the wispy clouds, extending the shadows of the night and hiding the path of the young kunoichi. Yet even without the cover of darkness the buxom girl moved unnoticed through the mountain path. Kilometers flew by in the near darkness until she finally reached her destination.
A flash of movement caught her keen eye, prompting her slither into the deepest shadow. Stealing a glance at the nearly obscured moon Kaede waited.
X
Trouble seemed to be the best word to describe Negi Springfield. It wasn't that the boy intentionally sought to make things difficult for himself or those around him, but things just seemed to happen that way.
As a magnet for trouble himself, Ranma understood what it was like.
Fortunately for the young mage he'd yet to collect a staple of rivals, though he appeared to be gathering a harem consisting of the students from his homeroom. That was going to be a problem. Had the girls been Negi's age it would have been easier to put off a few years. No, the age difference was definitely a bad thing. Most of the girls in 2-A were already beginning to mature physically, but they were also reaching that age where they were going to become sexually active. Unfortunately the ten year old Negi had years before he'd reach that stage in his life, making it much too easy for some of the more clever and aggressive girls to take advantage of him.
But of all the girls in 2-A there was one that worried him the most û Haruna Saotome. Not only was she his niece, but she'd inherited her father's keen mind. Unfortunately she'd learned far too much from her father, though at least Ukyo had put a stop to the kunoichi training before Konatsu had managed to teach her too much about his family's art. Still, judging by the images in her sketchbook she was probably one of the more advanced girls in 2-A.
It didn't help that she was one of the girls that Negi turned to for advice as the magister magi in training sought to keep magic hidden from the rest of 2-A and his other non-magical students. Come to think of it, it wasn't beyond Haruna to suggest to the impressionable young boy something like a love potion, and she did have a knack for messing with her cousin.
For someone who was once the nexus of chaos and destruction it was hard for Ranma to just sit back and observe. Seeing how the girls chased after Negi it was hard for him to not insert himself into the fray much like he'd done the few times that Ryoga had gone out on a date with Akane.
Yes, trouble was not exclusive to Negi Springfield. Though he might be this generation's chaos magnet, the boy was not the only one who would be tested. Just as Ranma's rivals and suitors had been tested by their various trials, those around Negi would be tested as well.
"That's enough for today," the immortal master proclaimed as the tall blond pinned his niece to the wall of the dojo.
The individual spars had become more intense since the start of the autumn term. The addition of Akira and Ryoko helped change the dynamics of the group, but the greatest change had been brought about by the girls of 2-A's unresolved feelings towards Tenma. Having had multiple girls chasing after him in his teens Ranma had learned to notice the tell tale signs.
Yes, Tenma was beginning to take after his "father", a sign that the cybernetic clone was too much like the original. Asuna had been the first to fall for him. Kaede hid her intentions well, but only when the others were around or when she thought no one else could see. Add in the way that Luke secretly taunted his friend and confidant whenever he left the pair of them together and it was clear to Ranma that something had happened between Tenma and Kaede. Clearly Ayaka and Asuna had picked up on things as well as the two sought to limit the amount of time that Tenma was alone with the kunoichi. Fortunately for them the kunoichi had left for her weekend training with Konatsu, easing the tensions in the dojo while the others trained.
"Tenma, give them their assignments," he instructed as his students stood in line before him. Though he strove to make them all well-rounded fighters Ranma knew that they had were far from being balanced fighters. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses that needed to be addressed through different exercises.
Only Kaede's lessons were beyond his control as her time was split between Ranma and Konatsu's training. Physically she was the only one who came close to handling Luke's size and reach as well as with Tenma's experience and speed. Aside from Akira and Ryoko, she had the most formal training of the group.
"You're such a hot head!" Ayaka shouted at Asuna before throwing a right-cross at her opponent.
"Shut up blondie!"the shorter girl snapped as she ducked under her taller opponent's attack.
"This is the Soul of Ice?" Tenma asked as he stood beside his father.
"It's a step towards attaining it," Ranma replied. "We employ verbal barbs because we seek to unsettle our opponents, but if we allow ourselves to be swayed by our opponent's taunts we simply give our opponents something to use against us. Never let your emotions sway you in battle. Though they may empower you, they can also be used against you."
"The Soul of Ice is something you must master if you wish to learn your father's most powerful technique," Saffron added.
"It was my most powerful technique," Ranma corrected. "When the time is right you and the others can learn more."
For countless moments he watched his students spar. With Kaede gone for the weekend and with him sitting out the uneven numbers forced one of his students to sit out of the practice bouts. "Tenma, have them practice until midnight," he ordered.
"That's at least two hours off," the lumbering werewolf managed between labored breaths.
Ranma nodded as he turned his back to them, "Practice makes perfect."
X
The dark of night filled the tiny mountain clearing. Silently, patiently, the young kunoichi waited for her target to appear.
Finally, after hours of waiting, her target arrived. Even in the darkness she could tell that he had a lean yet powerful build. Like a tiger on the prowl, the man radiated deadly calm.
Every muscle in her stomach tensed, almost to the point of being painful. Gritting her teeth she waited for him to spring the first of her traps. The sound of forged metal cutting through the thin mountain air told her that he'd triggered the trap. Cautiously she rushed at the figure sailing through the air intent on intercepting him before he made it out of the clearing.
Metal met metal, filling the air with sparks as the two bladed weapons clashed once, twice, three times before finally her efforts were finally rewarded. The hot spray of blood enveloped her hand a moment before she pushed the body against a tree trunk. For a moment her target's body trembled before finally going limp.
"Good job," her master's voice whispered into her ear.
Startled, she extracted her kunai from her victim. The thick, drying blood on her hand and kunai instead drew her attention. "H-how long?"
"Too long," Konatsu scolded gently. "But you'll get used to it. We should go now."
X
Through the eyes of a heron Ranma watched as the defending regional champions in dodge ball challenged the girls of 2-A to a match. Though it took little prompting from him to get the Black Lilies to provoke Asuna and Ayaka, the fact that he could so easily manipulate his students, both former and current, into this confrontation was a sign of just how much older he was. While it was nothing compared to the things that Cologne and Happosai as well as his father and Mr. Tendo did to him and the others, it was proof that the young failed to see the bigger picture.
Hot headed Asuna and her friend/rival Ayaka refused to back down, even to older and more experienced girls like the freshmen girls before them. Rallying around the pillars of the class, the other girls quickly agreed to the challenge.
To make up for their inexperience they were supposedly given an advantage in numbers, but the truth was that the additional players actually gave the Lilies the edge. As good as Asuna, Ayaka, Makie, Kaede, and Haruna were, their abilities would be limited by the other girls.
First blood went to the Black Lilies as they picked off the twins and Nodaka in one swift play. In an attempt to quickly even the odds Asuna tried to pick off one of the Black Lilies. Predictably the fiery tempered girl managed to hit one of the Lilies. Ayaka followed up by eliminating another Black Lily, but Makie and Haruna's throws were off the mark. Unfortunately the Lilies throws hit their mark as well, eliminating five more girls from 2-A.
Inflated confidence combined with indignant rage prompted Asuna to pick up one of the balls and make a hasty throw. Though the ball connected with one of the Black Lilies the ricochet was caught by one of the other Black Lilies.
Even through the eyes of the hawk it was apparent that the Lilies had verbally taunted the younger girls as one of their leaders left the field of play. The older girls quickly employed a shock and awe strategy, swiftly eliminating five more members of 2-A. It was only because of Ayaka that the other girls managed to not be wiped out, slowly leading them back and even eliminating one more Black Lily.
Switching tactics the older girls began to single out their targets, allowing two girls to throw at a single target while setting up their teammate to actually eliminate the target. It was an effective ploy, allowing them to eliminate three more girls in little over a minute, cutting the ranks of 2-A down to 9 of the original 20.
By all appearances the Black Lilies had the girls of 2-A beat but to the trained eye it was clear that the remaining girls of 2-A had the older girls on the ropes. Without the extra bodies in the way their martial arts training was paying off. The true surprise though was Chao.
Even without seeing her eyes, the master martial artist relied instead on reading her ankles, knees, and shoulders. Few understood how the positioning of one's shoulders in relation to one's feet and knees related to how one moved; then again few dedicated themselves to the art as Ranma had. Having studied virtually every known style he could identify a style by the stance one stood in, but thus far he'd never seen Chao in action and couldn't identify her style.
While he'd suspected that she was a formidable fighter (Ku Fei had admitted that she'd been bested by the other Chinese girl) it was the way she moved was what caught his attention. Her stance was wide and balanced, with her left side leading so as to provide the smallest target to her opponents.
The subtle movements of her knees and feet as she ducked and dodged, never leaving herself fully vulnerable or exposed even when she took aim at one of the Black Liliesà it was hauntingly familiar. Without a doubt she was a genius, possessing both the emotional and physical fortitude along with the best grades in the entire school. But what was truly amazing was that she was holding back. She wasn't just trying to lure the Black Lilies into making a bad throw or exposing their strategies, she was actually making herself look bad.
At first he'd thought that he'd misread her style, but seeing her footwork as well as how she moved her shoulders and hips he was sure that she was forcing herself to stay in a spot longer than necessary before moving out of the way at the last possible moment.
But even with her amazing athleticism and intelligence the girls of 2-A were slowly being picked off, leaving only Kaede, Ayaka, Haruna, Makie, and Chao to represent their class. Outnumbered 10-5, they held managed to hold their own for ten minutes, skillfully dodging the older girls' throws though unable to eliminate any of the Black Lilies.
Shifting their own tactics, Ayaka made sure that the Lilies never had more than two balls at a time on their side of the field, limiting the effectiveness of the older girls' strategies. Finally Ayaka broke the stalemate, picking off one of the Lilies with a fierce throw. Kaede's timely intervention deflected a counter throw, saving the Class Rep even as she provided the Lilies with their ball back.
Again a lull in the action prevailed as both sides took calculated shots at each other for nearly a minute as they reevaluated their tactics and their remaining opponents.
Before he knew what had happened Kaede caught a ball, eliminating one of the Black Lilies and allowing Asuna to return to her team. Though the odds were still against them, the extra body helped as Ayaka and Kaede's arms had thrown the majority of balls for 2-A. Her fresh arm quickly claimed another Black Lily, helping to even the odds even more. The Lilies answered with a swift volley of their own, eliminating Makie in return and restoring their three player advantage.
As good as 2-A was, the Black Lilies still had the edge in experience. Years of working together and mastering different throws quickly overcame youthful energy. Spinning the ball at an incredibly high velocity, the raven haired captain caught Chao with a shot to the side of her head as the ball curved in the air and ricocheted wildly away, preventing the other girls from saving the young prodigy.
Having been lulled into complacency, the younger girls were shocked by the sudden intensity and turn that the match had taken. Unlike the start of the match where the girls' false bravado had been shattered by the reality of their situation, seeing just how much more advanced the other team was they realized just how out-classed they were.
Even their misses bounced back towards their side, allowing the Lilies to recover quickly and set up another volley. Figuring that the match was over, Ranma ended the scrying spell. Even if he missed anything Eva and Chachamaru were there as witnesses.
X X X X X
A/N
Yeah, it's been awhile since I've updated anything. Still, something here though.
Dreamingfox
Yeah, it's been a while since I've updated, much less written anything. So much going on and all, but that happens.
Yes, this current extended arch will deal with the Negima timeline, but don't expect Ranma to get too involved in Negi's business.
# # # # #
Time stops for no one. That was one fact that Ranma Saotome had learned during his self-imposed exile nearly half a decade ago. Even an immortal like him could not stop the passage of time, only try to ignore it.
Though he'd tried to ignore death was an inescapable aspect of life that he couldn't ignore. He'd previously tried to forget about it, but even after a decade on the mountain he'd barely gotten over the death of his parents, fiancÚe, and her family. Hiro's death was simply salt being rubbed into his still recovering wound.
"It gets better over time."
Not in the mood to be lectured, Ranma did his best to try and ignore the well dressed man in his kitchen as he focused on the food before him. Razor sharp knives flashed in the air, cutting through a basket of freshly picked vegetables.
"Impressive," his uninvited guest remarked. "I bet it's going to taste wonderful."
"Isn't it always?" the immortal retorted, offended at the insinuation that anything he did was less then exceptional.
"I knew you couldn't ignore me forever," the well dressed demon smirked.
"Hiro didn't know, did he?" he finally asked, as he set his knives down.
The grey haired demon shook his head, "No, he didn't."
"And the contractor?"
"He suspects, but doesn't care," Graf replied.
"You didn't come here just for small talk," the immortal stated. Wiping down the knives he stood across from the demon. "And I doubt that you're here just to rub things in."
"I did not enjoy facilitating that deal," the demon replied.
"Are you asking for forgiveness?"
Again Graf shook his head. "From now on, we're going to be on opposite sides of things. I've been sent here to insist that you stay out of our way."
"'Our way'?" the immortal repeated.
"My new employer, and the owner of Hiro's soul," Graf clarified. "My inability to properly influence you with magic limits my effectiveness in the group. I figured that I would make up for that by trying to negotiate your impartialness."
Turning away from the demon Ranma placed his wok on the stove. "That depends on who it involves."
X
Delicate fingers danced along the rim of her goblet, the warm blood inside slowly cooling as the pale girl lounged in her cabin.
"Mistress, is something bothering you?" her partner's voice rang in her ears.
An annoyed scowl appeared on the tiny vampire's face as she sent the goblet and its contents crashing into the wall.
"You are displeased with your dinner," the gynoid stated as she assumed the worst.
"It's Springfield," her newest partner concluded.
"Our new homeroom teacher?" the artificial human asked.
"It's before your time," her oldest partner explained. "I'm surprised that you know of him."
The tiny puppet turned to glance at the buxom blunette.
"I did my research," Shinobu explained. "Before I agreed to become your partner, I did my research. Nagi Springfield, the infamous Thousand Master, rumored to have defeated Evangeline MacDowell. He's the reason why you're trapped here, right?"
Tiny eyes glared at the tall young woman, daring her to say more.
"With the Thousand Master having vanished almost ten years ago rumor has it that he's passed," the blunette added. "But with an heir it's possible that Master could use his blood to break the spell he has on her."
"Death comes to everyone, even the infamous like the Thousand Master," Eva scowled. "His brat coming here saves me from having to find an alternative to breaking the spell. I never thought that he'd die though.
"The brat's probably too young to have known his old man, and he's probably just graduated from the Academy, so he's easy pickings."
"He's staying with Ranma," Shinobu interjected.
"What?" Irked by that tidbit, Evangeline glared at the blunette. "Why the hell did you not tell us about this sooner?"
"Part of the conditions that you agreed to," a new voice interjected.
Four sets of eyes turned to the newcomer, each alarmed at his sudden appearance. The shimmering, pale visage was clearly an illusion, a mere projection sent by the master illusionist.
"Of course I sealed away all the secrets of my household and school before I allowed her to leave."
She should have felt indignant, yet Shinobu couldn't help but feel flustered at his admission. 'When did he do that?'
"So now you're undoing the seal?" Eva sneered.
"Not everything," the phantasm ceded. "I'm allowing her to tell you what you need to know when it's appropriate."
"You've been using her to spy on me," the vampire deducted.
"I won't go that far, after all, it would impede what you teach her, and that's what she's here for, to learn from you. But I can use her as a medium for us to communicate. Check her yourself - there are no other spells or enchantments on her, at least not mine."
"Hold out your hand," Eva ordered.
Acquiescing, Shinobu did as her master commanded allowing the tiny vampire to sink her teeth into her wrist.
Taking the time to taste her partner's blood and test it for any other lingering magic, Eva pulled away. 'How did I miss this?' "You're clean," she surmised. "You were lovers, but your bondà there's something more too it."
"She was my first student," the illusion added.
Eva scowled. There was always something between a teacher and his first student, but for them to have strengthened that bond to become loversà "What a tangled web you weaveà"
For a moment they all stood in silence, each unable to articulate what they were thinking.
"In regards to Springfield," the phantasm finally said, "make your plans, but you are not allowed to reveal yourself or to touch him until next term. He's far too green and young to be of any use to you right now, and if something were to happen to him now the senior faculty would become involved."
As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point.
"Give him a term to mature, and I'm sure that once he proves himself capable of reigning in your classà"
Eva had to smirk. It was cunning, and he was right, she couldn't touch him without drawing the other teacher's attention. They'd be much more lax should the runt actually prove to be just as effective as Takahata. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Someone else is interested in Negi as well," Ranma stated. "The boy needs to be able to stand up to you first before he can stand up to any other threats."
"You think I'm going to go easy on him?" Eva snapped.
Ranma shrugged. "Perhaps."
X
Seeds of doubt filled Naru Narusegawa's mind, finally taking root after a week of unexpected happiness and bliss. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling so happy, yet she couldn't help but feel as though she'd had a new lease on life.
Few paid it any attention, not when her peers and co-workers were so focused on Ranma. While Hiro wasn't the first person Ranma had buried, he was by far the youngest and perhaps the most tragic. The promising youth was perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, perhaps the most likely to surpass the cursed martial artist, but his unexpected illness and sudden death had left a noticable void in the Saotome household as well as in the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu.
Yet even Hiro's passing failed to put a damper on her mood. Perhaps it was her own relative youth and immaturity combined with the fact that Ranma himself was immortal that made her and those around her forget about how truly fleeting a person's life could be. None of the other students at Mahora could honestly say that they thought today would be their last day. Each of them expected to see the next dawn and sunset, taking for granted those everyday things until it was too late.
Though she'd barely known him Naru could honestly say that Hiro had left a lasting impression on her. She would not take anything for granted. Dreams and long forgotten goals needed addressing. No longer could she simply push things aside hoping for things to happen next week or next month; no, if she wanted something to happen then she needed to set the ground work for herself.
X
"One week," Ranma grumbled as he eyed the frozen image on the monitor, "he couldn't even make it a week without using magic."
Beside him his companion smirked. "At least he's talented," the vampire assessed. "Brewing a love potionà I wonder what he used as a catalyst."
"Or where he got the ingredients," the vampire's partner added.
Both Ranma and Eva glanced at the blunette as the images on the monitor rewound.
"It's not easy finding or obtaining the key catalysts used in a love potion," Shinobu deadpanned. "Not that anything like that would work on you, sensei."
"Who was the potion supposed to be used on?" Ranma asked quickly.
"I think he was making it for Asuna," Chachamaru replied.
"They do know about magic," the master martial artist ceded, "and Negi knows that they know about magic."
"Looks like he's going down the path of becoming a better mage, not a better man," Eva remarked. "Let's see what other trouble he's capable of getting into."
X
The waning moon hid behind the wispy clouds, extending the shadows of the night and hiding the path of the young kunoichi. Yet even without the cover of darkness the buxom girl moved unnoticed through the mountain path. Kilometers flew by in the near darkness until she finally reached her destination.
A flash of movement caught her keen eye, prompting her slither into the deepest shadow. Stealing a glance at the nearly obscured moon Kaede waited.
X
Trouble seemed to be the best word to describe Negi Springfield. It wasn't that the boy intentionally sought to make things difficult for himself or those around him, but things just seemed to happen that way.
As a magnet for trouble himself, Ranma understood what it was like.
Fortunately for the young mage he'd yet to collect a staple of rivals, though he appeared to be gathering a harem consisting of the students from his homeroom. That was going to be a problem. Had the girls been Negi's age it would have been easier to put off a few years. No, the age difference was definitely a bad thing. Most of the girls in 2-A were already beginning to mature physically, but they were also reaching that age where they were going to become sexually active. Unfortunately the ten year old Negi had years before he'd reach that stage in his life, making it much too easy for some of the more clever and aggressive girls to take advantage of him.
But of all the girls in 2-A there was one that worried him the most û Haruna Saotome. Not only was she his niece, but she'd inherited her father's keen mind. Unfortunately she'd learned far too much from her father, though at least Ukyo had put a stop to the kunoichi training before Konatsu had managed to teach her too much about his family's art. Still, judging by the images in her sketchbook she was probably one of the more advanced girls in 2-A.
It didn't help that she was one of the girls that Negi turned to for advice as the magister magi in training sought to keep magic hidden from the rest of 2-A and his other non-magical students. Come to think of it, it wasn't beyond Haruna to suggest to the impressionable young boy something like a love potion, and she did have a knack for messing with her cousin.
For someone who was once the nexus of chaos and destruction it was hard for Ranma to just sit back and observe. Seeing how the girls chased after Negi it was hard for him to not insert himself into the fray much like he'd done the few times that Ryoga had gone out on a date with Akane.
Yes, trouble was not exclusive to Negi Springfield. Though he might be this generation's chaos magnet, the boy was not the only one who would be tested. Just as Ranma's rivals and suitors had been tested by their various trials, those around Negi would be tested as well.
"That's enough for today," the immortal master proclaimed as the tall blond pinned his niece to the wall of the dojo.
The individual spars had become more intense since the start of the autumn term. The addition of Akira and Ryoko helped change the dynamics of the group, but the greatest change had been brought about by the girls of 2-A's unresolved feelings towards Tenma. Having had multiple girls chasing after him in his teens Ranma had learned to notice the tell tale signs.
Yes, Tenma was beginning to take after his "father", a sign that the cybernetic clone was too much like the original. Asuna had been the first to fall for him. Kaede hid her intentions well, but only when the others were around or when she thought no one else could see. Add in the way that Luke secretly taunted his friend and confidant whenever he left the pair of them together and it was clear to Ranma that something had happened between Tenma and Kaede. Clearly Ayaka and Asuna had picked up on things as well as the two sought to limit the amount of time that Tenma was alone with the kunoichi. Fortunately for them the kunoichi had left for her weekend training with Konatsu, easing the tensions in the dojo while the others trained.
"Tenma, give them their assignments," he instructed as his students stood in line before him. Though he strove to make them all well-rounded fighters Ranma knew that they had were far from being balanced fighters. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses that needed to be addressed through different exercises.
Only Kaede's lessons were beyond his control as her time was split between Ranma and Konatsu's training. Physically she was the only one who came close to handling Luke's size and reach as well as with Tenma's experience and speed. Aside from Akira and Ryoko, she had the most formal training of the group.
"You're such a hot head!" Ayaka shouted at Asuna before throwing a right-cross at her opponent.
"Shut up blondie!"the shorter girl snapped as she ducked under her taller opponent's attack.
"This is the Soul of Ice?" Tenma asked as he stood beside his father.
"It's a step towards attaining it," Ranma replied. "We employ verbal barbs because we seek to unsettle our opponents, but if we allow ourselves to be swayed by our opponent's taunts we simply give our opponents something to use against us. Never let your emotions sway you in battle. Though they may empower you, they can also be used against you."
"The Soul of Ice is something you must master if you wish to learn your father's most powerful technique," Saffron added.
"It was my most powerful technique," Ranma corrected. "When the time is right you and the others can learn more."
For countless moments he watched his students spar. With Kaede gone for the weekend and with him sitting out the uneven numbers forced one of his students to sit out of the practice bouts. "Tenma, have them practice until midnight," he ordered.
"That's at least two hours off," the lumbering werewolf managed between labored breaths.
Ranma nodded as he turned his back to them, "Practice makes perfect."
X
The dark of night filled the tiny mountain clearing. Silently, patiently, the young kunoichi waited for her target to appear.
Finally, after hours of waiting, her target arrived. Even in the darkness she could tell that he had a lean yet powerful build. Like a tiger on the prowl, the man radiated deadly calm.
Every muscle in her stomach tensed, almost to the point of being painful. Gritting her teeth she waited for him to spring the first of her traps. The sound of forged metal cutting through the thin mountain air told her that he'd triggered the trap. Cautiously she rushed at the figure sailing through the air intent on intercepting him before he made it out of the clearing.
Metal met metal, filling the air with sparks as the two bladed weapons clashed once, twice, three times before finally her efforts were finally rewarded. The hot spray of blood enveloped her hand a moment before she pushed the body against a tree trunk. For a moment her target's body trembled before finally going limp.
"Good job," her master's voice whispered into her ear.
Startled, she extracted her kunai from her victim. The thick, drying blood on her hand and kunai instead drew her attention. "H-how long?"
"Too long," Konatsu scolded gently. "But you'll get used to it. We should go now."
X
Through the eyes of a heron Ranma watched as the defending regional champions in dodge ball challenged the girls of 2-A to a match. Though it took little prompting from him to get the Black Lilies to provoke Asuna and Ayaka, the fact that he could so easily manipulate his students, both former and current, into this confrontation was a sign of just how much older he was. While it was nothing compared to the things that Cologne and Happosai as well as his father and Mr. Tendo did to him and the others, it was proof that the young failed to see the bigger picture.
Hot headed Asuna and her friend/rival Ayaka refused to back down, even to older and more experienced girls like the freshmen girls before them. Rallying around the pillars of the class, the other girls quickly agreed to the challenge.
To make up for their inexperience they were supposedly given an advantage in numbers, but the truth was that the additional players actually gave the Lilies the edge. As good as Asuna, Ayaka, Makie, Kaede, and Haruna were, their abilities would be limited by the other girls.
First blood went to the Black Lilies as they picked off the twins and Nodaka in one swift play. In an attempt to quickly even the odds Asuna tried to pick off one of the Black Lilies. Predictably the fiery tempered girl managed to hit one of the Lilies. Ayaka followed up by eliminating another Black Lily, but Makie and Haruna's throws were off the mark. Unfortunately the Lilies throws hit their mark as well, eliminating five more girls from 2-A.
Inflated confidence combined with indignant rage prompted Asuna to pick up one of the balls and make a hasty throw. Though the ball connected with one of the Black Lilies the ricochet was caught by one of the other Black Lilies.
Even through the eyes of the hawk it was apparent that the Lilies had verbally taunted the younger girls as one of their leaders left the field of play. The older girls quickly employed a shock and awe strategy, swiftly eliminating five more members of 2-A. It was only because of Ayaka that the other girls managed to not be wiped out, slowly leading them back and even eliminating one more Black Lily.
Switching tactics the older girls began to single out their targets, allowing two girls to throw at a single target while setting up their teammate to actually eliminate the target. It was an effective ploy, allowing them to eliminate three more girls in little over a minute, cutting the ranks of 2-A down to 9 of the original 20.
By all appearances the Black Lilies had the girls of 2-A beat but to the trained eye it was clear that the remaining girls of 2-A had the older girls on the ropes. Without the extra bodies in the way their martial arts training was paying off. The true surprise though was Chao.
Even without seeing her eyes, the master martial artist relied instead on reading her ankles, knees, and shoulders. Few understood how the positioning of one's shoulders in relation to one's feet and knees related to how one moved; then again few dedicated themselves to the art as Ranma had. Having studied virtually every known style he could identify a style by the stance one stood in, but thus far he'd never seen Chao in action and couldn't identify her style.
While he'd suspected that she was a formidable fighter (Ku Fei had admitted that she'd been bested by the other Chinese girl) it was the way she moved was what caught his attention. Her stance was wide and balanced, with her left side leading so as to provide the smallest target to her opponents.
The subtle movements of her knees and feet as she ducked and dodged, never leaving herself fully vulnerable or exposed even when she took aim at one of the Black Liliesà it was hauntingly familiar. Without a doubt she was a genius, possessing both the emotional and physical fortitude along with the best grades in the entire school. But what was truly amazing was that she was holding back. She wasn't just trying to lure the Black Lilies into making a bad throw or exposing their strategies, she was actually making herself look bad.
At first he'd thought that he'd misread her style, but seeing her footwork as well as how she moved her shoulders and hips he was sure that she was forcing herself to stay in a spot longer than necessary before moving out of the way at the last possible moment.
But even with her amazing athleticism and intelligence the girls of 2-A were slowly being picked off, leaving only Kaede, Ayaka, Haruna, Makie, and Chao to represent their class. Outnumbered 10-5, they held managed to hold their own for ten minutes, skillfully dodging the older girls' throws though unable to eliminate any of the Black Lilies.
Shifting their own tactics, Ayaka made sure that the Lilies never had more than two balls at a time on their side of the field, limiting the effectiveness of the older girls' strategies. Finally Ayaka broke the stalemate, picking off one of the Lilies with a fierce throw. Kaede's timely intervention deflected a counter throw, saving the Class Rep even as she provided the Lilies with their ball back.
Again a lull in the action prevailed as both sides took calculated shots at each other for nearly a minute as they reevaluated their tactics and their remaining opponents.
Before he knew what had happened Kaede caught a ball, eliminating one of the Black Lilies and allowing Asuna to return to her team. Though the odds were still against them, the extra body helped as Ayaka and Kaede's arms had thrown the majority of balls for 2-A. Her fresh arm quickly claimed another Black Lily, helping to even the odds even more. The Lilies answered with a swift volley of their own, eliminating Makie in return and restoring their three player advantage.
As good as 2-A was, the Black Lilies still had the edge in experience. Years of working together and mastering different throws quickly overcame youthful energy. Spinning the ball at an incredibly high velocity, the raven haired captain caught Chao with a shot to the side of her head as the ball curved in the air and ricocheted wildly away, preventing the other girls from saving the young prodigy.
Having been lulled into complacency, the younger girls were shocked by the sudden intensity and turn that the match had taken. Unlike the start of the match where the girls' false bravado had been shattered by the reality of their situation, seeing just how much more advanced the other team was they realized just how out-classed they were.
Even their misses bounced back towards their side, allowing the Lilies to recover quickly and set up another volley. Figuring that the match was over, Ranma ended the scrying spell. Even if he missed anything Eva and Chachamaru were there as witnesses.
X X X X X
A/N
Yeah, it's been awhile since I've updated anything. Still, something here though.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
Yeah, it's been a while since I've been able to post anything regularly.
Trying to work out and lose some weight, but I've also started watching anime on Netflix as I work out. And football season started too, so let's see how much I actually update.
Just started watching some animeà Not sure what to think of Trinity Blood, but it's enjoyable. I liked the way the music was used and how it blended with the mood and setting.
I'm currently jumping between Negima!? Magimaster Negi Magi. I somehow can't get over the dubbing and the accents. Still, it's okay.
Also watching Black Blood Brothersà It also has its moments.
That's it for now.
Enjoy.
X
"Wow," exclaimed his companion, "if it's this cool right now it's got to be worse when Asuna's running her deliveries."
"Never thought about it, I guess."
"It's not this cold at your house," Negi observed. "Probably because of the onsen."
In truth his place had been significantly warmer lately, thought that was due to an entirely different reason. Then again heat and cold really didn't bother him too much.
"It'll be good to get to class early today," the young Springfield said.
Initially he'd thought that the young boy was merely jet-lagged, but after observing him for much of the summer and the first few weeks of the term it was clear that Negi Springfield was simply not a morning person. As a homeroom teacher it was the boy's responsibility to arrive to his class on time and thus set a good example for his students. Unfortunately Negi had barely arrived at his class on time for much of the first month of the new fall term.
As Negi's host and as a fellow teacher it thus fell onto Ranma to ensure that Negi arrived at the campus on time. Monday and Wednesday had been successful, but on Tuesday and Thursday Negi had barely managed to arrive on time. Today their casual morning stroll took them down a different path as they picked up breakfast at one of the various vendors.
The usual morning rush clearly amazed Negi as he made his towards campus. With extra time to actually enjoy the stroll they opted to take another route. For Ranma it was the Claire's route as he enjoyed the French breakfast pastries. As one of the few teachers that taught classes at both the boy's and girl's campuses his schedule alternated, placing him on the girl's campus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and on the boy's half the rest of the week, giving him different options on where to pick up breakfast when he was short of time.
Not only were the shops surrounding each gender's academies different, but the energy of their respective student bodies was different. The girls appeared cheerful and jubilant but the closer one looked beyond the surface the more evident it was that there were tensions amongst the numerous clicks and groups. Rivalries between different classes, clubs, and grades simmered unchecked at the overcrowded girls' school. The boys were much more relaxed and though some were quick to temper personal squabbles rarely affected the overall atmosphere of the boys' school.
A prime example of this was the morning ritual of various challengers gathering just outside of the girls' campus. Officially Ku Fei was the campus champion though unofficially she'd lost that title to Chao in a match that no one talked about. The two dozen or so fighters were the best of the boy's clubs û boxing, kick boxing, Chinese martial arts, karate, judo, kempo, kendo, fencing, mixed martial arts, jujitsu, sambo, jeet kun do, tae kwon do, and a collection of self-taught students stood just outside of the train station, each waiting to defeat the young champion.
Yet the challengers themselves were merely puppets being manipulated by a multitude of puppet masters. After a full term of teaching he'd barely scratched the shroud hiding the puppeteers as a tangled web of youthful romances, broken hearts, wounded pride, and other teenage angst proved to be more difficult to decipher than one of the many bills being passed in the parliament.
"We're this early and there's still a crowd out here," the ever curious boy stated.
Ranma nodded, "It's Friday."
"Friday?"
"The martial arts clubs don't meet today," the older teacher explained.
"Huh?"
He paused, choosing not to explain things for once.
"Why are there so many boys here?"
There were days when Ranma couldn't help but wonder how one could be so smart yet so clueless. Then again, the same could have been said about him in his youth.
"Negi-sensei," several girls from 2-A greeted, "Saotome-sensei."
"Hey girls," Ranma returned.
Offering a formal bow, Negi instead addressed each of the girls. "Good morning Ayase, Asakura, Yukihiro, Chao, Nakase; do you know what's going on here?"
Shifting his focus to the gathered students Ranma began to sift out the fighters from the spectators. Almost twenty fighters stood tall, each wearing something that identified the style of fighting that they employed.
As interesting as he was in watching others fight, Ranma had long ago grown disinterested in the level of skill involved. Sure, Mousse's little girl was top notch, but she was nothing compared to her father. It would have been easy for him to have Tenma defeat her in public, but given her Amazon heritage he was loathed to do that to his remaining son.
Though he and Ryoga had not discouraged public fighting, they had stressed the importance of knowing where they were and the appropriate use of their skills and power. Add in the fact that Ranma had explained the significance of defeating an Amazon and the young teens had opted to forgo challenging Ku Fei. Tenma had his fair share of challenges as well, though those were now reserved for Sundays as the truly serious martial artists had spread word of the young heir to their less informed peers.
Even a quick glance told him that none of the gathered fighters were actually capable of doing little more than giving Ku Fei a light workout. No, if the young Amazon truly wanted a challenge she'd have to challenge someone at the Grill.
"It's the daily challengers," Nakase explained.
"Yeah," Ayase chimed in, "everyday some of the best fighters on campus gather to challenge Ku Fei."
Negi blinked, "Why?"
"She's the campus champion," Yukihiro added. "She won the tournament during the Mahora Festival last spring. And since the next tournament isn't until the spring termà"
"But"
Ranma quickly clasped his hand over the boy's mouth. Looking down at the runt he shook his head. Having Negi publicly state that Ku Fei had lost to someone recently, even if it was just a sparring match at the Grill, would do untold damage to Ku Fei's reputation, not to mention to all those who regularly challenged her.
Like Akane before her, Ku Fei's skills were being squandered. Though the Amazon could clearly handle the gathered challengers she was now focused too much on dealing with groups rather than with individuals. Broad, sweeping attacks were fine when outnumbered and in tight quarters, but against a single, skilled opponent such moves were easily countered.
In just over a minute the fight was over, with none of her challengers even managing to land a blow and each going down to just one blow. To the untrained eye it appeared as though she'd managed to take each of them out with a single blow each, but the truth was that several had managed to avoid her strikes though others had failed to avoid those attacks. There was no way to describe it other than sloppy.
"Ku Fei!" The sound of his voice boomed through the quad, drawing everyone's attention. "Your father would be ashamed of you! You feed your own ego by defeating opponents unworthy of challenging you when the truth is that you aren't even half the fighter your father was!"
Everyone gasped, surprised by the verbal and public reprimand.
"I will show you your father's art!" he declared as the crowds parted before him. "Hidden Weapon's technique!"
Weighted chains sprang from his wrists, catching the young champion by surprise. Though she managed to deflect or avoid most of the weights, a single weight caught her square in the chest, knocking her back nearly a meter.
"Swan strike!"
Suddenly the chains vanished, replaced only by a staff with a swan sitting on the end of it.
Everyone gasped as the swan took to the air, flying directly over Ku Fei. Even the young martial artist was intent on the majestic bird, allowing Ranma to slip in past her guard and strike her repeatedly in the chest and shoulders with the end of staff before sweeping her feet out from under her with the staff.
"Where the hell did he get a swan from?"
"Where was he hiding the staff?"
"What happened to the chains?"
Throwing the staff to the ground Ranma grabbed hold of Ku Fei's blouse. A quick twist and throw sent her flying towards the fountain in the quad.
Heart pounding, he stole a glance at the victorious 'champion'. As much as he wanted to reprimand her for wasting her skills in such a manor he knew that she honestly believed that such public displays helped her improve her skills so that she might one day be able to avenge her wounded pride. One day she'd fight Cao Lingshen again, but today was not that day.
"How was fight?" the young Amazon asked Cao as the blond approached her classmates.
"I'm so impressed," Negi exclaimed.
Shaking clear the last vestiges of his daydream Ranma put everything behind him. "We're going to be late."
X
Try as he might Ranma couldn't help but think about Chao Lingshen. His initial glances at her as she walked into and out of the few classes he had with 2-A yielded little, aside from the fact that she'd been able to hide herself in plain sight. Yes, Ku Fei was the local champion, but it was Chao who had defeated the champion first.
Considering her many academic feats most overlooked her athletic abilities, though with the multitude of athletes in 2-A it was easy for one to blend in and even get lost in the crowd. As such it would be hard to observe her without her noticing. From what Eva hinted at it was more than likely that Chao was just as manipulative as the day walking vampire if not more so. If that was true then she'd already be wary of any of his students and their friends, making it unlikely that she would put herself in a position where she was forced to face them unless she wanted to.
"It doesn't seem like he's been up to much other than getting to know the girls," he announced. The weekly meetings with Evangeline and Chachamaru had grown boring over the past month as Negi focused on his students and shied away from using magic. Aside from the loss 2-A suffered at the hands of the Black Lilies nothing of note had happened in the past month.
"Yeah," Eva sighed, her face scrunching as she contemplated her options.
"But if he's going to get to know the girls, who else should we direct his way?" the young immortal offered. "He already knows of a few magi in the class but there are others."
"Aside from me and Misora, there are no other active magi in our class," Eva stated.
"Really? What about Akashi or Chao?"
The vampire eyed him, trying to read his body and aura.
"Akashi's old man is one of the school's top mage," he reasoned. "She's got potential but he doesn't want her to know about magic."
The blond nodded slightly.
"And Chaoà she's got a rap sheet as long as her awards, probably the only reason why she hasn't been expelled or had her memory wiped." He waited for her to absorb the information. "But she's up to something."
For once Eva smirked. "Both girls have talent, but I've yet to see anything at suggests that either is a magic user."
'Ah, she's hiding somethingà I wonder just what Chao has on Eva that even she's backing down.'
"If he's really going to be ready for me next term he's going to need to improve drastically," Eva finally stated. "He's having far too easy of a time lately and he's got nothing pushing him to improve as a mage. I doubt that the girls in my class will give him too hard a time, especially since they're so enamored with him."
It was Ranma's turn to smirk, suggesting that he was at least interested in her new line of thinking. For now the matter of Chao was forgotten, but at least he knew that he'd have to keep his guard up with Eva whenever Chao was mentioned. "Who else has beef with 2-A?"
"Huh?"
"Well, not 2-A as a whole, but individuals maybe. I know some of the guys that challenge Ku Fei regularly are being manipulated by girls, but I haven't figured out who they are yet."
"Ah, well, that's pretty easy. Look at the girls in the various martial arts clubs that have lost to her last year during the tournament. While the captains of the girls' teams accepted their defeats the seconds and their friends weren't so gracious, especially the high schoolers."
"Ku Fei's got her situation handled," he surmised. "But who else has issues with 2-A?"
"Kazumi's got her share of enemies," Eva supplied. "From all the dirty secrets she's exposed."
Ranma nodded.
"The rest are your girls," the blond stated. "Everyone else is pretty well liked and respected because of their roles in the other clubs or sports teams."
Again he nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. "If someone comes after my girls I'd probably have to get involved," he surmised. "I guess we'll just have to wait to see what or who else is going to start things for 2-A."
X
Heavy drops of rain pounded everything, hitting and bending the firm, green leaves that made up the thick canopy of the forest. Muddy streams flowed down the mountain trail, washing way her scent.
As refreshing as the night air was it did little to sooth her. Even the chill of the pounding rain failed to wash away the uncertainty that gripped her.
"You should get inside," a familiar voice suggested.
Startled, the kunoichi spun around, her hands immediately grasping for the hidden kunai she always carried. By the time her cold fingers found the hilts of her weapons Kaede spotted the speaker. "Tenma, what are you doing here?"
"This is my father's land," the emotionless boy stated. "I should ask you what you're doing here?"
"Master Saotome suggested I train here this weekend." It was a believable lie.
"Isn't that kind of training usually done under a waterfall?"
Kaede blinked away the rain in her eyes.
"Water training?" he added. "Though I doubt ninja do that kind of training."
She couldn't help but shiver at the word. Once, not too long ago, she'd been one of the many who adored and idolized ninja, or at least the idea of ninja. The harsh reality though had since sunk in, shattering the fantastic daydreams she'd once had.
"I doubt that Uncle wanted you to stand out in the rain all night," Tenma finally said as he turned towards the empty cabin.
A wave of unease ran through her body. Before she even realized it she was in Tenma's arms as the shorter fighter held her up. "You're so cold," she muttered.
"You're burning up," he replied as he pressed his forehead to hers. "You need to get out of your clothes."
X
An unseasonal storm raged outside of the dojo, a stark contrast to the silent dojo and house as Ranma entertained his lone guest.
"In all my years I never understood the appeal of ice cream," the redheaded prince stated even as he contemplated which flavor to consume.
"That's because you've only had the over-produced crap that's packed full of artificial flavors and preservatives," lectured the immortal. "It doesn't help that all you've had was melted then re-frozen."
Saffron nodded as he pointed at the mint chocolate chip. "It's a good thing you like to make your own ice cream."
"Well, I have to," Ranma insisted as he finished adding in fresh mint and chocolate chips into the soft frozen treat. "Tenma may not eat much, but the girls love eating it when they get out of the onsen. The only way I get any is if I go to the stand on the western side of the girls' campus or if I make some for myself. This will probably be gone by noon tomorrow."
The two stood silently as the two finished their project. Finally the redhead licked his lips at the finished product.
"Watch it," cautioned Ranma. "I don't want to make another batch just because you got excited."
Taking a deep, calming breath, Saffron stood straight. "Alright, I get it already. This is an exercise in patience and self-control."
Ranma suppressed a smile. Unlike his other students Saffron had little problem with the physical lessons, but like the others the young phoenix's powers metaphysical powers far exceeded his physical abilities. The short, personal lessons though weren't just to help Saffron control his powers, but to help him develop the social skills needed to survive in the world.
He knew from his own personal experiences just how much trouble teens like himself could get into and how their lack of social and people skills often amplified the situations that they got into. Add to that the power (and egos) that they packed and things could easily get out of control. Looking back at all the property damage they'd incurred decades ago Ranma couldn't help but wonder how they'd managed to get away with what they did.
"So," Saffron said, breaking him out of his reverie, "what are you going to do about Negi?"
Ranma blinked as he collected himself, then smirked. The rare unguarded moment put aside, he eyed his former rival turned student. "If he's anything like me, I'm sure that we won't need to do anything. Trouble will find him soon enough. We just have to be there to make sure it doesn't get out of hand."
X
The pounding rain greeted Kaede as she awoke from her unplanned slumber. A gentle breeze informed her of the unseasonable chill of the late autumn even as it told her that she was surprisingly dry and warm. Her senses dulled, she slowly took in her surroundings.
"You're awake," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
Reflexively her body stiffened even as she realized that the speaker had his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you."
"Saotome-senpai."
"It's alright," he assured her, "nothing happened last night. If you want I'll turn around while you get up."
"That's unnecessary," she replied as she allowed herself to enjoy his warmth.
"'A kunoichi knows no modesty'," the young martial artist quoted. "I may not have completed my uncle's training but I know of the unspoken rules."
His unintentional words stung causing her to stiffen in his arms.
"I see," he said as he removed his arms from around her. "The reality of your life as a ninja is getting to you. Father suspects that you've been sent on your first kill mission. Death is no stranger to a ninja."
Even as his body warmed her his words sent a soothing chill down her spine, easing her troubled soul as the rain could not. "Thank you."
For untold minutes the two lay there, listening to the heavy rain.
"My words may lack the eloquence of my father's, but I understand why he prefers to use them instead of his fists."
Attuning his enhanced hearing he listened to her breath, waiting for her to fall asleep once again before he gently pulled away from her. Even in the virtual darkness of the night Tenma dressed quickly and effortlessly, careful to not disturb the sleeping girl.
Night quickly passed, turning into day though the unrelenting rain continued to drench the mountain.
He didn't know why, but the cyborg found the rain to be soothing. Perhaps that was why the young ninja had been out in the rain, though it was also possible that she was trying to build up her own endurance to the weather. Logically the latter made sense, but something inside of him suggested the former.
X
The flow of time stops for no one, especially an immortal. Even as Ranma waited for something to happen to Negi the illusionist couldn't ignore his other duties.
The fleeting warmth of the house was due in part because Saffron had left with Luke, though it was not because of the lack of his control over fire and heat. No, the house only felt warm when there were others there to enjoy it with. For the first time since he'd moved in the house felt cold.
"It's like that saying you picked up while traveling in southeast Asia," a familiar voice called out from the shadows. "Something to the extent that a warm house is one filled with happiness."
"I guess that's why everyone likes it at the restaurant," the immortal retorted.
Stepping out of the shadows Konatsu looked down at his adopted brother. "Perhaps."
Even that little exchange helped warm the house.
"I hear that you've been working hard," the cross-dressing ninja stated, drawing a shrug from the true Saotome. "You know about Kaede?"
Ranma nodded. "Her first kill mission - beats a seduction/killà how did you manage that one?"
Konatsu's lips curled ever so slightly. "Dead men tell no tales."
"But you're not dead and you're a man."
"And even I have secrets that I can't tell you," he replied quickly. "Of course, I'm not here to talk about my past missions."
"You came because you ran into something that's more along my line, right?" Ranma interjected. "What is it?"
"Vampires."
The young immortal paused. "How many?"
"We're not sure," Konatsu answered. "But there are enough of them that they wiped out a cell jounin."
"Their mission?"
"Classified. But what I can tell you is that they are associated with one of the local yakuza."
A slight tingling sensation ran up Ranma's spine. "American or Russian?"
"American."
He didn't like the sound of that. "The yakuza's using the westerners to expand their turf."
Konatsu gave a slight nod.
"Americansà so that means that they're operating close to one of the US basesà." With a wave of his hand he brought up an illusionary map, the areas closest to the American bases glowing a light orange. "Where?"
"Tokyo."
"Nerima?"
Again Konatsu gave a slight nod. "Nerima."
X
A/N
That's it for now. Maybe I have been watching too much vampire animeà
Dreamingfox
Yeah, it's been a while since I've been able to post anything regularly.
Trying to work out and lose some weight, but I've also started watching anime on Netflix as I work out. And football season started too, so let's see how much I actually update.
Just started watching some animeà Not sure what to think of Trinity Blood, but it's enjoyable. I liked the way the music was used and how it blended with the mood and setting.
I'm currently jumping between Negima!? Magimaster Negi Magi. I somehow can't get over the dubbing and the accents. Still, it's okay.
Also watching Black Blood Brothersà It also has its moments.
That's it for now.
Enjoy.
X
"Wow," exclaimed his companion, "if it's this cool right now it's got to be worse when Asuna's running her deliveries."
"Never thought about it, I guess."
"It's not this cold at your house," Negi observed. "Probably because of the onsen."
In truth his place had been significantly warmer lately, thought that was due to an entirely different reason. Then again heat and cold really didn't bother him too much.
"It'll be good to get to class early today," the young Springfield said.
Initially he'd thought that the young boy was merely jet-lagged, but after observing him for much of the summer and the first few weeks of the term it was clear that Negi Springfield was simply not a morning person. As a homeroom teacher it was the boy's responsibility to arrive to his class on time and thus set a good example for his students. Unfortunately Negi had barely arrived at his class on time for much of the first month of the new fall term.
As Negi's host and as a fellow teacher it thus fell onto Ranma to ensure that Negi arrived at the campus on time. Monday and Wednesday had been successful, but on Tuesday and Thursday Negi had barely managed to arrive on time. Today their casual morning stroll took them down a different path as they picked up breakfast at one of the various vendors.
The usual morning rush clearly amazed Negi as he made his towards campus. With extra time to actually enjoy the stroll they opted to take another route. For Ranma it was the Claire's route as he enjoyed the French breakfast pastries. As one of the few teachers that taught classes at both the boy's and girl's campuses his schedule alternated, placing him on the girl's campus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and on the boy's half the rest of the week, giving him different options on where to pick up breakfast when he was short of time.
Not only were the shops surrounding each gender's academies different, but the energy of their respective student bodies was different. The girls appeared cheerful and jubilant but the closer one looked beyond the surface the more evident it was that there were tensions amongst the numerous clicks and groups. Rivalries between different classes, clubs, and grades simmered unchecked at the overcrowded girls' school. The boys were much more relaxed and though some were quick to temper personal squabbles rarely affected the overall atmosphere of the boys' school.
A prime example of this was the morning ritual of various challengers gathering just outside of the girls' campus. Officially Ku Fei was the campus champion though unofficially she'd lost that title to Chao in a match that no one talked about. The two dozen or so fighters were the best of the boy's clubs û boxing, kick boxing, Chinese martial arts, karate, judo, kempo, kendo, fencing, mixed martial arts, jujitsu, sambo, jeet kun do, tae kwon do, and a collection of self-taught students stood just outside of the train station, each waiting to defeat the young champion.
Yet the challengers themselves were merely puppets being manipulated by a multitude of puppet masters. After a full term of teaching he'd barely scratched the shroud hiding the puppeteers as a tangled web of youthful romances, broken hearts, wounded pride, and other teenage angst proved to be more difficult to decipher than one of the many bills being passed in the parliament.
"We're this early and there's still a crowd out here," the ever curious boy stated.
Ranma nodded, "It's Friday."
"Friday?"
"The martial arts clubs don't meet today," the older teacher explained.
"Huh?"
He paused, choosing not to explain things for once.
"Why are there so many boys here?"
There were days when Ranma couldn't help but wonder how one could be so smart yet so clueless. Then again, the same could have been said about him in his youth.
"Negi-sensei," several girls from 2-A greeted, "Saotome-sensei."
"Hey girls," Ranma returned.
Offering a formal bow, Negi instead addressed each of the girls. "Good morning Ayase, Asakura, Yukihiro, Chao, Nakase; do you know what's going on here?"
Shifting his focus to the gathered students Ranma began to sift out the fighters from the spectators. Almost twenty fighters stood tall, each wearing something that identified the style of fighting that they employed.
As interesting as he was in watching others fight, Ranma had long ago grown disinterested in the level of skill involved. Sure, Mousse's little girl was top notch, but she was nothing compared to her father. It would have been easy for him to have Tenma defeat her in public, but given her Amazon heritage he was loathed to do that to his remaining son.
Though he and Ryoga had not discouraged public fighting, they had stressed the importance of knowing where they were and the appropriate use of their skills and power. Add in the fact that Ranma had explained the significance of defeating an Amazon and the young teens had opted to forgo challenging Ku Fei. Tenma had his fair share of challenges as well, though those were now reserved for Sundays as the truly serious martial artists had spread word of the young heir to their less informed peers.
Even a quick glance told him that none of the gathered fighters were actually capable of doing little more than giving Ku Fei a light workout. No, if the young Amazon truly wanted a challenge she'd have to challenge someone at the Grill.
"It's the daily challengers," Nakase explained.
"Yeah," Ayase chimed in, "everyday some of the best fighters on campus gather to challenge Ku Fei."
Negi blinked, "Why?"
"She's the campus champion," Yukihiro added. "She won the tournament during the Mahora Festival last spring. And since the next tournament isn't until the spring termà"
"But"
Ranma quickly clasped his hand over the boy's mouth. Looking down at the runt he shook his head. Having Negi publicly state that Ku Fei had lost to someone recently, even if it was just a sparring match at the Grill, would do untold damage to Ku Fei's reputation, not to mention to all those who regularly challenged her.
Like Akane before her, Ku Fei's skills were being squandered. Though the Amazon could clearly handle the gathered challengers she was now focused too much on dealing with groups rather than with individuals. Broad, sweeping attacks were fine when outnumbered and in tight quarters, but against a single, skilled opponent such moves were easily countered.
In just over a minute the fight was over, with none of her challengers even managing to land a blow and each going down to just one blow. To the untrained eye it appeared as though she'd managed to take each of them out with a single blow each, but the truth was that several had managed to avoid her strikes though others had failed to avoid those attacks. There was no way to describe it other than sloppy.
"Ku Fei!" The sound of his voice boomed through the quad, drawing everyone's attention. "Your father would be ashamed of you! You feed your own ego by defeating opponents unworthy of challenging you when the truth is that you aren't even half the fighter your father was!"
Everyone gasped, surprised by the verbal and public reprimand.
"I will show you your father's art!" he declared as the crowds parted before him. "Hidden Weapon's technique!"
Weighted chains sprang from his wrists, catching the young champion by surprise. Though she managed to deflect or avoid most of the weights, a single weight caught her square in the chest, knocking her back nearly a meter.
"Swan strike!"
Suddenly the chains vanished, replaced only by a staff with a swan sitting on the end of it.
Everyone gasped as the swan took to the air, flying directly over Ku Fei. Even the young martial artist was intent on the majestic bird, allowing Ranma to slip in past her guard and strike her repeatedly in the chest and shoulders with the end of staff before sweeping her feet out from under her with the staff.
"Where the hell did he get a swan from?"
"Where was he hiding the staff?"
"What happened to the chains?"
Throwing the staff to the ground Ranma grabbed hold of Ku Fei's blouse. A quick twist and throw sent her flying towards the fountain in the quad.
Heart pounding, he stole a glance at the victorious 'champion'. As much as he wanted to reprimand her for wasting her skills in such a manor he knew that she honestly believed that such public displays helped her improve her skills so that she might one day be able to avenge her wounded pride. One day she'd fight Cao Lingshen again, but today was not that day.
"How was fight?" the young Amazon asked Cao as the blond approached her classmates.
"I'm so impressed," Negi exclaimed.
Shaking clear the last vestiges of his daydream Ranma put everything behind him. "We're going to be late."
X
Try as he might Ranma couldn't help but think about Chao Lingshen. His initial glances at her as she walked into and out of the few classes he had with 2-A yielded little, aside from the fact that she'd been able to hide herself in plain sight. Yes, Ku Fei was the local champion, but it was Chao who had defeated the champion first.
Considering her many academic feats most overlooked her athletic abilities, though with the multitude of athletes in 2-A it was easy for one to blend in and even get lost in the crowd. As such it would be hard to observe her without her noticing. From what Eva hinted at it was more than likely that Chao was just as manipulative as the day walking vampire if not more so. If that was true then she'd already be wary of any of his students and their friends, making it unlikely that she would put herself in a position where she was forced to face them unless she wanted to.
"It doesn't seem like he's been up to much other than getting to know the girls," he announced. The weekly meetings with Evangeline and Chachamaru had grown boring over the past month as Negi focused on his students and shied away from using magic. Aside from the loss 2-A suffered at the hands of the Black Lilies nothing of note had happened in the past month.
"Yeah," Eva sighed, her face scrunching as she contemplated her options.
"But if he's going to get to know the girls, who else should we direct his way?" the young immortal offered. "He already knows of a few magi in the class but there are others."
"Aside from me and Misora, there are no other active magi in our class," Eva stated.
"Really? What about Akashi or Chao?"
The vampire eyed him, trying to read his body and aura.
"Akashi's old man is one of the school's top mage," he reasoned. "She's got potential but he doesn't want her to know about magic."
The blond nodded slightly.
"And Chaoà she's got a rap sheet as long as her awards, probably the only reason why she hasn't been expelled or had her memory wiped." He waited for her to absorb the information. "But she's up to something."
For once Eva smirked. "Both girls have talent, but I've yet to see anything at suggests that either is a magic user."
'Ah, she's hiding somethingà I wonder just what Chao has on Eva that even she's backing down.'
"If he's really going to be ready for me next term he's going to need to improve drastically," Eva finally stated. "He's having far too easy of a time lately and he's got nothing pushing him to improve as a mage. I doubt that the girls in my class will give him too hard a time, especially since they're so enamored with him."
It was Ranma's turn to smirk, suggesting that he was at least interested in her new line of thinking. For now the matter of Chao was forgotten, but at least he knew that he'd have to keep his guard up with Eva whenever Chao was mentioned. "Who else has beef with 2-A?"
"Huh?"
"Well, not 2-A as a whole, but individuals maybe. I know some of the guys that challenge Ku Fei regularly are being manipulated by girls, but I haven't figured out who they are yet."
"Ah, well, that's pretty easy. Look at the girls in the various martial arts clubs that have lost to her last year during the tournament. While the captains of the girls' teams accepted their defeats the seconds and their friends weren't so gracious, especially the high schoolers."
"Ku Fei's got her situation handled," he surmised. "But who else has issues with 2-A?"
"Kazumi's got her share of enemies," Eva supplied. "From all the dirty secrets she's exposed."
Ranma nodded.
"The rest are your girls," the blond stated. "Everyone else is pretty well liked and respected because of their roles in the other clubs or sports teams."
Again he nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. "If someone comes after my girls I'd probably have to get involved," he surmised. "I guess we'll just have to wait to see what or who else is going to start things for 2-A."
X
Heavy drops of rain pounded everything, hitting and bending the firm, green leaves that made up the thick canopy of the forest. Muddy streams flowed down the mountain trail, washing way her scent.
As refreshing as the night air was it did little to sooth her. Even the chill of the pounding rain failed to wash away the uncertainty that gripped her.
"You should get inside," a familiar voice suggested.
Startled, the kunoichi spun around, her hands immediately grasping for the hidden kunai she always carried. By the time her cold fingers found the hilts of her weapons Kaede spotted the speaker. "Tenma, what are you doing here?"
"This is my father's land," the emotionless boy stated. "I should ask you what you're doing here?"
"Master Saotome suggested I train here this weekend." It was a believable lie.
"Isn't that kind of training usually done under a waterfall?"
Kaede blinked away the rain in her eyes.
"Water training?" he added. "Though I doubt ninja do that kind of training."
She couldn't help but shiver at the word. Once, not too long ago, she'd been one of the many who adored and idolized ninja, or at least the idea of ninja. The harsh reality though had since sunk in, shattering the fantastic daydreams she'd once had.
"I doubt that Uncle wanted you to stand out in the rain all night," Tenma finally said as he turned towards the empty cabin.
A wave of unease ran through her body. Before she even realized it she was in Tenma's arms as the shorter fighter held her up. "You're so cold," she muttered.
"You're burning up," he replied as he pressed his forehead to hers. "You need to get out of your clothes."
X
An unseasonal storm raged outside of the dojo, a stark contrast to the silent dojo and house as Ranma entertained his lone guest.
"In all my years I never understood the appeal of ice cream," the redheaded prince stated even as he contemplated which flavor to consume.
"That's because you've only had the over-produced crap that's packed full of artificial flavors and preservatives," lectured the immortal. "It doesn't help that all you've had was melted then re-frozen."
Saffron nodded as he pointed at the mint chocolate chip. "It's a good thing you like to make your own ice cream."
"Well, I have to," Ranma insisted as he finished adding in fresh mint and chocolate chips into the soft frozen treat. "Tenma may not eat much, but the girls love eating it when they get out of the onsen. The only way I get any is if I go to the stand on the western side of the girls' campus or if I make some for myself. This will probably be gone by noon tomorrow."
The two stood silently as the two finished their project. Finally the redhead licked his lips at the finished product.
"Watch it," cautioned Ranma. "I don't want to make another batch just because you got excited."
Taking a deep, calming breath, Saffron stood straight. "Alright, I get it already. This is an exercise in patience and self-control."
Ranma suppressed a smile. Unlike his other students Saffron had little problem with the physical lessons, but like the others the young phoenix's powers metaphysical powers far exceeded his physical abilities. The short, personal lessons though weren't just to help Saffron control his powers, but to help him develop the social skills needed to survive in the world.
He knew from his own personal experiences just how much trouble teens like himself could get into and how their lack of social and people skills often amplified the situations that they got into. Add to that the power (and egos) that they packed and things could easily get out of control. Looking back at all the property damage they'd incurred decades ago Ranma couldn't help but wonder how they'd managed to get away with what they did.
"So," Saffron said, breaking him out of his reverie, "what are you going to do about Negi?"
Ranma blinked as he collected himself, then smirked. The rare unguarded moment put aside, he eyed his former rival turned student. "If he's anything like me, I'm sure that we won't need to do anything. Trouble will find him soon enough. We just have to be there to make sure it doesn't get out of hand."
X
The pounding rain greeted Kaede as she awoke from her unplanned slumber. A gentle breeze informed her of the unseasonable chill of the late autumn even as it told her that she was surprisingly dry and warm. Her senses dulled, she slowly took in her surroundings.
"You're awake," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
Reflexively her body stiffened even as she realized that the speaker had his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you."
"Saotome-senpai."
"It's alright," he assured her, "nothing happened last night. If you want I'll turn around while you get up."
"That's unnecessary," she replied as she allowed herself to enjoy his warmth.
"'A kunoichi knows no modesty'," the young martial artist quoted. "I may not have completed my uncle's training but I know of the unspoken rules."
His unintentional words stung causing her to stiffen in his arms.
"I see," he said as he removed his arms from around her. "The reality of your life as a ninja is getting to you. Father suspects that you've been sent on your first kill mission. Death is no stranger to a ninja."
Even as his body warmed her his words sent a soothing chill down her spine, easing her troubled soul as the rain could not. "Thank you."
For untold minutes the two lay there, listening to the heavy rain.
"My words may lack the eloquence of my father's, but I understand why he prefers to use them instead of his fists."
Attuning his enhanced hearing he listened to her breath, waiting for her to fall asleep once again before he gently pulled away from her. Even in the virtual darkness of the night Tenma dressed quickly and effortlessly, careful to not disturb the sleeping girl.
Night quickly passed, turning into day though the unrelenting rain continued to drench the mountain.
He didn't know why, but the cyborg found the rain to be soothing. Perhaps that was why the young ninja had been out in the rain, though it was also possible that she was trying to build up her own endurance to the weather. Logically the latter made sense, but something inside of him suggested the former.
X
The flow of time stops for no one, especially an immortal. Even as Ranma waited for something to happen to Negi the illusionist couldn't ignore his other duties.
The fleeting warmth of the house was due in part because Saffron had left with Luke, though it was not because of the lack of his control over fire and heat. No, the house only felt warm when there were others there to enjoy it with. For the first time since he'd moved in the house felt cold.
"It's like that saying you picked up while traveling in southeast Asia," a familiar voice called out from the shadows. "Something to the extent that a warm house is one filled with happiness."
"I guess that's why everyone likes it at the restaurant," the immortal retorted.
Stepping out of the shadows Konatsu looked down at his adopted brother. "Perhaps."
Even that little exchange helped warm the house.
"I hear that you've been working hard," the cross-dressing ninja stated, drawing a shrug from the true Saotome. "You know about Kaede?"
Ranma nodded. "Her first kill mission - beats a seduction/killà how did you manage that one?"
Konatsu's lips curled ever so slightly. "Dead men tell no tales."
"But you're not dead and you're a man."
"And even I have secrets that I can't tell you," he replied quickly. "Of course, I'm not here to talk about my past missions."
"You came because you ran into something that's more along my line, right?" Ranma interjected. "What is it?"
"Vampires."
The young immortal paused. "How many?"
"We're not sure," Konatsu answered. "But there are enough of them that they wiped out a cell jounin."
"Their mission?"
"Classified. But what I can tell you is that they are associated with one of the local yakuza."
A slight tingling sensation ran up Ranma's spine. "American or Russian?"
"American."
He didn't like the sound of that. "The yakuza's using the westerners to expand their turf."
Konatsu gave a slight nod.
"Americansà so that means that they're operating close to one of the US basesà." With a wave of his hand he brought up an illusionary map, the areas closest to the American bases glowing a light orange. "Where?"
"Tokyo."
"Nerima?"
Again Konatsu gave a slight nod. "Nerima."
X
A/N
That's it for now. Maybe I have been watching too much vampire animeà
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
Man, I guess the Panthers and Cam Newton don't belong in Primetime. I guess I should have started E-lite Manning instead. Oh well, it's still early in the season.
Finally broke down and got an I-phone, though it's only the 4 and was free with a 2 year contract.
Just watched MNFà. The Packers got jobbed by the Replacement Refsà Yes, Seattle played well in the first half, but the refs handed them that game at the end. NFL has to end the ref strike since the refs are costing teams games. Refs mishandled the San Fran vs Vikings game as well. Glad that the real refs are back, though I expect the season is far from over.
# # # # #
The dark streets of Nerima seemed so foreign to the immortal martial artist as he made his way through the shadows. Even the poor lighting failed to hide the fact that many of the buildings were in disrepair. Initially he'd thought that it was just one or two houses, or perhaps just a neighborhood, but the further he traveled the more apparent it was that this was no longer the Nerima he'd known.
The sad truth was that even though the almost daily fights that occurred during Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts there were a good number of houses and buildings always in need of repair, but those were always repaired. These buildings appeared to be completely neglected. Though the fighters were known to damage the buildings, they also served to keep out the criminal element.
Gone were the proud martial artists who fought their rivals regularly yet managed to protect the weak from being exploited. Gone was the Kuno family, the cornerstone of the community that employed construction crews to constantly repair the damages from the various fights. Gone were the local martial artists whom the city council relied on to keep the peace amongst the everyday citizens.
This Nerima was little more than a haunting reminder of what once was. Even more vexing was the fact that the changes that the city had undergone hinted at how much of an abomination he was.
Technically, he wasn't a human anymore. But he wasn't the only one.
In his time studying at Scholomance he'd learned much about vampire myth, but it was his travels through Eastern Europe that had taught him the most about the predatory humanoids. While most fed on human blood, there were a good number that fed on other mammals. Though the average vampire was stronger and faster than a typical human, the difference was akin to that of a normal person and an Olympic caliber athlete. Compared to other supernatural creatures vampires tended to be on the weaker side of the scale, though they made up for it with longevity. Contrary to popular belief, sunlight didn't kill vampires, neither could garlic and silver. Despite their weaknesses nothing short of decapitation or immolation could kill a vampire.
As such they were in fact one of the best enforcers anyone employing the supernatural could use. Most preferred to be paid in blood, usually human. Working for the mafia, yakuza, or whatever underground criminal organization was inevitable really. Where else could they get access to blood while also being able to hide their presence? Human trafficking allowed them the pick of the litter, giving them the occasional virgin to feed on as well as helping provide them with the means to hide their presence from the occasional hunter.
Unlike other supernatural creatures, vampires retained all of their supernatural advantages regardless of the moon cycle or tide, nor did they have a tendency to break into a blood lust or go berserk once blood was spilled. Unlike other creatures they grew stronger once they fed, much like Popeye and spinach.
The signs weren't good for Nerima. For a coterie to be here meant that the local yakuza or gang wanted to expand their turf. Though he didn't want to involve himself in underworld politics Ranma knew he had no choice. Even though he never considered Nerima a home as he currently did with Mahora and had with Hinata, the city was still important to him. Besides, he'd already made a name for himself with many of the supernatural beings, especially in Japan and Eastern Europe.
He's spent the day researching the yakuza involved, making sure that they weren't the faction that had been taken over by one of the ninja clans. From what he'd uncovered it appeared as though the local yakuza was starting to deal in human trafficking and pushing drugs û the usual activities that drew vampires to a criminal syndicate. The set-up was perfect. The business catered to cram school students, most of whom opted to study at the cafÚ rather than returning home after their classes.
The cafÚ itself was legitimate, but of the seven waitresses two were definitely vampires.
"Table for one or are you waiting for others?" the hostess asked as he entered the cafÚ.
"One," he replied.
"Mio," the cheerful hostess called out to the taller of the two vampires, "would you show him to table seven?"
The vampire known as Maki nodded, rushing over to the entrance before leading him towards the back corner booth. Trailing behind the taller girl, he couldn't help but notice her sauntering gate. No stranger to the playful flirtations employed by waitresses, Ranma fought the urge to stare as any teenaged boy might do were they in his shoes.
Finally he took his seat, accepting the menu offered by Mio. "Are you new to Nerima?" Her voice was firm yet friendly as she waited beside the table.
"Not really," he replied honestly. "It's been a while since I've been in Nerima."
"What brings you back?"
"Just wanted to see the old neighborhood."
"You used to live here?"
"Yeah, a long time ago. This place sure has changed a lot." Scanning the menu quickly he glanced up, meeting Mio's light brown eyes. "I'll have the black tea and the apple turnover."
"Okay." The warmth in her smile extended beyond her lips up into her twinkling eyes. "I'll be right back with your order."
Watching her as she left he knew that Mio had that casual grace that few non-practicioners of one of the physical arts possessed.
Eyeballing the cafÚ he found nothing unusual. Cram school students huddled around their respective tables, some clearly flustered, others working diligently on their assignments, and more than a few slumbering while surrounded by their companions. Given the cafÚ's 24 hour service it made sense that more than a few teens were resting here. Having lived the life of a ronin Ranma knew that sometimes it wasn't worth going home after class, especially when one had to rush between school and work.
"Here's your apple turnover and black tea," Mio announced, disrupting his thoughts.
"Thanks."
"Is there anything else?" the raven haired vampire asked. "Or have you seen all that you've come to see?"
"I figured there were more of you," he whispered so that only she could hear. "If you could wipe out a team of ninja I figured there were at least two methuselah. But the presence of an antediluvian makes sense."
"You're not a ninja," she stated as she set his plate down. Leaning in she sniffed the air, catching his scent. "You're not even human."
"More than you," he replied coolly.
"So threatening the humans in the cafÚ won't faze you," Mio countered.
Blue eyes locked with grey eyes. "Even your yakuza friends won't be able to cover that up."
"'Gas main explosion destroys local cafÚ'," she countered. "How unfortunate."
"The fire might not kill you, but it will wound you enough, not to mention that your buddies won't take too kindly to losing this investment." Picking up the tea he took a sip. "The fire and the explosion won't bother me, and neither will the arsenic you slipped into the tea."
Suddenly the waitress stood up straight as she finally noticed that all the humans in the cafÚ were slumped over. "Rumi!?"
"I guess Rumi was hungry," Ranma stated Mio searched for the shorter vampire. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it sooner, what with your heightened sense of smell."
"Dead man's blood," she hissed. "I knew you had the smell of a mage, but you don't reek of necromancy."
With practiced ease Ranma wiggled the fingers of his left hand, causing several 'students' to move. True masters of illusion knew better than to just rely on spell-craft. Even the best illusions could be seen through, but the addition of scents and when necessary puppets made the scene he'd created all the more believable to even the sharpest and keenest eye.
It helped that Konatsu and the ninja's who'd sent his this job had researched the vampires and the cafÚ. With their help he'd managed to divert the handful of real cram school students that frequented the cafÚ to another location even making them think that they were at this very cafÚ. It also helped that he'd managed to get his hands on the blue prints to Chachamaru's artificial heart, giving just enough material to fool his prey. Between Mahora's resident vampire and the ninjas this mission was going rather smoothly.
This was slowest time of night, making it relatively easy for him to fill the business with his replicas. The hard part had been fooling one into trying to feed off of one of them.
"It'd be best if you just surrendered," he suggested. "I promise I'll go easy-"
BTOOM!
The fiery explosion cut his offer short though it hadn't caught him expected as he'd noticed Mio's legs tensing. Even an exceptional martial artist wouldn't have been able to do much from a seated position, but he was far from just exceptional. Riding the force of the explosion as it blew through the hallway from the kitchen Ranma grabbed hold of Mio's wrist as he rushed her. Pulling her to him he slammed his free fist into her jaw, slamming her fanged mouth close.
Between the explosion and the force of his punch he'd expected to send the pair of them flying over the table behind her. To her credit Mio was much sturdier than he'd anticipated. His fist felt as though he'd slammed it into a two ton boulder rather than a petit, but buxom teenaged girl. Fortunately for him he'd fought guys much tougher than her. Still, it stung his pride to know that he'd underestimated her.
It stung even worse when Mio drove her knee into his groin. Even his decades of experience couldn't help him avoid that blow at such close quarters. Resisting the urge to crump into a fetal position he instead shifted his body and twisted his momentum so that he swung around the vampire, capturing her back and wrapping his right arm around her throat.
Ears ringing, he felt the table break beneath him as Mio dove back onto the table he'd expected to send the both of them flying over. Flames licked the air above them as they wrestled on the floor. Shifting his hips he tried to a firm grip on the vampire's throat even as Mio slammed her elbows into his side or flailed wildly as she tried to throw awkward punches at him. Grabbing hold of her long hair with his left hand he felt her neck muscles tense as she tried to avoid the inevitable. Ju jitsu wasn't his forte, but it was something he'd picked up as a necessity to add variety to style. Finally he was rewarded with the sound of her neck snapping.
X x x x x
Man, I guess the Panthers and Cam Newton don't belong in Primetime. I guess I should have started E-lite Manning instead. Oh well, it's still early in the season.
Finally broke down and got an I-phone, though it's only the 4 and was free with a 2 year contract.
Just watched MNFà. The Packers got jobbed by the Replacement Refsà Yes, Seattle played well in the first half, but the refs handed them that game at the end. NFL has to end the ref strike since the refs are costing teams games. Refs mishandled the San Fran vs Vikings game as well. Glad that the real refs are back, though I expect the season is far from over.
# # # # #
The dark streets of Nerima seemed so foreign to the immortal martial artist as he made his way through the shadows. Even the poor lighting failed to hide the fact that many of the buildings were in disrepair. Initially he'd thought that it was just one or two houses, or perhaps just a neighborhood, but the further he traveled the more apparent it was that this was no longer the Nerima he'd known.
The sad truth was that even though the almost daily fights that occurred during Japan's Golden Age of Martial Arts there were a good number of houses and buildings always in need of repair, but those were always repaired. These buildings appeared to be completely neglected. Though the fighters were known to damage the buildings, they also served to keep out the criminal element.
Gone were the proud martial artists who fought their rivals regularly yet managed to protect the weak from being exploited. Gone was the Kuno family, the cornerstone of the community that employed construction crews to constantly repair the damages from the various fights. Gone were the local martial artists whom the city council relied on to keep the peace amongst the everyday citizens.
This Nerima was little more than a haunting reminder of what once was. Even more vexing was the fact that the changes that the city had undergone hinted at how much of an abomination he was.
Technically, he wasn't a human anymore. But he wasn't the only one.
In his time studying at Scholomance he'd learned much about vampire myth, but it was his travels through Eastern Europe that had taught him the most about the predatory humanoids. While most fed on human blood, there were a good number that fed on other mammals. Though the average vampire was stronger and faster than a typical human, the difference was akin to that of a normal person and an Olympic caliber athlete. Compared to other supernatural creatures vampires tended to be on the weaker side of the scale, though they made up for it with longevity. Contrary to popular belief, sunlight didn't kill vampires, neither could garlic and silver. Despite their weaknesses nothing short of decapitation or immolation could kill a vampire.
As such they were in fact one of the best enforcers anyone employing the supernatural could use. Most preferred to be paid in blood, usually human. Working for the mafia, yakuza, or whatever underground criminal organization was inevitable really. Where else could they get access to blood while also being able to hide their presence? Human trafficking allowed them the pick of the litter, giving them the occasional virgin to feed on as well as helping provide them with the means to hide their presence from the occasional hunter.
Unlike other supernatural creatures, vampires retained all of their supernatural advantages regardless of the moon cycle or tide, nor did they have a tendency to break into a blood lust or go berserk once blood was spilled. Unlike other creatures they grew stronger once they fed, much like Popeye and spinach.
The signs weren't good for Nerima. For a coterie to be here meant that the local yakuza or gang wanted to expand their turf. Though he didn't want to involve himself in underworld politics Ranma knew he had no choice. Even though he never considered Nerima a home as he currently did with Mahora and had with Hinata, the city was still important to him. Besides, he'd already made a name for himself with many of the supernatural beings, especially in Japan and Eastern Europe.
He's spent the day researching the yakuza involved, making sure that they weren't the faction that had been taken over by one of the ninja clans. From what he'd uncovered it appeared as though the local yakuza was starting to deal in human trafficking and pushing drugs û the usual activities that drew vampires to a criminal syndicate. The set-up was perfect. The business catered to cram school students, most of whom opted to study at the cafÚ rather than returning home after their classes.
The cafÚ itself was legitimate, but of the seven waitresses two were definitely vampires.
"Table for one or are you waiting for others?" the hostess asked as he entered the cafÚ.
"One," he replied.
"Mio," the cheerful hostess called out to the taller of the two vampires, "would you show him to table seven?"
The vampire known as Maki nodded, rushing over to the entrance before leading him towards the back corner booth. Trailing behind the taller girl, he couldn't help but notice her sauntering gate. No stranger to the playful flirtations employed by waitresses, Ranma fought the urge to stare as any teenaged boy might do were they in his shoes.
Finally he took his seat, accepting the menu offered by Mio. "Are you new to Nerima?" Her voice was firm yet friendly as she waited beside the table.
"Not really," he replied honestly. "It's been a while since I've been in Nerima."
"What brings you back?"
"Just wanted to see the old neighborhood."
"You used to live here?"
"Yeah, a long time ago. This place sure has changed a lot." Scanning the menu quickly he glanced up, meeting Mio's light brown eyes. "I'll have the black tea and the apple turnover."
"Okay." The warmth in her smile extended beyond her lips up into her twinkling eyes. "I'll be right back with your order."
Watching her as she left he knew that Mio had that casual grace that few non-practicioners of one of the physical arts possessed.
Eyeballing the cafÚ he found nothing unusual. Cram school students huddled around their respective tables, some clearly flustered, others working diligently on their assignments, and more than a few slumbering while surrounded by their companions. Given the cafÚ's 24 hour service it made sense that more than a few teens were resting here. Having lived the life of a ronin Ranma knew that sometimes it wasn't worth going home after class, especially when one had to rush between school and work.
"Here's your apple turnover and black tea," Mio announced, disrupting his thoughts.
"Thanks."
"Is there anything else?" the raven haired vampire asked. "Or have you seen all that you've come to see?"
"I figured there were more of you," he whispered so that only she could hear. "If you could wipe out a team of ninja I figured there were at least two methuselah. But the presence of an antediluvian makes sense."
"You're not a ninja," she stated as she set his plate down. Leaning in she sniffed the air, catching his scent. "You're not even human."
"More than you," he replied coolly.
"So threatening the humans in the cafÚ won't faze you," Mio countered.
Blue eyes locked with grey eyes. "Even your yakuza friends won't be able to cover that up."
"'Gas main explosion destroys local cafÚ'," she countered. "How unfortunate."
"The fire might not kill you, but it will wound you enough, not to mention that your buddies won't take too kindly to losing this investment." Picking up the tea he took a sip. "The fire and the explosion won't bother me, and neither will the arsenic you slipped into the tea."
Suddenly the waitress stood up straight as she finally noticed that all the humans in the cafÚ were slumped over. "Rumi!?"
"I guess Rumi was hungry," Ranma stated Mio searched for the shorter vampire. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it sooner, what with your heightened sense of smell."
"Dead man's blood," she hissed. "I knew you had the smell of a mage, but you don't reek of necromancy."
With practiced ease Ranma wiggled the fingers of his left hand, causing several 'students' to move. True masters of illusion knew better than to just rely on spell-craft. Even the best illusions could be seen through, but the addition of scents and when necessary puppets made the scene he'd created all the more believable to even the sharpest and keenest eye.
It helped that Konatsu and the ninja's who'd sent his this job had researched the vampires and the cafÚ. With their help he'd managed to divert the handful of real cram school students that frequented the cafÚ to another location even making them think that they were at this very cafÚ. It also helped that he'd managed to get his hands on the blue prints to Chachamaru's artificial heart, giving just enough material to fool his prey. Between Mahora's resident vampire and the ninjas this mission was going rather smoothly.
This was slowest time of night, making it relatively easy for him to fill the business with his replicas. The hard part had been fooling one into trying to feed off of one of them.
"It'd be best if you just surrendered," he suggested. "I promise I'll go easy-"
BTOOM!
The fiery explosion cut his offer short though it hadn't caught him expected as he'd noticed Mio's legs tensing. Even an exceptional martial artist wouldn't have been able to do much from a seated position, but he was far from just exceptional. Riding the force of the explosion as it blew through the hallway from the kitchen Ranma grabbed hold of Mio's wrist as he rushed her. Pulling her to him he slammed his free fist into her jaw, slamming her fanged mouth close.
Between the explosion and the force of his punch he'd expected to send the pair of them flying over the table behind her. To her credit Mio was much sturdier than he'd anticipated. His fist felt as though he'd slammed it into a two ton boulder rather than a petit, but buxom teenaged girl. Fortunately for him he'd fought guys much tougher than her. Still, it stung his pride to know that he'd underestimated her.
It stung even worse when Mio drove her knee into his groin. Even his decades of experience couldn't help him avoid that blow at such close quarters. Resisting the urge to crump into a fetal position he instead shifted his body and twisted his momentum so that he swung around the vampire, capturing her back and wrapping his right arm around her throat.
Ears ringing, he felt the table break beneath him as Mio dove back onto the table he'd expected to send the both of them flying over. Flames licked the air above them as they wrestled on the floor. Shifting his hips he tried to a firm grip on the vampire's throat even as Mio slammed her elbows into his side or flailed wildly as she tried to throw awkward punches at him. Grabbing hold of her long hair with his left hand he felt her neck muscles tense as she tried to avoid the inevitable. Ju jitsu wasn't his forte, but it was something he'd picked up as a necessity to add variety to style. Finally he was rewarded with the sound of her neck snapping.
X x x x x
Adumbrations were capable of hiding so much more than the kunoichi ever realized. Months ago she'd thought that she had a good grasp of what others overlooked, but now that she'd seen beyond what was obscured by the shadows the world she now knew was much more threatening and immense then she'd previously realized.
Hers was no longer a world filled with just school life and what she'd thought to be extreme martial arts training. Now her life was filled with pretending to be a slightly atypical teenaged girl while not being an on-call assassin. Killing was still something that she had a hard time dealing with, but with the younger Saotome's help she was just starting to get over that obstacle.
She knew that there were far deadlier things than ninjas and magi, but facing that reality was proving to be hard harder then she had realized. The fact that a coterie or pack or whatever it was that Ranma called a group of them had eliminated a team of chunin ninja sent chills down her spine.
And then there was the fact that the vampire had stated that Ranma wasn't human himself. The fact had been lost in the chaos of all that had happened since the café had been blown up, but it did little else but gnaw at Kaede as she observed the elder Saotome's interrogation of the vampires.
'You're not even human.' The vampire's words echoed through the girl's skull. 'You're not even human.'
Having been trainined to see into and past the darkness the young kunoichi could not help but try to take the stray clues and try and decipher them.
But if Ranma wasn't human, then what were Tenma and Akira? The youngest Saotome had died, but even the supernatural could be killed. Still, his death had been the result of terminal cancer, not a violent or undiagnosed death. Could the supernatural die from cancer?
Focused as she was on the incomplete facts, Kaede barely noticed that her sensei had completed his task.
"Kaede."
"Sensei," she snapped reflexively, "what did you find you?"
"There are four more vampires," he stated. "They're holed up in a vacant house, but she didn't say where. They're probably suspicious now that we have these two."
"They won't leave?"
He shook his head, "Vampires are very loyal – they won't leave one of their own behind if they know that they're still alive."
"So we have to find their lair?"
Again he shook his head, "They're too dangerous to hunt. We'll just let them come to us."
"How?"
"They've got a keen sense of smell," he pointed out. "Since she's their maker they should be able to pick up her scent easily."
She raised her eyes, scanning the desolate building that they currently occupied. The windows were closed (the better to keep the screams in) but not tight as a slight draft was evident from the movement of the curtains. "You tortured her just spread her scent."
For a moment his eyes locked with hers. Though he might not be human, he was not inhumane. "If that had been my plan I would have set traps before torturing them," his even, cool voice answered. "If they're anything like most vampires they won't move until dark. Unfortunately I think that most of them are antediluvians so they're smarter and stronger than neonates."
His words flew over her head well beyond her comprehension.
"Neonates are young vampires," he explained. "They're usually anything younger than a decade. Most vampires are between a decade to a century old, but those who survive past a century are considered antediluvians and those with over a millennium under their belt are methuselahs."
The young kunoichi nodded as she filed away the terms and their meaning. "The older they are the stronger they are."
"Usually," her sensei replied. "We captured the youngest, but even she managed to drain an entire marionette before the dead man's blood dropped her."
Again Kaede nodded. "But can't they smell the blood?"
"They'll smell blood, but can't tell the difference between the two until they actually ingest it," he elaborated. "At least I haven't met one that could tell the difference."
"But she knew that you weren't human."
"There's something about feeding on other supernatural creatures that is taboo," he shrugged. "Most superhuman creatures are designed to have particular tastes and it's hard for them to adjust to something else, but when it comes to feeding on other supernatural creatures they end up having something akin to an allergic reaction. Unless you're like a werewolf – then you just eat anything you can put in your mouth."
"So I lace my blades with dead man's blood," she surmised.
Her sensei shook his head. "They smell too much blood and they'll know that we're setting a trap or that you're using it against them. Remember, they're old and experienced. They know their weaknesses better than we do. Play to your strengths – not to their weaknesses.
"They might be faster and stronger than you, but they're undisciplined fighters. They'll get their shots in - just make sure that you're the one ending the fight."
In all honesty her sensei's words failed to inspire. They were outnumbered, just as the squad of chunin had been, and even though she had seen her sensei take out the most powerful of the vampires by himself, could he really take out four of them? She'd seen him fight plenty of times, usually against multiple opponents, but were any of the other students up to par with the vampires?
"Focus," he ordered her, calming her nerves ever so slightly. "Remember what you're capable of and work with that."
Suddenly he looked away from her. "They're here."
Before she even could think that they weren't ready the first of the vampires burst through the window, knocking her off her feet as it sought to tackle her. Instinct and countless practice sessions kicked in as she reflexively kicked out with one foot and rolled onto her back, sending her attacker crashing into and through the wall.
The sound of three more windows breaking was drowned out by the sound of her pounding heart as it pumped adrenaline into her limber body.
"Basement!" Ranma ordered as his heel connected with the jaw of an airborne assailant.
In a flash she was down the stairs and inside the damp room. Trained to fight in the darkness she actually felt a bit of relief at the fact that there were no lights on in the basement. Few houses in Japan had such amities due to the frequency of earthquakes, but leave it to the ninja and her sensei to find the one building in Nerima that had a functioning and undamaged basement.
The sound of heavy footsteps quickly descending the stair brought her attention back to the fight at hand as Ranma voluntarily yielded ground to the quartet of antediluvians. For the briefest of moments Kaede thought it odd that he would voluntarily retreat through such a tight space. Ranma worked best with open space, though perhaps it was the fact that his opponents were nearly as quick as he and undoubtedly just as strong as he was that prompted him to such measures.
Setting her feet, the kunoichi couldn't help but think that she was missing something. Drawing her kunai she let loose a volley at the first of the vampires that appeared at the base of the stairs, forcing it to dive to the side to avoid the coated blades. The sound of her weapons sinking into the wood alerted the other vampires of the threat she posed. Two came crashing through the wood paneling of the stairs while the third dove into the ground.
'He's splashing into the ground,' she quickly thought as the last vampire crashed into the ground. The thought hit her before the realization.
Fortunately she wasn't the last one to make that discover as the other vampires landed in the still wet cement.
'Water walking,' she surmised as she just noticed the way her chakra was being expelled from her feet to keep her from sinking into the basement wide trap.
Before the vampires could even make the connection Ranma was on them. A swift axe kick buried the face of sprawled vampire deeper into the gritty gray mixture. Stomping on the befuddled creature's head Ranma propelled himself at the first vampire to venture into the basement, delivering a punishing elbow to the side of the head before latching his arms around the man's head and snapping his neck.
A second volley of kunai sunk into the soft flesh of the undead creatures. Slowed as they were by the wet cement they were powerless to avoid the volley, though a few blades did bounce off of their borrowed chainmail sleeves and vests. Weighed down as they were they were significantly slower than normal, allowing Kaede to lose a third volley that pinned them down. The bolos and weighted nets were far from what the vampires' had expected, though clearly they had not expected any of what they had received.
"Good job," Ranma smirked as he approached the pair. "Ninjas are best when they're a few steps ahead of their advisories.
"You may have caught the others unprepared, but it was arrogant of you to think that you could do that to a second squad."
"You won't get away with this," the second in command growled.
"We're not going to kill you," Ranma stated.
"I'll rip your throat out," the vampire threatened.
"I doubt that," the magi replied. "I said we weren't going to kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't do something else to you."
With the ease of a seasoned killer Ranma's hands grasped the vampire's head before swiftly snapping his neck. "Call the others," he ordered her as he moved to finish the remaining vampire. "Our job is done."
X X X X X
"Your report's not done," Saotome-sensei stated as he eyed the screen before the young kunoichi.
Tedious as it was, Kaede knew that Ranma was right. Though all record of the report would be erased, it was still necessary for her to type up the report of her mission to turn into her superiors. The content of the report didn't matter so much as the fact that she did not allow any detail to go unnoticed.
"The vampire that attacked me was bald," she recalled, "195cm, 95kg, with a scar over his right eye and a tattoo on his left bicep, athletic build, Caucasian, grey eyes." She knew that the sequencing of the information was less than ideal, but the key points were there. "He was the last one down the stairs, the one of the ones that jumped through the wall into the basement, and the first of that pair that you took out. He wore a navy shirt and appeared to have the arm guards of one of the slain chunin.
"The other vampire was Caucasian, dirty blond hair, 190cm, 102kg, hazel eyes, muscular build, no other distinguishing features. He wore a faded army uniform, no rank indicated, and the mesh armor underneath." Rattling off the innocuous details of the remaining vampires she noted the expectant look in her sensei's eyes.
"What about the fact that the vampire Mio knew that Ranma wasn't completely human?" another voice asked from the darkness.
She knew that someone was there, but just who and how many of the jonins she didn't know. Try as she might she knew that she wouldn't be able to see the speaker. More than likely he was behind a fake wall, but all the walls were probably fake.
"That's enough," a familiar voice proclaimed. "Thank you for your report."
X X X X X
Standing before the assembled masters, Ranma knew that he found himself in an unusual position. Ninjas were highly secretive, especially amongst themselves, but they had reached out to him through the martial arts association. It was a gigantic step for the usually secluded group to make, but it was a sign of the times. The world, their world, was no longer insular, and though they were loathed to admit it they knew that they could not deal with all their problems in the same old ways.
"I'm surprised," the masked master stated. As the only ninja actually seated before him, the olive green clad man was tasked with drawing his attention.
"At the result or the methods employed?" the immortal asked, undaunted by his position. He counted four jonin guards for the master, which meant that there were at least two more masters and a dozen guards between them.
"Both," the green master answered. "I knew you were good, and fully expected you to prevail, but not so soon."
"You expected a full brawl?" the pigtailed master asked, a smirk on his lips.
The master paused, then nodded. "You do have a reputation."
"Experience has taught me to end fights quickly," he explained. It was a half-truth, but still a truth none the less.
"The girl's progress has exceeded our expectations," a hidden master interjected. "Ensure that she stays sharp."
Unspoken was the order that Kaede was now under his tutelage, her missions to be dissected by the jonin so that the ninja would not be caught unawares by the supernatural. It was one thing for them to fight other humans, even magi, but with the world becoming larger and smaller at the same time it was inevitable for them to start to prepare for dealing with the other things that went bump in the night.
Hers was no longer a world filled with just school life and what she'd thought to be extreme martial arts training. Now her life was filled with pretending to be a slightly atypical teenaged girl while not being an on-call assassin. Killing was still something that she had a hard time dealing with, but with the younger Saotome's help she was just starting to get over that obstacle.
She knew that there were far deadlier things than ninjas and magi, but facing that reality was proving to be hard harder then she had realized. The fact that a coterie or pack or whatever it was that Ranma called a group of them had eliminated a team of chunin ninja sent chills down her spine.
And then there was the fact that the vampire had stated that Ranma wasn't human himself. The fact had been lost in the chaos of all that had happened since the café had been blown up, but it did little else but gnaw at Kaede as she observed the elder Saotome's interrogation of the vampires.
'You're not even human.' The vampire's words echoed through the girl's skull. 'You're not even human.'
Having been trainined to see into and past the darkness the young kunoichi could not help but try to take the stray clues and try and decipher them.
But if Ranma wasn't human, then what were Tenma and Akira? The youngest Saotome had died, but even the supernatural could be killed. Still, his death had been the result of terminal cancer, not a violent or undiagnosed death. Could the supernatural die from cancer?
Focused as she was on the incomplete facts, Kaede barely noticed that her sensei had completed his task.
"Kaede."
"Sensei," she snapped reflexively, "what did you find you?"
"There are four more vampires," he stated. "They're holed up in a vacant house, but she didn't say where. They're probably suspicious now that we have these two."
"They won't leave?"
He shook his head, "Vampires are very loyal – they won't leave one of their own behind if they know that they're still alive."
"So we have to find their lair?"
Again he shook his head, "They're too dangerous to hunt. We'll just let them come to us."
"How?"
"They've got a keen sense of smell," he pointed out. "Since she's their maker they should be able to pick up her scent easily."
She raised her eyes, scanning the desolate building that they currently occupied. The windows were closed (the better to keep the screams in) but not tight as a slight draft was evident from the movement of the curtains. "You tortured her just spread her scent."
For a moment his eyes locked with hers. Though he might not be human, he was not inhumane. "If that had been my plan I would have set traps before torturing them," his even, cool voice answered. "If they're anything like most vampires they won't move until dark. Unfortunately I think that most of them are antediluvians so they're smarter and stronger than neonates."
His words flew over her head well beyond her comprehension.
"Neonates are young vampires," he explained. "They're usually anything younger than a decade. Most vampires are between a decade to a century old, but those who survive past a century are considered antediluvians and those with over a millennium under their belt are methuselahs."
The young kunoichi nodded as she filed away the terms and their meaning. "The older they are the stronger they are."
"Usually," her sensei replied. "We captured the youngest, but even she managed to drain an entire marionette before the dead man's blood dropped her."
Again Kaede nodded. "But can't they smell the blood?"
"They'll smell blood, but can't tell the difference between the two until they actually ingest it," he elaborated. "At least I haven't met one that could tell the difference."
"But she knew that you weren't human."
"There's something about feeding on other supernatural creatures that is taboo," he shrugged. "Most superhuman creatures are designed to have particular tastes and it's hard for them to adjust to something else, but when it comes to feeding on other supernatural creatures they end up having something akin to an allergic reaction. Unless you're like a werewolf – then you just eat anything you can put in your mouth."
"So I lace my blades with dead man's blood," she surmised.
Her sensei shook his head. "They smell too much blood and they'll know that we're setting a trap or that you're using it against them. Remember, they're old and experienced. They know their weaknesses better than we do. Play to your strengths – not to their weaknesses.
"They might be faster and stronger than you, but they're undisciplined fighters. They'll get their shots in - just make sure that you're the one ending the fight."
In all honesty her sensei's words failed to inspire. They were outnumbered, just as the squad of chunin had been, and even though she had seen her sensei take out the most powerful of the vampires by himself, could he really take out four of them? She'd seen him fight plenty of times, usually against multiple opponents, but were any of the other students up to par with the vampires?
"Focus," he ordered her, calming her nerves ever so slightly. "Remember what you're capable of and work with that."
Suddenly he looked away from her. "They're here."
Before she even could think that they weren't ready the first of the vampires burst through the window, knocking her off her feet as it sought to tackle her. Instinct and countless practice sessions kicked in as she reflexively kicked out with one foot and rolled onto her back, sending her attacker crashing into and through the wall.
The sound of three more windows breaking was drowned out by the sound of her pounding heart as it pumped adrenaline into her limber body.
"Basement!" Ranma ordered as his heel connected with the jaw of an airborne assailant.
In a flash she was down the stairs and inside the damp room. Trained to fight in the darkness she actually felt a bit of relief at the fact that there were no lights on in the basement. Few houses in Japan had such amities due to the frequency of earthquakes, but leave it to the ninja and her sensei to find the one building in Nerima that had a functioning and undamaged basement.
The sound of heavy footsteps quickly descending the stair brought her attention back to the fight at hand as Ranma voluntarily yielded ground to the quartet of antediluvians. For the briefest of moments Kaede thought it odd that he would voluntarily retreat through such a tight space. Ranma worked best with open space, though perhaps it was the fact that his opponents were nearly as quick as he and undoubtedly just as strong as he was that prompted him to such measures.
Setting her feet, the kunoichi couldn't help but think that she was missing something. Drawing her kunai she let loose a volley at the first of the vampires that appeared at the base of the stairs, forcing it to dive to the side to avoid the coated blades. The sound of her weapons sinking into the wood alerted the other vampires of the threat she posed. Two came crashing through the wood paneling of the stairs while the third dove into the ground.
'He's splashing into the ground,' she quickly thought as the last vampire crashed into the ground. The thought hit her before the realization.
Fortunately she wasn't the last one to make that discover as the other vampires landed in the still wet cement.
'Water walking,' she surmised as she just noticed the way her chakra was being expelled from her feet to keep her from sinking into the basement wide trap.
Before the vampires could even make the connection Ranma was on them. A swift axe kick buried the face of sprawled vampire deeper into the gritty gray mixture. Stomping on the befuddled creature's head Ranma propelled himself at the first vampire to venture into the basement, delivering a punishing elbow to the side of the head before latching his arms around the man's head and snapping his neck.
A second volley of kunai sunk into the soft flesh of the undead creatures. Slowed as they were by the wet cement they were powerless to avoid the volley, though a few blades did bounce off of their borrowed chainmail sleeves and vests. Weighed down as they were they were significantly slower than normal, allowing Kaede to lose a third volley that pinned them down. The bolos and weighted nets were far from what the vampires' had expected, though clearly they had not expected any of what they had received.
"Good job," Ranma smirked as he approached the pair. "Ninjas are best when they're a few steps ahead of their advisories.
"You may have caught the others unprepared, but it was arrogant of you to think that you could do that to a second squad."
"You won't get away with this," the second in command growled.
"We're not going to kill you," Ranma stated.
"I'll rip your throat out," the vampire threatened.
"I doubt that," the magi replied. "I said we weren't going to kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't do something else to you."
With the ease of a seasoned killer Ranma's hands grasped the vampire's head before swiftly snapping his neck. "Call the others," he ordered her as he moved to finish the remaining vampire. "Our job is done."
X X X X X
"Your report's not done," Saotome-sensei stated as he eyed the screen before the young kunoichi.
Tedious as it was, Kaede knew that Ranma was right. Though all record of the report would be erased, it was still necessary for her to type up the report of her mission to turn into her superiors. The content of the report didn't matter so much as the fact that she did not allow any detail to go unnoticed.
"The vampire that attacked me was bald," she recalled, "195cm, 95kg, with a scar over his right eye and a tattoo on his left bicep, athletic build, Caucasian, grey eyes." She knew that the sequencing of the information was less than ideal, but the key points were there. "He was the last one down the stairs, the one of the ones that jumped through the wall into the basement, and the first of that pair that you took out. He wore a navy shirt and appeared to have the arm guards of one of the slain chunin.
"The other vampire was Caucasian, dirty blond hair, 190cm, 102kg, hazel eyes, muscular build, no other distinguishing features. He wore a faded army uniform, no rank indicated, and the mesh armor underneath." Rattling off the innocuous details of the remaining vampires she noted the expectant look in her sensei's eyes.
"What about the fact that the vampire Mio knew that Ranma wasn't completely human?" another voice asked from the darkness.
She knew that someone was there, but just who and how many of the jonins she didn't know. Try as she might she knew that she wouldn't be able to see the speaker. More than likely he was behind a fake wall, but all the walls were probably fake.
"That's enough," a familiar voice proclaimed. "Thank you for your report."
X X X X X
Standing before the assembled masters, Ranma knew that he found himself in an unusual position. Ninjas were highly secretive, especially amongst themselves, but they had reached out to him through the martial arts association. It was a gigantic step for the usually secluded group to make, but it was a sign of the times. The world, their world, was no longer insular, and though they were loathed to admit it they knew that they could not deal with all their problems in the same old ways.
"I'm surprised," the masked master stated. As the only ninja actually seated before him, the olive green clad man was tasked with drawing his attention.
"At the result or the methods employed?" the immortal asked, undaunted by his position. He counted four jonin guards for the master, which meant that there were at least two more masters and a dozen guards between them.
"Both," the green master answered. "I knew you were good, and fully expected you to prevail, but not so soon."
"You expected a full brawl?" the pigtailed master asked, a smirk on his lips.
The master paused, then nodded. "You do have a reputation."
"Experience has taught me to end fights quickly," he explained. It was a half-truth, but still a truth none the less.
"The girl's progress has exceeded our expectations," a hidden master interjected. "Ensure that she stays sharp."
Unspoken was the order that Kaede was now under his tutelage, her missions to be dissected by the jonin so that the ninja would not be caught unawares by the supernatural. It was one thing for them to fight other humans, even magi, but with the world becoming larger and smaller at the same time it was inevitable for them to start to prepare for dealing with the other things that went bump in the night.
The evening wind rustled the bamboo, masking the kunoichi's movement as she made her way through the small grove behind the dojo. The long shadows provided her with sufficient cover despite her larger frame. Only the massive foreigner was larger than she was, though Luke rarely relied on misdirection when he attacked and he never hid except when the moon was nearly full. Even with his advantage in reach she was capable of besting him seven out of ten times.
The sound of footsteps caught her attention. Focusing on the gentle steps she measured the distance – seven meters… no six, but whose footsteps? Makie wouldn't never ventured into the grove, too aware of her smaller stature and the limitations of her ribbons. Only Ayaka could step so lightly as Asuna was as light on her feet as a bull.
Another crunch, this time five meters away.
Ayaka was trickier. Unlike Luke the class representative had trained in various martial arts for nearly a decade and was a much more natural fighter than the werewolf. In the dojo she'd split her matches against the kunoichi. But this wasn't the dojo.
The mock fights in the yard yielded vastly different results than the sterile confines of the dojo. Thus far only Tenma and Ranma had won the monthly free-for-alls, though Kaede was often in the last three. Pride demanded that she do her best here, but that did not mean that she needed to confront the class rep. Slipping further into the shadows she hoped that the usually perceptive blond would overlook her hiding spot since it was unlikely that someone would encounter her.
As she hid Kaede couldn't help but think of her last mission. Though she knew that she was supposed to have put it out of her mind she couldn't help but think back to what the ancient vampire had said, "'You're not even human.'"
The sound of a fight nearby stopped Ayaka in her tracks.
"Not this time Makie!" the foriegner's voice proclaimed.
Rushing forward Ayaka hoped to aid her classmate against the foreign boy. As the smallest of the group the gymnast was pitted against largest of the group, a matchup that did not favor her even in the confines of the grove.
The sound of wooden practice blades slicing through the air alerted her to the presence of one of the shinmei-ryu. The three newest members to the dojo had certainly disrupted the hierarchy of the group. Not only had their training and style drawn attention to the others' limitations, it had shown them the differences in their ability. The Saotomes clearly liked to fight down to the level of their opponents, though Asuna and Ayaka initially outmatched Haruna, it had become clear that the mangaka had caught up with them. Tenma and Ranma were far and away the best in the dojo, but how far was still to be determined.
What the elder Saotome showed in the dojo was just quicker than the keenest eye could follow but when in the field Saotome-sensei was but a blur to even her. It had not been until the last mission that she realized just how far behind him she was. He had managed to best a coterie of vampires, the same vampires that had eliminated a team of experienced chunin. Even a jonin would not have been able to dispatch of team with such efficiency.
Lost in her thoughts, Kaede failed to notice the nearly silent approach of the youngest of the shinmei-ryu as her classmate crept towards her. "So you've found me."
The redhead nodded, "Please do me the honor of fighting seriously with me."
Slowly the ninja emerged from the shadows. In the time since the shinmei-ryu had joined the dojo she had yet to actually spar against any of them due to her own special training with Konatsu, at least not individually. While she was loathed to admit it Kaede had relished the idea of testing herself against the shinmei-ryu.
Ryoko in particular favored a single blade whereas Setsuna fought with katana and wakizashi. Akira was the mystery, shifting from nodachi, to katana, to naginata to fighting weaponless.
Her face an emotionless mask, Kaede gingerly advanced on Ryoko.
X X X X X
"She looks just like you," Konatsu stated as he watched the young redhead face off against his student.
Ranma shook his head, "She's taller, sturdier than I was."
"From her mother's side," the cross-dressing ninja stated. "The doctor chose only the most suitable women to birth your children."
"Asato Nanae," he interjected. "She's a teacher somewhere, but was a black belt in judo and karate if I remember correctly. And Yukihyou Kamiyama - a former pro-wrestler."
"You know their names."
"I know their names," Ranma repeated.
"Kyoichi?"
The immortal nodded.
"Word is that she's now a department head," his informant stated. It was rare for Konatsu to freely offer information, especially information that Ranma did not have himself. "Speaking of Kyoichi, I hear that St. Francis is getting a new visiting priest."
The information made sense. John should have taken his vows by now and Japan did have a problem with monsters, more so than even Korea.
The church itself was on the edge of Mahora, a significant place considering that it wasn't part of any Magic Association. Still, it was odd given John's short history with Ranma. The immortal's short stay in Korea and his encounter with the undead monk and the young priest in training had proven notable to the heads of various magic associations in Korea, Japan, America, and the Vatican. Was this then an overture aimed at the Ambassador? Even if it wasn't the heads of the various MA's as well as those tied to them would see it as such.
From the way that Konatsu was looking at him it was clear that the ninja knew that Ranma had no knowledge of the black mage's position or of the young priest's appointment. Such was the cost of the information.
Further complications did not bode well for Ranma. His classes and his students were already a handful, but the fact that one of them now knew of his immortal secret was trouble enough. Still, of the students he had Kaede posed the fewest problems.
"She's good," his adopted brother's voice proclaimed.
A glance back at the yard told him that Ryoko had managed to best Kaede despite losing her bokken during the fray. It was something that Ranma and Tenma had been working on with them, the official reason why they had been sent here. Their skill at unarmed combat had surpassed even Ranma's expectations, testament to Ryoga's skill as an instructor.
"Kaede's distracted," the immortal stated. "She's starting to piece things together."
"She's loyal to you," Konatsu stated. "That's why she's in my care."
Ranma nodded ever so slightly. Ninja were to be loyal only to their master, and while he was her teacher now, it would not do to have her further attach herself to him. Though the current masters were at least neutral to him it was possible that their successors might not be so welcoming to the immortal. Most saw the world in three shades consisting of ninja and non-ninjas, both of which could be broken into groups consisting of allies, enemies, and everyone else. As the adopted brother to a ninja there were some who viewed him as a ninja, but most accepted him merely as a go-between, something akin to an untrained ninja despite the fact that he was just as skilled and accomplished as some of the highest ranking ninjas.
It would be best to keep her from prying into his secrets, yet her training had opened her eyes to some of the facts that he hoped to remain obscured. She would test his ability as an illusionist, actor, and teacher as he sought to find the balance needed.
"And you have a winner," Konatsu announced.
Gazing down at the yard, Ranma quickly counted the heads of the eliminated students. The winner was a Saotome, though not the one that everyone had expected. Somehow Haruna had managed to eliminate the others as they fought each other or focused on Tenma. Clearly her lessons in akido and judo were starting to pay off. Though she lacked the speed, reach, and experience of many of the others she had instead focused on her strengths, forcing the others to fight a fight that favored her despite appearances.
"I guess the others will not take her so lightly next time."
Ranma nodded at the prideful father. Both men knew that Haruna would never follow her father's path. Though mischievous the manga-ka lacked the switch that Kaede had – the one that allowed her to go from coy school girl to cold-blooded killer. While she might be able to kill, doing so would weigh heavily on the bright eyed girl whereas Kaede lost none of her luster after making a kill.
Even after shedding so much blood Ranma knew that some deaths still weighed on him. Hiro's was particularly difficult, as were the deaths of the Tendo sisters. There were nights when he relived the horror or their deaths despite his best efforts. Only his decade of exile and training had kept him from lashing out in his sleep.
No, Haruna would not walk that path. In an age when ninja were slowly becoming obsolete it was inevitable. Blood no longer mattered. Kaede was most-likely to succeed him, though Tenma and Luke were distinct possibilities. "Good job," he congratulated his niece. "I believe that's your first."
"It's one for the record books!" the brunette smiled gleefully before flashing a 'V' at the others.
"As good as you become, you'll all end up losing to someone eventually," he lectured. "Sometimes you lose fights that you're supposed to win, and sometimes you win fights that you're supposed to lose. It happens. Learn your lessons and keep pushing yourself to improve yourself."
Had he paid attention to the entire spar he might have been able to give them each individual pointers, but he still had the rest of the week to do that. He could check the video and the scrying pool if needed to watch the individual encounters. "Tenma, Luke; clean up. Haruna, take the girls into the baths."
X X X X X
Darkness was both friend and foe to those trained in the way of the ninja. It could hide one from their enemies or it could hide enemies from you. For the still green genin it held many untold horrors as she discovered more and more about the large world she lived in. Only the fact that she had been assured that the girls' dorms were secure gave her any peace of mind. As it was she still insisted on setting alarm traps just in case something other than magi came after her.
Yet even the relative safety of the dorms failed to ease her mind tonight as she thought of the weekend mission. Only hours ago she'd been in Nerima with Ranma, hunting vampires and then discovering that he wasn't entirely human. Now she couldn't help but wonder if others that she knew weren't more than they appeared.
Following her logic she needed to investigate those who didn't stay in the dorms, either full time or who failed to stay during the full moon.
"You shouldn't be here," a familiar voice advised. The sound of his heavy step told her that it was Tenma and not Ranma who had found her spying on her classmates. "I know what you're doing."
"You know of my mission?" the kunoichi asked.
"I know of the results," Tenma replied. "So now you're investigating anyone who doesn't live in the dorms to see if they're not human."
Hearing him say it Kaede couldn't help but blush. Thankful that the failing light of dusk kept him from seeing her state, she focused her eyes on the lone cabin in the woods. Her own feelings for the boy confused her, as did her unanswered questions about his father and family. "What happened to Hiro?"
"He died." Tenma's cold and emotionless voice shocked her. It was not the forced cool of someone still grieving or getting over a sibling's death, but the tone that he always used. That realization surprised her.
"You have questions, I can give you some answers, though they will undoubtedly lead to more questions," he stated in his usual even tone. "I am not human."
Kaede froze. Though she'd suspected it hearing him actually admit it was… it was beyond anything she'd expected. She couldn't help but turn and glance at him, "What are you?"
A rare display of emotion graced his face as his lips curled, hinting at an amused smile. "A cyborg, a clone, I'm not entirely sure myself."
The ninja blinked.
"You know that Ranma is immortal," he explained. "His flesh, even when severed from him, can be reattached, leaving no wound. Cut off a limb and it does not die as would happen to a mortal. Attach it to a mechanical skeleton, give it the right nutrients, and it will grow back."
Taking a step back Kaede pressed her back against the hard bark of the tree.
"The only things that I could not grow back are a fully functioning brain," he added. "So my mother gave me a mechanical one."
"Your mother?" she asked, confused and curious at the same time.
"My creator," he elaborated. "She gave me life, why would I not call her my mother?"
She could feel her heart slowly beating in her breast. It did make sense.
"I am no monster," he stated. "Neither is my father, despite the fact that we would not be considered 'human'."
"What about Hiro?" she found herself asking.
"He's dead, why should he matter?" His cold tone sent a shiver down her spine. Though his flesh was warm, his soul (did he even have a soul?) was cold and emotionless. It was as though he were truly a machine, unfeeling and uncaring. "In truth, I do not know the specifics of Hiro and the others."
"Others?"
"Others."
Had she not already been leaning against the tree Kaede felt that she would have toppled over.
"You say too much," a second voice cautioned. The gruff foreigner extracted himself from another tree behind his friend and companion.
"How much do you know?" she turned on the taller boy.
"More than you," he replied elusively. "And less than you too."
Standing straight Kaede held firm.
"I know not of your ninja missions, but I do know that you were hunting vampires," Luke admitted. "Their stink is on you and sensei."
"You knew about Tenma?"
He nodded slightly.
"Why do you suspect Evangeline?" Tenma interjected. "Just because she doesn't live in the dorms?"
It was weak evidence, but it was a start. Still….
"She's a vampire," Luke growled.
Tenma shook his head.
"What?" the taller of the two muttered. "She has a right to know."
"Father has a truce with her," the cyborg stated. "Obviously the Headmaster and the administration know, and of course she's not a serious threat."
His choice of words did not put her at ease.
"If you do not make an enemy of her she will not be a threat to you," Tenma elaborated.
Again his words failed to put her at ease, though they did clarify the situation. If her sensei had a truce with the vampire that meant that those in the dojo were also. But who were the vampire's enemies? And just how powerful was she?
"You should go," a new yet familiar voice advised.
Spinning around, Kaede turned to face the new speaker.
"Shinobu-san," Tenma and Luke greeted the former first pupil.
"Tenma, Luke, Kaede," the buxom girl returned despite the fact that the ninja had not greeted her. "Eva's bored. If you want she can give you some answers."
"At what cost?" the ninja asked, forcing herself to be cool and relaxed.
"A favor," the blunette replied "to be paid back when the time is right."
The ninja hesitated.
"Perhaps another night," Shinobu added. "You've much to take in still."
"Tell me about Hiro," Kaede insisted.
The older girl flinched as though struck. Taking a moment to compose herself, Shinobu took a step towards the trio. "He was born and died a human."
That seemed to ease Kaede's mind, though why she wasn't sure.
"That will be a favor for me," Shinobu stated.
"He made a deal," Tenma added, causing the other girl to scowl. "As you owe Shinobu a favor, my brother owes a demon a favor."
Luke spat out an unintelligible curse in some foreign tongue.
Shinobu shook her head. "As I serve Evangeline, Hiro serves a demon."
Tenma and Kaede shot the college student a look.
"You know not of deals with demons," she chided them.
Tenma's glare turned to Luke. "You knew?!" It was the first time Kaede had ever heard him with fury and rage in his voice. "Father knows!"
"And now you owe me a favor," Shinobu said to him. "Be glad that you owe me and not my mistress."
"We should go," Luke advised as he turned away from his friend.
Both Tenma and Kaede trailed after the blond, neither sure what to say until they were out of the forest.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Tenma demanded as he caught up to his friend.
"I did not know for sure," the werewolf replied. "His cancer was unnatural. I should have been able to detect it when it first developed, but suddenly he was in the hospital and then he was dead. At first I thought that someone had cursed him, but"
"But what?!" Anger and frustration were still evident in the cyborg's voice. Clearly he wasn't just a cold-hearted machine.
"I believe he exchanged his life for someone else's." Regret and guilt were evident on the taller boy's face as he turned to face his friend.
"Who?"
Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I think the demon erased all evidence of who it was."
"But Hiro serves the demon now?" Kaede interrupted.
"Perhaps… I've never made a deal with a demon, and I don't know anyone else who has, so I can't say for sure, but what I've heard is that when you make a deal with a demon your soul is theirs. I'm not a magic user, so I don't know for sure."
Tenma nodded, accepting his friend's words. When he finally spoke again his voice was cool, almost cold. "I cannot ask father, but there are other magic users amongst us."
Kaede nodded agreement. "Akira and Ryoko; but how do we approach them?"
The cyborg shook his head. "Next weekend we go to see Mother."
"Your mother?" Luke gasped.
Kaede couldn't help but wonder just how much the werewolf knew about his friend and what other secrets Tenma held. "She did create an amalgamation of magic and technology."
Tenma nodded. "Mother will know about magic, and if she doesn't know about demons there she can at least point us to someone who knows."
X X X X X
The candles about the room flickered as Ranma sharply exhaled. Clearly he'd overestimated Kaede's ability to control her curiosity and her faith in him. In fact he'd misjudged all three of them. Tenma had failed to keep a level head while Luke had been surprisingly discreet about what he knew, even trying to reign in the others.
Fortunately Shinobu had been able to intercept them, though she did just as much if not more damage than she'd managed to prevent. Still, they'd learned less than he'd expected or been willing to divulge himself.
Though he was but a young immortal, a week would be sufficient time for him come up with and implement his plans. To the still impatient teens the coming week would drag out, especially with their respective class schedules. When the next weekend came they would either be rushing to Hinata or have put it out of their minds.
The sound of footsteps caught her attention. Focusing on the gentle steps she measured the distance – seven meters… no six, but whose footsteps? Makie wouldn't never ventured into the grove, too aware of her smaller stature and the limitations of her ribbons. Only Ayaka could step so lightly as Asuna was as light on her feet as a bull.
Another crunch, this time five meters away.
Ayaka was trickier. Unlike Luke the class representative had trained in various martial arts for nearly a decade and was a much more natural fighter than the werewolf. In the dojo she'd split her matches against the kunoichi. But this wasn't the dojo.
The mock fights in the yard yielded vastly different results than the sterile confines of the dojo. Thus far only Tenma and Ranma had won the monthly free-for-alls, though Kaede was often in the last three. Pride demanded that she do her best here, but that did not mean that she needed to confront the class rep. Slipping further into the shadows she hoped that the usually perceptive blond would overlook her hiding spot since it was unlikely that someone would encounter her.
As she hid Kaede couldn't help but think of her last mission. Though she knew that she was supposed to have put it out of her mind she couldn't help but think back to what the ancient vampire had said, "'You're not even human.'"
The sound of a fight nearby stopped Ayaka in her tracks.
"Not this time Makie!" the foriegner's voice proclaimed.
Rushing forward Ayaka hoped to aid her classmate against the foreign boy. As the smallest of the group the gymnast was pitted against largest of the group, a matchup that did not favor her even in the confines of the grove.
The sound of wooden practice blades slicing through the air alerted her to the presence of one of the shinmei-ryu. The three newest members to the dojo had certainly disrupted the hierarchy of the group. Not only had their training and style drawn attention to the others' limitations, it had shown them the differences in their ability. The Saotomes clearly liked to fight down to the level of their opponents, though Asuna and Ayaka initially outmatched Haruna, it had become clear that the mangaka had caught up with them. Tenma and Ranma were far and away the best in the dojo, but how far was still to be determined.
What the elder Saotome showed in the dojo was just quicker than the keenest eye could follow but when in the field Saotome-sensei was but a blur to even her. It had not been until the last mission that she realized just how far behind him she was. He had managed to best a coterie of vampires, the same vampires that had eliminated a team of experienced chunin. Even a jonin would not have been able to dispatch of team with such efficiency.
Lost in her thoughts, Kaede failed to notice the nearly silent approach of the youngest of the shinmei-ryu as her classmate crept towards her. "So you've found me."
The redhead nodded, "Please do me the honor of fighting seriously with me."
Slowly the ninja emerged from the shadows. In the time since the shinmei-ryu had joined the dojo she had yet to actually spar against any of them due to her own special training with Konatsu, at least not individually. While she was loathed to admit it Kaede had relished the idea of testing herself against the shinmei-ryu.
Ryoko in particular favored a single blade whereas Setsuna fought with katana and wakizashi. Akira was the mystery, shifting from nodachi, to katana, to naginata to fighting weaponless.
Her face an emotionless mask, Kaede gingerly advanced on Ryoko.
X X X X X
"She looks just like you," Konatsu stated as he watched the young redhead face off against his student.
Ranma shook his head, "She's taller, sturdier than I was."
"From her mother's side," the cross-dressing ninja stated. "The doctor chose only the most suitable women to birth your children."
"Asato Nanae," he interjected. "She's a teacher somewhere, but was a black belt in judo and karate if I remember correctly. And Yukihyou Kamiyama - a former pro-wrestler."
"You know their names."
"I know their names," Ranma repeated.
"Kyoichi?"
The immortal nodded.
"Word is that she's now a department head," his informant stated. It was rare for Konatsu to freely offer information, especially information that Ranma did not have himself. "Speaking of Kyoichi, I hear that St. Francis is getting a new visiting priest."
The information made sense. John should have taken his vows by now and Japan did have a problem with monsters, more so than even Korea.
The church itself was on the edge of Mahora, a significant place considering that it wasn't part of any Magic Association. Still, it was odd given John's short history with Ranma. The immortal's short stay in Korea and his encounter with the undead monk and the young priest in training had proven notable to the heads of various magic associations in Korea, Japan, America, and the Vatican. Was this then an overture aimed at the Ambassador? Even if it wasn't the heads of the various MA's as well as those tied to them would see it as such.
From the way that Konatsu was looking at him it was clear that the ninja knew that Ranma had no knowledge of the black mage's position or of the young priest's appointment. Such was the cost of the information.
Further complications did not bode well for Ranma. His classes and his students were already a handful, but the fact that one of them now knew of his immortal secret was trouble enough. Still, of the students he had Kaede posed the fewest problems.
"She's good," his adopted brother's voice proclaimed.
A glance back at the yard told him that Ryoko had managed to best Kaede despite losing her bokken during the fray. It was something that Ranma and Tenma had been working on with them, the official reason why they had been sent here. Their skill at unarmed combat had surpassed even Ranma's expectations, testament to Ryoga's skill as an instructor.
"Kaede's distracted," the immortal stated. "She's starting to piece things together."
"She's loyal to you," Konatsu stated. "That's why she's in my care."
Ranma nodded ever so slightly. Ninja were to be loyal only to their master, and while he was her teacher now, it would not do to have her further attach herself to him. Though the current masters were at least neutral to him it was possible that their successors might not be so welcoming to the immortal. Most saw the world in three shades consisting of ninja and non-ninjas, both of which could be broken into groups consisting of allies, enemies, and everyone else. As the adopted brother to a ninja there were some who viewed him as a ninja, but most accepted him merely as a go-between, something akin to an untrained ninja despite the fact that he was just as skilled and accomplished as some of the highest ranking ninjas.
It would be best to keep her from prying into his secrets, yet her training had opened her eyes to some of the facts that he hoped to remain obscured. She would test his ability as an illusionist, actor, and teacher as he sought to find the balance needed.
"And you have a winner," Konatsu announced.
Gazing down at the yard, Ranma quickly counted the heads of the eliminated students. The winner was a Saotome, though not the one that everyone had expected. Somehow Haruna had managed to eliminate the others as they fought each other or focused on Tenma. Clearly her lessons in akido and judo were starting to pay off. Though she lacked the speed, reach, and experience of many of the others she had instead focused on her strengths, forcing the others to fight a fight that favored her despite appearances.
"I guess the others will not take her so lightly next time."
Ranma nodded at the prideful father. Both men knew that Haruna would never follow her father's path. Though mischievous the manga-ka lacked the switch that Kaede had – the one that allowed her to go from coy school girl to cold-blooded killer. While she might be able to kill, doing so would weigh heavily on the bright eyed girl whereas Kaede lost none of her luster after making a kill.
Even after shedding so much blood Ranma knew that some deaths still weighed on him. Hiro's was particularly difficult, as were the deaths of the Tendo sisters. There were nights when he relived the horror or their deaths despite his best efforts. Only his decade of exile and training had kept him from lashing out in his sleep.
No, Haruna would not walk that path. In an age when ninja were slowly becoming obsolete it was inevitable. Blood no longer mattered. Kaede was most-likely to succeed him, though Tenma and Luke were distinct possibilities. "Good job," he congratulated his niece. "I believe that's your first."
"It's one for the record books!" the brunette smiled gleefully before flashing a 'V' at the others.
"As good as you become, you'll all end up losing to someone eventually," he lectured. "Sometimes you lose fights that you're supposed to win, and sometimes you win fights that you're supposed to lose. It happens. Learn your lessons and keep pushing yourself to improve yourself."
Had he paid attention to the entire spar he might have been able to give them each individual pointers, but he still had the rest of the week to do that. He could check the video and the scrying pool if needed to watch the individual encounters. "Tenma, Luke; clean up. Haruna, take the girls into the baths."
X X X X X
Darkness was both friend and foe to those trained in the way of the ninja. It could hide one from their enemies or it could hide enemies from you. For the still green genin it held many untold horrors as she discovered more and more about the large world she lived in. Only the fact that she had been assured that the girls' dorms were secure gave her any peace of mind. As it was she still insisted on setting alarm traps just in case something other than magi came after her.
Yet even the relative safety of the dorms failed to ease her mind tonight as she thought of the weekend mission. Only hours ago she'd been in Nerima with Ranma, hunting vampires and then discovering that he wasn't entirely human. Now she couldn't help but wonder if others that she knew weren't more than they appeared.
Following her logic she needed to investigate those who didn't stay in the dorms, either full time or who failed to stay during the full moon.
"You shouldn't be here," a familiar voice advised. The sound of his heavy step told her that it was Tenma and not Ranma who had found her spying on her classmates. "I know what you're doing."
"You know of my mission?" the kunoichi asked.
"I know of the results," Tenma replied. "So now you're investigating anyone who doesn't live in the dorms to see if they're not human."
Hearing him say it Kaede couldn't help but blush. Thankful that the failing light of dusk kept him from seeing her state, she focused her eyes on the lone cabin in the woods. Her own feelings for the boy confused her, as did her unanswered questions about his father and family. "What happened to Hiro?"
"He died." Tenma's cold and emotionless voice shocked her. It was not the forced cool of someone still grieving or getting over a sibling's death, but the tone that he always used. That realization surprised her.
"You have questions, I can give you some answers, though they will undoubtedly lead to more questions," he stated in his usual even tone. "I am not human."
Kaede froze. Though she'd suspected it hearing him actually admit it was… it was beyond anything she'd expected. She couldn't help but turn and glance at him, "What are you?"
A rare display of emotion graced his face as his lips curled, hinting at an amused smile. "A cyborg, a clone, I'm not entirely sure myself."
The ninja blinked.
"You know that Ranma is immortal," he explained. "His flesh, even when severed from him, can be reattached, leaving no wound. Cut off a limb and it does not die as would happen to a mortal. Attach it to a mechanical skeleton, give it the right nutrients, and it will grow back."
Taking a step back Kaede pressed her back against the hard bark of the tree.
"The only things that I could not grow back are a fully functioning brain," he added. "So my mother gave me a mechanical one."
"Your mother?" she asked, confused and curious at the same time.
"My creator," he elaborated. "She gave me life, why would I not call her my mother?"
She could feel her heart slowly beating in her breast. It did make sense.
"I am no monster," he stated. "Neither is my father, despite the fact that we would not be considered 'human'."
"What about Hiro?" she found herself asking.
"He's dead, why should he matter?" His cold tone sent a shiver down her spine. Though his flesh was warm, his soul (did he even have a soul?) was cold and emotionless. It was as though he were truly a machine, unfeeling and uncaring. "In truth, I do not know the specifics of Hiro and the others."
"Others?"
"Others."
Had she not already been leaning against the tree Kaede felt that she would have toppled over.
"You say too much," a second voice cautioned. The gruff foreigner extracted himself from another tree behind his friend and companion.
"How much do you know?" she turned on the taller boy.
"More than you," he replied elusively. "And less than you too."
Standing straight Kaede held firm.
"I know not of your ninja missions, but I do know that you were hunting vampires," Luke admitted. "Their stink is on you and sensei."
"You knew about Tenma?"
He nodded slightly.
"Why do you suspect Evangeline?" Tenma interjected. "Just because she doesn't live in the dorms?"
It was weak evidence, but it was a start. Still….
"She's a vampire," Luke growled.
Tenma shook his head.
"What?" the taller of the two muttered. "She has a right to know."
"Father has a truce with her," the cyborg stated. "Obviously the Headmaster and the administration know, and of course she's not a serious threat."
His choice of words did not put her at ease.
"If you do not make an enemy of her she will not be a threat to you," Tenma elaborated.
Again his words failed to put her at ease, though they did clarify the situation. If her sensei had a truce with the vampire that meant that those in the dojo were also. But who were the vampire's enemies? And just how powerful was she?
"You should go," a new yet familiar voice advised.
Spinning around, Kaede turned to face the new speaker.
"Shinobu-san," Tenma and Luke greeted the former first pupil.
"Tenma, Luke, Kaede," the buxom girl returned despite the fact that the ninja had not greeted her. "Eva's bored. If you want she can give you some answers."
"At what cost?" the ninja asked, forcing herself to be cool and relaxed.
"A favor," the blunette replied "to be paid back when the time is right."
The ninja hesitated.
"Perhaps another night," Shinobu added. "You've much to take in still."
"Tell me about Hiro," Kaede insisted.
The older girl flinched as though struck. Taking a moment to compose herself, Shinobu took a step towards the trio. "He was born and died a human."
That seemed to ease Kaede's mind, though why she wasn't sure.
"That will be a favor for me," Shinobu stated.
"He made a deal," Tenma added, causing the other girl to scowl. "As you owe Shinobu a favor, my brother owes a demon a favor."
Luke spat out an unintelligible curse in some foreign tongue.
Shinobu shook her head. "As I serve Evangeline, Hiro serves a demon."
Tenma and Kaede shot the college student a look.
"You know not of deals with demons," she chided them.
Tenma's glare turned to Luke. "You knew?!" It was the first time Kaede had ever heard him with fury and rage in his voice. "Father knows!"
"And now you owe me a favor," Shinobu said to him. "Be glad that you owe me and not my mistress."
"We should go," Luke advised as he turned away from his friend.
Both Tenma and Kaede trailed after the blond, neither sure what to say until they were out of the forest.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Tenma demanded as he caught up to his friend.
"I did not know for sure," the werewolf replied. "His cancer was unnatural. I should have been able to detect it when it first developed, but suddenly he was in the hospital and then he was dead. At first I thought that someone had cursed him, but"
"But what?!" Anger and frustration were still evident in the cyborg's voice. Clearly he wasn't just a cold-hearted machine.
"I believe he exchanged his life for someone else's." Regret and guilt were evident on the taller boy's face as he turned to face his friend.
"Who?"
Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I think the demon erased all evidence of who it was."
"But Hiro serves the demon now?" Kaede interrupted.
"Perhaps… I've never made a deal with a demon, and I don't know anyone else who has, so I can't say for sure, but what I've heard is that when you make a deal with a demon your soul is theirs. I'm not a magic user, so I don't know for sure."
Tenma nodded, accepting his friend's words. When he finally spoke again his voice was cool, almost cold. "I cannot ask father, but there are other magic users amongst us."
Kaede nodded agreement. "Akira and Ryoko; but how do we approach them?"
The cyborg shook his head. "Next weekend we go to see Mother."
"Your mother?" Luke gasped.
Kaede couldn't help but wonder just how much the werewolf knew about his friend and what other secrets Tenma held. "She did create an amalgamation of magic and technology."
Tenma nodded. "Mother will know about magic, and if she doesn't know about demons there she can at least point us to someone who knows."
X X X X X
The candles about the room flickered as Ranma sharply exhaled. Clearly he'd overestimated Kaede's ability to control her curiosity and her faith in him. In fact he'd misjudged all three of them. Tenma had failed to keep a level head while Luke had been surprisingly discreet about what he knew, even trying to reign in the others.
Fortunately Shinobu had been able to intercept them, though she did just as much if not more damage than she'd managed to prevent. Still, they'd learned less than he'd expected or been willing to divulge himself.
Though he was but a young immortal, a week would be sufficient time for him come up with and implement his plans. To the still impatient teens the coming week would drag out, especially with their respective class schedules. When the next weekend came they would either be rushing to Hinata or have put it out of their minds.