Nicholas Stone
2nd November 2003, 07:00 AM
Ranma 1/2
Anijza
Part Two:
`In Hell As In Forever'
Nicholas Stone
The Prisoner
Pain wracked Ranma Saotome as a cold stale draft sent
chills through his body. He huddled in one corner of a
dimly lit room, his sobs echoing off the wall rocking
aimlessly as he fought to control his emotions. Finally,
after a long spell, Ranma slowly looked around his
surroundings.
"Where has that bitch taken me?" he muttered in a low,
harsh voice.
Nothing seemed to make sense. He remembered the fight;
feeling and hearing his body endure Anijza's excruciating
blows that beat him into senseless delirium. Images flashed
before his eyes, images of his father, Ryoga, Ukyo, and-.
"Akane!" gasped Ranma.
That drew an involuntary response from him and he
leaped to his feet instinctively rising to her protection.
Only there was no Akane, nor any of his friends in need of
help. Just sharp flashes of pain that dropped Ranma back to
the hard, rough floor. He moaned and looked groggily up
again.
A cell, he thought, and in need of some deep cleaning;
slime and moss clinging all over the stone walls. High up
on one wall set a square window crisscrossed with thick iron
rods, and suspended from a chain in the roof hung a wooden
chandelier. The one lit torch provided barely enough light
to see the cell's iron door. Something rank hinting of rot
and decay suddenly caught Ranma, and he wrinkled his nose in
disgust pulling himself back up into a sitting position.
"Where am I?" he said again.
The smell faded away and Ranma crawled across the cell
and stared up at the window. Bracing a hand against its
slick surface, he carefully rose to his feet. Another chill
reminded him that the front of his shirt hung open, torn
down the middle during his fight against Anijza. A good
leap, he mused. I'm not sure if I have the strength for it.
With a deep breath he leaped catching on to the sill and
pulled himself up.
His muscles strained, Ranma quickly reaching out
grabbing hold to one of the crossbars. Another pull and he
finally crested the edge. It was then that another waft of
foul air passed into the cell. The thick, foul miasma
choked Ranma, stinging his throat bringing tears welling up
in his eyes. Only by hanging back down out of the drifting
breeze was he able to maintain his precarious position and
avoid falling back down to the floor. Finally, the odor
passed and he pulled his tired frame back up gazing out
through the bars.
The sky was jet black not a star or even a hint of
clouds, and yet there seemed to be a haze lingering like
early morning mist over the ground and in the air dimming a
clear view of the horizon. Faint glows of shifting red and
yellows reflected off this and Ranma pulled himself up
higher straining to get a better view of the surrounding
buildings.
Cold, dark stone slab walls surrounded a castle-like
fortress, it's slopping roofs adorned with dark red spikes
and shingles, minarets and towers rose high at its corners
casting a sense of resilience and despair across everything
in sight. Escaping across the roof would be difficult, and
if there were guards in those towers and along the
battlements, nearly impossible. Even then, where could he
go?
Ranma tried to see past the mist into the murky
landscape but could not make out any features. "Where the
hell has she taken me?" he said.
"Maladomini," said a voice from behind.
YEEAAHHH!
Ranma hit the floor hard, stunning himself in the
process. With a low groan, he rolled over onto his side and
looked at the iron door. Through a small barred window he
saw a familiar tuff of bright red hair and innocent smile
lighting up the face of the one person he did not want to
see.
"Anijza," he growled, rolling onto his stomach.
The smile grew brighter on Anijza's face. She gazed
upon him, deep red eyes full of love and longing for her
reluctant consort. With a slight gesture of her head, the
bars sealing the door were thrown back. It creaked open and
Anijza, accompanied by two tall robed and hooded figures
entered.
"Ranma," called Anijza lightly. He did not respond and
she knelt down. "Ranma?" she called again.
This time his head hesitantly rose up.
Still the figure of alluring beauty, Anijza's features
had changed but slightly since the last time he saw her.
She appeared a few years older, wearing a grayish-white long
gown with chrome brassards on her shoulders, a matching
cape, her hair tied back in a long ponytail draped behind
her head.
He gulped and then asked, "A-A-Anijza. where in the
hell have you taken me?"
Laughing, Anijza stood back up. "Your wit and humor
will always be my favorite thing about you, Ranma. At least
you got the Hell part right."
Ranma took in a few breaths, and then drew up onto his
knees. He stared at her, trying to make some sense out of
what she said.
"Hell?" he finally said. "-what, what level?"
Again Anijza burst out into her familiar titter cutting
looks back at her companions who also appeared to be
laughing as well.
"Ah, yes, the human imagination. They couldn't get the
information right when it was dictated to them, and now look
how it's all turned out."
She stopped, leaning towards him. "There are no
`levels' in Hell, Ranma-chan. Just a large, infinite realm
of perpetuality."
The shock kept Ranma from saying anything, his fear
growing. Anijza casually walked over to the window,
mysteriously lowered down to her level. She peered out its
checkered facade before facing him again.
"I have brought you to my portion of Maladomini. My.
nitch, to say, in this existence."
"You're `nitch'?" said Ranma.
"Yes. I am one of The Master's caretakers, charged to
oversee some of his worldly endeavors into your old world."
"So, so what do you want from me?"
"Why is that not obvious, Ranma-chan? I want you."
She's insane! Ranma thought. He started to stand, but
the two robed figures moved up stopping him. He eyed them,
sizing up this new opposition and knelt back down. "Why me,
Anijza? Why did you pick me?"
There appeared a warm smile, and the red glow in
Anijza's eyes dimmed. She moved towards him body swaying
with a teasing rhythm. One brow arched up and she said,
"Because I've wanted you for a long time, my dear sweet
love. Longer than you'll ever know."
"But, but I've never met you before your visit to
Nerima! How could you have-?"
"It will be all explained in time, Ranma," Anijza cut
in. "Right now you must accept the fact that you are here
in my realm and that this is now your new home."
Ranma's jaw fell open. "M-m-my new home?"
"Yes, my love. You are to be my new consort here at my
palace. It will be so perfect!"
But Ranma was not listening, his mind tuning out
everything around him. The word `Home' continued to ring in
his ears, unable to believe what she had said to him. No,
this is not right. I must. I have to get out of here, away
from this crazy woman and back to Akane!
"Ranma?" called Anijza.
He turned; Anijza drawing back as his expression turned
to one of rage. With a loud cry Ranma launched himself at
her with arms stretched out, fingers barred ready to
throttle her. Two swift blurs immediately interposed
themselves in front of him. He jerked sharply as a pair of
gnarled hands grabbed him by each shoulder, shoving Ranma
back across the cell.
Ranma hit the cold wall with a painful thud and slid to
the floor. He moaned and then stared up at them with
surprise.
"You cannot hurt me here in my realm, Ranma," Anijza
told him. The fire in her eyes was glowing bright again.
"My servants will prevent you from doing anything to harm
me, and they will keep you here whether you want to or not."
A sharp pain shot through his right shoulder; Ranma
grimacing as he pushed away from the wall. "I'm not staying
here, Anijza," he said, nursing the injury with his left
hand. "I'll get out of here. my friends will come and get
me. you'll see!"
"Your friends," scoffed Anijza. "They can't get into
this realm, Ranma, and even if they do how would they find
you?"
"They will!"
Anijza's lips drew tight, brows furrowing as she
crossed her arms. "If they do, Ranma, then they will endure
untold pains and suffering. Do you want that?"
Ranma swallowed, unsure how to answer her. He did not
reply and Anijza smiled.
"Did not think you would."
She turned and headed back out the door. Ranma watched
helplessly as it closed behind them. The hard clack of the
bolt locking shut chilled him, and he sat staring lifelessly
out across the cell.
"However," called Anijza through the window in the
door. "It would be nice to see Akane Tendo again. She and
I have some scores to settle. I'd enjoy getting another
crack at her."
"You leave Akane alone," said Ranma.
"Only if she does not cross my path, Ranma. Otherwise,
I will have too. `Deal' with her, and that would be so much
fun."
"I'll get you, Anijza, and I will get out of here."
Anijza laughed. "Give my palace a chance, Ranma. You
will come to accept your fate with time. There is plenty of
that to go around, trust me."
Ranma grit his teeth in rage. "Never, Anijza. never,"
he seethed.
"We'll see, Ranma. We shall see."
Anijza
Part Two:
`In Hell As In Forever'
Nicholas Stone
The Prisoner
Pain wracked Ranma Saotome as a cold stale draft sent
chills through his body. He huddled in one corner of a
dimly lit room, his sobs echoing off the wall rocking
aimlessly as he fought to control his emotions. Finally,
after a long spell, Ranma slowly looked around his
surroundings.
"Where has that bitch taken me?" he muttered in a low,
harsh voice.
Nothing seemed to make sense. He remembered the fight;
feeling and hearing his body endure Anijza's excruciating
blows that beat him into senseless delirium. Images flashed
before his eyes, images of his father, Ryoga, Ukyo, and-.
"Akane!" gasped Ranma.
That drew an involuntary response from him and he
leaped to his feet instinctively rising to her protection.
Only there was no Akane, nor any of his friends in need of
help. Just sharp flashes of pain that dropped Ranma back to
the hard, rough floor. He moaned and looked groggily up
again.
A cell, he thought, and in need of some deep cleaning;
slime and moss clinging all over the stone walls. High up
on one wall set a square window crisscrossed with thick iron
rods, and suspended from a chain in the roof hung a wooden
chandelier. The one lit torch provided barely enough light
to see the cell's iron door. Something rank hinting of rot
and decay suddenly caught Ranma, and he wrinkled his nose in
disgust pulling himself back up into a sitting position.
"Where am I?" he said again.
The smell faded away and Ranma crawled across the cell
and stared up at the window. Bracing a hand against its
slick surface, he carefully rose to his feet. Another chill
reminded him that the front of his shirt hung open, torn
down the middle during his fight against Anijza. A good
leap, he mused. I'm not sure if I have the strength for it.
With a deep breath he leaped catching on to the sill and
pulled himself up.
His muscles strained, Ranma quickly reaching out
grabbing hold to one of the crossbars. Another pull and he
finally crested the edge. It was then that another waft of
foul air passed into the cell. The thick, foul miasma
choked Ranma, stinging his throat bringing tears welling up
in his eyes. Only by hanging back down out of the drifting
breeze was he able to maintain his precarious position and
avoid falling back down to the floor. Finally, the odor
passed and he pulled his tired frame back up gazing out
through the bars.
The sky was jet black not a star or even a hint of
clouds, and yet there seemed to be a haze lingering like
early morning mist over the ground and in the air dimming a
clear view of the horizon. Faint glows of shifting red and
yellows reflected off this and Ranma pulled himself up
higher straining to get a better view of the surrounding
buildings.
Cold, dark stone slab walls surrounded a castle-like
fortress, it's slopping roofs adorned with dark red spikes
and shingles, minarets and towers rose high at its corners
casting a sense of resilience and despair across everything
in sight. Escaping across the roof would be difficult, and
if there were guards in those towers and along the
battlements, nearly impossible. Even then, where could he
go?
Ranma tried to see past the mist into the murky
landscape but could not make out any features. "Where the
hell has she taken me?" he said.
"Maladomini," said a voice from behind.
YEEAAHHH!
Ranma hit the floor hard, stunning himself in the
process. With a low groan, he rolled over onto his side and
looked at the iron door. Through a small barred window he
saw a familiar tuff of bright red hair and innocent smile
lighting up the face of the one person he did not want to
see.
"Anijza," he growled, rolling onto his stomach.
The smile grew brighter on Anijza's face. She gazed
upon him, deep red eyes full of love and longing for her
reluctant consort. With a slight gesture of her head, the
bars sealing the door were thrown back. It creaked open and
Anijza, accompanied by two tall robed and hooded figures
entered.
"Ranma," called Anijza lightly. He did not respond and
she knelt down. "Ranma?" she called again.
This time his head hesitantly rose up.
Still the figure of alluring beauty, Anijza's features
had changed but slightly since the last time he saw her.
She appeared a few years older, wearing a grayish-white long
gown with chrome brassards on her shoulders, a matching
cape, her hair tied back in a long ponytail draped behind
her head.
He gulped and then asked, "A-A-Anijza. where in the
hell have you taken me?"
Laughing, Anijza stood back up. "Your wit and humor
will always be my favorite thing about you, Ranma. At least
you got the Hell part right."
Ranma took in a few breaths, and then drew up onto his
knees. He stared at her, trying to make some sense out of
what she said.
"Hell?" he finally said. "-what, what level?"
Again Anijza burst out into her familiar titter cutting
looks back at her companions who also appeared to be
laughing as well.
"Ah, yes, the human imagination. They couldn't get the
information right when it was dictated to them, and now look
how it's all turned out."
She stopped, leaning towards him. "There are no
`levels' in Hell, Ranma-chan. Just a large, infinite realm
of perpetuality."
The shock kept Ranma from saying anything, his fear
growing. Anijza casually walked over to the window,
mysteriously lowered down to her level. She peered out its
checkered facade before facing him again.
"I have brought you to my portion of Maladomini. My.
nitch, to say, in this existence."
"You're `nitch'?" said Ranma.
"Yes. I am one of The Master's caretakers, charged to
oversee some of his worldly endeavors into your old world."
"So, so what do you want from me?"
"Why is that not obvious, Ranma-chan? I want you."
She's insane! Ranma thought. He started to stand, but
the two robed figures moved up stopping him. He eyed them,
sizing up this new opposition and knelt back down. "Why me,
Anijza? Why did you pick me?"
There appeared a warm smile, and the red glow in
Anijza's eyes dimmed. She moved towards him body swaying
with a teasing rhythm. One brow arched up and she said,
"Because I've wanted you for a long time, my dear sweet
love. Longer than you'll ever know."
"But, but I've never met you before your visit to
Nerima! How could you have-?"
"It will be all explained in time, Ranma," Anijza cut
in. "Right now you must accept the fact that you are here
in my realm and that this is now your new home."
Ranma's jaw fell open. "M-m-my new home?"
"Yes, my love. You are to be my new consort here at my
palace. It will be so perfect!"
But Ranma was not listening, his mind tuning out
everything around him. The word `Home' continued to ring in
his ears, unable to believe what she had said to him. No,
this is not right. I must. I have to get out of here, away
from this crazy woman and back to Akane!
"Ranma?" called Anijza.
He turned; Anijza drawing back as his expression turned
to one of rage. With a loud cry Ranma launched himself at
her with arms stretched out, fingers barred ready to
throttle her. Two swift blurs immediately interposed
themselves in front of him. He jerked sharply as a pair of
gnarled hands grabbed him by each shoulder, shoving Ranma
back across the cell.
Ranma hit the cold wall with a painful thud and slid to
the floor. He moaned and then stared up at them with
surprise.
"You cannot hurt me here in my realm, Ranma," Anijza
told him. The fire in her eyes was glowing bright again.
"My servants will prevent you from doing anything to harm
me, and they will keep you here whether you want to or not."
A sharp pain shot through his right shoulder; Ranma
grimacing as he pushed away from the wall. "I'm not staying
here, Anijza," he said, nursing the injury with his left
hand. "I'll get out of here. my friends will come and get
me. you'll see!"
"Your friends," scoffed Anijza. "They can't get into
this realm, Ranma, and even if they do how would they find
you?"
"They will!"
Anijza's lips drew tight, brows furrowing as she
crossed her arms. "If they do, Ranma, then they will endure
untold pains and suffering. Do you want that?"
Ranma swallowed, unsure how to answer her. He did not
reply and Anijza smiled.
"Did not think you would."
She turned and headed back out the door. Ranma watched
helplessly as it closed behind them. The hard clack of the
bolt locking shut chilled him, and he sat staring lifelessly
out across the cell.
"However," called Anijza through the window in the
door. "It would be nice to see Akane Tendo again. She and
I have some scores to settle. I'd enjoy getting another
crack at her."
"You leave Akane alone," said Ranma.
"Only if she does not cross my path, Ranma. Otherwise,
I will have too. `Deal' with her, and that would be so much
fun."
"I'll get you, Anijza, and I will get out of here."
Anijza laughed. "Give my palace a chance, Ranma. You
will come to accept your fate with time. There is plenty of
that to go around, trust me."
Ranma grit his teeth in rage. "Never, Anijza. never,"
he seethed.
"We'll see, Ranma. We shall see."